Here's a great site if someone is tough to buy for...Try Gift Finder, a nifty online service that offers suggestions based on gender, age, interests, etc. Try it! It seems to work pretty good.
Hosting a party and want to offer something season-appropriate at the bar? Drinknation.com has a healthy selection, including the "Mistletoe Martini" & "Fog Log Nog."
Celebration in the Oaks is the big light show that fills New Orleans' City Park with Christmas wonder every year. And, of course, the neat little train. Great for families with young kids!
If you want a few days a bit further away (without going TOO far away), The Natchitoches Christmas Festival is something to think about. It gets bigger every year until it now draws in tourists from all over the mid-south.
>Before Dewey came up with and standardized his system, library collection organization varied widely from place to place...and even within the SAME place! Under "location," a catalog might say something like "Third Floor, Norton Hall, Shelf Nearest the Stairs, Shelf No. 118A." Some libraries even arranged books by size and color, regardless of content. Not very efficient.
>Dewey was obsessed with efficiency, and came up with a system that allowed library users to find a book within fields and subfields of knowledge relative to one another, rather than in relation to a fixed location or shelf number.
>The "decimal" part of the Dewey Decimal System allows the system to be infinitely expandable...there is always room for something else. For instance, the system was first formally codified in 1876, before, say, airplanes. But now we find airplanes in at 629.13 or thereabouts. 629, when it was thought up, was "Other Engineering," which is exactly what aerodynamics would have been considered in Dewey's day.
Now, none of this might sound like a really big deal, but it revolutionized library organization and made your life (and mine) a lot easier when visiting your local public library.
Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. naval fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor. That day, 2400 American servicemen died in one of the most infamous sneak attacks in all of military history.
Below are some links with some information about Pearl Harbor and American involvement in the Second World War.
Also, in our Gale Virtual Reference Library , we offer the Business Plans Handbook, which, in the appendix, has a blank business plan one can cut, paste, and fill in.
The quick links at the bottom of this page are searchable; just enter terms, click, and start using Gale!
Also, don't forget the many business plan books we have in the library's collection...click here to see what our online card catalog has to offer.
Remember: writing a business plan might be your first step to financial independence.
"The study showed that drivers who text and drive become more than one third slower than if they were coherent and not texting – this was compared to a person at the DUI limit or under the influence of illegal drugs. Text messaging lowered reaction time by 35 percent, while people high on marijuana slowed down 21 percent and those who were drunk slowed down by 12 percent."--Transport Research Laboratory, UK
Every day in America, according to the Occupational Safety Hazard Administration, sixteen people die while doing their jobs. Of course, some are firefighters or police killed in the line of duty while doing jobs that are by nature somewhat dangerous. But others are just regular folks who become the victims of inattention, ill-training, recklessness or, worst of all, a co-worker or customer's criminal intent or mental illness.
Below are some links that you or someone you know might find informative (or life saving). Pass the information along.
The National Safety Council--This hotlink will take you to the website of the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas chapter of the National Safety Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to safer products and workplaces.
Fatal Facts--OSHA Reports about specific situations in which workers died on the job. Includes investigator opinions as to how the accidents might have been avoided.
Workplace Violence--An excellent handbook, written by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, about the danger of workplace violence and how it can be dealt with by co-workers, supervisors and law enforcement.
Today is Veterans' Day, when America honors all those who have served the country in the military. The Terrebonne Parish Library Reference Department has put together some links to information that veterans and their families might find useful.
Here in South Louisiana, we know the dangers of diabetes. Good food in lagniappe quantities and heat indexes that drive any sane person inside contribute to the prevalence of the disease and the lifestyle that can lead to it. Because it is a manageable disease, many people forget that diabetes can lead to amputation, blindness, heart disease, nerve damage and even death. So below are some links about preventing and managing diabetes.
