The Charles Schulz Museum is scheduled to open this summer in Santa Rosa, CA. The website includes monthly photos of the construction which began in June 2000. One notable museum item will be an 8 x 12 foot wall from the Colorado Springs house Schulz lived in in 1951. He had decorated it with early Peanuts characters and the current homeowners carefully uncovered the painted over drawings and donated it to the museum. It was removed, packed up and transported by truck. A new wall was placed in the house, but it won't have the same cachet.
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Ever nipped a spoon or a napkin from a restaurant? You are not alone. According to the New York Times, almost anything worth taking in a restaurant has been pilfered by clever diners. From large lamps to bathroom sconces, tiny caviar spoons to oversized Italian silver, large paintings and a Murano glass decanter, all are apparently no problem for some patrons' sticky hands. One place had an antique French faucet replaced with a cheap knockoff by a well-prepared thief. Another loses its $25 bathroom candles almost daily. Items with a restaurant's name or logo are particularly enticing for collectors. Solutions to this petty thievery include nailing things down, making the waitstaff responsible for keeping an eye on items, and sometimes just not using the top of the line accoutrements anymore.
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Wednesday, February 27, 2002

It's Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee this year and The Royal Family website has published 50 royal facts. The Queen has sat for over 120 portraits. She did not perform her yearly role of opening Parliament on two occasions, when she was pregnant with Prince Andrew and then Prince Edward. Her first corgi was named Susan and she has owned more than 30 corgis since. There are also 50 facts about her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
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SkyScraperPage.com has an amazing feature: a searchable database of world's tallest building diagrams. There are pre-sorted direct links to groupings of buildings by city, continent, and architect. The search parameters let you create your own unique groupings and sort them in various ways. The illustrations are exceptionally detailed. My own subtitles for a few: Vienna, "old versus new". San Jose, "no upstaging". Wuhan, "1997, year of the instant skyline". and Miscellaneous, "The Titanic?"
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Tuesday, February 26, 2002

IKEA organized a trip to their Emeryville store for East Palo Alto residents as they prepare for the March election which will decide if cutely named Swedish items and the accompanying traffic snarls will be coming to their city. Opponents and supporters alike traveled up by bus to see what the fuss is all about. I can imagine that the sight of the imposing yellow and blue behemoth may have not been convincing, but perhaps the prices and nifty products inside were appealing. This article notes that some residents would prefer to have a grocery store, which East Palo Alto does not have, in IKEA's proposed location. Swedish meatballs and lingonberries just won't cut it.
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Palm and 3Com will have to post a $50 million bond as they appeal the ruling that Graffiti infringes on a Xerox handwriting patent. But a motion by Xerox to have Palm Powered handheld sales halted was denied. So perhaps they got off easy.
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Monday, February 25, 2002

You're probably familiar with Rosie the Riviter, but women were also recruited for other roles in the war effort. This collection of World War II posters illustrates the various jobs women were encouraged to take on, and also the psychology used to encourage participation: your parents will be proud, your little sister will be envious, and your brother will come home sooner. And if that wasn't enough motivation, there was also the pay scale. (via coudal partners)
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"Is the mind of a Mandarin speaker different from the mind of an English speaker?" Lera Boroditsky's research (abstract here) has shown that the different representations of time in the two languages result in a difference in how the speakers think about time. The study of language's effect on cognition has been controversial in the past as Benjamin Lee Whorf's findings from the Hopi Indians were used for racist theories which supposed that speakers of primitive languages were incapable of abstract thought. But, despite the potential for improper use of the results, experiments into how language shapes our brains open fascinating windows into understanding how the brain works, how we represent concepts as we are cogitating. (via xblog)

Footnote: as I was delving into Boroditsky's background, I came across the honors thesis of someone I know who has worked with her. Lauren Schmidt's thesis shows that gender assignments for objects in languages affect the speaker’s mental representation of the objects. Studying French changed my view of various objects as I projected various characterizations on them in order to better remember their gender assignments. And I always wanted to know more about how they were assigned in the first place.
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Friday, February 22, 2002

Blindsight is a phenomenon where visually impaired people actually know where objects are without having been conscious of seeing them. It demonstrates that there is both unconscious and conscious processing of sensory input. There is much we do that seems to happen unconsciously, but blindsight seems almost magical while also being scientifically verifiable. Actions which become habitual or intuitive, such as reacting to driving conditions, are at a different level of unconscious behavior compared to the basic skill of knowing where something is when you have no idea that you saw it. (spotted in a Wired News article)
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The History of Eating Utensils contains objects from the Rietz Food Technology Collection which is housed at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. The entire collection consists of 17,000 objects, most of which are eating utensils from many cultures and time periods. Such a variety of materials has been used to create utensils! The section on portable utensils has folding knives, forks, spoons, and travel chopsticks.
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Thursday, February 21, 2002

