By Camilla Stockmann
And thus it happened. A local historian from Funen has found a hitherto unknown fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen called “The Tallow Candle” at the bottom of a 15 kilo archive box.
The discovery took place at the beginning of October at the National Archive for Funen in Odense, and for the past two months, one of Denmark’s leading Hans Christian Andersen experts, Ejnar Stig Askgaard of the Odense City Museum, has been studying the yellowed pages.
»This is a sensational discovery. Partly because it must be seen as Andersen’s first fairy tale, and partly because it shows that he was interested in the fairy tale as a young man, before his authorship began«, Askgaard says.
»And I am in no doubt that it has been written by Andersen«, he adds.
Was written by Andersen Another two of the country’s leading H.C. Andersen experts – Research Librarian Bruno Svindborg of the Royal Library and Prof. Johan de Mylius Ph. D. of the Andersen Centre and the University of Southern Denmark were presented with the fairy tale yesterday and agree that the text in all probability was written by Andersen.
While occasional poems written by Hans Christian Andersen pop up now and again, the last time that an important Andersen discovery was made in the archives was in the mid-1920s, when Hans Brix found the author’s memoirs at the Royal Library.
In literary terms, de Mylius and Askgaard say that The Tallow Candle is not at the level of the more mature and polished fairy tales that we know from Andersen’s later authorship. The tale is one from his youth, and probably from his time at school, with the tone of the work reminiscent of his time at the Latin School in Slagelse and Elsinore from 1822 to 1826.
Nonetheless, Askgaard says the document is an important one.
»It’s like a high to be able to work with his first attempt at a fairy tale. It was a great experience to read it for the first time«, Askgaard says.
Borrowed books from a woman
In particular the 190 year old pages throw light on the important personal relationship that Andersen as a boy had with the woman he gave the fairy tale to – a vicar’s widow Mme Bunkeflod.
Mme Bunkeflod lived in a home for respectable ladies and widows opposite Andersen’s childhood home. She was a woman Andersen visited, read for and borrowed books from as a child.
‘To Madam Bunkeflod from her devoted H.C. Andersen’, the front page of the document reads.
DOCUMENTATION Read The Tallow Candle in English
»It’s a wonderful little document as art of the history of Hans Christian Andersen. The fairy tale was a present. A present of thanks to a woman whose home had been very important to him«, Askgaard says.
Hans Christian Andersen’s literary debut came in 1829 and he was generally viewed as an important author by his 19th century contemporaries. He began writing his fairy tales in the mid-1830s, and it is these for which he is generally known, particularly in countries such as China and Japan. Andersen has been translated into some 125 languages, coming second only in the number of translations by the Bible.


" From the depths of my heart...thank you...it is an immense priviledge to have experienced this evening...I appreciate the insight into the journey of death and in that, you've given me insight into life"
Audience member (May 25, 2007) A&I Hall, Bangalow, NSW
Gerard Brophy (Composer)
"... the work is a searing and startling series of meditations and illuminations on the Tibetan Book of the Dead. It also signifies the creation of a new ensemble called Trikaya, comprising Michael Askill, Riley Lee, James Coates and the extraordinary Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal, now based in Brisbane.
" Spread languorously yet unfalteringly over an uninterrupted 100 minutes, this austere creation advances an Australian ritual theatre, combining improvised music, minimalist presentation and meditation."
Vincent Plush (The Australian - 16 April 2004)
"Evocative and haunting - an exquisite rendering of one of the most important spiritual tracts of our time to the stage. If the Dalai Lama could speak with a Shakespearean accent and play music, this is what it would sound like."
David Leser (Writer/Journalist)
"The Tibetan Book of the Dead isn't an easy read. With the best intentions you might never get round to it. Trikaya's electrifying rendition of these extraordinary instructions for life, death and beyond is a precious and timely spiritual service - taking you apart, giving your soul a great shaking, then reassembling you with infinite compassion."
Lilith Rochas (Columnist)
"I can't thank you enough for sending me "... in the between". It is one of the most wonderful experiences! It's not only elucidating of the complex Book of the Dead - a performance-instruction - but an enthralling, moving and sometimes thrilling vessel. I think Tibetan Buddhism in so many ways gets it right ...and I think the way this performance captures the ferocity and illusion of the projections is marvellous. Plus, the benevolence of space - space being a blessing; compassion being a wise tool to help one out of karma... all so clear. I'm left with an image of love folding out from the heart. I love the way that at times the sound of the bowls corresponds so well with the images of light; as if their sounds are pure light. The architecture of the piece is beautiful, visually and aurally and it's thrilling to hear Tenzin's voice, full of matter and movement away from matter, yearning and the movement away from yearning. James's voice as narrator is beautiful too - full of gorgeously compassionate intention."
Zsuzsi Soboslay (Arts writer and Bodyworker)
I am writing to congratulate and to thank you and the Trikaya ensemble for your extraordinary presentation and theatrical interpretation of the Tibetan Book of the Dead,"in the Between".
I thank you with a sense of gratitude on the personal level as a practicing Buddhist, as well as a avid lover of theatre.
I also wish to say to you that the performance also had another aspect of awareness raising for me. I work in the field of palliative care in the Tweed Shire as a trainer of palliative support volunteer carers. An important part of being an effective support volunteer is to have an understanding of the different cultural views that human beings have about death and the dying process.
To be invited to listen to the teaching within the Tibetan Book of the Dead in the way that Trikaya presented it makes it very accessible to people previously unfamiliar with the text.
The evocation that the music and singing carried, enveloped me and most of the audience and held us spellbound.
I hope you will continue to perform this presentation as next time I will bring our team of volunteers. It is an excellent educational resource as a personal "death awareness exercise" as well as having a cultural and religious dimension for any one interested in living and dying consciously.
A Camidge (Tweed Shire Palliative Care)


Dr. Aceves Sepúlveda’s research project started with the scanning and selective sharing of her family cookbook, handwritten by three generations of women in Guadalajara, Mexico (1885–2014), as a way to reactivate and remediate the family archive.
In 2015, she invited 40 people to respond to a selection of 25 recipes scanned from Mama Pina’s Cookbook without transcription or translation. Responses to the recipes included digital images, audio recordings, videos, documentation of family gatherings and conversations that attempted to recreate and translate the recipes. The responses were edited together in a single channel of video as part of a four-channel video installation entitled Remediating Mama Pina’s Cookbook. It is part of an on-going exploration of the role of women as agents and producers of the archive.
This case study documents the process of adapting the four-channel video installation into a web-based format that itself archives the original project.
We see the complexity of what seems like a simple domestic family heirloom in Dr. Aceves Sepúlveda’s words below:
Each handwriting style recorded in the cookbook has a particular history that represents the educational background and social status of each of these women. The recipes also contain traces of domestic habits and economies as well as material remains of lived experiences. Some pages are smeared with grease or leftovers from food. Some recipes call for ingredients that no longer exist… and list quantities that are no longer calculable, such as 2 centavos de azúcar de la tiendita (two cents of sugar from the corner store)… These different traces provide glimpses of domestic life.
How could we capture the nuanced value of Mama Pina’s Cookbook? And specifically, given that Remediating “Mama Pina’s Cookbook” started out as a four-channel video installation, how might we adapt the technical and installation experience of the artwork for the web while supporting the temporal, critical and process-driven nature of the work?
In a small team of three creatives at Simon Fraser University, I was the interaction designer who supported Dr. Aceves Sepúlveda’s vision and Andrew Hawryshkewich’s technical capacity to faithfully and creatively reimagine Reactivating “Mama Pina’s Cookbook”.
Translating a multi-channel video experience for the web came will many challenges – including ensuring the integrity of the speed for the user’s access, the timing of interactions and videos in relation to one another, and importantly the feasibility of the work to remain an archive into the future even as web and browser technologies shift and advance.
Being a video-based work, navigation of the book was limited. To overcome the linearity of video playback, we created a primary video channel – one that played a repeating video of the pages flipping in sequential order. At certain points of the book, the user would be able to flip left or right to the content they wished to move through next, indicated by thumbnails that would appear.
As certain points of the book were flipped to, a new clip would need to be clicked for the video to continue and this would initiate a new channel of video to start playing at the top of the screen.
The layering of these channels re-activates the cookbook as archive – first, with a video of a new recipe entry, followed by the cooking of an existing recipe from the book, then an option for the user to add their own entry temporarily. Although these entries would fade after 10 seconds, this was a time-scaled event to mimic the absence of archived records and the instability of digital technologies. Finally, a video showing the geographic locations of all recipe response participants completed the fourth channel of video. Each of these videos looped after each playback, completing the goal of mirroring the original video installation’s four-channels of video.
Each recipe response appears at specific points in the primary video channel. When selected, the primary video would make way for the recipe being responded to as well as the collaborator’s response. These responses vary from audio recordings to photos or 3D graphics and more.
We knew the adaptation of a video installation to web-only would be a challenging proposal; we achieved the ultimate goal of translating the in-person experience into a contained online website. Because this was the primary goal we focused on the layering of videos, video channels and loops over time. Users are able to navigate through the project at designed moments, while website load times were maximized with video compression. Archiving the Remediating “Mama Pina’s Cookbook” is an ongoing exploration.
Remediating “Mama Pina’s Cookbook” explores the family cookbook as an archival technology through which gender roles, social status, cultural memories, and identities are passed on from generation to generation. It explores women’s positions in the creation and activation of the archive. This exploration considers female reproductive labour, ephemeral and domestic forms of writing and material culture —traditionally viewed as outside of the archive— as central foci of the archive. The results of this on-going exploration entail the production of digital and performative forms with the objective of reactivating and re-mediating such archives.


Discover the richness of African heritage with the “Shining Stars of Africa”. This illuminating book, penned by the renowned author Nkosinathi Sangweni Ka Matiwane, takes you on a remarkable journey through Africa’s profound history and vibrant culture.
By purchasing this book, you’re not only gaining insightful knowledge but also contributing to an economically empowering initiative aimed at enhancing the black economy. This book is more than just a collection of pages; it’s an instrument of change, a beacon of African greatness, and an embodiment of economic emancipation.
“Shining Stars of Africa” makes book reading and writing fashionable, encouraging a deeper appreciation for African literature. Invest in a book that educates, enlightens, and empowers. Join us in our movement towards economic freedom and cultural enlightenment. Your journey towards discovering Africa’s shining stars starts here.


