The Book of Rants

Rants: On Economic Development; On Internet, cheese and booze. etc...

2008-05-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

(Ed.Note: Original post September 2006)

Economic Development: Running the bases---internet, cheese, and booze etc.

If you click on the post you can review the modern techniques for attracting business to your community-----the very first base to be run---is internet web presence. This is cited in the article as the first step of 85% of all site selection.Thank goodness we have come a long way from the Spiro Agnew days when folks that were interested in computers were just "pointy headed intellectuals" that might interfere with the daily business at hand....like interfering with space for our brand new Royal typewriter.Modern economic development begins on the internet.This is why when you Google "Evansville" one of the very first things you find is "The Evansville Observer." That is just the very first thing folks think of nationally when they hear the term "Evansville." "Go Big Blue" does not even come up on the search engine.

Thus, when folks consider how to enhance the development of Evansville, I hope they will take the time to click on the post and read why web development is properly an expense of economic development, and in fact, the very FIRST base to be covered if one is to score by running the bases.I believe all this strongly.

However, just to cover ALL the bases, I am attending the Monroe Cheese Days this Sunday. If you have been covering the Monroe Times lately, you will know that in Monroe, Economic Development is just about liquor licenses....and cheese. I do love the 5k fun run in Monroe that ends in the beer hall. With polka music blaring and the runners from all over Southern Wisconsin sweaty after a 5k or 10K race sipping Berghoff dark and of course chewing their favorite slice of cheese. What heaven! The way it should be. And always will be in eternal Monroe. The rest of us need to consider the internet. After all. We have moved on from polka music.

Alleluia.

OpEd: " Past Results do not Guarantee Future Performance"

2008-03-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

(October 2007)

If you do not remember this phrase, you are probably too young to read this post.

In virtually every mutual fund brochure or prospectus for a unit trust of whatever investment, there is the caution...... after of course the investment representative has gone over the wonderful result if..... in theoretical terms..... you had invested ....$1....at the Crash of 1929 and invested that in this particular investment....you would have had the wonderful result listed above....." and after speaking of those wonderful theoretical results, there is the caution about ...."Past Results do not guarantee future performance..."

Recently, in Evansville, in our own school projections for future school demand for facilities, whether we looked at population projection or building permit historical data, nobody wanted to read the warning----"Past results do not guarantee future performance."

Even in the Evansville City budget, the city financial consultant, Greg Johnson, from Ehlers and Associates stated that "proceeding forward with no further General Obligation debt, the future seems to be no problem with debt capacity." The problem, of course, was pointed out by Fred Juergens, who counted 5 million in dreams that were penciled in on the capital investment budget for the year around 2009.

It seems we always, as human beings, want the pro forma future not to include the unfortunate expenses of the reality of the things on the horizon.

I could go on about flashing lights from dashboards of cars re warnings, but.....I think you get the jist. As a stress reliever, it is important to manage stress and ...a little denial is good. Sometimes....the denial gets too large.

Make a note of it.

OpEd: On the Minimum House Size Ordinance: On Robber Barrons

2008-03-31T10:04:00.000-07:00

November 2007

As a young college student, I lived with my grandmother near the University of Minnesota, and studied in the living room, with the large Oriental rug. Taking a break one night, I asked her:

Grandma---where did this oriental rug come from?

She replied, "Your grandfather won it in a poker game at the James J. Hill Mansion one night back in 1929."

That made sense. The rug was a bit worn. Still....just the idea of a poker game with the legendary James J. Hill, the Robber Barron, really got my interest.

In the olden days, when Robber Barrons were robber barrons, the Federal Government had a development program-----they cut deals for the railroad, for states, for land....directly with the Robber Barrons. That was the development plan.

In the modern age, this policy has been modified-----now it is established practice that the Community has a role in establishing what is in the community interest. They have input in the development process. It is not just a back room deal.

So----mouthing by politicians about "The Market" ---you may have heard some of this in audio lately----is just nostalgia for the days of old when the Robber Barrons met and cut deals in the back room----nowdays, the public has a say----and some folks, namely folks who think themselves robber barrons, find this offensive.

In the Planning Commission meeting last week was a thoughtful dialogue on this issue. The developers noted that the current ordinance was too complicated. It needed simplification. It was too rigid. It needed some flexibility. Their remedy was to junk the ordinance completely. They accepted no ideas for limits of any kind.

The Smart Growth Plan of 2005 made a finding of fact that there was an excessive number of lower value homes in Evansville which has led to higher property taxes since new homes built did not develop enough revenue to pay for infrastructure for the city---and not enough revenue to pay for the building required for the school system. This finding of fact at the Smart Growth plan has been extensively documented by school and city officials. It represents a valid community need. That valid community need cannot be dismissed by mouthing by folks about the "Market."

To be successful in promoting Evansville to the hinterlands, we need a community that offers affordable family living---at the current time we are on the high end of the tax spectrum. To eliminate the minimum house size ordinance would make this worse.

I believe it is prudent to modify, simplify.....but NOT eliminate the minimum house size ordinance. It represents a valid community interest for Evansville. Please tell your alderman what your thoughts are about this issue.

Click on the post for the housing section of the Smart Growth Plan adopted by Evansville in 2005.

OpEd: On Caroline Kennedy's Shot Across the Bow: A New Day

2008-03-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

January 2008

Last week, right in the middle of a holiday celebration for Martin Luther King, our presidential politics headed for the rocks in a sideshow of debate of who was the bigger victim, who was the better friend of the disenfranchised, who was the (insert your favorite preference here.)

Right after Bill Clinton had raised his voice in rebuke, right after some gentle folks in the Democratic Party had politely told Bill to "Shut UP", it seemed as though just when the patient was near death, there was a CPR or shock event that brought everyone to their senses:

Caroline Kennedy shot the cannonball across the bow with her article in the New York Times: This campaign will be about the NEW and not about the OLD. It will be about HOPE and a future that will utilize the skills that the current generation of leaders has shown that they do NOT have. It will be different. It will not be about being the better or more qualified victim. It will be beyond gender and race.

Or will it? Stay tuned.

OpEd; Reflections on "Mark to Market"

2008-03-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

One of the questions that was asked by Sen Shumer today of Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve was how to deal with markets that there is no price valuation for? Mortgage assets are valued at "fair valuation" and not "Market valuation". Shumer then asked why they could not use a rolling average 6 months backward bringing nostalgia....this was a technique used in the past for projecting the enrollment of some school districts by using a rolling average looking backwards when looking forwards---and this technique has been dismissed as ineffective.

One of the interesting things in retrospect about the crash of 1986 is that many stocks did not open after the crash, and for purposes of margin valuation, they were left at the last price that was traded. This was significant in that these positons of a portfolio thus were not liquidated at very low prices or contribute to liquidation on accounts that were heavily margined or under pressure. Thus----a trading halt is one technique that is used to slow down the impact of panic.

Recently the Feds asked lenders for a 30 day suspension on foreclosures, and one of the Presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, asked for a suspension in foreclosures until a plan can be formulated. Such a suspension was used in the 1930's. Clearly the federal government is responding too slowly to this spreading problem and the failure to freeze these foreclosures could lead to a larger market panic.

Similarly, the Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernnake mentioned at the very end of his remarks on Wednesday that he will submit rules for tighter mortgage lending practices that will outlaw banks pressuring appraisers for certain favorable appraisals as a condition of future business. It is hard to believe that there are not laws currently on the books that could be used to prosecute these violations. Posing that he needs additional authority is really just a method of delay.

In addition Mr. Bernanke mentioned an inquiry into abuses in the credit card industry. This investigation is going to happen way too slowly to be effective. In his own PhD thesis Mr. Bernanke wrote that speed was the key to avoid the cascading effects of a market event. A model credit card agreement with legislated language and format for rate disclosure may be required. It seems just a lot of hot air at this time.

After two days of testimony the Fed Chairman appears willing to forecast lower rates that will not be delievered to borrowers, predict a weaker economy and higher unemployment, and seems willing to allow the non-action of policy makers to drive prices of homes sharply lower midst the rising pain of unemployment and and rising foreclosres.

OpEd: Getting the Order of Things Right

2008-03-31T09:55:00.001-07:00

Economic Development Summit: The goal is to refine the objectives. 1)Workforce Development. 2)Downtown Revitalization. 3)Government Relations. 4)Marketing. 5)Entrepreneurial Environment."

This listing of the goals from the recent economc summit has a flaw. It is in the reverse order of priority. The keynote speaker of the conference was Terry Whipple and his speech was titled "Catch the Culture."

The rich environment for economic development is marked by openess to the new, by a tolerance of young, and yes flawed ideas that are being shaped and perfected. The rich environment is not marked by closed, rigid process that blocks through restraint of trade or quid pro quo arrangements where there are certain entities that require that they receive all the profit from the arrangement or the idea will be denied development.

In summary; Where there is restraint of trade and impediments to free flow of ideas, there will never be a vital economic process. There may be the show or "facade", but never the real thing.

OpEd: State of Wisconsin Wind Siting Process a Role Model for What and Who?

2008-03-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

If you click on the post you can listen in as the Town of Union Board discuss the current situation of the Wind Turbine draft ordinance and the possible options for moving to enactment in consideration of the possiblity of the State of Wisconsin moving to make the Public Utility Commission the key entity in reviewing permits.

The irony----as you will recall the study committee had found in its research that the State of Wisconsin had literally conducted zero legislative inquiry into the health and safety effects of set backs of wind turbines despite the fact that the WHO and the world community had plentiful data on these matters.

Responding to that egg on the face, the state moved quickly last week in meetings that were called on short notice and as described by Kendell Schneider, Town of Union board chair, the lobby representatives were given ample time to speak and then with the time expiring in the open hearings, the public was given a few minutes---most left unheard and in disgust.

The conclusion made by the folks from Union who had endured the week of meetings----why would the towns bend over backwards to give extensive public input, when the State acts in such disregard.

At the end of the day nobody gets it. The problem was that in haste errors were made. Now to compound the error, more haste and closed decision making is embraced by the state....and now possibly by the towns.

How will these matters all be decided? By the PUC over a three martini lunch?

You make the call.

OpEd: Reflections on Bears; On Bear Stearns; On Bear Markets

2008-03-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, after listening to the Bloomberg News channel since 5am or so, I had turned the T.V. to "mute" so I could just see the breaking news on the bottom rather than listen to the spin by the pundits. It is a lot quieter that way.

Soon after the markets opened, I saw President Bush speaking, a little stressed it looked like, and after watching him for a while, I tried to guess what he was saying. It looked like he was mouthing that "There really are WMD in Iraq." Or maybe "We are really victorius in Iraq." or maybe that 'I am a compassionate conservative."

What a disappointment to turn on the sound and hear the actual words: "Trust me, the economy is sound. Our markets are resiliant. These are tough times....."

I did recall that these were almost the exact words that Herbert Hoover had mouthed in 1929.

The markets plunged right after President Bush had got done speaking. Nothing could be worse that a President trying to inspire confidence when his approval rating is historically low.

The markets are a matter of FAITH. A confidence Game. Always have been. Bankers rely on their counterparts to ensure that when there is a peak of outflow they can sustain it. No one bank alone has the cash on hand to do so; In fact, cash is probably less than 1% of assets. This is why when the faith of the investment community left Bear Stearns, they sold for $2 per share----the plunge in value is simply stunning for those involved.

The "Big boys" at Bear Stearns walked away with their bonuses from January. The regular employees walked away with nothing. At least bankruptcy would have been a little more equitable.

Now that the Federal Reserve has indicated it can intervene creatively, we will see whether it will intervene directly into the mortgage maket and specifically provide a remedy to homeowners who are in their homes and facing foreclosure. They have the power to do this. So far there has been rhetoric. Treasury Secretary Paulson opposes such a move. President Bush opposes such a move. Such a move may be necessary. Stay tuned.

If you click on the post, you can access the text from my recent book called "The Trader's Litle Black Book"---many of the essays in this book directly relate to the transition of Wall Street from traditional banking to securitization. Many of these essays are relevant to the current situation.

"True Love" or Where is Miracle Max When We Need Him?

2008-02-21T04:11:00.000-08:00

(Ed. note. Due to the many requests of readers, I have reprinted this post of 7-13-2006. Enjoy. )

Many of you remember the blogger "Miracle Max" who posted for many days here on the Observer site. It sure would be nice to get his advice during this period in our local history---here is the question.

First a little background. In the movie "Princess Bride", after Wesley and the princess get out of the forest and the pit of despair, Wesley is apparently killed and he is dragged to the house of "Miracle Max."

"Miracle Max" is not too happy to come out of retirement to treat Wesley. He performs a preliminary test and asks Wesley...."What do you seek?" Wesley says something. Miracle Max says that Wesley has said "Tru Blave"----that he just wants to be brave which is not a strong enough reason to save him.

The wife of Miracle Max then strongly speaks up and says that Wesley has instead said "True Love." And she insists that this is a noble calling worth saving his life for.

Well. The rest of the movie is pretty clear cut.

Here is my question. Was this just a hearing problem with Miracle Max? or something deeper. I have always wondered.

Recently on our local scene, 95% of the folks in Evansville have said that they want a growth rate of 27% or less. Some say that they cannot hear this. I am the Observer and would give anyone a chance. A benefit of the doubt.

This may just be a hearing problem.

You make the call.

The Growth Bicycle

2008-02-17T19:11:00.001-08:00

Last week was a major week for Evansville, with the public financing of two bond issues, one for water and light infrastructure and the rest for other public improvements. All around town things are being torn up and changed. It's little late to go back to no growth.

I have always had a fondness for Zen sayings such as the title of this post. It may have been due to one afternoon when just after I had a Chinese fortune cookie that said " Not now, but soon," I got laid off, but whatever, I have always loved the Zen sayings.

Evansville is on a growth bicycle. The Wisconsin Journal has an interesting opinion piece in Sundays edition explaining why now, more than ever, GROWTH is the key to municipalities avoiding higher taxes or lower public services, or both. Because of the property tax freeze, it is essentially either grow or die.

The surge of energy due to the new Evansville High School has given Evansville the boost to get on the growth bicycle. Now the trick is to stay on it. Not wobble. Not be confused. The trick is to get quality growth and keep the formula of affordable family living in a friendly small town setting.

The debate has been not whether to grow, but how and where and at what pace. Residents may vigorously differ on those issues and have on this site. The danger it seems to me is from those who do not want to talk about it. Those who maybe would rather be surprised down the road by a huge tax bill due to poor planning of pace of residential growth.

As Mr Connors noted at the Finance committee meeting last week, yes we are bumping up against our levy limit for valuation now, but once the new valuation comes on the tax rolls for new construction, Evansville will be fine. The other way of stating that is that without growth, we would not be fine.

So, let's think of growth as a bicycle. It is important to talk about the pace and skill of the rider. Let's just hope we can keep a level of growth that will avoid the peril of wobbling. Wobbling would be the state estimate of Evansville population growth.

Click on the post for the Wisconsin Journal op ed piece. What are your thoughts on the growth bicycle?

The Slam Jam

2008-02-17T19:09:00.001-08:00

(Ed. note: I normally leave the sports stuff to other famous bloggers who are far more capable than I...in sports, beer, bait and ammo. However----I will make an exception......
just this once.)

I always did love the Blue Devils basketball team of several years ago that had the 'Up tempo" game as a real weapon. At some point after everyone got warm and comfortable,and.... say the score was pretty close, "Big Blue" would launch its "Up tempo" weapon.

The quick long inlet pass to the breaking guard to the hoop. Then the "press" on the subsequent inbound pass of the opposition-----then the steal and the jam to the hoop. WOW.

A quick 4 points. The enemy unnerved. Confidence lost. It was the turning point in many of these games. The crowd went wild. The rush of excitement of the locals brought down the house. It does not get any better than that..... In basketball That's the basketball "Slam Jam."

In sales, it looks a bit different. The evening telephone call during dinner. The offer of a special deal of a one time opportunity----available only right now etc, etc, etc......You all know the rest of the story. These calls are why there is a "do not call" list.

In financial planning, or school financial planning it also looks a bit different. A consultant is called. A quick set of options discussed in closed meetings. Options eliminated without public discussion. Then the short public presentation in February at a board meeting and then the solicitation of bond counsel right before a school election. Limited public input. No time for reflection. No chance of successful outcome.

So. To summarize. I just love the "slam jam." It is GREAT in basketball. I just hate it in public policy and school planning.

Make a note of it.

What the Housing/Banking Crisis means for College Dreams

2008-02-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

In the past fifteen years, as parents of college bound students watched their kids head off to college, they kept their mortgage banker's telephone number handy. WHY? That's simple. A huge majority of the source of funding for college tuition was parents using the equity in their homes for tuition. Simple cash out transactions. Ditto for folks buying cars. Americans used their mortgages like credit cards. With home equity lines etc, ...lines of credit with various names on them.

Financial advisors of 20 years ago would have cited the golden rule of never leveraging a retirement asset for college expenses and would have vigorously objected to impairing the security of a home by additional debt. Those old rules were simply trashed and laughed at.

With the price of college education rising, and the price of median home plunging, and the foreclosures rampant across America, and credit for even good, or great borrowers unavailable.....it does not take a rocket scientist to see that a day of reckoning is here.

Speaking of the "reckoning" word, in 1986, my wife bought me the book "The Reckoning" by David Halberstam---the story about the rise of Japanese auto business and the fall of the American auto industry. It has been a slow moving reckoning in the auto business. I just hope the reckoning in education is as slow. It just does not seem slow. If you plot your home equity on a graph and plot the rise of college expenses right next to it, it is pretty clear.

Stay tuned.

The Evansville Population Study---the analysis

2008-02-17T19:06:00.001-08:00

In the population study that was included in the Plunkett Raysich report by Evansville Schools and listed above on the Observer, they make the statement that their predictions of future population as well as future enrollment are more accurate in the near term than in the years out farther. This is a usual caution in all such reports.

The amazing thing is that in respect to population as well as enrollment, they were WRONG on BOTH counts---and for the very FIRST year of the prediction. In the past year we moved from population 4660 to 4666 and for the enrollment in Evansville Schools we showed a enrollment DECLINE. This is clearly in contradiction to all the graphs that show a continuation of the past rise of enrollment.

So--whether one would attempt to predict the future by looking at the past population or by looking at the past housing starts---both methods are filled with error possibilities---the future starts now, and the past provides no guarantees. Factors such as OPEN ENROLLMENT are growing in importance. The lack of virtual schooling options is one factor in the loss of students for the Evansville School district. The nationwide crash of the real estate market is of course another.

I would rather look at JOBS as a predictor of prosperity. I would guess that in job creation and business creation area, we have been going backward. That being said, one must also say that there will be an impact from the coming biodiesel JOBS in Evansville, although with a housing stock available for sale of 200, there is plenty of stock available for future residents. However, with the possible additional related economic growth related to the biodiesel core business, it is unclear how much demand for schools or housing will be created. I am not sure of the equation here. But then. The one thing we DO KNOW------ The equation of the population study that we do have is not an accurate predictor.

Stay tuned.

The Case of the FarSighted Pundits

2008-02-17T19:05:00.001-08:00

It is a curious matter that when one reviews pundits, on political, finance, sports or whatever it appears that most of the visionary talk is about politicians a long distance away--2000 miles or so is best.

It seems that though most Americans have "nearsightedness" and have their vision corrected routinely with eyeglasses, the fact is that few Americans have the problem of "farsightedness" where the vision is poor longer range but great short range.

Thus the irony----- pundits always act as though they are "farsighted"------mostly though, whether it is the local news, or local issues, it is rather that folks find it inconvenient to even admit differences in the nearsighted range. In the all consuming effort to please, like a little child being good for an ice cream cone, the pundits act ......blind......and look thousands of miles away.

OpEd: Plunkett: The Options Review

2008-02-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

(Ed. note: This is an Oped on a section of the Plunkett Raysich report. It will be featured on the right hand column of the Evansville Observer along with the original video and a pdf of the report. The current Building and Grounds Committee is beginning to act on some aspects of the Plunkett Report, and citizens will be involved. Stay tuned.)

The Options Review in the Plunkett Raysich study was incoherent. Even the senior consultant in the presentation on video said all of the options were unsatisfactory and he added one of his own.

After participating in many of the meetings, and reviewing the film several times, here is my summary:

Two years ago, Mr. Jerry Roth, former principal of the Middle School, mentioned at a school board meeting, that the logical site for a middle school was where the current elementary and intermediate school is----its proximity to the athletic fields as well as proximity for students in accelerated classes makes it perfect. Most participants agree that this is so.

The one caveat to this is that the oldest part of the facility---Levi Leonard would have to be razed and depending on how many middle schoolers were projected, a new portion would be necessary. Quality construction. Two story. With the result that the current site would have more space added to grounds. The site would become more adequate.

Now that we have that piece of the puzzle---we need a new elementary school---Grades K through 8. The issue that arises is whether it should be one or two elementary schools. That is open for discussion. The most efficient choice is is ONE school k-8. No need for two principals. etc. Should it be close to the current school location? I think the consensus is---- Yes. Should the purchase of the land be soon? I think the answer is-- yes. Assuming that 5-10 years in the future is the opening of the facility.

What to do with the Middle School------the Middle School would be repurposed-----What would this consist of? There are many ideas on the table. The problem with many of these ideas is that they do not remove the expenses of the site from the equation--the expense to the taxpayer that is. The current middle school is inefficient. It would not be efficient, just by using it for example for adding a role for the school system, such as a 4K program.

Here are some of my ideas on repurpose:

1. The location for AWARE and the Dean Center was never logically the ceremic shop. If it was located in the current middle school, next to the gym, it would work out nicely.

2. The Library: The current Eager Free Library site is not ever going to be adequate for the parking necessary for expanded use. A formal Plunket Raysich study would reveal this site inadequacy. The original gift was for a library--it will remain one, and a state of the art one to be proud of. I would much prefer using the current Eager Library as a Computer Library, and Videoconferencing center, with 20 computers on the main floor and two conference rooms downstairs.

A second Evansville Library would be located in the current middle school, with the whole first floor opened up.

On the third floor of the current middle school--where the current library is, could be the Internet Charter School---it could house the faculty and the technology to add internet students to the Evansville School District---revenue positive. The lack of internet options for special students as well as internet literate students is one of the current reasons for net loss of open enrollment students for our district. Parents want options. Internet education is one of them. To be competitive, we must offer choices.

This scenario would require the cooperation of the City of Evansville as well as the Evansville School District in a joint agreement. It is unclear what the the details of such an arrangement could be, but the consultants, Plunkett Raysich represented themselves as experts of designing such relationships.

The BinLaden Videos---the challenge

2008-02-17T19:01:00.000-08:00

Recently the two videos from Osama Bin Laden had put the Evansville Observer himself in quite a tizzy. After all. Imagine an aging guy like Osama, working out of a cave somewhere in Pakistan with a wireless laptop maybe, or maybe with an expensive MAC PRO with video and Final Cut Pro software ---and yes an external generator outside the cave to provide some power once in a while to recharge the batteries.

In short---the guy had some adversity to his production schedule---and yet he publishes two 15 minute videos---and with complex editing and with compression. Yes.
It appears that he knows far MORE about video than the Observer does.

Just when I was getting a little jealous about this guys ability to learn new technology while hunkered down in a cave----the news came out that indeed the video was a total fake. What a relief!!!!!

The whole incident could have been a huge black eye to all of us bloggers and yes--even cities too. Imagine being a city, even a city here in God's county, midst the plenty of cheese and the Green Bay Packers....and saying that we just cannot do video and audio for our community civic meetings----but Osama seems to have the ability right out of a cave. Yes. That comparison might have harmed our reputation.

Relax. They were just a fake.

"The Robber Barrons"---a true story

2008-02-17T18:59:00.001-08:00

As a young college student, I lived with my grandmother near the University of Minnesota, and studied in the living room, with the large Oriental rug. Taking a break one night, I asked her:

Grandma---where did this oriental rug come from?

She replied, "Your grandfather won it in a poker game at the James J. Hill Mansion one night back in 1929."

That made sense. The rug was a bit worn. Still....just the idea of a poker game with the legendary James J. Hill, the Robber Barron, really got my interest.

In the olden days, when Robber Barrons were robber barrons, the Federal Government had a development program-----they cut deals for the railroad, for states, for land....directly with the Robber Barrons. That was the development plan.

In the modern age, this policy has been modified-----now it is established practice that the Community has a role in establishing what is in the community interest. They have input in the development process. It is not just a back room deal.

So----mouthing by politicians about "The Market" ---you may have heard some of this in audio lately----is just nostalgia for the days of old when the Robber Barrons met and cut deals in the back room----nowdays, the public has a say----and some folks, namely folks who think themselves robber barrons, find this offensive.

In the Planning Commission meeting last week was a thoughtful dialogue on this issue. The developers noted that the current ordinance was too complicated. It needed simplification. It was too rigid. It needed some flexibility. Their remedy was to junk the ordinance completely. They accepted no ideas for limits of any kind.

The Smart Growth Plan of 2005 made a finding of fact that there was an excessive number of lower value homes in Evansville which has led to higher property taxes since new homes built did not develop enough revenue to pay for infrastructure for the city---and not enough revenue to pay for the building required for the school system. This finding of fact at the Smart Growth plan has been extensively documented by school and city officials. It represents a valid community need. That valid community need cannot be dismissed by mouthing by folks about the "Market."

To be successful in promoting Evansville to the hinterlands, we need a community that offers affordable family living---at the current time we are on the high end of the tax spectrum. To eliminate the minimum house size ordinance would make this worse.

I believe it is prudent to modify, simplify.....but NOT eliminate the minimum house size ordinance. It represents a valid community interest for Evansville. Please tell your alderman what your thoughts are about this issue.

Click on the post for the housing section of the Smart Growth Plan adopted by Evansville in 2005.

"Everybody Knows"---the song

2008-02-17T18:57:00.001-08:00

Ed.note: Click on the post for the web site for the Dixie Chicks.)

One of my favorite songs to warm up with on the Nordic Track is the Dixie Chicks song, "Everybody Knows." It is one those intermediate beat songs that lets me warm up in the early stages of a work out-----I never have concentrated on the lyrics before....just the beat...and... I really like the beat.

Recently, at the Public Works hearing when Joe DeYoung rose to speak about the engineering study MSA did on the West side, he said that "there was no surprises." "It was what we expected." Search on the blog for the video.

All during his speech, up next to the easel, with the black suit, I started hearing the Dixie Chicks-----singing "Everybody Knows." ------that love song classic about stepping out and knowin that everybody knows about the cheatin... about...feeling terrible because "Everybody Knows," despite all the way "this game of life" is played.

I thought it was kinda unusual. A one of a kind experience. Hearing the Dixie Chicks and all. I usually only hear them when I have my IPOD turned up REAL loud in the middle of intense..... or kinda intense..... excercise, such as it is.

Last week.... right in the middle of a video spot with the Seniors..... right in the middle of the ultimate test of a reporter, namely could I still eat some chicken legs while doing audio and video simultaneously...right after someone behind me asked whether the site for the new senior center was in the flood plain.....I started hearing the Dixie Chicks again....and they were singing real loud......"Everybody Knows."

All of a sudden---I started really hearing the lyrics.

And it got pretty loud..I mean the Dixie Chicks were singing very loud indeed. In fact I got to thinking. I wonder if the Dixie Chicks knew that "Everybody Knew" and could care less. Yes.

"Everybody Knows" plus building on a flood plain with donor dollars, and with the donor representative present, and with all the consultants present and praising all who paid them profusely.......and with all the board present and many of the seniors present, and after only one or maybe two cocktails.......

"Everybody Knows."

Still I had to wonder.

How does someone from TEXAS know anything about a flood plain?

Dateline Normal, Mn: "Porta Pottie Time"---FICTION---

2008-02-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

Recently, while I was back visiting in my favorite fishing town, Normal, Mn., I got carried away during a visit to the Hideaway Lounge---yes it had been after a few drinks. It was one of those guy to guy banter sessions and we were trying to best each other.

I had simply said that we in Madison had made a tremendous advance in cultural progress---after all, the Wisconsin Badgers, which in 1970 could hardly win one football game, now won many and besides--- folks came from all over the country to the games. All of the news media...... or at least the Wisconsin Journal only covered the Badgers. That was how important they were------ and just to prove how successful we are, all of Regent Street are lined with Porta Potties on game day. What could be more successful than that?

I could tell in a heartbeat that my argument had gone too far. Herman was offended.

"Shucks Wolfman, (that's what he always called me) up here in Normal we are An All Porta Pottie Town---and have been for at least TEN years. "

I was stunned. How could the whole town just rely on Porta Potties. I had thought the Spruce Goose Motel was unusual with their outback porta potties. I never realized that it was citywide.

"Yup", Herman went on, "Years ago, we needed to restore the historic bait shop. It was a city historical treasure, and we also wanted to redredge our city marina---after all, we live by the fishing trade. At that time we also needed a new sewage treatment plant. The problem was that we only had debt capacity to cover two projects. The choice was real clear cut.

"Do you mean that you have a restored bait shop rather than a new sewage plant? "

"Yup", Herman replied.

"It is true that some folks who were offended by the trip to the porta potties in the dead of winter, were upset. Over time, they toughened up. Yes...... their swearing lessened. And the city made some compromises. They switched to softer Charmin in the public porta potties to make it more comfortable in cold weather."

I was just stunned. How could they have got themselves into such a terrible mess. And denied it besides.

I just got back in the car and headed back to good old Wisconsin. Where we face our porta pottie problems head on. Where we could also switch to porta potties just as Normal did. And besides. We don't need no Softer Charmin. We are tough enough here to handle the regular brand.

Independent Review

2008-02-17T18:52:00.001-08:00

Ed.note: This was a comment on an earlier post that I have posted for better visibility.)

Evansville Observer said...

Bill and Mark:

I call for an INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING REVIEW----that is NOT termination or treating people arbitrarily. It is full due process and it is done in professional circles every day--pre surgery, post mortem, etc etc. It is not just folks reviewing their past deeds---that is examination of conscience and is in the realm of religion. It is also NOT fellow employee review---which is what was done in the Pat Tillman case---the guy who shot him made up the story. NO.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW recognizes that after a crisis event, such as a bridge collapse, or engineering failure, there was something that was not seen---and fresh eyes help.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW allows dignity and due process to the contractor and ensures results to the community.

Without it---nothing will be resolved.

That is as I see it.

The Observer

1:49 PM

"The Case of the Punk Driver"

2008-02-17T18:51:00.001-08:00

Imagine yourself the parent of a young teen. You have enrolled that teen in the best of driver training programs. Spent additional time riding with that teen in teaching to merge to the speed of I90. Maybe occasionally clutching the door handle. You have been lucky. No accidents. And today is the day of the driver test. The great news. Your child has passed. You are both relieved and anxious. You make the insurance call and add the driver and put the additional premium on your Mastercard or Visa. Now you are ready for the trip home. You decide to let the new driver drive.

As you leave the city limits, and get up to speed on HWY 14, or HWY 90, ( insert your own highway here) you notice that something has changed. Your new driver accelerates up to 85 mph and ......very quickly. And seems almost giddy in the way and style that he/she changes lanes. Finally. Noting a little chest pain. You simply say: "Please pull over. I will drive the rest of the way"

All the way home, you ask that young driver what was in his/her mind. The youngster simply says, "Dad, you have the risk insured. What is the big deal? We have it covered!!!!!"

You then go over the simple truth, one that all of us know....maybe......that paying auto insurance for the risk, is not a substitute for prudent driving.

This mistake has also been made in our banking system--in our mortgages, in our securities,.....well in everything. The banks simply took some low grade mortgages and got insurance on them, and then marketed them.....with additional leverage....so that while the junk was 10%, with leverage, the entire investment was endangered. This strategy....the strategy that all of our best financial minds are trying to lie their way out of with successive notices of write offs of bad loans and then cell calls to the Asian or Saudi nations to get additional loans....is shameful....But the key point is that the original "DUE DILIGENCE" was not done. That was a point that our Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke made over a month ago. The audio is on the blog.

Now locally---some very well educated pundits have said that with respect to building on a flood plain---it is really "No Problem. "Just buy the insurance." However----just remember the Punk Driver.

"DUE DILIGENCE" and "Insurance RATING" are different. One of the major problems in America, from Malibu to locally, is building in locations where development should not happen. And also one of the major problems nationwide, is governments unable to say NO.

So--there it is. The story of the "Punk Driver." Who did not know the difference between insurance premiums and sane driving. Ditto mortgage banking....Ditto site selection for major public projects. Boards know that due diligence requires more than simply getting an insurance quote. Stay tuned.

OpEd: Enrollment Rising and Falling at the same time

2008-02-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Click on the post for the recent article in the Janesville Gazette on the much talked of purchase of land for the future needs of the Evansville School District.

In the first sentence of the article, the District is described as "Growing." Then in the text of the article, Mr. Pierick explains the enrollment decline of last year.

"Enrollment took a slight dip this fall, given the fact that new home construction slowed in the last year and a half, Pierick said.

“That actually buys us some time,” he said."

So enrollment is rising......and falling....at the same time.......

Some folks have wondered about this. How could this be so? For the Observer, who every day specializes in the deeper mysteries of news, this is really part of normal practice of the news.

Most folks out there are married. Remember when you said your vows......

For Better or Worse
Richer or Poorer...
Till Death...etc.

Maybe it was Better and Worse
Richer and Poorer...
Till Death......

And let's face it, whatever the facts were....you were in love
and the details were not too important.....however....

The RBM----the Rational Business Method----- explains all the article. The Plunkett Raysich report suggests that the current Intermediate School should be converted to a Middle School, and an elementary school be built elsewhere. The elementary school is where the population study done for the school district says the enrollment growth will occur. Also, the current intermediate school has the convenient athletic fields just perfect for a middle school. This has been talked of for years. It would appear that it might be logical to build a new elementary school.

That would be too logical. Some folks want to build BOTH a NEW elementary school and a NEW middle school. They are truly in love and not looking at the facts.

The video of the Plunkett Raysich Presentation is on the blog. The full audio is available.

As to the mysteries.....will the voters be in love with the proposal? Will it be for better or worse or better and worse.....stay tuned to The Evansville Observer.

Posted by Evansville Observer at 8:21 AM

Falling Off the Growth Bicycle

2008-02-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

For over a decade, my wife and I annually receive a brochure from UW Plattville about the European bike tour, that features a 10 day bike ride---Usually there are three different countries to choose from.

As far as dreams go, this one has been on the back burner. Now that two of the kids have finished college, however, we are facing a dream crisis of sorts---the bike trip requires being fit enough to bike 50 miles a day for a week. Yes, I did do the 56 mile Sugar River Trail roundtrip some years ago, but did take a week off afterwords. We do need to get the dream in our lifetime, so....

The other night we both went out to begin training again. I wore my yellow "Lance Armstrong" t-shirt just for the occasion. About the 5 mile mark, I got a little thirsty and noticed that my wife had forgotten her water bottle. Having watched the Tour de France, I knew just what to do. I yelled to my fellow peloton rider, wife, to bike beside so I could pass the water bottle. Just as she was reaching, or over-reaching for the bottle.....she crashed to the pavement.

My wife is a sonographer for a local hospital, and her arm and hands, and yes mind are the keys to her occupation. In a heartbeat, we both held our breath. .....Ok. no broken hips or arms. relax...

Sometimes in pursuing a dream, one can, in the frenzy of things fall off the growth bicycle. Sometimes in reaching too far and not being in touch, reality can come and readjust the dream big time.

For me, it bought back my favorite Zen saying, " When you walk, walk. When you run, run. Don't wobble. "

When you are on the growth bicycle it is important not to overreach. The pavement comes quickly.

Why Not Make ALL of Evansville a TIF?

2008-02-17T14:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday on my bike ride, I observed a man waving at me vigorously---so I stopped. " Are you the Observer?, he asked. "Yes," I replied, not knowing what would come next.

"Well," he said "Why not make all of Evansville a TIF, and shorten up all these meetings? It would save a lot of hot air!"

Stunned, I had no immediate reply. Yes, I was speechless. I told him I would think this over and reply on the blog.

There would be lots of advantages....All East Main residents would be elegible for "historic siding" that would be covered under TIF even if it did not add one dollar of "tax increment" to the home value. After all, it is important to improve the entrance to Evansville.

After long and hard thought, however, I realized what the problem would be. In a city that is deeply concerned about conflict of interest, if all of Evansville were included in a TIF district, all of the council members would have to recuse themselves from the vote and hence none could occur.

I do want to thank the resident for the idea however. If you have ideas that you want to share, post on the blog. Thanks.

Dangerous Ones

2008-02-17T14:00:00.001-08:00

Right before the Finance committee meeting last night, one of the alderman was explaining his position on an issue to Finance Chair, Karen Aikman ,and ended by saying, "I am sorry, I just have strong feelings on this issue."

