We’ve seen video game weapons come to life before, but few are as beautiful as the replica of the Borderlands Dahl assault rifle. The weapon clone is the brainchild of Ikkalebob, and with it comes a bit of (non-lethal) functionality. Thanks to a write-up on Instructables, the DIYers among us can make their own. If you do proceed with making … Continue reading
Once in a while, a particularly brilliant solution pops up to a question that has surely bugged more than a few good people in the past, so much so that some of us who stumble across such a solution would slap ourselves silly over our foreheads, and ask the timeless question, “Now why didn’t I think of that before?” The world is seeing its life force ebb away no thanks to our polluting ways, leading us to want to get greener. Here is a chance to do so in terms of colors, and not the actual healing of the earth itself, with the electroVine.
The electroVine happens to be an indoor/outdoor 6-foot extension cord that has been, as you would have guessed by now, disguised as a vine. No longer do you need to hide your cords at all, no sir! At least it is a whole lot more aesthetically pleasing compared to the boring old extension cord. Forget about the cold industrial design of yore with the electroVine, as it will keep all of your important technological devices and appliances in and around the home/office powered, without looking unsightly. Not only that, it will also make any wedding reception or cocktail party look more elegant and refined, and it is currently on the hunt to raise enough funds to become reality. You in?
[ electroVine ensures your cord remains hidden in plain sight copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — Democrats with presidential dreams are coming to Iowa with little fanfare, entourage or recognition.
They are undeterred by talk of a Hillary Rodham Clinton candidacy in 2016 or her plans to visit the leadoff caucus state next month to honor retiring Sen. Tom Harkin. But former Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and a few other Democrats have nothing to lose if Clinton runs, and lots to gain if she doesn’t.
“I’m here to listen to people and think about things,” Webb told The Associated Press with a grin.
Webb’s answer, matched with his schedule, has the ring of someone on a political fact-finding mission.
The former Navy secretary spoke Thursday to the Iowa Federation of Labor’s annual conference, an important gathering of Democratic opinion leaders. He also campaigned for Rep. Dave Loebsack and Senate candidate Bruce Braley and dined in Des Moines with prominent Democrats, all the while guided by Iowa-based political operative Jessica Vandenberg.
It was Webb’s first such foray. He used it to set himself apart from President Barack Obama, whose job approval nationally has been below 50 percent since last year.
The president’s use of executive authority “has gone way too far away from the legislative branch,” Webb told the 100 labor leaders at a conference center outside Des Moines. “It certainly is outside all precedent, and the Congress should have stepped in,” he added later in the interview.
But Webb, a decorated former Marine whose serious tone hardly makes the pulse race, mixed in a little humor, a time-honored political icebreaker. “I’m the only person elected to the United States Senate with a union card, two Purple Hearts and three tattoos,” he told the labor conference to chuckles and applause.
On the GOP side, some potential candidates are further along in Iowa, with paid staff on the ground.
Klobuchar’s scheduled trip to Iowa on Saturday was to be her third since the 2012 election. She says she would support a Clinton candidacy. But if Clinton weren’t in the race, Klobuchar would have proximity to Iowa on her side.
“Right now, I’m focused on this job and I think a lot of the work I’m doing in the Senate has national implications,” she told The Des Moines Register while in Iowa last year.
Other Democrats who have visited Iowa include Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who is supported largely by Democrats, will be in Iowa when Clinton attends Harkin’s annual fundraiser.
Making early visits before better-known prospects has its advantage, said former Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh. He spent 2006 cultivating Democratic support in Iowa, as did Mark Warner, then a former Virginia governor and now a U.S. senator. Both abandoned the idea of a presidential bid after seeing Obama emerging as likely the most promising alternative to Clinton in the 2008 race.
“I reached the conclusion that I could run, but I couldn’t win,” Bayh told the AP.
Others stay in, despite heavyweight rivals, to audition for top administration posts, as Vice President Joe Biden did, while others lay the groundwork for future campaigns, Bayh said.
Biden, the party’s biggest potential 2016 contender not named Clinton, has not been to Iowa since headlining Harkin’s event last year, but he has stayed in touch with Iowans he’s befriended as a two-time candidate for president and groups who have come to Washington.
Some, however, strike it rich.
A little-known governor of Arkansas ahead of the 1992 presidential campaign, Bill Clinton made early inroads in Iowa and New Hampshire even though more prominent Democrats — New York’s Mario Cuomo and Missouri’s Richard Gephardt — were in the mix. Clinton had nothing to lose staying in the race, then steadily gained as the field narrowed.
