Big Brother (the FBI) Is Watching ...

"The FBI now can get our list of library books, e-mails, telephone records and so on. When I was worried about an overdue book after the library closed, I called the FBI for help.

'Please check on a book for me, will you,' I told the agent.

'What? Do you think we work for you?'

'Is Bernard Lewis's book on the Middle East overdue?' I pleaded.

'Well, okay, I'll look it up. Hey, you've also checked out 'Lawrence of Arabia....' '

Lyle E. Harris" [The Bellingham Herald, via LISNews.com]

For fairly obvious reasons, Dr. Seuss becomes very popular at this time of the year. However, it's usually How the Grinch Stole Christmas, not The Cat in the Hat (RealMedia file). But who knew that there were such enormous ramifications to such a fondly remembered story?

Bonus link found at NPR: American libraries and dustcovers (RealMedia file), by Andrei Codrescu.