Billboard advertisers are getting inside our heads. For years, they’ve watched with envy as Internet advertisers have learned to precisely target our interests and tastes, by using personal data collected from our Web browsers. Now the billboard guys are assembling their own high-tech toolkits, full of slick and spooky new ways to pry open our wallets.
In other words, business as usual for the former Assembly Speaker. Jensen, age 54, is currently a lobbyist and senior adviser for the Washington, D.C.-based American Federation for Children, a pro-school voucher group that has spent an estimated $5.4 million since the beginning of 2010 on outside electioneering activities to support mostly Republican legislative candidates. Ironically, the message in most of the group’s electioneering activities rarely mentions school vouchers or education. For the most part, it smears Democratic candidates on tax, government spending, job creation, and economic development issues.
At a recent board meeting of the nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause in Wisconsin, executive director Jay Heck mused, “I get the feeling that nobody remembers Scott Jensen anymore, even though he probably plays a greater role now than he did then.”
In 2006, a Dane County jury convicted Jensen of three felonies and a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison but was allowed to remain free while appealing the case.
2/27/2016 update starts here.At this point, the building looks ready for occupancy. The crane is on the site of the AC Hotel Madison at the NW corner of North Webster and East Washington (Saturday, Feb 27, 2016)
Photo taken by Retiring Guy on Thursday, January 14, 2016.
Original 10/14/2015 post, "Infill, not a teardown, at 6260 Elmwood Avenue", starts here.
When I first noticed the 'disruption' taking place on this lot, I had to ask myself, Was there a house here? Is this another teardown?
I made a mental note to check Google StreetView.
Not necessary, as it turned out.
As the woman who lives in the house at left explained to me (after she had backed her car out of the driveway and pulled up along side my car before running an errand), she and her husband are building a Craftsman-style dwelling.
5/15/2016 update, "Why plant a lawn when you can create a monument to Sarah Palin?", stats here.
Photo by Retiring Guy
More than a month after Christmas and work is continuing at a much slower pace. (Photos taken on Monday, February 1)
Two of the intruder's original Cape Cod neighbors.
Might have to revise that Christmas move-in timetable. (Photo taken on Sunday, November 15. During most of September and October, it seemed as though the house was being worked on 7 days a week. Lately, though, I haven't seen much going on -- even during the week. That goes for both the exterior and interior.)
At this rate, the owners might be moved in by Christmas. (Early October)
Framing in progress. (September 19, 2015)
Ain't wastin' time puttin' in a foundation. (August 27, 2015)
The Teardown
The lot pictured below is located in the 7000 block of Maywood Avenue, two doors west of the Rambler. (Pictured at the end of this post.)
The Park Lawn neighborhood of Middleton, Wisconsin, is located north of University Avenue, west of Middleton High School, south of Parisi Park, and mostly east of Mayflower Drive. Its development took place in the years immediately following World War II. Most of the houses, primarily Cape Cod and ranch in style, were constructed prior to 1950.
The majority of them have since been remodeled -- and expanded, in many cases -- to one degree or another. There remains, however, a handful that, to my eye, look pretty much the same as they did more than 65 years ago. (If we discount the basic maintenance items of new siding, roof, and such.)
Here are photographic samples taken during an early morning walk a few years ago. (Which means that some of these examples are now probably out of date.)
Then there's this abomination. No basic maintenance here. (It has since been partially 'rescued'.)
And here's a textbook example of how a series of remodeling projects have transformed your basic post-WWI Cape Cod into a Rambler.
It will be interesting to see what goes up 2 doors down from the Rambler.
