HOW TO – Make junk mail blinds
Matt writes “Strangely aesthetically pleasing window blinds made out of junk mail. By affixing strips of junk mail to an existing set of venetian blinds, one can drastically reduce the amount of light allowed through without losing the ability to raise and lower the blinds. In my case, about three months’ worth of junk mail, but your mileage will vary. Your trusty roll of duct tape (color to suit). Two rolls of scotch tape. A ruler. A spool of uninsulated wire. A pair of needle-nosed pliers. A thumbtack. Space to work.” Link.
Starting Monday, you can get Rocketboom on your TiVo – this is amazing news. Dave Zatz has the scoop – “Rocketboom is a three minute daily videoblog based in New York City, covering a wide range of information and commentary from top news stories to quirky internet culture. With a heavy emphasis on international arts, technology and weblog drama, Rocketboom is presented via online video and widely distributed through RSS. Now, Rocketboom is available on TiVo as part of the TiVo Video Download Trial.” [
Clever idea – use capacitors instead of batteries that could go dead in some devices – all in a 9volt form factor – “GoldCap capacitors offer an interesting alternative power source when compared to conventional disposable or even rechargeable batteries. They can be charged very rapidly and can also deliver a high peak output current. Their voltage however is quite low so a little electronic assistance is necessary to raise the output voltage to a more useful level.” [
Great LEGO project, I’m hoping they release the code – “Introducing GameByEmail’s Dice-O-Matic. Made from Legos, a USB camera, and a bit of software, it’s a home-grown, dice-rolling monster. Don’t let it’s rickety looks deceive you; this puppy can easily crank out the 20,000 rolls a day consumed by GamesByEmail. In fact, at full speed it averages almost one roll a second, well over 80,000 a day!.” [
How to make the engine usually found in the 
