dreary bountiful: March 2013

Sunday, March 31, 2013

BrowserCheck Business Edition

Large companies have IT personnel responsible for tracking software users have on their computers. For the small business, the task generally falls to end-users and one IT person already burdened with a long to-do list. If the user doesn't keep up with updates and IT doesn't notice, that is a security risk. Considering the amount of Web-based threats out there, the free BrowserCheck scanner from Qualys is a quick way to ensure Web browsers and installed plug-ins are up-to-date.

Cyber-criminals have a choice between buying?or creating?attacks targeting either zero-day vulnerabilities or older security flaws. The latter type is much cheaper and readily available. ?Recent research has shown a significant number of computers run outdated software. Targeting older software can be pretty lucrative.

Qualys offers BrowserCheck (three stars) for personal use and BrowserCheck Business Edition, both for free. The personal version scans the end user's computer and generates a security profile right away. BrowserCheck Business Edition collects the scan results from each computer and displays them in a dashboard. At one glance, the administrator can tell what browsers and plug-ins have been installed. For Windows machines, administrators can also check the status of antivirus and firewall protection, as well as the latest security updates via Windows Update. Thanks to automated scanning, BrowserCheck Business Edition allows administrators to schedule future scans to monitor any changes to the computer's software security profile.

Getting Started
I signed up for a BrowserCheck Business Edition on the Qualys site with a non-webmail account, as Qualys does not accept addresses from Web providers such as Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail. Businesses that don't have their own domain name and rely on these email services are blocked from using the scanner, unless they have some other email address to use instead.

The dashboard's tables and graphs offer a bird's-eye view of how many insecure browsers and plug-ins are in the organization. I viewed detailed scanning results for each system and historic reports, as well as platform statistics, such as the most frequently installed plug-ins and browsers.

BrowserCheck supports server and desktop Windows versions all the way from Windows 2000 to Windows 8, Mac OS X, and Linux. I ran a basic scan using the stock Web browser for Android but not for Firefox, and I didn't test on iOS. Qualys can also analyze alternative Web browsers, such as Maxthon, Seamonkey, and Rockmelt.

BrowserCheck, Administrator
The administrator controls all the BrowserCheck settings, such as scanning all the browsers installed on the computer at the same time, checking if the antivirus, firewall, and Windows Update are turned on (Windows only), looking for missing Microsoft Security Updates (also Windows only), and setting up an automated scheduler.

The administrator can send the customized Quick Scan URL listed under account settings to users. When someone clicks on this link, BrowserCheck scans the computer and saves the results back to the dashboard. The no-install scanner can check the plug-ins and version number for that browser only. This is a nice and simple way for the administrator to see all the results of all the machines in one place. Even so, the BrowserCheck plug-in is the better option.

Administrators can email the link to the plug-in and ask users to install it manually, or push out the MSI agent onto the computers via a software distribution tool or a script. If the organization didn't already have a software distribution tool that can push out files to user computers, administrators would have to rely on users, or take the time to make the rounds and install the plug-in themselves.

BrowserCheck can also be silent, where the user doesn't get to see the results of the scan as it is sent directly to the dashboard.

BrowserCheck, User-Side
All the end-user has to worry about is clicking on the Quick Scan link from IT to run the no-install scanner or downloading and installing the plug-in. The administrator determines what to scan and how often, making the process really simple for the user.

The plug-in-based scanner collects machine information, such as the operating system and the machine name, and associates the scan results with the machine name in the dashboard. The no-install scanner results are saved without any machine-identifying information. It's more helpful to tell the administrator which computer has the outdated Java plug-in, rather than just saying one computer needed to be updated.

If "silent mode" wasn't on, the user would see the results, a list of all installed plug-ins and their statuses. BrowserCheck has 13 different types of statuses, such as Obsolete and Retired. Outdated ones appear first, with red "Insecure Version" and blue "Fix It" buttons, followed by yellow "Update Available" buttons to indicate the updates were non-security related. Up-to-date plug-ins have green buttons, and all the ones BrowserCheck doesn't recognize have gray "Unknown" buttons.

Clicking on "Fix It" or "Update Available" buttons downloads the latest versions, but there's no way to automate getting the latest updates.

The scan results page look very similar to Mozilla's own plugin check.?With BrowserCheck, though, I could view the status of the plugins for each browser, along with system-specific data for Windows machines. I was concerned that nearly half of the plug-ins were flagged as "unknown" by BrowserCheck. While great for Windows OS and for common plug-ins, there is quite a lot the scanner doesn't recognize.

