Memory Ball Alarm and Radio

Move the ball, change the station. (Hint: My birthday's coming up.)

: : We Will Not Be Silenced : :

Click the banner and watch a great Flash video. Both visually stunning and emotionally moving.

Ah, the younger generation...

Last night I found a copy of a Green Day show from 1994, recorded in Berlin. I printed out the associated track listing without realy reading it. Today I see that it contains the following track: "I Fought the Law (and the Law Won) [Clash cover]". Uh, dude, this was first a hit by The Bobby Fuller Four in 1966 and was first recorded by the Crickets (as in Buddy Holly and the...) in 1960.

DeCSS creator acquitted

DVD Jon is free – official | The Register

"The court rejected these arguments, ruling that Johansen did nothing wrong in bypassing DVD scrambling codes that stopped him using his Linux PC to play back DVDs he'd bought."

Drumming Baby

This kid has got a future. (And I bet he won't sue for trading this video online.)

Why Don't Book Publishers Object To Web Indexing?

Danny Sullivan over at SearchEngineWatch makes an interesting point when it comes to publishers objecting to GooglePrint.

"...woe to the publisher or member of a publishing group that is ever found during legal disclosure to have complained about not being indexed better on Google. You can't enjoy years of free traffic from a source, then suddenly decide that copyright law is now different just because the words appear in print, rather than on the web."

iPod woes: Day 1

I wish I were a little apple ipod,
even if I had the ipod flu,
'cause I know that when I see the ipod doctor,
he'll pack me up and send me back to you.

courtsey of L

iPod woes: Day 0

Today my iPod decided to hose itself. Luckily it's still within the "one-year limited warranty" period (I ordered it on 12/28/04) so I can get it fixed/replaced for "free". (Since it's more than 6 months old, I do have to pay the $32.27 shipping fee.) Apple is sending me a box to pack it up in and send it back. I've heard good stories about Apple's service and I've heard horror stories about Apple's service. Which one will this be? Stay tuned and find out.

Lego Computer

Well, the case is made of Lego, the innards are still what you'd expect.

Test drive a mini

Not the car. The Mac.

Cats In Sinks

Pictures of cats in sinks. I kid you not.

More Firefox Search Plugins

I've written two more Firefox search plugins: TVTorrents.com and The Arapahoe (CO) Library District"

The Gullibility Factor test

Take the The Gullibility Factor test. My score:

"Your GF score is 100.
(Out of a range of 0 - 100, where 0 = mind slave, and 100 = free thinker.)

Free Thinker
Welcome to the top 5%. You're a true free thinker and a person who is well informed about the reality in which you live. Although you may have been easily manipulated earlier in life, you eventually gained lucidity and developed a healthy sense of skepticism that you now automatically apply to your observations and experiences. You are endlessly curious about human behavior and the nature of the universe, and you have one or more lifestyle habits that most people would consider odd or unusual. You are not only of very high intelligence, you are also extremely creative in one or more areas (music, art, software development, inventing, etc.)

If you were in The Matrix, you would have taken the red pill, completed the combat training, and started fighting (and beating) agents from day one.

Your architects: You have cast off reality distortions taught to you by your parents, schooling, corporate advertising and government propaganda. You create your own beliefs based on what serves you best, without much regard for what the rest of the crowd is doing. You are guided by your own internal code of ethics (which may or may not agree with politically-correct ethical codes) rather than any pre-set system of ethics (such as from any one religion)."

Wanted: your wireless experiences

Louise is looking for "user experience" stories when it comes to offering WiFi in your library. More details and contact information can be found below.

[Web4lib] Wanted: your wireless experiences

By Louise Alcorn
To Web4lib@webjunction.org

Greetings Web4Lib community,

I come bearing a request. I am currently editing/co-authoring a book on wireless in libraries--one of Neal-Schuman's "How to do it manuals". Very 'quick and dirty' on the basics, planning, maintenance, etc. I was asked to edit and flesh out a manuscript started by someone else, and I have a few things I want to add.

One component I'd like to add to this book is *user experience*. I have always felt that reading about colleagues' experience, both pro and con, is instructive for professionals tackling new project areas, as we can draw on each others' strengths, experience and mistakes. We used this approach to useful effect, with enormous help from the Web4Lib community, in another book on library software and I thought it would be even more appropriate here.

