If you're a Brewer fan, and why the heck wouldn't you be, then this weekend was fantastic! I made it to all three games (I've only missed the two weekday day games) and they were each exciting in their own right.
I was incredibly impressed with the baseball IQ of those in attendance on Sunday. The cheers and boos were exactly when they should have been, and seemed to have some impact on manager Ned Yost's decision making process. Overbay gets his fifth hit and the fans explode, standing ovation, forcing a curtain call. It was really an electric moment. I actually got chills watching the fan reaction and imagining what the place will look like (hopefully next year) when the crew is playing for a division title and Miller Park is packed. I am convinced that Milwaukee is a wonderful baseball town and is just itching for a winner. It really appears that given something to cheer about, Milwaukee could sell out more often than not.
The second indicator of high fan IQ was in the ninth, with two outs and Davis beginning to labor. Yost had Adams and Santana (the new call-up) warmed up since the top of the eigth and after a walk Yost got up and started walking to the mound. The fans let him have it. Boos rained down from all in attendance, literally everyone knew how great a complete game would be, and allowing Davis to finish it out made sense. He was at about 120 pitches, not a ton for the durable lefty and the score was wildly out of hand. The meat of the order was past so letting Davis pitch to one or two more hitters had little downside. After a brief discussion during which the booing continued, Yost relented and allowed Davis to stick it out. He was rewarded with a ground out and a Doug Davis celebratory fist pump.
The whole afternoon was incredible. Everything went perfect, two guys with 5 hits, a few home runs, a JJ Hardy RBI and a Doug Davis complete game. Watching the team play confident and with a bit of a swagger was new and exciting and I hope it means good things to come when those hated Cubs bring their rude crude fan base up from the depths of that hole known as Chicago. I generally enjoy Chicago, but it seems the dregs of the city make their way up to Milwaukee. I can't wait to hear their whining and moaning about the increased ticket prices and the backed up traffic and the lack of Bud. Idiots one and all...
Monday, May 02, 2005
Friday, April 29, 2005
I-Jacked, who says lefties can't come up with a gem?
The Shift Memo Gets I-Jacked : Sploid
You'll have to scroll down about halfway but if you like screwing with your snobbish iPod friends (my Dell Jukebox was such a better deal) then you'll love this idea. It comes from the newly launched Sploid.com, leftists lame answer to Drudge (but they are in the Lifehacker, Gizmodo family so at least it looks nice and is run efficiently) which blares news stories in a tabloid like fashion with over the top headlines like "Trump v. Bush" in an attempt to garner leftist audiences.
Anyway, the idea is i-Jacked, basically putting strange and creepy files onto your friends iPod, but short blips that are cleverly named thus hard to find and delete:
iJacked: 1) The intentional planting of horrible stuff on an iPod belonging to a friend, co-worker or loved one. 2) To hijack some fool’s iPod...How does it work, you ask? Simple. These days, people often share songs with their pals, which is a terrible crime known as Piracy or Felony Child Endangerment. Find out what kind of music your victim enjoys. If it’s your wife, for example, you might casually ask, “Lady, do you enjoy music? If so, please list three musical acts that would interest you, especially if I said I just downloaded secret new bootleg music by these acts.”
Then you offer to put this secret music on her iPod.
And then you load a cornucopia of awful things onto said iPod.
What kind of awful things? I’d stay away from traditional “songs,” because they tend to be several minutes long — giving the victim time to skip the song and find out its title — and there’s always the chance your victim will actually enjoy whatever crap music you install. Instead, just put a bunch of Deeply Wrong short audio clips, things that flash by with great weirdness & violence, leaving your victim confused and agitated. Did I really just hear that?
Your primary goal is to load as many little mp3’s as possible, because those iPods can hold thousands of songs and you want to up the chances that your grim additions will pop up in Shuffle mode. Also, if you have the time you’ll want to rename all the files so they don’t stand out. Tuck these little files on the end of long albums, you know? “HogSlaughter.mp3” becomes the last song on The Clash’s “Sandinista,” etc.
I love this idea, especially for your runner friends. What could be better than having a friend running in the park and out of nowhere hear a car horn and screeching tires from their immediate right and then turn and nothing is there. Talk about freaking out!
You'll have to scroll down about halfway but if you like screwing with your snobbish iPod friends (my Dell Jukebox was such a better deal) then you'll love this idea. It comes from the newly launched Sploid.com, leftists lame answer to Drudge (but they are in the Lifehacker, Gizmodo family so at least it looks nice and is run efficiently) which blares news stories in a tabloid like fashion with over the top headlines like "Trump v. Bush" in an attempt to garner leftist audiences.
