N.C. State researchers have developed new technology that brings a boost of up to 40 percent in multi-core computer chips.

With better efficiency in allocating bandwidth and “prefetching” data, multi-core chips can retrieve data more speedily. We like that.

Allocating bandwidth alleviates bandwidth congestion that can slow chip performance." By better distributing the bandwidth to the appropriate cores, the criteria are able to maximize system performance," says Dr. Yan Solihin, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at N.C. State. Chip performance was boosted as high as 40 percent.

In prefetching, the chip's cache predicts what data a core will need and retrieves the data before the core actually needs it. The researchers found that this process sometimes slows the chip by fetching the wrong data. They've now developed a way for the chip to determine when and when not to use prefetching which enhanced performance by 10 percent.

N.C. State has more information and a link to the published paper here.

DURHAM  -- The last time N.C. State and Florida State tangled in the ACC baseball tournament, a championship was at stake.

That was a year ago, when the Seminoles topped the Wolfpack in the title game in Greensboro.

The two went at it again Wednesday night with a lot less on the line. But both teams wanted to win badly, to get off to a good start in this year's ACC tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

This time, it was the Pack's turn. Junior righthander Cory Mazzoni baffed the Seminoles on the mound, striking out nine in seven innings, and second baseman Matt Bergquist slugged a two-run homer as State won 7-0.

A year ago, NCSU grad Mark Saad and Chris Smith started Kinder Soles, a socially conscious flip-flop foot wear business; a portion of the proceeds from each flip flop sold is donated to Soles4Souls, a non-profit that provides gently used shoes to people domestically and internationally.

Surviving a year, during a recession?! That's a reason to celebrate. So tomorrow (Thursday, May 26), from 6 to 9 p.m., Kinder Soles is throwing a party at Tir Na Nog Irish Pub in Raleigh.

David Cox says today’s Road Worrier column ("Median debate takes a turn") gave short shrift to the work done by him and some North Raleigh friends to critique a 2005 NC State University safety study comparing raised medians to center turn lanes on busy four-lane roads.

So I’ll provide much more space for the debate here. ... [MORE]

Former ACC standout quarterbacks Russell Wilson (N.C. State) and Kyle Parker (Clemson) sat out Wednesday’s 18-8 loss by their Asheville Tourists Class A baseball team to the visiting Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws.

Wilson, who primarily has been used at second base, is off to a bad start at the plate. Parker, an outfielder, is batting .357 but has missed three straight games as the result of a lingering stomach ailment.

I didn't know Chris Hondros until yesterday, when I wrote about his death.

I came away impressed.

Hondros, 41, was a war photographer who won some of his industry's top honors for his incredible work covering the world's diciest battles.

A graduate of N.C. State, Hondros was drawn to war, to its stories, its relevance and its victims.

He studied English literature at NCSU. One of his early bosses, Johnny Horne of the Fayetteville Observer, told me that area of study grounded Hondros and gave him a unique world view. It helped him related to people, no matter their race, nationality, background.

Hondros died Wednesday, caught up in the bloodshed in Libya.

Here's today's story.

And here's a link to a tribute posted on an NCSU website.

N.C. State University has picked a speaker from Duke for its spring commencement. Duke Energy that is. James E. Rogers, chairman of the board, president and CEO of the power company will deliver the commencement address.

Rogers has more than 20 years of experience as a CEO in the electric utility industry. He was named president and CEO of Duke Energy, one of the largest electric power companies in the United States, following the merger of Duke Energy and Cinergy in April 2006.

He has served more than 50 cumulative years on the boards of Fortune 500 companies, and in leadership roles for a host of organizations and energy councils and was named to Newsweek’s “Global Elite” list of “The 50 Most Powerful People in the World” in 2009. He will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. 

During the ceremony, Chancellor Randy Woodson will also confer an honorary degree on Robert Weiss, the artistic director and chief executive officer of Carolina Ballet. 

Commencement is set for Saturday, May 14, at the RBC Center in Raleigh. The ceremony starts at 9 a.m.

The eighth annual North Carolina Sustainable Energy Conference will be held April 26-27 at the McKimmon Center on N.C. State's campus in Raleigh.

A big chunk of Earth Day events are on tap for the weekend. NCSU is having its Earth Day celebration today (Friday), and Raleigh has a Shred & Recycle It! event along with the Planet Earth Celebration downtown on Saturday.

Garner has two events: the Spring Eggstravaganza and the Technology Spring Clean on Saturday. The N.C. Department of Transportation's Spring Litter Sweep kicks off on Saturday as well.

See a full list of upcoming Earth Day events here.

ABC confirmed today that 'Wipeout' host Jill Wagner, a North Carolina native and a 2001 graduate of N.C. State, is leaving the show.

Entertainment Weekly cites sources who say it was Wagner's decision to leave the show.

In a statement issued to TV Guide, Wagner said: “After four seasons of co-hosting Wipeout, I have been given the opportunity to pursue new directions in my acting career, which I am very passionate about. I am extremely grateful to all those at Wipeout, Endemol, and ABC, who have been so supportive of me through these years.”

Wagner, who reports from the obstacle course during the show, will be on the upcoming summer edition of 'Wipeout.' ABC is currently auditioning for a new host.

Wagner has been with 'Wipeout' since 2008.