**My request: I want to hear from libraries who are currently implementing, or who already have implemented, wireless access for staff and/or patrons. I want your 'stories'--good, bad and ugly. Issues and/or triumphs with IT staff, vendors, library staff, library boards, faculty committees, etc. I'm looking for all aspects of the process-finding hardware, implementation, policy (!), training staff, marketing the service to your patron base, troubleshooting and maintenance issues.

I'd love to hear from a wide variety of libraries--academic, public, special--and both pro and con experiences with any of the aspects above. I've already separately contacted staff at a few libraries I know have wireless, but I wanted to throw this out to the always helpful Web4Lib community, and give you an opportunity to rant or rave about your wireless experience. As always, your names/positions/libraries' names will be used only as you prefer.

Please respond to me OFF-list, so as not to overwhelm in-boxes.

Many thanks in advance,
Louise Alcorn

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Louise E. Alcorn -- Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573    louise.alcorn@wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdm.lib.ia.us

Dilbert

With the number of flights I took last year, today's Dilbert hits a little too close to home.

IE7 fixes

It seems that the Microsoft are actually dealing with problems in IE. According to this post to IEBlog IE7 will correctly support the <base> element. Their stated reason:

"[IE's] behavior isn't per the specification even as far back as HTML 3.2 which specifies there should only be one BASE tag per document and that the BASE tag should appear in the HEAD element."

In case you don't know, HTML 3.2 became a W3C recommendation in January 1994. How's that for fixing problems in a timely manner?

The next book

I've singed signed [thanks Bill!] and mailed the contract back to Neal-Schuman, Inc. for my next book. It's basically a second edition of my Internet reference book. This one will be titled: The Reference Librarian's Guide to Mastering Internet Searching. Honestly, I'm not sure I like the title at this point but it'll do for now.

Jury duty: The end of the story

Sorry to be so behind on this one but I've finally found the time...

We got back from lunch at one and were all called up to our courtroom at 1:30. The judge introduced everyone and we learned that the case involved conspiracy and armed (shotgun) robbery. The judge asked us all some preliminary questions such as if any of us knew any of the involved parties. After that we were given the chance to elaborate on any reasons why we felt we couldn't serve. I reiterated my need to attend a memorial service the next morning. Another person told the judge that it was his first week of college and didn't want to miss any more classes.

Both the defense and prosecuting attorneys then each had 30 minutes to question us further. The prosecution focused on the concepts of circumstantial evidence and reasonable doubt. The defense focused on the defendant's right not to testify, never mentioning the fact that this is more commonly known as the Fifth Amendment. In the end, several prospective jurors flat out stated, even when questioned by the judge, that if the defendant did not testify they would hold it against him, even though the judge would instruct them not to do so.

We were then all asked to leave the courtroom for a "15 minute break". One hour later we were let back in.

The judge then red off a list of names of those who could be excused from service. This list included everyone who didn't agree with the fifth amendment and a few others. This list did not include me.

That finished, the judge had to "make a list of the names of those who are left." After a few minutes, the judge looked up and asked if either of the attorneys would have any objections to him excusing juror #36; me. Neither did and I was excused.

The short version of this day: I got there at 7:30am and was finally excused at 4:30pm. It was interesting and educational and I would have been happy to serve had circumstances been different.

More on eAudioBooks

Here's yet another article with the following quote:

"'The patron doesn't have to do anything after the lending period,' said Steve Potash, chief executive of OverDrive."

Trouble is, this is not exactly true as demonstrated by the article's previous paragraph:

"When the audiobook is due, the patron must renew it or find it automatically "returned" in a virtual sense: The file still sits on the patron's computer, [emphasis mine] but encryption makes it unplayable beyond the borrowing period."

What the patron has to do is now delete the file off thier computer. Granted, this is not the biggest deal in the world but, let's be realistic here, most people don't clean out their hard drives nearly as often as they should. I can envision a regular user of this service filling their drive on their older computer in a matter of months.

I'm not advocating that the file delete itself (o.k. maybe I am,) but the "spokespeople" need to be a little more up front about how their service works, or doesn't.

XHTML & CSS Essentials for Library Web Design

I've received the first batch of page proofs and have reviewed them. I'll be receiving the rest over the next few weeks. Louise is graciously building the index. Also, the Web site for the book is up. All there is right now are the code samples for the book.

More on eBooks, DRM, and libraries

I turn on my comments and look what happens. I get Walt Crawford pointing me to his response to my post regarding Alan Wexelblat's opinion. I guess that leaves me to attempt to explain my position in a coherent way. Here goes:

My biggest problem with the DRM-based expiration of eAudioBooks, or other digital items for that matter, is who gets to decide when they expire. Walt makes the point that the "library's paid for the right to have one copy of the audio ebook in use at any one time. How is that different than lending a book?" It's different because of who has the control. In the case of a physical book, the library invokes the right of first sale, giving them the right to loan it out as they see fit. Yes, the library loans it for a limited period but that's the library's choice. Some libraries allow for two weeks, some allow renewals (usually a finite number of times,) while other libraries allow patrons to check out items indefinitely, only to be recalled when requested by another patron (i.e. for a professor or Ph.D. student at a university.)

The problem with these eAudioBooks is that the publisher is imposing their will on the library and, in the end, on the patron. The library has been taken out of the process. Sure, we could decide to challenge this practice by not spending our money on the product, but where does that leave the library and the patron; without the material they're looking for. Not exactly great customer service.

Ultimately, we're stuck. The books are restricted by DRM, and don't work on all devices. (I'm an iPod owner and I'm SOL.) We buy them because they're the only option and when presented with a take-it-or-leave-it decision, people are going to be more than happy to point out the flaws.

Postcards

I travel. I traveled a lot in the past 18 months. Well, starting back in June 2004-ish I started sending postcards to my best friend (Laura) in Phoenix and she started handing them up in her office. Due to some office renovations she had to take them down for a short time. (Oh, and she was running out of space and had to pick up some additional metal sheets which she sticks the postcards to with magnets.) It seems that she's finally got caught up with getting them all re-hung...

Aurora Mall Bans Teens On Friday, Saturday Nights

This is the new policy at the mall I'm most likely to go to in Aurora. (Actually I avoid malls like the plague, but if I did go to one...) Here's another case of punnishing everyone for the actions of a few. I hope they at least have an exception for mall employees. Imagne having to have your mother or father stand next to you while you're working at the cash register.

Montana Supreme Court justice warns Orwell's 1984 has arrived

"I feel the pain of conflict, however. I fear that, eventually, we are all going to become collateral damage in the war on drugs, or terrorism, or whatever war is in vogue at the moment. I retain an abiding concern that our Declaration of Rights not be killed by friendly fire. And, in this day and age, the courts are the last, if not only, bulwark to prevent that from happening...

"Like it or not, I live in a society that accepts virtual strip searches at airports; surveillance cameras; "discount" cards that record my buying habits; bar codes; "cookies" and spywear on my computer; on-line access to satellite technology that can image my back yard; and microchip radio frequency identification devices already implanted in the family dog and soon to be integrated into my groceries, my credit cards, my cash and my new underwear...

"I don't like living in Orwell's 1984; but I do. And, absent the next extinction event or civil libertarians taking charge of the government (the former being more likely than the latter), the best we can do is try to keep Sam and the sub-Sams on a short leash..."

Full story

The new Mr. Schwartz

Congratulations Greg! (Just how is it you never mentioned this forthcoming event to me? )

More on eAudiobooks

OCLC's "It's all good blog" also comments on the AP story regarding digital audiobooks in libraries. Here's the line that got me thinking:

"You can even be so bold as to send the link to your mayor, city councilpeople, etc. with a short proposal of why eAudiobooks in YOUR LIBRARY would improve literacy rates..."

Last time I checked the definition of literacy was "the ability to read and write." Just how does listening to someone read a book during which you cannot see the words being read help someone become literate?

Lending? To Whom?

Alan Wexelblat, the author of the Copyfight blog, and non-librarian, points out how stupid DRM-based expiration on digital audio books from libraries are.

Bite my shiny metal casemod

I've need a lot of cool computer cases recently which has let me to want to build my next system myself. (The lack of disposable cash at the moment id the only thing stopping me. What I know I'll never do is build "the case" from scratch. However, if Jan Erik Vangen ever decides to market his Bender case, I'll find the cash somehow.
via Stupid Evil Bastard

Blog update

Comments have been fixed. (Yes, I've said this before but I'm more confident this time then I;ve ever been before.)

Hunger's Brides | Reading positions

Does anyone know anything about this book?
Thanks Deb

FRBR Fun

I picked up this book in the Juror Assembly room. (I'll finish that story over the weekend.) As you may notice, I had a little fun with it. Click on the cover for a full-size version. (Here's the original.)

Kelly Kriszta Carver

Blake Carver's, Czar of LisHost (which host's my domain,) first child has arrived. Congratulations Blake!

Jury break

By 11 the yellow and purple groups had been called up to their respective judicial chambers. One group had some people excused based on their answers to the juror questionaire, the other has none. Of course, i'm in the only group that's left.

At 11 my group's judge came in and apologized for the delay. It seems that his court had some unexpected events and neither he nor the lawyers in the case have had time to even look at our questionaires. So, he sent the lot of us off to lunch with orders to report back at 1pm at which time they'll be ready to excuse/call us fom/for the jury enpanneling process.

What I do know is that the trial is a criminal one and that it should take only 2-3 days.

I'm now back at the justice center, sitting outside with my Sbux, waiting for 1pm.

Jury update

The Orange group (I'm in the Teal group,) just got dismissed. Their just came down and announced that her defendant "forgot" to show up for the trial.

Called to serve

I'm sitting in the Jury Assembly Room at the Arapahoe County Justice Center this morning. I've filled out my questionaire and now I wait, new Star Wars paperback next to me, wondering how the day will proceede.

Moving image

take a look

Libraries of the future

It looks like there's a new was to get your lit fix in France: via vending machine.

Thought Police in PA

Santorum’s People Toss Young Women out of Barnes & Noble, Trooper Threatens Them with Prison

“Your business is not wanted here. They don’t want you here anymore. If you don’t leave, you’re going to be arrested. If you can’t post bail, you’ll go to prison. Those of you who are under 18 will go to Ferris [the juvenile detention center]. And those of you over 18 will go either to Gander Hill Prison or the woman’s correctional facility. Any questions?”

Happily Ever After: The Quiz

I got an 8 out of 10 on the Fairy Tale Quiz. How well do you think you'll do?

More on DPL

Here's two more articles from the Rocky Mountain News:

• Library cancels 'fotonovelas'
  "The Denver Public Library will cancel subscriptions to four series of Spanish-language fotonovelas because of their "consistent portrayal of sexually explicit content," library spokeswoman Celeste Jackson said Thursday."
• Librarians can't and shouldn't play parent
  A Letter to the editor by ALA President Michael Gorman (in which he does not stick his foot in his mouth.)

Denver Post editorial

Here's another editorial on the situation at the Denver Public Library. The best line:

"Arguing that certain books shouldn't be in the library is like arguing that certain words shouldn't be in the dictionary."

Library Marketing 101

Here's a neat idea: allow your patrons to check out a person from the library.
via LISNews

Bond no more

The series isn't over but Brosnan is.

FARK's Headline:
"Pierce Brosnan finished as 007. The next 3 movies will star Val Kilmer, George Clooney, and Christian Vale respectively"

Wake Me Up When September Ends

Green Day's new video is available on their site, proving that yes, they are geniuses. (Click "Video" on the homepage to find it.)

Quote of the day

"I've bitten your head off. It's your job to grow it back"
— My Wonderful Boss

Powells.com interviews Neil Gaiman

'Nuff said. Enjoy!

Froogle Mobile

It's even easer to use your Web-enabled cell to check prices while in the store now that Google has released Froogle Mobile.

But would you want to?

Looks like Australians can start reading titles from HarperCollins title on their cell phones using thier new MobileReader starting today. Since one of the first titles is Velocity by Dean Koontz I would be willing to give it a try but I seem to be on the wrong continent for the service.

A new Firefox search Plugin

A new plugin for Prospector can now be found on my Firefox Search Plugins page.

Blogger for Word

This is a test of a post from the new Blogger for Word plugin.

W delays .XXX

It seems that the Bush administration has petitions ICANN to delay the implementation of the new .xxx domain for a month. Of course, something designed to make porn easier to filter is being opposed by conservative groups. In one quote the Family Research Council says "There already is a law prohibiting them from selling hardcore porn on the Internet-anywhere on the Internet - yet they have been doing if for years." Is there? Can someone send me a citation?

