Time for another edition of “FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD FOLLIES!”

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I haven’t picked on Franklin’s most egregious tax and spenders for some time. Well, guess what?

The Franklin School Board Follies return Wednesday night (tomorrow). At the risk of boring my readers to death:

Annual Meeting of the Electors
8255 W Forest Hill Ave, Franklin, WI 53132, USA

Despite this exercise being a complete , ridiculous, outrageous farce, it’s actually quite serious. The “electors” vote to approve the school property tax levy for the next school year that will be part of the local property tax bill sent to residents later this year. To be fair this process goes on statewide. But do we have to work hard to make it a bigger atrocity than it is?

Who are the electors, you might ask?

That’s easy.  They’re the public citizens who actually attend this charade of a meeting held mid-to-late August, when no one is aware, paying attention, interested,  and understandably enjoying the last days of summer, possibly vacationing. How convenient for the tax and spenders who prefer to do their damage in virtual silence.

This link will allow you to see and hear last year’s Annual Meeting of the Electors. One of the most crucial meetings of the year for the School Board, including a budget presentation, lasts all of 22 minutes.

You will note at the very start that School Board President Janet Evans refers to meeting as that of the “Elector” and not “Electors.” Evans thinks this is humorous and lets out a chuckle. Sorry, but this isn’t the least bit funny. The one “elector” in attendance that night last August, a joke in itself, was representing some 35,000 Franklin residents, and thousands of taxpayers. The system obviously is atrocious.

As for Evans’ laughter, I’ve always supported her. But I miss the old Evans, when she was a blogger on the old FranklinNOW website and wrote and spoke her mind.Then when she ran and got on the school board she said as I reported on my blog that she wasn’t there to be anybody’s friend, that she was there to do a job. BRAVO!

Times have dramatically changed. Evans went native.

In the case of that 2018 meeting, the lone elector was voting on the property tax levy decided upon by the school board. This was also a farce.

You see the school board previously had been presented a budget and subsequent tax levy by the Franklin Public Schools administration. In lemming-like fashion the school went along with what had been handed to the members, and without debate, questioning, scrutiny, or measurable if any budget amendments, the board rubber stamped the budget and tax increase in front of them.

Why? Because they could. No one in audience. No one paying attention. No press to cover.

This is a major flaw in how we operate in Franklin. The school administration is supposed to work FOR the school board. Unfortunately in Franklin it’s the other way around. The Board acts like they have to answer to the administration and they bow to the administration’s every whim. No one voted for the any administration official, a fact apparently lost on our school board. As a result, members are weak and cowering, especially so at budget time.

Back to the farce of an “Electors” meeting. Time is set aside for a presentation about all the wonderful objectives the school system engaged in the past school year. Cleverly designed to appeal to the electors or elector to vote YES for the proposed tax increase.

During this presentation the administration trots out Business Manager Bill “Sominex” Milzer to hypnotize anyone who dared to give away their sanity for the evening with a not-at-all dazzling array of facts and figures. Milzer is the best alternative for any mom who can’t get a baby to call it quits for the night.

Then comes the quick vote for a tax increase, BOOM, and it’s over. In less than half hour wallets all across Franklin have been raided. When the surprise comes in mailboxes in December:

TOO LATE!

GOTCHA!

SUCKERS!

This has been occurring since I first moved into Franklin in 1992. The same damn thing is going to happen Wednesday night, because Franklin isn’t watching, and the school board knows it.

I long for once, just once, when 50-100 people storm this meeting and cry out for fiscal responsibility. School board members will turn into puddles. Folks, our schools are not getting the short shrift.

Oh, and BTW, those I’ve criticized? Their knee jerk reaction will be frustration, anger, how dare he, what a jerk in stead of:

Maybe he has a point (s).

Maybe we should listen.

Maybe we should consider.

Today’s highly interesting read (08/20/19): Why thousands of Americans come together to hear Trump speak

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Today’s read is from Miranda Devine, writing in the NY Post:

Listen up, Trumpophobes. It’s not so hard to understand the president’s appeal. Try going to one of his rallies and, instead of turning up your nose at the Walmart people, listen and learn.

The abuse of President Trump and his supporters that passes for analysis from his opponents is a strategic error.

The more abuse, the more Trump’s base is energized to turn out on Election Day.

At his Thursday night rally to launch his 2020 New Hampshire campaign, he broke Elton John’s all-time attendance record with a crowd of 11,500 inside the Southern New Hampshire University Arena (pictured above).

Read all about what keeps them coming and coming and coming to Trump rallies here.

 

The latest pro-life news (08/19/19)

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THIS WEEKLY BLOG PROMOTES A CULTURE OF LIFE

Don’t miss our closing heartwarming story every week!


