Round Up

This will be a short round up this week folks.

If you love making lists and you love books, I have found the perfect site for you-Flashlight Worthy (i love the name). Flashlight Worthy is a site with numerous book recommendation lists. You can also submit your own list. Are you someone who has read every golf mystery that has been ever written? Submit a list. It's a lot of fun and I've already found some books that I want to read.

The Union of Concerned Scientists and Penguin Classics have created a unique partnership to educate the public about the dangers of global warming and the solutions at hand. Bookstores across the country are displaying easels and bookmarks about the project and encouraging the public to submit stories to be included in the new online book, Thoreau's Legacy: American Stories about Global Warming.

We have Verizon Fios, which is great. Turn the computer on and bam-you are on the Internet. We have a ridiculous amount of channels including National Geographic and the Science Channel. Dare I ask for one more? I would love to have the Sundance Channel so that I can watch Iconoclasts.

Red Room-a social network for writers and readers.

I have said this after every election since 1980, "If my candidate doesn't win I'm moving to Canada." Granted, I love Canada so I would like to live there anyway. To get myself prepared I've been listening to this Musical Guide to Canadian music.

Just in case anyone was wondering-A synecdoche is figure of speech putting part for the whole, or the whole for part. For example, 'All hands on deck' is an example in which 'hands' is used to mean 'people'.

The Museum of the American Cocktail looks like a cool place to visit.

The find.com is supposed to be a directory of merchants that accept PayPal. I haven't tested it yet, but I thought I would provide the link.

Because of the difficult economic times we are having some of the stores have brought back layaway. Now the online merchants are taking a cue from their brick and mortar counterparts with eLayaway.

First of all next Tuesday you must, must, must VOTE. I can't stress enough how important this is not only for this election, but for every election. People have fought and died for this right, so please do not take it for granted. Why not take your camera with you and snap some photographs? The Polling Place Photo Project is attempting to create an online photo archive of the voting process from all across the country.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!

"Backward, turn backward, O time in your flight, make me a child again-just for tonight." Elizabeth Akers Allen

Round Up

I just found out that one of my favorite poets passed away-Hayden Carruth.

I hadn't posted anything about the passing of Paul Newman. Generally I'm not ga-ga over the leading men. I tend to go for the character actors, but there are some exceptions and Mr. Newman was one of them. What incredible gifts this man possessed-easy-on-the-eyes looks, great acting talent and a huge heart. I have read quite a few tributes about this incredible human being, but I like what Dahlia Lithwick (just love her name) at Slate had to say the best, "Married to Joanne Woodward, his second wife, for 50 years this winter, Newman always looked at her like something he'd pulled out of a Christmas stocking. He looked at his five daughters that way, too. It was like, all these years later, he couldn't believe he got to keep them."

I missed World Animal Day (October 4). Look at some of these incredible images. I think my favorite is of one of my favorite animals, the narwhal (photograph #16).

Who is the cat who won't cop out, when there's danger all about-If you don't know perhaps The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain can refresh your memory.

I have wanted to learn how to quilt for a long time, but I think I am just too lazy to start. Maybe I could start off by making one of these recycled scarf blankets. Of course, I may want to purchase a sewing machine first.

I have used honey for different things for years. It makes a wonderful facial mask and it is also great for healing wounds. Now someone has capitalized on what farmers and rural folk have know for years.

Classification of animal cookies, animal crackers and related taxa.

The 2008 MacArthur Foundation Genius Grants have been awarded. Meet the Fellows.

These seasonal pinwheels are cute.

I remembered reading that Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author of everyone's favorite redhead, Anne of Green Gables, had suffered from depression, but hearing that she committed suicide was a bit of a shock.

Polyvore-Mix and match images from anywhere on the web, to create outfits, interior designs, or any kind of collage. Of course there is a blog.

Oh, so I'm a member of Generation Jones.

Whoppi has a new book out-Sugar Plum Ballerinas.

I'm not a Francophile, but I would love to read, French Milk, by Lucy Knisley,a graphic travelogue about her time spent in Paris.

250+ Killer Digital Libraries and Archives.

Charlie Kratzer decorated his basement with $10.00 worth of Sharpies. Incredible.

Have a great weekend. It looks like it's going to be a good weekend to sit by the fire with a good book, some nice hot cider and to go with it all how about a couple of apple cider donuts. Here's a recipe for these delights, and eat them while they are still a little warm. Heaven!!!

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." Pericles (attributed)

Round Up

Enter your surname into the World Name Profiler site and find out about yourself.

The last remaining survivor of the Titanic is auctioning off some of her relics to pay for nursing home fees. This is interesting and sad all at the same time

A blog about Ampersands.

I think everyone knows that Martha Stewart loves Halloween. That's actually what sort of drew me to her in the first place. She loves Halloween, as do I, and she and her staff come up with all of these very creative ideas. Her website has loads of Halloween decorations and recipes for some spooktacular treats. Last week she had a woman on her show that made these very cool shrunken heads out of apples. They had all of these heads floating in a big pot of cider. Here is the process (very simple). Everyone would get a kick out of these.

These witch hats are adorable and super easy to make. They would be easy even if you used your own scratch dough.

I would love to attend, well anything, where the Global Elders were speaking. Here is a list of the elders.

The incredible shopping penguin.

Are your children concerned about this economic situation. Here are some books to read to your children about hard economic times.

The VPI Pet Insurance Company has a list of wacky and unusual pet names.

American Libraries (magazine for the American Library Association) has a blog-AL Inside Scoop.

Check out Jay Walker's incredible personal library (Wired Magazine article).

WOW!! A German court ruled that the use of thumbnail images in Google is copyright infringement.

Safeway is promoting public libraries on the back of cereal boxes.

I saw this idea in some magazine, but can't recall what magazine it was. When you make somemores, what about using ginger snaps instead of graham crackers. Yummy!!

Now I would probably go into a coma if I ate these, what with all of my problems with sugar lately, but these homemade Snickers bars look crazy good. I bet they are fun to make as well.

This 2008 Presidential Search Engine was created by the University of Kansas Library. It's a Google Custom Search Engine.

Have a good weekend.

"Normal is getting dressed in clothers that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for-in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it." Ellen Goodman

Eyesight

I was talking to someone about eyesight today. I have always been mystified by the fact that most of us become affected by the big P-presbyopia. It seems that most people suffer from this, but I was wondering about those who don't. Just about everyone I have ever known ends up wearing glasses. Both of my parents started wearing glasses I think when they were in their 50's. They didn't wear glasses before that. If memory serves it was the same for my grandparents.

I, on the other hand, have been wearing glasses since I was in 3rd grade. I have astigmatism in both eyes and am nearsighted(myopia) in one eye and farsighted (hyperopia) in the other. The astigmatism is the worst of all three. I have had every kind of glasses there are and they all press on my temples and end up giving me headaches. I wear sunglasses all year round because of light sensitivity, but I tend to put them on and take them off a zillion times (no exaggeration). I started wearing contacts and those also got on my nerves. About 15 years ago I started wearing one contact. It worked for me for awhile. For the last 10 or so years I have worn nothing.

When I went to get my drivers license renewed a couple of years ago I ran into some problems so I had to go and get glasses. The optometrist told me that since I have not been wearing anything for so long my eyes have somehow overcompensated for each other. She went into vision medicalese, but I thought COOL!!!. I stil l had to get glasses to pass the eye test at the horrid DMV, and I have to wear glasses to drive, which I don't do that often.

Now the OLD AGE eyes are bothering me. I know that I am going to have to bite the bullet and deal with this, but I am dreading it. I have loved being glasses/contact free for all of these years.

Have I damaged my eyes because I have been free of optical aids all of these years. Who knows? I was hoping (fantasizing) that because I have all of the other things wrong with my eyes I would escape the big P, but of course not.

"The ear tends to be lazy, craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected; the eye, on the other hand, tends to be impatient, craves the novel and is bored by repetition." W.H. Auden

Round Up

Just in time for Halloween-Gothtober.

Complete Planet: deep web directory.

Some Etsy finds. Love this bawdy jewelry, collective names of animals tees and unusual wine charms (scroll down)

See what some newsmakers and newsbreakers have for breakfast.

