Uni-flipper turtle gets it straight with swimsuit
Allison the sea turtle, a presumed victim of a shark attack, has only one flipper. Most sea turtles in that condition are euthanised, as it is difficult for them to surface for air and they wind up swimming around in circles. But a neoprene suit with a carbon-fibre fin that acts like a rudder is helping Allison swim well again. It's sort of a turtle orthotic; it doesn't replace the fins like a prosthetic would, but it does aid the turtle in swimming by providing stability.
Don't you love feel-good animal stories?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Novel
New York church tweeting the Passion of Christ: Main characters use Twitter to tell story of Christ on Good Friday
They also have set up a website that has virtual stations of the Cross.
Granted, I'm not Christian, but I can appreciate the effort they're making to make the story of Jesus more relevant to technogeeks (in a non-threatening, non-proselytising fashion). Check out the transcript of tweets in what is essentially a Passion play.
They also have set up a website that has virtual stations of the Cross.
Granted, I'm not Christian, but I can appreciate the effort they're making to make the story of Jesus more relevant to technogeeks (in a non-threatening, non-proselytising fashion). Check out the transcript of tweets in what is essentially a Passion play.
Friday, April 10, 2009
We made it to the national news
I don't often talk about the place I work by name or give specifics. I'm going to break that trend today. We found out about this last week, but it's made it to MSNBC now, so I feel more comfortable about writing about the specifics.
Facing hard times, Shriners may close hospitals: Donations down for organization that provides free health care to children
The hospitals being considered for closure are: Shreveport, Louisiana (the original hospital); Erie, Pennsylvania; Spokane, Washington; Springfield, Massachusetts, Galveston, Texas (a burn unit that has still not recovered from Hurricane Ike) and Greenville, South Carolina. With the exception of Galveston, all are orthopaedic hospitals.
It's going to be a tough vote, and I'm not sure they'll be able to get it. If not, then the future of the system really is in doubt. But I hate seeing the others close. I've corresponded with other librarians (the one from Greenville especially gets hit with my interlibrary loan requests, and is very prompt and nice about it) over the years, too. Shriners really is a sort of family. Unfortunately, circumstances are making it very difficult to continue to provide free care for burns, orthopaedics, spinal cord injuries, and cleft palate, the areas in which we specialise.
They're doing what they can already, including shutting down some basic research centres, reducing hospital budgets, and reducing some benefits for employees. Everything is going towards trying to fund patient care itself.
In case you're not familiar with what we do, here's a blurb from our web page:
For more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, see the main page for the hospitals. You can take a virtual tour of our facility, or tour other hospitals in the system, including Springfield, one of those being considered for closure. And not to do a shameless plug, but if you are interested in donating to this worthy cause, you can do so via the Ways to Give page. The charity consistently scores well in terms of percentage of monies that go directly to those served (in this case, patient care) as opposed to marketing and administration.
I've spent the last 12 years of my life working in this environment, and it truly is remarkable and rewarding. But with the future of the hospitals in doubt, I have to admit I am more than a little stressed about my future as well. The last time this came up for a vote it was shot down and there were cutbacks, including in my hours. Without closing the designated hospitals, they may vote to do a 30% cut across the board, with more layoffs--but risk destroying the system's viability itself.
And if I'm stressed, you can imagine that for the employees, families, and patients at these hospitals, it is much worse. We already have patients whose families (or the volunteer Shriner drivers) drive five hours or more to be seen. I know we get people as far away as Chattanooga, for example. I can't imagine driving from South Carolina for a doctor's appointment. That's pretty stressful in itself.
Anyway, I'm hoping for the best, whatever that may be.
Facing hard times, Shriners may close hospitals: Donations down for organization that provides free health care to children
The hospitals being considered for closure are: Shreveport, Louisiana (the original hospital); Erie, Pennsylvania; Spokane, Washington; Springfield, Massachusetts, Galveston, Texas (a burn unit that has still not recovered from Hurricane Ike) and Greenville, South Carolina. With the exception of Galveston, all are orthopaedic hospitals.
