The news your really care about

2011-04-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

How do property taxes fund our public schools? Is this fair? How do you think public schools should be funded?

Depending on where you live you pay a certain property amount of property tax, which varies from place to place. If you live in a "nice" area the tax is usually higher and if you live a not so "nice" area it is lower. This tax that is paid goes to the local school in the area as a large part of their funding. When on takes a look to the larger picture of the property tax in america it is fair in a way because the money just doesn't go to the local school it also goes to police/fire protection, local governments, some free medical services, and most of other local infrastructure. But the schools in the less fortunate areas get less funding because the people are poor and with the wealthier areas get more funding because of the wealthier parents, thus, a gap is created. The property tax should not apply to schools because the gap between the rich and the poor ends up affecting the school system. Their should just be a tax that is just for schools at a set rate that are divided up and given to schools in the area.

2011-03-03T18:21:00.000-08:00

A major upward revision of the U.S. Treasury Department’s assessment of China’s holdings of U.S. securities last year shows the U.S. is far more indebted to the emerging power than originally thought. Treasury’s preliminary report of foreign holdings of securities is based on better data than its first estimate posted last year, helping to paint a more accurate picture of foreign purchases or sales of U.S. assets. The data are likely to prove fodder for many analysts who have suspected that China has been routing a significant portion of its purchases of U.S. Treasury securities through other major financial centers such as London to play down its debt profile in the U.S., a politically sensitive subject in Washington.

China’s holdings in the month of June 2010 were revised up 32%, around $268 billion, from the previous estimate to $1.112 trillion. The U.K., however, saw a downward revision of almost the exact amount, to $94.5 billion from a previous estimate of $363.7 billion.

2010-12-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama's top political aide Wednesday defended the tax plan the president hammered out with Republican leaders, even as Democrats threaten to rebel over it.

David Axelrod insisted the most important thing was that Obama had been able to secure a two-year extension in current income tax rates for "the middle class."

Democrats are angry that the extension also applies to high earners, as Republicans had demanded, and that Obama agreed to a Republican proposal on the estate tax

Obama is doing the right thing here with this compromise. Democrats criticize him for making so many compromises but if he didn't compromise things would never move along in politics. I think its great that he is trying to make Democrats and Republicans work together and actually make a difference in this country.

2010-12-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

A political summit between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders Tuesday yielded further talks on how to extend Bush-era tax breaks scheduled to expire at the end of the year, as well as an acknowledgment from Obama that he needs to reach out more to Republicans.

The meeting, dubbed by some the "Slurpee summit" for a campaign dig by Obama at congressional Republicans, involved the president and leaders of both parties from the House and Senate. It came in the aftermath of the November midterm election in which Republicans took control of the House and gained six seats in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Its good to see Obama trying to break down barriers between Democrats and Republicans. In order to have a successful government one cant just have one extreme government view on how to do things because both sides have some good ideas politically speaking. But Obama shouldn't compromise or fold with these pressures because some might take his willingness to work with he opposing side as weakness but it should be viewed as a strength to work with ones opposition and work towards a common goal to make this country great like it was

2010-11-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

As Obama prepares to work with the new Republican majority in the U.S. House this January, a new CNN Poll of Polls indicates that the public is split over his handling of duties in the White House. Overall, 47 percent of Americans approve of how Obama is handling his job and 48 percent disapprove, according to the Poll of Polls which was compiled and released on Friday.

Politics as usual. Everything and everyone is always split on issues in America and how are president is doing. Dont get me wrong here i mean its great to have an opinion on what goes on this country but it seems to they way the things are run and the way of thinking by most people is flawed. Nothing every gets done in this country these days. When ever something is done people either criticize it or go with with based on the things they are told by the media. This particular story has to with political parties because this is a perfect example of two major parties fighting each other. And yes i am speculating that majority of the people who took this poll were either a Democrat or a Republican. But this is how the country is run a power struggle between to factions to get what they want done...im not sure if its funny or ironic that the opposite usually happens.