From The Dictionary of Holidays, Festivals, and Celebrations of the World by Omnigraphics Press, Inc.:
"Halloween has its ultimate origins in the ancient Celtic harvest festival, SAMHAIN, a time when people believed that the spirits of the dead roamed the earth. Irish settlers brought their Halloween customs—which included bobbing for apples and lighting jack-o’-lanterns—to America in the 1840s.
"In the United States children go from house to house in costume—often dressed as ghosts, skeletons, or vampires—on Halloween saying, 'Trick or treat!' Though for the most part the threat is in jest, the 'trick' part of the children’s cry carries the implication that if they don’t receive a treat, the children will subject that house to some kind of prank, such as marking its windows with a bar of soap or throwing eggs at it. Most receive treats in the form of candy or money. But Halloween parties and parades are popular with adults as well.
"Because nuts were a favorite means of foretelling the future on this night, All Hallows’ Eve in England became known as Nutcrack Night. Other British names for the day include Bob Apple Night, Duck (or Dookie) Apple Night, Crab Apple Night, Thump-the-door Night, and, in Wales, APPLE AND CANDLE NIGHT. In the United States it is sometimes referred to as Trick or Treat Night."
The rest of October will be busy for the Terrebonne Parish Library System, with many Halloween-themed events and craft times for kids and teens. Here's what's happening from now until Halloween.
For Kids
Thursday, 10/22 at 5 p.m. Haunted Library Storytime for pre-k – 3rd graders. Chauvin Branch
Saturday, 10/24 at 2 p.m. Halloween Craft Workshop for pre-k – 3rd graders. Main Library
Monday, 10/26, Wednesday, 10/28, and Thursday, 10/29 from 3-5:30 p.m. Halloween Pumpkin Painting Craft. Bring a clean pumpkin. Montegut Branch
Monday, 10/26 at 4 p.m. Halloween Story Time and Candy Workshop for k – 4th graders. Dularge Branch
For Teens
Friday, 10/23 at 4 p.m. Wii Games and Halloween Craft Dularge Branch
Tuesday, 10/27 from 4-5:30 p.m. Pumpkin Painting Workshop. Bring a clean pumpkin. Montegut Branch
Wednesday, 10/28 from 4-5:30 p.m. Playstation 2 “Buzz Quiz” Game. Registration is required--call 985-575-2639 Gibson Branch
Saturday, 10/31 at 2 p.m. Michael Jackson “Extravaganza” featuring his Live in Bucharest – The Dangerous Tour and a Michael Jackson “Look-a-Like” Contest. East Houma Branch
October is Fire Prevention Month! October is traditionally the time of year when people start firing up heaters and fireplaces (soon, we hope!), so this is also the time people need to be mindful of what it takes to keep fires from happening.
And Remember! You can get a free smoke detector from any office of the Houma Fire Department in Terrebonne Parish! Just call Fire Chief Todd Dufrene's office at (985) 873-6391 for more information.
Every workplace has its share of political intrigue. For many of us, office politics seems a huge waste of time and damaging to productivity, but we end up unavoidably drawn in anyway. Below are some links for workers and managers trying to do a good job without being mired in rivalry, backbiting, gossip and the other cardinal sins of workplace management.
It's already been a year. As you may know, October is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, when women are asked to think about breast self-examinations, mammograms and general breast-friendly living, including diet and exercise.
Here are some links--many the same as last year's--to help you find more information about breast cancer.
The Terrebonne Parish Library System hosts monthly book discussions at various branches. It's a great chance to come and share insights on interesting books.
The schedule for the remainder of 2009 shapes up like this:
LSU SLIS was awarded a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to recruit and educate 30 students for professional employment in southern Louisiana libraries. Students eligible and selected to participate will receive IMLS-funded scholarships to earn master’s degrees in librarianship focusing primarily on academic, public, and school libraries.
Following completion of their coursework, students will be required to find employment in an academic, public, or school library in Southern Louisiana affected by hurricane disasters. On September 23, at 1p.m., Dr. Robert Ward will provide an information session for individuals interested in taking part in Project Recovery. This session will take place in the DISTANCE EDUCATION CLASSROOM, located on the second floor of the Main Library at 151 Library Drive in Houma, near the Civic Center.
