University of Nebraska Press

Tuesday Trivia: July 21, 2007

Well bloggers it hotter than … (well, you know) outside. So to try and get our minds out of the heat this week’s Tuesday Trivia is going to take a look at UNP’s new book, Authentic Alaska II: Voices of the Far North, edited by Susan B. Andrews and John Creed.  Showcasing writers from the Arctic Ocean to the Southeast Alaska rainforests, their stories account for the diverse and unique culture this state has to offer. Their sometimes intimate pieces touch on everything from Global Warming to a mothers fight for her son to go to college. This sequel to Authentic Alaska features both native and non native writers from primarily rural communities. If nothing else then reading this book in the dead heat (like today) might cool you down just a bit!

A.    Alaska is derived from the word Aleut meaning what?
B.    5% if the state speaks one of how many indigenous languages?
C.    The Highest point in Alaska is what?
D.    True or False: Alaska is one of two states not boarded by another.
E.    Alaska is the largest state in the US and covers how much ground?
F.    In 1964 the “Good Friday Earthquake” killed how many people.
G.    80% of Alaska’s state revenues comes from what?
H.    True or False: Alaska has one of the highest individual tax burdens in the country.
I.    How many volcanoes reside in Alaska?
J.    True or False: It was purchased from Russia in 1867 for less than 2 cents per acre.

Ok, bloggers check back tomorrow for the answers!

Linking in Lincoln: May 29, 2008

If you’re an avid follower of current events, then you must be aware that in addition to spring, it’s also wildfire season. This month from the University of Nebraska Press is Wildfire and Americans, by Roger G. Kennedy. The book is a desperate plea to Humans to re-evaluate our place in the larger ecosystem. Kennedy’s unique perspective on natural disasters and the moral role of humans, mixed with his suspicions of the political system create a very compelling read. This week, Linking in Lincoln will throw themselves into the fire…the wildfire that is, and find out just how informed we should be on the subject!

Are you curious what a wildfire consists of? How they start? Just how dangerous they are? The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides a great explanation, which you can find here.

How can you protect you and your family from wildfire? State Farm provides a detailed list of what to do before and during the fire.

One of Kennedy’s arguments is that there are no natural disasters, only human disasters. Check out this Newsday article by Wolf Schafer to see how “Humans create, worsen natural disasters.”

Well this may not be the same kind of bad weather, but check out Jazz Goddess Lena Horne’s stunning rendition of “Stormy Weather” here on youtube.

Since we’re on the subject of youtube, and if you don’t scare easily, check out real footage of the 1999 Willow Fire in Apple Valley, California.

Are you like me, and a sucker for a natural disaster movie? I won’t lie, Twister both terrifies and delights me. If you too like to be thrust into a world where nature, and not man has all the control then check out disasterflicks.com.

On a more serious note, wildfires are incredibly dangerous. In addition to protecting you and your family, take a look at the MRSC website to check out wildfire prevention.

The effects of wildfire damage are considerable to say the least, the loss of lives, personal property, and homes take their toll each year. Here, CBSNews takes a closer look at the devastating effect.

What do you think bloggers, are you now a wildfire authority? Well, I hope so! At any rate, check back on Friday for This Day in History!

Praise for Nebraska's Cowboy Trail

Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail: A User’s Guide by Keith Terry
“Terry’s book is ideal for anyone ambitious enough to want to walk, run or ride along the trail. . . . The book is broken down into sections, much like the Cowboy Trail is. It not only makes it easier for readers to find information about one particular part of the trail, but it also makes it more inviting for those who might be tempted to try to traverse the whole thing.”—Jerry Guenther, Norfolk Daily News

Nearly Landlocked Armchair Adventurer reviews Kayaking Alone

Review of Kayaking Alone by Scott R. Anderson, nearly Landlocked Armchair Adventurer, Millersville, PA.

My initial reaction to the idea of kayaking alone was “That’s not very smart.”  Sure enough, safety concerns are addressed (and pretty much dispensed with) by the end of page four. [I should think seriously about getting one of those EPIRB locator beacons for my car keys.]  I felt redeemed by the author; my initial thoughts about kayaking 900 miles of river from Idaho to the Pacific Ocean alone as a potentially lethal undertaking were confirmed.  Refreshed, and with greater armchair abandon, I pressed onward.

Linking in Lincoln: March 27, 2008

In celebration of Lisa Knopp's Interior Places, today's LIL features links to people and places featured in this outstanding new book. Link away!

Amelia Earhart’s Kansas hometown: http://www.ameliaearhartmuseum.org/

Aldo and Frederick Leopold: http://www.aldoleopold.org/

Burlington, Iowa: http://www.burlingtoniowa.org/

P. T. Barnum: http://www.ringling.com/explore/history/ptbarnum_1.aspx

Nuclear weapons in southeastern Iowa: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/aap-iowa.htm

Lincoln, Nebraska: http://www.lincoln.org/

The Platte River: http://platteriver.unk.edu/

With all of these interesting topics, how could you resist a trip to your local bookstore to pick up Interior Places??? It's futile to resist, so why even try? Get your copy today!

Answers to Yesterday's "Tuesday Trivia"

1-B; 2-D; 3-B; 4-A; 5-A; 6-D; 7-C; 8-A; 9-B; 10-D

How did you do?
0-2: Up a creek without a paddle.
3-5: Water-ya having an off day or something?
6-8: Ex-stream-ly good job!
9-10: River-ific!

