19 results for month: 05/2023

Madison Action Day

Many of us from the Wausau area attended Madison Action Day on April 27. We were in full force with many other WISDOM affiliates throughout the state. Thank you to Ron Alexander and NAOMI for providing bus transportation. We heard from many speakers, we watched a Drum Circle and a stellar performance from the Raging Grannies. In the afternoon we met with our elected officials to talk about issues we care about and that affect all of us! The following is a few of the issues in the state budget: Restoring driver's licenses for all Wisconsinites Accepting the federal money to expand Badger Care Supporting the proposed addition of $12 ...

Wausau PRIDE

Great Local Authors

Local reads are the best reads. Starting with Gina Ramsey's "Burnt Gloveboxes: Embracing Life When it Goes up in Flames." This is a book of misguided adventures and blunders. Trust me I worked with Gina for a short time, the girl is hilarious. Her book has hit the Amazon best seller list. Give it a read, you won't be disappointed! Nick Vander Puy recently gave a book talk at the Eagle River Library. Having visited the H.E.L.P. Campaign for the Penokees years ago and learning so much from there, I had to see what more I could learn through the book talk. I asked an old friend to join me. Nick had us form a talking circle and with his calming ...

The Address of an Uninvited Keynote Speaker

I wrote the following in one fell swoop after receiving a call from a young friend. He was relaying a tentative invitation—or the possibility of a tentative invitation—that immediately excited me into eight hand-written pages without a pee break. That was quite an accomplishment for an old man. Well, the possible tentative invitation fell through. It failed to materialize. I’m not sure why. My inner hermit was relieved. My constricted soapbox manager was, at least for a while, beside himself with deflated bubbles. But here are the hastily scribbled pages, edited with a residue of burst bubbles. II In late January of 2023, I took a ...

Saving the Porkies

Let’s work together to protect our water, air, soils, aquatic life, wildlife and people from the dangers from metallic sulfide mining. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has a bountiful beauty; the waterfalls, Lake Superior, and the endless forests. The Porcupine Mountains State Park, especially the Presque Isle scenic area, all resting on the shores of Lake Superior, is absolutely priceless. Why would anyone want to destroy this? Highland Copper aims to mine under State Park land, under the Presque Isle River, and possibly even under Lake Superior. This would be in the west end of the Porkies. Plans are for a tailings dam that tilts toward ...

Juneteenth

Potential for Mining in Taylor County

The potential location for the Taylor County Mine (Green Light Wisconsin) is along the Yellow River in Taylor County, Wisconsin. The Yellow River enters into the Chippewa River at a location in Chippewa County near Kamp Kenwood (Wisconsin Farmer's Union). It appears there is not an organized group in Taylor County concerned about this mine. If there was a spill or breach at this mine, no doubt it would flow into the Yellow River. Sludge and heavy metals could then flow downstream into Lake Wissota which is part of the Chippewa River system. This is a metallic mine......copper, gold, silver, and other minerals are identified in that location. ...

JUST MONEY ONE

We are once again watching the complete ignorance – and yes, it is ignorance – of our legislators arguing over the national “debt Ceiling.” Forgive the harsh words, but this misguided foolishness hurts people. It hurts the nation.  Every time we witness this self-destructive nonsense, one cannot help but wonder - - - Why don’t Americans ask some obvious questions? How can there even be a national debt? The Federal Government is the Constitutionally authorized creator and supplier of the nation’s money. Who are we borrowing our own money from, and why are we borrowing our own money at interest? Our politicians unanimously approve ...

Manufacturing Enemies

“Once weapons were manufactured to fight wars. Now wars are manufactured to sell weapons.” Arundhati Roy, novelists, human rights and environmental activist. In order to manufacture wars one must also manufacture enemies. Over the years, our government has been remarkably prolific at manufacturing enemies. Most of these alleged enemies were not a threat to our “national security” in any significant way. Most of these enemies did not have the military, economic or logistical capacity to be a serious threat to anyone. But these enemies did provide the excuse for continuous, ever increasing, military spending. Enemies were manufactured to sell ...

We Don’t Have to Live Like This

"Gun violence is a scourge that is unique to this country, and that is why we are taking action...We don't have to live like this." Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer “They’re banishing books from their schools. We’re banishing hunger from ours.” Minnesota governor Tim Walz Gov. Whitmer was talking about the recently enacted legislation to strengthen gun control laws in Michigan. In 2020 men armed with assault rifles entered the Michigan capital building protesting pandemic safety policies. There was also a failed plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Gov. Whitmer. Michigan has good reasons to limit access to guns. Minnesota's ...