It comes down to this one simple but important fact. Ones and zeros will out last Gutenberg. Movable type-out. Typewriters-out. Magnetic cards and magnetic tape-out.

Digital disks-IN.

And the Denver Public Library's now fragile books are lined up to be forever stored in a digital "repository of private and public records." Each community will have its ancient stories told and everything will be accessible through the library's website.

At keeping stuff, we are the city of the future. Next we will catalog the landfills.

Anne-Imelda Radice, director of the D.C.'s Library Service and other library officials working for her office noted that it is important to preserve the contents of old papers and other crap that can be digitized, like my blog, my humble apology to the future. From what I've been told, this stuff that I'm now sitting here in my underwear writing might, a millennium from now, be spread out in a giant mosaic, analyzed and studied over by future litter and junk collectors. It might even be sold on 2:00 a..m. infomercials for $15.00 a disk plus postage.

What a thought.

These people "note that there are 4.8 billion artifacts held in the country's archives, libraries, museums and historical societies." Of course they forgot to look in my living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, two bedrooms, and basement which I'm sure is unintentional storage to at least another half billion items. And let's get honest about this. What about your garage and attic?

The whole White clan was a "collecting institution" before archives, libraries, museums and historical societies existed. And as the last member of this branch of the clan, all I've got to say is, "Will somebody help me clean this mess up?"

Sorry. I'm a little manic today.