I'm sittin' here, drinking a beer, reading about what makes a good dictionary, what makes a bad one, and how they're made. This is livin, huh?

In order to learn more about me you can take a look at some of my posts below. I originally created this blog for another course but I have refurbished it and adapted it to the needs of FIS 1311.

Swearing competition. I can't tell if this has been altered or not.

http://www.wimp.com/competition/

I came across this quote in a required reading for 1310. Hilarious. But then, how else could a librarian be characterized?

It is important to have a democratic spirit in dealing with readers in popular libraries. The librarian is not, of course, to overlook the neglect of deference which is due him, or to countenance in any way the error which prevails to a considerable extent in this country, that because artificial distinctions of rank have been abolished here, there need be no recognition of the real differences among men in respect to taste, intellect, and character. But he runs little risk in placing readers on a footing of equality with himself. The superiority of his culture will always enable him to secure the respectful treatment which belongs to him when confronted by impudence or conceit.

- Samuel Green, 1876 [Personal relations between librarians and readers. American Library Journal, 1:74-81].

This is an interesting article from the Economist. They're basically saying that falling populations in rich countries aren't necessarily bad for economic welfare. Makes sense, though I think the article would be a bit more, what's the word - relevant? Maybe 'compelling' is what I want. So - I think the article would be a bit more compelling if it made reference to the fact that an overpopulated planet leads to overconsumption of limited resources, leading us all to a future of unknown horrors.

Or something like that.

Anyway, here's the article. Enjoy the theme music. Goodnight.

The shrinkage of Russia and eastern Europe is familiar, though not perhaps the scale of it: Russia's population is expected to fall by 22% between 2005 and 2050, Ukraine's by a staggering 43%. Now the phenomenon is creeping into the rich world: Japan has started to shrink and others, such as Italy and Germany, will soon follow. Even China's population will be declining by the early 2030s, according to the UN, which projects that by 2050 populations will be lower than they are today in 50 countries.

I don't know why this stuff still amazes me.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1682246,00.html

American troops in Baghdad yesterday blasted their way into the home
of an Iraqi journalist working for the Guardian and Channel 4, firing
bullets into the bedroom where he was sleeping with his wife and
children.

Ali Fadhil, who two months ago won the Foreign Press Association young
journalist of the year award, was hooded and taken for questioning. He
was released hours later.

Dr Fadhil is working with Guardian Films on an investigation for Channel
4's Dispatches programme into claims that tens of millions of dollars
worth of Iraqi funds held by the Americans and British have been
misused or misappropriated.

The troops told Dr Fadhil that they were looking for an Iraqi insurgent
and seized video tapes he had shot for the programme. These have not
yet been returned.

The director of the film, Callum Macrae, said yesterday: "The timing and
nature of this raid is extremely disturbing. It is only a few days since we
first approached the US authorities and told them Ali was doing this
investigation, and asked them then to grant him an interview about our
findings.

"We need a convincing assurance from the American authorities that this
terrifying experience was not harassment and a crude attempt to
discourage Ali's investigation."

Dr Fadhil was asleep with his wife, their three-year-old daughter, Sarah,
and seven-month-old son, Adam, when the troops forced their way in.

"They fired into the bedroom where we were sleeping, then three
soldiers came in. They rolled me on to the floor and tied my hands.
When I tried to ask them what they were looking for they just told me
to shut up," he said.