Librarian's Rant

The folks at the New Hartford library, which had no flood insurance and which lost 80% or so of its collection and computers, has set up a fund for those who would like to donate.

UPDATE! - The State Library of Iowa has sent out the following info, for helping all THREE (3) of the most-affected libraries:

In response to the numerous e-mails and phone calls we've received about how to donate to three of the worst flood-damaged libraries in Iowa, we have learned the following.

Checks can be made out to:

Cedar Rapids Public Library Foundation
500 First St., SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library 30 Sixteenth Avenue SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404-5904 Please write "Flood Relief" in the memo line of your check (More information is available on their Web site, http://www.ncsml.org)

Friends of the New Hartford Public Library P.O. Box 292 New Hartford, IOWA 50660

All checks are tax deductible.

The latest American Libraries Online has some photos from Midwest flooding, including the one I pointed out earlier of the New Hartford library.

Another hard hit library is the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids, which is a unique resource. My buddy David Muhlena, the library director, informed me that they got two (2) semi loads of artifacts and materials out before the waters hit, but had to leave materials and their working files behind because the water was on its way. They're back in now, and working hard to remove mud and "gunk" from the library. Best of luck, Dave!

In case you missed it on The Daily Show the other night, Baracknaphobia is the irrational fear of hope. Brilliant.

The phobia is spreading to his wife. I've met her and for the record, I'm not afraid - I'd elect HER in a second!

Via infodiva's Twitter: President Obama? Many White Supremacists are Celebrating

A growing number of white supremacists, and even some of those who pass for intellectual leaders of their movement, think that a black man in the Oval Office would shock white America, possibly drive millions to their cause, and perhaps even set off a race war that, they hope, would ultimately end in Aryan victory.

Article is from the Southern Poverty Law Center. I forget sometimes how far, how very far, we still need to come.

As we get reports from eastern Iowa, my mind is reeling. Things are bad, and not looking to get better soon. The Iowa River through Iowa City isn't expected to crest until tomorrow, with potentially devastating results.

My buddy Mike Dargan of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Library has a photo of the damage to the New Hartford Library. Cedar Rapids is going to be just as bad, I expect, but on a much, much larger scale. Once they can finally get in, that is.

So very scary.

Thanks to everybody for kind concern. I'm back home, kitties are with me. They're pissed about a night at the vets, but we're safe and sound. Still some concerns about continued flood waters, but I should be fine . Sticking close to home through the weekend to be sure. My prayers are with the folks in eastern Iowa, who are in danger, with more rain coming. Photos of Cedar Rapids make me cry. Their library...well, it's under water, and they won't be able to get in there for at least a week, which means...well, you know what it means.

Thoughts and prayers for my neighbors and compatriots, please!

The area where I live, though currently dry, is in the "500 year flood plain" in the Des Moines area, which this afternoon they called for an emergency evacuation of. (excuse my dangling participles, but I'm exhausted)

So. I raced home, called mom and stepdad who kindly came to help me pack up my valuables and move them upstairs. They also took the cats up to the vet, who are boarding them overnight. I wouldn't have done that, but I'm in a church board retreat from 6-9p this eve and 9-noon tomorrow. Mom's gonna keep an eye on the cresting and deluge and pick up the kitties tomorrow morning if it looks like they can come home dry-pawed.

My cats hate me now, and don't understand why this happened. They've never spent a night away from home. At least they're together. I gather they have their own 'condo'.

I, on the other hand, am leaving my condo (townhome). I've packed a couple of bags, thrown my lockbox of valuable papers in the car, and am spending the night with friends. Yay for family and friends.

I am well, though exhausted. My friends and colleagues in eastern Iowa (between me and Katie, basically) are in bad shape. The Cedar Rapids Public Library is under water. I have friends there, and I'm thinking about them a lot.

I'm off to my retreat. Think dry thoughts at the midwest, if you can.

At least we're not getting Katrina'd. Yet.

Peace from Soggy Iowa, everybody.

