By Steve Erbach on Friday, October 24, 2008 6:13 AM

Do you think a second stimulus will boost the economy?

(published 27-Oct-2008, Appleton Post-Crescent)

The economic stimulus is like getting a home equity loan: borrow money using the valuable equity in your home to purchase a TV or boat or ... wait ... there IS no equity in your home anymore, is there?  This is supposed to boost the economy, you say?  Ohhhhhh, I see!  Make it LOOK like the government can fix the economy by printing more money!  Hey!  Don't worry!  Future politicians can deal with future ... Read More »

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By Steve Erbach on Monday, October 13, 2008 4:14 AM

Venezuela's oil output slumps under Hugo Chavez

Venezuela's daily oil production has fallen by a quarter since President Hugo Chavez won power, depriving his "Bolivarian Revolution" of much of the benefit of the global boom in oil prices.

By Jeremy McDermott in Caracas
Last Updated: 7:26AM BST 13 Oct 2008

To win allies and forge an anti-American front, Mr Chavez sells oil to friendly countries at low prices. Ironically, the only big customer buying Venezuelan oil at the full market price is the United States, which the president routinely denounces as the "Empire".

"As production falls, the sales to the US become more important ... Read More »

By Steve Erbach on Friday, October 03, 2008 6:03 AM

The proposed ordinance to regulate newspaper vending machines (NVM) in Neenah was passed last night on a 6-3 vote.  The separate ordinance establishing a permit fee for NVM's also passed on a 6-3 vote.  On the way to those votes, however, there were five motions to amend or delay adoption of one or the other of the ordinances.  There was also some assistance in our glorious cause from an unexpected quarter on the Council.  The whole debate lasted for over half an hour. Combined with the 18 minutes for presentations during the  Public Forum, the NVM ordinances took up 50 of the 90 minutes of the Council meeting.

There were three Public Forum presentations.  The first was made by the owner of The Scene magazine, Jim Moran of Neenah (http://scenenewspaper.com/home.html).  I'd never met the man, but he sat a few seats away from my wife and me.&a ... Read More »

By Steve Erbach on Friday, October 03, 2008 5:59 AM

In a separate posting I'll give a report of what happened with the newspaper vending machine ordinance.  Here's the text of my speech:

I'd like to clear the air about things that were said at last week's Public Services and Safety Committee meeting.  Both Mayor Scherck and Council President Stevenson were absolutely right:

• That the people responsible for the newspaper vending machines in downtown Neenah have in large part fallen down on the job. They're not properly maintaining their boxes, especially in the winter.
• That the city has a responsibility to maintain the public right-of-way.
• That store owners are entitled to expect a clear path to their doors from that public right-of-way.
• And that the city has the right and the responsibility to step in -- even with a new ordinance -- when people don't pay attention to THEIR responsibilities.
... Read More »
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