Most red-state University libraries are open to the public, including the University of Texas in Austin. Of course that probably reflects, ultimately, the relative cost of real estate, and I would hope that the other top-tier California schools not situated in such densely-populated areas have a more open policy.

Still there is an irony that the library at an institution so identified with progressivism is closed to the community, while the libraries at places like Texas A&M "serve the community as well as the university", a phrase that routinely appears in the mission statements of university libraries in flyover country.

Of course most other cities haven't allowed themselves to become a mecca for runaways and hobos the way the Bay Area, has, so we're really talking about irony on top of irony. In short: the area is overrun by the recreational homeless, so progressive institution can't let the cab driver improve himself after his shift is over.

(on edit) to be sure, at the above institutions, you still have to produce ID to use the computers, or check out books. But anyone can read the books there.

Posted at March 9, 2007 8:08 AM in response to Berkeley Blues

Correction: Kanye said Bush doesn't care about black people. Much more accurate: Bush probably has nothing against black people, and is genuinely friendly to the ones he meets. But "out of sight, out of mind"; he just really doesn't give a rat's ass what happens to the least fortunate Americans among us.

Posted at December 27, 2006 6:40 AM in response to Event of the (Two) Year (Cycle)?

I agree that the election itself was the tipping point. But it wasn't so much disillusionment among his supporters (they are mostly still with him) as it was the scorched-earth nature of the re-election campaign. It was surely the most un-Presidential campaign run by an incumbent in modern history. The strategy was really to bum swing voters out on Kerry (they were already bummed on Bush), and to play to the grossest fears and resentments of Bush's base. It was enough to get them to the shore, by the votes of a hundred thousand Ohioans. But since they had, so to speak, burned all the furniture and deck planks just to get that far, they had nothing left to govern with.

Posted at December 27, 2006 6:23 AM in response to Tipping Bush

The bloggingheads link in the parent post doesn't work.
Try here: Bloggingheads.tv with Anne-Marie Slaughter and Anatol Lieven

Posted at October 17, 2006 7:42 AM in response to Princeton Project Strikes Back, Part II

It's possible that John was being facetious, since we had $3/gallon gas this summer and since it's likely to go above $3/gallon to stay in the near future.

Posted at September 20, 2006 1:43 PM in response to Taxing the Black

I think you mean McNair, not McNabb. But the real win-win acquisition would have been Brett Favre, who has a couple of good years left but who's on a team which is certain to lose at least 10 games.

Posted at September 16, 2006 7:36 AM in response to Only 'bout the 'boys

I don't think Bush nor his speechwriters were lying when Bush said that "Saddam threw the inspectors out". I really think they just don't remember, or just remember things the way they want them to have been. Bush himself, I suspect, only remembers perceived slights to himself or his family. And there's not really a tactical upside to having a historical memory. It's more of a custodial thing, one of the institutional duties of the office, which obviously Bush & Co could give f-all about. The media and the voters don't remember, either, so no one's ever going to call you on such lapses.

Posted at September 14, 2006 8:45 PM in response to Bush's Radical Consistency

Citing Ann Althouse undermines your point even further, if that's possible.

Posted at September 10, 2006 2:37 PM in response to Makin' a List, Checkin' it Twice

My understanding was that there were to be no commercials at all. There are surely to be none at the network level. So in some sense all of ABC's advertisers are enabling this broadcast, since ABC is essentially broadcasting the $40 million production for free.

There may be breaks, however, for the local affiliates. Asking them to suspend their own commercials, to contribute their money along with their credibility to ABC's gift to the GOP, might have been too much. Obviously the base of local advertisers is a little more diffuse than the likes of Toyota and Proctor & Gamble that are the big buyers for network time.

Posted at September 10, 2006 10:48 AM in response to Makin' a List, Checkin' it Twice

asbestos

Posted at August 28, 2006 8:51 AM in response to Housing Bust?