Monday 17 August 2009

Ten trivial (i.e non-work-related) items

via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
In 1797, Thomas Cadell made perhaps the greatest mistake in publishing history. One Rev. George Austen had sent him a novel by his daughter... more

Song of the Vine: A History of Wine via Librarians' Internet Index: New This Week

Website companion to a 2008-09 exhibition about the story of wine making that “celebrates the 10th anniversary of [Cornell University Library's] Eastern Wine and Grape Archive (EWGA)”. Essays and digitised materials explore the introduction of wine in America, grape cultivation, the temperance movement, Prohibition, cocktail culture, and more. Includes a few related website links. From Cornell University Library Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.

Friday fun via Science, Engineering & Technology Blog by Anne

The Discovery Channel has created an interactive Volcano Explorer where you can create a virtual volcano and watch it erupt.

via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Seriously now, lard is good for you. After years in the shadow of cholesterol worries, it turns out that lard is not as unhealthy as you thought... more

Old technology via BBC News Technology UK Edition

Your pictures of appliances that just keep going.


via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Danny Postel wants to raise his kids to be freethinkers. But what if all that freedom in their thinking results in their becoming religious?... more

Strange inventions via Science, Engineering & Technology Blog by Nicky

15 most bizarre patents… although I have seen the “banana protective device” on sale in the UK, so somebody obviously took it seriously. and there are more: Really useful gadgets Weird things and also: Annals of Improbable Research


via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Exclamation marks used to be frowned on. But now we use them all the time! Hurrah!!! What is it about email that makes people so excited?... more

Friday fun via Science, Engineering & Technology Blog by Anne
The Nobel Foundation has put together this collection of educational games based on Nobel prize-winning chemistry achievements.
Four games are available: What is chirality?, Heating plastics, A future with conductive polymers, and the PCR method: a DNA copying machine.

via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
When Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, many Britons thought it was the beginning of the end of their empire. Still, it took a while... more

via Arts & Letters Daily – ideas, criticism, debate
Disraeli, with his olive complexion and coal black eyes, was an English Jew at a time when being English and Jewish was inconceivable... more





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