The Robarts hatred continues today, this time directed at the people who work the loan desk. 

There is a book I really need for my chapter, and someone has it checked out to their carrel. I decided not to bother recalling it until I really absolutely needed it. That time has come, my friends.  Now, for anyone who doesn't know, to get a book from a carrel you fill out a carrel retrieval slip, otherwise, even if you put a hold on a book, the person who has it can still keep it for three months.  The point of having books in your carrel is you can hold on to them, but they can be recalled at any time if someone else needs them.

Anyway, I fill out my little carrel form and take it to the guy at the desk, who looks the book in question up in the computer system. *Without even looking at me* he writes on the slip "checked out" and hands it back.  I shall attempt to reconstruct the conversation:

Me: Yes, I know it is checked out, that's why I'm requesting to get it from a carrel {keep in mind that is written on the slip}
Him: Do you have a library card?
Me: Yes, obviously {starting to get a little annoyed now}
Him: Well, have you put a hold on it?
Me: No, because it's check out to a carrel.
Him: Well, you need to put a hold on it.

I then go on to explain to him that, no, in fact, that's not how the system works and that when I tried to put a hold on the book, the computer system said, "check out to carrel, please see front desk."  After several minutes of this, he finally filled out the slip and I assume I might have the book in a few days. Seriously, though.


Oh, on a similar note, I am also annoyed with people who fall asleep at one of the very few computers in the stacks. Not quite as annoyed as I am with people who take the elevator for *one* floor when there is a stairway right in the middle of the level that they could use really easily.

Ok, done ranting. Back to work!

Our furnace has been blowing out cold air since last night. I do not approve.

I just had a visit from a guy who delivers steak and seafood to houses in the area. I didn't feel like getting into a discussion with the guy about how we honestly don't have the monthly budget to allow us to purchase steak (which I don't even eat) or seafood on a regular basis. I just politely explain that we don't eat much meat (true) and that we weren't interested. The rest of the conversation when as follows:

Him: Well, don't you like wild fish.
Me: I guess, I just don't buy much of it
Him: Well, you need to look us up sometime
Me: Ok
Him: Well, don't just say you're going to do it. Actually do it

I am all about believing in your product, but I'm really tired of the door-to-door salespeople of late who are just seriously pushy.  That is all I have to say about that.

At least a few folks on my F-list are up on the world of entertainment, so I thought I would ramble a bit about the WGA strike.

While working diligently on my Major Field paper, I decided to do some research on the Writer's strike in Hollywood. If you aren't up on the goings on in Hollywood of late, the Writer's Guild of America officially went on strike Monday. This has had fairly quick rammifications in the entertainment industry. Fox has cancelled the next season of 24, and The Office has immediately shut down production. I've also heard it rumored that Scrubs might not be able to produce it's final season. The Office seems particularly unified on the subject of the strike, seeing as essentially all of its supporting cast of actors are also writers for the show.  

As most of you know, I'm not entirely supportive of strikes in general, but there really seems to be something to this. I hadn't really been aware of what the issues were (I was vaguely under the impression that there was something sketchy about DVD sales). Turns out, the negotiators for contracts actually gave up the demands for increased residuals on DVD sales (they were asking for $.08 per DVD sold, rather than $.04) in an attempt to prevent a strike. The big issue is with internet revenue. Writers and actors receive receive absolutely nothing for content that networks show for free on the internet (including content such as webisodes created specifically for the internet).  This wouldn't be so troubling in itself, if the networks weren't ceasing to play reruns on TV, in favor of showing them through the medium of the internet, from which they make billions of dollars in ad revenue.

Point is, not only are the writers losing potential income from the internet, they are also losing the income they are accostomed to receive from repeat airings of shows on TV.  The fact that so many crew members (who have nothing to gain from the strike and are currently out of jobs due to shut down productions) support the writers in this, I think, says something.

Finally, I leave you with a video of some writers from The Office on the picket lines. Fairly amusing...