The OTBL Blog Newsroom
1/07/2006
1/05/2006
Quote to Ponder: Making Technology Work For All Americans
"The essence of technological and economic progress is the use of more ideas, skills, and knowledge in the production process and less manual labor and physical resources, thus improving productivity, the ultimate source of real incomes…. Technology can increase productivity, [which is] simultaneously displacing labor and providing the means to improve the incomes of those who remain employed. By improving productivity, technology lowers costs in the affected industry and throughout the economy…. Technology can expand markets and produce a higher rate of growth in output and employment, which could have the net effect of increasing both income and employment…."
"Some analysts believe that prosperity caused by a more knowledge-intensive economy could be even better and more equitably shared than it was between 1945 and 1973, when it was fueled by the civilian applications of technology developed for military purposes, supportive macroeconomic policies, massive improvements in higher education because of the GI Bill, and strong domestic and global demand…. "
[An important factor of technology] is the increased knowledge base of the whole economy brought about by the new technology…. Similarly, the organization of work within and between companies and countries requires new kinds of skills, especially quantitative, abstract learning, interpersonal, communicating, and problem-solving abilities that put a premium on the knowledge and skills needed to most effectively adapt and use advanced technology."
Ray Marshall
Former US Secretary of Labor
Fundraiser for Hudson's Junior Cyclocross star Bjorn Selander
The Bjorn Selander Cyclocross World Championships fundraiser will be held January 7th from 5-9 pm at Alwins Northside Service, 413 6th Street North, Hudson, WI.
For more information on the event, visit www.alan-usa.com
By Steve Medcroft
Euromedia Group, the U.S. importer of Alan Frames, Barbieri cycling accessories, Ked Helmets and GSG Clothing, will be hosting a fundraiser to help Alan Factory Team junior Cyclocross star Bjorn Selander make the trip to the Netherlands for 2006 Cyclo-cross World's. Scheduled January 7th at Alwins Northside Service in Hudson, Wisconsin, Euromedia president Paul Schoening says the fundraiser is one way that supporters and friends of the young phenom can help with his continued development.
Selander was a discretionary pick for the World's Teams; he missed the automatic (and fully funded) selection when TIAA-Cref rider Danny Summerhill edged him out for both the USGP lead and the December 10th Elite Junior National Championship in Providence, Rhode Island. “Bjorn had bad luck at nationals,” Schoening said. “With 1 1/2 laps to go Summerhill crashed into Bjorn and pushed his derailleur into the spokes and tore it off. Danny waited, showing true class as a first year Junior.” Selander, the 2004 Elite Junior National Champion, had traded the USGP lead with Summerhill throughout the 2005 season and, in the Liberty Cup, an invitational held the day after nationals that featured every newly-crowned national champion and a select field of invitees, came eleventh; ahead of (among others) Tour de France star Chris Horner.
Without the funding of an automatic selection, Selander needs to come with about $4,000 to cover the World's trip. “Bjorn is paying his own way to Euro Camp with our assistance, but has no funding for the World's trip,” Schoening said. “So, considering we have a bunch of great people and sponsors supporting our team, we decided to organize a local fundraiser and donate the proceeds to Bjorn's quest for World's.”
Schoening is inviting anyone close enough to Hudson attend to the dinner. Those who wish to support the cause but are not close enough to attend the dinner, Schoening says you can provide cash or product donations to be silent-auctioned at the event. Failing that, Schoening can accept Paypal donations addressed to euromedia@comcast.net (Attention: The Bjorn Selander World Fund).
1/04/2006
Borderline alcoholics...
Ludwig von Miser the bartender asked Mr. Bill PhD, "Do ya know da difference between a On The Border Line blogger and a box of rocks?
"Is the difference the fact the a box of rocks doesn't put 'PhD.' after everything it writes?," answered Mr. Bill PhD.
"No. A box of rocks will sometimes tip," explained Ludwig.
Mr. Bill PhD. asked, "Do you know why a box of rocks will leave a tip?"
"Because they have a good heart and understand that is an accepted practice in the service industry," replied the bartender.
