'Project Unity' is 15 fully-functional consoles in one giant box | Joystiq

Constructed by evil genius/mad scientist/hardware hacker Bacteria, Project Unity is a single, unified gaming console that can play Sega Master System, Neo Geo MVS, GameCube, Dreamcast, Saturn, Intellivision, Colecovision, Atari 7800, Turbografx 16, PS1/PS2, Mega Drive, NES, Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64 and Amstrad GX4000 games.

Project Unity's most impressive feature, besides the fact that it works, is that it was constructed entirely out of authentic hardware and does not make use of emulators or combo units like the FC Twin. It also manages to use a single power supply, video output and custom-built controller, regardless of the system selected.

Jump to 09:30 in the video above for a demonstration of this behemoth in action, including the repurposed NES cartridges that contain different circuit boards for each controller type, or start from the beginning for some deliciously chaotic wiring shots.

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/13/project-unity-is-15-fully-functional-consoles-in-one-giant-box/

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Scientists Are Cracking the Primordial Soup Mystery

There is no "alive" vs "not alive"! It?s a gradient! And there exists, and existed, every step in-between!
Why is this such a unknown thing in Leeds? Here in Germany, it's already accepted common knowledge.

It's as if they were completely blind to prions, viruses, and other things that are in-between what they like to call "alive" and what they call "dead". Or, and this is what I think, they are deliberately and obsessively trying to force a hard distinction because their rigid (and in this case willfully ignorant) world view is built on it.

You get proteins (not DNA) of bigger and bigger size forming from the same basic building blocks. Like Prions and the normal proteins of our bodies. Now get one that is by accident capable of self-reproducing (probably with the environment and other simpler proteins already doing most of job), and voila, you have something alive enough to fit your arbitrary (and varying with the mood of the day) lower limit.

This is ridiculous and embarrassing for people who call themselves scientists.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/1WhCvYpwiKk/story01.htm

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You can't buy rights to name exoplanet, says astronomy group

IAU/L. Cal?ada

The diversity of exoplanets is large ? more than 800 planets outside the Solar System have been found to date, with thousands more waiting to be confirmed.

By Megan Gannon, SPACE.com

There may not be an alien planet named Heinlein any time soon if the International Astronomical Union (IAU) gets its way. The astronomy group issued a reminder April 12 that it is the only body authorized to give exoplanets their official names, despite recent naming initiatives by companies like Uwingu.

In the statement, IAU?officials said that planet-naming schemes have "no bearing on the official naming process," and stressed the importance of having a unified procedure, even though its members welcome the public's interest. The IAU did not mention the space science funding company Uwingu (whose name means "sky" in Swahili)?by name, referring only to a "recent name-selling campaign." But the young Uwingu did launch an initiative last month calling on the public to name the nearest Alpha Centauri Bb ? an?exoplanet?4.3 light-years from Earth ? as part of a fundraising campaign.

Projects like Uwingu's?Baby Planet Name Book?seek to at least informally replace official planet names like HD 85512b or Gliese 667Cc with more playful nicknames. The initiative by Uwingu ? a company that aims to raise money for space research, exploration and education ? lets you add a nomination to the planet name registry for 99 cents. [Strangest Alien Planets (Photos)]

And for another 99 cents, you can vote for your favorite name on the list. In March, Uwingu started an offshoot contest, which runs through April 15, to?name Alpha Centauri Bb, the newfound Earth-sized planet in the star system closest to our own.?The company will use the money raised by the project to support research efforts like SETI's (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Allen Telescope Array in California, as well as space launches and science outreach.

Uwingu CEO Alan Stern, a planetary scientist who also leads NASA's New Horizons spacecraft's mission to Pluto, said the IAU's claim to naming rights in space is a self-proclaimed one, and likened Uwingu's effort to a People's Choice endeavour.?

"The IAU can't prohibit what it does not control. People's Choice naming contests and the colloquial naming of objects in space are unrelated to the IAU's purview of specifying nomenclature for astronomers," Stern told SPACE.com in an email. "The IAU no more owns the right to control the naming of objects in space for popular purposes than does a county that controls street naming have the right to deny people in the county who the right to ?adopt a mile of highway in someone's honor."

