(Photo: Code.org)

Agitprop about "coding as the new literacy," lost momentum last year somewhere around the time adults felt compelled to issue public apologies to Codecademy for ignoring their email tutorials. But with President Obama shouting out high tech high schools in the State of the Union--and Chinese hackers inspiring a possible "Sputnik moment"--the cause of educating young minds in the ways of coding seems to have taken on new urgency.

Witness, for example, this video produced by Code.org, a nonprofit devoted to enhancing computer programming education. "Learn about a new 'superpower' that isn't being taught in in 90% of US schools," the description advertises. Wait, America still has a chance at staying a superpower? Tell me more!

The five-minute spot attempts to make coding seem more approachable--you don't have be a genius is the commercial's refrain--by equating it with other creative, challenging disciplines like learning an instrument and playing sports. Not sold? Here, let Miami Heat's Chris Bosh convince you. Mr. Bosh, whose bio reads "NBA All-Star, Coded In College," tells the camera about the after-school program called Whiz Kids (ok, legit adorable) where he first learned to write code. "People found out. They laughed at me and I was like, man I don't care, I think it's cool and I'm leaning a lot and some of my friends have jobs."

The whole thing ends with Will.i.am ("Created the Black Eyed Peas, Now Taking Coding Classes") calling coders the new rock stars.

The video gives nod to all the different disciplines where knowing programming can help: Banking! Agriculture! Entertainment! But Code.org's donors since corporations like Microsoft, Google, and Facebook provided support for the video and Code.org's advisors include investors like Marc Andreessen and Ron Conway, there are plenty of shots of cushy startup cafeterias, scooters, music rooms, and other amenities.

The only thing we can't believe is that self-appointed Glass Ambassador Sergey Brin missed an opportunity to show off his new toy.

This man certainly looks qualified and capable of finding the next great American entrepreneur. (Photo: Deadline)

It's the news no one in tech has been waiting for with bated breath. Hot on the heels of the announcement that Randi Zuckerberg's Silicon Valley Start-ups will debut on Bravo next month, a new tech show is rumored to be in the making. Except this time it's an X Factor-style talent show, featuring ex-American Idol judge Simon Cowell and Black Eyed Peas singer Will.i.am.

“Singing and performance create a couple of jobs. But this will create lots," Will.i.am. told The Sun. “It’s about getting in touch with youth and giving them a platform to express themselves — whether that’s in science or mathematics.”

Will.i.am's involvement is unsurprising given his penchant for space hype. A song he wrote for kids about math and science was recently broadcast from the surface of Mars, leading some to conjecture whether or not it would instigate a full-scale alien attack on our planet.

The show seems to still be in its very early stages, but one thing is clear: These producers obviously have no idea how boring working to become a successful entrepreneur actually is. How will the show even test the contestants' skills? "Write a PHP script that generates the numbers 1-10 in a vertical line." "Write a blog post about your morning routine and post it to App.net." "Get a controversial screed against MongoDB to the front page of Hacker News."

Titillating television, y'all.