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| New This Week for October 26, 2006 |
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This Week This week grow what you know with websites about elections, Halloween festivities, iron ore, invisibility cloaks, federal spending, spider bites, paper cranes, prisons in the UK, and more. Bon appetit from librarians Karen, Wendy, Jennifer, Maria, and Charlotte. Tip of the Week Dear LII readers, this is my last newsletter as project director for Librarians' Internet Index. I recently moved to Tallahassee, Florida, in a family move, and on November 1, I will be moving on to new opportunities in my professional life as well. Thank you for five wonderful years on this project. LII will continue as a project of the Peninsula Library System and will have additional management by Califa. May LII have many more good years! -- Karen G. Schneider |
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Arts and Humanities
Theodore Roosevelt: Icon of the American Century
"This exhibition is a retrospective look at the man and his portraiture, whose progressive ideas about social justice, representative democracy, and America's role as a world leader have significantly shaped our national character." Features a chronology of the public career of Roosevelt, and annotated images of artwork of Roosevelt as a Rough Rider, U.S. president, big game hunter, and in other situations. From the National Portrait Gallery.
URL: http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/roosevelt/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22808
The Writer's Almanac
The website for "a daily program of poetry and history hosted by Garrison Keillor," broadcast on public radio and offered on this site. Includes an archive of the audio and text for the programs back to early 2001. Free daily e-mail updates available. "Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
URL: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/3793
Business
United Mine Workers of America (UMWA): A Brief History of the UMWA
Historical account of this labor union for coal miners founded in 1890. Includes discussion of specific events in UMWA history (such as the Ludlow and Lattimer massacres), profiles of UMWA presidents, and a gallery of portraits of John L. Lewis (UMWA president from 1920-1960). From the national website for the UMWA.
URL: http://www.umwa.org/index.php?q=content/umwa-your-community
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22791
Computers
Government
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School: The Federalist Papers
Complete collection of the 85 articles urging the citizens of New York to ratify the new United States Constitution. They were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, and were first published from October 1787 to August 1788. From the Lillian Goldman Law Library in Memory of Sol Goldman at Yale Law School.
URL: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/federal/fed.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22801
FedSpending.org
This website is "a free, searchable database of federal government spending." The data is "largely from two sources: the Federal Procurement Data System, which contains information about federal contracts; and the Federal Assistance Award Data System, which contains information about federal financial assistance such as grants, loans, insurance, and direct subsidies like Social Security." Also includes a glossary. From OMB Watch, "a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting government accountability."
URL: http://www.fedspending.org
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22790
National Contact Center: Locating Individuals
This site lists federal agencies and private organizations that "assist individuals in locating persons of unknown whereabouts." Provides guidance for finding active, reserve, and retired military personnel, and private individuals (including U.S. citizens living or visiting abroad). From the Federal Citizen Information Center, a service of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).
URL: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/call/locating_individuals.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22782
The Online NewsHour: Vote 2006
Background, news, and analysis about the November 2006 elections, with coverage of U.S. House and Senate and state governor races. Features profiles of candidates, reports related to the candidates and races, overviews of key issues (such as Iraq and gay marriage) and lesson plans and other material for students and teachers. From Online NewsHour, a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2006/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22780
Health
American Pain Foundation
This nonprofit organization serves "people with pain through information, advocacy, and support." Its site features fact sheets and related publications on topics such as facts about pain, pain and end of life, and prescription, over-the-counter, and nonprescription medicines. Also includes material about advocacy efforts, clinical research and trials, and links to related sites.
URL: http://www.painfoundation.org
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22796
Spider Bites
Fact sheet about symptoms and treatment for spider bites. Also features illustrated descriptions of selected types of spiders such as black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders, wolf spiders, and tarantulas. From the California Poison Control System.
URL: http://www.calpoison.org/public/spiders.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22783
Home & Housing
All Hallows' Eats
Cooking and entertaining ideas for Halloween, including pumpkin recipes, homemade sweets and snacks, and instructions for making caramel-dipped apples, decorating a haunted house, choosing wines for Halloween, and more. From Epicurious.
URL: http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/halloween/halloween
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22795
Fire Safety Publications
Consumer safety alerts and fact sheets on home fire safety topics, such as smoke detectors, safe cooking, chimneys, overheated clothes dryers and extension cords, and older brass gas connectors. Includes a home fire safety checklist. From the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/fire_sfy.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22802
People
Emily Post Institute: About Us: Emily Post
Biography of writer and etiquette expert Emily Post. "After publication in 1922, her book, 'Etiquette,' topped the nonfiction bestseller list, and the phrase 'according to Emily Post' soon entered our language as the last word on the subject of social conduct." Accompanied by photos. From the institute created by Emily Post in 1946.
URL: http://www.emilypost.com/about/emily.htm
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22788
Sadako and the Paper Cranes
Companion to an exhibit about Sadako Sasaki, who was "born in 1943 and experienced the [Hiroshima] bombing at age two [and died in 1955]. She was healthy and athletically gifted growing up, but ten years after the bombing, she was suddenly hospitalized. The diagnosis was leukemia. One day, a thousand paper cranes arrived at the hospital. ... This inspired her to begin folding her own." Includes photos. From the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.