To hot outside?

WESH in Orlando, FL recommends "If you don't have air conditioning, go somewhere that does for a few hours, such as a mall or a public library."

DPL: Book uproar really about the readers

LISNews has an excerpt from an actually reasonable editorial in yesterday's Denver Post. I wanted to link you to the whole column but it doesn't seem to be available on the Denver Post site.

More re: Denver Public LIbrary

Here's a column from the Rocky Mountain News regarding the issue. Yes, there's a difference of opinion but in one case, the author just gets it flat-out wrong:

"Libraries, like schools, are obliged to act in loco parentis - in place of responsible parents - to safeguard kids. "

Schools are required to act in loco parentis because the children are required to be ther by law. Children are not legally required to be in the library, nor are we babysitters. Yes, a librarian may want to act in loco parentis but they are not obliged to.

Data Visualization

For those of you that have looked through my presentations know that I periodically do one on "Data Visualization" (displaying data and it's relationships in a graphical format.) Because of this I'll be keeping my eye on the Space Browser which will be released in October.

Neil Gaiman on the DPL situation

Neil Gaiman, a strong defender of comics in all their forms has weighed in on the Denver Public Library situation. The best part of his opinion is:

"Most libraries are smart enough to keep the graphic novels for kids in the children's sections, while putting the ones that aren't for kids, like Sandman or Transmet, in with Graphic Novels, which is Not In the Children's shelves. This is because most librarians are sane. You have to get a long way down the article before you notice there actually people (oddly enough, librarians) saying sane things..."

He's coming to town for a book signing in September. I'll be shaking his hand and thanking him specifically for this.

@ the airport

While checking in at DIA this afternoon I saw someone actually using a carryon sizer box. Maybe thought for your fellow passengers will catch on.

One billion dollars holdings!

At 2:21:34 p.m. EDT on August 11th, 2005, Anne Slane, a cataloger for Worthington (Ohio) Libraries, entered holdings information for the book The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story of the 60s Pop Sensation, becoming the one billionth holding record in the WorldCat database. OCLC congratulates Anne and all libraries that contribute data to WorldCat. As expected, the march to the billionth holding was a sprint, with mere fractions of a second separating the entries at the wire. To view the list of institutions that submitted holdings as they approached and surpassed the 1 billion mark access: http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/

New RSS feed

BCR has started it's second RSS feed: Continuing Education.

"Making books easier to find"

Just only the ones the publishers authorize.

It's an SD card. No, it's a flash drive. No it's...

Having recently become the proud owner of a second device that uses SD cards for storage I've started looking into purchasing a 1GB SD card, or maybe even a 2GB (though I'm not sure the new device will handle it. (I'll post more about the new device when I've had some time to play with it.)) So, what do I find this morning in my aggregator, this new SD card from SanDisk with, get this, a built in USB plug. Think about this one folks. An SD card measures 3.2x2.3cm (1.25x0.75in) and is only .2cm thick. USB plugs are 1.1x1.1x.4cm. Do the math. The linked article explains it all. It looks like I've got to get me one of these.

PHONifier

The PHONifier processes Web pages "removing code unnecessary for cell phone display." I've tried it on several large sites like Amazon.com and it does make them much easier to use on my Treo.

How wrong is this?

She bends but doesn't break. I'm just glad there isn't sound effects. (And yes, you can control her, sort of, with your mouse.)

Firefox Search Plugins

I spent some of the afternoon playing around with XML and Javascript to create some new Firefox search plugins. Unless you're a BCR employee and/or are a user of the Aurora (CO) Public Library, they'll only be of accademic interest to you. However, I'm interested enough to be willing to make a few more if you'd like to make a suggestion.

Pocket-sized computer 'soul' developed

For the past year, when talking to librarians about USB flash drives, I've been telling them that one day you'll be able to walk up to any computer, plug in your drive and be sitting at "your computer", customizations, data, and everything else. Well, it looks like that day is only a few steps from reality.

RE: No Net for the public

In response to my posting on public libraries & the internet Deb Tobias from Iowa had this response:

Some of our libraries choose not to let the public use the internet because they have only one computer available and there is no room for the public to access it outside of the librarian's desk. Also, the kids were coming in after school and mobbing the desk when they did let them use it, so they decided not to. There is no rule saying you MUST let the public use the internet in a library, and some just don't have the space/money for public access. They will, however, look things up for the public and use internet for reference, just no public use.

