Popular Mechanics articles from July 2006

Popular Mechanics archives from July 2006

A salute to real craft.(Editor's Notes)(Editorial)
July 1, 2006... THERE IS SOMETHING about a well-engineered product that is pleasing in itself. And when something doesn't work right, there are few things more aggravating. I think of this every time I open the vegetable bin in my refrigerator. It is a simple...

The biofuels debate.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... We need stories,like yours ("How Far Can You Drive on a Bushel of Corn?" May 2006) that put numbers to the biofuels debate to counteract the hype that there is only one solution. Keep those facts coming. BILL PETERSON CHAMPAIGN, IL I...

Robort sick bay.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Some come in with treads blown off. Others are just confused by the heat and the dust. When the bomb disposal robots used by American troops in Iraq give out most are hauled into the Joint Robotics Repair Facility at Camp Victory, the U.S....

Surface-to-space laser.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Research is under way at the U.S. Air Force-run Starfire observatory in New Mexico to develop a ground-based laser capable of shooting down satellites. To succeed where previous weapons have failed, its targeting system will have to adjust for...

Critical mass.(Subatomic Neutrino Particles)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The first results from a major international experiment have confirmed that subatomic neutrino particles have a small, nonzero mass. A beam of particles generated at Fermilab in Batavia, Ill., passed through 450 miles of solid earth, as well as...

Transspotting.(Nutirtional content of Fast Food)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Tourists who pop into a fast-food joint looking for a taste of home may get more--or less--than they bargained for. Danish doctors bought chicken nuggets and fries at McDonald's and KFC outlets in 20 countries and analyzed their nutritional...

Black holes at high noon.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Two supermassive black holes (the white dots in the above X-ray image from NASA's Chandra observatory) are spiraling toward each other, destined to collide in a few million years and merge into an even larger black hole, according to...

Flu fighter.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... According to materials scientists, certain nanopartictes can kill viruses such as SARS and bird flu on contact. Now a consortium of British companies and universities has launched a two-year effort to develop face masks with nanopowder-coated...

Electric blue threads.(University of Connecticut)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... By attaching carbon and sulfur atoms to standard polymer threads, chemists at the University of Connecticut at Storrs have produced threads that change color--from orange or red to blue--when a voltage is applied, while remaining flexible...

150-mpg lithium-ion hybrids.(Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are still novel, but they're far from experimental--at least that's the pitch from companies such as California-based EDrive, which delivered its first PHEV this spring. EDrive takes a regular hybrid...

Snow bot.(solar powered robot)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Sure, it's a little boxy, but this solar-powered robot developed at New Hampshire's Dartmouth College is built for extreme conditions--like the cold and snow of the Antarctic. Designed in conjunction with the Army, the robot moves autonomously...

And in other battery news ...(Viruses)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Viruses may be the cure for a common problem: batteries without enough juice. Researchers at MIT have developed a method to make genetically engineered viruses coat themselves in gold and cobalt oxide and assemble into a battery anode. Each of...

Fire in the hole: deeply buried nuclear labs are immune to everything but nukes. A new U.S. bomb could change that.(TECHWATCH)(Deep Digger)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Iran has buried its nuclear labs deep, in bunkers 7 1/2 stories beneath the surface. At that depth they would be unreachable by America's current arsenal of conventional "bunker buster" bombs, which rely on momentum and geometry--i.e., sharp...

At last, the lab-grown organ.(TECHWATCH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... ASIDE FROM THE occasional patch of skin, human organs have proved impossible to grow in a lab, forcing patients to rely on scarce and rejection-prone transplants. Researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and Harvard Medical...

Time machine.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS ago, a new breed of small, zippy sport sedans offered automotive thrills without all the heavy chrome. PM drove five imports--including the BMW 2002--in a test that was similar to our B-Car test this month (see page 70)....