BrowserCheck for Security
For small businesses falling behind on patch management and regular software updates, BrowserCheck Business Edition is a great first step. There is nothing worse in security than not doing anything at all, so being able to see which computers have unsafe browsers or are missing security updates is a positive move.

If you just want a quick system that will tell you the state of your browsers and operating systems across your Windows network, BrowserCheck is sufficient. If you don't have a way to automatically deploy the MSI across all the computers, BrowserCheck will not be as effective as you depend on the users to install the plug-in. BrowserCheck Business Edition is the easiest way to ensure browsers and plug-ins within your organization are up-to-date with the latest security patches. If you need a little bit more, such as automated patching, investing in a more robust platform such as Panorama9?may be the way to go.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/7Fd-YK4CUfI/0,2817,2417226,00.asp

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Tips, Advice And Ideas For Home Improvement Success | Everything ...

Getting through a home improvement project is a thing that can do a lot for your family. You need to become educated on the process, though. Use the following tips to turn your house into your dream home.

Don?t decide on any major home renovations without taking a look at homes in brand new subdivisions. There, you can see how others have been using the newest colors and styles to decorate their homes. Many model homes even hire a decorator to include window coverings and furniture to complete the effect, so you can copy the ones you like best and skip a lot of trial and error when updating your own home.

To add texture and make your walls look unique, apply both glossy and flat paints of the same color. Use two coats of the flat paint followed by stenciled or freehand glossy paint over it. Glossy paint is going to reflect light, giving it visual interest that?s subtle.

When the grout colors available don?t cut it, customize your own. A great paint for your tiles is acrylic craft paint, which can be found at virtually every hobby and discount store. You can experiment with adding paint to a small sample of grout, then you can test out shades on a paper plate.

It?s interesting to see what some people settle for when it comes to the paint schemes in their homes. Then there are people who do pick out their own color schemes but make idiosyncratic choices that are unappealing to guests and potential home-buyers. Take the time to select the perfect paint schemes, and you?ll see just how much a few coats of paint can do for your house.

You should never put off addressing mold or rust issues, even if they seem minor. These problems generally occur in homes that are older and may end up becoming very large problems quickly. Getting these things taken care of shouldn?t take you a lot of time. When you procrastinate, they?ll only get worse. If your mold problem is minor, you may be able to fix it with a bit of bleach. Sand small areas of rust away.

Those who live in a dry climate are better off with white or red cedar fences. Cedar is very durable and also has a nice smell. It is rated high when it comes to safety concerning wildfires.

If a designer just isn?t in your budget, get to work. Look online to find inspiration. Something you see on a magazine page can inspire your home improvement project. These resources can also provide information for less expensive projects that you can do on your own.

If you?re going to take on a home improvement project by yourself, you should write down the plan you?re hoping to follow, then have a professional look it over for you. If you overlook an important step during the planning phase, it can result in work that is subpar or a renovation that is more expensive than what you budgeted for.

There are both positives and negatives associated with home improvement. Certain home improvement projects backfire, making the house more difficult to sell. Follow these rules to get the most bang for your buck regarding your improvements.

Expert Wichita KS deck contractors services add beautiful space for outdoor entertaining.

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Restorative justice: One high school's path to reducing suspensions by half

In one tough high school in Oakland, Calif., a restorative justice program has cut suspensions in half in just a year.

By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo,?Staff writer / March 31, 2013

Ralph J. Bunche Academy principal Betsye Steele speaks to students at the alternative school's restorative justice appreciation lunch on March 14 in Oakland, California.

Ann Hermes/The Christian Science Monitor

Enlarge

In the open-air corridor just outside his classroom, Eric Butler could hear snatches of escalating conflict: two girls talking trash about Mercedes Morgan ? calling her the B-word and, even worse, a liar.

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He saw Mercedes standing apart, pretending not to hear. He called the senior into his room. She was reluctant, resisting his first attempt to find out what was going on. So he started over and introduced himself, made her laugh, asked about her life. He didn't dress or talk like a typical teacher, and he lived nearby in the 'hood.

Here's what really got her curious: He apologized. He told her what he always tells students when he first introduces himself as the restorative justice coordinator at Ralph J. Bunche Academy: "A lot of adults have been promising you things and not following through, and I'm sorry for that. It won't happen with me. I don't blame. I don't punish."