2010-11-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Californian voters make two verdicts on marijuana taxations on the U.S. Election Day. When they defeated a statewide measure for taxing marijuana’s recreational usage, the same voters allowed taxation of marijuana for medical uses in local bodies.

It seems that voters have intelligibly applied their right in the case of marijuana in California. Proposition 19, the ballot measure to legalize or tax recreational and personal usage of marijuana was rejected by voters for 56 percent over 44 percent in the elections.

In the same time, people in local levels, voted and succeeded proposals to tax medical marijuana. Thus nine California cities got their marijuana measures legalized in this election. It was previously analyzed that Prop 19 was failed in the state due to lesser participation of young people in elections. Actually youngsters between 21 and 29 are the actual demanders of such a measure.

The 2010 elections have been a bitter sweet thing for me. I am quite happy that Jerry brown won govenor but either way he is was the lesser evil. I could care less about any of the props besides 19 because it would of changed California for the better, granted it was poorly written. It also makes me disappointed that many young voters didn't vote.

2010-10-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Prop. 19, the November ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana possession and use in California, was winning among likely voters according to a new ABC7/Survey USA poll. If the election were held now the proposition would win 47 to 43 percent. That's the good news for pot supporters. The bad news, according to the poll: The number of people committed to voting for the law has decreased by four percentage points.

Of course, Survey USA's automated "robo-call" polls often differ from others, and surveys on this issue seem to be all over the map anyway.

According to the ABC7/Survey USA poll, women, older Californians, minorities and Central Valley residents have given momentum to the initiative's decreasing support.

"It's the folks who are most concerned with what legalizing the recreational use of marijuana will do to children, to schools, to ethnic communities, to public safety," Roger Salazar, the No on Prop. 19 campaign's spokesman, told ABC7.

The initiative would allow Californian's to possess up to one ounce of cannabis while allowing cities and municipalities to allow, outlaw or regulate its sale in retail establishments.

Dan Newman, Yes on Prop. 19 campaign spokesman, tells the station, "We're seeing that Californians are ready to embrace some modest, common-sense reforms to our failed marijuana laws."'

I think that this proposition can do nothing but good for California. This Proposition would bring california out of the recession in a heartbeat. It has been shown that if tax marijuana it can generate more than a billion dollars. Plus if marijuana is legal the production of hemp will go up and hemp is the durable material on this planet. The people of California would be extremely ignorant not to legalize it and just blindly believe the governments lies about this plant. When you look at the history of why it was illegalized it was not because it was harmful but because William R. Hearst was threatened by hemp being that he was one of the biggest manufacturer of paper so he cnstructed lies saying that mexicans and blacks were smoking it and rapeing people so congress mad it illegal without thinking twice. In short if California legalizes it we will be a prosperous and happy state.

2010-10-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

Imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo won the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for using nonviolence to demand fundamental human rights in his homeland. The award ignited a furious response from China, which accused the Norwegian Nobel Committee of violating its own principles by honoring "a criminal."

I think this fits in perfectly of what we have been talking about in class and the six principles of government and how some governments deny there people basic human rights. In china all the information on Liu is being censored so he cannot help enforce change or be a hero to the chinese people. Its a shame that chinas government has such huge censorship on all media but at least there are still people in china willing to fight for their rights.

2010 is the year of GOP women candidates

2010-09-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

The article remarks on the rise of women candidates and why. Some seem to think that because of Sarah Palin ran for a Vice President back in 2008. Palin also appeals to a certain group for women -- pro-life, evangelicals, mothers and fiscal conservatives -- who have wanted to be a part of the system for a long time says republic strategist Leslie Sanchez.

I agree that Sarah Palin has in a way been a trail blazer for woman in politics. Although i do not agree with her policies nor the GOP in general. She has made it possible for woman on both sides of the political spectrum to say "hey if she can do it i can do it " or maybe " i want to be the next Sarah Palin". So is Sarah Palin just a dim witted politician or a Trail Blazer for woman's involvement in politics? How about both?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/21/women.candidates/index.html

2010-05-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

The Halo Reach multiplayer is amazing. The engine is completey revamped, the graphics are clear and crisp, the weapons are better and new. The different classes are amazing. Overall this game is going to be amazing.

2010-04-26T13:25:00.001-07:00

It's the 12-seat restaurant of the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa, which is located five meters under water. It has been temporally turned to a suite to celebrate its 5-year anniversary.

2010-04-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

Halo Reach is Bungie's last hurrah in the Halo universe, and they aren't saying goodbye without a lovely Limited Edition and one final, ultra-expensive Legendary Edition.

First we have the Halo Reach Limited Edition, priced at $79.99. $20 over the standard price scores fans a recovered ONI "black box" holding the game disc, an exclusive set of Elite armor for multiplayer, and an artifact bag containing Dr. Halsey's personal journal and various documents and effects that explore the history of the Halo universe.

With a price of $149.99, the Halo Reach Legendary Edition is one of the pricier collector's editions we've seen, but it certainly isn't without reason. There's not mini-plastic cat helmet inside this box. Instead, Bungie commissioned McFarlane Toys to create a 10 inch tall, 10 pound diorama statue featuring the members of Noble Team, the stars of the game.

As if that weren't enough, the Legendary Edition also comes with a flaming Spartan helmet for multiplayer, as well as all of the contents of the Limited Edition, all packed inside a striking UNSC-themed custom box.

If that's not a fine sendoff for Bungie's final game in the Halo series, I don't know what is. I plan on preordering the standard edition, and then begging my GameStop manager to put aside one of the Legendary Editions for me at the last minute, when my resolve falters.

2010-04-21T13:14:00.001-07:00

Some wildlife photographers spend months immersed in muck to capture the perfect shot. The Burrard-Lucas brothers decided to let an RC car do the dirty work. Their BeetleCam came face-

to-face with lions, elephants, and buffalo and captured these stunning shots:

2010-04-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Some serious leakage from apple.You are looking at Apple's next iPhone. It was found lost in a bar in Redwood City,(which is 19 minutes away from silicon valley) camouflaged to look like an iPhone 3GS.

2010-04-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Moonwatch, a new (not for sale) project by The Emotion Lab, can show you the time by hour or by phase of the moon.

2010-04-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

Tired of old scratch CDs just not working anymore well i found an article online about a theory of how to fix them, i have yet to try this out so don't yell at me when your CDs are all greasy.

An inexpensive method for breathing new life into those old, scratched CDs you're still clinging to. Their solution: a dab of Vaseline or any type of petroleum jelly.

A soft cloth or disc cleaner, petroleum jelly, and some ancient scratched CDs are all that is required for this project. Using the disc cleaner/cloth, apply the jelly to the CD. After applying it in a thorough manner, the excess grease needs to be removed. Take a cotton ball, swab it with some rubbing alcohol and start cleaning it off. The idea is that the petroleum jelly will fill in the scratches on the CD, making it—hopefully—readable.

2010-04-06T13:20:00.001-07:00

In 2008, the Hollywood film version of third-person shoot Gears of War had a director and a 2010 release. It's 2010, and the movie hasn't even started filming yet. And it might no longer have a director.

Live Free or Die Hard director Len Wiseman was attached to the project, but the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the direct is apparently moving on to Nocturne, an apocalyptic thriller.

2010-04-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

In the Spirit of easter some one made some left for dead themed easter eggs

2010-03-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

You've seen Steve dance before. Today, if you are using Windows, sending emails from your Hotmail account, or even editing Excel spreadsheets, I insist you do a little monkeyboy dance in your seat. For Ballmer—the ever-entertaining CEO.

2010-03-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, the two or three USB ports your laptop affords you just aren't enough. The Infinite USB concept makes do with what you have by cozily stacking your USB devices right on top of one another.

2010-03-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

really, this could totally happen! And soon, as McDonald's Japan is currently developing a $2.2 millionDS "game" called eSmart that is designed to "cut training time by half." How? Unclear. Perhaps there's a frialator atachment we're not seeing yet.

2010-03-17T10:47:00.001-07:00

Researchers have discovered that increasing production of a protein called RGS-14 could significantly boost visual memory. They are currently investigating the exact effects on humans, but all I can think is: Photographic memory in pill form. And that picture is pretty cool too

2010-03-15T13:17:00.001-07:00

ThinkGeek's 16-port USB hub is definitely one of the classiest I've seen. At $160 though, you'd be paying a tenner a port. Are those extra USB slippers really worth it?

2010-03-11T13:06:00.001-08:00

For starters, you'll need to remove the bike's wheels, seat, pedals and handlebar, so it all fits into the bike pack. It's made from flexible nylon and polyester, with a Cordura nylon crank and chain-stay cover. Then comes the novel part, and the reason Biknd named the case the Helium.

Connect a foot pump, and pumping it a few hundred times will inject enough air into it that it'll inflate the bag—protecting the bike from bumps in the luggage hold of a plane. Wheels make it easy to drive through airports, bearing in mind the deflated case alone weighs 9.5kgs. it runs about 600 dollars

2010-03-10T13:27:00.001-08:00

This daily calendar mixes analog, digital, nature, and poetry all in one: Every autumn day, each of its pages will fall off automatically, torn by a clever mechanism at its top. As this video shows, it works great

2010-03-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

What started as a routine traffic stop ended with a Colorado teen doing hard time. The offense? Not returning a "House of Flying Daggers" DVD to his local library. Come on, Colorado. You're better than that.

Apparently young Aaron Henson, an impressionable lad all of 19 years old, fell in with the wrong DVD-borrowing crowd sometime last year. Henson packed up the flick for a move, forgot that he had it, and ended up with a warrant for his arrest

Why all the fuss? Because apparently the municipality of Littleton, CO values the DVD of a 2004 release at $31.45, and any "theft" over $30 gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Looks like the public libraries are Finally manning up

2010-03-08T13:12:00.001-08:00

Plastic Beach is the third studio album by the virtual band Gorillaz, due to be released tomorrow March 9. The album features guest performances by Snoop Dogg, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Kano, Bashy, Bobby Womack, Mos Def, Gruff Rhys, De La Soul, Little Dragon, Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, sinfonia ViVA and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music. Definitely a great album

2010-03-03T13:04:00.001-08:00

Cool Leaf is an input system that's perfectly flat, and wonderfully mirrored. A Japanese company called Minebea pioneered it, and they're demonstrating it with a keyboard, calculator, and remote control that are complete key top-free.

The immediately apparent benefit—other than the crazy-futuristic look— is that the devices would be easy to clean: no keys for dust or crumbs to get stuck behind or under. The reflective surface also looks great, although I'd be worried about smudging.

2010-03-01T13:15:00.001-08:00

Sports Illustrated photographer David Klutho is wielding two Nikon D700s bolted together like a double-neck guitar at the Olympics, except his rig is designed to take 3D photos, not bust out sweet guitar solos

2010-02-22T13:32:00.001-08:00

Japanese fashion designer Kosuke e used anything from iPods to LAN cables, power boards and fabrics to create sculptures for his 'MODE less CODE' exhibition at the Nanzuka gallery in Shirokane, Tokyo

2010-02-19T13:23:00.001-08:00

Since it was shown on Sunday, an episode of the Fox animated comedy “Family Guy” has drawn the repeated condemnation of Sarah Palin, the former Republican governor of Alaska and 2008 vice-presidential nominee.

In the episode, the teenage character Chris dates a girl named Ellen, who has Down syndrome, and who tells him over dinner that her mother is “the former governor of Alaska.” Ms. Palin, whose son Trig also has Down syndrome, has said that the “Family Guy” show “really isn’t funny” and was the work of “cruel, cold-hearted people.” Ms. Palin’s daughter Bristol has written that the “Family Guy” writers were “mocking my brother and my family,” and called them “heartless jerks.”

