Is it just me, or are they crooked?

Maybe Spock was involved?

In an earlier life I was a grease/tire monkey and Certified State Safety Inspector (a one-day class run by the state). I saw several to equal or exceed this one.

Can anyone recommend an alternative to Lifehacker?

The two boxes on upper right are the high voltage generator to run the x-ray tube. The output is probably in the range of 130-150,000 volts.