The cub, who will be named when he is 100 days old following Chinese tradition, will be placed in public viewing areas when he can walk, usually around 4 months old. He measures just over a foot long and weighs 2.2 pounds.
Via Baby Panda Cub Debuts At Zoo Atlanta (PHOTOS/VIDEO). more >>
Phantom Stranger, and those who enjoy reading about the exploits of the Phantom Stranger and other heroes of comic cooks — here’s the website for you —
If there’s one thing comic book nerds like doing it’s over thinking the smallest details. Here we turn our attention to the hypothetical legal ramifications of comic book tropes, characters, and powers. Just a few examples: Are mutants a protected class? Who foots the bill when a hero damages property while fighting a villain? What happens legally when a character comes back from the dead?
Via About | Law and the Multiverse.
Hat tip to jwz.org.
We are likely to find ourselves in the longest period of high unemployment since the Great Depression. The way out is to allow people to keep more of their own earnings.
There’s a new unemployment report out, and it shows an increase in national unemployment to 9.8%, with the “broader measure of the unemployment rate, which includes people who stopped looking for work and those settling for part-time jobs, remained high at 17% in November, the same as in the previous month.”
More worrisome still, the latest data reveal that “41.9% of unemployed Americans, or 6.3 million people, were out of work for more than six months in November. The longer someone is without a job, the harder it is usually to find work.”
Overall, the “unemployment rate has now been above 9% sinceMay 2009, or 19 months. That matches the longest stretch at such an elevated level since the Second World War. In the previous deep recession of the early 1980s, the jobless rate crept to 9% in March 1982 and remained above that mark until September 1983.”
We’re sure to break that undesirable streak.
See, Weak Jobs Data Dash Hopes of Accelerating Recovery.
There are differences between these bleak national figures and state and local measures. Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is not so high statewide, but some areas (Beloit, for example) significantly exceed both state and national levels of unemployment. In a small town like Whitewater (population 14,454), the loss of about two hundred jobs, with a gain of about a hundred back, still leaves a meaningful rut.
There’s a way out of all this, but it’s not by pretending that we can go on as we have, and prosperity will return on schedule. It won’t. The national picture will improve, but the local economy is burdened with too many centralized, excessive projects, ornaments to little more than planners’ vanity. All the jargon of modern management, every slogan spoken like an incantation, will disappoint.
Pretending, and that’s all it really is, that every expenditure of local government is necessary to preserve the local quality of life simply isn’t persuasive. Those most in need are ignored, in favor of that small, self-regarding faction that insists itself the very measure of all things Whitewater. A few hundred do not this struggling city make. On the contrary, they’re the principal reason it’s struggling.
The incremental increase in taxes, and the influx of federal dollars, would have been better used for a hundred alternatives.
As in Fantasia’s Sorcer’s Apprentice, the sorcery exceeds the apprentice.
One can guess that I don’t spend much time listening to Kid Rock. Actually, whatever the self-inflicted loss, I can say that don’t listen to any Kid Rock. (Before writing about his views on ticket sales, I had to look him up on Wikipedia, actually, just to learn a bit about him.)
There’s a post at mlive.com that asks, Ticket scalping controversy: Does Kid Rock hate the free market? Apparently, Kid Rock’s upset that all 45,000 tickets for an upcoming show sold out in 19 minutes, and he’s blaming scalpers.
(He’s reported to have written of the scalpers that “IF I COULD CONFRONT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM FACE TO FACE I WOULD AND IT WOULD NOT WORK OUT TOO WELL FOR THEM I GUARANTEE ALL OF YOU.”)
His tickets went fast, and many went to scalpers. Why? Because he didn’t price the tickets at a full market value — he under-priced them. Tickets to his concert could go for more than the face value, so a secondary market for willing buyers (fans) and sellers (scalpers) emerged. It’s not as though the scalpers want to attend the concert — it’s that they realize there are fans who want to attend who are willing to pay more than Kid Rock asked in the first instance.
By the way, as the mlive.com story observes, musicians know this will happen, and complaining about it is just posturing. If the practice continues, it’s because musicians benefit from the appearance of low face-value ticket prices while simultaneously profiting through arrangements with re-sellers from the secondary market.
Here’s the Friday open comments post.
Today’s suggested topic — what do you like best about America?
If I were to pick what’s best about America from among serious, I’d say individual liberty (no surprise, surely). America eschews the aggregate, the collective, the mass, in favor of rights for individuals, separate, unique, each as worthy as another. Americans band together freely for all sorts of purposes, but when they do, one hopes that they do so as a pack, not a herd.
