And We're All So Grateful

January 26, 1875.  On this day George F. Green, of Kalamazoo Michigan no less, patented a thing that would have an enormous impact on my life.  The telephone?  The lightbulb?  The phonograph?  These are all wonderful things!  Fun, even.  No, on this dark day 136 years ago my nemesis was patented.  The electric dental drill.  owww.  Who knew it had been around this long?  The worst part - Novocaine didn't roll out until 1905.  However, in the interest of full disclosure I should mention that before Novocaine they used cocaine.  Effective but a reaaaaly bad idea.  To those who would point out that the dental drill has undoubtedly saved my teeth:  still, owww.

Chase's Calendar of  Events
inventnow

What to Watch?

Ever spend an hour or so wandering the DVD stacks, waiting for something to leap out, land in your arms and say "take me home, good-lookin"?  What you need are amusing, older movies that are likely on the shelf.  Good ones!  I personally recommend the following.  All are comedies, some knee-slapping, some more on the chucklesome side.  That would be your left side. Go ahead, tickle it.
 Local hero
Grosse pointe blank
A mighty wind
Keeping mum
Cold Comfort Farm
Barbershop
Office space

More Than the Lack of a P

So what is the difference between Pop Art and Op Art?  Since they arrived on the scene around the same time (1960's) I tend to get them mixed up.  Here's where I save you from a similar fate.  Pop Art is 'photo-realistic'.  It's Andy Warhol's soup cans and Roy Lichtenstein's jumbo comic panels.  Op Art is all about the optical illusions.  You know, the circle that seems to have 3 dimensions. Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley are the leading lights.  (Some include Escher because his work is bursting with optical illusions, but Escher's creations were not exactly abstract.)  Just keep in mind 'optical illusion' equals Op Art.  You'll look so smart.  Glad I could have a part... in your education.  Anybody want a peanut?  (Alert!  Random Princess Bride allusion!)

Pop Art
Princess Bride

DIY Hair

Ever cut your own hair?  I cut my own bangs and sideburns because they'll be driving me crazy and I have to get rid of them NOW.  Recently the hair at the nape of my neck was bugging me so I hacked it off.  Now I'm not saying I recommend my methods.  If you're hankering to cut hair we have lots of books on haircutting at home.  Your spouse, child, sibling, passer-by could be the recipient of a brand-new 'do, courtesy of you.  I suggest getting their permission first.  But upon whom could you practice?  Maybe a Halloween wig would work, I think they're pretty cheap.  Hair cutting, cost cutting, all at the tips of your fingers.  Howdy doody.

Haircutting Books  You'll especially enjoy the one about yaks.

Stood in Bed

Everyone knows you're not supposed to stand on the bed.  It's not a bad as jumping but it will definitely get you in trouble.  So why would we use the expression "I should have stood in bed"?  No I shouldn't have.  Not only is standing in bed silly, it would quickly become tiring.  But this is one phrase we have an origin for!  Joe Jacobs was a well-known boxing manager in 1935. One day when he was sick, he got out of bed to go to a World Series baseball game. Jacobs watched the Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs and announced "I should have stood in bed".  Doesn't that just make you happy?  The idiosyncratic phrasing of Mr. Jacobs leaves us with that entertaining saying.

Source: Look 10/24/1961 p. 70b

Da One and Only Da Vinci

Now that the Science Center has extended the stay of the "Da Vinci - The Genius" exhibit through March 20th, let's see if we have any books on the guy who defined the term Renaissance Man.  We do!  We have many books!  And here's a tip:  if you do a subject search for him put his first name first.  I know, libraries always use the last name of people when we categorize them, but not in Leonardo's case.  It's all part of the mystique. Or there's a cataloging rule to which I must admit utter ignorance. So I'm certain the first explanation wins.  We offer a lovely selection for both adults and children whether you are interested in his art or his science.  They have titles like Leonardo da Vinci, Leonardo, Leonardo's Machines, Da Vinci for Dummies (it puts the 'duh' in Da Vinci!).  Those books are branded like ... I was going to say some kind of cow but I'm pretty sure branding really hurts.  So I won't.

Leonardo Books

The Turkey Trot Scandal

When I think of the Turkey Trot, which I seldom do, I envision adults in barns hopping around while holding hands.  Don't you?  Turns out that was not the case.  The Turkey Trot, along with other bird-themed dances, (chicken scratch and buzzard lope) forced communities into full Footloose mode!  Why?  Young people held each other close in these dances.  Because there was hopping involved, often on one foot.  Had to hold your partner fairly close so as to avoid the dreaded Catfish Flop.  (I made that last dance up.)  Adults were not happy with the touching and wiggling around involved. (Grinding, anyone?)  Teens were arrested and went to jail!  'Floor inspectors' patrolled the ballrooms, hunting down any and all dance violators!  This craze took place around the turn-of-the-century, 1900ish, so the ubiquitous Mr. Kevin Bacon's dancecapades were decades away.  Bet the Turkey Trot would make those '80's moves look smoooooth.

Panati's parade of fads, follies, and manias : the origins of our most cherished obsessions / Charles Panati

Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day all 6 locations of the Des Moines Public Library are closed today.  We will open our regular hours tomorrow.

After several failed attempts to pass a bill declaring Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a holiday," In November 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill declaring that the third Monday of every January, beginning in 1986, would be celebrated as a national holiday, named Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  The first observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was January 20, 1986. Beginning in 2000, the day became an official national holiday in all fifty states."

Source:  "Reagan Signs into Law National Holiday." The Post-Standard (November 3, 1983).
as accessed through Biography in Context

We Have a New Director! Come See!

His name is Greg Heid, recently of Covington Georgia.  I was going to compare the weather in Georgia to that of Iowa but I checked the forecast yesterday.  The high in Covington was predicted to be in the upper thirties. Yee-ha.  Better than 15-20 in Des Moines I'll grant you, but not the balmy 60's to 70's I'd expected.  We are throwing a reception for Mr. Heid today at the Central Library from 3:00-5:00!  Please stop in to say Hi! have a cookie, and welcome the new director to the Des Moines Public Library.  The weather may have it in for Greg Heid of Georgia, but we're glad he's here!