Unshelved	by Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum

Want to take a survey?

An MIT team is surveying bloggers about their blogs and how they interact with people both online and offline. Go ahead, become a statistic, too. :)

Eilir raved on 09:49

Not that I dance well

but I've known (and even danced with) people who dance like this, and it makes me feel a little better about my own attempts.

how to dance properly

It's great for a Thursday laugh. Don't you just love the variety of things out on the Net?

Eilir raved on 09:08

Quote of the day

From, appropriately, Dr Thomas D. Clark, late historian laureate for Kentucky:

Some historians undertake to simply open the grave and live in the past. I always felt that history was a living thing.

I share that view. That's one reason that local historical centres, oral history, documentaries, and the sort of 'living history' reenactments you see at some historical sites where you are presenting history to the populace is also, in so many ways, more important than writing dry books that might sit on dusty library shelves, because it brings a sense of history to the very people whose heritage it is, whose families have lived it, and shows them lessons to be learnt from such history and how their own lives play into the history around them.

Eilir raved on 09:37

Goodbye, Dr Clark

Lexington Herald-Leader 06/29/2005 Now a part of history

Thomas Dionysius Clark, our historian laureate, was a native of Mississippi, but early on in his professional life he came to Kentucky and truly adopted it as home, becoming an expert in Kentucky history and building the department that I was priveleged to study in during my career at the University of Kentucky. He had already retired from the university before I became a history student, but his presence lingered in many ways.

I met Dr Clark once after being selected as an intern at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives the summer between my history studies and before I started library school. He was an engaging man with, very personable and very gracious, with an excellent sense of humour, surprising in a man whom I had always heard negotiated through the bureaucracy of academia like a force of nature.

His enthusiasm and ability to secure support lies behind so much in terms of state history and the documents that portray it. He was an importance force behind the state historical society's history centre whose name is changing in his honour, the Lexington History Museum, the state archives, and the library at the University of Kentucky, among others. He inspired others to take up the reins so that these institutions may continue to flourish. He was interested in preserving history, culture, and the very environment of the state, yet was progressive in his thought and insisted that the South could ill afford to live in the past in an ever-changing world. He was a remarkable man, and in so many areas of the state, his presence will linger and yet the loss will be felt.

Eilir raved on 09:29

And at BNN...

Blogger News Network

Eilir raved on 12:09

Brava and good luck with this new hearing

The Daily Telegraph | Bravest woman in the world

Mukhtaran Mai was gang-raped three years ago by order of a village council in response to an alleged affair her brother had with a woman from a rival clan.

So-called 'honour punishments' such as rape and murder are crimes against usually innocent women and unscores how little value is given to the lives of these human beings. It is a barbaric process aimed at shaming or protecting the honour of a family, but with disastrous consequences for those pawns caught in the wake of such a brutal practice. The woman becomes a scapegoat for the sins of others. It is unthinkable that a woman who is the victim of a rape might be killed by a brother or father to supposedly protect the family honour, yet this does happen. Even when, as with adultery, the woman is herself a participant in an activity defined by her society as criminal or sinful, the punishment often far exceeds the supposed crime. It is one thing to live with shame for something you did; it is another to be brutally killed for it or be violated and left with a public humiliation for the crime of another.

All women should work to change these deadly crimes against their fellow sisters. For if we do not stand for each other, we admit that we are less than men, chattel to be disposed of as men see fit, something that is in itself a terrible lie that has unfortunately been incorporated into some belief systems and supposed systems of justice.

Hopefully the Supreme will re-examine the Lahore High Court decision to acquit five of the men in this case. I have no problem with commuting the original sentence of death to life imprisonment, for I do not believe that the death penalty is just in most cases in which it is used. Of course as with any court trial the prosecution must be able to prove its case...but if the evidence says the men are guilty and yet they walk free, it sends a clear message that anything might be done with impunity and without fear of punishment so long as it is supported by such barbaric customs. I cannot imagine this ever being the case if men were to be the victims rather than women...and that is wrong.

Eilir raved on 12:05

Want a free online weight managment tool?

Try NoEasyWay.com--Losing weight without losing money. Thanks to Mike Sanders' Keep Trying for the head's up.