2018 – 2019
Expansive identity for the Folger Theatre 2018/2019 season. The theatre is one-half of the Folger Shakespeare Library, producing "innovative stagings" of classical Shakespeare and contemporary plays since 1992.
Along with illustrator Andrew Banneker, we also created identities for the four 2018/2019 shows; Macbeth, King John, Nell Gwynn, and Love's Labor's Lost. Brochures, large-scale posters and banners, digital display and print ads, and mailers were produced for every successive show as well as a few from the previous season.
Completed at Grafik agency.
Role: Designer & Art Director
Creative Director: Gregg Glaviano


Developing Research Literacy
This page contains resources that language teachers can use in order to develop research literacy. We keep adding to this list of resources, so feel make sure you visit regularly!
Innovative methodologies and assessment in language learning
This ECML and EU-funded initiative aims to to support the linguistic integration of children with a migrant background and to achieve good quality and comparability in language testing and assessment, as well as to promote the effective use of ICT tools and open resources in support of quality language teaching and learning.


Research into the ways in which museum exhibitions tell stories about the origins of nations suggests that these are; in some ways; dissimilar from many traditional historical and archaeological narrative texts in that they depend; in part; on the physical experience of moving through space. Using case studies this paper pays attention to the way in which this immersive process enables museums to tell contradictory and contrasting stories of the foundation of nations. The notion of the ethnic origins of nations and the way museums re-invent nations over time are examined. Websites and guidebooks are also considered. Representing work in progress this paper suggests other areas of investigation for further study.


Immerse Yourself in Vienna's History and Culture: Top 10 History Picks for Geeks in Vienna
Vienna, a city steeped in history and culture that has been shaped by its rich past and vibrant present . If you're a historical and cultural geek, then Vienna is the perfect destination for you.
From the grand architecture of imperial palaces and museums to the small, hidden corners of the city that are filled with stories and secrets, Vienna is a treasure trove of cultural and historical wonders just waiting to be discovered.
1. Visit the Hofburg Palace
This grand imperial palace was the residence of the Habsburg dynasty and is home to a range of museums and exhibitions, including the Sisi Museum and the Imperial Treasury.
2. Explore the Schönbrunn Palace
This opulent palace was the summer residence of the Habsburgs and is surrounded by sprawling gardens and parklands that are perfect for strolling and exploring. As this is one of the most visited sights in Europe and entrance fees are rather expensive.
Prime Tours Vienna decided to launch the very first Schönbrunn Palace Free Walking Tour in Vienna. On this Tour participants get the chance to explore the giant beautiful garden area and its astonishing history. If you want to join our Free Walking Tour inside Schönbrunn Palace Garden. Check out all the availabilities here: Free Walking Tour Vienna: Schönbrunn Palace Garden
Fun Fact: Did you know the initial it was planned to build the Palace up hill, where you find todays Gloriette? But, the construction got way too expensive. So the Habsburg Family decided to rebuild it down hill and use the Gloriette as imperial Pavilion for Breakfast, hosting guests and parties.
3. Take a stroll through the historic city center
Vienna's historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to a range of architectural and cultural landmarks, including St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Vienna State Opera, and the Spanish Riding School.
4. Discover the Vienna State Library
This stunning library is home to a range of historic books and manuscripts, including the world-famous Papyrus Erzherzog Rainer.
5. Join the Free Classical Walking Tour of Primetours
Experience the best Vienna has to offer with this Free Walking Tour Vienna Historical City Center! We are after all the first and highest-rated Free Walking Tour in the city .
Our local, licensed guides will show you the historical center of Vienna and its most important sights.
On our tour, you will discover the astonishing history of the city, and on the way check out the most important highlights of the city center.
6. Visit the Freud Museum
This museum is dedicated to the life and work of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and is located in the apartment where he lived and worked for many years.
7. Visit the Imperial Crypt
This historic burial place is the final resting place of many members of the Habsburg dynasty, including Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife, Empress Elisabeth.
8. Join the Terrible Crimes in Vienna Tour
Discover amazing hidden stories of famous crimes that have marked the city center. Check out the Palais Bathory, home of Elizabeth Bathory, the Bloody Countess that took her relaxing baths in blood .
Visit the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a symbol of the city that had allegedly “standard bread loaf” of Vienna, the symbol of brutal quality assurance measures in the Middle Ages.
9. Take a tour of the Vienna State Opera
This iconic opera house is one of the most famous in the world and offers a range of guided tours that will take you behind the scenes and give you a glimpse into the world of opera.
10. Join our tour Free Walking Tour Vienna: Hitler and the New Vienna 1900
On this tour you will discover the fascinating history of the city at its intellectual and creative peak. With us, you will experience the clash of Old and New, which makes Vienna special.
- August 29th, 2023
100 Things to do in Viennaby Rita Zibar
- April 4th, 2023
Top 9 must do's in Vienna: Experiences you should have doneby Rita Zibar
- April 4th, 2023
Top 11 Cocktail Bars in Vienna: Sipping in Styleby Rita Zibar
- March 31st, 2023
Top 13 Restaurants in Vienna: A Foodie's Guide to Viennaby Rita Zibar
- March 31st, 2023
Unconventional Vienna: Top 10 Alternative and Artistic Sides of Viennaby Rita Zibar
- All posts


One Day I am a Field
Glass Lyre Press
Can grief be sieved through a blooming lattice or pushed through a bevy of rooms without walls? The caregiver and her adored, dying husband study twinning comprehension of such questions, as if air itself or “the songbird’s feathers/how they reflect invisible light” might provide answers, or a code, or, mercifully, calm hearts. Small-McKinney’s prayerful attention to “secret visual signals” feeds this collection’s lyrical power and slender narrative. I know of few other poem sequences that so closely portray the caregiver’s broken body:
Why was the left side of my face shutting down?
My eye closing, its lid covering half of the pupil.
I did not see it.
Or is this the divide between seasons, a caregiver’s sleepwalk, the I am and I can’t?
The title poem offers a way, invoking a “you” who is and is not the beloved, who is or isn’t Nature or Eros newly embraced: “You bring me rain, carry it in your mouth/as if I were a baby bird. You make many trips./Squat beside me./There were never enough words between us.” These poems are a great gift to us all.
— Judith Vollmer, author of The Sound Boat: New and Selected Poems (University of Wisconsin Press, 2022).
Here in these poems is a woman whose life is torn into scraps by its proximity to death--and every scrap cries out with its own vibrant and urgent life. "Grief does not ask me/ to be pretty. Does not ask me/ to be a corsage pinned to a gown." This is a gorgeous book. This is what poetry can do. This is why we need poetry.
—Alicia Ostriker, author of The Volcano and After: Selected and New Poems 2002-2019, as well as Chancellor, Academy of American Poets 2015-2020, and New York State Poet Laureate 2018-2021
Even the grass grieves in Amy Small-McKinney’s heart wrenchingly honest collection of deeply felt wounds and the kinds of courage needed to face such traumas. In One Day I Am a Field, Small-McKinney, whose “body is a blade”, “etches absence” from what beauty remains of her shrinking world. After the loss of her husband, suffering incredible grief, she must find a way to honor his memory while also redefining herself. A rich testament to the power of love and the human spirit, these poems paint an intimate portrait of tragedy, tenderness, identity, and the ever-present need for empathy. Small-McKinney showcases a true talent for imbuing the smallest details with authenticity and layered meanings. Overflowing with vivid and accessible language, One Day I Am a Field is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging, written with clear eyes and an open, curious heart. I dare anyone to read these poems and not be moved.
— John Sibley Williams, author of As One Fire Consumes Another
Walking Toward Cranes
Glass Lyre Press
Because of the dignified, restrained, and at times, stoic treatment of the subject of breast cancer, the reader of this collection,Walking Toward Cranes, finds herself in the hands of a skilled poet and an admirable human spirit. As readers, we can’t help but compare our emotional lives to that of the speaker. But this speaker measures her identity by expanding metaphorical margins to include many objects in the natural universe. How is she like or not like the leaf, the maple tree, the snow? These kinds of items become iconic by the end of the book. Perhaps Small-McKinney’s greatest gifts are the unexpected images in her work i.e “....we are not maps, nothing leads us to each other,” or “...When my daughter was born, I opened into a basin, received her, cool water.” How gratifying to find a collection of poems which beckons us to read and reread it, always finding new and complex layers of meaning.
—Kathleen Sheeder-Bonanno, Winner of the Beatrice Hawley Award for Slamming Open the Door
Life is Perfect
Book Arts Press
In the title poem of Life is Perfect, Amy Small-McKinney, tells her daughter “we have to love what we are given – /the molecules or atoms that stabilize into ourselves.” This is poetry that is atomic. Each poem quietly explodes on the page till you’re watching a sparkler unfold its clusters of stars, so many linguistic excitements going on at once, you grieve each poem’s end but can’t wait for the next one to ignite. But the poetry here is atomic in another sense as well; it embraces life at its most essential, perfect in its imperfections: the tent kept in the living room, huge, questionable birds, Lemon Boy Hybrids, Bloodroot, unruly grass, the voices of the Rift Valley, of Merewala, of Bombay, Aunt Henrietta’s Art Nouveau – Jugendstil, massive burritos, stuffed with “seasonings we haven’t tasted before.” In Life is Perfect we are offered spices we haven’t tasted before, a feast we will never forget, poems whose adventures make us braver than we thought we could be – and wiser too!
—Christopher Bursk, Author of Improbable Swervings of Atoms
In Life is Perfect, Amy Small-McKinney explores the inner and outer psychological landscape of family relations and our own connections to each other and ourselves. In luminous lyrical language, she proves she is a master of surrealistic leaps and startling metaphors. Her poems are haunting, often with a rare and rich thought-provoking layered quality but always emotionally truthful and with a purity of spirit that makes one want to return to these poems again and again. Small-McKinney is an exquisite poet and Life is Perfect is one of the most beautiful books of poetry I have read this year.
—Laura Boss, Author of Flashlight
Clear Moon, Frost
Finishing Line Press
The poems in Amy Small-McKinney‘s chapbook, Clear Moon, Frost, take the world we think we know all too well, and return it to us, reordered, inside out, and bristling with wonder. Her sumptuous surreality taps directly into dream. Her wise metaphors are the gold that comes from walking into the furnace of life-and-death experiences with true faith. Humility and intensity are her hallmarks. Amy Small- McKinney writes with a commitment to inner life, inner depth, and inner truth.
–Molly Peacock, Author of The Analyst: Poems
Amy Small-McKinney is a very wonderful poet, and has secretly and quietly produced some of the most beautiful poems I have ever read. Her poem, "Letter From a Scarred & Aging Body," is so poignant it makes me seasick.
–Franz Wright, Author of Kindertotenwald
101 Jewish Poems for the Third Millennium - Edited by Nancy Naomi Carlson & Matthew E. Silverman
Ashland Poetry Press, January 2021
50/50: Poems & Translations by Womxn over 50 - Edited by Ann Davenport, Quill's Edge Press, January 2018
Veils, Halos, and Shackles: International Poetry on the Abuse and Oppression of Women - Edited by Charles Fishman and Smita Sahay, Kasva Press, April 2016
Bared: Contemporary Poetry and Art on Bras and Breasts - Edited by Laura Madeline Wiseman
Les Femmes Folles Books, December 2016
Voices From the Porch: Poems, Essays and Fiction from Favorite Gathering Spaces - Edited by Maureen Sherbondy
Main Street Rag Press, December 2013