“You might get some who run anyway,” Bayh said. “They might catch lightning in a bottle.”
If you’re not ready for things to get ridiculously freaky on “American Horror Story” Season 4, then we recommend you take a moment to prepare.
Earlier this week, Ryan Murphy released the first teaser trailer for his upcoming “AHS: Freak Show,” which featured a creepy-looking hand. Now the series’ creator has released another short teaser via his Twitter, introducing us to another freak.
Horror Story Tongue http://t.co/XI6Ri0UfUW
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) August 23, 2014
The new teaser finally gives us a quick look at a person (since we’re not too sure if that hand belongs to a human) and shows a man with a split tongue licking a lollipop. At the end of the video the hashtag “WirSindAlleFreaks” briefly flashes, which is German for “We Are All Freaks.” That makes sense, especially because Jessica Lange’s “AHS” character this season is a German ex-pat name Elsa Mars, who runs one of the last freak shows in America in the 1950s.
“American Horror Story: Freak Show” premieres on Oct. 8 at 10 p.m. ET on FX.
Batman has his huge Bat signal that Commissioner Gordon uses to summon him during times of great peril in Gotham City, but just imagine the amount of money that bad boy is going to cost the police station each month with the amount of power it consumes. Having said that, the Transformers, alien lifeforms that are also technologically advanced, seem to be a whole lot more energy efficient thanks to the AllSpark, might be a more viable platform to explore. Which is what has led to this £14.98 Transformers Autobot Light that helps keep monsters under the bed at bay while giving a sense of security to the little ones who find it difficult to fall asleep in the dark.
This is one of the cooler bedside lights, as the Transformers Autobot Light is perfect for illuminating your bedside table or desk. It comes in a distressed metal finish, where the free-standing Autobot light will feature non-slip feet as well as a 1.5 metre USB power cable to get it going. Unfortunately, it is not able to transform into other designs, and we would have loved it all the more if you were able to turn it the other side, and the Decepticon logo can be seen. I guess that is an idea which is reserved for a special Decepticon version, allowing them to earn twice the amount of money for what is basically the same thing, no?
[ Transformers Autobot Light will not transform and roll out copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Jennifer Lopez got super candid about her romantic life when she stopped by Chelsea Lately on Aug. 21.
Though she’s now single after her split with Casper Smart, the 45-year-old told Chelsea Handler that she likes to be in a steady relationship. “I would get married again,” Lopez said on the talk show.
“I’m not one to like, whore around and stuff like that. That’s not my thing,” she added.
So what does J.Lo look for when it comes to love? Lopez said that first and foremost, it comes down to chemistry.
“I just go on a connection with a person. I don’t really plan things out. They just happen. I need to plan better.”
Lopez’s long list of famous exes include Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, backup dancer Cris Judd, Ben Affleck and Marc Anthony. Her most recent rumored love interest is “Dancing With The Stars” pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
We get stuck doing the same things over and over again. Life isn’t exactly thrilling when you get a groove going and have it turn into a rut. We use entertainment such as movies and video games to pull our minds out of the loop of work, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat. Once you’ve found a few genres you enjoy, you start to buy things that remind you of your favorite movies, shows, and games to keep your spirits up at work.
If action or horror are your preferred style for entertainment, then you’ve probably pondered what a nuclear meltdown or zombie apocalypse would do to your life. If there’s one trinket that would make you think that you’re not only playing games and watching shows about this kind of world, but living in them, it would be the Kisai Radioactive LED Watch. This is a stainless steel case and strap that feature a watch face that looks as though you’re counting down the minutes to the world’s end.
Of course, it’s really just telling you the time in a complicated way, as TokyoFlash is known for those sort of shenanigans. To read this, one of the staggered pieces on the top three bars will flash, showing you the hours, the minutes are displayed in the curved middle, and the bottom radioactive sign indicates the exact minute. The battery is rechargeable, and the wrist strap can be adjusted to fit a variety of sizes. If this fits your aesthetics and doesn’t look like it would be too crazy for your personal style, you’ll be looking at $159 for this elaborate time piece.
Available for purchase on TokyoFlash
[ The Kisai Radioactive LED Watch will make you feel like you’re living in a disaster movie copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
There was one point in time where AT&T and T-Mobile had a great relationship, which was a few years ago when both companies agreed to merge with one another. However due to regulatory disapproval, that deal never happened. Instead AT&T was forced to pay T-Mobile a breakup fee amongst other things.
