Ever so quietly, the volumes sit in orderly ranks on their shelves, never uttering a word of protest as access to their wisdom, humor, history and hope silently slips away.
All over the country, libraries are closing due to budget constraints. In Boston, on April 9th, they announced 4 branches shutting down (see www.boston.com). In Birmingham, Al., three branches went dark (see www.al.com).
Charlotte, NC, reluctantly closed 12 branches - losing 140 jobs and denying two million annual visitors a chance to reap the knowledge that waits patiently in the rows of now-stilled knowledge.
Indianapolis found the need to close six branches in Marion County, and announced their decision in May (see www.wishtv.com).
In this era when we MUST make "cuts," is this truly the way to go? Could we not forego just one Stealth Bomber, at a cost of $1-billion each (estimated in 1997 - heaven knows what it costs today!)
One billion dollars would likely keep every one of these libraries open. Do we have our priorities straight?
Monday, July 12, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
Fox News Goes Green - really!
In the irony of all ironies, here's a little tidbit to make you pull your hair out by the roots while screaming the word "hypocrites": News Corp, the huge entity owned by Rupert Murdoch, which includes Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, NatGeo TV, Dow Jones Newswire, the New York Post, and even the coupon machines that spew out cents-off coupons when you pass the Rice Krispies, has been "going green" since a speech Murdoch made in May, 2007.
Honest - it's Murdoch's stated goal to become carbon neutral, as outlined in the speech during which he said: "Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction."
On Fox News, the commentators call climate change "nuts" and describe Al Gore as "off his lithium," but the Big Boss has decided green is the way to go.
Categories that News Corp is proud of include a "green" season of producing the TV series "24," which claims they saved apprx. 940 metric tons of CO-2.
Read the whole fascinating article at www.motherjones.com
Honest - it's Murdoch's stated goal to become carbon neutral, as outlined in the speech during which he said: "Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction."
On Fox News, the commentators call climate change "nuts" and describe Al Gore as "off his lithium," but the Big Boss has decided green is the way to go.
Categories that News Corp is proud of include a "green" season of producing the TV series "24," which claims they saved apprx. 940 metric tons of CO-2.
Read the whole fascinating article at www.motherjones.com
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