http://www.activitybook.org pursuing fun, creativity and good thinking with a vengeance Sun, 08 Jun 2008 16:45:55 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As much fun as activitybook.org is for me, I need to take a bit of a break until mid-July. Between getting married in a couple of weeks, the nice weather outside and my job, I foresee that it will be tricky to squeeze in blogging time. See you in a little ... http://www.activitybook.org/2008/06/08/activitybook-is-taking-a-break/ The Tasmanian devil, the real critter and not the cartoon character from the Looney Tunes universe, has been designated an endangered species by the Australian government. The demise of the devils is due (how's that for alliteration) to a communicable form of cancer that leads to facial tumours that impair ... http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/22/tasmanian-devils-are-endangered/ The organizing committee for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver is being taken to court in an effort to have Women's ski jumping added as an official event at the Games. On the one hand the lawsuit is a bit of an oddity given that the International Olympic Committee ... http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/21/lawsuit-expected-over-refusal-to-allow-womens-ski-jumping-at-the-winter-olympics/ In the quest for competitive success, U.S. swim team members have taken to mimicking the swimming techniques of sharks and dolphins. http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/20/swimmers-mimic-sharks-and-dolphins/ Interested in the dynamics of today's music industry? Rolling Stone has a solid article for you. While this article is not exactly chock full of new pieces of information, it is thorough. http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/20/making-money-in-the-music-business-today/ Here is a perfect example of a "why didn't I think of that." Coffee and liqueur ice cubes. Get the recipe here. http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/19/spikde-frozze-coffee-shots/ What can be better than a beautiful song and claymation? Enjoy the Weepies, who are a husband and wife duo. [youtube]L4sa2HoXpsE[/youtube] http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/16/the-weepies-world-spins-madly-on/ The New York Times interviews Matt Walsh, who worked for the New England Patriots' videotape crew, and gets an inside perspective on what went on while the team videotaped their opponents. http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/16/inside-the-patriots-videotape-scandal/ Evidently the 'Best Celebrity Hair' competition has been running in Canada for years. Sandra Oh was the big winner at the 8th annual event. http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/16/yes-canada-has-awards-for-hair-and-sandra-oh-wins/ Mattel Inc. is in the midst of its trial MGA Entertainment Inc. based on ownership of copyright in the girl's toy franchise 'Bratz'. The underlying claim is that the designer who conceived of the Bratz developed the toys while an employee of Mattel. If Mattel is successful in its claim, ... http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/14/mattel-may-strike-it-rich-from-the-bratz/ PBS is http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/14/hey-you-guys-the-electric-company-returns/ Bloomberg reports that recent economic changes in China, the rising yuan and increasing labour costs, are leading to textile and other manufacturing jobs moving to cheaper areas like India and Vietnam. Vietnam's laborers earn an average of 1.669 million dong ($104) a month, 41 percent less than China's lowest-paid workers ... http://www.activitybook.org/2008/05/13/cheaper-than-made-in-china-production-shifts-out-of-china/