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Wednesday January 12, 2005
I'm bending one of my resolutions but this is going to
be my last post (probably) before heading into Boston for MidWinter/ALA.
The plan is to attend the ALA Council and
Executive Board meetings. I'll probably drop in on SRRT and ALA-APA if I can. I'm still
figuring out the schedule. There's also a reception Saturday night for the two
candidates for ALA Vice-President/President-Elect. That should be fun. My previous
posts on that here and
here. Probably safe to drop them a line now if you want.
In case you didn't know there's an extremely important
football game on Sunday around 4pm (Patriots/Colts). I don't think there's anything vital I need to
go to after say 1pm, but if there is I'm going to be one grouchy shusher.
Anyway... Its going to a fun time. What's that
saying from? "Welcome To The Big Show!" Tuesday January 11, 2005
Two
articles, with debates involving moi, concerning
Jon Stewart's America and its removal from a Mississippi library
system based solely
on the picture inside showing a picture of 9 naked people with the heads of the
Supreme Court justices placed on them (or vice versa, bodies under heads, don't
recall and anyway...). I suppose we should have seen it coming considering the
title of his previous book, Naked Pictures Of Famous
People.
Its not against the law for his latest book to be
published. Its not required by law that every library buy it or keep it on the shelf
if bought not knowing that bit of content. The simple fact is if it had been a picture
of one individual, like the President, it would have been considered more offensive
and considered an attack. If had been the President and his wife it would have been
considered even worse, substantially worse. If the picture had 9 naked bodies copulating it would have
been considered worse. Any of those scenarios and Mr. Stewart would be assaulted by
even his fellow liberals.
It seems strange that we can slice and dice what is
considered appropriate based on the simple facts that the nudes are inactive and the
heads are mostly unknown. I would have congratulated Director Willits if he had kept
the books off
the shelf. Unfortunately even the hint that someone might actually make a moral
judgment automatically had the Chicken Littles running around screaming their head off and the
books have been returned to the shelf. As it is I applaud the attempt, even though I
disagreed with his original position.
Increased funding for Spectrum scholarships from the
medical librarian area.
Karen Schneider posted over at LISNews looking for
top technology trends. An interesting one she gave that I had never thought of
was people with cell phones/cameras can take pics of pages at the library and
download at home for research.
A good librarian is one who doesn't jump on every
tech bandwagon that comes along but is still flexible enough to adapt to all the very real
changes happening around them. Apparently ALA continues to think pigmentation can
have some affect on that.
His first name was Angus?! The whole idea of TV on
DVD, or on demand if you can afford it, is just the coolest. I won't be getting this
one yet but maybe by summer.
I downloaded the Excel document containing the
MidWinter schedule. 47 pages of Acronyms.
I've been wondering about making sure I'm somewhere each night
at 6pm or so to meet any fellow conservatives or if any liberals want to take a swing at
me. Living in Massachusetts for almost 10 years you'd think
I'd know Boston better but the only places that come to mind are Fanueil Hall and the
Hooters across from North Station. Hooters is too far for most people so probably
Fanueil Hall. Hopefully that place is still there that sells hot cider. Yummy. But
I'm open to suggestions.
Sunday January 9, 2005
Today is the first anniversary of my first
post
for SHUSH!
Its been an incredible year. Buttons and Pamphlets,
CafePress, Two Conventions, a
Presidential election, LISNews, Conservativelib,
ALTMLS, Linda Porter Responds, fellow conservatives, friendly liberals,
not-so-friendly liberals, Mutt Nation, Spectrum, Cuba, hundreds of arguments,
debates, conversations, and how-do-you-do's.
A thank you to everyone who ever said a kind word and
a salute to everyone who accepted the challenge of standing for what you believe in.
Here's hoping this year is just as fun and
challenging as the first.
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