Demy Kitchen Safe Touchscreen Recipe Reader

I’m not sure this is a solution to the recipe storage problem, and since it will cost  three Benjamin Franklins ,  chances are  I’m not likely to find out. The Demy, claimed to be the first and only kitchen-safe recipe reader and will be available before Christmas  2009.  What does kitchen safe mean…exactly?  Microwave-proof? Oven safe up to 400 degrees?  Wipeable? And in whose kitchen was it tested in?  Perhaps the Kitchens of the Culinary Institute  of America are more demanding that my simply kitchen…….

Cited as a  November 2009 “Good Thing”, a monthly column in the  Martha Stewart Living magazine, this device can store  up to 2500 recipes, and is sync-worthy with your account at keyingredient.com.  Crafted by Key Ingredient, this device contains a sealed 7-inch display, storage for up to 2,500 recipes and USB connectivity for syncing with your PC. Furthermore, it provides three kitchen timers, a measurement conversion calculator and an ingredient substitution dictionary to get cooks out of a pinch if they are one special ingredient short. Yes, but does it wash the dishes  and take out the garbage?

As I have cited in a previous blog, I love my cookbooks; they are my guilty pleasure in life. Some cookbooks bindings have collapsed under repetitive consultation  on a given page.  Many of them are stained from  grease spatters, flour sprinkles and such over the years, and in the case of a few books in my collection, over the generations.   Many are even  written on  index cards, in  my Grandmother Rivier’s careful handwriting.  Part of the cooking experience, is  in re-experiencing her handwriting  and reliving the memories of  preparing that particular recipe with her in my childhood.   Much of my  treasured recipes are mostly not online.

In the current rush to  make documents available on-line, e-books , Kindles , e-readers and now the nook, I do not feel motivated to give up on my  cherished cookbooks in their traditional form.   Not until someone explains  the term kitchen-safe to me, anyway……..
inspired by http://www.popgadget.net/2009/03/demy_the_digita.php

 

@SantaClaus Is Not Using Twitter Lists

Twitter, a current fashionable social networking tool allows  mebers to publish current posts of their activites .   Many Twitter users are  embraing “Twitter Lists,” a feature which allows you to organize Twitter users into groups and share that list with others.

But apparently the news hasn’t gotten all the way to the North Pole; Twitter user @SantaClaus has yet to create a “Naughty” or “Nice” list, which makes you wonder whether Saint Nick’s holiday operation is really embracing technology at the speed of Elf or if Santa Claus is merely dabbling with Twitter because it’s considered the  fashionable thing to do.

Even apart from the obvious benefit it would provide to Father Christmas in organizing information and having, at a glance, a list of behaviorally-organized names and profile photos, I think Twitter users would benefit greatly from knowing where they stand, in regards to naughtiness/niceness. The microblogging social network, where the jolly, rotund gift-giver apparently spends a significant chunk of time, would be a very efficient place to convey that information.

I would hope that Santa would take this not a mean-spirited criticism, but as a gentle, but firm nudge in the black patent belt to embrace change before change leaves him behind. I would hate to be the first person on Papa Noel’s “Naughty” Twitter list.

Update, 11 a.m, Nov. 3: The @SantaClaus Twitter account has been updated to include “Nice” and “Naughty” lists, but apparently the move was made under duress. In two posts this morning, the North Pole resident wrote, “Everyone is making a big deal over the fact I do not post a Twitter list for my naughty and nice lists. Do YOU want all to know if YOU are on the Naughty list? It is not anyones (sic) business except for me which list you are on. Does everyone REALLY want that published to all?” Perhaps I’m being oversensitive, but this does not strike me as jolly.

As of this writing, only @MrsSantaClaus is listed on the “Nice” list and no one has yet been added to the “Naughty” list.

as cited  from http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/santaclaus_custom.JPGhttp://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2009/11/santaclaus_is_not_using_twitte.html?sc=fb&cc=fp, November 3, 2009 By Omar L. Gallaga, of NPR

 

I’ll fight you for the library.

Thank goodness someone recognised the value of their library as more than a place to hold a meeting surrounded by pretty books.

“I’ll Fight You For The Library” performed by Taylor Mali as part of the Page Meets Stage Series at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City on April 29, 2009

 

The end of Gourmet magazine…..