Anyway, the idea is i-Jacked, basically putting strange and creepy files onto your friends iPod, but short blips that are cleverly named thus hard to find and delete:
iJacked: 1) The intentional planting of horrible stuff on an iPod belonging to a friend, co-worker or loved one. 2) To hijack some fool’s iPod...How does it work, you ask? Simple. These days, people often share songs with their pals, which is a terrible crime known as Piracy or Felony Child Endangerment. Find out what kind of music your victim enjoys. If it’s your wife, for example, you might casually ask, “Lady, do you enjoy music? If so, please list three musical acts that would interest you, especially if I said I just downloaded secret new bootleg music by these acts.”
Then you offer to put this secret music on her iPod.
And then you load a cornucopia of awful things onto said iPod.
What kind of awful things? I’d stay away from traditional “songs,” because they tend to be several minutes long — giving the victim time to skip the song and find out its title — and there’s always the chance your victim will actually enjoy whatever crap music you install. Instead, just put a bunch of Deeply Wrong short audio clips, things that flash by with great weirdness & violence, leaving your victim confused and agitated. Did I really just hear that?
Your primary goal is to load as many little mp3’s as possible, because those iPods can hold thousands of songs and you want to up the chances that your grim additions will pop up in Shuffle mode. Also, if you have the time you’ll want to rename all the files so they don’t stand out. Tuck these little files on the end of long albums, you know? “HogSlaughter.mp3” becomes the last song on The Clash’s “Sandinista,” etc.
I love this idea, especially for your runner friends. What could be better than having a friend running in the park and out of nowhere hear a car horn and screeching tires from their immediate right and then turn and nothing is there. Talk about freaking out!
Thursday, April 28, 2005
The Hits Keep Coming
Packers News - Deputy had to pull Taser in order to arrest Green
It seems Ahman Green was rather belligerent when he got arrested, forcing the sheriff's deputy to pull Taser on him. The more details that emerge the worse Green looks (although it appears there was no actual physical violence):
“Ahman was very upset and yelling so loud that his spit was hitting me on the face,” Heather Green said in her written statement. “I began walking backward and Ahman just kept yelling in my face until he had me backed up against a wall...”
As deputies pressed the issue, Green became agitated and told deputies to leave his house, the report said. Green told deputies that he was a football player and he wanted to go to bed because he had practice in the morning.
When Green refused to answer any more questions, deputies told him he was under arrest for disorderly conduct as a domestic violence offense and ordered him to place his hands behind his back. Green repeatedly refused and tensed his arms as deputies grabbed hold of him. Only after Sgt. Tim Johnson unholstered his Taser did Green cooperate and allow deputies to handcuff him...
Heather Green told authorities that she was not injured in the altercation but fled the house in her pajamas because she feared for her safety. There was no property damage inside the home, according to sheriff’s reports, but Heather Green said she is fearful of the aftermath of the arrest.
“I am afraid of what Ahman may do to me now that he has been arrested and what he may to do my property I left at the house,” she said in her statement.
It seems Ahman Green was rather belligerent when he got arrested, forcing the sheriff's deputy to pull Taser on him. The more details that emerge the worse Green looks (although it appears there was no actual physical violence):
“Ahman was very upset and yelling so loud that his spit was hitting me on the face,” Heather Green said in her written statement. “I began walking backward and Ahman just kept yelling in my face until he had me backed up against a wall...”
As deputies pressed the issue, Green became agitated and told deputies to leave his house, the report said. Green told deputies that he was a football player and he wanted to go to bed because he had practice in the morning.
When Green refused to answer any more questions, deputies told him he was under arrest for disorderly conduct as a domestic violence offense and ordered him to place his hands behind his back. Green repeatedly refused and tensed his arms as deputies grabbed hold of him. Only after Sgt. Tim Johnson unholstered his Taser did Green cooperate and allow deputies to handcuff him...
Heather Green told authorities that she was not injured in the altercation but fled the house in her pajamas because she feared for her safety. There was no property damage inside the home, according to sheriff’s reports, but Heather Green said she is fearful of the aftermath of the arrest.
“I am afraid of what Ahman may do to me now that he has been arrested and what he may to do my property I left at the house,” she said in her statement.
Fantastic Letter to the Editor
Regarding tuition increases at the most bloated public university system in the nation:
The letter got me thinking, just how absurd is the situation, so I went and found a map:
http://www.wisconsin.edu/campuses/images/smap.gif
No, that isn't a joke, and no I didn't add UW-Marathon County or UW-Barron County, and I didn't even make up UW-Marshfield/Wood County. Can you honestly look at this map and tell me there is nowhere to make cuts? Is it too much to ask for the people at Waukesha to go to Milwaukee of Whitewater (20-40 minute drive) or the people attending Richland to make it to one of the THREE surrounding schools? Can Fox Valley and Fond du Lac not be absorbed into Oshkosh? I get Superior, I get River Falls, but STOUT? A four year school, nestled neatly between two other four year schools. Waste in the UW system? If you want to talk serious spending cuts, lets get rid of Parkside, Platteville, and Stout for starters. Next, absorb some of the seemingly hundreds of two year schools into four years and combine those close, like Sheboygan and Washington County.
