Plasma, LCDs Blamed For Global Warming

Almost half of the televisions sold around the globe so far this year have been plasma or LCD TVs.

But this boom could be coming at a huge environmental cost.

The gas, widely used in the manufacture of flat screen TVs, is estimated to be 17,000 times as powerful as carbon dioxide.

Ironically, NF3 is not covered by the Kyoto protocol as it was only produced in tiny amounts when the treaty was signed in 1997.

Levels of this gas in the atmosphere have not been measured, but scientists say it is a concern and are calling for it to be included in any future emissions cutting agreement.

Professor Michael Prather from the University of California has highlighted the issue in an article for the magazine New Scientist.

He has told ABC's The World Today program that output of the gas needs to be measured.

"One of my titles for this paper was Going Below Kyoto's Radar. It's the kind of gas that's made in huge amounts," he said.- ABC News

Hahaha, nice! Buy a flat screen to piss of an environmentalist...do it!

Apple reveals new iPhone

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Apple announced on Monday a much faster iPhone that's half the price of the current model.

I have a cell phone. I have an iPod. Do I REALLY need this thing?

Guitar Hero 4 Information

Guitar Hero 4 (PS3, 360, Wii, PS2)
- Create a song. Although these exclude vocals due to storage and possible copyright issues.
- You'll be able to name your song as well as creating album art. After you've done all that you can upload it to GH Tunes where anyone can download it.
- You'll be limited to 5 songs at first. But depending on the ratings you get you'll possibly be able to upload 10 or more.
- The song sharing mode will be in the Wii and PS2 versions also, but GI says it's unlikely that it'll be as robust as the PS3 and 360 versions.
- Drums, bass, vocals, guitar
- Create a rocker
- Create a guitar and drums
- All songs will be master tracks
- They don't want to discuss specifics on track listing out of fear of being scooped by the competition. However they confirmed 4 bands: Van Halen, The Eagles, Linkin Park and Sublime. - Scorehero

Guitar Hero 4 = the new Rock Band?

Google comes to Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE - When lava lamps, massage chairs, Gymnastik fitness balls, and kiwi smoothie bars pop up in formerly pedestrian Kendall Square office space, it can mean only one thing:

Google is taking over the universe.

Google Inc. is growing in Greater Boston.

The giant Internet search company, which hired its first Beantown Googlers at the end of 2005 and had 50 people working out of the Cambridge Innovation Center just a year ago, has expanded to 175 local employees. They recently moved into new digs - 60,000 square feet on four floors at 5 Cambridge Center - done up in the company's extravagant, self-consciously quirky Silicon Valley style.

"We are committed to mirroring a lot of that culture here," Stephen Vinter, a veteran area software engineer and site director for Google's new Kendall Square office, told a group of wide-eyed visitors, including Governor Deval Patrick, at an open house yesterday.

In fact, the local office is working on several projects vital to Google's global strategy: building a platform where developers can write a myriad of applications for the mobile Internet; extending the reach of Google's video-sharing YouTube technology and analyzing the demographics of video viewers; compiling metadata and researching copyrights that could help convert books into searchable digital formats; and, letting more websites deploy social-networking features.

Android, the developers' platform that is key to Google's mobile Internet push, was designed in Massachusetts by a company Google acquired three years ago. Rich Miner, cofounder of Android, now works out of the Cambridge office as Google group manager for mobile platforms. The company last Friday awarded a $25,000 prize to four Massachusetts Institute of Technology undergraduates who were round one winners in the Android Developer Challenge for developing software that enables people to manage cellphone settings.

And the new Google Friend Connect, an Internet tool unveiled Monday that allows developers to embed social networking applications onto their own websites, emerged from the Google office in Cambridge. "It's not about making social networks more social," Vinter said. "It's about making the rest of the Web more social."

Vinter said his goal for the office "is to have a real diverse set of things to work on that can have a big impact." He said some of the Google engineers in Cambridge are immersed in infrastructure issues, such as Web crawling, that are invisible to consumers.

Google on the Charles, employing a mix of engineers and search-advertising salespeople, has many of the amenities found at the Googleplex headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., including a house band, open workstations decorated in Tiki jungle style, and microkitchens located within 150 feet of every employee.

GTA IV Hits Stores Tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On Tuesday, after nearly four years of waiting, endless speculation, and numerous delays, Grand Theft Auto IV will finally be released. Gamers are sure to be pleased, but it's an event that Sony, Microsoft, and publisher Take-Two Interactive have likely been looking forward to even more.

The game's predecessor, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, became the best-selling videogame, ever, in the United States when it was released in 2004. And with the game's two platforms, Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, trailing in sales behind Nintendo's Wii, it's likely they'll get a big boost from GTA IV's release. - Wired

I can't say I've been waiting for four years, but definitely a good two. I preordered a copy so I am just about all set. How much do you guys want to bet that Jessi Dacri is absent tommorow?

Platform-A gets logo

You’re nothing without a logo. And AOL’s Platform-A online ad sales division finally gets one.

Ooh, fancy. This immature comment was brought to you by...

Playstation Home Delayed Again

According to Sony, they won't make [the spring of 2008] deadline either. The new target is the fall of 2008, almost a year later than initially anticipated. In any case, the company plans to allow more testers into the fold until then.

When the service launches publicly, it will remain in beta. The company has provided no details as to when to expect a final release.

"We have come to the conclusion that we need more time to refine the service to ensure a more focused gaming entertainment experience than what it is today," Sony Computer Entertainment president Kazuo Hirai said in a statement. - BetaNews

I actually recently looked up Home on wikipedia. I saw that the release date was "Spring 2008" and that just seemed way too good to be true. And what do you know?

Raúl Castro lifts his brother's limits on technology

Havana - A crowd huddles around a glass case, squinting for a better view; from afar it looks as if they might be ogling a rare sea creature.

But this is an electronics store in Havana, and the item on display is a DVD player.

Down the street, young men jot down the prices hanging off electric motorbikes in the window of a mechanic shop.

A Cuban woman heads into a tourist hotel and, not hiding the skepticism in her voice, asks the front desk: "Is it true that if I had the money, I could stay here?" The answer: "Yes."

These are just a few examples of consumer freedom playing out across Cuba under new rules announced by Cuban leader Raúl Castro.

In the broader scheme of transition, the changes are fairly minor. But many Cubans resented limitations on basic consumer goods that are accessible essentially everywhere else in the world.

Even Mr. Castro, who permanently became Cuba's leader six weeks ago after his brother Fidel Castro's nearly 50-year reign, called the prohibitions "excessive." And while his government has taken some criticism from those who say the changes are merely cosmetic, for most the relaxed rules underscore a new pragmatic leadership that they hope points to deeper economic and political change in coming months.

"Things are changing here. Who knows how far this will go, but this is a good start," says Emilio, a carpenter in Havana who looks down at the DVD he is carrying under his arm. Like many Cubans, he declined to share his last name with a foreign journalist.

Can Cubans afford the new toys?

For most, the right to own a computer, for example, will mean nothing in reality. Such products are out of reach in a country where the average salary is $17 a month.

A night at a hotel costs well over $100, or more than five times the monthly pay. The motorbikes on display in the mechanic shop are priced at between $750 and $2,000.

At the electronics shop, one woman burst into laughter when asked whether she was there to purchase a DVD player. "I'm just here to look," she says, eyeing the $130 price tag.

Still, the announcement sends a message of flexibility. "The reforms introduced seem designed to make ordinary daily life easier," says William LeoGrande, a Cuba expert at American University in Washington. "It also shows a degree of political confidence, that they can open up information flows and that it won't threaten them."

If the bans on owning a computer or DVD player seem anachronistic to many Cubans, many say the reform they most welcome is the freedom to stay in hotels, even if it is just symbolic.

Like many of the limits, the hotel ban was a measure to ensure social equality and restrict contact with foreigners. But since tourism has flourished here, with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, it has been a controversial restriction that came to be called a form of "tourist apartheid."

It irked many Cubans like Daliana, a professional dancer who for years has worked in hotels. "We work there, but we couldn't stay there, as if we were second-class citizens," she says. "Now we can participate in our own culture."

Many greet the changes with a shrug

As is true for most things related to Cuba's transition since the island nation's iconic leader Fidel Castro fell ill in the summer of 2006 and temporarily ceded control to his brother Raúl, the response to the changes here is somewhat muted, resonating much wider in the rest of the world.

Most greet the announcements with a shrug.

"Poco a poco," Cubans say. "Little by little" things are improving.

