Bike Lane Blocking, An Angry Rant and Something You Can Do

...xy and often politically unpalatable work of installing bus only lanes and making the city more pedestrian and bike friendly, seems to think that the future lies in a techno-optimist future of flying cars and private tubes as peddled by Elon Musk. Instead of improvements we could have right now (all a bus lane takes is a line of paint) we’re waiting for a future that will never come. I’ve held off writing this post for years but I can’t stay silen...

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Urban Homestead Trademarks Cancelled!

...es that helped publicize Coyne and Knutzen’s book, as well as the Facebook page of a Denver farmer’s market. In 2011, EFF and Winston & Strawn petitioned the USPTO on behalf of Coyne, Knutzen, and book publisher Process Media, asking for the trademarks’ cancellation. “The words and phrases we use every day to describe basic activities should never be the exclusive property of a single person or business,” said EFF Legal Director Corynne McSherry....

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There Will Be Kraut Part II–Full Day Hands-On Fermentation Workshop at the Greystone Mansion

...ludes lunch, snacks and a take-home fermentation jar) Saturday, April 27th, 10 ~ 4pm | Greystone Mansion Vintage Kitchen (Beverly Hills) Sign up here. Our full-day fest of all things fermented continues in spades by diving into a hands-on sauerkraut making session. You’ll make your own batch of sauerkraut and go home with a custom glass fermenting jar (included for each participant). We’ll move on to a traditional Korean kimchi recipe using easy t...

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What’s the Best Solar Food Dryer?

...s. Which design works best? Dennis Scanlin, Coordinator of the Appropriate Technology Program and Professor of Technology at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina has been studying solar food dryer technology for decades. According to Scanlin, indirect drying is the way to go. Scanlin tested three dryers, the Appalachian Solar Food Dryer (an indirect dryer that he invented) against a direct dryer developed by the Brace Research Ins...

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A viewing suggestion from the media arm of Root Simple

...d a foot operated pole lathe. The foot operated lathe was in use for nearly 1000 years, but now is almost extinct. It’s a wonderful piece of technology. Robin makes it look simple, but I’m sure it takes mad skills to use. And that’s just the first episode. Ale and cheese, blast furnaces and sheep shearing to follow! One last take away: Because my undergraduate degree is in art history, one thing that really struck me was how much everyone in this...

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