Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Noah's Wife by T.K.Thorne
This is the story of a woman living in a civilization in transition. It was a time of oral word, before writing or printing helped shape the world. Traditions, customs, ways of doing things, were passed on by word of mouth. The family unit, clan and locally held religion dictated an economy, occupation and beliefs. Hunting had been the way of getting food and clothing. Now people were also growing food and some raised animals for food and clothing. During this time Na'amah grew up and learned from her family, including her grandmother, the stories of ancestors and beliefs. She also herded sheep and cared for them. Her grandmother said Na'amah was special. Noah noticed her when she was young and asked for her to be his wife. Yanner was a childhood friend who also was interested in Na'amah. How does a woman choose between interested and attractive men? Marrying might be a way to leave home where her brother treated her badly and only her grandmother thought her special. All Na'amah cared about was her husband and being in the hills with her sheep. But life was more complicated that that. Alcohol abuse, abuse of power and sex changed her life and that of those she loved. When she was snatched by slavers she and others had to survive by their wits. And she had to find a time and way to escape so her baby would be born. Noah and Yanner searched for her but when and how would she return to her family and friends? And what part would Na'amah play in the many changes in their world? What part would she play in Noah's story?
Friday, June 18, 2010
To Netbook or Not To Netbook
Netbooks, those tiny little laptop computers, are showing up for sale everywhere. Sam's, Walmart, Costco, Best Buy, heck I think I saw one at Walgreen's. You might be tempted to buy one of these because of the low price, but before you do, you need to ask yourself, are the tradeoffs worth it, or would I be better served with going with a full sized laptop with a 15.6" screen?
The answer depends on what you are going to use it for. The netbooks are great as long as you don't expect more from them than they were designed to do. Netbooks are designed for ultra-portability and long battery life at an inexpensive price. You will not get the power of a desktop or even a $500.00 laptop.
Pros and Cons of Netbooks
Pros:
Processor:
The faster the better, but it is not cut and dried, due to things like architecture design and number of cores. Look for at least an Intel Atom N270 processor as a minimum. Better still, look for an Intel Atom N450, this processor offers better graphics. Even better than the N450, if you can afford the price increase, look for an Intel Celeron SU2300 Dual Core Celeron or a Intel SU4100 Dual Core Pentium. These last processors will increase the price, but will also increase the performance to close to regular notebook levels.
Memory:
2gb is the sweet spot. This cuts down on the power robbing disk swaps and allows the machine to be peppier when running multiple tasks. If you are going to multitask with one of the faster processors, 4gb is nice. Avoid 1gb unless going with Linux. With Windows, you will be very disappointed.
Storage:
Depends on what you want to do with the machine, but most come with a minimum of 160gb, which should be adequate for most uses of a netbook. A few have 32gb solid state drives, which use memory chips rather than metal platters to store data. These are faster and use less power, but also offer a third of the storage space. These are fine if you are not going to be storing media, such as large pictures, music or videos.
Screen Size:
I prefer the 11.6" screen. I find that it is a little easier to read and the chassis allows the manufacturer to include a better keyboard. The 9" models can be tiring to read in long sessions, while the 10.1" size offers a decent compromise between better portability and screen resolution.
Operating System:
There are three basic choices in operating systems, Windows, Linux and the new linux based Google Android and Chrome.
For Windows, get Windows 7. Hands down the best windows OS for netbooks. Netbooks run smooth and the battery life is better out of the box. XP is not a bad second choice, but is getting harder to find and is an older OS that is on its way out. Avoid Vista at all costs on a netbook. They run like a 20 year old dog with hip arthritis. You will be sorry if you get a netbook with Vista.
Linux, a decent operating system, fast and peppy, has a plethora of free and open source software. I love Linux, but you will have a learning curve if you have never used it before. You will not be able to run software written for Windows. No iTunes for one thing and gaming can be problematic, even some web gaming, because Linux does not do Shockwave, but more games are being written for Flash, so this might not be as big a problem as it used to be. You can get Open Office, a great alternative to Microsoft Office and pretty well compatible with with Microsoft Office. There are alternatives for the various softwares, but each will require a learning curve, especially if you have used a different software for years.
