Johnny goes to the library . . . .

FeistyPixy

2008-02-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

FEISTYPIXY

CHANGELING

2000 light years from home, mickey

2007-04-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

"My fellow Merkans, I come to you with a heavy uhhhhhhh---YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! With no disrespect to Mesmer, this will be the last transmission. Yes JOJO, I am off to join the circus. I believe last weeks abstraction was Mesmer to the nth degree. Available to the masses everywhere on the planet via electronica, computers, or at least our little cultured community.

But I regress. Before my seasonal talent shizzles out to be reincarnated let us digress

It is time to bring this 4 month ride to a change, and to surmise exactly what it is we can use, or forget about, from what we have seen.

Libraries and archives are run, administered, and used by-----animals, who have tools to work with, albeit, electronic in many cases, tools nonetheless. "People in the know" speculate on how much of the hard copy will go away in the face of impending electronica.

Why did I select to research persons in the background of communication? Because among many options, expounding on something exposed for study during the course was offered as an option. There were obviously, may have been a world of possibilities to choose from, but this area interested me, because it grabbed me by the throat and tried to strangle me. I had to find other theories that had not been chosen, and figure why, to MY satisfaction. Feedback came from the students and instructor- so much food for thought. That reminds me of the time a Colonel in the Army was getting ready to throw me out of a military school for, says he "You are arrogant and have bad attitude." I told the dumb bastard that "was some food for thought" "thur, yea thur" and left the school, to be subject to a Congressional investigation for years. When I came to begin library studies I realized there were a few men in the forefront of the field- checking out books and helping little people find books. And my perception was librarians were a domicile for little old ladies left behind by society. While both of these views are only partially correct, and changing in the real world- I think- I became immersed in the studies of all who wish to succeed in this profession. It has always been my opinion that people talk too much about things they know nothing about, or know about vicariously, i. e., they heard something from somebody, orthey watch too much TV. Fine with me. But dont tell me how to be a sheep like the rest of the mindless. I could have gone with info presented in any of the world' newspapers, or a TV show (LEAVE IT TO BEAVER!), or other readings. My info came from selected sites found by "googling." And like anything, I could have been bogged down in a quagmire of available information, if it had been much more than totally boring, and I- totally bored.

So, once again in my life quest, for how I am going to spend the rest of my time walking this void, I am caught in an enema, by an enemy, in a dilemma. What to do? Although communication is vital- just like the internet, people are full of good & bad info- just how to figure out between the 2. How best can one spend one's time? In a recent DAILY SHOW with John Stewart, Leonid Brezinski, former National Security Advisor for Jimmy Carter, stated point blank "Our's is an ignorant society,"

THE END

hcraeseR snoitarepO

2007-03-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

It has been so many years since I have been involved with coordinating & reporting. In the early 70s I was a management trainee at Chevrolet Spring & Bumper (gone with OSHA), learning all that could be packed into our heads at GMs Technical Institute’ Cooperative Education program. Hearing about it, learning about it, and using are it are 3 different animals. And now—37 years on—the ghosts of professors longgone come back to haunt me in this chapter.

It was like—yeah, I remember a lot of this from the classroom, the production floor, and the Engineering offices. As I read on, keeping in mind both practical & learning experiences from the last 4 decades, I put together in my mind’ eye, what might be, could be, may be happening, or could be developed, now that computers have, and continue to evolve. The movie “TRON” comes to mind, where “Central Controller” orders around “electron personnel” to do its dirty deeds. Much like goes on today, with all the control, requirements, techniques, standards, blahblahblah, etc, then TOOLS (cost benefit analysis, benchmarking, program evaluation & review techniques, information systems, time & motion studies—I’m about there), and OPERATIONS RESEARCH.

I never caught on to this area—it was too advanced, with several techniques available for study—just never got it. But here on page 433 of text was a pert, concise, up to date definition: “Operations Research is an ‘experimental and applied science devoted to observing, understanding and predicting the behavior of purposeful [worker-machine] systems, and operations researchers are actiavely engaged I applying this knowledge to practical problems.’” (Stueart & Moran. (2002).). Another thing that grabbed me was on p. 434: “. . . this method demands some knowledge of mathematics and statistical concepts, and these are areas where librarians are thought to be at their weakest; we have realied heavily on nonlibrarians to provide this expertise.” Who might these nonlibrarians be that are so interested in how we check out a book. Is there so much to it?

Then I bounce back to the chapter 8 reading list (p. 208) at the beginning of that chapter, and notice a title: “Crawford, Walt, and Michael Gorman. Future Libraries: Dreams, Madness,and Reality. Chicago: American Library Association, 1995.” and everything fell into place—where exactly I don’t know, but I feel much better now. Oh—the book will be back on P-K shelf shortly.

CENSORSHIP

2007-03-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

AS I JUST WENT THROUGH SOME OF THESE POSTINGS, I NOTICE THAT CRITICAL COMMENTS I HAVE MADE ABOUT THE, FOR LACK OF ANY TERM, government, HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM MY WRITINGS. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. and I thought this was the freedom of academia- what a crock.

THIS WEEK IN LITERATURE (LESS THE TEXT)

2007-03-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

Handout#1. LibQual+ charting library service quality. When I saw this article my first thought was man! are they milking these poor people for all they can get or what? Then I figured- why not? All other aspects of our lives are used and abused. But seriously. . . . Having just taken up serious studies in this field one begins to notice that the educators, facilitators, etc, in the field also take the field and themselves seriously, and try to convince others to do the same, for survival, or satisfaction, or monetary support for one thing or t’ other.
To be a commodity, that commodity must be needed, desired, and used. Whatever that field can do to convince people they are necessary is probably necessary, even though they may be buying into a lie. But I suppose at some point one’ ideals are worthless in the real, antagonistic world, so get on with business, and may the best situation win.

It may be library use will decline with the emergence of the digital domain. I for one have stockpiled enough books to keep me busy in reading till the end of my life, along with instruments to create the sounds of a cultured environment. So when I retire before really getting into the field, I wish you all good luck. I am going to enjoy!!!!!

Handout#2. Perspectives on user satisfaction surveys. By the time you get to page 6662 you have just got to stop and wonder, did anybody besides me actually try to read this most boring of articles? On my personal scale of boredom, which is seldom required, it ranks way down there with Mein Kampf- itself the MOST BORING PIECE OF RAMBLING PULP FICTION I EVER ATTEMPTED TO READ. As a harbinger it was a definite struggle to keep awake (didn’t get very far). Oh joy! on page 6682- something about a futuristic study!

Handout#4. The Promise of Appreciative Inquiry in Library Organizations. After two articles and a website on quality this article sounds interesting- a just reward for submission to the punishment. People pay big bucks for that kind of analysis.

I am reminded abut a wise man once thought “One man’ nirvana is another man’ hell”- oh wait- that was me.

One thing leads to another and soon its back to the same old mutual (cant think of a PC term) society. Reminds me of those nature shows where there are entire civilizations of creatures sucking the life blood out of larger creatures by attaching to their epidermal layers.

Dwell on this abstraction from the article:

“. . . . appreciative. . . mystery. . . marvel. . . high futures. . . hopes. . . dreams. . . images. . . peak experiences. . . highest aspiration. . . envisioning. . . placebo. . . physical. . . psychological. . . emotional. . . medicine. . . expectations. . . future. . . reality. . . interpretations. . . multiple realities. . . journey to the future. . . the unknown. . . seductive. . . deep and sustained. . . change. . . discovery. . . dream. . . design. . . destiny. . .variety. . . informally. . . light. . . high performance. . . experiences. . . stories. . . behavior. . . reveal. . . aspirations. . . interact. . . influence. . . creative. . . thinking. . . influence. . . creative. . . thinking. . . feeling. . . peak experience. . . enabled. . . creation. . . the fifth discipline. . . mastery. . . change. . . collaboration. . . dynamic. . . shapes. . . articulations. . . deeper levels. . . varies. . . awareness. . . habit. . . evolution. . . possibilities. . . seeing. . . relevant. . . effort. . . latent. . . life. . . learning. . . growth. . . development. . . groups. . . appreciative. . . shifting patterns. . . devil’ advocate. . . angel’ advocate. . . suggestion. . . scenarios. . . ideas. . . core. . . effect. . . bold actions. . . pressing problems. . . focus. . . administer. . . full range. . . optimism. . . intentions. . . strengths. . . complex. . . transformational. . . inception. . . assure. . . whirl of change. . . option. . . fixed. . . change at the speed of imagination.

But it reads well. And, as a direct confrontation to the interventionist mentality, it probably makes more sense than intervention management. Just try instituting it among the masses. But I don’t know? Have you got a light? Using this for a framework one might talk one into anything under any circumstance. I might be patronized.

NEXT VISIT:::::::MESMER EATS DUST

number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine . . . .

2007-03-12T16:05:00.000-07:00

This search into personality instruments is beginning to drain my creativity on the subject- I think that may be the point- not a healthy thing- but much wanted in a society where a majority of followers are needed by a minority of leaders to do whatever the leader cant do wont do dont want to do, so the leaders can maintain their high and mighty lifestyles they have become accustomed to. Things havent really changed in 10000 years

IM HAVING A VISION. so you see kiddies the whole point to the new unified personality instrument testing theory is to enjoy- yes it shows enjoy- getting the system' message shoved into your collective existence anyway we know how. In the remaining days i'm going to create a personality tool- make it completely detachable- so all you have to do is screw it on & take it off, or vica versa. So dont get to attached to Jung- them days are long gone. We gonna go with an off the wall, untried, untested design on the hearts & "minds" of the audience. I got the hardware to sell product (meditation mats, t-shirts, sunglasses, pamphlets describing in painful detail all the possible intricacies, multicolored shrinkwrap in a variety of shapes and sizes, miscellaneous paraphanalia- anymore ideas? A partnership may be on order!@#$%^&*()_+=-~`?/><"':;

psycho logicalists on a pair a dice

2007-03-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

I been thinking about it. Its not every lifetime (if ever) you up & find something good in the field of personality instruments. So Carl Jung unknowingly created proteges/followers who tickled the fancies of one captive audience.

Its time to move on. What other sideshow attractions await us in the hall of mirrors--the personality game--this fiasco of life???

Right off the top of my head all I can think of is Freud, someone who obviously had a lot of (possibly negative) influence on humanities which had access to translations of his works. Speaking of which--how do you figure a cokehead like Freud convinced the world that things go better with coke? They cleaned up the soda, but dirtied up our "minds." Isnt it amazing how the slightest suggestion of a suggestion sugggesting something is ate up like so much apolacray.

How about Mesmer? Wonder what he did with personality testing, or convincing us that we needed to do something?

MAY 12--HOUSE OF FOUR DOORS

2007-03-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

All right- I think weave got Carl Jung figured out, and best summed up by the Moody Blues in their 1968 album In search of the lost chord (House of four doors). If youre not lost now you never will be.

So lets move on. Why do people so need these tests. Some theorists have the power and money to have their products introduced to the captive audiences among the masses. Lets scrap the peanut gallery and go to the master.

Franz Anton Mesmer has been dead since March 5, 1815, following his “discovery” of the subconscious……………{go the days of future past—next time}

bloodrock

2007-03-02T12:33:00.000-08:00

Ive been working on the assignment #4 for a while now (about 10 minutes- seems like 10 hours), when the Abilene Paradox goes trotting through my head, and wouldn’t leave. Luckily I began thinking. As I thunk, I thunk about maybe other paradoxae? Thank god there are- possibly more interesting paradoxica. I’d hate to be stuck in a Abilene frame of mind.

Defined, a paradox is described in shades ranging from opinion, belief, hard to believe, contrary, absurd, self-contradictory, counter-intuitive, intrinsically unreasonable, logically unacceptable,

Anyways it happens there are logical (self-referential, vagueness), mathematical and statistical (probability, infinity, and geometry and topology), decision theoretic, chemical, physical, philosophical, economic, and miscellaneous (bracketing, buttered cat, ethics, proof that 0.999=1, logical fallacy, puzzle) paradoxas.

It also happens the Abilene paradox is a economic paradox, along with the other common economic paradoxes: Allais, Bertrand, Diamond-water, Edgeworth, Ellsberg, Gibson’s, Giffen, Jevons, Leontief, Thrift, Parrondo’s, Productivity, Solow computer.
The Ellsberg Paradox is named for that pioneer of Nixon years, Daniel Ellsberg, a former American military analyst with the Rand Corporation, who released the Pentagon Papers, the account of activities of Vietnam. Wikipedia states “(t)he Ellsberg paradox is a paradox in decision theory and experimental economics in which people’s choices violate the expected utility hypothesis. It is generally taken to be evidence for ambiguity aversion. The paradox was popularized by Daniel Ellsberg, although a version of it was noted considerably earlier by John Maynard Keynes.” Thank you, Daniel Ellsberg, made the man a underground subculture hero when Bloodrock immortalized him on their 1972 album Passage- that song is also why I just bored you with this otherwise obsolete information.

THIS WEEK IN THE TROPICS, UH, TEMPERAMENT

2007-02-28T22:16:00.000-08:00

As promised we shall continue our journey through the, for lack of a better idea, the mind. As you may recall, or for you new comers, we are looking at post-Jungian learning instruments. This weeks collaborator is after my heart- he has the most colorful sight to date- watch out kiddies?

The Kiersey Temperament Sorter-II is a FREEBIE, 70 question instrument that "helps individuals discover their personality type." According to the Temperament Theory people can be sorted into one of four groups. This follows the Jungian construct, and the post-Jungian constructs, of sorting people into four groups of something or other.

Four preference scales sort testees into one of four temperaments, and one of 16 character types.The preference scales measure:
Expressive vs Attentive
Observant vs Introspective
Tough-minded vs Friendly
Scheduling vs Probing

So far it looks like to me he covers a wider range of a personality than the other two instruments we have looked at. What looks more interesting yet is the four temperaments into which a person can be tested into- if they dont already have any ideas about theirselves. Covered are:

Artisans (composers, crafters, performers, promoters)
Idealists (healers, counselors, champions, teachers)
Rationalists (architects, fieldmarshals, inventors, masterminds)
Guardians (inspectors, protectors, providers, supervisors)

Herr Doktor: fieldmarshals? (1940s?)
: masterminds? reminds me of Megadeth' Cryptic Writings (1997) CD
: While reading this site the same feeling came over as when I began to hear and see clips from Forrest Gump. I havent seen it to date for fear of the literal virtual lobotomy. To much information usually forces out critical brain cells, leaving me lacking in one sense or another

Personally, I fall way into the artisan hole, although I had to take a close look at the rationalists. Remember, Jung worked his theories during the first half of the twentieth century, basically. With so many options in which to land your personality, and so many descriptions laid out for you by the Keirsey Advisor Team, you might be better off just picking a few categories for yourself, and trying them out for a while, prior to taking the test. As with most ventures in life, once you get good at something, leading the gullible onwards becomes folly for the fuel.

The Keirsey Advisor Team, like others, has a sideline of articles to help testtakers: reports, maps, paper, pencils, original and student versions in foreign languages, alone or packaged together in bundles.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Academia- we like this one. I bought it without taking a test drive. Someone ought to be persuaded to put a little personality back into personality testing- what do you say? next time: never you mind hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

learning for the masses, eh messes, ih misses, oh mosses, uh musses, yh mysses

2007-02-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

Thank you teacher for coming to my rescue. I was contemplating what I would babble on about for the next 3 months in this log- until TODAY. You affirmed what I was getting to, but thanks for the reinforcement. I am going to assess assessments currently or pastly used, and probably be used in the near and distant future, for ease of the multitutes. As a lay person, I have only to interpret the aforementioned interpretations to my liking- if not a free country, it is at least a free universe, right?

Because you began with a Jungian construct, I will continue with same. As I don’t want to plagiarize, I will paraphrase to the best of my ability? So far I have learned that learning styles instruments include the Jungian instruments, among others. If time permits later this semester, I will digress. 4 Jungian models are:

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI3)
Keirsey Temperament Sorter II
Gregorc Style Delineator

The Kolb LSI3 is similar to the MBTI, with four scales: converging, accommodating, diverging, and assimilating. It is short (only 12 items) and is self-scored. David Kolb is an expert in experiential learning, and his product line is available at one source in particular, and those products include:

Kolb learning style exercise
Kolb learning style inventory
Kolb learning style inventory online
Kolb learning style floor mat
Kolb learning style reference card
Kolb learning style T-shirt
Kolb personal learning guide
Kolb team learning experience
and MORE!!!!

We should all be so intelligent. I am currently thinking of a launching a magic carpet floor mat, in the learning style of Maharesh Mahesh Yogi, with scenes of the ancient home of the Dalai Lama in the Himalayas. The possibilities for T-shirts boggles the imagination!@#$?

The LSI3 identifies preferred learning styles (no freedom of thought here, kiddies) for problem solving, working in teams, resolving conflict, communicating at work and home, and considering a career. AND, one of the features of the LSI3 is “use of four color reinforces concepts”- that’s what it says at
http://www.hayresourcesdirect.haygroup.com/Learning_Self-Development/Assessments_Surveys/Learning_Style_Inventory/Overview.asp

Well, I for one, am SPENT! Till next time. . . . . . . . . …

class preparation Feb 17, etc

2007-02-16T16:25:00.000-08:00

I may be off, but Stuert & Moron write on p. 77, "TQM no longer has the success it experienced several years ago, particularly in Japan where it originated. . . ."

tonite. the more I read this text the more fun I have. I mean, I MEAN, I'm sitting here on the bench- - remembering all the comments everyone made about planning and anticipating the future and DEJAVU- AND WE GET TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! Thats cool- I was goofing on it the first time. So tomorrow I will read & see what memories the book jerks out of me this time.

tomorrow. it happened again- I missed tomorrow- I must have fallen asleep @ 1159 again. so here it is today again

LET ME POST THIS BEFORE THE GREAT COMPUTER COMES AFTER ME AGAIN

2007-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

version 3.

For the third time I will attempt to make comments on Saturday' class, before computer crashes again, or cuts me off

The more I think I know, the less I know. I have spent a lifetime touring the world in 3-5 year spurts. Getting to know anybody on a personal basis is patchwork at best. Recently someone asked me about something, and I surprised myself with the response: " yeh totally, but you all speak English." With all of the nuances of the the English language- which I have heard many times as being one of the most difficult to learn-, I wonder why so much effort has been spent trying to identify perceived cognitive and communicative styles. - this has been going on for many years now-

I wonder who, or what group, developed this particular tool, and who it was geared to at the time of its creation, for what reason in particular. I would like to see a bio or group history on the creators.

This assessment agitated me from the getgo. I honestly could not complete it as requested- it was not assessing me, but some view of an alternate reality of the creator(s) for other purposes. I did it as such: for each option, for each question, I gave a 0-3 rating (nothing was relevant enough to receive a 5) based on my perceived value on the items' worth. I related each option to how such an option had served me in my life' experience. How the results might be observed by someone else, I know not, but here is the jist of it:

RESULTS: BOTH OPTIONS OF QUESTION 4 RECEIVED '3.'
4. Do you get along better with people who are: a. creative and speculative, or b. realistic and "down to earth"

No response merited a 4 or 5, all other responses ranged from 0-2

I dont think the life experience is best looked at from a literal view, but needs to be experienced to be appreciated. When concepts and ideas, such as those presented in the selfassessment, are taken to heart, or proven to be truly useful, and understood, and of value, then maybe a true assessment can be made.But the literal, such as this assessment, must not be perceived as the actual.

A mentor- one of the first chief information officers of the Chevrolet Motors Division- had a favorite quip, which he could be he

diffusioN oF innovationS

2007-02-07T08:10:00.000-08:00

Title of Article
Adoption and Diffusion of Encoded Archival Description
Authors and Biographies
Elizabeth Yakel is a University of Michigan (U of M) Associate Professor, with a Ph.D. in information. She is interested in use and user services for archival materials, particularly focusing on the digital realm and the development of recordkeeping systems. Yakel is involved in several research projects; has participated in numerous elected, appointed, and voluntary professional and service activities; has won various awards for her research and professional contributions; has published many books, chapters, journal articles, papers in conference proceedings, technical publications and manuals, and book reviews; has given presentations as invitee, has given workshops, and has taught courses at the Universities of Michigan and Pittsburgh.
Jihyun Kim is a U of M School of Information doctoral student. She is interested in digital library/archive use affected by interactions of social and technical factors. The Society of American Archivists (SAA) maintains many of Kim’ scholarly works on the SAA website, and they gave Kim the Oliver Wendell Holmes Award.
Source and Credibility of Source
This female mentor/protégé team has collaborated on several scholarly endeavors (U of M, School of Information, 2007). The prestigious U of M School of Information is an American Library Association (ALA) Accredited Master’s Program in Library & Information Studies (ALA, 2006). The “Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), a fully refereed scholarly and technical periodical, has been published continuously since 1950” (American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T), n.d.). ASIS&T, “(s)ince 1937. . . has been the society for information professionals leading the search for new and better theories, techniques, and technologies to improve access to information” (ASIS&T). “Wiley InterScience. . . is a leading international resource for quality content promoting discovery across the spectrum of scientific, technical, medical and professional endeavors” (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. , 2007).
Thesis and Summary of Major Points
The authors reported their interpretations of two to eleven year old data related to encoded archival description (EAD), through the filter of E. M. Rogers’ (1995) Diffusion of Innovations theory, itself a nine year old theory at the time. They assumed the reader had a working knowledge of the theory. Diffusion of innovations, a macro (general) level communications and technological theory, “centers on the conditions which increase or decrease the likelihood that a new idea, product, or practice will be adopted by members of a given culture” (Universiteit Twente, 2006).
Adoption of EAD within the U. S. archival community ranges from total to nil. Yakel and Kim (2004) measured the acceptance of EAD, using two primary measures- EAD education, and the actual diffusion pattern- to interpret data reported by participants of Research Libraries Group and SAA workshops held between 1993 and July, 2002. EAD focuses on finding aids (registers, inventories, calendars, card catalogs, indexes, etc.), but other access tools might benefit from construction with EAD.
Characteristics of Innovations
“Rogers poses five characteristics of innovations that can be examined in relation to adoption: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, triability, and observability” (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1428). Authors found compatibility (with descriptive practices, institutional structure, staff size, and infrastructure) to be the major characteristic effecting EAD adoption in the archival community. They discussed methods of publishing finding aids, to address the characteristic of relative advantage.
Funding impedes the implementation of EAD in many environments. Funding colored the discussion of complexity, the other major characteristic, discussed in terms of EAD encoding software, encoding and publication of finding aids, outsourcing and consortia. “(C)omplexity (is) diminished with the use of support tools, such as the EAD Cookbook” (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1434).
Roger’s (1995) theory re-emerges within “Funding Models” during the discussion of triability, stating “. . . that there are five stages in the innovation decision process: knowledge gathering, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation” (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1435). Workshops offered one method of gaining information. Participants experienced EAD, and if they understood it, they might have made an informed decision about EAD implementation. Funding also affects observability. If invisible to users, innovations may as well be nonexistent.
Discussion
Yakel and Kim (2004, p. 1435) determined several findings needed further discussion; “(a) size as a factor in EAD adoption, (b) compatibility with current descriptive programs and practices, (c) technological expertise, and (d) adopting but not diffusing EAD.” One conclusion stood out from the others, and seemed to refute what they had tried to establish. EAD could exist without diffusion of EAD expertise, in defiance of all efforts made to implement EAD. Only maintenance and extension of EAD knowledge could ensure internalization of EAD expertise, ensuring the continuance of good finding aids, and whatever else EAD might encompass.
Conclusion
This early analysis of EAD diffusion and implementation indicated “that a majority of the respondents (58%) have not adopted EAD. Reasons for the lack of adoption include an apparent size barrier, a lack of compatibility with existing descriptive practices, and the complexity of the technology” (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1436). EAD adoption in the U. S. lacks uniformity. The U. S. archival community will continue to monitor its ability to maintain the trend of innovation of EAD, if at all possible.
Reactions, Thoughts, Opinions
Diffusion of innovations provided a theoretical framework to filter findings of surveys for reporting. Rogers’ update of this hundred year old theory (Rogers, 1995, p. 40), ten years old at the time of publishing, might still work as a relevant communication theory. However, in those hundred years, practitioners in the fields of anthropology, sociology, education, public health and medical sociology, marketing and management, geography, economics, and others, have found it lacking (Rogers, pp. 42-43). A new angle may work better. Failed attempts at innovation litter evolution and world history. Technology improves and progresses quicker than potential users accept it. Rogers’ theory offered the best way to evaluate equally old data. Perhaps its time to forget about raising the dead, and glue the book’ cover to his headstone for his epitaph.
Other theories, on different levels of observation, exist within the communication and information technology field, and may have provided better interpretation of data, and a more transparent reporting of results. Adaptive structuration, a mesa level, or more specific, theory, examines “the role of advanced information technologies in organization change. AST examines the change process from two vantage points 1) the types of structures that are provided by the advanced technologies and 2) the structures that actually emerge in human action as people interact with these technologies” (Universiteit Twente, 2006). A closer examination of survey data might have presented the findings on a more personal, understandable level, for practitioners who do not have the perceived advantages offered by individuals with Ph. D.’s.
Searches for current literature about EAD do not readily appear in searches of academic data bases, a fact which precipitated the authors’ creation of this current effort. As stated, “. . . literature consists primarily of overviews of the history and evolution of EAD. . . , case studies describing individual experiences with EAD. . . ,” and “three cross-institutional analyses of EAD adoption “ (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1428). With this article more information now exists. Will the majority of implementers of EAD find the information understandable, and most importantly, useful? The findings indicate only about one-half of responders to the survey have implemented EAD. This population may or may not be indicative of the population as a whole, but it does provide some processed data. Figure 1 (Yakel & Kim, p. 1429) did not include any responders to the survey from corporate bodies. This constituent includes the majority of institutions at work as money-making concerns. The numbers may not speak for themselves.
Methodology and statistics introduce fledglings to the mire of numbers, and the myriad ways to report them, if the imagination allows it. For the academic community, and professional organizations who follow such publications, this knowledge may represent a past, or perhaps current, state of EAD in institutions, and offers a starting point from which to continue the internalization of EAD. Numbers presented interesting information about EAD encoding software (Yakel & Kim, 2004, p. 1433), and encoding and publication of finding aids (Yakel & Kim, p. 1434). EAD got compared to Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) in many ways (adoption and diffusion patterns, finding aids, training, internalization, incorporated principles and standards, format, implementers). However, EAD may not become as ingrained in archival society as MARC became in the library world. Archival professionals say EAD encoding lacks incorporation in budgets because the budget lacks funds for personnel. The vicious cycle continues. No money for personnel, or, no resources for resources!
The idea that adoption of EAD could exist without diffusion of EAD expertise seemed both paradoxical and alluring. Fully two-thirds of encoders and interested persons get introduced to EAD at workshops. Encoders included mostly professional archivists, but also paraprofessionals, students, and clerical employees, from various and related technological skills. So the nuts and bolts of encoding might not require the theoretical knowledge and abilities of doctoral students. That makes life easier. When resources became available for maintenance and extension of EAD, some institutions provided time for continuance of encoding, and its internalization. The “Electronic Archives” course should instruct to a much greater proficiency than a workshop would. When the resources become available, personnel become available to pursue encoding, the production of finding aids, and publishing the results. Access to information, provided by the learning, or internalization, of information, to get the information encoded, finally provides a more or less good package for use by customers. To date, the usability of finding aids runs the gamut, from not usable, to very usable. Professional archivists live this reality every day (T. Featherstone, personal communication, January 23, 2007) (C. Lewis, personal communication, January 26, 2007).
The article read like something produced by a student with lots of book knowledge, but little real world experience. At times the reading became confusing. Perhaps an overabundance of data, a lack of understanding, personal interpretations of the writers, or maybe lack of communication skills, led to a lack of desire to continue reading at points. Continuing, and not understanding, proved the method to make it to the end of the article- sort of like a surgical shotgun blast, tearing up everything in sight, and baffled! Thoughts and opinions formed the basis of the analysis. The organization, and diversity of subjects discussed, left room for learning, and further comprehension. The enjoyment of the learning experience came by way of reading. Learning occurred. Interpretation of data led to new literature, a reason for the paper to begin with.
References to outside resources, which offered much basic information on the subject of EAD, led to the discovery of new sources of information for future pursuits. The EAD Cookbook- 2002 Edition (SAA, 2004) contained references to the Encoded Archival Description, version 2002 Official Site (Library of Congress, 2006). Basic and detailed information describes EAD beyond current knowledge of beginning encoders. Further research in these references can further internalization of skills. Knowing that specialized EAD software exists makes for a bright future, assuming the institution has software that works. Of course, without knowledge of the basic archival principles, the interpretation and reporting of research for users may be futile.
Finally, with this insight, knowledge of the past and present leads to visions in the future. But has EAD had judgment passed already? Does lack of resources (people, materials, money, time) mean EAD will end up as so much more worthless information, waiting for its discovery in a time capsule by a future citizen, or by some alien being that runs into a distant space craft launched in time memoriam? Maybe they forgot to include it on the inventory as an oversight. Discarded technology comes and goes. Which technology, current, or yet to be designed, will save our historical information for future generations and worlds?
References
American Library Association (ALA). (2006). 2006-2007 directory of institutions offeringALA-accredited master's programs in library and information studies. Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://www.ala.org/ala/accreditation/lisdirb/lisdirectory.htm#us
American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T). (n.d.). About ASIS&T. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://asis.org/about.html
American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T). (n.d.). Journal of the American society for information science and technology. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://asis.org/jasist.html
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2007). Wiley InterScience. Retrieved February 1, 2007, from http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/aboutus/
Library of Congress, Network Development and MARC Standards Office. (September 8, 2006). Encoded archival description, version 2002 official site. Retrieved January 22, 2007, from http://www.loc.gov/ead/.
Rogers. E. M. (1995). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.
Society of American Archivists (SAA). (2007). SAA search results: Jihyun Kim. Retrieved January 30, 2007, from http://www.picosearch.com/cgi-bin/ts.pl
Society of American Archivists. (3/30/04). The EAD cookbook- 2002 edition. Retrieved January 22, 2007, from http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/ead/tools_and_helper_files/ead2002cookbook/EAD2002cookbook.pdf
Universiteit Twente. (05/31/2006). Communication theories. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from http://www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/
University of Michigan, School of Information. (2007). People: faculty profile. Elizabeth Yakel. Retrieved January 29, 2007, from http://www.si.umich.edu/people/faculty-detail.htm?sid=247
University of Michigan, School of Information. (2007). People: Ph.D. student profile. Jihyun Kim. Retrieved January 29, 2007, from http://www.si.umich.edu/people/phd-detail.htm?ID=817
Yakel, E. (04.10.03). Welcome to Elizabeth Yakel’s website. Retrieved January 29-30, 2007, from http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~yakel/yakelhome.htm
Yakel, E., & Kim, J. (2004). Adoption and diffusion of encoded archival description. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 56(13), 1427-1437.

FADS

2007-02-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

This article verified what I have had a strange tinkling about for a long time- that every few years those in management either get straight, too old, they retire, or they die, leaving the rest of us to wonder what it was they were trying to pass off on the rest of us as wisdom.

strategic plan

2007-02-02T23:11:00.000-08:00

WSU has a strategic plan I will forward to group.

FEBRUARY 3 PREPARATION

2007-02-02T22:49:00.000-08:00

In mid 1990s the Dept of Defense was big on TQM (totalitarian quality management). I was only an interested party- bored and trying to pickup on whatever seemed interesting, to pass the time before a) I died of boredom, or b) I died at the hands of an enemy our country had helped to create. Anyway, as almost an assistant to a general staff of 45 generals of the largest corps in the army (ordnance) [I decided to leave the service- a person can take just so much subservience to an ungrateful country]. I became aware of TQM- I didnt know it had originated in Japan, but it sounded good- a good buzz word- made people happy.

I tracked down people trying to implement it from the Pentagon on down. I dragged it down to my level, although nobody I talked to could tell me anything about it. So I figured why beat a dead horse. I dont know if it ever took- they probably renamed it and passed it off as their own- I believe Al Gore of internet fame was vice president at the time. fizzle POOF shizzle
NEXT: to do case study I found it helpful to browse through entire text- I'm glad I thought of it. Life experience helped in writing evaluation.
NEXT:

yesterday, all my troubles seemed so . . . . tomorrow

2007-01-31T22:39:00.000-08:00

RE: Electronic archives class yesterday recently

while discussing records management recently I questioned the abundance of gubment websites, i. e., the national archives (archives.com), digitalpreservation.com, National Records Administration (NARA), etc. I was reminded of 1970 at Chevrolet Motors Division, and all the jumping through hoops we all did under the direction of John DeLorean, who was instituting OSHA for the first time. OSHA wanted this, OSHA wanted that, but the gubment enforcers didnt know what the gubment "intelligentsia" wanted enforced. SOOOOO John D would tell us just make it "good enough for the gubment, and leave it at that." Teacher ensured me upon questioning that these gubment sites were, in deed, legitimate, and not just a big joke like OSHA was when it first began 37 years ago. I'm still scared.

NEW! IMPROVED!

2007-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome back my friends to the blog that I thought had ended. But alas, "LIS7040 Library Administration and Management" has come along to save it.

January 27, 2007
Challenges. I find it diffucult to visualize tables and figures in articles, when those tables and figures are not included in the text article.
Any other comments. I think it is a sad national state of affairs that the management fashion of choice has become intervention. Its so easy to blame a person or group of people because management is a collective group of idiots (based on personal past experience). Oh well. When the earth goes, they'll all go. I sort of feel sorry for the youth, but I'm glad I wont be here to see them grow old. Maybe they'll get wise before their government destroys their lives. But I seriously doubt it. SOciety looks to me like a big roundup being sent to slaughter. Soilant green, anyone?

I would like to add my recent paper, unedited, uncut, long version, opinionated, and not sterile to fit the 1000 word limit. Here goes, maybe it will work:

IT WORKED!!!

Assignment #1: 12 Angry Men
Nobody except the government wastes hard-earned money without a good reason. Who would produce a motion picture about twelve men sequestered in a hot jury room, and expect that enterprise to be a money-making one? Perhaps education motivated the director to show the present state of twelve, of the sometimes darker shades, of “modern man.” Maybe this food for thought would feed the masses, whether it poisoned them or not.
Times change quickly; people less quickly. What began as an exercise in communication, continues to this day as a study in communication. The 1950’s had their experts; the millennium has its experts. Have they transgressed, or progressed. Do we study this film to educate the naïve among us, or to educate those of us who have not had a taste of the real world? Something is better than nothing, right? Maybe attitude adjustments through the use of this mass media impelled the writers. Now educators attempt to instill ancient values into modern society through innocent victims. By looking at the theories, realities, and changes of perception, from the 1950’s, to the 2000’s, lessons reveal themselves and the transgressions avoided- with a little perseverance.
Working in Organizations
Group membership studies milked the subject dry in the 1950’s, and studies continue to this day. The man who emerged as faux foreman either knew, or learned quickly, how to work a small group. Active participation must take place for anything to happen (Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953, p. 218). As often happened in the 1950’s, leadership and organizational models grew out of military molds. Perhaps that accounts for all the hostility experienced in small groups in small spaces. The small group, as an independent organization, exhibits, albeit on a small scale, the same effects affected on larger organizations. Direct pressure, a constructive philosophy, delegation of authority, and other supervisory attitudes all brought about results (Likert & Katz, 1951, pp. 89-95).
Within modern library organizations, team-building innovations exist as a neat, little package. Want to know how to succeed? With no trial and error, go to the index, and look it up! Find “characteristics of effective teams,” “stages of team development,” “basic steps in team building,” “team communication,” and “the future of work teams in libraries” (Stuert & Moran, 2002, pp. 399-404). What more could you ask for?
Communication
In 1951, having saved the world from evil with an increasingly technical military, America returned to the production of consumer goods, and post-war prosperity. Communication took on technical characteristics (Ruesch & Bateson, 1951, pp. 283-286), and “the study of interaction is concerned with the effect of communication upon the behavior of the two or more interacting entities” (Ruesch & Bateson, p. 286). Furthermore, “at the intrapersonal level . . . the organism can somewhat predict its own reactions” (Ruesch & Bateson, pp. 287-288). Yet twelve organisms became tasked with determining the future of another organism’ life! With human life belittled to the size of an organism for society’ sake, what could result when these organisms began deliberating, when they took powerful liberties bestowed upon them by the society? Destructive interaction, self-destruction, and breaking down of the system occurred.
Communication in the new millennium library has become “a key ingredient in effective leadership” (Stuert & Moran, p. 379). Just a spoonful of sugar . . . . Do you believe in evolution? Organisms of the 1950’s have evolved into living, loving beings, with needs, wants, and desires! List after list tell you who, what, when, where, why, and how to communicate- just absorb it into your system. Is there a problem? Check the conflict checklist, and proceed to make yours a functional team. It’s all too beautiful!
Leadership
“The danger of assuming any leadership—even of any form of self-assertion—is that it provokes resistance and hostility, retaliation and punishment” (Meerloo, 1956, p. 221). A credible communicator with a persuasive message influenced group conformity, and worked individual personality factors, i. e., fear, tension, acceptability, motivation, commitment, self-consistency, etc( Hovland et al., pp. 13-14). The twelve represented these factors, and more. A leader came forth to lead, however haphazardly, the jury. He probably realized the value of membership in a group, and appealed to members’ self-worth, salience, resistance to change, susceptibilities to persuasion, personal differences, intellect, prejudices, inadequacy, aggression, withdrawal, etc, to effect a result- maybe not the desired result, but a result just the same. Experimentations, and variations thereof, effected the desired results.
Leadership continues in a big way today. Studies seem to have found all the needed answers, i. e., those that will suffice for the majority. Results may come through opinion change, or through dictatorial edict. Currently identified styles, which reflect leadership through the ages, continue to fine tune the art of leading people to do what you want them to do. Ethics helps smooth over gray areas, or at least creates a morass in which to drown dissonant feelings, while the work at hand continues. As servants of the customer, librarians must self-lead sometimes to get the product delivered.
Decision-making
“The administrative mind is born, often dominating man’s social behavior and man’s manifold contacts, leading him into complicated actions and compulsions far beyond spontaneous behavior” (Meerloo, p. 218). Maier (1952) published his findings from Ann Arbor, Michigan. “The examples and applications are pointed toward industry, but the principles apply to all situations where leaders must deal with groups or individuals” (p. vii). Try and try again, till you get what you want. Keep records, and do not make the same mistakes twice. Of course, in the jury room, the choices numbered only two, and a mistake meant death to a innocent person, or freedom to the guilty.
Contemporary decision theory attempts to divine the next solution from databases of possibilities, cataloging mankind’s successes and failures. Even if the theory fails, new data equates to a infinitesimal morsel of the sum total of knowledge. Librarians using the group decision making approach have group judgment, group authority, and communication to support any decision. Disadvantages of this approach include cost, compromise, indecision, power, and authority issues (Stuert & Moran, pp. 85-88).
Methods
One program of experimental modification of attitudes and opinions through communication published its research in 1953 (Hovland et al). Persuasion of one sort of another took hold of the twelve men, either through domination, or under submission. Let it be known: psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, political scientists, economists, and others, do have motivations to form and modify values of populations. The judicial system of America in the 1950’s, along with its unwitting, and sometimes unwilling, participants, needing shoving down the peoples’ collective throat. America 2000 has become a police state, policing the world with military might, while passing legislation that the government can break all the laws it creates in the name of government. At least half of the television shows display police or courtroom situations, and prison construction leads all other business growth in America. Did twelve angry men unwittingly bring all this on back in the day? Methodological problems often break down into personality factors, for the sake of the group (Hovland et al., p. 179).
Communicative methods in modern organizations facilitates everything and everyone, from the Chief Executive Officer to the friend of the library. Write, speak, or look to the subordinate, peer, or superior, officially, or unofficially, and watch things happen. Conflict begets team solutions through goals, objectives and strategies, activities, tasks, and initiatives (Stuert & Moran, pp. 108-112). Technology helps, but can hinder, efforts to conclude efforts.
Equality, Inclusion, Diversity
The director of 12 Angry Men obviously made an effort to include minority members of the population, as jurors and victims. Jurors played on fears and prejudices of other jurors in their efforts to persuade still more jurors to change their decision, or not. However, literature from the 1950’s discussing equal opportunity, inclusion, and diversity, does not exist in abundance.
Legal protections for employees, and unions, help enforce modern equal opportunity, which seeks to include and diversify. Sometimes one group suffers at the hands of another because of the law. Then bigger organizations step in to resolve conflict through any number of methods, some of which surfaced here. Ethics training provides a framework for employees to handle routine dilemmas that occur routinely in an organization. Where the law leaves off, personal courtesies may resolve troublesome situations.
Conclusion
“The burning . . . question is whether man will eventually master his institutions so that these will serve him and not rule him” (Meerloo, p. 228). Problems festered fifty years ago, as problems persist today. Experience has provided a solid basis for civilized nations to nurture and grow, when they desire to. Should a society become fixated for too long on an icon, or movie, and not understand the issues presented therein, internal conflicts arise, and impose themselves upon society as a whole. Then, organizations, large and small, may use all the tools at their disposal to fix what may not be broken. New lessons learned will fine tune the great computer, and a fine time will be had by all.

References
Hovland, D. I., Janis, I. L., & Kelley, H. H. (1953). Communication and persuasion: psychological studies of opinion change. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Likert, R. & Katz, D. (1951). Supervisory practices and organizational structures as they affect employee productivity and morale. In Hoslet, S. D. (Ed.), Human factors in management (Rev. ed., pp. 89-101). New York: Harper & Brothers.
Lumet, S (Director). (1957). 12 angry men [Motion picture]. United States: United Artists.
Maier, N. R. F. (1952). Principles of human relations: applications to management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Meerloo, J. A. M. (1956). The rape of the mind: the psychology of thought control, menticide, and brainwashing. Cleveland: World Publishing Company.
Reusch, J., & Bateson, G. (1951). Communication: the social matrix of psychiatry. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Stueart, R. D., and Moran, B. B. (2002). Library and information center management (6th ed.). Westport: Libraries Unlimited.

Thats enough for now. Sleep tight. Johnny

. . . and orders . . . GARCON! SERVICE!!!!

2006-02-16T16:03:00.000-08:00

I recently became involved with a listserv, electronic mailing list, if you will, which, unbeknownst to me, are descendants of the old bulletin boards, which I never became involved with because I never had a computer to play with.

Get on a good listserv, and chances are your knowledge will be increased, and you will have a good time doing it. For instance, I wanted to know about the book arts, not to be confused with the black arts, or the lost arts, or Art- you know- down on the corner.

If I may, I would like to take up some time in cyberspace to tell you what they are talking about in Bookartsland. They cant come to a unamimous decision as to what is "ART." Go figure! You may need to crack the door and get a little fresh air in, eh, Mr Hatter?

THE FUTURE OF ART, ANY ART, SEES VIRTUALLY. [BOOKS EVOLVE INTO GENETIC ART IN A MORPH BETWEEN ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND SCIENCE. GENETIC ART ATTEMPTS TO BRING TOGETHER THE FORMS, PROCESSES, AND EFFECTS OF LIFE INTO ART. A-VOLVE DESIGNERS ATTEMPT TO SIMULATE THE PROCESSES OF LIFE: EVOLUTION, BREEDING, AND SELECTION. ART AND SCIENCE MAY BE PARALLEL UNIVERSES, OVERLAPPING AND CONVERGING FROM TIME TO TIME. ART AND SCIENCE MAY BE PARALLEL UNIVERSES, OVERLAPPING AND CONVERGING FROM TIME TO TIME.TRANSGENIC ART SEEKS TO CREATE UNIQUE LIVING CREATURES USING GENETIC ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES, THAT IS, TO TRANSFORM LIFE ITSELF] (GRAU, 2003)

BACK TO THE SUBJECT AT HAND, SYME (2006) SUGGESTS "PERHAPS WE (SOME OF US) ARE IN SOME TRANSITIONAL VORTEX WHERE WE HAVE STARTED TO TAKE REFUGE IN STATES LIKE THE INTERNET . . . SO OUR TERMS LIKE 'BOOKS'AND 'ART' ARE MORPHING. . . .?" WHILE EXCELLENT WEBSITES, SUCH AS WWW.LOSTCRAFTS.COM AND WWW.PHILOBIBLON.COM INFORM US OF OUR PAST WITH EXAMPLES OF BOOK ART OF THE PAST ON THEIR PAGES, TECHNOLOGY, NEEDS, AND NECESSITIES OF MODERN LIFE CONTINUE TO DRAG US INTO THE PRESSURE OF THE PRESENT. ON THE SURFACE "BOOK ARTS" SOUNDS QUITE INNOCUOUS. FROM FORESTS AND FIELDS COME NATURAL ESOURCES, TREATED AND PROCESSED, FOR DISSEMINATION TO THE MASSES, AND FOR THE AESTHETIC BEAUTY OF THE WORKS. BEHOLD- CLASSIC CONFLICT ABOUNDS: gods VS MAN, GOOD VS EVIL, OLD VS NEW, MAN VS MACHINES, CLASSICAL VS ABSTRACT, PRAGMATISTS VS PURISTS. ARTISTS CREATE ART, YET IT DISAPPEARS BEFORE MANY SEE IT. MANY HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF THE ARGUMENT OF WHAT IS ART, IF ONLY FOR ARGUMENT' SAKE. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUVE BEEN CREATING? AN ARTIST WHO TELLS YOU THE ONLY TRUE ART FORM READS LIKE A HANDMADE, DECORATED BOOK, SPEAKS FROM A DEEP, DARK HOLE. HIS ART'S DEMISE CALLS UPON ITSELF, COUPLED WITH ALL THE GLUE INHALED OVER THE YEARS- NOT UNLIKE THE MAD HATTER OF OLD.

some scholars of modern civilization decided art began in dirt and on bodies, on cave walls, and then moved onto domiciles and public constructs. to adorn these buildings, framed art filled the walls, and literature of various sorts laid about for digestion. the original instigator decided to put colorful designs onto a book, or perhaps he saw early graffiti on a painting. either way, like the original man, purists suffer at the thought of technologial art. a purist may draw the line of book art/not book art at gutenberg, the beginning of industrialized publishing. from then the purist' agony only deepens. bibles, textbooks, and papers for the masses, the whole mass media thing with television, radio, and computers, may make most people happy, but not the purist. digital art in its many and emerging formats has a beauty all its own. who says computer art on the internet, or even the computer presentation itself, lacks art? the purists do. maybe they argue the quantity of "art" belies the quality of handmade articles. books praise art within their covers, thus taking art' spawn into its covers, creating cyberchildren in the next room. artists try to bring life to lifeless art

RANDOM WORD OF THE DAY FROM THE MOTHER LAND

2006-01-29T02:16:00.000-08:00

Its time again to educate yourselves. Try this on for size:

http://proxy.lib.wayne.edu:2167/cgi/entry/lfw

Be careful with it!

. . . . and what do you think he sees?!

2006-01-29T01:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome back my friends to the shelf that never ends. I am so glad you could attend, step inside.

Issues 2, 3, and 4 have been waylaid until later. A much more interesting discovery has been made- PERHAPS the mother of all internet sites!!!!. Hold on to your hats; shake the ants out of your pants:

INTERNET.COM

Is that a catchy name or what? What? It is a pot pourri of web pages. Its got among many other things, webcasts with training, and internet lists, news, & resources! Go figure.

Current internet news, for example, can be found at http://newslinx.internet.com. This is not the morning, noon, evening, or hourly news. This is the past, present, and future from inside the chips and transistors that power today's communication technology. VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone technology allows you to talk with the help of your notebook computer. Is your VoIP phone tapped? Better check out this article: http://www.pcworld.com/resource/article/0,aid,124533,pg,1,RSS,RSS,00.asp. BETTER YET!!! Get a Wi-Fi phone- then you won't have to carry your notebook around with you (SEE article about new wireless phones!) http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124368,00.asp.

That is as close to making any sense out of this website. It gets pretty deep awfully fast. For instance . . . . . .

OH-- HERE IS SOMETHING I UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!!!

SPECIAL REPORT

THE BLOGOSPHERE

BLOGS OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

CORPORATE BLOGGING TAKES OFF

GOOGLE'S ALL ABOUT THE BLOGGLE

DARK BLOGS & VOICES IN THE WILDERNESS

Ahhhhh, I feel much better now. WHERES THE REMOTE?!?!?!?!?!

LATER FOLKS. . . . . johnny was here

Johnny goes to the library . . . .

2006-01-22T18:17:00.000-08:00

. . . . and finds a random word of the day in the Oxford English Dictionary (http://proxy.lib.wayne.edu:2167/cgi/entry/50198002).
Click on the link and be amazed!

Johnny meets the subatomic world, or Inside the looking glass

2006-01-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

“JOHNNY MEETS THE SUBATOMIC WORLD”
OR
“Inside the looking glass”

I remember as if it happened sometime in my lifetime. They were calling it ENIAC, or BRAINIAC, or MANIAC: I forget. These new number crunchers would soon rule many societies’ destinies. It was only the beginning, only my first thought. Then more thoughts, more questions.

· Who is creating these things?
· What are they capable of?
· When will they start affecting my life, and the lives of those around me?
· Where will I first encounter one of these?
· Why are people worried about them?
· How will I deal with them if they take over the world?

{flashforward ~50 years}

Welcome to “Library Science 6080- Information Technology.” Working with and against computers during this last generation has taught me many things- not least of which is, “I don’t know diddly about computers, networks, or anything associated with the two.” Taking this course is beginning to satisfy my curiosity. To further this self-realization, I have chosen to learn more about the field of digitization.

I performed a query in a search engine with “digitization,” only to find I was still left without a real direction to go. This field is extremely vast, and growing. Technologies appear, and disappear if they are not going to fit the bill in the big scheme of things. So, my first dilemma was what idea to pursue. I was stopped cold- by a face in the monitor. He was Saint Bartholomew entangled in rolls of parchment! They had not yet discovered red tape.
(SEE http://getty.edu/research/conducting_research/standards/intrometadata/). I moved from that face to the print: Metadata. It was a vision, a grail, a light at the end of the tunnel.

Who came up with it? What does it mean? When did it begin to mean anything? Where was the person when they thought of it? Why did they create this word? How did they convince their cohorts to accept this term into the confines of their intellectual community?
It was not much to go on, but it was a start.

Not that we do not have enough data yet, or are about to run out of circuitry with which to put that data- do not worry. Just in case you are worried about a job being opened for you- do not. A new info explosion has occurred. Didn’t you hear it? You must not have been there when it dropped in the woods.

Meet Metadata, data about data, double dipped, refined, regurgitated, and who knows what else. At least twice as much to go around, wouldn’t you think? This is all very exciting. Not only have I uncovered a new, powerful, and interesting word, but whatever is going to happen with it has yet to happen. So there will be subject materials for years to come!

Once I have digested today’s installment, I will get back with you with the nuts & volts, the nitty gritty, and whatever else this Metadata may be. What next? Digital objects? Yeah, right!

{to be continued}

this is a test

2006-01-21T23:03:00.000-08:00

This is a test. Only the colors have been changed to protect the environment.