Let’s say cars are your passion. You love driving, learning to drive better, and learning how cars are developed. You’ll drive just for that mechanical duet with a car, so you can listen to its sounds, feel its responses, and appreciate how it’s put together. And let’s say one of your favorite automakers says, “We’d … Continue reading Winning the Lottery
You’ve seen auto racing, or at least Top Gear* on TV, and maybe you’ve even been to a professional race. But did you know about the amateur races that are just as much fun, without the crowds? Those elaborate tracks can't sit idle between the big races, so they host other activities like driving schools, … Continue reading Racing for Laughs: The 24 Hours of LeMons
Security on the internet is...complicated. Even for experts. You probably know people who've had their computer infected, passwords stolen, junk email sent from their account, or other awful things that are inconvenient (like locked accounts) or even life-changing (like stolen identities). People often ask me for help securing their computers. Actually, that’s not true; people … Continue reading Simple Security: First in a Series
You might have heard there's a U.S. election tomorrow. No? There's an election tomorrow. With all the local candidates and initiatives and statewide candidates and initiatives (California has 17 initiatives!) on top of the national candidates, figuring out how to cast your vote is tough. Fortunately, if you're in California, Illinois, or New York, there's help! … Continue reading Voting: A How-To Guide
It’s challenging to find credible reviews for gadgets like TVs, laptops, printers, headsets, office chairs, etc. It’s hard to know what a site’s agenda is, or exactly how they’ve tested and compared. Are they paid by manufacturers to promote their gadgets? Do the reviewers have the expertise to compare the products thoughtfully? Consumer Reports Online reviews … Continue reading Thorough Reviews: The Wirecutter and The Sweethome
I'm not Tesla-bashing, this is just a minor rant about the growing pains of an ambitious, complicated product. I’m a big fan of what Tesla’s doing (though not as much the minivan Model X), but like any complex product, the Model S has its issues. It’s a great car in many ways--astonishingly so given Tesla’s short history. But … Continue reading Tesla Model (bug)S
One of our favorite writers, Stef Schrader, is an amazing character. Her unique writing highlights her enthusiasms for cars and motorsports, her quirky humor, and her humanity. Unfortunately, Stef suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) during a race. She generously explains what she's going through, even though writing itself was much more difficult with a … Continue reading A Racer’s Brain Injury, Explained
We enjoy Elon Musk because he leads teams who attack difficult, interesting, important problems. Plus he's the real-life Tony Stark from Ironman. Between SpaceX and Tesla Motors, you'd think he had plenty to keep his mind occupied, but there's a lot more going on up there. At The Explainist we love a good explanation, and Musk gives us several … Continue reading Elon Musk Explains
You like music and live honestly, so you pay for your tunes. You could subscribe to a streaming service like Pandora, you could buy digital music files (from Amazon or iTunes, for example), or if you're "old school," you can buy real, actual CDs. If you buy CDs from Amazon, here's a tip: Many CDs come … Continue reading Buying Music? Get Free Stuff.
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