Author: Serkadis

South Korea has just released beautiful schematics and visualizations for a natural preserve — to be housed in a series of state-of-the-art, glassed in domes totaling 33,000 square meters. Including an indoor wetland and botanical gardens, in addition to an education center and environmental think tank.

The landmark technology behind the project, dubbed the “Ecorium,” is the architecture devised by Korean firm SAMOO. To be constructed out of low-iron and low-e double glazed metal panels, wood and plexiglass, the structure is designed to respond to external conditions by adjusting internal temperatures and humidities to support the life taking root inside.

The idea is to give South Korean citizens, especially young people, the incentive to learn more about the natural world, the delicate balance of ecosystems and the responsibility to conserve and protect the environment. The center’s creator, the National Ecological Institute of South Korea, hopes to do this by breaking ground on a big, flashy project that could undoubtedly become a national treasure.

The Ecorium is very similar to Britain’s Eden Project, another series of geodesic domes that actually exist in Cornwall, including the world’s largest greenhouse. The preserve is a vast collection of plant species from around the planet, each dome simulating a particular type of climate. It will be interesting to see if South Korea’s efforts inspire the U.S. to do something similar. America is home to Biosphere 2, an indoor ecosystem in Arizona, but it fell short of expectation and hasn’t attracted a popular audience.

The Ecological Institute has yet to specify a construction timeline for the ecological domes in South Korea. Here are some more pictures of the plans:

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Apple executives answered a bunch of questions about the iPhone, the App Store, and the mysterious new device to be unveiled Wednesday during this afternoon’s conference call to discuss the company’s latest earnings report.

Everyone on the call realized that they weren’t going to get any specifics about Wednesday’s announcement, which is widely believed to involve the launch of a tablet device. However, one analyst tried to get some answers by focusing on the device’s significance for Apple, rather than product details. Will this new device be as big a deal as the iPod and the iPhone, or is that setting expectations too high, he asked? Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook wouldn’t give him anything.

“I wouldn’t want to take away your joy and surprise when you see our latest creation on Wednesday,” he said.

Many questions revolved around the iPhone, including the process of getting an application onto the iPhone/iPod Touch App Store, which has been criticized as too slow and too arbitrary. Cook repeated that the reason for Apple’s approval policy is to protect user experience, and he said more than 90 percent of apps are approved within 14 days of submission.

“What you have here is something that the noise on it, occasionally, may be much higher than the reality,” he said.

Another analyst asked about Apple’s ambitions for mobile advertising, given its recent acquisition of mobile advertising company Quattro. The mobile advertising market is “just in its infancy,” Cook said, but Apple is definitely interested in providing ad opportunities to developers.

Cook also discussed the growth in corporate use of the iPhone. While the phone is normally seen as a consumer device when compared to the BlackBerry, Cook said the launch of the iPhone 3GS model and the upgraded 3.0 operating system has convinced more businesses to give it a try, with 70 of the companies in the Fortune 100 either deploying iPhones for corporate use or at least testing them through pilot programs. Will that adoption also help convince companies to use Macintosh computers? It’s too early to comment on a potential “halo effect,” Cook said.

I previous wrote about Cook’s comments on AT&T from earlier in the call.

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ClearEdge Power, maker of home fuel cell generators that look like big refrigerators, has brought in $11 million in equity financing, according to a filing with the SEC — adding it onto $15 million raised last August. Even though it’s been around for seven years, new interest in the green sector has given it the break it needs to expand adoption of its $50,000 device.

The Oregon companies flagship fuel cell, called the ClearEdge5, turns propane or natural gas into hydrogen, which is then turned into electrical power and heat. The heat is recirculated to into water heaters and HVAC systems, so it doesn’t go to waste. Because the natural gas isn’t being burned at a power plant, the system cuts down drastically on harmful emissions and delivers about 5 kilowatts of clean energy — enough to power a home or small business.

