The great Global Warming debate of ‘08

I see that my last column didn’t make it here to B&S, so I will rectify the oversight. 

It’s called, ”The great Global Warming debate of ‘08.” In in, I take on the GW debate. 

I conclude:

The Global Warming apostles would like for people to not ask questions and blindly accept their solutions for our planet’s alleged problem. One should never trust people who don’t welcome questions.

I welcome your questions. However, don't think I'm going soft. This open and inquisitive attitude will not be carried into several areas, such as criticism of our President in a time of war without end.

Yes, those apostles don't welcome any questions. I say so, that's why! They may act like they want you to learn about this stuff, and examine energy use and recycling in your community, and form study circles, but they don't really mean it. You're just supposed to follow along, kind of like the hymns we sing in church and the AFP rallies. Who is your favorite Apostle?

Posted by Owen at 2121 hrs
Politics + Politics - General + Politics - Wisconsin

Back From Cruisin’

In case you didn’t notice, Wendy and I have returned from a cruise.  I love, love, love cruisin', even when it's just around West Bend and the Interstate. We went out of Miami to Samana, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Nassau.  I’ll probably post some more pics and thoughts throughout the week.  At the moment, I’m just trying desperately to catch up.

I hope you weren't bored by long, detailed essays while I was gone.  I know you don't like those. That's why I do the "Gee. Interesting!" summaries. Boy, a lot’s been going on.  Here's a few three- and four-word summaries in case you don't want to read the long, boring regular news.

Doyle gave a speech. 

Fred Thompson dropped out. 

The Packers lost (Wendy and I watched it from a warm bar on a cruise ship). 

The market dived.  I hope the rich can find a way to use this crisis to get richer, so it'll trickle down to me.

The government is hell bent on another idiotic bailout attempt that may cost trillions.  I can understand why they think they should bail out Iran, though. If it's OK with Bush, and if Mark Block tells me it's OK, then it's OK with me. Or should we fix Pakistan? We better hurry up before Obama is elected. Did you know his middle name is Hussein? I mean, if you want proof that he loves the terrorists, there it is. Whatever happened to the tradition of having presidents with nice American middle names like Milhous and Baines and Fitzgerald?

And dominating the news.... Heath Ledger died!!!!  zOMG! He had such nice boots in that cowboy movie where they were always cruisin' through the mountains on their horses and pick-up trucks. "Why cayn't I quit you, Jake" always brings a tear to my eye.

Ah well, taking a vacation is a good way to prove to yourself that the earth will continue to revolve even if you aren’t there to watch it. 

So, how’s it been going around here? Here's a picture of me. When I'm cruisin', I always like to pick up a "cockatoo":

Cockatoo, parrot, parakeet, lorikeet, it doesn't matter to me! Any kind will do when I hit the beach.

That's my Gumbalimba Park hat that I picked up at Coxen's Cave gift shop! That bird must like Coxen's, just like I do!

I bet you guys are jealous of my tan. Here is the PhotoShop proof of the entire range of my post-vacation skin tone. I am now the pinkest boy on my cul de sac!

More later.  I’m off to "work."

[ Update: Several of you have emailed saying "Where have I seen you before?" Yes, I am becoming a bit of a well-known personality on a popular Milwaukee television program featuring another amiable fellow. Here's an online archive of one of my segments. ]

Posted by Owen at 0741 hrs
Off-Duty + The Blog

Tracy Flick vs. Obama

Love it. Love It, Live It Every Day. I mean, what wife doesn't love Tracy Flick? What husband doesn't know That Tone, That Look? What wife doesn't know exactly which body part is shrinking when they hear that voice? Isn't this the real reason men don't like Hillary?

After all, if we Republican wives can't enjoy Hillary attacking Obama, what can we enjoy? A sensible cloth coat?

Posted by Wendy at 0753 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

ACLU Argues That Sex In Public Bathrooms Is Private Act

Now we know. 

