Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Those Damn Patrons

Russell Library in Middletown, CT is looking for a substitue librarian.

Details include the following:

Work subject to interruptions, noise, and exposure to computer screens. May need to lift and move light to medium weights. Must be able to hear clearly (correctable to within normal limits) to record telephone information, and to see (vision correctable to 20/20) to complete documents. Frequent interaction with patrons may cause stress. (my highlight)

What kind of patrons?

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Truck Nutz


The Florida State Legislature is trying to ban these little adornments a-dangling down there. Maybe TruckNutz should open a shop in Kinshasa,Congo.

The Dreaded Penis Snatchers

I was wondering what the hell happened to me this morning.

Penis theft panic hits city..

By Joe Bavier
KINSHASA (Reuters) - Police in Congo have arrested 13 suspected sorcerers accused of using black magic to steal or shrink men's penises after a wave of panic and attempted lynchings triggered by the alleged witchcraft.
Reports of so-called penis snatching are not uncommon in West Africa, where belief in traditional religions and witchcraft remains widespread, and where ritual killings to obtain blood or body parts still occur.


Maybe they should ban Harry Potter from our libraries if the evil bastards are running around doing this.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2319603620080423

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Why Do Women...

Time for the gals...only 65,800,000 hits on Google.

Why do women live longer than men? (I'm going to ease my way past that one.)

Why do women have to be perfect? (Huh?)

Why do women wear bras? (Yeah, how come? It's annoying. If I was president I'd ban them.)

Why do women get plastered at fancy dress parties? (And why haven't I been invited, damn!)

Why do women like cads? (I don't know, but I know a great fancy dress party, sweetie pie.)

Why do women read romance? (Because they keep going to fancy parties with cads?)

Why do women fake orgasm? (I dunno, never happened to me.)

Why do women like gay men? (They dress better?)

Why do women's clothes button from the left, while men's button from the right? (I hate that, especially in the dark after a fancy dress party, it's confusing.)

Thank you Google, I feel a little smarter now.


Tuesday, April 22, 2008

I Be Googling

I love Google. I like to type in random stuff and see what happens.

This time I typed...Why do men...and hit enter.

77,600,000 hits.

The number one topic seems to be, Why do men cheat?, followed closely by, Why do men fall asleep after sex? Hmm. Cheating sounds like hard work.

Next up, Why do men have nipples?, followed by , Why do men like boobs so much? Possibly because we have such little nipples.

One of my favorites...Why do men fart more than women? I think we have more fun making loud noises.

Why do men fight? Why do men like prostitutes? Why do men die younger? Why do men bareback? (I'm not sure what that means, and I'm sure I don't want to know) Why do men lose weight faster? Why are men smarter than woman? (OK, I made that up) Why do men go bald? Why do old men have breasts? (WHAT?) Why do men do what they do?

Only 77,599,985 hit to go...and here is my favorite..Why do men BBQ? Because we can!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Future of Library Computing

After a recent grad school assignment in which we had to purchase 10 computers for $815 each, including OS and anti virus, I'm beginning to wonder if traditional computing is the way to go.

Library budgets are tight and getting tighter, especially as communities react negatively to the prospect of their real estate taxes going up to fund their local library.

So throw away the computers, and outsource the entire thing to Amazon. Amazon has spent a gazillion dollars building up their infrastructure. Check out Amazon Web Services on the Amazon homepage - about halfway down on the left hand side of the page.

Amazon Web Services provides developers with direct access to Amazon's robust technology platform. (Amazon.com,2008)

And that is one big platform. Imagine a library full of desks with LCD monitors, keyboard, mouse and USB ports. No computers, because everything goes through the Amazon platform.

Forget floppy disks or CD's, everything is migrating to flash drives. I was beside myself when I picked up a 4GB flash drive in Best Buy for $40 last month. If I'd waited a month I could've picked up an 8GB flash.

8GB! And check out Portable Apps at http://portableapps.com/.

PortableApps.com Suite™ is a collection of portable apps including a web browser, email client, office suite, calendar/scheduler, instant messaging client, antivirus, sudoku game, backup utility and integrated menu, all preconfigured to work portably. Just drop it on your portable device and you're ready to go. (Portable Apps, 2008)

You can download the standard version that will take up 86MB of room, or the lite version which will take up around 30MB.

Forget Windows. Bring your flash drive with the portable office suite, plug into the library's USB port, research, do homework, go home.

I bet with a little imagination libraries could start to slash their tech bills dramatically.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Friday, April 18, 2008

$1-a-book reserve fee urged for L.A. libraries

From the LA Daily News-

By Kerry Cavanaugh, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 04/17/2008 11:48:52 PM PDT



In a sign of the increases Angelenos will face as the city grapples with a massive budget crunch, the Los Angeles Public Library is proposing a $1 fee to have a book transferred between branches.

The fee is one of several new charges and increases that could take effect July 1 to help the public library system cope with budget cuts brought on by the city's $406 million deficit.

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_8965415

How about firing a couple bureaucrats instead? Targeting libraries often targets those who can't fight back.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Libraries become more critical as economy weakens

From the Buffalo News -

By Michael Borges
Updated: 04/10/08 8:40 AM

New York’s libraries are about to get more popular.


No, it’s not because of the good books, great resources, helpful certified librarians or new services like online learning materials and downloadable audio books.


As they say in political circles, “It’s the economy stupid.” The price of gas is up. The cost of eggs, milk and bread is up. Unemployment is up and house foreclosures are skyrocketing throughout the state and nation. And so, too, is public library traffic.

http://www.buffalonews.com/149/story/319688.html

I just paid $56 to put 13 gallons of regular in my car. I'll be visiting the library a LOT this summer.

Monday, April 7, 2008

ewwwww!

Wouldn't want to be working the Return Desk when these books came back (up).


Edible books benefit libraries
Monday, April 07, 2008
By ELIZABETH ROMÁNeroman@repub.com
NORTHAMPTON - Some took a bite out of J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in The Rye," while others munched on "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown. People who visited the Lilly Library in Florence yesterday were able to taste dishes inspired by books during the second annual Edible Book event.

http://www.masslive.com/hampfrank/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-13/1207552947118390.xml&coll=1

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Writers Blog Till They Drop...NYT

April 6, 2008

In Web World of 24/7 Stress, Writers Blog Till They Drop

By
MATT RICHTEL

SAN FRANCISCO — They work long hours, often to exhaustion. Many are paid by the piece — not garments, but blog posts. This is the digital-era sweatshop. You may know it by a different name: home.

A growing work force of home-office laborers and entrepreneurs, armed with computers and smartphones and wired to the hilt, are toiling under great physical and emotional stress created by the around-the-clock Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/technology/06sweat.html?ei=5065&en=1c3f36a3531123cb&ex=1208059200&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

The only thing worse than blogging is reading the damn things, except for my wife's blog of course. She is talented, beautiful, sexy and a great writer.

http://sunpoursdownlikehoney.blogspot.com/

Happy Birthday sweetie.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Special report: Should the public library no longer be public?

From the Tewksbury Advocate:

Tewksbury - As the national economy plunges further into recession, gas prices continue to hike, and the price of living continues to climb, local governments like Tewksbury that are already wrought with fees and cuts are exploring the notion of privatizing the public library.

Check out this link: http://tinyurl.com/ywg2wc

I suspect this is an issue that won't go away. Half the people in my town consider the main library one step up from a homeless shelter, and resent the taxes they pay to support the library.