The first full synopsis for Gotham has arrived, and it definitely sets the stage for what we can expect from Fox’s upcoming Batman prequel.

Here's a first clip with stills from the upcoming awesomeness of War of the Worlds: Goliath, a badass indie anime epic directed by Joe Pearson with the help of more than 300 artists, illustrators and animators in four countries. It gives the 19th-century sci-fi novel a distinctive steampunk twist with some brutal battle sequences against the murderous Martian tripods. The spotlight of the story are the 1200-foot-long, armored zepellin aircraft carriers that clog the skies, and the heroic heft of the allied's Goliath machine attempting to halt the voracious alien invasion.

First synopsis (+ artwork!) for Batman prequel Gotham promises ‘super villains and vigilantes’

The first full synopsis for Gotham has arrived, and it definitely sets the stage for what we can expect from Fox’s upcoming Batman prequel.

The synopsis digs into the background of naive Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) as he works his way into the underbelly to get a look at the crime and evil that lives in the heart of the big city. It promises shady politics, action and DC-tinged crime drama.

We can also glean how young Bruce Wayne (David Mazouz) will get to know Gordon, and it sounds like the idealistic detective will be a mentor for Bruce. That could be a nice, organic way to bring them together — assuming they can pull it off with any subtlety.

Firefighters reach basement of NYC blast site

NEW YORK (AP) — With most of the rubble of two New York City apartment buildings cleared away, investigators hope to uncover the cause of an explosion that flattened them, killed eight people.

City Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said Saturday that investigators should be able to get to the gas pipes and meters in the front of the buildings' basements Sunday, adding, "We'll be in full swing with the investigation."

Arson detectives and fire marshals have been waiting to enter the basements to examine meters, check pipes and inspect any possible ignition sources, such as light switches, that might have caused the blast.

Cassano said all but 15 percent of the rubble from the buildings had been cleared away late Saturday.

The theory that Wednesday's explosion was due to a gas leak gained momentum Friday after the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates pipeline accidents, said underground tests conducted in the hours after the explosion registered high concentrations of natural gas. The NTSB will conduct its own inquiry after police and fire officials determine what might have caused the explosion.

Where did Social Security numbers come from?

Social Security numbers: Most people in the U.S. have them, considering you need them for so many things. Kids need them so their parents can claim them as dependents for tax reasons, you need one to apply for a job, and they’re necessary for collecting many government benefits. If you’ve applied for a credit card or loan, you’ve entered it on your application. Because it’s tied to some of the most important, sensitive data about you, a Social Security number itself is incredibly delicate information, which is why you need to be cautious about whom you give it to.

  

But what’s so special about a sequence of nine numbers, and how secure can that numbering system be? Should a Social Security number be longer to prevent identity theft? There are lots of questions that surround this string of numbers that is so deeply embedded in Americans’ lives, and to answer them, it helps to know the basics.

Why Nine?
The Social Security numbering scheme was created in 1936 as a way to organize Social Security applications.
“It was really just a bookkeeping device for our own internal use and was never intended to be anything more than that,” says the history section of the Social Security Administration website.
The number is broken into three segments as a part of that filing system: The first three are the area number, the next two are the group number and the last four make up a serial number. It’s almost funny that such an important number started out as something as boring as a way to file paperwork.

The Place You Must Always Remember to Forget - Nuclear Waste the film.

Documentary on Underground Storage of Nuclear Waste.
Outlines the pros and cons of this method of storage for the tons of waste
produced by the Nuclear Power Industry. Interesting the most difficult threat to
mitigate is the human one.....*sigh. Great Footage, Creative Commons Universal 1.0
Shows building of repository and internal workings at plant.
Spooky Film! When and if we stop nuclear power we are going to need a lot of repositories like Onkalo, (Hiding Place) Perfect name but imperfect solution.
The guy from the Finish Nuclear Authority reminds me of Dr. Strangelove! (50:40)

2014 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged! - World's Fastest Car Show

The Range Rover Sport is an undisputed titan of the automobile industry. Between its storied off-road heritage and Beverly Hills curb appeal, the Range Rover Sport is a brand unto its own. But what exactly does the sport designation mean? Saddled with a supercharged V8 engine producing 510 hp, Justin takes the Range Rover to the track to see just how sporty this mega SUV really is.

Volkswagen pockets $23,000 when you buy that new Porsche

One could forgive Volkswagen executives for only wanting to drive their fleet of Audis, Bentleys, Porsches, and Lamborghinis. The German giant’s luxury offerings are outperforming its pedestrian passenger cars, both on roads and off.

For every Porsche it sold last year, Volkswagen booked about $23,200 in operating profit, for a margin of 18 percent, according to an annual report it released this morning. Bentley wasn’t far behind Porsche, and the Audi brand, which includes the Lamborghini badge, posted $5,200 in profit per vehicle at a 10 percent margin. That compares with an $850 return, at a 2.9 percent margin, for one of VW’s mass-market machines, such as the Jetta or Passat.

“Porsche is growing in every respect, from profitability to innovative power, right up to its motor portfolio,” Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen’s chief executive, said on a conference call this morning.

Atomic Car Revisited: Thorium Could Power A Vehicle for 100 Years?

A car that could run for 100 years on one tank of fuel? It sounds like a far-fetched idea, but it is just what a company is apparently claiming possible with the use of an atomic fuel that was abandoned during the Nixon administration. We’re talking about the sounds-too-good-to-be-true substance called “Thorium.”

Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive element. It was discovered in 1828 by a Norwegian mineralogist and identified by a Swedish chemist, who then named it after the Norse god, Thor.