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I am sick of hearing about “windfall profits” from Obama, Clinton and the Democrats. It promotes the idea of a limited American Dream where you are only allowed to be so successful. I mean really, why should we allow the market to work (sarcasm)?

If you really want to decrease prices, increase competition and supply, allow offshore drilling, open a minuscule part of ANWR, start building nuclear power plants. Since when did Americans become so weak minded that we whine about the effects rather than looking at the cause? We are a nation of problem solvers that has currently shackled itself with with the green handcuffs of hotly disputed global warming. What do we do in response? Blame big bad oil!

If we weren’t so busy wallowing in our own self-pity and playing the blame game, we would notice there are many other companies out there who make profits like big oil, “Big Food” is a great example that Mark Perry has graphed for effect:

If we want to stay the greatest nation in the world, we need to respond to success with greater efforts to succeed, not higher taxes and attempts regulate those who succeed.

So many of my liberal colleagues like to point to our states “image” or green ranking when they are talking about big businesses leaving Wisconsin. They seem to think if we just spend tons of state money on light rail, green energy, emissions control and socialized un-”Healthy Wisconsin” healthcare we will somehow attract more talent and more businesses.

As it turns out, it’s a question of simple economics that becomes more and more evident as time passes:

“The Lone Star State passed New York as home to the most big companies in the latest list compiled by Fortune magazine.

Texas now boasts 58 headquarters, three more than New York, the previous No. 1, and California, with 52.

Business experts say it’s a matter of simple economics – Texas attracts companies with its low taxes, affordable land and large labor force.

“Cost is overwhelmingly the No. 1 driver,” said Albert W. Niemi Jr., dean of the business school at Southern Methodist University, who wrote his doctoral thesis about companies leaving the Northeast for the Sun Belt 30 years ago.”

And to preempt those who will say “oh, it’s just oil companies”:

“Other Texas companies on the magazine’s list include technology, such as Dell Inc., three of the nation’s biggest airlines, two of the biggest homebuilders, an insurer, a hospital company and the largest garbage hauler around.”

Hmm, I seem to remember some CEOs in Milwaukee blatantly stating this point:

“They said Milwaukee’s taxes are too high, and the region doesn’t know how to market itself, suffers from a lack of leadership, has wasteful government spending and doesn’t provide enough tax incentives to attract and keep businesses and create jobs.

And when they were done criticizing the region as a terrible place to do business, they piled on and did it again. And again.”

While on a recent trip to the range at Badger Guns with my good friend Chuck and his little sister, I personally observed someone refusing to be a victim.

I was waiting in line to pay for range time at Badger Guns (and range) in Milwaukee when a middle-aged woman in front of us inquired about the process for purchasing a gun. The man behind the counter had politely started walking her through the background check, 48 hour waiting period and other details when she blurted out that she had been robbed reported it to the police but she “refused to be a victim again”. They talked through it and then he went into calibers and explained the range time that comes with each gun purchased, etc.

I realize I started a bit of a debate with my last post on purchasing my first handgun, but I wanted to share this as just another example of how responsible gun purchasing and ownership is a positive right. I fully advocate her, or any new gun owners’ participation in safety training and range practice but, each of us must protect our 2nd Amendment rights not just to protect ourselves but, to allow others to do the same.

From The Heritage Foundation’s front page:

The very food-related problems that we see today are much like the hypothesized future ones that were supposed to be caused by global warming.

For the ill-informed, from Heritage:

America’s first mandatory policy to reduce global warming emissions is its biofuels mandate. Along with the national security and other perceived benefits, these agriculturally-based alternative fuels were purported to have lower global warming emissions than the petroleum-derived gasoline or diesel fuel they displace. At the beginning of the decade, Al Gore said that “by tripling U.S. use of bioenergy and bioproducts by 2010, we can keep millions of tons of greenhouse gases out of the air….”[5]

Thanks to the 2007 energy bill signed into law by President Bush last December, it is occurring even faster than Gore imagined. The U.S. is now required to mix 9 billion gallons of such fuels into the gasoline supply in 2008, up from less than 3 billion gallons in 2000. The mandate is mostly met by corn-based ethanol. Europe has also set similar targets for biofuels, mostly bio-diesel made from palm oil, rapeseed, or soybeans.

Not surprisingly, diverting crops from food to fuel use has raised food prices. At a little over $2 per bushel when the mandate was first effective, the price of corn has recently surged well above $5, due in large part to nearly a quarter of the crop’s now being needed for fuel use. A host of corn-related foods, such as corn-fed meat and dairy, have seen sharp price increases. Wheat and soybeans are also up, partly as a result of fewer acres now being planted in favor of corn. European biodiesel mandates have had a similar impact.

A Purdue University study places the annual food cost increases for 2007 at $22 billion and estimates that “$15 billion of this increase is related to the recent surge in demand to use crops as fuel.”[6] That $15 billion calculates to an additional $130 per household in 2007, and food prices are considerably higher thus far in 2008.

Other factors–high energy costs, below-average yields in some regions, growing world population, a weak dollar–have also impinged on food supplies and prices. However, most experts see the biofuels mandates as a substantial contributor, and one that exacerbates any other pressures on food costs.

With 800 million people at risk for hunger and malnutrition, the consequences are far more severe in developing nations than they are in developed nations. “When millions of people are going hungry, it’s a crime against humanity that food should be diverted to biofuels,” said Palaniappan Chidambaram, India’s finance minister.[7] World Bank President Robert Zoellick has acknowledged that “biofuels is no doubt a significant contributor” to high food costs, adding that “it is clearly the case that programs in Europe and the United States that have increased biofuel production have contributed to the added demand for food.”[8]

Even some of the political unrest described in the Pentagon study is starting to emerge. Rising prices have led to food-related rioting in several developing nations.[9] While it is not possible to demonstrate conclusively that, this rioting would not have occurred if not for the biofuels mandates, it is far from speculative to assume that the increased pressures of the mandates on food prices were contributors. In any event, the rioters are clearly not responding to global warming, as there has been no additional warming in 2007 and thus far in 2008.

Moreover, all of this is occurring from biofuels usage that is only a fraction of what will be required in the years ahead. America is only one-quarter of the way toward the 36 billion gallon requirement by 2022 included in last December’s big energy bill. The European Union also has plans to increase its biodiesel use, though it is now reconsidering this policy.

To add insult to injury, the global warming benefits of biofuels have been called into question. Two recent studies published in the journal Science conclude that, rather than reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, biofuels actually increase them.[10] One study finds that clearing lands for energy crops creates a so-called carbon debt by “releasing 17 to 420 times more carbon dioxide than the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions that these biofuels would provide by displacing fossil fuels,”[11] while the other projects “GHG emissions from corn ethanol nearly double those from gasoline for each km driven.”[12]

Last year, a study conducted for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, presciently entitled “Biofuels: Is The Cure Worse Than the Disease?” stated that “the rush to energy crops threatens to cause food shortages and damage to biodiversity with limited benefits.”[13] The authors were right. Oxfam, an international aid organization that has been very vocal about the threat of global warming, now concedes that “large-scale growth in biofuels demand has pushed up food prices and so far there is little evidence that it is reducing overall carbon emissions.”[14]

These titles are getting wittier –except for the Ziggies one, Ziggies just sucks. Oh yeah and I realized I’m a day behind, my bad. Real Chili is well documented for its health code violations, and problems people have with that place. The fact that half the employees may or may not be recreational drug users cause any problems? Granted Real Chili probably has some of the best food on campus, but still their violations go way back, and yes this is the second campus food place This is everything that the JS has posted on them through the years:

• All food must be protected from cross-contamination. There were many boxes of raw hamburger meat stored above containers of cooked chili in walk in cooler. Properly store all raw meats below and away from creaky to eat foods.
• Potentially hazardous food must be held hot at 135 degrees or above. Hot dogs stored in a container were found sitting on top of the hot hold unit at 121°F .
• The slicer in the kitchen was seen with an accumulation of old food debris. Break down slicer completely, clean and sanitize to remove all food debris.
• There is an ice scoop in the beans that has a broken handle and is no longer cleanable. Replace scoop.
• The faucet in the ladies room is spraying water out of the sink and onto the floor. Repair the faucet to function properly.
• The sanitize solution at the 4 compartment ware wash sink was found at 0ppm. Properly set up and maintain the sanitize compartment of the sink to the proper concentration. For chlorine based (bleach) sanitizer it should be set up to 100ppm.
• Ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food held for more than 24 hours must clearly marked to indicate the day by which the food is to be consumed on the premise, sold, or discarded. Use food within 7 days or discard
• There were several dead roaches seen in the basement under the shelves in the westerly room and in the southeast corner of the westerly room. Remove dead cockroaches and maintain effective pest control
• An open bag of mouse and rat poison was seen in the basement near the stairs, partially covered by a box of food service supplies. Discontinue use of rodent bait pellets unless used in a locked and covered trap.

This place had generally good food as well, but it was always a bit dirty. I think out of all the places on campus I’ve eaten at this one most recently, even knowing the above.

I’ve actually only eaten there once when I was a freshmen, and I got about two bites into a burger and realized it was a mistake. This place was one of the establishments featured on the TMJ4 exclusive in the past, and it seems as though things have not improved. I was told that for my last post I never had to actually post about the squalid conditions of Gyros, I just needed to take a picture. I feel like that’s all I really should do for Ziggies, but then you’d miss all these fun violations. Some of the violations go back a bit, but I seriously can’t believe people still eat there.

• Food equipment must be clean and sanitized before used with food. The large cutting board in the back kitchen area is badly scored and dirty. Resurface the board to be smooth and cleanable or replace it with a new one
• Food equipment must be clean and sanitized before used with food.
• There is a 2 drawer refrigerated unit in the front cooking area that has raw meats being stored directly next to cooked gyro meat. The drawer below also has raw and ready to eat foods in the same space. Store all the raw animal product in the bottom drawer and all the ready to eat foods in the top drawer to prevent any cross contamination issues
• Utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment must be sanitized. The sanitizer bucket that was set up on the cook line was at 0ppm. Properly set up solution to 100ppm for bleach-chlorine sanitizer. Use test strips to test concentration.
• Utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment must be sanitized. The sanitizer bucket that was set up on the cook line was at 0ppm. Properly set up solution to 100ppm for bleach-chlorine sanitizer. Use test strips to test concentration.
• There are no shelves in the basement freezer walk in and all the food is sitting directly on the floor. Provide approved shelving in the freezer and keep all food up off the floor at least 6 inches.

4-101.11 There is a homemade style dipper well over the prep sink in the ice cream area of the store. This is not an approved dipper well. Remove the pan and use the dipper well that is properly plumbed. If you want to add an additional well it will have to be to code and properly plumbed.

There are still no roaches of to be reported there either. Guess they don’t all have infestations, but I’m still never setting foot inside that place. If I want to poison myself, I’ll walk the extra block to get to Gyros or maybe Real Chili…??

Your Daily Marquette Dirty Dining (Places I’ll never eat at again): Post Bar Food at its worst

Marquette Gyros, or as the health department knows it “Gyro’s Delight” is hardly that. First of all I used to get a Chicken Bacon Swiss and fries there all the time and the guy had no idea who I was when I got in there. Second, have you ever used the bathroom in there? It makes me tremble. In hindsight I can’t believe anyone could go into that place and order food without a BAC. Ok here is what the health department found:

• There is an accumulation of grease on the filters. Hood filters must be cleaned as often as necessary to prevent the accumulation of grease
• There is a large chest freezer in the kitchen and the lid is broken. The seal does not work properly anymore and there is installation showing. Remove the unit from the kitchen area. Replace with an approved freezer.
• There was a raw turkey breast sitting on a shelf in the cooler over vegetables. Properly store all raw animal products below and away from ready to eat foods to prevent any possible cross contamination.
• There was no sanitizer bucket set up during inspection. Be sure to keep a bucket of sanitizer set up to the proper concentration during food prep times. Use the sanitizer to wipe down food contact surfaces to keep bacteria levels down.
• There is mold growing in the soda machine nozzles. Clean and maintain soda nozzles on a consistent basis.
• An employee was seen putting lettuce and tomatoes on a bun with bare hands. The employee stated that the store is out of gloves. Always keep a supply of gloves if gloves are to be worn to prevent bare hand contact. Alternate methods would include pastry tissues or tongs.
• A box of raw hamburger patties was sitting out on the counter near the gyro machine. An employee stated that this box was sitting there to thaw. This is not an approved method of thawing potentially hazardous foods. Thaw raw meat products in a mechanical refrigeration unit.

It’s like there is no place on campus for anyone to get burgers after bar close that doesn’t blatantly violate the health code…what are the poor hungry masses to do?

Thought I’d start with a shocker, and then brake in to the more well known violators starting with the Subway on 14th and Wells. Over the year I’ve eaten at this place a few dozen times –they take Marquette Cash, and one of the places I can find an Onion so big thumbs up-. I thought I’d be getting a little better quality of food, and if Jared can lose weight eating Subway it must be acceptable right?

If only. No roaches but this place does have some mold and sub-sanitary environments.

• There was no sanitizer bucket set up at sandwich prep line during food prep. Instruct employees to keep a sanitizer bucket set up at all times of food preparation for sanitizing food contact surfaces. Be sure to keep wiping cloths in the bucket in between uses
• Potentially hazardous food must be held hot at 135 degrees or above. Meatballs were found in the steam table at 120 degrees. Keep potentially hazardous foods being hot held at the proper temperature.
• The inside of the ice shoot on the soda machine in the customer area has some mold growth in it. Clean and sanitize the machine to remove all mold.
• Sanitizing solution was less than 50 ppm. Sanitizing solution should be 200 ppm. Fix solution dispenser.

Another place I won’t be heading back to until I forget about this post. It’s kind of depressing because for some reason I though this was one of the few quality places remaining on campus.

As a former resident of Minnesota I have always marveled at the expensive and time consuming emissions testing process that Wisconsin forces it’s drivers through every time they renew their tabs. It’s great to hear they are finally partially abandoning part of this wasteful program (HT: BnS) :

” Starting on July 1, cars and trucks built before 1996 will be exempt from having to undergo vehicle emissions inspections in southeastern Wisconsin. The latest figures in 2007 show that the change would have affected 28% of vehicles in the region - or about 175,000 cars.
..
The decision to give older cars a pass will also send more pollutants into the air until 2018. But other factors such as the use of reformulated gas will lessen the effects, officials say.
…
These and other features are part of a revamping of the state’s emissions inspection program for cars and trucks in seven counties, including all of metro Milwaukee.
…
The $13.3 million annual program - in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, Kenosha and Sheboygan counties - is financed by the state transportation fund, the state’s general fund and other sources. “

It’s a start I guess. Minnesota removed their program back in 1999:

“She’s been convinced since 1994 that the extra money metro motorists were paying for the testing amounted to an unfair tax, Johnson said.

“What researchers have found is that the test originally identified the most troublesome polluters among older cars, but fewer and fewer vehicles were in violation because of new technology,” Johnson stated in a press release.
…
Haake also attributed the non-necessity of emissions testing to advancing technology.

She said the onset of testing never even caused a blip on the charts and that they found vehicle emissions were steadily declining at six percent a year.”

My favorite part of the article, and definitely the most revealing quote, is this:

“In committee testimony last session, lawmakers heard that it’s necessary to drive a modern car for thousands of miles to equal the amount of hazard[ous] emissions spewed by a lawnmower.”

So over the weekend in between studying I happened to catch the movie Waiting… juvenile comedy about the lovely dining conditions of Shenanigans (and one kitchens’ love for batwings, brains and goats)… that and it’s about sweeps time so local news (TMJ4 and the JS) loves to expose how terrible the dining conditions are at any given place. The Journal also under their Watch Dog section posts their Data on Demand of Milwaukee Restaurant inspections since 2007. We here at GOP3 feel like we’d take all this data and find out which Marquette Area restaurants are the most heinous violators. Though I’d like to note I’ll only be mentioning dining related violations. I figure I’ll be starting this post off right, exposing two eateries that aren’t just nearby Marquette, they’re actually Sodexho facilities. Here’s the report

Marquette Place at the AMU (From March of 2008):
• The filters over the char broiler are very greasy. Clean filters as often as necessary to keep them free of grease. Also there are several other filters throughout the kitchens that have a dust accumulation on them. Remove the dust build up to prevent it from falling into any food.
• The only refrigeration in the coffee shop for cold holding is the True counter top cooler. This cooler is made for bottled prepackaged foods only. The milk and the cream cheese being held in this cooler were found at 50 degrees. Provide commercial refrigeration designed to cold hold open potentially hazardous foods. Discontinue using the True cooler for any potentially hazardous foods.
• There was a pan of chicken thawing in the 2 compartment pan washing sinks in the main kitchen area. All food prep, including thawing, is to be done in the designated food prep sinks.
• The sanitizer bucket set up in the coffee shop was at 0ppm. For an Iodine sanitizer the concentration should be between 12.5 and 25 ppm. If using a quaternary ammonium sanitizer, the concentration is to be about 200ppm. Sanitizer bucket solutions need to be checked and changed out when concentration is no longer strong enough.
• The dish wash machine in the coffee shop had empty bottles of detergent, rinse aid and sanitizer chemicals. Employee stated they sprinkle some type powder detergent in the dish washer before running it. This type of dish washer is set up to use liquid chemicals. Discontinue using the powder detergent and keep all chemicals stocked at dish machine. The dishes that were being run through the machine were not being sanitized when the chemical bottles were empty.
• The under counter dish machine in the coffee shop is sitting directly on the floor and there is a dirty grease like accumulation building up under and around it. All equipment is to be 6 inches up off the floor for cleaning purposes unless conditionally approved otherwise. If the area around the dish machine cannot be maintained, the dish machine will be ordered up on legs or wheels. Clean floor and keep clean.
• The open front cooler in the customer area of the coffee shop was found at 55 degrees. Inspector tested some food and smoothies stored in the cooler and found them to be at temperatures between 48 and 50 degrees. Any potentially hazardous foods in this cooler must remain at 41 degrees or less. Discard any potentially hazardous foods that have been in the cooler more than 4 hours over 41 degrees.

Also the True glass door cooler behind the counter had milk and cream cheese that were found at 50 degrees. Again all potentially hazardous foods being cold held must be
• There is a new conveyor dish machine installed in kitchen. When tested for properl wash and sanitizing temperatures, the test strip did not register that the machine was reaching the 180 final rinse temp for sanitizing. Have machine repaired to function properly to sanitize dishes
• A dead German cockroach was noted in a monitor station under the dish washer. Manager had said there is a slight roach infestation and they have pest control working on it. Inspector did not see any lie roaches and it appears to be mostly under control. Continue to monitor activity and keep effective pest control measures to eliminate the roaches.

The Annex (From October of 2007):
• Hoods, ducts, and fans must be clean as often as necessary to prevent the accumulation of grease.
• There was no sanitizer bucket set up at the food prep cook line upon arrival. Instruct employees to set up and maintain a sanitizer bucket at food prep areas during any food prep times.
• Some parts of the floor in the kitchen area are in need of cleaning. Clean under all the cooking equipment, under shelving and in the walk in coolers to remove any grease, water of food debris build up.

Also there is some mold growth in the beer cooler walk in. Clean walk in walls, ceiling and fans to remove any mold growth.

It’ll be hard to top this but don’t forget about reliable Ziggies, MU Gyros and Real Chili’s for some disgusting violations.