A post by Richard Florida last week on theatlanticcities.com highlights "The Geography of Stuck," and shows a "distinctive 'stuck belt'" across the middle of the country running from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, down through West Virginia and into the Sun Belt states of Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana."

Personally, I don't feel stuck in Wisconsin, as I choose to live in Milwaukee and will always call it home. Yet many complain about "Smallwaukee" and the challenges that come with too many long-timers running the show.

Sure, there can be downsides to large numbers of homegrown residents in an area but it's a virtual world and easy, especially in Milwaukee/Chicago, to work with anyone and anywhere.

I haven't done the formal research but I believe in the Midwest and Milwaukee's retention abilities. If you were born here, you usually stay here. Or if you do move away, you usually move back. There's a quality of life in the upper Midwest and the greater Milwaukee area that's hard to match.

I've met Richard Florida several times, and admire him and his work. He's good at packaging his message and I'm sure this "stuck" theme will have some legs. But, Richard, I'm not stuck here, I'm here by choice.

I haven’t actually seen the new Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful (KGMB) billboards, but did notice them on Facebook this morning.  

All in all, they’re excellent and truly Milwaukee-based.  They’re creative, clever and local.  Three things that we love and appreciate here at OnMilwaukee.com.

According to the promotional website litteringiswrongtoo.com, the campaign attempts to equate littering with other "brainless, irrational, ridiculous, thoughtless, twisted, diabolical, rude, sinister, conniving, grievous, just plain wrong wrongs."  

It’s a national campaign, but Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful localizes it using several Milwaukee area images and icons including MillerCoors, Wolski’s, bubblers, fish fries, State Fair, Miller Park, Summerfest, the Lambeau leap, Secret Stadium Sauce, local personalities Freeway and Milverine and more.   

Joelene Lowe Plier, Digital Administrator at Lamar Milwaukee, tells me that Lamar teamed up with KGMB and "started with a list of things totally Milwaukee."  From that list, Lamar "came up with copy lines and then added some art."

"We're constantly thinking about additional ads we could create as the KGMB campaign continues. When we started the thought process it was in the thick of the NL Playoffs so we had to taper the baseball references. Now that winter is upon us I think we'll come up with some other ads," added Plier.  

See all the images here and use the Talkbacks to add your "just plain wrong wrongs."

It’s hard not to love The Muppets.  And while some may think that they’ve been gone too long, I really don’t think they ever left.  Yet, no matter your position on the relevance of the lovable Jim Henson characters, they are back and better than ever in the new "The Muppets" movie.

Who’s the target audience for the new Muppet movie?  It’s not 3 year olds, but it’s pretty much everyone else.  Adults who grew up with the 1980s (the first "The Muppet Movie" was released in 1979) will quickly be transported to their youth via the creative reconnections and fun story telling in the movie.   The plot’s built around the reset of the Muppet franchise and even if you don’t know the characters, it’s fine viewing for kids and adults.  Just sit back and bask in the simplicity and silliness of Kermit and company.

Jason Segel and Amy Adams share the lead human roles, and both do stellar jobs.  They have the vocal range to handle the catchy songs and humor to navigate the sunshine that is needed in the film.  Both seem to respect their roles and don’t push phoniness or sweetness on the audience.  From Rashida Jones as a network executive to Chris Cooper as bad guy Tex Richman the other roles also are well acted.   And, of course, the expected cameos throughout the movie are stellar.    

Everyone may not love Beaker, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and the rest of the crew, but as Kermit says near the end of the film, "Maybe you don't need the whole world to love you, you know, maybe you just need one person."

Ultimately, the Muppets and this movie are about love.  And, the story really is based here too.  It’s so simple, wholesome and fun that you truly can’t help but smile.  And, if you’re like me and recall the Muppets of the 1980 and 90s, you may even fight to hold back a tear or two. 

Quick post script to this brief review.  If you haven’t seen the 2008 made for TV Muppets special "Letters to Santa," watch for it this season or buy …

Mark Bergen, a contributor on Forbes.com, wrote yesterday about new figures from the Chicago Fed showing strong jobs growth in metro Milwaukee.  Bergen’s headline is strong too, "Milwaukee Bruises Chicago on Jobs."  

The study is here, and it shows the consistency of the manufacturing economy and, as Bergen concludes, makes the case for "Milwaukee as an unsung hero of the tepid recovery."

Similar data was presented last month from the U.S. Labor Department.