Door County Siftings... gold dust in the limestone

Another way to get cheap oil, ride a bicycle

2008-07-09T07:06:00.009-05:00

I decided to limit my driving to a flat cash figure - now at no more than $10 per week spent on gas! Any other trips beyond that budget get canceled, consolidated or put off as the gas gauge dips down to the E-side. I ride my bicycle, run or walk (like when I lived in China).

My physical range started with the 2-mile rule: "Any trip within two miles must be under your own power." My financial budget started with a $40 per week limit on gas spending, then as my range increased I dropped the budget to $20 per week. Now it's at $10 per week. As I get in better shape I bike more, drive less and spend less. All trips to Fish Creek or Baileys Harbor for instance fell within the initial 2-mile range. My radius has now extended to about 12 miles, that includes trips to Ephraim, north of Sister Bay and to Egg Harbor - by bicycle.

Richard Heinberg agrees in saying, "Want Cheap Oil? Reduce Demand!"

"Ask the major oil companies or the US Department of Energy why oil prices are beyond ludicrous and they'll tell you there's plenty of oil out there, there's just a lack of investment in exploration and production - particularly on the part of the national oil companies in OPEC."

Stan Cox at AlterNet says, Get Ready for the Post-SUV World!

"In May, for the first time in 17 years, the top-selling vehicle model in America was not a pickup truck. In fact, Ford's F-150, the perennial leader, was overtaken by three small import-car models. Ford's June truck sales were down 41 percent from a year ago, and its SUV sales are now in free-fall, down 55 percent. Sales of Dodge Ram pickups tumbled 48 percent. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler were hit hard, and all have announced plans to close or suspend production at plants that make trucks and SUVs."

Meanwhile, my 1969 Chevy pickup truck usually sits quietly in the driveway like a good dog, waiting for work... I used to drive when it rained, but thinking back on China, where everyone simply dons a cape and pedals into any weather, I got over it.

Yesterday I got an automated phone call from Freedom's Watch, announcing an "Emergency Gas Alert." The voice claimed that, "Congressman Steve Kagen opposed efforts to increase domestic energy production 20 times." They gave me his phone number 920.437.1954 and encouraged me to call his office to voice my support for HR 3089, billed by its Texas Republican sponsor, Rep. William (Mac) Thornberry as "The No More Excuses Energy Act of 2007." After reading the text of the bill, asking for the rights to drill deeper, wider and farther than ever before, including the repeal of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, I decided to make that call.

"Go Steve Go! Make it 21 times voting against Big Oil and their efforts to destroy the Alaskan wilderness for a mere 6 month's worth of oil!" I tell the voicemail receptionist.

The Freedom's Watch Gas Alert is probably the first of many such phone calls I will get from John-Gard-endorsing, Swift-boating groups, as the race for the 8th CD gets hotter - since I am a registered Republican. Freedom's Watch alone may spend up to $250 million in the 2008 election. These are the same conservative folks that tried repeatedly to link Sept. 11 to Iraq... "Several of the group's spots suggested that Iraq, rather than Al Qaeda, was behind the Sept. 11 attacks, even though the independent Sept. 11 commission investigation and other inquiries found no evidence of Iraq's involvement," says the New York Times.

So now they claim that Congressman Steve Kagen is the reason for high gas prices...

My friend and local newscaster Roger Utnehmer confirms that there's no reason to expand the drilling rights of Big Oil. I will close with his editorial:

Big Oil Sitting on 68 Million Acres of Leased Land
by Roger Utnehmer
June 25, 2008

As if they don’t have enough PR problems, recent reports that oil companies are sitting on more than 68 million acres of leased land should frustrate anyone fed up with the rising price of gas.

Big oil companies lease land from the federal government for oil exploration. The fact that half of those leased acres are not being used by oil companies refutes the argument of those who suggest more off-shore drilling will reduce oil and gas prices in America.

The Alaska Wildlife Refuge, which President Bush would like to open to exploration, contains l.5 million acres with drilling potential. When oil companies sit on 68 million acres of leased land on which they are not drilling, encouraging big oil to explore and drill where they already lease should be public policy.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain supports more U.S. off-shore drilling.
Democrat Barack Obama wants to levy a fee on the leased acres the oil companies are not using as an incentive to encourage exploration.

A debate about oil policy will be good for the gas-paying public. Reforming unregulated futures speculation needs to be part of the debate. Some suggest that as much as 60% of the price of oil can be attributed to futures speculation by hedge funds, banks and financial groups.

Futures speculators only pay for 6% of the value of the contract, a leverage ratio of 16 to 1. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission should raise the margin requirement well above 6%. Speculation in oil futures is driving prices to unrealistic levels and might be a big part of the reason prices at the pump are so high.

The politics of oil determines the prices we pay at the pump which is why a civil discussion about exploration and futures trading is in order.

That’s my opinion. I’d like to hear yours. I’m Roger Utnehmer.

New windows for Plum Island?

2008-06-30T16:12:00.006-05:00

The Plum Island Lighthouse off the northern tip of mainland Door County is currently one of 12 candidates, nominated in the Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative sponsored by the JELD-WEN Windows and Doors Company to receive free windows. So, please take a moment and cast your vote for our lighthouse! And tell your friends to vote, too.

"At JELD-WEN, we're demonstrating the reliability of our windows and doors—even in the most extreme conditions - by helping restore some of the nation's most reliable landmarks with the JELD-WEN^® Reliable Lighthouse Restoration Initiative. The results were dramatic for our first three projects, the Umpqua River Lighthouse in Oregon, the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse in Maryland, and the Wind Point Lighthouse in Wisconsin. Now JELD-WEN is searching for the next reliable lighthouse in need of new windows and doors. "

Check back after September 7, 2008 to see the winner.

http://www.jeld-wen.com/lighthouse/index_vote.cfm

2008-06-11T10:37:00.000-05:00

Bringing the Suits to the Boots in Oregon

In a time of sky-rocketing fuel and food costs, the country comes to the rescue. The Oregon Country Trails is an eco-tourism system that offers a “buy local” package of food, recreation and entertainment.

Formed three years ago as an organized model of branded rural tourism attractions, The Oregon Country Trails is Oregon’s first eco-tourism system representing 85 local getaways, overnight stays, open barns, farms and ranches, fishing and swimming holes, fish hatcheries, unique country diners and restaurants, organic produce, grass-fed beef, poultry, pork, lamb, eggs, milk and cream, historical gardens, rural festivals and events, art galleries, wood shops, vegetable stands, fruit farms, fuchsia gardens, quilt shops, mercantiles, handcrafted goat cheeses, wineries, golf courses, tasting rooms, chocolate hazelnut farms, farmer’s markets, yurt stays, bicycling campgrounds, alpacas, sheep petting zoos, wildlife sanctuaries—even arctic wolves!

Divided into four driving routes or “trails,” in Lane, Benton and Lincoln counties, the Oregon Country Trails has packaged the rural experience with brochures, maps, and a usable website giving the urban visitor a place to go in the country and reason to get out of the car. Founder, Danuta Pfeiffer explains, “More importantly, it connects the urban visitor to the source of local healthy food and recreation. And in return, this helps with rural sustainability. It’s good to see rural alliances formed and communities come together where no community existed before.”

There’s power in numbers and festivals and collaborative promotion gives the rural vender exposure they couldn’t otherwise afford.

“In fact,” Pfeiffer notes, “In a time of scarcity of food and fuel, it will be the countryside and its producers that will keep our country running–not the cities. It’s a good idea to form alliances between the suits and the boots now, that will support us in the future.”

Learn more about Oregon Country Trails

2008-06-01T10:21:00.002-05:00

Mary Bergin at Madison's Cap Times recently reported, "Earlier this spring, a committee of Wisconsin travel writers -- plus the state's first lady, Jessica Doyle -- asked readers to vote for your favorite small towns (population less than 15,000) in 20 categories at www.wondersofwisconsin.com. We'd wince when hearing rumors that one community or another was out to blitz the system, but that's not how the results appear."

Two of Door County's small towns won top spot recognition.

In the category of Best Dining, Sister Bay tied with Lake Geneva. Voters elected The Inn at Kristofer's (www.innatkristofers.com, 920.854.9419) in Sister Bay as one of that town's best dining choices as well as, Gilbert's Restaurant in Lake Geneva (www.gilbertsrestaurant.com, 262.248.6680).

I think it's a bit odd that Egg Harbor won in the statewide category of favorite small town with the Best galleries and arts scene. With the departure of Robert L. Pence eight years ago, I struggle to think of only a few small art galleries in Egg Harbor. Hopefully, visitors will discover Renee Schwaller's Off the Wheel Pottery on County E. Meanwhile, a quick search reveals that RLP, the guy responsible for artistically transforming the town, eventually left Milwaukee to paint the sea coast of southern California.

Pence, remains committed to living, loving and defending the natural environment as expressed in his enjoyment and pursuit of plein air painting. The folks in Orange County are happy to have captured him...

"It is said that art imitates life and the experience of great art enriches life. We are fortunate to have Robert Leland Pence share the wealth of his talent interpreting the timeless beauty of the beach cities coastline." - Thom Moore

You can find Robert L. Pence and his studio at:
34118 Pacific Coast Highway #3
Dana Point, CA 92629
Tel: 949.248.2514
robert@rlpartist.com

2008-05-31T23:55:00.000-05:00

Kudos to Bill McConkey for taking a stand against Wisconsin's constitutional ban on gay marriage. Despite the fact that Dane County Circuit Judge Richard G. Niess ruled that the amendment was properly presented to voters in a November 2006 statewide referendum.

The Milwaukee Journal reported the following...

Dane County Circuit Judge Richard G. Niess said the pairing of two sentences in the amendment - one addressing marriage and the other similar legal relationships, such as civil unions - did not violate a provision in the Wisconsin Constitution that says if more than one amendment is submitted, voters must be able to vote for or against each amendment separately.

The case was brought by Bill McConkey, who lives in Door County and teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

McConkey said he was offended by the amendment because one of his seven daughters is gay and he thinks it unfairly takes protections away from certain people.

McConkey's lawsuit raised several objections to the amendment, but Niess left open only the question of whether the amendment was properly presented to voters.

The lawsuit was filed against Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and defended by the state Department of Justice.

The amendment reads: "Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state."

The two sentences are "two sides of the same coin," Niess said. "They clearly relate to the same subject matter and further the same purpose."

McConkey said he was disappointed by the ruling and thinks two separate subjects were presented to voters.

Julaine Appling, chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Family Council, said the two sentences were necessary - one defines marriage and the second protects the institution - and that voters understood the amendment.

In the November 2006 election, 59% of voters supported the amendment.

After the hearing, McConkey said his instinct was to the appeal the decision, but he and his attorney, Lester Pines, a Madison lawyer representing McConkey for no fee, said they would consult about that possibility.

2006-07-02T07:14:00.000-05:00

Suzanne Rosenblatt is a Milwaukee poet, an artist and an activist. On August 11, 2001, a pesticide sign got caught in the spokes of her bicycle. She crash-landed on her foot and broke three bones. The irony of an eco-poet suffering at the hands of a pesticide sign, caught the attention of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Jim Stingl who wrote: Enemy trips up green crusader. Suzanne eventually launched Grass Roots, a Web site and group formed to educate people about the dangers of pesticide use.

"Although I knew pesticides weren't safe, I didn't realize they were lethal," says Rosenblatt - until her dog Lilac died young, of cancer in 1992. "One day the vet said Lilac had cancer, the next day Lilac was dead! That's how I discovered, in 1992, that dogs all over the Milwaukee area were dying of cancer, apparently triggered by pesticides. So it follows that pesticides also affect humans..."

"...What happens to babies who crawl, children who play, families that picnic on treated grass? What happens when we track pesticides onto our carpets?"

Suzanne's work has paid off in building greater public awareness, but apparently her effort and the concern expressed by many citizens failed to convince the Village of Shorewood to amend it's policies. She just published the following 4th of July warning:

Those little white signs

If you ask me, the Shorewood fireworks are the best, and I'd planned to go with my children, grandchildren, and a group of friends with their children. But now the pleasure's gone. Five days before the fireworks, I saw pesticide warning signs all over Atwater Park!

The Department of Public Works knows these substances are too dangerous to use on school grounds, yet they sprayed Atwater Park just before the entire community will be celebrating there. We'll all be sitting on, picnicking on, poisoned grass if we go.

Last year when preparing a presentation to the Village Board, I discovered that Shorewood uses 2, 4-D, an extremely toxic herbicide. Google it, and I doubt you'll want to sit in it or track it into your house on shoe soles. It is used in "weed and feed" products, was a component of Agent Orange; is linked to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, linked to prostate cancer in farmers, is a known endocrine disrupter, causes reduced sperm counts and/or increased abnormalities in sperm. It's found in residential carpet dust up to one year after application outdoors on lawns. There's a lot more, including the research by Warren Porter, at UW-Madison.

Here are the protection specifications for people who apply 2,4-D: they must wear face shield, goggles or safety glasses, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, socks and shoes and chemical-resistant gloves. Perhaps that's what we all should wear to the Shorewood fireworks! Nicole Bickham just sent this letter to all the members of the Shorewood Village Board, and I hope you, too, will let them know how you feel about this issue:

From: "Nicole Bickham" nicole.bickham@sbcglobal.net
To: manager@villageofshorewood.org, PresidentJohnson@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteeAnderson@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteeEckman@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteeHanewall@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteeHickey@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteeMaher@villageofshorewood.org, TrusteePhinney@villageofshorewood.org
Subject: pesticide use at Atwater park
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006

Dear Mr. Swartz & Village Trustees,

I understand that pesticides were applied at Atwater Park in the past few days, as evidenced by the many warning signs posted there. This strikes me as incredibly irresponsible, given that in a few short days hundreds if not thousands of residents, including many children, will come to Atwater Park to enjoy the Independence Day festivities. What is worse, most residents will have no idea that they are being exposed, because the application was timed such that the state-mandated warning signs will no longer be required on July 4th.

I believe the trustees have received ample information about the detrimental health and environmental effects of pesticide exposure, particularly the effects on children. They should also be aware that pesticide residues can linger long after warning signs are removed. I observed a board meeting on July 11, 2005, at which this very issue was addressed. Numerous residents expressed their deep concerns about the village's use of pesticides, and about personal experiences with cancer and other illnesses that research suggests may be linked to pesticide exposure. The board also received at that time, a detailed summary of relevant scientific studies.

The board's response just one year ago was heartening; members suggested that in the future, Shorewood might implement pesticide-free turf care on public land village-wide and even share resources (eg, organic fertilizer) with residents to facilitate their use of natural lawn care. Spraying pesticides at Atwater Park days before one of the largest village events strays awfully far from the intentions expressed at that meeting.

As a resident of neighboring Whitefish Bay, and someone involved in educating others about the dangers of pesticide exposure, I can tell you that many people look to Shorewood as the leader of the North Shore when it comes to policies affecting health and the environment. My family has even given serious consideration to moving to Shorewood because of what we have perceived as forward-thinking policies.

I urge you to reconsider the policy that allowed this ill-timed pesticide application to occur. Furthermore, I hope that you will re-post pesticide warning signs so that the residents of Shorewood and visitors from other communities can make a more informed choice about whether to expose themselves and their children to these dangerous chemicals on Independence Day.

Sincerely,
Nicole Bickham
5235 N. Hollywood Ave, Whitefish Bay

HCP: A Grass Roots Movement

Healthy Communities Project started very simply, with a young mother's letter to the local paper expressing concern about the widespread use of pesticides in the community and their potential effects on children and the environment, namely Lake Michigan. This letter was supported by a second, written by a larger group of residents, citing specific health effects linked to pesticide exposure. These letters got people talking and doing research about these chemicals in our environment.

Since 2001, it has been the standard for Healthy Communities Project to base our opinions and the information we disseminate on solid science - to refer to data from objective sources, and to seek out the opinions of health professionals, toxicologists, horticulturists, and other experts in relevant fields. It is our goal to educate homeowners, municipalities, and other turf managers about the impact pesticides and polluted runoff have on the health of humans, animals, and the environment, and to empower them to make positive changes. We believe that we, as residents caring for our own small plots of the earth, have the power to protect human health, to improve our watershed, and to inspire our neighbors to do the same.

2006-06-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

I just fell upon the OshKosh News, a grassroots effort that features community news from the Oshblog, among other sections. The "Why this site" page deserves close examination and opens with, "There has got to be a better way. Here at OCNN we believe that the traditional media are not doing an adequate job in covering and delivering the news and that alternative approaches are needed to promote an informed and active citizenry."

2006-06-12T02:30:00.000-05:00

Wow! Dems in LaCrosse vote to include a stop Wal-Mart Supercenters plank in their 2006 Wisconsin Democratic Party Resolutions:

06-ELE-07 Stop WAL-MART (2nd CD – 97 words)

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Wal-Mart) is building stores across Wisconsin and the USA;

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart with other retailers, does billions of dollars in business with China, which is known to repress worker and human rights;

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart works to stop the formation of unions, and works to lower living standards of its employees; and,

WHEREAS, Wal-Mart, by offering unaffordable health plans, passes costs to the state;

THEREFORE, RESOLVED, the DPW stands by working-class America in opposing Wal-Mart Supercenters and encourages all citizens to buy local, Union-made goods and purchase locally grown produce to stop retailers like Wal-Mart.

2006-06-05T01:58:00.000-05:00

Check out the Egg Harbor Beach... smart growth plans never mentioned sand, lots of new sand. Over on the East Coast I noticed real estate signs in the window of the Common House so I called 839.2708 and got a taped message from Trissa that says the restaurant is no more. But, she also says the Common House Bar will open on July 1... I always liked that mode best, back when Andy first opened it, so I can't wait to sit back with a snifter of GM and enjoy the classic atmosphere - like none other.

Right now I am multi-tasking, watching the new Bill Maher show, Amazon Fishbowl... a new weekly that premieres each Thursday (at 8 PM Pacific time... for those of you that love good old fashioned TV schedule mode) but can be seen anytime, including the past shows at www.amazon.com/entertainment. Bill's guests include the Dixie Chicks , Dean Koontz, Steve Schirripa and Ward Serrill and Darnellia Russell, the director and one of the subjects of the upcoming documentary The Heart of the Game - scheduled to open in national release on July 7, 2006.

