Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Please just end the charade UWM
I mean, seriously, no one takes you serious. You guys can't hold meetings, you can't agree to legislation and you can't keep people from walking out.
Let's just end the charade.
What is the point of student senate if they won't have quorum? Let's just let the elected president (whether you like her or her actions is pointless to argue, she did win the vote las April) sit on university governance committees and call it a day.
I really think that I should form a group and lobby the legislature to throw out Chapter 36.09 and start over with streamlined unversity governance. Any one want to fund it?
Labels: UW System
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Lights out until November 8th
Well, we are just over a week out until the end of the 2006 election. And with that comes GOTV effforts and major campaigning. With that said, I will no longer regularly post until after the election. I will spend the majority of my time in an RV this week and in Waupaca in the final five days.
Unless something major hits with the UWM story, we'll see you on the other side.
Labels: Election 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
It's time to rethink university governance
Let's face it, after hearing about the check writing at UW-Milwaukee, Wisconsin students have been shocked to hear what had happened. The result of a failed shared governance system is the embezzlement made by Russ Reuden. However, it is time to rethink the way university governance is dictated and here are my thoughts from a drive from Waupaca to Appleton:
- Eliminate the separate student government, faculty senate, academic staff committees and all other forms of shared governance at UW institutions.
- The Chancellor will set up university-wide committees, that dictate university policy and procedures, that are made up of students, faculty, academic staff and university administration.
- These committees are have equal representation of as outlined in WSS 36.09 -- faculty, academic staff, chancellor and students.
- No student, faculty or academic staff shall create committees without equal representation of other members of groups in university governance. For example: the students cannot create an arbitrary committee to dictate any policy without having equal representation from faculty, academic staff and the Chancellor.
- Students have the primary authority of allocating segregated fees, but cannot distribute the fees. Distribution can be done by university officials in accordance with standard accounting practices.
- The members of any group (students, faculty, staff, chancellor) can appeal a decision to the Board of Regents.
This is just some thoughts, but instead of a faculty committee on general education and a student committee on general education, there would be a single committee on general education with everyone at the same table--students, faculty, staff and university administration. With everyone at the table, everyone will get the other groups' ideas and from there consensus building can take place. Streamlining university governance would work.
Labels: UW System
Please don't applaud during or after talking points made by candiates. You're precious time that could be used for another question.
(This happened to night at the last Gard-Kagen debate. There was so much clapping and interruptions you'd think it was the State of the Union address.)
Labels: Election 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Dear UWM Students:
Dear University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Students,
In the last week, you have heard that your former student body president received a check for $10,000 from your housing council. There is outrage amongst yourself in Facebook groups, on Fark.com and seemingly everywhere else. You don't understand how it happened and whether anyone is going to do anything about it.
You got exactly what you deserved.
You can whine, you can complain, you can try and oust your leaders and you can do anything that will make you sleep at night, but there is nothing that you can do that will fix your problems--because you didn't care when you elected your leaders last April, and you only care about it when someone does some shady business.
In about a month, when all of this will disappear from the newspapers and radio shows, or the next grand debate about Jessica Simpson's boob job, you will seemingly forget that this event ever took place. You will continue to lead your shallow lives and not care about what every aspect of university governance is doing--or not doing.
Tuition will skyrocket next year. Classes will be slashed out of your timetables. Jim Doyle will give one last no-bid, or bid-rigged project, to UWM or another UW campus on his way out of the Capitol in December for his campaign donors. Meanwhile students and tax-payers alike will get royally screwed.
You will get what you deserve, because you don't care about the process that sets tuition. You don't care about the people you elect as your student leaders. You don't care about what they do and how they spend your money.
All you care about is who McDreamy is seeing in Grey's Anatomy or whether Rob Jeter will be named Horizon League coach of the year. Whether Kevin Federline's rap album is a historic accomplishment, or complete failure. At some point in time, you will debate whether to go to Florida or Mexico for spring break. (You will pick Mexico because the drinking age is 18.)
Your senseless view of reality is jaded by pop culture, and meanwhile there are people that are taking advantage of the situation. You cry after the fact, but you won't hold yourselves accountable to your inaction.
You got what you deserved, whether you like it or not. You can cry, you can moan, you can organize protests, but you failed yourself.
Sincerely from the great, and scandal-free, UW-Green Bay,
Jon Hayden
Labels: Election 2006, UW System
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
At least one tribe member is offended by Kagen's racist remarks
Labels: Election 2006
Dr. Millionaire is about to crack
KIMBERLY, Wis -- Steve Kagen is about to go off the deep end. He has twice interrupted WHBY moderators to rebut John Gard's hard-hitting talking points.
Labels: Election 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Update: UWM SA back in office, figuring out what's next
The UWM Post is reporting that the UW-Milwaukee Student Association is back in its offices and putting the pieces back together. The UWM Police Dept. executed a search warrant yesterday and took two carts of files.
It looks as though SA is going to court and has obtained legal representaion. A quick search on CCAP has showed nothing yet in the system. I hope the SA has enough cash in their accounts and has access to it if they do decide to go to trial.
Warning: I'm getting really philosophical below. (Damn you Francis Carleton!)
Everyone understands that the Sandburg Halls Administrative Council has forked over its bank statements and other financials, because that is where the $10,000 check came from. UWM, and its students as well, have the right to seek bank statements, financial records and everything else that is paid for through student segregated fees and or user fees like the $35 each housing student pays to SHAC. However, the only people that realistically have the right to see the fundraising account is the donors themselves, and they hold SA responsible. Is it realistic? Abosolutely not.
I think that is the root of the problem. There is a difference of opinion on whether the administration should see fundraising statements for accounts not from student fee or state GPR. The student leadership says no; Santiago and Co. says yes.
Who is right? I think that will be determined by a judge, or a few judges, in a few different courts. Ultimately, the loser of all of it is the students. SA will be focused on saving themselves, instead of focusing on issues facing students. (Like tuition hikes proposed for the next biennium, or quality of life issues.) UWM administration, and System administration as well, will be in for the fight of their life as they have to defend their actions.
And we cannot confuse the two investigations that are taking place. The police have done nothing wrong. They are just investigating as law permits. The controversy is the UWM administration's investigation. I think people are confusing the two. After the fact though, I think the Journal Sentinel and everyone else in reporting news needed to do a better job of telling the difference.
{End incoherant rambling]
Labels: UW System
Monday, October 23, 2006
Scott Southworth was right
Just how many ideas and organizations do college students have to pay for? This is a little creepy to me.
Waukesha - Amber Braun is one witch who does not want to frighten anyone this Halloween.As president of the Pagan Student Alliance, a new club at the University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, Braun hopes to show non-believers that they have nothing to fear from followers of paganism.
"We're coming out of the broom closet," the 20-year-old Waukesha resident said with a smile.
About a dozen students so far have joined the alliance, which has been officially recognized by student government leaders at UW-Waukesha and is eligible to request funding from student fees.
It is believed to be the only such organization at any college or university in southeastern Wisconsin.
The club has raised eyebrows and drawn criticism from some at UW-Waukesha, yet administrators and student leaders are voicing tolerance and a willingness to learn.
"It's an opportunity for students to be exposed to new ideas," said Sue Kalinka, associate director of student services.
Of course it is Sue. It's not YOUR money they are wasting either. Why do we pay fees for this kind of nonsense? What's next, the student NAMBLA or the student KKK? Why not? It seems like in higher education as long as it goes against Christian beliefs and values it is perfectly acceptable.
My beef with this is what kind of slippery slope does a Pagan club create. So we can throw out any ideas, get officially recognized (which is as simple as filling out a from and finding an advisor), and request large sums of student money. Here's a thought, why don't we just lower our segregated fees so that we don't pay for student organizations. With that money, we can start our own and spend it as we wish.
This Pagan Club makes as much sense as the Jon Hayden Memorial Men's Lavatory I had proposed weeks ago. Well--at least you get some function out of my bathroom.
Labels: SE Wisconsin
Today there was a second 8th Congressional Debate and it was hosted by the Oneida Means Business organization. Dr. Millionaire Steve Kagen didn't learn much from the debate down in Appleton just over a week ago. While there was no discernable "airplane" moment, Kagen said some pretty crazy things.
Dr. Millionaire wanted to send our troops to Pakistan, as well as engage in collective bargaining in Mexico. Oh yeah, he also didn't answer any of the questions from the moderator. I think he must have made up the questions in his head.
Gard stayed on topic and on the offensive which was good to see. One more big one on the campus of UW-Green Bay Thursday night.
Labels: Election 2006
Double standard alert: Kagen is on 'Injun time"
As heard on the Charlie Sykes show this morning and on his blog here, Steve Kagen said he was late because he was on "Injun time."
Boy, isn't that a bit of a double standard from the left? Senator George Allen (R-Virginia) had to apologize for his use of the word "macaca" at a campaign stop. It was the only news on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and network news for at least a week.
Is Kagen going to get called out on it by the media? I would think not. If a racist comment coming from a Democrat or a liberal, it is A-OK to them. If a Republican or conservative says something like that, it is the end of the world. That candidate should be tied up and stoned in the streets. Such hypocrisy.
I hope the Gard Team calls them out on it and pursues it.
