Between 2010 and 2019, Cauli Le Chat (2006?-2020), feline roving reporter for Mooresville Public Library (Mooresville, Indiana), reported all things interesting to cats (and humans) happening at the library. Related stories from across the state (and beyond) were also included.
Karl C. B. Muilliwey (a nom de plume) knows a good ghost story when he finds one. He is working on another book about true-life paranormal cases, and we have a book trailer that tells about the title's leading case.
Look for Karl's new book sometime during 2012.
As the soundtrack to our book trailer, we are excited to present the first minute of a new orchestral composition, "The Human Doll," by our library composer, whom I call The Music Man. It was particularly appropriate for this subject matter.
If you missed our book trailer about Muilliwey's earlier book, it, too, is worth a look.
Scowl-Face blogged about these books, too, but I know your time is valuable. You can access a free PDF version of Muilliwey's first book here.
I've Seen Some Spooks in My Day,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Paranormal News Beat
P.S. Here is Johnny Cash singing "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," from an undated television performance. Cash recorded the song in 1979.
Glad to hear that last night's library fundraiser at Zydeco's Restaurant in beautiful historic downtown Mooresville, Indiana, was a glorious success. Many thanks to our wonderful patrons who visited the restaurant, and, of course, to the folks at Zydeco's for their fabulous food and great support of our Library.
We have some cool photos taken by one of my minions.
Library Goodies on Display at the Zydeco's Bar
Special Placemats Designed by Broadway Gal and Boss Lady
Payor Pal Checks Out the Latest E-Book Reader
I wanted to include a photo of Programma Mama and Anime/Manga Gal, but AMG threatened bodily injury if I uploaded it. She's one tough cookie, so we'll just pass on that picture.
Fun times and grand food were enjoyed by all, EXCEPT, and this is the crucial point, for moi. Where's my take-out bag, Boss Lady? I waited around outside the back of Zydeco's (by the dumpster) for hours, and nobody showed with my midnight snack! In a word, I was bummed.
Hoping to Get Some Zydeco's Carry-Out Really Soon,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Local Cuisine News Beat
P.S. Here is some Zydeco Cajun music from New Orleans, according to the YouTube caption (2009). How much more appropriate of a musical closer could I get?
On July 20, 2011, Kubwa, a female African elephant at the Indianapolis Zoo, gave birth to a baby daughter (which is called a calf), her third calf conceived by artificial insemination. Apparently, that was historic, but I don't really need to know those particulars. The Zoo's website gives the complete story, and there are lots of interesting details you'll enjoy. The most absolutely important thing, however, is a matter of massive cuteness. It pains me to admit, but this baby elephant is cuter than moi. Who would have thought it possible! But there it is. There's no denying it.
Welcome, New Baby Elephant!
(Photos & Video Courtesy of the Indianapolis Zoo)
This newborn weighed in at 238 pounds--huge for most mammals, but elephants are large and in charge. In fact, Kubwa is so tall that baby needs a stool to stand upon in order to nurse. Caretakers at the Zoo said she learned the trick quickly and is having no difficulty getting her breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in-between snacks. Having your meals delivered--that's a sweet deal!
Beginning yesterday, the Zoo is showing new baby in the elephant area for a couple hours daily (check the Zoo website for times). If you live in the Indianapolis area, you simply must make a beeline to the Zoo pronto. Cuteness like this can't be missed. They grow-up so quickly, so don't delay. Any critter cuter than moi is an instant worldwide celebrity. Take your camera, too. You need some pictures other than your slobberdogs.
Wishing I Had a Cute Trunk to Grab Things With,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Zoology News Beat
P.S. My Library has a children's book trailer about elephants. I blogged about it long ago, but it's worth another look.
Back when I was enjoying the first of my nine lives, my people pals showed me a big book with lots of drawings of dinosaurs. Dinosaur, the book told us, meant "terrible lizard," and all dinosaurs were reptiles, like snakes, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles, only much, much larger and fearsome. Since they were reptiles, they must have been cold-blooded like their modern relatives. This meant that plant eaters like brontosaurus (which subsequent books on the subject called apatosaurus) spent most of their time standing around chest-deep in swamps, since they were so large that their slow, cold-blooded metabolisms doomed them to a life of slow-motion and weight displacement in water. Meat-eaters like allosaurus were cold-blooded, too, and so it was a mystery how, large as they were, they could move fast enough to catch food. But, wait! All dinosaurs were lethargic, so nobody moved particularly quickly. That cold-bloodedness was an evolutionary bummer for sure.
Strangely, dinosaur fossils seemed to have many avian characteristics. Fossilized bone structures indicated musculature quite different from reptiles. It was reminiscent of mammalian bodies. But the ancient 19th century authorities had called them "terrible lizards," so reptilian the dinosaurs were, and cold-blooded in the bargain, regardless of any contrary evidence. Even to a feline like moi, that sounds rather closed-minded and slobberdogmatic. Could every scientist swallow this party line indefinitely?
Not Robert T. Bakker and like-thinking paleontologists. Bakker led the charge in assailing the cold-blooded mentality by arguing that dinosaurs were warm-blooded. He has a book full of evidence to substantiate his claims, too. Want to learn more? That's where book trailers come in.
Your and my ancestors (we mammals have to stick together) dodged underfoot of these giant, warm-blooded behemoths, which was no picnic, I can assure you. They ruled the earth for hundreds of millions of years, then -- KAPOWEE!! -- they're toast. Thanks, asteroid (well, technically, meteorite), for striking the Gulf of Mexico about 65 million years ago. Oh, but that couldn't have happened! Late 18th century and early 19th century scientists declared that there were no such things as meteorites. Rocks were not found in the sky, so they could not fall therefrom. Simple, infallible logic, assuming you begin with a properly skewed premise. Same kind of thinking that declared from the beginning that dinosaurs were lizards, therefore reptiles, therefore cold-blooded. See how easy thinking is when you don't worry about those pesky facts getting in the way?
Pretty Clear-Headed About Most Things, Myself,
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Dinosaur News Beat
P.S. One of the best science adventure novels about dinosaurs is The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It so inspired Michael Crichton that he named his sequel to Jurassic Park by the same title, as a tribute to Conan Doyle. Our book trailer (above) should whet your appetite for more excitement than you've had hot dinners. Better watch out, of those dinos will have you for their hot dinners. We're not talking Flintstones here, either. [Hey, Scowl-Face has a theory that The Flintstones series (1959-1966) was a cartoon knock-off of the classic television program The Honeymooners(1953-1956). Could be. Watch a few episodes and see what you think. There must be some on YouTube; everything else is uploaded there.]
My Library is participating in the Geek the Libraries promotional campaign, which I discussed in an earlier blog posting. Boss Lady wants her staff to be featured in posters for Old Settlers (and around the Library, generally). Here's mine.
Need I say more?
Cauli Le Chat
MPL Roving Reporter
Geek Libraries News Beat
P.S. I geek is another way of saying that you dig something. The folk group Peter, Paul & Mary sang "I Dig Rock and Roll Music," which appeared on the group's Album 1700 (1967).