If we tackle this problem we are talking serious, dramatic cuts in expenses to the UW system and in turn a possible cut in tuition expenses (or plasma TV's for every dorm room) . It boggles my mind why this is never looked at as a serious alternative to raising tuition/taxes.
UW SYSTEM
Explore alternatives to increasing taxes
The letter by Michael Hawes really incensed me ("More tuition increases are not acceptable," April 22). I worked three jobs to put myself through school and was just happy to have the opportunity to be in school.
Maybe one alternative to raising my taxes so he can have a lower tuition would be to close one of the University of Wisconsin campuses and consolidate students and instructors. That would certainly help keep tuition low and foster competition among the students for those coveted few positions on campuses. If tuition goes up and Hawes really wants to continue his education, he'll find a way.
Bill Hadley
Franklin
The letter got me thinking, just how absurd is the situation, so I went and found a map:
http://www.wisconsin.edu/campuses/images/smap.gif
No, that isn't a joke, and no I didn't add UW-Marathon County or UW-Barron County, and I didn't even make up UW-Marshfield/Wood County. Can you honestly look at this map and tell me there is nowhere to make cuts? Is it too much to ask for the people at Waukesha to go to Milwaukee of Whitewater (20-40 minute drive) or the people attending Richland to make it to one of the THREE surrounding schools? Can Fox Valley and Fond du Lac not be absorbed into Oshkosh? I get Superior, I get River Falls, but STOUT? A four year school, nestled neatly between two other four year schools. Waste in the UW system? If you want to talk serious spending cuts, lets get rid of Parkside, Platteville, and Stout for starters. Next, absorb some of the seemingly hundreds of two year schools into four years and combine those close, like Sheboygan and Washington County.
If we tackle this problem we are talking serious, dramatic cuts in expenses to the UW system and in turn a possible cut in tuition expenses (or plasma TV's for every dorm room) . It boggles my mind why this is never looked at as a serious alternative to raising tuition/taxes.
Thursday Urinal Roundup
JS Online: News:
After an easy House victory, the latest push to curb abortions moves to the Senate where Republican gains increase the likelihood of making it harder for minors to cross state lines to end pregnancies without telling a parent.
To me this just seems like common sense. Shouldn't we make it more difficult for minors to have abortions without their LEGAL guardians consent? Isn't that what the whole "legal guardian" thing means, minors aren't old enough to make drastic life altering decision for themselves, hence a parent is there to help them? If it's okay to end a life without the "legal guardians" consent, then really what purpose do they serve? I would argue entering a contract (legal guardian consent required) as a minor is a lot less dramatic and life altering thant ending a life.
Advocacy Group Reports Less Air Pollution
The "worst environmental President in the history of America" has somehow managed to reduce "significantly" the number of counties in which unhealthy air was reported for the first time in six years. President Bush must really be angry, somehow his plans to scorch the earth are failing.
2 want more cuts in Milwaukee fleet
I just can't imagine there would be more waste, I am sure DPW has cut their fleet to the bone. Come on, who are they kidding? I kind of found this amusing:
At a news conference outside a DPW facility, the aldermen also criticized a sport-utility vehicle assigned to Acting Port Director Eric Reinelt that was photographed outside a home Reinelt owns in Waterford.
Reinelt told the Journal Sentinel he has not been reimbursing the city for personal miles, and is unaware of any policy requiring him to do so.
DPW officials said the SUV was bought by the Port of Milwaukee and is not part of the fleet they oversee. It is unclear what policy may be in effect at the port or any of the other departments where vehicles are not overseen by DPW.
So basically there was this SUV sitting around, so the guy took it and uh, nobody is sure who/what/why it happened. Does the city really buy so many SUV's that they can just misplace one and it ends up going to a glorified temp? (Okay maybe that's a touch harsh, but come on no one knows who screwed up the oversight?)
I am also a little perturbed at the fine reporter Greg Borowski for making it totally unclear as to the extent of the fleet cuts. He reports that " DPW officials submitted a list of 104 vehicles to be eliminated, along with 40 pieces of heavy equipment. Another 65 cars and other "light" vehicles will be reviewed for possible sale later...The DPW also cut the number of vehicles city workers take home from 75 to nine on a year-round basis, and 25 during snow-heavy winter months." However he doesn't say how big a percentage this is of the overall fleet or how many vehicles remain.
