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City, Local Government

Two Topics from the Proposed City Budget

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At last night’s Council session, City Manager Clapper mentioned two upcoming budget topics of particular interest: funding for Downtown Whitewater and for the Janesville Transit Bus. 

The two items could not be more different: expenditures for Downtown Whitewater support local merchants, while the Janesville Bus supports a bumbling, dissembling Janesville bureaucrat’s ambition for his town at the expense of our own.

I’ve mentioned the budget as one of the four big public policy topics of the fall, and look forward to both discussions (October 28th for Downtown Whitewater, November 6th for the Janesville Bus.)

In some ways, I’m sorry even to mention the two requests in the same post. Downtown Whitewater doesn’t deserve the taint of being discussed in the same post as the bus (a project that, if it were ever successful on its own terms, would undermine local shopping in favor of Janesville’s merchants). 

We don’t do enough for brick and mortar, and certainly not compared with the amounts we waste on taxpayer-subsidized, bottom-shelf tech ventures in a futile effort to make the Innovation Center look innovative. 

(I sometimes think some of these gentlemen would stick an iPhone in a pig’s mouth and call it a mobile communications platform if they thought anyone would marvel at it.) 

But for brick and mortar here in town – well, that’s slipped from fashion these last few years.  That’s too bad – there’s more to be done there, if it’s to be done anywhere. 

A renewed commitment to existing, conventional merchants and new ones over sketchy tech ventures is a better direction for this city. 

Even in the busiest of times, these are two projects worth watching.  I’ll write about each before their scheduled discussions at Council. 

City, Local Government

Bad Policy’s Like Low-Level Radiation Exposure

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It’s seldom true that a single misstep ruins an official.  With the exception of criminal conduct, most mistakes are ones from which a politician or bureaucrat can recover. 

And yet, and yet, some mistakes take their toll.  They do so, however, with a cumulative effect – one after another debilitates as does cumulative radiation exposure.   

Look at Whitewater over the last decade, and consider those officials who departed with a limp, so to speak: Boden, Coan, Steinhaus, Brunner.  With the exception of Steinhaus, each was celebrated (if only by his own account) as a great or visionary leader sometime during his respective tenure. 

They each had kerfuffles during their time in local office, and perhaps thought that getting past them was a sign of success.   At the moment, perhaps; over time, not at all.

Written criticism played no meaningful role in their respective departures; it was their own poor choices that undermined their roles in the community. 

They all seemed strong, at least for a bit, until they weren’t strong at all.  Some of them saw this coming (and so in each case did a growing number of residents), but for others it was a surprise. 

It’s not day-in, day-out that makes a difference: it’s the years-long, cumulative effect of poor choices. 

The way to avoid accumulated injury is to avoid the same harmful, repetitive motions.

It’s the long-run, and not the sort-term, matters. 

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 10.22.14

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Wednesday will be a sunny day with a high of fifty-seven degrees.

On this day in 1962, Pres. Kennedy tells Americans about the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba:

In a televised speech of extraordinary gravity, President John F. Kennedy announces that U.S. spy planes have discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites—under construction but nearing completion—housed medium-range missiles capable of striking a number of major cities in the United States, including Washington, D.C. Kennedy announced that he was ordering a naval “quarantine” of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from transporting any more offensive weapons to the island and explained that the United States would not tolerate the existence of the missile sites currently in place. The president made it clear that America would not stop short of military action to end what he called a “clandestine, reckless, and provocative threat to world peace.”

What is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis actually began on October 15, 1962—the day that U.S. intelligence personnel analyzing U-2 spy plane data discovered that the Soviets were building medium-range missile sites in Cuba. The next day, President Kennedy secretly convened an emergency meeting of his senior military, political, and diplomatic advisers to discuss the ominous development. The group became known as ExCom, short for Executive Committee. After rejecting a surgical air strike against the missile sites, ExCom decided on a naval quarantine and a demand that the bases be dismantled and missiles removed. On the night of October 22, Kennedy went on national television to announce his decision. During the next six days, the crisis escalated to a breaking point as the world tottered on the brink of nuclear war between the two superpowers.

Google-a-Day asks a question on philosophy and literature:

What “character” did Plato use in his writing to convey his own views?

