Monday, August 15, 2011

Furnishing gratification of the senses

Do you remember Max Headroom?  No, I don’t mean the overhead signs warning of low over passes.  I’m talk about THE Max Headroom!



He was basically a head in a box . . . with very little head room.  If you don’t remember him, he was a pseudo-computer generated image . . . he was never really computer generated . . . in the days way before the World Wide Web and cyberstuff. 
 
Interestingly enough, despite the fact that the current technology of the 80’s wasn’t anywhere nearly as advanced as what the television show depicted, it was a remarkably accurate representation of what was to come.
 
Perhaps Max saw a little further than "20 minutes into the future".  Does any of this sound familiar?

Webcams . . . computer controlled cameras . . . long before such a thing was a reality.
  
Artificial intelligence . . . much like Max  . . . assisting in the use of computer software.  You know, like Clippy.

Gotomeeting and Netmeeting . . . who would have imagined such a thing was possible 30 years ago? 

Web polls . . . you see them every day on websites from Facebook to FoxNews.

Flash Advertsing . . . called BlipVerts in Max-speech.  You know those annoying ads that pop up all over the place while your browsing the internet?  Yeah, those things.

The show even portrayed such computer maladies as computer viruses and hijacking.  In fact, one episode showed Max invading an enemy's computer network with an image of a wooden Trojan horse!   

The show even went further by building “firewalls” to protect Max’s systems.  




I think it's interesting that the show predicted so much technology hardly conceived of at the time.  Even cooler that he looked computer generated when it was a live actor  . . . Matt Frewer . . . with a head piece.





CARNATION® Famous Fudge

1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
2/3 Cup (5 Fl.-Oz. Can) Nestlé® Carnation® Evaporated Milk
2 Tablespoons Butter Or Margarine
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Miniature Marshmallows
1 1/2 Cups (9 Oz.) Nestlé® Toll House® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans Or Walnuts (Optional)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Line a 8-inch-square pan with foil.

Combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and vanilla extract. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.


Quick, easy, yummly!

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