Category: News

We were pretty shocked when a judge ordered doll maker MGA to hand over pretty much everything having to do with Bratz dolls to Mattel, the maker of Barbie — one of the key products Bratz competes against. While some of the facts are disputed by various parties, it does seem pretty clear that a Mattel designer was working on the concept of Bratz and then went to MGA to make the dolls instead. Mattel claims that it owns the entire concept because its contract with the designer included all rights to things he worked on while under their employ. Even if you accept all that, it seemed to go too far to not just provide monetary payments and/or an injunction, but to tell MGA to hand over the entire line of dolls including future plans for the dolls. That seems to go well beyond the scope of what’s reasonable — and it seems like the appeals court might agree. It has lifted the original deadline for when MGA had to transfer stuff over to Mattel and seems to be considering whether itself goes too far, saying that handing all of that over to Mattel seemed “draconian.”

Even if we grant that the designer created the dolls while he worked at Mattel, it takes more than just an idea to be successful. Yet this ruling seems to put the entire value of not just the Bratz line of dolls, but every forward thinking innovation in the Bratz line, into that single idea. That’s going way too far. Sure, perhaps there should be some sort of sanctions or punishment, but MGA did a lot more than just see this idea, snap its fingers and have a success on its hands. The execution was what made it work, and it seems silly to ignore all of that and assume that the entire value is in the idea — and everything else needs to be handed over because the guy had the idea while still at Mattel.

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The Clean Energy Council reports that voters realise that renewable power is far superior to the nuclear alternative – Renewables trounce nuclear in Newspoll.

A Newspoll survey commissioned by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) has shown overwhelming public support for the government to focus its support on renewable energy – such as solar and wind – over nuclear power.

Given a choice between supporting the development of renewable energy sources and nuclear power, four out of every five people polled favoured the government giving greater priority to the development of renewables.

CEC chief executive Matthew Warren said the results show Australians want to see the development of renewable energy ahead of contentious options like nuclear.
“This confirms what we have thought for some time – you need to exhaust every other alternative before talking about nuclear energy as a climate change solution for Australia. The answers in this poll show that some people may express support for nuclear power in principle, but four out of every five people would prefer to see an effective renewable energy strategy as a priority.

“We need to see what renewable technologies can achieve over the next decade. Renewables have enormous potential, but we still have a lot of work to do to find out how much energy they can deliver and at what cost,” he said.

Eco Factor: Low-emission supercar designed to be powered by a gas/electric hybrid engine.

Kepler Motors has announced the development of a hybrid supercar, which will be unveiled at the 2009 Dubai International Motor Show. Dubbed the Motion, the hybrid car features Ford’s new Ecoboost engine, which uses a twin-turbo direct injection 3.5-liter V-6 engine to power the rear wheels, and an electric motor that drives the front set.

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The idea of gender-specific shaving cream or shampoo was probably cooked up by advertising agencies in the 1940s. I’m taking a wild guess, but that sounds about right to me. The lovely feminine packaging sells us on products. And can you blame men for choosing a more masculine-looking package of soap?

All this may matter. Consumer Reports found that women are often charged more than men pay for similar products like shaving cream, pain relievers, body wash, antiperspirants, eye revitalizers or razors. They discovered that products directed at women by packaging or name often cost up to 50% more than similar products for men.

Consumer Reports concluded that you should try ignoring gender labels on personal care products and go with the cheaper version. I think that may work for things like shaving cream and maybe even razors and body wash. However, I’d probably not use a lot of the manly smelling antiperspirants out there. After all, that smell stays with you, unlike the scent of body wash. Plus, do you want to smell like your boyfriend?

Let’s back up a minute though. Why are women being charged more? I believe it’s because women are willing to pay more, and companies know that. You can protest silently by buying products that aren’t aimed at a men or women. For example, Aveeno shaving cream is about as gender neutral as you can get. It’s what I use. For razors, I use Preserve, which are also gender neutral.

Read more about the brands studied by Consumer Reports in their article: Men win the battle of the sexes, appearing in the January issue.

(Image via flickr/Evil Erin)

Post from: Blisstree

Use a Man’s Shaving Cream to Save Money?

Eco Factor: Ecofriendly lamp designed to run on pedal power.

Industrial designers Ignacio Ojanguren Alvarez, Christina Perdikaki, Hafsteinn Juliusson have unveiled the “Ride it to Light it Bike Lamp,” which doesn’t consume electricity from the grid, but has all the systems that can convert your unwanted calories into precious watts.

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Good news for you survival horror fans (jeez, is that ever a trite opening line): EA has officially announced Dead Space 2 for you to speculate over until they release more information. According to the press release, the game will star Issac Clarke from the original game as he continues to kill more horrifically deformed Necromorphs, frolic in zero gravity, and generally do more of what you loved from the stellar first installment. It’s being developed by Visceral Games, the folks behind the first game, and will hopefully feature the same amazing audio as before.

Anyways, all the pictures I could find from the first game were terribly violent, and as you know, my first and only concern is the children; So, enjoy this picture of an upside-down dog from upsidedowndogs.com. Fuzzy wuzzy!

Hit the jump for the full release and some high hopes.

Continue reading EA Announces Dead Space 2

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Eco Factor: Fuel-efficient car to run on a hybrid engine.

After Rolls Royce and Ferrari, Nissan might also be dreaming about a hybrid car. According to rumors a hybrid version of the GT-R might be somewhere in the pipeline for Nissan. Supposedly, the plan is to drop the current 480hp twin-turbine V6 by 40hp and add a 160hp electric engine, bringing the total output to about 600hp.

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Baked Brie is a favorite special treat in our household.  I love it , my young kids love it, and it’s always a hit with guests.   My go-to recipe is the “Apricot Baked Brie” that appears in our cookbook, but I  haven’t yet met a variation of melted Brie that I haven’t liked.  I’ve had it topped with preserves (apricot and raspberry are my favorites), nuts, wrapped in puff pastry, topped with chutney or a sprinkle of curry powder, sweet or savory.  Served simply with crackers, crusty bread, or apple slices, it truly must be one of the world’s easiest and tastiest appetizers. 

Trader Joe’s has a wonderful selection of soft and creamy Brie cheeses. This time of year they also have their Brie wheels in addition to their usual wedges.  If you like the idea of brioche-wrapped Bries with near-zero-effort, Trader Joe’s has three variations ready to go:  En Croute (plain); Cranberry, Apricot, Almond, & Brandy; and a savory Mushroom & Chive.   Experimenting with your own baked Brie variations is almost as easy!

The recipe featured here today comes from one of our readers, Stephanie, and it has become one of our new favorites.  Stephanie says “It’s divine and a snap to put together! Sometimes my husband and I make this just for ourselves to enjoy with a chilled bottle of white wine or champagne.” Thanks Stephanie!  My husband loved it as well.  He commented that the lightness of the pear chunks was a terrific contract to the richness of the Brie. 

Eco Factor: Limestone caves used to naturally cool data centers to save energy.

Of the total amount energy used by data centers, a major percentage goes into power hungry cooling systems. Iron Mountain is thinking of the possibility to stack data centers in underground limestone caverns, because by nature limestone can absorb 1.5 BTUs per square foot without using any energy in the process.

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A reboot of the “true Hong Kong action flick” was announced and unveiled by Activision at the recent Video Game Awards 2009 last weekend. Today, the publisher releases some more information about this hot new action game.

Under the motto “EQ3 Energy Intelligence = Energy Efficiency. Smoothness. Lifetime.”, innovative technology sector company ZEITLAUF® brings together all the elemental performance features of its products.

The town of Lauf an der Pegnitz, 20th of April 2009 – The global demand for energy is growing. Energy prices steadily rise. Increasing consumption of fossil fuels accelerates the process of climate change. This is forcing industry to invest in measures for increasing energy efficiency. ZEITLAUF® took this trend seriously years ago and factored it into its drive solutions. Research and development work is based on three important performance features that are brought together under the motto “EQ3 Energy Intelligence = Energy Efficiency. Smoothness. Lifetime.”. These particular gear motor attributes go a long way to making ZEITLAUF® one of the key players in the field of drive technology:

It is fitting that the city hosting important climate talks would move towards powering one its most famous attractions with wind power. Tivoli Amusement Park has been open since 1843, and now an offshore wind turbine will power the park. Eco Friend reports:

The park has already made strong efforts at recycling and energy efficiency, and is now looking for ways to go carbon neutral.

Tivoli Amusement Park has partnered with Danish Oil and Natural Gas, and the partnership has resulted in an agreement to install an extra wind turbine off Copenhagen’s coast. The turbine is undergoing final tests now, and when installed next year, it will be able to provide all the electricity the park needs.

Earlier this fall, the idea to turn a closed Ford plant in Michigan into an amusement park was scrapped in favor of renewable energy manufacturing plant. Perhaps the park would have won favor if it had been powered by wind like Tivoli Gardens.

Eco Factor: Plan to develop a sustainable zoo with renewable energy harvesting capabilities.