2014 is Batman’s 75th anniversary. And the past 75 years have seen every conceivable Batman story. Sometimes he fights muggers; sometimes he fights space gods. He can be the ultimate loner, relying on no one, or the ultimate team man, with Robin, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Batgirl, Nightwing and Batman Incorporated by his side. He can be as immature as a 2-year-old or as wise as a ninja Jedi Buddha. He’s just as at home in Arkham Asylum as he is in the Justice League’s Watchtower on the moon. He can be campy like Adam West, angsty like Christian Bale or made of Legos like Will Arnett (at least in “The Lego Movie”).
In honor of his 75th anniversary, here’s a look at some of the best comic books of Batman that you should absolutely own.
#10. Batman: The Man Who Laughs (2005)
This comic book recounts the first battle of Batman with Joker. It is packed with violence and action and is exciting to read because of its several narrative twists. Considered the modern Joker epic, The Man Who Laughs features both the psychotic side and the playful side of Joker. The comic was released in February 2005, and intended as a successor to Batman: Year One. While the story seems to take place directly after Year One, the beginning is tied into the ending of Batman and the Mad Monk, in which Gordon reveals the warehouse of corpses.
Written by Ed Brubaker and art by Doug Mahnke
#9. “Strange Apparitions” (Detective Comics #469-476, #478-479, 1977-1978)
Strange Apparitions deals with a number of elements coming to a head at one point in Batman’s life. A new villain appears in Gotham City, Doctor Phosphorus, who terrorizes the town by contaminating the water supply. He also blackmails the city council (whom he had previously held ties to), demanding that they remove Batman from his path. This political pressure is fronted by Rupert Thorne, local corrupt boss. Along with the two new ones, an older, forgotten Batman foe appears, the nefarious Hugo Strange, who both discovers Bruce Wayne’s identity, and usurps it. Batman also comes into conflict with Deadshot and The Joker. All of this is made much more complicated by Wayne’s introduction to Silver St. Cloud, a local socialite who just might be the first person to truly penetrate his emotional barriers.
#8. “A Death in the Family” (Batman #426-429, 1988-1989)
“A Death in the Family” is a Batman comic book story arc first published in the late 1980s which gave fans the ability to influence the story through voting with a 900 number. “A Death in the Family” ran in Batman #426-429, published in 1988-1989. The story follows Jason Todd, the second Robin. In the beginning of the story, Jason and Bruce are in uniform hiding behind some crates while a mob plans. Then, out of the blue, an impatient Jason leaps out from behind the crates and attacks the criminals. When the struggle is over, Bruce asks him what he was doing and said one of these times he is going to get killed. Bruce then asks him if he thinks this is a game, and Jason replies “Yes, life is a game.” Bruce therefore relieves him from duty and asks him about his parents. Jason resents this and storms out refusing to discuss the issue. The rest as they say…we’ll..read the book.
#7. Batman: The Long Halloween (1996-1997)
Taking place during Batman’s early days of crime fighting, The Long Halloween tells the story of a mysterious killer named Holiday, who murders people on holidays, one each month. Working with District Attorney Harvey Dent and Captain James Gordon, Batman races against the calendar as he tries to discover who Holiday is before he claims his next victim each month, while attempting to stop the crime war between two of Gotham’s most powerful families, Maroni and Falcone. This novel also acted as a main introduction for one of Batman’s most elusive foes, The Calendar Man, who knows the true identity of the Holiday killer but refuses to share this with Batman. He instead riddles and gives Batman hints from his Arkham Asylum cell. The story also ties into the events that transform Harvey Dent into Batman’s enemy, Two-Face. Enemies such as Scarecrow, The Joker, Mad Hatter, Poison Ivy and The Riddler, among others, also make an appearance.
In continuity terms, The Long Halloween continues the story of Batman: Year One. It also revolves around the transition of Batman’s rogues gallery from simple mob goons to full-fledged supervillains. It also tells the origin of Two-Face, adding along to the story in Batman: Annual #14.
#6. Batman: Dark Victory (1999-2000)
Dark Victory was written by Jeph Loeb and serves as the direct sequel to The Long Halloween. It explores the transformation of Harvey Dent into Two-Face as well as the ramifications of the city’s new super villains. It also centers on the new serial killer who poses threats on the city and the origins of Robin.
The series takes place primarily during the third/fourth year of Batman’s career. The plot centers on a series of murders involving Gotham City police officers by a mysterious serial killer only known as The Hangman. Central to the storyline is a territory war between Two-Face and the remnants of the Falcone mob, led by Sofia Falcone.
The story is also a re-telling of the origins of Batman’s sidekick Robin and his adoption by Bruce Wayne. The story brings closure to many characters introduced in Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One.
#5. Batman: The Cult (1988)
Batman: The Cult is a four-issue comic book mini-series. It was published by DC Comics in their prestige format books and released in 1988. It was written by Jim Starlin, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, colored by Bill Wray and edited by Denny O’Neil. The concept of an underground army was used in The Dark Knight Rises film, with the villain Bane as the leader instead of Deacon Blackfire.
The story follows the machinations of Deacon Blackfire and his band of homeless followers who have kidnapped Batman before the events of this story. Following a lengthy period of captivity Batman slowly succumbs to brainwashing. Batman is eventually freed from the cult but takes a long time to recover from his treatment at their hands. The story also delves into other territory. Gotham City politicians are assassinated by Blackfire’s party of followers. An attempt on Commissioner Gordon’s life is tried by Blackfire’s group, leaving the commissioner in a hospital. Beyond Gotham authorities to protect the city, the National Guard is called in, then the Military and Martial Law is declared on Gotham. The series also features the second Robin, Jason Todd.
#4. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth (1989)
Often shortened to Batman: Arkham Asylum) is a Batman graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean. It was originally published in the United States in both hardcover and softcover editions by DC Comics in 1989.
This is the only Batman comic book that incorporates the pacing and prose of gothic literature during the 19th century. It begins with Batman being forced to get into the asylum to suppress the riot after joker leads an upheaval against the nuthouse of Gotham. This book characterizes the rouge of Batman not as inherent villains but as maladjusted members of the society. For me, Arkham Asylum is unlike any other Batman book you’ve ever read and is easily one of THE BEST superhero books to ever grace a bookshelf.
#3. Batman: The Killing Joke (1988)
This comic book was written by Alan Moore and tells the life story of Joker before he became the psychotic menace in the Batman series. The narrative lets readers have some sense of compassion for this villain as it narrates how he wasn’t really born evil but only became a victim of his tragic world.
Considered by many critics to be the definitive Joker story and one of the best Batman stories ever published, the story’s effects on the mainstream Batman continuity included the shooting and paralysis of Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) by the Joker, an event that laid the groundwork for her to develop the identity of Oracle.
#2. “Year One” (Batman #404-407, 1987)
“Year One“, later referred to as “Batman: Year One“, is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein. It originally appeared in issues #404 to #407 of DC Comics’ Batman comic title in 1987.
The story recounts the beginning of Bruce Wayne’s career as Batman and Jim Gordon’s with the Gotham City Police Department. Bruce Wayne returns home to Gotham City at the age of twenty-five from training abroad in martial arts, manhunting, and science for the past 12 years, and James Gordon moves to Gotham with his wife, Barbara, after a transfer from Chicago. Both are swiftly acquainted with the corruption and violence of Gotham City; and from there on…begins the legend of the Batman.
#1. The Dark Knight Returns (1986 – 1987)
The Dark Knight Returns is a 1986 four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman, written by Frank Miller, illustrated by Miller and Klaus Janson, and published by DC Comics. When the series was collected into a single volume later that year, the story title for the first issue was applied to the entire series. The Dark Knight Returns tells the story of Bruce Wayne, who at 55 years old returns from retirement to fight crime and faces opposition from the Gotham City police force and the United States government.
Enough and more has been said about this comic – just go and get yourself a copy!


Illustrator Sudakshina Ghosh
In my childhood, I loved browsing through the beautiful illustrations of children's books in English and my mother tongue, Bengali. The illustrations left a lasting impression on me and I found great joy creating my own fairy tale characters using different media.
Though I spent three decades teaching Chemistry, art has remained my constant companion. I have worked with traditional medium like pencil, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, oil, acrylic, bronze as well as graphic art. And I have worked with unconventional medium like coffee.
It is a coincidence that I have been observing the behaviour of seagulls while living in Reading, UK. Hence I enjoyed expressing the various moods, emotions and activities of Olive and Jay.


