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Recent Tweets: 6-20 to 6-26

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Baby Red Panda Born at National Zoo | Wired Science | Wired.com » http://bit.ly/ag1cbh Plus adopt a red panda at http://bit.ly/9xk98I
about 8 hours ago

Hey, Whitewater: How big would a dedication be for someone who *wasn’t* an accused serial plagiarist and fabricator? http://bit.ly/ahGQ44
1:43 PM Jun 25th

Small-town politician has reference to invitation-only luncheon in dedication reminder Too funny Wouldn’t want the riff raff to walk in
1:31 PM Jun 25th

RT @reasonmag: The Happy Meal Under Attack http://ow.ly/22lqn
6:04 PM Jun 23rd

RT @IJ: VIDEO: Watch IJ’s brief and inspirational summary of Susette Kelo’s fight against em. domain abuse: http://iam.ij.org/b1zuwl
9:53 AM Jun 23rd

From the Chancellor/Kitchens and hallways displayed/Workmen perspiring http://bit.ly/amyxqv
8:52 PM Jun 22nd

Note to Whitewater, Wisconsin’s public officials: the rest of America has buildings w/ kitchens, bathrooms, too
8:37 PM Jun 22nd

Affliction of small-town officials: showing off ordinary things as though they’re grand achievements Sometimes a building’s just a building
8:35 PM Jun 22nd

Right Now – A Libertarian star who drives Libertarians crazy http://bit.ly/c39kpH
8:33 PM Jun 22nd

They’re pure evil — When Chimpanzees Go on the Warpath – NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/9flcOU
8:32 PM Jun 22nd

Simply brilliant: University chancellor shows off taxpayer-funded dorm to town w/ above average poverty, unemployment http://bit.ly/amyxqv
8:30 PM Jun 22nd

Proponents of sustainability would be persuasive if they had history of supporting conservation & better still they’d ever been outdoors
3:24 PM Jun 22nd

From Walworth County Today: Residents describe tornado at Eagle, WI (includes video) http://bit.ly/bho3nC
2:59 PM Jun 22nd

Goodbye, Office of Management & Budget Director Orzsag There are trillions of reasons we’ll not forget you http://bit.ly/cTDldF
11:31 AM Jun 22nd

LEED Certification Watch™ Wisconsin’s first 400 room LEED certified dormitory is 21st century equivalent of filtered cigarettes
4:33 PM Jun 21st

Lobbyists keep working despite convictions – JSOnline http://bit.ly/alfZOW
8:48 PM Jun 20th

Cost of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Keeps Rising – NYTimes.com http://nyti.ms/cAkoJH
8:36 PM Jun 20th

Uncategorized

Baby Red Panda Born at National Zoo | Wired Science | Wired.com

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There’s a story a Wired Science about a red panda recently born at the National Zoo.

Lisa Grossman writes that, “[d]espite their name, red pandas (Ailurus fulgens, also called “lesser panda,” “bear cat” and “firefox”) are more closely related to raccoons than to giant pandas. They live in cool bamboo forests in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in China, in the Himalayas and in Burma. Fewer than 2,500 red pandas remain in the wild, making this birth a victory for conservationists worldwide as well as for its first-timer parents.”


Photos Courtesy of National Zoo and Smithsonian

This small red panda isn’t the most famous red panda, however. That distinction belongs to the legendary Master Shifu of Kung Fu Panda:

There’s also an Adopt a Red Panda option available at the National Zoo’s website.

See, Baby Red Panda Born at National Zoo | Wired Science | Wired.com.

Government Spending

The YouCut Choices This Week: Why Not Require Collection of Unpaid Federal Taxes from Federal Employees?

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Here are this week’s YouCut proposals — spending cut proposals from among choices posted online. The most popular ideas go to a House vote. U.S. Representative Eric Cantor notes that “[o]ur nation’s debt grows by $4.9 billion every day.”

Last week, I voted for cutting funding of major parties’ political conventions. That wasn’t the highest-yielding of the proposed cuts, but I think that government has no place subsidizing a political convention (and both major parties have more than enough money to hold conventions without a subsidy). Most respondents voted for prohibiting the hiring of new IRS agents to enforce the health care law.

