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Why Garfield phones have littered French beaches for 35 years
There's no better symbol of plastic ocean pollution and '80s consumerism gone wild than the Garfield phones of Brittany. The handsets, in the form of the aggressively unfunny cat, have been washing up on French beaches for decades. However, the novelty has long since worn off for residents who have been picking them up since the '80s. Now, a local anti-litter group called Ar Vilantsou has finally found the source: a lost shipping container.
UAV Lifeguards to patrol Australian beaches, Hasselhoff given notice
Look, up in the sky. It's a bird, it's a plane -- it's... a lifeguard? Aiming to keep a robotic eye out for distressed swimmers and dangerous marine life, Surf Life Saving Australia will soon deploy flying safety drones across beaches in Queensland, Australia. Starting off on a trial basis, the unmanned bots have a wingspan of one meter (about three feet) and will feature detachable safety buoys and alert sirens. While it could be the next thing in oceanside safety, we'd image that some folks won't be too fond of being watched sans any say in the matter. That said, we'd be remiss not to mention to that SLS head Brett Williamson frankly stated to ABC that "at the end of the day this is about public safety." Big brother conspiracy aside, we're sure some folks could be swayed if these bad boys play Flight of the Valkyries while in formation. [Image credit: Kim Powell]
Five app ideas for the Fourth of July
Whether you're just hanging around your back yard, going to the beach, or waiting to set off a huge cache of fireworks, there are always a lot of fun things to do over the Independence Day holiday in the U.S. Here are some apps that can help you enjoy the fun during the holiday. Grilling: Weber's On the Grill (US$4.99 - separate apps for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad). One of the staples of the holiday weekend is the family barbecue, with friends and family enjoying the outdoors and stuffing themselves with grilled delectables. The app has 250 classic recipes, an additional 40 recipes for rubs, marinades, and sauces, and more. You can store ingredients from any recipe in a grocery list for quick shopping, send the grocery lists to others (good if you're sharing the picnic duties), read tips on grilling, and even watch short grilling videos. Last, but not least, there's a grill timer right in the app that tells you when to flip that steak. I personally use this app with my Weber Genesis gas grill and it's a winner.
