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Censorship

Senate Votes To Empower Parents As Censors 418

unlametheweak recommends an Ars Technica report that the US Senate has unanimously passed a bill requiring the FCC to explore what "advanced blocking technologies" are available to parents to help filter out "indecent or objectionable programming." "...the law does focus on empowering parents to take control of new media technologies to deal with undesired content, rather than handing the job over to the government. It asks the FCC to focus the inquiry on blocking systems for a 'wide variety of distribution platforms,' including wireless and Internet, and an array of devices, including DVD players, set top boxes, and wireless applications."
Transportation

Plug-In Hybrids Aren't Coming, They're Here 495

Wired is running a story about the small but vocal, and growing, number of people who aren't waiting for automakers to deliver plug-in hybrids. They're shelling out big money to have already thrifty cars converted into full-on plug-in hybrids capable of triple-digit fuel economy. "The conversions aren't cheap, and top-of-the-line kits with lithium-ion batteries can set you back as much as $35,000. Even a kit with lead-acid batteries — the type under the hood of the car you drive now — starts at five grand. That explains why most converted plug-ins are in the motor pools of places like Southern California Edison... No more than 150 or so belong to people like [extreme skiing champion Alison] Gannett, who had her $30,000 Ford Escape converted in December. Yes, that's right. The conversion cost more than the truck."

Feed Microsoft and Immersion heading to court... again (engadget.com)

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Looks like Microsoft, no slouch when it comes to lawsuits, is heading back to court for another round of player-hating, he-said-she-said proceedings with Immersion (no stranger to the court system itself). The case seems a two-way deal stemming from a 2002 Immersion patent infringement suit, in which Microsoft paid $26m to settle the case and buy a piece of the business; apparently Immersion hasn't honored a clause stating that Microsoft is to receive some change in the event that Immersion and Sony settle, and the folks in Redmond want retribution: $15m minimum. Immersion, of course, thinks it's not required to pay out any such cash, leading one enraged Microsoft rep to shout into a hanging mic, "We will show Immersion the meaning of rumble!" No, not really, but we'd certainly plunk down to see Microsoft and Immersion counsel duke it out in the square circle instead of a stodgy court room.

[Via Gamasutra]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!


Interview With A Half-Life Comic Creator 27

Bundini writes "Primotech has an interview with Chris Livingston, creator of the immensely popular Concerned Half-Life Comic. He talks about the impact of machinima, posing ragdolls with Garry's Mod, and what's next for Gordon Frohman. From the article: 'There's a sort of smug satisfaction one gets when tuning in to the Gordon Frohman show every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It's like an inside joke only you (and the other however-many million players of Valve's epic first-person shooter) will get.'" I highly recommend this gent. Concerned is a great comic.

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Thus spake the master programmer: "After three days without programming, life becomes meaningless." -- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"

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