Friday, July 3, 2009 at 12:00PM "Independence forever."
– John Adams, his last public words as a toast for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826
Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 1:42PM 
During his tour of the city last month, our summer intern, “Toby the Intern,” buzzed through Franklin Business Park, a public and private business venture that most Franklin politicians point to and howl as a stunning “success,” especially when they’re trying to convince us that the “$2 Billion” boondoggle BOOMGAARD Joint 27th Street Corridor Project, will be just as “successful.”
But I digress.
As I was saying, “Toby the Intern” buzzed through this Franklin “success story” and, being dazzled by the “fancy-schmancy” lights there, snapped off a couple of pictures to go along with his commentary. Here's “The Kid’s” story.
The Franklin Business Park is bristling with these blue, funky--yet beautiful, custom-designed light fixtures (above).
In the one mile stretch between 51st Street and Ryan Road, I counted 45 light poles with “double” fixtures (above). Seems a little excessive to me, but then again, I’m no engineer and this was probably checked out by the City or the City’s Community Development Authority, which if you don’t know, was established to manage, promote and develop the Franklin Business Park, which is situated in the City’s TIF District No. 2.
At any rate, in an office park of this size (425 acres) that’s a lot of “fancy-schmancy,” blue, funky--yet beautiful, custom-designed light fixtures!
I’m just sayin’...
Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 10:47AM An occasional series of noteworthy News and Opinion
Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama (CNS) Following a testy exchange during Wednesday’s briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas told CNSNews.com that not even Richard Nixon tried to control the press the way President Obama is trying to control the press… More.
Congress's Travel Tab Swells (WSJ) Spending by lawmakers on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Galápagos Islands… More.
A Family's Valor, a Nation's Freedom (WSJ) At a dinner last week in California, I was reminded of the debt we owe to those who have, for 233 years, sustained our freedom and independence. One remarkable family in particular exemplifies the best in the American spirit of courage and sacrifice… More.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 5:45PM As you may know, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) recently added his name to the Public Servant Scumbag List, joining a long and growing list of politicians in both parties who have fallen off the Fidelity Wagon. And this guy was supposedly on the short list for 2012?! What an arrogant bastard.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 at 12:00PM Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 12:00PM 
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has dropped plans to investigate any wrongdoing by leftwing activist group ACORN, saying the "powers that be" put the kibosh on the idea.
Rep. Conyers had previously bucked Democrat leaders by calling for hearings on accusations that ACORN has committed crimes ranging from voter fraud to a mob-style "protection" racket.
The Times also wrote:
Capitol Hill Democrats had bristled at proposed hearings because it threatened to rekindle criticism of the financial ties and close cooperation between President Obama's campaign and ACORN and its sister organizations Citizens Services Inc. and Project Vote.
ACORN and its affiliates currently face at least 14 lawsuits related to voter fraud in the 2008 election and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act complaint filed by former ACORN members.
Which “Community Organizer’s are connected with ACORN and who is ACORN?
RELATED
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 5:00PM 
I'll say one thing about “Toby the Intern,” BATJO’s (BATTLE JOINED) summer intern; the kid has spunk.
If you’ve been following his exploits on twitter, then you know that s few days ago the plucky intern set off to Franklin’s notorious Brenwood Park Senior Apartments. It seems that after reading Brenwood Park Senior Apartments: Disaster Waiting to Happen?, the kid decided to hop on his trusty “Ranger” and “grab a couple of ground-level photos” of Brenwood.
As you may recall, that particular post chronicled a number of emails I exchanged with District 1 Alderman Steve Olson, regarding what I believed to be fire safety issues at Brenwood Apartments, which is in Olson’s district. Briefly recapping, I asked Alderman Olson:
Has there ever been any concern or discussion regarding the safety of the residents in these buildings in event of a major fire? Sounds like a stupid question, but hear me out.
The reason I ask, is that in my conversations with Basil Ryan regarding the "tax pledge" he brought up the fact that the eastern exposure of Brenwood, and the western exposure of the Highlands, are bordered by swap and marsh, and that could make it very difficult to fight a fire on those sides of these buildings, let alone evacuate residents.
I'm obviously no fire professional, but it seems [2008 Franklin Mayoral candidate, Basil] Ryan [is] right. The evacuation problem appears to be especially difficult for Brenwood's east-facing residents on the second and third floors…Looking at Google Earth satellite images of these properties, illustrates Ryan's point.
After a couple more emails I was assured by Alderman Olson that (paraphrasing):
The terrain, and the building’s height, were all taken into consideration. In fact, the City purchased a new fire truck because of this building.