From Pro-Life Wisconsin:

 

https://46680.thankyou4caring.org/image/2016-Simple-Banner.jpg

From WI Right To Life:

ALSO:

Planned Parenthood puts abortion first

Empty Desks at Back to School Time

Tennessee Senators Imagine an End to Legal Abortion

AND FINALLY, LOVIN’ LIFE…

From publicdiscourse.com:

Estimates vary, but in the United States, abortions of children whose Down syndrome is detected in the womb are in the range of about 67 percent. The lethal discrimination practiced against such persons has become a worldwide phenomenon. Iceland has trumpeted its success in eliminating people with Down syndrome from the island. Denmark, whose people heroically saved over 95 percent of the Jews living there during World War II, now boasts that 98 percent of unborn children with the condition are aborted. Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, England, and Belgium all have rates exceeding 90 percent. 

Despite the fact that a majority of children with Down syndrome are aborted in the United States, each year about 6,000 babies with Down syndrome survive pregnancy and are born here. In Europe, the situation is more dismal. In England, about 700 are born each year. In 2017, only four children whose Down syndrome was detected in the womb were permitted to be born in Denmark. There are virtually none in Iceland. 

Those depressing numbers make the following even more beautiful.

 

 

Today’s highly interesting read (08/19/19): All I Really Needed to Know About Cities I Learned From ‘Jaws’

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Before we get to today’s read, a clip from a 1975 movie classic.

In this scene, we see Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and a stubborn Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton).

Now for the read, from CityLab:

Want to understand how public meetings work, the power of place-based branding, and why bad mayors keep getting re-elected? Look no further than Amity Island.

Read the entire perspective here.

 

My Most Popular Blogs (08/19/19)

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Here are my most popular blogs from last week, Sunday – Saturday:

1) Best Memes of the Week (08/11/19)

2) Best Cartoons of the Week (08/17/19)

3) My county supervisor rips Milwaukee County Transit System and Milwaukee Art Museum

4) Photos of the Week (08/11/19)

5) Goodnight everyone, and go to Irish Fest this weekend!

6) It’s ELVIS WEEK: James Burton

7) Going to Irish Fest?

8) It’s ELVIS WEEK: The King and the Law, and candles

9)  It’s ELVIS WEEK: Do you believe it?

10) It’s ELVIS WEEK: Unplugged

 

 

FLASHBACK Culinary no-no: Hot dog pairings

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THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF FOOD BLOGS, BUT ONLY ONE CULINARY NO-NO!

This is a slightly revised edition of a blog done in 2012:

Oh, yeh, baby.

According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, hot dog season ends on Labor Day having begun on Memorial Day. During that time, Americans gobble up 7 billion hot dogs or 818 hot dogs every second.

If you want a great hot dog, you’ve got to go to a Major League Baseball park. Good gracious, I don’t know what it is, maybe the atmosphere, but they always seem to taste notches better at a ballgame, like Arlington Stadium where the Texas Rangers play.

If I could get 800 of my friends to help, I’d eat some of that.

Over at PNC Park in Pittsburgh …

The Polish Hill Dog is an all beef footlong grilled and topped with mini potato pierogies, coleslaw and homemade onion straws served on a potato roll.

Personally, I’d prefer the slaw on the side, but that looks mighty good!

At Busch Stadium in St. Louis…

The Cardinals offer a Jumbo Hunter Dog wrapped with bacon served on a fresh Fazio’s bun with baked beans, a dill pickle slice and topped with pico de gallo, Dijon aioli, Sweet Baby Ray’s original barbecue sauce, and tobacco onions. Baked beans and slaw are served alongside.

So far, Doppler Radar does not detect a no-no. But then again, regular readers know you sometimes have to get to paragraph 87 before there’s even a hint of an infraction.

Let’s face it. Just about anything goes when it comes to a hot dog, with the obvious exceptions of M & Ms, cinnamon, Lucky Charms, caramel sauce, whipped cream, maraschino cherries, waternelon, anchovies, peanut butter, tartar sauce, licorice sticks, lima beans, etc.

We move on.

During my exhaustive research fro this week’s installment, I called upon a resource I occasionally depend on for important guidance.

I asked my darling wife, Jennifer, “Darling wife, Jennifer, you like hot dogs. What is your preferred beverage to go with? What would be a great pairing?”

Her first response was beer.

“What kind of or particular beer?”

“What else?”

“A vodka lemonade.”

Interesting.

Thus far, dear Jennifer has suggested beer and a lemony cocktail.

Hmmm.

The ribs/bbq-focused blog, www.amazingribs.com says this about beverage pairings with dogs:

“So what are the dominant flavors of a hot dog? In the frank itself, salt, garlic, spices, and beef are strong. Chili dogs can be heavily spiced, usually with Greek flavors such as cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. In the condiments, the sharpness of the onion and mustard are factors. So are the acidity of the kraut, pickle, peppers. Relish and slaw are sweet. French fries are fatty and salty.

