I’ve received two messages concerning comment sections on blogs. The first one asked that I add a comment section on FREE WHITEWATER, and the second message contended that one could not advocate coherently a free speech position without a comments section beneath each post. I’ll address both points in turn. The first asks if I’ll…

In Wisconsin, there are thousands of independent websites, many of them covering a single city or town, but others devoted to an issue or project. From a student-led effort at Marquette University, there’s a new environmental website called Greenvoting.com. Here’s a description of the Greenvoting.com website: Greenvoting is sort of a hybrid between Wikipedia and…

Longtime readers know that, for the most part, I have confined my commentary to activities within the City of Whitewater, population 14,296. Not far from the city, however, sits the Town of Whitewater, a separate municipality, with a population of less than 2,000, situated near Whitewater Lake. There’s a story from the Town of Whitewater…

Beginning next week, FREE WHITEWATER will offer two new features. First, the website will have a weekday, early morning summary of events in Whitewater for that day. I have not hit upon a name for the feature, but if anyone has a suggestion for a name, please feel free to write me at adams@freewhitewater.com. Second,…

This (half) week’s coming attractions include — • Depression over the Holiday Schedule for the Whitewater Register? • Review of the latest School Board meeting • Choice in Education • Review of the latest Common Council meeting • Clear Information on the Lawsuit against Larry Meyer

Well over a decade ago, Maryland Governor William Schaefer threatened political critics in an abusive way: he had Maryland employees take pictures of his opponents at rallies, etc., and sent those photos to them. So great was his sense of entitlement, so arrogant was his presumption of the use of his political authority, that he…

This week’s coming attractions include — • Police and Fire Commission Series, continued • Common Council Meeting for December 18th, 2007 • Inbox: Reader Mail — Housing Monopolies and Subsidies • Choice in Education (holdover from last week) • Christmas Tales: How the Grinch Stole Christmas Break by John Adams • Friday Cartoon Feature

Last week’s posts included discussion of Dr. Roy Nosek’s views on student housing, the campus before exams, the contradiction of public officials supporting confidentiality in municipal litigation, the last Planning Commission meeting, and the last Common Council meeting. This week’s coming attractions include — • Planning/Architectural Review Board Meeting for December 10th • Beautiful Whitewater:…

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend. Last week’s posts included discussion of Jim Coan’s Big Night, suggestions for Kim Hixson, the view of a consultant and schemer, and the disappointing direction of the 2008 city budget. This week’s coming attractions include — • Planning/Architectural Review Board Meeting for November 26th • Beautiful…

• Common Council Meeting for November 20th • Beautiful Whitewater: Video • Beautiful Whitewater: Photos • The Secret Career of Pierre St. Menteur, International Planner, Consultant, and Schemer • Thanksgiving Holiday Post • Friday Cartoon Feature

• Planning Commission Meeting for November 12th • Video • Beautiful Whitewater • Considering Public Education • Friday Cartoon Feature

You’ll meet a few people who believe that commentary published anonymously or pseudonymously is wrong, and should be rejected. They’ll contend that they would never deign to read this website because it’s published pseudonymously. Kindly remind those people of the society in which they live, as they seem to have forgotten. Those who reject pseudonymous…

You know, and I know too, that contemporary American professional life spills over with slogans, catchphrases, and ideas in flashy guise. Many of these phrases, like inspirational sayings on cards, or on motivational posters, have value. It’s hard to argue that they’re not true, sometimes, somewhere. I don’t begrudge these sayings their place in ordinary…