November - January 2, 2008

November 7 — Arrows to Wampum - From mighty Indian chiefs to the bravest of the braves, learn about our indigenous forebears from history professors Alex Smith and Sandra Harvey.

November 14 — The World is Flat - Geography Awareness Day celebrates why geography keeps us connected. Go global with Buck Buchanan in Tech GIS Lab 114.

November 21 — No Session

November 28 — Toast of the Town - Jeff Sauls of Cy-Fair Toastmasters conducts a mini workshop on how to speak with confidence and exercise leadership skills in your everyday environment. A Joint FSEC/LIFE Professional Development Program

December 5 — The Skinny on Metabolic Resistance - Dr. Mary Alavi of Balanced Health and Wellness has the new millennial answer to the age old question: How do you maintain energy and combat weight gain? Joint program with the Wellness Committee.

December 12 — Party Pot Luck - Join the library staff, the Friends of the Library and our Academy for Lifelong Learning for some food and games.
( For the pot luck, you can just come and enjoy or bring a favorite dessert or side dish. Turkey will be served!)

December 19 — No Session

December 26 — No Session

January 2 — No Session

NOTE: LIFE resumes January 9, 2008

December 12 - Party Pot Luck

Please send the recipes for the dishes everyone brought to the pot luck, so that they may be shared with everyone here. Thanks for coming everyone. We had a lot of fun.

Here is the recipe for the corn casserole.

1 can cream style corn

1 can regular corn, undrained

3 or 4 eggs (depending on size), lightly beaten

1/2 cup of oil (I use corn oil or canola)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 onion, finely chopped

Pinch of salt

1 package of Jiffy Corn muffin mix

Use corn undrained. Add beaten eggs, oil,salt and onions. Mix with Jiffy mix and 1/2 cup of the cheese.

Pour into a lightly grease 9"X13" dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

This is so easy to make and is great to bring to pot-luck dinners.

December 5 - The Skinny on Metabolic Resistance

Dr. Mary Alavi of Balanced Health and Wellness returned for a fantastic program.

Her clinic's website is www.balancedhealthandwellness.com

located at 16125 Cairnway / Suite 110 / Houston, TX 77084

Phone: 281.855.2273
Fax: 281.855.0710

November 28 - Toast of hte Town

Toastmasters International has location all over the place.
To find a location best for you visit www.toastmasters.org
You can also email them at tminfo@toastmasters.org.

One of the books that was recommended:
"Speak Up with Confidence" by Jack Valenti

November 14 - The World is Flat

GIS Day 2007
L.I.F.E. Presentation Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007
(found at http://faculty.nhmccd.edu/bbuchanan/gisday2007.html )

The World is Flat - Geography Awareness Day celebrates why geography keeps us connected. Go global with Buck Buchanan in Tech GIS Lab 114.

Geography Awareness Week 2007 November 11-17
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyaction/
http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2006/11/google-earth-promotes-geography.html
http://www.google.com/educators/gaw2007.html

GIS Day 2007 Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007
http://www.gisday.com/

Metaverse: The term metaverse comes from Neal Stephenson’s 1992 novel Snow Crash, and is now widely used to describe the vision behind current work on fully immersive 3D virtual spaces.

Current applications no longer claim to be the Metaverse. However, many are inspired by the vision and are exploring the potential of a 3D immersive virtual space from many angles. For example:

The Croquet Project takes the metaverse metaphor as a starting point for a new form of operating system, that is built for the increasing power of modern computers, and does not have its foundations in the limitations of the previous century.

Google Earth is coming from the area of GIS and satellite imagery to build virtual structure on top of real earth data (cf downtown Tokyo).


Photosynth

Blaise Aguera y Arcas created Seadragon (acquired by Microsoft in 2006), the visualization technology that gives Photosynth its amazingly smooth digital rendering and zoom capabilities. Photosynth itself is a vastly powerful piece of software capable of taking a wide variety of images, analyzing them for similarities, and grafting them together into an interactive three-dimensional space. This seamless patchwork of images can be viewed via multiple angles and magnifications, allowing us to look around corners or "fly" in for a (much) closer look.

Simply put, it could utterly transform the way we experience digital images.

Video: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/129
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRwOFLWVg8A
Microsoft Live Labs Photosynth: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/

Photo Tourism Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgBQCoEfiMs
University of Washington Photo Tourrism Project: http://phototour.cs.washington.edu/

Perceptive Pixel: Multi-touch interface

Jeff Han unveiled the genius of multi-touch interface design. Han’s intuitive "interface-free" computer displays -- controlled by the touch of fingertips -- will change forever the way you think about computers. At TED 2006, the audience whistled, clapped and gasped audibly as Han demoed (for the first time publicly) his prototype drafting table-cum-touch display, developed at NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. The demo included a virtual lightbox, where he moved photos by fingertip -- as if they were paper on a desk -- flicking them across the screen and zooming in and out by pinching two fingers together, as well as a Google Earth-like map that he tilted and flew over with simple moves.

Viedo: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/65
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ENumwMohs
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zGDNFpOMcA
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfFwgPuEdSk
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6379146923853181774
Perceptive Pixel: http://www.perceptivepixel.com/


Stephen Lawler: Look! Up in the sky! It's Virtual Earth!

Stephen Lawler, from Microsoft, takes us on a tour through the company's new Virtual Earth project, which is, basically, an attempt to turn the entire planet into an interface to the web. Collecting and synthesizing massive amounts of data -- bird's-eye views, street-level photos, 3D wireframes -- the Virtual Earth team are building a world of possibilities. Bonus: This talk may explain the mysterious vans with cameras on top that you might have seen cruising up and down your street.

Video: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/139
Microsoft's Virtual Earth: http://www.microsoft.com/virtualearth/


May 2007 Academy for Lifelong Learning Presentation
http://faculty.nhmccd.edu/bbuchanan/ges.html

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading
Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers
http://www.ted.com/

October 2007

October 3 — Shelling at the Seashore - Beautiful and unique treasures await you on the beach. Grab a bag or bucket and (re)discover shell collecting as a hobby or competitive sport! Monica Norem, born on Galveston Island, presides.

October 10 — Un Cafecito, Por Favor - The organic coffee industry never tasted this good. Learn about some new approaches to growing coffee that are considered very bird friendly while sipping on our shade-grown coffee from Café Altagracia in the Dominican Republic. Starring Clay White and Tim Sebesta, professors extraordinaire.

October 17 — Steal this Book - Downloadable books are here for free at your library. Learn how to get these audio books at your fingertips in library computer lab 203.

October 24 — How Quilts Bind the Community - Discover quilting with Patricia Plunk. View the AIDS Memorial Quilt in the library from October 22–29 whose mission is to foster healing, heighten awareness, and inspire action.

October 31 — Halloween Party - Autumn foods with Tony and Sheldon. Now that’s scary in HSC 105.

October 31 - Halloween Party

These were the dishes that were served:
Crunchy Garbanzos
Dry Jack Crisps
Cantaloupe Slivers
Chicken Alouette
Pumpkin-Pear Soup
Artichoke-Parmesan Phyllo Bites
Open-Faced Sandwiches of Herring, Apple, and Chives

If you are interested in the recipe for any or all of these, photocopies can be made for you upon request. Please Ask.

October 24 - How Quilts Bind hte Community

Oct 17 - Steal This Book

Device/Software Requirements

HCPL’s Downloadable eMedia

http://hcpl.lib.overdrive.com

What do I need to use HCPL’s Digital Media Catalog?

• Personal Computer
• Library card
• Free software
• Internet access
• Audio device

Software requirements

• Windows Media Player Version 9 or higher (version 11 recommended)
• Microsoft® Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows 2000 (Professional or Server), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), Windows XP (Home, Professional, Tablet PC, or Media Center Edition), Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate Edition)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 (or newer)
• Overdrive Media Console (http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/download.asp)

Audio Device Requirements

• To use Audio Books on a device, the device must play DRM-protected content in the .wma format, and either support the bit rate of 32kbps or be able to transcode 32kbps files to a supported bit rate.
• To use Music on a device, the device must play DRM-protected content in the .wma format, and the device must either support the bit rate of 64kbps or be able to transcode 64kbps files to a supported bit rate.
• To use Video on a device, the device must play DRM-protected content in the .wmv format, and the device must either support the bit rate of 500kbps or be able to transcode 500kbps files to a supported bit rate.

Known Compatible Devices (selected)

See complete list at http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/Compatibledevices.asp

• Coby MP-C353, MP-C652, MP-C654, MP-C7055, MP-C7057, MP-C854, MP-C856, MP-C945
• Creative MuVo NX 128, MuVo TX FM 128, Muvo V100, Jukebox Zen USB 2.0, ZEN, ZEN MicroPhoto 8GB, ZEN Nano Plus, ZEN Portable Media Center*, ZEN Stone, ZEN Stone Plus, ZEN Vision:M*
• Dell Axim X51v Pocket PC*
• HP iPAQ hx2495 Pocket PC*
• iRiver T10** , iRiver T30**
  ** with the firmware update available at: http://www.iriveramerica.com/support/mtpupdate
• Philips GoGear Jukebox HDD1630 6GB
• Rio Carbon
• Samsung BlackJack*
• Samsung YP-F1x, YP-T8x, YP-U2J
• Sandisk Sansa c140, Sansa e130, Sansa e250, Sansa m230, SDMX1-256, SDMX1-512 (Note that the e200 Series expansion slot does not support OverDrive Media. OverDrive Media files must be transferred to the main memory of the device.)
  