2006-05-26T07:06:00.000-05:00

Just when you thought it was safe to wear flip flops to Wal-Mart...
She was loading her groceries into her car when she felt something lick her toes. She assumed it was a dog. But when she looked down she saw it was a man who was lying under her car. Police are searching for a man who hid under a woman's car at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Tulsa, Okla., and then licked her toes as she loaded groceries into the vehicle, according to a report.

"I felt something lick my foot," the woman said. "I looked at him and I said, 'What in the hell are you doing?' And that's exactly what I said, 'What are you doing?'"

Toe Licking Suspect On The Loose In Tulsa...
The culprit got up and ran away before police arrived at the scene. He's described as Hispanic or Indian, about 5-foot-9, 150 pounds. He was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans. The woman wants others to know this man is still out there. She doesn't want them to be afraid, just on their guard.

2006-05-17T09:39:00.000-05:00

More for the Mavens...

“It's All About the Journey” highlights towns and sites along Highway 51 from Beloit to Hurley, and because it's a public road open at all times, travelers can make the journey any time. In addition to picking up a passport and map about the adventure, information about Highway 51 can be found at www.ExploreHwy51.com. The Web site contains facts about each of the 15 communities on the trek, as well as information about restaurants, hotels and sites along the road.

"Well, I know that highway like I know my hand
Yes, I know that highway like I know the back of my hand
Running from up Wisconsin
way down to no man's land."
Highway 51 Blues - Bob Dylan 1961

2006-05-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

Door County Marketing Mavens please note:

Registrations are being accepted for PAMPERING Grab 2006. PAMPERING includes a top quality tent with daily set-up and take down. A very thick inflated air mattress. Extra large bath towel and wash cloth daily. A deluxe camp chair to relax after your ride. No need to mess with the baggage truck, your baggage will be transported as well. Cold drinks and snacks for your enjoyment. Do not be fooled by copy-cats, PAMPERING is impossible to duplicate. Complete details at www.BubbasPamperedPedalers.com. See you there.

Bubba Fest 2006 - The Florida Keys November 12 - 18, 2006
Direct link to site... Bubba Fest Florida Keys Bicycle touring

Plans are underway for Bubba Fest - Coast to Coast - Spring of 2007
Bubba is proud to be a member of the National Bike Tour Directors Association.

2006-05-14T03:58:00.000-05:00

The following was derived from Faux Logo by Rob Walker in today's NYT...

Consumer cynicism is a topic of great interest to Amanda Helm, an instructor of marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In connection with her research, she has conducted in-depth interviews with about two dozen consumers on the subject and has looked specifically at fans of Adbusters. Some of her preliminary findings were summarized in an award-winning dissertation, “Cynical Consumers: Dangerous Enemies, Loyal Friends,” later published in a 2004 article in the journal Advances in Consumer Research.

One thing she has encountered is a desire among cynical consumers not simply to avoid companies and brands they dislike but also to punish them. At the far end of the cynical-consumer continuum, this might mean defacing advertisements, but for most it plays out differently. For example, shopping at Target because you can't stand Wal-Mart — Wal-Mart came up a lot, Helm says — thus denying dollars to the disfavored company. The marketplace itself is not the enemy in this situation; it's a tool for expressing discontent. Thus one of Helm's most interesting findings: that the cynical consumers who are her main focus "demonstrated very strong brand loyalty to the few companies they could trust."

2006-05-13T14:46:00.000-05:00

"It's one thing if it's carrying soldiers to and from a fight," says Daniel Becker of the Sierra Club. "It's another if it's hauling lattes home from Starbucks."

Just what Door County needs... one less Hummer. Say goodbye to the ultimate arrogance of the H1 Alpha, a $140,000-plus Hummer whose time has come and gone, according to GM sales statistics. With about 12,000 H1's on the road sucking up a gallon of gas for every ten miles they are driven, H1 sales have slipped into oblivion. GM will continue to make the H2, based on the Chevrolet Tahoe S.U.V. and the H3, based on the Chevy Colorado pickup. More than 100,000 H2's and more than 50,000 H3's have been sold since GM introduced each of these downsized status symbols. Find out more at Hummerdinger.org.

"It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas." - George W. Bush, Beaverton, Ore., Sep. 25, 2000

2006-05-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

The Gas Gouge Calculator shows you how much more you'll pay for gas this year. Shhhhudup! You're scaring away the tourists... ride a bike for fresh air, exercise and economic liberty.

MINNESOTA: Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) will sign a bill "requiring the state's three largest coal-fired power plants to cut mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015."

2006-05-02T18:43:00.000-05:00

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be shoppers

To date, over 1,000 individuals in the Madison/Dane County area have participated in one or more sustainability discussion courses. The courses provide a means to examine personal values and habits, engage in stimulating discussion, and make personal changes. The courses are self-facilitated and undertaken by small informal groups.

2006-05-02T08:24:00.000-05:00

Raising the general awareness level... to critical mass.

As gas prices trend upward and spring unfurls leaf buds, I am glad to be back on two wheels, self-powered instead of motoring to work here each day. For most of my lifetime I have been a bicycle advocate and as the "season" looms just ahead I wonder how we might reduce the impact of all of those automobiles on the general quality of life in Door County. I also wonder what the effect of $4/gallon gas might have on this petro-dependent economy... further, when we begin to plan for it instead of react to it.

BikeBlog
Perspectives on Bike Culture in NYC and Beyond
bikescape
Bikes and space "Hey you... with the pants leg rolled up!" Podcasting for bikers.

Over 30,000 people showed up for a recent Budapest Critical Mass rally - here's the clip posted on video.google.com.

"Milwaukee police and members of the bicycle activist group Critical Mass on Saturday gave different versions of the events that led to the arrests of six and ticketing of 21 riders during the group's monthly trek on the city's east side Friday evening." Bicyclists' arrests set off dispute Police say 21 tickets for safety; group disagrees

Some communities are taking the lead by closing sections of town to vehicle traffic at certain times of the day or days of the week. In California HEALTHY SATURDAYS is working to expand a program that already restricts cars and other motorized traffic from JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park on Sundays to a 6-month trial that adds car-free Saturdays. Imagine how attractive it might be if sections of downtown Sturgeon Bay or Fish Creek were closed to all but bikes, pedestrians and a free trolley each weekend. Scary huh?

2006-04-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

Lynn Stuter is an education researcher and activist in Washington state. Here's her take on undermining Delphi:

DISRUPTING THE DELPHI
By Lynn M. Stuter

Note: The Delphi is being used at all levels of government to move meetings to preset conclusions. For the purposes of this dissertation, "facilitator" references anyone who has been trained in use of the Delphi and who is running a meeting.

There are three steps to diffusing the Delphi Technique when facilitators want to seer a group in a specific direction.

1. Always be charming. Smile. Be pleasant. Be Courteous. Moderate your voice so as not to come across as belligerent or aggressive.

2. Stay focused. If at all possible, write your question down to help, you stay focused. Facilitators, when asked questions they dent want to answer, often digress from the issue raised and try to work the conversation around to where they can make the individual asking the question look foolish. Feel foolish. Appear belligerent or aggressive. The goal is to put the one asking the question on the defensive. Do not fall for this tactic. Always be charming, thus deflecting any insinuation. Innuendo, etc. that may be thrown at you in their attempt to put you on the defensive, but bring them back to the question you asked. If they rephrase your question into an accusatory statement (a favorite tactic) simply state, "That is not what I stated. What I asked was... [Repeat your question.]" Stay focused on your question.

3. Be persistent. If putting you on the defensive doesn't work, facilitators often resort to long, drawn out dissertations on some off-the-wall and usually unrelated or vaguely related subject that drags on for several minutes. During that time, the crowd or group usually loses focus on the question asked (which is the intent). Let them finish with their dissertation or expose. Then nicely with focus and persistence, state, "But you didn't answer my question. My question was...[repeat your question.]"

Always be charming, stay focused and be persistent. Never, under any circumstance, become angry. Anger directed at the facilitator will immediately make the facilitator the victim. This defeats the purpose, which is to make you the victim. The goal of the facilitator is to make those they are facilitating like them, alienating anyone who might pose a threat to the realization of their agenda. [People with fixed belief systems, who know what they believe and stand on what they believe, are obvious threats.] If the participant becomes the victim, the facilitator loses face and favor with the crowd. This is why crowds are broken up into groups of seven or eight, why objections are written on cards, not voiced aloud where they are open to public discussion and public debate. It s called crowd control. It is always good to have someone else, or two or three others who know the Delphi Technique dispersed through the crowd; who, when the facilitator digresses from the question, will stand up and say nicely, "But you didn't answer that lady (/gentleman)'s question The facilitator, even if suspecting you are together, certainly will not want to alienate the crowd by making that accusation. Sometimes it only takes one occurrence of this type for the crowd to figure out what s going on. Sometimes it takes more than one.

If you have an organized group, meet before the meeting to strategize. Everyone should know his or her part. Meet after the meeting to analyze what went right, what went wrong and why, and what needs to happen the next time around. Never meet during the meeting. One of the favorite tactics of the facilitator if the meeting is not going the way they want, if they are meeting measurable resistance, is to call a recess. During the recess, the facilitator and his/her spotters (people who wander the room during the course of the meeting, watching the crowd) watch the crowd to see who congregates where, especially those who have offered measurable resistance. If the resistors congregate in one place, a spotter will usually gravitate to that group to join in the conversation and will report back to the facilitator. When the meeting resumes, the facilitator will steer clear of those who are resistors. Do not congregate. Hang loose, and work the crowd. Move to where the facilitators or spotters are. Listen to what they have to say, but do not gravitate to where another member of your team is. This strategy also works in a face to face, one on one, meeting with anyone who has been trained in how to use the Delphi Technique.

2006-04-24T12:58:00.000-05:00

So, Have You Been Delphi'd?

Politics/Elections Opinion (Published) Keywords: EDUCATION, CONSENSUS, DELPHI, POLITICS
Author: Sandy Vanderburg

THE DELPHI TECHNIQUE:
How to achieve a workable consensus within time limits
By Sandy Vanderburg

The Delphi Technique was originally conceived as a way to obtain the opinion of experts without necessarily bringing them together face to face. In Educating for the New World Order by Bev Eakman, the reader finds reference upon reference for the need to preserve the illusion that there is "Lay, or community, participation in the decision-making process, while in fact lay citizens are being squeezed out."

A specialized use of this technique was developed for teachers, the "Alinsky Method" (ibid., p. 123). The setting or group is, however, immaterial the point is that people in groups tend to share a certain knowledge base and display certain identifiable characteristics (known as group dynamics). This allows for a special application of a basic technique.

The "change agent" or "facilitator" goes through the motions of acting as an organizer, getting each person in the target group to elicit expression of their concerns about a program, project, or policy in question. The facilitator listens attentively, forms "task forces," "urges everyone to make lists," and so on. While she is doing this, the facilitator learns something about each member of the target group. He/she identifies the "leaders," the "loud mouths," as well as those who frequently turn sides during the argument - the "weak or non-committal."

Suddenly, the amiable facilitator becomes "devil's advocate." He/she dons his professional agitator hat. Using the "divide and conquer" technique, he/she manipulates one group opinion against the other. This is accomplished by manipulating those who are out of step to appear "ridiculous, unknowledgeable, inarticulate, or dogmatic." He/she wants certain members of the group to become angry, thereby forcing tensions to accelerate. The facilitator is well trained in psychological manipulation. S/He is able to predict the reactions of each group member. Individuals in opposition to the policy or program will be shut out of the group.

The method works. It is very effective with parents, teachers, school children, and any community group. The "targets" rarely, if ever, know that they are being manipulated. If they do suspect this is happening, they do not know how to end the process.

The desired result is for group polarization, and for the facilitator to become accepted as a member of the group and group process. He/she will then throw the desired idea on the table and ask for opinions during discussion. Very soon his/her associates from the divided group begin to adopt the idea as if it were their own, and pressure the entire group to accept the proposition.

This technique is a very unethical method of achieving consensus on a controversial topic in group settings. It requires well-trained professionals who deliberately escalate tension among group members, pitting one faction against the other, so as to make one viewpoint appear ridiculous so the other becomes "sensible" whether such is warranted or not.

So have you been "Delphi'd"?

2006-04-23T22:30:00.000-05:00

A Different Reality is an entertaining and thought-provoking audio-zine to promote a sustainable civilization.

2006-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Northeast Wisconsin take note...

FARM FRESH ATLAS MAKES LOCAL EATING EASY

MADISON - Have longer days and warmer weather whetted your appetite for crisp asparagus, sweet spinach and crunchy salad greens, fresh from the farm? Or perhaps spring has turned your thoughts to locally grown meat, eggs, flowers, honey, maple syrup, cheese and other food and farm products grown close to home.

If so, the "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" is your link to locally grown food. The 2006 atlas includes nearly 100 farms that pledge to protect land and water resources, treat animals with care and respect, and provide safe working conditions for their employees. The atlas also includes farmers' markets and food-related businesses that meet similar criteria.

Beginning April 22, the Dane County Farmers' Market will have the "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" available on Saturdays at their information booth at the top of State Street. The atlas will also be available at other farmers' markets, public libraries, farms, food co-ops and other area businesses after the 22nd. The Atlas is distributed free of charge. For a complete list of distribution sites, visit www.reapfoodgroup.org/atlas.

"Everybody benefits when grocery shoppers buy local," says Madison food writer Terese Allen. "With a Farm Fresh Atlas in hand - or in the car - southern Wisconsinites have access to an amazing variety of regional foods."

Now in its fifth year, the atlas continues to link Madison and Dane County residents with some of the best food in the area. Farm Fresh Atlases are also available in the southeastern, eastern, western and central regions of Wisconsin.

The "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" is a collaborative project of REAP Food Group, the Dane County Farmers' Market, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Friends of the Dane County Farmers' Market.

Major sponsors include Bunky's Café, the Greenbush Bar, Harvest Restaurant, L'Etoile Restaurant and Café Soleil, Lombardino's Restaurant, the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition, Nature's Bakery Cooperative, Organic Valley, Slow Food, The Washington Hotel Coffee Room, the Washington Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary School, the Willy Street Grocery Co-op and Wisconsin Farmers Union.

If you are interested in distributing copies of the atlas, or if you would like more information about this resource, please contact Miriam Grunes at (608) 294-1114 or miriamg@reapfoodgroup.org.

2006-04-12T16:15:00.000-05:00

CAPE WIND UNDER ATTACK

On April 6, a Congressional conference committee inserted language into the Coast Guard spending bill that threatens the construction of Cape Wind – the first major offshore wind farm in the United States. This language would give exclusive veto power over Cape Wind to the governor of Massachusetts. Governor Mitt Romney is an outspoken opponent of the project and if this bill becomes law, he could destroy the Cape Wind project.

If completed, Cape Wind would supply 75 percent of Cape Cod’s electricity needs with clean, renewable energy. The project is supported by the majority of local residents, the Massachusetts Audubon, and a range of clean energy and environmental organizations.

TAKE ACTION – Call your Senators at the Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121. Tell them that you support clean, renewable energy and that you urge them to reject the provisions in the Coast Guard spending bill that would block Cape Wind.

2006-04-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

The upcoming 28th annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention takes place April 20-22, 2006 at the KI Convention Center, Green Bay. "Hands Across the Waters" is the theme with this year's focus will be on "civic engagement."

On Thursday, April 20 a field trip will bring participants to Kangaroo and Clark Lakes in an exploratory tour billed as, "Door County Shallow Lakes."

At issue should be a study of the aquatic herbicides - chemicals specifically formulated for use in water to kill or control aquatic plants. Herbicides approved for aquatic use by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been reviewed and are considered compatible with the aquatic environment when used according to label directions. However, some individual states, including Washington, also impose additional constraints on their use.

2,4-D is the oldest organic herbicide registered in the United States for aquatic use. There are two formulations of 2,4-D approved for aquatic use. The granular formulation contains the low-volatile butoxy-ethyl-ester formulation of 2,4-D (Trade names include: AquaKleen® and Navigate®). The liquid formulation contains the dimethylamine salt of 2,4-D (Trade name - DMA*4IVM). 2,4-D is a relatively fast-acting, systemic, selective herbicide used for the control of Eurasian watermilfoil and other broad-leaved species. Both the granular and liquid formulations can be effective for spot treatment of Eurasian watermilfoil. 2,4-D has been shown to be selective to Eurasian watermilfoil when used at the labeled rate, leaving native aquatic species relatively unaffected. (Click here to read Ecology’s risk assessment).

Chronic effects
It seems that long term exposure to 2,4-D can affect different animals in a wide variety of ways. Rats for example were found to be largely unaffected when fed moderately large amounts in their diet over long periods, although signs of kidney pathology were demonstrated. Dogs however died when fed smaller amounts over shorter periods. A human fed 16.3 grammes over 32 days showed severe symptoms of intoxication (Evaluation on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid salts and esters, MAFF, March 1993).

It also seems that the various chemical forms of 2,4-D can have different toxic effects. Acid, salt and various esters differ in all their measured toxic effects to some extent, but the majority of toxicity data relates only to the acid.

Cancer
Phenoxy acid herbicides have been linked with soft tissue sarcomas, but the UK ACP has concluded that 'the data do not suggest a positive link with 2,4-D'14 as have the Canadian authorities(Interdepartmental Executive Committee on Pest Management, 2,4-D Re-evaluation update and label improvement program, Plant Industry Directorate, Canada, 23 November, 1994.). However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified 2,4-D among the phenoxy acid herbicides MCPA and 2,4,5-T as a class 2B carcinogen-possibly carcinogenic to humans(IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: An updating of IARC Monographs volumes 1 to 42. Supplement 7, WHO, Lyon, France 1987.) (concluding that there was limited evidence in humans, inadequate evidence in animals).

The US authorities have also been reluctant to declare 2,4-D as a potential human carcinogen, but the US courts decided that a forestry worker contracted cancer and died as a direct result of his exposure to 2,4-D during the course of his work (O'Brien, Mary, Jury Charges Dow $1.5 million for 2,4-D caused death of forest worker, Journal of Pesticide Reform, 1987, 7: 4(30).).

One concern about 2,4-D has related to dioxin contamination. 2,4-D was in the past frequently co-formulated with the herbicide 2,4,5-T. Production of 2,4,5-T was contaminated with the carcinogenic dioxin TCDD. Those who were exposed to the mixed formulations might therefore have been exposed to TCDD. The most notorious mixed formulation was Agent Orange, used first by the UK military in Malaysia and later extensively by the US military to defoliate jungle regions in Vietnam. In the UK, 2,4-D + 2,4,5-T formulations were in use until 1994(Veterans and Agent Orange-Update 1996, National Academy Press, US, 1996.). 2,4-D has been produced with contaminant dioxins, but not the harmful TCDD.

