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When did the Freeman stop having an “Up and Down Broadway” column? It was originally a column with not just news tidbits from around town, but wise sayings, clever jokes and trivia. It was a daily blog post, in other words. Just like the Chronicle’s dispatches.

  • Local cable franchises are going to disappear under a new state law which looks like it’s going to pass. This will mean that Time Warner won’t have a cable monopoly, which is good. Except that they don’t really have a monopoly in the truest sense of the word because I could have ATT U-Verse or DirecTV or Dish Network at my house. The City of Waukesha gets 1% from Time Warner and we will never see that money again because Greedy Pirate Jim Doyle and his Democratic Drunken Sailors will take all the money from the cable companies and return a thimble full of spit. This may be a change in position for me, but I’m against the bill. I’ll miss the Common Council and Planning Committee meetings because don’t expect Time Warner to maintain local access if they don’t have to.
  • Some people want the bill just so they can be sure and see the Badgers. The Big Ten Network is not worth ESPN money. I’d say, call DirecTV or find a friend who has it. They’re not going to beat Ohio State anyway. Be happy they’re bowl eligible.
  • Tax payers should be glad that the Waukesha School Board is going to arbitration with the recalcitrant teachers union. Chris Lufter of the Waulesha Taxpayers League released this statement:

“We applaud the Waukesha School Board for refusing to simply rubber-stamp
the WEAC agenda of Rolls Royce benefits for teachers and ever-higher taxes
for our citizens, and instead pursue arbitration in an effort to bring
Waukesha into line with other school districts in this area. The Waukesha
Taxpayers League has consistently called for meaningful concessions by the
teachers union on issues such as the salary schedule, health benefits and
overall compensation, and we are glad to see the School Board following
suit,” commented Lufter. “We fully support the School Board of Waukesha
In their decision to go to arbitration over the salary schedule, insurance benefits (copays and contributions towards premiums) and the overall pay package. The students of this district and the taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

We wish to remind the community that the school board and the Education Association of Waukesha have not used a QEO for years but rather a 3.8% package that has allowed many teachers to receive double digit salary increases in one year, year after year.In addition, by not following a true QEO, the school board has been unsuccessful reducing health insurance and retirement benefit costs. These additional costs have been funded by reducing programs that affect our children’s education.

For details regarding this situation, please go to: www.waukeshataxpayersleague.com.

  • This is what is in store if you boneheads keep voting Democratic: mandatory re-education camps. No, I’m not exaggerating.
  • More on those headstones found on Cook Street.
  • Which reminds me of last night’s dream. My niece and I went to a Clark Station on Sunset to buy tombstones. I told her it was better to buy them there than at a Quick Trip because only people from Wisconsin would know that you bought your headstone at a convenience store. Here’s the weird part: the Clark Station was on the south side of Sunset, where Cousins and the Tobacco Shop are now, not across the street on Sunset where it actually was. There was also a part about a pick-up team of my high school buddies beating Baylor University in basketball.
  • Waukesha County is cutting the Health and Human Services budget by $7 million. I’d have to know what’s happened between this year and last before I’d make a judgement about an 8% cut, but it’s surprisingly large. Somebody have Allison e-mail the Chronicle.
  • What if you had a strike and nobody cared? The Hollywood writer hasn’t had an original idea in 20 years. Sequels and “new takes” are all they produce.
  • Good. A church with some very un-Christian ideas gets a smack-down.
  • It’s like I told people when they didn’t like something about Supplemental Security Income rules and regulations, it’s a free country. You are free to ignore laws you don’t like. BUT, you must expect the consequences of your choice.
  • Do NOT let your ugly dog go out in the woods.
  • Wait a minute. What drought? This is money which should be routed to southern and western states where there actually is a drought. I see at least one county, La Crosse, where people could be eligible for disaster assistance for a drought and a flood.
  • Wigderson deftly outlines the difference between being serious on war on terrorism and the Democratic presidential candidates. (You won’t get my choice of words unless you actually see the Opinion page of the Freeman)