Obama: Energy Future Depends on Kids’ Skills

A seemingly ever-increasing population, hooked on iPods, cellphones, and GPS systems, with big-screen televisions in every room, along with the requisite complement of DVD players, DVR’s, and video game systems, uses a lot of power — and that demand is only going to grow.  The three R’s — reduce, reuse, and recycle — can only go so far in assuaging the need for energy.  Clearly, we are going to continue to need to develop new ways of generating power.  What those ways will be are anyone’s guess, but where the ideas will come from is clear — from the scientists of the future.  That’s why Michelle Obama wants states to improve science and mathematics education.
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100 Things Your Children Will Never Do Or See

The headline on Wired uses the word “may”, as in “things your kids may never know about.” But I’m feeling old and cynical, hence the more affirmative language.

For example, does anyone really think that their kids will ever listen to music “on an audio tape using a personal stereo”? Heck, even the name “Walkman” is barely known these days, and it used to be like Scotch tape or Xerox copies. I had several “Walkmen” but never an actual Sony Walkman. Continue reading »

Kid Trades His iPod for a Walkman, Shock Ensues

Don’t laugh. I used to love my Walkman. I carried it everywhere. It was, after all, music . . . PORTABLE. Oh yeah, and the walkman just turned thirty.

Dude, we are old. And to hammer that one home, BBC Magazine handed a Walkman to a thirteen-year-old “tester,” seizing his iPod temporarily and making him live the cassette life.

So how did he do? Continue reading »

iPhone Adds Parental Controls And Adult Content

Apple has approved a new iPhone app that features — ready for this? — nekkid ladies. (Governor Sanford might like this. Heh heh.)

Anyway, the app, creatively titled “Hottest Girls”, costs $1.99 and is apparently now available for purchase. The developer, Allen Leung, claims that it is “the first app to have nudity.” Continue reading »

Morning News - American Reporters in Korea Sentenced

Let’s start with a “yes, Virginia, the world is still a scary place” item. Current TV reporters Laura Ling (sister of former View co-host Lisa) and Euna Lee were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for sneaking across the North Korean border. Hillary Clinton is urging the country “to grant clemency” for the pair. It’s terrible that they’ve been sentenced, but I will say that sneaking into North Korea was a very dumb move. I hope the U.S. is able to get them out safely. I also hope no other young journalist does what Lee and Ling did. Continue reading »

Morning News - David Carradine, Palm Pre, Unemployment

Sad news that you may have already heard about — actor David Carradine is dead. The details are a little greusome; I’m not going to print them here but if you’re interested you can read it at this link. Carradine’s family is upset about photos of Carradine’s body that were published in Thailand, where his body was found. Actually, they were “profoundly disturbed”, according to Reuters, which seems like a reasonable response under the circumstances. The family is asking the FBI for help with the investigation into Carradine’s death.

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