Monday, November 28, 2016
7 Mark Twain Quotes for His Birthday
Samuel Clemons, AKA Mark Twain, was born on November 30, 1835. In honor of this great man's 181st birthday, here are a baker's half-dozen of his quotes on a variety of topics taken from Mark Twain : his words, wit, and wisdom.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Five Tips From How to Win Friends and Influence People
Monday, November 21, 2016
The Truth About Black Friday May Shock You
While some of us will be sleeping away a turkey overdose, many Americans will be out in the world shopping this Friday. The unofficial holiday, also known as "Black Friday," is supposed to be the busiest shopping day of the year. While many legends have arisen as to how the day got its name, the truth is very much against the shoppers.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
5 Martin Scorses Films at the Library
Acclaimed film director Martin Scorses turns 74 on November 17 so we decided to look and see what of his we had in the library. A mix of narrative and nonfiction, Scorses's career covers many diverse and interesting topics. Here are a few, in no particular order:
Monday, November 14, 2016
5 Moby-Dick Facts
Moby-Dick: The Whale by Herman Melville was published 165 years ago in the United States on November 14, 1851. The book, about a sea captain obsessed with killing a white whale to the detriment of everything around him, is an American classic. Here are five facts about Moby-Dick (and yes, there is supposed to be a hyphen).
It was inspired by two whales
It was written fairly fast
The book is dedicated to Nathaniel Hawthorne
The book was not a best seller
Starbucks Coffee is named from the book.
Sources
11 Things You Might Not Know About 'Moby-Dick' - Mental Floss
Labels:
books,
Herman Melville,
history,
Moby Dick,
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Thursday, November 10, 2016
4 Facts about the Marine Corps on It's Birthday
The United States Marine Corps celebrates its 241st birthday this year on November 10th, so here are four facts about one of the oldest branches of our military.
It has had two birthdays
There was little pomp early
Between 1925 and 1952, celebrations varied from dances, mock battles, and small parties. The Marine Corps then moved to have a celebration that includes a ball and cake cutting. This tradition was formalized in 1952 by Commandant Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr., the procedure for which ended up in the Drill Manual in 1956.
There is a procedure for cutting the cake.
The cake cutting is a formal event that is meant to symbolize the age and tradition of the Corps. The first slice of cake is given to the oldest Marine present who then gives it to the youngest. This is to show the passing of knowledge and tradition between generations.
They went through a few mottoes
The official motto of the Marine Corps is "Semper Fidelius" which translates from Latin to "Always Faithful." This motto was established in 1883. Before that it had three:
The first, antedating the War of 1812, was “Fortitudine” (“With Fortitude”). The second, “By Sea and by Land,” was obviously a translation of the Royal Marine’s “Per Mare, Per Terram.” Until 1848, the third motto was “To the Shores of Tripoli,” in commemoration of O’Bannon’s capture of Derna in 1805. In 1848, after the return to Washington of the Marine battalion that took part in the capture of Mexico City, this motto was revised to: “From the Halls of the Montezumas to the Shores of Tripoli" – a line now familiar to all Americans. This revision of the Corps motto in Mexico has encouraged speculation that the first stanza of “The Marines’ Hymn” was composed by members of the Marine battalion who stormed Chapultepec Castle.
Source
United States Marine Corps History Division (via archive.org)Monday, November 7, 2016
Geaux Vote Election Information
Early last month we gave you information on non-partisan political organizations and candidate information. This entry is all about Geaux Vote Election Information.
If you’re trying to find out where to vote, what’s on the ballot, or even whether you are registered to vote, the state of Louisiana has a website called geauxvote.com.
Under the "Are you a voter?" heading, you can find the following links:
If you need additional help finding your voter information, stop by the Main Library across from the Civic Center or call the Reference Department at 876-5861, option 2.
Thursday, November 3, 2016
5 Behind the Scenes Facts about Doctor Strange
Marvel's Doctor Strange is due out this weekend and the comic fans at the library are excited. To get ready for the Sorcer Supreme's big movie debut, we looked him up in our collection and found a few tidbits on his creators.
Here are a few facts from behind the scenes of the Master of the Mystic Arts
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