Friday, September 29, 2017

A Room With a View

If you needed one more reason to hate Millenials, you can apparently blame them for the likely sale of Lakeshore Golf Course to the Oshkosh Corporation.  In an interview with us at WOSH Radio yesterday, Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation CEO Jason White said that Lakeshore is the only option in the city because the company needs an "impressive location to compete for today's best and brightest talent".  Apparently, today's young workers can't get anything done unless their office overlooks some water--and there are green spaces to walk around in during lunch.

Thinking about White's comments made me consider the visit I made to the Kennedy Space Center back in March.  That is where the all-time best and brightest talent did the work for NASA that initially got us into space and eventually to the Moon and back.  And they did it while working in a god-forsaken, mosquito-infested swamp.  They worked in square, concrete buildings that had very small windows--or no windows at all--because there was a fear that Soviet spies would be able to see what was going on from the outside.  Now despite these "harsh" conditions, those workers still managed to achieve things that today's "best and brightest" don't even attempt.

Without the Fox River, Oshkosh wouldn't even exist.  Entire industries depended on the river from its founding.  But not to gaze upon while taking a break from accounting work--but rather because the river served a utilitarian purpose.  It was the easiest way to get the lumber from the Northwoods to the sawmills here in town.  When it became faster and cheaper to transport that wood by rail or truck, the mills no longer had to sit along the river--leaving behind their blighted properties for us--the modern taxpayers--to clean up.

But now, folks just can't get their work done without a pretty view outside the window.  Sometimes I wonder how I even get these Two Cents done every day when all I can see is Walmart.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Broken Link

With all due respect to Aaron Rodgers, if I was at tonight's Packers-Bears game I would pass on his request to link arms with the people next to me during the National Anthem--rather than place my hand over my heart.  And unless you believe that police officers that shoot and kill young, black men should automatically be prosecuted and convicted, I suggest you pass too.

I'm sure thousands at tonight's game will comply with Rodger's request.  They will be arm-and-arm with their spouse and friends thinking "Look Aaron! I'm with you! I'm all about unity!"  But they will have absolutely no idea what they are "uniting" for.  Some will believe that they are "sending President Trump a message that it is okay for people to protest".  But what are those people protesting?

Perhaps we should go back to the genesis of the NFL National Anthem Protest movement.  49er's quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the Anthem last football season to protest officer-involved shootings that saw the policemen either cleared by internal investigation or acquitted by juries of their peers.  After a couple of weeks, a few of his teammates joined him--and then players on other teams took a knee as well.  Now that Kaepernick finds himself without a team this year, some of those players are carrying on the protest in his place.

Now, when was the last time you heard the Anthem protests framed in that way?  When the kneeling players were criticized by fans the protests morphed into "I'm taking a knee to show support for my teammate".  Then when President Trump profanely inserted himself into the debate a couple of weeks ago the protests became about "We'll show him that we aren't SOB's!".  And now, Anthem protests are about "unity". 

The perfect example of how the intent of the original protester has been co-opted into something completely different can be found on this week's cover of Sports Illustrated--which features images of A-Rodg, NBA stars, team owners, out-spoken coaches and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell--but not Colin Kaepernick.  Can you see why African-American commentators are so frustrated that the issue they wanted people to think about has been completely swept aside.

To be fair, Aaron Rodgers is a California guy--and he comes from a culture where empty gestures and angry yelling is considered "doing something" about a problem.  If he really wanted to get to the root of "institutional racism in law enforcement" he would encourage his fans to join their local Police and Fire Commissions that oversee the departments Colin Kaepernick believes are rife with bigots.  Or he would fund scholarship programs for "tolerant" young people to go through law enforcement programs and to take jobs in the most dangerous neighborhoods in America--with the mindset that they are never going to draw their weapon on minorities.

But go ahead and show how much you love Aaron Rodgers by linking arms tonight.  It's easy--and it doesn't require any thought.

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

What Price Victory?

I know that I've said it here before, but I feel the need to say it again: I am perfectly fine with the Wisconsin Badgers never winning an NCAA Basketball Championship or a College Football Playoff title.  I firmly believe that because I don't want the school to lower itself to the level that so many other colleges are willing to go to for that type of success.

The latest example of the "cost of winning" came out yesterday, as federal prosecutors released indictments against assistant basketball coaches, agents, financial advisors and shoe company executives in a "pay to play" scheme involving many of the top basketball recruits in the country.  In a nutshell, kids, their families and the assistant coaches were paid to steer recruits to certain schools that wore Adidas shoes--in hopes that if they were to achieve stardom in the NBA someday, they would "remain loyal to the company" with their endorsement deals.

Some of the top basketball schools in the country are involved in this: Arizona, Oklahoma State, South Carolina (which went to the Final Four last year) and not surprisingly at all, Louisville.  In fact, the biggest payout provided to a player was the $100,000 that went to the family of a top recruit that chose Louisville almost out of nowhere last year.  The indictment even details how an assistant coach at Louisville told the state's informant that the scheme needed to be kept on the down low because "they are already on probation with the NCAA".

That probation was due to Louisville providing prostitutes for recruits that attended on-campus parties arranged by a now-former assistant coach.  A finding that may lead the NCAA to strip Louisville of its 2013 National Championship--as ineligible players may have taken part in those games.  Cardinals Head Coach Rick Pitino claimed to have absolutely no knowledge of the hooker parties in the basketball players dorms--and of course, he had absolutely no knowledge of the family of his prized recruit get the 100-grand.  We should note here that the sex party allegations were made shortly after Pitino himself was accused of raping a former mistress at a Louisville restaurant--which he maintained was consensual.

The federal prosecutors and the FBI both say that their investigation is on-going and that they will be looking into more basketball programs--especially those associated with Adidas (although I highly doubt they were the only shoe maker offering these "incentives" to top recruits).  So I fully expect more major programs and high-profile coaches to be implicated soon.

But the next time you want to complain about how "boring" Paul Chryst and Badger Football are--or you want to ask why Greg Gard doesn't get any five-star "one and done" guys to take Wisconsin Basketball back to the Final Four--consider the price you will be asking those programs to pay--and if you want to see them doing a "perp walk" in handcuffs someday.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Other Affected Americans

Nothing impresses me like the way we Americans rally around each other in times of crisis.  The JJ Watt $37-million hurricane relief effort for the Houston area, the way all of the Wisconsin utilities sent crews down to Florida to help restore power after the hurricane there, ittle kids setting up lemonade stands to help those in both states and the clothing and cleaning supply drives that filled up trailers that went to help those in the South were all great.

But we seem to really be dropping the ball in helping the third group of Americans affected by the hurricanes: The residents of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.  The word out of Puerto Rico is that the island may be without electricity for a month.  Now imagine the response that would have been mounted across the country if the same had been said about South Florida.  Thousands in the Virgin Islands are living in tents--as their homes were destroyed by not one but two category five storms.  How many people would be offering up their rooms or RV's for temporary shelter had that been the case in Houston?

Our underwhelming response may be a case of "disaster fatigue".  Three major storms in the space of a couple of weeks has us tapped out--financially and emotionally--and with little left to give.  But a bigger factor can likely be found in millions of social media posts and replies to complaints about our slow response.  "Let's take care of the American hurricane victims first" is the most common response.  And therein lies the issue--a lot of people either don't know--or don't view--Puerto Ricans and Virgin Islanders as "Americans".

They would likely be surprised to learn that those living on those islands are afforded citizenship.  While they do not pay federal income taxes, they do pay into Social Security and Medicare.  They can vote in Presidential primaries--but not in the November Presidential Election itself.  It's a strange half-in, half-out set up--but Puerto Ricans and Virgin Islanders are "Americans".

Another problem may be that as islands, PR and VI are very difficult places to reach with people and supplies.  You can collect all of the bottled water, cleaning supplies and canned food you want in the Fox Valley--but then how do you get it there?  WPS can offer trucks, wiring and crews to help restore the power grid--but where are the ships to get them to those islands?  This may be a case where the only thing we can offer is cash to those with the resources to eventually get aid to where it is needed.

But when you hear appeals to help all of the "Americans" affected by the hurricanes, try to remember the millions not living on the mainland as well.



Monday, September 25, 2017

The Man Who Came Out of the Tunnel

When his team was unable to come to an agreement on what it would do to protest the National Anthem before their game in Chicago Sunday, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin ordered his players to leave the field for the song and stand in the tunnel out of the sight of the crowd.  But one player did come back out for the Anthem: offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva.

Villanueva's path to the NFL is different from pretty much every other player.  His parents are from Spain.  He was born on a US Navy base in Mississippi--while his father was stationed there with NATO.  When the family moved back to Europe, Villanueva went to high school at a facility operated by the US Army--and when he graduated he was accepted to the US Military Academy in West Point--where he played football as a receiver, a defensive lineman and along the offensive line during his career.

After graduating from West Point, Villanueva completed Airborne training--at 6-feet, nine-inches tall--and became an Army Ranger.  He served three tours of duty in Afghanistan.  In August of 2011 while leading his unit on an assignment to protect Afghan civilians from retribution and attacks by the Taliban, Villanueva and his men were ambushed by Taliban fighters.  In the firefight, three men were seriously injured.  Villanueva--still under fire from the enemy--got those men back to safety.  Two of the soldiers survived--but Private First Class Jesse Dietrich died after Villanueva carried him on his shoulders to a rescue helicopter.  For his actions, Villanueva was presented with the Bronze Star for heroic and meritorious achievement along with a "V" device for outstanding valor. 

After completing his military commitment, Villanueva tried out for a couple of NFL teams before spending a training camp with the Eagles--but was cut during the pre-season.  That's when the Steelers picked him up, converted him to offensive line and he became a starter in 2015.

In a statement after the game yesterday, Villanueva pointed out that things are not perfect in the United States--but that having athletes making millions of dollars sitting or kneeling for the National Anthem will not fix the problems--and that people dying overseas to protect that right are making less than $20,000.  He wrapped up his statement by saying that he is "...very thankful to be an American.  I will stand proudly and sing every single line of the National Anthem every single time I hear it.  I will stop whatever I'm doing because I recognize I have to be very thankful to be in this country."

I have to believe that Alejandro Villanueva thinks about Private First Class Jesse Dietrich every time he hears the Anthem and places his hand over his heart as well.  We all know why so many players chose to take a knee yesterday or stayed in the locker room during the Anthem.  I just thought you should know why some did not.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Well You're a Doody Head!

I thought I had a pretty deep vocabulary, but I have to hand it to the person that writes the statements that allegedly come from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un for pulling up a word to describe President Donald Trump that I had never heard of before: dotard.  For those who also are unfamiliar with the term, dotard means an old person suffering from senility.  Obviously not a term of endearment--and I fully expect the AARP and the Alzheimers Association to immediately issue press releases encouraging Americans not to use the term--as they consider it to be derogatory.

This insult of the President follows Trump taking to calling Jong Un "Rocket Man" for his launching of missiles that are scaring the heck out of South Korea and Japan.  That followed the President promising to rain destruction down upon North Korea if they didn't end their missile program and give up their nuclear weapons--which Jong Un had promised to fire into the US if new sanctions were placed on the country by the United Nations.

I expect that someday historians are going to look back at this time and refer to it as the "Era of Playground Diplomacy".  When adults talking to each other behind closed doors with the common goal of preserving the peace was replaced by two immature man-childs traded insults and passive-aggressive actions in an attempt to prove who was the "bigger man".  The only thing we haven't had so far is President Trump triple dog daring Kim Jong Un to stick his tongue on a cold flagpole.

While this would normally strike me as funny, the fact that both of these idiots have control of nuclear weapons actually makes this terrifying.  Granted, the North Korean nukes still can't make it over here, but we should all feel bad if they were turned on Seoul or Tokyo.  And there should be enough level-headed people in the White House (now that Steve Bannon is out) to keep President Trump from switching from "late night tweeting" to "late night punching in the nuclear codes".

In the meantime, we may have to rely on the fact that both of these guys are all talk and no action.  Nobody is going to make the first move because deep down they are both cowards.  In the meantime, we can just wait until they graduate to such classic insults as "fart-sniffer" and "doody head".



Thursday, September 21, 2017

Just a Reminder: Obey the Law

How would you feel if the Federal Government spent $100-million dollars a year to tell people not to commit murders?  Or if the same amount was spent on groups that went into neighborhoods and reminded people not to rob banks?  You would probably say that was wasted money--as not killing people and not stealing from others is the law--and you shouldn't have to remind people not to break the law.

Well, the "law of the land" as President Obama was so proud to proclaim on many occasions is that you are required to have health insurance--either through your employer or through a state or federal exchange.  In fact, it has been the law for four years now.  But Uncle Sam has been paying $100-million a year to groups across the country whose sole purpose has been to actively recruit people to follow the law.  However, President Trump is looking to cut that to just $10-million next year.

Obviously, these groups aren't doing a very good job.  The uninsured rate--which is the number of people violating federal law--is 30-million people.  That is nearly 12% of Americans--or about one in eight.  Is it possible that that many people have no idea that they are supposed to have health insurance?  Could they have somehow missed in the multitude of pop up internet ads.  Did they all forget the celebrity-endorsed radio and TV ads that have run for years?  Did they not tune into any news broadcasts since 2010?

The "enrollment groups" are outraged over their cuts in funding.  They are of the belief that if they had even more funding, they would be able to convince more people to obey the law.  Their Democratic supporters claim that cutting the promotional budget for ObamaCare will lead to fewer people enrolling in health insurance coverage--I guess because constant reminding that the law requires you to have it is the only way they can remember to do it.

