Archive for June, 2009

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In Brief: Transit Funding Disappointment, Sen. Franken, Teabaggers Trying to Co-opt 4th

June 30th, 2009

Tonight I’ll attempt to continue my streak of being present at every home game the Brewers have won as they face the Mets tonight at Miller Park. Speaking of baseball, today is also the birthday of Mark Grudzielanek, born in Milwaukee in 1970, 1996 All Star and member of the 2,000 hit club.

  • The actions by the Governor to veto any dedicated transit funding for Milwaukee County yesterday were disappointing. Combined with the dedicated sales tax for parks and EMS, doubly so. The will of the voters in Milwaukee County has been totally ignored by the Governor and the State Legislature. So since nothing changes, nothing will change in Milwaukee County because there was zero political will by certain elected officials to make anything happen. Personally, it’s also a disappointment as I’ve been working on the dedicated sales tax for transit/parks/EMS for nearly a year now with very little in a tangible sense to show for it. But the fight will go on because it has to go on.
  • One of the most ridiculously long legal battles over an election may finally be over after the Minnesota Supreme Court rules 5-0 in favor of Al Franken. Democrats now have the 60 votes needed to beat back any Republican obstruction tactics in the Senate.
  • Dear teabaggers: We’ve already got a holiday that celebrates American independence, liberty and freedom. The 4th of July. Please stop trying to co-opt national holidays now to advance your anti-government rhetoric? And for the oddballs up in Antigo, get a spell checker. And a perspective grounded in reality while you’re at it. STOP THE BALLOUTS!

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Posted in In Brief, Parks, Politics

Does Scott Walker’s Campaign Really Want a Public Endorsement From Jessica McBride?

June 29th, 2009

If I’m part of the Scott Walker campaign for Governor, I’m not sure I’d really be welcoming a public endorsement from Jessica McBride barely a week after her name is splashed throughout the media for cheating on her husband and having an affair with Milwaukee’s Police Chief.

At the same time, my support is with Walker. Simply put, I believe that Walker can win. I believe that he can change the political calculus in this state from “we can’t do anything” or “must raise taxes” inertia into “we can properly manage our fiscal house.”

Interesting that the Waukesha Freeman continues to keep her on as a “columnist” on their highly conservative opinion page. Oh, and one thing Jessica: County Executive Walker has never run for his position as a Republican.

11 Comments »

Posted in Milwaukee County Politics, Politics

In Brief: Journal Sentinel Gets Company in “Embarrassing Video” Arena, Twitter Annoyances, Conservative Weblog Closes Shop

June 29th, 2009

It was a great weekend to be a fan of the outdoors and the Brewers! The downside is it’s Monday. The upside is it’s a short holiday week. If you’re traveling as a result, say happy birthday to the modern American Interstate system; it’s 53 today!

  • The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel isn’t the only newspaper resorting to embarrassing video productions in an attempt to be all “new media”, the Washington Post has jumped on board as well, with equally awkward results.
  • Twitter annoyance of the day: “Re-tweeting” insightful quotes from well known business executives doesn’t make you a better business executive, it just shows that you’re an unoriginal business executive. Yes, Jack Welsh may be one of the greatest CEO’s of our time! But copying & pasting his quotes into Twitter doesn’t make you Jack Welsh.
  • Another conservative Wisconsin weblog closes it’s doors. First it was James Widgerson, now it’s the “Badger Blog Alliance”. Regardless of political leanings, when it’s time to hang it up, it’s time to hang it up, and anyone who can recognize when it’s that time instead of beating a dead horse gets props in my opinion. Plus, it may make some room for some fresh new conservative blogger, which is a good thing.

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Posted in In Brief, Personal, Politics

In Brief: Parks Funding Cut from Budget, Oakwood Golf Course Tries “Fast Play Fridays”, Political Skeletons

June 26th, 2009

Yay Friday. I was able to spend part of the day at Summerfest yesterday and took the family to the Big Bang fireworks as is tradition in the Cody household. Summer is here!

