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| Friday, June 29, 2012 |
It is Friday, it’s 100 degrees outside, and people have sent in a whole bunch of links. Thanks, everyone!
From Julie: Archaeologists have found the world’s oldest cooking pottery (at least, the oldest for now. Who knows what lurks beneath?).
From Cassandra: The mystery of shamanism, and a history of Yeats’s fascination with magic.
From Zazoo: Oreos celebrate gay pride week, and Cher is writing a Broadway musical about her life.
From my mom: Bill Moyers on how communities can save libraries.
From Bunny: The world’s hardest sudoku puzzle!
From Chuck via Cassandra: A decent percentage of the population would try to befriend alien life, and most Americans think Obama would deal with aliens better than Romney.
And finally, for Cincinnati locals: How well do you know your city? I got about 40 out of 50 right; I have some quibbles with the test authors about what constitutes “central,” apparently.
Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.
Jinnet @
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| Thursday, June 28, 2012 |
It’s a big day in the legal world, with the Supreme Court decision on healthcare and all. In the meantime, Bunny sent me links to Wendy MacNaughton's cartoons depicting San Francisco's public libraries and the Little Free Library Movement. Enjoy!
Jinnet @
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| Wednesday, June 27, 2012 |
Now that it’s officially summer, Wacky Festival Mode is hitting the higher gears.
The Arctic Open International Golf Tournament is this weekend. Yes, really, golf in the Arctic.
In the UK, they’re celebrating the Festival of Speed and the Garden Gadabout.
The 4th of July is just around the corner in the US, so celebrate Chowderfest and the Vermont Quilt Festival in New England!
Jinnet @
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| Tuesday, June 26, 2012 |
Just one link today, but it's an interesting one: Prada has a steampunk-themed collection now. Whee!
Jinnet @
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| Monday, June 25, 2012 |
The theme of this Monday’s art links: two parts!
Something Awful takes on the concept of cut-rate and/or discounted classic literature via Photoshop. Here’s part 1 and here’s part 2.
Colors are fascinating. Language is fascinating. A lengthy examination of how we express color through language? Sold! Also in two parts – part 1 and then part 2.
The amazing puppeteers who brought War Horse to life are now animating the birds of Ted Hughes’s Crow. (Performances going on right now, and here’s the info.)
And finally, here’s an article about the wackiness that is Japanese pop music. No second part here, but the article mentions that a former guitarist for Megadeth is a j-pop fan living in Tokyo and contributing to tracks. Who would have thought?
Jinnet @
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| Friday, June 22, 2012 |
Happy Friday, everyone!
From Julie: Nelson Mandela had a copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare while in prison, and that copy is soon to go on display in London.
Also from Julie: The last woman imprisoned under the Witchcraft Act (in 1941!) might be pardoned finally.
From Cassandra: You can look up what birds are in your area and listen to their songs!
From Bunny: The UK now hosts Zombie Events. Bunny wants this to come to the US so badly.
Also from Bunny: Solar panels made from soda cans! And they work, too!
And finally, one last link courtesy of Bunny: Indiana University will soon own the world’s largest collection of mechanical puzzles. Oooo.
Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.
Jinnet @
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| Thursday, June 21, 2012 |
Here’s some cheerful news: a master’s degree in library science is the worst grad school option one has at the moment! (I’m presuming that they’re not including law degrees in this summary; right now, law students are not in great shape.)
However, if you’re looking for some book-related work this summer, you could help this Canadian woman weed through 200,000 books before they go off to be incinerated. (This is a weird story.)
Google is helping students formulate search strategies. Good for students, bad for researchers, maybe?
If Gertrude Stein could text, and she was at a Parisian bar, this is what might happen (along with several other authors). The response to Emily Dickinson’s is my favorite.
Jinnet @
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| Wednesday, June 20, 2012 |
It’s officially summer either today or tomorrow, depending on where exactly you live, and that means celebrations! Forbes runs down some goings-on around the world. The biggest, of course, is Stonehenge, but fortunately there are alternatives.
Other summer activities this weekend include the Grand Canyon Star Party in the USA and Chester’s Midsummer Watch Parade in the UK. (Also in the UK this weekend: Swamp Soccer Championships. It’s... muddy.)
However, why are we wasting time talking about celebrations when there is big news – the Millennium Falcon has been found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea! (Other, slightly more rational folks say it’s just an unusual rock formation. Meh.)
Jinnet @
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| Tuesday, June 19, 2012 |
I’ve been looking at cars lately. After seeing these gorgeous photos of the Tatra, I think I’d like to go back in time and purchase one of those instead of something more modern and practical.
The always-fantastic Alternate History Weekly Update is featuring several posts on steampunk lately.
Remember those good old days of radium eclipse sprayers? No? (Yikes!)
A steampunk cruise is setting off from New Orleans next spring. Start planning now!
Via Warren Ellis, Under Tomorrow’s Sky is a “public think tank about future cities and imaginary urbanism.” Fascinating stuff.
Jinnet @
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| Monday, June 18, 2012 |
Huzzah for Giovanni Battista Piranesi, who not only gave the world amazing etchings of “imaginary prisons,” but also began the concept of historical preservation!
Speaking of preservation, archaeologists have found the remnants of the Curtain Theatre in London, where Shakespeare’s plays were performed before the Globe Theatre was around.
Speaking of Shakespeare, it’s the fifty-year anniversary of Shakespeare in the (Central) Park.
Speaking of the British, many of them are unimpressed with the “Orbit” sculpture gracing the city.
And speaking of English (sort of), have you ever realized it’s a rather strange language?
Jinnet @
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| Friday, June 15, 2012 |
Happy Friday, everyone!
From Zazoo: Dave Gahan (of Depeche Mode fame) has some new music on the way. New Depeche Mode is on the way, too!
Also from Zazoo: Moving to New York City extends your lifespan. As long as you avoid the C.H.U.D.s, that is.
From Satori: Coney Island’s Wonder Wheel is celebrating “Pet Day” tomorrow. We are trying to visualize a menagerie of complaining animals on the Wonder Wheel. Hee.
From Julie: a Victorian-era vampire hunting kit is up for auction!
Have a spiffy weekend, everyone. See you next week.
Jinnet @
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| Thursday, June 14, 2012 |
The Watergate scandal occurred forty (40!) years ago this week, and Bill Lucey, as usual, has a fantastic assortment of links.
A Ray Bradbury museum might appear in Waukegan, Illinois! I had no idea Bradbury had lived there.
In other museum news, the Victoria & Albert Museum presents an exhibition on British design which looks fabulous.
Did you know there was a Major Orchestra Librarians’ Association? Take note!
Less specialized libraries are having a hard time of it. Zadie Smith talks about her childhood library and what’s become of it.
Meanwhile, we’re still trying to get to that magical Library of Everything.
And lastly, something a bit more cheerful: a handy guide to lesser-known proofreading and editing symbols, including such gems as “add more adventure.” Sometimes it’s necessary!
Jinnet @
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| Wednesday, June 13, 2012 |
An exhibition in Berlin examines modern ghost towns and cities. This is always a favorite topic here at SpookyLibrarians HQ, so we highly recommend both the article and the accompanying photo gallery. Detroit is among the places mentioned, and Environmental Graffiti takes a look at the amazing Art Deco skyscrapers which are now mostly abandoned in that city.
Meanwhile, Google Sightseeing lists the towns around the world with an official population of one. Yes. One!
If you’re more in the mood to celebrate with lots of people, check out the Viking Solstice Festival in Iceland this weekend…or the annual Duct Tape Festival (complete with parade!) in Ohio.
Jinnet @
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| Tuesday, June 12, 2012 |
Is anyone playing Fallen London? What do you think? I may be trying it out soon.
Imagine a future made of glass, says Corning. (Now imagine glassmaking courses!) In somewhat related news, blacksmithing is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. See, people, steampunk can be PRACTICAL.
Cassandra sends in ideas from Mindshare, for more retro-futuristic ideas.
And if you’d just like to see some steampunks in person, consider ConTemporal, going on in Chapel Hill next weekend!
Jinnet @
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| Monday, June 11, 2012 |
In an article about the renewed popularity of fairy tales, I found the great news that Philip Pullman is publishing his version of several of Grimm’s fairy tales. Can’t wait.
The Getty Research Portal is open, and provides access to rare books and art history texts.
Peter Oumanski imagines composers with mp3 players, and the ensuing hijinks.
And finally, why not take in an Asparagus Food Opera? It’s nutritional for both body and mind!
Jinnet @
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| Friday, June 08, 2012 |
Happy Friday, everyone!
From a co-worker: a link that lets you check your LinkedIn password (your old one – change it first before checking!) to see if yours was among the hacked accounts.
From Bunny: The future is coming! Here are 32 innovations which will change our lives.
From Holly: Angry LEGO crossdressers. Seriously!
From Zazoo: Some info on the upcoming CBGB's movie. The drummer for the Foo Fighters is playing Iggy Pop, and looks remarkably like Iggy, actually.
From Julie: “Bulgarian archaeologists unearth two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to supposedly keep them from turning into vampires.” Eeep!
Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week, when we shall return to a more regular schedule (I hope).
Jinnet @
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| Thursday, June 07, 2012 |
How does this blogging thing work again? Sorry for the radio silence!
Today, we remember Ray Bradbury. The LA Times has a lovely obituary and several more articles. John Scalzi remembers meeting Bradbury as a 12-year-old (Scalzi being the 12-year-old, that is, not Bradbury). And Julie sends in the BBC’s take.
And, in completely unrelated linkage, we give you Politwoops, deleted twitter posts from politicians! Some are dull, some more interesting.
Jinnet @
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| Tuesday, June 05, 2012 |
Hi there! I am back, but still getting caught up on everything. In the meantime, however, you can bop on over to Flickr and see some photos from the trip, which included an unplanned stay in Cleveland!
Jinnet @
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