"Wrong!," screamed Mr. Bill PhD, "It's because they are a bunch of collectivist, socialist, Marxist beggars who are trying to steal the money of hardworking capitalists like myself so they have enough money to put gas in their Cadillacs to drive down to the welfare office on their way back from illegally filing for unemployment -- because I know you are laid off and getting paid cash under the table."
Quote of Note
"When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking, or thinking,
I cannot choose but laugh. No such thing ever existed. No such thing
now exists; but I hope it will exist. But it must be hundreds of years
after you and I shall write and speak no more."
John Adams
(1735-1826)
Founding Father,
2nd US President
Source: in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, 1818
Lord of the Blogs
(One of our readers forwarded this column on blogs to us.)
From the January 4, 2006 editorial page of the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Of all the stories leading America's annual greatest-hits list, the one that subsumes the rest is the continuing evolution of information in the Age of Blogging. Not since the birth of the printing press have our lives been so dramatically affected by the way we create and consume information — both to our enormous benefit and, perhaps, to our growing peril.
What is wonderful and miraculous about the Internet needs little elaboration. We all marvel at the ease with which we can access information — whether reading government documents previously available only to a few, or tracking down old friends and new enemies. It is this latter — our new enemies — that interests me most. I don't mean al-Qaida or Osama bin Laden, but the less visible, insidious enemies of decency, humanity and civility — the angry offspring of narcissism's quickie marriage to instant gratification.
Read Kathleen Parker's column of blogs .
1/03/2006
NR Resident Changes Her Spots On The Border Line
Fans of the soap-opera sellers over at the ontheborderline.net blog will notice that former OTBL poster NR Resident has changed to Jack Bauer. Now we haven't heard from NR Resident for some time...actually since it was mentioned here that NR Resident was Connie somebody. It's hard to trace these things down, but one of dedicated readers poointed out that the writing styles are really similar for NR Resident and Jack Bauer...not to mention that all the previous posts for NR Resident turned into Jack Bauer. I wonder who it could B?
Quote of Note
"The American ideal was stated by Emerson in his essay on politics. 'A man has a right to be employed, to be trusted, to be loved, to be revered.' It does many men little good to stay alive and free and propertied, if they cannot work."
--William O. Douglas,
U. S. Supreme Court justice, Dissent,
Barsky v. Regents; 1954
1/02/2006
Dave Zien: Now It's Conceal and Carry, What's Next, Drink and Drive ?
The guy on your left is the "brains" behind the conceal and carry bill. The following is an alert he's sent to pressure Democrats to override Gov. Doyle's veto.
----------------------------
Alert from Senator Zien’s Office
Madison - 01.23.04
From Senator Zien’s Office:
Now that the Senate has successfully overridden Governor Doyle's veto of the Personal Protection Act, and the Assembly stands poised to attempt an override in the very near future, it is important to remember to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
All the Senators and Assemblymen who voted for Senate Bill 214 did so because they believe that law-abiding citizens have the right to defend themselves against violent attack by criminals. These folks know concealed carry laws work well in 46 other states.
We should take this opportunity to recognize a number of Assemblymen who had the courage to buck their party's opposition to the right of self-defense, and vote for SB 214. The following Assembly Democrats should be commended for voting in favor of SB 214 on November 5, 2003:
Rep. Barbara Gronemus of Whitehall (888) 534-0091
Rep. Marlin Schneider of WI Rapids (is a cosponsor of SB 214) (888) 529-0072
Rep. Gary Sherman of Port Wing (is a cosponsor of SB 214)
Rep. John Steinbrink of Kenosha (608) 266-0455
Rep. Terry Van Akkeren of Sheboygan (608) 266-0656
Rep. Amy Sue Vruwink of Milladore (888) 534-0070
Rep. Wayne Wood of Janesville
............
These courageous Democrats will be under incredible pressure from Governor Doyle and their party leadership. We need to offer them thanks and encouragement in sticking to their beliefs with fierce integrity!
If you choose to express your undying gratitude to these courageous individuals, remember to be kind, courteous and thoughtful! See www.legis.state.wi.us for email addresses and phone numbers.
Senator Dave Zien
Chairman
Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections & Privacy
(608) 266-7511
--------------------------------------------------------------
Other Democrats to contact to prevent the ridiculous bill from becoming law are:
Representative Terry Van Akkeren (608) 266-0656
rep.vanakkeren@legis.state.wi.us
rep.hubler@legis.state.wi.us
If you think these people are "sticking to their beliefs with fierce integrity!" you may want to
consider their real motivation, fear of the NRA.
