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There are a wave of iPhone apps that are being ported to Android in hopes of building on the success the developers have had in Apple’s App Store. One of the more popular of these apps released in recent months is Doodle Jump, a game developed by Lima Sky.

Doodle Jump is a platform game where your bounce your doodler onward and upward from platform to platform to earn as many points as you can. Several bonus items such as propeller hats and jetpacks can be found along the way for an extra boost. You will also encounter bad guys and you must tap on the screen to shoot them with green balls that fly out of your nose, which is equally gross and awesome at the same time.

Where Doodle Jump really stands out for me is the way it makes you feel that this is really something that could be going through a kid/teenager/college student’s mind as they’re sitting through another boring class. The background is set on graph paper, and the Doodler and foes alike are simple sketches that anyone really could have drawn. This game just feels like something I would have doodled while sitting in 9th grade algebra, or even college level calculus for that matter. The graphics, though simple, are just done well and have this way of making the gamer relate to it in some way.

In addition to standard single-player, Doodle Jump also has a multiplayer option where you and up to 7 others take turns trying to get your doodler as high as you can, and the highest score wins. That being said, the multiplayer option can only be done on a single phone, there is no option for online multiplayer.

Before getting your hopes up too much, there are a few significant drawbacks to the game. First, though this game will work on most Android devices, several users are reporting it to be extremely laggy on all but the newest snapdragon-powered devices (Nexus One, Droid Incredible, etc.). I reviewed this game on a Nexus One, and had no issues with lag nor had any problems with gameplay in general, but users with other phones should be wary.

Second, the Android version simply does not have as many features as its iPhone counterpart, and Lima Sky does not seem too intent on updating the app since it is still sitting at version 1.0 a few months after release. iPhone users enjoy features such as additional bonus items and new/different scenes, which would add tremendous value for this game.

Third, and speaking of value, Doodle Jump is listed on the Android Market at $3.99, which is four times the $.99 it’s currently going for on Apple’s App Store. It’s a bit tough to swallow paying four times the amount of money for something that has half the features, especially when there are free and/or cheaper alternatives currently on the Android Market.

Pros

• Addictive gameplay. I sat down for several hours without being able to put this game down.
• Graphics/graphical theme is phenomenal. The student doodle concept really works well for me.
• Bonus items are pretty dang fun and a nice addition to this game.

Cons

• Only works well on the newest devices (Nexus One, Droid Incredible)
• $3.99 price point
• Lacks several features from it’s iPhone counterpart.

Final Verdict: Though this game is very addictive, I simply don’t think this game is worth $3.99 until several features are added and bugs are worked out. Once some of these things are fixed, I would definitely recommend giving this addictive game a try.

The Mayor of London, yes, they have a mayor, revealed the long-awaited new London bus today. For those of you unaware that the Old London Bus needed updating, I can assure you it did. And the long bendy ones favoured by other countries just would not do for Ye Olde London – aside from their habit of killing cyclists on tight corners and bursting into flames.

The old Routemaster bus is an icon on London, but the iconic 1954 design needed a revamp. It needed that crucial Fifth Element look cities really ought to be buying into in 2010.

Here’s a fun logic puzzle (see also here; originally found here). There’s a family resemblance to the Monty Hall problem, but the basic ideas are pretty distinct.

An eccentric benefactor holds two envelopes, and explains to you that they each contain money; one has two times as much cash as the other one. You are encouraged to open one, and you find $4,000 inside. Now your benefactor — who is a bit eccentric, remember — offers you a deal: you can either keep the $4,000, or you can trade for the other envelope. Which do you choose?

If you’re a tiny bit mathematically inclined, but don’t think too hard about it, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that you should definitely switch. After all, there seems to be a 50% chance that the other envelope contains $2,000, and a 50% chance that it contains $8,000. So your expected value from switching is the average of what you will gain — ($2,000 + $8,000)/2 = $5,000 — minus the $4,000 you lose, for a net gain of $1,000. Pretty easy choice, right?

A moment’s reflection reveals a puzzle. The logic that convinces you to switch would have worked perfectly well no matter what had been in the first envelope you opened. But that original choice was complete arbitrary — you had an equal chance to choose either of the envelopes. So how could it always be right to switch after the choice was made, even though there is no Monty Hall figure who has given you new inside information?

Here’s where the non-normalizable measure comes in, as explained here and here. Think of it this way: imagine that we tweaked the setup by positing that one envelope had 100,000 times as much money as the other one. Then, upon opening the first one, you found $100,000 inside. Would you be tempted to switch?

I’m guessing you wouldn’t, for a simple reason: the two alternatives are that the other envelope contains $1 or $10,000,000,000, and they don’t seem equally likely. Eccentric or not, your benefactor is more likely to be risking one dollar as part of a crazy logic game than to be risking ten billion dollars. This seems like something of a extra-logical cop-out, but in fact it’s exactly the opposite; it takes the parameters of the problem very seriously.

The issue in this problem is that there couldn’t be a uniform distribution of probabilities for the amounts of money in the envelopes that stretches from zero to infinity. The total probability has to be normalized to one, which means that there can’t be an equal probability (no matter how small) for all possible initial values. Like it or not, you have to pick some initial probability distribution for how much money was in the envelopes — and if that distribution is finite (”normalizable”), you can extract yourself from the original puzzle.

