Librarians and other things


I was corresponding with John Hebert, who I know from my time at FantaCo the other day. He notes that he was not intentionally cribbing anyone’s style in this Batman drawing, but that one may think he is. What say you, denizens of comic fandom?

So what do I DO with a large prime number?

LIBRARIANS RULE!

“The Hollywood Librarian: Librarians in Cinema and Society,” now in production, will be the first full-length film to focus on the work and lives of librarians in the entertaining and appealing context of American movies. American film contains hundreds of examples of librarians and libraries on screen — some positive, some negative, some laughable and some dead wrong. Films such as Sophie’s Choice, Philadelphia and It’s a Wonderful Life show librarians as negative stereotypes. The librarians in Lorenzo’s Oil, Desk Set and The Shawshank Redemption, on the other hand, are competent and professional. Dozens of interviews of real librarians will be interwoven with movie clips of cinematic librarians and serve as transitions between the themes of censorship, intellectual freedom, children and librarians, pay equity and funding issues, and the value of reading.”
Here’s a video clip of Ann Seidl, writer and director, in an address to the California Library Association, November, 2005.
Some related sites:
HERE
HERE
HERE
HERE
AND HERE

I’m forever getting CHAIN LETTER e-mails:
“A directory of cell phone numbers will be published soon.” This is partially true. “This opens the door to solicitors calling our cell phones using up our minutes.” Well, no. As a librarian, I’m compelled to get to the bottom of these things.

And speaking of librarians, remember The LIBRARIAN ACTION FIGURE. Remember, librarians kick butt.

POLITICS


An American hero died last week. My Lai Pilot Hugh Thompson, who helped stop the massacre during the Vietnam war, was 62.

Friend Dan finally got off his butt and started his own political blog. As he said, “About effing time.”

But before he did, he sent me Astonishing architecture. Of course, he had something to say: “Astonishing to the point of idiocy. Like, with all this glass, who is supposed to pay the energy bills? What about privacy, especially at night? How can acrophobiacs live in these places? Who lets their kids play on a spiral staircase with no risers? And why is there a black and white TV in the fireplace?”
(It reminds me me of that National Lampoon Christmas song about a glass-bottom boat. “I don’t want to fish looking up my dress.”)

Dick Morris and his wife, Eileen wrote a new book: Condi vs Hillary: The Next Great Presidential Race and he’s autographed a number of them. He writes: “The premise of the book is simple: Only Condoleezza Rice can effectively stop Hillary Clinton from winning the presidency! The book explains why and sets out a plan to draft her for the nomination.” A pox on both THOSE houses, but if you’re interested: Eh.

A children’s book, with sample illustrations on the web site: “Why Mommy Is a Democrat!”

Katrina Will Make Proving Where You Live Difficult in 2006:
Annette Watters’ article raises some interesting issues about the Census Bureau’s population estimates, especially for subcounty areas, and the impacts of disasters of various kinds. It suggests that just when the need for accurate estimates tends to be greatest (periods of unusual and rapid changes), is when they become least accurate.

Republican wants to change Census count

Meanwhile, Rep. Maloney Says Constitutional Amendment to Remove Non-Citizens From Census Is Counter to American Ideals and Impractical

MUSIC

Nellie McKay, one of Fred Hembeck’s favorite artists, has been dropped by her label over artistic differences.

For people of a certain age who want to know What the heck *is* emo, anyway?

Lou Rawls


Lou Rawls, the singer and actor died yesterday. He had been ill with cancer.

Of course, his big hit was “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”, one of only two Lou songs I own, but he put out dozens of albums, and appeared in several movies and TV shows, often doing voice work.

I knew him second best for his charitable work, which included telethons that helped the United Negro College Fund raise nearly $200 million. He was ABC News’ person of the week, although they said he was born in 1935 and was 72 years old, his age was apparently the source of much confusion.

But, I’ll always remember him best for a TV commercial that appears on this album. It’s one of the best performed songs from commercials ever. I reckon there are worse things to be remembered for.

Here’s to good friends,
Tonight is kinda special,
The beer will pour,
Must say something more,
Somehow,
So tonight, tonight
Let it be Loewnbrau

Three Academy Award-Worthy Questions


1. When did the Oscars move from February 27 to March 5, and why? I’m in favor, I just am surprised. See BOTH dates noted here– very bizarre.

2. Not gonna ask you who’s gonna be nominated for the Oscars. I’d rather know: Why do we care? I care, and I’ve seen fewer films this year than in a very long time. I will almost certainly have my rooting interests.

3. What do think is the worst (most embarassing, most inept) Oscar moment that you’ve seen or heard about?

BONUS QUESTION: The Washington Post notes: “The board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has chosen the co-star of ‘Death to Smoochy’ and ‘Big Daddy’ to host its prestigious Academy Awards ceremony, which this year will again be broadcast on ABC.”
But if Jon Stewart should suddenly become unavailable to host the Oscars, how about “Fred Hembeck”? Not Fred Hembeck, but “Fred Hembeck”, experienced host of the Fantastic Four Roast?

I’ll answer the third question in the reply section; I’m really seeking information from you folks about the first two and the bonus queries.

Case reading-arrgh!


Music, of a sort. Sound required.

One of my least favorite tasks at work is something called case reading. Those of us in the Central office have to proofread the information electronically sent to us from the centers across the state. It is an incredibly boring thing to do, made worse by the fact that the centers think I’m just a librarian-in-a-bun fussbudget. I didn’t ask for this task. At the end of the weekly “joy” I invariably say, “There’s an hour/90 minutes/two hours of my life I’ll never get back.”

Until recently, I had to tell the MIS folks that I had completed the venal job. But rather than just write, “Done with casereading”, I would, as my own personal protest, take some music I was listening to, probably something I got from Fred Hembeck, and alter the title with a form of the word casereading. It’s very Loganian. (Loganesque?)

I’ve Got Casereading Under My Skin
Let Me See His Casereading Nose
Casereadin’ on Heaven’s Door
Signed, Sealed, Caseread, I’m Yours
Casereading in the Dark
If You Caseread Somebody, Set Them Free
The Consequences of Casereading
Don’t Think About Her When You’re Trying to Caseread
Casereading with the King
It Was the Casereading Talkin’ (Not Me)
Drops of Casereading
You’ve Really Got A Casereading on Me
I Feel The Casereading Move
Giving You The Best That I Caseread
You Can’t Case Read in a Buffalo Herd
Every Casereading Tells A Story
In Memory of Elizabeth Caseread
The Revolution Will Not Be Caseread
What Casereading Is This?
Hark! The Herald Angels Caseread
Our Casereading Is Here To Stay
Can’t Fight This Casereading
Five Casereaders Named Moe
The Good, The Bad, and the Casereading
Somewhere Down The Crazy Casereading
I’ve Been Casereading You Too Long (To Stop Now)
Casereading Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom)
I Can’t Caseread You Baby
In Memory of Elizabeth Caseread
Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Caseread)
Casereading No. 5
Don’t Case Read in Anger
You Caseread Me Too Much
It Ain’t Over Till the Fat Lady Casereads
Don’t Let Casereading Turn You Around
I’ve Got a Casereading (times two)
Casereading on the Souls of Her Shoes
A Small Casereading of Value Will Come to You, Shortly
That’s Right (You’re Not from Caseread)
This Old Caserereading of Mine (Is Weak for You)
Heaven Must Have Caseread You
Casereaders on the Storm
Old Casereaders at Home
Have Yourself A Merry Little Caseread
Way Over Caseread in A Minor Key
Your Casereading Is Gonna Come
TRYIN’ to throw your CASEREADING around the WORLD
Betcha By Caseread, Wow
It Don’t Mean A Caseread If It Ain’t Got That Swing
Drug Store Case Readin’ Man
All Caught Up In Casereading
Hey Hey (Casereading Comin’)
El caseread pasa
What A Casereading World
Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Caseread)
(Don’t Worry) If There’s Casereading Below, We’re All Going to Go
(You Caught Me) Casereadin’
Casereading Nikki
Lay Your Casereading on Me
I’m Just Talkin’ About Casereading
I Ain’t Gonna Case Read My Heart Anymore
When the World is Casereading Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around
The Last Caseread Evening
There Is Casereading On Your Mind
Song for a Future Casereading
Big Rock Caseread Mountain
Tonight The Caseread’s On Me
Hey Jack Casereader
An American in Caseread
Do Nothin’ Till You Caseread from Me
Caseread Comes Hard To Me
Busy Doin’ Casereadin’
Sexual Casereading in the Workplace
Funkier Than A Casereader’s Tweeter
I Don’t Want To Be A Casereader
The Big Bright Green Caseread Machine
The Old Account Was Caseread Long Ago
The Nest That Caseread the Sky
Like A Songbird That Has Caseread
1st Movement Caseread from the Rach. 3
Gee, Officer Caseread
Beware Caseread
When A Man Loves A Caseread
The Great Wall of Caseread
The Low Spark of Case-Read Boys
Trash, Trampoline and the Caseread Girl
The Miseducation of Caseread Hill
Sit Down, You’re Casereadin’ the Boat
Do You Want to Know a Caseread
Gee Caseread Ain’t I Good for You
I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Caseread
One Case, One Read
Casereading in my heart
Casereading on the Moon
Flushed from the Caseread of Your Heart
The Ballad of Caseread Brown
Shame on the Casereading Name
Dazed and Caseread
Caseread in Vermont
Casereading Mussels (from the shell)
Ruby, Don’t Caseread Your Love to Town
Komm, Gib Mir Deine Caseread
Soul Sister, Brown Caseread
Leave My Caseread Alone
For Caseread, Whenever I May Find Her
Hey Jack Caseread
Mama, He Treats Your Caseread Mean
Casereading the Clouds Away
As Joseph Was a-Casereading
Casereading Letter 23
I Heard the Bells on Caseread Day
Caseread Derby Queen
Caseread in Your Own Hometown
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Casereading)
Will It Go Round in Caseread
Love’s in Need of Caseread Today
Take Me Out to the Case Read
Casereadin’ Round Crying
Only Casereading Can Break Your Heart
If I Had Possession Over Casereading Day

