jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Feb 11, 2011 17:32:16 GMT -5
What happened to libraries? Internet iBooks Discount/used bookstores You don't see too many blacksmiths and shoe repair stores around either...times change.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 11, 2011 18:05:23 GMT -5
Listing a bunch of low-quality, high-cost products and services as benefits is what I think is foolish. My wife's brother charges double the local "Fasty-Loob" for an oil change, takes twice as long and doesn't leave me a air-freshener. She forces me to send our cars to him. Her argument is that if he goes out of business, then we will be just giving him money to survive, so we might as well accept the low-quality, high-cost service that he provides rather than pay his competitor and then give him money anyway. By your definition I am benefitting greatly from being related to this Bozo, but I kinda think I could do better without this benefit. I suppose if I was only $20k-$30k in taxes for the services you list (and all the rest) I would have to say I was paying a low price for low quality, so what. But that ain't the case, so I think I could do better keeping my tax dollars and buying the services I wanted on a private basis, and therefore do not benefit. Another thing, spending my money to send other's kids to school to get educated to the point that they think they're too smart to pick strawberries, costs me taxes and higher priced strawberries, so that is double non-benefit.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 18:43:34 GMT -5
What happened to libraries? Internet iBooks Discount/used bookstores You don't see too many blacksmiths and shoe repair stores around either...times change. shoe repait shops still around,,Black Smith too, but usually in the country, horse country and many if not most travel, come to you...other wise it's metal shops..even small foundrys doing metal work.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 11, 2011 18:48:51 GMT -5
Listing a bunch of low-quality, high-cost products and services as benefits is what I think is foolish. My wife's brother charges double the local "Fasty-Loob" for an oil change, takes twice as long and doesn't leave me a air-freshener. She forces me to send our cars to him. Her argument is that if he goes out of business, then we will be just giving him money to survive, so we might as well accept the low-quality, high-cost service that he provides rather than pay his competitor and then give him money anyway. By your definition I am benefitting greatly from being related to this Bozo, but I kinda think I could do better without this benefit. I suppose if I was only $20k-$30k in taxes for the services you list (and all the rest) I would have to say I was paying a low price for low quality, so what. But that ain't the case, so I think I could do better keeping my tax dollars and buying the services I wanted on a private basis, and therefore do not benefit. Another thing, spending my money to send other's kids to school to get educated to the point that they think they're too smart to pick strawberries, costs me taxes and higher priced strawberries, so that is double non-benefit. We are no longer a rural lovong country where one could be self sufficient for most thing, especially food , shelter and possible barter for services and items needed that we can't supplu our selves.. I know, I tried to barter some old cd's and 8 track tapes for a plane ride to Boston last Thanksgiving..some guy in a uniform pulled a glock on me and frog walked me out of the building and accused me of being out of touch.{geez}
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 11, 2011 18:53:38 GMT -5
"We are no longer a rural lovong country where one could be self sufficient for most thing, especially food , shelter and possible barter for services and items needed that we can't supplu our selves.."
Therefore, if the government does no provide it, then a service and product cannot exist. My point isn't that I would not buy these services, only that given a choice, where the government had to cover it's costs, a private entity would provide the service cheaper and at a higher quality.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 10:37:41 GMT -5
Suppose one cannot afford to buy those books? Are such people to be as dumb as posts? And when you need one of these ignoramuses to work for you, will you condemn him or her for being a moron? If libraries did not exist, then private book exchanges, and rental companies would fill the void quickly. The assertion that access to books cures stupid, is silly. Plenty of people that have read tons of volumes of you-name-it and are still ignoramuses. Our judicial system is full of attorneys that have shown to be great readers and poor at everything else. (not all attorneys a idiots, but all are well read, and some are quite incapable) When I need to hire a dunce, it will be because there are some jobs that don't require ability to process complex variables. I will not condemn them, in fact, I highly value the unskilled laborer when I need unskilled labor. I highly doubt that public funding a library has any affect on the supply of skilled labor.
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fairlycrazy23
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Post by fairlycrazy23 on Feb 12, 2011 11:22:12 GMT -5
There is no problem with local governments providing libraries, but all federal funding should stop and the bureaucracy to support it eliminated.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 16:29:54 GMT -5
Private book exchanges are not going to get books into the hands of people who live in poor neighborhoods far from the book donors. It is not going to deal with the physics student who needs to examine a scholarly text and not the latest Robin Steele. If all of you got your wishes you would live in Thomas Hobbe's world of nature where life is nasty, brutish and short. So sad America has come to this when people begrudge others an education, access to literacy, protection of children from labor explotation, etc. An entrepreneurial mind would quickly realize that they could buy used books in wealthy areas, and lease them out in poor areas. If there is a profit to be made the product will arise, and the beauty is that profit encourages efficiency which drives down the cost, I would hate to think of the cost of each book that is borrowed from the library. I would guess that it is close to the purchase price of the book at new quality. BTW I don't begrudge anybody anything, I just don't like paying the, inefficient gov't price for a product and service that I don't receive.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 12, 2011 16:38:44 GMT -5
Private book exchanges are not going to get books into the hands of people who live in poor neighborhoods far from the book donors. It is not going to deal with the physics student who needs to examine a scholarly text and not the latest Robin Steele. If all of you got your wishes you would live in Thomas Hobbe's world of nature where life is nasty, brutish and short. So sad America has come to this when people begrudge others an education, access to literacy, protection of children from labor explotation, etc. An entrepreneurial mind would quickly realize that they could buy used books in wealthy areas, and lease them out in poor areas. If there is a profit to be made the product will arise, and the beauty is that profit encourages efficiency which drives down the cost, I would hate to think of the cost of each book that is borrowed from the library. I would guess that it is close to the purchase price of the book at new quality. BTW I don't begrudge anybody anything, I just don't like paying the, inefficient gov't price for a product and service that I don't receive. Actually in libraries..when a best seller comes out, especially in fiction , many copies purchased, then shortly the demand falls off after being met and as patrons are on to another best seller, these books are not bought but leased from the publishers and after demand wanes , most go back for almost full value .
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 16:59:43 GMT -5
Wow public libraries must be hugely profitable.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 17:00:29 GMT -5
They must save the taxpayer money.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 12, 2011 17:11:42 GMT -5
They must save the taxpayer money. Save money,,,far from it, it's a cost, supported by taxpayers...buildings, employees, the different media offered, computers Internet connection costs, ..where I am the fines , which i pay a chink on don't go to the libraries but the general funds..wish they would go to the libraries for the extras that libraries would love to offer acquire but can't afford do to budget constraints. To me, libraries, best thing that I get to do a hands on on use in my town..police , fire roads, grass maintenance...more behind the lines services, know they are there, important but little actual contact by me.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 17:17:21 GMT -5
My point, exactly, the cost of each book borrowed may in fact cost the taxpayer the purchase price of the book in new quality. All of that overhead is paid, in part, by me, and I haven't stepped foot in a library in 15 years.
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 17:42:14 GMT -5
enough to provide the demand.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 12, 2011 18:12:37 GMT -5
My point, exactly, the cost of each book borrowed may in fact cost the taxpayer the purchase price of the book in new quality. All of that overhead is paid, in part, by me, and I haven't stepped foot in a library in 15 years. Your loss in my mind but it's your business..thanks for the support of them through your taxes paid though, I am sure the citizens of your area would thank you if they read your post so I am thanking you for them.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Feb 12, 2011 18:21:15 GMT -5
My point, exactly, the cost of each book borrowed may in fact cost the taxpayer the purchase price of the book in new quality. All of that overhead is paid, in part, by me, and I haven't stepped foot in a library in 15 years. My taxes pay for schools and I don't have children in school. My taxes support the police and fire depts and I haven't been arrested or had a fire. But I would not want to do away with any of them.
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Feb 12, 2011 20:04:49 GMT -5
Suppose one cannot afford to buy those books? Are such people to be as dumb as posts? And when you need one of these ignorami to work for you, will you condemn him or her for being a moron? If they can't afford to buy a cheap, used book....chances are they aren't much fer fancy book learnin' However, there are also several places (usually businesses, like diners) where people just drop off their old books for anyone to pick up and read for free.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 12, 2011 20:08:38 GMT -5
lol..I can't beluieve this thread our discussions on. possible they are Egytioned out after all Bills...
