Puzzles and brainteasers
A man went to a river to get 4 litres of water. He had only two containers, one 5-litre tin and one 3-litre tin. Neither of the tins was marked for smaller measures. How did he get exactly 4 litres?
A and B ran 100 metres. A won by 10 metres. B then raced 100 metres against C, and B won by 10 metres. If A and C race 100 metres, by how many metres would A win??
Whether it's sudoku, word play, crosswords, riddles, brain teasers, mathematical puzzles, geometrical tricks, logic tests, or any other variation on mental recreations or diversions, you need a book or two for the holidays. Avoid turning into a complete beach blob by giving your brain a little exercise. You can also torture friends and family with them once you know the answers. Come in and get a book or two for fun.
Holiday time for many
Have a look out into your garden and see if it would benefit from some paths or steps. Maybe a revamped patio or courtyard would bring a bit of new life. Some new outdoor furniture is always a winner at this time of year. Well placed fences and screens can entirely transform an area. You could make a bit of a feature out of pergolas or shelters. These days you probably need some decking and stairs to put your bbq on (along with that nice new outdoor furniture you've just built for yourself). And don't forget the pond or pool for the perfect finishing touch.
Whatever you are thinking of doing, a copy of Better Homes and Gardens The Complete Backyard Book will tell you exactly how to do it with easy step-by-step instructions. Come in and get yourself a copy (or better still buy it as a present for your wife/husband/partner and give them a few ideas). Make sure you pick up a book on the perfect bbq while you're here!
Agricultural theme continued
Where we can't help is with any reasonable explanation of why retailers are selling individual pieces of fruit with a shiny indestructible plastic label on every single item. Possibly they think the sales staff are too stupid to be able to spot the difference between a banana and a kiwifruit. If so, that is clearly very insulting to the staff and they should rise up!
It is highly unlikely that that is why they're doing it. Therefore, I think you should all join me in my campaign to peel off every single offending label and return it to the shop. They have the power to refuse to buy from any supplier who unnecessarily defaces the fruit with indestructible and environmentally polluting bits of sticky plastic. They could stop this stupid habit almost immediately.
Farming
It has to be said that it is a modest section at the moment; nay, a very small section to be more precise. But for years people have been asking for books on agricultural botany or deer farming and we never knew where to send them to look as we weren't sure where the books might have been shelved; rather random as to whether they'd be found in gardening, natural history, biology or general science!
So with a modest beginning and as a work in progress, we start our farming and agriculture shelves with a selection of books on New Zealand cattle breeds, livestock behaviour, keeping poultry, farm management, pests & diseases, soil management, the history of tractors and farm machinery, and of course the above-mentioned deer farming and agricultural botany. Come on in and have a look.
Merry Christmas
Spotted in the Otago Daily Times this morning was Warwick Jordan, owner of Hard to Find Bookshop (page 4 just in case you missed it). He was pictured in front of the "holiday" tree in the Octagon. Sadly, his offer to pay for the "Happy Holidays" sign to be replaced with a "Happy Christmas" banner did not meet with success.
So just to cheer him up and make sure the message gets out there (without offending anyone or being exclusive): Joyeux Noelle; Hyvää joulua; Frohe Weihnachten; Vesela Koleda; Glaedelig Jul; Kala Christouyenna; Boldog Karacsonyl; Selamat Natal; Buon Natale; Meri Kuri; Feliz Navidad. We could go on!
Christmas Trees
The Christmas season is nearly upon us. It probably already is upon us for some. All those here in Dunedin have no doubt been following the lively discussion about the Christmas tree in the Otago Daily Times. I should more accurately say argument really. It has been very much in the news both in Paul Gorman's What's With That and in letters to the Editor.
For those not reading the ODT, the problem is the message around the tree which reads "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". The owner of Hard to Find Books agrees it should mention Christmas. It is, after all, a Christmas Tree and not a holiday tree. He rightly says that Diwali and Matariki (and others) are referred to by their correct names. There is no suggestion they cause offence or that they should be changed. Likewise Christmas.
He believes it so strongly that he has offered to pay to have the sign changed. Watch this space (and the tree in the Octagon) to see if he is successful or not.
It's Agatha Christie again
Following on from yesterday's book, we now also have a copy of Agatha Christie's The Mystery of the Blue Train and once again it is a comic version. If you prefer to call it a graphic novel version that is fine.
This one is by Marc Piskic and was also published by Harper Collins in 2007. It is also in beautiful condition but the joy is that it is MUCH cheaper than yesterday's book.
You have to come in and see it. As I said yesterday, comics/graphic novels are not my thing at all but there is something appealing about it, especially if you are an Agatha Christie fan.
Death on the Nile
We have a copy of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile as you've never seen it before.
This edition is a comic version (or a graphic novel version, if that's what you prefer to call it). It is adapted by Francois Riviere and illustrated by Solidor. It was published by Harper Collins in 2007 and is in beautiful condition.
This is a case of "has to be seen to be believed". I am not a fan of comics or graphic novels at all and yet even I can appreciate Solidor's illustrations, which definitely capture the mystery and magic of Egypt in the 1930s. Come and have a look at it.