In an effort to help Sen. Larry Craig, the American Civil Liberties Union is arguing that people who have sex in public bathrooms have an expectation of privacy. Craig, of Idaho, is asking the Minnesota Court of Appeals to let him withdraw his guilty plea to disorderly conduct stemming from a bathroom sex sting at the Minneapolis airport. The ACLU filed a brief Tuesday supporting Craig. It cited a Minnesota Supreme Court ruling 38 years ago that found that people who have sex in closed stalls in public restrooms “have a reasonable expectation of privacy.” That means the state cannot prove Craig was inviting an undercover officer to have sex in public, the ACLU wrote.

If there is an expectation of privacy, can you smoke in a bathroom stall too?  Or can you only smoke after sex?

Were you smoking in there? I dunno, I didn't look! Har! I love that one. It brings down the house at AFP rallies.

Let's walk through the logic: I mean, why shouldn't the police be able to sit around in bathroom stalls, peering out the cracks to see if anyone is illegally watching them? Back in the military dorms, the bathroom Jed and I used didn't even have stalls, and that was fine for us. If we're going to pay taxes, and we shouldn't, of course, then we should find the most cost-effective way to entice closeted Republican gay men. They're not doing the party any good, you know. Maybe it can be privatized. What sort of societal pressures could be causing married men to do such a thing? Are they unhappy at home?

The craziest world we live in. If you would've told me twenty years ago there would be kids today with green hair and bones through their noses walking on our city streets, I wouldn't have believed it, but there they are. Signs and portents, signs and portents. Immorality creeping right up to the cul de sac, right here in West Bend. Just the other day, one of our neighbors came to us with a problem she's facing with her teenage son. She was making the young man's bed and found a magazine containing pictures of naked men. She is quite upset that her son not only must have a secret girlfriend, but she's even more upset that the little harlot is stashing her pornography under her son's mattress when she visits. What next?

Posted by Owen at 0707 hrs
Culture + Law

Snowbird Party Called Racist

Wow.  Some "folks" are just looking for racism in anything, anywhere.  Even in the Deep South!

What Snowbirds call a party to celebrate their Wisconsin heritage, Jim Brown calls “defamation.”

Brown is a black South Carolina resident who was visiting relatives on Okaloosa Island. After reading a column about the party that was in The Destin Log, he called the newspaper and complained. The party, according to the column, is a celebration “by and for Wisconsinites” that features music, tailgating and Wisconsin bratwursts.

“The way it’s stated, it implies that other people are excluded from the party including black people,” Brown said. “It excludes a lot of people and it does not read good relations between other races and people from Wisconsin.” Though race-based criticism of the party is new to her, disapproval isn’t surprising to Grace Fostmeier, the party organizer and a Snowbird from Menomonie, Wis. “We hear it every single year,” said Fostmeier, a past president of the Destin Snowbirds.

Some "folks" like me like to do a service to "you" by finding little relevant news items like this from little places like Destin, Florida. Wikipedia says it's a town of 11,119 people right on the Gulf Shore, not far from Fort Walton Beach. The racial makeup of the city is 96.21% White, 0.37% African American - hmm, kind of like "you" visitors, I would guess - as compared to the rest of Florida, which is 82.45% White, 15.66% African American. The city calls itself "The World's Luckiest Fishing Village". Sounds pretty lucky to me!

Posted by Owen at 0800 hrs
Culture

Justice Butler’s Activism

Daniel Suhr of GOP3 has done a great service by analyzing all of Justice Butler’s opinions to evaluate his judicial philosophy.  He concludes…

Justice Butler does not show every indicator of judicial activism in every case. On the whole, however, his opinions show a disturbing proclivity for activist methods of reasoning.

In other words, we might say that Butler is "dangerously close" to being called an activist. Let's walk through the logic: This blog will be promoting Judge Gableman at every turn, and promoting anything that criticizes Justice Butler, even something written by a third-year law student at Marquette, but especially if it quotes Charlie Sykes and ex-wife Diane Sykes, praises papers written by Prof. Rick "Da Shark" Esenberg for the Federalist Society (who by some odd coincidence) also happens to mention Daniel's paper today, and Daniel is one of his research assistants! What a co-inky-dinky! It's like WISN and Marquette Law School itself are helping us.

How do those kids make their blog headshots look so nice? Such piercing blue eyes, they're dreamy. And those handsome sweaters! And they talk about God a lot, too! That yellow tie means he's ready for "Big Business", don't you think? And "Gladiator" is one of his fave movies. Mine too. What's not to like? We can certainly respect Daniel's authority, wisdom and judgment about who should be on the Supreme Court.

