Saturday, May 16, 2015

Bunny Looks to Conquer Pot of Green-Leaf Wax Begonias

Photo by Retiring Guy

Ham-Handed Harold Hamm


Oil tycoon Harold Hamm wanted earthquake scientists dismissed, dean’s e-mail says.  (Fuelfix, 5/15/2015)



Ba-di ba-di ba-di, thats all folks!!

Related posts:
Facing reality in Oklahoma.  (4/22/2015)
Shakin' all over.  (4/12/2015)
The hits just keep on coming.  (4/4/2015)

Cecil, wearing his outsized beany, has work to do: outlawing same-sex marriage in Texas


Tex. bill would bar local officials from issuing same-sex-marriage licenses.  (Washington Post, 5/11/2015)

What's in his closet?


Dane County: Incremental Population Growth, 1940-2040


Actual (20-year increments), estimated (2014), and projected (2040)

During the past 14 years, Dane County has added 89,578 residents, according to the latest population estimates.

During the next 26 years, Dane County is projected to add 90,336 residents.

Based on the historical record, this projection appears to be a lowball figure.

Republican Presidential Candidates Find Little Elbow Room in Latest Fox News Poll


Fox News poll

Bush, Carson tied for 1st with 13% each. Walker takes a dive.

Real Clear Politics

Babbling under the top 6
  • 6%.  Ted Cruz.   Down from a March 26-31, 2015, PPP peak of 16%.
  • 6%.  Chris Christie.  Down from an October 18-20, 2013, CNN/ORC peak of 24%.
  • 2%  Rick Perry.  Down from a July 20-22, 2014, Fox News peak of 12%.
  • 1%.  Bobby Jindal.  Down from a October 29-31, 2013, PPP peak of 6%.

Related posts:
Latest Public Policy Polling (PPP) numbers keep Republican candidates in a jumble.  (5/14/2015)
Digging through the latest Arizona Republican presidential poll, we learn that Scott Walker is the perferred candidate of older, 'very conservative' voters.  (5/11/2015)
The leading Republican candidates for President have already peaked in New Hampshire.  (5/10/2015)
The Florida Boys leave Scott Walker in "show" position in latest Republican presidential horse race poll.  (5/5/2015)
Two more Iowa Republican presidential polls to add to the line graph.  (4/28/2015)
Jeb Bush experiences some serious slippage in New Hampshire.  (4/17/2015)
Home-state voters show waning enthusiasm for a Lindsey Graham presidential campaign.  (4/16/2015)
Big spikes for Scott Walker, Donald Trump in most recent New Hampshire poll.  (4/13/2015)
Tracking the Florida Republican presidential primary polls, January-March 2015.  (4/4/2015)
Ohio Republican presidential primary poll: Ohio Governor Kasich leads the pack.  (4/3/2015)
Tracking the national Republican presidential primary polls.  (4/3/2015)
Republican presidential primary polls: The current top 5 preferences.  (4/2/2015)
New Hampshire Republican Presidential primary voters are having trouble making up their minds.  (3/31/2015)
Another day, another New Hampshire Presidential primary poll.  (3/28/2015)
Bush, Rubio not exactly wowing the home-state voters.  (3/27/2014)
Scott Walker tied for 2nd with 'Dunno' in latest CNN/ORC poll. (3/19/2015)
Bush-Walker-Dunno in a 3-way tie for Connecticut Presidential primary preferences.  (3/15/2015)
Don't know/no answer/somebody else/won't vote leads latest Quinnipiac Republican Presidential primary poll.  (3/6/2015)
Bush-Walker-Unsure are 1-2-3 in latest Florida Republican Presidential primary poll.  (3/3/2015)
Bush-Walker-Unsure are 1-2-3 in latest South Carolina Republican Presidential primary poll.  (3/3/2015)
It's Walker, Bush, Unsure in 1st Nevada Presidential primary poll of the year.  (3/2/2015)
Quinnipiac poll: Scott Walker is the Tea Party favorite among likely caucus-goers in Iowa.  (2/26/2015)
Texas Poll: Scott Walker takes it to a couple of Texans on their home turf.  (2/25/2015)
Someone else/no one, Ben Carson have best 1-2 punch in Public Policy poll.  (2/24/2015)
'Undecided' leads, Scott Walker 2nd, in year's first California Republican Presidential primary poll.  (2/20/2015)
On the merry-go-round: Mike Huckabee takes the lead in the latest Republican Presidential preference poll.  (2/18/2015)
Give it up: "Favorite Son" Lindsey Graham ekes out an anemic 17% in South Carolina poll.  (2/17/2015)
New Hampshire: Jeb Bush holds slim lead among crowded GOP pack in NBC News/Marist poll.  (2/17/2015)
Mike Huckabee retakes Iowa lead, Walker falls to 3rd in NBC News/Marist poll.  (2/17/2015)

What's Wrong with this Scott Walker Headline?




Apparently, the chairman of the board is helpless to do anything himself.


Related posts:
Chairman of the Board Scott Walker's BIG, BOLD idea.  (5/8/2015) 
Based on WEDC's previous track record, this is what came to mind when I saw first saw this headline.  (4/2/2015)
Apparently, being the CFO of WEDC is not much of a resume-builder.  (3/13/2015)
WEDC's revolving door.  (9/12/2014)
Here's how the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is "Reinventing Economic Development".  (8/24/2014) 
Company looks to expand its business geographic focus?  (8/14/2014)
Scott Walker and the horrible, terrible, no good, very transparent day.  (7/28/2014)
Kestrel Aircraft: All these incentives, but no construction, no jobs.  (7/13/2014)
The Eaton Corporation/WEDC timeline of shame.  (7/10/2014)
Wisconsin featured in report on privatized state economic development agencies.  (10/25/2013)
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation pledge: Following the money.  (7/23/2013)
Incompetence rewarded.  (5/9/2013)
And while we're at it, let's take a look at WEDC 's core values. (5/9/2013)
WEDC Public Information Officer Resigns After 1 Month on the Job.  (5/9/2013)
Plenty of time for messaging but none for fixing what ails WEDC.  (5/9/2013)
Previous WEDC audits?  What previous audits?  (5/8/2013)
Are you seeing a trend yet?  (5/8/2013)
Echoes.  (5/7/2013)
Get me rewrite.  (5/4/2013)
Legislative Audit Bureau Report on Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation: The "Cliff Notes" Version.  (5/3/2013
"Tales of woe never end at WEDC."  (4/25/2013)
Enterprise Florida and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation share a lack of transparency.  (2/28/2013)

No Friend to the Environment: Republican Representative Randy Neugebauer, Texas's 19th Congressional District


Photo sourceU.S. Congress
Text sourceOpposing Views

"Tea Party congressman" Neugebauer was re-elected to a 7th term in 2014 with 77% of the vote.

Required reading for Rep. Neugebauer and the constituents in his upper midwestern Texas district.

Climate Scientists:  Texas is Missing an Opportunity.  (Texas Observer, 7/13/2015)
"Texas is really at the forefront of this problem,” said Katharine Hayhoe, a world-renowned scientist at Texas Tech University in Lubbock [which is in Neugebauer's district] who studies the effects of climate change on communities across the country. “In the majority of cases, the ways that climate change are going to affect us are the ways that we’re already vulnerable.”
3% lifetime rating (3% in 2014) from the League of Conservation Voters. 


No Friend to the Environment dishonor roll.

Alabama Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives.   (Their anti-environmentalism can be summed up in one world:  coal.  Which is odd, since Alabama contributes a mere 1.9% of U.S. production, good enough for an overall ranking of 13.  The state's peak year of production:  1990)  
Alaska Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
  • At-large District.  Don Young (R).   Ridiculed environmentalists as a “self-centered bunch of waffle-stomping, Harvard-graduating, intellectual idiots.....not Americans, never have been Americans, never will be Americans.” 
 Arizona Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Arkansas Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
California Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Colorado Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
No House Republicans hail from Connecticut and Delaware. 
Florida Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Georgia Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
 Idaho Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
 Illinois Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
 Indiana Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
 Iowa Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Kansas Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Kentucky Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Louisiana Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Maine Congressional delegation:  U.S. House of Representatives
Maryland Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
No House Republicans in Massachusetts delegation.
Michigan Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Minnesota Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Mississippi Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Missouri Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives 
Montana Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Nebraska Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Nevada Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
New Hampshire Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
 New Jersey Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
New Mexico Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
New York Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
 North Carolina Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
North Dakota Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
 Ohio Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
 Oklahoma Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
 Oregon Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
  Pennsylvania Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
South Carolina Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
South Dakota Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Tennessee Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives
Texas Congressional delegation:   U.S. House of Representatives

Friday, May 15, 2015

Stricker Pond Sunset



From the City of Madison website.
Let's go back in time to the formation of the pond. Ten thousand years ago a glacier buried a "chunk" of ice in the earth. When the ice later melted, a "kettle" formed in the void created and filled with water. Historically water levels in the pond would vary from year to year, depending on surface runoff from rainfall or spring snowmelt. Emergent plant cover would increase when water levels were low and decrease when water levels increased. Old air photos show that with low water levels the pond looked more like a marsh, covered with emergent plants and allowing only a small amount of open water in the center.

Just enough parking space for this garage sale fanatic



The crown, however, goes to a woman who blocked the driveway of our neighbors holding the garage sale.  Granted, they didn't need the access, but it was a parking maneuver that screamed "selfish", "lazy", "Welcome to The Twilight Zone". 

From her behavior and dress, the driver seemed very much to be "traveling in another dimension", striding purposefully into the garage, making an abrupt about-face, and then walking back somewhat distractedly to her car.  I was so intrigued by her movements that I didn't even think to get my camera.

Scott Walker's upcoming itinerary includes Des Moines, laundry, and Washington DC (to convince evangelicals he's one o' them)


Budget?  What budget?!  (Be sure to scroll down.)


Scott Walker's crisis of faith.  (Politico, 5/14/2015)

Hey, guys, Scott Walker is always ready to fight for a cause.  His own!!
Next week, the Wisconsin governor will travel to Capitol Hill to hold a private meeting with influential evangelical leaders, some of whom are expressing deep reservations about his track record on issues near and dear to them. Pointing to his past statements, and even his hire of a top campaign aide, they are openly questioning whether his views on abortion and gay marriage align with theirs and whether he’s willing to fight for their cause.

Perhaps the meeting will take place in one of these well-appointed rooms at the Capitol Hill Club?
Related posts:
Scott Walker adds another Iowa event to his schedule.  (5/9/2015)
Scott Walker will return from Israel just in time to do his laundry and make yet another series of visits to Iowa.  (5/5/2015)
Without a hint of irony, Scott Walker trumpets Wisconsin tourism in his latest weekly e-update.  (5/2/2015)
It's becoming a daily routine to update Scott Walker's presidential campaign travel schedule.  (5/2/2015)
Scott Walker adds a couple of stops to his Iowa itinerary.  (5/1/2015) 
From Iowa to Massachusetts.  (4/28/2015)
Scott Walker runs to the arms of Iowa Republicans for approval.  (4/17/2015) 
Where in the world is determined presidential candidate/distracted Wisconsin governor Scott Walker?  (3/16/2015)
Furiously campaigning for the Presidency, Scott Walker travels on the Wisconsin taxpayers' 'dime'.  (3/4/2015)