Round Up

I'm a sucker for a two-lane road. Rural Pennsylvania is thick with two-lane roads and nothing was more of a pleasure than to get in the car, and explore these rural gateways. Driving along these scenic roads, surprises seem to lurk around every twist and turn. The Icefields Parkway beckons. I can't think of anything better-the Canadian Rockies and a two-lane road. Here is some more information on the parkway.

More Canadian-Bay of Fundy Blog

I have always been under the impression that Doo Wop was a muscial term. Apparently it is also applied to certain types of architecture. There is a Doo Wop Preservation League that is an organization whose educational mission is to foster awareness and appreciation of the popular culture and imagery of the 1950s and 1960s and to promote the preservation of the largest collection of mid-century or "Doo Wop" resort architecture found in the United States, right here in the Wildwoods.

The magazine Sassy was around after I was a teen, but I know that so many females were very upset when it folded. Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer were fans of the magazine and together have penned How Sassy Changed My Life: A Love Letter to the Greatest Teen Magazine of All Time . I'm always interested to see why magazines fold. Looks like I'll have to add this to my TBR (To Be Read) list.

Urban Outfitters has a blog.

Since I started writing this blog I have menntioned quite a few books. I generally link to Powells. This is really just for information purposes. I am a huge proponent of supporting independent bookstores. So if you are going to purchase a book, try and purchase from an indie. That's my soapbox for this post.

I adore public art. And I would love to see this art installation. Has anyone seen WaterFire? It combines my two favorites-fire and water. I don't know, I keep finding out all of these cool things about Rhode Island. A. and I are looking for a place to relocate. Hmmm.

I have been digging Martini in the Morning (Internet Radio) this week. Was I the last two know about this cool cat?

I remember when the cookbook/memoir Spoonbread and Strawberry Wine came out. I had a copy of it and thought it was delightful. I didn't know that these sisters (and I do mean that both ways) have two restaurants. Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too and Miss Maude's Spoonbread Too.

I thought that these were called pom-poms. So why is this called a ponathon or ponponathon? I'm very confused. Is it regional? I used to make tons of these when I was a kid, probaby for some Girl Scout project and we called them pom-poms. Here's something about Youth Pom Poms and Pom Pons. Oh, cool, pon pons from nature. They look like they all have Afros.

Look at these Red Etch-It cups.

One of my new blog addictions is Aubrey's Blog . This blog is full of lush,lyrical writing about women, history and art and other topics. Of course I'm partial to the name of the blog since that's my sweetie's name. A name that seems to be a popular girl's name these days. (the new Lindsay Lohan movie, I Know Who Killed Me, that's being advertised for example)

Want to keep up with your Muppet news? Muppet Newsflash.

Look at this Rubik's Cube cake. I'm awed by what the home cook can do.
Yes, I am awed by what Duff and his crew on Ace of Cakes do as well, but the home cook with non-professinal equipment, kids running around, etc,. yet still able to be creative. Hats off to You.!!



Have a great weekend.



"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." Albert Einstein

Taney

"It is difficult at this day to realize the state of public opinion in regard to that unfortunate race which prevailed in the civilized and enlightend portions of the world at the time of the Declaration of Independence, and when the Constitution of the United States was framed and adopted; but the public history of every European nation displays it in a manner too plain to be mistaken. They had for more than a century before been regarded as beings of an inferior order, and altogether unfit to associate with the white race, either in social or political relations, and so far unfit that they had no rights which the white man was bound to respect."--from Roger B. Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott decision)

What you have just read is an excerpt from Robert B. Taney's ruling in the Dred Scott decision. Robert B. Taney was was the twelfth Attorney General and the fifth Chief Justice of the United States., and the author of the Dred Scott Decision. Interestingly enough, he died on the same day that Maryland, his home state, abolished slavery.

There is a bust of Taney in the Supreme Court. This bust meant with strong oppostion when it was commissioned after the installation of a life -size figure of Taney at the Maryland State House in Annapolis in 1872.