Events Programme 2019
ROBERT Louis Stevenson Day celebrates the life and work of a much-loved Scottish author with a series of events on and around his birthday. We hope you will find something here to enjoy…
Saturday November 9
Velvet Coat: The Ragged Luck of Robert Louis Stevenson
ON the other side of the globe from Edinburgh, Stevenson fans in California will be celebrating the author’s birthday early as actor and writer Keith Decker travels back in time to 1879, when RLS took lodgings in Monterey while waiting for his future wife Fanny Osbourne to divorce her unfaithful first husband. A delicious ‘unbirthday cake’, courtesy of the Robert Louis Stevenson Club of Monterey, can be enjoyed following this free event for the over-16s, reservations required, call (831) 646 3933.
Community Room, Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific Street, Monterey.
Monday November 11
Stevenson and Haggard
JOIN Stevenson expert and Dead Man’s Chest author Nick Rankin for a talk about RLS and H Rider Haggard, two writers who shared a taste for adventure reflected in their hugely popular novels. Yet the creators of Alan Breck and Allan Quatermain shared more than a place in world literature, for Stevenson became friends in Samoa with Haggard’s brother Bazett, the British Commissioner, despite his unfortunate habit of getting very drunk when invited to dinner at Vailima. This keynote curtain-raiser to RLS Week, hosted by Edinburgh Napier University, will be followed by a series of original dramas inspired by Stevenson’s travels, created by the university’s MFA Playwriting and Directing students.
Free, unticketed, St Augustine’s, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
Tuesday November 12
Alvin Langdon Coburn In The Footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson
ON the eve of Robert Louis Stevenson Day, Roddy Simpson invites you to discover the work of American-born twentieth century photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn, who helped illustrate a 1954 edition of Stevenson’s book Edinburgh Picturesque Notes with a series of photographs. Taken in 1905, Coburn regarded these photographs as some of his “very best” work though he always regretted that he never got to meet Stevenson himself, who had died in 1894.
Patrick Geddes Centre, Riddles Court,, 322 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh. Tickets price £10 bookable here
RLS Day: Wednesday November 13
RLS Poetry in Locomotion
THE Colinton Tunnel project celebrates Stevenson’s birthday with the unveiling of new sections of mural within the old railway tunnel. Following the unveiling of a picture of RLS, children from the seven local schools involved in the project will be walking through the tunnel and reading out Stevenson’s poem From A Railway Carriage, written on the walls opposite the colourful illustrations. Join them at 11.30am, when as many people as possible are invited to do the same in an attempt to set a record for reading 140 metres of poetry in locomotion!!
The Colinton Tunnel, Water of Leith Walkway, Colinton. Bus No 10 from Edinburgh city centre, alight at Rustic Cottages. Tunnel on Google maps here
The Third Robbie
AS a poet, Robert Louis Stevenson felt a strong kinship with two other ‘Robbies’ – Robert Burns and Robert Fergusson. But his enduring reputation as author of classics such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde tends to overshadow his talents as a poet, beyond his ever-popular Child’s Garden of Verses. Now, to celebrate his 169th birthday, members of the Robert Louis Stevenson Club read from a wide variety of Stevenson’s poetry, from Scots verses to rival Burns or Fergusson to ballads, love poems and lines of great lyrical beauty.
Free one-hour event in the Stevenson Room of The Writers’ Museum, Lady Stair’s Close, Edinburgh.
A Musical Evening Celebrating
Robert Louis Stevenson’s Birthday
BRINGING together the work of Robert Louis Stevenson and composer Ronald Stevenson, this classical concert at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery features Brian Bannatyne-Scott (Bass) and Jan Waterfield (piano) performing settings of RLS poetry by Ralph Vaughan Williams (Songs of Travel) and Ronald Stevenson (Hills of Home), as well as Ronald Stevenson’s cycle Songs from Factories and Fields on poems by Hugh MacDiarmid. Tickets price £15 here
Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh.
RLS – Rebel Poet
AS a young Bohemian at odds with the unco guid of Edinburgh, Robert Louis Stevenson found release in poetry, railing against Victorian hypocrisy, respectability and sexual repression. His verses could be angry, satirical and witty but also lyrical, reflective and sometimes delightfully silly. Join some of today’s poets and Stevenson fans for a reading of some lesser-known works, showing RLS was a match for his brother poets in a variety of styles, from Keats to Edward Lear, Walt Whitman, Auden, Joyce or Eliot, with even a foretaste of John Cooper Clarke. Free event, wine from 7pm, poetry from 7.30. As Stevenson declared, wine is bottled poetry!
Typewronger Books, 4A Haddington Place (city end of Leith Walk), Edinburgh.
Party Time in California
A BIRTHDAY Party for RLS is being held today by pupils at Sinaloa Middle School in Simi Valley, California. The students, who have been reading Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, will be filmed reading from Stevenson’s works and there will be a drawing contest to sketch his portrait, plus traditional party games, a ‘pin the stache’ challenge and plenty of cupcakes to eat. Eighth grade English teacher Amy Aras says: ‘In our own way, we are celebrating RLS Day with activities in class.’


Once upon a time, a little girl snuggled deep into worn, fraying couch cushions, curled her legs to her chest, and devoured every last bitter winter chill, family gathering, and hard time that Laura Ingalls Wilder had to offer up. She wanted to be in the Big Woods of Wisconsin: watching adults dance and gossip, tapping trees for maple syrup, surrounded by DIY cheeses, meats, and delicious candies. She longed for blizzards that were easy to get lost in, muslin dresses, and wide open prairie.
In school, the little girl stared out the window and daydreamed. She was on wind-swept hills, running in the sun. She was powerful and all-knowing, the heroine who saved the day. “Christy!” her teacher would call, dragging her back to the world she really existed in. “I need your attention!” The little girl felt ashamed of her wish. Her wish that she could stay forever in the world she created for herself, and not have to be part of the one that forced her to focus on reading boring stories meant for little children.
She was constantly torn between the shame of not being perfect at everything someone her age was meant to be perfect at, and the puffed up delight that came from being told that her reading level far surpassed those her age, and her imagination was amazing. She felt, with absolute certainty, that she could and would be a great writer, like Laura Ingalls Wilder or C.S. Lewis. There was one thing missing. And that thing would be missing for almost thirty years before she found the key to truly great writing.
…. to be continued


Apna Chandrayaan Portal:- A web with activity-based support materials for the school students on mission Chandrayaan-3 developed by NCERT under the auspices of the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, was launched today in New Delhi by the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan. Additionally, 10 modules on Chandrayaan-3 that provide a thorough analysis of all of its dimensions were also published, including the scientific, technological, and social aspects as well as the psychological journey and sense of teamwork of the scientists participating. Read the below article for all the information about the Apna Chandrayaan Portal.
Table of Contents
Apna Chandrayaan Portal
After the Chandrayaan-3 space project was successfully launched, the education Minister decided to develop the portal and courses related to it. The Government will begin unique Chandrayaan course modules and introduce the educational website Apna Chandrayaan. The Ministry has instructed all higher education institutions to advertise the portal and the unique course modules to both students and teachers. All students are encouraged to enroll in these specialized courses, according to requests made to educational institutions.
Apna Chandrayaan Portal Key Highlight
|Article||Apna Chandrayaan Portal|
|Launched By||Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan|
|Department||Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL)|
|Objective||To provide activity-based support materials for School student on Mission Chandrayaan-3|
Objective of Apna Chandrayaan Portal
The Government started Apna ChandrayaanProgramme to instill a scientific mindset among school Children. The activity-based support materials and specific Chandrayaan-3 Portal modules are meant to foster in students in scientific mindset a sense of curiosity the ability to solve problems, and creativity.
Apna Chandrayaan Portal Features
Following are the features of the Apna Chandrayaan Portal
- A website gateway contains activity-based teaching resources, such as coloring books, online tests, and jigsaw puzzles on India’s Chandrayaan Mission.
- The NCERT created these activities-based educational resources for students.
- Chandrayaan-3 launched up to 10 specialized modules in order to provide a thorough picture of the moon mission’s numerous facets, including the scientific, technological, and social ones.
- The program launched today was attended by Dr Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, the chairmen of ISRO and secretary of the Department of Space.
Apna Chandrayaan Portal Benefits
- The Success of Chandrayaan 3 is one of the most notable accomplishments of the 21st century that has most motivated the nation of youth.
- The web Portal APP is developed to improve accessibility and encourage students to learn on their own.
- Chandrayaan-3 has given pupils a sense of confidence and inspired them to grasp technology, which will aid in the development of their scientific temperament.
- Chandrayaan-3 further showcases Atmanirbhar Bharat’s power.
- The Chandrayaan-3 Mission was successfully completed by India using its own technologies. Pupils are suggesting attending the Gaganyaan premiere on October 21, 2023 at 8:00 am.
Activities Available on Apna Chandrayaan Portal
A variety of coloring books online tests, jigsaw puzzles, picture builders and motivational stories in the shape of graphic novels about Chandrayaan-3 are available on the website that was just released. Colouring pages dot to dot exercises, Colour coding with instruction, and other activities have been created for the Foundational and preparatory levels to help pupils improve their observation and awareness. For the Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary levels, there will be interactive online tests with an explanation of the correct answer. All participants scoring over 70% will receive a digital certificate and the first 1000 winners will receive kid-friendly books. For the foundational, Preparatory, Middle, and Secondary levels, puzzles and picture builders have also been created. Additionally, there will be graphic novels with motivational stories.
Process to Register on the Apna Chandrayaan Portal
- Visit the Official Website on the Portal
- The home page of the website will appear on the screen
- Now from the home page go to the login form and enter the email address and Password
- If you are not already registered then click on the Create account option.
- A new page will appear
- Enter the details in the application form.
- Now click on the register option.


