What an ignorant story. We're in the middle of the worst recession/near depression that has ever occurred since videogames came to be, and it's somehow an ominous sign that the companies behind videogames experienced losses either during the whole year (Sony), a single quarter (MS), or simply had lower sales than the previous year PRIOR to the recession? How about looking at it from the perspective that it's amazing that the videogames sector has done as well as it has over the course of the past year, despite a tremendously inhospitable economic climate?

Count me as another vote for Nerdkits. I -so- wish that I had gotten mine when I was a teenager. But even having just gotten started as an old codger in my 30s, I'm amazed at how much I've learned from the amazing kit and instructional videos that the Nerdkits team has put together. Trust me--if you have a child who is old enough to use the computer by themselves and shows the least interest in programming, inventing, or even just has a tendency to take apart their toys (whether or not they're able to successfully get them back together again), get them a Nerdkit and help them assemble their first few projects. I think you'll be surprised at not only how much you both learn, but at how much fun you'll have as well.