Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Planning
Plant a Garden, Go to Jail for 93-Days?! Reason’s Nanny of the Month for July 2011
by JOHN ADAMS •
Food trucks, baggy pants, but the winner involves trying to ban vegetables in a front yard. Oak Park, Michigan’s city planner, Kevin Rulkowski, tried (but ultimately failed) to ban a front-yard vegetable garden on private property.
What’s funny-sad is his attempt to justify the ban through his limited understanding of the word ‘suitable,’ coupled with a dimwit’s confidence that a dictionary definition (even if correctly understood) settles a public policy debate. It’s a telltale sign of not being able to see the forest for the trees, and it’s just about every mediocre bureaucrat’s recourse at one time or another.
Beautiful Whitewater
Beautiful Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
Music
Monday Music: Miles Davis – New Rhumba from Birth of the Cool
by JOHN ADAMS •
Daily Bread
Daily Bread for 8.1.11
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good morning.
It’s a warm and humid Monday for Whitewater, with a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, and a high of ninety.
There’s a meeting of the Park & Rec Board today at 4 p.m. The meeting agenda is available online. At 4:30 p.m., there’s a meeting of the Community Development Authority, with that meeting agenda also available online.
In news of the Black Hawk War, the Wisconsin Historical Society writes that on this day in 1832
On this date the armed steamboat the Warrior reached the British Band on the Mississippi where they hoped to cross the river and escape the American troops. After being guided by a Sioux Indian, the ship which held an artillery piece, dropped anchor, making the Sauk escape virtually impossible. Black Hawk attempted to surrender to the Warrior, waving a white cloth, but the crew either did not understand or did not accept the message. The ship and its men opened fire, killing a number of unprepared Indians. [Source: Along the Black Hawk Trail by William F. Stark, p. 140-141]
Cartoons & Comics
Sunday Comics and Cartoons
by JOHN ADAMS •
The new GoComics website unfortunately no longer supports embeddable cartoons, but over at RingTale’s YouTube site, there are animations of popular cartoons. Here’s an episode with two New Yorker cartoons.
Recent Tweets, 7.24-7.30
by JOHN ADAMS •
25 Jul
Animals, Weird Tales
Now Montello Children Get in on America’s Latest Craze
by JOHN ADAMS •
Of course they do – they’ve seen the future, and that future is in Mysterious Creatures.
Last week, a Juneau County man claimed he found a hairless, mysterious looking creature along side a highway just outside Elroy. A debate ensued — was it just a sick animal, the legendary goat-sucking Chupacabra, or something else?
Whatever it is, a group of children in Montello said they have one living in their neighborhood. They claim they saw the same creature — alive — roaming around last week.
“The head looked like a rat, and then the body looked like a fox. It had fangs and it had really long toes,” said Shane Turner, who said he came within five feet of the creature.
Earlier: Why Can’t Whitewater Publicize Its Own Chupacabra, Lake Monster, Giant Ape, Etc.? and See What Happens When You Delay!?! Why Can’t Whitewater Publicize Its Own Chupacabra, Lake Monster, Giant Ape, Etc.? more >>
Public Meetings
Common Council
by JOHN ADAMS •
Public Meetings
Community Development Authority
by JOHN ADAMS •
Public Meetings
Parks & Rec Board
by JOHN ADAMS •
Charity
Sign Up for Alzheimer’s Association E-News
by JOHN ADAMS •
I’ve been a longstanding supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association, and publish press releases and a badge from the Association on both FREE WHITEWATER and Daily Wisconsin. Among their many offerings, they have an informative weekly newsletter they distribute via e-mail, for anyone who might like to be on their email list. Simply fill out the form below, and you’ll be set to receive your copy.

Comment Forum
Friday Comment Forum: So, How Concerned Are You About the Debt-Ceiling Debate?
by JOHN ADAMS •
Washington, America (and much of the world beyond) have been transfixed as Congress and Pres. Obama negotiate spending cuts and revenue increases (if any) in exchange for an increase in the federal debt-ceiling. (Along the way, there have even been suggestions to ignore the ceiling entirely, and act under a Fourteenth Amendment theory accepted only by a few.)
How important do you think all this is?
Here’s a poll, for those who’d like to participate by voting, and below is a comment forum for opinions expressed that way.
My take: it’s very important, and any of the Congressional proposals is better than doing nothing, or trying to act under the dubious Constitutional theory that one may borrow without raising the ceiling. August 2nd won’t bring the end of the federal government, America, or world, but a deal before then is preferable to tempting the Fates markets.
Comments will be moderated against profanity and trolls; otherwise have at it. This post will be open until Sunday morning, and stay at the top of the page. Other posts may appear during that time, but they’ll be below this one until Sunday.
Government Spending, Libertarians
Mark Grannis on Federal Debt
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s libertarian Mark Grannis on the national debt. He thinks it more important than other issues facing America. By contrast, I would not place its importance ahead of the defense of fundamental liberties, but would agree that it’s certainly among the most troublesome threats to our future.


