Saturday, April 15, 2017

Did you get your invitation to the Official Trump Store Easter sale?


If not, here's the nonsense you missed.

Trump Spends Another $3 Million on Promo Gear.  (Advertising Specialty Institute, 2/2/2017)
New campaign filings show President Donald Trump spent $2.4 million on T-shirts, mugs, banners and stickers, and another $728,000 on logoed hats during December – a month after he was elected.

UPDATE: Wondering why Duey Stroebel is a champion of property tax relief? Take a look at where he lives


 Source:  One Wisconsin Now


Reported in Wisconsin GOP lawmakers take aim at mounting school referendums.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/14/2017)


Original 3/31/2017 post, "The party of local control, Wisconsin GOP seeks to snuff out school referenda", starts here.

As described at the Republican Party of Wisconsin's website....
Allegedly the guiding light of GOP policy development.  What a con job! 


Republican lawmakers seek limits on school referendums.  (Madison.com, 3/31/2017)


Sources:  
  • Smooshed graphic:  Custom Referenda Reports (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)
  • Text (above and below):  Madison.com article


Duey, let the voters have their say.
In last year's spring elections, 55 of 71 school referenda passed -- 77%,  many of then with more than 65% of voters approving.

Among the many other examples of GOP's cartoon conservative principle: 
Wisconsin GOP: What they say and what they do are 2 different things.  (2/9/2017)
Wisconsin legislature back in session and GOP hypocrisy is already in full flower.  (1/27/2017)
UPDATE: Scott Walker and the abandoned GOP principle.  (12/21/2016)
Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo highlights GOP cartoon conservative principle.  (5/20/2016)
Suburban Milwaukee GOP state legislators freak out over locally issued ID card.  (3/23/2016)
Business as usual: Wisconsin GOP legislators vote for special interests, against local control and tenants' rights.  (3/9/2016)
The Wisconsin GOP Cartoon Conservative Principles Fest continues.  (2/10/2016)
Cartoon conservative principles in nonstop action: Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau memo lists more than 100 state provisions that restrict local control.  (2/10/2016)
The Christmas edition: Rep. Kremer accuses fire officials of 'relieving themselves'.  (12/23/2015)
Cartoon conservative principles on full display this week at the Wisconsin State Capitol.  (12/18/2015)
Once again, Wisconsin Republicans assert their cartoon conservative principle (2015 Assembly Bill 568).  (12/16/2015)
Out of (local) control: When it comes to anything resembling a train, Republicans just can't help themselves.  (12/1/2015) 
Scott Walker pays lip service to local control as he continues to sign bills to limit it.  (10/26/2015)
UPDATE: Let's follow the Shea money from Wingra Stone to Scott Walker.  (10/20/2015)
UPDATE.  Sorry, Tim Geoghegan, a total of $11,750 in donations is not a "bunch of bull".  (10/20/2015) 
Once again, Wisconsin Republicans violate their most precious principle.  (7/4/2015)
Cartoon conservative principles.  (5/6/2015)
The Usual Hypocrisy: What Scott Walker sez on his campaign website and what he does in the Governor's office are two different things.  (5/2/2015)
The "hits" to local control just keep on coming.  (2/28/2015)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board calls out Republican hypocrisy.  (2/17/2014)
And the hypocrisy just keeps on coming: Republicans can't even give lip service to their "Principles". (2/14/2014)
Yet another lesson in Republican hypocrisy.  (2/13/2014)
Your Wisconsin Republican Assembly hard at work promoting Governor Walker's jobs agenda (and GOP principles).  (11/15/2013)

Arthur Gee-Whizz Band: "To Ward Off Ambitions" and "I Wanna Fly"


The first 2 cuts on side B.   (I was going to play the first two cuts on side A, but there's a series of mean scratches on that part of the vinyl.)



The musicians:
Arthur Gee:  vocals, acoustic guitar, harp
Bill Alexander: vocals, piano, organ, moog synthesizer
Steven van Gelder:  vocals, banjo, fiddle, piano, acoustic and electric guitars
Marcus Damerst: vocals, acoustic and electric giutars
Don Riggs: vocals, drums,
Richard Hathaway:  vocals, bass

In the fall of 1972, during my last semester at UB, a friend of mine worked as arts reporter for the Spectrum, the campus newspaper.  One of her assignments was to review an album called City Cowboy, by the Arthur Gee-Whizz Band, promotional copies of which, I imagine, had been sent to many other college newspaper offices and radio stations.  I suspect Tumbleweed Records(1) felt this was the best approach to reach the group's potential audience.

Not sure what to make of it after a first listen, she asked me to help her out, sit in on a follow-up spin and provide some input.  I liked the band's eclectic -- countryish, multi-instrumental, seemingly tongue-in-cheek, borderline theatrical -- style, which only indicates how difficult it was to put then in any distinct category. 

"I don't know why, but they remind me a little bit of the Bonzo Dog Band," I said to Randi, whose last name I've long forgotten.

At the time, I was a fan of the band's Let's Make Up and Be Friendly(2).  Yesterday, while listening to this album for the first time in decades, I wondered what the hell I was thinking.  Guess you had to be there, as we used to say.  (But again then, I was there.) 

Additionally, whatever once captivated me about the Bonzo Dog (Doo Dah) Band can also be filed under The Mysteries of Youth.

On the other hand, 45 years later, "City Cowboy" remains eminently listenable, though I wouldn't classify it as the best music you've never heard.

(1)  Discography notes a 1973 release.

(2) Their only album to chart on Billboard.  Late June 1972.  2 weeks.  Peaked at #199.)

Related post:
Be Bop 'N' Holla by Andy Fairweather Low.  (4/9/2017)

Greetings from Superstition Mountain, Arizona, where there's now a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course


From Retiring Guy's collection

Jack Nicklaus: Know When To Aim At The Flag. (Golf Digest, 4/11/2017)
This is a fairly straightforward concept—except when it isn't. With certain green complexes, the best strategy can be to aim somewhere other than the middle. The par-3 fourth on the Prospector Course at Superstition Mountain (illustrated), a layout north of Scottsdale that I designed with my son, Gary, is a prime example. A big ridge runs through the center, effectively making it play like two smaller greens.

Other greetings:
Tucson, Arizona.  (4/12/2017)
Phoenix, Arizona.  (4/8/2017)
Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah.  (4/8/2017)
Dothan, Alabama.  (4/5/2017)
Mobile, Alabama.  (4/5/2017)

Friday, April 14, 2017

UPDATE: Tonette Walker chirps, "Presto-chango, alakazam, my baby must be a magician"



Some of us aren't quite ready to believe Walker has the magic touch.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) said the money, if it's "real," would help but wouldn't get Wisconsin where it needs to be in terms of funding road projects.
No rabbit in his hat here.



This Walker guy must think we have awfully short memories.

The Marvelettes' final single to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, "My Baby Must Be a Magician" debuted at #78 for the week ending December 16, 1967.  It spent 11 weeks on the chart and peaked at #17.




Original 3/24/2017 post, "From transportation to budget estimates, Scott Walker's bucket's got a big hole in it", starts here.

Photo credit:  Indiamart

Fiscal bureau: Scott Walker's budget leaves $1.1 billion hole starting in 2019.  (Wisconsin State Journal, 3/25/2017)

Related reading:
Wisconsin road projects costs double estimates.  (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 1/26/2017

Jerome Bowersox (1944-2017) Warren Area High School class of 1962



1962 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory
  • Bowersox Lois G Mrs cafeteria wkr County Sch Dept r1515 Market St ext 
  • Bowersox Lloyd M (Lois G) operations eng Hunkin-Conkey r1515 Market St ext
1983 Warren City Directory
  • Bowersox Eliz R clk Tiny Town Youth Center r15 Follett Run Rd
  • Bowersox Jerome L & Eliz R; servmn Snyder Appliance h15 Follett Run Rd
  • Brown James M & Debbra; emp National Forge h bx 54 Old Rt 6 (Irvinedale)

Never a dazzler, 'Jerome' nonetheless spent 82 years (1903-1984) among the top 200 most popular baby names, peaking at #93 in 1939.   He's been fading fast since the mid-1980s.


Other members of the WAHS Class of 1962
Judith Manchester Graham.  (3/2/2017)
Andrew Gerbec.  (1/3/2017)
Carolyn Hummel Randas.  (3/3/2015)
Eleanor Haight Jones.  (12/10/2014)
Cheryl Quiggle Wuertzer.  (12/3/2014)
Martha Mathis Frederick.  (11/4/2014)
Sarah Andrews Ahlgren.  (10/7/2014)

(Not) Trump's America: Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District


Not a hotbed of Trumpism.  In 2012, Obama beat Romney in this suburban Minneapolis district by 0.7 percentage points.  Last fall, Clinton beat Trump by 9.4 percentage points.  

The district has been represented by a Republican in the U.S. House since 1961.