So what if Daniel is not so good at math, or capable of bias even in simple things like comparing one car to another? I'm sure he got a good grade on this paper. Judge Gableman even reviewed it for him.

Posted by Owen at 0736 hrs
Law + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Unintended Consequences of Mandating Biofuels

And yet… America rushes down this road with great abandon.

Europe’s environment chief has admitted that the EU did not foresee the problems raised by its policy to get 10% of Europe’s road fuels from plants. Recent reports have warned of rising food prices and rainforest destruction from increased biofuel production. The EU has promised new guidelines to ensure that its target is not damaging. EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said it would be better to miss the target than achieve it by harming the poor or damaging the environment.

I'm sure you remember the many wise Republicans who praised the analysis of environmentalists who gave the same warnings, and the many faithful Republicans who spoke up against the massive subsidies handed decade after decade to giant agribusiness companies like Cargill and Archer-Daniels-Midland.

Posted by Owen at 0700 hrs
Foreign Affairs + Politics + Politics - General + Technology

Green Lake County GOP Lincoln Day Keynote Speaker

I am thrilled to announce that I will be the keynote speaker at the Green Lake County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner on March 2nd.  They graciously invited me to speak and I am delighted to have to opportunity to hang out with a group of fantastic Republicans.  If you are in the area and want to attend, please go here and get in touch with the appropriate folks.

I am but a lowly blogger; a citizen of the realm. My commentary in this space has always originated from my personal commentary on the world around me as well as commentary delivered to my over my special radios, including a Blackberry, as well as commentary delivered by what the kids today call "instant messaging" with Capitol staffers.  If you perceive it as being part of a grand political agenda, then you are flat out wrong.  Let's walk through the logic: While it is true that my personal comments on the world often align with particular political agendas, it does not mean that the comments are anything but my personal comments.  I am not a GOP operative. I might be asked to drive several counties from my residence in order to speak at their dinners, but I am just an ordinary man like any of you. My wife puts my pants on me one leg at a time, just like anyone. I am not closely linked with groups like AFP. They just happened to ask my wife to compose an automated and informative telephone message you may have received during dinner a few months ago if you live in West Bend, and they just happened to ask me to speak at a rally in Madison. When I'm on television talking with Charlie, it's because I'm just an ordinary concerned citizen, not because I'm a mouthpiece of Republicanism. I wear my blogger's hat with aplomb, just like my boots and jodphurs. I wear many hats, but it's the ordinary blogger's hat that magically deflects the most criticism that I'm an GOP/AFP operative, so I wear that hat most often.

Posted by Owen at 1508 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Exodus

Maybe this will help drive down housing prices

Returning to past trends, more people moved out of Wisconsin in 2007 than moved in, according to a new report from Atlas Van Lines.

The outbound migration comes after two years when residents moving out of the state balanced those moving into Wisconsin. Between 1997 and 2004, Wisconsin moves showed an outbound trend with the exception of 2003, when inbound movers balanced those moving out.

The Atlas Van Lines’ 2007 Migration Patterns study also showed that Midwest states have been losing residents at a faster rate, a trend the moving company blames on job losses.

It’s a good thing that Doyle is standing at the prison door saying “let my people go.”

After all, driving down housing prices has all sorts of economic benefits, the greatest of which is turning many folks "upside down" in their mortgage, meaning they owe more to the bank than than what they'd get if they sold their house. This is a wonderful sort of prison, too, which benefits some large, out-of-state mortgage holders as well as a few local banks, and this of course eventually trickles down to you and me. "Upside-down" mortgages help keep people in their homes and encourages them to keep their jobs.

It's all about the freedom here at B&K. As Moses said, "Let my people go." What he really meant was like the Frenchies when they said "Laissez faire", which means "Let's go to the fair," which is one of the greatest examples of capitalism. Do you like the county fair? I do. Lots of boots, lots of kittens, lots of flags.

