Use Your Own Handwriting to Create Fonts with YourFonts.com

We bet you've run into this problem from time to time: you're designing a presentation or writing a paper, and you can't find the right font that expresses your own creative personality. If you only you had a font that was truly "you". Well, now you can! YourFonts.com will help you create your own font using your very own handwriting, and it's really quite simple.

The site loads with a quick description of what YourFonts.com does and what you can use it for. Assuming you know what fonts are and how you can use them, we'll just skip right along to the part where it describes the font-generation process. YourFonts.com uses a template that asks you write out parts of the alphabet in scannable squares, which are then uploaded to the site and converted into high-quality fonts. The site claims to have "the most advanced raster to vector conversion algorithm", which basically just means that the scanned images are converted to the actual font super quick.

There are essentially seven steps to making your own font using this website, but we can summarize them for you to make it even simpler. Once you go to the site, just download the template forms and fill them out. Scan and upload the images of your handwriting to YourFonts.com, and you're basically done. After the upload is completed, you can preview the font , and then download it. In case you're a font novice, YourFonts.com gives a brief explanation of how to install the font on your computer.

What's great about this site is that you can use it as much as you like, for free. You can really get creative crossing your t's and dotting your i's and make as many different fonts as your imagination will allow. Then end result will be that your typed presentations that will have a distinct and personal feel, which is always good for impressing the boss, or whoever you're typing to.

The drawback is that these fonts aren't necessarily useful in every aspect that fonts are useful. Publishing them in a webpage will result in them appearing perfectly to your computer that has the font installed. But, if someone doesn't have the font installed and views your page, they won't see it at all. You also run the risk of having formatting blunders if the font is a funny size. Also, emails will not display these fonts to the receiver for the same reason. Anyone who wants to see your font will have to install it themselves.

That being said, there aren't many other things cooler than having a font made of your own handwriting. You can create images of your font to side step the display problems caused by using such a unique font (there's only one of you, after all), and if you're just printing your presentation or displaying it off your own computer, you should have no problems at all. Hey, who knows? Maybe your font will be so popular people all over the world will install it! You'll be the next "Times New Roman"!

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7 Ads That Vie For Your Heart This Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is an advertiser's wet dream, a perfectly designed human construct that allows companies to manipulate a wide-range of emotions. You have every element in place: love, sympathy, guilt, celebration... And as such, pretty much every product known to humankind can be pimped out to enthusiastic buyers. Valentine's Day is the marketing equivalent of an orgy.

Yeah, I'm aware that I sound a little callus. See, I come from a film & video background. As such, I've been a party to many ad campaigns and know how things work.

But that doesn't mean I have a heart of stone. I'm a fan of a good ad campaign (C'mon... who doesn't like the Budweiser frogs?).

Some of these are hits; some are misses. But all display a unique vision when it comes to Valentine's Day.

1. British Airways Valentine's Ad

Going the sentimental route, this nice little ad does a great job of conveying the romance of a journey to... well, anywhere. I'd love to be able to take my girlfriend on a whirlwind trip this Valentine's Day. Alas, my wallet cannot handle the emptiness that such a trip would create.

2. SexyAvenue.com Valentine's Ad

Well, there's no denying what the design of this heart is emulating. And as an advertisement for an online store carrying lingerie and various adult... toys... this little sucker is quite eye-catching.

3. Sheba Valentine's Ad

Sheba cat food offers up this sweet little ad. I'm trying to teach my cat to do this-to no avail. But, if I somehow succeed, my girlfriend's gonna be quite impressed...

4. Heineken Valentine's Ad

Here's an example of a campaign that just doesn't work for me. I get the visual concept. But equating the lip of a beer bottle to marriage is a bit of a stretch for me. Perhaps if this represented champagne? I dunno... Maybe it's a tribute to the love of beer? THAT I can get behind, as I love my hops & barley concoctions and would happily write my favorite beer a love letter for Valentine's Day.

5. Nutrient Water Valentine's Ad

I love this ad. What's difficult to see is the tagline: "Enjoy a longer lasting Valentine's Day."
I think I'm going to go buy a case of Nutrient Water.

6. Thrifty Rental Cars Valentine's Ad

I will then take the Nutrient Water, put it on the floor of my Thrifty Rental car and, girlfriend in tow... save money.
I'm not too sure about the message this ad is sending-but my sentence above gives you an idea of my take on it.
I'll just miss the room service that most nice hotels offer...

7. Post-It Notes Valentine's Ad

To be fair, I'm not sure if this is a real advertisement, or a pitch by an ad-exec. Regardless, I like it. A lot.

Post-It Notes have played a nice part in my love life, particularly when it comes to little surprises. And the idea of folding one into a heart and writing a message on it appeals to me quite a bit.

So much so, that I'm gonna go out and get some. If I can master the heart folding, I'll stick ‘em all over every surface possible while she's at work.

Then I'll snag plane tickets, get some lingerie, bribe my cat to make a yarn heart, drink a bunch of beer, buy a case of vitamin enhanced water, and rent a car with the intention of spending the night in it.

And hope that I still have a girlfriend on February 15...

So what do you think of these ads? Any that pull at your heart strings?

SOURCE: Ads of the World

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10 Ways to Have Fun with Boobs

Boob products?! Yes, this is an article about fun boob gadgets and products. If you are too young or too prudish to handle this, go and read something else.

Love boobs? I certainly do. Love them. Love them. Love them.

If I could, I would spend all of my days lounging around under a palm tree, eating fried chicken breasts and playing with boobs.

Sadly, life is not like that. It's hard for a man to spend his whole day surrounded by boobs... since by boobs, I don't mean the idiots I work and live with.

So, to make life more enjoyable for my fellow men, I came up with the brilliant idea of finding the way that a man could play with breasts all day long and still get stuff done.

So here are my picks for the 10 Fun Ways to Play with Boobs:

10. Shuffle Around the House with the Boob Slippers

Merchant for these Booby Slippers says:

"These Boob Slippers are the perfect gift for someone who needs pampering, even yourself! Made from 100% polyester they are very comfortable and definitely the softest boobs I have ever felt! Slip your sore tired feet into these warm comfy slippers and relax." (Buy Boob Product)

9. Change the Channel with the Boob Remote

Merchant for the Boob Shaped Remote Control product:

"With Removable Bikini Top For Channel Up & Down. Gives new meaning to the expression, "57 channels & nothing on!" Universal infrared remote with universal appeal. You'll quickly get a feel for its classic shape. Bikini top flips up to reveal unique channel up-and-down buttons. Flip down bottoms for number and re-set controls. Compatible with nearly every brand of TV, VCR, cable box and red-blooded male ever made." (Buy Boob Product via Sluch and CoolestGadgets)

8. Support Your Wrists with the Boob Rest

Merchant for this ChestRest Mouse Pad product says:

"Studies have shown that proper use of ergonomics in the work place can significantly reduce the risk of bodily injury, including carpal tunnel. Currently, carpal tunnel accounts for 50% of work-related injury and a significant portion can be attributed to repetitive motion disorder caused by frequent mouse use. Wrist injury can be prevented or reduced by utilizing a properly designed ergonomic mouse pad. [With the chest rest,] wrist is supported by the valley in between the two gelatin mounds. (Buy Boob Product via Amused)

7. Click Away with the Boob Mouse

I don't know what the merchant is saying since I can't read Japanese. But according to Gizmodo:

"Now not only can you have a Busty Mousepad, you can have a busty mouse to go along with it. The mouse has two buttons and a scrollwheel—which part of a woman's anatomy is that—and costs only $4.99 (1000 Yen). Though, the breasts look more like eyeballs than breasts, so it's not that erotic. (See Boob Product)

6. Fry Up Eggs with the Boob Egg Mold

Merchant for this Boob Shaped Egg Fryer product says:

The boob egg fryer is perfect for all kinds of kinky cuisine! Just right for that special breakfast!! How about serving up a boobie burger or a pair of pert pancake boobs...Erotic and eggciting!" (Buy Boob Product)

WARNING: THE NEXT PAGE OF BOOB PRODUCTS ARE A BIT MORE REALISTIC SO MAY BE R-RATED (BUT NOT NSFW?)

