A response to David F's Oprah post

Here's a response to David F's post on Oprah's favorite things. It is from Alev Akman--one of the most clueful librarians on the topic of e-books, as well as number of other matters, including good wine. Whether you agree or disagree with David, he welcomes reader feedback. - David Rothman

I just listened to your blog about Oprah's favorite things. I am surprised you did not comment more about what her favorite things are and the income level of a teacher. A $20 favorite hand cream? Champagne glasses for every one? C'amon now; is that really what a teacher needs? Okay, so I understand the washing machine and maybe the big screen TV but not the expensive, fancy stuff. It is almost Oprah is showing off by saying she has four cases of the fancy cream in her house. Wouldn't it make more sense if she were to have more practical and sensibly priced favorites on her show?

I like Oprah in general. But lately, it feels like she shows off by giving. Even pretending to give all those cars when it is GM behind the donations. Someone needs to tell that woman to come back to earth!

Oprah's favorite things

The Favorite Things List

The Telex Scholar Digital Talking Book Player

Related:

--More details on the Telex Scholar from the manufacturer.

--Audio description of the Scholar from Tom Peters, consultant to the Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center.

--Project HAL (Handheld Accessible Libraries), an MITBC report in Microsoft Word format by Tom Peters on the Telex and other players.

Opera: Part II

Opera, Louisiana Style: Part I

In early September, a friend mentioned to me that in a couple weeks there was to be a presentation on opera at the Lafayette Parish Public Library. We decided to go. Dr. Susan Nicassio discussed Verdi. She proved so amusing and had such an interest in her subject that I knew I'd have to interview her for the blog. We worked out the particulars and I am pleased to offer this interview for my blog regulars and first-time visitors.

The American Music Awards: A pop-cult loser

Official awards site.

DearReader.com (continued)

Suzanne Beecher's DearReader.com: How you can sample books via email

From DearReader.com's "About Page": "I started my book clubs for the busiest people in the world, my employees, stay-at-home moms. The only books they had time to read were children's books, so I started including parts of books in the email that I sent them each morning.

"Soon they were thanking me for getting them back into reading. They were leaving their TV's off at night and discussing books with their husbands. One employee admitted she would sneak over to her computer late at night to see if I had sent the next installment early.

"Now I have over 3,000 libraries, businesses, county governments, public schools and websites offering our book clubs to their members. I work with over eighty book publishers. People as far away as Moscow and China are reading with us.

"Sign up for my free service and every day I'll email you part of a chapter from a book. The emails take about 5 minutes to read. After I've sent you two or three chapters from a book, I'll start a new book. Before you know it, you'll be in the reading groove.

"Encourage your friends to sign up too, by forwarding your daily read to them. It's a great way to stay in touch with your friends. Together we can change the world, one chapter-a-day."

Life of luxury

Today, I read a book, A Quaker Book of Wisdom: Life Lessons in Simplicity, Service, and Common Sense, by Robert Lawrence Smith. It spoke to one's living a life of service and commitment to others, to a greater good and to one's conscience. Then tonight I flipped on the TV and was assailed by a show that reminded me of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."

I observed that the program was a shopping list of high priced bling and a roll call of the celebrities who bought it. There was the engagement ring, 10-carat diamond solitaire, that ran Mike Douglas about $3 million. I learned that membership in one of The Donald's country clubs ran $300,000 per year. A pain management specialist and his male lover spent over $26,000 to fly their dog to Florida for a dog birthday party. I learned that the highest paid sitcom star makes $1.8 million an episode. (Now, I know why everybody loves Raymond!)

I was informed that Britney won the title Shopping Queen against rival Christina. Britney and her mom are known to enter a boutique on trendy Robertson Blvd and if they see a style of shoe they like, buy it in every color the store has. They can drop $60,000 in an hour. Wow!

Needless to say, this show and that book proved quite a jarring juxtaposition. I had hoped the show might comment on how some of these phenoms made their loot. To me it is the making of the loot that is the interesting story. Anyone can spend money; well, I know I could.

Review: The World of the Shining Prince

The World of the Shining Prince

Radio days: Toward a transcription service