From: The Gun Guys
“Anyone that screws us on this legislation - Democrat or Republican, Assembly or Senate - the NRA is going to work unbelievably earnestly, taking no prisoners, on this next election cycle,” Zien said of the National Rifle Association.
Sen. Dave Zien Resorts to Bullying to Keep the WI CCW Bill Alive
The picture just keeps getting worse on the concealed weapons bill in Wisconsin. Earlier this morning, we reported that Rep. Scott Gunderson, who co-sponsored the “dangerous and unnecessary” legislation with Sen. Dave Zien, actually owns a gun and liquor store, and could very well be pushing this legislation just to increase his own bank account. It’s not like there’s any other good reasons for it, considering that the people of Wisconsin don’t want this bill, and the Governor and law enforcement feel the same way.
But now Gunderson’s “partner in crime” Dave Zien is showing off how classless he is as well. In this Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel overview of the bill, he spits out a quote that, at its best, is completely out of line. We’ve bolded it for you.
The Senate sponsor of the bill, Sen. Dave Zien (R-Eau Claire), said Wednesday that senators will take up the Assembly version of the bill in mid-January. Senators will not change the bill again, Zien said.
Zien said anyone who flipped their votes would risk being voted out of office next year.
“Anyone that screws us on this legislation - Democrat or Republican, Assembly or Senate - the NRA is going to work unbelievably earnestly, taking no prisoners, on this next election cycle,” Zien said of the National Rifle Association.
We’ve said “wow” a lot about these guys, but we’ll say it again: wow. That is out and out bullying. Threatening to take out “anyone that screws us”? What happened to cultured discussion? What happened to the grace and poise that we’d hope to expect from our elected leaders? Guess that all goes out the window when you start talking about the National Rifle Association.
And just what exactly is David Zien threatening? Last we checked, he worked for the citizens of the State of Wisconsin. Was he elected by the NRA or by American citizens? He’s supposed to be a state senator, but now he’s just plain attacking his fellow lawmakers like so many of the NRA’s “jackbooted thugs.”
This is too much. When they proposed a bill that no one wanted, we wondered what their reasoning was. When Scott Gunderson said that “people who hate this bill will be helped by it, and they won’t even know it,” we just laughed, because that’s ludicrous. When we learned he owned a store that sold both guns and alcohol, we just sighed. But now, when Dave Zien barks at his colleagues like an NRA lapdog, we’ve had enough. This concealed weapons bill is wrong, unsafe, and sponsored by what we can only guess are lunatics. If Wisconsin legislators have anyone in their ranks who isn’t subverted by the NRA and their bully tactics, they’ll uphold the Governor’s expected veto.
More: Legislation, NRA, Concealed Carry, Wisconsin
November 21, 2005
Wisconsin Doesn't Need Conceal & Carry
Support Governor Doyle's Planned Veto
Urge Your Represenatives to Uphold the Veto!
The conceal and carry bill is cowboy politics and doesn't pass the common sense smell test. Give your local sheriff and/or police chief a call and asked them if they will be urging the passage of this bill. The answer you get will be no!
Wisconsin may soon join the 46 other states that allow licensed citizens to possess concealed weapons after the state Assembly voted 64-32 early Wednesday morning to approve Senate Bill 403. Lawmakers passed the legislation December 15, after contentious debate and lengthy deliberation regarding proposed amendments.
Republicans wrote an amendment they hoped would aid in obtaining a two-thirds majority to override Gov. Jim Doyle’s promised veto. The amendment attached to the bill increases the size of gun-free zones around schools, lowers the blood alcohol limit for carrying weapons, sets harsher penalties for lying on registration forms and mandates recertification every five years for licensees.
Read more
Send an e-mail and let your representatives know where you stand on this isse:
E-mail Wis. Gov. Jim Doyle
E-mail State Senator Shelia Harsdorf 10th Dist.
E-mail State Rep. Kitty Rhoades 30th Dist.
E-mail State Rep. Andy Lamb 29th Dist.