If picking from among the light, I’d say baseball, vast & open roads, natural beauty and bounty, a simple cuisine, jazz, and an appreciation of cats (Lincoln, Twain, among others). My list is hardly exhaustive, but just a few items from among a much greater number.
The use of pseudonyms and anonymous postings is, of course, fine.
Although the comments template has a space for a name, email address, and website, those who want to leave a field blank can do so. Comments will be moderated, against profanity or trolls. Otherwise, have at it.
I’ll keep the post open through Sunday afternoon.
Have at it.
In a story published today, entitled, EPA investigates 15 state power plants for possible clean-air violations, Wisconsin State Journal reporter Ron Seely writes that
The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating 15 state-owned power plants, including several on University of Wisconsin System campuses, to determine if they are in violation of the federal Clean Air Act.
The federal agency sent the state Department of Administration a letter Thursday requesting information about the plants. They include power plants on UW campuses at Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Menonomie, Superior and Whitewater….
At issue is whether millions of dollars worth of upgrades at some of the coal-burning plants increased the potential for the plants to emit more pollution. The Clean Air Act, passed in 1970, grandfathered existing power plants but the law also required that those plants obtain new permits and install more pollution controls to meet standards if they underwent major modifications that increased emissions….
In the letter, the EPA asked for “a list of all repair, replacement, modification, or operational changes” in the boilers at the plants since they first went into use. Also requested is data on emissions and annual coal consumption since January 1980.
The EPA investigation shows how hard it is to be certain that communities are achieving environmentally benign, green standards. A community might tout solar power, or recycling, but if nearby there’s a polluter, the result of all human activities might be a net loss for the environment — and a net, unreported loss, if few knew or thought about the polluter. Eliminating the pollution from a power plant might be the single biggest environmental accomplishment a community could make, but it would be the one step no one would take, as most residents would be ignorant of the problem.
There’s nothing wrong with advocating solar panels, or recycling. There is something wrong, for policy and the natural order, when a few efforts lull a community into complacency. For all the talk about science and reason, many community efforts still rest on self-interested politics and public relations, ignoring a comprehensive assessment of all environmental impact within an area.
Here’s a press release about holiday events in Whitewater —
Happy Holly Days Kicks off Friday evening at 5 pm on December 3rd with a new event added to the weekend, Live Window Story Telling from 5 pm to 6 pm located at Studio 84, Quiet Hut Sports, and the FrameDog. (For a full schedule of weekend story telling see below.)
The Lighted Parade will begin at Main and Whiton at 6 pm, ending on Whitewater Street.
Other events held throughout Downtown Whitewater Friday night are Roasted Chestnuts at Main and First Street, free hot cider and cookies at the Culture Arts Center, and free hot coco and cookies at the Hamilton House Bed & Breakfast during the Parade.
The fabulous Stoughton Madrigal Singers will perform immediately following the parade with classic seasonal pieces in the Prairie Tiller Mural Parking Lot, free hot cider, cookies & music at the Celebrate the Season Party at the SweetSpot and also the Warm Up Party at the Guild on the Triangle with free cookies. Lastly please enjoy the lighted Christmas Tree Walk located at the Culture Arts Center featuring Christmas trees sponsored by local businesses and John McGivern’s Home for the Holidays will begin at 7:30 at the Young Auditorium.
Santa will make his first appearance at First Citizens State Bank, downtown location, on Friday from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, then making his way to the Parade. Start your Saturday by attending Breakfast with Santa from 8:00 am to 11:00 am in Esker Hall, sponsored by the Whitewater Optimist Club.
Saturday is a full day and the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce will once again host the Annual Holiday Gift Certificate Give Away. Please contact Deb Williamson @ 262-473-4005 for a complete listing of participating businesses. A full event listing of open houses, storytelling and other activities hosted by local businesses is located below. Activities include gift wrapping, holiday storytelling, samples of A Christmas Story, hands-on projects such as gingerbread house building and cookie decorating.
The Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce will be selling raffle tickets during the parade and also at BicycleWise, Culver’s Dale’s Bootery, First Citizens State Bank, GMA Printing, LSM Chiropractic, Strands on the Floor, and other Whitewater Area Chamber member businesses for the Whitewater Chamber Holly Days Raffle. Tickets are only $10.00 each and the winner will receive $1.000 in Chamber Cheques. A wonderful way to purchase Christmas presents since the Cheques can be used like cash at any Chamber member business. The drawing is on Sunday evening at 5:00 pm in the Chamber office, 171 West Main Street.
Friday December 3, 2010
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm Santa will be at First Citizens State Bank
5:00 pm Quiet Hut Sports, 186 West Main Street, will host Michael performing pieces from A Christmas Carol
5:00 pm Studio 84, 121 West Center Street, will host Jenn Samson reading Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
5:00 pm LA Preferida, will host Marco Wence at 177 West Main Street reading Los osos Berenstain Al Rescate de la Navidad & Arturo y la Navidad
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Roasted Chestnuts (Corner of First and Main Street)
5:00 pm Lighted Christmas Tree Walk – Culture Arts Center
5:30 pm FrameDog, 145 West Main Street, will host Jenn Samson reading T’was The Night Before Christmas
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Lighted Parade
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm Cookies and Hot Cider Culture Arts Center
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Cookies and Hot Chocolate Hamilton House Bed & Breakfast
Immediately following parade – Stoughton Madrigal Singers – Mural Parking Lot
Immediately following parade – Celebrate the Season at Sweet Spot Coffee Shoppe – Free Cider, Cookies & Music
Immediately following parade – Warm up Party theGuild onthe Triangle – Free Cookies
7:30 pm John McGivern’s Home for the Holiday Young Auditorium
Saturday December 4, 2010
All Day – Lighted Christmas Tree – Culture Arts Center
8:00 am to 11:00 am Breakfast with Santa sponsored by Whitewater Optimist Club – Esker Hall
8:00 am to 5:30 pm Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce Holiday Gift Certificate Give Away
8:30 am to 3:00 pm Flora Villa Open House
9:00 am to 3:00 pm BicycleWise & Sports Fitness Open House
9:00 am to 4:00 pm Sentry Open House
10:00 am to 3:00 pm Free Gift Wrapping at Studio 84
10:00 am to 5:00 pm Art for Christmas at Studio 84
10:00 am to 5:00 pm Cookie Decorating at Studio 84
10:00 am to 3:00 pm Home Distribution Vendors & Open House
Noon – University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Play-off Football Game
Noon to 2:00 pm Whitewater Arts Alliance Fund Raiser Luncheon
1:00 pm the Guild on the Triangle, 141 West Whitewater Street, will host Kim Blanchette performing a story
2:00 pm FrameDog, 145 West Main Street, will host Jeanine Fassl performing A Pint of Judgment
3:00 pm LA Preferida will host Deb Williamson & Group at 177 West Main street performing Samples of a Christmas Story
3:30 pm Leon Furniture, 153 West Main Street, will host Jeanine Fassl performing A Pint of Judgment
4:00 pm LA Preferida will host Deb Williamson & Group at 177 West Main street performing Samples of a Christmas Story
4:30 pm Culvers, 1414 West Main Street, will host Marco Wence reading Los osos Berenstain Al Rescate de la Navidad & Arturo y la Navidad
5:00 pm Lighted Christmas Tree Walk Culture Arts Center
7:30 pm The Gala Holiday Concert at Young Auditorium
Sunday December 5, 2010
8:00 am to 5:00 pm Holiday Gift Certificate Give Away
10:00 am to 3:00 pm Flora Villa Open House
10:00 am to 3:00 pm Home Vendor Distribution & Open House
11:00 pm to 3:00 pm BicycleWise & Sports Fitness Open House
11:30 am Green House Coffee Company, 1155 West Main Street, will host Jim Winship performing a story
12:30 pm BicycleWise, 1130 West Main Street, will Host Jim Boisvert performing a story
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Gingerbread House Workshop at The Sweet Spot Coffee (Call for availability)
1:30 pm Maurice’s, 1117 West Main Street, will host Jeanine Fassl performing A Pint of Judgment
2:30 pm McCullough’s Pharmacy, 1173 West Main Street, will Host Jim Winship performing a story
3:30 pm Quiet Hut Sports, 186 West Main Street, will host Jeanine Fassl performing A pint of Judgment
4:30 pm Discover Whitewater Tourism, 171 West Main Street, will host Jenn Samson reading Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer & T’was The Night Before Christmas
5:00 pm Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce Raffle Drawing located at 171 West Main Street
5:00 pm Lighted Christmas Tree Walk Culture Arts Center
Here’s one sharp-looking cat —
This little cheetah cub won’t make your day — he’ll make your week! The San Diego Zoo is lucky enough to have a new addition, Kiburi (which means "proud" in Swahili), an adorably playful cheetah cub who we first featured a photo of in our Animal Photos Of The Week slideshow this past weekend….
According to National Geographic, cheetahs are considered the fastest mammal on land, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. In the wild, cheetahs live in regions of Africa and the Middle East. Cubs normally stay with their mothers until they are about a year old, although sadly, Kiburi’s mother showed signs of abandonment. Hard to imagine, especially when he stretches those tiny paws!
Via Baby Cheetah Cub, Kiburi, Born At San Diego Zoo (VIDEO).
Good morning,
Today’s forecast for the Whippet City calls for a partly sunny day, with a high temperature of twenty-seven, and snow on the way tonight and tomorrow.
On this day in 1947, a new medium took root locally, as reported at the Wisconsin Historical Society website:
1947 – First TV Station in Wisconsin Established
On this date the first TV station in Wisconsin, WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, was established. The seventeenth television station in the country, WTMJ-TV was the first in the Midwest. [Source: University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Libraries]
Over at the WaworthCountyToday.com, there’s a list of upcoming Christmas events, entitled Holidays on parade: The complete guide to community events. Here’s the portion about Whitewater:
Holly Days celebration, Dec. 3-5, downtown Whitewater. Features a lighted Christmas parade at 6 p.m. Friday (Dec. 3). The parade begins at Whitton Street, goes east down Main Street and ends at Cravath Lakefront Park. (262) 473-4005, www.discoverwhitewater.org.
Here’s a great idea, described in a press release of the Delavan-Darien School District, to give prospective college students a chance to learn about university life:
Delavan-Darien High School Latino students had a chance to visit UW-Whitewater recently as part of the University’s Wheels to Whitewater program, according to the Delavan-Darien School District blog.
The program provides students who might not otherwise have the chance to visit other colleges with the opportunity to do so. It is also another way for the university and prospective students to make personal connections.
Here’s the link to the blog post: Wheels to Whitewater program brings Latinos to university campus.
Via Wheels to Whitewater program brings Latinos to university campus — Walworth County Today.
Drug addiction is a serious problem, and one compounded when bad information substitutes for good —
Where do most people get their information about drugs? From the press. And where does the press get its information? Primarily from other misinformed journalists, lazy cops, grieving parents, clueless drug counselors, spurious Web sites, and gibbering druggies. By indulging their worst class biases, by following their newsman instincts to hype the sensational or dramatic aspects of the story, by giving in to fear and ignorance, journalists keep their readers in the dark about drugs.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Newspapers could establish drug beats and fill them with reporters as eager to learn about Mexican tar as budding financial reporters are to understand the workings of the Fed. Press organizations that say they can’t afford a drug-beat reporter could at least invest in a few reference works to help their staff cover illicit drug use. One of my favorites, Buzzed: The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs From Alcohol to Ecstasy, is now in its third edition. Thanks to the work of one enterprising soul, the entire text of the 1972 classic Licit and Illicit Drugs is on the Web. Although dated in spots, it’s still a solid and valuable overview of the drug universe.
One can be sure that Whitewater could use improvements to an intersection at Highway 59 and Milwaukee Streets. A press release issued today describes a public meeting about the intersection to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 9 in the Whitewater City Council chambers.
The release mentions that the “purpose of the meeting is to provide information on the proposed improvement alternatives and obtain input that will assist WisDOT and the city of Whitewater in further development and refinement of the alternatives in advance of the selection of a preferred alternative.”
If the project takes as much time as the description takes to make its point, Whitewater will have a new intersection within, say, a dozen years or so.
See, Public meeting planned to discuss busy Whitewater intersection.
Authorities say he was the king of spam, a 23-year-old Russian controlling a network of infected computers generating 10 billion unwanted e-mails a day – a third of the global spam stream – until a Milwaukee FBI agent unplugged the operation.
Now, Oleg Nikolaenko awaits a hearing in federal court in Milwaukee, where he is charged with helping cyber hucksters pitch everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to fake Viagra….
A reported three years is a long time to devote to a spam investigation.
Nikolaenko may be a miscreant, but is the global spam king really a top FBI concern? Spam’s troublesome, but there must be threats to America — of both domestic and foreign origin, variously — that are more important.
Via Milwaukee FBI agent trips up Russian ‘king of spam’ – JSOnline.
