Comments on: Fun with Facts

By: CarolM

CarolM — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 17:06:50 +0000

“There are more public libraries than McDonald’s in the U.S.—a total of 16,766 including branches.”

This is helpful. Now I know that when I am in an unfamiliar town and I need to use the bathroom, I am better off looking for a library than a McDonald’s.

By: Annoyed Librarian

Annoyed Librarian — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 16:24:56 +0000

“The Internet Home of Serious Business” describes this blog perfectly, and don’t dare think otherwise.

By: DevelopmentArrested

DevelopmentArrested — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 00:32:10 +0000

National parks are nature’s libraries.

By: DevelopmentArrested

DevelopmentArrested — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:20:17 +0000

“The fact that your initial comment had nothing to do with the article and was…not made in good faith…will hurt your feelings far more than any impassioned invective I could possibly hurl”

I was just riffing on the Subway comment. I’m sorry I forgot that was a super serious blog where every comment must be serious. Because this is the Internet home of the serious business.

And really, you don’t consider spelling filet “fil-a” to be stupid? Well, whatever. I’d rather not talk to you anymore. You may now go back to reading blog comments looking for comments about Chick-fil-a, so that you can argue about corporations’ inalienable right to be homophobic.

By: gatoloco

gatoloco — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:08:31 +0000

I wish the ALA wrote something well researched on qualitative outcomes instead. Such narratives can be powerful, and closer to the truth in this instance. I know the desire of many in the field is to use correlations, or imprecise facts, to prove the innate worth of our institutions. However the studies or reports are often done poorly, or with such flawed methodologies, that they hurt more than they help.

By: ChickenPolitics

ChickenPolitics — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 03:53:07 +0000

This word you keep using, “dumb,” I do not think it means what you think it means. (“Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya…”)

Despite how trite as it sounds, it’s often necessary for cherished and heartfelt sentiments to get bruised by cold, hard facts.

The fact that your initial comment had nothing to do with the article and was…not made in good faith…will hurt your feelings far more than any impassioned invective I could possibly hurl.

I won’t belabor this point with further observation because it’s unlikely that our kind hostess would appreciate the comments section straying from her interesting topic.

By: Tom M

Tom M — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 02:59:30 +0000

The word “facts” has pretty much come to mean “marketing” in most forms of public communication. Data is a much more boring word that can usually be trusted to refer to a dense, documented source that isn’t particularly quotable… for now.

By: DevelopmentArrested

DevelopmentArrested — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:36:17 +0000

Oh, I was also pretty darn close to spelling it right considering how incredibly dumb it’s spelled.

By: DevelopmentArrested

DevelopmentArrested — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:33:33 +0000

Apparently, your dumb political belief has dulled your sense of humor.

Please get it polished before coming back to comment.

By: The Librarian With No Name

The Librarian With No Name — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:52:48 +0000

Absolutely right. If we’re no longer allowed to use emotionally manipulative thought-terminating cliches, the terrorists have won.