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.: December 2009 --> December 2009

December 2009

» Cancer from the Kitchen? It may be the endocrine disruptors in plastics that are causing the rise in cancers.

Take breast cancer. One puzzle has been that most women living in Asia have low rates of breast cancer, but ethnic Asian women born and raised in the United States don't enjoy that benefit. At the symposium, Dr. Alisan Goldfarb, a surgeon specializing in breast cancer, pointed to a chart showing breast cancer rates by ethnicity.
"If an Asian woman moves to New York, her daughters will be in this column," she said, pointing to "whites." "It is something to do with the environment."

 [ 12.07.09 ]




» I know I've mentioned the time I spent with the Experimental Food Historians at Hampton Court Palace, and my temptation to become a home Experimental Food Historian in my spare time. Well, Sarah Lohman has made a hobby of doing just that - and it looks like big fun. Husband beware! (via se)  [ 12.08.09 ]

» I am testing to see if you can comment on this post. In the past, the system has been unable to recognize commenters once they logged in. Please comment if you can. If you can't, please email me at rebecca AT rebeccablood DOT net to let me know. / (15) Comments / [ 12.08.09 ]




» Wow! From Lone Star College - Kingwood Library, American Cultural History: The 19th Century and American Cultural History: The Twentieth Century, with lots and lots of recommendations for books about each decade. Writers (and enthusisasts) start your engines! Here's a tiny sample:

1900-1910

FACTS about this decade.

(via st)  [ 12.09.09 ]




» Reader's Advisor has compiled a Best of the "Best Books Lists" List.

And NPR has some suggestions for end-of-year reading and holiday giftgiving. A sampling: Best Young Adult Fiction for 2009, The 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2009, and Alan Cheuse's extremely varied Book Picks To Warm A Winter's Night. Bonus link: Urban fantasies for 2010. Update: Nancy Pearl's list of the best holiday books you've never heard of (and for all ages).

I would add The Help to any "Best Books of 2009" list. Please! If you have a must-read from this year (old or new) add it in comments.  [ 12.10.09 ]




» A Brand, A Plan, A Channel: eBooks and Mass Market "We shouldn't make the mistake of assuming a growing new format will upend the entire industry (remember the fear concerning audiobooks?). The format will dictate the content and this makes for one of the most exciting shifts in the industry since the rise of mass-market paperbacks." - Ryan Chapman, Internet Marketing Manager, Macmillan. (via tra)  [ 12.11.09 ]

» Good Enough is the New Great is an interesting juxtaposition (and perhaps counterpoint) to Mr. Chapman's contention that eBooks represent a separate market from traditional publishing (linked below). (From the NYT 9th Annual Year in Ideas, via waxy)  [ 12.11.09 ]




» Since I was a child and first saw one, I've wanted my own bookplate, haven't you? These collections of Ex Libris Art have me thinking about it again. Pratt Libraries Flickr collection, Rachel (wildflower)'s Flickr collection, and Dark Roasted Blend's collection. Ignore the ads at the top of that last page, just scroll down to be inspired.

If you aspire to become a collector, educate yourself by reading Bookplate Junkie and the official blog of the American Society of Bookplate Collectors & Designers, Ex Libris Chronicle: The International Collector  [ 12.14.09 ]




» The seven foods experts won't eat. The only surprise (and huge dismay) here is the tomatoes. (thanks, lizard!) / (1) Comments / [ 12.15.09 ]




» Contrary to the stereotype of the harried worker spending hours each day travelling between the office and a home in the suburbs, a new survey shows that Americans have the second-shortest commute in the world - 16 minutes! - , after Canada. The chart neglects to indicate the average mode of transport in each country. It would be the car in the US, obviously.  [ 12.16.09 ]




» NPR: The Best Debut Fiction of 2009. Fimoculous: A collection of Best Books of 2009 lists. (Part of his Best of 2009 list of lists.) Kottke: A collection of Best Books of the decade lists. (Part of his Best of the Noughties list of lists.)  [ 12.18.09 ]




» I did think I might take some time to post some links this week, but it's clear to me that I'm going to be too busy between now and the New Year to even think of it. Instead, I encourage you to take some time to enjoy your friends and family, and to have a wonderful holiday season. See you in 2010!  [ 12.23.09 ]




» This summer Dogfish Head Craft Brewery released Chateau Jiahu - perhaps the world's oldest beer.  [ 12.28.09 ]




» Retired construction worker Wally Wallington believes he has uncovered the secret of building Stonehenge, and to prove it, he's building a demonstration model in his backyard. (via @ebertchigago)  [ 12.29.09 ]




» The Economist: The Harry Potter Economy. The massive popularity of the boy wizard, happening as it did during the mainstreaming of the Web, provides an instructive look at modern media merchandising, a new approach to big-budget film making, and fan-produced transmedia.  [ 12.30.09 ]






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