This website’s server is located on what appears to be a dirt lot in San Francisco’s south of Market Neighborhood according to Geotool. I always knew Laughing Squid had secret undreground headquarters.
Archive for the 'Bizzare' Category
From iRobot, the makers if Roomba the robotic vacuum comes ConnectR - the robot that enables you to “Stay close to those you love – no matter where you are!” According to iRobot’s website the robot is a new kind of connection device designed for busy parents and far removed grandparents “seeking greater connection and involvement with kids, grandkids and pets.”
Technically, the ConnectR is almost identical to it’s sibling Roomba, but with some communication gadgets 
stuck on top. Some of the added features include a 16x zoom video camera, high quality speakers and wireless connectivity. The robot allows remote control from both the “visitor” and the “guest” via keyboard or joystick. One of the features on the guest’s remote is a privacy mode, that once enabled, disables all communication capabilities of the robot - effectively shutting out the guest without warning. With all of these fancy capabilities, iRobot claims that piloting the ConnectR is just like being there in person.
The concept of a robot taking the place of anybody in any situation is disturbing to most people. There was unrest when industrial robots, basically metal arms, took the place of human workers in factories. Countless movies have been made about robots taking the place of people - none of them positive. The very idea of a machine taking the place of a person for a social purpose is pretty absurd. Now I’m sure that iRobot never intended for their product to seriously perform everything that it claims it can do (I hope) but we can at least have some fun playing with the idea.
First of all, the thing is connected to the internet. I would distrust this machine for the same reason I distrust voting machines - anything with a network cable plugged into its ass can be hacked. Chances are, something as crazy an idea as the ConnectR will be targeted extremely quickly. The kind of guys and gals that are into cracking security are going have a field day with this thing. Peeking in on someone’s personal interactions is just too irresistible a temptation for the voyeurs who potentially have the power to do so. Imagine if the ConnectR really was being used by a far away business man… to visit his lonely wife.
One of the more humorous uses advertised for the ConnectoR is pet sitting. Apparently you can keep check on your pets while you are away at work or on vacation. Yea right. How many dogs actually pay attention to TV? When you put the phone up to your dogs ear so it can listen to a family members voice, how often does it listen? Very little, if at all. The fact is dogs and cats can’t comprehend that the voice coming out of speakers belongs to a person, and wont respond to objects that don’t have a scent. I remember building a
Lego robot car as a child that could be remote controlled by a joystick. It scared the crap out of my cat who ran away for a night or two. When I confronted my dog with my creation, she quickly attacked and destroyed the machine before I could save it. I can’t imagine the pooch reacting much differently to the ConnectR.
On the more serious side of things, I hope people don’t actually buy this thing and try to use it as a replacement for real human interaction. If they do, this behavior should be indicative of a deeper problem. Is having a job that pays enough to purchase ridiculous things like the ConnectR really worth keeping if you don’t even have time to spend with your own kids? I think not. If anything the the robot should be treated as nothing more than a really cool expensive toy. Maybe even a very pricey security system, but definitely not a babysitter.
For those of you interested in purchasing the ConnectR, you will have to wait. The product is not yet in consumer production. If you want, you can sign up for the “Pilot Program” which is basically a Beta test of the robot in order for iRobot to receive feedback. But please, if you do receive a ConnectR, don’t do anything that you would do with your wife, kids or pets.
Look at that Blue Jay, isn’t he cute? They are so beautiful, and so are their songs! I wonder what he had for lunch, probably some berries or something. Such wonderful little creatures.
Little does my grandma know, as she watches the birds fly and sing out her window, that Blue Jays actually readily kill and eat other song birds.
I didn’t know either, until today. I was sitting in the Cascade Dining Hall enjoying my breakfast looking out the window, when I saw a Blue Jay eating something in a tree. As I looked closer, I realized that it was another bird! I rushed outside to try to get a video. Just as I started to film, the bird saw me and flew away with the carcass, dropping the decapitated head at my feet. You can view the pretty graphic picture here.
What a way to start the morning! Since I had never even heard of this before, I decided to do some research. The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is actually a member of the Crow (Corvidae) family. All crows eat meat, some more than others. Although Blue Jays eat about 3 times as much plant matter as it does meat, a large part of their diet is made up of other animals such as mice, fish, bats and other small birds. All members of the crow family are know for their intelligence, thats why its so hard for Fluffy to kill them. You can read more about the Corvidae family on this fascinating website: http://science.jrank.org/pages/1886/Crows-Jays.html
Still don’t believe me? Check out this youtube video, the guy had better luck filming it than I did:
Hashima Island
Hashima, or Gunkanjima Island, is an abandoned coal mining community 15km outside of Nagsaki, Japan. In 1959, the island had the highest population in the world with a density of 1.391 people per km^2. The island was abruptly abandoned in 1974 when the coal resources ran out an the workers living there were no longer needed. Travel to the island is prohibited.
The literal translation of the island means “Battleship Island” because of it’s silhouette.
Everything literally falls apart, in a relatively short period of time.
The abandoned school:
Here is an interesting video of a man returning to the island where he grew up:
via videosift.com
Kowloon Walled City
The Kowloon walled city had a long history with political and territorial disputes. After Japan’s WWII surrender in 1948 the area became a part of British Hong Kong. Squatters began to build, and when the city became part of the People Republic of China, even more were added. The city was a lawless haven, British government didn’t want to deal with it, and Hong Kong Police were not allowed to enter. The Kowloon walled city was an “in-between zone” ruled by nobody but the fearsome triads that ran the city.
View of the city shortly before demolition.
Inside the city’s alleys. In some areas, daylight was completely blocked out.
Shabby makeshift power lines littered the city and it’s rooftop.
The Kowloon Walled city was demolished in 1993. Check out this great video of the interior of the city from the movie “Bloodsport:
Pripyat
The infamous Chernobyl nuclear power plant failure left this entire city abandoned. Because the residents were only allowed to take a single suitcase of items with them during the evacuation, almost everything was left behind. This gives the city the appearance that it’s inhabitants simply vanished - children’s toys, documents, photos, can all still be found withing thousands of abandoned apartments.
View of the city’s ferris wheel. Those of you who play Call of Duty 4 will recognize this.
Although radiation still exists, its possible to visit for a short amount of time without getting sick.
The swimming pool
Like other abandoned cities, Pripyat has been the setting of many movies and video games. Watch this incredible video of the city:
San Zhi
Outside of Taipei, Taiwan, lies the abandoned San Zhi Resort. What makes this abandoned place unique is the strange buildings. In fact, that could be why they are abandoned - faulty construction practices caused several of the worker’s death. Consequently the resort was never finished and it is said that the place is haunted by the workers who died building it.
A futuristic resort - now completely abandoned.
Haunted? Looks like it.
They don’t look safe. Some say the pods are made of a faulty kind of plastic, which is why the pods seem to be falling apart after such a short period of abandonment.
Know of any other modern abandoned cities I should include in this list? Feel free to comment.
Just when you thought the suburbs were safe, a b26 bomber has to crash land in your front yard.
Amazingly, the plane didn’t hit a single house, not even so much as a telephone pole. Unfortunately, both pilots died. This photograph was the Pulitzer Prize winner for best photography in 1956.
Hanging by a thread, literally.
I would forgive the guy if he crapped his pants.
f you thought your town was boring, imagine living in a town where EVERYTHING is boring!
Boring Oregon has a pretty dull road sign.
I thought it was implied that offices were boring?
Who would want to go to this tavern?
Here is the local fire dept:
I used to think my school was bad…
Everyone hop on the exciting bus to Boring, Oregon!
I hope you enjoyed these images!
I found them in a photography book by Martin Purr published by Phaidon Press Lmt. Ny, Ny.
People Are Saying: