History
Tribute to Dr. Al Gedicks
I am saddened to bring you the news that Dr Al Gedicks has passed away. I will leave you this by Zoltan Grossman who says it best.
~Nancy
Tribute to Dr. Al Gedicks
By: Zoltan Grossman
Wisconsin (and the world) has lost a giant. Dr. Al Gedicks, a driving force of environmental justice alliances against mining companies in the Midwest, passed away on Saturday, May 9, after a long bout with cancer. His brother Bob Gedicks reported that Al “was at peace and surrounded by family.”
Below is the April 26 tribute I read for our friend Al at the ...
War Spending in Perspective
We all know federal spending on war and preparation for war – what we euphemistically call “defense” spending – is huge. But most people have no understanding of how big these numbers are, how they compare with other government spending, and what it all means for their lives.
People might understand $100,000 because that is about the median family income in the U.S. (which means half of families live on less). An average house costs around $400,000. But $7,400,000,000,000 – the total federal budget for FY 2026 – is just a big, incomprehensible number.
U...
This Issue is a Tribute to Dave Svetlik
This edition is dedicated to Dave Svetlik. Dave was a brilliant man as well as one of the founders of Middle Wisconsin. Dave contributed thoughtful pieces he truly believed in on a regular basis to Middle Wisconsin. Sadly, Dave passed away on Friday, May 8, 2026.
Losses like Dave make me think of legacies. What kind of footprint will you leave? What would you like people to remember about you? Will anything you do today make a difference tomorrow? What creates that legacy?
Far too many people look at what they have gained out of life, their possessions and accompli...
COOPERATION 106
cooperation [ koh-op-uh-rey-shuhn ]
an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit
mutually beneficial interaction among organisms [nations] living in a limited area [planet Earth]
It was back in November of 2024 that I wrote COOPERATION 105 in this series. There has been so much turmoil in the ensuing 3 months that it has been hard to imagine any sort of cooperation in the U.S. or globally. Yet the urgency for cooperation has only grown – in the U.S. and globally.
Donald Trump, of course, moved ...
Palestinian Peace Photo Exhibit
Please join us on Monday, May 4 at 5 pm at the First United Methodist Church for the opening reception. We are grateful to be able to share this exceptional photo exhibit, our speakers and the chance for dialogue with you. It will also be available for viewing at the First United Methodist Church and the Universalist Unitarian Church during the following two weeks.
War Spending in Perspective
We all know federal spending on war and preparation for war – what we euphemistically call “defense” spending – is huge. But most people have no understanding of how big these numbers are, how they compare with other government spending, and what it all means for their lives.
People might understand $100,000 because that is about the median family income in the U.S. (which means half of families live on less). An average house costs around $400,000. But $7,400,000,000,000 – the total federal budget for FY 2026 – is just a big, incomprehensible number.
Und...
A Better Way Than War
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means." President Ronald Reagan.
We know from long experience that wars do not solve problems. Wars are the problem and only result in death, destruction, debt and suffering. There are better ways to settle conflicts and interact with our international neighbors. We know what can, and should, be done to end the scourge of war and create a world where conflicts are solved by peaceful means.
One of many solutions is more, and more robust, democracy. This is not a panacea. Democrac...
History Does Not Provide a Road Map To a Better Future
Each historical age deals with the same basic issues. They are dealt with different technologies, but the issues themselves would be recognized from the stone age until now. How will individuals and their social/government groups make a living? What kind of family units will exist? How will children be cared for and taught? What kind of spiritual practices will satisfy the needs of thee people? What kind of social grouping will function as a social and economic unit? How will order and security be arranged? How will the sick and the elderly be cared for? While ...
Red Counties Dependence on the “Deep State”
“One of the most enduring conservative myths is that of the self-reliant, salt-of-the-earth, rural-dwelling American who pulls himself up by his bootstraps...If that were ever true, it hasn’t been for a while. These days, rural America is largely dependent on the federal government it claims to hate.”
This quote is from an article in Daily KOS (“Look just how much red counties depend on the government they hate,” July 10, 2025). The article points out that, “far from self-reliant, rural America is subsidized by blue states.”
Dr. ...