Congressional Pig Book 2008: Annual Compilation of Pork-Barrel Projects in Federal Budget.
News release: "Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released the 2008 Congressional Pig Book, the latest installment in an 18-year exposé of pork-barrel spending...In fiscal year 2008, Congress stuffed 11,610 projects (the second highest total ever) worth $17.2 billion into the 12 appropriations bills. That is a 337 percent increase over the 2,658 projects in fiscal year 2007, and a 30 percent increase over the $13.2 billion total in fiscal year 2007. Alaska led the nation with $556 in pork per capita ($380 million total), followed by Hawaii with $221 ($283 million) and North Dakota with $208 ($133 million). CAGW has identified $271 billion in total pork since 1991."

New CRS Reports
April 01, 2008 - Medicaid and Outpatient Hospital Services
April 01, 2008 - The REAL ID Act of 2005: Legal, Regulatory, and Implementation Issues
March 28, 2008 - Financial Turmoil: Federal Reserve Policy Responses


What’s a signature in book publishing?
A printed sheet of paper, folded to size and ready for sewing (i.e.: large paper folded in half, fourths, eighths, sixteenths, or thirty-seconds).
http://www.ioba.org/terms.html
glossary of book terms at above link

willy-nilly (WIL-ee NIL-ee) adverb, adjective
1. Whether willing or not.
2. Haphazardly.
[From contraction of "will ye/he/I nill ye/he/I", from will (to be willing) and nill (to be unwilling).]
A.Word.A.Day

May Day corresponds to the French pronunciation for "m'aider", which means "help me."
http://ship25bsa.org/mayday.html
The call is given three times in a row.

Music is an art form that involves organized sounds and silence.
http://www.suchuse.com/music-is-an-art-form-that-involves-organized-sounds-and-silence.html

John Cage's most famous musical composition is called 4'33".
It consists of the pianist going to the piano, and not hitting any keys for four minutes and thirty-three seconds. (He uses a stopwatch to time this.) In other words, the entire piece consists of silences -- silences of different lengths, they say.
http://interglacial.com/~sburke/stuff/cage_433.html

On April 1, 89.9 FM held a “Cage Match.” They played two versions of 4’33’’ and asked radio listeners to vote for the one they preferred.

Love means biscuits, and empathy is a casserole.

To your health In-A-Minute Breakfast
Scant 1/3 cup rolled oats, farina or corn meal
1 cup (more, if needed) water or milk
Cook on stovetop while stirring to desired consistency, about a minute.
Possible toppings: salt, honey, molasses, syrup, butter

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com