Boots and Sabers covers anything I want to say about Holloway
After an easy House victory, the latest push to curb abortions moves to the Senate where Republican gains increase the likelihood of making it harder for minors to cross state lines to end pregnancies without telling a parent.
To me this just seems like common sense. Shouldn't we make it more difficult for minors to have abortions without their LEGAL guardians consent? Isn't that what the whole "legal guardian" thing means, minors aren't old enough to make drastic life altering decision for themselves, hence a parent is there to help them? If it's okay to end a life without the "legal guardians" consent, then really what purpose do they serve? I would argue entering a contract (legal guardian consent required) as a minor is a lot less dramatic and life altering thant ending a life.
Advocacy Group Reports Less Air Pollution
The "worst environmental President in the history of America" has somehow managed to reduce "significantly" the number of counties in which unhealthy air was reported for the first time in six years. President Bush must really be angry, somehow his plans to scorch the earth are failing.
2 want more cuts in Milwaukee fleet
I just can't imagine there would be more waste, I am sure DPW has cut their fleet to the bone. Come on, who are they kidding? I kind of found this amusing:
At a news conference outside a DPW facility, the aldermen also criticized a sport-utility vehicle assigned to Acting Port Director Eric Reinelt that was photographed outside a home Reinelt owns in Waterford.
Reinelt told the Journal Sentinel he has not been reimbursing the city for personal miles, and is unaware of any policy requiring him to do so.
DPW officials said the SUV was bought by the Port of Milwaukee and is not part of the fleet they oversee. It is unclear what policy may be in effect at the port or any of the other departments where vehicles are not overseen by DPW.
So basically there was this SUV sitting around, so the guy took it and uh, nobody is sure who/what/why it happened. Does the city really buy so many SUV's that they can just misplace one and it ends up going to a glorified temp? (Okay maybe that's a touch harsh, but come on no one knows who screwed up the oversight?)
I am also a little perturbed at the fine reporter Greg Borowski for making it totally unclear as to the extent of the fleet cuts. He reports that " DPW officials submitted a list of 104 vehicles to be eliminated, along with 40 pieces of heavy equipment. Another 65 cars and other "light" vehicles will be reviewed for possible sale later...The DPW also cut the number of vehicles city workers take home from 75 to nine on a year-round basis, and 25 during snow-heavy winter months." However he doesn't say how big a percentage this is of the overall fleet or how many vehicles remain.
Boots and Sabers covers anything I want to say about Holloway
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Great Day for Packer Fans
JS Online: Green arrested
Ahman Green arrested after his second "domestic incident." Apparently he is two for two after being involved in an incident with his first wife on their intended wedding night (they got married a few months later) he spent a few hours in jail on Monday night after a 911 hang-up from his residence near Green Bay
Walker to Hold Out
Budding superstar Javon Walker will become yet another of Drew Rosenhaus' clients to hold out. This is getting disgusting. Don't sign him, let him hold out. I hope the Eagles do the same to Owens and the Cardinals do the same to Arizona. Eventually players will understand that signing with Rosenhaus will end their careers, instead of allow them to break contract after contract after one good year.
Al Harris Focus of Inquiry
Additionally WTMJ reported this morning on the radio that CB Al Harris is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a stripper in a nightclub near Miami.
Great day all around for the Green and Gold...
Ahman Green arrested after his second "domestic incident." Apparently he is two for two after being involved in an incident with his first wife on their intended wedding night (they got married a few months later) he spent a few hours in jail on Monday night after a 911 hang-up from his residence near Green Bay
Walker to Hold Out
Budding superstar Javon Walker will become yet another of Drew Rosenhaus' clients to hold out. This is getting disgusting. Don't sign him, let him hold out. I hope the Eagles do the same to Owens and the Cardinals do the same to Arizona. Eventually players will understand that signing with Rosenhaus will end their careers, instead of allow them to break contract after contract after one good year.
Al Harris Focus of Inquiry
Additionally WTMJ reported this morning on the radio that CB Al Harris is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a stripper in a nightclub near Miami.
Great day all around for the Green and Gold...
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Tuesday Quick Hits
Daron Sutton, the TV voice of the BrewCrew has his own blog, and it's pretty interesting, all two posts so far. The guy is incredibly personable (thanks for the beer) and tells great stories. The only thing better would be if Rock dropped a few comments once in awhile.
The Dog Ate Daron's Homework
My view of the draft is much like most people I have talked to. The first pick was fantastic, in that they had no other choice and didn't blow it. Other than that, passing on Dan Cody in round 2 and Antajj Hawthorne in the later rounds was a gigantic mistake. Instead they took an absurdly raw and surly cornerback, a 26 year old linebacker/end who doesn't fit the system, and reached on Collins whom they could have taken at 58 after selecting Cody 51st. It just didn't make any sense to me whatsoever. They blew it after the first round.
