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Smartphone App Finds Empty Parking Spaces for Drivers

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A smartphone app gives information about open parking spots.

The most agonizing everyday experience the urban driver must face?  The search for an empty parking place.

It is part sleuthing and part blood sport. Circling, narrowly missing a spot, outmaneuvering other motorists to finally ease into a space only to discover that it is off limits during working hours.

 

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For The High-Tech Naturalist: LeafSnap Identifies Leaves Using Your iPhone’s Camera

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Leaf identification in a snap!

This is just plain fantastic. The LeafSnapapp for iPhone identifies any leaf you take a picture of, as long as it’s in their library. Right now it’s limited to trees native to the Northeastern US, but they’re working on expanding that. The best part is it’s free! Hopefully this will get me to finally learn the names of the trees around here. All I know is “pine” if it has pine cones and “not pine” if it doesn’t.

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Sugar Sues High Fructose Corn Syrup

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Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup The Same Thing? No? It’s about the lesser of two evils, isn’t it?
But when push comes to shove, how different is sugar from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

The Western Sugar Cooperative is claiming that the two are in fact very different. It recently filed suit against sugar refiners for misleading consumers in calling HFCS corn sugar, according to the Des Moines Register and as discussed on Food Politics. “The lawsuit names as defendants Archer Daniels Midland Co., Cargill Inc., and other major corn syrup processors as well as the Corn Refiners Association.”

So, is it fair to call HFCS sugar? Not according to the Western Sugar Cooperative…

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Fantastic Ways To Recycle Tires

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A pair of woman’s shorts, made predominantly from tyres by – unsurprisingly given the logo – Michelin.

Each year – and this is in Britain alone – they apparently throw away approximately 500’000 tonnes of tyres; as such, and due in part to their incredible durability, the disposal of disused tyres is seen as one of the largest waste problems in the world. Below are several examples of tire recycling that really capture the imagination, and serve to remind us that the trusty tyre is actually an incredibly versatile object that can, with a little imagination, be transformed into a wide range of different products…

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It’s the Comedian, Not the Joke, That Makes People Laugh

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‘It’s the way I tell ’em’

Do you ever wonder why repeating a famous joke never gets the same laughs? It is not how you tell them but who tells them that matters, a study has shown.  Researchers have found that how funny people perceive a gag to be depends on the person who is telling it, not the quality of the material.

The 11 Most Walkable Cities in the U.S.

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Just a walkin’.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has release its list of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the US, with 11 getting rankings from Platinum to Bronze and 8 more getting ‘honorable mentions’. Only one city received the highest honor. Find out which one below…

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Hybrid Motoryacht Design Powered By Diesel And Electric Jet Skis

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A hybrid boat?

Hybrid cars have been around for a while, but one German grad student is taking the concept to the water. A new hybrid propulsion motorboat designed by Stefanie Behringer, would reduce drag thanks to its three-hull, or trimaran, form.

A jet ski attaches to either side of the main hull, helping stabilize the boat. While the jet skis are electric-powered, the 49-foot long watercraft is also powered by two diesel engines that use Audi’s turbo-charged injection technology. Audi’s Concept Design team in Munich worked with Behringer on the project…

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.