12/31/2005
2005: Wing Nuts Out Of Their Shell
It's New Years Eve. 2005 is today and 2006 is tomorrow. Time for a quick look back and review the year. Let's see...
A year ago, I don't think I'd ever looked at a blog. I'd heard the name in connection with the Bush war record v. Dan Rather debate over type fonts exposed by Little Green Footballs. In February, somebody told me about the ontheborderline.net blog in Hudson. I checked it out, joined and started commenting. I thought the OTBL blog was a place for debate and discussion, I quickly learned it was a klan of right-wing anti-tax, anti-community, anti-union hell-bent on using anyone who dare disagree with them as a pissing post.
Even though I persisted commenting there for the next three months, I knew our romance would be a brief one. Finally they gave me the boot for being "lewd and vulgar" and told me to go start my own blog. So I did. When word got out about this blog, the first two people to sign up said they too were kicked off of OTBL for being "lewd and vulgar." ...a repeating theme...
In late June, I started writing a series of letters to the editor at the Hudson Star Observer exposing the hypocrisy I was seeing between the deeds and words of the OTBL'ers. This led to increased publicity for their site and brought attention to this site.
I put on a hit counter in late July and have gotten 8,722 hits. We average about 100 per day. It goes down on the weekend and up during the week. I'm attributing that to work site computers. A handful of people have joined this site and post with varying degrees of frequency. Others send stuff by e-mail that I will use. Some have corresponded with me by e-mail to discuss various topics.
In September, I started writing another series of letters to the editor at the New Richmond News pointing out the invasion of the OTBL blogtroopers into the New Richmond school district debates and discussion. This brought more attention to both these blog sites. In October, I stood next to three of the infamous OTBL blogs at WITC during a community meeting on school district planning. I ate a cookie and listened to them plot their strategy.
In October, I addressed the NR school board with a question about the posting of confidential, executive session information that was released to and posted on the OTBL blog. A few weeks later, after another OTBL posting on NR school district, executive session information, I contacted NR's acting school superintendent about the timing of the OTBL posting. I posted the response to the timeline I was provided and this blog became the topic of a school board meeting.
In December, the New Richmond News did an indepth article titled "Battle of the Blogs." I was pictured on the front page of the News, sword in hand, computer by my side and Michael Moore-ish Michigan State Spartan cap on my head. The OTBL'ers were obviously jealous about me getting my picture on the front page of the NR News. Of course, they will deny this and deny all knowledge that I exist -- but I'm the who gets asked by the women of Quik Trip for autographed copies.
The OTBL'ers whined about the idea of there being a "blog war" and pointed to my "obsession" over getting kicked off their blog. Sister Clarentine is the one who called me a "pugilist" way back in sixth grade. When I asked her what that meant, she flung a dictionary at me and told me to look it up. I looked it up, read the definition and told her that was a compliment. She said she meant it as one. If you follow this blog, by now you should now that I pretty much give all credit and blame to the nuns at St. Pat's who will forever patrol my memories of that grade school prison in Hudson.
To the OTBL'ers I say your wall of selfishness has been breached, the rotten teeth of your selfish politically hypocrisy have been exposed and the dark stains of your agenda have leaked through your blogger shorts. To those contributing to this blog and providing encouragement, I say thanks. To you readers, we hope you find this a worthwhile stop in the blogsophere.
2005 has definitely been a learning experience. Who knows what 2006 will bring? One thing is for certain, we will keep on truckin' above the border line!
Sad News From On The Border Line
...sort of...
Dr. Luke, St. Croix Valley blog pioneer and owner of one of the last outhouses in the county, died. So his wife, Mr. Bill Ph. D., went to the local paper, the Holy Scared Oracle, to put a notice in the obituaries. A tall stovepipe of a man at the counter, after offering his condolences, asked Mr. Bill Ph. D. what she would like to say about Luke in the obit.
Mr. Bill Ph. D. replied, "You just put 'Luke died'."
The man at the counter, somewhat perplexed, said, "That's it? Just 'Luke died.'? Surely, there must be something more you'd like to say about Dr. Luke. I know Dr. Luke always wish for death before taxes, so if it's money you're concerned about, the first five words are free. We must say something more."
So Mr. Bill Ph. D. pondered for a few minutes and finally said, "O.K. You put, 'Luke died. Computer for sale.'"
