Skeleton Art Doll 2
Handmade art doll. 10.75 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2008, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

There has been no official explanation of the tool on the official YouTube blog, where most new features are trailed, but the comment section of the website is notorious for hosting some of the least intelligent discussions on the internet. Anyone posting a comment on a YouTube video can now hear what they have written read back at them, just by pressing a button beneath their words.

Here is the comic strip which illustrates this feature. It is about a hacker who creates a virus that embarrasses YouTube commenters by reading out loud back what they have written.

YouTube should be credited for having so much concern on civic values. It really made me cry. For once, I thought they didn't care a bit about what the comments are, be it hideous or shameful. But here they are proving me wrong.

Hooray.

This one is currently available at my Etsy Shop

Mummy Art Doll 12
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 7.5 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2008, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

This guy is currently available at my Etsy Shop

Mummy Art Doll 9
Handmade, OOAK art doll. 6.25 inches tall.
Mixed media including fabric and Paperclay.
Copyright © 2008, Shain Erin. All rights reserved.

This is the first of the Mummy Dolls Series. You can see photos of all of the series on my website: www.shainerin.com
 

Q. What next after Osama?

A. Obama

Q, What next after Saddam Husain?

A. Barak Husain

And now we have a vice president. So I add a question?

Q. What next after Bin Laden?

A. Biden

I am wondering a lot about this co-incidence...! Make me popular :)

Now in my world the word "leakage" conjures up all kinds of nasty images of things weeping, or seeping, or otherwise oozing out where they shouldn't.  The word "leakage" makes me think of diapers that don't contain all the matter they should contain, or hazardous toxins leeching into our water basin.  Not a pretty picture.

What puzzles me is what the words "plant" and "leakage" have to do with a cable company?  It's cable, not toxic sludge, but cable that's buried in the ground.  Does it contain something that can leak?  What?  And why would a cable company building be termed a "plant"?  What are they doing there?  Secret military experiments?  And since this sign was on a car, that leads one to think there may be more than one "trouble" spot.  Is there county-wide "leakage"?   I tried to speed up and catch up to the car so I could maybe flag down the driver and ask him what the sign meant, but he was in a hurry and I can only wonder if he was on his way to a reported "leakage" somewhere nearby.  I don't know if I can sleep tonight wondering about this.  This could be a real health hazard.  If we have "leakage" I just know there are two-headed cows right around the corner.

So, Devoted Spouse and I are off for a few days of R&R before my next class starts.  We're heading once again to the hills for some peace and quiet, a hot tub, wine, and lots of stars.  I'm actually taking the laptop with me, but I'm not so sure I'll be able to get a Sprint signal.  So if you don't see any postings for a bit, don't fret.  I'll be along in a few.

Last night, Date Night was... interesting. Here's a peek.

1. "Went out" for dinner. Subway makes a killer sandwich.

2. Drove over to see how the house is coming. Took some pictures (which will live solely on Em's camera for all eternity.)

3. Decided to go to Home Depot. Side Note: First time in Home Depot since actually having a Home. This was a truly unique experience and I wanted to buy everything I saw. Instead, we just looked at paint colors. (Still accepting applications.)

On the way to gas up the Civic after our riveting evening, Emma suddenly remembered she forgot to run an errand at the Lakeland Public Libraryfor school. Sheepishly, I asked her where the Library was. At first, I felt bad NOT knowing where the public library was, in a town I have lived in for over 7 years now. But my mind was put at ease when she responded "I dunno. Lake M...orton? Mirror? One of the lakes. That narrowed it down. I had a hard enough time finding the Roux Library on campus (Art Major), much less one that serviced the entire city.

So the trek began. For some odd reason I took Edgewood to Cleveland Heights to Ingram to Vistabula to Lake Morton. This was not the most efficient route. Then I drove around Lake Morton thrice before actually seeing the dadgum thing.

Pulling up, I said "Wow, look at all those books." The Dumb Comment of the Month goes to...

Anyway, we walked in, and I immediately knew the Library was an evil place. I felt ashamed that there was so much knowledge in the world, and I knew so little. And cared so little. Places that make you feel bad are evil. Except church. I asked Emma if she heard the door "scream" like I did when we walked in. She probably rolled her eyes. I swear I heard it scream.

After talking to a very quiet, very un-funny person at the Circulation Desk, our task was complete. On the way out, I made my wife stop whilst another couple walked in, so she could hear the scream of the automatic door.

I was right. I kid you not, it screams. Really. Go to the Lakeland Library, walk up to the right-hand door, and listen. Then walk right out; it's scary in there.

But it makes for a great Date Night.

