No Runny Eggs

This restatement of “Those who don’t remember history”, or its January version, will be at the top of the blog until AB15, the bad-ethanol-gas bill, is defeated (except for a temporary move one spot down during Christmas). Please look for the regular posts below.

How appropriate it is that the penultimate reaction to the first episode happened 232 years ago December 16th. A politically-connected industry finds itself with a massive amount of product that it can’t sell. It goes to the government to get a monopoly in a new market to get rid of it and goes on to claim that it will actually cost less to do it that way. I am not talking about the East India Tea Company back in the 1770s (which led to the Boston Tea Party and ultimately the creation of the United States of America), but ethanol in 2005. That’s right, the Assembly forgot its history and crammed AB15, the bill mandating the more-expensive, less-efficient, more-polluting, GM-engine-killing statewide E10 gasoline mandate through the day the day before the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.

There is at least one more chance to stop this, and likely just that one more chance. This bill still has to go through the Senate (my list of semi-confirmed “no” votes here). If it makes it through, Jim “Craps” Doyle (WEAC/ADM-Potawatomi) has already promised ADM that he would sign it. Those Senate staffers you called regarding the repeal of the automatic gas-tax increase are still there in Madison. Call them today! If you don’t have the number (for shame; you should still have it from the efforts to repeal the automatic gas-tax increase), go here to find your Senator and his or her phone number. I’ll be back tomorrow (12/16) with the response I get from my Senator, Jeff Plale (Madison phone # – (608) 266-7505).

Revisions/extensions part 1 – At least I planned on being back here today (12/16) with that info. I got Sen. Plale’s messaging service at 10:39 am 12/16, on which I urged him to oppose AB15 and invited him to give me a call back.

Homer nod – I need a new calendar :-)

Last week, I gave you what must happen for the Packers to get the #1 pick outright. Well, Brook Bollinger disappointed again, and we’ve started the NFL weekend out right (the bookies might not agree if you followed my advice :-) So, I bring you the update after the Saturday games –

• The Pack must lose to the Seahawks at home.
• The Texans must beat the oh-so-close-to-2-in-a-row Niners in San Francisco.
• The Saints must not lose in Tampa.
• All of the following must happen to avoid a coin flip with the Texans (one tie can happen; anything more than one thing not happening gives the higher pick to the Texans):
  • The Jets choke to Buffalo at home.
  • Arizona does the expected and loses in Indianapolis.
  • Detroit lays an egg in Pittsburgh.
  • St. Louis ends Dallas’ playoff dreams. (Sorry James; we need this, and the odds say this will be a meaningless game anyway)
• All of the following must happen to avoid a coin flip with the Jets assuming they lose (again, one tie can happen and anything more than one thing not happening gives the higher pick to the Jets) because the Raiders proved they’re the dumbest team ever (it fit with the dumbest announcing crew ever):
  • The OldBrowns go back to Cleveland and win.
  • The Bengals get cooked by the Ch(i)efs.
  • The Titans fall before Jacksonville.

(H/T – Owen)

They don’t need power at the Wisconsin Supreme Court building. They ruled yesterday 4-3 that a teen with cerebal palsy allegedly caused by a lack of oxygen during birth and his family may continue with a lawsuit that was first filed when he was 11.

The usual gang of 4, Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, Ann Walsh Bradley (the author), Patrick “Turncoat” Crooks (still no announced opponent for him, and he’s up for re-election in 2006) and “Loophole” Louis Butler (Steve Austin reminds us to “thank” the Pubbies for him over at B&S), said, “The Legislature has not provided a statute of limitations for claims against health care providers alleging injury to a developmentally disabled child. This determination is the only determination the court is able to reach without either rewriting the statutes or working an absurd and illogical result.”

David Prosser, the author of the dissent (joined by Jon Wilcox and Pat Roggensack), said, “The majority authorizes suit in this case more than 11 ½ years after the child’s alleged injury and boasts in doing so that it has avoided rewriting the statute. This is not judicial restraint.”

Owen has more.

As Dandy Don said about Monday Night Football, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over.” This is the last week for the regular season, but I’ll be around for the playoffs, where the money can really change hands. I’ll eventually recall how badly I’ve done the last few weeks, but for now, I’ll just go through the last 16 games of the regular season that will result in the Packers drafting 3rd.

Denver (+10.5) @ San Diego – I know Mike Shanahan’s resting his starters in this completely-meaningless game, but 10 1/2 points is too much to give. Now if this were the 5 1/2 that it started off at,….
NY Giants (-8) @ Oakland – The Raiders can’t even play spoilers right.
Cincinnati @ Kansas City (-7.5) – In the end, they’re the BenGALS.
Miami @ New England (-5.5) – Forecast for Foxboro – snow. That’ll cool off the Dullfins.
Buffalo (-1.5) @ NY Jets – Come on, say it with me!
Carolina (-3.5) @ Atlanta – Atlanta doesn’t spoil too well.
Detroit @ Pittsburgh (-13.5) – My pre-season pick for Super Bowl XL champs have their destiny in their hands. Fortunately, even I can hold that destiny against Dick Jauron.
Baltimore (-3) @ Cleveland – The OldBrowns defense isn’t what it used to be, but they still eat rookie QBs for lunch.
New Orleans @ Tampa Bay (-13.5) – The Bucs control their own destiny, and except for Houston, so do the Saints. In short, lay the very heavy lumber.
Seattle (+4.5) @ Green Bay – Seattle’s 3rd string could beat this team. In fact, they probably will as Mike Holmgren pulls his 2nd string in the 4th.
Arizona @ Indianapolis (-6.5) – Arizona’s no Seattle, Denny Green’s no Holmgren, and this one is at home sweet dome.
Houston @ San Francisco (+1) – How in the hell are the Texans favored? They HAVE to lose this game (or hope against hope that New Orleans, the Jets and Green Bay win earlier in the afternoon) to win the Reggie Bush Sweepstakes.
Tennessee @ Jacksonville (-3.5) – I know not who’s starting at QB for the Jags, but I know who’s not going to win.
Chicago @ Minnesota (-4) – Expect one last heavy dose of Kyle “Jack” Orton. Bet accordingly.
Washington (-7.5) @ Philadelphia – If you made this prop bet that it would be the Redskins playing for a playoff spot instead of the Eagles at the beginning of the season, show me your stub.
St Louis (+12.5) @ Dallas – By the time they kick this one off, the game will be meaningless to everyone except gambling degenerates (so I’ll be watching closely).