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Daily Bread

Daily Bread: October 13, 2008

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Good morning, Whitewater

Today, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a meeting of Whitewater’s Irvin Young Library Board, held at the library. There are no other public meetings scheduled in the city today.

In our schools today, there is a special meeting of the School Board, where the agenda indicates that virtually the entire meeting is devoted to executive session contractual matters.

The National Weather Service predicts today will bring patchy fog, a high of 78 degrees, and a 50% chance of thunderstorms later tonight. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts “cold winds and rain for the Ohio River Valley, followed by clearing and cold conditions.”

Last week’s better predictions: NWS.

in Wisconsin History, the Wisconsin Historical Society reports that Milwaukee, in 1924, hired its first black police officer, Judson Walter Minor.

In national history today, it’s Columbus Day. No mail delivery, some parades, a continuing debate about whether Columbus arrived here first from Europe, and was an honorable explorer or emissary of oppression, etc.

If even a few federal offices are closed, in Washington and beyond, it’s worth all the fuss.

Orange Salamander, Twitter

Orange Salamander for Last Week

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Last real danger was two years ago, ending in capture and commitment of Loretta a.k.a. ‘Lottie the Psycho’ Only caught after confession on live TV

Since Lottie, garden variety crime and administrative mediocrity are enjoying an extended run before packed houses each night

Felicia the MBA: friends with ex-wife #2, still cordial Smart, hard-working, clever What we’d like to be if we stopped insisting we already were

Elderly Betty Crockman walks by Called Betty Crock o’ for her b.s. Sure she hears God’s voice in her own humble opinions

I step inside Felicia’s office She looks concerned Have you ever seen something like this? she asks, as she pushes a small metal case toward me

Small pewter box, unmarked Inside: orange plastic salamander & note, folded in thirds

The note: ‘Walk Swim More Talk Write More Never a Chore’ Notebook paper, cut unevenly, folded awkwardly

Odd handwriting in blue ink Confident, bold Spoof? Mental patient? Politician? All possibilities

Felicia asks me what it means I don’t know Unusual acquaintances? Anyone/anything different? She stares back at me

Salamander left at her office door this morning I take the items, head to my place to ponder The Clergyman drives past

Clergyman: If gossip were Doctrine, he’d be a bishop Scurries for info like a pigeon for breadcrumbs, hoping for bits to drop

My apt: bdrm, lr, den books computer dog-crap DSL connection parrot named Ludwig Scandinavian austerity

All my ex-wives use Microsoft – justification for annulment Only Apple here No crashes OS X boots fast, Safari ready

Search of note’s message – nothing but Irrelevant, Unlikely Google, deep web nothing Lyrics? Poem? Stoner talk? Why now? Why Felicia?

Note’s meaning? Walk, Swim More – salamanders walk & swim, what more? Orange ones live in Midwest, in forest streams

‘Talk Write More’ What’s more? Read, publish, photograph, film? Handwriting’s bold, in blue ink

Toy salamander’s made in China, like toys, textiles, government corruption, dissidents People’s Republic mass produces everything

Notebook paper, cut from a composition book, wide ruled Pewter box has no other contents

Library visit: small, modern, expanding A book on salamanders, few on amphibians On the shelf, a book not listed online: Salamanders and You

Unlisted salamander book: page 12, in margin, bold blue marker: ‘Not old books, but new pages, form the plan’

Libertarians

AP: “Bailout Angst Provides a Push for Libertarian Barr”

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The Associated Press’s Ben Evans has a story, “Bailout angst provides a push for Libertarian Barr,” on Libertarian Party oppostion to the recent bailout.

The story suggests that Barr might gain from the federal bailout, but then notes that he hasn’t yet gained, and likley won’t.

The story suggests the possibility for Barr’s gain:

Private markets fail, politicians from both parties jump to their rescue, and taxpayers get stuck with the bill. Libertarian candidate Bob Barr couldn’t have scripted a better story line to argue that Republicans and Democrats are interchangeable — with a helpless addiction to spending.

Can Barr capitalize on it during the closing weeks of the presidential campaign? Republican strategists fear any gains he makes could come at the expense of their ticket because Barr’s economic views are closer to those of GOP nominee John McCain than to Democrat Barack Obama.

Here’s the more prosaic truth:

Polls so far aren’t registering a shift to the Libertarian candidate in spite of widespread outrage over the $700 billion rescue package. The former GOP congressman from Georgia is languishing with about the same 1 percent share of support he’s had for months….

A national Associated Press-GfK poll taken Sept. 27-30 found Barr with just 1 percent support. In recent polls in swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, he has less than that….

In Barr’s case, the bailout could marginally boost his campaign, said Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist who studies presidential politics at Emory University. But he said Barr needs to get his message out more effectively to make any gains.

