Interesting new web site from the Clerk of the House
The Clerk of the House has a fascinating web site devoted to the history of Florence Prag Kahn. "In 1925, Florence Prag Kahn succeeded her late husband Julius in a San Francisco-based U.S. House seat. Most early congressional widows served as temporary placeholders until party leaders chose long-term, male successors. But Kahn was no ordinary political widow. With an insider’s knowledge of House operations and a gift for turning a phrase, she set herself to 'attending to business' -- expanding the Bay Area’s infrastructure and military installations during her 12-year career, while blazing a trail for women seeking political office."
- Florence Kahn: Congressional Widow to Trailblazing Lawmaker, Office of History and Preservation, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, (May 07, 2009).
Team Digital Preservation saves the day!
Digital Preservation Europe is in the process of creating a series of short animations introducing and explaining digital preservation problems and solutions for the general public. Their first one is cute. Future ones will be released on their YouTube channel.
Stanford UL Keller writes in support of Carl Malamud for Public Printer
Reason #273 for why working at Stanford is pretty cool! YesWeScan!! Letter from Michael A. Keller, Stanford Universiity Librarian
Continue readingSenate votes now in XML
The Senate Rules Committee has instructed the Secretary of the Senate to publish its roll call votes using an XML format. This is a tipping point change!
- Senate to Expand Transparency of Senate Votes, Jim DeMint, May 5, 2009.
A new approach to history: Twitter
This may sound odd at first, but give it a try:
Welcome to TwHistory. We believe that history is filled with exciting stories. We also believe that these stories can be told through Twitter; through the people who lived and experienced them. We go through journals, diaries, letters, and other original sources to deliver the day-to-day lives of people who lived through some of histories most exciting times. We broadcast this information through Twitter, and feel this is a new and exciting approach to understanding history. Instead of reading about a month-long campaign in a few hours, you experience it over the course of a month, in small, 140 character ‘Tweets’.First up: Battle of Gettysburg with Tweets by President Lincoln and many others.
@ Gen_hooker: We have news here that the enemy has reoccupied heights above Fredericksburg. Is that so?A tip of the hat to Kate! Continue reading