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WITandWISDOM(tm) - January 11, 2007 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. - William E. Channing Source: Carol's Thought for Today, http://users.adelphia.net/~mrs.carol ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: One hot day, a young seminarian was taking it easy in the shade of a walnut tree. After a time, he started eyeing speculatively, the huge pumpkins growing on vines and the small walnuts growing on a majestic tree. Sometimes I just can't understand the ways of God! He mused. Just fancy letting tiny walnuts grow on so majestic a tree and huge pumpkins on the delicate vines! Just then a walnut snapped off and fell smack on the seminarian's bald head. He got up at once and lifting up his hands and face to heavens in supplication, said: Oh, my God! Forgive my questioning your ways! You are all-wise. Where would I have been now, if pumpkins grew on trees! Submitted by Lorraine ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Report cards can make students nervous when having to give a less than desirable report to their parents. A report card from one boy to his dad read. "Dad's Report Card" Love - A Patience - A Understanding - A Intelligence - A Sense of humor - A Helpfulness - A Kindness - A Wisdom - A Allowances - C- It was a birthday card, the inside of which read: "Let's see if we can't bring that last grade up a bit, Dad!" Source: Clean Hewmor, mailto:clean-hewmor-subscribe@welovegod.org ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: My friend's 5 year old granddaughter looked at the stars one night and exclaimed, "God's home! All his lights are on!" Submitted by B. B. ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: ATM For Books With the introduction of the Espresso, buying a book could become as easy as buying a pack of gum. After several years in development, the Espresso - a $50,000 vending machine with a conceivably infinite library - is nearly consumer-ready and will debut in ten to 25 libraries and bookstores in 2007. The New York Public Library is scheduled to receive its machine in February. The company behind the Espresso is called On Demand Books, founded by legendary book editor Jason Epstein, 78, and Dane Neller, 56, but the technology was developed six years ago by Jeff Marsh, who is a technology advisor for New York City-based ODB http://ondemandbooks.com The machine can print, align, mill, glue and bind two books simultaneously in less than seven minutes, including full-color laminated covers. It prints in any language and will even accommodate right-to-left texts by putting the spine on the right. The upper page limit is 550 pages, though future versions of the machine will accommodate longer works with fewer hassles. Prices for the finished product will vary depending on locations, but the production cost is about a penny per page. Some 2.5 million books are now available - about one million in English and no longer under copyright protection. On Demand accesses the volumes through Google and the Open Content Alliance, among other sources. Neller predicts that within about five years On Demand Books will be able to reproduce every volume ever printed. http://tinyurl.com/wpwvc Source: Nybble Bi-Weekly Newsletter, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nybble