Every now and then there’s a writeup of some weird U.S. laws, and it’s always interesting to see what random stuff merited legislation at one time or another. But this infographic, put out by the online attorney directory …
By Harrison Sand – Instructables
The frequencies employed by law enforcement and first responders can be a source of vital information in emergency situations but you can’t tune in using any old radio. But rather than spend big bucks on a conventional police scanner, you can easily create your own for less than $20 with this (pretty technical!) guide from Instructables member Harrison Sand.
Now that the slow, languid summer months are far behind us, we’re finally starting to see some major advancement in the app world. Whether it’s a brand new payment system from the ubiquitous Square or something beautiful simply for beauty’s sake, there’s a whole lot of goodness just up ahead. And it starts right here.
By Lisa Hix – Collectors Weekly
Most roller coasters put their stomach-dropping slopes and brain-twisting loops front and center for all the world to see. But the amusement-park attractions known as “dark rides” keep their thrills hidden.
The romanticized image of a picnic in a beautiful park on a sunny afternoon never seems to come to fruition once you actually have to deal with the logistics of dining on an uneven blanket. But all hope’s not lost; a creation awkwardly called the Tablanket—a compact folding table with a blanket built-in—could potentially save your romantic outing.
By Casey Chan
Red hot nickel ball of fire meet your toughest opponent yet: aerogel. In fact, aerogel is such an amazing material and excellent insulator that the eternal flame of the nickel ball does absolutely nothing to it. Like, seriously. It affects the aerogel as much as the normal air around it (or in it too?). But hey. We’re in the business of seeing destruction and in order to destroy aerogel, the nickel ball brought in reinforcements in the form of an hydrogen and oxygen flame. Everything burns eventually. [Cars and Water]
By Leslie Horn
Next Tuesday Apple is hosting its annual iPad-palooza where it will surely show us iPads big and small. But before the big event, you might want to get rid of your old ‘pad to recoup some cash. So where to sell your tablet for the most moolah?
Over the past couple of decades, the NSA has gone to crazy lengths to tap into computer networks of friends and enemies, alike. Backdoors, shell companies, repurposed hacktivists—they’ve tried it all, and to great success. That is, until Edward Snowden blew the lid off it all.
About a week ago I began deleting all photos and videos of my children from the Internet. This is proving to be no easy task. Like many parents, I’ve excitedly shared virtually every step, misstep and milestone that myself and my children have muddled our way through.
Google Maps? Pfff. Nokia HERE? Get outta here. There’s an alternative to all those navigation systems you use: it’s made from 100 percent sustainable material, it’s easy to share, it’ll never break, you can fit it in your pocket, and it’s completely private.