"Don't ever feel sorry about it," Karen Aikman replied. "The fact that you have opinions or feelings about the issue means you are at the table. The one's who have no ideas or opinions. They are the dangerous ones."

While I was startled by the comment at the time, I have pondered on it, and believe that this is exactly so. Whether you are a young man who does not propose because he is worried about what his mother or mother in law or frineds might think or the person who does not speak out because of fear of being wrong on an issue, nothing happens till the person has enough committment to risk being occasionaly uncomfortable. Being at the table.

As we approach election time, it is helpful to realize that some do not want to be uncomfortable either in dealing with others opinions or their own. Yet that is what committment is all about.

The Ministry of Life

2008-02-17T13:58:00.001-08:00

Some years ago, when I was a single guy working at a hospital in Minnesota, I took the time to add up all the withholding from my paycheck---being that Minnesota was like Wisconsin a high tax state. Then I did some dreaming about what it might be like if one did not have to pay taxes.

One day in looking through the newspaper, I saw a story about a firm that offered a short course in becoming a registered pastor in a group of ministers called "The Ministry of Life." Well, in truth, it was a very short course indeed. It was just a small fee and a certificate. No coursework was required at all. How wonderful! I did some further research on this group and found that the IRS was not too keen on their claim of tax exempt status, and indeed, had filed some legal actions against it. That did damper my enthusiasm.

I has studied some business law and contracts, and was aware that with rights and responsibilities come freedoms. I theorized that with the right and responsibility that each man has to be a "minister" to others of the gospel, there must be some freedoms and benefits to such responsibility. Yes, it was the privilege of being tax deductible in all that one did that was in the scope of being a minister. Which was pretty much everything that I planned on doing, since indeed all of my life as I saw it was pretty sacred. I felt called to such a ministry with such benefits. As the cost of living went up, the call became even stronger. "This must be a vocation," I thought.

Over the years, I have had a fascination with tax laws and the rules and procedures of the IRS. Yes, I did even work for them a couple of years keying tax returns. I never did register to be a minister. However, each year around tax season as I review the amount of taxes paid, I review what the benefits would have been if indeed the tax laws had simply recognized a very deep truth---that we are all called to minister, and that there SHOULD BE a tax deduction somewhere, in fact ANYWHERE, in fact even a very little one would be better than none.

So, I just leave it up to you. What do you think? You make the call.

Who Pays When WalMart Comes to Town?

2008-02-17T13:54:00.001-08:00

Three answers--employees pay with low wages, towns pay in lost local businesses, and taxpayers pay with health care coverage for many Wal-Mart employees. The Wisconsin Citizen Action held a rally on the State Street Steps of the Capitol on Wed, June 1 to demand that Wal-mart pay their fair share for health care. They presented Wal-Mart with a check for $4.75 million dollars that Wisconsin taxpayers paid in public health program costs last year. Legislator Terese Berceau spoke to the crowd about legislation she would propose to require companies such as Wal-Mart to either pay more for employees health care or reimburse the state for this cost(www.madison.com/post/blogs)

Nationally, 26 states have introduced legislation to require states to disclose which employers are shifting health care costs to taxpayers.(www.aflcio.org/mediacenter)

Stoughton has stuggled with the issue of the impact of the larger store there. What would you think of Wal-mart coming to Evansville? What do you think is the solution to the problem of shifting employee health benefits to the taxpayers state wide by large big box firms?

The Pension Crisis Looms: Why the United Airlines case matters

2008-02-17T13:53:00.001-08:00

Since September 11, there has been a wide range of articles about the crisis that has confronted the airline industry. Anyone who has travelled by air knows that the world has changed big time for travellers. Airlines seem to be losing money on each ticket but trying to make it up in volume....something that any business owner could tell them is bad business...but they persist.

A week ago, the PBGC (Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation), a federal agency that insures the pension benefits of companies, took over the pension liabilities of United Airlines 123000 employees and retirees in the U.S. The problem is that this agency is 23 billion in the red at the current time and in poor shape to handle all the potential claims of the 20% of Americans that have defined benefit pension plans, plans that corporations have an incentive to avoid through the bankruptcy process since they are usually the ones that are underfunded.

You may have thought this was just a problem at United Airlines. Wrong. It is a problem for every American who has a pension. The article titled "Pension Fury" or "Pension Roulette" by Tim Grey in the AARP Bulletin this month is a good article that explains what this crisis could mean for you. Click on the post title to access the article.(www.aarp.org/bulletin)

The question I have is "Has deregulation really worked?" The regulated system for airlines had capital requirements for maintainance, pensions etc., but with the free for all market place, the public is not guaranteed that the essentials are covered. How about energy? or telephone? Are you any better off haveing 10,000 providers for long distance calling you for quotes on your long distance? How about the stock market? Now we have a totally transaction system where the system is designed to exploit not serve.

So, is this a a pension crisis at United or is it more---- a deep crisis of deregulation of industries that are in the public interest and should have SOME minimium level of regulation, and more than at present. What is your call?

The Funeral Rule

2008-02-17T13:52:00.001-08:00

The Janesville Gazette (www.gazetteextra.com) is running an article announcing the opening of "All Faiths Funeral and Cremation Services at 1618 Racine in Janesville, and the owner explains that the new funeral home will feature "fair pricing," that will reduce the cost of a normal funeral of about $8000 by about $3000.

What is "fair" in the pricing certainly can be the readers duty as a consumer. However, as a public service announcement, what is "legal" and "fair practices" has been established by the FTC under 16CFR Part 454 in 4/30/84 and is called the Federal Funeral Rule. As I understand it, the enforcement of this rule is by complaint only so the buyer must be aware of it and then complain. However, if you click on the post, you will see that there is a long list of practices that are clearly illegal and some of these may surprise you. If you get a search menu, just type in "federal funeral rule."

Buying funeral services is possibly the most vulnerable purchase of a lifetime. It is important to know what is "fair" and "legal" practices as well as fair pricing.

The Power of One

2008-02-17T13:50:00.001-08:00

Cindy Sheehan is not just a Gold Star War mother. She has in the act of challenging George Bush to declare what the meaning of her son's death was, provided a dramatic point of no return for George Bush. She says she will go mano a mano with him. So far, he is a no show.