So I checked out the Newbie board,('Cause alot of INTERESTING things happen there.) and guess what I found? The topic I HATE NEOPETS!!!

Actually it's VERY interesting, you see, many people actually came to the board and argued with the Newbie. He seemed like he was acting like a n00b and breaking the rules at first, by saying, "shut up idiots girlfriend" to almost every female he could see posting. Then he stated that he has more than 6 accounts!!! Wha? After being like a n00b-gone-crazy-with-too-much-medicine, he said it was a hoax and is sorry for what he said about us. Beware of this guy if you are on the Newbie Boards tommorrow, he will be doing it again, he said. What was that all about?

My fingers unsure what they key, my brain unsure of these thoughts. So melancholic as of late. Such sweet, quiet surprise. A name scorned on this heart, but no fault of his, he is but a stranger of words, of presence to my being. Never we will meet, but how kind to give me these words of stranger known...

They did not only touch me.
My hand did not merely touch them,
but rather,
they befriended
my existence
in such a way
that with me, they indeed existed,
and they were for me so full of life,
that they lived with me half-alive,
and they will die with me half -dead.

- Pablo Neruda, excerpt of "Ode to Things"

See the face of a soldier and a man that is bending over on the below eye illusion.

Beautiful scene. But there is something more to it.

It is quite interesting that all numbers can be created by using only two numerals - 4 and 8.

1st Color Blindness Test - can you see a "12" on this plate?

2nd Color Blindness Test - there is a "26" on this plate.

3rd Color Blindness Test - can you trace a line from one "X" to the other?

4th Color Blindness Test - you should see 58 (upper left), 18 (upper right), E (lower left) and 17 (lower right).

There is nothing moving on the picture. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

Another static picture. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

Motion is just an eye illusion. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

There is nothing moving below. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

Boats on the picture are not moving. It's just an eye illusion. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

Who do you like more - women or saxophone players?

Are there really just flowers?

Is this really a spiral?

Are the horizontal lines parallel? (of course they are)

If you can read the following picture, then you can shout ...

You may read across and upright.
A-B-C or 12-13-14?

This impossible object is called "Devil's Fork" or "Schuster's Conundrum" (by D. H. Schuster)

Given the wood do you think you could make this?

Or this one?

A realistic photo?

Try to arrange dice like this.

Another interesting building.

A similar example of ambiguous optical illusions - father and son.

Whole family mind teaser - father with mother and daughter (by G. H. Fischer).

Sigmund Freud and what really on his mind is.

A landscape and the face of a bearded man.

Profile of Salvador Dali and a strange woman.

An old couple - see profiles of faces - is remembering the times when
they were young and full of life - see the sitting characters ("Forever
Always" by Octavio Ocampo©)

At first sight, what do you see? Do not focus on one region, now look again. You may be surprised (by Joseph Jastrow).

Rabbit and duck one more time.

Swan and squirrel ambiguous image (by G. H. Fischer).

This is one of classic optical illusions - it is called dancing
elephant. Try to count the number of his legs (by Roger Shepard).

The tabletops are identical in shape and size! I haven't believed that either, until I measured it myself.

This one is interesting. Children will probably see a group of playing
dolphins. But adults see usually something else. It's called Message of
Love from the Dolphins (by Sandro Del-Prete).

You probably recognize the face in this painting (it is St. George),
but if you look at his hair, you'll see that he is fighting a
fire-breathing dragon. It's called "St. George the Dragon Slayer" (by
Sandro Del-Prete).

Stare at the dot in the center of the circle and then move your head closer to it. Neat!

Moving circles. (© Akiyoshi Kitaoka: Used with permission.)

Which central circle is bigger? The left one or the right one? Are you sure?

Is the blue wall in the block or on the block? Is it the back wall or the side wall?

Is this a complete cube or just 3 sides of it?

Are the diagonal lines parallel?

Most of the people see a donkey first, but if you look closer you'll find a seal, with its flippers where the donkey's ears are!

Is that a polar bear or a seal on the optical illusion below?

It is a beautiful day outside with a lovely breeze. We sit and enjoy our meal, minding our own business, when suddenly we turn and notice that there is a duck staring at us.

Okay, was not expecting such company but we went along with it. We continued to eat and turned again- now there were six ducks. So why not, we were given some crackers from the restaurant to feed the ducks with. They were quite pleased, kept shaking their back tail feathers like a puppy or something- quite odd and quite enjoyable!

This seems to be part of the decor for a nearby community, and the ducks are quite attracted to the restaurant on the other side (where we were). Bold animals, they had no problem coming right up to us.

The baby ducks were adorable! With their tiny little hardly there wings, awww- so cute. One of them bit my fiance's toes. Bold little guys they are, lol. It turned out to be a lovely surprise and a welcomed addition to our day.

After 4 hours worth of job training, I settle for taking the tube or bus home when I find I can't mooch a lift. It all starts with getting a bus, reaching my destination, having a little window shop before getting another bus to start on my journey home... Except this bus decides to stop at the bus stop for a bit.

The driver announced over the tannoy(?): "Everybody off the bus!" Before playing a pre-recording of "find your nearest exit" with the lady's soothing voice. While waiting to get off of the top deck, I notice a strange burning smell. Naturally I become curious so turn around to see smoke billowing out of the back of the bus. Naturally again my reaction of "Oh Shit!" and my urgenecy of trying to get off and bashing into the back of the person in front caused a little bit of embarrassment...

Coward!

After a (very) slow exit from the bus I go to check the back and see the driver open the flap concealing the engine and witness a huge gush of steam come racing out. There was also this white foamy type liquid leaking all over the ground (coolant apparently) but it didn't seem to be on fire... Just really really hot and non-functioning.

After this little bit of strangeness (and on losing 90p!) I decide I've had enough of the buses and start walking. I look up to see a passenger airline (plane) at an angle in the sky, about 30-45 degrees. So there I am, walking along a very busy road with blocked bus lane and horns honking left right and centre, and I'm staring up into the sky at a plane which seemed to have taken a wrong turning as it does a turn that looks a lot like it was going back on itself... Good directions...

This is all from suffereing a huuuuge headache and a fainting sensation.

I thought that was the weirdest of weird I'd be seeing today, and then I saw a cloud... a cloud that was completely vertical and not surrounded by any other. And it was a dark grey / black.

What the hell is going on?

I don't even have anything to say about this, it pretty much says it all.

When this post increases my overall blog count by 33% and arrives after nearly 10 months of its predecessor, I am sure the above statement is substantiated beyond doubt.

A lot has transpired in these last 10 months. I have passed a public exam, successfully attempted a national competitive exam, left home, shifted states and found friends of the highest calibre, all in the span of these 10 months, yes a lot has transpired indeed.  An unabridged version of the aforementioned events is beyond the scope of energies and time that I care to muster at present. That said, we can move on to a more timeless realm of the non-physical type.

The mind is a complex place, devoid of rules and unrestrained from the straitjacket of logic. It is a place where emotions run amok and anarchy is the order of the day. When all is hunky-dory, the slightest of drafts can create cracks, cracks that run haywire, like spiderwebs across the fine mirror with which the mind's eye adores itself, it leaves it looking like some hideous manifestation to be shunned. Ennui seeps in through invisible cracks and fills the not-so-long-ago-jolly-mind with cold dread. One is often caught unawares, which further intensifies the feeling of helplessness. On the other hand when the weary mind is deep within the proverbial tunnel of despair, a faint glow of a humane touch, a slight brush from life, that springs out from the most unexpected of corners provides an inexplicable panacea of relief. A soothing army of tiny bubbles of happiness bursts through the placid surface of gloom, reinvigorating the haggard soul.

The intricately woven gamut of human emotions is chaotic in its sheer volume of variety. Feelings, expressly unwanted and already known of as futile, pierce through the carefully constructed defense and lay siege on the being's very core. As a battle of such kind rages on in my mind, I lie in a trance, late in the nocturnal world that gladly embraces me and contemplate to no avail, maybe the declaration of nothing in particular to no one in particular imparts relief, unexplained by the devices of linear thinking.

A Chinese schoolteacher is preparing to cross the 112 mile-wide Taiwan Straits in a paper boat. "Not only is the whole boat made of paper, but the glue is an organic material - cooked flour soup," he told the Straits Guidance Daily.

Zhu says his boat will be nearly 6ft long, the bottom will be 2ins thick and it will be strong enough to carry two people.

He first tested a paper boat in August 2005, sailing on the Mingjiang River for 50 miles in 11 hours, from Meishan city to Leshan city.

A US woman needed hospital treatment after she was shot in the leg by her own stove.

Cory Davis, 56, of Sekiu, Washington state, had just stoked her cast-iron stove when something inside it exploded. She heard a loud bang and was struck by something on the inside of her left calf, reports the Peninsula Daily News.

"I kept thinking, jeez that was one fast hot coal flying at me," she said. "But it wasn't a coal." It was part of a...shotgun shell that had been accidentally placed in the stove along with some newspaper.

Ms Davis said a case of ammo had spilled out in her home a month ago and one shell must have been inside the newspaper she used to light the stove.