Below is the graphic representation of an online poll where people give the common name. Study began several years ago.
Links about the study are BoingBoing: Map of words used for “carbonated beverage” in USA, by county and Gadling: Soda, Pop, or Coke?Generic Names for Soft Drinks by County
Image from BoingBoing
Make Magazine: HOW TO – Tie the 10 most useful knots
Here’s a guide on how to tie 10 useful knots including —
How to Tie the 10 Most Useful Knots [via] Link.
MAKE reader Bill notes that you should really check out Animated knots too – Link.
BusinessWeek: Biz Tumbling All The Way To The Bank. Selling tumbleweeds over the web. Prices? $35 for a large weed, $25 for a mid-sized, $20 for a small size.
Editor & Publisher: At NAA Conference, Macy’s Exec Tells Papers How to Win Back Business
Highlights of a talk by Anne MacDonal, chief marketing officer at Macy’s:
Her company is very “concerned” about the declining readership and circulation at many newspapers throughout the country. “My company and I are not happy to see newspapers in decline. Newspapers deliver an immediacy that isn’t possible … newspapers help us cast a wider net than direct mail efforts,” she said.
But the inability of newspapers to hold on to current readers and attract younger ones is causing the giant department store to look at different media to reach them. “The readership and circulation data is causing retailers like us to shift our ad dollars,” MacDonald said.
From Make Magizine
Wind power from highways
Here’s an interesting idea, use the wind generated from cars on highways to power turbines, Joe writes –
The highway system that dissects Phoenix is expansive. While connecting 515 square miles of the Sonoran desert to support our sprawling culture, the valley freeways divide communities. My catalyst proposes to retroactively collect royalties on the land taken from social interaction. The design is a retrofitting replacement of the horizontal steel tube that currently holds freeway signage. The replacement will house two horizontal axis wind turbines (Quiet Revolution designs) that will be powered by the turbulence created from the passing cars.
WSJ: Circulation Falls at Many Papers — Most U.S. newspapers continued to post circulation declines, reflecting the industry’s battle to hold onto readers migrating to the Internet and other media.
From Make Magazine — News from the future: Flying wind farms – Harvesting energy in the sky
Economist magazine has a possible solution to using land for power generating windmills… Put them in the sky!
IF IT ever seems windy where you live, be thankful you do not live 10km up in the air. At that height, the jet-stream winds blow stronger and more constantly than ground level winds, carrying up to a hundred times more energy.
So, just as oil companies are drilling deeper and in more remote locations in search of new reserves, pioneer wind-power engineers are looking higher in the sky for new sources of energy. Conventional turbines will not take them there–the highest to date is just over 200 metres tall. So they are trying to invent a whole new technology for harvesting wind: electricity generators that fly.
One of the most ambitious ideas has been developed by Sky WindPower, a company based in San Diego and led by Dave Shepard. Mr Shepard began his career cracking Japanese military codes during the Second World War, then developed machines for reading written text. His work led to the squared-off numbers still seen on bank cards today.
Popular Mechanics just posted up a good instructable on joinery basics, lots of photos and step-by-steps…
The best way to hold together a high-end woodworking projects, whether you’re building a timber-frame home, putting together a trestle table or making a step stool, is with a bit of glue and hand cut joints.
It is easier to use mechanical fasteners, like nails and screws, but to add that look of first-class work, with smooth, metal free visible areas, nothing will do the job like a direct joint between parts, bonded with glue. Of course, the type of joint you need depends on a variety of factors, like the nature of the materials, the function of the joint, strength and appearance, available equipment, and your own level of skill. Joinery may be intimidating to the beginner, but, like any other building skill, all it takes is a bit of practice.
Here we dissect the workings of two primary joints, the edge joint and the mortise and tenon. WIth these joints, you can build a wide array of furniture and tackle a number of woodworking projects without having to rely on unsightly (although time-saving) nails and screws.
instructables : Joinery Basics – Link.
Christian Science Monitor: Going native with plants: A new-old direction for water conservation — Different species of native plants can help communities tackle issues with too much or too little water.
There is currently a 4-hour workshop about naturescaping in Charlotte and a Landscaping with native plants info.