URL: http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/VirtualMuseum_e/exhibit_e/exh...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22798
World Culinary Institute: Visit With the Masters
Brief biographies of four famous chefs: Fernand Point, Auguste Escoffier, Julia Child, and James Beard. Includes descriptions of culinary careers and highlights, such as Escoffier's "revolutionizing and modernizing the menu, the art of cooking and the organization of the professional kitchen," and how Beard "appeared in his own segment on television's first cooking show on NBC in 1946." From the World Culinary Institute, a site that links to hundreds of cooking schools and related sites.
URL: http://www.worldculinaryinstitute.com/the_masters.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22805
Ready Reference & Quick Facts
Veterans Day: Department of Veterans Affairs
Contains fact sheets, a FAQ, teachers' guides, history, a gallery of annual commemorative posters, and more. From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
URL: http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/15984
Recreation
Halloween: Find Your Perfect Party Theme
Collection of ideas for "eerily elegant Halloween party themes" for Halloween, such as a masquerade dinner party (with "phantom floating candles," "ghostly glove placecard holders," and more), a dessert party, and a Halloween barbecue. Includes many recipes and food ideas. From HGTV.
URL: http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_51609,00.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22793
Party Time: Fun for Halloween
This collection of Halloween activities includes jack-o'-lanterns and other pumpkin craft ideas, fun foods to make (such as "broomstick breadsticks" and meringue ghosts), plant decorations, and candy bags. From Sunset magazine.
URL: http://www.sunset.com/sunset/home/superpackage/0,22336,1449310,00.html
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22794
Regional: California
California Election 2006 Blog and Hot Topics
Background and analysis of the November 2006 elections in California, covering candidates, ballot measures, and related topics such as campaign finance and eminent domain. Includes a chart showing endorsements for specific propositions, and links to news stories related to the election. From the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) Library, University of California, Berkeley.
URL: http://igs.berkeley.edu/library/election2006/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22770
Hotspot: California on the Edge
Companion to an exhibit about biodoversity hotspots in California. "Defining a hotspot requires understanding a regions species' distributions and endemism (the degree to which species are found only in a given place)." Features descriptions of species in the hotspot areas of Central Valley vernal pools, Mediterranean shrublands, the Sierra Nevada, Cascade range volcanoes, and Klamath-Siskiyou wilderness. Also describes threats (such as population growth and global warming) and related topics. From the California Academy of Sciences.
URL: http://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/california%5Fhotspot/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22786
Regions of the World
RAND Voices of Jihad Database
"This online database is a compilation of speeches, interviews, statements, and publications of jihadist leaders, foot soldiers, and sympathizers. Nearly all content is in English translation, and has been collected from publicly-accessible websites. ... Content is indexed by date, author, affiliated group, online source, and keyword." Click on the search key to browse all documents. From the RAND Corporation.
URL: http://www.rand.org/research_areas/terrorism/database/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22768
Science
The American Cranberry
You won't get bogged down as you explore how to plant, harvest, cook, and market this round red relative of the blueberry. From Steenbock Memorial Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
URL: http://www.library.wisc.edu/guides/agnic/cranberry/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/4568
How to Build an Invisibility Cloak
This November 2006 feature article reports on the use of new materials to mask objects from visible light to make them appear to disappear. It focuses on research at Duke University, and highlights other attempts at cloaking devices. Includes links to related news stories and websites. From the website for Discover magazine.
URL: http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/building-invisibility-cloak
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22784
Iron Ore Statistics and Information
Statistical publications on iron ore, "a mineral substance which, when heated in the presence of a reductant, will yield metallic iron (Fe). ... Iron ore is the source of primary iron for the world's iron and steel industries." Includes links to statistics about iron and steel scrap (recycled into new steel and cast-iron products) and slag (nonmetallic byproducts of iron and steel manufacturing). From the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
URL: http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/iron_ore/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22785
Society & Social Science
Prisons in the UK
Collection of news and features about the prison system in the United Kingdom. Includes a timeline of prisons in the U.K., data about prison populations, and materials about topics such as women's prison closures, prison overcrowding, and the possibility of prison ships. Also includes data about prison populations around the world. From the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/uk/2006/prisons/
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22789
The Wretched Prison Ships
Article about how "more Americans died in British prison ships in New York Harbor than in all the battles of the Revolutionary War." Describes conditions on "these floating prisons anchored in Wallabout Bay on the East River for most of the war, and [how] they were sinkholes of filth, vermin, infectious disease and despair." From Newsday.
URL: http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs425a,0,6...
LII Item: http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/22787
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Thanks for reading LII New This Week!
Jennifer English, Liaison to Califa Library Group
Wendy Hyman, Senior Editor
Maria Brandt, Associate Editor
Charlotte Bagby, Senior Weeder
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