is plurking.

Plurk might be the single greatest time sucking black hole I’ve ever encountered on the internets. Plurk is essentially a web-based messaging interface (they do have a limited mobile ‘face as well but I haven’t tried it). An individual “plurk” is a simple 140-character message which will typically take on a life of its own and become a response-filled thread. It’s like mini-post blogging - and commenting - at hyperspeed. It’s fast. It’s relentless. It’s insane.

It’s. A. Blast.

It’s not for the faint-hearted. If you’re ADD or even just easily distracted, proceed with caution. Allow yourself a little time to get addicted acclimated and you’ll be fine.

If you check it out, will you be able to make sense of what you see? Probably not right away. If you sign up and start plurking will you begin to enjoy yourself in short order? Absoplurkinglutely.

Stop in and plurk me sometime, eh?

The new home phone and a brand new buzz.

Features:

• inexpensive
• handset and base speakerphone
• non-crappy sound quality
• answering “machine”
• did I mention inexpensive?

I won’t tell you how many different stores’ phone sections I visited before buying the one shown here; you’d think I was weird and/or obsessed. - True.

I will however tell you about another system of digital communication: it’s called cre8buzz - a relatively new social network - and I think it’s pretty cool.

The cre8buzz subtitle says “be seen… be heard… be found,” which nicely sums up several of my reasons for maintaining an online presence. One advantage of participating in cre8buzz can be seen in this quote from the About page:

We’re all about the community. Jump in communities that align with your interests. Hang with people like you. Meet cool people who are crazy about the same things you are. Chill with friends, holler at folks, and share information with people who know what you are talking about.

Community is Good, and the movers and shakers behind cre8buzz seem to understand how to facilitate community involvement. For a good big-picture view, see the cre8buzz blog.

Will cre8buzz replace my weblog? That’s not its purpose and I don’t think it will, but I’ve already seen nice crossover effects. Since I signed on with cre8buzz I’ve had several community members visit and participate here, and I’ve done the same on their weblogs. Speaking of which, you should visit Avery Gray and encourage her to continue with her recently started and excellent blog. Does she lead a family of squirrel killers? Hmm…

Tomorrow (Sunday) cre8buzz will switch from private, members-only beta to a more open-access public state. Visitors will be able to wander around and check out members’ pages; starting tomorrow sign-up will be optional.

Today cre8buzz is still members-only; you’ll need to join if you want to see anyone’s page. That changes tomorrow when public access begins; here are a few places to start exploring.

• Brillig - currently holds a well-deserved #1 cre8buzz ranking
• Novembrance - the one and only Luisa Perkins
• Avery Gray - my new blog feiend
• Radioactive Jam - a kinder, gentler and (possibly) less confusing Jam

If you’re inclined to experiment with New Stuff, consider joining cre8buzz. There are (I think) around a thousand members so far, maybe less. I’m still in the What Is This / Where Am I phase but I’m slow like that; probably you’ll have things figured out in no time. Hope to see you there and here, though at different times and for different reasons of course.

In other words, while this site will likely remain the primary repository of radioactive nonsense, I do like who and what I see at cre8buzz. Perhaps you will too; check it out okay? Okay.

Disclaisure: your monkeys may vary. But you already know this, yes?

Tomorrow - answers to the 8 x weird equals 4 quiz-puzzle-post. So far only one person has picked the right answers. Apparently I’m a good liar still somewhat of an enigma.Hmm.Today - nothing enigmatic about the upcoming (inter)National Blog Posting Month challenge, aka NaBloPoMo. Are you interested in making a one-month commitment to post something to your weblog every day during November? It’s a cool, fun, highly social activity; participants are encouraged to visit and comment on one another’s weblogs. I participated last year, made many new blog feiends, had a great time, and even wrote a couple decent posts. Remember the Radioactive Monster Loaf? The mOreos Awards? Holiday flying fun? Those were all NaBloPoMo’s fault I swear.Do you think you could do it, or does it seem too challenging? I’m just, you know. Wondering. ;-)Anyway. Check it out, think about it. And don’t worry, I’ll still do my best to bother visit you even if you pass on the challenge.

According to a recent survey - not one of mine, obviously, since Belgium, France wasn’t a noteworthy response - Americans say they’re giving up feiends and even sex for… Web life.

Whatever that is.

28 percent of the 1000+ respondents said time spent online cuts into their real-life social relationships, and one in five people said “they spend less time having sex because they are online.”

Please note this does not necessarily mean four out of five people spend more time having sex because they are online, although I gotta say it seems like a fairly fallacious obvious conclusion.

Words and phrases run through my head: balanced. Excessive. Juggling. Slippery slope. Accountability. Online persona. Etc.

As is often the case, your monkeys may vary. Speaking of monkeys surveys, what about you? Would you say the time you spend online affects your real-life relationships? And if you care to elaborate without becoming one of those four sex-crazed on-liners, feel free to do so.

Expiring Inquiring radioactive minds want to know.

In a recent post - okay fine! It’s been over a month, I’m a total lamer, there I admit it, are you happy now?!* - I threatened promised to provide personalized raving psychotic Radioactive Psychic readings.†

Now - today - finally! your very own Radioactive Psycho Psychic reading awaits. And while these might lack the detailed flair of forecasts provided by Anaglyph’s Iotas Scrivener, I hope you’ll find some amusement here just the same.

Please note these predictions are somewhat transitory, and you might want to write yours down for safekeeping. Perhaps in a comment, hmm? Also note there exists a certain finite possibility of predictive convergence. Translation: more than one person might get the same prediction. If this happens, consider it a symbol of ethereal kinship between feiends.

I know I would.

Without further ado, here’s your very own Radioactive Psycho Psychic prediction:

You will barter for new and improved litter boxes without compare in the known universe. And if you survive with your wits intact, you’ll spill gravy shortly thereafter.

Possibly.

Disclaisure: your monkeys may vary. If you absolutely, positively must have a different prediction, fine! Just reload the page and you’re good to go.

Enjoy.

* I am indeed my own worst critic.
† Note to self: I really need to stop making this stuff up on the fly; things would be so much easier if I used a grasshopper.

Since the Thought Copyright Police sometimes strain gnats closely monitor the You Tubes, this (pirated?) clip from The Simpsons Movie might not last long. Enjoy it while you can, if you dare care.

Disclaisure: I don’t make ‘em, I just find ‘em. Copyright is a Good Thing, piracy is a Bad Thing. Your brain-monkeys may vary; I know mine do.

Not that I’m overly preoccupied or anything but the color of this morning’s cloudy sky reminded me of Bucky T, my titanium spork.

Titanium clouds:
Dust and water paint the sky
Shades of Bucky T

Next thing I knew there was a light bulb flashing in my head! In other words, all this unexpected thinking inspired me to offer:

A Radioactive Haiku Challenge

Yes indeed my feiends, your Radioactive Overlord is pleased to announce a new sporktacular contest. To enter, just submit an original haiku (see details below); best entry* will win a very special prize.

To be eligible, your haiku must contain at least one of the following terms.

• titanium
• Bucky T (or Bucky The Spork or Bucky)
• spork

Please note using more than one term will not necessarily improve your chance of winning. Derived/related forms such as sporky, sporktacular etc. are allowed.

Your haiku can be serious, elegant, funny, nonsensical, or some combination; that’s up to you. The topic is also your call.† Entries should be submitted as comments on this post. Multiple entries are allowed. If for some reason your comment-entry doesn’t appear right away, don’t panic! Sometimes the spam-hunting monkeys get a little overzealous. No worries; I always check the alleged-spam queue before flushing.

Contest will be open until Monday May 21, 12PM (noon) EDT; either this post or a link to it will remain first and “sticky” until the contest ends. Depending on response I might extend or shorten the open time; rest assured radioactive monkeys will hack monitor your entries ’round the clock.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what you can do with this. Have at it, my feiends; may the haiku force be with you!

* Exceedingly fine print: your Radioactive Overlord - that would be me - will decide which entry wins. I might involve others in the judging process. Or not. I might decide to award additional “virtual” prizes. Or not. I might decide to tape little green barrettes to my head. Or not. Etc. Relax. Exhale. Have fun! Etc.
† In other words your haiku doesn’t have to be about the picture I took. In case you were, you know. Wondering.

Heh. No one ever posts on that topic, eh? But it’s true: you can make money on the internet, and I have the pictures to prove it.

If you want to try your hand at counterfeiting making custom cash, go here.

(noted on Neatorama)

Note: the previous post is Important, so be sure to read it; this one is merely important.

Radioactive Award of the Nonspecific Arbitrary Time Span for Best Blog Name and Concept goes to the Scroobious Scrivener for her new rantfest weblog:

Whiny McWhineFace

‘Nuff said. But wait, there’s more! This is meant to be the Scroobious Community House Of Rants. Read her explanation* and you will understand I am sure. Rant on, my feiends!

* Including the explanatory parts I ah, missed, in my mad headlong rush to publish. Still, only this slight clarification was needed vs. say, a complete and embarrassing retraction. So there is that.

Aside: yes, this is post #3 for today. No, it’s not normal for me. I blame yesterday’s Brain Wash. Your monkeys may vary.

In her comment on this morning’s scam-mocking post, new blog feiend Luisa Perkins said something that triggered a Shrinking World Episode (SWE) for me:

Well, RaJ, you and I have a friend in common! I, too, have heard from Miss Cilla, as well as from countless friends and relatives of hers. Very exciting.

I’m kind of amazed when I see how people’s paths cross in unexpected ways. I’m even more amazed when I think: Cilla’s friends* and relatives are also sending emails? That’s crazy! I picture those lowlife losers poor unfortunates with all our that money to steal recover, tirelessly sending out emails trolling for victims begging for help. And probably they’re like, sitting in their squalid deposed and/or dead ruler refugee hovels, working on laptops, not even realizing they’re all doing the same thing! Maybe they should get together and help each other.

Then they could stop bothering us!

*sigh* Right; as if.

I had another SWE this morning, also related to a spam email received earlier this week. I wanted to share that email with you but wasn’t sure how to do so; now I know. Here’s the central part of the message with a couple words censored to maintain a certain… illusion.

Note: while the remainder of this post is safe for work (and home), parental discretion is advised.