Google Android is mainly a phone operating system and as such seems limited for netbook duty. There are not many out there, but Acer does offer a netbook that allows you to use either Windows 7 or Android. This would be how I would go if I wanted to try Android on a netbook.
Google Chrome, is basically the Google Chrome browser, but as an operating system. That is all you get. It is designed to be always connected to the internet, although you can use Google Docs offline with Google Gears, but that is about it. You cannot even play solitaire or minesweeper if you don't have an internet connection. Personally, I will pass on Chrome.
Both Android and Chrome require you to have a Google Account to realize the full potential of them, something also to keep in mind.
Closing Thoughts:
In closing, netbooks do have a niche and can be quite useful as long as you know their limitations and advantages. I use one here at work all the time and it is very helpful for what I use it for. It does not replace my main desktop, but rather compliments it, allowing me to take it with me around the library to troubleshoot networking problems and giving me ready access to support documents, even when the network is down or the computer is messed up. I can take it easily to meetings and type notes on it, or show presentations. It travels easily when I have to go to meetings at other libraries or in Montgomery. Heck, I can take it outside on break and read the internet while eating.
The answer depends on what you are going to use it for. The netbooks are great as long as you don't expect more from them than they were designed to do. Netbooks are designed for ultra-portability and long battery life at an inexpensive price. You will not get the power of a desktop or even a $500.00 laptop.
Pros and Cons of Netbooks
Pros:
- Inexpensive - starting price of around $300, can be found cheaper during sales
- Long Battery Life - lightweight 3 cell batteries can last 3 to 4 hours. Slightly heavier 6 cell batteries can last 6 hours.
- Light weight - netbooks usually weigh less 3 lbs or less.
- Easy portability - netbooks are generally available in screen sizes from around 9" to about 11.6", with the smaller sizes easily fitting into a briefcase or larger purse.
- Slow - the processors in netbooks are slower than in full size laptops. They take longer to load apps and are not good with multitasking. Picture and video editing are horribly slow.
- Small screens - the small screens can be hard to read, especially for people with some vision impairments and for older adults. They also require more scrolling to be able to read web pages.
- No optical drives - in order to keep the netbooks thin and light, optical drives, such as DVD or CD drives are not included. You will have to purchase an external drive if you need this functionality.
- Non-standard keyboard layouts - in order to fit the keys in such as small space, the keys are shrunk and some keys are moved into a non-standard location. Some designs are better than others. My recommendation is to try out one in a store, even if ordering it online.
- Odd touchpads - some touchpads are a little odd. The buttons have been moved to the sides on some models, in addition some touchpads are hard to distinguish from the chassis.
Processor:
The faster the better, but it is not cut and dried, due to things like architecture design and number of cores. Look for at least an Intel Atom N270 processor as a minimum. Better still, look for an Intel Atom N450, this processor offers better graphics. Even better than the N450, if you can afford the price increase, look for an Intel Celeron SU2300 Dual Core Celeron or a Intel SU4100 Dual Core Pentium. These last processors will increase the price, but will also increase the performance to close to regular notebook levels.
Memory:
2gb is the sweet spot. This cuts down on the power robbing disk swaps and allows the machine to be peppier when running multiple tasks. If you are going to multitask with one of the faster processors, 4gb is nice. Avoid 1gb unless going with Linux. With Windows, you will be very disappointed.
Storage:
Depends on what you want to do with the machine, but most come with a minimum of 160gb, which should be adequate for most uses of a netbook. A few have 32gb solid state drives, which use memory chips rather than metal platters to store data. These are faster and use less power, but also offer a third of the storage space. These are fine if you are not going to be storing media, such as large pictures, music or videos.
Screen Size:
I prefer the 11.6" screen. I find that it is a little easier to read and the chassis allows the manufacturer to include a better keyboard. The 9" models can be tiring to read in long sessions, while the 10.1" size offers a decent compromise between better portability and screen resolution.
Operating System:
There are three basic choices in operating systems, Windows, Linux and the new linux based Google Android and Chrome.
For Windows, get Windows 7. Hands down the best windows OS for netbooks. Netbooks run smooth and the battery life is better out of the box. XP is not a bad second choice, but is getting harder to find and is an older OS that is on its way out. Avoid Vista at all costs on a netbook. They run like a 20 year old dog with hip arthritis. You will be sorry if you get a netbook with Vista.
Linux, a decent operating system, fast and peppy, has a plethora of free and open source software. I love Linux, but you will have a learning curve if you have never used it before. You will not be able to run software written for Windows. No iTunes for one thing and gaming can be problematic, even some web gaming, because Linux does not do Shockwave, but more games are being written for Flash, so this might not be as big a problem as it used to be. You can get Open Office, a great alternative to Microsoft Office and pretty well compatible with with Microsoft Office. There are alternatives for the various softwares, but each will require a learning curve, especially if you have used a different software for years.
Google Android is mainly a phone operating system and as such seems limited for netbook duty. There are not many out there, but Acer does offer a netbook that allows you to use either Windows 7 or Android. This would be how I would go if I wanted to try Android on a netbook.
Google Chrome, is basically the Google Chrome browser, but as an operating system. That is all you get. It is designed to be always connected to the internet, although you can use Google Docs offline with Google Gears, but that is about it. You cannot even play solitaire or minesweeper if you don't have an internet connection. Personally, I will pass on Chrome.
Both Android and Chrome require you to have a Google Account to realize the full potential of them, something also to keep in mind.
Closing Thoughts:
In closing, netbooks do have a niche and can be quite useful as long as you know their limitations and advantages. I use one here at work all the time and it is very helpful for what I use it for. It does not replace my main desktop, but rather compliments it, allowing me to take it with me around the library to troubleshoot networking problems and giving me ready access to support documents, even when the network is down or the computer is messed up. I can take it easily to meetings and type notes on it, or show presentations. It travels easily when I have to go to meetings at other libraries or in Montgomery. Heck, I can take it outside on break and read the internet while eating.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
How to Earn a Cool Treat Next Week
We're going to be offering shaved ice on Friday June 18th and you can get a free cup! Here's how it works. Pick up a sticker at 3 of the following programs:
1. Monday Movie-Monday 3 pm
2. Maynard's Magic Show-Tuesday 10:30 am
3. Story Time-Wednesday 10:30 am
4. Rhythm & Rhyme- Thursday 10:30 am
On Friday from 10:30 am to 12 noon you can redeem your stickers for shaved ice! If you can't make it to 3 of our programs this week, you can still get a cool shaved ice in the following ways:
2 stickers and 25 cents = 1 flavor cup
1 sticker and 50 cents = 1 flavor cup
0 stickers and 75 cents = 1 flavor cup
We’ll also upgrade your treat to rainbow (3 flavors) for an additional 25 cents!
1. Monday Movie-Monday 3 pm
2. Maynard's Magic Show-Tuesday 10:30 am
3. Story Time-Wednesday 10:30 am
4. Rhythm & Rhyme- Thursday 10:30 am
On Friday from 10:30 am to 12 noon you can redeem your stickers for shaved ice! If you can't make it to 3 of our programs this week, you can still get a cool shaved ice in the following ways:
2 stickers and 25 cents = 1 flavor cup
1 sticker and 50 cents = 1 flavor cup
0 stickers and 75 cents = 1 flavor cup
We’ll also upgrade your treat to rainbow (3 flavors) for an additional 25 cents!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Kids Beach Books for the Summer!
Heading to the Beach this Summer?
Remember to grab some great beach books for the kids!
If you are taking your little one to the beach for the first time or for the hundredth, here are some great books about the beach that will definitely make your child want to MAKE A SPLASH into reading!
If you have a toddler who is visiting the beach for the first time, check out At the Beach by Mandy Stanley. It’s a great board book to help them identify different shapes and creatures at the beach.
Some great easy readers for kids are Beach Day by Karen Roosa and Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Mélanie Watt.
Beach Day teaches kids about all the fun activities at the beach from feeding the seagulls to building gigantic sandcastles. In Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Scaredy Squirrel refuses to go to the beach because he is scared of pirates, flocks of seagulls and tons of falling coconuts. What’s a scared squirrel to do? Make his own beach of course! But Scaredy Squirrel realizes his homemade beach is missing a key component, so he must venture to the real beach to complete his perfect homemade beach.
Another great picture book is Flotsam by Davis Wiesner. This 2007 Caldecott Medal winner is a wordless book telling the story of a young boy who finds a camera at the beach. As this boy develops the film from the camera, he discovers a magical underwater world that will definitely amaze children.
If you are looking for books about the beach for an older child, check out Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. This Newbery winner is a classic about a young girl, who is marooned on a deserted island for eighteen years. The story chronicles the obstacles she faces and the depths she will go to for survival.
Miss Laurie, in the children’s department, recommends The Wedding Planner’s Daughter by Coleen Paratore. The Wedding Planner’s Daughter is the first story in a hilarious contemporary series, which chronicles the life of Willa Havisham, a twelve year old girl who is “a classics reader, a cherry-cordial eater, and quite possibly the world's worst wisher”. Every year, Willa wishes for a father, her own dad died before she was born, but her mother uproots them every time a possible love interest emerges. As Willa and her mother, a famous wedding planner, settle into their new life in Cape Cod, Willa attempts to show her mother that Cape Cod is where they need to be!
If you would like to place a hold on any of these books, please click here to be redirected to the Jefferson County Library Cooperative. Remember to have a fun and safe summer!
~ Miss Judith ~
Remember to grab some great beach books for the kids!
If you are taking your little one to the beach for the first time or for the hundredth, here are some great books about the beach that will definitely make your child want to MAKE A SPLASH into reading!
If you have a toddler who is visiting the beach for the first time, check out At the Beach by Mandy Stanley. It’s a great board book to help them identify different shapes and creatures at the beach.
Some great easy readers for kids are Beach Day by Karen Roosa and Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Mélanie Watt. Beach Day teaches kids about all the fun activities at the beach from feeding the seagulls to building gigantic sandcastles. In Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach, Scaredy Squirrel refuses to go to the beach because he is scared of pirates, flocks of seagulls and tons of falling coconuts. What’s a scared squirrel to do? Make his own beach of course! But Scaredy Squirrel realizes his homemade beach is missing a key component, so he must venture to the real beach to complete his perfect homemade beach.
Another great picture book is Flotsam by Davis Wiesner. This 2007 Caldecott Medal winner is a wordless book telling the story of a young boy who finds a camera at the beach. As this boy develops the film from the camera, he discovers a magical underwater world that will definitely amaze children.
If you are looking for books about the beach for an older child, check out Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. This Newbery winner is a classic about a young girl, who is marooned on a deserted island for eighteen years. The story chronicles the obstacles she faces and the depths she will go to for survival.
Miss Laurie, in the children’s department, recommends The Wedding Planner’s Daughter by Coleen Paratore. The Wedding Planner’s Daughter is the first story in a hilarious contemporary series, which chronicles the life of Willa Havisham, a twelve year old girl who is “a classics reader, a cherry-cordial eater, and quite possibly the world's worst wisher”. Every year, Willa wishes for a father, her own dad died before she was born, but her mother uproots them every time a possible love interest emerges. As Willa and her mother, a famous wedding planner, settle into their new life in Cape Cod, Willa attempts to show her mother that Cape Cod is where they need to be!
If you would like to place a hold on any of these books, please click here to be redirected to the Jefferson County Library Cooperative. Remember to have a fun and safe summer!
~ Miss Judith ~
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
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