To magnify the ridiculousness of what has become Black Friday, The Stranger, one of Seattle's few remaining papers that publishes with any integrity, produced a whole issue that originated in a mall. Setting up shop 17 miles outside of Seattle at the Alderwood Mall they went to work. It started this way: It's easy to feel superior in a shopping mall, as anyone who lives in a city should know by now. But easy ironies no longer offer cheap thrills, and capitalism is in exactly no danger of being replaced or overthrown. Shopping malls have been a major cultural reality for...
James Patterson is pissed: Calls out Obama for book support
[youtube]http://youtu.be/JkkVPJBkvqA[/youtube] “There’s a book burning going on in America, You’re invited. Especially the kids. You see they’re shutting down your local bookstores. Shutting down libraries. Publishers are dying. American literature will be next on the flames.” James Patterson is on the loose. After throwing money at it (pledging over $1.5 million to bookshops in America and the UK) Patterson is now throwing books on the fire to wake up the the government and promote his #SaveOurBooks campaign. Patterson has started a White House petition where he is asking the president to pledge that once a month, he will go into a library, bookstore, or appear...
Houston: We Have a 3D Printer
On November 24th at 9:28pm GMT, the first 3D printer built to operate in space successfully manufactured its first part on the International Space Station (ISS). It is the first time that hardware has been additively manufactured in space, as opposed to launching it from Earth. Mission patch and the First Zero-G 3D Printer That's right, it was made in space! And of course, it was developed by Made In Space, a company whose aim is in "constructing hardware that can build what is needed in space, as opposed to launching it from Earth." Clearly way over my head technically but perhaps the First...
A Parade of Thanksgiving Goodness at the Digital Public Library of America
Thanksgiving Day Raphael Tuck & Sons, 1907 Did you know that over 2400 items related to Thanksgiving reside at the DPLA? From Thanksgiving menu's from hotels and restaurants across this great land to Thanksgiving postcards to images of the fortunate and less fortunate taking part in Thanksgiving day festivities. Here's just a taste of Thanksgiving at the Digital Public Library of America. Enjoy and and have a Happy Thanksgiving! Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 1932 Photograph by Alexander Alland Japanese Internment Camp - Gila River Relocation Center, Rivers, Arizona. One of the floats in the Thanksgiving day Harvest Festival, 11/26/1942 Annual Presentation...
The Ferguson Public Library as an epicenter of healing
Ferguson is a mess. The schools are closed, part of the town is smoldering, people are angry and justice got away. But the Ferguson Public Library remains open! Since that fateful August day when a trigger-happy police officer forever altered the fate of the town the Ferguson Public Library has been open and has played a significant role in helping the community get back on its feet. From an ABC News story that aired on August 20, 2014 Ferguson Library Becomes Refuge for Adults and Children Amid Strife: Amid all of the strife engulfing Ferguson, Missouri, this month, there is one spot in...