His role, he explained, is to help people resolve problems and repair harm.

Mercedes finally opened up, telling him her friend was accusing her of stealing shoes from her house. It took another half-hour before she trusted him enough to admit it was true ? and that she'd been afraid of what might happen if she "punked out" and didn't fight. The 18-year-old had been fighting with girls since elementary school, as if she didn't know any other way.

All three girls agreed to attend a "circle," an eye-to-eye talk in the folding chairs in "Eric's room" that are always set up in the round. The anger was palpable at first, but Mercedes apologized ? and explained that she'd stolen the shoes to sell them so she could help her mom pay for a drug test. If her mom could prove to the court that she was clean, she might be able to get Mercedes's younger siblings returned to her from protective custody. When the other girls saw Mercedes crying, they empathized and gave her a hug. They didn't ask her to replace what she'd stolen, but they wanted to know that, going forward, she would be trustworthy.

That was shortly after Mercedes had arrived last fall at the 250-student Bunche Academy, a continuation school where she was sent after being expelled because of too many fights at Oakland High School.

"It was cool, because if Eric wasn't here, I probably would have been suspended, but he taught me a way to handle things," Mercedes says. She has surprised herself by managing to avoid fights ever since.

Restorative justice, which has cut suspensions by more than half at Bunche, is one of several strategies the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is embracing as it attempts a seismic shift in the culture of discipline ? from punitive to preventive, exclusion to inclusion.

A model of restorative justice

Increasingly, adults here are tossing lifelines to students who've had trouble at home, felt harassed by police, or witnessed traumatizing crimes in one of the most violent cities in the country. Oakland's overall rate of suspension mirrors the nation's, with about 7 percent of OUSD students suspended in the 2010-11 school year. School discipline is now a focus because, for years, African-American students have been suspended and expelled at very high rates.

In the 2011-12 school year, African-Americans made up 32 percent of Oakland's students but 63 percent of the students suspended. In middle schools, principals suspended about 1 out of 3 black boys.

The US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights investigated whether the discipline was discriminatory. Before making a legal finding, OCR collaborated with the district last fall on a five-year voluntary resolution plan to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and the racial disparity.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/kCvGhOrUUCg/Restorative-justice-One-high-school-s-path-to-reducing-suspensions-by-half

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South Korea Warns North of Punishment Should War Declaration Go Beyond Words (Voice Of America)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295564678?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Digital evolution: DNA may bring computers to life

By Tanya Lewis
LiveScience

The transistor revolutionized electronics and computing. Now, researchers have made a biological transistor from DNA that could be used to create living computers.

A transistor is a device that controls the flow of electrons in an electrical circuit, which acts as an on-off switch. Similarly, the biological transistor? termed a transcriptor ? controls the flow of an enzyme as it moves along a strand of DNA?(deoxyribonucleic acid). These cellular building blocks could be used to do anything from monitoring their environment to turning processes on and off in the cells. The findings were reported Thursday?in the journal Science.

"Transcriptors are the key component behind amplifying genetic logic," lead author Jerome Bonnet, a bioengineer at Stanford University, said in a statement. On their own, these devices do not represent a computer, but they allow for logical operations, such as "if this-then that" commands, one of three basic functions of computers (the other two being storing and transmitting information).

To make the transcriptors, the researchers took a group of natural proteins, the workhorses of cells, and used them to control how the enzyme known as RNA polymerase zipped along a DNA molecule. The team used these transcriptors to create the mathematical operators that perform computations using Boolean logic.

1s and 0s
Boolean logic, named for the 19th-century mathematician George Boole, refers to a branch of math in which variables can have a true or false value (a 1 or a 0). In a Boolean circuit, the logic gates are like traffic conductors, deciding which of these values gets transmitted. [Album: The World's Most Beautiful Equations]

For example, the "AND" gate takes in two values as input, and only outputs 1 (a true value) if both inputs are 1. An "OR" gate, by contrast, outputs a 1 if either of its inputs is 1. Combining these simple gates in different ways gives rise to even the most complex forms of computing.

The scientists created biological versions of these logic gates, by carefully calibrating the flow of enzymes along the DNA (just like electrons inside a wire). They chose enzymes that would be able to function in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, so that biological computers might be made with a wide variety of organisms, Bonnet said.

