Monday, October 28, 2013

Lou Reed AND Mrs. Krabappel? This is truly a tough year.

Folderol will be erratic this week, as we are more or less officially on vacation through Halloween. See you soon!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Happy Friday! Today is our tenth wedding anniversary. Crazy how time flies, isn't it?

From Bunny: An evening with Edgar Allan Poe, starring Vincent Price. Spooky goodness abounds!

From Cassandra: Gorgeous photographs of abandoned buildings and areas.

From Julie: Are you related to Isaac Newton? A new search is afoot!

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

First up today, we have the history of libraries, as seen through an architectural lens.

The power of books, as seen through prison reading groups in the UK.

History, as seen via the amazing Public Domain Review.

Climate change, as seen through archaeology.

And finally, a 13th-century volcanic eruption in Indonesia, the Pompeii of its time and place.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

It's no longer 1985 or 1885, and not quite 2015, but you can still go back to the future, thanks to these genius people who went back to find most of the scenes from the original movie and photograph them in 2007.

Because it's almost 2015, you can now interact with people in Sicily in real time, thanks to a robot walking the streets.

Did you know there are actual dead bodies (well, parts of them) in Disney's Haunted Mansion? It's...possible! Disney's dark side is hard to find, but it's there.

Whether or not you end up at Disney after death, you can now use QR codes for memorials.

Monday, October 21, 2013

In Berlin, nearly thirty former train stations will be converted into homes. How cool is that?

Kazakhstan may not be a world power, but their currency is beautiful.

A journalist's trip to Ohio in search of Dave Chappelle leads to a meditation on racism, fame, and the gorgeous town of Yellow Springs.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Happy Full Moon Friday, all!

From Cassandra: Latin America is digging up the dead to put the past to rest.  Also from Cassandra: The Myers-Briggs personality test tells you what book you should be reading.

From Julie: A fantastic piece by Neil Gaiman on the value of libraries, daydreaming, and more. Also from Julie: letters from historic personages sell for more than expected, and the rules for students at Cambridge these days are just a wee bit different than those in the 17th century.

From Bunny: a Kepler telescope estimates that we are far from alone in the universe. Very cool.

Also from Bunny, a link to end our week: Brides Throwing Cats. You're welcome! Have a spiffy weekend, and see you next week.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

If you're trying to find government-related information during the shutdown, libraries have come to the rescue. Mississippi State has a page with status updates, workarounds, and alternative sources.

Also, Google has changed some of its algorithms so that it can handle long questions (such as, for example, "Where should we go on vacation now that the Smithsonian has closed and even if it opens back up soon the original plan is now all screwed up and we don't have much time to think of an alternative?" Ahem).

The Shanghai Metro has a library!

Mandatory Thursday reading: The bookshop of the future is coming. It's...rather bright, if the photos are anything to go by. Also, libraries are still important.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

If it's October, that means it's time for the fantastic Halloween-themed Retroist!

The Walking Dead is back on the air, and it's been a boon for the Georgia town in which it's filmed.

If you're making vacation plans for next year, consider Helsinki - the Ambient Music Conference looks fascinating. (Thanks, Bunny!)

 Tired of making subpar Black & Tans? Try this dual glass! Good for all sorts of concoctions!



Tuesday, October 15, 2013

We are back at it, giving away books over at Steampunk Librarian! Deadline for the first giveaway (The Osiris Curse by Paul Crilley) is this Friday, so hop on over if you'd like a free book.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Have you seen the work of James Turrell? Particularly his work with light? It's worth a look.

Jonathan Franzen has doubts about the internet, and wants to tell you about it, and also about Karl Kraus. These two subjects are related.

From Zazoo: Israeli puppets take on the issue of gay marriage, sort of. These guys need to visit Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street some day.

Many thanks to the Sparkle Queen for pointing toward Rust Belt Chic, a Cincinnati anthology in the works. Submit your Cincinnati story or art!

Monday, October 07, 2013

While my country is bickering and threatening dire catastrophes, Canada is spearheading a change in the words of its anthem back to "all of us" rather than "all our sons." This is why the world likes Canada better.

Musicians think more accurately, says a recent study.


Free music for YouTube videos!

If you think ballet is difficult, imagine a ballet comprised of shopping carts.

 Did you know Jim Henson almost opened an amazing-looking futuristic nightclub? It's true! But instead, he went with the Muppets. So it all worked out okay.



Friday, October 04, 2013

Well, between the government shutdown and struggles with various computing machines, this week was a little erratic. But it's Friday, and here are a slew of links from others to make up for it! Thanks to everyone for sending in links, and for reading.

From Cassandra: Behold, Cat Island!

From Julie: Have you been challenged to a duel? Worry not, here's how to win.

Also from Julie: They're always digging up strange things in England. This week it's a collection of skulls from the Roman era!

From Zazoo: Rough Trade (the record label, that is) is opening a record store in Williamsburg!

From Bunny: The lives of teenagers in 1994, 2014 and 2034. I'm looking forward to the music in 2034!

Also from Bunny: An abandoned Wizard of Oz theme park? Wow! (Only open once a year.)

Making the rounds on Facebook: Incredible vintage Halloween costumes. The suit of clubs seems to be especially popular. We're particularly impressed by Chicken Man and Silver Biplane Woman.

Have a spiffy weekend, everyone! See you next week (sooner or later).