One person who supports the “Family Guy” staff is Andrea Fay Friedman, the 39-year-old actor and public speaker who played Ellen in that episode. Like the character, Ms. Friedman also has Down syndrome.

In an e-mail message sent on Thursday to The New York Times, Ms. Friedman wrote:

I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm.”
In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life.

Ms. Friedman also spoke by phone with ArtsBeat about her “Family Guy” episode and the controversy that followed. These are excerpts from that conversation.

2010-02-18T13:47:00.001-08:00

Rubbish powered the DeLorean's Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor power source in Back To The Future, so it makes sense that now we're in the future we can makeethanol fuel from fruit peel.

It's the work of professor Henry Daniell at the University of Central Florida, who can also turn newspaper into fuel fit for running a car with—using more than 10 enzymes from plants to break the rubbish into sugar that is then fermented into the ethanol fuel, producing less greenhouse gas emissions than electricity or gasoline. Plus, it decreases the pressure put on landfills—and might help stave off the "iPad effect" and keep newspapers in print for a while longer. Zing!!!!

2010-02-11T09:02:00.001-08:00

Desney Tan, a senior researcher at Microsoft Research, shared how Microsoft thinks the Xbox 360 could fit into hospitals. A low-cost PC, the 360 could be networked to share medical records with an in-room screen, filtering such information depending who is in the room—your doctor vs. your family vs that random guy who stopped by from work.

Sensors could make these distinctions automatically. (I imagine a scenario in which all doctors and nurses have RFID tags, and the Natal camera counts the number of bodies in the room. If the two don't match up, you available personal information becomes more conservative.)

Of course, this 360 could be used play games, too. Microsoft isn't, like, looking to torture the pediatric ward.

2010-02-10T09:15:00.001-08:00

What are these scuba divers doing on the street in the middle of Bergen, Hordaland, Norway? And why are they chasing this Google Street View car with such a ferocious attitude? Why?

2010-02-08T13:07:00.001-08:00

Welcome back to the beautiful city of Rapture, the dystopian underworld introduced in 2007's BioShock, a failed utopia all but destroyed by its inhabitants, a world less mysterious than when you last left it.

BioShock 2 puts players in the suit of Subject Delta, a hulking Big Daddy prototype who longs to reunite with his bonded Little Sister, a girl who happens to also be the daughter of Sofia Lamb, the woman now running Rapture, the underwater city somehow still as chaotic, leaky and menacingly well populated 10 years after the events of the original BioShock. Along the way, you'll be aided by Lamb's opponents and Eleanor herself on your search for your lost little Lamb, growing stronger with all new genetic modifications in the form of offensive Plasmids and passive, ability-granting Tonics. This time, you'll dual wield the power of Plasmids in your left hand, burning, electrocuting and freezing foes, with deadly new weapons for your right. BioShock 2 drops tomorrow 2/9/10

2010-01-26T13:17:00.001-08:00

The Hydrophobia Flash 70-200 appears to be such a powerful dSLR rain jacket that, not only will it repel rain, but it may even extort the clouds so they don't dare spill a drop in the first place.

Accommodating dSLRs with both hot shoe flash rigs and lenses up to 70-200mm, the $145 Hydrophobia Flash 70-200 is sheer evil, housing a heart as dark as the Earth's deepest cave while providing two arm holes to beckon you inside. Once there, clear LCD and flash windows taunt you with the world outside. But you are trapped. Dry, sure, but trapped all the same.

2010-01-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

This blade makes me want to go fight a shark. There i not much info behind this story i just thought it was really badass

2010-01-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

The duaLink cable for iPod and iPhone contains its own miniature USB hub, a single USB connector on one end, and two iPod connectors on the other end. If the promise of charging and / or syncing multiple devices from the same USB port hasn't blown your mind, the company has been thoughtful enough to place the whole shebang in a housing that seems to be a little more durable than the (admittedly not so durable) stock Apple cable.

2010-01-21T13:15:00.001-08:00

You don't know how to use this toilet? Wait, wait, you don't know about the three seashells, either?? How could someone not understand the three seashells? Well, before you are further humiliated, let me explain.

The Home Core Integrated Toilet, a concept by Dang Jingwei, fits a pedestal sink and a toilet into one, eco-friendly unit with a dangerous-looking swivel.

When you wash your hands or brush your teeth in the sink, the system can retain this "gray water" for the toilet. Apparently, your butt excretions are not as picky as your mouth—who woulda thunk—so mixing some toothpaste with what is already wretched waste is no big dea

2010-01-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

This Mandometer plate has a scale underneath which measures how fast food is disappearing, and compares it to a pre-set rate of consumption. If you eat too fast, it'll actually tell you to slow down.

As embarrassing as it'd be to actually own this thing, its heart is in the right place: If you slow down your chomping, your body will register as "full" and you'll eat less. I'm not going to buy one—I don't need some uppity robot plate telling me that no human being should eat an entire Chipotle burrito in seven minutes—but I appreciate the effort.

2010-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Middle school student/future jail warden came up with an innovative and brilliant project for her science fair: an electric chair for Barbie.

2010-01-15T13:12:00.001-08:00

Print this off, stick it to the back of your bedroom/toilet door, and get to memorising. Occasional questionable figure aside, this will definitely help you win fights on the playground.

2010-01-14T13:20:00.001-08:00

This subtly updated iPhone concept from mysterious designer hdi is really rocking my world. It mixes aluminum and glass just like an iMac.

2010-01-13T09:12:00.001-08:00

We're just a couple of weeks away from Apple (supposedly) unveiling its tablet, or iSlate if you will, and while we've heard every possible rumor under the sun so lets just see whats good.

2010-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Prepare to pick out your uniform, christen your starship, and boldly go where only closed beta participants have gone before, as Cryptic launches the open beta test for Star Trek Online.

2010-01-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

An anonymous Facebook employee spills some beans about the inner workings of the 'book. One of the juiciest is that there was once a universal password that let them log in as anyone. The password only worked from within the Facebook offices, so you couldn't just check out anyone's profile from anywhere if you knew about it. However, employees still have access to all sorts of info about any user, including what profiles you view and any information you have since deleted. So is this an acceptable business practices or privacy disaster? Is this an invasion of our privacy or does Facebook have the right to do this?

As if cooking bacon could be any more fun

2009-12-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

Now you can nimbly pick up bacon in the pan while protecting yourself against grease burns with these Fusion Silicon Finger Tongs. Also works great for Brachiosaurus and Loch Ness Monster finger puppets. It's breakfast and a show.

iHandstick does not make gaming easier on the iPhone

2009-12-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

The biggest thing keeping the iPhone from rendering the Nintendo DSi and Sony PSP Go obsolete is its lack of physical buttons. You just can't play some games with a touchscreen. And this wacky iHandstick does nothing to solve that.

YAY NO MORE JAVELIN GLITCH!!!!!!!

2009-12-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

How many times have you found your self playing MW2 and then some jerk comes along running at you with is javelin. Then you think to your self this guys is going to get owned because javelins require a lock on but then you kill him but he ends up killing half your team because the javelin rocket falls out and explodes. Well have no fear infinity ward is working on a patch for both XBOX and PS3

2009-11-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

The White House is announcing today a program to improve science and math education with a variety of Entertainment Software Association-backed initiatives including a program to put LittleBigPlanet in libraries as well as a $300,000 game design challenge.

President Barack Obama announced the overarching directive that the gaming plans are part of at a White House press conference that furthers the Administration's commitment to its STEM program, an initiative for focusing on science, technology engineering and math education. The new push is dubbed "Educate to Innovate."

Among the participating private-backed initiatives that are part of the program, according to a run-down in the New York Times, is a two-year focus on science on Sesame Street, a commercial-free science programming commitment by the Discovery Channel, a new website backed by Time Warner Cable, as well as a variety of video game initiatives.

"Our industry's lifeblood is the energy and innovation of new, emerging developers," Michael Gallagher, president of the Entertainment Software Association, the industry's lobbying group, said in a press release today. "To create the next generation's epic titles and incredibly immersive storylines, we need America's youth to have strategic and analytic thinking skills along with complex problem solving abilities. It is my hope that it will produce games that will have a lasting impact on the STEM skills our nation's students so desperately need."

The Sony LittleBigPlanet initiative, Game Changers, is part of a $2 million 2010 Digital Media and Learning Competition funded by the MacArthur foundation. It involves Sony donating 1000 PlayStation 3s and copies of LittleBigPlanet to libraries and community organizations. Participants will strive to create levels that involve science, technology, engineering and math.

A second program, called the Stem National Video Game Competition, was also announced. It is a three-pronged $300,000 contest encouraging entrants to create the best browser video games that teach the STEM disciplines for a trio of age ranges: 4-8, 8-12 and 12-16. This competition is intended to reach "historically underserved populations including girls and minority students," according to an ESA press release. Specifics for this contest will be announced in early 2010, with winners showcased at E3 in June.

The gaming initiatives announced today are backed by the Information Technology Industry Council, an advocacy group. Microsoft and the Games4Change group are also both involved in these plans, according to the ESA release.

2009-11-17T13:12:00.000-08:00

I have heard of a musical tie before but this is just ridiculous

2009-11-16T13:05:00.000-08:00

Called "Coral," this concept pot is coated in thermochromic spots, highlighting sectors in the pale blue design with fiery orange and red as the pot heats

2009-11-13T13:22:00.001-08:00

Microsoft announced earlier today that the Xbox 360 has passed the 10 million-sold mark in the EMEA region, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In other words, it's the PAL market, sans Australasia (which would contribute another 700,000 or so).

To go with the statement, Microsoft provided some statistics, some old (20 million Xbox Live users), some boring (60% of Xbox 360s are used in the living room!) and some actually interesting (35% of Xbox 360 customers are apparently women).

Jobs could sell fried chicken to a vegan

2009-11-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

Apple brought Steve Jobs back to the company in December 1996. Since then, he's been building a massive pile of cash, rolling out new product after new product.

On December 27th, 1996, Apple had $1.8 billion in cash and securities. Today it has $34 billion.

So Wait, What Is Android, Exactly?

2009-11-05T13:14:00.000-08:00

In Google's words, it's "the first truly open and comprehensive platform for mobile devices." That doesn't mean much, so here's a breakdown: It's a Linux-based, open-source mobile OS, complete with a custom window manager, modified Linux 2.6 kernel, WebKit-based browser and built-in camera, calendar, messaging, dialer, calculator, media player and album apps. If that sounds a little sparse, that's because it is: Android on its own doesn't amount to a whole lot; in fact, a phone with plain vanilla Android wouldn't feel like a smartphone at all. Thankfully, these phones don't exist.

Im staring to lose faith in xbox

2009-11-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

The crux of the matter is that the warranty on an Xbox 360 "is not transferable," so if you buy a used console "that has been previously banned, you will not be able to connect to Xbox LIVE." So if you buy a used Xbox 360, make sure it's from a less-than-shady party—and if you buy from a used games shop, make 'em connect it to Xbox Live so you know you're getting something that works.

2009-11-03T13:07:00.001-08:00

The Roca Active & Relax has floor-to-ceiling "mirror-screen LCD plates" that act as either windows, monitors, or mirrors, a floor that moves at the command of your voice to convert the bath into a fitness facility, and hidden features galore.

What would Steve Jobs do

2009-10-28T17:27:00.001-07:00

Business Insider thinks that this license plate they spotted in Cupertino stands for "What would Steve Jobs do," but I think I think the SJ is short for Scarlett Johansson. Either way, where do I order the bracelet?

