For September 2012, our Online Book Club selection takes a step back in time, revisiting one of the most infamous events in San Jose’s history.  In his true life police procedural Swift Justice: Murder and Vengeance in a California Town , award-winning author Harry Farrell documents the 1933 kidnapping and subsequent murder of Brooke Hart, heir apparent to a family owned San Jose department store.  After Hart’s lifeless body is finally discovered, a mob gathers at the downtown jail leading to a night of violence and ultimately the lynching of the two suspects in custody.  Although most of the key figures in the case are now gone, today’s readers will still recognize many of the locations central to a case that captivated our city nearly eighty years ago.  For more information on the kidnapping and the violence that followed, visit the library's local history collection in the California Room of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library or visit key sites from the incident by grabbing your smart phone and retracing the steps of some of San Jose's greatest tragedies and calamities.

 

Each week, we'll put forth a different question to prompt reflection on the book and its ideas.  We hope you will participate in the discussion by contributing your comments.

 

For Week 1, we'd like to ask: What factors led to the mob violence of 1933?  Could such events happen in San Jose today?

 

Several factors contributed to the eruption of mob violence in 1933.  I think one of these factors was the size of San Jose itself.  San Jose was a much smaller town in 1933, before the rise of Silicon Valley.  Brooke Harte was recognizable to the residents, many of whom shopped at the downtown store where he worked.  They felt they knew him; many, in fact, did.  I think this familiarity, real or imagined, contributed to the city’s sense of outrage over his kidnapping and murder.  While most of us are saddened and disturbed by the disappearance of Sierra Lamar, for example, the majority of those searching for her, following her story and praying for her safe recovery do not know her personally.  I think that familiarity, often missing in today’s large metropolitan areas, was one of the key factors that incited the city to violence in 1933. How about you?  Do you think such events are still possible in San Jose today?

 

See our Online Book Club page for more information about this book and to preview the next weeks' questions

VMware template for Windows Server 2008 R2

By Andrew Precht

 

Introduction

We use virtual machine (VM) templates for efficiency and security. By cloning from a golden copy of a VM we avoid time consuming and error-prone installation and configuration tasks. These templates can not be powered on, giving us a consistent starting point. This helps us enforce our corporate standards and security practices. By applying permissions to the template we can even control who deploys them.

 

The configuration and settings shown in this build document are primarily to increase security and performance. However, some are just personal preferences. I've added hyper-links in places for additional insight about the setting.

 

Before you use this guide, please take some time to understand how the following settings will effect your environment.

 

 

1. Create a new Virtual Machine, for Configuration chose Custom. Name it: 2008 R2 Template v1. Chose your data store. Use Virtual Machine Version 8. The gust OS should be:  Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 (64bit). We start with only one CPU. If additional CPUs are needed  no need to upgrade from the uniprocessor to a multiprocessor code in server 2008. See this TechNet article by Mark Russinovich. Give it 2GB of memory.

 

2. Choose the VMXNET 3 NIC w/ Connect at Power On

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Chose the LSI Logic SAS SCSI controller and create a new virtual disk with 40 GB and Thin Provisioned. (data drives will be added, and disk provisioning can be changed in the template deployment process)

 

4. After your new VM is created, right click it to Edit Settings and Remove the Floppy Drive.

 

5. Still in Edit Settings, Attach the install ISO to the CD/DVD drive and set it to Connect at power on.

 

 

6. Next in the Edit Settings window go to the Options tab and in the General section uncheck the Enable logging check box. (In my research, I'm finding most admins will uncheck this for increased disk performance. However, please read this KB before making this change.)

 

 

7. Go to the Boot Options section and check the box to force going into the BIOS on next boot, click OK.

 

8. Now to disable hot plug. Once again, right-click the virtual machine and click Edit Settings, in the Options tab Click General then Configuration Parameters. Now we click add row. Name it (devices.hotplug) and add the value of (false). Click OK... This is a system stability issue.

 

9. Still in the Configuration Parameters, change (disk.EnableUUID) from true to false.

See, Execution Error: E10055

 

10. Power on the VM and when the BIOS setup screen appears go to the Advanced tab, I/O Device Configuration.

 

 

11. Disable the Serial and Parallel ports, also the Floppy disk controller. Back on the Main tab set Legacy Diskette A to Disabled. (Less devices, less drivers, less resources used.)

 

12. Go to the Boot menu and set the CD-ROM first in the boot order, save and exit.

 

13. Appropriately align the partition and install Windows 2008 R2, x64, Enterprise, Full Installation. Here is a link to a blog post on verifying proper alignment:

http://sjpl.org/blog/windows-virtual-disk-alignment-vmware

 

14. On first boot up after install set the Administrator password to a template specific standard.

 

15. In the Initial Configuration Tasks window, check the Do not show this window at logon box. Close window

 

16. In the Server Manager window, check the Do not show me this console at logon box. Close window

 

17. Once again edit the VM settings, change the CD/DVD device type to Client Device. Setting this to Client Device helps avoid vMotion issues.

 

 

18. Install VMware Tools, choose Custom install type. Expand and set the Audio Driver to: This feature will not be available.

 

 

19. After the reboot check the event logs. I have on occasion found this: “The Parallel port driver service failed to start due to the following error” if so, edit this key  HKLM\System\Current Control Set\Services\ParPort branch, change its startup type from 3 to 4.

 

20. Next, I like to enable RDP. Make sure to select the Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication, check box. See this TechNet KB. This is both a security and performance issue. I find RDP a better GUI experience then the vSphere client console. So, the sooner it's enabled the better. After RDP is enabled, we change these RDP-Tcp Properties settings from the default.

 

 

Here is a quick reminder to you administrators who use RDP. It is bad form to RDP into a server for day to day operations. Please use the various remote tools that run locally on your workstation, like MMC. This is safer and uses less resources then a RDP session.

 

21. This seems like a good time for a little brake, let's install the latest Windows Updates and grab a cup of coffee. In order to run updates you must choose “how Windows can install updates”.  This will later be set by Group Policy. So, for now we set it to Never check for updates.  

 

22. Now we can RDP in and reconfigure some networking components. Right click on Local Area Connection and select properties. Uninstall the QoS Packet Scheduler and both Link-Layer Topologies. Next uncheck IPv6. IPv6 is not in use at the SJPL. (The template process in ESXi 5 seems to recheck IPv6, I will get back on this.)

 

 

23. Next we disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP. This will decrease some nose on our Ethernet LAN. See this TechNet article for the ramifications of this setting. Also on the same page we uncheck LMHOSTS lookup. To do this, from the Network Connections in Control Panel, pick your network connection. In the Properties dialog box for that connection select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and then click Properties. In the Internet Protocol (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box click Advanced. In the Advanced TCP/IPv4 settings, on the WINS tab are the settings to uncheck and disable. (The template process in ESXi 5 seems to change this to Default, I will get back on this.)

 

 

24. Still in the NIC properties, click on configure and then on the Power Management tab  uncheck: Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. 

 

25. Disable the TCP/IP v6 Tunnel Adapters, for all NICs, even ones added in the future. Run, regedit and go to this key:     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters\

Add a new DWORD (32-bit) value named DisabledComponents and set it to 0xffffffff. See KB Article ID: 929852 for information on this.

 

26.  Go to Systems Properties and set the Performance options to: Adjust for best performance

 

 

27. Open Control Panel and set to All Control Panel Items and View by: Large icons

(This is a ease-of-use issue)

 

28. While we are in the Control Panel let's go ahead and set the time zone under Date and Time.

 

29. In Control Panel,  under Power Options, change to High Performance. 

30. Also, on the Power Options page is the "Choose when to turn off the display" setting. We set it to Never.

 

31. Still in Control Panel, let's click on Sound and click no in the Auto Services Not Running box. Set the Sound Scheme to No Sounds and uncheck the Play Windows Startup sound. (one less file to read at startup.) 

 

 

32. Now let's disable Windows Error Reporting. In Control Panel click on Action Center. On the left, click on Change Action Center Settings. Near the bottom click on Problem Reporting Settings. and choose, Never Check for Solutions. 

 

33. Let's disable the pre-logon screensaver. Open Regedit and go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\ScreenSaveActive, Now change the value of “ScreenSaveActive” to 0. Why waste CPU cycles on a screensaver.

 

34. Turn the C:\ drive indexing off by going to its properties and uncheck, Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed... Then, apply changes to drive C:\, subfolders and files. Continue and Ignore the Access Denied errors. This is also good time to name the C:\ drive. We call it “System”.

 

 

35. Let's set the folder options,  in the Start menu click on Computer then Organize, next Folder and Search Options and in the View tab  check/uncheck as needed to match the image below. When finished click on Apply to Folders, and chose all. (This is a ease-of-use issue)

 

Next we will disable some unneeded services. This is done for both security and performance. However, we don't go too crazy in the template. This can make troubleshooting issues with an application install more difficult. Therefore we leave most of the service killing to be done after we install all needed software.

 

36. WinHttp Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service, set to disabled. See: msdn.microsoft.com

37. Print Spooler Service, set to disabled

38. Windows Error Reporting Service, set to disabled

 

39. Remove the Volume Control from the Desktop, by right clicking on the taskbar and click on Properties. Next click on Customize and change the Volume to, Hide icon and notifications.

 

40. Open Internet Explorer, and Options then set the home page to blank.

 

41. Also in Internet Explorer Options, in the Advanced tab, uncheck, Show friendly HTTP error messages. 

 

42. Still here in Internet Explorer Options, click on the Content tab, next Enable the Content Adviser. now click on the General tab. In the General tab. Click on Create password. Enter Password as the Password and fill in the Hint as below. This is not to stop anybody from using IE. Instead it reminds junior admins not to use a browser on a server unless absolutely necessary.

 

Changes to the local GPO. Some of the previous settings along with the upcomming local GPO settings can be set with a domain level GPO. However, we have a few different environments that this template may end up in. This template gives us a basic starting point, which may be built upon depending on where the server ends up.

Let's Open a MMC console by typing MMC in the run box. Click on File and choose Add/Remove Snap-in. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins window highlight, Group Policy Object Editor and click Add, then Finish and OK. 

 

In our new Console, expand Local Computer Policy, then User Configuration, Administrative Templates, and finally Start Menu and Taskbar. Enable the following Settings. (These are ease-of-use settings)

 

43. Add Logoff to the Start Menu: Enabled

44. Remove Balloon Tips on Start Menu items: Enabled

45. Remove Music icon from Start Menu: Enabled

46. Remove Pictures icon from Start Menu: Enabled

47. Remove Clock from the system notification area: Enabled

 

48. Set the computer name to: 2008R2-Template-v1 (Do not reboot, yet)

 

49. Add the Computer Description: Windows 2008 R2 Template

 

50. Rename the Local Administrators user name to the SJPL standard, reboot.

 

51. Delete everything in the folder: (C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp) and empty the Recycle Bin

 

52. Set the page file to: No Paging File, This is only temporary, so the C drive can be fully defragmented. Don't forget to click on Set. Now reboot.

 

53. After reboot, defragment the C:\ drive

 

54.  Go back to the Pagefile and set it back to the C: drive, set it to system managed size.

 

55. Copy 2008R2MAK.xlm to: C:\Windows\System32\sysprep. This is our sysprep answer file for server 2008 R2 with A MAK license. The Administrator user account will by copied to the Default User account according to: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/973289

 

56. Release the DHCP ipaddress, at the comand prompt: ipconfig /release *con*  

 

57. Gracefully power down the VM and convert it into a template. Assign the appropriate permissions.

 

58. When it comes time for a new Server 2008 R2 VM, we deploy from Template. Do Not Customize. We run sysprep from the command line with every VM deployed. This allows us to run updates or make changes to the gold OS and reconvert it to a new template version, without using up any of our three allotted syspreps.

 

59. After first boot-up, at a command prompt, type the following:

 

60. In the System Preparaton Tool window the System cleanup Action should be set to: Enter System OOBE,  Next check the Generalize box and set the Shutdown Options to Reboot.

 

After the reboot, your good to go...

 

I will be adding to this document, there are some more performance settings that we're currently vetting.  Also, I would like to expand on how to build a Sysprep answer file.

So stay tuned and have fun.

Every year since 1995, Asian Pacific Fund has been sponsoring the Growing Up Asian in America art and essay contest. This year the APF has invited students in the Bay Area to explore the bridges, real or symbolic, that are meaningful in their lives. Over 1400 students (k-12) of diverse backgrounds have submitted entries telling “their struggles with identity, whether they've just arrived from Asia and are negotiating what it means to be American and Asian, or whether they're multiracial kids trying to reconcile each side of their heritage. They have built bridges by memorializing a coffee table,regaining the use of their legs, mending broken relationships, singlehandedly cooking a Thanksgiving feast,” and more. The winning entries are posted online for you to see.

 

The winners received savings bond awards, and were honored at an awards ceremony earlier this year. Exhibits of theese winning artwork, poems and essays are on tour in 50 of the Bay Area libraries until February 2013. At San Jose Public Library, the exhibit schedule in 2012 is as follows:

   August - Evergreen branch

   September - Berryessa branch

   October - Tully

   November - Santa Teresa

   December - Hillview

And the exhibit will be at a few more branches in early 2013. 

 

If you are interested in participating in the contest, please watch for its announcement in early 2013 at Growing Up Asian in America. Asian Pacific Fund is on Facebook.

Check out the top 3 winning entries of the 2012 Book Trailer Contest below:

 

1st place (winner of a Kindle Fire): Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by K. Rai

 

2nd place (winner of a $50 iTunes gift card): 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens  by L. Do

 

3rd place (winner of a $25 Jamba Juice card): Ender’s Game by L. Chinn

 

Thank you to everyone who submitted such creative and fun videos! It was a difficult decision to choose the top three.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Teens: want to do something more imaginative than just writing a review for Summer Reading books that you have read? Create and submit a book trailer review for Summer Reading, and you could win a Kindle Fire! Upload a short clip, no longer than 4 minutes, to YouTube, providing your review of the book. Be creative!  The contest is open to all participants in the Teen Summer Reading Celebration.

 

 

How to enter:

• Create your own book trailer, reviewing a book that you read for Summer Reading. You can submit more than one video, but each video has to be for a separate book.
• Post the video on YouTube using the tag: SJPL2012SRC
• Sign up for Summer Reading here, starting in a few weeks.
• When you log the book you read on the Summer Reading website, make sure to include a link to your video in the review field.

 

Entries will be judged on creativity and content by a panel of library staff.

 

Need some examples? Check out the winning entry from last year's Book Trailer Contest, created by Nathan Verdonk.

 

Here are links to some professional book trailers:

 

- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

 

- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

 

- The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

 

Teens who submit links to their Book Trailer will automatically be entered in the contest. The top 3 winners will receive:

 

 

 

  

• 1st place: Kindle Fire
• 2nd place: $50 gift card for iTunes
• 3rd place: $25 gift card for Jamba Juice 

Entries for the contest must be submitted between June 1 and July 31, 2012.   Winners will be announced in August.

Celebrate Italia!!!!

 

This week-end - August 25 & 26

(Grape stomping and bocce ball included.)

Sponsored by the Italian American Heritage Foundation

Italian Film Festival followed by the Annual Italian Heritage Family Festa

(Now in its 32^nd year)

 

http://www.italianfamilyfestasj.org/about-iahf/ferragosto-film-festival/

http://www.italianfamilyfestasj.org/

 

 

To set the mood, try a book or  two:

 

 

Relax in Italy. Less than 40 miles from Milan, sit on the shores of Lake Como, entranced by the surrounding mountains and their reflections on the clear, deep blue waters.  Drive or take a ferry to Villa Carlotta on the lake’s shore. Shop the quaint stores at the idyllic Bellagio. Switzerland is only a short distance away. Before you take off, check-out DK’s Eyeswitness Travel to Top 10 Italian Lakes. (Maps and beautiful photographs included in this slim, fact packed vacation guidebook, also available as an e-book.)

 

 

 

Written by Nobel laureate and one of Italy’s most acclaimed writers, Luigi Pirandello, Her Husband is a tale of a celebrated young and very timid author, her promoter husband and the literati of Rome, who swirl about them both.

 

 

 

 

 

Piatto Unico, by Toni Lydecker, contains simple and hearty one course recipes, bringing a touch of Italy right to your kitchen. Well formatted, with prep and cook time included.  If you are lacking in one or two ingredients, checkout the Variations section included with each recipe. I wish only that more photos accompanied the instructions.

For August, 2012, our Online Book Club continues by discussing The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Each week, we'll put forth a different question to prompt reflection on the book and it's ideas. We hope you will participate in the discussion by leaving comments below!

 

Question for Week 4:
When Amir and Baba move to the States their relationship changes. Discuss these changes in their relationship.

 

As I considered the changes in the relationship between Amir and Baba during their lives in America, I was struck by the details the author does not talk about, as well as the ones he does. Baba and Amir moved from a large, wealthy home to a refugee camp to a small apartment. How did the intimacies of sharing this small space with only each other affect them? Also, Amir becomes more dominant as he becomes "the English speaker" for a father who speaks only broken English. How does that affect them?

 

Baba certainly retains his authority as the father. "Don't you challenge me in public, Amir. Ever. Who do you think you are?" he says after leaving the doctor's office. Baba is also the one to speak to General Taheri about Amir and Soraya becoming engaged, following Afghan custom.

 

He shows his love by supporting Amir financially through his job at the gas station, and later spends his life savings on Amir's wedding. And on the day of "lafz, the ceremony of "giving word" for the engagement of Amir and Soraya, Baba says that "It's the happiest day of my life, Amir." Finally, Baba retained his nang and namoose throughout his life. "Honor and pride. The tenets of Pashtun men."

 

One of Amir's childhood wishes comes true. In America, he and Baba spend a great deal of time together, at home and later working together buying and selling flea market items. I think this time together, as well as Baba's illness, shows Amir that Baba is not just his father, but a man with human frailities. Such a man is less intimidating and more approachable than a distant, lionized authority figure. After Baba called General Taheri to ask if he could come by to discuss "an honorable matter... Amir bursts into giggles, and Baba joins in". It is good to see them sharing such a moment.

 

Amir also realizes that his father is proud of his writing ability when Baba shows Soraya the book Amir first wrote stories in. Baba accepted Amir's writing as he went to college, but showing the book off was more... much like showing off the blue kite from Amir's tournament.

 

Readers, please join us at 7:00 PM tomorrow, August 23, 2012 as Khaled Hosseini comes to San Jose Public Library for an author talk and discussion at Almaden Library and Community Center. Meet the author of this month's book, The Kite Runner. We hope to see you there!

 

See our Online Book Club page for more information about this book and the previous weeks' questions

Congratulations to Oscar, winner of Alum Rock Library's Back to School backpack drawing. Oscar is a seventh grade student at Davis Intermediate School.

If you're a cat lover then I'm sure you'll enjoy these 2 new picture books that we have just received at the King Library: Minette's Feast by Susanna Reich and I am Tama, Lucky Cat by Wendy Henrichs.

 

In Minette's Feast we are introduced to "Minette Mimosa McWilliams Child who was perhaps the luckiest cat in all of Paris." You see Minette belonged to Julia Child and her husband Paul Child who both believed that "a house without a cat is like life without sunshine!" As we follow Julia Child as she begins her cooking career, Minette is always there; perhaps taking a nibble of a new recipe, or feasting on the meat still clinging to a bone, or perfecting her hunting skills by chasing "a Brussels sprout tied to a string." Minette truly was a lucky cat! The illustrations are charming, done in pencil and water colors and the book is a wonderful introduction to that most famous chef, Julia Child.

 

I Am Tama, Lucky Cat: A Japanese Legend by Wendy Henrichs. Ceramic cats with one upraised paw are said to bring good luck and prosperity. In her book, Wendy Heinrichs lets Tama tell the traditional story of the cat's origin. Tama, a homeless Japanese bobtail, is taken in by a very poor monk who feeds her, loves her and takes good care of her. Both feel very fortunate to have each other and Tama always tries to repay his kindness in small ways. One day during a raging storm a wealthy samurai comes by their home and Tama manages to save his life by raising her right paw to him. The samurai repays Tama and her master by making their temple his "family's place of honor". At the end the old monk says to Tama, "you truly are a lucky cat, for you brought good fortune to us all." This is a beautiful retelling of the legend with wonderful watercolor illustrations. Give it a read.

Sinister San Jose: Forgotten Tales of Murder and Mayhem in the Valley of Hearts Delight

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

150 East San Fernando Street., Downtown San Jose

Saturday, September 15, 2012, Room 255/257, 2:00 PM

 

Ernest Guzman, local historian, will revisit some famous and infamous incidents in San Jose’s past including the 1921 Candyman Murder; the Gorilla Man, one of the first serial killers in the United States; and the mystery of David Lamson (left in above photo) convicted of killing his wife, but ultimately freed.

 

This program is a perfect tie-in to our September Online Book Club title, Swift Justice.

 

To request an accommodation for Library-sponsored meetings or events, please call 408-808-2173 or 408-808-2130 (TTY) at least three business days before the meeting/event.

Uprisings, riots, war and terrorism are a daily features on news media but Steven Pinker, taking an historical perspective, makes the argument that the world is getting less violent. Literacy, the rise of government, commerce, travel and education all have played a part in helping us to control impulsive behavior, consider opposing viewpoints, expose jingoism and chauvinism and make the world a better place.  The Better Angels of our Nature makes fascinating reading, but be warned, -- it is many books in one and you’ll need time  to stop, think and ponder Pinker’s insights.

 

 

How about trying a novel in Spanish?  Amores Virtuales is one of the most astounding novels I've read in recent years.    Dr. Ulises Blanco is a recently widowed psychiatrist who consents to online therapy via an avatar representing his beloved mentor, also deceased.  Some of the machine-driven therapy is effective and some causes him to blunder magnificently.  This plus his relationships with his existing human clients make for interesting novelistic twists.  The author is a practicing psychotherapist so expect some weighty reflections on the life process and on self-revelation.

Move aside Eragon, Seraphina is here! 

 

Rachel Hartman’s novel thrills with an intriguing new world of dragons who can take human form but often refuse to do so because of their contempt for experiencing human emotions when in such a state. 

 

Our story unravels through the eyes of sixteen-year-old Seraphina, who is assistant to the court composer and secretly half-dragon—a secret that forces her to remain guarded from those around her and also to fear for her life because human-dragon relationships are forbidden.  Lonely and at war with her own nature, as Seraphina heart-breakingly genuinely questions whether or not she is a monster, she navigates the complicated, dangerous politics of the court consisting of both dragons and humans.  The sudden murder of the human royal heir seems to point to a dragon and has both sides suspicious of—and wanting to take revenge on—the other.  With her unique half-dragon mind bringing vivid dreams of different people like herself, Seraphina struggles to both discover and come to turn with who she is while hiding in plain sight—or rather, at the side of the Princess, whom she ends up unofficially advising on the sticky and heated human-dragon affairs, and the Princess’ betrothed, handsome Prince Lucian whom Seraphina is surprised to find herself growing close to.  But in Seraphina’s world, any person she lets in might find out who—or what—she is.  And her secret could mean her death.    

For August, 2012, our Online Book Club continues by discussing The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Each week, we'll put forth a different question to prompt reflection on the book and its ideas. We hope you will participate in the discussion by leaving comments below!

 

Question for Week 3:
What is the significance of the novel's title? What might the kite fighting tournament symbolize?

 

There are two main characters in the book who act as kite runners, Hassan and Amir. Hassan was the first, "the best kite runner in Wazir Akbar Khan. Maybe all of Kabul". Hassan ran for the blue kite, the last opponent's kite that was cut down from the sky during the tournament Amir won. At the end of the book, Amir acts as kite runner for Hassan's son, Sohrab, during a gathering of Afghani refugees in California.

 

The circularity of these runs is stunning. Both Hassan and Amir embraced their roles as assistants and runners. By doing so, they showed their love for the kite fighter and the lengths they would go to in order to serve him... "a thousand times over". Hassan had always embraced this love. Amir had to change, take action, and grow into his role over the course of the book.

 

Amir states that "In Kabul, fighting kites WAS a little like going to war". As in war, the victor who cut the last opponent's kite string was feted and cheered. The last downed kite was the biggest trophy of the battle, and the kite runner who found it got to keep it. (In Hassan's case, he wanted to give the kite to Amir).

 

"Afghans cherish customs but abhor rules." "And when a kite runner had his hands on a kite, no one could take if from him. That wasn't a rule. That was custom." However, it was not the case for Hassan. Asef's brutality and his rage at Amir and Hassan led him and his friends to hunt Hassan down. In order to keep the blue kite he'd found for Amir, Hassan endured Asef raping him. At the end of the book, when Amir ran for Hassan's son, he says "I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips. I ran."

 

Kite fighting is found not only in Afghanistan but throughout Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Japan, and Korea. It can also be found in the Caribbean, South America (Chile), and most recently, in the United States.

 

See our Online Book Club page for more information about this book and to preview the next weeks' questions

There are 2 Saturdays left in August and the Children's Room at the King Library is having two special programs. Join us for:

 

ABC to Drawing on August 18, 2012 at 3:00 PM. If you can write the letters of the alphabet and your numbers you can learn how to draw simple pictures! Our wonderful volunteer, Vidhi, will show us how. If you'd like to get a preview of what she will be doing check out her blogspot.

 

. 

Python Ron's Reptile Kingdom on August 25, 2012 at 3:00 PM. Python Ron is back by popular demand. You will get up close and personal with snakes, lizards and bugs. You can see photos of his animals on his website, but why not come down to the library and see them live and even get to hold one or two!! After his wonderful show make sure to check out some of the library's great books on reptiles and spiders.

 

Join us for a fantastic program and remember it is Free.

On Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 3:30 PM, Santa Teresa Library will present "Boatful of Pennies". This personal favorite program of mine consists of kids creating a "boat" out of aluminum foil, and placing it in a bowl of water. Then we place pennies in the boat, one by one, until the boat sinks. The kids like the suspense of counting the pennies as the boat fills up with coin. We also have a salt water bowl to teach the kids the difference in buoyancy. The program will be jolly good fun.

Here are two more new titles for bedtime: My Dad is Big and Strong, But . . . : a Bed Time Story by Coralie Saudo and Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere.  Both are charming with a funny twist at the end.  You have to check them out.  Because they are both brand new to San Jose Public Libraries, you will find them on our new picture book display pyramids.

Using SJPL new Encore library catalog you can now search not only for books and other library items,

but also for news and answers to your research questions. Encore provides an access to variety of articles from Ebsco Academic Search Complete databases along with information on books and media that library has.

NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars on August 6th. Using Google you can search for a nice NASA's video of this landing:

 

But you can also search for news on this mission using Encore's key words search: Curiosity rover, mars, NASA. This way you will be able to view full text of almost 30 articles on this topic as well as an article from New York Times by Kenneth Chang - Curiosity Rover Lands Safely On Mars, published on exact date when mission has been accomplished.  Curiosity ROver LAnds safely on AMrspublished on August 6th

American born Cherry Truong arrives in Vietnam eager to learn more about her family’s history and determined to bring back her disgraced older brother.  The extended Truong family relocated to Paris after the fall of Vietnam while Cherry’s parents chose to settle in Southern California with her maternal grandmother’s family, the Vos.  Though the families have kept in touch over the years, this separation has led to discontent, jealousy, resentment and misunderstanding.  In her search Cherry comes across two series of letters that reveal new insights into her family’s departure and resettlement.

 

Here  author Aimee Phan answers questions about her family and her book  The Reeducation of Cherry Truong.

For August 2012, our Online Book Club continues by discussing The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Each week, we'll put forth a different question to prompt reflection on the book and its ideas. We hope you will participate in the discussion by leaving comments below!

 

Question for Week 2:

What parallels can be drawn between Amir and Hassan's relationship, and Baba and Ali's? Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend?

 

SPOILER ALERT!  If you have not read up to Amir's reunion with Rashid Khan, be advised that this blog will give away secrets...

 

Amir, the book's narrator, grew up in pre-Russian Afghanistan with his father Baba in a beautiful house in a wealthy area of Kabul. Baba  and Amir were Sunni Muslims of Pastun ethnicity. Their servants were Ali and his son Hassan, who lived in a mud hut on the property and were Shiite Muslims of the despised Hazara ethnicity. Ali, a young child, was taken in by Baba's father after his parents were killed. There is little action between Baba and Ali described in first portion of The Kite Runner. It is not until much later in the book that we learn Baba considers Ali to be his brother, is proud of providing for him and Hassan, and is devastated by them moving away.

 

Amir and Hassan, both without mothers, were breastfed by the same woman. Ali would remind them that "there was a brotherhood between people who fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break". They grew up together, played together, and spent most of their time together until... the incident.

 

Both sets of relationships (Baba and Ali, Amir and Hassan), were marked by betrayals, secrecy, guilt, loyalty, and sacrifice. Baba betrayed Ali by having sex with Ali's wife and fathering Hassan. Ali kept this secret throughout his life, sacrificing his own honor for Baba. Amir betrayed Hassan by hiding rather than trying to stop Hassan's rape, (which was an act of revenge for Hassan's loyalty to Amir). Hassan later sacrified himself by not denying Amir's false accusation of theft. Ali and Hassan sacrificed themselves again by leaving their home without telling Baba about Amir's lie. 

 

Amir was afraid to be Hassan's true friend for various reasons. One was the ethnic and class tensions between the Sunni Pastuns and the Shiite Hazara minority. The Hazara were often reviled and tormented, called "mice-eating, flat-nosed, load-carrying donkeys".  Standing up for Hassan could have meant that Amir himself would be beaten and insulted as well.

 

In addition, Amir was jealous of Hassan's relationship with Baba. He was jealous of the attention Baba paid to Hassan, and afraid of Hassan being found more "worthy" by Baba than Amir was. He was also unhappy about sharing Baba's time with Hassan, who was always brought along on trips and outings.

 

After the rape, Amir found it impossible to even look at Hassan, who was a constant visual reminder of Amir's cowardice and guilt. As Amir said, "one of us had to go". This is what led to Amir saying that Hassan had stolen from him.

 

I find myself wondering how the lives of the four protagonists would have changed if the secret behind Hassan's parentage had been revealed while all of them were still alive...

 

See our Online Book Club page for more information about this book and to preview the next weeks' questions

On Friday, August 3rd, teens attended the Teen Lock-In event and rocked the night at Joyce Ellington Branch Library! They had a fun and memorable time hanging out with friends, playing games, making cool crafts and enjoyed the food as shown in the photos below.

 

 

Check out the Teen Events Calendar to learn more about upcoming events for teens!

This Saturday, August 11th 2012, from 10:30am-12:30pm, the special guest speaker at the Small Business Workshop will be Santa Clara County Supervisor, Mike Wasserman. He will be talking about his personal experience in business, the upcoming Small Business Economic Summit, and how he has been changing county government to run more like a business.

 

This event is free and will be held in the Santa Teresa Library's community room.

If you haven't watched a TED Talk yet, I highly recommend you do!  TED is a non-profit devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading" and stands for Technology, Entertainment & Design, an annual conference that started in 1984.  Since then, they've created a great video library of short (20 minutes or less) lectures on lots of interesting topics. 

 

 

The video embedded in this post is a great example of a shorter TED Talk.  If you like it, don't stop there!  Many of the speakers are also authors and you can follow up a TED Talk with the book!  For example, Sir Kenneth Robinson's TED Talk is one of the most-watched videos online.  And SJPL carries his book, Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative. 

 

Watch, then read!

On Friday, August 3rd, teens attended the Teen Lock-In event and rocked the night at Hillview Branch Library! They had a fun and memorable time hanging out with friends, dancing, playing games, making cool crafts and enjoyed the food as shown in the photos below.
 

 

Check out the Teen Events Calendar to learn more about upcoming events for teens!

On Friday, August 3rd, teens attended the Teen Lock-In event and rocked the night at Evergreen Branch Library! They had a fun and memorable time hanging out with friends, playing games, making cool crafts and enjoyed the food as shown in the photos below. 

 

 

Check out the Teen Events Calendar to learn more about upcoming events for teens!

For those San Jose Public Library customers who need support and assistance with eBook downloads, the following companies have staff available to answer any technical questions:

 

Axis 360 Help

• by Phone: (209) 720-2280 - 7 AM to 3 PM, weekdays only

EBSCO Help

• by Phone: (800) 758-5995 - press the #3 key after calling in

OneClickdigital Help

• by Email: support@oneclickdigital.com
• by Phone: (877) 77-AUDIO - 4:30 AM to 3 PM, weekdays only

If you have a problem with OverDrive, first please make sure that your account is clear of any issues.  If you have a fine or an expired card, you cannot use OverDrive.  If your account is clear and you are still having download problems, you can contact our eBook support team at: sjplebooksupport@gmail.com.

 

If you have a Kindle/Nook and need help getting started, please view the introductory videos:

Kindle: http://youtu.be/eS6I7vJKZS0, Nook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6EKw_yQocM

 

Rachel Lloyd has a dual mission:  to empower girls, who, like herself, have been controlled and sold by traffickers, and to challenge misconceptions of popular culture glorifying pimping and teen prostitution.  In Girls Like Us, Lloyd alternates between telling her own story of abuse and sexual exploitation, and describing her work with GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Service), the organization she founded in New York City to work with girls ages 12–24 forced into the sex trade. Here she talks about her work in an interview with  Rachel Lloyd.

Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway is a wonderful story of how an ordinary girl, Abigail, is really extraordinary.   Abigail grows up in a family where her mother, father, and all her siblings possess magical powers.    She is tested at the age of twelve and found to be “ord” or ordinary.     Despite having “unmagical disabilities” Abigail is loved and accepted by her family and sent to a special school to learn how to get along in a magical world.   Think Harry Potter...

 

Abby learns that as an “ord” her world is dangerous because of all the goblins and kidnappers.    She learns that she is special despite not having traditional magical powers.    Her family loves and accepts Abby.    You, the reader, will love the spunky Abigail too!

August is Audio Appreciation Month! Celebrate this event by checking out various audio book and music titles at your library! Here are a few recommendations for children.
* indicates Series

 

Books on CD

 

Harry Potter* by J.K. Rowling

 

 

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart

 

 

39 Clues* by Various Authors

A series of intriguing adventure stories written by today's popular authors such as Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis and more. These audio books will engage readers by combining card collecting, reading and online gaming.

 

 

Digital Audio Books

Besides compact disc, you can also download audio books to your digital audio player, including your iPod, smartphone, or home computer via OverDrive Digital Library or OneClickdigital. Using your digital audio player, you can transition or navigate to other chapters of the book without having to change discs. Here are a few recommended digital audio book titles:

 

Children's Digital Audio Books

 

Artemis Fowl* by Eoin Colfer

 

 

The Mysterious Benedict Society* by Trenton Lee Stewart

 

 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians* by Rick Riordan