Context Menus are the menus you see in your operating system when you right click on an object. Unless you’re a manly man and use a command line shell.

Windows XP has had the ability to encrypt files, it wasn’t too cumbersome but it wasn’t intuitive either.

Vista enables you to Encrypt or Decrypt files by simply clicking on the file or folder and choosing the option via the context menu. The curious thing is that to enable this faster access to the Encrypted File System requires a registry modification, so it’s not enabled in the context menus by default. Perhaps the file system or security folks just ran out of time during the development process to fully support this method?

In this pic you can clearly see the Encrypt option highlighted in the context menu when I right clicked on a folder on my desktop.

To enable it follow these instructions:

1. Launch the Registry Editor. Note: if you don’t know how to do this then you really shouldn’t be following these instructions because you’re not a computer geek, just stop and please for god’s sake don’t do it. Else you may hose yourself
2. Go to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
3. Create a new 32bit DWORD in that ‘Advanced’ key
4. Call this new DWORD EncryptionContextMenu
5. Change the value to 1
6. It’s already enabled now, go check it out for yourself by right clicking on a file or folder.

Omnimatter has posted a brilliant DIY article to use some commonly found items with radioactive properties to act as a poor man’s x-ray device.

Items you’ll need:

1. A Polaroid SX-70, Type 600, or Spectra camera
2. A package of unexposed Type 600 or Spectra Polaroid film
3. One metal cookie tin at least six inches in diameter
4. A few sheets/roll of aluminum foil
5. Radioactive material

[via Neatorama]

Found this gem of a hack via Geek with a Laptop.

This thing is so ghetto the electrical leads are simply taped to one another, the final contraption is held together with masking tape.

I love it.

 
Homemade Stun Gun Under $10 - The best video clips are right here

I found this hack over at the Firearm Blog (’Firearms, not politics’). The hack comes from a company called Stellar Rigs that sells conversion kits that supposedly turn your 1911 model or your Glock pistol into a carbine.

Sweet.

Make rules, especially when they bring us ideas on turning crap into gold. Today we have two interesting items, both made from old scanner parts.

This instructable details how to turn a scanner lamp assembly into a tres geeky desk lamp  - Link.

And this one turns your old scanner into a light table - Link

Pics of both: