Recomendo

Tiny Cards/New Scientist/Wild Hibiscus Flowers

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Recomendo: issue no. 25

Memory Aid:
Tiny Cards is a free smartphone app that lets you make spaced repetition flashcards to help you learn languages, history facts, the elements, constellations, or anythings else. I’m using it to help me with my Japanese vocabulary. — MF

Readable:
One of the few paper magazines I still subscribe to is New Scientist. It is a weekly dose of real science reporting, with broad lay appeal. Of course there is an online version, but I prefer to turn pages and read while I eat my lunch. Either way, it’s the best solid source for new science. — KK

Edible:
These Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup have become essential in my life. They can make any cheap champagne taste like liquid gold. The flowers themselves taste like a sweet fruit and they look so pretty sitting at the bottom of a flute. — CD

Security:
If you are not already using a password manager like 1Password, Dashlane, or LastPass you are inviting trouble. I am not a very security minded person generally, but a password manager on your phone, tablets, laptops and desktops is outright essential today. Let it generate strong passwords for you, keep your credit card and bank info, and supply them wherever and whenever you need them. No regrets. — KK

Travel Tip:
When I travel I take snacks with me: Macadamia Nuts, Starbucks Via instant coffee pouches, and Graze Bars. I recently added a new item: 0.5 ounce coconut oil pouches. They go great with my low carb diet. I can spread it on chicken and vegetables to increase the calories without adding carbs. I love the taste of coconut oil on almost anything. — MF

Fitness:
A friend recommended I download this free 5-minute plank app (iOS) to strengthen my core and I’ve been using it almost religiously. You just press the play button and the timer will alert you to change positions. The visuals are helpful and I was able to up the rest time to 10 seconds between positions. Here is a similar highly-rated app for android. — CD

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-- Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson 01/15/17

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