New York mega publisher  Conde Nast has decided to cut four of its less profitable magazines. Most notable among them is the monthly Gourmet magazine.

Gourmet magazine chief editor is the culinary critic Ruth Reichl. It’s recipes and luscious photographs and is beloved by upscale foodies.  Its advertising revenues for the first six months of the year fell by more than 40 percent against last year. Elegant Bride, Modern Bride and Cookie, a lifestyle publication for mothers of young children, are also scheduled to be closed after suffering significant revenue losses.

Other Conde Nast publications, part of the Newhouse family’s media empire, such as The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and GQ remain untouched for now.    The Newhouse Family is  known for their largesse and pride toward the publications, and many of their editors have themselves become celebrities, such as  the fashion arbiter of Vogue, Anna Wintour, who’s inspired a documentary, a novel and a movie.

The recession, therefore, came as a shock to the system at Conde Nast. Most of the magazines that survived were forced to make cuts. Conde Nast hopes to hold on to readers as it still publishes Bride magazine and the foodie Bon Appétit. The Gourmet name will live on through a new television series and the company’s successful Epicurious Web site, which draws 4.5 million unique visitors each month.

Not all publishing news is bleak. The smaller rival Saveur magazine has seen a rise of nearly 20 percent in ad sales in the same period.

As reported by NPR , October 5th, 2009

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113579998

 

Sesame Street, celebs and learning to read….

Over the years, a number of  performers, actors, musicians have visited Sesame Street, the traditionally trusted children’s program of choice ,  low these many years.  Sesame Street is an educational television program designed for preschoolers which combines education and entertainment in children’s television shows. As one of the longest running  shows in television history,  4100 episodes of the show have been produced in 39 seasons. It premiered on November 10, 1969 on the National Educational Television network, and later , the Public Broadcasting Service.

Sesame Street has earned the distinction of being

one of the world’s foremost and most highly regarded educators of young children.  The original series has been televised in 120 countries, and more than 20 international versions have been produced. In its long history, Sesame Street has received more Emmy Awards than any other program, and has captured the allegiance, esteem, and affections of millions of viewers worldwide.

As  Sesame Street  celebrates its 40th anniversary on November 10,  Mrs. Michelle Obama will be visiting the street to plant a garden with Elmo.  The street in which many have grown up on.

“I never thought I’d be on Sesame Street with Elmo and Big Bird, and I was thrilled,” Obama said later that day at the US Mission to the UN. “I’m still thrilled. I’m on a high.”
“I think it’s probably the best thing I’ve done so far in the White House,” she added.

What a great quote! I so love  what Mrs. Obama said.  Of course,  I began think of the many other  performers who have  made guest appearances on Sesame Street.  Appearances which promote  literacy and math skills to our youth.

It could be suggested that some performers  are furthering their own  public personas of  personal interests by adapting their signature song .  And yes, many young children, ages 3-6 years old really are not aware of  who these personalities are. However,   a  diverse  selection of talented people from the world of music, performance, activism etc.  do create more entertaining  show for children.  As does the  racial balance between the guests.  I can  fondly remember back to my childhood, watching Buffy Sainte Marie ( whom I met at an American Library Association Conference in 2001) counting with Cookie  Monster.  She was one of the first female  native ‘celebs’ who appeared on national television.   Over the years various  guests  from Johnny  Cash to Larry King,  from Tina Fey to Ray Charles,  from Joe Torre to the Harlem Globetrotters.  Thus,  all guests are presenting positive multicultural  role models for  the youth audience.

I think that Mrs. Obama is doing much of what Buffy Sainte Marie did in the early 70s, helping to educate  the next generation as well as provide a positive  model of success.

 

Falcons creating History Heard

Web site provides 1st-hand history interviews

Dr Robert Kahn who is considered a co-creator of the Internet

Imagine hearing Sgt. Sammy Davis talk about being the real Forrest Gump and winning a Medal of Honor.

Or how about listening to Drs. Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn talk about how they created the Internet?

“First-person accounts of history are impossible to come by unless you meet the person,” says Kathleen Addison, 17, of Bradenton.

So she and her 15-year-old sister Amy created History Heard — a Web site to preserve peoples’ stories and to make researching history projects for students more fun.

