Spotlight: Unusual Shredders

There are enough cautionary tales of ID theft out there. If you don't already shred your mail, perhaps the case of David Dahlstrom, a Utah locksmith whose good name was stolen in 1990, will convince you to do so. The New York Times reports today that the drifter German immigrant who stole Dahlstrom's identity was charged this week with 81 counts of identity fraud, hopefully marking an end to the unfortunate Utahan's 17-year nightmare.

If you're now thinking of buying a paper shredder, and you happen to own a hamster, check out this rodent-powered shredder designed by Tom Ballhatchet (no joke) which will keep your identity safe without increasing your electrical bill (via Cherryflava).

Hilarious addendum: LA Weeklyvisits a "hamster ball derby":

"If the aficionados online are to be believed, it would take 1,000 hamsters running at top speed to generate enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb."

Guess a shredder uses a lot less energy, huh?

Photo: Getty Images