Subject to Change

Blogger Gives Me Gas

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 22:51:00 +0000

This is a test to see if emailing posts will allow me
to publish to my blog. I haven't been able to get
Blogger to play nice since yesterday. I assume that
the problem is on their end because I'm also not
receiving comment notifications.

While I'm converting this blog to Wordpress, I've
posted this week's podcast with Jay Bullock on the
BBA.

Shipping Out

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 03:59:00 +0000

Our Metro-belle turned Marine only has a few short days left before boot camp.

Good luck, Ally! We'll see you soon.

Semper Fi

GPL Podcast #38

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 04:27:00 +0000

Guest: Jay Bullock

More rambling than ranting. We were topic light going into this one, but it didn't stop us from having some interesting discussions about a wide variety of issues. Of course, we discussed Iraq because it's the big national story. We also got into stem cell research and some other wild tangents.

Listen here (38 minutes)

Famous Milwaukee "Earthquakes"

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 02:28:00 +0000

Images "borrowed" from UWM Dept. of Geosciences.

Close Encounter

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 22:40:00 +0000

I've never seen a Sykes spike up close before.

This is several days worth of traffic. Does that mean I can take a week or two off?

Falk Explosion

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 23:11:00 +0000

By now you've heard about the explosion at the Falk plant this morning. Patrick has video from the TV. Thankfully, the propane leak that caused the blast was detected early enough for almost everyone to be evacuated safely. There were three fatalities in a disaster that could've been much worse. Ear witnesses claim that the explosion could be heard in Bayview and even Racine! I could easily see the wall of flames and the pillar of black smoke from the freeway on my morning commute.

Let's all wish a speedy recovery to the injured and the Falk Corporation. I'm curious to see whether the company will rebuild or relocate. Coincidentally, in part 2 of last week's podcast with Clint (to be released soon), we discussed the future of the Menomonee Valley. We completely overlooked Falk, because it has been such a long standing landmark in the area.

Proud Mary

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 23:58:00 +0000

Mary Cheney is pregnant.

But, she's gay. Right?

Will this be a virgin birth?

Iraq Policy Report

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 23:39:00 +0000

The Iraq Study Group's report landed with a big, wet, thud today. The report makes a number of recommendations to change US policy in the Iraq war.

Among its 79 recommendations, the group said the United States should reduce political, military or economic support for Iraq if the government in Baghdad cannot make substantial progress.

I guess what they say about opinions is right... They're like assholes: everyone's got one and they all stink. Do they think threatening the new Iraqi government is going to make them hurry up and take charge? Cutting support is supposed to stabilize the country?

The media is spinning this report as the proof that George Bush sucks and Iraq is Vietnam with sand and furry people. I may have some comments on that later, if I get insomnia and decide to actually read the report.

FYI

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:10:00 +0000

I've got nothing.

Possible update later.

Boyscout or Sucker?

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:32:00 +0000

During yesterday's snow storm I spotted an elderly gentleman trying to free his minivan from a parking lot. I could see that he wasn't too badly stuck and decided to see if I could help and break him free. Since I was on foot, I was in no hurry an I was already covered in snow.

For the next few minutes I tried pushing and directing this guy to help him get back on the road. It became fairly obvious that this person was not a qualified winter driver. When I instructed him to rock the vehicle, he proceeded to lay on the gas an slide sideways. All that he needed to do was back up a foot and use some forward speed to get him over the rut that he'd created by spinning his tires. He wasn't taking the hint, though.

Eventually, the man broke free. To my shock and amazement he turn back toward me! I thought he'd already lost control of his car, but he was doing a U-turn to go back into the parking lot that I'd just got him out of!

The man had said something about how he just wanted to go to the bank. Kelly asked me why someone like this would risk life and limb to be out on a day like yesterday and I guessed, "to cash his social security check?"

Kelly has some banking experience and she immediately said, "today's the first. You nailed it!"

My question to you, dear reader: should I have helped this man? Did I not create a greater hazard by putting an obviously baffled driver back on the slippery roads?

Weekend Video #45

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 17:14:00 +0000

The Iraqi insurgents are a bunch of crybabies.

GPL Podcast #37

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 02:58:00 +0000

This week we invited Clint back, because I felt like discussing my experiences buying a used car.

We also talked about several recent topics of interest in the news: Michael Richards, Imams on a plane (not a new Samuel L. Jackson movie), sick pay for legislators, Scott Walker's budget battle, and much more. We talked about so much with Clint that I've saved additional material for later!

Listen here. (60 minutes)

Domestic Spying Programs Cancelled in Favor of Federal Funding for YouTube

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:29:00 +0000

Ok, so I made up the headline. But, could someone please explain to me why democrats like Russ Feingold have had their panties in a knot over 9/11 anti-terrorism measures, while completely ignoring the massive security hole that the internet represents? Also, why should the government waste money spying on us when we do it to ourselves?

I don't think I'm imagining that cyber theft has been major problem this year. There were a number of cases where millions of people's personal information was compromised. I'd much prefer to have George Bush and Dick Cheney listening to my reminder calls from Blockbuster than to have my banking information in the hands of some random deviant.

On the other hand, I love the access to all the material on the internet. Celebrities and other public figures are discovering that anything the say or do can and may be made public. Ask Michael Richards. It's probably too much to hope that this leads to a greater sense of responsibility on their part.

Blame the Board, Not the Executive

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 02:14:00 +0000

Scott Walker is polishing his axe. In response to the county board's lousy budget and the employee union's stall tactics, Walker has proposed laying off 120 workers.

Walker moved, as promised, to terminate workers in parks, courthouse security and maintenance after the County Board-approved 2007 budget rejected his privatization plans and provided only partial funding for the jobs.

Good. I was hoping he'd give the union (and the board) about a week to explain how they were going to make the budget work. After that, pink slips until the county is in the black.

It's unclear exactly how Walker's departments plan to provide perimeter security screening at the courthouse complex, clean the facility and keep parks in shape without the workers or the funding.

By moving some of the dead weight from other parts of the building and forcing them to actually lift a finger or two?

His top managers will meet with him Wednesday to propose short-term privatization plans or shifting other workers into those jobs, but legal and budgetary hurdles exist, Walker said.

Yup.

AFSCME leader Richard Abelson cried foul over the layoff notice, saying the County Board clearly intended to keep the workers on the job for several months to give the union and county more time to work out a labor deal. Walker and county supervisors say the county's largest union can still save the jobs if workers agree now to pay more of their health insurance costs - the same deal that smaller county unions accepted last year.

"We are not going to be blackmailed into a contract," Abelson said.

Oh, yes you are. Scott Walker is not about to let the county be held hostage by an irresponsible county board and a out of control labor union.

Also on the table again is the idea of selling or leasing Mitchell Field. If it has to be done, I say sell it. There's no point in going half way with a lease. If the county tries to retain some kind of ownership they'll put it out for low bid operations contracts or they'll try to arrange some kind of sweetheart lease. In either case the people operating the facility won't have any stake in maintaining it. That's not good for anyone.

One More Reason to Vlog

sub2change@gmail.com (Aaron) — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:57:00 +0000

Next month Verizon Wireless will be adding YouTube video to its VCast service.

This could be a wonderful way to kill time while your significant other is trying on her 50th pair of plain-old blue jeans.

Casper: when this hits, the vlogging challenge is officially on!