Friday, February 27, 2015

Happy Birthday, Zhoen! (+ roundup)

For Zhoen, ailurophile*, Pratchett reader, most faithful of blog commenters, and fellow Pisces: Happy Birthday!


* "cat lover", from ailouros, Greek for "cat". Cats of Zhoen above ^ offered as living proof.
_______________
Moving House 

I hope to spend some time this weekend getting my WordPress site customized. It's not particularly hard, it just takes time (like I put into this blog's design too, once upon a time), and I haven't had that (time), what with going to COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
Two (2!) this week!

[Ohmygod, who invented committee meetings?  The Spanish Inquisition? I've sometimes thought I wanted more Communication at work and the Thrift Store, but it turns out I would rather spend time with people with holes in their brains.]


WordPress offers more fun, bright stuff than Blogger, which feels like a Dollar Store these days. And it seems to be OK re social considerations, at least according to the Websites for Grassroots Social Justice Groups Series.

WP is owned by Automattic, founded by now-CEO Matt Mullenweg, who seems to be one of those well-meaning, open-source geeks (of course, Google's founders started out that way too), the sort who would be "on the cover of Linux Journal wearing a Fight Club T-shirt." 
[The LJ article: "Keep on Blogging in a Free World]

One For the Humanity Is Not All Bad File

Looking around on WP, I see some cool librarians' blogs, which is heartening. One posted this note from Ferguson Library director, from Christmas Eve 2014. I'm glad to see my $25 donation is going directly to Something Good:
"We are flabbergasted and heartened by the amazing support .... We have gotten hundreds of books and nearly $400,000 from over 12,000 donors. 
 ...
The library’s Board of Trustees has formed a strategic planning committee .... [ohgod, imagine the bureaucracy --F.] Our first priority is to bring in a full-time children’s librarian, which will radically enhance our ability to help the people of Ferguson, and increase monies devoted to community-focused programming.  ...
We gratefully and humbly thank all of our supporters. You are amazing!
--Scott Bonner  • Director, Ferguson Municipal Public Library
Cards and letters of support for the Ferguson Municipal Public Library District. [I sent a cardinal card exactly like the cardinal card here, lower right. Maybe it's mine!]

4 comments:

The Crow said...

Good news about Ferguson donations going directly where the need is overwhelming.

Cool birthday card for Z, too! :)

Zhoen said...

Lord Vetinari loves committees. Love your lolcats creation, I'm touched.

I'm with DEATH. Cats are nice.

And the Ferguson story is proof that "Problems that remain persistently insolvable should always be suspected as questions asked in the wrong way."
- Alan Watts

I think they have a better question, now.

Happy Birthday.

Michael Leddy said...

Did you see that Google has pulled back from its announced plans? Though that's hardly a good reason to stay with Blogger.

Fresca said...

CROW: Glad you liked the card!

ZHOEN: Extra glad you liked your card!
GREAT quote!!! I often find that's true.

MICHAEL: I think it was the last straw for me.