tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post446928580314069595..comments2024-03-28T14:52:13.218-05:00Comments on Stonekettle Station: Rage Against the Dying of the LightJim Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-47901135690186431772016-11-25T07:57:37.158-06:002016-11-25T07:57:37.158-06:00For what it's worth, when I last worked in lib...For what it's worth, when I last worked in libraries (2012) some of the bigger systems were experimenting with checkouts of e-readers.<br /><br />But I also feel that doing so was a terrible idea, unless maybe you bought some kind of heavy duty toughbook-inspired reader.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01560773767858242593noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-86242967961769427082011-04-29T22:16:41.464-05:002011-04-29T22:16:41.464-05:00What dan said.What dan said.beemodernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180046342466780318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-54461941475077423362011-04-26T14:33:33.629-05:002011-04-26T14:33:33.629-05:00A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was compla...A couple of years ago, a friend of mine was complaining that since he and his wife had no intention of having children, he shouldn't have to pay for public schools. I was fortunate enough that a school bus had just let out its passengers across the street. I asked him: <br />"Ian, you're what, 35 now?" <br />"Yeah".<br />Do you see the girl with blue hair who just got of that bus?"<br />"Yeah".<br />"In 25 years, she's going to be your oncologist"<br /><br />We never had that discussion againArakasinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-88422506620105826552011-04-26T13:36:48.460-05:002011-04-26T13:36:48.460-05:00JMocha,
There's a 4/26/11 article over at sin...JMocha,<br /><br />There's a 4/26/11 article over at singularityhub.com that I'm too lazy to link to. (You can Google it if interested.) Here's an on-point sentence from that article.<br /><br />"Now that public libraries, one of the last bastions of printed media, are thoroughly open to digital lending, the death of physical books seems more inevitable than ever. How will the demise of print change reading in the 21st century?"<br /><br />You may not agree with how I draw the trend line, but I'm comfortable I'm not alone in projecting the outcome.Nick from the O.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-24017110122878265552011-04-26T09:33:30.997-05:002011-04-26T09:33:30.997-05:00Two points (sry, they're long):
I'm not s...Two points (sry, they're long):<br /><br />I'm not sure that Nick is right about 'all libraries consisting solely of electronic media soon;' but then again, I live in NYC, where their embrace of ebooks (and audiobooks, etc) has not stopped them from stocking paper (tho we have had some hours cuts) and I'm sure that that is happening other places, e.g., Colorado Springs, where it's not just libraries, police, and FD, it's streetlights. <br /><br />Renee also talked about peeps' lack of awareness of what they don't know, and their willingness to delegate their thinking about various subjects to other people. <br /><br />The daily info feed has become the firehose. In those founding days, one could be at least somewhat well-informed about almost every topic. One could read every newspaper and broadside that came one's way. Now, there is simply no way to be well-informed on the same breadth of subjects--or even vaguely informed. One must perforce narrow one's focus or have no grasp of anything (and perhaps travel into Ted Sturgeon's "And Now The News" territory). Plus, you have to filter for media bias--which is not that big a thing (my old joke was "read <i>The Nation</i> and <i>The National Review</i> and take the average"), but the filtering takes time and effort. And coffee.<br /><br />JMocha, sorry for rambling a bit.JMochanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-34048732821670970072011-04-26T02:24:16.677-05:002011-04-26T02:24:16.677-05:00I fear a civil war more than a revolution. This co...I fear a civil war more than a revolution. This country has been divided by the insane people who seem to want total control of the asylum.<br /> I attended public schools until I went to college. I have a first rate education from an Ivy League school and I am neither rich nor elite. My education taught me to think critically and never stop asking questions. It also gave me a background in history, literature, art and science...all useful when thinking about the earth that we are hell bent on destroying and the problems that we face, all over this planet, as well as in this country.<br /> Times of economic unrest can lead to despicable humans seizing power and carrying out outrageous plans to hold onto that power.<br /> Every child on this planet needs as much education as possible to keep this type of thing from happening. <br /> Unfortunately, education alone does not ward off evil people (many of the architects of the Third Reich were well educated). But it is important to remember that most dictatorships purge the Universities and schools first. <br /> Keeping the masses hungry and ignorant and afraid is a very powerful tool.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-44895317812508202022011-04-26T02:07:59.222-05:002011-04-26T02:07:59.222-05:00I have been thinking about the decline of our coun...I have been thinking about the decline of our country, and (no surprises) I lay it at the feet of<br />1) Capitalists who pay no taxes .... The corporatist<br />2) Religious folk who hate their fellow Americans ... The neighborist<br />3) People who think E Pluribus Unum means (me myself and I) ... "out of many, one."<br />4) The war on public education and teachers ... No time for children<br />5) The broad sense that only religious people have TRUTH ... Let dunkin be undone<br />6) People who think public service should NOT included Police Fire or Teachers ... should wander alone<br />7) That the above are "parasites" ... were just humanites<br />8) That the constitution is just at goddamn piece of paper<br />9) who believe screaming and incivility in public forums is the ONLY way to conduct public discourse... .... those that do write<br />I await part two of your Rage articlea Lil texannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-34879849295317614482011-04-25T19:30:33.963-05:002011-04-25T19:30:33.963-05:00Part II is in progress. You would have had it yest...Part II is in progress. You would have had it yesterday as planned but I spent the day moving several tons of gravel instead - which much longer than I planned and left me crippled for the evening. <br /><br />Today also contained unexpected elements that have sucked up all of my time. <br /><br />Perhaps this evening.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-58505327120552052442011-04-25T19:06:41.123-05:002011-04-25T19:06:41.123-05:00I have been thinking about the decline of our coun...I have been thinking about the decline of our country, and (no surprises) I lay it at the feet of <br />1) Capitalists who pay no taxes<br />2) Religious folk who hate their fellow Americans<br />3) People who think E Pluribus Unum means (me myself and I) ...<br />4) The war on public education and teachers<br />5) The broad sense that only religious people have TRUTH<br />6) People who think public service should NOT included Police Fire or Teachers<br />7) That the above are "parasites" <br />8) That the constitution is just at goddam piece of paper<br />9) who believe screaming and incivility in public forums is the ONLY way to conduct public discourse...<br />I await part two of your Rage article<br />TrDem55tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12900119600864490344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-71319811400895490462011-04-25T18:24:42.484-05:002011-04-25T18:24:42.484-05:00The demand for free, universal public education wa...The demand for free, universal public education was one of the first demands of the nineteenth century labor movement, back when they still had the 12-hour day, the 6-day week, and unions had names like "Grand And Honorable Brotherhood of Silk Hatmakers".<br /><br />Those old blacksmiths, cigar rollers, wheelwrights, ship's carpenters, ladies' hatmakers, etc, knew what they were talking about.<br /><br />---sparkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-40909347393238779372011-04-25T16:49:38.489-05:002011-04-25T16:49:38.489-05:00Certainly the United States is in a form of declin...Certainly the United States is in a form of decline but not from without but from within. There is a transfer of wealth via the price of oil from the U.S. to other oil exporting nations the U.S. gets its oil (read energy) from. U.S. citizenery who use gasoline/diesel vehicles to the extent they do are literally sending billions of dollars off to places like the middle east and suppliers in south america like Venezuala. This is widening the gap between rich and poor in the U.S. to the demise of the middle class who pay the bulk of the taxes that grew the U.S. into the power it was. But that tax base is being decimated to the point where it can no longer carry the load of adequately funding programs that benefit all U.S. citizens. That is why we are witnessing the funding crises in the country. Borrowing will only exacerbate the funding shortfall by increasing the interest liability of the loans. It is therefore imparative that the U.S. drastically reduce their use of petroleum products and the sooner the better. Either that or start developing the Bakken field for oil - the sooner the better. The U.S. will probably not become a second rate nation in the mid and long term but it will be close to becoming so. The world is fed up with the U.S. applying itself as "policeman to the world" - it appears to the rest of the world community that the U.S. only does something foreign if it has something to gain. The world sees through the U.S.'s stated intentions as being to "liberate" people whose leaders are deemed "dicatatorial tyrants" as an outright lie and are only after their natural resources as the U.S. has consumed so much of their own they now must go overseas to get more to feed their voracious appetite. Until this attitude by the U.S. changes they will always be despised and attacked throughout the world. Its time the people of the U.S. got off their high horse of "freedom and liberty" and called it what it really is - the pillaging of others natural resources. In the meantime the fall of the U.S. continues and its wealth flows outward. I believe that most U.S. citizens who read this will strongly disagree but that disagreement dowsn't stop the financial bleeding thats taking place and it will continue. Only a change of attitude from saber rattling to reconciliation and hands off other countries will stop the bleeding and distrust.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-28673095918834742092011-04-25T09:37:56.596-05:002011-04-25T09:37:56.596-05:00Bravo, if the populace would turn off "The Ne...Bravo, if the populace would turn off "The Next Fat Bachelor" and pay attention, this could turn around. Sadly, I don't have much hope for that.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16180816527348931065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-85134643335160857702011-04-24T15:49:38.459-05:002011-04-24T15:49:38.459-05:00I do believe I love you Mr. (W)Right!
I don't ...I do believe I love you Mr. (W)Right!<br />I don't necessarily want to marry you, but hanging out would be somethin' special! KimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-70359232058319490542011-04-24T12:10:17.318-05:002011-04-24T12:10:17.318-05:00I should mention here, that one of the players, IM...I should mention here, that one of the players, IMHO, has made an unforced error by attempting to reach too far to quickly and overplayed their hand, and there's about to be a backlash against it. It's my hope that the reflex response may diffuse some of the situation.Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-38899003591633041692011-04-24T12:07:14.695-05:002011-04-24T12:07:14.695-05:00Let's see, make the populace afraid, force the...Let's see, make the populace afraid, force the government to break it's own ethics and civility, that breaks the basic social contract, the people revolt, attempt to direct the political outcome. I seem to remember that from some of my training. I don't know what it referred to, though. :)<br /><br />The fuckers are winning.Steve Buchheithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12999709767641212586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-84187015554575275932011-04-24T10:56:04.735-05:002011-04-24T10:56:04.735-05:00I think one of the attitudes in this mix is that n...I think one of the attitudes in this mix is that no one believes that they are badly educated, no matter how badly educated they truly are. It takes a major effort for someone to realize that they are ignorant on a subject, any subject, and to make an effort of filling in that sinkhole in their understanding. Much easier to either take someone else's opinion as direction, or to remain ignorant.<br /><br />I can point to such subjects in my own understanding; for instance, I am a complete, drooling idiot when it comes to woodturning, woodturning tools, or how the techniques of the former when used with the latter result in pretty things (although I do aver I am an expert at appreciating said pretty things for their intrinsic prettiness.) I also know that while I have some vague wish to gain such knowledge and expertise, I don't really have the time or inclination, given the other things I must do, and the things I'd rather do. So I defer to people like our esteemed host on such matters, trusting that he knows what he's doing and leaving it at that.<br /><br />Apply this principle across the population, with individuals maintaining their own interests and delegating the thinking about other subjects to those individuals interested in such thinking. One can make an argument that some subjects, such as civil rights, should be known by everyone, at least in outline, but then you get into the realm of what should that outline consist of, and which subjects should cover it, and who gets to write the syllabus, let alone the textbooks on that syllabus.<br /><br />In some ways, I think that the current fracturing of public education is at least in part a direct result of prior universal education, as 'educated' people backlash against what they see as flaws in the system, and go about trying to design a better system, whether in private schools or home schools or whatever. I do believe that what everyone wants is the best for their own children. Where their personal ignorance may be showing is in not seeing how campaigning for the best for someone else's children *also* serves the needs of their own.