Planet watching

Not our planet. For an hour or so tonight we waited for clouds to part and the sun to peek through and then dashed over to our friend's telescope to see a small black spot on a bright white circle. Cameras clicked, voices confirmed that we were seeing what we should be seeing: our neighbor in the solar system circling the sun. We marveled at this dot and for me anyway, I forgot about what is going on here on earth. Our kids mixed in with their friend and made new friends under an oak tree where they created a house of sticks, fit for a king squirrel. Even the lake, known for its green glow and distinct fragrance, spread out below us looking crystal clear from the hill. The actual celestial phenomena, the transit of Venus, has happened before in my lifetime. I don't remember it at all. Maybe there were clouds, or maybe we were just too busy, our one summer when both Ryan and I worked in a hospital. But this one I will remember. And whether it is the story of how the transit of Venus helped scientists of long ago understand the bigger world in which we live or if my memories are of the kids gathering sticks and running up and down the hill, this one I will remember. Just a mile away people were gathering to see if history would be made in a recall election of our state's Governor. That didn't happen. And as much as this defeat crushes the work and hopes of many of us, the planet watching helps. Not our planet, just for a moment. But who knows? Maybe there used to be people just like us on Venus watching the night sky until greed and comfort decimated their planet.

WI needs balance -- take a look at MN

This came from a friend in MN...glad to know our neighbors are thinking of us in the upcoming election on Tues! With permission, I'm posting it on my blog: Minnesota leaves Walker’s Wisconsin in the dust Since January 2011 Wisconsin has had a one-sided state government under Scott Walker. At the same time, Minnesota has operated with a balanced government: a Democratic governor and a Republican legislature. Through April 2012, Wisconsin lost 12,800 jobs while Minnesota gained 38,800 jobs, and while Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped to 6.7 percent, Minnesota’s unemployment rate is down to 5.6 percent. Over the past year and a half, Minnesota took pragmatic positions on a number of policy issues, while Walker passed short-sighted laws that weaken Wisconsin's educational system and threaten the well being of its environment. An educated workforce is key to strong economic growth, and Wisconsin’s fishing, hunting and tourism industry, and its general quality of life depend on sound environmental policy. If Walker stays in office, education will suffer, and air and water quality will deteriorate. Electing Tom Barrett on June 5 will bring balance back to Wisconsin. Barrett has a solid record on economic development, education, crime, and protecting the environment. No more playing catch up to Minnesota.