Month: November 2016

Synesthesia is a condition in which the brain links a person’s senses together in a rare manner, prompting unusual sensory responses to stimuli. People with synesthesia, for example, might see a certain color in response to a certain letter of the alphabet. Those who experience synesthesia “hear colors, feel sounds, and taste shapes” in a remarkably consistent fashion. For example, someone who sees “1” as burnt orange will always see “1” as burnt orange—unlike, say, someone who hallucinates colors while on LSD.

Scientists still disagree as to what causes synesthesia. Some claim it is a series of learned responses, but most point to a neurological foundation. Some studies reveal unusual connections in synesthetes’ adjacent brain regions, similar to those in babies; in fact, it is believed that all babies have synesthesia until they are about four months old, when the synaptic pruning process normally severs those neural connections.The condition, which occurs in about 4 percent of the population, is more common in women than in men, and appears to be genetic. Though it can manifest in many ways, the most common are grapheme-color, in which numbers or letters produce colors, and chromesthesia (sound-color), in which sounds produce colors or shapes. Unsurprisingly, synesthetes are eight times more likely to work in a creative capacity—and quite a few talented artists through history have had it.

1. VLADIMIR NABOKOV

Occupation: Author

Type of synesthesia: Grapheme-color

 
A writer of novels, poems, and short stories, Nabokov was not the only one in his family to experience synesthesia—his mother and son, Dmitri, also had chromesthesia. Nabokov’s descriptions of his condition are as captivating and well-written as any of his works, and in his memoir Speak, Memory, he describes his condition: “As far back as I remember … I have been subject to mild hallucinations. Some are aural, others are optical, and by none have I profited much … In the brown group, there are the rich rubbery tone of soft g, paler j, and the drab shoelace of h … among the red, b has the tone called burnt sienna by painters, m is a fold of pink flannel, and today I have at last perfectly matched v with ‘Rose Quartz’ in Maerz and Paul’s Dictionary of Color.”

Nabokov even mentions the moment he and his mother learned of their shared synesthesia, writing, “We discovered that some of her letters had the same tint as mine, and that, besides, she was optically affected by music notes.”

2. TORI AMOS

Occupation: Musician

Type of synesthesia: Unspecified

 
Amos experiences an unusual type of synesthesia in which sounds produce different images of lights. When commenting on her synesthesia in her book Piece by Piece, Amos said, “The song appears as light filament once I’ve cracked it … I’ve never seen a duplicated song structure. I’ve never seen the same light creature in my life. Obviously similar chord progressions follow similar light patterns, but try to imagine the best kaleidoscope ever.”

3. GEOFFREY RUSH

Occupation: Actor

Type of synesthesia: Grapheme-color, spatio-temporal synesthesia

 
In an interview, Rush said his synesthesia goes back to his toddler days: “When I was in school, in the very early days, we would learn the days of the week. And for some reason the days of the week just instantly had strong color associations. Monday for me is kind of a pale blue …. Tuesday is acid green, Wednesday is a deep purple-y darkish color. Friday’s got maroon and Saturday is white and Sunday is a sort of pale yellow.

Rush experiences several types of synesthesia, another of which, spatio-temporal, he describes by explaining, “I can say to my wife, ‘That play opened on Tuesday, May the 8th back in 1982.’ I can remember it had a position in my mind where 1982 is and where May is within that. It’s a kind of series of hills and dales so if someone says King Charlemagne lived in 800 A.D., there is a very definite place where I see that.”

4. DUKE ELLINGTON

Occupation: Musician

Type of synesthesia: Chromesthesia

 

In Sweet Man: The Real Duke Ellington, author Don George recounts Ellington’s statements on how his synesthesia affected his music: “I hear a note by one of the fellows in the band and it’s one color. I hear the same note played by someone else and it’s a different color. When I hear sustained musical tones, I see just about the same colors that you do, but I see them in textures. If Harry Carney is playing, D is dark blue burlap. If Johnny Hodges is playing, G becomes light blue satin.”

5. BILLY JOEL

Occupation: Musician

Type of synesthesia: Chromesthesia, grapheme-color

 
Joel is fond of his synesthetic experiences, in which songs create worlds of color. As he told Psychology Today writer Maureen Seaberg, “When I think of different types of melodies which are slower or softer, I think in terms of blues or greens … When I have a particularly vivid color, it’s usually a strong melodic, strong rhythmic pattern that emerges at the same time. When I think of (those) certain songs, I think of vivid reds, oranges, or golds.”

On his grapheme-color synesthesia, Joel commented, “Certain lyrics in some songs I’ve written, I have to follow a vowel color.” He associates strong vowel endings—such as –a, –e, or –i—with “a very blue or very vivid green … I think reds I associate more with consonants, a t or a p or an s; something which is a harder sound.”

6. DEV HYNES

Occupation: Singer, composer

Type of synesthesia: Chromesthesia

 
Though synesthesia can be overwhelming and unpleasant for some, Hynes, a.k.a. Blood Orange, also seems to appreciate his condition. As he told NPR, “When I was younger, I wanted to just, like, throw the whole paint can onto the canvas and just see what would happen … Whereas now, I’m kind of enjoying it and exploring the interesting scientific part of it as much as I can, and trying to celebrate it and invite other people to enjoy it.”

7. ARTHUR RIMBAUD

Occupation: Poet

Type of synesthesia: Grapheme-color

 
It’s not definitively known whether Rimbaud had synesthesia, but his poem Vowels strongly suggests as much, assigning color values to different vowels:

A Black, E white, I red, U green, O blue: vowels,
I shall tell, one day, of your mysterious origins:
A, black velvety jacket of brilliant flies
Which buzz around cruel smells,

Gulfs of shadow; E, whiteness of vapours and of tents,
Lances of proud glaciers, white kings, shivers of cow-parsley;
I, purples, spat blood, smile of beautiful lips
In anger or in the raptures of penitence;

U, waves, divine shudderings of viridian seas,
The peace of pastures dotted with animals, the peace of the furrows
Which alchemy prints on broad studious foreheads;

O, sublime Trumpet full of strange piercing sounds,
Silences crossed by Worlds and by Angels:
O the Omega, the violet ray of Her Eyes!

8. PATRICK STUMP

Occupation: Musician

Type of synesthesia: Grapheme-color, chromesia

 
Fall Out Boy’s Stump addressed his synesthesia directly in a blog post in 2011. He stated that “most letters and numbers feel like a color. Music also can have colors associated with them (but this is a lot less pronounced than my grapheme-color associations). I’ve talked to a lot of musicians though and the more I talk to [them] the more I’m finding out that this is fairly common.” Stump is right about that—musicians with synesthesia are quite common.

9. PHARRELL WILLIAMS

Occupation: Musician

Type of synesthesia: Chromesthesia

Following a traffic accident in 1998, 15-year-old Griselda Servin spent two years in a coma. When she awoke, the Paraguayan was excited to find out that a regional television show, Tell Me a Dream, would be making one of her wishes come true. Servin would have an opportunity to fly to America, which she had always wanted to see, with all expenses paid.

There was one condition. Instead of heading for New York City, which she preferred, the show would be sending her to Fremont, Ohio. Servin would be honoring her country by visiting the resting place of its greatest hero—the 19th American president, Rutherford B. Hayes.

How Hayes—by most historical accounts, a man who chaired an unremarkable presidency from 1877 to 1881 that was remembered mainly for introducing telephones and Easter Egg rolls to the White House—wound up becoming an icon for a small South American country is remarkable. Not because of the geographical divide, but because Hayes himself might have had virtually nothing to do with it.

In 1864, Brazil had tried to intervene in a civil war in Uruguay; Paraguay was worried that this would destabilize the entire region, and ultimately declared war on Brazil, which enlisted Argentina and Uruguay to overtake the Paraguayans. Paraguay was so overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the opposing soldiers that they began painting sticks to look like guns and putting them in the hands of children wearing fake beards. After six years of bloodshed, the country had seen up to 60 percent of its population killed in combat or dead of disease.

Sensing easy prey, Argentina swooped in to claim Chaco, a desolate slice of land roughly the size of Colorado that made up 60 percent of Paraguay’s total territory. Losing it meant Paraguay would be in danger of ceasing to exist.

In an attempt to settle the land issue without bloodshed, the countries agreed to arbitration by a neutral third party: the United States. Both submitted reams of documents and testimony arguing why their side should be awarded Chaco.

On November 12, 1878, Hayes released a written decision. It read, in part:

…Be it known that I, Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States of America, having duly considered the said statements and the said exhibits, do hereby determine that the said Republic of Paraguay is legally and justly entitled to the said territory between the Pilcomayo and the Verde rivers, and to the Villa Occidentals situated therein…

Although Chaco was and would remain largely destitute and semi-inhabitable—Paraguayans like to refer to it as the “Green Hell” despite a productive cattle ranching industry—it didn’t matter. To them, Hayes had rendered a just decision that offered some ray of hope after a devastating three-pronged attack, one that had left just 29,000 adult males alive—many still with battle wounds.

Over the next several decades, Paraguay’s reverence for Hayes swelled. It named a state Presidente Hayes, with the town at the mouth of Chaco dubbed Villa Hayes. A museum was erected in his honor; a bust of him greets schoolchildren at Villa Hayes Elementary. The date of his decision, November 12, is a provincial holiday.

Amid the monuments, soccer teams, and postage stamps honoring him, Paraguayans often express disbelief whenever they’re confronted with the idea that Americans don’t spend much time thinking about Hayes.

Ricardo Nuñez, mayor of Villa Hayes, was astonished to be told by a U.S. journalist that Hayes’s contemporaries once referred to him as “Rutherfraud” because his office was preceded by a Constitutional crisis, and he had lost the popular vote.

“Rutherfraud? Wow!” Nuñez told NPR in 2014. “That’s amazing!” He could not conceive of such a slur.

Given Paraguay’s history of malevolent rulers, it’s not surprising that they placed a lot of emotional stock in Hayes, who served just one term and died in 1893. The dictator who antagonized Brazil, General Francisco Solano Lopez, once demanded that his Catholic bishops declare him a saint. If they refused, they were executed. Once he took office, he had his elderly mother flogged in public.

While there’s no record of Hayes ordering the courtyard whipping of his mother, the truth is that no one is quite sure just how much he had to do with the decision to allow Paraguay to keep Chaco. Historians don’t know what criteria was used, or if Hayes simply endorsed the decision made by his staff. It’s likely low-level subordinates pored through paperwork and that Secretary of State William Evarts merely gave the ruling to Hayes for a signature.

For a matter that may have occupied just a couple of hours of his life, Hayes has received infinitely more credit for it than for his entire tenure in office. In Delaware, Ohio, his childhood home was torn down to make room for a commercial development. Those wishing to pay a pilgrimage to Hayes’s birthplace will be greeted by a BP gas station with a memorial plaque out in front.

Researchers have created a disposable HIV test that requires a single drop of blood. The inexpensive, portable test could be used in remote areas where medical facilities are scarce and will allow people to monitor their condition at home. The team described their progress in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

Scientific understanding of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has advanced tremendously since the disease was identified in 1981. There’s still no cure, but a diagnosis of HIV is no longer a death sentence, and the progression to AIDS is no longer inevitable.

The treatment for HIV is a combination of drugs, known collectively as antiretroviral therapy (ART). The drugs keep the virus from multiplying, which keeps it from progressing. It’s important for people on ART to keep an eye on their viral load, or the amount of the virus in their bodies, in order to be sure their treatment is working. But in many parts of the world—including sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV and AIDS are most prevalent—blood tests and doctors can be hard to find. So a cheap, easy-to-use, at-home test could mean the difference between life and death for millions of people.

Researchers at Imperial College London and a company called DNA Electronics decided to create the smallest, most portable version of the test they could. The resulting technology fits onto a computer chip and ingeniously combines chemistry and electronics. Users prick their fingers and deposit a single drop of blood on the chip. If the viral load in the blood meets a certain threshold, the blood will cause a change in the chip’s acidity, which the chip then transforms into an electrical signal. The USB drive containing the stick can then be plugged into a computer and its results read.

The chip’s designers tried out their device on 991 blood samples taken from people with HIV. The results were very encouraging: the chip detected the virus with 88.8 percent accuracy. This is slightly behind the traditional test setup, which yielded a 95 percent accuracy rate, but for a test on a flash drive, the new technology fared surprisingly well.

The researchers will continue to develop their test, and are interested in learning if it could also be used for other diseases like hepatitis. 

The first time humans saw a message written in the sky was during World War I, when pilots in the British Royal Air Force used skywriting to communicate with troops. In 1922, a Royal Air Force captain took the technique to the world of advertising, writing aerial messages in England and New York City. Brands such as Lucky Strike cigarettes, Ford, and Pepsi soon employed skywriters to advertise in the great blue yonder, a practice that continues today.

If you’ve ever looked up at a sky-written message and wondered about the person flying the plane, you’re in luck. Check out these secrets of skywriters for an inside-the-cockpit view.

1. THEY’RE BASICALLY ACROBATS IN THE SKY.

“Your professional sky-writer is a trained aerial acrobat,” famed aviator and skywriter Oliver Colin LeBoutillier wrote in the March 1929 edition of Popular Science Monthly. Besides successfully navigating a plane at 10,000 feet, skywriters must also diagram and memorize each maneuver and perform it with complete precision. They have to write their messages upside-down and backwards, so that it’s legible to people on the ground, and they can’t see what they’re writing when they’re up in the sky. “I’ve been doing it for years and years and years, and still there’s a learning curve,” skywriter Greg Stinis tells Quartz.

2. THEY VALUE BREVITY.

If you find Twitter’s character limit challenging, you’ve probably never written a message in the sky. Depending on weather conditions, a skywritten message will evaporate within a few minutes to a few hours. Because of this time pressure, skywriters need to keep their messages brief. They’re also limited by the amount of fuel and skywriting fluid their plane can hold. Most can only write 10 letters, but skywriter Suzanne Asbury-Oliver and her husband, Steve Oliver, have a modified plane that makes it possible for them to write up to 25 letters.

3. THEY VIEW THEMSELVES AS ARTISTS.

Although they’re highly skilled pilots with tons of technical knowledge, skywriters think of their work as an art form. They begin a job by sketching the message on a piece of paper, planning and diagramming each twist and turn. And once they’re in the air, they have to use their intuition to feel their way around the letters. “The only bad part is that I can’t take my canvas of art away with me. Eventually it fades away. It goes with the breeze,” Stinis says.

4. THEY LOVE HOLIDAYS AND BIG ANNUAL EVENTS.

According to Glenn Smith, a skywriter based in Australia, holidays and big annual events are his bread and butter. “It is the big events of the year that guarantee the work—the Melbourne Cup, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and Valentine’s Day,” Smith says. Companies may hire skywriters to advertise during music festivals, movie premieres, and baseball games because the message will get a lot of eyeballs. And Valentine’s Day is a popular day for marriage proposals and other big romantic gestures.

5. THEIR CUSTOMERS PAY THEM LARGE AMOUNTS …

Skywriting is a costly enterprise. Because skywriters must pay for a high-horsepower plane, plane maintenance, fuel, and skywriting fluid, which can cost $10 a gallon, a typical job costs thousands of dollars. And the price can quickly go up. Asbury-Oliver tells Bloomberg that the most expensive part of skywriting is transporting the airplane to the job. “It costs about $2 a mile to move the airplane. If we’re in Tucson, Arizona, and [clients] want something in San Francisco, we have to charge them for mileage.”

6. … BUT MOST SKYWRITERS NEED A SECOND JOB.

For Smith, who owns an engineering company, skywriting is not a full-time job. “My primary income is from my engineering business—you wouldn’t be able to run an airplane, run a family, and pay a mortgage out of skywriting. You do it because you have a passion for it,” he says. Today, because fewer companies are hiring skywriters, only a few people are able to earn enough to make it their full-time job. “We always have called [skywriting] a lost art because it was dwindling when I started and it still is dwindling … There’s really just a handful of skywriters left,” Asbury-Oliver tells The Atlantic.

7. TYPOS ARE THEIR GREATEST FEAR.

Because skywriters don’t have the luxury of using erasers or pressing the delete key, complete precision is a major job requirement. Although skywritten typos and misspelled hashtags do happen, it’s rare for a professional with years of experience to make a mistake. When mistakes do happen, though, a pilot might draw a line through the error and start the message over. And in a large city, millions of people will see the typo before it evaporates.

8. A CLOUDY DAY MEANS THEY CAN’T WORK.

Because skywriting fluid appears white, cloudy days mean that a skywritten message won’t be visible. Skywriters aim to work on clear, cool days with high humidity and minimal wind. Since weather can be unpredictable, most skywriters won’t promise that your message will be written at an exact date and time. “We need at least a three-day window to get their message up there,” Oliver explains.

9. THEY’VE CAUSED TRAFFIC JAMS AND CAR ACCIDENTS.

Skywriters have the power to turn heads, stop traffic, and distract drivers. Because skywriting appears slowly, letter by letter, people often try to figure out what the message is as it’s being written. “When people see [skywriting], they literally slam on their brakes in green lights and stick their heads out the window,” Asbury-Oliver says.

10. THEY KEEP THEIR TRADE SECRETS CLOSE TO THEIR CHEST.

Because skywriting has historically been a highly competitive field, skywriters have carefully guarded the technical secrets of their job. Oliver tells mental_floss that there’s no certification program and no written training manual. Aspiring skywriters, even if they’re highly skilled pilots, must learn the craft from someone who knows it already. Asbury-Oliver, who worked for Pepsi’s skywriting program until it ended in 2000, couldn’t reveal trade secrets to anyone without violating her contract. And today’s skywriters, such as Stinis, try to keep the business in the family—his father taught him how to skywrite, and he taught his son.

11. SKYTYPERS HAVE BROUGHT SKYWRITING INTO THE DIGITAL WORLD.

Traditional skywriting differs from skytyping, a digital form of skywriting in which multiple planes (usually five) use a centralized computer system to quickly and accurately create a message. Stinis’s father Andy patented skytyping in the 1960s, and Stinis’s company uses the technique, which is similar to dot matrix printing, to create automated messages. Skytyping requires less artistry than regular skywriting because the planes rely on a computer (rather than pilot) for much of the work.

12. THEY LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA.

Social media has boosted skywriting’s popularity. With Facebook, Twitter, Periscope, Snapchat, and Instagram, people around the world can see a skywritten message even as it’s being created, the messages reach more eyeballs, and they can be preserved for far longer. Although the message is lost when the smoke vaporizes, the internet is forever.

13. THEY TRAVEL ALL AROUND THE WORLD FOR WORK.

Because skywriters are few and far between, companies are often willing to pay them to travel. It takes time and money to transport a plane, though, so Stinis and his son Stephen own planes in Spain, France, and South Africa. Stinis has done jobs in Japan and Dubai, and Oliver and Asbury-Oliver have skywritten messages in all 50 U.S. states, Mexico, Canada, and El Salvador.

14. WE MAY SEE COLORED AND GLOW-IN-THE-DARK SKYWRITING IN THE FUTURE.

Although it is possible to skywrite with colored (rather than white) fluid, it’s more difficult to work with. For over four decades, Stinis’s company has experimented with dyes to produce colored smoke, but hasn’t found a functional, cost-effective solution yet. If the technology progresses, we may regularly see colored skywriting—or even glow-in-the-dark skywriting for nighttime use—in the future.

If you’ve ever watched a bat in flight, you’ve likely come to two conclusions: first, that bats are adorable*, and second, that boy, does that look like a lot of work. Scientists have long believed bats’ flying style to be inefficient, but a new study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science shows that all that flapping could be working in their favor.

Very little about a bat appears optimized for flight. In addition to their flap-happy flying technique, their massive ears and protruding features create real drag up in the air. Compared to birds, bats spend relatively little time in the air, and so it was assumed that speed and efficient flight were less important than other skills and traits.

