. >> the lab tech accused of stealing cocaine from the police drug lab appeared in court today. bail for deb half madden at $25,000. she pled not guilty to charges of obtaining illegal >>ñdrugs #oj:wfraud [oc. >>> a bmrjñr,b+ynevada íkuzÑjud throw members of rival motorcycle clubs to stand trial together for the death of a hell's angel leader. . two others are facing charges. >> a building slowly cracking apart just above the haywood fault is about to reopen as the first of it's kind exhibit. robert honda live with a closer look. one day before the public revealing. >> this community center back in 1962. long before tech could tell 12( what was underneath like what "zf now the past mistake will make a future science exhibit. this long winding crack shows clearly what happens when a concrete building sits on a major fault linen. this case the community center at lake elizabeth right above the hayward fault moving in opposite directions of the widening crack. ongoing damage forced the city to close part of the building in the 70s but now a nonprofit group has turned iinto a publ

. >> a lab tech peering into a microscope.ot exactly the stuff of pulse-quickening drama, unless you're one of the millimeters of fans of today's most popular crime shows. the science of splatter patterns and forensic decay is now much more sexy than any old cop show. and tonight, my coon abo-anchor the best-receiving crime novelist who was the first to see that potential and she has a few scary things to show him. >> reporter: i'll get in the back. this isn't exactly the most likely place to interview a crime novelist. but for patricia cornwell, one of the best crime writers ever, flying her own hall continuer is all part of the thrill. >> this requires a certain amount of skims with your dexteri dexterity. you don't want to fly it, you want to think it. a very fills of skal machine that way. >> reporter: our destination? the body farm at the university of tennessee, where for three decades, forensic scientists have studied the decomposition of human remains. a crucial field for crime solving. at any given time there will be

for alex, when he was laid off as a lab tech, he seized the opportunity to start his unusual business. >> jellyfish can't go in a regular fish tank because they get sucked into the filtration case. i couldn't find jellyfish anywhere or tanks, so i had to make my own. >> finally, last april, i quit my job as an engineer and decided to create the solution myself. >> it's an all or nothing funding site. they must reach their goal or no money changes hands. they set a modest funding goal that you can meet and hopefully succeed. another element is the reward. >> people wanted tangible rewards. so, we had five or six different levels that you could donate and get a certain reward. even if it was a small one, you got a t-shirt or a thank you on our website. it was something tangible people could point to. >> once you get funding, staying in contact is essential. >> one of the most important things you do is manage expectations. the backers are absolutely want to be your advocate. it's not like a normal purchase. they are like disciples in a way. they believe in what you are doing. yes, they

for alex, when he was laid off as a lab tech at the height of the recession, he seized the opportunity to start his unusual business. >> jellyfish can't go in a regular fish tank because they get stuck in the filtration system. i couldn't find a supply of jellyfish anywhere or commercially available jellyfish tanks. so i had to make my own. >> peter also shared his personal story. >> finally last april i quit my job as an engineer and decided to create the solution myself. >> his kick starter is an all or nothing funding site, a project must reach a funding goal before time runs out, or no money changes hands. both alex and peter recommend setting a modest funding goal that you can most likely meet, and hopefully exceed. another important element to the campaign is the reward. >> people also wanted tangible rewards. so, you know, we had maybe five or six different levels that you could donate and get a certain reward. and even if there is a small one, you know, you got like a t-shirt. or a thank you on our website. it was something tangible that people could point to. >> once you win f

