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Wow, City Biggest Investor in Entertainment
Read more: Wow, City Biggest Investor in EntertainmentI cannot recall another city government that has spent so much money on entertainment. The city wanted to make downtown a destination but they but a bland science muesum on the best location. They have bailed out way to many private ventures all in the name of quality of life.
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Remarks to Wichita City Council Regarding the AirTran Subsidy on July 11, 2006
Read more: Remarks to Wichita City Council Regarding the AirTran Subsidy on July 11, 2006You may recall that I have spoken to this body in years past expressing my opposition to the AirTran subsidy. At that time we were told that the subsidy was intended to be a short-tem measure. Today, four years after the start of the subsidy, with state funding planned for the next five years, it…
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Even the New York Times recognizes testing fraud
Read more: Even the New York Times recognizes testing fraudA New York Times editorial titled “The School Testing Dodge” realizes that nearly all states report student achievement scores, as measured by their own tests, that are much higher than what the same students do on the federal National Assessment of Educational Progress exam.
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Reporting on Wichita’s new terminal
Read more: Reporting on Wichita’s new terminalA Wichita Eagle article published on June 29, 2006 explores the need for a new terminal at the Wichita Airport. I have some issues with the reporting in this article, as it is quite biased in favor of those advocating the new terminal. When you combine people eager to spend others’ money with sloppy newspaper…
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What’s Good for Gander Not Good For Goose
Read more: What’s Good for Gander Not Good For GooseHowever, Gander Mountain and its developer, Oppidan Investment Co., argue granting special favors to any one retailer leads down a slippery slope. “If you give [a tax break] to a Wal-Mart, should you give it to Target? If you give it to Home Depot, then should you give it to Lowe’s? And if you give…
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No more smoking laws, please
Read more: No more smoking laws, pleaseThere is no doubt in my mind that smoking cigarettes and breathing secondhand smoke are harmful to health. If a young person asked my advice as to whether to smoke cigarettes, I would strongly urge them to avoid smoking. But it doesn’t follow that we should have laws against smoking, or laws that govern how…
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The advantage of being Warren Buffet
Read more: The advantage of being Warren BuffetThe recent news that Warren Buffet is giving away the bulk of his fortune to charity is good news to me, as I greatly prefer private charity to government spending of taxes. That’s true for me even if Mr. Buffet were to use his philanthropy to support causes that I might not agree with. But…
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I have nothing to offer
Read more: I have nothing to offerOne of the appeals of big government is that is has so much to offer everyone. Those, myself included, who want government to radically reduce its size, intrusiveness, and power have nothing to offer except freedom and liberty. Sadly, those things don’t seem to matter to many people today. Or perhaps people have forgotten what…
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What to do with others’ money
Read more: What to do with others’ moneyIn a June 20, 2006 Wichita Eagle editorial, Rhonda Holman writes about the WaterWalk project in Wichita. Evidently there is controversy over the public not knowing the name of the “destination restaurant” that is being courted and favored with a gift of $1 million. To me, the controversy is not the identify of the restaurant…
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The AirTran subsidy and its unseen effects
Read more: The AirTran subsidy and its unseen effectsIn a June 16, 2006 column, Wichita Eagle editorial writer Rhonda Holman again congratulates local and state government for its success in renewing the AirTran subsidy, and for getting the entire state of Kansas to help for it.
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Arts funding in Wichita produces controversy
Read more: Arts funding in Wichita produces controversyAs local government tries to decide which arts and cultural institutions are to receive government funds, controversy arises. A June 8, 2006 Wichita Eagle article titled “Arts panel biases alleged” tells how some funding applicants are upset that some of the members of the funding committee have ties to organizations that also applied for funds.…
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Wichita Eagle Editorial Blog not recommended
Read more: Wichita Eagle Editorial Blog not recommendedIn June, 2005, the editors of The Wichita Eagle started a blog, the Wichita Eagle Editorial blog, or WE Blog. The way this blog works it that one of the Eagle editors starts a topic, and then the public can add comments.