Reported in Suburban G.O.P. Voters Sour on Party, Raising Republican Fears for 2018.  (The New York Times, 4/12/2017)

Population:  700,121


Source: Census Reporter (MN 3CD;  U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (NJ, US)

Source:  Daily Kos

Source:  govtrack

Other Trump's America posts:
New Jersey 7th Congressional District.  (4/14/2017)
Bryan County, Oklahoma.  (4/3/2017)
Trumbull County, Ohio.  (4/3/2017)
lMarion County, Tennesssee.  (4/1/2017)
Illinois 16th Congression District.  (3/26/2017)
New York 19th Congressional District.  (3/26/2017)
Granger, Indiana, bad hombre.  (3/26/2017)
Clark County, Kansas.  (3/21/2017)
Defiance County, Ohio .  (3/21/2017)
Williams County, Ohio.  (3/21/2017)
Sawyer County, Wisconsin.  (3/20/2017)
Clark County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Taylor County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Highland County, Ohio.   (3/19/2017)
Buffalo County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Pepin County, Wisconsin. (3/19/2017)
Union County, North Carolina.  (3/9/2017)
Buffalo County:  The Wisconsin Dairyland dilemma.  (3/7/2017)
Franklin County, Illinois.  (2/27/2017)
Knox and Whitley counties, Kentucky.  (2/17/2017)
Cabell County, West Virginia.  (2/9/2017)
Where voters abandoned the Democratic Party in droves.   (2/7/2017)
Poweshiek and Webster counties, Iowa.  (2/7/2017)
Adams and Waushara counties, Wisconsin.  (2/6/2017)
McHenry County, Illinois.  (2/5/2017)
Essex County, New York.  (1/29/2017)
Mitchell County, Kansas.  (1/29/2017)
Fayette County, West Virginia.  (1/24/2017)
Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series.  (1/24/2017)
Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.  (1/21/2017)
Get me rewrite: Buncha white people in Boone County, Iowa, talk about Trump.  (1/15/2017)
UPDATE. Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is a Trump election success story.  (1/14/2017)
Monticello, Iowa. New York Times joins the search for Trump's America, a very white place.  (1/13/2017)
UPDATE. Boston Globe reporter continues to explore Trump's America, where mostly white people live.  (1/13/2017)

Trump's America: New Jersey's 7th Congressional District


Trending.  Not quite there yet.  Perhaps not destined to be, especially if the "he's a mess" view of Trump is widespread.


Reported in Suburban G.O.P. Voters Sour on Party, Raising Republican Fears for 2018.  (The New York Times, 4/12/2017)

Population:  743.127


Source: Census Reporter (NJ 7CD;  U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (NJ, US)

Source:  Daily Kos

Source:  govtrack

Other Trump's America posts:
Bryan County, Oklahoma.  (4/3/2017)
Trumbull County, Ohio.  (4/3/2017)
lMarion County, Tennesssee.  (4/1/2017)
Illinois 16th Congression District.  (3/26/2017)
New York 19th Congressional District.  (3/26/2017)
Granger, Indiana, bad hombre.  (3/26/2017)
Clark County, Kansas.  (3/21/2017)
Defiance County, Ohio .  (3/21/2017)
Williams County, Ohio.  (3/21/2017)
Sawyer County, Wisconsin.  (3/20/2017)
Clark County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Taylor County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Highland County, Ohio.   (3/19/2017)
Buffalo County, Wisconsin.  (3/19/2017)
Pepin County, Wisconsin. (3/19/2017)
Union County, North Carolina.  (3/9/2017)
Buffalo County:  The Wisconsin Dairyland dilemma.  (3/7/2017)
Franklin County, Illinois.  (2/27/2017)
Knox and Whitley counties, Kentucky.  (2/17/2017)
Cabell County, West Virginia.  (2/9/2017)
Where voters abandoned the Democratic Party in droves.   (2/7/2017)
Poweshiek and Webster counties, Iowa.  (2/7/2017)
Adams and Waushara counties, Wisconsin.  (2/6/2017)
McHenry County, Illinois.  (2/5/2017)
Essex County, New York.  (1/29/2017)
Mitchell County, Kansas.  (1/29/2017)
Fayette County, West Virginia.  (1/24/2017)
Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series.  (1/24/2017)
Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.  (1/21/2017)
Get me rewrite: Buncha white people in Boone County, Iowa, talk about Trump.  (1/15/2017)
UPDATE. Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is a Trump election success story.  (1/14/2017)
Monticello, Iowa. New York Times joins the search for Trump's America, a very white place.  (1/13/2017)
UPDATE. Boston Globe reporter continues to explore Trump's America, where mostly white people live.  (1/13/2017)

Thursday, April 13, 2017

The technical and practical aspects of United's policy on electronic devices


Photo credit:  United

Reported in Videos from United Airlines flight incident may violate rules.  (USA Today, 4/12/2017)

The policy is found here.

United:  Contact customer care.

Related reading:
Should United Airlines' CEO Lose His $500,000 Customer Satisfaction Bonus?  (Advertising Age, 4/13/2017)
United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz Named PRWeek’s Communicator of the Year.  (United news release, 3/17/2017)

Ronald McCain (1933-2017) Warren High School class of 1951



1951 Dragon yearbook

1967 Warren City Directory
1983 Warren City Directory
  • McCain Kelly M & Sandy D; emp Kinzua Glass h204 E 5th Av
  • McCain Roanld A  & Jennie M; wire dept G T E Sylvania h204 E 5th Av

'Ronald' had a very successful mid-century run, spending 37 years (1932-1968) in the top 25 and peaking at #9 from 1941 to 1943.

Other members of the WHS class of 1951:
Elaine Crecraft McDunn.  (3/1/2017)
Albert Kondak.  (2/28/2017)
Richard Cook.  (2/16/2017)
Marilyn Pasquino Nyberg.  (1/19/2017)
Mark Bevevino.  (8/26/2016)
Diedra Peterson Andersen.  (6/8/2016)
Marilyn Lyke Bonace.  (6/6/2016)
John Tingwell.  (6/5/2016)
Donald Quiggle.  (12/19/2015)
Genevieve Larson McKown.  (12/16/2015)
Franklin Reiff.  (7/14/2015)
Mary Ann Font Schafer.  (6/29/2015)

Lone Rock Community Library holdings, 2011-2015



2011-2015 periodical holdings:  28/28/28/25/25


2011-2015 changes:
  • Books |  +1,460
  • Audio |       +33
  • Video |          -8
  • Periodicals |  -3
  • Expenditures | -$489 (-11%)

Photo credit:  Lone Rock WI

Lone Rock Community Library
  • Shared online catalog:  Verso  (Southwest Wisconsin Library System)
  • Collection development policy (not available online)

