n 2003, Wisconsin state income taxes paid by filers with incomes in the $35,000-$75,000 range were higher than in many other states. For single filers with incomes in this range, Wisconsin’s income taxes were among the top 10 nationally. For married, joint filers, Wisconsin ranked from 11th to 15th, depending on income. These are several of the findings in a detailed new study of income taxes nationwide published by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX).
Ten Predictions About Cars for 2025
Tyler Cowen posts the list.
The FCC and the Open Internet
Susna Crawford parses the FCC’s latest rulings on open internet access:
More faith-based policymaking. We’ll need more than principles for the open internet to survive.
David Isenberg follows with a discussion of “Fat Wasteband“, a useful look at telco attempts to control the open internet.
Tommy Thompson: “Stick a RFID Chip in Your Body”
President Bush’s former health secretary Tommy Thompson is putting the final touches to a plan that could result in US citizens having a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip inserted under their skin, The Business has learned.
The RFID capsules would be linked to a computerised database being created by the US Department of Health to store and manage the nation’s health records. It could be the precursor to a similar scheme in the UK.
The president’s budget for 2006 continues to support the use of health information technology by increasing funding to $125m for pilot schemes.
Thompson, now a director of Applied Digital Solutions, the company that makes the chips, intends to publish the proposal in the next 50 days, by which time he plans to have had a VeriChip inserted in his arm. Thompson believes the capsules could help save thousands of lives every year.
I’m glad Tommy is sticking it to himself first on this one. I can see some benefits to this approach, BUT there’s a huge privacy downside.
Boston’s Logan Airport Blocks Free WiFi
Boston’s Logan International Airport is trying to kill Continental Airlines enlightened free WiFi service.
Chinese Basketball Team to Play Ryan Coached Team at the Fieldhouse
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) China Council and the Milwaukee Bucks today announced that the professional Chinese Basketball Association’s Beijing Ducks will play a free exhibition game at the University of Wisconsin Field House during the team’s 12-day trip to Wisconsin. The Ducks will take on Madison-area college stars and aspiring professionals – coached by University of Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan – at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11.
The exhibition game is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.
“The Beijing Ducks’ visit to Wisconsin marks the first time a professional Chinese basketball team has come to the United States, and we are excited and honored that they will be using the University of Wisconsin’s facilities during their trip,” UW assistant coach Greg Gard said. “This should be a fun game for both the players and the spectators. We hope many people will come out and take advantage of this great opportunity to see top-level basketball at no cost.”
Land’s End President Out
The turmoil continues at Lands’ End with the firing of president and CEO Mindy Meads after just 18 months at the helm of the clothing retailer.
Meads had been promoted to Lands’ End CEO in February 2004.
Replacing Meads as interim president is David McCreight, executive vice president of merchandising for Lands’ End.
New Vaccine Could Prevent Flu for Life
A revolutionary vaccine developed by British scientists could give lifetime protection against all types of flu.
British biotech Firm Acambis is trialling the vaccine. If successful, just one jab would offer permanent protection against all strains of flu.
Green Bay’s Schneider National: HBR on their Operational Innovation
Great example of a traditional company that continues to improve. I remember using Schneider years ago, on the west coast and being astonished at their unique GPS shipment tracking system. This was in the late 1980’s…. Michael Hammer takes a look:
That’s the bad news. The good news is that Schneider’s leaders did not give up, but restarted the effort in a different way. This time around the company was astoundingly successful. The time to respond to a customer’s RFP, which had been in the range of 30–45 days, plummeted to 1–2 days. These results started to appear within nine months of the project getting underway and were fully realized in less than two years. By getting back to customers so much faster than its competitors, Schneider was able to shape the terms of competition. The result was a rise of some 70 percent in the percentage of bids that Schneider won, which translated into sales increases of hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Ironically, many of the ideas that had been developed in the original project resurfaced in the new system for responding to RFPs.
So what changed between the first and second efforts that made the difference between failure and success? There were six key factors:
Broadband Luddites
But don’t worry – Congress is on the case. It dropped everything last week to pass a bill to protect gun makers from shooting victims’ lawsuits. The fact that the U.S. has fallen to 16th in the world in broadband connectivity aroused no interest. Look, I don’t even like cellphones, but this is not about gadgets. The world is moving to an Internet-based platform for commerce, education, innovation and entertainment. Wealth and productivity will go to those countries or companies that get more of their innovators, educators, students, workers and suppliers connected to this platform via computers, phones and P.D.A.’s.
A new generation of politicians is waking up to this issue. For instance, Andrew Rasiej is running in New York City’s Democratic primary for public advocate on a platform calling for wireless (Wi-Fi) and cellphone Internet access from every home, business and school in the city. If, God forbid, a London-like attack happens in a New York subway, don’t trying calling 911. Your phone won’t work down there. No wireless infrastructure. This ain’t Tokyo, pal.
I’ve seen no serious movement on true 2 way broadband in Wisconsin. We’re stuck with slow service, unfortunately.