A Canticle For Liebowitz - Book Discussion Group

Hi All,

On January 29th, 2015 at 7pm the Farmingdale Public Library will be hosting a book discussion group on the book 'A Canticle For Leibowitz' by Walter M. Miller, Jr..

The Wikipedia entry for A Canticle For Leibowitz says that 'it is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by American writer Walter M. Miller, Jr., first published in 1960. Set in a Catholic monastery in the desert of the Southwestern United States after a devastating nuclear war, the story spans thousands of years as civilization rebuilds itself'.

The book won the 1961 Hugo Award and is considered by many to be one of the best science-fiction novels ever written. Heady stuff for a book steeped on religion, history and science-fiction.

Click on this next link for one of the many reviews of Canticle on the internet. This next link is a full-text, online version of the book - in pdf format.

Click on this link for a audio version of Canticle which was adapted for radio by John reed in the 1980's or so.

For a review from SFReviews.com click here - its about a 2 page review of the book and written back in 2005.  Interesting, quick, concise and fun to compare to reviews listed below. 

For a high-school level evaluation/criticism of Canticle, click on this link from Shmoop - seriously. Its like Cliffs Notes for literature - except the material is on the web.

Another link for literary criticism of the book can be found at this site - from Georgia State University Department of English.   Link goes to a document called, 'Walter M. Miller, Jr's A Canticle for Leibowitz: A Study of Apocalyptic Cycles, Religion and Science, Religious Ethics and Secular Ethics, Sin and Redemption, and Myth and Preternatural Innocence'.

Finally, for a chapter-by-chapter study guide to Canticle, readers should click on this link - still one of the best free summaries and discussions of the novel available.  Quite thought provoking - and written by a college professor at Washington State University.

For a more formal set of questions about the book, click on this link - its a lot like a study-guide in the guise of a set of questions.

Enjoy the book and be prepared for a thought provoking, elegiac, critique on humanity, religion and the future!

(And since this will be the last post of 2014 - Happy New Year!)

Regards,
Stu

2014 Lists of Lists

Hi All,

With two full days left in 2014 the countdown begins!  Today's blog entry concerns lists - specifically lists of the best and worst of 2014!  Fun stuff to be sure - and it was even more fun to create this post!

Best Movies of 2014  - The Top Tens
Best Books of 2014 - Huffington Post
Best Laptop Computers of 2014
Best Cars - KBB.com (lots of Top 10 Auto Lists here)
Best Smartphones of 2014
Best Albums of 2014
Best Apps of 2014 - Android and Apple
Best Antivirus Software of 2014
Best Government Agencies to Work for of 2014
Best News Websites of 2014
Best News Bloopers of 2014
Best Cartoons of 2014 - image results
Top 15 Authors to Watch in 2014
100 Best Websites for Writers in 2014

Enjoy the links!

Regards,
Stu

New Year's Eve 2015

Hi All,

The end of the year is coming!  And that means New Year's Eve celebrations are everywhere - so start celebrating!  This blog post will be a veritable, 'all things New Years' Eve' post...

Hosting a New Years' Eve party is a time-honored way to celebrate the new year...click on these three links to learn more on how to host that party!  And have fun - and stay sane - doing it.

Ehow has an interesting article titled 'Hosting a New Years Eve Party.'  AOL - yes, AOL - has an article called, 'Host Handbook: New Year's Eve Party'.

Well, very few New Year's Eve parties have no Champagne....yum.  Click on these few links to learn a bit about picking the right Champagne for NYE (New Year's Eve).

IntoWine is a fun website that discusses wine and accompanying drinks...the linked article talks about New Year's Eve Champagne Recommendations and Ideas.  Click on this link for some videos on how to choose sparkling wines....

Click on this link to learn even more about how to choose the best Champagne for your NYE party.

Readers can click on this link to learn about how to pair food with various types of Champagne - link from Food and Wine.com.  And readers can click on this link - from Delish - to learn about Champagne cocktails.

If you aren't having a party at your house, click on these links to find out where the great NYE parties are on Long Island. About.com has an article titled, 'New Year's Eve on Long Island'.  Short, sweet and to the point!  Go About.com/Travel!  Not to be outdone, Newsday has an entry as well for things to do on Long Island on NYE.  Click this link to read the article.

Finally, the Long Island Press has an entry as well - click here for the article 'Long Island New Year's Eve 2014'.

Okay...one last link...click here to go to Balldrop - which celebrates New Years Eve 2015 in New York/Times Square!  

Enjoy the links - and here's to a happy and healthy new year!  Happy 2015!

Regards,
Stu

Returning the Swag From the Holidays

Hi All,

Now that both Christmas and Hanukah are over the returns start!  Trudging back to the store - assuming you have gift receipt that is - and then making your way to the Customer Service desk is what the day after Christmas is known for nowadays. 

As such, here are a few sites that will help you make the trip back to the Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Macy's, Kohls or wherever, easier, faster and less painful.

This first list is from Consumer Reports and is titled '5 Simple Rules for Happy Holiday Gift Returns'.  Basically the article explains how to return gifts - and get money back from the returns.

Time Magazine and Money Magazine have come up with this article - and posted on 12/25/14 - titled, 'Hate Your Gifts? Tips For Returns, Exchanges, and Regifting'.  The section on regifting is extremely helpful and insightful.  Read on!

Not to be outdone, USAToday posted an article on 12/25/14 as well titled, 'How To Easily Return Presents'.  Short, concise and nicely written, the article is chock full of advice like, 'unwrap carefully', 'give the gift of receipts', and 'know your online store policies'.

This next article comes from NBC News and is titled, 'Many Unhappy Returns - Retailers Combat Wardrobing' - which is the practice of returning fraudulent merchandise after the holiday season.  

So there you have it - a few good, quality, timely links that will help you return the holiday gifts that are the wrong size, or wrong color, or just not what you wanted! 

Enjoy - and hopefully you won't be spending too much time on the return line in the stores.

Regards,
Stu

Good News!

Hi All,

Just wanted to write a feel-good post today - especially because Christmas is coming and the New Year is just around the corner!

Have you ever heard of a website called HappyNews.com?  Well, it definitely qualifies as a news site - the only difference is the slant on the news that they post/publish/report. 

Happy News' byline is 'Real News. Compelling Stories. Always Positive'.  Indeed it is. 

The site has News links, Video links, Product links (links to products that are well, Happy related) and Happy Living (issues related to, well, Happy Living) links at the top of the page - toward the right side.  There is also a search box on the right so readers can search Happy News.

Readers can also search various categories of news on HappyNews.com - just a like a regular website.  Categories include International, National, Business/Money, Health, Science & Technology, Arts & Entertainment, Sports, Heroes, Opinion & Editorials, and Environment.

Examples of articles taken from the Health section on the day that I wrote this blog entry (December 23rd, 2014) include:
The Best Way to Fight Germs on Airplanes
Centenarians Share Their Secrets to Long Life
Revolutionary Laser Treatment Could Kill Off Breast Cancer in 15 Minutes
Doctors Announce Historic Breakthrough on Cure For Skin Cancer
A Homegrown Fix for 'Food Deserts'
Study Revelas How to Win Belly-Fat War
10 Things You Can Do To Burn More Calories...

And More...

Note that there are advertisements on the website - they are easily seen since they are at the top of each article.  They aren't too intrusive - but they are somewhat annoying. 

One other caveat about the site...some of the articles have been 'aged' as they say.  That is, don't expect current events - as in yesterdays' news.  Some of the articles can be as old as 6 months or more.  FWIW...take the site with a small grain of salt - it is a take on the news, which, as we know, isn't always (unfortunately) happy....

That said, the site is a 'happy' take on news - which is definitely a different take on the news!!!

Enjoy the site.

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

It is December 22nd!  And that means you have just about 48 hours before Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day.  And if you still have people to buy gifts for...well it means you need to get a move on and start shopping, shopping, shopping!

Forthwith, some websites that will help you generate some ideas for those folks who are on your shopping list and who are hard to buy presents for...

Two things though: drive safely and remember...there are always gift cards to buy (they make great gifts as well!) (Here are a few gift card links: GiftCards.com, GiftCardMall.com, GiftCards.com, GiftCardGranny.com)

Last Minute Gift Ideas 
Free Shipping Day
My Fox LA - Last Minute Holiday Shopping: Deals & Extended Hours For Procrastinators
Christmas Gift Ideas For Those Who Are Hard to Shop For
Christmas Gifts
Holiday Shopping Ideas - The Big Picture


Enjoy the links and hope you find the perfect gift for folks on your list who are hard to find gifts for!

Regards,
Stu

End of the Year Lists - Part I

Hi All,

So we have 12 days left until the new year comes around.  2015 here we come!  With that in mind, lots of news sources and outlets come out with various 2014 lists.  Here are some of the highlights (and hopefully the best - or at least the most interesting) of these lists. 

And please note, there just might be a second part to this entry since there are so many interesting lists available on the web. Stay tuned for the next episode!!!

Science Announces 2014's Top 10 Breakthroughs
PC Mag - 10 Best Desktops
PC Mag - 10 Best Laptops
TechRadar - 10 Best Tablet PCs in the World Today
Car and Driver - Editors' Choice Awards 2014 - Best Cars, Trucks, Crossovers and More.
Gayot - Top 10 Fall Beers
Wine Spectator - Top 10 Wines Revealed
National Geographic - Best Winter Trips 2014
Vogue - Top Ten TV Shows of 2014
IMDB - Highest Rated TV Series Released in 2014
Mother Jones - Best Books of 2014 (Fiction and Non-fiction)
Washington Post - 10 Best Books of 2014
Yahoo! News - Yahoo's Top 10 News Searches of 2014
Washington Times - Celebrity Deaths in 2014
Bing Link to People, Moments, and Events That Shaped 2014.
CNN - What You Really Googled in 2014

Enjoy the links - and stay tuned for part two of this list in the coming days!

Regards,
Stu

What the Sony Corp Hack Means to You?

Hi All,

You might have heard the the Sony Corporation's computers were hacked before November 24th...click here for a brief overview of the event.

Eventually, U.S. officials figured out that North Korea was behind the Sony hack....click here for more information about that part of this event. 

The New York Times also wrote an article about North Korea and how they were behind the Sony computer hack...

Now, besides for reading all the gory, scandalous, behind-the-scenes stories of the hack and the various executives' emails that were strewn across the internet  (for example, Angelina Jolie, George Clooney, Amy Pascal), there are a bunch of lessons for computer users - both as employees and as regular folk who use computers on a daily basis...

For example,  an article titled, '4 Things Every Single Person Can Learn From the Sony Hack'. Simply put, don't email your passwords, don't open suspicious links in your email, don't email your passwords,, and encrypt your most sensitive data....

Here are some other excellent links to help you protect your privacy, data, email and search history while you use the internet.

Privacy Rights.org - Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Children's Online Privacy - A Resource Guide For Parents
PC Magazine - Computer Security Reviews and Prices
Stay Safe Online.org -  Tips and Advice - Stop-Think-Connect on the Web
Palo Alto Medical Foundation - Safety on the Internet
WikiHow - How to Be Safe on the Internet
Hubbard Township - Stay Safe Online

Enjoy your time on the web!

Regards,
Stu

The Global Economy

Hi All,

The title of this post should almost certainly get your attention.  I'm not going to sit on a soapbox and preach about various economic issues...that's not my place.  As a librarian, I like to present the patron - or the blog reader in this case - with the information and let the patron/reader come to his or her own conclusion.  Fair enough - I hope. 

A few weeks ago I found this article from Vox.com - a website that covers major news events. The site covers politics, public policy, world affairs, pop culture, science and more in a modern, easy-to-read manner. The site is unbiased, timely and fun to read...

That said the article I wanted to show today is called, '38 Maps That Explain the Global Economy'.  I like maps 1 (World GDP per capita), 2 (Economic center of gravy map), 5 (Korea at Night), 11 (World's Busiest Container-Shipping Seaports in 2012), 13 (World Shipping routes), 21 (Oil import/export map), 27(Megacities),  and 34 (GDP/Population)...

Awesome use of statistics, maps, graphs and charts!!!!

Enjoy. 
Stu

Holiday Stress Management Relief

Hi All,

Do the holidays have you running everywhere after work and preparing for holiday meals late at night? Are you wrapping gifts for family and friends at 1am or buying presents on Amazon.com during work hours?  Well, you are not alone.  Lots of people are doing it evidently - just check out this article from Yahoo! Finance (title of article is 'Is Holiday Shopping Online OK At Work/ Survey Shows Are 'Buying It').

Okay...so the holidays can be a stressful time...and this entry is going to try to help you over the hump and get you to have a less stressful time - at least until January 2nd...

From the Mayo Clinic comes this article titled, 'Stress, Depression and the Holidays'. WebMD's holiday stress tips include this link, 'Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress'. Not to be outdone, the Cleveland Clinic also has an entry titled 'Managing Holiday Stress'.  A site called MedicineNet.com (self styled as being a site that 'Brings Doctors' Knowledge to You') has an article called 'Holiday Depression, Anxiety, and Stress'.  This is an extended article of 6 pages and can be found by clicking on this link.

And, finally, click on this link for an article from Time Magazine Online from October 2012 - titled '6 Breathing Exercises to Relax in 10 Minutes or Less'.

So...definitely buy those gifts, wraps those presents and have fun during the holidays - and if you need a place to figure out how to de-stress...click on any of the above links...

Regards,
Stu

School Speed Zone Cameras

Hi All,


And now for some interesting news about school speed zone cameras...they are being repealed in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.  Click on this link from Newsday for the complete article - entitled, 'Nassau, Suffolk, Move To Kill School Speed Camera Programs'  Article is from 12/8/14.

For an article on how much money the Nassau Speed Cameras generated - get ready, its a LOT of money - click on this link.  The article title is 'Nassau Speed Cameras Generate 400,000 Tickets, Report Says'. Again the article came from Newsday.com - this time from 12/11/14.

And, for what its worth, click on this link to find Speed Camera Location in Nassau County.

Click on this interesting article from Newsday; called 'Accident Data Doesn't Support School zone Speed Camera Locations, Newsday Analysis'.

Finally, click on this article from ABC7 News called, 'Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano Changing Speed Camera Operation Times'.  Enjoy the links and the information.

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

The library is hosting a program on Monday, December 15th from 7pm-8pm on 'Healthy Holiday Eating'.  The formal blurb from the newsletter is "Join Ashley Olivieri, Nutrition Coordinator at Syosset Hospital, Registered Dietitian, and Certified Diabetes Educator for his lecture about transforming favorite holiday recipes into healthier ones by using some simple tips. A food demonstration will be done to show how easy it is to make healthy, tasty holiday treats. Preference given to UFSD #22 residents."

And that is all very, very well and good...but here are a few online resources to help you eat better and healthier during this upcoming holiday season. 

From the American Heart Association comes this entry called 'Holiday Health Eating Guide'.  Note that this is a pdf document from Adobe Acrobat and opens automatically.   And from Real Simple (Life Made Simple) comes this article titled '9 Healthy Holiday Eating Strategies'.  From a site called Sutter Health comes this article called 'Tips For Healthy Holiday Eating'.

Finally, for those of you who like to go to holiday parties, you might want to visit Eatright.org's website.  They have an article called 'Helpful Tips For Healthy Holiday Parties'.

Happy holidays and happy eating...and here's to eating healthy!

Regards,
Stu

500 Posts

Hi All,

Welcome to our 500th post.  That's a lot of posts, blog entries and topics that I've written about.  So...what will be the topic of our 500th post you ask?

The number '500'.  It resonates a lot of significance historically and religiously.  Click on this link for a few examples of '500' on Wikipedia.

Click on this link from 500px - the Premier Photography Community...

Click on this link from CNNMoney for a list of companies in the S&P 500.  And another entry relating to business...from VentureBeat comes this article titled, 'Meet 500 Startups' New Batch of Startups' - from 2012 though.

Click on this link for an article entitled 'One Hundred Years of the Indy 500' from the Smithsonian Magazine.  Evidently there was a song by Peter, Paul & Mary titled, 500 Miles.  Here are the lyrics from LyricsFreak.com

And...American Airlines gives you 500 Mile Upgrades evidently.  And from Amazon.com, click on this link for a bunch of titles (sorted by relevance) with the number '500' as the topic searched.

Click on this link from Chrome Experiments.com - a list of 500 Chrome Experiments...Very techy, very interesting - and fun.

So there ya have it...our 500th post.

Here's to another 500 posts!

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

Guess what today is? It is CyberMonday.  What the heck is that you ask? Great question, and here is the answer...

From Wikipedia.com - Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the US.  It was created by marketing companies to persuade people to shop online.  The term made its debut on 11/28/2005 in a Shop.org press release titled, 'Cyber Monday Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year'. 

So...go out - okay, get on your computer - and shop, shop, shop....

Click here for a few interesting (and probably useful) links about Cyber Monday.

1.  Click on this link for an article titled, 'Cyber Monday Gears Up to Get Online Shoppers Hyped'.
2. We've got 'em: The Best Cyber Monday Deals - USA Today.
3. Cyber Monday Cheat Sheet: What's On Deck For Online Shoppers.
4.  Cyber Monday 2014 Deals: 235 Sales and Counting!
5.  Best Cyber Monday 2014 Deals - Tech stuff mostly
6.  2014 Cyber Monday Deals: Walmart, Amazon Can't Stop, Won't Stop With Online Sales

Enjoy the links!  And remember....next post is post number 500...

Regards,
Stu

The Thanksgiving Post

Hi All,

Its official - anything you do for two or more years in a row qualifies as a tradition!  Hence the Thanksgiving Post.

Everything you need to know about Thanksgiving is in this post. Okay...well, not everything.  Just a lot of great, timely links to make your Thanksgiving more festive, less stressful, taste better and more fun for you and for your family and friends.

Thanksgiving weather for the Long Island area...and from News12 - the forecast is....more wet, snowy weather for Thanksgiving.  See link for more.

For a brief history of Thanksgiving, click on this link from The History Channel.  For another view of Thanksgiving, click on this link from National Geographic Kids - kid friendly and still interesting.

For a menu of what is served at a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, click on this link from the Food Network.  And, from AllRecipes.com come these recipes for cooking a turkey. Bon Appetit has an interesting article on Thanksgiving Stuffing and Dressing Recipes.

Jericho Cider Mill is a great place to get apple cider - its a family favorite and goes great with turkey, stuff, gravy, etc... on Thanksgiving. Link above is from Yelp.

Need some information on how to carve the bird? Click on this link from Good Morning America for ways to carve the turkey. Yum. I'm hungry already. 

Okay...now that you've served the meal...its time for some football. Click here to get a listing of the football games that are being played on Thanksgiving 2014. Link is from NFL.com.

And don't forget to drive carefully after the Thanksgiving meal...

Happy Thanksgiving.

Stu

It's Fall - and the Leaves Are Falling

Hi All,

If you didn't notice it, the Fall season is here.  Its starting to get blustery and temperatures are starting to drop at night.  Brrrrr.   And with the Fall season upon us, leaves fall.  Turning all different colors and shades of red, brown, orange, yellow and colors in between its a great time of year for taking walks in parks or near where there are lots of trees.

Click on this link from ILoveNY for the Fall Foliage Report.  And another interesting website for accurate foliage information comes from the Foliage Network.  The site has Pictures, Foliage Reports, Place To Stay, Foliage Spotters and Webcams.  Neat stuff.

In addition, there is a site called Yankee Foliage which also has Fall Foliage Maps, Foliage Drives and more.  Note that the site is a variant of YankeeMagazine.com. 

Finally, the library has a bunch of books on taking nature walks on Long Island.  Click on this link for a list of titles the Farmingdale Public Library has in its collection on the topic of nature walks.

Enjoy the hiking, enjoy the leaves.

Regards,
Stu

That's Punny!

Hi All,

I've heard the quote, "A pun is the lowest form of humor - when you don't think of it first."   Well, it might be true - but there are some awesome pun websites on the web. 

For example, there is a website called WebEnglishTeacher - which has categorized lists of puns.  There are puns in categories like Irreverent Puns, De-tales, Useful Conversions and more.
Memebase has a list of visual puns - seriously, they are really, really funny.

Click on this link from Techeblog.com which as a link to 24 Funny Puns By Internet Geeks That Might Have You Rolling - and they will - they are funny!

Click on this link from PunGents.com for recently posted puns and Pun of the Day.  Click here for Puns by Topic. 

Finally, click on the following links to find other punny websites on the web.
1. 26 Puns That Are Too Clever for Their Own Good
2. Badpuns.com
3. Pun of the Day

And of for a more serious look at the word pun - click on this link from the Oxford University Press link for an article entitled, 'The Dubious History of the Pun'.  The entry is fun, educational and interesting - and well written.

Finally, click on this link to the library card catalog - which goes to the Farmingdale Public Library's holdings on the topic of puns.  

Enjoy the links - and keep on punning!

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

Stress. It is a part of our daily life - unfortunately.  It can come at you from family, friends, work and other sources. Its, well, stressful.  But there are many ways to relieve stress. 

And because stress is so prevalent in our everyday life, the Farmingdale Public Library is hosting a Stress Management Workshop on Thursday, November 13th at 3pm. 

In this workshop you'll learn how to manage your stress. Topics included: possible causes of stress, the effects stress can have on your life, and some strategies to cope with stress.  Registration for this class has already begun, but there are spots available for the class.  Click on this link to register for the Stress Management Workshop.

And with that all said, here are 3 links from the web, that can help you relieve the stress right now.

This first link is from a website called HelpGuide.org.  The site self-proclaims itself as being 'expert, ad-free resources that help you resolve health issues.  Okay.  Sounds good at least.  The article is called 'Stress Management: How to Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress'.   The article is well written, clear and gives readers many different tools and techniques for identifying and controlling the stress in their life.

The next link is from the famed Mayo Clinic.  This article is appropriately enough, called, 'Stress Management' and discusses stress basics, stress relief and relaxation techniques.  Excellent article from a world renowned source of medical information.

Finally, the next article comes from the American Heart Association. The article is titled, 'To Stress or Not To Stress? You Decide. But We Can Help.'  The article covers topics like stress management, explanations why it is good to practice stress managment and even more technniques to lower stress in your daily life.  All great stuff from another world famous, unbiased, medical organization. And the information is free to boot!

Hope these entries make your day a bit less stressful!

Enjoy the links,
Stu

Volunteering

Hi All,

Did you know that volunteering in the United States is on the decline?  Well, it is... Check out this article from Newsweek back in October.  The article/entry/post is titled, 'Volunteering in America is on the Decline'.

With that thought in mind, I decided to write a blog entry about volunteering.  Some websites that readers can visit to find volunteer options include: Serve.gov, Volunteermatch, Long Island.com, 1800Volunteer (seriously) and Long Island Volunteer Center. 

The Long Island Volunteer Center (LIVC) is an all-volunteer agency working to provide support to, and promote and advocate for, volunteer service on Long Island.  It is a well-known, volunteer organization - and it has a wonderfully useful website to help volunteers find volunteer positions.  Click on this link to find more information about LIVC.

Click on this link to 'Find a Volunteer Opportunity'.  Users can search by keyword, schedule type, zip code and distance.  Or you can just search the listings.  Note that users can sort column headers.  As a result you can search by title of the volunteer opportunity, organization name, location of volunteer opportunity, time, distance and frequency.  Which all makes searching for just the right volunteer opportunity painless, easy and fast!

Finally, if you are in the library and would like a hard-copy of the brochure 'Places People Can Volunteer' you can come to the Reference Desk or the Children's Room and we'll give you a copy. It's a great volunteering resource.

Happy volunteering.

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

I just came across an interesting article from an old email about memory and how to remember things.  The article is called 'US Memory Champions Share Expert Techniques For Remembering Anything' and was posted by BusinessInsider.com on July 25th, 2014.  (For another article about memory click on this link - this article was from this blog back in July as well.)

Here are a few other links from the web on how to remember various names, lists, projects, etc that you might come across during daily life.

How to Improve Your Memory? - HelpGuide.org
How to Improve Your Memory, Instantly -  PsychologyToday.com   awesome article - and it works

Click on this link - which goes to the library online card catalog for the subject of 'memory'. Also, the link lists items that only the Farmingdale Public Library owns - not other libraries.

Enjoy the articles and sites.

Regards,
Stu

Preparing Your House For Winter

Hi All,

Just a quickie post this morning for homeowners.  As you might have quessed, Winter is coming. It was cold last night - it hit about 40*F and the heat was most definitely on in my house....

Now that the cold is here to stay around for the next couple of months, can the snow, sleet and rain be far behind?  Probably not - and as a homeowner, it makes sense to prepare for the bad weather. 

Click on the links below and you'll be ahead of the game when you 'winterize your house'. 

19 Easy Home Winterization Projects - Popular Mechanics - slideshow with links
11 Ways to Winterize Your Home on a Budget - Bob Vila - slideshow of winterizing
35 Ways to Winterize Your Home - How Stuff Works/Home - with links to projects
10 Cheap Tips to Winterize Your Home - Business Insider - bubble wrap idea is a hoot - and clever
50 Ways to Winterize Your Home - Productivity501 - nice simple list of projects
Winterize Your Home: 10 Tips - WebMD - list with a paragraph length summary
Winterizing Your Home - HomeBuying-About.com - #4 - gutters and spouts!

And now for the library plug...click on this link which goes to the card catalog.  Subject of link is 'Dwellings - Maintenance and Repair - Amateurs' Manuals' and I sorted the titles from newest to oldest. Note also that many of these titles will be in the 'Home Sweet Home' section in the library - which is located next to the Children's Room.

Enjoy the links - and now you can enjoy a warm, comfortable home during the winter.

Regards,
Stu

Daylight Saving Time Is This Weekend

Hi All,

Did you know that Daylight Saving Time is this weekend?  If you did know that, great - if not...well, at least you know about it now. 

So what is Daylight Saving Time?  Glad you asked.  Click on this entry from Wikipedia that explains all a out Daylight Savings Time.

And just for a bit of context, click on this link from Wikipedia which talks about the History of Standard Time in the United States.  There are a bunch of states in the union that don't observe traditional Daylight Saving Time hours...they are Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada and Tennessee.

One of the odd things about Daylight Saving Time are the health affects of it.  Click here for an article that discusses such health aspects of the DST.  The article is called 'What Changing the Clocks Back Does to Your Health' - and comes from CBS News. 

Here is an article discussing the possible dangerous affects of DST - this one comes from Time Magazine and was posted on 10/31/14. The article discusses the possibility that the number of traffic deaths increases when DST changes.

Finally, you might want to click on this link from ABCNews for an article entitled, '5 Tips To Fall Back From Daylight Saving Time 2014'. 

Enjoy the articles and, more importantly, enjoy the extra hour of sleep you'll get that morning.

Regards,
Stu

Hi All,

Keep It Simple, Stupid (the KISS principle).  Well, I'm not a fan of the last word in that overly used phrase, but there is a method to that madness. Simplicity is elegant.  Just click on this link for proof of that statement.

And with that said...click on this link from Yahoo! Tech for an article entitled '5 Hacks to Make Your Tech Life Easier'  Hacks or tricks include ways to simplify computer cabling, ways to make your smartphone louder, and more.

Click on these three links for more ways to make your life easier:
Finances - 8 Ways to Simplify Your Finances - Huffington Post 
Home Organization - Organizing a Garage - Simplify Your Life With 8 Checklists - MyHomeIdeas.com
Food Storage - How to Organize Your Refrigerator Drawers and Shelves? - Real Simple

Finally, click on these links for ways to keeping your life simple...
7 Rules That Keep My Life Simple
12 Ways to Keep Life Simple
10 Ways to Keep Life Simple
4 Ways to Simplify Your Life

Enjoy the links! Hope they simplify your life!

Regards,
Stu

Enature.com

Hi All,

Just found out about one of the most popular nature sites on the web: Enature.com. I never heard about it before...but wow.  What a vast treasure trove of information about wild animals and plants of the United States. 

The core content of the wildlife is information about nearly 6,000 individual species.  Information on the site comes from the same data set used to created the printed edition of the Audubon Field Guides.  Awesome - the information is basically free!!!

So - what does the site offer viewers?  There are Wildlife Guides, links to Local Nature, Ask an Expert, Fun & Games, an Advanced Search and a blog.  Users can also conduct a species search and look for Field Guides for more than 5,500 species. 

Field Guides run the gamut of animals:  from Birds, Butterflies, Fishes, Insects & Spiders, Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians, Seashore Creatures, Trees and Wildflowers.  Clicking on this link brings you to the Field Guides search page where you can search the Field Guides by the category listed above - and you can search within the Field Guides by keyword.

Each Field Guide has the name of the animal, its family, a description, dimensions, habitat, observation tips, range, voice, similar species and a brief discussion of the animal.

Awesome, awesome, awesome - comprehensive, authoritative and easy to use information is available.  What a great site for a nature lover who is conversant with the internet and computers. 

Also on this page is a box that users can use to find a particular option:
1. Learn what wildlife lives in my area.
2. Identify an animal or plant I just saw.
3. Ask a specimen question.
4. Get information about a National Park or Refuge.
5.  Know what endangered species live near me.

Finally, click on this link for the Free iPhone Apps from eNature.com!

Enjoy the site and the information!

Regards,
Stu

Tips For Getting a Better Night Sleep

Hi All,

We've all heard it from friends or coworkers or family members, "I'm tired, I didn't sleep at all last night.".  Well, sleep is ridiculously important.  It affects your heatlh, performance at work, and much more.  Click on this link from WebMD about chronic lack of sleep and the affects it has. It's not pretty - so try to catch up on your zzzz's.  And, if the prior article hasn't persuaded you to get more sleep, perhaps this article will...  This link is from the National Institute of Health - a US government agency - and is written so that the layperson can understand the affects of not enough sleep.

Now, onto the meat of this entry.  Click on this link for an article from MoneyTalkNews entitled 'How Much is Enough?'.  Article gives NIH recommendations for the amount of sleep that school-age children, teenagers and adults should get.  Section titles include '3 Reasons Why You're Not Sleeping' and other tips on how to set the mood for a good nights' sleep. 

Finally, click on this link - which goes to the library card catalog.  Specifically the link goes to the subject of 'sleep' in the card catalog.  I also did a sort so that the newest books come up first. 

Here's to getting a good night sleep.

Regards,
Stu

Fall is Garage Sale Time!

Hi All,

Garage sales are awesome! Where else can you find gently used merchandise (clothing, toys, kitchen appliances, tools, computer accessories, kids clothing, toys and more...) at a fraction of the cost that you would normally spend for the same stuff at a Wal-Mart or Target or Sears or BuyBuyBaby?  Indeed - garage sales can save you big bucks!   Which is why I'm writing about them today!  I love to save money - who doesn't!

There are 4 major garage sale/yard sale sites on the web. They are:
1. YardsaleSearch.com
2. LISaler.com
3. Garagesalestracker.com
4. GSALR.com

YardsaleSearch.com lets users look for garage sales by state or by zip code.  Users can post a yard sale and get yard sale tips as well. The site has an informative blog as well.  One of the reasons why I like this site is the 'down home', country type feel to the site.  Click on this 'About Us' link and you'll understand why you feel so comfortable on this very, very useful garage sale site.

LISaler.com is another helpful garage sale website available to users. Like the prior site, users can find a yard sale and post an ad. Users can also find professional services on the site as well.  Clicking on the 'Find a Sale' link takes you to a page where garage sales are listed chronologically.  When I looked - 10/12/14 - I found garage sales that were taking place that very same day. How is that for timely? 

Clicking on any of the garage sales links takes you to another page that includes date and time of the garage sale, a map and a link for directions to the sale and, finally, a brief narrative of what items are being sold at the garage sale.  It is very, useful and comprehensive information for someone who likes to visit garage sales on a regular basis.

Users can find active sales by city by clicking on the box on the right side of the page. Finally, LISaler has videos that users can watch.

Another garage sale website that is very helpful is GarageSalesTracker.com.  At the top of the page, visitors to the site will see a box where the zip code and a distance can be entered.  Basically the site is asking you to enter a zip code to look for all garage sales within a radius....Entering a zip code and the radius option brings you to a results page.  Contact information, date, time and more are listed on the new page.  In additions, readers can get more details about the garage sale and driving directions.  One thing about GarageSalesTracker.com - there is some advertising on the site.  Somewhat annoying, but not a deal breaker.  From the home page, users can also click on a 'Browse Sales' link at the top of the page.

Finally, users would be remiss in not looking at GSALR.com.  It has many of the same features as the previous three sites mentioned.  Users see a big dialog box at the top of the page when they first visit the site. By entering the City and State, they are taken to a page of garage sales.  But first, they have to navigate a pop-up (annoying window) that asks the user if they want to sign up for free email alerts.  The dialog box can be closed by clicking on the X at the top right portion of the box.

Beneath the box appears a map with all the garage sales that were found.  Users can zoom out to view more sales.  On the right side of the page, users can find a comprehensive list of the garage sales.  Including address, details, time and more about any particular sale. Clicking the 'Details' box brings the user to another page that includes a map, address and, in some cases a very detailed description of the garage sale.  Whew!

There you have it!  Four great garage sale/yard sale sites for the inner antiques collector/shopper/hunter in all of us.  Good luck finding what everything you need for your house and kids at these sales!

Enjoy the sites - and enjoy the weekends and the treasures that you'll find at these yard sales.

Regards,
Stu

2014-2015 Hockey Season Opens Tonight

Hi All,

Just a quickie post to celebrate the opening of the NHL's hockey season tonight. Click on this link to go to a Bing.com article discussing the NHL regular season coverage that begins tonight.

And for those of you who like to cut to the chase, click on this link from Puck Daddy for an article that attempts to pick the team that will win the Stanley Cup in 2015. 

Here's an interesting link - its NHL Gamecenter Live - brought to you by the NHL website. So, yes, you can watch the games in real time!

Click on this link for NHL schedules. 

And, of course, what die-hard fan doesn't want to draft their own team and play Fantasy Hockey?  Click on an of these xx links to join a fantasy NHL league today. Fantasy Hockey-ESPN, NHL Fantasy Hockey, Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Hockey. 

Finally, for all you puckheads out there, click on this link for almost every imaginable hockey statistic you can imagine.  Link goes to Hockey-Reference.com - sister-site of Baseball-Reference.com and one of my all-time favorite sites!

Enjoy the sites - and enjoy the brand, spankin' new 2015 NHL hockey season.

Regards,
Stu

Farmingdale Observer - local news at your fingertips

Hi All,

Would you like to know what is going on in and around town in Farmingdale? Are you tired of searching through Google News or Yahoo! News in the hopes of finding an article related to Farmingdale?

Well folks, search no more.  The Farmingdale Observer is online - and has been for years now. Just pop on over to this link and you'll be delivered to the website of the Farmingdale Observer.

So...what do you find when you go to the site?  Lots of Farmingdale related news - and its well organized.  For example, there are tabs for Healthy Living, Classifieds, Subscribe to the Farmingdale Observer, Advertise with the Farmingdale Observer, Contact, Contests and Promotions.

Note that the online version of the Farmingdale Observer contains a limited selection of what the full newspaper contains.  Click this link to subscribe to the Farmingdale Observer - and you'll be connected to the community weekly when the newspaper arrives at your doorstep.  

Readers can contact the Farmingdale Observer by calling 516-747-8282 or by visiting this page to figure out who you want to email at the newspaper.

Enjoy your local news being delivered to you house - or reading online.

Regards,
Stu

Earthcam and other Live Cams...

Hi All,

With all the red light and speed cameras, tv on the web (not to mention movies on demand - hello Netflix) It seems like we live in a world of 24x7x365 video. Oh, right...let's not forget about tablets and smartphones that have video capabilities...I guess we do live in a world of video.

So, without further ado - here is Earthcam.  What is Earthcam you ask?  Great question.

As the site itself proclaims, "EarthCam.com is the premiere network of scenic webcams and offers a complete searchable database of interesting places and views from around the world. The award winning website (Webby Award Winner – Tourism) is viewed by fans in 192 countries and ranks among the top 1% of all websites. EarthCam.com is the world’s favorite webcam network and the EarthCam Network cameras have been seen on top news shows, including CNN’s Headline News."

So there you have it.  Earthcam is a major site for watching LIVE Webcams.  Just on their homepage visitors can look at video from Times Square, NYC, Las Vegas, NV, Venice Beach California, Washington DC, Mount Rushmore and much more....

There is even an Earthcam Hall of Fame - this link will take you to that part of the Earthcam site.  Basically these are webcams that visitors to Earthcam submit. 

Funstuff for sure...just make sure that you don't obsess over the webcams. 

Other interesting webcam sites include:
Yellowstone National Park - webcam
123Cam
GeoCam.tv
VolcanoLive.com
CornellLab of Ornithology - bird cams

Enjoy the sites and the cams!

Regards,
Stu

Getting From Here to There: Mapping Websites

Hi All,

Just a quickie post today about mapping and direction (how-to-get-there) type websites.

Some quality sites that have good maps, easy-to-read directions and a few that have some extra 'perks' include:

Google Maps
Users can enter the address of where they are leaving from and the address of there destination. Users can click on the 'Direction' icon and a menu will appear when users can enter the starting point and the destination.   Once that information is entered a map appears and the route is traced in blue.  Trip length - both in time and distance (miles) appears on the screen.   The actual turn-by-turn directions are included as well.  Users can scroll in on the map to get a more detailed view of the trip.  Users can also scroll out on the map to get a more general - larger - view of the trip.  And, of course, the map can be printed so that you can use it when you are on the trip.   With Google Maps users can get an actual street view of that the street looks like.  Users can also get a satellite view of the map they are looking at.

A new feature that Google Maps has is the option to choose a travel route by mode of transportation. For example, users can see how to get from A to B by car, walking, bicycle or by bus.

Users can share maps, embed maps in documents, change search settings and save map search history for the future.
 


Mapquest.com
Mapquest is a competitor to Google Maps.  Some folks think it is better than Google Maps.  Others don't.  Take your pick.  But....Mapquest enables users to find charging stations for cards, lodging, restaurants, travel services, shopping, and more.  There is a MapQuest app available - just click the option 'App' and then enter your mobile phone number and the app will be sent to your phone.  Like Google Maps, users can print, email or link the map as well as scroll in and out of the map (once generated) to get the 'bigger' or 'smaller' picture of the map. Once a map is generated, estimate fuel cost is available.  Alternate routes are given as possible options for the user.  Live traffic can be seen by clicking on the Live Traffic option.  Also, traffic cameras are identified along a particular route.

So there ya have it...now there is no reason for you to be late or to get lost when you visit anybody, anywhere, anytime.

Hope the maps work well for you!

Regards,
Stu

Banned Books Week

Hi All,

This week librarians all around the country are celebrating something very near and dear to our hearts!  Yes, you guessed it.  Banned Books Week.  Click on this link from the ALA - American Library Association - to learn more about Banned Books Week. The week is described by the ALA as 'celebrating the freedom to read'!

So, when does Banned Books Week actually take place?  From September 21-27, 2014. 

Did you know that....
1. Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read?

2. Usually it is held during the last week in September.

3. It highlights the value of free and open access to information - not just books!

4. Banned Books Week brings together the whole book community - which includes librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and of course, readers of all types - in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas - even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

5. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention tot he harms of censorship!

Click on this list of frequently challenged books!  Click on this formal site for Banned Books Week 2014.  There is information about censorship, events, a virtual read-out, videos+, resources and how to support Banned Books Week.

Enjoy the links! And read a great book on the list of banned books!  Or from this list of Banned Books - from CNN.

Regards and happy reading!,
Stu