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Sweet Breesus! What a Game, What a Picture, What a Story

2010-02-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

by Jerod
I’m not even a Saints fan and I’m still beaming from last night’s game. I can’t even totally put my finger on why.
The team I picked in my family Super Bowl betting challenge lost, the team I picked publicly lost, and the team with the QB from Purdue won. Plus, the difference in the game was two touchdowns and it did not have the last second drama of last year’s Super Bowl.

But…something about seeing a good guy like Drew Brees win, seeing a star-crossed city like New Orleans get to enjoy a Super Bowl, seeing the Big Ten earn some respect on football’s biggest stage, and seeing “the football gods favor the bold” (as Robert Littal would say), made Super Bowl XLIV forever special.

And here is something else that made Super Bowl XLIV special: perhaps the greatest, most poignant post-Super Bowl victory celebration picture ever, courtesy of the AP (via Deadspin).

It’s easy to be cynical about so many things that have to do with the NFL, but is there anything – anything at all – to be cynical about when it comes to Drew Brees?

I realize I run the risk of going way overboard in my public fawning of Brees today (although I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only one), but during a week that featured talked of a 2011 lockout and the legal woes of NFL legends like Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp, it’s nice to be able to focus on something that appears to be 100%, genuinely good.

And, wow, did Drew Brees give us something as football fans to feel genuinely good about this week.
For whatever reason – and 1,000 words might not encapsulate it – the picture above and video below sum that up for me.

Video: Drew Brees with son after Super Bowl

Boomer Esiason is right: “Don’t you live for that moment right there?”
Yes, yes you do. And it couldn’t have happened to a better or more deserving guy.
Email the author of this post: jerod@midwestsportsfans.com

Real Time Voice Translation is On the Way, Thanks to Google

2010-02-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

By Zee

Real time voice translation is on the way and Google aims to pioneer it.
The Internet giant wants to develop its smartphone technology to translate speech in real time.
The company would combine its advanced voice recognition know-how with its text translation service to create a mobile phone that acts as an instant interpreter.

Head of translation services Franz Och said: “We think speech-to-speech translation should be possible and work reasonably well in a few years’ time.“Clearly, for it to work smoothly, you need a combination of high-accuracy machine translation and high-accuracy voice recognition, and that’s what we’re working on.”
‘Everyone has a different voice, accent and pitch,’ said Mr Och. ‘But recognition should be effective with mobile phones because by nature they are personal to you.’

Google has already created an automatic system for translating text on computers, which is being honed by scanning millions of multi-lingual websites and documents.

However Google admits speech will be an even tougher challenge than text but says a customer’s phone would adapt to its user by ‘learning’ their style of talking.

Source: The Times

Snowboarding in DC - I love the cops

2010-02-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

From YOutube:
Nik snowboarding behind a Subaru Forester in the streets of South East DC, followed by a cop car. The cops are taking a video of it and are taking it easy. I love those cops!

Bannen Way

2010-02-08T19:44:00.001-05:00

http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2010/02/05/lodi_living/1-mark-gantt-100206.txt

The Biggest Taco: This is Why America is Fat!!!

2010-02-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

Wild Skydiving People and Dropped Freefalling Things! » Freestyle FMX ATVs @FMXATVS.com

2010-02-08T15:42:00.001-05:00

Click here for this fantastic gallery of Sky Dving: Wild Skydiving People

Sword swallower Chayne Hultgren claims world record

2010-02-08T14:55:00.001-05:00

SOME people call Chayne Hultgren the Space Cowboy for good reason, the Byron Bay street peformer has dared to go where no man had before - swallowing 18 razor sharp swords.

Sword swallowing record

VIDEO: Sword swallowing record

Chayne Hultgren 'The Space Cowboy' breaks a world record, swallowing 18 swords.

The professional sword swallower set the new Guinness World Record in Sydney today by swallowing all of the 72 centimetres long swords at the same time.

The 31-year-old beat his own previous record of 17 swords, which he set in 2008.
But for all those wannabe sword swallowers out there Mr Hultgren warned the stunt has taken years to perfect.
"It's amazing," Mr Hultgren said.

"I've been preparing for this since I was 16."
"It is definitely one of my greatest achievements so far.''

Hultgren began practising the art of sword swallowing at the age of 16 when he swallowed his first hose.
A few years later he upped the ante and began using stainless steel blades.

He swears his latest feat is not dangerous, but the cheeky entertainer conceded that ``it wasn't recommended by my doctor''.

"It's educated risk,'' he said.
"I don't just straight away grab 18 blades and shove them down my throat - you've got to practise a lot and build up to it.

"So I stretch my throat with hoses and use a few different techniques to basically enable me to do what, until now, has been impossible.''

Hultgren beat his own previous record of swallowing 17 swords - also a Guinness World Record, which he set in 2008.

He is the only person in the world to down more than 13 blades simultaneously, he said.

The Space Cowboy is a regular at the Royal Easter Show's "Psycho Sideshow" where he performs along side other side show acts such as Zoe Ellis, the Pain Proof Wonder who regularly climbs a ladders of swords barefoot.

Fizzy drink that you can reseal: Tab keeps contents bubbly for 24 hours

2010-02-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

Fizzy drink that you can reseal: Tab keeps contents bubbly for 24 hours

By Vanessa Allen
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

It's a perennial problem for lovers of fizzy drinks. You've snapped open the ring pull and had a few slurps.
But now you're full up - and you still have half a can of drink left.

And with no way of sealing it, you either have to leave it to go flat or throw it away.
Now, however, a solution is on the way for one of modern life's many little irritations.

Seal of approval: The new can can be shut by twisting the plastic tab by 180 degrees

A new 'twist and shut' resealable drinks can is about to be launched in Britain.

The revolutionary design will allow consumers to reseal their fizzy drink after it has been opened, a development which could signal the end for traditional ring-pull cans.

The airtight device promises to stop spills and keep the contents bubbly for up to 24 hours.
Drinkers simply twist a plastic tab 180 degrees to break the seal and open the can, and twist it back to its original position to reseal their drink.

Open and shut case: The 485ml resealable cans will cost £1.19

American sportswear brand No Fear is to use the new can design when it launches a drink for sportsmen, Extreme Energy, in April.

It will be sold in 485ml cans instead of the usual 330ml size. But the plastic seal is likely to make the cans more expensive to manufacture. The No Fear drink is expected to sell at £1.19 a pop.
The drink is being marketed by Aimia Foods, based in Haydock, Merseyside.

Spokesman Neal Haworth said: 'The resealable technology allows people to drink the amount they want, when they want it.
'You don't have to finish the can in one go as it can be resealed to stay fizzy. It's such a logical step for canned energy drinks.'

More than five billion aluminium cans are used in the UK each year and, if successful, the device could be used for other fizzy drinks.

Resealable cans have proved popular in the U.S. but the British launch is believed to be the first time they have been made available here.

Drinks iant Coca-Cola used a resealable design when it launched its energy drink in France. It tried out a similar design in the Channel Islands, but said it had no plans to introduce the cans in the UK.
The first canned drinks had to be opened by punching holes into the lid with a sharp metal implement nicknamed a 'church key'.

Canadian Mikola Kondakow reportedly invented the ring-pull in 1956, but there were complaints that the detachable ring-pulls led to injuries and an increase in litter.

These problems were reduced after the introduction of 'stay-tabs' in the 1980s.

The system of a scored lid, with a pull-tab used as a lever to punch a hole to open the can, remains the most widely used drinks can in the world.

Sky Siege Augmented Reality Warfare Game Turns iPhone Into Deadly Portal to the Heavens

2010-02-08T14:33:00.001-05:00

Sky Siege ($3, available now) uses the iPhone 3GS' compass and accelerometers to turn the iPhone into a window rather than just a screen, resulting in startlingly immersive gameplay. Don't know what that means? Just watch this remarkable clip. [iTunes]

Send an email to Mark Wilson, the author of this post, at mark@gizmodo.com.

Got Beer?

2010-02-08T14:27:00.002-05:00

DAVIS, Calif. -- A new study shows beer could help make your bones stronger.
Research found that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, which increases bone mineral density.
The University of California, Davis study examined brewing styles and raw materials to see where the silicon comes from.
Higher levels of the element were found in beers with greater amounts of barley and hops.

(Copyright (c) 2010 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Got Beer?

Posted: Today at 8:20 am EST Last Updated: Today at 8:35 am EST

LeBron James and Dwight Howard McDonald’s Commercial

2010-02-08T14:25:00.002-05:00

From: http://www.totalprosports.com/

Back in the day, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan went head to head for a Big Mac and fries. The acts of chomping down on Micky D's and playing sports are polar opposites, but who cares -- the commercial was "nothin' but net." We never even find out who won because neither Air Jordan or Larry Legend missed. It's better that way, kinda like Rocky and Apollo sparring at the end of Rocky 3. Charles Barkley even wondered if he could play one year later.

Flash Forward to 2010, over 15 years later. The update of the classic "Bird vs. Jordan" McDonald's Super Bowl commercial features modern NBA superstars Dwight Howard and LeBron James. King James sits down with a bag of, you guessed it, Big Mac and fries while Howard is practicing. Dwight offers to play for it, and you know after Superman's Orlando Magic beat Bron's Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs last year that LBJ was down. Especially considering the way he dunks in practice.

Before things got started, the two agreed to "no jumpshots" per the request of Howard. That was a nice little bit of riffing off of Bird's "no dunking" line in the original. After that, the dunk contest we wish we'd get to see at NBA All-Star Weekend went down. Flat-footed 540s. Quadruple pumps. Between-the-leg windmills. 360s from the free-throw line -- with Olympic-style landings. Sure, a little CGI and some special effects tricks were used, but it was still awesome. One of the best commercials of the night hands down. Check it out...

Adam Best is the senior editor of the FanSided Sports Network. You can also find his work at FlickSided, a film and entertainment site.

9 Jeopardy! Fun Facts

2010-02-08T13:09:00.001-05:00

By Stacy in Neatorama Only

I like to think that I’ve picked up a lot of random trivia as a writer. I often blurt out trivia at really inappropriate moments in casual conversation. I like to think that I would rock on Jeopardy!, but I have taken the show’s sample audition quizzes before, and the fact is… I suck. However, if there’s ever a Jeopardy! category about Jeopardy!, I might just ace it… and now you can too.

1. The original name of the show was What’s the Question? After pitching it to the network brass, Merv Griffin decided to change the name to the catchier one we know today. The reason? One of the execs thought that the game was a great idea, but that the game needed more jeopardies. NBC ended up buying the show without even seeing a pilot.

2. The winner with the smallest amount of earnings at the end of the game managed to triumph over the other two contestants by keeping a mere dollar. On January 19, 1993, Air Force Lt. Col. Daryl Scott cleverly bid just enough to keep him afloat. The other contestants got the question wrong and lost everything. No one else has ever won by keeping a single George Washington. The answer? “His books ‘No Easy Walk to Freedom’ and ‘The Struggle is My Life’ were published during his imprisonment.” The question? “Who is Nelson Mandela.”

[YouTube Clip] 3. The infamous Final Jeopardy music has a name – it’s called “Time for Tony” and it was written by Merv Griffin as a lullaby for his son. If you’re familiar with the song, no doubt it’s not much of a lullaby to you – it serves more as a reminder that time is running out and you’d better hurry. It was tweaked a little bit and renamed “Think!” Over the years, Griffin estimated that royalties from the theme song earned him roughly $70 million.

4. The record for the largest one-day total ever belongs to Ken Jennings, of course. He’s the only contestant to surpass $52,000 in one day, and he surpassed it by a landslide with $75,000. Jennings actually holds 11 of the top 15 earnings spots. One of these top 15 spots was actually earned during Jeopardy! Kids Week by a 12-year-old from Virginia named Kunle Demuren, whose knowledge and quick buzzer finger earned him $49,000. Photo from Moore’s Lore.

5. Back in the pre-Trebek era when Art Fleming was the host, contestants could start the audition process by just giving the office in New York a call. They would pass preliminary tests over the phone and then set up a date and time to audition in person if the were eligible. Once they made it to the actual office, potential contestants went through a written test and a faux game. These days, the audition process often starts on the Internet during designated testing times. Sometimes a “Brain Bus” also roams the country and tests Ken Jennings-wannabes. If you think you have what it takes, one of the online testing periods is coming up soon – January 26-28 for adults.

6. In the show’s entire history, a three-way tie has only happened once. It happened fairly recently too – on March 16, 2007, every single contestant ended Final Jeopardy with $16,000. They all returned the following week to play again. You can see it happen here – Alex Trebek seems quite pleased.

[YouTube Clip] 7. “I Lost on Jeopardy” was released by Weird Al Yankovic in 1984. Original host Art Fleming has a cameo as himself and original announcer Don Pardo shows up to tell Yankovic all of the fabulous prizes he failed to win. The funny thing is, Weird Al was actually on Rock & Roll Jeopardy and lost to Gary Dell’Abate, better known as Howard Stern’s sidekick Baba Booey.

8. Julann Griffin, Merv’s wife, was integral to the development of the show. She helped him develop the unique answer-and-question format when they were on a plane ride to New York in the early ’60s. From 1964-1975, a piece Julann composed served as the theme to the show. It was called “Take Ten.”

9. If Alex Trebek seems a little condescending when he corrects players with wrong answers, as if he would know the answers himself even without his cheat sheet, well… he just might. Trebek is pretty brainy. Time magazine once asked him if there was an easy question that he ever didn’t know the answer to, and this was Trebek’s response:

We were doing some shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and during the commercial breaks I’d go out and talk to the people in the audience. And a little boy stood up and asked, When was the Magna Carta signed? I said 1216. I was off by a year. I know a lot about the Magna Carta, but unfortunately I got the date wrong in front of 6,000 people.

He admits that he probably wouldn’t do too well if he actually had to participate on the show, though, due to his slow reflexes.

Read more of that interview at Time.

Cola Powered Radio Control Car Fueled by a Sugar Rush

2010-02-08T12:50:00.001-05:00

As a health conscious parent, you’re probably not seeking plausible reasons to introduce your kids to cola — but a radio controlled car powered by pop? How cool is that? Takara Tomy, a Japanese toy maker, has manufactured a prototype RC ‘ene Bio Engine’ car (looks more like a futuristic delivery truck) that runs on Sony’s sugar fueled Bio-Battery. See the car in action in the video after the jump!

The car, which may be powered by a variety of sugary liquids (ie: the residue in kids’ juice containers), is still in its prototype phase. Once on the market, parents will be able to use the toy to encourage less waste and introduce a bit of life science. “The passive-type bio battery system generates eco-friendly electricity by breaking down sugar using processes similar to those in living organisms.”

For those parents who find it a bit dubious that, as Gigazine explained, “The speed/running-time of the toy depends on what drink you use” (i.e. the more sugary the drink juicing the battery, the more power the car will receive) — it should be noted that although for commercial reasons Tomy has chosen to use colas to promote the car (Coca-Cola, Sprite, 7-Up), the most efficient fuel tested was grape juice. And whatever syrupy liquids are left may one day power… your cell phone.
Images and video via Gigazine

Battery-powered bicycles rule

2010-02-08T12:34:00.001-05:00

By Elaine Kurtenbach, Associated Press
From: http://articles.sfgate.com

Estimates put the number of scooters and electric bikes, like this one in Shanghai, at 65 million on the roadways of China.
Credit: Associated Press

Shanghai — It's a simple pleasure, but Xu Beilu savors it daily: gliding past snarled traffic on her motorized bicycle, relaxed and sweat-free alongside the pedal-pushing masses.

China, the world's bicycle kingdom - one for every three inhabitants - is going electric.
Workers weary of crammed public transport or pedaling long distances to jobs are upgrading to battery-powered bikes and scooters. Even some who can afford cars are ditching them for electric two-wheelers to avoid traffic jams and expensive gasoline.

The bicycle was a vivid symbol of China in more doctrinaire communist times, when virtually no one owned a car. Even now, nearly two decades after the country began its great leap into capitalism, it still has 430 million bicycles by government count, outnumbering electric bikes and scooters 7-1.

But production of electric two-wheelers has soared from fewer than 200,000 eight years ago to 22 million last year, mostly for the domestic market. The industry estimates about 65 million are on Chinese roads.

Car sales are also booming but there are still only 24 million for civilian use, because few of the 1.3 billion population can afford them. And unlike in many other developing countries, Chinese cities still have plenty of bicycle lanes, even if some have made way for cars and buses.

"E-bike" riders are on the move in the morning or late at night, in good weather or bad. When it's wet, they are a rainbow army in plastic capes. On fine days, women don gloves, long-sleeved white aprons and face-covering sun guards.

One of them is Xu, on her Yamaha e-bike, making the half-hour commute from her apartment to her job as a marketing manager. She had thought of buying a car but dropped the idea. "It's obvious that driving would be more comfortable, but it's expensive," she says.

"I like riding my e-bike during rush hour, and sometimes enjoy a laugh at the people stuck in taxis. It's so convenient and helpful in Shanghai, since the traffic is worse than ever."
The trend is catching on in the U.S. and elsewhere.

In Japan, plug-in bicycles are favored by cost-conscious companies and older commuters. "Many company workers are beginning to use them to visit clients instead of driving, to save fuel costs," says Miyuki Kimizuka of the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute, a private industry group.

Australians use electric bicycles in rural towns without bus and train service. Tony Morgan, managing director of The Electric Bicycle Co. Pty. Ltd., the continent's largest manufacturer and retailer of e-bikes, says he has sold about 20,000 in the past decade, priced at 1,000-2,000 Australian dollars (about $800-$1,600).

In the Netherlands, an especially bicycle-friendly country, the industry says sales passed 138,800 last year.
In India, Vietnam and other developing countries, competition from motorcycles, as well as a lack of bike lanes and other infrastructure, are obstacles.

