The Buzz

Published 11:01 pm Saturday, May 15, 2010

You may rely on it

Concentrate and ask again: Google’s latest tweak, Google Squared, allows you to type a question directly into the search box and get an answer without having to click on a link for a website with the information.

For advice on questions of a more personal nature, Google’s new 8-Ball feature allows you to ask your question, grab your computer monitor and shake it vigorously, and then turn the monitor upside down to reveal the answer.

And the big jar of peanut butter: Teens heading off to college for the first time this fall will find some tips to help them keep a handle on their finances, such as keeping a budget and using caution with credit cards.

All good advice, but here are a couple of tips you might find more useful:

* Buy boxed macaroni and cheese in bulk.

* Take good care of your textbooks; it improves their resale value.

* Invest in a large-capacity laundry basket that will get you through until your next weekend home.

Don’t know much about history: On this day in 1960, the first working laser was demonstrated in a laboratory in Malibu, Calif., by physicist Theordor Maiman.

Maiman hailed the development of the laser and promised to begin work immediately on a laser pointer that could be used as a cat toy.