Dr. Ward will be available throughout the day beginning at 10am to talk with individuals one-on-one and answer any questions they may have. Contact Lauren Ledet at 876-5158, ext. 234 for more information.
It's coming soon. The seventh annual Monster Movie Madness film series begins October 5th, 2009. This year's selections:
>October 5th--Devil Girl From Mars-See a giant robot with porch-light head! Don't miss it!
>October 12th--The Giant Claw-A ridiculous-looking giant bird eating ridiculous-looking model planes and just generally doing ridiculous-looking things while looking ridiculous.
>October 19th--King Dinosaur-BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
>October 26th--Plan 9 From Outer Space-Our traditional closing movie. So bad you can't believe it...or look away.
All movies will be shown at the MAIN LIBRARY at 151 Library Drive in Houma. MOVIES WILL BE SHOWN FROM 6PM--8:30PM.
If you came last year, you might have been disappointed because of equipment failures (we were still recovering from Gustav). But THIS year, we'll do all we can to assure that all goes off without a hitch.
Of course, we will have free drinks and popcorn at each movie, and the audience is encouraged (if not required) to make snarky comments pointing out the many, many flaws in each film.
Contact Darryl Eschete at 985-876-1733 ext. 202 for more information.
Just kidding about that last part, but the first part is true.
So, if you have a library card already, encourage a friend--especially a young friend--who doesn't have one to get one. And if you don't have one, GET ONE! They're free if you've never had one before and are available at any branch. If you had a library card and lost it at some point, the replacement fee is five dollars.
For a child to get a library card, they need a parent or guardian's signature and must be able to write their first and last name.
If you can, help a child get a library card and introduce him or her to the library. You'll be opening the door to a bigger, brighter, more successful world for that child...and for all of us.
The Terrebonne Parish Library is taking part in the September Project this year with a series of displays celebrating the protected American right to freedom of religious expression.
On the first floor of the Main Library, you'll find the Introductory Display Table, the Buddhism Table and the Minority and Alternative Faiths Table. On the second floor, you'll find Christianity, Judaism, The Freedom to Not Believe, Islam and Hinduism. Each display features a placard informing you of how many practitioners of that particular faith are in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Each display also offers a selection of books and DVDs selected to give you a well-rounded and fair view of each faith.
We selected the faiths for the displays based on the numbers of practitioners, but we did our very best to be inclusive and fair.
For more information on the library's participation in The September Project, contact Darryl Eschete at (985) 876-1733, ext. 242 or send him an email.
Just click the link and enter your Knowledge Card barcode in the blank (no spaces), and you are off and running.
The content in here is so high-quality that it's almost unbelievable, and you can get it all from home. Everything from Aesop to Zoroaster, FULL TEXT. No charge, of course. It's your tax dollars at work!
and check out the many useful databases we've got.
As an information professional I guarantee that, with a little practice, you or a student you know can use these databases to make finding high-quality information much, much easier. And that should make better grades easier, too.
We're especially proud to announce that we've got WORLD BOOK ONLINE up and running. That link is set to take you directly to the World book "Info Finder," and that should be a good start.
By the time a child born this year is 41 years old, Louisiana will have lost 2600 square miles of the coastal land it had in 1932. Unless something is done and done quickly, the Gulf of Mexico will be visible from downtown Houma before many people reading this are too terribly old. Below are some links with information about land loss and coastal erosion.
Finally, take a look at the Landsat archives and the Global Visualization Viewer (GLOVIS) to see the picture from space. Landsat is a landform-cataloguing satellite that flies over us, takes digital photographs of the planet and beams them down. To look at current images of our coastline, just enter 28.9 in the latitude box and -90.5 in the longitude box. To look at older images, click on the pulldown menu that says "Landsat 7 SLC-Off (2003->)" and pick an older mission. "Landsat 1-3 MSS" is from 1972 to 1982, "Landsat 4-5 MSS" is from 1982 to 1992 and "Landsat 7 SLC-Off" is from 1999 to 2003.
