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Navigating These Days In America
Several events occurred today that put into perspective where we stand as a country and as individuals. How people express themselves at a time of highly fraught issues playing out hourly, and how we need to step back and find our personal comfort zones. For at least 15 years, I have been a part of… Continue reading
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WISC-TV, Tim Bruer: Transparency Over Salary During Fundraising Drive Requested
Today, I received a letter from a reader via email that raised an issue worthy of attention. I think my local readers will appreciate the information. Good Evening, All of this week, I’ve been watching your newscasts where you cover and solicit fundraising for the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Cool Fund. You’ve had board members, the Executive… Continue reading
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Nation Cannot Survive At Shallow End Of Swimming Pool
Somewhere between rereading The Imperial Presidency by Arthur Schlesinger and the daily newspapers, I have been trying to place the lessons of the past into the constant absurdity and irrationality of the present. I am not sure I am making headway in my thinking, but I want to share where I am as of today.… Continue reading
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The Musical Chord That Hits the Heart
I just concluded a long phone call with a friend who remains in California with her parents. Having traveled out for the holidays, she remains as the final closure of her mom’s eyes draws near. I always feel a need to lift the clouds, so I opened the call with “Is this Chinese takeout?” Laura… Continue reading
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A Place We Should Not Be, Measles Again In The News
The confirmation of Wisconsin’s first measles case of the year is more than a local health update — it’s a warning flare signaling how fragile our public health victories become when science is sidelined, and national leadership fails to prioritize our collective well‑being. I want to assert at the start of this column that the… Continue reading
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Children Pay No Fee To Enter Classroom, Why Pay A Fee For Lunch?
Above the fold in the Sunday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal, readers were again discovering the latest about a topic that our public schools simply need to address head-on. The Madison School District total meal debt stood at $488,533.94 as of early January, although spokesperson Ian Folger said that’s unlikely to be the amount… Continue reading
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Local Citizen Writes Cogent Letter For Impeaching Donald Trump To Senator Ron Johnson And Congressman Scott Fitzgerald
Our friend and realtor, Robin Guernsey, wrote a powerfully cogent and timely letter to her federal officials this morning, following the murder on Saturday of an American on the streets of Minneapolis. Before I get to the heart of this column, first, I need to explain the character of the woman who wrote the letter.… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: Heartstopper And Hancock 1/23/26
Last fall, at Barnes & Noble, thanks to a large display near an entrance to the bookstore, I first became aware of Alice Oseman, and the Heartstopper series. Several books of her work were prominently displayed, and I spent a few minutes reading a bit and exploring the overall tone and mission of them. Heartstopper… Continue reading
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DeForest Village Board: Example Of Democracy Working
In the midst of so much awful news and absurd happenings, there was a news story that lifted the sails this week. The DeForest Village Board voted 5–2 to begin reintroducing fluoride into the water system. If you are asking yourself why ‘reintroduce’ this scientifically evaluated mineral to the water supply, you would be correct… Continue reading
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What Must Be Done To Face Our Current Crisis In America?
While reading the newspapers today, I thought about a book I had read decades ago by Arthur Schlesinger. I read it in my 20s while in Door County, a decade after it was published. The Imperial Presidency was written following the twin debacles of Vietnam and Watergate, with an emphasis on what should be the… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 