SS BADGER STEAMS ON INTO THE FUTURE. WONDERFUL NEWS. BILL PASSES WITH MAJORITY IN HOUSE TODAY!

[AQUAMAN]

Well, looks like our Rep. Bill Huizinga pulled a miracle today. The House of Reps. in DC unanimously passed new legislation for OUR BADGER to sail on as is, without the EPA mandate of new engines, for the entirety of her life on our Great Lake Michigan. I applaud the House of Reps. for such devotion and trust in our $35Million industry so vital for Ludington and Manitowoc. It's terrific news to me, and should be for all here in Mason County. This will help keep the needed jobs and link to Wisconsin going well into the future, and beyond. It's all our Mason County folks heritage to be proud of, now as in the past. Thank you Representatives for your undying loyalty to a most worthy and beneficial cause for us Locals.

[AQUAMAN]

Good point Willy, the Asian Carp issue is a big worry to us that live and die by revenues from Lk. Michigan. However, the honor to be a National Historical Landmark, not just on the Registry, was overwhelmingly voted on and passed today I do believe. This whole thing is just an amendment to the original bill, and as such, does not weigh heavily against it's approval. So, if I have the verbs or nouns incorrect above, please advise, otherwise, I do think the bill as adjusted and amended has the overwhelming approval ahead for us, or at least we do hope and pray. Max knows about such things better than I where the Boats are concerned anyhow, maybe he can shed more light on this Torchy subject of local concern.

[Marty Redman]

A couple of things related to this made the local news, but I didn't see anything new in the Tribune this weekend badmouthing the Bagder.  A coal burning factory in Wisconsin accidently dumped tons of coal ash into the lake, and nobody died.  Environmental tests show no bad levels of toxins in the lake or other nearby areas.  And that historic landmark designation passed even with Durbin's thumbs down on it. 

[Marty Redman]

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-11-15/news/ct-edit-badger-2...

The latest Badger hating stuff from the Chicago Tribune from yesterday.

 

[Willy]

I checked the Tribunes opinions on the Asian Carp and they seem to think that the best way to control them is to simply fish for them. They think that catching them is a fine way to stop the invasion. This newspaper is a pie in the sky publication and seems to be as liberal and biased as the LDN.

[XLFD]

The Tribune does seem to have an obvious agenda against the Badger, and some of it may arise from the bitter court battle that earlier pitted Illinois vs. Michigan in the Asian Carp controversy.

An editorial by Steve Begnoche today was done on the framing of the debate on the Badger by those concerned with environment and those concerned by economics (local).  Viewpoints of the newswriter do vary and they will frame an argument to support their conclusions, especially in an editorial.

But I was amused by what I took as a dig at us when he said:  "There have been recent stories by some bigger city news outlets, repeated on the web (perhaps in violation of copyright, eh?) that, in my opinion, erroneously "frame" the issue of the SS Badger coal ash discharge."

 

I am surprised that someone who has worked so long in the newspaper game does not have an adequate understanding of the "fair use doctrine" and how linking to news articles, or even pasting the articles themselves, to pass along information would very rarely be found to violate copyright laws.  But I'm glad to hear he's a loyal viewer of the Ludington Torch-- one of the best windows to the world.  And that he reads the counter-Badger articles that we deliver, and critique, often unfavorably.

[XLFD]

A quick aside, when I saw the title of Steve's article:  "The framing of facts matters, believe me", I was looking to see whether it was an editorial about the LDN's handling of my inability to go into City Hall to attend a candidate's debate forum.  Four days in a row, they erroneously reported I had declined to attend the forum (which I never did) without saying that if I had attended the forum I would have been arrested by current city policy and the LPD's standing orders. 

That is framing one-side of the argument, the City's, which had said those policies still existed but they might not enforce them, while ignoring the very real threat to my liberties if I stepped foot on the property of 400 S Harrison.