Saturday, September 27, 2008

Weevils - Eurasian Watermilfoil

From the Lakeland -Times.

Since we have EWM on berry Lake I thought this article was interesting.

"9/26/2008 9:01:00 AM
Weevils could be the answer
To the Editor:

How many of us like the thought of using chemical herbicides in our lakes to control Eurasian watermilfoil for the next 20 years?

Your lakes board certainly doesn't! We have been using 2, 4D for the last four years and the results leaving something to be desired. This year good results were found in Kennedy Bay (by the town hall) but results in other treated areas are not good enough.

We are confident that we have found a biological solution that can do a better job than herbicides. The solution is a very small weevil (scientific name-Euhrychiopsis lecontei) that occurs naturally in both lakes.

In fact, on July 15, biologists from EnviroScience of Stow, Ohio, the only vendor of weevils, did an assessment of our lakes and found we have a healthy population already at work on the EWM.

All we need to do is to stock more so that they can dominate the existing stands of the weed. We are now in a race with the milfoil; we must accelerate the population of weevils to the point where they consume the weed faster than it grows.

The weevils are very small averaging from 2-3 mm in length; their color is dark and they spend their lives in the top meter of the milfoil plant (it would take approximately 10 lined up nose to tail to equal one inch).

Let's look at the life cycle of these little critters. They winter on shore hidden in debris, so let us start with them waking up in the spring.

Once awake, they go through an extensive stretching and calisthenics program to get themselves ready to go to work. They then fly to the water where they seek out patches of EWM. They dive into the water and begin to feed on the milfoil. Their feeding on the weed (leaves and stem tissue) is not the destructive part of their role. If they can find a breeding partner(s), they lay two eggs per day (once the adult weevils emerging from the shore have bred and laid eggs, they die.)

These eggs are laid in the buds of the plant. Soon the eggs hatch each producing a larva. These larva are the destructive force because they burrow into the stem of the plant and eat their way down the inside of the stem.

Not only does this destroy the plant's ability to transport food, it punches holes in the stem and lake bacteria attack the plant as well. Soon the plant stem falls over and the plant is severely wounded but not dead.

They emerge from the stem as mature weevils with the process from eggs to adults taking somewhere between 20-30 days. As adults, they quickly begin the breeding process all over again. Come fall the surviving insects emerge from the lake and fly to shore where they hide in the debris until they awaken in the spring.

According to the vendor, 5,000 weevils stocked in June can reproduce into tens of thousands flying to the shore in the fall - all prepared to attack the milfoil next spring.

We all have stores of biological controls that have run amok.

For example, the Asian lady bugs brought in to control aphids. They swarm into our homes in the fall and become a nuisance. This is not the case with weevils. They are grown in their nursery eating EWM and this sets their food preference for this particular weed. We have been told by lakes that have used weevils for years that a cyclical pattern will evolve.

The milfoil will flourish providing food for the weevil population which will begin to grow because of the abundant food. Because this population growth must accelerate even more rapidly, the weevils are usually stocked to speed things up. When the population of the insects is large enough, the weevils will "knock down" the milfoil destroying their own food source.

Once the EWM is gone, the weevils are dramatically diminished. The milfoil will again begin to flourish (recall it didn't die) and the weevils now have their food source back so they will begin to proliferate again. In most cases stocking is again required to accelerate their numbers.

In 2009, we plan to stock approximately 30,000 weevils at a cost of $40,000 (They cost $1.20 each plus the cost to tie the nursery stems to the existing plants).

These funds will come from our treasury since the DNR does not yet provide grants for such experiments. We say "experiment" because in a biological system strange things can happen. Weed patches have already been selected in both lakes for this trial. We will need to be patient since seeing results can vary from months to several years.

We will continue to treat selected areas with herbicides until we better understand the potential of the weevils. In addition we have selected an area in Lake Minocqua and have hired a diver to pull all EWM within this area. We will be evaluating this test next spring to determine the effectiveness of this control method.

After talking with lake officials in Michigan and New York we are extremely confident that the weevil route is the approach to take.

One lake official relayed the story of how a dog walked out onto the milfoil and fell through. They went to a great deal of trouble to make their rescue. Let's hope we never see conditions like these.

Richard W. Garrett

for the board of the Minocqua-Kawaguesaga Lakes Protection

Association

Minocqua" Weevils could be the answer

Paul Newman 83

"Legendary actor Paul Newman dies at age 83" My Way News - Legendary actor Paul Newman dies at age 83

Sep 27, 10:16 AM (ET)
WESTPORT, Conn. (AP) - Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as an activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as "Hud,""Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money," has died. He was 83.

He sometimes teamed with his wife and fellow Oscar winner, Joanne Woodward, with whom he had one of Hollywood's rare long-term marriages. "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" Newman told Playboy magazine when asked if he was tempted to stray. They wed in 1958, around the same time they both appeared in "The Long Hot Summer," and Newman directed her in several films, including "Rachel, Rachel" and "The Glass Menagerie."


My favorite was the "Sting"

Spaghetti Solidarity Social



A friend gave this to me. They received this card in the mail.

From the ATF- Wisconsin.

Interesting, it uses the word "solidarity", sounds like a communist word from the USSR. Comrades come one come all.

I added the above flag.

Oh well, a spaghetti dinner, a presidential debate watch ( wonder which candidate they will watch and drool over), door prize giveaway to one lucky person, WOW, a new I Pod.
Oct 15 6:00 to 8:00 p m.

Sorry only AFT members and their families and you need to RSVP to get in. At least some of the due's goes to feed the members.

I will guess that their are some teachers who vote conservative but I doubt they would go to this AFT function.

Saturday / Sunday Congress At Work

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2008:

On Saturday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. Five One Minutes per side. Members are advised that they will have at least two hours notice before votes are called. Last Vote: Late Afternoon

Suspensions (45 Bills):

1) H.Res. 1224 - Commending the Tennessee Valley Authority on its 75th anniversary (Rep. Cramer - Transportation and Infrastructure)

2) H.R. 3068 - Federal Protective Service Guard Contracting Reform Act of 2007 (Del. Holmes Norton - Transportation and Infrastructure)

3) S. 2482 - To repeal the provision of title 46, United States Code, requiring a license for employment in the business of salvaging on the coast of Florida (Sen. Nelson – Transportation and Infrastructure)

4) H.R. 4131 - To designate a portion of California State Route 91 located in Los Angeles County, California, as the "Juanita Millender-McDonald Highway (Rep. Richardson – Transportation and Infrastructure)

5) H.R. 6999 – Integrated Deepwater Program Reform Act of 2008 (Rep. Cummings – Transportation and Infrastructure)

6) H.R. 6460 - Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Rep. Ehlers – Transportation and Infrastructure)

7) H.R. 6707 - Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act (Rep. Oberstar – Transportation and Infrastructure)

8) H.R. 1283 - Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007 (Rep. Eshoo – Energy and Commerce)

9) S. 3560 - A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security (Sen. Baucus – Energy and Commerce)

10) S. 906 - Mercury Market Minimization Act of 2007 (Sen. Obama – Energy and Commerce)

11) H.R. 5265 - Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research, and Education Amendments of 2008”, as amended (Rep. Engel – Energy and Commerce)

12) H.R. 6063 - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 (Rep. Udall (NM) – Science and Technology)

13) H.R. 7083 - Charity Enhancement Act of 2008 (Rep. Lewis – Ways and Means)

14) H.R. 7082 - The Inmate Tax Fraud Prevention Act (Rep. Ramstad– Ways and Means)

15) H.R. 6600 - Medicare Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2008 (Rep. Doggett – Ways and Means)

16) S. 3477 - Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act of 2008 (Sen. Warner – Oversight and Government Reform)

17) S. 3350 - To provide that claims of the United States to certain documents relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt shall be treated as waived and relinquished in certain circumstances (Sen. Schumer – Oversight and Government Reform)

18) H.R. 2786 - Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act (Rep. Kildee – Financial Services)

19) H.R. 2786 - Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2008 (Rep. Velazquez – Small Business)

20) S. 3325 - The Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act of 2008 (Sen. Leahy – Judiciary)

21) S. 1738 - Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2008 (Sen. Biden – Judiciary)

22) H.R. __ – Webcaster Settlement Act (Rep. Inslee – Judiciary)

23) H.R. __ – The Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 (Rep. Lungren – Judiciary)

24) S. 3296 - A bill to extend the authority of the United States Supreme Court Police to protect court officials off the Supreme Court Grounds and change the title of the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice. (Sen. Leahy – Judiciary)

25) H.R. 5057 – Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Rep. Maloney - Judiciary)

26) S. 2840 - Military Personnel Citizenship Processing Act (Sen. Schumer – Judiciary)

27) H.R. 6146 – To amend title 28, United States Code, to prohibit recognition and enforcement of foreign defamation judgments (Rep. Cohen - Judiciary)

28) H.R. 3174 - Equal Justice For Our Military Act (Rep. Davis (CA) - Judiciary)

29) H.R. 1777 - Need -Based Educational Aid Act of 2008 (Rep. Delahunt – Judiciary)

30) S. 431 - The KIDS Act (Sen. Schumer - Judiciary)

31) S. 3606 - The Special Immigrant Nonminister Religious Worker Program Act (Sen. Hatch - Judiciary)

32) H.R. 5571 - To extend for 5 years the program relating to waiver of the foreign country residence requirement with respect to international medical graduates, and for other purposes (Rep. Lofgren - Judiciary)

33) H.R. 6838 - CAMPUS Safety Act of 2008 (Rep. Scott (VA) - Judiciary)

34) S. 2304 - Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2008 (Sen. Domenici - Judiciary)

35) S. 3569 - To make improvements in the operation and administration of the Federal courts, and for other purposes (Sen. Schumer - Judiciary)

36) S. 2816 - to provide for the appointment of the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security by the Secretary of Homeland Security (Sen. Voinovich – Homeland Security)

37) H.Res. 1429 - Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the employees of the Department of Homeland Security, their partners at all levels of government, and the millions of emergency response providers and law enforcement agents nationwide should be commended for their dedicated service on the Nation's front lines in the war against acts of terrorism (Rep. Clarke – Homeland Security)

38) S. 3477 - Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act of 2008 (Sen. Warner – Oversight and Government Reform)

39) H.R. 6669 - To provide that claims of the United States to certain documents relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt shall be treated as waived and relinquished in certain circumstances (Rep. Gillibrand – Oversight and Government Reform)

40) S. 3536 - Air Carriage of International Mail Act (Sen. Carper – Oversight and Government Reform)

41) H.R. 6849 - To amend the commodity provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to permit producers to aggregate base acres and reconstitute farms to avoid the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments when the sum of the base acres of a farm is 10 acres or less, and for other purposes (Rep. Etheridge – Agriculture)

42) S. 3597 - To provide that funds allocated for community food projects for fiscal year 2008 shall remain available until September 30, 2009 (Sen. Harkin – Agriculture)

43) H.R. 2786 - Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2008 (Rep. Velazquez – Small Business)

44) H.R. __ - To authorize the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, and for other purposes (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs)

45) H.Res. 875 - Honoring and supporting the Hadley School for the Blind, as amended (Rep. Kirk – Education and Labor)




SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2008:

On Sunday, the House will meet at 1:00 p.m. for legislative business.

Consideration of Legislation related to the financial markets

* Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.

* Motions to go to Conference should they become available.

* Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.

Say What? You Need Republicans?

"On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said they need House Republicans to be on board.

“We can’t do it alone,” he said. “We need the House Republicans to join us.”" JS Online: Ryan emerges as leader in alternative bailout plan


So now Harry needs republicans? I thought the dems have a majority in the house and senate. Why don't they just pass it? What seems to be the problem?

Remember the civil rights act of the 60's. If it wasn't for the republicans it would of never passed. And what credit did the republicans get from the civil rights leaders? Evil, bigoted right wing republicans.

Go ahead, keep voting for the left,

Need to stop. I will try to be nice.

Another $61 Billion, Economic Justice?

"Economic stimulus bill passes House" Economic stimulus bill passes House | Postcrescent.com | Appleton Post-Crescent

WASHINGTON — The House passed a $61 billion stimulus package Friday backers say would give an economic boost to Main Street businesses, aid the poor and create jobs.

Forty-one Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the measure, but the margin is not large enough to survive the veto threat President Bush issued Friday. The Wisconsin House delegation voted along party lines. Democrats Obey, Tammy Baldwin, Steve Kagen, Ron Kind and Gwen Moore backed the bill while Republicans Tom Petri, Paul Ryan and James Sensenbrenner voted against it.

This week Obey said it was a matter of economic justice for Congress to take action on a stimulus package for the America beyond Wall Street. The White House is seeking $700 billion to buy the bad debts of struggling financial firms.


Since when is another 61 with a b billion dollors economic justice? These dems from Wisconsin are playing loose with who's money?

We have to bail out 700 billion and oh, another 61 won't break the bank!

I still do not understand the people of Obeys district on why they keep electing him?

The day of reckoning will come and when the money runs out , where will they get it?

And people will look up and ask ,

WHAT HAPPENED?

Voters of Wisconsin, It's your money they are spending!

Food Network

Found a new show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay.

