Saturday, October 26, 2013

Let's Take a Brief Look at the Content of Rep. Steve King's Character

Immigration Poses Threat of Another Republican Rift.  (The New York Times, 10/25/2013)

King as quoted in the above cited article.


Cantaloupe Calves, Steven King and a Self-Destructive GOP.  (Huffington Post, 7/30/2013)

What's he been smokin'?  King may have topped Rep. Young's (R-AK) "wetback" comment for insensitivity when he said of DREAMers "for every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."

King Downplays Protesters’ Racial Slurs Against Congressmen.  (Roll Call, 3/21/2010) 

No big deal    Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a leading voice in the tea party movement, said Sunday that protesters’ recent use of racial and homophobic slurs toward Members of Congress was no big deal.“I just don’t think it’s anything,” King said, emphasizing that the incidents were isolated. “There are a lot of places in this country that I couldn’t walk through. I wouldn’t live to get to the other end of it.”


Rep. King, who currently represents Iowa's 4th Congressional district, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2002.



He easily won reelection in 2012.  (Ballotpedia)

But based on this recent poll, some of his constituents are increasingly finding him to be an embarrassment to the State of Iowa.




Is There a Yoho in the House?

Yes, there is.  And Gail Collins is having a lot of fun with him.

Let's Make a Deal.  Op-ed by Gail Collins.  (The New York Times, 10/16/2013)

Excerpt:    Important Halloween note: When you’re thinking about party costumes, forget going as Senator Ted Cruz. Everybody will be going as Ted Cruz. (Consider going as Representative Ted Yoho. You would need a name tag, but “Ted Yoho” would be so worth it.)

First, the Good News.  Op-ed by Gail Collins.  (The New York Times, 10/9/2013)

Excerpt:   I am using Ted Yoho because he’s a voluble figure in the caucus of right-wing hard-liners in the House who caused the shutdown in the first place. Also in part because I really enjoy writing “Ted Yoho.”


Photo credit:  Official portrait of Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL)

Immigration Poses Threat of Another Republican Rift.  (The New York Times, 10/25/2013)

A book not likely to be found in Ted Yoho's library.

Liberty Enlightening the World, link to "The New Colossus", a sonnet written by Emma Lazarus which is inscribed on a bronze plaque on the Statue of Liberty.  I can just imagine how much red pencil Yoho would take to these 14 lines.  But I guess we could say that, metaphorically, he's already done so.

Well, that was written before welfare, sez Matt Weidinger.

"Revenge Porn" Bill Introduced in Wisconsin State Legislature

State Legislators Introduce 'Revenge Porn' Bill.  (Wisconsin Public Radio News, 10/25/2013)

The bill (AB462) has bipartisan support.



Rep. Fred Kessler (D-Milwaukee) is concerned that the bill is overly broad and "might restrict people's freedom of expression by limiting the creation and distribution of fine art."

Here's the Legislative Reference Bureau's analysis, with bullet points provided by Retiring Guy.

Under current law, no one may 
  • photograph, 
  • videotape, or 
  • otherwise capture 
an image of a nude or partially nude person (depicted person) without the depicted person's knowledge and consent. 
A person who does so, or who 
  • possesses, 
  • reproduces, or 
  • distributes the image 
with the knowledge that the image was captured without the depicted person's knowledge or consent, is generally guilty of a Class I felony, and may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to three years and six months, or both.   (Wisconsin State Statutes 939.50, Classification of felonies)

Under this bill, no one may 
  • reproduce, 
  • distribute, 
  • exhibit, 
  • publish, 
  • transmit, or 
  • otherwise disseminate (distribute) 
an image of a person who is 
  • nude or 
  • partially nude or who is 
  • engaging in sexually explicit behavior 
without the consent of the person, regardless of whether the depicted person consented to the capture of the image. 

A person who does so is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned for up to nine months, or both.  (Wisconsin State Statutes, 939.51 Classification of misdemeanors)

Under the bill, the prohibition does not apply if the person depicted consented to the distribution for commercial purposes. 

The bill creates exceptions for 
  • parents or legal guardians who distribute otherwise legal representations of their minor children for noncommercial purposes, for 
  • law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity, and for 
  • persons who distribute the representations for the purpose of reporting or assisting with the investigation of a crime. 
Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report concerning the proposed penalty and the costs or savings that are likely to result if the bill is enacted.

