#the 20

""Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.""  -- Charles William Eliot

Your Bookish Daily Grind...

I discover and am sent more links about books than any other subject. Book suggestions, author interviews, book technology, information on reading, how to get kids to read more, how to write, the bookstore industry as a whole, book trailers, bookstore openings and closings, independent book seller news, library innovation, bookmark printers, pets in bookstores, book release dates, music in libraries, podcasts, apps, radio shows, ebooks, kindles....etc....etc. It's no wonder I eventually get a huge backlog of book related stories to share. Today's Daily Grind is for lit geeks everywhere. Peruse and enjoy as though you're in a library with no doors. Which, I'm not gonna lie, is a dream of mine.

1. PopQuiz, Hotshot! #1 - The Hardest Guess-The-Writer Quiz.

2. Scarlett was originally Pansy...and 9 other fascinating facts about Gone with the Wind.

3. Top 10 Books About Gangsters

4. Name a book that made you laugh out loud. The first one that came to my mind was The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore. "Danger, Food Guy!"

5. Located in Lawrence, Kansas the mission of Solidarity! Revolutionary Center and Radical Library is to organize as a non-hierarchical collective for the purpose of sharing and distributing information. The collection is compiled of Zines (personal, non-copy written, non-traditionally peer reviewed articles, journals, and art) that were specifically purchased, donated, traded, or created for the Solidarity! Collection. These works cover every topic from Globalization and the Industrial Prison Complex to first kisses.

6. The Bookmark Bookcase:

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7. What's Jay Reading? - I recently finished Elizabeth George's The Punishment She Deserves. It clocks in at nearly 700 pages, but I found her writing enjoyable and she moves the story along at a brisk pace. Even though this novel is part of her Thomas Lynley detective series and I had never read her before, I didn't feel I was lost at any part of the story for not having read her previous works. I have read more whodunnits this year than I've read my entire life combined. There's something about a good murder mystery set in a pristine, historic medieval English town. I enjoyed settling in for a long read that still managed a good pace, and I will be reading more Elizabeth George in the future.

Last night, I started reading The Hunger by Alma Katsu. It's about the ill-fated wagon train of the Donner party. Stephen King was quoted as saying, "Deeply, deeply disturbing, hard to put down, not recommended reading after dark." So, no pristine small town English setting for this one. I'll let you know.

8. Postcards from Timbuktu - This site poses the question, "When was the last time you received something meaningful in the mail?" I did this and even though it took a good while, I did indeed receive a postcard from Timbuktu.

9. 10 Surprising Former Librarians.

10. The Library of Congress - Most of our national library’s texts are now available online. Whatever skill it is you want to learn, you can read up on it there.

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11. Google Arts & Culture - Explore the ancient and modern worlds in an incredible online resource powered by Google’s Street View and mapping technology.

12. I am a fudgel - 20 Awesome Historical Words We Need to Bring Back

13. Ever wanted to explore Treasure Island or pretend to be Robinson Crusoe? Minecraft is now being used to create an ‘immersive experience’ to engage reluctant readers – How Minecraft is helping kids fall in love with books

14. A brief conversation with actress and author Parker Posey.

15. A Literary Map of the United Kingdom - The United Kingdom overflows with stories – stories that animate the land, which animates the stories right back. This map plots some of the UK’s memorable literary works in the locations that inspired them. As maps go, it may not do your navigation much good – but it’ll do wonders for your imagination.

16. 5 Creative Cocktails Based on Books

17. International Corner - This literary themed hotel in Portugal is a bookworms paradise.

18. I'm Looking for Alaska by John Green - What Great American Read Are You?

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19. The Best Notes Atlas Obscura Readers Found in Used Books

20. PopQuiz, Hotshot! #2 - Thinky face, thought bubble, book - Guess the Book Titles Using Only Emoji

Grind #220...fini.

If you find any peace and value in what I do, any donation, big or small, means a lot and helps keep spreading the positive vibes.

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"“I never get nervous, but I get shifty, like, ‘Am I going to do a good job?' That’s the more meaningful moment for me-- when I can silence a room.”"  -- Jade Bird

Your Daily Grind...

Here's the 10 things I found on the internet worth sharing today. Ventipop's Daily Grind posts are meant to be fun, serious, thoughtful, musical, informative and hopeful. I post what I discover whether it be a new musician I think deserving of a listen, a new product I've used and like or an article that runs counter to the tide of thought. Peruse and enjoy.

Toys Story : International Corner : Jade Bird : Architecture Odd News :: TV :: Design :: Science :: Books :: Feel

1. Toys Story - What was the most popular toy the year you were born?

2. International Corner, France - France bans smartphone use in schools. Students can have them but they must be turned off.

Also in France: “Harassment in the street has previously not been punished. From now on, it will be,” Marlene Schiappa, gender equality minister and architect of the new legislation, told Europe 1 radio on Thursday. Reuters: France outlaws lewd cat-calls to women in public amid attack uproar. 

3. Spankin' New Music Friday - "Uh Huh" by Jade Bird

Jade Bird Bio: Jade Bird is fast becoming one of the most exciting new British voices. Twisting big themes of disillusionment, divorce, cheating, sorrow into the realities of an independent-minded, modern British 20-year-old, Jade’s music transcends genre with a wealth of influence coming from everywhere, and anywhere. Classic, contemporary, and a total breath of fresh air in the current musical landscape, Jade Bird is that rare, next-generation artist who appears as clued up on the past as she is determined to learn from its lessons: in control, sometimes in your face, and in possession of gifts beyond her years.

More by Jade Bird:

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4. Architecture & Design - Two giant hands seem to suspend a pedestrian bridge just outside the city of Da Nang, Vietnam. The 500-foot bridge rests in two outstretched palms which have been weathered with cracks and moss to give the appearance of age.

5. Odd News - "Around 10 years ago, Baker was raising chickens with her daughter on their small farm in Claremont, New Hampshire when she first saw a YouTube video of a chicken wearing what looked to be an upside-down apron that stretched across its backside." The Outline on The Booming Business Of Luxury Chicken Diapers. 

6. TV - June (Maya Rudolph) and Oscar (Fred Armisen) live a comfortable but very predictable wedded life when suddenly they find themselves in a completely unexpected situation, raising questions about love and marriage. Forever premieres on Amazon Prime September 14.

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7. Design - The Magic Creeper is an innovative new take on the mechanic's creeper:

8. Science - Tell all the young girls in your life about 'The Matilda Effect'

9. Books - ESPN's NFL Insider Adam Schefter has made a name for himself breaking NFL news across all platforms oftentimes with a phone in each hand. But did you know he's also recently written a book? In The Man I Never Met, Schefter tells the story of falling in love with the widow of a 9/11 victim, marrying her, and moving into her house. In part, Schefter’s memoir is a tribute to that man, Joe Maio, a Cantor Fitzgerald executive who died in the World Trade Center attacks. In 2005, Schefter, then a sports writer for the Denver Post, took a job with the NFL Network and relocated to New York City; he had a great job, but, at almost 40, he was “single, childless, and lost.” Over Memorial Day weekend in 2006, a mutual friend suggested Schefter call Sharri Maio, who had a six-year-old son; uncertain that he wanted to date a 9/11 widow, he nevertheless called Sharri and they went on their first date. In a short time they fell in love, got married, and Schefter moved into a “house in the suburbs with a wife, a child, and the memory of Joe.” Living in and working on the house, Schefter learned that Joe was a good father who set high professional goals for himself. In what at first comes across as a bizarre concept for a memoir, Schefter successfully communicates his joy in finding love and family, and in a friendship with a man he never knew.

10. The Last Drop - Feel - Seven years ago, Jamie McKechnie was the victim of an unprovoked "one punch" attack in south-east London. Struck in the back of his head by a total stranger, he fell face-first to the ground and suffered a serious brain injury. His girlfriend Ellen Murphy, who sings under the name Only Girl, was by his side throughout the recovery - and poured her emotions into music. One of the songs she wrote in that period, Mountain, has just been released - accompanied by a moving video that chronicles Jamie's journey through rehab:

Grind #218...fini. Have a great weekend.

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If you find any peace and value in what I do, any donation, big or small, means a lot and helps keep spreading the positive vibes.

ONE-TIME DONATION

You can make a single donation in any amount you choose by clicking the button below.

""Time for a beer.""  -- Lawson Craddock

Your Daily Grind...

Here's the 10 things I found on the internet worth sharing today. Ventipop's Daily Grind posts are meant to be fun, serious, thoughtful, musical, informative and hopeful. I post what I discover whether it be a new musician I think deserving of a listen, a new product I've used and like or an article that runs counter to the tide of thought. Peruse and enjoy.

Feel :: International Corner :: Free Food! :: Parenting :: Product of the Day :: Photography :: Watermelon Steak :: Vested Interest :: Ocean's Nine :: Music

If you find any peace and value in what I do, any donation, big or small, means a lot and helps keep spreading the positive vibes.

ONE-TIME DONATION

You can make a single donation in any amount you choose by clicking on either button below.

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or

1. Feel - Sometimes last is first. Less than 100 miles into the 2018 Tour de France, disaster struck American rider Lawson Craddock. TV cameras didn’t capture precisely what happened, but with around 80 kilometers left in Stage 1, Craddock emerged behind the peloton bloodied and bruised after hitting a water bottle and falling during the feed zone. He suffered a fractured shoulder blade, and his bruised eye socket sent blood streaming down his face. Many riders wouldn’t have finished the stage. He finished the race.

2. International Corner - An 'Unmitigated Success' - that's how a firm in New Zealand sums up its experiment with a four-day work week. First, The Lord of the Rings movies and now this.

3. Free Food! - Thrillist lists all the free food you can get in August.

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4. Parenting (Or Lack Thereof) - Parents Hiring Fortnite Coaches to Improve Play, Help Children Level Up

5. Product of the Day - Wet-It! Swedish Cleaning Cloths. We spend a ton of money on paper towels in our house, so I'm rolling the dice on a pack of these and some Skoy Scrubbers. 

6. Photography - Hindsight - 30 Years Ago: A look back at 1988...the good and bad.

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7. Watermelon Steak? - Would you eat this dish?

8. Vested Interest - A Vest Vending Machine inside the San Francisco Airport rakes in $10,000 in sales per month. Let me say that again. A Vest Vending Machine.

9. The Family Jewels On These Two - Apparently, Danny Ocean had nine too many. Thieves steal Swedish royal jewels, escape by speedboat...in Stockholm at high noon.

10. New Song of the Day - Q: What is Electro Swing Music? A: "Mambo Rap" by Parov Stelar

"“We cannot control other people and their actions but we can control how we act and react to them.” "  -- Elizabeth George

Your Daily Grind...

Here's the 10 things I found on the internet worth sharing today. Ventipop's Daily Grind posts are meant to be fun, serious, thoughtful, musical, informative and hopeful. I post what I discover whether it be a new musician I think deserving of a listen, a new product I've used and like or an article that runs counter to the tide of thought. Peruse and enjoy.

Humor :: PopQuiz! :: Podcast of the Day :: Feel :: Health :: Music :: Book :: International Corner :: Movies

1. Humor - I could watch the GoPro stealing dog all day:

2. PopQuiz, Hotshot! - I scored 31 out of 35 on this Name the Famous U.S. City From a One-Sentence Description quiz.

3. Podcast of the Day - Good Job, Brain! has long been one of my favorite podcasts. Definitely check it out if you haven't already. Here's the description via iTunes: 

Part pub quiz show, part offbeat news, and all awesome. All the time! We here are nuts about trivia. And we are darn sure there are people out there who share our unusual obsession. Do you relish beating your friends at Trivial Pursuit? Do you blab out the answers at the gym when Jeopardy! is on? Then this podcast, fellow trivia nut, is the ultimate mental nutrition for your very big brain. So eat up!