That is perhaps because not only are there a limited number of Cubans who can afford the services and goods now on offer, those with the purchasing power had already found their way around the many restrictions placed on them.

Cuba is, in many ways, one giant black market.

Anything you need is sold by the neighbor, or the neighbor's cousin. Mostly people look the other way, sometimes for a small bribe.

So while they live in modest homes, where refrigerators are often decades old, many have long had computers in their living rooms or on their kitchen tables.

They carry cellphones in their pockets, which they often access by registering under foreign names.

Welcome to the 21st century, Cuba.

Raul Castro Says OK To Cellphones

President Raul Castro's government is allowing ordinary Cubans to have cell phones.

The luxury was previously reserved for those who worked for foreign firms or held key posts with the communist-run state.

Friday's decree officially lifts a major restriction on daily life in Cuba.

It's the kind of small freedom many on the island have been hoping Raul Castro would embrace since taking over the presidency from his older brother Fidel last month.

Some Cubans previously ineligible for cell phones already had gotten them by having foreigners sign contracts in their names. - Associated Press

Raul is the man, isn't he?

"Chocolate Rain" A Winner At YouTube Awards

NEW YORK - And the winner for best music video: "Chocolate Rain."

Tay Zonday morphed from an unknown musician to an Internet superstar who got booked on national TV shows after his song "Chocolate Rain" — an amateur clip of his baritone crooning — went viral last year. Now he’s among the 12 winners of the second annual YouTube Video Awards, recognizing the top user-created videos of 2007.

YouTube users voted on six nominees for each category: music, sports, comedy, instructional, short film, inspirational, commentary, creative, politics, series, eyewitness and "adorable."

"It’s the new Emmys," Zonday, 25, said of the video-sharing site’s awards in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It’s the next Oscars. The next People’s Choice Awards. It’ll be interesting to see what happens five years, 10 years (from now)."

His competition included comely singer-songwriter Mia Rose and "the vegetable orchestra," featuring a jam session with a carrot flute and squash drum. - Associated Press

Think This?

The UK’s leading think tank on internet policy has said that online ad system Phorm is illegal and has called for further investigation into its practices.

Which is why it's all about Google AdSense. Get free Ben Tan ringtones.

MLB 2k8 Soundtrack Review

The Ratings

Amazing Songs:
The Strokes — Someday
Peter Bjorn & John — The Chills

Great Songs:
Battles — Atlas
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club — Need Some Air
Dinosaur Jr. — Almost Ready
The Flaming Lips — The W.A.N.D
Kasabian — Reason Is Treason
The Presidents Of The United States Of America — Cleveland Rocks
The Cure — Never Enough

Good Songs:
Jay Reatard — My Shadow
Modest Mouse — Dashboard
The Revolution Fox Experiment — Hyper Charlie
The Cool Kids — 88

Okay Songs:
Blitzen Trapper — Wild Mountain Nation
The Cars — Moving In Stereo
The Hold Steady — Stuck Between Stations

N/A (Can't find it anywhere):
LCD Soundsystem — Watch The Tapes

Comments

One of the best video game soundtracks of all time? Yeah, uh huh. Prior to listening to this soundtrack, MVP Baseball 2005's tuneset (new word) reigned easily as my favorite ever. With the likes of then indie groups Louis XIV, Hot Hot Heat, The Bravery, and The High Speed, I at the time did not think that there would ever be a better sounding game. Well, I can now say that I guessed wrong. As you can see, there aren't any songs that are bad or terrible on MLB 2k8. The worst, in my opinion, is "Stuck Between Stations," but even that was half decent. Forget about the bad and look at the good, great, and the amazing. There is a great blend of old (The Cure; The Flaming Lips) and new (Battles; The Cool Kids) which means that there is also a great breadth of musical styles and genres in the game. Since the label "indie" doesn't really tell you too much about what KIND of music is being played, I can tell you that most of the tracks are synth-based, garage(y), and post-punk. The best song in the game is "Someday" by The Strokes. There are a bunch of songs that to me that have "Spring" written all over them. "Someday" is definitely one of them. The baseball season starts in April and for me the tennis season starts in April as well. From now until then, I like to listen to songs that pump me up. "Someday" as I just said does that. There a bunch of other ones that to do that and these include, "Reason is Treason"; "The W.A.N.D; and "Cleveland Rocks." I am not saying that you should buy the game (release date: March 4), but you should definitley download or buy these tracks. As a music listener, you should be impressed...very impressed.

