Fail
I just got sent an Epic Fail forward, which was a real yahoo question:

"Hi. Does anyone know if it's possible to use a background that would essentially turn my computer monitor into a mirror? Scanning a mirror doesn't work."

lolz
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:18, 26 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

good grief.
I think she needs a webcam, or a slap.
( Colonel Dracula Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:21, Reply)

That
is a superb comment.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:25, Reply)

although on the bright side
she could have a desktop background of the inside of her scanner...
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:25, Reply)

There should be a law
against being that stupid.

Now where is that tin of tartan paint I was asked to find?
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:26, Reply)

The tartan
paint is next to the skyhooks and the long weight.
(Bazongaloid, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:26, Reply)

Be careful when you pick up the tartan paint
I balanced a load of left handed biros on top of it.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:29, Reply)

I'm aware of the hypocrisy in being the originator of this 'mocking the stupid' post
But I've never understood what a skyhook was!! Obviously the long weight and glass hammers are obvious, but someone please explain skyhooks to me!!!

I'll take it with a side of slap for being thick.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:30, Reply)

I posted a similar jokey one about a mirror/monitor a couple of months back.
Most people on YA aren't the brightest when it comes to humour.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:31, Reply)

It's a hook with which you hang something from the sky
(i.e. non existent, like long weights, left handed hammers, etc etc)

But it is actually something used in climbing (a real thing!) I assume this was invented later, as a nod to the imaginary version.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyhook
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:33, Reply)

She didn't even seem to get that people were taking the piss
Even when someone posted saying "paint your computer screen with mirror paint"
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:35, Reply)

Why thank you Miasma
I didn't dare post that question on /talk.

And I'm sure it was a form of grappling hook in the first Duke Nukem game....
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:36, Reply)

but why?
why would she want it to be a mirror?
( rachelswipe with a fork, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:36, Reply)

I'm sure you can get monitors/screens that turn into mirrors when not in use
Some clever TFT technology or something. Can't find anything on the net though so I may have imagined it in one of my many technology-based daydreams.
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:40, Reply)

That's what I wondered,
Surely it would be very difficult to see what you were doing if all you could see is, well, what you were doing.

Wait, I've confused myself.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:41, Reply)

It would actually be rather interesting
to have an application that turned the background of your screen into a moving image of whatever a camera was pointed toward. If it's facing away from you, the monitor would appear to be transparent. If it was facing you, it would act as a mirror.

LEGLESS! I have a new project for you!
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 23 Oct 2008, 15:48, Reply)

A full screen....
High definition web-cam / camera kind of thing would be nice. Perhaps stuck to the roof of a random car/taxi - Police Squad / Naked Gun style.

In fact I think I've just hit a marvellous entrepreneurial idea!?
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:13, Reply)

Imagine
having a selection of webcams you could do that with- one pointed at a swimming pool, for instance, or pointed down a street in a major city, or maybe on top of a mountain somewhere so you could watch the sun and clouds. It would have to be streaming video.

But for a start it could just be attached to your computer and pointed wherever you like- maybe out the window or something.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:18, Reply)

Or perhaps...
At a calculated angle underneath/diagnol to an escalator..

Perhaps in the changing rooms of a swimming pool!?
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:25, Reply)

Dunno about that one.
I mean, for every Anne Hathaway there's about ten Beth Dittos.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:29, Reply)

Can I come on Dragon's Den with you?
I can flip the pages of the flipchart over and wear a glitzy dress like Miss Ford on the Generation Game.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:34, Reply)

Yes! (bikini required)
But we're not letting them steam-roll in with 50% of the business for half as much as we originally wanted!

They are bastards like that :(
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:40, Reply)

And Deborah Meaden might be business-savvy
but she always reminds me of a St Bernard.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:42, Reply)

that's because
her mum was one.
(Greencloud Wanted to go fishing on, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 16:49, Reply)

Why must you poke me with spoons?
:(
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 23 Oct 2008, 17:54, Reply)

Video As Background?
Piece of piss.

Now got a webcam running as background. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy.

Now trying to find some streaming webcam I can run as background. That's not so easy.

You guys got anything difficult for me to do?

Cheers

EDIT: Now got streaming working from online webcams to my desktop. Looking at the lambs back in the UK on Lambswatch. Makes me feel quite homesick.
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Fri 24 Oct 2008, 7:07, Reply)

So share the wealth!
I'm running XP- how do I do it?
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Fri 24 Oct 2008, 15:47, Reply)