Compromise

The gestures are well-meaning. Lighting up buildings. Putting bleu, blanc et rouge stripes on your facebook photos. Waving French flags.

It is all as meaningless as Friday night's attacks.  So much is being said. So little can be done. At least, so little that can make a difference.

What they want ... is and never will be available, and they will never stop fighting for it.

What we want ... tolerance of coexistence, a realization that this is the only world we have and every last person is an individual with individual belief ...is and never will be available, and we will never stop fighting for it.

In either case, the only way that will be with not only attacks, but all-out war that will leave millions on both sides dead. We will never be willing to do that. They will be.

We see this on a small scale in our own politics - the parties are being taken over bu those who insist on ideological purity over working together to get things done that will help us all.

And there is a word to describe this.

In French, it is compromis.In Arabic, it is hall wasat.

T.S. Eliot once said the world would end "not with a bang, but with a whimper." Between the terrorists and the ideologues who want their own way, we will have both, and much too soon for any of us.

Not so much a team, more a way of life

So, the team from Titletown now owns the title to the Titletown District. And we're finding out what they're going to do with it.
It pretty much follows what we've been hearing over the years, commercial development. The only surprise to me was the townhouses, which are supposed to provide a buffer between the commercial area and the housing already there. Whether those are year-round dwellings or just game-day party houses remains to be seen.
The idea, according to those who spoke at today's event, is to bring in yuppie types and reverse a "brain drain" that is apparently happening here. Not sure how more retail and medical jobs are going to do that, but it's a lure.
And it will be good for a little extra tourism. I remember an article several years ago in which someone was shocked that there was a Kmart next door to Lambeau Field. (This brought the response - "whaddya expect, a Hall of Famer on every corner?")
Well, with the monuments up and down Lombardi Avenue, that's getting to be the case. One thing, if this is going to be a tourist stop, is to put up indicators and information about not only those, but the Packers Heritage Trail downtown for people who can't get enough green and gold.
One question was answered today - that hotel is NOT going to be reserved for the visiting teams when they come to Green Bay. Mark Murphy, president of the Packers, said coaches usually don't like to stay that close to the stadium.
And it was noted that Hinterland's new facility is a wash in a way - the Broadway area loses a stalwart to Ashwaubenon. Granted, there had to be some beer involved; it's a shame there couldn't be a bratwurst factory or cheesemaker in there to complete the Balanced Wisconsin Diet.
I also wonder if there will be more youth-oriented restaurants; brewpubs are nice, but what about the fast food crowd?
The plaza/skating rink that is supposed to be the centerpiece might be nice; may it be used for more than impromptu football games. And we now will have a large Super Bowl ring (Bart Starr model, Super Bowl I) to match the large Lombardi Trophy at Lambeau. Maybe it's compensation for being the NFL's smallest city.
Of course, there could be some other attractions. I list a few suggestions, not all serious:
--The Bellin Head Trauma center. Could get a lot of business, so it should be convenient to the stadium.
--The old state historic marker that used to stand at the entrance to the Packer Hall of Fame when it was behind the arena. Where HAS that gone?
--A box where you can sit in 13-below temperatures with lots of fans to bring up the wind chill. Get the REAL Green Bay experience.
--And with everything cleared out, at least one place, a bit elevated, where you can get a nice picture of Lambeau Field.

As a victim, knowing victims, I agree

A most excellent piece today from CBS's Bob Schieffer on the death of local news reporting, especially of the print variety.

Obviously, as a former news editor, city hall reporter, etc., I agree with him. But I also agree with what he has to say about the effects. Schieffer may be a network legend but he knows his stuff from his days in newspapers and local TV in the DFW area.

Let's be honest - newspapers can make money if well-run but they are a labor-intensive business that cannot only focus on the bottom line. And broadcast news does not have the personnel, time or attention span to do the investigative work that stories like the ones Bob mentions require.

Today is Bob's last day hosting "Face the Nation." It's a much bigger loss than that goofy looking guy in the late-night spot.

Annnnnnd ... I'm back

It seems like all I can do before I go to sleep is think of the past.
I need to get to sleep - some weeks, I do have to be up at 6 a.m. - and I think of ... well, the past 58 years. I try to think about something more contemporary, and darned if it doesn't drive me back there again.
By now, I am starting to fear I will end up like the guy in the Twilight Zone episode who, on his nightly commute home, always sees the stop at Willoughby, a town he had once lived in, and eventually gets off the train there ... but I shan't spoil that one.
Don't worry - Steph and I are still quite infatuated with each other, the cats are a constant amusement ... but I no longer have the best profession in the world to work in, and I can't help but remember when I did.

So maybe I will use this space and tell some of those stories. Talk about some of the people I've met, the incidents that happened, the funny stories and the places I have been. If you're interested, let me know.