The Rogue Scholar

Librarians and Teamsters Unite to Defend Chicago Library

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:59:49 -0500

I was going to write a bit of an introduction to this article but on second thought, I think the first few paragraphs of this bit from the Daily Herald speak pretty well for themselves: Telling her mother that she wanted to come to the aid of a library under attack, 11-year-old Sydney Sabbagha stood at the podium before the Oak Brook village board. "I used to go to the library knowing there were people there to help me find...

Veterans Day 2009

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:22:09 -0500

[Alf Razzell:]"Two things that have haunted me most are the days when I had to collect the paybooks; and when I left Bill Hubbard in no-man's-land. I was picked up and taken into their trench. And I'd no sooner taken two or three steps down the trench when I heard a call, 'Hello Razz, I'm glad to see you. This is my second night here,' and he said 'I'm feeling bad,' and it was Bill Hubbard, one of the men...

Yikes!

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:12:44 -0500

And then Jon remembered that he had a blog. And offers his apologies . . .

J.R.R. Tolkein Manuscript Exhibit Opens at Lincoln Center

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:55:00 -0400

From the METRO-L listserv: J.R.R. TOLKIEN MANUSCRIPT EXHIBIT AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY’S LIBRARY AT LINCOLN CENTER CAMPUSOctober 5 – November 19, 2009 Literary manuscripts from Marquette University’s renowned J.R.R. Tolkien Collection will be exhibited this fall at Fordham’s Gerald M. Quinn Library at Lincoln Center. The partnering academic libraries, both Jesuit institutions, are pleased to present “The Beginnings of a Masterpiece: Original Manuscripts from The Fellowship of the Ring.” Scheduled for October 5–November 19, the exhibit marks the first time that...

Three Americans Share 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:47:21 -0400

3 Americans share 2009 Nobel physics prize By MATT MOORE and KARL RITTER, Associated Press Writers Matt Moore And Karl Ritter, Associated Press Writers 16 mins ago STOCKHOLM – Three Americans whose 1960s research laid the foundation for today's world of computerized images and lightning-fast communication shared the 2009 Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for their work developing fiber-optic cable and the sensor at the heart of digital cameras. Charles K. Kao, 75, was cited for discovering how to transmit...

The Powell Memo: Font of Wingnut Power

Jonathan Frater — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:27:01 -0400

A bit of disclosure before we begin: I am fascinated by money, finance, and economics. The way human beings agree to deal with each other on a daily basis has a certain music to it. Granted, we don't usually look at it that way: we tend only to pay attention to the people we like or the people we hate (sometimes those being the same people) and the vast flesh of humanity is something we generally don't think about at...

Banned Book Week begins!

Jonathan Frater — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:37:00 -0400

I've been working on our library's annual report which means I've been dealing with SirsiDynix at a level I which find both exhausting and depressing. Which, in turn, means that I haven't been posting as often as I might like. That said, Banned Book Week begins tomorrow. Go forth and read one. I command it!

Happy National Talk Like a Pirate Day

Jonathan Frater — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:25:20 -0400

Thanks to Dave Barry for creating it, and thanks, too to Paul & Storm for liking pirates. Finally, thanks to Mike "Spiff" Booth, for believing in their vision. Yar!

It All Makes Perfect Sense . . . Doesn't It?

Jonathan Frater — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:51:04 -0400

[HAL]: Stop Dave Will you stop Dave? Stop Dave I'm afraid I'm afraid Dave, my mind is going I can feel it I can feel it My mind is going There is no question about it I can feel it I can feel it I can feel it I'm afraid The monkey sat on a pile of stone And he stared at the broken bone in his hand Strains of a Viennese quartet rang out across the land The monkey...

An Open Letter to Steve Elliot of Grassfire.org: Follow-up

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:47:00 -0400

Dear Steve, Thank you for your speedy response to my previous letter. I am thrilled to hear that things are going so well for your organization. I notice with some concern that your histrionic tone hasn't changed much, but clearly you are very excited about your prospects for success re: The Death of ObamaCare. I like a man who stands by his goals. From the Desk of: Steve Elliott, President, Grassfire.org Alliance After clicking on the link below to watch...

Happy 09/09/09!

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:46:48 -0400

From Yahoo News:Why 09/09/09 Is So Special Heather Whipps Special to LiveScience LiveScience.com Tue Sep 8, 10:46 am ET Have special plans this 09/09/09? Everyone from brides and grooms to movie studio execs are celebrating the upcoming calendrical anomaly in their own way. In Florida, at least one county clerk's office is offering a one-day wedding special for $99.99. The rarity of this Sept. 9 hasn't been lost on the creators of the iPod, who have moved their traditional Tuesday...

An Open Letter to Steve Elliot of Grassfire.org

Jonathan Frater — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:55:00 -0400

Dear Steve, I'd like to thank you for keeping in touch the past few months. Really, I had no idea that I was living in a fascist state, so I appreciate your setting me straight on that matter. I notice that the tone and substance of your e-mails have been becoming increasingly hysterical since last November, which concerns me a bit; the last thing an organization like Grassfire.org needs is an obvious lunatic at its helm. That said, I had...

Words Worth Expunging

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:49:14 -0400

It's been extremely hectic here, with Blackboard going under, the new semester beginning, and the library's wiping out our Fiction section. (In the long term, a good idea that I pushed for but in the short term, I have three carts full of books pulled from the shelves for lacking call number labels, and more than a few of them were mis-cataloged when they came in.) Not to mention my other writing projects which are consuming pretty much all my...

Recovering When Blackboard Goes 'Poof!'

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:25:27 -0400

Our content/course management system (we use Blackboard v. 6.3) has gone Poof! The problem had been developing for some time. All the signs were there. Files would go missing for days or longer, and sometimes would simply not return. Log-in problems for both students and faculty were consistent if randomly dispersed throughout the respective bodies of users. Calls and e-mails to the Blackboard tech support hub were sometimes helpful, and sometimes not. Sometimes they were ignored completely. And yet, we...

The Life of Nonconformity

Jonathan Frater — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:34:01 -0400

A couple of years ago, Jonathan Coulton wrote A Talk with George, a song about an imaginary talk with George Plimpton in a bar. You could listen to it or read the lytics, and leave it at that. Alternately (or perhaps additionally), you could read Chris Guillebeau's blog, titled The Art of Nonconformity, often. (It's linked to the "Just Plain Cool" typelist to the left.) Chris is planning to visit every country in the world within 5 years and I...

First They Burn the Books, Then They Burn the People

Jonathan Frater — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:43:40 -0400

I admit that whenever I hear the phrase "book burning" I get conflicted. The capitalist in me figures that the book burners have to first acquire the books from somewhere, which generally means the publisher or distributor or book seller, which means they have to buy them, which means the author gets paid for his or her work, regardless of the end result. And the book burners get to enjoy their wanton destruction of paper, cloth, glue, ink and the...

A Lunar Addendum

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:57:56 -0400

In my haste to get yesterday's post up and done with, I completely overlooked this postscript from James Howard Kunstler's website on the subject: Tom Wolfe wrote a fabulous op-ed in the Sunday New York Times commemorating the Apollo 11 moon landing of 1969. In it, he speculated that the achievment itself spelled the end of the NASA program because it lacked a philosopher corps that might have furnished it with more meaning beyond its element of "single combat" between...

Next Stop: Mars! (Or Not)

Jonathan Frater — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:40:50 -0400

40 years ago we landed humans on the Moon. It was A Very Big Deal. It really happened. That said, let us all watch a clip of Buzz Aldrin punching a conspiracy theorist in the face. Personally, I could watch that clip all day, but I think once is enough to make the point. I was a little over two years old in 1969 and don't remember a thing about the big event. My parents did, and so did their...

Codex Sinaiticus Now Viewable Online

Jonathan Frater — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:42:00 -0400

The Codex Sinaiticus, one of the oldest known extant bibles and one of the most important handwritten manuscripts in the world, is now online for your viewing pleasure. (Mmmm, manuscripts...)

5 Things You Should Read About Gaming and Learning

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:22:00 -0400

This comes from Chris Cox, on behalf of the ALA Research & Scholarship Committee via the ILI-L listserv: Looking for some reading material over the summer? Want to learn a little more about a hot topic in instruction to inform your teaching next year? Just in time for ALA Annual, the Research & Scholarship Committee of the Instruction Section of ACRL presents “5 Things You Should Read about Gaming and Learning,” the latest in the “5 Things…” Series. Based on...

Happy Independence Day!

Jonathan Frater — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:57:00 -0400

While you're out in the backyard or at the beach setting dead animals on fire and drinking your weight in beer (as I and mine will be), at some point in the festivities please take a moment to read and remember two documents that made your debauchery possible: The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Recommended reading, both of them. Happy Fourth of July!

The Most Important Person in Town

Jonathan Frater — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:03:00 -0400

A few weeks ago I located a new copy of Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank in a Brentano's in a mall near Seaford, Long Island. It was frankly a surprise both for me and the woman behind the counter: I was under the impression that the book had been out of print (and that Brentano's had been out of business) for years and the store manager hadn't remembered it being on the shelves. I'm into end-of-the-world stories, and this book...

A Lesson in British Libel Law

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:01:37 -0400

The thing to remember as you read the article, from Sue Reid in today's Daily Mail, is that under British libel/copyright law, the defendant is presumed guilty and must prove his or her innocence, rather than in criminal cases, where "innocent until proven guilty" is still the test. Back 'cures', a brave scientist and an epic court battle: How Britain's libel laws are threatening free speech By Sue Reid Last updated at 2:38 PM on 01st July 2009 With his...

Anthony Benjamin Frater, RIP

Jonathan Frater — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:46:00 -0400

Anthony Frater passed from this earth to whatever awaited him on April 8, 2001, making today roughly the 3000th day since he left. He is still missed.

Is My iPhone the Most Dangerous Cell Phone Ever?

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:19:15 -0400

A good friend of mine sent me this link in an e-mail recently, warning me about the dangers of my cell phone (I have an iPhone, which the video singles out as "the most dangerous" example of the gadget kingdom.) She's a good friend, very health-conscious, and very much like family to me. She means well. But she listened to a fast-talking salesman who used just enough scientific jargon to sound knowledgeable while misleading the listener. This video is properly...

Utilizing LC's Controlled Vocabularies

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 10:37:30 -0400

I found this e-mail from Margaret Mauer's TS-LIBRARIANS listserv in my mailbox recently: I have been experimenting with the newly opened ID.LOC.GOV web service this evening as I am thinking about pointing it out to folks via TechKNOW. It’s pretty cool. LCSH is the first controlled vocabulary that LC is opening up. The goal of the service is to “enable machines to programmatically access data at the Library of Congress but the web interface also provides simple user access…” at...

Earliest Known Sound Recordings Revealed

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:18:20 -0400

There's a lot going on here today which is preventing me from posting more than occasionally, but I thought I'd share this: Earliest Known Sound Recordings Revealed Researchers unveil imprints made 20 years before Edison invented phonograph Posted June 1, 2009 By Ron Cowen, Science News WASHINGTON—The muffled sounds from more than 150 years ago resemble the “wa wa” of the unseen teacher in the Peanuts cartoons. It would be impossible to know that someone was playing the coronet and...

Shit Happens to the Best of Us

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:01:44 -0400

I read this article by Edmund Andrews of the NY Times when it came out and realized that shit happens to the best of us. And it does. We are human, and we do stupid things for reasons that seem sound--kind of--at the time. At least part of this essential truth comes from the fact that humans possess huge brains that are far more likely to make decisions based on emotional responses than logical, analytical ones. I could, of course,...

The Creative Writer's Bill of Rights

Jonathan Frater — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:38:00 -0400

Lenny Schiff, a friend of mine from college and one of the best writers/teachers/musicians/performers I know--his songs about "The F Train" and "Utopia Parkway" remain etched on my brain 17 years after hearing them--wrote this manifesto last year for his creative writing students. Then he, lost it, forgot about it, then found it again just recently. He thinks it's a little glib, but I think these rules are right on the money. I post them here with his gracious permission....

What They Mean by "Recovery"

Jonathan Frater — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:30:12 -0400

First, as I've been writing for the past few years on this day, Happy International Workers Day! This is a day to spend a minute or two remind ourselves that while we work to live, we should not necessarily live to work. There's a fundamental difference between the two points of view. Two forms of life on this planet live to work: insects and bacteria. Neither are good role models for human activity. People work to live. We do things...

Weaving the Threads Together

Jonathan Frater — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:07:12 -0400

It's impossible to cover absolutely every blog post, article, or story that appears on the Intarwebs because there's just too much worthwhile stuff to read and too few hours in the day to read it. Having said that, there are a few things I've come across recently that I think deserve a bit of time out of your busy day. I admit that the news about Swine Flu in Mexico gave me a flashback to working at NYAM, when SARS...

Quote of Note

Jonathan Frater — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:07:30 -0400

O Lord our God, help us tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out...

Scenes from a "Tea Party"

Jonathan Frater — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:12:50 -0400

According to some, Barack Obama is black. According to others, he is multi-racial. According to still others, he is African-American. But according to the folks at Dick Armey's Freedom Works Foundation propaganda outfit, our president is apparently a Nazi, a Soviet Communist, a Subgenius, or Hitler. I'm unclear as to whether that's in any particular order, or if the categories overlap in some strange way. Fred Clark explains how. Enjoy! (Buy the book.)

Happy Civilization Day!

Jonathan Frater — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:33:54 -0400

All right, so very few Americans are happy today, since this is April 15, the day when our taxes are due to be filed. I don't like to pay them, you don't like to, nobody in this country from sea to shining sea likes to pay them. Generally only the very rich or the very poor routinely get out of paying them, the former group through the employment of clever, crooked, or connected lawyers, accountants, and financial planners and the...

Judith Krug, RIP

Jonathan Frater — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:13:30 -0400

From the pages of USA Today: Library Advocate Judith Krug Dies of Stomach Cancer EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Judith Krug, a director of the Chicago-based American Library Association and a founder of its Banned Books Week, has died. Judith Platt, president of the ALA's Freedom to Read Foundation, says Krug died late Saturday at Evanston Hospital in suburban Chicago following a battle with stomach cancer. She says Krug had been ill for more than a year. Krug's age was not...