5. Cover Your Eyes with the Boobie Blindfold

Merchant for this breast blindfold product says:

"Your Fantasy Starts Here! Can't sleep? Blindfolds just got more entertaining with this boobie shaped blindfold, this boobie blindfold is designed to look like you have great big furry boobs as eyes. Made from 100% Polyester makes this boobie blindfold very comfortable and a must have for all boobie fans.........pretty much every guy then!" (Buy Boob Product)

4. Take a Bath with the Bobbing Boobs Bath Plug

Merchant for this Boobie Bath Plug product says:

"A great little novelty to take to the bath with you. Lie in comfort and watch the boobies bob up and down on the surface. Make bath time fun!" (Buy Boob Product)

3. Massage Your Tired Hands with the Boob Massager

Merchant for the Personal Vibrating Hand Massager product says:

'"It''s funny how men are drawn to breasts automatically. Whether it''s touching or looking, you can guarantee an ample pair will mesmerize most men. So, what better form for a Men's Personal Vibrating Massager than a boob? Our personal vibrating hand massager is a lovely soft squeezable material that vibrates when switched on, providing relief for stressed hands and overworked wrists. The Vibrating Hand Stress Reliever provides quick relief for your overworked hands, which can include - computer mouse strain - drinker''s hand fatigue - writer''s cramp - road rager''s fist fatigue. It's great for computer mouse strain..Drinker's hand fatigue...Writer's cramp.. Road ragers fist fatigue...Limp wrist syndrome or Solitary stimulation strain!! (Buy Boob Product)

2. Take a Shower with the Boob Soap Dispenser

I know you have probably seen these around all over the web so I wasn't going to show them to you, but I LOVE them so much. I did not think my list would be complete without them, so here they are.

Merchant says about the Shower Breast product:

"Squeeze the boob to release the gel... Having a shower has never been so much fun!

Do you fancy fondling a pert pair of bosoms in the shower every day? Actually that's probably a silly question....Shower Breasts are guaranteed to make you want to wash more often. This naughty nipple-topped pair attaches to your shower wall with the suckers provided, with each bosom having a compartment for shower gel, shampoo or conditioner. To dispense, simply squeeze away – but be warned, you could run out of shower gel very quickly..." (Buy Boob Product)

1. Light the Way with a Boob Lamp

Merchant for the Boob Lamp says:

"I know what you're thinking dear reader, who needs any of those uber trendy mathmos lamps, eclipse lights or any other cool lighting gadgets when you could have your very own flashing boobie lamp? Don't ever say that we don't spoil you as this flashing boobie lamp measuring approximately 18cm in height just has to be the ultimate bachelor pad accessory. Hasn't it?" (Buy Boob Product )

Well, there you have my picks for the top 10 best ways to play with boobies if you can't play with the real ones.

I had a real hard time picking only 10 as there are so many great boobs and great breast products out there, so perhaps another day, I will share with you a few more. What do you think of my choices? Any boob products you think are even better?

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Scientists have developed new brain analysis technology that can reconstruct the images inside a person’s mind and display them on a computer monitor

Researchers from Japan’s ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories have developed new brain analysis technology that can reconstruct the images inside a person’s mind and display them on a computer monitor! According to the researchers, further development of the technology may soon make it possible to view other people’s dreams while they sleep.

The scientists were able to reconstruct various images viewed by a person by analyzing changes in their cerebral blood flow. Using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine, the researchers first mapped the blood flow changes that occurred in the cerebral visual cortex as subjects viewed various images held in front of their eyes. Subjects were shown 400 random 10 x 10 pixel black-and-white images for a period of 12 seconds each. While the fMRI machine monitored the changes in brain activity, a computer crunched the data and learned to associate the various changes in brain activity with the different image designs.

Then, when the test subjects were shown a completely new set of images, such as the letters N-E-U-R-O-N, the system was able to reconstruct and display what the test subjects were viewing based solely on their brain activity.

For now, the system is only able to reproduce simple black-and-white images. But Dr. Kang Cheng, a researcher from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute, suggests that improving the measurement accuracy will make it possible to reproduce images in color.

“These results are a breakthrough in terms of understanding brain activity,” says Dr. Cheng. “In as little as 10 years, advances in this field of research may make it possible to read a person’s thoughts with some degree of accuracy.”

The researchers suggest a future version of this technology could be applied in the fields of art and design — particularly if it becomes possible to quickly and accurately access images existing inside an artist’s head. The technology might also lead to new treatments for conditions such as psychiatric disorders involving hallucinations, by providing doctors a direct window into the mind of the patient.

ATR chief researcher Yukiyasu Kamitani says, “This technology can also be applied to senses other than vision. In the future, it may also become possible to read feelings and complicated emotional states.”

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Albert Einstein's True Religious Beliefs Revealed

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind." So said Albert Einstein, and his famous aphorism has been the source of endless debate between believers and non-believers wanting to claim the greatest scientist of the 20th century as their own.