Other updates and additional entries to series:
Algoma Public Library.  (9/21/2016)
Alma Public Library.  (9/21/2016)
Altoona Public Library.  (9/22/2016)
Antigo Public Library.  (9/23/2016)
Appleton Public Library.  (9/23/2016)
Arcadia Free Public Library.  (9/24/2016)
Argyle Public Library.  (9/24/2016)
Vaughn Public Library, Ashland.  (9/25/2016)
Baldwin Public Library.  (9/27/2016)
Baraboo Public Library.  (9/29/2016)
Barneveld Public Library.  (9/30/2016)
Barron Public Library.  (10/1/2016)
Beloit Public Library.  (10/6/2016)
Benton Public Library.  (10/7/2016)
Berlin Public Library.  (10/9/2016)
Big Bend Village Library.  (10/10/2016)
Hildebrand Memorial Library, Boscobel.  (10/18/2016)
Boyceville Public Library.  (10/20/2016)
Brandon Public Library.  (10/21/2016)
Brillion Public Library.  (10/22/2016)
Brown Deer Public Library.  (10/25/2016)
Bruce Area Library. (10/27/2016)
Butler Public Library.  (10/29/2016)
Cadott Community Library.  (10/31/2016)
Jane Morgan Memorial Library, Cambria.  (11/1/2016)
Cedarburg Public Library.  (11/8/2016)
Centuria Public Library.  (11/9/2016)
Chilton Public Library.  (11/11/2016)
Clinton Public Library.  (11/15/2016)
Cobb Public Library.  (11/17/2016)
Colby Public Library.  (11/18/2016)
Colfax Public Library.  (11/19/2016)
Coloma Public Library.  (11/20/2016)
Columbus Public Library.  (11/21/2016)
Cornell Public Library.  (11/22/2016)
Crandon Public Library.  (11/23/2016)
Rosemary Garfoot Public Library (Cross Plains).  (11/24/2016)
Cuba City Public Library.  (11/25/2016)
Cudahy Family Library.  (11/26/2016)
Thomas St. Angelo Public Library, Cumberland.  (11/27/2017)
Darien Public Library.  (11/28/2016)
Johnson Public Library, Darlington.  (11/29/2016)
Deer Park Public Library.  (11/30/2016)Delafield Public Library.  (12/4/2016)
Aram Public Library, Delavan.  (12/5/2016)
De Soto Public Library.  (12/6/2016)
Dresser Village Library.  (12/10/2016)
Drummond Public Library.  (12/11/2016)
Durand Community Library.  (12/12/2016)
Alice Baker Memorial Library, Eagle.  (12/13/2016)
Walter E. Olson Memorial Library, Eagle River.  (12/14/2016)
East Troy Lions Public Library.  (12/15/2016)
L. E. Phillips Memorial Public Library  (Eau Claire).  12/16/2016)
Edgerton Public Library.  (12/17/2016)
Elkhart Lake Public Library.  (12/18/2016)
Matheson Memorial Library, Elkhorn.  (12/19/2016)
Ellsworth Public Library.  (12/20/2016)
Elm Grove Public Library.  (12/21/2016)
Elmwood Public Library.  (12/22/2016)
Elroy Public Library.  (12/23/2016)
Endeavor Public Library.  (12/24/2016)
Eager Free Public Library, Evansville.  (12/25/2016)
Fairchild Public Library.  (1/1/2017)
Fall Creek Public Library.  (1/3/2017)
Dwight T. Parker Public Library, Fennimore.  (1/4/2017)
Florence County Library.  (1/5/2017)
Fond du Lac Public Library. (1/6/2017)
Fontana Public Library.  (1/8/2017)
Dwight Foster Public Library, Fort Atkinson.  (1/9/2017) 
Fox Lake Public Library.  (1/10/2017)
Franklin Public Library.  (1/11/2017)
Frederic Public Library.  (1/12/2017)
Neuschafer Community Library, Fremont.  (1/13/2017)
Galesville Public Library.  (1/14/2017)
Gays Mills Public Library.  (1/15/2017)
Genoa City Public Library.  (1/16/2017)
Germantown Public Library.  (1/18/2017)
Gillett Public Library.  (1/19/2017)
Western Taylor County Public Library, Gilman.  (1/20/2017)
North Shore Library.  (1/21/2017)
Glenwood City Public Library.  (1/22/2017)
Grafton Public Library.  (1/23/2017)
Granton Communty Library.  (1/24/2017)
Grantsburg Public Library.  (1/25/2017)
Brown County Public Library.  (1/26/2017)
Caestercker Public Library (Green Lake), 1/27/2017)
Greendale Public Library.  (1/29/2017)
Greenfield Public Library, 1/30/2017)
Greenwood Public Library.  (1/31/2017)
Hales Corners Public Library.  (2/1/2017)
Hammond Community Library.  (2/2/2017)
Hancock Public Library.  (2/6/2017)
Jack Russell Memorial Library, Hartford.  (2/7/2017)
Hartland Public Library.  (2/8/2017)
Hawkins Area Library.  (2/9/2017)
Weiss Community Library, Hayward.  (2/11/2017)
Hazel Green Public Library.  (2/12/2017)
Hillsboro Public Library.  (2/13/2017)
Horicon Public Library.  (2/14/2017)
Hortonville Public Library.  (2/16/2017)
Hudson Area Library.  (2/17/2017)
Hurley Public Library.  (2/19/2017)
Hustisford Community Library. (2/20/2017)
Independence Public Library.  (2/21/2017)
Iola Village Library.  (2/22/2017)
Iron Ridge Public Library.  (2/23/2017)
Hedberg Public Library, Janesville.  (2/24/2017)
Jefferson Public Library.  (2/25/2017)
Johnson Creek Public Library.  (2/26/2017)
Juneau Public Library.  (2/27/2017)
Kaukauna Public Library.  (2/28/2017)
Kendall Public Library.  (3/1/2017)
Kenosha Public Library.  (3/2/2017)
Kewaskum Public Library.  (3/3/2017)
Kiel Public Library.  (3/4/2017)
Kimberly-Little Chute Public Library.  (3/5/2017)
Mill Pond Public Library, Kingston.  (3/6/2017)
Kohler Public Library.  (3/7/2017)
La Crosse County Library.  (3/8/2017)
La Crosse Public Library.  (3/9/2017)
Madeline Island Public Library, La Pointe.  (3/10/2017)
Rusk County Community Library, Ladysmith. (3/11/2017)
Lawton Memorial Library, La Farge.  (3/12/2017)
Lake Geneva Public Library.  (3/13/2017)
L. D. Fargo Public Library, Lake Mills.  (3/14/2017)
Lakes Country Public Library.  (3/15/2017)
Schreiner Memoria Library, Lancaster.  (3/20/2017)
Land O' Lakes Public Library.  (3/21/2017)
Edith Evans Community Library, Laona.  (3/27/2017)
LaValle Public Library.  (3/28/2017)
Lena Public Library.  (4/3/2017)
Allen-Dietzman Public Library, Livingston.  (4/9/2017)
Lodi Woman's Club Public Library.  (4/10/2017)
Lomira QuadGraphics Community Library.  (4/12/2017)