But this is truer of some bats than others. From a distance, a Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis, also known as the Mexican free-tailed bat) in midair looks a lot like a bird, with similarly shaped wings and flight patterns. The free-tailed bat is a delicate little critter, maxing out at around 0.5 ounces, with a wingspan of up to 14 inches. Known as speedy fliers, they make their homes in caves and under bridges throughout the western U.S. and down through Central and South America.

To find out just how fast these little bats could go, researchers at the University of Tennessee designed a very unusual experiment that lasted seven nights. Every evening, one scientist boarded an airplane headed toward well-known bat hideout Frio Cave, located about 80 miles west of San Antonio, Texas, while another waited at the mouth of the cave with a handheld net. As the bats emerged to hunt, the researcher by the cave netted a female bat, glued a lightweight radio transmitter to her back, and set her free. The researcher aboard the plane tracked the bats’ movements in real time.

And gosh, those bats were moving. Individual bats reached ground speeds of up to 100 miles an hour in little bursts—faster than any other bird, let alone bat, ever recorded. 

Contrary to expectations, they also negotiated wind currents the same way birds do—increasing their speed into a head wind and easing up when the wind was at their backs.

“Our results suggest that flight performance in bats has been underappreciated,” the authors write modestly, “and that functional differences in the flight abilities of birds and bats require re-evaluation.”

*Disagree? Just look at these faces. 

As a recurring feature, our team combs the Web and shares some amazing Amazon deals we’ve turned up. Here’s what caught our eye today, November 10.

Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers, including Amazon, and may receive a small percentage of any sale. But we only get commission on items you buy and don’t return, so we’re only happy if you’re happy. Good luck deal hunting!

GADGETS

Sabrent Lavalier / Lapel Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone for iPhone & Android Smartphones or any other mobile device (AU-SMCR) for $9.99 (list price $39.99)

Amazon Premium Headphones for $14.99 (list price $24.99)

All-New Echo Dot (2nd Generation) – Black + Philips Hue White Starter Kit for $99.99 (list price $119.98)

Pictek External DVD Drive, USB2.0 External Slot-in CD/DVD Drive with Combo CD-RW Burner/Reader/Writer for Apple MacBook, Laptops and Desktops (Sliver) for $27.99 (list price $49.99)

Mad Men: The Complete Collection [Blu-ray + Digital HD] for $84.99 (list price $209.97)

Phaiser BHS-730 Bluetooth Earbuds Runner Headset Sport Earphones with Mic and Lifetime Sweatproof Warranty – Wireless Headphones for Running, Blackout for $39.99 (list price $159.95)

Mpow Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount, Universal Cell Phone Holder for iPhone 7/6s/6 Plus 5s 5 Samsung Galaxy S7/S6 edge S5 S4 for $6.99 (list price $8.99)

USB Hub, Anker 4-Port USB 3.0 Portable Aluminum Hub with 2-Foot USB 3.0 Cable, for iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, or any PC (Silver) for $14.99 (list price $39.99)

SE MH1047L Illuminated Multi-Power LED Head Magnifier for $9.24 (list price $19.95)

AUKEY 12W Dual Port Home Travel USB Wall Charger Adapter – Black for $7.99 (list price $9.99)

Silicon Power 128GB Jewel J80 USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Titanium (SP128GBUF3J80V1TNE) for $40.38 (list price $47.58)

iSmartAlarm iSA5 Deluxe Package, White for $195.34 (list price $249.95)

18 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths – For Cell Phones, Laptops, Tablets, Glasses, Spectacles, Silverware, and Delicate Surfaces for $7.49 (list price $14.99)

1byone 10,000 mAh Dual USB Ports Portable Charger, Compact External Battery Power Bank with LCD Display & Classic Pattern for Smartphones, White for $14.39 (list price $17.99)

Sabrent USB 3.0 Super Speed 4 slot Memory Card Reader for Windows, Mac and Linux – Supports SD , SDHC , SDXC , MMC / MicroSD , T-Flash / MS , MS PRO Duo / CF, and more (CR-BMC3) for $10.99 (list price $26.99)

SmartLab Toys Crash Test Lab for $19.99 (list price $24.99)

Bluedio BS-2 (Camel) Mini Bluetooth Speakers Portable Wireless Speakers 3D Surround Sound System (Noble Silver) for $17.99 (list price $49.99)

USB Charging Station/Hub,GRDE 30W 5 Port USB Wall Charger Power Adapter,Portable Travel Charger Plug for iPhone iPad, Samsung,HTC,Blackberry, Bluetooth Speaker Headset & Power Bank for $16.99 (list price $21.99)

Novation Launchkey Mini 25-Note USB Keyboard Controller for Ableton Live, MK2 Version (LAUNCHKEY-MINI-MK2) for $79.99 (list price $124.99)

Best RFID Blocking Wallet for Men and Women, Safe and Secure Protection for Travel and Work, Top Stainless Steel Metal Slim Wallets for $34.97 (list price $54.97)

Vigilant 130 dB Personal Rape/Jogger/Student Emergency Alarm with LED Light and Included AAA Batteries (PPS8G Grey) for $15.99 (list price $19.99)

[Quick Charge 3.0] Anker 60W 6-Port USB Charger (Quick Charge 2.0 Compatible) PowerPort+ 6 with PowerIQ for iPhone, iPad, Galaxy, Nexus and More for $30.59 (list price $89.99)

15000mAh Portable Power Bank – iXCC Aluminum Dual USB High Speed External Battery Pack Smart Charger for iPhone, iPad, Samsung Galaxy and More |Black for $20.99 (list price $39.99)

[3 Pack] Anker PowerLine USB-C to USB 3.0 Cable (3ft) with 56k Ohm Pull-up Resistor for USB Type-C Devices Including the new MacBook, ChromeBook Pixel, Nexus, OnePlus 2 and More for $18.69 (list price $21.99)

[Apple MFI Certified] Jackery Bolt 6,000 mAh Ultra-Compact External Battery Charger, Portable Power Bank and Travel Charger with Built-in Lightning & Micro USB Cables (Black) for $22.09 (list price $69.99)

iPhone Flash Drive 64GB USB 3.0 Adapter with Lightning Connector for iPad iOS PC, HooToo External Storage Memory Expansion Stick, iMemomate for $39.99 (list price $69.99)

iXCC 5 USB Ports High Capacity Fast Car Charger 50W / 10A for iPhone 7 / 6 / 6s / Plus, iPad Pro / Air / mini, Samsung Galaxy S6 / S7 / Edge or More for $15.99 (list price $39.99)

Verbatim 64GB Premium microSDXC Memory Card with Adapter, UHS-I Class 10 – 44084 for $18.31 (list price $24.41)

SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick 32GB, Wireless Flash Drive for Smartphones, Tablets and Computers (SDWS4-032G-G46) for $23.33 (list price $39.99)

Jackery Mini Portable Charger 3200mAh – External Battery Pack, Power Bank, & Portable iPhone Charger for $10.19 (list price $29.99)

Casio Men’s MRW200H-7EV Sport Resin Watch for $15.67 (list price $24.95)

Timex Men’s T2N721 Intelligent Quartz Compass Tide Temperature Silver Case Brown Strap Watch for $109.05 (list price $170.00)

Timex Men’s TW4B01800 Expedition Scout Tan/Blue Leather Strap Watch for $33.96 (list price $38.19)

Invicta Men’s 6981 Pro Diver Analog Swiss Chronograph Black Polyurethane Watch for $87.20 (list price $795.00)

KITCHEN

Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother and Heater Carafe for $41.95 (list price $69.95)

BUNN 32130.0000 3.0-Liter Lever-Action Airpot, Stainless Steel for $42.99 (list price $64.99)

Besiva Digital Cooking Thermometers with Instant Read, Long Probe, LCD Screen, Anti-Corrosion for Food, Meat, Grill, BBQ, Milk and Water(White) for $10.99 (list price $49.99)

Eparé Adjustable Tablet Stand and Cookbook Recipe Book Holder for $11.95 (list price $12.95)

Hamilton Beach 62682RZ Hand Mixer with Snap-On Case, White for $12.96 (list price $42.99)

Canister Set of 3 – 17oz, 5×3.5 inches – Glass Storage Jars with Colorful Metal Covers for $16.99 (list price $23.99)

Lodge L8DD3 Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven, 5-Quart for $37.96 (list price $64.00)

Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Original 6-Cup Bundt Pan for $21.97 (list price $31.95)

Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel for $140.00 (list price $173.99)

Tin Star Foods 100% Organic Grassfed Ghee – Gluten-Free Non-GMO Paleo Made in USA, 13.5 oz for $18.74 (list price $24.99)

Magicfly Hand Held 12-inch Egg Beater with Egg Separator for $14.99 (list price $39.99)

OXO SoftWorks Fat Separator for $9.95 (list price $19.91)

Hamilton Beach 25500 Egg Cooker with Built-In Timer for $14.97 (list price $24.99)

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Quarter Sheet for $8.42 (list price $11.95)

Marquis by Waterford Brookside 6-Ounce Champagne Flutes, Set of 4 for $30.58 (list price $100.00)

BLACK+DECKER RC503 Mini 3-Cup Cooked/1.5-Cup Uncooked Rice Cooker, White for $15.29 (list price $17.99)

Benchmark 56748 Ladle, 3 oz Capacity, 12″ Length for $2.64 (list price $10.91)

Mountain Woods Acacia Hardwood End Grain Cutting Board with Juice Groove for $32.72 (list price $45.95)

Colander Collapsible – Green & Grey – Over the Sink Colander with Handles – Folding Strainer for Kitchen 6-quart Capacity – By Comfify for $13.75 (list price $16.99)

Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Stockpot with Cover, 6-Quart for $26.56 (list price $49.99)

Bormioli Rocco Restaurant Red Wine Glass, Set of 4 for $21.99 (list price $25.00)

Cuisinart CMG-20SG Multi-grater Silver/grey Accs for $30.99 (list price $39.98)

Microwave Popcorn Popper by MrLifeHack, 100% BPA FREE, Makes 8 Cups of Healthy Hot Air Popped Popcorn in 2 minutes or Less, Dishwasher Safe Red for $16.99 (list price $26.99)

LunchSkins Reusable Sandwich Bag – Green Pear for $8.99 

Metene Digital Kitchen Timer with Large LCD Display and Loud Alarm System for $6.99 (list price $35.00)

Oster 2-Pound Expressbake Bread Machine with 13-Hour Delay Timer, CKSTBRTW20 for $44.71 (list price $59.99)

Pyrex Easy Grab 19-Piece Glass Bakeware Set with Blue Lids for $38.69 (list price $69.99)

Brita 10 Cup Grand Water Pitcher with 1 Filter, BPA Free, Available in Multiple Colors for $26.99 (list price $34.99)

RTIC 30 Oz Stainless Steel Tumblers – SET OF 2 for $27.95 (list price $79.98)

Omega J8005 Nutrition Center Single-Gear household Masticating Juicer, Chrome and Black for $259.95 (list price $360.00)

Spring Chef Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Metal Measuring Spoons for Dry or Liquid, Fits in Spice Jar, Set of 6 for $11.99 (list price $19.99)

Seville Classics 3-Tier Expandable Bamboo Spice Rack Step Shelf Organizer for $12.99 (list price $20.00)

Neeshow 18/8 Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Shaker for $7.27 (list price $10.99)

Vitamix 5300 Blender (Certified Refurbished), Black for $359.99 

Silicone Spatulas, X-Chef Easy Flex Insulated Non-stick BPA Free Silicone Spatula for Kitchen Cooking Baking Set of 4 Christmas Gift for $5.97 (list price $26.99)

Lodge L10CF3 Cast Iron Covered Deep Skillet, Pre-Seasoned, 5-Quart for $44.76 (list price $57.48)

Calphalon Contemporary Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware, Omelette Fry Pan, 10-inch and 12-inch Set, Black for $39.96 (list price $165.00)

Star War Death Star Stacking Measuring Cups for $13.22

Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed Grater for $10.29 (list price $22.00)

INLIFE K8 Automatic Vacuum Sealer Fresh Food Saver Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Bags for Foods for $56.99 (list price $149.99)

Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender, with 6-Cup Glass Jar, 7-Speed Settings and Brushed Stainless Steel/Black Finish for $54.29 (list price $79.99)

OXO On Barista Brain 12 Cup Coffee Maker with Removable Kettle for $176.73 (list price $299.99)

T-fal E938SA Professional Total Nonstick Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Cookware Set, 10-Piece, Black for $69.99 (list price $149.99)

Babycakes Donut Maker, Mini for $14.99 (list price $26.99)

Oster CKSTWFBF21 1-1/2-Inch Thick Belgian Flip Waffle Maker, Brushed Stainless Steel for $33.34 (list price $49.99)

Houdini Expandable Wine Rack for $8.58 (list price $13.00)

Chicago Cutlery Essentials 15-Piece Knife Set for $36.55 (list price $79.00)

PanSaver Slow Cooker Liners with a Sure Fit Band, 4 Count for $9.50 (list price $10.50)

HOME

DRIVE Car Trunk Organizer – Best Storage for Auto Front & Back Seat, Collapsible – Straps Hold Vehicle Cargo Secure and Prevent Sliding for $23.97 (list price $49.99)

3M Scotchgard Suede and Nubuck Protector, 7-Ounce for $12.77 (list price $20.00)

ClosetMaid 8996 Cubeicals 6-Cube Organizer, White for $34.88 (list price $49.99)

