Nebraska State Auditor Employs Fuzzy Logic to Zing Gaming Librarians
Nebraska State Auditor Employs Fuzzy Logic to Zing Gaming Librarians
March 2, 2009
Last week GamePolitics reported that some Nebraska librarians were under investigation by State Auditor Mike Foley (R) for - horrors! - purchasing a PlayStation 2 and Rock Band set for use in the library.
Foley's final report on Nebraska's library system is now out, including his findings on the video game issue:
[Library] Commission employees have occasionally provided their own personal game consoles for trainings and demonstrations...
GP: Now that's dedication, a quality that government bureaucracy is so good at beating out of its employees. No good deed, as they say, goes unpunished.
The purchase of gaming equipment is a questionable use of public funds. It is common
knowledge that children enjoy games and toys, so there appears to have been little need to
purchase the games.
GP: Wait - kids like games, so the library shouldn't buy them? Does that mean they should expend their budget on things that people don't like? WTH?
Moreover, none of the games purchased were so complicated or out of the ordinary as to require the Commission to demonstrate their use to library staff and others...
GP: Because absolutely everyone who walks into a Nebraska library - including older librarians - has an innate sense of how to set up and play Rock Band or Dance Dance Revolution? Thankfully, the Library Commission defended it employees against the Foley-crats:
Gaming equipment and games have become increasingly popular and in demand resources for library programming and service. The Library Commission purchased game equipment in response to requests from Nebraska librarians for demonstration and instruction. The Library Commission’s actions in acquiring gaming equipment and a few representative games are proper and in accord with the agency’s state statutory mission and its purposes in introducing new technologies, techniques and providing information and instruction in the use of these technologies.
GP: Bureaucracy... Grrrr...
Via: Nebraska State Paper
UPDATE: Cornfed Gamer has a terrific report on the situation with lots of additional details.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:25am
Valdearg: Therefore, they will try to find any and all ways to slow the inevitable march of equality.
Valdearg: Therefore, they will try to find any and all ways to slow the inevitable march of equality.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:25am
Valdearg: Therefore, they will try to find any and all ways to slow the inevitable march of equality.
Valdearg: Therefore, they will try to find any and all ways to slow the inevitable march of equality.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:24am
Valdearg: Again, you have to look at the bigger picture. Every political victory that the Gay rights movement scores marches them one step closer to being considered "equal" to everyone else. The religious right doesn't want that. It threatens their beliefs.
Valdearg: Again, you have to look at the bigger picture. Every political victory that the Gay rights movement scores marches them one step closer to being considered "equal" to everyone else. The religious right doesn't want that. It threatens their beliefs.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:23am
gellymatos: ...paranoid, as lawyers, that the language of the law may do so. But like I said, paranoid.
gellymatos: ...paranoid, as lawyers, that the language of the law may do so. But like I said, paranoid.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:22am
Valdearg: They see this as the Government encouraging the "sinful sexual behavior." They don't want gays to score ANY political victory, even one that protects them from violent homophobic psychopaths.
Valdearg: They see this as the Government encouraging the "sinful sexual behavior." They don't want gays to score ANY political victory, even one that protects them from violent homophobic psychopaths.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:22am
gellymatos: Oh, hell yes. And nothing annoys me more than that fact. They stray and make real catholics look bad. And yes, they could be...
gellymatos: Oh, hell yes. And nothing annoys me more than that fact. They stray and make real catholics look bad. And yes, they could be...
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:21am
Valdearg: Also, you really think that people who are smart enough to practice law REALLY believe that this law will prevent them from expressing their religious beliefs? The fact is that these guys hate gays, and don't want them to be protected in any way.
Valdearg: Also, you really think that people who are smart enough to practice law REALLY believe that this law will prevent them from expressing their religious beliefs? The fact is that these guys hate gays, and don't want them to be protected in any way.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:20am
Valdearg: The catholic teachings, perhaps, but certainly, there are PLENTY of Catholics who condone violence and hate. Just like these guys.
Valdearg: The catholic teachings, perhaps, but certainly, there are PLENTY of Catholics who condone violence and hate. Just like these guys.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:19am
gellymatos: violence or hate against anyone.
gellymatos: violence or hate against anyone.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:18am
gellymatos: Like I said, paranoia that the law could make it illegal to voice an opinion on gay marriage. And catholics don't condon...
gellymatos: Like I said, paranoia that the law could make it illegal to voice an opinion on gay marriage. And catholics don't condon...
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:15am
Valdearg: Can you find a different reason behind the lawsuit, other than the fact that they want to protect their "right" to perpetrate violence against homosexuals, based on their religious beliefs?
Valdearg: Can you find a different reason behind the lawsuit, other than the fact that they want to protect their "right" to perpetrate violence against homosexuals, based on their religious beliefs?
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:14am
Valdearg: The fact is that this Law Center, which specializes in the defense of Catholic Beliefs, kind of like a Catholic ACLU, I suppose, is challenging a law that PROTECTS homosexuals from violent acts motivated by hatred of gay people.
Valdearg: The fact is that this Law Center, which specializes in the defense of Catholic Beliefs, kind of like a Catholic ACLU, I suppose, is challenging a law that PROTECTS homosexuals from violent acts motivated by hatred of gay people.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:13am
gellymatos: Again, sorry I jumped the gun like I did.
gellymatos: Again, sorry I jumped the gun like I did.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:13am
Valdearg: @Gelly: It's a liberal blog. Its not designed to be balanced. Does that mean that everything there is completely false, and not worth investigating? Nope.
Valdearg: @Gelly: It's a liberal blog. Its not designed to be balanced. Does that mean that everything there is completely false, and not worth investigating? Nope.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:12am
Valdearg: To be completely honest, I would argue that that assessment is more biased and farther from reality than the Daily Kos assessment.
Valdearg: To be completely honest, I would argue that that assessment is more biased and farther from reality than the Daily Kos assessment.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:12am
gellymatos: I'm sure the story itself is true, it's just that the site seems to be biased. More so than Fox. And that takes effort.
gellymatos: I'm sure the story itself is true, it's just that the site seems to be biased. More so than Fox. And that takes effort.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:11am
Valdearg: Would you rather I link straight to the horses mouth? Here's the story from the Law Center involved in the suit.
Valdearg: Would you rather I link straight to the horses mouth? Here's the story from the Law Center involved in the suit.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:10am
Valdearg: @Gelly: I love how you jumped on the A_L train, and EVERYTHING that EVER comes from Daily Kos is questionable. Clearly, NONE of it could POSSIBLY merit a closer look.
Valdearg: @Gelly: I love how you jumped on the A_L train, and EVERYTHING that EVER comes from Daily Kos is questionable. Clearly, NONE of it could POSSIBLY merit a closer look.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:09am
gellymatos: I'm sorry. I thought you were attacking the church due to your history of doing so. My bad.
gellymatos: I'm sorry. I thought you were attacking the church due to your history of doing so. My bad.
Posted 02/09/10 at 11:08am
gellymatos: ...that these laws will make it illegal to voice an opinion against gay marriage. Third, Your source is questionable. And by...
gellymatos: ...that these laws will make it illegal to voice an opinion against gay marriage. Third, Your source is questionable. And by...
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
So, what's this guy's opinion on the toys found in the children's book areas? Does he feel that those are a waste of resources as well?
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
It seems to me that while he didn't necessarily understand it, he did endorse it as a way for the library to get people to show up.
Moreover, none of the games purchased were so complicated or out of the ordinary as to require the Commission to demonstrate their use to library staff and others...
Oh yeah...that's why 3 17 year old, two of which major gamers, couldn't get a rockband guitar to work with rockband...because we're aparently dumbasses since it's so simple. (strangely I think the guitar Hero one worked...or i may have gotten them switched up, i forget the whole cross compatability thing). The actual issue was the wireless reciever being f'ed up as far as we could tell.
The GH guitars won't work with RB and vice versa. The button settups are different.
That's what i thought, but the other 2 said they've done it before. it was RB1 on PS2 if that makes a difference.
Okay, maybe my friends were just idiots at that point (i'd never messed with a ps2 wireless guitar, as i own GHIII for wii).
The first Rock Band was never o nthe PS2
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/home/942964.html
Oh really...?
Okay, here's something interesting. Apparently libraries are supposed to have stuff that does NOT appeal to children. We must make sure kids are either ruined or chased away, so that they either learn nothing and hopefully never get a job like the scumbags that they are, or become dull gray pack-animals that will obediently do as they are told. So clearly Foley is part of the Illuminati and they're now going to use libraries to turn mankind into obedient sheep.
Foley is part of the library Illuminati Holy Conspiercy theory Batman! [sarcasm]
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
Foley's words hurt my brain.
The purchase of gaming equipment is a questionable use of public funds. It is common
knowledge that children enjoy games and toys, so there appears to have been little need to
purchase the games.
Making no sense speaking please?
“A reasonable man adapts himself to suit his environment. An unreasonable man persists in attempting to adapt his environment to suit himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” George Bernard Shaw
"The purchase of gaming equipment is a questionable use of public funds. It is common
knowledge that children enjoy games and toys, so there appears to have been little need to
purchase the games."
No, really, does anyone have any idea what this is actually supposed to mean?
My guess would be he wants to imply that everyone can somehow afford every possible video game and console just because they like them, and so no one would ever have to leave home to use one. Either that or he said "I'm an idiot" in a little-known offshoot of the English language. Probably both.
an interesting link from the end of the comments at cornfedgamer
http://nealo.com/2009/03/01/the-library-boss-job-wasnt-open-mar-1-2009/