Puppies and VPL*

Short Version:
Today I saw a sign which said "Obey Signs"

Long Version:
43 chihuahuas were dropped off at the Victoria SPCA yesterday - delivered in a Mustang convertible. Apparently the woman who delivered them had started with one of the yappy handbag critters, but became "The Chihuahua Lady" after that one and then various members of the next generation did their bit for the continuation of the species. Sounds like it all got a little bit much after her boss died and left her another twelve of the wee beasties.

Even scarier than a boss who leaves you a dozen chihuahuas in his will is the statement from Amazon (the online book/music/etc retailer) that they are now selling twice as many e-books as physical books. Even bearing in mind that that's sales to a select and technology-savvy group of people, it's still a significant statement, perhaps particularly in light of indications that copyright mechanisms for e-books - and especially as pertains to public libraries - have yet to be perfected: Reports are that the Vancouver Public Library (VPL*) has waiting lists for e-book borrowing. The example title given was the latest in the Twilight series (teen melodrama involving effeminate vampires), of which the VPL* owns five copies in e-book format. All are out on loan, and there are eight people waiting their turn. Two of the seven physical copies owned by the VPL* are on the shelf and available. Stinging indictment of the levels of common sense possessed by e-book users? Or unsurprising behavior from by-definition slightly sub-normal Twilight franchise afficionados? Either way, a waiting list for an e-book says to me that digital rights management needs some fine-tuning.







* = ha ha ha ha ha nice acronym