In the Race

Space Junk

2008-10-16T16:56:00Z

18-yr old rocket casing found in Australia

NASA reports that this 18-yr. old rocket casing has been recovered from Australia’s Outback

.".a Delta 2 launch vehicle used on 12 June 1990 to deliver the Indian INSAT-1D geosynchronous spacecraft from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.This solid rocket motor served as the launch vehicle’s third stage (U.S. Satellite Number 20645, International Designator 1990-051C), which carried the payload from a low altitude parking orbit into a geosynchronous transfer orbit of 135 km by 39,750 km with an inclination of 27.2 degrees. Reentry of the stage occurred a few months later.The object joins similar solid rocket motor casings found in Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Argentina during the past several years."

Continued on the Milwaukee Examiner HERE

Amazingly (or maybe not), there are literally tons of debris that falls from the sky all over the world.

Check it out HERE

Time to practice that old "duck and cover" from my childhood.

"Everyone Knows Smoking Isn't Good For You"

2008-10-16T11:40:00Z

Times just keep changing regarding smoking – or nonsmoking. I still think back to my high school that had a brand new, freshly painted room with a midnight blue shag-carpet for a smoking lounge for “students,” and cigarettes were a mere .50 cents a pack…the same price as a box of Girl Scout Cookies. It was better than the stuffy lounge for teachers.

Or back in the 80s when I worked downtown at a prominent office building that had a very nice room for smokers…which came soon after smoking had been allowed at people’s desks.

Smoking is bad for everyone, but in this blog post...men, if you smoke, you should especially take note.

"Smokers not only die younger but they have a poorer quality of life than those who never smoked. Everyone knows smoking isn't good for you, but now Finnish researchers report that men who This deterioration in quality of life continues even after quitting. In fact, heavy smokers typically have the health-related quality of life of someone 10 years older than themselves, the researchers said.

"An especially large negative effect was seen for heavy smokers [more than 20 cigarettes daily], who lost about 10 years of their life expectancy, and those who survived experienced a significant decline in their quality of life," said lead researcher Dr. Arto Y. Strandberg, from the University of Helsinki.

The report was published in the Oct. 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine."

Continued HERE

Kitchen Keepers And Not

2008-10-15T16:56:00Z

Every great cook will have their own opinion of what is essential for the well stocked kitchen. An everyday cook has their own ideas of what they think they need. But maybe they aren’t quite sure. Sometimes it helps to have another opinion. Usually the best way to become an expert in the kitchen is by repetition, and tweaking…until you get it right. Or from experimenting over enough years until you have found just the right product.

Two cooks weigh in on the Los Angeles Times with their opinions on some kitchen essentials. I have to say they are pretty right on with most of what they suggest, at least from my viewpoint. And I’ve been cooking for a very long time.

I have one disagreement and one addition

my addition…

I can’t live without a Chinese cleaver.

While these cooks say they get by with just paring knives, a cooks knife is also in my home, but I haven’t been without a Chinese cleaver since I can remember and don’t make a meal without it.

One of the most important cooking ingredients I use, and grew up with in my family, is red wine vinegar. I have found one that excels above all others, and was first given to me as a gift when my children toured wineries in Napa Valley. It’s Robert Mondavi Red Wine Cabernet Vinegar and I savor it as though it’s fine wine. That’s how good it is. That’s how much flavor it adds to whatever dish I add it.

The Kitchen Essentials, and Items You Can Pass By - HERE

What's So Funny?

2008-10-15T16:25:00Z

Need a good laugh? Then don’t miss ComedySportz this Friday October 17^th 7:30 pm

At the Polish Community Center- 68^th and Rawson in Franklin.

Tickets are available a the door but why wait?

Buy them in advance at Sentry Foods on 76^th and Rawson today

Proceeds benefit the Franklin Cultural Arts Center

Love That Almanac...Even When It Says The "F" Word - UPDATE

2008-10-15T11:50:00Z

"Parts of California See Coldest Temps since 1893"

"Cold Temps in Oregon Break 118 year Old Record"

Those are the headlines today, and it's only mid-October!

