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What happens to old subway cars? Well, in some parts of the world they may end up offshore as part of a reef.

Left your bike left in the wrong place at the wrong time in Amsterdam? Could be that you can find it at the FietsDepot – but good luck with that! There are zillions lined up there in row upon row.

There are train boneyards in Bolivia, tank and military truck graveyards in Eritrea.

Tollbooths, space junk, it all ends up somewhere.

Check out this article for pictures and descriptions of where things go…: Mental Floss.

More stories about oddities.

Photo credit: Taken from The Atlantic, Artificial Reefs Around the World, April 8 2011 (URL: http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/04/artificial-reefs-around-the-world/100042/) AP Photo/Roberto Borea

Mental Floss has accumulated a list of 38 words that have no equivalent word in English and top of the list is Kummerspeck (German), which means emotional over-eating but is literally translated as “grief bacon”.

Here are a few others. For the complete list, see the link to the article, below.

Cavoli Riscaldati (Italian)
The result of attempting to revive an unworkable relationship. Translates to “reheated cabbage.”

Zeg (Georgian)
It means “the day after tomorrow.” OK, we do have “overmorrow” in English, but when was the last time someone used that?

Seigneur-terraces (French)
Coffee shop dwellers who sit at tables a long time but spend little money.

Layogenic (Tagalog)
Remember in Clueless when Cher describes someone as “a full-on Monet…from far away, it’s OK, but up close it’s a big old mess”? That’s exactly what this word means.

Pelinti (Buli, Ghana)
Your friend bites into a piece of piping hot pizza, then opens his mouth and sort of tilts his head around while making an “aaaarrrahh” noise. The Ghanaians have a word for that. More specifically, it means “to move hot food around in your mouth.”

Read the full text here: Mental Floss.

More stories about linguistics.

Photo credit: Photo of a Latin Dictionary – WikiCommons

A new algorithm outlines factors doctors should consider when deciding whether or not a patient would benefit from a daily dose of aspirin.

Approximately 50 million people in the United States take a daily aspirin to treat or prevent heart disease. Of these, at least half take more than 100 milligrams of the drug—more than one baby aspirin—a day. Although aspirin has been widely used in cardiovascular medicine over the past 20 to 30 years, a review of research papers suggests that the widely used over-the-counter medicine does not benefit everyone to the same degree.

“In this paper we highlight gaps in knowledge where we don’t fully know if aspirin should be used or not,” says Anthony A. Bavry of the University of Florida.

Full story at Futurity.

More research news from top universities.

Photo credit: pasukaru7/Flickr

Osteoarthritis, a painful disease thought to be primarily a problem with the cartilage that cushions joints, may actually be caused in large part by the bone underneath.

The insight led to a proof-of-concept experiment in which researchers found they could stop progression of the degenerative disease by blocking the action of a critical protein involved in bone regulation. Should that strategy prove sound in further studies, it could help future patients avoid joint replacement surgery.

“Our results are potentially really good news for patients with OA,” says lead researcher Xu Cao, director of musculoskeletal research and professor of orthopedic surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Full story and additional image at Futurity.

More research news from top universities.

Photo credit: Perfect Zero/Flickr

A new implant system correctly predicted epilepsy seizures with a high warning, 65 percent of the time. For eight of the 11 patients, seizures were accurately predicted between 56 and 100 percent of the time.

The device is designed to be implanted between the skull and brain surface to monitor long-term electrical signals in the brain (EEG data). A second device implanted under the chest, transmits electrodes recorded in the brain to a hand-held device, providing a series of lights warning patients of the high (red), moderate (white), or low (blue), likelihood of having a seizure in the hours ahead.

“Knowing when a seizure might happen could dramatically improve the quality of life and independence of people with epilepsy,” says Mark Cook, chair of medicine at the University of Melbourne.

Full story at Futurity.

More research news from top universities.

Photo credit: U. Melbourne

Whether your child grows up to be a doctor, an artist or the leader of the free world, the one thing they’ll have to know is how to manage their money.

Just because the local grade school doesn’t teach Personal Finance 101 doesn’t mean you can’t start educating them in this all-important topic right now and start developing a solid understanding and a set of good habits that will payoff big in the long run.

Gbonjubola Sanni presents three ways to introduce the topic in the course of your daily routine.

Who knows? Discussions like these could save a bit of your sanity when you accidentally find yourself face-to-face with the dreaded toy aisle…but probably not.

Look for Teachable Moments

There are hundreds of opportunities to talk about money. Whether you are out shopping, watching television, running errands, paying bills, or buying gas, you have a chance to teach valuable lessons to your children. Take time to engage your child(ren) in the process by explaining what’s happening, asking questions, and answering their child’s questions. A teachable moment can be as simple as letting the child know that if they spend all their money at the fast food restaurant, then there won’t be enough money to buy a much needed action figure bicycle when you go to the store later that day or week. It won’t take long for the child to understand that once the money is spent that other items cannot be purchased. Soon, the child will begin to prioritize what is important to them without parental coaching…

Use Current Events
Some parents avoid discussions about the economy and finances in front of their children out of a fear of making their children anxious. Talking about it may actually decrease children’s anxieties. Never shy away from discussing the current state of the economy; just find a way to reach the child on their level…

Full story at Gbonjubola Sanni.

An early education in Decision Science.

Photo credit: Fotolia

We’ve seen plenty of devastating images from the aftermath of the F4 tornado that rocked Oklahoma, and while this shot taken from one of NASA’s Earth Observing System satellites takes out the human element, it’s obvious that all was not well on the prairie that fateful day.

Check out this article for five ways you can help Oklahoma victims in their time of need.

Full story at NASA via Geekosystem.

The view from NASA.

City officials might have the data on hand as to how their city ticks in terms of transit, but not necessarily the manpower or mindpower to effectively visualize the big picture.

By allowing that data to go public, though, designers and other interested parties can step into the void.

That was the task put forth in the Urban Data Challenge for which Seattle-based firm Schema developed this mesmerizing series of transit time-lapses called Transit Patterns.

Ridership is an identifier for how cities are utilized–whether they are centralized, decentralized or have multiple focal points, whether activity concentrates during rush hour as people are entering or leaving the city center(s), or whether activity is spread out over time. As the transit passenger data suggests, Geneva is centralized while Zurich appears to have multiple centers, and activity is concentrated during rush hours. Activity in San Francisco on the other hand is more evenly spread out, both spatially and over the course of the day.

Check it out:

Full story at Fast Company.

The intersection of statistics and design.

Avoid common errors, and keep your four-legged pal healthy and well-behaved.

1. Spontaneous pet purchases

Why this is a mistake: That doggie in the window may be darling, but he might not be the right fit for your family or lifestyle.

2. Skipping obedience training

Why this is a mistake: Bad habits can be difficult to train out of a pet. So unless you have the know-how to school an animal, you need the help of a pro.

3. Being inconsistent with rules

Why this is a mistake: If one child lets Fifi on the bed and another punishes her for it, the animal will be confused. Bad behavior is inevitable.

4. Too many “free” treats

Why this is a mistake: If one child lets Fifi on the bed and another punishes her for it, the animal will be confused. Bad behavior is inevitable.

Full article on Real Simple

More pets on Alltop

Photo credit Joe McKinney

“Ahh freelancing. For writers and creative types, freelancing can offer the option to earn a living while working on your own terms, controlling your own schedule and still doing what you love. With the ever-growing opportunity for telecommuting and remote work these days, freelancing can be a welcome career change for the right person. But if the thought of working from bed in your PJs, with no chatty coworkers and no boss in sight sounds more terrifying than fabulous, you might just need a little encouragement.”

Read on for some tips to help ease your transition to the freelance life!

1. Establish a presence on freelance websites
2. Keep (and stick to!) and daily to-do-list
3. Don’t forget about social media
4. Organize your invoices and make sure you are getting paid for your work

What tips help you survive and thrive as a freelancer?

Full article 12 Most

Want more info on freelancing?

Photo credit blakespot