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Bike Talk: Cyclin’ in a Winter Wonderland

Winter cycling isn’t as popular, or comfortable, as in other seasons. Snow in the bike lane, ice on your brakes and icicles in your hair—it’s all going to happen if you ride in the winter. But as an urban adventurer determined to ride all year, I’ve gathered tips to make my winters less terrible, because even

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2 mins read
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Is the world’s best pannier designed in Philadelphia?

Nearly every cyclist has had this experience: You’re at the Reading Terminal or the farmers market to grab a few things. Five impulse buys later (beets were on sale!) and the ride home becomes a precarious one. Straining under a stuffed backpack, you swear you won’t make this mistake again. And yet, you almost definitely will.

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2 mins read
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Quaker schools continue the long tradition of quiet reflection.

A powerful little being. That’s how Hannah Caldwell Henderson describes a tiny toddler who stood up during a silent Quaker meeting to say, “Be brave!”Henderson is the chief advancement officer at Germantown Friends School, a private Quaker school that practices unstructured silent worship. Much like meditation, silent worship is a personal, contemplative activity. Unlike the traditional Eastern

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1 min read
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Mindfulness techniques taught in Philadelphia high schools

Quiet.It’s a word you don’t often associate with high schools, where hallways and classrooms are usually bustling with the excited conversations of teens. But Bodine High School in Northern Liberties is quiet. Very quiet. In the foreground is a class of 25 seniors who sit still, focusing on their breath. Eyes closed. Legs uncrossed. Hands resting

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5 mins read
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Misfit Toys

The toys that poison and data mine your childrenby Alexandra Wagner JonesAdam Garber pushes a stroller into a pediatric care center on his way to an afternoon press conference on toy safety. The little passenger, his four-month-old son Elon, is a reminder of why the work he does is so important.As a consumer watchdog for

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4 mins read
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Urban Jungle Book

The Free Library adds nature strolls and challenging play terrains to cultivate young learnersby Bernard BrownApproximately 16 parents and children gather on a June morning for a stroll to the shore. That might conjure images of a summer day at the beach, but in this case, the closest thing to the crashing of waves is

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3 mins read
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A Big Waste

Philadelphia’s understaffed Recycling Department was unprepared for a shifting global market. As a result, Philadelphia now burns 50 percent of its recyclables.by Samantha WittchenWhen America Recycles Day was celebrated on November 15, the Philadelphia Streets Department held a pop-up event, complete with recycling quizzes, games and prizes, in the basement of the Municipal Services Building.

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8 mins read
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A Hat with A Story

It was right around this time of year, a little over ten years ago, when I bought what I consider to be my best Christmas present. Earlier in the year, I had fallen in love with the woman who is now my wife, and I was feeling...expansive. When my future mother-in-law mentioned that she had

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2 mins read
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