Googlerecently held two closed-door hackathons for a group of developers to work on Google Glass.

We first heard about it over on Mashable.

Google called these events the Glass Foundry, which took place in New York City and San Francisco earlier this month.

Google picked a small group of developers from its Glass Explorer Program to spend two days coming up with new ways to use Glass. 

Glass Foundry was a two-day event held in San Francisco and New York for developers to experiment with Google Glass

Senior Developer Advocate at Google Timothy Jordan speaking to the room of eager developers

Only developers who signed up to be part of the Google Explorer Program could participate

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David Hull is a managing partner at Centennial Ventures, a Texas-based venture capital firm.

Hull and his wife, Stormy, bought a classically French manor surrounded by around an acre of land for $4.4 million in 2002. And now they want to sell after putting about $2 million into the home. (h/t WSJ)

The nearly 8,200-square-foot chateau has four bedroom, 6 full bathrooms and 2 half-baths, according to the listing.

Originally listed at $10 million in September 2009, the house is currently listed at $8 million with Claire Wilkins of John Daugherty Realtors.

Foyer

Formal living room

Formal dining room

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It's been a long time since the Oscar race for Best Picture has been this tight. 

Director Tom Hooper is coming off of his 2011 win for "The King's Speech" with "Les Mis," while Kathryn Bigelow is looking for another Academy Award after "The Hurt Locker" in 2008.

Then there's Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and Ben Affleck's awards-sweeping "Argo." However, after foreign film "The Artist" won the top award last year, "Amour" could swoop in and take the trophy.

We've gathered together all the best picture nominations to help in selecting the winning pick on your Oscar ballot.

Familiarize yourself with the nominations, and see which one is most likely to take home the Oscar prize Sunday night.

"Les Miserables"

The musical

Anne Hathaway had us mesmerized with her flawless rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" and even went the extra mile by shaving off all of her hair for the film (something director Tom Hooper didn't even ask her to do).

However, no matter how much Hugh Jackman brought the story to life every time he appeared on screen, the adaptation of the hit Broadway play was bogged down by Russell Crowe's vocals—bringing to mind Pierce Brosnan's singing in "Mamma Mia"—and a lengthy script that clocked in at more than two-and-a-half hours on screen. 

WINS:  Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy and Best Ensemble at both the Satellite Awards and WAFCA Awards

Nominated for 8 Oscars.

"Amour"

The traditional foreign film

Though many weren't familiar with "Amour" when it was nominated, the French film has a story that can resonate with most anyone. 

Emmanuelle Riva plays an 80-year old woman, Anne, whose health continues to decline after she's left paralyzed. This leaves her husband Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) with the difficult decision of how to handle his wife's illness.

WINS: European Film Award and NSFC for Best Film, BAFTA, Critics Choice Award, and Golden Globe for Foreign language film

Nominated for 5 Oscars. 

"Silver Linings Playbook"

The Cinderella Darling

The film following a mental home outpatient and his road back to normalcy unexpectedly became a big winner for The Weinstein Company. 

The chemistry between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence is undeniably electrifying every time the two are on screen together. 

What's most impressive about the estimated $21 million budget film is its A-list star power and its ability to perform by word of mouth.  

Not only did Weinstein manage to pool together Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver, Julia Stiles, and long-gone actor Chris Tucker, but the film also resonated with audiences. In its first eight weeks, the film earned close to $35 million airing in only 745 theaters before receiving Oscar nods. 

WINS: Best Ensemble at the Critics Choice Award

Nominated for 8 Oscars.

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White House Photographer Pete Souza has the latest round of photos up on the official White House Flickr account, offering an inside look at a very busy time for President Barack Obama.

January was quite a month for the President. He hosted Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House, signed executive orders on gun control, and was sworn in for his second term.

As always, Souza captured some historic and sometimes intimate moments with the first family.

Obama meets with Felicia Escobar, Senior Policy Director for Immigration, left, and Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Council, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 10, 2013.

