The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio!

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.greatdetectives.net/detectives/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Adam Graham brings you insights and commentary on vintage detective movies, and radio and television programs, with an occassional look at the broader world of vintage entertainment and old time radio.

While these articles are written as companion pieces to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio podcast, it is not necessary to subscribe to the podcast to enjoy these fun and interesting articles.

MY REVIEW: I have long been a fan of old-time radio, and so I can't recommoend this blog heartily enough. There is a podcast on the blog, so you'll want to visit it on the web as well to listen to that.

The author of this blog gives the history of quite a few old time radio shows, and it's just a fun blog. Subscribe!

(A few other sites on the web to listen to old time radio:
Radiospirits.com
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/
www.radio-showcase.com/

Sample Post:

Many old time radio shows made their way to television. In the 21st Century, are we ready for one more?

Broadway's My Beat was one of the finest radio detective dramas and an underrated one at that. It aired from 1949-53, and again in the Summer of 1954. It was written by Mort Fine and David Friedkin. Friedkin and Fine went on to produce the 1960s TV hit, I Spy. Broadway's My Beat has remained little more than a forgotten gem in radio history.

Fast forward to 2010 and Gregory Friedkin (David's son) produced a pilot for a television adaptation of, Broadway's My Beat with the series transported from New York to Los Angeles, with references to "Broadway" rewritten as references to "The Boulevard," which is also the title of the new series, set in 1953. The episode was posted online, so I got a chance to take a peak.

The pilot episode that's been released has a very noirish feel to it as Danny Clover (played by Jon Jacobs) searches for the kidnapped wife of a bank teller before the case becomes a murder investigation.

The music helps to establish a fittingly haunting mood for the story and they manage to make most of the scenes look old enough to be in the 1950s. Jon Jacobs was far older than I imagined Clover to be. Larry Thor, who voiced Clover on the radio was 33-38 during the show's run. Jacobs appears to be in his 50s.

Jacobs, does however do a solid performance as Clover. His voice is perfect for the part. If anything, his age tends to add a bit of credibility to the world-weariness of Clover.

If the pilot has a weakness, it was the performance of some of the supporting actors. Michael Wayne James was too hammy in the role of the missing woman's husband. Give Friedkin and Jacobs a good cast and I think this could be a solid program.

Of course, whether it will make it remains an open question. If the writers keep to adapting Broadway's my Beat episodes, it will most likely end up a half hour TV-PG rated period cop show. They don't make them like that anymore. Still, over the years I've learned is that there's a demand for this type of program.

Of course, Friedkin may want to write new Danny Clover cases that could be stretched to an hour. It could be done with actual Broadway is My Beat episodes being mixed with originals. It could definitely work.

Whether Friedkin can a right network and get them to realize the potential for this show is an open question. Either way, I wish him well.

RECENT POSTS:
--Broadway's My Beat in the 21st Century
--Father Brown Returns to Radio
--Long-Running Soaps Scrubbed
--Radio at War
--The Rathbone-Bruce Countdown, part 4

_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

RetroReview: The Kindle Taproom

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: The Kindle Taproom

WEB ADDRESS: http://kindletaproom.blogspot.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Friendly, entertaining bar chat on all manner of topics, but especially great stuff on Kindle.

MY REVIEW: The author, Joe Menta, posts on average a couple of times a day (the Sample posts below are his first posts on each day, not all the posts on one day). He'll review a book available on Kindle, or a movie, tell a joke, and so on. Because of the great amount of content, I highly recommend the blog.

He writes well, he's amusing (when he makes his posts, I actually don't find the jokes he shares amusing, but then I never have cared for jokes) and he articulates his reviews well. He's a friendly guy, I think you'll like sharing time with him in the Taproom.

A FEW SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS:

Following up on my post of a few days back, we did end up seeing Shutter Island over the past weekend. Despite my fears, the movie was not an overblown special effects extravaganza (as the trailer seem to indicate), but a well-crafted, moody, slow-burn psychological drama that keeps viewers involved from beginning to end. I should have trusted Mr. Scorsese more. The big special effects scenes in the trailer, by the way, are mostly associated with hallucinatory scenes in the movie, scenes that are used sparingly and effectiviely.

There are definitely big, lurid moments and instances of underlined melodrama in the film, accompanied by disturbing blasts from the none-to-subtle musical score, but it all serves Scorsese's aim to emulate the psychological dramas of the 50's, which were at the same time overstated and artfully done. Kind of like those old 50's paperbacks, which sported lurid covers of violence and heaving bosoms, but very often subtle, well-done stories once you got past the covers.

In any event, the lurid (I love that word) and more subtle aspects of Shutter Island work together to deliver a decent movie, one that we both liked a lot.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Pretty Good King (review of Stephen King's Blaze) (Feb 24, 2010)
-At the movies (review of Shutter Island) (Feb 23, 2010)
-Spirited try falls short (review of The Spirit movie) (Feb 22, 2010)
-One fine Sunday in the local pub (a joke) (Feb 21, 2001)

Retro Review: Daily Space

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Daily Space

WEB ADDRESS: http://dailyspace.blogspot.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: The blog of The Thunder Child science fiction and fantsy webzine, which features science fiction in all media.

MY REVIEW: Although the blog is linked to The Thunder Child , the author goes off on tangents ever now and again, but mostly, this blog is concerned with the history of science fiction and fantasy in all media, from radio to TV to movies to games to music.

RECENT ARTICLES:
--Tank Girl is about "girl power"?
--The Original Human Torch
--Fess Parker in excerpts from an episode of Daniel ...
--Institute for the Advancement of Artificial Intell...
--Science Fiction on Radio Spirit's Website
--Definitely visit the virtual Science Fiction museu...
--Time to visit the Science Fiction Museum in Seattl...

Retro Review: Women in Aviation

REVIEWED BY: MS. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Winged Victory: Women in Aviation

WEB ADDRESS: http://youflygirl.blogspot.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Six percent of all the pilots in the world have been, and are, women. This blog shares news and views about women pilots.

MY REVIEW: On March 10, 2010, women celebrated 100 years of aviation. Just 5 years after the Wright brothers flew the first viable airplane, the Wright Flyer, in 1905, Frenchwoman Raymonde de Laroche earned her pilot's license. She was the first to do so, but within just a few years women from practically every country with an aviation presence had earned their wings - this despite the fact that it was hard to find instructors. The daredevils of the day thought that their heroism was lessened if a woman could fly as well as they could. After all, if a woman could do it, how hard could it be?

The early pioneers faded out once WWI began. A new crop supplanted them after the war, with Amelia Earhart, Nellie Snook, Elinor Smith, Marvel Crosson, Pancho Barnes, and many more taking to the skies. Everyone knows the name of Amelia Earhart, but there were dozens of women pilots who set more records than Earhart ever did. Earhart concentrated on distance, the others on speed, altitude, time, etc.

During WWII, over a thousand women became WASP - women airforce service pilots, ferrying planes across country where men being trained to fly them would then take over. In England, it was the ATA - both men and women flew planes there.

After WWII, many of the women wished to continue flying, but they were not permitted to do so. It was not until 1977 that laws were in place to prevent the discrimination of women (and minorities) in airlines, and in the military.

It was not until a couple of years ago that a woman, Major Nicole Malachowski, became a pilot for the Airforce demo team, the Thunderbirds. The English Red Arrows have a new team member, Lt. Kirsty Moore. Other traditionally male airforces around the world have recently added women pilots...

Keep in touch with all the news at Winged Victory, Women in Aviation.

RECENT ARTICLES:
--Elinor Smith has died
--Flying For Her Country - American and Russian wome...
--F-35 Lightning II makes first vertical landing
--Book overview: Flygirl, and two dates for your cal...
--PR: Feminine-Friendly Gear Brightens Cockpits
--Deanie Parrish, age 80, shows off her legs
--PR: Flying Musicians to Land at Music and Aviation...
--The Lady and the Tiger, Strip #2
--Emily Howell Warner - request to rename an airport...

RetroReview: The Well-Trained Mind

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The Well-trained Mind

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/blog/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Reflections on classical education, home schooling, and educational innovation from a college professor, writer and home school parent

MY REVIEW: If you're thinking of home-schooling your kids, this is an excellent blog, and I highly recommend it.

I've been doing some research on home schooling, because I'm writing some non-fiction work which I'd like to get into the home-school market. I hadn't realized that most home schoolers are Christian-based, and do it because they want their kids to be able to pray in school, as opposed to because home-schooled kids don't have to deal with bullies, and can advance at a faster pace if they are so intellecually inclined.

Althought the author of this blog is a Christian, she deals with education, not with religion. (At least, from the entries I've read.) She writes well, she writes informatively, she has had decades of experience at this.l

Here's a sample post:

Third graders, Saxon math, and elitism
by susan on March 3, 2010

I just got back from my first speaking engagement of 2010 (which is why I haven’t posted for a week or so–the first engagement of the year always requires me to pull out all of my notes, organize them, update them, redo my PowerPoint or Keynote slides, make sure I have all my frequent flyer codes, get my clothes from the dry cleaner…you get the idea).

At this conference, a high percentage of the parents had their children in classical schools, and I found myself having the same conversation multiple times–a conversation that follows, in a way, on the gap-year posts of the last few weeks. The conversation had multiple beginnings:

“My second grader is in Saxon 3. So he’s doing OK, right?”

“My third-grade student is really struggling with the five-page book reports he has to write. What kind of remedial work should I do with him?”

“My thirteen-year-old is failing algebra. Should I talk to the principal about the teacher?”

“My daughter’s not reading chapter books yet and she’s seven. What should I do?”

After this, it usually went the same way: I said, “You know, kids develop at different rates…”

It distresses me when classical schools achieve an appearance of rigor by pushing skills into lower and lower grades. Yes, home schooling parents do this too, but when a school does it, there’s an appearance of authority that’s very difficult for parents to challenge. In most cases they’ve got the kids in the school because they think the teachers will do a better job (in some way) than they can, and when those same teachers tell them that the second grader should be able to do third grade math, they believe it.

This pushing skills backwards (Saxon 3 for second graders, the Aeneid for all seventh grade students, algebra at age thirteen without fail) is nothing new. Back in the 1970s, the private Christian schools associated with A Beka in Pensacola, Florida, started teaching cursive writing in kindergarten. There’s one pedagogical advantage to this–it’s harder to reverse letters. But that’s balanced off by a disadvantage: many children need to print because they need the visual likeness between what they’re doing and what’s in the books they read. The A Beka approach to cursive was governed by a more general concern: it appeared more advanced to teach cursive in kindergarten than to wait for the traditional second/third grade window. Private Christian education was relatively new; now, Christian schools could boast that their students, trained in these untested, unfamiliar classrooms, were ahead of their counterparts elsewhere.

The push backwards was for boasting privileges.

Excuse me for quoting myself: you can read the interview (a few years old now) here.

One thing classical homeschoolers really need to guard against is a devastating level of elitism: “We are doing the best homeschooling because our young children are doing such advanced work.” This kind of elitism is non-Christian, it is unloving, and it is unproductive. I was recently asked, “What do you think of third-graders doing Saxon 5/4?” I said, “I can’t think of a single thing you would gain by that. Some of them will be able to do it, but a lot of them aren’t developmentally ready for it. You are going to finish advanced mathematics by the end of high school if you keep them on the normal schedule. What’s the rush?” What do you gain by asking a seventh-grader to read the Iliad if that seventh-grader hasn’t developed the maturity to understand and appreciate what he’s reading? Nothing at all. You gain nothing in the way of emotional and mental development by pushing difficult tasks down to earlier grades.

I am not talking about the lowering of academic standards. I don’t want them lowered; I am just talking about extending the time needed for children to meet those standards. Children move from grammar to logic stage thinking, and from logic to rhetoric stage thinking, at different times in different subjects. We should focus on this, rather than focusing on age or grade level. And I hope that classical schools will also begin to think seriously about what is being gained in the classroom if immature students are being asked to do work that continually frustrates them. Is our goal to educate as many students as possible, or to identify a small, advanced, elite core of classical scholars? I hope it’s the first, and not the second. I think there is a very high level of achievement that all children can reach, given the appropriate amount of time. Keep the standards high, but give each child the appropriate amount of time for those achievements.

I spent a lot of time over the weekend reassuring parents that taking a little extra time to reach a goal is not the same as lowering standards. It may make you feel better if your kid is a year ahead of his cousins in math; it’s pointless if the child is not developmentally ready to do the work.

I should clarify that I’m not here addressing those kids who are ready to do more advanced work. Of course they should be allowed to progress forward as quickly as they want. But that’s much more easily done in a homeschool setting than in a classroom; classroom teachers in particular (and their principals) need to be very, very wary of announcing that all second graders should be doing third grade math.

And yet…too many schools do. And too many parents believe it, rather than carefully and thoughtfully assessing the developmental rate of their own child.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-An invitation (requesting guest posts)
-Third graders, Saxon math, and elitism
-Quick photo update on son's gap year trip
-The gap year, Part IV: resources for gap year projects
-The gap year, Part III: our personal experience so far
-The gap year, Part II: my own thoughts

Edgy Inspirational Romance (Christian romance fiction)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Edgy Inspirational Romance , by Joy Tamsin David

WEB ADDRESS: www.edgyinspirationalromance.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Edgy Inspirational Romance is a Christian fiction book blog with a focus on inspirational romance. We review new releases, conduct interviews with your favorite authors, and host book giveaways.

MY REVIEW: If you like romance, and if you are a Christian (or even if you're not) you'll enjoy this blog. The author writes well, makes posts on a regular basis, and tehre's reviews and comments on books galore.

So check it out.

RECENT POSTS:
--Review- Evolving in Monkey Town by Rachel Held Eva...
--A Passover Funny
--A Writer's Mean Streak by Allie Pleiter
--Review- Nightshade by Ronie Kendig
--Christian Fiction Book Club- The Girl in the Gateh...
--Review- Rodeo Rescue by Teri Wilson
--Planting a seed...by Wendy Davy
--My son's sequined socks


_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Breast Cancer? But Doctor, I Hate Pink

Sort of a retro review. I've reviewed this blog before, but now it has a new domain name (and hence URL).

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION PAGE: Breast Cancer? But Doctor, I Hate Pink, by Ann Silberman

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.butdoctorihatepink.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: With an humor and intelligence, Ann Silberman, breast-cancer "ass-kicker," describes her life since diagnosis. She found her lump in May 2009 and was diagnosed in early September. She is sharing her journey through surgeries and chemo as they happen. A must-read for anybody who either has cancer or has a family member with this disease. Ann writes with wit and energy in her blog: Breast Cancer? But Doctor ... I hate pink.

MY REVIEW: The author of this blog, Ann, found out she had breast cancer in August, 2009. This blog tells the story of her fight against the disease. It is very moving, very affecting, the more so because she does indeed manage to be funny and heroic at the same time. (Yes, there are heroes who, in a split second, risk their lives for others, such as our soldiers, and police and firemen and just regular people, and then there are people who have chronic illnesses in which they suffer every day and have to rise to that challenge every day. They are just as heroic.)

If you have just been diagnosed with breast cancer, or have a friend or loved one who has been - this is an excellent resource for you to know what the future holds. There are photos, there's talk of the various drugs and the chemotherapy and so on. If you're just interested in how people live their lives when faced by chronic illness, you will find this blog uplifing as well.

A few paragraphs from a sample post:

I am a small person with bird bones. My wrist is five inches around; I wear a size 4 1/2 ring. I can't purchase a watch without a picture of Hannah Montana on it, and I buy bracelets to use as anklets.

I have correspondingly small veins. Watching people draw my blood has always amused me, because I have a strong sadistic streak and no needle phobia whatsoever. I like seeing sweat on the brow of the phlebotomist responsible for getting blood out of me and into that vial. It just doesn't happen without hard work.

Typically, the way it goes is the first tech pokes around a while, moving the needle in and out, muttering about tiny veins until she either pops one or freaks out. She then calls the specialist with the butterfly needle who has the finesse to start the flow. Even when I try to make it easy - drink lots of water and wear warm clothing to "plump the veins," it's never enough to get the well pumping.

I'm so dry if I was Bella, Edward would leave me. [Is this a Twlight reference? KBR ed]

RECENT ARTICLES:
- Rename - But Doctor...I Hate Pink
- Tatas and Tombs
- I Heart Boobies Controversy
- Bad Cancer Day
- Breast Reconstruction Revision
- The Little Pink Book - Free!
- The Future is the Children
- One Year Post-Chemo

American Revolution from A to Z (American Revolution, history)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: American Revolution from A to Z

WEB ADDRESS: http://americanrevolutionfromatoz.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Every book every written about the American Revolutionary War will be presented in this blog (eventually), with a description of the book as given in the front or backmatter, the table of contents, list of photographs, list of maps and so on.

The purpose of this blog is to aid the researcher to find information of all kinds on the war in question, from the people involved in it to events on a daily basis, in a fast and efficient manner.

This is one of the Military Blogs "From A to Z" series from Miniscule Guides. Also part of this series are the Vietnam War from A to Z, WWII from A to Z, WWI from A to Z, The War on Terror from A to Z, and the Korean War from A to Z.

MY REVIEW: This is one of a series of American history blogs - this one focuses on the American Revolution. What's covered here is news articles - from the present day - talking about the Revolution, as well as a chronology of the war.

If you're interested in American history, you'll enjoy this blog.

RECENT POSTS:
--Wineka column: Hercules of the Revolution
--Civil War vs. Revolution: A Rhetorical Shift?
--Revolutionary War events featured this weekend
--Concord ceremony honoring Revolution canceled amid...
--Exhibit looks at the King James Version's role in ...
--Morristown National Historical Park to host "Revol...
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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Rush Limbaugh Rebuttal (political)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Rush Limbaugh Rebuttal, by Political Partnership

WEB ADDRESS: http://rushlimbaughrebuttal.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: When it comes to talk radio, hosts such as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity - present their side of the story, and very rarely present the rest of the story, let alone the other side of that story.

Since Rush Limbaugh is the most popular political talk show host, and since he's famous for presenting only one side - his side - I will share quotes from his radio program each day, and expand on them to reveal the real truth behind what he attempts to convey in his radio program.

MY REVIEW: Rush Limbaugh is one of the polarizing figures in America. This blog tells "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey used to say. Limbaugh gives his version of events of the day, this blog chooses one of those events and gives that rest of the story.

If you're interested in Rush Limbaugh or the Conservative movement, you will find this blog of interest.

RECENT POSTS:
--Booklist: Culture of Complaint: The Fraying of America
--Obama Reveals His Anger at Republicans During Obama's Budget Speech
--Rush Complains Abut Hoax News Reports Today
--Wisconsin May be Broke, But not Because of Unions
_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Miniscule Guide to the American Civil War (Civil War, Military, History)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Miniscule Guide to the American Civil War, by Caroline Miniscule

WEB ADDRESS: http://minisculeguidetothecivilwar.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: In this blog I give a chronology of the war on a day-by-day basis, share biographies of soldiers and civil-war era personalities, and share photos of the battlefields.

MY REVIEW: If you're interested in the American Civil War, this is the blog for you. It's covering the war chronologically from the first day to the last. Whenever a soldier, politician or civilian of import is mentioned in the text of each day's reports, a biography is also given, so that the reader gets a contemporary view of the action.

Highly recommended.

RECENT POSTS:
--James H. Carleton
--General Ormsby Mitchel
--15 April, 1862: Tuesday
--14 April, 1862: Monday
--13 April, 1862: Sunday
--12 April, 1862: Saturday (Great Locomotive Chase)
--11 April, 1862: Friday
--Union: Brig Gen Samuel Curtis
--10 April, 1862: Thursday
--9 April, 1862: Wednesday
--8 April, 1862: Wednesday
--Possible shutdown looms over Civil War 150th anniv...
--7 April 1862: Monday
--Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston

_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Simply Left Behind (politics)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Simply Left Behind, by Carl

WEB ADDRESS: http://simplyleftbehind.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: "Democrats Work For Solutions; Republicans Pray The Problem Will Go Away" - Actor212

MY REVIEW: Rush Limbaugh castigates Liberals all the time...here's the rebuttal from Simply Left Behind (from the TV character Matt Santos on The West Wing):

"Liberals got women the right to vote. Liberals got African-Americans the right to vote. Liberals created Social Security and lifted millions of elderly people out of poverty. Liberals ended segregation. Liberals passed the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act. Liberals created Medicare. Liberals passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act. What did Conservatives do? They opposed them on every one of those things...every one! So when you try to hurl that label at my feet, 'Liberal,' as if it were something to be ashamed of, something dirty, something to run away from, it won't work, Senator, because I will pick up that label and I will wear it as a badge of honor." -- Matt Santos, The West Wing

From that, you get the idea of what this blog is about. You'll find these articles very interesting. Subscribe!

Sample post

Is Wisconsin 'broke'? Answer is in the eye of the beholder, experts say
In his inaugural budget address, Gov. Scott Walker stood before a joint session of the Legislature and delivered the somber news: We're broke.

"Too many politicians have failed to tell the truth about our financial crisis," he said. "The facts are clear: Wisconsin is broke and it's time to start paying our bills today so our kids are not stuck with even bigger bills tomorrow."

The governor has repeated the message time and again, from his Inauguration Day speech to a "fireside chat" to discuss his proposal to limit collective bargaining for most public employees. It is usually followed by calls for budget cuts.

Trouble is, many experts say Wisconsin isn't really broke.

"That is not correct," said Andrew Reschovsky, a professor of public affairs and applied economics at UW-Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs. "Wisconsin has a range of options other than cutting spending."

There are a number of ways to judge whether a state's finances are in order.

Economists often look at a state's pension funds, and whether they have more liabilities to be paid than money saved. They also typically look at the imbalance between the money coming in and money going out in any given budget, known as the structural deficit.

Pension outlook good

When it comes to its pension system, Wisconsin is far from broke. Current assets in the Wisconsin Retirement System total about $80 billion, expected to cover its obligations promised to current workers and retirees, making Wisconsin's retirement system one of the largest and most solvent pension funds in the country.

"Wisconsin gets a gold star," Reschovsky said. "We have a strong pension system."

The state is in especially good shape compared to our southern neighbor, Illinois, which has one of the worst pension shortfalls in the United States.

Another common measure of a state's bottom line is how much of its budget is already spoken for because of commitments made in prior budgets, the structural deficit.

Before Walker introduced his budget, the state faced a $3.6 billion deficit for the two years ending July 2013. That's close to 13 percent of its budget, putting it in the middle of states nationally, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Eye of beholder

Even so, Wisconsin hasn't been bouncing checks or defaulting on loans.

"Wisconsin is Republican broke, but it's not broke," said Mordecai Lee, a UW-Milwaukee political science professor and former Democratic state lawmaker. "Broke suggests near bankruptcy."

Using the word "broke" helps Walker frame the debate around his controversial budget plans on his terms, Lee said, suggesting spending cuts are the only option and any tax increases are out of the question.

He cited Walker's business tax cut laws, passed during a special session on the economy, as an example. The legislation could end up costing the state about $116 million in the next budget.

"We weren't too broke to do tax breaks for corporations," Lee said.

Walker makes no apologies for using the term. "I've never said we stand alone," he said. "But if you have a budget deficit, you're broke."

Walker said he is not only concerned about balancing the upcoming budget but is thinking in terms of balancing the one after that.

Other budget options

Most agree this is not going to be an easy budget, especially without the option of tax increases. Walker's proposal includes $1 billion in cuts to education in addition to Medicaid cuts and less money going to counties and municipalities.

Walker and Republican leaders have said the law to dramatically limit collective bargaining for public workers, currently on hold because of a legal challenge, would help local governments make up for cuts in state aid by raising pension and health care contributions on employees. Many of those municipalities say it won't be enough to cover the cuts.

Of course, there are other options. Other governors, Democrats and Republicans, have raised taxes and fees, raided money from segregated funds such as the transportation fund, or used one-time sources of revenue to balance the budget.

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said he supports targeted tax relief tied to job creation. But he said proposed tax breaks could create tax loopholes for large corporations.

For example, changes to a current state law requiring large, multistate companies that do business in Wisconsin to be considered one company for tax purposes, a policy known as combined reporting, could mean millions of dollars less in tax revenues, Barca said, at the cost of key programs such as education.

"Education is your seed corn," he said.

He added Democrats faced a much larger deficit, about $6 billion, two years ago and addressed it while protecting things such as education and health care.

'Acting broke'

But to do that, Republicans say, Democrats and then-Gov. Jim Doyle used short-term fixes, causing the problem to reappear this year.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in recent years, budgets have been patched together by multiple "budget repair" bills, numerous fund raids and federal money to mask the continuous deficit. And he pointed to a November 2009 Pew Center report that named Wisconsin one of the top 10 states "in fiscal peril."

This budget will end those money tricks and create greater financial stability, he said.

"Do we have a responsibility to put in place an honest and legitimate budget? Yeah," Fitzgerald said.

He added the state has other obligations that need to be taken into account, including $1.6 billion in unemployment insurance money owed to the federal government.

But are we broke?

Maybe not. But when he looks at the increasingly desperate measures governors and lawmakers have taken to get from one budget to the next, Fitzgerald said, "we've been acting broke."

RECENT POSTS:
--Privatized Fascism
--Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeea! Not Happening
--Two-Fer
--I'll Take Twelve
--This May Be Worth A Closer Look
--The Reason The Debt Ceiling Debate Is Political No...
--The End Of The Birthers
--Fighting Fat?
--I May Need To Take Some Pot-Graduate Courses. I me...
--We Should Go Back And Finish The Job
--Cowards Of The Country
--If You're A Conservative Budgeteer....
--High Art
--Wisconsin Is Broke! Broke, I Say!
--The Other Uncle
--Coming To A Theater Near You
--War's A-Coming
--Romneycare Is On The March
--Boener Must Read My Blog
--*Rubbing Hands With Glee*
--The Zen Way To Publishing Success
--An Illustrative Example
--At What Price?
--I Wish Matt Taibbi Would Be A Little Less Shy

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Fight Aging (lifestyle and culture, health)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Fight Aging, by Reason

WEB ADDRESS: http://www.fightaging.org/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: We are on the verge of a revolution in medicine: understanding, treating, and ultimately preventing the causes of degenerative aging. But medical revolutions only happen if we all stand up in support of funding and research. We did it for cancer. We're doing it for Alzheimer's. We can do it for aging - and create an era of longer, healthier lives!

MY REVIEW: People are so afraid of aging...that this blog should be very popular. Of course, it doesn't matter how old you are - if you don't have your health, you don't have anything.

So check out this blog, you'll find out ways to increase the quality and length of your life.

Sample post:

Even at older ages, exercise is a still very important - as demonstrated by the degree to which it influences ongoing health in later stages of life, just as it does in earlier stages in life. "It is not sufficient simply to live longer. One of the current priorities for public health is to how to maintain good quality of life for longer. This has given rise to the concept of 'successful aging' generating a turning point in our thinking about aging, which is no longer seen as an inevitable decline. ... Physical activity has a pleiotropic effect and is a significant factor in successful aging. This study aims to quantify the relationship between the physical activity of a 65-year-old cohort and the level of life satisfaction and self-rated health 7 years later. A total of 988 questionnaires were sent by mail to a representative sample of healthy pensioners. Life satisfaction and health status were estimated on two visual analogical scales in answer to the following questions: (1) How would you estimate your state of health? and (2) Are you generally satisfied with your life? The level of physical activity was estimated using a questionnaire which enabled us to calculate: Daily energy expenditure (DEE) [and] VO2 peak. ... Energy spent in activity and VO2 peak estimated from DEE, measured at the age of 65, appear to be strong predictors of well-being 7 years later.

RECENT POSTS:
--Klotho in Humans
--Never Too Late to Exercise: the PROOF Study
--An Introduction to Targeting Cancer Stem Cells for Destruction
--Reversing B Cell Aging
--Alcor's Latest Cryopreservation
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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Insomnia Land (health, insomnia)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Insomnia Land, by Martin Reed

WEB ADDRESS: www.insomnialand.com/blog

BLOG DESCRIPTION: A regularly updated blog featuring news, information, support and advice for insomnia sufferers.

MY REVIEW: A lot of people suffer from insomnia in silence - they don't realize there is anything they can do about. This blog highlights the causes of insomnia and the possible solutions.

Highly recommended.

Sample post
An excerpt:

New guidelines for insomnia treatment
The British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) recently released new guidelines for sleep disorders. These guidelines are intended to act as a comprehensive guide for health professionals managing patients in primary or secondary medical care.

...

Insomnia triggers
Typical factors that can trigger insomnia include stress, life changes, a new baby and shift work.

Causes of insomnia
These can include anxiety about sleep, bad sleep habits, problems with internal sleep regulating mechanisms, depression and diseases such as cancer or arthritis.

Insomnia cures
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is seen as just as effective as sleeping pills for short-term treatment of insomnia. CBT is also more likely to have a longer lasting effect than drug treatment. Unfortunately this type of treatment is not always easy to access.

Treatment with hypnotic drugs is recommended for only two to four weeks. Insomnia medication should only be taken when needed, rather than every night.

The long-term safety of hypnotic drugs remains uncertain.

Insomnia facts
Women are more likely to suffer from insomnia than men.
The older we get, the more likely we are to suffer from poor sleep.
6%-15% of adults in Western countries are thought to suffer from insomnia.
There doesn’t seem to be much that’s new to insomnia sufferers in these guidelines. However, it’s always good to see insomnia taken seriously and being given the respect it deserves.

RECENT POSTS:
--Coffee as an insomnia cure?
--Almost a quarter of adults with arthritis suffer from insomia
--Women who drink get less sleep than their male counterparts
--A noisy workplace may cause insomnia
--Relaxation drinks continue to pretend they'll cure your insomnia
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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

Retro Review: The 42 Bus (local travel, Washington DC)

REVIEWED BY: Ann Currie

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: The 42 Bus

WEB ADDRESS: http://the42bus.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Weekly updates and humorous posts on retail and restaurants openings, reviews, local news, and events listings along Metro's 42 bus route in Washington DC. Neighborhoods include Mount Pleasant, Adams Morgan, Dupont, Chinatown and Penn Quarter.

MY REVIEW: This is an informative blog well written about the goings on in this neighborhood in DC. The writer does a good job capturing the essence of the area. You feel like you are walking down the street or on the bus with him as he comments about the change of the name of long time business or gives you the information about a new yoga program.

The author is thorough and goes beyond just commentary, he adds details including the location, dates, times, links - all the local information you need to participate in the goings on. You learn that the local library is being temporarily relocated, where and why. A lot of work goes into keeping this current and getting these details and adding humor to it. A great blog, the area should be appreciative that someone cares. He posts almost every day.

RECENT ARTICLES:
- Real world restaurant
- Free yoga at Adams Morgan Studio
- Bestway becoming Bestworld(?)
- Parker Posey movie marathon at Asylum

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Ann Currie writes two blogs of her own:
My Life a Bit South of Normal
Silver Pieces: The Strange and Peculiar

Retro Review: True Blue LA (Los Angeles Dodgers

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes, with reservations

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: True Blue LA

WEB ADDRESS: http://truebluela.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: True Blue is a blog for fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Featuring Dodgers baseball news, updates and top stories, True Blue highlights all the news about the Dodgers team.

MY REVIEW: There is such a wealth of information given by True Blue LA to your Kindle, that at a cost of 99 cents a month to have it delivered, it's not a bad deal, especially if you're a true blue LA Dodgers fan.

Unfortunately, like most of the SportsBlog Nation blogs, many of the features available on the website aren't available on the Kindle. There are videos, audio, lots and lots of photos, and probably even game threads that you won't see unless you actually visit this blog web's page.

However, I frankly anticipate that once the season actually begins and the posts really start coming, they'll mostly be text-based, and Kindle users will be able to enjoy having the articles delivered directly to their Kindle.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Day of Departure: Dodgers leave for Taiwan, Nomar retires
-2010 Player Profiles - James Loney the Road Warrior
-Willie Davis slides into heaven
-Did the Dodgers leave enough infielders behind?
-Willie Davis found dead
-Starting pitchers for Taiwan series announced

Retro Review: Athletics Nation (Oakland As)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes, with reservations

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Athletics Nation

WEB ADDRESS: http://athleticnation.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: A weblog for fans of the Oakland A’s, Athletics Nation includes teams news and the latest statistics.

MY REVIEW: There is such a wealth of information fed by Athletics Nation to your Kindle, that at a cost of 99 cents a month to have it delivered, it's not a bad deal, especially if you're a diehard Oakland As fan.

Unfortunately, like most of the SportsBlog Nation blogs, many of the features available on the website aren't available on the Kindle. There aew videos, audio, lots and lots of photos, and probably even game threads that you won't see unless you actually visit this blog web's page.

However, I frankly anticipate that once the season actually begins and the posts really start coming, they'll mostly be text-based, and Kindle users will be able to enjoy having the articles delivered directly to their Kindle.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Chavez hits two HRs in A's loss
-Open thread: Game - 26 (Chicago White Sox at Oakland Athletics) (doesn't feed over)
-Adjusting Kevin Kouzmanoff's San Diego Numbers
-Sometimes you lose, sometimes you tie: Spring training game recap(s)
-Open thread: spring training A's vs Royals and Rangers

Retro Review: Twinkie Town (Minnesota Twins)

REVIEWED BY: Ms. Cairo

MY RECOMMENDATION: Yes, with reservations

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Twinkie Town

WEB ADDRESS: http://twinkietown.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: Twinkie Town is the blog for fans who are fanatical about the Minnesota Twins baseball. Containing Twins news, updates and top stories, Twinkie Town features the happenings of the Twins team.

MY REVIEW: There is such a wealth of information fed by Twinkie Town to your Kindle, that at a cost of 99 cents a month to have it delivered, it's not a bad deal, especially if you're a diehard Minnesota Twins fan.

Unfortunately, like most of the SportsBlog Nation blogs, many of the features available on the website aren't available on the Kindle. There aew videos, audio, lots and lots of photos, and probably even game threads that you won't see unless you actually visit this blog web's page.

However, I frankly anticipate that once the season actually begins and the posts really start coming, they'll mostly be text-based, and Kindle users will be able to enjoy having the articles delivered directly to their Kindle.

RECENT ARTICLES:
-Torii Hunter: Black Latin Players "Impostors"
-Window of Opportunity (Joe Nathan out)
-Twins sign Brad Hennessy
-Twins interested in RHP Jason Frasor
-Twinkie Town a Top 10 Twin's Blog
-Twins 7, Cardinals 6

Peace of My Heart (grief counselling)

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: Kinda Sorta

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: Peace of my Heart, by Kim Eckels

WEB ADDRESS: http://peaceofmyheart-kristen.blogspot.com/

BLOG DESCRIPTION: One mom's journey from burying a piece of her heart with her infant daughter to finding the true peace of her heart with her Savior.

MY REVIEW: This blog hasn't been updated since March 8, 2011. However, the author has never updated this blog very much - averaging 35 posts a year. So she may continue on with it.

The blog deals with grief and the loss of a child, from a Christian perspective. If you're a Christian, it's worth checking out, either on the web or subscribing for the 2 week free subscription to read it before unsubscribing!

Sample post

A delicate balance Posted by Kim @ Peace of my Heart on Tuesday, March 08, 2011 |

There is just so much sorrow in the missing. It's the missing that makes my heart ache. I miss her tiny voice, her wiggles, her legs that always seemed to be in motion, her sweet smile (with an occasional hint of an ornery grin). I miss her fuzzy little head, that beautiful baby scent, the feel of her snuggled into my arms. I miss her eyes, those amazing eyes. I just miss her. The sad irony is that I not only miss all of these things that were wrapped up into three months, I miss the things I didn't get to experience with Kristen. Perhaps even more than I miss what I had, I ache for what will never be.

As much sadness as there is in the missing, however, there is even more hope in the knowing! What sustains me is the knowing that none of what happened to our family is a surprise to God. He is God and I'm not. He knows what He's doing! I take comfort in the knowing that Kristen left our arms for the eternal safety of His. She's perfect and in His presence! There is hope in the knowing that our heavenly Father will make all of this right one glorious day!

In the here and now, the missing tends to get in the way of remembering the knowing. The waves that wash over me sometimes crash so loudly against the shore that I can barely hear His voice. I know, however, that it's there. He's there. The knowing is never gone. I suppose the missing and the knowing, like the sorrow and the joy, will always be part of a delicate balancing act. For the times when I lose that balance, I am so thankful for the Almighty who is always there to catch me.

RECENT POSTS:
--A delicate balance
--God met me in Tennessee
--Dying to self
--Tightly in His grasp
--Through another's eyes

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Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report

EReader App News (aka Kindle Application (Games) News!

REVIEWED BY: Marguerite Zelle

MY RECOMMENDATION: YES

AMAZON SUBSCRIPTION LINK: N/A

WEB ADDRESS: ereaderappnews.com

BLOG DESCRIPTION: This blog is rather unique in that we only focus on the new Active Content market for the Kindle. Amazon does not make it very easy for Kindle owners to find new apps and games so we attempt to solve that problem. We do announcements for all the new apps that are launched and feature a directory of all the Active Content on the Kindle Store.

MY REVIEW: This is an excellent blog for those individuals who want to be able to do more with their Kindle than just read books. It's an excellent resource - one that you'd think that Amazon would provide, but as their blog description points out, Kindle doesn't seem to be too interested in promoting games - or blogs - for that matter.

There's a lot of stuff out there for your Kindle - this blog will help you find it.

RECENT POSTS:
--Weekend Top 10
--New Free Game from Amazon
--CodeWord Released from Oak Systems Leisure Software
--Second Reversi Title Released by Blue Fang
--Mobigloo Releases Reversi Deluxe



_______________
Reviews published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
_______________________
Check out the following blogs:
Seaborn: Oceanography Blog
Star Trek Report: Space Sciences
Volcano Seven: Treasure and Treasure Hunters
Rush Limbaugh Report