DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC METH-ADDICTED SHEEP?

Yr WTF Science lede of the day is:



O, it gets better:

The study that appears in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine openly lists a few caveats. Aside from being partially funded by Taser International, the study authors include two physicians who represent medical consultants and stockholders of the company. One of the two is also the medical director of Taser International.

On the one hand, I guess it’s better than doing this kind of research on Taser employees like they used to do a year ago. On the other hand, unlike the sheep, they were volunteers.

As far as I know.

“Hey Bobby, wanna make a little overtime on this project? It’s a great team-building experience and yr supervisor would greatly appreciate yr help.”

“Uh, sure, what do I have to do?”

“Just bite down on this and hold still ...”

Anyway, I think we all know where this is headed.

Short sharp sheep,

This is dF

WORLD CUP 2010: EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING

The World Cup started last week, and as always, the hottest topic of discussion is: does anyone in the US care (or even know) that they have a team playing?

Okay, actually it’s the second-hottest topic.



Or maybe it’s third, after vuvuzelas and Johannesburg’s crime rate, which is so embarrassingly high that judges are upping the stakes. Let’s just say the next couple of months are a bad time to get caught with a stolen cellphone.

Anyway, I don’t have a lot to say about either the US’s role in the World Cup (there seems to be more support for it, but odds are most Americans are watching baseball), the US team’s chances (slim) or the vuvuzelas (there’s a volume/mute button on yr remote for a reason, and it’s not like you need the sound up that loud).

But I do like the use of 3D virtual replays like this.

Just kidding. I actually meant these.

These were featured during the 2006 World Cup, of course, but they were mostly online, as I recall (though maybe the cable sports channels were using them too – I wouldn’t know because I don’t watch them). I know that here in Hong Kong, this year the local news programs have been using them in lieu of actual video – either because they don’t have a license to use the video, or because the virtual replays are broadcast quality and show you far more diverse angles.

In other words, they’re arguably better than the real thing.

I see some possibilities here – something where, say, a premium option on yr set-top box allows video feeds to be automatically transcoded into 3D graphics in near-real time, allowing you to watch the game as a 3D animation from pretty much any angle you want.

You could also apply it to other things: the Die Hard films, say. Because who doesn’t want to watch Bruce Willis brutally stab a man in the eye with an icicle from every possible angle?

I’m sure Jim Cameron is working on it already. Or possibly Larry Flynt.

As for the actual World Cup ... well, don’t look to me for predictions. I’ll defer to thelastaerie , Team Def’s resident football expert, for meaningful team/game analysis.

Personally, I’d like to see a Japan vs Ghana final just for the hell of it. But in the real world, I think it may be an all-Latin America final, based on the current standings, unless Holland keeps itself together . But it’s early days, and I barely follow this stuff, so don’t quote me on that.

BONUS TRACK: By the way, those vuvuzelas?

There’s an app for that.

Instant replay,

This is dF

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER “R”, PART 3: I WANT TO GO BACK AND DIE AT THE DRIVE-IN

Continuing the “Five Songs That Start With The Letter R” meme assigned by ayoub  ...

You should all be listening to more Neko Case singing about the revenge of the natural world. So here’s “Red Tide” from her most recent album.

WARNING: Contains excessive amounts of Jimmy Fallon.

Roll tide,

This is dF

DRAMA CAT IS DRAMATIC

It’s a family affair,

This is dF