Here are the five cuts from which one can select a preference this week (they’re runners up to previous weeks’ winners):

  • Consolidate and Reduce Funding for Federal Advisory Committees (Savings $34 million next year and $340 million over ten years)
  • Terminate Duplicative Federal Bicycle and Walking Program (Saves $183 million a year or $1.8 billion over ten years)
  • Suspend Federal Land Purchases (Saves $266 million next year and $2.66 billion over ten years)
  • Require Collection of Unpaid Taxes From Federal Employees (Savings of potentially $1 billion +)
  • Taxpayer Subsidized Union Activities (Saves potentially $120 million a year and $1.2 billion over ten years)

Descriptions of each of these proposed cuts are available at the YouCut website.

This week, I voted for requiring federal employees to pay any back taxes they owe — Require Collection of Unpaid Taxes from Federal Employees (Savings of potentially $1 billion +). Collection efforts should begin with those who draw a federal salary.

City, Economy, Government Spending

Associated Press: Economy Faces Tough Road Ahead with Slower Growth – Yahoo! Finance

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Status quo efforts to restore prosperity, especially to places like tiny Whitewater, Wisconsin, won’t work. We don’t need more public projects; we need more private opportunities. Whitewater’s municipal government can’t make our lives better, and the road ahead is too uneven to expect conventional solutions to help us.

Our way out: dismantling every part of Whitewater city government’s failed economic meddling, reducing government to emphasize public safety first, with most other functions being cut significantly, ending additional tax incremental financing schemes, abolishing nearly all regulatory fees and permit costs, and rejecting the sugary (short term) fix of federal grant money.

A smaller city government is the means to a more prosperous city.

Here’s what we, and even more successful communities, face:

The economic recovery won’t be catching fire any time soon.

Businesses and governments are likely to reduce spending in the second half of the year. Consumers, who drive most economic growth, aren’t expected to take up the slack.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy grew at an annual rate of 2.7 percent in the first quarter, offering its third and final estimate for the period. It was slower than initially thought because consumers spent less and imports rose faster that previously calculated.

Economists anticipate even slower growth ahead as companies bring their stockpiles more in line with sales. Factory output has climbed this year. But it was driven more by businesses replenishing their warehouses after the recession and less by consumer demand.

“The economy is growing, but still at a disappointingly slow pace,” said Zach Pandl, an economist at Nomura Securities. Take away businesses restocking their inventories and “you still have a lukewarm recovery,” he said….

“This is still the weakest and longest economic recovery in U.S. postwar history,” said Paul Dales, U.S. economist with Capital Economics.

See, Economy Faces Tough Road Ahead with Slower Growth – Yahoo! Finance.

Freedom of Speech, Politics

Reason.tv Interview with Brian Lamb of C-SPAN

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Few people have made government more visible to more Americans than Brian Lamb, the CEO of C-SPAN. Because of Lamb’s efforts, millions of Americans have seen live proceedings of the U.S. House and Senate, public hearings, political debates, and lectures on public policy, history, and literature. Reason.tv has a short interview — about six minutes — with Lamb.

Here’s the video:



Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdQQmSJUvUk.

Here’s a description of the video, from Reason:

In 2003 Reason named C-SPAN Founder and CEO Brian Lamb one of our 35 Heroes of Freedom for “turning a surveillance camera on the den of iniquity known as the U.S. House of Representatives.” Lamb sat down with Reason.tv editor Nick Gillespie for a wide-ranging — and distinctively non-stoned faced — discussion about the network, his views on politics, and a possible alternate career choice as a drummer for Merle Haggard.

Approximately 6 minutes. Produced, shot and edited by Meredith Bragg, Dan Hayes and Josh Swain.

The full, forty minute video is also available online. more >>

Comment Forum

Friday Open Comments Forum

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Here’s the Friday open comments post, following reader responses to a recent poll.

The use of pseudonyms and anonymous postings will be fine.

Although the 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.

Today’s suggested topic — opinions on free speech issues. A quick starting point might be the Institute for Justice’s new free speech blog, Congress Shall Make No Law.

Have at it — I’ll keep the post open through Sunday afternoon.

Freedom of Speech

Institute for Justice’s New Free Speech Blog: “Congress Shall Make No Law”

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The Institute for Justice has a new blog, dedicated to free speech issues, and entitled, following the language of the First Amendment, “Congress Shall Make No Law.”

The blog has posts on free speech topics, and references to court cases addressing freedom of speech.

I’ve added the site to my blogroll, on the left side of this website, but it’s well worth bookmarking for easy access from the browser of your choice.

Press Release

Jungle Jack Hanna Brings Live Animal Pals to Whitewater August 29, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.

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I received the following press release that I am happy to post —

Downtown Whitewater Is Bringing Jack Hanna To Town

Jungle Jack Hanna is bringing his (live) animal pals and adventure stories to Whitewater High School Gymnasium for one performance on August 29, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Recognized around the country as America’s favorite zookeeper, Jack has made countless appearances on television shows, revealing his irrepressible verve and enthusiasm with his wild companions on Good Morning America, The Late Show with David Letterman and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Animal expert “Jungle Jack” is one of the most visible and respected ambassadors between the human and animal worlds. His hands-on approach and insight into the public’s appreciation of wildlife have won him widespread popular acclaim as Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo, conservationist, author, television personality, and lifelong adventurer.

Hanna’s passion for wildlife stems from his early childhood. Having cultivated a love for animals on the family farm, Jack spent his teenage summers helping the local veterinarian by cleaning animal cages. After graduating from Muskingum College, Jack and his wife, college sweetheart Suzi, opened Pet Kingdom, a successful pet store and petting zoo. From there it was only a few years until Jack became director of the Central Florida Zoo.

Jungle Jack took flight in 1978 when he received the opportunity of a lifetime: directorship of the struggling Columbus Zoo in Ohio. Under Hanna’s dynamic direction, the zoo transformed from a floundering establishment into the state-of-the-art zoo it is today.

Further capitalizing on his media savvy, Jack has taken his ineffable passion to the airwaves through his own very successful television program, Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures. Airing since 1993, the show now reaches 96% of U.S. television households every weekend. In 2007 Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild, Jack’s new TV series, started airing in syndication. Jack and his family take viewers all over the world to visit amazing animals and fascinating cultures.

Hanna will appear Sunday, August 29, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Whitewater High School Gymnasium. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for Children 12 and under, students with a valid ID and seniors 55 and older. Advance ticket sales will be available for Downtown Whitewater volunteers starting June 28, and tickets for the general public will go on sale July 12. Tickets will be available at GMA Printing, Sweetspot Coffee Shoppe and Quiet Hut Sports.

More about Hanna is available at his website, www.jackhanna.com. At the Columbus Zoo website, Hanna has an interactive animal guide with information about interesting animals at the zoo.

Daily Bread

Daily Bread for Whitewater, Wisconsin: June 25, 2010

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Good morning,

Today’s Whitewater forecast for today calls for a sunny day with a high of eighty-two degrees.

Today is the anniversary of the start of the Korean war. The Wisconsin Historical Society recalls the anniversary:

1950 – Korean War Starts

On this date Communist North Korea invaded the Republic of Korea. The Korean War, often called the “forgotten war,” involved more than 132,000 Wisconsinites. [Source: History Just Ahead: A Guide to Wisconsin’s Historical Markers edited by Sarah Davis McBride, p. 112]

This is also the date that Custer and the 7th Cavalry were defeated by the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Battle of Little Big Horn. The New York TImes website has more on newspaper coverage of the battle.

On June 25 Gen. Custer’s command came upon the main camp of Sitting Bull, and at once attacked it, charging the thickest part of it with five companies, Major Reno, with seven companies attacking on the other side. The soldiers were repulsed and a wholesale slaughter ensued. Gen. Custer, his brother, his nephew, and his brother-in-law were killed, and not one of his detachment escaped. The Indians surrounded Major Reno’s command and held them in the hills during a whole day, but Gibbon’s command came up and the Indians left. The number of killed is stated at 300 and the wounded at 31. Two hundred and seven men are said to have been buried in one place. The list of killed includes seventeen commissioned officers.

It is the opinion of Army officers in Chicago, Washington, and Philadelphia, including Gens. Sherman and Sheridan, that Gen. Custer was rashly imprudent to attack such a large number of Indians, Sitting Bull’s force being 4,000 strong.



Little Bighorn River, National Park Service