Learning is Forever

2012-01-23T10:54:00.000-06:00

One of the songs we did for the Annual Hour of Reflection at the Captiol on Sunday afternoon - If We've Ever Needed You.

Children's Dance Books: 2011 Year-In-Review | Dance Advantage

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-06:00

Children's Dance Books: 2011 Year-In-Review Dance Advantage

Library information desk

2011-09-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

Library information desk
library of the Faculty of Architecture of the TU Delft Library

creative way to re-purpose old or obsolete textbooks

Tu Delft Architecture Bibliotheek

Delft, Netherlands

TU Delft library

The large lawn roof is tilted up at one corner like a sheet of paper held by a single point. The hollow beneath houses the library. A cone, the symbol of technology, pierces the library and the landscape, affixing them like a pushpin. With a grass-covered roof, high-performance glazed facades and subterranean storage for heating and cooling, the building reaches high standards of sustainability. The entrance affords a glimpse of the sunken book stacks for rare and irreplaceable books. Inside the towering suspended bookcase for the less fragile books astonishes the visitor. The deep blue background gives the wall-to-wall racks the feel of a theatre set. The columns in the central hall are not only structural but also provide lighting and heating. The sloping metal ceiling continues without interruption across all spaces above a floor the colour of Saharan sand.

... A huge cone pierces the green expanse, articulated by a 1500 mm wide necklace of glazing in the plane of the roof. Supported on splayed steel columns, the cone houses four levels of traditional study spaces connected by a helical stair. Within the cone, a central void provides daylight from a glazed roof to the internal reading spaces. The apex of the cone is formed by an open frame. Extending forty metres above grade and floodlit at night, the cone acts as a beacon on the campus day and night.

... Designated as the national library for technical and natural sciences, the facility is also connected electronically to major libraries around the world. The library thus satisfies both electronic needs and the sensory pleasures derived from being able to touch and smell the books.

http://www.mecanoo.nl/Default.aspx?tabid=135&pcode=A126&subs=false

In SD again!

2011-09-06T15:34:00.001-05:00

Ballet Magnificat will be in Yankton again.

10/30 Yankton High Auditorium
2:30 pm. Matinee Performance

For more info call: 605-665-7729

Alpha Company performing "The Arrival" and "Deliver Us" (Prince of Egypt)

2011-09-06T15:06:00.001-05:00

Awakening Music Fest 2011 - Pierre

2011-08-17T16:45:00.000-05:00

Three dances performed at Awakening Music Fest, Riggs Theatre, Pierre, SD, 8/13/11

In Christ Alone 7/24/11

2011-08-16T13:45:00.001-05:00

MainStreet dance moved out of the Ft Pierre location May 27, the day before recital due to the flooding threat. We won't be moving back and are looking for a new location.

We danced In Christ Alone at church in July.

Hosanna Dance of Pierre, SD (formerly MainStreet Dance of Ft Pierre)

Next Month

2011-04-19T10:26:00.004-05:00

The Greatest Gift of All in pictures

2011-03-03T16:34:00.001-06:00

I decided I didn't want to copy what I finally put on the dance studio's site and have pictures moving around on me so I'm just putting links:

The Story in Pictures
Act I

Act II

here a just a few random pics

one of Josh's characters was Claire's father (our dad was grandpa)

I was the mother

later I was a one of the bad guys harassing Clair (and catching & lifting)

Josh was good - an angel in fact

then me as Mary and then later an angel

then...

Josh danced in real (borrowed) chaps for this dance... a little heavy and awkward but did great

then I danced some more

then Josh danced some more (he got in some lifting and catching too)

this one is just kinda neat

Peter Pan

2011-02-01T12:30:00.002-06:00

February is the month. We are starting to figure out choreography for our Peter Pan which will probably be called I'll Fly Away. Josh gets to be a bad guy this time... Captain Hook

MainStreet Dance
http://mainstdance.blogspot.com/

groundhog sing & dance

2011-02-01T08:59:00.000-06:00

Sing to the tune of Ba Ba Blacksheep:
Groundhog, Groundhog, popping up today.

Groundhog, Groundhog, can you play?

If you see your shadow, hide away.

If there is no shadow, you can stay.

Groundhog, Groundhog, popping up today.

Groundhog, Groundhog, can you play?

Sing to: "Baa Baa Black sheep"

Groundhog, Groundhog

Will you come out?

Yes Sir, Yes Sir

If the sun is not about

Groundhog, Groundhog

The sun is shining Bright

Then I'll hop back in and curl up tight

more groundhog songs http://www.preschooleducation.com/sgroundhog.shtml

It's dance time...

2010-11-23T11:57:00.000-06:00

The Greatest Gift Of All

A biblical adaptation of the Nutcracker with an entirely new twist

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Riggs HS Theatre

Pierre

3 p.m.

7 p.m.

Admission: free will offering

Oh My

2010-10-15T12:31:00.021-05:00

angels costume

Can it be? Only 8 weeks until Christmas dance recital - The Greatest Gift of All (a variation of the Nutcracker ballet). Lots of choreography to learn still.

It's kinda neat having a site for the studio now... can post newsletters, pics, schedules & even links to dancewear. http://mainstdance.blogspot.com/

Pointe:

Eventually I may even show a picture of me wearing my new pointe shoes. Maybe. Had a good class last night. My feet got pretty tired but they didn't hurt at all.

Main Street Dance

2010-08-02T21:07:00.002-05:00

Main Street Dance
Fort Pierre, SD

test

Other posts for Main Street Dance

The Visitor

2010-07-27T12:15:00.003-05:00

While kennel sitting I had an uninvited visitor...

It was going to be very hot Saturday and by 10:00 I had already taken each set of dogs (3 sets of 2) on a walk. (It's a lot easier walking up a hill when you have two hardy young labs walking you... hardly takes any effort at all... just pick up your feet and you'll find yourself moving forward.)

Well, back inside I heard a meadowlark singing outside and thought I'd try for a picture, but looking out the window to see where it was, my eye caught what looked like a rope lying on the ground.

The rope didn't want its picture taken...

It decided to hang out with some rakes (it does rhyme with snakes)...

...but as soon as some snake tongs arrived on the premises it promptly decided to head for cover... a nice big pile of old paint cans on the other side of that fence. (There has been a lot of cleaning up of piles and there's still more to come... at least that's not something I have to worry about... the owners are working hard to make this a great kennel (and home).)

I never did get to use those tongs... our friend left them in my care... just in case it came back out.

This guy did give a demo of his latest song The Sound of the Rattle... very nice

I'm kennel sitting again in a week and a half, but the outside portion will be completely different by then. No more scooping poo out of gravel... welcome to hosing down nicely slanted cement... and will eventually have some sort of drainage channel to a kind of doggie septic tank system. And putting gates at the end of each kennel/run will be nice too... no more weird going through one run to get to the next.

PAWS

2010-07-15T07:27:00.001-05:00

Had fun my first day of kennel sitting... playing with the dogs & kittens, enjoying the country. I'm watching 4 dogs (2 are the owners, 2 are boarders) and 3 kittens. There'll be another 2 dogs over the weekend. All is going great! We'll see how the first day of poo scooping goes...

Calculus & Origami

2010-07-08T12:40:00.003-05:00

WatchKnow has indexed and organized 18,485 online educational videos as of today. Site organizers aim to increase that total to 50,000 (into a directory of over 3,000 categories) by the end of 2010. All videos have been organized by category and sub-category. For example, the 2,512 videos listed under mathematics have been sub-divided into 16 categories that range from “Number Sense” to “Calculus” and “Math in the Real World”. The some of the categroies under literature include "Authors'/Poets' Biographical Information" and children's and young adult literature, authors & illustrators. There's even a Life Skills section ( sub-category Library Skills has 2 videos and the 1st one looks a little dated).

From the Hobbies Crafts section
origami book

"Suppose, instead of the dull, solemn letters on a board or a card you have a little play going on that the smallest youngster can understand." - Thomas Edison, 1911, on the film projector

old library days musings

2010-06-25T12:57:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I sure miss "my" old library,

what with all their online resources... tons of databases (should see all the databases just for music, art and dance), and website guides, tons of cool programing, and of course the tons and tons of books, videos and such so handy. (I say tons is the word of the day.) And, a lot has changed since I lived and worked there.

