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Love.com - For better or for worse, the Internet is radically changing the dating scene in America:

Enter the Internet. Sensing a staggering demand, online matchmaking services more than quadrupled their revenue to $302 million from 2001 to 2002. Indeed, online personals are now the most lucrative segment of paid services on the Web, according to comScore Networks–eclipsing digital music sharing services, online investment advice, research services like LexisNexis, and gossip and entertainment sites–including what the industry calls “mainstream adult” sites like Playboy.

Awed by this sprawling online dating community–and dazzled by the speed with which they can now collect and analyze data from this community–psychologists (often employed by the sites) are delving deeper than ever before into the still-mysterious science of what makes people good companions, good spouses–in short, what makes for the lasting American romance. In the process, these social scientists are challenging some conventional wisdom about love and marriage: Do opposites really attract? What breaks up relationships, and what makes people stick together for better or worse? Which is the stronger force: the traits you find attractive in your partner, or the annoying habits that make you crazy? The truly evangelical go as far as to say that dating Web sites, located at this unique intersection of technology and psychology, could actually offer a fix for a lot of what’s wrong with marriages in America.

Having a meat-space date with an virtual partner… that was the penultimate correlary for being a total loser in the circle of friends I grew up with. It wasn’t even a superstition we were knocking, as several members of my geeky clique tried it out every so often (my older brother included).

I honestly have yet to meet a single woman from cyberspace that told me the “really real” truth as to what her physical appearance was. The same goes for my amigos, who have run into Berthas, Olgas, Butches and even the occasional MILF (have you ever been sent a scantily clad image of someone that is old enough to be your mom?).

Anyways, I’m sure those of you that have been online for 5-6 years are somewhat use to the Tomfoolery that goes on in chat rooms, forums and mailing lists.

Ex: you get a message saying “I’m 5′4″, blonde hair, blue eyes and a great figure.”

You know the drill, first you smile, shake your head and press the delete button.

If you’re lucky, you also get a Photoshopped picture which, when properly done, manages to hide their third eye, second nose or unibrow.

Yea, I’m a skeptic of the entire “online dating” subculture. To this day, none of my friends have had a successful romantic relationship vis-à-vis the digital landscape. Of course, you’re sneering: “You’re friends are losers.” Okay, I’ll give you that, but still the same, most of them no longer look like your stereotypical computer dork. Some even go to the gym, drive sports cars, shop at the Banana Republic, eat at restaurants that serve something more than pizza or burgers and have been known to wear cologne (bathing is still optional).

Anyways, I actually planned on lampooning the dating scene through a website called DrPersonal.com (I still own the domain), but never really had a chance to get it kick started (how many online projects have I worked on this year alone?). I even have notes and material I collected during my days as a suave bachelor at Yahoo Personals and Match.com — all in good fun of course.

So I guess the only thing lingering is, what kind of experiences have you had find Mister or Miss Right online (aside from the pesky A/S/L kids you meet each time you log onto IRC)?

And despite the breakroom rumors, I’m not married nor have I fathered any kids in the state of Texas - just West Virginia.

Note: I did think the US News article above was pretty good, shoot me your thoughts if you have a chance to read it.

“It tells me that goose-stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead of burning them.” - Professor Henry Jones

This week is apparently Banned Books Week — celebrating the books that no one would read even if they weren’t banned.

Here’s a list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books. I don’t see any from Plutarch or Herodotus, yet how many college graduates have read anything by either (let alone, know who they are)? Which leads to what Samuel Clemens maxim’ed:

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.

Additionally, Jason Ditz sent me this semi-funny censorship policy (pages 16-17 : pdf).

Anyone up for a little Fahrenheit 451?

Despite missing partner Franz, Hans put together a great overview of the innerworkings to AMD’s Athlon 64 and Opteron.

He’s also the bloke (fella, monsieur, hombre, gefährte) that brought you the low-down on Intel’s forthcoming Prescott chip and the super-secret skunk-works core dubbed ‘Yamhill.’

Included in his latest report are fully coloured pictures, large print and delicious multi-vitamins. Ensure, to your health®.

This isn’t your dad’s lop-sided cricket fight. He doesn’t get to use one of those gigantic Godzilla-like crickets that decimate his crops each year.

Nope, in Shanghai, according to the Widely Accepted Nexus of the Gong, Division IA — the Bruce Lee types do the best. That’s right, scrapy: float like a butterfly, sting like a bee is the modus operandi. An insect mongoose if you will, that chirps, eats grape nuts and lives for about 100 days.

And Dan Washburn, an English teacher at Shanghai University has been breading success over the past couple of weeks.

All I have to say is:

I pity the fool!

Oh, and Russell, don’t get mentally irregular (Balboa was quite the brainy boxer).

Supply Side Jesus:

Via The Agitator - be sure to read the whole thing, or burn in hell.

Look for special appearances by Pink, Jackie Chan and William Bennett Iscariot.

And yea, being a member of the EAC, the hardest thing for me was figuring out which category to put this one in. Just like Arnold discovered that running for governor was the hardest decision he made since getting a bikini wax.

“Of course you will. All intelligent creatures dream - but no one knows why.” - Dr. Chandra.

The question is, is the Internet intelligent or just the largest collection of smut since the Library of Alexandria was destroyed?

While you ponder that sophic quagmire, look at the red button and decide the fate of all desperate 15-year old males in their never ending quest to discover cloaked nipples on celebrities.

Via DannyAyers.