At one time I had quite the cookbook collection. I have weeded it through the years so now I have maybe 4 or 5 that I use all the time. Whenever I am in any bookstore I have to try and control myself anyway, and I really have to drum up some self-discipline in the cookbook aisle. I have been having a ball perusing Old Cookbooks.com.

I have been using Paperback Swap for awhile now, and I love it, but I also came across another book swapping site called Book Mooch. I think these are both great ideas.

Elton Mabry is a homeless man that moved into an abandoned building when Hurrican Katrina struck New Orleans. He kept himself going by writing a journal of sorts on the walls. This is an amazing story of survival and an indomitable spirit.

Speaking of journals, George Orwell's diary (1938-1942) is online in blog form. Why not? We already have Samuel Pepys' diary in blog form.

I did not know that the real Winnie-the-Pooh was living at the New York Public Library. He sure is a long way from home.

I'm always on the lookout for a new documentary to watch. I think that I would like to see Trumbo. Dalton Trumbo was an American novelist and screenwriter, and one of the Hollywood Ten. He and 9 other individuals refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in 1947. The HUAC were investigating Communist influences in the film industry.

Since Trumbo would not tell the HUAC anything he was convicted for contempt of Congress. He was blacklisted and spent 11 months in a federal penitentiary. When he was released from prison he moved to Mexico and continued to write screenplays. One of the more famous ones was for the movie The Sandpiper starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Another group I read about in the music issue of American Legacy-the Sherrie Miracle and the Diva Jazz Orchestra. I've been enjoying their sound on YouTube. Here is another article about the divas.

Look at these Pea Hoodies.

Do you need to see who owns a particular domain name? Whois.net may provide the answer.

2 Cat Studio carries a lot of state and city-themed pillows, tea towels and other items. I love the North Pole pillow.

I won't be posting again until after this horrid holiday. Yes, I like having a day off. No, I'm not thrilled with the Christopher Columbus.

Have a good one.

"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter - 'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning." - Mark Twain

Round Up

This has to be the absolute best library parking garage ever. This library is located in Kansas City, Missouri.

Woo Hoo-the pope is installing solar panels.

Oh, now the toddlers have their very own You Tube-Totlol.

Just in case you were wondering if there are any Sasquatch in your area-the Database of Bigfoot Sightings.

I'm not much of a pretzel or chip person, but it might be fun to try and see if one can make microwave potato chips.

Two cool wikipedia lists: List of famous trees and the list of eponymous laws.

These lists generally make me want to retch, especially with whats going on in this country. No wonder these people have no concept of what it's like out here for most of us-the 50 richest members of Congress.

Go ahead and send your name around the Earth on NASA's Glory Mission. Here is the actual sign up page.

Attention zombie lovers out there. You now have your own social media portal.

The University of Nottingham has created the Periodic Table of Videos. Click on an element and you will see a video about that element. Very cool.

Very cool Poet Laureate Map of Canada.

Pick a genre of music and there's generally someone that I like. I never give much thougth to folk music. Oh sure, I know some folks songs, and some of the famous folk singers like Pete Seeger and Odetta and even Tracy Chapman. I'm saying even Tracy Chapman because I don't know if she categorizes herself as folk or not.

I was reading the summer issue of American Legacy magazine. The entire issue is devoted to music. I came across an article about the Carolina Chocolate Drops and now I am spending all of my time listening to them on YouTube. The Drops are an African American (Americans of African descent) String Band. Rhiannon Giddens, the only female member is a treat. This woman was kissed on the cheek by the universe and is an amazing talent as well as being physically stunning. She sings opera as well as a host of other styles. Listen to her singing this Gaelic medley acapella. (I'm having issues posting videos today)

If you are an Edna Lewis fan watch this short, charming video about this amazing woman.

"Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness." ~Maya Angelou, Gather Together in My Name

Finally

This will be a short post. October, my favorite month is finally here. It's still a bit too warm for my tastes, but I'll take it. I am going to go home, light my new Harvest tart, and have some cider.

And because I just can't get enough of this stuff. Just click on the video: If we were republicans, we’d vote for him: this is the palin who should be running

"October, here's to you. Here's to the heady aroma of the frost-kissed apples, the winey spell of ripened grapes, the wild-as-the-wind smell of hickory nuts and the nostalgic whiff of that first wood smoke. "- Ken Weber