More Funny Pictures

Think This?

Excessive use of computers in the classroom can actually hinder learning, is the
conclusion of a report put out Tuesday by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy,
a conservative think tank based in Winnipeg.

The key term here is "excessive." Take everything in moderation.

Mary Jean Gallagher, director of education for the Greater Essex County District
School Board, said the report's assumptions are out-dated and make sweeping
generalizations.
"I guess what I can say about computers is they are this
generation's TV sets of 40 years ago," Gallagher said. "It's an aid. Computers
now bring the real world into the classroom in a way that you can't bring
students into the world. It's not about teaching a kid to use a computer, it's
about using the computer to enrich learning."

Heat-powered robots?!? What will they think of next?!?

Here's a cool little story.

WASHINGTON — A seagoing glider that uses heat energy from the ocean to propel
itself is the first "green" robot to explore the undersea environment, U.S.
researchers said last week.

Yahoo rejects Microsoft offer

SAN FRANCISCO — — Yahoo Inc. spurned Microsoft Corp.'s $44.6-billion (U.S.)
takeover bid as inadequate Monday, betting that it can elicit a higher offer
from the world's largest software maker or find another way to deliver a
comparable payoff to its shareholders.

So much for THAT merger. Now Yahoo might be merging with...guess who?

The paper, without citing sources, said Yahoo was also considering tie-ups with
groups such as Google and Disney.

They gave me a break.

As of today, the Wakefield Étudiant is NOT blocked on the W.H.S. computers. Yahoo! Mail and the Wakefield Daily Item are unblocked as well. So I can now e-mail myself the latest cute photo of a three-year-old from the Item so I can post it on the Étudiant once I get home to my somewhat slow, but still better than anything at the school, computer. Huzzah!

Give me a break.

It seems that over the Christmas break, the tech department went on a blocking spree. According to my calculations, approximately 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of the Internet is now inaccessible from a W.H.S. computer. Newly blocked sites include Text Twist, Yahoo! Mail, and, you guessed it, the Wakefield Étudiant!
Now, I'm no expert on these things, but I think I know a little about how these blockers work. Every site on the Internet is categorized as a commercial site, the site of an educational institution, the site of a government institution, etc. Blockers block every website that belongs to a certain category.
The tech department uses the Astaro blocker. Now, instead of blocking every website that belongs to a certain category, the blocker ALLOWS every website of certain categories and denies users access to any other website on the Internet. If one tried to access this website, a message from our friends at Astaro would appear, explaining that this site is inappropriate because it is...get this, uncategorized.
Now, as silly as it sounds to block a news website, that's exactly what the tech department has done. But at least we're not alone. The Wakefield Daily Item's inappropriate, too! No, seriously! Try it!
I just discovered all this today, while trying to access the Étudiant. Hopefully, this is temporary. If not, come ON! I can KIND OF understand this website being blocked, what, with certain people spicing up their posts with profanity. But Yahoo! Mail? That's just ridiculous.

omg new admin!

As you may have observed, I haven't been on this site as much as an administrator should. You know you're too busy to run this website alone when Chris Mogni spends more time on it than you do. This is why I've recruited Glen, who, as you all know, has WAY too much free time, to help me out as the new co-administrator.

Ben Tan, right, announces Glen's promotion at a press conference.

Theyz Gonna Stop Teh Internets! OH NOZ!

GLOBAL RESEARCH - Researchers funded by the federal government want to shut down the internet and start over, citing the fact that at the moment there are loopholes in the system whereby users cannot be tracked and traced all the time.

Time magazine has reported that several foundations and universities including Rutgers, Stanford, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are pursuing individual projects, along with the Defense Department, in order to wipe out the current internet and replace it with a new network which will satisfy big business and government:

One challenge in any reconstruction, though, will be balancing the interests of various constituencies. The first time around, researchers were able to toil away in their labs quietly. Industry is playing a bigger role this time, and law enforcement is bound to make its needs for wiretapping known.

There's no evidence they are meddling yet, but once any research looks promising, "a number of people (will) want to be in the drawing room," said Jonathan Zittrain, a law professor affiliated with Oxford and Harvard universities. "They'll be wearing coats and ties and spilling out of the venue."