Reproductive effects
Abnormal foetal skeletal development, increased foetal mortality and other reproductive effects are fairly conclusively associated with exposure to phenoxy-acid herbicide and their dioxin contaminants(Environmental Health Criteria 29, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), IPCS, Geneva, 1984.).

2,4-D has also been classified as an endocrine disrupter(Colborn, T, et al. Developmental effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans, Env. Health Perspectives 101:378-384, 1993.), and significant chromosomal damage occurred in human cells cultured in the presence of 2,4-D. At the same time no evidence for mutagenicity has been found and 2,4-D did not damage DNA in human lung cells.

2006-04-06T11:36:00.000-05:00

Hey Door County... Down To Earth Tours in Hayward provides a 5-hour mini-bus tour with numerous stops along the way to explore: the history of northwest Wisconsin's glaciers, the ice age, nature interpretation, forest ecology, geology, culture, natural history.

More green tourism and sustainable communities movement suggestions... from Peter Sigmann

You challenged me to come up with some short-term achievable steps in favor of sustainable life in Door County. I hope that the final session of our study group will lead to agreement on such a list. Certainly the notes that Ann is keeping should be a start.

Here a some ideas which came to me during discussion or which were actually discussed:

Get at least one E85 pump in DC (reduce fossil....help nature ozone)
Community bike sharing program for St.Bay (discussed at meeting): (reduce fossil...)
Propaganda or regulation to avoid phosphate containing dish detergent: (avoid chemical...)
Intelligent and reduced highway mowing program designed to maintain wildflowers (reduce fossil.., maintain nature, improve quality...)
Create a car pooling registry/exchange, especially for S. Door to Green Bay commuters: (reduce fossil...)

2006-03-23T06:42:00.000-06:00

Notes from the Underground...

In New York - "Tall-bike gangs have a very heavy base of anti-consumerism. They live in warehouses, and all their clothing could fit into a tall duffel bag. A lot of them are dumpster-diving people. The idea is to avoid consumer waste."

B.I.K.E. a film about rebels with a cause...

In Milwaukee - Mardi Grad Ride: Wear Mardi Gras masks and attire. Even if it's cold outside, the night will be hot - and end in a tropical environment with revelry for all! So bring your nicest scivvies! Fuel Cafe (818 E Center) Tue, Mar 21, 2006

In Chicago - bikewinter.org is encouraging Chicago All-Season Cycling! "Winter Biking: Just because the weather is getting colder doesn't mean that you have to put your bike away. Join the growing number of folks in Wisconsin who are enjoying bicycling all year around."

http://bfw.org/events/winterbiking.php

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 will be the first annual Wisconsin Bicycle Lobby Day. Our goal will be to have a district resident bicyclist visit every one of the 99 state assemblypersons and 33 state senators. The Bicycle Federation can be a resource and an overall state voice for bicyclists, but ultimately elected officials are servants of their home district constituents. A visit from a constituent is a powerful statement to a state Assembly person or Senator.

Chris Fortune, president of Saris Cycling Group; Chris Kegel, owner of the Wheel & Sprocket Stores; and John Burke, president of Trek Bicycle Corp. met with George Bush as part of the National Bike Summit. All three are directors of the Bikes Belong coalition.

Off the Couch:
Running, biking, skiing, and more

In their own quiet way, the thousands of people who run, bike, hike, ski and paddle make a lot of noise in Wisconsin. In Off the Couch, we hope to turn up the volume on their stories and encourage others to join them. Feel free to email us with information and comments: blang@journalsentinel.com

Gearing up for mountain bike races
Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) Director Don Edberg has been at full speed the past couple weeks, even though the first race in the growing mountain bike series is still two months away.

Edberg traveled this week to Madison and Milwaukee, delivering series race books to bike shops and checking in with local race organizers. He put nearly 4,000 handbooks in the mail on Monday, so those anxious to plan their summer schedules should have the information in hand shortly.

WORS, entering its 15th year, drew an average of 700 racers to each of its 12 events last year, making it the largest off-road series in the nation.

“It’s kind of overwhelming when I sit back and think about how this all kind of happened and grew,” Edberg said, after one of his drop-offs in Madison. “I just am hoping that we can keep it going as long as possible.

“It’s been a fun ride.”

Critical Mass: Join other Milwaukee bicyclists on this once a month party on a bike. Share your thoughts of "happy friday" with motorists who may not being enjoying their commute. Riverside Park Fri, Mar 31, 2006 5:30 PM

The ".org" domain notwithstanding, Critical Mass is not an organization, it's an unorganized coincidence. It's a movement ... of bicycles, in the streets.

Accordingly, this isn't the official Critical Mass web page, because there is no official Critical Mass web page. There are, however, a bunch of unofficial web pages. http://www.critical-mass.org/

Chicago Critical Mass bike rides start from Daley Plaza, Dearborn & Washington at 5:30 pm on the last Friday of each month, regardless of season or weather. They are free and fun. All you have to do is show up with your bike. http://www.chicagocriticalmass.org/

2006-03-10T12:04:00.000-06:00

Are these religious nuts fanatics
Tom Williams, Hackensack summer resident
The Pilot-Independent
Last Updated: Thursday, March 09th, 2006 09:30:06 AM

I couldn't help putting some more thoughts on Bart Hoglund's letter (published March 1) about the religious Republicans.

A number of years ago I was the Republican Party Chairman of Door County, Wis., and in that position we attended the district meetings and the state conventions. The whole [trend of] religion in the party started with the abortion issue, shortly after the Roe v. Wade Decision. These anti-abortionists are still in the minority within the party, but they are also activists and have taken over the party.

I disagreed with these zealots because to me, abortion is a personal issue that should not be in politics. But it seems they won out in the party and really branched out as religious fanatics that anyone running on the Republican ticket has to cater to.

I couldn't take being an activist in politics with religion hanging over my head, so I threw in the towel and haven't renewed my [party] membership since.

Now that we have a couple of more Republicans on the [Supreme Court], it won't surprise me if Roe v. Wade is not overturned because our neighbor, South Dakota, also has a Republican legislature that recently passed an anti-abortion law with the express intent of getting Roe v. Wade back in the Supreme Court. As I said, these religious nuts are fanatics.

Tom Williams,
Hackensack summer resident

2006-03-09T23:28:00.000-06:00

The Appleton Post Crescent recently provided the following advice to college students looking for a bargain spring break:

Go to Door County on the cheap

Door County is one of the most beautiful places in the country. But who wants to venture up there during tourist season when high prices and rude Chicagoans are more plentiful than quaint antique shops? Not us.

However, Door County seems like a really nice destination this time of the year, when many hotels, inns and B&Bs offer discounts on rooms. According to the Door County Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site, www.doorcounty.com, several businesses have special "Nature of Romance" packages through March. Pay attention, fellas, because this could be your chance to make up for taking the lady friend to Hooters on Valentine's Day.

Of course, nobody is going to mistake Door County for Cancun. The weather is cooler, and so is the vibe. But there is no better place for people seeking scenic beauty on the quiet side.

Cost guesstimate: Depends on where you stay and what you do when you're up there, but a decent room can be had for about $80 at some places.

Even better is their collection of tips on taking a "World's largest" road trip:

Sometimes size really does matter. Several Wisconsin communities claim to have the largest something in the world, and spring break might be your only chance to see them.

Interested in the world's largest penny? Head to the corner of 3rd Avenue and Hemlock Street in Woodruff and look for the coin that's 10 feet tall and 17,452 pounds. How about the world's largest corkscrew? It's at Corkscrew Liquors in Hurley. Seekers of the world's largest loon won't find it in Mercer, the self-proclaimed "Loon Capital of the World," but they will find the world's second largest loon in the center of town, off U.S. 51. Her name is Claire de Loon, and she even talks.

For those looking to pack several "world's largest" tourist attractions into one trip, we suggest the following route:

Drive down to Milwaukee to see the Allen-Bradley clock on the south side of town. Not only is it the world's largest four-faced clock, but also the world's largest non-chiming clock. That's like killing two very large birds with one stone.

Head south to Williams Bay near Lake Geneva for the world's largest refracting telescope at Yerkes Observatory on W. Geneva Street.

Head southwest to Beloit for the world's largest can of chili beans outside the Hormel Plant on Kennedy Drive.

Head northwest to Platteville for the world's largest M painted on the side of a hill on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus.

Head north to La Crosse for the world's largest six-pack on South Third Street.

Head northeast to Neillsville for Chatty Belle, the world's largest talking cow, as well as a replica of the world's largest cheese.

Cost guesstimate: $150 for three to four tanks of gas and a cheap hotel room.

2006-03-06T19:02:00.000-06:00

Notes distilled from a few weeks of posting by Tom Harwood at The Harwood Institute...

The current system of public life and politics is tired, rigid, and calcified; and the new system that is being laid overtop the old one often serves to fragment people and their voices and turn us away from one another.

People in public life and politics are in search of new pathways to engage and make a difference. There is a need within public life and politics for more given-and-take, greater focus on people’s real concerns, and harnessing of our civic energies. We need approaches that are less episodic and more sustained; that enable people to come in and out of their engagement over time, because people live life overtime, not simply in fragments of time.

We need to create mechanisms that give people hope. Here, we must think clearly about the mechanisms we are developing in terms of whether they provide people the opportunity to cultivate a sense of authentic hope within themselves and among others.

Let me be clear: authentic hope is what people seek in politics and public life – not the false hope that so many political leaders, pundits, and pollsters peddle.

Authentic hope comes when we engage with one another, even when we sharply disagree, but despite our differences stay devoted to figuring out a path forward.
Authentic hope comes when we recognize that change will take time, but that we persevere in our pursuit of the public good.
Authentic hope comes when we cross the boundaries and dividing lines that people have drawn and insist on maintaining for their own narrow gain, which only keep us separated from each other under false pretense.
Authentic hope comes when we express clearly our convictions – not as a way to push others away or to denigrate and demonize them, but rather to be clear on our own beliefs and where we stand – all as part of an effort to engage with others, even win for our position.

We must always keep in mind that when it comes to public life and politics, people are in search of change and hope. They are longing for a sense of possibility – that conditions can change, that their lives can improve, that they can engage with others and make a difference, that something positive is in the offing.

The potential trap we encounter on our journeys through public life and politics is that we will forget the test of change and hope; or, that we will remember it, but then somehow lose it as we reach for our goal. Or, worse yet, we will state that we are engendering such conditions, only to provide false advertisement.

There is a critical difference between creating meaningful mechanisms and being mechanistic. We need public innovation to develop a new generation of mechanisms to foster real systemic change in our society.

Who will lead us out of this miserable mess? My answer is plain and simple: We will. By that, I mean there is no one leader who can right our course. Instead, leadership must come from people scattered across our country.

It must come from everyday people who make their voice known; who say they want to pursue an alternate path for politics and public life. Believe it or not, the very first step is one of expression – people articulating what they want and believe to one another; people raising their consciousness about the need for a different path; people letting their voices be heard so that their sentiments can bubble up through public opinion polls, talk shows, letters to the editor, and through other venues.

Most organizations are guided by good intentions. But too many of our civic-minded organizations – whether they be community foundations, United Ways, newspapers and public broadcasting, art-based groups, local education funds, not to mention others – are trapped in old assumptions about their roles and old practices about how to see and engage with communities.

Sometimes their efforts can be summed up by the notion that they “act upon” communities rather than act as a “part of” community. They can see themselves almost as outside of the communities in which they work.

Existing organizations must become more catalytic if we are to innovate in public life and politics. After 20 years of working on this challenge, my experience is that organizations need to see themselves as spanning boundaries in communities; they need to work with others to incubate new ideas and then spin those ideas off once they are off-the-ground; they need to actively build connections and networks within their communities to lower obstacles to knowledge-sharing and true collaboration; they need to make engaging the community a part of their daily work – not just a special project from time to time; and they need to cultivate the community’s resources, capacity and political will for change.

if we are to move community life forward, then public innovation needs to be at the core of at least some organizations in our communities. More business as usual won’t get us to where we need to go; nor will simply applying better management techniques, or unfolding new one-off initiatives that fail to change the existing dynamic of our chaotic public life.

Our goal must be to generate new ways of seeing and acting on both persistent and emerging challenges. The goal must be to create new pathways for people to engage, and these pathways must offer the possibility for change and authentic hope.

There are many ways for organizations to start down the new path I am suggesting. Bottom line: we need more civic-minded organizations to see themselves as homes of public innovation – and to innovate.

2006-03-01T16:19:00.000-06:00

In February 2006, AOL announced that it would accept payment for incoming emails. For these certified emails, it would skip its usual anti-spam filters and guarantee delivery for cash. A broad coalition of both conservative and progressive political groups, charities, nonprofits, small businesses, labor unions, and Internet advocacy organizations and experts believes that the free passage of email between Internet users is a vital part of what makes the Internet work. When ISPs demand a cut of "pay-to-send" email, they're raising tollbooths on the open Net, interfering with the passage of data by demanding protection money at the gates of their customers' computers. Read More... and send a letter to AOL.

But the story gets worse... America's big phone and cable companies want to start charging exorbitant user fees for the supposedly-free Internet. Read the details in The End of the Internet? by Jeff Chester published a month ago in the Nation.

In anticipation of Sen. Ron Wyden's (D. OR) introduction of Net Neutrality legislation in the U.S. Senate today, Jeff Pulver's blog entry of March 1st highlights what he sees as issues critical to keeping the nature and viability of the "open Internet." Entitled "Net Neutrality in the U.S. Senate." Media mavens will can track his daily commentary at: http://pulverblog.pulver.com/.

Telecommunications companies are hoping to create a tiered Internet, with levels of access that vary depending on how much their customers can afford.

Protect Internet Neutrality!
Send a message to the Senate Commerce Committee.

On Thursday, March 2 at 3 PM on the Ideas Network WRP.org Ben Merens’ guest says large media companies are working to control the Internet, which could jeopardize the web as a free-wheeling democratic forum.Guest: Celia Wexler, vice president for advocacy, Common Cause. www.commoncause.org

2006-02-26T10:13:00.000-06:00

Gethuman.com is the result of a consumer movement created to change the face of customer service. This free website is powered by over one million consumers, and the site is run by volunteers who demand high quality customer service. The site has information for many types of companies including credit cards, finance companies (banks and mortgages), insurance companies, cell phone providers and many others.

The most popular part of the gethuman website is the gethuman database of secret phone numbers and codes to get to a human when calling a company for customer service.

It started as a blog by Paul English, who is now the chief technical officer ofKayak.com, a new kind of travel search site that helps you find travel deals from other websites.

2006-02-21T12:38:00.000-06:00

Jerry from Las Vegas writes, "Until the 1950s we were a provincial country. We lived on our front porches and knew all our neighbors. Then prosperity and fear drove us into our back yards where our bomb shelters had food, water, and guns, which were to be used to kill our neighbors if they tried to get in. Now mobility, elitism, and paranoia have driven us inside walls and security doors, and no one wants to know his neighbors because we fear them. Guns are the same thing as walls — our protection against our fears. I’m not opposed to responsible gun ownership, but if private citizens feel the need to strap on a Colt 45 to gain civility from their neighbors, we are in serious trouble."

2006-02-16T07:52:00.000-06:00

Missing any doorknobs?

Thor Jeffrey Steven Laufer 43, of Racine, claims to be obsessed with them. This week Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph McCormack sentenced him to serve a three-year prison term, plus five years of extended supervision, and ordered him to pay restitution for a burglary spree in which he stole dozens of doorknobs from construction sites in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon. Laufer told police he took a variety of other items as well, to disguise his obsession, "so that it would look like a typical burglary rather than someone just stealing doorknobs." Laufer also faces charges in Milwaukee County for similar incidents in suburban Franklin.

Too much ~~time~~ slime on my hands...
I Googled obsessed with doorknobs only to learn that Cameron Diaz also shares Laufer's obsession with doorknobs, from a different perspective. She opens doors with her elbows to avoid touching any germ-infested knobs. Diaz also washes her hands "many times" each day. "I'm not scared of germs," she explains, "I'm just not into other people's fluids..."

They both deserve to visit Terrence's Bay Trading Company just south of Egg Harbor to elbow their way through a vast collection of Door Knobs.

2006-02-11T10:56:00.000-06:00

Word of Mouth: Free service gives you the phone numbers
Saving money is easiest without personal sacrifice. Here's a simple way to save a buck that doesn't involve carpooling or turning down the thermostat.

John Ewoldt, Star Tribune says:

Saving money is easiest without personal sacrifice. Here's a simple way to save a buck that doesn't involve carpooling or turning down the thermostat.

A new service by Jingle Networks Inc. called 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411) eliminates the $1 to $1.50 fee for each call to directory assistance. It's a flashback to when directory assistance was free. It can be used from any phone, including cellular ones. If you're one of those spendthrifts who's contributing to the 6 billion 411 calls made nationwide each year, you can save a few dollars each month by calling the toll-free number.

In a quick test, the drawbacks were few. Occasionally, we had to listen to a 10-second commercial. Some numbers given were incorrect, but Qwest's and AT&T's systems make mistakes too. On one occasion all circuits were busy, and we had to try back later.

Sometimes customers are even automatically connected, but that was rare on recent calls, due to heavy call volume. Getting through to the automated attendant was no problem. Sometimes we talked to a live person. Each gave the number twice for verification.

Seem too good to be true? Maybe, so use it while you can.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 Ewoldt's articles are online at www.startribune.com/dollars.

2006-02-04T14:39:00.000-06:00

In Door County or Denmark... dare to exercise your freedom to peek.

Message from
The Fellowship of Reconciliation

Offensive Cartoons: Respecting what is Sacred

The response in parts of the Muslim world to publication of crude and deeply offensive cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad is shocking and distressing. Yet the pain felt by Muslims is real and understandable. By insulting the core of their religion, the cartoons constitute a vile attack on Muslims everywhere. But despite the egregious nature of the insult, it cannot not justify mass violence, arson and death threats.

