Saturday, September 29, 2012

A No Joy in Muddville Weekly Link Round-Up


Another quiet week here at Casa Kittling. Since it's cooler, I spent part of an afternoon out in the back doing a bit of gardening. I made plans to tackle those chores the night before, and I was in a quandary. I didn't know if I should slather on sunscreen or mosquito repellent. (For some reason I didn't think the two would work well together.) My problem was solved when I woke up in the morning: it was overcast, so I wore long sleeves and a hat... and slathered on anti-bug juice. I came back inside, sweaty but neither bitten nor burned. Score one for me!

This week I've been made (literally) quite ill by some news coming from Glendale, Arizona, another city here in the metropolitan area. Glendale went $25 million in debt by runaway spending on building a huge sports complex they thought would rake in the bucks. Think again, oh Wise Ones. You managed to lose money hosting the Super Bowl. Good move.

Unfortunately that money has to be made up in budget cuts if a recent sales tax increase is overturned. If the sales tax increase is overturned, 25% of the budget cuts will come from its excellent library system.  Two libraries will be closed completely, and 55 library staff members will be unemployed. Unless people get out and vote, they will lose their libraries (among other services) because a well-moneyed opposition is determined to overturn the .07% sales tax increase.

If any of you reading this live in Glendale, you undoubtedly love books and will vote to keep the sales tax. But don't let your support stop there. Be vocal about saving your libraries! You'd be surprised at how many people you can influence just by standing up for what you believe in.

On that sour note, let's move to something a bit happier-- the links!


Bookish News & Other Interesting Stuff

I  ♥  Lists

Book Candy

That's it for this week. Stop by next weekend when I'll have a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure!

10 comments:

  1. I read about the lacking of funding for the Glendale libraries on Lesa's blog and it makes me sick too. I really wonder about our elected officials sometimes.

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    1. More people should make the effort to vote. I have two friends-- normally considered very intelligent-- who refuse to vote. They think there's no way they can fix the problem. Well, when you put those two in with all the others who believe they can't fix the problem, they become... part of the problem!

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  2. Cathy - Why is it that libraries - such treasure troves - always pay the price when politicians cost citizens a lot of money? Grrrrrr!!!!!!! Oh, but thanks for the links.

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    1. Everyone who votes to close libraries should suddenly have their reading comprehension erased. Every time they look at the printed word, they simply do not understand what it means. THEN perhaps they may realize just how vital reading is in each of our lives!

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  3. May I just say that I agree with you 100%? If the situation is resolved by cutting their libraries, that community will have huge regrets. I'm sure of it.

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    1. I am so sick of short-sighted people who can only think of the immediate gain or loss, never the long-term effects of their actions. Makes my blood boil!

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  4. I've been seeing temps forecast for Phoenix of 102 and 98 in the past few days. That's cool????? Anyway I'm glad you got out to do some gardening without sunburn or bug bites. As for the Glendale situation, I made a comment on FB but speaking of "bites," that certainly does.

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    1. It *is* cool when the humidity is back down in the cellar where it belongs. Can you tell that I live where I'm supposed to live? Most humans don't think of high 90s and low 100s as "cool"! *grin*

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  5. Oh my golly gosh. Thanks for keeping me posted of all of life. I can't believe I missed the news in my own area!!! Oh, I know why!?! WE were having a baby! Yep, I am one doting Oma and so relieved that she's here safe and sound. Thanks for keeping my filled in on life in the big city and in the book world. You are awesome.

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    1. I just saw your photo of that bundle of cuteness. Congratulations!!!

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