EDIT: Looks like Dr. Millionaire/Racist has apologized.
"I did not mean any harm by my words and I humbly apologize if I offended anyone. That was not my intent..."
So what did you mean? You could have just said doctors are always late, like you had said, and then moved on without the racist remart.
Labels: Election 2006
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Maybe the zone blocking does work
Wow...Ahman Green just broke a 70-yard run.
Makes me wonder just how bad the Dolphins really are.
Labels: Sports
Press-Gazette endorses Mark Green
This is good news for now, but the Press-Gazette was wrong with their endorsemnet in 2002, picking then-Gov. Scott McCallum for re-election.
Mark Green is our choice for the next governor of Wisconsin.
His experience in state government, his knowledge of the federal government
and his proven record of serving his constituency make him the best candidate....
Doyle ran against Scott McCallum four years ago, promising to bring harmony
to a severely splintered Legislature, and to balance a state budget that was steeped in red. Within weeks of being sworn into office, however, Doyle tried to negotiate far-reaching gaming contracts with the 11 Native American tribes in the state without consulting the Legislature.It was an act of defiance that ended up in court and initiated what has been a disruptive relationship between the governor and Legislature since 2003. Then it was disclosed in August that three tribes had donated as much as $50,000 to the Democratic Party.
It was then when the state Legislature and the Republican party knew which pocket Jim Doyle was in--the casinos. Those lucrative gaming contacts were a joke comparaed to what other states have and enforce.
Doyle has claimed that he presented a balanced budget but he connected the dots by transferring funds from such accounts as transportation, and raising fees across the board. It was a temporary solution at best.
Yes, it is the reason why in-state tuition has risen nearly 50 percent in the last four years.
Hovering over the Doyle campaign are numerous instances of cloudy ethics. Georgia Thompson, who worked for the Department of Administration, was convicted earlier this year of two felonies for rigging a state contract for Adelman Travel, which has been a financial supporter of Doyle's.
Former DOA Secretary Marc Marotta, according to FBI records, held phone discussions with Adelman officials while the contract was being considered. The contract later was canceled.
The claims that Green used illegal out-of-state political action committee money in his campaign pale in comparison. While the partisan State Elections Board ruled against him, Green was doing nothing that candidates in the past haven't done. Attempts to portray Green in a shady light just don't wash.
Bingo. Even some in the mainstream media understand this.
Green, a Hobart resident, can bring a fresh approach to the statehouse, a willingness to work closely with the Republican leadership to control state spending and encourage the expansion of business.
He can do what Doyle has not done.
Yes he can, mostly keep spending low and fix the budget mess once and for all. Until the structural deficit is fixed, a large cloud will continue to hang over Wisconsin.
Labels: Election 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
And some positive news on the UW front
Kudos to the staff and the donors of the Ecumentical Center at UW-Green Bay. It is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The Ecumenical Center has been tucked away on the scenic University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus for 25 years. Now, the staff wants to reintroduce the community to this community asset, said executive director Jan Scoville.
The center will hold an open house on Nov. 12 with tours, a free spaghetti dinner, Catholic and Protestant worship services and the kickoff of a $100,000 capital fund drive.
"Ten years ago, we did a capital-fund drive," Scoville said. "The money was invested and we used the dividends to operate. But it is time to raise more money for the center.
"Students are changing; their needs are changing. We need more diversity. Our students are more Protestant or nondenominational. Catholics are in the minority," she said.
The funds will help hire additional ministers for the Lutheran and nondenominational students and add equipment to accommodate the many community groups that use the center for meetings.
"We are a nonprofit organization, and all our funds come from the community," Scoville said.
Some area congregations support the center with regular donations. The center also rents out meeting rooms to the community and university staff. Student organizations on campus can meet for no charge.
It's good to see in a time where higher education and religion are often fighting with each other, UWGB seems to work with religion.
Labels: UW System
UWM Administration shuts down the Student Association
EDIT: Wow, I jumped the gun on this one. Turns out that my opinions expressed at the time wasn't the whole story. Turns out there is a bigger mess than what I had originally thought. I have personally dealt with Russ Rueden and he seemed to be a good guy, bringing common sense solutions to UW-Milwaukee.
Now, I don't know all the sides involved in this, as it is next to impossible, but I still feel that the rest of the UWM shouldn't have been locked out of their work. As I have said before, just because there are a couple of bad apples doesn't mean you throw out the whole bag. However, I do believe that the police do have the right to properly investigate the case, and hopefully, will do it legally and successfully.
If the students care enough, they should recall the elected leadership and/or start their own student association. It should be left up to the students to decide. If you think chaos will ensue in the next few days, you haven't seen nothing left if Santiago and UWM administration meddle in student organization.
It is my hope that cooler heads will prevale in this case. It seems like neither side is acting rationally.
I have since retracted my statements of earlier this morning as my assumptions were based on a bit too much emotion and not much rational thought. Students have to tread carefully in these times as everyone is looking to take their rights away from them. Wisconsin is the beacon of light when it comes to university governance and we have to protect what we have.
In a story that hit the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today, there is suspicion that UW-Milwaukee Student Association members embezzled at least $10,000 from student fees. As a result, Chancellor Santiago has shut down their student government. Talk about a violation of the shared governance laws in Wisconsin as well as various other court rulings.
Earlier this month, Chancellor Carlos Santiago asked leaders of the Student Association, which includes the Student Senate, to turn over financial records and policies to university auditors.
Jim Hill, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, said he moved to suspend the association after the leaders refused, saying they would conduct an internal audit of their own.
In a letter that was tacked on the association's office door Friday morning, Hill said student officers, senators and staff were being barred from access to funds generated by student fees and university facilities including the Student Association office and computers until the matter was resolved.
The shutdown, which included changing locks on the office door, infuriated the association's president, Samantha Prahl, who said she was at UW-La Crosse for a conference on Friday. Prahl said in a phone interview that she had informed the university's auditor this week of her intentions to turn over all of the association's financial records except those for a bank account of fund-raising money.
Prahl, who is scheduled to meet with the auditor on Monday, said the administration was violating the students' right to self-governance."They just jumped to conclusions and closed down the student voice on campus," Prahl said. "We can't go into the office, we can't govern ourselves."
Labels: UW System
Friday, October 20, 2006
Is it inexperience or is Kagen crazy?
Has Steve Kagen lost his mind?
In an interview with WGBA-TV 26, Kagen said that the United States should not
worry too much about North Korea as they have a few missiles and we have a complete
arsenal. The video is below.
"I agree with Franklin Roosevelt when he was president, when he said, ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’
I don’t want any of the voters to think they should be frightened of North Korea. Six missiles. How many thousands have we got?
It would be over in an instant. The real fear that people have is that their leaders don’t have the wisdom and good judgment to execute bright policies. We need successful winners in office.”
So it makes me wonder, is this man just extremely inexperienced, or is he that
crazy.
Labels: Election 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
System policy can set you free
Last night I had received a phone call from a friend about how to get out of a punishment by the UW-Green Bay Dean of Students office. Somehow I had become an expert at UW System policy and Regent Policy. After going through chapters 14 and 17 in System policy, we found that the process of punishment was illegal, in that there was no paper trail.
So to all of you college students get busted on campus for something--read the System policies.
And if all else fails, claim that that the committee isn't in compliance with W.S.S. 36.09 (5) and UW-Milwaukee v. Chancellor Baum. Policies and court decisions can make you innocent if policies weren't followed.
Labels: UW System
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Cutting off the hand that feeds
Call me crazy, but this proposal by Harley-Davidson would have cut pay for new employees for its new line. It didn't affect the employees already working at H-D. But somehow this was a bad deal for its current employees?
More good-paying, but less than current employees, jobs is good for all members of the union. Just imagine all of the new union dues going into its coffers. But logic doesn't exist in the modern union movement. They'd rather say no to paycuts even though it means that their jobs will go elsewhere.
This is where this stupidity shows:
Neither he nor any of seven Harley employees interviewed Monday would give their names. One said he feared retaliation for speaking publicly.
That employee expressed surprise at the vote outcome.
"I didn't think that they had enough backbone," he said. "I'm really proud of the members, I really am. There comes a time when you have to stand up and say enough's enough."
So you're proud you just sent good jobs out of state or even out of the country? I don't understand it at all. Here you had one of Wisconsin's biggest employers offering more jobs to the Milwaukee area, but instead they are going elsewhere. There will be a time where Harley-Davidson will say goodbye to Milwaukee and do all of their work elsewhere.
And as these jobs leave Wisconsin, where was Jim Doyle?
Hiding as usual. As of this writing, there has been no response from either the Capitol or his campaign office.
Mark Green, however, put out this press release late last night.
"For the second time in two weeks a flagship Wisconsin company has announced it will be moving jobs out of Wisconsin because it’s too expensive to do business here.
"Last week, Menards decided to locate 800 new jobs in Iowa and Ohio because Jim Doyle’s DNR refused to grant the necessary permits. Today, Harley-Davidson announced that it will expand operations elsewhere, where the cost of doing business is cheaper. The loss of these good-paying jobs is a huge blow toWisconsin’s efforts to rebuild our manufacturing economy.
"When Honda wanted to build a new plant in the Midwest, Jim Doyle said pursuing the plant would be ‘pointless’ and didn’t even pick up the phone. He claims his priority is helping existing state employers expand, but in the past week two major Wisconsin employers have sent jobs elsewhere. It’s disappointing to see jobs that should be going to Wisconsin workers leaving for other states.
"Wisconsin workers shouldn’t have to make concessions to allow their employers to compete with the cost of doing business in other states. The governor’s job is to make Wisconsin a great, affordable place to run a business, and Jim Doyle has failed to deliver for Wisconsin families. When I’m governor I won’t think it’s ‘pointless’ to pursue new companies and I sure won’t support the kind of taxes and regulation that on Jim Doyle’s watch have driven good jobs from Wisconsin to other states."
He's absolutely right. Two names snyomenous with Wisconsin are moving out of state. I really wonder if Doyle can run the Green Bay Packers out of the state too.
Labels: SE Wisconsin
Monday, October 16, 2006
UW System can't control its spending, audit says
Another audit has shown that UW System President Kevin Reilly and the Board of Regents are out of control when it comes to spending the money of hard-working taxpayers and hard-working students.
Some of the highlights include:
- Faculty reported using considerably less sick leave than other types of staff.
- Many unclassified staff within UW System reported using little or no vacation time.
- Policy changes related to back-up positions will require continued scrutiny.
- Some consultants’ salaries exceeded the pay ranges for positions with similar responsibilities.
And the key facts:
- In 2005, 45.2 percent of all UW System employees who earned sick leave reported using none.
- Reported sick leave use by UW System employees declined since 2003.
- In 2005, retirees from UW System generally converted more sick leave to health insurance credits than other state employees did.
- Back-up or concurrent positions provide job protections for limited appointees.
- Despite policy changes, the number of employees with back-up positions is unlikely to decrease rapidly.
- In September 2005, 134 unclassified UW System staff had the position title of consultant.
Of course, this being released during election season means that everyone will have an opinion on it.
Future Gov. Mark Green, a graduate of UW-Eau Claire and UW-Madison linked the audit's finding to soon-to-be-jobless Jim Doyle.
Jim Doyle can try and pass the buck all he wants, but he appoints the Board of Regents, he’s the governor and he’s sat by as these scandals continue to unfold.
If Jim Doyle had made accountability and oversight his priorities at the UW instead raising tuition for Wisconsin kids by 50 percent and trying to hand tuition breaks to illegal immigrants, we wouldn't be in this mess.
Green is right. It starts at the governor, then trickles down to the Board of Regents, then to System administration, then to the chancellors at the individual campuses. It is the job of the Board of Regents to make system policies so that abuse like this doesn't take place.
Of course, long-time critic Rep. Steven Nass (R-Whitewater) is also upset at the finding. (And rightfully so.)
The audit findings clearly suggest abuse of sick leave and vacation reporting equirements. It also verifies suspicions regarding the use of back-up positions as a golden parachute. However, the entire audit is proof that the Board of Regents and UW System administrators have failed to perform their managerial duties
...
The UW System spin machine will do everything possible to downplay the serious problems identified by the audit. The bigger question is how the legislature will respond to this audit. I hope that the UW apologists within the legislature will now join with those of us fighting for reforming the UW System.
Reforming the UW System is right. It should start during the 2007-09 budget cycle, and the legislature should legislate removing the Board of Regents as an executive appointed board to an elected board--much like how school boards are elected in local governments. That way the Regent is held responsible to the people--not the governor.
The spin machine that is always turning in Van Hise Hall in Madison says that UW System Administration is taking the necessary steps already to fix the problems in the finding.
"The university's work with the Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) on this report signifies our commitment to being responsive to requests from legislators and others for clarification of UW System employment policies and practices," Reilly said. He pointed out that the LAB report reinforces several recent Board of Regents actions to reform personnel policies and practices and that the report "is another step in our ongoing process to improve our accountability in this area.
"UW employees consistently exceed my high expectations of them," Reilly noted. "Their roles in cutting-edge research, quality teaching, and exceptional public service are central to the future competitiveness, economic health, and reputation of this state. We will ensure that our employment policies both encourage that work and assure Wisconsin citizens that public dollars are well spent in support of it.
Is it any wonder why there is so much tension between the UW System and the legislature? No one in the System is smart enough for even small reform measures. If they get the reform as Nass suggests, how will these Regents and Administration react? Afterall, both of them can't understand that don't keep raising tuition while top-level executives get pay raises.
Labels: UW System
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Wisconsin College Republicans make a difference pre-debate
APPLETON -- With members from Lawrence University, UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, Marquette University and St. Norbert College, the Wisconsin College Republicans look to be better organized then our Democrat counterparts. We lined College Ave. with John Gard signs, held up signs on sticks and waved 2x4 signs to the oncoming traffic with the regular honking of the horns.
Here are some of the pictures that I took from the event:
Better ones will be coming shortly...
Labels: Election 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
Line ofthe night
"If there's a terrorist on a plane, I'll stand up and take him out."
Dr. Millionaire said that and the auditorium errupted in laughter.
Priceless.
Labels: Election 2006
'Character should be taught at home, math should be taught at school'
APPLETON -- John Gard just nailed Dr. Millionaire on education. Kagen said character should be taught in schools.
So what should they learn at home, church and community? Nothing?
Labels: Election 2006
APPLETON -- When not on camera, Dr. Millionaire looks extremely nervous. He looks around the auditorium, fidgets with his hands and various other nervous twitches.
Labels: Election 2006
8th Congressional Debate Tonight
APPLETON -- The Gard camp hit College Ave. tonight in advance of the debate. We had more than 30 volunteers rallying outside of Lawrence University. Check back later for more.
Labels: Election 2006
It's not just a really big cell phone
A FOX News camera used his Palm Treo smartphone to record video and streamed it to FOX HQ. Just goes to show you how useful these phones really are and why I use one.
Scott Wilder, a cameraman for the network, had been about 20 blocks away on another assignment when the crash occurred. Wilder ran uptown and reported live from the scene using a hand-held Palm Treo smartphone that uses the existing mobile network to transmit video to the Fox News control room. From there, Fox News sent it out live on TV to supplement other video being shot by local traffic helicopters.
Wilder's work represents one of the first instances of a network using video captured via mobile phone camera live on the air. Fox News has experimented with the practice several times in recent weeks with CometVision, software designed by Ohio-based Comet Video Technologies.
"We've been waiting for the opportunity to get live pictures on the air from inside a cellular network, and we wanted to take it to the next level, make it easy for people and make it portable," said Ben Ramos, director of field operations for Fox News.
Is there a problem with this ad?
Paul R. Nelson has launched the ad below. Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. It's your typical attack ad...except for it talks about sex and sex-related things.
Seems like no one in the mainstream media or in the party establishment likes it.
Nelson's ad so irked state Republican leaders that it merited a call last week from Wisconsin Republican Party Executive Director Rick Wiley to Kind's campaign manager, Matt Sweeney, in which, Kind said, Wiley took pains to "denounce" it.
Wiley acknowledged Monday that he called Sweeney about the advertisement last week but said the discussion was "off the record." He said he called Sweeney only to weigh in on what he thought about it.
So what does he think about it?
"It's not a good ad. There is no doubt about it," Wiley said. "(Nelson) would be better served if he sticks to the issues out there that folks want to hear about."
However, on Thursday, La Crosse County Republican Party Chairman Chris Muller disagreed with Wiley and said Nelson and his ad are "shining a light on Ron Kind's disgusting voting record." Muller issued a statement that criticizes GOP leaders for not supporting Nelson.
"Unfortunately, some leaders in the Republican Party have chosen to turn their backs on Paul. This is the kind of weak-kneed leadership that grass-roots activists have been complaining about," Muller said.
Nelson said he recently got a call from Wiley.
"Mr. Wiley expressed his unhappiness with us," Nelson said. "We told him we thought the ad accurately depicts the shameful, deplorable waste of government dollars that we say it does."
Nelson said he did not conceive the ad. In fact, it originally wasn't even his; the advertisement was put together for a congressional hopeful in North Carolina. Nelson said he paid its producer something less than $5,000 to fashion it to target Kind.
"Most voters don't believe this actually happened. They think, at best, this was buried in some large appropriations bill," Nelson said. "This is not the case. (Kind) voted . . . in the middle of the day on a roll call vote . . . They were voting specifically on these (National Institutes of Health) studies."
Is there any wonder why many Republicans have lost faith in RPW? If a candidate wants to tell the truth about his opponent, he should let him
Labels: Election 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Good
McCormick didn't endorse Kagen today. In fact, no one of any importance did either.
Labels: Election 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Terri McCormick should be shot if...
...she does what I think she's going to do.
What a good way of getting anyone in the GOP to ever support any of her future endeavors.
Labels: Election 2006
Being in a freshman level Intro. to Public Administration class is relatively entertaining. Some of the youth and the things they say are amusing at best and eerily scary at the worst.
We have been discussing the No Child Left Behind Act. Honestly, I could care less about it as my kids will never go to a public school. However, the hatred for President Bush and his intitiatives seems to be apparent. And I think much of it comes from what whiny WEAC teachers teach in schools.
