Most folks up in Madison are readying their face paint and stocking up on tailgating supplies, but the geeks among us (bless 'em!) are focusing their attention on something much more relevant to your future RAID array. A team from UW-Madison (along with partners from Hitachi) is getting set to publish a report that details a patterning technology that could offer performance gains over current methods while reducing time and cost of manufacturing. The process builds on existing approaches by "combining the lithography techniques traditionally used to pattern microelectronics with novel self-assembling materials called block copolymers." So, what does all this technobabble mean for you? Huge gains in density on patterned media, or if that's still not straightforward enough, ginormous HDDs in the near future.

[Via Protein OS]

Fat kids want cake, skinny kids abstain, right? Whatever philosophy you subscribe to, chances are you'll only see the world's fittest stopping by a Trek Stop. This curious vending machine is currently parked in Madison, Wisconsin and enables cyclists to nab spare parts (an extra tube, patch kit, water bottle, etc.) or healthy snacks while rolling by. As for installation? Prepare to get greasy.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

The "good guys" have tried to tempt college kids with free legal music for far too long to no avail, and after continuous failed attempts at gaining traction here in the US, it's no surprise that the RIAA would devote precious man-hours to concocting a most-wanted list of pirating schools. It should be noted that the top 25 is based on the amount of warnings sent out from the university to its students, and some schools may be omitted simply due to a lack of response on the administration's end. Nevertheless, it's reported that over three times as many infringement notices have been sent out during the 2006 - 2007 school year versus the year prior, but the RIAA did attribute some of that boost to its heightened awareness and tracking capabilities. Interestingly enough, the top spot holder doesn't seem to be overly concerned about its position, as Purdue feels the "service provider" shouldn't be the one lashing out at "criminals," essentially brushing that RIAA grief right off its shoulder. Still, we all know what you're here for, and that's to see if your alma mater made the dubious cut (full list after the jump), and while some here at Engadget can proudly proclaim to be in the top ten (ahem), drop us a comment and let us know where you stand.

[Via TWW]