Point - CounterPoint: The Spinning Wheel

Can't you just hear Chevy Chase?

The AntiBlog got updated today.....and [surprise, surprise] Dr. Culver has got his spin mojo working in overtime. It's clear our coverage of the recent Journal article on scholarships caused him a little acid reflux. It should have. Unfortunately, a couple of Tums ain't gonna kill this fire.

We like Dr. Culver's iceberg analogy. And he's right...there's far more to an iceberg underneath what appears on the surface. But it's not the surface part that sunk the Titanic...it's what lay below the surface.

Here, in short order, are the "below the surface" parts of the iceberg which even Dr. Culver's "spin" can't cover:

1. Culver makes it sound like Sun Prairie is the only school for which "all" scholarship monies were not accurately tabulated. Do you really think that the other school districts don't have similar "scholarships" that didn't fit a definition or the reporter's request? No fair trying to pump up your flattened tire. The reporter asked the same questions of every district. That's called a level playiing field.

2. The good doctor also starts digressing into community giving not related to scholarships. Hold on, Dr. C! The article was about scholarships...period. So you need to limit your spinning to scholarships. The ole' sleight of hand may work on a few citizens, but not those that are listening. You can't waive the shiny apple in one hand to the crowd when we're talking about oranges.

3. Then he starts trying to talk about scholarships from universities that aren't counted. Again...need we remind you that Sun Prairie kids aren't the only kids receiving scholarships from universities etc. Come on! All this spinning is making us dizzy! We're feeling a technicolor yawn coming on. Hey...Mr. McCourt likes seafood....well...he's about to SEE FOOD. The article was about LOCAL scholarships, Dr. C.

4. Culver re-tallies the numbers and miraculously comes up with over DOUBLE the scholarship money that was reported to the Journal. Isn't that another way of him saying Lisa Bollinger didn't get it right? Sorry, Lisa, sadly you just became the latest bus victim. Yup... you done got
BUSSED BY ADMIN! We'll add you to the t-shirt list. Now do the other districts get to re-tally THEIR numbers?

5. Even with Culver's quick re-calculations of numbers, Sun Prairie still stands as follows compared to other communities reviewed:
---Total Scholarship $: Rank = 8th of 16 district
---Scholarship $/graduate: Rank = 14th of 16 districts
---Scholarships % of Class Receiving at least one: Rank = 14th of 16 districts

We STILL don't look good compared to the other districts. You want to compare some other parameter? Then we suggest you make your request to the reporter. But careful what you ask for. It's like the old legal adage...Don't ask a question unless you are sure you know the answer.

Dr. Culver...you can spin a salad as much as you like, but it's still salad.
Please note, this is NOT and was not ever intended to be an indictment of local businesses. It's simply information. The Journal reported it and we thought it was interesting. Make of it what you will. There are some that feel that given the high taxes and economy, businesses are strapped for further giving.

As a former board member was wont to say, "It is what it is". Or wasn't there something about lipstick and a pig?

N