The cartoons, which depict Muhammad as a violent, degenerate criminal, were first published in a Danish newspaper last September, in an act of extraordinary insensitivity and poor judgment. (Interestingly, the editor who commissioned them now admits to his own ignorance of Islam and of the way Muslims feel about the Prophet Muhammad.)

But ignorance is only part of it. There is clearly a certain malice involved, if not in the first Danish publication of the cartoons, then in their repeated publication in newspapers around the world. No longer can editors claim ignorance. The whole world now knows that the Prophet Muhammad is not supposed to be depicted at all, let alone in a disparaging manner.

Nor can offending newspapers claim that this is valid political or social satire, protected by free speech. These cartoons of the Prophet do nothing but ridicule the core idea of an entire religion. They attack what is sacred. And there is no deeper wound, no deeper fury, than that.

Many Muslims feel an intimate, personal connection to the Prophet Muhammad. When they think of divine mercy, kindness and integrity, they think of the Prophet. He is the embodiment of every virtuous ideal. In fact, the ideal of every Muslim is to become as much like the Prophet as possible. He is regarded as the best of human beings, the exemplar of humanity.

In short, the Prophet Muhammad is sacred to Muslims.

Westerners understand the concept of the sacred. Christians have been hurt and outraged by disrespectful and blasphemous depictions of Jesus. Jews feel pain when the holy Torah, the word of God, is ridiculed, vilified, or desecrated. In this country, burning of the flag -- near-sacred to many -- gives similar offense.

The emotional wound caused by the cartoons cannot be undone, but there is plenty that can be done. After 9/11, a great effort was made in the West to learn about Islam and to understand Muslims. That effort should be stepped up.

The incident also provides an opportunity for people of all faiths to recognize and acknowledge that which is sacred in other religions, even if it is not sacred to them personally.

For Muslims, this is an opportunity to examine the issue of how to respond to what offends them. Retaliating with a call for a Holocaust cartoon contest, as an Iranian newspaper has done, is to fall to the same level of ignorance, bigotry and malice that the original cartoons represent. Instead, Muslims should transform the incident into an opportunity for dialogue, education, and understanding.

There is a story in the Hadith (sayings and doings of the Prophet Muhammad) that Muhammad was with his companions in the simple mosque of Medina.The mosque had an earthen floor and was open on all sides. A Bedouin man walked in and began to urinate in the corner. Muhammad's companions were incensed, yelling at him to stop and threatening to assault him.

"No," the Prophet told his followers. Let him be. He does not know any better." When the man had finished, Muhammad addressed him gently: "This place is not meant for urine, but only for prayer and the remembrance of Allah." Then he told his followers to get water to wash the floor.

Burning embassies and demanding that editors be executed is not an Islamic response to insult. That response lies in the nonviolent actions of the Prophet Muhammad, as illustrated above. Educate those who have offended by violating what is sacred to you. Reach out to them. Teach them so they may know better.

This statement was written by a team of FOR staff representing the Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths.

Jennifer Hyman, Communications Coordinator
Rabia Harris, FOR Chaplain
Ibrahim M. Abdil-Mu'id Ramey, Disarmament Coordinator

2006-02-02T14:50:00.000-06:00

For bicyclists, there is no better mid-size city than Madison, according to the March 2006 issue of Bicycling magazine.

According to the magazine, Madison is at the top of the list for cities with a population of 200,000 to 500,00 because of its commitment to providing a friendly environment for cyclists. Along with its hundreds of miles of bicycle paths, Madison has had a bicycle transportation plan on the books since 1975.

The city is also looking to receive a “Bicycle Friendly” certification from the League of American Bicyclists later this year, according to a release from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

In addition to its recognition for bicycle friendliness, Madison also boasted a Metro ridership of over 11 million in the last year. The city’s highest metro usage since 1986 resulted in the reduction of over 15,000 tons of CO2 emissions, according to the mayor’s office.

2006-02-01T09:00:00.000-06:00

Author Nancy Wikarski moved to Fish Creek from Chicago recently. She stopped in the Coffeehouse for an iced soy latte, celebrating acomplete denial of winter. Her latest novel exposes an affection for historical research coupled with her love of crafting an engaging mystery...

The Fall of White City takes place in 1893. The entire world has come to Chicago to marvel at the wonders of the Columbian Exposition World's Fair. When a penniless seamstress is found stabbed to death in Chicago's grandest hotel, wealthy and eccentric Evangeline LeClair sets out to discover the truth of the matter. It doesn't take long to find out that nothing is what it appears to be.

Find out more at her Web site: NSWikarski.com.

2006-01-30T10:43:00.000-06:00

Chinese New Year's resolution... to post "local" news more often

Adrian LaTrace and Tedeana McFarland commute regularly from Barrington to their condo in Ephraim. They carry a laptop and hunt for wireless connections to manage their on-line business - an e-Bay specializing in iPod accessories. Stopping in at the Compass Coffeehouse in Fish Creek, they get wired before heading back to Illini-land.

"Our basement in Barrington is a warehouse full of iPod stuff," says Ted... (on the left). "When somebody needs something like a replacement battery they are often down and out until they get one," says Adrian (at the keyboard). "So, they want it NOW."

Check out their stores... MyPOD Products and the Quick Cadet Warehouse for sports memorabilia and speedy service.

2006-01-19T10:26:00.000-06:00

The Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Political Report, two respected political handicapping organizations that follow congressional races, rate Wisconsin's 8th district race for Congress as one of the 40 most competitive of 435 House races. Three Democrats and two Republicans are vying for the open seat currently held by Rep. Mark Green, (R). They include:

Democrat Steve Kagen: www.Kagen4Congress.com

Democrat Jamie Wall: www.wallforcongress.com

Democrat Nancy Nusbaum: www.Nancy2006.com

Republican John Gard: www.gardforcongress.com

Republican Terri McCormick: www.mccormickforcongress.com

They are all appearing tonight in Kaukana at a candidate forum hosted by the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 400 at 7 PM at its training center, 2700 Northridge Drive.

2006-01-12T21:03:00.000-06:00

The Southern Italian town of Altamura, Apulia is "breaking the chains" by supporting local businesses. Five years ago, McDonald's Corp. revealed plans to open a fast food restaurant in the town. Area citizens, supported by Italy's Slow Food movement, campaigned against the development by establishing their own group "Friends of Cardoncello" (named after an Italian mushroom).

Despite community opposition, McDonald's built a fast food store in town, but struggled over the next few years, as townspeople shunned the "golden arches" and supported local baker Luigi Digesù and other community restaurants.

Last month, McDonald's closed its doors and left town.

"There was no marketing strategy, no advertising promotion, no discounts," Il Giornale, an area resident commented. "It was just that people decided the baker's products were better. David has beaten Goliath."

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/slowfood010906.cfm

2006-01-06T22:03:00.000-06:00

A 21-year-old grain terminal worker in McFarland, Wisconsin who became buried up to his neck in soybeans was rescued about four hours after he went into a storage bin to investigate what was clogging its auger feed and became trapped in the beans, officials said.

"You know what quicksand is?" Schaller asked. "That's pretty much what it was."

Worker rescued four hours after becoming trapped in soybeans

In Muscatine, Iowa, Dean L. Wooten was fired for greeting Wal-Mart customers with a computer-generated photo in which he appeared to be naked _ except for a carefully placed Wal-Mart bag. Wooten reportedly told customers the store was cutting costs and the bag was the company's new uniform. A supervisor told him to stop showing the photo after customers complained. He was canned when he displayed the photo again.

2005-12-27T20:17:00.000-06:00

The Dictionary of Wisconsin History explains more than 8,000 terms (people, places, things, and events) used in writings about Wisconsin history. The Wisconsin Historical Society says, "Help us continue to expand it by adding a term."

2005-12-08T06:15:00.000-06:00

Imagine Earths’ a heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No war to kill us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...

Imagine our daily bread
Shared without a question
Till all the poor are fed.
It’s something we can do,
People seeing Humans
As friends and family

Imagine Earths’ a country,
It isn’t hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
Just love from me to you,
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

Imagine no possessions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
In a brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

Imagine no one lonely
I wonder if you can,
No need for crime and violence,
Imagine all the people
Accepting our truths
As we accept those
Whose truths are a mystery

Imagine saving our planet
For generations yet unborn
I wonder if you will
No waste, no squandered riches
That are not really ours to burn
Think of the bounty we leave them,
It’s the only Earth they’ll have

You may say I’m a dreamer;
But, I’m not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And belief and logic will be one.

John Lennon

2005-12-04T15:07:00.000-06:00

Another blanketing of fresh snow on Thursday evening that hasn't melted off and the peace and quiet of a Sunday morning caused me to climb up into the attic and break out my skis and boots. I expected to be the first one to ski on the fairways of Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek and I am pleased to report that several other avid skiers beat me to it.

This posting can be considered the first of our regular Door County ski trail and snow conditions reports. You can find local trail maps and individual area reports posted throughout the upcoming ski season at SkiDoorCounty.com. With steady low temps, the 1 - 3" snow cover on any of the numerous golf courses in Door County provides numerous opportunities to get back on the boards...

2005-11-25T12:42:00.000-06:00

With two local snowfalls on record before Thanksgiving, this winter promises to be a good one for skiers in Door County. Nonetheless Gannett reports, More cross-country courses turn to man-made snow.

Alpine skiers who want to ski at areas that have made a commitment to improving their environmental impact are now ranked on a scorecard compiled by the Ski Area Citizens' Coalition. Review their criteria and find out the top ten and the bottom ten ski areas on the Ski Area Environmental Scorecard.

2005-11-23T09:30:00.000-06:00

White House spokesman Scott McClellan recently accused Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., of "endorsing the policies of Michael Moore and the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party."

When some enthusiastic Davison, Michigan residents began to consider asking hometown "hero" Michael Moore to accept a membership in their local Davison Hall of Fame a wave of opposition started to manifest in equal measure. Moore says people will say almost anything to attack him - like Moore secretly owns stock in Halliburton. He explains, "I have never owned a share of stock. If anyone wants to attack me there are enough truly bad things about me they might use instead, like..."

"I attend weekly meetings and I am a member of an organization that seeks to cover up sexual abuse by some of its members... the Catholic Church. I am a Catholic," confesses Michael Moore.

"I also spent four years working in an institution that researches and perfects weapons of war... the University of Michigan. And, I support a cartel that has killed more Americans than any other group on Earth... the McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Belle, Colonel Sanders fast food cartel."

Moore went on to say that he believes that when the final reckoning comes everyone will be asked, "Where you an American? And did you support the war?"

"In 1776 we had a dictator and we overthrew that dictator ourselves. We didn't ask anyone to invade our country. Imagine in 1776 if the French just invaded our country, and then told us we were free... It wouldn't have worked. It wouldn't have worked back then and it's not working now." Moore recently told an audience in Flint, Michigan.

"Have you ever heard the name of a suicide bomber in Iraq? In Israel, right after a suicide bomber attacks, the name of the Palestinian bomber is announced. Right after 911 the names of the attackers were announced. Have you ever wondered why you never hear the name of a suicide bomber in Iraq announced over the news?" Moore explained "It's because they are Iraqi people fighting for their independence."

"I went to Mass this morning in Davison," Moore says. "The gospel was about Jesus explaining how you get into Heaven." After explaining the details Moore, says it simply boils down to, "You cannot get into Heaven without a permission slip from the poor." He explained that the priest closed the gospel saying, "We ask dear Lord that you remind the people who run Delphi that we need those jobs here in Flint."

You can hear Michael Moore's entire speech rebroadcast on C-SPAN tonight at 7 PM Central time. It's listed as Wellstone Memorial Dinner Democratic Party, Genesee County, MI Michael Moore.

When Utah Valley State College announced that liberal filmmaker Michael Moore would speak on their campus two weeks before the 2004 election a media frenzy erupted as angry community members and religious leaders shouted protests, pointed fingers, and quoted Mormon scripture. Attempting to calm the outrage, the college invited FOX News pundit Sean Hannity to speak a few days before Moore. But the controversy continued to explode into a full-blown war of political and religious differences… This Divided State, is the next film in the Compass Coffeehouse Cinema Series on Saturday, November 26 at 7 PM.

2005-11-19T16:45:00.000-06:00

Ask State Assemblyman Garey Bies if he's still a dues-paying member of ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Recently a couple of staffers for People for the American Way went undercover to a conference of the ultra-conservative American Legislative Exchange Council. Here's what they discovered: Creating a Right-Wing Nation, State by State by Joshua Holland.

It is the connective tissue that links state legislators with right-wing think tanks, leading anti-tax activists and corporate money. ALEC is a public-policy mill that churns out "model legislation" for the states that are unfailingly pro-business. The organization fights against civil rights laws, as well as consumer, labor and environmental initiatives.

According to the National Resources Defense Council, corporations "funnel cash through ALEC to curry favor with state lawmakers through junkets and other largesse in the hopes of enacting special interest legislation -- all the while keeping safely outside the public eye."

2005-11-15T05:31:00.000-06:00

Madison attorney Mark S. Zimmer and Willem (sometimes also known as xickx), a computer programmer and lifelong Beethoven-lover in the Netherlands met on the Internet. Together they have created UnheardBeethoven.org, a collection of over 600 previously unrecorded works on vinyl or CD.

Both of them had over the preceding years developed an obsessive desire to accumulate recordings of all of Beethoven's works. Through the miracle of the internet, they were able to compare notes and see where each had been missing various items. But still, there were a multitude of works which sounded intriguing but which were unavailable on record or CD. Indescribable was their shock and horror upon learning the sheer quantity of works that really did exist but were quite inaccessible such as the Hess-list (containing 335 unknown works). Their shared frustration over the many works which had not been recorded was vented at about the same time as reasonably good computer soundcards became readily available.

Suddenly, the fog lifted, and they saw that they didn't need to wait for others to record and release the many missing pieces; they could, through creation of MIDI files, make their own "recordings" of these unheard pieces. Now they could hear these pieces, and in the process learned that there is indeed a wealth of interesting material amongst the unheard Beethoven. Willem and Zimmer assiduously began ferreting out these many mysterious pieces, with the tireless support of Patricia Elliott-Stroh, curator of the Ira F. Brilliant Beethoven Center at San Jose State University, and set to work on turning these scores into MIDI files.

Search the works, download and enjoy them for free at UnheardBeethoven.org. They also have a great set of links to more on their favorite composer.

If you get hooked on classics... you may enjoy searching through more free music at ClassicalArchives.com.

2005-11-02T07:05:00.000-06:00

Research report from Trout Lake Station...
More than 80 years ago, two University of Wisconsin-Madison biologists opened a rustic research outpost on Trout Lake, deep in the heart of Wisconsin's pristine northern lake region. Their goal was to unlock some basic mysteries of freshwater lakes, from their chemical makeup to their elaborate circle of life.

Today, research at Trout Lake is thriving more than ever, but a great deal of the focus has shifted to the developmental pressures that threaten what people cherish most about recreational lakes. An online news package by University Communications science writer Paroma Basu, based on a summer visit to the station, takes a fresh look at Trout Lake research projects that monitor species diversity, land use practices and other lake health issues.

The Scalito Threat...
Amanda Griscom Little of Grist Magazine sheds some light on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's Enviro Past:

"The most troubling skeleton in Alito's judicial closet, according to Sierra Club senior attorney David Bookbinder, is the dissent he wrote in U.S. v. Rybar in 1996. Alito advocated striking down a federal law banning possession of machine guns on the grounds that, in some instances, it exceeds congressional power under the Constitution's Commerce Clause. He argued that, as in-state machine-gun possession is not interstate economic activity, such authority should be conferred to state governments alone. This kind of reasoning strikes fear in the hearts of enviros, as the Commerce Clause is the basis for nearly every major federal environmental law in the U.S.

"If he is willing to find that Congress doesn't have that sort of authority over possession of machine guns, it makes you very concerned he will apply the same logic to Congress's authority over interstate pollutants," said Bookbinder.

"This is particularly concerning to enviros given that three weeks ago, the Supreme Court decided to review Rapanos v. United States and Carabell v. Army Corps of Engineers, two landmark cases that challenge the reach of the Clean Water Act and call into question state-level versus federal authority to protect the environment. "The stakes are enormous," said Kendall. "If the federal government loses these cases, millions of acres of waters and wetlands could be left unprotected. And an adverse ruling would also call into question a much broader array of environmental safeguards."

2005-10-31T15:49:00.000-06:00

Peg Lautenschlager meet Mr. Floatie...
"After a year of failed negotiations aimed at averting litigation, Wisconsin's state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said Tuesday that she would sue the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for dumping about 1.5 billion gallons of untreated storm water and sanitary waste into local waterways in May 2004."

Canadians are contending with an even greater disregard for the effects of municipal sewage dumping, but their cleanup candidate, Mr. Floatie, a sewage activist, was wiped clean off the B.C. ballot recently.

People Opposed to Outfall Pollution (POOP) says, "Watch for him to keep popping up to talk about Victoria's ongoing dumping of raw sewage into the ocean," as they continue their ongoing efforts to build greater public awareness.

Just think what Bruce Hill and a handfull of very Repuglican Egg Harborians who are against permitting unrestrained freedom of speech might be forced to do if Mr. Floatie decides to pop up in next year's Egg Harbor 4th of July Parade. Things could get ugly.

2005-10-26T00:06:00.000-05:00

Magnum In Motion editors blend powerful Magnum photography with audio commentary, text and graphics to create an immersive, engaging multimedia experience. Photographer commentary guides the viewer through the photo essay, while text and graphics provide additional information and enrich the viewing experience.

2005-10-18T07:22:00.000-05:00

How's this for a healthy promotion...

766 people participate in Madison's 3rd Annual 2-Week Car-Free Challenge
(September 22 – October 5, 2005)
Total vehicle miles reduced: 52,191 miles or 2.1 times around the Earth!

Together they effectively removed 136 cars from the road (driven 10,000 miles per year). Every 6 car-free challengers removed 1 car. They saved 2,088 gallons of gasoline and $6,263 in two weeks. If participants kept up this behavior for a year, they would save 54,279 gallons of gasoline. Each participant would save $213.

They reduced 41,753 pounds (21 tons) of carbon dioxide emissions the equivalent of planting 21 trees in two weeks. If participants kept up this behavior for a year, together they would reduce: 543 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

They reduced 188 pounds of nitrous oxides (NOx) and 120 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the precursors to ground-level ozone.

Total miles bicycled: 13,001
Total miles walked: 1,359
Total miles bussed: 10,402
Total miles carpooled: 27,872

The extra miles biking and walking add up to 100 extra calories burned per person per day, the equivalent of jogging a mile a day!

Madisonian Pam Schwarzbach dropped in the Coffeehouse and we started talking cycling...

"50% of kids used to ride bikes to school, now it's down to only 2%, but don't quote me on those figures..." says Pam. "There's grant money available to get kids back on bikes by developing safe routes to schools."

"A generation ago, most schoolchildren walked or biked to school, while today fewer than one-third of those who live within a mile of school arrive on foot or bike," said Lee Kokinakis, director of Michigan's Active School Environments for the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. Over 200 elementary schools in Michigan recently promoted a Walk to School Day.

Brits pointing the way: Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, works on practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport for health, safety and environmental reasons. Our aim is to create a Safe Route to School for every child in the UK.

The Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign is an awards program that recognizes municipalities that actively support bicycling. A Bicycle-Friendly Community provides safe accommodation for cycling and encourages its residents to bike for transportation and recreation.

2005-10-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

"A couple weeks ago I was joking with some friends and saying that when gas goes over $3 a gallon, I won't pay it, I'll refuse to use my car," said Janelle Gunther, 35, and a scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

The next thing she knew, she was leaving her Toyota Camry in the driveway and peddling the five miles to the lab. She figures she is saving about $40 a week. She usually showers and changes at work, although more than once she has found herself scurrying into an early morning meeting still clad in her Lycra cycling gear. "No one bats an eye," she said.

According to the most recent national figures, Jenelle's helping to up the numbers in the 2000 census that measured only 489,000 Americans who pedal to work, compared with 97.1 million who drove solo. But those numbers are starting to take a dramatic shift says Alex Williams in a recent NY Times article.

Several years ago Door County Chamber Chair, Karen Raymore was peddling a slide show that depicted the Swiss model of completely integrating bicycles with automobiles in roadway planning. In "theory" and in the law, drivers of either form of transportation are considered to have equal rights. The Swiss model reinforces that ethic giving cyclists greater consideration at intersections and stops. Back then I envisioned a turning point for the entire cycling movement in Door... but that enthusiasm faded.

Now Chris Hornung, the chief executive of Pacific Cycle in Madison - the largest distributor of bicycles in North America - says that a boom is occurring with sales of multigear adult cruiser bikes with medium-wide tires and cushy seats, "the sort commonly associated with commuting, jump(ing) off the Richter scale," rocketing 20 percent in the week of Sept. 7 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the spike in gas prices.

For a number of reasons, some of which are economic affordability, Door County seems to be slipping in popularity. It seems that many local business people are starting to see the flaws in trying to marry the groom of golf with the wild bride of unspoiled nature. Discussion might now begin to include marketing Door County as a mecca for bicycling and healthy family recreation. With gas prices said to rise like a rocket and sink like a feather, there is no reason to expect them to ever fall below $2.50 a gallon. A campaign to promote Door County as the cycling capitol of Wisconsin could do no harm, especially if it starts to develop that Swiss-style of peninsula bike trails that once looked so promising.

2005-09-18T15:14:00.000-05:00

Dr. Steve Kagen is the real thing... a man who wants to get elected to Congress because he has a mission to accomplish - No Patient Left Behind. Kagen is a native of Appleton, Wisconsin, triple Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, but now he feels compelled to work for a broader community, starting with the 8th Congressional District in Wisconsin. Here's an impressive portion of a speech in which he presents his summary beliefs:

"Together, we will create a healthy and secure America, everywhere in these United States. In this democracy, and at this time in our history, people rightly demand that its leaders join together to defend our national security, to end the War in Iraq, to attract high wage jobs for those able to work, to balance our budgets, to secure equal opportunity and gender equality for all, to bring an end to special privileges for the few, and to preserve each and every one of our hard won civil liberties.

And by defending our national security, we mean to correctly include the protection of our quality of life, everywhere in these United States, by guaranteeing the ongoing success of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and by vigorously defending our Environment, as we seek to become an Energy independent nation.

Securing our future begins by solving our American healthcare dilemma, with No Patient Left Behind. I strongly believe together, we will."

Steve Kagen has already been elected, by his peers as one of the "?Best Doctors in America," and spent seven years as CNN's allergy consultant. He teaches at Medical College of Wisconsin, lectures around the world, is known for his research work discovering new causes of asthma... and now he wants to work for you in Washington DC.

With the Constitution shot full of holes, the Geneva Conventions battered and bruised, scientists being attacked by dim-bulb legislators who seek to suck up to the religious right, soldiers and innocent civilians dying and getting wounded every day in an unjustifiable war, FEMA asleep at the wheel, a phony MBA cheerleader party-boy president, a Halliburton employee as VP in charge of awarding no bid contracts and over 45 million Americans with NO health insurance... "Is there a doctor in the House?" Not yet, but I think we can send one in 2006!

Kagen4Congress.com

2005-09-09T05:26:00.000-05:00

From EMSNetwork News Your best source for EMS News.
we . search . so . you . don't . have . to
http://www.emsnetwork.org/

EMS & Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina - Our Experiences
By Parmedics Larry Bradshaw and Lorrie Beth Slonsky
Sep 6, 2005, 11:59

Their tale in just one of this type now appearing in many newspapers, online and with listservers. The fact they are paramedics is largely irrelevant to the tale, however, there are many EMT/Paramedic personal accounts online - some even more incredible. Please do not write to us for permission to reprint, interview, etc. They do not work for EMSN. Their story is a reprint they disseminated. Contact them through Socialist Worker

Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, the Walgreen's store at the corner of Royal and Iberville streets remained locked. The dairy display case was clearly visible through the widows. It was now 48 hours without electricity, running water, plumbing. The milk, yogurt, and cheeses were beginning to spoil in the 90-degree heat. The owners and managers had locked up the food, water, pampers, and prescriptions and fled the City. Outside Walgreen's windows, residents and tourists grew increasingly thirsty and hungry.

The much-promised federal, state and local aid never materialized and the windows at Walgreen's gave way to the looters. There was an alternative. The cops could have broken one small window and distributed the nuts, fruit juices, and bottle water in an organized and systematic manner. But they did not. Instead they spent hours playing cat and mouse, temporarily chasing away the looters.

We were finally airlifted out of New Orleans two days ago and arrived home yesterday (Saturday). We have yet to see any of the TV coverage or look at a newspaper. We are willing to guess that there were no video images or front-page pictures of European or affluent white tourists looting the Walgreen's in the French Quarter.

We also suspect the media will have been inundated with "hero" images of the National Guard, the troops and the police struggling to help the "victims" of the Hurricane. What you will not see, but what we witnessed,were the real heroes and sheroes of the hurricane relief effort: the working class of New

Orleans. The maintenance workers who used a fork lift to carry the sick and disabled. The engineers, who rigged, nurtured and kept the generators running. The electricians who improvised thick extension cords stretching over blocks to share the little electricity we had in order to free cars stuck on rooftop parking lots. Nurses who took over for mechanical ventilators and spent many hours on end manually forcing air into the lungs of unconscious patients to keep them alive. Doormen who rescued folks stuck in elevators. Refinery workers who broke into boat yards, "stealing" boats to rescue their neighbors clinging to their roofs in flood waters. Mechanics who helped hot-wire any car that could be found to ferry people out of the City. And the food service workers who scoured the commercial kitchens improvising communal meals for hundreds of those stranded.

Most of these workers had lost their homes, and had not heard from members of their families, yet they stayed and provided the only infrastructure for the 20% of New Orleans that was not under water.

On Day 2, there were approximately 500 of us left in the hotels in the French Quarter. We were a mix of foreign tourists, conference attendees like ourselves, and locals who had checked into hotels for safety and shelter from Katrina. Some of us had cell phone contact with family and friends outside of

New Orleans. We were repeatedly told that all sorts of resources including the National Guard and scores of buses were pouring in to the City. The buses and the other resources must have been invisible because none of us had seen them.

We decided we had to save ourselves. So we pooled our money and came up with $25,000 to have ten buses come and take us out of the City. Those who did not have the requisite $45.00 for a ticket were subsidized by those who did have extra money. We waited for 48 hours for the buses, spending the last 12 hours standing outside, sharing the limited water, food, and clothes we had. We created a priority boarding area for the sick, elderly and new born babies. We waited late into the night for the "imminent" arrival of the buses. The buses never arrived. We later learned that the minute the arrived to the City limits, they were commandeered by the military.

By day 4 our hotels had run out of fuel and water. Sanitation was dangerously abysmal. As the desperation and despair increased, street crime as well as water levels began to rise. The hotels turned us out and locked their doors, telling us that the "officials" told us to report to the convention center to wait for more buses. As we entered the center of the City, we finally encountered the National Guard. The Guards told us we would not be allowed into the Superdome as the City's primary shelter had descended into a humanitarian and health hellhole. The guards further told us that the City's only other shelter, the Convention Center, was also descending into chaos and squalor and that the police were not allowing anyone else in. Quite naturally, we asked, "If we can't go to the only 2 shelters in the City, what was our alternative?" The guards told us that that was our problem, and no they did not have extra water to give to us. This would be the start of our numerous encounters with callous and hostile "law enforcement".

We walked to the police command center at Harrah's on Canal Street and were told the same thing, that we were on our own, and no they did not have water to give us. We now numbered several hundred. We held a mass meeting to decide a course of action. We agreed to camp outside the police command post. We would be plainly visible to the media and would constitute a highly visible embarrassment to the City officials. The police told us that we could not stay. Regardless, we began to settle in and set up camp. In short order, the police commander came across the street to address our group. He told us he had a solution: we should walk to the Pontchartrain Expressway and cross the greater New Orleans Bridge where the police had buses lined up to take us out of the City. The crowed cheered and began to move. We called everyone back and explained to the commander that there had been lots of misinformation and wrong information and was he sure that there were buses waiting for us. The commander turned to the crowd and stated emphatically, "I swear to you that the buses are there."

We organized ourselves and the 200 of us set off for the bridge with great excitement and hope. As we marched pasted the convention center, many locals saw our determined and optimistic group and asked where we were headed. We told them about the great news. Families immediately grabbed their few belongings and quickly our numbers doubled and then doubled again. Babies in strollers now joined us, people using crutches, elderly clasping walkers and others people in wheelchairs. We marched the 2-3 miles to the freeway and up the steep incline to the Bridge. It now began to pour down rain, but it did not dampen our enthusiasm.

As we approached the bridge, armed Gretna sheriffs formed a line across the foot of the bridge. Before we were close enough to speak, they began firing their weapons over our heads. This sent the crowd fleeing in various directions. As the crowd scattered and dissipated, a few of us inched forward and managed to engage some of the sheriffs in conversation. We told them of our conversation with the police commander and of the commander's assurances. The sheriffs informed us there were no buses waiting. The commander had lied to us to get us to move.

We questioned why we couldn't cross the bridge anyway, especially as there was little traffic on the 6-lane highway. They responded that the West Bank was not going to become New Orleans and there would be no Superdomes in their City. These were code words for if you are poor and black, you are not crossing the Mississippi River and you were not getting out of New Orleans.

Our small group retreated back down Highway 90 to seek shelter from the rain under an overpass. We debated our options and in the end decided to build an encampment in the middle of the Ponchartrain Expressway on the center divide, between the O'Keefe and Tchoupitoulas exits. We reasoned we would be visible to everyone, we would have some security being on an elevated freeway and we could wait and watch for the arrival of the yet to be seen buses.

All day long, we saw other families, individuals and groups make the same trip up the incline in an attempt to cross the bridge, only to be turned away. Some chased away with gunfire, others simply told no, others to be verbally berated and humiliated. Thousands of New Orleaners were prevented and prohibited from self-evacuating the City on foot. Meanwhile, the only two City shelters sank further into squalor and disrepair. The only way across the bridge was by vehicle. We saw workers stealing trucks, buses, moving vans, semi-trucks and any car that could be hotwired. All were packed with people trying to escape the misery New Orleans had become.

Our little encampment began to blossom. Someone stole a water delivery truck and brought it up to us. Let's hear it for looting! A mile or so down the freeway, an army truck lost a couple of pallets of C-rations on a tight turn. We ferried the food back to our camp in shopping carts. Now secure with the two necessities, food and water; cooperation, community, and creativity flowered. We organized a clean up and hung garbage bags from the rebar poles. We made beds from wood pallets and cardboard. We designated a storm drain as the bathroom and the kids built an elaborate enclosure for privacy out of plastic, broken umbrellas, and other scraps. We even organized a food recycling system where individuals could swap out parts of C-rations (applesauce for babies and candies for kids!).

This was a process we saw repeatedly in the aftermath of Katrina. When individuals had to fight to find food or water, it meant looking out for yourself only. You had to do whatever it took to find water for your kids or food for your parents. When these basic needs were met, people began to look out for each other, working together and constructing a community.

If the relief organizations had saturated the City with food and water in the first 2 or 3 days, the desperation, the frustration and the ugliness would not have set in.

Flush with the necessities, we offered food and water to passing families and individuals. Many decided to stay and join us. Our encampment grew to 80 or 90 people.

From a woman with a battery powered radio we learned that the media was talking about us. Up in full view on the freeway, every relief and news organizations saw us on their way into the City. Officials were being asked what they were going to do about all those families living up on the freeway? The officials responded they were going to take care of us. Some of us got a sinking feeling. "Taking care of us" had an ominous tone to it.

Unfortunately, our sinking feeling (along with the sinking City) was correct. Just as dusk set in, a Gretna Sheriff showed up, jumped out of his patrol vehicle, aimed his gun at our faces, screaming, "Get off the fucking freeway". A helicopter arrived and used the wind from its blades to blow away our flimsy structures. As we retreated, the sheriff loaded up his truck with our food and water.

Once again, at gunpoint, we were forced off the freeway. All the law enforcement agencies appeared threatened when we congregated or congealed into groups of 20 or more. In every congregation of "victims" they saw "mob" or "riot". We felt safety in numbers. Our "we must stay together" was impossible because the agencies would force us into small atomized groups.

In the pandemonium of having our camp raided and destroyed, we scattered once again. Reduced to a small group of 8 people, in the dark, we sought refuge in an abandoned school bus, under the freeway on Cilo Street. We were hiding from possible criminal elements but equally and definitely, we were hiding from the police and sheriffs with their martial law, curfew and shoot-to-kill policies.

The next days, our group of 8 walked most of the day, made contact with New Orleans Fire Department and were eventually airlifted out by an urban search and rescue team. We were dropped off near the airport and managed to catch a ride with the National Guard. The two young guardsmen apologized for the limited response of the Louisiana guards. They explained that a large section of their unit was in Iraq and that meant they were shorthanded and were unable to complete all the tasks they were assigned.

We arrived at the airport on the day a massive airlift had begun. The airport had become another Superdome. We 8 were caught in a press of humanity as flights were delayed for several hours while George Bush landed briefly at the airport for a photo op. After being evacuated on a coast guard cargo plane, we arrived in San Antonio, Texas.

There the humiliation and dehumanization of the official relief effort continued. We were placed on buses and driven to a large field where we were forced to sit for hours and hours. Some of the buses did not have air-conditioners. In the dark, hundreds if us were forced to share two filthy overflowing porta-potties. Those who managed to make it out with any possessions (often a few belongings in tattered plastic bags) we were subjected to two different dog-sniffing searches.

Most of us had not eaten all day because our C-rations had been confiscated at the airport because the rations set off the metal detectors. Yet, no food had been provided to the men, women, children, elderly, disabled as they sat for hours waiting to be "medically screened" to make sure we were not carrying any communicable diseases.

This official treatment was in sharp contrast to the warm, heart-felt reception given to us by the ordinary Texans. We saw one airline worker give her shoes to someone who was barefoot. Strangers on the street offered us money and toiletries with words of welcome. Throughout, the official relief effort was callous, inept, and racist.

There was more suffering than need be.

Lives were lost that did not need to be lost.

Bradshaw and Slonsky are paramedics from California that were attending the EMS conference in New Orleans. Larry Bradshaw is the chief shop steward, Paramedic Chapter, SEIU Local 790; and Lorrie Beth Slonsky is steward, Paramedic Chapter, SEIU Local 790.[California]

2005-08-31T08:51:00.000-05:00

It's amazing to trace the path of a thread as it evolves, turns and forks. ZabaSearch is a new search engine that was quietly unveiled on Feb. 28, 2005 without any marketing or publicity. All traffic since then has been exclusively through word of mouth. Back in April San Francisco Chronicle's David Lazarus explained, "It's impressive, scary to see what a Zaba search can do."

If E-bay is the global equivalent of a yard sale then ZabaSearch represents a new low, the globalization of gossip, with the addition of a new blog feature that lets anyone mark up your personal listing without restriction. They also invite you to, "Monitor Your Identity for Free," with ZabaAlerts! "Instantly be notified by e-mail or text message when new public information is found about you."

2005-08-27T08:51:00.000-05:00

"For every 5 mph a motorist drives above 60 mph, the gas wasted is the equivalent of shelling out an extra 15 cents a gallon. So streaking along at 75 mph is like spending an extra 45 cents a gallon," says Baltimore Sun's Frank D. Roylance in Speeders wasting big bucks on gas.

2005-08-17T12:33:00.000-05:00

Here's to a very full moon shining down over the Door County, fondly known to many locals as the Open Air Asylum...
Where rumors of the Naked Man on Spring Road keep friends and neighbors ever watchful. With temps in the 90s he could just be the Burning Man, seeking some basic form of relief but, talk, talk abounds - naked man seen jogging down Spring Road, naked man seen cycling through the Fish Creek condos. But, the best tale, the one that brought the sheriff... naked man reported standing in yard surrounded by mirrors.

This search for the naked truth (and the soaring heat), as well as the difficulty of gaining proper press coverage for certain types political events like the (Downing Street Minutes) that question power is urging me to consider the possibility of exposing the issue in a similar manner.

A little Googling led to discover that the infamous West Marin, California women's group that made the naked PEACE and NO WAR protest photos starting in fall of 2002 have evolved, becoming an official organization with a Web page Baring Witness. The project was created and organized by a different Sheehan... a tall, willowy blond, 72-year-old self-described eco-artist, Donna Sheehan. She too gained instant notoriety and a ton of publicity by simply asking other women to pose for peace with their clothes off. Sheehan says the idea of posing people in the nude came to her in a dream.