A heated debate erupted in the Senate Chamber when Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois introduced a bill providing for a bust of Taney for the Supreme Court room. In response, Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts exclaimed: “I object to that; that now an emancipated country should make a bust to the author of the Dred Scott decision.” While Trumbull eulogized the late chief justice, noting that even if Taney had made a wrong decision he was still a great and learned man, Sumner retorted: “Let me tell that Senator that the name of Taney is to be hooted down the page of history. Judgement is beginning now; and an emancipated country will fasten upon him the stigma which he deserves.” [1] Following the debate further action on the bill was indefinitely postponed.

Therefore, it was not until January 29, 1874, that a congressional resolution authorized the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a bust of Taney and one of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase. (via Senate website)

People are urging officials to remove the statue of Taney at the Maryland State House and a statue of him located in Frederick, Maryland.

And how does Fig Newtons and Scotch feel about this? Well, my knee-jerk reaction is yes, remove these statues, but then I started thinking, if we removed all of the statues of racist people around the country ......You see where I am going with this. Apparently there are quite a few statues of Taney around-are they all going to be removed?

Here is a link to the Washington Post article that caused me to read way too much about Taney. I don't know how I actually feel about the last paragraph of the article. If you visit the Maryland State House, you have Taney by the front entrance, and Thurgood Marshall at the back entrance. Is that suppose to make us black folks feel better?

"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute. " Thurgood Marshall (1908 - 1993)

Round Up

I came across a bit about the Grace Lee Project. Has anyone seen this documentary? Sounds really good, I may have to purchase it.


Wonderful article about growing old by Jon Carroll.

I have mentioned a few times in this blog how I am ga ga about Judi Dench. Must have this.

I've been following the story about the Gee's Bend Quilts. Extreme Craft's June 19th post discusses the situation. Extreme Craft has an interesting post from July 18th about Episcopalians and one of Grace Cathedral's stained glass windows. This window has an image of Einstein. How cool is that?

It goes without saying that Google Maps is the bomb. Here is a map of textile museums in the U.S.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to create a social networking site for all of the bibliophiles. Someone did and it's called Litminds.

Very informative website about Mildred Wirt Benson, author of many books, including many of the Nancy Drew books. (the site seems to be having problems with some of the links)

I spent a lot of time when I was growing up playing board games. I still love them. I thougth I knew most of the board games that were out there, but good grief, I couldn't have been more wrong. Board Geek has games that I have never heard of before. There's also Boardgame News. Whenever I think of boardgames I get this auditory memory of the board game Trouble. Fun, easy game with that Pop-O-Matic dice roller that makes that clop-clop sound? I can't think of words to describe that sound.

Cheese blog-Curd Nerds.

I'm not going to start collecting these, but all things map are of an interest to me. I collect map hankies. I should say I collected them until they got a bit too pricey on eBay. Every once in awhile I come across one that's not too expensive, but that's a rarity. I don't want to even think about my lust for map tableclothes. Let's face it, I'm just a map ho, which leads me to these Maptotes. I think I'll have to wait to purchase until they feature Pittsburgh.

Have a sweet tooth? Want something unusual that most of the other kids probably won't be ingesting. What about a Watermelon Flavored Sigmund Freud Head Lollipop?

That's all folks.

"I have an existential map; it has 'you are here' written all over it" Stephen Wright

"If geography is prose, maps are iconography." Lennart Meri

Nosy

Why is it so hard to think of quick comebacks when you need them? I tend to think of something clever to say after the fact. I always thought that I would become more socially adept at handling rude, nosey people, but apparently I have not.

Every office has one-a paper tiger drunk on presumed power who thinks their "stuff don't stink". Said person has a tendency to corner me into conversations. And you know how there's loads of people out there who don't understand personal space-who don't understand that to stand almost on someones toes while you carry on a conversation is RUDE.
Perhaps its because this person is vertically challenged-I don't know, but good grief , step-the-hell-back.

