A group called the Blind Driver Challenge team in Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory  has retrofitted a four-wheel dirt buggy with laser range finders, an instant voice command interface and a host of other cutting-edge technologies.

Does it sound like Knight Rider's KITT or something out of a Terminator movie?   Only if those drivers are blind.

It's still in the early testing stage but the National Federation of the Blind considers the vehicle a major breakthrough for independent living of the visually impaired. 

In Toledo, Ohio on June 26, 1914 -- a star was born. He was named Lyman Strong Spitzer, Jr. for good measure. An asteroid, a space telescope, and a building in the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) bear his name today. His theoretical and applied research contributions shaped three fields of science, namely, interstellar matter, the dynamics of star clusters, and the physics of plasmas.

CNN is trying to look like they are impartial by simultaneously only having talking heads who stress how vital government health care is while then proclaiming it Obama's "Waterloo."

If you aren't familiar with military history, or only know the colloquial term, here is a brief summary:  Napoleon was a brilliant General during the disastrous French Revolution who made himself Emperor after a coup d'etat.  He battered around the continental powers, reinstituted slavery, implemented French modern civil law and tried to invent a new week.  Oh, and sold us Louisiana.

LONDON, July 21 --

- HSPA confirmed as fastest adopted mobile technology of all time

Global HSPA connections will pass the 150 million mark by the end of the
summer, the GSM Association announced today. With more than 300 networks across
127 countries and approaching 1500 HSPA enabled devices readily available, HSPA
has firmly established itself as the world’s dominant mobile broadband
technology and the fastest adopted mobile technology of all time.

According to Wireless Intelligence, the following regions are driving global
HSPA connection growth:

HONG KONG, July 22 --

Electronic Arts Inc. (Nasdaq: ERTS) and NetDragon Websoft Inc., a leading game
developer and operator in China (NetDragon, with its subsidiaries collectively
know as the Group; Hong Kong Stock Code: 777), today announced a licensing
agreement for the development of a new massively multi-player online role
playing game (MMORPG) based on Ultima Online(TM) from Electronic Arts. As part
of the agreement, NetDragon will develop the new Ultima Online(TM) in
collaboration with EA’s Mythic Entertainment, and have the exclusive
operating license for China, Hong Kong, Macau and India.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, July 22 --

- Banner Ads Beware! Infolinks Revolutionizes Website Monetization With In-Text
Ads

Online ad budgets are being slashed. Why? Sure, you can blame part of the
downturn on the overall economic slump. Still, any web publisher worth their
salt would be lying if they didn’t admit another emerging truth: consumers
are fed up with overt website ads. What was once the proverbial cash cow of the
web is now going the way of the dinosaur. It doesn’t matter how loud they
are - whether they blink, speak, pop up or pop under - potential customers are
not only hip to the fact they’re being marketed to, they’re actively
ignoring the ads themselves.

ATLANTA, July 22 --

CoffeeCup Software, Inc. (http://www.coffeecup.com) has released Shopping Cart
Creator 3.5 with the aim of bringing e-commerce within reach of the average
user. We’re so proud of this program, Vice President of Software
Development Scott Swedorski said. We feel it gives the Web design and business
communities a powerful, affordable solution for creating great online stores.

First released on Dec. 16, 2008, Shopping Cart Creator has already become one
of CoffeeCup’s most popular programs. The program is a pleasure to use,
especially for a beginner like me, user Margaret Stephens said. It was easy to
set up, and my online store took right off.

HSINCHU, Taiwan, July 22 --

- Introduces SiP design solutions for the first time and continues to drive
differentiated features in power, performance and DFM

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, July 22 --

- http://www.islonline.com has Been Providing Internet Communication Services
Such as Remote Desktop Support, Remote Access, Live Chats and Online Meetings
Since 2003

- Currently to Over 60,000 Business Users Worldwide

c’t, a German computer magazine with a circulation of more than 460,000
and more than 1 million readers has tested the performance of 22 remote desktop
support solutions. Among all candidates, ISL Light, the product of a recognized
RD company XLAB d.o.o., won the highest score.

LONDON, July 22 -- GSK announced its sales and turnover fell by less than
expected in Q2. The Pharma giant also said there had been good growth in the
consumer, vaccine, european and emerging markets businesses and whilst the US
remains under pressure from older products going off patent, the rate of decline
has slowed down.