Daily Archives: January 19, 2009

Upon her first visit to my less-than swinging bachelor pad, the woman who was to become my wife was most impressed by (in addition to the absence of dirty socks on my carpet) the lush green houseplants posed in leafy contrapposto beneath windows facing Park Avenue South. For folks interested in potted aphrodisiacs or simply peeps with a bum green thumb, a new gizmo debuting at the Consumer Electronics Show may be just the thing for you — or should we say just the thing for the loving plants in your life. Easy Bloom’s plant sensor device can tell you what will grow

Image: Newly discovered species of “corpse plant” (WWF)

Previously unknown species in a relatively undisturbed bioregion of the Mekong River in northeastern Cambodia have been uncovered by a recent study – 24 in total, including a so-called “corpse plant” (Amorphophallus sp.) which secretes a smell similar to decaying flesh (biodiversity never smelled so good).

Other heartening news included the rediscovery of another species, such as Cantor’s Giant softshell turtle (image of this cool turtle after the jump), believed to be extinct in Cambodia since 2003.

The <a href=”http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/new

In her book Bottlemania, Elizabeth Royte quoted a Pepsico marketing VP in 2000 talking about water: “when we are done, tap water will be relegated to showers and washing dishes.” About four years later, universities started looking at banning bottled water from campuses. By 2007, cities like San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto were considering it.

Now in 2009, practitioners of the dismal science get around to addressing the issue. Upon being informed that a campus is considering a ban, Daniel Hamermesh of the New York Times<a href=”http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/19

Gerbera daisies and mini Gerbera daisies. Photo via flowerbud.com.

A number of years ago, NASA began to look into the air purifying properties of plants (PDF). Specifically, they were trying to find out if plants could be used to clean the air in orbiting space stations. The findings–helpful for both their purposes and ours–proved common indoor air pollutants (culprits called Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs

Gerbera daisies and mini Gerbera daisies. Photo via flowerbud.com.

A number of years ago, NASA began to look into the air purifying properties of plants (PDF). Specifically, they were trying to find out if plants could be used to clean the air in orbiting space stations. The findings–helpful for both their purposes and ours–proved common indoor air pollutants (culprits called Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs

The Huichol are reputed to be the last native tribe in North America to have maintained their pre-Columbian traditions. The population of 15,000-26,000 lives in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico where they struggle with the common problem of maintaining a traditional way of life in the face of a globalizing culture. Luckily the Huichol have found a sweet way to help preserve their artistic and religious traditions.

The Huichol are reputed to be the last native tribe in North America to have maintained their pre-Columbian traditions. The population of 15,000-26,000 lives in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico where they struggle with the common problem of maintaining a traditional way of life in the face of a globalizing culture. Luckily the Huichol have found a sweet way to help preserve their artistic and religious traditions.

watch Boehner on <a href=”“>PBS Newshour here

We already know what the Minority House Leader John Boehner thinks of bikes and beautification; now we learn what he thinks of efficiency and weatherization. On PBS Newshour he singles out a few things he doesn’t like in the infrastructure investments:

if you look at the over $500 billion worth of spending, a lot of it’s going to

Image source: The Mouse Works

Cinderella’s little furry worker friends have nothing on these guys. The Mouse Works owner Ryan Williamson hand-makes all of the hats from recycled Polartec fleece from area clothing factories, making hats for people and pets alike. Growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, Williamson learned the value of self-sufficiency and began sewing when he was 14. This

Image source: The Mouse Works

Cinderella’s little furry worker friends have nothing on these guys. The Mouse Works owner Ryan Williamson hand-makes all of the hats from recycled Polartec fleece from area clothing factories, making hats for people and pets alike. Growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, Williamson learned the value of self-sufficiency and began sewing when he was 14. This