It's going to be a tough vote, and I'm not sure they'll be able to get it. If not, then the future of the system really is in doubt. But I hate seeing the others close. I've corresponded with other librarians (the one from Greenville especially gets hit with my interlibrary loan requests, and is very prompt and nice about it) over the years, too. Shriners really is a sort of family. Unfortunately, circumstances are making it very difficult to continue to provide free care for burns, orthopaedics, spinal cord injuries, and cleft palate, the areas in which we specialise.
They're doing what they can already, including shutting down some basic research centres, reducing hospital budgets, and reducing some benefits for employees. Everything is going towards trying to fund patient care itself.
In case you're not familiar with what we do, here's a blurb from our web page:
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a one-of-a-kind international health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs.
Children up to the age of 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate are eligible for admission and receive all care in a family-centered environment at no charge – regardless of financial need.
For more about Shriners Hospitals for Children, see the main page for the hospitals. You can take a virtual tour of our facility, or tour other hospitals in the system, including Springfield, one of those being considered for closure. And not to do a shameless plug, but if you are interested in donating to this worthy cause, you can do so via the Ways to Give page. The charity consistently scores well in terms of percentage of monies that go directly to those served (in this case, patient care) as opposed to marketing and administration.
I've spent the last 12 years of my life working in this environment, and it truly is remarkable and rewarding. But with the future of the hospitals in doubt, I have to admit I am more than a little stressed about my future as well. The last time this came up for a vote it was shot down and there were cutbacks, including in my hours. Without closing the designated hospitals, they may vote to do a 30% cut across the board, with more layoffs--but risk destroying the system's viability itself.
And if I'm stressed, you can imagine that for the employees, families, and patients at these hospitals, it is much worse. We already have patients whose families (or the volunteer Shriner drivers) drive five hours or more to be seen. I know we get people as far away as Chattanooga, for example. I can't imagine driving from South Carolina for a doctor's appointment. That's pretty stressful in itself.
Anyway, I'm hoping for the best, whatever that may be.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
A nice surprise
Today is payday at the hospital, so I got up early to check the status of my direct deposit. I found out I had an extra $20 in my cheque, which I can only surmise has to do with the tax rebates that I did not entirely keep up with that were discussed right after Obama went into office.
Yay!
That means each paycheque is higher (by about $10) than my rent. That hasn't happened in a very long time. (See why I work two jobs? You shouldn't have your rent be more than 50% of your earnings--and I don't have an exorbitant rent--it's less than $500 a month.)
Today I need to pay my rent and I'll have about $30 left over for food until I get paid at the store on Wednesday. So that $20 is much appreciated.
That next deposit from the store should be fairly nice, because I worked 30 hours again this past week, since I stayed so late on Saturday. I only have my electric and phone to pay with that, and then the next week I'll just have the cable bill, so maybe I can get ahead/get a few things I need (like clothes). I also get two more store cheques before the next rent after that, so I'll be on time and in good shape. The only factor I'm not sure of is my taxes, which I need to do this weekend. I'm sure I'll have to pay, but it shouldn't be as bad as last year since I changed my W-4 withholdings at some point in the year. Next year I might even get a refund.
I was on the American Library Association's Connect page (a sort of mini-librarian-only version of Facebook for professional networking) the other day and really started looking into membership in the ALA. I thought it would be too expensive, but they have an option for unemployed/underemployed librarians that is only $46 a year for someone who makes under $25,000, so I qualify. My position no longer requires a Master's (it is preferred, although of course I have an MSLS), doesn't supervise people, and doesn't require state certification (although I have it), so it doesn't fit regular membership requirements anyway.) I haven't been a member of ALA since library school because they didn't have that tier of membership after I graduated, as far as I remember. It's better than the MLA rate, which is also reduced. My MLA membership is vital, but I think I'd benefit from joining ALA as well. It would help me keep up with trends in the general library world and possibly network myself into a full-time job. With the way things are going, that's really more pressing than it used to be.
At the hospital, our benefits are changing due to the recession. This year our co-pays for health insurance doubled. They're eliminating our employee assistance programme, which I've used for medical and legal counseling in the past. They've suspended tuition reimbursement at least for now. There are a few minor ones involving things like our extended illness bank, etc.
The bad news is since I work for a system that relies solely on dues of a fraternity (that is ageing and not replacing members at the rate it needs to) and an invested endowment, the current oeconomic crisis means significant changes for the system. As someone who's already been partly laid off in this position, I'm aware at how little job security I have at the hospital, and it's a source of stress. Nor is the gas station completely secure, either. There's a good chance that the nearby Kroger, as part of its extended remodelling, is putting in a gas station within a couple hundred yards of our store. If that's the case, they may shut us down, and I'm really not sure if I want to go work at another, larger store, although at least there are two within a short distance from home. We'll see. One co-worker was told by a Kroger employee that it could happen as early as October.
Of course, the jobs in libraries (I do keep track of them regularly, and recently) are pretty thin right now, and the competition with the recent graduates of our library school is still a factor. Many librarians who planned to retire are holding on to their jobs. The job market is pretty bleak, and I don't have public or academic library experience so in a way my 12 years in medical librarianship doesn't exactly count, especially as the only people I've supervised are student volunteers, not professionals.
Sigh. It will get better. It has to. But if I lost my job (either of them), I really don't know what I would do. I guess if I lost the hospital job I'd go full-time at the store at least for a time, but I don't think I could make it, even at 40 hours a week, on $8.55 an hour. And if the store shuts down, I'll lose the extra money that keeps me afloat. So there you have it. It's a source of stress, but no different from millions of other people's right now.
Okay, time to get some stuff done before work. Have a good day.
Yay!
That means each paycheque is higher (by about $10) than my rent. That hasn't happened in a very long time. (See why I work two jobs? You shouldn't have your rent be more than 50% of your earnings--and I don't have an exorbitant rent--it's less than $500 a month.)
Today I need to pay my rent and I'll have about $30 left over for food until I get paid at the store on Wednesday. So that $20 is much appreciated.
That next deposit from the store should be fairly nice, because I worked 30 hours again this past week, since I stayed so late on Saturday. I only have my electric and phone to pay with that, and then the next week I'll just have the cable bill, so maybe I can get ahead/get a few things I need (like clothes). I also get two more store cheques before the next rent after that, so I'll be on time and in good shape. The only factor I'm not sure of is my taxes, which I need to do this weekend. I'm sure I'll have to pay, but it shouldn't be as bad as last year since I changed my W-4 withholdings at some point in the year. Next year I might even get a refund.
I was on the American Library Association's Connect page (a sort of mini-librarian-only version of Facebook for professional networking) the other day and really started looking into membership in the ALA. I thought it would be too expensive, but they have an option for unemployed/underemployed librarians that is only $46 a year for someone who makes under $25,000, so I qualify. My position no longer requires a Master's (it is preferred, although of course I have an MSLS), doesn't supervise people, and doesn't require state certification (although I have it), so it doesn't fit regular membership requirements anyway.) I haven't been a member of ALA since library school because they didn't have that tier of membership after I graduated, as far as I remember. It's better than the MLA rate, which is also reduced. My MLA membership is vital, but I think I'd benefit from joining ALA as well. It would help me keep up with trends in the general library world and possibly network myself into a full-time job. With the way things are going, that's really more pressing than it used to be.
At the hospital, our benefits are changing due to the recession. This year our co-pays for health insurance doubled. They're eliminating our employee assistance programme, which I've used for medical and legal counseling in the past. They've suspended tuition reimbursement at least for now. There are a few minor ones involving things like our extended illness bank, etc.
The bad news is since I work for a system that relies solely on dues of a fraternity (that is ageing and not replacing members at the rate it needs to) and an invested endowment, the current oeconomic crisis means significant changes for the system. As someone who's already been partly laid off in this position, I'm aware at how little job security I have at the hospital, and it's a source of stress. Nor is the gas station completely secure, either. There's a good chance that the nearby Kroger, as part of its extended remodelling, is putting in a gas station within a couple hundred yards of our store. If that's the case, they may shut us down, and I'm really not sure if I want to go work at another, larger store, although at least there are two within a short distance from home. We'll see. One co-worker was told by a Kroger employee that it could happen as early as October.
Of course, the jobs in libraries (I do keep track of them regularly, and recently) are pretty thin right now, and the competition with the recent graduates of our library school is still a factor. Many librarians who planned to retire are holding on to their jobs. The job market is pretty bleak, and I don't have public or academic library experience so in a way my 12 years in medical librarianship doesn't exactly count, especially as the only people I've supervised are student volunteers, not professionals.
Sigh. It will get better. It has to. But if I lost my job (either of them), I really don't know what I would do. I guess if I lost the hospital job I'd go full-time at the store at least for a time, but I don't think I could make it, even at 40 hours a week, on $8.55 an hour. And if the store shuts down, I'll lose the extra money that keeps me afloat. So there you have it. It's a source of stress, but no different from millions of other people's right now.
Okay, time to get some stuff done before work. Have a good day.
A convergence of observances
Thursday is the first full moon after the vernal equinox, so naturally tonight was the beginning of Pesach (Passover), the Jewish holiday commemorating the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Aegypt under the leadership of Moses (Jewish holidays begin at sunset). Observant Jews celebrate with a seder, or ritual dinner, that includes a narrative of the Exodus story, amongst other traditions.
Coincidentally, this year there was another rite to be observed today--one that only happens once every 28 years. The Birkat Hachamah is a Hebrew blessing of the sun, a prayer to G-d as thanks for creating the Sun (many Jews do not pronounce the name of G-d, YHWH, preferring 'Adonai' ('my Lord') or 'ha Shem' ('the Name'). In English, 'G-d' is a way to reflect this taboo.) The blessing, in my understanding, is recited in years when the sun is thought to come back around to the position it held at Creation, a cycle of 28 years.
Here is the text of the blessing:
"ברוך אתה ה' אלהינו מלך העולם עושה מעשה בראשית"
'Blessed are You, LORD, our G-d, King of the Universe who makes the works of Creation.'
According to Wikipedia, the 'same blessing is recited upon experiencing various natural phenomena, including lightning, comets, and meteor showers; as well as upon witnessing wondrous natural topography, such as great mountains, rivers and vast wilderness.'
See more at: Jews observe sun ritual for first time since 1981: Worshippers around the world pay homage to God with rare blessing
My favourite part of the article was the relation of a story from the 19th century where hundreds of Jews collected in a park for the ritual without a permit in New York City, and two rabbis tried to explain things to a policeman:
'The attempt of a foreign citizen to explain to an American Irishman an astronomical situation and a tradition of the Talmud was a dismal failure,' the Times reported, adding that the officer, wondering 'whether some new infection of lunacy had broken out ... seized the rabbi by the neck and took him to Essex Market Police Court.'
Ah, the years before diversity awareness classes. :)
[photo of the seder table by Gila Brand, used under the GNU Free Documentation and Creative Commons licences]
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
The latest YouTube channel to which I've subscribed:
http://www.youtube.com/user/LibraryOfCongress
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the manuscript division of the Library of Congress and its materials, for example:
I particularly like Groucho Marx' letter to Warner Brothers regarding their ownership of the name 'Casablanca'. Nice to know these disagreements aren't limited to the present day. They're really starting to get going now and a lot more is planned. Check it out.
Okay, that's all for tonight. Time for bed.
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at the manuscript division of the Library of Congress and its materials, for example:
I particularly like Groucho Marx' letter to Warner Brothers regarding their ownership of the name 'Casablanca'. Nice to know these disagreements aren't limited to the present day. They're really starting to get going now and a lot more is planned. Check it out.
Okay, that's all for tonight. Time for bed.
Ten years ago
this month--April 20th--two boys went into their school determined to kill as many people as they could and win a place for themselves in history. Many have struggled to understand how it could have happened. One of these was Dave Cullen, who introduces his new book, Columbine, in the following book trailer:
I read about the book in an essay in Newsweek called The Columbine Generation, but the video was passed on through Bibliofuture on LISNews.org. Thanks!
You can read more about Columbine at Dave Cullen's Columbine Navigator and the Columbine High School Massacre Wikipedia article.
I read about the book in an essay in Newsweek called The Columbine Generation, but the video was passed on through Bibliofuture on LISNews.org. Thanks!
You can read more about Columbine at Dave Cullen's Columbine Navigator and the Columbine High School Massacre Wikipedia article.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Tumbling to the ground
Scientist was told to remove Internet prediction of Italy earthquake: Researcher forecast L'Aquila tragedy on emissions of radon gas coming from the ground
An Italian scientist, Giampaolo Giuliani, was labelled an alarmist and ordered to take down warnings of a major earthquake to hit on March 29th. His timing was a little off (although I read there was a smaller tremor that day), but he seems to have predicted the L'Aquila earthquake, which killed at least 150 people, injured at least 1,500, and left more than 50,000 people homeless.
In addition to the human toll, the cultural damage may devastating as well:
Historic churches, Roman baths hit by quake: Pope Celestine V was crowned in one damaged basilica — in 1294
Italy quake destroys medieval buildings
At this point there is a desperate search and rescue attempt going on as crews try to uncover survivors in levelled buildings. One site is a dormitory where students are said to be trapped. The quake hit at 3:30 am local time, giving citizens little chance to take cover. Here's a video from ITN:
My thoughts are with those affected by this terrible disaster.
An Italian scientist, Giampaolo Giuliani, was labelled an alarmist and ordered to take down warnings of a major earthquake to hit on March 29th. His timing was a little off (although I read there was a smaller tremor that day), but he seems to have predicted the L'Aquila earthquake, which killed at least 150 people, injured at least 1,500, and left more than 50,000 people homeless.
In addition to the human toll, the cultural damage may devastating as well:
Historic churches, Roman baths hit by quake: Pope Celestine V was crowned in one damaged basilica — in 1294
Italy quake destroys medieval buildings
At this point there is a desperate search and rescue attempt going on as crews try to uncover survivors in levelled buildings. One site is a dormitory where students are said to be trapped. The quake hit at 3:30 am local time, giving citizens little chance to take cover. Here's a video from ITN:
My thoughts are with those affected by this terrible disaster.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
So tired
Yesterday I worked nearly 12 hours at the store, and then there was the grocery run of doom, which admittedly went faster than normal, but still was tiring. We're talking two full carts.
I went to bed by 1 am and then got up at 4 to work on game notes, finishing about 6. I had to be over to prepare for the game by 7, so I took a quick nap and then went on over. I finished all the preparations for the game early and fixed some food. The only hitch this morning is that a cat nipped me when I trimmed his claws, but it barely broke the skin. The others came over and we had a good session. I helped clean up afterwards and then went on home as a storm was about to break since I had to do my monthly libation tonight. Then I worked on the computer for awhile and now I think I'll get some rest. I may not go to bed just yet, but I definitely want to relax. But first I think it's time for more ibuprofen--I just ate some raisin bran and my tooth really hurts from chewing the raisins. Good night.
I went to bed by 1 am and then got up at 4 to work on game notes, finishing about 6. I had to be over to prepare for the game by 7, so I took a quick nap and then went on over. I finished all the preparations for the game early and fixed some food. The only hitch this morning is that a cat nipped me when I trimmed his claws, but it barely broke the skin. The others came over and we had a good session. I helped clean up afterwards and then went on home as a storm was about to break since I had to do my monthly libation tonight. Then I worked on the computer for awhile and now I think I'll get some rest. I may not go to bed just yet, but I definitely want to relax. But first I think it's time for more ibuprofen--I just ate some raisin bran and my tooth really hurts from chewing the raisins. Good night.
I need to go to the dentist
I broke a tooth some time ago and it's really bothering me now, expecially if I bite down even slightly on that side. I'm having to chew on one side of my mouth. As soon as I know my schedule for next week I'm making an appointment. One can only take so much ibuprofen. Of course, this probably means a crown, and they're expensive, but thankfully I have my flexible spending account.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)