Tuesday Trivia: February 26, 2008

A Trivia Tribute to Tributaries

On a warm day in late May, Mike Barenti slid a whitewater kayak into the headwaters of central Idaho’s Salmon River and started paddling toward the Pacific Ocean. Kayaking Alone: Nine Hundred Miles from Idaho's Mountains to the Pacific Ocean is the gripping account of his two-month, nine-hundred-mile solo journey into the world of the Columbia Basin. And so we take today’s “Tuesday Trivia” to the rapids, quizzing you on the Columbia River Basin, Salmon River, and Snake River. Will you paddle your way to a perfect score or flail about in the rushing water? Let’s dive in and see…

1. The Columbia River Basin covers approximately how many square miles?
A. 500,000
B. 375,000
C. 260,000
D. 420,000

2.How many states contain a portion of the Columbia River Basin?
A. 5
B. 3
C. 8
D. 7

3. What percentage of the Columbia Basin watershed is in Washington?
A. 22%
B. 19%
C. 32%
D. 11%

4. The Salmon River of Idaho is also known as what?
A. “The River of No Return”
B. “The Slithering Waterway”
C. “The Forked Tongue”
D. “Slippery When Wet”

5. The Salmon River was once named after which famous explorer?
A. Meriwether Lewis
B. William Clark
C. Marco Pollo
D. James Cook

6. Which of these rivers in the largest tributary of the Columbia River?
A. Mississippi River
B. Salmon River
C. Main River
D. Snake River

7. How long is the Snake River?
A. 1,356 miles
B. 2,072 miles
C. 1,038 miles
D. 987 miles

8. The Snake River rises in which national park?
A. Yellowstone
B. Yosemite
C. Joshua Tree
D. Disneyland

9. What is the name of the largest gorge of the Snake River? (Hint: It’s also one of the deepest in the world.)
A. Death Valley
B. Hell’s Canyon
C. Devil’s Pass
D. Jackson Hole

10. What is the maximum depth of the gorge mentioned above?
A. 6,700 feet
B. 5,980 feet
C. 7,350 feet
D. 7,900 feet

Be sure to visit the UNP blog tomorrow for the answers.  Have a great afternoon!

More Praise for Interior Places

Interior Places by Lisa Knopp

“Knopp explores the potent effects of environment and emotion through 16 perceptive and responsive essays that ring with a crystalline acuity. . . . [She] filters her worldly experiences in nature and among society through a keen understanding of her relationship to both.”—Carol Haggas, Booklist

To read earlier praise for Interior Places, please link to http://nebraskapress.typepad.com/university_of_nebraska_pr/2008/01/praise-for-inte.html.

Praise for Interior Places

Interior Places by Lisa Knopp

“[A] smart sequel to Knopp’s earlier study, The Nature of Home. . . . Rapt observer, botanist, birder and chronicler of the human condition, Knopp is also, in the best literary tradition, a wanderer of lingering curiosity. . . . Elegiac, soulful and discerning.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Knopp explores the potent effects of environment and emotion through 16 perceptive and responsive essays that ring with a crystalline acuity. . . . [She] filters her worldly experiences in nature and among society through a keen understanding of her relationship to both.”—Carol Haggas, Booklist

“Interior Places is a great sample of local nature writing, making it ideal for academic study or for those who want to start reading creative nonfiction.—Ryan Borchers, Omaha World-Herald

Linking in Lincoln: December 20, 2007

Thoreau would be so proud...

If you’ve ever been to Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Smoky Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, Joshua Tree, or the Grand Canyon, you know just how beautiful and awe-inspiring our national parks are and how lucky we are to have them within our borders. Wouldn’t it be a marvelous experience to travel across the country on a car-camping trip through our national parks? Well, that’s just what the women in Joanne Wilke’s new memoir/family history, Eight Women, Two Model Ts, and the American West did. Not only that, they did it back in 1924, “without a man or a gun along.” Over the course of nine weeks, these farm girls (and students at Iowa’s Teachers College) traveled over nine thousand unpaved miles through six national parks and had more than a few adventures along the way. Since many of us do not have the time (or command of the great outdoors) to complete such a journey ourselves, this week’s “Linking in Lincoln” features links to wonderful national park and outdoor adventure sites sure to inspire a desk- or couch-bound communion with nature.

The National Park Service Web site is the perfect place to begin your virtual outdoor adventure. This site boasts information on the countless U.S. National Parks, including details on the history, science, and culture of each park.

You’ll, of course, want to be able to pick and choose which parks you’d like to visit on your e-journey. For a well-compiled list of U.S. National Parks, visit Wikipedia.

Puzzled as to what to pack for your nature excursion? eHow has a great article on “How to Pack for a Camping Trip,” complete with step-by-step instructions, checklists, and even camping games! Visit them here.

Are you an avid hiker (or, at least came claim to be one from the safety of your armchair)? If so, you’ll want to check out the Web site of the American Hiking Association. These folks offer a plethora of information on U.S. hiking trails, hiking safety, trail conservation, and more. You can sign up to become a member and perhaps actually lace up those old dusty boots and spring for a new pair of hiking poles with a New Year’s resolution to hit the trails (and not just virtually)!

Want to take your hiking ambitions a step further and hike for a cause? The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has an amazing fundraising program called Hike for Discovery in which volunteers are trained by hiking professionals over the course of a few months to complete an endurance destination hike (they’ve taken their participants to the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains, Yosemite, and even Kauai!). In exchange, volunteers agree to raise money for the LLS to support them in their fight against blood cancers. Sounds like a cause worth hiking for!

Finally, if you’re afraid that you might come face-to-face with a foaming-at-the-mouth grizzly bear on your Internet camping trip, let me assure you that it’s probably not going to happen (besides, even if it did, you could always just shut down your computer). But, just in case, our friends at eHow can offer you tips on what to do to survive a bear attack. Check it out here.

That’s all the linking for this week. Now, take inspiration from the women in Eight Women, Two Model Ts, and the American West and embark on your own adventure, whether on foot, by car, or by keyboard!