As reported on The Verge. By Jesse Hicks The only way to win is to fight fire with fire. “I think most people feel that if you can find a way to beat the casino, more power to you,” says Arnold Synder, his eyes, those telltale features, hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. “This place set up the rules, they provide the equipment, they provide the dealer, and they’re basically saying, ‘Come in and try…
As reported on Engadget. By Sean Buckley Autonomous fish might make great leaders, but it turns out that robot flippers are ahuge drain on battery life. Not a problem for Xiaobo Tan — he and a group ofMichigan State University scientists have built a robotic fish that glides through the water. Tan says the machine, dubbed Grace (Gliding Robot ACE), swims too , but the constant flipper movement can kill the battery in just a few hours. “This is why we…
As reported on LifeHacker. by Alan Henry Do you know how to actually protect yourself during an earthquake or hurricane? What about a tornado or fire? You’ve probably heard lots of conflicting information over the years. We hope you won’t ever need it, this start-to-finish guide to handling disasters will help you remember what you should really do during an emergency and afterwards to recover as quickly as possible. To break down the best practices to keep…
As reported on Engadget. By Zachary Lutz Ever think that the mystery and sci-fi genres could use an extra shot of reality? Well, if the Washington Academy of Sciences has anything to say about the matter, you’ll never again need to wonder if a novel is littered with misinterpretations and inaccuracies. The group — which dates back to 1898, when it was co-founded byAlexander Graham Bell — has introduced a seal of approval to inform readers whether a novel…
As reported on The Verge. By Vlad Savov The tech industry’s annual hot air balloon show is gone, and the world’s a better place for it There’s something about 2013’s Consumer Electronics Show that’s different from every other iteration this decade. You might not realize it immediately, for it’s marked by the absence rather than the arrival of a new technology, but it’s there and we’re all sensing it on a deep, subconscious level. And it…
As reported on Businessinsider.com by Leah Goldman Isaac Brekken/Getty Images Esquire did a Q&A with the now famous Katherine Webb about her overnight Twitter stardom. Webb, whose phone was dead during the game, gained about 100,000 new Twitter followers during the game after ESPN’s cameras panned to the pretty Webb in the crowd and Brent Musburger went gaga over her. Webb didn’t find anything wrong with Musburger’s comments, she told Esquire: “If he had worded it different and said we…
As reported on Wired. BY JAKOB SCHILLER Justin Spain helps Chris Wallwork and John Haiducek dig a snow pit in the backcountry outside Taos, New Mexico, during an avalanche safety course. If you ski the backcountry, it’s only a matter of time before you’re racing an avalanche. Photo: Jakob Schiller/Wired TAOS, New Mexico — Justin Spain was frantic. His friend had just been buried by an avalanche skiing the backcountry. He needed help finding him. My…
As reported on LifeHacker. by Alan Henry Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions people make are to decrease their debt (or get out entirely) and to lose weight or get healthy. Before you embark on either of those, make sure that the other isn’t getting in the way and you’re not spending money losing weight. You can have both, you just have to be careful. Over at US News Money, Geoff Williams explains that many…
As reported on LifeHacker. by Thorin Klosowski 6 Common Tech Myths That Cost You Money Ever scoff at someone for buying refurbished? Or found yourself dropping $40 on an HDMI cable? We all hear (and spread) tech myths to mostly harmless ends, but in some cases those myths end up costing you a lot of money. Here are a few of the worst offenders. Technology myths spread through a number of channels. Perhaps it’s as…
As reported on LifeHacker. by Roger S. Gil Denial may be the biggest way we lie to ourselves. While it can help, we often do more harm than good when we refuse to accept the truth and enable maladaptive behaviors and relationships. Here’s how denial works, how it affects your choices, and what you can do to fix the problem. What Is Denial? Full size Denial is a psychological defense mechanism that helps a person…