On Wis. recall pits friends against each other

Posted on May 6 at 2:45 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

"....Then we don't exercise that skill listening to someone's opinion contrary to their own," she said. "If we don't practice that skill, we can never solve intractable social problems, much less live together in healthy relationships."

Gosh, if Walker would have just taken that advice last year he (and we) would not be in this mess. If he'd been willing to respond to the very substantial dissent and to bend just a LITTLE bit there would be no recall today. If he'd truly represented the people of Wisconsin - and not just the Republicans of Wisconsin - I could now view him with at least some shred of respect. But no, he refused to give anything at all. He has lied, cheated, and made every attempt to change the rules to his advantage like some three-year-old. I can't help but to wish him all the worst of luck, come June....

On Group organizes against highway plan

Posted on May 3 at 11:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Hmmmmm..... Let's compare the routes: A driver traveling from the east on the present Hwy. 14 goes past the Pine Tree Mall, Farm & Fleet, and the intersection with Hwy. 26 before continuing west toward Evansville. This is a congested area so traffic slows down. Via the proposed alternate route(s), the driver would leave present 14 at Racine St./City 11, and then go south several miles on I-90/39 to the Hwy 11 bypass (Avalon Rd.). He/she would then skirt Janesville to the south before traveling north again (for several miles) on the proposed new 14 bypass before rejoining present Hwy. 14 west of Janesville. This alternative route would allow higher speed than the present, more congested route but it would ADD at least five more miles to the trip!! Would it actually be faster? I doubt it very much. IMHO, upgrading the present route makes much more sense.

On Rock County Humane Society sees fewer animals in 2011

Posted on April 26 at 1:46 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Anon22 may be right that the Society has only provided all services for the past 30 years or so rather than 50. However, the fact remains that this "morphing" has not been a recent development. In any case, it makes more sense to have a single agency do both animal control and adoption than to have every municipality - large and small - duplicate efforts and personnel. Let's look for a way to fund that sort of solution.

On Rock County Humane Society sees fewer animals in 2011

Posted on April 26 at 11:49 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

"Over the course of many years, however, Rock County residents started blurring the two jobs and assuming the local humane society did both.
'The Rock County Humane Society's image has morphed into a ‘pound' in many people's eyes,' Rhodes said."

Interesting.... I lived in janesville for nearly 50 years, and during all that time until just recently the Humane Society did indeed perform both functions. This is not a recent development or shift in attitude as Rhodes contends. If anything, it's the Society that has morphed and narrowed its functions, charging municipalities more for less services.

Also, I'm curious: If the Society's function is to be limited solely to caring for adoptable animals and not dealing with the intake of strays, just where are those adoptable animals going to come from?

It is impractical and very inefficient for the county, plus every city, village, and rural municipality to have their own trained animal control people and the facilities to hold animals for those first seven days. One central agency - the Humane Society - could provide those services as it always has, much more effectively. Even at increased cost to the municipalities, this would be far more economical than each creating its own infrastructure.

On Wis. sportsmen to sound off on crane hunt

Posted on April 8 at 10:19 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

I've got nothing against hunting in general, and have done it for most of my life. Killing your own food is no different - and in fact is probably more honest - than buying meat from the butcher. I also have no problem with farmers controlling "problem" animals when necessary. I do, however, have a problem with hunting just for the sake of killing. As my dad used to drum into me, "You kill it, you eat it". If you shoot cranes, be sure you enjoy that "rib eye in the sky. The same goes for the wolf hunters too.....

On Wisconsin committee to vote on wolf hunt

Posted on March 1 at 5:14 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I've got no problem with hunting in general, and have done it for a large part of my life. Killing game for food is no worse than buying meat at the market - in fact, it's more honest. I also have no problem with farmers killing problem animals.

I do, however have trouble with the idea of hunting animals just to kill them. The mentality that finds joy in killing for its own sake is nothing less than sick. This includes hunting wolves, sandhill cranes, and other non-food animals. As my dad used to impress on me, you kill it, you eat it!

On State and local officials examine roundabout safety, traffic issues

Posted on February 19 at 2:51 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Olderandornerier wrote: "I cannot seem to trust that the person coming from my left is going to turn before they get to me even though they have their blinker on...."

A blinking turn signal can mean a lane change within the roundabout as well as a turn out of it. FYI, you are supposed to ***yield*** to the traffic coming from your left, not the other way around.

On Primary to narrow judicial field

Posted on February 16 at 12:28 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Personally, I'll vote for McCrory. A poll of the RockCounty Bar Association rated the candidates as follows:

• Michael Haakenson - qualified, 75; unqualified, 7; no opinion, 23.

• Thomas McDonald - qualified, 7; unqualified, 62; no opinion, 35.

• Harry C. O'Leary - qualified, 60; unqualified, 19; no opinion, 25.

• Tod Daniel - Qualified, 51; unqualified, 40; no opinion, 13.

• Jack Hoag - Qualified, 82; unqualified, 12; no opinion, 9.

• Barbara McCrory - Qualified, 92; unqualified, 4; no opinion, 8.

Most of the candidates are qualified, but McCrory stacks up as best overall, with McDonald at the bottom.

Also, Wisconsin law requires that a candidate hold a law license for a at least five years to qualify as a judge. At the time of the election, McDonald will not yet have been licensed for quite five years, though by the time he actually would serve as a judge he might minimally meet this requirement. That being said, I'd prefer my judges to have had much more than the bare minimum experience, as all the other candidates do.

For the bar association survey, see http://www.beloitdailynews.com/news/rock...

On Groups filing signatures to recall Wis. gov.

Posted on January 17 at 11:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Geez, the republicans are sure spending the bucks on mailings. I got no less than three more-or-less identical pro-Scott mailings today. It's hard to think people will take such a barrage seriously in the long run.

I especially like the little pictures of the Gov. Nice to cut out and float in the toilet..... WEEKS of enjoyment there ;-)

Spend on, buggers.

On Groups file signatures to recall Gov. Walker

Posted on January 17 at 8:22 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Maine2010 is recycling the same much-too-long crap he/she posted previously. Anybody reading it?