Sunday, January 21, 2007

Local colleges

When I went to Richland Center, many of the students were older - some just coming back from Vietnam - now we have Iraq to bring the coffins home....


When Shawn Cassiman got divorced, she knew it was time to go to college to be better able to support herself and her children.
A high school dropout with an equivalency diploma, she enrolled at UW-Superior at age 40. Commuting from Ashland, she worked at a pizza joint as well as work-study jobs between classes, before gaining her bachelor's degree in 2002.
Now Cassiman has a master's degree and is working toward a Ph.D. in social welfare at the UW-Madison.
She says she was "lucky" to get scholarships and to find the mentors she needed to gain her degrees. But the University of Wisconsin System is launching a new Adult Student Initiative aimed at taking much of the luck out of the equation for older "nontraditional" students such as Cassiman.
"Nontraditional" UW student Shawn Cassiman returned to college nine years ago at age 40 and is now working toward a Ph.D.
The number of students age 24 and older has dropped dramatically in the past 10 years - at the UW-Madison and in the system as a whole. Statewide, nontraditional undergraduate students declined from 27,069 in 1995 to 20,095 in 2005. At UW-Madison, the numbers of undergraduate students age 24 and older dropped from 2,616 in 1997 to 1,661 in 2005.
UW System President Kevin Reilly said the new initiative - proposed as part of the next two-year budget at a cost of $2.6 million - is necessary to close a 5 percent gap in bachelor's degrees that Wisconsin suffers in comparison with Illinois and Minnesota.
That is one reason why the state has a lower average family income and suffers in economic vitality compared to some other states in the region, he said. Creating more high-paying employment opportunities within the state's economy requires an educated population.
"There is a documented need to attract adults with an associate degree or substantial college credit to UW System campuses to complete a bachelor's degree," Reilly said.
The new initiative - to be launched by the UW Colleges and UW-Extension - is in addition to existing programs, and would not mean a cut in funding for traditional students entering college out of high school.
The additional money would be used to identify, recruit and serve potential adult students, expand opportunities for them through distance education and provide more counseling.
Wisconsin has a high level of people with associate degrees who could use UW resources to gain bachelor's degrees, Reilly said. Jobs requiring at least a bachelor's degree include computer system analysts, schoolteachers, physical therapists and graphics designers. The potential market of Wisconsinites age 18 and older who have some college credit or an associate degree is 1.2 million people, and researchers estimate that 60,860 are "extremely or very interested in enrolling in a degree program," UW System officials said.
No one is quite sure why nontraditional students have declined, though the fact that tuition has risen sharply in recent years may be a factor. Sharp competition from private universities offering flexible hours and online courses could also be a factor.
UW System spokesman Dave Giroux added that state budget cuts have forced the system to focus more narrowly on a core mission of traditional-aged on-campus undergraduates. "It has more to do with our internal issues, doing more with less," he said.
But Teri Venker, a spokeswoman for the UW Colleges and UW-Extension, said another major cause is likely a scary university bureaucracy.
"Especially in parts of the state where no UW campus is located, the University of Wisconsin is often perceived as a bureaucracy that some people find intimidating. They don't know where to start," she said.
View from the desks: Rod Perry knew where to start, but he had to get past some obstacles first.
Perry, 63, lost his job as a digitizer in the business outfitters division of Lands' End in Dodgeville in February 2005. He designed digital logos that are embroidered on garments with a computer-assisted sewing machine, but he said he and some 40 others lost their jobs when Lands' End contracted for the work to be done in India and South America.
Perry and others applied for a federal program allowing them to draw unemployment while attending college, but they were denied and had to appeal more than once.
The application was finally approved, and in September Perry started taking classes at UW-Richland in his hometown of Richland Center to get an associate degree in liberal arts, with an emphasis on business.
"The big hang-up is that the program demands that you carry 12 credits. To be 44 years out of the classroom and leap into a 12-credit schedule was at least brutal, but it turned out a little better than I expected," he said.
In fact, Perry ended his first semester with a 3.9 grade point average.
"They want you to finish and then take a job. I said, 'OK, but who would hire me at 65?' "
Perry said he plans to cross that bridge when he comes to it, while Deanna Newlun of Wonewoc has a clear idea of where she wants to go next.
She will graduate from UW-Richland in May with an associate degree in liberal arts and science and intends to pursue a bachelor's degree in criminal justice online through a four-year institution so she can become a probation or parole officer.
Newlun enrolled four years ago at age 28 to find a more interesting career. Married with children ages 8 and 4, she currently works part time as a ticket agent at the Crystal Grand Music Theatre in Wisconsin Dells.
Her husband, Chris, is a truck driver who is often away from home, so it has been a struggle to juggle school, homework, her children and jobs.
"It has gotten easier as my kids have gotten older. At first the classes were difficult because I didn't know what to expect, and some are still difficult," said Newlun, although she has made the Dean's List with high honors every semester.
Both she and Cassiman urged people thinking about going back to school to do so.
"It's never too late, and it's not as bad as you might think," Newlun said. "It has been very rewarding. I've met a lot of new people and I was able to experience college, on a different level but still experience it."
Cassiman said the same, even though, like Newlun, she has also had to take out student loans to get her degrees.
"I ended up with a great adviser in my program. We all need support and help to do anything we do. A big part of support is financial, but encouragement and belief in your ability to succeed are very important," she said.
"It is really important to recognize that because we don't all follow the same type of trajectory doesn't mean that we can't do things. If you didn't do it 20 years ago, that doesn't mean you can't do it. A lot of times people put their dreams on hold."

Where did common sense go?

Why do we need all these laws? If Iwere a lawmaker, I would write laws to get rid of existing laws that do not work! Plenty of those feel good laws out there already.....spike em!

From NJ

After a day of unrelenting ridicule, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick decided yesterday evening to withdraw his bill to ban talking on a cell phone while riding a bike.
"Even my friends didn't like the bill," the Union County Republican said.
A legislative committee on Thursday approved the bill, which would make it illegal for people to use a hand-held telephone while riding a bicycle on a public road. Hands-free devices would still be allowed. Violators would face fines ranging from $100 to $250.
Bramnick said the bill was meant to protect bicyclists and the people they might run into while riding and yakking. He had described the plan as a "common sense proposal."
But the idea crashed harder than a rider flipping over the handlebars.
Criticism came from all angles, from talk radio callers to constituents to casual acquaintances, Bramnick said.
He conceded that even he was having doubts while pitching the bill to fellow lawmakers on Thursday.
"I could feel in my own voice that, as I talked about the bill, I started to have some questions in my mind about my own bill," Bramnick said.
Nonetheless, it was released to the full Assembly, drawing instant media attention followed by a strong dose of mockery, some directed at the bill by fellow lawmakers.
"As my father used to tell me, "You can't legislate common sense,' and that's exactly what this bill tries to do, as the Legislature has already tried to do on so many other occasions," said Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris.
Pete Garnich, owner of Knapp's Cyclery in Lawrence, was among those who failed to see the need. His shop sponsors weekly group rides, and Garnich said he can't recall anyone talking on a cell phone while riding a bike.
"I wouldn't say it's a problem," he said. "You can't breathe and talk. It's absolutely ridiculous."
All of which contributed to Bramnick's change of heart by yesterday evening.
"The thing is, sometimes you make mistakes, simple as that," Bramnick said.

Friday, January 12, 2007

sad day

More han 30 years ago, thy made the best pizza with everyting on it. Drank a lot of beer there and bowled quite a few lines on these lanes. Times change....


Firefighters battled wind and two received minor injuries battling a blaze that the fire chief called one of the worst fires he has faced in his 30-year career.
The hardest part for many on Tuesday was dealing with the loss of Center Lanes, a popular gathering spot for the community.
The former owner Ken Hansen said it is hard to find words to describe the loss.
"It was a family business. My mother in-law and father in-law built it in 1959," Hansen said. "We ended up working for the family and carried on the business until 1983. And then we sold it to Tom and his wife, and he's owned it ever since."
Hansen said the loss is a blow to the entire community.
"(If) you don't have a bowling alley and a golf course, you don't got much else to do," he said.
According to the Richland Center Fire Department chief, someone saw the fire and called police. Authorities sent an officer to the scene and five people who were getting ready to open the business were evacuated.
"The officer that arrived on scene went in and told the people that the back of the building was on fire and that they needed to evacuate. They weren't even aware of the fire," said Robert Bindl, chief at the Richland Center Fire Department.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. The blaze took more than two hours to put out because of wind. The building is a complete loss.
Heavy smoke shut down Highway 14 for hours. Authorities said traffic was rerouted and that a nearby home was evacuated.
Even with backup, firefighters battled the blaze for two hours.
"The wind was a major factor. It was blowing everything right against us. It was just a hard fire to fight," Bindl said.
Always a bowling alley, current owner Tom Hauber turned Center Lanes into a social hub.
The local Chamber of Commerce said that the fire destroyed one of the town's most profitable businesses.
"There is a banquet center, wedding receptions are held here. It affects just about every aspect of the community. I can't think of anybody here that has not been to the bowling alley at one time or another," said Susan Price, director of the Richland Center Chamber of Commerce.
The former owner said he just hopes Center Lanes can be rebuilt.
"It is going to be hard to replace," Hansen said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. The Wisconsin fire marshal will start investigating Wednesday.
friends said om Hauber is devastated.
The fire chief said that Hauber was so overcome that they had to keep him from running into the burning building.
Long Rock and Muscoda fire departments assisted in putting out the blaze.

sad day

More han 30 years ago, thy made the best pizza with everyting on it. Drank a lot of beer there and bowled quite a few lines on these lanes. Times change....


Firefighters battled wind and two received minor injuries battling a blaze that the fire chief called one of the worst fires he has faced in his 30-year career.
The hardest part for many on Tuesday was dealing with the loss of Center Lanes, a popular gathering spot for the community.
The former owner Ken Hansen said it is hard to find words to describe the loss.
"It was a family business. My mother in-law and father in-law built it in 1959," Hansen said. "We ended up working for the family and carried on the business until 1983. And then we sold it to Tom and his wife, and he's owned it ever since."
Hansen said the loss is a blow to the entire community.
"(If) you don't have a bowling alley and a golf course, you don't got much else to do," he said.
According to the Richland Center Fire Department chief, someone saw the fire and called police. Authorities sent an officer to the scene and five people who were getting ready to open the business were evacuated.
"The officer that arrived on scene went in and told the people that the back of the building was on fire and that they needed to evacuate. They weren't even aware of the fire," said Robert Bindl, chief at the Richland Center Fire Department.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. The blaze took more than two hours to put out because of wind. The building is a complete loss.
Heavy smoke shut down Highway 14 for hours. Authorities said traffic was rerouted and that a nearby home was evacuated.
Even with backup, firefighters battled the blaze for two hours.
"The wind was a major factor. It was blowing everything right against us. It was just a hard fire to fight," Bindl said.
Always a bowling alley, current owner Tom Hauber turned Center Lanes into a social hub.
The local Chamber of Commerce said that the fire destroyed one of the town's most profitable businesses.
"There is a banquet center, wedding receptions are held here. It affects just about every aspect of the community. I can't think of anybody here that has not been to the bowling alley at one time or another," said Susan Price, director of the Richland Center Chamber of Commerce.
The former owner said he just hopes Center Lanes can be rebuilt.
"It is going to be hard to replace," Hansen said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown. The Wisconsin fire marshal will start investigating Wednesday.
friends said om Hauber is devastated.
The fire chief said that Hauber was so overcome that they had to keep him from running into the burning building.
Long Rock and Muscoda fire departments assisted in putting out the blaze.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

geezer from scotland

However, I agree with much of what he says. Bicyclists can be rude and inconsiderate. They forget they are a VEHICLE....

It's time to put brakes on antisocial cyclists
BRIAN HENNIGAN
I WAS thinking the other day - what is it that stops some cyclists growing up? This crossed my mind after being sliced up while walking along a pavement designed for pedestrians by an adult on a bicycle, for whom the road was evidently a wee bit on the grown-up side.
Before I begin my assault on two-wheeled idiots, let me get my credentials in order. As some readers might recall, I am no fan of cars in the city; I am pro-cycling. I want more cycling in and around Edinburgh. I would like nothing better than an enormous network of cycling lanes going here, there and everywhere, yes even unto Asda.

Every major company should be compelled to provide storage facilities for all their employees who wish to cycle. The lack of a comprehensive infrastructure to help cyclists is laughable.
The provisions for cycles to be stored on trains and on buses - as they so easily are all over the world - is a joke. One can only hope that Edinburgh's proposed new tram system allows for the transportation of bicycles.
Having established that I am not one of those lunatic motorists who view cyclists as being pigeons with wheels, let me continue to rant against those too-many cyclists who seem to think that by virtue of using a form of transportation that is green, they are somehow excused consideration for others.
There is only one reason to be cycling on a pavement: you are a little child who needs adult accompaniment. All other cyclists should be on the road where they belong. If for some reason your traffic lane is congested and you are unable to make progress, tough. It is not acceptable to simply mount the pavement and continue as if you have been in some way sinned against. If you don't have stabilisers on, the road is the only place we should find you whizzing along.
Here is another fact that some cyclists will find shocking: those funny lights that you sometimes see at the junctions of roads apply to both cars AND bicycles. Red means stop. Red does not mean pedal smugly across thinking no-one can see you. Apart from anything else, your invisibility to other road-users might just be proven in a way you did not envisage.
While we are on the subject of meanings, No Cycling signs mean that there should be no cycling. It might seem cute for you to zoom across the Meadows the wrong way, but one day someone is going to get fed-up with your selfish behaviour and you will be amazed how far you can travel without a bicycle when someone jams a stick in your rear-wheel.
Occasionally cyclists are so stupid and selfish it makes you wonder if the wind has somehow whistled through their ears too quickly and sucked their brains out. Cycling without lights at night is not some environmentally courageous way of showing how you and the owls are as one; it's a way of being on a bicycle that says: "I don't care about anyone else other than myself. If some elderly person or small child crossing the road can't see me - hard cheese on them. I am on a bicycle and don't care."
What makes all of the above modes of behaviour inexplicable is that so many cyclists like to ride around as if they have some sort of cloak of environmental awareness flying behind them. Any degree of environmental awareness must take into account the welfare of your fellow citizens.
Rant almost over, but I couldn't possibly sign off without mentioning helmets. Anyone who thinks pedalling au naturale is fine deserves whatever non-indicating delivery van might lie in their future.
Let's just call it Darwinism - anyone who believes they can do without a helmet probably isn't a useful addition to the gene pool. All that remains is to find a way of billing those who don't wear helmets for any hospital-based repairs that are necessary as a result of their recklessness.
I want cycling to be the future, but I want selfish and/or stupid cyclists to become a thing of the past.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

whaz the world cummin to!

AN ANGRY pensioner was told it would take 10 days for Reading Borough Council to remove a mangled bicycle from the footpath in front of his house.
Gerard Gadney, 76, of Pangbourne Street, said he was told removing the bike, run over on Thursday night after yobs threw into the middle of Oxford Road, was not a priority as the bike was not a safety hazard.
But Mr Gadney, who has lived in the area for 36 years, said drunks were likely to use the bike to damage people's property.
He said: "It's lunacy. "That bike will end up through my front window before the night is out."
Luckily for Mr Gadney, the council, after being contacted by Chronicle Extra, removed the bike on Friday morning.