How is this guy not from Wisconsin?
I think we need to start a collection, if this doesn't get the Brewers back to .500 I don't know what will.
Jay Mariotti bursts the Kyle Orton bubble. Not hard to do. Orton played well until he choked against Bucky and never recovered his form after that, to the point where he got benched for God's sake! I only mention this because he has the greatest line of all columnists I read today:
But the Bears don't need just Anyone. They have Rex, Chad and Kyle.
A boy band.
This Urinal editorial has led me to "republish" here a letter to the editors I wrote a year and a half ago.
SMOKING BAN
It's not government's place to make decision
I find it incredibly interesting that the Journal Sentinel recently printed an editorial condemning the Patriot Act as an attempt by the government to take away some of our liberties, and at the same time it is championing the exact same thing in a Sept. 12 editorial ("Dinner without the smoke").
Banning smoking from restaurants is not the purview of the government. Individual owners of various places of business have the right to ban smoking, and indeed many have. To say that this should be a government mandate is more intrusive into the lives of everyday people than allowing the government to have access to library records.
This is foolish and heavy-handed nonsense that hurts restaurant and bar owners and will eventually get out of control. I don't smoke, and I dislike when people smoke around me, but for the government to step in and ban it is out of control.
Americans don't want to live in a nanny state. We have the ability to choose for ourselves whether we want to eat around smoke, and there are plenty of choices available to us now. We don't need government to tell us how to live our lives.
Finally, if Carlos Lee continues this power surge, and Turnbow can hang onto the closer role, AND Sheets doesn't miss more than one more start the Crew will come home looking like a much better ball club, and come May 13th, when they hit the road again WILL have a record above .500.
The Dog Ate Daron's Homework
My view of the draft is much like most people I have talked to. The first pick was fantastic, in that they had no other choice and didn't blow it. Other than that, passing on Dan Cody in round 2 and Antajj Hawthorne in the later rounds was a gigantic mistake. Instead they took an absurdly raw and surly cornerback, a 26 year old linebacker/end who doesn't fit the system, and reached on Collins whom they could have taken at 58 after selecting Cody 51st. It just didn't make any sense to me whatsoever. They blew it after the first round.
How is this guy not from Wisconsin?
I think we need to start a collection, if this doesn't get the Brewers back to .500 I don't know what will.
Jay Mariotti bursts the Kyle Orton bubble. Not hard to do. Orton played well until he choked against Bucky and never recovered his form after that, to the point where he got benched for God's sake! I only mention this because he has the greatest line of all columnists I read today:
But the Bears don't need just Anyone. They have Rex, Chad and Kyle.
A boy band.
This Urinal editorial has led me to "republish" here a letter to the editors I wrote a year and a half ago.
SMOKING BAN
It's not government's place to make decision
I find it incredibly interesting that the Journal Sentinel recently printed an editorial condemning the Patriot Act as an attempt by the government to take away some of our liberties, and at the same time it is championing the exact same thing in a Sept. 12 editorial ("Dinner without the smoke").
Banning smoking from restaurants is not the purview of the government. Individual owners of various places of business have the right to ban smoking, and indeed many have. To say that this should be a government mandate is more intrusive into the lives of everyday people than allowing the government to have access to library records.
This is foolish and heavy-handed nonsense that hurts restaurant and bar owners and will eventually get out of control. I don't smoke, and I dislike when people smoke around me, but for the government to step in and ban it is out of control.
Americans don't want to live in a nanny state. We have the ability to choose for ourselves whether we want to eat around smoke, and there are plenty of choices available to us now. We don't need government to tell us how to live our lives.
Finally, if Carlos Lee continues this power surge, and Turnbow can hang onto the closer role, AND Sheets doesn't miss more than one more start the Crew will come home looking like a much better ball club, and come May 13th, when they hit the road again WILL have a record above .500.
Cap Times brings it with another doozy
Editorial: Walker vs. caregivers
I especially like the first paragraph, in which the extreme left editors call Walker "the state's most ambitious career politician." I'm just curious, but what do they consider Russ Feingold? Isn't Feingold a career politician, and isn't he running, for all intents and purposes for President of the United States? That seems a tad more ambitious than Governor of Wisconsin. He is still a state politician, Feingold is supposed to be working for the people of Wisconsin and promoting our interest in Washington correct? I know that he hasn't done a damn thing for this state, but does that mean the leftists have given up even considering him a Wisconsin Senator?