Located in the hilly region near the Ahmednagar-Shirdi-Manmad highway, our campus provides a healthy environment for a student- clean air, greenery, and a tranquil environment to aid in studying and being creative. The campus is located near the holy shrine of Shirdi, and is equidistant from Pune, Aurangabad, and Nashik. Besides the administrative blocks, academic buildings and a library, we have a gymkhana, cafeterias, computer labs; separate hostel facilities are available for boys and girls, and a hospital providing 24-hr service.
Ahmednagar- 1. North Latitude (degrees) 18.2 to 19.9
2. East Longitude (degrees) 73.9 to 75.5
Distance from Shirdi- 45KM
Distance from Aurangabad- 120KM
Distance from Pune- 130KM
Distance from Nashik-150KM
Distance from Mumbai- 300KM
Quick transportation is available to Ahmednagar city at very cheap rates by three wheeler rickshaws and city buses.


Roll-off Container Rental for old books – when it’s time to donate and when it’s time to dump.
We all have a few books taking up space on our shelves, coffee tables, bathrooms, bedside tables and kitchen counters or if you are like me, every nook and cranny jammed packed; cook books, school books, history books, how to books etc., etc., etc.
Books don’t have an expiration date. They can be reread over and over, and to some people, the educational value books hold are nearly sacred. But what should you do with them when you no longer want them?
You could throw them away. Or, a much better option would be to find someone who would love to take them off your hands.
Here are some things to do with books you no longer want.
The best scenario as opposed to tossing them into a dumpster would be to donate them to places like Goodwill, hospice and Salvation Army. They are always willing to take books. Or try looking around your town, maybe there’s a homeless shelter where you could drop them off!
You could try selling your books, who knows? It might be worth a lot of money. Did you know the first print of “The Cat in the Hat” sold for over $1,500? There might always be a hidden gem in your bookshelf.
Have you ever seen those secret agent movies where they tip a certain book and the whole wall turns around to reveal a secret room? That’s pretty cool, wish we were doing that today. What I’m talking about is cutting a hole in the book to store stuff, like money, jewelry or your secret agent diary.
Turn a book into a kindle cover.
Let’s be honest, you’re probably getting rid of old books because of a kindle or other electronic device. But you can still be holding your favorite book while you read! Just measure the size of your tablet, then cut a hole in the book that size, glue all the paper together and shazam! You have yourself a kindle cover.
Throwing away books.
If your books have water damage or mold, or are in very bad shape, it might just be best to retire them. If you check with neighbors or friends, they may also have books that need to go to the great reading place in the sky. Pick a day for everyone to drop off the books at your house. Call R & R Container Service and have them drop off a roll-off container the exact size you will need to haul away damaged books. But check those edition dates! You never know when you might have the million dollar book going out with the trash.


Book To Movie Monday (5)
For this weeks Book to Movie Monday I have decided to cover the movie The Notebook. I admit I am not really a fan of romance, chick lit style books or movies but I loved the movie version of this book. It also helped that Ryan Gosling is super hot lol. I read the book afterwards and while OK I definitely prefer the movie.
First let's discuss the Book. Below is the Cover:
Now for a little backstory in case some of you aren't familiar with the Novel. The Notebook is written by the Author Nicholas Sparks and was released in 1996. Nicholas began writing the novel back in 1994 and completed it in a period of six months. In interviews Nicholas has stated that the idea for The Notebook came to him after watching the relationship of his GrandInlaws who had been married happily over 60 years. The Book remained a Hardcover Bestseller for over a year on The New York Times Bestseller list.
Let's look at some of the characters now shall we.
Noah Calhoun- A countryboy from the wrong side of town. He meets Allie one night at a country fair and is immediately smitten. Eventually the pair get together but due to circumstance their lives take different turns. The Book Starts with Noah returning from the horrors of WW2.
Allie Nelson- A rich, young, socialite who meets Noah a boy from the sticks. Against her better judgment the two have a blossoming summer romance, but due to circumstance their lives take different turns.
Major differences between the Book and the Movie.
In the Book he meets Allie at the carnival but doesn't ask her out right away.
In the Movie he jumps on the Ferris Wheel in a grand gesture to ask her out.
In the Book She meets Lon at a Christmas Party.
In the Movie she's a nurse and treating his wounds. She says that He can ask her out when He gets better.
In the Book Noah wrote her 1 letter a month for a total of 12.
In the Movie he wrote 1 letter each day they were apart so 365.
In the Book Noah and Allie meet in 1932 when she is 15 and he is 17.
In the Movie Allie is 17 and the year is 1940.
One of the biggest differences is *spoiler*
In the Book Allie dies and Noah lives on.
In the Movie they both die holding each other in their sleep.
Want to learn more about the Movie? IMDB
Want to learn more about the Book?Nicholas Sparks Webpage
Overall I really liked the movie much more then the book. This seems to be the case for most of Nicholas Sparks Book to Movie conversion so maybe I'm not the best judge. It has to be said though that this movie remains to this day one of my Favorite Dramas (and believe me the list is quite small).
Well that about wraps up this weeks Book to Movie Monday. I don't think the book ever had a trailer but I'll post the movie one down below in case your curious. Leave a Comment down below telling me which you liked better and why. Have a recommend for an upcoming Book to Movie let me know that as well.


Blogging about Professional Blogs- Blog 1
March 18, 2013
Disruptive Library Technology Jester- http://dltj.org/
This blog was started and is maintained by Peter Murray, Assistant Director in the Technology Services Development at Lyrasis. Lyrasis is a company that “collaborates with libraries and information professionals to transform their institutions, operations, and technologies, enabling them to meet the current and future needs of library users more effectively and with greater efficiency” (Murray, 2013). Murray’s blog is mainly an outlet for his ideas, concepts, and references. The blog’s tagline is “We’re Disrupted, We’re Librarians, and We’re Not Going to Take It Anymore” (Murray, 2013).
As the title suggests, this blog is about technology. The technology is discussed as it relates to library information science. The main issues discussed in the blog posts are about changes in the world of technology and how it affects the field of library information science. The blog is first and foremost an outlet for the author to discuss his ideas and observations about these new technologies (Murray, 2013).
One of Murray’s posts that I found particularly interesting is about the ALA and open source communities. In the post from February Murray encourages library professional to vote in favor of including his talk about open source software at an “ignite” session at the ALA conference in Chicago this summer (Murray, 2013). Murray believes open source communities are greatly important. Murray’s presentation would show libraries how they can be part of an open source community (Murray, 2013). If Murray is able to give his presentation I look forward to attending it if I am able to go to the conference.
Not all of the posts are library related another post from February is a review of an Airbender Keyboard for an iPad. The iPad attaches to the keyboard to give it more of a laptop feel. For the most part Murray seems to have positive feelings about the keyboard with only a few issues (Murray, 2013). This is the only post that is not directly related to library information science.
This blog has more posts than the other one I followed. There are an average of 3-4 posts per month. However, a number of the links to the posts do not work. On the main page of the blog one can look at a list of links to posts by category, tags, or dates. Looking at the posts by date, two of the three links to posts for January do not work. All three links to posts work for the month of February while three out of four do not work for March. I tried searching for the title of the post as well but with no luck. Perhaps the posts were removed and that is why they cannot be found.
What I Learned
I learned more about technology and how it relates to the field of library information science. This would be a great resource to read about changing technologies from the perspective of someone in the field. The blog name and tagline are catchy and memorable. Honestly, the name is why I chose this blog in the first place. However, I was not as impressed with the blog as I thought I would be. Still, if you have some extra time check it out. Hopefully more of the links to blog posts will be working.
Murray P. E. (2013). About the blog. Retrieved from http://dltj.org/aboutblog/.
Murray P. E. (2013). Disruptive library technology jester. Retrieved from http://dltj.org/article/resourcesync-draft/.
Murray P. E. (February 2013). A great ipad keyboard/case combination: New trent airbender. Retrieved from http://dltj.org/article/new-trent-airbender-review/.
Murray P. E. (February 2013). Vote for an ALA2013 ignite session on open source communities. Retrieved from http://dltj.org/article/ala2013-ignite-session-on-open-source-communities/