Indian sales have risen about 15 percent a year to 130,000 units, thanks in part to a 7,500 rupee ($150) government rebate that brings the cost down to about the cost of a conventional bicycle. But they are far outnumbered by the millions of new motorcycles taking to India's roadways.

In China, electric bikes sell for 1,700 yuan to 3,000 yuan ($250 to $450). They require no helmet, plates or driver's license, and they aren't affected by restrictions many cities impose on fuel-burning two-wheelers.
It costs a mere 1 yuan (15 U.S. cents) - about the same as the cheapest bus fare - to charge a bike for a day's use, says Guo Jianrong, head of the Shanghai Bicycle Association, an industry group.

They look like regular bicycles, only a bit heavier with the battery strapped on. Some can be pedaled; others run solely on battery. In China, their maxium weight is about 40 kilograms (90 pounds), and maximum legal speed is about 20 kph (12 mph).

"For us, these are tools for transportation," Guo said. "We're not like Americans and Europeans, who tend to bicycle for fun or exercise."

(C) San Francisco Chronicle 2009

Terrell Owens: "If I Go To The Bengals, I'm Changing My Name To Ocho Uno"

2010-02-08T12:06:00.001-05:00

Posted By Chris Littmann

I was fortunate enough to attend the Chad Ochocinco Mansion Party on Friday night in South Beach. I'll talk about who was there, but first I have to share the highlight of the night as Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens took to the D.J. booth.

Right before the clip, Terrell Owens shouted over the P.A. system, "Coach Lewis, is this tampering?" It was a funny moment in the continued campaign by Chad Ochocinco to bring T.O. to Cincinnati. (For what it's worth, Marvin Lewis didn't ever appear to actually talk to T.O. that I could see, so the tampering comment was purely in jest. Lewis was much busier talking to Spike Lee and Mike Zimmer for most of the night.)

As for the rest of the party, it was one of those nights that makes you say, "Oh, so this is what it's like to be rich and famous? I could get used to this." Of note that you'll see in this slideshow: Ochocinco, Owens, Spike Lee, Tracy McGrady, Marvin Lewis, Brady Quinn, Josh Freeman and Alfonso Ribeiro (aka Carlton from Fresh Prince).

Had a chance to talk with Lee about sneakers. (He was wearing the upcoming and at this point unreleased Air Jordan 2010.) Also chatted with Jordan Palmer, the brother of Bengals QB Carson Palmer, about his burgeoning side career creating athlete iPhone apps. (Expect to see something on FirstCuts on that front in the future.) We probably walked right past numerous other NFL guys, so if you spot any in the pictures, point them out in the comments.

Panda-monium: Sixteen panda cubs pose for a class shot on their first day at nursery

2010-02-08T12:01:00.000-05:00

By Mail Foreign Service
From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Posing for their first day at their new nursery, these 16 panda cubs are clearly going to be a handful.

In these amazing images, the tiny pandas are shown their new home for the first time after being separated from their mothers.

The curious cubs were soon exploring their assault course home complete with umbrellas and balloons to welcome them on their first day.

Morning class: The 16 panda cubs posed for a photograph with their keepers at Wolong National Nature Reserve, in Sichuan Province, south west China

It was the first taste of independence for the youngsters at the Wolong National Nature Reserve, in Sichuan Province, south west China.

Keepers at the reserve posed for a class photograph with their wide-eyed pupils and were helping the babies adjust to their new life under the gaze of visitors at the reserve.

Around 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild in China, mostly in Sichuan and the north western provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu.

Another 290 pandas are in breeding programmes in the country.

Playtime: The wide-eyed cubs take their first wander around the playground at their new home

I want to play with that: One of the cubs admires a pink umbrella at his new home

PS While these were getting used to their new surroundings, over in the U.S. panda bear Tai Shan was getting ready to head off to China and say goodbye to 12-year-old mum Mei Xiang at the National Zoo in Washington. Under a deal between China and the U.S., all giant pandas originally from China are only on loan to foreign zoos and any cubs they produce must all return to China eventually.

Enlarge

Tai Shan gets covered in snow as he pulls on a branch on his final day at the National Zoo in Washington. The four-year-old is due to head to China

Slip sliding away. Tai Shan's mother Mei Xiang plays in the snow at the National Zoo in Washington

Jace Hall Show: Rocky IV Re-Match: I. Drago vs. A. Creed

2010-02-08T11:55:00.002-05:00

Jace Hall Show: Rocky IV Re-Match: I. Drago vs. A. Creed

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Schedule

2010-02-08T11:44:00.000-05:00

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Games kicks off with the Opening Ceremony on February 12, 2010 and ends with the Closing Ceremony on February 28, 2010.

