Monday, February 28, 2011

Happy Monday. Do you feel like a giant puppet staggering around an Irish bar? I do!

The rest of today's links relate to the past. An Illinois book club has been meeting for 100 years; a Daphne du Maurier story has been found after being lost for 70 years; a new exhibit at the Gagosian returns to a film of 20 years ago, My Own Private Idaho, and shows outtakes and a special feature dedicated to River Phoenix (with music by Michael Stipe); and an exhibition at the Tate Museum celebrates the work of pioneering multimedia artist Nam June Paik.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Happy Friday, everyone. Many thanks to those who read and send in links!

From Julie: Alan Turing's papers have been saved (hooray!) and monkeys are just as insecure as humans (er, boo?).

From Cassandra: Schizophrenia may have viral roots. Meanwhile, psy-ops are real and trying to influence people. Whee.

Something nice and cheerful: Bodega cats!  If I had a store, I'd have a cat patrolling it for sure.

Have a safe and spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

The good people behind ResourceShelf and DocuTicker have now moved on and are at InfoDocket and FullTextReports, unearthing more and more great material.

For Mad Men fans: Help compile a Sally Draper reading list!

For LOST fans: Hurley supports the Friends of the Library of Hawaii! (Click on the PSA in the top right corner.)

Hack Library School is written by and for library school students.

And finally, and sadly, Detroit Funk shows photos of the abandoned Mark Twain branch of the Detroit library, with books still on the shelves. It's very apocalyptic-looking.

Tomorrow: links from others, stay tuned.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

We're featuring an all-American lineup of events and festivals this weekend, oddly enough. In not-really-related news, here's every state's most "awesome" feature. I like Ohio's, of course, but am unsure if the Illinois and Oklahoma residents are really that thrilled about theirs.

In Minnesota this weekend: Celebrate Grumpy Old Men!

In California, it's the 30th annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off in Santa Cruz. (Both white and red chowder are included.)

The Mystic Krewe of Barkus is setting up this weekend in preparation for Mardi Gras. Woof!

And in Washington state, the Langley Mystery Weekend will be getting underway soon.

We leave you with something not in America but in Russia -- street (bridge?) art with poetry. Lovely stuff.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

There's much too much going on in the world right now for a proper entry. But here are some quick bits:

It's not too late to celebrate the Great Language Learning Month!

Felix Vallotton's art deserves much wider recognition. Beautiful stuff.

The good doctor of the Steampunk Tribune has opened the Steampunk Bazaar! Go look, you can spend hours there.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Many people have today off as Presidents' Day. But not us!

Literature news: Stieg Larsson's domestic partner, Eva Gabrielsson, has been fighting for control over Larsson's image and work. Amazingly enough, Sweden does not recognize domestic partnerships, even if the people have been together over thirty years. Yikes.

Ever wanted an answer to rhetorical questions? Yes? Well, Their Questions Answered is here to help!

Cirque du Soleil is partnering with artists to create SAFEWALLS in cities hosting Cirque shows. Neat idea.

For Bunny: a 1965 Funny Monsters coloring book.

For lovers of the spooky and/or the icy: photos of ice caves in Antarctica.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Happy Friday! Is everyone surviving the solar flare so far?

From Zazoo: Cee-lo and Elton John comparisons. Also Cher and Pete Burns comparisons. (Also: not from Zazoo, but if you haven't seen the Taiwanese animated version of Lady Gaga news updates, you should.)

From Julie: Ancient Britons were very goth, drinking out of skulls and whatnot. Woot!

From Cassandra: Robots will be our companions in our old age? Sounds good to me.

And finally, only for the serious geeks: If you like both European history and baseball, I direct you to this essay. I knew there was a reason I like the Minnesota Twins.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you Monday.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hi there. It's Thursday, which means things are getting increasingly frenetic around here, so I will give you links and get out of the way!

As found on librarian.net: some new gorgeous pictures of gorgeous libraries around the world.

Chronicling America, the division of the Library of Congress dedicated to historical newspapers, has a new beta site that you can check out -- it looks great!

I love the new volunteerism of crowdsourcing. (I really wish it could lead to true jobs, rather than volunteer work, but anything is good at the moment.)

Did you know 2011 is the Year of Forests? It is!

Tomorrow: links from others!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Happy birthday to Warren Ellis, aka Prime Minister Batman!

