Star Wars

A long time ago in a generation far, far away there was Star Wars! It was on May 25, 1977, or 39 years ago (OK, not so far awary), that the first of the Star Wars movies was released. This movie has gone on to produce subsequent movies, games and memorabilia for generations of fans, including grandchildren of the original viewers. It cuts across multiple generations as a cultural phenomenon probably unrivaled in the history of movie making. It spans the baby boomers who first saw the movie as young adults, it has captured generation X, the ever-present Millennial’s and to what is known as the i-generation, those born after 2000. Yes, we are in year 16 of the new millennium, and the Millennium Falcon, with an aged Harrison Ford still playing Han Solo is at the controls in the most recent sequel released last December. When the original film was released on Memorial Day weekend in 1977, I had just completed my first year of college, and was in the prime movie demographic—a single young male. Although, I was not a big fan of Princess Leia, as were many young men. Perhaps it is because she was not a redhead.  Ladies had Han Solo, and Luke Skywalker. And, of course there was Yoda.  It was a time with no cell phones, no personal computers. Music was on cassette tapes, or 8-track. Betamax was a new form for video, but was only about two years old. There was no internet and world wide web in households. We did have landlines for telephonic communication, phone booths (in which Superman would change) and stereo. At my university, the computer was a large mainframe, in which you had to use punch cards to place data and obtain print outs of your statistics or maps. It was in the technology of this era that Star Wars was born.

Star Wars poster

The Star Wars film release was preceded by a marketing juggernaut. It was meant to draw attention not only to the film, but its then cutting edge special effects. Younger aged persons today, like my sons, almost laugh at the primitive special effects. However, back in 1977 the meticulous models, and graphics were a cut above anything else than had before been viewed in film. In a sense, the special effects in Star Wars are part of the generational divide, and why the Star Wars film is representative of a generation far, far away. Computer generated special effects and graphics are now the norm and can do so much more than the primitive computers in existence in the mid 1970’s. This movie earned eleven Academy Award nominations, and won seven. Showing the balance of its then present day work with its groundbreaking special effects, the movie won, among others, for Visual Effects, Costume Design, Art Direction/Set Decoration. It also earned a Special Achievement Award.

Lego display of Millenium Falcon

When first released, Star Wars was not known to have been in the middle of a series of potential movies. It had the simple title “Star Wars.” That is the title to which I refer to it today. I am often told, by those younger than me, that it is the “New Hope.” Any hint at a series had to wait for the first sequel--The Empire Strikes Back, which would note Episode V. Three trilogies set out of order. The first two trilogies, or the first six movies, were released by Twentieth Century Fox, and all completed by Lucasfilm. Of these six movies, the best all time in North America was the 1999 release of Phantom Menace, which ranks #7, beating out Star Wars which is at #8. World-wide, Star Wars only comes in #62 all time, while Phantom Menace comes in at #21. Of course, Star Wars had an $11 million dollar budget, and showing the changes in complexity, the Phantom Menace had a budget of $155 million! Use of advanced techniques comes higher cost. I don’t think 20 years of inflation would cause that high of a rise. Special effects have been a hallmark of the seven films produced in the Star Wars series. These values are all rather pedestrian when compared to the most recent movie.

Empire Strikes Back poster

With Lucasfilm, the original creator of Star Wars, having been sold to, as George Lucas himself said, the “white slave holders” at Disney for over 4 billion (he made a nice sum of money off the sale) the Disney marketing machine is even greater than that put together by Lucas and Twentieth Century Fox 39 years ago. The Force Awakens, the first in the last trilogy, was released on Dec. 18, 2015, and had a budget of $200 million, but it is the top movie in North America and #3 worldwide. Sales worldwide for The Force Awakens is over $2 billion, which doubles the gross of the Phantom Menace. This is just the movie. Think of all the play figures, computer games, books and clothing and other merchandise. It is a Disney money-making machine.

