DrWeb's Domain

Actor Paul Newman dies at 83 - Los Angeles Times

Actor Paul Newman dies at 83 - Los Angeles Times.

Actor Paul Newman dies at 83
The blue-eyed star of 'The Hustler,' 'Cool Hand Luke' and 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' was at home. He had long battled cancer.
By Lynn Smith, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer 8:44 AM PDT, September 27, 2008

Paul Newman, the legendary movie star and irreverent cultural icon who created a model philanthropy fueled by profits from a salad dressing that became nearly as famous as he was, has died. He was 83.

Newman died Friday at his home near Westport, Conn., after a long battle with cancer, publicist Jeff Sanderson said.

Stunningly handsome, Newman maintained his superstar status while protecting himself from its corrupting influences through nearly 100 Broadway, television and movie roles. As an actor and director, he evolved into Hollywood's elder statesman, admired as much offscreen for his quiet generosity, unconventional business sense, race car daring, political activism and enduring marriage to actress Joanne Woodward.

I knew he was battling, until the end, and this death was coming.. 83 years, a good long life, and we have his films and legend to remember.. Butch Cassidy is dead, long live Butch Cassidy.. here's one of my favorite scenes...

FactCheck.org: The Whoppers of 2008

FactCheck.org: The Whoppers of 2008.

The Whoppers of 2008
September 25, 2008
Where McCain and Obama have misled voters. A partial tally. Summary

Normally we post a "Whoppers" compilation the week before Election Day. This time we've already seen such a large number of twisted facts, misleading claims and outright falsehoods that we are doing that now.

It's not just Sarah Palin's claim about killing the bridge project that she had supported until it became a national laughingstock and Congress turned against it. That's just the whopper that got the attention of many news orgaizations earlier this month. There have been lots of others.

McCain has made multiple false representations of Obama's tax proposals. Obama has made false claims about McCain's stance on Social Security. Both McCain and Obama have traded some whoppers about their energy policies, about Iraq, and about Iran, and about supporting troops.

Good summary so far of the missteps and miscues and mis-statements in the U.S. presidential campaign.. if it's September, can November be far behind?.. nobody's clean, politics is a very dirty business/game/pick one...

Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities -- second life -- InformationWeek

Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities -- second life -- InformationWeek.

Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities
Here's a quick guide to what goes on in Second Life, a lively virtual world full of music, dance, travel, games, and cybersex.
By Mitch Wagner, InformationWeek, September 25, 2008 04:00 AM

The Second Life phenom could not have happened without the many in-world avenues for users, or residents, to express themselves, often through through collaborative play and performance.

As the company tries for a second act under a new CEO and targets new markets, users are busy doing what they've always done in Second Life.

What is there to do in Second Life? Finding your way around and learning about what to do there can be tricky for newcomers. Here is some information to help you get started.

Read me first: Wikipedia isn't about human potential, whatever Wales says | Technology | The Guardian

Read me first: Wikipedia isn't about human potential, whatever Wales says | Technology | The Guardian.

Wikipedia isn't about human potential, whatever Wales says
Seth Finkelstein, The Guardian, Thursday September 25 2008

Proselytisation of the cult of Wikipedia has reached new heights. Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, has joined a speaker's agency (amusingly, he's advertised just above Karl Rove). Note that he keeps all fees, which can exceed $50,000 (£27,000), maintaining that such engagements "are inviting me in my personal capacity" (bit.ly/seth8).

Thanks to Seth for the further shot across the bow.. I don't get how this cult and the gang of Wikipedians actually work, but I know recently a group of librarians wanted to start an article on publib (an online mailing list and community), and were not able to do so because -- get this -- they couldn't provide valid sources they were valid, real, or existed.. it's a strange, not brave, new world when the info-dis-infomediaries are in charge of the "sum of all human knowledge." ...

InfoTech: OverDrive and Audible Audiobooks Newly Compatible with Microsoft’s Zune® - 9/23/2008 - Library Journal

InfoTech: OverDrive and Audible Audiobooks Newly Compatible with Microsoft’s Zune® - 9/23/2008 - Library Journal.

InfoTech: OverDrive and Audible Audiobooks Newly Compatible with Microsoft’s Zune®
Raya Kuzyk -- Library Journal, 9/23/2008

* New Zune® firmware supports e-audiobooks
* Both WMA and MP3 formats transferable
* Files must still be downloaded prior to transfer

Digital distributor OverDrive's e-audiobooks, through its third-generation library platform, Media Console 3.1, are now transferable to the Microsoft digital media player Zune®, which also received a third-generation upgrade.

Interesting update.. there's still a late Macintosh version of the OverDrive Media Console (OMC) coming.. they seem to keep delaying the release.. anyway, once they do, it will provide access to a growing list of downloadable audiobook titles for Mac users.. speaking of audiobooks, here's some places to download some for free:

• LibriVox - http://librivox.org/
• AudiobooksForFree - http://www.audiobooksforfree.com/
• Internet Archive - http://www.archive.org/details/audio
• Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/categories/1
• Audiobooks.Net - http://www.audiobooks.net/audiobooks_free.php
• Free Classic Audiobooks - http://freeclassicaudiobooks.com/
• LearnOutLoud - http://www.learnoutloud.com/Free-Audio-Video#directory

What's 'Daddy's Roommate' Doing in Wasilla?

