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Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 3.31.14

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Good morning.

Monday brings a chance (about twenty percent) of showers in the afternoon, and a high of sixty-four. Sunrise is 6:39 AM and sunset is 7:20 PM. The moon is a waxing crescent with just one-percent of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1998, a change of leagues –

1998 – Brewers Go National
On this date the Milwaukee Brewers played their first game as a National League Team, losing to the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. The Brewers’ transfer, the first since the American League was formed at the turn of the century, was necessary to create a 16-team National League and a 14-team American League. [Source: “Brewer’s Timeline” on the team’s official Web site].

Puzzability begins a new series entitled, Breaking Bad.  Here’s Monday’s game:

This Week’s Game — March 31-April 4
Breaking Bad
You’ll be gathering a rogues’ gallery this week. For each day, we’ll give you a series of clues, each of which leads to a word. You must drop one letter out of each of these answer words and put them together (in order), adding spaces as needed, to get the name of a well-known movie villain.
Example:
Regular / pen point / starts a poker pot
Answer:
Norman Bates (normal / nib / antes)
What to Submit:
Submit the character name and the smaller words (as “Norman Bates (normal / nib / antes)” in the example) for your answer.
Monday, March 31
Electrical unit / evil spirit / lab maze runner

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 3.30.14

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Good morning.

Sunrise today is 6:41 AM, and sunset is 7:19 PM. It’s a new moon at 1:45 PM today. Sunday in Whitewater will be mostly sunny with a high of fifty-six degrees.

On this day in 1981, mentally ill gunman John Hinckley shot Pres. Reagan in Washington, D.C. Hinckley also shot three other people with the president, including the presidential press secretary James Brady, a police officer, and a Secret service agent.

Looking at pictures and portraits, most people tend to pose with the left sides of their faces toward the camera or painter. (Artists also tend to present their subjects that way in historical pictures and drawings.)

In Why We Tend to Show Our Left Side in Pictures, science writer Sam Kean explains why that might be:

City, Local Government, Politics

On Paul Yvarra’s False Claims to the Gazette

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There’s another development in the Common Council race between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. In a published story in Saturday’s Gazette entitled, Whitewater council candidate admits mistakes about opponent, Paul Yvarra acknowledges what every reasonable person in all Whitewater already knew: that Mr. Yvarra’s charge about Fairhaven Senior Services being responsible for municipal fiscal difficulties was wholly false.

What does Mr. Yvarra have to say after smearing Mr. Binnie and Fairhaven (and the Prairie Village location)?

Here’s Candidate Yvarra after being caught in a deception:

Yvarra said he “made a mistake” and wasn’t trying to imply Binnie did something wrong.

Yvarra said he based his statements on information from a Jefferson County newspaper.

“I understand they are paying their taxes and paying extra because of the situation they are facing,” Yvarra said.

Oh, brother.

Even when he admits he was wrong, Mr. Yvarra shows himself to be deceptive and reckless. Any reasonable person reading Paul Yvarra’s original statement appearing in Wednesday’s Gazette will see that he most certainly did suggest that Lynn Binnie and Fairhaven did something wrong (“TIF No. 4 helped subsidize a development cost for my opponent’s employer. As my opponent and his employer did not meet their promises, this is one of the reasons for the distress [sic] classification.”).

Needless to say, Fairhaven and Mr. Binnie (as administrator of Fairhaven) kept all their promises, and were not responsible for a distressed classification for TID (Tax Incremental District) 4.

Almost – but not quite as bad – is how Paul Yvarra justifies the basis for his false claim. Wait for it – he says he “based his statements on information from a Jefferson County newspaper.”

That’s truly reckless, since (1) no Jefferson County newspaper said what Mr. Yvarra said, (2) he read whatever he read without comprehension, (3) he did no research or work on his own to confirm any of this bizarre claim, and (4) he deliberately made his statements to the Gazette‘s election coverage section without understanding the issues, careful review, and a respect for the truth.

Unfortunately, Mr. Yvarra’s whole campaign is littered with deceptive errors, in his several campaign flyers. The Gazette‘s story, of course, is addressing the false charge he made in a statement to them, but he’s made false claim after false claim in his campaign papers, as I’ve written previously.

A candidate this reckless as a candidate is an even greater risk if he should ever be in office. A community should seek those who will advance limited, responsible and accountable, honest government. Many, many people in town, of whom I am just one more, have advocated and represented that approach.

Whitewater deserves far better than someone who hurls false claims for electoral advantage, and whose level of effort is simply to say, well, I read it in a Jefferson County newspaper. (Of course, no paper even wrote what Mr. Yvarra imagines he read.)

I’ve written before about this campaign, sadly of note in part because Paul Yvarra has pushed more false, error-ridden, and reckless charges than any candidate in recent times. (I have no professional or social connection to either candidate, or to Fairhaven. My commentary has always been, and always will be, genuinely independent.)