The first paragraph continues like a Russ Feingold bio:
Outlandish and useless ventures for us Wisconsonites like going to Alabama to mend fences with those he offended, or creating ridiculous campaign finance "reforms" that hinder free speech and caused the creation of the obnoxious 527's. Yes, those were definitely worthwhile efforts by Mr. Feingold. The rest of the editorial reads exactly how you would expect it to read, quoting world renowned publications like the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram to prove it's point that HSA accounts are "bad." Very insightful.
I especially like the first paragraph, in which the extreme left editors call Walker "the state's most ambitious career politician." I'm just curious, but what do they consider Russ Feingold? Isn't Feingold a career politician, and isn't he running, for all intents and purposes for President of the United States? That seems a tad more ambitious than Governor of Wisconsin. He is still a state politician, Feingold is supposed to be working for the people of Wisconsin and promoting our interest in Washington correct? I know that he hasn't done a damn thing for this state, but does that mean the leftists have given up even considering him a Wisconsin Senator?
The first paragraph continues like a Russ Feingold bio:
...trying everything he can think of to get out of his current job and into the
governor's mansion [oval office]. If there's a gimmick that will allow the state
to avoid dealing with real issues such as education, health care or job
creation, Walker is for it - no matter how useless or outlandish the proposal.
Outlandish and useless ventures for us Wisconsonites like going to Alabama to mend fences with those he offended, or creating ridiculous campaign finance "reforms" that hinder free speech and caused the creation of the obnoxious 527's. Yes, those were definitely worthwhile efforts by Mr. Feingold. The rest of the editorial reads exactly how you would expect it to read, quoting world renowned publications like the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram to prove it's point that HSA accounts are "bad." Very insightful.
Friday, April 22, 2005
A Decent Urinal Editorial...Shocking!
The Journal makes a few good points in today's editorial on the TV flap in Muskego. I think the most astonishing thing I have heard through all of this is that the taxpayers would have gotten so little back, individually, that it didn't seem worth it. I can't imagine that thinking. If they would have given something back, I can't even fathom the shock and gratitude of the taxpayers. While the amount may have been small, the public relation and good will gains would have been enormous.
The first mistake in the Muskego flap was made by the School Board last fall when it decided on a 4-2 vote not to return to taxpayers $430,000 left over from a $36.6 million renovation and expansion project voters approved in a 2001 referendum. Sending the money back would have sent with it a clear message that board members are serious about fiscal responsibility and saving taxpayers money.
Set aside the TV's (I can't fathom the thinking behind EIGHT plasma TV's) which will be of little use to students (educational programming is educational programming) the school board blew a great opportunity for future gains. They could have pointed to this refund and said "see, we ARE being fiscally responsible, we aren't wasting money" and turned that into fantastic financial returns down the road.
As is often the case with fools, shortsightedness and greed did them in
The first mistake in the Muskego flap was made by the School Board last fall when it decided on a 4-2 vote not to return to taxpayers $430,000 left over from a $36.6 million renovation and expansion project voters approved in a 2001 referendum. Sending the money back would have sent with it a clear message that board members are serious about fiscal responsibility and saving taxpayers money.
Set aside the TV's (I can't fathom the thinking behind EIGHT plasma TV's) which will be of little use to students (educational programming is educational programming) the school board blew a great opportunity for future gains. They could have pointed to this refund and said "see, we ARE being fiscally responsible, we aren't wasting money" and turned that into fantastic financial returns down the road.
As is often the case with fools, shortsightedness and greed did them in
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Leftists Know What's Best...Again
I am constantly astounded by the audacity of liberals (American liberals in this case). It is always dangerous to think you know best for everyone and it seems this is the line leftists cross at every turn. Based on the past few months they obviously feel they have the right to pick not only the President's cabinet, but every judicial appointment as well...and even his ambassadors. They have taken the advise and consent roll to mean obstruction and bottleneck. In a country with a Republican House, Senate and Presidency, why in the world do the leftists feel they have so much power?
Well, interestingly their condescension goes far deeper than just American politics. Indeed, these diluted souls (as represented by Mr. Carlson above) feel they have the right to tell a worldwide religious organization who should lead them. Why do American liberals think they have the right to decide who becomes the head of a worldwide mostly conservative (in values and in many political views) organization?
Despite my being a Catholic and a conservative, with eight years of Jesuit education, I still don't feel I have the slightest clue as to who would lead the Church in this incredibly tumultuous time, but Mr. Carlson and countless leftists feel again that they know what is best.
They want a worldwide ban on smoking, cholesterol, guns, soda, and religion...because after all they know best. I am curious as to who he would like to see head the Catholic Church, would an atheist be "progressive" enough for these people? Maybe a lesbian?
I don't presume to want a white guy heading the NAACP, why would these people think a leftist could run the Catholic Church?
