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An article on the Civilian Conservation Corps crossed my desk last week, so FDR‘s initiative was still fresh in my mind when I read that the Hoosier State is going to spend $21 million in youth stimulus funds on a similar program.
Like FDR’s Depression-era corps, the Young Hoosiers Conservation Corps will receive on-the-job training and career skills while making strides toward environmental beautification. Indiana governor Mitch Daniels stated, “Our template for stimulus funds is jobs, speed and lasting value. This program puts young people to work, does it quickly, and adds the best kind of enduring legacy in the enhanced natural beauty of Indiana.”
You Asked: Why don’t we have a universal currency? — Ian, Markham, Canada Marshall Answered: It is quite true that the world lacks a single currency. Instead there are dozens of national or regional currencies such as the U.S. dollar, the British pound, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, the Chinese Yuan, the Indian Rupee, the [...]
Top Gear takes a crack at the ultimate subjective question – what is the best supercar? Here’s their answer, as they compare the Ferrari F430, the Pagani Zonda and the Ford GT: – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 See also “Budget Supercars”: – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 Here [...]
Has anyone ever told you this? Have you ever said these words to someone else? Well if you have and if you were being honest, then you may be what’s known as a “super-recognizer.” Apparently, just as there are people who suffer from face blindness, the opposite can take place.
Researchers from Harvard Vision Science Laboratories have established for the first time that some people are more skilled than others at remembering faces. Researcher Dr. Richard Russell posits that super-recognizers actually see faces differently than your average unobservant schlub. They can recognize the face of someone they met only in passing years after the encounter, completely out of context.
With every Pixar movie, I have a “how’d they do that?” moment. For “A Bug’s Life,” it was the blades of grass. “Finding Nemo?” The water. “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Incredibles”? Hair. It’s animating the little details that seems so cool to me, perhaps because I can’t imagine taking the time to manage it.
I am, admittedly, a terrible packer. On my last trip to Baltimore, I jammed a veritable wardrobe into my bag for the 3-day jaunt. Come rain or shine, I would be prepared for anything the Beltway weather gods threw my way. But when I got to the airport, I quickly realized that I’d have to pay for my pitiful packing skills.
Airlines have become stingier with baggage allowances, with many charging for all checked luggage. To tighten your travel budget, reconsider your packing strategy to get all of your essentials in a carry-on.
You Asked: Is turning fluorescent lights off more cost effective than leaving them on? — Vaughn, Bellefonte, Pa. Marshall Answered: From a cost perspective, you want any light bulb to be off as much as possible. When it is off, a light bulb costs you nothing. The problem with any incandescent or fluorescent light bulb [...]
You may have never heard of COBRA before. But if you lose your U.S. job in the current recession, and especially if you have a family at that moment, COBRA becomes incredibly important. COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It is a way to keep your health insurance going at your former [...]
You Asked: Can you really go blind from sitting too close to the TV? — Myndi, Painted Post, N.Y. Marshall Answered: It is possible to go blind by staring at the sun, as described in these two posts: 1) What happens when we stare at the sun? 2) Why doesn’t it hurt to look at the [...]
Scientists have proven that spontaneous combustion, or burning without an external ignition source, can occur in some objects. But what about human beings? Tune in and learn more about spontaneous human combustion in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
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The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
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Keep Asking
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- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
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Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
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Stuff to Blow Your Mind
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- Space Music: Jay-Z and Beyoncé to Film Music Video in Orbit
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
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The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
- Tips for in-car Navigation Systems
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How-to Stuff
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
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PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 36: Now Available in 3-D
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 35: Let’s do brunch!
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 34: Play it again, Sam
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
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- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