Those little abbreviations on the pulldown menu (MSS, SLC) stand for technical stuff on the Landsat Satellite. Read more about it here:
The Terrebonne Parish Library subscribes to ReferenceUSA, a database that allows patrons to look up residences, businesses and doctors and health professionals throughout the United States.
Just enter your Knowledge Card (library card) number and select what kind of search you want to do: residential, business, new business (businesses licensed with the past 12 months), or health professionals/physicians.
The kind and dilligent folks at the LSU AgCenter have clued us in to some great online tools for getting a good idea of what storm surge and windspeed might look like during the next hurricane.
Just enter your address and city and see what mother nature could do if she were in the mood.
Some out-of-this-world neat stuff is coming up in the next week at the library.
A couple of reminders:
Thursday, August 20 at 6:30 pm at the MAIN LIBRARY--Mr. Cliff Fenton will give a lecture on "Human Life Out of This World: The Moon by 2020 and Mars in the Future." He'll discuss what it takes to support human life as we begin to discover further from out home planet.
Tuesday, August 25 at DUSK at the Main Library--Mr. Gene Dalton, local astronomer, will provide an evening of star gazing through telescopes until 9 p.m. (In case of bad weather or poor visibility, will be rescheduled for Wednesday the 26th or Thursday the 27th).
Just click the button next to "Parent," then click "Submit."
You'll be taken to a search box where you can type in a particular title to see if it is on the Accelerated Reader list.
OR, you can click the "Advanced Search" tab at the top and search by Title, Author, ISBN and even topic and subtopic! There is also an option to search by ATOS Readability Level, which basically tells you what grade level (and month of that grade) for which the book is appropriate.
Finally, there is a "Collections" tab, which lets you simply pick books from lists of literary award-winners, state-specific award winners, and books picked by librarians.
For more information, contact Terrebonne Parish School District's Reading Curriculum specialist Tonya Allen at 985-876-7400.
So. School is back in, huh? And maybe this year you or someone you know really has to start getting serious in order to meet TOPS core curriculum requirements.
Well, the Terrebonne Parish Library System has some databases that will definitely help make getting through the TOPS curriculum easier.
Click on the course side for databases that may help.
If you come by the Main Branch, be sure to stop at the display cases in the lobby and on the second floor to take a look at the "Pan Handle Pete" collection, left with us by Emile Hebert.
Mr Hebert's collection includes memorabilia of the Old West, The "Hollywood West" and even models of the types of guns and rifles used by gunfighters and lawmen in the days of Billy the Kid and Doc Holliday.
Also on display are badges, whips, boots and hats as well as movie posters, pictures, lunchboxes and newspaper clippings.
> Historical Hurricane Impacts on Coastal Louisiana; Factors Influencing Hurricane Storm Surge in Coastal Louisiana
> “What If” Hurricane Storm Surge Impacts on Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes
> New Flood Zones: What They Mean and How They Will Impact You
This program was hosted at the Main Library last year and, since then, storm surge and wind-speed models have been updated, taking the impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike into account.
Lsu AgCenter staff will be available to help those in attendance access windspeed, ground level and storm surge models available online through the LSU AgCenter.
Attendance is free.
For information on other locations where this meeting will be held, follow this link:
The Terrebonne Parish Library now subscribes to a cool, new database.
A to Z Maps Online, a product of World Trade Press, is a huge database of maps from all around the world (all royalty-free), including weather maps, fishing maps (of our area), topographic maps and some historical maps and aerial photos of important cities. But there's even more than that.
A to Z Maps Online explains that it:
"...is the worlds largest subscription-based database of proprietary, royalty-free world, continent, country, and state maps. Included in the 4,000+ maps are: political maps, physical maps, outline maps, population maps, precipitation maps, climate maps, and other thematic maps. New maps are added to the collection every month."
