5 SECONDS OF SUMMER

Michael Clifford Fires Back at Abigail Breslin's Diss Track

Stars Most Stylish Selfie of the Week

Stars Most Stylish Selfie of the Week

GMAIL BLOCKED IN CHINA

5-Minute Outfit Idea

5-Minute Outfit Idea: An Effortless, Polished Look to Try This Weekend.

Facebook suffers outage

Facebook suffers outage affecting users worldwide!! .

Monday 8 September 2014

When Cars Are as Hackable as Cell Phones

When Cars Are as Hackable as Cell Phones

Alexis C. Madrigal
The Atlantic


Imagine this future scenario: Self-driving cars form an orderly procession down a highway, traveling at precisely the right following distance and speed. All the on-board computers cooperate and all the vehicles travel reach their destinations safely.
But what if one person jailbreaks her car, and tells her AI driver to go just a little faster than the other cars? As the aggressive car moves up on the other vehicles, their safety mechanisms kick in and they change lanes to get out of the way. It might make the overall efficiency of the transportation lower, but this one person would get ahead.
This is but one of many scenarios that Ryan Gerdes of Utah State University is exploring with a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to look at the security of the autonomous vehicle future.

"The designers of these systems essentially believe that all of the nodes or vehicles in the system want to cooperate, that they have the same goals," Gerdes said. "What happens if you don't follow the rules? In the academic theory that’s built up to prove things about this system, this hasn’t been considered."

While Google is out to create a fully autonomous vehicle some years into the future, the major carmakers are taking more incremental steps toward autonomy. Nissan, Volkswagen, Daimler and others all have programs. Just this week, Cadillac announced that it would include "super cruise" that would allow for "hands-free" driving on highways in a 2017 car.
The race to come out with self-driving technologies has drawn in regulators in several states, but it's hard to evaluate the claims of the carmakers or anyone else without independent analysis about the vehicles.

All the autonomous vehicle makers have downplayed security concerns. Chris Urmson, Google's self-driving car project lead, provided a reasonable, but largely boilerplate answer to a security question at an event earlier this year. "There is no silver bullet for security and we're taking a multilayered approach," Urmson said. "Obviously there is encryption and very narrow interfaces or no interfaces at all. You do your best to make your outside layer secure and then make your inside layer more secure."

To translate: Urmson is saying that they don't want hackers to get into any of the car's systems (the outer layer), but they also don't assume that no one will ever get in. So, the access to the controls of the car would be further quarantined from the other networked components that someone might gain access to.

But a straight up hacking is not the only kind of threat that Gerdes is studying with his NSF grant money. "If you just look at at traditional threats to a computer, you’re going to miss out on a lot bigger threats," he said.

What he's fascinated by is the way that bad actors could use the self-driving cars' algorithms against themselves. The algorithms that guide these cars—at least now—are fairly "deterministic" as he put it. A given set of inputs will yield the same outputs over and over. That makes them prone to manipulation by someone with knowledge of how they work. He can spin out scenario after scenario:
  • "What happens when you have two advanced cruise control vehicles and the one in front starts accelerating and breaking such that the one behind it starts doing the same thing in a more amplified fashion?"
  • "We’re looking at the collision avoidance systems. They rely on radar. We think we can manipulate radar sensors to some extent. Is it simple for an attacker to create an obstacle out of thin air?"
  • "Auto manufacturers always maintain the proper spacing in adaptive cruise control. You might get interesting effects if [someone] crafted certain inputs or misbehaved in a certain way so they create a very large traffic jam."
  • "If I’m a shipping company and I want to slow down the competition... I can take advantage of their sensors and keep making their cars brake and accelerate. We’ve already demonstrated in theory that it’s possible."
In all of these circumstances, they're trying to understand how the algorithms that guide autonomous vehicles could be exploited by hackers or other bad actors. They don't have access to the self-driving cars that car makers are working on, so to test their ideas in the field, they're using BattleBots to stand in for full-size cars and trucks. They program the BattleBots using algorithmic logic that they imagine the car companies are using based on published academic literature.
Because of the way the car companies work—building their specialized systems with components from large suppliers like Bosch—Gerdes' team can often get the core parts that make up the self-driving car systems.