Obama talks with outgoing Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and former Chief of Staff Jack Lew as they walk on the Colonnade of the White House, Jan. 10, 2013. The President later announced Lew as his nominee to replace Geithner as Treasury Secretary.

Obama and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, Jan. 11, 2013. Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Afghan National Security Advisor, left, and National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, attend.

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The Dallas Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones have a brand new toy — a luxury bus that may have cost $2 million.

The Dallas Morning News reports that the 45-foot-long bus has nine TVs, room for 20 guests, and secret ice boxes all over the place.

The old bus has two million miles on it, and this one will replace it at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

The Dallas Morning News did a video tour of the new ride, and it's pretty spectacular.

The bus is named "The Elegant Lady"

This is the driver, Emery Tyler. He put more than 2 million miles on the team's original bus

The main cabin, which can be widened by a foot when the bus is parked

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There's no denying that the official draw of New York Fashion Week is getting to see the new collections and shows, but unofficially, we know that no Fashion Week would be complete without the parties.

The past seven days proved to be no exception, as our favorite designers and A-listers celebrated everywhere from Bow to No. 8.

Click through to see where else the fashion set partied this week. These hot spots are sure to be your go-to venues this spring.

Finale

Overview: Located just above Bow is another EMM Group hot spot, Finale. Being that Finale is the joint brainchild of EMM Group and Pacha, it comes as no surprise that it has fast become one of the top electronic music clubs in the city since opening in November of last year.

Location: 199 Bowery

Team: EMM Group, Pacha

Insider's Scorecard: The buzz began when Heidi Klum held her annual Halloween party at Finale last year, which featured a set by DJ Questlove. Finale has since featured a roster of impressive DJs, including pop-duo Icona Pop, who brought down the house last week. Also, to kick off this season's fashion week, Finale hosted Ape, an international party night, with Ben Watts and Milk Studios. DJ Carl Kennedy and Chelsea Leyland, who provided the music for the night, were joined by Adrien Grenier and Erin Fetherston.

Bow

Overview: The aptly named Bow, located in the bunker of Finale on Bowery, is the new venture from EMM Group and nightlife impresario Travis Bass. The exclusive bunker club has been drawing in fashion's elite since it opened at the end of 2012.

Location: 199 Bowery

Team: EMM Group, Travis Bass

Insider's Scorecard: The low ceilings of the dimly-lit club provide an intimate setting for club-goers. Bass even notes that, "If you stand on your tiptoes on the dance floor, you can touch the ceiling." Since opening in November, the exclusive hot spot has drawn in some of the industry's biggest names, including Prabal Gurung and Rag & Bone's David Neville and Marcus Wainwright, who all held their Fall 2013 after parties there this fashion week. The buzzed about VFILES NYFW celebration was also held at Bow, which included guests Alison Mosshart, Theophilus London, Nikki Hilton, Derek Blasberg, Mia Moretti, Hannah Bronfman, Genevieve Jones and Hanna Gabbe, among others.

The Standard, East Village

Overview: Since Andre Balazs took over the former Cooper Square Hotel for his latest Standard Hotel location last year, it gained immediate industry popularity. But this should come as no surprise when you consider all of Balazs' other well-received establishments. Balazs has also enlisted famed chef John Fraser for a still unnamed restaurant, set to open this fall at The Standard, East Village.

Location: 25 Cooper Square

Team: Andre Balazs (The Standard Hotels, The Mercer Hotel, Chateau Marmont)

Insider's Scorecard: The space may have opened last year, but its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. Prabal Gurung jumped on the bandwagon early, holding his Fall 2012 show after party at The Standard East Village's Chez André pop up last year. This fashion week, the Mulleavy sisters kept it going by gathering at the hotel to celebrate their Rodarte Fall 2013 collection. Chloe Sevigny, Lindsey Wixson, and Emily Weiss were among the famous guests in attendance.

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Leonardo DiCaprio might be one of Hollywood's highest paid actors — actually the highest paid actor in 2011— but that doesn't stop the Oscar-nominated star from jumping in a plane to Asia to film silly ads for large paychecks.

• Click here to see other celebrities in bizarre Asian ads>

Even though it won't be released in America, the Internet got a hold of DiCaprio's new ad for Jim Beam. After he molds ice into a ball and then crumbles it through telekinesis, DiCaprio says "Cool bourbon" over a video game-like soundtrack.

Usually stars like to keep these spots out of the public eye — DiCaprio even filed a cease and desist order against Japander.com to take down an Asian ad he starred in — but you can watch DiCaprio's spot below:

James Brown Love Some Miso Soup-ah

This vintage ad shows the one, the only James Brown singing about Cup of Noodles... to the tune of "Sex Machine"... in Japanese.

Good Gawd!

Check out the video below to see a sparkly, blue suit wearing Brown cha-cha around some good old fashion ramen.

Watch the ad below:

Hulk Hogan Singing... With A Baby... And An Air Conditioner?

Wow. Hulk Hogan was singing about the days of the week decades before Rebecca Black made it cool.

This ad from the early 1990s is comprised of Hogan reciting the days of the week, followed by a close up of a baby, followed by a close up on an air conditioner. 

Whatever Hitachi paid the wrestler to do this ad, it couldn't have been enough.

Watch the ad below:

Thai Tina Turner, Michael Jackson And More

This ad features Thai versions of Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. Want to know what they're crooning about?

According to Vintage Asian, which has a hilarious collection of retro ads from Asia, the impersonators are promoting an apartment building located at the northern outskirts of Bangkok.

Apparently, Flat Pla Tong -- translating to Goldfish Flats -- has great public bus access and only requires a small down payment! Huzzah! (Watch the ad below):

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The website wiseGEEK recently put together a brilliant project that puts healthy eating into perspective. 

The team photographed what 200 calories of many different foods looks like. 

Needless to say, the broccoli portion is much more generous than Doritos. 

The website generously shared some of their photos with us. Check out the full collection here. 

Your recommended daily caloric intake depends on your height, weight, age, gender, and activity levels. It's usually between 1,500 and 2,500 calories per day. You can calculate yours here. If you take in more calories than your body burns every day, you will gain weight.

Bacon.

Source: wiseGEEK

Chips.

Source: wiseGEEK

Doritos.

Source: wiseGEEK

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New York City, which already has the country's largest mass transit system, is in the midst of an ambitious $8.3 billion development project to build a new concourse beneath Grand Central Terminal.

The construction site, located 16 stories below the station, will grant the Long Island Rail Road access to Manhattan's East Side. Currently, Penn Station is the exclusive location of the LIRR in Manhattan.

When it's completed in 2019, the new station will bring in an estimated 160,000 Long Islanders each day, according to the AP.

But for now it's an astoundingly large construction site, standing eight stories high and with six miles of tunnels in the works. The MTA periodically releases construction photos on its Flickr page; here are some highlights from the latest batch.

The terminal in Grand Central will connect to the Main and Port Washington lines of the Long Island Rail Road.

The terminal will greatly reduce the commute times for people traveling from Queens and Long Island to Manhattan's East Side.

This is where an escalator bank will connect the Long Island Rail Road concourse to the main level of the terminal.

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A meteor that exploded in the skies above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk alarmed villagers last Friday morning. 

As the meteor burned up in the Earth's atmosphere, it sent down a shockwave that broke thousands of windows and knocked out power. More than 1,000 people were injured, mostly from hurtling pieces of glass.

Scientists say it was impossible to detect the meteor because it came out of the daytime sky and telescopes can only see asteroids during the night.

Officials have estimated the damage at more than $33 million.  

A number of reporters were on the ground in the aftermath of the once-in-a-hundred-year event. They documented resident's reactions to the giant fireball and cleanup efforts.  

The meteor, the largest reported since one hit Tunguska, Siberia 1908, exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on Friday morning, Feb. 15, in that region.

