News Story of Interest

In light of the staff day having a program on Second Life, I found this article to be extremely interesting.  Also, the headline is a bit misleading.  I was trying to figure out how she was charged because it couldn’t have been for murder. 

 

Online  divorcee  jailed  after  killing  virtual  hubby

By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press Writer Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Writer 47 mins ago

TOKYO – A 43-year-old Japanese piano teacher’s sudden divorce from her online husband in a virtual game world made her so angry that she logged on and killed his digital persona, police said Thursday.

The woman, who has been jailed on suspicion of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating electronic data, used his identification and password to log onto popular interactive game “Maple Story” to carry out the virtual murder in mid-May, a police official in northern Sapporo City said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

“I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry,” the official quoted her as telling investigators and admitting the allegations.

The woman had not plotted any revenge in the real world, the official said.

She has not yet been formally charged, but if convicted could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine up to $5,000.

As in “Second Life” in the U.S., players in “Maple Story” raise and manipulate digital images called “avatars” that represent themselves, while engaging in relationships, social activities and fighting against monsters and other obstacles.

The woman used login information she got from the 33-year-old office worker when their characters were happily married, and killed the character. The man complained to police when he discovered that his beloved online avatar was dead.

The woman was arrested Wednesday and was taken across the country, traveling 620 miles from her home in southern Miyazaki to be detained in Sappporo, where the man lives, the official said.

The police official said he did not know if she was married in the real world.

In recent years, virtual lives have had consequences in the real world. In August, a woman was charged in Delaware with plotting the real-life abduction of a boyfriend she met through “Second Life.”

In Tokyo, police arrested a 16-year-old boy on charges of swindling virtual currency worth $360,000 in an interactive role playing game by manipulating another player’s portfolio using a stolen ID and password.

Virtual games are popular in Japan, and “Second Life” has drawn a fair number of Japanese participants. They rank third by nationality among users, after Americans and Brazilians.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081023/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_avatar_murder

LS 581 DOCUMENTS

Since it wouldn’t let me do this in Facebook, here it is in my blog. These are the Important Documents, in the older version of Word for the 1st 2 weeks. If it isn’t up by then for the whole class, w1 & w2, there are serious issues.

Barbie tattooed?

I know I haven’t blogged in a while and I would apologize but I’ve just been too busy. And I’ve been blank with the ideas. I can hear it now-”So why are you writing now and why should I care?” I don’t give a damn if you care-I’m still gonna write.

This morning as I drove to work I decided to do something crazy and listen to the radio. As I’m listening to the local station-WLAN, I hear about the latest Barbie doll. She’s tattooed. I thought it was a joke and laughed at the commentary. But on a hunch, I looked up this newest doll and there it is. It actually exists. The doll is called the “Barbie Totally Stylin Tattoos Barbie Doll” and is $22.99. Not only is this doll tattooed but she comes with temporary tats for the girls. Yippee. A world of fun for the girl who just wants to grow up to be a tattoo artist. The reason I thought it a joke was because Liz on the radio asked if a Tattoo artist Ken was next. You know, I would like to see that. It’s about time Barbie and Ken got an update.

But I can’t help but wonder what is next. Pierced Barbie? Where would she be pierced? Grunge Barbie? Trailor Park Barbie? Now to be fair, someone said one of those already exists but I tried searching. I can only find a joke list made up a long time ago with the “newest” or “upcoming” Barbies like the drug addict or welfare barbie. Those are not real, people. Oh, I know Cocktail Hour Barbie. No wait, that promotes drinking and we don’t want to do that.

Now, I know I shouldn’t pick on Barbie or Mattel but are they running out of ideas? I think maybe they should do what everyone else is doing and bring out some of the vintage Barbie’s and re-modernize them. Bring out the old outfits and stuff. Make what’s old new. It would certainly be in line with all the other things out right now. Strawberry Shortcake for example-her clothes are completely modernized as is her attitude. He-Man has been modernized (and my personal gripe-no She-Ra). Even the friggin Carebears have newer stomaches. It’s one thing to have a few new bears but to change the stomach design for all of the older, existing bears? That’s a bit much.

I can’t help but wonder if they are going to bring out Rainbow Bright or Lady Lovelylocks and if these would get changed. How? What about the Smurfs? Yes, I saw Papa, Baby, and Smurfette in the store two weeks ago. They were stuffed animals that spoke. I couldn’t believe I was seeing them. I can’t help but wonder if this is an effort to bring them back too.

Is our society so devoid of imagination and quality children’s television that they need to bring back, and revamp, the cartoons and shows (i.e. Night Rider) that we grew up with? They remake movies like crazy, do sequels to movies that don’t need them (Yes, Disney I’m speaking directly to you), and turn good shows into bad movies. They turn great books into horrible movies (there are some that translate well into movies and some that become better as movies but these are few and far between) and bad books into even worse movies. Can’t you do something original and creative instead of trying to revive the stuff from our childhoods?

And to think, all this started because of a Tattooed Barbie.

Causing trouble

It seems that we, as librarians, like to stir up trouble. Even internally, we like trouble. Librarians don’t do it on purpose, not always. Sometimes we do it by accident when we send out an email without thinking or purchase a book/movie/cd. Sometimes it is asking about a policy that one library has or is in the process of working on. Sometimes it is about a program that no one knows about ahead of time.

Why is it people automatically assume we know everything? We don’t know about that program someone decided to schedule and then inform us about. We don’t know the answers to the patron questions about said program because no one felt the need to inform us about it ahead of time. So we, as librarians, start questioning things. We start asking questions and causing trouble.

Someone asks about starting a policy for the whole system but does it in a way that irritates others. So we cause trouble by asking questions. We ask why, when, how, and what.

It seems that by asking questions and asking for an explanation, we cause trouble. I guess that is what we librarians are good at, causing trouble of all sorts in the quest for information.

More You Know Your a Rural Librarian When….

If a patron has to pay for books he accidentally shot while shooting at the possum he notices in his living room. He missed the possum, but nailed the stack of books!

When families see you out in public and ask you why your not at the library
When patrons call you at home to ask if you have a particular item in the collection and if you do if you will save it for them for the next day

When the parents of teens ask you to give their kids a ride home so they can stay for programming (NOT recommended to do).

Further additions to the YOU KNOW YOU ARE A RURAL LIBRARIAN WHEN….

In the winter, “I can’t get out of my driveway” due to the snow is an acceptable reason for missing work.

When you’re at the grocery store during the day on a weekday and the 5 year old in front of you inline whispers in her mom’s ear to ask if the library is closed.

Everybody knows you have not been walking very well and one night as you leave and head for your car a PU going the other way stops and just sets there until you are in your car then goes on their way.

The Chief of police lets you park in a no parking spot while you are at work in the library.

“There’s a on my porch and I can’t get out.” is a valid reason for not getting to work.

A woman comes into the library holding a paper cup and you don’t throw her out because the cup keeps her from spitting tobacco juice in the planters.

A kid tries to pay his library fine with eggs and you refuse because you don’t have any eggs in the drawer to make change with.

Your in-demand magazines are Field and Stream, Successful Farming, American Rifleman, and Farm Journal.

You have a list of legislators taped to your reference desk, but you can name all the U.S. Representatives for your state.

When you have to phone anybody in your state library association, you have a choice of two area codes.

Your license plates have either a cowboy, a fish or a vegetable on them.

There are two seasons: Hunting and Fishing.

The most-borrowed volume is the Ball Blue Book.

There is one college football team for the entire state, and it may as well be for the entire planet.

every other patron asks about your mama—by name . . .

… a man walks in with a shoe box in his hands, asks for the Readers’ Advisor, takes the top off the box and says, “Can you help me identify this (very much alive) snake ? I’ve never seen one like this around here.”

You know you work in a small or rural library when….

Recently, on the publib listserv, there has been a “discussion” entitled You know you’re a rural librarian when.  As I sit reading the additions on a daily basis I can’t help but laugh and think….’hmmm, yup.  Yup.  Yup.  Had that happen.  Damn, I can relate.’  And in discussing with a colleague recently and reading another’s blog, I can see we really do have a connection there. 

So, for your reading pleasure I have listed the “You know you’re a rual librarian” entries as they have been added to the listserv as of today.    YOU KNOW YOU’RE A RURAL LIBRARIAN WHEN….

delivery people bring packages to the library, not your home,  irrespective of what the address says.

a patron asks to trade you either a dozen eggs or a freshly baked pie in lieu of paying a fine.

your genealogy materials are rarely used because everyone knows each other and their family history

The highway snowplow stops by the library for audio books

You’re new to the library and are given directions to the Smiths’ house that include, “Turn right at the corner where Mrs. Jones’s aunt used to live.”  (You don’t know Mrs. Jones, let alone her aunt.)

You sometimes get to work late because of the large farm implements going 15 miles an hour down the two-lane county road to your library.

You have to drive behind the herd of sheep that have to be moved down the main highway.

You’ve heard gunshots in the distance because it is turkey hunting season. 

The explanation for overdues is ‘there was overtime at the (produce processing plant) and Mama didn’t have time to bring my books back.’ 

The fire engines go roaring by several time a day because it is pasture burning season and it got out of hand.

Someone drops by to make sure you are all right when you work late because they know we should be closed, and then offer to walk you to your car

Automotive repair manuals are filed under landscaping.

If the two books enjoying the highest checkout in the library are The Chicken Health Book and How to do Your Own Divorce in Texas, or

If a perfectly valid reason for calling off work is “my road is flooded out again.”

You get to work in the morning and the bunnies scatter from the parking lot as you pull in.

You’re late to work because you were stuck behind a tractor – or a combine.

When you’re not home, the UPS man knows to drop off your package at the library.

You are happy to adjust employees’ schedules around their county fair competitions.

Your whole area’s Internet connection goes down because a farmer’s horse dies. (The farmer used a backhoe to dig a hole for burial and accidentally cut a cable in the process.)

You can correctly identify the farm implements you see on the road & the owners.

You carry bits of paper in your pocket when going to the grocery store, etc., because you know someone will request a book, or have a question.

You check out and take books to an elderly client because she kinda, sorta threaten to tell your Dad if you didn’t.

A firefighter stops a young vandal from damaging your vehicle by saying “No, that car belongs to one of the librarians.”

Your library has a hitchin’ post.

Your library has a watering trough.

The grandfather across the street is your security system

You list the names of probable readers next to every book you order (in the order of their VIP standing or watch out!), and if there aren’t enough possible readers you won’t be ordering it.

You know every card-holder by name, and could take a stab at age and ancestry for two generations in either direction.

When you walk to work (because you CAN), every car stops to ask if you need a ride and what happened to your car?

You refuse to issue a card to Billy Bob jr. because the picture ID he brought in is his father’s, and you know this because you know where both he and his father live, and the address on the driver’s license is the father’s.

Patrons are personally affronted if you ask to see their library card at checkout

People in the checkout line hand you a reserve request written on the back of their grocery list.

People tell the town manager you work too much because they saw your car at the library after 9 P.M.

You stop at yard sales to buy movies for the library.

You have a network of fellow scavengers who save Coke, Pepsi and Powerade caps (or Campbell soup labels) so you can redeem the points for more stuff for the library.

 Your fingerprints are on every item in the library.

 You debate weeding a title you just know cousin Emma will hate you for, but do it anyway.

You’re on the delivery service, but drop off an ILL pouch in the next town after hours because you’re going there anyway to do some grocery shopping.

 You visit other libraries and the first place you go is their used book shelf.

 There is a bigger library that has adopted you, and you have done the same for a smaller library.

 You have done story hour while simultaneously checking out books and answering a reference question over the phone.

If people bring by new babies AND pets to show the staff

If your bookmobile has had to wait for a flock of sheep to clear the road

If your bookmobile has mowed down a flock of guineas  (They saw the sheep in time, but the guineas never had a chance)

If staff members know the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins of the kid checking out books.

If you know and call the owner when a dog wanders into the library.

If staff members can walk to any store downtown during their break.

If patrons bring you vegetables from their gardens.

The books on raising goats, sheep and chickens circulated more than the books on fine arts and travel. Your patrons know what the Firefox books are. . .

You not only continue to circ VHS, you buy them at used books sales & yard sales because your patrons still want them.

People tie up their horse-wagons and buggies to the bike stand in front of your library (It’s an Amish thing)

Your patrons like you to place holds on titles for them – even before they know they want that book. (Proactive reader’s advisory)

You are the town’s copier service, fax service, UPS pickup spot, meeting room, community service outlet, internet café, and perhaps even the coffee shop (vending machine anyone?)

You can see trees, open spaces and livestock from your library’s front door (mooooo)

You are The Community Center for your village or town

If your elevation is greater than your population.

If, when you get a phone call asking for the Reference desk, Acquisitions department, Overdues, Children’s Services, ILL, etc., you say “I can help you with that.”

If you get stopped in the grocery store by people who tell you they have overdue books or fines, and want to take care of it right there next to the lettuce.

If you invite all the patrons in for hot soup and coffee when the power is off in neighborhoods during the winter.

If people stop you in the grocery store (or dry cleaners, or restaurant, or…) to return books or make requests for books.

If you have to drive at least 10 miles to buy a gallon of milk.

If the children from summer reading bring their report cards in to show you and invite you to their graduations.

If you know every kid on the high school football team by the kind of books they read when they were in summer reading.

If you and all your staff cry when someone tells you of the passing of along-time patron.

If you have ever installed a water-heater or fixed a major appliance yourself, or with the help of a spouse, because you could not afford to call a repairman or the nearest one is more than an hour away.

If patrons call and ask you to renew books and you don’t have to ask their names because you recognize their voices.

If the directions given to outreach staff involve turning next to the big barn with the red chickens in the yard.

If you’ve ever had a patron drop off house plants for you to keep while they had an extended hospital stay.

You troubleshoot for everyone in the community’s computer problems, not just your own.

 You loan your personal books out to supplement the library collection.

 You repurpose computers until they are useless to the library, and then you repurpose them to another non-profit or family in need…

 …same with books

 …and occasionally other fixtures

You back up your school librarian, whose job is constantly in question, and is wearing far too many hats these days…

Your Friends group is remodeling the library bathrooms…themselves, and the Board members help move shelving, wash windows, plant annuals, and paint walls…

You have volunteer maintenance folks…

People bring you lunch and dinner because they know on busy days you don’t eat because meals are not on the schedule…

Patrons subscribe to a periodical to ensure the library has it…

When school gets out, your patronage (and bathroom use) double (or triple) and you know everyone coming in (mostly)…

You open early and stay open late when it is too hot for living outside and most people don’t have air conditioning…

The deer outside outnumber the people inside.  Or geese, or ducks…and they should know better to chase the Swans out on the ICE.

You see a fox run down the street after close and make a left at the corner of the library to go hunting …

People call the library for the number to….anyone, anywhere in town….

If parents call to tell you “send John home, it’s supper time”….and then call back 15 minutes later because that’s how long it takes for him to walk home and John isn’t there yet

I’m Baaaaaack

Okay, I haven’t posted in forever.  That’s my own fault.  I just didn’t have anything to write that would be appropriate for public consumption.  But, if the Annoyed Librarian can get away with it, why can’t I? 

A blog is for many things and it is public.  What’s the point of blogging if you want to keep something private?  That’s a question for the idiots out there that get angry when you read their “private” blog.  It ain’t private if I’m reading it! 

Plus, the whole purpose of this blog is kind of gone now.  No more project so now I can truly personalize my blog.  Yippee.  So let the blogging catharsis begin.