R&B star Usher encourages Columbus students to try computer programming

All week, the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at Columbus Middle School have been playing Flappy Bird, a simple computer game that combines the addictiveness of Angry Birds with the game play of Super Mario.

Teachers are encouraging this, and other games like it, because the students earned it: They programmed the games.

Their school is one of thousands around the world participating in the second annual Hour of Code. The event is sponsored by Code.org, a nonprofit organization seeking to introduce computer science to K-12 students.

As natives to a digital world, young people grow up with computers, and much of their social lives now play out online. But as with older generations, they are largely unfamiliar with the language that builds the programs because computer science still isnt taught in many schools.

When you get on a social media site, it just comes up, said Meghan Reed, a seventh-grade student.

Columbus, like most districts in Montana, doesnt have the money to offer programming elective classes. But teachers hope the Hour of Code at least exposes students to a skill required for one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States and may inspire some to learn to program on their own.

Many of the middle school students have taken it up with zeal.

Its easier than you think, when you start doing it, said Garrick Conner, a sixth-grader.

Conner was directing a squirrel on his computer screen to travel along a path to find an acorn, giving instructions so the critter wouldnt fall off.

You sort of keep adding on until you get over here, he said, and thats coding.

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R&B star Usher encourages Columbus students to try computer programming

A computer glitch paralyzes London's Heathrow Airport for hours

A computer problem that shuts down an airport sounds kind of like the start of a terrible action movie. But five airports in the United Kingdomwere effectively shut down for several hours on Friday thanks to computers on the fritz. That includedHeathrow, one of Europe's busiest hubs.

So what happened?Just your basic computer glitch.

Airline security expert Chris Yates was not surprised.I thought, 'Not again,' quite frankly, Yates says.This not the first time this has happened. It happened this time last year. It happened a couple of years ago as well.

The air traffic control system simply isn'tcapable of standing up to thedemands of peak travel periods, according to Yates. And thats no small problem,because allair traffic controlin the UK is computer-driven.

The vast majority of all of the data is handled by this super computer," Yates explains, and "as the air traffic control system has developed, its become ever more complex."

The maintraffic control system, locatedin southern England,monitors all of the air traffic coming to and from a large swath of air space that reaches from theScottish borderdown to the southern tip of the United Kingdom.

That is completely separate from control at London Heathrow or London Gatwick. It is a control center that controls flights once theyve left airports or when theyre on the way to airports,Yates explains.Itnot only handles all of the voice communication between aircraft and controllers, but it also handles the eyes in the sky, if you will the visual display of where all the aircraft are in any given moment.

From PRI's The World 2014 Public Radio International

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A computer glitch paralyzes London's Heathrow Airport for hours

Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Disconnection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28. – Video


Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Disconnection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28.
His nickname is The Jiu-Jitsu Super Computer because his high level of understanding and attention to detail about the gentle art. These great qualities along with his conceptual approach...

By: JiuJitsuMag

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Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Disconnection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28. - Video

Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Connection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28. – Video


Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Connection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28.
His nickname is The Jiu-Jitsu Super Computer because his high level of understanding and attention to detail about the gentle art. These great qualities along with his conceptual approach...

By: JiuJitsuMag

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Henry Akins, "Invisible Jiu-Jitsu" Connection: Jiu-Jitsu Magazine, Issue #28. - Video

Super Dell makes disruptive federal court appearance

SALT LAKE CITY He was known for his TV antics promoting his computer company, but now, Dell Super Dell Schanze may become known for kicking an owl while flying a motorized paraglider.

Schanze appeared in federal court Thursday for misdemeanor charges related to reports and video footage of him kicking an owl in February or March 2011. But before his hearing even began, he was loud, disruptive and interruptive.

Other news organizations reported he lashed out at them, even calling one evil. While waiting for his own case, he made loud and rude comments about other cases.

At one point, U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooke Wells asked the defendant in another case to give up his firearms as a condition of his release.

Schanze, 45, yelled, Thats totally unconstitutional ... Thats not cool at all.

He was handcuffed and escorted out of the room until he could be compliant in the courtroom.

When he did return, he was uncooperative with Wells, who at one point said, Im not going to play these games.

But Wells managed to get a plea out of the former TV pitchman -- not guilty, he told her.

Wells eventually appointed him a public defender, Kent Hart, and set a one-day trial for Feb. 17.

Schanze was once a TV pitchman in commercials for his company Totally Awesome Computers, and he also ran as the Libertarian candidate for governor.

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Super Dell makes disruptive federal court appearance

DIY computer kit gives gift of coding

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

For $150, parents can buy their kids a Kano computer kit, a present that just might jumpstart techie careers.

Kano is a DIY set that lets kids (or adults) build a computer and learn basic coding skills to program it.

Last year, Kano raised $1.5 million on Kickstarter -- far surpassing its $100,000 campaign goal, which it hit in just 16 hours. And it attracted the attention of high-profile backers like Apple's (AAPL, Tech30) Steve Wozniak. Now available for the general public, Kano has shipped 20,000 kits around the world.

"The intention was to make coding and computer science -- often presented in a dry way -- feel like an expressive art form," said co-founder Alex Klein, 24, who launched the London-based startup with his cousin Saul Klein, 44, and Israeli entrepreneur Yonatan Raz-Fridman, 31.

So, how exactly does one do this?

First, the colorful Kano kit (which is manufactured in China) must be assembled. It contains twelve components, including: Raspberry Pi board (the brains of the computer, it's about as powerful as an iPhone 4), build-your-own speaker, wireless orange keyboard, transparent case, WiFi connector and two illustration books (kid-friendly manuals that read like stories -- they come in seven languages). But you'll need your own monitor, as it's not included.

Related: 6 things you need to know about STEM

Then, the computer can be connected to the Internet and users can start learning basic coding (there are six Kano Levels on the computer; more are available for download).

With code, users can build games like Pong and Snake, build servers or worlds in Minecraft, or remake projects shared on Kano World.

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DIY computer kit gives gift of coding

R&B star Usher encourages Columbus students try out computer programming

All week, the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students at Columbus Middle School have been playing Flappy Bird, a simple computer game that combines the addictiveness of Angry Birds with the game play of Super Mario.

Teachers are encouraging this, and other games like it, because the students earned it: They programmed the games.

Their school is one of thousands around the world participating in the second annual Hour of Code. The event is sponsored by Code.org, a nonprofit organization seeking to introduce computer science to K-12 students.

As natives to a digital world, young people grow up with computers, and much of their social lives now play out online. But as with older generations, they are largely unfamiliar with the language that builds the programs because computer science still isn't taught in many schools.

When you get on a social media site, it just comes up, said Meghan Reed, a seventh-grade student.

Columbus, like most districts in Montana, doesn't have the money to offer programming elective classes. But teachers hope the Hour of Code at least exposes students to a skill required for one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States and may inspire some to learn to program on their own.

Many of the middle school students have taken it up with zeal.

Its easier than you think, when you start doing it, said Garrick Conner, a sixth-grader.

Conner was directing a squirrel on his computer screen to travel along a path to find an acorn, giving instructions so the critter wouldn't fall off.

You sort of keep adding on until you get over here, he said, and thats coding.

Read more:

R&B star Usher encourages Columbus students try out computer programming

'Super Dell' handcuffed after interrupting federal judge

On Thursday, Schanze was sitting in the front row of the public section of Salt Lake Citys federal courtroom waiting for his first appearance on two misdemeanor wildlife charges while a court hearing was in progress in another case.

Wells had just told a man with a lengthy arrest record on drug charges, and who was currently in court for alleged possession of stolen ammunition, that she would release him from custody pending his trial but he had to agree not to possess dangerous weapons or ammunition. If he was going to live with his father as planned, then the father also had to remove those items from his home, Wells said.

That prompted Schanze to stand up and interrupt.

"Your honor thats totally unconstitutional," he said. "How can you force his father to take his weapons from his house?"

Wells told Schanze to sit down and be quiet, but he persisted and was removed from the courtroom.

When his case was called, Schanze was brought back with his cuffed behind him. Wells asked Schanze if he wished to have a court-appointed attorney.

"I would move to dismiss the case," he said, adding that the video on which his case is based was doctored.

Wells told him that was improper at this stage of his case, and then she and Schanze went back and forth over a financial statement he provided in order to qualify for a court-appointed attorney.

Schanze said he didnt know what his total income was since his wife keeps separate accounts. After more exchanges, during which Wells warned Schanze to only answer questions and not interrupt, he finally agreed that his financial statement was an accurate accounting of his income.

That settled, an attorney was appointed and Schanze pleaded not guilty to knowingly using an aircraft to harass wildlife and pursuing a migratory bird from his paraglider near Utah Lake in 2011, incidents that showed up on videos posted on YouTube.

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'Super Dell' handcuffed after interrupting federal judge

A Couch Potato's Guide to the 16 Best Super Bowl Ads of All Time

1967 Sixty-five million Americans tune in to Super Bowl Iat the time the most ever for a sporting event.

With an audience of 111.5 million viewers, the 2014 Super Bowl was the most watched TV show in U.S. history. As the number of at-home spectators soars, so too have the rates advertisers pay to reach them: A 30-second spot in 2014 went for $4 million. Heres a couch potatos guide to what after-game polls have deemed the most memorable Super Bowl commercials. Not-to-be skipped ads 1973: Joe Namath and Farrah Fawcett for Noxzema

1976: Xeroxs (XRX) monks

1979: Mean Joe Greene for Coke

1984: Apples (AAPL) board balked at the Ridley Scott-directed 1984 spot, but it spurred strong initial sales of the first Macintosh computer, even though it aired only once. Hear Lee Clow tell the real story behind Apples 1984 Super Bowl ad here.

