Well readers, it’s a new year! I don’t know about you but I
plan on keeping all my new year’s resolutions in 2009. I have a feeling the
dieting one will probably be the hardest though. I’ve heard it always is! The
weather seems to be looking up, so that has to be a good karmic sign. If
anything, we’ve got a few things this week to give your new year a very bright
start!

December 29, 1851: The first YMCA opens in Boston,
Massachusetts.

The YMCA has always been a proponent for joining communities
through athletics and physical activity. Personal Record: A Love Affair with
Running by Rachel Toor gives a firsthand account of how she turned and activity
into a lifestyle change.

December 30, 1924: Edwin Hubble announces the existence of
other galaxies.

The Man with the Strange Head and Other Early Science
Fiction Stories by Miles J. Breuer is a collection of short stories that extend
to the farthest ends of the galaxy, and perhaps our imaginations. Don’t miss
it!

December 31, 1946: President Harry Truman officially
proclaims the end of hostilities in WWII.

Memories of Jewish Life: From Italy to Jerusalem, 1918-1960
by Augusto Segre chronicles the life of a young man and how the holocaust,
fascism, and many other events have shaped the Jewish population.

January 1, 1939: Sydney, Australia has a record heat wave
reaching 113F.

That is some kind of heat! Wildfire and Americans: How to Save Lives, Property, and your Tax Dollars by Roger G. Kennedy shows how the environment (things like heat) can affect and even create wildfire.

 January 2, 2001: Sila Calderon is the first female Governor
of Puerto Rico.

Mayor Helen Boosalis: A Mother’s Life in Politics by Beth
Boosalis Davis chronicles Lincoln’s first female mayor and her very close
attempt at gaining the governor’s position.

 Well reader, I hope enjoyed today’s tidbits. Remember you
can find all these books and more at the University of Nebraska Press website. I hope you have a very
happy start to the new year!