I've had my cough for 3 weeks and counting. My ribs don't hurt anymore when I cough, thank god, but my throat occassionally does. I only cough to the point where I can't breathe or where I throw up about 4 or 5 times a morning and the same at night, which is an improvement over before.

But, please, when is the cough going away?!

The aye-aye may be one of the most repellant animals in the world. It also happens to be on the verge of extinction. Click here to read a slide-show essay about an effort to save the endangered species that got hit with the ugly stick.

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I dunno - I think it's kind of cute, in a Yoda-mutated-by-radiation kind of way....

I've had my cough for 3 weeks and counting. My ribs don't hurt anymore when I cough, thank god, but my throat occassionally does. I only cough to the point where I can't breathe or where I throw up about 4 or 5 times a morning and the same at night, which is an improvement over before.

But, please, when is the cough going away?!

Kat, has your doctor considered you might have Whooping Cough (Pertussis)? You've undoubtedly been immunized against it, but people come down with it occasionally, even when immunized. It's just gone around Ben's school. Coughing to the point of throwing up is a symptom.

How far along are you? I think they treat Pertussis with antibiotics, and I think you're far enough along for antibiotics, but my pregnancies were all so long ago, I'm a little fuzzy on those details.

They do treat Pertussis with antibiotics! I had a round this past fall, when my cough wouldn't go away, because it was possibly that was what I had. It was a, what, I think a six-pill, three-day course, something like that.

The Boston Police recently blew up a traffic counter that was chained to a light post, thinking it might be a bomb.

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Cindy, I ended up paging her after nine, and her first words were "I was about to call you."

Whatev.

Don't know what today's like yet, since I haven't tested life yet. Fingers crossed.

hrm, is FoxBoston the only source? Because they suck and are Fox.

hrm, is FoxBoston the only source? Because they suck and are Fox.

That link and video is the only place I've seen this (it first was posted yesterday).

OK I found some blog stuff and finally someone cited another news source from a different local network. Nothing in the Globe though.

http://wbztv.com/topstories/local_story_059122735.html

I have to get my application for the MLS in today (eek!), and I'm nervous about my personal essay. The website says:

Personal Statement: Please submit, in 1-2 pages (300-500 words), a personal statement concerning your interest in pursuing a degree in this field. While you may highlight aspects of your academic and professional experiences, use this space to describe your interests beyond what you include in your resume.

And this is what I came up with. Can anyone look this over and see if it fulfills the requirements?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to be a librarian. When I was young, I was sure it would be wonderful to be surrounded by books all day long. As I grew up and started working in libraries, first as a volunteer, and than in college as an employee, I became aware that there was a lot more to the profession than just reading and recommending books all day long.

There is dealing with the paperwork, the patrons who don’t want to be there, the students who want you to do all of their work for them, the vendors who are always looking to make a sale, and the board who wants maximum return for minimum budgets. But, there is also the fulfillment of teaching patrons how to find information and seeing them explore the sources on their own initiative, the fun of tracking down answers on subjects you didn’t know existed that morning, and, always, the joy of introducing your favorite titles to patrons who come back and thank you for the recommendation.

Working in a variety of libraries, from academic to public to corporate, I’ve been exposed to both the highs and the lows of the profession. One thing has remained constant, though—the information. The media used to deliver it, the range of subjects, and the availability of it to the general public have changed, but the information is always there.

As a self-professed information geek, research and information dissemination has become the central part of my professional life. When I worked in business publishing as an editor, I massaged information into pleasing page layouts and edited it into readable text. Now, as an information specialist in state legislative issues, I get questions on tax and corporate law from my company’s editors, and contact the state employees for the answers. I update databases full of legislative information, from session length to ballot issues to bill status.

But, I want to learn more. How to gather information from sources other than the ones I’m familiar with. How to organize it so that people can find it without being taught the intricacies of esoteric databases. How to work with patrons so I can get the actual questions that they need answers to, instead of the ones they think they answers to. Education is the key, and a masters in library science is the way to get those skills.