Eilir raved on 13:42

Some specific goals

• Follow a prescribed regimen for staying healthy and controlling my diabetes and other health issues

1. Begin South Beach diet starting 7/1/05; total amount to lose: 100 lbs; first short-term goal: lose 20 lbs in 3 months
2. Weigh weekly and keep a log of progress
3. Walk 3 times weekly, starting for 10 minutes and progressing in speed, time, and incline gradually
4. Take medication faithfully on schedule as prescribed

• Reduce my debt, save for the future, and eventually buy my own home to become more financially stable

1. Pay myself first by putting away 10% of each paycheque
2. Convert as many expenses to regular instalments as possible (i.e., I've just signed up for the budget plan with the electric company so it's a set amount each month)
3. Get a copy of my credit report (have 1, need the other 2)
4. Make a list of all current debtees, amount owed, and terms
5. Create a budget and stick with it, paying small amounts on each debt as possible

• Be creative

1. Sit down and write for an hour 3 times a week
2. Attend a cultural or art exhibit/performance at least once per month
3. Practise an art or craft for an hour 3 times a week
4. Game once a week with full participation and character development

• Be spiritual

1. Perform libation ceremony once per month
2. Do daily breathing exercises and keep results in a log
3. Do yoga 3 times a week

• Be a friend; make a difference; practise relating to others

1. Do one thing for one person at least once per day
2. Talk or write to each friend at least every other day
3. Encourage someone at least once per week
4. Write to my family once per week
5. Participate in an in-depth discussion at least once per day

Eilir raved on 09:15

Mission Statement

• Grow as a person in maturity and scope of life
• Do what I can to help others and leave the world a little better off than I found it
• Live life to the fullest
• Nurture my creativity

Eilir raved on 09:13

NAMI Kentucky highlights the need for mental health services in the area

NAMI | Campaign Message Rings True in Kentucky

Their message can be found on page 6 of the April issue of Medical News [link is in .pdf form].

Eilir raved on 11:09

My own take on the last story, posted at

Blogger News Network

Eilir raved on 14:32

Bluegrass put on Watch List

The area is declared one of world's most endangered sites, putting it in company with great monuments such as the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. In recognition that cultural and physical beauty of the Bluegrass is threatened by urban sprawl, 1 million acres have been designated as endangered by the World Monuments Fund.

For those of you not familiar with our landscape, traditional farms (many for horses, but also tobacco and cattle), mortarless stone fences, and the once ubiquitous tobacco barns are giving away to a lot of development. In the time I've lived in Lexington, the population of Fayette and surrounding counties has grown exponentially. Areas that were still rural have disappeared under home and business construction, and places that used to have names and histories and identities of their own are now reduced to names of subdivisions and malls.

There is a strong preservation voice here in the Bluegrass, and steps have been taken to create a 'green belt' around the city and to preserve the farmland. But so much of the development is the stupid house-upon-house kind or giant strip malls where you can't get from one place to another without getting into a car. Hopefully they'll start doing more sustainable development where neighbourhoods are set up to walk to a grocery or library, where you don't take a chance with your life by crossing a thoroughfare.

I for one am glad to see this designation; it gives some ammunition to those trying to preserve the character of the Bluegrass, and it may at least make others pause and think about what's happening around them.

Eilir raved on 13:47

By the way

Happy Solstice...and full moon to boot. :)

Eilir raved on 15:11

Well...

word from the vet is that the fluid from Spock's chest showed signs of cardiomyopathy (heart disease). There was no sign of cancer. In other words, his heart gave out, finally. But I'm glad he wasn't slowed down by it and showing acute symptoms until just a few days ago. Dr Sears says he probably compensated for a chronic condition for awhile, which is why he had no pronounced symptoms, just a little weight loss and a certain rangy look that most cats have as they get older.

I've been through through most of the stages of grief already, and I suppose I'm heading towards acceptance, but it's still hard to come home and not find him there. At least I have Cerys and Darius, so the house is not empty. Both of them have been a little more clingy, and I think Darius was alarmed when I let Cerys sleep over with the pack (you took one animal away, now another, am I next?) and he stayed right on my pillow the whole night.

Eilir raved on 14:57

A detailed look at the process of halting unsafe drugs

that anyone on medication should read...and contact our politicians to give the FDA the power to protect us.

