1) VOTE!
2) Take a friend to vote!
3) Take some things back to the store for exchange.
4) Clean!
5) Notes!
6) Read 2 chapters of Lumley.
7) Keep a weather eye out for the election returns.
Born, like other comic book characters, out of an otherwise trivial but life-changing animal bite, the Rabid Librarian seeks out strange, useless facts, raves about real and perceived injustices, and seeks to meet her greatest challenge of all--her own life.
Translate
Monday, November 03, 2008
I would so have thrown this person out of our store, regardless of the consequences
[begin righteous indignation rant]
I was working with putting up cigarettes in the back room when my co-worker waited on an Hispanic man buying beer. He didn't hand her the money but rather put the it down on the counter and told her to get it. She put his change on the counter. He then told her he didn't like touching black people. He left before she could say anything, she was so shocked.
I was angry on her behalf. Nevermind the fact that my co-worker's mom is white, dad is black, with a Puerto Rican grandfather thrown in, too. All people of black African descent are black, even if it's a bit, right? No one had ever told her such a thing before. Also, as one of our other customers put it, even if you thought it, why say such a thing? I think it's wrong either way. What surprised my co-worker the most about it was that the man was Hispanic, another minority, but that didn't surprise me so much. Prejudice isn't something confined to WASPs, that's for sure.
I'd like to see what would have happened if he pulled that on our manager, who is biracial. My co-worker said that one of these days he's going to say something like that to the wrong black person. And whilst I do not condone racial violence, I think every racist deserves their comeuppance. Hmpf.
[end rant]
I was working with putting up cigarettes in the back room when my co-worker waited on an Hispanic man buying beer. He didn't hand her the money but rather put the it down on the counter and told her to get it. She put his change on the counter. He then told her he didn't like touching black people. He left before she could say anything, she was so shocked.
I was angry on her behalf. Nevermind the fact that my co-worker's mom is white, dad is black, with a Puerto Rican grandfather thrown in, too. All people of black African descent are black, even if it's a bit, right? No one had ever told her such a thing before. Also, as one of our other customers put it, even if you thought it, why say such a thing? I think it's wrong either way. What surprised my co-worker the most about it was that the man was Hispanic, another minority, but that didn't surprise me so much. Prejudice isn't something confined to WASPs, that's for sure.
I'd like to see what would have happened if he pulled that on our manager, who is biracial. My co-worker said that one of these days he's going to say something like that to the wrong black person. And whilst I do not condone racial violence, I think every racist deserves their comeuppance. Hmpf.
[end rant]
Question
Which is better, a smaller, yet brighter screen, or a larger screen that's good for text but is sometimes difficult to watch videos on because the brightness is lower and yet it's on the highest setting?
I have two monitors with these qualities. I've switched them for now to see how it affects my browsing experience before making a final decision.
What's your opinion?
I have two monitors with these qualities. I've switched them for now to see how it affects my browsing experience before making a final decision.
What's your opinion?
Today's to-do
and maybe some game notes if I feel like it when I get home.
Okay, I went a little heavy on the whole sleep thing, but it's the first day of a three day vacation, so it's not that unexpected. Actually I got a fair amount of sleep over the weekend for a change, because I got home early on Friday (9 pm is early as far as I'm concerned), I got to sleep in late Saturday (worked 2-10 pm), was going to stay up working on game notes all Saturday night but the game was cancelled, got an extra hour of sleep due to the time change, and then came in about three hours later than I'd originally planned to help out a friend with cleaning (I usually do that for the game anyway). I got home about oh, 7 or 8 pm last night and was in bed by 10 pm). Okay, enough for a quick update. Time to carry on.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
The man whose books introduced me to oral history is dead
Author, activist Studs Terkel dies at 96
Also a story from the Chicago Tribune.
Be sure to check out Studs Terkel: Conversation with America sponsored by the Chicago Historical Society. Then there's Wikipedia's article on Studs Terkel, too.
I first encountered Studs Terkel's work in a history class when I read The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two. His writing and expertise really brought the stories alive. I've had an interest in oral history ever since, both in history classes and one in library school. He must have had a wonderful talent for rapport to have gotten so many people to talk about often harrowing or difficult experiences.
Also a story from the Chicago Tribune.
Be sure to check out Studs Terkel: Conversation with America sponsored by the Chicago Historical Society. Then there's Wikipedia's article on Studs Terkel, too.
I first encountered Studs Terkel's work in a history class when I read The Good War: An Oral History of World War Two. His writing and expertise really brought the stories alive. I've had an interest in oral history ever since, both in history classes and one in library school. He must have had a wonderful talent for rapport to have gotten so many people to talk about often harrowing or difficult experiences.
Because robbers usually knock politely on the door at Halloween
Police: Man feared trick-or-treater was robber: Boy, 12, shot dead in S.C. after approaching home; father, brother wounded
Gods, can't people with AK-47s at least invest in peepholes? Or does this just go under a case of a paranoid ex-convict (for drug charges) shooting first and damn the consequences? I mean, okay, it's within the realm of possibility that someone might try a home invasion during trick-or-treat hours, but what is it with people shooting first before even looking at the person they're shooting at? We've had one of those cases in Lexington recently and the person was acquitted. They're dangerous, loose cannons, as far as I'm concerned, if they shoot a gun without even looking at the person at whom they're shooting. There's no sign that he was on drugs or alcohol at the time of the shooting, although a woman in the residence ran away with thousands of dollars and has been charged with obstruction of justice, so that may explain the paranoia of robbery, but you also have to wonder why anyone would keep that sort of cash in the house.
Seriously, though, my thoughts and prayers are with T.J. Darrisaw's family. It's a horrible tragedy, and I hope the shooter is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
SUMTER, S.C. - An ex-convict who thought he was being robbed gunned down a 12-year-old trick-or-treater, spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door, police said Saturday.
Gods, can't people with AK-47s at least invest in peepholes? Or does this just go under a case of a paranoid ex-convict (for drug charges) shooting first and damn the consequences? I mean, okay, it's within the realm of possibility that someone might try a home invasion during trick-or-treat hours, but what is it with people shooting first before even looking at the person they're shooting at? We've had one of those cases in Lexington recently and the person was acquitted. They're dangerous, loose cannons, as far as I'm concerned, if they shoot a gun without even looking at the person at whom they're shooting. There's no sign that he was on drugs or alcohol at the time of the shooting, although a woman in the residence ran away with thousands of dollars and has been charged with obstruction of justice, so that may explain the paranoia of robbery, but you also have to wonder why anyone would keep that sort of cash in the house.
Seriously, though, my thoughts and prayers are with T.J. Darrisaw's family. It's a horrible tragedy, and I hope the shooter is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Oh, my God
Militants stone to death Somali rape victim, 13: Amnesty: Stadium packed with 1,000 spectators watched horrific slaying
Somehow I don't think the rapists (assuming they're caught) will suffer in any way as much as this child did. How horrible that things like this happen in the world, especially in the name of religion.
Dozens of men stoned Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow to death Oct. 27 in a stadium packed with 1,000 spectators in the southern port city of Kismayo, Amnesty International and Somali media reported, citing witnesses. The Islamic militia in charge of Kismayo had accused her of adultery after she reported that three men had raped her, the rights group said.
Somehow I don't think the rapists (assuming they're caught) will suffer in any way as much as this child did. How horrible that things like this happen in the world, especially in the name of religion.
Goodnight Opus, and goodbye
When I was in college, Bloom County was my favourite comic in the newspaper (well, back then it was in our campus paper, not the city one). I loved the penguin Opus--as did a friend, to whom I gave a stuffed one one year. I am an initiate in the Bill the Cat society (I cannot give details of that moving ceremony, for it is most secret). Then Bloom County ended and life was sad.
But then Opus returned in the eponymous comic strip, this time graduating up to the city paper. And Berkeley Breathed continued to entertain with his creations. But now the comic is retiring, and today was the last strip, and it went out in a way that made this librarian cry. (Okay, I cry at the drop of a hat, but still....)
Be sure to see the last published strip, then go to the Humane Society's web page to see the last frame. Thanks Great Western Dragon from LISNews for the links.
But then Opus returned in the eponymous comic strip, this time graduating up to the city paper. And Berkeley Breathed continued to entertain with his creations. But now the comic is retiring, and today was the last strip, and it went out in a way that made this librarian cry. (Okay, I cry at the drop of a hat, but still....)
Be sure to see the last published strip, then go to the Humane Society's web page to see the last frame. Thanks Great Western Dragon from LISNews for the links.
Always good to know the Air Force is on top of things
Well, except that whole live-warheads-over-your-hometown thing. Well, and I still wonder about Project Blue Book.
Wannabe Bond Villains' Last Line Of Defense
But what happens to the maintenance crew? Do they get trapped inside? Really, though, in defence spending terms, $10 million to secure the 450 Minuteman III silos is well worth it in my opinion, having spent a couple of years living in the midst of missile silos (I think ours were Titan II's, in Kansas) and another 10 or so on Air Force bases (read, Ground Zero for nuclear conflicts [a child of the Nuclear Age and Cold War, I didn't so much worry about surviving a nuclear war until I moved to Kentucky]).
But check into the plug if you plan on having a secret underground base from which to achieve world domination.
Wannabe Bond Villains' Last Line Of Defense
But what happens to the maintenance crew? Do they get trapped inside? Really, though, in defence spending terms, $10 million to secure the 450 Minuteman III silos is well worth it in my opinion, having spent a couple of years living in the midst of missile silos (I think ours were Titan II's, in Kansas) and another 10 or so on Air Force bases (read, Ground Zero for nuclear conflicts [a child of the Nuclear Age and Cold War, I didn't so much worry about surviving a nuclear war until I moved to Kentucky]).
But check into the plug if you plan on having a secret underground base from which to achieve world domination.
Wow!
Check out Livio De Marchi's Casa di Libri. The sculptures are magnificent. Imagine an entire house where common things like beds or tables are made in a book motif, and appliances are hidden in a secret place behind bookshelves, too.
Thanks to Librarian for this site.
Thanks to Librarian for this site.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)