VentureBeat highlighted ClearEdge’s $15 million fifth round of funding from Applied Ventures and Big Basin Ventures as one of the most forward-looking investments of 2009 for several reasons. Not only is it 90 percent efficient, if you count all the heat that is being repurposed, but it will also give homeowners who can’t logistically install solar panels or tap other sources of renewable energy a greener option. The only sticking point is that its price — $37,500 after government rebates — is still a tick higher than solar, which is already more costly than electricity from fossil fuel plants.

The hope is that further investment in the company, including this recent money, will be used to improve the technology and bring its price tag down, making it more feasible for middle-class consumers. For now, it has its eyes fixed on the California market, the only place the rebate is available so far. But big changes are sure to come soon, considering that ClearEdge tripled its staff in less than year and is looking to double it again.

The company’s primary competitor, Bloom Energy, which has racked up a formidable $250 million in capital, hasn’t raised capital since March of last year, bringing in $17 million from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. It is working on a 25-kilowatt fuel cell that could power even bigger buildings. It already counts Google, eBay and the San Francisco airport among its clients. Still, if ClearEdge hones in on residential customers, it might be able to carve out a nice share of the market for itself.

ClearEdge has now raised $55 million to date, some of it provided by Kohlberg Ventures as well. Whether the U.S. Department of Energy sees fuel cell technology as scalable enough to fund with grants or loan guarantees remains to be seen. But if it does, ClearEdge is almost a certain selection.

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South Korean GDP growth came in at 0.2%, notably weaker than the 0.5% analysts had been expecting.

The culprit?

According to Bloomberg, it was was lower-than-expected export growth, and the withdrawal of government stimulus measures, which is something more and more countries can look forward to in the coming quarters.

The key KOSPI index is down marginally.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• China GDP +10.7%
• The Next Wave Of GDP-Killing State Budget Slashing Begins
• Massive New Study Confirms Stimulus Spending On Road Construction Does Nothing To Lower Unemployment

“The Hangover” star Bradley Cooper, recently linked to Renée Zellweger, has purchased a new home in the 35-unit Dogtown Station in Venice, CA. The home had been on the market for $1.25 million. The Los Angeles Times reports that Cooper plans to use the property as office space for his Indiana & 22nd production company.

The home shown at top is not Cooper’s new purchase, but is a home for sale in Dogtown Station, which is offering some unique buyer incentives. According to the listing Web site, every  buyer drives away with a brand-new 2010 Prius. All lofts are zoned live/work and boast amenities such as:

• Open floorplans, 9′ – 18′ ceilings and full-height glass walls flood the interiors with natural light
• Hardwood plank and polished concrete flooring
• Kitchens furnished with KitchenAid Series stainless steel appliances, sleek modern cabinetry with stainless steel pulls and CaesarStone countertops
• Spacious bathrooms with Carrara marble, chrome and white subway tile
• Individual patios, balconies and roof deck space
• Gated security entrance and assigned residence parking

> See more Venice real estate
> See Venice home values

(Photo of Zellweger and Cooper courtesy E! Online)

Oh, we knew the Apple tablet / iPad / iSlate would be good, but we didn’t think it’d be this good. Walt Mosspuppetberg got his hands on an iSlate, and has been using one for a couple of years as it’s gone through its various development cycles. He finally breaks his silence with this review, stating that “this is probably the most completely perfect product to ever be released.”

Wednesday’s Apple tablet event can’t come soon enough!

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Don’t expect global markets to breathe until the Senate has actually voted and given Ben Bernanke the necessary 60 votes to begin his second term has head of the Federal Reserve.

This weekend it looked as though the nerves of this Friday had been quelled, as various whip counts seemed to show he’d get the necessary votes (albeit barely).

But the defection of John McCain — which, as we explained is due to a primary challenge in his Arizona Senate Race — has made The White House jumpy again.

Acording to ZeroHedge, The White House is, at this late hour, still making phone calls to Capitol Hill on behalf of Bernanke.

Obviously, there are enough “maybes” left out there, that Obama is taking nothing for granted.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Why John McCain Just Announced His Opposition To Bernanke
• Three Reasons To Fear A Bernanke Reappointment
• Stocks Tank Around The World, But US Rallies After Dodging The Bernanke Bullet

Red Bull Stratos

Click for video: Daredevil Felix Baumgartner (right) tries on a pressure suit and helmet while Red Bull Stratos technical project director Art Thompson and retired Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger look on. Kittinger holds the record for highest parachute jump, and Baumgartner wants to break that record. Click on the image to watch a video clip about the project from NBC’s TODAY show.

One of aerospace’s most enduring records was set 50 years ago by Air Force Col. Joe Kittinger, who made the highest-ever parachute jump from a balloon floating 102,800 feet above the ground. It was one giant leap that helped blaze a trail for the Space Age.

Ever since then, skydivers in search of glory have tried unsuccessfully to break that record. Now Felix Baumgartner, who is already renowned for skyjumping across the English Channel, is gearing up to make the attempt this year – with Kittinger’s help.

“With Joe on board, I feel safe,” Baumgartner said on NBC’s TODAY show. “I’m really looking forward to doing this.”

WSJ: White House to outsource NASA work
Once and Future Moon: What is ‘exploration’?
Spaceflight Now via YouTube: The Week in Space
Telegraph: Space pictures taken from a garden shed
 …(read more)

Just because I could never afford this high-end 800 Series Diamond speaker from Bowers & Wilkins doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy looking at it, and giggling at the phrase “diamond dome tweeter.”

The seven new speaker sets are all pricey, so we may as well talk about the flagship 800 Diamond, which is apparently the latest generation of the speakers used at Abbey Road Studios. That doesn’t necessarily tell you anything about how they sound, but for $24,000 per pair you should expect a good conversation starter or two thrown in. The bass is “significantly improved,” thanks to a new voice coil and bass realignment, and the entire range of new Diamond Series products are outfitted with diamond tweeter technology.

At the low end, the 805 Diamond costs $5,000 per pair, which isn’t so terrible, if you’re down with the aesthetics. Otherwise, though, this is one of those look-don’t-buy, high-end audiophile systems that most of us can listen to in our diamond dome tweeter dreams.

Bowers & Wilkins launches 800 Series Diamond

Closer to true sound

Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series has long provided the benchmark by which all high-end speakers are judged. Five generations of 800 Series have offered an unbeatable combination of outstanding performance, the latest audio technology and stunning aesthetic design. Now the 800 Series Diamond builds on that legacy, with vastly improved performance across the board and for the first time the inclusion of a diamond dome tweeter in every speaker in the seven-model range.

Bowers & Wilkins is proud to announce the launch of the 800 Series Diamond. The first new incarnations of the legendary 800 Series for six years brings Bowers & Wilkins closer to the ultimate ambition of its founder, John Bowers – to create a transducer that truly neither adds to nor subtracts from the original signal.

The 800 Series has long been the world’s premier high-end loudspeaker range. Designed for the home, but offering levels of quality such that the most demanding recording and mastering studios in the world choose to use them. Abbey Road Studios in London and Skywalker Sound in California both use Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series.

The already unrivalled levels of performance are boosted by the implementation of Bowers & Wilkins’ famous diamond tweeter technology throughout the whole range, including the new 805 Diamond, a speaker that brings diamond tweeters into the range of more discerning listeners than ever before.

Further major advances in audio-critical areas provide the entire range with a dramatic leap forward in terms of audio quality compared to the outgoing 800 Series. The diamond dome tweeter is now a quad-magnet design, which increases efficiency and improves the dynamic range of the top-end performance. A new surround material aids dispersion characteristics, and provides a more stable stereo image while increasing openness.

At the other end of the tonal scale, bass performance has also improved with the introduction of a new dual magnet motor system, which utilizes powerful neodymium magnets. This innovative design improves the linearity of the bass drivers’ performance, therefore reducing harmonic distortion.

Serious work has also gone into the small details that combine to make a loudspeaker special. New Bowers & Wilkins-designed oxygen-free-copper speaker terminals and links ensure the signal quality into the speaker is the best possible. All models’ crossovers feature a new design of capacitor using a unique silver, gold and oil construction. This component, chosen subjectively by Bowers & Wilkins engineers, in itself provides a dramatic increase in sound quality.

