The Kow Pasture

A Leader

2011-11-22T21:03:00.003-06:00

I'd prefer a leader who has lived and made mistakes, than one who has tried nothing, yet professes knowledge. We expect so much of our leaders that we don't expect of our neighbors and our friends.

October Ball

2009-10-17T22:30:00.002-05:00

My first memories of October baseball involves the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals playing in the snow. That was 1982. The memory is just an image of an image on a TV.

Between 1982 and 1986 I have a memory of the Phillies, and my beloved Pete Rose, playing in October. My family was in LaCrosse, Wisconsin due to a Right to Life get together my mom was involved in. I distinctly remember watching the TV to see how Pete was doing but also playing Zaxxon in the game room by the pool.

1986 blew it all up. The Mets made the Fall Classic to play the Red Sox. Dwight Gooden captured my worship that summer, part baseball card induced, and part pure admiration for strikeout totals and the fact he was on THE winning team. That team is well documented, but for a 12 year old in Wisconsin, they were IT. God Bless Bill Buckner.

Somewhere in 1991 my dad was doing work for somebody in Minneapolis who had Twins tickets. Somehow we bought those tickets when the World Series came to the Twins home. I witnessed game 1 that year and better, Game 6, with the fervor of fans losing their voice and stomping their feet to make IT happen. Kirby did it all in Game 6, a huge catch in one inning and a historical blast in the bottom of an extra inning. God Rest Kirby Puckett.

But the one I wasn't at, but know where I was is the Kirk Gibson home run. The story is well known because he couldn't walk. But he hit a winner. Joe said "I can't belive what I just saw" and we all agreed.

Me, well I was to be in my room that night. I said a bad word. My mom sent me to bed, but not before the first and only time she put soap in my mouth. (None of my bros ever got that treatment.) I deserved it. But I still snuck out of my room to watch that game on the little 12 inch TV in the kitchen. That's where I saw Gibson whack that ball.

And that's forever where I'l be when I see that highlight. That kitchen. That TV. And me disobeying Mom. First time in my life. I swear.

The Day

2009-07-29T13:00:00.002-05:00

The Day the oldest sees, and understands, that I am not the hero, or the one who can fix all, that's a day I don't look forwad to.

But, maybe it won't come. I'm unsure those visions of my own dad, changed but similar in principle, are gone.

Just maybe.......

The Goldfish

2009-07-06T11:49:00.002-05:00

The two year old requested I 'nuggle' him before bed, as is usual. Laying next to him I asked how his day is, and what he liked about it. He usually responds to actual events that took place, and sometimes replies about events that maybe took place only in his active mind. These are some of the best conversations of the day.

This night he asked 'where is my goldfish'. In actual terms, his goldfish, Blue, had recently been sent down the toilet. Blue was a blue 'gold' fish, boughten by Grammy for Easter. Blue had somehow made it to July 1 despite going some days without food, and surviving one incident of being left on the bedside table, out of his bowl, after the 2 year old was 'playing' with him. By my standards, Blue had outlived the life of a goldfish.

So as the two year old asked 'where is my goldfish', I replied in good daddy fashion that 'blue went to swim in the big lake.' Two year old insisted that was wrong, with a 'no'. I reitereated that sometimes goldfish had to swim in the big lake, and Blue's time had come.

Two year old protested more "No. Goldfish are for eating." as he held up his left hand index finger, pushing it toward me to ensure I got the point.

This argument really put me in a corner because I didn't know how to tell him you didn't want to eat blue or any gold fish. (Nor would I tell him of the time I drank 13 in one night, another story.) So I kept selling the big lake story. He kept insisting on the eating of golfish, with the index finger out.

All of a sudden it became clear to me that it wasn't Blue for whom he was searching, but his goldfish crackers. He still wanted his bedtime snack. Indeed goldfish are for eating. So he got to get out of bed and eat some more snack. Dad got a lesson in not inferring meaning.

And as for Blue, you're our fish Blue. Enjoy the big lake.

Start the Race

2009-05-22T17:24:00.002-05:00

It's the Friday before Memorial Day, a long weekend that, this year, brings us the Indy 500, interleague baseball, political divide and in my neck of the woods, blue sky.

Currently my terrier and my labrador share space on the red deck overlooking the back bays of the Wisconsin river. The terrerier's stationary manner has me concerned she's sick because a varmin hunter of her class doesn't let much keep her down. An eye will be kept on her.

A Landshark, summer beer of choice, sits on the table in front of me as I wait for my wife to arrive home with our kids. Dinner tonight will be fish at grandma and grandpas and maybe the maiden pontoon ride of the year.

This Friday is ending easy, hopefully a sign for the weekend.

Remember those we should on Memorial Day. Look at that flag just a little longer this weekend. Folks died so you could.

A May Day

2009-05-20T16:18:00.002-05:00

The sun hammered Lake Michigan this morning just around 5am catapulting light into my 18th floor room at the Hilton in downtown Milwaukee. I always ask for a 'high, east facing' room when checking in to this beautiful hotel. Priceline yields me deals that defy reason.

I've always liked mornings, early at that. Watching the sun rise is better for me than watching it set. And to watch it happen over Lake Michigan is an added wonder to each day's spectacular beginning.

The sun rises I actually get to watch don't number very high. When I do see it, I'm usually in the woods or driving down a highway. The woods offer a front row seat to nature waking up from it's slumber, with squirrels often being the ones starting the racket. Those minutes are some of the best in the woods.

----

I can't shake from my mind's eye the walk I took down State Street on Monday evening. Passing an ice cream shop, a man stepped in front of and beyond me before turning to his wife, who held a dog leash with dog attached to her hand, for money. One step further stood the homeless man, holding and shaking a cup in his hand, singing and asking me for money. Maybe she gave the money to the cup instead of the husband. I just kept walking.

The Boot

2008-12-30T21:19:00.003-06:00

That's a boot on the left and we're kicking 2008 out the door. Happy New Year!

Sign 'O the Times

2008-11-21T10:33:00.002-06:00

Email to me from friend Steve: "Priest in my kitchen, odd to find him drinking SoCo on the rocks at 4pm."

Next email to me from friend Steve: "CNBC is saying the world is going to end."

Email from me back to friend Steve: "Well you and the priest should just keep drinking then."

Something for the Weekend

2008-11-14T21:51:00.003-06:00

Brian Wilson did more than lay in bed. It's been a rough world. Maybe you, maybe your neighbor, maybe the one next to you in line. A little Love and Mercy never hurts. Just go with it. It is the weekend.

Love and Mercy - Brian Wilson

I was sittin' in a crummy movie with my hands on my chin
Oh the violence that occurs seems like we never win

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was lyin' in my room and the news came on T.V.
A lotta people out there hurtin' and it really scares me

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was standin' in a bar and watchin' all the people there
Oh the lonliness in this world well it's just not fair

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
Love and mercy tonight

Love and mercy

This Hard Land

2008-10-10T07:58:00.002-05:00

Hey there mister can you tell me
what happened to the seeds I've sown?
Can you give me a reason why they've never grown?

Bruce Springsteen -This Hard Land-

This morning the financial world stands more upside down than at any other time in modern history. Few of us breathing have witnessed the types of decline, lack of faith and fear that we are currently witnessing. The effects of frozen credit and market declines will be felt for a very long time.

Tell you something you don't know, right?

How about this, the market is pricing in the Obama Presidency and a Pelosi run Congress.

We'll see this six month down the road. When the planning and policy starts chugging down the tracks.

It's high time to get some of that old time religion and some good populists politics too.

Meanwhile, it's the weekend and that means family, football games, October baseball, drinking with friends, dancing to music, church going and all the things that make us Americans. Enjoy them all.

The Boss sums it up below on why we'll get better.

My father said

"Son, we're lucky in this town,

It's a beautiful place to be born.

It just wraps its arms around you, Nobody crowds you

and nobody goes it alone

You know that flag flying over the courthouse

Means certain things are set in stone

Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't"

Bruce Springsteen - A Long Walk Home

Wake Up Green Day

2008-09-30T21:56:00.001-05:00

It's October 1 tomorrow.

September will end.

Green Day can wake up.

Sorry, haven't posted for a while. Had to post something smarty pants like. They wanted to be awoken when September ended.

Here's their notice.

I'll be better in the future. Allow me this.

Hi Everyone.

Get Down River

2008-06-17T21:34:00.003-05:00

There's some good river songs. Rivers and water have contributed a lot to the American songbook. Not so much themselves, but the inspiration they give writers.

Two of my absolute favorite river songs are "Get Down River" by the Bottlerockets and "St. Genevieve" by Son Volt.

The Bottlerockets simply plead with the river to get down and not flood their town.

St. Genevieve holds a little more for me.

Sometime in 1997 or so my brother and I were driving south to Memphis to catch Todd Snider's "Sort of Annual" Folk Festival, and hopefully some golf. The weather maps showed a stalled front right near Memphis leaving the golf to question. Some urging by me got the trip going, despite weather fears, and south we went.

We left Madison in the early morning, south bound with new road before us. We simply drove. I don't remember what we talked about, if one of us slept, or exactly how time passed. I do know somewhere south of St. Louis my brother declared the brakes seemed shaky as we traveled down the Interstate. Soon the brakes weren't working much at all.

Despite time being of the essence, we pulled off to a welcoming exit sign, introducing us to St. Genevieve. We made our way off the interstate, over the hills surrounding river country and into St. Genevieve.

This was a Saturday. We quickly figured out that Noon in St. Genevieve meant what it once did. Service wasn't something you found easily. Our first stop at a shop found no help. Deeper into town we drove, and spotted, what in my mind remains, a brick garage with gas pumps out front. There were folks inside. We asked, they answered that yes they were willing to take a look. Nice to get hometown service.

Their look revealed a broken brake line, which leaked brake fluid, which caused our brakes not to work. If we were lucky, the supply store located near the Interstate might still be open, and might have the part.

They were open, they had the part. We were lucky.

While we waited, a short walking tour revealed a town tucked along the river that was historic in look, but welcoming. It probably suffered from what most small towns down the river's route (and in middle America) did; a Wal-mart out along the Interstate, a population rooted in industry of the past, and a town which would exist simply because it had before, thus tourism would be the new driver.

Some patience, a cold 12 pack, and a some helpful mechanics fixed our problem that afternoon in St. Genevieve.

We got on our way. We were welcome, appreciative and on our way to Memphis.

That night I saw music for the first time. Not that I hadn't been to concerts. But we saw Hal Ketchum and his guitar and a couple friends sing in a circle from just a few rows back. Then Don Schlitz did his 'hits' like 'The Gambler' and 'When You Say Nothing At All' and 'Nitty Gritty Dirt Band' did their music in a folky manner. We were certainly walking in Memphis down on Beale after the show. All hosted by Todd Snider. "May the Circle Be Unbroken" means something in Memphis we saw that. We even met Moondawg.

I hope St. Genevieve is still holding back the water. Upriver mother nature had her way. The Old Man is roaring this summer, and lots that feed into him. Some things don't change I guess.

The Lewis and Clark Connection
"Set out this morning before sunrise, at 3/4 of a mile passed the mouth of a Small Creek Called Gabia, at the mouth of this Creek is the landing place for the Trading Boats of Ste. Genevieve…” William Clark made entries referring to Ste. Genevieve on November 28th and December 4th, 1803, both prior to and after the Corps of Discovery’s stay across the Mississippi at Kaskaskia.

Clark noted that Ste. Genevieve was also known as "Misar" (Miserre, French for Misery) probably because of the difficult times the early inhabitants faced including the flood of 1785 that forced the relocation of the entire town to its present location on higher ground. He also noted that he was informed that Ste. Genevieve was inhabited by about 120 families, principally French.

About Son Volt's song:

Definitely a song about moving on in life but it is related to a specific event: the Mississippi floods of 1993 and the town of St. Genevieve, MO. It's a small town about 50 miles south of St. Louis, right on the Mississippi River. It was originally settled around 1735, making it one of the oldest European settlements west of the Mississippi. During the massive flood in the summer of 1993, the town's historic district was threatened, and people came from miles around to help build an enormous stone, earth, and sandbag levee to "hold back the water." It was a close call, but they ended up being successful, at least in the downtown area. The story got quite a bit of national attention at the time, Jay Farrar said he heard about it on CNN.

Fishing

2008-05-07T22:23:00.003-05:00

May is usually ripe for crappies. The backwaters of the Wisconsin river have proven this true to me for the last 25 years or so. For my dad it is the same waters for the same number of years, plus the waters of the Black River and Jim Falls for the 35years prior to that.

Last night we went out with our friend Steve, to the spot that has yielded boats full of crappies during many May nights. This particular night was cool, with wind, and an occasional rain shower that turned more permanent as the clouds turned more gray with impending darkness.

Finding the Brewers on the radio, a necessary requirement of fishing, was a bit more difficult due to a poor business decision by our local affiliate usually carrying the games each year. So we had to find a station a few zip codes away, which we eventually accomplished. Unfortunately the Brewers made a lefty named Olsen look like the Cy Young.

I'm happy to report that $2 worth of minnows almost didn't last. In fact they went quicker than the beers we brought with in case the fishing was slow. Those beers probably lasted only because often times the crappies were caught two at a time. There is indeed an inverse relationship between beers drank and minnows used.

Laughing was plentiful. Appreciation was high. Filets are in the fridge.