We can make it more concrete. In the initial formulation of the problem, where one envelope has twice as much money as the other one, imagine that your assumed probability distribution is the following: it’s equally probable that the envelope with less money has any possible amount between $1 and $10,000. You see immediately that this changes the problem: namely, if you open the first envelope and find some amount between $10,001 and $20,000, you should absolutely not switch! Whereas, if you find $10,000 or less, there is a good argument for switching. But now it’s clear that you have indeed obtained new information by opening the first envelope; you can compare what was in that envelope to the assumed probability distribution. That particular probability distribution makes the point especially clear, but any well-defined choice will lead to a clear answer to the problem.

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This is Thomas Salme, a maintenance engineer who became a Boeing 737 pilot by flying a few nights in a flight simulator and printing a fake airliner pilot license. Amazingly enough, he flew passengers for thirteen years without any incidents. More »










Boeing 737 – Aviation – Recreation – Simulation – Business

Question: Why do we need comprehensive clean energy legislation? What types of measures are included in the draft American Power Act? How will these provisions help American families?

CAP’s Daniel J. Weiss, Senior Fellow and Director of Climate Strategy, explains in this edition of Ask the Expert.

Related Posts:

• Senator Kerry explains the strategy and substance of the American Power Act: “It strengthens the Clean Air Act by expanding the authority of the EPA and making that authority permanent.”
• American Power Act to create millions of clean energy jobs, slash pollution and oil use, while boosting U.S. farmers and manufacturers

As we inch closer to its June 4th release date, the news about Sprint’s EVO 4G Android superphone continues to leak out.  This time we have the official retail packaging, which has drawn many comparisons to a microwave TV dinner, and a short description of the contents inside the box.  Alongside the EVO, users will get the usual peripherals like a charger and a cable to connect the phone to your computer as well as an 8 GB micro SD card to store all of your media.  Are any of you planning to pick up an EVO 4G on June 4th? Tell us below!

Via AndroidCentral

From Green Right Now Reports

With severe budget cuts looming ahead, San Jose Parks Foundation today announced the launch of “ParkForce,” a membership campaign that offers residents the opportunity to provide private sector support to protect and preserve city parks and trails.

San Jose Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization,will begin fund raising through direct mail, online and in targeted public parks and plazas throughout San Jose. ParkForce memberships are available to anyone who donates to the foundation.

“The people of San Jose have a chance to act before the budget cuts have their impact. Parks have a profound impact on many aspects of our lives, from the health of children and seniors to the look and feel of a neighborhood to property values,” San Jose Parks Foundation Executive Director James Reber said in a statement. “The coming budget cuts could have a very negative impact on all city parks. By building a strong ‘ParkForce’ membership we can protect and preserve – and in some cases enhance – our parks and trails. The work of the Friends of San Jose Rose Garden proves that a community effort can be a force for good in our city parks.”

Residents and businesses in San Jose have watched as budget cuts have taken their toll on a variety of city programs. The current deficit projections mean even deeper cuts for San Jose’s department of Parks Recreation and Neighborhood Services. Anticipating that this might happen, PRNS took action a few years ago to help organize and fund the San Jose Parks Foundation, which brings private funds to public parks.

Basic memberships begin at $60 for a family. Associate memberships begin at the Trailblazer level of $125. All funds raised by San Jose Parks Foundation will support programs, services, and capital needs of San Jose’s public parks, trails and community centers. Detailed information is available online at the FaceBook page for San Jose Parks Foundation.

Might We Suggest…

• Gameloft Slowly Un-Embracing Android
  Gameloft, a major gaming developer, has started to pull back on their plans for Android.  The two reasons are potential revenue and adoption of the platform

  “We have significantly cut our investme…

Banks and card issuers warned against the credit card reforms that went into effect a few months back, but so far it’s been a good thing for consumers, according to new delinquency numbers.

From the Associated Press:

The rate of borrowers who fell 90 days or more behind on their cards dropped to 1.11 percent for the first quarter, down from 1.32 percent in the 2009 period, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion. The delinquency rate was also down from the fourth-quarter of 2009, when it stood at 1.21 percent.

Although a lot of this good news can be attributed to consumers who are budgeting better and spending less, an executive at the credit report agency TransUnion told the AP that the reforms have also helped. Since banks can no longer raise a customer’s interest rate without warning, and since there are now limits on penalty fees, they haven’t been able to inflate balances as quickly as in the past. That in turn has led to lower minimum payments.

“Late payment drop shows impact of credit reforms” [Associated Press]

General Motors announced today that it has returned to profitability in the first quarter of 2010 with revenue of $31.5 billion and operating income of $1.2 billion. Net income attributable to common stockholders was $0.9 billion, resulting in earnings per share on a diluted basis of $1.66. The automaker made a total of $865 million during the first three months of the year.

The profit is its first since 2007 and the first since it emerged from bankruptcy last year. GM reported losses in the two previous quarters after coming out of bankruptcy.