Number theory.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A NEW TORNADO SCALE WILL REPLACE the Fujita scale on Feb. 1,2007, with better guidelines to help inspectors estimate a tornado's wind speed. Like its predecessor, the Enhanced Fujita scale has no advance warning component--most twisters are too...

Workshop on wheels.(UP GRADE)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Table saws might be a fixture in nearly every woodworking shop, but that doesn't mean they have to stay put. Craftsman's Professional 10-in. Portable Table Saw ($450) is a 126-pound, 15-amp powerhouse with a folding stand and built-in handles,...

Power play.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... A no-frills portable DVD player with a 7 in. screen can be had for as little as $120. But with a giant leap in screen quality, battery life and file compatibility, Panasonic's DVD LX-97 ($400) is a top of the line model at a midrange price. It...

Total towel control.(BETTER MOUSETRAP?)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Our laziest prayers have finally been answered--simplehuman's Flip-Top Paper Towel Holder ($20) lets you tear off individual sheets with a single hand. In case you haven't been monitoring one-handed towel-holder technology, products with...

Mobile home.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The Dock-N-Talk ($170 to $230) from Phone Labs makes the prospect of dumping your landline even more attractive. It connects your cellphone, via cable or Bluetooth, to a standard corded phone or cordless base station. No more missed calls...

Windows XP on a Mac?(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Apple's Boot Camp program turns new Macs into dual-boot machines able to run both OS X and Windows XP. To find out if Boot Camp passes muster, we tried it out on a new Mac mini. WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? Dual-boot programs have been around for...

ONE+ Hand Planer.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Ryobi is expanding its line of ONE + cordless tools, which feature interchangeable 18-volt NiCd batteries that power everything from chain saws and wet/dry vacuums to this ONE+ Hand Planer ($70). It's the first low-cost cordless planer, and it...

Underwater MP3 player.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... To our surprise the SwiMP3 ($199), a 35MB MP3 player that lets you listen to music while submerged, actually works. It transmits sound through the principle of bone conduction--the speakers rest on your cheekbones, vibrating the fluid in your...

Laptop sleeves.(UPGRADE: ABUSIVE LAB TEST)
July 1, 2006... Designed to serve as both stripped down shoulder bags and protective cases to be stowed away in larger carriers, laptop sleeves are the more versatile alternative to bulky computer bags. But what makes one sleeve tougher--or more useful--than...

The high price of ergonomics.(UPGRADE: ABUSIVE LAB TEST)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Your fellow business travelers might beat you up for wearing Ogios oddball Laptop Bag with Shling Strap ($140). But after a day on your feet with a 6-pound laptop slowly dislocating your shoulder, that weight-distributing mini-harness (it fits...

My first camera.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)
July 1, 2006... If you've ever watched a child pick up your brand-new $400 digital camera and promptly drop it, you understand the reasoning behind Fisher-Price's Kid-Tough Digital Camera ($70). Simple enough for kids as young as 3, this durable camera has 8MB...

Low-orbit workout.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)
July 1, 2006... We don't normally endorse anything sold via infomercials. But testing is believing, and the Bowflex Revolution ($2500) is the first Bowflex we've tried that lives up to its own hype. Using plates filled with coiling elastic straps--technology...

Steam-Washer.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)
July 1, 2006... By using steam as part of a wash cycle, LG's pricey-yet-innovative Steam-Washer ($1499) manages be the to most water- and energy-efficient front-loading washing machine on the market. And since most clothes don't need to be cleaned as often as...

Cruiser control: Yamaha is billing its luxurious FX Cruiser High Output as the most comfortable and fuel-efficient personal watercraft on the water. We spent a day on Georgia's Lake Oconee to find out just how deluxe a PWC can get.(UPGRADE: TEST DRIVE)
July 1, 2006... HANDLING The lightweight High Output carved water like a PWC--even with a passenger on board--but glided over wake and waves with the stability of a boat. Topping out around 65 mph felt less like a brawl than on other models, thanks to the...

Irwin's Quick-Grip line of XP one-handed bar clamps.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)
July 1, 2006... Irwin's line of Quick-Grip XP One-Handed Bar Clamps ($.20 to $40) pack the strength of a traditional bar clamp into a one-handed design. They provide up to 550 pounds of pressure, or 900 pounds if you use both hands. Available in capacities...

Hands-free faucet.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)
July 1, 2006... The Pascal Culinary Faucet with Smart Technology ($849 to $995) from Brizo is a germaphobe's dream come true--it activates when objects, such as your raw-chicken-slathered hands, are under the spout. The temperature and flow are set with a...

Interstate Intelligence: our nation's highways are being primed for a major transformation, one that will bring them into the wireless information age.(AUTOMOTIVE: HIGHWAY OF THE FUTURE)
July 1, 2006... No matter what, I am told, don't hit the brakes. Like a living crash-test dummy, I obey, stepping on the accelerator and aiming the black Cadillac STS at the trunk of another STS a few hundred yards ahead. I am in San Francisco, at the...

Half SUV/half pickup: it looks suspiciously like the old model, but the '07 Explorer Sport Trac really is all new.(NEW CARS)(Sports Utility Vehicle)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Frankly, Ford's Explorer Sport Trac had gotten tired. With a platform dating back to the late '90s, its ride now seemed jiggly and its handling was far from sporty. Enter the 2007 model with a modern four-wheel independent suspension, an...

V rating.(CADILLAC XLR-V)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The V suffix on the name of a current Cadillac denotes high performance. In the case of the XLR-V two-seater, it means 443 hp, 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds, 19-in. wheels and tires, and a $100K price tag. This is the most expensive car ever offered...

More, more, more.(CADILLAC ESCALADE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... As the Cadillac of full-size SUVs, the Escalade just has to have more power, more room and more bling than anything else at the country club. And with a 403-hp 6.2-liter V8, six-speed automatic, 7400-pound tow rating and optional 22-in. wheels,...

Ford's large.(Detroit Spy REPORT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 1. Ford's large Five Hundred sedan gets a facelift for 2007. While the camouflage cover on this prototype hides some of the details, the changes to the front are visible, including the grille. Today's honeycomb nose is replaced by the...

In an attempt.(Detroit Spy REPORT)
July 1, 2006... 2. In an attempt to make its Mariner compact SUV stand out in the crowd, and to differentiate it from the Ford Escape, Mercury has completely revamped its front end, while keeping some of Mercury's traditional elements: Note that the...

Carmakers still see.(Detroit Spy REPORT)(Lincoln Navigator prototype)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 3. Carmakers still see a demand for large SUVs. Witness this stretched Lincoln Navigator prototype. It's aimed at the new large Cadillac EXT. That grille, with its intricate chrome design, also graces the front of the new-for-'07 Lincoln MKS...

Soulful crossing.(MAZDA CX-7)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Crossover SUVs are changing. Priority No. 1 used to be hauling as many people with as much of their stuff as possible--comfortably. That's morphed into simply hauling. Oh, and looking good while doing it. The new Mazda CX-7 could be the poster...

Scion's Fuse.(Asia Spy REPORT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 1. Scions Fuse concept has the Web buzzing. Our sources say the Fuse shows what the next Scion, a more upscale coupe, will look like. The car will likely have a 200-hp-plus turbo four-cylinder paired to a six-speed manual. [ILLUSTRATION...

Nissan's head.(Asia Spy REPORT)(Skyline GT-R will be Nissan, not Infiniti)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 2. Nissan's head honcho ended the speculation at the auto show in New York. He announced the much anticipated Skyline GT-R supercar will be a Nissan, not an Infiniti, when it comes to market in a year or so. The awd GT-R, with its 450-hp-plus...

