Links of Interest

[neadods]

The Librarian
Gakked from hildy - The American Library Association presents: What real librarians thought of The Librarian. They were asked to rate it on enjoyability and on how it presented librarians in general.

Predictably, some just didn't get it, particularly the one who complained that "its paper-thin structure is a compilation of uncomfortably recognizable snippets from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Sherlock Holmes, and Romancing the Stone." (Dude! They're called "homages"!) On the other hand, there was the ubercool one who said "Not since Buffy left network TV and we lost Giles have I had so much fun with a librarian on television." Bonus points for the one who answered "What would you like The Librarian to tackle in any future sequel?" with "Karl Rove's evil empire." And I got a kick out of "What was the most "real" aspect of the film? Not one thing really, that's why it was fun."

EXTREME bonus points and amusement to "What was the most "real" aspect of the film? The fact that librarians know everything and that we are all part of a secret society." Although the one that totally made me laugh out loud was the pained review from the woman with degrees in archeology and library science: "What was the most "real" aspect of the film? Uh...Gravity apparently still functions."

Politics, but not as usual
On a much more serious note, Senator Barbara Boxer has signed the vote to challenge the Ohio electoral votes. There was a challenge to the electoral vote in 2000, but it wasn't discussed in Congress because a Senator didn't sign it. This time, one has. Now the Congress must discuss the electoral vote, for no less than 2 hours per house. Will it change the outcome? Of course not. But it will, hopefully, highlight voting irregularity. Ohio was a deciding state - a state which saw voter suppression and faults in the electronic machines - like the one that registered more votes for Bush than people who voted - by a couple of thousand votes. The system our country is founded on is broken. Bush has nothing to lose by addressing these problems. This is something he should welcome to prevent lost confidence in our most basic right!

Already RushLimbaugh.com and Glendale Oregon News are ripping her new ones, calling her a fool, a traitor, a terrorist sympathizer, etc. You can write her here.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nymphette_/]

like the one that registered more votes for Bush than people who voted - by a couple of thousand votes.

...four miles from me in Gahannah, Ohio, and was immediately caught during the first 'final' tally, and found to be an actually computer glitch *this* time... one which STILL would not have even smidged the outcome of the state, even if the glitch had gone in Kerry's favor.

*wink* :-)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, even this challenge won't change anything; that's a given.

But that there were problems in Gahannah, and that it wasn't all over the front pages across the country with immediate suggestions on how it was definately going to be fixed by the next election - huge problem. Particularly since this is the election that was supposed to have been "reformed" since the trainwreck of 2000.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nymphette_/]

...That's cause there IS no way to totally prevent random computer glitches. My company builds similar entry/reporting systems, and the best you can do is make sure there's a balancing 'counter' on the back-end reporting.

(did that make any sense?)

As in - There's a program built into the system that 'counts' the number of times the machine was used, AND a program that 'tallies' the votes in each catagory, but MOST importantly, a program that prepares a rreport which COMPARES the output of the other programs - which is how the overage was discovered this time. I know that all of those machines are tested prior to the big day, but even that, which seems like good, pro-active planning, can't account how the machine may handle 10 + hours into it's heaviest usage ever.

Voter turn out here was higher than ever in our state's history. Even at Kenyon College (where the people were waiting for hours) it was the same thing: They'd ALWAYS only requested 2 machines, but ended up with turn out in that precinct that was up over 400%. And easily corrected problem in the next one, eh? ; )

And I don't mean to say that I am NOT about fair elections or anything - but Ohio had NONE of the issues that made Florida such a train wreck, and what kill me is the celebrating tat NOW it's gonna get looked into: When this time? The 'evidence' for a tampered election is so much less convinceing than it was in 2000. My worry(with me being ALL FOR new leadership in the DNC) is that this move will further alienate the middle roaders who decided this election in the end, because on this evidence, it's so petty. Gore had a case!! It was freakishly close!! But this is grasping at straws :( And it's like "Where ithedemand for change!!??!!"

Or, in my case? "My darling democratice dudes and dudettes: I say this with all honest affction - Y'all ain't elected a president unless he was a southern govenor in 50 years. The problem ain't Ohio, it was Mr. K"

*hugese*

And WTH is wrong with people not liking the librarian???? I KNOW most of them posess senses of humor!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Gore did have a case, and we should have done this 4 years ago, agreed.

(And that's about as sensible as I can be, because I'm busy going "Dude! Kenyon! That was my alma mater!"

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

First off, I suddenly have an urge to watch THE LIBRARIAN again. :)

Second, if you ask me, Limbaugh's an idiot. If we can figuring out why people are listening to idiots like him (and why people are paying any mind to Fox News, too), then we'll make a dent in the division in this country. *sigh*

Barbara Boxer rocks. It may be a fruitless gesture, but if it helps bring back some of the confidence that the system works, it's not entirely pointless.

[fiona64.livejournal.com]

The simple answer is: people are stupid. The more complicated, and probably more accurate, answer is that programs like those on Fox, and commentators like Limbaugh, bear much in common with other propaganda machines we've read about in our history books. They manipulate the undereducated by scapegoating, just for one example. This election, the gay marriage issue was used in much the same way that (if you'll all excuse the violation of Godwin's Law), Jews were scapegoated by the Reichstag. And that's to say nothing of the "If you ain't with us, yer agin' us" attitude displayed toward anyone who actually had the PATRIOTIC good sense to stand up and say "This is NOT right."

[lagilman]

the other hand, there was the ubercool one who said "Not since Buffy left network TV and we lost Giles have I had so much fun with a librarian on television."

Tell me that wasn't girasole! :-D

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I don't know her real name - maybe!

*wave*

[ambitious-wench.livejournal.com]

Hi, Nea.

I just read your bit over in Gin's community about Taming of the Shrew. I found it fascinating, and decided I'd like to keep up with your writing in the future. To that end, I've friended you.

I hope you take it as a compliment, and not find it invasive. I won't be offended if you don't add me to your Flist.

I find you a nice balance to Gin--different viewpoints, but you both see the same goals, I think.

Just wanted to introduce myself proper-like, and not lurk in the shadows.

Edie

Re: *wave*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I hope you take it as a compliment, and not find it invasive. Not in the least, friend away, I hope you enjoy! My LJ tends to be 1/3 politics, 1/3 general info, and 1/3 navelgazing. Yes, I'm not like Gin, but we do have similar opinions from different directions. I hope I get to meet her someday.

And good luck with Boo!