Via Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association Lainey Seyler reports In response to Nazi salute photo from Baraboo, one Milwaukee high school wants to spread a message of love: On Friday afternoon, 50 students and about 15 staff members gathered at Milwaukee’s Rufus King High School to take a photo to spread peace. It’s a small act, but…
Good Ideas
America, Elections, Freedom of Speech, Good Ideas, Law, Libertarians, Liberty, Never Trump, Politics, Trump
Jennifer Rubin on ‘Three big ideas to bolster democracy’
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Jennifer Rubin writes of three ideas to bolster democracy (enhanced voting rights, independent and non-partisan justice, and robust speech rights): First, Republicans, in an effort to hang on to their declining electoral advantage based on white voters, have tried every trick in the book to limit voting by those they suspect will favor Democrats. Hence,…
Cats, Good Ideas
Friday Catblogging: 75-year-old Wisconsin man naps with cats while volunteering at animal shelter
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
If anyone’s looking for a little inspiration for their post-retirement career, you could do a lot worse than taking a cue from Wisconsin’s Terry Lauerman. The 75-year-old man is a volunteer at the Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary in Green Bay. His primary job, as it seems, is to take naps with the various cats. Save Haven’s founder, Elizabeth…
Good Ideas, League of Women Voters, Local Government, Politics
How to Build a Better Candidate Forum
by JOHN ADAMS • • 3 Comments
Posted originally 2.16.16. Reposted 3.8.18. A private local organization, in the habit of hosting candidate debates forums, may freely follow its national organization’s practices. Fair enough. Whitewater, however, would do better if she adopted better standards. There are two easy ways that Whitewater can make her candidate forums much better. ➤ Release Candidate Statements Before…
City, Culture, Demographics, Development, Economy, Free Markets, Good Ideas, Local Government, Planning, Politics, Poverty
Dane, Not the WOW Counties
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
For many years, Republicans have railed against Madison, and against Dane County, as bastions of dysfunctional liberalism. Indeed, this impulse has been strong even after the GOP gained control of both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office. Funny, though, that it’s Dane County – not the WOW counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, or Washington – that’s…
Good Ideas
A Response to Hate Groups
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
A reader kindly pointed me to a tweet describing a successful method to respond to Nazi sympathizers. It’s true that money for programs to rehabilitate racists is needed now more than ever, as the current administration recently cut funding for a vital program, Life After Hate, that works to counter violent extremism. Here’s the tweet, describing…
Art, City, Good Ideas
Studio 84 in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Studio 84, located in downtown Whitewater, is a non-profit art studio that offers “experiences in the visual arts and theater for the community …working with all people including those with Autism, physical disabilities, cognitive limitations and mental illness.” Milwaukee television channel 58 WDJT recently visited and reported on the studio’s work — CBS 58
Charity, City, Culture, Good Ideas, Hip & Prosperous, Local Government
More on the Right Social Conditions in a Small Town
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
I posted yesterday that Gentrification Requires the Right Social Conditions, contending in part that a small city like Whitewater remains divided (and by consequence limits its own attractiveness to newcomers) because it remains divided by town and gown (and divided within the town, itself, too). Whitewater’s problem is not that different factions do not have a…
Charity, City, Good Ideas
The Whitewater Community Foundation’s First Annual Campaign
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Please see a news release about charitable work in our small city — best wishes to all who are supporting the campaign – Whitewater Community Foundation is concluding its first ever Annual Campaign Thank you to everyone who donated! We reached our modest goal of $50,000, and the donations are still rolling in! Thank you to…
Film, Good Ideas, Hobbies
The World’s Largest Model Railroad
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
If model trains are built for kids, then it’s safe to say Bruce Zaccagnino is an incredibly large child. He’s the mastermind behind Northlandz, the self-proclaimed largest model railroad in the world. And according to filmmaker Andrew Wilcox, it’s one of the most under-appreciated attractions he’s ever seen. So he decided to capture it on…
Film, Good Ideas
Sunday Film: Macaroni Box Zoo
by JOHN ADAMS • • Comments
Education, Good Ideas
Asking About a Student’s Day
by JOHN ADAMS •
Post 15 in a series. Every parent wants to know how a child’s day went at school – what he or she learned, experienced, and thought about the day. Sometimes, however, the obvious question (“how was school today?”) doesn’t elicit more than a brief, unspecific answer. An NBC news story online, offers suggestions from a parent on…