Friday, October 25, 2013

Batch of links

- Did I really never get around to posting this? Austin, TX (where else?) has a packaging-free grocery store called in.gredients. While they do provide reusable and compostable containers, they encourage customers to bring their own containers to buy food in bulk. I like the concept, though I admit it would take a lot of adjustment. Judging by some reactions, this is a nightmare for germaphobes and people with food allergies, but a near-utopia for the more granola-types. I don’t think that you’d need to schlep glass jars to the store, though; probably investing in some bags like the kootsac would make more sense. (The Engineer and I already have reusable bags for our produce and canvas bags to lug everything home.)

- Chocolate may lower blood pressure and help keep people slim, plus it contains more iron than beef. Is there anything it can’t do?

- California Pizza Kitchen has gluten-free pizza dough that’s safe for celiac sufferers. For real, this time!

- Why do we eat popcorn at the movies? (Incidentally, the Engineer is officially boycotting movie popcorn, because of the ridiculous markups. I have trouble justifying it myself, although nothing beats fresh movie popcorn…)

- Why adding cold cream to coffee keeps it hotter longer. Part of it is the same reason that hot water freezes faster than cold, but there’s more to it than that.

- How cherries are shaken off the tree (a short video).

- How to make a cucumber move like a snake. I actually like this for the mad knife skills!

- Remember the pre-smoke alarm that wasn’t being made anymore? Someone else picked up the concept!

- Satellite images of factory farms.

- Which state matches your personality? Apparently, I belong in New Mexico.

- A very telling article about job discrimination in the workplace.

- Have you ever wondered why mosquitoes love some people more?

- There’s a rare disease that could actually explain spontaneous human combustion.

- The hidden toll of children and guns. This article made me unbelievably sad. And also a little more aware that, living in Texas, I might have to ask other kids’ parents about the guns in their home before I allow the Little Prince to go over and play…

- 16 practical uses for really creepy dolls.

- 10 crazy food Vines that you need to see and 10 food Vines that are actually helpful.

- And 24 awesome Vines that are not food-related, but some are hilarious. Numbers 5, 8 and 10 are my favorites!

- What a fairytale wedding would actually entail… Very thorough!

- And finally, Phonebloks is exactly the smartphone I want! Let’s hope enough people feel the same on October 29th…

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