Living Computers
Like the transistor, one main function of the transcriptor is to amplify signals. Just as transistor radios amplify weak radio waves into audible sound, transcriptors can amplify a very small change in the production of an enzyme to produce large changes in the production of other proteins. Amplification allows signals to be carried over large distances, such as between a group of cells.

The new technology offers some electric possibilities: sensing when a cell has been exposed to sugar or caffeine, for example, and storing that information like a value in computer memory. Or telling cells to start or stop dividing depending on stimuli in their environment.

The researchers have made their biological logic gates available to the public to encourage people to use and improve them.

Follow Tanya Lewis on Twitter?and Google+.?Follow us @livescience, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a23293c/l/0Lscience0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C290C175177270Edigital0Eevolution0Edna0Emay0Ebring0Ecomputers0Eto0Elife0Dlite/story01.htm

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Mauritius unemployment rises to 8.1 percent in 2012

By Jean Paul Arouff

PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - The unemployment rate in Mauritius rose to 8.1 percent in 2012 from 7.9 percent a year earlier, data showed on Friday, pushed up by a weak global economy that hurt the island's tourism sector and exports.

Statistics Mauritius said that, in the fourth quarter, the jobless rate rose by 0.3 percentage points to 7.8 percent.

The island state's international trade, which includes textile products, is heavily skewed towards the economically troubled euro zone, accounting for 67 percent of exports. The region is also the biggest source of tourists.

The statistics agency this week said it had cut its growth forecast for this year to 3.5 percent from 3.7 percent, citing a deeper contraction in the construction industry.

The Bank of Mauritius left its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 4.9 percent this month.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mauritius-unemployment-rises-8-1-percent-2012-124142324--finance.html

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Women's new place in combat: A Yahoo! News chat

By Martyn Herman LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Whether by design, necessity, self-interest or because of all three, nurturing youngsters has become fashionable for England's elite with no expense spared in the hunt for the new Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard. The length and breadth of the country, scouts from top clubs are hoovering up promising footballers barely old enough to tie their bootlaces in a bid to unearth the 30 million pounds ($45.40 million) treasures of the future. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/what%E2%80%99s-new-and-what%E2%80%99s-not-for-women-in-war--a-yahoo--news-chat-171220929.html

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Friday, March 29, 2013

New system to restore wetlands could reduce massive floods, aid crops

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Engineers at Oregon State University have developed a new interactive system to create networks of small wetlands in Midwest farmlands, which could help the region prevent massive spring floods and also retain water and mitigate droughts in a warming climate.

The planning tool, which is being developed and tested in a crop-dominated watershed near Indianapolis, is designed to identify the small areas best suited to wetland development, optimize their location and size, and restore a significant portion of the region's historic water storage ability by using only a small fraction of its land.

Using this approach, the researchers found they could capture the runoff from 29 percent of a watershed using only 1.5 percent of the entire area.

The findings were published in Ecological Engineering, a professional journal, and a website is now available at http://wrestore.iupui.edu/ that allows users to apply the principles to their own land.

The need for new approaches to assist farmers and agencies to work together and use science-based methods is becoming critical, experts say. Massive floods and summer droughts have become more common and intense in the Midwest because of climate change and decades of land management that drains water rapidly into rivers via tile drains.

"The lands of the Midwest, which is one of the great food producing areas of the world, now bear little resemblance to their historic form, which included millions of acres of small lakes and wetlands that have now been drained," said Meghna Babbar-Sebens, an assistant professor of civil and construction engineering at Oregon State. "Agriculture, deforestation, urbanization and residential development have all played a role.

"We have to find some way to retain and slowly release water, both to use it for crops and to prevent flooding," Babbar-Sebens said. "There's a place for dams and reservoirs but they won't solve everything. With increases in runoff, what was once thought to be a 100-year flood event is now happening more often.

"Historically, wetlands in Indiana and other Midwestern states were great at intercepting large runoff events and slowing down the flows," she said. "But Indiana has lost more than 85 percent of the wetlands it had prior to European settlement."

An equally critical problem is what appears to be increasing frequency of summer drought, she said, which may offer a solid motivation for the region's farmers to become involved. The problem is not just catastrophic downstream flooding in the spring, but also the loss of water and soil moisture in the summer that can be desperately needed in dry years.