To use this FREE service, just click on the above link (a link on the library's website should be up soon), and enter your library card number in the box on the upper right. Then, pick what kind of map you want to look at in the menu on the left. OR, just click on on one of the maps to the right! It's fun just to browse and see what's in there!
After years of waiting, residents of Terrebonne Parish can finally recycle their trash.
Last Friday's Houma Courier featured an article by Naomi King letting local residents know where the community recycling bins can be found, and what we can toss into them.
According to Ms. King's article:
"The [recycling] bins are at these locations:
>Bayou Cane Fire Department, 6166 W. Main St. (Map)
>South Houma Memorial Fire Station, 1430 St. Charles St. (Map)--NOTE: THIS BIN HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE PARKING LOT OF RITE-AID AT 1238 ST. CHARLES STREET.
>East Houma Fire Station, 2101 E. Tunnel Blvd. (Map)
"To recycle, do not separate or bag your materials. Just throw them in the windows on each side of the containers. Only plastics with the numbers 1-7 can be recycled. You can find that number inside the recycling triangle symbol on any plastic. Do not put aerosol cans, wood, plastic bags, batteries or electronics into the green bins."
It's about time, huh?
ADDED 11/12/2009:
NEW BINS:
>Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd, located in parking lot on corner of Civic Center Boulevard and Chactaw. Map
>Little Caillou Fire Station, 5610 Highway 56. Map
>The Fire House on Legion Avenue, next to the American Legion, 602 Legion Avenue. Map
Saturday, July 25 is the Terrebonne Parish Library System's first hurricane preparedness day. Storm Ready!, as the program is called, will be going on from 9am to 6pm and will feature public information sessions on such concerns as evacuating with small children, creating a "Grab and Go" box, taking care of pets during evacuation and what kind of plan Terrebonne Parish's Office of Emergency Preparedness has ready to go.
In an effort to prepare the community for hurricanes and other emergencies, the library will provide document scanning stations for the public to scan important documents. The library will allow the public to scan birth certificates, marriage licenses, deeds, wills, and insurance information. CDs ($0.25) and jump drives ($10) will be available for purchase that day, but the public is encouraged to provide their own jump drive or CD to save the scanned items.
Schedule of the Day's Events:
9:30am & 2pm - Terrebonne Parish Emergency Plan with Earl Eues followed by question and answer period.
10:30am - Tree Safety with Barton Joffrion of LSU Ag Center.
11am & 1pm - Evacuating With Animals--Cathy Richard and Martha Neil Anthony.
10:30am and 2pm - Lillie Brunet and TRAC--Hurricane Story Time for Children. (During this story hour, parents are invited into the next room to learn tips from LaChip and LSU Ag on keeping their children healthy, calm and safe during storms, disasters, and evacuations.)
3pm - Preparing "Grab and Go Boxes"--Margaret Berlew of the LSU Ag Center.
4pm - "Food Preparation and Safety"--Margaret Berlew of the LSU Ag Center.
Forty years ago today, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the lunar surface, fulfilling President John Kennedy's inaugural promise that, before the 1960s were over, we would accomplish that very task.
The images and words have been replayed so many times in the ensuring four decades that we earthbound masses can easily forget what an enormous accomplishment this was, especially considering that, at the time, NASA had no computers more powerful than a Commodore 64.
To commemorate the Apollo 11 mission and the feats of its crew, we present the following list of links:
The exhibit features large, clear color images of various galaxies, nebulae, planets and other heavenly bodies as well as interesting, informative text about the history of astronomy and telescopes.
The exhibit (and a table full of space-related reading material) is located on the second floor, behind the information desk. You should come upstairs and take a look, when you get the chance.
If you haven't noticed, it's getting really hot. There have been a few days that have been in the triple digits, if you count the heat index. And that sun! Brutal.