A sage Southern lady once said that horses, husbands and houses should all come with their histories attached.
Although few homes come with such documentation, the history of a house can unravel mysteries, heighten
understanding and deepen appreciation of even a modest abode. Take, for example, Bob and Maria Kennedy's home,
a 1,100-square-foot 1922 Craftsman that they are meticulously restoring. Maria Kennedy has brought the family's
home to life by delving into the history of the house and its designer and builder, Eben Putnam Bomer.
In spite of the bungalow's small size and the modest Covina neighborhood, Kennedy sensed something extraordinary
about the home from the moment she swung open the oversized front door. She looked beyond the decorating
offenses of prior owners--the stucco exterior, the painted wainscoting and built-ins, the "updated" bathrooms--and
saw meticulous craftsmanship and caring. "The first thing that caught my eye was the formal dining room," Kennedy
said. "The room is unusually large and elaborate for a home of this size. And the built-in china cabinet is crafted in a
Greek Revival style, an unusual touch for a Craftsman bungalow."
Kennedy's curiosity about the dining room launched her on a quest to solve the architectural mysteries of her house.
She started with a telephone call to the local historical society. A few weeks later, a volunteer brought her a slip of
paper containing two cryptic pieces of information: the name E. P. Bomer and the year 1922.
After visits to the Los Angeles County Tax Assessor's Office, the Family History Center of the Mormon Church in
Westwood, the Baldwin Park Historical Society and the local library, Kennedy tracked down Bomer's obituary in a
She discovered that builder Eben Putnam Bomer, born in 1853 to a prominent New England family, was the grandson
of Revolutionary War hero Major Gen. Israel Putnam. Design Made Sense "Suddenly, the house's design started to
make sense," Kennedy said.
"The dining room was Bomer's way of re-creating the formal dinners of his childhood in Boston." The Putnam Bomer
family eventually settled in Marietta, Ohio, where even rural farmhouses have a classical air, thanks to Greek
Revival touches such as cornices and pilasters. Those same touches are reflected in the built-in cabinet.
With leads provided by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Kennedy was able to follow Bomer's
westward migration from Ohio to Iowa to California, where he started an orange grove in Orange County.
The Kennedys are reminded of Bomer's citrus business every time they reach for a linen napkin from the china
cabinet; the drawers are fashioned from produce crates. Each new tidbit of information about Bomer's life provided
Kennedy with further leads, which she pursued like a tenacious detective, making phone calls and gathering
information from county records, genealogical resources and libraries all over Southern California. Gradually, the
pieces, such as a building permit and the 1926 obituary, began to fit together.
"When I had time to reflect, I realized that Bomer died six months after applying for a permit to build the sleeping
porch," she said. "That sleeping porch was a dying man's last hope of recovery. It's always been my favorite room in
Like many who are motivated to research the histories of their homes, Kennedy started out with a love for the home
and a passion for history. "The more I learned about Bomer, the more obsessed I became," she said. "To me, he
represents America at its best. You can see a time capsule of the westward expansion through his life. You can also
see the ingenuity of the man in every detail of the home."
The same kind of love for her 1929 Pasadena home prompted Jane Applegarth, a real estate agent for Coldwell
Banker, to investigate her house's history. "I wanted to find the answers to a few basic questions," she said. "Did the
previous owners love the home as much as I do? What did they do for a living? How has the home transformed over
Although Applegarth has personally researched home histories for many of her real estate clients, she turned over
the research on her own home to Tim Gregory, a Pasadena freelance historian who has researched hundreds of
Gregory's work as a building biographer often turns him into a mystery-solving sleuth. One client wanted to know why
his house had a large foyer and two front doors. The design made sense once Gregory discovered that the original
owner was a doctor who practiced medicine from his home.
Another house with a full finished basement, a rare find in Altadena, turned out to have been a speak-easy during the
Prohibition era. For Applegarth, Gregory traced the evolution of the house from 1,500 square feet to its current 2,400
square feet. As the house expanded over the years, the maid's quarters were converted to a laundry room, the entry
was eliminated, one bedroom was added and another expanded.
The history also helped Applegarth become knowledgeable about the home's former owners, such as a Presbyterian
minister and an executive for an electric company.
Marguerite Duncan Abrams, the president of Pasadena Heritage, loves to recall the story of a Pasadena home with a
split personality. A few years ago, the new owners arrived at her office carrying two sets of light fixtures. One set of
silver-plated sconces was intricately scrolled like an elaborate tea set. The other set was iron, hand hammered into
the shape of dragons, complete with forked tongues. Duncan Abrams recognized that both sets, although vastly
different in style, originated from the same era.
Duncan Abrams did a little digging and discovered that the original homeowner, a developer who favored a "wild,
back-to-nature look," installed the dragon sconces. A few months later, he sold the house to a refined Maine family,
who added the silver tea service sconces.
With a little more digging, Duncan Abrams learned that the family from Maine owned the Hinds Co., producer of a
popular line of honey and almond creams and lotions. "Before long, you have not just a history of your house but a
social history and a history of the development of the area," said Duncan Abrams.
She added that Pasadena offers home researchers a unique set of resources--the Pasadena Historical Museum, the
Centennial Room of the city's public library, the city's design and historic preservation staff.
In Southern California, she said, "We're lucky because there are a number of communities that have one person who
is absolutely great at collecting records. Altadena, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Monrovia all have at least one
In Redondo Beach, that person was resident historian Gloria Snyder, who spent a lifetime compiling historical
information. If someone in Redondo Beach wanted a history, Snyder happily plunged into her files.
Her death this year has left a gap, but Snyder leaves behind a sizable archival legacy, which the city of Redondo
Beach is in the process of cataloging.
Jonathan Eubanks, the past chairman of Redondo Beach's preservation commission, said that much of the city's
unusual history is reflected in the homes.
In the first half of the 20th century, gambling, although never legal, was a thriving local business. A searchlight to
signal the arrival of federal authorities was found in one home. Other homes had included trap doors leading to hidden
But, as Maria Kennedy learned, homes needn't hint of ghosts or a shady past cloaked in speak-easies or illegal
gambling to be fascinating. For the Kennedys, the life of Eben Putnam Bomer has proven equally spellbinding. Bomer
is so much a part of their lives that their youngest son, 2-year-old Andrew, answers to the nickname "Bomer" and the
family visits Bomer's grave in Burbank every Memorial Day. Kennedy recently hit historian's pay dirt when she used
an Internet search to track down Bomer's great-granddaughter, Judy Mac Rostie Dwyer, in Orlando, Fla.
Dwyer said she was thrilled when she received a call from the "family living in the home built by my
great-grandfather." By coincidence, Dwyer and her husband, Mike, were scheduled to be in San Diego for a business
trip the next week, and they added the Bomer-Kennedy home to their itinerary.
Dwyer, who developed an interest in family history about two years ago, had all of the missing pieces to Kennedy's
puzzle. She showed up at her great-grandfather's home armed with detailed genealogies and family photos, including
early shots of Bomer and his wife, Sadie.
During the visit, the Kennedys played a recording of "With Someone Like You," a song that Bomer frequently
crooned in the bungalow's backyard. The recollection and the recording were both supplied by Stan Smith, an
82-year-old Covina musician who was a young boy when he knew Bomer.
The song sums up Bomer's sentiments about his house and, 75 years later, echoes the Kennedy family's feelings for
their historically rich home:
"We'll find that perfect place
where joys will never cease
out there beneath the starry skies.
We'll build a sweet little nest
somewhere out in the West
and let the rest of the world go by."
Susan Carrier is a Los Angeles freelance writer.


Bucknell University Digital Scholarship Conference 2017
Looking Forward, Looking Back: The Evolution of Digital Scholarship
October 6th-8th, 2017
WHAT IS #BUDSC17?
#BUDSC17 is committed to expanding the definition of digital scholarship to be more inclusive across diverse communities, both inside and outside of academia. The conference will bring together a broad community of practitioners–faculty, researchers, librarians, artists, educational technologists, students, administrators, and others–engaged in digital scholarship both in research and teaching who share an interest in the evolution of digital scholarship.
The theme “Looking Forward, Looking Back: The Evolution of Digital Scholarship” acknowledges the changes to scholarship wrought by the introduction of digital technologies across the disciplines. Now is an apt time to reflect upon how digital scholarship has evolved over the past decades and where it may head in the future. Scholars and teachers, poets and administrators, artists and community members, are encouraged to reflect on the past of digital scholarship and work together to build a future for digital scholarship.
opens July 1, ends August 25
Non-BU Student Registration
ends September 22
A.D. Carson is a performance artist and educator from Decatur, Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in Rhetorics, Communication, and Information Design at Clemson University doing work that focuses on race, literature, history, and rhetorical performances. Through his See the Stripes campaign, which takes its name from his 2014 poem, Carson has worked with Clemson students, faculty, staff, and community members to raise awareness of historic and entrenched racism at the university. He is an award-winning artist with essays, music, and poetry published at a variety of diverse venues such as The Guardian, Quiddity International Literary Journal and Public-Radio Program, and Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory, among others. His essay “Trimalchio from Chicago: Flashing Lights and the Great Kanye in West Egg” appears in The Cultural Impact of Kanye West (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), and “Oedipus—Not So Complex: A Blueprint for Literary Education” is published in Jay-Z: Essays on Hip Hop’s Philosopher King (McFarland & Co., 2011). He has written a novel, COLD, which hybridizes poetry, rap lyrics, and prose, and The City: [un]poems, thoughts, rhymes & miscellany, a collection of poems, short stories, and essays. Carson is a 2016 recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Excellence in Service at Clemson University. Carson is currently assistant professor in Hip-Hop and the Global South in the McIntire Department of Music at the University of Virginia. Follow him on Twitter/IG @aydeethegreat.


The Illustrated WeeklyThe Times of India is the flagship, but it has led a ground and varied fleet that has sailed through the decades. Some of its ships ruled the waves for years, and then were nobly laid to rest. New boats were added, old ones constantly refurbished. Among those which dropped final anchor never to sail again, but also never to be forgotten, was the very first magazine to emanate from the Group. On January 3, 1880. 42 years after 'The Bombay Times and Journal ofCommerce' embarked on its long and momentous voyage, the first issue of The Times of India Weekly Edition created waves in Indian journalism. It was first merely a concentrate of the week's news and leading articles. But, in keeping with the free-flowing initiative of the mother paper, it wasn't long before it broke free of this modest format. Ironically, famine was the inspiration for the flood of journalistic and pictorial excellence that would follow during the 113-year existence. The magazine was launched after the astonishing reader response to the sketches carried, for the first time in any Indian newspaper, by The Times of India. These illustrated the heart-rending dispatches from its correspondents in the starvingcountryside. India had awakened to the potent force of the picture.
The Weekly, StronglyThe Illustrated Weekly of India, as it finally came to be reincarnated in 1929, had many illustrious editors. But arguably the most popular was Khushwant Singh. The irrepressible Sardar gave not just The Weekly but all magazine journalism in India an exuberance it had never known before. Cutting through pomposity and clich?, he got to the very gut of reader interest, and established a formula that every entrant of the period's magazine boom would shamelessly appropriate. In its heyday in the '70s, the Weekly's circulation hit a boggling 300, 000. The Weekly closed down on November 13, 1993, a victim of many circumstances, including its own success.