From there on, their relationship has gone down hill. Now it looks like AT&T’s pre-paid carrier, Cricket Wireless, has taken jabs at T-Mobile too. In a recent promotion that Cricket Wireless launched, they are targeting T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers by offering them a $100 credit towards their bill if they were to make the switch.
The offer will begin this Sunday and is expected to run until the 19th of October. There does not appear to be a limit on the number of lines that you can bring over, but the ones that you do bring over will be eligible for the $100 credit, so we guess you could move your entire family’s plans over to Cricket Wireless if you think it’s a good deal.
Given how outspoken T-Mobile’s CEO is, we reckon it shouldn’t be too long before we John Legere offer up his thoughts/opinions on Cricket’s offer, or perhaps he could come up with a counter-offer instead that will try to poach Cricket’s own customers – who knows?
Cricket Offers $100 To T-Mobile & MetroPCS Customers To Switch Carriers
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It may seem like such a trivial thing, but eating spaghetti the correct way can be hard. In all my years on this planet, I am still horrible at swirling up pieces of noodle with sauce on them. For myself and others like me, there’s a surprising amount of ridicule. You can laugh off not being an expert noodle-twirler, but sometimes you just want to one-up your family and friends.
There are hilarious forks that will twirl your pasta for you, but they probably make sound, which is only going to further deter you from trying to eat your meal that way. This Helpful Aid for Living For-Ghetti is a fork that was made to catch the noodles when you whirl this utensil around. Not only will you be able to show your friends and family that you can eat Italian food with a stainless steel fork, but this will essentially give you the training wheels you need to use a regular old fork.
You can get a set of four in either adult or small sizes, and it will cost you $12. It’s a simple idea for a very small aspect of your life, but if you’re a fan of pasta and are tired of cutting it up, then would be a great stepping stone to learning how to do it “the right way”. If it doesn’t bother you that much, you can do what I do and ignore anyone who has a problem with the incorrect, yet non-barbaric way to eat.
Available for purchase on Amazon, found via thisiswhyimbroke
[ This fork was designed for eating spaghetti copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
By Caitlin Moscatello for TheKnot.com
Some guests get the automatic check just for being family, while other guests — like your boss — are simply harder to reject than include. And, as if making your guest list isn’t complicated enough, your parents also get a say if they’re helping to pay for the wedding. The bright side? Unwanted guests don’t have to ruin your big day — as long as you know where to put ’em. Meet the top eight nuisances and troublemakers you’ll invite (and learn how you can minimize the damage!).
Bridesmaid’s Weird Boyfriend
Why He’s Invited: Okay, so it’s a little strange that he wears Batman T-shirts and barely talks. But even if he’s not your fave, your bridesmaid loves him — and she’s gone through a lot with you (read: three dress fittings, two cake tastings, and one crazy breakdown over your flowers). Not inviting her boyfriend (he’s not exactly a random fling, you know) would be a huge slap in the face.
Where to Put Him: Instead of having a large table with your entire wedding party plus their dates, mix things up. Sit with your maid of honor, best man, and their dates; then spread the rest of the wedding party throughout other tables. Not only will this keep you away from your bridesmaid’s boyfriend (bonus!), it’ll also keep some of your guests from feeling like they’re stuck at a D-list table while you and your wedding party are rolling VIP-style.
Kooky Wedding Planner
Why She’s Invited: Aside from the fact that she, um, helped plan out your entire wedding (and admit it: you weren’t always easy to deal with), she’s your number one in command on the big day. Trust us: It’s worth putting up with her cat stories — or even foisting the cat stories on your guests — in order to have her on hand for all the details (and disasters). Besides, treating her like an actual guest (with a real seat, meal and invitation) will help make her feel more welcome.
Where to Put Her: Your planner will be so busy during your wedding you’ll barely even notice she’s there. Besides, what’s really the worst that can happen — she talks to your guests and reveals her Barry Manilow obsession? For all you know, they love “Copacabana” as much as she does. Sit her at a table with your equally whacked-out aunt, or take a chance and throw her in the mix of your friends. Nothing she says will be that shocking after a few glasses of champagne anyway, so stop worrying!
More from The Knot: 12 ways to wow your guests
Little Niece
Why She’s Invited: So you explicitly told your sister you weren’t inviting kids to your wedding, but of course she didn’t think that rule applied to her kid. Not wanting little ones at your wedding is certainly understandable. But making your sister spend half the night upstairs in her hotel room reading bedtime stories (and thus missing out on the first dance, and the cake cutting, and the bouquet toss) isn’t exactly fair to her — or you, for that matter.
