green living, smart spending
The newest profit center for bars and restaurants is the free charger for smartphones and tablets. It’s not free for users, who are likely to stay longer than they might have planned, buying more drinks and food than they intended, while they wait for their “free” courtesy charge. It’s a great deal for bars and
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Once again, baggage handlers at a major international airport have been caught stealing valuables out of checked luggage. This time, it was at JFK. Thefts included a $5,000 gold watch and a Sony PlayStation, according to the New York Times, which reported the arrests of seven men for various theft and larceny charges. They were
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Let your smartphone or other portable electronics help you save money when shopping. ecoXplorer recommends these FREE apps for saving money in 2013 and beyond – Forgot your paper coupons at home? No worries. Yowza replaces them by searching for coupons based on your location. Yowza also asks you for your age, so – presumably
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Should you cancel your Labor Day weekend visit to Yosemite National Park because of the devastating Rim Fire nearby? That’s a tough question to answer. The vast majority of hiking trails and services in Yosemite National Park are not affected by the Rim Fire, approximately 20 miles from Yosemite Valley, but some roads are being
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You might not be able to get your favorite fast food burger or fries on Thursday, August 29th, when thousands of employees nationwide are expected to walk out in a one-day protest against poverty-level wages and lack of health insurance coverage. The walkout is timed for the day after the 50th anniversary of the March
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Whale sharks are sharks the size of whales, but unlike other sharks, they are not the least bit scary. Even so, swimming with creatures as large as 60-feet is an adrenalin experience, as I found out on a recent whale shark tour in the Gulf of Mexico near Cancun. Whale sharks are annual visitors to
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Commuting by bicycle is getting more popular, and so is sightseeing by pedal power – two reasons why Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in the USA are offering guests free loaner bikes. But these are not ordinary roadsters. These are custom-made for the boutique hotel company by San Francisco-based boutique bicycle and gear company PUBLIC. The
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An entire museum devoted to footwear? Yes. And it has absolutely nothing to do with obsessive shoe collector Imelda Marcos. The Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto walks us through the history of footwear, from prehistoric times to the present. It’s a fascinating look at the at the design and cultural impact of footwear, where you
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Erik Lindbergh keeps aviation pioneering in the family. That’s the headline of my article on green aviation and the future of flight supported by the grandson of aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh. Erik Lindbergh supports electric-powered and solar-powered flight and space tourism. He’s an interesting man, and I enjoyed interviewing him in 2013 for an article
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All small cars are easy on the budget, especially at the gas station. But they are not equal when it comes to safety. This is a great time of year to buy a 2013 model, as dealers discount them to make room for the 2014 models starting to arrive. If you are in the market
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