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Oil unlimited? - Bruce Bartlett
An interesting read regardless of your take on the oil situation. It seems there is a rather popular theory about the regenerative possibilities of oil. Instead of being a depletable fuel it could in fact be literally "primordial" in nature.
In the words of geologist Vladimir Porfir'yev, "The overwhelming preponderance of geological evidence compels the conclusion that crude oil and natural gas have no intrinsic connection with biological matter originating near the surface of the Earth. They are primordial materials which have erupted from great depths."
For more than 50 years, Russian and Ukrainian scientists have successfully used the abiotic theory to find oil and natural gas. For example, the Dnieper-Donets Basin has yielded a significant amount of oil and natural gas even though it is an area that conventional biological theories reject as unpromising. A recent technical paper found that the results "confirm the scientific conclusions that the oil and natural gas found in ... the Dnieper-Donets Basin are of deep, and abiotic, origin."
In the words of geologist Vladimir Porfir'yev, "The overwhelming preponderance of geological evidence compels the conclusion that crude oil and natural gas have no intrinsic connection with biological matter originating near the surface of the Earth. They are primordial materials which have erupted from great depths."
For more than 50 years, Russian and Ukrainian scientists have successfully used the abiotic theory to find oil and natural gas. For example, the Dnieper-Donets Basin has yielded a significant amount of oil and natural gas even though it is an area that conventional biological theories reject as unpromising. A recent technical paper found that the results "confirm the scientific conclusions that the oil and natural gas found in ... the Dnieper-Donets Basin are of deep, and abiotic, origin."
Monday, April 18, 2005
Boots & Sabers Post...Epic
I have done it with a letter or two, even giving out idiot awards for certain worthy letters, but Owen over at Boots and Sabers managed to drop the hammer on every single letter written to the Urinal yesterday. Fantastic read, well done.
Friday, April 15, 2005
Yet another reason to SIMPLIFY THE TAX CODE
People scurrying to meet tonight's tax deadline might consider this: It's taking you and your fellow Americans 6.6 billion hours to do all that paperwork. The basic tax return - the Form 1040 filed by most people every year - accounts for 1.6 billion hours.
The Internal Revenue Service furnished those statistics to the White House budget office, which keeps tabs on the government's bureaucratic demands. The budget office notes that tax work "towers over the entire paperwork burden for the rest of the federal government" and accounts for some 80 percent.
"If anything, those numbers are probably understated," said David Keating, president of the National Taxpayers Union, which reports annually on the increasing complexity and demands of tax returns.
"A lot more of the cost is just planning to do the tax-smart thing. That can actually take a lot more time than reporting what you've done," he said.
So at least it isn't a hassle. If only Steve Forbes' flat tax postcard came in the mail this year instead. Hell a guy can dream.
The Internal Revenue Service furnished those statistics to the White House budget office, which keeps tabs on the government's bureaucratic demands. The budget office notes that tax work "towers over the entire paperwork burden for the rest of the federal government" and accounts for some 80 percent.
"If anything, those numbers are probably understated," said David Keating, president of the National Taxpayers Union, which reports annually on the increasing complexity and demands of tax returns.
"A lot more of the cost is just planning to do the tax-smart thing. That can actually take a lot more time than reporting what you've done," he said.
So at least it isn't a hassle. If only Steve Forbes' flat tax postcard came in the mail this year instead. Hell a guy can dream.
Gas Tax Outrage
No one would accept an automatic tax increase for any other purpose or at any other level. School taxes go up, but school board members vote for that increase, and voters can decide to boot them out at the next election. The same applies to municipal officials.
I tend to agree, however I was out of town during the Annual Milwaukee April Fools Joke so I don't know how big a stink our radio commentators made, but it does seem that most politicians have been relatively silent about an issue that the masses would back: repeal the auto increase. It seems so simple to me.
XM Radio
Freaking awesome, that's all I have to say, it's freaking awesome. I work in a cookie cutter office building and it comes in perfect.
Every baseball game, every NASCAR race, tons of talk, ESPNNews broadcast (that means 5 oclock PTI!!) just incredible.
I got the Delphi MyFi with XM2Go, simply perfect.
Every baseball game, every NASCAR race, tons of talk, ESPNNews broadcast (that means 5 oclock PTI!!) just incredible.
I got the Delphi MyFi with XM2Go, simply perfect.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Finally, the UN comes to its senses
How I missed this story yesterday I have no idea. It seems that the UN, being such a powerful and potent organization, has decided to make it illegal for terrorists to possess/threaten to use nuclear weapons.