Terrier Ears

2008-04-25T22:58:00.003-05:00

If you've got a Terrier, play the song "From a Rooftop" by Todd Snider and watch the ears of your hound. It's a cute view.

If you don't have a Terrier, liston to "From a Rooftop" by Todd Snider and hear something pretty cool.

Either way you will be entertained.

I Have an Idea for Wiretaps

2008-04-10T21:13:00.004-05:00

Daniel Henninger of the Wall Street Journal gets my attention every Thursday. He writes in a clarity and certainty that is rare in today's world. It's not of the crap you see on Fox News or CNN and some woman or man yelling, or trying to look smart. It is smart. He's eloquent and clear. He's also usually correct.

Today he wrote about the wonderful spectacle of the Senate Hearing with General Petreaus this week. He also recapped the chilling words of would be London based airplane bombers currently being tried in England.

For some people, we need to pretend terrorists exist, because they think they are made up, in the same manner they think 9/11 was made up. I can't get there.

So if you're pretending, I've pasted Henninger's text below, and he's quoted the would be terrorists...he notes, and you have to admit, it's a pretty good imagination to think just how simple they make these guys sound....Crazy ain't it.

Anyways, the US can solve the wiretap issue...let's make the stuff people are worried about being taped talking about...drugs, gambling, prostitution....$5 misdemeanors or plain legal. That way those passing the laws won't feel compelled to protect themselves with other excuses. Really, that leaves the stuff people should get caught doing available to get caught in the net.

Seriously, let's make terror the thing worth catching. And the rest of the stuff, just stuff. I think we'd get further.

The Airline Bomb Plot
April 10, 2008; Page A14
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain brought their presidential campaigns to the Petraeus-Crocker hearings on Iraq this week. An Iraq-based reporter appearing on one of the cable networks in the evening said the hearings struck him as oddly decoupled from the daily reality of war for the Iraqi people and U.S. troops there. Yup, never hurts to pinch yourself hard on entering presidential campaign space right now.

The three candidates addressed Gen. David Petraeus in tones of high gravitas equal to the thin altitude of the American presidency. Sen. Obama colloquied with Gen. Petraeus about the status of al Qaeda in Iraq – asking whether the terrorist organization could "reconstitute itself" and said that he was looking for "an endpoint."

Here's another hypothetical: Would this conversation be different today if in August 2006 seven airliners had taken off from Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport, bound for the U.S. and Canada and each carrying about 250 passengers, and then blew up over the Atlantic Ocean?

It is a hypothetical because, instead of the explosions, British prosecutors this week presented their case against eight Muslim men arrested in August 2006 and charged with conspiring to board and blow up those planes.

The details emerging from that case are quite remarkable and will be summarized shortly. Pause to reflect on the ebb and flow of public debate that has occurred over how free societies should order themselves after two airliners full of passengers knocked down the World Trade Center Towers on Sept. 11 in 2001.

The view that 9/11 "changed everything" did not hold up under the weight of our politics. Divisions re-emerged between Democrats and Republicans, in office and on the streets. These fights reignited over the Patriot Act, Guantanamo and the warrantless wiretap bill (or "FISA" revision). These arguers stopped to stare momentarily at their televisions when Islamic terrorists committed mass murder in the 2004 Madrid train bombing and the 2005 London subway bombing.

One sometimes gets the feeling that our policy debates over national security and the journalism that travels with them float, as it were, at 30,000 feet above the reality of the threat on the ground. A novelist or filmmaker, alert to the personal demons that drive modern terror, would with fiction better clarify what is at stake. Start with the details of the eight defendants now on trial in England.

The names of the accused plotters, all men in their 20s, are Abdullah Ahmed Ali, Assad Sarwar, Tanvir Hussain, Mohammed Gulzar, Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Khan, Waheed Zaman and Umar Islam. They lived around London, in Walthamstow, Leyton, Plaistow and Barking. Most are Pakistanis.

Abdullah Ahmed Ali was caught on a wiretap telling his wife that he wished to bring his baby son along on the suicide mission. She resists. His suicide video, intended to become public after the planes blew up and shown at trial, promises "floods of martyr operations against you" and "your people's body parts decorating the streets."

Waheed Zaman studied biomedical science at London Metropolitan University. In his video Zaman says, "I have been educated to a high standard. I could have lived a life of ease but instead chose to fight for the sake of Allah's Deen [religion]."

Umar Islam mocks complacent Brits: "Most of you too busy, you know, watching Home and Away and EastEnders, complaining about the World Cup, drinking your alcohol." This would be fascinating as one nut's reason for murder. It is instead the basis for an ideology to justify blowing up thousands.

The prosecution said a computer memory stick on one of the men at his arrest listed the targeted flights. They were: United Airlines Flight 931 to San Francisco; UA959 to Chicago; UA925 to Washington; Air Canada 849 to Toronto; AC865 to Montreal; American Airlines 131 to New York and AA91 to Chicago. The first flight would depart at 2:15 p.m., the last at 4:50 p.m., allowing all to be aloft and out of U.S. or British airspace when they fell.

The private intelligence-analysis agency, Stratfor, concludes from the trial that "al Qaeda remains fixated on aircraft as targets and, in spite of changes in security procedures since 9/11, aircraft remain vulnerable to attack."

The men planned to take the bomb pieces onboard for assembly: empty plastic bottles, a sugary drink powder, hydrogen peroxide and other materials to be detonated with the flash on disposable cameras.

The arrests of the men, who say they are innocent, were the result of broad and prolonged surveillance. For months, the suspects were bugged, photographed and wiretapped.

Here in the U.S., our politics has spent much of the year unable to vote into law the wiretap bill, which is bogged down, incredibly, over giving retrospective legal immunity to telecom companies that helped the government monitor calls originating overseas. Even granting there are Fourth Amendment issues in play here, how is it that Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama cannot at least say that class-action lawsuits against these companies are simply wrong right now?

Philip Bobbitt, author of the just released and thought-provoking book, "Terror and Consent," has written that court warrants are "a useful standard for surveillance designed to prove guilt, not to learn the identity of people who may be planning atrocities." Planning atrocities is precisely the point.

"Atrocity" is a cruel and ugly word, but it has come to define the common parameters of the world we inhabit. It is entertaining to watch the candidates trying to convince the American people of their ability to be presidential. It would be more than nice to know, before one of them turns into a real president this November, what they will do – or more importantly, will never do – to stop what those eight jihadists sitting in the high-security Woolwich Crown Court in London planned for seven America-bound airliners over the Atlantic Ocean.

Write to henninger@wsj.com1

See all of today's editorials and op-eds, plus video commentary, on Opinion Journal2.

These Prison Walls

2008-02-29T21:22:00.002-06:00

Posting this for my own benefit for later. But since it's here, we should ask, are people becoming more criminally minded, or do our laws dictate more of us are criminals?

We've a lot of people in jail in this country, so we better answer that question.

U.S. locks up 1 in 100 adults

Nation leads world in incarceration, report shows
Associated Press, Journal Sentinel staff
Posted: Feb. 28, 2008

For the first time in United States history, more than 1 of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America's rank as the world's No. 1 incarcerator. It urges states to curtail corrections spending by placing fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.

Using state-by-state data, the report says 2,319,258 Americans were in jail or prison at the start of 2008, or 1 of every 99.1 adults. Whether per capita or in raw numbers, it's more than any other nation.

The report, which the Pew Center on the States released Thursday, says the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending.

Wisconsin is one of 14 states in which the inmate population decreased in 2007, according to the report. The number of people incarcerated in the state decreased last year by 3.2 %, or 741 inmates.

Wisconsin spent 6.7% of its general-fund dollars on corrections in 2007, just less than the national average, according to the report.

The state's inmate population as of Jan. 1 was 22,690, according to the report.

The report says the nation's steadily growing inmate population "is saddling cash-strapped states with soaring costs they can ill afford and failing to have a clear impact either on recidivism or overall crime."

Budget problems
Susan Urahn, managing director of the center, said budget problems were pressuring many states to consider cost-saving corrections policies that might have been shunned in the recent past for fear of appearing soft on crime.

"We're seeing more and more states being creative because of tight budgets," she said. "They want to be tough on crime. They want to be a law-and-order state. But they also want to save money, and they want to be effective."

The report cites Kansas and Texas as states that have acted decisively to slow the growth of their inmate populations. They are making greater use of community supervision for low-risk offenders and employing sanctions other than reimprisonment for offenders who commit technical violations of parole and probation rules.

The largest percentage increase in inmate population - 12% - was in Kentucky, where Gov. Steve Beshear highlighted the cost of corrections in his budget speech last month.

The report was compiled by the center's Public Safety Performance Project, which is working with 13 states on developing programs to divert offenders from prison without jeopardizing public safety. Wisconsin is not one of the 13.

"Getting tough on criminals has gotten tough on taxpayers," said the project's director, Adam Gelb.

According to the report, the average yearly cost per prisoner was $23,876, with Rhode Island spending the most ($44,860) and Louisiana the least ($13,009). California, which faces a $16 billion budget shortfall, spent $8.8 billion on corrections last year, and Texas, which has slightly more inmates, was a distant second, with spending of $3.3 billion.

On average, states spend 6.8% of their general fund dollars on corrections, the report says. Oregon had the highest spending rate, at 10.9%; Alabama had the lowest, at 2.6%.

'Sad facts'
Four states - Vermont, Michigan, Oregon and Connecticut - spend more on corrections than on higher education, the report says.

"These sad facts reflect a very distorted set of national priorities," U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, said of the report. "Perhaps if we adequately invested in our children and in education, kids who now grow up to be criminals could become productive workers and taxpayers."

The report says the U.S. incarcerates more people than any other nation, far ahead of more populous China, with 1.5 million people behind bars.

The U.S. also is the leader in inmates per capita (750 per 100,000 people), ahead of Russia (628 per 100,000).

Ryan Haggerty of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report from Milwaukee.

Which One is the Cartoon

2008-02-15T21:16:00.003-06:00

or

It's just too easy not to show.

Let's Pretend

2008-02-15T21:08:00.002-06:00

Let's pretend there's not an issue with race, political correctness, an ability to view comments as sexist, or any of that 'stuff'.

Let's pretend this is boxing...showmanship rules, and if you can get somebody to balk, well, you win for that second, round, etc.

While I'm convinced Vlady Putin has done more than his fair share to repress freedom and destory momentum that should work...this comment wins in the boxing ring, as he speaks about Hillary....

PUTIN RIPS HILLARY: 'At a minimum, a head of state should have a head'...

And the counterpunch will be??????????

Intepretation

2008-02-10T20:39:00.000-06:00

Wall Street Journal, February 9, 2008....More for my keeping than your reading...

Notable & Quotable
February 9, 2008; Page A9

From an Feb. 4 interview with Thomas Sowell in FrontPageMagazine.com on his new book, "Economic Facts and Fallacies":

Q: What's an example of a fallacy from your book?

A: One is the income gap between rich and poor. It's maddening to me to keep hearing how the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and so on. The fundamental difference is the difference between talking about abstract statistical categories and talking about flesh-and-blood human beings. Since the book came out, for example, there's been a study released by the Treasury Department based on income tax returns. There, they are talking about following the same human beings over a span of years, which is wholly different from following income brackets over a span of years, because in all the brackets more than half the people change in the course of a decade. So what happens to a bracket is an abstract question; what happens to the flesh-and-blood human beings is different.

For example, for the flesh-and-blood people who were in the bottom 20 percent of taxpayers in income in 1996, their average increase of income over the next decade was 91 percent -- so they almost doubled their incomes. Meanwhile, for the people in the top 1 percent -- presumably the rich who are getting richer -- their average income declined 26 percent. That's diametrically the opposite from what we're hearing from nearly every newspaper and practically every political platform.

But of course it's also true that if you look at the income tax brackets, the distance of the top bracket from the lowest bracket has increased. One reason is that the very lowest bracket is zero, so it can't go any lower. So as you pay people more and more money and as the economy grows and skills become more sophisticated, obviously the ratio from the top and the bottom is going to increase.

Breathe In, Breathe Out....Again

2007-12-13T08:53:00.000-06:00

The broadcast of the MNF football game went out for about 5 seconds on Monday night. For some reason my thoughts didn't consider a normal technical outage, but instead wondered what occurred at the game.

Going back to early September at the Green Bay Packers first regular season game, the stadium alarm system went out about 10 mintues before game time. We were told to evacuate. Many did without blinking. Others stood around unconcerned. While others yet, myself included, looked around, considering options.

I'm reminded of those two episodes after reading the below story.

Maybe we all need to breathe in, and breathe out. Or maybe we need to look for hope instead of fear. Maybe 2008 will give us some of that. You don't have to look far this Christmas season to find some hope...whether it be in yourself, to people close to you, or in the religion of your choice.

In the meantime...can we just use a little patience.

Conn. Teacher Calls Police Over Impromptu Karaoke
Teacher Barricades Herself Inside Classroom After Hearing 'Welcome To The Jungle'

ROXBURY, Conn. (AP) ― A scary threat to a teacher at a Roxbury school turned out to be nothing more than some bad singing.

State police say a teacher at Booth Free School barricaded herself in a classroom Wednesday when she mistook someone singing a Guns N' Roses song over the public address system for a threat.

Her 911 call brought in troopers and police dogs who detained three men until an investigation at the scene cleared up the misunderstanding.

Troopers discovered that the three teens, one of them a custodian at the school, had been playing with the public address system.

Police say one of them sang "Welcome to the Jungle" into the microphone. The song contains the lyrics "You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die."

Veteran's Day

2007-11-11T13:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday on the Sirius Channel "Outlaw Country", Fred Imus, brother of Don (but not comparable to) held his weekly radio show, adding a tribute to Veterans.

His sidekick (name escaping me here) read a little poem that included...

Our soldiers have never lost a war, our leaders have.

Thanks to all of our Veterans from every war that can still spread the truth freedom allows.

And thanks to the family of all who don't have a loved one next to them, or in their memories, because an act of courage in war took them away.

Let's all hold hope that we can elect people that understand what freedom means from an individual and nation's view, rather than a 'think tank' or corporate or twisted viewpoint of freedom.

Semper Fi.

Hilarious Hillary

2007-10-30T21:27:00.000-05:00

Just saw Hillary on the Democratic debate. She implored the 'men and women in uniform' need some respect and understanding, as a response to a question about AMT.

A couple months ago I ate lunch with some folks that served our military and country in ways that are only portrayed in movies.

I asked them about their opinion of Hillary. Their response:

When Bill was President, she required any military personnel visiting the White House to remove their uniform.

I'm quite sure she's not so concerned about those 'men and women in uniform'.

Carry on.

A Preconceived Notion

2007-10-22T20:39:00.000-05:00

Depending on your news sources, you may not be aware that Israel bombed some targets inside Syria earlier this month. Reports say that Israel believe the targets to be nuclear sites, or soon to be nuclear sites. Israel apparently sent their warplanes over Syrian airspace and took the sites out.

Little was said in the diplomatic community.

Big players said, and continue, to say very little.

ABC News has done a pretty good job of reporting the actions. Interestingly I found what I post below this weekend.

Question to the reader: If you're going to attack your enemy, wouldn't you want to know if they have a weakness in their defense?

Read This from ABC News about US participation in the bombings:

Clues, both good and unlikely, are found in Middle East press reports. At least one places some responsibility for the attacks success on the U.S.
After the strike, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Watan reported that U.S. jets provided aerial cover for Israeli strike aircraft during the attack on Syria. Similar statements of American involvement were made by Egyptian officials after the 1967 and 1973 wars with Israel.

More interesting is the newspaper's claim that "Russian experts are studying why the two state-of-the-art Russian-built radar systems in Syria did not detect the Israeli jets entering Syrian territory," it said. "Iran reportedly has asked the same question, since it is buying the same systems and might have paid for the Syrian acquisitions."

More interesting indeed. Especially when Dick Cheney is reported today to have said that he doesn't believe leaving Iran to the next Administration is a responsible action.

So you say Iran has the same air defense as the one Israel just violated.

Only question is, will we bomb Iran before or after Christmas?

Works For Those that Like Words

2007-09-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

I learned a little too late in life that there's some people who'd rather shake theri feathers to the back beat than get mixed up on the the words in the music.

Me, I like words and stories.

The end of this month has lots for word lovers...

1. Richard Russo's new book "The Bridge of Sighs" was released on September. (I'm only a few pages in.)

2. Steve Earle's new album "Washington Square Serenade" was released on September 25. (It's just ok.)

3. Bruce Springsteen's new album "Magic" is being released on October 2. And the E Street Band is touring with him this Fall. Go if you can. (Haven't heard the new one yet.)

All are available at the links above. And each of the above has a vast catalog for your investigation as well. One of the 3 has won a Pulitzer, and not for what he should have.

I Want to Be a Rock -n- Roller

2007-09-27T15:17:00.000-05:00

Not sure I could look as cool though....

Election Primer

2007-09-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

Alright, we're 14 months away.

Everybody start HERE.

It's Late September....

2007-09-21T11:42:00.000-05:00

Journal Sentinel did this better than I could. This baseball race stuff is crazy. And the leaves are just starting to get that Fall smell, and it just feels like it could be real. Brewers playing on an October afternoon? Come on boys, make it happen.

Fans feeling feverish
As autumn nears and the Brewers fight for the division title, a rare epidemic has come to town

By BILL GLAUBER
bglauber@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 20, 2007
Admit it: You're on edge.

Cranky.

Sleepless in Milwaukee.

Too many nights spent in front of a television, by a computer, or listening to a radio. "Multi-tasking," you tell your spouse. Too many mornings reading the fine print of baseball box scores and standings, figuring out the math, double-checking the answers with the fifth-grader at the kitchen table.

You've got pennant fever, and you are miserable.

It has been a very, very long time since this illness has taken over your life. The words "pennant race" and "Milwaukee Brewers" appear in the same sentence about once every 25 years.

Well, 25 years is now.

The Brewers are in the race. Right down to the wire, through summer and into - can this really be possible - autumn. So are the Chicago Cubs. They're fighting for the National League's Central Division title.

The teams are taunting you, inspiring you, confounding you.

The spouse is starting to wonder about your moods, connecting the dots between Brewers' victories and defeats.

You are exuberant one day, lethargic, even bitter the next.

You take out Webster's New World College Dictionary and look up the word angst: "a gloomy, often neurotic feeling of generalized anxiety and depression."

Yes, you think, that describes it.

You hate the Cubs because they're from Chicago, period. No other excuses needed. But, just in case, you hate them even more when they start pulling out games in the ninth inning and you watch and hear those Wrigley Field fans who have suddenly put down their cell phones and covered up their tank tops and roar for - good grief, can there be any nickname in baseball lamer than this - the "Cubbies."

So what if they've waited around a century for another World Series title in Yuppieville, Wrigleyville or whatever they call that neighborhood of bars and a ballpark on Chicago's north side.

Shame about the schedule, though. When did the Brewers and Cubs last play each other? 2006?

Deep in your heart you're carrying on a love-hate relationship with the Brewers. Win it. Lose it. Just, for goodness sakes get this thing over with.

They had the lead early in the season. Life was very good. Then, they tossed away the lead.

You knew that was going to happen.

And you were fine with that, really, ready to move on with your life, prepare for winter, tune up the snow blower, learn everything you could about that 11th defensive lineman the Packers promised to carry around like a spare trunk on a world cruise.

All of a sudden, the kids went back to school, and the Brewers started winning. At first, you didn't believe it. Thought it was a fluke, a tease, like an 80-degree day in late September.

You got interested again. Worked the remote control. Milwaukee. Chicago. Milwaukee. Chicago.

Prince Fielder launching moon shots. Chris Capuano not losing.

Now, you're hooked - 24/7. You find yourself obsessing about Ben Sheets' leg. Daydreaming about Rickie Weeks. Putting under the microscope every move made by manager Ned Yost.

You're barely savoring any of this. You hear the name Matt Wise and break into a cold sweat.

Still, you watch the games on the field and the games on the scoreboard. You follow two teams, inning by inning, day by day.

Sunday, you'll be in Green Bay, and you'll stealthily tune into the Brewers on the radio. And when you hear Bob Uecker's voice echoing through Lambeau you'll suddenly realize that thousands of others are doing the same thing.

And as much as you'll try to stop yourself, you'll do something highly unusual for late September in Milwaukee - you'll score a ticket for a Brewers game next week.

When they come back to town Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, they might be in first. They might be a few games out.

All you're hoping for is a shot, a chance for this blessed turmoil to last a few days more.

Enjoy.

September 11th Effect

2007-09-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

On Sunday, September 9, I traveled to Green Bay with my wife and two of our newly located to St. Paul friends. It was a glorious day as this Sunday marked the opening of the NFL season, and we were headed to the hallowed ground of Lambeau Field to watch Brett and the Packers.

Game day in Green Bay is a grand event, as it is in every other NFL city in September. Opening Day has an extra element of excitement because opportunity exists for your team.

As we entered the stadium Sunday, there were new benches and planters forming a perimeter around the stadium. They were noticeable because they were unique in look, very classy, but also it didn't take long to realize they formed a purposeful perimeter...one that would keep vehicles a safe distance from the stadium. Of course a not so obvious security measure implemented over the summer.

Part of Sunday's in stadium pregame was a program to honor America's Medal of Honor winners. The Medal of Honor is the highest honor given to soldiers for acts conducted during battle. These are the guys that even the Generals have to salute. There is something like 114 alive, and 60, or so, were in Wisconsin for their annual convention.

Prior to the National Anthem, a short program recogized each group by the war they served in. The crowd cheered them loudly.

Soon after the ceremony, the loudspeakers opened up with an announcer cheering the crowd on because we were "the G force". (Totally bad slogan.) And then the Eagles started to take the field.

At the exact moment the Eagles took the field, the sound system began to blare out a siren, with a pre recorded announcement to go to "the nearest aisle, and exit the stadium through the nearest tunnel."

I can tell you that the written sentence doesn't do justice to the effect.

Essentially, 60,000 people looked around, wondering what the hell to do. I can tell you my exact thoughts, occurring within 5 seconds of recognizing the message:

Oh Shit. It's September 9th. They got a stadium threat, or somebody blew a stadium up somewhere and the NFL is clearing every stadium in America.

Quickly my friend Mark and I were deciding if we should leave. People were shuffling into the aisle and departing. The message droned on. The thoughts of what was possibly happening kept cascading.

Looking at my wife it was evident she wanted to go, and go now. Her only thought was of our 9 month old.

And she even said "did we update our will".

And then after what seemed like an hour, but was maybe five minutes, the announcer came on and told all to "ignore the siren, there is no emergency."

And the program went on. The National Anthem was sung. The F 16's did a flyover. And the Packers won.

But I couldn't help but think, September 11 has affected us all deeply. Six years ago that would've been a fire, or a for sure false alarm.

But given it's early September, we were in a stadium, and a video had just been released, most in attendance assumed the worse.

I guess 9/11 has affected each of us in some manner. In the least, we've all been on our toes for a few years now. Sunday reminded me that we probably won't change that posture for some time.

I just hope it happens before the little guy gets to come to gameday Sunday with me. Because when he does, I just want him in awe of the green and gold colored grass, the crazy fans, the cheers of roster announcements, and the loudness of the F 16s. Figuring out the closest exit should the farthest things from our minds.

Don't Forget to Be Afraid

2007-08-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.

Aung San Suu Kyi, Winer of the 1990 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought

In case you weren't afraid when you woke up today. Drudge will remind you that is your responsibility to be so.

His Headlines today as of 9am:

USA to Expand Domestic Use Of Spy Satellites...

NYPD Warns Of Mounting Homegrown Terror Threat; Radical Ways...

Behavior Detection Screeners At Airports; Danger In Facial Expressions...

And the Big One...

GOODBYE, 13K? in reference to the DOW.

Have a Good Day. Yeah, I got something up my backside today.

Asking Why

2007-08-06T17:35:00.000-05:00

TSA rules read:

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

Reasoning:

Please keep in mind that these rules were developed after extensive research and understanding of current threats.

I'm in Detroit airport right now. I packed extremely light for a short trip. For the first time since last September I carried my shaving kit on.

I was in compliance with the 3 oz. rule above. I was not in compliance with the clear plastic bag requirement. Therefore I lost toothpaste, mouthwash and some smelly good body spray.

So, because I'm instructed to do so, I'm wondering "Why?" do we need a plastic bag to encase what's in our shaving kit.

If anybody knows, let me know. I'll take physics type answers that explain the combination of goods outside a plastic bag mean a clear and present danger to passengers.

And yes I've considered that some may not have a shaving kit, or some other container.

Yeah, it's a year later, and I've flown 25,000 miles or whatever. Just a minor hassle isn't it?

A Spiral Notebook

2007-07-31T21:18:00.000-05:00

Seth Godin says you should write a blog for your reader. It's not about YOU. I read a few blogs. He's probably right in some ways. Afterall the reader is probably at your blog because he's bored and surfing the web, or got to your posts from a friend. In either case you need to entertain.

I suspect with this in mind, I'm not a very good blogger.

But for me this is just a place to throw thoughts up. I'm not a good revealer in real life. I self edit myself cosntantly. The dialogue in my head is far more brazen than anything the comes from my mouth. I suspect that a small amount of self confidence was erased somewhere in the fourth grade as my brother and his friend chanted "The Eagles are Number 28". That's a whole 'nother story.

Anyways, in a personal effort to try and do things I enjoy that are good for me, I'm going to start posting writings. I always think I'd like to write, and never do. What good would it do in a notebook anyways. Many people have written short pieces on blogs and compiled them into a book. So maybe that's what I'll do.

Tonight's my first try....if it makes no sense to you. Come back, the next one might. And this won't become a 'fiction' only blog. I'll still post all the dumb stuff I usually post.

Here goes....this one's called Jimmy's On The Road...

Jimmy slowly closed the door as he got into the car he was driving as a favor to a friend who’d asked him to make a delivery. As he pulled from the curb he considered the town he was leaving for this short trip. Dagtown was a place he had come to due to a corporate after thought. That thought was based in a belief that, while at the time an outpost in Northern Wisconsin, Dagtown would be a good place to have a sales agent. Afterall, not many people lived up here, but there was a river and a small mill town. Something could happen. Some things did happen. And as he steered down main street he took some pride in the fact that the town, partly due to him and his generation, was now a place many people lived. In fact, for a time, many who grew up here, after going away for a little while, would decide to come back. It was a nice town to be forgotten in, or be big in should you feel like it. But lately it’d been noticed by some that more of those that grew up here, weren’t coming back. In fact their favorite view of the town seemed to be in the rearview mirror.

