Slow news week. Most of the new good stuff popped up today. This week's theme: trends on the edge of culture.

The English to 12-year-old AOLer Translator

You might not like it, but DUDE IMM SO MUCH COL3R THAN U

FOX News apparently owns the trademark to the phrase "Fair and Balanced". We'll see if it holds up in court:

This has been making the rounds... you know you want one:

Octopus Camouflage

This has been popular lately too... check it out!

Also a nice short movie of an octopus moving:

Things like this are good to see every once in a while so you don't get so proud about being a human, having two arms and two legs and all.

Bastard Pop

Now that everyone has access to professional-class studio software, we are seeing the rise of "Bastard Pop" - songs made of two other songs you'd never would have put together. Read the Salon article:

There are at least three really good songs here:

Flash Mobs

Another 21st century cultural phenomenon - a great article about it from SF. Also another reason why the idea of global activism remains promising.

(Note: the Cacophony Society helped start the Burning Man - I had a great Halloween party at their "headquarters" once)

Potential Date Alerts

If you combine the ability to track others with their cell phone...

With the ability to access dating services from your cell phone...

...then I predict that it won't be too long before we start seeing phones that notify you when a potential "best match" for you is close by.

Frankly, I could use this.

Documented Life

As people begin their life as a captured stream of digital documents, we'll be seeing more of this. A great idea would be to create software that allows people to create lifelong free-form digital photo albums, like Miles Hochstein does here: