Popular Mechanics articles from November 2007

Popular Mechanics archives from November 2007

Ideas that matter.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] INNOVATION OCCURS IN AMERICA every day, in laboratories, design studios, garages--and in the minds of curious tinkerers who spot problems and then dig into their toolboxes for solutions. Here at POPULAR MECHANICS, we...

The space debate.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In your PM poll, "What's the Right Stuff for the Future of Space?" (popularmechanics.com/futurespace), nearly two-thirds of the people who took the survey voted for manned exploration of Mars (myself included). I...

Beehive products.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... I want to commend Matt Sullivan's podcast on the honeybee colony-collapse disorder ("Life on Mars, Death of Bees and More," popular mechanics.com/podcast). Great information! Haven't heard much media attention lately on this disaster, but I...

Flight safety.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... Interesting article about the safest place to sit on an aircraft ("Safest Seat on a Plane: PM Investigates," popularmechanics.com/ planesafety). My father was in the Air Force nearly 30 years, and I remember ever since I was a child him telling...

Correction.(LETTERS)(Correction notice)
November 1, 2007... The photograph described as pervious concrete on page 68 ("Know Your Footprint: Water," Sept. '07) is actually a picture of a permeable paver, which is made of natural stone. In addition, the image should have been credited to Permapave...

Editors of PM recently participated in the History Channel special 9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITORS OF PM recently participated in the History Channel special 9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction. What follows is a small sampling of articulate responses we received from viewers of the program and in response...

Navigation unit.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Toyota's latest robot isn't bumping around a lab or, like Honda's Asimo, taking trips to Disneyland. Robina (short for Robot as Intelligent Assistant) has a job. It guides visitors through the Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall in Japan. The...

Written on the wind.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When scientists at the University of Washington unveiled a new algorithm that produces real-time simulations of airflow, showing how leaves interact with a moving car (left) or how smoke curls through a house, they...

Shrinking bugs.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] By taking X-rays of the breathing tubes of beetles, researchers at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois found evidence that the maximum size of insects is limited by oxygen levels. That could explain why...

Protein storage.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Holographic memory drives (left), which use lasers to store data in 3D patterns, allowing for massive storage and access speeds, have a drawback: They can only be written once. Researchers at the University of...

Carpool camera.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A new system can monitor HOV lanes and count how many people are in a car. By shining infrared light into cars and looking for the reflective qualities of human skin, the camera is rarely fooled by dummies or cutouts...

Cuisine of the crime.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... A new method of lifting fingerprints could reveal a suspect's gender and even dietary preferences. Using a gel-based tape and an infrared array detector, British scientists may soon be able to analyze chemical clues, such as specific amino...

Bionic fin.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Engineers at MIT are building a remote-control submarine that swims like a fish--but not just any fish. The bluegill sunfish has a distinctive swimming motion that produces constant forward thrust and no backward...

A few good aquamen: a pentagon-funded device could turn navy seals into superhuman swimmers.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HUMANS ARE BAD swimmers, converting just 3 percent of their underwater exertions into forward motion. We can boost our efficiency to 10 percent by adding fins, but dolphins turn 80 percent of their energy into...

Time machine: January 1942.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WIND POWER HAS always been a matter of scale. Sixty-five years ago, PM covered the "latest serious effort to generate commercially useful electric power from the wind," a 110-ft.-tall turbine with a reported...

Offensive driving: forget side airbags. The latest in auto safety is a pop-up, roof-mounted gatling gun.(TECH WATCH)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] FROM THE STREET, the GMC Yukons customized by Dillon Aero look like standard-issue SUVs. But behind the tinted windows lurks a fire-spitting dragon: a Dillon Aero M134D Gatling minigun. Designed for VIP escort, the...

The bigger dig: a plan to construct the nation's longest underground expressway may finally see the light of day.(TECH WATCH)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] THIS WINTER, TEST BORINGS ARE expected to begin for one of the most audacious tunnel projects ever proposed. One concept calls for a set of three tunnels--two for cars and one for both trucks and high-speed light...

The quicker extinguisher.(UPGRADE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Technically, there's nothing wrong with standard fire extinguishers. But they happen to be eyesores, and eyesores end up hidden, shoved in a closet or otherwise out of reach when a grease fire ignites. The new...

Ratcheting Pipe Cutters.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are three sizes of Ratcheting Pipe Cutters ($18 to $30) from Wiss (the medium size is shown here), but none are actually used to cut heavy-duty pipe. They cut thin-walled-tubing or conduit, from 1/8-in. to 1...

Power pioneer.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 24/7 POWER PACK ($30, plus connectors) from Medis isn't important for what it is, but for what might come next. It's the world's first fuel cell for portable electronics, providing varying amounts of power--up to...

Data cloud done right.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(NAS200)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Network-attached storage--involving hard drives that are accessed on a home network and on the Web--is getting more popular, but not necessarily easier to use. Which is why the NAS200 ($150) is such a standout. The two internal drives (not...

Test drive: Sleeptracker Pro.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Getting less sleep to feel more awake sounds insane... until you try it. Instead of waking you at a specific time, the Sleeptracker Pro ($179) is designed to go off during the lightest part of your sleep cycle. The...

Postbox maximus.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Mail Boss)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean your mail isn't being stolen. And while some locking boxes can be opened with a screwdriver, the Mail Boss ($200) is a postal fortress, with heavy-gauge steel construction...

Test drive: 90-second cordless screwdriver.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... It sounds like a miracle or a lie: a cordless tool that charges in 90 seconds. But we've tested Coleman's 5.4v CORDLESS FLASHCELL SCREWDRIVER ($90) and, in this case, the truth is stranger than any hype. This light-duty screwdriver uses a...

Baltoro 200.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Picking through the yearly barrage of footwear innovations, we saw it: Ice Pick technology from North Face, with special rubber lugs that harden in the cold, boosting traction on ice. Pitting the Baltoro 200 ($105)...

24-in. 3-in-1 level.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... To keep its new levels securely in place, Black & Decker is harnessing the mysterious wall-sticking powers of the gecko. (Or so they say.) The 24-in. 3-in-1 Level ($25) employs Gecko Grip technology--small rubbery pads that stick to an array of...

Card-carrying contender.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Believe it or not, there are still non-iPod media players out there, and there are even a few reasons to buy them. The new Zen ($150 to $300) from Creative, which comes in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB flash memory versions, has...

Test drive: portable cellphone antenna.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... It was a claim we had to put to the test: The Arc Wireless FREEDOM ANTENNA ($40; adapters cost $13 to $15) can "increase your cellphone reception eight times! Compared to other signal boosters, this antenna seemed cheap, portable and pretty...

Man, the tool user: DIY Network host Chris Grundy on the hardware of life.(UPGRADE: TOOLS)(do it yourself )(Interview)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ever since the first time a cave man tied a rock to a stick, men have known that a good tool can be the key to a better life. The new DIY Network show Cool Tools is dedicated to that proposition. For the past few...

Test drive: rock band.(UPGRADE: WISH LIST)(Product/service evaluation)(Table)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... How do you follow up Guitar Hero II, the hit game that lets players recreate their favorite rock songs with guitar-shaped controllers? Simple: Invite the rest of the band. Rock Band, due this holiday season for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,...

American contender: the most talented sport Sedan in Cadillac history is ready to take on Germany's best.(NEW CARS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... This is the sedan we've been waiting for from Cadillac--a perfectly proportioned design wrapped around a world-class rear-drive chassis. Caddy can now stand proud with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The new CTS is wider and slightly longer than before...

The answer.(BUELL 1225R)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] American sportbike fans can stop waiting for a water-cooled Buell to take on the Japanese and European machines that dominate the "liter bike" class. The new 1125R packs a torquey 146-hp Rotax-built 72-degree V-twin...

Rapid transit.(AUDI S5)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Audi built its all-wheel-drive reputation on the rally success of its original Quattro of the 1980s. The new $5 (the performance model of the AS) is, in many ways, the spiritual successor to that car. It shares the...

Underdog.(SUZUKI SX4 SPORT)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... The $15,395 SX4 Sport faces stiff competition in the B-Car class. But with a huge list of standard features and likeable road manners it should hold its own. Noise levels are low and road irregularities are effectively isolated. The 143-hp...

Mountain goat.(TOYOTA LAND CRUISER)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Land Cruisers have split personalities. They are built with the 4wd hardware to tackle almost any trail, yet are polished and posh enough to command the top parking spot at Spago. Well, the all-new '08 Cruiser...

