Too many tabs (1)

[solarbird]

Here, I have too many tabs open. Enjoy several items! First, the nice bits:

Free Museum Admission Day in the US, September 26th. They have a list and map of participating museums. Participating museum locator here.

A really nice aerial photograph of the Burning Man site from this year.

Not entirely - just mostly - unrelated, please enjoy this high-resolution topographic map of Mars.

Finally, Two Player Productions put up a bit set of live tracks from a bunch of bands, including Anamanaguchi, all from Blip Festival 2008. Please to enjoy musics!

Now two not-at-all fun bits:

Robert Hersch, primary author of the US Federal government's report on peak oil, talks to the ASPO USA on the difficulties of getting the report done and out at all - it was too much a "bad news" story, and still is: "...I would argue for because somebody has to stand up and say the emperor has no clothes. That’s going to be very difficult because people don’t like to hear bad news, and this is terrible news, and as it sinks in, markets will drop and there will be an immediate recessionary reaction, because people will realize that this is such a horrendous problem that having a positive outlook on employment and the economy is just simply unrealistic."

The Philadelphia public library system is preparing to shutter all operations on October 2nd, pending revisions to state budgeting. I don't know how much of this may be stunt, but it is consistent with the massive shortfalls in tax revenue in most parts of the US.

Comments

[phillipalden.livejournal.com]

I suspect a number of libraries around the country will close. It's sad that it's gotten to this point, but even sadder that the men who caused this are not in jail awaiting trial for multiple criminal counts, including potential RICO violations.

[silussa.livejournal.com]

While I think they're playing a bit of brinksmanship, it also sounds quite realistically like a shutdown. They're NOT counting on the state providing more money in time.

Ouch.

[waysofseeing.livejournal.com]

The Philadelphia library closures are getting the national press (and not without reason), but that's a symptom, not the root cause. The real problem is that the city of Philadelphia has run itself straight into a California-style budget crisis, to the tune of about a $700 million shortfall.

Philly is now utterly dependent on a bailout at the state level. (And the legislature can't even figure out how to pass their own budget.) If the commonwealth doesn't step in, Philadelphia is working on what's called a "Plan C" contingency budget that strips the city to the bone: no libraries, no recreation centers (which are widely credited for reducing teen crime and drug dealing in the city), much reduced trash pickup, the closure of nine fire companies, five medic units, and layoffs of over 1000 cops.

If this little adventure comes to pass, the libraries are going to be the least of Philly's problems. It wouldn't take much for the city to slip back to the corrupt rathole it was in the 70s and 80s.

[denelian.livejournal.com]

thats absolutely appaling.
it's... it's hard for me to actually understand most of the effects of this "recession" (or whatever they are calling it this month...) that are not things that affect me or mine. i *hear* about things, but unless i know someone affected, they don't seem real
so this hit me in the gut - the entire library system of Philidelphia? at least, i assume its a system.

Columbus (Ohio) Library system took what was essentially 50% cut (adding in everything), and they've scaled back a *LOT*, asked for more donations, are selling more old books, etc. now all the branches are open M-T 10-8 (used to be 9-9), F and S only from 12-4, and on Sunday ONLY the main branch is open, again 12-4. they have cut some few employees, but most accepted a small pay cut to keep their position (which is awesome on the one hand, they kept their job *AND* there are still librarians; on the other hand, pay CUTS, with inflation!?!?!?)

so i have a better grasp now, about how bad off Philadelphia is now...

[elfs.livejournal.com]

That music is awesome. Unicorn Dream Attach is so pretty it makes elves cry.