Amazon Pulls eBooks from Store

After a disagreement with the Independent Publishers Group, Amazon pulled the publisher's titles (nearly 5000) from its market.  This comes nearly a month after Amazon's own books were pulled from the chain bookstore Barnes and Nobles.

This brings to mind a problem we had last year with the Bannville Ladies Auxillary quilt display.  Edna Snarffle and Betsy Farmer, co-heads of the BLA nearly came to blows over a quilt constructed of various 80s band tour shirts.  The quilt, titled Band Stand, was made by Ms. Snarffle from her collection of shirts that had worn thin over the last 30 years of wear and tear.  The quilt as a whole was not the issue as there is always a t-shirt quilt somewhere in the mix.  The issue came when Mrs. Farmer objected to the inclusion of both pre- and post- David Lee Roth Van Halen t-shirts.  Mrs. Farmer, a supporter of Mr. Roth, objected to the quilt as a matter of principle.  The Ladies Auxillary was nearly torn in two, along with the quilt, until it was removed from the collection and placed in the geneology room where a sign was displayed, "Band Stand Quilt inside, possibly offensive."

Amazon takes a company's e-books out of stores after disagreement - Christian Science Monitor

Google to Sell Internet Glasses This Year

Google apparently has invented a way to stream information into eyeglasses as a heads up display. 

1)  I wear glasses.  What is Google gonna do for me?  No offence, I trust you with my email and documents, but I will not be adopting Google Lasiks.
2)  I hate those people that talk to the thing in their ears when I am helping them.  How am I going to deal with some asshole watching Breaking Bad on Netflix while trying to talk to me?
3)  Driving.  See #2
4)  Uneven sidewalks.  See #2
5)  Despite all this, I really want some. 

Bits Blog: Google to Sell Heads-Up Display Glasses by Year's End

Astronaut to Publish Picture Book "Mousetronaut"

Astronaut Mark Kelly has signed a deal with Simon & Schuster to publish a picture book entitled "Moustronaut."  The book will detail one mouse's experiences in space. 

I would like to take this opportunity to outline my own picture book, "Ratbrarian."

The rat lives in a public library, nesting in the archived newspapers that are never looked at anymore because the librarians are still collecting them a year back even though the articles are all available online.  Each night he ventures out to the break room, where he dines on the discarded popcorn left in the trashcan and the pizza boxes left over after board meetings.  He also reads Harlequinn romance novels and dreams of a lady mouse to share his time with. Then he is eaten by the cat the librarians adopt.

Astronaut Mark Kelly to Publish a Picture Book With Simon & Schuster's Paula ... - Sacramento Bee

A Fire in Color? Amazon, You Might Have Me if it Smells

Amazon is set to unveil their newest ebook reader, the Kindle Fire 2, which if reports are true will be in eink color. 

Finally I can have my books in pasty sepia and charcoal of old books rather than the normal black and white.  But hold on... No, I will not be purchasing this.  I am waiting for the Fire 3... well, let us be serious, the Fire 5, that will contain the availibility of book smell.  Little gas potpourri dispensers that you can put a cartridge in and the smells will fill the room. 

Do not stop at the smell of ink and glue, though.  These ereaders already have sounds of the park or the subway, lets make it smell like that, too.  I want to be able to sit quietly at home and hear the gentle rock of the subway car and smell the faint pee smell of the guy next to me.  Memories, people, that's all I want.

Rumour: Amazon to unveil a colour ebook reader, Kindle Fire 2 - PC Authority

Mom Defeats Daughter, Becomes Head Librarian

Jodi Russ only had to bide her time for her mother to step down to take over as Head Librarian at the New Bedford library.  Despite planning a coup for nearly 14 years, the wily librarian only had to wait for her mother to retire.  Let us all learn from this:  All you have to do is wait and empires will crumble. 
In all serious, we hope this dynasty continues.  Congrats to Russ and we hope she has a long and fulfilling career.  But watch your back.  There's always another waiting in the wings.

New Bedford librarian follows in mom's footsteps - Green Bay Press Gazette

Money Lost in Yonkers Library

A library employee at the Yonkers library has admitted to stealing $164,000.  The now ex-employee faces prison time.

Look, we have all been there.  You are hanging out in the library, not helping people because that would be silly.  You read stories about libraries facing closure around the nation and you think, "I can do bad all by myself."  Plus, you really want that Battlestar boxset.  Do what you want/got to do.

But that was all a joke.  What this really proves is that libraries are just as susceptable to employees breaking bad than every other industry.  We might be bigger targets even, because we are like the nice guy in town that opens the door for you and you take his wallet while his hands are full.  Anyway, I hope this person gets what they deserve, be it punishment or help.

Yonkers library worker admits stealing $163582, faces prison - The Journal News | LoHud.com

Are You There God, It's Me, Newton

The papers of Sir Isaac Newton concerning theological stuff are now available online through an Israeli library's website.  Some 7,500 pages of handwritten text have been digitized and uploaded.

One of the greatest thinkers of our time has thoughts on gods and stuff.  I would love it if halfway through mathmatical proofs of the greatest mystery of what's beyond the veil we suddenly get "Fuck this, I bet its nothing more than a giant spaghetti monster behind the moon."

Israeli library uploads Newton's theological texts - Newsday