It's funny that in the name of protecting "intellectual property," big media companies are willing to do such violence to the idea of real property -- arguing that since everything we own, from our t-shirts to our cars to our ebooks, embody someone's copyright, patent and trademark, that we're basically just tenant farmers, living on the land of our gracious masters who've seen fit to give us a lease on our homes.

In the fine print that you "agree" to, Amazon and Sony say you just get a license to the e-books—you're not paying to own 'em, in spite of the use of the term "buy." Digital retailers say that the first sale doctrine—which would let you hawk your old Harry Potter hardcovers on eBay—no longer applies. Your license to read the book is unlimited, though—so even if Amazon or Sony changed technologies, dropped the biz or just got mad at you, they legally couldn't take away your purchases. Still, it's a license you can't sell.

But is this claim legal? Our Columbia friends suggest that just because Sony or Amazon call it a license, that doesn't make it so. "That's a factual question determined by courts," say our legal brainiacs. "Even if a publisher calls it a license, if the transaction actually looks more like a sale, users will retain their right to resell the copy." Score one for the home team.

I work in an office cubicle and regularly use a headset (the second best office tool ever invented). Every so often, my coworkers would sneak up behind me and start jabbering away not realizing I'm on the phone. I needed a way to alert them that I'm preoccupied...

So because of those reasons, I made this Steampunk Headset Hook. While not in use my headset just sits on the hook. When I receive or make a call I remove the headset from the hook and the LED backlights a sign that says, On Phone Sorry. This alerts anyone walking into my cubicle that I'm on the phone. I know it is kind of dumb, but at least it gives a purpose for a joule thief circuit.

A side benefit of this project is that I work in California where battery recycling is enforced. Our office has small cardboard containers throughout that are used to collect used batteries. These containers are rarely collected and are almost always 1/2 full. So essentially I have an unlimited supply of "dead" batteries at my disposal. This Joule Thief will never go hungry.