Factcheck.org

Do you feel that sometimes the facts from the politicians and media might not be entirely accurate? Try out factcheck.org . Here is a description from their website

Our Mission
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.

Public Alerts

As I was checking the road conditions, I stumbled on a new website that "provides news and information on major service disruptions in the Portland, Oregon area."

Public Alerts

The website provides information on Roads & Bridges, Transit, Schools, Public Health, Community Services and Utilities. Very simple and easy to navigate. You can also sign up for RSS feeds and twitter alerts.

Stay informed!

Shopping statistics

In the United States, the season around Christmas is of deep importance for the health of the economy.


Here are some shopping statistics to peruse:

Pew http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-Product-Research.aspx
ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/stats
Multichannel Merchant: http://multichannelmerchant.com/outlook2010/
Census of Retail Statistics http://www.census.gov/retail/

New Craft Magazines

We have added three new craft magazines to our collection. The subscriptions will start in 2011 and we're hoping that they will be popular with all of our crafters.

Cloth Paper Scissors covers all types of fiber arts and collage work, including mixed media, assemblage, altered books, art dolls, visual art journals, rubber stamping, creative embroidery, and book arts.

6 issues per year.

Step By Step Wire Jewelry includes detailed and illustrated how-to projects for every skill level. Each issue covers the newest wire trends and teaches creative techniques to make your own designer jewelry. Tips on using tools, wire and other jewelry items are also included.

6 issues per year.

Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist is a guide to the fine art of jewelry making using gemstones, metal sheet and wire and more. The latest trends in jewelry and gems are included in each issue as are spotlights on individual jewelry artists. Projects feature clear, concise, illustrated directions and many tips are included.

9 issues per year.

Netherland

NetherlandO'neill, Joseph

Check our catalog for availablity





Impressive fiction work about an expatriate family living in New York after 9/11 and how it catalyzes changes in thier lives. This is a story of a relationship in trouble but also a larger commentary on life in america and the concept of the "american dream". Comparisons have been made to the Great Gatsby and O'neill's prose has a wonderful sense of nostalgia and profound reflection that will give the reader cause to do some of their own deep thinking about life.

Cost of Living around the World

Have you ever wanted to know what the standard of living is in other countries? Is it possible to answer where are the richest people in the world when daily life costs different amounts in other locations? Here is

Prices and Earnings:
Prices and Earnings "provides a comprehensive comparison of prices (122 goods and services plus apartment rents), incomes, income taxes, working hours and vacation days for 14 different occupations. A ranking of relative purchasing power, and thus the living standard for each of the 73 cities in the survey, is derived from this data."

Lists!

We have lots of booklists organized by subject, genre, mood and more.  We are gradually adding these lists to our web page.  Check it out!

while visions of sugar plums dance in your heads...

Just in time for the holidays, Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma, and former Bon Appetit food editor, Kristin Kidd have released Williams-Sonoma Cooking at Home. This wonderful, encyclopedic cookbook features over 1000 timeless recipes with simple, straight-forward techniques for the home cook.


Also new this season, Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cook Book offers a compilation of recipes published by the paper since it started covering food in the 1850s. The book is a stellar collection more than 1400 recipes.

Season's Greetings and happy eating!

Have you tried a Playaway yet?

Playaway audiobooks are self-contained players about half the size of a deck of cards. They don't require downloading, transfer fees, or even an internet connection. All you need is a AAA battery and a set of headphones, and you're ready to go. Books range in length from an hour up to 60 hours, all in the same small player. The digital audio quality is as good as cds, but doesn't require a stack of discs or even a separate player. You can choose from a wide selection of fiction and non-fiction books, and even listen in your car with a standard cassette adapter or fm receiver. Or use your own portable speakers so that more than one person can listen at a time.

Try one out today!

One Remarkable Cat

As a cat lover, I knew that I would enjoy this book about an extraordinary cat adopted by staff members at Steere House, a nursing home in Rhode Island. Making Rounds with Oscar, is the story of this remarkable cat that has the uncanny ability to sense when people are about to die. He stays with these patients until they have passed, giving comfort to both the nursing home resident and the families of these patients. What I wasn't expecting from the book was a real world view of what it is like for patients with dementia and the families and nursing home staff who care for these people. The book is heartfelt, sad, funny and truly inspiring.