The solution to both issues, scientists say, is to "re-naturalize" the hydrology of a large section of the United States. Working toward this goal was a research team from Oregon State University, Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, the Wetlands Institute in New Jersey, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They used engineering principles, historic analysis and computer simulations to optimize the effectiveness of any land use changes, so that minimal land use alteration would offer farmers and landowners a maximum of benefits.

In the Midwest, many farmers growing corn, soybeans and other crops have placed "tiles" under their fields to rapidly drain water into streams, which dries the soil and allows for earlier planting. Unfortunately, it also concentrates pollutants, increases flooding and leaves the land drier during the summer. Without adequate rain, complete crop losses can occur.

Experts have also identified alternate ways to help, including the use of winter cover crops and grass waterways that help retain and more slowly release water. And the new computer systems can identify the best places for all of these approaches to be used.

###

Oregon State University: http://www.orst.edu

Thanks to Oregon State University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127505/New_system_to_restore_wetlands_could_reduce_massive_floods__aid_crops

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Hagel: B-2s not intended to provoke North Korea (The Arizona Republic)

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Russian court acquits politician of humiliating former child inmates of ...

A court in western Russia?s Smolensk Region has canceled a ruling ordering a member of the local legislature to pay compensation to former inmates of Nazi concentration camps, who claimed that the politician insulted them in a public speech.

The acquittal concerned a scandal last year in which Andrey Yershov, a member of the Smolensk city council, opposed paying benefits to former child inmates of Nazi concentration camps. ?What do we owe top these inmates? The fact that they were not finished off?? the deputy said in a speech to the council, immediately sparking a burst of reprimands from fellow politicians, the public and organizations that represent victims of Nazism.

The governor of the region suggested that Yershov should apologize and leave Smolensk. Yershov did apologize, saying that his words were taken out of context and that he had actually suggested granting benefits to all children of the war, not only to those who were put in concentration camps. After these remarks he remained both in Smolensk and his post, only resigning as the head of the ethics commission of the city council.

Two former child concentration camp inmates sued Yershov and won compensation of 10,000 rubles (about $330) each, after the court ruled him guilty of publicly humiliating the dignity of a person based on their belonging to a social group.

The deputy appealed the ruling, and after a lengthy process a regional court overturned the ruling.

The court officials refused to comment on the decision, saying that all documents on the case will be prepared in two weeks? time.

A top official of the parliamentary majority United Russia announced on Wednesday that the party supported the petition in which citizens called for early termination of Yershov?s powers as a legislator. ?People like Yershov have no place in a civilized society, even more so in a power structure,? the secretary of United Russia?s General Council, Sergey Neverov, has said.

Source: http://rt.com/politics/inmates-nazi-concentration-camps-915/

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

First Impressions: 2013 Vancouver International Auto Show | Vancity ...

Vancouver Canada News First Impressions: 2013 Vancouver International Auto Show

It?s the time of year when the New Car Dealers Association of BC gathers their rosebuds and packs into the Convention Centre, all the new automotive offerings for the BC market. Car manufacturers from around the world have rolled into town to showcase their latest and greatest and to compete for your hard earned dollar, while the media (myself included) replenished our stocks of 2GB flash drive press kits courtesy of the friendly brand reps.

With the New York Auto Show happening at the same time, it?s hard to compete with all the whizbang announcements coming from out east, so this year?s show is heavy on the meat and potatoes, but doesn?t skimp out on green offerings, with a strong focus on clean energy vehicles and fuel efficiency. Almost every car manufacturer at the show offers some sort of hybrid or fuel sipping model, so if debating the finer points of which car will give you the least range anxiety is your cup of tea, the Auto Show, which runs straight through till Sunday, is the place to sip it.

The Ford booth takes up a big chunk of real estate and spaces their cars far enough apart so that people can feel comfortable enough to open the door and take a seat behind the wheel. Ford?s done a lot in the last 10 years to change it?s image from lumbering conglomerate, to forward thinking car-maker by developing technologies that are offered across the entire product line, rather than trickling down over time from higher end models. This way consumers, from oldschool brand loyalists to first time buyers can experience such features as automatic parallel parking, handsfree trunk release and voice controlled functionality. The Ford Focus EV and Fusion Energy feature prominently, and are even available for test drives on site at the Green Ride and Drive, which puts you behind the wheel of a clean energy vehicle.

Chevy came in with their usual Volt and a new Impala, but their most interesting reveals were the Chevy Code and Chevy Tru concepts. These two sporty cars are designed with input from the target under 30 demographic are part of a contest which pits them against one another in a contest to see which one actually makes it to dealerships. You can vote on which one you like best, onsite.

Volkswagen has pulled the covers off the new Super Beetle and Beetle Convertible, based on the last year?s much needed redesign. Also in the VW mix are the Jetta Turbo Hybrid which the folks at Vokswagen Canada were nice enough to let me take for a week long test drive.

There?s Smarts and Subarus, Bimmers and Benzos, some Scions and Kias and Nissans too. Honda brought their wedgy Gear concept and there?s even a Lexus LFA somewhere in there as well. The few supercars at the show are standard Vancouver fare and not anything we don?t see on the streets, everyday, and as usual, high performance brands such as Ferarri and Porsche are suspiciously absent, or so well hidden that I wasn?t able to find them.

Swing back next week for my review of the show.

Source: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/03/first-impresions-2013-vancouver-international-auto-show/

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A Batman Coffee Table Bruce Wayne Wish He Had

Because we all dreamed about being Bruce Wayne once upon a time (or to this day), here's something you can get that he could never: a batman logo coffee table. Made by Charles Lushear of the Bohemian Workshop, the coffee table is carved from wood with hairpin legs and is a must for any comic book geek still living with his parents or someone who has a really understanding girlfriend (or boyfriend). More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/4BU1EanVmus/a-batman-coffee-table-bruce-wayne-wish-he-had

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State Rep. pushes for bill that requires health insurance providers to ...

State Representative Rick Stream (R)?of Kirkwood is pushing for a bill that would require health?insurance providers and health benefit plans to provide coverage to individuals with eating disorders, and for the diagnosis and treatment options.

The coverage would also include psychiatric, medical treatment, and other treatment options prescribed by a health care professional. Stream?s push for the bill stems?from personal tragedy. His daughter Katie, who was just 18 years old, died from battling bulimia in 1995. ?She had bulimia for just under three years, so it went pretty fast for her,? he said. ?We had her in treatment, but she couldn?t stop. It?s an addiction.? He says treatment for eating disorders has changed drastically in the past 17 years.

Stream says his daughter binged and purged for nearly three years, and he said as a parent, it?s difficult to see your child slowly dying. He says treatment options have?taken on a multi-faceted approach. ?Nutrition, as well as the counseling aspect- because it is a psychiatric condition, so you have to treat the mind as well as the body,? Stream said. ?And it?s not about the food, it?s about body perception primarily by young women, but also young men too.?

In an effort to educate other legislators on the need for eating disorder insurance coverage, The National Eating Disorders Association is holding its 5th annual Missouri Advocacy Day on Thursday at the Missouri?State Capitol.

To view Representative Stream?s proposed bill (HB131), click here.

AUDIO:?Mary Farucci reports. (1:03)

Source: http://www.missourinet.com/2013/03/26/state-rep-pushes-for-bill-that-requires-health-insurance-providers-to-cover-eating-disorders-audio/

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Hands-on with Katamari Damacy creator's crazy 16-button game controller (video)

DNP Special 16button controller gets demoed with Katamari Damacy's creator's new game

You don't often see a video game specifically designed for a 16-button bespoke controller and for a special one-time party, but that's exactly what Keita Takahashi has done with Tenya Wanya Teens. If that name sounds familiar, it's because Takahashi is responsible for the enormously popular game franchise that is Katamari Damacy along with cult favorite Noby Noby Boy. Teens is his first foray as an independent creator under Uvula, a studio he formed with his wife Asuka Sakai, and is a result of a collaboration with event organizers Wild Rumpus and video game website Venus Patrol. As for the party in question, it's one that is being held concurrently with the 2013 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, which is where we saw the controllers and the game in action.

As you can see above, the controller looks a lot like a modified arcade stick. A hand-made effort by programmer George Buckenham, both boxes were built in about five days for around £200 ($302.50) each. According to Buckenham, the easiest part was assembling the electronics; it was the plywood housing that took him awhile to master. As for the game, Tenya Wanya Teens is a highly whimsical affair that is described as "a coming-of-age tale about love, hygiene, monsters and finding discarded erotic magazines in the woods." Tasks include peeing in the shower, punching monsters and taking on grizzly bears.

Gallery: Tenya Wanya Teens 16-button controller