No Bites Tonight

I'm feeling kind of cruddy tonight, so I'm canceling this evening's Badger Bites. Sorry, but it'll be back on Monday.

25% Ethanol Mandate Still Breaths

As I mentioned earlier today, the SB380, the wet, sloppy kiss from state government to the ethanol industry, is back in committee. It looks like it is anything but gone, though. Apparently it is back in committee while proponents look for the additional votes they need for passage. Keep writing your senators.

For the Record

I was generally, but not exactly correct on Señor McCain's ACU rating. The ACU gives him a lifetime rating of 82.3. Yeah, his '06 rating is bad, but in comparison to Barak Obama's 8 and Hillary's is 9 it is good.

I recall reading on the Washington Post the lifetime ACU rating of the great conservative hope Fred Thompson is 86.1 not a whole much better than Señor McCain's rating.

The reaction to Señor McCain's imminent lock of the GOP presidential nomination reminds me of the reaction some had when Mark Green secured the nomination to run for governor. Many were openly declaring Mark Green a RINO. Of course this then means James Sensenbrenner is a RINO too, as they have nearly identical ACU ratings, in fact, Mark's is a touch higher than Sensenbrenner's. Yeah, Mark's stand on corn squeezin's (they are for drinking not burning!) was less than pure but there comes a point when the effort to become ideological pure returns little.

I think most of us tend to be a touch upset when the team we back loses, this is natural. Who here doesn't feel a bit down on Monday after a Packer's loss?

That said, it is still very important for Señor McCain to pick a good VP and that VP is not Rudy.

SB 380 Sent back to committee

Senate Bill 380, the ethanol mandate bill, was sent back to committee. Russ Decker said the bill needed more work, which elicited some laughter in the chamber.

Re: A Political Scorched Earth Strategy

Hmmm,

I have gone over this with myself and others.

While I think Señor McCain is far from ideal his ACU rating of 80 beats the snot out of any the Democrats will put up. I think much of the speculation we hear of McCain winning the nomination is likely but if McCain brings on Giuliani as his VP nomination then McCain's head is full of limestone. Rudy Giuliani makes and excellent AG candidate but not a Presidnt or a VP.

The ideal VP for McCain is Fred Thompson (whose ACU rating is not that different from McCain's), that would and should alleviate many of the fears conservatives have of McCain's MSM sucking up ways.

Corn Squeezin's

Seeing the topic of ethanol is mentioned on at least two or three Wisconsin blogs thought I'ld give details on my study.

Since I have started keeping detailed documentation of my mileage with corn squeezin's here is what I report.

905 miles driven by burning 81.42 gallons of E85. This translate into 11.1 miles per gallon and 20.89 cents per mile (calculated based on three datapoints starting on Dec 22). A couple of notes, first this is winter driving and most of the miles are short trips and a fair amount of them in 4x4 or auto four wheel. This vehicle is a 1500 '04 LT Suburban with around 85 kmiles. One trip was to & from Marshfield originating in Appleton.

Before I started with the detailed documentation I seem to recall getting around 15-17 mpg on regular gasoline.

My incomplete but educated judgment is given identical driving patterns you may pay less at the pump for corn squeezin's but you visit the pump more.

Ethanol mandate is back

This is being quietly fast tracked in order to try and sneak it past you (the Senate vote is Thursday), so it is best to make noise and quick. And it is worse than it was before-the mandate is 25% and it is going to cost you at the pump and at the dinner table. I've said all I could about ethanol, except one thing: I promise that political heads will roll in Madison if they try to shove this down our throats. If it passes the Senate, this site will work to toss every senator who voted for it out when re-election time rolls around. Is this bill really worth having a loud, obnoxious road block to re-election, state Senators?

Have You Noticed? (Edwards Update)

So, now we know what blogs John Edwards reads. But, why would he set his ego and four hundred dollar haircuts aside? Something tells me there's more to this story.

Edwards' advisers said officially he would "suspend" his candidacy, but that was simply legal terminology so that he can continue to receive federal matching funds for his campaign donations.

The lawyer found a loophole! He gets to look like a hero, while you pay for it.

CHA-CHING!

A Political Scorched Earth Strategy

Conservatives are frustrated right now. The Republican presidential nomination has been one twist and turn after another, to the point that we are now looking at an unpalatable potential nominee in John McCain. In this disappointing environment, I've seen various people bring up strategies that I call political scorched earth strategies. These strategies include sitting out the election, writing in candidates who have no hope of winning, and voting for whichever candidate wins the Democratic nomination. That's fine. I think that is a conversation worth having, and I've pondered the potential benefits of scorched earth myself. I'm just hoping that everyone who is discussing such strategies is seriously thinking about the potential consequences and not doing so flippantly. In such a strategy, you are hurting your side, but you are doing so in a way that will overextend or weaken the opposition while your side regathers, recoups, and can come back stronger. Note that it is a two part deal. If the opposition is not overextended or weakened, your regrouping won't matter because they'll steam roll you. And that's what everyone who is considering a political scorched earth policy had better be taking into account. It is only worthwhile if it is going to weaken the progressives politically while conservatism regroups. I personally haven't yet decided if that would be the case.

Have You Noticed?

Republican candidates are dropping out of the presidential race, as things don't go the way they'd planned. Meanwhile, the Democrats are perfectly content to squander other people's money on their own lost causes.

There's something to think about in November.

Programming note

I will be on WUWM's Lake Effect tomorrow in the ten o'clock hour as part of host Jane Hampden's Wisconsin Blogger series. I talk a little bit about the BBA, a little about the state of conservatism (which I kept insisting that I call "conservativism"), presidential politics, and the blog as historical record. The show will also be archived on their website. Try not to be too hard on me-it was my first time on radio.

Badger Bites

Okay, we waited to release tonight's Badger Bites until well after the SOTU, which I'm sure everyone out there watched. So minus the distractions, you can now enjoy tonight's Bites.

-Sean Twitters the SOTU.

-Meanwhile, if you still haven't caught up on the State of the State, Dean has the links for you.

-It took an Obama endorsement to upset NOW?

-Operation Jericho...in Atlanta.

-Remembering Challenger.

-Did MillerCoors have their choice made for them?

-This is just too cool not to add, even though the cameraman will give you motion sickness.

-Yep, he's right: He is the furthest thing from an expert on the topic.

-Paul Soglin endorses...well, let's just say NOW probably wouldn't be happy.

-Kevin Fischer irritates conservatives?

-And here's a link to Kevin Fischer for the hell of it.

-The benefits of the giant tax bill.

-Pheisty resigns from the Republican Party.

Residency

Why do I get the feeling that the city of Milwaukee will lift the residency requirement on taxpayers LONG before they lift it for teachers or city workers?

Re: Rebate

What rebate? Didn't I hear that this is a Pre-bate, on next year's taxes?

Anyway, that money's long gone already. I've been single-handedly fueling this economy on my credit cards while the rest of you yahoos bought all those over-priced houses.

My check is already made out to Visa. You guys have to catch up.

Note: I think it's appropriate that The Matrix was on as I wrote this.

There is no spoon.

Political Hitman targets Scott Walker

A self described "Political Hitman" has targeted Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker with a billboard campaign said to be in the tens of thousands of dollars. He has a long and sleazy history, I guess Lena Taylor knows she can't win this honest.

More details at BadgerBlogger.com

The Lesser of Two Evils

Since I believe the GOP is going to get its ass kicked in the presidential election I was looking at who might actually replace W when his second term ends(I had to throw that in to remind our friends with BDS he has been in power almost8 years)

This is a tough one I will give you a local example of the paradox we face.

I crossed over in the Democratic primary and voted for Diamond Jim Doyle because I figured there was no way he could be as bad as Kathleen Falk. So I figured if we could stop Falk in the primary the whole state won. While I was partially right, little did I understand how much of a scum bag Jim Doyle is. I do not think any of us for saw how much he would try to get away with and how the people of Wisconsin would let him get away with it.

But I Digress.


But we have the same problem with Clinton vs. Obama.

While I think it would be a great thing to have someone who is not a Bush or a Clinton as president for a change. I worry, will Obama surprise us like Jim Doyle did and turn out to be an bigger scum bag than a lot of us on the right may think he is.

So that is what worries me, I would love to see Obama knock the Clinton machine for a loop just because I despise and hate the Clinton's and almost everything they stand for.

But if Obama wins the Democratic nomination the man has a very good chance of becoming the next President of the United States. I am not sure that is such a good thing either.

Now all of this is just me cloud talking personally, since I will not be voting for anyone this election.

But I would be curious what other people who are not moonbats feel about this. If you had to choose between Hillary or Obama who would you pick and why?

Would you take the Devil you know route? Or figure like I did with Falk that anything had to be better than her.

And for the record the fact that Hillary and Falk are women has nothing to do with the equation in my mind.

And please for this evolution, please save your breath telling me why I should vote GOP so neither one of them wins. That is not what I am asking

So which is the lesser of two evils to you?

Chris

RE: Rebate

I'll probably buy myself some financial freedom and pay down some debt. I'm not sure any other purchase would feel quite as good.

Or I will put it, like Marcus mentions, into a rainy day fund.

Re Re: Rebate

Tee Bee,

I would not say that. Even if it is a small amount (and actually materializes) it is best saved rather than spent. I don't think it is the big purchases that really get people into trouble anymore than Thanksgiving and Christmas make people obese, it is what happens day in and day out.

Jockeying conservatives from the horses' mouths

Sean has a great post up on the current cycle of campaign ads. Some of my two cents:

“but none of us know how he’d react when push came to shove and he had to make a tough decision weighing conservative principles against political expediency.”

Coulda read that one eight years ago, but who knew the right’s leadership would sell out so solidly? McCain seemed like a well-intentioned maverick, Bush seemed like a sincere conservative, and weren’t we all in favor of getting beyond right-left polarization?

Fast-forward almost a decade, and I’m not sure there’s a simple lesson there. It could signal that we’ll continue on the current wobbly course, be it at Hillary’s, Obama’s, McCain’s or Romney’s hand.

But wait, there's more.

Re: Rebate

Kay, from your lips to Congress' ears. (How often do you get to hear a Senator say "willy-nilly"?)

I'm with Chris, so I'll count those chickens when I hear 'em peeping. FWIW, I don't think it will be the kind of green that bears stashing away.

Re Rebate

What rebate once again they means tested the rebate so my family will not receive it.

I am sure that people who don't actually pay taxes will some how get this rebate but we wont.

Wealth redistribution is all this is plain and simple

Chris

Re: How will you spend your rebate?

I have taken to personal finance blogging and this is a popular item of discussion among personal finance bloggers. Seems, like you are with the consensus there to sock it away into an emergency fund.

I would suggest that or using it to retire high interest or consumer debt.

However for us, I am guessing our rebate is going to be thrown at our house construction project in one way or another.

Saturday's Muisc - January 26, 2008

Today's edition of Saturday's Music features tomorrow's birthday boy. His incomplete baptismal name is Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus... there is one more to add, but that would give the puzzle away.

Our featured composer is likely to be a fairly frequent visitor here and lived during the classical era (as opposed to the blanket term classical music). This composer's catalog of works consists of roughly 625 works, while this is modest in term of earlier composers (however, his shortened life may account for the relatively small number of compositions) it is certainly prolific by later standards.

I have amassed a fair sized collection of his works and his third and fifth violin concertos were the first pieces of classical music I owned (on the old record album, just as CDs were getting into the marketplace). What is really neat as you start to become familiar with one set of his compositions you can start listening to another and he sounds fresh again. For example, I can pretty much pick out one of his piano concertos as his even if I have not heard that particular piece in the past (as I suspect I hear right now. Just confirmed I was correct.), but then I then hear a string quartet and I am unable to name the composer.

None of his music (at least none I have heard) I would characterize as listless and the piece I pick out is definitely not listless music!

So, lets all wish Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart a happy 256th birthday while we enjoy the fourth (the rondo) movement from his Serenade number 7 featuring Jascha Heifetz:

How will you spend your rebate?

Yes, the rebates are coming, despite the hold up in the Senate. My guess is that the Senate will cave rather quickly. The Democrat controlled Senate does not want to be seen as the folks holding up this money from the American people, especially in an election year.

It does not make good political sense to tell people you are going to give them money and then stall that money as you bicker over unemployment benefits.

Whether or not you believe this was a good idea or not- you cannot tell people you are going to give them money and not do it.

So my question is- how do you plan on spending your money?

Are you going to spend it at all?

Will you put it in savings?

Will you pay off some bills?

Are you going to use it to buy that flat screened HDTV you have had your eye on?

Me- I am going to place it in savings. I plan on using it as my emergency fund.

The Dow Jones is Swinging More Wildly Than...

...teenage hormone levels;

...the rear end of my car taking a curve on Madison's streets;

...the Clintons at Barack Obama.

Post Crescent's 15 Minutes

Charlie Sykes today notes on his talk show a column on John Edwards by Charles Krauthammer.

Eventually, I noted the column published on NRO and read it. I heard Charlie read a portion of the column but when I read the column this jumped out at me:

A cynical farce that is particularly galling to left-liberals of real authenticity. “The one (presidential candidate) that is the most problematic is Edwards,” Sen. Russ Feingold told the Post-Crescent in Appleton, Wis., [emphasis added] “who voted for the Patriot Act, campaigns against it. Voted for No Child Left Behind, campaigns against it. Voted for the China trade deal, campaigns against it. Voted for the Iraq war. ... He uses my voting record exactly as his platform, even though he had the opposite voting record.”

Source: National Review Online – Capricious Convert (Edwards’s breathtaking mind-changing.) By Charles Krauthammer Is that a left-handed compliment to our Senator?

Rising Tide in South Central Wisconsin

Eastern state Badgers have one more reason to be thankful their shores are on a lake.

How can a frozen river rise, you might ask. I, as a newby, was confused. It's the incongruity of the freeze - chunks of ice form, then acrete and form a barrier, and underlying water overflows.

From Rock Township and Afton just south of Janesville to Machesny Park and places in Rockford, the flooding has people filling sandbags and hoping for the best, while some have had to leave their homes as water encroaches, cutting electricity before creeping above yards turned into ice ponds and in the door.

High tide was this morning up north, and is expected tomorrow night down in Rockford. Prayers for these people would be good.

Ack! Update: "Flood waters may be contaminating private wells."

Badger Bites

There is nothing thematic about tonight's Badger Bites. Topics are all over the board. Enjoy.

-A lesson in long term investments.

-80%.

-"Crack Tax"

-No more bashing.

-The new nuclear option for conservatives?

-The top issue for Floridians is...

-Woe to the white male Democrat in SC.

-Longing for the salad days of Michael Irvin.

-The problem with the finger pointing.

-The reward for information in the murder of LaLa Brown.

WNOV radio sale raises some interesting questions

WNOV Radio in Milwaukee is the station that has in the past, hosted shows by both Michael McGee Sr. and Jr. is in the process of being sold.

With the tenacity that makes this 'ol Badger proud, Bruce started digging and has come up with some really interesting information.

I was critical of Folkbum...

...in this post, but gotta give him props for this post - his top five Presidential matchups.

It's just funny.

(And he meant it to be.)

Fred Thompson quits presidential race

Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is ending his presidential campaign. I realize this is a sad day for Fred Heads, but there wasn't much else he could do at this point. Now conservatives can look forward to Thompson campaigning for the eventual nominee and conservative ideas outside of the political arena.

Badger Bites

You've got pretty much three choices on topics to read about today: The Packers, John McCain, and Fred Thompson. Enjoy.

-A little fun for grieving Packers fans.

-George Clooney, peace maker.

-All of Milwaukee's continuing problems are the fault of...two talk radio hosts?

-Fred, and McCain & Wisconsin. Plus a Fred write-in.

-Fear McCain?

-Too bad...it was just coincidence.

-Rick is taking the loss quite hard.

-Calling on Thompson to quit.

Body Worlds

Patrick was looking for comments on the Body Worlds exhibit that just arrived at the museum. So, I thought I'd share a few comments.

Kelly and I went on Saturday (without Cole, of course). We've been looking forward to it since we found out that it was coming to Milwaukee. Even though we saw Body Worlds 1 in Chicago already, we felt it's worth a repeat visit. Besides, the best way to get Body Worlds 2 and 3 to come here is to make sure the turnout is high.

There were some changes to the exhibit since we saw it. A few plastinoids (I think that's the word they used) were added in 2006. Sadly, I think they've left out one of the more awesome pieces this time, a man standing and holding his skin. There's a poster of it near the exit, but it's not quite as impressive.

One of the trademarks of the show is a man on a horse. Both have their inner workings exposed. The man is holding his brain in one hand and the horse's in the other. I think this is one of the most amazing pieces in the exhibit.

Some of the exhibits are going to leave you wondering what the scientific value of this show is. It really is a cross between art and science. I think that some of the pieces were designed to be more thought provoking than others. You will be slightly uncomfortable at times, I'm sure. But, if you have the nerve to really study the bodies there is much to be learned. I was surprised, for example, at how small a kidney really is. I've always pictured them to be much larger.

And, then there's the prenatal development exhibit, which draws quite a crowd. Oddly, in an exhibit where cadavers are posed in strange positions with their organs showing, they section off the area that houses the fetuses. I suppose that some people who go there to see dead people on display might have a problem with seeing an unborn baby. Go figure.

If you're not morally opposed to the exhibit, I highly recommend seeing it for yourself. Take a smoker with you, because there's hardly a clean lung in the whole place. I think that a lot of the plastinoids in Body Worlds 1 are inmates who volunteered for the process. I imagine that's why so many of them were smokers. You can even touch a preserved lung, if you want. I was surprised that the plastic "mold" was so soft and spongy, almost like the real thing I imagine.

As a final FYI: tickets are sold for specific time slots. We arrived very late (about 20 minutes) and were still able to get in. The time slots are probably used mostly for traffic control.

Packers Open Thread at the WSB

I thought I would invite any of the BBA readers who are Packers fans to participate in the Packers Open Thread we will have during the NFC Championship game.

We do open comment threads for almost every Packers game, but this one should be special

So if are near your computer or Iphone during the game stop on by


Warning our comment threads do tend to contain a lot of Adult language enter at your own risk ;) And if ESK tells you, that you are stupid do not mind it, he tells everyone that;)

Go Pack Go
Chris

Update I guess a link would be helpful I am such a dumb ass ;)

The WSB Packers all Day and Game Open Thread

Re: "We leave the paws on so people know they're getting a raccoon, not somebody's house cat"

Hehehehe,

With fancy eating places in New York City serving up insects I would hardly think raccoons would be out of bounds. However, I advise that you cook the meat of omnivores and carnivores to a temperature of at least 165° F and possibly even hotter.

How many here are okay with lamb & mutton, let alone raccoons? The funkiest meat I have had (and know of) is probably turtle & I guess by the reaction of my fellow diners that one day, squid (I have had prepared in ways other than calamari). Perhaps I have had some fido too, but no one mentioned it to me. I am certain I have had goat and camel as well.

Bon Appétit!

Saturday's Music January 19, 2008

Today's installment for Saturday's Music comes from the region and the pop genre. In fact the recording I am going to present is also dated July 17, 1989 and I was there!

This band arose out of Haight-Ashbury music scene of the mid to late '60s and toured until the mid '90s and time to time still tours under a different name.

This music lives on on many dusty cassette tapes and no doubt on dusty CDs and the group took clippings from the shows to make an official DVD.

July 17 was a hot-hot day and my '82 lynx overheated and blew its frost-plug (thank God for that) along side the road. I spent the two nights renting a spot on a local farm and ran into a college buddy (who had dropped out) working at the farm.

Many regard the July 18th show as the band's finest concert performance and that one I do have a bootleg CD of.

Anyway enough of that. The pieces I am presenting are the opening numbers of the concert and the concert set. The fisrt one is very catchy and I believe a cover tune the second one is a song only familiar to the more hardcore fans of the band.

Ladies & Gentlemen I present Let the Good Times Roll and Feel Like a Stranger the opening numbers for the Grateful Dead's July 17, 1989 concert at Alpine Valley (the first of three), enjoy!

"We leave the paws on so people know they're getting a raccoon, not somebody's house cat"

Sure, you'd expect to find Rocky on the menu in a lot of Wisconsin communities. But Chicagoland diners?

Agnes Cliemka, age 23, married and husband may be going into the service any day, Heil and Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (LOC)

Agnes Cliemka, age 23, married and husband may be going into the service any day, Heil and Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Agnes used to work in a dep[artmen]t store. Checking of gasoline hose of gasoline trailers before being turned over the Air Force (LOC)
Originally uploaded by The Library of Congress

The Library of Congress recently added over 3,000 photos to Flickr, and the collection is rather fascinating. It also includes a nice handful of photos from Wisconsin. If you get tired of reading about the Packers prior to Sunday night's game, by all means browse their images.

Re: -There is a Beloit International Film Festival?

Yes, Jib, there is indeed.

Culture, brought to you by the tiny town that is home to the Yale of the Midwest.

I got mine!

Coach Tom Landry had grown nose fangs.

Good recap of the Ice Bowl over at ESPN.com.

Also, 10 things you should know about cold-weather football. Funny stuff.

Playing for the Green and...White?

Found this via JSOnline:

Brett Favre could have - maybe even should have - been a Jet.

The Jets had a deal with the Cardinals to move up two slots in the 1991 draft -- ahead of the Atlanta Falcons -- so general manager Dick Steinberg could draft their quarterback for the future.

"We were going to pick Brett Favre," Ron Wolf said by phone from his Jupiter, Fla., home Tuesday night...

"But when it came time for the Cardinals pick, they told us the guy they wanted was on the board, so they didn't do the deal," Wolf said. "They picked their guy, the Falcons picked Brett Favre and that was it."

The Jets, understandably angry and frustrated, had to move on. So they looked down their chart of quarterbacks and took the next one. It was Browning Nagle. Everyone knows how that worked out.

Badger Bites

Packers this, Packers that, Packers around the clock. Even a BBA blogger claiming to be The Official Blog of the Green Bay Packers. Before you start having green and gold hallucinations, take a short break and see what else is going on at state blogs.

-Voter I.D.-it must be a conspiracy.

-Contributing to the problem.

-Blinding glass in the Marquette Interchange?

-Funding and the constitution.

-Milwaukee supports D.C. on guns.

-The ethanol mandate stirs again-this time with a costly twist.

-A thanks from Kenosha for the help.

-Childless communities-a lively discussion.

-NATO cracking?

-There is a Beloit International Film Festival?

What would it take to make you stay home?

Ok Cheeseheads...

We all have different views on the strengths and weaknesses of the Presidential candidates.

Do any of the current bunch turn you off so much that they would cause you to stay home and just take a pass?

Somebody asked me where to find info on the Presidential candidates...

...and I sent him to this page on politico.com, and this page on politics1.com. Both have lots of info, although I don't vouch for comprehensiveness or political bias.

I also ran across this editorial by Pete duPont today in the Wall Street Journal.

Has the phrase "More fun than a brokered convention" become a cliche yet?

John Derbyshire:

The sheer amount of fun we're having with these primaries — not to mention the indoor relief it's all providing for commentators and analysts — suggests to me that the constitutional limit on the number of terms a President can serve may be high by one. Can't we do this every four years? With a ban on Vice Presidents running?

We do live in interesting times.

Voter ID: So Simple A Ten Month-Old Can Do It

I’m planning to take the family with me on my next business trip. In order to avoid an annoying episode with some bureaucrat at the airport, we decided to get my son his very first government ID. After going through this process with a ten month-old child I know without a doubt that all arguments against voter ID are totally bogus. They’ll give a state ID to anyone, provided they’re a citizen and have some proof. The hardest parts of the whole process are being prepared and standing in line.

All that we needed to apply for a state ID was his birth certificate and Social Security number. So, we started our day at the Waukesha County court house, where we got our copies of my son’s birth certificate. Three copies cost twenty-six dollars. And, it wasn't even a problem that his mother and I aren't married, she signed for them, and I paid. We did have to go through a security checkpoint, though. That part was a little rough. We then went to the DMV, where we filled out a very simple form, in ink.

Provided that you are a well-behaved citizen, a Social Security number and birth certificate are all that’s required to verify your identity. If you’ve had some brushes with the law, drunk driving, or revocations you may have some more explaining to do at this point. If you’re not a citizen there may be some extra paperwork, as well. But, you shouldn’t be voting if you’re not a citizen, so this discussion doesn’t really apply to you anyway.

After you wait the government allotted time in line, you get to pay for the new ID. An ID now costs twenty-eight dollars, ten of which allegedly goes to pay for some federal security screening or something. Presumably, this is the markup applied for the Real ID Act. Once you pay your fee, they take a really bad picture and hand you Baby’s First ID Card.

The whole experience cost us fifty-four dollars, the better part of a morning, and a trip to Starbucks, and that’s it. If you have your birth certificate or order it through the mail it’s even easier. So why do people bother complaining about Voter ID?

Some of them say that there are people who can’t get to the DMV to get an ID.

Horse feathers! If you can get to a polling place, the bank, the grocery store, the doctor, the pharmacy, or the social security office you most likely have the means to get to the DMV. For those handful of people who truly cannot make this trip through any other means, I’m sure that Voter ID would inspire volunteers to rise to the occasion. There’s already no shortage of volunteers willing to drive people to polling places. This is just one more stop along the way.

Some people say that it’s too much bother to get an ID and people who want to vote might not do it.

I stood at the DMV with a ten month old. Suck it up, chump. Besides, if you can’t be bothered to do this once every eight years for the sake of doing your civic duty, something tells me that locating your polling place and actually going is too much bother for you as well.

Some people say that the fees are too high.

I totally agree. Thirty dollars isn’t play money, even in a responsible middle class family. Without an ID, there isn’t much you can do in this state besides vote. Something so necessary for daily life should be more accessible. It’s too darn bad that our governor has decided to hide our taxes in fees. He really ought to deal with the budget by cutting out the fat.


The moral of this story:

If our governor was honest, Voter ID would be a fair and accessible way to police the voting process.

I Hope They Give Us A Rebate!

I could really use this, to help pay my taxes.

No Badger Bites Tonight

It'll be back on Thursday.

Your Vote Counts

Who cries better: Hillary Clinton or Brett Favre?

Saturday's Music

Something a lighter than the usual politics here!

I will attempt to make this a regular posting, but we will see.

So, what is Saturday's Music? I will find YouTube postings of music I like (If you want music you like, get your blog) for you to check out. Since I like mostly classical (classical used generically here) music most will be that sort of music. However, I have some other ideas in my head too. Check the videos out with an open mind, I will post pop music, I will post up-tempo music, I will post slow-tempo music what I will not post is listless music.

Anyway the first contribution is strange even in comparison to its strange recording on the group's eponymously named 1986 album. Funny enough, I recall one morning hearing WAPL (105.7) out of Appleton play this song from the album, which I recently purchased.

I suggest you buy it, pop it into your car's CD player, play track 14, and turn up the volume. You WILL turn heads.

What group? The Kronos Quartet! What song? Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze transposed for a string quartet and this rendition is different from the album's in the fact on the album the tempo is completely consistent with the original, but in this YouTube recording the tempo varies between original and slower than the original.

Ladies & Gentlemen I present today's Saturday Music:

A Huckabee jab at Minnesota

This is interesting.

About 60 minutes into the debate, fresh from a commercial break, Chris Wallace T-boned Mike Huckabee, calling him on the fact that taxes were higher in Arkansas when Huckabee left office than when he first became Governor, and why did that happen. Huckabee gave a minute and a half answer, and did not deny the Wallace assertion. Instead, he gave a laundry list of what he spent the money on, everything from schools to roads, and how much better the state was for it.

But what really frosted me was the fact that he threw a little jab at my Minnesota brethren in there, saying, looking at my record in Arkansas, with the roads we had to build, “no bridges fell in Arkansas.” As soon as the video hits YouTube, I’ll find it and post it.

If you look at any Electoral College map, you know that whoever the Republican nominee is, he will have to expand the map to cover the upcoming loss of Ohio to the Democrats. The greatest possibility of a Republican pick-up is in the Upper Midwest, most likely Minnesota, Wisconsin or Iowa. How in the world does Mike Huckabee expect to help flip Minnesota when a Democrat operative finds that soundbyte and uses it to alienate the Minnesota voters?

It was a cheap shot, and an ill-advised one, especially for a candidate who should have at least a marginal understanding of what he’s going to need to do to win the White House in November.

I know that there are some readers of the BBA that are supporters of or sympathetic to Mike Huckabee. Unfortunately, the man isn't ready for the prime time. This is a prime example of his political clumsiness. When you are running for a state office, you can poke at other states and get away with it. When you are running for president, you cannot.

Hate Mail from Stevens Point

A Stevens Point reader sends Michelle Malkin hate mail and gets it published.

A certain Joe Roppe from Steven Point writes Michelle with some standard lefty talking-points and adds what is essentially I hope you all die. Here is the how the letter ends:

The best part is someday you will die of anorexia or choke to death on your own purging. That’s my dream.

Thank you,
Joe Roppe
Stevens Point, WI

Funny thing is Michelle finds a letter in the Stevens Point Journal from a certain Joe Roppe about the horror of cyberbullying:

Cyberbullying is a tactic some people use to anonymously attack those they disagree with using the Internet through email or on message boards. It can include threats on a person's life, sexual remarks, pejorative labels such as hate speech all of which are intended to harm others.

Hmmmm. I do not know about you, but after I get over the obvious initial reaction I can not but to help think are there people out there who can not see such stark self-contradiction? Is Mr. Roppe's computer cracked? Is it controlled by robots out to spoil his reputation? I can not see any conscious human being contradicting himself in such a fashion at least that quickly. I can see writing the letter to Michelle and then turning around, regretting what one had done, and penning a letter to start over.

However, some googling shows this not be the case. The googling shows Mr. Roppe has been tussling the local political scene in Stevens Point. If you visit WSAW you will find Michelle is not Joe's only target :

Stevens Point resident Joe Roppe has even started a Web site about [Mike] Wiza's record, with scans of court records and police reports.

So, apparently Joe is looking in the mirror, doesn't like what he sees, and whines that he sees other faces in the mirror but really sees his own face, no he does not object to personal attacks & threats, he objects when made against him and his causes. Next time Joe wants to whine about the rough and tumble politics I suggest he look in the mirror first and realize its his face he sees.

Now, perhaps Ole Joe thinks his note is excepted as he starts off with the anonymous qualifier in his mail, but the fact he attaches his name in no way ennobles the letter.

Badger Bites

Let's get right to it.

-If you experiment with McCain, you risk growing up to be like Christian Schneider.

-Franklin to go after bar for the crimes of a drunk driver?

-Damage photos from Kenosha county.

-It looks like the incandescent black market will be very competitive.

-More controversy in Sheboygan.

-Taser parties.

-Undecided.

-McCain-Lieberman. McCain-Huckabee. Ugh.

-Presidential nominations-they aren't Survivor.

Those racist New Hampshirians

Or is it New Hampshirites?

A few pundits around the blogosphere pointed to Barack Obama's victory in mostly-white Iowa as - maybe, hopefully - The Sign that we could finally turn the corner on race in the US.

But no. A commenter over at Pundit Nation says:

Obama lost because yesterday the folks in New Hampshire realized he is black.

And the Cap Times' John Nichols says:

And if the Bradley Effect (voters saying they'll vote for the black candidate, then voting against him -ed.) was in play in New Hampshire, then Barack Obama may face a greater struggle to bridge the often-unmentioned gaps that remain in a nation that has long been divided along lines of race and class.

It is not merely Obama's struggle, however. It is America's struggle as well.

At least Nichols only asked about it. Or asserted it by asking. Like Huckabee asking whether Mormons believe Jesus and Satan are brothers.

He was only asking!

I guess I could point out that Obama only lost by 3 percentage points. Or that over a hundred thousand people voted for him. Or that Clinton won women by 12 percentage points.

Maybe "the folks in New Hampshire" realized Obama was male?

But that's all irrelevant. Any defeat for Obama - up to and including the general election in November - will be considered proof that America is, at the very least, a subconsciously racist nation.

I Could've Looked So Smart...

... if I'd predicted at the BBA Christmas party that Hillary would cry for the TV cameras.

For some reason, I thought that was too small of a prediction. Part of me assumed half of the suggestions were going to say it.

I'm kicking myself!

Question: In Wisconsin, will I need a concealed-carry permit for this? Cause it could really tame my itchy trigger finger.

CP @ GMC.

Kenosha Tornado Photo

For a tornado situation that lasted as long as yesterday's in southeast Wisconsin, I'm surprised that there weren't more high quality photos. I think the Stoughton and Hammond tornadoes from a couple of years back produced more images. Still, there are a few good photos out there. This guy caught the tornado in Kenosha. Meanwhile, this guy caught the tornado while it was still in the flatlands.

What a great idea!

Convenience Store Chain Offers Coupons To Offset Cigarette Tax

MADISON, Wis. -- A state convenience store chain is handing out coupons to counter Wisconsin's increase in the cigarette tax.

As part of a marketing promotion, Open Pantry stores are handing out "Doyle Dollars" to smokers to help offset the $1 per pack increase in the state's cigarette tax. Gov. Jim Doyle pushed for the cigarette tax increase in the budget.

The promotion, which is good for $1 off any two packs of cigarettes, began Tuesday, the same day the tax hike took effect, and runs through Jan. 31.

Makes me want to go buy some cigarettes, just to get a Doyle Dollar.

Are they actual coupons? Do they have Doyle's picture on them? Do you have to buy cigarettes to get one?

Hat tip to Foxpolitics.

Drumbeat

Corn is for eatin' and wipin' yer backside.

Smithsonian researchers highlight a new study that factors in environmental costs of biofuel production. Corn, soy and sugarcane come up short.

Badger Bites, January Tornado edition

How about that Wisconsin weather? Tornadoes in January. Information is only trickling out of the far southeast corner of the state so far, but hopefully the numerous tornadoes in Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha caused a minimum of injuries. We'll start tonight with a couple of posts that were available on the tornadoes and then move on from there.

-It ain't every day you hear about tornadoes hurling snowmobiles.

-It sounds like Kenosha was hard hit.

-Thoughts on Huckabee.

-The woman who changed the world.

-A new Casper Experience. Not this Experience.

-The flip side of snubbing Paul.

-Something we can all agree on with Pundit Nation.

-The fog or the drivers?

Chuck Chvala: Do the rules apply to him?

It seems that the disgraced former state Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala has been practicing his real estate business and law/consulting firm, even though his licenses for both, remain under suspension. Bruce has the interesting details here:

Chuck Chvala: Keeping his “finger on the pulse” of the Madison real estate market, with or without a real estate license

Re: Cost of Oil

Wow, you guys are really sold on the Ron Paul rhetoric over there, aren't you? There is a fear premium built into the price of oil, but the larger factors for today's high prices are vastly increased demands from huge markets like India and China and the continuing effect of cartel control over Middle Eastern supplies, Chris. And the roadblocks the U.S. government throws up against the exploration and procurement of our own oil resources doesn't help. This whole foreign intervention as the explanation for high oil prices is alluring but way more simplified than the reality.

This logic seems to imply that if we'd have just curled up into ourselves like we did in the 1930's, none of the world's problems would be here today. Saddam, in control of Iraq and Kuwait's oil fields, would have kept oil dirt cheap despite the fact that he'd have the market cornered on a very large percentage oil production. Is that what were supposed to believe? I admire your in depth look at economics over there, but I think maybe you guys should brush up on what happens when competition, even in a corrupt cartel like OPEC, is decreased.

Cost of Oil

Ask yourself this question, had you known in 2000 that the result of coming to the aid of Kuwait (as opposed to letting the Saudi's deal with the problem) would have resulted in $100 pbbl oil (and rising), the loss of 7500 American lives (and counting), economic crisis and a deflated dollar, would you have still supported Bush 41, let alone Bush 43?

Remember the cost of oil was only $27.

Foreign Intervention and the Price of Oil

Channelling Topol

Mr. Pterodactyl raises an interesting point:

Iowa is first because in 1972 the state conventions set rules that caused their primary to be held on January 24th, which just happened to be earlier than everybody else's. The only reason, now, for Iowa to be first is 'tradition,' but that tradition is only 35 years old.

1972? Wouldn't that make my birthday an even stronger and more traditional tradition?

And while I’m thinking about names…

…what’s the best way to refer to Hillary Clinton?

Some pundits go with “Hillary,” because they think a first name is less professional, less impressive.

I admit I’m inclined to do that, too, just out of...oh, I dunno. Some people are just identifiable by a single name.

But I think calling her by her first name is too familiar. As Pep Streebeck told Joe Friday: “friendships start with first names.”

That would seem to make her more human, thus more electable.

So I force myself to go with “Clinton,” or sometimes “Senator Clinton.” It’s more appropriate, for one thing. It leaves some ambiguity as to which Clinton I mean, thus bringing their thoughts to Bill.

What happens if Huckabee wins the election?

Can you imagine what Democrats will do with his name? Huckleberry. Hickabee. Shucksabee. Whorekabee.

And as Josh Schroeder pointed out last month, those aren't even the least desirable options.

The Right Side of Wisconsin: Wieckert’s branding bill passes Assembly committee | WisBusiness

Who should be carrying the ball on this issue? The Secretary of Tourism or a legislator? Give up? Neither -- the Secretary of Commerce needs to address the issues that give Wisconsin a #44 position in the Forbes rankings for business development. The problem of Wisconsin's brand is not a style issue -- it's a SUBSTANCE issue. Read more...

Badger Bites

All the world's eyes are on Iowa. Am I the only one who giggles when I hear that? Anyway, if you can tear your eyes away from the results, take a stroll around Wisconsin's blogs.

-Rest in peace, Governor Dreyfus.

-Phel takes an interesting look at the demand side in a national health care system.

-The trouble CFLs present to migraine sufferers.

-Remember the Troha...or something like that.

-Only the truth could be this strange.

-The battle for the title of "Wisconsin's most influential liberal blogger."

-The differences between WIVA and home schooling.

-On Independents.

-"...decent people don't cross picket lines..."

-Free rent for public employees?

-Ron Paul as Howard Dean.

-Kathy runs in Kenosha.

What if...

...the Iowa Hawkeyes were playing in tonight's Orange Bowl?

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Soap Box

There are oodles of blogs and forums in Wisconsin where you can make comments and one more has been added to the mix.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has created The Soap Box. Join in the fun.

Here are a few sample questions from the MJS just to get you started:

1. Who will win the Wisconsin presidential primary? (Give both a Democratic winner and Republican winner).

2. What percentage of the vote will Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett get in the April 1 election? (Note: No major candidate has emerged to challenge him).

3. Who will win the Milwaukee County executive's race? By what margin? (Incumbent Scott Walker is being challenged by state Sen. Lena Taylor, a Milwaukee Democrat; computer consultant Joe Klein and Greenfield city engineer Curtis Bolten.)

The MJS seems to be giving a lot of latitude to anyone that would like to post. You can disagree with others in the posts, but you have to be civil. (That may eliminate a few people rather quickly)

Overtures!

First, apologies I did not show up at the party. The Empress had to work bright and early. I do offer to host next year's party.

Anyway some festive music!

First a slower than it should be rendition of Franz von Suppé's Light Calvary Overture:
The performance and recording do not do the piece justice.

Moving onto our next overture the famous one by Gioachino Rossini performed by the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Claudio Abbado – a world class orchestra & conductor. Not only is the performance top notch but the recording is darned good too.

Part I:


Part II contains the portion of the piece we all know, the joy of the performers and conductor come across loud and clear visually as well as via audio!


BTW, the last two are parts I & II Of The William Tell Overture.

Happy New Year to all!

Predictions from the blog party.

The following predictions were gathered from the attendees at the Blog Holiday party.

See the rest at the Real Debate Wisconsin.

Mark Block, AFPWI.ORG. Republicans pick up Assembly seats and one seat in the State Senate. Gabelman wins the Supreme Court Race.

Jim Bell, Caledonia Unplugged. Obama wins the elections. Obama goes to see Osama Bin Laden and converts him to Christianity with the Muslim World. Mideast troubles are over.

Jo Egelhoff, Fox Politics.net. 20 water utilities will apply for "conservation rates" where higher residential rates will be charged as usage gets higher.

Glenn Frankovis, Badger Blogger. Ed Flynn will reduce crime across the board by 25%.

John Connors, AFPWI.ORG. Hillary doesn't win, Romney does..

Kevin Biniverse, Lakeshore Laments. In an effort to pander more and more, Steve Kagen will issue Congressional Resolutions for the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers, and Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. No one will care but his over-worked Press Secretary.

Ric Larson, Silent E Speaks. Hillary won't get the D nomination. She'll leave Bill, shack up with Mother Sheehan and open a brothel with Barney Frank.

Kathy Carpenter, Stepping Right Up. Huckabee goes down in flames in Iowa.

Mrs RDW, Real Debate Wisconsin. Al Sharpton will finally accept Barack Obama after Obama loses the Democratic nomination. As it turns out they finally have something in common.

Aaron Kreel, Subject to Change. The Ron Paul blimp is auctioned off on E-Bay. (Nick Schweitzer buys it)

Patrick Dorwin, Badger Blogger. Fred Gordon will be the Alderman for Milwaukee's 6th District.

James Wigderson, Wigderson Library and Pub. Owen Robinson will have to explain to the Government Accountability Board what is a "blog".

Don "Boots" Jensen. Perception is Reality. Home interest rates will rise over 8%. I will continue enjoying retirement with my lovely bride.

Fred Dooley, Real Debate Wisconsin. After organizing and promoting a successful blog party in 2007 I predict I'll do it again in 2008. (unless Dave Casper wants to come out of retirement to do it)

Excellent the Poor are paying more taxes

As the Wisconsin tax on cigarettes goes up a dollar starting today I have to say it is wonderful that finally a tax that poor have to pay. I personally think they should have raised it 3 dollars. I mean if the reason you raise the tax is to stop people from using a legal product why stop at a dollar raise?

I do find it amazing that the State will make more money off each pack sold than the end retailer same as they do with gasoline.

I will take this moment once again to call on any city or state that enacts harsh anti smoking laws to stop accepting the blood money they get from tobacco taxes

If smoking is as evil as the health Nazis in government say it is, that we need to enact all these laws restricting where and who can smoke. Then they should have the guts to outlaw the sale of tobacco and stop collecting taxes on what they themselves say is an unsafe product.

Hmm politicians being two faced and talking out of both sides of their mouth, tobacco is evil but they will never give up the blood money they collect from that tobacco tax.

Politicians from both parties suck and deep down we all know it.

WSB Chris