JDS Architects have unveiled the design of a sustainable zoo they’re proposing to be built on the South Korean island of Dochodo. The architecture would serve as a tourist region where nature and structures function in equilibrium. The landscape is ideal for such a development, as it features natural peaks and valleys that could house animals and be treated as nature reserves.

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Daily Random Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 900 grams / 2 pounds tofu, thinly sliced
• Oil for frying
• 6 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme

METHOD:
Slice the tofu into 5 millimeter / 1/4 inch thick slices and pan fry in a lightly oiled skillet until golden on both sides. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients and sprinkle each slice of tofu on both sides with the mixture. This is good for breakfast or makes great sandwiches.

VEVO is an online music video website owned by Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, EMI and Abu Dhabi Media Company. It is developed and hosted by YouTube, Sony, and Google. Google’s YouTube video service will host Universal content on the satellite website, making this the first time that YouTube hosts content off its main website. Through this partnership, Google and Universal will split ad revenues. It is expected to become the largest music oriented website on the Internet. Vevo is currently offering content from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, Hollywood Records, Walt Disney Records, CBS Interactive Music Group, Big Machine Records, Concord Music Group, Lyric Street Records, ABKCO, Caroline Distribution, Fontana Distribution, INgrooves, IODA, RED and The Orchard, among many others.

A possible major reason behind the project is the competition that music videos have on YouTube. Warner Music Group apparently removed its content from YouTube in March 2009 for just this reason, but is said to be considering hosting its content on this new service. The concept for the site is described as being a Hulu for music videos and the plan may have arisen from the goal of attracting more high-end advertisers. Currently, it is believed that many advertisers are ambivalent to hosting advertising on YouTube’s site alongside user-generated video. In the future, the site could host more than just music videos, such as editorials, other types of videos, and user-generated content.

VEVO also has a nicely organized and often updated company blog featuring new content.

The photo above is CEO of Sony Music Entertainment & Co-Chairman of VEVO Rolf Schmidt-Holt speaking onstage at the launch of VEVO at Skylight Studio on December 8, 2009 in New York City. Check out dozens of other pictures from the VEVO launch at daylife featuring numerous big stars and major players in the music industry

The Office of Science & Technology Policy remains one of the few White House operations that seems to actually have a good grasp on the internet and what it means for various other aspects of governance. That’s why it’s good to see them asking for input into what the administration should do in terms of requiring public access for federally funded research (thanks to Lee for sending this over). There’s been a big debate over this for years. Given that a significant portion of academic research is federally funded, it is immensely troubling that the results of much of that research is locked away in extremely expensive journals. There has been a good push over the years for requiring federally funded research to be accessible by the public, and OSTP is now looking for views into how to create policies that would achieve that goal. Who knows what will come out of it, but for those of you concerned about tax-payer-funded knowledge being locked up by private journals, now is your chance to comment in a way where (hopefully) the government will pay attention.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. That means it’s time to bake cookies! Instead of plain old sugar cookies, try these candy cake sugar cookies instead. Recipe and image courtesy of BHG.com.

Makes: 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies

Prep: 30 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Bake: 7 minutes per batch

Image: BHG.com

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing* and/or 1 recipe Creamy White Frosting (optional)
• Creamy White Icing
• Sanding sugar and/or small hard peppermint candies
• Red food coloring (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/8 inch thick. Use a 2-or 4-inch candy-cane-shape cookie cutter to cut dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, tint part of the Powdered Sugar Icing and/or Creamy White Frosting bright red with food coloring; decorate cookies with white and red icing and/or frosting, sanding sugar, and candies. Makes 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies.

*Powdered Sugar Icing: In a small bowl combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir in additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until icing reaches desired consistency.

*Creamy White Frosting: In a large mixing bowl beat 1 cup shortening, 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add in about half of the 4 cups of powdered sugar, beating well. Add 2 tablespoons of milk. Gradually beat in the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and 1-3 tablespoons more milk to reach spreading consistency.

To Store: Place undecorated cookies in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or place in a freezer container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cookies before decorating. Or, allow decorated cookies to stand until completely set. Layer decorated cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Servings Per Recipe 6 to 7 dozen, 2-inch or 4 dozen, 4-inch cookies

Calories 73, Total Fat (g) 4, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1, Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 16, Sodium (mg) 66, Carbohydrate (g) 9, Total Sugar (g) 4, Fiber (g) 0, Protein (g) 1, Vitamin A (DV%) 0, Vitamin C (DV%) 0, Calcium (DV%) 1, Iron (DV%) 2, Other Carbohydrates (d.e.) .5, Fat (d.e.) 1, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Post from: Blisstree

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies