Nella Vita di Library Books

I love the library. Always have, always will. Reading either for pleasure or education is very important. The concept of sharing resources instead each having their own is very important. Saving money by having access to free books is very important. It played such an important place in my childhood, filled with many happy hours, and I hope that it will in my future generations as well.

In early blogs (Handmade Toys), I talked about new legislation that will require lead testing for products intended for children under 12 and alot of potential problems with that legislation. Another one has just been brought to my attention, library books. Imagine libraries having to pay to have every childrens book in their collection tested for lead. Imagine every childrens book going to a landfill and having to be replaced. The whole idea just makes me feel very angry. Lead and children certainly do not mix, but sometimes I have to wonder when is enough enough? Is a library book or any book with trace amounts of lead (assuming it is 'contaminated') really that fatal?

Nella Vita di Neil the Neon

Isn't it funny how particular material possessions become such an important part of us. It's like they are the Velveteen Rabbit and after so many adventures together they become real life friends to us. On Halloween my beloved Neon, Neil, was totalled (I wasn't driving, and the driver wasn't hurt...moral of the story is international UVa student driver + texting while driving + red light = sad little neon). When I found out and in the days after I seriously mourned his loss, like that of a good friend. We'd been through college and grad school together, driven all the way up to Maine and all the way down to Florida. Today I'm reliving that loss as we are finally getting around to scrapping him. His engine and transmission are being torn out to be sold on ebay like a last gift to us (helped by the fact that Shane couldn't just scrap the car knowing there was hundreds of dollars left under the hood). The rest will be taken to the local scrap yard. It's just a car...its purpose was to get me from point A to B, yet to me he was more than that. While I have named my new car (Hermie short for Herman cause he is a big, green monster or at least sounds like one) I have vowed not to get attached...and yet Hermie is already driving his way into my heart. I wonder what else we treasure so highly as our cars? Certainly childhood teddies and blankies. I admittedly have a couple pieces of furniture that fill me with happiness. There are some books that I would be devastated without. Perhaps these inanimate material things are really all just large storage vessels that contain our memories, our highs and our lows. And once they are gone, that tangible link to those memories is broken and it is up to us to carry them forward. Either way, my neon will always have a special place in my heart. May his scrap metal become the future hull of a mighty ship, or a bullet, or a mattress spring, or some other noble cause; and may his engine and tranny pay our mortgage!

Nella Vita di My Niece

It's been a busy day as far as cool things to post. My sister just sent some new pics of my niece Brielle at a little over 28 weeks.

I see a lot more of Danny in her Tina, though I can see her too.

Here nose looks like it is being squooshed against Tina's belly. I think these pics are confusing cause they always make me think that the baby is in a big hollow space or cave, and not surrounding by muscles.

It looks like there is a thought bubble coming out of her! Or maybe she is saying hello!

This one is cool because the shadow/dark thing really contrasts her profile. Her chest looks huge! She got that from the Celiis!

Nella Vita di Walmart

Here is another cool map thing showing how Wal-mart has grown over the years.

http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/

Nella Vita di Africanormous

I love maps and geography. Yes that's right, I admit. I'm a map nerd always have been. Now I'm hoping that most of you are aware that the maps so many of us grew up seeing in schools are not accurate, but are just one kind of projection that became popular because of how it skewed Russia. So most school maps are really cold war propaganda. You can learn more about it here on Wiki.


My friend Eric, just sent me this neat map showing how large Africa really is. Considering it is bigger than the US and China, I think it really shows how important the continent has the potential to be on a global scale. Between the AIDS crisis and mass genocide taking place across much of Africa (not to mention the loss of some really create species), I don't think we can continue to ignore Africa or underestimate it's importance.



Lastly, perhaps even more surprising is how large Argentina is. I always thought it was a long, thin and relatively small country.

Nella Vita di Handmade Toys UPDATE

So the law has been changed so that second-hand and consignment shops are no longer required to carry out the testing, saving a huge amount of items from being sent to landfills. As of now producers of children's items (including those small time operaters who make stuff in their basements/garages/craft room) are still required to comply with the law that goes into effect in February. For more info see below.

http://www.wyff4.com/money/18453746/detail.html

Nella Vita di a Pizza Peddler

Thought I would share the exciting news that Shane has been nominated General Manager of the Year for the North Division of Papa John's! It's a huge honor and well deserved as his store has been doing amazing this year and he has been working so hard. Let me tell you there is nothing worse than knowing that your lover's other 'woman' is named John and likes to be called "Papa!" Still it is nice that his mistress pays the bills so nicely!

Nella Vita di Handmade Toys

So we all know that lead and other toxins in kids toys or even clothes is not good. So Congress passed the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act which will require all retailers who sell merchandise for children under 12 test their products for lead before they can sell them. This sounds like a good idea but it is really set up to decisimate small business, hand crafters and artisans, even thrift stores like Goodwill. It's a retroactive bill so that any kid item made since the big bang would have to be tested. Lead testing is not cheap. The more I read about this the more the whole thing just feels wrong. Only mass-marketing large scale children brand and chains will be able to afford to comply hurting small business (bad!). This bill is so broad that even little old ladies selling their handmade baby jumpers at a church bazaar would be banned (so bad!). All untested merchandise will be considered contaminated and illegal to sell; this is going to result in huge amounts of children's products being sent to a landfill (how friggin wastefull can you be! beyond bad!) Totally a worthywhile and necessary idea, but just so ill thought out. I'm not usually one to push for lobbying or getting over involved, but I think some major revisions are needed to the act. Find out more below...