So if a plug on a toaster is replaced backwards and someone gets shocked, the plug-replacer gets sued. What if the seam of repaired clothing splits during a presentation, losing the account? Sued?

and inexpensive protection for sensitive expensive devices. A close-by lightning hit can toast most anything, so forget about it. If you want to install a motor-generator for the whole house, get a second mortgage and plan to pay for the extra energy it will waste. Lightning may damage the motor side but might not hurt anything connected to the generator.

Most of the damage my stuff has received during storms has been through low voltage connections (phone lines, network cabling, coax) caused by inductive spikes. Use protection on these connections and/or eliminate them (WiFi, TOSLink, etc).

Agreed. More than a few -> Costco (or other similar). My experience with printers over the years has been that dye transfer stays as-printed longer, but then it might just have been the specific printers I used. For inkjets, the ink itself is critically important (seems obvious, no?); the printer less so.

Some have demonstrated a device that can project a sound to the vicinity of someone's head that will hardly be heard elsewhere, I think the demo was up to 30 feet away, which is good for parking lots, and I bet that will be greatly improved upon. So the car remains silent except to those in the path or converging. Yes, this will take some visual sensors and processing. This IS Slashdot.

The best part is that the "noise" can be personalized. Think of the possibilities.

Yes! Except your observation is based on most V8s, which have "cross-plane" or "90 degree" crankshafts. Those with "flat" or "180 degree" cranks sound great, as they are even-firing. I'm only aware of a few flat-crank V8 designs, specifically those from Lotus and Ferrari. Flat crank designs have second-order vibrations (not unlike inline 4s), but that isn't so important in 1) sports cars, and 2) engines under 4 litres.

I don't like the "V8 burble" so popular with (Chevelle, for example) fans and hate the sound of a V-twin. Incidentally, cross-plane V8s sound a lot better when there's a "balance pipe" connecting the left and right exhausts before they exit. It can add a little power, too, if designed properly.

V12, yes, the engine of serious luxury and some of the most interesting sports cars (XKE Series 3, XJ13, McLaren F1, old Packards... and the Rolls-Royce Merlin powering WWII Spitfires and Mustangs!

I'll have to go looking for the sound of a ramjet. However, I hear the sound of pulsejets, V1 "buzzbombs," was both interesting and dreaded.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I first started reading the comments for this article. Some people on Slashdot were actually OK with being told they had to have a noisemaker on their car.

My car will be so fast that no one will be able to hear it before it arrives, and then the sound will be very loud.

Not necessarily size/breed difference... I had a pair of boys from the same (purebred) litter. One was fluffy and tan, scared of his tail, and never closed his eyes. The other slept a lot but was black, very territorial and protective of his family, and had a special look and bark for anyone he didn't know. It worked as you say... the lookout woke up the enforcer, and he let 'em have it. Maybe because he was mad at having been awaken and knew better than to take it out on his brother.

If the house is not already built and you're thinking about putting wires everywhere, think again. Cat5 (or 6) is cheap enough to go ahead and run and will probably serve for quite a few years, but anything you install will become obsolete quicker than you think. I tried that, and wish I'd just run cheap conduit from the attic or crawlspace to every wall so I could easily pull whatever cabling I wanted later, and replace it easily even later. A pair of wires for an alarm system to each window/door makes some sense, as does specialty low-voltage wiring (I would run 12V to each street-facing window for the Christmas-candle-in-the-window). Your house's design will matter a lot. For example, I have open truss-style joists beteen floors that make pulling cable reasonable. I have a crawlspace, but it doesn't help me because it's so tight and working around insulation is a PITA. I have an attic, but the center-only subfloor and loose insulation makes working above the non-floored parts a bit hazardous. Again, if new, insist on an electric panel with surplus capacity and especially space for (not just 2 or 3) more breakers. Think about where you're going to run cabling underground to outbuildings, lights, mailbox sensors, cameras, driveway sensors, etc. Programmable thermostats are cheap and very nice to have. Networked thermostats are widely available, but don't add any value for some of us. Someone else mentioned the water heater location. DO try to minimize the distance between a tank or tankless heater and the shower you expect to use the most. Thermostatically and clock controlled hot water circulators work pretty well, but they use additional energy by moving hot water through the pipes where it cools faster. Speaking of water, I only know of two types of good plumbing: copper (not "see-through") and PEX. Avoid the rest if possible, particularly if replacing it will involve tearing into walls/floors/ceilings. I recommend, as did others, concentrating on quality materials and workmanship. Close gaps where bats can enter (3/8"), Avoid situations where crawlspaces become damp or worse, shifting foundations that crack walls, siding and trim that ages poorly or needs constant maintenance (paint), designs where termites find easy entry or finding and preventing/eliminating them is difficult, untreated wood exposed to wet conditions (door frames, garage door framing, window frames... Check into keypad door locks (Schlage, etc). Whether network-connected or not, they're nice to have for a number of reasons. You can program entry combinations temporarily for friends while you're out of town or allow easy access to visitors arriving before you get home from work. Speaking of security... you want at least deadbolts and good window locks all around. Think of the house as not a "build it and you're done" but a lifelong project. You'll want a place to work (garage space aside from cars, workshop, shed, etc). You'll want yard space for any outbuildings or other projects you might later build. You'll want a home owners' association and rules that you can work with. Some are so restrictive and obnoxious that you can't do anything, but lax or nonexistent might mean that your independent trucker neighbor's semi cab is parked in the front yard just a few feet from your house. Having a large backyard might be frustrating if you can't get vehicles to it. Look for access paths and clearances. Find out how tall of a privacy fence are you allowed to build and how far forward it can come (even with the front of the house?). Will you be allowed to install or replace worn out shingles with a reflective variety to cut heat gain? other thoughts... is the site suitable for solar, wind, or microhydro power? If new construction, seriously consider a ground-source heat pump. Operating costs are much lower, useful life is probably longer (and only some parts then need be replaced), there need be no visible external apparatus, and noise from the outdoor unit is eliminated. It's much cheaper to install at most sites during construction than later and then gets rolled into your mortgage. If it's an existing house, can you find a place to dig ditches or drill holes for the ground loops? Is there a pond or stream or productive well on the property you can utilize? Which way does the house face, and where, inside and out, will it be sunny and shady? What kinds of plants will grow where (wet/dry, sunny/shady, cold wind exposure/sheltered, soil type, temperate zone, etc)? Watch Holmes on Homes and just turn off the last 5 minutes to avoid the melodrama. You'll begin to get a feel for what problems to look for. Ask questions about everything. It's your money and you can't know too much about the new or old house you're buying. If the sellers/builders brush something off, ask even more questions about it. I found hiring a buyer-agent helpful when looking for a house, even after choosing to have one built. A real estate agent that doesn't contractually work for you has no incentive (or fiduciary responsibility) to help you do anything but spend money.

Young children years ago quickly learned to hide the park exit in Roller Coaster Tycoon for just this reason. Same with the water fountains and selling drinks, something I observe in almost every building where drinks are sold.

Guess I'll have to carry binoculars so I can walk in the door and look around without visiting everything.