  • Transit gets it’s funding in the next budget, the parks don’t. I’m very disappointed in the actions by the Assembly that caused the removal of the 0.5% potion of the sales tax that was dedicated for parks in Milwaukee County and the manner in which this entire budget process was carried out. Milwaukee County voters approved a combined transit/parks sales tax last November in part because the strength of the parks component. Now only one will get the funding that both were approved for. It’s like both of my kids applied for a scholarship for college and only one got it. Very disappointing.
  • Oakwood park golf course is trying out “fast paced Fridays” today. As a golfer, I love this idea. As a golfer, I also hate this idea. One of the things I absolutely hate about golf is overly slow play. One of the things I also absolutely hate about golf is a ranger laying in to me because I’m playing “slow”.
  • If you’re a national politician who has any kind of skeletons in the closet, today would be the day to come clean. Two politicians in two weeks have admitted affairs and Michael Jackson is dead. Your admission of guilt might make the news.. on page three of the Lifestyle section. It would probably get lost in the confusion.

10 Comments »

Posted in In Brief, Parks, Personal, Politics

I’m the New President of the Park People of Milwaukee County

June 25th, 2009

At last night’s membership meeting for the Park People of Milwaukee, I was elected as the organization’s next President.

It’s a huge honor and I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to lead such a prestigious organization that does so much for our County Parks system. We’re a non-profit organization that has been able to send nearly $125,000 to the Milwaukee County Park system this year alone.

Like I said, I’m very honored to be able to lead the organization for the next several years and look forward to continuing to work with County Executive Walker, the Milwaukee County Board, Parks Director Sue Black, the Park People Board of Directors, our staff, all of our Friends Groups, and all those who are committed to a vibrant park system!

7 Comments »

Posted in Parks, Personal

Join Me at the Annual Park People of Milwaukee Membership Meeting Tonight!

June 24th, 2009

Tonight is the annual membership meeting for a non-profit group I’m very involved in, the Park People of Milwaukee County. We’re going to conduct a little bit of business and then have a social event (food provided!) to meet other parks supporters, leaders of various park Friends Groups, and leadership from the Milwaukee County Parks Department.

If you want to get out of the heat tonight and support our parks system, come join us from 6-8pm at the Greenfield Park pavilion (next to the cool waters pool). I’ll have some very exciting news after the meeting tonight to share, but if you come to the meeting, you can hear it first hand! :)

In the meantime, I put together this video for the Park People. Take a look and I’d appreciate any feedback.

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Posted in Parks, Personal

Journal Sentinel Faces Tough Times, But Will Make Sure the “Egg Frying on Car” Story is Told

June 23rd, 2009

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, like many newspapers, is facing hard times. Layoffs, buyouts and a reduction in coverage of local news coverage are all results of the paper having to tighten it’s belt.

Apparently things aren’t so tight that they have to cut back on the important “egg frying on car” bureau however.

I wonder if any actual reporters who took a pay cut or lost their jobs did so with the understanding that the Journal Sentinel would continue to commit resources to this kind of frivolity?

It’s hot out! Ice cream cones will melt!

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Posted in Personal, Politics

In Brief: Milwaukee Magazine Says Parks are “Dull” (Wrong!), Idiot of the Day, Closing Tax Loopholes

June 23rd, 2009

On this day in 1867, the first commercially viable typewriter was invented right here in Milwaukee by
Christopher Sholes. June 24th ushered in the modern era of cursing inanimate objects.

  • Milwaukee Magazine has a profile on the Milwaukee County Parks system in it’s current issue and tries to make that argument that we should be trying to more like Millennium Park in Chicago, or the green space near the Calatrava at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Parks are different things to different people of course, but when was the last time you saw someone having a picnic in front of the Calatrava? It’s a beautiful green space to be sure, but it’s not a “park”. On the flip side of the MM argument: just a few weeks ago a friend was up from Chicago and commented several times how cool it was that we had some parks that were less of “attractions” and more places to relax. Again, parks are different things to different people, and Milwaukee Counties parks are anything but “dull”.
  • Local idiot of the day:  A 42-year-old Milwaukee man with a blood-alcohol content more than four times the legal limit drove his daughter to school Thursday after partying all night long. “The driver said he went to a party at 10 p.m. and drank until he returned home at 11 a.m. He had a nearly empty bottle of whisky in his vehicle. His BAC was 0.34.”
  • This sounds like a tax loophole that deserves to be closed. Of course developers are going to complain about it, but so what? We continue to have dropping tax receipts which puts pressure on other income streams or forces cuts to services, and the source is companies like Gander Mountain only paying $75 for property taxes instead of $50,000 because they planted a few rows of corn. An outrageous abuse of the system, good riddance.

The Brewers start a home stand tonight against the Twins and a few friends from Minnesota are rolling in to catch the series. I hope to be a good host and send them home disappointed.

9 Comments »

Posted in In Brief, Parks, Personal, Politics

In Brief: Milwauke Mag. Responds in Flynn/McBride Affair, Eight Years of Blogging, Summerfest Finally Here!

June 22nd, 2009

Believe it or not, after the summer solstice yesterday, the days start getting shorter again. It seems like summer just got here and it’s already heading out the door? Happy Summerfest week!

  • Milwaukee Magazine has published their “side“, if you can call it that, of the story regarding the time line of the Flynn/McBride affair. Attention will now move off the people involved as the skirmish between two rival publications heats up.
  • This week marks the eighth year that I’ve been blogging. The first 14 months or so were (un?)fortunately lost when a database crashed back in 2002, which isn’t a real loss since, as was typical back then, I was saying a whole lot about nothing in particular and the focus of what I was writing  about was personal in nature. People change over time, and nothing is a better reminder of that than going back and reading some of the things I blogged about when I was 25.
  • With Summerfest starting up this Thursday, it’s officially un-official vacation season. I’m looking forward to taking some time off over the next few weeks to enjoy time with friends and family. Oh. And to paint our house. Should be a blast.

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Posted in In Brief, Personal, Politics

In McBride/Flynn Story, Important to Remember Real People are Involved

June 19th, 2009

Gossip columnist Dan Bice publishes a story about Police Chief Flynn having an affair with former reporter and conservative darling Jessica McBride. I’m not going to get into it too much, there are plenty of other blogs on both sides who are having a field day with this and I don’t feel like jumping into the cesspool.

I think the best thing to do is to realize there are real people involved here, and in McBride’s case, several children and a husband as well.

The biggest issue here outside of the personal stuff is the fact that McBride lectures about journalism and ethics at UW Milwaukee. I don’t know how you can have someone teaching about ethics in journalism when that person has violated the very ethics they’re trying to teach about, but that’s the decision of the UW Milwaukee.

One other thing about this whole mess… in their breaking, breathless TEAM coverage of this last night, WTMJ looked simply ridiculous. As someone else said, is it TMJ or TMZ?

45 Comments »

Posted in Politics

In Brief: Tweeting the Weather, McIlheran Continues to Make Things Up, Boerner Botanical Gardens Concert Tonight!

June 18th, 2009

Brewers swept the Indians last night, and while my kickball team was on an offensive roll last night and won 21-1, I managed to seriously pull my right quad. I then compounded the problem by continuing to play. Happy Thursday, put me in coach!

  • Tweet of the day from the local NBC affiliates weather guy: “@CraigKoplien: Watching big storms in Iowa. Could get to Milwaukee at 3-4-ish if they hold together. Also could weaken or dive into IL.” Yeah…. it could also snow or be totally sunny! Who knows?!  We’ll throw it up against the wall and see what sticks!
  • The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Patrick McIlheran continues to just make things up about me. It’s why he’s one of the most respected editorial writers on his street.
  • If the weather holds up this evening, and I’d recommend looking outside instead of relying on the local weather guy above, join me at the opening “Music in the Gardens” event at 6pm in the Boerner Botanical Gardens. The Milwaukee Symphony Pops will be playing, admission to the gardens is free for the concert and there will be food and beverages on site. Stop by the Park People booth to say hi!

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Posted in In Brief, Parks, Politics