Finally bit the bullet and got sorted!!!

I have for some time now seen many people's profiles with the various houses of Hogwarts that they have been sorted into. Finally I figured it was time that I did it to...

Needless to say I was suprised by the answer...

I figured on Slytherin!



be sorted @ nimbo.net

Give it a go!

Google Maps (Part I of "The Googling")

Rather amusing...





It of course brings to mind many questions as to how or what Google can cover with it's Google Maps and how far can the take the satelite thingy. Big brother is watching you and this is a sure example of it. Even if entirely fictional!!

THE BEAT » Academic Libraries discover graphic novels

This post makes it sound like librarians cant be hip, cant be at the forefront of a surging sub-culture, cant have interests out side of their particular field...

I've got my weekend pass to the local Anime Con, and I've got cash stashed by for the manga that I will be buying... bring it on baby!!!

THE BEAT » Blog Archive » Academic Libraries discover graphic novels

The orginal artical that spawn the pwbeat one...

Typies: 15 tips to choose a good text type

A really great reference for design and the decision making process for the use of fonts in text. With pitures!!!


Typies: 15 tips to choose a good text type

misprinted type 3.0_ art, design and type (1998-2005) Eduardo Recife

Absolutely beautiful example of interesting webdesign...

oh if only I had the talent!!!

misprinted type 3.0_ art, design and type (1998-2005) Eduardo Recife

Look and desire...

Libraryman » Sing A Song Of Innovation

Too funny, a bit of Gilbert and Sullivan... The Gods of the Stage!!!


Libraryman » Sing A Song Of Innovation

Internet TV in Japan, Tradional TV going to the Dogs

Death knell for television as we know it

New Internet television technology in Japan could make traditional real-time broadcasting obsolete

The Age
Monday, May 26, 2008

By Justin Norrie

Japanese television technology that will give viewers access to high-speed broadcasts over the internet could render conventional television obsolete and transform the media landscape within years, analysts have predicted.

The country's electronics and telecommunications industries are developing a technological standard for a new "internet television" set, which will let users browse websites and watch streaming programs at the touch of a remote control.

Japanese media reports say the new television, which is likely to run on the open source Linux operating system rather than Microsoft Windows to save boot-up time, could be on sale locally by next March.

The TV Portal Service Corp syndicate, comprising Sony, Matsushita (Panasonic), Sharp, Hitachi and Toshiba, is expected to announce the standard as early as next month. With the backing of telecommunications giant NTT, it will lobby the International Telecommunications Union to adopt it for global use.

Full article here

Librarian Anime Character wears "real glasses"

Eyeglass Store Sells Official Library War Glasses
posted on 2008-04-16 03:28 AEST
Asako character to wear different pair of Zoff prescription glasses every week

Full article from Anime News Network

Oh YEAH!!!

Not only is it a anime about libraries, and censorship but one of the characters wears glasses that are available in Japan from a particular store...

Shibasaki's eyeglasses can actually be bought at Zoff, a chain of Japanese eyeglass stores.

Now where is that credit card???

Based on a light novel series by Arikawa Hiro, illustrated by Adabana Sukumo.

In the year 2019, the explosion of information and misinformation became a direct threat to society. In a daring decision, it was decided to create a new government agency dedicated solely to information management. Now some thirty years later, the government still monitors and controls information, suppressing anything they find undesirable, but standing against their abuses of power are the libraries, with their special agents called ‘the book soldiers.’

Taken from AniDB.net

Ok so does this just show my uber geekiness or am I really so sad that I'm getting excited by a character wearing glasses, and not just any but ones I could buy for myself, and based in and around libraries. I'm all for no censorship and freedom of expression and find this whole idea of a guerilla movement of librarians fighting for the rights of the people and their libraries just a little exciting!!

Listings for Toshokan Sensou (Library War)

AniDB.net
Anime News Network
AnimeNFO
Official Site (Japanese)

The Twelve Kingdoms Novel 2 - Review - Anime News Network

The long awaited 2nd novel of the Twelve Kingdoms Series has been beautifully reviewed on Anime News Network...

Synopsis:

In all of the lands of the Twelve Kingdoms there is only one Sati-tree, on Hohzan, one of the Five Mountains at the heart of the Yellow Sea. From that tree spring the fruit that become the noble kirin. Shortly after the fruit for the new kirin of Tai began to grow on the Sati-tree calamity strikes, resulting in the fruit being blown across dimensional boundaries into Hourai (i.e. Japan). Ten years later the fledgling kirin, now grown into a boy who has had immense trouble fitting in, is found and recovered, bringing Taiki back to his proper place. Though Taiki, an auspiciously rare black kirin, quickly comes to accept his new reality, the ten years he spent in Hourai have prevented him from developing what should be instinctive kirin traits, such as how the world of the Twelve Kingdoms works, how to pacify demons to become his sirei (i.e. bonded servants), and how to shift into his animal form. Despite that, it falls to him to choose the new king of Tai, a holy task that he has little time to prepare for or understand.