Following is the calendar of events for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games at a glance.

February	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
O/C Ceremonies
Alpine Skiing
Biathlon
Bobsleigh
Cross Country Skiing
Curling
Figure Skating
Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Luge
Nordic Combined
Short Track Speedskating
Skeleton
Ski Jumping
Snowboard
Speedskating

	= Events scheduled		= Events completed
	= Events with medals scheduled		= Events with medals completed

© 2010 by STATS LLC.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.

Meet the Wikipedia of the mapping world

2010-02-08T11:32:00.000-05:00

Thanks to its team of volunteers, OpenStreetMap has now mapped most of the world – including Haiti

By: Victor Keegan
From: guardian.co.uk

Haiti map on Ushahidi.com, built using OpenStreetMap data

If you want to find an up-to-date map of Haiti, then there is only one place to go. It is not Google Maps or any of its competitors. It is the admirable OpenStreetMap.org (OSM), which is being updated even as I write by volunteers all over the world.

It is the Wikipedia of the mapping world, and is used by millions of people. Started a little over five years ago in London by Steve Coast, it has steadily built up its database to the point where most of the world has now been mapped by a formidable team of volunteers which is doubling every six months: there were 212,000 at the last count, of whom 10% are active during any one month. At the end of January there were 239 people rebuilding the map of Haiti. For a bird's eye view of operations, go to the Ushahidi site.

When the earthquake happened it was a signal for OSM members around the globe to start downloading satellite images (either freely available or donated by Yahoo) and then to start tracing the outlines of streets on top so a map emerged. Volunteers on the ground in Haiti, often using Garmin GPS locators, added vital local information – such as which roads were passable, where the hospitals were situated, where refugee camps were, or walls, pharmacies, hedges and so forth – so rescue workers had an invaluable tool. The result is a new, detailed map that is updated frequently, unlike most commercial maps.

This is only one of a number of open projects operating in Haiti in what may come to be seen as a seminal moment in the harnessing of the web to help those in need. Others include CrisisCommons, WeHaveNeed, Sahana, open source medical software and numerous others, not to mention Twitter tags such as #haiti. One of the problems of using appropriate technology in disaster regions is that bricklayers in Haiti don't know of innovations that might have been pioneered in remote parts of Africa, a problem that Akvo is trying to solve with regard to water. There are also signs that Hexayurt low-cost housing projects are starting to seed in Haiti.

OpenStreetMaps is itself at a turning point as it tries to progress from a techie-driven project to one that the ordinary consumer can not only understand but contribute to as well. It suffers from what might be dubbed "open source syndrome", a complaint that also affects other OS projects including the Linux operating system – the involvement of skilled volunteers can make the early stages a bit difficult to understand for laypeople.
However, they have been working on it and it is now much easier to do. A few days ago I added my local curry house to the map (next to a post box someone else had already inserted). All I needed to do was to drag a symbol of a restaurant from the bottom of the screen to where I wanted to put it and then add the words "Indian Diner". That in a nutshell is the comparative advantage that OpenStreetMap claims over other online maps. Users can add whatever detail interests them such as cycle routes, skateboarding areas, cycle parks, paths through parks – the parts Google can't reach. You have to register (it's free) as a member to alter the map. There is an iPhone app, Mapzen, produced by Cloudmade (company founded by Coast and Nick Clark to exploit mapping opportunities) that enables you to insert places of interest you have found on the move. If that takes off, it could lift the project to a new level.

Often volunteers create maps where there was nothing before as in Kibera in Kenya where basic amenities such as drinking water sources and latrines as well as churches are located to improve living standards and combat illness (eg, where latrines are located too near water sources). The Kibera team have been asked by Ushahidi and Google to include mapping of the slums of Port-au-Prince as part of the relief effort, something that hasn't been done before.

Gordon Brown, the UK prime minister, has just rediscovered cooperativism as a way of galvanising people to vote Labour. He would have been much more in tune with the times if he had widened it to include the open source movement in all its different aspects. It is one of the most interesting phenomena of our times, a kind of global mutual society. While the likes of Apple and Amazon, though producing fantastic products, are becoming ever more controlling and proprietary, it is sobering to be reminded that one of the basic instincts of human nature – mutual cooperation for no cost – is thriving on a global scale.

