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Why We Spend, Why They Save
"Although it would be helpful if affluent households spent more, we shouldn’t be calling upon a struggling majority to do so. In the long run, the health of the economy depends on the financial stability of our households. What might we learn from societies that promote a more balanced approach to saving and spending? Few Americans appreciate that the prosperous economies of western and northern Europe are among the world’s greatest savers."
Children of the Hyphens, the Next Generation
"By the mid-1970s more women were keeping their maiden names, so hyphenating the names of the children seemed like the next logical raspberry to blow at the patriarchy, a stand against the family’s historical swallowing up of women’s identity ... The problem, of course, is that this naming practice is unsustainable."
Fruit labels dissolve into organic soap
Seems like a cool idea to me. A few questions I'm interested in though: (1) how expensive are these? (2) how long to they take to dissolve? (3) Do they leave any soapy residue if you don't wash them long enough?
Why We Lie About Using Food Thermometers
"Non-thermometer users are probably following cookbook directions like "when the juice runs clear," which Chapman and other food-safety experts say is a myth. So is using color change to gauge whether meat is cooked." - personally I dig out a thermometer when roasting large amounts of meat but otherwise don't bother. I've also heard a fair bit from cooks that temps are a bit overly-conservative...