In the Uwingu campaign, the names Ron Paul, Heinlein, Sagan, Asimov and Pele are currently among some of the more popular monikers that have been proposed so far. Official exoplanet names, often made up of a string of letters and numbers, may look dull and unmemorable in comparison, but IAU officials defended their process.

"While?exoplanet?names such as 16 Cygni Bb or HD 41004 Ab may seem boring when considering the names of planets in our own solar system, the vast number of objects in our universe ? galaxies, stars, and planets to name just a few ? means that a clear and systematic system for naming these objects is vital," IAU officials explained. "Any naming system is a scientific issue that must also work across different languages and cultures in order to support collaborative worldwide research and avoid confusion."

Related: Cosmic Log ? Uwingu venture wants to give Alpha Centauri Bb a snappier planet name

To be clear, Uwingu has said the nominations in its Baby Planet Name Book won't be official. But the organization had hoped astronomers might come around and consider using the names on the list to refer to new planets informally.?

"At Uwingu, we're for opening up the naming of celestial bodies to as wide a spectrum of the public as possible, the IAU seems to want to go the opposite way," Stern said. "We think open-source naming it the future, and we're excited that so many in the public agree."

The International Astronomical Union was founded in 1919 to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy through international cooperation. The organization is the same one that officially demoted Pluto from a full-fledged planet to its current dwarf planet status in 2006.

For more information on the planet-naming contest,?visit Uwingu's website here.

This story was updated on April 13 to include new comments from Uwingu CEO Alan Stern.

Follow Megan Gannon on?Twitter?and?Google+.? Follow SPACE.com on Twitter?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?and?Google+.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2aaf3f23/l/0Lscience0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C130C177373720Eyou0Ecant0Ebuy0Erights0Eto0Ename0Eexoplanet0Esays0Eastronomy0Egroup0Dlite/story01.htm

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BBC faces dilemma as anti-Thatcher song tops chart

Anti-Thatcher protesters react to the death of former British Prime Minister as they gather at Trafalgar Square in London, Monday, April 8, 2013. Thatcher's spokesman, Tim Bell, said the former prime minister died from a stroke Monday morning at the Ritz hotel in London. Flags were flown at half-staff at Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Downing Street for the 87 year old. Queen Elizabeth II authorized a ceremonial funeral, a step short of a state funeral to be held for Thatcher at St. Paul's Cathedral in London next week with military honors. 'The Witch is Dead' on T-shirt refers to an Anti-Thatcher song. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Anti-Thatcher protesters react to the death of former British Prime Minister as they gather at Trafalgar Square in London, Monday, April 8, 2013. Thatcher's spokesman, Tim Bell, said the former prime minister died from a stroke Monday morning at the Ritz hotel in London. Flags were flown at half-staff at Buckingham Palace, Parliament and Downing Street for the 87 year old. Queen Elizabeth II authorized a ceremonial funeral, a step short of a state funeral to be held for Thatcher at St. Paul's Cathedral in London next week with military honors. 'The Witch is Dead' on T-shirt refers to an Anti-Thatcher song. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

LONDON (AP) ? The BBC is in a bind after opponents of Margaret Thatcher pushed the song "Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead" to the top of the British charts in a posthumous protest over her divisive policies.

The online campaign to drive the "Wizard of Oz" song to the No. 1 spot on the U.K. singles chart was launched by Thatcher critics shortly after the former prime minister died Monday of a stroke at age 87.

As of Friday, the song was No. 1 on British iTunes.

Still, many people say the campaign ? which aims to see the song played this weekend on the BBC's Official Chart Show ? is in bad taste. Some have called on the BBC to promise it won't broadcast the song.

John Whittingdale, a lawmaker from Thatcher's Conservative party, told the Daily Mail tabloid that many would find the ditty "deeply insensitive."

"This is an attempt to manipulate the charts by people trying to make a political point," he said.

In a statement, the BBC said it had not yet decided on whether it would feature the song on its show ? which normally plays all the week's best-selling hits.

"The Official Chart Show on Sunday is a historical and factual account of what the British public has been buying and we will make a decision about playing it when the final chart positions are clear," the taxpayer-funded BBC said.

