
“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”
George Santayana
Long ago (but not that long ago) there was an outbreak of Swine flu in the U.S. (in 1976, to be [...]

"While Elizabeth still hasn't fully come to terms with her man's roaming, [...]
It's only cost ten billion dollars and been two decades spent trying to figure out what to do with all US nuclear waste. The proposed US nuclear waste dump at Nevada's Yucca Mountain is in peril. President Barack Obama is proposing the elimination of all funding for scientific research on the deep-rock [...]

Actually, they are using donkeys as suicide bombers.
Could they be having difficulty finding martyrs who believe a prize is waiting for them?
Strapping explosives to a donkey and [...]
Tonight is the Annual Reorganization meeting of the Franklin Board of Education.
The meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. at the Education and Community Center.
I distinctly remember this meeting from last year. I was excited to see David Works and Linda Witkowski seated on [...]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are being questioned for refusal to release documents. What are they hiding? The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) wants to know. How about you?
"On Jan. 21 — his first full day in office — President Barack Obama issued a memo to all [...]
Okay - Think they will be around in the year 2050? Does that work for you?
There are those that would say:
You may be familiar with my past internet shopping trips. I acknowledge there are times I must shop locally, such as when I need things immediately, and the web won't work out for me. That's when it helps to know exactly where I need to go.
Shopping for a wedding is one [...]
As I was working in Oak Creek last Thursday afternoon "inside" a building, I heard a warning siren being tested. It was loud and clear. I couldn't miss it. It wasn't the first time I had heard this siren. I heard it last summer when there was an actual tornado [...]
In India it's common for female children under the legal age of 18 to be married. It is a centuries-old custom.
Imagine the spirit it took for a child under the age of 12 to say no to this ritual.
Meet Rekha Kalinda ...
from the Christian Science Monitor
Bararola, [...]

Visit the Temple of the Goracle often
The cost of "green" doesn't look pretty.
"Gore, who won a Nobel prize for his work on climate change, told a congressional hearing that "the dire and growing threat" of a warmer [...]
"People lie."
"People are hypocrites."
Hungry Girl (cookbook writer, Lisa Lillien) is talking about people, food and food labels.
Her cookbook is a best-seller.
"As foodies seek eco-revelation in the local and organic, Hungry Girl speaks the language of chips, cake, cereal, breakfast sausage, taco shells, [...]
Mexico is reporting a "never before seen strain" of Swine flu virus. This after spring break has recently ended and many visitors have just returned to the U.S. Should we be worried?
MEXICO CITY — Mexico City closed schools across the metropolis of 20 million Friday after [...]
Beautiful images from the Hubble Space Telescope - brought to you via Wired.
Entering its 20th year of service, the Hubble Space Telescope has made more than 880,000 observations, taken 570,000 images of 29,000 different celestial objects, and piled up a load of impressive scientific accomplishments.
[...]

Are you a Mike Tyson fan?
Let me put it this way - were you ever a Mike Tyson fan?
I'm a boxing fan and I enjoy [...]


Toxin? Foul play by injection? It's a mystery as to how the two dozen polo horses died in Florida.
Guest Blog by Franklin Citizen D. Collins
In a time when people seem to be questioning their faith in government, a couple of weeks ago, the Franklin Common Council did a remarkable thing. In a 3-3 tie with the mayor breaking the tie, half of the Franklin Common [...]
Are you aware of
COPPA - Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
It's a good thing.
Most adults think so anyway.
But for children who aren't happy about the fact that they can't get on certain websites, there's a lot of, shall I say, juvenile complaining [...]
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies?
If so, I'm sure you've already started having trouble.
The first thing you should do is see a doctor if you haven't done so.
From the Boston Globe:
HAY FEVER FACTS
More than [...]
How can a country, even if they are willing, compensate its citizens for so much death?
Over 190,000 deaths from weapons testing?
Stupidity and fear in a rush for power with no thought at the time of protecting the health of her people.
A sad horrific [...]

Drive by, or stop in, on any rainy day weekend and you will see a packed Barnes & Noble. It's about the same for Borders. It's almost as packed on [...]
Well, that's a good thing, because the blue crab crop is in abundance this season in the Chesapeake Bay. Feel like some blue crab cakes or crab dip?
Everything has controversy though, even the crab industry. There are questions as to why the crab population has surged. [...]
Okay, turn to Saturday, April 25th - is your evening free?
Looking for some entertainment that's also for a worthwhile cause?
Read on...
EZ Brands, the maker of Bally Total Fitness, Everlast, Valeo and Body Fit Fitness Balls, has recalled their product.
Oh, my - I bet you can guess where these fitness balls were made. Can you say CHINA?
From Wired -
"Take a virtual trip inside the human body at a cellular level to see how blood vessels grow to feed tumors. Stopping this growth is one of the primary lines of attack scientists take in trying to defeat diseases, cancer in particular.
Continued - and [...]

Click image for larger map of train routes
8 billion dollars of stimulus money has been planned to jump-start high-speed rail. President Obama has these trains leaving their stations - ten corridors are planned. Are you onboard?
Read about it here
[...]
Do you wonder why?
MEXICO CITY – A shootout between Mexican troops and a convoy of gunmen left 15 assailants and one soldier dead hours before President Barack Obama arrived in the country to show his support for the fight against drug cartels.
The shootout happened in a [...]
47 Year old Susan Boyle wows the judges with her performance
Susan Boyle has talent . . .
[...]
Consider China - The Economist reports in a few short months about 6 million students will graduate from universities and have no place to go. One draw for these students? Joining the Communist Party.
"The global financial crisis could hardly have struck China’s university campuses at a worse time. Even before [...]
What do people have to do with earthquakes, besides having to live with the tragic aftermath of them?
We have a scientist, Giampaolo Giuliani, indicating he predicted the earthquake that occurred in Italy last week. He has his doubters. He was close, but off by a few days, [...]
So what do you think of this?
"A group of South Carolina beach businesses is suing the city of Myrtle Beach over its new restrictions on bikers.
The Sun News of Myrtle Beach reports the organization filed its suit Monday with the state Supreme Court, saying Myrtle Beach’s [...]
These lead bullet fragments from an outdoor police firing range in Redondo Beach are more of a nightmare.
Can you imagine? A 60-year old firing range that spews lead fragments all over a neighborhood - over rooftops, into backyards, a park and into the sandbox of a nearby school?
[...]
After walking away in a huff from any prospect of international talks regarding atomic weapons programs, North Korea has said it will reinstate its nuclear facilities and "will never participate in the talks any longer."
They are keeping their promise, aren't they? When they were preparing to launch [...]
You may have noticed our Franklin Public Schools website has a survey regarding 4K kindergarten.
You also may have received a postcard in the mail regarding this survey.
I have always encouraged Franklin citizens to attend Franklin Public Schools Board meetings. When I take my place on the Board on [...]
For some people their head is like a barometer - that pressure headache comes on strong when a storm is approaching.
For other people it's their bones - they ache so badly, they can wake and tell you if it will rain that day.
Maybe it's your eyes or nose that [...]
Tom Benson -
"NASA is known for launching rockets and exploring the universe, but some rocket scientists and aerospace engineers love to solve down-to-earth problems too. One of them is applying his knowledge to understanding the science of baseball. He isn't trying to give an edge to his [...]

It's all about the bees - no birds here.
You've heard of that shortage of honey bees - that one we've all noticed but some say isn't real?
Oh, it's real.
So real, that bee keeping is now being encouraged as a hobby for, [...]
So you enjoy watching the Masters Tournament, right?
I'm sure you wish you were in the Georgia sun instead of sitting in front of your T.V.
You can pretend though.
Start by practicing your etiquette and rules of golf.
Etiquette Always wait for the way ahead [...]
"The vessel began her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, bound for New York City, New York, on Wednesday, 10 April 1912, with Captain Edward J. Smith in command. As the Titanic left her berth, her wake caused the liner City of [...]
Each and every year, disasters of all types happen around the world. Some areas of the world seem to suffer more of their share of tragedy than others. But no matter what or where, we all can't help but share the pain.
Last year China had their share [...]
Such as an unwanted mineral, like lead for instance?
"NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - More than 30 percent of multivitamins tested recently by ConsumerLab.com contained significantly more or less of an ingredient than claimed, or were contaminated with lead, the company reports.
[...]
Tests turned up problems with [...]
So, you like King Salmon?
Well, no fish for you!
Where have they all gone?
"Chinook, known scientifically as Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, hatch in rivers and streams. Also known as king, spring or tyee salmon, they pass through San Francisco Bay and roam the Pacific [...]
You're sitting at a stop light near a construction site and a huge diesel engine is puffing pollutants into the air, and you've just finished your emissions test.
#!&%*!
What's up with that?
How about that construction equipment?
Well, Canada is cracking down.
Will [...]
How about it? All ships sailing the Gulf of Aden must travel in pairs until we get these Somali pirates under control. Of course I'm not serious - but perhaps a military escort would be nice. Something must be done.
At least this time a U.S. crew of 20, which was hijacked by those [...]
It's getting closer...April 15th is looming over our heads.
Some people are still scrambling for every tax deduction they can think of.
I'm sure they haven't thought of these six gems.
"Ah, the wild, wacky tax code—you gotta love it. With more than 20,000 [...]
There are parts of S. 51st Street that are going to have an installation of a water main - including near where I live, off of 51st and Hilltop Lane (51st S. of Puetz).
On Monday, at the Committee of the Whole meeting, Jack Bennett spoke about [...]
I want to thank those of you who cast your vote for me and I will be proud to serve all the citizens of Franklin Public School District as a School Board member.
I have received many phone calls and letters from citizens. Keep them coming, [...]
Here's a unique way to smuggle illegal aliens over the border.
Find a construction project going on near the border.
Grab some hard-hats and rig a compartment in a construction-type looking truck so you can cram in about a dozen people.
Then drive back and forth [...]
We can't have you "cringing" like Dennis Jobin used to when his toilet flushed.
I thought the issue of wasting water with inefficient toilets was passé, but I guess I was wrong. I suppose during a recession, it's as good a time as any for the EPA to remind [...]
My dad lives in northern Vermont, about 20 miles from Canada. It's as old-fashioned, and down to earth of an area that you could picture, with rolling hills, cows, moose, and lots and lots of maple trees.
You can see the strands of blue tubing in the woods as [...]

Photo: T. J. Casadevall, U.S. Geological Survey Mt. Pinatubo early eruption 1991
In April of 1991 my father, who was living in Florida, received a call from my brother. My brother had been stationed in the Philippine's, living near the U.S. Naval [...]
Is there a co-worker in your business who stands out? Someone who's on the edge?
How about someone who is never on the same page as anyone else? Someone who always questions everything and likes to shake things up?
Sound familiar?
That's the type of person your company [...]
One for young girls
Okay moms and dads -
It's time to cater to your young daughter who may be complaining that she doesn't get enough attention when it comes to Science.
Here is a website especially for her
I Was Wondering
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[...]
"When it comes to getting your taxes filed on [...]
It seems school children in Lake Placid, New York have been playing on a treated, wood playground set. One of those with arsenic in it.
No worries, though. At least the soil is safe enough be be disposed of in the landfill, if needed.
The school isn't planning [...]

It's all the rage in England. The Queen broke protocol and actually put her arm around Michelle Obama. Is she losing her marbles? Or is a softer side coming out in Queen Elizabeth? Perhaps Diana's son's have brought about the change. Who knows?
"When Michelle Obama put [...]
Electric cars!
China plans to be a world leader in their production. It won't help much with their own pollution problems, though.
from the New York Times -
"Chinese leaders have adopted a plan aimed at turning the country into one of the leading producers of [...]
We all know by now that going green costs money. It's just a fact. From an environmentally friendly light bulb, to a biodegradable to-go container, to that new car - if it's green and friendly, it was more expensive than the version of it that hurts the environment.
[...]
Wisconsin is not among those states with schools being tested.
The EPA, after the results of a USA Today investigation, will be testing the air of schools from New York to California - 22 of them. "Long exposures to some chemicals can exacerbate asthma, trigger learning disabilities or [...]

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) [...]

I'll admit there aren't too many times when I carry around a $100 bill. But when the opportunity arises for me to be given one at the bank in "change," I usually ask for smaller currency. You see, I find a $100 bill harder to [...]
Remember?
Last year gun enthusiasts went ballistic worried that if Obama won the election he would restrict firearm sales. So the panic began.
It went something like this:
"Many were stocking up on things such as assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and handguns that they think [...]

35,000 votes is what the "Pirate Party" received in the Swedish national elections. The party needs an estimated 100,000 to get a member elected to Parliament under the skull-and-crossbones flag of the Swedish Pirate [...]

This is Wisconsin!
Are you unemployed?
Wisconsin's unemployment rate in February was 7.7 %
That's a +2.9 change since the beginning of the recession
"The unemployment rate increased in February from the previous month in every state except Nebraska. But every state has seen significant increases in joblessness [...]
This is not a sensationalized title, and I'm being serious. Some people criticize that bloggers sometimes write about topics just to get hits, and I'm sure that may be so in some cases. I usually blog to pass along items of importance or topics I think would be of interest [...]

Nobody likes their PC infected by a worm - especially a business.
Nobody wants to be a fool.
Hopefully April 1st will make fools out of the maker of the worm and the damage will be small scale.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The fast-moving [...]
When a state has a proven disaster and is in need of funds, the federal government provides those funds. And yes, we seem to have had more than our share of disasters across the country with flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and of course wildfires. But if you are in [...]
Friday, the Obama Administration will clue us in on the new plan for Afghanistan. This includes sending more troops in the form of military trainers and a large focus on counter-narcotics. We're talking big bucks and big time control over the area.
Now, we know there is a [...]
There always was.
He may not be THE most stylish - but he has his own way about him that's irresistible.
There are plenty of men on GQs: The 50 Most Stylish Men list who have more style, and some with less.
There's just something about Jack.
[...]
We know there are many vegetarians out there - and vegans. And the numbers have been increasing.
People do eat less red meat - because of the known health risks.
Once again, studies are saying red meat is "deadly"
There are certain meats I can do [...]
You may, but I doubt it.
Here are 10 surprising thing you may not know:
Medical care in the United States is derided as miserable compared to health care systems in the rest of the developed world. Economists, government officials, insurers and academics alike are beating [...]
As with Mr. Buelow's previous email, the opinions contained in this blog are those of the writer of the email.
I would welcome and would post an email/response from any city official in response to Mr. Buelow.
________________________________________________________
To: Janet Evans
From: Mike Buelow
[...]
"Esse est percipi" - "To be is to be perceived".
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Dear, dear George Berkeley, philosopher. I'm sure he didn't have School Boards in mind when he was [...]
Think Franklin is the only city with stimulus money problems when it comes to four lane highways and officials ignoring their citizen's wishes?
Think again.
It appears there may be problems all across the country.
Try North Carolina, Washington, New Hampshire, Texas [...]
So, when you are dropping that cash into that tin can to help out the person on the street in need, how do you feel knowing that you are helping to pay a cell phone bill?
Okay, it may be helping to keep [...]
Gardeners beware. That old big bad global warming climate change has done a bad thing. It's forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture to change the Plant Hardiness Zone Map!
Darn!
I was just getting used to the old one.
Funny, I still [...]
Jamie Oliver Flavour Shaker
It looks very strange, but when one of my children asked for it this past Christmas, I obliged, and picked up one for the other one also. Upon opening the gifts, it was a chorus of, "Wows!" in "surround sound" from my children and their [...]