Riggin' Friggin' Library

[Opsa]

Well, the County Board of Supervisors is seriously contemplating closing our public library here, which is the only one in the northern part of our county. All the rest are in the middle and south. Budget cuts are to blame. I have emailed my representative, and he says it's sad but true. Big help! But at least he knows how I feel.

Of all things- the library! They couldn't cut back on hours at all of them? Why pick on us? Just because we're up in the punyville towns of the northern county, they think we won't notice?! Grrr. Well, I've posted the Rep's email and phone number on my local websites, maybe someone else will bug him, too.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

We got the closest to us closed a while ago, although we do have a big one at a manageable distance within the city.

Public administrators have tough choices when the chips are down, cut police, fire departments, teachers...? Raising taxes is unthinkable so whatever the people will miss less will go. 

[Aggie]

Unfortunately, a publicly-funded supply of books probably fit in this category for the average person.

I feel your pain - I would be lost without the library.



Any chance you could talk a local high school or college into participating in an interlibrary exchange program, so at least you could order in materials from a larger library?  Or possibly setting up a bookmobile run, to the same effect?

[Swatopluk]

Or maybe the county could be persuaded to get a rolling library that would come to town once or twice a week for a few hours.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Well, the County Board of Supervisors is seriously contemplating closing our public library here, which is the only one in the northern part of our county. All the rest are in the middle and south. Budget cuts are to blame. I have emailed my representative, and he says it's sad but true. Big help! But at least he knows how I feel.

Of all things- the library! They couldn't cut back on hours at all of them? Why pick on us? Just because we're up in the punyville towns of the northern county, they think we won't notice?! Grrr. Well, I've posted the Rep's email and phone number on my local websites, maybe someone else will bug him, too.

Sux.

I doubt your rep can actually do anything-- but putting pressure is always a good thing:  it reminds him of the fact that he is/was supposedly voted in to actually represent your interests....



Here in Tulsa, we have a new rethuglican "mayor".  The previous mayor-- a demowimp bucked the wimpery-'policy' and, due to budget cuts, actually refused her mayoral salary during her term in office.  Imagine that?

Did the rethug follow suit?  Perhaps contributing out of his excess campaign coffers (I know for a fact he had excess...) to offset the shortfall?

Nope.  He's taking full salary.... 

His "solution" is to cut police and firemen support.....!   Among other stupids..... he's already turned off much of the traffic area lighting-- so that areas that were previously well lit at night, are now plunged into darkness.

As always, under rethuglican "leadership" we can expect an increase in crimes, an increase in response-times from emergency services, and a marked increase in traffic accidents.

Whilest we have a marked decrease in overall support, services and so forth....

...all while their pet 'money-maker' boondoggles (off the backs of taxes, natch) are fully funded.  Such as a new sports stadium for a team that couldn't half-fill it's original perfectly good stadium on the best, most favorable of days....

In the voice of Yosimite Sam:  "Aaah hates that republican'  Aaah really do."


/end 

[Griffin NoName]

Libraries are a basic human right IMO.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Libraries are a basic human right IMO.

Right up there with breathing; I agree.

[Swatopluk]

I recently heard that in one county (forgot which state) there was an actual proposal to dissolve both police and fire department in order to cut costs.
Commenters at the time said that the natural next step, after nobody law-abiding would dare to leave their home after dark anymore, would be to hire a Blackwater type of organisation that would charge several times the money the police had cost before and praise that as market efficiency. The body count would then inevitably rise even faster.
Well, in Chicago at one time the state aksed Al Capone for help to keep order in town on election day and he even delivered.

Libraries are too much of a fire hazard anyway, especially with fundies keen on book burnings on the prowl.

[Opsa]

Ah Swato... I see you've visited here, before! 

Well, we've got a bunch of people up in arms, now. Petitions are circulating. Still, the budget could win out.

We don't even have our own police department, here. And with no library, I don't know what the kids'll do. Go out and vandalize stuff, maybe.

[Aggie]

Hmm.... with e-books now widely available, can we put a chip in video game systems that require mandatory reading of a chapter or two, followed by a comprehension test, to interrupt the game at parental-determined intervals?

_{of course the little darlings would swap answers on the net immediately, but it's worth a shot.}

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Hmm.... with e-books now widely available, can we put a chip in video game systems that require mandatory reading of a chapter or two, followed by a comprehension test, to interrupt the game at parental-determined intervals?

_{of course the little darlings would swap answers on the net immediately, but it's worth a shot.}

But... if the questions are directly related to the material, the act of answering them-- even by searching the 'net, still imparts a bit of information to the recipient.

You can learn from just the questions-- In the past, I often did quite well in learning courses by teachers that were highly inept, and the subject boring, but required-- I'd study the test questions only... and, against my desires, I'd usually pick up a few things about the subject.  More than enough to pass the occasional pop quiz.... but in those days, my memory was....well,  much more functional.

*sigh*

[Aggie]

Good point.

At the very least, it'd help make them aware of how much time they are spending and divide it into 'servings'.  I know I managed even with relatively primitive game systems (NES) to do long-haul gaming.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Good point.

At the very least, it'd help make them aware of how much time they are spending and divide it into 'servings'.  I know I managed even with relatively primitive game systems (NES) to do long-haul gaming.

That does work--- I'm still a computer/video gamer, and sometimes I get deep into the game, forgetting the time.

Then the phone rings, and I answer-- and realize I'm hungry, and put the game away (after the 'phone call).



A return to reality can be useful:

**knock-knock**

Gamer:  'what?'

**knock-knock**  This is reality speaking.

Gamer:  'Go'way.  I'm tryin' t'play, here.'

**knock-knock**  This is reality speaking.   You need to eat.  And go to the bathroom.  And stuff....

[Aggie]

LOL, I still do play video games on occasion (recently finished both quests on Zelda 1) - I just haven't progressed beyond about 16-bit.