February 2011
85 posts
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Our favorite old lady
called the library today because she heard that Ireland was in the EU, but England is not, and she wanted to know how this could happen, and if she had missed any of the news of Ireland’s independence from England.
I did not ask her if she had received that telegraph in 1922.
Then I informed her that the UK is, in fact, in the EU; they just use the Pound instead of the Euro. That just...
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In which I reveal my elitism and corresponding...
I make pretentious assumptions about our chat patrons based on their typing. Whether it is text-speak, or overly formal. I make assumptions about the patron’s age, sex, ethnicity, and overall competency, and I come to resent the patron pretty much regardless of what I think the answers to those questions are.
But it’s especially bad when you tell me your scholarly investigation today...
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“You see, Persephone is come from the Greek “Persephone,” which is...”
– I’m a world-class ‘dad-from-my-big-fat-greek-wedding’ style Grecophile.
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They should just relabel the recycling bins in my apartment complex “beer bottles” and “Trader Joe’s bags.”
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American Girl Dolls
are the subject of today’s class. Everyone has an opinion.
Myself and the other 3 representatives of my gender are being informed by the rest of the class.
Do y’all have any opinions, so I can have something to contribute?
Dear Classmate,
You are not in charge of the class. Everyone is tired of it.
Plus our guest speaker’s name is Biff, and he has a fine beard. That is all that matters today.
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That was just a boyhood fantasy.
Real marine biologists just squeeze the poop out of fish and analyze it for their doctoral theses.
Also he had fish swimming around in vases on the tables at his wedding. Fish he later froze to death.
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Yesterday and Tuesday I was in the dungeon/lab digitizing the sweet 500-year-old Persian manuscript collection, and I was struck with an inspiration.
There on the delicate but still vibrant pages, in an illumination of ancient battle and triumph, lay the clear image of a dog licking another dog’s balls.
Perhaps it was a comment by the artist to juxtapose his nation’s victory with the...
I only check in on the NBA to see when the Oklaseattle Thundersonics are playing the New Charleans Bobcornets.
And I only check in on the WNBA every couple years out of sheer curiosity that it still exists.
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Let me get this straight. You don’t want to provide healthcare, but now you want to legalize homicide?
Fantastic. Well done, Nebraska; glad to see you picking up the torch of civilization.
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Beer to be classified as alcohol in Russia for the... →
Now beer won’t be provided in the free school lunch program. Only vodka.
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Current Top 5
Things I love-hate:
Thomas Wolfe
My Jeep
Everyone in the library profession
Country music
The South
Things I regular hate:
Country radio stations
Mobile, truck-mounted billboards
Stick-people bumper stickers that represent your family
Michelle Bachmann
People who act like they’ve never been out in public. (I’m looking at you, Wal-Mart shoppers)
Honorable mention to morbid...
Gmail’s new interface makes me think there’s something just above the window that I can’t scroll up to see.
It’s like a horrible itch.
In their next move, House Republicans aim to arrest and torture all the nation’s kittens - because only women, Gypsies, and Satanists own cats, and America needs vital information on the activities of these domestic enemies.
Another honor code email?
And you put your department and graduation year in your signature line on an email to that department, to the people who will graduate with you?
This school breeds hyper-professionality, and it creeps me out.
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Library Restroom Attendants
We don’t have them.
The particular individuals offering services in the men’s room were doing so without authorization.
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Ready reference questions are weird
heroicdestinysquad:
So in the days before Google, most reference questions were ready reference questions. Things like, what’s the population of Milwaukee, or who is the Archbishop of Canterbury. Now, the only people who ask those are really old people. Most priests also tend to be really old people. So, at least once a week, I get an old priest (not affiliated with the college at all),...
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“Awesome, go tits!
… *got it.”
– chat patron, when asked whether he/she has gotten into the link to an e-book.
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"If something is in the Information and Library...
Really, another library science student asking where the library science library is?
I hate you so much.
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The Modern Library List of 100 Best Novels of the... →
libraryland:
Read one of the many news articles attacking the list’s lack of diversity and frankly off choices here.
buh. At least I’m not the only one who’s skeptical of this list. Where’s my man at? Nobody can love-hate a book the way I love-hate Thomas Wolfe.
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Conservatives are even funnier when they talk to you expecting you to agree with them because they think you’re one of them just because you’re a white guy whose accent makes the words “are” and “our” sound the same.
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Georgia GOP Rep wants police to investigate all... →
Christ. Last time I checked, this was the goddamn United States of America, where we don’t prosecute people for their medical history. But every time I look to my right, it just gets worse. Even while the people of Libya are standing up for their human rights and being killed for it, this is happening here in the 21st goddamn century.
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The hell is this, a football game?
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“None of us humans really wanted to watch Watson on Jeopardy, but our DVRs...”
Quiet, quiet--: A side note: the House isn't... →
hermionedanger:
glossylalia:
makeshiftspaceship:
Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure House Republicans are riling us up about Planned Parenthood to distract us from other bullshit they are pulling. They don’t want us to be loud and angry while we point out how weak and pathetic their…
Goddamnit, this is the 21st goddamn century. How is this behavior acceptable? How could this even...
Um...
camiwillknow:
Now, Republicans, I’m not trying to start any fights, but can you clear something up for me? You’re against abortion (regardless of the health needs of the mother), against healthcare, against most government welfare programs (which help whole families, including actual living, breathing children), for war, and for killing abortion providers.
Is what you’re trying to tell me is...
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Oh, you want to actually have the discussion? That’s a whole other class; we’re just here to talk about how there is a discussion.
There is an Australian Shepherd puppy outside.
Your argument is invalid.
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"Although no actual evidence was substantiated by...
[for the impact of cultural institutions on wider social issues], we’re going to talk about how good cultural institutions are anyway because it makes us feel good, and that’s all we’re really about here in library school.
Nevermind the fact that article admits that the evidence doen’t support it at all.
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I instinctively went to roll up my sleeves, but then I realized I was wearing a t-shirt.
At last, it’s 67 degrees with a high of 75. Spring has come to Dixie!
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People who use social media for professional development are almost as bad as people who use words like “social media” and “professional development.”
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Somebody keeps calling up here and not saying anything or calling up here and hanging up.
They ambushed me along with a chat patron and an in-person patron staking me out as soon as I opened up the desk at 9.
It’s probably some old lady with poor motor function and a poor understanding telephones. Those assholes.
Reading some Plato again.
hague-nite:
Quickly realized that many educated mansplainers have probably just read too much of Plato’s “Republic”.
Yes. Plato completely neglected the possibility of rule by Philosopher Queens.
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Dear Colleague,
Can you do something besides take personal calls on the reference desk? I thought you were supposed to be the professional and I was supposed to be the degenerate grad student.
Thanks,
Watson
