Nostr notes by John Mark Ockerbloom

"An agency, whether the Department of the Interior, NPS, or ...

2026-02-16T23:04:00Z

"An agency, whether the Department of the Interior, NPS, or any other agency, cannot arbitrarily decide what is true, based on its own whims or the whims of the new leadership, regardless of the evidence before it."

Federal judge Cynthia Rufe orders restoration of the slavery exhibit at the President's House in Independence NHP, finding it was removed without the required consent of the city of Philadelphia. Full text of opinion (which also quotes from Orwell's _1984_): https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.paed.648842/gov.uscourts.paed.648842.53.0.pdf

I have a listing of links to unofficial copies of the CIA World ...

2026-02-05T14:11:48Z

I have a listing of links to unofficial copies of the CIA World Factbook from various years, so readers can still consult them now that the CIA has discontinued the publication and apparently removed copies from its own website: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=worldfactbook

Listings currently cover editions from 1981 to 2024. Crawls of the post-2020 versions may be incomplete, and I don't know of online copies of pre-1981 editions. I welcome suggestions of links to more editions, or useful alternates to these.

I've never needed an app of any sort to get into a taxi at an ...

2026-01-27T17:00:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…0fa3
_________________________

I've never needed an app of any sort to get into a taxi at an airport. (Eventually I'll need to pay, of course, but I can either do that with cash or by using the taxi's credit card machine while I'm riding in it.) Is it different in the Bay Area?

How to add the No-AI version of Duck Duck Go as default search ...

2026-01-17T18:27:02Z

How to add the No-AI version of Duck Duck Go as default search engine in Firefox for Mac:

* Choose "Preferences" in Firefox's main menu

* Click on "Search" in the left column

* Scroll down past Search Subjects and press "Add" button

* For search engine name, enter a name like "No-AI Duck Duck Go"

* For URL, enter https://noai.duckduckgo.com/?q=%s (make sure there's https:// at the front)

* Click on "Add Engine"

* Scroll up the page to "Default search engine" and pick the new name from the menu

If that's the 1930 edition, it might be public domain ...

2025-12-21T21:53:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…863w
_________________________

If that's the 1930 edition, it might be public domain already. (The 1938 revised edition has a copyright renewal, but I can't find one for the 1930 edition, and any renewals for earlier editions, like the 1928 _Home Dietitian_ have expired by now.)

Google stopped letting owners of early Nest themostats remotely ...

2025-11-17T19:55:29Z

Google stopped letting owners of early Nest themostats remotely control their devices last month. But it's still remotely collecting extensive surveillance data from them: https://www.theverge.com/news/820600/google-nest-learning-thermostat-downgraded-data-collection #privacy

Updated the Wikipedia article for the World Digital Library, ...

2025-11-14T22:51:07Z

Updated the Wikipedia article for the World Digital Library, which among other things had pointed to a domain that's now been taken over by squatters. (Update any wdl.org links in your catalogs or websites!).

I'm assuming the WDL is now just a static collection (and I appreciate that LC is maintaining that), but if someone knows more about its current state of affairs, feel free to update: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Digital_Library

One of the reasons I turn off generative-AI "features" as ...

2025-11-02T13:19:42Z

One of the reasons I turn off generative-AI "features" as soon as I notice them in software and websites that I use is that I suspect I may find them dangerously addictive.

Cafe Bedouin's "Mirror Problem" post has a usefully concise statement of *how* it can be addictive, how folks like me can be particularly vulnerable to it, and how it differs from other forms of computer-mediated addiction we may have learned to resist: https://cafebedouin.org/2025/11/01/%F0%9F%AA%9E-the-mirror-problem-a-warning-about-ai-and-your-mind/ It also has some tips on weaning oneself off.

Impressive! I've seen a video of folks who've done this ...

2025-10-22T11:27:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…ldzq
_________________________

Impressive! I've seen a video of folks who've done this in NJ (who also added the constraint of "no express buses" to keep it it interesting) but it cost a lot more than $2. And in CT, while I think a similar trip could be done along the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield corridor, I'm not sure you could do it the long way across the state, or up its route 7 corridor (that's at least as populated as VT's, and that it sounds like the Vermonters used).

TechCrunch's story on claims that "GPT-5 solved ...

2025-10-20T20:16:33Z

TechCrunch's story on claims that "GPT-5 solved previously unsolved Erdős problems" raises more questions for me than it answers. https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/19/openais-embarrassing-math/

It's clear that all GPT-5 did was find references to "solutions" the Erdős problems website maintainer was unaware of. But that could mean pre-existing vetted solutions were somehow unnoticed (which seems odd given those problems' fame), or that these "solutions" aren't fully vetted (which seems common with famous math problems). Anyone know?

Info on tomorrow's #NoKings rally in Center City ...

2025-10-18T00:36:04Z

Info on tomorrow's #NoKings rally in Center City Philadelphia: https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia/no-kings-protest-philadelphia-road-closures-start-time-location-20251017.html Plan your trip there keeping in mind there's also a bike ride closing streets in the morning, and that SEPTA Regional Rail can't handle big weekend crowds even when they have all their railcars online.

There's also a rally in Mount Airy and elsewhere in NW Philly, and others in Philly suburbs.

There are many more across the US. Look here to find one near you: https://www.nokings.org/

Is there news I should know about?

2025-09-24T15:45:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…tkqr
_________________________

Is there news I should know about?

The only 21st century Trek I've watched significant amounts ...

2025-09-04T22:10:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…xvp4
_________________________

The only 21st century Trek I've watched significant amounts of is Lower Decks, which I've enjoyed quite a bit so far. (I'm borrowing DVDs from the library, and am currently part-way through season 3.)

I like it in part because it's very clear it's not to be taken too seriously, while still having lots of callbacks of both the spirit and the specific events of TOS and TNG; but doing it with enough tweaks and silliness to remain interesting.

"After September 30, 2025, access to Typepad – including ...

2025-08-27T16:16:44Z

"After September 30, 2025, access to Typepad – including account management, blogs, and all associated content – will no longer be available." https://distlib.blogs.com/distlib/2025/08/typepad-shutdown-announcement.html

I'm taking this to mean that any typepad-based blog will be disappearing from the Internet in just over a month. If you're interested in any such blog (either because you maintained it or you've read or linked to it) you'll need to take action quickly to preserve it.

On a quick look, it seems the main difference is that the Hugo ...

2025-07-01T18:48:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…amqc
_________________________

On a quick look, it seems the main difference is that the Hugo vote rounds always eliminate one candidate at a time, whereas the New York vote rounds can eliminate all named candidates with too few votes to have a chance of winning (which in this case would be all candidates below the top two by the time you get to round 3)?

I can see why NY does it that way (among other things, it speeds up the process), but it is interesting to see how the preferences shift in the Hugo rounds.

I'm not sure how DPLA is funded at present, but if they do ...

2025-06-25T17:30:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…203h
_________________________

I'm not sure how DPLA is funded at present, but if they do still have funds I wonder if it'd be better for them to find a new organization to transfer them to (whether for the sort of digital materials aggregation they used to be more supported and trusted for, or something else worthwhile) than to find a new project. There's no shortage of program-driven DL orgs needing funds, and I'd think they'd be better investments than a funding-driven DL org needing a program.

The Copyright Office's Public Records System (CPRS) is now ...

2025-06-25T13:40:41Z

The Copyright Office's Public Records System (CPRS) is now live, and I've updated our Deep Backfile pages, and our copyright renewal documentation, to link to and reflect the new system, and describe how to use it.

Our updated guide on how to search for #copyright renewals: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/renewals.html

Our updated "Determining copyright status of serial issues" guide: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/decisions.html

And our new first serials renewals inventory: https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/firstperiod.html

Corrections & suggestions welcome!

While I can't say for sure at this point how the report was ...

2025-05-29T13:16:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…2y9g
_________________________

While I can't say for sure at this point how the report was written, the fabrication of nonexistent papers (as well as the citation of actual papers for claims they don't support) is a common behavior of "AI" large language model-based text generators. (Such applications can be very good at outputting convincing-sounding text, but cannot be considered reliable or scientifically supportable.)

The White House's "Make America Healthy Again" report ...

2025-05-29T13:13:01Z

The White House's "Make America Healthy Again" report cites papers that appear not to exist:

"Epidemiologist Katherine Keyes is listed... as the first author of a study on anxiety in adolescents. When NOTUS reached out to her... she was surprised to hear of the citation. She does study mental health and substance use, she said. But she didn’t write the paper listed."

NOTUS couldn't find the paper in the cited journal, and I've verified the claimed DOI doesn't resolve: https://www.notus.org/health-science/make-america-healthy-again-report-citation-errors

As far as I'm aware, the President can't fire the ...

2025-05-09T01:51:25Z

As far as I'm aware, the President *can't* fire the Librarian of Congress (though he can appoint a replacement when her term is up in 2026) since LC is an agency of Congress, not of the executive branch. Anyone have information otherwise? (This is re: https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/delauro-firing-librarian-congress-dr-carla-hayden ) #uspol #libraries

Nearly 1000 Yale faculty so far have signed a letter to the ...

2025-04-17T14:06:17Z

Nearly 1000 Yale faculty so far have signed a letter to the university's administration urging it to stand firm against "extraordinary attacks that threaten the bedrock principles of a democratic society, including rights of free expression, association, and academic freedom". The last of the 6 actions urged in the letter is to "work purposefully and proactively with other colleges and universities in collective defense". https://sites.google.com/view/yalefacultyletter2025/home #HigherEd #USPol

From an open letter by Harvard's president published today: ...

2025-04-14T17:33:02Z

From an open letter by Harvard's president published today: "We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement. The University will not negotiate over its independence or its constitutional rights." https://www.harvard.edu/president/news/2025/the-promise-of-american-higher-education/

Good on Harvard. I hope other universities will stand with them as well. The alternative, as we've seen, is to be brought to heel one by one. #HigherEd #USPol

IANAL, but OCLC's filing says "OCLC voluntarily dismissed ...

2025-04-11T23:47:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…r8nj
_________________________

IANAL, but OCLC's filing says "OCLC voluntarily dismissed Ms. Matienzo with prejudice so that the litigation would focus on a final judgment against Anna’s Archive." Basically, they still want a default judgment (which would be easier to get when there isn't a defendant actively opposing them in court). A default judgment would let them collect against Anna's archive or collaborators if they locate them, and also potentially set a precedent for the rulings on law that OCLC wants.

OCLC dismisses claims against Maria Matienzo in their suit ...

2025-04-11T22:54:27Z

OCLC dismisses claims against Maria Matienzo in their suit against Anna's Archive: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68157923/48/oclc-online-computer-library-center-inc-v-annas-archive/ ) They also petition the court for reconsideration of its ruling to refer several issues to Ohio's Supreme Court: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68157923/oclc-online-computer-library-center-inc-v-annas-archive/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

I'm glad that Maria no longer has to fight this case (unless she moves to recover costs from OCLC, which she's entitled to try). I'm also curious how the courts will rule on the remaining issues now that there's no one actively arguing for the defense.

Our library has access to a book published by Springer, _Advanced ...

2025-03-24T13:20:06Z

Our library has access to a book published by Springer, _Advanced Nanovaccines for Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing Nanotechnology for Anti-Cancer Immunity_. Credited to Nanasaheb Thorat, it sells for $160 in hardcover: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-86185-7

From page 25: "It is important to note that as an AI language model, I can provide a general perspective, but you should consult with medical professionals for personalized advice..."

None of this book can be considered trustworthy.

(h/t peter purgathofer (npub14ts…knnf) )

...who tries to produce a summary of the data by feeding it to a ...

2025-03-18T23:34:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…y2gv
_________________________

...who tries to produce a summary of the data by feeding it to a cloud-based generative AI service.

I heartily endorse Ruth Kitchin Tillman's call in my LB: ...

2025-03-03T14:46:00Z

I heartily endorse Ruth Kitchin Tillman's call in my LB: "This will take all of us. Speak out yourself through blogging or other forms of writing. Write your own statements!"

In that spirit, my latest blog post, which I put out last night, has examples showing why making #libraries more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible requires deliberate action towards those ends, and not just vague good intentions: https://everybodyslibraries.com/2025/03/02/not-by-accident-but-by-action/

It's probably a good idea to check the CW policy on your void ...

2025-02-18T23:53:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…yzae
_________________________

It's probably a good idea to check the CW policy on your void instance before your scream.

The Library of Congress's Frederick Douglass Day ...

2025-02-02T17:42:03Z

The Library of Congress's Frederick Douglass Day transcribe-a-thon is still on for February 14. Join in if you can: https://blogs.loc.gov/bibliomania/2025/01/30/valentines-day-plans-how-about-transcribing-historic-pamphlets-for-douglass-day/. (And make noise if between now and then someone says you can't.)

The first Nazi concentration camp, Dachau, was established on ...

2025-01-30T02:45:57Z

The first Nazi concentration camp, Dachau, was established on March 22, 1933, just under 2 months after Hitler was named chancellor. It had an initial capacity of 5000 prisoners. Historians estimate that at least 40,000 people died there by the end of World War II: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/dachau.

9 days after inauguration, Trump announced intentions to send as many as 30,000 prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, which has previously never imprisoned more than 1000: https://apnews.com/article/guantanamo-bay-detention-migrants-what-to-know-trump-d027c5c24b523f31a62271dcbe7c010e

"[W]hat I felt during my final year at the Times was a push ...

2025-01-29T03:01:23Z

"[W]hat I felt during my final year at the Times was a push toward blandness, toward avoiding saying anything too directly in a way that might get some people (particularly on the right) riled up. I guess my question is, if those are the ground rules, why even bother having an opinion section?"

Paul Krugman on why he stopped writing for the New York Times: https://contrarian.substack.com/p/departing-the-new-york-times

"'I have told officials at the highest level of the ...

2025-01-23T22:51:46Z

"'I have told officials at the highest level of the University that they only have two options: fire me, or let the [Harvard Slavery Remembrance Program] do this work properly,' Cellini wrote in a September statement to The Crimson.

"On Thursday, Cellini wrote in a text message: 'Today Harvard fired me. So now we know.'"
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/1/24/harvard-disbands-slavery-remembrance-program/

(Harvard also abruptly laid off the rest of the HSRP as well, transferring its work to an outside contractor.)

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and ...

2025-01-21T03:25:31Z

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

US Constitution, Amendment 14

Looks very cool! I'm curious about the underlying software ...

2025-01-08T23:54:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…ckqa
_________________________

Looks very cool! I'm curious about the underlying software you're using for the platform. Is it something you've acquired, or something you've developed?

Thanks! The book shows up as non-borrowable (only available to ...

2025-01-06T16:25:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…v43u
_________________________

Thanks! The book shows up as non-borrowable (only available to folks with print disabilities) when I look it up on IA. Do you see it the same way? (I think MIT Press actually had an agreement with IA to allow controlled digital lending of at least some of their titles, but I don't know if that ended, or this book isn't in the covered set.)

Thanks for this! This article is in the public domain (in the US ...

2024-12-31T01:20:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…3msh
_________________________

Thanks for this! This article is in the public domain (in the US at least). Here's a link to a non-paywalled scan: https://archive.org/details/sim_american-library-assoc-ala-bulletin_1936-06_30_6/page/495/mode/1up

It's clear from the many replies to yesterday's post that ...

2024-12-26T17:59:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…9kav
_________________________

It's clear from the many replies to yesterday's post that lots of people have tried to edit Wikipedia but been put off by how admins and other editors treat them.

Some persist. Some are 'old guard' that patrol their own turf but repel newcomers. Some have had some success banding together in projects like Women in Red and Wiki Edu. Some I know are paid to edit by nonprofits (respecting WP rules for that, e.g. disclosing who pays them and avoiding conflict of interest edits). But... (1/2)

As a donor myself to WMF, I'm aware of this, though I'm ...

2024-12-25T20:03:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…kd96
_________________________

As a donor myself to WMF, I'm aware of this, though I'm also aware that the aspects of most editors' experience that either keeps them engaged or drives them off has more to do with the culture of Wikipedia editors than anything the WMF directly develops.

More than funds, what Wikipedia really needs is more good ...

2024-12-25T18:41:27Z

More than funds, what Wikipedia really needs is more good editors. The number of people who regularly edit articles in English Wikipedia hasn't grown substantially in years, while the number of articles has, and editor demographics remains skewed. The foundation itself largely stays away from editing, leaving it to volunteers. While articles that get a lot of attention are often good, it's not hard to find ones with biased and promotional content in less-visited topics, and in other languages.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published its November #JobsReport ...

2024-12-06T22:38:47Z

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published its November #JobsReport today. U3 (the "official" unemployment rate) ticked up to 4.2%, and U6 (a broader measure of unemployment and underemployment) ticked up to 7.8%: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm Labor participation rate ticked down to 62.5%: https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htm Net jobs +227K: https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth Summary news release: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

(And if you'd wondered how last month's preliminary +12K net jobs would be adjusted, it's revised to +36K)

"Fairness in women's sports" is often the thin edge ...

2024-11-08T16:52:05Z

"Fairness in women's sports" is often the thin edge of the wedge to persuade folks to fear and support persecution of trans people, so it's worth saving this essay by Parker Molloy, highlighting the disingenuousness of this line: https://www.readtpa.com/p/fine-lets-talk-about-trans-athletes

I'll add that Lia Thomas was a top athlete on the men's team here at Penn before medically transitioning, just as she was a top athlete on the women's team after. Hiding that to highlight her lower mid-transition men's team record is deceptive.

(The Wikidata group is still going, though I realize the page I ...

2024-11-05T00:03:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…eyeh
_________________________

(The Wikidata group is still going, though I realize the page I linked to may make it look like it isn't. They've shifted into a biweekly themed series-- next meeting's tomorrow-- with the theme in November and December being lexicographical data: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Group/Affinity_Group_Calls/Second_Project_Series But one can also use channels like the LD4 Wikidata slack to discuss other things.)

I can think of a few, including this project of mine (we've ...

2024-11-04T23:56:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…8ce2
_________________________

I can think of a few, including this project of mine (we've finished the pandemic-closures phase that involved a lot of library workers' paid time, but we're still accepting input from the public via forms, and the knowledge base continues to be maintained and grow slowly): https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/db/

I've also heard from a number of folks in and around libraries who work on Wikidata and related metadata efforts. There's a related affinity group that meets weekly: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Group

One of the things I like about working with linked data ...

2024-11-04T22:45:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…xref
_________________________

One of the things I like about working with linked data (particularly in an environment where I have ample autonomy) is I can take the bits from the small part of the metadata universe I'm working on, and connect it up to bits from different parts of the metadata universe others are working on.

I know there's a lot of metadata and digital content I'll never get to myself. But I like sharing my bits with other folks's bits, as we help make bigger and more useful things out of them.

Re LB, if you've considered donating to your instance, or to ...

2024-10-25T11:15:02Z

Re LB, if you've considered donating to your instance, or to fediverse development, in the past, it's worth checking again to see how you can do it. For example, the organization that runs my instance (the biggest Mastodon server currently running), and that develops the main trunk of Mastodon software, now has multiple ways of giving directly on a one-time or recurring basis, besides the recurring Patreon option they've had for a while: https://joinmastodon.org/sponsors

If you've still got a lot of Carnegie-built libraries in use ...

2024-10-16T00:36:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…yyn3
_________________________

If you've still got a lot of Carnegie-built libraries in use in VT, I could see that. The nearest Carnegie library building to us, in the East Falls neighborhood of Philadelphia, dates from 1913. In Connecticut, the towns have grown enough over time that most of the public libraries moved into newer, larger buildings, so even though the libraries as institutions are old, the buildings they now use usually aren't. But it may be different in Vermont.

The highest point on the Appalachian Trail was for a long time ...

2024-10-07T17:43:08Z

The highest point on the Appalachian Trail was for a long time officially named Clingmans Dome, after Thomas Clingman, a Confederate general who had surveyed the mountain before the Civil War.

On September 18, the National Park Service announced the restoration of the mountain's Cherokee name, Kuwohi: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/news/kuwohi-name-restored-to-the-highest-peak-in-the-smokies.htm

Its Wikipedia article was retitled the following day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwohi

I expect the Library of Congress heading will change too, but that's a slower process.

My sites set cookies if you check a box saying you want your ...

2024-10-02T14:04:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…2d0s
_________________________

My sites set cookies if you check a box saying you want your information remembered, or follow an optional link where there's an indication that your choice will be remembered. Otherwise it doesn't set any. As far as I know, no one requires a banner when the cookies are opt-in like that.

Matt Miller of the Library of Congress does some data-crunching ...

2024-09-27T18:28:27Z

Matt Miller of the Library of Congress does some data-crunching on the subject headings, authors, and states for book challenges in PEN's database of banned and challenged books. Some interesting tables and charts, and clusters of subject headings you might expect (and some you might not): https://thisismattmiller.com/post/banned-metadata/

August #JobsReport: U3 ticks down to 4.2%, U6 ticks up to 7.9%: ...

2024-09-06T12:32:53Z

August #JobsReport: U3 ticks down to 4.2%, U6 ticks up to 7.9%: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm Labor force participation stays at 62.7%: https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htm Net jobs +142K: https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth Summary press release: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

"Is it 'fair use' for a nonprofit organization to ...

2024-09-04T16:38:54Z

"Is it 'fair use' for a nonprofit
organization to scan copyright-protected print books in their entirety and
distribute those digital copies online, in full, for free, subject to a one-to-one
owned-to-loaned ratio between its print copies and the digital copies it makes available at any given time, all without authorization from the copyright-holding
publishers or authors? We conclude the
answer is no."

Full Second Circuit ruling against the Internet Archive: https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/10104144/hachette-book-group-inc-v-internet-archive/?q=internet%20archive%20hachette

It was a moving experience today to cantor and sing with my ...

2024-08-29T21:00:34Z

It was a moving experience today to cantor and sing with my parish's choir at the funeral for our pastor, Fr. Bill Grogan, who died suddenly last Sunday: https://archphila.org/grogan-reverend-william-e/ The church was filled to the back with parishioners, family, friends, and more priests I've seen in one place since the Pope visited Philly.

As many attested, he was passionate, thoughtful, and did so much to welcome people into one of the most diverse church communities I've been a part of. We will miss him very much.

There are still some gaps; I don't know if or when ...

2024-08-29T20:14:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…md52
_________________________

There are still some gaps; I don't know if or when they'll be filled, but a lot of interesting stuff going back to the dawn of MARC appears to be there now.

And in looking that up, I've found that a lot more of ...

2024-08-29T20:06:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…5cg7
_________________________

And in looking that up, I've found that a lot more of ITAL's is now freely readable online. (Previously they had free online issues back to 2011; now they have them back to the 2000s, as well as issues of predecessor title Journal of Library Automation from 1968 to 1981.). Thanks!

"Weren't we going to call the plumber about the ...

2024-08-27T18:16:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…0xcg
_________________________

"Weren't we going to call the plumber about the toilet?"

"What's the point? Our whole plumbing system and water supply is flawed, and unless we completely redo them, fixing the toilet distracts us from our real problems."

"OK, the plumbing could be better, but it still works, and right now I have to put up with the smell inside, and go to our next door neighbor's when I need a bathroom."

"I won't settle for reform when we need revolution. And I've stopped noticing the smell."

Finale announces it's no longer updating its software, first ...

2024-08-26T21:11:11Z

Finale announces it's no longer updating its software, first published in 1988 for creating and editing musical scores: https://www.finalemusic.com/

I'm not aware of any open specification of Finale's native format. Those needing to preserve files created with it might want to convert them to another format (such as MusicXML, an open format supported in recent Finale releases) while Finale can still be run. I do not know offhand if that conversation preserves all relevant info. #DigitalPreservation

We've enjoyed our induction range. We upgraded our electrical ...

2024-08-12T17:07:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…lm2g
_________________________

We've enjoyed our induction range. We upgraded our electrical panel while we were at it, though that was partly in anticipation of further electrical conversions in the future.

Congratulations to the 2024 Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Award ...

2024-08-11T23:39:29Z

Congratulations to the 2024 Hugo, Lodestar, and Astounding Award winners! _Some Desperate Glory_ by Emily Tesh won Best Novel (and was runner-up for the Lodestar YA award); T. Kingfisher's _Thornhedge_ won Best Novella; two Naomi Kritzer stories won Best Novelette and Best Short Story; Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch books (_Ancillary Justice_ et al) won Best Series; Kelly and Zach Wienersmith's nonfiction _A City on Mars_ won Best Related Work. More awards, and full stats: https://glasgow2024.org/hugo-awards/2024-hugo-award-winners/

July #JobsReport: U3 goes up to 4.3%, U6 up to 7.8%: ...

2024-08-02T20:27:52Z

July #JobsReport: U3 goes up to 4.3%, U6 up to 7.8%: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t15.htm Labor participation ticks up to 62.7%: https://www.bls.gov/charts/employment-situation/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htm Net jobs +114K: https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001?output_view=net_1mth Summary press release: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Internet Archive and record labels go into private alternate ...

2024-08-02T20:20:01Z

Internet Archive and record labels go into private alternate dispute resolution (which appears to mean settlement negotiations, though I'm not a lawyer) in the labels' suit against the IA's publicly listenable digitized 78rpm records: https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/07/31/umg-sony-music-internet-archive-lawsuit/ Courtlistener's record of the case: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68101636/umg-recordings-inc-v-internet-archive/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc