US Cuts Off Nose to Save Money for Botox

You can tell when a civilization is in decline. It makes choices that are just down right short term in their thinking and long term stupid. Here's a sad story about the US shutting down libraries because "they can't afford them". Odd, the US is one of the most wealthy societies in the world. I guess the money "wasted" on libraries is needed for more upscale doggie biscuits and more gas for the Humvee. Nutty.

Here's a bit from an article in the NY Times:

Even the author Ray Bradbury put up a fight, but it was not enough to save the H. P. Wright Library in Ventura, Calif.

The library, like so many around the country, had fallen on hard times as city and state budgets tightened. Mr. Bradbury, a fierce advocate for public libraries, appeared at a fund-raiser last June aimed at helping to save the ailing branch. While that helped the library hang on for a bit, the long-term picture was bleak, and a recent bond measure that would have helped close a $650,000 deficit sunk.

The library’s final day on Nov. 30 was met with a candlelight vigil. “Needless to say, they put up a good fight,” said Sydney Weisman, a spokeswoman for the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library, which tried to keep the library afloat.

Libraries, like many publicly financed institutions, have been hit hard by the recession. Systems across the country have shortened hours, closed branches and in some cases threatened to close down entirely until they were saved by legislators or private donations. Several law libraries across Connecticut will close early next year.

Explaining his support of libraries generally and his efforts in Ventura specifically, Mr. Bradbury said in an interview last summer: “Libraries raised me. I don’t believe in colleges and universities. I believe in libraries, because most students don’t have any money. When I graduated from high school, it was during the Depression and we had no money. I couldn’t go to college, so I went to the library three days a week for 10 years.”

That's right. Raise tuition for colleges (Europe makes college free) and then wonder why the workforce is deskilled and illiterate! Rather than spend money on McMansions and bigger cars, US citizens should invest in their community: build up the libraries, enhance the schools, lower costs for education, provide more civic services.