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| Wednesday |
the Twenty-Second of October, 2003 |
"Participants were served an unpleasant-tasting orange
drink spiked with salt and vinegar. They were then shown adverts
suggesting the drink was refreshing. Sure enough, many of the
participants later reported that they had found the drink
refreshing."
Advertising hyenas have apparently latched onto
some old research
about the implantation of (minor) false memories, and are limbering up to start
retroactively
altering consumer perceptions. Predictably, I can't remember whether I've read
Loftus's
false memory research before, or not. [via Black Belt Jones]
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| Tuesday |
the Twenty-First |
As much for the space as for the money, we've begun to slowly pile
our superfluous books onto Amazon marketplaces - those which
are extremely unlikely to be reread, or rereferenced, or required to press
into people's hands at moments' notices. If any of you
real people are interested, get in touch to buy the books for less
money, or even no money at all. See:
his and
hers.
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| Monday |
the Twentieth |
"When a player has four crushed houses on each monster
property of a complete color-group, he may buy a crushed hotel from the
Bank and erect it on any monster property of that color-group."
A glorious idea, executed rather lazily with heavy search-and-replace; Giant Monster Monopoly.
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A
study of Monopoly probabilities, culminating in a
massive table that gives the chances of landing on any given
square from any other given square (there is a 1.042% chance of
hitting Mayfair from "Go"). It's surprising how little free will
the players have, in terms of movement - the only variable
factor is whether they'll pay immediately to get out of jail, or try
to roll a double.
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Brighton and Hove Monopoly was released last week, and I was
stood outside a toyshop on Saturday, raging pointlessly at the design
decision I feared - the West Pier getting the Old Kent Road square,
rather than it and the Palace Pier being the prestigious dark blues.
But in the cold light of Monday, I think I approve - it becomes a
disincentive to obstruct the view with hotels and run the thing purely
for financial gain, instead leaving it to rust into dull brown oblivion
just around the corner from the more expensive properties. I suppose
it's too much to ask that they've written a new set of Chance cards,
though. ("Fire: Destroy all buildings on a randomly-selected pier.")
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