See, of those prior posts, On Whitewater’s 4th District Council Race, A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign (about the Yvarra campaign), and Mr. Yvarra’s Campaign: Even More Deceptive Than Before. For an optimistic outlook on how politics can be, see Positive Perspectives for Local Politics.

Fortunately, a few policy disagreements surely notwithstanding, it’s obvious to me that Whitewater already has a reasonable, thorough, and responsible representative for her 4th Council District in Lynn Binnie.

He has always served, and will continue to serve, Whitewater with honesty and diligence.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 3.29.14

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Good morning.

Saturday in Whitewater will be a day of gradual clearing, with a high of forty-four. Sunrise is 6:44 AM and sunset is 7:18 PM today. The moon’s a waning crescent, with two precent of its visible disk illuminated.

Birds, and especially large numbers in flight, are often fascinating. In the video below, Starlings at Sunset, one can see traces of the paths of flight they take.

Starlings at Sunset from Dennis Hlynsky on Vimeo.

On this day in 1865, Gen. Grant begins the Appomattox Campaign:

…the final campaign of the Civil War begins in Virginia when Union troops under General Ulysses S. Grant move against the Confederate trenches around Petersburg. General Robert E. Lee’s outnumbered Rebels were soon forced to evacuate the city and begin a desperate race west.

Eleven months earlier, Grant moved his army across the Rapidan River in northern Virginia and began the bloodiest campaign of the war. For six weeks, Lee and Grant fought along an arc that swung east of the Confederate capital at Richmond. They engaged in some of the conflict’s bloodiest battles at Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor before settling into trenches for a siege of Petersburg, 25 miles south of Richmond. The trenches eventually stretched all the way to Richmond, and during the ensuing months the armies glowered at each other across a no man’s land. Periodically, Grant launched attacks against sections of the Rebel defenses, but Lee’s men managed to fend them off.

Time was running out for Lee, though. His army was dwindling in size to about 55,000, while Grant’s continued to grow–the Army of the Potomac now had more than 125,000 men ready for service. On March 25, Lee attempted to split the Union lines when he attacked Fort Stedman, a stronghold along the Yankee trenches. His army was beaten back, and he lost nearly 5,000 men. On March 29, Grant seized the initiative, sending 12,000 men past the Confederates’ left flank and threatening to cut Lee’s escape route from Petersburg. Fighting broke out there, several miles southwest of the city. Lee’s men could not arrest the Federal advance. On April 1, the Yankees struck at Five Forks, soundly defeating the Rebels and leaving Lee no alternative. He pulled his forces from their trenches and raced west, followed by Grant. It was a race that even the great Lee could not win. He surrendered his army on April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House.

City, Local Government, Politics

Positive Perspectives for Local Politics

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Whitewater’s now seeing what it’s like to experience a negative and deceptive campaign, but our city is better than that. To cleanse the palate, consider what politics should and can be.

Respect for facts and sound reasoning. People are naturally smart and reasonable, not just a few, but many, in every part of a community.

Those aren’t merely happy words, but a fundamental truth: society is not the work of a clique, but of vast numbers of people engaged in productive, mutually beneficial transactions every day.

In a marketplace of ideas, dodgy and deceptive claims are refutable, as one can draw on better works to cast aside erroneous ones.

America is in the forefront of all the world in science, technology, economics, and art. We’re that way because we have a society open to diverse talents.

Our high standards in other fields are no less applicable to our politics. Success elsewhere should encourage us to greater success in political life.

Looking clearly. Observation – valuable observation – in politics is no different from observation required to make a major purchase or decide on a place to live: looking honestly at circumstances, then deciding what they mean.

A person looking at life in Whitewater may see things he both likes and hopes will change, and at a minimum he or she should see simple facts the way most other people do. (The same white house, the same gray dog, the same green tree, etc.).

By contrast, someone who tells you that life’s not changed in Whitewater since 1958, or even 1978, isn’t noticing life as it truly is. On the contrary, that view is a good bit wrong, and a good bit strange, too.

We can, and should, look carefully and accurately.

Flexibility. A few decisions involve liberty directly, but most involve policy differences at the margins.

Saying what one will never do, in advance, on ordinary policy is profoundly ignorant – it presumes to see facts and alternatives that are not immediately known.

In fact – as a candidate who truly understood economics would know (and many people understand intuitively) – economic decisions are made at the margin. For buyers, one weighs a possible purchase against alternatives (opportunity cost), and for sellers, one weighs the benefit of additional expenditures for more units produced (marginal cost).

Those who decide economic alternatives presumptively are economically confused, and honestly are providing voters or clients only mediocre service.

One should be open to possibilities; anything less is unworthy of others’ confidence.

Ignoring status. We are a people, and a city of people, who are equals in liberty under law. We don’t need dignitaries, VIPs, majesties, or self-appointed poobahs. A few will try to use supposed status to cajole people into doing what they want them to do.

Ignore these unprincipled appeals to status – we are all equals.

Knowing credentials don’t trump careful, ongoing study. Good and careful work is good in-and-of itself, not through an appeal to credentials. If what someone writes is strong, it’s strong on the basis of reasoning and composition, not the author’s credentials (or vain declaration of them).

Similarly, someone who signs every statement with credentials can’t make shoddy reasoning and writing better by appending PhD after his or her name. PhD, MBA, JD, MD, NFL, CBS, whatever – they don’t make poor work good, and can’t make good work better.

Being one’s own man or woman. Liberty and equality – the heritage of our vast, continental republic – are best enjoyed by people as individuals.

What a sad thing it would be for a free person to set aside his or her opportunities to become another’s mere catspaw.

We can turn away from that path, reasoning, writing, and choosing as men and women standing on their own feet. The great men and women of our civilization cared for others as bold and independent leaders, on the foundation of their own individuality.

We can do the same, by their positive example.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 3.28.14

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Good morning.

Friday brings a day of gradual clearing to Whitewater, with a high of forty-five. Sunrise today is 6:44 AM and sunset is 7:14 PM.

On this day in 1979, a reactor overheats at Three Mile Island:

The most serious nuclear accident in United States history takes place at the Three Mile Island plant near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on this day in 1979, when one of the reactors overheats. Fortunately, a catastrophic meltdown was averted and there were no deaths or direct injuries from the accident.

The Three Mile Island plant had begun operations just months earlier on December 28, 1978. Very shortly after operations began, problems arose. It was 3:58 a.m. on March 28 when a pump that directed steam to the plant’s electric turbines stopped working, causing a water circulation pump to break down. Without the water, the temperature of the reactor rose dramatically and a relief valve opened to stop the pressure from building to dangerous levels. Unfortunately, the valve then would not close.

The plant operators, with no experience in emergencies, made key errors. Another valve was opened to allow water from the nuclear system into a waste tank. But this water ruptured the tank and radioactive water flooded into the reactor. Even worse, an operator shut off the automatic core-cooling system. The result of all these events and mistakes was that radioactive steam poured out of the plant. Additionally, radioactive water had to be released into the Susquehanna River. However, area authorities were not notified of these events until nearly three hours later.

It’s March Madness across America, and below is Puzzability‘s Friday game in a series for the week with that same name:

This Week’s Game — March 24-28
March Madness
You can fill in your brackets every day for our little tournament. Each answer in this week’s trivia quiz is a name, title, or phrase that includes the letters in the word MARCH together, but out of order.
Example:
What song was Culture Club’s biggest hit, and its only song to reach #1 in the United States?
Answer:
“Ka[RMA CH]ameleon”
What to Submit:
Submit the name, title, or phrase, with the MARCH section in brackets (as “Ka[RMA CH]ameleon” in the example), for your answer.
Friday, March 28
What comedian and actor won the first Celebrity Jeopardy! tournament in 1992?

City, Economy, Local Government, Politics

Mr. Yvarra’s Campaign: Even More Deceptive Than Before

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I’ve written previously about the contested race in Whitewater’s Fourth Council District, an election choice between Lynn Binnie and Paul Yvarra. See, on this topic, On Whitewater’s 4th District Council Race, and (about the Yvarra campaign) A Dodgy and Deceptive Campaign.

In a statement to the Gazette, for their comprehensive election series, Paul Yvarra has now offered the single worst, most false and deceptive claim anyone has made in Whitewater’s recent political history.

(In my prior posts, from a position of independent commentary, I wrote in support of Lynn Binnie’s re-election. Occasional policy differences that we’ve had don’t change in the slightest my view that he’s well-deserving of re-election. Considering how his opponent has campaigned, that’s more true than ever.)

Even a few days ago, one might have supposed that Paul Yvarra wouldn’t be able to issue any more false, deceptive, or error-riddled statements than he already had. As it turns out, that would have both underestimated and overestimated Mr. Yvarra.

I’ll offer Mr. Yvarra’s beyond-the-pale statement, and then debunk it.

The Gazette asked both candidates to answer the question, “How important is the development and growth of downtown Whitewater to you? How would you address this?”

Here’s the published answer from Mr. Yvarra:

Yvarra: Downtown development is crucial to a vibrant Whitewater. Unfortunately, one of the major tools for funding development in Whitewater is tax increment financing, which is declared stressed. TIF No. 4 helped subsidize a development cost for my opponent’s employer. As my opponent and his employer did not meet their promises, this is one of the reasons for the distress classification. In January 2011, my opponent testified before the Community Development Authority for the distress designation. As a result, the developer’s promises were not met. I would work to make sure that such promises would be kept.

Mr. Yvarra’s claim is false and blatant in its deception.

As readers will see in the Gazette story (subscription required), Lynn Binnie works as administrator of operations at Fairhaven Senior Services.

I’ve written about and against tax incremental financing for years, and yet as a sincere critic I can write – honestly and confidently – that

(1) Mr. Binnie was not responsible for the distressed status of Tax Incremental District 4,

(2) Fairhaven was not responsible for the distressed status of TID 4,

(3) There’s no truth to the claim that Fairhaven, of all places, hasn’t made proper payments or kept promises over TID 4, and

(4) every knowledgeable person in this town knows that TID 4’s shortfall absolutely, positively was not because of Fairhaven.

On the contrary, as every reasonable person in Whitewater does know, Fairhaven represents an economic gain to the community. Our city benefits by its presence and its work.

(Quick note – as I have no professional or social connection to either candidate in this race, so I also have no connection to Fairhaven.)

Candidate Yvarra plainly doesn’t understand even the most simple aspects of tax incremental financing. Many people talked about what to do when it was clear that TID 4 was struggling, and how to react to that situation, but that doesn’t mean they were responsible for the situation, for goodness’ sake.

Paul Yvarra’s contentions in this regard are not just false, not just deceptive, but strangely and bizarrely distant from the truth. (It’s inescapable, too, that Mr. Yvarra’s flyers and candidate statement to the Gazette are also littered with jumbled terminology & malapropisms usually indicative of someone who has neither read nor thought with comprehension about a topic.)

For years I have argued for – and for many more years to come I will argue for – a respect for facts, data, and sound reasoning in politics, economics, and fiscal policy.

Paul Yvarra’s campaign demonstrates a reckless disregard of facts and sound analysis that’s beyond anything we’ve likely seen in town politics.

It’s an embarrassment to this city; thousands of smart, sharp residents deserve better – much better – than this.

Want to see what better looks like? Here’s Lynn Binnie’s answer to the Gazette‘s question about caring for Whitewater’s downtown:

Binnie: Downtown’s vitality is important. I supported the $20,000 contribution to downtown Whitewater in the 2014 budget. Additionally, we provide in-kind support for events. The city can’t do much more. As business owners support their organization and citizens patronize the businesses and donate to downtown Whitewater, progress will continue to be made.

Well said.

That strikes me as profoundly right – contributions and efforts from different sources (municipal, private businesses, patrons) can together help our downtown’s economy. It’s a combined effort.

Whitewater may be watching the worst campaign in memory from Paul Yvarra, but fortunately the 4th District also has a reasonable and sound option in Lynn Binnie.

Tomorrow: Positive Perspectives for Local Politics.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for 3.27.14

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Good morning.

We’ll have a rainy Thursday, with perhaps a bit of snow mixed in, with a high later today of forty-four. No accumulation is expected.

On 3.27.1865, a meeting of Union leaders:

On this day in 1865, President Abraham Lincoln meets with Union generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman at City Point, Virginia, to plot the last stages of the Civil War.

Lincoln went to Virginia just as Grant was preparing to attack Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s lines around Petersburg and Richmond, an assault that promised to end the siege that had dragged on for 10 months. Meanwhile, Sherman’s force was steamrolling northward through the Carolinas. The three architects of Union victory convened for the first time as a group–Lincoln and Sherman had never met—at Grant’s City Point headquarters at the general-in-chief’s request.

As part of the trip, Lincoln went to the Petersburg lines and witnessed a Union bombardment and a small skirmish. Prior to meeting with his generals, the president also reviewed troops and visited wounded soldiers. Once he sat down with Grant and Sherman, Lincoln expressed concern that Lee might escape Petersburg and flee to North Carolina, where he could join forces with Joseph Johnston to forge a new Confederate army that could continue the war for months. Grant and Sherman assured the president the end was in sight. Lincoln emphasized to his generals that any surrender terms must preserve the Union war aims of emancipation and a pledge of equality for the freed slaves.

After meeting with Admiral David Dixon Porter on March 28, the president and his two generals went their separate ways. Less than four weeks later, Grant and Sherman had secured the surrender of the Confederacy.

Here’s the Thursday game in Puzzability‘s March Madness series:

This Week’s Game — March 24-28
March Madness
You can fill in your brackets every day for our little tournament. Each answer in this week’s trivia quiz is a name, title, or phrase that includes the letters in the word MARCH together, but out of order.
Example:
What song was Culture Club’s biggest hit, and its only song to reach #1 in the United States?
Answer:
“Ka[RMA CH]ameleon”
What to Submit:
Submit the name, title, or phrase, with the MARCH section in brackets (as “Ka[RMA CH]ameleon” in the example), for your answer.
Thursday, March 27
What bland cookie-like snack was invented in 1829 by a Presbyterian minister as part of his radical diet meant to suppress sexual urges?