Independence Day!

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Independence Day. An interesting side note: scientists at the Library of Congress recently discovered that when Thomas Jefferson was working on a draft of the Declaration of Indepedence, he first wrote the word "subjects", wiped it out, and replaced with the word "citizens".

For a quick review of the history of the Declaration of Independence, check out the wikipedia article. We should remember the context of the holiday we are celebrating.
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Do You REALLY Want To Get Away From It All?

If so, then have a look at some striking photos and descriptions of a few of the most isolated places on Earth.

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Books about the Credit Crisis

Are you looking for books about the credit crisis? This New York Times article reviews books about the collapse of Bear Stearns and Goldman Sachs. Enjoy!


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Right Brain vs Left Brain test

Just for fun, check out the Right Brain vs Left Brain test. Do you see the dancer turning clockwise or counter-clockwise? And can you get her to change direction?
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Friday's Feline Filosophy

As Albert Schweitzer said, "there are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." You know where to find the cat, but did you know that all Hofstra students also have access to music online . . . for free???

If not, then check out the Naxos Music Library available through Axinn Library's Research Databases (you will be prompted to log into the portal.) There is a wide range of genre's from classical to blues to pop and rock. You might even discover something new . . . like Rossini's Duetto buffo di due gatti (The Cats' Duet). The lyrics are sublime.

Martin-Smith, Penelope - soprano
Stowe, Sara - soprano
Spring, Matthew - piano

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More On Visual Illusions

Those who enjoyed last week's post on optical illusions may also find this brief but illuminating explanation of visual illusions, and what they reveal about the brain’s assumptions, to be of interest.

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Word as Web App. v. Google Docs v. Word

Microsoft recently released a version of Word as a web application and Google has updated Google docs. How do these compare with the desktop version of Word? Checkout the Affinity Consulting Group article Microsoft Office Word Web App v. Google Docs. v. Microsoft Word for the comparison. One might also learn some tips on better ways to use Microsoft Word.
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End of term

Follow the wrap of the Supreme Court's 09-10 term on SCOTUSBLOG . You can also keep up-to-date with any developments on Elena Kagan's confirmation. Check out the sister site - SCOTUS WIKI for stats on the Supreme Court. These stats rival those kept by baseball.

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Optical Illusions And Visual Phenomena

Do those phosphenes that arise from looking too long into the Sun while you are on the beach puzzle you? If so, then here are some more straightforward, man-made optical illusions that offer interesting insight into, and raise intriguing questions about, human visual perception.

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Human Rights Watch Film Festival

There is still time to catch a film at the New York Human Rights Watch Film Festival. The line-up includes a film about immigration reform, genocide in Cambodia and the Mexican criminal justice system.


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