Washcloths (24 Pack, 12 x 12 Inch) Cotton Wash Cloth Multi-Purpose Highly Absorbent Extra Soft Face, Hand, Gym, Spa Wash Cloths By Utopia Towels for $13.95 (list price $29.99)

Electrohome 1.8 inch Jumbo LED Alarm Clock Radio with Battery Backup, Auto Time Set, Digital AM/FM Radio & Dual Alarm (EAAC302) for $20.96 (list price $24.99)

TaoTronics Portable Touch Lamp – Wireless LED Bedside Table Lamps, 360° Light Beam – 4400mAh Rechargeable Battery for $23.99 (list price $49.99)

StorageManiac 5-shelf Hanging Closet Organizer with Loop Closure – Dark Blue for $9.99 (list price $39.99)

Cotton Pool Gym Bath Towels (6 Pack, 22 x 44 Inch) Light Multipurpose Quick Drying Towel by Utopia Towels for $27.49 (list price $39.99)

DeLonghi EW7707CM Safe Heat 1500W ComforTemp Portable Oil-Filled Radiator for $60.40 (list price $70.85)

[Hand Crafted] HemingWeigh Rock Salt Bowl Lamp with Salt Chips, Wood Base, Electric wire & Bulb for $22.99 (list price $49.99)

3X Magnified Premium Modern Rectangle Vanity Makeup Mirror 100% Guarantee | Portable Polished Chrome Contemporary Finish for $45.99 (list price $119.99)

Pinzon 400-Thread-Count Pleated Hem Egyptian Cotton Duvet Set – King, Cloud for $26.17 (list price $69.99)

Etekcity Digital Body Weight Scale, Tempered glass, 400 Pounds for $14.99 (list price $28.99)

BISSELL Natural Sweep Dual Brush Sweeper, 92N0A (same as 92N0) for $22.78 (list price $39.99)

Pinzon 400-Thread-Count Pleated Hem Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set – Queen, Sterling for $37.29 (list price $54.99)

Darryl Wood Finish Rectangular Table Lamp for $24.99 (list price $29.99)

Dyson V6 Trigger Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner for $174.99 (list price $199.00)

Greenland Home Stella Throw for $24.19 (list price $41.24)

VicTsing 300ml Cool Mist Humidifier Ultrasonic Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser – Wood Grain for $35.49 (list price $79.99)

Ultimate Bamboo Pillow with Stay Cool Cover and USA Hypoallergenic Down Alternative Poly Fiber Fill for $19.99 (list price $89.99)

Rowenta DW5197 Partner of Fashion Focus Steam 1725-Watt Micro Steam Iron with Stainless Steel Soleplate, 400-Hole, Purple for $59.99 (list price $79.84)

URPOWER Garment Steamer 130ml Portable Handheld Fabric Steamer Fast Heat-up Powerful Travel Garment Clothes Steamer with High Capacity for Home and Travel, Travel Pouch Included for $22.99 (list price $39.99)

Adesso WK2444-22 Alice Floor Mirror, Steel for $97.62 (list price $162.50)

AeraMax 100 Home Air Purifier for Allergies and Asthma with 4-Stage Purification for $99.99 (list price $119.99)

ScoopFree Self Cleaning Litter Box for $99.99 (list price $149.99)

Modern Circles Blue Area Rug 7′ 10″ X 10′ 2″ for $179.99 (list price $379.99)

Mattress America Revive Gel Memory Foam Mattress, 12″ H, Queen for $299.99 (list price $1,299.99)

Munchkin Secure Grip Bath Caddy for $15.21 (list price $21.99)

Black + Decker BDH2000L 20-Volt Max Lithium Ion Battery Cordless Hand Vacuum for $67.99 (list price $151.99)

Rubbermaid Commercial Slim Jim Receptacle with Venting Channels, Rectangular, Plastic, 23 Gallons, Beige (FG354060BEIG) for $29.99 (list price $71.80)

Hoover Vacuum Cleaner T-Series WindTunnel Pet Bagged Corded Upright Vacuum UH30310 for $99.89 (list price $169.99)

Shark Professional Steam Pocket Mop (S3601D) for $89.00 (list price $129.99)

Catit Design Senses Fountain with Water Softening Cartridge, 3L for $19.99 (list price $24.99)

Whynter RPD-411WG Energy Star Portable Dehumidifier, 40-Pint for $156.49 (list price $280.00)

Whitmor 5 Tier Acrylic Cosmetic and Accessory Organizer 6477-5512 for $67.99 (list price $149.99)

Antica Farmacista Home Ambiance Diffuser, No. 11, 500 ml. for $70.50 (list price $94.00)

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

GUND Pusheen Plush Coin Purse for $7.69 (list price $10.00)

USpicy MACARON 36W Nail Dryer UV Lamp/ Light For Acrylic, Gelish & Shellac Curing, Upgraded with Sliding Tray & Timer Setting, SPA Equipment + FREE USpicy Highly UV Protective Gloves for $27.99 (list price $79.99)

Aria Starr Beauty Dead Sea Mud Mask For Face, Acne, Oily Skin & Blackheads, 8.8oz for $14.95 (list price $58.95)

Philips Sonicare Essence Sonic Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush, White for $19.97 after on-screen coupon (list price $49.99)

BodyVerde Waterless Shaving Cream Dry Shave Gel, 8-Ounce for $10.12 (list price $14.99)

Escali 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush for $11.50 (list price $19.95)

Olay ProX Advanced Cleansing System with Facial Brush for $19.49 after on-screen coupon (list price $29.99)

HemingWeigh Complete Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set with Bonus Carry Bag (Black) for $23.99 (list price $49.99)

Schick Intuition Renewing Moisture Razor Blade Refills for Women with Pomegranate Extract – 6 Count for $16.29 (list price $27.99)

Pantene Pro-V Classic 2in1 Shampoo & Conditioner 33.8 Fl Oz for $7.43 (list price $9.49)

Cerave Sa Renewing Skin Lotion, 8 Ounce for $10.44 (list price $15.99)

Juice Beauty Oil-Free Moisturizer, 2 fl. oz. for $21.00 (list price $28.00)

Men’s Rogaine Foam, Three Month Supply for $39.49 (list price $50.13)

Nautica Blue Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 fluid ounce for $9.99 (list price $11.99)

Honest Amish Beard Balm Leave-in Conditioner – All Natural -Vegan Friendly Organic Oils and Butters – 2 ounce tin for $12.87 (list price $19.50)

L’Oreal Paris RevitaLift Anti Wrinkle + Firming Face/Neck Contour Cream for $7.39 (list price $17.99)

Maybelline New York Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer, Light 120, 0.2-fluid Ounce for $7.15 (list price $9.99)

Art Naturals Top 8 Essential Oils – 100% Pure Of The Highest Quality Essential Oils – Peppermint, Tee Tree, Rosemary, Orange, Lemongrass, Lavender, Eucalyptus, & Frankincense – Therapeutic Grade for $16.95 (list price $24.99)