2009-10-28T13:38:00.000-07:00

This Hello Kitty solar charger strap provides the dual benefits of juicing up your phone and also making you look like a 13-year-old girl. It's a win-win

Windows 7 launches in japan

2009-10-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

I honestly dont know the back story about this, but wont we have a good time figuring it out

2009-10-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Tetris chair. WIN

2009-10-28T13:18:00.000-07:00

They may have some of the dirtiest city skies in the planet, but at least the Chinese authorities are doing something about it. Check out the green, beautiful urban planning for the future of Beijing Central Business District:

2009-10-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

"What is it in France they say? 'America contributed three things to culture: jazz, musical comedy and comic books.'" You can already buy two on iTunes. And if things pan out, you'll be get the third on the Apple tablet.

2009-10-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Save those precious moments for posterity with the image.jpg photo frame. Digital and analog worlds collide with a silk-screened, wooden representation of a Mac image window that will contain a picture you probably took with a digital camera.

2009-10-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Christ, didn't we kill this thing already? Repairwork on the Large Hadron Collider is making serious progress, with a test run of particle beams already completed. Scientists are hoping to attempt full world-ending experiments next month.

The results of that first test, a run of particle beams through the 17-mile tunnel, showed the machine in perfect working order. The scientists are hoping to have the LHC up and running as good as new in November, which after careful research I conclude is less than a week away. Sorry to drop the end of the world on you like that.

Obama's $8-Billion Plan to Modernize the US Power Grid

2009-10-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, Sr. Presidente, you look so goooood in the middle of the largest photovoltaic farm in the country—-the 180-acre DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center near Tampa, Florida. Maybe that's why you want to put solar panels everywhere.

2009-10-08T13:40:00.000-07:00

Southwest and Alaska Air are nearing tests of a new ad-supported Wi-Fi system. The hardware and software are installed by third parties with the goal to point fliers to an online catalog called the Skytown Center.

2009-09-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

An eBay auction (ending in 10-hours) offers the chance to be part of the Jetpack's first public test pilot program. You'll need to have a driver's license, be over 18, under 198lbs...oh, and have a spare $35,000 lying around

Robo-Lincoln Wants to Terminate John Wilkes Booth

2009-09-11T13:02:00.000-07:00

The D23 Expo is a Disney fan event, apparently, and at it was displayed a robotic Honest Abe from theHall of Presidents. And man, without his clothes he looks intimidating as hell.

2009-09-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Remember that HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) exoskeleton from the real-life Cyberdyne? Ahead of plans to rent the suit to those with mobility issues (or Iron Man fantasies), it's now being tested on the streets of Tokyo. Here's the video:

The full suit comes in three sizes, with the largest weighing 50lbs (though it seems you don't notice that when you're wearing it). It now looks like single and two leg versions will rent for about $1570 and $2300 per month.

Despite the tests, Cyberdyne still won't say when the HAL suit will reach the greater public. Check out the vid, the future looks super strange.

Steel Velcro....Why!?!?!?

2009-09-08T13:07:00.000-07:00

If your Velcro jacket fasteners were made of this German-engineered steel "Velcro", you'd be able to withstand 35 tons worth of force—provided your skin and bones don't tear first.

The "Velcro", which isn't really Velcro but has one side with spikes and the other with steel brushes, can withstand heat at up to 800 degrees Celsius.

And if you're interested in tearing these Velcro strips vertically (as in straight out instead of horizontally, where it's stronger), it can hold up to 7 tons. So, a 6 ton man or a 6614 pound Hummer H2 could be suspended from a building with no problem.

2009-09-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Wait, is NASA making weather balloons shaped like a giant Rubik's Cube now?

Nah, it's one of the many art installations sprinkled over the dusty playa at Burning Man 2009. This year's theme is Evolution: A Tangled Bank. Safe travels if you're a weekend burner headed to the Blackrock Desert

Stunning Shanghai Corporate Pavilion Made From Used CD Cases

2009-09-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

With the Shanghai World Expo 2010 fast approaching, architects are jumping in on the "Better City, Better Life" theme with concepts like this Shanghai Corporate Pavilion. The plans include many green features, including a structure made from recycled CD cases.