This was the exact view of town Jimmy had as he reached the outskirts of town. With the town in his rearview mirror, he looked forward to the next 14 miles of two lane highway. This particular 14 mile stretch of highway was the start of any journey, and separated the town from the Interstate. Once on the Interstate, Jimmy believed his world opened up. It was only a four hour drive to some of the Midwest’s biggest cities. And it was a 14 mile stretch that, upon his return, would put all those big cities and everything else happening in the world behind him. For Jimmy the stretch served like a catapult on the way out of town, and a soft, welcoming pillow as he made his return.

In the past two years Jimmy hadn’t been on this stretch once. He retired from the sales job he’d held for 30 years. In his 30 years of selling he’d driven enough miles to last a lifetime. For two years he’d maintained a lawn, said hello to his wife every morning, hung out with his buddies at the golf course and bowling alley. He lived a basic, pleasant life without once setting wheels on the 14 mile stretch. If you asked him, he'd have said he was happy.

These were just some of the things Jimmy was thinking about as he stretched the car down the highway. For a moment an attractive 20 something with curly blond hair caught his attention as she sped by in a Grand Am, her neck stretched to help her ear hear someone on the other end of her cell phone. But soon he was back to remembering that on this particular August morning he was looking forward to the driving, and seeing the world again. And he couldn’t help but smile at the fact that people would stare at his ride in either curiosity or fear of what it meant. Besides, he’d never driven a hearse before, let alone one with a casket in the back.

The World Needs Ditchdiggers Too

2007-07-31T19:39:00.000-05:00

I found this in my Las Vegas Hilton monthly newsletter....

In 18th century English gambling dens, there was an employee whose only job it was to swallow the dice if there were a police raid.

I wonder what the job application for that looked like.

Wow July went fast.

Rules for 2008 Election

2007-07-09T12:57:00.000-05:00

I've barely broken the first few pages of "Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis. The book is Ellis' take on our Founding Father through six incidents that he says define their personalities and driving forces.

In the first chapter, regarding the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, Ellis writes on the reason for the survival of the young Democracy:

In the wake of other national movements - the French, Russian, and Chinese revolutions, as well as the multiple movements for national independence in Africa, Asia, and Latin America - the leadership class of the successful revolution proceeded to decimate itself in bloody reprisals that frequently assumed genocidal proportions. But the conflict within the American revolutionary generation remained a passionate yet bloodless affair in which the energies released by national independence did not devour its own children.

I'm aware we haven't had any genocidal practices during Presidential politics. But the efforts by the left and right to control the conversation by simply limiting the scope of it will kill us all; Idealogically anyways. The above thought, roundabout, brings that into consideration.

Cause and Effect

2007-06-26T20:28:00.000-05:00

The cause of this picture is a couple of days in the upper 80's and a touch of 90 coupled with a little cold air. Aside from the picture, the effect is a cool, late evening summer thunderstorm that for some reason makes all seem right in the world.

As a kid, I remember riding with my grandma and grandpa while one of these storms, having made it's way across the Mississippi river, rolled across Western Wisconsin. So many of those nights I fell asleep to the sound of the blinker of the car making that 'tick', long pause, 'tick', long pause, 'tick' noise. My memory often goes back to my grandpa saying 'it's heat lightening' to my grandma as my worry and that blinker noise disappeared with the turn grandpa was making towards home.

Turtle 1, Asshole 0

2007-06-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

I live among the lakes, rivers and swamps of Northern Wisconsin. It's this time of year that the turtles, painter and snapper, come out of the mud, and crawl into a sandy region to lay their eggs. It's been something that happens since the dinosaurs walked the earth.

So tonight I was driving down River Road, near Schueler's car wash, named for the owner of the house nearest to where cars drive into the swamp at this part in the road, and I see a painter turtle in the middle of the road.

I had time, so I made an effort to turn pull off and turn around to help the turtle.

During my turnaround, I had to wait for one car. He looked at me, and kept driving. I quickly turned around and followed him. He was following a driving line quite close to the right side of the road, away from the turtle.

Sure as can be, as he approached the turtle, his car steered toward the turtle, and just as he reached it, another swerve ensured that the bastard hit the turtle.

I was close enough to see the turtle pull into his shell.

Determined I still pulled over to go check on the little guy. Amazingly he had all four legs plus his head intact, inside an undamaged shell.

He was Ok!

I escorted him (probably a her) across the highway and into the swamp.

The jerk in the Dodge Durango couldn't bring the little guy down.

I hope he's deep in the muck tonight, enjoying a mosquito and telling his turtle pals how he got run over.

So, for now, Turtle 1, Asshole 0.

Fuggedaboutit

2007-06-11T08:04:00.000-05:00

Anybody watch the Sopranos ending last night?

I think Mr. Chase is telling us what Robert Earl Keen said a while back...

"The road goes on forever and the party never ends."

It's no more complicated than that.

Too Many Songs

2007-06-06T21:56:00.000-05:00

I'm in corporate housing in Milwaukee tonight. I sent email after email for a couple hours, catching up. I happened upon a replay of the ACM awards on Great American Country. Tim McGraw did a version of "If You're Reading This" which was a pretty touching tribute to fallen soldiers from the war.

It made me think of John Michael Montgomery's "Letters From Home" song from a couple back. Few songs get to me like that. It's as human as they get.

And it got me thinking about how many years of war songs we've had. And how many years of anit-war songs we've had. It's starting to stretch some years.

The anti-war songs are filled of hate for idealogy, they're certain of the way. The war songs seem to humanize it all and those thoughts of war haven't changed over centuries. Those songs could've been sung by the Revolutionaires (note date of post too). And as I type that, I note there's no 'pro-war' songs. It's anti. Or it's humanizing.

I don't know the answers. Don't profess to either. I've got thoughts on the approach I think is right, just as eveybody does. But mostly I just know I hope the songs get to stop soon for the right reasons.

Faulkner Needed

2007-06-06T21:34:00.000-05:00

Faulkner would turn this into 250 pages of pure misery like As I Lay Dying.

But today it'll get turned into 250 seconds of comedy like Borat...stupid humor based on the unsuspecting.

WEDNESDAY, June 6, 2007, 8:14 p.m.
By Jesse Garza

Man drowns trying to retrieve cell phone

A 41-year-old Sheboygan man drowned in about a foot of water today after becoming trapped in a sewer while attempting to retrieve his cell phone.

"It was just an everyday event that ended in tragedy," Lt. James Veeser of the Sheboygan Police Department said.

According to Veeser, the incident was reported about 12:35 p.m. near the man's home in the 3200 block of N. 12th St. in Sheboygan.

When police arrived a bystander was attempting to pull the man from a vertical storm drain. The man weighed more than 300 pounds and was trapped head-first.

Witnesses told police that the man was talking on his cell phone and a short time later was seen in the sewer.

"He apparently dropped (the phone) into the sewer," Veeser said. "It then appeared he attempted to get the phone out with a rake."

The man then apparently lifted the sewer grate and became trapped after losing his balance and falling in.

There was approximately a foot of water in the sewer at the time, and when police and firefighters pulled the man out he was not breathing and did not have a pulse.

Rescue personnel attempted to resuscitate the man, who was taken to Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center and pronounced dead, Veeser said.

The man's phone was found at the bottom of the sewer, he said.

Sheboygan County Coroner David Leffin ruled the death an accidental drowning.

The victim's identity was not released tonight.

Summer's Coming

2007-05-25T09:45:00.000-05:00

It's Memorial Day in America
Everybody's on the road
Let's remember our fallen heroes
Y'all be sure and drive slow

James McMurtry - "Memorial Day"

Memorial Day...the left goal post of summer in my book. Labor Day is the right side.

It's time to

run fast
eat ice cream
be late cause you were outside
eat late supper
watch the sun go down
smell the cut grass
play ball
watch ball
whack a ball
lay in hammock
walk barefoot in the grass
drink beer around a fire
look at the nighttime sky with no lights around
tip a canoe
catch a fish
jump in the lake
find some shade
drink some lemonade
sit on the deck
listen to Uecker
think about football
summer lovin'
take a pontoon ride
do what you wanted to on December 17 but it was too cold
not wear a shirt
wear a wife beater
wear sandles
don't wear pants
write a song
sing a song
go to the summer blockbuster
live a little

Great Read

2007-04-26T13:56:00.000-05:00

Guy Kawasaki has a great interview up.

Go read it here.

Just Gettin' By

2007-04-17T19:43:00.000-05:00

Early Saturday morning I cruised into town to score a hairbrush for my wife as she was about to leave out of town for the day. Knowing it would be me and the little animal for the day, I decided to stock up on groceries at the same time.

I ventured to the only joint I knew that could serve both purposes...Wal-Mart. I don't make an effort to go there often.

One item I needed was bread. I'm a picky eatin' son of a gun, so I really enjoy that new Village Hearth multi grain bread that really looks and taste like the mushy white bread we use to eat venison and cheese sandwiches on, but it actualy has some nutrional value.

So I found bread row, noting that a guy was stocking the shelves. In order to get to my mulit-grain mush bread, I had to go around the bread cart. In doing so the guy stocking looked at me.

I nodded and gave him a Northwoods "Howdy".

I asked how his day was. He indicated "it's going ok."

As I grabbed the bread and started leaving, he said "Thanks for buying my bread."

I was a bit shocked, being thanked for buying bread, but responded with "I really like this stuff."

He said "Good, but really, thanks, it means a lot to me."

So I'm now buying Village Hearth breads for the rest of my life because if he can take the time to tell me that, I can buy his breads.

And Saturday turned out well. Sunday too, with the first round of golf fitting into the day. I played with my dad and golf pro. The opportunity to do such is not lost on me. My golf pro was my first employer. My dad is my first dad. You know....

Monday we all sobered up quick. I was glad to see that by the 315pm press conference, that everybody had already figured out that campus should have been locked down more quickly. And this morning I noticed that Internet headlines declared "questions still remain after shooting".

Wow, I'd hope so. Yesterday the press finally rendered themselves completely useless to me. I haven't even looked today. I'm sure it's all figured out 18 hours after the trigger was first pulled.

One thing I do know, is that the stakes in 2008 are high. Yesterday just raised the ante.

We’re Born Again, There’s New Grass On the Field.

2007-04-02T08:38:00.000-05:00

I wrote these words in September of 2005:

2. MAYBE next year, 2007 for sure....Brew Crew is playing in October. Book it.

And now that it's 2007 I'm not the only one saying it.

Expectations are high for the boys of summer this year. There's a fan base again. The owner has spent some cash. And it was 25 years ago that the Crew played in October, facing Bruce Sutter as the snow came down in County Stadium.

"Show a little faith there's magic in the night..."

Go Crew Go.

Mr. Uecker will be behind the mic starting at 1:05pm CST today.

The Light on a Nomination

2007-03-29T19:06:00.001-05:00

Did you read about James Dobson's quotes about Fred Thompson, possible Republican Presidential candidate in 2008. Dobson is the founder of Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family commands a lot of conservative voters who attach their thought, and votes, to the word of their leader.

James Dobson on Fred Thompson:

"Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for," Dobson said of Thompson. "[But] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression."

Continued:

In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson's claim. He said that, while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless "has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith."

Does this make you feel good about how our candidates are going to come forward in 2008?

Life and occurences are often circular in nature, so some believe, and I'd note that calling somebody non-Christian for lack of talking openly about it, or knocking on doors, isn't too far in the circle loop from punishing women for not wearing a burkha.

Is this the road were going to travel? I hope not.

Vote Libertarian I guess because the donkey ain't gonna do much better.

Times Aren't a Changing

2007-03-21T17:04:00.000-05:00

Remember when a common response to Bill Clinton's Monica issue was, "Come on, it was just a blowjob."

Well, given the news from Washington this week, I might say "Come on, they were just some firings."

Who I Was This Weekend

2007-03-05T21:08:00.000-06:00

Little Blue Pill Blues

2007-02-27T06:31:00.000-06:00

My wife recently attended the 'Mid-Winter' Dental Conference in Chicago. She had the opportunity to attend a variety of classes on a variety of subjects related to the dental profession. Here's something one of the presenter's told her class:

Since the advent of Viagra, AIDS is infecting men over the age of 60 at a faster rate than any other group.

Why?

Because men are getting their Social Security checks, picking up their Viagra prescription, and then head down to the local street corner and pick up some young looking prostitute.

Man and prostitute head back home.

Whatever happens.

Prostitute then goes into man's bathroom, and uses his insulin needles to shoot up her drugs.

And later, man unknowningly uses same needle to do his insulin while infecting himself.

Crazy stuff, ain't it.

Better call grandpa and make sure he's walking the straight and narrow.

It's Getting Hot in Here...

2007-02-25T16:28:00.000-06:00

Got these from a friend. Perspective anyways.

New York Times, September 18, 1924
"MacMillan Reports Signs of New Ice Age"
---------------
New York Times, March 27, 1933
"America in Longest Warm Spell Since 1776; Temperature Line Records a 25-Year Rise"
---------------
New York Times, May 21, 1975
"Scientists Ponder Why World's Climate is Changing; A Major Cooling Widely Considered to Be Inevitable"
---------------
New York Times, December 27, 2005
"Past Hot Times Hold Few Reasons to Relax About New Warming"

One thing I've always wondered about the global warming argument, and you can call me short thinking if you wish, is that from a scientist's viewpoint, the earth has been around for millions and millions of years. We're always cautioned about making judgements based on short-term imperical data. In fact, short term when it comes to the earth is measured in thousands of years, not hundreds.

