Friday Dudley Twofer

These pictures were actually taken Wednesday, June 28, but close enough.

Early Dog Days

You may have noticed a slight slackening of the pace here on the blog. It is tough to keep up with all the activities of Camp Wausau both as a participant and documentor, so I hope you will bear with me. Things are bubbling below the surface though.

And the community is growing. No, not Wausau itself, but people talking about and sharing the goodness of our home. A gentleman by the name of Andy Laub (or at least I assume he is a gentleman and that is his name) has informed there there is “Wausau” group on Flickr.

Andy has posted some really nice photos there. His are a bit more “arty” than mine and Toms. Ours tend to be more “snapshotty” or maybe on a good day, “journalistic.” Andy’s pix are very nice and will give you a new view of our hometown.

And hey! You could join in too! Get yourself a free Flickr account, join the Wausau group and show us all your photos! I know lots of you have digicams, so share your best or even your worst shots with us. The more the merrier!

Econ 101 At the Tanstaafl Institute

No, that is not a typo in the headline. Many, many years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in high school, I took my first economics class. On the first day of class, the instructor welcomed us to the “Tahnsstoffle Institute.” Or at least that is sort of what it sounded like. He then wrote the “name” of the “Institute” on the board thusly: TANSTAAFL. He then grandly announced that this was an acronym that stands for: There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.

He then told us if that was all we learned in the class that we would know more about real world economics than most economists. Frankly, I don’t remember much else from the class, but TANSTAAFL has stuck with ever since. I was reminded of it again when I was visiting Door County last weekend.

It seems that the citizens of Door County, or at least some of them, are fighting a proposed big box store which may be built near Sturgeon Bay. It is your classic battle. Local store owners and citizens who want to keep local character on one side, developers, chamber of commerce types and people who want to “save money” on the other. Throw in some out of town money and lobbying for the local politicos and you have an All American brouhaha already in progress. You can read the side of the story of the locals fighting the big box here.

First I have to say, that I think the forces for Big Box development have a point. It is kind of nice to shop in a store that has a huge selection and rock bottom prices. Wal-Mart has often argued that they help average Americans by saving them significantly at the check out. And certainly compared to the Mom and Pop store of old, Big Box prices are much lower.

Unfortunately, those low prices have a price, as it were. The TAANSTAAFL law applies to Big Boxes just like everything else. Yes, the prices are lower — and so are the manufacturing wages for those products. Often so low that the jobs pay so much less than our minimum wages they have to go overseas. Mom and Pop can’t compete, downtown fades to a romantic memory and the Big Box acts as a conduit for the money — from all those hometowns to the Head Office. Suddenly all those nickles and dimes that were “saved” pile up into huge fortunes. If Sam Walton were still alive (and his now somewhat scattered fortune still intact) he would be the worlds richest man, by far. Target’s CEO raked in over $12 million in pay in 2004 and has some $174 million in stock options waiting for him. That is a lot of “savings!”

There is a place for a nice big cheap store, by now you can’t help but shop at them. But I always try and remember the TANSTAAFL Institute everytime I pull in the parking lot and especially when I see ground broken on yet another corporate money vacuum, come to suck our hard earned dollars away. Development is good, trade is good. But local development that focuses on people and community is best.

A Call to Action

Wausau has a LPFM. I know, I work there. So I am passing this along. Please read, cut and paste often…and most importantly call your senator.

Prometheus Radio Project Calls for Quick Action on Senate Bill 2686

IMC-US , Jun 25, 2006 @ 23:32 GMT

Prometheus Radio Project is calling for supporters of independent community-based media to take quick action on Senate Bill 2686, a big telecommunications bill that covers everything from who controls your local cable company to how fast and open your access to the internet is. Some of the bill, the proposed Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006, is problematic, but some of the amendments are positive – including one introduced by Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona that would expand low power FM (LPFM) radio — one hundred watt community radio stations used by churches, schools, and community groups around the United States. The bill could be voted on next week.For more information and to get your Senator’s phone number, visit: http://www.freepress.net/washington or http://www.prometheusradio.org/lpfm

Read the amendment

Hello Intrepid Rabble Rousers for Community Radio, and Greetings from the Prometheus Radio Project!NEWSFLASH! FORWARD WIDELY!

The expansion of low power FM (LPFM) radio — one hundred watt community radio stations used by churches, schools, and community groups around the United States — has taken a dramatic, important turn. Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, is sponsoring an amendment onto Senate Bill 2686, a big telecommunications bill that covers everything from who controls your local cable company to how fast and open your access to the internet is.

You can read this amendment here: http://www.prometheusradio.org/media/mccain_amendment_stevens_bill.pdf

What would this amendement do? This amendment would remove the artificial restriction that the FCC was forced to put on our airwaves in 2000, keeping low power FM radio from America’s cities and thousands of our towns. Hundreds, if not thousands, of new radio frequencies would be opened up to communities across the country.

What’s our goal? Senate Bill 2686 will have over 100 amendments offered onto it, and the expansion of low power FM radio is just one. Even though we all might have to come together later this year to defeat this bill (we’re not trading low power FM for public access TV — no way!), this is an important chance to show support for LPFM on the floor of the senate, on this bill, and in all future legislation. If this amendment is voted down on the floor, we’ll have to start over at square one to expand LPFM to our communities.

ACT NOW!

What can you do? You can call your Senator -today- and ask them to support low power FM radio on Senate Bill 2686 — the Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006. We aren’t crying wolf — we need you to call -immediately- as this bill will start getting debated this week.

Get your Senator’s phone number here:
http://www.freepress.net/washington or http://www.prometheusradio.org/lpfm And when the staffer picks up, say something like:

“Hi, my name is _____, and I’m your consituent, Senator. I support, and my community supports, the language in Senate Bill 2686 that would expand low power FM across our state and across this country. In an era of natural disasters, and few opportunities for churches, schools, and community groups to make their voices heard, we need more local radio stations in our cities and towns. Please support low power FM in Senate Bill 2686.”

Then drop us a line at info@prometheusradio.org, or call us at 215-727-9620, to let us know you called!

We have been fighting against many of the provisions of the larger bill. And if they do not fix the provisions that give away the control of the internet to Comcast and Verizon or limit public access television, we will oppose its ultimate passage.

But it is very important that you help make the amendment is a success, to show the broad support for the positive things legislators can do for communications, like Low Power FM. It’s time to expand low power FM from Opelousas, Louisiana to New Orleans, from Spokane, Washington to Seattle, and across this country. Stand together for the community radio we need to take back our airwaves and our democracy!

In Solidarity,
The Organizers at
the Prometheus Radio Project

PS — Want to learn more about low power FM radio stations serving their communities? Scroll down to the bottom of this page — http://prometheusradio.org/lpfm — and read about a station near you here — http://www.prometheusradio.org/library/news_archive

PPS — Low power FM stations saved lives and provided essential communications infrastructure after last year’s hurricanes and continue to do so today. This spring, one Mississippi station was honored for its service by none other than President George Bush. Learn about one of those stations here — http://www.prometheusradio.org/WQRZ_honored_by_president_bush

PPPS — Get involved with the fight to protect our access to the media by visiting our allies at SaveAccess.org and SaveTheInternet.com!

Teach Your Children Well

This weekend we visited one of Wisconsin’s great State Historical Sites, The Wade House. These sites are a wonderful reminder of how we came to be who we are… as well as some lessons that could be implemented in everyday life today. The pioneers did not have words for conservation, recycling and reuse- it was a way of life. Very little was wasted.

The State Historical Society has done a wonderful job creating living history museums in several locations across the state. There are, of course, locally run historical sites as well. There are far too many children who have never experienced Wisconsin’s past, an art museum or the performing arts. Take time to teach your children! Check out these websites for more info:

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/

http://www.portalwisconsin.org/

Consider becoming a member of the State Historical Society. Benefits of membership include their magazine (a great read!), discounted admission and discounts in the shops.

Christine

BTW- Are you humming that song now?

WNRB’s Summer Party

Given that we passed our first year of broadcasting recently, the volunteers once again decided to have a party. Sort of our summer ritual. The staff does not talk about work, and volunteers get a chance to meet each other and talk about their shows.

Each year this party gets hosted by Dr. Rent himself, and each year it is a tribute to mother nature. At the innagural last year, we spent the time trying in vain to stay cool;  it being one of the 140 degree days. This year we spent it dodging hail bullets.

Either way, it was a great time, and the staff at WNRB are so very proud of the efforts of the Vols.

WACKO Weekend

No, they are not crazy, or at least not too crazy. WACKO is Wausau Area Canoe and Kayak Organization. This weekend is a citizen's race and recreational event down at the Whitwater park. People who love whitewater doing their thing just for fun and enjoyment. Still lots of fun to watch. Plus you can pick up a Gelato and some really excellent spring rolls at the booth between the county buildings.

Here is a teaser pic, there are more on the Flickr page.

Kinzie Benefit Concert Series

Kinzie Benefit Concerts, a local promoter organization in Wausau, is presenting a series of outdoor shows at The Amphitheater at Marathon Park on Wausau’s west side. They just put on a big-name country show in June with Sara Evans (voted the 2006 country female vocalist of the year) and Radney Foster, a popular veteran singer/songwriter from Texas.

On Wednesday July 12, they’re having a “Rock the Park” night. Legendary Wisconsin alternative rockers, Violent Femmes, will headline a multi-act concert. Also featured will be Better Than Ezra and Carbon Leaf, a pair of acoustic-based alternative rock bands.

Kirk Howard, manager of Kinzie Benefit Concerts, says he’s thrilled to bring a Wisconsin musical treasure to Wausau; the Femmes are in Europe on a far-ranging tour right now and they agreed to fly in especially for this show. The tour marks the band’s 25th anniversary.

Violent Femmes formed in Milwaukee in 1981; their debut self-titled album was released in 1983. That record rocketed the group to international fame and has since achieved platinum status — without the help of a commercial radio hit. Primarily, the band found its following on college radio and alternative rock stations, where their most notable hits, "Blister in the Sun", "American Music", "Kiss Off", and "Add It Up" found a home.

The band toured extensively and built a solid fan base … one of our promotions staff, Dino, was an exchange student in 1987 in Spain. Homesick, young, in a land far away, Dino found the Femmes on the jukebox of a bar in a town called Algemesi in Spain. Amazed that his "hometown" band was so far away, and so unplanned.

For many of us in our late 30s or early 40s, the Femmes will take us right back to our college days. But the 3-act show on July 12 will really cut across — and overlap — several age groups. The Femmes have long been established as a revered favorite for the next generation of alt rockers; the band has a highly credible reputation among younger alt rock fans.

Here’s a quote from the Femmes Web site:

“… perhaps the most distinctive thing about Violent Femmes is their relationship with their 'fourth member' which is the audience. No other band in rock has stayed active for as long while maintaining the same demographic. The Femmes have some audience members who have grown up with the band, and even some 3-generation families of fans. But for the most part the audience remains the same high school and college kids who have always been the core of the Femmes crowd. This 'Picture of Dorian Grey' effect is unique in the world of pop music”

Better Than Ezra, also described as an alternative rock band, is based in New Orleans. The band’s first nationally released album, Deluxe, came out in 1993, with the cut “Good” becoming an instant hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard chart. A steady string of radio hits followed leading up to “Juicy” from their latest album, Before the Robots; that tune was featured on season promotional spots for the Desperate Housewives TV series last year. The band is in the midst of national tour.

Opening the show will be Carbon Leaf, an eclectic Virginia-based 5- piece band that combines the sounds of mandolin, electric and acoustic guitars, standup and electric bass, and drums. This group is building a strong following, especially among the college crowd.

Even though this is basically a rock show, it will also have a distinct acoustic feel. It’s fair to assume that anyone who has enjoyed the eclectic feel of a Grateful Dead concert, or Phish or String Cheese Incident, will likely be right at home at this show. You can expect a good balance of high energy and some mellow, melodic moments. It will be a great experience under the pines at Marathon Park.

Actually, the venue is also one of the stars of the show. This is a great place to take in a concert. There’s a large, new covered grandstand with reserved, numbered seating for about 3,500. The seats are actually recycled from the old Milwaukee County Stadium where the Brewers played before Miller Park was built. The stage is down on the infield area … there will be standing-only, general admission tickets available for the infield, which holds approximately another 3,500 people. There’s really not a bad viewing spot in the whole venue; it’s an intimate space with great sight lines.

The whole venue is enclosed by a fence; so concert-goers are allowed to buy beer in the venue and take it to their seat or standing spot. There’s also all kinds of food vendors on hand. The grandstand is backed by an impressive huge stand of tall, second-generation white pines. It’s really a comfortable, eye-catching place to be. Marathon Park itself is easy to find; it’s just about a minute off the north- south U.S. Highway 51 corridor (take the Stewart Street exit) and it’s equally convenient to where east-west travelers on Wisconsin Highway 29 cross Highway 51. There’s plenty of lodging available nearby, in fact the park itself has a camping area, but I’d recommend reserving a spot right away. Here is camping information for the Marathon County Park system. Or you can call (715) 261-1566 for information and reservations.

So why’s it called Kinzie BENEFIT Concerts? A portion of the proceeds from their shows are designated for charitable organizations in the area. The Sara Evans show raised money for Habitat for Humanity. This “Rock the Park” concert will help raise money for Boy and Girl Scouts. The promoter wants to help attract more activity to the amphitheater at the park, and to Wausau in general … and he wants to help support local programs. It’s a grassroots sort of scenario.

Ticket for the concert are $25 for advance purchasers … and the price is the same whether you’re buying general admission standing-only infield or designated, reserved grandstand seating. Some people just want to get as close to the stage as they can, and some want to know they have a guaranteed seat. At the gate on concert day, all tickets will be $30. You can learn more about and order your tickets online by going to kinziebenefitconcerts.com.

3000 Hits!

I absolutely assure you that the Wausaublog is not betting on baseball, so if we keep it up, we will still be eligilble for the Hall of Fame!

Thanks for reading, everyone, I hope it its small way the Wausaublog is making our liveable little city a little bit better place. You can help, of course. You can contribute a comment or two and get involved with the discussion, the more the merrier.

But also, as we have reached our sunshine peak for the year, you can get out and about around town and take in what Wausau has to offer. We have a Whitewater event this weekend, there is a "Concert in the Clouds" at Rib Mountain Park on Saturday night. The Concerts on the Square kick off on Wednesday. Slightly further afield, the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair is this weekend down in Custer. I am sure there are even more things going on if you look.

But in addition to having a bit of fun you could also take a moment to make Wausau a cooler and friendlier place. Say hello to a stranger (I know you already do, you are from the Midwest afterall), don't walk by that little piece of roadside trash, walk to the library instead of drive or any a million other things that could make just a little bit of positive difference.

Lots of people in Wausau already do, which makes this such a wonderful place to be, but hey, one more thing won't hurt you.

Friday Dudley

Slooooooowly it grows, inch by inch…