Sunday Insight 7/26/09

I’ll be on Sunday Insight with Charlie Sykes this morning at 10:00.  I truly make a dumbass of myself in the third segment (more so than usual), so be sure to watch.  I screwed up my facts.  It didn’t detract from the overall point, but it was still quite embarrassing.  Charlie, being the caring and thoughtful person he is, didn’t let us retake the segment.

Wireless Power

Awesome. 

A system that can deliver power to devices without the need for wires has been shown off at a hi-tech conference.

The technique exploits simple physics and can be used to charge a range of electronic devices over many metres.

Eric Giler, chief executive of US firm Witricity, showed mobile phones and televisions charging wirelessly at the TED Global conference in Oxford.

He said the system could replace the miles of expensive power cables and billions of disposable batteries.

Column Fail

Mark Peterson, the lefty Saturday columnist for the West Bend Daily News, attempted to write an ironic column, but just came off looking like an ill-informed anti-Christian bigot.  Hey… it happens…

Not Your Normal Wedding Intro

If you were presiding over this wedding, how would you follow this?

More People Out of Work

Yikes.

Unemployment in West Bend climbed more than a percent in June to 14.6 percent, the third highest in Wisconsin.

The state Department of Workforce Development said Wednesday that West Bend’s unemployment rate trailed only Beloit, with 18.6 percent, and Racine, with 16.6 percent.

   In May, unemployment in West Bend was at 13.4 percent, fifth highest in Wisconsin. It was 6.0 percent in June of last year.

Obama Press Conference

I listened to Obama’s press conference in its entirety (much to my regret).  I am more convinced that our president is either a complete idiot or an evil Marxist.  I prefer to believe the former…

Ugh… off to bed.

Government: Milwaukee Sucks—Go There

So the government says people should take their conventions to Milwaukee so the workers won’t be distracted by fun stuff to do.

Oooo, this SCREAMS for a Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce ad contest.

I have the winning entry, I just don’t have the paraphernalia to execute it.  If anyone wants it, I’ll send it to you.

Not Much Has Changed in 27 Years

Hat tip, the mighty James T. Harris.  BTW, I have it on good authority that the “T” stands for “Tulip.” 

Senate Rejects National Reciprocity for Concealed Carry

I admit… I’m torn on this one. 

In a rare win for gun control advocates, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure allowing a person with a concealed weapon permit in one state to also hide his firearm when visiting another state.

The vote was 58-39 in favor of the provision establishing concealed carry permit reciprocity in the 48 states that have concealed weapons laws. That fell two votes short of the 60 needed to approve the measure, offered as an amendment to a defense spending bill.

Opponents prevailed in their argument that the measure violated states rights by forcing states with stringent requirements for permits to recognize concealed weapons carriers from states that give out permits to almost any gun owner.

On the one hand, the 2nd Amendment is a federally guaranteed right and should be uniformly enforced.  Then, of course, we run smack dab into the issue of incorporation. 

On the other hand, all rights in the Constitution are subject to reasonable restrictions.  Defining “reasonable” should be left to the states, which are sovereign.

Thoughts?

I Love My Wife

It occurs to me that such a statement seems a bit taboo in our current culture.  Honestly, I don’t know why.  Is it because it somehow demeans her by somehow denying her independence if a man loves her?  If it because it’s not masculine for a man to be in love?  Is it because men are afraid of appearing whipped if they show their love? 

I don’t care. 

There is a club of men out there who unabashedly love their wives.  I count myself in that club. 

I love my wife.  I love everything about her.  Those of you married men who don’t love your wives or don’t show your love… you’re morons.  Real men love their wives and aren’t ashamed to say it and show it. 

No, I’m not in trouble   Just a passing thought…

From the Email…

There really is a pot of gold at the end of that thing…

You’ll Feel a Little Pressure

Stimulus a Fraud

I wish we had more local officials like this. 

Despite that, aldermen Tony Turner and Steve Hutchins voted against each of the three projects Monday night. The final vote for each was 6-2.

   “For the same reason I voted against (the six projects) last week,” Turner said. “The federal stimulus package is a fraud perpetrated on the American taxpayers. I prefer we use our own timetable (to repair streets), not an artificial timetable established by the federal government.”

   “Ditto,” said Hutchins, who sits next to Turner on the right side of the Common Council dais.

One of the projects that the stimulus will be spent on is to replace a walking bridge over by Piggly Wiggly in West Bend.  They will pay $450,000 for the new bridge.  The current bridge was built 25 years ago for $3,500 and is still fine, but it is painted with lead paint.  You know… a lot of kids might eat the lead paint off of a walking bridge… for more entertainment, the county will be building a car bridge a block and a half away.  Heaven forbid we put a walking path on that bridge…

Such is the insanity of the stimulus.

Video of Wisconsin National Guard in Iraq

Here’s a nice video of Wisconsin’s troops in Iraq. 

Medieval Soldier Database Goes Online

See?  Proper financial management can yield benefits centuries in the future. 

The detailed service records of 250,000 medieval soldiers - including archers who served with Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt - have gone online.

The database of those who fought in the Hundred Years War reveals salaries, sickness records and who was knighted.

The full profiles of soldiers from 1369 to 1453 will allow researchers to piece together details of their lives.

[...]

Dr Bell said: “The service records survive because the English exchequer had a very modern obsession with wanting to be sure that the government’s money was being spent as intended.

“Therefore we have the remarkable survival of indentures for service detailing the forces to be raised, muster rolls showing this service and naming every soldier from duke to archer.”

He said accounts from captains showing how funds were spent and entries detailing when the exchequer requested the payments can be found.