The People Have Spoken Election Results
The Dupage Election Commission has posted the unofficial result of the April 7, 2009 election on their Web site.
Some of the Village of Hinsdale results are:
Village President: Tom Cauley 2016 votes, Cindy Wiilams 1217 votes, Michael D Woerner 151 votes.
Village Trustee (3 positions open): Doug Geoga 1923 votes, Laura LaPlaca 2215 votes, Bill Seith 1600 votes, Craig A Chapello 1385 votes, Bob Saigh 1804 votes.
Hinsdale Library Trustee (4 positions open): Peter DeHaan 1817 votes, Joe LaManna 1845 votes, Jan Letts 1845 votes, Nancy Weller 2041 votes.
Theodor Geisel and the 50/50 Bet
Today, March 2, 2009, would have been Theodor Geisel’s 105th birthday.
“Hooray”, you say!
Oh no.
“Who?” you say. (Enough with the embarrassing imitation.)
Mr. Geisel is better known by his nom de plume, Dr. Seuss. His many works for children are staples of library collections due to their ability to capture the reader’s imagination.
Did you know that one of his classics was the product of a wager?
It’s true. Green Eggs and Ham was the result of a 50 dollar bet; Geisel’s publisher wagered that limited to 50 words the talented Mr. Geisel could not create a fully formed story.
To learn more Suess-ian lore and more about his lesser known , but equally captivating, books for adults, check out his biography, The Seuss, the Whole Seuss and Nothing but the Seuss: a Visual Biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel and Theodor Seuss Geisel:the Early Works.
Let’s Do the Time Warp (Again) or Got a Second?
We’re all familiar with February 29th, the extra day that evens out the calendar every seven years. This year, as bad as its been, will be extended one second to account for the precision of atomic time keeping. So take a deep breath, as the ball drops, and you’ll be in sync and ready to start the fresh, new year.
Read more about the many occasions of the “leap second” and the controversy of traditional timekeeping (Greenwich Mean Time) versus the atomic timekeeping (International Atomic Time) in this story from the New York Times.
Rare Earth (Magnets)–A New Threat to Aging Rockers and Audiobook Fans (reposted)
Researchers at a Boston medical center have discovered iPod-style headphones and ear buds, or more to the point their powerful rare earth magnets, can interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators.
When the headphones are placed over the chest of people with pacemakers the strong magnets send a signal to the device which may lead to irregular heart rhythm. People with implantable defibrillators face a greater threat, because the headphone magnets temporarily shut the device down.
Read the story as reported on 11/10/08 via Reuters.
Rare Earth Magnets are super strong permanent magnets made from rare elements. Also known as neodymium magnets they are commonly found in loudspeakers, fishing reels, and hybrid automobiles.
Talking Turkey 2.0
The Butterball Turkey Talk Line, the savior for holiday chef wannabes, keeps evolving its virtual presence. The classic 800 number (1-800-BUTTERBALL) is still in effect. The Butterball Web site, www.butterball.com, still offers links to ‘how-to’ and ‘time and temperature’ charts to the culinarially challenged but tech savvy.
Tips via Text Messaging and mobile browsing of the Butterball Web site are the latest high-tech updates to their arsenal of assistance. Thanksgiving chefs who wish to receive text messages between now and December 31, 2008, may sign up via their Web site or text “TURKEY” to 36888. A maximum of 3 messages per week will be sent directly to subscribers’ phones or PDAs.
Their advice is free, but standard charges of your wireless plan still apply.