HOT TIPS; LEGO BUILDS ON MUSIC SKILLS.The fine folks at Lego have edged their way into computer - and videogaming - with titles that have some strong relationship to Lego bricks. But with Lego Friends, the Danish blockmeisters have outdone out·do tr.v. out·did , out·done , out·do·ing, out·does To do more or better than in performance or action. See Synonyms at excel. themselves. It's a wonderful title, pitched for girls and music fans, both of which have only recently begun to get much attention in the gaming world. Players follow the fortunes of a young band trying to get ready for a big performance. The game comes in several modules, including one that allows a player to simply create music by clicking and dragging on small blocks of notes and rhythms ``played'' by various computer instruments. Once the songs are created, the player can design lighting, backdrops and other production details for the performance, all coordinated with the songs. It sounds a little intimidating, but part of the program's genius is the fun of the click-and-drag process that allows little ones young children. See also: Little to experiment and learn. It kept my 8-year-old captivated cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. for several hours. All told, a Lego Friend is a friend indeed. - David Bloom David Bloom (May 22, 1963 – April 6, 2003) was an NBC journalist (co-anchor of Weekend Today and reporter) until his sudden death in 2003 at the age of 39. Early life EGG-ZACTLY WHAT YOU NEED Jill O'Connor's ``Easter Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family'' (Chronicle Books; $14.95) dishes up some relatively easy holiday tips that bring Martha Stewart <noinclude></noinclude> Martha Stewart (born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941) is an American business magnate, author, editor and homemaking advocate. She is also a former stockbroker and fashion model. perfection to the masses. It's all here: recipes for Hot Cross Buns and Chicken Little Cookie Pops; Easter egg An undocumented function hidden in software that may or may not be sanctioned by management. Easter Eggs are secret "goodies" found by word of mouth or accident. They are also used in video games, movies, TV commercials, DVDs, CDs, CD-ROMs and every so often in hardware. dyeing tips and complete instructions to make fuzzy little Easter chicks. The best feature of the book is the ``Easy Way Out'' suggestions for those occasions when time or energy is limited. The book provides amusing activities for both children and adults. - Phil Davis
GO SOAK YOUR ... GARDEN Take it easy on Southern California's precious water supply and make use of all those nasty old tires with the Fiskars Moisture Soaker hose. Soaker hoses use up to 70 percent less water than sprinklers and deliver water to the roots, where it's needed most. Wisconsin-based Fiskars ups the Earth Day ante with a soaker made of 65 percent recycled tire rubber, a good thing considering tires don't biodegrade and generally wreak havoc at landfills. Fiskars said it uses 850,000 tires a year to make the hoses. Soaker hoses also help prevent fungus because they don't spray water on leaves. The hose can be found at large chain stores such as Home Depot The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is an American retailer of home improvement and construction products and services. Headquartered in Vinings, just outside Atlanta in unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, Home Depot employs more than 355,000 people and operates 2,164 big-box and WalMart. It is available in 25-, 50- and 75-foot lengths at costs between $8 and $15.50. - Phil Davis CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- color) no caption (Lego Friends) (2 -- 3 color) no caption ("Easter Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family") (4 -- color) no caption (Fiskars Moisture Soaker hose) |
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