Now there's this neat looking Library-To-Go setup (an automated system away from the library branches), ...

...library by mail, downloadable audiobooks and videos....

They even have an author's podcast now... (though my branch's manager had started with newspaper topic articles and had even began radio interviews while I was still there)

Wow, they have even taken the summer reading program online with links, lists, reading log and the kids can write book reviews to share. ...

Every once in a while I have to check out their website just to see what might be new.

Aw, and I never got to see the new genealogy center...

maybe someday if I make it back to Independence/KCMO for a visit.

It's only been, what... 6 years.

MCPL The Mid-Continent Public Library consists of 30 branches serving Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties in Western Missouri. It was established in 1965 (though its roots go back further to 1892) and is now one of the largest library systems in the United States.

Hmmm... I wonder how the old libraries in Illinois are doing? Elgin's Gail Borden (that I barely remember since I was so young) and Springfield's Lincoln Library.

Flag Day

2010-06-14T10:15:00.000-05:00

50-Star Flag Designs

In 1958 two U.S. territories, Alaska and Hawaii, were poised to become America's 49th and 50th states. A federal law dating from 1818 required that a star be added to the U.S. flag on the Fourth of July following a new state's admission. However, the law failed to describe how a new pattern for the stars should be configured. As the probability of Alaska's and Hawaii's admission to the Union increased, thousands of citizens, especially school children, sent their suggestions for a new flag design to the White House. In response to this interest, President Dwight Eisenhower appointed a committee to advise on the new design. After examining many creative and fanciful submissions, the committee recommended a design similar to the existing 48-star flag.

It would contain seven rows of seven stars in a slightly staggered arrangement. On January 3, 1959, President Eisenhower issued an Executive order changing the design of the flag. When, a few months later, Hawaii became a state, the committee recommended a similar layout, and President Eisenhower issued another order describing that design. This exhibit contains two flag designs selected from the many designs submitted for consideration.

http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/designs_for_democracy/designs_for_a_new_century/articles/american_flag_with_50_stars_2.html

2010-05-24T09:29:00.000-05:00

Marian the Cybrarian from the Chronicle of Higher Education

Windy Day

2010-05-05T15:08:00.003-05:00

Took a picture of the flags up the hill at the Cultural Visitor Center.

Some day are definately good braid/pony tail days.

101_0017
Originally uploaded by piano player1

Trees

2010-05-03T15:49:00.000-05:00

Get Growing! It's the Diversity

Wednesday, May 5
Community Room - Pierre Area Chamber of Commerce
800 W. Dakota Ave.
7:00 p.m.
tom.farnsworth@ci.pieree.sd.us

Diversifying our landscapes with many different varieties of trees helps to create a sustainable ecosystem.

Dr. John Ball, SDSU Extension Forestry Specialist, will discuss under utilized plants that can be grown in the area.

The makeup

2010-04-27T16:55:00.003-05:00

The stage makeup was a little hard to get used to.

Hadassah: A Story of Esther pictures

2010-04-27T16:21:00.007-05:00

This is the way to start any production - with prayer

Hadassah: A Story of Esther, April 25, 2010, @ Riggs High School Theatre, Pierre

~ ~ ~

The village is happy

The King & Queen are happy,

but then...

the queen won't come when the King summons

... the search for a new queen begins

(I am resisting)

Esther's preparation

I'm not actually trying to punch her,... I must be teaching her some self defense (could be useful information in the Persian court) but my lessons must bore her.

the King chooses ...

and we have Queen Esther

(there's bad old Haman - my dad)

oh no!

something's afoot

The Prayer - Mordecai (oh yah, my brother) & Esther

for such a time as this...

surounded by angels

Esther & her guardian angel (me)

Esther is on her way to the king, guardian angel and all.

what... you want us to come to a banquet ?

ok...

Haman looks a little worried...

bye, bye Haman

celebration time!

Josh & I are off the ground (back two)!

~ ~ ~

Josh likes to give an impressive curtain call :-)

Look at more pictures from:

Sunday 1:00 pm dress rehearsal
View Album

Sunday 7:00 pm performance
View Album

there were more dances than what is shown above, including...

Previous posts: click on labels below

2010-04-08T16:08:00.002-05:00

Luxury Libraries in Europe

View more presentations or Upload your own.

Thinking about getting a new clock...

2010-04-04T13:30:00.007-05:00

There it goes again... Previous Post about this: What time is it? I'm behind -- Or am I ahead

Daylight Saving Time (DST) rules changed in 2007 for the first time in more than 20 years. ...

...Your radio controlled clock should automatically implement the DST rules. The WWVB broadcast contains information that tells your clock whether DST or ST is currently in effect... [However,] Some clocks have the old date rule programmed in and do not use the part of the time code which designates whether or not Daylight Saving Time is in effect. These clocks will switch on the wrong date. The time zone or DST ON/OFF function might need to be switched temporarily so the the clock shows the correct hour for the period between the transition dates according to the old rules and the new rules.

...There are a large number of non-radio controlled clocks, marketed under names like "AUTOSET" or "SMARTSET" that have internal firmware that automatically changes the time by one hour on the transition days to and from DST. These clocks do not connect to a NIST time service, and some of them will no longer work properly due to the DST rule change. For example, clocks manufactured prior to the rule change will probably not switch to DST in March, but will wait until April in accordance with the old rule....

What is Daylight Saving Time?
Daylight Saving Time, or DST, is the period of the year when clocks are moved one hour ahead. In the United States, this has the effect of creating more sunlit hours in the evening during months when the weather is the warmest. We advance our clocks ahead one hour at the beginning of DST, and move them back one hour ("spring forward, fall back") when we return to Standard Time (ST). The transition from ST to DST has the effect of moving one hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. The transition from DST to ST effectively moves one hour of daylight from the evening to the morning.

DST was formally introduced in the United States in 1918. Today, most of the country and its territories observe DST. However, DST is not observed in Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the state of Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Indian Reservation, which does observe DST).

Daylight Saving Time and time zones are regulated by the U. S. Department of Transportation, not by NIST. However, as an official timekeeper for the United States, NIST observes all rules regarding DST when it distributes time-of-day information to the public.
http://www.nist.gov/physlab/div847/dst.cfm

Keeping Up With Blogs - Tips

2010-03-30T11:24:00.001-05:00

from Richard's Blog Tips

Tip #1 - Use an aggregator

Blogs are much easier to read when using an aggregator, such as Bloglines or Google Reader. These free services allow you to read all of your feeds in one location (instead of having to visit each blog every day to find the new postings).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tip #2 - Read unrelated blogs
Subscribe to blogs that expose you to ideas that you would not normally be exposed to otherwise. If you're in Higher Education, subscribe to a k-12 blog. If you live in the US, subscribe to some Australian blogs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tip #3 - Be Skeptical

After signing up for a number of blogs I decided I didn't want to invest the time necessary to keep up with the additional reading. I went to delete my aggregator account but decided to read the entries that had come in first. I found several ideas that were so helpful that I decided not to delete the account at that time. I returned about two weeks later once again to delete the - the same thing happened. Now every time I login to read my blogs I decide that I will delete my account if I don't find anything useful that day. I would invite you to do the same. 6 years later I still have my account.

Librarians are important to student success

2010-03-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

Young Learners Need Librarians, Not Just Google The ubiquity and ease of Google searches could make kids' minds go soft without the ability to critique or contextualize the answers.
from Forbes by Mark Moran

Johnny Appleseed Day

2010-03-11T08:00:00.044-06:00

When : March 11th and/or September 26th (birthday).

Which day should it be? His birth date is undisputed. His birthday coincides with the season of the apple harvest. A birth is a more positive day than a death. The birthday seems like a more logical day to celebrate. But,....

Celebrate today with an apple rich menu. Include fresh apples for snacks, and some applesauce or apple pie for dessert. And, make plans to plant an apple tree.

A Little Red Apple

A little red apple

Hung high in a tree.

I looked up at it,

And it looked down at me.

"Come down, please," I called.

And what do you suppose?

That little red apple

Dropped right on my nose!

Johnny Appleseed Day honors one of America's great legends. John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) was born in Massachusetts on September 26, 1774 (this date is undisputed). John Chapman was among the American settlers who were captivated by the movement west across the continent. (The "West" was places like Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.) He was a nurseryman (was apprenticed in an orchard) and as Johnny Appleseed travelled west, he planted apple trees along the way, and sold trees to settlers (though he rarely accepted money and often donated any money he received). With every apple tree that was planted, the legend grew. John Chapman was a deeply religious person. He was known to preach during his travels. According to legend, Johny Appleseed led a simple life and wanted little.

The actual date of his death was not formally recorded and the date is disputed. It is believed that he died on March 11, 1845, from what was referred to as the "winter plague". Harper's New Monthly Magazine of November, 1871 (which is taken by many as the primary source of information about John Chapman) says he died in the summer of 1847.[8] The Fort Wayne Sentinel, however, printed his obituary on March 22, 1845, saying that he died on March 18.

Johnny Appleseed Word Search

Johnny Appleseed Crossword

Apple Tic-Tac-Toe Page

Apple Tree Coloring Page

Apple Facts

Apple Crafts

Apple Activities

Ohio Pioneer Apple Cake

Johnny Appleseed Festival

Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center

Apples General Information and Links

Wow... really

2010-03-03T11:44:00.003-06:00

Chilean Quake May Have Shortened Earth Days
NASA -- The Feb. 27 magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile may have shortened the length of each Earth day and should have moved Earth's figure axis (the axis about which Earth's mass is balanced) by 2.7 milliarcseconds (about 8 centimeters, or 3 inches). more at http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/earth-20100301.html

Chile quake may have tipped Earth's axis
(CNN) -- The massive earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday may have shifted Earth's axis and created shorter days, scientists at NASA say. ... The magnitude 9.1 earthquake in 2004 that generated a killer tsunami in the Indian Ocean shortened the length of days by 6.8 microseconds. ... http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/02/chile.quake/index.html

March 1st

2010-03-01T12:29:00.002-06:00

Yellowstone became the first Federally protected national park by the Act of Congress signed into law on March 1, 1872. Shown here is a photograph of Yellowstone Falls by Ansel Adams.

Riverlight Concert Sunday

2010-02-26T13:29:00.002-06:00

Join the Short Grass Arts Council for the Riverlight Praise and Worship Concert on February 28, 2010. Concert will be held at the Fort Pierre Community & Youth Involved Center, 2-8:30 pm. It's free! (And, there will be 3 library folk participating (that I know of))

Schedule

Jacob Shoup, 2 p.m.

Changed, 2:30 pm

Haakon County Crooners, 3 p.m.

Jim Szana Trio, 3:30 pm

Break, 4 p.m.

Surprise Package, 4:30 pm

Higher Ground, 5 p.m.

Peter & Paul Folk Group, 5:30 p.m.

Plains Folk, 6 p.m.

Break, 6:30 p.m.

Bloodwashed Band, 7 p.m. (w/me & my brother Josh)

River Center Worship Band, 7:30 p.m.

Laurie & Bob Gill, 8 p.m.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yipee!

2010-02-26T09:58:00.001-06:00

• Don't just Google--show kids how to make meaning out of the information http://www.cfmediaview.com/lp1.aspx?v=6_157169292_10320_14

Mr. Chris

2010-02-26T09:56:00.001-06:00

Article:
Election 2010: South Dakota House of Representatives
South Dakota House: Herseth Sandlin 45%, GOP's Nelson 38%

Survey:
SD House of Representatives Election poll Conducted February 23, 2010, By Rasmussen Reports

Rasmussen Reports also has recently surveyed Senate races in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Florida, Connecticut, Pennyslvania, Ohio, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.

Olympic Science

2010-02-16T12:48:00.003-06:00

A 16-part video series from the partnership of NBC and the National Science Foundation, on the physics, biology, chemistry, and materials engineering behind the Olympic Winter Games. Videos such as Slapshot Physics and Figuring out Figure Skating give new meaning to common classroom curriculum.
There are even lesson plans & activities to go with the videos at Lessonopoly.

The athletes' movements are videoed with a high-speed camera (captures movement at rates of up to 1500 frames per second) for frame-by-frame illustrations of scientific concepts.

Includes Downhill and Aerial Skiing, Speed Skating and Figure Skating, Curling and Hockey, and Ski Jumping, Bobsledding and Snowboarding.

web tools

2010-02-10T21:35:00.001-06:00

Some of the things metioned by Karen Schweitzer in 15 Must-Have Web Apps for Students:

Adobe Buzzword – Buzzword is a word processor that works in a web browser instead of on your desktop. This Adobe beta site can be used to create documents, collaborate with others, and track changes from anywhere.

Creative Pro Office – Creative Pro Office is a free suite of web-based office management tools. Features include an office dashboard, project manager, time tracker, calendar, and expense tracking. Creative Pro Office was designed for independent professionals and small tech teams, but it would useful to any student who wants to boost productivity.

PromoOnline – PromoOnline is a free way to create PDF documents without having to install software. With a few simple steps, you can create a PDF version of any file.

Walletproof – The beta version of Walletproof is a great online tool for students who need help with their finances. It can be used to set budgets and track expenses. Walletproof will also make budget recommendations and help you find money saving deals shared by other users.

Sun Dogs!

2010-02-10T09:24:00.003-06:00

view behind the library this morning

2010-02-09T18:40:00.000-06:00

BOOKS TOOLBOX: 50+ Sites for Book Lovers
Book review, communities, publishing, search & exchange . . . sites

including...

Delicious Library

which can, among other things, sync a virtual card catalog of your library to your iPod... neat! (if I had an iPod)

More Fun With Art

2010-02-09T10:40:00.005-06:00

"Painting" on the DSi....a fun way to kill time

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

my 1st Fun With Art post (more of my "drawings")

DSi Art Academy

2010 Dance Recital

2010-02-04T14:23:00.015-06:00

Hadassah

A Story of Esther

A Biblical Production

Main Street Dance

Ft. Pierre

Sunday, April 25, 2010

T.F. Riggs H.S. Theatre

Pierre

7 p.m.

free will offering

We are getting ready for Esther in April - still have lots of dances to learn. It's going to be good!

Giant Book

2010-02-01T11:46:00.012-06:00

The Klencke Atlas

Largest book in the world goes on show for the first time

5ft (1.75 metres) tall and 6ft (1.9 metres) wide ??

It was presented to King Charles II in 1660 by Dutch merchants on his restoration and is now 350 years old.

It takes six people to lift it and has been recorded as the largest book in the world.

In 1979 the ' Klencke' atlas, presented to King Charles II in 1660, and with measures over six feet in height, was photographed, map by map in sections, with the aid of scaffolding and special lighting in the British Library Map Library.

Links

http://www.jstor.org/pss/4422721 (Re-Binding the Atlas work)

http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_this_site/contact_us.aspx

“Magnificent Maps: Power, Propaganda and Art”
http://www.bl.uk/news/2010/pressrelease20100126.html

Johan Maurits of Nassau, The Klencke Atlas, c.1660, 175 x 190cm, atlas with 37 printed wall maps on paper: This, the largest book in the world at almost 6ft, was presented by the Amsterdam merchant Johannes Klencke to Charles II of England on his restoration to the throne in 1660. It was certainly a gift fit for a king, with thirty-seven large wall maps in an ornate binding, which bears symbols of the kingdoms of Great Britain and France, which the English monarch still claimed. The maps are either unique, or known in only a handful of copies. Together they were adjudged to encapsulate all knowledge

Photograph: The British Library
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2010/jan/26/british-library-map

The Apple iPad

2010-02-01T11:40:00.005-06:00

from The Apple iPad
via (title unknown) by Jason Griffey on 2/1/10

..., but here's a first-blush look at the tech specs and features that are going to be important for libraries and education. as well as what's missing and what we should be worried about.

...For libraries,these are probably the interesting most details:

Jobs announced a new iBook store and corresponding application on the iPad, putting the device squarely in the eReader category. Apple verified that it will use the EPUB format, but unfortunately Abode also verified that it won't be using Adobe DRM. This almost certainly means that the iBook application won't play nicely with existing library ebook providers like Overdrive, which use the Adobe DRM standard and are compatible with any reader that does the same. Apple will most likely be using their own DRM, which will further limit the use of purchased iBook titles to just the iPad (plus, perhaps, other Apple devices, although there has been no details at all on this front).

The iBook application looks incredible, and the reports from those who actually used it via the demo units at the launch announcement were that it was very much like a physical book in feel, complete with color and page turn. They've got 5 or 6 major publishers already signed up to produce content, and in the screenshots of the iBookstore, you'll notice that they've done something else--they've moved up the price point for an ebook. Books on the iBookstore look to be in the $12.99 range, instead of the $9.99 range as on the Kindle. When this was noticed by Walt Mossberg, technology columnist for the New York Times, he asked Jobs about it. Jobs' response was that there won't be any difference in the prices between the two stores. Parse that, as either the iBooks will go down, or perhaps the Kindle books will go up.
....

Another take on the flash drive

2010-01-30T21:39:00.000-06:00

TravelStix Each Flash Drive is loaded with comprehensive travel forms that can be easily accessed with a simple plug-in.There are various packages depending on the traveler's needs – 'Traveling with a Relative or Family Friend,' 'Child Traveling Alone,' 'Grandparent Package,' 'Traveling Parent Package,' and 'Pet Care.' The flash drives each include all the necessary forms required for travel – including authorization for medical decisions, authorization for custodial care, authorization for travel with relative, etc.

You'd have to be careful though - wouldn't want to loose them with all that info

Wall Of iPads & Libraries ... Display iBooks

2010-01-29T10:18:00.005-06:00

From ... Wall Of iPads Could Be Used In Libraries To Display iBooks, Just Like This Concept Rendering [Apple]

via Gizmodo by Kat Hannaford on 1/29/10

If only Apple had recreated its app wall from WWDC last year, but with iPads! The 300 iPads used in this concept wall from Austraian architects would cost $149,700 if it was real. Apple could've afforded it, I'm sure.ClarkeHopkinsClarke, the Aussie architects who mocked up the above concept wall, believe it'd be the perfect installation for a library, with hundreds of different ebooks displayed. But that's not the end of this story—due to the size and weight of the iPad, we could be seeing a lot of innovative uses for them, as interactive wallpaper in clubs, teaching aides in schools, and so on. There's the small hurdle of cost, of course. [ClarkeHopkinsClarke via TUAW]

I knew lists were a good thing...

2010-01-28T10:32:00.002-06:00

"Every composer knows the anguish and despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which one had no time to write down." Hector Berlioz French composer

whatever it is, ya gotta write it down!

"I hear and I forget;

I see and I remember;

I write and I understand."

And since I didn't want to forget this quote...

How Cold?

2010-01-11T17:10:00.001-06:00

from Resources for Tracing Extreme Weather Conditions

The numbing cold moving in on half of the country (again) leads people to talk about when it was even colder. We do the same thing in Florida when it gets hot, as in, "Oh, this is nothing; back in 1973 -- wow -- it was really hot. You should have been here then!"

The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has a significant amount of climate data that could help you settle those barbershop bets and bar fights.

One page lets you find a weather station by name, latitude or longitude.

Another provides a clickable world map.

A different map shows monthly extremes.

Weatherbase.com displays an easy-to-use listing of averages and extremes by ZIP code. It has data for 16,400 locations worldwide.

From the NCDC Web site:
"Extreme Weather and Climate Events." Maps, tables, reports. U.S. and global historical extremes, severe weather, recent events, etc.
U.S. climatological averages and normals. Long-term monthly averages/normals for more than 270 U.S. cities.
U.S. storm events database. 1950-present. Local storm reports, damage reports, etc., from various sources
"Climate Maps of the United States." More than 700 maps of climatic elements such as temperature, precipitation, snow, wind, pressure, etc.
"U.S. Climate Normals."
"Climate Monitoring." Numerous maps and graphs depicting climate trends, etc.

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=175469

More Word of the Year

2010-01-11T12:25:00.001-06:00

American Dialect Society Votes “tweet” 2009 Word of the Year; Word of the Decade “google”

http://www.americandialect.org/index.php/amerdial/2009_word_of_the_year_is_tweet_word_of_the_decade_is_google/

In its 20th annual words of the year vote, the American Dialect Society voted “tweet” (noun, a short message sent via the Twitter.com service, and verb, the act of sending such a message) as the word of the year and “ google” (a generic form of “Google,” meaning “to search the Internet) as its word of the decade.

“Both words are, in the end, products of the Information Age, where every person has the ability to satisfy curiosity and to broadcast to a select following, both via the Internet.” [Grant] Barrett, [chair of the New Words Committee of the American Dialect Society editorial director of online dictionary Wordnik.com] said. “I really thought blog would take the honors in the word of the decade category, but more people google than blog, don’t they? Plus, many people think ‘blog’ just sounds ugly. Maybe Google’s trademark lawyers would have preferred it, anyway.”

http://www.americandialect.org/2009-Word-of-the-Year-PRESS-RELEASE.pdf

Other Nominees for Word of the Year Were:

-er A suffix used in such words as birther, someone who questions whether Obama was born in the United States; deather, someone who believes the government has death panels in its healthcare reform plan; Tenther, someone who believes the Federal government is mostly illegal because it usurps rights which belong to the States, in violation of the 10th Amendment; and truther, someone who doubts the official account of the 9/11 attacks.

fail A noun or interjection describing something egregiously unsuccessful. Usually used as an interjection: “FAIL!”

H1N1 The virus that causes swine flu.

public option A government-run healthcare insurance program, desired by some to be part of the country’s healthcare reform.

Dracula sneeze Covering one’s mouth with the crook of one’s elbow when sneezing, seen as similar to popular portrayals of the vampire Dracula, in which he hides the lower half of his face with a cape.

Other Nominees for Word of the Decade Were:

9/11 The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Pronounced “nine eleven.”

blog A web site for publishing a chronological and ongoing series of related entries, especially when they are all by the same person(s) or on the same topic. Also a productive combining form: blogosphere, blogerati, milblog, blogola.

green Related to ecological or environmental conservation or protection. Also a productive combining form: greenwashing, green collar, etc.

text Verb: to send a text message via a mobile phone. Noun: such a message.

war on terror A global effort to prevent terror and terrorists.

Wi-Fi abbreviation. Wireless Fidelity, a group of technical standards enabling the transmission of data over
wireless networks.

http://www.americandialect.org/index.php/amerdial/2009_word_of_the_year_is_tweet_word_of_the_decade_is_google/
http://www.americandialect.org/2009-Word-of-the-Year-PRESS-RELEASE.pdf

Previous Post: What is the word of the year?

2010-01-07T07:40:00.000-06:00

I got a little excited when I saw this in the Capital Journal Venner to join race for Dist. 24

Mr. Venner's great!

and that reminded me of ...

This picture was taken at last year's River Light Concert (Short Grass Arts Council Praise & Worship Music Concert) in Pierre with our ever faithful leader Mr. Venner at the helm. It was great having all the groups from the area share their music -- and there was lots of great music.

I think this year the River Light concert will be February 28.

Winter weather, severe weather, ... be prepared!

2010-01-06T12:31:00.003-06:00

The SD Office of Emergency Managment and the National Weather Service put together an informational winter weather & safety preparedness guide as well as a severe weather guide which includes information on severe weather that occurs in South Dakota, items needed for emergency supply kits, and ways to prepare your facility for natural disasters. More Docs

When traveling this winter season:
• Listen to the forecast before departing and postpone travel if inclement weather is occurring or expected.
• Avoid traveling alone. Inform others of your timetable and planned routes.
• Keep your gas tank near full.
• Adjust your speed to the condition and increase following distances.
• Carry a Winter Survival Kit in your vehicle at all times!

The fun part - putting together a car kit. There is no shortage of lists telling you what you need to have in your car. Let's see what everyone suggests to include.

Shovel
Flashlight with extra batteries, spotlight, flares
Whistle
First Aid Kit (make sure it has adhesive bandages, first aid tape and gauze), medications
Non-perishable, high protein, energy, calorie foods such as granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, energy bars, also canned fruit and a portable can opener are good additions. MREs, candy (suck on a hard candy to keep your mouth moist), raisins
Candles and matches (in a waterproof container)
Empty coffee can to be used to burn the candles or to melt snow for water
Extra clothing, hats (keep those ears covered), gloves, coats, boots,..
Sleeping bags or blankets
Jumper Cables
Tire Chains
Battery-operated radio with batteries (or get a little excercise & keep warm with a hand crack radio)
A NOAA weather radio would be really great!
Cell phone with fully charged batteries
Windshield scraper/brush
De-icer
Brightly colored cloth to tie on the antenna so the vehicle can be easily located
Flares or reflective triangle
Sand, salt, cat litter (non-clumping kind), or even carpet strips, chains
Booster cables
Tow rope
Mulitpurpose tool, pocket knife, scissors,
Cord/string
Tool kit, screwdrivers, adjustable crescent wrench, pliers,
Fully inflated spare tie, wheel wrench, jack, air compressor
Exterior windshield cleaner & extra oil, coolant, fan belts, spark plugs
Water - bottles of water in the car, but not in the trunk as they will freeze
Emergency tire sealant, Canned compressed air with sealant (emergency tire repair)
Emergency or camp stove
Stainless steel camp cup, tea bags, some Swiss Miss :)
Paper towels, newspapers (insulation), plastic bags or jar (uh, sanitation)
Maps, compass
Cards, Games, Puzzles, Books, pencil, paper, safety pins
Duct tape

Wow. The lists you can find go on and on . . . and some ideas are rather interesting.

Lion Statues under a Mantle of Snow

2009-12-30T14:23:00.001-06:00

Lion Statues under a Mantle of Snow

Lion Statues under a Mantle of Snow

Taken in December, 1948, the caption of this photograph states: "The lion statues at the New York Public Library, with a mantle of snow during the record December 1948 snowfall..."

Think, think, think

2009-12-28T17:00:00.000-06:00

Winnie the Pooh Day – January 18th

Have you ever wondered how Winnie the Pooh got his name? There really was a bear named Winnie (named after Winnipeg, Canada). This particular bear was the favorite of A.A. Milne’s son Christopher Robin, who named his own teddy bear Winnie the Pooh after him. Celebrate the day with these sites about A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin and the 100-Acre Wood (make sure to remember the honey!)

Christopher Robin’s Winnie-the-Pooh Character Guide
URL: http://www.lavasurfer.com/pooh-guide.html
“A great educational resource featuring information and images on all the characters from the Hundred Acre Wood, plus teacher resources, an interactive story, and lots more!”

A.A. Milne
URL: http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-milne-aa.asp
A. A. Milne wrote the books about Winnie the Pooh and his friends. Learn about the author’s life on this site.

The Adventures of the Real Winnie-the-Pooh
URL: http://www.nypl.org/branch/central/dlc/dch/pooh/
This site is from the New York Public Library, where the real-life stuffed animals that inspired A.A. Milne’s classic children’s stories are kept on display. Read about the origins of the characters Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga, and Edward Bear and how they ended up in New York City.

Hhmmm....

2009-12-28T12:38:00.000-06:00

Library ban for 'pungent body odour' man

Library officials in Leicestershire have banned a regular reader from their building following complaints about his "pungent" body odour. more

hmmm...

Man charged for hitting, kicking librarian
A Houston librarian is recovering from an attack after investigators say she told a man he was being too loud.

Oh dear!

Christmas at the Capitol

2009-12-23T14:05:00.005-06:00

the festive outfits in action

a little Winter Wonderland tap

to the California Raisins

hey bro, what a kick!

This dance to In Christ Alone tires a person out...

but Josh sang a special right after... I was proud.

~ Last year at the Capitol ~

the family sang I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (Casting Crowns version) this year and last.

I'm hiding at the piano wearing the white dress waiting... for...

the Lord's Prayer ...

one of the dances we did as part of Joyland Christmas

Elvis's Letter to President Nixon

2009-12-23T11:13:00.001-06:00

Interesting...

Elvis's Letter to President Nixon

via Today's Document from the National Archives on 12/21/09

On the morning of December 21, 1970, Elvis Presley personally delivered a letter to the northwest gate of the White House. Written on American Airlines stationery, the five-page letter requested a meeting with President Nixon. Presley intended to present the President with a gift of a World War II-era pistol and obtain for himself the credentials of a federal agent in the war on drugs.
Read more in When Nixon Met Elvis...

Why Wordle-By Steven W. Anderson

2009-12-18T08:33:00.000-06:00

Here are some ideas for using Wordle in the classroom
Why Wordle-By Steven W. Anderson

Posted using ShareThis

~ Christmas at the Capitol ~

2009-12-10T15:38:00.001-06:00

I'll be at the Capitol Saturday evening, Dec 19 (not just me though, there will be a whole passel of us). There'll be piano playing, singing & even dancing. We had lots of fun last year

For those of you who saw me & my brother in our red & white outfits at work today... we will be doing the Winter Wonderland tap dance that we did at the senior center.

Dec 19th ~ 6-8:30ish pm

What is the word of the year?

2009-11-20T16:19:00.002-06:00

Let's see. We have...

New Oxford American Dictionary Names 2009 “Word of the Year”: unfriend
unfriend – verb – To remove someone as a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook.
Oxford Word of the Year 2009

&

Merriam-Webster's #1 Word of the Year for 2009: admonish
admonish (verb): to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner
Merriam-Webster's 2009 Word of the Year list

Oh Dear!

2009-11-16T07:59:00.000-06:00

Fun with Art

2009-11-13T15:25:00.001-06:00

I've been having fun lately drawing & painting on my DSi

and turning this into this

More Fun With Art

Free Food and Fair Fun!

2009-11-09T08:00:00.003-06:00

"One Nation Under God" Military Appreciation Family Fair

Wednesday, November 11

4-7pm

Riggs High School

1010 E. Broadway

A family fair style event to celebrate the freedom of generations we enjoy in America through the sacrifice of our Veterans. We will be using assorted booths to help create a sense of patriotism in our children. There is a free food court as well. Also a 30 minute Military Appreciation Program.

Looking ahead

2009-11-06T17:00:00.003-06:00

I'm looking forward to spring recital. There'll be more info closer to performance.

Hadassah

the Story of Esther

A Storybook Production

Main Street Dance

Ft. Pierre

Sunday, April 25, 2010

T.F. Riggs HS Theatre

Pierre

* Tentatively scheduled *

late matinee of 5 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Updated info here

2009-11-06T12:30:00.004-06:00

Typos

2009-11-05T20:25:00.003-06:00

I thought this blog of note was interesting.
http://librarytypos.blogspot.com/ Typo of the Day for Librarians: "a group of librarians from all over the world with a common interest - keeping our online catalogs free of errors". What a unique idea for a blog.

Best of Us

2009-11-05T12:36:00.005-06:00

The International Olympic Committee in partnership with YouTube has launched a new site called The Best of Us Challenge. The Best of Us Challenge is designed to give average people a chance to test their unique athletic abilities against those of real Olympians. Through The Best of Us Challenge, participants "compete" against Olympians in unique physical challenges such as spinning an umbrella or balancing a stick your foot. To enter, select a challenge, create a short video of yourself completing the challenge, then upload the video to the YouTube The Best of Us Challege page. Winners of the contest can win t-shirts, video games, posters, and possibly a trip to the 2010 Winter Olympics. http://thebestofuschallenge.olympic.org/

The video below is Asafa Powell's challenge to balance a stick on your foot.

2009-11-05T12:35:00.001-06:00

http://www.nelsonforsd.com/aboutchris.html

Bringing Ballet Magnificat! to Yankton

2009-10-09T12:45:00.001-05:00

More info & maps @ http://yanktondance.com/

What a parking garage

2009-09-25T00:37:00.002-05:00

Pushing the Bounds of Sanity: Strange and Bizarre Structures from abcNews

An awesome parking garage is almost an oxymoron, but the unusual facade of the Kansas City, Mo., Public Library's garage remains a distinct symbol of artistic architecture. Featuring popular books like "Huckleberry Finn," " The Lord of the Rings" and "Romeo and Juliet," each book spine prominently displays a title in a 9-by-25-foot rectangle on the exterior wall. The garage is the highlight of the Kansas City's library district and sits across from the Central Library. The entire complex was opened in 2004 and cost nearly $50 million.
(Courtesy Kansas City Public Library)

That's the year I moved away and I never got to see this neat parking garage. It's got to be one of the most interesting looking parking garage in the KC area.

National Punctuation Day Is Today!

2009-09-24T15:23:00.000-05:00

Today is the sixth annual National Punctuation Day. In 2004, Jeff Rubin, a former copy editor, was able to get Sept. 24 listed as a punctuation holiday in Chase's Calendar of Events.

You can find information, celebration ideas, and various resources at the official National Punctuation Day Web site.

Looking for . . .

2009-09-16T12:20:00.004-05:00

You can just about find anything on the internet, and since I am going to be a dance teaching assistant this year I thought I would see if I could find any info on the subject. I came across How to Be a Great Teacher’s Assistant at Dance Advantage. It is a really nice overview and some of the tips don't have to be limited to a dance class.

Fotopedia

2009-09-14T12:07:00.004-05:00

You know about wikipedia. Well this is kinda like wikipedia only different.

Fotopedia is breathing new life into photos by building a photo encyclopedia that lets photographers and photo enthusiasts collaborate and enrich images to be useful for the whole world wide web.

“After traveling the world, I wanted to share my photos with others. Flickr and other photo sites give you exposure for only a brief window in time, and adding photos to wikipedia proved too complicated for the average user. This sparked the idea for a ‘wikipedia of photos’ – that combines the permanence and community collaboration of wikipedia with the ease of use of consumer desktop applications.” - Jean-Marie Hullot, one of the founders of Fotopedia, former CTO of NeXT Software and Apple’s Application Division.

How neat! link to Fotopedia

A Code of Conduct for Staff & Supervisors

2009-09-11T10:30:00.004-05:00

Sent to you by Sarah via Google Reader:

A Code of Conduct for Staff & Supervisors
via Tame The Web by Michael on 9/8/09

Kate Sheehan's post on kindness has had some good comments, including this one by Tasha Saecker, Director of the Menasha Public Library:

At our library, we did a code of conduct that every employee had to sign. It was about how we treat one another in the library. Our staff had gotten into the habit of being quite toxic with one another. Refusing to reply when greeted, ignoring staff who worked at lower levels in the hierarchy, making caustic remarks both to people's face and behind their backs, etc.

The code reminded everyone what was expected of them. Professionalism, kindness, respect and care. Now a few years later, there is no need for the code because everyone just naturally follows it. No need to remind either. It's like working in a different library!

I had to email Tasha and ask about the codes. She sent me both versions – one for staff, one for supervisors – and gave me permission to publish them here. What do you think?

Tasha writes:

As a library director, I think that our internal conduct is just as important as our external conduct, meaning that we have to be kind to one another as library staff just as we are kind to our patrons. I expect a certain level of professionalism, but also kindness and consideration of one another. To address this issue in my current library, I created Agreements for our staff and supervisors to sign. Now, two years later, I would not see a need for them any longer. The issue has been solved, the culture changed. Here are our Agreements, inspired by the amazing Pat Wagner.

For staff:

I agree to follow the guidelines below to the best of my ability, understanding that these guidelines are an important part of service to my staff, my customers and my community.

I will be courteous at all times, meaning that I will greet everyone I encounter with a smile, knowing that I am representing the library not only in the way I deal with customers but the way I interact with my fellow staff members.

Everyone is treated like a peer by everyone else. Everyone will say good morning, please and thank you to everyone with good will, no matter what their relative position.

Everyone will get information at the same time regardless of his or her position in the library. Information hoarding is not acceptable.

Everyone has the opportunity to give input and receive feedback on their ideas. Keeping lines of communication open is a priority. Ideas and creativity are to be encouraged at all staff levels.

Communication will be my number one goal, so that everyone understands what decisions I am making.

I am expected to learn and grow. Accepting change and new ideas is a priority in the library.

Gossip about other staff members is not acceptable. If I have a complaint, I will not talk with other staff members but openly discuss it with my supervisor or the library director.

The library as a whole is my priority, from how the library looks to the community to how customers feel while they are here. Just as I view other staff as my peers, I will not hesitate to lend a hand where needed.

For supervisors:

I agree to follow the guidelines below to the best of my ability, understanding that these guidelines are an important part of service to my staff, my customers and my community.

I will be courteous at all times, meaning that I will greet everyone I encounter with a smile, knowing that I am representing the library not only in the way I deal with customers but the way I interact with my fellow staff members.

Everyone is treated like a peer by everyone else. Everyone will say good morning, please and thank you to everyone with good will, no matter what their relative position.

Everyone will get information at the same time regardless of his or her position in the library. Information hoarding is not acceptable. Minutes of staff meetings will be released within 48 hours.

Everyone has the opportunity to give input and receive feedback on their ideas. Keeping lines of communication open is a priority. Ideas and creativity are to be encouraged at all staff levels.

As a manager, I will not micromanage, but will allow employees to accomplish goals in their own way.

Communication will be my number one goal, so that everyone on staff understands who makes decisions, how decisions are made and what decisions they can make.

Everyone is expected to learn and grow. Accepting change and new ideas is a priority in the library.

I will focus on praising each one of my staff at least once a week.

Disagreements with staff will be addressed quickly with an emphasis on keeping staff informed on how the decision was made.

Gossip about other staff members is not acceptable. If you have a complaint, please do not talk with other staff members but openly discuss it with your supervisor.

The library as a whole is my priority, from how the library looks to the community to how customers feel while they are here. Just as I view other staff as my peers, I will not hesitate to lend a hand where needed.

The Scarlet Cord

2009-09-11T07:33:00.046-05:00

Announcing

Ballet Magnificat!

Come experience America's premier Christian Ballet Company

Ballet Magnificat!

7:00 p.m. on
Friday, October 30, 2009

at the Yankton Summit Center

1801 Summit St., Yankton, SD

Reserve seating tickets go on sale at the

Academy of Dance
(605) 665-7729

Starting on Sept. 15: Tuesdays & Thursdays from 5:00pm-7:00pm

After Oct. 9: Mon - Fri 4:00 - 7:00pm

Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 pm

Sun. 2:00 - 5:00 pm

$16.00 (tax included)
Non-Refundable

previous info & promo video

Labor Day

2009-09-03T15:29:00.003-05:00

a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."

The History of Labor Day from the US Dept of Labor

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

. . .

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.

. . .

In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.

. . .

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

Stones in the body (and I'm not talking about kidneys)

2009-09-01T15:30:00.002-05:00

Thank you to my brother (he always has his eyes open for an interesting tidbit or two). It's always nice to know other people have the same troubles and you're not totally weird.

Tonsil Stones "What are those things growing in my tonsils?”

"...Formally known as tonsilloliths, the stones consist of mucus, dead cells and other debris that collect in the deep pockets of the tonsils and gradually condense into small, light-colored globs... the stones can cause an array of uncomfortable side effects, including sore throat and ear pain, not to mention the maddening sensation of a foreign body in the throat...." link:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/health/01tons.html?em

wikipedia even has an article

and then there is tonsilstones.org

Missouri News

2009-08-31T12:10:00.000-05:00

Since I lived there for most of my life, I found this article rather interesting.

