Election Night Search Results

The Sweet Smell of Success: DIY Smoke Mix with Sugar and Potassium Nitrate

I finally got around to trying out another one of Will's mad science experiments and found out that this one was actually more satisfying (and less frustrating) than my slightly uncooperative jar jet. There's something very pleasing about making potassium nitrate at home in the kitchen and then watching the transformation from semitransparent liquid to spiky, frozen crystals. That was the best part for me, second only to igniting it with its sugar companion.

News: Hammer and Chisel, Fo Shizzel! Engraving on Wood Like a Photoshop Pimp

Everyone's been in the following situation. You're sitting there at a nice bar, chatting up a smoking hot member of the opposite sex when all of a sudden they drop this bomb: "Can you engrave on wood in Photoshop?" The next thing you know, the night spirals into blackness and you wake up in a puddle of your own tears with some half-eaten beef jerky hanging out of your mouth.

Force Lightning: How to Make a Shocking Cookie Jar Any Sith Lord Would Be Proud Of

There is nothing more annoying than a greedy roommate. It's absolutely infuriating to wake up and find the cookies your mother just made for you gone without a trace. Your favorite drink is empty and the homemade meal you worked so hard on the night before is nowhere to be found. This irked me so much that I made this shocking cookie jar. When a cookie burglar touches the side and the lid of the jar simultaneously, a small electric shock stops them in their tracks.

How To: Make Crop Circles or Are Aliens Among Us?

Does this video prove that otherworldly intelligent life has visited Earth? No. It does not prove anything other than there are designs ‘etched’ onto the surface of a field. Does the video immediately above prove that otherworldly intelligent life hasn’t visited Earth? Yeah, you saw it coming; no, it proves nothing more than humans are able to ‘etch’ designs in a field of grain.

How To: Make Yin-Yang Modular Polyhedra

Last Thursday's post demonstrated how to Make Yin-Yang Pillow boxes, which were based on equilateral triangles and squares. The units for making these boxes were created by Phillip Chapman-Bell, who runs an amazing origami blog and has a spectacular flickr photostream. Using these units, you can make also make 4 of the 5 platonic solids. I made an additional template based on the regular pentagon so that the dodecahedron can be built completing the set.

Modular Origami: How to Make a Truncated Icosahedron, Pentakis Dodecahedron & More

Last post, the Sonobe unit was introduced as a way to use multiple copies of a simply folded piece of paper to make geometric objects. In this post, we are going to explore that concept further by making two more geometric models. The first is the truncated icosahedron, which is a common stitching pattern for a soccer ball. The second was supposed to be the pentakis dodecahedron, but through systematic errors last night, I actually built a different model based off of the rhombic triacontahed...

Math Craft Monday: Community Submissions (Plus Polyhedral Stellation)

It's another Monday, which means it's once again time to highlight some of the recent community submissions posted to the Math Craft corkboard. Additionally, I thought we'd take a look at the process of stellation and make some stellated polyhedra out of paper.Rachel Mansur of Giveaway Tuesdays posted a video from animator Cyriak Harris, which zooms into fractal hands, where each fingertip also has a hand and fingers. A few more details can be found here, as well as some other really cool pic...

How To: Make a Two Circle Wobbler from CDs

One of my favorite simple projects is building two circle wobblers. I love how such a simple object amazes with its motion. The two circle wobbler is an object made out of two circles connected to each other in such a way that the center of mass of the object doesn't move up or down as it rolls. This means that it will roll very easily down a slight incline. It will also roll for a significant distance on a level surface if you start it by giving it a small push or even by blowing on it!

News: Indie Games Hit the Red Carpet at the IndieCade Awards

Last Thursday, on October 7th, indie game developers from around the world walked down a red carpet in Santa Monica, California in the hopes of winning an IndieCade award. We previously discussed the IndieCade festival and conference, but the award show is a smaller, more inclusive event that provides finalists the opportunity to see their project on stage with rewards by sponsors such as LG, who presented this year’s ceremony.

News: Has Chain World's Journey from Game to Religious Icon Ended?

At GDC 2011 this past March, three of the world's best game designers participated in a contest called Game Design Challenge. Each presented their vision for a game that fit the prompt "Bigger than Jesus: games as religion" before an audience, with applause to determine the winner. Jenova Chen, John Romero, and Jason Rohrer all spoke, and Rohrer won in a landslide with his revolutionary game called Chain World.

News: Google+ Pro Tips Weekly Round Up: Google+ Community Projects Take Off

This week seems to have gone by in a flash. Maybe it was the three day weekend, but I don't think it accounts for the flurry of activity I've been seeing on Google+. Updates, debates, and new initiatives are unfolding every day, and the best part is that most of them are coming from outside of Google. People love Google+ so much that they want to evangelize to others about it. What more could Google+ ask for?

News: Child Molesters and Sexy Fighters: A Study of Video Game Commercials

The Kinect for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move might be fun to play with, but people do not look very cool while they're doing it. Air guitar is not particularly flattering (even if done on stage), and neither is air-anything else, as pleasurable as it might be. This is why I find it strange that a group of admen somewhere in the world think these kinds of commercials would appeal to anyone.