Lexus is putting the final engineering touches on the LF-A coupe it plans to introduce here as a 2008 model.(Asia Spy REPORT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 3. Lexus is putting the final engineering touches on the LF-A coupe it plans to introduce here as a 2008 model. We're not sure yet what you'll find under its hood: a 500-hp 5.0-liter V10 or a 500-hp V8 that's going to be part of an even more...

Awesome.(PORSCHE TURBO)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... What does 480 hp, a six-speed manual, all-wheel drive and 3400 pounds mean? Zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and 193 mph. That's the '07 Porsche Turbo. We had a chance to spend a day driving one in Stuttgart, and the astonishing acceleration made...

Underdog.(KIA OPTIMA)(Product/service evaluation)
July 1, 2006... The market segment may be midsize cars, but the players are all heavy-weights: Camry, Accord, Altima, Fusion, Malibu. Stepping into the flay is a new contender, the Kia Optima. Well, it's really a revamped version of an old contender, but it's...

Mercedes-Benz.(Europe Spy REPORT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... 1. Mercedes-Benz hopes to attract a younger, less conservative buyer with the 2009 C-Class, shown here as a wagon. Scheduled to debut at the 2007 Geneva auto show, the "Jetsons-mobile" should appear on our shores about one year later. Expect to...

Porsche's iconic.(Europe Spy REPORT)(Targa )
July 1, 2006... 2. Porsche's iconic open-topped Targa is scheduled to return next year. The transparent roof slides back on motorized rails over the rear window. Note the sharp-edged rear side window, too. Expect this in dealerships as a Carrera 2 Targa,...

VW's small car.(Europe Spy REPORT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... VW's small car platform carries through the 2010 model year, even though its name is changing from Golf to Rabbit. The new car shares styling cues with the new Passat and Eos. Odd that VW brass would chuck the Golf name after years of trying to...

Driving small, living large.(ACURA RDX)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Not everyone who wants an SUV needs seating for the entire Brady Bunch. For them, Acura brings us the RDX. This awd crossover is small and sporty, with a new 240-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged Four paired to a five-speed automatic. The engine...

Mo' motor.(MERCEDES-BENZ CLK63 AMG)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... We don't usually associate Spain with speed--people here are still eating dinner at midnight. Nevertheless, we went to sunny Andalucia to drive some new screamers from Mercedes-Benz. The CLK63, like the CLS63 and ML63, is particularly...

Driven to distraction: just try and keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel in some of the rolling tech rooms that pose as cars these days.(JAY LENO'S GARAGE)(Column)
July 1, 2006... As I was driving down the freeway recently, I watched an SUV in front of me drift out of its lane, off the road and down an embankment. I stopped, ran to it and saw two young women inside, apparently okay. There was music blaring and something...

Flying off the drawing board: the airplane of the future will be stronger, safer and smarter. With refuse-to-crash technology and radical new flight controls, flying may someday be as easy as driving.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... NASA RESEARCH PILOT Craig Bomben was flying at 20.000 ft. under a clear, blue desert sky this past March when a sudden lurch rocked his highly modified F-15 Eagle fighter jet. The plane's nose jerked sickeningly upward, a sign that the aircraft...

Cooking without walls: outdoor kitchens are a great DIY project. Build one and you may never want to go back to cooking inside.
July 1, 2006... Come summer, America's backyards start to sizzle. Tantalizino barbecue smoke wafts through the air, accompanied by the sound of ice tinkling in glasses. That's the ideal, anyway. If your experience falls short of that, then maybe it's time to...

Battle of the B cars.(minicars)
July 1, 2006... There s a new automotive world order. In it, small is good. Small an affordable is even better. More and more drivers are realizing they really don't need a 5000-pound-plus SUV, and those $50 fill-ups bust the family budget. So a new breed...

Master class.
July 1, 2006... Bike-Frame Builder At a time when many high-end bicycles are made from materials worthy of a Pentagon wish list, Richard Sachs builds his frames the old-fashioned way. At his Chester, Conn., shop, Sachs silver brazes chromemoly steel tubes...

