New Newspapers

I'm glad the CSMonitor is on the leading edge of the paper newspaper to data newspaper transition. I think it makes the survival of a newspaper I like more likely.

If only the Press Gannett would figure out a way for me to give them money for a web subscription. I would love to support the local reporters and editors by paying for electronic access without all the baggage. Oh, yeah, and while I'm at it, your RSS feeds could use some better sorting and your CMS & page code could be better. I get that this is probably all according to Gannett dictates but I'd still like to see fast, lean, add-free web pages with simple, thoughtful URLs on well organized RSS feeds and section web pages. Seriously, what the hell good is http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081029/GPG03/81029104/1978 and all the bandwidth it soaks up? Why not http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/20081029/headlines/1 for headline #1 on 10/29? Don't even get me started on the cost of your archives...

It's too bad the News Chronicle didn't hang on for just a few more years. They understood and embraced the web and might just be growing now as the Press Gazette fades away while clinging to an obsolete business model.

Perhaps I've said too much, perhaps not enough.

The De Pere Dozen

Tony Walter column: Dirty dozen voters spoiled De Pere's batch

October 26, 2008 - They were never identified, so we'll just call them the De Pere Dozen.
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On a breezy Tuesday almost 56 years ago, 12 city residents committed what, at the time, was the cardinal sin of constitutional neglect. They didn't vote in the presidential election.

Every other registered voter in De Pere voted.

It was the election between Republican Dwight Eisenhower and Democrat Adlai Stevenson. A group of civic leaders, led by WJPG radio station newswriter Jack Yuenger, launched an effort to get a 100 percent voter turnout, a goal that probably seemed unreachable.

They almost reached it.

When all the ballots were counted, 4,193 of the 4,205 registered voters in the city cast a ballot. It translated to 99.68 percent and received national attention.

The city then had four wards, two on each side of the river.

Larry Carney, an east-side barber, was ward captain for the 1st Ward and had just two nonvoters. Ray Van Dyke, who worked at John Baeten & Sons and marshaled voters from the 2nd Ward on the east side, also had two nonvoters. Ray Gevers, a west-side barber, got all but three of his voters from the 3rd Ward, and west side restaurant-bar owner Art Beecher had five who failed to vote in the 4th Ward.

The organization was impressive. Every ward captain had block captains, and several organizations pitched in. They included young people from the Youth Service and Recreation Association, and volunteers from the Women's Club of De Pere, the Catholic Women's Club, the Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, the American Legion and VFW.

Bette Hayes headed a program committee that organized pre-election, nonpartisan rallies, and several St. Norbert College students assisted her. More than 200 absentee ballots were collected in advance and about 100 ballots were mailed in from De Pere voters in the military. Auto dealers in the city provided free transportation. Baby-sitting was provided at Legion Hall on North Michigan Street.

Austin Wilber, an 84-year-old retired sociology and economics professor, left New York City early after visiting his daughter so he could get home in time to vote. A very pregnant woman stopped to vote before her husband rushed her off to Bellin Hospital.

Interestingly, there was a high school football game on election night. West De Pere and De Pere played at Minahan Stadium before 2,300 fans, their first meeting in almost 40 years, and voting totals were announced during the game, won by West De Pere 26-21.

Of course, De Pere has never again come close to matching that voter percentage. Four years ago, 78 percent of the registered voters in De Pere voted. Charlene Peterson, city clerk and treasurer, is predicting an 80 percent to 85 percent turnout this year, well above the state average.

But you'd like to know who those 12 people were.

Tony Walter is a columnist for the Press-Gazette. He can be reached at (920) 431-8360.


Wow. I wonder how turnout will be this year? Good on the donky side certainly but the elephants have gotten their fear vote on.

Sim Country anyone?

Looks interesting.

Bailout Sleuth

Cuban's got an interesting idea that he managed to get implemented. I'll be keeping an eye on this RSS feed. Will you?

Afghanistan

If the Afghan government have failed, is there a point in continuing the NATO mission? If so, what's it going to take to bring these shadow governments in to the fold? Can this set back for females be fixed or at least mitigated somehow?

I heard once that the CSMonitor is the paper of choice at the CIA. I don't know about that but I sure do like the international coverage.

Republican Attacks

Aside from county clerk, this pretty much covers how I feel about how every Republican on my ballot this year conducted their campaign. Negative on the opponent and not a word about what they'll try to get done.

Candidate Histories and Network Security

This feels contrived to me. Is it AstroTurf, someone aggregating, or is there some valid criticism in there?

At least three of McCain's GOP colleagues have gone on record to say that they consider him temperamentally unsuited to be commander in chief. Smith, the former senator from New Hampshire, has said that McCain's "temper would place this country at risk in international affairs, and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind, it should disqualify him." Sen. Domenici of New Mexico has said he doesn't "want this guy anywhere near a trigger." And Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi weighed in that "the thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine. He is erratic. He is hotheaded."


Wireless router security has been breached for a long time. But now someone put together an off the shelf key cracking software package. Personally? I use wires because they are more secure. Unless you have a reason to be wireless, don't. Hot spots are nice and convenient but don't push anything through them you wouldn't want a newspaper to publish or your worst enemy to know. Besides, wired networking is faster than wireless.

Peaceful Criticism IS NOT Terrorism

Hopefully the Maryland State Police have figured that out now.

Fixing the Electoral College

I've long thought that low population density encourages a more conservative, black afnd white view of life in individuals and high density populations result in folks who have a more progressive, accepting outlook. Given the way the electoral college works, this favors electing a president who is leans more conservative than the US population. Before this president, that made some sense to me. A conservative would only attack other countries as a last resort right?

Here's an idea to fix the electoral college that I have not heard before.

AHHHH!

No, no, no copyright czar.

Green Bay in the Presidential News

Salon seems to think the Dems are ahead.

Kimberly Paper Mill Closure

I'm new to all of this but, if there really are buyers, why doesn't Kimberly condemn the mill and contents and sell it to a buyer (at a profit and/or with jobs guarantees) to save their local economy?

Is it really possible there is nothing to be done by local government? I see this as a "for the good of the community" issue similar to taking private property to build a street.

Google Post Old Web Archive

Google posts their oldest index from January 2001.

It's so entrenched in our culture now, it's hard to remember the web before the 9/11 attacks. I wonder what else there is not to be found...

Debt Crunch

No bank to bank lending means many fewer mortgages. Less buying power in the market will lead to lower prices. It's that whole supply and demand thing.

I can't recall the last time I saw four homes for sale for under $30,000 in Green Bay.

Dives all, perhaps. But $22,000 is in the range where a family bringing in a living wage who also has one handy adult can save up and buy a place for cash and then fix it up as they live there. It's hard to cut spending or take on a second job but if you do the rewards of living in a paid-for home are worth it. If you are any good, $30,000 is less than 400 nights delivering pizza. Fewer if you only work the busy nights. Is giving up your evenings in the short term worth it if you end up owning your own place free and clear? Imagine, no more rent or house payments-- just keep the place up and pay the taxes.

Someone reminded me the other day of something I've heard many times before, that the Chinese language uses the same written symbol to mean both "crisis" and "opportunity". In some ways I hope I'm wrong but I don't see this housing "opportunity" ending tomorrow. If you are renting, I hope YOU will get started today figuring out how to pay off your debts, save a down payment, and give this crisis a silver lining!