Brrrr is going to be the term this winter.

Only 67 more days!

California

"Temperatures dropped to 31 degrees in the Ukiah Valley on Saturday night and early Sunday morning, the coldest Oct. 12 morning since record keeping began in Ukiah in 1893, said Troy Nicolini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Eureka. The previous record was 34 degrees in 1916."

Read the article HERE

Oregon

"Cold temperatures set several new record lows this weekend, including a low of 22 Saturday in downtown Pendleton that broke a 118 year-old record of 24.

Record lows started falling Thursday with a new low of 20 for Meacham, four degrees cooler than the previous record from 2006, according to information from the Web site for the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Pendleton."

Read the article HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The predictions are usually correct….

I’m speaking of the Farmers' Almanac. Actually, I think when I first put my blog up I had a link to Farmers' Almanac.

Farmers' Almanac 2009 goes on sale in August and they have some nasty predictions for winter in our area. They start with the letter “F.” That would be FRIGID. They end with the letter “B.” That would be BRRRR.

It’s going to be cold this winter.

Read about it HERE

You can check out the online version HERE or the original New Hampshire-based Old Farmers' Almanac (1792) :

Old Farmers' Almanac

Big Wednesday For Mayor Taylor

2008-10-15T02:55:00Z

He Has A Court Date Bright And Early

Actually, I don’t believe Mayor Taylor has to make a personal appearance.

Page 2 of 2

¹	The designation listed in the Race field is subjective. It is provided to the court by the agency that filed the case.
²	Non-Court activities do not require personal court appearances. For questions regarding which court type activities require court appearances, please contact the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the case originated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Assistant District Attorney Charges Mayor Taylor

Do Franklin Students Have An Interest In Our School Board?

2008-10-15T02:06:51Z

You may have noticed that Whitnall School District has placed a student member, Joel Rathman, on its Board. I don’t know the background information behind this, whether the District took the initiative, or the students were behind it, but I congratulate Joel for taking an interest in the Board. Joel Rathman is a non-voting member of the Board. That means he’ll be involved in discussions that take place, and be allowed to give input on behalf of the student body.

I have news for you Franklin High School Students; if you may be interested in the possibility of having a member of your student body on the Franklin School Board, it could happen if you pursue it. But, you have had the opportunity to attend each and every School Board and Committee meeting all along. As a citizen of Franklin, you are allowed to comment at the beginning of each regular School Board meeting, also.

If there is a desire for a Franklin High School student representative on the Board, I suggest you begin by attending Board meetings on a regular basis and reporting back to your student government regarding how this Board is representing you. After all, you are why the Board is there in the first place. I'm sure the Board would love to see a student or two present at the meetings!

President Bush Speaks On The Economy

2008-10-14T16:52:50Z

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 14, 2008

President Bush Discusses Economy
Rose Garden

8:02 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I just completed a meeting with my working group on financial markets. We discussed the unprecedented and aggressive steps the federal government is taking to address the financial crisis. Over the past few weeks, my administration has worked with both parties in Congress to pass a financial rescue plan. Federal agencies have moved decisively to shore up struggling institutions and stabilize our markets. And the United States has worked with partners around the world to coordinate our actions to get our economies back on track.

This weekend, I met with finance ministers from the G7 and the G20 -- organizations representing some of the world's largest and fastest-growing economies. We agreed on a coordinated plan for action to provide new liquidity, strengthen financial institutions, protect our citizens' savings, and ensure fairness and integrity in the markets. Yesterday, leaders in Europe moved forward with this plan. They announced significant steps to inject capital into their financial systems by purchasing equity in major banks. And they announced a new effort to jumpstart lending by providing temporary government guarantees for bank loans. These are wise and timely actions, and they have the full support of the United States.

Today, I am announcing new measures America is taking to implement the G7 action plan and strengthen banks across our country.

First, the federal government will use a portion of the $700 billion financial rescue plan to inject capital into banks by purchasing equity shares. This new capital will help healthy banks continue making loans to businesses and consumers. And this new capital will help struggling banks fill the hole created by losses during the financial crisis, so they can resume lending and help spur job creation and economic growth. This is an essential short-term measure to ensure the viability of America's banking system. And the program is carefully designed to encourage banks to buy these shares back from the government when the markets stabilize and they can raise capital from private investors.