"About the Show

Chef Bobby Flay is on a secret mission: to challenge the absolute masters in different kinds of cooking – award-winning BBQers, bakers, pizza makers and more. In each episode, one of these cooks thinks Food Network is shooting their profile for a show. What they don't know is that Bobby is going to drop in for a surprise visit and challenge them to an unexpected cook-off. Since they're in their element and Bobby's out of his, prepare for an exciting, tension-filled competition." Throwdown with Bobby Flay : Food Network


You never know who you might see on the show.

Tune in: Wednesdays at 9pm/8c and Saturdays at 4pm/3c

Update, no kidding, just found an article from JS Online about the Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago. Here's the link

Wow, Food Network in Wisconsin.

Todays Voters

Joke of the day from my brother, thanks John

IDIOT SIGHTING
We had to have the garage door repaired.
The Sears repairman told us that one of our
problems was that we did not have a 'large'
enough motor on the opener. I thought for a
minute and said that we had the largest one
Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.
He shook his head and said, 'Lady, you need
a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 was
larger than 1/4. He said, 'NO, it's not. Four is
larger than two.'

We haven't used Sears repair since.


IDIOT SIGHTING
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window, and I gave the clerk a $5 bill. Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her a quarter. She said, 'You gave me too much money.' I said, 'Yes, I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back.' She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said, 'We're sorry, but we cannot do that kind of thing.' The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change.

Do not confuse the clerks at McD's.


IDIOT SIGHTING :
I live in a semi-rural area. We recently had
a new neighbor call the local township administrative
office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING
sign on our road. The reason: 'Too many deer are
being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a
good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

From Kingman , KS


IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE :
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered
a taco. She asked the person behind the counter
for 'minimal lettuce.' He said he was sorry, but
they only had iceberg lettuce.

From Kansas City


IDIOT! SIGHTING :
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate
when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone
put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?'
To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?' He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

Happened in Birmingham, AL


IDIOT SIGHTING :
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe
to cross the street. I was crossing with an
intellectually challenged coworker of mine.
She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for.
I explained that it signals blind people when
the light is red. Appalled, she responded,
'What on earth are blind people doing driving?!'

She was a probation officer in Wichita , KS


IDIOT SIGHTING :
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear
coworker (She was leaving the company due
to 'downsizing') our manager commented
cheerfully, 'This is fun. We should do this
more often.' Not another word was spoken.
We all just looked at each other with that deer-
in-the-headlights stare.

This was a lunch at Texas Instruments .


IDIOT SIGHTING :
I work with an individual who plugged her
power strip back into itself, and for the sake
of her life couldn't understand why her system
would not turn on.

A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriff's office ,
no less.



IDIOT SIGHTING :
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile
dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys
had been locked in it. We went to the service
department and found a mechanic working
feverishly to unlock the driver's side door. As
I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively
tried the door handle and discovered that it was
unlocked. 'Hey,' I announced to the technician,
'it's open!'

His reply, 'I know. I already got that side.'

This was at the Ford dealership in Canton, MS


STAY ALERT!
They walk among us... they REPRODUCE, and
scariest of all.. they VOTE!!

Fall Colors

To get the latest info on the fall colors in Wisconsin go to

Bad Night

No, not talking about the bailout.

Not talking about the debates.

Not talking about Juan Pablo Montoya going to the back of the field for Sundays Race. I don't like him anyway, go OLD MAN (#5 Sat and #8 Sunday)

I'm talking about the Gillett Tigers getting their butts handed to them by the Suring Eagles.

42 to 14.

Hey Tigers, you played a good first quarter, your a young team, work hard and things will change.

Need Justice To Be Served

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"Illinois doctor to face trial in fatal turnpike crash
Drove 120 mph to elude authorities
Saturday, September 27, 2008
By Jim McKinnon, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

An Illinois doctor admitted he sped away from state police in two states before a crash Sept. 4 in which a motorcycle rider from Wisconsin was killed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

After a hearing yesterday, District Judge Richard King ordered Dr. Shiva Lal Acharya, 33, a native of Nepal, to stand trial.

He is accused of causing the death Sept. 4 of Keith A. Brown, 46, of Green Bay." Illinois doctor to face trial in fatal turnpike crash


I've been following this story and glad justice is going forward.

It was a great loss of life of Kieth Brown. A great father and husband, employee of Festival Foods, and a good friend to a lot of people. I only knew Kieth being a salesperson back in the 90's. He was always a straight shooter and all around good guy. Someone you remember as years travel on.

I seen him this past year walking into Festival for my sales job. He remembered me and how could you forget him. Small talk and how Festival was such a great place to work, he was really happy. What a loss.

I hope justice will be served and this guy gets the max.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Looks Like A Working Weekend

IMPORTANT SCHEDULE UPDATE:

The Majority Leader has announced that the House will meet for legislative business at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 27 and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 28. Members are advised that recorded Votes are expected.

High School Football

M&O Conference.

Gillett Tigers

at

Suring Eagles

Game time 7:00 p m

AH Meter

What will the Obama

ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,

ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,

ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,ah,

meter total out at the debate tonight.

My guess is 83.

NASCAR Democrats

"Don't assume all NASCAR equates to Republican
By Raygan Swan, NASCAR.COM
September 26, 2008
11:57 AM EDT" NASCAR.COM - Don't assume all NASCAR equates to Republican - Sep 26, 2008


Appearing to be a man of fairness, NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France invited both presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama, to experience a NASCAR race this season.

Republican McCain showed up at New Hampshire while his wife, Cindy, also appeared at Pocono.

But the Democrats and Obama were no shows. A story surfaced in July that Obama's campaign agreed to sponsor a Sprint Cup car, BAM's No. 49, but for reasons unknown the arrangement was canceled. They chose to send their message of change through other channels.


I think Raygan Swan, didn't do all his homework. There may be a lot of democrats in the south, maybe more than republicans in NASCAR.

The difference is that they are called

Reagan Democrats.

From Someone Who Knows First Hand

A letter to the editor from the Lakeland-Times.

"9/26/2008 9:00:00 AM Email this article • Print this article
Obama only interested in socializing this country
To the Editor:

In the past few weeks, I have listened to Barrack Obama's speeches. I have also talked to many people who believe Obama's plans or changes for this country is what we need.

This is wrong.

For 32 years I lived in East Germany. I didn't have a choice. For four years, I suffered as a political prisoner in a Russian East German Prison Camp. They tried to re-educate me by forcing me to read Marx, Engels, and Lenin and the communist manifestoes.

When I hear Obama speaking, I hear Marx, Engels, and Lenin. Please, the people should listen to what he says. It's mine to hear for everyone's health insurance.

I have no health insurance myself, but I lived under socialized medicine and this is bad. I assure you, in Germany, France, and other places in Europe the medical care is substandard. There is no medical care for older people, they will offer the older people the pill.

Others wait a long time for medical appointments and medicine is in short supply and often non-existent. Everything that is government run is not always good.

Obama wants to socialize this country. It didn't work in Russia; it didn't work in East Germany; it didn't work in Cuba; and it won't work here.

Obama does not have the experience to lead this country. He will be tested as John F. Kennedy was tested by the Russians. When Kennedy became president, he was tested by the Cuban Crisis and allowed the Berlin Wall to be built with electric fences and mine fields to separate the free from the oppressed. I prefer an older, wiser president.

To be free and to raise my son to be free, I walked through a mine field from East Germany to the West with my baby on my back and made my way to America.

He is now a major in the U.S. Special Forces after having spent two tours of duty in Afghanistan and one tour in Iraq, and now being sent to Africa as a foreign affairs officer.

He is an American, and I am an American. I value our freedom. Don't give us a socialist communist state.

Gisela Lusa

Minocqua" Obama only interested in socializing this country

Steve Kagen Wants Hearings, Prosecution On Democrats, Yes, Hell Yes!

I know, I can't believe it either.
"State reaction to bailout: 'No and hell, no'

By Ellyn Ferguson • Press-Gazette Washington bureau • September 25, 2008 " State reaction to bailout: 'No and hell, no' | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette


WASHINGTON — "Bailout" is a dirty word in the Badger State.
Just ask Wisconsin lawmakers who’ve gotten hundreds of calls, letters, e-mails and faxes — mostly from angry constituents upset by the Bush administration’s $700 billion proposal to rescue the financial services industry.

The feedback is especially striking because it appears to be spontaneous and not the product of an organized campaign, lawmakers and staffers said.

“Resoundingly, they are saying two things: No and hell, no,” said Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton. He’s gotten about 500 letters from people in the 8th Congressional District.

Rep. Tom Petri doesn’t blame the 500 or so people in his district for their reaction to the initial 2½-page proposal by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Petri, R-Fond du Lac, characterized it as “give me some money and trust me. Don’t let the courts or anyone else review it.”

“It was blindingly irresponsible in my view,” Petri said of the early plan.

But Petri, Kagen and Wisconsin Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold said they believe something must be done to keep credit flowing and the economy working. They say whatever plan is developed must balance protections for taxpayers with efforts to revive the economy.

None of the four is involved in the negotiations taking place on Capitol Hill and at the White House. Today, the lead negotiators said broad agreement has been reached on key points. However, the plan still faces opposition from some Republicans in Congress.

So lawmakers outside the process are feeling their way.

“I think these CEO’s need to come before Congress and explain how we got in this mess — and explain their role,” Kohl, D-Wis., said in a statement. “I know they are not solely to blame. Regulators were asleep at the switch, the administration believed in letting markets run wild, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac overextended themselves and Congress failed to do adequate oversight.”

Kohl’s offices in Wisconsin and Washington received more than 3,300 calls, letters and e-mails from the weekend through Wednesday. Most came from furious Wisconsinites, Kohl said.

As a businessman and one of the Senate’s richest members, Kohl said he is “shocked and appalled that the supposed best and brightest on Wall Street allowed their companies to purchase dangerous assets that they didn’t understand.”

Feingold’s office got 6,000 constituent e-mails between Monday and Wednesday. The tide is running overwhelmingly against open-ended financial help to financial institutions. For example, the office said 18 people backed a financial bailout plan while 1,159 opposed an aid plan.

Feingold, D-Wis., has said the proposal must answer several questions for him.

“I want to know how the taxpayers’ interests will be protected, what the real cost of the plan could be, if the plan will be funded or just piled on top of our already mountainous debt, if it will include protections to prevent something like this in the future, and if the executives of the companies that are rescued by taxpayers will continue to receive multimillion-dollar compensation packages,” he said earlier this week.

Kagen and Petri say they are juggling constituent concerns.

Kagen’s economic advisory council — a cross section of business people and academics — has told him “the (financial) crisis is real and Congress has to come up with a real solution.”

I had to read the following Kagen comment twice.
Kagen thinks a final plan should include prosecution of any criminal acts that may have contributed to companies’ financial woes, as well as new regulations to prevent a recurrence of the current credit problems.


I admit, I am 100% with Steve Kagen on this. Will he investigate Chris Dodd, Barney Frank, Barack Obama, Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson, and many others? All these and more are responsible for the mess we are in, Go for it Steve! Who else got us in this mess? Go Steve go!

“I’d like to be able to take a document home and review it with experts back home (before voting),” Kagen said.


Pelosi and Frank are complaining it's the republicans fault for holding up the 700 Billion spending program and Sreve Kagen wants to take it home to study, Study what? Shouldn't he be in Washington to solve this problem? Steve, Al Gore invented the internet you know.

Petri also would like enough time to review a final bailout plan and run it by constituents.

This is such a serious issue that Petri said he’s willing to vote against a plan if he does not think it is a responsible approach.

“I’d rather vote against it and then get a chance to get it right rather than pass something we would regret,” he said.


There you have it, Steve Kagen wants to get to the bottom of this. Here, here I'm with Steve Kagen on this. I call on all Americans to back Steve Kagen on the prosecution of the people who gave us this mess, bully!

And The Answer Is

Obama's buddy in Massachusetts is begging for money. You don't say heating costs will go up 30% this winter? Why not put more windmills up in Nantucket.

"GOVERNOR: PEOPLE COULD FREEZE TO DEATH
Friday, September 26, 2008

(AP) Governor Patrick says there's a real possibility that people in America could freeze to death this winter due to the soaring cost of home heating fuel. Patrick met with members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation on Capitol Hill and later testified before a House panel on the need for heating aid in cold-weather states.

Patrick said the cost of heating a home -- whether by electricity, gas or oil -- is expected to cost between 20 and 31 percent more than a year ago. He said that will have an impact on many families, and not just those who are defined as low-income.

The House has approved legislation to double the government's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to 5.1 billion dollars for the coming winter. According to the Associated Press, Massachusetts would receive 163 million dollars under the plan, an increase of 36 million dollars from the last fiscal year. The Senate must still sign off on the measure. Meantime, Maryann Covalanski, who runs the Springfield Fuel Assistance Program says that it will help...but even more is needed." WHYN NewsTalk 560 | Springfield's News and Information Leader


What an idiot! Where is all this extra money coming from? Why do we have to keep giving out free money.

The answer is.

DRILL HERE, DRILL NOW , PAY LESS- Drill in ANWR

Bullwinkle Gone

From Space For Commerce.

"Thursday, September 25, 2008
Palin the Death Monger
We warned him: The Palin-Rove machine will not tolerate dissent.

He stepped up with courage and love for his country. And now ... the moose is gone but the message will live on." Space For Commerce, by Brian Dunbar

Thursday, September 25, 2008

On Bended Knee, Not Me

From Drudge

"Treasury Secretary down on one knee before Pelosi..." DRUDGE REPORT 2008®

Has Anyone Asked?

"Wild White House meeting sets back deal
By DAVID ROGERS | 9/25/08 9:58 PM EDT Updated: 9/25/08 9:58 PM EDT
" Wild White House meeting sets back deal - David Rogers - Politico.com


Has anyone brought up?

Is there anyone that will say,

LET IT FALL?


What do we have to lose?

Red Dawn




Interesting with Barack as El president e!

"Russia may launch nuclear cooperation with Venezuela: Putin
Sep 25 02:49 PM US/Eastern" Russia may launch nuclear cooperation with Venezuela: Putin

Russia may launch nuclear energy cooperation with Venezuela, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday during talks with the country's fiercely anti-US leader Hugo Chavez.


From INDB
It is the dawn of World War III. In mid-western America, a group of teenagers bands together to defend their town, and their country, from invading Soviet forces." Red Dawn (1984)

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

P O R K

Great one from Headless Blogger. Great cartoon that ties into drill and burn.
"Tuesday, September 23, 2008
The Pelosi-Obama-Reid-Kagen Drilling Plan"
Headless Blogger


P for Pelosi

O for Obama

R for Reid

and

K for Kagen.




P O R K - makes a whole lot of sense.

Credit Due To The Green Bay Press Gazette

This is from the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES.
"Uncharacteristically low turnout for Barack Obama rally in Green Bay, Wisc.
McCain/Palin drew 4,000 more supporters at same venue a week ago " Low turnout for Barack Obama rally in Green Bay :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Barack Obama

September 23, 2008
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Staff Reporter
ust a week ago, John McCain and his vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin — who can bring out crowds the way Obama can — appeared in this same stadium, Resch Center, to a crowd of 10,000 fans. There were an uncharacteristic amount of empty orange seats for Obama’s rally.

We need to give the Green Bay Press Gazette for reporting the low numbers first.
"Earlier story: Obama makes a call for reforms

Press-Gazette • September 22, 2008 " Earlier story: Obama makes a call for reforms | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette

Obama took the stage about 12:15 p.m. and spoke for about 45 minutes.

The Illinois senator visited the same 10,000-seat venue where McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, stopped Thursday.

The Obama campaign estimated today's crowd at 6,000 to 7,000 people. That is smaller than the near-capacity crowd drawn by McCain and Palin.

Again, please let the G B Press Gazette know their good reporting.

Link to P G

Monday, September 22, 2008

Nancy Strikes Again

From Real Debate, thanks for the information.

Steve Kagen's boss is in control. Will anyone question Kagen on this? Time will tell.

"September 22, 2008
No Drill Nancy Strikes Again.

Here is the biggest story you have not heard about today.

Nancy "no drilling ever" Pelosi is trying to slide in a no drilling bill into the financial bailout package.

HR 6899 would establish permanent bans on getting our own natural gas and oil shale and would make it virtually impossible to get other forms of energy. (r.e., oil)

You see kids if Congress does not extend the drilling ban as it is now before the end of September, it will expire. And that is the last thing Nancy Pelosi wants.

Nancy Pelosi and her environmental extremist supporters will do anything they can to keep American from utilizing its own resources. They would prefer to keep prices high and hurt the US economy.

This is the issue you should be talking about with your friends and neighbors.

Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats said they had a plan to deal with high gas prices. Her plan is to keep them higher and higher by limiting our ability to get our own resources by limiting our own supply. By doing this they think they can push their radical agenda on us by blaming "big oil".

Energy will be the #1 issue in this campaign. The democrats are trying to make sure we don't have any. They prefer to put all their eggs in an imaginary basket with non-existent technology.

Well, it is time we throw these democrats out of office. In Wisconsin we need to start with Steve Kagen who did not vote for a compromise bill that he co-sponsored.

These democrats are trying every dirty trick in the book to see that our energy costs remain high, they like it that way.

Is this the leadership you want?

Not me." Real Debate Wisconsin: No Drill Nancy Strikes Again.

Crude Oil Up 23.55

Wow,
"Nymex Crude Future $128.10 up $23.55 up 22.52% time 14:24"

Bloomberg.com: Energy Prices

MSM Slant

The following paragraph is taken from the Appleton Post Crescent. They only mention that the crowd appears to be smaller than the McCain Palin rally last Thursday.

