Google Chrome Extension Blocks Politics

With just a week until the big election, you're probably exhausted with seeing your friends duke it out over womens' rights, foreign policy, and (ugh) taxes) on Facebook and other networks. Now, there's something you can do about it, though! Install the Google Chrome extension Unpolitic.me, and enjoy watching those political debates into cats and kittens.

Scary Movies Burn Calories

Why do we like to be frightened? It's a tad counterintuitive—fear isn't generally seen as a positive emotion—but still we voluntarily ride on rollercoasters, visit haunted houses and watch scary movies. All of these are designed to elicit a fear response, and while we try to avoid frightening situations in real life, many of us will gladly pay for the privilege of being frightened under controlled circumstances. Fear gets our juices flowin,' makes our hearts beat faster, and makes us feel alive.

New Music From Cee Lo Green, Soft Moon, Tracey Thorn, etc.

Hurricane Sandy has landed on the East Coast, leaving millions without power and killing upwards of 16 people. But whether you're stranded in lower Manhattan, or stuck in the outlying areas with no power, or out of harm's way and simply posting fake pictures on sharks in New Jersey on Facebook, you're bound to be wondering what this week's new releases are. And that's why we're here to tell you.

Nexus 7 Sold Out on Google Play Store

Back in July, Google's Nexus 7 tablet was sold out everywhere. With a price of $199, it's not surprising that a product like this would sell incredibly well, but now, just three months later, it's sold out again, this time also in the Google Play store. What's that mean? Well, aside from meaning that you can't currently buy it, it means that factories can't keep up with the demand? Why is the Nexus 7 so popular?

Top Ten Scariest Car Names

Halloween is the spookiest day of the year, and while there will be plenty of people donning frightening costumes and basic cable channels will be re-running horror flicks, there's another ghoulish aspect to the holiday that goes unnoticed by all but the most deranged gearheads—scary car names.

Test Driving the 2012 Tesla Model S

When the manager of a Tesla retail store tosses you the keys to a Tesla Model S—the company's brand spankin' new all-electric sports sedan—and asks if you want to take a test drive, you say yes. Which is how we found ourselves easing onto the Edens Expressway in Chicago's northern suburbs in what is likely one of the rarest cars on the road right now, at least in this part of the Midwest.

Smartphone Theft On the Rise

If you've got a smartphone, you've probably heard that you should always be vigilant about how you flash it around—don't be too obvious with it on a busy train, don't keep your headphones in when you're walking through a shady neighborhood, etc.But now, smartphone theft is on the rise, and some cities like San Francisco are reporting that nearly half of all their robberies are related to cell phones. Depressing, isn't it?

World's Strongest Beer, Axl Sucks, and Windows 8 Disappoints

There are two things the Scottish know well: how to eat really disgusting food and how to get blindingly drunk. As yet, no one has been able to come up with anything more sickening than haggis, but the Brewmeister Brewery has produced the world's strongest beer. The aptly named Armageddon has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 65 percent. Typically American beer, by contrast, usually has between 4 and 10 percent ABV. According to Brewmeisters co-founder, Lewis Shand, the beer "delivers a supersonic-charged explosion and conveys the taster to Drunksville." Would we like to try some? Aye.

Crash Course in Ethnic Cuisines

We all have that one friend who likes to try out new restaurants all the time. And while most of them have things on the menu that we recognize, sometimes they'll throw one our way that we're unfamiliar with. Rather than dismissing the notion of trying something new, we just ask our companions what we should get. That said, if you're interested in branching out on your own, here are a few places to start with five different cuisines.

Athletes Who Act

Careers in sports are notoriously fleeting, even if they're not cut short by a doping scandal or a prison term. And while many former athletes successfully transition into careers as coaches, politicians, or used car salesmen, some are able to move from the sports section to the entertainment pages by finding a second career as actors.

Hey, You're That Guy: Actor, Comedian John Ennis

John Ennis is well-known to some as one of the stars of the legendary HBO comedy series Mr. Show and has been a ubiquitous presence on TV and in movies ever since. He has appeared on Malcolm In the Middle and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Arrested Development, as well as the films Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Zodiac, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny, and many more.

App Roundup: October 26, 2012

Finally this week, iTunes' charts have changed up a bit.Now that we've got new stuff to talk about, let's get right to it. Here's this week's most-downloaded apps, both free ones and paid ones, as well as a few of our favorites. Our favorites include an app that picks out playlists based on what you're doing!

Layaway Makes a Dramatic Reappearance

We haven't even celebrated Halloween yet, but that hasn't stopped retailers from letting us know that, should we need it, layaway for the holidays is already available. Customers are seemingly interested in the concept, too—with people looking to shop early for their gifts but not yet having the cash stowed away, layaway is a better option for some people than using credit cards.

Tesla Expands Retail Outlets

Forget traditional dealership showrooms. Tesla is trying to change the car buying experience by using retail outlets to engage with customers. Tesla is placing these stores in malls, replacing the typical dealership lot. The concept is that buyers will place orders at in-store kiosks, and pick their cars up later. Service will take place at either a customer's home or office, or a separate Tesla service center.

How to Shop For an Electric Car

When shopping for an electric vehicle, there are a variety of factors to consider, such as range, price, replacement battery cost, and car size. There's a variety of offerings from the mainstream automotive manufacturers out there on the market, and we're taking a look at what's out there on the market, to help you decide what might fit your needs.

Are Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots A Better Deal than Internet Plans?

Nowadays, thanks to people being on the go more often, companies have taken notice of the demand for on-the-go wireless internet connections and have started offering low-cost alternatives to full-blown, non-mobile internet plans. But as these devices become more ubiquitous, we have to wonder if it's just a niche market or if they're a better option for everybody. That said, we took a look at the cost breakdown of a few companies to compare the overall cost and find out if it's worth it for the average consumer.

Grocery Store Technology

Strolling through the grocery store, it's not hard to think of a few ways that technology could be integrated to the experience. For instance, you could take a buzzer when you walk in and enter your budget into it, and as you shop, the buzzer could go off when you hit your dollar limit. Or, you could scan a recipe you want to make, and a tiny device could print out a list of what you need to buy for it. That said, some grocery stores are trying to keep up with the times in ways other than simply putting in self-checkout lanes (which, by now, are even being phased out as owners realize they're not as efficient as they'd hoped). Here are a few ways grocery shopping is staying in the 21st century.

Is Rental-Car Insurance Worth It?

When renting a car, is purchasing additional insurance worth the extra money, or is it just a cash grab on the part of the rental companies? If you own a vehicle and it's insured, there's a good chance you don't need to spring for rental insurance. Similarly, many credit cards also cover rental cars.

A Hoagie, a Sub, a Hero: Are They All Just Sandwiches?

A hero, an Italian sandwich, a sub, a hoagie, a torpedo, and a grinder walk into a bar. There's no end to this joke, though, because sandwiches are serious business to a lot of people. As for all the different names, it's been reported that throughout the country, there are 13 different names for "a sandwich," and the only real difference between them all is where you are when you're trying to eat one.

New Music From Bat For Lashes, Philip Glass, Sword, and More

Even though we can't seem to stop listening to "Gangnam Style" on endless repeat while watching Police Academy 6 with the sound turned down (it's spooky how well the two work together—try it), we managed to pull ourselves away and consider this week's batch of new releases. But rest assured, once we're done we'll be right back to listening to Psy and pretending to sing a long in Korean.