Julia Child's kitchen has arrived at the Smithsonian and they are unpacking and cataloging it in view of the public. The accompanying website chronicles the documenting, dismantling and packing up of the kitchen, its 12,000 objects, and some of Julia's memories as well. The two month process included much measuring, videotaping, and an unhealthy amount of dishwashing as the staff took care not to carry back any organic matter along with the items.
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Missing a note or two in a solo performance would be embarrassing enough, but violinist Thomas Zehetmair missed his entire performance with the Philadelphia Orchestra last week. Thinking the performance was in the evening, the violinist went out for an afternoon walk, then opened the paper only to find on its pages that he was supposed to be on stage. It was an understandable mistake, considering that it was a Friday afternoon concert, not a typical Sunday matinee.

Less forgivable, perhaps depending on your perspective, was the trouble members of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic caused on a flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles. Crew members booted them off the plane in Washington D.C. for their drunk and disorderly behavior. They were not allowed back for the second leg of the flight and had to spend the night in D.C. Someone must have had a time finding hotel rooms for 100 musicians, many of them inebriated. Chances are good, however, that they were able to get to L.A. in time for their performance. (both stories via Obscure Store)
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Wednesday, February 20, 2002

I've posted many entries about how a Frontline program about diamonds and DeBeers' control of the market opened my eyes to the myths behind the marketing of this sparkly gem. More recently, the media attention towards "conflict diamonds" has not appeared to have dulled the engagement ring sheen. And you may have noticed that jewelers now advertise their own unique brands and cuts of diamonds in order to differentiate and control their product. National Geographic's March issue features "Diamonds: The Real Story." From the excerpts on the site, the article appears to cover much ground, from DeBeers' latest marketing tactics (promoting that sparkly ring in China) to the historical significance of Indian royal jewels, and the shady journey from mine to consumer including the sometimes stressful shaping of rough stone into perfectly polished gem.
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The American Theatre Organ Society is striving to preserve the culture of the theatre pipe organ. Their site's Story of the Theatre Organ describes the origins, design, downturn, and rebirth of the powerful instrument that accompanied the rise and fall of the old time movie palaces. The SF Bay Area has "more world-class theater organs than any area in the country" and David Hegarty has played them all. He appears almost daily at the mighty Wurlitzer in San Francisco's Castro Theatre and twice a week at Palo Alto's Stanford Theatre. I've enjoyed the grand nostalgia of Stanford's glorious organ many times.
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Tuesday, February 19, 2002

In 1943, Monterey County's Board of Supervisors passed a resolution which "'vigorously' protested the release of Japanese from internment camps, citing the lack of 'provision for adequate surveillance and control' and the potential for 'serious sabotage and difficulty in defending our shoreline in the event of an attack.'" A historian researching the history of Japanese in the area discovered the old resolution and on Tuesday the present day board plans to rescind it.
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The actors who portray the evil nerd troika in Buffy have their very own Science Fiction Weekly interview. They describe how they got the roles, express a little disappointment in not being included in the musical episode (two of them sing), and speculate on their character's motives. The conclusion? "Together we'd make the perfect guy."
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America the Bountiful celebrates the history and diversity of American cuisine by chronicling ten foods: beef, chicken, turkey, pork, potatoes, corn, greens, wheat, beans, and apples. Each is attached to a corresponding period in history. Apples are brought to Calfornia during the Gold Rush. Chickens were egg producers, cooked only for special Sunday dinners until after World War II. The site is hosted by the Culinary Archives & Museum at Johnson & Wales University.
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Friday, February 15, 2002

A rash couple picked out a 2.03-carat diamond ring at Tiffany's at the Stanford Shopping Center on Wednesday and then ran out the door with it. Perhaps the $42,800 ring was a Valentine's Day gift for the thieving bride-to-be. Perhaps it will pop up on eBay. Does the couple that steals together stay together?
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The NY Stock Exchange opening bell is often rung by visiting company executives celebrating IPOs or anniversaries, but on February 14th a robot became the first non-human to ring the bell. Humanoid robot Asimo represented Honda Motor Company. Traders on the floor took little notice.
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Thursday, February 14, 2002

