Conservative Sen. Jim DeMint reportedly backing Michael Williams for Texas ... - Dallas Morning News

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Conservative Sen. Jim DeMint reportedly backing Michael Williams for Texas ... Dallas Morning News An interesting development in conservative Senate politics: The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza reports that Sen. Jim DeMint, a South Carolina Republican ... Poll: Look homeward, Jim DeMint?Politico DeMint to endorse Michael Williams in TexasWashington Post (blog) DeMint Outpolls Democrats (and Lindsey Graham) in South CarolinaPolitics Daily (blog) The Hill all 14 news articles »

Read More... [Source: Conservative - Google News]

Exclusive: first Google Phone / Nexus One photos, Android 2.1 on-board

Well here you have it folks, honest-to-goodness pics of the Google Phone... AKA, the Nexus One. As you can see by the photos, the design of the device is largely similar to those we've seen, but the graphic on back is slightly different, and that piece of tape is covering a QR code (how very Google of them). Just like we've heard before, the updated OS features new 3D elements to the app tray, as well as an extended amount of homescreens, though it looks like the lock screen / mute is the same as in Android 2.0.1. Additionally, there's now a new grid icon at the bottom of the homescreen, which when pressed brings up a webOS card-style preview of all homescreen pages -- which raises some interesting possibilities. Apparently there's been a new software update for the device pushed tonight, and sure enough the phone is identified as the Nexus One on the system info page. Quite clearly this device is running on T-Mobile, and is also using WiFi, so there's two other questions you've got answers to. The phone also appears to come loaded up with Google Navigation (a bit of a no-brainer) and the brand-spanking-new Google Goggles. Hardware wise, the Nexus does look incredibly thin and sleek, and while there's not a slew of buttons (those four up front are clearly touch sensitive), there is a dedicated volume rocker along the side. Oh, and note this... no HTC logo anywhere to be found. We'll update the post as / if we get more info, but for now, feast your eyes on the gallery below!

Update: One item of interest. In the packaging there's a quick start guide which points users to a "questions" page at google.com/phone/support. The page is a dead end right now, but it certainly gets an eyebrow raise from us. If there is a real Google Phone in the offing, that seems a likely landing page for support.

[Thanks, RD]

Gallery: Google Phone / Nexus One exclusive photos

Exclusive: first Google Phone / Nexus One photos, Android 2.1 on-board originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Classicist: Rambling in the 2010 Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly upper class British sporting aesthetic, as quintessentially English and aristocratic as the country houses dotting the verdant landscape. The luxe SUV was introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948. The preferred country conveyance of Prince Charles and his kin, the marque continues to dominate the upper end of the SUV spectrum in the UK and abroad despite having passed out of British hands.

For 2010 the Range Rover and its rakish younger sibling, the Range Rover Sport, were treated to a makeover encompassing several significant engineering and design upgrades. We had a chance to ramble 'round the scenic byways of Vermont recently in the latter. At 375 hp, the normally aspirated Sport model has nearly the same power as the previous year's supercharged version, capable of 0 - 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (just 0.1 seconds off the pace of the outgoing supercharged unit).

The Sport's smooth, refined, responsive performance and good looks mark it as a thoroughbred in all respects. For 2010 the exterior has a somewhat cleaner, more sculpted appearance. LED headlamps combine with a new two-bar grille, front bumpers and fenders to create a more sporting, aerodynamic, low-slung stance. At the rear, new light clusters and a revised bumper design mirror the smoother front-end. The interior has been comprehensively redesigned as well, using higher quality materials and finishes.

Gallery: 2010 Range Rover Sport

Leather is used extensively on major surfaces, in a wider choice of colors. To create a more sporting feel, rich dark shades "sandwich" narrow sections in lighter tones, completed by a generous selection of stylish wood finishes. There are luxurious new seats front and rear, which feature a deeper, more sculpted shape. A new adaptive sport mode provides more aggressive shift points and "learns" an individual driver's style to provide more appropriate responses to throttle inputs. The supercharged model now comes with F1-style paddle shifters on the steering wheel as well.

The fascia-mounted touch-screen system houses a new hard-drive navigation system while a new portable audio interface also allows connectivity to an array of personal audio storage devices, USB sticks and iPods. A new Surround Camera System features five digital cameras which relay a near 360-degree view to the touch-screen display. You can even zoom in. And one of our favorite new features is the automatic High Beam Assist technology, which turns them on and off as needed, detecting preceding and approaching traffic. Perfect for those country roads at night.

Filed under: Wheels, The Classicist

The Classicist: Rambling in the 2010 Range Rover Sport originally appeared on Luxist on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Punishing The Dems On Health Care - CBS News

Punishing The Dems On Health Care CBS News Democratic senators and congressmen have been trying to convince each other, particularly their more conservative colleagues, that they'll all be better off ... and more »

Read More... [Source: Conservative - Google News]

Maybe money can buy happiness after all

Filed under: Extracurriculars, Shopping

Money, it seems, just might be able to buy you a bit of happiness this holiday season. Or so says research from the University of British Columbia and Harvard University.

The good news: It doesn't matter how much you make, because you can spend as little as $5 to get happy. But there's a catch: In order for your money to make you happy, you've got to spend it on others. Not yourself. Sounds like the perfect reason to pick up a little "extra something" for a loved one or co-worker.

What's the link?
The connection between your wallet and your happiness isn't as complex as you might think. "We found that while it might make you happy 'in the moment,' despite popular belief, spending money on big ticket items like new cars, jewelry or on vacations doesn't contribute to sustained happiness," says lead researcher, University of British Columbia assistant professor Elizabeth Dunn, PhD. And, using a year-end or holiday bonus to pay off bills isn't the path to happiness either.

Continue reading Maybe money can buy happiness after all

Maybe money can buy happiness after all originally appeared on WalletPop Blog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even more info on Tron Evolution revealed along with first screenshot

Filed under: Action

The trailer debuted during the Video Game Awards Saturday night and this morning publisher Disney Interactive offered up more info on Tron Evolution, confirming that the action game title from developer Propaganda Games would indeed be heading to the PC in late 2009.

The game takes place in between the events of the classic 1980's film and the upcoming sequel Tron Legacy. The game's official press release hints that the new movie references events that are depicted in the game. We are promised both melee disk combat and light cycle racing in Tron Evolution. Tron Legacy's director Joseph Kosinski will "consult" on the game's development and actress Olivia Wilde will have her voice and likeness as the movie's character Quorra in the game as well.

Gallery: Tron Evolution Screenshots

Even more info on Tron Evolution revealed along with first screenshot originally appeared on Big Download Blog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album

For the sake of clarity and brevity in this week's Rock Band Weekly, let's split this info up:

• The Beatles: Rock Band will have the album Rubber Soul available next week. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road were previously released on November 17 and October 20, respectively.
• The standard Rock Band music store receives new tracks from All-American Rejects, 30 Seconds to Mars and even more Green Day.

As a reminder, Rock Band Unplugged DLC is going on holiday for an unspecified amount of time. Check out pricing and track details after the break.

Update: MTV Games/Harmonix has corrected the pricing for Rubber Soul.

Continue reading Rock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album

Rock Band Weekly: Green Day, 30 Seconds to Mars, All-American Rejects, Beatles: Rubber Soul album originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Read More... [Source: Joystiq [PlayStation]]