History Heard is the single largest attempt to chronicle modern American History ever undertaken. There are a few projects which have tackled different, much more limited, pieces of the process but History Heard is the first to try the “big picture”. Here’s a link to the site; www.historyheard.com

Mrs. Juanita Eaton with Addison sisters

The goal is to create an elaborate “tapestry” of video interviews with newsmakers who were first person witnesses to some aspect of modern American history.  Rather than read an account written by someone removed from the event, History Heard offers students a video account of what happened in the words of the people who were actually present.

The unique aspect of History Heard is that it is designed to be entirely managed by students in high school and middle school.  As of October 2009, our first group of interviews have been viewed more than 4,300 times!

Carl Misch, a WWII veteran with Addison sisters

So far, the sisters have interviewed 22 people, including some they went to see in Washington, D.C. They are choosing people who have made an impact in history. Amy’s favorite interview in Washington was Juanita Eaton, the widow of a World War II Tuskegee airman pilot.

“She talked about being in an African-American military family and wife of a military general,” Amy said.

Sgt. Davis is one upcoming interview Kathleen is looking forward to. Another is Bill Reinert, who invented the Toyota Prius. She wants to know his thoughts about how the vehicle has had such an impact on the transportation industry.

Because the girls want to continue building their library, their site allows students to add their own interviews.

Dr Eugenie Clark, “The Shark Lady” and founder of Mote Marine

The girls should be commeneded  for creating the site because it wasn’t an assigned school project.

They created it during their spare time.
As  inspired by  recent article  in the Bradenton Herald,Posted on Thu, Oct. 08, 2009 http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/v-print/story/1762863.html

 

DoaWK….Dog Days is finally released….

Behind the ‘Wimpy Kid’ Phenomenon

This is a big week for the grade-school set. Greg Heffley, the crude and clueless protagonist of Jeff Kinney’s wildly popular book series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” is back.

Like the first three books in the series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days,” chronicles the misadventures of Greg and his best friend, Rowley, two middle-school students who try to navigate adolescence, home life and the social pecking order at school, all by putting forth as little effort as possible.

Like the others, it is filled with Mr. Kinney’s easygoing first-person narrative and his artfully artless drawings. Its plot revolves around the slapstick, laziness and ethical lapses that have engaged millions of 8-to-12-year-old readers and left parents scratching their heads.

“Dog Days,” which was released Monday, is already the best-selling book on Amazon.com, ahead of the likes of Dan Brown and Glenn Beck. Early interest has been so strong that the publisher, Abrams, increased its initial print run to four million copies, from three million.

The Internet is filled with testimonials about children who were frustrated readers until they got their hands on a Wimpy Kid book. But some parents have been less enthusiastic.

“The words ‘moron,’ ‘jerk,’ ‘dork’ and ‘hot girls’ are used in the first five pages,” complains a reviewer on Amazon of the first book. “This is a poor choice for good character building in your children.”

But given the books’ powerful appeal among both girls and boys, child development experts say parents have a lot to learn from Greg and company. While books like the Harry Potter series create an imaginative fantasy world, the Wimpy Kid books give us a rare glimpse into a child’s ethical mind.

“It really captures the struggle of a child that age trying to figure out what it means to be a person,” said Dr. Joshua Sparrow, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Sparrow read the first Wimpy Kid book after a young patient told him about it.

“I think it can help parents tune into what kids know and how they think,” he went on. “It captures what a child is able to get and what’s beyond their reach, and how you have to adjust your expectations because they are still a work in progress.”

Dr. Lawrence Rosen, a pediatrician who founded the Whole Child Center in Oradell, N.J., says he has talked about the series with his third-grade daughter, who says she likes that the main character is “not perfect.”

“The power of the book is about the wimpy kid, a regular kid with regular problems, just dealing with what life brings him,” Dr. Rosen said. “For parents, I suppose reading the books or at least discussing them with our kids will give us a more realistic idea of what their lives are like, the struggles they face every day.”

Mr. Kinney says he originally wrote the stories for adults, aiming for funny and nostalgic recollections of childhood, and “never imagined” them as children’s literature. Rather than offering moralistic lessons, he focused on the humor inherent in the misguided decisions that children often make.

In one much-talked-about scene from the first book, Greg, who is in middle school, benefits from a case of mistaken identity: because he happens to be wearing Rowley’s jacket when he terrifies a group of kindergarteners with worms on a stick, his best friend is the one who faces punishment.

Greg’s mother senses he is struggling with a moral dilemma and advises him to “do the right thing.”

After tossing and turning, Greg concludes, “I decided that the right thing to do was to just let Rowley take one for the team this time around.”

In the end Rowley is punished, and Greg’s mother, who mistakenly believes he’s made the right choice, rewards him with ice cream.

“Greg really does think he’s done the right thing, and thinks he’s learned his lesson,” Mr. Kinney, who is 38 and has sons 6 and 4, told me. “You’re expecting at any moment that an adult is going to set things straight, but none ever does.”

Mr. Kinney says most of his feedback comes from grateful parents who say the books have turned their children into readers. But a few parents do complain that Greg sets a bad example.

“I have complete respect for that position, and I’ve been shocked there hasn’t been much more of it,” he said. “If there is a lesson in the book, it’s to do the opposite of what Greg does. Even my kindergarten child understands that Greg is being naughty, and that he shouldn’t act like him.”

In “Dog Days,” Greg starts a lawn business, but cuts the grass haphazardly and complains when his customers won’t pay. His father remows a customer’s lawn free of charge, but Greg insists he’s done nothing wrong. “I’m trying to find a way to earn money without doing any actual work,” he explains.

Dr. Sparrow says part of the book’s appeal is that it doesn’t moralize. “If you had an omniscient voice saying, ‘Do the right thing,’ kids would tune that out,” he said. “It leaves room for the child to be challenged to decide what he or she thinks.”

Questionable behavior aside, there is no question that kids love these books. When my fifth grader learned I had scored an early copy of “Dog Days,” she wrestled it away from me and began to devour it. Upon finishing, she closed the book with great satisfaction. After a moment, she opened it and started reading it again from the beginning.

As found in the New York Times, October 13, 2009 By Tara Parker-Pope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are dictionaries obsolete?

Do we still need dictionaries in the age of Google?

Dictionaries are, the original  giant databases of words compiled by lexicographers who investigate word usages and meanings.

Recently, Google has become our database of meaning. Want to know how to spell assiduous? Type it incorrectly and Google will query you with the possible spelling.

“You and I can be our own lexicographers now,” says Barbara Wallraff, the longtime language columnist for The Atlantic magazine. “We don’t need dictionaries.”

But dictionaries have also failed us in many ways. They infuriate word sticklers by presenting a variety of usages and leaving the reader to decide which is correct. Dictionaries fail to update meanings often enough. And due to space constraints in the print editions, many dictionary definitions are so concise as to be unhelpful. Or provide enough usage examples. Without relevant example sentences, dictionaries are crippled. Don R. McCreary, a linguistics professor at the University of Georgia, says that his studies show that student comprehension of dictionary definitions improves dramatically when multiple example sentences are provided.

Online, the situation is no better. Most free dictionary sites contain the same crammed definitions and lack of example sentences as their print cousins. Online definitions are also usually from older, out-of-print dictionaries – and thus are often outdated. What’s more, they are festooned with blinking flat-belly advertisements.

It’s time for a new model for dictionaries. After all, we are all professional writers in this era of texting, blogging and tweeting.  And although Google is doing a pretty good job aggregating meanings, I would prefer some human experts to give authority and heft to a new database of meaning.

Alternatively, we bloggers can turn to  a new online dictionary,  Wordnik. Right next to each word’s defination is  a numnber of example sentences from Twitter and some technology publications that nicely illustrate a word’s meaning and current usage. Wordnik offers definitions from dictionaries old and new, but its real advantage is its trove of example sentences pulled from sources ranging from Twitter to newspaper articles. It even pulls photos from Flickr to illustrate words.

Wordnik is a good first step towards a dictionary for the modern wordsmith, but without up-to-date definitions it’s really just a better Google search for example sentences.

As found on the Wall Street Journal, SEPTEMBER 7, 2009

Thank you Julia Angwin

 

A librarian’s manifesto 2.0

What we all must strive to work towards….

 

Do you want fries with that Danielle Steel novel?

In Texas, the Houston Public Library is offering a service  which  delivers books, movies, and music to you car– your library curbside to go! Now,  Houston’s citizens who are physically challenged, suffer from agoraphobia,  are in a hectic  rush to get the kids to soccer practice, or who are just plain lazy can now rejoice!  No reports as to librarians being tipped and of how much…..