Darth Vadar with Luke

The cultural phenomenon of Star Wars continues to this day. One only need to see the current rage on the internet of the lady who puts on the Chewbacca mask in her mini-van, which has been posted on various news web sites. Her posting went viral with 50 million having viewed it during the first 24 hours, and views are now over 100 million. Laughing is really contagious. CNN titled a report on her donning the mask “Chewbacca Mask Lady brings Joy to the Internet.” Besides joy, Star Wars brought hope in the battle of good over evil.  It also had a story of  redemption. One of the most powerful scenes is in the third movie, Return of the Jedi is when Darth Vadar saves Luke from the evil emperor, but in so doing ends up dying in the arms of his son. Both understood the biblical verse that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend. Star Wars is a movie that bridges the gap between old and new methods of movie production. But it is more than that, it is a movie that bridges divides between multiple generations. It is nostalgic for us who experienced it during its first release, and provides action and adventure for subsequent generations. In that sense it deserves its spot as a world-wide cultural phenomenon.

Adaptation

When I was a child, over forty years ago, we used to go boating in our small tri-hulled boat on the Madison lakes. For over 25 years I have lived in McFarland, and have, either canoed or kayaked on parts of the Yahara River, Mud Lake and Lake Kegonsa. Perhaps it was my age, but I really do not recall the water quality being as poor as I see today. I see the weeds and algae getting worse. The past few years have brought about the emergence of toxic blue-green algae. Weeds, and algae grow too well in the Madison lakes. Money has been spent, and projects undertaken to clean up the lakes. Phosphorus is one contributing factor to weed growth and lake eutrophication, and point sources have tried their best to manage and reduce loadings of that element. Phosphorous has been banned from detergents. It has been banned from most home-use fertilizers. Urban storm water basins have been designed to help reduce the movement of suspended solids, which carry phosphorus and nitrogen, into the waterways. Some farmers have done better than others in reducing phosphorus from their operations, but agriculture consists of such a high percent of the watershed that it has a great impact on pollutant loadings. Of course, there are still feed lots near streams, and drainage ways plowed over. There also are natural sources, such as leaves. That is why it is disconcerting to see leaves piled in the street gutter and when it rains a dark tannin colored phosphorous tea is formed that is carried to our public waters.

Law Park 

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has been removing phosphorous for years, but it, and other point sources, are facing even tighter permit limits. Point sources seem to bear the brunt of regulations. The easy processes to remove phosphorous have been accomplished. Past permit limits were accomplished by an addition to the Nine Springs Sewerage Treatment Plant. However, rather than doing a plant addition that would cost over $100 million (with costs like that you think it was a military project), they have decided on another tactic. This involves a partnership with other stakeholders to reduce phosphorous loadings by use of methods more in keeping with natural systems. These measures may involve grassed filter strips next to streams by use of an easement, rather than the farmer planting up to the stream edge. It may involve use of providing for a cover crop, after a crop is harvested, to cut down on soil erosion. These are just but a few items that could come about with the use of a new management practice referred to as Adaptive Management. The Yahara WINs project, after having been tried through a pilot project north of Lake Mendota is now set to go full scale. Much is left to learn, but that is the beauty of adaptive management, you stick to your goals, but remain flexible in techniques used to obtain the goals. In contrast a plant addition would not provide much flexibility if it did not work properly. It would be only more money expended on concrete to correct any deficiency. I have had the privilege of serving on the MMSD commission for over 24 years, and be a part of innovative projects the district has undertaken. The US EPA feels this project could become a national model. Others are doing adaptive management, but none on the scale being accomplished with so many stakeholders as in the Yahara WINs project spearheaded by MMSD. The lake quality is a complex problem with no easy solution, but adaptive management will, over the course of time, improve the quality of water in our streams, rivers and lakes, for young and old to enjoy.

Blue-Green Algae

This past Monday, as President of the 9 member governing Commission of MMSD, I had the opportunity to provide a few remarks at the Yahara WINs full scale kickoff event.

Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District
Nine Springs Sewage Treatment Plant

My remarks to those gathered at the event follow:

As you drove into the Nine Springs Treatment plant today, you saw a great deal of concrete and red brick buildings.  Since its inception, the sewer district has often used concrete, bricks, and equipment to address changing permit limits.  Those tangible buildings and equipment have well served the population of the district, and the wider region.  Today, the District and its partners recognize that concrete, bricks, and equipment are not the only answer to improving the quality of surface waters and the environment.  This partnership embarks on a course of cooperation designed to further reduce Phosphorus loadings into our streams, rivers and lakes, through a program known as adaptive management.  

