Dec 31
Dec 31
The fruity, yeasty, and sometimes nutty flavor of Champagne naturally complements desserts.
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Dec 31
Jimi Hendrix: Auld Lang Syne
Posted in: Today's Chili
As we charge into the future (at least here on the East Coast), maybe take a few minutes to travel back to the past for a spectacular version of that classic New Years song that’s playing practically everywhere tonight. There’s not much to be said about Jimi Hendrix’s Auld Lang Syne that isn’t summed up in the phrase “Jimi Hendrix’s Auld Lang Syne” so let’s just leave it at that. Happy New Year! [Spotify, Amazon, iTunes] More »
Dec 31
If you can believe it, it’s been over 11 years since the original Xbox game console launched. It’s difficult to imagine a time when Microsoft didn’t have one of the top gaming consoles on the market, but prior to 2001, it was all Sony, Sega and Nintendo. Now, if you’ve got a whole lot of cash kicking around, you can own a piece of gaming history, with this amazing collection of goodies from the original Xbox launch in November 2001.
Having been employed at Microsoft from 1997 to 2006 as part of the Xbox launch team, Howard Philips (who also worked at Nintendo during its heyday) has decided to sell off his Xbox launch collection over on eBay.
The collection includes one of the translucent green Xbox Launch Team consoles and a pair of matching green controllers. Just 60 of these were ever made, so they’re very rare. In addition, there’s an awesome, possibly one-of-a-kind sculpture of the original “X” prototype console, made out of machined and polished metal with a light-up Xbox logo. It measures about 18″x18″x18″ and weighs in at a whopping 25 pounds – which, when you think about it – doesn’t sound much heavier than the production Xbox console.
There’s also some cool internal Microsoft collectibles in the auction, including a commemorative launch plaque, and the first ever official Xbox Certification Submission Disc – the orinal master disc of NHL Hitz – the very first Xbox game to go into certification, back in July 2001.
If you’re lucky (or rich) enough to purchase this collection, you’ll also get a full set of Xbox collectors cards from E3 2001, an original, unused Xbox Live Subscription card from the launch of the service, an original Xbox trade show badge, baseball cap and windbreaker, as well as a bunch of other Xbox stickers, buttons, pens and a notebook from the launch in 2001.
So what’s the price for all of this console history? Well, the starting bid for the auction is set at $5000(USD), and so far there aren’t any bids. The auction ends at 12:39pm PST on January 2, 2013, so there’s not much time left either.
If you’ve got a love for gaming, and really deep pockets, you can check out the entire auction here.
[via GameSniped]
Dec 31
Hailrazer is clearly a fan of the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, but his projects have kept the systems as separate beasts. Until now, that is. His latest mod puts a Nintendo 64 into a GameCube’s GameBoy Player add-on, linking the audio, power and video to those of the more modern system. Gamers just have to plug in relevant controllers and flip a switch to play whichever console best triggers a nostalgia trip. About the only setback is the absence of space for a proper Nintendo 64 cartridge slot, which effectively mandates using a not-quite-above-board storage format instead. Given that the two-in-one console is strictly a personal labor of love, it’s still quite the achievement — and it guarantees that Hailrazer’s inner circle won’t have to travel far for a trip down memory lane.
[Thanks, Jon]
Continue reading Hailrazer stuffs a Nintendo 64 into a GameCube GameBoy Player (video)
Source: Bacteria’s Forum
Dec 31
DENVER — Recreational marijuana clubs are open in Colorado.
Another club opened Monday in Del Norte (del-NORT’), in southern Colorado. The clubs are not open to the public.
Dec 31
Forget the narrow confines of this binary problem (tax breaks for the rich vs. continuing insurance for the unemployed) — a political problem allows for a creative, political solution. We should use this fake, ginned-up “crisis” to our advantage and solve the real problems faced by real Americans.
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Dec 31
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Calls For Better Living Standards, Development Of More Advanced Weapons
Posted in: Today's ChiliSEOUL, South Korea — Making his first New Year’s speech, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called Tuesday for his country to focus on economic improvements with the same urgency that scientists put into the launch of a long-range rocket last month.
Kim, shown speaking on state TV, said lifting living standards is the new year’s most important task – a clear acknowledgement that North Koreans want improvement in an economy that has long lagged behind the rest of Northeast Asia.
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Dec 31
Fiscal Cliff Deal Reached: White House, Hill Leaders Agree To Delay Sequester By Two Months (UPDATE)
Posted in: Today's ChiliWASHINGTON — Three hours shy of the midnight deadline, the White House and congressional leaders reached a deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, several sources confirmed to The Huffington Post.
Under the deal brokered by Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Congress would permanently extend the Bush income tax cuts at $400,000 and below, keep the estate tax threshold at $5 million and extend unemployment benefits for one year.
It would also temporarily delay the sequester — i.e., billions of dollars in across-the-board spending cuts — for another two months. The cost of continuing current spending levels will be paid for through an even mix of tax revenue increases and later spending cuts. Half of those cuts will come from defense spending; half will come from nondefense spending.
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Dec 31
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — A Democratic aide says the White House and congressional Republicans have reached an agreement to avert the so-called fiscal cliff.
The measure would extend Bush-era tax cuts for family incomes below $450,000 and briefly avert across-the-board spending cuts set to strike the Pentagon and domestic agencies this week.
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