[End of bill analysis]

So then, would I be breaking this law if I reproduced, distributed, exhibited, published, transmitted, or otherwise disseminated this 1954 photo, in its entirety (i.e., not a cropped version) of a grandmother giving her 3-month-old grand-daughter a bath in the kitchen sink?  I'm not the parent or legal guardian of the baby in the bathwater, and neither person in the photo is still living.

Perhaps the surprised, slightly dubious expression on the baby's face tells us all we need to know.

"Don't you dare!"


So, Wendy, What's the Necessary Threshold of "Steady" for Scott Walker?

Corbett, GOP confront worries of a Santorum replay. (Houston Chronicle, 10/12/2013)

Let's set the Wayback Machine for 2005.  (For background, see "Poll: Valley voters soft on Santorum", Allentown Morning Call, 5/19/2005)

According to a poll, 47 of voters said that Rick Santorum was not worthy of being re-elected to the U.S. Senate.  (Note:  All references to this poll that I've found so far cite those surveyed as "voters", as opposed to "all Pennsylvania adults", so the comparison needs to be taken with a grain of salt.)

But this doesn't stop me from asking, "Does this survey result sound familiar?"


In Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate election of 2006, Bob Casey Jr. defeated the incumbent Rick Santorum, freeing him up for his quixotic run for the Presidency.

Sidebar:  I suspect that these numbers were made up.

Considering the decisive outcome.



Related post:
Survey sez: Not everyone who approves of Scott Walker thinks he deserves re-election.  (10/25/2013)

Wherein Wendy Scattergood, political scientist and an associate with St. Norbert College's Strategic Research Institute, sez, “[Walker's] been pretty steady.” (3b)

Friday, October 25, 2013

Survey sez: Not everyone who approves of Scott Walker thinks he deserves re-election

Walker receives 50% approval rating in latest St. Norbert's survey.

 Rounding up, apparently

WPR/St. Norbert Survey: Public Opinion On Walker, Legislature Is Split.  (Wisconsin Public Radio News, 10/24/2013)

Excerpt:   In terms of getting a second term, Walker's numbers are just a bit lower. The survey shows that 46 percent of people say he does deserve re-election, 49 percent say he does not, and 6 percent aren’t sure.

RG notes that the survey sample included all Wisconsin adults, not just likely voters.  Poll's margin of error is 5%

Our household was included in this survey, but I didn't call back in time.

Wisconsin Featured in Report on Privatized State Economic Development Agencies

Page 11-16.  The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

Heckuva job, WEDC!    Unfortunately, many of the problems with PPPs we cited in our 2011 report came to fruition at the WEDC. It has been revealed that the agency has
  • mismanaged public money, 
  • made questionable subsidy awards, 
  • lacked adequate transparency, 
  • resisted accountability, 
  • had conflicts of interest in awarding of subsidies, 
  • given management lavish executive pay, and 
  • made questionable claims about job creation. 
While all this was going on, over a fifth of WEDC employees were awarded merit bonuses.

WEDC cited in national report on how not to spend taxpayer dollars on economic development. (Capital Times, 10/24/2013)

Two Young Boys on the Road (Great Falls, Montana, 1954)/Packer Ready (1999)





Storefront Church

Kingdom Agenda mission statement.

Photo by Retiring Guy

Another Walker Campaign Donor for SB349

Legislative Reference Bureau Analysis.   This bill concerns local governmental authority to regulate air quality, water quality and quantity, and the use of explosives; local government highway use contracts and local regulation of material disposal sites related to transportation projects of the Department of Transportation (DOT); and local governmental authority to regulate nonmetallic mining. Nonmetallic mining is extracting nonmetallic materials, such as stone, gravel, clay, and sand.

Far-reaching indeed!

Far-reaching bill stirs conflict over who should — and can — monitor mining.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 10/25/2013)

Marino pays; Marino plays.  Towns started out licensing frac sand operations, and now are applying licensing ordinances to some gravel quarries and other smaller operations, said Richard J. Marino of the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association. 



Related posts:
Expensive to the Tune of $430, 505.49 (as of June 30, 2013).  (10/25/2013) 
The Nipper Chronicles: The frac sand mining masters speak.  (10/18/2013)
Things aren't so tranquil in Glenwood City Wisconsin lately  (10/10/2013)


Expensive to the Tune of $430,505.49 (as of June 30, 2013)

Far-reaching bill stirs conflict over who should — and can — monitor mining.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 10/25/2013)

The high cost of government.  Bob Bingen, representing the Aggegrate Producers of Wisconsin, said there is too much regulation.

“This is a very expensive system,” Bingen said. “It is having a chilling effect on business expansion in the state.”

In the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's campaign finance database, Bob Bingen lists his employer as Michels Corp.


According to Wikipedia,   Michels Materials, a subsidiary of the corporation, is the largest aggregate producer in Wisconsin, operating more than 100 limestone quarries and gravel pits.

Related posts:
The Nipper Chronicles: The frac sand mining masters speak.  (10/18/2013)
Things aren't so tranquil in Glenwood City Wisconsin lately  (10/10/2013)

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Today's the Final Day of San Antonio Public Library's Bookmobile Service



City budget cuts halt bookmobile.  (mysanantonio, 10/23/2013)

Put this blog to rest. San Antonio Public Library's Bookmobile: On the Road Again.

Related posts:
Billings Public Library bookmobile service.  (10/15/2013)
As the number of "relics" continues to decline.  (3/1/2013)
The bookmobile in the U.S.  (1/13/2013)
It's National Bookmobile Day.  (4/12/2012)
Another bookmobile taken off the road.  (4/1/2012)
Des Plaines Public Library ends bookmobile service after 42 years.  (12/18/2011)
Bookmobile service at the Marin Free County Library.  (11/5/2011)
Seattle Public Library's mobile library service.  (10/15/2011)
Bookmobiles retired at the Fond du Lac Public Library.  (8/29/2011)
Story on library outreach services uses the term "invisible librarians".  (8/6/2011)
YMCA, Oswego (New York) School District, and AmeriCorps form summer bookmobile partnership,  (7/10/2011)
Time and money running out for Des Plaines bookmobile.  (5/6/2011)
Bookmobile numbers are down but services still find an appreciate audience.  (2/9/2011)
Dells bookmobile offers wi-fi..  (6/28/2010)
Dane County bookmobile service still going strong.  (6/27/2010)
Des Plaines Public Library retains its bookmobile service.  (4/24/2010)
Fond du Lac bookmobile assigned a permanent home in Rosendale.  (2/7/2010)
Kalamazoo Public Library cuts bookmobile service. (11/15/2009)
New Mexico's statewide bookmobile service.  (10/18/2009)
New bookmobile for Lycoming County (PA) purchased locally.  (9/19/2009)
In "OverDrive":  The digital bookmobile.  (8/11/2008)


NoRoJo 2016 (Chapter 14): Looks Like We Might Get Our Wish

Congressional Gridlock Frustrates Wisconsin. (WBAY, 10/3/2013)


Related NoRoJo 2016 posts:
Chapter 1.  (1/2/2013)
Chapter 2.  (1/10/2013)
Chapter 3.  (2/12/2013)
Chapter 4.  (2/13/2013)
Chapter 5   (3/11/2013)
Chapter 6.  (3/25/2013)
Chapter 7.  (4/8/2013)
Chapter 8.  (4/9/2013)
Chapter 9.  (4/12/2013)
Chapter 10. (4/14/2013)
Chapter 11.  (5/2/2013)
Chapter 12.  (8/15/2013)
Chapter 13: One-trick pony?  (10/17/2013)

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Somehow I Think Robert Allen Should Get a Partial Writing Credit

In this song, at least, the Hearts are definitely a Shirelles knock-off.



And "Dear Abby", even with its slightly slower tempo, immediately brings to mind the Shirelles' version of "Everybody Loves a Lover", a song written by Robert Allen.



Sussex/Lisbon: Mediation Fails, Time to go to Court



Suit filed over Haass land dispute. (Sussex Sun, 10/22/2013)

Excerpt:   Lawyers for the Pauline Haass Library Board filed a lawsuit in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Monday seeking control of about 65 acres of farmland that Pauline Haass donated to the Town of Lisbon to be used for library purposes. 

Library officials said that under state law assets that are bequeathed to libraries should be under the control of a library board. Town officials rebut that Haass' will clearly indicates she intended for the Town Board to determine how to use the land for library purposes.

Related articles: 
Town of Lisbon agrees to nonbinding arbitration with Pauline Haass.  (10/19/2013)
An uncertain funding picture for the Pauline Haass Public Library.  (10/11/2013)
This land is my land, this land is my land.  (9/12/2013)
Sussex-Lisbon library agreement still appears to be more "if" Than "when".  (8/22/2013) 
Still following the Sussex-Lisbon library talks -- since 2010.  (8/6/2013) 
Following a brouhaha over a "most objectionable 3-page letter," library talks to resume between Sussex and Lisbon.  (5/27/2013)
A most objectionable 3-page letter.  (5/10/2013)
Dear Greg; Love, Lisbon Town Board.  (4/27/2013)
Perhaps Pauline Haass is spinning in her grave.  (3/18/2013)
What a long strange trip it's been.  (2/13/2012)
Dueling news releases.  (10/7/2012)
Town of Lisbon wants deep discount in payment for library services.  (9/30/2012)
As the world of joint library agreements turns.  (8/22/2012)
The beat goes on.  (7/2/2012)
Joint library negotiations continue.  (5/13/2012)
Jane Stadler on Paying Taxes: "...it is something that you do because you're part of the community.  (11/26/2011)
Lisbon town chair not likely to get his way on Pauline Haass Library funding. (11/22/2011)
Lisbon Town chair advocates paying for library services on the cheap.  (11/22/2011)
The challenges of shared governance and funding.  (9/28/2011)
Consensus building for new joint library agreement.  (7/22/2011)
Sussex, Lisbon:  Local politics and library negotiations.  (5/28/2011)
Negotiation to continue after information-gathering process.  (10/8/2010)
And the beat goes on.  (10/4/2010)
Differences of opinion of library funding continue.  (9/18/2010)
Leaders of Village of Sussex, Town of Lisbon clash over funding for library. (8/26/2010)
Will annexation resolution interfere with negotiations over joint library agreement?  (8/4/2010)
Proposal to change library funding formula gets cool reception.  (6/7/2010)
Town of Lisbon Chairman proposes new funding formula for library.  (5/31/2010)

American Federation for Children Takes a Bath in 69th Assembly Primary Race

Kulp wins Republican primary to replace Suder in 69th AD. (Marshfield News Record, 10/22/2013) 

Excerpt: The race was dominated by the American Federation for Children’s support of Feddick. The Washington, D.C.-based conservative special interest group with ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council spent more than $45,000 bombarding the district with mailings, Internet advertisements and robocalls as they attempted to help get Feddick into the general election.

Oopsies!

$45,000  AFC
$33,000  Money that Feddick lent her campaign
$  3,000  That the article doesn't account for
$81,000   Total campaign spending

Those 723 votes cost her $112.03 apiece.


Kulp spent about $20.000, which translates into $12.14 per vote.

Related posts:
Winners in Tuesday's special elections.  (10/23/2013)
October 22nd primary in Wisconsin's 69th Assembly District.  (10/21/2013)
October 22nd primary in Wisconsin's 21st Assembly District.  (10/21/2013)

Winners in Tuesday's Special Elections

Rodriguez wins special Assembly primary. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/22/2013)


Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee) received 17,403 votes in the 2012 November election.

Rodriguez will face Elizabeth Coppola in the November 19th general election.


Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) received 15,785 votes in the November 2012 election.

Kulp will face Kenneth Slezak in the November 19th general election.

Related posts:
October 22nd primary in Wisconsin's 69th Assembly District.  (10/21/2013)
October 22nd primary in Wisconsin's 21st Assembly District.  (10/21/2013)

2014 Elections Alert: Martha Laning to Challenge Joe Leibham in 9th State Senate District

Martha Laning to run against Leibham in 2014. (Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, 10/22/2013)

It will be tough to unseat this incumbent.   Leibham has held the Ninth District seat since defeating Democratic Sen. Jim Baumgart in 2002. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2010. Before that, he served two terms in the state Assembly, from 1998 to 2002.  

In 2010, he handily defeated Democrat Jason Borden, garnering more than 71 percent of the votes cast.


Public libraries in the 25th Assembly District, represented by Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc)
Chilton Public Library
Manitowoc Public Library
Academic library.
University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc

Public libraries in the 26th Assembly District (represented by Mike Endsley, R-Sheboygan)
Academic library

Public libraries in the 27th Assembly District (represented by Steve Kestell, R-Elkhart Lake)
Elkhart Lake Public Library
Kiel Public Library
Kohler Public Library
Mead Public Library, Sheboygan (service area)
Plymouth Public Library
Academic library
John Esch Library, Lakeland College

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Cat Food: Possible Tax Deduction



Extraordinary Tax Deductions. (Kiplinger, November 2012)

Excerpt:    A couple who owned a junkyard were allowed to write off the cost of cat food they set out to attract wild cats. The feral felines did more than just eat. They also took care of snakes and rats on the property, making the place safer for customers. When the case reached the Tax Court, IRS lawyers conceded that the cost was deductible.

News Most of Us Can't Use

Which is probably why I missed it when it was first published.


Here Are the 5 Top Luxury SUVs of 2013. (Main Street, 8/1/2013)

Rated numero uno.  Yours for $82,650 (base price).



Reading the comments is as enjoyable as babysitting a group of whiny 4 year olds.

Walker's Wish: (You) Don't Ask, (I) Don't Tell


Walker declines comment on latest investigation. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 10/22/2013)

Lame-o.   Walker says he expects stories like that to start coming out now that he has a Democratic opponent.

OK,  Merriam-Webster defines "comment" as a spoken or written statement that expresses an opinion about someone or something.

Not to split hairs here, Headline Writer, but it seems to me that Walker has made a "comment on latest investigation".

A Look at Dane County's Population Growth: Past and Projected

Source of population projections: Wisconsin Department of Administration (2008)

State of Wisconsin - Department of Administration.  Wisconsin Population and Household Projections.

Population Projections, produced in 2012, based from 2010 Census 

State Preliminary Population Projections, 2010-2040

Population Projections, produced in 2008, based from 2000 Census 

In the Republican World, Reid Ribble Feels the Heat for his Grown-Up Behavior

As the only Republican member of Wisconsin's Congressional delegation to vote to reopen the government.

Rep. Reid Ribble on hot seat over shutdown vote? Not with local Republicans. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 10/21/2013)

Excerpt: Ribble, of Sherwood, is among several Republicans in Congress coming under scrutiny for voting last week to end the federal government shutdown in a compromise with President Obama and other Democrats.

Photo credits:  Contacting the Congress
 
Reaction of Wisconsin delegation splits along party lines.   Reid Ribble votes yes; others in GOP decry lost chance. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/17/2013)

Excerpt:  In the House, Ryan joined fellow Republican Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Tom Petri and Sean Duffy in opposing the bill; Republican Rep. Reid Ribble voted yes.

Related posts:
That would be right here at home on Fox News. (10/16/2013)
Some might say these business executives got just what they deserve.  (10/10/2013)
I  heard tell on NPR today that Cathy McMorris Rodgers sez Republicans are united.  (10/3/2013)
The Gomerosos (a.k.a. "The band of Republicans standing their ground").  (10/2/2013)
Sorry, Sweetie, your lemonade stand is a local issue.  (10/1/2013)

Monday, October 21, 2013

Wisconsin Bankers Association News Release Means It's Time to Visit the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Website

WBA Applauds Governor Walker for Property Tax Relief Package. (10/21/2013)


Compare the above to the two donations totaling $3,000 given to Tom Barrett.


So Promotional



Cloudy Forecast for Holiday Spending Prompts More Promotion. (The New York Times, 10/20/2013)

Thanksgiving falls on the November 28th this year, compared to the 22nd in 2012.

Ach du lieber, 6 fewer shopping days.

Combine this fact with continued economic uncertainty, and you have retailers quaking in their Christmas booties.   (No, really, it's safe; trust me.)

Word of the Day: Accretive

Macmillan to Offer Entire E-book Backlist to Libraries. (Publishers Weekly, 10/17/2013)


 Merriam-Webster defines "accretive" as

produced by a series of additions of identical or similar things.

