B-Rants

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You're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore? We want to hear about it. This is your chance to mouth off -- about your neighbor, PTA, property taxes, personal trainer (you should be so lucky) -- without losing your cover as a good suburbanite.

contributed by s.levenstein on 11/04/2009

  

Welcome To the Ninny 'Nanny' State

By Steve Levenstein

You've got to hand it to our British buddies across the pond. When they get an idea, silly though it may be, they make like bulldogs and just won't let go. Admirable, wot? Take the most recent display of blind do-goodedness initiated by the Watford local council: parents are no longer allowed to accompany their children to public playgrounds because said parents haven't been cleared by a thorough police check. Even ...read more

contributed by . on 11/03/2009

  

A New Approach To Health Care Reform... Play Lotto?

We're not sure exactly what to make of this image. A medical clinic that sells lotto tickets? Offering creative new ways for patients to pay for medical services. Could open the way to all kinds of out-of-the-box approaches -- partnerships between medical clinics and Off Track Betting Parlors (win Tri-fecta...awesome, you've got your kidney transplant surgery)...read more

contributed by . on 11/02/2009

  

Who Knew? Google Speaks 'Dog'?

We knew Google could do almost anything -- but understand and translate 'dog'? Apparently, yes -- at least if this Google Voice Transcription is any indication. Here, the only audible sound is a dog barking in the background -- presumably before the humans begin talking. Does Google wait for the human language-voicing to start? Of course not. It transcribes what it hears -- the dog's communication. Is it accurate? (It's Google, for Chrissakes!) ...read more