Our Own Chicago Wiki

Want to help out fellow Chicagoans?  Or people just visiting the city?  The local wiki for Chicago just got up and running this March, so it needs new entries done by Chicagoans (or Oak Parkers or River Foresters, etc.) to beef up Chicago knowledge.

So do you know a good place to just hang out with friends that, also, happens to have the best coffee in the city?  Or maybe a good service to help the homeless out?  Or perhaps the best place to get a cinnabon in the city?  Your feedback is required to make this grassroots wiki a reality.  You’re welcome to create any page you’d like, and even have a chance to talk to other Chicagoans making edits.   It is super easy, just requiring you to sign in, and the rest is just like a blog account.  This wiki will make a great resource for anything and everything Chicago as long as people pitch in!

 

Andy Warhol Just Gave Us the Best Throwback Thursday – Esquire

H.G. Fields

Andy Warhol Just Gave Us the Best Throwback Thursday – Esquire.

What a great find, this! Andy Warhol’s digital work found on lost floppy disks!

Notice his transcribed Birth of Venus and digital rendition of his own Campbell’s SoupCan.

There’s some video footage there of him working on ye olde stone age computer, Commodore.

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How Asimov Imagined 2014 in 1964

In 1964 the Science Fiction author Isaac Asimov made some predictions about 2014.  Asimov is responsible for the popular I, Robot, and the Foundation series;  he is, also, known for his Three Laws of Robotics.

• A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
• A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
• A robot may not injure its own kind and defend its own kind unless it is interfering with the first or second rule.

His predictions range from the invention of 3-D movies and television to being able to dial Antarctica.  While he also thought everyone in 2014 will be seeing psychologists, the rest of his predictions are pretty much on target.  The BBC collected and presented most of them.  It is another example of how Science Fiction can and has molded our future.  How much do you think society and technology will be changed 50 years from now?

Some of Rebecca Crown Library’s books about Asimov

Picture credit from: PLCjr on Flickr.com

World Book Night

By: Rebecca Komperda and Katelyn Morrison

Today, April 23, 2014 is World Book Day which is marked as a “celebration of literacy by publishers, bookstores, libraries and individuals who love books and reading” all around the world.  On this day, Shakespeare’s birthday, those who registered with the non-profit group as “book givers” distribute 20 copies of a previously read and loved book, from a pre-approved list of 30 select book titles, to absolute strangers.  The importance behind this celebration is to encourage and advocate for the vitality of literacy worldwide.  2014’s list is compiled by booksellers, librarians, and readers who want to share their love of reading.

Through this event a “nationwide  advocacy and distribution network” is established between libraries and bookstores. On this day the American Library Association (ALA) to help “spread the love of reading from person to person”. Why read?  Studies continuously show that people who read for pleasure have better vocabularies, are better able to interact socially, and books can even improve your mental health and happiness.  People all over the world sign up to be volunteers to pass out books to people in participating libraries and book stores.  You might even get a free book at Rebecca Crown this day!

Getting ready for World Book Night 2014! pic.twitter.com/1oyYVUZ98R

— felice maciejewski (@felicemac) April 8, 2014

Further Information on World Book Night. 

Happy Earth Day

Planet Earth image from Wikipedia.

Today is Earth Day and there are a number of things going on around campus:

1:00 p.m. – Free Yoga in the Quad

Bring your mats, blankets or towels for a mid day yoga session outdoors hearing the birds chirping and feeling the breeze on your face as you stretch your body and mediate for some personal wellness.

6:30 p.m. – The New Moo in the Founder’s Court

Enjoy free cookies and celebration on Earth Day with Eco Club who will have information on hand regarding GMO foods and how it affects our environment and our bodies. Nutrition Club will be hosting an alternative milk tasting. Try some of those new milks you have been hearing about, such as almond, coconut, rice, hemp, and the old standard soy. If it is raining, the alternative location is the Parmer Silveri Atrium.

7:00 p.m. – Film Screening of Food Patriots

Join us in watching this moving and inspiring documentary about food and how food can better our bodies and our planet when we grow it/purchase it with Sustainable and Social Justice awareness.

April 15th in History

We live in a time where our days fly by like the speed of lightening and we rarely get the chance to appreciate what has happened each day in history.  We wanted to take this opportunity to allow a minute out of our busy and hectic day to get a glimpse as to what has happened in history over the past. Enjoy!

• 1784- The first balloon was flown in Ireland
• 1817- The first school for the deaf in the United States was open in Hartford, CT
• 1865- President Lincoln died from being fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth
• 1892 -The General Electric Company opened
• 1912-The Titanic sank after colliding with an iceberg in the North Atlantic, leaving 1,517 dead
• 1923- Insulin became widely available for the general public dealing with diabetes

Reference:

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/apr15.htm

All Oxford University Press Books Online FREE during National Library Week

By Bryan Deziel

In celebration of National Library Week, Oxford University Press is offering free access to all of its online resources from April 13th-19th.  Founded in 1586, Oxford University Press is the largest academic publisher in the world.  OUP’s publications are widely respected and regarded as among the most scholarly and trustworthy reference sources.  Online resources available this week include these reference sources (including the Oxford English Dictionary) as well as scholarly editions of many essential texts in the humanities.  To explore the wide range of online resources provided by OUP, follow this link: http://global.oup.com/academic/librarians/national-library-week/?cc=sa&lang=en&

 

First celebrated in 1958, National Library Week is observed annually, usually during the second week in April.  The week commemorates the important contributions of libraries and librarians and promotes the use of libraries and the pursuit of lifelong learning.  More information on this year’s National Library Week can be found here: http://atyourlibrary.org/national-library-week

On This Day: President Lincoln was Fatally Shot

Almost 150 years ago today on April 14, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate advocate, during a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. Suspicions have been that John Wilkes Booth fatally shot President Lincoln in response to the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War at Appomattox Court House Virginia five days earlier.

This was not the first attempt however to demise President Lincoln.  The previous plan was to capture President Lincoln on March 20, 1865, to bring back to the Confederate army, while visiting the Boston areas however on the plotted kidnapping day President Lincoln was not present. In desperation to save the Confederacy, upon learning that President Lincoln was going to attend the “Our American Cousin” performance at Ford’s Theater, Booth formulated a plan to assassinate not only Lincoln but Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward in anticipation to send the U.S. government into chaos mode.

On April 14, the plan went into action and Secretary of State Seward was seriously wounded by Lewis Powell, however George Atzerodt was suppose to assassinate Vice President Johnson but when push came to shove he backed out of the plan and fled. In the meantime, Booth fatally shot President Lincoln in his theatre box with only a single bullet in the back of his head, and escaped Washington thereafter on horseback.

The following day at 7:22 a.m. President Lincoln was declared dead, making him the first United States President to be assassinated.

Image from: http://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b49830/

Chicago’s 30th Latino Film Festival

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Chicago Latino Film Festival, annually celebrated since 1985. The Festival is sponsored by numerous national corporations, local Hispanic and Latino communities and was initially organized by the International Latino Cultural Center also referred to as ILCC. The prime focus of the Film Festival is to feature and promote Latin American filmmakers, elude from typical stereotypes of Hispanics and Latinos as well as feature the diversity found amongst the Latino community.

In light of promoting a non-competitive environment and to allow the feature of artistic and educational value of all films, the Chicago Latino Film Festival only allocates two awards, those being the Audience Choice Award and the Gloria Achievement Award. The 30th Chicago Latino Film Festival is in full swing having begun on Tuesday April 3rd and will continue until next Thursday, April 17th.

For more information on the Chicago Latino Film Festival click here.

April is National Parkinson’s Awareness Month

Parkinson’s Disease affects more than one million North Americans and over 10 million people worldwide. The total number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease annually in the United States is currently 60,00 surpassing the number of people diagnosed with with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease combined.

Unfortunately, a great number of people live with Parkinson’s disease untreated and undiagnosed for several years because symptoms mimic similar symptoms to typical aging.  Michal J. Fox, who was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s Disease, is a strong advocate for further research and spreading the word.

April has been commemorated as National Parkinson’s Disease Awareness month and Rebecca Crown Library is doing their part at raising awareness by recognizing its commemorate month. To find out more information about Parkinson’s disease click here.