MacArthur and IMLS Announce Plans to Create 30 New Learning Labs at Libraries and Museums Across the Country on September 16 In support of President Obama's "Educate to Innovate" call to action, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced plans to create 30 new youth learning labs in libraries and museums across the country. Inspired by an innovative new teen space at the Chicago Public Library called YOUmedia and innovations in science and technology centers, these labs will help young people become makers and creators of content, rather than just consumers of it. These labs will be based on new research about how young people learn today. "Our success as a nation depends on strengthening America's role as the world's engine of discovery and innovation," said President Obama. "I applaud the John D. Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and their partners, for lending their resources, expertise, and their enthusiasm to the task of strengthening America's leadership in the 21st century by improving education in science, technology, engineering and math." http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/091610.shtm

The violent history of our nearest celestial neighbour has been laid bare by the most detailed map of moon craters ever produced. Scientists used instruments aboard Nasa's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to scan the surface of the moon for impact craters measuring at least 20km wide. Pictures sent back by the spacecraft revealed 5,185 large craters caused by lumps of space rock thumping into the lunar surface over the past few billion years. Some regions of the moon are so pocked with craters they have reached what planetary scientists call "saturation equilibrium", where each additional crater wipes out an older one, so the number of craters remains the same. The moon is thought to have formed 4.5 billion years ago, when a heavenly body the size of Mars struck Earth and dislodged an enormous cloud of debris that ultimately condensed into our planet's natural satellite. See map and more information at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/17/map-moon-craters

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Strings of beads called japa malas have been used for centuries in India to helpt devout Hindus and Buddhists stay focused during meditation. Medieval Crusaders admired the technique and brought the idea back to Europe as rosary.
Every word in Italian is a singing sparrow, a magic trick, a truffle. Ciao! is an abbreviation of a phrase used by medieval Venetians as an intimate salutation: Somo il suo schiavo! meaning "I am your slave!"
The poet and philosopher Rumi once advised his students to write down the three things they most wanted in life. If any items clash on the list, Rumi warned, you are destined for unhappiness. Better to live a life of single-pointed focus.
In the sixteenth century, some Italian intellectuals decided that the Italian peninsula needed an Italian language. They reached back to the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri who shocked the literate world in 1321 by not writing Divine Comedy in Latin. Essentially, the Italian we speak today is Dantean.
In Italy, we are the masters of il bel far niente, "the beauty of doing nothing."
In Italian there is a seldom-used tense called passato remoto, the remote past--for example, ancient history.
In his 1964 masterwork, The Italians, Luigi Barzini tried to answer the question of why Italians have produced the greatest artistic, political and scientific minds of the ages, but have never become a major world power. to be continued

"Pod people" is: a nickname given to an alien species and a doom metal band from Canberra, Australia that formed in 1991.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:Pod+People&sa=X&ei=CXSOTIevG8-inQeB-ojaCw&sqi=2&ved=0CBIQkAE
Note that this is a nickname used in certain workplaces for people placed in pods.

U.S. News and Best Lawyers have joined to rank nearly 9,000 firms in 81 practice areas in 171 metropolitan areas and 7 states. See 2010 rankings at: http://bestlawfirms.usnews.com/Default.aspx

Feedback to A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg
From: Gene Racicot Subject: Spinning
Victoria, BC, Canada has a series of monuments themed on the Coast Salish spindles.
From: Susan Karcz Subject: spinning & weaving words
Fun theme! One of my favorite quirks of English is illustrated by two weaving terms: weaver (male) and webster (female). This pattern is also seen in baker (male) and baxter (female) and in brewer (male) and brewster (female).
From: Curtis Brown Subject: subtile Def: Subtle: delicate; fine; not obvious; skillful.
Subtile to subtle suffered the same fate as happened in the change from stabile to stable, and probably in future from labile to lable. It is an unavoidable frequent-use trend in all languages (also known as the lazy-lips syndrome).
From: Gene Throwe Subject: This Weeks Theme
I am so excited that this week we explored the wonderful world of spinning! The spinning, dying, knitting, and crocheting of yarn has seen a wonderful resurgence in the past several years. Just like the Arts and Crafts period over a hundred years ago, some people want to preserve some of the lost arts such as these. Unlike the Arts and Crafts Movement, Many of us embrace modern technology to make fiber arts easily accessible. Ravelry.com is a wonderful source for those looking for information on spinning, dying, knitting, and crocheting. What is interesting is that many spinners and dyers are actually men, and these fields are no longer the domain of women only. T here are some men's fiber arts groups around the country, like DC Men Knit that I lead. Again, thank you so much for highlighting such a wonderful hobby/art!
From: Ariannah Armstrong Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--spinster
I was instantly fascinated with this word. I am married, but this year in January, on the eve of our wedding anniversary, I took up spinning with spindles, and it's been the start of a hobby which I know I will love for years to come. As a result, one of the common jokes in our household is that I am happily married and a spinster at the same time :)

TANGY AVOCADO & ORANGE SALAD
Combines orange segments & diced avocado with torn red leaf lettuce.
INGREDIENTS:
for 4 people - 1 orange, 1 avacado, one small head red leaf lettuce, salt & pepper.
FUSTINI'S DRESSING IDEA SUGGESTIONS
persian lime & jalapeño blood orange & pomegranate chipotle & sicilian lemon
OPTIONAL IDEAS:
1. Make the same amount - divide in half for 2 people - top with a piece of your favorite grilled fish
2. Add sliced almonds
Ann Arbor Grand Opening Celebration Saturday. September 18, 2010
FUSTINI'S OILS & VINEGARS
Ann Arbor's Kerrytown Shops
407 North 5th Avenue 2nd Floor (734) 213-1110 WWW.FUSTINIS.COM