Just 
a few years ago, meteorologists regularly shared an inside joke about forecasts: Anything beyond three days is a guess.
But on the heels of this week’s disastrous tornadoes in Moore, Okla., and Hurricane Sandy last October, it has never been more critical to be able to forecast long-range events. Big data analysis is turning the guesswork of yesterday’s meteorology into a more precise and predictive science.
There’s 
a difference between being a Star Wars fan and being a Star Wars fanatic. We’re pretty sure the folks at LEGO fall into the latter camp.
Tourists who wander into Times Square this week are going to be shocked to see a full-sized X-Wing fighter made entirely of LEGO bricks. A stunning 5.3 million of them, to be precise. That makes it the biggest ever, surpassing a LEGO robot at Minnesota’s Mall of America by a good 2 million.
The 
Internet might be a haven for cat lovers, but when it comes to gamers, dogs rule.
Activision has a viral hit on its hands with Call of Duty: Ghosts, but not for the reasons it likely expected. The German Shepherd seen wearing a motion-capture suit in the game’s first official trailers and screenshots has become something of an internet sensation.
There 
were a lot of fancy features showcased in Tuesday’s unveiling of the Xbox One, but there were plenty of unanswered questions as well.
That was to be expected, of course. With E3 looming and months left before the system releases, Microsoft had to keep some of its powder dry. But the company also dodged some pressing questions and gave conflicting answers on others — and that’s infuriating some gamers.
The instant backlash against the Xbox One, in fact, has been rather astonishing. To help understand it, here’s a list of some of the things we don’t know that we probably should, as well as areas where Microsoft just made things more confusing by constantly flip-flopping.
Since 
the rumormongers starting whispering about Microsoft’s next-generation console over a year ago, one of the most controversial topics has been the fate of used games.
Some reports said the system would make it impossible to play them. Analysts scoffed at this, saying Microsoft wasn’t stupid enough to alienate a substantial portion of its audience with such a sweeping move — not to mention anger its biggest retail partner, GameStop, who sees significant revenue from used game sales.
Halo 
may not have made it to the big screen, but it’s getting its own TV show.
And one helluva producer.
As part of the Xbox One reveal Tuesday, Microsoft unveiled plans for Halo: The Television Series, which will air exclusively on Xbox Live. To assuage any fan fears about the show’s quality, the Redmond-based company has partnered with legendary movie-maker Steven Spielberg to create it.
With 
news last week that U.S. authorities had seized assets of the world’s largest bitcoin exchange, traders and other people interested in the digital currency are looking nervously at the future.
Bitcoins have always operated outside of the established financial system, so does the action by the Department of Homeland Security signal the start of a movement to regulate the field? And if so, how will the people who use the virtual currency react?
Microsoft’s 
next-generation Xbox will dominate headlines tomorrow, but Sony couldn’t resist stealing one more news cycle for the PlayStation 4 today.
The company has released a teaser video showing off its upcoming console, which was conspicuously absent at Sony’s own event in February.
Madden, 
the go-to franchise for NFL fans, is upping its game.
EA has unveiled a limited ‘Anniversary Edition’ edition of the upcoming Madden NFL 25 that will come with a free Sunday Ticket subscription, letting owners not only play simulations of the entire NFL season, but watch it live, too, whether they’re in-market or not.
Chanel 
Preston knows not everyone approves of her chosen profession. That’s one of the risks that go with being one of the biggest stars in porn. But she never thought it would affect her ability to open a bank account.
Preston recently opened a business account with City National Bank in Los Angeles. When she went to deposit checks into the account days later, however, she was told it had been shut down, due to “compliance issues.”
Chris Morris: Journalist 