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Opinion
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LYONS COLUMN: War industry creates theater

Hurry, hurry. There's no time for thinking; it's time to act. Washington's permanent war lobby has worked itself into a veritable lather. The proper Pentagon press leaks have been made, op-eds written, talk show commandos deployed.

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Many helped homeless shelter

River Haven Homeless Shelter would like to extend a gracious thank-you to the entire community. Our October fundraising goal of $15,000 was met through your generosity.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Thank you for Lions fundraiser

The Portage Lions want to thank all the community members who supported our annual scholarship cookie dough fundraisier. We again sold enough tubs of dough to boost our scholarship fund to enable our group to present some deserving Portage High School seniors in the spring with some scholarship money to help offset those college fees.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Walker best for governor

I attended the Rally to Victory for Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker on Nov. 2, one year to Election Day 2010, which raised a staggering $25,581 in one day, a testament to the strong support Walker is receiving across Wisconsin.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Thursday, November 19, 2009 11:45 pm.

LOPEZ COLUMN: Above all: To thine own self be true

Where have all the feminists gone? Sure, they're everywhere to be seen when it comes to the matter of Nancy Pelosi's health-care legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, insisting that American women should have the right to end their unborn babies' lives on the taxpayers' dime. But there is no love for a beauty queen who simply gave her opinion, when asked, during a beauty pageant. Since then, she's had a target on her chest. It's been a shameful expose of what's important to feminists.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Lopez on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 11:45 pm.

BROMLEY COLUMN: Feeling like a space cadet

One would think that a member of the so-called news media would be up to speed on current events. But there are times when I feel like the last guy to know.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Bromley on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: A thank-you to the VFW ladies

With the caring ladies, retired and active, the VFW 1701 Auxiliary bake sale netted enough money to pay for our school scholarships.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Seniors shut out of Bill of Rights

There are many questions in the minds of Americans these days regarding citizens rights as defined in the Bill of Rights and the blatant disregard for these rights by the majority of our elected representatives and senators in Washington, D.C.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Generosity helped River Crossing

On Nov. 9, River Crossing Environmental Charter School held a fundraiser at the Pizza Ranch in Baraboo. Ten River Crossing students and five River Crossing family members bussed, cleaned tables and chairs, washed dishes, refilled drinks, vacuumed and mopped, all to earn money toward their end-of-the-year camping trip. At the end of the evening, the owner of Pizza Ranch presented a check for $130 from the proceeds of the pizza and chicken buffet and $214.11 from tips earned during the four-hour shift.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: PHS coaches inspiring

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Portage High School cross country coaches for their support of our students. To have five coaches give up their Saturday to attend the state cross country meet with two athletes says so much about the character and dedication of these coaches.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 11:45 pm.

ROBERTSES COLUMN: The buck stops nowhere

The good news: Both parties finally agree on an important element of public policy.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Robertses on Monday, November 16, 2009 11:45 pm.

LYONS COLUMN: Enjoy the crazy; it has a pedigree

For right-wing Republicans, the presidency of George W. Bush began as a dream come true. People calling themselves "conservatives" ran everything in Washington. Even before the GOP won both houses in 2002, Congress gave Bush everything he asked for. Republican apparatchiks controlled every agency from the Pentagon to the Treasury Department. FOX News savants expressed intermittent outrage that dissent was permitted. Rush Limbaugh's interviews of Dick Cheney sounded like a high-school girl gushing over the Jonas Brothers.

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Monday, November 16, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Seat belts lessen risk of fatality

This is in response to Neal Hurd's letter to the editor Nov. 9.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:50 pm.

REAGAN COLUMN: Lost message, lost chance

I recently was in Europe to help commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I went into this trip with a great deal of enthusiasm and an expectation that the heroes responsible for that momentous event be justly recognized.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Reagan on Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:50 pm.

HENTOFF COLUMN: Trials? Just kill terrorism suspects

In October, during an interactive session with students in Pakistan, a female medical student praised Hillary Clinton for inspiring women; but then the same admirer asked the secretary of State how the United States justifies using those CIA remote-controlled Predator drone planes without sharing intelligence with the Pakistan military (The New York Times, Oct. 30). These airborne assassins kill civilians while targeting terror suspects in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Posted in Hentoff, Columns, Opinion on Sunday, November 15, 2009 10:50 pm.

MADDUX COLUMN: Dreaming of sleep

"Are you tired?"

Posted in Columns, Opinion on Friday, November 13, 2009 10:25 pm.

YORK COLUMN: Is Obama community organizer for the world?

A lot of observers are having trouble figuring out the philosophical underpinnings of Barack Obama's foreign policy. How does the president see America's place in the world? How will he use power? How much does he care about such things?

Posted in Columns, Opinion on Friday, November 13, 2009 10:25 pm.

YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW: WIAA needs more transparency

The state of Wisconsin has a long tradition of open and transparent government. This is a reflection of our Wisconsin values, which place great importance on the individual citizen's involvement in government.

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Thursday, November 12, 2009 11:45 pm.

MURTAGH COLUMN: Birds and political parties

While reading the news of the day in which a politician was berated by a constituent for his position on matters that had been determined by the party to which he belongs and represents, the following riddle came to mind: Why are political parties like birds in flight? Answer: Because two wings are needed to fly - a "right wing" and a "left wing" that work in unison.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Murtagh on Thursday, November 12, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: School worker deserves thanks

School worker deserves thanks

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Common ground at health forum

Common ground

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 11:45 pm.

BROMLEY COLUMN: Maximum-security toys

If the bureaucrats who run the correctional system want to cut down on jail breaks, they should turn over the prisons to the companies that package children's toys.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Bromley on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: River Crossing contract to expire

I would like to congratulate the Portage School District and the River Crossing Environmental Charter School on receiving two awards from the Wisconsin Charter School Association. The school won Wisconsin Charter School of the year (gold), and Victoria Rydberg won Wisconsin Charter School teacher of the year. The awards were out of 220 schools and 380 teachers, Nov. 6 in Milwaukee.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Folks, Bromley wasn't serious

I am amazed that supposed theater experts would criticize a reporter, Ben Bromley, for attempting to inject some humor in his writings. This article was basically written for the Baraboo newspaper. To assume that he wrote to disparage his cast members in Baraboo defies all good sense.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Bystanders need to step up

Since news broke about several young men gang-raping a 15-year-old female for more than two hours in Richmond, Calif., people have been talking about bystanders. Numerous bystanders witnessed the crime and chose to not take action. There are many reasons why bystanders do nothing, including fear of the perpetrator(s), assuming others have called for help, fear of misinterpreting the situation, not knowing what to do and mistrust of law enforcement.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 11:45 pm.

ROBERTSES COLUMN: Republican family feud

Republicans won big victories in New Jersey and Virginia, taking back both governorships from the Democrats. But they suffered a stunning defeat in a congressional election in upstate New York. And if they don't learn the lessons of that loss, their comeback could collapse.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Robertses on Monday, November 9, 2009 11:45 pm.

LOPEZ COLUMN: Marriage a winner on Election Day

Opposing gay marriage is a losing proposition. That is, at least, what everyone seems to say, on all sides of the political spectrum. Everyone, that is, except voters.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Lopez on Monday, November 9, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Something amiss in fatality statistics

From the Wisconsin Department of Transportation: 52 people died in 47 traffic crashes during August, 22 below the five-year average of 74 deaths and 66 crashes.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Sunday, November 8, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Bromley column hurt theater lovers

In Ben Bromley's column Wednesday, he stripped the cast and crew of "The Music Man" naked and pointed a mocking finger at them.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Sunday, November 8, 2009 11:50 pm.

MAILBAG: Thanks for great Farmers Market

The Portage Farmers Market sponsored by the Portage Business Improvement District enjoyed another record season. With 28 full season vendors and dozens of specialty product weekly vendors, the Thursday market was full or near full on most days.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Sunday, November 8, 2009 11:50 pm.

REAGAN COLUMN: What a difference a year makes

One year ago, Barack Obama turned the political establishment upside-down with a resounding national election that, according to so-called experts, spelled the end of influence and legitimacy for the GOP for years, perhaps decades to come.

Posted in Reagan, Columns, Opinion on Sunday, November 8, 2009 11:50 pm.

MADDUX COLUMN: What is it that you do?

I was out one midmorning this week at a local store buying some painkiller for Olivia's twisted ankle when I ran into a friend of mine.

Posted in Columns, Opinion on Friday, November 6, 2009 10:40 pm.

MAILBAG: Let's look at health care, abortion

Who believes abortion is murder? What you believe is based on your world-view. Your world-view is formed in part by whether you believe the Biblet. Does life begin at conception? Before God formed you in the womb, he knew you. Therefore, abortion is the destruction of a human life and must be stopped.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Friday, November 6, 2009 10:40 pm.

