Link Smorgasbord, September 23 - 29

Bruce Schneier: NSA Spying Is Making Us Less Safe
"It’s sheer folly to believe that only the NSA can exploit the vulnerabilities they create. Additionally, by eavesdropping on all Americans, they’re building the technical infrastructure for a police state."

Downloading Is Mean! Content Industry Drafts Anti-Piracy Curriculum for Elementary Schools 
Because D.A.R.E. worked so well (if you think I'm serious I have a bridge you might be interested in buying).  I'm glad to see that it acknowledges Creative Commons but I definitely feel it largely gives the wrong impression and overly simplifies the admittedly complicated matter of copyright law.  I think they'd be better off teaching kids "don't be a dick" (in more polite wording) and save the subject of copyright for late elementary school or middle school.  Also, perhaps the curriculum could be drafted without major input from the MPAA and the RIAA?  It could just be me, but I feel in the wake of the copyright litigation brought against consumers that they might be just a wee bit biased.

Banned Books Trading Cards 2013
I love this idea.  Also wondering what made me think that I had the wrong dates and that Banned Books Week was mostly in October.  Clearly my original dates were the correct ones.

Censorship and Invisibility: A Boomer Perspective 
I think this is an important article to read.

Is your library plus-size friendly?
Valid points to think about.

Why Old Programs Don’t Run on Modern Versions of Windows (and How You Can Run Them Anyway)
Because I'm not the only one who has a favorite DOS game.

Is Texas's All-Digital Library Really the Future of Books?
Some about the new all-digital library.

DCL September Pricing Comparison
Library ebook availability for best sellers is improving, it still generally costs an arm and a leg.  One downside to the report is it does not highlight titles with 26 check out or 1 year licensing to libraries.

Android users can now lock their lost devices remotely
This feature of course is released after our second library tablet goes missing.

5 Tools to Create an Online Comic
I need to do an event/activity at the library with these at some point.

Library DVDs versus Netflix Streaming
:D

'See Something, Say Something' Campaign Creates Massive Database Of Useless Info From Citizens Spying On Each Other
And of course, something that is harmless or completely within your rights now may be interpreted differently down the road.

15 Classic Children’s Books That Have Been Banned In America
Also examples of why people confuse the hell out of me.

Bezos on Publishing, DRM, Transition to ebooks
Unlike Bezos I don't believe that sharing Kindle accounts solves the issue of ebook lending.

Booksellers and the ABA-Kobo Partnership
This has been interesting to follow.

Banned Books Week: Challenged and Banned Comics
Some of my favorite comics/picture books are on this list.  That and I love Gaiman's response to a challenge against Sandman, "I suspect that having a reputation as adult material that’s unsuitable for teens will probably do more to get teens to read Sandmanthan having the books ready and waiting on the YA shelves would ever do."

Banned Books and Censorship - Quiz
A bit of history and recent events mixed together make up this quiz.  Neat to take if only to read the questions.

Amazon curtails program in Maine
Amazon cuts its affiliate program in another state collecting sales tax on companies with in-state presence.  Likely a small impact for most individuals, but I know a number of businesses that supplement their income through Affiliate links, as well as authors who use them for exposure and sales.  

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