Good morning, Whitewater

There are no public meetings scheduled in the city today.

In Wisconsin history today, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society, on this day in 1967, Lake Geneva “city government passed an ordinance banning go-go girls, dancers in bikinis, and swimsuit-clad waitresses from working in establishments that served alcohol.”

There must have been the possibility that at least one establishment wanted to employ waitresses dressed this way. Here government legislates morality, and over a trivial rather than an extreme display.

The contention, presumably, would be that the community should not accept swimsuit-clad waitresses. Yet, if the ordinance were need to prevent private activity, there must have been a market, and a community preference, for restaurants like this. They would not be my choice; I would not support government deciding that they cannot be your choice.

The National Weather Service, predicts a high of 86 degrees and patchy fog. The Farmers’ Almanac, predicts “stormy weather.” They are not similar predictions — only one, or neither, will be right.

Good morning, Whitewater

In Wisconsin history today, on this day in 1857, Thorstein Veblen, author of The Theory of The Leisure Class (1899), was born. Here is a reference with links on Veblen’s work.

I typically post on the weather, with reports from the National Weather Service and the Farmers’ Almanac. They’re examples to me of planning done well (NWS) and poorly (FA). Today, for our town, the National Weather Service, predicts a high of 89 degrees with a chance of showers. The Farmers’ Almanac, predicts “stormy weather.”

For the FA, it’s a vague prediction, and that prediction, a year ahead, shies away from all the possible aspects of the day’s weather — humidity, etc. Long-range planning fails, typically, and it fails the way the FA fails — with vague and limited predictions.

Good morning, Whitewater

There will be a Common Council meeting today, beginning at 6:00, but reconvening into open session thereafter. The principal topic of the principal topic of the open session is a discussion of next year’s budget.

In Wisconsin history today, on this day in 1906, evangelist Billy Sunday preached to over 3500 in Janesville.

The National Weather Service, predicts say 87 degrees with a chance of thunderstorms. The Farmers’ Almanac, predicts “stormy weather.” more >>

Good morning, Whitewater

There will be a Community Development Authority Board of Directors Meeting today, at 4:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building. Here is the agenda as published for the meeting —

1. Call to order and roll call
2. Approval of the Agenda
3. Hold a public hearing at 4:30 P.M. POST-PONED UNTIL AUGUST 28, 2008
4. HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS. No formal CDA Action will be taken during this meeting although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. Items on the agenda may not be discussed at this time.
5. Approval of the June 17, 2008 Minutes
6. 2007 Year-End Audit Financial Statement(s)
7. May 2008 & June 2008 Financial Reports
8. Discussion and Possible Action on Façade Loan Program Administration Rules & Regulations
9. Business Park Marketing Committee Report and Discussion:
a. Stage II Results – Applied PhD Research
10. Presentation & Discussion – Riley/Lynd-O-Hara Property
11. Discussion on Final Report and Possible Action on Next Steps for the University Tech Park
12. CDA Coordinator
a. Monthly Activity Update
b. East Town Market Update
c. The Retail Coach Update
d. Wisconsin Center for IT Services Update
e. Business Park Infrastructure Improvements Update – Status on Corporate Drive Extension and Lot/Site
Grading
f. Invest in Your Workforce, Invest in Your Community
g. First-Time Home Buyers Education Program
13. Confirm August Meeting Date
14. Future Agenda Items
15. Presentation and Discussion Micro Loan Application, Level-Up Games
16. Adjourn to closed session at approximately 6:15PM to reconvene at approximately 6:45PM Per Wisconsin Statute 19.85 (1)(e). Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session and per Wisconsin State Statutes 19.85(1)(c) considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the government body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.
a. Micro Loan Application, Level Up Games LLC
b. CDA Director Position
17. Reconvene
18. Discussion and Possible Action on Micro Loan Application for Level Up Games, LLC
19. Adjourn

In Wisconsin history today, on this day in 1934, two people were killed following riots at a workers’ village of the Kohler Company. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, National Guardsmen were called to quell strike-related violence. The village was supposed to be a model of worker housing, but the Kohler Company experienced intermittent labor strife for decades.

Despite the ambitions of planners, planned communities — whether from government or private industry — will neither address nor alleviate any number of ordinary human concerns and grievances.

What’s the weather supposed to be like? If you’re the National Weather Service, you’d say 83 degrees with patchy fog. If you’re the Farmers’ Almanac, you’d say “stormy weather.”

Good morning, Whitewater

There are no public meetings scheduled in the city today.

The National Weather Service predicts a chance of showers and 86 degrees. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts that “the heat stays on!” and that temperatures climb “into the 90s.”

The Farmers’ Almanac predicts events not just a year ahead, but in multi-day clusters, where the multi-day prediction could mean either conditions duplicated over each of a few days, or the weather over the whole multi-day span, from beginning to end. You can guess that whatever was closer to the actual weather was the one the would insist that they meant all along.

In Wisconsin history on this date, in 1999, the first Brewer — Robin Yount — was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in a Brewers’ jersey.

From Wired, there’s a story on four women who made a significant impact on science, decades apart, each with a connection to July 25th:

July 25: In science and technology, spheres of society where women are woefully underrepresented, this day in history offers a bountiful exception. Here are the milestones:

In 1865, “James Barry,” the first woman physician in modern times, compelled to disguise herself as a man in order to practice her profession, dies.

In 1920, Rosalind Franklin, the unheralded co-discoverer of DNA, is born.

In 1978, Louise Joy Brown, the world’s first test-tube baby, is born.

In 1984, cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to walk in space.

An online article provides more information on each.

Good morning, Whitewater

There are no public meetings scheduled in the city today.

The National Weather Service predicts patchy fog and 81 degrees. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts that “the heat stays on!” and that temperatures climb “into the 90s.” It’s just another reason to reject long range planning of complicated events.

Tomorrow, Friday, June 25th, a Brat and Burger Fry will take place at Pete’s Tire Service, Highway 12 East, in Whitewater from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in support of the Relay for Life.

On this day in 1911, Yale archaeologist Hiram Bingham located Machu Picchu, a lost city of the Incas. Questions about the find continue to this day.

Good morning, Whitewater

The National Weather Service predicts patchy fog and 80 degrees. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts hot weather, followed by thunderstorms.

In American history today, Wired reports that in 1956 “a Bell X-2 rocket plane sets the record for fastest speed by an aircraft, reaching Mach 2.87, or more than 1,900 mph, 60,000 feet above the dry lake bed at Edwards Air Force Base, California.”

The Wired story details American success at setting speed records during that decade.

We’ve lost the excitement of that era, and our government space program that is a descendent of these speed records is mired in uncertainty and delay. Private efforts, though, are producing interesting results.