This does not surprise me at all. It is an ideology run amok.

spent millions setting up libraries all over the country. Our new brand of Freeper Capitalists are just cheap bastards.

And that is the nicest thing I can say about em too.

by that ignorant mouth breather's statement.

Like you said, just when you thought you've heard it all.

"...stinking third world types..." Would that be the crime of Reading While Brown?

Oh, and the Freeper should tell it to Andrew Carnegie (who, of course, is long dead, but I'm sure you get my point).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_library
(see in particular the section "The Carnegie Formula&quot

It has nothing to do with the meteoric rise of tablets and e readers that have led to decreases in sales of printed copies. Nope it's them dang socalist librararies!!!

I think 'guns & violence'. huh.

to diagnose the problem. Personally, I'll bet the reason Barnes and Nobel is closing retail outlets is that Amazon has redefined how books are sold and distributed and large, generic retailers like Barnes and Nobel just aren't competitive in today's market.

This is an example of the free market, not government, influencing how goods are bought, sold and distributed.

Now, whether that is or isn't a problem isn't my point. My point is that if you do see it as a problem, the root is not with any "socialistic" distribution of books or knowledge. If you refuse to properly diagnose the problem, you aren't going to have much luck with a solution. This is true whether you are talking about how to protect children from gun violence or grow the economy or a whole host of other challenges facing us right now. If ideology blinds you to the root cause, and thus to actual, workable solutions, you can't really be part of the conversation (unless throwing poo counts, I guess).

And besides, libraries predate the rise and fall of Barnes and Nobel by a couple of centuries or so.

Really?

BTW I heard some Indiana state lawmakers once (seriously) suggest that the public library system was putting video store chains (i.e. Blockbuster) at a disadvantage. As if............... I mean, having a few select movies/tv shows on their shelves available to check out is no match for Blockbuster's catalog.

I knew it.

these motherfuckers are crazy.

And they're wrong. Anybody with half a brain, and I realize that eliminates he vast majority of the assholes in FreeperLand, understands that pubic libraries have nothing to do with this. Barnes & Noble, Borders and their competitors thrived for years despite public libraries. This happened because of the continuing growth of two things--the Internet in general and E-Books, Kindle, etc. in particular.

These neanderthals are a special level of stupid!

n/t

Rush actually blamed anti-smoking for our huge budget deficit.

B&N is going under because they couldn't crack the stinking third-world types and the homeless demographics

Last edited Mon Jan 28, 2013, 05:45 PM - Edit history (1)

I usually go there to window shop and then, if I really like something, I'll buy it from Amazon.com or any other place that sells for cheaper. If I just want to read it, I might get it from the library but the library doesn't necessarily have everything either. If I have a gift card, I might buy something from them (though I know it won't go very far at all). Otherwise, their prices are just so exorbitant.

Haven't these morons ever heard of Amazon and e-books? Gee, I wonder which had a bigger impact on B&N's decline over the last 10-15 years? The massive build out and popularity of public libraries, or the internet?

... and put them out of business.

Now the e-book readers and the intertubes have done the same to the big box book stores.

Turn about is fair play.

People working low-wage jobs, that can't afford to buy books, no reading for you!

Asshole!

I'd thought I'd heard it all!

I didn't believe them, but now...

Why are we continuing to maintain this socialistic, publicly-subsidized military?!! It's competing unfairly with hard-working, enterprising mercenaries!!

I wanted to instill in them a joy for reading, a sense of responsibility for taking care of something that didn't belong to them, and a sense of community when they participated in the library's storybook hour. These gathering places for culture and knowledge existed long before Barnes & Noble, and have nothing to do with their financial woes today. The freeper you quoted has probably never been to a library and it's no surprise he/she finds free knowledge revolting. They HATE intelligent people.

<p><strong>Please include attribution to Open-Site.org with this graphic.</strong><br /><br />
<a href="http://open-site.org/blog/the-future-of-libraries/"><img src="" alt="The Future of Libraries" width="500" border="0" /></a></p>

Somebody ask the freep nuts about the advantage of subsidized industries like fossil fuels over green energy.

As far as libraries being a hangout for "undesirables", one of the leaders of our local Teabag party was caught downloading pron at the public library.

Freepers really are the worst kind of people.

My local library was the main resource I had to the outside world. It's where I went for job searches, and interacting with people. Talking to other people in the same boat as I was kind of therapeutic in a demented sort of way.

What's next?
"If only it wouldn't rain, then the private sector could sell water. Rivers and lakes are socialized water-supply."

They are about privatizing everything and making a profit from it. It burns them when they see something that they can't make money from.

Wish I was kidding. They aren't a first order target, but a target nonetheless.
The plan here in Iowa is to cut property taxes to the point where all a city can provide is inadequate police protection.
No libraries, no pools, no graveyards, barely cleaning the streets.