. >> lab tech accused of stealing cocaine from the police drug lab appeared in court today. a judge set bail for her at $25,000. she was indicted december 1st or allegedly getting illegal drugs through fraud. she pled not guilty. her next court appearance will be february 3rd. >>> a vigil was held tonight at virginia tech where the school is mourning the loss of one of its officering officers in a shooting. 22-year-old ross ashley is identified as the shooter. after shooting the officer he took his own life. investigators say he was a part time student at radford. he was wanted for allegedly stealing an suv at gun point just a day earlier. >> as far as motive that's also -- it's very much the fundamental part of the investigation, determining what -- and for what reason the man walk the -- approached the officer and took his life. >> today a school spokesman said the alert system put in place after the 2007 gun rampage that left 33 dead worked well. >> a showdown brewing on capitol hill, one that could keep lawmakers in wash over christmas. . the president is calling for the

getting off the bus, hugging her sister first this, scene repeated by doctors, nurses and lab techs who left in february and some may be staying longer in boston. chloe's dad told us he expected his 21-year-old daughter would change during the trip. he was right. >> i've seen so much, i've seen more than different country. dichb way of life. the way we were living there makes you so grateful for what you have here. >> so that is a nice way to finish the week there. have been other troop return that's were tragic. the california national guard lost 26 soldiers since 2003. everyone of the families today is hoping we have seen the end of it. we'll have more about this return of the troops tonight at 5:00. >> thank you. wayne. >> and coming up next, the surprising affects of medical marijuana on driving. >> also ahead software tracks your every move. and it might be on the cell phone. >> and first there is new research on plate color you should use if you're trying to drop pounds. >> and herman cain's future. >> we've got a crisis. >> republican presidential candidate has a couple big polit

the former crime lab tech pleading not guilty earlier this week to the federal charge. she admits to stealing small amounts of cocaine in 2009. but state prosecutors did not file charges due to lack of evidence. the new federal charges do not apply to the case. several new firefighters are about to join the department thanks to a new federal grant. damien trujillo joins us live. this is has been closed for more than a year. good morning, damien. >> it's still a a shell of a station. sign of the times. the economic times here in san jose. but they are getting new in firefighters to help out in the front lines. along with the closure of this station. san jose had to lay off 49 firefighters. they were mostly new recruits. the department brought 22 of them back. the other firefighters found jobs elsewhere. now the department is able to hire more firefighters, nine today. the ceremony will begin at 3:00 at the training center. these are firefighters who transferred from other departments and had completed their modified economy. the new teams will be ready to hit the rigs an

the retired civilian lab tech faces a federal charge which carries maximum four year prison sentence. madden admitted to taking small amounts of cocaine back in 2009. but state prosecutors never filed charges due to lack of evidence. a federal grand jury indicted her last week. madden's attorney says the new federal charge does not apply to the case. >> the girlfriend of a man charged with running down a fire fighter in san francisco faces charges as accessory off to the crime. prosecutors claim 292-year-old alyssa tejeda, assisted her boyfriend after the hit-and-run on thanksgiving day. she will remain in jail until a bail hearing next week. the main suspect pleaded not guilty on friday to an attempted murder charge for allegedly hitting fire fighter albert bartol with his black mazda. the hit-and-run followed a confrontation between the two men at a local jack in the box restaurant not far from 9th and geary where he was hit. >> a coach embroiled in sex abuse charges only this time here in the bay area. as we first reported on nbc bay area news at 11:00 last night. 23-year-old cheer

and sacramento, utilizes a high- tech crime lab in fresno charged with prosecuting tech- relate crimes across various jurisdictions. crimes like the takeover style robbery at the unigen plant in fremont. >> the computer chips had been manufactured by intel in santa clara, they were being reconfigured by unigen fremont for the end user google in mountain view. >> reporter: he says while it was a santa clara task force that apprehended the robbers, the cross count aspect. crime required the attorney general's help to prosecute them. >> when i look at my account, i saw a withdrawal for $300 which i knew i hadn't made. >> reporter: when it comes to computer-related crime, he hopes the new unit will help victims who feel ignored by law enforcement. >> it's the jurisdiction and then the skill set to handle the case. >> reporter: they are hoping the ecrime unit will fix the situation. it will deal with a wide range of crimes includes counterfeit goods sold online, video piracy, internet fraud, even child exploitation, anything with a technology component. but those crimes have to fit a certai

and sacramento, using the high- tech crime lab in fresno charged with prosecuting tech- related crimes across the various jurisdictions. crimes like the takeover style robbery a a plant in fremont. >> the computer chips had been manufactured by intel in santa clara, they were being reconfigured by unigen in fremont for the end user google, back in mountain view. >> reporter: jeffrey rosen says while it was a santa clara county task force that apprehended the robbers the cross county aspect required the attorney general's help to prosecute. >> when i looked at my account, i saw a withdrawal for $300, which i knew i hadn't made. >> reporter: when it comes to consumer crimes like credit card skimming and id theft, harris hopes the new unit will also help victims who feel they have been ignored by local law enforcement. >> i wouldn't suggest that anybody is being ignored intentionally but a lot of it is just uncertainty about who would actually have jurisdiction and then the skill set to be able to handle the case. >> reporter: the ecrime use will deal with a wide range of crimes include o

they flew samples of the anthrax on a private jet to a high-tech lab in arizona. >> i went out and met the plane when it landed at the flagstaff airport. the ramp came down and this woman came off the plane with a box. i went over to meet her and she said, "dr. keim," and i said, "yes." she said, "this is the anthrax." and i said, "oh." >> narrator: dr. paul keim's specially equipped lab could tell the difference between the dna of one type of anthrax and another. >> we had one of the of the largest collections of different types of anthrax-- what we call strains of anthrax-- from around the world. >> narrator: when they looked at the fbi's spores, they were stunned-- all of them came from a single strain of anthrax, the ames strain. >> we were surprised it was the ames strain. and it was chilling at the same time. >> narrator: because it was so virulent, the ames strain was the anthrax of choice for the u.s. army's bio-weapon vaccine program. >> once you heard it was the ames strain, you began to think to yourself, "ah. this doesn't sound like a job from the outside. it sounds much mo

the former crime lab tech pleading not guilty earlier this week to the federal charge.back in 2009, but state prosecutors did not file charges due to lack of evidence. maddens' lawyers say the new federal charge does not apply to the case. >>> it is still 8:26 right now. time to check on your weather and traffic. first up, mike. >> you know what, john, the skies are pretty clear right now, we'll have a full update coming up. but i'll give you the slow down on 101, as well. an accident right there on willow, and in the backup, there's a stall, they've got to move both of those things off the southbound side, slow down in toward palo alto. slow both directions of 101. and as you're getting to the bay bridge, that lower deck jammed up because of an accident off of 101 coming over from oakland, not a problem. look at that haze, back to you. >> appreciate it. >>> for the latest updates, check own nbc bay area on facebook. another update in half an hour. >>> 8:30 now on a friday morning. it's the ninth day of december, 2011. look at who we've got, oscar winner charlize theron

thing, this deal michael bloomberg it putting up $109 to build a whole new university labs are degenerate high-tech jobs. in al qaeda who's going to get the contract. >> as a standard of all -- >> the point is, it's a heck of an idea. it's the way the world should work. i think it's wonderful. los angeles just announced vast new consortium to have major buildings have both greater energy efficiency and putting up more solar power, and how they're going to finance it and it's going to be the biggest commercial retrofit project the country has yet undertaken. they figured out how to do it. full disclosure. my foundations climate change initiative worked with him, but always did was provide technical help and support. they figured out how to finance it. so the city can do a lot of these things but the congress at least should not make decisions which makes those things more difficult. they should be empowering that and rewarding it and incentivizing it. >> and it's an election day today, not in new york city but certainly in many cities across the country. mayors are being elected, or reelected in san

still mike bloomberg data putting up $100 million to build a whole new university lab center to generate high-tech jobs. i don't know who's going to get the contract. i wish the consortium at new york university's would get it. >> as a stanford alum anti-semite -- >> but the point is it's a heck of an idea. it is the way the world should work. i think it's wonderful. los angeles just allowed this vast new consortium to have major retrofit the dollars that include great energy deficiencies in putting up more solar power and how they were going to finance it is going to be the biggest commercial retrofit project countries yet undertaken. they figured out how to do it. full disclosure, my foundations of climate change work with and. but all we did was provide technical support. they figured out how to finance. the cities can do a lot of things in the congress that leaves should not make decisions, which make those things were difficult. they should power and incentivize it. >> it's an election day today. not a new york city, but in many cities across the country is. mayors have been elected or reelec

tech teaching rooms. they have a physics lab. there are three disciplines in the asos system. sexual positions.essing techniques and anatomical features. >> so you go to class and the lecture is to apply the theories with your classmates? >> apparently. they say it's the world's first school of practical sex. >> fantastic, if you like your classmates. but boy, what if -- you're not attracted to any of them. >> i couldn't figure out on their website, if you go solo, or do you go by yourself or do you go with your significant other? >> it sounds like this would be something that a lot of single guys would sign up for. i'm going to go to class, because i know i'm going to get lucky. >> going to asos, you walk into class the first day and it's a bunch of dudes and there's one female teacher. >> what you see here is actually the swedish headmaster of the asos austrian international school of sex. this is eva maria thompson. the courses include sexual techniques, advanced intercourse. >> advanced intercourse? what does that include, like swings and stuff? what is advanced intercourse? >> and can you

he's harry lin, executive-in- residence at idea lab, a technology incubator in pasadena, california. >> there's an acronym used by some tech geeks called i.r.l. it stands for "in real life." you type "i-r-l" when you want to distinguish between the mediated, anonymous world of the internet and, well, real life. kind of ironic, huh? there's a fascinating tension in the internet between "real life" and our virtual lives. an increasing number of news- and-editorial sites force you to use your real identity if you want to post comments or ask questions. a lot of startup services force you to log in using your facebook account before you can do anything on their sites. and any number of smartphone services are tied directly to the real you. see, these businesses have decided that value is unlocked when you must be you online. however, at the same time that many internet businesses are forcing you to use your real identity, there's an ever- increasing number of places to be whoever you wanna be. from online multiplayer games to persistent virtual universes to music discovery networks to fantasy sports leagues, all these business

the russian government has made high tech development one of its key modernisation plans but leading antivirus software company lab is still the only russian company in the software top one hundred list the company's founder however believes it's only a matter of time before russian companies make a breakthrough i believe that russia cover a lot of what he termed the engineers and there are a lot of what you need just to be here one of the most visible counters in there are a t r on the global ideal inskeep still there are some when you go by some fortune player because of several reasons and when the reason i think it's still the draw of their money jewels of the company is they are they were born in the soviet union and still they care that i don't got them in mines. they don't speak english or of the afraid of making big news business outside of russia or outside the for former soviet union countries. but they believe that in the future there will be more and more new work in the just the new start ups. and i'm sure that in the future we'll see more russian companies outside of russia. the russian standard is m

country kids are now getting a chance to help shape high tech games and toys before they actually go open sale. jonathan bloom visited the new innovation lab in san francisco at the children's creativity museum. >> i have children that love computers and they love experimenting. >> so when jody cramer brought her 3 kids hear it was like christmas all over again. >> this game we are getting feedback from people like you. what you think we can make better. >>reporter: game developers and toy makers lining up to see what kids think of their latest creation. >> we often see developers doing test with the necessary or nephew orchids down the street. what they miss is getting federal back from 50 or 100 kid. >>reporter: that's what they get coming here to the brand new innovation lab at san francisco children creativity museum. this lab only been around about 2 and a half mont months but in that time it has become the place for educational game toy make investigators try out their ideas. >> kids are brutally honest so if something is boring they stop playing medley or push it aside and want to do something else ix or start playing it in a whole

country kids are now getting a chance to help shape high tech games and toys before they actually go open sale. jonathan bloom visited the new innovation lab in san francisco at the children's creativity museum. >> i have children that love computers and they love experimenting. >> so when jody cramer brought her 3 kids hear it was like christmas all over again. >> this game we are getting feedback from people like you. what you think we can make better. >>reporter: game developers and toy makers lining up to see what kids think of their latest creation. >> we often see developers doing test with the necessary or nephew orchids down the street. what they miss is getting federal back from 50 or 100 kid. >>reporter: that's what they get coming here to the brand new innovation lab at san francisco children creativity museum. this lab only been around about 2 and a half mont months but in that time it has become the place for educational game toy make investigators try out their ideas. >> kids are brutally honest so if something is boring they stop playing medley or push it aside and want to do something else ix or start playing it in a whole

. >>> he uses high tech science to break new culinary ground. he's partnered with labnt company poly science. you find an anti-griddle to freeze dishes like basil pure ray and liquid nitrogen to make chocolate mousse. learn more at futureoftech.msnbc.com. hey, let mom try. ready, go! ♪ yeah, rock on, mom! [ male announcer ] sometimes a hint is all the wrapping a gift needs. wait a minute...i... [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] the lexus december to remember sales event is here, but only for a limited time. see your lexus dealer for exclusive lease offers on the 2012 rx 350 and, as a gift from lexus, we'll make your first month's payment. they won't be beat. oh, actually... then i'd be like, you rule! and my kids would be like, you rule! i'd be like, yes, i do rule! ohh! that rules! oh, load up the sleigh; this is going to be a great christmas. yeah. ring dinga-ding, ring dinga-ding, ring, ring, ring me up. [ male announcer ] no need to wait with our christmas price guarantee. we're so confident in our prices if you do find a lower one between now and christmas, we'll give

say the russian government has made a high tech development one of the cape multiplies i soon plans but leaving antivirus software company it has fast guy labs is only our new fashion company in the south let's hope one hundred list the company's founder however believes it's only a matter of time before russian id companies make the same bright three i believe that i should cover. but it doesn't engine you're something of a lot of what you need just to be here one of the most visible counters in their i t r global idea and skeet still there in the sun when you go buy some for trump because of several reasons and the main reason i think it's steal their money is also the companies they are they were born in the soviet union and still they care that i don't cotton mines. they don't speak english or of the afraid of making big news business outside of russia outside the far former soviet union countries. but they believe that in the future there will be more and more new work on the just the new start ups. and i'm sure that in the future will see more russian companies no one outside of russia. you can catch the full interview with mr guy on a

. >>> the tech accused of steeling co-kaine from the san francisco crime lab is due in court.n is expected to be arraigned this morning. she's accused of skimming cocaine from evidence locker rooms during a three-month period in 2009. the state tried to charge her with a crime but failed to gather enough evidence. she quit her job before supervisors began to suspect she was stealing drugs. >>> barry bonds urging a federal judge to take it easy on him. instead of prison, the home run king asking for probation. the 47-year-old giants legend will be sentenced next week for his conviction earlier this year on one count of obstructing justice. in court papers filed just yesterday bonds arguing he should not go to prison because he has no criminal past. bonds' conviction stems from his grand jury testimony in the balco steroid case. >>> police are looking for a to being ton man who may have lived in an apartment with a corpse for months. police think the woman died four months ago. they're investigating her death as a possible homicide. >>> one of the best places for finding a new j

country kids are now getting a chance to help shape high tech games and toys before they go out on sale. jonathan bloom visited the new innovation labancisco's children's creativity museum. >> i have got children that love computers and they love experimenting. >>reporter: so when jody cramer brought her 3 kids here it was like christmas all overxd again. >> we get feedback from people like you on this game. what you think we can make better. >>reporter: game developers and toy maker line up to see what kids think of the latest creation. >> are you in sixth grade. seventh grade. >> we often see developers doing test with niece or nephew and cute kid down the street. what they miss is getting federal back from 50 kid or 100 kid. >>reporter: that's what they get by coming here to the brand new innovation lab at san francisco children creativity museum. the lab only around 2 and a half months but in that time it has become the place for educational game and toy make tore come try out their idea. >> kids are broughtally his honor if something is boring they stop playing medley or push it aside and want to do something else. >>reporter:

country youngsters are getting a chance to help shape high-tech games and toys before they go on the market. jonathan bloom visited the new innovation laban francisco at the children's creativity museum. >> i've got children that love computers and experimenting. >> reporter: when jody kramer brought her three kids here it was like christmas all over again. >> [ inaudible ] >> reporter: game developers and toymakers lining up to see what kids think of their latest creations. >> what we see is developers testing with their niece, nephew, two kids down the street. what they are miss something feedback from 50 or 100 kids. >> reporter: that's what they get by coming to the new innew england lab. the lab has only -- innovation lab. it has only been around 2 1/2 months it has become the place to try out ideas. >> kids are brutally honest if something is boring they will stop playing immediately. >> reporter: they could start playing it in a new way. david never imagined his new puzzle gauge would be for multiple players. >> we imagined one person sitting down, when you get two or three kids playing, each will take a cube itch >> reporter: it

lab that has pulled off a major breakthrough. as we go in-depth. >> do you often wonder while passing through any one of the bay area's high-tech hot spots, just what amazing things are being worked on behind those shiny glass walls? well, this is a story of one such building and one such discovery. here in emoriville, researchers with the joint bioenergy research institute have made a breakthrough. >> something you can put in a car engine, diesel engine, or hopefully a jet engine. >> he and his colleagues have engineered bacteria in such a way that you give it plants to eat and it will give you fuel. basically, streamlining into a single step what is now a multi-step process. >> you can cut costs in half or maybe down to a quarter of what the traditional methods would cost you. >> what's more, he found his bacteria worked with any number of plants. right now, most of the bio fuel in this country is produced using corn, but using a food crop for fuel is far from ideal. any time the need for either one goes up, so does the price for both, but he found his program's bacteria worked on something called switchgrass, a plant common in most of the countr

tech scheming and scamming could be on the rise. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, grace. yeah. we're talking about this 2012 threat predictions report from mcafee labsver in santa clara. they come out with this report at the end of every year. this year it says that pretty much everyone is now vulnerable to hackers. everyone from your smartphone user to governments to fortune 500 companies. in fact, it divides fortune 2,000 companies into two groups, those who know they have been hacked and those who don't know it yet. one of the biggest vulnerabilities to hackers are smartphones and mobile devices. things like tablets and smartphones. more and more people are using them and more and more people are doing their banking on smartphones so that's where hackers are going. and some people are even taking their smartphones and plugging them into their cars and that's why dave marcus with mcafee labs says even your car's computer chips are no longer safe. >> we have seen a lot of research lately that's really looking to answer the question of, how can i compromise this system in how can i figure out a way to get the car's computer system to reboot or stop

lab where we were students. what if alphabet block his been invented in the 21st century. >> they gave them a high-tech twist ander games a little more personable. >> we used to think of with social games, chess board, where you played games with pieces on the table and that's what we think of and that's when we think about sifteo qubes are social. >> the thinking board games with what computers can do in terms of interactivity. >> they're giving them almost endless gaming abilities. >> we'd like to thank we have a vision or idea that is pretty inexhaustible. >> we think of play as a pretty broad umbrella and sifteo qubes are a system that we think will be useful both for the entertainment side of play. >> making technology with the future in mind is both a business and personal goal. >> i want to design the kind of technology that's going to be in the world that my child lives in. >> games that are adopting to our new style of play. joe carter, cnn. >>> they're calling them holiday angels, anonymous donors paying off the layaways of cash-strapped families. we've been asking you to weigh in on this story. more o