Not all Tories agreed that the song should be yanked.

"No song should be banned by the BBC unless its lyrics are pre-watershed," said former Conservative lawmaker Louise Mensch, referring to British restrictions on adult content.

Mensch, a prominent Conservative voice on Twitter, said in a message posted to the site that Thatcher, famously known as "the Iron Lady," would not have wanted it any other way.

"Thatcher stood for freedom," she wrote.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-04-12-Britain-Thatcher%20Song/id-1060fb1430aa49c1ac95c96869b27068

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Analysis: Obama proposal irks both sides (The Arizona Republic)

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N.Y. teacher who assigned Nazi letter put on leave

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) ? A high school English teacher who had students pretend to be Jew-hating Nazis in a writing assignment has been placed on leave.

The teacher at Albany High School caused a storm of criticism after having students practice the art of persuasive writing by penning a letter to a fictitious Nazi government official arguing that "Jews are evil."

District Superintendent Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard held a news conference Friday to apologize for the assignment.

The Times Union newspaper reported (http://bit.ly/ZTc4PU ) on Saturday that the teacher was not in class on Friday and had been placed on leave by the school district.

The district has not named the teacher, who was described as a veteran.

The writing assignment was done before a planned class reading of the memoir "Night," by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel.

For the assignment, the teacher asked students to research Nazi propaganda, then write a letter trying to convince an official of the Third Reich "that Jews are evil and the source of our problems."

"Review in your notebooks the definitions for logos, ethos, and pathos," the teacher's assignment said. "Choose which argument style will be most effective in making your point. Please remember, your life (here in Nazi Germany in the 30's) may depend on it!"

Wyngaard said she didn't think the assignment was malicious but "it displayed a level of insensitivity that we absolutely will not tolerate."

Many of the students were dismayed by the assignment. Some refused to write the essay.

___

Information from: Times Union, http://www.timesunion.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-teacher-assigned-nazi-letter-put-leave-195221762.html

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Hybrid repair costs drop even as standard vehicle fixes get more ...

2013 CarMD? Vehicle Health Index? Reveals 1st Jump in Car Repair Costs in Six Years, But Lower Repair Frequency Nationwide

IRVINE, Calif. (Apr. 9, 2013) ? CarMD.com Corporation, a leading provider of car repair data, today released its 2013 CarMD? Vehicle Health Index? ranking of check engine-related car repairs and costs for model year 1996 to 2012 vehicles. For the first time in six years, car repair costs jumped 10% nationwide to $367.84 on average per repair. The no. 1 most common repair remains a faulty oxygen sensor, which can reduce fuel economy by as much as 40%. With gas prices and repair costs rising, this annual Index sheds light on vehicle failure data and repair trends that impact safety, reduce fuel economy and can result in more expensive and spiraling repairs if left unaddressed.

"On one hand we're seeing an increase in car repair costs that can be attributed to factors such as a market correction and a higher percentage of more expensive repairs related to the aging vehicle population, but on a more positive note we see costs for hybrid repairs continuing to drop and drivers making fewer check engine-related trips to the repair shop," said Ieon C. Chen, CEO, CarMD. "The broad findings in the CarMD Vehicle Health Index can empower consumers to extend vehicle life through informed repair and maintenance decisions. Whether you make repairs yourself or seek service from a trusted professional, the most common check engine-related repairs demonstrate that addressing small problems early is key to saving time and money."
The 2013 CarMD Vehicle Health Index analyzes more than 161,000 repairs input and validated by CarMD's nationwide network of ASE-certified technicians from Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2012. The full Index is available at http://corp.carmd.com.

Overall, Repair Costs are Up Last year saw a 10% increase in car repair costs to pre-recession rates, with parts up 6% and labor costs rising 17%. The hardest hit region was the Northeast with an 11.56% increase.