Teen offenders find a future in Missouri

The Missouri model uses small, therapeutic groups to treat juvenile offenders

Juvenile residences don't have barbed wire or require uniforms

A handful of other states are trying to replicate the Missouri model

Studies show only ten percent of Missouri's youth re-offend

"While in one of Missouri's juvenile facilities, Barkley became editor of its student newspaper, captain of the football team and made the honor roll.
'I wanted something different for myself or I'd end up in Kansas City doing nothing. I knew I could do something,' said Barkley, who is the first in his family to go to college.
Now he's a sophomore studying criminal justice at the University of Central Missouri."

The stuff you find in books

2009-08-28T15:36:00.001-05:00

The blog forgotten bookmarks shows all the personal, funny, heartbreaking and weird things found in books at a used & rare bookstore. And, from that same bookstore comes handwritten recipes, a blog that shows recipes found when sorting through books.

Colorful

2009-08-27T17:25:00.000-05:00

A new project from the MIT Media Lab called Personas will create a data portrait of your online identity. You simply enter your name and it searches the Web for information and context and computes a visual representation of how the Internet sees you.

Video games in the library

2009-08-27T12:52:00.001-05:00

C.M. CO. LIBRARY WINS STATE VIDEO CONTEST
Corin Wilson ( news@nbc40.net ) - 8/17/09 05:54 pm
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE--The Cape May County Library is getting statewide recognition for winning a video contest. The library won the New Jersey State Library's video contest showing how a library can be beneficial in troubling times. The Cape May County Library staff chose to focus on how a family who couldn't afford a video game console for their child turned to game night at the library…a program they say their library has had a lot of success with, "It's just been booming and the numbers keep growing each week so we saw this as an opportunity to promote it and something easy to do because the kids really wanted to be a part of the video as well," said employee, Lisa Marie Alderfer. The video will be used in a tri-state campaign promoting usefulness of libraries in solving life's problems.

“Get Your Game On at your Library” by Cape May County Library

from Library Garden by Justin Hoenke 5 Reasons why you should be gaming in your Library
The video follows a timid young boy named Trevor whose family cannot afford to buy him the latest video game system. Instead, his family takes him to his local library where he quickly becomes a fan of the weekly game night program. In turn, Trevor and his family become regulars at the library. (So regular that Trevor now gets high fives from the librarians!) more here

Quick Reference Sheets for Word, Excel...

2009-08-27T07:30:00.000-05:00

Custom Guide provides free computer training tipsheets on a variety of programs. If you need some quick help with various Mac, Windows, and Adobe programs this is a great site for some quick assistance.

Ballet Magnificat! Coming to SD again!

2009-08-25T15:35:00.006-05:00

Ballet Magnificat's Alpha Company

The Scarlet Cord

October 30, 2009
Yankton High Auditorium - Yankton,SD
more info here

Inspired and loosely based on the Biblical account of Rahab, the ballet is set against the gray background of the communist Soviet Union. This newest Ballet Magnificat! production depicts the story of Rahab the harlot, party official Vladimir Ivanovich, and the undercover missionaries Aaron and Anna Grimes, as well as those pressed down by the iron fist of the Soviet government. This tale of betrayal, love, dedication, and ultimate sacrifice paints a portrait of an offering brought before our amazing Savior. Come witness this moving drama of a revolution – a human heart turning to the ultimate truth, Jesus Christ.
Choreographer: Jiri Sebastian Voborsky

There will also be a 2-day dance workshop October 31st & November 1st.

Ballet Magnificat! was founded in 1986. Magnificat is Latin for “to magnify Him.” It’s derived from “Mary’s Song” of praise in the 1st Chapter of the the Gospel of Luke when she first learned she was to be the mother of the Messiah. Ballet Magnificat! is an arts organization dedicated to presenting the good news of Jesus Christ to the whole world. Our professional touring companies perform nationally and internationally, ministering to audiences in the United States as well as Canada, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Greece, Singapore, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

Filter Flickr

2009-08-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

FlickrCC uses a keyword search to bring up a window of pictures tagged with that search tag. Click on each picture gets you the proper attribution link, editing link and different sizes to move directly into your presentations and websites. All of the images are copyright with Creative Commons licensing, which encourages sharing.

Tag Galaxy lets you visually search Flickr. Yes, visually. You can then filter down through refined tags to get to your desired image. Some images are not shared with Creative Commons licensing, which you should be aware of before using them in your presentations or on your blogs and websites.

Blogs for LIS students

2009-08-19T15:34:00.001-05:00

100 Best Blogs for Library Science Students --you’ll find 100 of the best blogs a library science student can read. http://onlinedegreeprograms.org/blog/2009/100-best-blogs-for-library-science-students/

Homeschoolers produce full-length film

2009-08-14T17:59:00.000-05:00

Advent Film Group (AFG), a new film company founded by homeschoolers -- their first movie, Come What May features Patrick Henry College, a national powerhouse in debate and moot court competition.

Patrick Henry College: Legal Debate Powerhouse Portrayed in the Movie Come What May
The movie Come What May was filmed at Patrick Henry College in summer of 2007. In March 2009, it was distributed nationwide by Provident Films, the company that released Sherwood Pictures’ hits Facing the Giants and Fireproof on DVD.

The movie is a fictional adaptation of real-life events surrounding Patrick Henry College’s ongoing success at legal debate. In January, 2009, PHC won its third American Collegiate Moot Court Association (ACMA) National Championship in five years. And the College has twice defeated Oxford University in head-to-head challenges. Many of its former competitors now attend top law and graduate schools nationwide.

Homeschool filmmakers begin distribution drive for Come What May

Interesting...cookies

2009-08-14T03:29:00.000-05:00

Think you deleted your cookies? Think again - CNN.com

to WIRED article

Public Library Blogs:

2009-08-13T17:01:00.004-05:00

http://citesandinsights.info/civ9i10.pdf

EBSCO & library stories

2009-08-13T15:38:00.000-05:00

EBSCO has put together a collection of their customers (including libraries) best practices & success stories in areas such as marketing initiatives, community outreach, fundraising, teacher collaboration...

Library Blogging Tips

2009-08-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

Online College comes up with 100 Terrific Tips & Tools for Blogging Librarians.

Many tips in the following areas:
Basics
Readership and Traffic
Content
Branding and Marketing
Networking
Design
Blogging Platforms
Extra Services
Organization and Administrative Tips and Tools
Miscellaneous

What do you remember

2009-08-04T15:24:00.000-05:00

100 Things Your Kids May Never Know About : The world of technology continues to change at a rapid pace and this article from Wired drives that point home.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-things-your-kids-may-never-know-about/

Mozart

2009-08-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

ANALYST: MUSIC PIECES PROBABLY COMPOSED BY YOUNG MOZART

The music isn't new, but the discovery that a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart "almost certainly" composed it is a stunning revelation.

.... FULL STORY: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/08/02/new.mozart/index.html

A Floating Apartment

2009-07-30T12:36:00.001-05:00

The Citadel: Europe’s First Floating Apartment Complex
This is what the Dutch have invented in their long quest to ward off the danger of rising tides - a new construction project that has created an apartment complex completely built on water.

"The Dutch have been fighting the rising and falling tides for centuries, building dikes and pumping water out of areas that are below sea level. Now, rather than fight the water infiltrating their land, the Dutch will use it as part of a new development called ‘New Water‘, which will feature the world’s first floating apartment complex, The Citadel. This “water-breaking” new project was designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio in the Netherlands, and will use 25% less energy than a conventional building on land thanks to the use of water cooling techniques."

The Citadel, designed by Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio, is built on a floating foundation of heavy concrete and will house 60 luxury apartments, a car park, a floating road to access the complex as well as boat docks. Each unit will have its own garden terrace as well as a view of the lake. The building is designed to float perfectly on the rising and falling water, and makes use of the water to cool itself as it pumped out of submerged pipes. Make that a slash of 25% on your electricity bill as water cooling techniques are far more efficient compared to the ones used by a conventional building on land.

"The New Water and the Citadel projects are an attempt to embrace water in the Netherlands, which is almost completely composed of wetlands. The project will be built on a polder, a recessed area below sea level where flood waters settle from heavy rains. There are almost 3500 polders in the Netherlands, and almost all of them are continually pumped dry to keep flood waters from destroying nearby homes and buildings. The New Water Project will purposely allow the polder to flood with water and all the buildings will be perfectly suited to float on top of the rising and falling water.

from www.inhabitat.com

moon footage

2009-07-17T17:01:00.001-05:00

NASA released newly restored videos Thursday of two U.S. astronauts taking the world's first steps on the moon.

The images were released just four days before the 40th anniversary of the historic event that captivated the world on July 20, 1969.

The release, part of a larger Apollo 11 moonwalk restoration project, features 15 key moments from the historic lunar excursion, NASA said in a statement.

The images posted Thursday on the NASA Web site include a two-minute video montage with highlights of the moonwalk, and separate videos of Armstrong and Aldrin descending a ladder to the moon's dusty surface. Each partially restored video is shown beside an original image, for comparison.

watch NASA videos at http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/hd/apollo11.html

Just because

2009-07-14T17:28:00.002-05:00

extreme ballet

fun

Discovering the history of Pierre & Fort Pierre

2009-07-14T10:35:00.006-05:00

New website -

Pierre and Fort Pierre, South Dakota
Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary

Learn about, visit, and explore the authentic historic places that illustrate the history and development of Pierre and Fort Pierre, South Dakota from its earliest settlement to modern times. The Pierre and Fort Pierre Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary was produced by the National Park Service’s Heritage Education Services and the South Dakota State Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office, in partnership with the South Dakota Heritage Fund and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers.

The Pierre and Fort Pierre travel itinerary is based primarily on registration information on historic places in the National Park’s Service National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks collections. These archives are kept at 1201 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC and are open to the public.

The itinerary is available through the National Park Service’s Web site at: www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/pierre_fortpierre/

Patriotic Piano

2009-07-01T15:35:00.000-05:00

In honor of the 4th of July:

the Baldwin American Flag Vertical Piano

Tokbox is the Meebo of Video Chat

2009-06-30T15:30:00.001-05:00

neat!

Sent to you by Sarah via Google Reader:

Tokbox is the Meebo of Video Chat

via Chip Chick by Chip Chick on 6/29/09

Have you ever tried to initiate a video chat with someone and had to go through the frustrating steps of making sure the other person is using the same video chat client as you? I personally like to use iChat which is also compatible with AIM, but some of my friends overseas use Skype, while many of them also use MSN. Also, when I'm dealing with less technical folk, like my aunt, it has been a chore getting her to download and install AIM altogether, because she is practically computer illiterate. These are just a few examples of some of the barriers that make something that should be simple, in to something complicated and draining. So along comes Tokbox, a web based video chat service that connects people for video chatting, without the need to install any software. It doesn't matter whether you're using a Mac, a PC, or Linux, nor does it matter what web browser your using. All that is required is a web cam and a mic, and you can be up and running within a minute. In a lot of ways, Tokbox is like the Meebo of Video chat. Tokbox is also compatible with most of the popular IM services including AIM, Yahoo, and MSN. Actual video quality is good, although not quite great. It's about on par with your average video chat service.

But aside from taking away all the software barriers, Tokbox also has a few tricks up its sleeves that set it apart even from its software based counterparts. For starters, it can support up to 20 video chat windows at once, so you can connect with many of your friends at once - conference style. Tokbox also lets you share YouTube videos and SlideShare presentations live - again, very conference style. That makes Tokbox very practical for both casual and business meetings where several people need to interact at once. The folks at Tokbox said that the service has been especially popular with book clubs, bridal planning when friends are located all over the country, and religious Bible study groups. We would imagine that this could be used for business purposes as a free alternative to GoToMeeting since it also supports text chat.

To use Tokbox for video chat, you need to sign up for the service, however Tokbox also allows you to send video messages to people which they can view without having to register for the service. You can also use Tokbox to post video messages to Twitter and Facebook. Overall, we recommend Tokbox for those looking for a hassle-free way to video chat with their friends and family.

Kayaking & Fonts

2009-06-22T12:31:00.002-05:00

I went kayaking for the first time this weekend at Oahe Days and had lots of fun (and got a nice sunburn - matched my pink shirt). Yay for free rentals!

Fonts galore Ultimate List of 32 Font And Typography Tools

Follow the Yellow Brick Road pictures

2009-06-05T12:34:00.010-05:00

Follow t he Yellow Brick Road, May 30, 2009, @ Riggs High School Theatre, Pierre

Dorothy & group

look at more pictures from:
Friday dress rehearsal
Saturday 3:00 matinee
Saturday 7:00 pm performance

the Rainbow (I'm back middle)

Uncle Henry, Aunt Em (me), Dorothy & Toto

The Tornado (left I'm on the left & below I'm on the right, my brother is on the left )

original post for Follow the Yellow Brick Road: http://ideacollecting.blogspot.com/2009/04/yellow-brick-road-storybook-production.html

Josh is the tinman w/heart

Mobile Library Catalog and Website

2009-06-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

neat!

OCLS Mobile (Orange County Florida Public Library System)
Take a look at the brand new OCLS Mobile, a breakthrough way to explore the Library using your iPhone or iPod Touch. Search the catalog, access your account, find Library locations and driving directions, learn about upcoming events, watch videos, and more!

Here is a YouTube video walk through:

Web 3.0 Concepts Explained in Plain English

2009-06-02T11:49:00.005-05:00

Digital Inspiration sums up the differences between Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web 3.0 and provides six related presentations which discuss Web 3.0 in detail.

2009-05-18T12:24:00.006-05:00

Get Growing!

Plants Plus! & Surplus Tree Sale
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Conservation District Cooler
1840 Table Street
Thursday :: May 21 :: 4 to 7 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trees & Shrubs from the Conservation District
Tomatoes, peppers, squash, pumpkins & herbs plus
an assortment of annuals and perennials grown by the
Prairie Potter Master Gardeners.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directions from Airport Road
Turn left on N. Airport Road; turn left on Plateau Street;
turn left on Table Street; last building on the left.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sponsered by
Prairie Potter Master Gardeners
and the Hughes/Stanley County Conservation District

Learning is Forever

Children's Dance Books: 2011 Year-In-Review | Dance Advantage

Library information desk

In SD again!

Awakening Music Fest 2011 - Pierre

In Christ Alone 7/24/11

Next Month

The Greatest Gift of All in pictures

Peter Pan

groundhog sing & dance

It's dance time...

Oh My

Main Street Dance

The Visitor

PAWS

Calculus & Origami

old library days musings

Flag Day

Windy Day

Trees

The makeup

Hadassah: A Story of Esther pictures

Thinking about getting a new clock...

Keeping Up With Blogs - Tips

Librarians are important to student success

Johnny Appleseed Day

Wow... really

March 1st

Riverlight Concert Sunday

Mr. Chris

Olympic Science

web tools

Sun Dogs!

More Fun With Art

2010 Dance Recital

Giant Book

The Apple iPad

Another take on the flash drive

Wall Of iPads & Libraries ... Display iBooks

I knew lists were a good thing...

How Cold?

More Word of the Year

Winter weather, severe weather, ... be prepared!

Lion Statues under a Mantle of Snow

Think, think, think

Hhmmm....

Christmas at the Capitol

Elvis's Letter to President Nixon

Why Wordle-By Steven W. Anderson

~~~ Christmas at the Capitol ~~~

What is the word of the year?

Oh Dear!

Fun with Art

Free Food and Fair Fun!

Looking ahead

Typos

Best of Us

Bringing Ballet Magnificat! to Yankton

What a parking garage

National Punctuation Day Is Today!

Looking for . . .

Fotopedia

A Code of Conduct for Staff & Supervisors

Sent to you by Sarah via Google Reader:

The Scarlet Cord

Labor Day

Stones in the body (and I'm not talking about kidneys)

Missouri News

The stuff you find in books

Colorful

Video games in the library

Quick Reference Sheets for Word, Excel...

Ballet Magnificat! Coming to SD again!

Filter Flickr

Blogs for LIS students

Homeschoolers produce full-length film

Interesting...cookies

Public Library Blogs:

EBSCO & library stories

Library Blogging Tips

~ Christmas at the Capitol ~