Okay, today makes it official: I am an eBay Bellydance Whore. I sometimes wish that I'd never discovered eBay shopping....but then if I had, I guess I wouldn't have found so many cool things for so little money, would I? Latest purchase: hand-dyed silk veils (so evocatively named Fire Flight and Sea Hummingbird). I was talking to a friend who just got herself one silk veil, for more than I paid for both of these...see how this can get addictive? Don't know how long the links above will last, so look at them before they're gone!

So, what do you think: is the internet over?

Here's an interesting article you should read from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Life around here has been chaos lately. Computer worm and virus infections, multiple power outages closing down the library, overbooked schedules, and the usual problems with being treated like shit by every office and organization I have to contact with routine requests. I don't know if this is a South Florida problem, or an American problem generally, but people down here tend to treat you like you're an unwanted interruption to their work day, instead of the reason that they are in business for the first place. If I could just make one phone call without being placed on hold midsentence, constantly interrupted, or otherwise treated with total disrespect, it would be a miracle. If people could do the simple, basic, no-brainer tasks that comprise their jobs without having to be hounded for days it would be even *more* miraculous. In Broward County, however, that seems too much to ask.

I've been gathering research for my presentation at USask...hopefully it will go well and I won't look like a total idiot! I decided to focus on two major trends--consortia/partnerships between universities and other types of libraries, and online reference delivery growing increasingly interactive. Fortunately, I just happen to have experience in both areas as part of my jobs here, so I won't be talking totally theoretically.

Sorry for the infrequent updates lately. I never should have said anything about not having much to do--now I'm running around frantically trying to gather research and informational materials for my interview presentation, plus put together a couple more classes and training sessions for other staff at work. Ack!

Interesting health care report on NPR early this afternoon. Apparently the United States, with it's private health care system, spends 31% of health care money on administrative paperwork. Compare this to Canada, with it's public system, which only sees 17% of health expenditures go to paperwork. The culprit? Your good old HMO. Now, repeate after me: government-run health care for the people is bloated, bureaucratic, inefficient, and communist. Government-run health care for the people is bloated, bureacratic, inefficient, and communist. Government-run health care....

Whatever.

Tired today. Sooooo tired. Someday I will learn that it's really not a good idea to stay up until 2am reading when I have to go to work the next day. But that day is not today.

My interview with the University of Saskatchewan is set for September 12. A full day of meeting library staff and administration, going for lunch, fielding questions, making a presentation on trends in library distance services, and so forth. I'm a little nervous on the presentation, so I guess I'd better start digging into Library Literature. Thank goodness we still have access through NSU...otherwise researching would be a little more difficult.

Put out a couple of other applications to Ontario this week, too. Cross those fingers for me, okay?

Did you know that there's a Harry Potter Automatic News Aggregator?

Sorry, it's been a little while. Mostly due to computer problems caused by the RPC hole. Isn't technology fun? Hope everyone's got the patch by now.

I got some big news this evening. I got home to find a message on my answering machine....and it was about one of my job applications! The University of Saskatchewan is requesting an interview! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, but I would love to get this position, which fits my qualifications perfectly and looks both challenging and exciting. Anyone reading this can send some good luck thoughwaves down south...

Remember the six degrees of separation theory? Well, apparently it works for the online world, too. Neat, huh?

I know there's not been much info here lately, but, frankly, my life hasn't been all that interesting. We are going through an air condidtioning crisis at work, which means fluctuating indoor temperatures and periodic building closures. I got back to my bellydance class this week; we are doing some cane dancing, which is neat, even if it does feel part-cheerleader/part-Fred Austaire at times. Other than that...pretty uneventful. So why bore you with details? :)

Still think filters are an easy, failsafe solution? Read this.

Guess what everyone! Survey says that Almost 75% of Americans believe that people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions. There now, doesn't that make you feel much better?

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.

Michael and I are back from Toronto. We had a pretty good conference all told, though the placement center was disappointingly small and I did not find a job. Or even a good job to apply for, for that matter. I did get my resume critiqued, though, as well as some ideas from the session about alternative careers for MLIS holders. I have seen more postings coming up on the CLA and FIS sites, so hopefully it will not be too long before something comes up.

Overall the conference was hectic but good. I got to see quite a few people from library school days, and some of the speakers were really good. There were some big names for the opening/closing/president's program sessions, including Gloria Steinem, Rex Murphy, Ralph Nader, and Naomi Klein. The last two in particular were especially interesting; I'm reading Naomi Klein's book, No Logo, right now. I hoped to see one of my favorite authors, Charles de Lint, too, but I missed him! He was only there for part of one day, and I visited Tor/Forge's booth the day after. Oh well...

On the whole, we seemed to hit the ground running on Friday night and hardly pause for breath until we got back on the plane to go home. Besides the big talks, I attended sessions on publishing, intellectual freedom, reference service, and library history. We had a day and a half after the conference ended for sightseeing, which we spent exploring downtown Toronto. We visited the St Laurence Market, and had a facinating tour of the CBC buildings--we saw the reference library as well as the radio and television studios, including the set of The National. Michael visited the Hockey Hall of Fame and picked up a couple of souvenirs. We were thinking of taking a day tour to Niagara Falls, too, but we had to leave that for next visit.

It was great to be able to get around on foot again--I haven't walked so much in a long time! It was also refreshing to be back in a city that takes recycling and public transport seriously. Hard for us both to face coming back to Ft Lauderdale, really.