"Have you ever dreamed that you were naked? I think everybody has. It's a very primal statement, and it's something we can all do," Sheehan says. "We are trying to seduce our leaders and bring them off their ego path of killing and destruction. No blood for oil."

A little more Googling and ogling led me to discover that before 1934 full-body swim attire was the norm and it was a group of men that broke the ban, going topfree at a crowded New York public beach, despite the threat of arrest. The Topfree Equal Rights Association (TERA) now exists to help women attain the same privilege. Underlying their immediate request for equality lies a collection of bare breasted politics that uncover everything from breast cancer and public breast feeding to Janet Jackson spoofing the FCC on Saturday Night Live.

2005-07-13T06:29:00.000-05:00

Hikers, Bikers and ATVs

"Southeast Wisconsin loses 87 square miles of farmland and forested areas each year to road building and sprawl," says the Sierra Club. In Places in Danger they name the Wisconsin Ice Age National Scenic Trail as a target for support, "...working with local groups to permanently protect the Trail corridor and promote smart growth planning by local governments to preserve farmland, forests, wildlife habitat and the Ice Age Trail."

At the same time trail access in a much broader sense is also the target of advocates from the Wisconsin ATV Association and pressure from enthusiasts, equipment dealers and a growing number of local ATV clubs around the state.

In a February 2004 advisory referendum, Vilas County voters rejected a proposal by local ATV clubs to build a trail system that would link it and other counties to trails in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

More recently, ATVs have been at the center of controversy over a new, 15-year master plan for the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest, which attracts 2 million visitors a year and covers a large part of Vilas County. The DNR is proposing an eight- to 10-mile loop. The trail would accommodate a burgeoning sport in a part of the state where there are no public trails.

Jim Knuth of Presque Isle, a self-described Republican who owns a snowmobile, is active among a group of residents who oppose ATVs in the state forest because they believe it will mean more noise and destruction of the land.

More significantly, "it's the toe in the door they want so badly," Knuth said of ATV proponents. "They want Vilas County, period."

"For better or worse, all-terrain vehicles are quickly passing the snowmobile in popularity," says Milwaukee Journal reporter Lee Berquist. "Recent attempts to add trails in Wisconsin have been controversial. State, county and federal land managers are finding themselves in the middle of pitched battles over how best to include - or exclude - the machines from land because of the damage they cause."

Of greater public concern should be the fact that tax dollars collected from the sale of ATV registrations and gasoline sales are "donated" by the Wisconsin legislature to help grow the sport. Berquist explains...

Since 2001, about $1 million has been paid in state contracts to the National Off-Highway Vehicle Insurance & Services Group Inc. to promote safety and ethical riding. The group, which has an insurance consulting arm as well, is a non-profit organization aligned with the Wisconsin ATV Association. Both are based in Sheboygan.

The two groups are headed by Randy Harden, a missionary of sorts, who put 40,000 miles on his car last year to promote the sport and champion ATV safety.

"I want to change the industry," Harden said. "We have made some gains, but the infrastructure has got to be there."

The national group recruits and trains safety instructors and so-called trail ambassadors with the aid of public dollars. The ambassadors are volunteers who have attended safety training instruction and are willing to stand guard on trails to warn riders of illegal riding or report transgressions to authorities. About 600 ambassadors have been trained, but only about 10% to 15% actively work the trails at busy times such as weekends, Harden said.

Harden and his wife, Ann, split one job for the national group and share a $68,688 annual salary. Their son Adam and another employee split another job and are paid $73,308 a year, according to DNR records. Five regional coordinators are paid $1,000 to $2,200 per month, plus travel expenses.

The payments to the national group are unprecedented - there is no similar program for snowmobiles, mountain bikes or personal watercraft.

Harden acknowledged he gets complaints from some ATV riders who don't like the meddling, and from advocates of quiet sports who question the propriety of doling out money to a single user group.

As of June 1, 2005 there were 220,171 ATVs publicly registered, according to the Wisconsin ATV Association, up from about 215,000 registrations in 2004. An additional 61,908 private and agricultural ATVs, used on private properties and farms, were registered by June 1.

Approximately 1,000 miles of mountain bike trails in Wisconsin state parks, forests, recreation areas, and unsurfaced trails on former rail lines are available. Brigit Brown, state trails coordinator for the DNR, says there are about 4,000 miles of ATV trails available at different times of the year throughout Wisconsin - far short of the 22,000 to 24,000 miles of snowmobile trails in Wisconsin.

Today the Baraboo News Republic reports, "Plans for ATV trails on 580 acres of county land near Highway 14 between Spring Green and Lone Rock stalled last spring after the Sauk County Board voted not to pursue a state-level grant until more public input had surfaced, said Steve Koenig, county parks director."

The Wisconsin Vehicle Safety Enhancement Grant includes the "Ride Smart - Get Involved -Tell Others" program, all about maintaining and increasing ATV riding opportunities in Wisconsin. Back in 2003 WATVA began pressing for more money... "In the previous two year period the ATV grant requests exceeded available program revenue by close to 1.3 million dollars! There is no doubt whatsoever that Wisconsin needs additional miles of new ATV trails at the same time managing and maintaining the existing ones in a sustainable and environmental responsible manner."

I don't doubt that the need for new trails will continue to grow as long as we keep spending tax dollars to fuel the expansion of this so-called sport. Meanwhile... A 49-year-old Kenosha man died Saturday in Lac du Flambeau after an ATV rolled onto him. A 5-year-old girl died Sunday at Saint Michael's Hospital in Stevens Point after the ATV she was riding on with another girl and a 34-year-old Pine Grove man flipped over on them.

Instead of legislators seeking to promote greater ATV use and expand trail access the public would be better served with firmer restrictions on ATV use. Let's start with age-appropriate restrictions - much like cigarettes. Llmit the false advertising that beckons potential riders to undertake what amounts to destructive off-trail excursions and require additional warnings that ATVs are a threat to human health. With obesity, ozone and oil dependency plaguing the nation motorsports are a fuelish waste of energy.

2005-06-25T11:45:00.000-05:00

Dave Eagan, guest speaker at the latest workshop at the Compass Coffeehouse is teaching people to make a proper "voucher specimen" of a plant. He is here to inform approximately 20 participants on how to identify Wisconsin's Invasive Plants of the Future - those invasives that can be found in nearby states that we can expect to see trying to get a foothold in this region.

"It's not enough to simply take a picture of a plant to document its discovery or to use to ask someone a question about it," he explains. "Since there are so many look-alikes, you need to show both sides of the leaf, the seed, the stem, the flowers and even the root if possible."

And with this introduction, Dave set out to teach people to build and use a plant press to save a sample specimen of any plant they wish to document with a voucher. He explained that it is important to note the location where a specimen lived by including a topographical map showing exactly where the plant was found. Maps are available for free at TopoZone.com. Complete details on making an herbarium voucher are provided on-line by the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity.

Photos are good to include in field work, but be sure to get enough details, usually with at least three pics.

2005-06-17T07:09:00.000-05:00

BBC's Beethoven Symphonies free for download:
www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/beethoven/downloads.shtml

All of The Beethoven Experience programmes will be available to listen to online for seven days after broadcast in the Radio Player. Unlike the symphonies that they're making available as downloadable mp3 files, these programmes in the Radio Player cannot be downloaded as files onto your computer for use offline.

When are the symphonies available to download as mp3 files?

Symphony 6 will be broadcast on Monday 27th June, and available to download from Tuesday 28th June to Monday 4th July.

Symphony 7 will be broadcast on Tuesday 28th June, and available to download from Wednesday 29th June to Tuesday 5th July.

Symphony 8 will be broadcast on Wednesday 29th June, and available to download from Thursday 30th June to Wednesday 6th July.

Symphony 9 will be broadcast on Thursday 30th June, and available to download from Friday 1st July to Thursday 7th July.

2005-06-09T11:26:00.000-05:00

EPA just launched a new woodstove and fireplace website. It is good source of reference information on the subject. Check it out at http://www.epa.gov/woodstoves/

Speaking of energy... Did you know that of the top oil producing countries in the world, only one is a democracy with a president who was elected on a platform of using his nation's oil revenue to benefit the poor. The country is Venezuela. The President is Hugo Chavez.

Are you one of the ever-mounting majority of American that think the war in Iraq over oil was a mistake? Well, I'm pleased to learn that Snopes says, "Complex problems rarely lend themselves to simple, painless answers. Simply shifting where we buy gasoline isn't nearly as good a solution as the much tougher choice of sharply curtailing the amount of gasoline we buy."

Before you decide to follow my previous advice and launch a Buy-cott, favoring one station over another check out Snopes.com's readout on the subject.

It's true that Citgo is a U.S. refining and marketing firm that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Venezuela's state-owned oil company. Much of the money you pay to Citgo goes primarily to Venezuela - but they too also import from Middle Eastern countries including Iraq and Kuwait.

Snopes says, "Moreover, the idea that oil companies sell gasoline only through their branded service stations, and therefore if you don't buy gasoline from Shell-branded gas stations you're not sending money to Shell (or, by extension, the Middle East), is wrong. Oil companies sell their output through a variety of outlets other than their branded stations; as well, by the time crude oil gets from the ground into our gasoline tanks, there's no telling exactly where it came from. A good deal of the crude oil purchased from Russia, for example, is oil from Iraqi fields sold through Russian middlemen."

Special thanks to Compass reader and local broomball activist Kevin Duffy for pointing out "...the rest of the story" on the subject of oil at Snopes.com which resulted in revisions and update to this posting.

Join us at the Compass Coffeehouse this coming Saturday, June 18 at 6:30 PM for a free movie on the subject: "Extreme Oil - The Journey." Follow four barrels of oil as they travel from the ground to the gas pump. Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War and in the wake of two wars in the Gulf and Iraq, all the world's easy oil has been found. Today, the oil industry has to go to extremes to find new sources of the asset that drives the world's economy and fuels so many aspects of modern life. EXTREME OIL crisscrosses the globe like the transcontinental pipelines themselves, exposing a wide range of issues -- and meeting people who wrestle with the dilemmas of how to ensure the supply we need, at a price we will tolerate.

Enjoy a free and informative film followed by lively discussion each week at the Compass Coffeehouse in our ongoing Saturday Cinema Series. Come on a bicycle this week and the coffee drink of your choice is free.

2005-05-28T17:12:00.000-05:00

“I don't think anyone believes that the right of smokers to smoke is more important than the right for everyone to breath fresh air,” says Margaretha Haglund, head of tobacco control programmes at the Swedish National Institute of Public Health.

And with that general attitude prevailing, on June 1st Sweden will join Ireland, Norway, Italy, and Malta in implimenting a nationwide smokefree workplace law.

“It’s definitely a positive step for Sweden,” says Daniel Franzén (23) originally from Karlstad. “There’s so much emphasis here on creating healthy conditions in the workplace, why should bars and cafes and restaurants be any different?”

The law initially sparked criticism from the Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Association although proprietors have been appeased by the general public’s support. In a study conducted by SHR in April 2005, 98 per cent of those asked said the law will have no bearing on the frequency they visit restaurants, bars, cafes or clubs.

This week, Belgium announced that it will be the next European country to move toward clean indoor air.

Several WI cities and towns have passed smokefree workplace legislation. Middleton and Shorewood Hills banned smoking in their restaurants in 1994, with a few exceptions. Fond du Lac, La Crosse, Ashland, Eau Claire, Kenosha, Neenah and Onalaska have followed suit in recent years.

Joe Cherner at SmokeFree.org says, "All workers deserve a safe, healthy, smokefree work environment. No one should have to breathe tobacco smoke to hold a job, because it causes cancer."

The problems voiced in Appleton lately regarding the loss of convention business due to the smoking ban should be recognized as a strong reason for statewide law regarding safe smokfree workplaces.

Joe Cherner provides an on-line way to Urge Governor Doyle to Enact Smokefree Law; No Preemption.

2005-05-24T12:45:00.000-05:00

"Political candidates have a choice, they can either pander to people's fears in an effort to win, or speak the truth in order to lead." says 1992 New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate and radio talkshow host, Arnie Arnesen.

Give her show a listen, streaming at www.arniearnesen.com. For three years (2001 to 2004) she hosted her own political talk show, Capital Ideas on WNDS TV. It was the highest rated political talk show in the state and the New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters selected it as the top talk show in the state in 2003. In addition to the radio and TV, Arnie has had a biweekly column in the Boston Globe and is a regular speaker at major academic institutions.

Living in Door County was once like living in a remote rural community. Over a decade ago Wisconsin Public Radio began to open a broader channel to alternative media with the addition of a northern Door transmitter. Now as public radio moves ever closer to the mainstream the World Wide Web provides unlimited options for news and entertainment that push out the boundaries. Try Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! for another fresh take on the news.

2005-05-15T08:33:00.000-05:00

Pamela Anderson's PETA billboard that popped up on US 41 near Green Bay caught the eye of GBPG reporter Tony Walter. His light-hearted commentary led me to a little further research on the issue at KentuckyFriedCruelty.com where I learned:

When chickens are slaughtered, they are hung upside-down with their legs snapped into metal shackles, which often breaks their bones. Many are still fully conscious when their throats are slit and when they are immersed in scalding-hot water for feather removal.
McDonald’s and Denny’s have made strides toward implementing PETA's request for controlled-atmosphere killing (CAK), the least cruel method of slaughtering chickens ever developed, while KFC continues to drag its feet.
PETA actually bought shares of McDonald’s stock in order to present a shareholder's proposal, which calls on the company to prepare a feasibility report for switching its chicken suppliers over to CAK.
The CAK method utilizes a controlled environment in which the oxygen is slowly replaced with argon or nitrogen, putting the birds to sleep quickly and painlessly.
More than 750 million chickens are killed for KFC restaurants every year.

The real PETA billboards are on-line here. That eye-catcher above is a rejected, early draft of the billboard’s design provided by Defamer.

2005-05-10T09:24:00.000-05:00

Baileys Harbor Smart Growth Plan

The Town of Baileys Harbor is nearing completion of its comprehensive "Smart Growth" plan. All Baileys Harbor property owners, residents, and businesspersons, as well as any other interested parties, are invited to attend two important meetings the Town Board and Town Plan Commission will be holding regarding the final plan:
1) Tuesday, May 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall (located at the intersection of State Hwy 57 and County Hwy F): Public Information Meeting/Open House. After discussion as to the process used to create the new town plan and a question and answer period, meeting attendees will have the opportunity to review and offer anonymous comment upon the various components of the final draft of the Baileys Harbor plan.
2) Tuesday, June 7, at 6:30 p.m. at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall: Public Hearing before the Town Plan Commission and Town Board regarding the plan. This is the only public hearing scheduled concerning adoption of the final plan. All interested parties are encouraged to attend and offer formal testimony. Those unable to attend the hearing that wish to offer comment upon the plan may do so by sending a letter to PO Box 308, Baileys Harbor, WI, 54202. Letters must be received no later than Monday, June 6 in order to be entered into the formal record, and must include the writer's full name and address.
The Baileys Harbor Comprehensive Planning Project is available for review on-line.
Please call Mariah Goode at 920.495.6639 with any questions.

2005-04-25T12:05:00.000-05:00

Good news for Door County's majority oldsters... "Eating moderate amounts of fish - and its added ingredient, mercury - appears to pose little danger to the brains of older adults, according to new study findings released Tuesday."

Nonetheless, eating contaminated fish can cause permanent language, attention and memory impairment in children. At least 45 states - including Wisconsin - have mercury-related fish consumption advisories but not many people pay attention to them. A recent study by the New England Zero Mercury Campaign found that 36 percent of New Englanders didn't know the government issues warnings. Forty-six percent didn't know that children and women of childbearing age should avoid swordfish, tuna steak and freshwater fish. And 59 percent didn't know that pregnant women and children should limit their consumption of canned tuna.

While the majority of the mercury pollution in the lake waters comes from coal-fired utility plants there are some things you can do to help reduce the contamination of mercury in land fills.
Last month the federal Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules requiring power plants to reduce mercury emissions by 70 percent by 2018. But the new EPA rules also allow power plants to buy credits from other plants to avoid meaningful emissions cuts. At least nine states, including Wisconsin, have filed lawsuits against the government, saying the rules fail to protect the public's health and do not follow the requirements set out in the 1990 Clean Air Act.

2005-04-16T15:06:00.000-05:00

It's all the rage these days, religious leaders of all flavors are deciding to take back the moral highground from the silly and simplistic, Satan-fearing sycophants. These are the endgame days and ways of a new world order as dictated by the Unitarian Jihad...

"Beware! Unless you people shut up and begin acting like grown-ups with brains enough to understand the difference between political belief and personal faith, the Unitarian Jihad will begin a series of terrorist-like actions. We will take over television studios, kidnap so-called commentators and broadcast calm, well-reasoned discussions of the issues of the day. We will not try for "balance" by hiring fruitcakes; we will try for balance by hiring non-ideologues who have carefully thought through the issues."

"People of the United States! We are Unitarian Jihad! We can strike without warning. Pockets of reasonableness and harmony will appear as if from nowhere! Nice people will run the government again! There will be coffee and cookies in the Gandhi Room after the revolution."

How fitting and indeed just right that my Unitarian Jihad Name is: The Nail Gun of Enlightenment.

Get yours.

2005-04-14T05:29:00.000-05:00

When Door County photographer Jan Goff-LaFontaine decided to do a photo project on abuse against women, she took a daring approach... asking the models in her latest work, "Women in Shadow and Light, Journeys from Abuse to Healing," to provide not only their painful life stories, but to pose nude in order to "...let them see their bodies in a new way and let them find their beauty again... to sort of reclaim their bodies and their beauty."

Monterey Herald reporter Brenda Moore says, "...(Jan) talked about the idea with two friends who had been in abusive relationships and both endorsed it. She also discussed it with an abuse survivor who ran a domestic violence services agency in Door County. The woman liked the idea, and agreed to take part in it, she said. One woman led to another and another and eventually she had 40 subjects, ranging in age from 19 to 95, victims of sexual and physical abuse by family members, spouses, partners, strangers."

I wonder what response Jan's work would have elicited from Andrea Dworkin; born September 26, 1946, died April 9, 2005 a campaigner, writer and feminist activist who helped break the taboo over talking about violence against women by writing openly about her experiences as a prostitute, rape victim and battered wife. She led an active crusade against pornography and violence against women but her "bottom line" uncompromising approach was almost as threatening to women as she was to men. Her anti-marriage, anti-male stance split the feminist movement, where liberals believe "tasteful" pornography is empowering.

Camille Paglia cattily remarked that Dworkin never addressed her real problem, which was food. “Thanks to Madonna, the whole pro-sex wing of feminism which had been ostracized since the ’60s came back with a vengeance," says Paglia. "And we won. We won massively. Now, Catharine MacKinnon, Andrea Dworkin, you hardly see their names anywhere.”

"Young women are rarely given the opportunity to speak on their own behalf on issues that affect their lives and futures," says Feministing.com. They advocate girl-power by providing and on-line platform for them to comment, analyze and influence."

Meanwhile dirty old men are still lurking in the background... the power of porn is no secret to Rupert Murdoch. But how many conservative Fox News fans realize that Murdoch's News Corp. owned satellite cable company DirecTV, makes more than $200 million a year in pay-per-view pornography. Murdoch also owns the New York Post, and Harper Collins, which published porn star Jenna Jameson's bestselling book ''How to Make Love Like a Porn Star."

Comcast, the nation's largest cable company, also cashes in on porn, making more than $50 million from distributing XXX movies. And Comcast's E! Television network ran a highly rated ''E! True Hollywood" story starring none other than Jenna Jameson.

2005-04-13T08:47:00.000-05:00

Janice in Baileys Harbor writes:
Hi Everyone!
WIDELY USED PESTICIDE KILLING FROGS--WHAT'S IT DOING TO US?
If you care about the effects that Monsanto's poisons are having on our health, our environment and the rest of the world, you may want to sign a petition against them. Visit www.organicconsumers.org to learn more, then click on Sign the Millions Against Monsanto petition that sends the FAX below to Monsanto CEO, Hugh Grant.

Monsanto is a HUGE, POWERFUL, EVIL EMPIRE...a "terrorist" of the worst kind. It's good that someone is trying to take a stand.

Hugh Grant
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
Monsanto Company
800 North Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, MO-63167
(314) 694-1000

Dear Mr. Grant:

I am deeply concerned about the direction Monsanto Company has taken in the past decade with respect to sustainable agriculture and farmers' rights. Right now we are at a critical crossroads in history, and I fear that Monsanto Company is not contributing to the nation's welfare with a "profits over people" attitude.

Monsanto Company has embarked on a vicious campaign against family farmers in the North American heartland, as well as across the world. These hardworking farmers are the backbone of our nation's food supply and national security. The current climate of insecurity has been exacerbated by your company¹s policies of intimidation, lawsuits and defamation.

Monsanto's legal actions against Percy Schmeiser, the Rodney Nelson family, and the Oakhurst Dairy for example, are deplorable attacks, and do not reflect your "Stake in the Ground" pledge to honesty and decency.

The North American farm sector is becoming a veritable wasteland. Monsanto's Genetically Engineered crops have increased pesticide use, destroyed key export markets and threaten global food safety. Over 90% of American consumers want genetically engineered foods labeled, while 60% or more want GE-Free food for themselves and for their families.

Family farmers have the right to produce the safe, sustainable food without fear of intimidation and litigation. Consumers have the right to choose food that guarantees their families' health and safety. I demand that Monsanto change course by adopting the following practices:

1. Stop intimidating small family farmers
2. Stop force-feeding untested and unlabeled genetically engineered foods on consumers
3. Stop using billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to subsidize genetically engineered crops- cotton, soybeans, corn, and canola.
4.Stop placing patents on life forms. It is unethical and immoral.

I look forward to your written response on this important matter.

Sincerely,

2005-04-09T16:22:00.000-05:00

The following is a live blog, that tracked the speaking event by John E. Peck at the Compass Coffeehouse in Fish Creek on April 9, 2005:

The former head of Cargill Inc., Daniel Amstead is in charge of US food policy in Iraq. He drafted the Bush policy on seed ownership that has taken away the rights of Iraqi farmers to save their own seeds.

What are the big GMO crops in the US? Corn, soybeans and cotton... Who cares about cotton? We don't eat it... Wrong, cotton seed oil is found in food for humans and in animal feeds. We won on wheat. GMOs have not been permitted there... yet!

Corn is one of the most promiscuous plants in existence, with corn pollen travelling miles. BT corn pollen is unchecked and affects all forms of life in the food chain starting with insects that feed on the pollen. We've lost a third of our honeybees in the past few years due to BT. Monarchs and Bt corn: questions and answers.

How much testing was done on bovine growth hormone? FDA and the USDA have a revolving door problem - executives from corporations leave and join a a supervisory government agency that would/should regulate that corporation. The history of such rotation is a scandal.

All foods must have GRAS Status - Generally Recognized As Safe. The "Precautionary Principle" says, "You need to prove something is safe before you introduce it to the market and it has essentially been tossed out the window."

Consumer right to know... it's just ECON 101. Do we have the right to know about GMOs? NO!

The whole genetic engineering process is very sloppy, a crazy shotgun effect, trying various things to see what happens.

Why would Monsanto want to sue someone for labelling their food product as BGH free? Because the label then implies that there is something dangerous or harmful about Monsanto's product BGH.

Should someone actually be able to own life forms and patent them? Not in India, they don't allow this, but here in the US we do, and the US administration intends to use the World Trade Organization to force countries like India to comply.

European scientists generally agree we should not be developing or producing any side products like drugs in a food crop... but US scientists are doing it in food crops, because their corporations own the patent rights on the food crops they use.

Property rights gone right out of control...
Monsanto currently spends $10 million per year suing farmers and have 75 people working fulltime on their agressive lawsuits. Percy Schmeiser's canola crop in Canada was contaminated by Monsanto seed growing nearby. Monsanto sued him, claiming he stole their seed. Monsanto investigators will actually drop a Round-up bomb on a farmer's field to see if the plants are Round-up resistant. If they live, Monsanto claims the farmer has illegally obtained Round up-Ready seed like Percy's canola crop in Canada.

The Canadian Supreme Court issued their decision in May 2004 and one can view the decision as a draw. The Court determined that Monsanto's patent is valid, but Schmeiser is not forced to pay Monsanto anything as he did not profit from the presence of Roundup Ready canola in his fields. This issue started with Monsanto demanding Schmeiser pay the $15/acre technology fee and in the end, Schmeiser did not have to pay. The Schmeiser family and supporters are pleased with this decision, however disappointed that the other areas of appeal were not overturned.

Oil, coffee and cocao are the three largest commodities traded in the world. Any farmer you talk to will tell you there's no free market on commodities. Prices are set by four companies in Chicago.

One audience member says, "All of this is very depressing... What can we do?"

BUY LOCAL... Kraft Singles are not even made with real milk. Buy Wisconsin cheese, shop at local farmer's markets. Do we have country of origin labelling here? NO... Most stores have no idea where their food comes from. Eat foods when they are available in season. The farmers' market in Madison is the largest one in the US.

What is food sovreignity?
The USDA decides what foods schools will serve in school lunch programs - not the local school board. Remember irradiated meat? This effort failed bacause of the public outcry. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal describes slaughterhouse practices. Our slaughterhouses run at 3 times the speed of those in Europe. In Sweden they have outlawed factory farming. We need to combine the organic movement with the Fair Trade movement.

Just Coffee in Madison has a slogan: "Not just a market but a movement."

Create a Farmer Diner - a restaurant where the food served is obtained locally. Have a "Food for Thought Festival" or a "Fair Trade Holiday Fair" featuring all local products. Where are the organic cherries from Door County? The Peninsula Research center is starting to explore this possibility - encourage them!

It's a scale thing... Small is best, local is best.

2005-04-08T06:28:00.000-05:00

In October, 2001 a book entitled The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People Are Changing the World by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson coined the term Cultural Creative to describe, "people whose values embrace a curiosity and concern for the world, its ecosystem, and its peoples; an awareness of and activism for peace and social justice; and an openness to self-actualization through spirituality, psychotherapy, and holistic practices."

Taken together with The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life by Richard Florida and published in January 2004, one can begin to trace a path out of the woods. It's been a long winter and I am ready for the 2nd annual Arts Conference... Huh?

Last year a roomful of over a hundred dedicated cultural creatives gathered to brainstorm about the future of the arts in Door County. Round table discussions on a multitude of topics rolled on throughout the day. Now, a year later it's just a memory. Meanwhile Tom Tresser, a Chicago marketing executive and theater producer, turned a few heads around when he spoke at Arts Day in Madison this year. He's the organizing force behind the Creative America Project, a national effort to get creative people to run for office.

"Artists and creative professionals are non-traditional thinkers," he says. "They're problem solvers. And those are skills we need in the public space. We need those minds applied to public policy."

I've been talking with Tom lately... He's inviting artsy types to "start exercising their political imagination" by creating a "vision statement for a more creative America" and uploading it to his group's Web site. How about a vision statement for a more creative Wisconsin/Door County? If you are interested in helping to develop a sequel to last year's event I'd like to hear from you... editor@DoorCountyCompass.com.

2005-04-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

With the 5-question bridge referendum set for a vote on Tuesday, April 5th, am I doomed to wear a tin-foil hat if I question the precise timing of the WI DOT? The Michigan Street Bridge will close for seven hours from 8 AM to 3 PM on Monday, April 4. The Bayview Bridge (Wisconsin 42/57) will have lane closures for five hours from 9 AM to 2 PM on Tuesday, April 5.

But far worse for summer tourism... The Milwaukee Journal's Larry Sandler reports, "If Marquette Interchange reconstruction hasn't affected you yet, get ready to cross over to the other side. Within two weeks, traffic on I-43 (through Milwaukee) will be cut to two lanes each way, all traveling in what are now the northbound lanes between W. North Ave. and W. State St. That will continue until November."

2005-03-29T07:39:00.000-06:00

Door County Tsunami Warning Issued...
after HELP of Door County fails to help its biggest benefactor in a time of his greatest need

Years ago I once called to ask for HELP and was told that HELP existed for women and children... only. Men were not considered potential "victims" back then, only perpetrators... of violence against women and children. That call for HELP was made almost fifteen years ago. I had hoped that after more than a decade, HELP policies would have evolved.

The recent resignation of Allin Walker, after his abandonment by the officers and board of directors of HELP of Door County, should serve as a warning. Despite all of Allin's years of paid and unpaid service to this community and to his employers it seems that nothing tangible in regard to policy evolution has taken place at the agency. Men are still "perpetrators" and women and children their "victims."

According to a recent letter from Kirsten Dixner, president of the HELP board, and Tom Bronsky, president-elect of the agency, “There was a growing awareness of issues that warranted the board’s and Allin’s immediate examination for their potential impact on HELP of Door County, our clients, supporters and the larger community that we have served for more than 25 years.”

Instead of taking on the difficult task of providing a strong and supportive base for Allin Walker when he came under fire, they and their fellow board members chose to duck and cover, running for the exits in a most politically correct manner. Instead of truly considering the greater impact of their decisions on this community they chose a self-serving safe and tidy plan to dispose of their "problem."

This is the fundamental flaw in governance models utilized by almost all non-profit organizations. While there are many people who voluntarily work in the public interest, some individuals choose to serve on a board of directors because it makes them feel good about themselves. They show up for meetings and act very busy... once every 8 or ten weeks. Occasionally they serve on a committee. Meanwhile the paid staff suffers in the trenches each day, while their "performance" is evaluated from afar, by a collection of detached rulers... very feudal.

When Allin Walker fought to try to stop the inevitable reallocation of resources from social benefit programs to incarceration programs in building the inJustice Center he was cautioned by the HELPers to back off. When he claimed the recent Fischer case was further evidence of a lack of adequate social services and limited funds for mental health treatment in Door County he was again hushed. Now it seems a sniper has picked off Allin Walker, firing a bullet from so far back in his past that it's taken over 30 years to hit home.

Just like in all of those other assassinations, I'd like to get a close look at who it is that's standing just out of sight up on that grassy knoll. I'd like to ask them how they feel now after bagging their trophy, and I'd like to make sure they watch the wave of pain and loss and hardship that spreads outward in all directions. Allin Walker is not the loser in this tragedy. It's you and me and your friends and my friends and everyone else in this entire community... because that's how many people Allin Walker's efforts have benefited.

Has anybody here seen my old friend Allin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walking up o'er the hill
With Abraham, Martin and John.

2005-03-26T10:32:00.000-06:00

I'm pleased to find out that Door County's Compass Coffeehouse is not alone when it comes to serving up a bit of left wing attitude with it's all Fair Trade and Organic coffee.Some conservatives are angered by opinionated quotes that Starbucks puts on its cups.

"The Seattle coffee chain has raised some eyebrows over its "The Way I See It" campaign, which prints quotes from thinkers, authors, athletes and entertainers on the side of your morning machiatto," says reporter Jay Cridlin. "Starbucks' founder and chairman, Howard Schultz, is a major Democratic campaign donor who last year gave $1,000 in Florida to Peter Deutsch's failed U.S. Senate campaign."

The cups also refer customers to the campaign's Web site, www.starbucks.com/wayiseeit where ordinary Joes can submit opinions for publication on a future cup.

2005-03-19T20:57:00.000-06:00

Today I felt very "old" attending a lecture by Dr. Marc Von der Ruhr at the DCA. I listened to a nice young man voice his heartfelt beliefs, only to wonder how he had earned a doctoral degree in economics without ever getting his hands dirty. Privileged to be elevated - the sage on the stage with classic backdrop of Powerpoint slides - he played a perfect Custer facing an unsympathetic Apache audience that called to question much of his sterile, clinical approach to globalization. One can only hope that Marc gets stranded for a few months in Bangladesh or Kuala Lumpur without his credit cards, luggage and passport in order to gain a true grassroots understanding of world economics.

On a kinder note... I'd like to see Dr. Marc spend some time travelling as a Winess for Peace in order to experience firsthand how global economic and military policies affect the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Several DCA staffers leaked the news that Dr. Marc called in advance to find out the DCA's policy on dealing with vocal hecklers, so at least he came prepared for a frosty reception. Cheers to the students at his home base. SNC activists have worked to make Fair Trade coffee the exclusive variety served in all St. Norbert facilities.

"Two magazine covers stood out in poignant contrast on newsstands last week," says Scott Klinger in The Cavernous Divide. "Forbes magazine released its 29th annual listing of the world's billionaires. Time magazine's cover story wondered "How to End Poverty."

The Time article was written by Jeffrey D. Sachs a noted economist who stands at sharp odds with Dr. Marc Von der Ruhr. Sachs leads the U.N. Millennium Project and is director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. His latest book should be required reading (especially at St. Norbert College where Catholic charities strongly support Sachs' opinions) The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time.

“The system is not working right now — let’s be clear,” he says. “There’s a tremendous imbalance of focus on the issues of war and peace, and less on the dying and suffering of the poor who have no voice.”

According to a recent UN report on poverty, 1 billion people live on a dollar a day or less, many of them going to bed hungry every night; life expectancy in the poorest countries is half that of people in high-income countries. And every month, for example, 150,000 African children die of malaria because they don’t have bed nets to keep out mosquitoes, a tragedy Sachs calls the “silent tsunami.”

In 1970, the world’s nations agreed to provide 0.7 percent of their gross national income for development assistance, and that figure was reaffirmed by the U.N. conference on financing development in Monterey, Mexico, in 2002.

So far, only five countries have met or surpassed the target: Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Six others have made commitments to reach the target by 2015: Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Spain and Britain.

Where's the USA? We're busy trying to force corporate-driven global policy like NAFTA, CAFTA and FTAA on the poorer nations of the world, while fighting terrorism with bombs and bullets. It's no wonder Paul Wolfowitz, architect of the invasion of Iraq will now migrate to president of the World Bank.

2005-03-16T14:41:00.000-06:00

"When you go looking for the Weird, the Weird also comes looking for you," says Richard Hendricks. He's the editor and publisher of Weird Wisconsin. He's always looking for articles, photos, websites, new books or references to books about Wisconsin-related materials, stories or photos of your encounters with weird phenomena and any research into the lore and legends of Wisconsin.

2005-02-15T07:18:00.000-06:00

Jazz Composer Nabs Grammy After Web-Only Sales

"Jazz composer Maria Schneider took home a Grammy on Sunday for her album Concert in the Garden, without selling a single copy in a record store. Schneider, 44, financed her Grammy-winning album through a Internet-based music delivery service called ArtistShare that opens the financing of production to dedicated fans."

2005-02-06T21:31:00.000-06:00

According to feminist icon Gloria Steinem, “The shape we call a heart resembles the vulva far more than the organ that shares its name... It was reduced from power to romance by centuries of male dominance.” A few years ago Steinem and other feminists banded together to start a campaign to replace the traditional Valentine’s Day on February 14 with “V-Day.”

The V-Day movement seeks to reclaim words that make some people blush and “stop violence against women and girls.” The V-Day website proudly states that “the ‘V’ stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.”

2005-02-04T01:56:00.000-06:00

Weekly US Map: Influenza Summary Update provides the current status of influenza activity in the nation. The latter part of January brought widespread reporting of infection in southern and western Wisconsin, and now northern and eastern Wisconsin counties are reporting escalating rates of infection. Remember, the influenza virus may be transmitted to others one day before onset of symptoms and up to seven days after the first sign of symptoms. Also, while Governor Doyle has lifted the restrictions on access to the influenza immunization in the state of Wiscosin, 4-6 weeks must pass before significant protection is present. To avoid infection,

# Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

# Wash your hands often.

# Avoid touching surfaces such as doorknobs, grocery cart handles, cash... It's winter- try wearing gloves when in public as a simple solution to the problem.

# It's common sense, but often ignored... stay away from people who are sick!

# Wash your hands often.

# Stay home as much as possible and specifically avoid obvious situations where contagion is likely.

# If you get the flu, stay home from work or school. No one wants you to return before you're ready and infect everyone else.

# Wash your hands often!

2005-02-03T06:30:00.000-06:00

Wisconsin State Rep. Terri McCormick (R) is planning to run for Mark Green's (R) seat in the 8th Congressional District, which includes all of Door County. McCormick set up a federal campaign account Wednesday, while Green recently converted his federal account to a state campaign fund in preparation for his campaign for governor. McCormick, resides in Grand Chute and she says the most important issues to her are national security, job creation and traditional values.

2005-01-30T17:24:00.000-06:00

Word Spy! is devoted to lexpionage, the sleuthing of new words and phrases. These aren't "stunt words" or "sniglets," but new terms that have appeared multiple times in newspapers, magazines, books, Web sites, and other recorded sources.

