Man Successfully Registers Potato as Silencer

“TATE001” — That’s the official serial number of what appears to be the first legally registered 9mm potato silencer. It’s registered with the ATF under the name Zach Clark, who said he pulled off the feat as an act of defiance against the National Firearms Act (NFA). The spud suppressor may be the most remarkable result of the NFA tax cut enacted at the beginning of the year as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which made the cost of registering suppressors $0. The lower cost of compliance, combined with a recently-digitized process, has made new kinds of suppressors — including potatoes — more viable than before. While the NFA requires registration of all sound-suppressing devices that attach to a gun barrel to be registered with the ATF, it provides a process for people to register their own homemade designs. In the same way that somebody buying a suppressor from a store would have to fill out an NFA registration form and get the ATF to approve it before taking possession of the device, a home builder has to submit their intent to build one and get approval before actually constructing the device. Clark went through that process with his potato suppressor design. He said he made sure to keep potatoes out of his house while he waited to hear back from the ATF. Some lawmakers have warned in the past that the ATF’s interpretation of what constitutes a silencer is overly broad and could include potatoes. In 2022, Republican Congressman Daniel Webster warned, “Anyone with a potato in their home could be committing a felony.” In the end, Clark framed his potato silencer as a form of activism that uses levity to spotlight what he views as a serious problem with the NFA. “Trying to have fun while taking on the government is the best way to do it,” he said.

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If You Make This Common Mistake When Shoveling, You Could Get Fined Up to $500 Each Time

Believe it or not, there’s a right way to shovel snow, and if you’re not doing it, you could land in hot water this winter. Shoveling snow is a task most people approach on autopilot. You clear what needs clearing, push the snow aside, and call it a job well done. As long as the sidewalk is clear, we don’t worry about our shoveling coming back to haunt us. There’s just one problem: you can cross a line you didn’t even know existed. Where you move the snow matters. If you shovel it into the street, your town or city can issue a citation — and in places with strict ordinances, they do. There’s another risk many people don’t consider: civil liability. Pushing snow onto a neighbor’s property without permission can be considered trespassing, especially if you step onto their property. If your neighbor slips and falls on snow you put there, you could be held financially responsible. Local snow ordinances vary widely, but they’re far from rare. Cities and towns where winter weather is routine have rules that prohibit dumping snow into the streets, on sidewalks, and on other public rights-of-way. It typically starts with warnings, but fines can escalate quickly. In New York City, for example, failing to properly clear snow and ice from sidewalks can result in fines of $100 to $150 for a first offense, increasing to $350 or more if the violation continues. The basic rule of thumb is simple: Keep it on your property. If you simply have too much snow — a common situation after a heavy storm — consider professional snow removal or coordinate with neighbors to alternate shoveling duties.

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You Can Now Pay $1 Million to Reserve a Hotel Stay on the Moon

A California startup is giving would-be space travelers the chance to reserve their vacation on the moon in advance……..but it’ll cost them a pretty penny. It’s been 53 years since humans last set foot on the moon, with another crew set to launch in early 2026. While space colonization is still widely considered a science-fiction pipe dream, Galactic Resource Utilization Space (GRU Space) is getting ahead of the game in the hopes of being the first to make a profit. The tech startup hopes to build habitable dwellings on the surface of the moon. Their multi-phase plan includes testing inflatable structures in 2031, and eventually making hotels by 2032. According to their plan, these hotels would be built on earth and delivered by a heavy lander. Each module would be able to accommodate up to four people. Those interested in being one of the first humans to vacation on the moon will have to be rich enough to reserve their spot. GRU is taking minimal deposits of $250,000 up to $1 million, depending on which experience they choose. While full pricing has yet to be decided on, GRU says it could exceed $10 million. It’s not enough to hand over the cash, though; prospective astronauts will also have to submit an application. Once chosen, they will enter a private by-invitation-only auction tied to specific mission roles and lunar stays. Eventually, GRU Space hopes to create larger modular inflatable structures from lunar material that will attach together to form 10-person modules.

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UK Man’s Side Hustle Scooping Poop Earns Him $32,000 a Year

Kyle Newby is turning doo-doo into dough by picking up dog poop, a side hustle he estimates nets him over $32,000 a year. The 39-year-old construction worker from Derbyshire, UK, said he was inspired to start the business — Pet Poo Pick — after noticing on social media that the job was quite popular in the United States. He decided to post an ad on Facebook, and before long the clients were rolling in. Now he has a base of 35 regular customers. Newby, who charges $40 for the initial visit and $20 a week afterward, said he does an average of 15 jobs on Wednesday and 20 on Saturday. As a result, he estimates he earns about $2,680 a week moonlighting as a pooper scooper, which equates to nearly $60 an hour. He says he can earn more picking up poop than he can at a 10-hour shift at his construction job. He estimates it takes 10-15 minutes per yard. After shoveling the mutt manure, he inspects the area to ensure that there’s no trace left. Newby says he has received comments from people on social media, claiming that people are just too lazy to clean up after their own pets. However, Newby estimates that over half of his consumer base are just too old to be “on-doody.” Newby currently works around 12 hours a week, but hopes to make his business full-time in the future.

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