PGWeekly_November_26.txt
*The Project Gutenberg Weekly Newsletter For Wednesday, November 26, 2003*
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eBook Milestones
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YR 1990/1991/1992/1993/1994/1995/1996/1997/1998/1999/2000/2001/2002/2003 ^####
10K>10/03 10K
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8,500>7/03 8,500
8,000>5/03 8,000
7,500>3/03 7,500
7,000>1/03 7,000
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500 >4/96 500
100 >12/93 <<<December 10, 1993 100
10 > 12/90 10 YR
1990/1991/1992/1993/1994/1995/1996/1997/1998/1999/2000/2001/2002/2003 ^####
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In this issue of the Project Gutenberg Weekly newsletter:
- Intro (above)
- Requests For Assistance
- Progress Report
- Flashback
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- Making Donations
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- Have We Given Away A Trillion Yet?
- Weekly eBook update:
Updates/corrections in separate section
4 New From PG Australia [Australian, Canadian Copyright Etc.]
165 New Public Domain eBooks Under US Copyright
- Headline News from Newsscan and Edupage
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*** Progress Report
[Disclaimer: We have several people and programs who count
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weeks in a given year. . .for example, 2003 has 53 Wednesdays,
so we will have 53 Newsletters, and thus will count 53 weeks,
at least some of us will. . . . ;-) This week is unusual,
because we are in the process of reestablishing our databases
after reaching eBook #10,000 a few weeks ago, and the programs
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had several mere mortals counting up the books and disagreeing
on how many there are. I counted 87, George counted 84, and
one day we didn't get any reports at all, so we could both be
somewhat off. Hopefully next week we will get back to normal.]
In the first 10.75 months of this year, we produced 3,800 new eBooks.
It took us from 1971 to 2000 to produce our first 3,800 eBooks!
That's 47 WEEKS as Compared to ~31 Years!
169 New eBooks This Week
86 New eBooks Last Week
339 New eBooks This Month [November]
356 Average Per Month in 2003 <<<
203 Average Per Month in 2002 <<<
103 Average Per Month in 2001 <<<
3,822 New eBooks in 2003
2,441 New eBooks in 2002
1,240 New eBooks in 2001
=====
7,403 New eBooks Since Start Of 2001
That's Only 34 Months!
10,565 Total Project Gutenberg eBooks
6,403 eBooks This Week Last Year
====
4,162 New eBooks In Last 12 Months
298 eBooks From Project Gutenberg of Australia
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FLASHBACK!!!
3822 New eBooks So Far in 2003
It took us 31 years for the first 3822 !
That's the 47 WEEKS of 2003 as Compared to ~31 YEARS!!!
Here Is A Sample Of What Books Were Being Done Around #3822
Mar 2003 Pygmalion, by George Bernard Shaw [Shaw #23][pygmlxxx.xxx] 3825
Mar 2003 The Lamp of Fate, Margaret Pedler [Pedler #2][lmpftxxx.xxx] 3824
Mar 2003 Thelma, by Marie Corelli [thlmaxxx.xxx] 3823
Mar 2003 Balzac, Frederick Lawton [balzaxxx.xxx] 3822
Mar 2003 Roman and the Teuton, by Charles Kingsley [CK #12][rmtutxxx.xxx] 3821
Mar 2003 Nathan the Wise, by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing [natwsxxx.xxx] 3820
Mar 2003 The Euahlayi Tribe, Langloh Parker [tetasxxx.xxx] 3819
[Title: The Euahlayi Tribe--A Study of Aboriginal Life in Australia] Mar 2003
By Reef and Palm, Louis Becke [breepxxx.xxx] 3818 Mar 2003
To Let, by John Galsworthy [John Galsworthy #35][toltgxxx.xxx] 3817 Mar 2003
The Witch of Prague, by F. Marion Crawford [twoprxxx.xxx] 3816
Mar 2003 Rolling Stones, by O. Henry [O Hentry #13][rllstxxx.xxx] 3815
Mar 2003 Robert Louis Stevenson, by E. Blantyre Simpson [rlstvxxx.xxx] 3814
Mar 2003 The Lady Of Blossholme, by H. Rider Haggard[HRH35][blshlxxx.xxx] 3813
Mar 2003 The Mirrors of Washington, by Anonymous [tmrowxxx.xxx] 3812
[Author: Clinton W. Gilbert] Mar 2003 The Star of Gettysburg, Joseph A.
Altsheler [#3][tsgttxxx.xxx] 3811
Mar 2003 The Man-eaters of Tsavo, by J. H. Patterson [tsavoxxx.xxx] 3810
[Title: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo and Other East African Adventures] Mar 2003 The
Master of the World, Jules Verne [Verne #19][thmstxxx.xxx] 3809 Mar 2003
Robur
the Conqueror, Jules Verne [Verne #18][?robcxxx.xxx] 3808 Mar 2003
Different Forms of Flowers, by Charles Darwin #19][dfmflxxx.xxx] 3807 [Title:
The Different Forms Of Flowers On Plants Of The Same Species] Mar 2003 A Modern
Cinderella, by Louisa May Alcott[LMA #10][mdcndxxx.xxx] 3806
Contains:
A Modern Cinderella: or The Little Old Shoe
Debby's Debut
Brothers
Nelly's Hospital
Mar 2003 The Vultures, by Henry Seton Merriman [vltrsxxx.xxx] 3805
Mar 2003 Pierre And Jean, by Guy de Maupassant [G de M #19][pandjxxx.xxx] 3804
Mar 2003 File No. 113, by Emile Gaboriau[Emile Gaboriau#10][no113xxx.xxx] 3803
Mar 2003 The Widow Lerouge, by Emile Gaboriau [Gaboriau #9][lergexxx.xxx] 3802
[Alternate Title: The Lerouge Case] Mar 2003 Napoleon And Blucher, by Louise
Muhlbach [LM #9][nplblxxx.xxx] 3801 [Variant spellings: Louisa, Louise, Luise
Muhlbach; and Luise von Muhlbach]
Feb 2003 The Ethics, by Benedict de Spinoza [Spinoza #11][ethicxxx.xxx] 3800
[Full Latin Title: Ethica Ordine Geometrico Demonstrata] Feb 2003 Landholding
In England, by Joseph Fisher[Fisher#2][lndiexxx.xxx] 3799 Feb 2003
Reminiscences
of Captain Gronow, by Captain Gronow[grnowxxx.xxx] 3798 [Author: Captain Rees
Howell Gronow] Feb 2003 In the Days of the Comet by H. G. Wells[Wells
#21][incomxxx.xxx] 3797 Feb 2003 Rilla of Ingleside, by Lucy Maud
Montgomery[LMM#7][rillaxxx.xxx] 3796
Feb 2003 Under the Lilacs, by Louisa May Alcott [Alcott #9 [ullcsxxx.xxx] 3795
Feb 2003 L. Annaeus Seneca On Benefits, by Aubrey Stewart [bnftsxxx.xxx] 3794
Feb 2003 Joseph II. and His Court, by L. Muhlbach [LM #8][j2ahcxxx.xxx] 3793
Feb 2003 Capitola The Madcap, by Emma D. E. N. Southworth [mdcapxxx.xxx] 3792
Feb 2003 The Reign Of Law, by James Lane Allen [rolawxxx.xxx] 3791
Feb 2003 Major Barbara, George Bernard Shaw[G. B. Shaw #22][mjbrbxxx.xxx] 3790
Feb 2003 Preface to Major Barbara, George Bernard Shaw[#21][pmbrbxxx.xxx] 3789
Feb 2003 Haydn, by J. Cuthbert Hadden [Master Musicians] [hhmmsxxx.xxx] 3788
Feb 2003 Nature And Art, by Mrs. [Elizabeth] Inchbald [naartxxx.xxx] 3787
Feb 2003 Recollections of Geoffrey Hamlyn by Henry Kingsley[hmlynxxx.xxx] 3786
Feb 2003 In The Reign Of Terror, by G. A. Henty [Henty #4][reterxxx.xxx] 3785
Feb 2003 The Sheridan Road Mystery by Paul and Mabel Thorne[shrdnxxx.xxx] 3784
Feb 2003 Mother, by Maxim Gorky [Maxim Gorky PG eBook #4][mthrgxxx.xxx] 3783
Feb 2003 Huntingtower, John Buchan [John Buchan #7][hntngxxx.xxx] 3782
Feb 2003 The Jewel of Seven Stars, Bram Stoker [bstoker #5][thjwlxxx.xxx] 3781
Feb 2003 The King's Highway, by G.P.R. James [knghwxxx.xxx] 3780
Feb 2003 Events Culminating in The Great Conflict, Marshall[ecigcxxx.xxx] 3779
[Complete Listing: A History of The Nations and Empires Involved and a Study
of
the Events Culminating in The Great Conflict, by Logan Marshall] Feb 2003 The
Interdependence of Literature, Georgina Curtis[ntrdpxxx.xxx] 3778 [Author:
Georgina Pell Curtis] Feb 2003 Tom Swift & His Electric Rifle, by Victor
Appleton[10tomxxx.xxx] 3777 Feb 2003 The Valley of Fear, by Arthur Conan
Doyle[Doyle29][vfearxxa.xxx] 3776 (See also: #3289) Feb 2003 Napoleon
Bonaparte, John S. C. Abbott [nplnbxxx.xxx] 3775
***
Today Is Day #329 of 2003
This Completes Week #47
42 Days/10 Weeks To Go [We get 53 Wednesdays this year]
9475 Books To Go To #20,000 [18 months from 6 weeks ago]
We're hoping to do this in 80 to 100 weeks
[Our production year begins/ends
1st Wednesday of the month/year]
Week #6 Of Our *SECOND* 10,000 eBooks
81 Weekly Average in 2003
47 Weekly Average in 2002
24 Weekly Average in 2001
39 Only 39 Numbers Left On Our Reserved Numbers list
[Used to be well over 100]
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*** Have We Given Away A Trillion Books/Dollars Yet???
Statistical Review
In the 47 weeks of this year, we have produced 3800 new eBooks.
It took us from 1971 to 2002 to produce our FIRST 3800 eBooks!!!
That's 47 WEEKS as Compared to ~31 YEARS!!!
With 10,565 eBooks online as of November 26, 2003 it now takes an average
of 100,000,000 readers gaining a nominal value of $0.95 from each book,
for Project Gutenberg to have currently given away $1,000,000,000,000
[One Trillion Dollars] in books.
100,000,000 readers is only about 1.5% of the world's population!
This "cost" is down from about $1.56 when we had 6297 eBooks A Year Ago
Can you imagine 10,000 books each costing $.61 less a year later???
Or. . .would this say it better?
Can you imagine 10,000 books each costing 1/3 less a year later???
At 10,565 eBooks in 32 Years and 4.75 Months We Averaged
326 Per Year [We do more per than that month these days!]
27 Per Month
.89 Per Day
At 3,822 eBooks Done In The 329 Days Of 2003 We Averaged
11.6 Per Day
81.3 Per Week
354.3 Per Month
The production statistics are calculated based on full weeks'
production; each production-week starts/ends Wednesday noon,
starts with the first Wednesday of January. January 1st was
the first Wednesday of 2003, and thus ended PG's production
year of 2002 and began the production year of 2003 at noon.
This year there will be 53 Wednesdays, thus one extra week.
***Headline News***
[PG Editor's Comments In Brackets]
From Newsscan:
THE WIRELESS, THE SEEKERS, AND THE SORTERS
A new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that 27%
of teenagers and 20-somethings are considering abandoning their home phones in
favor using only their cell phones. Overall, 21% of cell phone users of all
ages
have considered canceling their home phone service, but as of now only 3% have
actually gotten rid of their fixed-line phones. The study also found that the
tech elite consists mostly of 30-somethings who spend an average of $169 a
month
on information goods. Study author John Horrigan points out as a new paradox
the fact that those who consume more information technology are the least
likely
to report feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information: "They know how to
sort through that." (Washington Post 24 Nov 2003)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8674-2003Nov23.html
VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL
The Michigan Virtual High School program has become the second-largest such
program in the country, with more than 7,200 student enrollments. The program
allows students to take courses over the Internet to earn credit for a variety
of classes not offered in their own schools. One student in the program says:
"It's not as hard as I thought it would be. You don't have to sit in a
classroom
and listen to teachers talk. I can only listen to a teacher for so long." Out
of
13 states with the program, Florida has the highest enrollment, with an
expected
20,000 student enrollments this school year. (AP/USA Today 23 Nov 2003)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-11-23-virtual-school
-michigan_x.htm
PRAGUE: WHERE IT'S AT, INFORMATION-WISE
The Czech Republic is being increasingly seen by global corporations as an
excellent location for their customer call centers as well as back-office
and IT operations. DHL, the logistics group, will eventually be employing
1,000 people at a data center in Prague to track shipments, customer queries
and
billing activities throughout Europe, and Accenture, the consulting firm, plans
a five-fold increase in employees in Prague over the next five years, to 1,500
employees. The Los Angeles Times reports that whereas previously service
projects went to cheaper destinations such as India and the Philippines,
Western
companies now see central Europe as a viable alternative because it is closer
in
culture and time zone to companies' headquarters, and because it has a
better-qualified workforce, with a large pool of expatriates who can speak
multiple languages. (Los Angeles Times 24 Nov 2003)
http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-ft-czech24nov24,1,6399557.story?coll=la
-headlines-technology
CELLPHONE SWITCHING
About a hundred thousand cellphone users changed their wireless service
carriers yesterday, taking advantage of a new federal rule allowing
consumers to switch without penalty. However, the number of people making
the switch was far smaller than what had been predicted, and a Consumers
Union spokesperson said, "Our guess is today people may be taking it kind of
slow." People are now allowed to keep their phone numbers when they switch
wireless carriers or when they convert from fixed-line to wireless phone
service. (San Jose Mercury News 25 Nov 2003)
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/7345268.htm
ANTI-SPAM BILL PASSES IN HOUSE, SENATE
The Senate passed a bill to curb junk commercial e-mail by voice vote on
Tuesday, and the House passed a similar measure on Saturday by a vote of
392 to 5. President Bush is expected to sign the legislation (known as the
"Can Spam" Act) once the two bills are reconciled. Many are skeptical.
California state Democrat senator Debra Bowen says, "The bill doesn't can
spam, it legalizes it. It's full of loopholes. It's difficult to enforce.
It's weaker than many state laws." And telecom attorney Charlie Kennedy
advised: "The best line of defense for consumers are the antispam filters
which are available commercially." (New York Times 26 Nov 2003)
http://partners.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/technology/26spam.html
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From Edupage
FREE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE FROM COMPUTER ASSOCIATES
Computer Associates (CA) announced this week it will make its eTrust EZ
Armor software--which includes virus protection and a personal
firewall--available at no charge to consumers in an effort to protect
corporate networks from the large number of unprotected home users.
CA's Ian Hameroff said that his company remains focused on corporate
customers but that threats increasingly come from home users. CA's
announcement sent the stock prices of competing antivirus companies
falling. Symantec's stock dropped seven percent, while that of Network
Associates fell five percent. At least one analyst said the reaction
was excessive, however. Donovan Gow of American Technology Research
noted that CA only holds six percent of the antivirus market worldwide
and just one percent of the consumer market. Hameroff said CA's
motivation in offering the software for free "was not to erode the
market share of our competitors."
CNET, 18 November 2003
http://news.com.com/2100-7355-5108904.html
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Headline News Mostly Avoided By The Major U.S. Media
IF WE HAD A BOOMING ECONOMY IN THE 90'S, THEN WHY DID
THE BANKRUPTCY RATE DOUBLE IN THE LAST 10 YEARS?
Personal bankruptcies in the U.S. have doubled over
the past 10 years, pretty consistently, at a yearly
rate of increase of 7%. This was true even during
the major economic boom period of the 1990s, and it
has recently increased to 8%, which means that at
the rate bankruptcies are doubling every 9 years.
According to a Harvard study, the major reason is
that the economic boom has only been paying any
returns to the upper crust, while the daily jobs
have been being shipped overseas, or merely just
downsized out of existence.
This has been getting media coverage only in the
off peak programs off the major media pathways.
***
Speaking of our major television anchors last week:
"Do you ever wonder why Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings
and even Jim Lehrer started reading off GDP statistics instead
of GNP numbers?"
Someone pointed out that the three major TV anchors are each
about twice as old as the US median age of 33. . . .
On the average they started as news anchors when Reagan was
just starting his first administration.
Name Born Ages Anchor
Dan Rather 1931 72 and Anchor since 1981
Tom Brokaw 1940 63 and Anchor since 1982
Peter Jennings 1938 65 and Anchor since 1983
Jim Lehrer 1934 69 and Anchor since 1975
==========================================================
Average 1936 67 and Anchor since 1980
I've noticed that each of them is stuttering more now, but
I'm sure they'll all try to make it through the upcoming
presidential election, but their average age will be 72
by the one after that, and I'll bet they all go within
about the same number of years as they were hired. . . .
The real question is: who will replace them? And why?
What will be the criteria for the new news anchors?
If the new ones start today and are the same age as
these were when they started anchoring, they will
each have been born at an average date of 1959. . . .
It looks as if we will never have an era of anchors
who were developing in the 50's and 60's. . . .
We could go straight from those who developed in
the Great Depression and WWII, those we have now,
to those who came from the MBA and disco generation.
***
"NO BLOOD FOR DRUGS???"
Apparently Vioxx is over $100 a month in the U.S.
and $35 a month in Canada.
$27B in tax dollars spent on basic research in
the U.S. dollars, much of which benefits the
pharmaceutical industry, which they not only
don't pay for, but they don't pay tax dollars
on their own research or advertizing; says the
Chairman of the House Science Committee. This
means the U.S. taxpayers pay three subsidies
to the pharmaceutical industry:
1. By paying so much more for their products.
2. By paying for most of the $27 of research above.
3. Oof, sorry, I forgot the third one. . . .
***
KIDS RESTRAINTS MANDATED TO AGE 8 IN ILLINOIS
Kids who had graduated from car seats at age 5
are going back into their padded restraints
for another 3 years in Illinois.
I once did some research that indicated the
odds of a child being saved by one of these
was something quite minimal. . .way under 1%.
I don't like the idea of creating industries
mandated by goverment to protect against the
odds things that are less than 1% that takes
a billion dollars out of our pockets to give
it to someone such as Cosco, whose product
was denounced this week by the major media
as allowing kids to be tossed out onto the
highway in collisions as slow as 30 MPH.
I wonder if kids raised in car seats are
going to be severely underdeveloped.
***
My best friend just sent me this reply:
"Maximum Security is ALWAYS a Prison."
She works at a school where NO incidents
have EVER been reported, yet they will be
going to a high security system next spring
in which everyone has to have a badge on
and visible at all times, keyless entry
that works like a times bank vault. . .
we're just waiting for the schood day
when no one can get in at all. . . .
Of course, it does nothing to stop anyone
who just throws bricks through the window
and climbs in. . . .
***
Last, but not least. . .
ECONOMIC WARFARE ON THE MEDICAL FRONT
1. Americans have been going to Canada
to buy their prescription drugs for half
as much as they pay here in the U.S.
2. There are those who claim these drugs
are inferior to those bought in the U.S.
3. These are the same drugs, often from
the same production lots they buy here,
filled from the same U.S. prescriptions.
4. The drug companies nearly lobbied in
a law that would prevent this, or ordering
from Canadian drug stores over the Internet,
the phone, etc.
5. Finally, the drug companies have stopped
or reduced shipping to Canadian drug stores
they suspect are selling to Americans.
6. In response, the Illinois Governor,
Rod Blagojievich has said he will eliminate
as many of the products of these companies
as possible from the preferred list for
Illinois drug purchases.
7. Those of you who have been reading this
Newsletter for some time may recall that I
predicted some kind of economic warfare on
the medical front.
It's not just free things like Naptster they
want to shut down, these drugs were paid for,
by all parties concerned. It's just that the
U.S. wants to allow for non-competition to a
degree that even prevents the re-importation
of things made in the U.S.
Apparently some 60% of the price paid by U.S.
citizens for many prescriptions goes to the
bottom line, leaving only 40% to pay for the
research, advertising and salaries. . . . I
heard that the drug companies are spending
twice as much on advertising than research
since the onslaught of TV ads that bypass
doctors and present products directly to
the public [which used to be illegal].
***
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pgweekly_2003_11_26_part_1.txt
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