tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46940473972581757762024-03-05T00:21:26.548-05:00Everything you never wanted to know about nothingNottabrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17695866124153288488noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-35851341841501616542008-04-25T07:30:00.002-04:002008-04-25T08:51:15.743-04:00Another Point of ViewHi<br />You may not remember me. I am Librarian Randy. I haven't posted in awhile but my friend Matthatter has given me incentive. There are few things I care more about than the health of my family. I have a two year old daughter and I hope, as I imagine all father's must, that she will live in a better world than the one I slogged through. I want her to live long enough to enjoy that world.<br /><br />In a recent statistical analysis of infant mortality showing countries with the fewest infant deaths the United States was not in the top ten or even in the top twenty (U.S. News & World Report 142.11 (March 26, 2007): p46.). Who was in the top ten? Several countries with socialized medicine. Why should that be? We are told that health care is better in the US precisely because we do not have socialized medicine. Because our doctors can turn a very high profit for their work, they must be the best and brightest in their field (The Best Careers for 2007.<br />U.S. News & World Report 142.10 (March 19, 2007)). So why are our children dieing? <br /><br />Our hospitals seem to be in trouble too. Though the not-for-profit institutions seem to be doing fairly well economically (Healthcare Financial Management 60.8 (August 2006): p.18) all hospitals in the US are having problems paying the bills. The common source of complaint? Lack of Federal Funding in the form of Medicare/Medicade payments (Physician Executive 29.5 (Sept-Oct 2003): p.6(10)). Hospitals across the country can not afford to pay the cost of the uninsured and under insured. Sadly, the average worker in the US does not earn enough to make his house payments let alone pay the rather extreme cost of even basic health insurance. This is a trend that is likely to continue and increase with the nation facing recession. Who is paying for this? We are. The well insured pay higher premiums and taxes in order to get medical care. The rest of us try to afford what health care we can and still pay higher taxes and get less benefit from what insurance we have. Medicare forms the backbone for most if not all insurance coverage. Current predictions suggest that Medicade/Medicare will fail in the next few years (The Increasing Cost of Health Care.<br />Health Care System, The. Ed. Barbara Wexler. 2007 ed. Detroit: Thomson Gale, 2007) without increased spending. Should that occur health costs will skyrocket to unimaginable heights.<br /><br />So what are we going to do? My father, an immigrant to this country who traveled the world for most of his life, hated socialized medicine. He constantly told me of the long lines in Holland and the UK just to get an appointment with a physician. Sadly, though I have worked since I was fifteen and have two degrees I was not able to afford regular health care for myself until I turned thirty-nine. I still can not afford adequate insurance for my family and likely never will. I went for more than eighteen years between seeing a doctor. My two trips to the hospital, in that time, drove me into bankruptcy. My situation was not and is not unique. My father's complaints about waiting to see a physician held less and less weight for me when I knew year in and year out that I could not afford a doctor's visit. If we do not change the way we conduct health care in this country soon only the very wealthy will have access to medical care. I want my family to to be healthy. I want my daughter to live in a better world. I want some form of universal health care in this country. I don't care what you call it, mandatory national insurance, insurance cost caps or even socialized medicine, I want better access to health care for my family and child. A single uninsured visit to the hospital cost me my annual salary in 1999. Corporate recompense for employee medical insurance is the reason most American companies site for their inability to compete with foreign goods. Current medical insurance, far from giving us better access to health care is costing us more and getting us less annually. Something must be done. Raise my taxes. I can not enjoy my salary if I can not afford health care for my family.librarianrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670074690004544996noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-25742565761866416492008-04-11T10:31:00.003-04:002008-04-11T13:31:21.231-04:00Things I ponderWhy do people think "Universal/Free/Government" <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Health care</span> would be a GOOD thing? Because (in theory) you don't have to pay for it? Are we really that delusional? Put aside the paying part for a second though - you want to trust THE GOVERNMENT to run the entire <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">health care</span> industry in this country?! They can't even run one small segment of the market (The VA Hospitals) without rampant overspending, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">incompetence</span>, and scandal - but lets hand them the entire thing?<br /><br />I just think people need to step back and really contemplate the size and scope of this thing. The government will destroy <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">health care</span>. It will not look the way it does right now. Would that benefit some people? Sure. Would it screw over a bunch more? <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Definitely</span>.<br /><br />And if I can go back to the cost again for a second. Frankly, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">isn't</span> there something <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">un</span>-American about asking me to pay for my 2-pack-of-smokes, 12-pack-of-beer-a-day neighbor? The one that brags about not seeing a doctor in 15 years? I refuse to feel obligated to "cover" <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">health care</span> for people who choose a different lifestyle. I don't think you should have to pay for it either.<br /><br />I *do* think there needs to be affordable <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">health care</span> available for people. But *free* is not the same as *affordable* and either way I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">don't</span> want the government involved, at all. I think <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">that's</span> where a lot of people go off the rails. Not to mention, before we go making the government pay for it - why <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">don't</span> we look at why it costs so much in the first place?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Ok</span> so maybe that would be another (long) post by itself, so lets just consider this: People love to demonize the oil companies for all the money they make, right? (Most recent data I found was for 2006, when they achieved a profit of about 9 percent of sales.) But the drug companies?<br /><br /><blockquote><p>...ranked far above all other American industries in average net return, whether as a percentage of sales (18.5 percent), of assets (16.3 percent), or of shareholders' equity (33.2 percent). These are astonishing margins. For comparison, the median net return for all other industries in the Fortune 500 was only 3.3 percent of sales. Commercial banking, itself no slouch as an aggressive industry with many friends in high places, was a distant second, at 13.5 percent of sales. Source: "The Fortune 500," Fortune, April 15, 2002, p. F26</p></blockquote><br /><br />Before we try asking the government to run our entire nation's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">health care</span>, how about we see if they can fix this one facet of the problem to start with? Now that my friends, is something to ponder.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-18442842487699413752008-04-08T12:32:00.005-04:002008-04-08T13:23:08.902-04:00Let's Cook<a href="http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/Ironmatt71/Things%20I%20cooked/Dinner-Mar-141.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn245/Ironmatt71/Things%20I%20cooked/Dinner-Mar-141.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>One thing I really enjoy, is cooking. Not to be confused with *baking* - <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that's</span> a completely different animal that I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">don't</span> seem to have acquired a knack for yet. Although if I had a new mixer/blender thing... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hmmm</span>...</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Where were we? Cooking! Right... Since I write about anything, today I will write about one of my recently-found new-favorite recipes - <strong>Roasted Pork Loin w/ Asparagus and Mustard <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Vinaigrette</span> Sauce.</strong> If you like pork loin or asparagus, this might be a winner for you too. I happen to like both, and I count mustard on my short list of "favorite condiments" - so this one is right in my wheelhouse.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Prep on this dish is pretty simple, which is why I like it. Often when I get home, I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">don't</span> have a ton of time to cook dinner so I like stuff like this that involves hands-free cooking. You can add more flavor to it if time and circumstances allow, but really you can do the basics and get a nice easy meal out of this. Kudos to Real Simple magazine for publishing the recipe!</div><br /><div></div><br /><ul><br /><li>Pork Loin ~1.5lbs or so - a bit more if you want leftovers.</li><br /><li>Salt and Pepper - Stolen Salt = More flavor!</li><br /><li>Good quality gin - (Plymouth, Bombay Sapphire)</li><br /><li>1 bunch of Asparagus (usually about a pound, good for 2 big servings, 3 small)</li><br /><li>2-3 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">golf ball</span> sized Shallots - 1 small sweet onion if not available</li><br /><li>Olive Oil</li><br /><li>Tonic Water (Schweppes is my brand)</li><br /><li>Over-safe skillet or pan</li><br /><li>1 tbsp Coarse-Grained mustard, I like something brown and spicy</li><br /><li>2tbsp Cider Vinegar</li><br /><li>Highball glass w/Ice</li></ul><br /><p>So its pretty simple: Pour an ounce or two of gin (depending on your day) into the highball glass. Add tonic to taste. Set aside. Turn the oven on, to 400... turn the stove on to medium high, put a splash of oil in the pan and the pork loin. Season to taste with salt and pepper... I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">don't</span> put a ton on, but I think the original called for 1/4 teaspoon which seemed way too little for a 2lb pork loin. Drink a bit of gin as a reward - now we're cooking!</p><br /><p>Let the loin cook and brown a little on each side, turn it every 3-4 minutes until the outside is cooked all the way around. WHILE the loin cooks, rinse off the asparagus, and slice the shallots (onion) into small wedges. Lay out the asparagus in a single layer on a cookie sheet - I always line mine with foil for easier cleanup. Now layer the chopped shallots over the top... then sprinkle with Salt and Pepper to taste. </p><br /><p>By now the loin has likely cooked all around, it usually takes me about 10 minutes to prep the asparagus. Take another swallow of the G&T, then take the entire pan, and stick it in the oven - Set timer for 20 minutes... </p><br /><p>At this point, I usually do 2 things. Drink more gin, and change out of my work clothes into something comfy like jeans or sweats. I suppose I could clean up the kitchen a little, but then the Life Partner wouldnt have much to do when she gets home. By the time I return, the timer is down to around ~8 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mins</span> and its time to put in the asparagus! Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil, using a couple tablespoons... My tool of choice here is an oil sprayer I got for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Christmas</span>. Once its been drizzled (Not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">jizzled</span> - <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">that's</span> what Pawl does) slide it into the oven. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Didn't</span> burn yourself? Celebrate with another swig of gin! Note how much time is left on the timer, too.</p><br /><p>While the last of the timer counts down, mix the Cider Vinegar, the Mustard, and 1/3 cup Olive Oil together to make the sauce. A whisk works awesome for this - you need to aerate the oil to get a good mix, and a spoon won't cut it. Just takes ~90 seconds of whisking, and your sauce = done. Did the timer go off yet? No? Well then we should take another sip...<br /></p><p>Ding! Timer! Your pork roast should be about done - you can get fancy and check it with a thermometer if you want. Now reset your timer to 15 minus when you put in the asparagus.... hopefully something around 10 minutes or so. The pork needs to "rest" for at least 5 minutes before slicing... I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">don't</span> remember why, but all the good cooking books say to do it. Maybe its for the cook to rest? I prefer to drink while I rest... your call though.</p><br /><p>Once the timer is down 5 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">mins</span>, I start slicing the pork and plating it. (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">That's</span> a fancy cook term I learned watching Iron Chef) By the time I get a couple plates cut, the timer goes off, and I add a pile of asparagus and shallots to the plate. To top it off I drizzle (again, NOT <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">jizzle</span>) the Mustard Sauce over the meat and veggies... and viola! </p><br /><p>I like to serve it with a crusty bread on the side (as you can hopefully see in my picture) that I dip in olive oil on the side. Pork, Asparagus, Bread. Ready in 35-40 minutes, and really pretty easy...</p>Some customization ideas: If you plan ahead, you can also marinate the loin the night before, giving it some added flavor. I have used Teriyaki and a Garlic/Balsamic Vinegar mix before. And the Asparagus can take some added flavor too if you like - squirt some lemon juice on there in the last 5 minutes of cook time, or add garlic cloves to the shallots at the start. Roasted Garlic? Mmmmm... I better go eat now.<br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-60332465595459096982008-04-04T12:00:00.002-04:002008-04-04T12:39:41.080-04:00Its Friday...!I rebuilt my PC yesterday. The results? Wow. I'm not half-bad at this computer thing... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">haha</span>!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ok</span> seriously - from looking into it a little further, my machine had been running on the same installation of the OS for FOUR YEARS! I had files stacked upon files upon files, all over the drive. I had 62GB worth of games - many of which I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">haven't</span> played in 3+ years, some of them I thought I had <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">uninstalled</span>(!) previously. What made me do it? Just a general feeling that it was time and a few specific things...<br /><br />Stuff like trying to open "My Computer" and it sits there for ~30 seconds before it actually OPENS the window. Bizarre things like, opening a Word document, and waiting a minute before stuff appears on screen. It still played games <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ok</span>, mostly, from what I could tell... most of my gaming is done on my laptop these days so I can't say for sure.<br /><br />Past experience has taught me that regular rebuilds of Windows are a GOOD thing, for system health and sanity. Imagine your operating system as say... the hull of a ship. When you plop it into the water for the first time everything is (usually) pretty tight. But then ... there are some "patches" released, for holes you <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">didn't</span> notice before. Then a few more patches... then a Service Pack.... maybe the odd "tool" that they "recommend" you have. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ohh</span> and hell - why not a full blown browser overhaul! Fast forward, and you can barely see the original "hull" with all the shit plastered over it! And face it - the patch jobs are never as stable as the original...<br /><br />SO with this in mind, I rolled out a fresh <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">XP</span> Pro install yesterday, which ended up taking most of the day. Did a complete re-format, reloaded the OS, and by last night I had all the basics back on there. Only had time to install a couple things - Office 2007 and RACE 07 (new driving game) - but files opened instantly, and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">gameplay</span> was smooth as butter... <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">noticeable</span> improvement!<br /><br />I guess the moral of the story is... rebuild your box every now and then, if you want to keep it running in top shape. Its not terribly hard if you prep yourself before hand. A quick and dirty prep list:<br /><br /><ul><li>Gather <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">CDs</span> for everything you want to reinstall. The OS, Office, Anti-Virus, etc</li><li>Pull all of your data together on the drive, to make sure you have all of your stuff. Then backup the data to another machine or external drive.</li><li>Open the Device Manager, and document all of the critical hardware make/model information: video card, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ethernet</span>/network card(s), and motherboard <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">chipset</span> are the Big 3.</li><li>I prefer to download the latest drivers for all my stuff - and do it BEFORE the wipe! That way you install only the freshest drivers from the start - as opposed to reloading old versions, then patching to the newest.</li><li>Finally, before pressing "L" ... let someone you trust, or another user of your computer (Life Partner) look it over before you go. Never hurts to check twice!</li></ul><p>There are probably some further explanations and comments I could make on those steps but I have reached my lunch-time! A Jimmy John's sub and cold medication awaits.... </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-45387101720623645512008-04-02T16:07:00.003-04:002008-04-02T16:18:30.661-04:00Sick = SucksI hate getting sick. It happens like clockwork every spring though, when the first really warm day hits. I've been told its a mold allergy - when the dead shit that was frozen all winter thaws and rots - I get hit. Sinus pressure, nasty drainage... its a rotten week ahead for me. I sound like I have been smoking for 15 years right now. Wonderful. <br /><br />Anyways, tax season is almost over - a blessing and a curse. On the plus side, The Life Partner will be around again, for more than evening meals and 20 minutes of conversation. On the down side, The Life Partner will be around.... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">hahah</span>! It just means an end to my pseudo-bachelor status. Less <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wii</span> and PC, more "doing stuff" and TV. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hmmm</span>... <br /><br />The last 2 years, she has literally gone and lived elsewhere for days at a time, to be closer to work. It was a nice break, and I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">didn't</span> get to see all of what goes into her seasonal grind. This year I got to see it all.... I think we came out OK.<br /><br />And as it happens, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Subie</span> is coming out of its almost-5-month marathon session at the repair shop on the 15<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">th</span> - same day tax season ends. Talk about painful. I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">wasn't</span> going to drive it this winter anyways... but its costing BIG coin to fix/upgrade/maintain, which <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">isn't</span> too fun. Still, it should be worth it to get it back. The motor is essentially refreshed, lots of new internals. New hoses, new clutch, new turbo... its going to be wicked fast! <br /><br />Have to go now though - need to finish up at work so I can go spend my week-night with the Kids. Think we'll go to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">BW</span>3 for dinner tonight... they dig it, and its Kid's night so there is free ice cream <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">involved</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Wooo</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Hoo</span>!<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Lata</span>....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-43099352849582617642008-04-01T11:52:00.003-04:002008-04-01T12:47:45.048-04:00Right, Ok then.Since this space is basically dead, I'm posting here. Its a writing exercise. If <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that's</span> not OK just let me know, Librarian Lord Randy.<br /><br />Sometimes, I daydream. <br /><br />Sometimes it involves a vaguely-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Asian</span>, slightly built housekeeper in a french maid outfit, and.... well <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">never mind</span> those. Other times, mostly while sitting amidst traffic <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">calamities</span>, I daydream about posting driving aids along the freeway. I fully admit - I am probably in the minority when I see this as a "problem" since most people tend to blunder along from point A to B without thinking about it. <br /><br />But I'm starting to think Steve Jackson was on to something, putting guns on cars 20+ years ago. I have to believe it would cut down on the number of lunatics out there. And hey - I'd compromise, say maybe just legalize paint-rounds or something else non-lethal. But damn... some people out there need a shot. <br /><br />I drive with a few basic concepts in mind, that you could easily put on signs: Don't get in anyone <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">else's</span> way. Don't make other people crash. Drive in the lane you belong in. <br /><br />Its a pretty simple set of concepts, I think. If I am pulling out into a road, I look to see who is coming like anyone does - and then I think about what *I* am driving. Is it my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">POS</span> Cavalier? I better have a wide cushion there. Is it my Land-Rocket Subaru? I'll be doing 50 before they could finish calling me a motherfucker, and there will still be 40 feet between us. If I make someone hit the brakes to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">accommodate</span> me, I fucked up. <br /><br />On the freeway, I drive as fast as traffic allows. I don't expect to do 80 on the morning commute, and I drive accordingly. I always get a chuckle out of the guy who is weaving like mad in the morning - only to end up 3 cars ahead of me, on the off-ramp. Whats the point, at times like that? If you're in a real hurry - just use the damn shoulder and be done with it. On a related point: why are you driving like a madman in a goddamn MINIVAN?! That thing is a roll-over waiting to happen, you don't need to do 90mph and make it that much more likely... People need to think about what they are driving!<br /><br />When traffic is lighter, off-hours and weekends, I go a bit faster. If I'm in the left lane, where I belong, why not get out of my way? I do it for others, especially driving the Cavalier that tops out at ~75mph... just looking for some reciprocity out there! If your exit is coming up, say within a mile, GET OVER! Waiting until the ramp is in sight, to try your 3-lane-change is just fucking STUPID. I'm willing to give some people the benefit - maybe they were zoned out there - but when its Captain Swerves-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Alot</span> that ends up doing it... well, I find myself reaching for the trigger on my non-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">existent</span> Anti-Tank Gun. People should pay more attention to where they are at on the road, not just where the road is taking them.<br /><br />I think its pretty simple, really. Which might be why so few people "get it" - people try to make driving seem like such a hard complicated thing. I can accept that most people don't CARE enough to learn the rules of the road, but I did mention I like to daydream, right....?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Ahhh</span> well, back to my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Asian</span> housekeeper fantasy....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-43773793022463210242007-09-24T15:29:00.000-04:002007-09-24T15:33:56.189-04:00So there I was, on the internets... when I came across this story. Sort of reminded me of Dave's Singularity blurb that he shared a while back, and since I know the readers of this blog (all 10 of us) like neat, geeky ideas...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2007/09/21/sciuni121.xml">Time Travel May Be Possible...!</a><br /><br />Check it out, as they say.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-89202977455675967862007-09-06T09:35:00.000-04:002007-09-06T13:50:22.798-04:00Top Ten Vampire BooksIn no particular order, these are my favorite vampire books. I have a real love of the vampire story but I prefer the ones that break out of the mold. What are your faves?<br /><br /><ol><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Robin-McKinley/dp/0515138819/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189085769&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">Sunshine</span></a> by Robin McKinley *Recipe for tasty vamp yarn*Place in plot one young Minnesota girl working hard for the money, fold in turf war, vampire kidnappers, charming vampire lord and romantic involvement. Allow to slowly rise. Sprinkle with sardonic wit and a post voodoo war US and bake at 416 pages. This is a clever vamp romance with cinnamon buns what could be tastier. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agyar-Steven-Brust/dp/0765310236/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189086394&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle"></span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agyar-Steven-Brust/dp/0765310236/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189086394&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">Agyar</span></a> by Steven Brust - Steven Brust has always written lovely rich characters. He has a penchant for biting humor, noir dialog and twisting traditional genres. Who better than to write The Spy Who Came in from the Cold for the neck biting set. Agyar is an old vampire with old enemies. He is tired after generations of cruelty and horror. He just wants to settle down somewhere and live a quiet life. Saddly, for him but not the reader, this is not to be. </li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Legend-Richard-Matheson/dp/031286504X/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189086785&sr=1-2"><span class="srTitle">I Am Legend</span></a> by Richard Matheson - Using vampire as the definition of monster, Mr. Matheson crafts a post apocalypse story unlike any other. Blending equal parts horror, thriller and survival tale with a strong dose of science fiction, he creates not only a ripping tale but a calculated examination of what it means to be a monster.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/VAMPIRE-LESTAT-Anne-Rice/dp/B000GQQWBE/ref=sr_1_8/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189087096&sr=1-8"><span class="srTitle">The Vampire Lestat</span></a> by Anne Rice - Lestat, a bi-sexual eighteenth century French rogue with the morals of a rutting cat, tells what is like to be a vampire from his own charming ego centric point of view. This is a vamp tale with none of the Bram Stoker posturing just a happy serial killer trying to find love in the world. This book and the next virtually started the Romantic Goth movement and paved the way for Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Interview-Vampire-Anniversary-vampire-chronicles/dp/0394498216/ref=sr_1_7/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189087096&sr=1-7"><span class="srTitle"></span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Interview-Vampire-Anniversary-vampire-chronicles/dp/0394498216/ref=sr_1_7/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189087096&sr=1-7"><span class="srTitle">Interview with the Vampire: Anniversary edition (The vampire chronicles)</span></a> by Anne Rice - This is the Lestat tale from the other side. Though it was written and published before Lestat it feels like its sequel. It is darker, moodier and yes, a good deal more frightening. If Bram Stoker had ever written a sequel to Dracula, after getting drunk on Faulkner and Dashiel Hammet, with a vampiric John Harker as the protagonist, it might sound a lot like this. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Books-Vol-Price-Trail/dp/0756403871/ref=sr_1_2/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189088120&sr=1-2"><span class="srTitle"></span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Books-Vol-Price-Trail/dp/0756403871/ref=sr_1_2/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189088120&sr=1-2"><span class="srTitle">The Blood Books, Vol. 1 (Blood Price / Blood Trail)</span></a> by Tanya Huff - It is practically its own genre now, the street savvy detective yarn with the occult oriented protagonist and this is one of the best of the breed. Take one tough street smart lady cop with a fouled up love life add a true prick of a sixteenth century English lord vampire (with a penchant for little boys no less) and you have the makings of one of the best buddy cop teams ever. It is a classic clash of cultures between these two, funny, clever and with just enough pathos. Oh, and the mysteries are good too!<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sunglasses-After-Borealis-Nancy-Collins/dp/1565048490/ref=sr_1_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189088726&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">Sunglasses After Dark (Borealis)</span></a> by Nancy A. Collins and Thom Ang - If your a vampire and you want to push the envelope don't hunt humans hunt the other vamps. This is a no holds barred dark vampire thriller, in fact a series of them, that places the vampire mythos where it belongs far from mansions, money and the elite and down in the grime and grit, graft, lowlifes and murder. This eighties look at the world is nicely vicious and cool. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-Dracula-File-Fred-Saberhagen/dp/0812502558/ref=sr_1_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189089174&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle"></span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-Dracula-File-Fred-Saberhagen/dp/0812502558/ref=sr_1_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189089174&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">The Holmes-Dracula File</span></a> by Fred Saberhagen - The classic meeting between the Great Detective and the original Prince of Darkenes. Move over Moriarity this is the real test of Holmes' intellect. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Book-1-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316015849/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189089465&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle"></span></a></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Book-1-Stephenie-Meyer/dp/0316015849/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189089465&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">Twilight (Twilight, Book 1)</span></a> by Stephenie Meyer - It's a natural. There is nothing more teen angst than a vampire romance. Don't think I am knocking it, far from it, if you have to talk about teenage love, use a metaphor, and there is no better one than a romantic encounter with the undead. Twilight just might be the best of its breed here. A somewhat naive, though smart and well read, high school girl, must move in with her dad who lives in the middle of nowhere. There she deals with being an outsider, cut off and unhappy. Unhappy, that is, until she meets Edward. He is one of the most beautiful boys in school but because of a dark secret he is also alone. They immediately bond, beginning a wonderful and tragic love story. Really good read here, I highly recommend it.<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/30-Days-Night-Hardcover/dp/1932382844/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-0961092-7965531?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189090161&sr=1-1"><span class="srTitle">30 Days of Night Hardcover (30 Days of Night)</span></a> by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith - It had to happen some day. Those poor vamps condemned to only hunt and kill at night, a measly few hours of darkness, hardly enough time to wet your appetite, let alone, slake an undead thirst. Finally, somebody somewhere, points out the Arctic Circle. A place where it is night for a month or more at a time. And what's more, it is dotted with these little, lonely, out-of-the-way towns just begging to be rampaged by a horde of fierce, ravening killers. This is a true piece of horror fiction, graphic, wicked and savagely vile and best of all it is a graphic novel lavishly illustrated by a master. One of the best.</li></ol>librarianrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670074690004544996noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-1973187708128997122007-09-04T08:47:00.000-04:002007-09-04T09:50:06.775-04:00Top Ten Teen SciFi for the HS SetSciFi is a difficult subject for a lot of teachers and librarians I find. It is rarely their favorite genre. So here are ten great reads that no student should leave high school without reading, in no particular order.<br /><br /><ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Ringworld </span>by Larry Niven - Eons ago, a race, long gone, utilized the entire material of their solar system to create a habitable ring surrounding its star. The ring is populated with uncounted races and cultures and is many, many times the size of Earth. Louis Woo and his companions have discovered it and intend to exploit it and make their fortune. These would be Conquistadors have definitely bitten off more than they can chew.<br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Peeps</span> by Scott Westerfeld - Did you ever wonder about vampires? Legends of blood suckers that walk the night abound in almost every culture of the world. How could they exist? Why would they exist? And if they did exist, why does everyone think they don't? Scott Westerfeld uses Science Fiction to tell a phenomenal adventure story that rings so true you may go to sleep clutching garlic after you've read it.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Neuromancer</span> by William Gibson - This is the absolutely frigid cool story of a terrifying future. A future when humanity is clicked into a cyber-spacial world where business is transacted by multi-national countries who pull the strings while nations dance. A future filled with people all but living online. This absolutely killer thriller tells a tale of a time not so far from our own and is a must read.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Sagramanda</span> by Alan Dean Forester - India is one of the most populous countries on the globe. It's civilization is eons old. Now it is rapidly becoming the source of high tech labor for the West. What happens when fabulous new wealth, an ancient culture, unimaginable overcrowding and high technology meet? A police detective, a shop owner, a technology embezzler, a hired assassin, a father, a serial killer and a tiger are about to all find out in a town called Sagramanda.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">World War Z an Oral History of the Zombie War</span></span> by Max Brooks - This is one of the finest pieces of Science Fiction written in the last few years. What would happen if the world were overrun by zombies? How would civilization cope? Could it cope? In a brilliant novel written as a series of interviews with supposed survivors of the war, Max Brooks ask a question that should be on every American's mind. Can we prepare for real disaster?</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Mote in God's Eye</span> by Larry Niven - A true classic of interstellar empire fiction, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Mote in God's Eye</span> takes an all powerful stellar empire and runs it straight into a truly alien race. This is a war story of the finest sort and at times a mind bending examination of what we are willing to do to protect the status quo.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I Am Legend</span> by Richard Matheson - This is arguably the best post apocalypse story ever written. The story pits a single man against a society of night dwelling horrors that live on a diet of blood. It is a story of vampires, survival and horror. It is also a terrific examination of what constitutes a true monster. </li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">I, Robot</span> by Isaac Asimov - What is the nature of slavery? What constitutes intelligence? How do we decide if something is a living sentient being? The three laws of robotics are probably the greatest creation of that most prolific of writers Isaac Asimov. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">I, Robot</span> allows Asimov to once more to twist those three laws and apply them in a classic defense of what constitutes sentience.</li><li><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Time Machine</span> by Herbert George Wells - Now more than one hundred years old, H. G. Wells masterpiece defines time travel stories and its trappings have suffused our zeitgeist. We fear a future filled with beautiful morons hunted by dark technologists who live underground. This beautiful Victorian tale of a scientist who travels both to the extreme future and the extreme past is haunting in its simplicity and far too familiar today.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep?</span> by Philip K. Dick - The story that became the movie <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Blade Runner</span> is a noir thriller of the best variety. A bounty hunter attempts to hunt down and "retire" a group of dangerous androids. This simple story holds a magnifying glass over what makes people become enemies of the state. <br /></li></ol>librarianrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670074690004544996noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-5768938471783956232007-08-26T08:14:00.000-04:002007-08-26T08:16:54.000-04:00Your Host...<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hzgds-gw9So/RtFu3iLKARI/AAAAAAAAAK4/ZJfBJ2wv86A/s1600-h/IMG_0134.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102981753132941586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Hzgds-gw9So/RtFu3iLKARI/AAAAAAAAAK4/ZJfBJ2wv86A/s320/IMG_0134.jpg" border="0" /></a> ...The Rotten Librarian himself.<br /><div></div>Bruceiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685614116123152030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-15511960275129031402007-08-18T17:45:00.000-04:002007-08-18T19:04:26.524-04:00Okay, it's my blog and I oughta postHi, I am LibrarianRandy and I am...ahem...a rotten librarian, actually I am a professional rotten librarian. I have been working in a public library as a teen librarian for five years now.<br /><br />It is my job to assist teens with finding fulfilment - no not that kind of fulfilment, the literary kind, and not that kind of literature either *sheesh* get your mind out of the gutter. Teens comprise about 25% of the usership of public libraries but receive the least service therein. Most public libraries, and fewer and fewer public schools, have librarians who work directly with teens full time. Which is really too bad since kids between twelve and twenty have been having dropping literacy rates for the last decade or two. Anyway, it is what I do and something that I enjoy talking about so you will definately hear about it here.<br /><br />I have seen my share of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">rotten librarianship in only five years. I have made a fair number of mistakes myself and have witnessed some of the pitfalls my fellow book pushers have fallen into, not to mention a pretty varried collection of general weirdness </span> from both the patrons and the staff. I thought it might be cool, and dare I say it, useful, to host a blog about those trips and traps as a warning to those who may follow. Beware, from this point on there may be dragons, so bring your own weenies.<br /><br />Welcome to RottenLibrarian! If you have been visiting this site for a bit you will have noticed that it is as much about slamming your host, me, as anything else. So go ahead hit me with your best shot I can take it, after all sticks and stones may break my bones but groupings of pixels can never hurt me. This site is for librarians and so it stands to reason that there would be a shoe blog on it. We librarians are nothing if not fashionable, or at least well shod. Since it is my library blog it also includes a healthy amount of information about role-playing games, fantasy, science fiction and movies. So, if you have anything you wish to share about librarianship, best practice or worst, shoes,questionable pictures of gamer folk or just want to take a pixalated roundhouse at me, feel free! Post your heart out and enjoy the show.librarianrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670074690004544996noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-78661983834246698642007-08-15T18:25:00.000-04:002007-08-15T18:26:59.645-04:00Dust and Fear 07We have arrived at scenic Indianapolis for GenCon!<br />We have liqour and swag bags. I have taken pictures. Bruce is outdoing Brian on the Fart O Meter.Evil Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935553725045839159noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-38569718845494927082007-08-15T14:55:00.001-04:002007-08-15T14:57:08.127-04:00Requests?Requests, do we take 'em?<br /><br />'Cause I, for one, would like to see some fabulous combinations of the varied intellectual and blogerial powers collected here.<br /><br />Like, for instance, a pic of Dave's dog in those Fab orange pumps. Reading a book.<br /><br />With a chicken.<br /><br /><br />C'mon....admit it. I'm not the only one.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-47464268537352694322007-08-14T17:01:00.000-04:002007-08-14T17:14:25.663-04:00Hooray for librarimen, a quote....."While on the subject of burning books, I want to congratulate librarians, not famous for their physical strength, their powerful polical connections or great wealth, who, all over this counrty, have staunchly resisted anti-democratic bullies who have tried to remove certain books from their shevles, and destroyed records rather than have to reveal to thought police the names of persons who have checked out those titles.<br /><br />So the America I loved still exists, if not in the White House, the Supreme Court, the Senate, the House of Representatives, or the media. The America I loved still exists at the front desks of our public libraries."...<br /><br />- Kurt VonnegutBruceiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685614116123152030noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-21008171044483914452007-08-11T09:47:00.000-04:002007-08-11T09:49:13.633-04:00To : Friends of Librarimen around the worldAs we all know libarimen (in their own minds) live in the late 1800's, and as such, know not how to craft these technical missives we call 'blogs'. It's not their era, or area of expertise.<br /><br />So if we want to see actual writings from libarimen, some kind soul will have to instruct, nay, apprentice a libariman, and school him in basic arts of 'blogging'.<br /><br />Any volunteers ?Bruceiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04685614116123152030noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-18593882271502768492007-08-10T10:20:00.000-04:002007-08-10T10:23:50.432-04:00Gah! Not the shoes!In an effort to un-shoe the blog, here is a picture, a pic of my dog:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNTUAdtEfPGId53SJ2p_JvY61O0YcfqQpSgOJOSlFxVuYqxsM0eo_jcwJTUVhPtM1rl5orf9UI_ppTYOWdFiXu_n-aAx23KADk4RZbt65Dx0bJgHoh2VIWobIveAi8qikdd-wkTwnqxgX/s1600-h/100_1360.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNTUAdtEfPGId53SJ2p_JvY61O0YcfqQpSgOJOSlFxVuYqxsM0eo_jcwJTUVhPtM1rl5orf9UI_ppTYOWdFiXu_n-aAx23KADk4RZbt65Dx0bJgHoh2VIWobIveAi8qikdd-wkTwnqxgX/s320/100_1360.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097077204273763746" border="0" /></a>Evil Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935553725045839159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-44984991531672575242007-08-10T10:07:00.000-04:002007-08-10T10:16:45.790-04:00Fugly Shoe Friday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQut8fqcfoCXo73IBhFixwaJy9HHQA8cRnxDTCTXiN9urqvWmxxHewKZuZdnh6u67Q-ks7BJULpkzYwlsxl0MH2B30JLk8cmYbcrPk7VASnOxDEUFX24Vye69k7zgCQOLu4L1nzKB3Uks/s1600-h/satin+peeptoe+platform.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQut8fqcfoCXo73IBhFixwaJy9HHQA8cRnxDTCTXiN9urqvWmxxHewKZuZdnh6u67Q-ks7BJULpkzYwlsxl0MH2B30JLk8cmYbcrPk7VASnOxDEUFX24Vye69k7zgCQOLu4L1nzKB3Uks/s200/satin+peeptoe+platform.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097073640141889346" border="0" /></a><br /><sigh><<span style="font-style: italic;">sigh</span>><br /><br />So, everyone, here's today's fugly shoe. I have to admit, I was actually on the fence about these for awhile. I mean, I love a platform, I could work that heel, and maybe with a cool pair of jeans and a pink fitted shirt?<br /><br />But then I started to wonder about the colors. And the weird sheen from the satin in that dark orange. And the proportion is off--the peep toe is too small a window and the heel is too stiletto for the platform front.<br /><br />Anyway, I say nay. And as I'm the arbitrary arbiter of all things fashion on this blog that is, ostensibly, about <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">books</span>, what I say goes. They are thus the inaugural pair of shoes for this blog's new weekly feature, Fugly Shoe Friday.<br /><br />TTFN, boys. I'm off to spread my friendly faerie of fab fun elsewhere I'm needed.<br /><br />Is this a shoe blog yet? Shoes are like dandelions, you know. Eventually they just take over.<br /><br />UPDATE: oh, sorry, almost forgot: in case you're interested, they're by Marni, and go for about three hundred. <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">In the UK--</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>i.e., three hundred<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Pounds</span>.<br /></sigh>fabulous non-librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03008645676108212585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-60626306278462415272007-08-08T14:26:00.002-04:002007-08-08T14:32:55.122-04:00WARNINGTo all libarimans and non-librarimans "posting" on this blog:<br /><br />FRIDAY will see the dawn of a new age here at rottenlibrarian.blogspot.com: the inauguration of a new weekly feature we friendly faeries of fab like to call "FUGLY SHOE FRIDAY."<br /><br />Well, it would be a new age. Except, erm, the last freaking post to this blog before this one is, you might note, also a post about shoes.<br /><br />If "somebody" that is not a superfabulous non-librarian --some <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">actual librarian</span>, perhaps???-- doesn't post to this blog soon, there is a very real chance that the blog will become KNOWN in the blogosphere as essentially, well, a blog about <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">shoes</span>.<br /><br />Shoes, Randy. Shoes, shoes, shoes, more shoes, and, finally, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">shoes</span>.<br /><br />I'm just sayin'.<br /><br />Best wishes,<br /><br />Your fabulously fab faerie friend.fabulous non-librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03008645676108212585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-46041536646923298182007-08-06T14:59:00.000-04:002007-08-06T15:26:57.496-04:00Fabulous Shoe of the Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKYgOQmOIgzoPNHVS-F_7RfCyfILxHhANFh2GD88vsM3X6E5_Ojf8FcXhTuarNOx90d15MdTwkvT2h7dTJhWqcSzHTB-yvjDJqUQ0WvbM6xQ7BJhgcZc-ukf6cv26gGH8jy7-ZmYUVc0/s1600-h/louboutinpigalle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKYgOQmOIgzoPNHVS-F_7RfCyfILxHhANFh2GD88vsM3X6E5_Ojf8FcXhTuarNOx90d15MdTwkvT2h7dTJhWqcSzHTB-yvjDJqUQ0WvbM6xQ7BJhgcZc-ukf6cv26gGH8jy7-ZmYUVc0/s200/louboutinpigalle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095668945317928754" border="0" /></a><br />So, I'm not a librarian either (<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">DO </span>any <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">real </span>librarians actually post to this blog???), but what every good blog for and about and/or authored by librarians needs, in my opinion, is a good dose of fabulosity.<br /><br />As a non-librarian lucky enough to have been gifted by the great goddess with extra doses of fabulousness, I consider it my duty to ensure that there is SOMETHING shiny posted to this blog every week. Like a friendly little faerie of fab, if you will.<br /><br />In that spirit, I hereby inaugurate the "FABULOUS SHOE OF THE WEEK" feature. <br /><br />Because this blog is <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">supposed </span>to be informational, I feel like I should at least <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">TRY </span>to teach you something that will help you begin to become more fabulous non-librarians all on your own. To wit: These beauties are by the famous shoe designer Christian Louboutin, and are called "Pigalle." As you've probably already guessed, both the shoes and the designer are Elvish, erm, I mean, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">French </span>in origin. These pumps have Mr. Louboutin's signature red sole and six-inch stiletto heels. They're quite rare, but if your feets are the right size and you have a spare $600-700, you might be able to pick up a pair on e-bay.fabulous non-librarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03008645676108212585noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-26300875498016745822007-08-06T10:55:00.001-04:002007-08-06T10:55:39.332-04:00Cursed RolandDamn Randy!<br /><br />That is all.Evil Monkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05935553725045839159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-16524613001435859522007-08-06T08:53:00.000-04:002007-08-06T08:56:03.854-04:00Wait, do I have to BE a librariman to blog here? I mean, I was invited... <br /><br />Or does general geekiness apply well enough to enable this? I think I qualify there.<br /><br />Maybe I will post, and see if I get tossed out... :)<br /><br />For my very first blog post ever, I want you all to know that Comcast is the work of the devil. That is all for now. -MUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-45841310806676318922007-08-05T22:05:00.000-04:002007-08-05T22:07:59.018-04:00Several invitations have been sent out in hopes of helping our Librariman to get this blog started right. If you have something to share...please do.Nottabrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17695866124153288488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4694047397258175776.post-81867642710721453182007-08-05T20:54:00.000-04:002007-08-05T20:56:55.866-04:00Librariman Unite!This is a call to arms for all able bodied librariman.. If you are a man or a near facsimile of a man and you are a librarian then you are a librariman.Nottabrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17695866124153288488noreply@blogger.com0