1984: A 1984 ad from Wendys (WEN) immortalized the phrase Wheres the beef? The tag line worked its way into the Democratic primary pitting Walter Mondale vs. Gary Hart.

1992:Pepsi (PEP) enlisted supermodel Cindy Crawford in 1992 to herald its redesigned can.

1995: Two years after its Bud-wei-ser frogs were a hit during the 1995 Super Bowl, Budweiser (BUD) hired Goodby Silverstein & Partners to kill off the amphibians. We settled on lizards, says agency co-founder Jeff Goodby. They would be like Goodfellas-type characters. Jersey guys. So we cast the thing, and it sounded like these guys were really going to kill the frogs. It wasnt funny, it was scary! So we went, Oh s, its not funny!

1998: Tabascos exploding mosquito

1999: With such memorable lines as When I grow up I want to claw my way up to middle management, a 1999 spot put online job search board Monster.com on the map.

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A Couch Potato's Guide to the 16 Best Super Bowl Ads of All Time

You must be joking – chucking a 15,000 super computer down the stairs? – Video


You must be joking - chucking a 15,000 super computer down the stairs?
Here is a glimpse of how a test was carried out on a new #39;concept #39; - the product in question is a #39;flight cluster #39; - the flight case #39;is #39; the outer case of t...

By: David Thompson

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You must be joking - chucking a 15,000 super computer down the stairs? - Video

Football: Balotelli charged over 'racist' post

LONDON: Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was charged by the Football Association on Friday for re-posting a message on Instagram that contained racist and anti-Semitic references.

Balotelli appeared to endorse an image of computer game character Super Mario on the social media website which included the words "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew". The post was titled "Don't be a racist" and continued: "Be like Mario. He's an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican."

The FA announced in a statement: "Mario Balotelli has been charged by the FA in relation to a recent posting on social media. It is alleged the Liverpool player breached FA rule E3 (1) in that his posting was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper. It is further alleged that this is an 'aggravated breach' as defined by FA rule E3 (2) as it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race and/or nationality and/or religion or belief."

Balotelli deleted the post following criticism from other social media users, but after the FA confirmed it was looking into the matter, he wrote on Twitter: "I apologise if I've offended anyone.

"The post was meant to be anti-racist with humour. I now understand that out of context (it) may have the opposite effect. Not all Mexicans have moustache, not all black people jump high and not all Jewish people love money. I used a cartoon done by someone else because it has Super Mario and I thought it was funny and not offensive. Again, I'm sorry."

Balotelli, who has been a victim of racism throughout his career, initially defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism, tweeting: "My Mom is jewish so all of u shut up please." The 24-year-old, born in Italy to Ghanaian parents and then adopted by an Italian family, also described his decision to repost the image as "my unlucky moment".

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Football: Balotelli charged over 'racist' post

Super Stardust Ultra announced for PS4

PlayStation 4 version adds new planets, graphical upgrades.

Super Stardust HD is coming to PlayStation 4 in early 2015 as Super Stardust Ultra, Sony Computer Entertainment announced.

The game, originally launched for PlayStation 3 in 2007 and then on PS Vita with Super Stardust Delta in 2012, will cost $12.99 on PlayStation 4. Its developed by D3T and Sony XDev.

The PlayStation 4 version features an array of new planets, graphical upgrades, and nine different game modes, including new modes and established favorites from the series and various add-ons.

The game will have an Interactive Streaming mode where viewers of your live PlayStation 4 live stream will be able to vote periodically to change up your gameplay as they watch.

Another new feature allows you to directly send and receive challenges from your online friends.

Two to four player split-screen battles and co-op is also available.

View the first set of screenshots at the gallery.

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Super Stardust Ultra announced for PS4

Balotelli charged over 'racist' message

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was charged by the Football Association on Friday for re-posting a message on Instagram that contained racist and anti-Semitic references.

Balotelli appeared to endorse an image of computer game character Super Mario on the social media website which included the words "jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew".

The post was titled "Don't be a racist" and continued: "Be like Mario. He's an Italian plumber, created by Japanese people, who speaks English and looks like a Mexican."

The FA announced in a statement: "Mario Balotelli has been charged by the FA in relation to a recent posting on social media."

"It is alleged the Liverpool player breached FA rule E3[1] in that his posting was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper.

"It is further alleged that this is an 'aggravated breach' as defined by FA rule E3[2] as it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or colour and/or race and/or nationality and/or religion or belief."

Balotelli deleted the post following criticism from other social media users, but after the FA confirmed it was looking into the matter, he wrote on Twitter: "I apologise if I've offended anyone.

"The post was meant to be anti-racist with humour. I now understand that out of context (it) may have the opposite effect. Not all Mexicans have moustache, not all black people jump high and not all Jewish people love money.

"I used a cartoon done by someone else because it has Super Mario and I thought it was funny and not offensive. Again, I'm sorry."

Balotelli, who has been a victim of racism throughout his career, initially defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism, tweeting: "My Mom is jewish so all of u shut up please."

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Balotelli charged over 'racist' message