12/30/2005
12/28/2005
The Spirit of Prosperity
If it weren't for State Provided Health Insurance Programs what would these working poor families do? Most of us are one pink slip and a major health issue away from financial ruin. This is what the ownership society is bringing your way. Prosperity for the few, and catastrophe for many. Compare the 2 articles below:
The 400 Richest Americans
| Rank | Name | Net Worth ($mil) | Age | Residence | Source |
| 1 | Gates, William Henry III | 51,000 | 49 | Medina, WA | Microsoft |
| 2 | Buffett, Warren Edward | 40,000 | 75 | Omaha, NE | Berkshire Hathaway |
| 3 | Allen, Paul Gardner | 22,500 | 52 | Seattle, WA | Microsoft, investments |
| 4 | Dell, Michael | 18,000 | 40 | Austin, TX | Dell |
| 5 | Ellison, Lawrence Joseph | 17,000 | 61 | Silicon Valley, CA | Oracle |
| 6 | Walton, Christy | 15,700 | 50 | Jackson, WY | Wal-Mart inheritance |
| 6 | Walton, Jim C | 15,700 | 57 | Bentonville, AR | Wal-Mart |
| 8 | Walton, S Robson | 15,600 | 61 | Bentonville, AR | Wal-Mart |
| 9 | Walton, Alice L | 15,500 | 56 | Fort Worth, TX | Wal-Mart |
| 10 | Walton, Helen R | 15,400 | 86 | Bentonville, AR | Wal-Mart |
Some of the people on the list above can't seem to afford to provide adaquate health insurance coverage for their emplyees, and guess who pays for what they refuse to?
Wal-Mart Admits Public Health Care Assistance is a “Better Value”
- Despite $10 billion in profits, President and CEO Lee Scott said, "In some of our states, the public program may actually be a better value - with relatively high income limits to qualify, and low premiums." (Transcript Lee Scott Speech 4/5/05)
Wal-Mart’s Most Affordable Health Plan is Costly
- According to Wal-Mart, “We insure more than 500,000 associates, including many family members, who pay as little as $17.50 for individual coverage and $70.50 for family coverage bi-weekly.”
- Wal-Mart’s most affordable plan includes a $1,000 deductible for single coverage and a $3,000 deductible for family coverage ($1,000 deductible per person covered up to $3,000). An average full-time worker earns $17,114 a year.
- If a full-time Wal-Mart hourly employee elects for single coverage, the employee would have to spend on average 9% of their earnings before the health insurance provided any reimbursement.
- If a full-time employee elected for family coverage, an average employee would have to spend 27% of their average earnings before the health insurance covered any costs. (Wal-Mart 2004 Associate Guide and UFCW Analysis).
Reprinted from:Wakeupwalmart.com
Major Users of State Provided Health Insurance Programs
Nationally
Over the last two years, 13 states have disclosed employers that are major users of state provided health insurance programs which are aimed at low-income families. Wal-Mart has topped the list in all the states, except Massachusetts where it was second and Wisconsin, which did not disclose the usage of employers other than Wal-Mart. Combined, the 13 states disclose that at least 55,000* Wal-Mart employees, children, and spouses are covered by state health insurance programs. A total of 480,000 Wal-Mart employees work in these 12 states, meaning that on average for every nine Wal-Mart employees, at least one Wal-Mart family member is getting state-provided health care.
A total of approximately 505,000 Wal-Mart employees work in these 13 states.
*The figure for Arkansas include forms of public aid other than health care, however Medicaid makes up the primary component.