A Concept By Which We Measure Our Pain?

I think about the nature of God. A lot.
There’s something I truly believe that will be considered as arrogant, or irreligious, or cynical in some circles: as a Christian, or indeed as a person of faith, I think one should always be struggling with the nature of God. If you think you’ve got it all figured out, I don’t think you’re really trying very hard.

I’m not talking about silly stuff like:

I’m talking about the story under the headline:

The story reads that people believed that “God is with us” when the miners were apparently found alive. Then what does it mean when only one miner survived? Writer Mark Evanier said it better than I could.
Somehow, I was also reminded of a certain Christmas carol that seems most appropriate.
Of course, there are journalistic issues to address, too, but that’s another conversation.
***
Meanwhile, friend Tim makes it into the TU another time, this time with A Kinder, Gentler Hell
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How Swearing Works: “We all know what swearwords are. Even very young children know which words are naughty, although they don’t always know exactly what those words mean. Learn what makes words into swearwords, how society responds to swearing and how it affects your brain.”
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Friend Don asks: The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear:
“Has anyone seen this documentary yet? It sounds fascinating, but isn’t playing anywhere near me. The basic idea of the film is that the radical Islamic fundamentalists and American neo-Conservatives are mirror images; they employ similar tactics, embrace similar philosophies, and view the rest of the world with similar attitudes. I’ve read a few lengthy reviews and the film appears to be exquisitely well-researched; many of its statements have the ring of truth. One fact it presents, for example, is that “Al-Qaeda” as most Americans understand it is primarily a post-9/11 fabrication of the US government — something I’ve long suspected after researching the organization in international resources a few years ago. As far as I could tell, “Al Qaeda” is an umbrella term like “La Cosa Nostra”. But this is the first time I’ve heard that fact confirmed in domestic media. (Well, almost domestic; I think this film was initially broadcast by the BBC.)
If nothing else, this movie seems like a good rental when it comes out on DVD. But if anyone has already seen it, I’d be interested in a first-hand report.”
So, anyone seen this film?
***
Is THIS the activity of a good Christian man?
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On a considerably lighter note Interspecies romance.
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Religious right says Barbie is secretly promoting “bisexuality” . Really. Here’s how.
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And, just because, a cartoonist played God.

Ramblin' with Roger
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