“Nothing balances saltiness like beer. Among beers, I prefer ales because they tend to be richer than lagers and a little sweet. The local brews are always my first choices.

“The carbs of the bun and fries do a good job of absorbing the sharpness of mustard, so I look for sweetness to further tame things. Lemonade is a winner, countering the salt and spice nicely.”

And then my bride offered another possibility, a Vinho Verde.

Say what?

Dearest Jennifer who is the sommelier in our house explained. Vinho Verde is typically a budget-friendly, low-alcohol white wine from Portgual. It’s crisp, it’s dry, and captures a light fizz by injecting carbonation, sort of like a soft drink.

Image may contain: drink, table and food

Yes, I totally agree with World Wrestling Entertainment star Vicki Guerrero, shrill voice and all.

EXCUSE ME!

Wine?

Vino?

With a frankfurter?

EXCUSE ME!

EXCUSE ME!

Alright, let’s see what that ribs blog says about that.

“I favor the pink wines, sometimes called rosé, blush, or blanc de noir wines. They usually have a hint of sweetness, and often a slight fizziness. Gewurztaminer, which is spicy like the frank, is also a nice accompaniment.”

OK. Wine with hot dogs. I don’t get it, but I’ll listen to the experts. My guess given that I don’t have completely pedestrian swill-like tendencies is that if you’re going to imbibe in the grape with a dog, there must be a right way and wrong way.

This is above my pay grade so to learn the proper wine-weiner pairings we turn to Ray Isle. Isle happens to be Food and Wine’s executive wine editor.

Bon Appetit and Salut!

CULINARY NO-NO BONUS

The politics of corn dogs at the Iowa State Fair

Photos of the Week (08/18/19)

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A pictorial week-in-review posted every Sunday.

1) An exterior view of the Metropolitan Correctional Center jail, where financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead, in the Manhattan borough of New York, August 10. An autopsy of Epstein, who died in an apparent suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, found his neck had been broken in several places, according to law enforcement sources. Photo: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

2) The wreckage of a plane crash involving NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family, who survived the incident, is seen in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Photo: REUTERS/Charles Mostoller

3) A tourist gives her luggage to security guards as she tries to enter the departures gate during another demonstration by pro-democracy protesters at Hong Kong’s international airport. Photograph: Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images

4) A worker rests his head on the fence around the media area as President Donald Trump speaks for more than an hour at the Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex in Monaco, Pennsylvania. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

5) Fireworks explode in front of the full moon during celebrations marking the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady in Mosta, Malta, Aug. 14, 2019. Photo: Reuters

6) Mary Zavilla checks her and her husband’s 1964 Volkswagen Beetle as attendees arrive at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the original site of the Woodstock Festival, on its 50th anniversary in Bethel, New York. Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

7) In Cornwall, England, a view of the controversial new footbridge reconnecting both halves of Tintagel Castle for the first time in 500 years. The site has long been rumored to be the site of King Arthur’s legendary Camelot. Photograph: Keith Mayhew/Sopa/Rex/Shutterstock

8) In La Mailleraye-sur-Seine, France, two white lion cubs relax in their basket at the Caresse de Tigre association. The cubs were born at the end of July.  Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

9) A 2-day-old male pygmy hippo plays in the water at the Taipei Zoo on August 12, 2019. Sam Yeh / AFP / Getty

10) Wearing a helmet and protective vest, a young boy rides a galloping ewe during the Wool Riders Only Mutton Bustin’ competition at the Iowa State Fair on August 12, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

11) In Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland, the pianist and composer Alain Roche performs Chantier while suspended with his grand piano from a moving crane. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

12) Villagers play basketball on a court built inside a Karst cave at Xinchun village in Bijie, Guizhou province, China, on August 12, 2019. The court was built inside the cave in order to save arable land in 2018. The cave can accommodate 1,000 people to watch a game. Qu Honglun / VCG via Getty

13) Water flows from the Soaring Teapot sculpture in Temple City, California. Photo: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images

14) A life-size replica of a Diplodocus watches people coming out of the subway in the city center of Bochum, Germany, on August 12, 2019. The exhibition, featuring models of 33 dinosaurs all around the city center, is in Bochum due to the discovery of a 316-million-year-old dinosaur track found in a stone pit in the city six years ago. Photo: Martin Meissner / AP

15) Austrian ice swimmer Josef Koeberl stands in a box filled with ice cubes during his world record attempt of “Longest Duration Full Body Contact With Ice” in Vienna, Austria, on August 10, 2019. Photo: Herbert Neubauer / AFP / Getty

16) A costumed participant enters a toilet during the Prague Pride Parade in Prague, Czech Republic, on August 10, 2019. Photo: David W Cerny / Reuters