Stop the Presses!

Thanks to Mugglenet's Deathly Hallows news section, I have been given yet another reason to love Jo Rowling (and to think I couldn't fit another ounce of love). While this news story is almost a month old, practically geriatric for Internet news, I am very glad to hear that a lady with as much power and influence as JKR cares so much about the planet enough to halt Finnish presses. So, I shall share this tidbit with you. Long story short, the Finnish translations of Deathly Hallows will not see the light of day if the publishers do not import paper from sustainable forests.

Six Word Memoir

This seemed like a really neat concept. Create a novel in six words (I won't get into the debate that the difference between novel, novella and short story is determined by amount of words; that's just me picking apart everything).

I received an email with this link, which proves a highly interesting read!

As for my own attempts at a six word novel, the following are my rough drafts:

• Help! I'm permanently seven years old!
• Go with flow, then you'll know
• Forever and ever, circling 'round again...
  

Stumped No More!!

Does anyone recall the episode of Pete and Pete when little Pete is late to class because he hears his favorite song ever? Only to find the band disappeared once and for all and no one was left to hear his favorite song? The sadness of little Pete was so great that he took to the electric guitar to scour his brain for the cords.

Well, I know this plight well. I heard a song on 103.3, WPRB over winter-break and was left with only a few bars to hum, not even lyrics to Google. To my delight, this song came on the radio this morning, months after first hearing it. We reconnected and bonded and it was glorious. I even wrote down lyrics so I could find it. And find it, I did! So, without further ado, I bring you my current favorite song, Young Folks, by Peter Bjorn and John (featuring Victoria Bergsman):

Birthing at the Library

"The library is not a shrine for the worship of books. It is not a temple where literary incense must be burned or where one's devotion to the bound book is expressed in ritual. A library, to modify the famous metaphor of Socrates, should be the delivery room for the birth of ideas - a place where history comes to life."

::Norman Cousins::

Bio-fuels, Schmio-fuels

I was just sent this NY times article that can pretty much be summed up with the ever-popular phrase "we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't." To be brief, this tidbit of news suggests that, while the intention of bio-fuels are a great step in the right direction, it is falling short of it's aim in reducing green house gases by, in fact, creating more. Apparently, someone forgot to factor the type of land being cleared to grow these crops and the emissions lost while converting them into fuels in the whole greenhouse-gas-reduction theory. Sigh.

Not satisfied with my summary? Good, I wouldn't be either. Read it for yourself and see what you think!

Introducing: Sporadic Word of the Day!

To perpetuate my love affair with the Oxford English Dictionary I have decided to have a sporadic word of the day feature. Translation: Whenever I find an interesting word, I will define it. Some days will be a vast plain filled with nothing but tumbleweeds and a lack of good words.

On with the show, McGillicuddy!

tiswas slang::
a state of nervous agitation or confusion; occas. a state of physical disorder or chaos.

Source: Horribly Expensive Online Version of the OED
Word originally seen at: Tales from Homeward

The Off-beats, Aliens and Caveman Galore!

My earlier post about Mo Willems led me to be a proper librarian and search for the Off-beats. Not only did I get some Off-Beats, but segments from Kablam! (aka the best show ever). I just wish I could have found the Off-beats clip about tying shoes.

The Off-Beats:


The Prometheus and Bob Tapes: