Author Archives: Shark

Happy National Library Week 2011!

I always forget that technically the start of the week is Sunday.  To me, Sunday marks the end of the week, because I have to be back at work on Monday.  In my head, if I have to work on Monday, it’s the start of the week, not Day Two.   The reason for this rant is to make you aware of National Library Week 2011, which runs from Sunday, yes Sunday, April 10 to Saturday, April 16th.  In America National Library Week is promoted by the American Library Association, an organization I feel quite strongly about.  The ALA is often embroiled in politics as it pertains to censorship.  The ALA is very much pro-1st Amendment and against censorship, which is understandable.  In fact, the ALA also sponsors Banned Books Week, which runs from September 24 to October 1st this year.

Photograph of three of Nevins Memorial Library's earliest librarians

The ALA’s stance on censorship pretty much echoes my own:  If you don’t like it, don’t read it.  If something offends you, then avoid it and don’t introduce your kids to it, but don’t ban it (unless it’s illegal).  You see,  self-control and self-censorship works best.  I think the Golden Rule and Common Sense applies.  That book that you like, perhaps the Bible, no doubt offends other people of another religious faith, how would you like it if somebody wanted to ban that?

The fact of the matter is that a public library, yes PUBLIC library, contains, and should contain, a myriad of books on a variety of subjects ─ some of which offends; some of which engages your critical thinking; and some that tickles your fancy.  If libraries were to ban books that people found questionable, eventually there would be no books left, because there’s always somebody who is offended by something, or dislikes a particular book or subject.  I applaud the librarians who stand up for the 1st Amendment and recognize that differing opinions are not always a bad thing…

Support your local public library!

 

 

Poor man’s library book cover

When it comes to protecting books I’m a bit OCD.  Most people hate the clear vinyl covers that librarians wrap around books, but I love them.  Not only do they protect the book, but being a bit of a mysophobe, I like the fact that I can wipe the cover clean with some rubbing alcohol without hurting the book.  After all, who knows what kind of hygiene practices the previous patron had?

Anyhow, my affinity for book protection led me to scour the internet for clear vinyl covers for my own private collection.  I found a host of websites, some of whom sold library equipment, bookshelves, etc.  I got lost day dreaming of creating my own home library, book cart included, when I remembered that I was searching for book covers.  I did find a lot of good solutions to my book protection needs, ranging from manual application to machines that can actually do the job for you.  The only problem with all of these solutions, was the fact that they all cost a lot of money.  Each book cover cost anywhere between $1 to $5 dollars, not cheap for a man with a budget.  What is a poor bibliophile to do?

Glancing around my man cave I noticed that I had an over-abundance of sheet protectors.  Hmmm… Sheet Protectors + Scissors + Tape + Book = Solution.  A few minutes later I had my first specimen finished.  Will it last for all eternity?  Probably not.  Is it a professional job?  No.  Was it cheap?  Yes!  Happy protecting, my friends!

Ode to the Cow

 

Man vyi via Wikimedia Commons

ODE TO THE COW

Oh you magnificent beast,

Your skin embraces us from the Elements,

Your flesh brings nourishment to our bruised bodies.

Your milk strengthens our bones and quenches our thirst!

Your power pulls our plow… Across the fields that your manure nurtures…

Our bread is baked in the oven fueled by the same!

Oh you magnificent beast, even your death in a noble arena is not Forgot!

Last refuge of a bibliophile

So, Sharkette sent me out to pick up some soap at Sam’s Club today.  Personal hygiene is exceedingly important, especially if you are in charge of multiple babies prone to spit, vomit, and poop.  Driving past the Decatur Public Library, out of the corner of my little eye, I spied:

Decatur Public Library

A book sale, oh my!!!

To the true bibliophile, they might as well have given gasoline to an arsonist or handed out Bud Light at an AA meeting: a used book sale sign gets them every time.  I immediately commenced a U-turn maneuver, doubled-parked, and blocked in the Book Mobile.  Actually, I didn’t do any of those things, I just said that for dramatic effect.  But I did decide to investigate the book sale while grabbing my handy Friends of the Decatur Public Library canvas tote bag!

The badge of honor

You see when you carry around a canvas tote bag, whose sale supports your local library, you automatically say to the world, “I can read, and I promote literacy.”

Books, books, and more books!

As I walked through the doors I got a welcome surprise:  today was fill-up-a-grocery-paper-bag-with-books-for-$5-dollars-each day!  Not only that, it was Non-Fiction Day!  Say it ain’t so, librarian?  Some of you might know that I’m a huge fan of non-fiction, so this was pretty much close to bibliophile nirvana for me.

Non-Fiction FTW!

I felt like a bandit hauling away three bags worth of books for only $15 dollars, but this was truly a win-win situation for everybody involved.  The Friends of the Decatur Library got some more cash to support their operations, and I got thousands of pages worth of reading.  What was even more encouraging was the amount of people, including plenty of children, that were hauling away books.  It’s heart-warming to know that in this age of cellphones, the internet, and television, people still enjoy turning the pages of a good book!

 

my non-fiction haul!!!

 

We are paranoid for you!

With a budget crisis looming in the United States, and the possibility that thousands of government workers will be furloughed, few people realize how much of an impact this will have on the people that are supposed to be paranoid for you.  Yes my friends, I am talking about the people that work in the emergency management, disaster response, and public safety arena.  The selfless bureaucrats that spend countless of sleepless nights planning for every eventuality, ranging from air crashes to terrorists striking the food supply of the United States.  Terrorists in the Midwest, you say?  Why yes, terrorists are everywhere, and they can strike at our very heart and soul… including our stomachs, at any time!  Luckily for you, trained professionals are busy planning for this.

Consider this:  In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a report urging governments to draw up farm-to-fork contingency plans to protect against terrorism using the food chain as a potentially devastating weapon.   In 1991, 300,000 people in China contracted Hepatitis A from eating infected clams, just imagine how many people can be affected should a group of terrorists utilize chemical, biological or nuclear agents on our food supply.

These days Farmer Joe needs to not only worry about whether he has enough fertilizer for the season but also the possibility of some evil-doer slipping chemical agents into his milk vat.  But have no fear, my fellow patriots, Uncle Sam has his finest people working on this.  Or rather he had… Let’s stop this squabbling over the budget and get the paranoid people back to work!  Your hamburger safety depends on it!

Beautiful Libraries: Old Library, St. John’s College, Cambridge

the pale side of insomnia via flickr

the pale side of insomnia via flickr

Doesn’t this just make you want to go back to university?  There are times I wake up in cold sweat wishing I was back in college.  How I would have done things differently, had I known then what I know now.  I think I pretty much breezed through college and university.  I was never a stellar scholar, but I was not an academic failure either.  I just did what I had to do to pass the class and keep on trucking.  If I had it to do over, I think I would take the opportunity for education more seriously.  Oh well, c’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?

Beautiful Bookstores: El Ateneo

If there is one thing we share here in Kang World it’s our love of books.  We are all bibliophiles in the truest sense of the word.  In fact if we could live in the Library of Congress we probably would.

I love books so much that when I go on vacation I would rather visit bookstores and libraries than scenic sites.  If I ever make it to Buenos Aires, Argentina, I want to visit the famous El Ateneo bookstore.  El Ateneo was built in 1919 and was converted from a theater into a book store in the early 2000s.  They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and all I can say is, “Wow!”

 

longhorndave via flickr

longhorndave via flickr

Only J. via flickr

violinha via flickr

kweezy mcG via flickr

New Rules: Using French in everyday conversation

Since we are a cultured lot here on Project Mayhem we like to use French words occasionally in everyday conversation.  Not only does it demonstrate that we appreciate the finer things in life, like wine, culture and cheese, but it impresses the hell out of the natives and soothes our bruised egos.  Here is an approved list of Project Mayhem French:

  • OUI – even if you’ve never taken high school French, you know that oui means “Yes.”
  • NON – same thing here except it’s the opposite of oui, and that means “No.”
  • MON DIEU – “my God!” as used in this sentence, “Mon Dieu, this TPS report is kicking my ass!”
  • N’EST-CE PAS? – means “isn’t it so,” or “right,” as in “You’re a real jerk, n’est-ce pas?”
  • MERDE – “shit.” Great word to use when you are getting exasperated.  “Merde! I just stubbed my foot on this stupid armoire!”
  • C’EST LA VIE – “such is life.”  As in, “My best friend ran off with my wife, my truck, and my fucking dog.  C’est la vie!”
  • AU NATUREL – “undressed” or in “the natural state.”  Bob:  “Hey, that new intern, I wouldn’t mind seeing her au naturel, non?”  Marge: “You’re a real jerk, n’est-ce pas?”
  • QUELLE HORREUR – “what a horrible thing,” or “how awful!”  Seen in Paris, “Quelle horreur!  Is that American putting ketchup on my quiche?”