GOOGLE BOGGLES THE MIND!

I’ve just spent considerable time exploring Google Maps–what a fantastic resource!  Wish it had been around when we moved here from Michigan–great way to understand spacial relationships.  After driving around for hours with a realtor, I had no idea where we were.  I also liked the “find near” option that allows one to search for pizza, and offers links to restaurant reviews as well.  I used the arrows that allow you to virtually walk down a road to locate my sister’s home in rural Maine.  (it’s just down the road a bit from East Parsonsfield–turn at the mailbox!)

After that I needed a quick fix of news to keep up with imposter senate appointee, Roland Burris.   Google News was on the job providing video of the hapless stooge who only 50 minutes ago was  turned away from the U.S. Senate.  (My eternal  gratitude goes to Jesse White for that!)   I also discovered that I need never be far from the devolving Blago situation if I set up some Google Alerts.

I plan to continue exploring Google and look forward to studying the Top Ten Arcane Search Tips, or whatever.  The path will be long and arduous, but I’ve come this far.  Who ever thought that was possible?  Thanks to the Great8 Team for conceiving this exercise, and their invaluable (and cheerful) assistance as I slogged my way through it.

Oh, and thanks again, Jesse!

WIKIs

Hobbling into the home stretch on my sprained ankle.  (they shoot horses, don’t they?)  Just added a delicious cookie recipe to our staff Wiki–it was easy as pie!  This is a cool way to share stuff with other people–easier than reading everyones’ blogs.  We could add more categories, I presume.  Easy to add comments also.

I “ASKED AWAY” this morning with Diane at East Peoria Library.  She was fairly quick in providing me with 3 links to answer my question, as well as “pushing” some actual material to me which magically appeared on my screen.  An efficient and quick source for answers to uncomplicated questions.  I inquired whether holly berries or leaves are poisonous to cats.  If my cat had eaten them, I would have been able to get him to the vet in time!  If my cat had eaten them, I probably wouldn’t have  gone upstairs and booted up the computer, which takes a jillion years to load, then log-in to WPL  and ASK AWAY  .   .   .

AAR8, I am glad that I had a look at ASK AWAY–I can now recommend it to patrons with confidence.  When I looked at the Dictionary of Acronyms, I found it alarming that so many of them pertained to warnings about the presence of parents in the vicinity.  YIKES!

ZOMBIES WITH EARPIECES

Just viewed a National Geographic video podcast about rehabbing orphaned and injured elephants.  Surprisingly, I found it somewhat amateurish;  perhaps the podcast style is more informal than their usual polished productions.  Also, the “blurb” for the podcast didn’t quite match the content of the video.  (young in content, and somewhat sloppily done)   Here’s the link:  http://c1.libsyn.com/media/733/Elephant_Rehab.mp4?nvb=20081209180332&nva=20081210180332&t=0176223d261a42c54ab59

Also listened to Stephen Colbert speaking about his new book.  If you like Colbert (an aquired taste) you’ll enjoy this.  Here’s the link:   iTunes  http://odeo.com/episodes/22058579-Stephen-Colbert-Meet-the-Author

I found this exercise difficult to accompolish during my morning shift at the YS Reference desk.  It was a distracting, noisy, rainy-day storytime morning, with a fair amount of  shrieking.  Unfortunately, I had nowhere else to get this done, and being slightly behind in meeting my Great8 challenges, I had to trudge on.   I can understand the appeal of  everyone having his own personalized source of music and information flowing directly into his brain  via an earphone, but it makes for a strange zombie-like populace.

FIRST POST-WAR EASTER COINCIDES WITH BABY BOOM!

A few corrections:  the Chicago Daily Tribune of April 22, 1946 carried news of the Easter festivities which occurred the previous day.   So although I was considered an Easter baby, I was actually born on Monday (a day later).    Even with some help from that sweet girl, Janet Piehl, we weren’t able to establish a link directly to the charming photo and headline of my previous post.  (it is copyright protected, so my link  only takes you to the Proquest sign-in).  As to the mention of  “my Easter bonnet”, I also learned that supplies of infant clothing and furniture, were in scarce supply.  I may well have not sported a bonnet that year!  The Trib reported that a government program to expedite production of infant wear and diapers for all the little post-war tykes was beginning to improve this shortage.  Most of us were probably sleeping in drawers, though, since supplies of lumber and steel were at an all-time low with cribs and playpens not readily available.