What's 'Daddy's Roommate' Doing in Wasilla?.

What's Daddy's Roommate Doing in Wasilla?
By Nancy Kranich, September 18, 2008
[Blogger's note: About  Nancy Kranich.. Nancy Kranich is a past president of the American Library Association, who teaches information ethics and intellectual freedom.

As we commemorate Banned Books Week September 27-October 4, we are reminded of the many attempts to restrict our right to read. Over 400 challenges filed at schools and libraries were reported last year alone, most probably constituting a fraction of incidents nationwide. The culprits, whether public officials, private interests or "decency" groups, employ a variety of techniques to control free expression. Our best defense against these censors is the vigilance and activism of people concerned with protecting free expression. Those on the front lines of these battles have learned to arm themselves with sound policies and procedures that ensure a fair and transparent review process.

Recommended reading.. the price of freedom (to read) is eternal vigilance.. my own twisted quote, but I think you know what I'm trying to say...

National Friends of Libraries Week

National Friends of Libraries Week.

National Friends of Libraries Week
October 19-25, 2008

Friends of Libraries groups now have their very own national week of celebration! FOLUSA is coordinating the third annual national Friends of Libraries Week October 19-25, 2008. The celebration offers a two-fold opportunity to celebrate Friends. Use the time to creatively promote your group in the community, to raise awareness, and to promote membership. This is also an excellent opportunity for your library and Board of Trustees to recognize the Friends for their help and support of the library. Please see the list of resources in the menu to the left. New ideas are being added so check back often for updates!

Instant Books from the Library - BusinessWeek

Instant Books from the Library - BusinessWeek.

Instant Books from the Library
Posted by: Stephen Wildstrom on September 17

I spent a good part of my college years in what was then called the Undergraduate Library at the University of Michigan. Getting your hands on a book that was assigned reading for a course was often matter of luck—there never seemed to be enough copies.

Starting in October, the library, now renamed the Shapiro Library, will have infinite copies available, at least of certain books. Using a technology called the Espresso Book Machine from On Demand Books will offer books bound and printed in five to seven minutes. Most titles will cost $10, some shorter books will go for as little as $6.

There a catch, of course. Only books out of copyright are available. So the instant printing will be limited to books published prior to 1923 and books made freely available through other sources, such as the Open Content Alliance.

The Michigan library system has digitized about 2 million titles, both through its own efforts and through work with the Google Book Search project.

UPDATE: The University of Michigan has put up a video of the Espresso Book Machine in action.

Tapping Into Media - 9/15/2008 - Library Journal

Tapping Into Media - 9/15/2008 - Library Journal.

Tapping Into Media
Take your online presence to the next level with audio and video
By Michelle Jeske -- Library Journal, 9/15/2008

Some people learn better through viewing and listening, and some people simply don't like to read. In our society, there seems to be a general move away from text, or, at least, text as we have defined it in the past. Moreover, mobile devices such as laptops, PDAs, and cell phones make video and audio incredibly easy to imbibe. So how do libraries compete for attention in this environment? According to the 2005 OCLC report Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources, the library brand is books. If our communities think we're all about books while people are used to getting their information from places other than books, how do we stay relevant?

Most libraries now have a web presence that is an online extension of their physical space. At those institutions, we no longer have to argue that the library goes beyond the walls of the building. Just as libraries added video and audio to their physical collections when albums and videocassettes became popular, we must enhance our virtual presence with cutting-edge and popular audio and video features.

NPR: Pink Floyd's Richard Wright: 1943-2008

NPR: Pink Floyd's Richard Wright: 1943-2008.

Pink Floyd's Richard Wright: 1943-2008
by Robin Hilton

Pink Floyd fans have long argued over which band member was the most important. Some say it was Syd Barrett, the founding member who gave the group its name and guided the then-unknown band in maniacally imaginative directions. Others argue that it's Roger Waters, the bassist who took over as lead songwriter after Barrett left the band in 1968; Waters led Pink Floyd through its most successful period. Then there are the David Gilmour fans, who say that the lead guitarist was most responsible for Pink Floyd's widely influential and groundbreaking sound. But for me, the heart and soul of Pink Floyd was always keyboardist Richard Wright, who died today at age 65.

I first heard the music of Pink Floyd, thanks to an older brother, when I was in elementary school in the 1970s. The album was Dark Side of the Moon. All these years later, I can still vividly remember listening to the record on headphones, with my eyes popping at the mindblowing sound I heard. Dark Side showed me that music could be so much more than the standard three-chord pop dreck on the radio. It could be transporting.

Of all the incredible sounds on Dark Side of the Moon -- and there are many -- it was Richard Wright's simple and beautifully elegant piano and organ that struck me the most. One of the songs he wrote for that album was the hypnotic and poignant "Us and Them."

Smithsonian to put its 137 million-object collection online - CNN.com

Smithsonian to put its 137 million-object collection online - CNN.com.

updated 10:06 a.m. EDT, Tue September 16, 2008
Smithsonian to put its 137 million-object collection online
   
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Smithsonian Institution will work to digitize its collections to make science, history and cultural artifacts accessible online and dramatically expand its outreach to schools, the museum complex's new chief said Monday. The Smithsonian Institution's new chief wants to bring in Web gurus to find creative ways to present artifacts online. The Smithsonian Institution's new chief wants to bring in Web gurus to find creative ways to present artifacts online.

"I worry about museums becoming less relevant to society," said Secretary G. Wayne Clough in his first interviews since taking the Smithsonian's helm in July.

Clough, 66, who was president of the Georgia Institute of Technology for 14 years, says he's working to bring in video gaming experts and Web gurus to collaborate with curators on creative ways to present artifacts online and make them appealing to kids.

"I think we need to take a major step," Clough said in an earlier interview. "Can we work with outside entities to create a place, for example, where we might demonstrate cutting-edge technologies to use to reach out to school systems all over the country? I think we can do that."

Smithsonian officials do not know how long it will take or how much it will cost to digitize the full 137 million-object collection and will do it as money becomes available. A team will prioritize which artifacts are digitized first.

Hurricane Ike Destroys Louisiana Library; Is Galveston Library Lost? - 9/16/2008 - Library Journal

Hurricane Ike Destroys Louisiana Library; Is Galveston Library Lost? - 9/16/2008 - Library Journal.

Hurricane Ike Destroys Louisiana Library; Is Galveston Library Lost?
by Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 9/16/2008

    * Temporary library lost in Cameron Parish, LA
    * Galveston bore brunt of storm
    * Houston PL inviting residents to contact FEMA

A temporary library in Cameron Parish, located in Louisiana’s southwest corner, was destroyed by Hurricane Ike over the weekend, according to SOLINET’s Gulf Coast Libraries Project. The Cameron branch established in February 2007 in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. The status of another branch, located in Grand Chenier, is not yet known.

The hurricane caused death and devastation in Texas, notably Galveston, where sketchy press reports indicate that the Rosenberg Library is heavily damaged, and historic documents stored there may have been lost. The library is the oldest continuingly operating library in Texas and contains the Galveston and Texas History Center. It also serves as the headquarters for the Galveston County Library System.

We wish our friends and colleagues in libraries hard hit by Hurricane Ike godspeed, and a speedy recovery...

Serra Cooperative Library System

Serra Cooperative Library System.

Serra Cooperative Library System
New Web site (2008)

Serra Cooperative Library System is a network of public, academic, and special libraries in the southern California counties of Imperial and San Diego. Our goal is to help member library agencies provide expanded resources and improved services at reduced costs through systematic interlibrary cooperation. We are a special district of the State of California, with funding primarily from the State, but augmented through member contributions and grants.

Here is the relaunched new Web site for the local library consortium.. well-done Web site makeover.. I contributed the Google Maps' custom version for the site, listing all the libraries in the public library community in San Diego County and Imperial County.. each can be used for the "to here" and "from here" features in Google Maps.. the direct link to the map is a bit complex for an URL, so here's a tiny URL version if you want to use it..

Why Libraries Are Back in Style - WSJ.com

Why Libraries Are Back in Style - WSJ.com.

Why Libraries Are Back in Style
It's Not Because of Books; They're 'Memory Rooms' Or TV-Free Private Spaces
By JUNE FLETCHER, September 12, 2008; Page W8

In the library of her 5,800-square-foot house in Glen Cove, N.Y., Linda Teitelbaum keeps trophies from dog shows, needlepoint pillows of bulldogs and gold-framed photos of family. Though the plaid-papered room has a scattering of books, she often retreats to it not just to read but to remember the dogs she used to breed, to nap, or to get away from the TV. "It's my veg-out room," Ms. Teitelbaum says.

About libraries in personal homes, United States.. I thought it was about our public libraries being re-discovered and re-vitalized in the U.S., especially in light of the recession, gas prices, and more.. most U.S. libraries are seeing increased use, as far as I can tell.. as they always do in recessionary times...

Sarah Palin's Myth of America - TIME

Sarah Palin's Myth of America - TIME.

Sarah Palin's Myth of America
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 2008, By JOE KLEIN

Sarah Palin has arrived in our midst with the force of a rocket-propelled grenade. She has boosted John McCain's candidacy and overwhelmed the presidential process in a way that no vice-presidential pick has since Thomas Eagleton did the precise opposite — sinking his sponsor, George McGovern, in 1972. Obviously, something beyond politics is happening here. We don't really know Palin as a politician yet, whether she is wise or foolhardy, substantive or empty. Our fascination with her — and it is a nonpartisan phenomenon — is driven by something more primal. The Palin surge illuminates the mythic power of the Republican Party's message since the advent of Ronald Reagan.