Forensics under fire: the unparalleled accurancy of DNA analysis has forced traditional forensic science--long unquestioned in the courtroom--to stand trial.
July 1, 2006... ON MAY 30, 1997, patrolman Gregory Gallagher got out of his squad car in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood and approached a young man who was acting suspiciously. The man started running, and Gallagher chased him down an alley and over a fence....

Take it outside: when exploring the great outdoors, what you bring with you makes all the difference. With the gear on these pages, you'll be ready--whether you're camping by car or living off what you carry on your back.
July 1, 2006... CAR CAMPING TAILGATING WITH MOTHER NATURE Drive-in camping combines the beauty of nature with the conveniences of civilization--if it keeps you warm, grills a steak or mixes a cocktail, bring it along. Finding the perfect spot to park all...

Super charged: are lithium-ion-powered tools really better? We drill, drive and saw our way through three days of tough testing to find out.
July 1, 2006... When it comes to cordless tools, voltage means power. And over the years, we've witnessed a steady increase as toolmakers vied to emulate corded-tool performance. To make each jump in voltage, from 9.6 to 12 to 18, makers simply packed more...

Adirondack attitude: how to build the classiest lawn furniture around.
July 1, 2006... It's a good thing that so many plastic patio chairs are designed to stack, and the aluminum ones fold up flat. That means we can get them put away and stored out of sight as quickly as possible. But, if you think outdoor furniture should...

New "legal" performance pill hits market: size * strength * musculature.
July 1, 2006... In a remarkable turn of events, arguably one of the strangest in the history of athletic performance, an offshoot of research directed to help victims of muscle atrophy has now become an underground cult phenomenon among bodybuilders,...

Termites stay for dinner.
July 1, 2006... My house is built on a concrete slab, and I thought this made it impervious to termite damage. Now I've found pinholes in the drywall surfaces of the dining room. I suspect that termites are inside the house. What do I do? You need to have...

Electrical add-on.(Tradesman Tip)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... An old house can be long on charm but short on electrical capacity. By hiring an electrician to handle the parts of the job requiring pro skills, but doing grunt work such as pulling cable yourself, you can make extending the house's electrical...

Hit the deck.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... I plan to build a house and I want to increase the service life of the roof deck by applying a waterproof paint to it before installing the roofing. Is there any reason why I shouldn't paint the deck? Don't waste your money or your time....

Door to door.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... I have a recessed basement entry door that is a nuisance because its stairwell fills with leaves in the fall and snow in the winter, rendering it useless for much of the year. I want to place a sloping cellar door over the steps leading to it....

Avoiding DIY disaster.(Q&A)(Do It Yourself)
July 1, 2006... Karl Champley is host of DIY to the Rescue on the DIY Network and HGTV. A construction industry veteran on two continents, he's a licensed and award-winning Master Builder in his native Australia and a home inspector in the United States. ...

Cabinet door fix.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The laminate has come off the corners of my kitchen cabinet doors. How do I fix this? Have a careful look at the corner of the door where the laminate is peeling up. If the core of the door appears to be sound, then the repair is simple....

Got a problem with that?(Homeowners Clinic)(Walkway)
July 1, 2006... Q I want to make my concrete walkway about 2 in. higher. Is there a problem with pouring concrete over the existing walk? A No. However, the concrete walk that you top over must be clean and in good condition so that the 2-in.-thick topping...

A nasty look.(Homeowners Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q Is there a stripper that removes urethane paint from a concrete floor? The stuff looks nasty and is peeling up all over the place. A Yes. The gel paint stripper Peel Away 5 is ideal for this. It's expensive, about $70 per gallon (enough...

Bicycle sidecar.(READER PROJECT)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... My 4-year-old son and I found it difficult to talk to each other during our bike rides because he was seated behind me, so I built this sidecar that lets him ride next to me. It has a unique independent suspension system that enables me to...