Follow Vic Keegan on Twitter

Kurt Cobain's daughter to make singing debut with My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way

2010-02-08T11:29:00.001-05:00

Yahoo! Music:

Courtesy of NME -- Frances Bean Cobain sings as part of a "gang" on Dresden Dolls side-project Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's daughter Frances Bean is to make her singing debut on a track also featuring My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, Andrew WK, and Weird Al Yankovic.
Seventeen-year-old Cobain sings on "My Space," which will appear on the eponymous debut album by Evelyn Evelyn, who are made up of Dresden Dolls frontwoman Amanda Palmer and Seattle musician Jason Webley.

Other acts on the track include Tegan & Sara, ex-Hold Steady keyboardist Franz Nicolay, Margaret Cho, Eugene Mirman, and various members of Mindless Self-Indulgence, reports Twentyfourbit.com.
The album Evelyn Evelyn is due to be released on March 30.
In December, Courtney Love lost custody of Frances Bean Cobain.

Saints Shock Colts in Super Bowl XLIV

2010-02-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

By Tom Herrera

Who Dat? Super Bowl champions, that's who.

After only nine winning seasons in their 43-year history, the New Orleans Saints capped off an outstanding season with an upset over the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, in Super Bowl XLIV.

It's been almost 4 1/2 years since flooding from Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and nearly chased them out of town for good, and now the Saints are on top of the NFL world.

"It was all meant to be. It was destiny,'' said Drew Brees.

Peyton Manning led the Colts to an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter, which included a Super Bowl record-tying 96-yard touchdown drive. But the Saints pulled within four of the Colts to close out the half, thanks to two long Garrett Hartley field goals in the second quarter.

New Orleans opened the second half by recovering a surprising onside kick and Brees marched the Saints to their first lead of the game, 13-10, on a 16-yard catch-and-run by Pierre Thomas.

After Joseph Addai helped Indianapolis regain the lead with a four-yard touchdown, the Saints answered with another Hartley field goal late in the third quarter to pull within one.

New Orleans surged to a 24-17 edge with just under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on Jeremy Shockey's two-yard TD grab and subsequent 2-point conversion by Lance Moore.

Manning had a chance to rally the Colts in the final minutes, but he threw a devastating interception with 3:12 left in the game as Tracy Porter returned it for the decisive score, 31-17.

Super Bowl Ads 2010 [VIDEOS]

2010-02-08T10:12:00.001-05:00

Pete Cashmore
YouTube delivered on its promise to upload all the Super Bowl Ads as soon as they aired today, with users voting to choose which one will grace the YouTube front page on Thursday.
The tech and web ads were a mixed bunch: Both the established GoDaddy “Too Hot for TV” schtick and Motorola’s decision to put Megan Fox in a bathtub stuck to the “sex sells” mantra, while Monster.com returned with a “Fiddling Beaver.” Intel went for a quirky “lunch room” ad while Vizio chose star power in its Beyonce commercial. We don’t know what inspired Boost Mobile’s ad, meanwhile, but the humor appears to miss the mark [Update: Commenters say it's a remake of the "Chicago Bears Super Bowl Shuffle"].
Our favorite: Google’s sentimental made-for-web ad — it was promoted to Super Bowl status after its success on YouTube. FLO TV’s retrospective on American media is also a very memorable attempt. Which ads are your faves?

Web and Tech Super Bowl Ads 2010

Megan Fox Motorola Ad

FLO TV: My Generation Ad

Monster.com Fiddling Beaver Ad

GoDaddy Super Bowl

Boost Mobile Ad

Google: Parisian Love Ad

Intel Lunch Room Ad

Go Daddy: News

Vizio Beyonce Ad

Cars.com Ad

Other Super Bowl Ads 2010

Snickers Super Bowl Ad

Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains Ad

Hyundai Sonata Ad

Doritos Ad

Robin Hood Spot

Doritos: House Rules Ad

NCIS /CBS Ad

Coca-Cola / Simpsons Ad

Undercover Boss Ad (CBS)

Doritos Casket Ad

Wolfman Ad

The Good Wife

Emerald Nuts: Awesomer

Hyundai Soata / Brett Favre Ad

VW Punchdub

Budweiser Bridge Ad

Denny’s Chicken Birthday Ad

Denny’s Chicken Warning

Alice in Wonderland

Skechers

Homeaway Vacation Ad

Dr Pepper / KISS ad

Select 55 Ice Bottle Ad

Michelob Ultra – Little Bumps Ad

Budweiser Clydesdale Fence Ad

Late Show Ad

Bud Light Asteroid Ad

Heinz Revamps Ketchup Packets

2010-02-05T17:11:00.000-05:00

From: http://www.wcbs880.com/pages/6286330.php?