A little known letter written by him, however, may help to settle the argument - or at least provoke further controversy about his views.

Due to be auctioned this week in London after being in a private collection for more than 50 years, the document leaves no doubt that the theoretical physicist was no supporter of religious beliefs, which he regarded as "childish superstitions".

Einstein penned the letter on January 3 1954 to the philosopher Eric Gutkind who had sent him a copy of his book Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt. The letter went on public sale a year later and has remained in private hands ever since.

In the letter, he states: "The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."

Einstein, who was Jewish and who declined an offer to be the state of Israel's second president, also rejected the idea that the Jews are God's favoured people.

"For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything 'chosen' about them."

The letter will go on sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in Mayfair on Thursday and is expected to fetch up to £8,000. The handwritten piece, in German, is not listed in the source material of the most authoritative academic text on the subject, Max Jammer's book Einstein and Religion.

One of the country's leading experts on the scientist, John Brooke of Oxford University, admitted he had not heard of it.

Einstein is best known for his theories of relativity and for the famous E=mc2 equation that describes the equivalence of mass and energy, but his thoughts on religion have long attracted conjecture.

His parents were not religious but he attended a Catholic primary school and at the same time received private tuition in Judaism. This prompted what he later called, his "religious paradise of youth", during which he observed religious rules such as not eating pork. This did not last long though and by 12 he was questioning the truth of many biblical stories.

"The consequence was a positively fanatic [orgy of] freethinking coupled with the impression that youth is being deceived by the state through lies; it was a crushing impression," he later wrote.

In his later years he referred to a "cosmic religious feeling" that permeated and sustained his scientific work. In 1954, a year before his death, he spoke of wishing to "experience the universe as a single cosmic whole". He was also fond of using religious flourishes, in 1926 declaring that "He [God] does not throw dice" when referring to randomness thrown up by quantum theory.

His position on God has been widely misrepresented by people on both sides of the atheism/religion divide but he always resisted easy stereotyping on the subject.

"Like other great scientists he does not fit the boxes in which popular polemicists like to pigeonhole him," said Brooke. "It is clear for example that he had respect for the religious values enshrined within Judaic and Christian traditions ... but what he understood by religion was something far more subtle than what is usually meant by the word in popular discussion."

Despite his categorical rejection of conventional religion, Brooke said that Einstein became angry when his views were appropriated by evangelists for atheism. He was offended by their lack of humility and once wrote. "The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility."

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Traffic Signs

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BASTARD

GIRL: I have sinned. I called my boyfriend a BASTARD.
PSYCHIATRIST: Well now, that’s not a nice thing to call anyone, so what did he do to deserve that?
GIRL: Well, he kissed me.

PSYCHIATRIST: You mean like this?
( The psychiatrist kissed the girl )
GIRL: ……Yes!

PSYCHIATRIST: Well that’s no reason to call him a BASTARD.
GIRL: But, he put his hand in my top.
PSYCHIATRIST: You mean like this?
( The psychiatrist put his hand in the girl’s top )
GIRL: Yes!

PSYCHIATRIST: Well that’s no reason to call him a BASTARD.
GIRL: But, he took my clothes off.
PSYCHIATRIST: You mean like this?
( The psychiatrist took off the girl’s clothes )
GIRL: Yes!

PSYCHIATRIST: Well that’s no reason to call him a BASTARD.
GIRL: But, he had sex with me!
PSYCHIATRIST: You mean like this?
( The psychiatrist had sex with the girl )
GIRL: .Yes!

PSYCHIATRIST: Well that’s no reason to call him a BASTARD.
GIRL: But, then he told me he has AIDS.
PSYCHIATRIST: BASTARD!!!!!

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Square Watermelon

A round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves?

Smart Japanese Farmers have forced their watermelons to grow into a square shape by inserting the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine.

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Websites You Can't Live Without in 2009

This is a list of the products We tend to use daily. Some are for work (Wordpress, Delicious, Zoho, etc.), some are for fun (MySpace Music, Hulu, etc), and some are useful for both (Digg, Skype, YouTube, etc.). But We use most of them every day, or nearly every day, and We would not be as productive or happy without all of them.

The list changes a bit from year to year, and is also getting longer. Just three products have been favorites all four years: TechMeme, Skype, Wordpress. TechMeme continues to be the news aggregator We check multiple times per day to keep up on tech news. Skype is the instant messaging and VoIP platform that We use most often, and Wordpress software powers all of our blogs.