I got sent a survey from MoveOn.org, which was very broad - interesting approach. Here are the questions and my slightly snarky answers (it's the end of a long day/week/month):

1. Share with us what you personally are thinking today. What is going through your head?

That if the Democratic Party doesn't get its act together and unite NOW, McCain will have us by the short hairs within a month. He now has the full power of the GOP behind him, however grudgingly, and we could easily lose this. Again!

Senator Obama pulled a lot of support from college students - they have the attention span of *gnats*, so you will need to do a new push in September to get them to the polls in November. Gear up for that. Get leaders amongst their peers on your side and work it! GOTV is particularly important to make sure all those kids are registered to vote - they often forget until too late.

2. What do you think Moveon.org should do next -- either right away or between now and Election Day?

Keep pounding away at the issues. Come up with talking points about McCain (Keating Five! Has everyone forgotten?!) and whoever his running mate turns out to be. Don't let up...but don't get so negative that everyone stays home like in 2000 and (to some extent) 2004. We have a candidate to get excited about, but he's also a candidate the GOP thinks it can beat. We must put all our might behind him. Now! No dithering about until the convention - we need action and a strong sense of purpose NOW.

3. Have you thought about what you personally want to do to help before Election Day? Do you have anything in particular in mind? Is there anything MoveOn as an organization can do to help you do that?

I always work to get out the vote, via my county central committee (calling, stuffing, etc.). I refuse to participate in Rove-ian negative campaigns, so I will not be helping in our Iowa District 3 Congressional race, as I think the Dem primary was offensive and deplorable. However, in November, I will vote for the Dem candidate, because it's the better alternative and he's a basically good man (who should fire his entire campaign committee). I blog, I talk, I cajole, I even pray a little. These things I do, and others, to keep people interested in the process and keep my own hopes up for a massive change in November.

How can you help? Make sure you, your members, and progressives in general don't do anything STUPID between now and November. Which means, don't do anything you wouldn't be proud to tell your grandmother you did for the cause. That is all.

JoshuaN strikes again with great link: Selected Minutes From Lolcat City Council Meetings

Favorite patron just came in and told me about a bumpersticker he saw:

Knowledge is Power.
Power Corrupts.
Get an Education.
Become Evil.

or something to that effect. Heh.

I'm off to upstate NY tomorrow for a family thing. Someone is ill, so I'm getting in a tiny, tiny, thin-skinned, poorly maintained metal tube with aged engines and taking off into the global warming-disturbed ether. Multiple thunderstorms are predicted. The jet is tiny. I am in hell. Please think of me. And assuming all goes well...I have to do the same thing in the other direction on Saturday. With the same awful weather predicted. If I'd been free to do so, I could have left yesterday. When it was blue sky beautiful all the way. Life is not even remotely fair.

Things to look forward to if the plane manages to stay aloft:

• Seeing Cosy Sheridan at a house concert in Omaha on Saturday night. She's worth plunging through the air in a metal tube. Just.


• Seeing some family I haven't seen in a while.


• Seeing yet more family I haven't seen in a while when I get back.


• Possibly meeting up with the new friends I made in Omaha when I was there for a church conference a month ago. They have a hot air balloon, but I suspect I'll want to stick to the ground awhile yet.


• Not dying.

Flying. Ick. Yes, I do it all the time. No, it doesn't get any easier. Quite the contrary.

So I'm opening my yahoo mail and we get these little headline blurbs. I normally don't look too closely, but a couple caught my eye just now:

White House admits fault on 'Mission Accomplished' banner

And yet, if you read the article, they really don't admit anything, except that it's been a PR disaster for them. And they don't mention that the Navy disavowed their claim that the carrier crew asked for the banner. Whatever. Give it up, Shrub. We're not biting.

And this one just made me kinda sad. Don't know why:

DNA confirms IDs of czar's children, ending mystery

I guess I'll never find out I'm descended from royalty now.

New YouTube from Brave New Films on Condi's secret meetings on torture.

Really. Enough already. Get the bozos out. This is NOT who we are.

I'm off to PLA in Minneapolis tomorrow. I'll be blogging the conference for PLA, so catch me at the PLA blog.

My brother's blog covers it.