And offers the following synonyms:

accumulative, additive, conglomerative, incremental  

Other ebook/reading-related posts:
Survey sez: 72% of U.S. adults have read at least 1 book during the past 12 months.  (10/8/2013)
For years, many people asked the wrong question about ebooks and print books.  (10/6/2013) 
Ebook Flash Sales Grab Consumers' Attention.  (5/27/2013) 
BookStats 2013: It's not all about ebooks.  (5/15/2013)
Staying ahead of the learning curve.  (4/9/2013)
"Books are dead yet," sez Salon.  (3/21/2013)
Ebooks and the hype of emerging technology.  (1/8/2013)
Based on this column graph, print books are not likely to go away anytime soon.  (1/2/2013)
Printed books still lead ebooks by a significant margin.  (12/28/2012)
Ebook market pauses to take a breath.  (12/25/2012)
Year-to-date book revenues:  Jan-Jul 2011 and Jan-Jul 2012.  (11/1/2012)
Libraries get screwed when it comes to price of and access to ebooks.  (9/10/2012)
Millennials lead the way....to fewer bookstores?  (8/22/2012)
Ebooks sliding down the peak of inflated expectations.  (8/18/2012)
Adult hardcover book sales hold their own, paperbacks sales drop in 1st quarter of 2012.  (6/17/2012)
Library ebook circulation skyrockets @ the Greendale Public Library and throughout Wisconsin.  (5/29/2012)
In so many words:  Libraries will have a place at the table. (4/30/2012)
3M Cloud Library ebook lending service goes beta at select libraries.  (4/28/2012)
Pew Research:  The rise of e-reading, summarized. (4/5/2012)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution attempts to get a handle on the ebook era.  (4/2/2012)
And I quote from "Bringing Up an E-Reader".  (3/29/2012)
The Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board weighs in on ebooks and libraries. (3/19/2012)
Carl Zimmer responds to Franzen.  (1/31/2012)
It's only Monday but this is still the best ebook headline of the week.  (1/20/2012)
Jonathan Franzen has something to say about ebooks.  (1/30/2012)
As they have been doing all along, libraries adapt to technology.  (1/29/2012)
Floating an Idea: The Harvard Library Innovation Laboratory's Library License.  (1/17/2012) 
Getting in line @ your library for ebooks.  (1/15/2012)
The Post-Christmas ebook sales surge. (1/10/2012)
Honey, we've been 'trying' it.  For years.  (12/25/2011)
Chris Bohjalian on our totemic connection to books.  (12/20/2011)
Hold that bricks-and-mortar bookstore obituary.  (12/13/2011)
Your local public library: The greenest option of all in the ebooks vs. print books debate.  (12/11/2011)
Go directly to Amazon, do not pass library.  (11/3/2011)
Ebooks in U.S. public libraries.  (10/22/2011)
How ebook buyers discover books.  (9/27/2011)
Cookbooks make the transition to digital publishing.  (9/27/2011)
Redefining what an ebook is and who gets to publish it. (9/19/2011)
The L.A.Times on ebooks: An Amazon tablet, push into interactivity. (9/16/2011)
The Economist:  "Great digital expectations".  (9/16/2011)
Lev Grossman presents a short history of the reading device..  (9/6/2011)
Speaking of gadgets, here's the latest iteration of ebooks.  (8/25/2011)
Sounds like another digital divide in the making.  (7/30/2011)
Libraries and ebooks:  Any book, not any time soon.  (6/1/2011)
On the distinction between the book reader and the book owner.  (5/10/2011)
Demand for ebooks grows exponentially in Wisconsin.  (5/2/2011)
Struggling to find an ebook common agenda between libraries and publishers.  (4/5/2011)
Ebooks and libraries:  "The challenges just keep piling up".  (3/28/2011)
Publishers Weekly tracks ebook sales.  (3/18/2011)
Word is getting out:  Ebooks @ your library.  (3/18/2011)
Ebooks continue to gain market share.  (3/17/2011)
Publishers look to bottom line in formulating ebook policies for libraries. (3/15/2011)
News stories on HarperCollins ebook decision go mainstream.  (3/5/2011)
9 years of book sales:  trade and ebook.  (2/17/2011)
Will ebook readers be wooed by Barbara Cartland?  (2/12/2011)
The impact of ebooks on libraries.  (2/11/2011)
OverDrive news release: Library eBook circs up 200% in '10. (1/10/2011)
Mashable: 5 ebook trends that will change the future of publishing. (12/29/2010)
Christmas 2010 the tipping point for ebooks?  (12/24/2010)
Ereader as brown paper bag.  (12/9/2010)
The ebook reader compatibility surprise.  (12/3/2010)
Ereader ownership:  Survey says....  (11/30/2010)
David Carnoy asks, "Does the Kindle pay for itself?" (11/29/2010)
Need to repair that ebook reader?  (11/19/2010)
Who uses an ereader:  Survey says....  (9/22/2010)
Book industry wrestles with print vs. pixels.  (9/2/2010)
Coming soon to a screen near you:  Ads in ebooks.  (8/20/2010)
Ebooks now comprise 8.5% of book sales. (8/12/2010)
Genre paperback publishers drops print.  (8/6/2010)
Ebooks and libraries.  (5/4/2010)
Ebooks eliminate a free form of adversiting:  the book jacket.  (3/31/2010)
Ebooks: another round of false promises?  (3/19/2010)
The skinny on ebooks.  (3/8/2010)
Hardcover vs. ebook:  Breaking down the costs.  (3/1/2010)

October 22nd Primary in Wisconsin's 69th Assembly District

Public libraries in the 69th Assembly District

Primaries set Tuesday for Assembly seats vacated by Suder, Honadel.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/20/2013)

The Republicans candidates and their money on hand:
Related post:
Who's Running for Scott Suder's Assembly Seat (69th District).  (9/25/2013)

October 22nd Primary in Wisconsin's 21st Assembly District


Public libraries in the 21st Assembly District
Franklin Public Library (service area)
Oak Creek Public Library
South Milwaukee Public Library

Primaries set Tuesday for Assembly seats vacated by Suder, Honadel.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/20/2013)

Republican candidates and money on hand:
Related post:
Another Open Wisconsin Assembly Seat: Rep. Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee) Resigns.  (8/27/2013)

Sunday, October 20, 2013

The Colors of Fall

Along the wooded stretch of the path encircling Stricker Pond, Middleton, WI.

Photo by Retiring Guy

What do you think of when you see a louvered door in a hotel room?

Photo by Retiring Guy

I immediately think of this.

And the opening song from this album starts to play in my head.

Nice to See Old Reference Books in a Comfortable Resting Place

@ the DoubleTree Brookfield


In case you're interested, the 1976 edition sells for $4.48 on ebay.


Fox Valley Metro Police Department Bows Out of the Overdue Book Business, Among Other Services

Fox Valley Metro Police Department serves the communities of Combined Locks, Kimberly, and Little Chute. 

Police cut vehicle lockouts, overdue library book investigations. (Appleton Post-Crescent, 10/19/2013)

Excerpt:    Police Chief Erik Misselt said the services were eliminated or transferred to other departments because money is tight.
 
Yes, and if you lock your keys in your car -- something that's most likely to happen when you're ready to return those about-to-be-overdue library materials -- fuggedaboudit!

You're on your own.  Time to call a locksmith.  And have cash, a credit card, or your checkbook ready.

Or for you do-it-yourselfers.........  (Disclaimer:  Provided for entertainment purposes only.)

Don Larsen's Connection to "a Team Long Gone" and Baseball Attendance in 1935



In St. Louis, Celebrating a Team Long Gone.  (The New York Times, 10/19/2013)

Here's an excerpt from the print edition.His Browns credentials are right there in the record book, which shows that in his rookie year in the major leagues, in 1953, he went 7-12 for the team in its last season in St. Louis.

Thirteen years later, of course, as a Yankee, he would become the first, and only, pitcher to throw a perfect game in the World Series.

In the online version, the math is corrected.

Three years later......

The 1966 World Series featured a match-up between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The Orioles swept the Series 4-0.    Don Larsen pitched his masterpiece in 1956.

Reporter Hillel Kuttler notes that the 1935 season attendance for the "sad-sack" St. Louis Browns was 80,922, an average of 1,065 per game.


The Detroit Tigers finished in first place in the American League with a won-loss record of 93-58; the Chicago Cubs (100-54) won the National League pennant.  Guess who won the Series

The Browns finished with a record of 65-89, once again being outdone by their National League rivals for the affection of St. Louis's baseball fans.  The Cardinals (96-58) finished in 2nd place, 4 games behind the Cubs.  The Cardinals' Dizzy Dean had a 28-12 won-loss record of his own that year.