Lucrative Drug, Danger Signals and the F.D.A. | theledger.com

It's a shame, too, that studies have become so tied with funding from the drug companies rather than the independent evaluations they should be. Also, the delays necessary in trying to keep a dangerous drug from the patients it may harm is unsettling. I think if you have a regulatory body, it should have some teeth. Let's not forget, it was the FDA (and perhaps more importantly, one woman at the agency) who refused to approve thalidomide--a drug that was later found to cause severe birth defects--here in the US. I'm not sure that would be possible today, given the ability of companies to shield the FDA from studies that do not present the best outcomes, the amount of wrangling necessary when drugs do prove to have undesirable effects, etc. Anyway, read the story and see what you think.

Eilir raved on 10:13

Due to one plea

I have removed the override that left links un-underlined. So, for those that were annoyed at the difficulty in following links, they are all happily underlined for your perusal. I'm open to suggestions for helping with the site navigation, content, etc. Just drop me a line at: eilir.rowan@gmail.com. Are we happy now?

Eilir raved on 21:49

Heard about this on the radio...

(thanks Bob & Sheri).

The Field Guide to the Apocalypse, a book that takes all those kernels of information from sci-fi movies and distills them into a field guide that could come in handy during the End Times. ;) It includes info on how to tell if you're a replicant, what NOT to eat to survive, and how to tell if someone is trying to feed you Soylent Green (i.e., people). It's a humourous collection from an author who spent her high school years working in a video store in a mall and filling in the hours of boredom with disaster and sci-fi flicks, and this is the result.

Eilir raved on 10:50

I missed this one when it came out

but, being a medical librarian, I found it particularly appropriate to bookmark.

Medical Usability: How to Kill Patients Through Bad Design (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)

Eilir raved on 10:46

Well, good

House defies Bush, votes to repeal part of Patriot Act / Book-reading probes would be banned

Eilir raved on 13:37

That's different

Acupuncture & Tefillin (Jewish Phylacteries)

Eilir raved on 13:36

Seventeen years, two months, and ten days

this planet was graced with a big, stupid white cat who was the most loving, sweet creature I have ever encountered. This morning Spock died in my arms of congestive heart failure, an ancient specimen of cathood who was healthy right up the last few days. That in itself was a blessing, for he did not suffer long.

I have had him since he was a kitten. Somewhere I have a picture of him nose to nose with a hamster and they're about the same size. He was white with one blue eye and one green one, and he was named for the grey Star Trek logo on his head and the pointed ears. It was an ironic choice, because as a cat he was rather retarded (we think he was a bunny in his last lifetime). He recognised light, sound, Mom, 'nice lady' (any female), and was fond of just about everyone he ever encountered. He was very vocal and always met me at the door until right before the end. I will sooooo miss his kitten-like qualities. He had none of the scheming aloofness of cats, but was open and loving and sweet, and my life is richer for having him, and poorer for the loss. But I will always have memories, and althought I have a memory like a sieve, I have strong, loving memories of Spock that will never flow away.

I remember picking out a kitten from the litter and how the only one I could catch was Spock; I must have caught him two or three times before I finally concluded we were meant to be together. I was afraid he might be partly deaf, you see, because of that blue eye. He wasn't, and in the end I don't think it would have mattered if he were, although personality-wise I can't imagine him growing up on the farm with his littermates, either. He was born to be loved as a companion, something he did admirably. He wasn't the smartest, or even the most coordinated of cats, but he was the most loving. He saw me through a divorce and through all the long years after. We used to joke that I'd wind up in a mental hospital when he went, but in the end, it was a blessing, because it was so hard for him to breathe, and he was howling in frustration and pain. After a few minutes I was considering taking him to an emergency clinic to be put down (it was nearly three in the morning), and I prayed that he would find peace and just held him and told him I loved him over and over, crying the whole time, and then he just passed, suddenly peaceful, and in a moment it was over. I thank the Gods my prayers were answered. But oh, he will be sorely missed!

My thanks to those in my life who are helping me through this difficult time, and to YKWIA for paying for the cremation. It means a lot to be able to keep some part of him with me. I know you understand, even though I'm sure there are those out there who would never understand what a difference one cat could make in a person's life.

Requiescat in pacem, Spocker, caro mio. You were my first taste of unconditional love. I will never lose the lessons you taught me.

Eilir raved on 08:00

My baby

Listening to: 'The Trial' by Pink Floyd, from The Wall

It's hard to believe that Spock, who I have had since he was a little kitten, is seventeen years old, which makes him quite ancient by cat standards. He's been in good health and maintained a kitten-like demeanour all these years.

Yesterday I had an unpleasant reminder of his age. I came home and found him listless, drooling, with laboured breathing that took all his effort. A trip to the vet (which I really cannot afford, but you do what you have to in emergencies) showed him a bit dehydrated and suffering from pleural effusion (fluid in the chest cavity outside the lungs themselves). The vet tapped the chest and drew out 70 ccs of fluid, then put him on Lasix, a diuretic.

The good news is he's breathing easier, has eaten a little, and although he still seems to feel unwell and has a giant yellow polka dot on his side (they had to shave him and use iodine; he's a white cat, so it looks quite lurid), I think he's tons better than when I first found him yesterday. The bad news is that there are, at his age, two main reasons for pleural effusion/congestive heart failure. One is cancer, and they're checking the fluid they drained for neoplasm cells. The other is cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), for which there is little to do for him other than some medication to help the heart function a little better. Either diagnosis means I'll probably be resigned to make him as comfortable as possible and if he would otherwise suffer, I'll have him put down.

Spock has been with me through almost my entire adult life. He saw me through a divorce, all the ups and downs over the years, etc. He's had a very good life and I'm trying hard not to be sad, but the idea of a house without his meow and sleeping without him purring at my head is daunting.

Last night, though, he did greet me at the door, so I think temporarily the vet made him feel better. And he gave the vet quite a fight over the X-rays, so he's still feisty. It's always possible that he had an infection, and she gave him an antibiotic. If that's the case, maybe the medicine will be enough. But I know I've been given a wonderful gift, one that I cannot hold forever, and eventually Spock will pass on. That's going to be very difficult. I went in yesterday fully expecting to have to do it then....I'm glad I didn't have to, but I waited too long in retrospect with Buns (who was put down last year) and I refuse to do that again. Spock's quality of life is more important than whether I'm ready to let go.

Anyway, wish us luck. If it has to happen, I hope it will be easy and painless, and I'll do my best to make sure that's the case.

Eilir raved on 09:04

A good idea

Help out in a crisis-with ICE

The idea is to enter a number of the person you'd like to be contacted if you were unable to tell paramedics or other emergency services into your mobile phone under the name 'ICE'--short for 'In Case of Emergency'. This initiative was started by a Cambridge-based paramedic and it's an excellent idea, given the number of people who carry cell phones. I suspect this idea will spread as other emergency services pick it up and it wends it's way through Internet lists and websites like mine. :)

Eilir raved on 10:24

A blast from the past

Jody, a friend from elementary school, found this blog whilst Googling her own name, like I hoped she would. I'm so happy to finally find someone from my childhood (being a military brat, you lose contact with people quickly). At some point we were living just an hour or two away from one another here in Kentucky, proving that it's a small world. Wish I'd known about that then. Anyway, here's something she sent me, along with my answers.

> 1. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR KITCHEN PLATES?
Two sets, one eggplant, the other matte black.

> 2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

> 3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Blue at work, grey at home

> 4. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Scrabble, Clue

> 5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Archaeology (It used to be Victoria, but they stopped publishing)

> 6. LEAST FAVORITE SMELL?
Roofing tar

> 7. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
Usually a random song

> 8. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR?
Salmon (the crayon)

> 9. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?
As long as it takes to fish out of my purse

> 10. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME:
Amelia Niamh Ellyn and Trevyn Julian Adair

> 11. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE?
Trying to improve both myself as a person and, when I can, the world around me

> 12. FAVORITE SOUND?
A cat's purr

> 13. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Chocolate

> 14. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
No--I have three live ones

> 15. STORMS, COOL OR SCARY?
I have a lifelong fear of thunderstorms that recently has abated to the point where I can enjoy them. Still, overall, scary.

> 16. WHAT TYPE WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
'85 Chevy Chevette

> 17. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE WHO WOULD IT BE?
Socrates

> 18. WHAT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY?
4/2/1967

> 19. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Running a small bookstore/plant nursery-greenhouse combination
>
> 20. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY COLOR HAIR, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Red
>
> 21. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?
Yes; unfortunately it was unrequited.

> 22. IS THE GLASS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?
Half full

> 23. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE MOVIES?
Pleasantville, The Mummy (with Brendan Frazer/Rachel Weisz), and Spartacus

> 24. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS?
Um...yes. How would you type on the left keys? (Just kidding)

> 25. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
Yule ornaments/lights, a random sock or two, and dust bunnies

> 26. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE NUMBER?
13

> 27. WHAT IS YOUR SINGLE BIGGEST FEAR?
Making a fool out of myself in front of a large group of people

> 28. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS
> TO YOU!!!
Jody always seemed to have it together as a kid. I haven't seen her in years, but I hope she's doing well.

> 29. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND
Someone who sees this on my blog

> 30. MOST UNLIKELY TO RESPOND
Who knows?

> 31. FAVORITE CD:
I can't decide. Probably somewhere between my Simon & Garfunkel set, Loreena McKinnit's 'Book of Shadows', Les Miserables, or Matchbox Twenty's last album
>
> 32. FAVORITE TV SHOWS?
Charmed, CSI, Medium, Without a Trace

> 33. HAMBURGERS OR HOTDOG?
Tofu

> 34. FAVORITE SOFT DRINK?
Diet Pepsi

> 35. THE BEST PLACE YOU HAVE EVER BEEN?
The most eerie was the Mojave Desert, with its stark beauty and Joshua Trees. But I like Kentucky the best, because it's home, and my family's been here for generations. It has a lot of variety and some beautiful landscape.

> 36. WHAT SCREEN SAVER IS ON YOUR COMPUTER RIGHT NOW?
Marine Aquarium (at home)

> 37. FULL NAME?
Elisabeth Eilir Aranea Rowan, changed from Lisa Kay Broadbent in 1993 after a break with my father

> 38. CATS OR DOGS?
Both, although cats slightly more

> 39. WHITE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS OR MULTICOLOURED?
Blended, white on steady with coloured lights on a slow blink.

> 40. FAVOURITE FOOD?
Ice cream, Indian food, Thai food

Eilir raved on 13:50

Remarkable

ABC News: Woman Gives Birth After Ovary Transplant

Stephanie Yarber had become menopausal at age 14 and all attempts at fertility, including in vitro, failed until her identical twin sister donated an ovary for transplant. 5 months after the surgery, she became pregnant.

All I can say is...wow.

Eilir raved on 11:28

The ONE Campaign

The ONE Campaign is asking Americans to sign a letter to President Bush asking the following:

Because:

• ONE billion people around the world live on less than ONE dollar a day;
  
• The US government spends less than ONE percent on overcoming global AIDS and poverty;
  
• Citizens are uniting as ONE across political and religious divides to support action to overcome the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty.
  

At the G8 leaders meeting on July 6th we urge you to:

• Help the poorest people of the world fight poverty, AIDS and hunger at a cost equal to just ONE percent more of the US budget on a clear timetable;
  
• Cancel 100% of the debts owed by the poorest countries;
  
• Reform trade rules so poor countries can earn sustainable incomes.
  

We urge you to lead an historic deal with other nations to help Africa and the poorest nations overcome global AIDS and extreme poverty. Together as ONE, we can Make Poverty History this July.

I've signed it. How about you?

Eilir raved on 12:21

Interesting findings

Mental illness said to affect one-quarter of Americans

Eilir raved on 13:11

I wonder what this says about me?

We're undertaking the FISH! Philosophy in the hospital where I work and among other things each of us were asked to choose some stuffed beanie fish to display in our departments. I chose 'Sigmund and Ray', a jellyfish and stingray that I named with some weird play on 'Sigfried and Roy'; I figured they could be the shark tamers of the undersea world. The jellyfish has tentacles that remind me of Sigmund the Sea Monster, a Billy Barty vehicle from the 70s from Sid and Marty Kroftt that I loved as a kid. So far, so good.

Today, for the first time, it really hit me that of all the fish available, I chose the two that STING. Hmmmm...there's probably something subconscious about that. At the time, I remember thinking oh, these are the weird fish no one else will want (yes, I identify a little too much with that idea). I feel like I just went through some Rorschach test. Hmpf.

Eilir raved on 10:15

For me, he will always be the everyday hero

in 'Escape to Witch Mountain', who helped a couple of strange children find their home. For most, he was immortalised in 'Green Acres'. Eddie Albert died on May 27 at the age of 99. Sadly, he suffered from Alzheimer's.

He was environmentally conscious and an active supporter of several causes. He was a widower who lost his wife after forty years of marriage, unusual in Hollywood. But then, one of his strengths was his down-to-earth demeanour, and for that, I will miss him.

Eilir raved on 14:23

Giving blood

was easier this time, as the Central Kentucky Blood Centre is getting better at dealing with latex allergy. (One of the people who took care of me had it, too). Thanks to Lee from South Africa with the soothing voice and Meged who actually drew my blood and managed to do so painlessly. Plus, I was able to give despite my carpal tunnel surgeries (I never received blood products, for one), and my hematocrit was actually high, over 14...apparently peanut butter, which I've eaten a lot of lately, is very good for your blood iron. :)

Eilir raved on 14:08

What I'll be doing for awhile

No, I don't run. But I'm overweight, have wider hips, am a little knock-kneed, and my feet tend to roll to the outside (pronate). This means my knee keeps feeling like it's popping out of joint/hurting. I was diagnosed a long time ago, but wasn't really given anything to do other than take pain relievers. Apparently straight leg lifts help, so I'll try that. So does flexing the quadriceps to strengthen them and stretching the hamstrings and Achilles tendons. Somewhere I have some orthotic soles that should help, too. Ah, what fun. I feel like I'm slowly breaking down, and have been since my mid-20s. Now I'm nearly 40. Let me guess...it just gets worse from here, right?

Dr. Pribut on Runner's Knee ( Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome )

Eilir raved on 14:02

More about King Tut

National Geographic Magazine has an in-depth look at some of the recent examinations of King Tut in this month's issue and an interactive site dedicated to him at The Boy King Returns : Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Check it out.

Eilir raved on 11:12

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox

has passed yet another milestone, the ten year mark. Nielsen, the author of a book on website usability and his Internet column, reflects on his experiences in Alertbox: Ten Years

Eilir raved on 10:35

A little dated, but a fine article

which a colleague brought to my attention today.

Johns Hopkins' Tragedy: Could Librarians Have Prevented a Death?

The answer, of course, is a resounding yes. On the other hand, our expertise does vary from librarian to librarian, and I would hate to see us take on a professional liability based on our searches.

Anyway, it's a good article you should check out if you're interested in medical librarianship. :)

Eilir raved on 10:33

Good luck, little one

Peru's 'Little Mermaid' legs separated

The child has already beaten tremendous odds. She has sirenomelia, a congenital disorder that is nearly always fatal due to associated problems with the renal and digestive systems. There is only one other case of a child with sirenomelia being sucessfully treated with surgery, a now 16-year-old American girl, and even in that case there are those who think another closely related disorder that is more easily treatable may be the reason. Parents of a child with sirenomelia are generally counselled to terminate the pregnancy or at least be prepared for the child to die, often within 24 hours. Although such rare cases of survival must tug at the heart of those whose child had no hope for survival, I'm glad that they are finding ways to save the ones who may be helped. Still, it's a dangerous and costly procedure. The city of Lima is underwriting the costs of the surgery (the girl is a godchild of Lima's mayor). I'm sure that was controversial, although it's good to see so many people rooting for the well-being of one child. If every child were cared for with such fervour, the world would be a better place.

One could easily see, too, why the ancients, encountering such births, would think that the child was a mermaid or other sea creature, given the resemblance of the fused legs and the splayed feet to a fish's tail. It amazes me the enormous variation we have within the human species, many of which may have fueled legends such as giants, trolls, ogres, elves, sirens, satyrs, and the like.

Eilir raved on 14:30

Looking forward to another Movie Classic Series

complete with serials and cartoons prior to the show, at the Kentucky Theater.

I'm especially interested in Mary Poppins, Godzilla, and Close Encounters (although the last drags a good deal). I've been told Cabaret and Imitation of Life are definite must sees, as well. The first, The Big Sleep--the Bogart and Bacall vehicle with a screenplay by William Faulkner based on the Raymond Chandler mystery--starts tonight, with the cartoon 'The Big Snooze' and serial 'Batman, ch. 1, The Electrical Brain'. Unfortunately I'm working tonight, but I may have to put Wednesdays off my work schedule through the rest of the month.

Eilir raved on 09:24

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The comments of the Rabid Librarian are © by Elisabeth Eilir Rowan and are the author's own opinions, sometimes curmudgeonly, although rarely malicious. They should not be taken as