Second, and effective immediately, the FDIC will temporarily guarantee most new debt issued by insured banks. This will address one of the central problems plaguing our financial system -- banks have been unable to borrow money, and that has restricted their ability to lend to consumers and businesses. When money flows more freely between banks, it will make it easier for Americans to borrow for cars, and homes, and for small businesses to expand.

Third, the FDIC will immediately and temporarily expand government insurance to cover all non-interest bearing transaction accounts. These accounts are used primarily by small businesses to cover day-to-day operations. By insuring every dollar in these accounts, we will give small business owners peace of mind and bring stability to the -- and bring greater stability to the banking system.

Fourth, the Federal Reserve will soon finalize work on a new program to serve as a buyer of last resort for commercial paper. This is a key source of short-term financing for American businesses and financial institutions. And by unfreezing the market for commercial paper, the Federal Reserve will help American businesses meet payroll, and purchase inventory, and invest to create jobs.

In a few moments, Secretary Paulson and other members of my Working Group on Financial Markets will explain these steps in greater detail. They will make clear that each of these new programs contains safeguards to protect the taxpayers. They will make clear that the government's role will be limited and temporary. And they will make clear that these measures are not intended to take over the free market, but to preserve it.

The measures I have announced today are the latest steps in this systematic approach to address the crisis. I know Americans are deeply concerned about the stress in our financial markets, and the impact it is having on their retirement accounts, and 401(k)s, and college savings, and other investments. I recognize that the action leaders are taking here in Washington and in European capitals can seem distant from those concerns. But these efforts are designed to directly benefit the American people by stabilizing our overall financial system and helping our economy recover.

It will take time for our efforts to have their full impact, but the American people can have confidence about our long-term economic future. We have a strategy that is broad, that is flexible, and that is aimed at the root cause of our problem. Nations around the world are working together to overcome this challenge. And with confidence and determination, we will return our economies to the path of growth and prosperity.

Thank you.

END 8:08 A.M. EDT

Audio Feed of Speech

There's No Place Like Home, For Shopping #15

2008-10-14T11:35:00Z

It's the grown-up's version of the old Sears Wish Book...

The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

Make sure to check out the WOW! Gifts. I can think of lots I "wish" I had from this Christmas Book.

_________________________________

LCI Papers has everything needed for homemade invitations, including kits. And they have specialty papers, envelopes, and blank cards for everyday and other occasions, along with scrap booking papers, too. Great customer service!

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The Popcorn Factory has gift tins, baskets and popcorn for every season and holiday, including Halloween. Check out their special 2-gallon Dancing Skeleton Can. Scary!

Previous Shopping Trips:

prAna.

While they have active wear…they have quality, stylish everyday clothing, too. It’s a great apparel store.

________________________________

Ballard Designs collection is created to give a feeling of a European open-air market.

You can find everything from candle wall sconces to dining room tables to hand made rugs and luxurious fabrics…everything you need to decorate with style.

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Have you ever checked out the Bose site?

If you want quality sound it's definitely the place to go....the prices aren't for the faint of heart; but you get what you pay for. They have everything from headphones and iPod setups, to full entertainment systems.

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Napa Style has items for the kitchen, yard and garden, and of course, food and wine items. There are cooking items and recipes from Michael Chiarello, who has the show Easy Entertaining on the Food Network. Great, unusual stuff here.

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Wireless catalog offers casual apparel, unique gifts, fashion accessories, jewelry, collectibles, framed prints, home and garden decorative accents and more. .

WIRELESS

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Wind and Weather has weather, home and garden products for students, gardeners, bird watchers, sports enthusiasts, pilots, hobbyists, and pros.

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Lee Valley sells gardening, woodworking, tools, home supplies and gifts.

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Get the same hair products you buy at the hair salon for a fraction of the cost. They have men's products too.

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Sur la Table is one of the best places for a great cook to shop.

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Cherchies Specialty Foods has a complete line of gourmet food items and gift assortments. They have peppers, preserves, soups, seasonings, and sauces, including champagne mustard.

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L.L. Bean, out of Freeport, Maine has been around since 1912. L.L. Bean can still be trusted for quality. They have everything from kayaks, fishing equipment, shoes and boots, and clothes.

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Oxo is a great brand of Kitchen tools in the store. But you can't always find the item you want. So why not check out all the products available right from the source, online?

OXO Good Grips

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Neato.com is a trusted place to shop online for deals on computer related media...DVDs, CDs, cases, labels, photo paper, all kinds of stuff. I know you can get this stuff at the store... but if you want to shop online, this is the place to go.

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You can't get more beautiful bouquets than from Martha Stewart Flowers. They are simply gorgeous, top quality flowers. You can't keep your eyes off of them when they are in a room. Unless you are looking at that special somebody! They are delivered straight to you door in a flower box.

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Moonstruck Chocolate Company is out of Portland, Oregon.

You've got to see their chocolates to believe them! But tasting them is even better. Their truffles are outrageous!

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Starwest Botanicals is out of Sacramento, CA. They offer bulk organics, herbs, spices & teas, essential oils, aromatherapy, extracts, and many other products.

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WEST ELM in California, is a great store for quality household items from furniture to towels.

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Peeperspecs

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Red Envelope unique gifts for everyone in the family, including home decor, gourmet food, and flowers. They have specialty gifts for current holidays, too.

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ALTERRA

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Koeze Company features cashews, mixed nuts, chocolate confections, and natural peanut butter.

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Z Gallerie Eclectic gifts with something for everyone and beautiful artwork, too!

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Hale Groves

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Couture's Maple Syrup Shop

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Gifts for the intelligent person on your list, or for the person who is just "way out there."

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Mrs. Hanes Hand-Made Moravian Cookies

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ZABAR'S

Jewish deli out of New York with Smoked Fish, Deli Meats, Cheeses, Coffee, even Babka almost as good as my homemade recipe :)

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All types of crafts and supplies in one place, online.

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Beautiful, unique and quality greeting cards.
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Harbor Sweets

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Hilltop Restaurant

GIGANTIC SWEET ROLLS.

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Barbara Ford Doyle Calendars

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Zingerman's

Fresh Jewish rye bread and other breads and fresh finds.

Like A Needle In A Haystack

2008-10-14T01:20:43Z

Wheatstacks, 1890-91. Oil on canva. Monet Art Institute of Chicago

I was a bit more blunt about another blog site in a post on Righty Blog about this same topic.

Next time you back out, take a good look at the FranklinNOW main page. It’s just so messy. I won’t “regurgitate” my other blog, but you get my point. Between all of the advertising (well, they must be hurting) and too many links, and just so much clutter, it’s just too much to load. That’s just my opinion, but, I like a more orderly website.

It’s like a bad page out of the Yellow Book.

If you do want to find something, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack…

Halloween Romance

2008-10-13T16:55:35Z

Hmm…I guess I’m not really into rushing holidays. Fall can stay around as long as it wants as far as I’m concerned. I’m in no hurry. Once Halloween hits, all hell breaks loose.

I never thought of Halloween as a dating holiday, but I guess with the crisp autumn air and the right costume, you might find someone you may want to cuddle up with.

So have you ever thought about your favorite type of date for the Holloween season? Married or single, you may want to consider some of these romantic ideas.

My favorite from the list?

“Corn Maze. This can be a lot of fun and very romantic, especially if the night you go is one with a full moon. Many farmers are extending the use of their crops by creating mazes in their corn fields”

I just like corn mazes.

Read the complete list at Milwaukee Examiner HERE

This Is For The Working Women - Sort Of

2008-10-13T12:17:52Z

Bosses Day is just around the corner.

Studies are saying that women who work for women are more stressed out. They suffer more illnesses. It’s just too hard to handle. That we were meant to work for men and that’s just the way it works.

Well, I know plenty of men who would also agree that it is much easier to work for men.

Perhaps when women first entered the workforce in top management jobs they were out to prove they could handle the jobs – and of course they could. But what’s the story now? That was a long time ago.

FEMALE boss or bossy female? According to a recent survey women can’t handle the stress of working for a queen bee. Research showed that women with a female supervisor suffered far more than those with a male boss, reporting more psychological distress and physical problems. They found women suffer more from depression, headaches and insomnia if they take their orders from a member of the same sex.

Continue the article HERE

H2O Means Life In Australia

2008-10-13T02:21:00Z

Farmer John Magill in southeastern Australia inspects a dried up dam on his farm. Over half of
Australia's farmland is in drought. The drought has also seen a rise is farmer suicides in rural Australia,
with the suicide rate among farm workers being double that of the regular population.
(Photo by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)10/06

Australian farmers are drowning---in drought. Their land has been drying up year after year, to the point that they actually trade water. Have you ever heard of that before? Trading water is a national market in Australia.

As always with supply and demand, there is money to be concerned about. So we have farmers, with land, the driest continent on the planet, no water, high prices, high stress…

For farmer Malcolm Holm, water now is just like a new shovel or tractor — he has to buy it.The amount of water he is allowed to take from nearby Murrumbidgee River has dwindled to nothing for the past three years because of Australia's crippling drought. And so, except for rain he can catch and store himself, he needs to buy water for his 1,000 acres at Finley in New South Wales state, where he grows crops to feed his 600 dairy cows."It's no different to buying a ton of grain or a ton of fertilizer," Holm said. "It's just another commodity."

[...]

"In essence, what the water trade does is make irrigators really focus on the economic value of their water and using it more efficiently," Holm said. "If you can't produce a good crop for the cost of the water, you're better off selling it to someone who can. If the figures add up, you buy it."Holm is anxious. The price right now is too high for him and he is watching his pastures die while he waits for a turn in the market or a drop of rain.

Read the complete article on MSNBC HERE

Also, Farmers Suicide Rates Double National Average

Supporting Your Kids - For You or Them?

2008-10-12T16:40:00Z

What if your child's "dream" was not quite mainstream? Would you support it?

Check out a video on my Righty Blog about doing just that

HERE

Mexico City-A Dismal Place For Children

2008-10-12T13:30:00Z

Dismal, mainly because a study is reporting children are being harmed.

Mexico City has such high pollution levels that children are suffering from neurological problems...swollen tissues, cognitive disorders.

"Brain scans of many Mexico City youngsters revealed alterations that can impair the prefrontal cortex, a neural region heavily involved in memory and thinking skills, say environmental pathologist Lilian Calderón-Garcidueñas of the University of Montana in Missoula and her colleagues.
Similar brain alterations, as well as evidence of neural inflammation, appeared in 1- to 2-year-old dogs that had grown up in Mexico City, the investigation finds.

Widespread declines in intelligence of the type and magnitude observed in the new report would have a huge impact on a country’s economic productivity, says psychologist and study coauthor Randall Engle of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. “Saving money by failing to curb pollution truly is a matter of ‘pay me now or pay me later,’” Engle says."

Read the article from Science News HERE

About That Road To E-Government

2008-10-12T03:33:00Z

from Wikipedia

So, it took Bob Hope and Bing Crosby 22 years to complete the “Road to Singapore" (1940,) “Road to Zanzibar " (1941,) “Road to Morocco" (1942,) “Road to Utopia" (1945,) “Road to Rio” (1947,) “Road to Bali” (1952,), and “Road to Hong Kong” (1962).

That “Road To E-Government?”

Well, the September 19, 2008 Technology Commission Video/Audio Sub-Committee meeting may give you some insight as to how long that road will be until it will be completed; or maybe not. You’ll have to decide for yourself.

Here is the Agenda for the meeting.

My podcast is broken into six parts and begins as discussion started in Item III on the agenda. Also, I left the meeting at approximately 7:00 p.m., at the end of Item IV. I was informed the meeting lasted until 7:10 p.m.

You can listen to the podcasts on my Righty Blog   HERE

and...

My Olympus Digital Voice Recorder $76.91
Radio Shack Microphone                   $12.95 (optional)
Nero digital media software               $79.99

My podcasts, which help in keeping local government transparent...priceless

Signed,

Citizen Janet Evans

Oh, and to save some time, I may as well put this here…

City of Franklin Volunteer Fact Sheet

If The Government Wronged These Nuns They Should Make It Right, But...

2008-10-11T22:54:00Z

Sister Ardeth Platte (left) and Sister Carol Gilbert
Washington Times photo

Sister Carol and Sister Ardeth have been labeled terrorists, wrongfully, in the federal database.

I, once again not being Catholic, would like to know what in the world kind of nuns these represent?

Is the work they do the work of God?

These nuns have been in prison:

Sister Carol and Sister Ardeth make no apologies for their actions and demonstrations in the past. In 2002, the two, along with another nun, broke into a nuclear missile site in Colorado and used their own blood to paint crosses on a silo. Sister Ardeth was sentenced to 41 months and Sister Carol was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison.

Read the entire article HERE

Is what these nuns do fitting in with the vows they have taken?

Poverty The vow of poverty leads a nun to imitate Jesus who for our sake became poor, although he was rich. It helps her to be poor in spirit as well as in fact, and to live a life of labor and moderation. By the vow of poverty , she gives up the right to control or benefit from personal property and commits herself to live interdependently within a community, according to its constitutions. The purpose of this vow is to free her from being fascinated by material things so that she may be free to serve others.

Chastity The vow of chastity leads a nun to imitate Jesus who was chaste. This vow frees her from the demands of an exclusive human relationship so that she can give all her love to God, and through God to all people. By the vow she promises not to marry or to engage in romantic behavior or sexual acts.

Obedience The vow of obedience leads the nun to imitate the obedience of Jesus Christ. By seeking God's will for her and obeying her lawful superiors according to the constitutions of her particular group. As a member of her religious community, she searches for the will of God, not in arbitrary commands, but in prayerful reflection and dialogue with others.

Even reflecting upon a Dominican Nun in the United States, I do not see how the activites of these two nuns fits into their service.

Definitely not singing nuns, that’s for sure, although, while in prison, perhaps they sang like caged birds.

Up, Up and Away Tragedy

2008-10-11T12:35:00Z

Terri Bordelon, AP

One man died and another one was critically injured Friday after their hot air balloon hit power lines, burst into flames and crashed during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico.Stephen Lachendro of Butler, Pa., was killed and Keith Sproul of North Brunswick, N.J., was critically injured.

A hot air balloon crashed into power lines and burst into flames Friday,
killing one of two men thrown from the basket and critically injuring the
other during Albuquerque's annual balloon fiesta. ...

Three Balloon Incidents Reported Friday, Including Fatal Accident

THIS School Board Needs A Reality Check

2008-10-10T23:45:28Z

When it comes to attracting new residents to a city, when it comes to schools, what is it that parents and their children are looking for?

As a parent of successful children academically who are now out in the “real world,” and of a child who was successful in sports in high school, I have my own opinion. But I’m sure opinions will vary among different residents. For me, if I was moving into a new community, I would look for quality academics with dedicated teachers, an extracurricular program supported by the district and the community, and a Board and Administrators who are in touch with the community. It’s students and academics first.

So, if I was considering moving to Muskego, why in the world would I give any thought about what sign was hanging at the Administration Building? Why would that, of all things, lure me to that district? If my child was allowed to give input into what city we should move to, based on the schools, let’s say because of the athletic program, why would my child really care about a “cool” Nike-looking school logo attached to the building or inside the school board offices? Would my child really believe that that logo is going to make that a better place to go to school?

It seems some members of the Muskego School Board are in that mind set. They believe spending $5,000 on two signs for the District offices, one for the outside of the building and one for inside the building, will attract students to the district. Is that skewed thinking or what?

Read the article HERE .

After that, maybe you might be able to figure out where the priorities of the Muskego-Norway School Board are. Whatever happened to students coming first in a school district?

I guess they haven’t heard about Clayton County, Georgia.

It’s almost as if the concept of “Boomgaard” is a disease that is spreading.