"The crowd appears to be smaller than that at last week's visit from McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who also stopped at the 10,000-seat arena." Barack Obama on the economy: 'Enough is enough' | Postcrescent.com | Appleton Post-Crescent



Here is the Green Bay Press Gazette.At least they report someone from the Obama camp estimating the 6000 to 7000 crowd.

"The Illinois senator visited the same 10,000-seat venue where McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, stopped Thursday.

The Obama campaign estimated today's crowd at 6,000 to 7,000 people. That is smaller than the near-capacity crowd drawn by McCain and Palin." Obama in Green Bay: A call for reforms | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette


And you wonder why people cannot trust some of the MSM. Appleton P C shows their bias and slant. .

Thank you Green Bay Press for your unbiased reporting.

OBama Visit To Green Bay

From JSOnline "All Politics"
"By Craig Gilbert
Monday, Sep 22 2008, 12:11 PM

Green Bay -- Warming up the crowd before Barack Obama's speech at the Resch Center here, prominent Wisconsin Democrats blamed what they termed the GOP's push to deregulate for the financial calamity gripping the nation. " All Politics


The last sentence in the article.
The Resch Arena, which can hold more than 11,000, appeared to be about two-thirds full for the event.


What, the Democratic Presidential Candidate Obama and

only 7000 to 8000 people?

Where are all the supporters?

How many showed up for McCain, 11000 to 12000?

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Vote For One, You Get The Rest


Kegan.................................Obama.................................Pelosi...............................

In the upcoming election a vote for any one of the above will get you the same results.

Can you afford a vote for one or two of these three this November?

Look at your wallet or purse and tell us what your own hard earned money tells you.

"Democrats Pledge?

From Bloomberg.com

"Democrats Pledge Quick Action on Rescue Legislation (Update2)

By Christopher Stern and John Brinsley

Sept. 21 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Democratic lawmakers said they would act quickly on a $700 billion rescue plan for financial companies, while demanding that the legislation limit compensation for executives of companies that will benefit. " Bloomberg.com: U.S.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement today that Congress will take action this week, while adding that Democrats want more oversight of the proposed federal program. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama also said lawmakers must insist on more oversight.


Can the voters of this country really believe what Nancy Pelosi promises?

Kagen Flip Flop Watch

The following is a post I wrote and posted for Kagen Watch

Well, at least the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported about Steve Kagen's flip flop. If anyone will do some aspect of real reporting in Wisconsin it is usually Diana Marrero. I have a few issues with it but at least it was reported.

Where is the 8th district drive by's? Still waiting

Good Job Diana.
By DIANA MARRERO
dmarrero@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 20, 2008
Energy battle: Republicans are bashing Rep. Steve Kagen (D-Appleton) for his votes last week on energy legislation. Kagen, a freshman who is in a tough re-election battle, voted for a broad energy bill that would open up some offshore areas to drilling. That bill passed the House late Tuesday on a vote of 236-189.
Were standing up against a sham energy bill and were bashing?
But he also voted against a motion offered by House Republicans that would have replaced the Democrats’ bill with another by Reps. John Peterson (R-Pa.) and Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii). Kagen, like many other Democrats, was a co-sponsor of that alternative legislation, which would have lifted the current offshore drilling ban while allowing states to restrict drilling between 25 and 50 miles offshore.
Please Diana, the bill was sponsored by republicans and democrats. Isn't that called a bi partisan bill?
The bill that passed would allow drilling to occur 50 miles offshore, but only if states permit it. Opponents say the House-backed measure placed so many limits on new offshore production that it would do little to expand domestic energy supplies.

So how many states will authorize drilling? Did you also know even if the states do authorize drilling they would get zero revenue from the drilling, That's right all money would go to the federal government and the states get zip, zero, notta!
Mark Graul, a spokesman for Kagen’s Republican opponent, John Gard, noted that Kagen voted against the same bill he originally co-sponsored.
“Boy that looks like your typical Washington political stuff for most people,” he said, arguing that Kagen was “trying to play political games and be on every side on every issue.”
Mark, let's just call it the Kagen two step!
Kagen defended his vote, saying the Democratic bill allowed for drilling while investing in alternative energy.
Got to give Kagen credit, he is still using the Nancy Pelosi talking points.
“It’s a move in the right direction,” he said. “This is a big step forward in terms of changing our energy policy.”
The Kagen two step, "one step forward, two steps back to $5.00 gasoline!
Steve, every time your constituents stand in front of that pump, they will remember your vote on energy.

3.89 ding, 3.95 ding,4.00 ding,4.25 ding, 4.49 ding, 4.99 ding,ding,ding,ding!