“We’re pleased with our first quarter performance, in particular achieving profitability,” said Chris Liddell, vice chairman and chief financial officer. “In North America we are adding production to keep up with strong demand for new products in our four brands. We’re also steadily growing in emerging markets, keeping our costs under control, generating positive cash flow and maintaining a strong balance sheet. These are all important steps as we lay the foundation for a successful GM.”

A year ago, GM lost nearly $6 billion on revenue of only $22.4 billion, as sales plunged and the company hurdled toward bankruptcy.

Make the jump for the press release.

Press Release:

GM Reports First Quarter 2010 Results

GM achieves net income of $0.9 billion and EPS of $1.66

DETROIT, Mich. – General Motors Company today announced its first quarter 2010 results, marked by revenue of $31.5 billion and operating income of $1.2 billion. Net income attributable to common stockholders was $0.9 billion, resulting in earnings per share on a diluted basis of $1.66.

GM’s first quarter adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) was $1.7 billion, after adjusting for the favorable impact of the sale of the Saab brand.

GM North America had EBIT in the first quarter 2010 of $1.2 billion, up from a loss of $3.4 billion in the fourth quarter 2009. GM Europe had a loss before interest and taxes of $0.5 billion; an improvement of $0.3 billion from the fourth quarter. GM International Operations posted EBIT of $1.2 billion, up $0.5 billion from the fourth quarter.

Cash flow from operating activities was $1.7 billion and after adjusting for capital expenditures of $0.7 billion, free cash flow was $1.0 billion. GM ended the first quarter with $35.7 billion in cash and marketable securities, including funds in escrow.

– By: Omar Rana

The MPAA and Hollywood in general have been very, very strong supporters of stricter and more restrictive copyright laws pretty much as far as they can go. Jack Valenti, for many years the head of the MPAA, has famously declared both that, if it were up to him, copyright would last “forever minus a day” and that fair use was not part of the law. But, of course, time and time again, we see that strongest defenders of copyright law often find that they get a bit upset when it constrains them as well. Eriq Gardner has the story of the rise in lawsuits over Hollywood remakes from the estates (or others who purchased the copyrights later) of authors claiming infringement over movies. The main case that resulted in the article is really quite impressive in the number of layers deep that the whole thing goes.

Basically, Viacom (of course, a very strong defender of copyright) is being sued by an outfit called the American Rights Management Company, which claims to hold the copyright on a Damon Runyon story, Madame La Gimp, that was written in 1929. That story was later made into the movie Lady for a Day directed by Frank Capra. A few years later, Capra made yet another movie, also based on the same Runyon story, but this time, the movie was Pocketful of Miracles. About a decade ago, Jackie Chan made a remake, which was just called Miracles, which resulted in a lawsuit and a settlement. The issue now is another movie, which does appear to be either “loosely based on” or “inspired” by one or more of those predecessors, but made for an Indian audience in Bollywood, called Sing is Kinng. Follow all that? Here’s the lawsuit:

The complaint lays out the similarities in the story structure and plot — though, notably not the actual dialogue. If copyright really were about the expression and not the idea, then it’s difficult to see how this is infringing, but as we’ve learned, when it comes to stories, courts seem to only pay lip service to that whole idea/expression dichotomy (despite it supposedly being a key element in keeping copyright law from violating the First Amendment).

While I do feel that Viacom should absolutely be free to make this movie (and others should be free to make their remakes as well), I do have to admit it’s rather amusing to see Viacom and its strong pro-copyright stance potentially come back to bite the company.

Oh, and separately, it should be noted how ridiculous it is that the original Runyon work is still under copyright. When the copyright was registered — as was required in 1929 — the maximum the copyright could have lasted would have been 56 years. That was the “deal” that the US government made in exchange for the monopoly right, the work would go into the public domain by 1986, at the latest. By any measure, the work should be in the public domain. Of course, as we know, in 1976 we got ourselves a new copyright law and in 1998 copyright was extended again — ridiculously applied retroactively. This is a breach of the agreement originally made, which had the deal extended without any benefit to the other side (the public). Oh yeah, and while copyright law today says copyright law is “life plus 70 years,” you might think that this means Runyon’s work should be in the public domain. After all, the man died in 1946 — some 74 years ago. But, you’d be wrong. Because his works were published between 1923 and 1963 (and the copyright was renewed), it gets 95 years of protection from the publication date… meaning it doesn’t go into the public domain until 2025 (assuming — and it’s probably a big assumption — that there are no more copyright extensions).

Hmm. So if the MPAA hadn’t fought so damn hard for copyright law changes and copyright extension, this particular work would have been in the public domain decades ago. But, thanks to the MPAA’s efforts — and Viacom is a major player in the MPAA — it’s covered by copyright for at least another 15 years. Oops.

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An Exceptionally Good Little Cute Ute
Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

In typical Honda fashion, it might take a magnifying glass to notice the mid-cycle modifications made to its 2010 CR-V, but don’t doubt it, they’re there.

Honda refreshed its popular compact crossover this year, by augmenting the front fascia, grille, bumpers and hood, while adding two new colours to the palette including Opal Sage Metallic and Polished Metal Metallic; gone are Green Tea Metallic, Tango Red Pearl, Royal Blue Pearl and Borrego Beige. The CR-V gets more power and better fuel economy too, while new technologies are now available.

Getting granular, LX trim now comes with standard alloy wheels and rear privacy glass, while the mid-range EX adds an eight-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, a USB jack for the stereo, a compass, centre console and auto on/off headlamps to the inside, while body-colour mirrors and handles, plus a new ten-spoke alloy wheel design upgrade the exterior appearance. The top-line EX-L now features standard XM satellite radio and the availability of Bluetooth connectivity when the navigation package is chosen. All models get wider centre armrests up front, new seat fabric textures, a new door handle design, and revised trim panel sections for the steering wheel, gear selector and upper glovebox.

All models also get Honda’s 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, which now makes 180 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 161 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, which is 14 horsepower greater than its predecessor; torque stays the same. Immediately off the line its extra power isn’t all that noticeable, but when the revs start to climb the 2010 model gives a shove in the backside that was lacking last year. It’s especially helpful when passing.

Also positive is that the upgraded engine, still mated to a five-speed automatic transmission, delivers better fuel-efficiency at an estimated 9.8 L/100km in the city and 7.1 on the highway for front-wheel drive models and 10.1 and 7.5 respectively for all-wheel drive trim levels, compared to 10.3 L/100km in the city and 7.3 on the highway for last year’s front-drive CR-V and 10.7 and 7.8 for 2009 all-wheel drive models. More power and better fuel economy is always a good combination, and Honda mixes this in with regular gas, saving even more at the pump.

While the CR-V won’t exactly light up the tires, it certainly handles nimbly. Dry pavement or wet, gravel or snow, 17-inch alloy wheels on 225/65R17all-season tires, a nicely balance chassis and standard traction and stability control add control and a general sense of security to almost any scenario. ABS-enhanced four-wheel discs add to the safety features, which also include airbags all-round, including standard curtain-type airbags for front and rear window seats. A tire pressure monitoring system is also standard fare.

Speaking of standard features, the base LX also gets air conditioning, power locks with keyless entry, power windows with an auto up/down driver’s window, heated and power remote mirrors, a conversation mirror, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, a CD/MP3/WMA audio system with auxiliary input, a fuel economy meter, intermittent front and rear wipers, a retractable centre tray table, manual driver’s seat height adjustment, 60/40 split-folding slide and tumble rear seats, fold-down rear centre armrest, rear privacy glass, an under-seat storage bin, and front and rear splash guards.

Move up to the EX and, added to what comes with the LX and what was already mentioned above, you’ll get a powered sunroof, a six-CD/MP3 stereo with steering wheel-mounted controls, variable intermittent wipers, exterior temperature display, dual-deck cargo shelf, a security alarm and chrome grille inserts.

The EX-L adds heated leather seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an upgraded premium audio system. Options on the EX-L include an under-seat storage bin, along with an available navigation system with backup camera and Bluetooth connectivity.

Storage in mind, the CR-V can stow a sizeable 1,011 litres (35.6 cu ft) behind the rear seats and 2,064 litres (72.8 cu ft) with those 60/40 rear seatbacks folded flat. Its towing capacity is as per the class average at 680 kilos (1,500 lbs).

Contrary to popular belief, car-based crossovers aren’t all that bad at light-duty off-road jaunts. During the CR-V’s launch program I took the then-new 2007 model through some mucky patches of Ontario goo, and it proved a fine little mule thanks to its all-wheel drive, 185 millimeters (7.2 inches) of ground clearance and the traction and stability control I mentioned earlier. If you’ve got a cottage in the country, want to find that out of the way fishing spot down some little used logging road or want to feel safe and sound on your way up the ski hill, the CR-V is ideal.

Safe and sound in mind, Honda promises much better than average reliability ratings as per third-party studies done by J.D. Power and Associates and Consumer Reports, and supports these findings with a 3-year or 60,000 km comprehensive warranty as well as a 5-year or 100,000 km powertrain warranty.

As far as I’m concerned, you can’t go wrong with a CR-V. It’s certainly not the quickest in the pack and might not offer as many features as some of its rivals, but its dependability is top-notch, functionality first-rate, build-quality exceptionally good, fuel economy excellent, and prospective resale value among the best in its class. Need I say more?

Last night Google spruced up their Android Market website, but it was not the major upgrade everyone has been waiting for. The site acts mainly as a showcase and does not allow users to browse all apps, download apps, see full app details, or even perform basic Google-functions like search.

Even though the site is still mostly useless, Google could have made some important changes behind the scenes. We know a new version of the Market client is coming that allows automatic updates and the developer console is also getting new feedback features. Hopefully more will be revealed at Google I/O.

We know why you read Consumerist and why you donate. For one thing, it’s for our gripping reports from the front-lines of candy stores across America.

Don’t forget, Consumerist is a non-profit. You can give us money and then deduct it. Smart!

Donatetoconsumerist.com (FAQ)

Sure, the iPhonekiller might be a self-proclaiming iPhone hammer, but it will probably work with other devices as well. A laser-cut 25mm steel hammer doesn’t discriminate based on manufacturer or platform. [Open Design via Dezeen via BoingBoing]

Between Boost Mobile’s $50 unlimited plan (or $60 if you’re working with a BlackBerry), StraightTalk’s offerings, Common Cents Mobile, and the like, the prepaid industry is doing quite well.  To that end, T-Mobile today announced two new prepaid plans ___.  The “$15 Per Month Unlimited Text” plan will offer unlimited text, picture, and video messaging, along with nationwide calling for $.10 per minute; the “$50 Per Month Unlimited Talk and Text” will offer unlimited text, picture, and video messaging, along with unlimited nationwide calling.

The new plans will be available on Wednesday (the 19th).  I have to give T-Mobile a lot of credit here, because I think the two new prepaid plans will do exceptionally well across the board.  For the texting teen (who never talks on a regular basis anyway), the $15 monthly plan would make for a perfect – and cheap – alternative to adding a line on the family postpaid account.  For those that don’t want to sign a long-term contract, the $50 monthly plan would make for a great option – and it’s cheaper than anything I’ve seen in the postpaid department.

Needless to say, the prepaid battle is in full swing, and people seem to be responding.  I’ll be interested to see (a) how the new plans perform in the long-term, and (b) how the postpaid providers respond.  Care to render a guess in the comments section?

Filed under: Car Buying, Aston Martin

If you have the money, influence and inherent coolness to purchase one of the 77 Aston Martin One-77 super mega cars, it would be a good idea to put in your order as soon as humanly possible. That’s because while a limited run of 77 vehicles makes for a very exclusive exotic car club, one buyer may have made it even harder to join the sacred One-77 fraternity.

The Times of London reports that one buyer, believed to be of Middle-Eastern descent, has purchased 10 of the 77 super Astons. The buyer is reportedly picking up 13 percent of one of the rarest new rides on the planet, but the models will each be differentiated by color and interior trim.

The folks at Aston Martin aren’t spilling the beans on who the buyer could be, so this One-77-hoarding mad man lucky dog looks to be shucking the spotlight, at least for now. The total price for the 10 One-77s is $17 million, but now that the market for the most exotic of Astons has just shrunk by 10 units, we’re thinking that the secret owner’s collection could make all the 7.3-liter V12-powered One-77s more valuable. Thanks for the tip, David!

[Source: Fox News]

Mystery buyer allegedly puts in $17M order for ten Aston Martin supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The mean streets of the World Wide Web have proven too tough for one “Real Housewife.”

New York City socialite and former Playboy centerfold Kelly Killoren Bensimon will be deleting her Facebook account at the end of the week after snippy remarks from online foes became too much for the Bravo reality star to handle.

In a brief message to fans on Sunday, Kelly explained her decision to cut ties with the site — apparently in response to negative comments from fellow Facebookers: “I will be deleting this page by the end of the week. So for those who wish to stay a fan please go to my fanpage. And for those who choose not to…all the best. Please don’t follow me on Twitter and Facebook, it’s not good for you to waste time, with people you dislike…and end up getting blocked or deleted from my web team….”

In a later message, a fired-up Kelly wrote: “My Twitter and Facebook Fanpage are randomly monitered by my web team & the online security department of Twitter+Facebook ,just like any other public figure fan page, & reported 2 the correct authorities if hateful & bullying messages are posted. U will be blocked and reported. So if you are not a fan, don’t be! Don’t visit my pages wasting your time posting things that will cause you trouble. Move on!”

Looks like May’s a tough month to be a “Real Housewife.” Just last week, Kelly’s Real Housewives co-star Jill Zarin was viciously ripped by hundreds of angry Facebook commentors after she prematurely announced former bestie Bethenny Frankel’s baby arrival news on the site — and still managed to get the sex of the tot wrong.

Spotted@

I had no intention of bringing back the Beta of the Month contest, but these three sad sacks were an irresistible draw. The audience demands it, pay-per-view wants it, and the suits are throwing money at the talent scouts — namely, me.

BOTM Candidate #1 is a commenter to a ridiculously one-sided and myopic online article in The Atlantic called “Love, Actually: How girls reluctantly endure the hookup culture”, written by Caitlin Flanagan and dedicated to the proposition that the princess pedestal is the one true force of nature. I quote Flanagan:

This was how it was, during that endless, unhappy adolescence: my mother desperately trying to warn me of all the heartbreaks and dangers of womanhood […]

Today’s teenage girl—as much designed for closely held, romantic relationships as were the girls of every other era—is having to broker a life for herself in which she is, on the one hand, a card-carrying member of the over-parented generation, her extended girlhood made into a frantically observed and constantly commemorated possession of her parents, wrought into being with elaborate Sweet 16 parties, and heart-tugging video montages, and senior proms of mawkish, Cinderella-dream dimensions—and on the other hand she has also been forced into a sexual knowingness […]

She is a little girl; she is a person as wise in the ways of sexual expression as an old woman. […]

There might seem something wan, even pitiable, about all these young girls pining for boyfriends instead of hookups.

Hey Flanagan, one word: hypergamy. Look it up. Then try writing something that examines the issue of the sexual market with a little more full spectrum analysis.

The commenter’s handle is Uncle_Fred, and he writes in reply to Flanagan’s sexegesis (partial quote):

I’m of the Generation Y group (I’m 24). I don’t fret over it if my girlfriend wants to go out and have a one night stand with someone else. I just ask that that she calls me a couple times so I know she is safe. She is young and I would rather her have a good time while she can.

Enlightened Renaissance Man, or wretched loser? You be the judge!

A question for David Alexander Uncle_Fred comes to mind. Is this slut really your girlfriend, or is she your “””girlfriend”””, i.e. a chick who lets you sob on her shoulder but won’t let you sob in her cunt? You come out looking bad either way, but if the former description is in operation, you, sir, have descended to new lows of abject betahood. Your psyche may as well be the poster boy for microphallic minimasculinity.

Another commenter followed up to Uncle_Fred’s remark:

Wow, no kidding. Good for you for empowering your girlfriend that way… assuming that the arrangement has actually been tested?

It’s funny how in the face of psychological neutering and Darwinian obliteration, all these progressive-minded SWPLs can think about is how “empowering” it is for the woman involved. Something to keep in mind about empowerment — usually one person’s empowerment means another person’s powerlessness. Especially when the field of play is the sexual market, a zero sum game of the greatest urgency.

***

BOTM Candidate #2 is a classic cuckold, with a nauseating twist: he, like, totally forgiiiiiives his cheating wife and mother of their one-year-old child.

Tiffany Tehan, 31, disappeared Saturday, leaving behind husband David and 1-year-old daughter Lexie. The vanishing act triggered a cross-country search until police, acting on an FBI tip, found her staying at a Miami Beach motel with Tre Hutcherson, a man police had called a person of interest in her disappearance. Police quickly determined that Tehan was not in danger.

“She left voluntarily with this fellow and drove to Miami to — and these are her words — start a new life,” Miami Beach police Sgt. Wayne Jones said. […]

Husband Forgives Wife Immediately

David Tehan said Thursday he was angry at Hutcherson but that he “absolutely” forgives his wife. When asked why he forgave her, Tehan said, “I don’t know. It’s supernatural.

“She may have made some mistakes but everyone does and I can’t blame her for any of this,” the husband said. “She’s a person like anyone else getting through life, and it’s not always easy.”

Don’t these sound like the mincing words of a man who believes he cannot get any other woman? A big problem feeble betas have is a lack of understanding of the psychology of women. David doesn’t understand that by directing his ire at the interloping male and lavishing “forgiveness” on his cheating whore wife, he stokes his wife’s disgust with him. Not to mention he offers her a plenary indulgence from guilt or shame or any consequence whatsoever for her brazen cheating. What’s going to stop her from doing this again, to him or to any other similarly brainwashed man? As far as she knows, nothing. After all, her own cuckolded husband has called her blameless. “I’m a woman, please perch me high atop my victimhood pedestal and wash my dainty feet with oil!”

“Some mistakes.” “Mistakes were made.” “We all make mistakes sometimes.” The pathetic mewling of the untermensch. Wake up, son, and see the light.

The Beta:

The Bitch:

The Badboy:

***

BOTM Candidate #3 was submitted by reader Luke. He writes:

Unfortunately I have no information about this situation, other than it is in Madison Square Park, NYC. In any case, it’s good for a laugh.

This was the attached photo:

Anyone know anything about this guy? Could be a radio station prank, like the one pulled by a DC-based station last year. If it’s authentic, then there’s no denying the gravity of the groveling by this extraordinary beta.

***

The voting:

Filed under: Beta

You asked for it, so here it is: another round of Primal Blueprint Success Stories. Emails like these are basically why I continue to run Mark’s Daily Apple. It’s all about giving people the tools and resources they need to feel empowered to take control of their health, and in many cases completely turn their lives around.

Years ago I set a (lofty?) goal for myself: to personally play a role in helping 10 million people. If you’re one of the 10 million please let me know! If the Primal Blueprint has helped you in any way email me. It could be your story that helps others make the Primal leap. Grok on!

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Finding the Primal Blueprint has changed my life completely. My weight had always been an issue for me. Growing up my parents took us to fast food often, and I had unlimited access to chips, sodas, and snack food. I became obese at a very young age and was teased and tortured at school for being ‘the fat kid’. The last straw was when I 12 years old and no longer could shop at normal sized clothing stores. I vowed to myself that I would make it my goal to become healthy.

My crusade for achieving the perfect body led me through some very rough territory in the following years. Fad diets, chronic cardio, starving myself, diet pills, you name it, I tried it. Through conventional wisdom dieting and exercise I lost 35 lbs and stayed there for years. Even though most of the weight was gone, I experienced major dental problems, hair loss, migraines and digestive issues. I thought I was eating ‘healthy’ even though most foods I ate were processed ‘healthy’ snacks and frozen foods. As I began law school, even healthy processed foods were replaced with pizza dinners and sugary caffeine drinks to help keep me awake. I felt tired, stressed and hopeless. After finals I was 10 lbs heavier and miserable, I knew something needed to change.

I stumbled upon Marks Daily Apple in February 2010 and began reading everything I could get my hands on. I was ready and determined to make the change. I dove in head first and went 100% primal. My fiancé even jumped on the primal bandwagon as well. The progress came fast and I lost 6 lbs in the first two weeks. I got back into lifting heavy once a week and sprinted once or twice a week on the beach. Here it is 2 months into being primal and I am 7lbs lighter, stronger and finally feel as if I am in touch with my body. Now if I eat something not primal, my body sure lets me know that it does not approve. My hair is thicker and my headaches and digestive issues are a thing of the past. Before a workout would mean becoming a treadmill zombie at the gym, zoning out to the television for an hour. Now I sprint on the beach, carry/throw heavy rocks, climb on the jetty, and just have fun! Thanks Mark for all your doing. I know me and my Fiance are much healthier because of the Primal Blueprint.

Athena – Natural Selection

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270 Days of Primal Lifestyle

It has been quite a journey so far. A chance check of my blood pressure started this trip. My blood pressure registered at 198 over 120. I knew if I went to my doctor she would tell me to lose weight, exercise and change my diet. She would probably put me on drugs that would screw with the rest of my body so I decided to see if I could lose weight, exercise, change my diet and bring my blood pressure down myself.

My research started with Dr. Jay Wortman. He is a Canadian Doctor and is the author of “My Big Fat Diet.” This program put First Nation volunteers on a traditional diet to overcome their health issues. That got me thinking.

I Googled “What did humans eat 10,000 years ago?” and fortunately I ended up at Mark’s Daily Apple.

I’ve since been to see my Doctor and my success has given me some leeway. I’m still not on drugs (medication), but I’ve been getting some systolic readings in the high 130’s and diastolic readings in the high 80’s.

I’m not cured yet… but those numbers are considered high normal… and it has only been 270 days.

Let me share some other numbers with you. I’ve always considered August 4th 2009 as my start point. That is when I started to record this experience. My weight was 234 lbs. Today I’m at 192 lbs. My waist has gone from 46 inches to 39 inches. My chest has shrunk from 49 inches to 44 inches. (Sob) I’m melting… but then it has only been 270 days.

Excluding my love for potato chips and Irish whiskey, I would have told you I ate a nutritious diet. Conventional wisdom sucks!

I have learned a lot following PB. What I am focusing on now is balance. However this isn’t the balance of supporting the different segments of the agricultural industry. Sorry Dr. Kellogg but no shelf space for you!

Balance is about balancing the micronutrients. Why do we cut out grains? Besides a list of reasons, they screw up the balance. The ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 is covered in great detail on MDA. Did you know that the western diet has also thrown the sodium to potassium ratio out to lunch? Those with high blood pressure should be aware and learn more about it.

Based on the Omega 3-6 ratio and the relationship with sodium and potassium I’m convinced that it is the different ratios that are important. I still have much to learn on this subject… but then it has only been 270 days.

I really enjoy my exercise routine. Lift heavy, sprint occasionally and walk. I’m really getting into shape and on less than 20 minutes a week. What can’t you like about that?

I started with 1 rep static holds. My bench press went from 185 lbs to 425 lbs. My squat went from 245 lbs to 575 lbs. My dead lift went from 295 lbs to 555 lbs. My high intensity training took about 60 seconds a week. (Adjusting the weights kept me I the gym for about 30 minutes but my actual time under load was under 1 minute.)

In November I changed to the big 5. These are range of motion exercises but I time myself rather than counting reps. My performance improved when I cut it back from five exercises to 3. My best increase was with the leg press. It is important to note that I was only doing the one lower body exercise. I went from 360 lbs for 53 seconds to 630 lbs for 56 seconds. My high intensity training was now taking about 180 seconds a week. I almost broke into a sweat once or twice.

I’m taking my strength and conditioning to a new level of study. It can be broken down into three parts. The first is muscle growth. This is achieved by applying techniques that through sequential stimulation causes inroading. This is micro trauma at the cellular level. If correctly applied and allowing time to adapt it will create the body to grow more muscle tissue.

The second is synaptic facilitation. As Pavel Tsatsouline puts it… “Grease the Groove”. This is about using intense stimulation to strengthen the nerve impulses to the muscles to make them more efficient. The key to these stimuli is repetition with light to moderate weights.

The third is fascia recoil. The fascia wraps our muscle tissue. It can focus energy and momentum to make us stronger. While much research is going into the fascia for curing discomfort in the muscles and joints I see it as a means to greatly increase functional and explosive strength.

The breakdown into these types of training is in its infancy. I see how muscle growth and applying synaptic facilitation to everyday life skills will greatly enhance a person’s life. Fascia recoil helps us with explosive strength. I’ve a lot more to develop on this theory… but then it has only been 270 days.

As I continue this primal trek I need to maintain what got me this far. I will continue to research and apply my newfound knowledge in balancing my nutrients… 80% of the time.

I should walk more… but I’ll continue to do my high intensity resistance training once a week. I’m presently applying the new Max Pyramid protocol. I’m doing one upper body and one lower body exercise a week. This protocol should increase my high intensity training to a maximum of… gosh… it might hit 6 minutes a week. Will I handle the shock?

