Are you ready for climate change? New York City says it is. In a new report, the city outlined its plans to adapt, discuss, monitor, involve and review in an attempt to surge ahead on the global stage and become a proactive leader in climate change preparation. According to the first report of the New York City Panel on Climate Change, the city plans to target low-hanging fruit and form strategies for both short-term economic and long-term environmental wins. "Cities are at the forefront of the battle against climate change," said New York mayor Michael Bloomberg in a statement. "We are the source of approximately 80 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. "And as the climate changes, densely populated urban areas—particularly coastal cities—will disproportionately feel the impacts." Here are the eight recommendations by the NPCC: 1. Adopt a risk-based approach to develop "Flexible Adaptation Pathways," including regular reviews of the city's adaptation program. 2. … [Read more...] about Eight ways New York City is preparing for climate change
New life academy
New Super Smash Bros., open-world Zelda game highlight Nintendo’s Wii U lineup at E3
LOS ANGELES -- With its flagship console struggling to stay afloat, Nintendo has come out full force with a significant software effort designed to breathe new life into Wii U.A major focus of this initiative revolves around accenting the console's unique GamePad controller, but at E3 2014 Nintendo is unveiling more new games than it has in a number of years.Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS is clearly the company's most compelling and immediate title, and its Wii U debut will include the ability to design three classes of custom Mii characters which can be used in-game. Players can choose between four specials and a total of 36 moves for unique customization of their character. Smash Bros. also marks the debut for of the amiibo toy-to-life system, which will debut in November with 10 physical toys. I got to sit down with the 3DS version of Super Smash Bros. and played through the platform's exclusive "smash run" mode that let me level up my character in preparation for battle. The … [Read more...] about New Super Smash Bros., open-world Zelda game highlight Nintendo’s Wii U lineup at E3
Report: Ubisoft in Talks With Netflix for New Series
Forget about Gilmore Girls. Word has it Netflix is in talks with Assassin's Creed developer Ubisoft about a new series. Details of the possible collaboration are scant, but Ubisoft Chairman and Chief Executive Yves Guillemot dropped the news during a briefing today with reporters, according to Reuters. Neither Netflix nor Ubisoft immediately responded to requests for comment. Related Articles Ubisoft Now Bans Rainbow Six Siege Cheaters on First Offense The French video game developer is also known for games including Just Dance, Tom Clancy's video game series, Rayman, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Prince of Persia. As for what the new series could be about, that's anyone's guess at this point. Ubisoft's Guillemot did say he plans to keep Ubisoft independent, despite pressure from shareholder Vivendi, and that "Ubisoft was considering acquisitions in the 50-100 million euros ($110.7 million) price range, primarily in the mobile phone games sector." Vivendi currently holds a 20.1 … [Read more...] about Report: Ubisoft in Talks With Netflix for New Series
Is Skylanders Academy Your Kid’s Next Netflix Obsession?
After months of buzzing, 13 episodes of Skylanders Academy from Activision Blizzard Studios landed on Netflix late last week. The show is a bright yet smart take that brings the loved game characters onto the lean-back screen experience. It's based on the US$3 billion Skylanders franchise, a concept that pioneered the toys-to-life category as it introduced players to the act of putting their physical 3D characters on the Portal of Power peripheral and seeing them appear within the game itself. Spyro, Eruptor, Stealth Elf, Jet-Vac, and Pop Fizz are a merry band of mismatched heroes who, under the watchful eye of Master Eon, battle the nasty forces of evil channeled from Kaos and the Doom Raiders. It's epic in scale and story and is vibrantly voiced with the likes of Justin Long as Spyro, Ashley Tisdale as Stealth Elf, Jonathan Banks as Eruptor, and Norm MacDonald as Glumshanks. PCMag went to Los Angeles to meet showrunner Eric Rogers and the Co-Presidents of Activision Blizzard … [Read more...] about Is Skylanders Academy Your Kid’s Next Netflix Obsession?
Set the DVR, Nerds: ‘Genius’ Explores the Life of Einstein
Earlier this month, PCMag got a sneak peek at the new NatGeo series Genius about Albert Einstein. Given the subject matter, it's a very ambitious project, but ultimately worth checking out. Genius is National Geographic's first scripted series, and its 10 episodes—which begin airing April 25—are headlined by Academy Award-winning actor Geoffrey Rush, who plays Einstein in his more mature years with eccentric and mad abandon. The physicist's wilder, anti-establishment, and rebellious youth is represented by Johnny Flynn, who does a very credible impression of a younger Geoffrey Rush. That isn't a criticism. He'd have to, or the two performances just wouldn't gel, especially as there's a lot of back and forth between time periods. Supporting (female) roles are ably rounded out by Emily Watson as his second wife Elsa Einstein, and Samantha Colley as Mileva Maric, who was, despite the challenging times in which she lived, a superb scientist in her own right. It's always tricky … [Read more...] about Set the DVR, Nerds: ‘Genius’ Explores the Life of Einstein