tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-344865692024-03-06T14:00:32.399-06:00The Practical ArchivistArchiving tips and geeky tidbits for genealogists, keepers of the family photo album, and anyone who loves a beautiful anachronism. Written by an archivist who never met an antique photograph (or a Czech beer) she didn't like.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-92008008967671067442010-01-12T07:44:00.018-06:002012-02-07T20:44:19.179-06:00The Practical Archivist has MOVED!.<br />This practicalarchivist.blogspot.com blog, the one you're reading right now, is frozen in time.<br /><br />It is obsolete.<br /><br />I should probably nuke it (all the content has been imported into the new site) but this was my very first blog, and I've gotten surprisingly nostalgic about it. ::sniffle::<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">All Practical Archivist content is now at<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><a href="http://practicalarchivist.com/blog/">PracticalArchivist.com</a></span><br /><br />(click above URL to visit)<br /></span></span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Also...<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:130%;">I get asked all the time by family archivists <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">"<a href="http://practicalarchivist.com/practicalarchivist-recommends/">What scanner should I buy?</a>"</span> Since it's such a popular question, I've created links to the two scanners I personally own and use (one portable, one that can scan slides & film): <a href="http://practicalarchivist.com/practicalarchivist-recommends/">Practical Archivist Recommends</a><br /></span></li><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><li><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Follow me on Twitter </span><span style="font-size:130%;">I come from a long line of clippers, and as far as I'm concerned Twitter is the new scissors n' newspaper. <a href="http://twitter.com/sally_j">@sally_j</a></span></li></ul>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-84167628253021268412008-02-08T07:46:00.000-06:002008-02-08T10:02:38.901-06:00Paper Vs. Plastic: Which One Is Better?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoIkjV8NTYodSr2FltxdA0ZXJ1_K1nOyULi0VrOx1wZnUKZn50IcdPpXCca_COB4paUv9Jh5T_NH_KD0BUtGVCWIrX3E9hJWcyBJq9i5ZHDyK6-Ln-7ab-Snbexv2KxlfK-q9/s1600-h/paper+flickr+tanakawho.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoIkjV8NTYodSr2FltxdA0ZXJ1_K1nOyULi0VrOx1wZnUKZn50IcdPpXCca_COB4paUv9Jh5T_NH_KD0BUtGVCWIrX3E9hJWcyBJq9i5ZHDyK6-Ln-7ab-Snbexv2KxlfK-q9/s320/paper+flickr+tanakawho.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153336592337506162" border="0" /></a>If you're tackling a family photo project, you'll need to think about what kind of storage supplies will work best for you.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Basically, you have two choices when choosing an album or photo storage box:</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>1. Paper.<br />2. Plastic.<br /><br />The good news is you can find high quality archival storage products made out of either material.<br /><br />But the bad news is there are plenty of junky materials out there.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >A cheap photo storage box can cause more damage than it prevents.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><br /><br />Whether you choose paper or plastic, the safest supplies are the ones that have passed an independent test called the <a href="http://www.jacobsarchival.com/Articles/unregulated.html">Photographic Activity Test</a>. Click through to learn more about the test and why the term "archival" is meaningless when applied to consumer products.<br /><br />There are advantages and disadvantages to both plastic and paper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Plastic is good at protecting your treasures from fingerprints and spills.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><br /><br />Photo and documents that get handled all the time will be well served by putting them clear enclosures such as polypropelene and polyethelene. You (or third cousin who refuses to wear gloves) can see the images without touching them. Encapsulation is a good choice for fragile or torn paper that you can't afford to have repaired by a conservator.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:130%;">But for storage, I prefer paper. Here's why:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Paper breathes.</span><br /></span><br />Here in America we tend to put a lot of faith in the protective power of plastic. One visit to a grocery store here in the States will illustrate that fact very clearly. Everything from candy to beef to tomatoes is sold shrink-wrapped in plastic. I've traveled enough to know that this isn't the case in the rest of the world.<br /><br />When it comes to archival storage, the fact that plastic doesn't breathe can actually cause more problems than it prevents.<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong -- plastic is great for keeping bad things out like moisture and fingerprints.<br /><br />But...<br /><br />Photographs, film and tape are all made from materials that change over time. When these materials change, they can leach chemicals or give off gases that will loop back and inflict self damage if they are "sealed in their own juices" as my preservation instructor used to say.<br /><br />Here's a striking visual example of what I'm talking about.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://richardhess.com/notes/2006/10/16/acetate-tape-buffered-by-cardboard-box/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_brmV8285S75QSbSmuYrfdtFFe2OiysQi4kWVo-S-D7p2wJLau9MPL-whGxzmf38VEJW6A8PqP78BDuy2hwqP0Mtsd2OLt_AQq6aSMyAEcrVIj5ASweI-xeFRCCUHt8kLKo6/s320/box_reveals_acetate_offgassing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106541079858200290" border="0" /></a><br />If this tape had been stored in plastic instead of cardboard, the acids and offgassing that burned brown stains into the box would have stayed inside and attacked the tape instead.<br /><br /><br />Photo of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/1344192731/">paper bags</a> by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/">tanakawho</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en">some rights reserved</a>.<br />Photo of tape case by <a href="http://richardhess.com/notes/2006/10/16/acetate-tape-buffered-by-cardboard-box/">Richard Hess</a>. <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">*Note!</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>That Richard Hess link will take you to his post that explains in more detail what's going on in the photo, and why he thinks tape has escaped the vinegar syndrome that has plagued film.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-83541441944534301772008-01-14T22:31:00.002-06:002013-01-24T10:48:17.012-06:00How to Organize Photos: Warning! This Advice May Shock You<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoiqhE1cpYD5qZd4UEsB6k_92yUXlb3V-Q1xo3k0PCmulRQ4Y5Ko1FDm8XVHVKdfQRI7MAQK6c7ldw7r5Ee6-YFOOIxSW4gHIcHq9r5vpD91sIbEF3Q-E27sUcmxEePjkqUDa/s1600-h/purge_caution.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155584453666180994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqoiqhE1cpYD5qZd4UEsB6k_92yUXlb3V-Q1xo3k0PCmulRQ4Y5Ko1FDm8XVHVKdfQRI7MAQK6c7ldw7r5Ee6-YFOOIxSW4gHIcHq9r5vpD91sIbEF3Q-E27sUcmxEePjkqUDa/s400/purge_caution.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><br />Contrary to popular belief, </span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;">archivists do not keep everything</span></span><span style="font-size: 130%;">. </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /><br />Whaaat? An archivist?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Throwing things out?!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yep.</span><br /><br />Ya heard me.<br /><br />I spent more time learning the art of archival appraisal than any other skill while in grad school. And by appraisal, I mean deciding what to keep and what to toss -- based on what items have enduring value.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">But aren't archivists the keepers of our shared history? </span><br />
<br />
<br />
Yes, but...<br />
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<span style="font-size: 130%;"><br /><a href="http://practicalarchivist.com/how-to-organize-photos-shocking-advice/" style="font-weight: bold;">CLICK HERE to read the rest of How to Organize Photos: Warning! This Advice May Shock You</a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> That link will take you to the rest of this article at the NEW Practical Archivist website. </span>(I can't bring myself to delete this old Blogspot one. Sentimental fool that I am.)Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-70261579663154518482007-12-02T11:11:00.000-06:002007-12-02T12:34:19.817-06:00When "acid free" isn't actually acid free: Can you trust archival supplies to be safe?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrdM8xv1qyrkhMI8Qv0KLEDilg8GMkZvxWk-DcLpNwxeQqh9RoOTpR98oMs48HGi10wsPGJjjuN58tivPxNw1d95CVKizLvPDmX1kAoOiaHIWTlJIQdxJ1ukhePex-P5QVId1/s1600-r/trust_joenangle_flickrattrb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHsYFA1uLTrVU5wFFjtrGeqRao3RZCcDUWhfp825Eo2qluIN3lVl70TKdc9R1XEog1gVEBPdrUoB1csrrJ3wqK7hCh2qBblmOo9-E3etllMVVcuyN65kQm7Wb_lp0puAg2cDl/s400/trust_joenangle_flickrattrb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139398549943428066" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrjohnengel/">Joe Nangle</a></span><br /></div><br />I've been having some trust issues lately.<br /><br />There's a popular archival supplier whose products seem to be slipping in quality. Then they sent out an email with claims about CD longevity that were misleading at best, utterly false at worst.<br /><br />This is a HUGE dilemma for me. If I can't trust the quality of their products, I can't recommend them to my readers. And I know people come here to find reliable information about supplies. <span style="font-weight: bold;">(Note: The photo storage boxes for sale in the left column are NOT from this manufacturer.) </span><br /><br />I'm digging and doing some research. I'll keep you posted about what I discover.<br /><br />Anyhoo. When I started digging, I discovered Mark Welch's articles. Mark is a scrapbooker. He's also a skeptic. I like to think of him as The Skeptical Scrapbooker, but his pen name is actually the Scrapbook Critic.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >How Reliable is the "Acid Free" Label?</span><br /><br />Back in early 2006, Mark learned about pH pens for the first time. Test papers for acid content in the comfort of your own home? What a great idea!<br /><br />Then he visited several craft and scrapbook stores to purchase one so he could test scrapbooking paper. Turns out, scrapbook stores don't actually sell pH testing pens. <span style="font-style: italic;">Interesting, wouldn't you say? </span>So Mark made several purchases online.<br /><br />In an odd twist, it turns out some of the pens didn't work at all. See Mark's articles (links below) for more details on why certain pens failed.<br /><br />Way more shocking, however, was the discovery that some papers sold at scrapbooking stores and via home sales <span style="font-weight: bold;">were, in fact, <span style="font-style: italic;">acidic</span>. </span>All of those had been clearly marked as acid free, buffered and/or lignin free. Yeowch!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" ><br />Acid Free Is Not Enough</span><br /><br />Paper needs to be lignin free as well. Lignins are a by-product of the paper making process. It's the lignins that turn non-acidic paper to acidic. In other words, something that is acid free today will become acidic over time if the lignins have not been removed.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Benefit of the Doubt<br /><br /></span>As for me, I am so obsessed with the independent <a href="http://www.jacobsarchival.com/Articles/unregulated.html">Photographic Activity Test (PAT)</a> that I've always given manufacturers the benefit of the doubt on the "acid free" label. I figured since it was so easy to test at home, a manufacturer would be crazy to pass something acidic as acid free.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Turns out, I was wrong.</span><br /><span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span></span><br />Check out Mark's articles for more details -- including the names of manufacturers he no longer trusts:<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://scrapbookcritic.com/2005-07-03.htm">Acid-Free, Lignin-Free, and Buffered Paper<span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Why You Should Care, What You Can Do</a></li><li><a href="http://scrapbookcritic.com/2005-07-25.htm">How to Avoid Bad Acid Trips<span style="font-weight: bold;">: </span>Test Your Paper with a pH Pen </a></li></ul><span style=""><br /></span><hr width="70%"><p> <b>[Mark's] conclusion is that scrapbookers should buy a pH pen and test each paper they use.</b></p><ul><li>This is not especially cumbersome: it takes just seconds to distress the back of a page and mark it with a pH pen. </li><li>Scrupulous retailers should be willing to do this at the checkout stand while the customer watches. </li><li>It is not enough to test just one paper from a manufacturer, because paper composition and pH levels may change from one print run to the next. </li><li>Unfortunately, a pH pen will not indicate a problem if paper is currently pH neutral, yet contains materials (such as lignins) which will degrade into acids in the future.</li></ul> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br />Thinking about buying your own pen? </span>Check out the selection of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fs%3Furl%3Dsearch-alias%253Daps%26field-keywords%3Dph%2Bpen%26x%3D0%26y%3D0&tag=jacobsarchiva-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">pH pens</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=jacobsarchiva-20&l=ur2&o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /> at Amazon. <span>And when you purchase anything from Amazon via that link (regardless of what it is) it's like leaving a tip for yours truly, without having to fork over any extra money.<br />.<br /></span>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-88322870212512227052007-11-14T07:38:00.000-06:002007-11-14T08:15:19.913-06:00Can you fix a pixelated photo?.<br />From the folks at <a href="http://www.photojojo.com/">Photojojo</a> comes <a href="http://photojojo.com/content/websites/convert-photos-to-vectors/">advice on how to de-pixelate photos</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Ever had Grandma Edna email you her latest vacation cruise photos, only to find the images so small and pixelated that she and Gramps look like they were made of LEGOs?<br /><br />VectorMagic has the answer.<br /><br />A free website from the folks down at Stanford, VectorMagic takes your raster images and turns them into smooth vector drawings. Unlike raster images, vector drawings are made of geometric shapes instead of pixels, so you can infinitely resize them with no fuzzy or blockiness! This makes them ideal for blowing up a small photo to, say, the size of your bedroom wall.<br /></blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br />Try it for yourself...</span>Vector Magic is web-based and completely free. No registration or login required.<br /><br /><a href="http://vectormagic.stanford.edu/">Vector Magic </a>— Convert Photographs to Vector Images Automatically<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next up:</span> Details on what happened when I put Vector Magic through the paces, including before & after screen shots. You know, the old side by side comparison. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Hint: The results were mixed.)<br />.<br /></span>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-36149213583444190892007-09-10T22:08:00.000-05:002007-09-11T07:54:14.162-05:00Ambrotype or Daguerreotype? A quick and easy way to tell the difference<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/Ambrotype.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/54/Ambrotype.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>There are two types of cased images you might find in your family collection: ambrotypes and daguerreotypes.<br /><br />The quick and easy way to tell the difference between the two is that a daguerreotype will look like a mirror when you move it in the light. An ambrotype will not.<br /><br />I was thinking about this today when I put away an ambrotype I purchased on ebay. It was listed as a daguerreotype. I don't think this was a deliberate deception, just ignorance.<br /><br />For more information about these hauntingly beautiful cased images, check out Wikipedia's entries for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrotype">ambrotype</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguerreotype">daguerreotype</a>.<br /><br />The daguerreotype entry says this:<br /><blockquote><br />Daguerreotypy continues to be practiced by enthusiastic photographers to this day, although in much smaller numbers; there are thought to be fewer than 100 worldwide. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Its appeal lies in the "magic mirror" effect of light reflected from the polished silver plate through the perfectly sharp silver image</span>, and in the sense of achievement derived from the dedication and hand-crafting required to make a daguerreotype.<br /><br /></blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Wait a minute...<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Erika_germany.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/49/Erika_germany.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">There are artists who use these historic photo processes <u>today</u>?</span><br /><br />Talk about a beautiful anachronism! I would pay oodles of money for a daguerreotype or ambrotype of an iPod. Not that I have a budget for that kind of frivolity, but still. The Wiki has several links to these contemporary artists if that idea intrigues you, too.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">[photo credit] </span>"Erika" Ambrotype on black glass by artist/photographer Quinn Jacobson. Made May 2007, Viernheim, Germany.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE:</span> OK. Forget what I said about the iPod. That was just the first thing that came into my head. What I <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> want is to see a daguerreotype or ambrotype of the <a href="http://flickr.com/search/?q=neverwas%20haul&w=all">Neverwas Haul</a>.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-52125793194776194992007-08-08T21:51:00.000-05:002007-08-08T23:48:49.605-05:00Coffee-stained cyanotypes<div style="text-align: left;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_9gw-2gYu5umyraW4bKuYumoDi8idW2WzlX62v21_XgXa7gbFMapvr7d-kuPkVAA3ooKC9c3fO-MzJ9LgaoBbxhOImpckgAWswD8Xwj-vZZZNisVbA3V5yQrL7B6g5QeZsrk/s1600-h/MHemauer_hummingbird_cyano2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_9gw-2gYu5umyraW4bKuYumoDi8idW2WzlX62v21_XgXa7gbFMapvr7d-kuPkVAA3ooKC9c3fO-MzJ9LgaoBbxhOImpckgAWswD8Xwj-vZZZNisVbA3V5yQrL7B6g5QeZsrk/s400/MHemauer_hummingbird_cyano2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096311894735872594" border="0" /></a><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sometimes, you put a question out to the universe and something marvelous comes back. </span>Just last week, I featured <a href="http://www.curbly.com/DIY-Maven">DIY Maven</a>'s neat-o method for antiquing paper using instant coffee. I mused about how cool it would be to dye photographs using coffee. Ersatz sepia. (Read the original post <a href="http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/07/recycle-unwanted-cds-and-dvds.html">here</a>.)<br /><br />Then I got an email from my friend Bob. Turns out his brother makes his own cyanotypes. Then he dyes them in wine.<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> Or he dyes them in coffee.<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmCGfrNJyIbQyzIvsTQxymzZIf-cdqtHcBIHz9Txmhk0xLQmPg5bHg3zNFwmMhK3xbLfqUnsJ4364pb6YNzpcoJXo2LB5sytAspdojnYxIl6zCLqsLu7uDIsRIwzSh5rMD1rJ/s1600-h/MHemauer_camino.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 85px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmCGfrNJyIbQyzIvsTQxymzZIf-cdqtHcBIHz9Txmhk0xLQmPg5bHg3zNFwmMhK3xbLfqUnsJ4364pb6YNzpcoJXo2LB5sytAspdojnYxIl6zCLqsLu7uDIsRIwzSh5rMD1rJ/s200/MHemauer_camino.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5096539785700598370" border="0" /></a>The result is spooky-cool, and the images look like they've washed up from another era. Those hauntingly beautiful plastic hummingbirds you see above are just one example. There's even an El Camino, be still my heart. <a href="http://markhemauerphotography.blogspot.com/">Check out Mark's photography blog.</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />What is a cyanotype?</span></span><br />To create a cyanotype all you need is two chemicals, negative film, sunlight and water. The two chemicals dissolved in water become a photo-sensitive solution that you paint onto paper. After exposure to UV rays and rinsing in water, the two chemicals react in such a way that you are left with a permanent dye called Prussian Blue.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Anna_Atkins_woodhorsetail_cyanotype.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Anna_Atkins_woodhorsetail_cyanotype.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>If you've ever seen a vintage blueprint, you've seen a cyanotype.<br /><br />The process was discovered in 1842, but it didn't become photography until <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Atkins" title="Anna Atkins">Anna Atkins</a> got her hands on it a year later. Ms. Atkins -- a scientist who is credited as the first female photographer -- created a limited series of cyanotypes by pressing ferns and other botanical specimens onto the light sensitive paper and exposing them to sunlight.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanotype">Read more about cyanotypes in <span style="font-style: italic;">(on?)</span> The Wiki</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />[Photo Credits: <a href="http://markhemauerphotography.blogspot.com/">Mark Hemauer</a>, Anna Atkins cyanotypes via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Anna_Atkins_woodhorsetail_cyanotype.jpg">wikipedia</a>.]Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-5785826799335538192007-06-24T12:10:00.000-05:002007-06-25T21:18:13.423-05:00A correction about digmypicsLoyal readers, I need to make a correction. I got this email last week:<br /><br /><blockquote>Hi Sally,<br /><br />I found your blog. It’s great, but it makes a comment that my company sends our customer’s photos overseas. While its true that some companies do that, we aren’t one of them. We do all of the work right here in mesa, AZ. Would you mind making the correction?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Scott Crossen<br />www.digmypics.com</blockquote><br /><br />I said I would be happy to print a correction, and asked Scott my Big Question: How do you keep prices under 50 cents per scan?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is Scott's reply: </span>We've invented and developed a lot of software processes to maximize our productivity on things like CD burning and tracking and managing orders but the fact remains we do a lot of work for the 30 to 50 cents we collect on each image. We don't believe that asking a customer to allow us to send their photos overseas is an option and our customers agree with us on that. The risk just doesn't justify any reward. I understand that having a service scan all of your photos can get pricey, but having them sent to China or India? It might make good business sense but lacks good common sense. If you like, you can put a link to our <a href="http://www.digmypics.com/videos/Tour.wmv">video</a> that shows the process and a link to our <a href="http://www.digmypics.com/">home page</a>.<br /><br />Done and done, Scott.<br /><br />The video took a really long time to download, but I waited it out because I'm not going to publish a link to something I haven't watched. YouTube would have been much less annoying.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Update: </span>Scott provided me with a link to the streaming version of the video. That way, you don't have to download the whole thing to your computer. Watch the streaming version <a href="http://www.digmypics.com/ALittleHelp.asp">here</a>.<br /><br />I was impressed by their system for preventing photo orders from getting swapped accidentally, but not as impressed as I was by the white gloves. Yay! I also vowed to get myself a lab coat if I ever make my own videos.<span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span><br />Personally, I'm too squeamish to send original items through the mail -- even if it's only going as far as Arizona. If you're cool with it (and most people are, including my own dad) then digmypics seems like a fine choice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Have you hired someone to scan your photographs? </span>Would you recommend them to a friend? Leave a comment and share your experiences, good or bad.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-72451136913757125062007-06-18T21:46:00.000-05:002007-06-18T22:33:44.648-05:00What to keep? What to toss?<div>There's an interesting article in the Ft. Wayne News-Sentinel called: "What to Keep, What to Throw Away? Think Carefully About What’s Really Important Before You Make a Decision."</div><br /><br /><div style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Read it soon while it's still free:</div><a href="http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/17374145.htm">http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/17374145.htm</a><br /><br /><div></div><strong style="font-weight: normal;">Here's an excerpt from author Cindy Larson:</strong><strong></strong><br /><br /><div><blockquote>Like many other baby boomers, I suspect, my house is overflowing with boxes of papers, photos and mementos from my parents, who are both deceased. Add to that the stuff I’ve saved from my own marriage and children, and the result is an unorganized mess of boxes in our spare room.<br /><br />I didn’t have a clue as to what to keep and what to pitch. What was truly a memento, and what was just clutter? What would be valuable or meaningful to my children and possibly, some day, their children?<br /></blockquote></div><br /><div><strong><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">Here are my comments on the article...</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong>Purging.</strong> There is no magic formula for deciding what to keep. At least not one that works for everyone. You have to make some hard decisions, it's true. But making no decisions at all and keeping everything instead is just delaying the problem. Please don't leave the mess for your kids. The bigger the mess, the more tempted future generations will be to just toss it all. </div><div> </div><br /><div>The News-Sentinel article described an interesting sorting system just for sentimental items. <a href="http://www.soulfulliving.com/shedding_sentimental_clutter.htm">Harriet Schechter</a> advises clients to create 4 piles: Happy/Sad/Good/Bad. Seems like it could be super helpful. If you've used this method, please let me know by leaving a comment. Good or bad, I wanna hear it.<br /></div><br /><div><strong></strong> </div><strong>Preservation.</strong> As for the archival advice, it's not too bad. The article emphasizes the importance of stable temperature and humidity for long term survival of paper memorabilia. That's dead accurate. It also says that paper storage containers are better than plastic, which doesn't "breathe." I agree with that advice. Plus you have no idea how safe that plastic is, unless it's passed the Photographic Activity Test or PAT. <em>But...</em><br /><br /><div></div><div><strong>Boxes. </strong>I would add that the type of box you choose is important. Don't forget the sniff test -- if it stinks, don't put anything valuable in it. Unfortunately, that rules out most of the pretty looking shoebox-style boxes. Between the paper and the glue used to adhere it, you're looking at some awfully scary chemicals. Your best bet is to stick with an archival supplier like Metal Edge or Gaylord or Light Impressions. Thos metal edges are not just for strength -- they also make it possible to construct the box without using any adhesives. </div><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"><br /></span><div></div><strong>Email.</strong> The article claims that letters are slowly being replaced by e-mail, and you should "consider saving at least some of your newsier e-mails." I would argue that this shift occurred years ago. And let's not forget that digital is more permanent than a sand painting, <a href="http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/04/more-permanent-than-sand-painting-but.html">but not much else</a>. The easiest solution is to just print out your <strong>most</strong> <strong>important</strong> correspondence. Not everything, of course. Then you end up with the same problem of too much paper.<br /><br /><div></div><strong>Best advice in the article.</strong> I'm all for purging, but remember that there might be someone in your family who wants what you're about to toss. The older the stuff, the more important this becomes. Family historians are often the family archivist as well, so why not call up the genealogists in your family?<br /><br /><div></div><div><strong>Related posts from The Practical Archivist:</strong></div><div><a href="http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/01/organizing-tip-what-to-keep.html">Photo Organizing Tips: What to Keep?</a></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><div>[Double tip of the hat to Randy at <a href="http://randysmusings.blogspot.com/">GeneaMusings</a> and Meagan at <a href="http://www.rootstelevision.com/blogs/megans-rootsworld.php">RootsTV</a>]</div>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-20251594639261731882007-06-09T22:09:00.000-05:002007-06-09T23:43:06.883-05:00Flash drives are NOT for long term storage<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">A while back, I took a first stab at answering a reader's question about flash drives. He wanted to know if they were safe for long term storage. Here's what I said (cue time machine music):<br /></span></strong><br />--------------------------------<br /><br />I got an email from a new subscriber to my <a href="http://www.jacobsarchival.com/page2.html">newsletter</a>. He was asking me to update my free-with-subscription bonus <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">e-book</span> about how to safely scan family photos. He wanted me to include the option of storing digital photographs on USB flash drives.<br /><p>Will I make that change? That depends on the answer to some important questions:<br /></p><ul><li> How long can we expect <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">USB</span>-powered flash drives to last? </li><li> How soon will they become obsolete? </li><li> How do these numbers compare to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">CDs</span>? To hard drives?</li></ul> Do I have an answer?<br /><br />Nope. Not yet.<br /><span class="on down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span><br />--------------------------------<br /><br />By way of answer, below is an unedited <a href="http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=1480">post</a> from <a href="http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/">24/7 Family History Circle</a>, a wonderful Web 2.0 resource from Ancestry.com.<br /><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br /></strong><blockquote><strong>Flash Drive Caveat<br /><br /></strong>I’m an IT director. When we hand out flash drives (which we hand out like candy), we have a little “talk” that goes with them. It goes like this:<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">“Flash drives are very handy for carrying files from place to place and computer to computer. However, they are relatively volatile storage, so you should never consider them a primary backup for your files. They fail much, much, much more quickly than CDs or hard drives.”</span><br /><br />Back up your files on CDs or hard drives. Check them after you back up to make sure the backup works. Check them once in a while to make sure they are still working. Every few years, transfer them to a new CD or hard drive. How many years depends on the conditions in which they are stored. If you have air conditioning, low humidity, and clean air, they will probably last longer than they will in a more humid or dusty environment. <p>Rae Williams</p></blockquote><p></p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wise words from the field.</span> Flash drives are a convenient way to carry files around with you, but they are <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> for long term storage. <span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks, Rae!</span><br /><br />Source: <a href="http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=1480">24/7 Family History Circle</a><br />http://blogs.ancestry.com/circle/?p=1480Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-27592827880225935392007-03-24T22:40:00.000-05:002007-03-25T00:20:27.145-05:00Mighty purty typewriter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWXMz6263_3pVwl9LmdSkAKRZ1dv51EFxeCNMfJcGKGiezI2UxbSsGJzeZkuFpguw2765u2UvZBIqspaPx5-1SNPccXrSokc75VacckxR8iTALgE2_ono5A4W1fYIW-IT-eEW/s1600-h/typewriterWHSsholes-glidden-20071.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWXMz6263_3pVwl9LmdSkAKRZ1dv51EFxeCNMfJcGKGiezI2UxbSsGJzeZkuFpguw2765u2UvZBIqspaPx5-1SNPccXrSokc75VacckxR8iTALgE2_ono5A4W1fYIW-IT-eEW/s320/typewriterWHSsholes-glidden-20071.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045726321941736018" border="0" /></a>The Wisconsin Historical Society is celebrating the first mass produced typewriter. There's a wonderful five-minute read on their website. It also includes links to more information.<br /><br />Highlights include:<br /><br /><ul><li>Bigger, juicier <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/artifacts/archives/002684.asp">photos</a>. This beautiful antique makes my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">iPod</span> look cold, lifeless and dead. And I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lurrrve</span> my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">iPod</span>.<br /></li><br /><li>It wasn't the inventor who licensed the technology rights to Remington Co...it was his business partner. Seems the inventor was a little short on cash in the 1870s and sold away his rights. Ouch.<br /></li><br /><li>One of the first things Mark Twain ever typed, which includes the following: "...only <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">practici</span>?<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ng</span> ti get the hang of the thing." I kid you not.</li><br /></ul>Read it <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/highlights/archives/2007/03/typewriter.asp">here</a>.<br /><br />P.S. I am now dreaming of a Victorian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">steampunk</span></a> computer. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Someone's</span> already transformed a 1924 <a href="http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/underwood/">Underwood No. 5</a> typewriter into a computer, so I figure it's possible.<br /><br />Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/">Wisconsin Historical Society</a>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-30094373723703067232007-03-20T21:58:00.000-05:002007-03-20T22:17:00.228-05:00Digital preservation newsDid someone declare this digital preservation month? Because if they did, I sure didn't get the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">meemo</span>.<br /><br />Here's a roundup of the news from digital preservation land.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/20/america/NA-GEN-US-Lost-Data.php">File Under "Oops"</a><br /><br />So you accidentally wipe out the database. Oh, and the backup drive, too.<br /><blockquote>There was still hope, until the department discovered its third line of defense, backup tapes, were unreadable.</blockquote>What did they do? Brought back the seasonal workers and re-scanned all 300 boxes of hard copies. To the tune of $200,000.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/design/12vide.html?ex=1331352000&en=3857c9bf186947a5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Is That Just Some Game? No, It's a Cultural Artifact</a>. (Free registration required)<br /><br />You know how every year the National Film Preservation Board publishes a list of films to be added to the National Film Registry? Well, now they're doing the same thing with video games. Cool, no? We can't save them all, but we might as well choose a few to preserve.<br /><br /><blockquote>Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lowood</span> said that preserving video games presented certain challenges. For example the hardware that games are played on changes so frequently that there are already thousands that can only be played through computer programs called emulators, which, while readily available on the Internet, technically violate copyright laws.</blockquote>.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-18206393156976485312007-03-20T21:34:00.000-05:002007-03-20T21:51:53.133-05:00A formula for blink free photos.<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Anyone who's played photographer at family functions knows that, even if everyone stays perfectly still, there's always someone who blinks.</span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://velocity.ansto.gov.au/velocity/ans0011/article_06.asp">Here's</a> an article explaining how many shots you need to take in order to (almost) guarantee you get one where no-one is blinking. Fortunately, someone has devised a formula:<br /><blockquote>The probability of one person not blinking 1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">xt</span>. For two people it's (1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">xt</span>).(1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">xt</span>) and for a group of people it's (1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">xt</span>)n, n being the number of people. This means (1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">xt</span>)n is also the probability of a good photo. Therefore, the number of photos should be 1/(1 - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">xt</span>)n. </blockquote>Ahem. Right-o. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://velocity.ansto.gov.au/velocity/ans0011/article_06.asp">Click here</a> for the magic number.<br /><br /><br />Link via <a href="http://www.photojojo.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Photojojo</span></a>.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(An unbelievably cool collection of photo projects)<br />.<br /></span>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-85062581969538182382007-03-14T20:31:00.000-05:002007-03-14T20:59:48.484-05:00Penny postcard views, organized by state - county - townToday I got a link to a cool online collection of <a href="http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Eusgenweb/special/ppcs/ppcs.html">Penny Postcards</a> from my brother Steve. <span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks, Steve-O!</span><span class="" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span> <blockquote>Click on the state and then on the county to see old<br />penny postcards from that area.....pretty neat. </blockquote>I love <a href="http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Eusgenweb/wi/dane/postcards/hislib.jpg">this beautiful image</a> of the Wisconsin Historical Society building. If you've traveled to Madison to dip into our world-renowned genealogical research collections, you'll recognize the building right away. The library mall looks very different these days.<br /><br />FYI, last summer, my baby brother became a dad. <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Here are two pics of my chubby yummy nephew Charles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Orrie</span>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB-VOj5K8X7IqGt3GU-_P3vrgJzo9tftInXHwqm24vmdFUURzhRtbFXn3XOnI3pL-iN5Bb5bXDITaqKMBV8JUa3sxI9R5tCHUhmUrAGH8-BExZqgqj10olgoeIjPSlZc3x3SQ/s1600-h/IMG_8239+copy_2_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB-VOj5K8X7IqGt3GU-_P3vrgJzo9tftInXHwqm24vmdFUURzhRtbFXn3XOnI3pL-iN5Bb5bXDITaqKMBV8JUa3sxI9R5tCHUhmUrAGH8-BExZqgqj10olgoeIjPSlZc3x3SQ/s200/IMG_8239+copy_2_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041958732152901842" border="0" /></a>Isn't he adorable? I mean, you know, <span style="font-style: italic;">objectively cute</span>. Not just because I'm his auntie. Oh, and you should hear him giggle. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Deelish</span>!<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYZdTKL2a6u_emom4DYqT80uSjQE7Wv8WyCWi4MBA0extGM17jSbsQWiIXEKWYlxvOruz2p21u-VmpNyeSlg_VTkjIQhoFCsU5z21AXrWTV4A6xdCrJpQZIqsfwWT1kOx7Iy_/s1600-h/IMG_8257+copy_4_1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYZdTKL2a6u_emom4DYqT80uSjQE7Wv8WyCWi4MBA0extGM17jSbsQWiIXEKWYlxvOruz2p21u-VmpNyeSlg_VTkjIQhoFCsU5z21AXrWTV4A6xdCrJpQZIqsfwWT1kOx7Iy_/s200/IMG_8257+copy_4_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041958495929700546" border="0" /></a>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-7063906607139775962007-03-14T20:08:00.000-05:002007-03-14T22:13:57.505-05:00Where exactly should I store my photographs?.<br />The safest place to store your cherished mementos is an <span style="font-weight: bold;">interior closet with some form of climate control.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">What do I mean by climate control? </span>Well, archival repositories have very specific parameters for temperature and humidity* but let’s be practical (it is, after all, what I'm known for).<br /><br />When I say climate control I mean a space that:<br /><ul><li>is air conditioned in the summer</li><li>is heated in the winter </li><li>and doesn’t feel noticeably damp.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Basements, attics and garages are terrible choices for several reasons:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyf_T14oLhaUIdjxSkGMGX7O4lpxsib5WY9TyNNx-gC9zQaaduVdVs7IvV02ck_5uJjF9r6NArP4SAejsUcg9_zK2P5tnQDWPES6E0GvP-g2fLkXLeZ476ERXxM3R-rHLEhf1/s1600-h/moldybook.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyf_T14oLhaUIdjxSkGMGX7O4lpxsib5WY9TyNNx-gC9zQaaduVdVs7IvV02ck_5uJjF9r6NArP4SAejsUcg9_zK2P5tnQDWPES6E0GvP-g2fLkXLeZ476ERXxM3R-rHLEhf1/s200/moldybook.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5041936024660807794" border="0" /></a>1. High humidity encourages mold and mildew and increases the rate of deterioration.<br /><br />2. Fluctuating humidity causes paper (including photographic prints) to swell and shrink. Each cycle causes stress, and years of it will cause photos to crack because the emulsion layer and the binder layer do not expand and contract to the same degree as the paper backing.<br /><br />3. High temperature levels speed up the rate of chemical reactions, and lots of deterioration is caused by chemical reactions. Here’s a sobering thought: The rate of decay doubles with each increase in temperature of 18 degrees. Doubles! span>Keep your treasures out of the attic, folks.<br /><br />4. Insects and pests are more common in basements, attics and garages. No only can they eat your treasures, the bigger (furrier) critters might use it for bedding or leave behind very unpleasant surprises. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ick</span>.<br /><br />One more tip: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Never store your treasures in direct sunlight.</span> UV rays will bleach out the color and fade text and images. Fortunately, two dimensional items like photographs and paper ephemera are easy to copy these days. Create a new copy for display and keep the original in the dark. Or use Plexiglas with an anti UV coating in your frames.<br /><br />*For those of you who really want to know the numbers, here are the recommendations for most photographs: Temperature of 68 F and relative humidity of 30-40%. Now you know.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-87294110936324912552007-03-13T20:49:00.000-05:002007-03-13T23:18:29.073-05:00Is it safe to scan curled negatives?.<br />When I did my <a href="http://practicalarchivist.blogspot.com/2007/03/radio-show-recordinghttpwww2bloggercomi.html">radio show </a>last week, I got a call at the last moment and answered it off the air. The question was from someone who had inherited a large box of negatives. She had a really smart question and I couldn't answer off the top of my head:<br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">If I force a curled negative flat so I can scan it, will I damage it?</blockquote>Well, I know it's unsafe to try to unroll a curled paper print. (Very bad idea.) But I wasn't sure if that was also true for film. I asked my buddy David Benjamin for some guidance. He's a photo archivist at the <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/">Wisconsin Historical Society</a>.<br /><br />This is what David told me:<br /><ul><li>It's safe to scan. </li><li>It's also OK to store flat in envelopes for a short time with a weight on top. This sometimes relaxes film back to a flatter state. </li><li>He has personally unrolled film and seen no damage.<br /></li><li>Re-washing is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">waaay</span> too dangerous. Don't even think about it.</li></ul>Thanks, <a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/calendar/index.asp?id=589&c_program_id=&amp;c_region_id=1&dte=">David</a>.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-40420812696763334652007-03-11T21:59:00.000-05:002007-03-11T22:14:32.553-05:00Free talk at the East Side History Club<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGmOuKe0v09NymPNWSyn39EMOp2LjK_18mygUvIq6Ck2l48sFUudm1lJ_V26F1l_nVkBuXe8kwXBYRkL7Q5b7HWovh-KhxfBzqB52yE7Vd9d-Ep3dd5q57Ss4l2VGRdezjdTK/s1600-h/ESHC1sm.jpg">.<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGmOuKe0v09NymPNWSyn39EMOp2LjK_18mygUvIq6Ck2l48sFUudm1lJ_V26F1l_nVkBuXe8kwXBYRkL7Q5b7HWovh-KhxfBzqB52yE7Vd9d-Ep3dd5q57Ss4l2VGRdezjdTK/s400/ESHC1sm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040869747489968226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Saving our Stories<br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;">Ideas, tips, and talk about preserving your stories and photographs.</span><br /><br /><ul><li>Sarah White, First Person Productions, will discuss how we save the stories of our lives. Find the approach that suits you best - writing, guided reminiscing, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">scrapbooking</span>, interviewing, and more.</li><br /><li>Sally Jacobs, The Practical Archivist, will share her secrets of photo storage, starting with "what to keep" and ending with "how to keep." </li></ul><br />WHEN: Saturday March 24<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"></span>, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.<br /><br />WHERE: <a href="http://www.atwoodcc.org/">Atwood Community Center</a>, 2425 Atwood Ave.<br /><br />COST: Free.<br /><br />The East Side History Club collects memories through conversations with East <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Siders</span>, with the goal of producing articles, yearbooks, exhibits, and programs. They also offer East Side history resources to schools, neighborhood centers, libraries, seniors programs, writing and drama groups, and more. East Side History Club is a project of the <a href="http://www.atwoodcc.org/">Atwood Community Center</a>.<br /><br />To join the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ESHC</span> mailing list or suggest topics for future meetings, contact: <a href="mailto://whitesarah@charter.net">Sarah White</a>, 347-7329 or <a href="mailto://pmartin@atwoodcc.org">Pat Martin</a>, 241-0895.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-88873693482869963662007-03-11T12:21:00.000-05:002007-08-12T07:51:40.627-05:00Does Microsoft's new format spell the end of JPEG?.<br />Has it ever <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">occurred</span> to you that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">JPEG</span> could disappear?<br /><br />Seems impossible, I know. But digital preservation isn't only about the recording media. Let's suspend reality for a moment and pretend that DVDs really will last forever. You still need to have software that can convert 1's and 0's into a photo of a chubby smiling baby. And a compatible machine to run the software.<br /><br />Here's a quote from a recent <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Computerworld</span> <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9012518">article</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>Microsoft Corp. will soon submit to an international standards organization a new photo format...<br /><br />The format, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">HD</span> Photo -- recently renamed from Windows Media Photo -- is taking aim at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">JPEG</span> format, a 15-year-old technology widely used in digital cameras and image applications.<br /></blockquote><br />Listen, I don't have any special psychic abilities. I can't predict the future. But I know what has happened in the past when Microsoft sets it's eye on something.<br /><br />You do the math.<br /><br />And then order prints of your favorite digital photos. The ones your future <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">grand kids</span> should have a chance to see.<br /><br />[link via <a href="http://slashdot.org/articles/07/03/09/0015250.shtml">Slashdot</a>]Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-23265434067276468412007-03-08T20:15:00.000-06:002007-03-08T20:57:30.441-06:00SLAGIATI've created an acronym for something I find myself repeating over and over and over whenever I'm answering questions about how to keep your family treasures safe.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Seemed like a good idea at the time (SLAGIAT).</span><br /><br />There are things you can do to a photograph today that won't look like they've caused any damage. But if you worked with historical records for even a short time, you'd see lots of seemingly innocent items that change dramatically over time. <span style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever seen a forty year old rubber band?</span> Blech. And lots of times the items suffer some kind of damage, usually staining. Damage that could have been avoided so easily.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Examples of SLAGIAT:</span><br /><ul> <li>encapsulation</li> <li>tape</li> <li>ink</li> <li>bare hands (fingerprints)</li> <li>rubber bands</li> <li>chemical cleaners</li> </ul><br />We had a SLAGIAT question on the radio show.<br /><br />Problem: Fire-damaged prints.<br /><br />If they are so soot covered that you can't see what's in the photo, you've got (literally) nothing to lose. In that case, you might as well try an extreme measure like chemical cleaners. Once you clean it enough to get a visible image, make a high resolution scan. Print our copies at your favorite photo processor.