I personally want to thank Mark for MDA and his book The Primal Blueprint. I also want to thank the members of the forum. You have been excellent sources of information, ideas and support.

Vick

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Hey Mark,

I just love your book and website! I’ve been Primal since approx. March 5th and preparing for our city’s annual 12k race. Well, today was the race and I finished in 1hr:5mins, which is a record for me and a 8.71 minute mile, which I never was able to do before when I lived on bread, pasta and tons of sugary foods and drinks. I know that my time and my energy level during training and in the race is from adopting the Primal lifestyle. My energy levels have soared, and I no longer experience the energy dips that my coworkers and friends do. THANK YOU for all you do for everyone and a personal thanks for helping me do so well in my race and I have confidence in my performance in other races that I will do this summer.

Sherry

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I was born in 1966 and will turn 44 in December. I am 5′6″ and at my heaviest, I was 170 lbs. I realized this was unhealthy but did not know of a better way than what conventional wisdom taught. Every time I tried to eat whole grains and smaller portions, I would get hungry and as we know, hunger ALWAYS wins. My problem was sugar and carbs – too much of it. I wore size 34″ waist pants. Today I am 148 lbs which works out to a 13% loss of bodyweight. My latest pant size is 28″. My resting heart rate is 58 bpm. My blood pressure went from 130/80 to 105/70. You have already seen my blood work from January 2010.

My introduction to Primal Living was by way of Art Devany’s Evolutionary Fitness website (before it turned into a subscription site) when I was searching about a certain way to execute a golf shot. While Art’s information struck a chord within me, I did not find sufficient examples illustrating the implementation of Primal principles.

Researching more of this landed me on Marksdailyapple.com. Thanks to the writers and editors of this website, Marksdailyapple.com is the perfect blend of information. Detailed enough to be rich, aptly illustrated with captivating color photos yet not so academic that it is beyond my scope of apprehension. A superlative balance that is hard to achieve.

On October 23, 2009, my wife and I decided to change the way we ate and embrace Primal Principles. We now order organic produce and meats which is delivered to our house once a week. We try to abstain from all wheat and sugar. We really watch our refined carbs while freely dining on veggies and meats with fruits in moderation. Even though I am not a diabetic, I monitor my blood glucose levels to see the effects of certain foods, post-prandial changes and exercise.

If you look on my Facebook account you will find some good pictures of primal\paleo food I cook using a pressure cooker, slow cooker and cast iron pan complete with recipes:

Victor’s Eating and Cooking Channel 1

Victor’s Eating And Cooking Channel 2

I have friends from the UK to Australia who try these recipes! LOL.

I’ll attach some food\recipe pics (click the thumbnails to enlarge) so you have an idea what in the Facebook albums:

Take care,

Victor

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Mark,

My name is J.J. Valdivia and I am a 24 year old personal trainer down in Miami, Florida. First and foremost, I cannot thank you enough for the impact that your book and website have made on my life. I have been Primal now for almost one year and I am in the best shape of my life! I am 5′11, 165 lbs and carry around 6% body fat. Before discovering the Primal Blueprint I hovered at around 10-12% body fat and weighed in at around 175-180 pounds. All this considering I now exercise less than I ever have my entire life! I used to train six days a week religiously. I would alternate between one day of 1 hour circuit weight training and another day of 1 hour chronic cardio. I would count each and every calorie and needless to say I was miserable. I have always been into “health and fitness” and I was convinced that I was doing everything right, or so I thought. Constant overtraining mixed with a high carb, low fat diet led to binge eating on the weekends and a continuous cycle that led nowhere. I was always starving even though I was eating 5-6 small meals a day! Not only that, but I looked exactly the same and saw no results. That was one year ago…

Today I lift heavy weights three days a week, usually no longer than 35 minutes. I sprint once a week, and I do low level aerobic activity anywhere from 2-5 hours a week. I also eat only 2-3 times a day and I feel fantastic!

I became Primal about a month after I became a personal trainer, last May. (So June of last year) The company that I work for is an amenity management company and we are contracted to manage several corporate and residential fitness facilities throughout the east coast. I was hired to work for Royal Caribbean Cruises. I work in their corporate gym and I train a lot of their employees. The first thing that I do before I start training a new client is tell them to buy The Primal Blueprint. (Well, actually, the first thing I do is explain to them that yes, what I wear on my feet are indeed shoes and that yes, I exercise in them!) I then explain to them that my style of training and my understanding of health is based upon everything that they will read in that book. If they follow what is inside, they will acheive the results they desire. I explain to them that body composition is 80% what you eat, and 20 percent training and genetics. My clients are exercising much less than the other trainer’s clients but are seeing greater results! Needless to say, there are over 20 Royal Caribbean employees that have bought the book and are living according to the Primal Blueprint Laws, each one of them with their own success story. Thank you for everything Mark. I am truly grateful for the the change you have made in my life and in those of my clients. No matter what, I will continue to live the Primal lifestyle and lead others in reprogramming their genes!

J.J.

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Related posts:

1. Mark’s Daily Apple Readers “Go Primal”
2. The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: June 2008
3. The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: September 2008