Friday, January 11, 2013
Morgan Freeman = Chuck Norris * 1000: True Facts about Morgan Freeman [Video]
Morgan Freeman = Chuck Norris * 1000: True Facts about Morgan Freeman [Video]:
Enjoy the awesomeness that is Morgan Freeman.
[Via TA]
Enjoy the awesomeness that is Morgan Freeman.
[Via TA]
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Thursday, January 10, 2013
IBM removed the Urban Dictionary from Watson's memory after it got too sassy
IBM removed the Urban Dictionary from Watson's memory after it got too sassy: 
Like a parent washing out their child's mouth with soap, IBM was forced to cleanse its supercomputer Watson's memory after it learned a thing or two from the Urban Dictionary. According to CNN, the Jeopardy champion began memorizing entries from the slang-filled site when the supercomputer was in development years ago, but sadly, Watson was unable to separate polite and proper language from the crude phrases found in the Urban Dictionary. So while terms like "LOL" and "cool story, bro" likely caused no issues for IBM research scientist Eric Brown, Watson's vocabulary also extended into the vulgar, with Brown recalling a time when the computer responded to a query by saying "bullshit." Ultimately, the entries were removed from Watson's...
Continue reading…
Like a parent washing out their child's mouth with soap, IBM was forced to cleanse its supercomputer Watson's memory after it learned a thing or two from the Urban Dictionary. According to CNN, the Jeopardy champion began memorizing entries from the slang-filled site when the supercomputer was in development years ago, but sadly, Watson was unable to separate polite and proper language from the crude phrases found in the Urban Dictionary. So while terms like "LOL" and "cool story, bro" likely caused no issues for IBM research scientist Eric Brown, Watson's vocabulary also extended into the vulgar, with Brown recalling a time when the computer responded to a query by saying "bullshit." Ultimately, the entries were removed from Watson's...
Continue reading…
McDonald's Shows You How to Make an Egg McMuffin at Home
McDonald's Shows You How to Make an Egg McMuffin at Home:
The Egg McMuffin is an iconic breakfast sandwich packing a fried egg, bacon, toasted bread, and cheese in one to-go package. McDonald's Executive Chef Dan Coudreaut demonstrates how to cook it yourself at home. More »
British Department Store Makes Life Quieter With 'Debranded' Products
British Department Store Makes Life Quieter With 'Debranded' Products: 
British department store Selfridges, a purveyor of products from hundreds of corporate brands, is so sorry about how you are assaulted by corporate branding. So, as part of its new "No Noise" campaign for 2013, it's selling some famous products that have been stripped of their logos. Heinz, Levi's, Beats by Dre, Marmite and Crème de la Mer are among the brands that have agreed to let Selfridges offer these "unbranded" versions of their products. (Selfridges has even debranded its own bag.) The company explains: "As we become increasingly bombarded with information and stimulation, the world is becoming a noisier place. In an initiative that goes beyond retail, we invite you to celebrate the power of quiet, see the beauty in function and find calm among the crowds."
Of course, it's mostly a symbolic effort. Stripping logos off small batches of products doesn't really make the world quieter. It actually focuses more attention on them. (Selfridges is even calling them "exclusive collector's items.") Throw in all the communications surrounding "No Noise," and it seems the company is making more noise than ever this year.
Still, visually, it's a cute enough gimmick, and the whole quiet concept is linked to the company's history. When Selfridges opened in 1909, Harry Gordon Selfridge created a "Silence Room" where shoppers could "retire from the whirl of bargains and the build up of energy." A similar kind of room is being brought back, starting tomorrow, at Selfridges's hectic Oxford Street location. Expect it to be overrun in short order by curious, murmuring shoppers.
Via The Ethical Adman.
British department store Selfridges, a purveyor of products from hundreds of corporate brands, is so sorry about how you are assaulted by corporate branding. So, as part of its new "No Noise" campaign for 2013, it's selling some famous products that have been stripped of their logos. Heinz, Levi's, Beats by Dre, Marmite and Crème de la Mer are among the brands that have agreed to let Selfridges offer these "unbranded" versions of their products. (Selfridges has even debranded its own bag.) The company explains: "As we become increasingly bombarded with information and stimulation, the world is becoming a noisier place. In an initiative that goes beyond retail, we invite you to celebrate the power of quiet, see the beauty in function and find calm among the crowds."
Of course, it's mostly a symbolic effort. Stripping logos off small batches of products doesn't really make the world quieter. It actually focuses more attention on them. (Selfridges is even calling them "exclusive collector's items.") Throw in all the communications surrounding "No Noise," and it seems the company is making more noise than ever this year.
Still, visually, it's a cute enough gimmick, and the whole quiet concept is linked to the company's history. When Selfridges opened in 1909, Harry Gordon Selfridge created a "Silence Room" where shoppers could "retire from the whirl of bargains and the build up of energy." A similar kind of room is being brought back, starting tomorrow, at Selfridges's hectic Oxford Street location. Expect it to be overrun in short order by curious, murmuring shoppers.
Via The Ethical Adman.
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Taxidermied Bantha Head [Pic]
Taxidermied Bantha Head [Pic]:
I want a Bantha head to put on top of my fireplace. A suitable trophy to impress any geek that comes over to your place.
[Source: tauntr.com]
I want a Bantha head to put on top of my fireplace. A suitable trophy to impress any geek that comes over to your place.
[Source: tauntr.com]
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Familiarize Yourself with Your Microwave's Power Settings to Make Microwave Cooking a Joy
Familiarize Yourself with Your Microwave's Power Settings to Make Microwave Cooking a Joy:
The microwave gets a bad rap in cooking circles because it tends to make most foods soggy and nearly inedible. However, The New York Times suggests the microwave might be far better at cooking than most of us think, and all you need to do is familiarize yourself with the power button. More »
FreshNeck Is Netflix for Ties, Makes Sure Your Formalwear Is Never Boring
FreshNeck Is Netflix for Ties, Makes Sure Your Formalwear Is Never Boring:
If you put on a tie every day or the dress code at work is formal enough that you could use help keeping your wardrobe fresh, FreshNeck can help. It's a subscription service that lets you select up to three ties, cufflinks, pocket squares or other items and have them shipped to you to wear. When you're tired of them, send them back to have the next three on your queue shipped out. More »
Red Robin Buys Priceless PR for $11.50 by Giving Free Meal to Pregnant Customer
Red Robin Buys Priceless PR for $11.50 by Giving Free Meal to Pregnant Customer: 
It doesn't cost much for a brand to polish its image and generate lots of positive media attention. In fact, $11.50 will get you a ton of it. That's the amount Charles, the manager of a Red Robin restaurant in Apex, N.C., recently comped a very pregnant customer (she was actually overdue) when she stopped in for a meal with her husband and 2-year-old son. Charles deducted that amount and added the note "MOM 2 BEE GOOD LUC" to the bill. The atrocious grammar and spelling just enhance the "Awww" factor. Charles tells
Consumerist that the way to make customers happy is to "listen to them, and make sure they leave feeling appreciated and valued. If our guests know we welcome their feedback, I think they'll talk with us and speak up … to say they had a positive and satisfying experience with us, and hopefully also to say they'll be back again soon." All the attention seems a bit overdone, but in these cynical times, when restaurant workers most often generate headlines for defiling salads and sandwiches, Charles's tale resonates, especially since it was a genuinely kind act, not some rah-rah commercial. Maybe the woman will name the kid "Robin." Works for a girl or boy. Bet she'd have a few more free meals coming her way.
It doesn't cost much for a brand to polish its image and generate lots of positive media attention. In fact, $11.50 will get you a ton of it. That's the amount Charles, the manager of a Red Robin restaurant in Apex, N.C., recently comped a very pregnant customer (she was actually overdue) when she stopped in for a meal with her husband and 2-year-old son. Charles deducted that amount and added the note "MOM 2 BEE GOOD LUC" to the bill. The atrocious grammar and spelling just enhance the "Awww" factor. Charles tells
Consumerist that the way to make customers happy is to "listen to them, and make sure they leave feeling appreciated and valued. If our guests know we welcome their feedback, I think they'll talk with us and speak up … to say they had a positive and satisfying experience with us, and hopefully also to say they'll be back again soon." All the attention seems a bit overdone, but in these cynical times, when restaurant workers most often generate headlines for defiling salads and sandwiches, Charles's tale resonates, especially since it was a genuinely kind act, not some rah-rah commercial. Maybe the woman will name the kid "Robin." Works for a girl or boy. Bet she'd have a few more free meals coming her way. | |
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