I know my previous post said "Good for Doyle." I hope you know I didn't really mean that. I hope you know that I'm perfectly capable of turning any news story in the state into one that connects the dots to Doyle and then blames him for it. Look at this one! It's like I've completely forgotten about Thursday's post. I bet for a second there when you read that post you were wondering if you should invite me to the next Gableman benefit. I promise to be good! Right thoughts! Right words! Right boots! Right drinks! Right blog posts! Right radio channel! Right silhouette!

Posted by Owen at 0930 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Uline Moving to Wisconsin

This is some great news for Wisconsin.

Uline, a shipping supplies company in Waukegan, Ill., will receive more than $6 million in state aid to build a new distribution center and relocate its company headquarters in Pleasant Prairie, Gov. Jim Doyle announced today.

Uline is investing about $100 million on the project. The company will move 650 employees from its Illinois facility to the new center and will hire an additional 350 new employees, according to the governor’s office.

The distribution center will be 1 million square feet. The headquarters will be 200,000 square feet and house the corporate officers and personnel in marketing, information technology, merchandising and finance. The campus will be just west of Interstate 94 and south of Route 165.

Doyle announced that the Uline site has been designated as an Enterprise Zone, which enables the company to earn up to $1.7 million annually in refundable income tax credits based on payroll by creating jobs that pay more than $30,000 a year.

Good for Doyle and the state for working this deal.  But because it's pro-business in the way I define pro-business, it must have been carried out in a covert operation by subversive Republican elements within the Doyle administration. We all know Doyle couldn't have done it and probably doesn't really know about it. Jed and I love covert ops! We get to put on our camo face paint and that dark under-eye-shadow and wear our special silent boots and everything.

There's nothing like the smell of a little tax incentive in the morning. I mean, do the math, kids! That's like 56.6 free employees a year without having to do anything except redefine "new employee" before the move! Why, with a little pre-downsizing, that's easy. It's nice to know that $100M projects only need about $6M in bribes to get them moving.

Doyle or the covert-ops team should look at doing that for every shipping products company in the state, like Uline's competitor Associated Bag not far from Pleasant Prairie. Or maybe they could do it for every company, of every kind! Free employees for everyone! Ponies and ice cream, too! Isn't it grand when the invisible hand of Doyle can "help" the free market in this fashion?

But it's very bad when they raise taxes, of course. When you help "business", it helps everyone. When you tax businesses, it hurts everyone. When you forego tax revenue, why, that's great especially when it helps businesses. Let's walk through the logic: if Doyle gave these benefits directly to the people, like lowering their taxes or improving their health care, there wouldn't be anywhere for it to trickle-down to!

The distribution facility is great, but the corporate headquarters is fantastic.  We need more companies creating new, marble-lined reception areas with monster-sized flagpoles out front. That's always good news for the local marble and flagpole companies. Not to mention the flag!

Posted by Owen at 1908 hrs
Off-Duty + Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Mathias’ Mud Slinging

A couple of nights ago a bunch of bloggers, readers, and friends got together to have a little holiday party.  At the party, Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Mike Gableman stopped by to watch the game and work the room a bit.  Not that "work the room" meant anything like political campaigning among likely supporters, of course. During that party, this picture was taken:

From left to right, that’s James Wigderson, Fred Dooley, Judge Gableman, and me.  Four little innocents!

Upon seeing this picture, liberal blogger Michael Mathias said:

I’d say this photo is proof positive that Gableman is going to be captive to the state’s most extreme special interests should he be elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Really?  I’d say that Mathias’ comment is proof positive that he’s either intellectually dishonest or a fool.  One or the other, can't be anything else, because I say so. Let’s walk through the logic, shall we? And I know my logic.

In evidence we have a picture of Judge Gableman standing in close proximity and presumably talking with three conservative bloggers.  (Jed loves it when I try to talk all lawyer-like.) Mathias has no idea what the topic of conversation was.  It could have been about the race.  It could have been about the Packer game.  It could have been about family.  It could've been about the children, for Jesus's sake. It could have been about how Gableman would check with the three of us before making court rulings after he’s elected.  Mathias, of course, assumes the latter, even though he doesn't say so.  He assumes that not because of any actual evidence, but because of he wanted to attack Judge Gableman.  I have also been photographed in close proximity to Rep. Pocan (not that there's anything wrong with that, and he had great boots), Peg Lautenschlager (not at a bar, though), Kathleen Falk, folkbum, Ed Garvey, Tommy Thompson (he had no money, had to buy him a beer), Mary Panzer, and even Mathias himself.  Presumably they will all be beholden to me too?  All bow down before me.