Plus, I do everything I can to avoid quite a few people on the job. I have meticulously constructed my days in such a way that I avoid people. It helps that I start my work day at 6:30 a.m. By the time most of the other folks come to work I'm already tired.

Anywho-this puffed up excuse of a person corners me and trolling for information. Some I gave, most I did not. It was after she asked a question about salaries that I thougth my head was going to start spinning. After I answered her question, the look on her face was, well, like secretly she couldn't believe that people could live on a certain salary. Generally when that happens I take the wind out of the rude persons sails by saying something like, "Why do you ask?" or something like that. I just couldn't think of anything at that time. I think it's because I would never dream of getting in these sorts of conversations with people that I really don't know. People are so nosy, and not in a good way. I wish I could have thought of an appropriate comeback, but I couldn't. It bothered me all day yesterday, and it's still bothering me.

Unfortunately I seem to be the whipping girl for crap like that. Hence, why I stay away from people and have become even more introverted that I already was.

Okay, I'm finished with this.

For some fun check out Franks Vinyl Museum. I keep playing the theme to Mission Impossible and Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits.


"Discourtesy does not spring merely from one bad quality, but from several--from foolish vanity, from ignorance of what is due to others, from indolence, from stupidity, from distraction of thought, from contempt of others, from jealousy." Jean de la Bruyere

Round Up

I don't think I could ever call myself a patriot. Yes, I have been known to get all choked up at parades, but then I get choked up over pomp and circumstance all the time. A friend told me about this site and I don't know if was the mixture of hearing Red Skelton's voice or what-check it out-see if it gets to you too.

Hugging Pandas???? I don't know how I feel about this. There is nothing I would like more than to have my arms wrapped around these adorable creatures, but there's just something not correct about it. I felt the same way about the swimming with dolphins craze. Plus, I heard that some of the dolphins were a bit on the randy side.

I can remember back when I was in high school there were different books that got passed around amongst my friends. (not those kinds of books). One of them was and The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. We all thought we were so grown-up reading such a big book. I just read that Ms. Woodiwiss passed away on July 6, 2007

I never gave this much thought, and being a taphophile, one would think that I would have, but does your college have a cemetery on campus? At Seton Hill College (university now-grrr) we had a cemetery, but it was strictly for the nuns who taught at the school. The campus also had the Sisters of Charity convent there, and then the cemetery. Is this just a practice of Catholic colleges? I read that Notre Dame has an on campus cemetery. Anyone know of any others?

I wonder how Charles Dickens would feel about Dickens World?

12 Important U.S. Laws Every Blogger Should Know

Cool design blog-Decor8

No matter how many times A. and try to remember to take our canvas bags into the grocery story with us, we sometimes forget. I am always trying to find creative things to do with these dastardly plastic bags besides recycling them. Look at what some crafty woman has done.

I think in my next life I am going to become an historical pomologist.

Back in the day when all of my friends were procreating all over the place one of the gifts they were sure to get from me was a copy of On the Day You Were Born by Debra Frasier. (i also ran amuck with onesies) Last month a mural by the author/illustrator was unveiled at the St. Mary's Birthing Center in Duluth, Minnesota. Each new baby born at the center will also receive a copy of the book. Ahhh!!!!

I've been interested in Hobo signs for years, and while looking for information on them I found a Hobo memorial. And speaking of hoboes, what about Hobo Soup.

One of my professors in library school always said you have to always look for the opportunity and run with it. She was talking about libraries, but I guess that also goes for life in general. That's what Nancy Pearl has done. Now there's a Book Lust Wiki.

Colonial Meeting Houses in New England. (thanks K.-you remembered my love for all things New England)

That 's all.


"The computer is only a fast idiot, it has no imagination; it cannot originate action. It is, and will remain, only a tool to man." American Library Association