Nine new products, including one gadget (which We've left off in the past): Animoto, Friendfeed, Hulu, iPhone 3G, MySpace Music, Pandora (which was on in previous years) Docstoc/Scribd and Yammer.

Six products from last year’s list: Amazon Music, Amie Street, Firefox, Flickr, Netvibes, Technorati.

We tend to upload photos to Facebook now because of the people tagging feature and since it flows well with the rest of our news feed (We use Posterous for mobile uploads); Flickr is becoming less important for me. I have moved most of my music consumption to MySpace Music, and download DRM-free MP3s from iTunes when I want to buy. Amie Street is still a great place to discover new music though, and I think their business model, which is variable pricing for music based on its popularity, is sound. Firefox is off the list as I experiment with Chrome, but I haven’t made a decision one way or the other. When Chrome launches for the Mac, I’m likely to switch.

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20 Reasons to Have Sex Tonight

It’s funny how sex factors into the way people describe the state of their relationships. Studies show that, when things are going well, sex contributes only 15 percent to the overall satisfaction of a relationship. But if things aren’t going well, it contributes 85 percent to the overall dissatisfaction.

Sex has many advantages to both people involved. Here are just a few.

1. Because you said so

Even though you may not have promised to “love, honor, and have sex once a week” when you made a commitment to your relationship, it was understood that sex would be part of that bargain.

Imagine how the marriage rates would go down if people said, “I’ll marry you, but don’t expect sex.” If you polled one thousand people on the street and asked them, “Is it reasonable to expect to have to have sex when you are married?” the overwhelming majority would say yes. If you expect a monogamous commitment from your partner, then it stands to reason that you will be a cooperative sex partner.

2. Sex helps you forget

Oxytocin, which triggers orgasm, has an amnesic effect that lasts up to five hours. So for a period of time you forget that he maxed out your Visa card or she was an hour late getting home from work. Women get an additional benefit. During orgasm that parts of the brain that govern fear, anxiety, and stress are switched off. (Faking orgasm gives no such benefit.)

3. Sex rewires you for pleasure

Every time you share a positive experience with your partner, your brain comes to associate him or her with pleasure. You can transform any relationship simply by increasing the number of enjoyable times you share together.

4. Sex puts the “P” back in partnership

Passion is what separates your relationship with your intimate partner from those with girlfriends and buddies. Yes, you two are best friends and confidants, but without sex you will not have passion.

The following are from a 1997 study in the British Medical Journal-

5. Heightened sense of smell

After sex, production of prolactin surges, causing stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s smell center (olfactory bulb).

6. Weight loss

Rambunctious sex burns a minimum of two hundred calories, about the same as running fifteen minutes on a treadmill. British researchers determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year.

7. Reduced depression

Prostaglandin, a hormone found in semen, modulates female hormones. Orgasm releases endorphins, producing a sense of well-being and euphoria.

8. Pain relief

During sex, levels of oxytocin surge five times their normal level, releasing endorphins that alleviate pain. Sex also prompts production of estrogen, which reduces the pain of PMS.

9. Healthier heart

Women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against heart disease.

10. Cure for the common cold

Once-a-week sex produces 30 percent higher levels of immunoglobulin A, which boosts the immune system.

11. Better bladder control

Sex strengthens the pelvic muscles that control the flow of urine.

12. Peppy prostate

Some urologists believe they see a relationship between infrequency of ejaculation in men and cancer in the prostate. In this case solo sex works just as well, but why out on all the other benefits?

13. Shiny hair, glowing skin

For women, extra estrogen from orgasm makes hair shine. Sweat produced during sex cleanses the pores and makes skin glow. Serotonin produces the after glow of sex.

14. Calming effect

Sex is ten times more effective than Valium, with no side effects.

15. Relief for a stuffy nose

Really. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can even help combat hay fever and asthma.

16. Firmer tummy and butt

Regular sex can firm your tummy and butt, plus improve posture.

17. Boosts immune system

Endorphins stimulate immune-system cells that fight disease.

18. Forever young

Sex actually slows down the aging process. It lowers cortisol levels in the bloodstream, which reduces stress and slows down the aging process.

19. Protection against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis

Women who have more sex have higher levels of estrogen, which protects against Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

20. Euphoria

Who wouldn’t want more? The best way to get a natural high is sex!

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