“It’s the kind of issue that should work for him. I’m sure that some die-hard conservatives are very unhappy with McCain over his support for the bailout,” Abramowitz said. “But as far as it having much impact, I don’t think Barr is visible enough at this point.”

Orange Salamander, Twitter

The Orange Salamander for 10/10/08

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Note’s meaning? Walk, Swim More – salamanders walk & swim, what more? Orange ones live in Midwest, in forest streams

‘Talk Write More’ What’s more? Read, publish, photograph, film? Handwriting’s bold, in blue ink

Toy salamander’s made in China, like toys, textiles, government corruption, dissidents People’s Republic mass produces everything

Notebook paper, cut from a composition book, wide ruled Pewter box has no other contents

Library visit: small, modern, expanding A book on salamanders, few on amphibians On the shelf, a book not listed online: Salamanders and You

Unlisted salamander book: page 12, in margin, bold blue marker: ‘Not old books, but new pages, form the plan’

Libertarians

Libertarian Bob Barr on the Bailout

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Here’s a typical Barr campaign video for the Internet – Barr’s not running national television commercials, as there’s no money for that.  (There have been some radio spots – new for the LP nationally.) 

In his video spots, Barr speaks in an informal setting, across a desk, and describes an LP position in a few minutes, but without much detail. He’s speaks to those who are inclined to his views, assuming they agree with him on the counter-productive consequence of government intervention in the economy. 

Barr was a Congressman from Georgia, and he has a legislative, not executive, manner about him.  It’s nothing like the direct but more stylish approach other presidential candidates might take – it’s more like listening to a co-worker in an office. 

I’ll post later on the Associated Press‘s analysis on the political efficacy of the Libertarian Party’s opposition to the bailout. more >>

Daily Bread

Daily Bread: October 10, 2008

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Good morning, Whitewater

As was true yesterday, there are no public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today. It’s a two-day private-life streak. Enjoy.

In our schools, it’s Pennies for Patients at Lakeview and Washington Schools. Football tonight vs. Edgerton, at Edgerton.

The National Weather Service predicts today be sunny with a high of 71 degrees. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts “sunny skies.”

Yesterday’s better prediction: Even. Was it really even, though, if the long-range planner’s forecast (FA) has no temperature or other details? Calling it even is being generous.

On this day in Wisconsin history, in 1982. the Brewers won the American league pennant. It was a five-game series then, and the Brewers won the series 3-2 over the Angels, after losing the first two games.


City

The Witches of Whitewater

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Matt Rockwell, at mattrock.net, has a fascinating post on legends about witches in Whitewater.  Not all small towns have stories like this, but some towns regale visitors with tales of a famous ghost, or fantastic creature. 

(Roswell, New Mexico’s famous for a modern version of these tales.) 

We market ourselves every which way, but sometimes the most potent tales are, initially, free of professional efforts.  They begin as stories in town, and may be picked by a reporter, or novelist. Most towns market themselves – spooky stories often spread farther because they’re unique, and stand out among conventional descriptions of small-town life. 

Matt tells the tale of our spooky past in his post entitled, The Witches of Whitewater
.

Here’s just a taste, with more available on his website:

I was born and raised in Whitewater, WI, where my family still lives….Growing up in Whitewater, ghost stories where a dime a dozen, but it wasn’t until I attended World Affairs Seminar in 1985 that I realized that this was not typical. The seminar was held in Whitewater on campus, and I was one of two attendees from the home town. As our badges presented our home towns, I had some other students at the seminar come up to me and ask about Whitewater being the “Second Salem.” While ghost stories where not uncommon in my childhood, I had never heard the comparison to the infamous Salem. Now I see they are making a movie about “The Witches of Whitewater.”

I was able to take the curious up the hill to the haunted water tower in Starin Park which I had always known to be a haunted spot in town….

Matt links to the following trailer, too.

Enjoy.



more >>

Daily Bread

Daily Bread: October 9, 2008

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Good morning, Whitewater

There are no public meetings scheduled for the City of Whitewater today.

In our schools today, Pennies for Patients continues at Lakeview and Washington Schools.

The National Weather Service predicts today be sunny with a high of 70 degrees. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts “sunny skies.”

Yesterday’s better prediction: NWS. Today, both are either right, or both are wrong.

On this day in Wisconsin history, in 1912, an odd moment in our history — Wisconsin became part of Quebec. The Wisconsin Historical Society relates that “Jane Addams, noted humanitarian and founder of Hull House in Chicago, called for women to get the vote. She spoke before a large audience at the Congregational Church in Janesville.”

(Addams received the Nobel Peace Price in 1931.)

Addams would have to wait another eight years after her 1912 Janesville talk — women did not receive the right to vote until 1920, following the 19th Amendment:

Sixty-sixth Congress of the United States of America; At the First Session,

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday, the nineteenth day of May, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution extending the right of suffrage to women.

