Retiring Guy's Digest: 2014-07-13

Saturday, July 19, 2014

What's In Your Little Free Library? (Charter #5718)

Browsing from left to right. (Mostly paperbacks)
Hidden Talents, by Dana Lubar
Powder (videocassette)
Daring Dream by Nora Roberts
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
Therapy by Jonathan Kellerman
Peace is a Four-Letter Word by Janet Nichols Lynch
Secret Agent Father by Laura Scott
Nightjohn by Gary Paulsenj
Love the One You're With by Emily Giffin
Set It Afire: Why the Church Still Matters (compact disc - Lighthouse Catholic Media)

Location

Related posts:
Charter #0657. (7/18/2014)
Charter #1258. (7/16/2014)

On the Agenda for the Dane County City-County Liaison Committee Meeting, Monday, July 21

Full agenda available here.

Here's the background.

Madison, Dane County considering moves to end homeless sleeping outside the City-County Building. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/18/2014)

A proposal to disperse the homeless. Madison and Dane County are considering a move that would give police authority to stop the homeless from sleeping outside the City-County Building’s main entrance and address inappropriate behaviors there.

But a leading advocate for the homeless is questioning where people are supposed to go.

My take. Based on one of the 6 principles set forth in the document, Understanding the Challenge of Homelessness and Public Land, I don't consider repositioning tresspassing signs to be a problem-solving approach.

OK, so "no trespassing" signs don't qualify as physical barriers, but the intent is the same: to keep a certain group of people away from a particular area.

Excerpt: Key Sub-populations Experiencing Homelessness

Link to document

Welcome to Todd Grayson's Alice-in-Wonderland World

This is what happens when people don't pay attention.

Your local government may be taken away from you.

ALEC goes local. (Governing, June 2014)

I wonder what city department heads and other staff members, as well as the members of the various boards and commissions have to say about being, in essence, referred to as 'nobodies'? \

It appears to me that someone is too lazy, to too inconvenienced, to tap into valuable and varied resources to be found at the local level.

The ALEC model of meddling with state government has resulted in abominable legislation, much of tramping on local control. It would be a tragedy to see this top-down, mind-my-business-or-else mentality worm its way into the operations of municipal councils and village boards..

Related reading:
Wisconsin Poised to Pass ALEC's Deadly Asbestos Bill. (The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch, 3/10/2014)

Delivery boy in action. Rep. Andre Jacque, a member of the ALEC Civil Justice Task Force, introduced Assembly Bill 19 in April of 2013.

WI GOP Marches in Lockstep with ALEC Agenda, Voting Records Show. (The Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch, 3/10/2014)

Yes, the key word is "lockstep'. A review of 2011-2012 voting records by a University of Wisconsin academic demonstrates that many Wisconsin legislators are marching in lockstep with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Sixty-one Wisconsin politicians -- or 46 percent of the legislature -- voted with the ALEC agenda one hundred percent of the time.

Who’s Really Behind Recent Republican Legislation in Wisconsin and Elsewhere? (Hint: It Didn’t Start Here). (Scholar as Citizen, 3/15/2011)

Paying attention. The most important group, I’m pretty sure, is the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which was founded in 1973 by Henry Hyde, Lou Barnett, and (surprise, surprise) Paul Weyrich. Its goal for the past forty years has been to draft “model bills” that conservative legislators can introduce in the 50 states.