  

* This device supports OverDrive Video in addition to OverDrive Audio Books and Music

Known Incompatible Devices

See complete list at http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/Incompatibledevices.asp

• Archos Pocket Video Recorder
• Brookstone TinyTunes MP3 Player
• iPod
• Mach Speed Technologies 1GB Trio MP3 Player
• Microsoft Zune
• Motorola RAZR
• Panasonic SV-SW30V
• Phillips SA1100/37
• Rio Cali
• Samsung YP-T7J
• SanDisk Sansa e140
• Sony NW-S205F

How much storage space do I need on my device?

Each ‘Part’ of an Audio Book is approximately 15 –18 MB in size. A ten part audio book will require approximately 180 MB (10 x 18 MB) of storage.

Storage Capacity	Hours / Parts
128 MB	7 hours / parts
256 MB	14 hours / parts
512 MB	28 hours / parts
1 GB	56 hours / parts
2 GB	112 hours / parts
10 GB	560 hours / parts
20 GB	1120 hours / parts

Audio-to-go in 3 Easy Steps!

HCPL’s Downloadable eMedia

http://hcpl.lib.overdrive.com

1 Find a Book

• http://hcpl.lib.overdrive.com
• Search for items
• Select item(s) you would like to check out. Click “Add to cart” or “Place on Hold”
• Click on “My Cart” to check out item(s) you’ve selected.
• Click on “Proceed to Checkout”
• Click on “Confirm Checkout”
• Start downloading your title(s)!

Note: if you have a slow internet connection, you may want to download one part at a time. You can get transfer the downloaded part to your audio device and start listening while you’re waiting for the other parts to download!

2 Install Free Software

If you haven’t installed all the necessary software, you will need to do so at this time. The link to download the appropriate software will be located next to the title in your cart.

3 Transfer file from computer to audio device

• Attach your device to the computer
• In the Overdrive software, click on the title you would like to transfer and then click on “Transfer”
• Select the part(s) you would like to transfer and click on “Next.” Overdrive will start transferring the file to your audio device.
• Click on “Finish.”
• Disconnect your audio device and start listening!

Downloaded titles will automatically expire at the end of their checkout periods. The file, however, will remain on your computer or your audio device until you delete it. If you need to keep an item longer, you can check out the item again and then download a small file that will reactivate the title on your computer and your audio device.

If you have questions or technical issues, send a message to: ipac-catalog@hcpl.net. Include as much information you can, such as library cards number, steps to reproduce the problem, text of any error messages, software information (browser version, operating system, etc.)

More Shade Grown Coffee Info

It does not look like Starbucks serves shade grown coffee. You can buy it from their website.

Organic Shade Grown Mexico by Starbucks® Coffee

This light-bodied coffee with bold acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish comes from hundreds of small farms in the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas.

More about this coffee:
Chiapas farmers, near the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, are protecting the biodiversity of the last remaining cloud forest in Southern Mexico through organic and traditional shade growing coffee plants.

http://www.starbucksstore.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=313018

Here is another link for coffee in Texas. This one is great!

http://www.songbird.org/cgi-bin/cc_select.pl?state=TX – This link is the best one by far!

Oct 10 - Un Cafecito, Por Favor

Coffee Facts

-2/3rds world production exported from Latin America and Caribbean

-3rd most common import in US behind oil and steel

-US consumes 1/3rd of the world’s coffee

-Revenues exceed 10 billion a year, just behind oil

Traditional method

Grown under canopy of forest in shade or partial shade

Current method

Sun tolerant hybrid coffee plants, planted in cleared field (monoculture)

The Impacts

The Good

-Sun coffee has 3x the yield!