News: Minecraft, Meet Terraria

Minecraft was first released just a few years ago, but when a paradigm-shifting piece of media comes along the rest of the world is quick to take inspiration from it. The absolutely terrible XBLA knock-off FortressCraft was the first, and last month a much more interesting game called Terraria came out on Steam for $9.99. It is clearly inspired by Minecraft, and there is a long checklist of identical features. It is, nonetheless, a very different product, and just might be called the first in...

News: Enrique Iglesias - "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" review

Leave it to to channel lust into a dance hit all about f-ing. The Spanish singer just has this impossible-to-pinpoint, irresistible charm that excuses his chauvinistic qualities and makes him radio gold.But at least he knows he's a pig, and this is the second song where he implores a lady at a club to forgive his forwardness. His rumored girlfriend Anna Kournikova better watch out, with all these groupies at the clubs Iglesias is going after.

News: 10 tips for planning a Bridal Shower

Tis’ the season…for weddings! At the beginning of October, three of my college pals got married on the same day. This meant a ton of planning, parties, and presents for these three lucky ladies. This also meant that there were many a brides maid needing to make sure their bride was feeling special on such a wonderful occasion. One of the most exciting aspects of being the Maid of Honor is helping to plan the Bridal Shower, but it can also be a lot of work if you aren’t prepared. Here are 10 t...

Word Nerds Unite: Planning a SCRABBLE-Themed Wedding

Wedding themes are no rarity, but a SCRABBLE wedding? I never would have guessed, until I came across "10 Ways to Incorporate Scrabble Into Your Wedding" at CasaSugar. Now, I'm one of the biggest SCRABBLE nerds out there, but I could never see myself getting hitched amongst SCRABBLE tiles and SCRABBLE cakes and SCRABBLE cuff links. I'd also be afraid that none of my guests would actually come if they knew SCRABBLE was the theme. Hell, it's hard enough to get any of my friends to play a simple...

Alan Wake: Captain Obvious

In Alan Wake, there are hidden messages hidden throughout the levels that are only visible with a flashlight. If you don't flash the light at a particular spot, you will not be able to see the message.

News: Lipstick for Dummies

Jezebel is back with another beauty basic: how to achieve a flawless, perfectly applied lipstick look. Lots of questions were posed, and hundreds of user answers sifted through. Sampling below, click through for all of Jezebel's selected tips.

News: The Role of a Gaffer

Both on and off the set, the Gaffer or Chief Lighting Technician is one of the most important positions around. Though the average movie goer most likely has no idea the job even exists, they probably don't know what 99% of the other crew is/does either.  

How To: Track Down an Apple iPad 2 (All Models) in Stores or Online

If you're a diehard Apple fan, chances are the new iPad 2 caught your eye, stole your heart and emptied your wallet. Who couldn't resist the sophisticated slim-body design or its fascinating new Smart Cover? Well—it seems nobody could. And if you were late to jump on the bandwagon, you're still probably cleaning that dust out of your mouth because it took off without you—leaving the latest and greatest Apple gadget out of your reach.

How To: File a Last-Minute 2010 Income Tax Return: Save Money, Get Free Tax Help & More!

Ever since high school, I've been preparing my own taxes. Each year it gets more and more complicated, which results in me filing later and later, avoiding it until I have the time or just can't wait any longer. I even resorted to using TurboTax online to help do some of the grunt work for me these past couple years, but that hasn't stopped me from being lazy about it. I have yet to file my 2010 taxes, but I will very soon. Tomorrow, in fact—before TurboTax raises their prices.

Top 10: Best Ethical Destinations for 2011

By Ethical Traveler As the world becomes ever more interconnected, being an ethical traveler becomes both easier and more urgent. Travelers today have access to far more information than we did even 10 years ago. We can observe–almost in real time–the impact that smart or selfish choices, by governments and individuals, have on rainforests and reefs, cultures and communities.

News: The Simpsons Family Gets Scrabbled!

My JO was watching The Simpsons on FOX the other day, like she wholeheartedly does every evening, and I joined her, much like I always do— though I must admit, I'm not as obsessed with the cartoon family as much as she is. Just like she isn't as obsessed with SCRABBLE as I am.

News: something truly warped

The pranks outlook.. a bunch of friends or campers are camping, someone that the people being pranked knows will suit up in a bear outfit then the "bear" will walk around just outside the camp to alert people then the "bear" charges. someone then grabs a gun with blanks in it, but no one is aware of this. then the person shoots the "bear" and the "bear" makes a very human "umph" sound and then hits the ground. people shout "i don't think that was a bear" so the people getting pranked and the ...

News: The ol' ex-lax trick

Set up a double date with one of your good friends and a couple ladies. Once you are ready you, tell your friend to come on over and have a drink before we go out just to loosen up and get out any possible nerves that could over take the night. Ask him what he wants in advance that way you know to get him his own bottle.

News: Werewolf Prank Gone Bad

So... This is a prank on a prank. The first prank involves everyone getting drunk one night and drugging the "victim" (say a friend of a friend, because any jackass member would know it's a prank) to the point of unconsciousness, tearing portions of their clothes and leaving them covered in fake blood in the middle of the forest surrounded by fake dead animals (humans preferably). Thick Werewolf type hair could be stuck to the blood against their skin to imply that they were turned on that fu...