Furthermore, what is Mathias’ definition of “extreme special interests?” The three bloggers appearing in that picture are just that - bloggers.  The only extreme special interest that I represent is myself and my family.  The GOP isn't a "special interest." Coming "dangerously close" to violating referendum law isn't "special interest." Am I not allowed to speak to candidates and tell them my opinions about things?  If I do so, does that make the candidate beholden to me?  If Mathias speaks with a candidate will that candidate then be beholden to him?  Of course not.  It’s a ridiculous claim.  We're four little innocents, I say! Not that we post pics like this to show how connected we are.

The truth is that Mathias took a simple picture and used it to attack Judge Gableman with a baseless charge and attempt to smear Judge Gableman with accusations of bias.  The next time you hear Mathias whine about how dirty the elections for justices have become, we will all remember that he’s the one slinging mud all over the place.  One little "joking" post, and the race to the bottom has begun.

Posted by Owen at 0723 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

Fifty Killed in Church in Kenya

How horriffic.

A mob torched a church sheltering hundreds of Kenyans fleeing election violence on Tuesday, killing as many as 50 people as the convulsion of bloodshed continued after the disputed vote that gave the president a second term. The opposition leader accused the government of “genocide.”

It's so much more horrific because it was a "church" and not a "mosque" or "temple" or something. I mean, Wendy and I go to a "church".

If only we could co-opt this know-how over in Iraq. We need more help killing suspected terrrrists. Civilians, terrrists. Same thing. Hard to tell them apart!

Posted by Owen at 1044 hrs
Foreign Affairs

Tax Breaks Spur Business Activity - Who Knew?

This is great.

With the tax credits taking effect today, producers are already looking at Wisconsin and planning to bring productions here. Producers of “Public Enemies,” a major motion picture from NBC Universal about noted 1930s gangster John Dillinger, have scouted 20 locations in Wisconsin and are expected to make a decision soon about whether to film here.

A smaller film, “Blue World,” will begin shooting in Milwaukee soon, according to Film Wisconsin. And other films such as “Feed the Fish,” starring Green Bay native Tony Shalhoub, and “The Violinist” are starting preproduction. The state is also attracting other television and advertising projects.

[...]

The tax credits for film, television, video game and other entertainment productions were created in 2006 to build an industry of high-tech, skilled jobs. Film productions can also pump money into local economies where they shoot, as crews pay for everything from lights to catering; half the production costs are estimated to stay in the region where the production occurs.

The tax credits of up to 25% will apply to production costs incurred while shooting in Wisconsin. They also include credits for wages paid to people working on a film; production expenses such as lighting and makeup; and a film company’s expenditures in the first three years of doing business in Wisconsin.

Those backing the credits said the state would benefit because films would bring in new business and revenue that wouldn’t otherwise come to Wisconsin.

Perhaps if this is successful, the Doyle administration will see the value in lower taxes to spur other business activity too.  As I was told by the GOP and AFP, tax breaks for suffering industries are fair for all of us. TV and Hollywood need our support. When Doyle says he's going to do give a tax break or spend money to encourage jobs, he's lying. When I say that giving up future tax revenues will bring new jobs, I'm telling the truth! It's so easy to solve tax and job problems. I don't know why these politicians make it look so hard.

These are good, long-lasting jobs in the film-making industry. Some of these jobs will last the entire shooting schedule, which could take days or even weeks. These will be the jobs that aren't cost-effective to bring here on a plane from California. And there's catering! Can you name any jobs that come with free food, breakfast lunch and supper? And they're healthy, too: most Wisconsin films will be shot outdoors because our undeveloped areas seem so picturesque to Hollywood types, and these location shots are needed to string the rest of the story along. I like movies. Do you? We need to get these films made before the subdivisions and Wal-Marts spread across our landscape, as part of our other efforts to continue growth that's needed for more tax revenue to pay the bills for all this stuff, so we can carry out more discounts like this to reduce tax revenue. See, it all makes sense in the long view. Every little tax break counts.

Posted by Owen at 1008 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin