Age of Empires Online's Egyptian faction, social features announced

Microsoft has revealed the identity of the Greeks' co-star (nemesis?) in Age of Empires Online, its two-faction freemium revamp of the series: the Egyptians, a.k.a. the "blue guys." The Egyptians will oppose the read team (obviously), which is hellbent on expanding Greece's borders across the whole world. Stay tuned -- we'll be posting our preview of the Egyptians gameplay later today.

Additionally, Microsoft has detailed some of the social and MMO features planned for AoE Online, which center on players' capitol cities, in addition to confirming Game for Windows Live support (including Achievements). The capitol city -- you can have two; one for your Greek and Egyptian civilization -- will be the player's persistent headquarters, used to access quests and rule over the empire, but its more interesting function is as a travel destination and interaction point for other players.

Aside from marveling at your flower gardens (think of your capitol as "Farmville Lite"), visiting players can join up with you in co-op missions or simply shop at your unique store fronts. Paying players will have incentive to encourage visitors to shop, too, as the premium faction upgrade adds kickbacks: You'll receive in-game currency for purchases made from your stores. Microsoft's detailed "cheat sheet" of the differences between free and paid play is posted after the break.

Importantly, Microsoft has said it won't "nickel-and-dime" players -- upgrading from the free-to-play version of a faction is done through a one-time premium add-on, the "Premium Civilization Pack." Microsoft has not yet announced pricing for the upgrades, however. Age of Empires Online is currently in beta and planned for release this year.

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JoystiqAge of Empires Online's Egyptian faction, social features announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/25/age-of-empires-online-egyptian-faction-social-features-announce/

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Bing and MSN Entertainment roll out the red carpet for the Golden Globes

Will Black Swan take best picture?   Will Glee beat Modern Family? Did Ricky Gervais just say that?

On Sunday, Hollywood’s brightest stars will swarm the 68th Golden Globes Ceremony to find out the who will take home the globe. For those of you who can’t make it, Bing and MSN Entertainment are rolling out the red carpet to help you get the most out of the show.

Golden Globe Instant Answer

Simply search for “Golden Globes” and you’ll see an instant answer at the top of the search results. All of the relevant content is served up so you can find what you’re looking for or discover something new.

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Golden Globe Visual Search Gallery

Check out the nominees across all categories with the Golden Globes Visual Search Gallery.  Whether you’re looking for “best original score” or “best motion picture”, you can sort by category in a matter of clicks.

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MSN Entertainment’s Guide to 2011 Golden Globes

To help prime you for the ceremony, MSN Entertainment has created a guide for the event with comprehensive coverage on the nominees, red carpet coverage from the event, photos and videos of the stars and even the latest celebrity news.

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We’ll be updating our content with winners on Monday morning so if you miss the festivities, come back next week for a complete look at the winners.

Break a leg!

- Bing and MSN Entertainment team

Source: http://www.bing.com/community/Site_Blogs/b/search/archive/2011/01/14/bing-and-msn-entertainment-roll-out-the-red-carpet-for-the-golden-globes.aspx

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Non-Food Uses for Cornstarch and Baking Powder

I don't cook an awful lot and because of this, I buy the small sized items when it comes to ingredients needed when I cook. Even when I do buy small, I always seemed to have opened ingredients in the back of the cupboard, for who knows how long. Today my search is on for non-food uses for corn starch and baking powder.

From talking to the county extension office, an opened container of cornstarch, if sealed well and in a dry climate, can last indefinitely. However an opened container of baking powder in the same climate has a shelf life up to 18 months, but you can test it, "Regardless of the expiration date, the effectiveness can be tested by placing a teaspoon of the powder into a small container of water. If it fizzes energetically, it's still active and usable"


Cornstarch:
? Burn relief - If it is still around the house when summer rolls in. Mix cornstarch and water until a paste is made. Apply directly to sun burn and allow to dry, then remove with lukewarm water.
? Knot detangler - I've heard of baby powder being used and corn starch has a similar consistency. I tried it on my own necklace and it worked very well.
? Carpet deodorizer - Sprinkle on carpet, wait 20-30 minutes and vacuum up. I tried this and then steam cleaned and was happy with the smell test result and the dark spots on the carpet cleared up better.
? Perspiration Sponge - Pour into shoes or socks or dab some in those special places after your shower. A natural alternative to deodorants, mix 1 part baking soda with 6 parts cornstarch.
? Dry Shampoo - Sprinkle on pet or human hair and brush out. Not a fan of this idea, tried this in the past and just had a mess, but some people think it is worthwhile.
? Spray Starch - Handy in an emergency when ironing - using a mix of one tablespoon of corn starch and two cups of cold water in a spray bottle, mix well and mist onto shirt collars and pants.
There are other uses for face painting, cleaning silver and killing cockroaches that you can check out.

Baking Powder has baking SODA in it and they both are used for baking. You can substitute baking POWDER in place of baking SODA (you'll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you can't use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. You can find the chemical differences explained here.