These freshmen can't make a good policy alternative. I ask what do you propose. The answer is always more money. Too bad more money isn't always the answer.
The sad truth is that these kids accepted what their public school teachers have taught them. They don't think for themselves or think about their values. One could argue that they haven't developed any values--except that Big Oil, Tobacco and the Military Industrial Complex is evil.
Forget about morals. Seems to me that morals were thrown out of the school at the same time as prayer. These kids want fair and equal instead of morals and status.
Life isn't fair and we aren't all equal. Our history books say that all men were created equal, but that is based on the premise that we treat each other with class and honor. We are all going to either rise, fall or level off in social status. We all can't be equals in that sense, but we can respect those above, below and those at the same level of us.
But that isn't taught in today's public schools. Instead, they teach it's wrong to want to make millions and be powerful and influential. And if you become successful, tax the hell out of them.
Is that what we want our kids to learn?
Labels: Strategery
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Packers blow it again
Just got back from the game. I have a few thoughts...
Why is it a rookie head coach can't manage a game clock?
Why did Brett Favre try to make something out of nothing, then fumble, on second down with 40 or so second left in the game?
Why wasn't the Southern Mississippi marching band lound enough so we can hear them all the way up in the 300 section?
Why is Al Harris still in Green Bay? His play is almost as bad as Ahmad Carroll.
Why did the Rams give the Pack numerous opportunities to beat them?
Why does the Brown County tickets sit people in the 300 level?
Overall, I had a good time. I was fortunate to sit around a bunch of great fans--even Rams fans who travelled from St. Louis. Great time, bad play.
It's a good thing we can't lose next week.
Labels: Sports
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Hey Herb: Gas is at $2.19, not $3.19
As I pointed out earlier in the week, gas prices won't be an issue this November. But "Everyone's Senator" but not mine, has a TV ad out talking about the gasoline monopoly and how it should be stopped.
There are a lot of gasoline companies. In fact, there is Royal Dutch Shell, Marathon Oil, BP Amoco, Texaco, Exxon/Mobil and Phillips/Conoco..and let's not forget about Hugo Chavez's Citgo.
I thought he was old enough to remember Standard Oil? Sstandard Oil was broke up into most of these companies.
EDIT: Now gas is $2.159 here in Green Bay at certain stations, most at the"Big Oil" ones...Amoco, Mobil.
Labels: Election 2006
Yesterday State Legislator Frank Lasee (2nd Legislative District) sent out this press release, and there were a few reactions here by Jon as well as Jon's initial thoughts on Monday following the Weston High School shooting. Well, Jon wasn’t the only one making his opinion known on the issue of arming teachers’ proposal yesterday. Apparently Senator Alan Lasee (1st Senate District), relative to Frank, got the opinion of many persons opposed to the bill and issued this press release.
The proposal to allow school personnel to carry weapons is being forwarded by Representative Frank Lasee. I have spoken to a number of concerned constituents in the past 24 hours who are confused by our shared last name. Let me be perfectly clear, as long as I am the Senate President, this proposal will not see the light of day in the State Senate.The tale of two Lasee’s--one name, two opposing viewpoints.
I want everyone to know I am opposed to this proposal. This proposal is nothing more than a poorly thought out, knee-jerk reaction to the tragic events of the last few weeks. I have long supported having “gun free” school zones, and I will not support any bill that would changes my stance. School administrators and teaching staff have enough duties without adding to their long list of responsibilities.
I will be supporting school districts all across the state who want to enhance safety of both the students and personnel. Instead of allowing guns in schools, I will be advocating for tighter security measures that can be worked on by the school districts in cooperation with local law enforcement. Even though Representative Lasee and I share the same last name, we do not share the same ideas.
Labels: Election 2006
The Green Bay Press-Gazette finally figures out what kills kids in La Crosse.
However, if you take a look at the city of La Crosse and look where the campus is, where the downtown bar scene is, and where the Mississippi River is, a person would have to make an effort to get to the river if they want to fall it.
You can try to blame drinking all you want, but this kid wasn't alone going to the river that night. You just don't stumble to the river.
Nice try P-G, but you'll have to actually leave the newsroom and take a field trip before you make generalizations about alcohol consumption. Per capita, UW-Green Bay students drink more than anyone in the state, yet you don't see us falling into Green Bay.
Labels: Brown County
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Mark Green can keep his money...some of it anyway
Kudos to the state elections board for doing the right thing today in allowing Mark Green to keep the almost $775,000 that was contested by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which he transferred from his congressional campaign account to his gubernatorial account.
