rebecca's pocket

» This year, create brightly colored Easter eggs using cabbage, turmeric, beets for dye. It's easier than you think, and the results are stunning.  [ 04.02.10 ]

» Is this the tiniest library in the world?  [ 04.05.10 ]

» Why do we enjoy reading (and other narrative forms)? Psychologists and English professors are working together to explore how the brain processes literature - and why we enjoy it so much - or as one of them puts it, "mapping wonderland."  [ 04.08.10 ]

» Associated Press finally catches up with me! They asked two chefs and a magazine food editor to create one week of tasty menus within the monetary limits of a food stamp budget. One of the chefs was unable to stay within budget, and I don't think any of them actually prepared the meals - they just planned and budgeted them. If you want to see how we ate well for an entire month using organic ingredients (and enjoying a drink with dinner) on the same budget, you can read about my 30-day Organic Food Stamp Challenge. (via @kathrynyu)  [ 04.16.10 ]

»  In spite of child-development theorist Jean Piaget's assertion that children under 12 are not capable of abstract reasoning, some philosophers are using children's books to introduce children to the major philosophical concepts - and inspiring some very thoughtful discussions. Consider The Giving Tree:

Most of the young philosophers had no problem with the boy using the tree's shade. But they were divided on the apples, which the boy sold, the branches, which he used to build a house, and the trunk, which he carved into a boat. [...]

Some reasoned that even if the tree wanted the boy to have its apples and branches, there might be unforeseen consequences.

"If they take the tree's trunk, um, the tree's not going to live," said Nyasia.

Isaiah was among only a few pupils who said they would treat an inanimate object differently from a human friend.

"Say me and a rock was a friend," he said. "It would be different, because a rock can't move. And it can't look around."

This gave his classmates pause.

 [ 04.19.10 ]

» Want to avoid hip or knee replacement surgery? Here's how.  [ 04.26.10 ]

» You know you baby was born near-sighted, but do you ever wonder how your newborn, month-old, or 6-month old baby actually sees the world? Now you can see for yourself with Tiny Eyes.  [ 04.27.10 ]

» Publish or Perish is a particularly smart article on the state of the book publishing business and the effect the iPad and Kindle hope to have on the future of books. Chock full of things I didn't know, and thoughtful observations from those on all sides.  [ 04.28.10 ]

» In a perfect confluence of my interests, Merel Karhof has created the Wind Knitting Factory, in which a manual spool knitting machine, powered by the wind, creates knitted tubes that are periodically harvested as scarves. (thanks, jjg!)  [ 04.30.10 ]