PB Confusion and Editorial Cartoon

[Dan Lester]

First, I promise to say no more on this silly topic.

Second, I HATE silly words like "deconstruct"...guess I
got my degree in English too long ago.

Third, whether one studies, analyzes, deconstructs, or
whatever, I still think that all the complainers are so
excited by the mere fact that a portrayal of a library is
even in the PB commercial that they're ignoring WHO
the jackbooted folks are.  They are NOT the librarians. 
They are the military or government folks who are
controlling the library.  The real incongruity is the idea
that the government or military would be controlling the
library and NOT controlling the internet or the home. 
That, of course, is ridiculous.  

Gee, back in the olden days the protests were more
exciting.  There was a famous commercial for an
American Motors Javelin (a car I loved, and would love
to find a cherry one of again) that featured a "sexy
young babe" in a low cut dress (she wasn't QUITE
falling out of it, but....) and big "Buddy Holly glasses". 
The slogan was something like a "Javelin is too fast for
a librarian".  Well, it wasn't too fast for me.....though I
never got it up over 110 on I-90.

And I'll leave the tilting at windmills to the younger folks,
particular those "Immediate Past Co Presidents" (gag
me with a spoon, dooood) who are still burning with
the fervor of youth and a good "Libraries in Society" (or
whatever trendy name it has this year) course.  

One more thought:  This from a political cartoon that I
may even seek permission to put on a web page for
y'all:  From Ed Stein, Rocky Mountain News (Denver)
Scene is a library and a frumpy pear shaped lady with
her hair in a bun, showing a kid the stacks of books. 
Lady's voice in the balloon is "It's a library, honey--kind
of an early version of the World Wide Web".  

So, is it a librarian, or the kid's granny?  Who cares? 
Not me.  I will say that there is more truth in the
comment than most librarians care to admit, even
most of the techie ones.  


cyclops, the ancient cynical one, who knows damn
well that the folks who saw any pro-library
commercials would NOT be the ones who saw the
PBJ commercials



Dan Lester, Network Information Coordinator
Boise State University Library, Boise, Idaho, 83725
USA
voice: 208-385-1235   fax:  208-385-1394
dlester at bsu.idbsu.edu     OR   
alileste at idbsu.idbsu.edu
Cyclops' Internet Toolbox:    http://cyclops.idbsu.edu
"How can one fool make another wise?"   Kansas,
1979.