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From today’s b, the paper

robot lust — error, error
This is probably bad timing, with “WALL-E” making us fall in love with robots again and such. But artificial intelligence expert David Levy thinks sex and love with robots could happen sooner than you might think — in about 50 years, according to a report published on ctv.ca.

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Ever wonder what the Garfield comic strip would be like without Garfield in it? Fret not, me neither — until a friend of mine swore it was funny in a dark sort of way and passed along a link to prove it.

I have to say, my friend was right, so now, I pass the link on to you, bthesite.com readers. It may take digesting about 10 of them to appreciate the humor and let the weirdness sink in, so give it a chance (I recommend clicking on the “older comics” link once you reach the bottom.)

If that’s not enough to entice you, maybe the explainer on the site will: “Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life? Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.”

If nothing else, it should make you feel better about yourself.

The Sun

Milk-Bone will be at Patterson Park from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday looking for a “spokesdog” to help celebrate the dog biscuits’ 100th anniversary (or, as they put it, anni-fur-sary). If you miss it, you can try again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Bark in the Park at 1601 Nicodemus Road in Reisterstown. The winning dog gets $100,000 — a sum that Leona Helmsley’s heir, Trouble, would scarcely sniff at.
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Think carefully before hitting play.
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In an attempt to bring mixed martial arts (MMA) to the forefront of America’s consciousness — and make millions of dollars in the process — CBS and Elite Extreme Combat teamed up to present CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights last night, a made-for-TV MMA event that featured brawling, blood and cauliflower ear. Gross.

Internet street brawler Kimbo Slice, a huge hit on YouTube, was the marquee name of the event, even though he had only competed in two MMA matches before Saturday night’s matchup with James “The Colossus” Thompson (Slice won both prior matches). Thompson handled Slice for much of the contest until — this isn’t for the squeamish — Slice busted open Thompson’s ear early in the third round and was awarded a controversial technical knockout victory. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re already not all Indiana Jones-ed out, Max, a real-life crystal skull, will be on view at the Senator Theatre this Friday through Sunday. It’s on guarded display, so don’t try anything funny.
Check out the video above for Max details.

For all of you Scrabble players and avid dictionary readers, the Scripps National Spelling Bee is taking place this week in Washington, D.C. On Thursday and Friday, 288 young spellers will compete to see who knows how to spell a bunch of words that are never actually used in conversation. Yet, the National Spelling Bee is oddly fun to watch, even if it’s to see if another kid will pass out before successfully spelling a word (like above).

One more National Spelling Bee item: if you got a few minutes, check out this ESPN.com feature on the “Dan Marino of spelling,” Samir Patel. It’s an interesting read about the popular National Spelling Bee contestant who came up short five straight years.

Edgar Allan Poe T-shirt in Charlottesville, Va.

Think the Poe Toaster is wearing one of these under his cape?

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Butt Station

If you’re searching for easy, innovative ways to keep your desk clean try looking to the toilet. It’s the “Butt Station Desktop Accessory.” A neon green person sits on a toilet, while holding your pen or pencil in its mouth. The toilet paper dispenser is actually a spot to put your clear tape. As for the toilet: it’s a spot to hold your extra pens. Available for $19.95, this is one idea you shouldn’t flush down the toilet.

Of course, instead of a fuel-efficient vehicle, mass transit or even a bike, there’s apparently this alternative:

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cas/686080948.html