And the strangest thing happened. All right. It wasn’t strange at all. Actually, it’s quite common.
I decided I needed some air and some vitamin D, so I left the confines of CHNOLA and went out into the daylight with the intent of visiting the nearest grocery store for some tea. Tea’s my new thing lately. I stopped drinking coffee because I’m trying to keep my caffeine consumption low. I still drink it, but only decaf, and sometimes it feels like defeating the purpose. Also, I quite enjoy tea, always have. Some days I buy tea in the cafeteria here, but today I forgot, and by tea time, I realized I was out. Hence the field trip.
So by the time I reached the grocery store and saw all the fabulous food there, my stomach decided the salad and yogurt I’d had for lunch just weren’t cutting it. I needed a snack. The Triscuits were a treat, actually. They are full of whole-grain, no doubt, but also full of calories. The sun dried tomatoes were a serendipitous find, as I LOVE sun dried tomatoes and have never seen them sold in the bag before. Snacks galore!
Since I was already out, I convinced myself to visit a used book store just down the road. McKeown’s Books and Difficult Music is a store I’ve been eyeballing for the last year coming to and from CHNOLA. I don’t know why the music is difficult. All music is difficult to me, as I have no musical talent. But I digress…
The smell of old musky tomes struck me as soon as I opened the door, and I’m fairly certain I smiled at the familiar and inviting scent. I love the smell of old books. And new books. But especially old ones. It was rather warm in there, and it only helped intensify the glorious fragrance of the books’ years old pages. It reminded me of visiting the library as a child, and I got the same excited feeling in my gut I’d always gotten back then when my eyes beheld the shelves lined with books.
I have a certain love of used books that I don’t have for brand new ones. I love all books, don’t get me wrong, but the old, preowned books have a past. A history, if you will. They are the elderly matriachs and patriachs of literature waiting to share their tales with a new generation. I bought a copy of The Catcher In The Rye, it’s pages are yellowed and some of them bent up on the edges. While I read it, I don’t just get involved in the story, but also contemplate the book’s past. Was it once an assignment for a high school student who tossed it aside and forgot about it until his or her mother cleaned out the closets? Did a college student sell it to this bookstore in hopes to recoup what little money he or she could in order to pay for basic necessities, a practice not unknown to struggling students? Perhaps it belonged to a professor, and it’s pages are yellowed and bent from being near his or her bedside and read over and over again. These are the kinds of things I consider when I buy used books.
This is no good for my book hoarding obsession, I admit. I could have walked out with many, many more books. Adopted them from their virtual book shelter, where they’ve been placed in hopes of finding a new home. I promise myself I will read all of the books on my “to-read” list. I will. I’m already halfway through Catcher In The Rye, although I’ve been reading Moby Dick for months. Honestly, there are some books from which I need a short break before picking up again. Such is the case with Cloud Atlas, which I am now finally halfway through, as well. However, in my defense, that one’s on my Kindle app, and after a while my eyeballs are ready to fall out.
My list of books to read is ever-growing, and it will continue to grow. My lust for reading will never be satiated. I had a wonderful art teacher in high school who once asked, “What are you going to do when you’ve read up all the books in the world?” I answered, “Write my own.”


I received a Doctorate of Human Sexuality (D.H.S.) and Doctorate of Philosophy | Erotology (Ph.D.) from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. The Institute was established in 1976 and was committed to the development of academic study of sexology and erotology.
During the 1st part of the 20th Century, sexological studies were generally placed in the area of finding cures for pathological situations, matters of enforcement of conduct through legal and theological controls, and endless political turf wars between political and theological belief systems claiming to have the right to control other persons lives. But in the middle of the century, Alfred Kinsey and his associates, along with the humanistic psychology movement changed the focus to the study of what people did sexually and how they felt about what they did sexually. The first graduate school granting legal degrees was established in San Francisco as The Institute to provide the scholarly study of sexual behavior in all of its aspects, as well as the scholarly study of how art, literature and cultural behaviors influence human sexuality.
The Institute was a pioneering institution as it paved the way for programs such as gender and sexuality studies in major universities available today. The specialized curriculum offered was made able due to the fact that The Institute was not accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. A thoughtful decision was made to provide its students the full spectrum of educational materials without fear of censorship due to federal obscenity laws. Thus, The Institute was registered with the State of California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education until 2018.
I am saddened that the Exodus Trust, the governing body of The Institute, did not properly create a legacy to continue The Institute’s programming or modernize its structure for the continuation of studies for future generations. I only hope that The Exodus Trust made efforts to preserve its vast libraries and warehouses filled with art, ephemera and special collections to other learning institutions.
I began my graduate studies in 2002 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Studies/Psychology) from John F. Kennedy University. I received my IASHS Laura Henkel | PhD Erotology in 2007.


There aren't any tricks or secrets to confronting your own awfulness, and troubleshooting it is just a prolonged experiment of how much you can strip away from yourself and still keep going. It's just a matter of striking deeply and cutting until you find the embers of your self-hate, and stoking them until you immolate. Ideally, you get out of it all phoenix-y.
If you don't make it, well, too bad. Then there mustn't have been anything worth saving, I guess? :) Dry wood burns best, but it doesn't bode well for your chances next spring.
MIXED METAPHORS YEAH.
Just finished reading You by Austin Grossman, a terribly painful book about the history of a small group of friends viewed through the filter of this video game that they made together, that is the most simplistic way of explaining it, more about Austin Grossman down there; and I also read Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride, the sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, one of the happiest series one could ever read about necromancy, filled with great characters and interesting dialogue.
Currently reading A Madness of Angels, the first book in the Matthew Swift series by Kate Griffin. I'm about 2/3 through with it and if the laboriously constructed sentences don't kill me, I might actually come to enjoy this book. Urban sorcery: you know I've got a hard-on for city shit and magic. :))
So the ten books (new additions at the end):
1. The Queen's Thief quartet (one down, three to go) by Megan Whalen Turner
2. The Good Man Jesus, and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman
3. Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh
4. Empire State by Adam Christopher
5. The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites and Partners by Rob Dunn
6. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
7. The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
8. Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman
9. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
10. Ringworld by Larry Niven
Okay, so after I read You, I listened to the The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy episode with Austin Grossman (x) while I was working and found out that, holy crap, he's the twin brother of Lev Grossman??? Okay, I should have known that yeah, having the same last name might be an indicator of a filial relationship or whatever, but come on, twin brothers writing awesome fiction (I know, I've blasted similar sentiments all over my social networking sites, whatever, I'm sorry).
Okay if you don't know who Lev Grossman is, he wrote The Magicians and The Magician King and basically blew my mind late last year and made me throw copies of his books at nearly everyone within reach.
(The last time I had such a ridiculous reaction to an author, a lot of people got Junot Diaz books for assorted occasions. You're welcome.)
The thing is, while the subject matter of both brothers' novels (video games, fantasy, magic, flagrant use of geeky and nerdy topics) are enough to light a fire in my brain, both of them have this insane knack for writing friendships. I love nostalgia! I love bitter feelings and sharing memories and experiences like normal people share cups of coffee in the rain. So of course I am head over heels in love with their prose, and the bloody idea that they are pretty close and spitball ideas with each other is driving me up the wall in a good way.
Somewhere in the multiverse, they pilot a jaeger together. The Grossman Golem. Something catchier. But yeah. Someone out there understands me.
The Whovian meet-up at the seemingly generically named 'Coffee Place' went well. Yeah, that's pretty much it.
The Homestuck Picnic was ridiculous. The weather was super weird, but it was awesome, if I do say so myself, and I think most everyone had fun. Except for the people in the area who weren't from HSPH. And the security guards. And that one man I threatened. Yeah. :))
I was nauseated most of the morning of the picnic due to the logistics stress, but thank goodness I've been blessed with members who are so frigging awesome that they just roll with shit like that. I was NPO for most of the day, except for two bottles of water that I savaged mid-afternoon. People kept telling me to sit down but come on, I was doing rounds and making sure shit was going well. Or approached well as closely as possible. Good group, best family.
I was pretty wiped afterwards, and the next day found me with a sunburn AND a cold from the alternating rain and shine I got exposed to. Yeah, I guess that's pretty much it for that as well.
Blogging is ridiculous. But it's helping. It sure as hell isn't exacerbating anything. :))
Why do you people put up with me? :)


Explore what East LA has to offer
When you join in on the East LA Latin Flavors Tour, you’ll find yourself in the incredible world of Latin flavors that have been heavily influenced by the Mexican culture of the area. After you try the delicious flavors from various stops on your tour, stick around and explore more of what East LA has to offer. Here are some popular destinations that locals love.
El Mercado, also known as El Mercadito to locals, is a market in Boyle Heights that embodies the traditional Mexican culture that is found in the Boyle Heights community. Inside el Mercado you’ll find a large interior courtyard that is filled with authentic Mexican food, Mexican goods, religious relics and even live mariachi music. In fact, throughout its history, El Mercado has hosted hundreds of Mariachi bands. At this location, pick up authentic Mexican goods or simply stop by for some delicious food. The market is open 7 days a week and is located at 3425 E 1st Street.
Whittier Blvd is a historic and iconic area of East Los Angeles. The area has large Latino roots and therefore has Mexican cultural influences throughout. Along the boulevard, you’ll find street vendors, markets selling garments and souvenirs, fruit vendors, hot dog vendors, ice cream shops, taco trucks and more. Whittier Blvd is also known for its role in the popularization of lowriders and it’s been said that the area was one of the first where lowriders began to appear. Today, it’s not rare to see lowriders cruising down Whittier Blvd. Stop by today and see what you can find on this historic street.
Chicano Resource Center
To learn more about the culture and history of the area, the Chicano Resource Center at the East LA Library is an excellent place to start. The center offers a wide range of multimedia including books, journals, videos, folklore, murals, periodicals and more.


