Waze - Mapping the Future

Hi All,

Over the weekend I took a trip.  To New Jersey. And while I took a route that I've taken several times before, I still got myself hellishly, horribly, time-lost, no maps of the area with me, lost.  Ugh. And while I did stop at a gas station (thanks Lukoil!!!) for great directions that got be back to where I was supposed to be, it felt awful being that lost.

So....lesson one.  Bring maps. Duh. You would think I would have learned that.  Okay, correction...we had maps in the car. Just not of the place in New Jersey that we were going. 

Lesson two - maybe we should use Waze?  So, as I've said before: 'What is Waze you ask?'  And as I've said before, 'Great question'.

Basically Waze is an app that gives the user the best route, every day, with real-time help from other drivers.  More specifically it is the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation app.  Users can join other drivers in the area who share real-time traffic and road information.  The result is that saves everyone time and gas money on their daily commute.

Interested users can download the app on Google Play and at the Apple App store.

If, by chance, you need assistance with the app, you can click here for the Waze Help Center. 
If you want to learn more about Waze, click on this link for the 'About Us' page on the site. 

Enjoy the links and the site and the app.  (And hopefully you won't get lost! And, in the process you might even save time and money!)

Regards,
Stu

The American Civil War - Great Books to Understand the Conflict

Hi All, 

The American Civil War lasted from 1861 and lasted until 1865.  Some great books have been written about this monumental, historic conflict.

HistoryNet.com has an article titled 'Ten Civil War Classics'. And while the list is over 6 years old, its is a great starting point for the budding civil war hobbyist.  Some of the more well-known books on the list include Shelby Foote's 'The Civil War: A Narrative' and James McPherson's 'Battle Cry of Freedom'.

Not too be outdone, the New York Times generated a 'Civil War Booklist' some time ago.  Interestingly and usefully enough the list starts with the following caveats:

" Far more books have been written about the Civil War than about any other event in American history, and Lincoln’s stack of books towers over that of any other American figure. Any recommended reading list therefore has to be highly selective and at least somewhat arbitrary."

Well said and well written.   The books in the list are broken down by category: General Histories, Lincoln, Battles, Biographies, Civil War in Culture, Military and Miscellaneous. 

And - where available -  the titles have links to the New York Times book reviews of the title highlighted.

Click on this link to find if any of the books in either of the two articles listed above can be found in the Farmingdale Public Library. 

Enjoy the reviews and the books and don't forget to look in the Farmingdale Public Library to get the book!

Regards,
Stu