Books News

CNN.com: New Alexandria library expected to boost Egypt’s role in research and study.

Link via Garret.

Weblogs

There was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday which also appeared in the New Jersey Online NewsFlash: E-World: Individuality conquers information overload as Weblogs proliferate, by Thomas E. Weber.

“Combining the personal perspective of a journal with the vast databank of cyberspace, a good weblog can take you in a hundred different directions in just a few minutes. Compelling and interactive, it represents the most successful new literary form of the Internet Age.”

Link via Zannah, whose weblog, /usr/bin/girl, is mentioned in the article.

Good old Europe

Surprise is back! Mira writes:

“Behind a surface of continuity Europe is going through a big transition. The forming of the new united Europe is still at its beginning. […] Once one enters Europe all this hassle of customs is gone and one can move freely. It makes sense and brings people closer. Now it is not a big deal to move and to work whereever one wishes to do so. One feels the effect – all of a sudden life becomes more international, more open for changes and exchanges: It is a time for new possibilities and chances.”

Why do you keep a weblog?

“What’s the point of personal weblogs? Does it fulfill some psychological need? Is it for attention? For fun?” asks Graham Walker in this Metafilter thread.

It’s interesting to read about the different reasons people have for blogging.