It's trail was visible for about 30 seconds as it streaked through the atmosphere before it exploded in the air.

Villagers say they heard an enormous boom. This woman told "The New York Times"' Andrew E. Kramer that it sounded like bombs outside.

Source: The New York Times

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Every day, public and private data-gathering agencies publish economic reports that are widely reported on by the business media.

GDP, manufacturing, and labor market data all help to inform us about what's going on in the economy – but there are other things we can look at to supplement our view.

Some of the more unusual ones we've come across include the Guns-to-Caviar Index, Tylenol usage, and the Mosquito Bite Indicator.

Eric Platt helped compile the research for this feature.

The First Date Indicator

The Concept: People seek out others for first dates when the economy turns down and sentiment falls (they're lonely!).

The Proof: Match.com notices strong patterns on its site that correspond to economic downturns. The company said the fourth quarter of 2008 was its busiest period in seven years (its second busiest weekend ever came when the Dow dropped to five-year lows in November 2008). Match said traffic also spiked after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Buttered Popcorn Index

The Concept: To escape the doldrums of reality, consumers flock to cinemas to see Jason Bourne and Harry Potter, regardless of the movie's quality.

The Proof: The box office posted one of its biggest years during the 2009 recession, before plateauing as markets eased. If there's a double-dip, expect popcorn sales to be up again.

Unclaimed Corpse Indicator

The Concept: Because of high funeral costs, family members never claim the bodies of the deceased so the state will pay for costs. 

The Proof: In 2009, at the height of the financial crisis when non-farm payrolls were falling by more than half a million a month, Detroit logged a massive increase in the number of unclaimed bodies at its morgue. State payouts for burials nearly doubled over a two month period compared to just a year earlier. 

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The term "skunk works" comes from a tiny Lockheed Martin facility run by chief engineer Kelly Johnson in the 1940s, which started in a tent next to a malodorous manufacturing plant. That tiny space designed and built America's first jet fighter in just 143 days, and created a philosophy for rapid innovation which companies copy to this day. 

Now, as more companies have to do more with less, many are moving away from giant research centers and towards building something like a lean startup inside their companies. Others have the luxury of a different model, where secretive labs work on projects that may never see the light of day.

Skunk works can refer to following a set of 14 rules and restrictions set out by Johnson, but we're using a broader definition. These are the places where some of the world's most talented thinkers and engineers are given time and freedom to create something fascinating.

Everyone from giant defense contractors to retailers like Walmart and Nordstrom are putting their brightest minds in dedicated labs to attempt to jump ahead of the competition. Here's where they do it. 

Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs, or Skunk Works

Lockheed is the home of the original skunk works, and it's still going strong today. The facility, located in Palmdale, California, is incredibly secretive. The few journalists who have made it inside have strictly limited access, and audio speakers on the wall project white noise so potentially classified conversations aren't overhead. 

Some recently developed projects, guided by the mantra "quick, quiet and quality," and rapidly prototyped include the experimental Lockheed Martin X-55, an advanced transport aircraft, and the RQ-170 stealth drone. 

Google X

One of the most mysterious, yet widely known secret labs out there is Google X, which is overseen by co-founder Sergey Brin. The lab works on more than 100"shoot for the stars" type ideas like space elevators, indoor mapping systems, self driving cars, and wearable computers.

The lab's at an undisclosed location in Northern California. 

Boeing Phantom Works

Boeing obtained McDonnell Douglass. According to the company, there are about 4,500 employees working on almost 500 R&D projects at the secretive St. Louis facility.

In addition to finding ways to design and prototype projects much more rapidly, Phantom Works attempts to work towards the future of aviation, with projects like the Solar Eagle drone, made in cooperation with DARPA; the Boeing X-51A Waverider; and the Phantom Eye drone. 

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Pamela Anderson has been plagued by rumors of money troubles lately.

In December of last year, it was reported by TMZ that the Baywatch actress owed $371,514.65 in unpaid taxes to the IRS, and was over-spending on her home construction project to boot.

So it appears that to get back on financial track, the sex symbol is selling her Malibu Colony home. It was just listed for $7.75 million, according to real estate blog Trulia.

Anderson originally purchased the home back in 2000 for $1.8 million — that means if the price holds, the actress could be making a profit of $6 million to help with her financial woes.

The home was designed by architect Philip Vertoch in 1959, and decorated by Josh Chryssanthou and Pamela Anderson herself. It has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a pool.

Welcome to the Baywatch babe's Malibu Colony Road teak-sided home.

Source: Trulia

It has a total of five bedrooms.

Source: Trulia

Here's the gorgeous master bedroom with wood floors, tons of space, and a large vanity.

Source: Trulia

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Lululemon's internal culture has a reputation for being like a cult. 

"It's the first time I've heard of anyone almost directly using the techniques of cults and applying them to their business," Douglas Atkin, author of The Culting of Brands, once told Fast Company. 

We talked to a former employee about the culture at Lululemon.

Hope*, a 23-year-old, worked at Lululemon as an entry-level store associate for more than a year in 2009. 

From what employees read to how meetings went down, we learned all about what it's like to work at Lululemon. 

*Name has been changed to protect identity. 

Q: What was your interview at Lululemon like?

A: It was a group interview where a bunch of us sat on the floor on pillows. It was very relaxed and we shared things about ourselves, like our hobbies and how we defined success. There were no really formal questions. 

Q: How did Lululemon train you?

A: Your first day they start giving you books, like by Malcolm Gladwell and the CEO of Starbucks. They also give you CDs to listen to about what it takes to be successful. I really bought into that stuff when I worked there. 

Q: Does everyone who works at Lululemon do yoga?

A: No, not at all. I think there was a good blend of people who did yoga, as well as runners and dancers. Because of the merchandise, I think it's natural that more athletic people worked there. 

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I used to read blogs for fun. Now, the blogosphere is so cluttered that I turn to Pinterest for a refreshing browse.

Savvy social media users are no strangers to Pinterest, though the pinboard-style visual sharing site is still small enough that even an established publication like Money Magazine only has 320 followers, respectively.

Now is the time to take advantage of this rapidly growing social media site and start following the 10 best Pinterest profiles for money saving tips, tricks, and advice:

Coupons.com

5,480 Followers

I was surprised to find just one board out of 40 devoted to coupons on the Coupons.com Pinterest page.

There were plenty of visual and money-saving treats, like the “Money Saving Gift Ideas” board, which suggested this birthday gift: Tie a balloon to a photo, one for each year. How sweet!

I also liked the “DIY & Craft Ideas” board. Overall, the profile is very nicely laid out with top-notch visuals.

Bankrate.com

340 Followers

The Bankrate Pinterest page delivers what it promises: “…tips and ideas that will make your life better on a budget!”

On the “Go free, save green” board I found basic recipes for making natural household cleaners and the “Thrifty, tasty eats” board had me running to the kitchen for a second lunch.

I immersed myself in the Discount designs board — I can finally afford to turn my home into a magazine!

There’s also more serious fare, like “Budgeting for babies” and “Raising financially smart kids.”

Mint.com

1352 Followers

If you love all the money-saving advice on the Mint.com blog, then you’ll love Mint’s Pinterest page. I liked the “Saving $ in Style” board, which shared tips on how to negotiate medical bills and where to buy discounted gift cards.

Your eyes are in for a visual treat on the “All Things Minty” board, where all shades of green reveal themselves in everyday objects.

There’s no lack of practical personal finance advice, either. Turn to “Investing with Matthew Amster-Burton” or “All Things Credit” for a quick hit of financial acumen.

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Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is well on her way to becoming one of the world's richest self-made women.

And that's pretty impressive.

More impressive though, is how, instead of buying her own island and retreating to it, Sandberg is using her power and influence to try and improve the world.

She's written a book called "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead."

It's an unapologetic manifesto aimed at fixing one of the world's biggest problems: a lack of women in power.

