Robert Siegel checks out the artichoke theft problem in California (I believe the same problem exists in the garlic fields)
ipodmyphoto
David Schroeder’s ipodmyphoto has become an interesting internet success story, largely due to word of mouth – online via blogs.
More on Milwaukee New Voter Address Problems
Greg Borowski continues on the trail of Milwaukee’s new voter address validation problems.
As a state, Wisconsin has long prided itself on the openness of its voting system. It is a place where voters don’t have to declare a party, can register right at the polls and – if they have registered in advance – get a ballot simply by stating their name and address.
But after a second straight razor-close presidential election, where some see positives in a system that makes it easy to vote, others see problems that they argue make it too easy to vote fraudulently.
More here.
Madison Broadband: Fiber to the Home in Morristown, TN
Another community making true two way broadband happen, Morristown, TN:
Morristown, Tennessee, population 24,965, is building fiber to the home. According to an article in the Knoxville News Sentinel, the city responded to a doubling of commercial cable TV rates by chartering its municipal utility to build a fiber network. Morristown’s first customers will come on line in June, 2005. The build will cost $18,000,000, or $720 per person, or $1400 per home. The article says
Milwaukee Vote: 1200+ invalid new voter addresses
A review of Milwaukee voting records from the Nov. 2 presidential election has found more than 1,200 ballots cast from invalid addresses in the city, including many cases in which the voter could not be located at all.
The number is a result of a detailed computer analysis by the Journal Sentinel of the city’s voter records and represents about 0.4% of the 277,535 ballots cast in the city in the hard-fought election. Some of the problems may be due to flawed record keeping, such as transposed digits or incorrect street names. Many others, however, cannot easily be explained.
The newspaper’s review, the most extensive analysis done so far of the election, revealed 1,242 votes coming from a total of 1,135 invalid addresses. That is, in some cases more than one person is listed as voting from the address. Of the 1,242 voters with invalid addresses, 75% registered on site on election day, according to city records.
Brazil’s Amazon Agribusiness Boom
Martin Kaste takes a look Brazils conversion of millions of acres of the Amazon rainforest into soybean fields. Good for agriculture exports, but how good for the Amazon?
Steve Coll: Afghanistan’s Poetry
Ghost Wars (excellent) author Steve Coll discusses Masood Khalili, an Afghan Poet today, on NPR.
New Voter Address Verification
Wisconsin Counties are required by law to send voter address verification cards to new voters. Evidently, this law is not enforced, according to this AP article.
Kevin Kennedy, executive director of the state Elections Board, said local officials have said prosecutors rarely follow up on the undeliverable cards, even though they could lead to charges if voter fraud was involved.
“Municipalities have complained for years the D.A.’s don’t do anything with it,” Kennedy said. “That’s the feedback we get when we hold training sessions.”
In Milwaukee, there have been “several hundred” cards returned as undeliverable, said Lisa Artison, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission. The cards are still arriving and have not yet been sent to the district attorney’s office, she said.
In Dane County, District Attorney Brian Blanchard said he didn’t know how many cards had been returned but noted a clerk had bundled up a 6-inch stack.
Dave Zweifel on Madison’s Rail Service
Dave Zweifel keeps the flame burning on Madison rail service. I do think it is time for a serious run at this, perhaps funded by an increase in the gas tax (money that currently funds roads). High speed rail that links Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago would be a wonderful public good AND help to improve the O’hare morass.
Politicians Revolving Door
Frank Muto forwarded an interesting look at the ongoing revolving door where officials turn into lobbyists:
Editorial: Throw sand in the revolving door
Two more, this time Democrats
Officials continue to turn into lobbyists at an alarming rate. Gregg Rothschild, key aide to Democrat John Dingell, is becoming a lobbyist for Verizon. Before Dingell, he was John Kerry’s telecom aide. Rothschild took the Dingell job in 2003, replacing Andrew Levin, who in turn had left to lobby for Clear Channel. David Svanda, former Michigan Commissioner, is persuasively arguing on behalf of the AT&T backed VON Coalition. Svanda earned respect for promoting competition in Michigan and leadership among state regulators as President of NARUC. They join a long list, including far too many FCC officials, who went directly into well paid jobs influencing their former colleagues.Does the prospect of such lucrative careers influence the decisions of even ethical officials? Did they modify their actions in the preceding year, wondering if they were affecting their chances of a job? I have no reason to speak ill of either Rothschild of Svanda, both considered ethical. But I know how I am constantly pulled, having to report the news about advertisers that pay my rent, and think top officials do not need their consciences challenged by equivalent temptation if avoidable.
via Dave Farber