So to save the Federal Government some of that now $10-million dollars that they will continue to spend on "enrollment groups" I'd like to remind you that the law requires you to have health insurance and you can sign up on line this fall.  I should probably also remind you not to beat your children, don't set people's houses on fire and don't steal stuff from stores.

Monday, September 18, 2017

The Self-Inflicted Injury Bug

In football--more than any other sport--the possibility of a game, season or career ending injury is greater on every play.  The amount of continuous physical contact wears down the body--and the brain--faster than any other athletic endeavor except for boxing.  It's been described as being in a minor car crash--over and over again.  So why would so many coaches want to maximize the number of times their players are subjected to the risk of serious injury?

While the Packers injury report was expanding last night, there were plenty of on-line questions about why this team always seems to have so many guys get hurt.  The training staff, the medical staff, even the toughness of the players themselves were questioned.  But nobody every seems to wonder if the style of play favored by Head Coach Mike McCarthy may be a factor.

Like a growing number of coaches at all levels of football, McCarthy wants to play an up-tempo offense that often goes no-huddle and with no substitutions for entire series.  The goal is to "maximize the number of plays" the offense can get during the game.  But by running more plays, every game and every season, you also increase the wear and tear on your offensive unit.  Plus, you force the opposing team to keep the same eleven guys on the field--since Aaron Rodgers goes with a quick snap anytime you try to substitute, drawing a 12-men on the field penalty.  But when up-tempo goes three and out--you are putting your defense on the field for a longer time as well--which leads to greater injuries on that side of the ball too.

Today's football players are being pushed to--and often times past--the limits of human endurance for physical contact.  Yes, players were slower and lighter in the past--and were schooled in proper tackling techniques, rather than trying to blow people up every play--but they were also given more time in games and during the off-season to recover from the physical exertion.  Teams ran the ball a lot more--meaning fewer high-speed collisions in the secondary and a game clock that spent most of the game running.  And after each play, they huddled up--giving everybody on the field a chance to catch their breath--or to be substituted for if they were tired or banged up.

I think that it is more than fair to ask coaches like McCarthy, the multitude of college coaches that use no-huddle hurry up and definitely the growing number of high school coaches adopting the same offenses why they think maximizing the opportunities to get hurt is the "only way to win".



Friday, September 15, 2017

My Team is on My Cellphone

Once upon a time, horse racing was one of the most popular spectator sports in America.  Tens of thousands would regularly flock to the tracks--which were located in most of the country's largest cities--but county and state fairs would feature horse races as well.  While there was always the opportunity to bet on the ponies, some people went just to watch the horses run.  Then came off track betting--which allowed people to go to a place not far from their neighborhood to bet on races without having to go to the track itself.  You could even watch the races at the OTB through closed circuit television.  That was followed by on-line betting--which allowed you to not only bet on races from almost any track in the world--but to also watch that race without ever leaving your home.  Today, racetracks hardly draw anyone to watch the races--unless it's a particularly prestigious race--and the sport exists solely for the home bettor.

This Sunday, if you watch something other than just the Packers game at night, pay attention to the wide-angle stadium shots and notice the number of empty seats at most games.  The internet was full of screen captures last weekend of seas of open seats after kickoff in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Cincinnati.  That has led to the TV talking heads discussing why fans are now staying away in droves--for a sport that used to force fans to attend by blacking out games that weren't sold out. 

There's been a lot of talk that national anthem protests are driving away fans.  Or that the media focus on concussions is turning off fans from the sport as a whole.  And you can always point to sky-high ticket prices, outrageous parking fees and food and beverage prices that border on ludicrous--especially when high definition TV brings you much closer to the game at home--where the beer and food are 1000% cheaper.

However, I firmly believe that the decline in attendance at NFL games is due almost exclusively to fantasy football and gambling.  People that play fantasy sports now care more about "their teams" on paper than they do about "their team" on the field.  The league realizes that as well--which is why all stadiums are required to have high-speed wi-fi, there are more highlights shown in stadiums, and the NFL app will send you text alerts when any of the guys in your fantasy games score.

But the decision to build so much of the popularity in the sport on the "fantasy" side will be one that the NFL regrets for a long time.  It has already affected the core of the game--with the entire emphasis now placed on offensive production--because that is where the vast majority of your "fantasy points" come from.  Team alliances are whittled away too, as a huge day by Aaron Rodgers may be good for the Packers--but if you are going up against him in two fantasy leagues, that fourth touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson is killing you--and likely costing you money. 

So until the NFL figures out a way to get all of your fantasy guys to play all of the fantasy guys on your buddy's team in a stadium near you, fewer fans will feel the need to shell out the big bucks to sit at the LA Coliseum or Levi's Stadium.  And the once packed bleachers will look like the giant empty grandstands of horse tracks around the country.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

The Party Pirates

Those heading up national and state political parties have to be wondering how outsiders have managed to come in and hijack their operations.  Both the Republican and Democratic parties are dealing with subversive attacks that threaten to derail their political directions--and alienate some of their largest support bases.

This clearly started with the 2016 Presidential primaries.  On the Republican side, a man who never declared himself a Republican at any time in his life--and who supported Democrats for years--used a coalition of extremists and those from the lunatic fringe to capture the nomination--and ultimately the Presidency.

On the Democratic side, an avowed Socialist--who had never run as a Democrat in any political race--came from out of nowhere to nearly usurp the nomination from a woman deeply-entrenched in the party and more politically connected than anyone that had run in the last 50-years.  Fortunately for the Democrats, they had firewalls in place to prevent outsiders from actually having a chance to win their nomination--unlike the Republican Party.

And now the trend continues into the 2018 election right here in Wisconsin.  On the Republican side you have a Senate candidate that readily admits he was a die-hard Democrat--even addressing the national convention one year--that now wants to be the GOP nominee.  And this week, a long-time critic of the Democratic Party and its big-money political practices and back-room dealings decided he was going to run for Governor as a Democrat.

It was just a matter of time before those pushed the exterior of the political process figured out a way to breach the walls of the powerful two-party system.  When more control and power are concentrated among smaller groups of elites that demand "political purity" from any candidate that dare seek the nomination, voters look for those that may be more like themselves--than just the guys that write big checks to fund campaigns.  It also doesn't help when you keep trotting out terrible candidates that nobody can support wholeheartedly--turning elections into the "lesser of two evils" from the majority of voters.

We shall see if the era of "Party Pirates" is just a one or two election cycle trend--or if those that think they control the political course of this country and state will be made to walk the plank.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Unbelievable! (If it Hurts Our Cause)

If you say that just the mere presence of a conservative speaker on a college campus makes you feel threatened or uncomfortable, administrators will bend over backwards to accommodate you.  There will be "safe spaces" created in another building, student activists groups will rally around you, comforting you and reassuring you that the bad, evil person talking in another building can't hurt you. Antifa protesters will show up and try to drive off the speaker or prevent anyone from entering the lecture hall where they are speaking--or they will destroy private and school property to intimidate anyone associated with the event.

If you say that having Donald Trump as President causes so much anxiety in your life that you can't function--or that concern about global climate change stresses you out to the point that you can't sleep at night--there will be thousands of internet stories devoting millions of words to your plight.  Employers will be expected to accommodate your inability to come to work on a regular basis.  People with "Dr." in front of their names--but who don't actually practice medicine--will publish research papers claiming to discover a new mental health disorder.  And a few people with "Dr." in front of their names that practice "holistic medicine" will be more than happy to prescribe anxiety medications or medicinal marijuana to help you deal with your situation.

If you say that a manufacturing facility located in your city is making you or your kids sick, plenty of politicians and activist groups will rally to your cause demanding new regulations on all aspects of that company's operations.  They will help you file lawsuits and demand expensive testing of soil, water and air to discover the "cause" of your discomfort.  They will organize protests outside of the company's plant and headquarters.  And they will demand huge out-of-court settlements to "make this go away".  This is especially true if you operate a large dairy farm in rural areas that existed long before new subdivisions were built next door.

But if you say that a wind farm built near your house makes you sick, expect no support from any of those same people.  In fact, plan on all of those activist groups, "doctors", and politicians making every effort to discredit your claims.  They will say that you are a "faker".  They will cite Canadian and European studies that debunk "turbine induced illnesses".  And they will suggest that you "just move" if the wind farm is such an "inconvenience".

Belief--it's a powerful thing--so long as it advances your personal agenda.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

The Folly of "Controlling" Nature

While the folks in Washington are saying "now is not the time to talk about global climate change", I'm more than willing to take on the topic in the wake of our back-to-back hurricanes hitting the US.  Remember that "taking steps to reverse climate change" is an effort by man to control nature.  We firmly believe that by limiting what we emit into the air that we are going to keep climate conditions within a specific range that we think is most beneficial to the planet.  We are warned that failure to do so will result in more damaging storms hitting places like New Orleans, Houston and South Florida.

But what everyone seems to forget is that the reason Houston, New Orleans and Miami are in line for such devastation from coastal storms is a direct result of man's previous efforts to control nature.  New Orleans sits below sea level on a huge river delta.  The only reason it exists is a system of levees and channels that divert water and keep enough land dry for development.  Houston is very similar--sitting in a bayou--with levees diverting water and swamps being filled in to allow for the sprawling metropolis to remain dry.

South Florida was considered uninhabitable until well into the 20th century.  It was a giant swamp extending from modern day Orlando all the way down to the tip of the peninsula.  But then, the Army Corps of Engineers figured out how to use canals to drain the Everglades and coastal areas like Miami and Naples became developable.  Thanks to massive and expensive human efforts, areas that were naturally designed to handle floods from hurricanes and other tropical storms suddenly placed millions of people and trillions of dollars of private property in harm's way.

And our belief that we can control the natural forces of water, wind and tides will not be daunted by these most recent storms.  New Orleans and Houston keep planning for bigger and better flood control and water diversion systems.  And nobody is questioning more and more oceanfront development in South Florida--especially as more Baby Boomers want to escape the cold winters of the North (although we could certainly work on making those less severe, climate scientists).

So if you want to talk about "climate change" right now, tell me how all of the effort and expense you want to put into controlling nature in the future will be so much more successful than all of our previous actions.

Monday, September 11, 2017

She's One of "Us"

I know we still have three and a half months to go, but I think the winner for this year's "Least Surprising News Story" is the arrest and conviction of Oshkosh Common Councillor Caroline Panske for marijuana possession and driving with an open intoxicant.  In case you missed the news over the weekend, Panske was actually stopped for speeding and erratic driving near Wautoma back in July.  Reeking of beer, Panske refused to take a breathalyzer test and kept telling the sheriff's deputy that he had no right to search her vehicle--which turned up several smoked joints and open beer bottles.

I can't remember if she used this in her two campaigns for the Common Council or the two times she ran for Mayor, but I think Panske should adopt the "She's One of Us" tagline should she seek another term on the Council.  I don't mean the "us" that aren't driving around at 2:30 am after drinking and smoking pot--or the "us" that refuses to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance because Hillary Clinton didn't win the Presidential election.

I do mean the growing number of people who believe that laws they don't agree with should just be ignored--and just because you want to do something, you somehow have a "right" to do it.  Panske's Pledge protest is a petulant response to a democratic result that she didn't like--similar to the three year old that falls to the floor in the store because she didn't get the candy she wanted and screams at the top of her lungs as her parents try to get her back on her feet.

Panske was also the lone Council supporter of a "grass-roots effort" (pun intended) to decriminalize marijuana possession in Oshkosh and lower the fine to just 25-bucks.  While supporters of that effort claim it stops the targeting of minorities, Panske had to know that backing the proposal would likely save her a few bucks in the future.

My favorite part of the criminal complaint filed in Waushara County Court was Panske telling the deputy "I know my rights!!" while he searched her vehicle.  Obviously, she doesn't know her rights, as weaving in and out of your lane, smelling like booze and having a few empties rolling around in your vehicle does give a law enforcement officer "reasonable cause" to search your car at 2:30 in the morning.  A person with an actual degree in the law--and a license to practice that--must have informed her of her actual "rights" in that situation--and that's why Panske chose to just plead "no contest" to the charges instead of moving to have evidence thrown out.

I'm sure there will be plenty of people calling for Panske's removal from the Council--but, not surprisingly--there is no legal procedure for removing a sitting Councillor.  Nor is there a process whereby her peers can even censure her.  Besides, there were thousands of Oshkosh residents doing the very same thing as Panske on that same night--well maybe not driving around while buzzed--and they see absolutely nothing wrong with her actions.  And they vote too.

Friday, September 8, 2017

Do You Hear a Window of Opportunity Closing?

Another NFL season is here, and the Green Bay Packers are moving one year closer to Aaron Rodgers' retirement.  The way I see it, they are wasting another precious season for number 12 to lead them to the promised land.  Let's go to the picks!!

Week 1 vs Seattle--The Packers have won the last two in this series--both at Lambeau.  But the Legion of Boom defense is back at full strength this time--and Russell Wilson will be special again in Wisconsin.  Seahawks win a shootout 41-37.

Week 2 at Atlanta--Super Bowl losers tend to drop off the next season--and those are the ones that don't blow huge second half leads.  Packers roll 31-14.

Week 3 vs Cincinnati--The Bengals are on the decline.  Green Bay wins another shootout 37-31.

Week 4 vs Chicago--The Bears will be even more embarrassing than usual this year.  The Pack easily 30-3.

Week 5 at Dallas--It would be nice to know if Ezekiel Elliott will be suspended for this one or not.  I'm going to assume he is and Green Bay manages to outscore the Cowboys 42-35.

Week 6 at Minnesota--Everyone agrees Minnesota is the second best team in the NFC North.  And they prove it by losing to Green Bay 27-17.

Week 7 vs New Orleans--Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson are ghosts of their former selves.  Packers roll 34-20.

Week 9 vs Detroit--After going 6-1 before the bye week, the Packers solidify their lead in the division with a 38-35 win over Detroit as Aaron Rodgers completes a Hail Mary at the gun at Lambeau for a change.

Week 10 at Chicago--By this time, Bears fans may be wishing Jay Cutler was back.  Packers win 28-0.

Week 11 vs Baltimore--Finally, the Packers play a good team again.  Baltimore's defense dominates and the Ravens get a 20-6 win.

Week 12 at Pittsburgh--Good thing the Packers are in the NFC North and not the AFC North.  The Steelers offense runs wild 42-28.

Week 13 vs Tampa Bay--After back to back losses create all out panic in Titletown, the Green and Gold get healthy against the Bucs--34-20.

Week 14 at Cleveland--The Browns won't be as bad as they usually are--but not good enough here.  Packers 27-17.

Week 15 at Carolina--Cam Newton will continue to prove he was a one-year wonder.  Packers win again 35-10.

Week 16 vs Minnesota--This is where the Packers likely clinch the division and the second seed in the NFC with a 37-20 win.

Week 17 at Detroit.  With nothing to play for, the Pack rests everyone and loses 20-12.

After a bye in the first round, the Packers host the Cowboys--who have Ezekiel Elliott this time--and he runs wild at Lambeau.  The Cowboys get their first ever playoff win in Green Bay 41-28.

As for the Super Bowl.  Pittsburgh beats Seattle 38-30.  Call it the "One for the middle finger on the other hand".

Thursday, September 7, 2017

How the Rule of Law Works

In his "governance by chaos" style, President Trump is forcing Congress to address immigration issues with a tight six-month deadline by promising to repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy instituted by President Obama.  DACA has always stuck in the craw of those who support enforcing the laws on the books, as it set a Federal policy that the 14th Amendment and Title VIII of the Federal code were going to be openly ignored.  What's more, it was done by Executive Order from the President--and not be Congressional approval.

But childhood arrivals are one of those sticky subjects were two legal issues collide--with no clear direction as to which law should take precedent.  Those who came to this country illegally with their parents for decades do not in any way meet the legal definition of citizenship.  They were not born here, they are not naturalized.  However, they were minor parties to a crime perpetrated by their parents--entering in country outside legal immigration means.

We see cases of children involved in other crimes all the time.  Parents have committed burglaries and armed robberies, sold drugs to undercover informants or run meth labs in the presence of their children quite often.  Some even taught their kids to steal items from stores, because they knew that management wouldn't prosecute a child.  But in none of those cases were the children held accountable for the crimes of their parents.  And that should not be the case for childhood arrivals as well.

These so-called "Dreamers" would still be in the shadows--and less likely to face deportation early next year--had President Obama not sought to create another class of Government-dependent residents with the DACA registration process.  A great deal of effort went into convincing these people to come forward, provide the Government with their information on the unilateral promise of one man that they wouldn't be held responsible for their situation.  They were asked to ignore the likelihood that a succeeding administration would choose to enforce the laws on the books--making it much easier to find them now for deportation.

If we are to hold to the precedent set in not prosecuting those who were minors during the time their parents committed a crime, than the "dreamers" should not be deported.  And Congress should act within the six month time frame set by President Trump's executive order overturning the previous executive order.  It's what we do in a society that governs by the rule of law.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Desperados

A few things never made sense in the original narrative we were fed when it came to the potential sale of Lakeshore Golf Course to the Oshkosh Corporation for a new world headquarters.  Why would Oshkosh Corp--long a good neighbor here in the city--out of the blue ask officials if they could buy the site?  And why would city leaders consider selling parkland--when no such action has been taken in recent years?

But, as always happens, the real story was revealed to all last week in a couple of events.  A budget workshop session of the Common Council included comments from auditors expressing their concerns about the City's ability to repay the 13-million dollars it owes on improvements to tax incremental financing districts, other city projects and Lakeshore's own renovation years ago.  Suddenly, it became clear why those at City Hall would be willing to sell off what is likely the most valuable piece of land we own--with water frontage and easy access to Interstate 41.  A couple million dollars from a quick sale of Lakeshore could cover several more years of TIF district payments--and rid the city of Lakeshore's debt as well.

Meanwhile, later that week, an email that Oshkosh Corp CEO Wilson Jones sent out to his employees--some of whom I have golfed with at Lakeshore who couldn't understand why their bosses would try to strong-arm a deal for the course--revealed that it was not him that started this process, but rather City Manager Mark Rohloff that asked them to consider buying that property.  That set in motion the DNR wetlands delineation study and the review of deeds and titles to make sure the city could actually sell the property.

So in the course of just a week, we went from a story featuring a city that appeared ready to carefully weigh options of quality of life versus retaining the headquarters of a major employer to a city desperate to make a deal to fix financial woes created years ago.  And there is a big difference there, because dealing from a position of desperation make you weak.  What incentive is there for the Oshkosh Corporation to "sweeten the deal" if the city doesn't take its initial offer for Lakeshore?  Will "we are in a really tight spot here, can you find it in your heart to help us out and toss in an extra couple of million on your offer?" be an effective bargaining strategy for the city?  And there are no other lifelines to be tossed to the Common Council--since it appears the Winnebago County Board has no interest in building the taxiway needed to make the Aviation Business Park inviting to any businesses involved in aviation to buy property in that debt-laden site.

As a shareholder in the Oshkosh Corporation, I would like to see them spend as little as possible on land acquisition and construction of a new headquarters.  As a golfer that frequents Lakeshore, I would prefer they spend that money on a site along I-41 on the southern outskirts of the city.  But as a taxpaying resident of Oshkosh, I'm forced to hope that they overpay for Lakeshore--and overbuild on the site to boost their property tax bill--just so City officials can cover the bad bets they made in the past.

Let's hope that desperate times at City Hall don't lead to desperate measures.

Friday, September 1, 2017

Run For the Roses

The Wisconsin Badgers begin their 2017 Football season tonight--and that means it's time for my annual predictions you can take to the bank.

Tonight vs Utah State--The last time the Aggies came to Camp Randall, the Badgers barely won and Barry Alvarez hired their Head Coach Gary Anderson after Brett Bielema quit to go to Arkansas.  Paul Chryst will make sure that Alvarez isn't intrigued by Matt Wells--Wisconsin wins 34-10.

Week 2 vs Florida Atlantic--No contest here, Bucky rolls 40-9.

Week 3 at Brigham Young--Over the summer, a lot of pundits said this would be a "good test" for the Badgers--on the road against a traditional power.  But after seeing BYU's lackluster performance against Championship Sub-Division Portland State last weekend, I'm not sure what everyone is worried about.  Wisconsin wins 27-14.

Week 4 vs Northwestern--Since this one won't be at Ryan Field with its ankle-high grass and 15-thousand unenthused fans, Bucky opens the Big Ten season with a rousing 34-20 win over the Wildcats.

Week 5 at Nebraska--The first real big matchup for Wisconsin.  But the Badgers have won five of the six games against the Huskers since they joined the Big Ten--and that one loss was by just three points at Lincoln.  I like Wisconsin to grind out an ugly 23-20 win in this one.

Week 6 vs Purdue--The Boilermakers are the worst team in the conference.  Wisconsin sleepwalks through a 27-13 win at home.

Week 7 vs Maryland--After the gauntlet that was the 2016 season, Wisconsin has all of the Big Ten cupcakes this year.  Another pedestrian win 40-14.

Week 8 at Illinois--Illini Head Coach Lovie Smith never promised to beat Wisconsin when he took this job.  Badgers roll to 8-0 on the road with a 34-19 win.

Week 9 at Indiana--I'm sure last night's inspired first half performance against Ohio State has Hoosiers fans thinking they might compete this year.  But keep in mind, first game, on the road, lots of new players on defense for Ohio State were the only reasons it was close for three quarters.  Badgers pull away late in Bloomington too, 33-24.

Week 10 vs Michigan--This is the one to circle on the calendar this season.  Wisconsin will be 9-0, Michigan will be in first place in the East Division.  ESPN Gameday will likely be there.  This game will be moved to primetime and the crowd will be electric.  Unfortunately, these are the types of games Wisconsin has been finding ways to lose in excruciating fashion since the Bielema era.  Unfortunately that continues here as the Badgers blow it 48-42 in triple overtime.

Week 11 at Minnesota--Wisconsin has retained Paul Bunyan's Axe for 13 CONSECUTIVE SEASONS.  And given how the Goofs struggled to beat Buffalo at home last night, the Badgers bounce back to claim the trophy for a 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 140 to 14.

Big Ten Championship Game vs Michigan.  Ah sweet revenge.  A dish not best served cold, but rather served when a bid to the College Football Playoffs is on the line in Indianapolis.  Wisconsin learns from last year's collapse against Penn State in this game and finishes off the Wolverines 34-28.

So it's on to the Rose Bowl and a matchup against SEC Champions Alabama.  In typical Wisconsin form, they hang close throughout, but all the breaks go Bama's way late and the Crimson Tide wins a tough one 20-16.

It should be a pretty fun Fall.  ON WISCONSIN!!