BLOGEMONIUM

Scotland Bans Sticky Traps

Scotland has banned all sticky traps, with animal rights organizations welcoming the move to outlaw the inhumane devices. The traps — which are typically trays coated with a sticky adhesive — don’t immediately kill an animal. Consequently, those stuck in them can suffer severe and often fatal injuries. Although usually used to ensnare rodents and animals classed as vermin, the devices can’t distinguish between target and non-target creatures. The Scottish SPCA said as animals struggle to free themselves from the strong adhesive, they rip out feathers, patches of fur, and break bones. The animal welfare charity said that many die from their injuries, or succumb slowly to dehydration, hunger and exposure. The sticky trap ban took effect July 1 and is now a criminal offense. Offenders face a fine of up to £40,000 ($53,616) or up to 12 months in prison.

The Museum of Endangered Sounds

If you miss the sound of the old AOL Instant Messenger or the sound of an old-fashioned cash register ringing, you can hear those sounds anytime you want. The Museum of Endangered Sounds is an online digital archive launched in January 2012 to preserve the iconic, nostalgic noises of obsolete technology and retro electronics. Created by Brendan Chilcutt, the website serves as an interactive soundboard where users can click on vintage hardware icons to trigger distinct audio clips. The goal of the project is to keep these textural and mechanical noises alive as modern electronics transition entirely to silent, sleek touch interfaces.

Why the Air Force Suddenly Revoked 135 Sergeant Promotions

On July 7, 2026, the Air Force announced that an outdated scoring key had incorrectly identified 135 Security Forces Airmen for promotion. The service has since rescinded those promotions and replaced them with 135 other Airmen whose corrected scores qualified them instead. The outdated key contained 27 incorrect answer mappings that significantly changed many test scores. Air force enlisted promotions are competitive, with eligible staff sergeants competing only against others within their Air Force Speciality Code. Promotion opportunities are limited by quotas based on personnel needs, so even relatively small score changes can dramatically alter who makes the cutoff. For the 2026 cycle, more than 2,000 Security Forces Airmen competed for 586 available promotion slots. The Air Force specifically addressed speculation about artificial intelligence, stating that no AI tools or products were involved in the mistake. Instead, officials said the problem resulted from human error during the test-scoring process, when an outdated scoring key was used instead of the current version. The Air Force says several safeguards are now being implemented to reduce the risk of similar mistakes.

One of the Most Beautiful Cars in the World Could Fetch $6 Million at Auction

Since the very first Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance back in 1950, just 74 cars have taken home the coveted Best of Show award. One of the victors is this exquisite 1937 Delage D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupe. For Best in Show winners to come on the open market is almost unheard of, but this streamline-bodied coupe will be one of the stars at Sotheby’s auction to be held at the Monterey Conference Center in Northern California from August 13-15. According to the Sotheby’s research team, Louis Delâge had planned to showcase the car at the 1937 Paris Salon, but by the time the car was finished, applications had closed. Undaunted, Delâge simply drove it to the show’s Grand Palais venue and parked it outside the entrance for all to behold. The car would go on to be Louis Delâge’s daily vehicle.