This list of 10 surprising former librarians includes some definite surprises to me. Except, of course, for Laura Bush. (How a librarian ever came to marry a guy like Dubya, I’ll never . . . oh, um, never mind.)
Other than the former First Lady, other names on this list really came out of left field. Literally, in the case of Mao Zedong. And more like right field, in the case of J. Edgar Hoover. (Why am I picturing him in a coordinated skirt, blouse and jacket, with low-heeled pumps? Probably holding a finger to his mouth and shooshing overly-talkative patrons?)
As you can see, librarians run the gamut, politically and otherwise. One is even a cartoon character. How’s that for diversity?
Okay, how weird is it to see Las Vegas named as the least toxic city in the U.S.? And the most toxic city? That honor goes to Atlanta. (How did they get so toxic? Not just traffic congestion, apparently, but also lots of chemical plants and other facilities with high toxin release levels. Would Coca-Cola be among them?)
1. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta [can't stand the Braves, so that's toxic enough for me]
2. Detroit-Warren-Livonia [not a big surprise]
3. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet [ditto]
4. Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown [ha! yeah, with all those oil refineries?]
5. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington [uh huh]
6. Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor [yup]
7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana [could this be due to overuse of Botox?]
8. Jacksonville [hmm, okay]
9. Baltimore-Towson [they don't call it Charm City for nothing]
10. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton [ironic, given that Portland is supposed to be such a green and sustainable city]
And the least toxic cities are (from best to worse):
1. Las Vegas-Paradise [I guess when your main industries are gambling and quick weddings you don't tend to generate a lot of pollution]
2. Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville [interesting--I guess the local agricultural pesticide use isn't that toxic?]
3. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario [college town]
4. Austin-Round Rock [capital of Texas, FWIW]
5. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue [okay, why is Seattle less toxic than Portland? is it Portland's pulp and paper mills? (just curious)]
6. San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos [awesome town, great weather--I guess the Navy doesn't create too much pollution?]
7. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News [another port town--but then, so is Baltimore and look where it ended up]
8. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara [the high-tech industry is pretty clean, I guess]
9. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island [if you say so . . .]
10. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale [it's not the toxicity that'll do you in, but the summer heat, which doesn't count, does it?]
There’s so much misinformation about Halloween. Some people would have you think it’s all about Satan-worshiping, paganism or that it’s somehow anti-Christian. But these things aren’t true. In fact, one blogger has done his research and uncovered some fascinating historical information about Halloween.
Halloween has many traditions, associated with various religions and ethnic groups, including the Catholic Church, the Celts, the Scottish and the Irish.
Did you know, for instance, that it was Pope Gregory III who declared Nov. 1 to be All Hallows (Saints) Day, so the evening before became known as All Hallows Evening, which was reduced to Hallowe’en, then just Halloween. Thus, the Catholic Church essentially came up with the name. (So unless you consider Catholicism to be anti-Christian, Satanic or pagan, that pretty much rules those options out.)
You can read all about it in this post on Randolph Mase’s Weblog. He did a nice job describing how many Halloween traditions got started, like why we give out candy, why we wear costumes and what’s with those Jack-o’-Lanterns, anyway?
Larry David is not what most people would consider a role model (at least, in the area of social niceties), but I know that when it comes to treat-or-treating, some people object to kids over a certain age, clothed in something less than costumes, pounding on their doors and begging for candy. Like this guy for instance.
Which is where I found this cautionary video (in the comments), about the hazards of saying no to trick-or-treaters. Take note. Don’t let this happen to you.
Yeah, you really don’t want that.
Further, be careful what costume you let your child wear these days. Make sure they dress up as happy princesses or teddy bears. God forbid their costumes be scary! Yeah, that fake chain saw really freaks me out. Plus the fake knife. Ooh, I’m so scared now. I’m suffering emotional distress just looking at those photos. Can’t eat. Won’t be able to sleep tonight. Think I’ll sue the newspaper.
Who knew Carl Sagan could be portrayed as a “funky hipster”?
In “A Glorious Dawn: (Cosmos Remixed),” Sagan and fellow brilliant scientist Stephen Hawking perform (in a manner of speaking) “a new age rap ballad about the universe and humankind’s effort to explore it.”
I’ve donated a copy of my novel, IDENTITY CRISIS, as one of the door prizes, along with several books provided by fellow mystery author Marcia Talley.
You can also help support research, increased awareness and support for dystonia patients and their loved ones, in a wide variety of ways, including volunteering or making a donation.
Gotta be off now. Things to do, money to raise, illnesses to cure . . .
Economics has always been a challenging subject for me. So, I truly admire Poole’s attempt to understand and explain all this. He admits he doesn’t quite get it, either. I like that.
In fact, you gotta love a guy who writes: “I just saw a tee-shirt advertised bearing the words, ‘I wish I were a derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves.’ I’ll have to get that one.” (Is that lovably nerdy or what?)
I especially like the video about subprime derivatives. A lesson in high finance, complete with a flipchart and diagrams and introduced to the tune of The Talking Heads “Burning Down the House”. Truly an original approach.
Very ambitious and entertaining. Too bad I still don’t get it.
It’s so easy to get caught up in everyday worries, tasks, goals or whatever that we miss stuff. Small (or not so small) moments that escape our notice and go unappreciated.
I liked this particular post about paying attention, not only because I’m from the DC area and remember when it happened, but also for the lesson it provides on being in the moment. On really appreciating what’s going on, whether you’re talking to a friend or walking out of a subway station past a street musician.
Sometimes, all it takes is to pay better attention. Just take a moment to look, listen, enjoy . . .
Life is happening all around you. Don’t miss out. And, as corny as this may sound, try to appreciate what you have, rather than bemoan what you don’t.
It’s true–sometimes life’s unfair and it sucks–but it’s amazing how people keep going, anyway. I think it has something to do with those small moments that we often tend to take for granted.
Anyway, I really liked the post. Thank you for reading. Our regularly scheduled program of snarky, weird, outraged, and/or tongue-in-cheek posts will resume on Wednesday.
"Since we cannot know all that there is to be known about anything, we ought to know a little about everything."
~ Blaise Pascal
About Me
Debbi Mack practiced law for nine years before changing careers and following her lifetime dream of becoming a writer. She is a mystery author, as well as a freelance writer and researcher. You can learn more about Debbi at her Web site, http://www.debbimack.com .
A Reminder to be in the Moment
October 19, 2009 · Leave a Comment
It’s so easy to get caught up in everyday worries, tasks, goals or whatever that we miss stuff. Small (or not so small) moments that escape our notice and go unappreciated.
I liked this particular post about paying attention, not only because I’m from the DC area and remember when it happened, but also for the lesson it provides on being in the moment. On really appreciating what’s going on, whether you’re talking to a friend or walking out of a subway station past a street musician.
Sometimes, all it takes is to pay better attention. Just take a moment to look, listen, enjoy . . .
Life is happening all around you. Don’t miss out. And, as corny as this may sound, try to appreciate what you have, rather than bemoan what you don’t.
It’s true–sometimes life’s unfair and it sucks–but it’s amazing how people keep going, anyway. I think it has something to do with those small moments that we often tend to take for granted.
Anyway, I really liked the post. Thank you for reading. Our regularly scheduled program of snarky, weird, outraged, and/or tongue-in-cheek posts will resume on Wednesday.
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