Popcorn Shorts
Cool stuff that’s too small for a big article
Just like it says, Popcorn Shorts is about the kind of things we think are really interesting, but don’t really need a large article to explain them. From the sublime to the ridiculous, check in here for crunchy bits of info you’ll love to munch. By the way, much (but not necessarily all) of our delicious Popcorn comes from articles we’ve posted on our Facebook page. If you’re on Facebook, please stop by and “Like” us and we’ll keep a fairly-constant-but-not-frequent-enough-to-be-annoying stream of these coming to your virtual door!
See the changes coming to SE Portland
(from Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability)- “Like East Portland, the city’s lower southeast area (Brentwood-Darlington, Mt Scott-Arleta, Woodstock, and Lents) has unimproved streets, sidewalk gaps, a limited street network, poor transit service, and few stores, restaurants, and other conveniences. But a recently released land use and transportation plan will allow new commercial areas to thrive, so residents and visitors can enjoy more amenities like grocery stores, shops, restaurants, and services. The plan will also improve pedestrian safety, as well as access for cars, buses and bikes. Review the plan and tell the Planning Commission what you think!…”
NOT glow-in-the-dark. NOT neon. NOT backlight. Electric. Light-up. PAINT.
from Interesting Engineering– “It’s easy to take our daily modes of transport for granted; the modern airplane had its humble beginnings in incredibly risky flights made by the Wright brothers, rail transport evolved from mine carts and funiculars, the first bicycle didn’t have a pedal — the list goes on. Almost every widely used form of transportation was once a crazy idea before it became the mass form of transit we’re accustomed to today. Of course, along the way, there have been many ideas that didn’t quite make the cut. Here are a few ideas that never quite gained the mass appeal their inventors were hoping for….”
Dudes Rock: Watch as a Bunch of Boats Push an Island Away
(from Gizmodo.com)- “When the land was flooded in 1923 peat bogs floated to the surface and were gradually covered with vegetation, which has kept them intact. Some of them even have mature trees flourishing on them. Because they float, the bogs are free to move around as they please. Sometimes they stay in the same place for a long time, sometimes they float down to the bridge and get stuck, blocking the passage of many of Chippewa Lake’s beautiful boaters. So, every year or so, some guys in boats belly up to the edge of the offending bog and shove it out and away from the bridge. Aluminum fishing boats, pontoons, all kinds boats run their outboard motors in unison to push the big bog away…”
Have fun in The Big One… Play Cascadia 9.0 now!
(from cascadia9game.org)- The Pacific Northwest is facing another giant earthquake like the more than 40 magnitude 8 and 9 events that have rocked the region in the last 10,000 years. Following the quake, western Oregon could be without water, fuel, and medical services for months. But why wait till The Big One to find out how ill-suited YOU are to surviving a Biblical-scale disaster? In Cascadia 9.0, you play as several different characters to learn how to survive and thrive in this earth-shaking catastrophe! Cascadia 9.0 was developed as part of an ongoing research effort to understand what motivates young adults to prepare for earthquakes and other natural disasters. Play Cascadia 9.0 now!
