Tonight I walked home from the Prospect Park YMCA (which isn't all that close to Prospect Park.) It was nice out so I decided to take the scenic route by Grand Army Plaza, Mount Prospect Park, the Botanic Garden, the Museum, and the Library.
Walking up to the library, I noticed that there were people sitting around the brand new plaza. That wasn't much of a surprise--I figured a few homeless people found their way there every night. But then I saw that a couple of the people were sitting on benches with their computers open.
The library closed at 6 pm tonight (and it was 9 by the time I walked by) but people were still using the library's resources. Everyone can appreciate free wi-fi in a beautiful on a brisk almost spring evening.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Phoning Librarians
Every Wednesday, my former classmate Greg Schwartz, moderates Uncontrolled Vocabulary a podcast for librarians.
For the second time ever, I called in. It always makes me a little nervous; the library I work at is much different from others. If you listen, you'll notice that I have absolutely NOTHING to say about the Swift/Computers in Libraries thing.
I get the Computers in Libraries glossy promo but there is no way my boss would pay for me to go. We're still trying to get our copiers networked. And I don't think I have a cable for our scanner. I didn't even know what Swift was.
But, if you're a librarian, you should listen to Uncontrolled Vocabulary. It's a great way to find out what's going on in the library world.
For the second time ever, I called in. It always makes me a little nervous; the library I work at is much different from others. If you listen, you'll notice that I have absolutely NOTHING to say about the Swift/Computers in Libraries thing.
I get the Computers in Libraries glossy promo but there is no way my boss would pay for me to go. We're still trying to get our copiers networked. And I don't think I have a cable for our scanner. I didn't even know what Swift was.
But, if you're a librarian, you should listen to Uncontrolled Vocabulary. It's a great way to find out what's going on in the library world.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Speech
Did you hear it? Incredible. A presidential candidate speaking about race.
"The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country – a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen – is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."
Just take 37 minutes and listen. Really listen.
"The profound mistake of Reverend Wright’s sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It’s that he spoke as if our society was static; as if no progress has been made; as if this country – a country that has made it possible for one of his own members to run for the highest office in the land and build a coalition of white and black; Latino and Asian, rich and poor, young and old -- is still irrevocably bound to a tragic past. But what we know -- what we have seen – is that America can change. That is true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope – the audacity to hope – for what we can and must achieve tomorrow."
Just take 37 minutes and listen. Really listen.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Nueva Jersey
Spitzer
What are we to make of powerful men who can't keep it in their pants? Or at least can't keep it in their pants in a discrete manner.
I don't know. I think Bing's assessment is fairly apt--powerful men tend to be assholes.
What I think is more interesting are the ten million stories regarding the legalization of prostitution and additional ten million stories on the "Stand by Your Man" phenomenon.
I don't really think about prostitution much. My problem with the discussion is that it assumes that all types of prostitution are the same. The woman on the street working for her pimp is really nothing like Ms. Dupre These are two completely different levels of body selling. Maybe the best remedy for prostitution is decriminalization rather than legalization. This would protect the women on the street but let the high-class call girls continue their (apparently highly prized) services.
The Stand by Your Man thing has got to stop! Please, political wives, just let him stand there and look stupid. He deserves whatever comes his way because of it.
I don't know. I think Bing's assessment is fairly apt--powerful men tend to be assholes.
What I think is more interesting are the ten million stories regarding the legalization of prostitution and additional ten million stories on the "Stand by Your Man" phenomenon.
I don't really think about prostitution much. My problem with the discussion is that it assumes that all types of prostitution are the same. The woman on the street working for her pimp is really nothing like Ms. Dupre These are two completely different levels of body selling. Maybe the best remedy for prostitution is decriminalization rather than legalization. This would protect the women on the street but let the high-class call girls continue their (apparently highly prized) services.
The Stand by Your Man thing has got to stop! Please, political wives, just let him stand there and look stupid. He deserves whatever comes his way because of it.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Figuring stuff out.
I've thought about getting my Ph.D. since I was in grade school. First, it was going to be in Mathematics, then Psychology. The life of a professor really appealed to me. The teaching, the office, the idea of tenure.
I majored in Religion in college and immediately embarked on my academic career.
It was the biggest mistake I ever made. After two years of grad school, I was burned out. I was in tears when I heard my last papers had to be in two weeks early in order to graduate on time. I wrote the papers (they were incredibly crappy) and graduated. I had applied to and gotten into the Ph.D. program, but turned it down. I was 24 and had been in school since I entered pre-kindergarten at 4. Enough was enough. I needed to work.
But then, I couldn't find a job. All that education and nothing. I temped for awhile and finally got a job at a law firm as a legal assistant's assistant. The work wasn't bad and it paid well but I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life. So, I went to library school.
I really like being a librarian. I get to help people find stuff and the work isn't overly stressful.
But, I've decided to go back to school. Again. I think it's a good career moves.
But I'm not always sure this is the best idea. I'm excited about my topic but maybe I should just make some money. What if I do all this school and, once again, have trouble finding a decent job? Do I really want to spend the next four years or so living on a students salary? It was one thing when I was 22 and library school was only one year--at 32 it's a whole different story. I'll be uprooting my entire life for what? More education? Will having this education truly raise my earning potential? I wish I could see that this will be worth it because at the moment, I'm just not sure...
(I promise not to have too many diary entries on this thing. I'm just not thinking about much else at the moment.)
I majored in Religion in college and immediately embarked on my academic career.
It was the biggest mistake I ever made. After two years of grad school, I was burned out. I was in tears when I heard my last papers had to be in two weeks early in order to graduate on time. I wrote the papers (they were incredibly crappy) and graduated. I had applied to and gotten into the Ph.D. program, but turned it down. I was 24 and had been in school since I entered pre-kindergarten at 4. Enough was enough. I needed to work.
But then, I couldn't find a job. All that education and nothing. I temped for awhile and finally got a job at a law firm as a legal assistant's assistant. The work wasn't bad and it paid well but I didn't want to do it for the rest of my life. So, I went to library school.
I really like being a librarian. I get to help people find stuff and the work isn't overly stressful.
But, I've decided to go back to school. Again. I think it's a good career moves.
But I'm not always sure this is the best idea. I'm excited about my topic but maybe I should just make some money. What if I do all this school and, once again, have trouble finding a decent job? Do I really want to spend the next four years or so living on a students salary? It was one thing when I was 22 and library school was only one year--at 32 it's a whole different story. I'll be uprooting my entire life for what? More education? Will having this education truly raise my earning potential? I wish I could see that this will be worth it because at the moment, I'm just not sure...
(I promise not to have too many diary entries on this thing. I'm just not thinking about much else at the moment.)
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Change might be coming....
Healthcare
Just watched 60 minutes. They featured a segment on the health care crisis in America. A group called the Remote Area Medical goes around the country providing medical care to the un- and under- insured.
Remote Area Medical was originally created to go to remote areas in the developing world and war zones. Not the United States.
Like the woman at the end of the segment, I wonder why the richest country in the world can not take care of it's own citizens. It makes no sense. It's ridiculous and embarrassing.
No matter who gets elected, I hope they will work for universal coverage.
Remote Area Medical was originally created to go to remote areas in the developing world and war zones. Not the United States.
Like the woman at the end of the segment, I wonder why the richest country in the world can not take care of it's own citizens. It makes no sense. It's ridiculous and embarrassing.
No matter who gets elected, I hope they will work for universal coverage.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