Meanwhile, across the pond, on April 21, Princess Elizabeth celebrated a quiet 20th birthday.  In contrast to the “gay” Easter celebrations by Chicagoans, there were reports that Germans crowded “the few churches left in Berlin, strolling in drab clothes through the wreckage.”

DAY I WAS BORN–”GAYEST IN YEARS”!!.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=463070302&sid=1&Fmt=10&clientId=8068&RQT=309&VName=HNP

I entered this world on April 22, 1946, coincidentally, Easter Sunday.  As Chicago Daily Tribune headlines proclaim, the “Gayest Easter in Years.” It was the first Easter celebration after the end of World War II.  I found this charming photo, of women and children all dolled-up for the holiday, in a Proquest search of my birth date.  I’ve attached the link for your enjoyment.  “In my Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it  .  .   .”

Article

WATCH, IF YOU DARE . . . SCARY

Here’s my favorite scary movie–NO ONE can top Bela Lugosi as Dracula.  While I was in high school our local CBS affiliate (during this bygone era, there were only 3 TV networks) had a Friday “FRIGHT NIGHT” late movie.  They broadcast all the classic 1930′s horror films.  My sister and I would pack our living room with friends to watch these classics.  Our parents tolerated the late night viewing since they, at least, knew where we were.  Great times spent watching these fabulous movies!

Both of us read Bram Stoker’s DRACULA so the movie introduced us to the book, which was long and suspenseful.  We still refer to “children of the night” and Renfrew’s ravings about flies and spiders.

I’ve had surprisingly little difficulty with the technical aspects of the Great8 exercises.  It’s interesting, fun and very time consuming in the case of YouTube.   My head is beginning to hurt, however, at the prospect of all the resources yet awaiting my mastery.  Can I ever catch up?  Can anyone stay apace of the developments?  Was life richer or poorer when the test pattern came on after the late movie?

“HOUSES WITH TOWERS”–WHO KNEW?

new haunted house

Originally uploaded by Capt. Cal

In response to last week’s posting of a photo of my ancestral abode, I received a request for permission from a group called, HOUSES WITH TOWERS, to add the Dunnan-Hampton house to their site. (Unfortunately, in that picture, I cropped off the peak of the tower.)

The tower can be reached via ladder from the 3rd floor attic. And in that tower, there is a room. And in that room, there is a cabinet. And in that cabinet, there is a box. And in that box, there is a G-H-O-S-T!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Vintage Halloween Diecut Cat Card

Originally uploaded by riptheskull

It’s coming for you, it’s just around the next corner, it’s spooky and shivery. What is it–IT’S HALLOWEEN!!

I found this vintage 1950′s diecut card in flickr–after all, what could be scarier than the ’50′s?

A FELINE PANDEMIC

I previously described the malady that has befallen my cat, Arthur.  Not to be outdone, my 2 year old polydactyl cat, Daniel, has just tested positive for Bartonella.  It is highly contagious, so all 3 cats  are now taking 21 days of Arythromycin.  The fun just never stops.

In case your Greek is a little rusty, polydactyl means many digits.  Daniel has 6 toes on each of his front feet; he actually has jointed opposable thumbs that are rather dextrous.  His front feet are white-furred mittens, so his paws look enormous.  It gives him quite a comical air which amuses us no end.  Polydactyly is not a malformation; it is an anomaly, which is not connected with any other genetic defects.

We adopted Daniel from “Adopt-a-Pet”, a wonderful organization which has no actual shelter, but keeps pets in foster homes until they are placed in their forever homes.  You can search their “inventory” on-line.  (www.adoptapet-il.org)  We visited Daniel in his foster home, asked his foster mother many questions, and observed him in a setting where he was comfortable and at home.  It was, by far, our best adoption experience out of 7 cat adoptions.   I would definitely adopt from them again, but at the moment we have a full house with our 3 cats.