Elsewhere, proprietary Bowers & Wilkins technologies such as Kevlar® FST™ mid-range drivers, Nautilus™ tube-loaded tweeters, Matrix™ enclosures and the unique sphere/tube heads on the two largest speakers in the range, remain as acoustically valid as ever.

800 Series Diamond is fully manufactured in the UK, at Bowers & Wilkins new cabinet factory in Worthing, West Sussex. All seven speakers feature attractive new design touches, and are available in a choice of three finishes: Rosenut, Cherrywood and a stunning new Piano Black gloss.

The 805 Diamond is possibly the most requested speaker that Bowers & Wilkins has never made… until now. This groundbreaking book shelf model sees diamond tweeter technology arrive in the most affordable, real world speaker yet, and brings this level of stunning audio performance into the reach of many discerning listeners for the first time.

The 804 Diamond is the smallest floorstander in the range, and has a similar footprint to the 805 Diamond when placed on the stand. And like the 805 Diamond it too benefits from the implementation of a diamond dome tweeter for the first time.

The 803 Diamond provides people with more conservative taste many of the benefits of the 800 Series Diamond’s range-topping models, but in a more traditional floorstanding speaker design. It has a significantly reduced footprint from the speakers above it, and utilizes three 7-inch bass drivers rather than the 802 Diamond’s twin 8-inch cones.

The 802 Diamond is the home-friendly version of the 800 Diamond. It offers many of the benefits of the flagship speaker, including the distinctive head unit, but with a reduced footprint for fitting into living environments. A new voice coil and bass realignment means that the 802 Diamond benefits from dramatically improved bass performance.

The 800 Diamond is the flagship of the range, and is the latest incarnation of the speakers used in Abbey Road Studios. This no-compromise performer is better than ever, benefiting from all of the series-wide developments, and featuring significantly improved bass thanks to a new voice coil and bass realignment, which provides fuller, and more consistent bottom end performance.

The new 800 Series Diamond also features two dedicated centre channels for home theatre use. The larger HTM2 Diamond is the perfect partner for the larger speakers in the range. The more compact HTM4 Diamond, which again sees the introduction of diamond tweeter technology in a real world centre speaker, is the perfect partner for systems comprised of 805 or 804 Diamond.

A number of speakers have been removed from the previous 800 Series in this new slimmed down range, including the 801D and any dedicated rear channel speakers; the latter, because customers usually chose 805s over these options.

Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond is available from February 2010, and priced as follows:

800 Diamond $24,000 per pair

802 Diamond $15,000 per pair

803 Diamond $10,000 per pair

804 Diamond $7,500 per pair

805 Diamond $5,000 per pair

HTM2 Diamond $5,000 each

HTM4 Diamond $2,500 each

To find your nearest Bowers & Wilkins dealer visit www.bowers-wilkins.com

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We’ve seen all sorts of attempts to get around Section 230 safe harbors by various companies — almost all of which have failed. But they keep on trying. Paul Alan Levy alerts us to a new case, in which he (and Public Citizen) are helping out, that involves a company called Vision Media TV, whose business has been heavily criticized in the press. According to the various reports, the company calls organizations to get them to take part in a TV show with a semi-famous host, which they claim will be shown on TV. Eventually, the reports claim, it comes out that the “production costs” are over $20,000 and the TV coverage is either non-existent or significantly less than suggested. I’ve actually received similar calls (though I don’t know if it was from Vision Media). It seems like it should be pretty common knowledge that if someone is asking you to pay to get on a TV program (especially one you haven’t actually seen on TV), you should proceed with caution.

However, Vision Media TV disagrees very much with those news reports, though it has not sued the likes of the NY Times that wrote them. Instead, it has gone after smaller players. The latest case, which Paul wrote about, involves the rather useful site 800notes.com, which lets people discuss telemarketers. There was a section of people discussing the calls from Vision Media, and so Vision asked 800notes to take them down. Of course, 800notes is protected (reasonably) by Section 230 safe harbors. Vision Media TV apparently responded by suggesting that it knows how to get around Section 230 safe harbors and later filed suit against the site, suggesting that it would be a lot less expensive to just remove the comments than to deal with the lawsuit.

To get around Section 230, the company apparently tried a bunch of things. Public Citizen summarizes in its brief:

It pleaded claims for “false light,” “tortious interference with business
opportunity,” and “trade libel,” and attached a potpourri of documents that were apparently intended
to show the loss of business that the message board postings had occasioned. In an effort to plead
around Forte’s Section 230 immunity, Vision Media repeatedly but generally alleged that Forte had
authored some content on the web site, that she had deliberately removed favorable postings about
Vision Media to make it look worse, that she had “substantially alter[ed] and edit[ed’ others[‘]
posts,” and that she had “actively encourage[d] circumvention of legally binding agreements” that
forbade unidentified persons from disparaging Vision Media…. The complaint also mentioned
in passing Vision Media’s trademark and used the terms “dilute” and “infringement,” but did not
plead any claim under the trademark laws. Although the complaint went on for 16 pages and
included 20 pages of exhibits, the complaint neither set forth the allegedly defamatory (or false light)
posts nor specified the portions of posts that were allegedly authored by Forte.

The point about her removing favorable posts is explained because Forte was alerted to about two dozen favorable posts about Vision Media that showed up at around the same time, but came from just two IP addresses — so she made the reasonable assumption that they were spam and deleted them. However, she did suggest to Vision Media that they identify themselves and respond to critics publicly — which the company did, and those posts remain on the site, showing that she has no problem with positive posts, just not ones that appear to be spammy.

Anyway, it appears that all of this is to hope that the company can at least get around a quick Section 230 dismissal to burden the site with legal costs, and Levy and the crew at Public Citizen are making the case that Section 230 obviously applies here. Hopefully the judge agrees.

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Published Jan. 22, 2010
By Jeff Morrow, Tri-City Herald sports editor

PASCO — The 4th annual Follow Your Dreams banquet fundraiser at Columbia Basin College was a success Thursday night, with more than $25,000 raised for athletic scholarships and facilities upgrades.

Dr. J. Dale Gier, Ray Washburn, Ed Maxwell and Jim Rodgers were inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in front of a crowd estimated at 275.

Some interesting tidbits came about throughout the night.

— Detroit Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman, a Pasco native, was in attendance and said he’s 100 percent healthy and ready to go this season after recovering from thoracic surgery. … CBC athletic director Scott Rogers acknowledged all of his coaches during his speech, including volleyball coach John Patrick, who resigned after 22 years at his position. The crowd burst into applause when he was mentioned. … Steve Farrington, CBC’s baseball coach, said the Hawks sent 23 players on to four-year schools last year. This year’s team should be loaded again. Kevin Komstadius, the East Valley of Yakima slugger, has transferred from the University of Washington to CBC. Meanwhile, Richland’s Cody Shepherd — who was headed to Washington as a walk-on with the chance to earn a scholarship after one year — has decided to play for CBC. Farrington said his plan is to play one season for the Hawks, then go on a Mormon mission before coming back to resume playing. … Former CBC basketball great Byron Beck, the night’s featured speaker who played in the ABA and NBA, revealed that he had wanted to always be a pro baseball player. … Ex-CBC men’s basketball coach Jim Rodgers, whose teams won five consecutive NWAACC titles in the 1960s, said Ray Washburn — the Burbank native who pitched in the major leagues and was also inducted into the CBC Hall of Fame on Thursday — was “a really good basketball player. He would come back to visit, and we’d play in pickup games.” Rodgers, 75, praised Jack Cooney as the driving force behind getting CBC started. “He took on the Pasco School District to start this school.”

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Published Jan. 22, 2010
By Chelsea Kopta, KEPR TV 

PASCO — Combat Veterans International helped CBC student veterans keep their college dreams alive Friday. The group donated $15,000 to the college for a scholarship that will pay for student supplies the GI Bill doesn’t cover.