Other ALEC posts:
I'd like to suggest some alternate wording, please: Cross out "Legislative committees are", insert "The American Legislative Exchange Council is". (4/16/2014)
Meet Chris Kapenga, R-Waterboy, representing the grate state of ALEC. (2/18/2014)
Sen. Paul Farrow throws a hissy fit (which is transcribed in this news release). (2/7/2014)
Also known Aas the American Legislative Exchange Council's Super-Majority Act. (12/24/2013)
Robin Vos believes in selective transparency of the kind advanced by the American Legislative Exchange Council. (12/24/2013)
Background on the National Conference of State Legislatures for Leah. (12/12/2013)
ALEC transparency? Up to a point. (12/12/2013)
From ALEC to Andre to us: Rep. Jacque (R-DePere) whittles model bill down to the basics. (9/1/2013)
NRA/ALEC "Docs and Glocks" law finally makes its way to Wisconsin. (6/18/2013)
Robin Vos, "an ALEC Wisconsin Foot Soldier" (SourceWatch). (6/13/2013) Pat McCrory Cain't Say "No" to ALEC.. (6/10/2013)
ALEC'd to Death: Wisconsin Republicans Continues to Depend on the Koch Brothers' Playbook. (6/7/2013)
ALEC's State Budget Reform Toolkit: "Asset Sale and Lease Opportunities". (6/6/2013)
Selling State Properties? It's in the ALEC Playbook. (5/22/2013)More cookie-cutter legislation from ALEC. (4/7/2013)
The New York Times Provides an overview of school choice without mentioning ALEC's orchestration. (3/28/2013)
Selling state properties: It's in the ALEC toolkit. (2/17/2013)
Performance funding: They love this stuff at the Lumina Foundation and ALEC. (11/19/2012)
Splashy full-page ad for a movie few want to see. (9/30/2012)
AT&;T, ALEC have their way with South Carolina legislature. (7/2/2012)
What the Koch Brothers left under Scott Walker's 2010 Christmas tree. (6/19/2012)“
….really, what ALEC is, is a bipartisan association of state legislators….” (Wisconsin State Senate version, 4/10/2012)“

Mission Not Accomplished

InfoGroup

27,000 people, some as old as 85, get MATC recruiting letter targeting recent high school grads. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/18/2014)

Marketing gone wrong. In all they sent out 27,000 of the letters and started hearing back soon from people long removed from high school who obviously should not have been on the list, she said. Recipients they've heard from range from age 35 to 85 and all reside within the district's enrollment area. Saffran said the vendor [InfoGroup] told the college that some 2014 high school graduates -- the intended targets -- also received the letter but she hasn't been able to verify it as of Friday afternoon.

Sean Seems to Get Around

LOSER OF THE DAY

Twitter

Police: Man broke into home, fondled sleeping woman. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/18/2014)

An adverb or two could have been provided before "drunk". McNally had been at his own engagement party in a neighboring apartment a few hours before the assault, police said, and appeared to be drunk.

peekyou

In this case, it's "what will my Jamie say?"

Probably not whisper "Don't go" in a sexily forlorn voice.

Friday, July 18, 2014

The Isthmus from Olbrich Park

Lake Monona

Olbrich Park

Ready for its close(r)-up.

2 Mushrooms

Why are mushrooms growing in my lawn?

Eliminate mushrooms in your lawn.

"Oh my god, look at that huge bird!"

Order yours now!!

The Towering Isthmus. That Was Then, This is Now: The 400 Block of West Gilman

Then. A modest 6-unit building, an example of apartment construction from 100 years ago

Now. The ~~Behemoth~~ Hub at Madison. Perhaps as many as 300 apartments. Too big to fit into the frame.

Other "Towering Isthmus" posts:
The towers of Porta Bella. (7/18/2014)
New housing rising. (5/8/2014)
Cranes over Porta Bella. (4/22/2014)

It's Not a Pretty Picture for Kansas Governor Sam Brownback

GOP governor implements GOP economics, disaster ensues. (Washington Post, 7/16/2014)

How to create a debacle in 3 easy steps. In many ways, Brownback’s term has been a perfect experiment in Republican governance.

Take a crusading conservative governor,
give him a legislature with Republican super-majorities so he can do pretty much whatever he wants, and
let him implement the right’s wish list.

The result was supposed to be a nirvana of economic growth and budgetary stability. But the opposite happened.

And according to the latest poll of the Kansas governor's race, it looks as though voters are going to make him pay the price.

Source: Survey USA

Scott Walker Looks to Iowa and Wonders......

NBC News/Marist PollJuly 2014Iowa Questionnaire

"Undecided" leads in Iowa presidential caucus poll. Scott Walker leads Bobby Jindal.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Once Upon a Time in Atlantic City

Atlantic City Strives to Rise as Casinos Fail. (The New York Times, 7/14/2014)

Baby, gonna shut you down. Since January, four of the city’s 12 casinos announced plans to shut down if they failed to find buyers. In the latest blow, workers at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino received notices on Monday that the white-towered complex with the bright red letters was expected to lock its doors as soon as Sept. 16. The Atlantic Club is already closed, and Showboat and Revel would close in late summer. The four represent 25 percent of the city’s casino work force: more than 8,000 jobs that could be lost, according to union leaders.

Expect a 30% poverty rate, compared to New Jersey's overall rate of 10%, to increase substantially.

On September 7, 1963, Miss Arkansas, Donna Axum, was crowned Miss America She was the first Miss Arkansas to be selected.

E-cigarette Industry Proclaims, "Hey, baby, they're playing our song!"

Print headline. E-Cigarettes' Fruit Cocktatils: Makers in an Arms Race for Vapor Flavors.

Web headline. E-Cigarette Makers Are in an Arms Race for Exotic Vapor Flavors.

Either way, it was published in The New York Times on 7/15/2014.

And of course --- OF COURSE -- it has nothing to do with the cigarette industry's marketing plans to build a base of youths who love to suck vapor. (See #8.)

Related posts:
City and County of Eau Claire ban use of e-cigarettes. (7/9/2014)
You'll be bowled over by this headline. (4/15/2014)
E-cig companies go tutti-frutti for youthful lungs. (4/14/2014)
More on those harmless e-cigarettes. (3/24/2014)
West Bend, SB440, and e-cigarettes. (3/6/2014)
E-cigarette makers have a bridge (or two) for sale -- cheap! (3/5/2014)
Analogy, metaphor, and idiom in a New York Times article on e-cigarettes. (2/23/2014)
Heckuva job, Jenny. (9/6/2013)
With work hard to come by, Jenny McCarthy takes a smoke break. (8/30/2014)

Hypothetical Questions: Did Scott Walker get a jolt from his campaign's internal polling numbers?

And is this why he's serving up his base some red meat?

Gov. Scott Walker calls for Legislature to repeal Common Core standards. (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 7/17/2014)

Related posts:
What planet was Leah Vukmir on yesterday? (3/7/2014)
Leah Vukmir's rally line falls flat. (3/7/2014)
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce puts Walker in a pickle with his Tea-Party base. (2/4/2014)
Dear Wisconsin Republicans, "Don't believe a word of those silly things you've heard, they're just rumors". (12/13/2013)
Outside experts like Sam Blumenthal? (11/1/2013)
Legislators hear a wide range of opinions at Common Core public hearing. (10/4/2013)

And it's about time. After all, "she" is 26.

First known use courtesy of Merriam-Webster's extensive citation files.

To which I contributed through my "reading and marking" assignments during my period of employment from April until August 1978. By far, the best part of the job.

The Scrunchie Grows Up. (The New York Times, 7/16/2014)

I counted just one scrunchie in the trailer.

Outbreaks of Unchristian Behavior in U.S.

Towns Fight to Avoid Taking in Minors. (The New York Times, 7/16/2014)

A charitable approach. In the Dallas County town of Grand Prairie, officials had expressed skepticism about the plan to house hundreds of children at a former school. But their concerns were eased after Clay Jenkins, the county judge, and others went door to door in the school’s neighborhood and found that residents were overwhelmingly positive.

Timeline: Centrally Located Permanent Day Resource Center for the Homeless in Dane County, Wisconsin

June 7, 2012. Dane County Board adopts Sub. 1 to Resolution, 2012-13, which created the Homeless Issues Committee to explore issues of homelessness and their relationship to community service providers and resources.

July 12, 2012. Dane County Board adopts Resolution 292, 2011-12, which recognizes housing as a human right and affirms that providing access to this basic need both temporarily and permanently for those who desire a place of shelter is a priority.

September 20, 2012. Dane County Board adopts Sub. 1 to Resolution 84, 2012-13. (See pages 49-50 for amendment language).

February 1, 2013. Recommendations submitted to Health and Human Needs Committee.
Outline of report

Recommended services and facility attributes for a permanent day resource center
Background on siting and location
Criteria for siting

Central/Isthmus location
Near bike and major bus routes
Proximity to compatible services
Sensitivity to nearby service facilities
Commercial or mixed-use area
Appropriate zoning
4,000 to 8,000 square feet minimum
General location

East to First Street
West to Randall Street
Between the lakes to Wingra Drive south on Park St.

