Friday, May 20, 2011

Happy Manhattan-Henge Day

Nyt

photo: Chang W Lee
via NYT

two days a year, the sun sets along the east-west axis of Manhattan's street grid. this year it's may 30 and July 12 (so says Hayden Planetarium and she should know).

so happy Manhattan Henge Day!

hidden treasure

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Jesus--The True and Better

short video with very cool graphics accompanying an excerpt of a talk by Tim Keller on what the Bible is truly all about (hint: it's not us!)

paper flower garden

Wulff-popup
Collage of a Magnolia grandflora
by Mary Granville Pendarves Delany (1700-1788)


First of all what about that name? Maybe today we can all call try it on for size? Good idea. Yes, nice to meet you--my name is Sally Granville Pendarves Lloyd-Jones The First (somehow it needs that end bit on).

Anyway. Stop this. The point is... Mary Granville Pendarves Delany did this amazing piece of work.

But here's the thing: she was a late bloomer--she began her life's work at 72. So there's hope for us all.

She created what she called floral "mosaicks"--precursors to collage--and she did almost 1,000 of them. Aren't they beautiful? and somehow so modern. But then truly excellent things tend to break out of time altogether.

New book just out THE PAPER GARDEN by Molly Peacock.

Monday, May 16, 2011

bright green invaders

Parakeet-popup
Rose-ringed parakeet in it's tree--or someone else's
(wouldn't want to mess with him)
Photo: Jean-Louis Le Moigne
via NYT 

Areas surrounding London have been invaded by a Green Lurgy. Parakeets. (There were approx 1,500 in 1995 and now there are 30,000). No one knows why the population explosion.
They come from India and Sub-Saharan Africa--but they didn't get to the UK by flying. Most people agree, it all began with someone letting their exotic birds out of their cage. WHO LET THE BIRDS OUT?
14parakeets-popup
swarms in the sky, photo: Andrew Testa
via NYT
But they aren't exotic pets anymore. They are pests. Threatening crops, monopolizing garden bird feeders, being loud and noisy and waking all the children up. Basically annoying everyone. 
And now they could be threatening British birds.
The British birds are more restrained (of course they are) and I imagine more polite too? But not the wily parakeet: no. He is eating up all their berries and taking over all their trees. For instance, the nuthatch is threatened since they both nest in holes in old trees. 
"Project Parakeet" is underway to get to the bottom of it all. The NYT quotes one student: " 'I saw one have it with a jackdaw,' she said, referring to a British crow that is itself no shrinking violet. 'The Jackdaw lost.' " Creeeeeepy. Remind you of The Birds anyone...?
Jackdaw_dmitry_maslov
photo: Dimitry Maslow

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

How To Get A Job: OUT TODAY!

Howtogetajob
Do you know what you want to be when you grow up? Know any graduates? Are you in the job market? Do you know any children who love playing pretend?

Good news. Here's the book for you.

HOW TO GET A JOB... BY ME THE BOSS

She's at it again. This time our know-it-all narrator knows everything about how to ace the interview and land the perfect job.

BBC Radio 4 said her first book was "One of the funniest books of the year." The New York Times said it was, "adorable, original, well-illustrated and fabulous" and "ultra charming." Publisher's Weekly said her next was "Stylish and witty." What might they say about this one?

Do YOUR bit for the economy and anyone in the job market...
  • order your copy at your local bookstore or here (USA) or here (UK)!!
  • leave a glowing review!
  • talk about it non stop all the time!
(or just read it out loud and enjoy it in a public place as you laugh loudly slapping your thigh)
Htgajinterior


Monday, May 9, 2011

happy (140th) birthday, Eeyore!

Ernest_h_shepard-eeyore_alone-
"Eeyore Alone"
(as, of course, he would be
on his birthday that no one has remembered)
by Ernest H Shepard


did you remember?
no of course not

but the Guardian didn't forget

and they wrote a whole entire article all about how great a literary character (archetypal is what they actually said) Eeyore in actual fact is

which you can read here

(which is surely the least you can do)
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happy (at last) spring

what can you say? it came.
Nyt
it was worth the wait.

photo: Angel Franco
Azalea Bank of the NY Botanical Gardens
via NYT

where AM I?

back to my site?
back to twitter?

back to my super duper blog?
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