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4. Feel - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson surprises his friend and stunt double for the past sixteen years with a new truck.

5. Health - Som Sleep claims to be a drug-free, non-habit-forming beverage that helps support sleep. The folks over at Business Insider gave it a try and say it actually did help them sleep.

6. Music - Instrumental Wednesday - "Loop" by Dungen & Woods

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7. Current Book Obsession - The Punishment She Deserves by Elizabeth George.

The cozy, bucolic town of Ludlow is stunned when one of its most revered and respected citizens--Ian Druitt, the local deacon--is accused of a serious crime. Then, while in police custody, Ian is found dead. Did he kill himself? Or was he murdered?

8. International Corner - Japan is tops when it comes to cleaning your bottom. (Sorry) The Japanese are famous for their bidets and self-folding TP dispensers, and now they've come up with something new: Foaming bottom soap: An eco-friendly alternative to wet wipes

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9. Movies - Like Father is a new Netflix movie premiering August 3rd. The film's premise  — after being left at the altar, a workaholic (Kristen Bell) reconnects with her estranged father (Kelsey Grammar) aboard a cruise. Here's the trailer:

10. Feel - In honor of the film Like Father's premise Netflix brought together real father and daughter duos who haven't always had the best relationships over the years:

Grind #216...fini.

If you find any peace and value in what I do, any donation, big or small, means a lot and helps keep spreading the positive vibes.

ONE-TIME DONATION

You can make a single donation in any amount you choose by clicking the button below.

""Life is stressful enough. Let’s make a show that makes you feel good.""  -- Amy Poehler, Host of Making It

Your Daily Grind...

Here's the 10 things I found on the internet worth sharing today. Ventipop's Daily Grind posts are meant to be fun, serious, thoughtful, musical, informative and hopeful. I post what I discover whether it be a new musician I think deserving of a listen, a new product I've used and like or an article that runs counter to the tide of thought. Peruse and enjoy.

TV :: Education :: Music :: Odd News :: Science :: Feel :: Art & Culture :: Design :: Videography

1. TV - It's Parks & Rec meets The Great British Baking Show. Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (aka Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson) host a new reality show called Making It which premieres tonight on NBC. It's getting some good reviews.

2. Education - For the fourth year in a row, an entire class scored a perfect score of five on their AP Calculus exam.

""We have created a buzz here. That hey, math is fun.""  -- St. Mary's Math Teacher Iswari Natarajan

3. Music - Tuesday Balladry - "Ricochet" by Haux

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4. Odd News - Ads are everywhere. Now, a Japanese company is leasing women's armpits as ad space.

5. Science - Ever heard of "Sudden Savant Syndrome?" -  A person can suddenly blossom into a savant, and no one knows why or how.

6. TV - There's a lot of star power behind Matthew Weiner's Mad Men follow-up titled The Romanoffs:

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7. Feel - A random act of kindness  - "There is still kindness in the world," Heather Hobbs wrote in a Facebook post.

8. Art & Culture - What does a conductor actually do on stage?

9. Design - Coming soon to European streets: the Microlino, an eight-foot electric vehicle that’s smaller than a Smart Car.

10. The Last Drop - Videography Art - From Vladimir Tomin, a fun augmented reality video where he uses a set of image editing tools to manipulate the scenery:

215...fini.

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If you find any peace and value in what I do, any donation, big or small, means a lot and helps keep spreading the positive vibes.

ONE-TIME DONATION

You can make a single donation in any amount you choose by clicking the button below.