Sandberg says there are all sorts of reasons women do not hold equal power.

But in this book she talks about one reason in particular: that women are taught that they need to keep themselves out of power, and that they therefore limit their own ambitions and sabotage their own careers.

Sandberg's most powerful rhetorical device in the book is a saturation of stats that are sometimes shocking and sometimes reverberating – but always the kind that make you reevaluate what's going on around us.

Women are 57% of college graduates and 63% of masters degree holders, but that majority fades as careers progress.

21 of the Fortune 500 CEOS are women.

Women hold 14% of executive officer positions.

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Google's offices are really incredible places. They're filled with all sorts of odd, playful touches. They make going to work look like it would be fun.

A few weeks ago, we published photos of its new offices in Tel Aviv.

We have new photos of Google's offices. This time it's Google's engineering hub in Zurich.  Camenzind Evolution, the firm that designed the Tel Aviv space, did the Zurich space in 2007.

Camenzind interviewed Googler employees, or as they're called in Zurich, Zooglers, to see what they wanted from an office. It found that the "personal workspace needed to be functional and more neutral, communal areas had to offer strong visual and more aesthetically enjoyable and entertaining qualities to stimulate creativity, innovation and collaboration."

Just like Google's space in Tel Aviv, the Zurich offices are surreal. They are filled with micro conference rooms, game rooms, snack rooms, and, oh yeah, some space to do work.

It's a pretty nondescript building from the outside

But inside, it's very Google-y

There is, of course, a slide

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The 85th Academy Awards will have plenty of stars, performances from Adele and Barbara Streisand, and 24 little golden envelopes delivering the night's Oscar trophies Sunday night.

The two dozen envelopes are made just for Hollywood's biggest evening; however, they're only used for a few minutes time on stage.

If you tune in Sunday night, all you'll see from television is the outside of a golden envelope and maybe a slight peek at the letter inside.

But, what are the stars looking at during the big reveal?

It's not just the winner's name inside.

The envelope and inside presenter card were simply cream up until three years ago when the Academy hired Marc Friedland, CEO of Couture Communications, to liven up the stationary.

Since then, the award has had a home inside a golden envelope. 

Here's how we'll see the envelope Oscar night.

And here are what this year's 24 award envelopes will look like from celebrity presenters' points-of-view:

The old Oscar envelopes were a bland off-white as seen in this image from the 74th Academy Awards in 2002.

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Googlehas released a slew of beautiful images and a video showing off all the things you can do with Google Glass.

It's also opening up sales of Google Glass to non-developers. So if you're a "bold, creative" individual, you can apply to buy Google Glass via Twitter or Google+.

All you have to do is say what you would do if you had Glass and use the hashtag #ifihadglass. All applications must be submitted by February 27. If you get selected, you'll receive an invitation to become a Glass Explorer and from there, you'll have to shell out $1,500 plus tax for the glasses.

Google Glass is super sleek.

and apparently super simple to use.

If you want to take a picture, you can just tell Glass to do it.

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This week, Ubuntu announced another mobile experience for consumers: Ubuntu for Tablets.

Ubuntu is an alternative PC operating system popular in the hardcore tech community, but it's recently made the move to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

Yesterday Ubuntu showed off the tablet version of the operating system for the first time. Developers will be able to install the OS on Google's Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 tablets to try it out. The preview version goes live Feb. 21.

What's special about Ubuntu is that it offers a unique multitasking experience not found on popular Android tablets and the iPad. It's more like Windows 8, which lets you run two apps at the same time in a split screen.

We took a look at Ubuntu's demo video of the tablet OS. Check out the gallery below to see all the cool features.

This is Canonical (the company that makes Ubuntu) CEO Mark Shuttleworth. He Introduced Ubuntu for tablets in a five-minute video tour.

Ubuntu already exists for Television's as a alternative way to enjoy your media.

Ubuntu recently announced plans to create a custom mobile operating system for smartphones. It has a lot of people excited.

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