Naked Paul Toast’s Insights

I only expect programmers to “get” this one. It’s one of the cleverest vanity plates, I’ve seen.

Jack Szostak created …

Biologists on the Verge of Creating New Form of Life

A Harvard team of biologists and chemists have created protocells from fatty molecules. These protocells meet almost all criteria for life, the exception being they don’t replicate completely on their own. They still need a little nudge.

One of the biggest arguments against evolution made by Fundies is “Life must have been created”. Of course evidence is never presented. Positions with out evidence, simply stating something “must have…”, are always a poor arguments. What’s even worse is abiogenesis, has absolutely nothing to do with the mounds of evidence supporting evolution.

But since creationists and ID proponents still insist that abiogenesis could not have happened, and therefore evolution could not have happened. This development brings us one step closer to understanding the natural formation of life.

I was in a Wendys, my second favorite burger joint yesterday. Easily, the hardest working employee in the place was a young man with Down syndrome.

I’ve grown so accustomed to the stamped, sullen faces on most teenagers working in retail, I barely notice how much they don’t want to be there. They don’t even bother with a forced smile anymore. Actually getting a thank you, is a victory.

This was where he was very different from the rest of the Wendys’ employees. He actually seemed genuinely happy to be there. He happily bussed and washed the tables and counters, smiling at everyone. And not the fake, contrived smile that employee of the month candidates adorn, this guy smiled with his whole face. There was one table, with three pretty young ladies, he was especially interested in ensuring their table was clean, he wiped it down three times.
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I didn’t stand in line all night for the product launch. I didn’t video and youtube, myself opening the box or activating it. In fact, I’m pretty sure I voted “I have no interest in the iPhone” in Marty’s Seriously, It’s Just A Phone poll. Though, maybe I voted “I don’t have feelings either way“. I can’t remember.

Well, I picked one up the other day. I haven’t put it down.

It really is a cool piece of technology. I just love it. I’ve never had an iPod, only lack luster MP3 players, but the house is full of other people’s iPods and iPod touches. Never really played with them.

My old phone, a Samsung, still works fine, but I knew a while ago that the next phone I wanted I wanted was going to be some kind of smart phone. I use an Palm pilot for Calendar, Scheduling and life management. But, carrying it around, was a bit of a chore. Too often I needed it, and didn’t have it, and had it, without needing it. It was also a pain in the ass to sync with the scheduling software at work.
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Harvey’s makes your hamburger, a beautiful thing.

If you don’t recognize the above quote, and a jingle doesn’t pop into your head, then you are probably not Canadian. Or a Canadian that’s been confined to Saskatchewan or Newfoundland, all your life. Or deaf.

It’s the jingle that has been a Harvey’s staple, for as long as I can remember.

I’ve included a Harvey’s YouTube video link, with said jingle.
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GameMakerBlog and GMNews recently posted their search engine statistics. I’ve followed suit.

My top searches, in order of most prominent are:

gm server
nakedpaultoast
game maker decompiler
caveman craig
gm obfuscator
39dll

Or slight derivatives. It’s obvious people are looking for the decompiler, or information about it, anyway. I’ve never received any hits from people looking for GM cracks or key-gens, but until now, those terms haven’t appeared anywhere in my blog.

It was at this point, that my search terms start to vary drastically. Not limiting myself to strictly Game Maker, I get very different search terms. It’s to be expected.
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Intelligent Motion.

Plus, I love the name of the website.

I’m a little paranoid right now. I’m expecting the FBI to pound my door down, because of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack I orchestrated.

Let me explain.

I was browsing through my email, and a Viagra and other pharmaceutical products SPAM, made it through my SPAM filter. This one was different than most, it had a toll free 1-800 number listed in a big bold font, with an invitation to call, if I had any questions.

Hmmmmmmm. Free long distance telephone call to a SPAMMER. Jack Pot!
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On the net, new expressions, words, colloquialisms, often come to life. Out there, somewhere, is the first usage of newbie, a smilie. There’s also the creation of local words, that have meaning to the local group, but never breakout. Chez Watt on Talk Origins, comes to mind.

We might just have captured the birth of new meme!

Or maybe not.

I have never understood why people make a big deal about celebrities. They stand in line for hours, hoping to get an autograph or a couple minutes of strained, disinterested, idle idol chit-chat.

I remember as a young boy attending a small Christmas party, at friends of my parents. In attendance was a celebrity, I don’t even remember who he was. My brothers made a huge deal over him, and asked him for an autograph. After signing autographs for my brothers, he then turned to me, assuming I also wanted one, asking who to make it out for. I didn’t want one.

I politely declined, telling him I didn’t collect autographs. His reaction was a combination of shock, disbelief, embarrassment, whatever. For the rest of the night, he was all over me, making jokes about giving me his autograph.

I guess the best way to get attention from celebrities is not to show them any.

In a community near me, there was a case of Hero Worship, gone bad.
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