Happy Valentine's Day! Enjoy this online exhibit of Vintage Valentines from the West Virginia University Libraries.
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The man in charge of the Olympic long-track speedskating rink is disappointed. After the 500 meter race, Marc Norman, caretaker at the Utah Olympic Oval, carefully examined temperature and humidity data. He had hoped that world records would be broken at this, the highest altitude speed skating track in the world. Air resistance is lower at high altitude, and the reduced oxygen creates a better sheet of ice. A Popular Science article goes into detail on the design of the rink, the ice, the building. The ice is tweaked for different events, adjusting for more "glide" at distance events and "grip" for shorter races. Norman mixes a secret soap substance into the Zamboni water in order to reduce the oxygen frozen in. The lower ceiling in the building allows for better control over the climate inside. A dehumidifier was specially designed for the space. With such deep preparation and fine control, it isn't surprising that Norman is disappointed with the lack of record breaking skates. After analyzing the data, he decided that the temperature of the floor under the ice was too warm. But the skaters are pleased with the ice, even if they aren't breaking any records.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2002

If the Winter Olympics figure skating has made you wonder what your favorites from long ago are up to, there are short updates on Skating Inc's Where Are They Now? page for many well-known skaters.
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Those spare Iridium satellites finally did take off on Monday after three delays. And I found the answer to my question: what happened to the other two spares? They will be launched in June of this year.
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A wire coat hanger in a 1,000 year old Chinese ceramic horse? The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco is moving to a new home and conservators are busy preparing the collection for the move. Some of it involves removing earlier restoration work, though actually the coat hanger is going to stay put since it is in good shape. The core of the collection, 13,000 works gifted to San Francisco by Avery Brundage, is the city's second-most valuable asset (real estate is the first).
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Tuesday, February 12, 2002

Happy Lunar New Year! At the start of 2002, snarkout posted an entry about the lucky foods people eat to mark the beginning of the year. I had not heard about the Chinese custom of eating dumplings for New Year's and the placing of a coin in one of them. When I asked my father about it, he thought a bit and decided that it was probably a custom that is more common in the northern part of China. Rice is a staple in the south and east but wheat is used in the north. My father also defined the difference between what he considers a "custom" versus a "tradition". He explained that the dumpling and coin thing is a custom which is not as strong as the traditions, such as the giving of money in red envelopes. The distinction is quite subtle, but it's clear to him. The one food that is customary in my parent's house for New Year's is the Glutinous Rice Cake (Nian Gao). Unfortunately, I don't enjoy its chewy texture.
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What fun! English milk bottles of all sorts at Milk Bottle of the Week. Most have advertisements. Here's a Kellogg's Corn Flakes maze. There are messages from the police and messages from farmers. Queen Elizabeth has her own dairy and therefore her own milk bottles. (via Yahoo What's New moo!)
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Monday, February 11, 2002

Various news agencies have reported that the number of couples getting married in China has spiked up as the Lunar New Year approaches. Apparently the upcoming Year of the Horse is an unlucky one because it does not contain a date for the start of spring. Covering February 12, 2002 through January 31, 2003, this new year will have just missed the start of spring on February 4, 2002 and will not contain the following one. Engaged couples are taking all the luck they can get and rushing off to the marriage offices. But some are being patient and waiting for this year to pass by.
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The Social Security Administration's website has a history section. It includes Social Security Number trivia and describes why the geographical assignment of the first three digits of the SSN has an anomaly with New Hampshire having lower numbers than Maine. This was done so that Social Security Board Chairman John G. Winant, who was from New Hampshire, could be assigned 001-01-0001. But he declined it and it was eventually given to Grace D. Owen who was the first to apply for a number in New Hampshire. I also found an interesting photo of female African-American keypunch operators.
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Friday, February 08, 2002

The Amtrak Reform Council was created in 1997 when Congress approved a five-year plan to fund Amtrak. With those five years now at an end, Amtrak has not managed to create a self-sufficient business and has asked for more money. But the Reform Council has recommended a 3-way breakup of Amtrak's business: 1. policy, 2. overseeing the tracks, property and stations Amtrak owns in the Northeast Corridor, 3. train operations. Bids for franchises to operate various routes would be accepted in two to five years. Amtrak chairman Michael Dukakis (remember him?) would like their proposal to be rejected. Opinions range widely from those wanting to save the long struggling company and those who wouldn't mind if it just disappeared, with its tracks and routes going to the highest bidder. I love train travel and have seriously considered taking a scenic long distance trip. But air travel is faster and more affordable. I don't think the government should throw more money at Amtrak, but I do hope that someone brings the glory back to longer distance train travel in the United States.
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I first learned to type on a keypunch machine in my father's office. Well, perhaps "learned" is too strong a word. But I did produce much nonsense and some actual words on stacks of punch cards. I still have a few of them. Douglas W. Jones collects punch cards and his site has historical information and scans of his card collection. Many of them have corporate logos. He also has a page on chads and voting machines. Jones' site was featured in a NY Times article about surviving use of punch card systems.
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Thursday, February 07, 2002

The reincarnated Iridium is adding five more satellites to its crop of 66 plus 7 spares. It was only last year that the old incarnation was set to crash and burn, along with their satellites, before the U.S. Department of Defense came to the rescue. Last year's press release stated that there were seven in-orbit spares and they were planning to launch seven more spares this year. I wonder what happened to the other two? In December they issued a press release stating that the satellites are expected to operate through mid-2010, and they have not needed to use any of the spares.
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Where can you buy a one dollar bill for five dollars? Well, besides going to just about anyone on the street with that enticing offer (they probably won't believe you), you could also have pulled off this neat trick at a special U.S. Treasury sale in San Francisco. They sold some bills in sheet form, a configuration that has been available for many years, and they also sold a new item: dollar bills for Chinese New Year. These "lucky" dollar bills have auspicious serial numbers and come in colored folders. They are also available online from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Store in their Lucky Money Line.
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Wednesday, February 06, 2002

The Fastap Keypad looks like a promising new phone key arrangement. Start exercising those thumbs now! (via CamWorld)
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A cat treks 353 miles back home to its family. It's another one of those "how do they do it?" animal mysteries. Skittles, an orange tabby, was left behind during a summer stay in southern Wisconsin. He managed to make his way back to Hibbing, Minnesota, a little the worse for wear, but probably quite relieved to have found his owners. (via Obscure Store)
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Extraordinary Popular Delusions And The Madness Of Crowds was published in 1841 and the complete text is available online. You've heard of Tulip-mania, the Crusades and alchemy. There are a few other interesting topics covered in this book that you may not be aware of. From the introduction to Volume 1:

"In reading the history of nations, we find that, like individuals, they have their whims and their peculiarities; their seasons of excitement and recklessness, when they care not what they do. We find that whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some new folly more captivating than the first."

Alas, this being 1841, the Dot Com phenomena is not covered, but it probably fits into the Tulip template quite well.
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Tuesday, February 05, 2002

A Law Librarian’s Guide to Researching Airline Ticket Prices is lengthy but informative. First, background information about airline ticketing systems and fare classifications is covered. Then various types of discounters and strategies for cheap tickets are described. Finally, there is a table of online ticketing services and their prices for sample flights. It is an article worthy of a law librarian and useful to anyone seeking cheaper fares.
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Following Sony's Vaio Pen Tablet to a not-ready-for-primetime grave, IBM's ThinkPad TransNote has been discontinued. With a price starting at $2,999 and no true handwriting recognition, this paper pad replacement had few takers. Will Microsoft's second (at least) trip into the pen computer market with their Tablet PC technology need another round of innovation before it hits the mainstream?
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Monday, February 04, 2002

Interesting tidbits from Fran Gage's book "Bread and Chocolate":

In American colonial times, sugar was not as refined as nowadays and contained impurities. Cooks who needed a pure sugar would boil it with water and skim it, then mix it with egg whites which attached to other unwanted bits in it. I remember seeing a tan-colored cone of sugar during my grade school visits to historical houses.

Although what we know as "the baking potato" is always a Russet Burbank, the potatoes sold as "red" and "white" have many possible varieties. Gage called her major supermarket's PR firm and they had to investigate before they sent her a list of the ones they had sold under those color labels.

There are three varieties of blood orange: Moro, Tarocco, and Sanguinelli. Gage liked the Moro the best.
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I am going to bet that we were not the only Tivo-owners who recorded the Super Bowl so that we could fast-forward through the game and watch just the commercials. It definitely felt backwards!
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The International Dark-Sky Association had hoped that New York's Governor Pataki would sign a bill to reduce the amount of light pollution through better designed outdoor light fixtures and regulation of lighting. But The NY Times reports that Pataki vetoed the bill, citing the cost of replacing lights and also the possibility of increased lawsuits as people sue the state for bright highway or prison lights. It had taken seven months of negotiations for the bill's sponsors to try to satisfy Pataki's concerns with the bill, but it wasn't enough. They will try again this year, but while New York's Democrat-heavy Assembly is keen on the idea, the Republican-controlled Senate will be as tough to appease as Pataki.
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Friday, February 01, 2002

The Nonverbal Dictionary has more than the expected body language motions likes yawns and frowns. It also lists things like emotions, new car smell (an aroma cue), the Big Mac, interior design and the ever-popular homunculus. It is part of the website of the Center for Nonverbal Studies. The definition of nonverbal communication "includes body movement, gesture, facial expression, adornment and fashion, architecture, mass media, and consumer-product design", thus the resulting breadth of the dictionary terms. (via sylloge and xBlog)
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Welcome Dagny! Pete and Toni are going to be wonderful parents.
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Randy has a beautiful photo of an "icicle suspended from a single strand of spider silk left over from the summer." (archived here, Jan 29, 2002)
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