For the older (and much younger) set, these can be dangerous days, health-wise. But there are ways to stay safe and healthy on days like these, if you take some precautions.
Here are some links full of tips that can make life easier as you work outdoors to make a living or just tend your garden for fun.
On July 7th and July 28th, 2009 the Terrebonne Parish Library System will offer a free amateur video production class at the Main Library. Both dates are Tuesdays and the class will start and 5:30 pm and end at 8pm. Teaching the class will be me, Darryl Eschete.
We'll go over lighting, audio, shooting, editing and finishing your videos so that you can keep them in your family's collection or share them on YouTube or any of the other online video services.
There is no need to bring any equipment other than a pencil to take notes.
Call 985-876-1733 for more information. Or, just email me, Darryl.
Also, be sure to check out the full slate of computer classes we are offering in July.
Just a quick note to let our users know that non-fiction DVDs (like how-tos and documentaries) are being moved upstairs to be mixed in with the non-fiction books. We figure it will make a lot more sense and make that kind of material easier to find.
If you have any questions, call the Information Desk at 985-876-1733.
If you want to stay abreast of the many, many, many events that will going on at the library this summer, try putting the Terrebonne Parish Library's Events Calendar in your "favorites."
You can even zero in on a particular branch by finding the location in the pulldown menu...that way, you'll see only what's happening in your favorite library branch.
For more information on an event that interests you, just move your cursor over the text and click. This will pop open a window telling you more about what's going on and how to get more information or register, if necessary. There will be links to print or download the event to your calendar/organizer, if you have one installed on your computer.
Call 985-876-5158 for more information on the library's calendar of events.
If you have little girls--or if you used to be one yourself--be sure to stop by the Main Library and see all 128 Barbie Dolls on display here. The collection is the property of the Library System's Youth Services Manager, Cherie Mahaffey.
Cherie owns about 150 dolls, most still in their original packaging, and she has been collecting since the age of five.
"I started collecting when people starting giving them to me," Cherie says. "I just kept it going."
The dolls will be in the locked cases in the lobby and on the second floor of the library until the end of July. For more information on the display, email Cherie or call 985-876-5861, extension 114.
On June 1st begins Hurricane Season 2009. We all learned a tough lesson last year as Hurricane Gustav decided to make this area his target and sent many of us packing in a general evacuation.
Well, until November 30th, we're under the threat of hurricanes again, and it might be a good idea to read up on just how we can make ourselves more ready and thus safer this year.
There's a lot going this summer at the library, and here are some events and programs you might want to know about:
1. The annual summer reading program, titled "Once Upon a Time" begins May 26 and ends July 25. Children through the sixth grade can read books to win prizes, participate in arts and crafts workshops and see live performances. Coupons and certificates from local businesses reward those kids who complete the program.
Teens and adults aren't left out, either. The teen summer program, "Express Yourself" will have workshops just for teens. Remind the young adult in your life that the library is a safe and sophisticated place to meet a friend or just hang out.
2. In June, a collection of folk art featuring the work of 21 southern artists from 9 states will be passing through. This display of so-called "outsider" art will feature text panels and photographs explaining where the artists got their inspiration.
3. June's Summer Performances--
Bourg Branch (11am), East Houma(2pm)--Friday, June 5--Betsy McGovern, Musician--KIDS
Main Library--Monday, June 8 (2pm)--Johnette Downing, Musician--KIDS
Bourg Branch--Monday, June 15 (11am)--Character Two, Storytellers--KIDS
Main Library--Tuesday, June 16 (1pm)--Healing Force, Musicians--KIDS, ADULTS
Main Library--Wednesday, June 17 (2pm)--GrayHawk, Storyteller--KIDS
Montegut Branch--Friday, June 26 (11am)--The Jack and Jill Players, Acting Troupe--KIDS
Montegut Branch(11am) and East Houma Branch(2pm)--Tuesday, June 30--Toni Batiste, Dancer--KIDS
Chauvin Branch--Tuesday, June 30 (1pm)--Mary Lecompte, Storyteller--KIDS
If you're the kind of person who finds looking at photographs of notable people interesting, then a new exhibition on display at the Terrebonne Parish Library is for you.