Yes, in much the same way as making it illegal to carry a hand gun in Wisconsin has led to the erradication of hand gun crime and murder. This is so truely absurd. THESE PEOPLE ARE TERRORISTS! Their very existence is illegal, yet the UN thinks making it a crime for them to posess nukes will have some significant and profound effect?
"Well, I was going to nuke Chicago, but now I'll just use a car bomb. And crap, I had better get rid of these nukes before the UN passes a resoultion against me."
Adding teeth to the bill, they committee added this:
When I ask, was it ever not a crime to damage a nuclear facility? When is it not a crime to damage any property that doesn't belong to you? God I hope Bolton goes in there and beats the living crap out of these brilliant ambassadors.
The U.N. General Assembly approved a global treaty Wednesday aimed at
preventing nuclear terrorism by making it a crime for would-be terrorists to
possess or threaten to use nuclear weapons or radioactive material.
"By its action today, the General Assembly has shown that it can, when it
has the political will, play an important role in the global fight again
terrorism," U.S. deputy ambassador Stuart Holliday told delegates after the
vote. "The nuclear terrorism convention, when it enters into force, will
strengthen the international legal framework to combat terrorism."
Yes, in much the same way as making it illegal to carry a hand gun in Wisconsin has led to the erradication of hand gun crime and murder. This is so truely absurd. THESE PEOPLE ARE TERRORISTS! Their very existence is illegal, yet the UN thinks making it a crime for them to posess nukes will have some significant and profound effect?
"Well, I was going to nuke Chicago, but now I'll just use a car bomb. And crap, I had better get rid of these nukes before the UN passes a resoultion against me."
Adding teeth to the bill, they committee added this:
The treaty makes it a crime for any person to possess radioactive material
or a radioactive device with the intent to cause death or injury, or damage
property or the environment. It would also be a crime to damage a nuclear
facility.
When I ask, was it ever not a crime to damage a nuclear facility? When is it not a crime to damage any property that doesn't belong to you? God I hope Bolton goes in there and beats the living crap out of these brilliant ambassadors.
Firefox PSA
About a week ago we were discussing the Firefox connection and had a few posts about the fantastic browser. While I can't figure out how to get it to work at work, I do use it exclusively at home. Anyway, Lifehacker linked to a really great article in Linux Journal about tweaking and using about:config to make Firefox as amazing as possible.
Basically a must read if you're a Firefox user.
Basically a must read if you're a Firefox user.
Great Day
Nothing can upset me today, except maybe an Astros win.
The Crew is legit in first, they are #5 in ESPN's power rankings, a jump of almost 20 spots thanks to their quality starting pitching and monster run production.
Jay Mariotti is predicting a Dusty Baker early exit and Wood got absolutely LIT UP yesterday.
I moved my alarm clock into my bathroom, which finally allowed me to get up early and get dialed (work out) before work.
And I finally have a bit of time to blog. Hopefully this lull will continue throughout the day so I can really make up for a few lost weeks. I guess taking off over two weeks to go West, followed by two days to watch the Crew is not incredibly conducive to blogging.
The Crew is legit in first, they are #5 in ESPN's power rankings, a jump of almost 20 spots thanks to their quality starting pitching and monster run production.
Jay Mariotti is predicting a Dusty Baker early exit and Wood got absolutely LIT UP yesterday.
I moved my alarm clock into my bathroom, which finally allowed me to get up early and get dialed (work out) before work.
And I finally have a bit of time to blog. Hopefully this lull will continue throughout the day so I can really make up for a few lost weeks. I guess taking off over two weeks to go West, followed by two days to watch the Crew is not incredibly conducive to blogging.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Digital Camera Plunge...Casio Exilim EXZ55
So I took the plune and got myself a digital camera with those tax returns that finally showed up and I have to say I am incredibly please with the results. The thing is beautiful and perfect for my needs. Fit in the pocket of my favorite jeans, huge screen (2.5"!) and 5 megapixels (what do I need more for?)
If anyone is looking for a camera to take to bars and parties, this is it. I am stunned by how great it is. The only drawback is the sub-par video performance, but that wasn't reallyh a big deal in my decision making.
If anyone is looking for a camera to take to bars and parties, this is it. I am stunned by how great it is. The only drawback is the sub-par video performance, but that wasn't reallyh a big deal in my decision making.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Greatest Holliday of the Year!
Ladies and gentlemen it is 7 am, and I am waking up to the greatest day of the year. In less than an hour I will be at my favorite watering hole where drinks will be free until 11, when we will travel to the Park for the North Ave. cook out (and more free drinks). Around 1 we'll enter the hallowed ground and watch a sacred ritual. Not even the first game of the year at Lambeau are this beloved or looked forward to.
I need to shower and call a cab and get this day started right, go Brewers!!
I need to shower and call a cab and get this day started right, go Brewers!!
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