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Author Archive for JOHN ADAMS

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 12-8-10

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Good morning,

It’s a partly sunny and cold day for Whitewater, with a high temperature of twenty degrees.

There are three public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today.

At 9 a.m., the Tech Park Board meets, with the agenda available online. The agenda includes, among others, these items:

  • the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Whitewater and UW-W
  • the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Whitewater and UW-W
  • Closed session review under Wisconsin law of the Innovation Center manager hiring process

At 5 p.m. today, there will be a meeting of the Landmarks Committee, with an available online agenda.

At 7 p.m., there will be a public meeting on a restoration plan for the Whitewater Effigy Mounds Preserve.

Neighbors and interested community members are invited to attend a community meeting on Wednesday, December 8th at 7:00 PM, held at the Whitewater Municipal Building in the 1st floor community room. The meeting will be an opportunity to learn about restoration efforts at the Whitewater Effigy Mounds Preserve (formerly Indian Mounds Park). A plan is being prepared to guide the city in the restoration and preservation of this archeologically significant site in Whitewater. The City has contracted with Jennings & Associates, a planning firm that has significant background in both land restoration and planning, as well as archeological preservation.

Lincoln School’s book fair continues today.

The Wisconsin Historical Society recalls that on this day in 1917,

On this date the inventor of the twine-binder, John F. Appleby died. Appleby was raised on a wheat farm in Wisconsin and searched for an easier way to harvest and bundle grains. His invention gathered severed spears into bundles and bound the sheaves with hempen twine. His invention, which was pulled by horses, was a great success. In 1878 William Deering, a farm machinery manufacturer secured the right to use Appleby’s patent and sold 3,000 twine harvesters in a single year. In 1882 the McCormicks (of the McCormick reapers) paid $35,000 for the privilege to manufacture Appleby’s invention. Appleby spent the rest of his life in his shop trying to create additional successful machinery. [Source: Badger Saints and Sinners by Fred L. Holmes]

Books, Free Markets

‘Birds of America’ by John James Audubon Sets Book-Sale Record – WSJ.com

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Maybe print’s not dead after all.

In a four-minute bidding battle in London that set Sotheby’s astir, an original edition of John James Audubon’s “Birds of America” on Tuesday set what the company called a record for the sale of printed books at auction.

Michael Tollemache, a London fine art dealer and bird enthusiast, bought the four-volume illustrated work for $11.5 million.



Via ‘Birds of America’ by John James Audubon Sets Book-Sale Record – WSJ.com. more >>

Politics

Milwaukee County’s woes make possible exec candidates hesitant – JSOnline

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The county’s a mess, but Wisconsin’s governor-elect bears some of the responsibility for that sorry condition.

Fence-sitters contemplating a run for Milwaukee County executive are daunted by the county’s financial troubles and growing calls for dissolving county government, according to [County Treasurer] Daniel Diliberti – one of the fence-sitters….

County Executive and Governor-elect Scott Walker has advocated for eliminating county government, as have members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.

A special election for the remainder of Walker’s unexpired term as county executive is expected to coincide with the spring elections.

With the county facing a huge structural budget deficit and Walker pledging to put state government on a diet – a move that could mean diminished state aid for the county – it’s no wonder the would-be candidates are mostly staying on the sidelines, Diliberti said during a meeting with Journal Sentinel editors and reporters.

See, a Diliberti: County’s woes make possible exec candidates hesitant – JSOnline.

Politics

Politics Daily: Newt Gingrich Deletes Tweet Touting His Pearl Harbor Books

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Why does anyone take him seriously?

Newt Gingrich has apparently thought better of using this Pearl Harbor Day to sell books.

Mediaite reported the former speaker of the House has deleted a tweet that reminded his Twitter followers about the two World War II novels he has co-written:

“The 69th anniversary of the japanese attack is a good time to remind folks of our novels pearl harbor and days of infamy newt.”

Via Newt Gingrich Deletes Tweet Touting His Pearl Harbor Books.

Government Spending, Politics

The Economic Incompetence of the Political Class — Forbes.com

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Charles W. Kadlec, founder of the Community of Liberty:

In the U.S. at least, the looming debt crisis among states and municipalities also reflects a lack of diligence on the part of the citizenry. This can be attributed in part to a naïve assumption by the electorate that those in government, freed from the profit motive, could be trusted to do what was “right” for the community as a whole.

Instead, what we now can see is that elected officials, following a power motive, can be as greedy and irresponsible as anyone in the private sector. In many cases, officials from both parties have been captured by powerful interests, including public sector unions and recipients of transfer payments. As a consequence, they have willfully committed current and future taxpayer money to benefit those with political power at the expense of the community as a whole.