The Bad

-Less flavor

-Less biodiversity*

-Requires fertilization

-Requires insecticides

-Requires herbicides

-Requires fungicides

-Increases soil erosion

-Creates toxic run-off

-Not sustainable*

Biodiversity

-Shade coffee fields have 2/3rds the bird diversity compared to pristine forests

-Full Sun monocultures have less than 1/10th

-Shade coffee fields have as many as 40 species of trees that make up the canopy

-Full Sun monocultures have no trees

Just a Few Birds that Winter in Shade Coffee Plantations

Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Kestrel
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Traill's Flycatcher
Western Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Barn Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Golden-cheeked Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Mourning Warbler
MacGillivray's Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole

-Bird Friendly Coffee - Certified as shade-grown and organic by an independent inspector. Coffee that comes from farms in Latin America that provide good, forest-like habitat for birds.

-Rainforest Alliance Certified – Goods produced using farm and forestry methods that are good for the people and the planet. Goods derived from farms and forests where water, soil and wildlife habitat are conserved, where workers are treated well, where families have access to education and health care and where communities benefit.

- Fair Trade Certified - Empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By guaranteeing minimum floor prices and social premiums, Fair Trade enables producers to invest in their farms and communities and protect the environment.

Shade Grown/Organic Coffee Vendors

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/

http://www.cafecristina.com/

Coffee Traders, Inc.
1400 East 4th
Austin, TX 78702
Contact: RC Beall
512-326-4333
512-326-2813 (Fax)
hbeall@texascoffeetraders.com
http://www.texascoffeetraders.com

Lola Savannah, Ltd.
1701 Commerce
Houston, TX 77002
Contact: Rebecca Smith
713-222-9800 or 888-663-9166
713-222-9802 (Fax)
lola@lolasavannah.co
http://www.lolasavannah.com

Wild Bird Center
8436 Denton Highway, Ste 206
Watauga, TX 76148
Contact: Maureen Hall
817-514-8804
watauga@wildbird.co
http://www.wildbird.com/wat

Specialty Coffee LC
1401 S. Rendon, New Orleans, LA 70125
work504.827.0878

Kaladi Bros. Coffee/Colorado
1730 East Evans Ave., Denver, CO 80210
work720-570-2166

Bisbee Coffee Company
PO Drawer B, Bisbee, AZ 85603
work520-432-7931

CoffeeAM.com
100 Londonderry Court Suite#112, Woodstock, GA 30188
work678-494-1915

Tradewinds Coffee Co., Inc.
5500 - 106 Atlantic Springs Road, Raleigh, NC 27616
work800-457-0406

Perk’s Coffee House
49 S Court St, Athens, OH 45701
work740-594-7375

Randy Lemmon’s Gardenline

http://www.ktrh.com/pages/gardenline.html

October 3 - Shelling at the Seashore

To find out information from this presentation, please visit the Shelling for Fun blog at

http://shellingforfun.blogspot.com/.

September 2007

September 5 — Call of the Wild - Semper paratus, Always Ready, is our guide, and so is Professor Jason Moulenbelt where we each create a survival wrist band and learn how to use it.

September 12 — Rockin' on the Prairie Live - Clap your hands and slap your thighs to this live performance of Blues meets Motown. Maestro Thomas Meloncon directs this Precinct One musical extravaganza. Joint Program with the Academy of Lifelong Learning Center in the ARTS Recital Hall 102.

September 19 — Clayton Library Comes to Cy-Fair College - Sue Kaufman, Manager Clayton Library, Houston Public Library, presents tips on how to research our forebears using Houston's world famous genealogical collection in library computer lab 203.

September 26 — Presidential Assassins and Funerals with Alex Smith and Sandra Harvey - Don't miss this historical journey into the intricacies and minutiae of macabre presidential happenings.

Sept 19 - Clayton Library comes to Cy-Fair College

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

Your key to your family history

Sue Kaufman, Manager

5300 Caroline St / Houston, TX / 77004 / 832-393-2600

http://www.houstonlibrary.org/branches/cla_home.html

Internet sites mentioned in presentation

www.geni.com

Social networking genealogy site. You load your information and relative are asked to invite

www.houstonlibrary.org

To access Ancestry.com you must be in an HPL location

To access HeritageQuest you must have a HPL Powercard to use from home

www.hcpl.net

To access Ancestry.com you must be in an HCPL location

To access HeritageQuest.com you must have a HCPL Knowledge Card to use from home

www.familysearch.org

The website of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints (LDS – Mormons)

At this site you can search events, pedigree charts, and LDS library catalog.

www.usgenweb.com

A geographic driven

www.cyndislist.com

This is a directory to genealogical societies on the web

http://www.houstonlibrary.org/branches/cla_home.html

Clayton Library home page – click on the “Following Pages” link for more information and databases

Next Reads:

Click on “Readers Connect @ HPL” from the library home page. Choose the Next Reads icon. Click the subject newsletters you would like to subscribe to. You will be guided through the sign up process

September 5th - Call of the Wild

Today we made survival bracelets with Jason Moulenbelt. If you would like more information check out Jason’s survival bracelet blog: http://www.tfgear.blogspot.com/.

Titles of survival book soon to come…

In the mean time here is one website I just noticed that has some survival information: http://www.captaindaves.com/guide/intro.htm#contents

In case you did not finish your bracelet here is a reminder of how to do the cobra knot.

The cobra knot:

Take your ‘starter’ side (see below to determine starter side) and go under the double center line. Still with the same rope lay it over the other single rope. Now switch ropes. Take the new single rope and go over the double rope and into the loop made from the first rope. Make sure when you pick up the new single rope that you are not undoing the cross over that starter rope did. (click on a picture to enlarge it)

Pictures modified from http://stormdranespbtutorial.blogspot.com/ blog site.

How to determine which side to start with:

When you look at the bracelet from the underside (or what will be the inside when it is done) you will see one side has a hump and the rope under it is going away from you. The other side is a loop (not a hump) which the rope comes out of and towards you. The ‘starter’ side will be the one that is coming towards you and opposite the hump side.

For the very first knot you can begin with either side.

August 2007

August 1 — Gaming for Grownups - Patsy Brautigam enlists her Net-Generation son to demonstrate the mental and physical benefits of video games for all ages.

August 8 — Tangerine Trees and Marmalade Skies - Get into the seventies with Melissa, Rose and Tracy. Tie dye your white tee shirt and start feeling groovy.

August 15 — How do Artists Compose a Painting? - Learn the basics of composition with art instructor and artist Tony Kram.

August 22 — Face First with Balanced Health - Dr. Mary Alavi is back with some innovative ways to look your best. It’s not just for women anymore!

August 29 — Tulipmania - We won’t scare you with talk of the tulip crash in Holland, but Freddye Kelly will share sights from her trip to Holland and give tips on planting and storing bulbs.

Tulipmania with Freddye Kelly

Here are two references Freddye recommended in her hand out:
1. Flowering bulbs: Culture and Maintenance by Diane Relf and Joyce Latimer. Virginia Extension. Publication Number 426-201, Revised 2004.
2. Bulbs. Arizona Master Gardener Manual. Arizona Cooperative Extension. 1998.

Harris County Cooperative Extension
http://harris-tx.tamu.edu/hort

The Harris County Master Gardener Association.
http://hcmga.tamu.edu/

The two plants that were given away were Cannas and Crocosmia. The first on is the one that was a hard thick stalk cut down, and the second is the one that was kind of like a spider grass with several long thin leaves.

August 8 - Tanerine Trees and Marmalade Skies

Tie-Dye...
Send a picture of your tie-dyed shirt!
Pictures coming soon....

August 1 - Gaming for Grownups

Here are some of the websites that Patsy shared with us...

Cool Websites for Brain Games!!

http://fun.eons.com/brain_builders

-Play Brain Builder games

-Target specific brain areas

-Track your progress over time

-Play against yourself or others

-Must be 50+ to join

http://www.thirdage.com/living/games/

-Includes spatial, language, memory, visual acuity, and reflex games

-Compare your results with other players

-Play against yourself or others

http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/cognition/tutorials/index.html

-Five games from NASA that teach about cognitive psychology (includes recognition, mnemonics, recall interference, and short-term memory)

http://www.aarp.org/fun/puzzles/

-Fun daily games and puzzles

http://www.math.com/students/practice/arithmattack.htm

-Timed random math problems

http://enchantedmind.com/html/puzzles/interactive_puzzles/creative_java_puzzles.html

-Pentominos; word search; perceptual refinement (slider, scrambler)

http://www.freebraingames.com/

-A variety of free brain games and puzzles

http://www.queendom.com/mindgames/index.html

-If you like more challenging games

Http://www.puzzlepirates.com

-virtual world where you can chat with others.

-all actions in the games are puzzles.

July 25 - There's A Doctor in the House

Here is a list of books/videos referenced in Dr. Alavi's speech:

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne (BK, CD, DVD)

Your Body is Your Subconscious Mind by Candice Pert PhD (CD)

Molecules of Emotion by Candice Pert PhD (BK)

Schwarzbien Principle II - The Transition by Diana Schwarzbein M.D. (BK)

What the Bleep Do We Know (DVD 2004)

What the Bleep ---- Down The Rabbit Hole (DVD)

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay (oldie but good, BK)

Roundtrip Ticket: An exercise in Going Home to Your Heart by Belanie Dishong (good compliment to The Secret, BK)