An Adventurous Weekly Link Round-Up

 

All is well here at Casa Kittling, so I thought I'd share a little serendipity with all of you. When I saw this t-shirt, I fell in love with it.

I've always loved adventures, and some of the best have been when the driver (whoever it may be) has taken a wrong turn. That's why-- if we aren't on a strict schedule-- I welcome wrong turns. I love seeing new places and having adventures. "Scenic routes", anyone?

What made me laugh the very next day after seeing this t-shirt was learning that two of my nieces were off on their own adventures in Montenegro and Albania.

Daisy and Karen, my adventurous nieces.

From the photos they've been sharing, it looks like they're having a wonderful time.

Wherever you may be, have a wonderful weekend, and leave some time for an adventure or two of your own. Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

• Will the fear of being confused for AI mean that we will now write differently?
• The St. Francis School District (Minnesota) has rewritten its book review policy and agrees to return banned titles to the library shelves.
• Trump's tactic to "flood the zone" is threatening Mark Twain's legacy.
• Oregon's "Freedom to Read" library bill heads to the governor's desk for a signature.
• Amazon has cut jobs in its book division.
• There are too many books: What happened to publishing's summer break?
• Here's an AI-generated video showing how deepfakes can deceive your friends and family.
• Mrs. Doubtfire hilariously vacuums her way around scenes from other movies and TV shows.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

• An archaeologist is claiming that the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke may have been assimilated into Indigenous society, but not everyone is convinced.
• Massive fields where Native American farmers grew corn, beans, and squash 1,000 years ago have been discovered in Michigan.
• Stolen paintings linked to a retired couple who supposedly moonlighted as art thieves have been returned to New Mexico after forty years.
• Gold coins from the "world's richest shipwreck" reveal 300-year-old depictions of castles, lions, and Jerusalem crosses.
• A 1,000-year-old gold bracelet fragment found on a British isle dates back to when Vikings ruled the land.
• A 2,800-year-old royal tomb has been discovered near King Midas' home in Turkey.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

• A hammerhead shark fell from the sky in South Carolina, interrupting a disc golf game. (I would've liked to have been there...)
• A large invasive lizard was spotted in a California park. (I wish people who just had to have an "exotic" pet would stop dumping them any old place when they get tired of them.)
• The great-eared nightjar: the "baby dragon" bird that lays its eggs on the floor.
• Sea horse smuggling is a big problem, despite global efforts to protect these beloved aquatic creatures.
• The Leadbetter's possum, a tiny endangered creature that "moves like greased lightning" has been found in an unexpected place.
• Ronin, a five-year-old African giant pouched rat, set a new world record for discovering deadly land mines-- and he's just getting started.

►The Wanderer◄

• Russian scientists have discovered a new island in the Caspian Sea-- the world's largest inland body of water.
• Kentucky's devastating tornado in May left a trail of destruction visible from space.
• How Tacoma, Washington became a hotbed of crime and kidnapping in the 1920s.
• How America's forgotten second national park lost its federal status-- and gained a new lease on life as a state park.
• The 15 best small towns in the U.S. to visit in 2025.
• 3D maps visualize the stark population density differences in cities in the U.S.

►Fascinating Folk◄

• Carla Hayden, former Librarian of Congress, talked about her firing on CBS Sunday Morning.
• Meet Martha Swope, the legendary Broadway photographer who captured iconic moments from hundreds of productions and rehearsals.
• Author Megan Abbott on criminal conspiracies in the fallen suburbs.
• Frederick Forsyth, master of the geopolitical thriller, has died at the age of 86.
• A new quarter honors Vera Rubin, the astronomer who revealed the universe's hidden mass.
• Guy Bradley, America's first game warden, died fighting for the birds.
• How Apache language teacher Aurelia Bullis found herself on a Kevin Costner film set. 

►I ♥ Lists◄

• Seven books and one play about marital murder.
• Twenty science fiction and fantasy novels to read now.
• 29 books to read for Pride Month.
• Ten new books from Pulitzer Prize-winning writers.
• Five novels about government betrayal, corruption, and abuses of power.
• Mysteries set in the Caribbean.

That's all for this week! No matter how busy you may be, don't forget that quality Me Time curled up with a good book!