| In Case You Missed It—April 3, 2007
In a world where video games are increasingly dominated by graphics engines that require a dedicated nuclear reactor to power, I am often left wondering what happened to those simple—yet undeniably awesome—games of my youth. As it turns out, there are plenty of them still floating around the Internet. As a special service this week, I've combed the vast expanses of the Internet to bring some of the greatest small-time games to light. All of the following games are completely free and available online. None of them are shady, information-sharing deals that will have you dodging the RIAA. They're all legitimate, put out there by small-time developers for your enjoyment. Flow Any discussion of online flash games is incomplete without mentioning this little gem.
Business notebook
New champ: Google Inc. has knocked Microsoft Corp. from its perch as the world's top-ranked brand. The rankings, compiled by market research firm Millward Brown, also put Google ahead of well-established brands like IBM and Coca-Cola. Stocking up: Chip equipment maker Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc. said its board increased its stock repurchase plan to $500 million, from $400 million. To date, the company has bought back approximately $290 million in stock under the existing plan. Deal: Waltham's Inverness Medical Innovations Inc. agreed to buy Spectral Diagnostics Private Ltd., a privately held distributor of professional diagnostics products in the Indian marketplace, for an initial payment of $4 million in cash and stock. New job: Abiomed Inc.
Don Imus Debacle: Free Speech Gets a Bad Rap
Radio 'shock jock' Don Imus said a bad thing. In a relatively brief on-air exchange with a producer, he referred to the women of the Rutgers University basketball team as "nappy headed hos." He also said that the women on the Tennessee team were "cute," but the Rutgers team members were "rough," and he strongly implied that they were not cute. Under normal circumstances, Imus wouldn't have been likely to mention the predominantly black Rutgers team at all. But Rutgers was blessed with a talented group of women on this year's team, and that talent along with a lot of hard work and determination saw the women playing for the national championship and getting attention accordingly. Despite losing to Tennessee in the penultimate contest, no one can argue that Rutgers didn't have a stellar season or that its players weren't fine examples of character and athleticism, and the women are rightfully proud of their accomplishments.
Wii Launched Full Version Of Opera Web Browser
Opera Software and Nintendo have finally launched the full version of the Opera web browser for the Internet Channel of the Wii game console. The download is free, but not for long. This web browser allows Wii owners to browse the internet through the console on their television, provided the console is connected to the internet, of course. Some new features of the full version of the Opera browser revolve around usability with zoom and scrolling functions that were not present in the trial version that was launched in December. The application allows you to choose from Google or Yahoo for a default search engine, but like any browser you can navigate to any web page and search engine. Navigation is handled through the Wii remote (please be careful), and two remotes can be used at the same time to point and navigate the web.
Rock climbing Livermore family at height of its game
LIVERMORE When you're a kid, you're lucky if your family has a sandbox in the backyard. If you're really lucky, you might have a whole swing set. But a sandbox and a slide can't compare with having your own rock climbing wall just steps away from your bedroom door. For Matt Tyler, 11, it was almost natural for his family to build its own rock wall his parents are avid rock climbers, and he's become a USA Climbing national champion. "I've been climbing ever since I could walk, so it's pretty much programmed in me," said Matt, a sixth-grader at Livermore Valley Charter School. Matt got his first rock climbing experience at age 3 when he dropped by Livermore's Sunrise Rock Gym where his sister, Caitlyn, was attending a birthday party. He was a natural climber and was asked to join the gym's Youth Climbing League a couple of years later.
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