<br /><br />(Renee looks up, sees how much she's been babbling, and says, "Love the blog, Mr. Wright. How are the kitties?")Reneenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-77241952045779338562011-04-24T01:20:44.613-05:002011-04-24T01:20:44.613-05:00well Jennifer, I don't think you're on the...well Jennifer, I don't think you're on the opposite side of the fence from Jim or any of the rest of the commenters. When this gets boiled down, it appears that we're in the middle of class warfare, naturally, those in charge would prefer to not have it defined in those terms and imho I believe that they've studied quite well and are doing everything that they can to establish and maintain control of the wealth and power of this country.<br /><br />They do this by controlling the media, for example anyone see any MSM coverage of the 100K worth of protesters in Wisconsin? Or tens of thousands of people in the streets in Madison or Lansing or Columbus? Yeah, riveting coverage of hundreds of tea party rallies, not quite as much about labor rights. You see anyone discussing the Progressive Caucus budget plan, it actually addresses/retires the debt in 10 years, versus the Ryan plan of 35. Doesn't hack Social Security and Medicare, actually promotes single payer.... how? taxing the rich (modestly) and removing subsidies from big oil and coal. Closes corporate tax loopholes. The view from the Village, crickets chirping, the wrong people are "suffering" I suppose.<br /><br />Legislation making it tougher to vote, specifically targets young voters who typically go Dem. More crap about illegal immigration (despite numbers that show that its down) sowing fear of the other as if there are Hispanics of all stripes just waiting to recreate the homestead act if we're not ever vigilant.<br /><br />They sow discontent between public workers and private industry as if workers rights granted to one group is somehow a bad thing. The question isn't why do they have collective bargaining, it's why doesn't everybody? They could give a shit about abortion, they just want to control women, keep them poor, uneducated and powerless. Hell if every fetus is sacred, why axe prenatal care? What about the subsidies for the child once its born... as far as they are concerned, its innocent and protected until its born and then well, now onto something else. Goes hand in hand with gutting education, ignorant people are easier to fool, hell an unfortunate amount of people doen't even know the state capitals much less keeping abreast of financial or EPA regulations. <br /><br />Now they're going after the elderly and the soon to be retired by eliminating the money you've been paying into the system. It's a great plan that these folks are implementing with the battles being fought on so many fronts that its evident that there are probably very few folks pulling the strings. As they said in All the President's Men, follow the money. Who benefits?<br /><br />It comes down to this, they got theirs, now they want yours. If we don't wake up and unrig the game (tyvm SCOTUS for Citizens United) we're all gonna be looking for pitchforks soon, provided we can afford them. Problem is, these folks have plenty of flash to buy guys with guns.<br /><br />sorry for the diatribe, ending soapbox mode.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14337453751038062390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-26839931287259875712011-04-23T23:15:36.848-05:002011-04-23T23:15:36.848-05:00oops, sorry. 40% of marriages, the couples had alr...oops, sorry. 40% of marriages, the couples had already conceived/had children. (most women are not as ditsy as I am.)Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16480118394197060960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-11240666719161123642011-04-23T21:56:51.585-05:002011-04-23T21:56:51.585-05:00well a bit of an addendum -- if you want a source ...well a bit of an addendum -- if you want a source for the 1776 out of wedlock comment, that might have been philadelphia alone, same year that the number one cause of death in philly was not war, but malaria. i shall try to track down that source, a book by a penn state college prof, but at least saying it made your eyes pop and boggled your minds. : )<br />recall the story of "Tom Jones" and you gotta admit, they were in fact pretty free spirited back then.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16480118394197060960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-34732461678829589852011-04-23T21:44:31.524-05:002011-04-23T21:44:31.524-05:00from these other comments and judging by the sourc...from these other comments and judging by the source that suggested I look at this, seems like you might be singing to the choir. which is fine, nice to be able to discuss ideas in relative agreement and maybe add to the depth. My interest in commenting was merely to point out that yeah, I agree in many ways, but I respectfully ask the gentleman to acknowledge that women are here too and this time around, revolution or no, the contributions that women can make toward a sane culture and secure nation are profoundly valuable. Think of it, back in the day women were not taught how to