Hotel Affluenza?

Hotel Affluenza?
Originally uploaded by AlaskanLibrarian

I recently stayed in a nice hotel in Spokane WA with one bed and TWO large screen TVs. This seems like overkill to me.
This picture was taken with an XO Laptop.

Inside Story - Iraq’s militias - 26 Mar 08 - Part 1

Inside Story - Iraq’s militias - 26 Mar 08 - Part 1

Part 1 of story on Iraq’s Shiite militias (including those of gov’t parties), all of which enjoy Iran’s backing. Update on situation in Basra and Baghdad. Points out that while the Mahdi Army is being attacked, other militias are being left alone.
Yes, it’s an [...]

Breaking free of the prison of context

Today is March 30th. It is snowing. It started snowing about a half hour ago. I live in Juneau, Alaska. Late March snow is not common but it happens.
When it first started snowing, I was appalled. I was sad that Spring still hasn’t won a decisive battle against Winter. I was frustrated that now that [...]

The More Things Changes: 1938 Biofuels

Getting energy from agricultural products might seem like a newfangled idea, but it has a long history as shown by this 1938 USDA publication:

Creator
Jacobs, P. Burke; Newton, Harry P.
 

Title
Motor fuels from farm products
 

Source
Miscellaneous Publication United States Department Agriculture
 

Year
1938
 

Volume_Info
no. 327
 

Pages
129 p.
 

DocID
mp0327
 

Publisher
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture

http://naldr.nal.usda.gov/NALWeb/Agricola_Link.asp?Accession=CAT87206224 
Interestingly, the idea to create fuel from ag products wasn’t born from energy [...]

What’s Your Regiment’s History? Let the Army Tell You

If you’re a army vet or someone else interested in detailed US Army history, check out the US Army Heritage Collection Online at http://www.ahco.army.mil/site/finding_aids_brief.jsp.
As the URL implies, these are a collection of finding aids to articles, books and more about Army history, including the history of individual units. Some of the bibliographies they have include:

Subject [...]

“Permission Slip” vs Outright Begging

Five years ago this month, President Bush thumped his chest repeatedly and said that he would never ask for a “permission slip” to invade another country with no documented operational links to those who attacked us in 2001. To this day he remains proud of this attitude.
Yet, he and his officials humiliate this nation time [...]

He was Atkins before Atkins was cool

I have just finished reading Discovery, the autobiography of arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Steffansson. I found it very engaging. It has an index and Steffansson recounts his failures as well as his successes. The book also has an interesting chapter on the Cold War’s negative effects on scientific advancement.
But that’s not why I’m writing this morning. [...]

Welcome Determined LJ Readers!

At the possible risk of sounding narcissistic, I’d like to extend a warm Alaskan welcome to anyone who found this blog as a result of reading my profile On a Mission in the March 15, 2008 issue of Library Journal.
My post title refers to determined LJ readers because Library Journal printed the prior address for [...]

Why DVDs Aren’t Going Away Anytime Soon

Why DVDs Aren’t Going Away Anytime Soon
Originally uploaded by AlaskanLibrarian

In early March 2008, I started experimenting with Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” feature. For me with my lowend DSL broadband, I’d call it a promising but flawed technology. This screen came up after five minutes of flawless play informing me it would be about 10 minutes before [...]

Haiti: Basic Facts and Resources for Exploration

Here’s another one of my resource guides for the Operation Rice Bowl classes I’m teaching this Lent:
 
Haiti: Basic Facts and Resources for Exploration
Basic Facts (Source: CRS 2008 Rice Bowl Educators Guide)

Population 8.3 million
population below age 15 38%
% population with access to safe drinking water 71%
Infant mortality rate (under age 5, per 1,000 live births) 118
Adult literacy rate [...]