I have since come to understand however, that Mr. Olson’s “fire truck” was—in fact—a generous gift to the City from Franklin’s Carma Labs.
As I've mentioned before, “I'm obviously no fire professional,” but I hope for the sake of Brenwood Park residents, the building’s sprinkler system and fire doors never fail.
Brenwood Park Senior Apartments is as fire safe as state and local government would have it, and maybe this particular property—with its nearby wetland—wasn’t the ideal choice to for a seniors apartment complex.
I only hope that in the event of a major fire that "real life" won’t trump "theory" and building codes? This seems like a high risk gamble to me.
Click to view “Toby the Intern’s” photos of Brenwood Park Seniors Apartment.
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 8:00AM 
The Washington Times reported Saturday morning that the House on Friday narrowly approved the so-called “cap-and-trade” bill, a sweeping climate change bill backed by President Obama and Democratic leaders.
By a vote of 219-212, the chamber approved a bill that, starting in 2012, would limit carbon dioxide pollution, require increased usage of renewable energy and require that consumer products be more energy efficient.
In reality, the “cap-and-trade” bill has more to do with money, power and government control than global warming “climate change.”
RELATED STORIES
If you believe it's time to put principles above parties, character above campaign promises, and common sense above all—then I highly recommend you read Glenn Beck's Common Sense.
Click to read a review of Beck's Common Sense.
Friday, June 26, 2009 at 9:02AM School board member Janet Evans reported on her FranklinNOW blog last night, that the Franklin School Board voted unanimously to freeze salaries for one year, reducing salaries by an estimated $74,000 in its 2009-10 budget.
Later, on a 6-1 voice vote, the Board approved an $875,000 expenditure for a fiber optic cable for the district. Janet Evans was the lone “no” vote.
On the question of a $1.1 million tax increase, the Board—again by voice vote—approved the 2009-10 Budget Draft, on a 6-1 vote. Janet Evans was again, the lone “no” vote.
As one of two new school board members, the other being Judith Bialk, I fully support Evans’ refreshing, common sense votes.
As a Franklin taxpayer I consider the votes by board President Dave Szychlinski, Vice President Debbie Larson, Treasurer Jeff Traylor, Clerk Linda Witkowski, and members Judith Bialk and David Works, arrogant and irresponsible.
With our country in a deep recession, and as many Franklin families, mine included, are “tightening their belts,” this Board obviously thinks nothing of spending $875,000 based on incomplete information, and worse, unanswered questions from at least one board member, namely Janet Evans.
In typical "government out of control" fashion, the Franklin School Board members are essentially telling taxpayers; “government knows what’s best,” and "we operate under our own set of rules."
With the exception of Janet Evans, this Board is a showing taxpayers they are a bunch of “sheep” being shepherded by Superintendent Patz and Director of Finance Jim Milzer.
Can someone please tell me how, on one hand, board member Linda Witkowski can argue against a 3.8% tax increase, and then, turn around and vote in favor of it? Where’s the common sense in that vote?
I’m also very disappointed in David Works; someone I voted for, and a guy I believed was a fiscal conservative, and understood the difference between “need and “want,” especially during dark economic times. I won’t be fooled again when April 2011 rolls around.
Cutting salaries by $74,000 was obviously easy for this Board, but as for “hitting in the clutch,” and voting down an $875,000 expenditure, or a $1.1 million tax increase, this Board “struck out looking.”
Janet, you’ve done this constituent proud with your common sense votes. Continue to vote your conscience, and whether we agree or disagree on future issues, at least I'll know that you're not just one of the "flock."
RELATED READING
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 4:03PM HINT: The blogger wrote “Franklin All-Star snub is perfect example of what's wrong with Little League,” and subsequently had his proverbial ass handed to him—again—in “UPDATE: Franklin All-Star snub is perfect example of what's wrong with Little League.” Please read both stories before attempting to "Name The Blogger!" And don't forget to read ALL the comments.
Which local blogger wrote the following?
“I wanted cold, hard facts and evidence (I’m just funny that way) that we had a full blown scandal, and so I was criticized for not being critical enough. As more and more of views got mischaracterized, I began running a disclaimer on my blog to try to be as clear as possible…it didn’t matter. The Boomgaard tar and feather crowd had formed. And what, at first, started out as a silly name quickly turned ugly. Very ugly.”
And which local blogger wrote this little “gem?”
