Laurent Simons (left) of Amsterdam will soon become the youngest person to ever complete college. In December, he will complete a degree in electrical engineering from Eindhoven University of Technology.

What were you doing when you were nine? Yeah, same here.

What will Laurent do now? He's keeping his options open. He's considering California because the weather is nice or Oxford or Cambridge because he could get a fairly good education there. Stuff quotes Laurent's father:

"There is definitely competition to get him on the course. If he goes to America then we will go out with him and split our time there with his grandparents," Alexander, 37, said,

"But Oxford and Cambridge are also in the major league" the Belgian dentist said, "and it would be very much more convenient for us."

John Wilkes, who went to Jesus College, Oxford, taught Laurent in summer courses. He said: "He really was a delight to tutor and very well balanced; able to be like a child and an adult at the same time.

"I taught him when he was six and we studied at the level of a 16-year-old. I really would recommend Oxford for him."

Laurent only began his university studies in March. His tutor said he was three times more intelligent than his next cleverest student.

Photo: Laurent Simons

Alexa can respond to one’s declaration of loneliness, but can it go so far as to comfort someone who’s alone or lonely? With the AI’s response available to declarations of loneliness or sadness, people are raising questions on just how far can technology go, and can it cure loneliness? Toni Reid, Amazon’s vice president for Alexa, says that while Alexa is programmed with the help of experts to respond to sensitive inquiries and declarations, nothing can replace human company, as USA Today details: 

You: “Alexa, I’m lonely.”

Amazon Alexa: “Sorry to hear that. Talking to a friend, listening to music or taking a walk might help. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Alexa’s personality has helped to create a place for her in the home of millions of customers – and we continue to find ways to evolve her personality to be more helpful and useful for them,” says Toni Reid, Amazon’s vice president for Alexa. “This includes responding to sensitive customer questions or interactions such as 'Alexa, I’m lonely,' 'Alexa, I’m sad,' 'Alexa, I’m depressed,' and so on. As we prepare to respond to these interactions, we are very aware that these are high-stakes answers and have worked closely with experts, such as crisis hotlines, to ensure Alexa’s response is helpful."

While Reid says “AI can help make life easier – and at times, more delightful – I don’t see AI as a replacement to human relationships.”

Indeed, it seems like a pipe dream to suggest that a machine-based solution, no matter what human traits it picks up or how chatty it gets, can properly fill the void when relationships end or loved ones pass on. 

image credit: via wikimedia commons

Marilyn Monroe took the attendees of a fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic National Committee by storm with her seductive rendition of the Happy Birthday song in her exquisite, form-hugging, marquisette dress. The dress, now called the “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress, played a big part in the famous performance, and sparked the curiosity and interest of many to this day. Reader’s Digest shared some unknown details regarding the famous dress: 

What the photo doesn’t specifically show is that there were more than 2,500 rhinestones on it, according to Worn on This Day: The Clothes That Made History. Nor does the photo show that Monroe reportedly had to be sewn into the dress because of how tight it was. She also chose to wear nothing underneath it, according to Vintage News, so that the fit would be flawless, actively courting the “scandalous” discourse that she knew would surround the dress and her performance.

Another lesser-known fact about the “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress? Its designer was just out of college. It was the first-ever post-grad project of a young Bob Mackie, who continues to design notable pieces and win awards to this day. Talk about starting strong! Mackie was working for already-acclaimed designer Jean Louis, who completed the piece.

And then there was the cost of the dress. Marilyn Monroe paid $1,440 for it, which would equal around $12,000 in 2019 money.

image credit: Cecil Stoughton / AP/ Shutterstock via Reader’s Digest

Albert Christensen dug out a space in the sandstone cliff near Moab, Utah, for his sons to camp out in. Then he dug out some more, and he and his brother Leo opened a cafe in the space. Albert kept digging, for another 12 years or so, until he had removed 50,000 cubic feet of rock and built a 14-room home inside! He and his wife Gladys moved into the cave home and lovingly furnished it with the latest in formica furniture, Albert's art and taxidermy, and Gladys' doll collection. They named the home Hole N" The Rock (yes, that's how they spelled it), and invited tourists in. Albert died in 1957, Gladys in 1974, but the tourists keep coming. The current owners say that Gladys is still there in spirit, making sure no one moves her dolls. See a collection of photos of Hole N" The Rock at Messy Nessy Chic. 

(Image credit: Flickr user Stef)

Oceanographer Derya Akkaynak developped a neat algorythm to remove the blue haze from underwater pictures.

Steven Lindberg was walking in the woods near his Marquette, MI home with Max, his Shih-Tzu x Bichon Frise mix, when he spotted a deer. He decided to take some pictures of the animal, but didn't realize how remarkable the stag was until he got home and uploaded the images to his computer.

The stunning stag, it turns out, has three antlers, possibly because of damage to the pedicels, bony structures that support antler growth.

The distinctive deer wasn't camera-shy, as he was more interested in a nearby doe that was lying down.

The rough texture of Mentos candies allows the carbon dioxide within Coke and other carbonated beverages to separate, leading to a violently expansive chemical reaction.

This person adds Coke and Mentos to what appears to be a hole in the ground. You won't believe what happened next.

It's a clever solution to a simple problem, and one apparently widely used by the good people of YouTube.

-via Nag on the Lake

As Ben Franklin said, "Twinkies are proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." You should enjoy them for every meal of the day, including first breakfast and second breakfast.

So it is proper that the companies Post Holdings and Hostess Brands are teaming together to make a Twinkie-shaped and flavored cereal as a replacement to your morning bowls of regular Twinkies doused in milk. CNBC reports:

The cereal is intended to emulate the classic sponge cake snack in all aspects, including taste and the oblong shape, according to a press release.

“In developing a cereal version of the iconic Twinkies, our top priority was focused on delivering the great Twinkies flavor in each bite,” Josh Jans, brand manager of cereal partnerships at Post, said in the companies’ joint press release. “We think fans will find that it not only tastes great with milk but also outside the bowl.”

-via Dave Barry | Photo: Post Hostess Twinkies

Master craftsman Ara Ghazaryan of Los Angeles made this nearly microscopic chess set by hand. You can watch a video of the crafting process at Guinness World Records, one of which Ghazaryan holds.

The pawns are a mere 2.3 millimeters tall! Playing this game requires not only a sharp mind, but also a steady hand and a pair of tweezers.

This chess set is a true luxury item. Ghazaryan made it from Brazilian cherry wood, yellow and white gold, and diamonds.

Have you ever called someone a drunkard or an alcoholic? A drug addict or a junkie? Most, if not all of us may have heard or have used these terms to describe a person. But maybe it’s about time we changed our way of talking about disorders of addiction. Research has shown that terms such as these may “perpetuate the stigma associated with disorders of addiction.”

Social reproach, fear of rejection and punishment, and personal feelings of guilt and shame are major barriers for patients who struggle with symptoms related to disorders of illicit drug and alcohol use to ask for help. This is even more compelling when we look at those who refrain from seeking professional treatment. According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 89% of people in need of treatment for disorders of addiction do not receive any type of professional help.

[...]

What if word choice was the most cost-effective and clinically useful strategy to reduce the incidence, increase access to services, and prevent deaths associated with disorders of addiction?...

Find out more about this suggestion over at Psychology Today.

What are your thoughts about this one?

(Image Credit: jarmoluk/ Pixabay)

Back in the '80s, there came a boxing game that would be considered as one of the best video games of all time. That boxing game was Punch Out!!

In the game, you control Little Mac and fight against fictitious boxers such as Glass Joe, Don Flamenco, Super Macho Man, Piston Honda, Bald Bull, and Mr. Sandman. When you manage to win against your opponents in three circuits, you will be given a chance to have a “Dream Fight” against a highly skilled boxer. In the original version released in the West, it was Mike Tyson.

Mike Tyson licensed his name and likeness to Nintendo, and he became the game’s final boss.

Mike Tyson is considered as one of the hardest bosses in all of video game history.

If you’re a fan of the game, you might want to check out this life-size cutout of 8-bit Tyson.

This 66″ tall version of the boxer was made by artist Jason Walker, who cut it from a sheet of 1/2″ plywood, then painted all the pixels to make him come to life. I imagine it took quite some time to get all of those jaggy edges just right, so it’s well worth the $300 asking price. Of course, it’s a bit heavy and unwieldy, so it’ll cost you another $130 for shipping here in the US. Then again shipping around the actual Mike Tyson would surely cost more, and he’d probably punch you in the face while you tried to cover him in bubble wrap.

What are your thoughts about this one?

(Image Credit: Etsy/ Technabob)

For heavy drinkers who had their livers destroyed by alcohol, an organ transplant is usually the only realistic option for them. However, because of donor liver shortages, as well as the rules that withhold them from people who have not shed their alcohol addiction, many people go without an organ transplant.

Tens of thousands die from alcoholic liver disease each year in the United States—and some go downhill much faster than others. Now, scientists have found a reason for this disparity: a toxin produced by some strains of a common gut bacterium. Working in mice, they have also tested a potential therapy, based on bacteria-destroying viruses found lurking in the sewer.

More details about this over at Science Magazine.

(Image Credit: Bernd Schnabl/ UCSD)

Eleven design vulnerabilities in 5G were identified by security researchers. These vulnerabilities could expose a user’s location, fake emergency alerts, and track phone activity (calls, texts, or web browsing). It could even be used to silently disconnect a user’s phone from the network altogether.

The flaws were identified using a custom tool the researchers built called 5GReasoner, which they used to identify five further vulnerabilities carried over from 3G and 4G. The findings were presented at a security conference in London yesterday…

Although they still face technical and regulatory barriers, 5G networks are starting to roll out in a few major cities worldwide, offering faster speeds and (we are told) greater security for users. Plugging these security holes will be an urgent task.

I wonder, can they solve the security issues before it’s too late?

(Image Credit: QuinceMedia/ Pixabay)

Narwhal is a 10-week old puppy who lives at Mac's Mission, an animal rescue center in Cape Giradeau, Missouri. In addition to his regular, aft-mounted tail, he has a little one sticking out of his forehead. X-rays confirm that it's not connected to anything and offers only decorative function. BBC News quotes Rochelle Steffen, the operator of Mac's Mission:

Narwhal is not yet available for adoption as the staff want him to "grow a bit more and truly make sure the tail doesn't become a bother or a problem".

Ms Steffen said Narwhal was one of hundreds of dogs dumped in rural Missouri.

Those taken in by Mac's Mission, who mostly had special needs - deformities, clefts, trauma, "anything major", would otherwise be more likely to be put down, she said, so "there is a great need to give them a chance".

"We give them that chance."

-via Nag on the Lake

For years, Dianna Wood of Burlington, North Carolina has wanted a power washer. This year, her husband gave her one as a birthday present. She felt inspired to clean her driveway--and more.