Hip to be square.(JEEP LIBERTY)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The original Liberty was just a bit too cutesy. Well, that's not an issue anymore. This Jeep looks like a Jeep--square-shouldered and tough. Under the metal is a version of the Dodge Nitro's chassis. But because it's...

Breakout: Mitsubishi's Lancer Evo gets overhauled, yet still retains its wild, wild ways.(NEW CARS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT TAKES A LOT OF intestinal fortitude to reinvent a proven performer. But that's just what Mitsubishi has done with its Lancer Evolution. Better known as the Evo, this little speed demon first hit our shores in 2003...

Pack it up.(DODGE JOURNEY)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chrysler is late to the crossover party. But the five-seat, midsize Dodge Journey gets noticed with functional tweaks such as twin floor bins designed for 12-packs, a Tip 'N/Slide rear seat for easy access to the...

Quick box.(CHEVY HHR SS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SS treatment turns the mundane HHR into a genuine hot rod. A snotty 260-hp turbo four- and five-speed stick means this rig for $25 large can run with the big dogs. But it's the hunkered-down Nurburgring-tuned...

Sport compact.(SATURN ASTRA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Saturn's product offensive continues with this Euro-tuned compact. The 1.8-liter 140-hp Astra takes the place of the unloved Ion later this year. The stylish hatch will be available in three- and five-door...

Hog wild.(H-D ROCKER C)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Harley's traditions fall away in the Softail-based $19,795 Rocker C. Serious rake and a fat rear tire make it look like a custom chopper. On the practical side, the passenger seat folds underneath the main saddle for...

Little big van.(MINI CLUBMAN)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The original Mini of the 1960s had several variants. So it's only natural that the new one should too. The Clubman is essentially a Cooper that's been stretched 9.5 in., fitted with a suicide door to access the rear...

Spy report: PM's lenses catch BMW and Mercedes-Benz hot-weather-testing in death valley's searing summer heat.(NEW CARS)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1 /// BMW 7 SERIES BMW's top sedan is due for a makeover. The all-new 2009 model will feature much sleeker styling. Expect a two-mode hybrid model soon after launch and possibly a diesel. 2 /// MERCEDES-BENZ GLK...

DieSotto engine.(NEW CARS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Mercedes-Benz's new DiesOtto engine concept uses nearly every weapon in Benz's techno arsenal, including an eccentric crankshaft, variable compression ratio (from 7:1 to 24:1), direct injection and twin turbocharging. The result? A 1.8-liter...

Vive la difference: there's something about a Citroen ... Jay ponders the discreet charm--and quirky engineering--of French automobiles.(JAY LENO'S GARAGE)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YEARS AGO, I worked for a new car dealership called Foreign Motors of Boston doing new car prep and light maintenance. The "Foreign Motors" moniker might seem odd today, but back in the late 1960s/early 1970s there...

A crack in the dam: America's infrastructure problems are growing worse. Now is the time to act.(GUEST ESSAY)(Viewpoint essay)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TWO DAYS AFTER THIS SUMMER'S rush-hour collapse of the Interstate 35 West bridge, I found myself standing along the Mississippi River, looking out on the broken remains of what had been a major transportation...

This is your brain ...
November 1, 2007... [FIGURE A OMITTED] Frank Tong is peering into another man's mind. The Vanderbilt University neuroscientist is sitting in front of a bank of monitors inside a dimly lit room. On the other side of a plate-glass window, an undergraduate lies...

Thinking big: meet Amory Lovins, the prophet of the efficiency, and seven other visionary tinkerers who are changing the world, one bold idea at a time: plus the 10 smartest new products of the year. These innovations came first--the competition will follow.(2007 POPULAR MECHANICS BREAKTHROUGH AWARDS)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LEADERSHIP AWARD AMORY B. LOVINS GOAL: DESIGN REVOLUTION Amory Lovins showers with solar-heated water and dries his clothes using a ladder-shaped system he rigged from galvanized pipe and nylon rope...

Interface marriage: Microsoft Surface.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This tabletop computer uses "multitouch" technology to let several users, employing their fingers, manipulate images and other data right on the screen--no keyboard or mouse needed. In that, it's like two other...

Lofty design: SoftTouch fiberglass-free insulation.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This is a plastic fiber batt insulation that has the same R-value as fiberglass without any of the dust and itching problems. You can cut the material with a utility knife--no goggles, work gloves or face mask...

Beyond spin: Samsung Solid State Drive.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hard-disk drives are the out-of-shape kids in computer gym class. While a PC's other components (CPU, GPU and RAM) operate at lightning-fast speeds, the drive huffs and puffs and spins as fast as possible to try to...

Car, connected: Ford Sync.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Ford Motor Co.)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ford has elegantly and inexpensively leap-frogged the competition when it comes to in-car infotainment systems. Ford's $395 Sync is essentially a small computer running the Microsoft Auto operating system that...

No-risk computer shopping: Zonbu Zonbox.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It isn't the technology that makes the Zonbox revolutionary, it's the idea. Borrowing a page from the cellphone industry, Zonbu offers its compact Zonbox PC for $99 with a two-year, $15 per month plan, which includes...

Heavy-duty powerplant: GM, BMW, DaimlerChrysler: two-mode hybrid.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(General Motors Corp., BMW AG, Daimler AG)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Total hybrid sales are projected to be up 35 percent this year. But that's still only about 345,000 vehicles--a fraction of the 1.6-plus million vehicles sold overall. GM, BMW and the former DaimlerChrysler joined...

Heart-pumping gaming: Nintendo Wii Fit.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Nintendo Wii is many things--a motion-sensing video-game console, a retail success story, possibly even a cultural touchstone. What it isn't, despite its players' controller-waving antics and media hype about...

Smooth cutter: Hitachi Power Tools CR13VBY.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reciprocating saws are indispensable in remodeling and demolition and for doing tough jobs like sawing tree roots, but they can be murder to work with for long periods. This $159 saw uses a counterweight mechanism...

The smartest phone: Apple iPhone.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Of course, you've heard about this phone. But have you used it? The best way to understand why Apple's iPhone ($400) has sent shockwaves through the cellphone industry is simply to check your voice mail with it....

Format neutral zone: LG Super Blu Player.(THE MOST BRILLIANT PRODUCTS OF 2007)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the hi-def disc-format war rages on, wary HDTV enthusiasts are inclined to wait on the sidelines until the dust has settled. But LG has created a safe haven for early adopters. The Super Blu Player ($1000) plays...

So you want to buy a camcorder.(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2007... Video cameras evolve in reaction to advances in television and computer technology, and as TVs and PCs have gone hi-def and high-capacity, digital camcorders have begun to follow suit. But increased functionality brings with it confusing new...

The shape of metal: crafting mechanical works of art is bike builder Jesse James's passion. See the process through the lens of photographer Nathaniel Welch.(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Something funny happened on the way to the mass-produced, homogeneous future: Everything became customized, from pick-your-chip laptops to cheap, made-to-measure chinos. Handcrafted machinery, in particular, became all the rage, winning...

Drywall made simple: there's no mystery to smooth walls and ceilings. Mostly, it takes a light touch.(DIY HOME)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While there is no such thing as a perfect building material, drywall comes pretty close. For one thing, it's dirt cheap, costing about $7 for a 1/2-in.-thick 4 x 8 panel. It's also DIY friendly--about all you need to...

All about drywall.(THE BASICS)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Building codes specify thickness and type of drywall, but you can use the following as a rule of thumb. Always check your local code. Standard 1/4-in.: Covers cracks. Standard 1/2-in.: Covers wails and ceilings framed on 16-in....

Tools and tape.(THE BASICS)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Tools You'll Need: Producing neat seams has more to do with a light touch and a smooth pulling motion than it does with the tools you use. Still, beginners are better off using thin, lightweight knives, not the drywall trowels that pros prefer....

Double play: reach your book and read it, too--with a red-oak step stool that converts to a chair.(Simple Do-It-Yourself Projects: CLASSICS)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wood stoves, lightning rods, bifocals--and the founding of our country--are a few of the things we think of when Benjamin Franklin comes to mind. But somewhere in between riving kites in storms and diplomatic...

Trouble at the margins.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I live in an older home and parts of the exterior are a little worse for wear. In particular, the aluminum and wooden doorsills are dented and cracked, and some windowsills are rotted. Any advice? A There's a...

Furnace malfunction.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Report)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q My gas-fired warm-air furnace is not working properly. When the furnace is on, the fan is off, and when the fan is on, the furnace is off. It takes forever to heat the house. What causes this? A It sounds as if the fan control or the...

