Government
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN CONCERNS IN 2024
Recently, I asked family members and friends: What are your main concerns in 2024?
The responses centered around: climate change and the environment; unions; supporting public schools with additional funds to counter the taxpayer money going to unaccountable private schools; gerrymandering and redistricting; the slaughter of children by high-powered rifles; Social Security and Medicare; raising the minimum wage; increase the number of charging stations for vehicles; use money from the military budget for people programs—education, healthcare, childcare; as our local ...
We Share the Blame…
“Is it for freedom or our comfort and convenience?
Is it to profit for big business we pledge our allegiance?
Are we prisoners in the land of the brave and the bold?
Held by indifference, our hearts grown hard and cold?
From Sara Thomsen's song “Is It For Freedom.”
As a nation, our hearts have become hard and cold to the killing of innocent people all over the world. We are so accustomed to our government constantly bombing someone, somewhere that we can not see the humanity of the victims. Claiming to be defending freedom, democracy or ...
Moderate/Extremist? Left/Right
Words, and their meanings, matter. Words are not vessels that can be filled with whatever meaning one wants. Kung Fu-tzu, who lived 500 years before Christ, said that before a debate begins, the participants should participate in “rectification of terms.” What he meant was that the participants in the debate should agree on the definitions of the key words to be used. After rectification of terms, many points of dispute disappear. In the US today, we need a rectification of terms, especially in politics and media news. Opposing sides use the same words in disputation, ...
Tiffany’s Foreign Policy Foolishness
“... when confronted by small men doing big and stupid things, we need to resist with all the wit and creativity we can muster...” Bill McKibben, environmentalist and author
“Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.” John Stuart Mill (1806 – 1873), an influential British political and economic thinker.
It would be impolite for me to suggest that Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany, being extremely conservative, might fit J.S. Mills famous maxim. It would not be inappropriate, however, to point ...
Ruminations On A Happy New Year
“They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” Tom Bodett, author and NPR personality.
“Christmas is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate a religious holiday than with a month of frenzied consumerism.” Calvin, a cartoon character from Calvin and Hobbs
“Happy New Year” is one of the meaningless Hallmark platitudes of the season. You hear the greeting from friends and strangers. It is in the shopping mall Christmas music tape loop. The cards you ...
Appellate Court Upholds Reversal of Kohler Wetland Permit
WE WON!
Appellate Court Upholds Reversal of Kohler Wetland Permit.
DNR admits "gaps of information"
Press Release
For immediate release:
Friends of the Black River Forest
December 5, 2023
Court of Appeals affirms reversal of Wetland Fill Permit for proposed Kohler golf course.
The reversal of the DNR-issued wetland fill permit required for construction of the Kohler Company's proposed golf course in Sheboygan has been upheld by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District III. A ...
QUOTATIONS THAT FIT
“But there is a far deeper problem with the framing of these concerns. The critical problem is not “global inaction” over mass atrocities. It is the opposite: intense western – chiefly US – support for, and complicity in, such atrocities.”
“The US is not helpless in the unfolding genocide. It is actively facilitating it. In fact, Israel’s genocide and ethnic cleansing would be impossible without not just US collusion but active participation.”
“It’s intense US and UK support for atrocities so long as they bolster their global power.”
Jona...
Questions to Ask Yourself on Gaza
“What does Israel, or the world community, expect? How can you trap 2.3 million people in Gaza, half of whom are unemployed, in one of the most densely populated spots on the planet for 16 years; reduce the lives of its residents, half of whom are children, to a subsistence level; deprive them of basic medical supplies, food, water, and electricity; use attack aircraft, artillery, mechanized units, missiles, naval guns, and infantry units to randomly slaughter unarmed civilians and not expect a violent response?” Chris Hedges, journalist (“What Does Israel Expect?” ...
THEN GOD CREATED MONEY
In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. Next God came to Earth and left a giant sack of money so Adam and Eve’s kids and grandkids could conduct business. That’s how we got money. And if you believe this you have as much understanding of money as our legislators in Washington D.C. You know – the ones who spend a trillion dollars a year sending bombs and guns and warplanes and killer ships all around the world murdering women and children to spread peace and democracy and human rights and stuff, but in the next breath tell us we can’t afford Social Security and ...
Immigration: Reality vs Demagoguery
A recent news headline from National Public Radio reads, “Despite efforts of 3 U.S. administrations, migrant families keep crossing the border.” Migration from Mexico and Central America has increased over the past several years. In contrast to the past, this increase in migrants is being fueled by families. In August alone about 91,000 family groups were detained at the border.
Clearly efforts to seal the border to prevent, deter, or otherwise frighten immigrants away are not working. Yet, as the NPR headline indicates, for decades we have continued the same, ...