Through the end of May, Faces & Stories: A Portrait of Southern Writers, a travelling exhibit operated by the Southern Arts Foundation and made possible through grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, will be housed on the first floor of the Terrebonne Parish Main Library.
The photographer, Curt Richter, was commissioned to photograph the founding members of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. The project expanded until he had taken hundreds of strikingly beautiful black & white photographs of some very interesting faces.
For more information on the exhibit, call or , email Lauren Ledet at 986-876-5158, ext. 234.
May is National Health and Fitness Month...and the library is a great place to get information about getting and staying in shape. The Internet has more information on fitness than you can bench-press, too!
If you're already sneezing and sniffling, you know it's allergy season. Every year, the blooming of various weeds and flowers fills the air with pollens and other irritants that make life for some of us miserable. For people with asthma, this can be doubly troublesome.
Here are some links that might help you get informed about asthma and allergy during this Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month:
May is the 53rd Annual National Bike Month, when all things bicycle are celebrated. Learn all about these popular two-wheeled conveyances (including why they aren't just for children) by following these links:
So there's a lot of talk about swine flu right now, and some of it is pretty scary. No need to panic, the doctors tell us, and a little information might help. So far, there have been no cases in Louisiana and with some precautions, the residents of this state might be able to keep it that way. Here are some links for people curious about the outbreak:
A Little Perspective: Endemics and Pandemics of the Past
In 165 AD, smallpox killed an estimated 5 million people--about 3% of everyone on the planet. The Spanish Flu of 1918 killed 50 million, or 5%. As of this writing, there are 112 confirmed cases of swine influenza on planet Earth. History has a way of giving us some perspective like that. Here are some links about the history of disease outbreaks:
The Terrebonne Mobile Library will be available at the Ladybug Ball this weekend, so be sure to stop by and see how we bring the library show on the road!
"The 10th Annual Ladybug Ball, sponsored by Re/Max Good Earth Realty of Houma, is set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Southdown Plantation, 1208 Museum Drive in Houma.
Admission is free. Activities range in price from $1 on up.
A shuttle service from the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“It’s just a magical day,” said Linda Faulk, founder and chair of the event.
The Ladybug Ball centers on the release of 100,001 ladybugs and 201 butterflies, scattered into the air by local officials stationed at 10 to 12 release posts around the plantation grounds."
Click here for more information about the Ladybug Ball.
April 22nd is Earth Day, a day to reflect on the state our planet's ecology is in and how we both hurt and help the situation with our personal choices and choices as a society.
Here are some links that might help you live a "greener" life:
The Earth Day Network--How can you join the movement to help the Earth? The website of the Earth Day Network can tell you more.
Earthday.gov--The US Government's Earth Day portal.
The EPA Fuel Economy Guide--Is that clunker of yours wasting gas...and money? Find out how which new models just sip and how you can get you more goin' per gallon in the car you already drive.
April is International Guitar Month! That's right: we're halfway through the month of the instrument of Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Jimmy Page, Andres Segovia and Matteo Carcassi.
So what can you do? How about buying a guitar? The Houma-Thibodaux area has many great music stores with new and used guitars available and most offer lessons.
There are also many great online sources for guitar players:
Online guitar chord chart--Even has links that play the chord when you click it so you can hear how it sounds.
Freeguitarvideos.com has neat online guitar lessons complete with detailed video explanations of what they're teaching you. Clear views of the teachers' hands.
Need to tune a guitar? Here's an online tuner that makes life a lot easier for guitarists. Just select your desired tuning (standard, drop D, double drop D) and pluck away.
If you want more information about the library's resources for musicians of all stripes, call or email the Reference Department. The phone number is 985-876-1733. You can also contact us via online chat! You can find the "Instant Librarian" chat box on the front page of our website.
