Five major libraries (The Oxford University library, the New York Public Library and three big US university libraries - Michigan, Stanford and Harvard) have teamed up with Google to make portions (or in some cases, all) of their book collections available online. The idea is to allow Google users to search through the actual page-by-page contents of books when using the Google interface. The service is called Google Print and their web page has an example:

"To use Google Print, just do an ordinary Google search. For example, when you search on "Books about Ecuador Trekking" or "Romeo and Juliet," and we find a book that contains content that matches your search terms, we'll show links to that book at the top of your search results. Click on the book title and you'll see the page of the book that contains your search terms, as well as other information about the book. You can also search for other topics within the book. Click "Buy this Book" and you'll go straight to an online bookstore selling it. If the book was scanned from a library, click the library link to find a local library that has it."

This sounds pretty neat and I think it is about time that we get the books digitized and available to the masses. I'm just wondering what the catch is. According to Google, as long as the book is not copyrighted (which means most "classics" and stuff older than 50-100 years), it will be available in its entirety (which is already being done by a couple different services today: Project Gutenberg Literature.org Bibbliomania ). But there are already a couple sites that are charging for the same services (see Questia which charges $15.00/month, but to be fair also has Scientific journals and other online resources). Even if it's not outright charging for services, but only making users view an ad per page or some other obnoxious device, I'm sure that the now publicly-traded Google has something up its sleeve to please the shareholders. So I just hope that these libraries, for example, haven't given the rights to digitize their libraries solely to Google. Otherwise eventually we'll be left with a company or two controlling all this information, which for the most part should be public. Hmmm, maybe it'll all be fine and I'm a nut though...very possible.

We just got the last disc of one of our favorite Animes yesterday. It's called Fruits Basket (yes, exactly that way, not fruit basket or fruit's basket, but fruits basket, ahhhh...) It is the heart-warming story of Toru Honda who has just lost her mom and starts living with the Soma family, who happen to have a curse placed on them. The curse is that whenever one of them is hugged by a member of the opposite sex they transform into a member of the Chinese Zodiac. It's all very cheesy and just so strange sometimes. I would reccommend it to anyone that likes anime or Japanese culture (maybe that's stretching it). (e:Matthew) loves it too! [inlink]matthew,168[/inlink] [inlink]matthew,169[/inlink]

So this is from an episode we watched a couple nights ago. There's an interlude scene and then this totally unrelated thing happens (though the rice ball itself is a recurring theme).

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

The song is played as the rice ball moves from right to left across the screen (which reads furutu basuketo, or fruits basket). The lyrics: Sailor suit, sailor suit, a rice ball alien in a sailor suit. WTF, mates!?!

This is Toru's reaction:

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

God I love the whirly eyes and the teardrop of consternation.

And we finally met the character who has my zodiac animal. Hiro Soma is very smart but confused and irritable. He is very cute, especially when Toru hugs him as punishment for playing a trick on her, and he turns into his zodiac animal.

Picture from Thanksgiving evening with my inlaws. But really, if anyone ever has the urge to tear a tabletop apart feel free to give me a call. But know this! I am wily, nimble, and fleet-fingered!

I think I might take a stroll down to this here meeting (I stole the ad from artvoice):



I found this link to some of the things they've done and "plan" to do in the future. It has a very neat looking picture at the bottom which can be clicked on for more details of the various projects. I shudder a bit to think of a beach at the end of Buffalo River, is this a beach that people might possibly swim in? I guess there are kids swimming in the Scajaquada... I would guess that none of these things are actually ever going to happen, but it's nice to get the visions of what could be possible in a viable city.

And, the budget iissue is still looming over us. Our lawmakers found a little used loophole to delay another day. So maybe tonight...unless of course the next magic loophole is pulled from the hat.

I have made two hats in three days. I am a machine. My nimble fingers weave fine handiworks with alacrity. The first was a mean sketch, the first of the season.



My powers had regained their former aptitude, and I was ready for a challenge. (e:Matthew) was in need. I heard from my telephone booth that he had a cold-head emergency! I whipped into gear. My crochet-Ting needle was in my fist faster than a lickedy-split. I decided upon a simple single stitch weave which allows for a flexible yet quite windproof material. Since I was using a heavier thread than suggested by my pattern, I opted to deviate, using a penta-point structure rather than the hepta-point illustrated. I am quite pleased with the result. Please, gander at your leisure.



Take a look at the owner's journal for some better shots. [inlink]matthew,468[/inlink]

I shall perhaps begin a business. Is $20.00-$25.00 too much for a handy-made hat? I can not afford to do it cheaper. The materials are almost $10.00 themselves, and the wear-and-tear on my carpal-tunnel prone hands alone makes it pricey. In any event, if you wanna learn (or better yet, if you know how and wanna share) give me a buzz. I should be pretty free for the next month or two.

sidenote (but very exciting nonetheless): My sister, Alex, might be coming to town very soon. Like in the next couple weeks type soon. Which is nice, cuz she can help us move. And of course, I love her and would love to see her and stuff... So cross your fingers and maybe you can meet another desert star in wintry B-flo.