Museums Map Cassini’s Banjo #FridayRecommends

Friday RecommendsHello, Friday!

Don’t you wish everybody could behave like adults? Well, obviously, I don’t mean like actual adults, I mean like the fantasy adults we carry in our heads. The kind of adult we mean  when we tell our adolescent, “It’s time you started behaving like an adult!” You know the kind of adult I mean: dignified and mature, like, say, the social media directors of museums. Like, for instance, the UK’s Science Museum and Natural History Museum. What? They’re having a feud on Twitter? ~sigh~ Never mind.

If you’re as old as I am of a certain age, and went to school in America, you grew up looking at Mercator maps of the world. Well, Facebook has been all about a “new” map called the AuthaGraph map, which is basically a globe unfolded into a rectangle. I put “new” in quotation marks because it turns out this “new” map was created in 1999. So “relatively new” is more accurate. I know, picky, picky. I’m a map-head, so I get a kick out of things like this. So sue me.

So how do I feel about NASA’s Cassini probe taking pictures of Saturn and its “moons”? I think the word “ecstatic” sounds about right. The National Geographic has put together a brilliant web site showing Cassini’s findings. Well worth your time.

Now, something you may not know about me is that I love banjo music. The banjo was appropriated, along with the lives of generations of people, from Africa. If all you know about the banjo is from the soundtrack of Deliverance, take the time to read this fabulous article on The Bitter Southerner and listen to some brilliance by Rhiannon Giddens of The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: Research the history of something you take for granted.

MA

About

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.

You may also like...

One thought on “Museums Map Cassini’s Banjo #FridayRecommends

  1. Jane

    September 22, 2017 at 12:28pm

    Wish I just had that giant old globe they got us as kids.
    It’d sure be nice to see just how far away n. Korea actually is.
    ?

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      September 22, 2017 at 1:37pm

      Often, lately, I’ve considered getting one of those globes with magnetic countries and a subscription service, so you can update stuff that changes. I have a small globe (I believe you gave it to me!) with all the countries made out of different semi-precious stones.

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  2. joey

    September 22, 2017 at 12:45pm

    *blows dust from fingertips*
    I very much liked the Saturn spectacular, but I did tire of its format. I am not sure the scroll to nothingness was particularly effective, and would rather read or see video and not wonder which I am scrolling to. Space is AWESOME.
    More accurate maps have long been needed. I don’t care if they turn it into the shape of a dinosaur so long as it’s more accurate for all parties. I feel like Western Europe has no idea how big the US is and I know for sure the US doesn’t know how big Africa is, or that like, Africa is a continent and not a country. I’m just sayin, people need education.
    It turns out I know more about banjos than the average Joey, but still some points of interest in there. Loved the idea of Fauxlk music. Think I am fond of it. Probably.
    I’m not into pickin bluegrass tunes at all. Like, super super picky about bluegrass. Unfortunately, one’s ideas about music are formed by one’s experiences with said music and when I hear too many banjos I am transported to my husband’s family reunions, and find myself praying that I too, will fly away o glory. K? But sure, banjos have their beauty, like any other set of strings.
    I shall now spam you a link of one of my faves.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIVrCZ5sNwE?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=1200&h=675]

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply
    • Author

      Marian Allen

      September 22, 2017 at 1:40pm

      Oh, it DID spam me, but it isn’t spam if it’s something I want! I love the bluegrasses! I didn’t grow up with it, but I’ve come to love it over the years. Bad banjos are more worserer than no banjos, but it’s hard for me to get enough of good banjos. 🙂

      Permalink  ⋅ Reply
  3. joey

    September 22, 2017 at 12:46pm

    I see it did not spam you. I am sad. Will spam email 🙂

    Permalink  ⋅ Reply

Leave a Reply, If You Ple-az

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.