Where to Put Her: If having a baby at your wedding bothers you that much, offer to hire a babysitter. Suggest that your niece stay with the sitter during the ceremony (so there’s no crying during the vows) and then leave it up to your sister to decide whether or not she wants to bring the baby to the reception. By that point, guests will be drinking and dancing; they won’t even notice a sleeping newborn. You can also assign your sister a table close to the door in case she needs to scoot out for a diaper change or other mommy emergency.
More from The Knot: Real wedding guest confessions
Fiance’s Horny Ex-Frat Brother
Why He’s Invited: Do you remember the last time that you met up with your guy’s best college buddy and he spent half the night rubbing up against you and your friends? Well, forget it (at least for now). He’s one of your fiance’s closest friends, and not having him at the wedding would hurt him way more than it would benefit you.
Where to Put Him: First of all, it’s not like you’re on the market, so you have nothing to worry about (although you might want to give your single friends a heads up). Sit him at a table with other single people, or suggest to your fiance that Mr. Fratastic bring a date of his own. Really, as long as he’s not grinding or groping, there’s not much destruction he can cause. And as for how much he might annoy you — you’ll be too busy visiting with all of your other guests to even notice the guy.
Cousin You Barely Know
Why She’s Invited: You might have played in the sandbox together 20 years ago, but these days, you can’t even remember if she was the cousin with the glasses or the one who borrowed your Malibu Barbie and never gave it back to you. Yet your mom still wants you to invite her to your wedding. What gives? Well, she’s family (sorry, that’s the way it goes). Not inviting her would be extremely awkward not just for you, but for your parents too. And they’d probably be the ones who are stuck explaining to her parents why she wasn’t invited. In this case, it’s easier on everyone to just be inclusive.
Where to Put Her: Sit her at a table with other family members she knows or, if you think she’d enjoy it, mix her in with some of your friends. Hey, it’s been a while since you’ve seen her — she just might end up being the life of the party (besides you, of course).
Wedding Hater
Why She’s Invited: She’s one of your best friends and has been by your side for everything from college graduation and birthdays to the time you got sick for two days after eating less-than-fresh sushi. The only problem: She’s currently in a love rut and is completely sick of weddings. Sigh. The fact is, if she’s truly your friend, she’ll still be happy for you. And even if you think she’ll pout at everything from your dress to your bouquet, chances are she won’t.
Where to Put Her: Introduce her to some other singles at your wedding beforehand (say, at the engagement party) to make it clear she won’t be the third wheel. If there aren’t many singles in your circle of friends, invite her to bring a date — even if it’s just a friend. Having someone to dance with will save her from sitting out the slow songs; plus, she might feel more confident with a partner-in-crime. Oh, and seat her with a younger crowd. She’ll feel like an old maid if she’s chillin’ with your grandma.
Your Boss
Why She’s Invited: Well, perhaps if you hadn’t run into your office screaming, “I’m engaged!”, spent hours upon hours of work time browsing wedding websites or telling your boss every little detail about your dress, venue, and cake, you wouldn’t have this problem. But you did, and by this point, your boss feels as close to your wedding as your bridesmaids.
Where to Put Her: Invite your boss along with her significant other (at least she’ll have one person to talk to). And honestly, it might not be the worst thing to let her come since she decides your salary! If you’re particularly close with a few coworkers, add them to your guest list as well and seat them at a table with your guy’s work buddies. And if you cringe at the thought of your boss witnessing some of your sloppy friends in action, well, maybe she won’t be able to attend, anyway.
Drunk Uncle
Why He’s Invited: Oh, that family rule, don’t you just love it? So here’s the deal: Your uncle is your father’s brother…or your mom’s brother, or your dad’s sister’s husband (you get it — he’s close), and whether or not he’s had seven too many Heinekens doesn’t change that. Even if he has a history of mooning party guests or slipping into a tequila-induced mean streak, your uncle still makes the cut.
Where to Put Him: While you don’t want to bog down your dad with babysitting duties, seating him near your uncle so he can keep an eye on him is fair game — especially if it’s an open bar. You might also politely ask the bartenders to cut off any guests who seem to have had their fill. If there’s a particular drink he’s a fan of, don’t stock it. Also, keep plenty of water on the tables and serve dinner early so nobody’s drinking on an empty stomach.
More from The Knot:
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