Because bitcoin is an invisible currency with no central bank or government to regulate it, bitcoin users put their faith in a complex system of decentralized oversight called mining. Anyone can join to workforce of miners, who use mathematical equations to verify individual transactions — ensuring, in effect, that no one tries to spend …
HEALTH INSURANCE Need it?: Yes. (Or pay a fine. Thanks, Obamacare!) Baseline coverage: High-deductible, so-called catastrophe insurance. Sweet spot: If you’re under forty and/or relatively healthy, a decent HMO plan (lower cost, less coverage, smaller network); if you’re over forty and/or like going to the doctor, an EPO or PPO (pricier, but more options …
There are three things to know about LED bulbs. (They’re on the box they come in.) First is lumen output, which is how much light is coming out of the bulb. It’s the brightness equivalent of what we think of as an incandescent bulb’s wattage: 800 lumens is essentially a 60-watt incandescent, which what …
In the traditional hierarchy of spirits, even the best whiskey was always “substitute standard,” as the Army used to deem things that weren’t what you really wanted but would work if you had to make them work. The spirit you really wanted, presumably, was brandy — French brandy, to be precise, and cognac, to …
There are two reasons a man will color his hair: to work with what he has or for the sake of fashion. If you’re in the former camp: Less is more. Add a little pepper to the salt, but don’t try to return to the solid chestnut of your youth. Color enhances color, so …
Unless you’re exceedingly meticulous in your mouth care, chances are you’ve never even looked at an oral irrigator. The little hose used to clean between your teeth and around an under your gums probably seems like just another tool for the 60-plus crowd that you walk by in the drugstore — lost among the …
When I boil lobster, I keep the focus on the fish. You make what’s called a court bouillon — just seasoned cooking water — creating a saltwater base brightened by the acidity of wine and lemon, then enhanced with softer spices. But what really makes the difference is fresh bay leaves, because their piney …
Around the new millennium, if you went looking for a bottle of American straight rye whiskey, your chances were lousy. By the end of the 20th century, this foundational style of American whiskey was hanging from the ropes, seeing birdies, and waiting for the towel to hit the canvas. Out of the dozens of …
1. Suits and overcoats: Hang three inches apart to minimize crushing. 2. Extra shirts: If you’re not planning on wearing them soon, fold and store on a shelf. 3. Primary shirts and trousers: Hang two inches apart to reduce creases. 4. Sweaters: Fold in piles, and in the off-seasons, store in a sealed container …
Naps have a bad reputation in America, where sleep deprivation is worn like a Boy Scout merit badge. The national motto, thanks to the industrious Puritans, might easily have been “You snooze, you lose.” Or, as Benjamin Franklin put it, “Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.” Thomas …