One lesson is that to live in liberty requires an elevated level of diligence, oversight and skepticism of our elected officials. Taxpayers and financial market regulators need to insist on more honest accounting and disclosure of the true costs of the government programs in general….

See, The Economic Incompetence of the Political Class.

Government Spending, Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s Projected Biennial Budget Deficit

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There’s much debate — more than there should be — about the size of the projected Wisconsin state budget deficit. In late November, the Doyle Administration announced a projected deficit of only about 1.5 billion dollars. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s PolitiFact Wisconsin observes, the projected deficit is closer to 3 billion dollars:

An independent researcher who has studied the deficit, University of Wisconsin-Madison economist Andrew Reschovsky, said the DOA report obscured the real size of the problem by incorporating solutions into the mix — solutions that Walker may or may not pursue.

“You have to go back to the status quo — before furloughs — to see what the magnitude of the problem is,” Reschovsky said.

Reschovsky issued his own estimate in September pegging the deficit at $3.1 billion, though he says it would be under $3 billion if he did it today.

That Wisconsin’s projected deficit is twice as large as projections that assume continuing the furlough program (and other spending reductions) shows how troubled are Wisconsin’s finances.

It’s predictable that an outgoing administration would want to minimize Wisconsin’s fiscal problems. Republicans, having served for years, should not be surprised. There’s much fuss that this is all ‘Madison math.’ In Madison or any other state capital, it’s more like incumbents’ math, regardless of party.

Local officials will be sure to complain that any reductions in state aid to cities and schools are all Madison’s fault. Therein one sees the double standard to which those local leaders adhere. Now that times are bad, reductions in aid are loudly decried as Madison’s fault (rather than the fault of local over-reliance on outside revenues; when times were good, and the state poured money into cities and schools, local officials saw those funds as proof of their own vision and competency (with little credit going to Madison).

Reliance on state sources of revenue is simply imprudent over-reliance. Cities that have battened on the state’s contributions, and yet haven’t managed to cut more than just a bit, will find the next few years particularly difficult.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 12-7-10

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Good morning,

Whitewater’s forecast calls for a mostly sunny day with a high temperature of nineteen degrees.

Whitewater’s Common Council meets tonight at 6:30 p.m. The agenda is available online, and includes, among others, these items:

  • Second reading of Natural Landscape Yard Ordinance (Park & Recreation Board Recommendation)
  • Second reading of an amendment to Chapter 5 relating to Transient Merchant Licenses (Request for Extension of closing time for downtown transient merchant businesses from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.).
  • Consideration of discussion and possible action regarding building permit fees
  • Consideration of the adoption of a social media policy.

At Lakeview School, there will be a PTA meeting at 6 p.m. tonight. Lincoln School, home of the Leopards, has a book fair in the library today.

The Wisconsin Historical Society recalls that events of this day occurring in 1941 and 1943:

1941 – Wisconsin Man Survives Pearl Harbor Attack

On this date Russ Warriner, a 25-year-old first class seaman on the USS Arizona, miraculously survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The explosions ripped apart the Arizona and killed nearly all his mates. At the time of the attack, Warriner was on the sky control platform, where his job was to spot enemy ships and planes. The bomb that struck the Arizona sliced through the steel deck and exploded into a fuel tank. Fire flared for seven seconds before it ignited 1.7 million pounds of explosives held in the ship’s magazine. More than 1,000 sailors died instantly, including many on the lookout platform with Warriner. Warriner lost his balance and fell onto the platform. His hands swept through fiery magnesium remaining from incendiary bombs and were nearly burned off. He was knocked off the ship, pulled aboard a small motor boat, and eventually made his way to shore. Warriner was treated at Great Lakes Naval Base in Illinois, where plastic surgeons were able to repair his hands. Warriner settled in Wisconsin, married and raised two children. In the late 90s, Warriner was a retired piano tuner living in Beloit Township. [Source: Janesville Gazette]

1943 – USS-Wisconsin Christened

On this date the USS Wisconsin was christened by Wisconsin’s first lady Madge Goodland. The ship was re-christened by Mrs. Goodland in March, 1951 during the Korean War. The USS Wisconsin was inactive for many years but was recommissioned in 1989. [Source: First Ladies of Wisconsin, the Governor’s Wives by Nancy G. Williams, p.181]

Laws/Regulations

Reason.tv’s Nanny of the Month for November 2010: Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett

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Here is the caption accompanying the video:

This month nannies banned beverages that mix booze with caffeine and one top official even hinted that the feds may disable cell phones in cars.

But this time top dishonors go to the heartland mayor who sacked the Lingerie Football League.

Presenting Reason.tv’s Nanny of the Month for November 2010: Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett!

Approximately 1.17 minutes.

“Nanny of the Month” is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Associate Producer: Alex Manning. Opening animation: Meredith Bragg.
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