American FactFinder

Here is a really neat website I found today while doing some research for school. Its called American FactFinder, and its set up by the U.S. Census Bureau. All kinds of interesting data is there waiting to be explored! You can even enter your own zip code and find data specific to your home area. Here's mine.

Paris says "Save the Drunk Elephants"

I never expected to post a story about Paris Hilton, but then, I also never expected to hear about elephants getting drunk.  

 

Hilton is getting praise from Animal conservationists, following her recent comments about saving drunk elephants.  As if elephants getting drunk on farmers' homemade rice-beer wasn't bizarre enough! 

 

Here's a link to the story on MSN: http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=284021&GT1=7703

The CIA's World FactBook

Today while doing some research for school, I came across this reference website. It's from the CIA - yes, the Central Intelligence Agency. It's got a ton of information about every country. Its pretty cool, and worth exploring if you're interested.

126-years overdue books returned

I came across a link this week to an article in the UK newspaper "The Guardian" that I thought was worth sharing.

After capturing the Peruvian capital, Lima, during the 1879-1883 War of the Pacific, Chilean soldiers pillaged the library. They took at least 3,778 volumes, written in Greek, Latin, French and Spanish, some with full-page colonial-era maps, dated from the 16th to 19th centuries.

This week, 126 years later, Chile returned the books. Most were in excellent condition, and will be returned to Lima's national library.

Books!! Part One

This morning I finished reading "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" by Michael Chabon. I have read several of his other novels, including The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, for which Chabon won the Pulitzer Prize. "Union" was about a Jewish Settlement in Alaska and the policemen who are trying to solve the murder of the latest Messiah. It is a long novel, over 400 pages, and there are many themes and stories interwoven throughout. I generally liked the story, and the main characters were very well-developed and likable. I do have one complaint about the book though that prevented me from really enjoying the book. Chabon used LOTS of yiddish words, and having no familiarity with the language, I found it occassionally difficult to understnad what he was saying. By replacing a key word or descriptor, some concepts were lost on me. I would only recommend this book to Chabon fans... or fans of his character-driven style.

By the way, this week, Nov. 14-16 there is an Online Bookfair at www.loveofreading.com. I've never seen this but looks like it could be interesting - there are raffles for free books, blogs and interviews and podcasts with guests writers and authors.

"When the Sun Stood Still" Lecture, 11/15

Dudley Observatory & Union College are sponsoring the following program, which is free and open to the public.

Dava Sobel, author of Galileo’s Daughter, Longitude, and The Planets will speak on “When the Sun Stood Still” ,” how Copernicus and Galileo ushered in a new cosmic order--and how the world responded.

Thursday, Nov. 15th
7:30pm
Nott Memorial, Union College

The lecture will be followed by a reception and book signing.

In addition works of Copernicus and Galileo from the Dudley Observatory rare book collection will be on display.

For more information call 382-7583 or 388-6616.

National Geographic Map Machine

This is a really cool website I learned about in a class yesterday. I haven't spent too much time exploring it - but for just looking at Satellite images of areas I know, I like this better than Google Maps' satellite view. The picture seems clearer to me... anyone else think so? Anyone think Google is better? Why or Why not?

Mythbusters

I love Mythbusters. It's such a fun show - they investigate some really cool myths, and it always looks like they are having fun. I don't know that I would go so far as to say its an educational show, but I usually learn at least something interesting, if not useful. In a recent New York Times Op-Ed piece, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman answered reader submitted questions. Some of the stuff they talked about I knew from watching their "Mythbusters Revealed" episode - but I'm such a fan, I'll watch/read just about anything they do. My favorite part of the show is when they bust a myth, and then try to figure out what conditions would have made the myth true. (This usually ends with some kind of explosion!) Anyone else have any favorite parts of the show, crew members, or episodes to share?