Gleanings of the Week Ending November 9, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Cool Plants for Kids: 8 that Explode, Eat Bugs, or Stick to You -  Cool plants for more than just kids: puffballs, jewelweed, beaked hazelnut, pitcher plants (below), sundew, burdock, beggarticks, Norway maples.

London’s Wasted Heat - It’s intriguing to realize that there are places in London - and probably most cities - where heat could be used rather than vented. The trend should be toward ‘less waste’ and this is certainly one area that could be worth pursuing.

US Preterm Birth Rate Drops to 15-Year Low - But the US still gets a ‘C’ grade when it comes to preterm birth rates. It’s very sad for the individual children fighting to overcome the impact of preterm birth and preterm births cost about 12 times more than an uncomplicated healthy birth. For the report card for each state - see the March of Dimes site.

Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week #51 - I always like the collections of bird photographs. My favorite in this batch is the common kingfisher with outspread wings….but I also enjoyed how many of the birds in this set were finding something to eat.

Norwegian Vikings Purchased Silk from Persia - Trade has been going on for a long time….sometimes longer than our ‘history’ has realized.

9 ways mushrooms could drastically improve the world - From a TED talk by Mohamed Hijri

Breathtaking Autumn Colors Viewed Atop Oberg Mountain - These image from Minnesota were posted in early October….I just got around to taking a look at them.

Saharan Star Dunes - These dunes are formed when the wind changes directions…swirling.

US Cities In Which The Fewest People Drive To Work - Biking…walking…mass transit - is it a surprise that New York, Washington DC, Boston and San Francisco are at the top of the list?

Gartner's dark vision for tech, jobs - The upcoming wave of machines replacing people now is entering into Gartner’s projections….it is within the near term rather than outside the span of our lifetimes. 

Gleanings of the Week Ending October 12, 2013

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Massive Growth of Electric Cars in US, + Who Drives Electric Cars - Infographic

21 Glorious Photos of Double Rainbows around the World - Any rainbow is special….but double ones are rare enough to be extra special

First Ever Global Index to Measure Wellbeing of Older People - Uses measures of income security, health status, employment and education, and enabling environment. For more details, the Global AgeWatch Index is here.

These Breathtaking Cliffside Walkways Will Give You Vertigo - I don’ want to go to any of these places…this pictures are enough!

Nut-and-Seed Energy Balls - I’m going to make the goodies this weekend.

12 Fantastic Photos of Fall Trees Exploding with Color - I like to think of fall colors as the last hurrah before winter. It is a visual feast.

Save Energy & Save Money Using The Sun Intelligently in These 10 Ways - How many of these are you already using?

Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week #48 - I always enjoy a series of bird pictures. I like the blue and gold macaw in this set.

Ancient Printing Rituals Form Intricate Sand Patterns - This looks more fun than sandcastles!

Top Travel Trends - From Richard Watson