read and did not attend school. The calls for public education quoted by our friendly scholar David were not at all inclusive of women. That has now changed. There are those who would see us put down again, there are those who imagine that ditsy barbie dolls like Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann should actually run for president (possibly just to prove that women really are too ditsy for that), there are those who call for the "traditional values" of antiquity (though 40% of babies born in America in 1776 were born out of wedlock), and of course, there are those who would like to see all of us in our place, poll dancing. Anyway, just want to put it out there that modern women are a new sort of animal which can, if nurtured and recognized properly, should give us all a big dose of hope.<br />Also would like to say I was surprised Jim that you point out internet info is unattainable to those who have no computer. So few Americans notice that.<br />And I have to say, I really hope a whole lot more guys thinking like you will come crawling out of the woodwork of our military. Really hope so.<br />Guess I should blog my own blog if I'm gonna go on and on like this. Nuff said. Peace out.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16480118394197060960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-85321201841748952382011-04-23T20:20:35.628-05:002011-04-23T20:20:35.628-05:00I agree with beachdog: this is some bleak stuff. B...I agree with beachdog: this is some bleak stuff. But the comments, especially the Bache quote (thank you, David) make me feel slightly better. Looking forward to tomorrow's post!Kate Hansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08030466281145135115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-92028225367248791352011-04-23T18:20:47.704-05:002011-04-23T18:20:47.704-05:00Curiously, I found the picture painted in your OP ...Curiously, I found the picture painted in your OP profoundly bleak and depressing, but my hope was rekindled by the comment thread.<br /><br />Maybe I need to get out more.beachdog67https://www.blogger.com/profile/09887850845423627424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-3529963029791754272011-04-23T17:41:33.574-05:002011-04-23T17:41:33.574-05:00As part of my dissertation research I read every i...As part of my dissertation research I read every issue of every newspaper published in Philadelphia between 1787 and 1801. It was a period of bitter, vitriolic rhetoric - of outrageous accusations and deep-seated fears for the security of the new republic, which was, after all, on its second constitution in two decades at that point. Nothing was guaranteed and everything was a point of vicious argument.<br /><br />Except one thing.<br /><br />The one thing that EVERY newspaper, no matter how partisan (and a partisan press was assumed then), agreed upon was the need for public education. Each side would reprint articles from the other approvingly, calling for more of it. They knew then precisely what you say now - that a well-educated, <i>broadly</i> educated populace was the cornerstone of the survival of the republic. Without it there would only be chaos. It was in EVERYONE's best interest to make that happen.<br /><br />Benjamin Franklin Bache, editor of the Democratic Republican paper <i>Aurora</i> and named after his grandfather, put it best in 1792:<br /><br />"Let the education of children become a common charge. If a man has property and no children, still he should be taxed to pay for the education of other men's children. The more knowledge, the safer his property. It is better protection than armies. Every day before this work is done, is time lost. All other securities of Liberty without this are trifling."<br /><br />We forget that at our peril.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03463621516644789183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-66875788898620778852011-04-23T16:39:48.510-05:002011-04-23T16:39:48.510-05:00Jim, the problem with restricting hours of access ...Jim, the problem with restricting hours of access to libraries, closing them, or limiting them to electronic content that can only be accessed via commercial readers is that it furthers the gap between the have and have-nots, the educated and the poorly educated, the rich and the poor.<br /><br />It's difficult to be bootstrappy when you don't have any boots.Nick from the O.C.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-34023726105912233362011-04-23T15:59:48.622-05:002011-04-23T15:59:48.622-05:00The problem with that Nick, is that it then become...The problem with that Nick, is that it then becomes very easy to restrict, manipulate, and regulate who has access. And if you're really good at it (remember my specialty used to be information warfare), you can do it without the public being the wiser.<br /><br />One the reasons I'm foursquare against my internet provider deciding what and how much information I can access.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.com