American Library Association prize winners for 2014

John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature:  “Flora & Ulysses:  The Illuminated Adventures,” written by Kate DiCamillo  Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children:  “Locomotive,” illustrated by Brian Floca  Find more information plus other award winners at http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2014/01/american-library-association-announces-2014-youth-media-award-winners

How many times have you seen New York City destroyed onscreen?  Los Angeles?  Kansas?  For nearly as long as there have been movies, there have been disaster movies.   See list and maps by Reuben Fischer-Baum and Samer Kalaf at http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/map-how-hollywood-has-destroyed-america-1542969906

"In the state of Louisiana we have the Napoleonic code according to which what belongs to the wife belongs to the husband and vice versa." A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 2, pg. 163-64  http://www.bookrags.com/notes/snd/part2.html

Early French and Spanish settlers influenced the legal system in Louisiana.  Despite popular belief, it is incorrect to say that the Louisiana Civil Code is, or stems from, the Napoleonic Code.  Although the developing Napoleonic Code influenced Louisiana law, the Napoleonic Code was not enacted until 1804, one year after the Louisiana Purchase.  A main source of Louisiana jurisprudence may in fact be Spanish.  The resulting system of "civil law" in the Louisiana does differ from the "common-law" systems in the other 49 states.  http://louisiana.gov/Explore/About_Louisiana/

What do you get when you combine a rare books librarian with an avid crafter?  "BiblioCraft," out now from Abrams Books.  It's the first book from Jessica Pigza, who blogs as the Handmade Librarian and cohosts crafting salons at the New York Public Library that use its resources for unique embroidery, knitting, beading, sewing projects and more.  The books themselves are safe; they serve only as inspiration.  http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-making-beautiful-things-from-books-bibliocraft-20140319,0,1620463.photogallery#axzz2wWBPrshP

New York style bagels recipes  http://www.sophisticatedgourmet.com/2009/10/new-york-style-bagel-recipe/   http://www.kinfolk.com/recipe-homemade-bagels/   http://www.food.com/recipe/the-real-new-york-bagel-recipe-335304

Adder, apron and umpire all used to start with an "n".  Linguists call this kind of change  reanalysis or rebracketing.  Wasp used to be waps; bird used to be brid and horse used to be hros.  This change is called metathesis.  In Wednesday, "Woden's day" (named after the Norse god), the "d" isn't just for decoration, and was pronounced up until relatively recently.  This is called syncope.  Find also examples of epenthesis, velarisation, and affrication at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/11/pronunciation-errors-english-language

Culinary nuts are dry, edible fruits or seeds that usually, but not always, have a high fat content.  Nuts are used in a wide variety of edible roles, including in baking, as snacks (either roasted or raw), and as flavoring.  In addition to botanical nuts, fruits and seeds that have a similar appearance and culinary role are considered to be culinary nuts.  Culinary nuts are divided into fruits or seeds in one of four categories:  True, or botanical nuts: dry, hard-shelled, uncompartmented fruit that do not split on maturity to release seeds;  Drupes: fleshy fruit surrounding a stone, or pit, containing a seed (almonds);  Gymnosperm seeds: naked seeds, with no enclosure (pine nuts); Angiosperm seeds: unenclosed seeds within a larger fruit (peanuts).  Find pictures and a list of "true nuts" (both culinary and botanical) at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_culinary_nuts

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is an alphabetic system of phonetic notation based primarily on the Latin alphabet.  It was devised by the International Phonetic Association as a standardized representation of the sounds of oral language.  The IPA is used by lexicographers, foreign language students and teachers, linguists, speech-language pathologists, singers, actors, constructed language creators, and translators.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet

English Phonetic Transcription Converter  http://learn-foreign-language-phonetics.com/english-phonetic-transcription-converter.php?site_language=english

Turn your text into fənɛ́tɪks at http://upodn.com/phon.asp

The Andaman Islands form an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal between India, to the west, and Burma, to the north and east.  Most are part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India, while a small number in the north of the archipelago, including the Coco Islands, belong to Burma.  The Andaman islands have been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least.  The earliest archaeological evidence yet documented goes back some 2,200 years; however, the indications from genetic, cultural and isolation studies suggests that the islands may have been inhabited as early as the Middle Paleolithic.  The indigenous Andamanese people appear to have lived on the islands in substantial isolation from that time until the 18th century CE.  The Andamans are theorized to be a key stepping stone in a great coastal migration of humans from Africa via the Arabian peninsula, along the coastal regions of the Indian mainland and towards Southeast Asia, Japan and Oceania.  The Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal were said to be inhabited by wolf-headed people, who were depicted in a “book of wonders” produced in Paris in the early 15th century.  The name of the Andaman Islands is ancient.  A theory that became prevalent since the late 19th century is that it derives from Andoman, the Malay form of Hanuman, the Sanskrit name of the Indian monkey-god.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_Islands

I have "First World Hunger"--I would like a doughnut.  

Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live host, March 29, 2014.

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 1129  March 31, 2014  On this date in 1899, the Eiffel Tower was officially opened.  In 1909, construction of the ill fated RMS Titanic began.  In 1918, Daylight saving time went into effect in the United States for the first time.  In 1933, the Civilian Conservation Corps was established with the mission of relieving rampant unemployment in the United States.