Changing gear lube.(Saturday Mechanic)
July 1, 2006... You can't complain about the years of service your old 4x4 pick-up has put in. It has done yeoman duty, day in and day out. In return, you've been more than happy to do much of its maintenance yourself. Now, perusing the lubrication schedule in...

The heat is on.(Auto CLinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q My battery failed after four years, which I thought was a little too soon. The repair shop that installed it thought the same, so they replaced the battery with a somewhat larger one, the biggest they could get to fit into the battery tray....

Pipe dreams.(Auto Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q I found this Web site that has details for building a water-powered car. Is this possible? It somehow takes the hydrogen out of the water and burns it. A Sigh. Every time gas prices climb, bunches of people pop out of the woodwork...

Consumption.(Auto Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q I own a 2000 Cadillac Eldorado. I noticed that although it now has 71,000 miles, the engine still uses a lot of oil. It is not burning it; I don't see smoke coming out of the exhaust. The dealer tells me that this engine has a lot of moving...

One-tool-torque hitch ball.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARD)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Master Lock's simple pin-indexing system is also compatible with existing hitches and bails. It's time to change to a different-size hitch ball. This generally means hiking out to the truck with a Very Large Wrench for the nut on the...

Highlights from tech service bulletins.(SERVICE TIPS)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... If your 2003-04 Ford Focus is hard to start or simply requires an extended cranking time, Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 05-21-06 says this can be cured by reprogramming the powertrain control module with the latest software revision. ...

Glass half-full.(Auto Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... The fuel gauge on my 2000 GMC Savanna works fine when the tank is full, but once it drops below three-quarters or so, the needle starts bouncing all over the place. Sometimes it will register full when it has only a quarter tank of gas. The...

My DVR runneth over.(Tech Clinic)(Digital Video Recorder)
July 1, 2006... Q I love my digital video recorder, but I keep filling it up. Is there any way to expand its capacity or digitally archive the programs? It depends--do you own your DVR or do you lease it from your cable or satellite service provider? A If...

Help, my computer is dead!(Know-How)(troubleshooting suggestions)
July 1, 2006... ... or is it? Your computer is a highly complex assemblage of parts. The failure of any of those pieces could lead to an overall PC shutdown that looks a lot more catastrophic than it actually is. So before you toss your PC, you might want to...

Data security.(Tech Clinic)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q Is there a way to password protect files in Windows without having to create separate users? A If it's a file you'll only occasionally need access to but want to keep protected in the interim, I'd suggest sticking it inside a...

Power nap.(Tech Clinic)(power savings with computer in hibernate mode, etc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Q Once and for all: What is the best way to save electricity? Should I turn off my PC when I'm done using it or set it to "hibernate"? A When I called the EPA's Energy Star program to help us settle this question, I was put in contact with...

HD radio.(EMERGING TECH)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... What' the Satellite radio from XM and Sirius has taken off in the big idea? past five years, and terrestrial radio stations have been playing technological catch-up ever since. HD Radio (the "HD" doesn't stand...

Easy on the eyes.(Tech Clinic)(software for the vision-impaired)
July 1, 2006... Q I have a relative who is losing his sight. Is there any software or hardware available that could help him to use his computer? A There are two major categories of software available for the vision-impaired: screen magnifiers and screen...

Phone number recycling.(It Happened To Us)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... When I recently signed up for BlackBerry service with Cingular, my first bill came with a little surprise: $71.60 in text-messagin charges. A call to a Cingular customer-service representative identified the problem--number recycling. When...

Stuntman: Darrin Prescott.(This Is My Job)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... AS A KID, Darrin Prescott was inspired by Hooper, the stuntman character from a 1978 Burr Reynolds film. Prescott's first gig involved wrestling inside a giant salad bowl on a game show, but since then he has earned a place among the elite of...