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skweet
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Post by skweet on Feb 12, 2011 22:22:33 GMT -5
My point, exactly, the cost of each book borrowed may in fact cost the taxpayer the purchase price of the book in new quality. All of that overhead is paid, in part, by me, and I haven't stepped foot in a library in 15 years. My taxes pay for schools and I don't have children in school. My taxes support the police and fire depts and I haven't been arrested or had a fire. But I would not want to do away with any of them. I would privatize all of these services, either pay-per-service or on membership basis. I know that I am in the minority, but the efficiencies created would save everyone so much money, that I can't help but say my piece.
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flopsy
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Post by flopsy on Feb 13, 2011 19:09:27 GMT -5
the best thing about libraries is that i get to read cheesy romance novels and crappy sci fi books that are entertaining but i otherwise wouldn't buy because i wouldn't know what to do with them when i was done. i don't need the library for Ayn Rand since i own a majority of her books. i'm sorry everyone that i brought up Ayn Rand earlier, didn't know that she was a sore spot for the board.
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flopsy
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Post by flopsy on Feb 13, 2011 19:29:25 GMT -5
We the Living is the most awesomely depressing book i have ever read. i highlyrecommend it.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 13, 2011 19:45:42 GMT -5
My taxes pay for schools and I don't have children in school. My taxes support the police and fire depts and I haven't been arrested or had a fire. But I would not want to do away with any of them. I would privatize all of these services, either pay-per-service or on membership basis. I know that I am in the minority, but the efficiencies created would save everyone so much money, that I can't help but say my piece. Actually , after thinking about it...need a cop, you call for one, they tell you the charge , give credit/debit card over the phone while he/she/they are responing, transaction finished by time they arrive..same with fire, mmmm, could work, now if card not current , charge is over the limit..could be some problems...best to keep some extra cash on you..ooop's , forgot, wallet was stolen...mmmm , back to the drawing board.
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Mad Dawg Wiccan
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Rest in Peace
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Post by Mad Dawg Wiccan on Feb 13, 2011 21:17:38 GMT -5
There has been no closure of libraries around me. In fact, the one a half-block away from me was just recently razed and rebuilt.
Probably entirely funded by my wife's late fees.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2011 21:36:04 GMT -5
LOL! I'm right there with your wife on the late fees. I go there to save $ , but those fees when you get stacks of bks at a time.
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handyman2
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Post by handyman2 on Feb 13, 2011 21:40:45 GMT -5
I am in a rural area and they just added a large addition on to the library. They also have a mobile liberary that goes to areas where older people cannot get out very well. The library has a massive amount of history that more should read. but usually don't. I do find that if I am looking for a referance from a particular book I can find it on the net without going to the library.
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 13, 2011 21:54:04 GMT -5
LOL! I'm right there with your wife on the late fees. I go there to save $ , but those fees when you get stacks of bks at a time. I learned at my library..get friendly with the librarians..when checking out books..mention going away on a trip, ask if they can give the maximum time on the books and cd's..a best seller now is two weeks..it jumps to 4 weeks if no reserve on it..same with the cd's , goes from 4 days to eight..after a while know I just ask for the max , they have to do my hand..we have automatic checkout now..it might be available at your library too.check out time being longer...saves me a bundle.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2011 21:57:54 GMT -5
Best Seller are just a wk for us. 3 wks for the rest. It used to be 4 and I can't get used to the 3 wk thing. We have a great library. They have cut back some hrs though.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Feb 13, 2011 21:58:26 GMT -5
Anyone remember bookmobiles?
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deziloooooo
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Post by deziloooooo on Feb 14, 2011 0:14:44 GMT -5
yes , beach summer time, note all the little girls wore dresses...boys the jeans...
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Feb 14, 2011 9:03:22 GMT -5
Where do you get the idea that used texts are cheap? Costs of over $100.00 per book are common. Now I know that you haven't darkened the door of either a library or a college book store in eons. The prices are printed right on the book. In fact, rare manuscripts of use to scholars can easily cost in the tens of thousands and never leave their library homes. What the hell kind of books are you buying??? If the books people want are for leisure reading, you can get those for $2-$5 at any half-price bookstore.
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