The world of Guillermo del Toro is strange, and his home in Los Angeles, named Bleak House, is a rival for Forrest Ackerman's collection of horror memorabilia. (And then, at the end of the essay, you find his ideas for Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness...)

New York celebrates coffee and tea this weekend, while Hawaii honors whales and Florida is all about the arts. Lots going on, and it looks as if spring may actually show up this year!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

It's planning time for steampunks -- this spring promises to be full of events! To wit:

Starting on the western coast of the United States, the 6th Annual Northwest Robotics Festival takes place this weekend.

Moving slowly eastward, the League of Cincinnati Steampunks will engage in further mayhem by marching in the Bockfest Parade on March 4th, with a stuffed goat and possibly an airship and god only knows what else. (And they say we Midwesterners are dull!)

Art Donovan's lovely steampunk works invade New York the weekend of March 17-20 as part of the Architectural Digest Home Show -- if you join the event's group on Facebook, you may be entered in a giveaway contest.

Looking forward to May, the entire town of Waltham, Massachusetts is going steampunk for a weekend! How can one resist an International Steampunk City?

Meanwhile, for online adventurers, Thomas Dolby and Paul Sizer are creating the Map of the Floating City experience, which combines Dolby's latest release and steampunkish gameplay.

Writer Susan Dennard is celebrating Steampunk Month on her weblog, and the folk at Nameberry have come up with a list of steampunk-related baby names suitable for either literary characters or live babies! (Mostly, anyway. I am not responsible for any liability should you decide to name a baby Nemo.)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Monday, everyone! If you belong to Generation X, here's your reminder that we're getting old: Edward Scissorhands is turning 20. Fortunately, a weblog dedicated to artist renderings of the film's characters is here to mitigate the pain somewhat.

Michael Palin's essay on a more recent film, The King's Speech, is a wonderful read and discusses the efforts people are making these days to overcome stuttering and stammering.

Dancing about architecture may still be difficult, but dancing about pharmaceuticals? It's being done!

Flickr has many "365 photos" projects going on, but one of the most fun is the One Object, 365 Days group.

And finally, we end with some amazing and serene seascape photos by Hiroshi Sugimoto.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Friday. Hooray!

From Julie: The Catholic church gives its blessing to an iPhone confession app (hoo boy); the Royal Shakespeare Company is selling off all sorts of costumes, including slippers worn by David Tennant; and the protesters against the UK library closures are now staging sit-ins. Yay!

From Zazoo, who brought us the news of the White Stripes' breakup: "LCD Soundsystem is breaking up. Boo!" Man, 2011 is a bad year for bands so far.

From Cassandra: a look at the situation in Egypt and how technology has changed social democracy.

Good news for local weirdies: Make Cincinnati Weird has relaunched! They're on Facebook now, too.

And finally, if you haven't found the right Valentine's Day card yet, the Fake Project Corporation has some offerings.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you Monday.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Time for some literary fun! What were the bestsellers during the week you were born? Mine were The Winds of War (fiction) and Eleanor and Franklin (nonfiction), but an Agatha Christie mystery, The Exorcist, and The Last Whole Earth Catalog were also on the top 10 lists at the time. Personality profiles may be drawn from this information, possibly.

Wil Wheaton thinks libraries are awesome. That's because they are! Philip Pullman is also a big library fan, and has joined the fight against the proposed library closures in the UK. There's a poster campaign as well, and there's even a library-closure-themed version of the bunker scene from Downfall, because, well, why not?

The BBC has gotten a lot of flack over the years for recording over master tapes of old shows like Doctor Who back in the day. As they prepare to delete nearly 200 websites, some are saying they haven't learned from the past at all.

Meanwhile, here in America, the National Archives has discovered it's very expensive to digitize everything.

Tomorrow: Friday! And links from others. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Let's zip around the world and see what's going on this weekend, shall we?

"May the shorts be with you!" says the intro to Australia's Flicker Fest, celebrating short films this weekend.

In Thailand, it's the weekend for the Underwater Wedding event. Bring snorkels.

In Japan, the Sapporo Snow Festival is underway! Even if you can't attend, the event website provides instructions on snow sculpture.

For high culture types, the Johann Strauss Ball is going on in Vienna. If you're more into sporty events, the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance is putting on "Smashing Valentine" in Amsterdam.
 
And speaking of Valentines, the United States is...promoting White Castle as a place to go on Valentine's Day.  We are classy folk, we are!

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

In honor of Jules Verne's 183rd birthday today, Google has a customized logo. And it's even interactive. Huzzah!


The Voodoo Carnival, put on by the Queen City Cabaret, was quite the success. Photos were in the local paper and can be found on the cabaret's website as well!

Two interesting articles end today's post: the New York Times investigates an 1870 guide to houses of ill repute, and Wired tells us of an "all-seeing" blimp that may be used in warfare.
Hi there. Sorry to miss yesterday's post, but here it is, all your arty Monday links! Tuesday's entry will go up later on today, and then we'll be all caught up.

The story of Frankenstein and his creation still captures audiences, nearly two hundred years after Mary Shelley wrote the novel.

Meanwhile, Edgar Allan Poe fans are going through hard times. First the Poe Toaster seems to have disappeared, and now the Poe home in Baltimore may have to close its doors.

I love the reaction of London's underground dance scene to reporters -- no, go away, don't tell anyone about us! Hee.

Remember cassette tapes and the art of the mix? A new tumblr digitizes old tapes for our enjoyment. Lots of hidden treasure here.

And finally, the art of the cat. Really, the pattern possibilities are amazing. I learned the different types of tabby markings, for instance!

Friday, February 04, 2011

And so we meet again, Friday. Many thanks to everyone who sent in links!

From my mom: "If you want to follow what is going on in Egypt now, Amy Goodman is broadcasting [on Democracy Now]."

From Julie: Old iron nails from Canterbury Cathedral are incorporated into a new art piece by Antony Gormley. 

From Josie: Meet Robbie, a friendly robin who pops into a shop every morning to say hello!

From Cassandra: the issue of degree inflation, the science of happiness, and an option for a funeral pyre in Colorado. (We both are intrigued by that last one.)

And finally, this in from Zazoo: "The White Stripes broke up! The 'hipster' is officially dead!" Heh.

Have a spiffy (and safe) weekend, everyone. See you Monday!

Thursday, February 03, 2011

If it's Thursday, that means it's a hectic day at the library. Gah!

Gale is launching a contest to discover librarian superheroes. I would like to borrow a superhero for a day or so.

Inspiring news from Egypt: the youth are protecting Alexandria's library from would-be looters.

The Special Libraries Association meets in Philadelphia this summer, and a member just pointed out the Rosenbach Museum & Library, which looks like it's definitely worth a visit.

A new book reimagines the relationship between Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and mentions the day they climbed Monument Mountain as one of inspiration. (I've climbed Monument Mountain, too! That's really all I wanted to say here.)

Did you go to the University of Awesome? I think I did, actually -- it looked pretty much like that!

Tomorrow: links from others. Thanks, all.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Happy Groundhog Day! Apparently spring is on the way. (Hahahaha.)

It is also the eve of the Chinese New Year, this being the year of the Metal Rabbit. I expect full robot rabbit domination shortly.

In the United States, people are getting ready for the Super Bowl in some instances, the Puppy Bowl in others. (With kitten halftime show!)  In London, meanwhile, the Kinetica Art Fair is going on this weekend, and looks amazing.

As an aside, do you ever wonder what happens to festival and convention tents? Some enterprising people recycle them into clothing!

And finally, for those not into holidays or events, consider looking into this new publication on the Egyptian Book of the Dead, as the nation changes again before our eyes.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Do you have plans for this weekend (other than possibly digging out from under yet another blizzard)? You should, because you should be attending the Voodoo Carnival at Southgate House on Saturday evening! The event is brought to you by Aloysius, co-captain of the Steampunk Empire and ringleader of the Queen City Cabaret. As this urchin says, the revelry shall be off the chain. Come and bring your friends for an evening of fine entertainment!

The Borders Sci-Fi blog features steampunk writers this week, including several authors whose works have been featured (and/or given away in contests) here! In other steampunk-esque literature news, Andrew Lane's book featuring a teenage Sherlock Holmes is now out in stores, while the Arctic Marauder is rumored to be on the way (and looks like great fun).

Photos of Victorian London show the city of a century ago in all its wonder and squalor. And, bringing past to present, Plan 28 is a scheme to actually build the Babbage Analytical Engine -- join in, won't you?