Process for siting
Timeline

March 1. RFP released for operator.
March 1. RFP released for facility (optional)
March 1. Location determined
March 30. Temporary facility closes.
May 1. Location determined/facility leased or purchased.
May 1. Operator selected/contract negotiated.
October 15. Renovation completed.
November 1. Facility opened.

Funding and governance
Addedum A. Relationship-based community justice.

August 13, 2013. After 2 proposals were rejected because the sites were not centrally located, the Homeless Issues Committee recommended that the site RFP be re-issued with expanded geographic boundaries and that the location be within walking distance of a bus line with frequent bus service and bus service on weekends and holidays.

September 20, 2013 . Revised site RFP deadline, One proposal submitted: Madison Area Rehabilitation Center for their property (“MARC-East”) at 3939 Lien Road.

April 3, 2014. Dane County Executive Parisi announced that the County had an accepted an offer to purchase for 1490 Martin St., owned by Porchlight, Inc.

April 10, 2014. First neighborhood meeting with the Arboretum Neighborhood Association.

June 11, 2014. Town of Madison panel rejects Dane County's plan for a homeless day shelter.

July 14, 2014. Town of Madison appealing county zoning decision on proposed, homeless day shelter.

Wisconsin State Assembly District 75: Who's on the Ballot for the August 12 Primary?

Two Republicans vying to challenge the incumbent Democrat.

Public libraries in the 75th Assembly District
Barron Public Library
Calhoun Memorial Library, Chetek
Cameron Public Library
Clear Lake Public Library
Rice Lake Public Library
Shell Lake Public Library
Thomas St. Angelo Public Library, Cumberland
Turtle Lake Public Library

The 2 Republicans challengers

Candidates biographies

The winner of the August 12 primary will face the incumbent Democrat Stephen Smith, who was first elected to the Assembly in 2012.

About Stephen:

Home: Shell Lake
Occupation: Majority owner, Rainbow Home Center,
Elected office/memberships: Current representative in the 75th District

Smith defeated the Republican incumbent, Roger "Some Girls Rape Easy" Rivard with 51% of the vote.

Related posts
Who's running unopposed in the Senate and Assembly? (6/16/2014)
August 12 primaries
Assembly District 1. (6/17/2014)
Assembly District 4. (6/18/2014)
Assembly District 8. (6/19/2014)
Assembly District 10. (6/20/2014)
Assembly District 16. (6/20/2014)
Assembly District 19. (6/22/2014)
Assembly District 20 (6/23/2014)
Assembly District 22 (6/24/2014)
Assembly District 26 (6/25/2014)
Assembly District 27. (6/26/2014)
Assembly District 33. (6/27/2014)
Assembly District 43. (6/30/2014)
Assembly District 45. (7/1/2014)
Assembly District 51. (7/2/2014)
Assembly District 55. (7/3/2014)
Assembly District 58. (7/7/2013)
Assembly District 59. (7/9/2013)
Assembly District 63 (7/12/2013)
Assembly District 72. (7/14/2014)

In the News: Capital Area Regional Planning Commission

Planning group grabs 76% tax increase in move called 'bold' and 'illegal. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/17/2014)

Deja vu all over again. The County Board will vote Thursday on whether to fight the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission as it did in 2011, when it persuaded arbitrators to reduce a 19 percent increase sought by the agency.

References:

Executive Order #197
Wisconsin State Statutes 66.0309: Creation, organization, powers and duties of regional planning commissions.

CARPC Appointments

CARPC line items

Sources:

2007-2012: CARPC annual financial reports
2012-2014: Summary CARPC 2014 budget

I will be voting in favor of this resolution.

Coincidentally, yesterday a library colleague and I talked about this type of rogue budget-preparation behavior in another context.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

I remember the days when having reference and circulating copies of Consumer Reports was enough

Airline Passengers Weigh In With Online Reviews. (The New York Times, 7/14/2014)

Speaking in general terms. The list of review sites “keeps getting longer almost every day now,” said Stathis Kefallonitis, founder of the consulting firm branding.aero and a marketing professor at the State University of New York in Oswego. Many sites provide information that they gather themselves, like annotated seat maps, with reviews posted by passengers.

