World Orphan Week

This week is World Orphan Week, a week all about helping children with no families who need help. Here is the website to for more information should you wish to help or donate to the cause:

http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/donate-help/wow

Safer Internet Day

Today is Safer Internet Day, an event supported across Europe that encourages safer use of the Internet:

http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/saferinternetdayuk/

The theme this year is ‘Think Before you Post’. This is a good message to have and we try to encourage this… unless you want to write nice things to us, in which case don’t waste time thinking about it – just send them in!

WikiPizza

Buonjourno e benvenuti a Thing del Giorno!

Recently the European Union issued a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed Label for Neapolitan Pizzas which protects them from imitation. Not only does this give recognition to the food but it also recognises it as part of Europe’s Culinary Heritage.

If this has left you fancing a slice, whether it be a thin crust, deep pan or even a calzone, here’s a wiki that may help you choose one:

http://pizza.wikia.com/wiki/WikiPizza

Toodledo

Are you having trouble prioritising tasks in your busy life and keeping control of all your assignment deadlines and to-do lists? Maybe this will help.

http://www.toodledo.com

[Thanks to LJ for this suggestion]

iPad

There has been much excited talk in the Library this week about ebook readers, Kindles, iPhones, the iPod Touch, and now the iPad. It didn’t take long for some to use the iPad launch as an excuse for a spot of parody, as these irreverant clips show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eF0y0IfpPU

Double yolks and the world’s smallest map

Scientists at the Photonics Research Group of Ghent University-IMEC have fabricated a world map on a scale of 1:1,000,000,000,000. Or, if you prefer, 1: 1 trillion.

http://photonics.intec.ugent.be/publications/MediaCoverage/2009-12-17/default.htm

This reminded TOTD of a discussion on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this week about the odds of finding a double yolk egg in your egg box. There is some discussion here about what a trillion actually is.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8492000/8492715.stm

TOTD found 3 double yolk eggs in one box just a few weeks ago.

Fantastic Contraption

Build whimsical machines by connecting rotating wheels and rods to negotiate a variety of ostacle courses. It may not be as clever as the construction kit in Sodaplay, but it’s rather fun.

http://www.physicsgames.net/game/Fantastic_Contraption.html

Oneplace

This website draws upon six independent inspectorates to provide information on local public services in England.

http://oneplace.direct.gov.uk/pages/default.aspx

[Thanks to LJ for this suggestion]

How to feel small and insignificant….

Have you ever wonder what it would be like to travel across the known Universe? Check out the amazing video below and prepare to feel like a very small cog in an enormous wheel.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100120.html

(Thanks to CL for this suggestion)

I Will Knot

Would you like to know how to tie knots. Not just a simple double knot but a bowline or a two half-hitches. This website has step by step instructions for 12 types of knots, so we can now all confidently proclaim “I will knot!”.

http://www.iwillknot.com/

Once you’ve mastered these you can find even more knots at

http://www.animatedknots.com/