Animals, Nature

Hikers Stand Their Ground Against Bull Elephant

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The reason for the Bull advancing on us became later evident when we were told by the clients that one member of the group had tried to run down the river bank and another had moved position, we were not aware of this during the encounter as we where approx 4 – 5 meters in front of the clients and were concentrating on the Elephant actions, both clients where held still by other members of the group as per our pre trail briefing, this can be seen in the clip where the Elephant reacts to the persons moving across and in front of the camera. At this stage it is important for the guides to concentrate on the potential threat and deter a situation, which we did. The Elephant then backed up and moved off. We continued our walk after the excitement within the clients had returned to normal, I reiterated at this point to the clients on the importance of not moving or generating noise during such an encounter such as had occurred. By Colin Patrick.

The Elephant was not provoked or harmed in any way.

Kruger National Park – http://www.krugerparkbookings.com

Via Kruger National Park YouTube Channel.

City, Local Government, Planning

Ordinances & Department Regulations @ Public Meetings

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Whitewater’s last Planning Commission meeting was a week ago, Monday (10.13.14). 

I’ve two suggestions:

First, it would be a good idea to keep a copy of Whitewater’s ordinances and regulations available at the meeting. 

It may be that a city employee cannot recall a certain requirement or provision of our local law.  That’s not surprising; we have many regulations.

The easiest fix is to keep a indexed copy of our ordinances or other policy documents on hand: at-the-moment inquiry would be possible for simple, matter-of-fact-questions.

There may be some reluctance to look up a simple provision on the spot, as some might fear it suggests an embarrassing ignorance.  Strictly, it does suggest ignorance, but not embarrassing ignorance: one should  only be disappointed by not trying. 

It’s much better in appearance and result to take a moment to consult a book than it is to say, “I can’t recall.”  The latter adds nothing to participants’ knowledge; the former leaves participants knowledgeable.  

Second, there will also be times when a city department not present may need to evaluate part of a proposal.  These evaluations should be arranged, when possible, without the need for a return visit to the Planning Commission. Planning approval can and should be conditioned on a subsequent and satisfactory evaluation (by, for example, the Fire Department over basic code requirements).

There’s (needlessly) reduced value in having rewritten our zoning laws only to delay planning decisions through repeated appearances before the Planning Commission.  

The commissioner who suggested an approach that didn’t require a return recommended sensibly. We are neither a sluggish county nor a large city.  Candidly, for government oversight, most counties and cities should act less like counties and large cities.

One last point, always worth making: every time a commissioner suggests a change or addition to a plan, he or she adds an additional expense for the applicant, if even the cost of revising a plan.  These costs accumulate quickly, and when they do a planning commission becomes, in effect, a taxing commission. 

Some commissioners see this, and evidently understand that they’ve an authority that should be exercised sparingly.  Others most certainly do not see it this way, and are cavalier about demanding changes that are at bottom costs forced on private businesses. 

If these changes are not for health or safety, they’re lower order in need, but sadly no less costly to applicants.   

City, Economy, Government Spending

The Proposed 2015 City of Whitewater Budget

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The challenge of government is not fundamentally its cost, but its complexity, intractability, and most concerning of all its use of authority not as representative of residents but as self-interested action contrary to representation.

A small rural town of fifteen-thousand, and it’s 289 pages just to list the town’s annual budget.

There’s an anecdote about a former politician’s view of representation in Whitewater that’s telling. Once asked if he felt an obligation to support the views of his constituents, he scoffed at the very thought of it. He insisted that if those who elected him felt disappointed they could simply try to remove him from office. He felt no obligation to represent them; he declared he was in office to express his own views.

That’s too funny, really: a town squire so very sure of himself, but apparently simultaneously ignorant of public choice theory, or too dense to see that he was a walking expression of numerous economists’ prize-winning analyses within that field.

Here’s the proposed 2015 City of Whitewater budget:

Film

Film: The Spielberg Oner – One Scene, One Shot

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The Spielberg Oner – One Scene, One Shot from Tony Zhou on Vimeo.

An assessment of Spielberg:

One overlooked aspect of Spielberg is that he’s actually a stealth master of the long take. From Duel to Tintin, for forty years, he has sneakily filmed many scenes in a single continuous shot.
For educational purposes only.

You can support the channel at patreon.com/everyframeapainting
And you can follow me at twitter.com/tonyszhou

If you’d like to see the original footage from the films, here they are:
Eight lengthy examples: vimeo.com/tonyzhou/spielberg-eight
Twelve short examples: vimeo.com/tonyzhou/spielberg-twelve

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 10.21.14

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Tuesday in town will be mostly sunny with a high of fifty-three. Sunrise is 7:16 AM and sunset 6:03 PM. The moon is a waning crescent with five-percent of its visible disk illuminated.

Common Council meets tonight at 6:30 PM.

On this day in 1879, Edison invents a workable electric light. Here’s how the New York Times described a visit to his laboratory:

There was no lack of enthusiasm or of confidence about Mr. Edison as he greeted the Times reporter who entered his laboratory at Menlo Park, N. J., yesterday. The inventor, a short, thick-set man, with grimy hands, led the way through his workshop, and willingly explained the distinctive features of what he and many others look upon as an apparatus which will soon cause gas-light to be a thing of the past.

The lamp which Mr. Edison regards as a crowning triumph is a model of simplicity and economy. In the lamp the light is emitted by a horseshoe of carbonized paper about two and a half inches long and the width of a thread. This horseshoe is in a glass globe, from which the air has been as thoroughly exhausted as science is able to do. So good a vacuum is produced that it is estimated that at the utmost no more than a one-millionth part of the air remains.

The operation of pumping lasts one hour and a quarter. At the ends of the carbon horseshoe are two platinum clamps, from which platinum wires run outwardly through a small glass tube contained within a larger one leading out of the glass globe. The small tube contains air. Within it the platinum wires are met by two copper wires connecting with the conductors of the electricity. The air is left in the small tube, because otherwise the copper wires would be fused by the electric current. The carbonized paper is capable of being made incandescent by a current of electricity, and while it allows the current to pass over it, its resistance to the heat is strong enough to prevent it from fusing.

On this day in 1897, Williams Bay sees an observatory’s dedication:

On this date the Yerkes Observatory was dedicated. Founded by astronomer George Hale and located in Williams Bay, the Yerkes Observatory houses the world’s largest refracting optical telescope, with a lens of diameter 102 cm/40 inches. It was built through the largess of the tycoon Charles Tyson Yerkes, who rebuilt important parts of the Chicago transportation system after the fire. Situated in a 77-acre park on the shore of Lake Geneva, this observatory was the center for world astronomy in the early 20th century and invited a number of astronomers from around the world, including Japan, for scientific exchange. [Source: Yerkes Observatory Virtual Museum]

Google-a-Day asks a geography question:

What section of “The Great Silk Road” led from Samarkand via Hodjent to Isfara, Kokand and Osh?

City, Local Government

Four Public Topics for the Fall

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There are (at least) four predictable public policy topics in the Whitewater area between now and winter’s beginning on December 21st. 

The City of Whitewater’s Proposed 2015 Budget.  It’s budget season in Whitewater.  The city’s proposed budget is now under consideration, at weekly meetings to stretch into November. 

The Schools Referendum.  Outside and inside the city, a close gubernatorial election grips Wisconsinites.  There’s no bigger political topic than Walker-Burke; that contest overshadows, but also underlies, the political prospects for the referendum.

I’ll write about the referendum next week, in three posts: (1) one about its general political prospects based on past elections and the current statewide contests, (2) one about what the campaign for the referendum says about Whitewater’s local politics, and (3) one about how the substance of education (the broad curriculum of academics, athletics, and the arts) is more important even than a budget discussion. 

In this, I’ll be true to my contention from August that what matters is what one wants to accomplish for the children of this community, and that that’s much more than a matter of scores or metrics.

Far from thinking that one should justify an educational ‘return on investment,’ I don’t think that matters as much (or as much to residents) as simply knowing what students are studying, knowing about what they’re trying to do each day.   

Perhaps there are those who feel differently about seeing a supposed return; I’ll explain next week why I’m not among them. 

UW-Whitewater’s Social Relations.  Campus has seen all kinds of construction, and talk about being an entrepreneurial environment, but I doubt that will be remembered half so well as how people on and off campus have related to and treated each each other during this time.

New buildings and grandiose press releases have occupied attention these several years, but social relations are more significant and will prove more memorable. 

The City of Whitewater’s Waste Digester Proposal.  Full-time city leaders plan to present a waste digester proposal to the city in December.  They’ve been working on it for many months, using a cleverly-described ‘study’ as a city-funded means to develop a digester in Whitewater. They have not been studying, in any way that conveys independent reflection; they’ve used tens of thousands in city funds to advance the project through closed-door meeting after meeting. 