However, I was disheartened to learn that the board refused to reverse the decision which it handed down saying that the campaign needed to get rid of $467,844 in donations from out-of-state political action committees. The Green campaign has since appealed that decision to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court.
P.S. I think that Frank Lasee is taking an interesting perspective and will be putting on the floor of the state legislature what many Wisconsinites have been thinking over the past few days with the threats of gun violence in schools. It will be interesting to see the discussion on this issues and what position, if any WEAC will take.
P.P.S. Also take a look at this…interesting… press release…or poem release rather from Kathleen Vinehout who is a Democrat running against Incumbent Ron Brown in the 31st Senate District in Western Wisconsin, it is just something that I have never really seen before.
Labels: Election 2006
Frank Lasee also wants to arm teachers.
With all the school shootings in recent days, and as I said here, Frank Lasee is dead on.
Following three violent school shooting that struck the nation in the past two weeks, including one in a small rural town in Wisconsin, State Representative Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue) announced his plans to introduce legislation that will allow teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel to carry concealed weapons. The lawmaker said that while his idea may not be politically correct, it has worked effectively in other countries.
“To make our schools safe for our students to learn all options should be on the table,” said Lasee. “Israel and Thailand have well trained teachers carrying weapons and keeping their children safe from harm. It can work in Wisconsin.”
Israeli teachers and parent volunteers have been carrying concealed weapons in their classrooms for twenty five years. Before teachers armed themselves, schools in the West Bank and Gaza Strip had been repeatedly attacked by Palestinian terrorists. Hundreds of children were killed. Not one child has been harmed by gunfire in an Israeli school since. Thailand followed Israel’s lead and allowed their teachers to carry guns for protection after their schools were targeted by Muslim extremists. The results have been the same – less violence and a safer learning environment for their children. In both countries several terrorist attacks have been prevented by anonymous well trained teachers who carry concealed weapons.
“The element of surprise is a powerful tool,” added Lasee. “In Israel and Thailand several lives have been saved because criminals don’t want to attack schools where well-trained marksmen and women may return fire.”
Lasee said he wants to bring this proven program to Wisconsin. Lasee’s bill will NOT require all teachers and school personnel to carry weapons. It will simply give them the option. The proposal will require stringent training both on the range and in the classroom for any school employee who wants to carry concealed.
“We have a duty to protect our children,” said Lasee. “If we truly want to make our schools safe havens for learning, we should give our teachers and school employees access to the tools and training they need to protect our kids from harm.”
Labels: Brown County, Election 2006
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Will someone please fire Kurt Schottenheimer?
And while you're at it Ted, please cut Ahmad Carroll. I completely agree with Green Bay Press-Gazette columnist Chris Havel.
Today would be soon enough to cut ties with Carroll. I can't imagine the Packers unloading Schottenheimer, but demoting him and promoting Lionel Washington to defensive backs coach would be a popular move in the locker room. That could pay dividends on the field, and, frankly, it couldn't hurt.
The Packers' current approach isn't getting it done, especially in a secondary that has become the primary concern.
Exactly. When you give up big play after big play, something needs a change. Jared Bush looks pretty good in limited action this year, why not make him the nickle corner? How worse of could the Packers be?
EDIT: My wish came true...almost. Ahmad Carroll was released today!!!! Yipppeee!!!
Labels: Sports
Monday, October 02, 2006
It's time to arm the teachers and staff at schools
Of course the lefties are going to say this is why America needs gun control. However, I think it's time to arm our teachers and staff at our schools. (Or just have more police presence at schools.)
My reasoning is simple, if you know your teacher/principle/police officer is packing heat, there is less likely someone is going to pull a trigger and kill someone. If they still have the inclination to pull the trigger, the teacher can take appropriate action by use of force.
Now of course we'd have to train these people how to properly use their weapon, but I think in the long run, events like these can be stopped.
Now for all you anti-gun advocates, if law abiding citizens don't have the right to arm themselves, the criminals will continue to wrecklessly kill and injure people. Nothing will change as anyone can go into a school and wave their gun around, threaten and then kill. Criminals will still have guns in their possession, whether legal or not. This ultimately gives the edge to the criminal in any situation.
However, if the second grade teacher down the hall has a piece, the criminal can be stopped in his tracks and no vicious crime would be committed.
Just a thought...too bad the Left likes arming criminals and disarming lawful citizens.
Labels: Brown County
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Why I'm voing Yes on the Marriage Amendment
Last night I got into a spirited and heated discussion about the marriage amendment. Owen from Boots and Sabers has debated this issue on the blogosphere and instead of writing a whole post, I will just link his arguements--which are very good ones.
Owen's arguements are sound and rational, and puts into words why Wisconsin should vote yes on the amendement.
Labels: Election 2006
