Saturday, July 6, 2013

Rats in my Room, Fish in my Dish, Fly in my Eye, Goat in my Boat, Bear in my Hair, Snakes in my Cakes

This song is dedicated to anyone who listened to WKBW (AM 1520 in Buffalo New York) during the summer of 1963.
 .

Local Radio Is Dead And I Am Sad. (Geoff Fox: My Permanent Record, 4/29/2009)

Excerpt:    My favorite station was WKBW in Buffalo. I couldn’t hear it until the Sun set. I was a member of Joey Reynold’s “Royal Order of the Night People” and listened to Danny Nevereth, Bud Ballou and Sandy Beach. Rod Roddy, who later became the announcer on “The Price is Right” did overnights on KB–and I listened.

Buffalo Wouldn’t be Buffalo Without Dan Neaverth.  (Living Prime Time, January 2004)

Excerpt: You’d think a man who is a Buffalo legend might have a big ego. Not at all. Dan Neaverth is the same person he was in South Buffalo all those years ago. I guess that’s what makes him so likeable. That down-to-earth quality comes through on the air and is probably the secret of his popularity.

Guess we gotta go with the second spelling.


Joey Reynolds.  (WKBW Radio)

Excerpt:  Joey Reynolds (Joey Pinto) was a Seneca Street, south Buffalo boy who became a rock radio superstar at WKBW in the early 1960s.  He is acknowledge [sic]  as radio's first "shock jock" years before the term was coined.  Never [one] to shy away from making comments that made other [sic] cringe, Reynolds created many headaches for program directors.  (Forget for the moment the need for a proofreader, this is the Joey Reynolds I remember.)

The Joey Reynolds Show is a Great Bedtime Companion. This Talk Show is AM Radio at Its Best.  (Yahoo News, 10/28/2008)

Excerpt:   The Joey Reynolds Show maintains a truly unique format and presence in the world of talk radio, particularly overnight talk shows. Tuning- in to The Joey Reynolds Show is like visiting with some dear old friends, albeit some creative, funny, outspoken and sometimes, unconventional and controversial friends. Joey Reynolds regularly holds- court with an entertaining roster of friends and/ or guests from all walks of life. Leader of what he refers to as The Royal Order of the Night People, Joey Reynolds has a knack for leading conversations that are simultaneously interesting, informative and fun.

DVD and CD Dispenser at the Lester Public Library in Two Rivers

Changes impact flow at Two Rivers library. (Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter. 7/3/2013)

Excerpt: You might have noticed an array of black boxes lurking behind the desk. These boxes, or pods as they are technically called, house our entire DVD and young adult music collections. Both DVD and YA containers sit on the shelf empty because these highly popular collections are prone to theft. When you pick the case off the shelf and bring them up front to check-out, we scan the empty case and the proper DVD or CD pops out of the corresponding pod.

LAT-Stena fact sheet

A couple of "playful" videos from LAT (Library Automation Technologies Inc.)



How can you say "no" to this offer?

From Shopper's Edge coupon magazine


Reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1974.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Coffee, Tea, or Functional Drink?

Photo by Retiring Guy, Hy-Vee, Madison, Wisconsin, 7/2/2013







A much better version is found on this criminally neglected 1974 release.

Rep. Nygren Gets His Undies in a Bundle over DPI Total General Aid Estimate Spreadsheet


The Biggest Losers



Were his undies in a bundle last year?


And let's not forget this item from the 2011-13 state budget.


Thursday, July 4, 2013

Less Than 1% of Constituents Respond to Rep. Thomas Larson's Unscientific Online Survey


2010 Census Population Results by Assembly District

Rep. Thomas Larson

Oh yeah, folks, he's one of a kind


With apologies to Brewery Ommegang

Bizarre, but Telling, 4th of July Facebook Message from Governor Walker


The last I checked, Scott Walker is very dependent upon government.  (And, perhaps, in need of a refresher course on the Revolutionary period of American history.)

In 1993, he won a special election for a seat in the Wisconsin State Assembly.    He was re-elected 4 times.

In 2002, he won a special election to serve as Milwaukee County Executive.  He was re-elected in 2004, with 57% of the vote, and again in 2008, with 59% of the vote.

In 2010, he was elected Governor of Wisconsin, winning 52.2% of the vote.

In 2012, he survived a recall election with 53.1% of the vote.

In other words, "gov't" -- i.e., you and I here in Wisconsin; some of us once, all of us now -- has been paying for his dependency during the past 20 years.

Governor Walker's current salary.

The Governor is covered under section H of this document.

If the Governor is so concerned about his dependency on government, let's work together to make sure that he can focus exclusively on his full-time job after November 4, 2014:  Running for President of the United States.

Also seen at


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The Urbana Free Library and a "Dissonant Rate of Discard Versus Retention"

Wonder if Jane covers this in her collection development class?

Library board president: Much 'weeding' defensible, some resumed. (News-Gazette, 6/26/2013)


The red flags?  Art and home repair.

Related posts:
Urbana Free Library holds special board meeting on June 19th.  (6/24/2013)
University of Illinois GSLIS faculty member advocates for televised library board meetings. / (6/24/2013)
Wondering about the "weeding" "misstep" at the Urbana Free Library.  (6/18/2013)

Say It With Me. Repeatedly.



“We’re headed in the right direction, and we’re moving Wisconsin forward.”   (Office of the Governor news release, 7/2/2013)

"While there is much work left to be done, we are headed in the right direction and we're moving Wisconsin forward."  Gov. Walker Statement on Income Tax Cut. (WBAY, 6/6/2013)

“We’re headed in the right direction.  We’re turning things around. We’re moving Wisconsin forward.  ”Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survives recall election. (Springfield Republican, 6/5/2012)

Walker: State headed in right direction.  (Janesville Gazette, 1/25/2012)

Walker: State Is Headed In Right Direction.  (Channel 3000, 12/23/2011)



Madison Public Central Library: Henry and Fairchild Approaches (June 2012 to July 2013)

FAIRCHILD STREET APPROACH

June 5, 2012


August 17, 2012

November 1, 2012

January 7, 2013


February 28, 2013

April 1, 2013


June 5, 2013

July 2, 2013


HENRY STREET APPROACH

June 5, 2012
August 17, 2012
November 1, 2012
January 7, 2013
February 28, 2013

April 1, 2013
June 5, 2013

July 2, 2013

All photos taken by Retiring Guy.

New Central Library project history.

Related posts: 
Madison's New Central Library: Clearly Identified.  (6/21/2013)
Sideways library.  (6/5/2013)
Madison Public Central Library: Henry and Fairchild Approaches.  (4/2/2013)
Progress report:  4th revised edition, abridged.  (2/28/2013)
Progress report:  3rd revised edition, abridged.  (1/15/2013)
Progress report:  3rd revised edition. (1/15/2013
Progress report, 2nd revised edition.  (11/3/2012)
Progress report.  (8/18/2012)
Work in progress. (6/5/2012)
Construction kickoff ceremony.  (3/28/2012)
Findorff awarded Madison Public Library construction contract.  (3/1/2012)
City of Madison to Rebid Central Library Project. (12/22/2011)
Madison Community Foundation awards $500,000 grant for new Madison Central Library.   (12/16/2011)
Retiring Guy takes a last look at the 1960s-era Madison Central Library.  (11/13/2011)
Madison Central Library prepares for move to temporary facility. (11/9/2011)
Madison Public Library misses cut on $4.5 million tax credit.  (9/14/2011)
Board to consider Plan B financing.  (9/1/2011)
Central library to relocate in November.  (7/27/2011)
Central library reconstruction project to proceed.  (4/29/2011)
Negotiations continue.  (4/27/2011)
Central library not a major issue with candidate or mayor Soglin. (4/19/2011)
Soglin wants to make sure ducks are in a row for Central Library Project.  (4/16/2011)
Latest design review.  (4/8/2011)
Midway Design presentation for Madison Central Library.  (2/25/2011)
Final design for renovated central library unveiled.  (12/8/2010)
Interview with principal architect of Central Library project.  (11/5/2010)
And the beat goes on.  (4/14/2010)

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Get Smart in Business with Andrew Ross Sorkin's Master Reading List

The Essential Wall St. Summer Reading List. (The New York Times, 7/1/2013)





Barbarian at the Gate. "...chronicled what was at the time the largest takeover in history, the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts."

Liar's Poker. "a romp through [the author's] time as a young trader at Salomon Brothers."




There's a few more titles, but it's bedtime.

LINKcat status

So what happens if you live in Urbana, Illinois, and want to read "Den of Thieves".   Well, if it had been on the shelves, it's not there now.  Try ILL.

The Pay Phone Bookshelf (Please Don't Call It a Library)







Superman, Grab a Book. (The New York Times, 9/8/2012)

Excerpts:     Last winter, Mr. Locke designed a lightweight set of bookshelves to fit inside the common Titan brand of New York City pay phone kiosks. A fabricator in Brooklyn cuts the shelves, which Mr. Locke paints and assembles in his apartment.

AND

The project is currently being featured in Spontaneous Interventions, the United States’ contribution to the International Venice Architecture Biennale, an architecture show.

In the News: Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty


Law firm files complaint against Wis. school panel.  (Manitowoc Herald-Times-Reporter, 7/1/2013)

Excerpt:  The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty mailed a complaint Friday to the state Justice Department and the Outagamie County district attorney. It alleges the committee met in closed meetings in 2011 and 2012 in violation of Wisconsin’s open meetings law, raising questions about how it arrived at its selections.



Just as I thought.

The lawsuit is being filed on behalf of John Krueger. It sez so in a 7/1/2013 Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty news release.

And here's a call for the cavalry to ride to the sound of the guns.  ("Loaded" excerpt:  Grand Chute resident John Krueger says fighting AASD’s use of profane books in its curriculum is not a censorship issue, but rather one of proper selection.)

Related post:
Appleton Area School District Sez "No" to Valley School Watch Request.  (4/24/2012)

Of related interest.
New Report Exposes Bradley Foundation Funding Behind “Massive” Campaign to Promote School Privatization.  .(The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch, 4/19/2013)
Lawyer Rick Esenberg revels in public policy fights.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/12/2013)

Shocking Pew Research Discovery: "Younger Americans" Still Read Print Books!!

"Younger Americans" are those 16 to 29 years of age for the purposes of Pew's research.

Younger Americans’ Library Habits and Expectations.  (June 25, 2013)




Probably won't hurt to insert "Hype Cycle of Emerging Technologies" here.



The importance of library space needs planning:

Additionally, younger patrons are significantly more likely than older library visitors to use the library as a space to sit and ready, study, or consume media—some 60% of younger library patrons have done that in the past 12 months, compared with 45% of those ages 30 and older. And most younger Americans say that libraries should have completely separate locations or spaces for different services, such as children’s services, computer labs, reading spaces, and meeting rooms: 57% agree that libraries should “definitely” do this.

Along those lines, patrons and librarians in our focus groups often identified teen hangout spaces as especially important to keep separate from the main reading or lounge areas, not only to reduce noise and interruptions for other patrons, but also to give younger patrons a sense of independence and ownership.

Speaking of teen spaces, I was particularly impressed with what I saw a few years ago at the Waupaca Area Public Library.  (Photos taken by Retiring Guy in May 2010.)