Thursday, December 20, 2007

Book Review: The Alchemist This book was suggested to me by my best friend and my son. The Alchemist tells the story of a young shepherd in Spain who has a dream about the Pyramids. He sees a fortune teller who tells him he should travel to the Pyrmamids, then he meets an old man who also tells him to travel in order to fulfill his life's destiny. He decides to sell his sheep and travel. He runs into many troubles, but meets many kind people who help him, as he helps them. He finally meets the Alchemist in an Oasis on the way to the Pyramids. He learns much about himself and the world, about belief and personal strength. It is a wonderfully written book about personal growth. 12:00:12 PM     New Links on our web for the week of December 20, 2005 Black History and African American Resources The Mary McLeod Bethune Council House: African American Women Unite For Change "During her long life, Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator, social activist, and prominent leader in the women's rights movement. This latest installment in the National Park Service's "Teaching with Historic Places Lesson Plans" centers on her council House in Washington, D.C., and is a fine resource for history teachers and those with a general interest in American history. The Council House happens to be where the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) was located for over twenty years, and a number of important discussions regarding the integration of the military took place here. Visitors to the site will want to take a look at the historical essay on the house before getting started, and then they will want to look at the readings on Bethune and the NCNW. The lesson also includes a host of visual images along with some fine classroom activities and discussion questions." (SR) Books and Reading Booktagger "Booktagger is a type of social network for book lovers. Sign up and add the books you have read, and ones you are thinking about reading. Then chat it up with people that like the same books as you do, get suggestions and a little more insight on what you might want to read." (DS) Government, Elections, and Law Social Explorer "This site "provides easy access to demographic information about the United States, from 1940 to 2000," by featuring "thousands of maps and hundreds of reports with thousands of variables." Includes interactive census maps (showing population, age, race, occupation, and other factors) and related reports. Additional features are available for a fee." (LII) Health ReadThisToMe.org "Site for this "free reading service for blind and low-vision people, powered by volunteers and Internet collaboration. ... [It] allows blind and low-vision people (clients) to have printed documents read to them over the phone. All a person needs is a phone line and a fax machine (no computer is required)." Includes a FAQ and details about volunteering." (LII) Leisure The New York Times: Crosswords/Games "Free content from The New York Times includes a free weekly crossword puzzle from the online archive (updated every Monday), a daily sudoku puzzle, and articles about crossword puzzles, bridge, and chess. Also includes links to the Learning Network with crosswords for young solvers (with puzzles on topics such as American history, geography, and science), and a daily news quiz. Also includes links to related sites. Additional material is available for a fee." (LII) News WKBZ-AM 1090 WMRR-FM 101.7 WMUS-FM/AM 107 WSHZ-FM 107.9 WUVS-FM 103.7 WBLU/WBLV-FM 88.9 or 90.3 Parenting Resources HealthyToys.org: The Consumer Action Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys "Test results released in December 2007 for toxic chemicals in "over 1,200 toys and children's products." Search by product name, or browse by brand or toy type. Listings include general information (such as country of manufacture), and levels of lead, cadmium, chlorine/PVC, arsenic, and mercury. Also includes a FAQ, background on the chemicals, and a place to submit suggestions for other toys to be tested. From the Ecology Center (Michigan), with the Washington Toxics Coalition." (LII) 11:50:26 AM     Booktagger Would you like to discuss books online with others? Try Booktagger. It is free to sign up. Once you are signed up, you can add books that you have read, or those you want to read, and find people who like the same books. (Found via Download Squad.) 11:02:03 AM

© Copyright 2008 Jocelyn Shaw. Last update: 11/18/2008; 2:39:03 PM. Photo curtesy of Marjorie O'Brien