The Secret of Raven Point
Jennifer Vanderbes’ novel, The Secret of Raven Point is a World War II saga among areas of Italy that I know well. Both are subjects in which I have an unquenchable interest. It is also the story of a deep love between a brother and sister, Tuck and Juliet, who lost their mother early in their youth.
We read about the stories they told one another, the code words they used, their secret, and relationship with their physician father, who served in World War I. At the outset of the second War, Tuck joins the Army in order to rid the world of Nazi evil, as he puts it.
His father tells him: “…grenades have no sense of justice. That bullets and bayonets care nothing for morality. Being right doesn’t protect you from having your brain blow to bits.”
Tuck writes letters home and, then one day, his last, enigmatic one arrives. Yes, he has enlisted to rid the world from evil. But he didn’t expect what it turned out to be like, “the mud and shit and freeze your asses off while you watch your friends bleed to death. Expect frostbite, crappy food, bad attitudes, no sleep, shitty maps, old weapons and lousy leadership, all while a psychotic enemy pursues you night and day.”
Soon after, Tuck is reported missing in action. Juliet lies about her age, enlists in the Army nursing program, undergoes training and is sent to Italy. She is assigned to a hospital near the front.
The Italian campaign is less well known than the one in France and Germany. But in many respects it was far more difficult with German solders hiding in their bunkers, high in the mountains up the “boot.” One by one, ever so slowly, the hills were taken with heavy loss of young lives, morale, desertions and damaged futures for the men who somehow managed to survive.
A patient, Barnaby, arrives at the hospital, severely damaged, appears to have shot himself, one eye hanging out of the socket. He is accused of cowardice, desertion, and will be tried and eventually sentenced to death. But he is comatose, can’t speak and appears in a semi-coma. And he also served in the same unit as Tuck and may have information about what happened to him.
Willard, a doctor, arrives to assess Barnaby’s condition, tries to get him ready to stand trial. He decides to give him treatments of sodium pentobarbital. We learn that Barnaby and Tuck became separated from their company, that Tuck did everything he could to save him. After leaving to seek help, Tuck was never seen again.
Juliet gives up all hope. “At first I loved the hope, the possibility that he’d come home. Now I hate it. I want to smash it out of me. I can’t bear the endless disappointment.”
In time, Barnaby recovers, realizes he will likely be sentenced to death, and escapes one night with the hospital chaplain. Willard and Juliet are sent on a mission to find them. The War drags on and the case against Barnaby is dropped as the truth about his experience is learned.
The Secret of Raven Point became two mysteries—the disappearance of Tuck and the motive for Barnaby’s attempted suicide. Their solution took hold of me. If there is any greater truth is this tale it is oft-repeated story of war, how it is always worse than expected, always worse than the one before, with inevitable disillusionment, regardless of the outcome.
“How do you save the world from evil? No idea. You take out an ad in the classifieds. Wanted: brave young men to defeat the forces of evil in the world. Every boy in every high school across the country is going to sign right up. What you don’t say in the ad? Expect to live in the mud and shit and freeze your asses off while you watch your friends bleed to death. Expect frostbite, crappy food, bad attitudes, no sleep, shitty maps, old weapons and lousy leadership, all while a psychotic enemy pursues you night and day. If you manage to survive, you get the honor of knowing you helped save the world from Nazi maniacs. But you think that anyone fifty years from now will bat an eyelash over it.”


“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”
Obviously, these are the familiar first three verses of the Old Testament book of Jonah. The story of Jonah has always intrigued me: the story of a prophet who flees from God and in turn has the opportunity to enjoy the undersea lodgings of a large fish. We hear the story repeatedly in Sunday School as little children and often tend to gloss over it later in life because it is so familiar to us. Further, the story itself is the subject of much speculation about who Jonah actually was and the potential allegorical meanings of the book as describing the selfishness of Israel.
Without going too deep into such speculation, we can examine the character of Jonah and see exactly who he is today.


The College Library is a gateway to a world of Information. The Staff and students have unlimited access to a wealth of Information found in resources like books, magazines, Journals, Hand Books, Annual reports and the Internet. In addition, the library offers specious seating arrangements and a calm ambience for learning.
Total Books in the Library: Department wise
|Sl. No.||Departments||No. of Titles||No. of Volumes|
|9||M. Tech - CSE||31||108|
|10||M.Tech - VLSI||38||164|
|11||M.Tech - Machine Design||34||140|
|No. of Titles||4,500|
|No. of Volumes||22,237|
|SC/ST Book Banks||1,923|
|No. of Non Books||1,809|
|No. of News Papers||10|
|No. of Periodicals ||Nation 83, International 27|
Member of VTU Consortium
- IEEE/IEL Online
- Springer Link
- K-Nimbus:Digital Library Platform
- Remote Access Solution
Overview of Facilities & PoliciesThe MSEC Central Library aims to providing access to its Printed resources such as Books, Journals and Magazines as well as Electronic Resources for the use of faculty and Students at the college campus.
The Central Library is available for the use of all members of MSEC. Its Working hours are 9.00am to 4.15pm Monday through Saturday.
Newly Arrived Books & Periodicals
Newly arrived journals and Magazines cannot be issued out of the Library before a specified period. All Journals, magazines or Newspapers subscribed by the Library are not being issued before the period specified on the item.
MSEC Central Library subscribes to online full text Journals & Resources. It regularly adds new Journals & Resources to the Collection for the benefits & easy access to all the users. This service is available to all M.S.Engineering College Network users.
External users from other Institutions or College are allowed to use the Library on a Letter from their Institution or College. External users are not permitted to issue Library items. Other Visitors to the Library may use it provided a staff member introduces them to the Librarian. The Concern Staff member is responsible for the Visitor. Externals users and visitors are allowed to use the Library only during office hours.
Role of Library Staff in helping users
During Normal Working hours the Librarian & other Library Staff will assist the users. They will also assist in obtaining necessary reference material for individual users. The Library will provide necessary service to obtain personal subscription or book purchases for faculty and Students.
Code of Conduct
- Library is a place of Individual study, Library members should maintain an atmosphere of dignity, peace and silence within the Library.
- When you entering the Library, should enter your Sign in the Usage Register.
- Talking is strictly prohibited in the Library.
- Borrowing materials without a valid Library Identity card number is prohibited.
- Not permitted to use another Library Identity Card.
- Students must take care of Library Materials and must not deface then by underlining, writing or drawing in them by removing any part of
- Do not reshelf books, periodicals etc., leave them on the tables properly after use.
- Absence and illness excuse are not acceptable for exemption from paying an overdue charge.
- The cost of replacement with double amount will be charged to the person for loss or damage the library materials.
- Eatables are not allowed in the library Cell phones are to be set in the “OFF” or “VIBRATOR” mode prior to entering the Library.
Library StaffSenior Librarian:
Ramesh V., MLISc., M.Phil
Librarian: Umesh Kumar
Digital Library Information
Access online e-journals from IEEE, Delnet Organizational Membership & British Library Membership.


I first saw this film when it aired on the Hallmark channel last Autumn. This story by Louisa May Alcott was unfamiliar to me. It seems that it first appeared together with a set of other short stories and was entitled An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving and Other Stories published in 1882.
Matilda Bassett seals a letter addressed to her grandmother.
The story centers around the Bassett family who live "up among the New Hampshire hills" on a farm. We meet Mary Basset and her three children just after the death of her husband when they are just making ends meet. Young Miss Matilda Bassett "Tilly" is our story teller is very good at embellishing the facts.
Younger children Prudence and Solomon Bassett.
Mrs. Bassett is an independent woman who is trying to support her family with her skills nursing those in need but her patients are often poor and enable to pay. Though the Bassetts have just enough Mrs. Bassett is having a hard time making ends meet so Tilly fearing the worst takes it upon herself to write to her estranged grandmother.
Grandmother and Tilly on their shopping spree.
Intrigued by this letter signed by her daughter Mary, rich socialite Isabella makes an unexpected visit to the Bassett family. Her daughter is very loathe to even let her enter the house but she has to stay somewhere while her broken carriage is being repaired. Isabella soon gains the affections of her three grandchildren and delights in using the money, that her daughter so despises, to buy needed items for her family and new friends. With her influence Tilly attends her first ball in high style and the family's pantry is stocked full of good things for Thanksgiving dinner.
Tilly and her mother Mary at the Hopkins ball.
While her mother enjoys the grandchildren Mary Bassett is busy nursing a neighboring family who are suffering with scarlet fever and she herself is overcome by the sickness. Tilly and her grandmother learn how much they really have to be thankful for just when they are in danger of loosing it all.
Tilly talking to her dear friend Gad.
In the midst of all her troubles Tilly also becomes reacquainted with her childhood friend Gideon who has just come back from college. It is "Gad" who helps Tilly as she makes decisions that will change her future and future of her family.
The family around an old fashioned Thanksgiving table.
I really enjoy this film, it is not quite like Little Women but reminds me of that story in many ways. Tilly reminds me of Jo March in some ways, a fanciful writer who is quick to feel and act, often being very selfish and childish. I love the costumes and the settings the acting is fairly good and it is a sweet story of family, forgiveness and being thankful for what you have. A good family movie and I highly recommend it!
I found the trailer here if you'd like to take a look and also the original Alcott writing can be found here. I look forward to reading the story soon!


DALLAS MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES
The mission of the Dallas Municipal Archives is to document and preserve the permanently valuable and historical records of the government of the City of Dallas, and to effectively provide access to information to citizens and city employees.
The purpose of the Archives is to preserve the historical records of city government and support research and scholarship be its external and internal customers. Established in 1985, the Dallas Municipal Archives is a division of the City Secretary´s Office and contains over 2,000 cubic feet of departmental records in a variety of forms and formats, including ledgers, manuscripts and typescripts, maps, photographs, microforms, and printed materials. Among our many collections are the "Bonnie and Clyde" Barrow Gang materials of the Dallas Police Department; the John F. Kennedy/Dallas Police Department records relating to the assassination of President Kennedy; the earliest extant City of Dallas Charter; and over a quarter million images documenting the growth and public services of the City of Dallas. We also maintain thousands of permanently valuable documents, maps, and architectural plans reflecting the actions of every aspect of Dallas government.
The Archives is also responsible for the preservation microfilming of the City Secretary´s council action files, which contain the originals of all City ordinances and resolutions, meeting minutes, agenda, and support documentation.
The City Archivist for the City of Dallas can be reached at (214) 670-5270.
Guide to Collections in the Dallas Municipal Archives
(Organized by Department or Function)
Collection Guides and Inventories
Dallas Municipal Archives Subject Guides NEW
Guides are in Acrobat pdf format. Contact the City Archivist
for onsite accessm which is available by appointment only.
|Exhibits & Education|
|About Dallas Archives|


To continue reading this article, please Login or Sign up for FREE below. You will be sent an email with a password.
LIFE EXTENSION: SCIENCE OR PIPE DREAM? Published by Harriet Hall under Book Review,Herbs & Supplements,Pharmaceuticals In his new book The Youth Pill: Scientists at the Brink of an Anti-Aging Revolution, David Stipp tries to answer those questions. From the title of the book, I expected hype about resveratrol or some other miracle pill; but instead it is a nuanced, levelheaded, entertaining, informative account of the history and current state of longevity research. It makes that research come alive by telling stories about the people involved, the failures and setbacks, and the agonizingly slow process of teasing out the truth with a series of experiments that often seem to contradict each other. We don’t even have a handle on why we