Saturday, December 29, 2007

Online Databases—Web 2.0: Our Cultural Downfall?

From Library Journal
Andrew Keen, former internet entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, has become an articulate contrarian regarding all of the Web 2.0 excitement.
I think he might be on to something here:
"The underlying message from Keen is buyer (or reader) beware. When anyone can add unfiltered, unvetted, and unattributed information to a growing array of social networking sites—sites some people rely on for their news or research—we have a dangerous dumbing-down of culture and a world where truth is hard to differentiate from falsehood."

Wanted a Puppy for Christmas and didn't get one?

Try this one out: I Do Dog Tricks. Type in as many commands as you can think of. MAke sure you try “kiss”.

Joyeux Noel

Nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year and winner of Leeds International Film Festival for Best Feature in 2006
Joyeux Noel
In 1914, World War I, the bloodiest war ever at that time in human history, was well under way. However on Christmas Eve, numerous sections of the Western Front called an informal, and unauthorized, truce where the various front-line soldiers of the conflict peacefully met each other in No Man's Land to share a precious pause in the carnage with a fleeting brotherhood. This film dramatizes one such section as the French, British and German sides partake in the unique event, even though they are aware that their superiors will not tolerate its occurrence.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

It takes just 4 seconds!

Your Christmas List?


Is this on your Christmas list?


It can be yours for $119.99 at j crew

Striking Golden

Striking Golden: "
Some people never learn: Entertainment Weekly reports that the Catholic League and other pro-Christian groups are organizing a boycott of the ...
"

Wikipedia Founder Librarian at Heart?

Wikipedia Founder Librarian at Heart?: "

A piece in yesterday's New York Times Magazine revealed an unexpected aspect to Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales's personal book collection in ...
"

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Pray for Coy Christopher Kolkhorst

A friend of mine, Kathy Kolkhorst, became a grandmother in November. Her daughter had a bonucing baby boy named Ryder. She was expecting another grandson in late March 08. However, on December 3rd, little Coy came unexpectedly. I would ask that everyone add this family; Coy, his mother, Ann Marie, his father, Chris, and his whole network of family members, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins to their prayer list. You can view his progress on his blog. Borrowing the words from the song..."May God's love be with you"

Thursday, December 6, 2007

"The Big Questions" by Lama Das

Would love to hear what everyone thinks of this quote! Post your comment!
"The Big Questions" by Lama Das
"Research in the emerging field of positive psychology--focusing on one's inner strengths and potential rather than on one's outer failures and problems -- has shown that learned optimism and flexibility contribute a great deal to resetting happiness levels that have been compromised by genetic inheritance, personal biochemistry, social conditioning, and individual life experiences...This finding conflicts with what many scientists previously thought and confirms what yogies and other serious meditators have always known: WE HAVE AN INNATE CAPACITY TO BE HAPPY THAT IS INDEPENDENT FROM WHAT HAPPENS TO US."

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Dear Miss Breed

"Dear Miss Breed..." the letters begin. Clara Estelle Breed was the children's librarian at the San Diego Public Library from 1929 to 1945. When her young Japanese American patrons and their families were forced into relocation camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942, Miss Breed became their penpal and their lifeline, sending them books and supplies, assisting with various requests, and "serving as a reminder of the possibility for decency and justice in a troubled world."
Fifty years later, Miss Breed passed on her collection of letters to Elizabeth Kikuchi Yamada, one of her original correspondents. Ms. Yamada donated them to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The online collection includes digital facsimiles of the correspondence, full transcriptions of the letters, and brief biographies of most of the correspondents. The site also includes home movies and oral histories.