State By State
CLICK EACH STATE NAME TO DOWNLOAD A FACT SHEET IN PDF FORMAT
Alabama: Wal-Mart is the largest user of the state Medicaid program with 3,864 children of employees receiving coverage with an estimated annual state cost of between $5.8 million and $8.2 million a year. Wal-Mart has 37,026 employees in Alabama. Source: John Davis and Jannell McGrew, “Health Plans Not Family Friendly,” Montgomery Advertiser, February 22, 2005, p.B6; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Arizona: Wal-Mart is the largest user of KidsCare, a state public health care program for low-income families, with 450 employees and their families enrolled. Wal-Mart has 25,647 employees in Arizona. Source: Jonathan Higuera, “Working Poor Swell AHCCCS Rolls,” The Arizona Republic, January 1, 2005, A17; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Arkansas: Wal-Mart is the largest recipient of employee public assistance in Arkansas. A study done by the Arkansas Department of Human Services showed that 3,971 Wal-Mart employees received some sort of state public assistance, primarily Medicaid. Wal-Mart has 44,401 employees in Arkansas. Source: Brian Baskin, "Top 9 Employers in State have 9,698 Getting Public Aid," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 17, 2005; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Connecticut: Wal-Mart is the largest user of Connecticut programs for children’s health insurance with 903 children of employees enrolled in the states’ Medicaid and Children’s Health insurance Program. Wal-Mart has 9,082 employees in Connecticut. Source: Robin K. Cohen, HUSKY A and B—Enrollment and Employer Data, Connecticut Office of Legislative Research Report 2005-R-0017, January 10, 2005; available online at www.cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0017.htm; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Florida: Wal-Mart is the largest user of Florida Medicaid and state Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) with 12,300 employees or children of employees enrolled. In addition Wal-Mart accounted for 1,375 employee children enrolled in Kidcare, an additional state-funded children’s health insurance program, bringing the total of disclosed participants to 13,675 employees and dependents. Wal-Mart has 89,109 employees in Florida. Source: Sydney P. Freedberg and Connie Humburg, "Lured Employers Now Tax Medicaid," St. Petersburg Times, March 25, 2005 and Good Jobs First http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/gjfhealthcaredisclosure.htm; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Georgia: Wal-Mart is the largest user of PeachCare for Kids, Georgia’s children’s health insurance program, with 10,261 children of employees. Wal-Mart has 49,600 employees in Florida. Source: Andy Miller, Wal-Mart Stands Out on Rolls of PeachCare,” Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 27, 2004, p.1B. state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Iowa: Wal-Mart is the largest user of Iowa’s Medicaid program with 845 employees enrolled. Wal-Mart has 17,249 employees in Iowa. Source: Ryan Foley, "IA Medicaid Employers," Associated Press, March 4, 2005; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Massachusetts: Wal-Mart is the second largest user of Massachusetts’ public healthcare program with 2,081 employees and children of employees enrolled in MassHealth and Uncompensated Care Pool. Wal-Mart has 11,625 employees in Massachusetts. Sources: Massachusetts, Division of Health Care Finance and Policy- www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dhcfp/pdf/50+_ees_ph_assist.pdf and the accompanying spreadsheet at www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dhcfp/pdf/50+_ees_ph_assist_ss.pdf; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Tennessee: Wal-Mart is the largest user of the state’s health plan for the poor- TennCare, with 9,617 employees enrolled in the plan. Wal-Mart has 38,621 employees in Tennessee. Sources: Rebecca Ferrar, “Big Companies Have a Large Number of Workers in Program,” Knoxville News-Sentinel, January 30, 2005, p.C1; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Texas: Wal-Mart is the largest user of the state Children’s Health Insurance program with 4,363 children of employees enrolled. Wal-Mart has 134,042 employees in Texas. Source: Data obtained by the Center for Public Policy Priorities (www.cppp.org) and provided to Good Jobs First http://www.goodjobsfirst.org/pdf/texaschip.pdf; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Washington: In March 2003, Wal-Mart was reported as the largest user of one of the state’s family health care plans—Basic Health Plan – with 281 enrolled employees. Wal-Mart has 14,676 employees in Washington. Sources: Andrew Garber, “Enrollments in State’s Health Plan Questioned,” Seattle Times, February 3, 2004; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
West Virginia: Wal-Mart is the largest user of the state’s Children’s Health Insurance program with 452 children of employees participating in the program. Wal-Mart has 11,790 total employees in West Virginia. Source: John Heys and Paul Wilson, “Wal-Mart Culture: Wal-Mart Tops State CHIP List,” Charleston Sunday Gazette-Mail, December 26, 2004, p.1A.; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Wisconsin: In Wisconsin, 3,765 Wal-Mart employees, children, and spouses participate in BadgerCare, the state’s health insurance program for low-income working families. The annual cost to taxpayers of this BadgerCare coverage was estimated at $4.75 million, with the state covering $1.8 million of that amount. Wal-Mart employs 26,248 employees in Wisconsin.Source: Anita Weier, “Wal-Mart Workers Need State Health Aid,” The Capital Times (Madison, WI), November 4, 2004, p.1A; state employee figures from www.walmartfacts.com.
