Sightings

We consulted a longtime 'putterer', family repairperson and now serious handyman with a roster of regular clients for opinion and review of two additional Black&Decker Photo Guides: Home Improvement and Home Repair. more »

The Decorating Guide intersperses background information with clear instructions on such household projects as installing molding, replacing a towel bar, tiling a backsplash, hanging bifold doors, creating faux finishes, or reupholstering a chair. Outdoor Building projects include making patios, walkways, and decks; fences and walls; arbors, sheds, outbuildings, and porches; and — perfect for grandkids — treehouses and play structures more »

President Barack Obama's recent announcement to freeze the pay of federal civilian workers did little to ice the debate over whether federal workers are overpaid or underpaid. Republican leaders and conservative think tanks claim federal workers are overpaid. They say the average federal worker is paid twice as much as those in the private sector. The federal Office of Personnel Management and unions that represent federal workers say on average they are paid 24 percent less than those in the private sector. Both sides are armed with official government statistics, but neither side is right. more »

The Open Library (an Internet Archive initiative) has just launched a new version of their online ebook reader (aka BookReader) featuring a new user interface and other tools. BookReader allows users read/search more than two million digitized books more »