Monday, March 28, 2005

Great, I just bought an iPod...

Why didn't anyone tell me there was a marijuana-scented MP3 player out there before I coughed up the money for my iPod?
Embossed Art Type Mp3_Player

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Hey Sideways Boy, what's with all the wine blogs?

Yeah, you might have noticed a new category in my blogroll. This has actually been a long time coming and no, it has nothing to do with Sideways; I haven't even seen it yet. I've been interested in knowing more about wine for a while and am doing the typical librarian thing here by educating myself at every opportunity. If that makes me a snob, well then I've been a snob for a hell of a lot longer than I'd care to admit.
So far, most of my tasting notes would revolve around the Two-Buck Chuck we buy at Trader Joes and a couple of other finds, all under $10. If you have any advice, send it my way (on wine or otherwise).

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

He shoots his toenails at everybody and he is Van Diesels brother. He can also turn boogers into sail boats and he is french.


Cincinnati's Toy Lab allows kids and adults the chance to create their own custom toys, built from the parts and pieces of throw-away junk toys, dolls, and action figures.

(Man, this place is pretty cool and I dig the idea of recycling old crappy toys, but guess how much each toy costs? $17.95! Doesn't that seem excessive?)

A Directory Of Programs Designed For USB Drives

From the Wall Street Journal . com:
Jeremy Wagstaff's LOOSE wire: A Directory Of Programs Designed For USB Drives

Blender for the Red States


Gas here hit $2.19 a gallon, making the hand-cranked blender an even better idea...

Blender for the Blue States

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Fourteen or FIGHT



I've never actually seen this movie but have always dug the Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil penned "Shape of Things to Come."
You can check out the music video here:
http://bedazzled.blogs.com/bedazzled/files/shapesofthings.mov

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

33 1/3

A series of books detailing famous rock albums and what makes 'em great.
33 1/3

Winter Weather calls for this

Now, I'm no rugged outdoors guy but this looks too cool:
Igloo, winter camping tool, Grand Shelters Icebox

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

The Globe and Mail: Would you pay 5 cents for a song?

The Globe and Mail: Would you pay 5 cents for a song?: "An academic at McGill University has a simple plan to stop the plague of unauthorized music downloads on the Internet. But it entails changing the entire music industry as we know it, and Apple Computers, which may have the power to make the change, is listening."

Friday, March 04, 2005

Lansing Punk: The Fix



Just when you think you know your home town....
This afternoon an MP3 blog I read posted a couple files from a band called The Fix. Turns out they're from Lansing, though I've never heard of them (they're a little before my time). However, I do know their guitar player, Craig, and might know one or two of the others.
Here's a link to a brief Bio:
Dementlieu Punk Archive: the Fix
And here's a link to the MP3s:

http://www.strangereaction.com/archives/2005/03/02/the-fix/#comments


By the way, these guys win for best Punk 7" name for Jan's rooms. Milk in a Bag is a close second.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Equipment List

This is an inventory of vintage and general odd-ball equipment owned by a Dutch recording studio. I really like all the short videos, showcasing the various instruments and effects.
Be sure to check out the Replay Instruments.
Instruments

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Michael Gorman "Revenge of the Blog People!" quote sources

Web4Lib Archive: [WEB4LIB] Michael Gorman "Revenge of the Blog People!" quote sources

Revenge of the Codex People

It's all good: Revenge of the Codex People

Blog People respond

From Stephen's Web:

Facing criticism on the American Library Association Council for an article criticizing Google Scholar published in the L.A. Times and an ill-conceived follow-up about the "Blog People", ALA President Michael Gorman is now claiming to have written in jest. "The piece (LJ, February 15th 2005) was intended to be satirical," he writes on the ALA Council list server. Does anyone believe this? Of course not. This is satire. He adds, "My views on 'blogs' have nothing to do with my activities as ALA president-elect or president," thinking, perhaps, that nobody would notice the words 'American Library Association' in the credits for both articles. "Nice. Really nice. Good use of the ALA presidential bully pulpit. No citations, of course," comments Council member K.G. Schneider on the same list (likely sources have now been found). Much more discussion on the Web4Lib archive. Other members raised concern about the now-tarnished image of the ALA, a concern well-founded as criticism has swept from its roots in the conservative blogosphere (no doubt motivated by Gorman's opposition to the Patriot Act) to a widespread and general condemnation. Writes Rochelle, "I've read more concentrated bad-mouthing about libraries, librarians and the ALA the past two days, than I've ever seen, and that's not A-OK." The damage done by Gorman's comments far outweights the good work undertaken by the Council in Salinas, and at a fraction of the cost. And the public silence by the ALA on Gorman's published position indicates acquiescence. The ALA should act, and clear the record. By Jessamyn West, librarian.net, February 25, 2005

(see
http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/research.cgi?item=1109703608

for hyperlinks

My Name is Jon Mark. I am a Blog Person

I've been meaning to write about this for the last week but have been too busy. The title of this post, along with the new graphic-- refer to some recent trouble brewing in the library world.
In a nutshell, here's what happend:
Michael Gorman, president-elect of the American Library Association, wrote a piece critical of Google’s Digitization project for the LA Times:
(http://www.infomotions.com/serials/
colldv-l/05/att-0054/M-Gorman___Google_and_God_s_Mind.pdf)
[found via Google, by the way!]

As you can imagine, some folks found fault with Gorman’s argument, wrote about it, and posted their comments on various blogs. I guess someone called him an “idiot.”



In response to his critics, Gorman writes the following in Library Journal:

http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA502009?display=
BackTalkNews&industry=BackTalk&industryid=3767&verticalid=151&


This, of course, is like putting out the fire with gasoline. As Neil Gaiman wrote on his blog:

(Surely, if you're upset that someone called you an idiot, the wisest course of action would be not to write an odd screed that will itself convince many people who haven't heard of you before reading it that this is in fact the case.)
(Source: http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2005/02/nook.asp)

Gorman comes of as an arrogant and academically patronizing with comments such as, “Given the quality of the writing in the blogs I have seen, I doubt that many of the Blog People are in the habit of sustained reading of complex texts.” Nice to hear when you consider yourself one of the Blog People.



Myself, I think I really take issue with statements such as these when they come from the person who—ostensibly—is the public voice for my profession. This is why, when asked what I do, I usually say I work in a library, instead of answering, “I’m a librarian.”

I'm going to post as many follow-ups as I can find, if only for myself. I know some of you are keeping up with this whole thread so please, let me know if I miss something.
JM