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This video shows you how to make your own passive noise reduction headphones for $20.

SOURCE: Lifehacker

There is some good news on the downloadable music front. Amazon.com, under the name AmazonMP3, has joined the ranks of vendors who are responding to the demands of the market, rather than to the RIAA. They are now selling DRM-free MP3s at a price below iTunes’ copy-choked versions.

Unfortunately, the service is currently only available in the USA to Windows and Mac users. Sorry, Tux.

Granted, Amazon MP3 is far from the first vendor to offer DRM-free MP3s, as other such services — most notably eMusic — having been around for quite some time. But Amazon is Amazon, and with their imposing consumer influence, this store might have a real chance. In the end, whether it’s a viable iTunes replacement or not, it’s still a very promising option for digital music lovers.

SOURCE: Lifehacker

This falls under my "Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it is a good idea" rule.

On [the] Wattflyer forum (for radio control eflight) a new filter was installed. It turns words like ‘class’ into ‘clrear’. A list of bad words are changed against less offensive ones.  Even word parts! So, for example, all occurrences of "ass" are changed into "rear".  Just think of grass, glass, pass, embassy… 

It was deactivated after less than a day. Wonder why.

SOURCE: Reinhard Kopka via comp.risks newsgroup

I am testing a beta of Microsoft’s new Windows Live™ Writer application. It is a front end editor that can be used with many different types of blogging systems.

It is a true WYSIWYG editor, complete with multiple preview modes They include: Normal, Web Layout, Web Preview and HTML.

Writer has some powerful features including the fact that it supports third party plug-ins. Even at this early stage of development there are many useful plug-ins available for download from the Windows Live site.

Supposedly, you can post maps and Aerial views. Lets try it here with one for Flint, MI.

I will keep you informed of the success, or failure of this experiment. So far, I am favorably impressed with its feature set. Now, if I can only get it to post this article…

It would appear that Bob Dylan knew what he was talking (singing) about after all. Times certainly have changed since the sixties.

Unfortunately, when it comes to politics, they don’t seem to have changed for the better. Could you imagine, even in your wildest dreams, today’s crop of politicians saying anything like what is contained in these quotes?

We seek a free flow of information… We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and the falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

 — John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.

And how about this one?

In the counsels of Government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together.

 — Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States.

This is a clever re-use of a common product. Corral those cables that are hanging behind your entertainment center, or your ham radio desk, with this tip from unclutterer.com.

Who knew that it would be someday be chic to be a geek. As you can see from the graphic on the left I seem to qualify for that description. My computer geek score is greater than 73% of all people in the world. How do you compare? Click the graphic to find out.

It was not always the case that geekyness was looked upon favorably, but times change. There are now even geek pretenders.

Yes, it’s come to this. The same people you raked on in high school now run the world and control every gizmo you own or want to own. And, as you hold your “normal” identity throughout your life, there are times when it may be advantageous to pose as a geek. Maybe to convince your first date that you have job prospects beyond “Walmart clerk”. …Read more on Penguin Pete’s Blog

Here is a sample of what you will find in the article 25 Interesting Things That You Learn About Computers Only in the Movies.

1. Word processors never display a cursor.

2. You never have to use the spacebar when typing long sentences.

3. All monitors display 2 inch high letters.

4. High-tech computers, such as those used by NASA, the CIA, or some such governmental institution, have easy-to-understand graphical interfaces.

5. Those that don’t will have incredibly powerful text-based command shells that can correctly understand and execute commands typed in plain English.

If you just can’t stand the thought of continuing life without a car with video cameras in the front, back and on both sides, then you need the new Infinti EX35 SUV. Its view does not show all 360 degrees at the same time, but something has to be left for the next model year, or maybe the year after that.

The folks at AutoSpies were kind enough to post a video preview of the as yet unreleased vehicle.

Yes, you can own your own personal doppler radar. Sound impossible? Not if you are willing to spend about thirty bucks on a Hot Wheels® Radar Gun. You will not only be able to clock those speeding Hot Wheels cars, but you will also have the opportunity to cannibalize the thing for other uses.

The article Hacking the Hot Wheels Radar Gun has some clever uses for the internal parts in robotics. Other hacks include changing its frequency and re-purposing the LCD.