I’ve been pondering the decision by Naperville Public Library to fingerprint its patrons with a technology created by Biometrics, USA, also based in Naperville (thanks, Jessamyn). ALA staff told American Libraries, “As with filtering and privacy concerns, library staff also need to commit to a conversation with their users, communicating frequently and well about changes [...]
Today I was interviewed for a radio show, Open Source, which debuts May 30. The topic was Wikipedia. I’m on Pilot 3, which would be… Wednesday June 2? I have no idea! My main schtick is summarized here, but it’s nothing new to anyone who follows me. I am always up-front that my life work [...]
[As one last class assignment about interviewing, we had a group interview with baseball historian and broadcaster Marty Lurie, whose radio program airs before every Oakland A's game. Marty is a good sport--pun intended--and this was fun. He gave me permission to publish this interview.] ——— Marty Lurie is telling another story. “I used to [...]
Flaky, buttery, savory nibbles, perfect with wine before dinner. You don’t need to use top-drawer Parmesan cheese, but it should be decent and freshly grated. (I use a domestic Parmesan sold at Milk Pail, a local market in Palo Alto, where I also get the other important ingredient, really good butter.) Adapted from a recipe [...]
[I wrote this piece to amuse myself during the end-of-semester revision process, during which, as one instructor noted, we spend so much time rewriting the same material that "mild nausea" sets in every time we resume work. The following is probably only funny for MFA students. Still, I wouldn't rule out future messages from Dr. [...]
I read a funny post–and now I can’t find it!–that humorously discussed anti-blog “backlash” from business media pundits. Then I went to Epicurious.com, browsing for appetizers to bring to tomorrow’s class party, and found myself an hour later reluctantly tearing myself away from heated discussions about recipes, particularly a vigorous thread about barbecue pork tenderloin. [...]
According to the Merc, public library commissioner Diane Davis is getting out of Dodge, or at least Milpitas, to register her displeasure with her city council’s failure to support a measure in last month’s special election that would have increased funding for her city library as well as libraries throughout Silicon Valley. The article suggests [...]
I had just about thought I couldn’t get it together to review a blog this week when I saw a link to a fascinating entry about the protests and crackdown in Uzbekistan on the Global Voices blog. Global Voices, emanating from that idea bunny, the Berkman Center, provides a great look at issues worldwide through [...]
“(Tulsa, Oklahoma) Two days after Oklahoma lawmakers passed a resolution telling publicly funded libraries that books written for children about gay families should be placed in Adults Only sections, Tulsa libraries have moved the books from ‘impressionable eyes’.” The library director called this a “balancing act.” I’d call it a fall from grace. She says [...]
I must apologize for a toss-away comment I made on Tuesday in my post about U.S.News & World Report’s library rankings. I cracked that scorn was an emotion reserved for the French. I was gently chided for this comment in a personal email, and I agree. It was a cheap shot, not even supported by [...]