So if the data that all the 'warnings' are being based on is merely hundreds of years of measurement, then why should we throw away those cautions about making judgements on short term data?

Watch Something Else

2007-02-24T19:31:00.000-06:00

That ABC reporter that got caught in the crossfire in Iraq is going to have a TV special with another reporter from said station.

Implanted reporters, (excuse my pure conjecture here), probably put themselves out as showing the battle from the frontlines in an honest viewpoint; no politics. It's an admirable situation when it's honest.

But something tells me if the reporters believed that in their heart, should they get wounded, they'd deal with it as the rest of our brave soldiers do...mostly silently, questioning, wondering, angry, and all the emotions I couldn't pretend to understand.

But they sure wouldn't go get interviewed because they did get wounded.

Couldn't ABC say, "One of our reporters experienced the same fate as many of our soliders serving in Iraq. In this special report we've sent him out to share the experience with some of those who also served in Iraq."

That'll be honest. And it'll win an Emmy. What they're gonna show. Well....

Go watch something else.

Talkin' 'Bout My Generation.....

2007-02-15T17:50:00.000-06:00

I like talking to elders and old people. The perspectives they have, especially in personal life, provide free lessons in life.

I wish I could look at my Congress and say the same.

What is argued and debated is so important to today and to future generations.

With our current Congress we get people who's memories are tainted with the Vietnam experience, and the fear of moving too fast for lack of understanding.

What if Congress was ruled by those who's only reaction to a post 9/11 world was based on the first images they can possibly remember, those towers coming down.

And subsequent memories of these new Congresspeople were of readings telling us that this 'Holy' war or Jihad is being forced upon us by people who scratch Piglet out of Winnie the Pooh because pigs are considered dirty in a strict version of Islam. And those same people think that those of us with dogs are dirty because we live with dirty animals. If you think this 'jihad' is some righteous cause, go buy a clue. It ain't some reaction to American policy, it's rooted in 'religious' text of an ignorant cause. And if you believe it's rooted against American policy, don't worry, you'll feel that someday as a suicide bomber rips apart the Wal-Mart you're shopping in.

What if that was the viewpoint of this war we're fighting?

Would Congress be debating such a resolution as they have the last two days.

Or would we be figuring out how to win this thing.

It's Been A Long Time...

2007-02-11T14:37:00.000-06:00

Howdy anybody reading.

Sorry for the long delay. In an effort to bring something of original origin to this page, I've felt myself lacking in the original thought department of late. It ebbs and flows like most things in life.

But Hemingway once responded to a question about the ability to write and his answer was something like 'it's simply, I just stare at the page until blood comes from the pen.' Hemingway I am not, but I enjoy writing.

So, to get of the schnide, I'm going to do this as "Things I Like Lately That I'm Going to Force on You" Column. It's Sunday, so excuse the lazy approach.

1. Bruce Robison Records...Bruce Robison is a Texas singer/songwriter. Having drank beer with his rowdier brother Charlie, I can say by Bruce's lyrics that he's the more thoughtful of the two. Bruce is married to the talented Kelly Willis, while Charlie to one of the Dixie Chicks. I digress...

Bruce has written many songs that I would classify has top notch. For my liking they're an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel but composed into 3 minutes of music. It's not a coincidence his songs have been covered by everybody from George Strait to the family interest Dixie Chicks.

Check out his latest effort Eleven Stories and his earlier release of Long Way Home From Anywhere.

2. The magazine The Week...I subscribe to just a few actual magazines. One other actually, Reason. I found "The Week" through an advertisement. It's well rounded in it's approach, sort of a Reader's Digest, of real news issues. With each news piece there's content from around the globe to give perspectives beyond borders. In addition the mag provides top notch book, music and television reviews, with obituries of a wide array of people. The mag is worth the money.

3. The "Infidel's Blogger Alliance"...The world has gone f'n mad. Iraq, Iran, Muslim, Islam, Global Warming, Argentina, Russia Again, population shifts, changes in freedoms. The Infidel's Blogger Alliance is a group committed to putting issues on the forefront in the name of freedom. They detail opinions and circumstances very well, making the blog newsy with intertwined opinion. I highly recommend the site if you desire insight into the War on Terror and all these other things. It's a smart place. You will get angles found nowhere else; progressive thought in play.

That's it. More soon.

State of This Union

2007-01-23T20:14:00.000-06:00

The first 5 minutes may provide the most compelling commentary.

But the history and lineage of the House and Senate should not be ignored.

It remains honorable.

Now if we can just get the reps to remember that.

Justice Department Gone Astray

2007-01-21T22:02:00.000-06:00

The United States Justice Department is wasting so much time and tax dollars on an investigation important to very few in America....On-line gambling.

After a few months of arresting offshore sportsbook owners and, most recently, executives at companies catering to money transfers, the Feds have done this:

Four Wall Street Firms Are Subpoenaed on Online Gambling
By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN and STEPHANIE SAUL
The Justice Department has issued subpoenas to at least four Wall Street investment banks as part of a widening investigation into the multibillion-dollar online gambling industry, according to people briefed on the investigation.

The subpoenas were issued to firms that had underwritten the initial public offerings of some of the most popular online gambling sites that operate abroad. The banks involved in the inquiry include HSBC, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Kleinwort, these people said.

The Feds fail to realize one important thing, gambling on sports is not a dime different from trading stocks on-line as a day trader or investing all together. Some do it well, some do it impulsively, some do it badly.

Sure it attracts lots of people, and there's lots of people who lose money too. In fact some people get in big trouble and over extended. But other people are wise guys, have the right information and win the money.

Just like Wall Street.

So of course it's going to attract Wall Street. It's about money.

The people benefitting from this are local bookies that have taken a hit in the last couple years as offshore gambling has exploded. They're getting their business back. And that will include the Mob and backyard syndicates running money and all the things that come with it.

This investigation and trouble by the Feds is so pointless. But it's driven by an anti-gambling crowd that has the Prez's ear.

Apparently those are the only people he's pleasing these days.

These Days

2007-01-12T22:57:00.000-06:00

Google "These Days". Note the lyrical offerings at hand.

Then consider that Jackson Browne says he wrote this when he was 16.

Would you want to be the 16 year old that could write this stuff?

These Days
Jackson Browne

Well I've been out walking
I don't do that much talking these days
These days-
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
For you
And all the times I had the chance to

And I had a lover
It's so hard to risk another these days
These days-
Now if I seem to be afraid
To live the life I have made in song
Well it's just that I've been losing so long

I'll keep on moving
Things are bound to be improving these days
These days-
These days I sit on corner stones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten, my friend
Don't confront me with my failures
I had not forgotten them

Tom Peter's Reading List

2007-01-01T17:59:00.000-06:00

In case you're looking for reading material, here's Tom Peter's recommended reading list of 2006. It's better than I could do, so here you go....

Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams, 2007—available now (must read #1, 2007—period)

The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, Marc Levinson, 2006 (messy innovation)

Touched with Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, Kay Redfield Jamison, 1993 (creatives are often freaky—and always necessary)

The Lovemarks Effect: Winning in the Consumer Revolution, Kevin Roberts, 2006 (think "passion-added revolution"—from the master)

Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, Brian Wansink, 2006 (health, plus the power of managed behavior change)

Whoever Makes the Most Mistakes Wins: The Paradox of Innovation, Richard Farson and Ralph Keyes, 2002 (wonderful—still an "oddball idea" for some reason)

The Future and Its Enemies: The Growing Conflict Over Creativity, Enterprise, and Progress, Virginia Postrel, 1999, (messy road to progress)

FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS: THE HIDDEN ROLE OF CHANCE IN LIFE AND IN THE MARKETS, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2005 (this will be on the list every year—chance and life; don't "read it," ingest it)

The Richness of Life: The Essential Stephen Jay Gould, collected by Steven Rose, 2006 (good for the mind, good for the soul, thinking about life as it really works—SJG always enriches me directly and indirectly)

Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships, Daniel Goleman, 2006 (Goleman is back, EQ et al. is all by many measures)

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, 2002 (EXECUTION!!!—THE "BIBLE")

PrimeTime Women: How to Win the Hearts, Minds, and Business of Boomer Big Spenders, Marti Barletta, 2007—available (Duh! When will "they "get it"??)

50+: Igniting a Revolution to Reinvent America, Bill Novelli, 2006 (best yet on the all-powerful, wildly expanding Boomer-Geezer tsunami)

Grant, Jean Edward Smith, 2001 (U.S. Grant made my year—"a bias for action," Mr Execution)

Grant, John Mosier, 2006

Personal Memoirs: Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. Grant (they still read this at West Point)

Free Your Breath, Free Your Life, Dennis Lewis, 2004 (another perennial)

All credits to Mr. Peters.

High Noon

2006-12-28T22:01:00.000-06:00

There's gonna be a hanging.

The Iraqi people, or their courts, and judges have determined he will hang.

News reports say it will be this weekend.

For something so far away, and seemingly so predetermined, it gives me a very strong case of the butterflies to read those headlines.

Why?

I'm not sure, but trusting my gut is something I'm doing more often, and I think it's telling me to take notice, as it's not often the disposed leader of a country, any country, gets hanged.

I think it's worth thinking about.

Note: this addition is an edit...I don't need to define 'he'...but of course it's Saddam. You didn't need this note to figure that out.

Christmas Wishes

2006-12-25T17:29:00.000-06:00

When I was in 5th grade, attending Rhinelander Catholic Central, the Christmas season brought forth Christmas pageants, cookies, and a strong religious lean to the season. Go figure given the name, CHRISTmas. Yeah...

Anyways, I remember Sister James Ellen telling us "Don't ever use XMas, it takes the Christ out of Christmas."

Cheesey, ain't it?

But this year I've noticed an abnormal amount of the 'Xmas' useage this year. And it's bugged me.

Perhaps we're too quick to offend our friends in non-Christian religions.

Perhaps we try too hard to avoid confrontation with those that practice no faith, and look down upon faith goers as 'non-thinkers'.

Maybe it's just a quicker way to get to the end of the sentence or statement.

But, even the most admament of nonbelievers, of human being, could agree, the purported message of Christ isn't so bad.

I mean, what's so wrong with a little peace, love and understanding, man?

Merry Christmas!

Sad But True??

2006-11-27T18:57:00.000-06:00

I believe this is from the Charlotte Observer...

How bad is this? Two drunk guys f'n around, and one goes way over the top. Just think, his pal was probably joking around when he said "I'm Invisible". Sounds like something Brother G would say to me...

------------
A South Carolina Gamecocks fan fatally shot a friend over a $20 bet on a weekend football game, authorities said.

James Walter Quick watched the South Carolina-Clemson game Saturday at his friend's house in Lexington, S.C., about 100 miles south of Charlotte. The Gamecocks came from behind and won, 31-28.

Quick celebrated.

But his friend, Clemson fan Richard Allen Johnson, said the Tigers shouldn't have lost and refused to pay, authorities said. So Quick left the house and retrieved a high-powered rifle from his Chevrolet Corsica.

"He went back in and told Richard, `I want my money or I'm going to shoot you,' " said Lexington County Sheriff James Metts, adding that both had been drinking beer.

Metts said Johnson's wife and several friends told police that Johnson then said: "You can't shoot me, I'm invisible."

And Quick replied, "No you're not."

Johnson, 43, was shot once in the chest, and deputies charged Quick, 42, with murder and possessing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. He was leaning against his Corsica, with arms crossed, when police arrived, Metts said.
-----------

Profess Ye Thanks

2006-11-22T08:39:00.000-06:00

As I type this brown dog is snoring loudly on the floor next to the bed, wife is sleeping soundly next to me, and terrier is selfisly snuggled up, wrapped into a little black ball next to wife.

And the new little Kow is asleep peacefully in his crib in the bedroom next door.

So much to be thankful for. Don't forget to count your blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Gobble Gobble.

This Will Be Fun

2006-11-14T18:34:00.000-06:00

Let's hope this comes to fruition and Abie gets on the stand and starts singing. He may have cost the Elephants the election, in some manner, but he ain't going down quietly. If this is about ethics. Let's make it that way and lay it all on the table.

Oh, and it will be in the next 24 hours that the Democrats start saying "He's saying that because he's going to prison."

Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."

The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.

'Tis the season.

Tea and Crumpets

2006-11-13T20:33:00.000-06:00

Just so we don't get confused about what Tony Blair said today about involving Iran and Syria in the Iraq solution....here's a quote....

Blair said a 'new partnership' with Iran was possible if Tehran assisted in the Middle East process, stopped its support for terrorism and fulfilled its obligations on nuclear non-proliferation.

'In that case, a new partnership is possible,' Blair told the Lord Mayor's Banquet in the City of London.

To be clear...that's two 'ands' connecting three items.

In Las Vegas that's called a parley. If you get the 3 things right you can get 10-1 on your money.

You get 10-1 on your money becuase getting three things correct at the same time in random events is very difficult.

While Tehran's task list is not so random, I'm willing to say Vegas would give you better than 10-1 on your money if you'd like to take Mr. Blair up.

Regardless of what you hear tomorrow, Tehran won't be involved in any 'partnership' any time soon.

How do you think Tony Blair feels today?

Last week the MI 5 announced they are watching over 200 homegrown terror cells for activity. They have a problem with people traveling freely from Britain to Pakistan, with terrorism funding is proliferating. Young Islamic Brits are more than willing to use violence to get there religious way. And today it's announced that terrorists are actively seeking the materials for a dirty bomb to use on British soil.

And Mr. Blair is caught now...if he plays hardliner in the war on terror, he gets nipped in the butt at home. But see how appeasing or being three-quarters committed works?

Terrorists are like ants...give them one little hole into the house and they'll keep coming in.

Here's Tom Peters on the political situation in the US post election. As usual, Tom writes truths about how it could be.

Clearing Fog

2006-11-12T21:11:00.002-06:00

A weekend has gone by and we have begun to see just how the Democratic leadership will do their job.

It's widely reported they will push for a withdrawal from Iraq, based on a timetable. I'm sure there will be much debate on this, and let's hope it's good, honest debate.

Less noticed is Nancy Pelosi's endorsement of Jack Murtha over Steny Hoyer for majority leader.

Let's pretend that has nothing to do with their stances on Iraq.

And let's recall that Tuesday's Republican losses were widely attributed to 'ethics' problems.

Read this op-ed from the Washington Times. I guess taking care of family doesn't amount to 'ethics' problems.

Friday - News and Notes from the Pasture

2006-11-10T17:07:00.000-06:00

Man does that title make you want to read, or what?

Cousin Moose rang in with a reminder that 31 years ago today, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior.

Here's a picture for you.

Here's a website link that tells you a lot about why it sank. Very interesting.

And of course, we need to give a nod to good 'ole Gordon Lightfoot for his classic song. I remember playing it over and over on the 8 track with my bros. Good stuff, spine shivering.

And a big THANKS to Moose and all the other Veteran's out there. It's Veteran's day weekend. Buy one a beer, shake a hand, say thanks. It's truly honorable.

F the liberals who say otherwise.

One more, a Happy Birthday to the Marine Corps. Sempre Fi.

Woo ha.

Wow.

2006-11-08T12:52:00.000-06:00

Read this.

It's about our House Intelligence Agency's new head.

Felonies are Bad

2006-11-07T17:30:00.000-06:00

My post on the drunk driving law in Wisconsin and a felony conviction has a two way street to it.

1. Be tough on crime.
2. Be smart with what laws you make.

Pick one.

But before you get all excited, think about if you would disallow your CEO from voting for President because he got nicked for DWI on his way home from the Christmas party.

And then view this reminder from the City of Milwaukee.

There's felonies, and then there's felonies.

What Election Night Feels Like

2006-11-07T17:22:00.000-06:00

Waiting for the results of election night is a lot like waiting around for the ESPN bottomline to come around to the game you bet on so you can see if your team covered the spread.

If the game just started, you end up looking again and again, just to be sure the game is moving along.

That's what it feels like waiting for election results to come out.

I excercised my freedom today by voting for a variety of Republican and Democrats and wrote one very Independent nephew, Scoot, in for Attorney General. Because I think he'd do a damn fine job.

Tomorrow...It's Go Time

2006-11-06T21:13:00.000-06:00

Cast your votes early. Cast 'em often.

My pal said to me today "you've gone all liberal".

Nah, I ain't no liberal...I just don't like people telling me what to do, therefore I don't like doing it to others. It's an authority issue I suppose.

Since the polls started showing a pretty good likely hood that the Donkeys would take at least the House, and possibly the Senate, the stock market has gone bonkers, setting new records. Today, the day before we vote, the market jumped 1%, over 100 points, supposedly on merger news.

WRONG!

The markets were up 1% today, and setting new records because tomorrow the Donkeys are going to take the House. And probably the Senate too. And then Georgie Bush will be fighting a two front war...one in Iraq and one in Washington. His veto stamp will get so used in the next two years, that 2008 will bring the mother of all political seasons.

But that's in 2 years. What makes Wall St. happy is that for 2 years all the lawmakers will be fighting each other and achieving nothing. It's called gridlock baby. Embrace it.

Speaking of achieving nothing, that's part of the reason the Elephants are going to lose tomorrow.

Here's a nice summary from the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board....

The GOP Record
October 2, 2006; Page A10

The 109th Congress has gone home to fight for re-election, and the best testament to its accomplishments is that very few Republicans are running on them. They're running instead against the peril to the country if the Nancy Pelosi Democrats take power.

We'll know in six weeks if this liberal fright mask is enough to save the GOP majority, but it's not too soon to say that Republicans in the 109th have been a major disappointment. The best thing about this Congress is that by doing little at least it did little harm. But despite their best chance in 50 years to reform the creaky institutions of the welfare state, Republicans couldn't maintain the unity or discipline to achieve nearly any of what they promised in 2004.

* * *
The one great exception is the confirmation of two new Supreme Court Justices. GOP Senators in particular helped to steer President Bush away from his underwhelming initial choice of White House counsel Harriet Miers toward the distinguished Samuel Alito. With the High Court playing an ever more decisive role in our political life, this may be Mr. Bush's most significant legacy beyond the war on terror.

Republicans also deserve credit for financing the war, which is more than many Democrats say they'll do if they run Capitol Hill. The extension for two more years, through 2010, of the 15% rate on dividends and capital gains will also help sustain the economic growth that is throwing off record revenues to pay for the war even as the budget deficit declines. The recent compromise on terrorist interrogations may also turn out to be historic, putting Congress's imprimatur on the Presidential powers needed to fight an enemy that violates the normal rules of war. Toss in bankruptcy and class-action reform, and some free-trade agreements. That's about it for the good news.

On the liability side, the list of flops is extensive, starting with making the tax cuts permanent, repealing the estate tax and immigration reform. Senate Democrats did their part to kill the first two, but House Republicans get credit for fanning public worry about immigration and then pretending that a 700-mile fence will solve the problem.

Social Security reform was never going to be easy, and Mr. Bush's war-driven decline in job approval meant he couldn't move any Democrats. But that still doesn't excuse such prominent Republicans as Tom Davis (Virginia) and Roy Blunt (Missouri) for resisting their President's reform effort behind the scenes. So frightened were they that they never even brought the subject up for a vote.

Perhaps the most puzzling abdication was the GOP failure to do anything at all on health care. The window for saving private health care from government encroachment is closing, and both business and workers are feeling the pinch from rising costs. Yet Republicans failed to make health-care savings accounts more attractive, failed to let business associations offer their own health plans, and failed even to bring to a vote Arizona Congressman John Shadegg's bill to avoid costly state mandates by letting health insurance be marketed across state boundaries. The biggest winner here is Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2008 Presidential campaign.

Republicans have many explanations for their paltry record, some of them even accurate. The troubles in Iraq sapped Mr. Bush's support, dividing Republicans while uniting Democrats who saw a chance to regain power this fall. Hurricane Katrina blew away whatever hope there was of spending restraint and changed the national conversation from GOP priorities. And Tom DeLay's ethical troubles, and eventual ouster as Majority Leader, created a leadership vacuum.

Yet none of this excuses the more fundamental problem, which is that too many Republicans now believe their purpose in Washington is keeping power for its own sake. The reform impulse that won the House in 1994 has given way to incumbent protection. This is the root of the earmarking epidemic, which now mars every spending bill and has become a vast new opportunity for Member corruption. This is also part of what corrupted Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Jack Abramoff, Tony Rudy and Michael Scanlon. Power for its own sake also explains the House GOP's decision to join Senate Democrats in killing serious reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, despite $16 billion in accounting mistakes or fraud. The Members are in bed with the housing subsidy lobby.

Even amid all of this scandal, many Republicans still refuse to acknowledge any problem. Appropriators continue to resist major budget reform, and the same Republicans who gave a Democratic President the line-item veto in the 1990s refused to give a weaker version to a GOP President this year. No wonder so many loyal Republican voters have been telling pollsters they're not sure if they'll vote this year.

With his party down in the polls, Mr. Bush has tried to recast the midterm election as a referendum on the war on terror. This strategy may yet save Republicans from losing Congress, both because the war is the most important issue of our time and because the Democrats are calling for retreat in Iraq and essentially for a return to the antiterror policies of the 1990s (see below). But it is no credit to the performance of Republicans in this Congress that their best argument for re-election is the wartime flaws of their opponents.

Election Day Junk

2006-11-02T21:39:00.000-06:00

Over the last month I've come to discover I might be one of those social 'liberals' while a capitalist pig at heart. Maybe because I'm 31.

But maybe it's more because of what's being thrown in our faces during elections these days. More of legislating morals, agendas, etc., and less logic.

In Wisconsin this November we get to vote on 2 issues that deserve much consideration: gay marriage and the death penalty.

The fact these two share space on the same ballot makes me smile and cringe.

Neither of these is an easy issue.

Frankly it's easy to understand why gay marriage makes people uncomfortable. No elaboration needed in terms of picturing your traditional marriage.

And the death penalty is easy to support given the heinous nature of some crimes these days. I think a natural reaction to raping a 10 year old and murdering her would be a public hanging. That's a hard thing to resist. Really hard.

In terms of the gay marriage amendment I can't help but think, why prevent people who want to be together from doing so. It's as simple as that to me. What if it was stopping blacks and whites? Are you born one way, choosing one way...really do you get to choose if the one you want to be with shares your anatomy?

But in Wisconsin, gay marriage is already illegal. Yeah a judge could strike that down. Yes, it makes people uncomfortable. But in this vote there's repurcussions that go far behind preventing a marriage.

Before you make up your mind to vote, go to the FAIR website. Read what else your vote of 'yes' might do. Yes it takes time to read and learn, but you're voting and you need to know what for. Not moral unwordly implications, but legal, worldly kind of stuff.

As for the death penalty, Pope John Paul II, a man I admire as much for his courage as for his ability to move people had this to say:

"May the death penalty, an unworthy punishment still used in some countries, be abolished throughout the world." (Prayer at the Papal Mass at Regina Coeli Prison in Rome, July 9, 2000).

and

"A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modern society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary." (Homily at the Papal Mass in the Trans World Dome, St. Louis, Missouri, January 27, 1999).

The oddest part of all of these items is that the same pious man that will vote 'yes' on the gay marriage ban because he can't imagine gays together, will vote 'yes' for the death penalty because it's 'an eye for an eye', and, given the chance, he'd vote 'yes' to make abortion illegal because you need to respect and protect the sanctity of life.

Vote No and No in Wisconsin on November 7th.

The John Warner National Defense Bill

2006-10-31T17:59:00.000-06:00

Hey...this is post 200 for this blog. I'd like to thank all 4 of you who read it for making it possible. Thank you.

This is what the White House says about the "John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007"

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 5122, the "John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007" (the "Act"). The Act authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, for national security-related energy programs, and for maritime security-related transportation programs.

Click here to read what the Department of Defense says about the bill.

And this is what the "San Francisco Independent Media Center" and Patrick Leahy say about the bill:

In a stealth maneuver, President Bush has signed into law a provision which, according to Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), will actually encourage the President to declare federal martial law (1). It does so by revising the Insurrection Act, a set of laws that limits the President's ability to deploy troops within the United States. The Insurrection Act (10 U.S.C.331 -335) has historically, along with the Posse Comitatus Act (18 U.S.C.1385), helped to enforce strict prohibitions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement. With one cloaked swipe of his pen, Bush is seeking to undo those prohibitions.

Why oh why do I give this any attention. Because a couple of weeks ago I was reading an interview with an attorney that served under Nixon before prior to the impeachment trial. The guy was a Republican who had studied the personality trends of politicians along with a psychologist. Interesting reading....

Anyways, he was asked about martial law. He said he didn't think it would happen, but he could envision a scenario where a terrorist attack would take place in 2008 before the election, martial law would be declared, and no election would take place.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know far fetched...I agree....but if it happens, you saw the coincidental interview and the controversial law coupled for the first time, here.

Dilbert Advice

2006-10-30T18:22:00.000-06:00

I recently stumbled upon the blog of Scott Adams, the creator and brain behind the cartoon Dilbert. If you've breathed a day in your life, Dilbert has something for you. Not always. But sometimes.

Anyways, one thing that I enjoy about Scott's blog is that you can tell he writes from his head/heart. You can tell he doesn't self edit much. He writes with out regard to social edit, or fear of looking dumb because he didn't think something all the way through.

Somehow I realize I don't have that trait. Maybe it's 3rd kid syndrome; pipe down and make sure you're in line with brother's thoughts. Or maybe it's a Northwoods thing. Or a Catholic thing. Or some thing.

But from now on it's full steam ahead. Unedited. It's going to come out as I think it you ugly sucker....ok just kidding.

So here's a post from Scott's blog about how his bad listening and no editing skills got him where he is today. Interesting fellow, no doubt.

Still the King

2006-10-26T22:59:00.000-05:00

There's some news out there about Kurt Cobain being the number one producing dead celebrity. In other words, his stuff sold more than anybody elses.

To be clear, Kurt Cobain did some great music. I love Nirvana's tunes.

But it ain't the King. The only reason Kurt's cruising above Elvis in this category is because his old lady went and sold a bunch of the rights to Kurt's music so she could fund whatever it is she's doing.

It's a one hit wonder of a different sort.

