RESTON, VA—A new global report released Monday by the U.S. Geological Survey revealed that every place on earth currently has the wrong amount of water. “New satellite data confirms that every corner of the earth has the incorrect quantity of water,” the report read in part, noting that even though the total amount of water on the planet seemed to be about right, give or take a few hundred milliliters, the distribution of that water across the globe was “way off.” “In every case, there is either too much or too little water, with zero exceptions. Even when we try to move it around ourselves to make it even, someone keeps moving it back. It’s very frustrating.” The USGS did, however, note that the amount of fire on earth had been properly disbursed.
Mortified Baby Hopes No One Notices She Shit Herself In Grocery Store
Nowadays, in a generation where it has become so easy to run away, ghost someone or swipe to the next person, it’s truly inspiring to see someone who’s still giving so much effort to their relationship and finds creative ways to show true love and care.
Yasushi Takahashi quit his job and went off on a 6-month journey across the Japanese archipelago to be able to surprise his girlfriend by spelling out ‘Marry me’ with the world’s largest GPS drawing.
It was in 2008 when Yasushi Takahashi decided, after 8 years in a relationship, to ask his girlfriend to marry him and was determined to do it by creating the world’s biggest proposal.
After some research, Takahashi found out that he didn’t need special equipment to realize his crazy idea, yet it was still not so easy. Since smartphones were not available to him back then, the man had to place tracing paper on top of a large road map to decide which route he would need to take.
At the beginning, he thought of making multiple trips, yet very soon realized that this way it would take him at least 2 years to create a GPS drawing; therefore, he had to make a radical decision. Takahashi quit his job and with a GPS logger – an optional part of a digital camera – for the tracking, without much practice, headed to Hokkaido, where his enormous project began.
“I was working at a very busy company, and I had no time to practice. So I had to just go and do it. At the end of the first night, I saw a single line I drew. That was exciting,” he recalled the memories.
The 7,160-km journey on foot, by car, ferry and bicycle took him through 40 prefectures in Japan and most of the time, the roads looked way better on paper than in reality.
“There are many unpaved roads in Japan. There was no street view to rely on, so if I saw a road that would work for my drawing, then I’d take it. Only when I got there would I realize that only locals have the skill and experience to comfortably drive through it,” Takahashi shared. “There was heavy rain, snow, and earthquakes, but I never gave up.”
And yet sometimes, his attempts to pave the way weren’t successful.
“Once, I was going through a narrow path near a river. It was too narrow, so I decided to give up and go back by reversing. That proved to be also impossible. The car ended up at the bottom of the bank. I called for a car service, but their crane also could not get through the narrow path,” he shared.
Takahashi’s unique marriage proposal took 7,160 km of travel through 40 prefectures
No matter all of the struggles and challenges along the way, Takahashi was also able to experience some truly unique moments in the parts of Japan that only locals would know.
“I was able to discover all kind of things that I had only known in the books. I ate well, maybe too well. At night, I camped out in my car. I even found time to relax,” Takahashi shared. “I was in Lake Mashu (Hokkaido) one morning. The mist was a veil to the calm but enormous lake. It was surreal.”
After 6 months of adventures, Takahashi’s unique marriage proposal was finally ready. “After I finished my trip, I uploaded my GPS data to Google Earth and showed my girlfriend the surprise message,” he told.
The Global Positioning System records of his journey spelled out the phrase “Marry Me” covering Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku with the shape of a heart speared by an arrow in Hokkaido. Funnily enough, Takahashi’s girlfriend could not understand the English phrase and then he had to explain what it meant, but that didn’t stop from getting the answer ‘yes’.
“You are only meant to do a marriage proposal once in your life. So that memory will stay with you for the rest of your life. So I still think, after all these years, it was a good idea. Even though it sort of went custard at the end. Looking back, I realize that what I have done was wild,” Takahashi shared.
To this day, the couple are still happily married and have two kids.
The creative marriage proposal over the years was covered by major media, which led the man to start his second career as a GPS artist. For those interested, you can discover more of Takahashi’s GPS drawings here.
