A measure that matters: Local unemployment increases.

Not far from Whitewater, little more than twenty miles away, sits the City of Janesville, a small city of about sixty-thousand people. The city has had all manner of economic problems, and it has unemployment among the highest in Wisconsin. If life itself were just a bit easier, and kinder, one might hope that Janesville…

On January 21st,  the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Citizens United, following oral argument in March, and re-argument in September.   The decision is controversial (sometimes unfairly through misunderstanding), but is a welcome recognition of First Amendment principles. I have mentioned the case at least once before,  after the original oral…

I have no idea of the likelihood of a double-dip recession, and even Martin Feldstein, a respected economist, won’t lay odds on a second recession. Still, if the likelihood of another recession grows, the prospect of nothing beyond minimal growth, at best, grows, too. No better time to reduce public spending, taxes, and regulations. See,…

There are still significant economic challenges ahead for Wisconsin, as unemployment in the state increased to 8.3% in December. No better time for lower taxes and fewer regulations than during a time of rising unemployment. See, December unemployment rate for Wisconsin continues upward trend — Walworth County Today.

Good morning, The forecast for Whitewater today is for a wintry mix — snow, freezing drizzle, and sleet — with a high of 30 degrees. Friends of the Mounds, a group encouraging people to help maintain and preserve Whitewater’s only archaeological site, the Whitewater Indian Mounds Archaeological Park on Indian Mounds Parkway meets tonight at…

Max’s fee is worth every penny. If anything, he should charge more. See, Bed bug problem? Call a dog named Max.

Good morning, Whitewater’s forecast calls for a cloudy day, with a high in the low thirties. In our schools today, it’s Coffee with the Principal, held at 8:30 AM at each of the five schools within our district. On this day in Wisconsin history, as recounted at the Wisconsin Historical Society’s website, a national accomplishment:…

Bet he can fly to the court house, too. See, East Boston cat called to jury duty.

Vice President Joe Biden – the gift that keeps on giving. When he retires from federal office, he’ll probably retire to Whitewater. He’d fit right in with our local politicians. Joe Biden update: He meets on transparency today. But the meeting is closed.

Over at Politico.com, libertarian Radley Balko comments on the dubious career of Massachusetts candidate for the U.S. Senate, Martha Coakley. A career prosecutor, she has been connected to some of the worst criminal justice abuses in Massachusetts history. Like other ambitious prosecutors, she’s tried to parlay her conduct into proof that she’s tough on crime.…

In late December, I posted a video of a Washington, D.C. police officer who unholstered his gun in a confrontation with snowball throwers. See, “Don’t Bring a Gun to a Snowball Fight. There’s an update to the story, from Reason‘s Radley Balko, entitled, “The D.C. Snow Job.” Here’s the situation that snowy day, as Balko…

No one hopes for peace more than libertarians do. Afghanistan has been a long war, stretching out over so many years, against a despicable enemy. One hopes for success, that America’s work will be done. A story on a local marine officer who served in Afghanistan, and believes success is possible, is available online at…

There’s an astonishing video from Washington, D.C. during the unusually large snowfall there last week. You may have seen this video already, but if you’ve not, it’s well worth watching. (Note: Language NSFW.) In the video, a group of pedestrians who have been throwing snowballs at cars are confronted by an angry motorist, who is…