Saturday, January 21, 2012

Are you a reductive or insidious pragmatic?

Most frequently looked-up words @ Merriam-Webster.


Newt Gingrich Grabs 60% of the Vote in South Carolina's Edgefield County

Home of the oldest person ever to serve in the U.S. Senate.


CNN election results.

Newt's Southern Strategy.  (The New York Times, 1/20/2012)

Newt Visits Edgefield County, But Never Stops.  (Edgefield Daily, 1/19/2012)
Excerpt:    Edgefield County Sheriff Adell Dobey radioed the deputies and ordered the reduction of the "code" of the escort. However, deputies and police did block traffic at intersections to allow Gingrich and his entourage to continue unimpeded on his way to Easley, South Carolina without having to stop at stop signs or red lights.

Does this fall under the heading of grandiose?


How To Be a Retronaut: Works Progress Administration Posters, 1935-1943

Link to post.


A Brief Overview of the WPA.  (Broward County Library)
Wisconsin Historical Images:  Works Progress Administration.  (Wisconsin Historical Society)
WPA Milwaukee Handicraft Project.  (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

5 Montana Libraries Form Courier Service


Montana libraries forming courier service.  (Great  Falls Tribune, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt:   Five Montana libraries plan to switch from the U.S. Postal Service to a courier service in an effort to save money and speed up inter-library loan services. 

Butte Public Library Director Lee Phillips said the Butte library, along with those in Great Falls, Missoula, Helena and Anaconda, will ship books and other items among themselves through an agreement with Critelli Courier Service in Butte. 

"It offers faster service, costs less money, supports a local business and partners government with private industry, which is a win-win for taxpayers and the patron," Phillips said. 

Kathy Mora, director of Great Falls Public Library, said she expects to see an eventual cost savings.

Ross Township Commissioners Discuss Library Funding Referendum


Ross mulls funds for Northland Library. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt: Ross commissioners Monday discussed a referendum on funding the township's annual share of the Northland Public Library's budget. 

Commissioner Chris Eyster, who is leading the referendum effort, said he met Friday with library officials to go over his referendum ordinance, but wants to have further discussions with them before submitting the ordinance for commissioners' vote. 

Mr. Eyster wants to ask residents to approve a 2.2-mill tax to fund the library. That would amount to $22 per year on a $100,000 house. That way, he said, the township would not have to fund the library out of its general fund budget, and would have more money for public safety and road paving. 

"I don't think you would get too many takers on that," commissioner David Mikec said. 

"I think people would go for it. They want us to support the library," Mr. Eyster said. "This would provide a long-term solution to library funding. It eliminates the need for the board to argue about library funding every year.

" If the referendum failed, "we face that yearly dilemma about priorities," he added. Ross will pay $404,346 to support Northland this year, a decrease of $21,975 because of declining population and assessment in the township.

Related post:
This is how they like to do things in Ross Township Pennsylvania.  (12/16/2011)

Where Do Wisconsin's Senators Stand on PIPA?

An irreverent mash-up found at boing boing.




Reince Preibus Explains It All for Us


Election 2012: Gingrich, Romney fight on; Colbert, Cain grab crowds. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 1/20/2012)

Excerpt: Wisconsin's Reince Priebus, the GOP national chairman, said in an interview here Friday that a more drawn-out, volatile fight for the nomination would not hurt Republicans. 

 "I think it's great for the party," said Priebus. "I'd much rather have an interesting battle for the nomination, a little bit of drama, and lot of interest from the me dia and the public than the snoozer we had four years ago where no one's talking about the Republicans. It was all about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama [when there was no lack of enthusiasm for both candidates], and all of the energy and all of the juice was on the other side. 

"This time, he said, "We are the story."  [Emphasis added.]







Friday, January 20, 2012

Excluding "At Last", My Top 10 Favorite Etta James Billboard Hot 100 Singles

In descending order.
 

Congratulations to Ken Hall on his 34+ Years of Service to Libraries


FdL library director Ken Hall will retire in July. (Fond du Lac Reporter, 1/20/2012)

Excerpt:    He was brought to Fond du Lac in 2002 to oversee the library's expansion and renovation project. 