There was a time in the Vietnam War when returning vets such as John Kerry spoke out agains the war. It is one thing for the public to speak against war in polls, but when the war widows and war mothers do not have meaning in the sacrifice, it spells real trouble.

Tom Hayden, activist in the Vietnam war, has written a piece on the significance of Cindy Sheehan and why her action is so important. Click on the post for the whole story.

What do you think? You make the call.

The Last Duck

2008-02-17T13:48:00.001-08:00

It was Wednesday morn, 7am, the duck and duckling were near the dam, with the duck staring intently at the small sign, a little faded for wear, that stated in italic bold letters, "Dam Ahead."

It was not clear to the Observer whether the duck was upset by the fact that there was no lake left, but only a puddle and a vast moonscape of muck or whether the duck might be upset by the signage that was not up to local code. There is also no evidence that the duck reflected on what to do in the event of unexpected change.

Suddenly, smoothly, the duck lifted off and left for others below to clean up the mess.

Let The Public Decide on Lake Leota Restoration

2008-02-17T13:46:00.001-08:00

(Ed.note: This was one of the very first posts of the Evansville Observer. My position on the issue is unchanged. Let the people decide by referendum.)

In 2001 a focus group of Evansville citizens met at the historic Masonic Temple to reflect on the "Identity" of Evansville. In the end, the top two choices were "The Grove" and preservation of Lake Leota and the special green space of Evansville.

In the current Evansville Plan to be approved on June 15, 2005, there is only the statement that preservation of Lake Leota is consistent with the goals of Evansville, but that it appears that the taxpayers do not want to pay for the restoration. The truth is that the community has never been asked the question.

Because of a flawed community survey that failed to survey the entire community but only chose to "select" a few "elect" people, there was a flawed result that always happens in small sample surveys. The current Strategic plan document to be approved on June 15th says that the restoration which would cost about 3 million, would not solve the problem. It is the observers understanding that the dredging would only leave a yearly maintance at the upper end of the Lake.

Lake Leota has a long and rich history. In the 1920's a group of women met in the upper park as part of the Lyceum movement preparing themselves for the right to vote. Wisconsin was one of the first states to vote for suffrage for women. Since then Evansville has met at the Park and it has become a space beyond school or government where all can socialize. This is unlike many communities of this cities size.

It is time for the public to decide. Not by city council vote but by referendum. What are your thoughts on this issue?

A Modest Proposal for the Improvement of Public Meetings

2008-02-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been attending a lot of meetings. It has occurred to me that it would be a large benefit to mankind if they could be a tad more efficient. My mind searched over the past year for the best meeting of the year. NO CONTEST. It was the famous Wee-Ones Daycare meeting a couple of months ago.

The purpose of the meeting was for West side residents to choose a design for the new park. The meeting was held on a Saturday morning... A time when groggy residents could have, without the proper mocha, launched into a long debate. Instead something pretty wonderful happened.

The meeting was held in the playroom of the daycare. There were 20 kiddie chairs lined in two neat rows. There was one large lazy-boy chair. The people who attended deferred to Mr. Berg, although he preferred to hold the door open for late arrivals. So, the plush lazyboy chair remained empty. Folks just sat in those little chairs six inches off the ground.

Mayor Ringhand and Bill Hammann presided over the meeting, but rather than sit in elevated chairs in front of paneling, because we were short easels, they held up the various designs to choose from. Their role as easel bearers made everyone feel very down home comfortable.

It is not true that sitting in those little chairs made citizens passive. When Ald. Hammann suggested that possibly the rest room central location was not too important, the wife of "Grumps" spoke courageously up to protest. The rest rooms central location IS important. OK. Everyone agreed.

In a heartbeat the meeting was over. 31 minutes flat. Good debate. Quick decision making.

So, I think we should order 30 or 40 wee-ones chairs quickly. Yes, even the alderman could sit in them. Just think of all the money and time we will save as a city.

A Modest Proposal for the Improvement of Justice in Evansville

2008-02-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

Beloit is about to begin it's own version of Court TV. It will begin broadcasting the municipal court on TV. It's going to be "Judge Joe." It will appeal to those viewers who need to know about their neighbors and what they have been up to, as in disorderly conduct and such. (Click on the post for the full story.)

We in Evansville know a bit about marketing and we can certainly do better. We have seen Judge Judy. O.k. Let's see. We have Judge Tom Alisankus. Now "Judge Tom" would not seem to rhyme much. We need something like "Judge Rocky" to really get attention. But------ if we just shortened the last name a bit-----yes-----Judge Ali---

It's now "Court TV with Judge Ali"-----that's catchy.

All the revenue from ads would go to support the municipal court. That would be instead of going on high speed chases. Think of the benefits.

We would create jobs for camera folks and make up and lighting. What a fantasy! Revenue way over budget!

Let's not rush too fast on the idea though----We should talk to the Judge first. After all, we should let him have a say in his own name change. Then, there is the question of whether "Judge Ali" is dignified enough." I will let the bloggers weigh in on that. However, it sure is powerful enough. It would strike fear. It sure would deter crime. Just think of the headlines, "Judge Ali levys huge fine...." So it all comes down to the "fear" and "respect" aspects of the name change.

I will leave it up to you.

You make the call.

Virtual AND Brick and Mortar

2008-02-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

Remember back many Christmas seasons ago when folks first started ordering on the internet. In that first year there was a lot of speculation that presto, the brick traditional stores would be history.

Then the returns came. The Christmas returns. What an internet snafu. Soon it became clear that brick and mortar could work WITH the virtual store and the best retailers have done exactly that.

Several years ago, the first virtual schools came into existence. Some were charter schools. Most were seen as a threat to traditional education. Traditional union spokesmen opposed them as being a threat to strong schools. Today some of these college on line schools have a growth rate of 30% or more.

As we face the energy crisis, and as the physical part of the infrastructure of education becomes increasingly expensive, we may look to the retail model as providing some instruction as to how to model our educational system.

Two years ago, one of my girls attended a class with fellow J.C. McKenna students and went physically to class 4 times in Madison and submitted papers and offered posts for discussion weekly on the internet on their required reading. The teacher reviewed the posts and offered guidance. It was a very interesting class, and she became quite involved in it, especially as other classmates posted comments on her work. A little like this blog. Anyway.

It may be that far from the scourge that was once thought, VIRTUAL in the proper balance, may indeed be the savior as schools nationwide face the energ