“In May, Franklin blogger Fred Keller quoted from an anonymous individual who calls himself Unfettered Candor (Although we know who you are, don’t we, UC?). UC had written some untruthful stuff in the past and had been called on it. This time, bloggers took UC’s foul-smelling bait. Fred Keller wrote on his BULLSEYE blog.
Unfettered Candor wrote:
…Today I learned that there is a district in Amsterdam that has been dubbed the “Boomgaard District” as well. It is a homosexual red light district. He said the title “Boomgaard” [fruit orchard] was a lampoon of that area…”
Which notorious local blogger wrote this? And no, "Potsie" Weber isn’t a local blogger.
“Yowzer…let the fun begin. If Zizzo’s 'fruit orchard' name is adopted, the floodgates will open with information about the 'Boomgaard District’ in Amsterdam and that might change a lot of things on South 27 Street!!!”
…That warrants further investigation, wouldn't you say?.......
Fred’s idea of investigation was to then quote extensively from the article, “Gay Amsterdam: Last Vestige of the Sixties."
Fred would later update this blog, writing:
‘To date, I am still working to independently confirm whether there is a gay red light district in Amsterdam that has been dubbed the ‘Boomgaard District.’ Should my research reveal that there is no gay red light district in Amsterdam dubbed ‘Boomgaard District,’ I will publish a follow-up.’"
Can you guess which local blogger then wrote the following?
“In other words, I’m not sure all of this garbage that I just plastered on my blog is true, but it’s going to stay there while I look into this further. Now, I expected this kind of irresponsible blogging from Greg Kowalski who originally posted Unfettered Candor’s trash, but not from Fred Keller.”
Is there a pattern developing? Here’s more from this former “24/7 working journalist,” turned blogger.
“The correct, appropriate, and ethical thing to do would have been to study first, and publish the findings later…”
Can you name the Franklin (that was a hint) blogger who also wrote this?
“Of course, their response would be that it’s just a blog and it’s their blog, so how dare anyone tell them how to write their blog. Fine. Wouldn’t you want to get it right? Wouldn’t you want to print the truth, not some wild accusation made by some unreliable, anonymous source?”
This same Franklin blogger, referring to a piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel—am I being too obvious—wrote this:
“The newspaper said, ‘The buzz is, Boomgaard actually means gay red-light district, which is a false rumor but would be repeated until the end of time anyway.’ It also called the vicious Boomgaard rumor, ‘an unsubstantiated claim that's circulated online.’
I’m not sure the bloggers who made a field day of this outright lie perpetrated by a highly questionable contributor on the blogs felt any remorse or even cared about what the damage they had caused.”
Want more? Same Franklin blogger.
“Erroneous blogs, fueled once again by unsubstantiated rumor and opinion rather than fact…have led to other erroneous discussions in reader forums and on talk radio. Stirring up controversy just to prop oneself up and accumulate blog hits is irresponsible.”
This is really getting monotonous, isn’t it? Here’s another “whopper” from the same blogger.
“Once again, someone tried to pass off wild speculation as fact on these blogs. It turned out to be false, leading me to wonder what other opinions that we've been fed are inaccurate. I doubt we’ll get an apology or retraction from that individual.”
Last chance.
“Bloggers: Your credibility suffers when you don’t print the truth.”
Give up?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 8:36AM An occasional series of noteworthy, POLITICAL GOSSIP (today only), News and Opinion
John Edwards "Baby Daddy" to Tell All (Daily Beast) Elizabeth Edwards’ memoir may not be the only book John Edwards has to worry about. Last week, Andrew Young, a lifelong friend of Edwards and a longtime aide, began shopping a book to New York publishers… More.
Why Everyone Envies the Runaway Governor (Daily Beast) After South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s brilliant maneuver into Deliverance country, Daily Beast blogger Kathleen Parker, wonders what attention-grabbing strategies the other 2012 Republican contenders are plotting… More.
Citigroup Plans to Raise Salaries by as Much as 50% (Bloomberg) Citigroup Inc., the U.S. bank that got $45 billion of government funds, will raise base salaries by as much as 50 percent to help compensate for a reduction in annual bonuses, a person familiar with the plan said… More.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 12:00PM A on BATTLE JOINED (BATJO) follow-up to The Curious Case of the $134.5 Billion Briefcase (Glenn Beck’s The One Thing)
More transparency and accountability from the Obama Administration. And where is the "elite media" on this huge story?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 8:36AM 
BATTLE JOINED (BATJO) summer intern, “Toby the Intern” is on assignment.
The “T-Man” is off Franklin’s infamous Brenwood Park Senior Apartments at Loomis Rd. and Forest Park Ave., to grab a couple of ground-level photos for a follow-up piece to “Brenwood Park Senior Apartments: Disaster Waiting to Happen?”
From there, camera still in-hand, “Big Tob” is off to the Franklin Business Park and its neighbor, Franklin Industrial Park, to “sniff out a story.”
Let’s find out what this kid is made of.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 6:28AM A while back, Nick Gillespie of Reason TV shared his ideas for Fixing America’s Health insurance "crisis."
The Gillespie Plan: If you want health insurance, get some.
RELATED STORY
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 4:00PM Transparency and Accountability?
For the past few weeks, FNC's (Fox News Channel) Neil Cavuto has tried unsuccessfully to arrange an interview with Obama’s “car czar” Steven Rattner, and last week he pled his case again, this time "with a little help from his friends."
There may be “50 ways to leave your lover,” but Cavuto’s come up with seven ways to find Steve Rattner.
How does this Administration stack up on the “czar-front,” relative to the previous four Administrations? Answer.
RELATED STORY
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 12:34PM 
After being declared MIA earlier today, “Toby the Intern” showed up for work around noon today looking more like a stray dog than a summer intern.
A little dazed, a little bruised, and a lot of muddy, the “Tobster” explained how he had spent the past couple days wondering the landfill and the back roads of Franklin, after he and his new bike, “Ranger,” lost a wrestling match with a sucking, mud pit at the dump.
Toby eventually found his way back to BATTLE JOINED headquarters courtesy of a Veolia garbage truck driver he flagged down near 51st street and Ryan Rd.
We’re now off to the dump to try and recover “Ranger.”
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 10:00AM An occasional series of noteworthy News and Opinion
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 9:00AM “Is it common sense to propose a tax increase of $1.1 million during a recession? The Franklin School Board is clearly demonstrating just how out of touch it is with reality and its constituents.
Any school board member voting to increase taxes doesn’t deserve to represent Franklin taxpayers, or our vote. That's common sense.”
Those are my comments posted on Franklin School Board member Janet Evans’ FranklinNOW blog, related to the $1.1 million proposed tax increase in next year’s school budget.
Full disclosure: I am no fan of Republican ideologue Kevin Fischer’s FranklinNOW blog, and usually avoid reading his vitriolic views of the world according to Kevin Fischer.
However, I noticed Fischer recently took the school board’s newest members—particularly Janet Evans—to task over the proposed increase.
What Mr. Fischer, Legislative Aide to State Sen. Mary Lazich, conveniently forgets each and every time he rightfully moans about Wisconsin’s high taxes, is that his boss is part of the problem, and to quote Mr. Fischer, some “housecleaning might be in order.”
Both Janet Evans and Judith Bialk were elected to office this past April, to a three-year term.
Mr. Fischer’s boss on the other hand, has been a State Legislator for more than a decade, and oddly enough, claims to be a “tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.” I say “oddly” because it wasn’t long ago that Mary (or should I say, “senator”?) wasted a perfect opportunity to rein in state and local government spending, when she opposed the Wisconsin Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a constitutional amendment which would have, as I said, placed limits on state and local spending.
JSOnline reported that Lazich "flatly refuses," at this time, to support enactment of the so-called taxpayer bill of rights.
Meanwhile, again according to the same JSOnline story, the Southeastern Wisconsin Schools Alliance, a broad coalition of school districts, joined Lazich, formally taking a stand against the amendment.
I’m starting to smell a hypocrite, or as Mr. Fischer once labeled me, a “closet Liberal.” I believe the “worm has turned.”
And while I believe Franklin Superintendant Patz’ compensation package is overly generous, is Mr. Fischer suggesting that the district break its legally binding contract with Patz without due process?
Mr. Fischer’s haranguing administrators’ salaries is his right, but where was his “outrage” when his boss accepted a 5.3% pay raise last January. ((cue the crickets))
Indeed, some “housecleaning might be in order.”
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 8:23AM 
Have you seen me?BATTLE JOINED has not heard from our summer intern, “Toby the Intern,” since his last “tweet” two days ago, when he wrote: “I’m on my way to the landfill…”
The "loveable intern" was likely riding his new bike following his last "tweet."
Monday, June 22, 2009 at 8:00AM In these trying times we hope Real American Stories will help you begin your week on a high note with an inspirational story about real Americans. These stories were collected through the Real Americans Stories campaign which was created to share every day American stories and help all of us appreciate who we are, where we come from, and how truly fortunate we are to an American.
Val Lofgreen looks back and remembers what New York City was like on the day the nation buried President Kennedy.
