11/27/2007
Bad news, good news, sad news, "get 'em" news
Let’s start off with this one – legislators are being asked to co-sponsor the “Parental Notification Bill,” which requires that parents be notified when a school offers abstinence-only education. From Representative Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) and Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee): It is important that parents are aware when their children are not taught comprehensive sex education, which includes information about abstinence but also about contraception.”
I’m assuming parents wouldn’t be required to be notified when classes are presented on “alternative life styles,” how best to buy condoms and where to buy birth control pills. Geez.
Ok, that’s the serious stuff. How about this for the soft stuff, courtesy of yesterday’s Fond du Lac Reporter (a Gannett publication): Wanted: Your kissing experiences, preferences
Do you have something to share about kissing?
Customs, traditions in your family, your best kiss, your worst kiss, your favorite way to kiss, the best lips for kissing, favorite places to kiss, a favorite lipstick, how you pamper your lips, pierce them or make them pout?
Contact Sharon Roznik at 922-4600, ext. 241, or at sroznik@fdlreporter.com
E-mail in a picture of your lips.
This is no joke. There is also the headline “Send us your pictures of the Christmas Parade” (Hey, at least Appleton called theirs the Christmas Parade!). Or this: “Reminder: last call for fan photos from Packers-Lions game.”
Geez. This drives me nuts. What am I missing? Do you enjoy this stuff from the local media?
Ok, now some halfway decent stuff.
Down with the Minimum Mark-up Law
Representative Hintz (D-Oshkosh) hasn’t quite missed the train at the station. He wants to nix the Minimum Mark-up Law in the legislature. Well, good thing – his timing is just right and he can sign on to the “Competitive Marketplace Act” offered by Representatives Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) and Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha). The bill would eliminate Wisconsin’s burdensome, anti-competitive minimum mark-up requirements. Vukmir and Kramer are circulating the proposal for co-sponsors this week. Everyone – urge your legislators (Rep. Hintz included) to sign on.
Up with Transparency
Representative Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton) and Senator Jim Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa) have introduced a bill requiring cost information for a health facility’s 50 most commonly performed services. My gosh, it’s about time. Health Committee chairman Leah Vukmir says “why stop at 50?” It’s a start and I’m all for it. I’ve spent hours and hours of phone time trying to track down health care costs. It’s completely damned irritating.
(Representative Wieckert lost his dad – his lifelong friend and business partner – last week to a massive heart attack. Steve, what a phenomenal outpouring of love for your dad on Saturday. Our thoughts and hearts are with you, your mom and the rest of your family.)
Time to demand results at Appleton’s Water Plant
The Appleton Utilities Committee will consider the following resolution tonight, introduced by alderpersons Jim Clemons, Jeff Jirschele (Committee Chair) and Ed Baranowski: “Whereas the City of Appleton’s Water Treatment Plan has not performed to its design requirements and numerous remedial actions have been necessary to ensure its continued operation as a consistent, reliable resource for top-quality water at a capacity level which meets municipal needs….
Be it resolved, that a detailed, in-depth review of the undertaking which produced the current Appleton Water Treatment plant begin immediately. This detailed review should be designed and accomplished by an independent-of-the-city third party on behalf of the Appleton City Council’s Utilities Committee, using funds provided by the utility.
The resolution specifies that reports be delivered regularly in closed session and that a final report including a complete timeline of the significant decision/action points in the project and illustrations of any turning points where decisions were made that would eventually significantly affect the construction/performance of the plant, should be provided to the Appleton City Council’s Utilities Committee in closed session prior to any council vote on new financial agreements related to matters surrounding the plant’s construction.
I don’t buy the closed session stuff (we ratepayers must be informed of the screw-ups, how they were corrected, who did what and who learned what), but I surely support the effort. It’s about time.
Complete miscellany, but may be helpful….
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COMMENTS
Did I miss the GOP memo that government regulation is now a good thing? Oh, wait. We like *this* kind of regulation, so it's OK.
The Wisconsin Constitution plainly states, "No laws shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech."
Does requiring speech under penalty of fine abridge one's right to liberty of speech?
I'm not following you Brian. What am I missing? Well, I'm following what you've said, but don't understand on what you're commenting - ? Help me.... JE
Brian Heyer (Tue Nov 27 08:34:16 2007)
Jo, I knew you were involved with politics, but I didn't know how much, I love your comments! Remember the campaign for Charlie Goff, and I said we didn't have the "sphere of influence" with us?
Yes..... surely do.... Nuts. JE
Dennis J. Braun (Tue Nov 27 08:53:41 2007)
"Broad side" news:
Did anyone else know that Wisconsin has a new cabinet level department? Today Governor Doyle will announce the creation of the Department of Children & Families and who will head this new compilation department. (It combines duties of the DHFS and DWD)
Having done just a bit of digging into the matter, since I thought it was out of the ordinary that no one had covered this, it turns out that yes...no one had even mentioned it since a press release by Doyle in January.
With a new cabinet post and a $1B budget, you would think that would be on someone's radar...
Adam Delikowski (Tue Nov 27 10:45:24 2007)
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