For the full review ---> The Twelve Kingdoms Novel 2 - Review - Anime News Network

The HP Saga Continues

Sued by Harry Potter’s Creator, Lexicographer Breaks Down on the Stand

By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS
Published: April 16, 2008

Shhh! The librarian at the heart of the Harry Potter copyright-infringement lawsuit stood up to J. K. Rowling on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom, and then broke down sobbing.

The librarian, Steven Jan Vander Ark, had the mild-mannered demeanor of Ron Weasley, and the intelligence, charm — and haircut — of Harry Potter. Even his name sounds like that of a character in one of the books, if preceded by “Lord” or “Master.” Although, at 50, he is older than Ms. Rowling, 42, he looked like a schoolboy, with an unlined face and caramel-colored hair parted down the middle.

On the witness stand in Federal District Court, he portrayed the famous writer as his idol, his true literary love, who had been unaccountably bewitched by the evil money-grubbing forces of publishing, like one of Voldemort’s vassals. One day, he testified, Ms. Rowling was singling out his Harry Potter Lexicon Web site, out of “hundreds of thousands” of Potter fan sites on the Web, for praise; the next, she was accusing him of plagiarism for wanting to turn it into a book.

A rather dramatically titled article but interesting none the less...

One could imagine all sorts of things happening with this. I would also ask where all the research that went into the lexicon will go, would JK Rowling list all of the conflicting information that exists in her books? What about the essays and other articles written about her books that may be published...

While Ms. Rowling argued on Monday that people who bought the “Harry Potter Lexicon” would have little incentive to buy her books, Mr. Vander Ark argued that, on the contrary, only people who read her books would be interested in his encyclopedia.

This is a valid I think, I dont know of anyone that would buy an encyclopedia on a item of fiction that wasn't a researcher or a major fan. And lets face it, what with the content being on the web already for free, they would have to be a major fan!!!

The full article here ---> NY Times

HP Lexicon being sued

Rowling to Testify in Trial Over Potter Lexicon

By MOTOKO RICH

Published: April 14, 2008

J. K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, is expected to testify against a small publisher looking to bring out an encyclopedia based on her work.

Not really sure what to think about all this...

Part of me says that the Lexicon is ok to publish and if done in the right way, will be ok with the copyright restrictions etc. but admitedly, I'm no copyright expert.

Check it out and see what you think... NY Times

Would you buy it if it went to print???

Google's sticky fingers in print...

This was one of the funniest things I had seen in a while, Google got lazy... you can see the fingers of the scanners fingers on the books that they scanned for Google Books...

Too good!!!

Book scans reveal Google's handiwork - web - Technology - theage.com.au

Endorphins... What tha???

How to Make Book Earrings - wikiHow

For those with little to no life!!!


How to Make Book Earrings - wikiHow


Just like me, yeah, am considering doing just for the not so smart reason of cos I can... wonder if I can make them a book of women's erotica...

That could be some interesting earrings

Go Fug Yourself

I've just been introduced to Go Fug Yourself
which would have to be one of the most hilarious sites I have seen in a while. If you're like me and not a celebrity lover then you'll love this bitch fest!!!!

Recycled book jewelery

I'm not really sure what to think about this little beauty...

I'm into recycling and the use of used items in jewerly is a personal fav... I have a wrist band that was made with washing machine parts amongst other things.

I guess if the books were going into the bin anyway, it's not so bad...

Ok, so it does hit my book lover button and I'm find the idea of descrating a book for such a thing a little disconcerting, but it's not so bad I guess...

Ok so I can't make up my mind on this one. Not too suprising now is it???

craftzine.com

The Second Life of Gene Yang - Asia Arts

The Second Life of Gene Yang

By Ada Tseng

After an award-winning year in 2006, American Born Chinese creator Gene Yang continues to build an audience for graphic novels, one lecture at a time.

The original golden age of comics refers to a period around the 1940s, when the comic book was a popular mainstream art form in America. It was a time when the special effects technology of film and television was still in its developmental stages, and therefore skilled comic book artists could create graphics for science fiction stories that were more visually-convincing (not to mention less expensive) than any other storytelling medium.

Over the years, the graphic novel has taken a backseat to film and literature, but some comic book artists and critics -- including Douglas Wolk, author of Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean -- are arguing that there is a new golden age of comics currently in full swing.

A very interesting article looking at the comics and graphic novels. Has a focus on American Born Chinese author Gene Yang. Yang's book is one that has been on my wish list for so long, that I forget what it was all about now.

Yes, I'd like to renew this, please...

A library user in Finland returns a 100 year old loan!!!

This would have to be one of the most amazing stories I have read about in a long time. Especially given that a lot of the public libraries herre in South Australia simply haven;t been around that long!


Yes, I'd like to renew this, please...