Cogware

What is it about brain prostheses and rats? Theodore Berger of USC has spent a decade working on a brain implant for rats that will replace the synaptic connection between sections CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus, which will be very useful indeed for restoring long-term memory to rats who have suffered selective injuries to the temporal lobe. He now has software that may not be implantable but works as long as the brain-damaged rat remains within a cable-length of the mainframe.

Berger's system also holds out the prospect of improved quality-of-life for laminated slices of mouse brain. This is only fair given the use of robotic rats as prosthetic right hemispheres, as documented in Rudy Rucker's memoirs:
Nevertheless, here at Riddled Research Laboratories we are not convinced that electronics are the way to go. For my own prosthetic temporal lobes -- who could possibly have predicted that the GABA-receptor pathways in the fusiform gyrus would prove to be so vulnerable to datura liqueur in large amounts! -- I intend to stick to a mature technology platform. Like clockwork.


Admittedly there were some teething problems in the early experiments with clockwork temporal lobes, as shown here where the test subjects are not displaying what is known in the business as "appropriate affect". It may be that the weights for the escapement mechanism need to be heavier. For feck's sake, it's a funeral; if they can muster no expression other than a vacant simper then the rehabilitation program is not looking good and there is little prospect of careers and independent lives unless they marry Republican politicians.

Also what is Subject 3 planning to do with those tongs?

On flame with rock and roll

The Burning House:

If your house was burning, what would you take with you?

Apparently the answer is supposed to reveal character and priorities. Not clear on the concept, myself. If you're going to take things with you then it was a waste of effort to set fire to the house in the first place.

Mucius Scaevola here has gone all meta on us (or perhaps he read too much Terry Pratchett and confused a joke with practical advice) and he is taking the fire with him. But we cut a lot of slack for anyone stuck with the name "Mucius".

This fellow has no such excuse.

Tree fellers wanted

The Riddled production of "Brigadoon inna Park" passed off quite well despite the cast outnumbering the three audience members by a considerable margin. We are well used to the difficulties involved with musicians so you will note that we have removed their access ladder, rehearsals were enlivened by the shouts of "play for your suppers, bitchez".  Hah hah we know where the ladder is, really.
Some purists took umbrage (which incidentally was ON LOAN ) at the clever product placement of the Riddled Patent Decongestant "Sandrin" which is attached to the shoulders of Smut Clyde playing charming and irascible (not that he ever was rascible, really) Dr. McSkigdett with his catchphrase "Ha' ye taken the leeches like I told ye?"
As can be seen in the photo, the Church was not happy with the production due the final ensemble number "Show us your Cock a Leekie" which emptied the front row seats every night.
The smell of the pig grease paint (we make our own), the raw of the crowd, I hope I never tire of it!

Ørbs over Øxford

Today Professor S. from W. college gave a classified Lantern-slide briefing on the Orb situation. The current whereabouts of Professor S. are still unknown and are of great interest to the authorities.
We apologise for the poor state of the image but it was captured clandestinely on a concealed Daguerrotype camera (using Professor Maxwell's two-colour process). We would say more but there are three men in black at the door, saying Don't report this.

Nagging and pleading for posts: Completely successful

Our taxpayers' money is wasted on paying scholarly people to watch college students carrying books around.
Apparently there are gender differences (see also more recent research here). Notice the complete absence of facial expression in 1976 fashions.UPDATE: Notice how you can tell even without the faces that four of them are jeering and staring at the non-conforming social outcast in the middle who's committed the faux-pas of carrying his book in a finger-and-thumb pinch grip.

Totally not a projective test.

None of this came as any surprise to observers who have watched how men and women carry other objects.

The truth, let me tell you it

To hell with the conference. This is the real reason I'm in Kongsberg.

Updated: Also performing in Kongsberg last night:
Norway's pre-eminent KISS tribute band.