About Chris Christie's "ability to interact spontaneously with ordinary people"

Christie to Test Presidential Hopes in Iowa Trip. (The New York Times, 7/15/2014)

Spontaneous combustion: It was deliberately constructed to showcase what his advisers believe distinguishes him from the emerging Republican field: his personality and ability to interact spontaneously with ordinary people.

Let's see how that can go.

...oath of office....defend the Constitution....that's just Republican code words for fighting same-sex marriage

Dems call on Scott Walker to drop same-sex marriage case. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/16/2014)

Who's not fighting same-sex marriage?

Other same-sex marriage posts:
Scott Walker's fantasy world. (7/16/2014)
Scott Walker, do you still "stand with" this statement? (7/7/2014)
In Scott Walker's case, not "taking the bait" means weaseling his way through the campaign. (7/7/2014)
From the why-is-this-news department. (6/15/2014)
Somebody needs lessons in leadership. (6/15/2014)
To be an attorney, you need to graduate from college. (5/27/2014)
Your state tax dollars at work (to keep Walker's base happy). (3/25/2014)
Did you know that it's National Heterosexual Marriage Week USA? (2/8/2014)
What else would you expect from someone who needs to pander to a Tea-Party base in order to keep his dim 2016 hopes alive? (2/6/2014)
Virginia Republicans hang down their heads. (1/6/2014)
Beware of Cal Thomas. (4/1/2013)

Pauline Haass Library Dispute Continues XXXIX

Lisbon asks court to control Sussex library spending. (Living Lake Country, 7/15/2014)

Battling down to the wire. The town is asking the court to prohibit the library from spending beyond appropriation levels outlined in the 2014 budget and to prohibit the library from spending any of its reserve funds. In addition, the town is asking the court to require the library board seeking court approval for spending for goods and services in excess of $10,000.

Related articles:
No business interruption for the Pauline Haass Public Library. (6/26/2014)
Joint library jukebox. (6/25/2014)
Somehow I can't imagine Pewaukee waiting with open arms. (6/22/2014)
Pauline Haass Library dispute continues XXXV. (4/16/2014)
The Sussex-Lisbon library dispute continues. (3/27/2014)
Differing opinions on the future of the library. (3/3/2014)
Dissolution, "from Latin dissolutionem (nominative dissolutio) "a dissolving, destroying, interruption..." (1/29/2014)
Getting out of joint? (1/10/2014)
Pauline Haass library board 1, Town of Lisbon 0. (1/3/2014)
Pauline Haass Public Library considers the cost of litigation. (11/27/2013)
Sussex/Lisbon: Mediation fails, time to go to court. (10/23/2013)
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)

What's In Your Little Free Library? (Charter #1258)

Woodgate and Clovernook roads, Middleton

The contents, browsing from left to right. (Mostly paperbacks)
The Touch System for Better Golf, by Bob Toski. (1971)
Heart of Glass by Zoey Dean
Sealed with a Diss by Lisi Harrison
P.S. I Loathe You by Lisi Harrison
Boys R Us by Lisi Harrison
Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay
Crow in Stolen Colors by Marcia Simpson
Live Wire by Harlen Coben
Some Like It Hot by Zoey Dean
Bringing Maddie Home by Janice Kay Johnson
Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman
Unwelcome by Michael Griffo
Beautiful Bulbs by Georgeanna Brennan and Mimi Luebberman
Salad Gardens by Mimi Luebberman
Michael Jordan by Richard J. Brenner
Murdered Heiress...Living Witness by Dr. Petti Wagner
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
The Book of Mormon
Author, Author by David Lodge'
Hot X: Algebra Exposed by Danica McKellan
Bratfest at Tiffany's by Lisi Harrison
True North by Jill Ker Conway
An Accidental Woman by Barbara Delinsky
The Italian Rags-to-Riches Wife by Julie James
Holy Bible (New Living Translation)
California Dreaming by Zoey Dean

Location

Drill, baby, drill

DNR Approves GTAC Plan To Drill More Exploratory Holes In Penokees. (Wisconsin Public Radio, 7/15/2014)

How "improved", how "near"? Included in the approval is a stormwater permit to improve an access road to the drill sites. Lynch said the sites can’t be on wetlands and have to be near an existing road.

See who received the remaining $15,500 at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

Other frac sand mining posts:
A Wisconsin connection (or 2) to a Texas colonia. (7/4/2014)
Make way for the West Central Lateral. (6/27/2014)
Scott Walker continues his "Thank You for Your Contributions" tour. (5/23/2014)
What a mere $8,000 will buy you in the Scott Walker House of Favors, (3/30/2014)
Frac sand mining and property values: Homeowners vs. landowners. (3/30/2014)
Nevertheless, transparency would have been in the general pubic's best interest. (3/15/2014)
Wisconsin Towns Association has second thoughts about that "gentler" frac sand mining regulation bill. (3/4/014)
Scott Walker likely to support Tom Tiffany's new mining bill. (2/27/2014)
The vision of Trempealeau County as one big mining operation -- nipped in the bud. (2/20/2014)
Glenwood City Council members defeat their recall challengers by a hair. (12/18/2013)
Wyoming's Republican Governor has a message for Wisconsin mining industry's "Tom Terrific". (11/24/2013)
The mining industry's "Tom Terrific" gets pushback from his Republican colleagues. (11/18/2013)
In so many words: Dear Sen. Tiffany, Your bill sucks, Sincerely, Pepin County Board. (11/13/2013)
Follow the Gogebic money. (11/7/2013)
Sand mine industry leaders put our minds at ease. (11/5/2013)
Scott Walker donor promises jobs, permanence for Independence and Whitehall residents. (10/29/2013)
Sen. Tom Tiffany's sand mine bill a hot potato. (10/28/2013)
Another Walker campaign donor for SB349. (10/25/2013)
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)

8-inch Worms Infest UW Arboretum Soil

Asian crazy worms invade Madison. (Wisconsin State Journal, 7/16/2014)

Another Asian export, just like the emerald ash borer. The eight-inchers come with a ravenous appetite and an advanced ability to reproduce, reaching maturity in just two months and creating offspring without mating. When infestations happen, the worms devour nutrient-rich soil at the forest floor. Erosion sets in, making it harder for native plants to survive. In their place, pesky invasive plants can grow.

The worm is called “crazy” because it flops and wriggles vigorously when handled.

Something like this?

Door County Hail "A Storm That Left Its Mark:"

Hail storm causes "complete damage" in Sevastopol. (Door County Advocate, 7/15/2014)

Pummeled. Hail that Stasiak estimated at 1½ to 2 inches wide pummeled cherry trees, grapevines, winter wheat and corn crops just after 10 p.m. A Door County Sheriff's deputy took a picture of hail piled 3-4 inches deep on West Dunn Road, resembling a scene from a winter snowstorm.

Whenever I read or hear a weather forecast that includes the phrase

Severe thunderstorms capable of producing

damaging winds and large hail

I worry about damage to the many perennials in our yard and consider the many hours of work that has gone into this makeover since 1987.

We've been lucky.

Only once in 27 years have we experienced any severe hail damage.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

In FY2011-12, It Cost Wisconsin Taxpayers $33,414 to Incarcerate Each Inmate In Its Prison System

Source: Adult Corrections Program. Information Paper 56. Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, January 2013.

Even after you add room and board......

Related post:
Campaign to Reduce Wisconsin's Prison Population to 11,000 by 2015. (3/15/2013)

All It Took for Me was 10 Seconds into "Ace of Spades"

A Headbanger's Headache. (The New York Times, 7/11/2014)

I've never been a fan of heavy metal. Doctors drained the fluid from his brain (it took six days of hospitalization after the surgery), and the man recovered completely. The case report appeared in The Lancet.

But, hey, maybe I need to add a qualification here, based on Wikipedia's description of the English band UFO.

...a transitional group between early hard rock and heavy metal and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

Phenomenon (review offered with serious reservations), released in 1974, remains one of my favorite albums. I'd call this release more hard rock than heavy metal.

The appropriate cut to share.