"Experiments are really hard in this realm, but we think we have a decent analog," Gerdes told me. "We can accelerate a lot faster than most cars and they are also made for battle, so we can crash them together."
Obviously, everyone building autonomous vehicles has a major incentive to get the security issues right. But so do credit card companies and Target and Apple—and they have all experienced major problems with security over the last few years. And, Gerdes said, the traditional car companies have not inspired confidence in the security research community with some of their designs.

A 2010 paper found all kinds of security flaws in a modern automobile, including headslappingly simple stuff like allowing the car's control system to be accessed through the radio controller. Install a hackable aftermarket radio and some malicious entity could take control of one's brakes.
"Why would you design a car to work like that?" Gerdes asked. "And these are the same people who are going to be making our automated vehicles?"

Fire breaks out on Colossus roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Fire breaks out on Colossus roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain

Veronica Rocha and Lauren Raab
Los Angeles Times

 
LOS ANGELES —Firefighters are monitoring damage caused to the classic wooden coaster Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain after fire consumed a portion of it, causing a portion of the structure to collapse.

Although the raging flames tore through the top of a lift hill, Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Scott Miller said Monday there appeared to be no immediate threat of the coaster further collapsing.
But firefighters plan to work with Six Flags officials to determine the next steps.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, which Miller said was reported at 1:32 p.m.
Aerial television news footage shows fire crews extinguishing the blaze around 1:50 p.m. as a portion of the structure collapsed, opening a hole in the track.

Firefighters often train at the park, but mostly for rescues, Miller said.
"It's not something you see every day," he said of the fire.
Sheriff's officials said the fire was sparked by welders working on the ride, which is under reconstruction.

No park visitors were riding Colossus at the time the blaze broke out — the 36-year-old roller coaster closed in mid-August.

Less than two weeks ago, the Valencia, Calif., theme park announced plans to revamp the ride it into a hybrid wood-and-steel coaster named Twisted Colossus, scheduled to open next year. Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Construction, which has converted a number of wooden coasters into hybrid rides with looping inversions, landed the makeover job.
Construction crews were slated to remove the upper level of track from the horseshoe turnaround segment of the ride. Similarly, the right spur of track departing from the station is also to be demolished.

In all, more than 3,000 feet of track will be removed from the structure as it transforms into Twisted Colossus.

Amazon Just Dropped The Price Of Its Smartphone To 99 Cents

Amazon Just Dropped The Price Of Its Smartphone To 99 Cents

Business Insider 


Amazon just dropped the price of its first smartphone, the Fire phone, from $199 to $0.99 with a two-year contract with AT&T.
Even with the slashed price, the phone still comes with a year of Amazon Prime, which includes free shipping on thousands of items as well as a growing selection of free movies, books, and music.
Amazon launched the phone on July 25, and it was widely seen as a bit of a flop, with slow usage growth, according to market research (Amazon itself hasn't released any sales numbers yet).
The phone has two main unique features: Dynamic Perspective, which allows it to react to how it is held, and Firefly, which can scan more than 100 million objects and make it easy to buy them on Amazon.com.

Here's the statement from the company:
Dynamic Perspective, Firefly, world-class customer support with Mayday, free unlimited cloud storage for photos, 32GB of storage—and, for a limited time, customers get 12 months of Prime membership with Fire phone, which includes unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes from Prime Instant Video, access to over a million songs to download or stream from Prime Music, over 500,000 books to borrow from Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and free two-day shipping on tens of millions of items. Now there’s another great reason to buy Fire—it’s just 99 cents with a two-year contract. Customers can purchase Fire on www.amazon.com, www.att.com and in AT&T stores nationwide.

“Fire is now 99 cents with a two-year contract, plus customers get one full year of Prime included,” said Ian Freed, Vice President, Amazon Devices. “With access to all of the Prime content, Mayday, 32GB of memory and free unlimited cloud storage for photos, plus the exclusive Dynamic Perspective and Firefly features, Fire is another example of the value Amazon delivers to customers.”

The Super Harvest Moon Is Coming

The Super Harvest Moon Is Coming

Business Insider

It's that time of year again! For those in North America, the Harvest Moon will look brightest and fullest at sunset on Monday night, Sept. 8.

The Harvest Moon is the name for the full moon that is closest to the autumnal equinox, or the official start of fall, on Sept. 22. Traditionally, every full moon has special nickname that says something about the season or time of year in which it appears. For example, the Snow Moon happens in February during winter and the Flower Moon is in May during spring. Before electricity, moonlight was crucial for farmers who had to work after sundown, especially in early autumn when many crops are ready to be harvested. For that reason, the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox was called the "Harvest Moon." The Harvest Moon can come either two weeks before or two weeks the autumnal equinox. This year it's a bit early.

But the Harvest Moon is special for another reason. Typically, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day throughout the year. But when the full moon occurs near the fall equinox, the gaps between moonrises are shorter. The moon rises only about 30 minutes later each night, appearing at sunset. This has to do with the moon's path, which makes a narrow angle with the horizon at the beginning of autumn. Not only does the moon rise earlier than usual in the evening, but this happens for several nights in a row — before and after the full moon — resulting in three consecutive days of the moon appearing at nearly the same time.

Both of these events give the illusion that the Harvest Moon is bigger, brighter, and closer, even though it's not. The moon is simply closest to the horizon at sunset, when most people are looking for the Harvest Moon. This year, the Harvest Moon will appear even bigger than usual because it's a supermoon, "when "the moon turns full less than one day after reaching lunar perigee — the moon’s closest point to Earth for the month," according to EarthSky.

Also, when the moon is near the horizon, it must pass through more dust and cloud particles that scatter blue light and only let red pass through. That's why the Harvest Moon usually looks yellow, orange, or red.

If you can't step outside to grab an eyeful of the moon, the Slooh Space Camera will be showing real-time images of the Harvest Moon online. The event starts on Monday, Sept. 8 at 9:30 p.m. EST.

Is Justin Bieber Going to Jail for Assault?

Is Justin Bieber Going to Jail for Assault?


Earlier this year, Justin Bieber was charged with assaulting a limo driver, and now a decision has finally been made about his case. The verdict? All charges have been dropped!
According to The Canadian Star, it's because police couldn't determine who hit the limo driver. Plus, Justin's people maintain that nobody actually hurt him.
ustin's lawyer Brian Greenspan said, "Quite frankly it's our belief no one assaulted the driver. That may be a continuing debate. Our position is no one associated with Mr. Bieber came into any illegal contact with the driver.”
Of course, Justin still faces charges for his recent ATV encounter while visiting home with Selena Gomez. Selena doesn't seem worried that he will be convicted.

WeChat helps Apple rack up bonus points in China

WeChat helps Apple rack up bonus points in China

By Paul Carsten
Reuters


BEIJING - Apple Inc has a lot for which to thank people like Deng.
A Beijing-based quality analyst, she gave only her surname as she's embarrassed by how much money she spends playing mobile games on WeChat, a hugely popular messaging app developed by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd.

"The most expensive time was when I spent 68 yuan ($11.08) on a leopard on Tiantiankupao," said Deng, an avid iPhone user, referring to Tencent's hit game - called Timi Run Everyday in English - where characters run through obstacle courses. Having a leopard as a pet gives the characters extra power, helping players beat their friends.

Deng and tens of millions like her have made China Apple's third-largest market for software sales, and a huge chunk of that comes through WeChat. Known locally as Weixin, WeChat had 438 million monthly active users globally, mostly in China, at the end of June, and has rapidly evolved from a messaging tool into a digital Swiss Army knife, allowing users to send messages, play games, book taxis and shop online.

The app has proved a winning formula in getting people in China, a market notorious for not paying for software, to connect their bank accounts with their phones and pay for virtual goods like extra lives and power-ups in mobile games.

Apple takes a 30 percent cut on all sales.
"We're seeing some substantial strength there," Apple CEO Tim Cook said of China in a July earnings call. "The thing that's actually growing the most is the iTunes, Software and Services category, which has the App Store in it. That area is almost doubling year over year."

Apple's Greater China revenues, which include Hong Kong and Taiwan, soared 28 percent in April-June from a year earlier to $5.9 billion, and globally, iTunes, Software and Services sales were the company's second-fastest growing product category, up 12 percent year-on-year to $4.5 billion.
Tencent was the top game publisher for Apple's iOS operating system in China by revenue for both June and July, according to App Annie, a company that measures app usage. Apple is this week expected to launch its new iPhone - with a gamer-friendly larger screen.

"A VERY VIRTUOUS CYCLE"

Apple makes all software sales on the iPhone go through its App Store. Typically, the Cupertino, California-based company will take its 30 percent of the sales, while the rest goes to an app's developer or publisher.

WeChat, which itself hosts apps and games made by other developers, is no different. The cash from any products sold on the app are split between Apple, Tencent and the developer.
"By far the biggest factor driving App Store revenue in China is WeChat," said Ben Thompson, who writes about technology at stratechery.com. "WeChat has driven app download and usage, which drives people to want to buy stuff, which drives them to connect their payment information. It's been a very virtuous cycle."

Growth has also been helped by increased smartphone sales since China Mobile, the country's largest carrier, began offering the iPhone in January.

A big part of WeChat's success has been with casual games - highly addictive hits like Candy Crush Saga and Temple Run that are often free to download but let users pay for in-game upgrades. WeChat has its own stable of games, and also publishes Candy Crush in China.
Games integrated with WeChat and Tencent's other mobile social network, Mobile QQ, generated revenues of 3 billion yuan ($489 million) for Tencent in April-June, up from around 1.8 billion yuan in January-March.

"If you look at who's playing Temple Run and Candy Crush, a lot of these were non-gamers five years ago," said Junde Yu, App Annie's vice president of Asia Pacific. "With the advent of smartphones, the ease of use, they started to download apps, and because they're very casual and fun they start playing games. It hooks them and encourages them to start making payments."

REPEAT PURCHASES
China is unique in another way that helps push up spending on smartphones.
Both Apple and Tencent have tried to drive the adoption of mobile payments on their platforms, but China's banking payment system is complex at best, and makes it difficult to carry out any kind of online payment with ease.

Apple uses a top-up system for its App Store in China, with a 50 yuan ($8.15) minimum value, said Yu - for those using China's national bank card payment network rather than international credit cards. "This leads to a lot of repeat purchases as people aren't likely to spend 50 yuan on one purchase," Yu said. "After the first time, they won't stop but will keep purchasing and playing games."

iPhone users themselves are a big draw for app developers, and some value them more highly than people using smartphones operating on Google Inc's Android system.
"I'd pay six times the price for an iOS user compared to Android," said Peng Tao, chief executive of breadtrip, a Beijing-based travel app. Part of the reason, in China at least, is that Android's Google Play app store isn't accessible, so dozens of smaller, less curated app stores have sprung up.

"On the iOS App Store front page apps are chosen by merit, whereas in China for Android they're chosen by who pays," said Peng. "Android users just like to download things, no matter the need. They see it's free and download it, so they shift apps quickly - download and delete, download and delete."

UNEASY ALLIES?

For Apple, though, WeChat may turn out to be a Trojan horse.
While the U.S. company is earning good money through WeChat's success, there is some concern that Tencent may want Apple to see less of that.

"WeChat made the market, Apple didn't, and it's becoming so powerful on mobile in China that, broadly speaking, it's a threat to Apple," said stratechery.com's Thompson. "If Tencent want to flex their muscles and keep more of that revenue, I could certainly see them leaning on the government to help them and keep a bigger percentage of the sales they're driving."
China's ruling Communist Party is no stranger to heavy-handed regulation. Last week, a U.S. business lobby said foreign companies are increasingly concerned they are being targeted by Chinese regulators, charges the regulators deny.

Apple itself has repeatedly come under fire from Chinese state media - more frequently since former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden's revelations about U.S. government cyber-espionage conducted through private companies including Apple, Google and Microsoft Corp.
In July, China's state broadcaster branded the iPhone a national security threat because of its ability to track and time-stamp user locations, and government mouthpieces have called for 'severe punishment', accusing Apple of providing user data to U.S. intelligence agencies.
Some of WeChat's rivals in messaging apps have also fallen by the wayside in China because of the government.

Chinese authorities said in August they blocked South Korean firm Kakao Corp's KakaoTalk and Naver Corp's Line as part of efforts to fight terrorism, according to the Korean government, explaining service disruptions in China that had begun a month earlier.
"The biggest danger for Apple in China is always the uncertain regulatory environment," said stratechery.com's Thompson. "It's very plausible to see the government moving against Apple's App Store policy."

Sunday 7 September 2014

Android-powered smart hard hat comes with augmented reality features

Android-powered smart hard hat comes with augmented reality features

Mariella Moon
Engadget


In Los Angeles, a startup called Daqri has designed a different kind of hard hat: an Android-powered one that's capable of augmented reality. As such, it really looks more like a bike helmet than a hard hat, equipped with sensors, cameras and a transparent visor that functions as a head-up display.
Unlike Google Glass that was designed with all kinds of consumers in mind, though, this high-tech hat was meant for industrial environments, to be used by engineers or blue-collar workers. It can show instructions and other digital elements superimposed against real-world equipment and objects without having to be manually operated. The hat can also give out early warning signals in case it catches anything that could be dangerous, or perform thorough quality checks on expensive machinery like satellites. If needed, it can pair up with smartwatches, phones and other devices, as well.

Daqri president Andy Lowery told the Wall Street Journal the company's sparing no expense building the high-tech hat. Couple that with the fact that it's going to need a lot of processing power -- it runs on two Snapdragon processors and will save data on flash cartridges -- and it's easy to guess that it'll be more expensive than other AR headsets. According to Lowery, it'll probably be priced closer to laptops with military capabilities, but we won't know how much for sure until its launch in October.

GM to offer connected car, automated driving technology in 2016

GM to offer connected car, automated driving technology in 2016

By Ben Klayman
Reuters


DETROIT - General Motors Co (GM.N) will introduce in two years its first car that can communicate with other vehicles to help avoid accidents and ease traffic congestion, Chief Executive Mary Barra said on Sunday.
In the same time frame, GM also will introduce more advanced technology allowing hands-free driving in some cases, she said.
"I'm convinced customers will embrace (vehicle-to-vehicle) and automated driving technologies for one simple reason: they are the answer to everyday problems that people want solved," she said in a text of a speech delivered at a conference here.
Auto companies, academics and government agencies globally are working to develop cameras, sensors, radar and other technologies that allow vehicles and surrounding infrastructure like stoplights to alert each other about nearby driving conditions.

The industry is rolling out such features as adaptive cruise control, crash-imminent braking and semi-automated, hands-free driving like GM's 'Super Cruise' feature to make roads safer.
However, GM and other automakers have emphasized that even with hands-free driving, drivers will be responsible and need to maintain attention on the road. Meanwhile, Internet search company Google Inc (GOOGL.O) is working to develop fully autonomous vehicles.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has made developing connected car technologies a high priority, a view shared in Japan and Europe. And when cars can also talk to surrounding infrastructure, the gains will be exponential, Barra said.

However, she said commercializing a fully automated vehicle may take until the next decade.
Congestion causes urban Americans to travel 5.5 billion more hours and purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel each year, she said, citing outside data.
In 2016, GM will sell a 2017 model Cadillac CTS sedan standardly equipped with vehicle-to-vehicle technology. However, the car can only communicate with similarly equipped vehicles and it will take time for the industry to introduce the technology broadly, GM officials said before Barra's speech.
They added that U.S. regulators still need to finalize requirements for these technologies and cyber security protections need to be developed.

Also in 2016, GM will roll out Super Cruise as an option allowing hands-free highway driving at both highway and stop-and-go speeds, as well as lane following, speed control and braking in a new, unidentified 2017 Cadillac model in a segment where the company does not currently compete.
GM did not disclose either feature's cost, or timing on offering them on the No. 1 U.S. automaker's other brands.

GM will introduce the connected CTS sedan and the unnamed Cadillac with the Super Cruise feature in the United States.
In 1956, GM showed the Pontiac Firebird II concept that included a system to work with an electrical wire embedded in the highway to guide the car. Three years later, the rocket-like Cadillac Cyclone concept boasted an autopilot system that steered the car, and radar in front nose cones that warned of a collision and automatically applied the brakes.

Barra said the U.S. Congress can help develop vehicle-to-infrastructure communication with funding in the next federal transportation bill.

She also said GM is joining the University of Michigan and the state of Michigan to develop vehicle-to-infrastructure driving corridors on 120 miles (193 km) of metro Detroit roadways. State officials said Ford Motor Co (F.N) is also part of the effort.

Google Glass can tell if you're stressed out

Google Glass can tell if you're stressed out

Jon Fingas
Engadget

It's not always easy to tell when your stress levels are through the roof, and you may not always want to break out a heart rate sensor just to find out when it's time to relax. You might not have to, if researchers at Georgia Tech and MIT have their way; they've developed BioGlass, an Android app that uses Google Glass to determine how frazzled you are. The software measures your heart and breathing rates by checking for tiny movements picked up by Glass' accelerometer, gyroscope and front-facing camera. In theory, you'd only have to wear the smart eyepiece to know when it's time to calm down.

The existing project doesn't do more than record data, but future software could do a lot more. You could get instructions on stress-relieving breathing exercises, for example, or even queue up soothing songs at the very moment you need them. Glass also isn't strictly necessary, if you'd rather not wear a $1,500 headset that occasionally causes stress. Any wearable with the right sensors would do the trick. The biggest challenge is getting an accurate reading while you're moving. BioGlass currently requires that you stand still, but the hope is that it will eventually warn you when you're literally hopping mad. If all goes well, you may always know when it's time to chill out -- and hopefully avoid a ton of health problems.

Apple courts fashionistas as smartwatch expectations mount

Apple courts fashionistas as smartwatch expectations mount

Christina Farr
Reuters

Apple Inc has invited top fashion editors and bloggers in unprecedented numbers to its Tuesday launch gala, further evidence that the iPhone maker is preparing to take the wraps off a smartwatch.
Apple is forging closer ties to the fashion world as it plots its foray into the fertile field of wearable technology, trying to win over a critical crowd that may prove crucial to the success of consumer gadgets worn around the body.

A smartwatch would represent Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook's first real new product since taking the baton from Steve Jobs. Several fashion media editors told Reuters they received invitations for the first time to an annual September product-launch, which they took as confirmation of a wristwatch in the wings.

"I assume it's because they are unveiling a wearable," said Lea Goldman, features and special projects director for Marie Claire magazine, a first-time invitee. "This suggests Apple is serious about tapping into the fashion world, which often sits on the sidelines."
Apple declined to comment.

The iPhone maker, known for its sleek aesthetic, has made overtures to the fashion press in the past. It typically opts to host a separate event in New York where editors meet the team and review products, two fashion editors say.

That courtship has grown more aggressive. Last month, the company hosted what it called a "first-of-its-kind event" at an Apple Store in New York to showcase fashion and retail apps to a group of style editors, according to an invitation seen by Reuters.

Fashion site Refinery29's health and science director Kelly Bourdet said the decision to include fashion editors on the invite-list is a "nod to the fashion crowd."

Apple seems poised to network with the who's who of the industry. In the past year or two, it has hired Patrick Pruniaux, former vice president of Tag Heuer's global sales and retail; Angela Ahrendts, former chief executive of Burberry Inc; and former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve joined as vice president of special projects.

It is not just Apple. From Google Inc to LG Electronics Inc and Intel Corp, technology companies are beginning to forge fashion ties. On Friday, Intel announced a tie-up with Fossil Group on wearable technology.

Saturday 6 September 2014

3D Printed Hands Just Got Better Thanks To These DIY Wolverine Claws

3D Printed Hands Just Got Better Thanks To These DIY Wolverine Claws

John Biggs
TechCrunch


What could be better than giving disabled kids a new pair of hands? How about slapping a set of claws on those hands!
Aaron Brown, a maker and volunteer for the group Enabling The Future, has been building 3D printed prosthetic hands for kids who are missing fingers. These hands are given away for free and the group has made countless children quite happy.
Now they can be happier. Brown built a set of Wolverine claws that are compatible with the free prosthetic hand plans available on Thingiverse.

“The Comic loving nerd inside of me (along with some Facebook friends) said there is no way I can make a Wolverine hand without CLAWS…so I modeled some in Sketchup the morning before the makerfaire, printed ‘em, spray painted ‘em silver and velcro’d ‘em on there. Turned out pretty darn cool!” said Brown.

“I worked for about 7 years in nightclub security, with a few less exciting factory jobs before that. Playing around with technology has always been a passion and hobby on the side and when my grandfather passed away unexpectedly last year, I was left with a small amount of funds in his will – just enough to start building my own business,” he said. Now he is working on a small 3D print shop and has been building Wolverine-themed hands for kids since he showed the first hand at the Grand Rapids Maker Faire.

It’s great to see 3D printing become truly useful and it’s even more exciting to see folks who can move from part-time nightclub bouncer to full time maker with a little time and effort.

4 Christian Louboutin Shoe-and-Nail Polish Pairings Perfect for Brides

4 Christian Louboutin Shoe-and-Nail Polish Pairings Perfect for Brides

BY BRIDES 
Glamour
The only thing better than wearing Christian Louboutin heels for your wedding day? Wearing Christian Louboutin heels and Christian Louboutin nail polish for your wedding day. Christian Louboutin Beauté, which officially launches on Sunday, encompasses three collections: the Pops (bright colors), the Noirs (dark tones), and the Nudes (your new go-tos for classic big-day shades). At $50 a bottle, they might be a bit pricey, but the bottles are practically works of art themselves: At eight inches, they're as tall as the tallest heel he ever created. Here, we've put together five shoe-and-nail polish pairings that brides-to-be will love


Nude Nail Polish + Laser Cutout Pumps = Classic Wedding With a Modern Twist
Neutral, glossy nail polish? Check. Pretty white heels? Check. Everything about this has the makings of a traditional bridal look, except for one detail: the shoe's cutouts. Whether you go for a classic ball gown, sophisticated sheath, or short dress, this heel-and-nail pairing will fit in perfectly


Berry Nail Polish + Red Satin Pumps = Black-Tie Wedding
You don't always have to pair a neutral with a color; we love mixing it up with complementary palettes. For a glamorous wedding, berry and deep red is one of our favorite combos. Just imagine how elegant you'll look when a bit of satin red slippers peek out from underneath your gown


Shimmery Navy Nail Polish + Black Lace Pumps = City Wedding
Cool city brides will love this take on something blue. After all, there's no rule that it has to be light blue, right? We won't blame you if you can't help but take this pairing for before the wedding


Red Nail Polish + Gold Stilettos = Holiday Wedding
Nothing says festive quite like red and gold. And don't you kind of love how the red nail polish coordinates with the red sole? It's matchy-matchy in the best way possible. We'd keep the rest of this wedding-day look subtle, so these glitter heels can be the stars