Having spent so much time in IA over the past year I should have thought of this as I did meet several librarians with just a single computer in the building. As long as a library isn't intentionally withholding Internet access I won't complain.

Watch WorldCat Grow

For all you crazy cataloger types, and others who just find large numbers interesting you can watch WorldCat grow. OCLC is approaching the one billionth holding. Will you be there when it happens?

08/11 UPDATE: Or not...

"OCLC has temporarily suspended the Web application WorldCat Watch It Grow in advance of crossing the 1-billionth-holding milestone. Information as it usually displays in Watch It Grow suggests a direct correlation between the current Total Holdings in WorldCat number and the displayed bibliographic record; this correlation is false. The bibliographic record that would have displayed with the milestone holding would not necessarily represent the source library for the milestone.

Geek Out Don't Freak Out

Andrea has suffessfully held her first Geek Out Don't Freak Out class at the Reading Public Library. This is a prime example of the type of technology training public libraries need to be offering to their patrons.

Keeping you posted on the DPL situation

• Rocky Mountain News: Library plan sparks debate
• Channel 9 (NBC): Library protest turns into battle over illegal immigration

Odd problem

One of Microsoft's recent "optional" updates is An update that addresses Outlook Express 6.0 issues is available for Windows XP. According to the description "This update addresses an issue in which messages are incorrectly handled if the Subject line in an e-mail message contains the word 'begin.'" Does anyone have any idea what the "incorrect handling" actually is?

Students charged with computer trespass

According to this MSNBC.com article:

"...last fall... the district issued some 600 Apple iBook laptops to every student at the high school about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The computers were loaded with a filtering program that limited Internet access. They also had software that let administrators see what students were viewing on their screens."

What could possibly go wrong?

"Some students also turned off the remote monitoring function and turned the tables on their elders — using it to view administrators' own computer screens."

Oh, and they viewed some porn and installed iChat too. The copys have been called. The sutdent's side can be read at cutusabreak.org.

Death penalty's history

Here's a reason to go back for a visit to my LIS alma matter, the National Death Penalty Archive at the University at Albany Libraries.

Peter Jennings

The ABC News site has a section dedicated to the late Peter Jennings which is worth taking a look at. Don't bother trying to watch the trribute video retrospective however, that'll involve signing up for a "Real SuperPass" which is going to cost you. (There is a 14-day free trial but it looks like they'll automatically start billing you on day 15 unless you cancel first.)

Services Slide at Airports

John C. Dvorak shows that United is now charging for curb-side check-in. (At least at O'Hare. Anyone seen this at other airports?)

If Steven Cohen was dead he'd be rolling over in his grave

In the you've got to be kidding me category here's software that turns RSS into e-mail, completely defeating the purpose of RSS.

"Why re-invent the wheel or run yet-another-application to read your stuff? Create another set of folders, sub-folders, filtering, spam-filter training,... when your existing E-mail application has done it all - tried and tested - and finally just the way you like it?"

And the best line on the site:

“it actually seems to work”

Now how's that for an endorsement?

Update: Reading that first quote again I noticed that it's full of inaccuracies.

1. Aggregators automatically put each feed into it's own folder. No folder creation or "filtering" necessary.
2. Uh, spam from an RSS feed? Since when?
3. Nevermind the fact that since there's no e-mail address involved, RSS feeds can't be a new way for spammers to get your address and send you more.

Please people, I beg you, do not use a service such as this.

Marc Cohn shot in head during car jacking

He's o.k. but it's kind of freaky considering I met him and shook his hand at his Boulder show Saturday night.

BlogJunction � Blog Archive � public libraries & the internet

BlogJunction has some statistics about public library Internet access:

• 99.6% of public library outlets in the United States are connected to the Internet.
• 98.9% of public library outlets with a connection to the Internet proide public access to the Internet.

This means that some libraries have Internet access but are not letting the public use it. I'm lost. Anyone have an explaination for this one?

Harry Potter popularity

Harry's popular with teens and Guantanamo detainees.

FCC Issues Rule Allowing FBI to Dictate Wiretap-Friendly Design for Internet Services

"Washington, DC - Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a release announcing its new rule expanding the reach of the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA). The ruling is a reinterpretation of the scope of CALEA and will force Internet broadband providers and certain Voice-over-IP (VoIP) providers to build backdoors into their networks that make it easier for law enforcement to wiretap them. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has argued against this expansion of CALEA in several rounds of comments to the FCC on its proposed rule."

Tech Terms You Should Know

I'm putting together an online presentation fcovering Internet-related terminology every librarian should know, especially if they deal with the public. So far I've got blogs, RSS, wikis, phishing and several others. If you feel there's a term that I should include please drop me a line.

Ciscogate

For those interested in what happened to Michael Lynn @ Black Hat last week from a behind-the-scenes POV, read his lawyer's blog.

Highspeed Photography

These photos are just visually stunning and they make great desktop wallpaper.

Fotonovellas @ DPL, contd.

Well, they pulled the 'sexy' comics from DPL. Actually, they decided to pull all of them for a full review.

Battle for Gondor

Yet another time suck for your daytime pleasure.

Man, 87, accidentally drives off in wrong Chrysler New Yorker

My grandmother did this back in the 50s.

RSS 2 PDF - Online RSS, Atom or OPML to PDF Generator

I'm not sure I understand the usefullness of a program that converts RSS to PDF but someone thought it was usefull enough to actually create it.

Firefox popups

Here's instructions on how to turn off Flash-based popups in Firefox. (I've not seen one for several days so it does seem to work.)
via LifeHacker

Office Crossbow

The instructions are in Russian but the pictures should be enough.

It's fiction people!

Da Vinci plot may get new twist to placate Catholics

"The studio has been asked to consider whether the central premise — that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene — could be more ambiguous and whether the name of Opus Dei could be removed."

via The Huffington Post

CSS3 Values and Units

The latest draft of values and unit specifications in CSS have been released. The coolest part, basing height and width on the viewport.

thatpodcastsong

Have you heard the latest hit from the band Cruisebox? It's the hottest thing on your iPod since your first downloaded podcast. On a Podcast

Unclear on the concept

Someone's not sure about the difference between a clarinet and a coronet...

Kitty Flip

Ever see a cat not jump high enough?

Worldcon 2005

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has won the Hugo!

Google Sightseeing

It looks like sending posts to the Google Signtseeing blog do get looked at, eventually. I submitted Red Rocks Ampitheater about two months ago.

Publishing updates

• XHTML & CSS Essentials for Library Web Design
  The book is being typeset and I should receive proofs for final proofreading and indexing by the end of next week.
• Blogs & RSS: A Librarian's Handbook
  The second full draft has been turned in.
• The Collector's Guide to Dean Koontz
  Who knows... But I do have an interested third-party (who know's Dean personally) who's offered to contact him about the delay in getting back to me. I'll post more as soon as I know it.

Interesting Lawsuit of the Day

Adult-Themed Website Perfect 10 Sues Google, Amazon Over Search Results for violating copyright since they display the site's images without permission.

Bush hasn't seen Inherit the Wind has he?

Bush: Intelligent Design Should Be Taught

Spanish Libraries in Denver

Library's Spanish outreach criticized

"Although some patrons have praised the library's vision, the Language and Learning idea has met with resistance from those who say that the proposal is another step toward placing Spanish on an equal footing with English as the national language.

"'The library is a purveyor primarily of written information, and it should be provided largely, say 95 percent, in the native language of our country, which is English,' said Fred Elbel, president of Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform."

First, there is no "national language" of the United States. Those bills, have yet to pass. Second, last I checked, any of the "native language" of this country can be found on the Native Languages of the Americas site.

Sunday smackdown

C|Net's presents Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Beta vs. Mozilla Firefox. I do wonder, however, whether it's fair since IE7 is in beta and even Microsoft admits that it's not standards compliant yet.

Starbucks in LSU library

Some LSU students upset by plans for library Starbucks but my question is this: would they still be complaining if it was run by local independent instead of a big corporation?

All your tank belongs to Denver*

The City of Denver wants a tank "just in case."
* This headline is explained on Wikipedia.

Welcome to Zork

You can actualy play Zork on the Web now. Ah, memories...

The Apple Store's Campaign Against Books

Dynamist Blog has s photo of a display for iBooks in an Apple Store which implies "books" are on the way out.