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Classic Games (Games)

Submission + - High Score Obsession 80 Million or bust

Submitted by Brady the Anonymous Coward
Brady the Anonymous Coward writes: Taken from site — "Although technology continues to evolve, a group of die-hard gamers refuses to abandon the classic arcade games of yesteryear. The 80's live on for these enthusiasts, who compete against each other and history to record the world's highest scores. Portland gamer Bill Carlton is one of the most brazen, fearlessly taking on some of the toughest records on the books. HIGH SCORE follows Bill as he attempts to take down the Atari classic Missle Command and its twenty year-old record. To get the 80 million points he'll have to play the game on one quarter for over two days straight. There is no pause button. There will be no sleep. There can be only one victor in this classic story of Man versus Missle Command."
The Courts

Submission + - Developments in the Julie Amero case

Submitted by Arrogant-Bastard
Arrogant-Bastard writes: Julie Amero has a new attorney who is requesting a postponement of sentencing. Steve Bass of PC World has summarized the case. There are at least two blogs covering this: State v. Amero and Julie Amero. The latter is run by Julie's husband, Wes Volle, and is accepting donations to help with her defense. Please spread the word, and please contribute: this woman is facing 40 years in prison over pop-ups.
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - Interview from Hell

Submitted by Griffin
Griffin writes: I went for a job interview recently. Not that I was particularly looking to move from contracting back into full-time work, but I came upon the role completely by accident and thought:
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft slapped with $1.52 billion payout in MP3

Submitted by
Ice.Saoshyant
Ice.Saoshyant writes: "Those federal juries in San Diego do seem to frown on MP3 patent infringement. They just ordered Microsoft to fork over $1.52 billion (yes, with a "b") to Alcatel-Lucent for infringing on two MP3 audio patents with its Windows Media Player, the largest patent ruling in history. Naturally, Alcatel-Lucent seems to like this turn of events.

I guess that's what they get for not using non-proprietary patent-free formats like Vorbis and FLAC. Software patents are a nightmare."
Robotics

Submission + - Modular robot adept at wriggling

Submitted by
MattSparkes
MattSparkes writes: "A modular robot that transforms itself into different shapes in order to walk, crawl and clamber up inclines has been demonstrated in the US. Each "Superbot" module is effectively a robot in its own right. The modules can move independently, flip over and rotate like wheels, and have 3D accelerometers that let them know their precise orientation. The six sides of each module can dock with any other module. Once connected, the modules can communicate, coordinate shape changes and even transmit power."
Businesses

Submission + - Interviewed by a genuine PHB

Submitted by
Golygydd Max
Golygydd Max writes: "There are times when we wonder whether Dilbert's pointy-haired boss is perhaps a little too far-fetched. And then we read something like this. Although this tale of a techie's attempt to fathom the mind of a boss, who has read one management article too many, is from the UK, I suspect that it strikes a chord with interviewees everywhere."
It's funny. Laugh.

Submission + - TopGear turns 3 wheeled car into a space shuttle

Submitted by
ahaveland
ahaveland writes: "I found this to be one of the most Nerd-entertaining things I've ever seen, and thought that it deserves a wider audience. Of course, launching a real space shuttle takes huge resources as lives are at stake, but this mock-up of a space shuttle using an old car as the orbiter strapped to a booster rockets with over 8 tons of thrust really shows what one can do with a modest budget in the name of a bit of silliness, while also becoming the biggest non-commercial rocket launch in European history. The presenters of the program really know how to have fun, and entertain their audience!
Video clips may be found on youtube.com, search for "topgear shuttle". Whole program is about 20 minutes in duration.
Production notes are on the TopGear website, http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/production_notes /shuttle.shtml"
Businesses

Submission + - Selling Homeowners a Solar Dream

Submitted by
slugo
slugo writes: "Instead of making you spring for $25,000 or more in gear, Citizenr says it will loan you a complete rooftop solar power system, install it for free and sell you back the power it generates at a fixed rate below what your utility charges. The company hopes to make back its investment with those monthly payments, augmented by federal tax credits and rebates."
United States

Submission + - Inflatable mirrors may make solar power very cheap

Submitted by
rhettb
rhettb writes: "Inflatable mirrors for capturing sunlight could reduce the cost of solar power 90% by 2010, making sun energy cost competitive with traditional fossil fuels. CoolEarth Solar, based in Livermore, California, believes its technology could make solar farming economically competitive within three years by making solar cheaper than coal and allowing farmers to become net suppliers of electricity. The technology essentially uses a string of balloons to concentrate and capture the sun's energy without occupying valuable real estate or using large amounts of silicon."
Biotech

Submission + - Liposuctioned fat stem cells to repair bodies

Submitted by
stemceller
stemceller writes: "Expanding waistlines, unsightly bulges: people will gladly remove excess body fat to improve their looks. But unwanted fat also contains stem cells with the potential to repair defects and heal injuries in the body. A team led by Philippe Collas at the University of Oslo in Norway has identified certain chemical marks that allow him to predict which, among the hundreds of millions of stem cells in liposuctioned fat, are best at regenerating tissue."
Operating Systems

Submission + - Dell users demand Linux

Submitted by
narramissic
narramissic writes: "Thousands of Dell users voted favorably in response to an idea posted Friday on a company-hosted blog called Dell Idea Storm that calls for the option to purchase PCs with the Linux OS. Other popular threads include requests for consumer PCs that are not pre-loaded with unsolicited applications, requests for OpenOffice applications instead of Microsoft's Office suite, Firefox instead of Internet Explorer, and pleas for Dell to stop routing service calls to operators in overseas countries such as India. For its part, the company has said it will 'post a statement on the blog this week explaining how they will react.'"
Biotech

Submission + - Science can regrow fingers like magic!

Submitted by
TurdTapper
TurdTapper writes: "From the article:

Researchers are trying to find ways to regrow fingers — and someday, even limbs — with tricks that sound like magic spells from a Harry Potter novel.
There's the guy who sliced off a fingertip but grew it back, after he treated the wound with an extract of pig bladder.

I wonder what it would take to increase the size of my manhood...perhaps shredded shark cartilage."

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