Mar 27, 2010

Slowly, silently, now the moon; Walks the night in her silver shoon/Walter de la Mare


I saw a ring around the moon like this one March 23 from my home in Madison. When my video of it didn't turn out, I found this wonderful photo at the website of KTKA 49 ABC which shows how ice crystals create the ring. The picture was submitted by Pete Haack.

Mar 19, 2010

Consumer Reports Cars Blog: Personal Picks

Consumer Reports
After clicking into the report and reading about sports cars scroll down past the next article on GPS devices and you will find advice on more practical car picks.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, Brando, Gershwin...


More classic photographs from the Library of Congress--the Carl Van Vechten collection. Carl was an Iowa boy who grew up to work for the Chicago American and the New York Times. His circle of friends included writers, actors, and other famous people he recorded with a 35 mm Leica.

As universities tighten ethics policies, drug firms turn to private physicians to promote products

JSOnline

Tech: Moving toward full-fledged Internet on your TV

Tech: Moving toward full-fledged Internet on your TV

Mar 16, 2010

CDC And Celebrity Cruises Can't Figure Out Why Passengers Keep Getting Sick

consumerist.com

Lombard Subway accused of serving bacteria-tainted sandwich

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
I was hospitalized with Shigella five years ago and health officials suspected a food handler who traveled back and forth to Mexico. In the U.S., it is estimated that about 700 persons die yearly from shigellosis. Young children and the elderly are at greatest risk of death from a Shigella infection. At least fifty-two people got sick during a Madison outbreak in 2008. Approximately 300 to 400 cases are reported in Wisconsin each year.

It is my opinion that when we allow easy access to illegal aliens we risk coming down with the unchecked illnesses of their countries.

Here is an informative article on Shigella prevention.

Mar 12, 2010

Beautiful 100-year-old photos of Ireland


Library of Congress mint condition photochrom photos

Mar 9, 2010

Solar Industry Learns Lessons in Spanish Sun

NYTimes.com
When I was a TV consumer reporter in the early 1980s in Northeast Wisconsin, I did story after story about questionable companies selling passive solar energy panels and wind turbines to homeowners. Many of the products I saw didn't work very well or broke down. Government was giving tax breaks to promote alternative energy.
I also won a major Texas journalism award exposing the city of Dallas' inept administration of a program to help poor people hire minority contractors to do home weatherization. These things sound great but they often don't work out for consumers.

Mar 6, 2010

Mar 4, 2010

Take-a-break-video: Norwegian Dancers at Stoughton are strong!

Cheapest long distance?

WalletPop

Tenant awarded money in Janesville landslide lawsuit

Janesville Gazette
Remember the video I did with the Archibald Consumer Law Office in Madison which represents consumers for free? This is one of its cases.

2009 WI consumer complaints to Federal Trade Commission total 17,528

2,777 Identity Theft Complaints

Other top compaints
1 Credit Card Fraud 511 18%
2 Phone or Utilities Fraud 401 14%
3 Government Documents or Benefits Fraud 369 13%
4 Employment-Related Fraud 310 11%
5 Bank Fraud 255 9%
6 Loan Fraud 107 4%

Missouri Continues Crackdown on Auto Warranty Telemarketers

consumeraffairs.com