Baking Powder: 
? Detergent booster - Sprinkle some baking powder into the washing machine or dishwasher with the detergent to boost the cleaning power. And though I'm no Tool Time Tim, I like a little boost here and there.
? Counter cleaner - Dust your counter-top with powder and wipe clean for a more natural cleaner in the kitchen.
? Teeth Whitening - Small cup of powder and dip your brush in it, then brush for 1-2 minutes while it foams up. Rinse your mouth out well afterwards. (see Dental assistant video)
? Grease Killer -  Sprinkle a little baking powder on the greasy spot, shake off extra powder and brush off the rest once the grease is soaked up by the powder. Wash as usual.

It was hard finding uses that specifically speak about baking POWDER, as many got it mixed up with baking SODA, the much cheaper and less acidic version that you usually see in the orange arm and hammer box.

Any additional non-food uses for baking powder or cornstarch that you have found useful?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/IpRp/~3/x4A1ZihzIXc/non-food-uses-for-cornstarch-and-baking.html

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10 Ways to Cut Impulse Grocery Shopping

The longer you stay in the grocery store the better chance you have of increasing your receipt total with impulse purchases.

My partner is amazed when I run to the store to pick up the groceries, how quickly I come back after leaving. For her it is an easy 60-90 minute shopping trip. I thought I would pass along a few ways I get in and out so quickly for those who are wanting to cutting down on their trip.

Plan Ahead. When you have your list of items to buy and you have any coupons ready to use then you don't have to worry about missing any items or having to make another trip. I also eat something before going if I'm already a bit hungry, so I'm not tempted by chips and soda pop.

Map It Out. I usually shop at the same 2-3 stores and I have a pretty good idea where 90% of the items are. With that in my mind I am ready to plan my route without doing any backtracking through the crush of people or going down aisles that I know are not on my list.

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Use the Proper Size Grocery Container. If I have a large list, then I grab a cart, if the items to pick up are less than 5, I use no cart or carrying container. The less room I have, the less likely I am to want to carry it around or want to go back for a bigger grocery container.

Outside to Inside. I prefer to get my produce first and then work my way around the outside "ring" of the store, then going into the middle area. If I have quite a few heavy items to pick up I leave room in the cart so I don't crush the produce.

Price and Size. I'm not brand loyal on most food items, that allows my eyes to taken in the price and the size to determine the best value for what I need on the list. If I have a coupon I take that into consideration at this point and if generic is cheaper, I will leave the coupon behind on the shelf for someone else.

Constantly Moving. I don't stop to enjoy a pretty holiday display or look over the flowers wishing I had a bouquet. Unless I'm stopping to decide on an item from my list, I keep walking toward the nearest item on my list. Milk to Eggs to frozen foods and on.

Asking for Help. If I can't find what I need from the aisle chart, I wait until I've come across an employee and then ask them to point the way. It does seem to save time if I'm still shopping and not finished when I ask.

Record Keeping. If you are like me and you have a monthly food budget, this is where you will see me adding up (rounding up) the cost of items to stay within budget. IF, and only if I have enough money left over, then I will get the junk food at the bottom of the list.

Recheck Your List and Cart. While I'm standing in line I go over my list to make sure I haven't forgotten anything and I go over my cart to make sure the items I have are ones I definitely need and not impulse items. This is also a good way to keep my eyes off the checkout candy so I don't add to my cart.

Rain-checks. If an item I wanted that was a good deal and they were out, it is as I walk towards the door that I will stop at the customer service desk to get my rain-check. Doing it right when I find it is sold out just adds time to my shopping trip - I just star the item on the list so I remember.

For more help with your shopping, please read through The Psychology Behind Store Layouts that I wrote up a couple of years ago.


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/IpRp/~3/wRyqgcdLAh8/10-ways-to-cut-impulse-grocery-shopping.html

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Super Awesome Sylvia's Mousey the Junkbot


Super Awesome Sylvia builds the ambitious Mousey the Junkbot project by our very own Gareth Branwyn from MAKE v02

Ever wanted a pet but your parents wouldn't let you? Why not try Mousey the Junkbot! Today we'll be highlighting the build for this little light seeking bot, from spare parts and an old computer mouse. Lets go! Full details after the jump.

Subscribe to the MAKE Podcast in iTunes, download the m4v video directly, or watch it on YouTube and Vimeo.

Read the Full Story » | More on MAKE » | Comments » | Read more articles in Robotics | Digg this!

Source: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/01/sylvia_builds_mousey_the_junkbot.html

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Bing Feature Update: Check your local TV listings with Bing

Tired of scrolling through pages of cable listings in search of your favorite television show? Wouldn’t it be great if you could do a quick web search and find when your favorite show will be on next?

If you are one of those people who watch TV on an actual TV, we’re pulling in guide information to help you easily find what’s on in your area from your service provider, so you can make sure you are on the couch or setting your DVR to catch your favorite shows.

  • Over 2000 TV listings customized to your local provider.
  • Save time with quick access to organized listings

Let us know what you think.

· www.facebook.com/bing

· www.twitter.com/bing

Sally Liu, Program Manager

Source: http://www.bing.com/community/Site_Blogs/b/search/archive/2011/01/06/bing-feature-update-check-your-local-tv-listings-with-bing.aspx

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