<br /><br />If the fire damage is just a little bit of darkening or an occasional smudge, I would recommend scanning the photos and restoring them digitally. Do not apply chemical solvents to the prints. Do not attempt to wipe them off.<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Bottom line?</span> There are times when drastic measures are necessary, but just make sure the cure isn't worse than the disease.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pssst...there's something you should know.</span> My views on chemical cleaners are considered overly cautious to the point of being extreme. Professionals photographers don't think twice about cleaning prints and film. Many scanning companies (especially in the publishing world) clean prints as a matter of routine. Archival supply companies sell the cleaners. But just because you can't see any damage today doesn't mean you haven't caused irreversible chemical damage. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Preservation is all about caution:</span><br /><br /><ul> <li>Don't do anything you can't undo. </li> <li>Eliminate all known hazards.<br /> </li> <li>Avoid likely hazards.</li> </ul> .Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-55000514338833986012007-03-07T22:36:00.000-06:002007-03-09T06:37:30.424-06:00Radio Show.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig39BGN4sCk87qjZeytT7Q8HUAwA_8jTLHY9vv_LSQI3CPSIFD5kVMmLr_eGzccAj2rtbkiXZ4WB52Se91nNTYBl8UJsPnU8JXffbaKf8qeb_dXkLH3QC8D9RChJgurpkoP81t/s1600-h/SJ_LH_WORT_0307.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig39BGN4sCk87qjZeytT7Q8HUAwA_8jTLHY9vv_LSQI3CPSIFD5kVMmLr_eGzccAj2rtbkiXZ4WB52Se91nNTYBl8UJsPnU8JXffbaKf8qeb_dXkLH3QC8D9RChJgurpkoP81t/s200/SJ_LH_WORT_0307.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039902014180781426" border="0" /></a>Thanks to everyone who tuned in to the show on Monday night, and a BIG THANKS to everyone who called or emailed questions. Thanks also to Beth for answering the phones and to Ken for being our engineer.<br /><br />Lisa and I had a blast, and I'm pretty sure that came across. Lisa did such a superb job as my Ed McMahon that I might have to hire her. Ken took that photo of us immediately after the show in the lobby.<br /><br />It's blurry, but that's not Ken's fault. I've always hated the automatic flash on my camera, <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrAvx2e4PpIBo2S32ZjpHU8ysHQo4zWHkqfEOOBZ_HE4MKDLrWEf2CPWHkFPlNSx6TzzkWeo2QLBatL07ubB_1HOOKhIzNE66SImvHP2qlgfu4AHiZ9nS52DgXz2YGAu6I6hX/s1600-h/czechbeers.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrAvx2e4PpIBo2S32ZjpHU8ysHQo4zWHkqfEOOBZ_HE4MKDLrWEf2CPWHkFPlNSx6TzzkWeo2QLBatL07ubB_1HOOKhIzNE66SImvHP2qlgfu4AHiZ9nS52DgXz2YGAu6I6hX/s200/czechbeers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039398617288888530" border="0" /></a>so I leave it on manual. You lose a little focus, but you get warm fuzzy shots like the orange-y still life on the right. Those yummy Czech beers were souvenirs from our trip to <a href="http://www.wisdells.com/things/attractions.cfm">The Wisconsin Dells</a> last month. A huge chunk of the workforce up there is from Eastern Europe. I bought those beers at a gas station. A gas station! And I had to leave dozens of others behind. For those of you who appreciate fine beer, it's the gas station at the intersection of the strip and Hwy A.<br /><br /><a href="http://jacobsarchival.com/img/blog/LH_WORT_0307.jpg">This</a>picture is extra blurry because I got it in my head at the last minute to take a shot of Lisa in her radioshow headphones. Of course the red light came on just as I was taking it. D'oh. I haven't listened to the recording yet, but I'm pretty sure we opened with a sort of "Wha? We're on the air...oh!"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Speaking the recording, here's where you'll find it:</span> <a href="http://lists.wort-fm.org/parchive/">http://lists.wort-fm.org/parchive</a><br />Scroll down a bit till you find the Access Hour from March 5, 2007. WORT has made the show available for listening and/or downloading. You're welcome to keep a copy for yourself and pass it along as long as you don't sell it. This recording will remain online until May 1, 2007.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links from the show.</span><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a href="http://www.jacobsarchival.com/page3.html">Preservation Answer Machine</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /></span><p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPhoto-Scribe-Writing-Stories-Photographs%2Fdp%2F0961937343%3Fie%3DUTF8%26s%3Dbooks%26qid%3D1173329517%26sr%3D8-1&tag=jacobsarchiva-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Photo Scribe</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=jacobsarchiva-20&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;l=ur2&o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Archival Supply Companies. </span>These are all reputable companies. Gaylord and Light Impressions are the only two who use easy-to-spot "PAT Passed" icons in their catalogs. Hollinger and Metal Edge aren't as slick, but their prices are good. Hollinger's paper catalog contains a lovely photo essay about the history of the company. They pretty much created modern records storage containers. Now you know.<br /></p><ul> <li><a href="http://www.gaylord.com/">Gaylord</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/">Light Impressions</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.metaledgeinc.com/">Metal Edge Inc.</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.hollingercorp.com/">Hollinger</a></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">(UPDATE)<br /><br />Archival Suppliers in the UK:</span><br /><ul> <li><a href="http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/uk_catalog_index.htm">Conservation Resources LLC (Online shopping)</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.conservationresources.com/pages/catorders.shtml">Request a Conservation Resources catalog</a></li> </ul> I don't know if they perform the Photographic Activity Test or not -- you'll have to ask.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-60435625397057531992007-03-03T22:02:00.000-06:002007-03-04T00:26:41.108-06:00Online video search toolToday I tried out a new video search tool called <a href="http://blinkx.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">blinx</span></a>. <span style="font-style: italic;">(Ugh. How much do you think they paid for that awful name, eh? Too much, no doubt.)</span> It's not a video hosting site like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">youtube</span>, it just points to videos posted on other sites. There's a nifty feature called The Wall which displays your next search results as row after row of thumbnail videos. Nice eye candy.<br /><br />Here's what I found:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Beeetamax</span>. </span>I searched on "obsolete technology" and found an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ITN</span> news piece on the new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">dvd</span> format wars, complete with archival footage of the <span style="font-style: italic;">last</span> round of video format wars.<br /><a href="http://www.blinkx.com/burl?id=2334501">http://www.blinkx.com/burl?id=2334501</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Billion dollar industry. </span>Then I searched on "family history" and found a news piece from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Fon</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">du</span> Lac, Wisconsin about researching and preserving family history, especially the stories: "People want to know more than the names of their relatives, they want to know about their lives." You'll meet a teenager who interviewed his grandparents and says "...the most rewarding thing is just being able to me that much closer to them."<a href="http://wfrv.com/video/?id=19226@wfrv.dayport.com&cid=5"> http://wfrv.com/video/?id=19226@wfrv.dayport.com&<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">cid</span>=5</a><br /><br />They point to libraries and historical societies as sources for family history information, and mention a laundry list of helpful records, including: obituaries, local newspapers, city directories, yearbooks, historical photographs, census information. They even interview a librarian, yay!<br /><br />I wish I knew how that story ended up on the news in the first place. I figured it had to be a Creative Memories consultant who pitched it, but there's no mention of that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">MLM</span> biz. And none of the interviewees seem like they're the press-release-writing type. Maybe Ancestry.com or Family Tree? Both of those products are mentioned. Are they owned by the same company by any chance?