The new Heinz ketchup packet - Photo: Business Wire

PORTLAND, OR (AP) -- The ketchup packet has been around for more than 40 years, and complaints about it for nearly as long: too messy, too small, too hard to open. Now H.J. Heinz Co. is unveiling the first major packaging change to the to-go condiment.

SEE: More Photos of the New Ketchup Packet

The new design has a base that's more like a cup for dipping and also a tear-off end for squeezing. It holds three times as much ketchup.

READ: More Opening Bell Stories

Heinz has long struggled to find a design that did all that that could also be sold cheaply enough.

The company recently made a solution a top priority. It even bought its design team a minivan to give their ideas real road tests.

The new packet is in test markets and will roll out at some fast-food restaurants in the fall.

Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' to be republished in Germany

2010-02-05T14:48:00.000-05:00

Adolf Hitler's autobiography "Mein Kampf" is to be republished in Germany in 2015 for the first time since being banned under the country's constitution at the end of the Second World War.

By Allan Hall in Berlin

Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Under the post-1945 German constitution, the dissemination of Nazi philosophy has been a crime punishable by fines and imprisonment.

But the copyright, held by the state of Bavaria where the Nazi movement began life in the 1920s, expires in 2015, 70 years after the death of its author in his Berlin bunker.

On Thursday the Munich-based Institute of Contemporary History (IfZ) pledged to publish an "annotated version" with historical notes that it hopes will see the book used in schools and colleges.

The finance ministry in Bavaria said it had still not decided whether to give its permission but it is understood that with the lapse in copyright, the IfZ will not need the green light from it. "Besides, we think our version, with sensible notes and comments pointing out the falsity of much of what he wrote, will be far better than neo-Nazis putting out their own versions," said the IfZ.

Jewish leaders in Germany have already pledged their support for the project, saying they believe it "would prevent neo-Nazi from profiteering from Mein Kampf. while an aggressive and enlightening engagement with the book would doubtless remove many of its false, persisting myths".

The IfZ wants the agreement of the finance ministry in Bavaria before the 2015 deadline so as to begin work on the project right away.

Mein Kampf became a better seller than the Bible in the Third Reich.

Hitler became a multi-millionaire through royalties while newspapers around the world, including some in the UK, serialised his work.

It was written when he was sentenced to five years in jail for attempting to overthrow the government in 1924. It is filled with the prejudices and hatreds of an uneducated man and within its pages are endless rants against the Jews, who he would soon attempt to eliminate altogether.

In another passage he foretells his plans for the conquest of Russia, writing: "We must eliminate the disproportion between our population and our area...... Some of this land can be obtained from Russia. We must secure for the German people the land and soil to which they are entitled."

Over 12 million copies were sold in Nazi Germany. Recently an edition of the book became a best seller in Turkey.

Avatar DVD Screener Leaks To BitTorrent

2010-02-05T14:44:00.003-05:00

Written by Ernesto
From: http://torrentfreak.com/

A few hours after Avatar received nine nominations for the upcoming 2010 Oscars race, a DVD screener of the film leaked online. The leak, which presumably originates from a screener copy sent out to one of the Academy members, is expected to be downloaded by millions of people before the Oscars winners are announced.

Avatar has been an enormous success. The film has broken nearly all records at the box-office, and together with The Hurt Locker it was last night’s big winner raking in nine Academy Award nominations.

James Cameron and the rest of the Avatar crew probably cracked open a few bottles of Champagne to celebrate, but today they will wake up with a serious hangover.

Only a few days after the nominations were announced, a DVD screener of Avatar (2D) appeared online. Before today, only a lower quality Telesync copy of the film has been available on BitTorrent and other file-sharing networks.

Ironically, the DVD screener that is now widely available online most likely leaked through one of the Academy Awards voters.

There is no doubt that Avatar will also score big in the list of most downloaded movies this year. The Telesync copy of the film that has been available for over a month was already downloaded by more than two million people.

It is expected that the DVD leak will easily double or even triple these figures. Avatar has been among the most searched for keywords on nearly every torrent site for more than a month already.

Twentieth Century Fox has been extra careful with sending out the DVD-screener of Avatar, as more Academy members received it mid January, just a few days before they had to vote. Although this did delay the leak, it couldn’t be prevented.

How and if the DVD-screener will affect the box-office revenues is up for debate. The film has already grossed more than $2 billion worldwide, which is an absolute record despite the relatively high piracy rate. In fact, high piracy numbers are often an indicator of success at the box-office and vice versa.