TheraBreath Dentist Recommended Fresh Breath Oral Rinse – Mild Mint Flavor, 16 Ounce (Pack of 2) for $15.38 (list price $25.19)

Oral-B Complete Satin Floss Mint, 50m, Twin Pack for $3.86 (list price $4.62)

Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening Toothpaste, Alpine Breeze, 4-Ounce Tubes (Pack of 3) for $14.97 (list price $25.47)

Dove Beauty Bar, White 4 oz, 14 bar for $13.12 after on-screen coupon (list price $16.01)

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream, 7.3 oz for $10.50 (list price $11.69)

Meyers Lavender Liquid Hand Soap Refill(33 OZ) for $6.99 (list price $8.99)

Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Lotion, Lavender and Vanilla, 18 Fluid Ounce for $7.99 (list price $9.74)

Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White, Vibrant Mint Flavor Whitening Toothpaste – 4.1 Oz Ea, Twin pack for $4.95 after on-screen coupon (list price $8.51)

Philosophy Birthday Girl Gift Pack for $17.01 (list price $18.00)

Burt’s Bees Hand Repair Gift Set for $12.68 (list price $12.99)

BESTOPE Makeup Brushes Professional 10 Pieces Oval Makeup Brush Set for $13.99 (list price $39.99)

TONYMOLY Peach Anti Aging Hand Cream for $4.54 (list price $5.99)

Wahl Lithium Micro Groomsman Trimmer #5640-1001 for $9.99 (list price $16.99)

Gillette Fusion Manual Men’s Razor Blade Refills, 12 Count for $30.00 (list price $47.99)

VAV Professional Hair Straightener 1in 3D Floating Plate Ceramic Flat Iron 284℉-446℉ Auto Shut-Off US Plug, Rose Gold for $26.99 (list price $89.99)

Teddie Organics Rose Water Facial Toner, 2 fl. oz. for $11.97 (list price $15.99)

Gillette Venus Embrace Women’s Razor Blade Refills 4 Count for $16.04 (list price $20.49)

Cirepil Blue Wax, 14.11 Ounce Tin for $18.42 (list price $22.80)

OFFICE, SCHOOL, AND CRAFTS

Prismacolor Premier Pencils Adult Coloring Kit with Blender, Art Marker, Eraser, Sharpener & Booklet, 29 Piece for $26.99 (list price $34.99)

Lang Dreaming In Color Coloring Book by Lisa Kaus (1020102) for $7.99 after on-screen coupon (list price $14.99)

Evecase 11.6” ~ 12.5” Notebook Chromebook Laptop Ultrabook Suit Fabric Multi-functional Neoprene Messenger Case Tote Bag with Handle and Carrying shoulder Strap (Gray) for $17.99 (list price $39.99)

Avery Protect and Store View Binder with 1.5-Inch Slant Ring, Holds 8.5 x 11-Inch Paper, White, 1 Binder (23001) for $7.65 (list price $13.99)

PaperPro inPRESS 40 Reduced Effort 3-Hole Punch, 40 Sheets, Silver (2240) for $18.49 after on-screen coupon (list price $59.99)

Essentials by OFM Swivel Upholstered Armless Task Chair, Black/Chrome for $54.61 (list price $150.00)

Sharpie Permanent Markers, Chisel Tip, Assorted Colors, 8-Count for $4.99 (list price $12.57)

Prismacolor Premier Double-Ended Art Markers, Fine and Brush Tip, 12-Count for $20.99 (list price $77.76)

Scotch Desk Tape Dispenser, 1in. Core, Black for $1.99 (list price $3.97)

Mungyo Non Toxic Square Chalk, Soft Pastel, 64 Pack, Assorted Colors (B441R078-7003A) for $7.80 (list price $13.99)

Uni-Ball Uni-Ball Elite Rollerball Stick Pens, Micro Point, Black Ink, 12-Count for $14.45 (list price $38.49)

Paper Mate SharpWriter Mechanical Pencils, 0.7mm, HB #2, 36-Count for $7.89 (list price $18.14)

Mead Zipper Binder with Maximum Storage, 3 Ring Binder, 2 Inch, Green (72194) for $12.18 (list price $14.05)

Rolodex Wood Tones Collection Desk Organizer, Black (62537) for $13.39 (list price $22.99)

TOPS Second Nature Notebook, 8.5 x 11 Inch, Quadrille Ruled, Recycled, 80 Sheets, Assorted Colors (74112) for $5.08 (list price $7.17)

Uni-Ball KuruToga 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil Starter Set for $5.62 (list price $7.36)

Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Assorted Neon Colors, 5-Count for $5.77 (list price $11.75)

Scotch Box Sealing Tape Dispenser H180, 2 in for $16.00 (list price $25.50)

Sharpie Fine-Point Permanent Markers, 5-Pack Limited-Edition Colored Markers (30631) for $5.16 (list price $6.39)

Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens, Fine Point, Black, 12 Count for $18.69 (list price $22.28)

UBOXES Small Bubble Cushioning Wrap 60′ 3/16″, Bubble Roll 12″ Wide, Perforated Every 12″, BLUE for $9.99 (list price $12.95)

Tombow Mono Hybrid Correction Tape, 10-Pack for $9.18 after on-screen coupon (list price $26.99)

Verbatim 4.7GB up to 16x Branded Recordable Disc DVD+R 100-Disc Spindle FFP 97459 for $16.78 (list price $41.99)

Prismacolor Scholar Colored Pencils, 48-Count for $17.49 (list price $44.49)

Fiskars 8 Inch Non-stick Titanium Softgrip Scissors for $6.21 (list price $12.99)

Inkadinkado Embossing Powder Bundle for $17.58 (list price $29.99)

OUTDOORS, GARDEN, AND SPORTS

Cuisinart CGG-306 Chef’s Style Stainless Tabletop Grill for $144.94 (list price $199.99) 

Rubbermaid Commercial 9W27YEL BRUTE Heavy-Duty Rollout Waste/Utility Container, 50-gallon, Yellow for $77.99 (list price $199.00)

Boonie Bush Safari Outdoor Fishing Hat Sun Cap with Neck Flap (Digital Woodland Camo, L) for $7.99 (list price $29.99)

Coleman 30 Can Cooler, Green for $19.47 (list price $34.99)

Cap Barbell Workouts Coated Hex Dumbbell, Black, 10 lb for $9.49 (list price $20.00)

Starwood Sports Exercise Resistance Loop Bands – Set of 4 for $8.95 (list price $14.99)

Fuel Pureformance Adjustable Plyometrics Box for $74.99 (list price $99.99)

