Election Results

Local:
Assembly: John Murtha (R) -- apparently the only Repulican to win Assembly in WI that wasn't an incumbant
Sherriff: Dennis Hillstead (R) kept his position by a wide margin

State:
Attorney General: J.B. Van Hollen (R) barely won
Govenor: Doyle (D) kept his position
Marriage: Passed by a huge margin
Death Penalty: Passed by a wide margin

Federal:
3rd Congressional District: Ron Kind (D) kept his position by a huge margin
U.S. Senate: Kohl (D) kept is position by a huge margin (no surprise because the challenger didn't have much of a campaign)

Why are the Register of Deeds, Country Clerk, Treasurer, and District Attorney partisan positions? AFAIK they don't make policy so it doesn't seem important to me to which party they belong. I only care if they do a good job. Does anyone know why they are partisan?

Also, is one party controlling the House, Senate, and Presidency a sustainable position? How much has that happened in the past? I know that I am wary of it even when they are people that I support.

Election Results

US House:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2006/general/by_county/us_house/WI.html?SITE=NCAGW&SECTION=HOME

State government positions:
http://www.co.saint-croix.wi.us/Departments/CountyClerk/results.htm
http://dunncountywi.govoffice2.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={B12B7F9C-0C0C-4C05-B85A-771C0F655851}&DE={8CAB993E-7B15-4B94-95B1-263E77D1434A}
http://www.co.pierce.wi.us/county_clerk/Nov_2006_Results.htm
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2006/general/by_county/state_sen_house/WI.html?SITE=NCAGW&SECTION=HOME
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2006/general/by_county/ballot_other/WI.html?SITE=NCAGW&SECTION=HOME

Vote!

Don't forget to vote today! But before you do that, make sure that you research the candidates and other issues so you can make a decision not based on ads and media but on the actual facts.

2nd best choices are the best choices

If you are like me, then in most elections you don't have a perfect candidate as a choice -- you have a choice between someone who is pretty good and someone who is so-so or somewhat bad. I'm glad it is that way. I don't have the perfect candidate as a choice but I also don't have the worst possible candidate as a choice. When someone wins that I don't want to win, I can mostly live with that -- they usually do some good also. (This does not dimish the fact that many unborn babies can't "live with" certain people in power.)

Don't get too discouraged with your choice of candidates -- choose the one who you believe is best and be thankful that you don't have to choose between two completely evil canidates.

Please remember to research the candidates and other ballot questions and then go and vote on Tues! If you don't vote then you don't have a right to complain about what the elected officials decide. If you really don't think either candidate is worth your vote then at least find some name to write in (even if it is your own name) to show that you value that right to vote.

Another Nelson vs. Kind Debate

A TV station hosted another debate and it can be seen at http://www.weau.com/elections

WI 3rd Congressional district debate: Paul R. Nelson vs. Ron Kind

Last night (Oct 24th) there was a Wisconsin 3rd Congressional district debate between Paul R. Nelson (Republican challenger) and Ron Kind (Democrat incumbant). I was there and recorded it. A rough recording of it is a http://stauffer.james.googlepages.com/Nelson-Kind-Debate-Mono2.mp3 (9 MB).
I did miss part of the middle of the debate (During the recording I pushed a button on the laptop that caused it to go to sleep so I had to turn it back on -- then it didn't look like it was recording correctly so I started a new file) but I was also recording to my MP3 player so that missed less and I will post that as soon as I can.

Update: I have posted the recording from my MP3 player split up by question at http://stauffer.james.googlepages.com/nelsonvs.kinddebate

My Three Children

Here are my three children:

• Anna Grace: almost 3
• Joseph James: 1 and a half
• William Grant: 1 week

William Grant

William Grant was born on September 17th, 2006 at 3:13 PM! He weighed 7.0 lbs and was 20.75 inches long. Both Annette and William are doing great! William was born on his great-grandmother Irene's birth and she loved her birthday present.

Born that way

I was reading When a Dog Says "Moo"’ by Chuck Colson and it really bothers me when someone uses the logic that just because someone was born a certain way makes it ok for them to act that way. i.e. If someone is "born" gay, then it is inherently ok for them to practice homosexual activities. If there is a gene that predisposes someone to murder, rape, or lying that doesn't make it ok to do those things, is just means we should help them overcome those things. Here is a news flash: All humans were born with a sin nature! (excepting of course Jesus Christ!)

Compressed Air Cooler

Since expanding gas cools, could that be used to cool a normal cooler?
It could either have a build-in air tank or accept air cartridges.
Advantages:

• It could use a thermostat to maintain a constant temperature.
• No water mess.
• Not excessively cold like dry ice.
• If it had a tank it could be recharged at most gas stations.
• The "charge" would remain good for quite a while when not used.
  

Disadvantages:

• After refilling the tank it would have to sit for a while to cool off.
• The tank may have to be too heavy or bulky to be useful (Does anyone know the numbers to do the math for this?)

What do you think?