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislature of three-fourths of the several States.

“ARTICLE ————.

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”


Orange Salamander, Twitter

The Orange Salamander for 10/8/08

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Clergyman: If gossip were Doctrine, he’d be a bishop Scurries for info like a pigeon for breadcrumbs, hoping for bits to drop

My apt: bdrm, lr, den books computer dog-crap DSL connection parrot named Ludwig Scandinavian austerity

All my ex-wives use Microsoft – justification for annulment Only Apple here No crashes OS X boots fast, Safari ready

Search of note’s message – nothing but Irrelevant, Unlikely Google, deep web nothing Lyrics? Poem? Stoner talk? Why now? Why Felicia?

Libertarians

Libertarian Barr’s Share of the Presidential Vote?

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I wrote recently about Bob Barr’s Libertarian Party candidacy last week.  One of the bases for a right-leaning Libertarian candidacy was that Barr would siphon voters from Republicans disaffected with McCain.  In late June, that seemed like a good bet for Barr. 

It took six ballots, but Barr won the LP nomination, with hopes of plentiful funding and a vote share far beyond the LP’s typical levels.  Barr, not Nader, was supposed to be the third-party candidate to watch.

Well, McCain’s not doing so well, but it doesn’t seem to have helped Barr. Barr’s raised less money than some House candidates!  He still measures no more than 1-2% in most polls, with Nader doing as well or better. 

It’s possible that McCain’s not really finished, despite recent polls, as voters are unwilling to abandon him for a third-party candidate. 

If that’s true, McCain may be closer to Obama’s strength than polls suggest.  It may be that many libertarian-oriented voters (beyond the LP) so dislike Obama’s pro-government stance that they’ll still support McCain in the hope he might yet defeat Obama. 

(This might mean, also, that many undecideds are really McCain voters.)

(In the first scenario, these voters still like McCain enough; in the second scenario, they still dislike Obama enough

City

League of Women Voters – October Newsletter

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Whitewater-Area League of Women Voters’ October 2008 Newsletter is now available, and the latest issue includes a calendar of upcoming LWV events. A copy of the newsletter is available as a pdf link in this post, and as a link on my blogroll.

Here are upcoming events:

Date: October 11th (Saturday)
Event: LWV-sponsored Candidate Forum
Candidates: Kim Hixson & Debi Towns for State Representative, of the 43rd Assembly District
Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 10:00AM – noon

Date: October 23rd (Thursday)
Event: LWV Public Program – Election Administration
Speaker: Dr. Susan Johnson, Chair Department of Political Science, UWW
Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 7:00PM

Date: November 20th (Thursday)
Event: LWV Public Program – Election Analysis
Speaker: Retired Prof. John Kozlowicz, UW-Whitewater Political Science Dept.Race, and Politics of Change
Location: City Hall Council Chambers, 7:00PM

Date: December 7th (Sunday)
Event: LWV Holiday Dinner
Program: musical performance by Whitewater High School Senior, Noelle Werner, who recently won a position on the Tournament of Roses National Honors Band
Location: Whitewater Country Club, evening event

There’s also a Fall Fairhaven Lecture Series, available to the public at no charge. Here are the lectures in the upcoming series:

OCT. 13: Comparing the 1968/2008 Elections: War, Race, and Politics of Change
Dr. Richard Haven, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Communication

OCT. 20: Politics, Personality & Hypocrisy: Using Psychology to Understand Political Perceptions, Behaviors, and Party Differences
Dr. Dan Stalder, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology

OCT. 27: Presidential Libraries: Dust Bunnies from the White House Attic
Dr. Richard Haney, Emeritus Professor, Department of History

(“All lectures are open to the public at no charge on Mondays at 3 p.m. at the Fellowship Hall, located at the Fairhaven Retirement Community, 435 West Starin Road, Whitewater, WI 53190. The Fall 2008 Fairhaven Lecture Series will examine a number of critical issues relevant to the 2008 elections. Sponsored by the UW-Whitewater Office of Continuing Education.”)

The League of Women voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. We take action on public policy positions established through member study and agreement. We are political, but we do not support or oppose any political party or candidate.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread: October 8, 2008

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Good morning, Whitewater

Today, at 10:00 a.m., there will be a meeting of Whitewater’s Birge Fountain Committee, held at 402 W. Main Street.

In our schools today, at Washington School, there will be hearing and vision screening. Pennies for Patients is ongoing at Lakeview and Washington Schools, and at 7:00 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Athletic Booster Club at the High School.

The National Weather Service predicts today will be rainy (40% chance) with a high of 66. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts “sunny skies.”

Yesterday’s better prediction: NWS — rain, but no squalls, in Whitewater yesterday.