<br /><br />What I really love is the conclusion: "Nothing is more valuable than speaking with those who can share their memories." To which I would add: Or writing down your own memories. It's rediculously easy. Check out Denis LeDoux's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0961937343?tag=jacobsarchiva-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0961937343&adid=16EQJAS6FW6AHJ3WRSQP&">Photo Scribe</a> for a simple and painless way to capture the stories behind your photos (even if you hate to write).<br /><br />FYI, Dick Eastman <a href="http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2006/01/how_popular_is_.html">questions</a> whether genealogy is really as popular as stories like this one claim.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-40191404369033063382007-02-28T22:01:00.000-06:002007-02-28T23:34:13.581-06:00Caring for the ephemera in your collections<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ephemera.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/westernunion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://ephemera.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/westernunion.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Does your family archive include ticket stubs, programs, licenses or calling cards? Whether they were forgotten in the pages of a book or carefully pasted into a scrapbook, these items are what we call ephemera.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.archivists.org/glossary/">glossary</a> by the Society of American Archivists defines ephemera as "materials, usually printed documents, created for a specific, limited purpose, and generally designed to be discarded after use."<br /><br />Marty <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Weil</span> runs <a href="http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/">ephemera.com</a>. It's full of fascinating paper treasures and heavily illustrated with color scans. Very "visually appealing" as we used to say in the children's publishing biz. Basically, this guy is an ephemera guru. So you can imagine how excited I was when he invited me to offer storage and handling tips to his many readers. In hindsight, I might have been a little too excited, because I rambled on so much Marty had to publish it as a two-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">parter</span>.<br /><br />Part 1: <a href="http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/2007/02/basic_needs_of_.html">Protecting Your Paper Collectibles</a><br /><br />Part 2: <a href="http://ephemera.typepad.com/ephemera/2007/02/storing_your_ep.html">Storing Your Ephemera</a><br />. <span class="down" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-78298797010290978742007-02-28T21:47:00.000-06:002007-02-28T23:00:47.394-06:00Snow!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5yt1pPbt7f3Dsk5hFX6Xkurega2TW4KFuot-9ehHBdblC9usfA300J3HgjaV0AFO2hWthhhsrVndhesPIC4Nzz82JE5sERfiFvzLNmHmNjMAGA7C-Jde5Cv5bwoxhH9Usr2a/s1600-h/snowsmile0207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5yt1pPbt7f3Dsk5hFX6Xkurega2TW4KFuot-9ehHBdblC9usfA300J3HgjaV0AFO2hWthhhsrVndhesPIC4Nzz82JE5sERfiFvzLNmHmNjMAGA7C-Jde5Cv5bwoxhH9Usr2a/s400/snowsmile0207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035530217304960690" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sure, winter in Wisconsin is cold (sometimes really cold). And dark (sometimes way too dark). But it can also be delightful. Last weekend, we got about 20" of snow. Good packing snow, as we like to say. I dug around in our boxes of craft supplies for something that could pass for coal and discovered pom pons and pipe cleaners. My daughter Veronica (6) added a baby carrot and some twigs to create the darling sculpture you see above.<br /><br />One look at that photo and my hatred for winter starts to dwindle.<br />.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-25855760398841726642007-02-23T20:38:00.000-06:002007-02-23T20:50:03.314-06:00This computer is never obsolete! Or, Seth Godin is right...all marketers are liars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaTSsMj6D4YtX9HIqfYuPeujrmvBUE0dXEoXZVfP5b__nyDNbwbymW0bxg8Z4PDe-xAJAi7DPv8UY8uUOuBTtO8YihmKN0hmy4tcZmvgMUAIJYFUvGcuoDGc4dvDWqxlDx48M/s1600-h/thiscomputerisneverobsolete.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPaTSsMj6D4YtX9HIqfYuPeujrmvBUE0dXEoXZVfP5b__nyDNbwbymW0bxg8Z4PDe-xAJAi7DPv8UY8uUOuBTtO8YihmKN0hmy4tcZmvgMUAIJYFUvGcuoDGc4dvDWqxlDx48M/s400/thiscomputerisneverobsolete.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034925855276871330" border="0" /></a>I thought this was hilarious.<br /><br />"This Computer Is Never Obsolete!" screams the sticker.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Apparently</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">eMachines</span> is offering some sort of free-upgrades-for-life to back up that claim?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Riiiight</span>. Thought not.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Who writes this stuff, anyway? </span><br /><br />This great photo taken by the <a href="http://www.theguruguys.com/news/emachines-are-never-obsolete">Guru Guys</a>.<br />Link found via <a href="http://www.digg.com"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">digg</span></a>.Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34486569.post-45448100086910909382007-02-22T14:28:00.000-06:002007-02-22T14:34:28.125-06:00Questions about my radio call-in show.<br />I've received several questions about my upcoming radio call-in show, but first the basic info...<br /><br />Date: Monday, March 5, 2007<br />Time: 7 - 8 PM Central Time (a.k.a. Chicago Time)<br />Web: www.wort-fm.org<br />Local: 256-2001<br />Toll-free: 866-899-WORT (9678)<br /><br />Now for the questions...<br /><ol><li><strong>How exactly do I listen to the show?</strong> If you're lucky enough to live in Madison just tune in to 89.9 FM. If not, you'll need software on your computer that can play the live streaming audio. Personally, I prefer <a href="http://www.real.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Realplayer</span>.</a> It's free. When the show is live, go to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">WORT's</span> web page. In the header there are several menu choices.<br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033987108569951890" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; cursor: pointer; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlDEBIhP8Qn7dCnTDh4pxYmIEKl2HWSpcz6G0sr6nipLk9BRypn4S3HR4FF0dEvprPu5Go56JjncPFFmqNC_qoMcQ4u9Lu5kmzKgS4tzhs_DieNdCK-KAA3fHfKf8KD6q9Ydoa/s400/WORTtopbanner.jpg" border="0" />You want the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Listen Live</span> button, which is <span style="font-weight: bold;">#1</span> in my handy visual aid, above.<br /></p></li> <li><strong>Will there be a recording available?</strong> Yes! Visit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">WORT's</span> Audio Archive, #2 in the illustration above. Shows are usually uploaded within 24 hours after broadcast and remain available for eight weeks.</li><br /><li><strong>How do I ask The Practical Archivist a question?</strong> You'll need to call in during the live broadcast. If you're in Madison, call 256-2001. Outside the area, you can call in using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">WORT's</span> toll-free number: 1-866-899-WORT (9678). </li><br /><li><strong>Can I send my questions via email?</strong> <span style="font-style: italic;">Sure!</span> Hostess anxiety has left me terrified that no one will call in or that the equipment will die a horribly death at precisely 7:02 pm... so it would be a relief to show up with questions ready to go. <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sally (at) jacobsarchival (dot) com.</span> </span>Assuming everything goes as planned and we have some live calls, those will take take <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">precedence</span> for obvious reasons. If I can't get to your question on the air, I'll try to answer it here on this blog. </li><br /><li><strong>I'm overseas and that's <span style="font-style: italic;">never </span>a toll-free call. Can I call in using <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Skype</span>?</strong> Sorry, no. But you're welcome to email me your question!<br /><br /></li></ol>Sally J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14050768803136228297noreply@blogger.com0