Like many watersheds, the Yahara watershed is threatened by excessive phosphorus from sources including agricultural runoff, discharges from wastewater treatment plants and industries, and urban stormwater. All of these sources are required to reduce phosphorus and sediment loads to meet water quality objectives established by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  These sources typically work independently.  The result is solutions that are expensive to implement, narrow in geographic scope, and which lack coordination to meet the overall water quality objectives for the entire watershed.  

Adaptive management represents a different solution to the issue of water quality.  Rather than a large single purpose building construction project to solve the phosphorus loadings in our surface waters, the partnership that has been formed looks to use a more holistic, natural approach in keeping with environmental systems.  Adaptive management represents a change in the way of thinking and sets forth a future course of mutual cooperation among diverse partners to move ahead to better our common goals.    The end result is improved environmental outcomes at a lower overall cost to the watershed.  The Yahara WINs effort will save residents of the watershed an estimated $13.5 million dollars per year.  

Change has been brought on not only by regulation, but also by a need to be better stewards of our natural and fiscal resources. Adaptive management has the capability of providing more than one benefit to our environment.  For example, use of natural vegetated buffers will not only reduce Phosphorus, but also reduce suspended solids and nitrogen, and assist wildlife.    When you combine the environmental benefits, with the fiscal benefits, the use of this new approach is further realized.  In short, this more natural alternative should help stabilize sewer service rate charges.  Clean water does not have to be expensive.  

This approach is only possible because of the remarkable level of collaboration to clean our waters, of which the district is glad to be a part.  It was achieved through a great deal of effort, as work days stretched long into the night.   Although, to make this effort successful, many more long days and nights will be ahead.  Today we move beyond a pilot project, to kickoff this new kind of venture at full-scale, in undertaking a different approach to water quality improvements.  Even with knowledge gained from the pilot program, our patience will still be tested by a learning curve as to what measures best be deployed.   

I wish to thank all of those who have taken part in making adaptive management a reality.   It is a recognition that going-it-alone concrete and brick additions, while having their place, are not the only method to reaching our goal of cleaner water for us and future generations who occupy our common home.  Again, thank you to all those who have strived to advance the efforts of this new course of action, and the District looks forward to working with current and future partners in this important endeavor.

For those who are interested, you can listen to a short Wisconsin Public Radio news story, which can be found here.

Madison, WI is in the Gulf of Mexico Watershed

Changes Over Time

In the Disney animated Musical “Beauty and the Beast” the Beast undergoes a transformation in both personality and appearance. Graphically it is displayed in his changing from a beast, back to a handsome prince, but of course he first had to undergo a more personal transformation—one that affected his thoughts, personality and values. The Beast is not too dissimilar to most of us, we change over time. To find this out, we only need to look at photos of our younger self to see how we have changed in body shape, clothing, hair style, skin tone and other traits. Photos may capture a glimpse of our personality through our actions, and what can be seen in the eyes and facial expressions. Our nation has values as well that are expressed through our land use changes. This has been evident from the early days of the republic and the declaration of Manifest Destiny. This post will focus on changes in one specific area south of Madison, WI, in what is now the City of Fitchburg. Even today, Fitchburg is more rural than urban. It is a microcosm of Dane County, with rural, ex-urban, suburban (the predominant style of development) and some dense multi-family areas. The area was chosen as it well represents land use patterns that have occurred in the nation over the span from 1937 to today. While it may not align temporally with varied movements in the nation, it nonetheless is representative of such movements and changes in land use. The chosen area is near the center of Fitchburg, and is about 1025 acres in area. It is bordered by Lacy Road on the north, Irish Lane on the south, South Fish Hatchery Road on the west and Syene Road on the east. Of course, air photos give only a two-dimensional view of the land surface, when in fact it is three dimensions. The study area has undulating topography, particularly a ridge that runs generally east-west through the landscape about halfway between the north and south border. This area is part of a recessional moraine deposited by the Wisconsin glacier over 10,000 years ago. As you read through the post, please ponder what this says about our collective values as a nation.

Grandfather's 1940 era Farmall Tractor

Our journey begins in 1937. The study area is primarily farm land but with a few features to point out. First, the orange circle, near the middle of the study area, shows a farmstead occupied in this era of family farms. The square at the lower right shows a farm field with a ridge at the far south east corner (north is up). Finally, one constant, until development, is topography, and please notice how evident a drainage channel (three blue arrows) is in this air photo, and if you look closely you can see it likely has some grass buffers to parts of its side. Water flows to the north east in the channel. While this era had tractors, they were not the large machines that we see today. In that era you probably had only a few spades on a plow, while today 24 is not unusual. Notice the quilt work pattern of fields showing a variety of cultivation and crop patterns. Farming has become more heavily mechanized, of which evidence will show in later air photos. 1937 is pre-World War II and precedes the baby boom generation.

1937

Our next photo is 1955. We are now in post WWII America and the nation is in the midst of the suburban experiment. The study area has yet to be affected by significant development, as was true of most of Fitchburg at the time. The field in the lower right how has some contour cropping. The drainage channel, marked by a blue arrow, is still evident, but somewhat less than in the 1937 photo. Part of the channel appears to have been straightened. The effects of the dust bowl and soil erosion has led to the establishment of better tilling practices, but yet there is a disregard for the drainage channel. A few additional homes show up in the study area, mainly along the east side of S. Fish Hatchery Road, which is to the left edge of the aerial photo. Not part of the study area, but visible at the farm bottom right is a rural subdivision that is developing south of Irish Lane.

1955

The next photo, 1968 really begins to show post WWII suburbanization. At the right side dark squares show rural subdivisions under construction. Lot sizes are about half-acre, with a rural street cross section. If you look closely you will see only a small section of paved street in the dark blue square to the north side of the image. At this point in time, the farmstead in the center of the image, is now an area covered by trees; the buildings have been razed, or burnt down. The farm was consolidated into a farm of an adjoining relative. The blue triangle shows the location of one of the many high tension line power poles that run through this area. This is now a double 168 kV line, but perhaps was a single 168 kV line when first introduced.  The growing nation needed electricity and high voltage power lines are being put in place to meet demand. To the east of the study area a seed corn processing plant has been constructed.  Also, notice even further changes in contour cropping of the land at the lower right. Fields, generally, are larger patches than in 1937 likely a recognition of the movement to larger machines, and movement from a variety to one or two types of crops. Corn, in particular, will come to dominate the farm fields of the Midwest.

1968

By 1980, the drainage channel is a hint of its prior self.  Likely simply plowed over and left to nature.  It would have served the same drainage basin area as it did in 1937.  Agricultural fields have even less demarcation than in prior years.  I believe this to be the height of land conversion to farmland. Demand was high, baby boomers were now entering young adulthood, and would have families (generation X) to feed, and it was still at a point, unlike today, where the vast majority of our products that we ate were produced within the nation. Farm set aside programs, to reduce soil erosion were in their infancy. The demand for corn as fuel in the early part of the 21st century would see farmland converted out of set aside back to production. A large blue rectangle near the rural subdivisions shows farmland that has been converted to a park. The town of Fitchburg, purchased 60 acres using LAWCON money, local funds and even funds obtained as a fee-in-lieu of park dedication. You can see two ball diamonds, and in the lower right of the park area two tennis courts. Softball was a common recreation activity enjoyed by baby boomers and their fathers. My dad, and my brother John played on the same slow-pitch softball team in Sun Prairie in this era. The two rural subdivisions are now larger and have more homes, although a few empty lots remain in each. By 1975 Fitchburg had changed its land use practices and pretty much prohibited rural subdivisions. The reason is quite simple—rural subdivisions place a high demand on city services. A good example is the rural subdivision just south of Irish Lane (seen first at the bottom of the 1955 air photo). Contamination of private wells by septic systems and agricultural practices would require the city to install public wells to serve the area in the 1980’s.

1980

The next air photo is 1995. McGaw Park, which occupies 60 acres of the light blue rectangle shows tree growth starting to predominate in the non-developed portions of the park. The park, by now, has an access drive off of Lacy Road, and five ball diamonds-four for softball one for little league. It has a shelter, sand volleyball, basketball, and other facilities not readily visible. Easily visible, however, are two large parking lots. The drainage channel first seen in 1937 is once again more defined in this air photo. The former central farmstead is still an area of trees.