MAILBAG: Column does not represent actors

In response to Ben Bromley's column Wednesday in the Daily Register, I would like to point out that while Mr. Bromley may be an "artistic" person who can't meet deadlines, he is far from the norm.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Friday, November 6, 2009 10:40 pm.

MAILBAG: Single-payer best health-care answer

Our representatives have been bought by the insurance industry and big pharmaceuticals. Spending a million and a half dollars a day, these industries secure billions in profits.

Posted in Mailbag, Opinion on Friday, November 6, 2009 10:45 pm.

LYONS COLUMN: Professional patriots attack Obama

"All that we have to do is to send two Mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written 'al-Qaida' in order to make generals race there, and we cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses - without their achieving anything of note!" - Osama bin Laden, November 2004

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Thursday, November 5, 2009 11:50 pm.

WEIS COLUMN: H1N1 advice: Don't get it

The terrible irony is I had planned to go as "swine flu" for Halloween. But then I became the embodiment of swine flu and had to bypass the Halloween festivities altogether.

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Thursday, November 5, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Believers supposed to worry for others

This is in response to Rebecca Watter's letter dated Oct. 9. I do not believe she responded to the Scriptures I presented in a letter I had written about Tammy Baldwin and sodomy.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 11:20 pm.

MAILBAG: Try to get students to opt in to Portage

It is too bad that the Portage School District is not looking for ways to increase the number of students who opt in to Portage.

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 11:20 pm.

HAMILTON COLUMN: Favre pursued by full moons

HOLLYWOOD - God bless America, and how's everybody?

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Hamilton on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 11:45 pm.

BROMLEY COLUMN: Panic: An actor's best friend

An actor learns many lessons in community theater:

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Bromley on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 11:45 pm.

ROBERTSES COLUMN: To the Ladies who Lunch

RALEIGH, N.C. - October can be a great month for the Ladies who Lunch. The food might not be particularly filling, but the stories of people helped by the women sitting around the tables provide much more substantial satisfaction. That was certainly Cokie's experience at a lunch last week with our daughter in Washington, and one this week with our daughter-in-law in Raleigh as local women's giving circles - great groups of women who band together to better their communities - honored their awardees.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Robertses on Monday, November 2, 2009 11:45 pm.

MAILBAG: Cut lawmakers' insurance

Cut lawmakers' insurance

Posted in Opinion, Mailbag on Monday, November 2, 2009 11:35 pm.

REAGAN COLUMN: Start the next revolution

On Tuesday, voters across the nation will take to the polls in the first elections since Barack Obama's inauguration.

Posted in Reagan, Columns, Opinion on Sunday, November 1, 2009 11:45 pm.

LOPEZ COLUMN: Get thee to a nunnery

Where is Tom Hanks when you need him? Something sinister is happening in the Catholic Church, at least according to New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. And the way she writes, it reads like the beginning of a treatment for a Dan Brown extravaganza. Her plot, you see, is just that absurd.

Posted in Lopez, Columns, Opinion on Sunday, November 1, 2009 11:45 pm.

MADDUX COLUMN: A 'very personal decision'

What do politicians owe us as it relates to their personal lives?

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Friday, October 30, 2009 11:45 pm.

HENTOFF COLUMN: Where children aren't left behind

Education has been my most important beat for more than 50 years. Obviously, the future of this nation depends on students learning not only the academic essentials but also how to think for themselves as actively participating citizens of this republic. President Barack Obama's secretary of education, Arne Duncan, now has nearly $5 billion in "Race to the Top" stimulus funds to enable each child to be a confident lifelong learner, not just a nameless statistic in national reading and math scores. At least, I hope that is his goal.

Posted in Opinion, Hentoff, Columns on Friday, October 30, 2009 11:45 pm.

MURTAGH COLUMN: May I have your number?

Sometimes I think about the telephone service of the last century.

Posted in Opinion, Columns, Murtagh on Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:25 pm.

LYONS COLUMN: Surprised at Fox support? Really?

Nobody should be surprised to see the nation's esteemed celebrity news media align with Fox News against the White House, although even a cynical observer like me found the unanimity mildly shocking. Don't they remember what journalism is supposed to be?

Posted in Opinion, Columns on Thursday, October 29, 2009 11:25 pm.