GI Bills cover tuition costs but don’t always pay for books, fees or supplies.

“I just have some miscellaneous study guide books,” Amy Bruchman said as she stacked her books one on top of the other.”How much did those books cost you?” Action News asked. “About $410.”

Amy Bruchman is a second-year student at CBC and in the US Army Reserves. Her tuition is paid for by the Montgomery GI Bill – for selected Reservists – but clearly, she pays a pretty penny for her books. And that’s just for one quarter.

“It’s pretty limited on the funding,” she said. “It doesn’t cover any of the books, it doesn’t cover any of the school expenses,” she said.

Bruchman’s one of 200 military students at CBC receiving benefits, but who often foot the bill for the basics.

“Because of the way GI Bill works, sometimes it takes a long time before students see monies,” Jennifer Bateman said, Program Coordinator in the Financial Services

The Post-911 GI Bill is the only one that pays for a book allowance and even then, students don’t get the cash upfront. Veterans receiving benefits before 2001 don’t get book money at all.

“They raised a lot of money and they delivered on that promise,” CBC President Rich Cummins said during his speech to the group.

Combat Veterans International is helping close the cash gap with a $15,000 scholarship. Various combat veterans and children of combat vets will be awarded $500 a quarter to pay for books, materials and fees. Members of CVI told Action News that it was a way to give back to their comrades after their own experiences at the college.

“When we had this opportunity to come back to the college and to the combat veterans, we’re killing two birds with one stone and i mean it was a win-win situation, you can’t lose.”

“oh, I think it’s a huge blessing,” Bruchman said. “You know, even if you don’t qualify for it it’s nice that people are recognizing the need and reaching out to veterans.”

Although Bruchman hasn’t seen combat yet, she still plans to apply and maybe put a dent in the bill for books.

Student vets have until February 22 to apply. The scholarship will focus on combat vets, picking two new ones every quarter, but non-combat vets can still apply.

The local vets’ chapter raised the money by raffling off a motorcycle from Thunder Ally Victory Motorcycles in Kennewick. The group managed to sell enough tickets to pay for the bike in three months.

To find out how to apply, check out Columbia Basin College’s website.

PRESS RELEASE
January 22, 2010                                                         Contact:  Dawn Alford, 542-5524
     
In the midst of a recession, families are finding it even more difficult to afford college.  Still, there are those students who desire a higher education, but don’t know the steps to achieving one.  Columbia Basin College through its College Night program aims to address these barriers.  CBC College Night will be held Wednesday, Jan. 27th from 6-8 p.m. in the Gjerde Center. 

The event is open to all high school seniors and their parents as a way to learn about CBC– its academic and program offerings, financial aid/scholarship opportunities, and college in general.  A student panel will provide personal insight into CBC’s culture, while the departmental fair allows attendees one-on-one time with department heads and deans.

As an added incentive, at least two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to two attendees.  To be eligible, students must complete the scholarship application, submit it at College Night, complete the event survey, and attend CBC in the fall.  Applications can be downloaded online at www.columbiabasin.edu/collegenight or completed at the event.

Additional money available – The annual Foundation Scholarships are currently being accepted for the 2010-11 academic year.  Applications can be downloaded at www.columbiabasin.edu/foundation and are due February 22, 2010.  Last year, more than 200 students were awarded $274,000 in scholarships.

Published Jan. 23, 2010
By Sara Schilling, Tri-City Herald staff writer

PASCO — The Tri-Cities chapter of a veterans group has donated $15,000 to help combat veterans or their children with expenses at Columbia Basin College.

Combat Veterans International, Chapter 3, raised the money by raffling off a Victory Kingpin motorcycle.

Members announced the scholarships Friday during a news conference at the Pasco college.

“When we came home (from war), we had little help,” said J.D. Howard of Benton City, a Vietnam veteran and chapter member. “What we’re trying to do is make it easier for these (younger vets) to transition” back into civilian life.

Two scholarships will be awarded every quarter. Because most veterans qualify for government help with tuition, the scholarships will be used for expenses such as books, materials and fees, according to CBC.

The scholarships will go first to combat veterans or their children, and then will be opened up to all veterans if there aren’t enough applicants.

More than 400 veterans are enrolled at CBC, said college President Rich Cummins.

“We know there will be quite a number of new veterans coming into the community (in the next few years),” and CBC is committed to helping them, he said.

Members of the Tri-Cities Combat Veterans International chapter sold tickets for months to raise money for the scholarships.

The Victory Kingpin they gave away came from John and Jean Richardson’s Thunder Alley Victory motorcycle store in Kennewick.

The Richardsons paid for the bike’s custom paint job — honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action — out of their own pockets, said Gene Lamm, president of the chapter.

The raffle was held over Veterans Day 2008; nearly 8,000 tickets were sold and $25,000 was raised.

Money from the fundraiser also has been used to help struggling veterans with expenses such as groceries and pay for six college scholarships for veterans’ children. Those scholarships were awarded last summer.

“We take great pride in giving back to the community that’s given so much to us,” Lamm said.

Howard, who’s taken several classes at CBC since the 1970s, said his group chose CBC because it’s a local institution that goes above and beyond for its students.

The group will continue to raise money and find ways to help veterans returning from combat, members said.

“The (veterans of) World War II, Korea stretched out their hands to us,” Howard said. “Now we’re doing the same.”

The chapter also is working with the Yakama Indian Nation on a scholarship fund for Native American veterans.

For more information or to contribute, call 509-308-2482.

— On the net: www.combatveterans.com

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Free advice: Although the traditional definition of a bandolier is that of a bullet holding apparatus, do NOT try to get through airport security with this travel bandolier if you decide to stash bullets in one of the pockets.

Even the jolliest of TSA agents would be like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, bag check. Bag check! BAG CHECK!”

So instead of bullets, Hammacher Schlemmer suggests one or more of the following items: “camera, wallet, cell phone, hotel key, and more.” And without trying to speak on behalf of Hammacher Schlemmer, “more” probably doesn’t mean “bullets.”

The “Traveler’s Security Bandolier” costs $40 and also features “a cord conduit in one of the pockets” for running a set of headphones from your portable audio player to your noggin.

See, the problem is that they call this thing a “Security Bandolier,” which worries me because some people might “secure” themselves with guns and bullets. No good can come of this. Plus, it kind of makes you look like a wiener. So look the hell out if someone’s like, “Hey, that thing makes you look like a wiener.” And you’re like, “Oh yeah? Take it up with these bullets!”

The Traveler’s Security Bandolier [Hammacher Schlemmer]

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As the world turns, the confusion surrounding BioShock 2’s DRM continues to… confuse. 2K Games said that it’s all but eliminating SecuROM for the game’s DRM regime, but that Games for Windows Live will remain. Installation limits? Gone. Well, kinda. Riot, etc.

You’ll recall that certain sections of the Internet, primarily the hardcore PC gaming community (hi, guys!), freaked out last week over 2K’s decision to include every single DRM implementation under the sun with BioShock 2. SecuROM, Games for Windows Live, and whatever Steam wants to add into the mix. The main offenses included: limited, SecuROM-imposed installations; Games for Windows Live-imposed game-save restrictions.

Basically, it was DRM multiplied by three, and for what? It’s not like the game won’t be cracked either the day of, or the day before, it’s release.

So 2K has relented, kinda. SecuROM will now only be used to verify the integrity of the game disc at launch. There will be no SecuROM-imposed installation limitations. That’s good news.

There’s bad news, though. Games for Windows Live isn’t going anywhere. The Microsoft thingamajig imposes an installation limitation of its own, currently set at 15 per account, but this limit can easily be reset with a phone call to Redmond. So it is and isn’t a limit.

Steam details still aren’t finalized.

So, to recap: SecuROM has been neutered, but Games for Windows Live is still there, and will technically limit the number of times you can install the game. I don’t want to use the phrase Pyrrhic Victory, but…

BioShock 2 is scheduled to be released on February 9. Unless you pirate it, which means you’re probably be playing it on February 5.

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