(10:13 pm) Proof

     How do I know the media is mostly Liberal? Pres. Bush doesn't have national press conferences every day so the opportunity to ask him a tough question in front of the entire country is rare and pretty big. There was one issue that they could have asked him about but instead just chose to rehash earlier questions. Half the country supports him and supports him strongly but this one issue burns most of them when he talks about it. You'd think any reporter worth their salt would want to ask about something that clearly and decidedly separates a President from his base, unless of course they actually agree with the President on it.

     The fact that a reporter can sit there and listen to him talk about national security and boosting the economy and not ask him about millions of illegals coming across the border who are a threat to both is all the proof you need.

Wednesday April 27, 2005

  (09:38 pm) Links

      Norma's right as usual.

      Jack finds an interesting attempt at PR.

      Tomeboy has a new piece up. Here's a bit of it asking some interesting questions:

For example, what would have been the prospects of finding articles from the British Medical Journal, Harvard Journal of Law and Technology or the Journal of Hydrometeorology a decade ago from a small liberal arts or community college? Not to mention the costs associated with STM indexes needed to find these articles. What do we, as a profession, owe to market forces, economies of scale and companies like Ebsco, Ovid, ProQuest, et al. for providing access to material previously too expensive for many to subscribe to individually?

     we've gotta get this guy on regular schedule!

Tuesday April 26, 2005

  (07:52 pm) Discuss This

     In the April 25th issue of Publisher's Weekly is an article about a new book that booksellers are not jumping through hoops to get their hands on. Its called Rainbow Party by Paul Ruditis. Its a book for teens and it deals with the issue of oral sex, supposedly. The premise is a planned Rainbow Party. If you've never heard of this its boys getting oral sex from multiple girls wearing different colored lipsticks in order to create, ta-da, a rainbow.

     While I believe things like this occur I also believe its incredibly rare and talked about only because in order to be young and cool its just as important to know certain things as it is to do certain things. Frankly the ick factor has to be considered too high for this to be even remotely common. There are a lot of stupid people in the world, but not that many and not close enough in range to one another to have a party.

     Of course the 'censorship' flag is getting ready to be flown in defense of the book. None of the booksellers want to say they think the book is wrong just not "presented well". Everyone's afraid of offending everyone else.

     Myself, I think Mr. Ruditis needs a smack. He's quoted as saying:

"Part of me doesn't understand why people don't want to talk about [oral sex]," He said. "Kids are having sex and they are actively engaged in oral sex and think its not really sex. I raised questions in my book and I hope that parents and children or teachers and students can open a topic of conversation through it. Rainbow parties are such a childlike way to look at such an adult subject - with rainbow colors."

     I'm going to ignore the 'teacher and students' comment for now. But first of all, Mr. Ruditis isn't talking about oral sex. If you're son or daughter is engaging in orgies then oral sex, or even actual sex, really isn't the issue. The issue would be a complete loss of morality and a lack of even an ounce of common sense.

     What Mr. Idiot here is doing is lowering the bar another notch. The debate used to be just about condoms and whether they should be available in schools. Now its supposed to be about multiple partners? at the same time? No. This is where you're allowed to just get really really angry and yell a lot and if its your son maybe even hit him upside the head a couple times. If its your daughter just lock her up for a while. There are some things that just aren't open to "discussion".

  (07:37 pm) re: Amendment 1088

     Long before that I have MLA in just two weeks! Should be interesting since I did get a few replies from that first email. I put together an overall response:

My original email was in response to the announcement by MLA, offering an opposing view where I knew there was none already available. I have no wish to turn this forum into yet another free-for-all listserv. Since a number of people have spoken out I would like to reply to some specific points. From there feel free to respond to me directly if you want a reply...

"We have two filtered machines in our children's room. But how about local control? Do we not trust local trustees to make decisions for their towns. Each library is different in community, layout, finances.....why should the legislature make the same rule for Cambridge and Ashby? It doesn't make sense."

This isn't a debate about whether a library should invest their money in videos or computer games or some esoteric collection. Filtering computers, really only those available to children, is an issue of safety. Its no different then state laws dealing with driving, drinking, abuse and any other number of ways that the state or country as a whole feels it necessary to insure the safety of minors, particularly in the public sphere.

"It might be reasonable to support Amendment 1088 if some funding was involved. But what it becomes is an unfunded mandate in a time where many libraries are struggling to keep their staff and their doors open. Where does the money come from to purchase filtering software? My already depleted budget!"

NetNanny - $25 a pop.

"It is also an issue that has nothing to do with the budget as there is no discussion of funding these filters. It is unreasonable to attach this as a "budget amendment" that is not open to debate. I cannot support changes to the General Laws without the opportunity for our legislators to debate the issues."

I said in the first email that I was not generally supportive of the Mass. Legislature. They are currently trying to give free college tuition to illegal immigrants in the same under the table manner. What can I say? Vote R or I, not D.

"Every review that I have read of filtering software clearly indicates that this type of product is ineffective at blocking questionable content (and will block some access to legitimate sources of information)."

Will legitimate content be blocked? Yes. That's why this amendment strikes a compromise and does not require filtering on all stations.

Will questionable content slip through? Yes. Perfection, while a productive goal, is rarely attainable. It also sends a clear message to users that certain behavior in public is unacceptable. Would that some of our current adult patrons learned that lesson younger in life.

"Filtering software is no substitute for parental supervision."

Neither are libraries. Unless we start closing our doors from 2:30 to 6:00 to allow parents time to get home and then bring their children to the library, we are being intellectually dishonest in saying that its the parents' and only the parents' responsibility.

This is not a "one size fits all" solution. Its not all or nothing. It simply recognizes a need and a responsibility that in our burning desire for 'intellectual freedom' we have refused to acknowledge.

Greg McClay
SHUSH - for the conservative librarian
www.shush.ws / greg@shush.ws

     "I choose free libraries as the best
      agencies for improving the masses of
      the people, because they give nothing
      for nothing. They only help those who
      help themselves."

          - Andrew Carnegie

     The Sea Crest Hotel has a nice lounge to hang out in, which I did for several nights last year. So if anyone wants to discuss any of these points I'll be available.

  (07:25 pm) Travelin'

     Everyone's planning for ALA in Chicago. I'm little off track, I'm planning for MidWinter '06 in San Antonio. This will be the biggest trip I've ever taken so its best I start early. I was looking at Mapquest earlier and Eldorado is actually about 3 hours northwest of San Antonio. I'm going to have to spend at least one night there just to say I did. Ride, boldly ride.