? With average vehicle age now surpassing 11 years, costly and catastrophic repairs continue to rise. The 15 most expensive repairs saw a 24% jump in frequency.
? For the first time, battery and charging system problems appeared in the top 10 most common check engine-related repairs moving from no. 10 to no. 16, partially due to computers on newer models that now track insufficient charging voltage, including failing batteries and alternators. Car batteries are also susceptible to heat, as are many other car parts such as cooling systems, transmissions and a range of fluids. As the U.S. logged its hottest year on record in 2012, the Index data demonstrates the effects of heat on vehicle parts and the need for drivers to adapt their maintenance routines accordingly.
? Recall-related repairs have also emerged among common repairs, as have fixes related to newer systems such as antilock brakes and residual effects of parts failing due to the effects of higher percentage ethanol-blend fuels.
Good News for Car Owners Manufacturers are making cars and their parts to last longer with longer maintenance and repair intervals. This coupled with consumers becoming savvier in addressing minor car repairs from home has resulted in a 1.3% drop in check engine-related trips to the repair shop last year.
? Hybrid repair costs continue to drop with increased volume of hybrids on the road, and parts and people qualified to service them. The most expensive repair in 2011 was "replace hybrid inverter assembly" at $4,098, which decreased by nearly 5% in 2012. Hybrid repairs no longer hold the top spot, which is now "Replace Transmission Assembly and Reprogram Electronic Control Module" at more than $5,400.
? Vehicle owners are also taking care of diagnosing and repairing smaller problems, like the pesky loose gas cap, themselves.

Impact on Gas Mileage As fuel prices rise, CarMD's Index accentuates the need for consumers to be aware that driving with the check engine light on often indicates a problem that can negatively impact fuel economy. The top five most common check engine-related problems reduce fuel economy and often escalate into more serious problems if left unrepaired.
1. The most common repair, "replace oxygen sensor" can lead to a 40% reduction in gas mileage if ignored, which equates to roughly $1.50 per gallon or $900 per year in extra fuel costs. A faulty O2 sensor can also lead to costly catalytic converter damage.
2. The second most common repair is "tighten or replace gas cap." Loose or missing gas caps cost drivers time and money, triggering the check engine light and a repair shop visit, and a 0.5% decrease in gas mileage.
3. At no. 3, "Replace catalytic converter(s)" rose 7% to $1,101.44 on average. In most cases, a catalytic converter won't fail unless a related part such as a spark plug or O2 sensor is ignored for too long. A damaged catalytic converter can result in fuel consumption loss up to 20% and eventually cause a vehicle to quit working altogether.
4. "Replace ignition coil(s) and spark plug(s)" costs increased nearly 7% from $296.87 in 2011 to $316.58 in 2012. As the fourth most common repair, Ignition coils often fail due to bad spark plugs resulting in the replacement of both parts. They can also decrease fuel economy by up to 20%, costing drivers an extra $450 per year extra at the pump given today's gas prices.
5. The small but mighty spark plug returns to the top 5 list this year. The average cost to replace spark plugs and wires jumped nearly 9% this year. Ignore a spark plug and risk ignition coil and eventual catalytic converter damage, as well as roughly a 2% reduction in fuel economy.

CarMD's free Vehicle Health ScoreCard? tool, available at www.carmd.com/ScoreCard, helps consumers gauge their vehicle's health, and gain access to the most common repairs and related costs for their specific vehicle.

About The CarMD Vehicle Health Index Beginning in 1996, the government mandated on-board diagnostics (OBD2) for all foreign and domestic cars, light trucks, minivans, SUVs and now hybrids sold in the United States. This technology detects malfunctions, sets a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and turns on the check engine light if a problem is detected. The system is currently installed on about 85 percent of vehicles nationwide. CarMD's network of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)-certified technicians has built the largest, most up-to-date-database of DTCs, expert fixes and repair costs. This database, from which CarMD draws its Vehicle Health Index?, adds and validates more than 500 new repairs daily. It is released each April in conjunction with National Car Care Awareness Month to provide vehicle owners and the industry with a comprehensive and independent report on vehicle repair trends. This 2013 Index statistically analyzes more than 161,000 repairs. For more information, including the complete Index, methodology and archived data, visit http://corp.carmd.com.

Source: http://green.autoblog.com/2013/04/11/hybrid-repair-costs-drop-standard-vehicle-fixes-expensive/

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