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News & ArtsSunday, August 30, 2009
Books Reminder
Posted by Paul Constant on Sun, Aug 30, 2009 at 10:42 AM
As Gillian pointed out on Friday, today is your last day to check out materials from Seattle Public Library* until Tuesday, September 8th. The libraries (and the library websites and all the library programs) will be closed.
If you have any important reference questions that might need answering in the next week, perhaps you should call or e-mail the City Department of Finance. Maybe they'll be able to help.
* You also can't check in any materials until the Tuesday after next, either. When they say "closed," they mean closed.
1
Good luck with calling the Finance department (they've probably already laid off the receptionist)
But maybe what we really need to do is look at how we fund things in this city and state, and perhaps get a more equitable and stable tax base.
But that would require political leadership and an informed and engaged electorate, and we're much more about the futile gesture (like calling the DOF) that we can write about on our blogs.
As long as smart people keep pandering to the lowest common denominator, sound-bit driven moronic base, with their knee-jerk reactions to anything that they perceive might cost money (while they demand more and more services) we'll keep seeing things like library furloughs.
It's just like the healthcare debate: We let the morons seize control of the conversation, and suddenly "everyone" thinks that it would be unfair for the government to compete against the insurance companies, and that single payer health care would tax us into oblivion - as if private insurance weren't already crippling our competitiveness and killing our entrepreneurial class.
But maybe what we really need to do is look at how we fund things in this city and state, and perhaps get a more equitable and stable tax base.
But that would require political leadership and an informed and engaged electorate, and we're much more about the futile gesture (like calling the DOF) that we can write about on our blogs.
As long as smart people keep pandering to the lowest common denominator, sound-bit driven moronic base, with their knee-jerk reactions to anything that they perceive might cost money (while they demand more and more services) we'll keep seeing things like library furloughs.
It's just like the healthcare debate: We let the morons seize control of the conversation, and suddenly "everyone" thinks that it would be unfair for the government to compete against the insurance companies, and that single payer health care would tax us into oblivion - as if private insurance weren't already crippling our competitiveness and killing our entrepreneurial class.
4
And we're to honestly believe that the two untried and inexperienced candidates for mayor will make this better?!??
Help us Ed Murray, you're our only hope!!
Help us Ed Murray, you're our only hope!!
6
"jail budgets in half. "
Well, there are ways to reprioritize the jail budgets. Less arrests for consensual "crimes", etc. But even in Washington, voters experience the vapors whenever a more reasoned policy is put forward.
Well, there are ways to reprioritize the jail budgets. Less arrests for consensual "crimes", etc. But even in Washington, voters experience the vapors whenever a more reasoned policy is put forward.
7
The reason most people don't want an income tax is because it involves filing paperwork. People hate doing their income tax.
8
Would be novel for someone from SPL to explain why this is better than a rolling closure over 2 or 3 weeks. Yes, the are some central resources, but relatively few. Closing 30-50% of branches for each of 2-3 weeks would be better than closing 100% for 1.
9
@4 - I can't see how using every taxing facility we have to build a deep bore tunnel is going to make things magically better with the budget. Mike McGinn would put Seattle priorities - like keeping libraries open - ahead of ego driven infrastructure. Murray routinely ignores Seattle voters - killing the monorail we voted for, imposing a tunnel we voted against. Tell me how building Murray's tunnel is going to reopen the library. McGinn to Win.
10
Shutting down the library web site (ie: self service access to many library resources) is just a gigantic fuck you to the residents of Seattle. How much electricity can the servers be really using? In stead of just cutting the personal costs to make the budget they are disabling otherwise useful assets just to make a point. But than I guess that they are taking lessons from the parks where they want to lock the gates rather than close the restrooms, remove the trash cans, stop cutting the grass but still let folks enjoy them.
11
You can check out e-books any time you want from KCLS.
It uses Adobe Digital Editions.
I like to read while sitting on my couch using my 22w Acer.
I set the font to 96.
Today I found a Firefox plugin called NoSquint.
It lets me set universal zoom for all web pages.
I have a wireless mouse and keyboard and computer from my couchtop.
It uses Adobe Digital Editions.
I like to read while sitting on my couch using my 22w Acer.
I set the font to 96.
Today I found a Firefox plugin called NoSquint.
It lets me set universal zoom for all web pages.
I have a wireless mouse and keyboard and computer from my couchtop.
12
@6 - I'm just being realistic.
Look at the County and City budgets - with an open eye.
Which sections have the largest growth and the largest percentage of the budget?
Yup.
Otherwise, you're just mumbling the words about dealing with any budget shortfalls.
Look at the County and City budgets - with an open eye.
Which sections have the largest growth and the largest percentage of the budget?
Yup.
Otherwise, you're just mumbling the words about dealing with any budget shortfalls.
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