DISCUSSING PUBLIC POLICY, POLITICS, CREATIVE WRITING AND LITERATURE
The capital city in Wisconsin is in serious financial difficulty. There is a projected budget deficit of $11 million. There is an urgent need for fiscal stability in the city of Madison. Year-after-year budget deficits show poor planning, ineffective management, and lack of good leadership by the municipal leaders, resulting in increased frustration among the…
The transition from the end of summer to the beginning of fall is a special time, as thousands of students move into the dorms to start the new semester at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. I wish all these students the very best in their academic journey. Many of the students are freshmen. And…
Observatory Drive brings back memories. My days in Madison as an undergraduate student, and later as a graduate student, flash before my eyes. It was on Observatory Drive in Madison that I had the opportunity to walk again. Much older, much more experienced, bruised by the challenges in life and gifted with hope—I once again…
I am fortunate to have access to reliable automobiles, but there are many people in the Madison area who cannot afford a car for work or personal travel. Therefore, Madison needs better bus routes to provide people with access to safe transportation services. I remember, when I was in college and lived closer to UW…
Madison is facing public safety problems, as evident from the recent report of a brutal attack against a University of Wisconsin – Madison student. It is time to prioritize public safety and to make Madison safe again. I made Madison my home many years ago, after coming to the United States as an immigrant. It…
The campus of the University of Wisconsin – Madison is once again full of young men and women who have arrived in the city to start the new school year. As students are moving in, my mind is taking me back to the years I spent at this university. Move-in days are bringing back memories….
The city of Madison, in the beautiful state of Wisconsin, is known as the best place to live in America, according to Livability.com. I decided to make Madison my home, many years ago, and I think it is one of the best decisions I made in my life. When I came to the United States,…
I was disappointed to learn that protesters in Chicago were trying to topple the statue of Christopher Columbus, yesterday. Statues and monuments are an important part of America. These statues help document and preserve our nation’s history. Unfortunately, many individuals are trying to destroy statues and historical monuments, which is resulting in chaos and lawlessness….
Freedom is under attack in states and counties across the country. Shockingly, various states and counties are requiring law-abiding people to wear masks, and some are threatening citizens with steep penalties for failure to comply. Government does not have the authority to implement such mandates. The state of Louisiana, starting Monday, July 13, 2020, would…
The word “hug” symbolizes friendship and love. A hug is extremely powerful. And yet, in this age of social distancing, people are not hugging each other, fearing the spread of the coronavirus. People hug each other upon meeting up, when saying goodbye, when mending broken ties, to congratulate, or to help alleviate one’s sorrow. A…
A recently-passed ordinance in the City of Madison limits the length of time that drivers can keep a vehicle’s engine running while it is parked on public and private property, with exceptions. The limit is set at five minutes. The “driving factors” for this ordinance, as stated in the article, are the environmental and health impacts from car exhaust. While I understand the desire of local elected officials to create a healthier environment by reducing emissions, I believe that the passage of such ordinance will not bring about any significant benefit and would create unnecessary enforcement burdens on public officials.