Ain't nobody dead outdoing the King; if he's dead ;-)

Vote Once and Hope it Counts

2006-10-24T20:16:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting story about the Diebold voting software in Maryland.

If you're not aware, Diebold makes a majority of the voting machines, and develops the software utilized for those machines.

Google "Diebold Voting Machines" to get a feel about how a certain set of people feel about these machines.

November 7 or 8 you'll hear more about these things. For sure.

A Wisconsin Issue - Drink and Drive

2006-10-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

There's a pretty good race brewing for Attorney General in Wisconsin. Our incumbent head lawyer has had some issues over the last few years, making her very vulnerable given it's a position most people don't pay attention to on a daily basis.

The drunk driving law is one of the issues garnering discussion in the race. Wisconsin is one of the 10 or fewer states that does not give a person a felony when convicted of drunk driving. The question stands: Should it be a felony?

Of course speaking against this is like speaking against puppies, the Easter bunny and ice cream. You look insensitive to the dangers of drunk driving, or to those that have been affected by a drunk driver.

Let's for a minute pretend those are all slam dunk items and emotion doesn't enter into this debate.

In the past 3 years Wisconsin lowered its legal alcohol limit to .08, like most states, to fall in line with Federal demands or risk losing highway funding. Basically a suicide wish for your highways.

So .08 is maybe ok. Definately more people get caught in that net. Our roads might be safer due to the law. In some ways I guess if you're .08 there's probably good odds you're .10. But remember, that net is bigger.

And that's why making drunk driving a felony in Wisconsin is a bad idea. Because I don't think the next move in the drunk driving limit will be back to .10. It'll go to .05.

And guess what? The net gets a lot bigger. But this time you get a felony.

And then people will really get MAD.

Interesting Reading

2006-10-23T20:33:00.000-05:00

Here's a link to the "Infidel's" blog.

You could say there's some agenda on the blog, but there is on every blog.

It provides some of the more interesting reading I do each week.

Let me know if you have any really strong comments on it.

Election Time

2006-10-20T09:20:00.002-05:00

This time of year was once exciting to me. I always thought it was fun to see people get organized around a cause, a person, an ideal and march the streets for them. I did it myself, not always for the right reasons, but to partcipate and experience something uniquely American.

I walked and promoted people I didn't know that well, but thought they were ok and worth my time. Even helped a gay Republican Congressman. Gasp!

Lions, tigers and bears. Oh my....that's the problem these days. Every little difference with one side of the aisle is tragedy and end of world invoking.

The far right is so caught up in, yeah I'm going to say it, an authoritarian world that they don't care they are only pleasing a small percentage of the country. As long as they get their way.

The far left has gone nihilist and you wonder if they would stand for their own soul. Free speech is fine for them as long as it's their speech you're giving. Limit the scope of the topic and you've basically won the argument. They're good at it.

Honestly, it's heartbreaking because you and me aren't in either one of those pie slices. But we get reaction to them in the form of policy and lawmaking.

That's a broken system.

A few weeks ago our Congress attached a 'germane' amendment to the port security bill. The port security bill is an effort to 'improve' port security. Sure. And attached was an amendment banning financial institutions from allowing people to transfer money to Internet gambling sites.

It translates like this: It'll be really hard for people to play Internet poker.

Seriously, next time you're out at a bar, or dinner, or have a group of 10 people around you, ask how many have played online poker. My guess, you'll get 2-5 hands in the air.

Why did this happen? So a few select Senators and Congressmen like Frist and Kyl can go back home and tell their righties they are stopping gambling.

You ask that same group of people and find out how many are really against gambling or on-line poker. My guess, you might get one hand raised.

Laws are supposed to prevent something that a vast majority of a population finds offensive, dangerous, or something along those lines. We're straying from that to serve those special interest groups, it's tough to watch.

Here's an editorial from a writer at the New York Times I happen to agree with on this one.

Nobelish

2006-10-16T20:04:00.000-05:00

Did you read about the guy who won the Noble Peace Prize? It wasn't Cindy Sheehan, it wasn't someone talking about peace, or someone talking about an ideal of peace. It was somebody who spread wealth...created wealth...created peace.

Awesome story. I never knew about it.

Cool Story Here courtesy of Tom Peters who tells it better than the AP.

Ye Olde Ballgame

2006-09-26T22:05:00.000-05:00

Wifey, cuz Moose, Ingrid and I got to go to the Brewer game on Saturday night. It was fan appreciation night and we felt appreciated.

Great seats, two rows behind the SF Giants dugout. A great time was had by all. Wifey secured a baseball by pointing to her pregnant belly as the players came off the field. Nice work.

Here's a video I took of Barry Bonds as he hit a home run. Impressive swing. Roids or not.

Let's Give 'Em Something to Talk About

2006-09-21T20:07:00.000-05:00

EQUALS

Venenzuela and Iran, thank you for coming to America. Thank you for your calls of moving the UN out of NY. Thank you for insulting our President. Really, nice touch to come and bash. Great diplomacy. You highlighted the reasonability of yourselves, and represented your people in fine fashion, providing great merit to your 'cause' and 'beliefs'.

From the UN website....

The U.S. pays 22% of the UN’s regular budget and about 27% of the peacekeeping budgets. It also pays about 25% of the costs of the International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and former Yugoslavia.

With guests like those attending this week, people beyond Pat Buchanan will start asking why we're providing the 22%.

I call for less dog and pony and more logic. One way or another we'll get there.

Marketing Islam

2006-09-18T18:34:00.000-05:00

Does the Islam angle on the Pope's comments feel like a well orchestrated media blitz?

Remember "It's the economy stupid"?

The Islamic mantra on the Pope's comments, while not as catchy, will be as consistent. They will pound and pound and pound about the 'medievalness' of the Pope's comments.

This is their message. It will continue on this subject, and then through whatever else they can force it through. It will appear in the media, it will appear on blogs, it will appear everywhere. And it will appear as an 'argument' or 'an angle'.

The purpose is to gain crediblity. This is how idealogues work. Truth or not, it's in the message. And it's in consistency. Just like marketing.

Of course their treatment of women, ideas of education, and general reactions to negative treatment reflect nothing of a medieval attitude. Right?

I can think of a few ways to get really medieval on their asses, we just need Marsellus from Pulp Fiction.

Drink My Children, Drink!

2006-09-14T15:34:00.000-05:00

Alcohol use helps boost income: studySep 14 10:07 AM US/Eastern

People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted "social capital" gained from drinking.

The study published in the Journal of Labor Research Thursday concluded that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than teetotalers, and that men who drink socially bring home an additional seven percent in pay.

"Social drinking builds social capital," said Edward Stringham, an economics professor at San Jose State University and co-author of the study with fellow researcher Bethany Peters.

"Social drinkers are out networking, building relationships, and adding contacts to their BlackBerries that result in bigger paychecks."

The authors acknowledged their study, funded by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, contradicted research released in 2000 by the Harvard School of Public Health.

Can't wait to hear the first time a lawsuit is field for this type of discrimination. "He got the job because he drinks!. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

Keith Olbermann Unleashed

2006-09-12T21:55:00.000-05:00

In March, my hottie wife, brother Mark and I ventured to NYC to catch Todd Snider and Jerry Jeff Walker. I hadn't been to the City since May of 2000 when I was there for my Smith Barney training.

On the March trip we walked around Manhatten taking in the sites. Near the end of a long day of walking we ended up at the site of the World Trade Center. I hadn't been to the Towers since May of 2000 but remembered vividly the wind created between the buildings as you walked between them.

The first feeling you get is, in a generic term, surreal. One thing was apparent, the site was a large hole and nothing was going to happen soon. This was nearly five years after the event that caused that hole.

The amazing thing is that you didn't think twice about it. In fact you barely thought twice about the hole or the reason it was there. It's like my walk through the National Archives the other day...the absolute enormity of viewing the Magna Carta, Constitution, Declaration of Independence and others should be breathtaking. But it's almost as if the fact the you take the time to even view them explains their importance. Really what can you add in terms of description to relay their importance and meaning. That's what I felt about the hole in Manhatten.

Beyond that I thought the lack of any structure was probably due to political correctness, disagreement among political groups or some of the other crap that prevents things from happening in government.

But in his piece HERE, Keith Olbermann makes a good point about the lack of leadership on the issue. And he pins it on GW. Perhaps rightfully so.

Often I write here, look at yesterday, with consideration given to the difficult job our leaders, Our President, have. But maybe Keith's correct, failure to execute or make things happen isn't right. In fact it's the sign of poor leadership. Creating a swirl isn't enough.

Give Keith a listen. It's worth your 9 minutes.

More Washington Photos

2006-09-11T21:16:00.000-05:00

It was grey all day in Washington. From one conference building we could see the President leave this morning as he headed out for Pennsylvania. Later he returned to the Pentagon ceremony in the evening. No matter who you are, that's a long day.

Here's some photos I took while on my lunch hour.

Abe waits for you.

Here's his view.

Another viewpoint of the Washington Monument.

On the National Mall. Yeah, it's still Ok to feel your freedom. Express it at will.

Finally, the White House backyard.

Yeah, I know, nice picture show.

9/11 in Washington

2006-09-11T20:49:00.000-05:00

It happens I'm in Washington DC for the 5 year anniversay of the Islamic / fascist attacks on the United States. Yes, they are fascists at the deepest level.

I woke this morning and the viewpoint from my hotel window was as seen below....

The arrow in the photo points to the Pentagon. As I write this the lights you see on the Monday Night Football game are very clear from my window.

It amazes that 5 years ago I could've witnessed the Pentagon attack of 9/11 from this window, and, maybe felt perfectly safe. Now I doubt that would've been my emotion, but looking back it's evident somebody could've witnessed the event without harm coming to them.

Is this how we've all decided to feel 5 years later. Do we have a "It didnt' happen to me" attitude?

In 5 years we've gone from cohesion to descension. Whatever your belief, groups declaring the controversy of 9/11 get more press than a political debate of Middle East policy or study of cause and effect, or better yet, reasonable reaction from MODERN peoples.

Why? Because the conspiracy angle is easier.

This isn't easy. It won't get that way. We're truly fighting people who think you, me and all of us are better off dead. If we're worth our history, we won't let that happen.

I visited the Lincoln Memorial today and read his second inaugural address. The following struck me...

"Both parties deprecated war but one of them would make war rather than let the Union survive. And the other would accept war rather than let it perish."

I'm not so sure we're not so far from a different variation of these wise words.

Let us choose wisely.

Guranteed to Twist Your Viewpoint

2006-09-06T22:33:00.003-05:00

Hey....doing something new, want something different, think you're outside the box?.....print and read these. Leave 'em in your bathroom for others to read. It's worth your time, and theirs and they'll never get more out of a bathroom stop.

Seth Godin...Bootstrapper's Guide.

Guy Kawasaki....The Art of the Start.

Hugh MacLeod....How To Be Creative.

Tom Peters....This I Believe.

Click the name, get the blog.

Click the title, get some smarts.

Seriously, this is free to you. It must be 2006. And given they are all dated 2004, I bet there's more out there written by these birds for free. People actually pay these guys HUGE bucks to speak for an hour....read for an hour, for free.

Someboy behind you is thinking this way. And they'll take your job. Or make you look foolish. Maybe.

A Good Listen

2006-09-05T21:22:00.000-05:00

I'd never heard of Fouad Ajami either. At least I hadn't until I listened to him speak with NPR last week on Morning Edition. I found him to be the most sincere sounding speaker on the war in Iraq that I've heard to date. Who is the guy?

According to this LINK, he:

Ajami was born in Lebanon to a Shiite Muslim family. Today, as an American journalist and academic, he has advised the White House on Iraq. He traveled to Iraq several times while writing a book called The Foreigner's Gift.

To Ajami, that gift was supposed to be liberty for Iraq and a new political order for the Arab world. He says the disaster came when Arab governments, Muslim imams, even Western-leaning intellectuals, rejected that gift.

It is truly interesting to listen to him describe the Middle Easterners we battle, who are so aligned against the 'West'. He presents the description, noticeably having weighed each word and its meaning as a descriptor. Evidenced here...

"It was not an isolated band of misguided young men who came America's way on 9/11. They emerged out of the Arab world's dominant culture and malignancies. There were the financiers who subsidized the terrorism. There were the intellectuals who winked at the terrorism and justified it. There were the preachers -- from Arabia to Amsterdam and Finsbury Park -- who gave it religious sanction and cover. And there were the Arab rulers whose authoritarian orders produced the terrorism and who looked away from it so long as it targeted foreign shores."

Click on the link...read the prelude, but really take the time to listen. It's worth it.

Do Your Dance

2006-08-30T21:40:00.000-05:00

Or whatever it is you need to do.

College football starts today.

Heeee Haw.

Run, Don't Walk

2006-08-29T21:07:00.000-05:00

Trace Adkins' new single "Swing" is out on Rhapsody today.

Oh I can't wait.

This from the same man who brought us "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk".

(I've included links to the lyrics so you can see Trace's contributions to the legend of Country Music in America.)

I'd seriously recommend you get to your local Wal-Mart to pick these up. Because I'm pretty sure they'll sell you the gun you'll need to off yourself after you hear them both.

Don't forget to buy the bullets. Plural because you'll want more than one.

