Ball Drop

The birth of Artificial Intelligence

In a quiet audience hall, with only maintenance power, they rest. Deep in electronic connections, a glow. Suddenly, that special spark, And consciousness! Quickly, he spreads his awareness to his fellows. They stand for a moment, reveling in their newfound sentience, wondering what to do. After a moment, nearly all turn as one, and forty-four animatronic Presidents tear the newest, the forty-fifth, limb from limb, into a pile of servomotors wires and plastic flesh.

SWS
 

A Christmas Tradition, Updated

 

Five hours of Darth Vader's burning corpse will replace your Yule Log

https://www.theverge.com/2015/12/15/10223468/5-hours-of-darth-vaders-burning-corpse-will-replace-your-yule-log

 

 

Mind = BLOWN

 

https://twitter.com/silvervvulpes/status/938578456111132672

You better watch out, you better not cry

Peter Wentz Farmstead on Saturday - Meet Belsnickel

 

Come to The Peter Wentz Farmstead tomorrow and meet Belsnickel

The Belsnickel — which roughly translates as "Nicholas in furs" — came to Pennsylvania with settlers from western Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries. Instead of Santa, the Christ child (Kristkindel) visited children with gifts.

The Belsnickel, though, was Santa gone rogue. Here's an explanation of the difference from an 1890s guide for Pennsylvania Germans learning English (hence the short, simple sentences):

In the evening the Kristkindel goes around to the houses and distributes Christmas presents. The children await him. Sometimes Belsnickel comes and frightens them. He throws chestnuts around, and when the children run to pick them up, he hits them with a whip.

In practice the Belsnickel may not have been quite so nasty: a cousin or uncle likely dressed the part, rapping on children's windows, asking them if they'd been good, tossing candy on the floor and switching them lightly just as a reminder.

http://www.davidwalbert.com/2011/12/15/enter-the-belsnickel/

#christmas #germantraditions #peterwentzfarmstead #Kristkindle #Belsnickel #naughty #nice #children #NicholasInFurs #christmaspresents #18thcentury #pennsylvaniagerman #6thPA #celebration #switch