Tech News, It Just Keeps on Coming

Now for the news I was too busy to talk about or just did not care about enough to think up a bit: Tech Edition

Netflix lost its deal with Stars! to provide programming for Netflix's instant streaming services.  Stars! says that they are looking for, like, you know, more in a relationship and they just don't want to get serious right now.  It's not you, it's them Netflix.  Rolling Stone

Overdrive, the ebook lending service, unveiled its school library service.  Overdrive will continue dealing with libraries as long as they are viable, then move onto your younger cousin, transforming them into dangerous creatures of the night who will feast on the blood of the innocent.  Or is that vampires? GoodEReader

The United States Justice Department has moved to block the merger of AT&T and T-Mobile citing monopoly and free trade and stuff.  I am not smart enough to understand this, but I hear that T-Mobile will probably die out and become the property of a larger company.  Ya know, for kids.  NYTimes

Comcast Not Crediting Hurricane Irene Victims?

At least for one resident, Comcast has confirmed that they will not be crediting people affected by Hurricane Irene for Internet, phone and cable service.  Comcast representatives stated that the storm has been named an "act of God" and therefore will not be held responsible for services that some people still do not have.

I have a couple of thoughts:
1)  Comcast are a bunch of dicks if this is true.  Well, in my experience they are anyway, but this is extra dicky.
2)  I had no idea the whole of Comcast was that religious.  While I can see individual members being religious, the idea that the whole company working that way and in charge of my information feed store scares me.  Especially if they go to the Chick-Fil-A model and close down services on Sundays.
3)  I survived Hurricane Katrina.  I lived 120 miles from where it came ashore and it was still classified a hurricane when it passed within 10 miles of my apartment.  (If that does not sound that close, look at the images of hurricanes.  They are kinda big things.)  I might have been drunk, but that was one tense freaking night.  The neighborhood rooster was lost (long story).  The next day was a war zone and people immediately got to work cleaning up the fallen trees.  We got power back in about a week, later for those that lived farther out of town.  We got credited for everything.  Lesson: if you have high speed Internet and a hurricane a'comin, surround yourself with rednecks with chainsaws and see how fast things get done.
4) I really want to end on a good note, so here is a story where a library is/was offering power to people.

Friday Book News: Potter eBooks, Make Your Own Adventure, and David Bowie

Welcome to the Friday Book News, the news of the week that I forgot to care about.  Let's get crackin, McLovin, what's up first?

The Sony Reader got an update this week allowing for a cleaner interface and smoother controls while reading ebooks.  Speculation by me and only me is that this is to make it all pretty for when Harry Potter comes to town.  Okay, that sucked, let's find a better one, Wheel of Fortune!

Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, no bankrupt, no bankrupt aaaannnnddd... shit.  A computer program called Infinite Adventure is still in the works, but when finished will create fairy tales on the fly.  Yep, a compute just makes stuff up and entertains your kids.  Remember when we used to have to hire people for that?

AAAAAHHHHHH!!! FUCK NO! Who let you the hell in here?! What do you want, Bubbles?  To tell me a story?  My mom said you weren't allowed within 20 feet after we hired you to tell the last one.  Okay, tell it.

David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' is being made into illustrated ebooks.  Yep, Graphic designer Andrew Kolb has decided that the song about a guy getting lost in the cold death of space was worthy of a bit of drawing.  What do you think about that Mr. Bowie? 

Look at my package in Labyrinth

Crying Baby's Mama Goes to Court

An Atlanta mother who was asked to leave a library because of a crying baby is facing trial on obstruction of a police officer.  The incident happened when the mother was asked to leave a Dekalb County library because her child was being too loud.  As she left, she allegedly became irate and began cursing in front of children which lead to her being arrested.  If convicted, she faces a 12 month jail sentence. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Do I believe a mother was asked to leave a library because of a crying baby?  Yeah, I have done it myself.  Do I believe the mother would become upset?  Yeah, I have faced that dragon before.  What I cannot believe is that the police would become involved if this was a simple screaming match.  I can only assume someone went all nuts somewhere in this but I can not speculate how.  I will assume Facebook was somehow involved, however. 

Let me 'splain.  No, too long, let me sum up.  The only parents with unruly or overly loud children I have ever asked to leave the library where the parents that were not watching their children.  I have bent over backwards for a single mom trying to fill out job applications, dads that need to get in and out with a cart of DVDs, and new parents that just do not quite know how grandma gets the rugrat to calm down so quickly.  But the parents that refuse to parent, the ones that sit on Facebook while Junior unplugs equipment like an IT tech and checks every room in the library for an echo factor.... They do not last long.  

I am not saying that this was the case with the DeKalb County lady.  I am just saying I understand.

Update: Mom gives her side which contradicts police report. Also, the title of this story is incorrect, the baby was only laughing, not crying. Atlanta Journal-Constitution

You Can Talk to Authors Through Kindle! And Twitter

Amazon's Kindle e-reader had taken the next step in e-book e-volution: Twitter.  Short and skinny is that Amazon made a bunch of authors promise to answer fans when fans asked questions through the new Twitter-enabled Kindle.  Now as you read you can stop what you are doing and ask the author anything you want. I'm downloading my copy of The Holy Bible right now. tecca


Here are some practice questions for your favorite author:
How did you came up with this scene?
How did you write so good?
Why did this character do that?
What you talking about, Connie Willis?
What if God was one of us?
Is it inappropriate to think of child stars as sexual beings?
If a train leaves Las Vegas at 6pm, is there anyone on it not crying?
Can you sell a person into slavery if you are not related to them?
Are you there Judy Blume? It's me, the Spanish Inquisition.

Seattle Library Closes for a Week

WiredNewYork

The Seattle Public Library has had the unfortunate tradition for the last few years of closing for a week at the end of  summer.  The reason behind the closure is the savings of about $650,000 of the city's budget for library operations.  This tradition follows the recently completed decade-long $290 Million project that revitalized the library system. NYTimes

Now I know that these workers are not getting paid for their "week off" but I think this should be a national event.  You want "National Library Appreciation Week?" How's about "No Library So See How Bad You Miss Me Week?"  Of course, that back-fired for my ex-girlfriend so maybe we just don't hire anybody when Betty from Circulation retires.

Boy Scout Helps Out Library by Imprisoning Tree

Joseph DiSalvo Jr., a boy scout in Hopewell Junction, NY, became an Eagle Scout after completing work on a bench at the Beekman Library. DiSalvo organized the building of the eight-sided bench with the help of his scout troop. Poughkeepsie Journal

Stand proud, brave tree slayer

The bench the scouts constructed will hold the tree in its place for years to come.  Just what a tree deserves if you ask me.