The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

What Would We Do Without Professors?
“University Professors: Libya’s Future Uncertain After Gadhafi’s Death”–headline, Michigan Daily (University of Michigan), Oct. 20

Questions Nobody Is Asking
“Why Not Occupy Newsrooms?”–headline, New York Times, Oct. 24

Bottom Stories of the Day

  • “Pete Seeger Joins NYC Protests”–headline, Associated Press, Oct. 22
  • “Redskins Continue Their Search for Stability at Quarterback”–headline, Washington Post, Oct. 22
  • “McCain Raises Prospect of Military Option in Syria”–headline, Agence France-Presse, Oct. 23
  • “Jobs Plan Stalled, Obama to Try New Economic Drive”–headline, New York Times, Oct. 24

Krugman’s Army Battles the Homeless
“It’s turning into us against, them,” says a 36-year-old Occupy Boston protester quoted by the Boston Herald’s Howie Carr. Wait, wasn’t that the idea? Not exactly. It turns out that when he says “them,” the guy is referring not to billionaire Jewish bankers but street vagrants. “They come in here and they’re looking at it as a way of getting a free meal and a place to crash, which is totally fine, but they don’t bring anything to the table at all.”

The same is true in New York, where, according to the Daily News, “Zuccotti Park has become a haven for the homeless,” who are abandoning shelters and camping out at the park, “enticed by the allure of free food and a community of open-minded people.” But as in Boston, open-mindedness goes only so far. “We have compassion toward everyone. However, we have certain rules and guidelines,” says Lauren Digioia, 26, who belongs to the “sanitation committee”:

“If you’re going to come here and get our food, bedding and clothing, have books and medical supplies for no charge, they need to give back,” Digioia said. “There’s a lot of takers here and they feel entitled.

…Meanwhile, the New York Times reports on the “library” at Occupy Boston, which carries a full range of titles from Z to Zinn. The best detail is this: “The librarians have eschewed the Dewey Decimal System, concerned by historical accounts that portray Melvil Dewey, its inventor, as a racist and misogynist.”

Take a college humanities department and deprive it of all the support it receives from capitalist enterprises–investment income from the institution’s endowment, tuition money from well-heeled parents, subsidies from taxpayers–and what do you get? A bunch of crazy freeloaders sleeping in a park.

For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.”