October 23, 2008 Clark Kepler Kepler's Books and Magazines 1010 El Camino Real Menlo Park, CA 94025 Dear Mr. Kepler: I can only imagine how tough the market is, right now, for independent bookstores. Having been among the store's fans whose family joined (and remains joined in) Literary Circle, I know Kepler's must do whatever helps it survive, and must keep its priorities straight. That having been said, I'd like to alert you and other Kepler's management about troubling aspects of the e-mails sent by Constant Contact, Inc. on behalf of Kepler's. You undoubtedly have more urgent concerns, but perhaps this one can be added to the stack, for attention later. Please have a look at my printout of the most recent Literary Circle mail (attached), and note the multi-line URLs ("Web addresses"). The URLs' length is because they're "hashed" to make them recipient-specific. I.e., the URL given for Keplers's "upcoming events" page is made deliberately, distinctively different on each Literary Circle member's e-mail. You might ask, why are all the URLs made recipient-specific? Constant Contact's Web pages (http://www.constantcontact.com/email-marketing/email-campaign-reporting/) for its E-mail Marketing service explain: Learn more about your contacts with eye-opening reports Real-time email tracking and reporting lets you know how many emails were delivered, which addresses bounced, and why-within minutes of sending your email campaign. You also get reports on who opened your email, which links generated the most interest, and who clicked on each one. This valuable information will help you to determine your contacts' interests, the best day and time to send your email campaigns and much more! [...] See who opened your email campaigns, and what they clicked on o How many contacts opted in or opted out and Unsubscribe Comment Box lets you collect comments on why people are opting out o What percentage of your contacts opened See how your email list is growing and who is opting out o How many contacts opted in or opted out o How many contacts forwarded emails to a friend "...Which links generated the most interest, and who clicked on each one." Right. This industry arose very quietly, mostly in the last decade, and describes its e-mail services as "metrics", "targeted interactive marketing", "traffic analysis", "personalized engagement", "analytics", "customer-centric microcampaigns", "data mining", and so on. But more plain-spoken people call it spying. Constant Contact has no legitimate need to know when and how often I visited the Kepler's Upcoming Events Web page (and all the other links mentioned in the mail) nor to whom I forwarded that information - and I think Kepler's never intended for them to collect (and be in a position to abuse) that data. Kepler's has, in fact, always been a strong protector of its customers' privacy, which is why I'm confident that management has been completely unaware of this problem. Anyway, I personally will have no use for the Literary Circle mails as long as they continue to be bugged, and in the hands of a contractor obviously undeserving of our trust. I apologise for this letter not including a detailed alternative recommendation, but, generally speaking, any regular arrangement for sending non-recipient-specific announcement e-mails to a list of recipient addresses, e.g., via mailing list software, should be fine. Possibly even Constant Contact, Inc., despite my reservations about the fundamental ethics of their business segment, might be willing to do so. Best Regards, /s/ From ESC1102287249684_1101752270978_4300@in.constantcontact.com Sat Oct 18 +21:21:18 2008 Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:17:05 -0400 (EDT) From: Kepler's Reply-To: keplers@keplers.com To: rick@linuxmafia.com X-Mailer: Roving Constant Contact 0 (http://www.constantcontact.com) Subject: Kepler's News and Events October 20 - 31, 2008 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kepler's Events October 20 - 31, 2008 In This Issue... Humor and memoir writing! Stanford researcher Keith Devlin - NPR's "Math Guy" Nobel Laureate and Stanford physicist Robert Laughlin CANCELLED: Anne Rice Election Issue Panel Local author Kirsten Menger-Anderson MIT Club of Northern California and SmartSilvers Alliance present Dr. Gary Small Poet Laureate Kay Ryan at Montalvo Book Group Expo! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quick Links Join Kepler's Literary Circle [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJmgho02F4J1rgiKXta3i3hsKvc1I07tZArVkdh5EUloAKGEoR4RrX8VNrpJbV BZLJ10ZZUfUP_ifuZNVI8sV_RFP7u053J_1SPdfUYuutu3mWA5b7sfBZ-kpG2G-AiL7Y=] Check out all of our upcoming events [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkNzG5K9V39EwhQsK06zYdHn8FckgX18SkQAcD83Ni OD3JplzkTLKcKV3QZLJ6b5976RADACVJT1E4CBhWDN8C67VX-7tyHtPbo_K-DUPkvMEILIWWQoYCoII Z0fajwEB_aF0qKAYN_Lgb6zWzZ8rmIHsAGsEf582k=] View our staff recommendations for great books! [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkFnzakFucTfRmvM8jZFbGaDnUR28bMIDo9eqxndWM Rw2MJM5YhVBZ7ZvnlTubCAIV74ChaGumeVCIRs8fsMMCLG-v5wsqTRM4KFULOnW0WEz2xJBkBxCJdx9 6Ft8slkPtuSpCuVR5mpLbMhCZlzkso5G9i4PmDAYPxYgah1Nrcso0fM1ndpy1R] Kepler's offers more [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkj_ztccGV3YU98fDZjyPKL-d0P61k5K_EeF4leW6h XsvHzBiZAlHUyMwszs70UbOyYNX2ogTy7rxXxoSSuFpf2LunXVjZMY-A_vOYqPcmeuy-rQ92MTcqTHc sP9Nf_so0=] than just great [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnm335xFib8VjuOmeLjZ5LudTr2NuaL-NYRQ0ih_T_ vij7AiSvntCv4gng_qFkJiPjO8nI46lNXYdT4jYpGsxSp3ZHAFTkRzL0RuUaFok20miiU5aab8H-i5J E3KIgEv7bOFOxpMKBbRPzcQvApLqZcOFYEKM3KhAI=] books [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnm335xFib8VjuOmeLjZ5LudTr2NuaL-NYRQ0ih_T_v ij7AiSvntCv4gng_qFkJiPjO8nI46lNXYdT4jYpGsxSp3ZHAFTkRzL0RuUaFok20miiU5aab8H-i5JE 3KIgEv7bOFOxpMKBbRPzcQvApLqZcOFYEKM3KhAI=] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Rick, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It has been another year of evolution at Kepler's. With your help, Kepler's continues to be a thriving cultural center and a force for positive community initiatives. THANKS TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP: We've created a more inviting space for you to roam our unequalled selection of books and gifts. We've updated our technical infrastructure and created mobile capabilities for Kepler's to come out into the community. We've added to the astounding number and variety of author events at Kepler's and throughout the Peninsula. Our Community Partners Program now includes over 100 schools and non-profit organizations. Our School Program allowed over 5,000 local students to meet an author this year. Indeed, in 2008, Kepler's won the coveted Pannell Award, given to the best family bookstore in the country. We are working very hard to ensure the permanence of the store, especially in the current economic climate, but we cannot do it without you. Please join our Literary Circle as we continue to build a Kepler's for you, your friends, your family, and the future -- Become a member! Sincerely, Clark Kepler Kepler's Books 650-324-4321 www.keplers.com [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJlXhtBhZ7enwH8PFreXNIUQusdFdfRJ15u-kNyDzPh Fr2c_5UikO9VzjaxK59D01wp0bh-0id1baEkfv8_gpB_VT0YH8QKoMv5rozGuhA7aAA==] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join Our Mailing List [http://visitor.constantcontact.com/email.jsp?&m=1101752270978] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Art of the Memoir Monday, October 20, 7:30 p.m. Find out what it takes to write, read and sell your life story from writers who've actually done just that. David Henry Sterry: Master of Ceremonies: A True Story of Murder, Roller Skates, and Chippendales BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkFoVYTcVKR1pytLhCirXn0owoIy_-BTzz2rM53dPP 10jFonVH6dvc8nsomZy1aGLa9LkgoGbH8wFOPgWlZBoHxcYJ3NVcOvFMTIht-IRpKbLMpEdQe8QdmIi vZs8mT4UWORBh9miWn9-NTM9mPWKxgA9aqgouyJgEkpx9HvF8OSJbZBfumJ6jsnhVfdwGAJlWK2ODT1 LOU8Q==] Alan Black: Kick the Balls: An Offensive Suburban Odyssey BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkYfW-Y7wZGWx-xCAMg7Kl9KaAHJFpB6zVzQ7KhHV1 AYANJDcenGJfZlJ3MSQUN3wsYAlZN_EQ6yaafoPycwlsWC15a97mkIWuv7NyTrfmQwjXKnr0tdhOGfa GK1TZiYjHmtADW9SHHrlB_0t3IposQ1fTzzgkoOxnAemrzaoH93wwxc7iQrYQRzf1AFzW_zwbW9r9Yj Higpw==] Beth Lisick:Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJlpWpehizEPtJfcixPOZMxwZu6i_W5BTTesb2290cv 68cY4hZ296Il5vCZrcrvwmXPCrvpphnHz7oB51zYFd_viGvQwHIYZzJLLKXHwhCg4nA9AqQnUKm50LM x423Jw1KfPGqdf75KNJ8H1Z8IK9kmRru3gStU6KTHFjrJqLS0D0NfkBIbbFGPIPk6NeNggyFdYVGWs_ iHrcQ==] Listen as memoirists read from their own work, then discuss the process of writing a memoir. Making a narrative of events of your own life, dealing with issues of privacy and family, figuring out how to navigate the stormy seas of the publishing world, and bringing your story to life as you read it before an audience will be among the topics addressed by this panel of memoirists, a book doctor who has helped dozens of first time authors get published, and the author of Putting Your Passion Into Print, the definitive book on how to get published. This will be followed by a Q&A session. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Keith Devlin The Unfinished Game: Pascal, Fermat, and the Seventeenth-Century Letter that Made the World Modern BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJn6vbgkORrR6ejFa4KMZZdT5KG1kBiAHr9f4m2q2_H BR2vNMUaJM5LhKaJfwjgDFoO1UDQ5RODcQHherb7Io2NSleWjcvFuBuU4Hb-JLeUNcUfcOcv89xZu92 ORy5zV-jOFkCD1hHX_4gS-kJPVXV8l7ZQvzoV51iYPDiG581TnGJX8UbcglFxbFiZipFm61oNIReSbg MBQ6A==] Tuesday, October 21, 7:30 p.m. Blaise Pascal wrote to Pierre de Fermat in 1654 outlining a solution to the "unfinished game" problem: how do you divide the pot when players are forced to end a game of dice before someone has won? The idea turned out to be far more seminal than Pascal realized. From it, the two men developed the method known today as probability theory. In The Unfinished Game, Keith Devlin tells the story of this correspondence and its remarkable impact on the modern world. Calculating probabilities allowed people, for the first time, to think rationally about how future events might unfold. Keith Devlin is a senior researcher at Stanford's Center for the Study of Language and Information and its executive director, a consulting professor in the Department of Mathematics, and a co-founder of the Stanford Media X research network and of the university's H-STAR institute. He has written 25 books and over 75 published research articles. He is the "Math Guy" on National Public Radio. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robert B. Laughlin The Crime of Reason and the Closing of the Scientific Mind BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJkEqUoq5Cn-BK3USNwshZQnlOZ8xehT2lnuGfQk7vQ iUdQmXSsMVPmo9BYkt8XRGoq_sw0bbtzd2B3PTRC5vukHaXPMqu9VvkGpXUzS6nek8urE5JqIChsPe5 shorgS32DpGvo0h6z8rChWLViHLHBho9mkSjs3dHpE0AggbjspgrV2qPWwIKuocvBypDw9DFVJWrhaY 2pbjg==] Wednesday, October 22, 7:30 p.m. Though we may feel inundated with information today, Nobel laureate and Stanford professor of physics, Robert Laughlin argues that intellectual property laws and government security demands are increasingly restricting access to the most useful information. Government rules and businesses' legal pressures to sequester information threaten the development of new knowledge, he says. The rights of free people to investigate their world are threatened. Laughlin's fresh perspective and light, sometimes whimsical, bent do not mask the central warning of his readable book: that we risk bequeathing our heirs a world where knowledge is criminalized and our intellectual tradition of unfettered inquiry is lost. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anne Rice Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnBUkRSfVbdJncXzWxNOphRANqz75A3QksRKhBfabG k1dFL5LZFLjkDc7NP9ugfMrfGi0ToHYRzyrQsOnyx6ZIJjYsXZ9TIafPuq3JMSDsEd-B00U3IfZFmIA _8S1bvshb_RzJmUDLJ3m5m7PLtTlG5SzmnLBrOWuVdhSNU1_Ud2rjCWv5D9-191ekqoj_bMi6dpk3Si 1DF4A==] Saturday, October 25, 2:00 p.m. This event has been cancelled. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Election Issue Panel with New York Review of Books and GuardianAmerica Editors and Writers The Consequences to Come: American Power after Bush BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJmGOnlrtsMkX3Baku4LKaqIXS-brQWDpjleTaQjj89 6sx7PhKguXltw-_kkCccWfhLI6tBacqusiTr5sHCjbLEQmQniHLYYUOqb1tNfvRka5Ez4DzYE8hh92i IYOLcaBpSC6kruP1OrOLH3rR41iGuaOVugt0JVj93msWO5YQ6-OJpSVAKxsPwip9sSyY7qT_osCaG6R iAJhg==] Tuesday, October 28, 7:30 p.m. The New York Review of Books and GuardianAmerica bring their writers and editors together to discuss the issues shaping the 2008 election campaign and the challenges and opportunities that will face the new administration. Thomas Powers is the author of, most recently, The Military Error and Intelligence Wars. He won a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 1971 and is a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books. Michael Tomasky is the editor of Guardian America and is a frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books. Gary Younge is a Guardian columnist and feature writer based in New York. Martin Kettle writes for the Guardian on British, European and American politics, as well as the media, law and music. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kirsten Menger-Anderson Dr. Olaf van Schuler's Brain BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnG_wlD7a-B6X8REBg0cjRlhuGg9ujgNcicH9q8WRL qDMjZf9aPF66Q_ZWeQTjxhky3AVT2cg8YABLmkWAcb8YCJMJoUZlmjoVgSCXyGFa3x961_uqqcDcD-1 FgI1bg2dmhJsiOGx7hyeTLTsTlWrLwBot9Dsq25WmUENZ2YAQWCNy5UY8XzUFVVTj5MqsU927kROiYJ 9LUuQ==] Thursday, October 30, 7:30 p.m. In 1664 Dr. Olaf van Schuler flees the Old World and arrives in New Amsterdam with his lunatic mother, two bags of medical implements, and a carefully guarded book of his own medicines. He is the first in what will become a long line of peculiar physicians. Plagued by madness and guided by an intense desire to cure human affliction, each generation of this unusual family is driven by the science of its day: spontaneous combustion, phrenology, animal magnetism, electrical shock treatment, psychosurgery, genetic research. As they make their way in the world, New York City, too, evolves-from the dark and rough days of the seventeenth century to the towering, frenetic metropolis of today. Like Patrick Suskind's classic novel Perfume, Kirsten Menger-Anderson's debut is a literary cabinet of curiosities-fascinating and unsettling, rich and utterly singular. Kirsten Menger-Anderson's stories have been short-listed for the Andre Dubus Award, the Richard Yates Award, the Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers, and the Iowa Review story contest and have appeared in a number of literary publications. She lives in San Francisco. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gary Small, M.D. iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind BUY NOW [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnOJhEmQ8HSKeOFh3brMC8Sai0TPS20uhdy-DyN9NC NTgtRHT5XofwWwrmHlV9gyTF6PXIgfAKMllNnoiy-vOgcpoTo12PPW8XlVy0EHjI-leDdv3nInoSVzW bUV7rtRxu_a9jEeCjGOAb9f-oewL4TaASMqGVg9IDCewL-5ZHA8_kLirqwlrWENrbi8pIgLCQi_we6r HzFuA==] Wednesday, October 22, 6:00 p.m. Location: Wilson Sonsini, 950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto 6:00 p.m. - Registration, Hors d'oeuvres and Networking 7:00 p.m. - Presentation and Panel Discussion Presented by the MIT Club of Northern California and SmartSilvers Alliance Moderator: Jeff Zimman CEO, Posit Science Speaker: Gary Small, MD, Director of the Aging and Memory Research Center, UCLA Semel Institute Gary Small, M.D., one of Americas leading neuroscientists and one of the leading medical experts on memory and brain fitness, discusses the remarkable brain evolution caused by the constant presence of technology today, separating the digital natives, those born in the computer age, from the digital immigrants, those who discovered computer technology as adults. Registration: In advance at: http://www.mitcnc.org/Events_Single.asp?eventID=1447 [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnwQVCCxLx2EZ4KPe-Ih-HEseZBIqbhRftzhx0DjeP ZYeiJep6bg7zZCDy57pIj1Ux2dwtUB8acaYvIKWq0hKDFkh9iOUbH4gTq_MMKk-pCPnJpzmjAEOm9ze Hgv88c3EqG7hdNSwGBmb117bqARthT] $20.00 in advance on the website $25.00 Walk-ins at the door (cash or check please, no credit cards accepted at door). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Poet Laureate Kay Ryan Thursday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. Location: Montalvo Arts Center - Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd., Saratoga Presented by Poetry Center San Jose & Montalvo Library of Congress' 16th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry Kay Ryan will give an evening performance of poetry readings, a question and answer session, and book signing. While this event is free, reservations are required. Please call the Montalvo Box Office at 408-961-5858. A donation (minimum $10) at the door is greatly appreciated. Reception to follow for Poetry Center San Jose and Montalvo Arts Center members. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Book Group Expo Saturday, Oct. 25: 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26: 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Location: San Jose McEnery Convention Center, 150 W. San Carlos St., San Jose Indulge yourself at book group expo!! If there's a more perfect experience for book lovers, it has yet to be invented. And if there is a more inventive program for book groups, it exists only in fiction. Over 75 authors are already confirmed. Tickets are available at Kepler's. Please stop by the store or call 650-324-4321. For details and updates, please visit www.bookgroupexpo.com [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001ibQ3fLy2wJnUEn2PFzQHWu1Z2g41wUE5ZAUOLPQ-X7TzwLa63c2 zxWprBSo0qZPH29RkRbomqGYch31oXJm8iL8u4pQrfENkMXQetBPeGsVdu43D_wh1pA==]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward email http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?m=1101752270978&ea=rick@linuxmafia.com&a=1102287249684 This email was sent to rick@linuxmafia.com by keplers@keplers.com. Update Profile/Email Address http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?v=001CPbz0pBDAy6ClibUVzpIfsL1up7b2AAWqa xiIETZgI8uBZFaJjQvarqRaE8Bj9Ev12_deu2YToM%3D&p=oo Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(TM) http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?v=001CPbz0pBDAy6ClibUVzpIfsL1up7b2AAWqa xiIETZgI8uBZFaJjQvarqRaE8Bj9Ev12_deu2YToM%3D&p=un Privacy Policy: http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp Email Marketing by Constant Contact(R) http://www.constantcontact.com/home.jsp?pn=americanbooksellers&cc=news04 Kepler's Books | 1010 El Camino Real | Menlo Park | CA | 94025