1995

The last aerial photo is from 2014, with 2016 parcel data overlaid. The former farmstead is now trees, but some of the trees have been removed for a street project completed in 2015 so is not shown on the air photo. A large multi-family development is occurring at the southwest corner of lacy Road and Syene Road, which can be noted by the lot and street pattern.  A number of developments have occurred, most in the first half of the 2000's.. A business park with single family homes exists to the upper left. A municipal well site, not noted, is also located in that area. Storm water retention ponds can be seen near the central part of the study area. These ponds, provide a slower release of storm water to avoid downstream flooding, but since they are wet ponds, they also work to trap certain pollutant loadings from entering the streams, rivers and lakes. Two somewhat isolated developments also exist. One being a small lot single family, with some two family units at corner lots. Showing a new trend (called new urbanism) in development, the homes are closer to the street and some are served by alley. The development near McGaw Park is comprised of several four unit buildings as a retirement community. Many seniors who live there are active, and the condominium affords freedom to move around to visit grandchildren, or undertake other pursuits and travels. They are the older part of the baby boom generation, a generation that has so defined the United States with its large demographic impact. Baby boomers remained the largest generation until recently when supplanted this past April by the Millennial generation. Finally, McGaw Park trees have increased in size, one parking lot is barely visible through the trees that have been planted to shade and prevent a heat island effect. The McGaw Park trees are viewed by many neighbors as natural, even though they are first growth trees that are nearing the end of their life span. The farm in the lower right corner shows some use, but not as much in the past of contour cropping. The central drainage channel is more visible east of a subdivision due to the greater amount of storm water that comes off a development (due to increased impervious surface, and longer release times due to the detention of the storm water). The upper reach is not visible. Finally, in a bode to late 20th and early 21st century need for wireless communication, a cell tower is outlined by a red trapezoid.

2014 Air photo, 2016 parcels

By the end of this year, this area will look even more different. A new plat will be located just west of McGaw Park. Man is ever changing the natural landscape to accommodate an appetite for new housing and development. While new forms of development are often criticized for their density and small lots, they help save farmland. For example if the approximate 223 single family homes that were built in this area since 2000 were one acre in size, when streets, storm water and parks are added that would account for over 300 acres of land in the study area. This is compared to the approximate 90 acres occupied today. In creating neighborhoods with a mix of uses and density the city allows different aspects of the market to be met, more vibrancy, less loss of farmland, and the ability to provide transit. A general rule of thumb is a density of 8 units/acre to help make an area  transit feasible.

The landscape of our earth changes over time from both natural and man-made activity. As shown, land use patterns change, services are added to meet demand, and the resiliency of nature is tested. As much benefit as storm water controls provide, they have their downside in lengthened time of release which leads to more scouring. Everyone wants a cell phone, but those near the tower are having to put up with increasing use of generators in case of power outages. The problem is not the outage but the weekly testing and the noise produced. Development near high power lines become difficult, although some do not mind living next to them. Some view development as inevitable, if not beautiful, and in keeping with the American protestant ethic of subduing nature. Others view development as a zit on the landscape. Nationally, the ethos are such that farmland is often viewed as the manifest destiny, that it is there to be developed. To change our gobbling up of farmland requires a change in our values. In the meantime increasing the density affords an ability to have greenfield development, and yet at the same time preserve farmland at a greater rate. A development at 8 units/acre uses half the land of one at 4 units/acre. Whether development is the beauty or the beast is in how one views the time and world in which we live. Planning is the balancing of competing interests. This study are shows one method of achieving that balance.

VE Day

It was on this date (May 7), seventy one years ago, that the armed forces of Germany, the Third Reich, surrendered to Allied forces.  The event, ending six years of war, was signed in Reims, France at the offices of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, otherwise known as SHAEF.  The conclusion of hostilities was scheduled to occur the next day, May 8.  Obviously war disrupts communication systems, and even with an early morning signing at 2:41, it was apparently understood that it would take a full day for news to reach all involved forces.  Unfortunately, the cessation of hostilities occurred too late for PFC Charley Havlet, who died on May 7 during a German ambush.  Charley has the distinction of being the last American casualty during the war in Europe.

German General Jodl signing the surrender document

Interestingly, Charley, whose parents had immigrated from Czechoslovakia, died about 8 miles into Czechoslovakia when his reconnaissance platoon was subjected to hidden machine gun fire from concealed German positions.  News did not reach the Germans or US Soldiers at that location soon enough.  He was the last among 183, 588 American combat dead in the European theater of operations. Yet, the end of the war in Europe was not the end of WWII.  Letters from Roy Hovel, a member of the US Counter Intelligence Corps attached the 83rd Infantry Division leaves us with an impression thoughts going through the minds of soldiers at the time of VE Day.

Charlie Havlet, the last American death in the European theater

After having written his sister on the last day of April and saying he believed the war in Europe would end the next month, and he hoped the psychological effect would lead to Japan's surrender, a few days later he admits to different thoughts.  As he is writing a letter to his parents dated May 4, he writes that "Well, I just got the first news of the surrender of  the German army in Northwest Germany, Holland and Denmark , at 8:40 p.m., now probably 1:40 at home.  Perhaps presaging the death of Charley Havlet, he notes that as "far as he can see that means there isn't any more resistance in the German nation itself, just Czechoslovakia and Norway left.  Charley Havlet, was the wrong man in the wrong place.  If his platoon had been further north he may have survived the war.  It is later in this letter that his thoughts on the future become known, when he writes:  "I would dread going to the Pacific, because of the boat ride if nothing else. Most of us will stay over here in the Army of occupation for a long while, but many will also stay with their division and the big question is who is going to go with it and also where is the division going."

English version of surrender

Where is the division going, and who will be with it?  That is the question the men in Europe were wondering.  The 83rd infantry entered the war in June 1944.  They fought in the hedgerows of Normandy, made their way through northern France to the Rhineland, and of course the infamous fighting in the Ardennes--the battle of the bulge.  They would be the first reach the Rhine, and to cross the Elbe.  After having crossed the Elbe they would told to move back to their positions on the west side of a river instead of moving on Berlin.  Who could blame the men for wondering if they would now be sent to the Pacific. The end of the war in Europe brought more unknowns for the soldiers who had endured the European campaign.

Baltimore Sun article

Fortunately, Roy Hovel did not let his worries of potential future deployment and a boat trip across the Pacific bother his celebration of VE day.  In a May 9 letter to his sister he writes that "We spent VE day here.  It wasn't anything special except that they had all the chicken we could eat and wine, Champagne and cognac in the evening."  Perhaps, his job was tiring and stressful, or his thoughts of the boat ride across the sea did get to him as he notes that "I wanted to relax a little and drank a little too much, the fourth time in my life."  He admits this probably was not the best thing to do when one has a cold.  But this letter of May 9 does more than admit to a little too much partying on VE day, although who can blame a soldier for living it up on such a momentous day. Needless to say he was not the only one who imbibed a little too much.

Front of post card R Hovel sent home
for writing on back, see below

What Roy Hovel did see a great deal of, he noted in a letter home were young women who had fled west to avoid the Soviet soldiers, and the acts they were perpetrating on the civilian population, especially women.  In a contrast to the Soviets, Roy Hovel notes in a May 14 letter home, that while the girls were good looking, they "can't fraternize with them." American rules were quite different than those for the Soviets, at least for a member of the CIC.  What the Americans had more than any other groups was cigarettes.  It was a different time than today, and cigarettes were used as barter.  Some American soldiers, it has been reported, would trade cigarettes and food for favors, begging the question of the fine line between rape and prostitution with a decimated civilian population.

Back of post card home, the Allies finally caught up with the man on the front

VE day did not mean the end.  Soldiers wondered if they would head to the Pacific, get a chance to go home, or be part of the European occupation force.  Near the conclusion of the May 14 letter ROy Hovel would once again state "I'm still wondering where I will be at for the next few months." He lists his desire that he would prefer to stay in Europe, now that he "is used to it." His wish would be granted.  He would become part of the occupation force in Europe.  The occupation would continue his service overseas, and Charley Havlet would be buried overseas in the Lorraine American Cemetery at Saint-Avold, France.  

Roy Hovel