brianshah.net

The following link offers one reason why I haven’t considered buying voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone. Apparently Internet telephone service providers do not always provide 911 emergency service. If you’re not sure whether or not your service has 911, DO NOT CALL 911, but instead check with your service provider.

But why do I still use a land-based telephone. Wisconsin does not have Enhanced-911 for cellular/mobile phones. E-911 allows a dispatcher to pinpoint the caller’s location. Since Wisconsin does not have this service, I figured that I’d be safe with the old, reliable, tested technology of the traditional telephone. If I use it to call 911, the dispatcher will know exactly where I am. Fortunately, I haven’t needed to use it yet. I only wish I could find a working, inexpensive ,wall-mounted touch-tone telephone with a real metal ringer, especially one offered by the phone companies years ago.

NBC 15 Contact 15: Internet Phone Service Has 911 Complications

I started looking into creating an actual blog and RSS feed for my site. I realized that it is going to take more time for me to add to the site. That means that I’ll have to modify the site again. On its face, you probably will notice some minor differences, but the design will remain the same. Behind the scenes, though, I have to program a database and set it up. Since I’ve never done that before, it’s going to take me some time to learn about this before revising the site and add the blog and RSS feed.

I know I could’ve used something like Blogger or TypePad if I wanted a simple blog. But I already have a full-fledged web site (well, more or less), and I’ve already invested the time and money into Dreamweaver. I’ll continue to work on this as time allows (if time allows). I can’t determine when it’ll go live, though, but I’m definitely going to move forward.

I received the following press release at work today. I had heard about Glen Loyd before. He was known as the Action Man in the Fox Valley and Green Bay areas because of his crusade to help protect consumers. Glen continues to bring that drive to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to this day.

The press release had a link to his web log (blog, see below). I read a few of his entries and realized that someone who is interested in protecting consumers has to put up with many difficulties. It’s good to know that his passion to help others was strong enough to keep him going through the crap that he received over the years. So I dedicate this blog to Glen.

DATCP press release: Glen Loyd honored

Glen Loyd’s personal blog

I was just minding my business, setting up a new RSS reader that works in Microsoft Outlook. I wanted to add my friend Jason’s RSS feed to my reader. So as I open his web site, I discovered that he and his wife are the proud new parents of Hayden. Hayden was born a few days ago on March 9.

I’ve known Jason for a few years. We were drinking buddies at Von Rothenburg in Germantown when we both lived in the area. I also met his wife Liz, and I realized that these two were genuinely great people. We became good friends, so I continued to keep in touch with him when he moved to Minnesota. In July 2003, I spent an evening with Jason and Liz when I went to the Metallica concert in Minneapolis. I also rely on Jason as a resource for my web site.

Jason and Liz had been trying to have children for a while now. It has finally happened, and I know that they will be wonderful parents. They are truly special people, and I am extremely happy and proud to write about this on my own web site.

By the way, RSS Popper works pretty well so far, although you have to download Microsoft .Net Framework version 1.1 (the developer has a link to Microsoft’s download site). I’m glad that I decided to finally enter the next phase of the online community and actually start using an RSS reader, and I’m really glad that my first RSS feed came from a friend that had great news. Now I just have to set up on my own site with an RSS feed.

Jason’s new son

RSS Popper web site

I’m not a huge baseball fan. Since the early 1990’s, the baseball players’ union has been instrumental in turning me off to the game. In the past, the union has challenged testing for performance-enhancing steroids of its players, arguing that it invades their privacy. This has prompted Congress to subpoena a number of players and former players to testify before the House of Representatives. Players and managers are now opposed to this, realizing that Congress may be overstepping its boundaries.

I don’t know if Congress has any authority to investigate the drug-usage of private sector employees. But thinking about the players’ union’s argument against drug testing, I truly think that it’s absolute crap. Everywhere I’ve ever worked, the employer had a right to test employees for drug use. Most Americans don’t even know who I am, yet I have to submit to testing. On the other hand, there are thousands (maybe even millions) that know and watch many of the players involved in this issue, yet the players have privacy rights. Does that make sense to anyone? Since when does celebrity receive such special rights that are not provided to the entire general population? There is one word for that: Tyranny.

