Archive for April, 2009

The kids have been asking about “time”. Like “what is time?” Imagine sitting at the dinner table trying to explain it… Here’s one video that takes a crack at an answer to “What is time?” – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 – Part 5 See also: 1) What is Time? If we [...]

This is an interesting project. It uses a laser pointer, a photocell and an inexpensive digital camera to create a system that will photograph anything that breaks the laser’s beam. You can use it as a straight-line system or add mirrors to create a perimeter. You could also attach it to something other than a [...]

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Cablevision Goes for U.S. Broadband Speed Record – “While it may not match the very best broadband deals in other countries, Cablevision will start offering the fastest home Internet service in the country next month…” See also: Cablevision power play: 101Mbps Internet, no caps, $99 Create-your-own NYC Air Force One flyover photo … we did [...]

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In theory, credit default swaps are simply insurance against failed investments. In reality, these swaps can quickly get complicated. Tune in to this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com to hear Josh and Chuck demystify credit default swaps.

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You’re moving. You open up your medicine chest and an army of squat brown bottles with old prescription medications challenges you from the shelves. Deal with me in an efficient manner, they taunt. What do you do with them? You’re not supposed to hang on to them past their expiration date. If you flush them down the toilet, will you be helping to create some superbug that flourishes in the sewage underworld and rises up to kill us all faster than you can say swine flu? Or maybe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus?

Relax. You have another option: recycle them. In the United States 37 states have passed drug reclamation, or recycling laws and started related programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislature. The organization’s Web site lists the states that have enacted this type of legislation, as well as who will accept what. According to the site, almost all of the programs have the following requirements:

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You Asked: What is the Bermuda Triangle? — Prabhu, Chennai, India Marshall Answered: The “Bermuda Triangle” is a part of the Atlantic ocean stretching from Miami to San Juan to Bermuda. It is an area of more than a million square miles in which thousands of ships and airplanes have been lost over the past [...]

You asked: How do you make bubblegum? — Jazmin, Fullerton, Calif. Marshall Answered: The basic idea behind bubblegum is to take a soft form of rubber and dissolve sweeteners and flavorings in it. Gum is about half sugar by weight. When you chew the gum, the flavoring comes out in your mouth. So you take [...]

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Earlier this week I blogged about my dread of upcoming summer power bills. That’s usually about the extent of my familiarity with my energy bills’ fluctuations — obvious seasonal knowledge. Natural gas goes up in the winter; electricity goes up in the summer. Smaller changes — like those resulting from added CFLs or a strict new policy on vampire power — are less obvious. But when you’re trying to save money, it helps to find out where it’s going in the first place.

Keeping track of your energy costs lets you start to see patterns in your power and gas use. More importantly, if you’ve lived in the same place for a while, it allows you to take note of gradual changes. Bills that creep up over time might indicate the need for new insulation, a more efficient water heater or a patch on the roof.

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You asked: How do bagged potato chips stay good for so long? — Andrew, Brownwood, Texas Marshall Answered: Most foods spoil because of bacteria. The idea behind refrigeration is to slow bacteria down, and a freezer stops bacteria completely. But in order for bacteria to do their thing, they have certain requirements. One of the [...]

All of us do it…its human nature, really. We’re often quick to evaluate or classify a person based on first impressions. When we meet someone for the first time, whether you choose to admit it or not, you immediately take in a person’s physical attributes such as height, body shape, skin color, hair length and so on. But what type of car or truck does that person drive?

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