ckoplien@todaystmj4.com

twitter.com/craigkoplien

1. Why didn't the elephant who fell in the moat at the zoo just flap its ears and fly out?

2. I'm having a great time helping coach my 5th grade daughter's basketball team.  I helped with my 8th grade daughter's softball team last summer.  Sometimes I think I should have gone into teaching/coaching full-time.

3. NFL pre-season results never mean anything, but they've never not meant anything more than they didn't mean anything this season. That is, I'm rescinding my prediction that the Packers will make the Super Bowl.

4. I couldn't be more stunned that the school referendum where I live didn't pass. It's a sad, sad day.

5. Michael Redd of the Bucks is hurt already.  Again.  Brother.

6. The UW Badger football team looks like it might be just good enough to make it to a good bowl game, but not good enough to win the conference, or make it to a great bowl.

7. This is not meant to criticize...I'm really wondering:  Why has it been so difficult to manufacture and distribute the swine flu vaccine.  I mean, health officials made a huge deal about this last winter...so why wasn't it possible to make and distribute barrels of that stuff all summer long.  I'm just wondering.

8. After 20 years as a broadcast meteorologist, I still haven't figured out why when I say "there is a chance of scattered showers" people don't hear the words "chance" and "scattered".

9. A new study shows that health care costs in southeastern Wisconsin are higher than both the Midwest and National averages.  Why does it have to be that way?  Are we sicker?  More difficult to treat?

10. While I am rooting for the Phillies in the World Series (I always root against the Yankees), I was proud of my 11 year old when she told me she was rooting against the Phils because they knocked the Brewers of the playoffs last season. 

11. Have you seen these little bleacher seats?

12. I always thought they were a little girl-y...and that real men were suppose to just tough it out and sit directly on hard, uncomfortable bleachers.  But I have to tell you, these things are nice...and are way easier than bleachers on yours truly's bad back.

13. How do I know when to buy a new furnace?  The one I have still works, but it's 25 years old.  Do I wait until it completely dies...or do I replace it now because new ones are so much more efficient?

14. I'm going on my first cruise pretty soon.  Everyone says I'm going to like.  I am going to like it, right?

15. Which one of my classmates thought it would be a good idea to wear these top hats to our Junior Prom at Pewaukee High School in 1985?

That's me, 2nd from the left.