Golly knows I’ve published my share of typos, but there’s something extra funny/bad about a typo on usability.gov. I’ve been a good web citizen and sent them a friendly note. Any guesses about how quickly they’ll correct it?
Take to the Ship!
Feb 3, ’11
5:19 PM
The Independent Printing Resource Center in Portland is hosting a 24 hour reading of Moby Dick starting at 17:00 on 11 Feb 2011. I like the explanation of why they’re doing it:
When first published, Moby Dick was a near flop. It remains a totem to the importance of small, independent publishing for keeping alive great works ahead of their time.
It starts at Powell’s and moves to a mystery location from there.
All the World’s a Page
Feb 2, ’11
8:57 AM
These folks have put the entire text of Faust, The Illiad, Das Kapital, and Macbeth on posters. Type size is between 2 and 3pts so bring your magnifying glass.
Like a few posts ago, this is another example of print books as decoration. They cost €20 and you can by them at All the World’s a Page.
Things Organized Neatly
Dec 10, ’10
7:00 AM
About Roger
Dec 7, ’10
12:55 PM
All of the “roger” found in Spacelog is great and got me wondering how the word came to be used that way. I figured that using “roger” and “copy” in the sense of “I understand” were rooted in military communication. “Copy” makes sense, but “roger?” It turns out that before the NATO phonetic alphabet in which R is spoken as “Romeo” the US military used the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet in which R is “Roger.” So the shortened version of “received” was R, or “roger.”
Explanations of the differences between “copy” and “roger” are varied and unsatisfactory. I’m sure that like many words the usage changed subtlety over time and distance and a definitive answer might be impossible to find.
In the Library Perfume
Dec 2, ’10
6:00 AM
Can’t get enough of smelling as if you’ve been hanging out in the stacks all day? Try using Christopher Brosius’ In the Library perfume.
In the Library is a warm blend of English Novel*, Russian & Moroccan Leather Bindings, Worn Cloth and a hint of Wood Polish.
*The main note in this scent was copied from one of my favorite novels originally published in 1927. I happened to find a signed first edition in pristine condition many years ago in London. I was more than a little excited because there were only ever a hundred of these in the first place. It had a marvelous warm woody slightly sweet smell and I set about immediately to bottle it.
Cycling for Libraries
Nov 23, ’10
2:25 PM
Fancy riding from Copenhagen to Berlin with a bunch of librarians next summer? I do. Kai, a information school professor and cycling enthusiast is organizing a ride.
Cycling for libraries is a politically and economically independent unconference and a bicycle tour. It also supports physical and mental well-being of library professionals, grassroots networking, and internationalism and — last but not least — the crucial role of libraries for the society and for the intellectual and scientific education in general. Cycling for libraries also supports environmental values and ecological way of life.
More info at Cycling for Libraries.
Do Not Feed the Bird Small Slices of Bread
Nov 23, ’10
6:00 AM
Those little slices are bread are adorable.