"I have been exceedingly fortunate to finish my career in this community," Hall said Thursday in a news release. "The library has received tremendous support from all quarters — government, businesses and the public. Thanks to the best library staff in the United States, we've been able to achieve a great deal in 10 years. I'm very proud to say I played a part in the further development of a very special institution." 

Library Board President Lori Pain said Hall has been a true innovator in creating ways to bring people into the library.

His pictorial resume:



Director
Two Rivers

Assistant Director, Winnefox Library System


Ken was also recognized as a Friend of Education by State Superintendent Tony Evers in 2010.


Knowing on Which Side Your Bread is Buttered



Committee makes it easier to build on wetlands. (Appleton Post-Crescent, (Appleton Post-Crescent, 1/19/2012)

The Natural Resources and Environment Committee of the Wisconsin Senate, chaired by Neil Kedzie (R-Elkhorn), voted along party lines, 4-3.

Neil's reading list.
Bass Pro Shop says no to wetlands, but GOP still backs bill.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/28/2011)
Caution:  Building in a Wetland Can Be Hazardous to Your House.  (National Wildlife, 6/1/1998)
Planner's Guide to Wetland Buffers for Local Government.  (Environmental Law Institute, 2008.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Did anyone look here?


Iowa GOP Puts Santorum Ahead By 34 Votes, But Result 'Unresolved'. (NPR, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt:   While its recanvassing of the nearly 1,774 precincts where ballots were cast on Jan. 3 has put former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum 34 votes ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — a reversal of what we thought were their finishes — the party says it can't definitively say who won because it can't find the results from eight of the precincts. [Emphasis added.]

Whoya gonna call?

Transparency: It's All the Rage


Extra Credit:  Walker to Announce Education Reforms.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt: "Our reforms will focus on setting high standards, ensuring transparency and measuring what matters to ensure that all students are ready for college or a career," Walker said in his weekly radio address earlier Thursday.


Porn Industry Faces Condom Requirement In Los Angeles. (NPR, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt:  She [Tristan Taormino, a director and producer of porn films for Vivid Entertainment; both links are to Wikipedia, i.e., safe for work] would like to see testing performed every 15 days instead of 30. And condom-optional policies on the set should be "truly optional and transparent," she says. She says actors are concerned that condoms can interfere with their work.


How do we know it worked? "Many Congressional offices reported being swamped with calls"

Hardly alone in this reverberating protest.




Jeff Gelles: Worries about online-piracy bill are not so far-fetched. (Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/19/2012)

Excerpt: No such blacklist operates in the United States - yet.  But opponents of antipiracy legislation nearing a vote in Congress say the prospect isn't as far-fetched as it might sound - not because of the aims of those backing the bills, but because of their ham-handedness. 

"Once you open up the door, who knows where it leads?" says Julie Samuels, a lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco nonprofit that helped organize a nationwide protest Wednesday against the House's Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) [summary found here; let's hope her support is crumbling] and the Senate's sister bill, the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) [summary found here; Herb Kohl listed as co-sponsor.]

No members of the Wisconsin House delegation are listed as co-sponsors.  9 of 31 28 co-sponsors are from California.

To dramatize worries about the legislation, which is backed by the film and music industries, thousands of U.S. websites went dark for the day or steered visitors to information about the bills. As intended, many congressional offices reported being swamped with calls.

Sign Up This Guy for Anger Management Classes


Embattled Elgin library trustee faces felony charges. (Daily Herald, 12/23/2011)

Excerpt: Hopp was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor domestic battery after an altercation on March 16 in Elgin. 

Elgin police were called to the 1500 block of Pamela Drive and Hopp’s father told police that his son entered his parents’ kitchen and began yelling and swearing at his mother, police said. 

When his 82-year-old father tried to pull him back, Hopp punched him in the back five or six times, police said. Later, when his 80-year-old mother tried to use the phone, Hopp punched her in the upper arm, police said his father told them.

Related articles: Library board member from hell is here to stay. ( 6/19/2011)
Add Elgin Community College to the list of places where Randy Hopp is banned.  (5/2/2011)
Gail Borden's 'board member from hell' is back in the news again.  (3/26/2011)
Crossing t's and dotting i's aren't enough for this library board member. (1/15/2011)
The strange saga of Randy Hopp, library trustee.  (5/23/2010)

Viroqua Center Board Established


Viroqua Center forms board. (Vernon County Broadcaster, 1/18/2012)

Excerpt: The Viroqua Center is an ongoing collaboration between the McIntosh Memorial Library, Western Technical College and other possible community partners. Through the partnership a new library would be created along with space for a business and training facility that would have space for arts and theatre. The Viroqua Center would be located in downtown Viroqua adjacent to Western Technical College. It's estimated to cost $5 million-$8 million. 

Once the Viroqua Center Board was voted in, the group went about taking care of a number of procedural tasks. It made changes to its bylaws saying that the board could have up to 17 members and that a quorum was dictated by the number of directors in office. But the board stopped short of electing officers. The consensus was that officers should be elected after the board's nominating committee gets more board members seated. 

"We want to add board members and change perceptions that this is a closed group," Daniels said. Carol Gohlke said that choosing officers after having more members on the board had been the task force's plan, and the board voted unanimously to table election of officers. The board talked about its existing grants, potential grants and seeking $500,000 in director's and officer's insurance. 

The insurance, which would cost $1,000, would protect directors regarding their activities with the board. Jeff Gohlke said there are people who wouldn't consider serving on such a board without the "D and O" insurance.

Related posts:

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Dear Jo / Love, Scott





'Cause after all he's just a man


OK, so why did this household receive such a letter?  Perhaps the Friends of Walker sent it to all local and county elected officials?

Online @ the Toronto Public Library

Techdirt asks, "Best Congressional response to SOPA yet?"

Link to post.

Unfortunate Turn of Events @ North Hampton Public Library




Online Annual Report: Demopolis (AL) Public Library





The Primary Issue for Schools and Libraries is Broadband Affordability, Not Broadband Access

All schools and libraries have access to broadband.

Here's the latest news release from the Wisconsin State Telecommunications Association.



Here are the facts that the WSTA omitted.  From School and Library Broadband and Internet Access in Wisconsin: A Background Paper.


97% of Wisconsin's public libraries are at 3Mbps or less. The percentages are based on Aug. 2011 BadgerNet data from the Wisconsin Department of Administration.  As a result of recent increases approved by TEACH, a significant number of libraries with 1.5 Mpbs will be brought up to 3 Mbps.

The Federal Communications Commission has set a broadband benchmark of 4Mbps.   [See #5 on page 4.]  Even with the increases, 97% of Wisconsin's public libraries fall below this benchmark.   In addition, goal 4 in the National Broadband Plan states that community anchor institutions [see page 5 and this] should have affordable access to at least 1Gbps of broadband by 2020.


Perhaps most importantly, TEACH does not have the funding to support the bandwidths shown on page 2 of the WSTA news release. TEACH routinely tells libraries to be very conservative with their bandwidth requests.  Many requests are denied.  (TEACH contract extension, 11/5/2011.  See pages 3-5.)

For general background, see "Schools and Libraries Still Living in Dial-Up Age".  (MindShift, 10/27/2011)


For Further Information
Deep Dive part 1.
Deep Dive part 2.
Deep Dive part 3.

Related WiscNet/BCCB posts:
Community Broadband Networks puts the spotlight on CINC.  (9/26/2011)
BCCB lawsuit update from UW-Extension.  (9/17/2011)
More of the same from telcos in broadband dispute.  (8/21/2011)
Access Wisconsin Lawsuit:  Today's discovery @ Wisconsin Circuit Court Access.  (8/10/2011)
Lester Public Library Director sheds some light on WiscNet.  (8/10/2011)
About the Access Wisconsin lawsuit.  (8/5/2011)
Case summary with names of defendants' attorneys.  (8/4/2011)
An example of how advocacy works.  (7/31/2011)
From Peter C. Anderson's Court Official Calendar for Dane County.  (7/24/2011)
Lawsuit update and summary.  (7/22/2011)
Judge Anderson denies UW broadband restraining order.  (7/21/2011)
Plaintiffs v. Defendants.  (7/20/2011)
Telcos whine while Wisconsin falls behind.  (7/20/2011)
Access Wisconsin news release.  (7/19/2011)
LRB clarifies WiscNet veto. (6/30/2011)
WiscNet:  Moving Forward.  (6/30/2011)
Walker's WiscNet veto:  What does it mean?  (6/27/2011)
Rest assured they'll be more fights in this battle.  (6/24/2011)
Wisconsin Senate passes budget.  (6/17/2011)
Amendment update.    (6/16/2011)
Assembly passes budget at 3:05 a.m.  (6/16/2011)
Wispolitics budget blog.  (6/15/2011)
Wisconsin ranks 43rd for broadband Internet coverage.  (6/15/2011)
Ron Kind news release.  (6/15/2011)
Assembly 8.  (6/15/2011)
Highest level alert.  (6/15/2011)
This is what democracy looks like.  (6/15/2011)
WSTA's day of disappointment.  (6/14/2011)
They can hear us now.  (6/14/2011)
Appleton Post-Crescent editorial.  (6/14/2011)
YouTube video.  (6/14/2011)
Hedberg Public Library promotes WiscNet.  (6/14/2011)
League of Wisconsin Municipalities press release.  (6/14/2011)
UW General Counsel opinion.  (6/13/2011)
Ars Technica WiscNet coverage.  (6/13/2011)
Wausau Daily Herald editorial.  (6/13/2011)
If your representative is Robin Vos...   (6/13/2011)
Baraboo School Board unhappy with JFC WiscNet action.  (6/13/2011)
WiscNet debate from the NE WI prospective.  (6/12/2011)
David Weinhold letter to editor.  (6122010
Rep. Moelpske's statement. (6/11/2011)
COLAND letter to Sen. Fitzgerald.  (6/10/2011)
Rhonda Puntney's op-ed piece.  (6/10/2011)
Nass letter to Fitzgerald and Vos.  (6/9/2011)
CINC response.  (6/9/2011)
UW response.  (6/9/2011)
Manna from heaven.  (6/8/2011)

Doug Moe on Madison Author Mary Holmes


Doug Moe: Madison murder mystery author back with a vengeance. (Wisconsin State Journal, 1/18/2012)

Excerpt:   That's because Holmes, a Madison resident since 1979, is better known as Maddy Hunter, author of the "Passport to Peril" mystery series, half a dozen novels set in far-flung locales. 

The books are what is known in the trade as "cozy" mysteries, which means a general lack of gratuitous violence, graphic sex and foul language. 

Which is not to say people don't get killed. 

After an absence of several years, Holmes/Hunter and her tour guide heroine, Emily Andrew, are back with a new mystery, "Dutch Me Deadly," set in Holland and to be published next month. The launch party is Feb. 18 at 1 p.m. at Booked for Murder.

Christopher J. Dodd (Shill-MPAA)


Senator Dodd Will Not Seek Re-election, Democrats Say. (The New York Times, 1/6/2010)

Chris Dodd Breaking Promise Not To Become A Lobbyist Just Weeks After Leaving Senate; Joining MPAA As Top Lobbyist.  (Techdirt, 2/11/2011)

Excerpt: [from the ah,-the-lies-of-politicians-and-hollywood dept.]   One of the worst kept secrets in DC and Hollywood over the last month or so is the news that former Connecticut Senator and failed Presidential candidate Chris Dodd is set to become the MPAA's new boss (salary: $1.2 million per year). This came after a failed attempt to get former Senator (and failed presidential candidate) Bob Kerrey to take the role last year.


Christopher J. Dodd -- Earning his big salary.


Maybe Dodd should ask for a raise.

The Paper Wall Exhibit @ the Menasha Public Library


Menasha library's Vietnam exhibit honors Wisconsin soldiers. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 1/17/2012)

Excerpt:   The Paper Wall is a collaborative exhibit that recognizes the names and stories of Wisconsin soldiers killed in Vietnam. It was unveiled in May 2010 at LZ Lambeau, the overdue tribute to underappreciated Vietnam veterans, and now may become a traveling exhibit. 

Unlike The Wall — the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. — the Paper Wall does more than just list names of those who died or went missing in action. 

Through a collection of obituaries, newspaper stories and other personal information, Carpenter said the Paper Wall provides more depth and personal information about the fallen soldiers — "that they had a life prior to going into the service, they had families, some of them were married, some of them were fathers, some of them were engaged." 

The exhibit is coming to Menasha largely due to the efforts of Menasha reference librarian Kathy Hannah, who helped research personal information about fallen soldiers from Calumet, Outagamie and Winnebago counties at the request of genealogist Mary Jane Herber of the Brown County Library, who originated the idea.

Town of Grand Chute wants a 21st Century Logo

Grand Chute officials look to modernize image. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 1/18/2012)

Excerpt: Town officials have grown tired of the 19th century-style image presented by its official logo and pledged Tuesday to begin soliciting new, modern alternatives.  

During a special meeting to set goals and objectives for 2012, supervisors discussed tossing out the old-fashioned script on its letterhead, website and water tower that depicts the area as a sleepy farm town. 

"Grand Chute is a vibrant, growing community of more than 20,000 people and I don't think our current letterhead or slogans reflect that," said Supv. Jeff Nooyen. 

The town board agreed a change is needed, but took no official action.

Grand Chute, Home to Fox River Mall.

And not surprisingly, perhaps, I want some King Crimson.
The album, King Crimson's first, debuted on Billboard Top 200 albums for the week ending December 13, 1969, when I was a sophomore at UB, i.e., the State University of New York at Buffalo.   It spent 25 weeks on the chart, its peak position #28.

Governor's Tools Put Longevity Pay at Risk for Marshfield City Employees


Marshfield city employees' longetivity pay could end. (Marshfield News Herald, 1/18/2012)

Excerpt: Longevity pay, a longtime benefit negotiated for Marshfield city employees through union representation, might disappear as the city works to standardize employee policies to reflect new state laws. 

The policies are subject to approval by the Marshfield City Council, but there isn't unanimous agreement about the changes. 

For years, the city paid employees a percentage increase based on years of employment, said Lara Baehr, city human resources manager. After five years of employment, employees earn an additional $11 per month. After 10 years, it jumps to $22 per month, then $33 per month after 15 years, $44 per month after 20 years and $55 per month after 25 years.

Longevity pay was a bonus for remaining with the city and was part of the employee's contract, said Gordon Earll, District 4 City Council member, during a recent council meeting discussion of employee policy changes.

Wikipedia: Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

When Betty Crocker Goes Social, You Know It's Mainstream



Behind Betty Crocker's Winning Holiday Social Campaign. (ClickZ, 1/17/2012)

Excerpt: Several things about Betty Crocker's holiday marketing efforts impressed ClickZ, and Betty911 was a standout. The program, now in its second year, allowed people to post their emergency cooking and baking inquiries to Facebook, or tweet them using the #Betty911 hashtag

Betty Crocker's team of 13 test kitchen cooks, dieticians, and food experts - on location at the company's Minneapolis headquarters - were on call for 13 hours each day on Thanksgiving and then again from December 16 through Christmas day. The kitchen staff chosen to engage with consumers through social media channels are routinely involved in answering questions on Facebook and Twitter.

Related links:
Betty Crocker Cookbook Edition History.  (General Mills)
Betty Crocker:  Marketing the Modern Woman, an excerpt.  (Hennepin History Magazine)
Crazy About Betty.  (Antiques Roadshow Insider)
The History of Betty Crocker.  (General Mills)
The Secret Life of Betty Crocker.  (Minnesota Public Radio)
Who Was Betty Crocker?  (Center for History and New Media)

The Job Hunt: Employers are looking at more than your resume (Part 2)


Those Facebook posts could cost you a job. (San Jose Mercury News, 1/16/2012)

Excerpt: You might want to think twice about bad-mouthing your former boss on Facebook or posting those racy pictures of yourself from last night's rollicking bachelor party. It could cost you a new job. 

 In a twist on the exploding use of online social media, employers in the Bay Area and nationwide are poring over the websites to weed out job applicants whose posts reveal that they use foul language, take drugs, associate with gangs or have other questionable characteristics. Some employers are even demanding that job candidates disclose their social network user names and passwords.

"Foul!" cries the World Privacy Forum.

Related post:   
The job hunt: Employers are looking at more than your resume. (7/21/2011)

Floating an Idea: The Harvard Library Innovation Laboratory's Library License


As the disclaimer on the website notes: This is a young idea. A draft to be edited, revised, evolved.
LINK (and here)

Enjoyed browsing the Harvard Library Innovation Lab website.  Found this link particularly fascinating:  How We'll Work in 2025.  (Though it's not library-specific.)