Wisconsin Blog News
A marriage of tech and activism at Wisconsin's No on the Amendment
Blogs to battle the proposed state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage
Wisconsin's No on the Amendment is emerging as a leading source of information and networking for activists opposed to a proposed state constitional ban on same-sex marriage and other domestic benefits for same-sex partners. The group blog launched in mid-October, written by three staffers of Action Wisconsin, "a statewide organization dedicated to advancing and protecting the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people."
Read more the story by Kristian Knutsen@ The Daily Page out of Madison.
Get more facts, info and links@ Vote No On The Amendment blog site.
----
"As long as the differences and diversities of mankind exist, democracy must allow for compromise, for accommodation, and for the recognition of differences."
Eugene McCarthy
Major Source of Global Warming Discovered On The Border Line
Excessive Hot Air Detected!
Terminal Boredom Reigns Supreme!!
Intellectual fraud melts down!
spiritofpublicus reruns his post of intellectual fraud
"A conservative is someone who admires radicals a century after they're dead."
"If you're not confused by economics, you're not paying attention."
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, and that has long been sufficient for any government."
sources unknown...
John Kenneth Galbraith said:
"There is an old saying, or should be, that it is a wise economist who recognizes the scope of his own generalizations."
---
John Maynard Keynes said:
"Unlike physics, for example, such parts of the bare bones of economic theory as are expressible in mathematical form are extremely easy compared with the economic interpretation of the complex and incompletely known facts of experience, and lead one a very little way towards establishing useful results."
---
Paul R. Krugman said:
"However, the fact that an economist offers a theoretical analysis does not and should not automatically command respect. What is needed is some assurance that the analysis is actually relevant."
Will Passage of the Conceal & Carry Law In Wisconsin Prevent This?
Associated Press Headline: Several questioned in Milwaukee beating
(Note: Below is a tragic story about a beating of a man for honking his horn yesterday at a crowd on the street in Milwaukee. A couple weeks ago I read a comment to a post at ontheborderline.net that Governor Doyle and the vast majority of Democrats were trying to make it really hard to stop crime in Wisconsin. Delaying passage and signing of Wisconsin's conceal and carry law would help prevent this type of hideous, brutal crime -- the comment intimated.
Just think, with conceal and carry, arm citizens could have legally jumped out of their cars and started emptying their clips on these thugs. Of the gun-owning friends I talk to about the need for conceal and carry, only one thinks it's really needed -- and he is a gun dealer.)
Associated Press (MILWAUKEE) - A motorist who was kicked, punched and left alone in the street after honking at a group of people suffered severe head trauma and may not survive, police said.
Several people were questioned by detectives after police and city officials asked for the public's help in finding the assailants, believed to be between 16 and 23 years old. It was the latest in a string of mob beatings in the city since 2002.
Family members identified the victim as Samuel McClain, 50. His niece, Jennifer McClain, said he was believed to have been going to a friend's house at the time.
McClain was hospitalized in critical condition with severe head trauma, according to police. His condition has improved since he was beaten about 10:30 p.m. Monday, said police Lt. Scott Lange.
A group of people surrounded McClain's vehicle after he honked at them because they were in the middle of the street, said police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz.
The assailants, thought to be between 16 and 23 years old, yanked him from the car, beat and kicked him, she said.
Read more: Milwaukee beating
...And The Horse You Rode In On!
The Dakota Indians of North America passed on this piece of wisdom from generation to generation by word of mouth: “If you are riding a dead horse, the best thing to do is dismount”. In the corporate world, because of the heavy investment factor, other things to be tried include the following:
- Change riders
- Appoint a committee to study the horse
- Arrange to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses
- Change the form so it reads, “This horse is not dead"
- Hire outside contractors to ride the dead horse
- Harness several dead horses together for increased speed and efficiency
- Donate the dead horse to a recognised charity therefore deducting its full original cost
- Declare the dead horse has lower overhead and is therefore more cost effective
- Promote the dead horse into a management position
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