Removing mirrors.(NOW YOU KNOW)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Know a good way to remove a mirror glued to a wall? Neither did I, so I asked Mark Stypczynski, manager of technical development for Liquid Nails construction adhesives. "Use windshield removal wire," he said....

7-Step plan to a warmer house: winter's coming. Here's a coldproof program for improving comfort and cutting your heating bill.(DIY HOME)
November 1, 2007... 1 ADD WEATHER-STRIPPING Replace worn-out weatherstripping. Pay close attention to seals on doors that get a lot of use-such as those on the front of the house or between the house and attached garage. 2 IMPROVE WINDOWS If you're...

Thin plank on stairs.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q I'm installing thin-plank laminate flooring in some upstairs bedrooms and a hallway. Can I also use the flooring on the stairs leading to the upper floor? A The answer depends on just how badly you want the flooring on the stairs. Thin...

Leaf mulching.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q I mulch fallen autumn leaves using my lawnmower. My neighbor says that it's not good for the grass. My lawn looks pretty healthy, though--or at least as healthy as his. What do you say? A Continue mulching, but keep the mower's air filter...

Cracked slab.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q I have a crack in my basement floor that allows groundwater to leak through. Can you recommend a product that I can use to seal the crack? A Sealing the crack, by itself, won't provide a lasting solution. If all you do is seal it, the...

Boiler startup.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q I moved into an older house last spring and noticed that my oil-fired boiler ran during the summer, so I turned it off to save fuel. Is there anything I need to do before restarting it in the fall? A You shouldn't need to do anything to...

How to stop squeaking.(DIY AUTO: SATURDAY MECHANIC)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your ear squeaks. It's gotten to the point where the neighbors know you're on the way home from half a block away because of all the "chirps" and "eeps" coming from your suspension. It's embarrassing, man. It's also...

Still plugged in.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q I wanted to change the spark plugs on my motorcycle. It looked like an easy job compared to the struggle I had changing the plugs on my wife's car. Access to the plugs was pretty easy, but the plug connectors...

Air power.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Q I'm wondering if it's possible to attach a fan blade to an ordinary 12-volt car alternator mounted on the roof of my house so I can use wind power to charge a battery and save some money on my household electrical bill. I was also considering...

Organ music.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Q Last August I bought a Chrysler Pacifica. For some reason, when I am driving around 45 mph and open up the back windows, the pounding sound inside the vehicle is extremely loud. Is this because of the design of the vehicle? A It's a...

Clean machine.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Q I just bought a well-maintained 1998 Camaro for my son. To my horror, I found that he intended to dump cleaners in the fuel system and crankcase, and into the intake manifold through a vacuum line. I'm completely uncomfortable with this...

Air raid.(CAR CARE TIP)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last week I caught a buddy doing a big no-no while repacking a bearing: After he cleaned the bearing with solvent, he used his compressor to dry it off by spinning it with the blowgun. Bad things happen to a clean,...

The drag of getting old.(CAR CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Q My truck gets very little use. Two years ago, the left front disc brake began sticking whenever I applied the brakes. It was just enough to heat up the wheel and cause a noticeable slowdown. You could smell the pads burning. The brakes would...

Disappearing Act: your TV is slim, but your home theater gear is bulky. Here's how to hide the clutter.(DIY TECH)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The flat-panel television has changed our expectations of what a home theater looks like. What once dominated a room is now as unobtrusive as a painting on your wall, yet most home theaters still require an awkward...

Connection inspection.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q My Internet connection, which I get through my cable company, has been intermittently dying on me, but my television works fine. When I unplug and replug my modern, the service returns a few minutes later. How can...

Nano surgery.(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Apple iPod nano)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q My iPod Nano's screen has failed, but it still plays music and shows up when I plug it into my computer, is there a way to fix it that doesn't cost as much as a new one? A Enjoy tinkering with tiny, delicate parts and voiding any...

What's my line?(DIGITAL CLINIC: Q+a)(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... Q I just subscribed to hi-def digital cable for my HDTV, and HD channels look great. But I've noticed a thin line of static at the top of the screen on the standard definition channels. What's causing that? A That line of static may look...

This is my job: sniper school instructor.(Brief article)(Photograph)
November 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DAVID MITNAUL FORT BENNING, GA YEARS ON JOB: 3 HITTING A TARGET six football fields away is no easy feat--even with 10x magnification--but it's David Mitnaul's job to make sure graduates of the U.S....