Along the way, there have been brief public discussions of their efforts, most of them riddled with gushing, presumptuous advocacy, and the remainder evincing the respective vendors’ half-truths, or local officials’ evident ignorance about a project like this.   (It’s a case of not knowing what they don’t know, or not caring to know.)

If advanced – and there will be a tenacious, relentless effort from vendors and insiders to advance this project – this would be the single most consequential public project of the last thirty years. Nothing this community has spent during that time, for the lakefront, a new high school, an Innovation Center, road projects, etc., comes close in scope to the financial, environmental, or health risks to Whitewater.

It may seem odd that of all the many paths leaders might choose for the city’s future, they’d pick this one.  There’s hubris in this, perhaps from a confidence that the past assures them that they can manage any future opposition.  

Perhaps their brimming confidence is justified, and they will find the future manageable, so to speak.  If they should be wrong, though, it’s a much harder path ahead for all concerned.  

These are merely predictable topics for the fall; the Fates may alter the course of events as they see fit.  

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 10.20.14

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Good morning, Whitewater.

Monday in the city will be partly cloudy with a high of fifty-seven.

The tech industry has a style of presenting new products that’s susceptible of satire. Here’s an example, if Silicon Valley has a vegetable it wanted to promote:

On this day in 1944, Douglas MacArthur returns to the Philippines:

On 20 October 1944, troops of Krueger’s Sixth Army landed on Leyte, while MacArthur watched from the light cruiser USS Nashville. That afternoon he arrived off the beach. The advance had not progressed far; snipers were still active and the area was under sporadic mortar fire. When his whaleboat grounded in knee-deep water, MacArthur requested a landing craft, but the beachmaster was too busy to grant his request. MacArthur was compelled to wade ashore.[198] In his prepared speech, he said:

People of the Philippines: I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God our forces stand again on Philippine soil—soil consecrated in the blood of our two peoples. We have come dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every vestige of enemy control over your daily lives, and of restoring upon a foundation of indestructible strength, the liberties of your people.[199]

Since Leyte was out of range of Kenney’s land-based aircraft, MacArthur was dependent on carrier aircraft.[200] Japanese air activity soon increased, with raids on Tacloban, where MacArthur decided to establish his headquarters, and on the fleet offshore. MacArthur enjoyed staying on Nashville’s bridge during air raids, although several bombs landed close by, and two nearby cruisers were hit.[201] Over the next few days, the Japanese counterattacked in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, resulting in a near-disaster that MacArthur attributed to the command being divided between himself and Nimitz.[202] Nor did the campaign ashore proceed smoothly. Heavy monsoonal rains disrupted the airbase construction program. Carrier aircraft proved to be no substitute for land-based aircraft, and the lack of air cover permitted the Japanese to pour troops into Leyte. Adverse weather and valiant Japanese resistance slowed the American advance, resulting in a protracted campaign.[203][204]

By the end of December, Krueger’s headquarters estimated that 5,000 Japanese remained on Leyte, and on 26 December MacArthur issued a communiqué announcing that “the campaign can now be regarded as closed except for minor mopping up.” Yet Eichelberger’s Eighth Army killed another 27,000 Japanese on Leyte before the campaign ended in May 1945.[205] On 18 December 1944, MacArthur was promoted to the new five-star rank of General of the Army.[206]

On October 20, 1856, Frederick Douglass speaks in Wisconsin:

On this date Frederick Douglass arrived in Beaver Dam and spoke about the brutality and immorality of slavery. His speech was also intended to generate support for the abolitionist movement in Dodge Co. and Wisconsin. A former runaway slave and leading orator and author of the abolitionist movement, Douglass is regarded as one of the most influential Americans of the 19th century. [Source: Wisconsin Local History Network]

Google-a-Day asks about a remark:

Early in Conrad’s 1903 novella, Marlow makes a comment [about] “one of the dark places on earth”. About what place does he say this?

Animation, Film

Sunday Animation: The Divide

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The Divide from Brent Sievers on Vimeo.

Man and nature try to coexist, but their boundaries are falling apart.
2014 Festivals:
Animation Block Party – Best Student Animation
Ottawa International Animation Festival
Northern Wave Festival
Primanima Hungary
Golden Orchid International Animation Festival
State Festival Berlin
CutOut Fest
Airport Ani-fest Chitose
Imagine Science Film Festival
Puchon International Student Animation Festival