2005-01-21T20:27:00.000-06:00

Billionaires for Bush packed the Platinum Club in Washington DC last night. Over a thousand people dressed to the nines, dancing on four different floors, celebrated four more years and four more wars compliments of of their man Bush... Marco Ceglie, a political activist that Compass Coffeehouse regulars will remember as "Monet Oliver D'Place," the billionaire that brought the “Get on the Limo” Tour to Fish Creek this summer has a new project in addition to his infotainment gig: wheredowego.org. Pictures from the Platinum Club will be posted ASAP...

2005-01-19T17:42:00.000-06:00

The Human Flower Project is an international newsgroup, photo album and discussion of how people live through flowers. They report on art, medicine, society, politics, religion, and commerce.

Bill Bishop, a reporter with the Austin American-Statesman says, "I read on humanflowerproject.com that the flower decorations at the inauguration’s “Democracy Ball” will be only shades of red. Perfect. That’s the meaning of democracy these days: we keep all the red flowers over here, all the blue flowers over there and all the gold flowers in another spot."

2005-01-13T17:22:00.000-06:00

Proposed wind farm project behind schedule
"As an application for the Forward Wind Energy Center continues to wind its way through the review process at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, a local group continues to fight the proposed 133-turbine wind farm."

Located near the Horicon Marsh, friends of the nationally recognized wildlife refuge are voicing concerns about the impact of the 400-foot tall turbines on birds and bats common in the area, group President Joe Breaden said.

Umbra Fisk of Grist Magazine says, "The number of animals inconvenienced by worldwide climate change will be exponentially higher than the number killed by wind farms, and for that reason, everyone who pauses to consider the big picture should be supporting wind farms in their community."

2005-01-08T16:13:00.000-06:00

Its Eyes is a 6 minute and 30 second long film, freely available for download and alteration that envisions surveillance cameras as a biological organism slowly taking control of our urban space. Filmed on location in the Chelsea Market and Harlem, Its Eyes explores concepts of control, technological innovation, and surveillance.

2005-01-06T09:55:00.000-06:00

"There are less than 40 pretzel shopping days left before Inauguration Day," say the developers of Pretzels for the Prez.

On a more serious note...
Each time the United States has gone to war, there has been pressure to limit
speech and to curtail other precious liberties in the name of national security, and a countervailing pressure to maintain our freedoms. By delving into the country's complicated, conflicted history with these issues, Professor Geoffrey R. Stone provides readers with the capacity to reflect and act on today's difficult civil liberties issues in his new publication... Perilous Times: Free Speech in Wartime.

2005-01-04T07:12:00.000-06:00

The following message is from Julie Teskie, Sister Bay, who is organizing Door County activists wishing to participate in anti-war events on inauguration day in Washington D.C. Please contact her if you are interested in going or if you have a little extra money lying around for scholarship purposes. Some of the young folks going could use financial help.

Lakeshore Peacemakers (Manitowoc) has chartered a bus from Lamers and says anyone is welcome to join them. They'll be leaving from Green Bay on Wednesday, January 19. Cost is a minimum of $100 but that includes eats (www.lakeshorepeacemakers.org). There may be another bus out of Green Bay as well. Please let me know if you are interested in going, or if you can just help out!

thanks,
julie teskie.
blubyrd50@hotmail.com
920.421.1513

2004-12-24T05:30:00.000-06:00

Why does Wal-mart want RFID ASAP?
Remember that sci-fi scene where Tom Cruise is walking through a shopping mall and the displays are hawking him, speaking directly to his individual tastes? Someday soon you may be scanned as you enter (and as you leave) a store to get data from the products that you are wearing or carrying in your purse, pockets or wallet. Radio frequency identification, or RFID, is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects.

RFID systems consist of a tag, (smaller than a grain of sand) that contains a microchip with a broadcast antenna... and a reader with an antenna that sends out electromagnetic waves. The tag receives them and converts the waves into power from the reader, using it to light up the microchip circuits. The chip then responds to the reader with its data.

The use of RFID technology is called "spy ware" by groups like CASPIAN, Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering. They fear the following:

The purchaser of an item will not necessarily be aware of the presence of the tag or be able to remove it;
The tag can be read at a distance without the knowledge of the individual;
If a tagged item is paid for by credit card or in conjunction with use of a loyalty card, then it would be possible to tie the unique ID of that item to the identity of the purchaser; and
Tags create, or are proposed to create, globally unique serial numbers for all products, even though this creates privacy problems and is completely unnecessary for most applications.

Most concerns revolve around the fact that RFID tags affixed to products remain functional even after the products have been purchased and taken home, and thus can be used for surveillance, and other nefarious purposes unrelated to their supply chain inventory functions.

"Supermarket cards and retail surveillance devices are merely the opening volley of the marketers' war against consumers. If consumers fail to oppose these practices now, our long-term prospects may look like something from a dystopian science fiction novel," says Katherine Albrecht in RFID: Tracking everything, everywhere.

OK! Now here's the fun part... if you have $20 to blow.
It seems that RFIDs are already being inserted in the latest US currency. A fellow named Dave says he was recently scanned at a truck stop and his cash set off an alarm. Dave decided to try to deactivate the chips.

"We chose to 'microwave' our cash, over $1000 in twenties in a stack, not spread out on a carasoul. Do you know what exploded on American money? The right eye of Andrew Jackson on the new twenty, every bill was uniform in it's burning... Isnt that interesting?"

Ho, ho, ho! Have a Merry Christmas!

2004-12-23T05:13:00.000-06:00

Support the Troops...
This summer Maj. Catherine Kaus and her soldiers commandeered several abandoned Army trucks in Kuwait to compensate for a shortage of their own vehicles. Kaus and her unit, the Ohio-based 656th Transportation Company, used commandeered trucks to fulfill their mission of transporting fuel. For that she and five other soldiers were court-martialed. Kaus, a graduate of Luxemburg-Casco High School was sentenced to six months in prison, fined $5,000 and given a dishonorable discharge. The 46-year-old divorced mother of one also faces the loss of her retirement benefits.

Kaus' sister said family members intend to contact U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, Wisconsin Democrats, to seek their support for clemency. A spokesman for Feingold confirmed that Kaus' family contacted the senator's office Friday, but he would not comment further.

The transcript of Major Kaus' court martial states that she received the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal and other awards during her long military career. Testimony also showed that when Maj. Kaus’ unit was ordered to march into Iraq from Kuwait, the company didn’t have enough vehicles to do the job. Darrell Birt – a chief warrant officer with Kaus' unit "found" two tractors and two trailers left in Kuwait.

According to Birt's testimony, "Major Kaus came back from a meeting with higher headquarters, I believe, it was with battalion and/or group ... and she told us that we were not getting any external support. In other words, we were going to have to move all of our assets ourselves, and Chief Parriman, who was there at the time, said, `Hey, I think I can solve that problem. I know where some vehicles are at,' something to that nature."

When asked how Kaus responded, Birt said he could not recall her exact words, but the gist was, "Do what you got to do. I just don't want to know."

Several weeks later, Birt and fellow scroungers also commandeered an abandoned cargo truck and stripped it for parts.

Birt who was later court-martialed for theft, destruction of Army property and conspiracy to cover up the crimes – was decorated not long ago with a Bronze Star for his “initiative and courage” in a combat zone. He too has been dishonorably discharged and stripped of all military benefits.

Col. David H. Hackworth (USA Ret.) is co-founder of Soldiers for the Truth and Senior Military Columnist for DefenseWatch magazine says, "As long as I served in the Army – from 1946 to 1971 – a cunning unit scrounger was one of the most important assets a commander had. From Korea to Germany to Vietnam, my guys were always officially short everything but never lacking in anything. We had hot jeeps, trucks, tents, kitchens, weapons and provisions of all types. I not only encouraged my trusty liberators to bring home anything that wasn’t nailed down, I frequently ordered them to de-nail goodies that were needed – like generators – and haul that stuff home quicksmart, too."

He says, "Make scrounging part of the Patriot Act."

2004-12-22T07:22:00.000-06:00

Reaping the harvest...
"In the twilight of the Cold War, the United States spent millions of dollars to supply Afghan schoolchildren with textbooks filled with violent images and militant Islamic teachings, part of covert attempts to spur resistance to the Soviet occupation.

"The primers, which were filled with talk of jihad and featured drawings of guns, bullets, soldiers and mines, have served since then as the Afghan school system's core curriculum. Even the Taliban used the American-produced books, though the radical movement scratched out human faces in keeping with its strict fundamentalist code.
From U.S., the ABC's of Jihad: Violent Soviet-Era Textbooks Complicate Afghan Education Efforts

2004-12-21T07:23:00.000-06:00

The first day of winter dawns with 8 - 10" of new snow in Door County... off to a good old-fashioned white Christmas with great skiing ahead. I cannot remember a winter that started off this early with such an abundance of snow.

My Soldier is a program that puts politics aside and lets men and women serving in the armed forces know that someone back home cares. The goal of the program is to show support for troops by establishing pen-pal relationships with them.

Support the troops... demand ethical leadership!
"A document released for the first time today by the American Civil Liberties Union suggests that President Bush issued an Executive Order authorizing the use of inhumane interrogation methods against detainees in Iraq."

"These documents raise grave questions about where the blame for widespread detainee abuse ultimately rests," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "Top government officials can no longer hide from public scrutiny by pointing the finger at a few low-ranking soldiers."

The two-page e-mail that references an Executive Order states that the President directly authorized interrogation techniques including sleep deprivation, stress positions, the use of military dogs, and "sensory deprivation through the use of hoods, etc." The ACLU is urging the White House to confirm or deny the existence of such an order and immediately to release the order if it exists.

Newly Released Documents Show Possible Interference by Army Commander In Investigation Into Murder of Iraqi Detainee
December 21, 2004

FBI E-Mail Refers to Presidential Order Authorizing Inhumane Interrogation Techniques
December 20, 2004

2004-12-18T08:43:00.000-06:00

Hat's off to Dan Egan...
At times he reports on Door County for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and has devoted a great deal of his attention to issues regarding the quality and survival of Lake Michigan. Today I discovered one of his latest works, the second in a troubling three-part series: Sea of change... a host of invasive species is wreaking ecological havoc in Lake Michigan.

I did a search for all of his other works to find part one: Paradise in peril... Lake Michigan is showing signs of vulnerability - or even ecological breakdown.

Thanks Dan, for bringing forth a number of important articles on the biological and geo-political issues that threaten one of the largest bodies of fresh water on Earth.

2004-12-16T18:06:00.000-06:00

"I'm going out telling the story that I think is the biggest story of our
time: how the right-wing media has become a partisan propaganda arm of the
Republican National Committee," says Bill Moyers. "We have an ideological press
that's interested in the election of Republicans, and a mainstream press
that's interested in the bottom line. Therefore, we don't have a vigilant,
independent press whose interest is the American people."

2004-12-15T23:38:00.000-06:00

"With the holidays upon us, some of us might wish to be mindful of who we patronize relative to their Election Cycle political donations, as reported by the Center for Responsive Politics," says Alan Abramowitz.

ChooseTheBlue.com compiles information from third party sources primarily to show certain reported spending by political action committees connected with a corporation and by that corporation's employees as political contributions, in each case related to recent federal elections.

2004-12-14T13:48:00.000-06:00

"I don't know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." - George W. Bush

One way to see God... and ask for an opinion from the source, can be found in this interesting Holiday link sent by a Compass reader.

2004-12-12T10:33:00.000-06:00

A large shadow looms...
Watch closely. Moving cautiosly, quietly, behind the scenes, a hunter stalks its prey. Using time-tested tactics perfected in communities across the nation, Wal-Mart continues to press for greater corporate profit through growth and expansion. While the debate over building a Sturgeon Bay Supercenter has subsided, it is far from over.

Wal-Mart's efforts to build a Supercenter in Sheboygan have hit some snags. On December 31, 2004 the Town Board refused to issue a conditional-use permit for the 212,000 square foot store. Save Our Sheboygan previously gave the board a petition with more than 500 signatures asking the board to deny the rezoning request. Over 200 people attended the Tuesday night meeting. But it's far from over.

The Town of Sheboygan is a different governing body from the City of Sheboygan. Many people fear Wal-Mart's next tactic - to ask the city to annex the land for the proposed site. The city would benefit in gaining a huge tax base.

The City of Sheboygan has already granted Wal-Mart permission to build one Supercenter, expected to open in late 2005.

“It’s not the need of a Wal-Mart store, it’s the greed of a Wal-Mart store,” said town resident Clarence Weigert. “It only takes 10 minutes to get to the south side.”

2004-12-09T07:29:00.000-06:00

Tobusytoblog... lately but I couldn't pass this up:
From the The Daily Cardinal interviewing George Twigg:

DC: What role do you feel you played in Kerry's Wisconsin victory?

George Twigg: My job was really just to get our side of the story out, and, conversely, when Republicans came into the state and made all these claims about the things we were doing, that we did some truth telling and made sure people knew what we felt was their real record on those issues.

DC: By "truth telling," what do you feel you exposed?

GT: One point this fall, George Bush was in Wausau for a campaign rally, and he was talking about how he was going to support this program called MILC, a price supports system for dairy farmers ... Two days later, Republicans back in D.C. killed the program. It was a really clear example of him making these campaign promises out on the trail ... We got this 30-foot tall inflatable dairy cow called "Marathon the Mad Milk Cow," and she followed around Bush and Cheney to a bunch of their events. We had people dressed up in cow costumes, talking about how Bush was, we felt, not being forthcoming on his position.

Michael Moore writes:
"Fahrenheit 9/11" has been nominated by the People's Choice Awards as the American public's "Favorite Film of the Year." The five nominees were chosen from a poll of thousands of Americans in mid-to-late November. The other nominees for best film are "Spiderman 2," "The Incredibles," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (with Jim Carrey), and "Shrek 2." It is the first time ever a documentary has been nominated for best film by the People's Choice Awards.

The People's Choice Awards are considered, among all the awards shows, to be the one which most accurately reflects the "mainstream" public opinion in the United States.

OK, now, here's the best part: YOU get to vote! Online. Now. Just go to http://www.pcavote.com/voting/film/f01.shtml, click on the little circle next to "Fahrenheit 9/11" in the "Favorite Movie" category and press the "vote" button. Voting is going on now and continues only through this coming Monday, December 13, at 3:00pm ET, so send an e-mail to your friends and let them know they can vote, too. Winners will accept their awards live on CBS on January 9.

Now, normally I wouldn't make a very big deal out of something like this. It's nice and I'm honored, but it's not exactly the number one priority on any of our minds these days. In fact, when we found out we were nominated over a week ago, I didn't even think to tell you about it or put it up on our website.

But then a group of top Republicans took out a full page ad in USA Today (and placed a similar one in the Hollywood trade magazine, Variety) proclaiming that "An election is over, but a war of ideas continues." The point of the ad was to say that while they, as right wing conservatives, were proud of getting rid of Kerry, there was still one more nuisance running around loose they had to deal with -- me! They also issued a not-so-subtle threat to the Academy Awards voters that, in essence, said don't even THINK about nominating "Fahrenheit 9/11" for Best Picture. And Bill O'Reilly recently bellowed that if the Oscars recognize my work this year, Middle America will boycott Hollywood.

I promise, if we win, to give a nice and polite speech.

The Backbone Campaign and a growing coalition of grassroots organizations from around the nation have come together to initiate a process to empower citizens to nominate and elect "The Backbone Cabinet, A Progressive Parallel Government."

With the election behind us, progressives must lead the way to reclaim the moral language of our nation. Creating the Backbone Cabinet is an excellent way to put forward individuals capable of communicating our vision, values and expectations.

The success of this endeavor depends on you! Make a nomination, rate and comment on existing nominees. Forward this to your friends and colleages. If you are part of another progressive organization, urge the leadership to join the growing coalition of sponsors. If you lead a group invite your membership to join in the process! Numbers matter! Please advertise this effort on your webpage and in your newsletters, blogs, etc.

Between now and January we will hold a series of secure I.R.V. i.e. Instant Runoff Voting processes through which citizens around the country can select their top choices for each position. Be sure to sign up to be notified when voting begins.

2004-12-05T03:52:00.000-06:00

You have one day left to place your bid on a ghost...
A woman, "marys454bb" in Hobart, Indiana is offering the ghost of her father for sale on eBay. So far, the ghost has received more than 80 bids, with a top offer of $14,935.66.

"Ever since my father died my 5 year old son has been afraid to go anywhere in the house alone whether it be day or night! I always thought it was just normal kid fears until a few months ago he told me why he was so scared. He told me "Grandpa died here, and he was mean. His ghost is still around here!" He then brought up the couple of times my dad tapped him with his cane and how mean his grandpa looked when he yelled at him. so up for auction is my dad's ghost along with his cane he used for getting around and hurt my 5 year olds feelings with."

2004-12-04T17:52:00.000-06:00

Chris Jordan's current work examines the excesses of American consumerism. In large-format color, this project takes the viewer on a tour behind the shiny façade of the American Dream, into the fearsome industrial infrastructure that underlies our consumer society. There is something fascinating but frightening, evil yet necessary, about shipping ports and rail yards and the like. They carry a quality of unchecked power and violent excess, revealing the vast cumulative effects of our individual consumptive choices.

2004-11-30T04:54:00.000-06:00

The Canadian Prime Minister, Paul Martin, recently kicked a Liberal MP out of the caucus after she stomped on a George Bush doll while taping a segment for a national comedy show. Carolyn Parrish was already notorious for her untempered criticism of the Bush administration, having called Americans "those bastards" and described US allies in the missile defence plan as a coalition of "idiots".

Parrish was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and has been re-elected twice since then. A former high school teacher and board of education chairwoman before entering politics, she shot into the news last year after she was heard saying outside the House of Commons, “Damn Americans … I hate those bastards.” She later apologized for those remarks, saying she meant them only for Bush and those in his administration.

Relations between Canada and the US have been chilly since the former prime minister, Jean Chrétien, decided not to join the invasion of Iraq. There have been slights and insults on both sides, with one of Mr Chrétien's most senior aides describing the president as a moron.

Door County Siftings... gold dust in the limestone

Another way to get cheap oil, ride a bicycle

New windows for Plum Island?

Bringing the Suits to the Boots in Oregon addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = 'ecospace';

Bringing the Suits to the Boots in Oregon