Times are tough all over, it seems. It wasn't that long ago that New York Public Librarians were celebrating a pay raise that got them closer to being able to live on their salaries. Now they are facing massive budget cuts. "Especially hard hit have been literacy programs, instruction for those who do not speak English and services for the disabled." Ugh.

You should read this article on Libraries, Books, and Academic Freedom.

Well, I did try to post here before I left on vacation last week, really I did. But Blogger was down, and I was headed for a blissfully technology-free week, so what can you do? Sorry to all my legions of fans for leaving you darcysworld deprived for so long :)

Michael and I just got back from a trip to Spokane, Washington. Overall, it was a relaxing trip. We visited Lake Couer d'Alene a couple of times, went kayaking once, drove out to the Bowl and Pitcher in Riverside State Park, and managed to just take things a little slower. Of course, spending time away from Florida is a little difficult for both of us, as each time we leave it gets harder to come back. I'm really hoping something will come through job-wise up north soon, before we both go insane.

Speaking of which ... my ego took a bit of a blow today when I saw that one of the jobs I'd applied for in Ontario has be re-opened. I'm not quite sure what the etiquette is on re-applying for a job you've been rejected for once, but I figure they can only say no again, so I'm going to craft another cover letter and try again. I'm also going to break my Canada-only rule and send in an application to Oregon State, where there are multiple positions open.

Here's a rather thought-provoking Harry Potter story from the Boston Phoenix, picked up from the L.A.C.K. newsblog.

Before I went on my trip last week, I had the pleasure of attending a masterclass held by Anahid Sofian. We spent the morning on Turkish-style movesto the Chefitelli rhythm, and the afternoon dancing with veils. The day went by really quickly, and it was a lot of fun, even if a few of my muscles did protest a bit afterwards! Anahid herself was a little unexpected--this tiny little lady that looks like someone's grandmother yet could shimmy, undulate, and spin the rest of us into the ground! She's definitely an expert. The Turkish style she was teaching us is quite different from the things I usually do in class--much more uptempo and "bouncy," for lack of a better word.

That's all you get for now. I'm still jet-lagged and needing to unpack and buy groceries!

So.....Google's not perfect. Who knew?

If you'd like an ironic web experience, click on over to From Thinkers to Clickers: The World Wide Web and the Transformation of the Essence of Being Human. Don't tell them I sent you.

Well, I was already having a really depressing day before I read this article on MSNBC. Hunting for Bambi is likely a hoax promoting a pornographic video, but the fact that anyone would be interesting in purchasing it, or in booking one of these "hunts" like many people have reportedly tried to do, is in my mind a really pathetic statement about the state of our supposedly "enlightened" society.

Haven't posted much about my life lately but that's mainly because so much of it seems so blah. I really don't know what's up with me lately. I'm feeling tired and full of ennui all the time, with no energy to to much of anything, even activities I enjoy. I have little to work on at the library, but I feel constantly burnt out, and my days off don't seem provide any relief. I'm also making really embarrassing slipups like forgetting about doctor's appointments and other meetings. Today, for example, I was registered to go to a SEFLIN technology conference, and I totally forgot about it until I was heading out the door for my usual evening shift at the library. I don't think my supervisors are going to make too big a deal about it, but it's not too good for the professional reputation, and it's not the first time lately I've forgotten changes to my schedule--just the most obvious one. It's almost getting to the point where if someone doesn't call and remind me of what I have to do, I forget. Don't know what's going on in my brain, but I wish this fog would lift already...

Noted on lisnews: Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickeled and Dimed: on (not) getting by in America is being attacked by North Caroline Senators as "intellectual pornography." Whatever.

I think everyone using IE should try the Beta version of the Google Toolbar, which actually blocks popup advertising windows.

Hey, guess what? Librarian Avengers is back! Surf over and check out the reasons why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian.

Does the world really need a librarian action figure?

Well, well, well. Seems that A.S. Byatt has actually had the temerity to question the reasons grownups read Harry Potter, as well as the series' literary merits. Really now. How dare she question the growing infantile/regressive aspect to modern adult culture? Personally, though I have read and enjoyed the Harry Potter series myself, I found Byatt's well-written article to be a good criticism, accurate on many points, and quite relevant to a society where grown men and women vacation at Disney, furnish their entire home with Hello Kitty merchandise, and play with Lego. Not everyone agrees, of course, including Charles Taylor at salon.com (my apologies if you have to sit through the adverts to get to the full article).

This seems to be the day for coming across references to weird body modifications. First, msn has an article about people who are voluntary amputees, then I find the book Pagan Fleshworks, then a link to the not-for-the-squeamish Body Modification ezine, complete with articles and photos for everything to tattoos to tongue splitting to urethra displacement. Is it just me or are subcultures getting weirder all the time?

Yet more articles on CIPA and internet filters. Pierre Tristam of the news-journal online feels they insult his intelligence. Mary Gooding found that her anti-filter articles were themselves blocked by the software. Aren't we glad we have the goverment to protect us from these things?

Meanwhile, msn's career section has an article on what to wear for an interview that I find mostly ludicrous. I'm going to lose out on a job because I dared wear an outfit I bought last year, or, heaven forfend, and ankle bracelet?? Brown is a "suspect colour" for business purposes??? Whatever....

I'm glad to report that, after a totally demoralizing dance class last week, this week's class was much better. We were still having to improvise, with veils and zills simultaneously, all the while giving our instructor "structured" dancing, but the music was easier to dance to and I didn't look like quite such an idiot. I have to admit that after last week's class I was so embarrassed that I was actually reluctant to go back yesterday. However, now I'm glad I did. Our instructor is still bugging all of us to sign up to dance solos at their monthly dance performance parties; I'm not there yet but maybe in a month or two...

A lttle something passed on to me by a Canadian colleague, about the new land of the "free".

And while we're at it, how's this for a revealing quote?

The government uses research funding as a carrot to induce people to refrain from speech they would otherwise engage in. If it were a command, it would be unconstitutional."

Read the full context, full of other little "gems" like that, "here.

Woo hoo! Strike one for free scientific information!

I stumbled across an article in The New York Times this week about Blogs in the Workplace. Seems it's not just for slackers anymore...

In a weird bit of Weekend Reading Synchronicity, I finished the book No Logo and started Jennifer Government on the same day. Warning: trying this at home may lead to extreme cynicism.

The Friday Five was tailored for librarians last week, I see:

1. My favorite childhood stories were fairy tales, no question. Though in the ones like Robin Hood, I always wanted to be the male characters instead of the female ones.
2. My Treasuries of children's stories and children's poems, as well as just about anything by Alan Garner and Susan Cooper. For older kids, my favorite YA novel, The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy.
3. I'm not usually surprised by the early childhood stories, but I am often surprised by what I missed in books I read and loved as an older child or early teen. For example, a religious relative gave me a book for christmas called Crispin's Castle. It was, of course, about a young boy finding God, but when I read it as a child (and I read it multiple times), that aspect did not seem prominent to the story. When I went back to it as an adult, I saw that Crispin's conversion was in fact central to the story. Don't ask me how I missed that...just goes to show how much the act of reading is informed by the needs of the reader, I suppose.
4. I started to read before I started school, thanks to extremely literate parents and a healthy dose of natural aptitude. The first thing I clearly remember reading on my own was an Exit sign in a store. I was, I think, around 3.
5. The first "grown up" books I remember reading was the first 13 books of the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. They passed for really sophisticated literature at that stage...I was in grade 4 or 5 I think, so say somewhere between 10 and 12.

Finally, click over here for news on the technology that could resurrect the medieval Chartres library.

Okay, this is too funny, and you all have to try it: point your browser to Google. In the search box, type weapons of mass destruction (no quotation marks). Then instead of hitting "Google Search," choose the "I'm feeling lucky" button. Read the page carefully....Go ahead, try it!

So, which crime would you think carries the longer sentence? Beating your wife, or spitting on a police officer?

Think again.

And then you can read some veeeery interesting revelations about the late Senator Strom Thurman.

"When did intellectual curiousity become a scourge to Congress?"

Good question.

Here's a couple more stories illustrating just how well filters work.

Happy Canada Day to all you Canadians out there! Check out the status of celebrations on the Hill with their Web Cam.