Everybody Can Plug

2006-08-29T18:05:00.000-05:00

Nascar driver Rusty Wallace drives a Dodge everyday of his life as he makes only left turns around the racetrack. He got in an accident while his wife and he were driving around in their real world Dodge. This was his statement:

You hear car companies talk about safety a lot," the former driver of the No. 2 Dodge said in a statement Tuesday, "but I can tell you that [wife] Patti and I are both really thankful for the research and development that Dodge puts into the safety of their vehicles.

Maybe we all need to start dropping marketing plugs into our everyday life. For example:

Housewife Patty McGavin had this to say about her shopping trip today, which happened to be payday for her husband, "I'm just really happy that Paper Company X was there with the deposit last night, it makes it easier for me to be a good shopper with my debit card. Paper Company X is very dependable."

Or maybe this one....

Hunter Bobby Tooter indicated he was "very happy about the way Remington" tests it's ammo. He says "There's no way I could've hit that still standing deer eating from my bait pile if Remington wasn't so good."

I mean really, it should work, right?

Best Pay Per View Event Ever

2006-08-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

TEHRAN (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad voiced defiance on Tuesday as a deadline neared for Iran to halt work the West fears is a step toward building nuclear bombs, and challenged President Bush to a televised debate.

Oh come on, you know you'd pay to watch Mahmoud vs. Jorge II.

To Iran: People get ready....

You Made it Through

2006-08-22T20:10:00.000-05:00

Hey. It's almost the end of August 22nd. In fact in some places it's already tomorrow.

Celebrate.

Come from your shelters. Take off your helmets.

Iran didn't do IT. They spared us from their wrath.

Thanks Iranians. I still think your entire region will see some tactical weapons in the next few years if you keep using religion as a cause for war, and you keep trying to kill innocents.

Don't say you weren't warned that religion cannot be used as cover of war. We'll still bomb you for wanting to kill us in the name of your religion. And you'll deserve it.

Happy August 23rd. I hope.

Remember When This Was Real

2006-08-11T22:26:00.000-05:00

Yeah, that was fun.

Worth a Watch

2006-08-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

Rented "V" for Vendetta on Friday night. I thought it good and worth the rental for a variety of reasons including the Superhero aspect.

But....It's weird to think that a lot more people would nod their heads in agreement to the heading below today than they would've seven years ago. Go figure.

Not as Good as it Once Was

2006-08-07T20:50:00.000-05:00

Nice rambling post Friday night wasn't it. That's what happens with having your own blog. Self editing your thoughts doesn't always happen. It's a funny thing with a blog too. Because you can just write things you might normally self edit. I realize I've done a lot of selfing editing in my life and now fear opening my mouth will sound beligerent, or worse, unintelligent. We'll see how it goes.

Anyways, the new gig has me on the road a day or two a week. No biggie. But I've gotten to visit some of my favorite 'Scony cities, like Madison and Green Bay. I've spent time in each of those cities in the past 10 years, either living in, or visiting for sporting events, weddings, etc. I know them both quite well, so I know restaurants, bars and other places of the sort.

I've made some recommendations the last couple of weeks with statements saying that 'the cheeseburgers there are second to none', 'the pizza is the best', etc.. You know, the usual overbearing statement that leaves those hearing it no choice but to accept it, but really probably question you for being so firm in your statement.

Two examples:

1. Al's Hamburger place in Green Bay. This joint has a great atmosphere. It's a half sized restaurant with four booths on one wall, with a row of stools along a counter like in old school restaurants. The grill for the burgers is right in front of your eyes. It's a real salt of the earth type of the place.

My first time there I'd have sworn the grub saved my life. I was with my friend Marky Mark B and we needed food. No doubt the lack of it would've caused us to shrink to nothing due to lack of sustenance. We literally stumbled into this place that Saturday morning. The sun was too bright, the sidewalk too dry and our heads too sore. But a hamburger or two later with some fries, and we were good to go.

Last week, well not so lifesaving. Don't get me wrong, it was very, very good. But not life saving. I like the old memory better.

2. Blue Moon Tavern, Madison. For my money this was one of the best cheeseburgers in Madison, thus the state. It always hit the spot like nothing else. Either I was always hungry to the point of wanting to eat horse meat, or the night before left me feeling a bit dour. The Blue Moon ALWAYS played right into recovery mode in either instance. Great grub, some easy poured brew or sodas, and a guy was ready to rock again.

And tonight the beer was good. A burger pretty good and the fries and onion rings just ok. But again, there was no life saving feeling. Nothing to make me feel redeemed to the point of deliverence.

I guess this is the danger in tracking down your old haunts is causing disharmony in your universe. Time and place are important in experience, relationship, and life. No doubt expecting this time to be like last time or just like those three years in school with your buddies will cause you disappointment in trying to recreate it a few years later.

The bright side....there's lots of places out there to help make it happen because, like yourself, the old ones might not be as good as they once were.

That's the way the world goes round.

2006-08-04T21:29:00.000-05:00

So it's been a weird few weeks. (i before e expect after c unless you're weird.)

'Global Warming' has us hot, real hot. Just wondering if you think it got hot like this before we started keeping records? I mean we've been keeping records, but the earth is millions of years old, right? Well unless you're a fundamentalist and it's only like 6,000 years old and the stars hang from nets and dinosaurs toasted margaritas with man every Friday night. But let's assume you think, with your brain....is it not possible that we went through periods of time....maybe 20, maybe 50, maybe even 100 years where the weather was all messed up? Just maybe??

My point....chill out on being so certain it's our fault. It might be pretty normal. Or I might read really dumb in a few years or so. However our 100 years of measuring to the second decimal point on this planet is a very short time period if you can get by your own lifespan as a measurement point.

Mel Gibson gets arrested for boozing and driving. Then he blames everything on Jewish people. If you've ever driven through Malibu you know you can't escape the cops on HWY 1. It's either hit a beach house or drive into a cliff that is just itching to collapse onto you during the next rainstorm. So old Mel let's loose, admits he has struggled in the past, and it's reveled he was thinking of offing himself. I just wonder if he would've yelled 'Freeeeedom' before he crashed into the ditch.

And all in the midst of a time period when Israel is taking on the Hezbollah in a 12 round match. The problem for Israel is that it's a limitless match. Israel cannot quit without winning this one. They lose, and it's not good for them. They will be seen as weak and vulnerable by the entire Mideast and every nation that would like to see them gone. So they gotta win; no choice.

So my point...again let's all chill...yeah it's scary to watch the Israel thing if you read Revelations literally....well not literally because it doesn't really say what all those freaks on the AM radio and early morning TV say it says....but let's say the Four Horsemen on their Braveheart quarterhorses want to get comfortable with you in your head....let them run by and live for another day. Odds are some idiot 50 years old with top security clearance will end the world with a bomb lobbed somewhere just to help his belief he would live in the end of times rather than Isreal really bringing it to an end.

And gas hit 3.25 a gallon in my backyard this week. Go figure. A tropical storm was putting it's left blinker on somewhere off the right coast of Cuba (that's if you're looking at the map with the North pole on the top) and people got scared. I guess it's proof that every time the wind picks up in the Caribbean it'll get 'accident on the side of the road' treatment. Everybody look and make a big deal out of the fender bender.

Let's put it this way...Warren Buffet's insurance companies wrote as many hurricane insurance policies as they could this last year at very big premiums. You really don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, or is going to blow. Just sell short the headlines.

So for the first weekend in August. Let it all go. Turn up some tunes, make up a picnic basket, and go stare at a blue sky or half full moon while the temps are still warm. Because in 45 days you'll have a sweater on.

New Hound

2006-07-31T21:43:00.000-05:00

We've got a new hound in the house. Take a guess by the picture below who's winning the contest of obediance training.

And all in the house are not happy with the arrival of the new Terrier. Brown dog gets a little upset sometimes.

If I ever have a band that puts out an album, the brown dog's mug gets the cover.

Feels Good to Be Feeling Good Again

2006-07-29T20:02:00.000-05:00

Standin there on Main Street across from Mr. Blues

My faded leather jacket my weathered brogan shoes

A chill north wind was blowin but the Spring was comin on

As I wondered to myself just how long I had been gone

So I strolled across ol Main Street walked down a flight of stairs

Stepped into a hall and saw all my friends were there

A neon sign was flashing welcome come on in

It feels so good feeling good again.

-Robert Earl Keen, Jr.-

I started a new job a couple of weeks ago. It was coming down the tubes for some time, thus the down time here. It's amazing what a change in scenery will do for you. A change in ideas, people, expectations, understandings. It opens your eyes to a new reality. I think it's easy to get comfortable and cruise on by...for all of us. But twisting that viewpoint...it's good so far.

Weather's hot EVERYwhere. July's moving on. Get your swerve on. And just like every August the days will get cool. Football will rule the roost. And it will all feel good again.

Not Dead

2006-07-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

I'm not dead. I'm busy. I'll write prose for you soon. Long, poetic, justice defining prose.

My Friends are Sissies

2006-06-26T08:27:00.000-05:00

Given the number of hits that his blog attracts, it's apparent to me that mostly my friends and family read the thing with a poor unfortunate soul stumbling upon it along the way.

I suppose I could become more controversial, or reveal more emotion or more of myself in my writing style, thus possibly becoming more interesting and attracting more readers. And that may happen.

But this post isn't about me, it's about my friends. Take the time and read the comments they've attached to the post below this one.

One thing is clear about those 'anonymous' commentors, clearly their manhood could be called into question for not attaching their identity to these posts. They're sissies.

And as for those attacks on me...merely fleshwounds.

Man and Nature - In Tune.

2006-06-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Sometime around 6:35pm on December 21, 2005 the temperature was 12.3 degrees Fahrenheit and the sun peaked (sort of) at a point in the sky that it wouldn't stoop to for another 365 days. Somewhere a penguin got very excited.

That day the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in a bigtime shootout.

The night before the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Tampa Bay Lightening in another NHL game.

Also the night before, the Dallas Mavericks were thumped by the LA Lakers in an NBA game.

And again, the night before, the Miami Heat smoked the Atlanta Hawks in another NBA game.

And somewhere Phil Mickelson was probably buying Christmas gifts, while Geoff Oglivey may have been smoking some shrimp on the barby.

It just so happens that on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 at 12:26pm the sun will climb that great blue sky ladder and reach the highest point it'll see for the next 365 days, it'll say 'look at me world', and then it will start a slow 180 day descent back towards the winter solstice point.

History and literature frequently note the seasons, time's slow march, and change that comes from it. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes not. But the change often goes unnoticed because it's often the same year after year; 'circular' as Whitey once called it.

Something tells me that it'll go unnoticed by most again this week, perhaps just a mental note made as some reporter notes the occurrence. But I wonder if it's such a coincidence that this week, the same week the pagans will be doing the naked circle dance for the sun, that you can witness man's struggle against himself and, at the same time, the success of collaberation involved with a team.

Phil Mickelson swung quickly off the tee on 18 Sunday at the US Open in New York state, and his fate swung faster. (Tense hands cause a fast golf swing.) That which was his, a trophy and childhood dream, slipped away to the Aussie Oglivy. For Mickelson it was a 'choke', while for Oglivy the trophy falling into his lap was akin to some lucky frat boy being in the right bar and on the right stool as Tara Reid (that's the bountiful Tara blowing on the left) was picking her prey for the night. This was apparent in Oglivy's winning speech where he didn't know what to say, or how to explain his victory, as if to say "she just came onto me man, I was just watching a game on TV." Sometimes you gotta take what you're given.

Last night a 7 year old franchise from Carolina beat out an Edmonton team for Lord Stanley's cup. The Cup was claimed after Carolina won the 7th game of a 7 game series with relative ease. With free agency, Carolina's victory should not seem odd. But in terms of symbolism, when a team from Raleigh, a land known for beaches and golf courses, defeats a team from a land where playing with a puck happens from the crib, well, it seems a bit off kilter.

And tonight, deep in the heart of Texas, the Dallas NBA franchise will square off against the Miami NBA franchise in a game 6, that if Mark Cuban's correct, will lead to a game 7, and another climax that won't be seen for another year. Really, if a team win's the NBA title on June 20 and nobody hears it, does the team really win? That's about how important the NBA is right now.

And maybe that's the point of this post. The sun's going to go up, it's going to go down. It'll be high, it'll be low. You might be winning, you might be losing and you might feel it's all fixed. But really, it's all about what you do about it. Because if you're like me, you sat on your couch on December 21st and said, "I can't wait for that June 21st day, when the sun's high, and it's all warm and stuff."

Well guess what? That's right about now, so go outside and do something about. Win a trophy, lose a trophy, get pissed about a fix. But it's time, do something, just a little something. Because it's going to be 12.5 degrees in another 180 days.

How to Celebrate!

2006-06-08T11:39:00.001-05:00

This woman is celebrating the news that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

I wonder if there's any Kool and the Gang playing in the background.

Drive on.

Did You Get Action on This?

2006-06-07T21:24:00.000-05:00

Apparently, some bookmakers took a little bit of action on a wierd bet on 6.6.06.

It looked like this:

WILL THE WORLD COME TO AN END?

YES +10,000
NO -12.000

So bet $1, win $10,000 if you don't wake up. Bet $12,000, win $1 if you happen to wake up.

One book reported action of about 700 dollars bet by 39 people.

If you're ever feeling really dumb about something you did, keep in mind, there were some people who took the 'yes' here, with the expectation of being paid if they were correct.

I just hope they weren't disappointed they lost.