“You don’t need to make sense to everyone. The right people will appreciate your kind of crazy,” once said Chicago-based writer and podcaster Case Kenny, and I have to admit that I truly agree with him.
Much louder than just sweet words are sincere efforts, and the ones made by Takahashi not only gained his wife’s heart, but also covered the entire archipelago of Japan.
People on the internet were overwhelmed with Takahashi’s efforts and such a unique way to propose
Today, I'm honestly not sure that the WTF is in the code we're looking at. Jeff needed to support an older PHP application which used client side JavaScript heavily. This block was copy-pasted many times throughout the code base:
var ajaxRequest; // The variable that makes Ajax possible!try{
// Opera 8.0+, Firefox, Safari
ajaxRequest = newXMLHttpRequest();
} catch (e){
// Internet Explorer Browserstry{
ajaxRequest = newActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
} catch (e) {
try{
ajaxRequest = newActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
} catch (e){
try{
ajaxRequest = newActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP.4.0");
}
catch(e){
// Something went wrongecho("Something Wrong. Please try again later!");
returnfalse;
}
}
}
}
This code was written in the early 2010s. Which does mean that the general pattern was necessary. Internet Explorer was still widely used, and it didn't support XMLHttpRequest until 2012- and a depressing number of corporate environments were lagging behind in adopting newer browsers, even as they went out of support. Of course, they were lagging behind because they were using IE and code written to support IE's idiosyncrasies.
Now, this code is bad, more because it's copy/pasted instead of being turned into a reusable function. And because it outputs a terrible error message. "Something Wrong." Thanks, error message, that's useless. It's also worth noting that the error is output via an echo. That's a PHP function. Did the developer write code that doesn't work? Or did they create a JavaScript echo function so their JavaScript could look more like PHP? At this point, it's impossible to know, but I hate it.
But the real problem here is Internet Explorer, and specifically ActiveX. Now, ActiveX wasn't an entirely bad thing. It was Windows' method of handling reusable, shared libraries, especially of GUI components, that could be dropped into any arbitrary application. Writing VB6? You're definitely using ActiveX. You want to write an Access application, or a dangerously complicated Excel macro with a UI attached to it? That's ActiveX. In C++ land, you might be using Microsoft Foundation Classes, if you hate yourself, but you could also use ActiveX, which was easier to use.
And all of that is fine. For its time, ActiveX was actually pretty cool. But there was one problem, and that problem was Internet Explorer 3.0. In 1996, Microsoft added the ability to access ActiveX controls from JavaScript. This meant that, instead of using HTML widgets on your page, you could instead drop native Windows components onto your page. Microsoft convinced the W3C to add an <OBJECT> tag to the HTML spec to facilitate this embedding.
From Microsoft's perspective, this was great. IE allowed people to deliver richer, more polished looking web applications that behaved like desktop applications, in an era where the peak of interactivity was the <marquee> tag and animated gif backgrounds.
The reality was that this was part of their "embrace, extend, extinguish" philosophy, where they were attempting to destroy the web (who was going to keep buying Windows upgrades if you could get rich applications delivered as web pages?). But the monopolist aspects aren't really even the worst part.
You could dynamically load DLLs from inside of a web page! Often, the code you're loading from that ActiveX binary could do all sorts of things on the local computer, up to and including directly accessing the file system. Oh, there were warning messages that were meant to require user consent before this could happen, but it was trivial to socially engineer things to trick users into granting you consent. I myself, in college, made a proof of concept text editor that could steal files from the user's computers while pretending to be a web-based Notepad replacement.
ActiveX inside the browser was one of the most bonkers things that has happened in the history of the web. But the thing is, for corporate intranets, the scam worked. There were hordes of web applications pushed out by vendors which depended upon ActiveX, some of which are still in use today. While Microsoft Edge officially doesn't support ActiveX, it still has an "Internet Explorer Mode" which does.
And yes, going back to the code, because you were loading specific binaries from the host OS, you needed to know which binary to load, the name of which might change between OS versions. Hence the attempts to load the XMLHTTP component all those different ways- depending on the specific version of Windows, and the specific libraries installed on that Windows machine, how you accessed the XMLHTTP component changed.
As always, TRWTF is Internet Explorer.
.comment { border: none; }
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There all kinds of doctors: immunologists, cardiologists, dermatologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, etc. And then there are doctors of Russian literature…
There can always be too much of a good thing. If you throw moderation out the window, you’re not only harming yourself but you’re also impacting the people closest to you. In our digital and technologically advanced world, internet, social media, and video game addiction are a fact of life.
Today, we’re featuring three powerful and honest stories from Reddit where people opened up about how their partners’ massive video gaming habits have affected them. Scroll down to read them and to see what advice the internet had to share.
Video game addiction can have massive negative effects on a person’s physical and mental health, as well as their social life
Gaming is incredibly widespread in this day and age
According to a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 85% of teenagers living in the United States play video games. 41% of them do so every single day, and around the same number identify themselves as ‘gamers.’
There are lots of pros and cons associated with gaming, from making friends and getting good at solving various problems to losing sleep and getting harassed online.
72% of respondents revealed that they game to spend time with other people, while 47% admitted that they’ve made friends this way. However, 80% of American teens said that they believe harassment over video games is a problem that people their age deal with. 41% opened up that they’ve been insulted while playing online.
Video game addiction is also known as gaming disorder and has negative consequences on a person’s life because they’re unable to control their behavior. Their impaired control over gaming takes priority over other parts of their lives, harming their work, school performance, health, and personal relationships.
The World Health Organization has officially included gaming disorder in its 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases.
People who suffer from gaming addiction can experience withdrawal symptoms. Among these are irritability or sadness when they stop playing. Meanwhile, they can also feel a greater need to play video games for longer. Some feel like they need to lie to others about how much they game. Meanwhile, others have failed at controlling their excessive gaming time.
However, Psychology Today notes that some experts are critical of gaming disorder diagnoses. From their perspective, it’s an indication that normal human behavior is being pathologized and treated for the sake of profit. From their point of view, it’s gaming passion, not addiction, that we should be talking about.
Some people are more likely than others to develop an obsession with activities that offer them escapism
People who are impulsive, have lower social skills, and a higher tolerance for violence may be at greater risk of video game addiction. Some other risk factors include having ADHD, depression, and anxiety.
The intention behind gaming matters, too. For instance, someone who plays video games for fun, to relax, or to connect with their friends may be less likely to become addicted than someone who wants to escape from their problems or to improve their status.
Gaming activates dopamine pathways. It’s what also happens when we do other pleasurable activities, though. Gaming can actually improve our minds. Say, for example, you like to play games that deal with a lot of spatial problems. Naturally, those regions of your brain that deal with spatial memory get activated, and they can grow over time. The same holds true for the parts of your brain related to visual acuity and attention.
If you can’t seem to stick to self-imposed time limits for gaming and you feel that your quality of life is suffering, then you need to take more serious steps to solve the problem. You can opt for a full or partial tech detox, exercise more, focus on other hobbies, or spend more time in nature or around family and friends. If things are really bad, you may want to get in touch with a therapist who specializes in addiction.
How much time do you spend gaming these days, dear Pandas? What’s the longest stretch of time that you’ve played video games for? Have you ever felt that you or a loved one has been addicted to gaming? How did that affect your lives? If you’re feeling up to it, share your thoughts in the comments.
Here’s how some internet users reacted to the viral stories they read
Remember Teletubbies? That cute kid’s show used to be quite popular on TV? What if it was a horror movie instead? Let’s see what it would look like, according to AI image generators!
Taking everything literally is such a blast! Someone tells me to “hold your horses,” and suddenly, I’m running a freaking petting zoo. “Break a leg?” Thanks for the hospital visit, buddy. And when you say “hit the books,” don’t be surprised if your precious novels come back with a few new creases. It’s a riot when “pulling someone’s leg” turns into an actual wrestling match, and “raining cats and dogs” makes me wonder if you’ve lost your damn mind and gone completely batshit crazy. His wife is no fun at all, he should divorce her.
Sixteen-time champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut was banned from Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest by the event’s organizers after he signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, a rival brand that makes plant-based hot dogs and other products. What do you think?
“I hate that competitive eating has become all about the money.”
Brianna Rozco, Militia Secretary
Heroic Pitbull Journeys 2,000 Miles to Attack Owner
“Good luck to Nathan’s Famous if they think they can find another American willing to overeat.”
Steven Hoover, Pep Coach
“I’ve never understood people who self-immolate as a protest until now.”
In a show of force amid tensions regarding Ukraine, Russia sent four warships, including a nuclear-powered submarine and frigate, to anchor in Havana Bay, 90 miles from Florida. What do you think?
“My God. Get Secretary McNamara on the phone.”
Mitch Adriel, Training Certifier
Heroic Pitbull Journeys 2,000 Miles to Attack Owner
“Thankfully we’ve already pillaged everything of value from Cuba.”
Today, I celebrate 4 years of sobriety from alcohol. It’s been a long journey, and I still occasionally crave alcohol, but life is beautiful, I have two cats and a wonderful partner – things I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t given up drinking. I’m not saying alcohol is bad, I’m saying I can’t partake in it because it negatively affects my health.
If you’re one of those people who would say, “I’d drink to that,” please pour yourself some bourbon whiskey because that was my drink of choice. Sometimes, I miss the burning sensation and the numbness, but life doesn’t have to be like that. If you’re currently struggling, hang in there – it gets better.
In my first year of sobriety, I had the opportunity to return to one of my jobs from before my downfall, and this time, I left on good terms. In my second year, I bought a boat and am currently fixing it up. In my third year, my partner and I adopted a bonded pair of cats. In my fourth year, I adopted a Husky mix from my stepsister after she said the dog was too much for her lifestyle. I love Maya the Husky, and she’s the dog I used to dream of when I was locked up during the pandemic.
Life is so beautiful. I’ve learned that I can’t drink alcohol – it’s not worth the cost of losing everything. There’s help available if you’re really seeking it, but ultimately, you have to make the choice not to give in to temptation.
One of our most dedicated readers, Michael R., is also one of our most dedicated contributors,
sometimes sending us several submissions in a single day. We haven’t featured
all of them, but now we’re making up for that. Today, it’s
wall-to-wall Michael, mostly food misadventures. Michael might tell you we’ve
cooked the plot, but he can’t prove it.
On leaving France (it’s a long story), Michael was confused at the airport.
“Yo Sushi at Charles de Gaulle Terminal, please make up
your mind about what payment types you accept.” I think this one is pretty clear;
just because a sign says they accept one form of payment
it doesn’t mean they categorically reject all others. So if your card is on either
sign, you’re covered. I hope he got fed.
But then, arriving London, he reports an unfortunate resto experience.
“I wanted to take my French friend to Pergola at Canary
Wharf. But somehow their booking system did not play ball.”
I have some reservations about dining there, but the New York location (not same?) is pretty good.
Let’s try takeaway! But this isn’t such a good offer.
“Just Eat expects you to pay money for nothing.”
And another app is trying to import American tipping culture but can’t get it right.
Apparently frustrated, they ate in.
Probably about the same as a good
night out on Canary Wharf, and it looks a lot more substantial.
“I went to my local LIDL in the UK. I was awarded a £2
loyalty voucher. To my surprise LIDL has found an eclectic
way displaying this fixed amount in the overall bill. At
least the fractions even add up to £2 over all.” Michael,
this looks like dinner for 6. Next time, invite us!
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British online monkey torturers outraged at outsourcing of their activities to cheaper sadists in Far East by organisers of online monkey torture rings. Rejecting allegations that use of baby monkeys implies cowardice on their part, top UK torturer claims Far Eastern torturers simply not zealous enough, failing to deliver value for money to customers.
The Irish/UK conflict over illegal immigrants crossing the border from Northern Ireland to the Republic has escalated into an actual shit-throwing contest. Drive by shit flingings in North blamed on Irish militants protesting at strain the extra crap is putting on Dublin’s sewage system, while Northern Irish paramilitaries retaliate by firing canned shit across border.
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