Uniden Bearcat 500 Channel Alpha Numeric Hand Held Radio Scanner with CTCSS and DCS (BC125AT) for $97.18 (list price $129.99)

AquaFusion Fruit Infuser Water Bottle – Eco-Friendly BPA-Free Tritan 24 Ounce Drinking Water Bottle – Best Infused Fruit Infusion Water Bottle for $7.99 (list price $29.99)

Shag Practice 96 Golf Ball Bag with Assorted Brands and Models – Used for $16.97 (list price $24.00)

K’NEX Education – Simple and Compound Machines Set for $38.39 (list price $59.99)

Hopkins 532 Mallory 26″ Snow Brush with Foam Grip (Colors may vary) for $7.98 (list price $15.99)

Pacific Play Tents Super Duper 4 Kids Tent for $32.98 (list price $61.99)

Tacklife Garden Hose Nozzle Host Spray Watering Nozzle Garden Spray for $9.99 (list price $29.99)

WESTERN 78055 Hickory Cooking Wood Chunks for $7.99 (list price $8.59)

Peltor Sport Tactical 100 Electronic Hearing Protector (TAC100) for $46.75 (list price $65.77)

Air Hogs – X-Stream Video Drone for $51.19 (list price $79.99)

GDEALER String Lights Copper Wire 50ft 150LED Starry Fairy String Lights Dimmable Rope Lights Remote Control Copper Wire (warm white)(1) for $12.99 (list price $28.99)

TINKERTOY 30 Model Super Building Set – 200 Pieces – For Ages 3+ Preschool Educational Toy for $38.34 (list price $49.99)

Radio Flyer Kid’s Ultimate EZ The Best Folding Wagon Ride On for $135.99 (list price $199.99)

Paw Patrol 12″ Bicycle for $69.99 (list price $89.99)

1byone 8 LEDs Weatherproof Solar Powered Outdoor LED Light, 3 Different Modes with Security Motion Sensor, Black for $11.99 (list price $21.99)

Black – 26oz Refresh2go Curve Water Filter Bottle with Grip for $6.49 (list price $7.99)

HemingWeigh 1/2-Inch Extra Thick High Density Exercise Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap (2 Pack Combo) for $29.99 (list price $79.99)

ELECTRONICS

All-New Echo Dot (2nd Generation) – Black + TP-Link Smart Plug for $69.99 (list price $79.98)

Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (Photoshop CC + Lightroom) [Prepaid Card] for $88.99 (list price $119.88)

All-New Echo Dot (2nd Generation) – Black + ecobee3 Smart Thermostat for $249.00 (list price $298.99)

Samson R21 Dynamic Vocal Microphone – 3-Pack with Case for $40.99 (list price $49.99)

AmazonBasics 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip 2-Pack, 200 Joule – Black for $9.37 (list price $11.49)

Mediasonic HomeWorx HDTV Antenna – 50 Mile Range High Performance Indoor HDTV Antenna for $14.99 (list price $29.99)

Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0 (STEA1000400) for $54.99 (list price $69.99)

Sabrent USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station with Stand for Tablets and Laptops supports Windows & Mac (DS-RICA) for $89.99 (list price $149.99)

Fire HD 6 Tablet, 6″ HD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB – Includes Special Offers, Black for $69.99 (list price $99.99)

Samsung Evo Plus mc128d 128gb Uhs-i Class 10 Micro SD Card with Adapter for $40.33 (list price $102.99)

Electrohome Archer Vinyl Record Player Classic Turntable Stereo System with Built-in Speakers, USB for MP3s, Headphone Jack, & AUX Input for Smartphones, Tablets, (EANOS300) for $101.96 (list price $119.99)

Roku 4 Streaming Media Player 4K UHD (4400R) for $105.50 (list price $129.99)

Sabrent 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs (HB-UMLS) for $6.49 (list price $12.99)

Bestten 6 Outlet Socket Wall Mount Surge Protector with Dual USB 3.1A Port Wall Charger for $14.99 (list price $31.99)

Sony BDPS3700 Streaming Blu-Ray Disc Player with Wi-Fi (2016 Model) for $64.88 (list price $119.99)

Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Micro Adapter (Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Raspberry Pi, Linux Compatible; Classic Bluetooth, and Stereo Headset Compatible) for $13.95 (list price $24.99)

Logitech RGB G910 Orion Spark Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $138.82 (list price $179.99)

Logitech G602 Gaming Wireless Mouse with 250 Hour Battery Life for $44.87 (list price $79.99)

Certified Refurbished Kindle Voyage E-reader with Special Offers, Wi-Fi for $119.99 (list price $169.00)

Ezapor Wireless Display Mini Projector GM60A WIFI 130 Inch Screen 800×480 1000 Lumen for $89.99 (list price $99.99)

Sylvania 9-Inch Swivel Screen Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with 5 Hour Built-In Rechargeable Battery, USB/SD Card Reader, AC/DC Adapter for $62.73 (list price $74.99)

DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker with HD Sound and Bass (Black) for $29.99 (list price $89.99)

Sony KDL40R510C 40-Inch 1080p Smart LED TV (2015 Model) for $298.00 (list price $449.99)

Sabrent Mini DisplayPort (Thunderbolt 2) to HDMI Adapter [4K Support Gold Plated] (DA-MDHA) for $8.99 (list price $19.99)

Certified Refurbished Amazon Fire TV Stick (Previous Generation – 1st) for $24.99 (list price $34.99)

TOOLS

Santa Monica, California might soon have some of the world’s most stringent energy-standards requirements for new home construction. As Curbed reports, an environmental measurement approved by the city council would require all new single-family homes to be net-zero, meaning the houses produce at least as much energy from renewable resources as they use each year.

These buildings are both highly efficient and feature renewable energy sources like wind power and solar panels. They’re typically highly insulated, make use of natural ventilation and shading techniques, and sometimes put appliances to work in multiple ways, such as using refrigerator exhaust to heat water.

The ordinance still has to be approved by the California Energy Commission, but the state has long had some of the tightest environmental standards in the country, and new building efficiency standards going into effect in 2017 require that all new construction of homes be net-zero by 2020, and new commercial construction achieve the same efficiency by 2030. 

“ZNE [or zero-net energy] construction, considered the gold standard for green buildings, is a major component that will help us reach our ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2050,” Santa Monica’s mayor, Tony Vazquez, said in a press statement.

It’s both an environmentally sustainable choice and an economically smart one. As the city’s chief sustainability officer, Dean Kubani, notes, “With the price of utility power continuing to rise, ZNE homeowners will avoid those escalating costs while benefiting from local renewable power for all of their energy needs.”

While no other city has such stringent requirements, California has already made progress on net-zero construction. Sacramento, for instance, has more net-zero buildings than any other place in the country. Though net-zero construction isn’t the norm yet, other cities will likely to move toward similar standards in the future.

[h/t Curbed]