ABC News: Subpoenas to Be Sent in Baseball Steroid Probe

Reuters: House Panel Subpoenas Baseball Stars

Reuters: Baseball Owners and Players Set to Ignore Subpoenas

Last week, Wisconsin had its share of press. First, the Governor’s budget included a provision that mandated Internet-media vendors to collect taxes for purchases downloaded by the State’s residents (you know my position on this). Second, the killer of a federal judge’s husband and mother killed himself… it turns out that he was a resident of West Allis (a suburb of Milwaukee and one place I worked as an intern). Third, the State is considering allowing farmers to shoot feral cats (house cats that have adapted to live in the wilderness). It’s been a busy week.

So to add insult to injury, yesterday a 45-year-old man opened fire on churchgoers in Brookfield, Wisconsin (an affluent suburb west of Milwaukee). This tragedy resulted in four innocent bystanders that died on the scene and three that died after arriving at the hospital, four seriously injured people, and the man’s suicide. Investigators are still trying to determine what motive the man had to shoot others. I personally abhor such an act, and hope this does not become some kind of twisted trend.

I don’t know what’s next, but it looks like March in Wisconsin is off to a very bizarre start.

iPod tax articles:

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article: Doyle proposes sales tax on Internet downloads

CNN: Wis. legislators to fight ‘iPod tax’

West Allis suicide/Chicago judge’s family slaying articles:

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article: Check the back for answers

Reuters news article: Chicago Judge Case May Be Tied to Wisconsin Suicide

Hunting feral cats articles:

The Capital Times article: Humane Society rips feral cat hunt

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article: Cat-hunt plan has promoter in cross hairs

MSNBC/Reuters article: Open season on cats in Wisconsin?

Brookfield murder/suicide articles:

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article: IT’S HUMAN CARNAGE

MSNBC/The Associated Press article: No motive found in church service shootings

I provided the following comment to the Engadget web site (comment 14), since the organization wrote an editorial on the proposed “iPod tax.”

I am a Wisconsin resident, and I just want to point out some objective points about this issue. First, Wisconsin already collects taxes on intangible things, such as shipping charges and certain service charges (movie tickets and video rentals, for example). Additionally, Wisconsin already asks residents to report their mail-order and online purchases and to voluntarily pay the tax on them on their state income tax returns. It is difficult to enforce, but some of us are honest (at least I am). Third, the State collects sales taxes on essentially the same product when we purchase CD’s or DVD’s; the only differences are the medium (removable optical media vs. hard disk) and the method of delivery (in-person vs. electronic download). Finally, the intent (note that I say intent) of collecting more sales tax is to reduce personal income and property taxes. The State already ranks high in the nation for collecting revenue from taxes and fees, yet it has a structural deficit in place. The structural deficit results from the size of Wisconsin’s state government.

Instead of raising taxes, Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor reports that he wants to hold the line on them and also try to provide property tax relief to the residents by reducing the State’s bureaucracy (that is, he has vowed to reduce the number of state employees). The result of the Governor’s budget will result in a long-term savings for homeowners; his opponents (the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature) offered tax relief as well, but the results will be short-term, and residents’ taxes will increase after a couple of years. This information comes from the Wisconsin Legislature’s non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau service agency. I hope this is objective enough. For more evidence, here is a link to the summary of the report I just mentioned: (see below).

Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but they should be based on analysis. A friend often reminds me that it is better to remain quiet and let others think you’re unintelligent than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Personally, I buy things online if I can’t find them locally, so I intend to pay the sales tax either way.

Engadget article: Wisconsin governor seeks voluntary tax on downloads

LFB summary: Governor’s proposal vs. Joint Committee on Finance (opens a 114.9 KB pdf)