The Chicken Dumpling Dinner for Derelicts has been canceled for the third year in a row. The culprit: a garbage can. Plenty of newspaper to burn, braised collie haunches are very appetizing, but the cheap plastic garbage cans melt. Foraging continues for an old fashioned galvanized aluminum one.
The Northwestern has bucked the national trend. Their resident marketing dept. genius dreamed up the perfect circulation builder. A free parakeet with cage for a 13-week subscription. Renewal comes with bird seed. While Gannett nationally continues to see a drop in circulation, the only thing dropping on The Northwestern is...well...droppings.
The Mideast crisis continues with no end in sight. Republicans and Democrats both afraid to back out while the death toll continues to rise. The strain is showing with the addition of new categories. War protesters now count their own. They are divided into natural causes such as heat stroke and pneumonia, accidental - such as tripping into traffic, and combat. No war protesters have lost their lives in Oshkosh thus far, but if the war goes on much longer old age might enter into it.
UWO Polk Library had such success with offering free coffee during finals last year that students demanded free coffee all the time. The library, quite frankly, hasn't been this busy since the advent of the laptop and wireless access. Students also demanded that the library be open 24/7 all semester and the line for coffee never ends. Parents are complaining that their children stay up all week and do nothing but sleep at home weekends. Some don't even bother to go home, preferring to study at Polk and drink endless pots of coffee. When asked about the brew, the Director of Acquisitions said only that it is "fair trade coffee from South America." He became irritated when I pressed him on this and muttered something about "what the hell else are they going to send us? Laced beans?" At any rate students are spending a lot more time cracking the books.
I promised Bob Poeschl that I would never again make him the butt of my cruel humor and that goes double after his garage went up in flames in early August. A large cooking fire in the back yard kindled the blaze around midnight. What is it that vegetarians cook that takes that big of a fire?
Dr. Tony Palmeri's winning a seat on the city council was small potatoes next to what the local Green Party did. The Greens, deciding to outdo the Kevin Barrett visit of last year, invited Hugo Chavez to speak at UWO. Who'd a thought that inviting a Socialist would become a Capitalist's dream. Every motel room from Green Bay to Milwaukee full, restaurants SRO, more overtime for cops. Much bigger than the Air Show ever thought of being!
To be continued...
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Salvation Army Wrap-Up
Captain Johnny Harsh told me today that the Kettle Campaign netted about $124,300. He and co-Captain Yoley Harsh both said at the same time: "Thank you Oshkosh!"
Some background...
The 2005 goal was $100,000 with $120,000 actually collected. The goal this year was $120,000.
It's a group effort which includes everyone who dropped a coin in a kettle, bellringers, and people behind the scenes who placed and picked up those kettles and more. A cast of hundreds, maybe thousands, and I'll name a few today.
Jim Barthel
The Chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Jim was the 'nerve center' of the campaign. He volunteered to arrange locations and schedule bell ringers. He coordinated this effort from beginning to end spending countless hours on the phone while eyeing a master chart which covered an entire wall of his temporary office. Thank you James Barthel!
Bob Hennick
Bob, an old hand at ringing bells, spent upwards of ten hours per day in the cold. Thanks Bob!
Helen Lloyd Burr
She's got her own special way of filling the kettles. She calls her friends and tells them to write checks. Helen came in with over $6,000 in one day!
Chuck Jones
Chuck decided to 'give it all' this year and rang bells for some ninety-one hours! Thanks Chuck!
...And thanks to everyone else who helped! Captain Johnny says "Praise the Lord! The 2007 budget is covered!"
Some background...
The 2005 goal was $100,000 with $120,000 actually collected. The goal this year was $120,000.
It's a group effort which includes everyone who dropped a coin in a kettle, bellringers, and people behind the scenes who placed and picked up those kettles and more. A cast of hundreds, maybe thousands, and I'll name a few today.
Jim Barthel
The Chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, Jim was the 'nerve center' of the campaign. He volunteered to arrange locations and schedule bell ringers. He coordinated this effort from beginning to end spending countless hours on the phone while eyeing a master chart which covered an entire wall of his temporary office. Thank you James Barthel!
Bob Hennick
Bob, an old hand at ringing bells, spent upwards of ten hours per day in the cold. Thanks Bob!
Helen Lloyd Burr
She's got her own special way of filling the kettles. She calls her friends and tells them to write checks. Helen came in with over $6,000 in one day!
Chuck Jones
Chuck decided to 'give it all' this year and rang bells for some ninety-one hours! Thanks Chuck!
...And thanks to everyone else who helped! Captain Johnny says "Praise the Lord! The 2007 budget is covered!"
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Clyde Stubblefield and James Brown
James Brown's death brings the name Clyde Stubblefield to mind. Clyde was the drummer on the classic "I Feel Good."
Clyde saw the country while doing gigs and chose Madison, Wisconsin as his place to live. Clyde has been a fixture in the Madison scene for decades and on occasion plays on Michael Feldman's Saturday morning show on public radio.
His health has not been too good of late. He has been treated for cancer and benefits have been held in his honor. I understand that Clyde will be doing a gig tonight (12/26/06) at the King Club, 114 King St., near the Capitol in Madison.
A little more about Clyde can be gleaned here.
I worked with Clyde one time. It was a Music Performance Trust Fund job a long long time ago. It was a hastily put together combo which entertained the Stoughton Senior Citizens at lunchtime. It was low key and fun, not the kind of job that made Clyde famous, just a routine job which proved to me that Clyde could play anything for anyone and do it well.
Clyde saw the country while doing gigs and chose Madison, Wisconsin as his place to live. Clyde has been a fixture in the Madison scene for decades and on occasion plays on Michael Feldman's Saturday morning show on public radio.
His health has not been too good of late. He has been treated for cancer and benefits have been held in his honor. I understand that Clyde will be doing a gig tonight (12/26/06) at the King Club, 114 King St., near the Capitol in Madison.
A little more about Clyde can be gleaned here.
I worked with Clyde one time. It was a Music Performance Trust Fund job a long long time ago. It was a hastily put together combo which entertained the Stoughton Senior Citizens at lunchtime. It was low key and fun, not the kind of job that made Clyde famous, just a routine job which proved to me that Clyde could play anything for anyone and do it well.
Salvation Army Kettle Drive UPDATED!
Preliminary reports indicate that the Kettle Campaign has reached its goal and then some. The goal was $120,000. Bell ringing ended over the weekend. I was told that Saturday was a record day for kettle collections. I will post more as I get the figures.
Collections now top $122,000. This number will rise through the week. Some kettles are not yet in and a lot of change has not been counted. Final figures should be out by early next week.
Collections now top $122,000. This number will rise through the week. Some kettles are not yet in and a lot of change has not been counted. Final figures should be out by early next week.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Merry and Happy
I will take a break for several days and then post: The 2007 Year in Review. A lot of amazing things happened in 2007. Please help me with this by giving me all the news that fitted to print from the coming year.
Feel free to submit items for this. Word of warning! If you don't submit items it may be YOU that I write about.
I've got to get going now. I promised that I would be one of the "Three Wise Guys."
Peace.
Feel free to submit items for this. Word of warning! If you don't submit items it may be YOU that I write about.
I've got to get going now. I promised that I would be one of the "Three Wise Guys."
Peace.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Mass Murder Being Planned over Christmas
Murder, maim, torture: welcome to the American way. No joy at this blog today. No matter what I attempt to do, a very haunting blog post prevents me from thinking about anything else.
Dennis Rahkonen of Superior, Wisconsin wrote it. It's called "While we celebrate the birth of Jesus, mass murder is being planned." You can read it here and be just as depressed as I am.
I wanted to post this last night but thought I'd do the proverbial 'count to ten' first. Headlines everywhere are mentioning that Bush may increase troop levels in January. It's over. That's even coming from Republicans such as Colin Powell. U.S. troop deaths approach 3,000. The Saudis are funding one group in Iraq, with Iran funding the other, and U.S. troops singing "Stuck in the Middle With You." The U.S. can't even keep the Bagdad Airport Road open much less Bagdad, much less the entirety of Iraq.
Nancy Pelosi saying "impeachment is off the table." What I am hearing on the streets of Oshkosh is: "What are the Democrats waiting for? Impeach him."
I keep picturing in my mind that sign James Genisio is apt to carry: "No One Died When Clinton Lied."
I'll be at the sundial early in the evening the day after the U.S. troop deaths hit 3,000. Join me there.
Peace.
Dennis Rahkonen of Superior, Wisconsin wrote it. It's called "While we celebrate the birth of Jesus, mass murder is being planned." You can read it here and be just as depressed as I am.
I wanted to post this last night but thought I'd do the proverbial 'count to ten' first. Headlines everywhere are mentioning that Bush may increase troop levels in January. It's over. That's even coming from Republicans such as Colin Powell. U.S. troop deaths approach 3,000. The Saudis are funding one group in Iraq, with Iran funding the other, and U.S. troops singing "Stuck in the Middle With You." The U.S. can't even keep the Bagdad Airport Road open much less Bagdad, much less the entirety of Iraq.
Nancy Pelosi saying "impeachment is off the table." What I am hearing on the streets of Oshkosh is: "What are the Democrats waiting for? Impeach him."
I keep picturing in my mind that sign James Genisio is apt to carry: "No One Died When Clinton Lied."
I'll be at the sundial early in the evening the day after the U.S. troop deaths hit 3,000. Join me there.
Peace.
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Salvation Army and More...
Bell ringing for the Salvation Army ends this weekend and more volunteers are needed in these last few days. Please call Jim at (920) 232-7660 to schedule a time and place. If you have never done this, here are some hints. Dress warm. The best you can hope for is a drafty store entrance. Ask a couple of friends to help you. An ideal number at a site might be three. Two can alternate ringing the bell while the third is warming up in the store. Ringing a bell constantly will be very tiring. Trade off often and keep the bell ringing! Note that the Salvation Army is a church but also a social service agency. Folks from many area churches are out ringing bells. Try something new. Call that number today.
Ya. Sure. Person of the year! That's my picture on the cover of Time magazine! It's your picture on the cover of Time if you are reading this. There is quite an interesting take on that which you can read about here. It was written by a UWO student. I have no idea who this person is but I enjoyed it. It forced me to think, which in most cases makes my head hurt, but that's good; the thinking part, not my head.
Why did I know about that person's blog? I'll tell you why. My trackback software told me that they lurk on my blog. They (or a friend) live in Malone, Wisconsin. I could tell you the coordinates of latitude and longitude too but it's not important (or maybe it is). Even weirder: If I know this much, how much do they know. After all, I'm 17yrs past the age of 40. People over forty don't understand computers. People under forty know a lot more. Scary thought.
Just in...
Rudolph will not be leading the pack Sunday night. He checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic. I don't care to explain but it's got something to do with the nose. He has friends there. Spuds McKenzie is there as is Mr. Ed. Mr. Ed says: "OOOH Wilber, it was the Duckweed, the Duckweed."
Peace.
Ya. Sure. Person of the year! That's my picture on the cover of Time magazine! It's your picture on the cover of Time if you are reading this. There is quite an interesting take on that which you can read about here. It was written by a UWO student. I have no idea who this person is but I enjoyed it. It forced me to think, which in most cases makes my head hurt, but that's good; the thinking part, not my head.
Why did I know about that person's blog? I'll tell you why. My trackback software told me that they lurk on my blog. They (or a friend) live in Malone, Wisconsin. I could tell you the coordinates of latitude and longitude too but it's not important (or maybe it is). Even weirder: If I know this much, how much do they know. After all, I'm 17yrs past the age of 40. People over forty don't understand computers. People under forty know a lot more. Scary thought.
Just in...
Rudolph will not be leading the pack Sunday night. He checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic. I don't care to explain but it's got something to do with the nose. He has friends there. Spuds McKenzie is there as is Mr. Ed. Mr. Ed says: "OOOH Wilber, it was the Duckweed, the Duckweed."
Peace.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
What's Gary Smokin' Now?
There's been talk about freebies in higher education in return for a guarantee that the recipient remain in Wisconsin ten years. Come now. Ten more years of bratwurst and cow tipping? Whoa!
I've got a better idea. It isn't mine and it isn't new but it's progressive. Hold on! Here's my take...
Every human being that has graduated from a Wisconsin High School should be guaranteed a "free ride" to a Wisconsin university or technical college. That includes:
I've got a better idea. It isn't mine and it isn't new but it's progressive. Hold on! Here's my take...
Every human being that has graduated from a Wisconsin High School should be guaranteed a "free ride" to a Wisconsin university or technical college. That includes:
- FREE tuition
- FREE room and board
- and FREE books
Any questions?
Oh yeah. How to pay for it. Okay! Watch this...
- TAX the students
Cool. How does that work?
Joe from outer Eureka wants to learn metalworking. After one semester at the tech. he manages to learn how to drink but not much else. On Joe's next minimum wage job he contributes 5% for a couple of years to pay for his schooling.
Sally, on the other hand, goes into Nursing School at UWO, continues into post-grad at Madison and becomes a world class surgeon. When Sally finally takes a paying job she pays 5% of her pay for 20 years or more to pay for her schooling.
This would put the rich and the poor, black or white, all on the same plateau.
It would also benefit the MD who wants to work a rural area. The MD would still pay 5% of wages yearly just like his richer classmate in a large city. A social worker or a civil engineer working in a poor country would still pay 5% of wages while their much wealthier classmates in the U.S. would also pay 5%.
A program such as this would take 10-15yrs to become solvent. Who would finance the start-up? The State Investment Board.
As this program becomes solvent it would free up money for elementary and secondary schools.
To take this a step further...
I'm a great believer in doing either of two things between the ages of 6 and 70: Either a person works or is in training for work. No other answer is appropriate.
As jobs change, and/or the person's ability to do them, this same plan would guarantee free tuition, room and board, books, etc. no matter what the person's age.
Want to know more? James Jung, retired President of the Great Lakes Higher Education Corp. is a proponent of this. He was in the business of student loans. He's an expert. This is what he said in February 2003.
Please pass this link around. It's worth consideration.
Hark! The Hair!
Life's been pretty good for Carol Hunt and Jennifer Lloyd. Both grew up in Oshkosh, like it here, and some time ago partnered in a business venture. Business is good, no complaints there.
Carol and Jennifer are co-owners of CJ's Murdoch Avenue Salon located at 1302 West Murdoch. They offer an array of beauty services with basic haircuts at $17 for men and $20 for women. As with small businesses anywhere, Carol and Jennifer are interested in the local community. This fall, with a hat-tip to "something they saw on Ophrah", they decided it was time to do a 'give back' to Oshkosh. After some thought the answer was easy: "Do what you do best." Cut hair that is!
On Monday, December 18, they will be giving about 40 haircuts free of charge to low-income people. They enlisted the Salvation Army to assist them in distributing coupons. Each person must call ahead for an appointment. It is their feeling that a fresh haircut would be a nice present to give and to receive just in the time of Nick.
Questions? More information? (920) 651-0870
Civic minded people inhabit our town and now we know of two more...
Thank you Carol Hunt.
Thank you Jennifer Lloyd.
Merry Christmas!
Carol and Jennifer are co-owners of CJ's Murdoch Avenue Salon located at 1302 West Murdoch. They offer an array of beauty services with basic haircuts at $17 for men and $20 for women. As with small businesses anywhere, Carol and Jennifer are interested in the local community. This fall, with a hat-tip to "something they saw on Ophrah", they decided it was time to do a 'give back' to Oshkosh. After some thought the answer was easy: "Do what you do best." Cut hair that is!
On Monday, December 18, they will be giving about 40 haircuts free of charge to low-income people. They enlisted the Salvation Army to assist them in distributing coupons. Each person must call ahead for an appointment. It is their feeling that a fresh haircut would be a nice present to give and to receive just in the time of Nick.
Questions? More information? (920) 651-0870
Civic minded people inhabit our town and now we know of two more...
Thank you Carol Hunt.
Thank you Jennifer Lloyd.
Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Adults Only Please, not for kids
In the interest of fairness to people not of my political or religious leanings I am turning this space over to others, just for today...
There are folks who are a bit to the right of my Unitarian Universalist leanings and I try to be considerate of them. Some of them even vote. Some of them even voted for Bush, the most moral.
I turn to Reverend James Rutz for food for thought today. Jim warns us to beware of the Devil's food. I trust Jim because he's the whitest ol' boy I read today and his whole story can be read here.
He sez the devil's food is soy. He sez "soybean products are feminizing."
More things Jim sez:
There are folks who are a bit to the right of my Unitarian Universalist leanings and I try to be considerate of them. Some of them even vote. Some of them even voted for Bush, the most moral.
I turn to Reverend James Rutz for food for thought today. Jim warns us to beware of the Devil's food. I trust Jim because he's the whitest ol' boy I read today and his whole story can be read here.
He sez the devil's food is soy. He sez "soybean products are feminizing."
More things Jim sez:
- Soy causes homosexuality
- Soy produces heart problems
- Soy causes excess fat and obesity
- Soy causes cancer in children
- Soy causes breast cancer
Rev. Jim sez a bit more, with the last two words being: "avoid tofu."
Beginning tomorrow I go back to being a liberal and will again belittle stupid right-wing evangelical mind---ks.
AMEN!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Free Advice for Council and Mayor Wannabes
You can pay lip service or ignore this column and still get elected.
You can pay attention to this column and possibly make a difference.
The former will render you ineffectual. The latter will make you remembered as a true leader and someone who cared for the overall well being of Oshkosh.
There are three subjects to remember in leading Oshkosh into the future:
You can pay attention to this column and possibly make a difference.
The former will render you ineffectual. The latter will make you remembered as a true leader and someone who cared for the overall well being of Oshkosh.
There are three subjects to remember in leading Oshkosh into the future:
- Poverty
- Poverty
- Poverty
There is a definite connection between poverty and crime. No matter what the official unemployment figures say, the percentage of unemployed is far higher. When a person no longer receives an unemployment check they are no longer counted. The situation in Oshkosh is not dire but could very easily get worse. Some areas of town look pretty drab. Wages are much lower now than a couple of decades ago and the cost of a roof, heat, and lights is through the ceiling.
It's a good idea to look around us to cities that are a bit bigger and observe their thoughts and ideas. Paul Soglin was recently asked what he thought of the mayor's race in Madison. Soglin, a student activist in the 1960's there, and Mayor of Madison several times over the years is convinced that poverty should be on the front burner. You can read the Capital Times article here and Soglin's own site "Waxing America" here.
He tells how Madison's crime rate has dramatically increased over the years and what might be done to change it. His ideas deserve careful consideration.
Oshkosh Truck will not be on an upward curve forever. Dependence on defense related industries is a recipe for disaster. For the community's sake they should diversify further into non-defense items but capitalism's ugly head will rear and the quick buck will take precedence over community needs. Jobs will disappear in coming years. Ed Garvey, writing at FightingBob.com, says today that: "There really is no Iraq to save" and "Time to face reality. We have indeed lost in Iraq. Bring the troops home now!"
Timothy J. Bowers of Columbus,OH is a person who found a personal answer to poverty. He was three years away from collecting full Social Security. At age 62 partial S.S. payments wouldn't do it. He robbed a bank of $80, handed it to the security guard, and calmly waited for the gendarmes to arrive. He asked the judge for exactly three years in the prison system so he could then collect full Social Security. The judge obliged. You can find a number of articles here. Mr. Bowers was too old for a paper route and too young for Social Security. A lot of Boomers including me are toughing it out that way. Physical work is too taxing but we're not old enough to retire.
The Progressive Magazine (print edition) talks about Mr. Bowers. Over 2 million souls are now incarcerated in our country and the number grows every day. 1.3 million living units are covered by Section 8 housing and the number drops every day. The Progressive asks: "Could the prison system be the new Section 8?"
Ways to lessen poverty will hold down crime. Non-defense related industries would assist in lessening poverty.
Ignoring poverty in Oshkosh is a recipe for disaster.
Peace.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Morton Pharmacy, City Center, Wins!
Anyone who knows me well knows better than to say 'boo' to me before I've started my third cup in the morning, not to mention my utter hatred of telephones. Friday morning I was jolted by the phone after only one cup. The voice on the other end said something like:
Wal-Mart.
Me: Mall Wart?
Wal-Mart.
Me: Mall Wart??
We went back and forth this way until I convinced her not to use nasty words. It was the Living Healthy Clinic. They were calling about my prescriptions and suggesting I go to Mall Wart. I reiterated that I don't go there. I don't do Mall Wart!
She finally got it across to me that she wanted me to take advantage of their $4 Rx plan. My reply was that Target has the same plan. She disputed this. I finally told her I would do the legwork locally and reminded her that the Target plan and Rx list is posted online.
Living Healthy Clinic...background...
Located at 510 Doctors Court off Bowen Street, it is the place of last resort among the uninsured. Many of its clients are low income working folk. It is an off-shoot of the UWO Nursing School and gives practical hands-on experience for students. There are no MD's there. NP's see patients, that is Nurse Practioners; nurses with extra training but below that of an MD. They are able to prescribe drugs. It is funded by Affinity, Aurora, and Theda Care Medical Groups. Funding also comes from Winnebago County (your tax money at work) and recently an 'earmark' courtesy of Sen. Herb Kohl.
I have used this clinic since losing group health insurance in 2003. I was Wal-Marted out of my insurance by the closing of Cub Foods after the Big Box Mall Wart opened. They have extra-ordinary people staffing the Living Healthy Clinic. They go the extra mile to help patients, a courteous and very professional staff.
I went to Target and spoke to a pharmacist. Of course they have the $4 program. It was introduced in Wisconsin one and one-half to two weeks before Mall Wart did theirs! The printout was front and center on the Pharmacy counter and I was given one. He referred me to the store manager who made it clear to me that they would contact the Living Healthy Clinic and provide them with the information.
When I got to the car I thought: I'll go price-check Mall Wart. I parked in the handicapped zone and made the short walk into the store. Saw a lady I know coming out. She said "Hi Gary." I replied "You shop in this rat hole?" With a quizzical expression she said "You're going in there". I explained that I was doing a price check and that I've never spent a dime there.
Price check in hand I went downtown to Morton Pharmacy, City Center. I did the same price check there.
DRUM ROLL.......................................
Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg. A simple water pill often used for high blood pressure.
30-count: $4 bucks at Target and Mall Wart.
Anyone knows that the best prices are often in even numbers such as a 100-count bottle.
Mall Wart 100-count: $11.36
(Note that I'm saving the best for last)
DRUM ROLL and RIMSHOT..................................
Morton Pharmacy 100-count: $10.95 !!!
Morton Pharmacy wins! Morton is no big chain operation. It's a small group of stores in northeast Wisconsin. I find the pharmacists helpful and at least one remembers my first name. They come in 4% cheaper than the "Always High Prices, Always, MALL WART.
That ends my price checking expedition but more detail follows...
__________________________________________
Looking for a wonderful charity? Look no further than Living Healthy Clinic, 510 Doctors Court, Oshkosh,WI. 54901. Write them a check today. They do a lot of good in Oshkosh.
Pharmacists... First year grads will earn about $90,000 at Walgreens with a $20,000 'kicker' as a sign-on bonus. Mall Wart is paying $60,000 plus. Who do you want dispensing your pills? I certainly would not want the one at the bottom of the pay scale. That would be the Always Low Wages, Always, MALL WART.
Shop downtown Oshkosh when you can. Remember: If you can't find it at Fleet Farm and Target, you can probably get by without it.
Stay well.
Wal-Mart.
Me: Mall Wart?
Wal-Mart.
Me: Mall Wart??
We went back and forth this way until I convinced her not to use nasty words. It was the Living Healthy Clinic. They were calling about my prescriptions and suggesting I go to Mall Wart. I reiterated that I don't go there. I don't do Mall Wart!
She finally got it across to me that she wanted me to take advantage of their $4 Rx plan. My reply was that Target has the same plan. She disputed this. I finally told her I would do the legwork locally and reminded her that the Target plan and Rx list is posted online.
Living Healthy Clinic...background...
Located at 510 Doctors Court off Bowen Street, it is the place of last resort among the uninsured. Many of its clients are low income working folk. It is an off-shoot of the UWO Nursing School and gives practical hands-on experience for students. There are no MD's there. NP's see patients, that is Nurse Practioners; nurses with extra training but below that of an MD. They are able to prescribe drugs. It is funded by Affinity, Aurora, and Theda Care Medical Groups. Funding also comes from Winnebago County (your tax money at work) and recently an 'earmark' courtesy of Sen. Herb Kohl.
I have used this clinic since losing group health insurance in 2003. I was Wal-Marted out of my insurance by the closing of Cub Foods after the Big Box Mall Wart opened. They have extra-ordinary people staffing the Living Healthy Clinic. They go the extra mile to help patients, a courteous and very professional staff.
I went to Target and spoke to a pharmacist. Of course they have the $4 program. It was introduced in Wisconsin one and one-half to two weeks before Mall Wart did theirs! The printout was front and center on the Pharmacy counter and I was given one. He referred me to the store manager who made it clear to me that they would contact the Living Healthy Clinic and provide them with the information.
When I got to the car I thought: I'll go price-check Mall Wart. I parked in the handicapped zone and made the short walk into the store. Saw a lady I know coming out. She said "Hi Gary." I replied "You shop in this rat hole?" With a quizzical expression she said "You're going in there". I explained that I was doing a price check and that I've never spent a dime there.
Price check in hand I went downtown to Morton Pharmacy, City Center. I did the same price check there.
DRUM ROLL.......................................
Hydrochlorothiazide 25mg. A simple water pill often used for high blood pressure.
30-count: $4 bucks at Target and Mall Wart.
Anyone knows that the best prices are often in even numbers such as a 100-count bottle.
Mall Wart 100-count: $11.36
(Note that I'm saving the best for last)
DRUM ROLL and RIMSHOT..................................
Morton Pharmacy 100-count: $10.95 !!!
Morton Pharmacy wins! Morton is no big chain operation. It's a small group of stores in northeast Wisconsin. I find the pharmacists helpful and at least one remembers my first name. They come in 4% cheaper than the "Always High Prices, Always, MALL WART.
That ends my price checking expedition but more detail follows...
__________________________________________
Looking for a wonderful charity? Look no further than Living Healthy Clinic, 510 Doctors Court, Oshkosh,WI. 54901. Write them a check today. They do a lot of good in Oshkosh.
Pharmacists... First year grads will earn about $90,000 at Walgreens with a $20,000 'kicker' as a sign-on bonus. Mall Wart is paying $60,000 plus. Who do you want dispensing your pills? I certainly would not want the one at the bottom of the pay scale. That would be the Always Low Wages, Always, MALL WART.
Shop downtown Oshkosh when you can. Remember: If you can't find it at Fleet Farm and Target, you can probably get by without it.
Stay well.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Poverty in Oshberg
I sift through the blogs at Oshkosh News at least twice a week. Babblemur's title Turn Left at the Citgo is funny. We'll see if it's still funny when I steal it for a later post. I lurk at Jef Hall's site. I am very glad he alerted me to Bill Moyer's recent speech to the West Point grads. It was great reading. Thank you Jef. I highly recommend reading Moyer's entire speech. The one post that really lit a fire under my butt was at Lake Winneblogo. I thought about posting a reply there but hell, I got my own blog! Here goes...
Capitalism with a conscience? Fighting Bob LaFollette thought it was possible. Ask the clerks at our local Mall-Wart what they go through to see a doctor. How do they pay? I asked a greeter why she worked. She replied: To pay Medicare premiums. Others will spout Badger Care. Others use the UWO Living Healthy Clinic. All of these are government supported, i.e. tax money... your money.
I highly suspect that the Waltons who take up five of the top ten slots on Forbes Richest would stay firm on that list even if they paid the complete medical bills of every one of their million plus employees.
I saw a real M.D. for the first time in three years last summer. He ordered some tests done. The various lab tests immediately shot into the five-figure category. I couldn't afford the first office call much less any lab work. I am of the feeling that those with health insurance and taxpayers (meaning you) will pay more to help defray that $10,000 plus lab bill of mine and many other uninsured bills.
I firmly believe in forcing the obscenely rich to take some of the load off from our rapidly disappearing middle class. Matt Rothchild, writing half a block from the Capitol in Madison, lays out the story here, in that magazine inspired by Republican Robert LaFollette.
Capitalism with a conscience? Fighting Bob LaFollette thought it was possible. Ask the clerks at our local Mall-Wart what they go through to see a doctor. How do they pay? I asked a greeter why she worked. She replied: To pay Medicare premiums. Others will spout Badger Care. Others use the UWO Living Healthy Clinic. All of these are government supported, i.e. tax money... your money.
I highly suspect that the Waltons who take up five of the top ten slots on Forbes Richest would stay firm on that list even if they paid the complete medical bills of every one of their million plus employees.
I saw a real M.D. for the first time in three years last summer. He ordered some tests done. The various lab tests immediately shot into the five-figure category. I couldn't afford the first office call much less any lab work. I am of the feeling that those with health insurance and taxpayers (meaning you) will pay more to help defray that $10,000 plus lab bill of mine and many other uninsured bills.
I firmly believe in forcing the obscenely rich to take some of the load off from our rapidly disappearing middle class. Matt Rothchild, writing half a block from the Capitol in Madison, lays out the story here, in that magazine inspired by Republican Robert LaFollette.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Father Carr's Place 2B
It has been my habit to post numbers concerning the local shelter. I generally limit myself to homeless issues at Father Carr's, and not to his medical clinic or food pantry.
These are current numbers from over the past weekend...
Men's Shelter
These are current numbers from over the past weekend...
Men's Shelter
- Number of rooms available: 75
- Number of rooms in use: 12 (approx.)
Women's Shelter
- Number of rooms available: 75
- Number of rooms in use: 4 or 5
Note that several of the men are working and one or two of the women have jobs. That's encouraging.
Readers should note that shelters in Fond du Lac, Appleton, and Green Bay are running at maximum or near maximum capacity. The woman who runs the Appleton shelter is irate every time a person is brought to her from Oshkosh!
There is something wrong with this picture. What can be done?
Suggestions...
- Call your favorite Social Service Agency and ask questions.
- Make a donation to the Appleton shelter?
- Do not donate to Father Carr.
Note that Father Carr took in $1.1 million in donations in the last year reported.
Folks. Take it from there.
Peace.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Oshkosh Peace Wreaths in the Denver Post
Babblemur talked about it here. The MSM and the blogosphere was buzzin' with the news. Nancy Lofholm from the Denver Post in the great state of Colorado asked even more questions and talked to someone from the Winnebago Peace and Justice Center in Oshkosh. She learned that a record 20 Peace Wreaths were sold on November 28. You can read the Denver Post article here.
Jenni Ryan, local peace activist, tipped me off about this at Saturday's Gallery Walk. Sales of the Peace Wreaths shot up with the hoopla in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
The Home Owners Association (HOA) in a subdivision of Pagosa Springs got their panties in a bundle over a peace wreath and threatened the homeowner with a $25 per day fine. The HOA suffered the wrath of the blogosphere and later backed off. Folks entering "peace wreath" into search engines soon found the Oshkosh based Winnebago Peace and Justice Center fundraiser which accounted for an immediate jump in sales.
This is where I toot my own horn. Over a year ago it was 'I' who suggested this as a fundraiser for WPJC. The idea took off and anyone who drove past the sundial at night a year ago got treated to a super large lighted peace wreath above the WPJC headquarters at 123 Market Street. Other people did all the work. I supervised. Sorry to say the large peace wreath didn't get put up this year. (Whatever happened to that oversized hula hoop?)
The wreaths are much better this year and sales are way up. There is still time to get one. Please contact:
Jenni Ryan, local peace activist, tipped me off about this at Saturday's Gallery Walk. Sales of the Peace Wreaths shot up with the hoopla in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
The Home Owners Association (HOA) in a subdivision of Pagosa Springs got their panties in a bundle over a peace wreath and threatened the homeowner with a $25 per day fine. The HOA suffered the wrath of the blogosphere and later backed off. Folks entering "peace wreath" into search engines soon found the Oshkosh based Winnebago Peace and Justice Center fundraiser which accounted for an immediate jump in sales.
This is where I toot my own horn. Over a year ago it was 'I' who suggested this as a fundraiser for WPJC. The idea took off and anyone who drove past the sundial at night a year ago got treated to a super large lighted peace wreath above the WPJC headquarters at 123 Market Street. Other people did all the work. I supervised. Sorry to say the large peace wreath didn't get put up this year. (Whatever happened to that oversized hula hoop?)
The wreaths are much better this year and sales are way up. There is still time to get one. Please contact:
- Jenni Ryan (920) 379-5746 jenniryan@hotmail.com
- or Drew (920) 292-0386
Mention my name and they might give you a discount (just kidding). You can learn more about the wreaths here and here.
Peace on Earth!
Saturday, December 02, 2006
First Tuesdays at First Congregational
Tuesday December 5 at noon marks the last of this year's free concert series at First Congregational (UCC) Church, 137 Algoma. A lunch follows. Donations are appreciated but the concert and lunch are free! Everyone is welcome. This is a community-wide event.
This month's program is an opera, Christmas oriented, which was first broadcast on network television in the early 1960's. It was re-broadcast many times over the years, and most will find it quite familiar. It is called "Amahl and the Night Visitors." The singing will be done by Joyce Andrews, Frank Hoffmeister, and Elizabeth Thomas with Nancy Schmalz on piano. Don't let the word 'opera' scare you. Trust me. The music is wonderful.
For more on this the First Congregational website is here, the concert schedule is here, and wikipedia has a nice article on 'Amahl' which can be seen here.
_______________________________________
I have had a number of comments regarding the fact that I link Al Jazeera News from this blog. Al Jazeera covered the Pope's recent trip to Turkey with four very nice articles. I have linked one of the articles right here. You can read the others by clicking on Al Jazeera on your left and entering 'Pope' on their search line.
Al Jazeera passes my litmus test for objectivity in reporting and I suspect you might agree. Reporting about Christians in the Arab world from an Arab news source is certainly a good test. Al Jazeera has passed this one with ease. Don't be afraid to go there!
Peace.
This month's program is an opera, Christmas oriented, which was first broadcast on network television in the early 1960's. It was re-broadcast many times over the years, and most will find it quite familiar. It is called "Amahl and the Night Visitors." The singing will be done by Joyce Andrews, Frank Hoffmeister, and Elizabeth Thomas with Nancy Schmalz on piano. Don't let the word 'opera' scare you. Trust me. The music is wonderful.
For more on this the First Congregational website is here, the concert schedule is here, and wikipedia has a nice article on 'Amahl' which can be seen here.
_______________________________________
I have had a number of comments regarding the fact that I link Al Jazeera News from this blog. Al Jazeera covered the Pope's recent trip to Turkey with four very nice articles. I have linked one of the articles right here. You can read the others by clicking on Al Jazeera on your left and entering 'Pope' on their search line.
Al Jazeera passes my litmus test for objectivity in reporting and I suspect you might agree. Reporting about Christians in the Arab world from an Arab news source is certainly a good test. Al Jazeera has passed this one with ease. Don't be afraid to go there!
Peace.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Gallery Walk December 2, 2006
It's that time again! The holiday edition of the popular Art Walk. This Saturday 6-9pm. If you have never been there (shame-shame), come to the downtown area by the sundial and wander in any place with the lights on. Most galleries have maps. Take that map and proceed to visit some of the thirty locations.
Galleries farther north on North Main are opening at 5pm and provide a good starting point. Work your way south on North Main and leave some time to go over the bridge and visit the south side galleries.
Remember that artwork and sculpture might make a perfect present. Jacinda's Spa and Salon, 440 N. Main will be open. Ask for a tour. They have Gift Certificates!
The New Moon Cafe has Jason Moon entertaining during the Gallery Walk. Bring the kids. Have a warm beverage and check out the latest artwork on the walls. Jason Moon has a great voice and message.
The Oshkosh Bead Market has a new selection of Christmas beads and for those who don't have the time they have put together a selection of Pre-made Boxed Jewelry.
Around the corner from the Bead Market is Sweet Usoapia. A nice selection of aromatic Gift Bath Sets will tempt you.
The Salvation Army hopes to have bell-ringers present Saturday evening. If you would like to ring bells for an hour call Jim at 232-7660.
Look for your's truly at the keys Saturday morning at the New Moon and if you say 'Hi' be prepared to drop something in the Salvation Army Kettle right in front of the piano.
Peace.
Galleries farther north on North Main are opening at 5pm and provide a good starting point. Work your way south on North Main and leave some time to go over the bridge and visit the south side galleries.
Remember that artwork and sculpture might make a perfect present. Jacinda's Spa and Salon, 440 N. Main will be open. Ask for a tour. They have Gift Certificates!
The New Moon Cafe has Jason Moon entertaining during the Gallery Walk. Bring the kids. Have a warm beverage and check out the latest artwork on the walls. Jason Moon has a great voice and message.
The Oshkosh Bead Market has a new selection of Christmas beads and for those who don't have the time they have put together a selection of Pre-made Boxed Jewelry.
Around the corner from the Bead Market is Sweet Usoapia. A nice selection of aromatic Gift Bath Sets will tempt you.
The Salvation Army hopes to have bell-ringers present Saturday evening. If you would like to ring bells for an hour call Jim at 232-7660.
Look for your's truly at the keys Saturday morning at the New Moon and if you say 'Hi' be prepared to drop something in the Salvation Army Kettle right in front of the piano.
Peace.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Bell Ringers Urgently Needed
Get out the long undies, mittens and scarves, and your Santa hat!
The Salvation Army needs volunteers to ring bells. If you or a group of friends can give a few hours to charity it would be greatly appreciated. Do it once, do it once a week. Do it as your schedule allows.
PLEASE CALL JIM: (920) 232-7660
Remember that all money collected in Oshkosh stays in Oshkosh. The Salvation Army makes very wise use of their funds.
Bell Ringers are needed downtown for the Gallery Walk Saturday December 2. Call today!
The Salvation Army needs volunteers to ring bells. If you or a group of friends can give a few hours to charity it would be greatly appreciated. Do it once, do it once a week. Do it as your schedule allows.
PLEASE CALL JIM: (920) 232-7660
Remember that all money collected in Oshkosh stays in Oshkosh. The Salvation Army makes very wise use of their funds.
Bell Ringers are needed downtown for the Gallery Walk Saturday December 2. Call today!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Deer Hunting, Killing Cats, and Blowing up Frogs
If ya can't laugh at yourself, poke fun of other people! That's what a guy used to tell me and that's what I'm going to do today.
Deer Hunting...
Age 79, suffering from dementia, search party finds hunter lost since Saturday. What's an old fart like that doing with a loaded gun? Would you like to meet him in the woods? Might he be a WWII vet who could possibly suffer from a flashback? Maybe we could pair this fellow with Vice Chancellor Dick 'Lon' Cheney for an afternoon in the woods after a light lunch and a few martoonies. Can you imagine trying to follow them around with a video camera?
Kittens 'Just Psycho'...
There's no byline on this item in the Oshkosh Northwestern. The article could run as-is in The Onion. Congrats' to the reporter. It takes special talent to write for The Onion and you may have a future there. I'm not sure exactly what 'good writing' is, but I know it when I see it.
Saw a couple of letters about these kittens in the Northwestern last week, good letters I might add. They brought out good points: recognizing the link between violence against animals and violence against humans, which brings me to the next story...
Blowing up Frogs...
It works like this. You put the firecracker in the mouth or any other orifice you happen to find, light it, and toss that frog as high as you can in the air. This is what George Dubya Bush did as a child in Texas. He didn't do it once. He and his friends did it many times. I've linked one for your viewing enjoyment. The other 25,000 mentions of this activity can be found here.
________________________________
As a child of 11 or 12, maybe younger, I took a Scouts NRA safety course, wandered down the street with my new BB-gun and about three blocks from home started shooting at songbirds sitting on the telephone wire. One of the neighbors down that way called my parents. My dad, very calmly and in a pleasant way, taught me about the morality of killing anything. I never shot another bird and learned to respect and enjoy all animals.
Peace.
Deer Hunting...
Age 79, suffering from dementia, search party finds hunter lost since Saturday. What's an old fart like that doing with a loaded gun? Would you like to meet him in the woods? Might he be a WWII vet who could possibly suffer from a flashback? Maybe we could pair this fellow with Vice Chancellor Dick 'Lon' Cheney for an afternoon in the woods after a light lunch and a few martoonies. Can you imagine trying to follow them around with a video camera?
Kittens 'Just Psycho'...
There's no byline on this item in the Oshkosh Northwestern. The article could run as-is in The Onion. Congrats' to the reporter. It takes special talent to write for The Onion and you may have a future there. I'm not sure exactly what 'good writing' is, but I know it when I see it.
Saw a couple of letters about these kittens in the Northwestern last week, good letters I might add. They brought out good points: recognizing the link between violence against animals and violence against humans, which brings me to the next story...
Blowing up Frogs...
It works like this. You put the firecracker in the mouth or any other orifice you happen to find, light it, and toss that frog as high as you can in the air. This is what George Dubya Bush did as a child in Texas. He didn't do it once. He and his friends did it many times. I've linked one for your viewing enjoyment. The other 25,000 mentions of this activity can be found here.
________________________________
As a child of 11 or 12, maybe younger, I took a Scouts NRA safety course, wandered down the street with my new BB-gun and about three blocks from home started shooting at songbirds sitting on the telephone wire. One of the neighbors down that way called my parents. My dad, very calmly and in a pleasant way, taught me about the morality of killing anything. I never shot another bird and learned to respect and enjoy all animals.
Peace.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Reverend Billy and Shopocalypse
Wash your hands and say yer' prayers, cause germs and Jesus are everywhere. -Kinky Friedman
Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping is my present church home. The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir is shouting Amen!
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the target (Did I say Target?). That's the day when you can join Rev. Billy, the choir, and yours truly, and many more in not shopping. Don't spend money on Friday. Revolt! Don't take the bait. Stay home, visit a friend, take your lunch to work. Don't spend a dime!
Make sure the car is gassed up on Wednesday. Purchase what you need beforehand and spend no money anywhere on Black Friday. If you can: Make it Friday and Saturday.
Wouldn't it be nice if the mega-retailers had a bad weekend following Thanksgiving. Prices would drop more in the following weeks.
I have practiced this type of consumerism for years. I even hand-draw Christmas greetings one at a time.
All across the country revolts will happen in Mall-Wart and other selected locations. It might involve pushing an empty cart around a store for a couple of hours, or possibly filling one to overflowing, leaving it in an aisle or telling the checkout person you left your wallet in the car. This is sometimes given the name Commerce Jamming.
You can learn more about Black Friday at the Adbusters site.
More than you'll ever need to know about Rev. Billy can be found at The Revealer, a daily review of religion and the press.
Will something happen in Oshkosh? I don't know yet. Send me a note and I'll let you know.
Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping is my present church home. The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir is shouting Amen!
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the target (Did I say Target?). That's the day when you can join Rev. Billy, the choir, and yours truly, and many more in not shopping. Don't spend money on Friday. Revolt! Don't take the bait. Stay home, visit a friend, take your lunch to work. Don't spend a dime!
Make sure the car is gassed up on Wednesday. Purchase what you need beforehand and spend no money anywhere on Black Friday. If you can: Make it Friday and Saturday.
Wouldn't it be nice if the mega-retailers had a bad weekend following Thanksgiving. Prices would drop more in the following weeks.
I have practiced this type of consumerism for years. I even hand-draw Christmas greetings one at a time.
All across the country revolts will happen in Mall-Wart and other selected locations. It might involve pushing an empty cart around a store for a couple of hours, or possibly filling one to overflowing, leaving it in an aisle or telling the checkout person you left your wallet in the car. This is sometimes given the name Commerce Jamming.
You can learn more about Black Friday at the Adbusters site.
More than you'll ever need to know about Rev. Billy can be found at The Revealer, a daily review of religion and the press.
Will something happen in Oshkosh? I don't know yet. Send me a note and I'll let you know.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Donna Lohry's remarks to the Winnebago County Board
The Northwestern has declined to speak to this thus far so it is being posted here...
Text of Winnebago County Board Supervisor Donna Lohry¹s remarks to the
Winnebago County Board November 14, 2006, with regard to Resolution
112112006, Support Repeal of Recent Amendments to Section 59.10(2) and (3),
Wisconsin Statutes (County Board Redistricting).
Mr. Chairman, I¹d like to say a few words to the viewing audience. This is
a contentious issue, but given this law was conceived and birthed in
Winnebago County, I feel it is Winnebago County¹s duty to address the
frailties in it, as it now affects the entire state.
Our friends and neighbors can be commended for their diligent work in
gathering signatures calling for referendum. As a life-long advocate, I can
appreciate their dedication. However, this is an assault on County
Government, our most basic and personal form of democracy. It is County
Government to which we turrn when ills fall upon us.
Now to address this particular law and its shortcomings:
It uses a predetermined arbitrary number that seems to be neatly selected at
one half in order to meet the balance of constitutional law requirements of
one person-one vote. It is difficult to redistrict mid-census because whole
wards in existence at census time cannot be separated when trying to
redistrict.
This is another unfunded mandate which ignores the cost of manpower.
Approximately one month¹s salary for a cartographer plus County Clerk¹s
staff. Referendums can run as high as $4,000.
The Statute allowing the referendum for a cut in the county boards
completely neglects the fact that redistricting will once again occur in
2010 and more redistricting under the new law can occur as early as two
years after that in 2012.
The likely effect of this statute could result in a continuous folding of
rural town districts into districts populated by city residents, thus
minimizing town input in County Government, despite the fact that County
Government provides many services to town residents which are traditionally
provided to city residents by their City Government such as zoning, public
health, police protection, land and water services.
But most importantly there is no recourse to correct any error if a Board is
reduced and then found to be dysfunctional. There is no safety net until
the 2010 census.
For these reasons I ask passage of this resolution so the entire State can
evaluate and decide if this law is worthy to stay on the books. Small sized
government boards or councils do not appear to work any better than larger
ones that have more voices. Thank you.
The resolution to ask the State to repeal the law is at
http://www.co.winnebago.wi.us/countyclerk/countyboard/Resolution%20No.%20112-112006.pdf
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Father Carr's Place 2B Homeless Shelter
I have been asked lately why I haven't written about Fr. Carr's. My number one source of information recently died. I am getting some bits and pieces but not enough to warrant writing a column.
I can say that there were about ten people in the men's shelter 10 to 15 days ago. That is much better than two or three 2-years ago. Note that Fr. Carr has 75 rooms for men and another 75 for women and children. I have no information on the women's shelter. Also note that in the last year reported, Fr. Carr had collected $1.1 million!
There is a wonderful article in the Appleton Post Crescent, Nov.16, 2006, about the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley. You can read it here. It is a seventy-five bed facility at the max, and 65 people are currently housed there. It is full for all practical purposes and has a waiting list. The Appleton shelter was running a $200,000 shortfall in June and has been trying to catch up ever since. The J.J. Keller people have generously given a $50,000 challenge grant.
The Salvation Army shelter in Appleton is not in operation at this time. No reason given.
There you have it folks. The Appleton shelter is busting at the seams and apparently spending money on clients. The shelter in Oshkosh has twice as many rooms and is virtually dark at night.
I don't know quite what to say folks. If you or your church is planning on doing something for the homeless in Oshkosh you can contribute to the Christine Ann Center. Two more suggestions. The Captains at the Oshkosh Salvation Army have found ways to put people up. Father Steve from the Episcopal Church also has helped folks in a pinch. Consider those places for donations.
The St. Vincent de Paul Store on Bowen also works with the Red Cross on housing.
Peace.
I can say that there were about ten people in the men's shelter 10 to 15 days ago. That is much better than two or three 2-years ago. Note that Fr. Carr has 75 rooms for men and another 75 for women and children. I have no information on the women's shelter. Also note that in the last year reported, Fr. Carr had collected $1.1 million!
There is a wonderful article in the Appleton Post Crescent, Nov.16, 2006, about the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley. You can read it here. It is a seventy-five bed facility at the max, and 65 people are currently housed there. It is full for all practical purposes and has a waiting list. The Appleton shelter was running a $200,000 shortfall in June and has been trying to catch up ever since. The J.J. Keller people have generously given a $50,000 challenge grant.
The Salvation Army shelter in Appleton is not in operation at this time. No reason given.
There you have it folks. The Appleton shelter is busting at the seams and apparently spending money on clients. The shelter in Oshkosh has twice as many rooms and is virtually dark at night.
I don't know quite what to say folks. If you or your church is planning on doing something for the homeless in Oshkosh you can contribute to the Christine Ann Center. Two more suggestions. The Captains at the Oshkosh Salvation Army have found ways to put people up. Father Steve from the Episcopal Church also has helped folks in a pinch. Consider those places for donations.
The St. Vincent de Paul Store on Bowen also works with the Red Cross on housing.
Peace.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Al Jazeera to debut 24hr News Channel in English
Al Jazeera just celebrated its 10th anniversary. On November 15 the English speaking television news channel will debut worldwide. It was a bit of a mystery to most of us until the English version website became common. I have that site linked to your left.
I have always looked to Al Jazeera English as just one more place to find news on the web. That all changes this week. The new English television version will have four main broadcast centers. One will be in Washington D.C.
Don't look for Al Jazeera quite yet on local cable. I frankly don't know how many are going to call Time Warner locally and exclaim: "We want our Al Jazeera!" The cable system certainly has room for it... right alongside CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and the rest.
France is debuting a 24hr news channel ( in French), and the Danes are right behind them. India, with three times the population of the United States, has 32 TV-news channels.
You can click here to view Al Jazeera's official news release, and here to learn another perspective.
The Al Jazeera English website, linked at left, will change in the coming weeks and months as they work hand in hand with the new news channel. Streaming video is one of those. I like the cartoons on the lower left of the website. They run up to a minute and each tells a story.
Do I fear Al Jazeera. No.
I fear FAUX News and Drivel and would trust Al Jazeera over Fox any day. 'Fox News' -is a contradiction in terms.
Peace.
I have always looked to Al Jazeera English as just one more place to find news on the web. That all changes this week. The new English television version will have four main broadcast centers. One will be in Washington D.C.
Don't look for Al Jazeera quite yet on local cable. I frankly don't know how many are going to call Time Warner locally and exclaim: "We want our Al Jazeera!" The cable system certainly has room for it... right alongside CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC and the rest.
France is debuting a 24hr news channel ( in French), and the Danes are right behind them. India, with three times the population of the United States, has 32 TV-news channels.
You can click here to view Al Jazeera's official news release, and here to learn another perspective.
The Al Jazeera English website, linked at left, will change in the coming weeks and months as they work hand in hand with the new news channel. Streaming video is one of those. I like the cartoons on the lower left of the website. They run up to a minute and each tells a story.
Do I fear Al Jazeera. No.
I fear FAUX News and Drivel and would trust Al Jazeera over Fox any day. 'Fox News' -is a contradiction in terms.
Peace.
Train Death early Sunday morning
Jack Peterson was the fellow who was hit by the train. This developed from a conversation at the American Family Table Restaurant about 6am Sunday morning.
I knew Jack. He was one of those folks who wandered the streets of downtown. He was a quiet person who kept to himself most of the time, had mental issues, lived on token disability payments, and most recently lived at a rooming house on Broad Street. On occasion Jack would drink. Put that together with the time, bar closing time on a Saturday night, and Jack may have been coming from someone's house or a tavern. I bounced around the 'suicide word.' No one thinks that. The prevailing thought is that he tried to beat the train.
Jack was a nice person and went out of his way to help people at times. He would become confused and paranoid if he drank.
I understand that he was dragged a block or more along Washington to Waugoo Streets.
I knew Jack. He was one of those folks who wandered the streets of downtown. He was a quiet person who kept to himself most of the time, had mental issues, lived on token disability payments, and most recently lived at a rooming house on Broad Street. On occasion Jack would drink. Put that together with the time, bar closing time on a Saturday night, and Jack may have been coming from someone's house or a tavern. I bounced around the 'suicide word.' No one thinks that. The prevailing thought is that he tried to beat the train.
Jack was a nice person and went out of his way to help people at times. He would become confused and paranoid if he drank.
I understand that he was dragged a block or more along Washington to Waugoo Streets.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Politics, Warren Kraft, John Gard, Russ Feingold, Tommy Thompson, and Alfred E. Neuman
Warren Kraft still doesn't get it. The word arrogance has been used elsewhere. It's worse than that. He's figuratively 'flipping the bird' at the Wisconsin Attorney General's office. The only assumption can be that meetings are open and not the other way around. I wrote about this in late February and I stand by it. You can read it here.
John Gard did something no politician should do. Politicians make mistakes. Garrison Keillor used one before the election. It goes something like this: Never, never, never tell the voters that you are going to turn over a new page in politics next year. Back to John Gard now. It wasn't anything Gard said. It was something he did. Someone shot a picture of him in the back of a limo holding a can of beer. The darling of the Christian Right Wing drinking beer? No! It wasn't the beer. It was much worse than that. It was the brand of beer. It was that cheap rice beer made in Saint Louis. Missouri you say? Yes!
You can't run for political office in Wisconsin, talk about bringing jobs and industry to the state, and have your photo taken with an out-of-state beer in your hand! That pretty well wraps it up for Mr. Gard. Go here to see the photo.
Russ Feingold has announced that he will not run for president in 2008. It's all over the news. I think the more important news is about Tommy Thompson. Tommy's going to take a crack at the 2008 presidential race. He was in Iowa last Saturday for the Badger Hawkeye game. He was shaking hands with as many Iowans as he could. You can read about it here in the Capital Times.
Neither Russ Feingold nor Tommy Thompson will become president. Get used to it. Russ is a Jew. Tommy an Irish Catholic.
Presidents are older white males who can trace their roots to England. They don't call England the mother country for nothing. There are few presidents who don't fit this mold. Two had the last name Roosevelt. They were of Dutch ancestry. Another one was an Irish Catholic named Kennedy. He was murdered. Reagan was Irish but that was different. He was non-Catholic, in fact he rarely ever went to church.
A woman for president. Who's kidding who? A person of color?
Nothing will change until enough of us force that change.
I would like nothing more than to see retired General Powell and Barack Obama lead the major tickets in '08.
I don't want to end this on a bad note. Please go here to see the best use ever for that t-shirt that says: I'm With Stupid.
Peace.
John Gard did something no politician should do. Politicians make mistakes. Garrison Keillor used one before the election. It goes something like this: Never, never, never tell the voters that you are going to turn over a new page in politics next year. Back to John Gard now. It wasn't anything Gard said. It was something he did. Someone shot a picture of him in the back of a limo holding a can of beer. The darling of the Christian Right Wing drinking beer? No! It wasn't the beer. It was much worse than that. It was the brand of beer. It was that cheap rice beer made in Saint Louis. Missouri you say? Yes!
You can't run for political office in Wisconsin, talk about bringing jobs and industry to the state, and have your photo taken with an out-of-state beer in your hand! That pretty well wraps it up for Mr. Gard. Go here to see the photo.
Russ Feingold has announced that he will not run for president in 2008. It's all over the news. I think the more important news is about Tommy Thompson. Tommy's going to take a crack at the 2008 presidential race. He was in Iowa last Saturday for the Badger Hawkeye game. He was shaking hands with as many Iowans as he could. You can read about it here in the Capital Times.
Neither Russ Feingold nor Tommy Thompson will become president. Get used to it. Russ is a Jew. Tommy an Irish Catholic.
Presidents are older white males who can trace their roots to England. They don't call England the mother country for nothing. There are few presidents who don't fit this mold. Two had the last name Roosevelt. They were of Dutch ancestry. Another one was an Irish Catholic named Kennedy. He was murdered. Reagan was Irish but that was different. He was non-Catholic, in fact he rarely ever went to church.
A woman for president. Who's kidding who? A person of color?
Nothing will change until enough of us force that change.
I would like nothing more than to see retired General Powell and Barack Obama lead the major tickets in '08.
I don't want to end this on a bad note. Please go here to see the best use ever for that t-shirt that says: I'm With Stupid.
Peace.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
HOLIDAY PARADE Saturday November 11, 2006
Be downtown on Main or on Oregon St. for the annual Christmas Parade at 10am Saturday. About ninety units are expected to entertain us. The weather forecast as I write this calls for sunshine, 33 degrees, and a 10-12mph breeze. There should be snow on the ground left from Friday afternoon. Perfect weather for a Wisconsin winter parade!
The New Moon Cafe at 401 N. Main St. by the Sundial and Cranky Pat's Pizza on the 100 block of North Main will be open to accomodate everyone looking for a hot beverage and a place to warm up. The Baer brothers who own both of these establishments will also feature entertainment before and after the parade.
The entertainers are donating their services to help kick-start the Salvation Army Kettle and bell ringing season. Salvation Army Kettles will be present at both the New Moon and Cranky Pat's.
Note that all monies collected in the Kettle Campaign are used locally in Oshkosh. Every penny!
Yours truly will be on the piano at the New Moon for this event so you can donate to the Salvation Army and personally complain about postings you see in this blog.
Congrats goes to the Baer brothers who are committed to local charities and the community at large.
A big thank you to everyone associated with the parade.
To the rest of you...
BAH HUMBUG!
The New Moon Cafe at 401 N. Main St. by the Sundial and Cranky Pat's Pizza on the 100 block of North Main will be open to accomodate everyone looking for a hot beverage and a place to warm up. The Baer brothers who own both of these establishments will also feature entertainment before and after the parade.
The entertainers are donating their services to help kick-start the Salvation Army Kettle and bell ringing season. Salvation Army Kettles will be present at both the New Moon and Cranky Pat's.
Note that all monies collected in the Kettle Campaign are used locally in Oshkosh. Every penny!
Yours truly will be on the piano at the New Moon for this event so you can donate to the Salvation Army and personally complain about postings you see in this blog.
Congrats goes to the Baer brothers who are committed to local charities and the community at large.
A big thank you to everyone associated with the parade.
To the rest of you...
BAH HUMBUG!
Laptops & Lattes / Oshkosh Public Library
Many of you are aware that I do all of my blogging at the Oshkosh Public Library or UWO Polk Library. I am not among the ranks of those who can afford home internet service. The Oshkosh Public Library has recently instituted a new service for those of us who are constantly half-a-cup-short.
Patrons can now bring in a cup of coffee or a 'pop', as many of us say, to keep the caffeine level up. They suggest containers which are capped with the small openings on top. Snacks are also now allowed. Pizza deliveries and meals are not.
Here is the link to their site.
Patrons can now bring in a cup of coffee or a 'pop', as many of us say, to keep the caffeine level up. They suggest containers which are capped with the small openings on top. Snacks are also now allowed. Pizza deliveries and meals are not.
Here is the link to their site.
Acetaminophen Recall
Eleven million bottles of generic Tylenol have been recalled. Note that brand name Tylenol is not affected. You can read the article from CNN here.
A list of stores and wholesalers can be found here. Some names I immediately recognize: Walmart, Woodmans, Super Valu (i.e. Festival Foods), Roundy's (i.e. Copps and Pick & Save), Piggly Wiggly, Kwik Trip, and Dollar General.
If you have the bottle handy you can check this site against the numbers on the bottle.
A list of stores and wholesalers can be found here. Some names I immediately recognize: Walmart, Woodmans, Super Valu (i.e. Festival Foods), Roundy's (i.e. Copps and Pick & Save), Piggly Wiggly, Kwik Trip, and Dollar General.
If you have the bottle handy you can check this site against the numbers on the bottle.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Go Gordon Go
It's good to see that Gordon Hintz won. His Democrat affiliation will give him flexibility and freedom of thought that no Republican would have.
My advice to Gordon:
Do your best to comfort the afflicted.
Afflict the comfortable.
Along with that make sure you keep in contact with John Nichols. John is co-editor of the Capital Times and writes for The Nation Magazine. John has an Oshkosh connection. His sister runs the Red Cross here in Oshkosh. John is always interested in what's happening in the valley.
Be damn careful of the lobbyists. Do not let them overtake your agenda. Your agenda should remain the needs and wants of the folks in and around Oshkosh.
Peace.
My advice to Gordon:
Do your best to comfort the afflicted.
Afflict the comfortable.
Along with that make sure you keep in contact with John Nichols. John is co-editor of the Capital Times and writes for The Nation Magazine. John has an Oshkosh connection. His sister runs the Red Cross here in Oshkosh. John is always interested in what's happening in the valley.
Be damn careful of the lobbyists. Do not let them overtake your agenda. Your agenda should remain the needs and wants of the folks in and around Oshkosh.
Peace.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Not Quite the Same Old Story
There's nobody worth voting for.
They're all crooks.
It's a choice between worse and worser.
The Democrat and the Republican are just like each other.
I'd vote if I thought my vote would make a difference.
___________________________________
We are all influenced by media. That will be the focus today.
Newspapers and TV are dealing with a very outmoded set of presumptions when they report on politics. This leads to disinteresting blandness from the reader's vantage point.
The presumption, ongoing for at least a century, is that politics is left / right, Democrat / Republican, with a 3rd party thrown in for amusement once in a while. It may have been that way for a while but certainly is no more.
The Republican Party is not a party of people. It is a party of faceless corporations.
The Democrats are a party that is 70 to 80% controlled by faceless corporations.
It's similar to asking someone who owns the Kansas City Chiefs, who owns the Chicago Bears, or the Atlanta Braves. Name the principal owner of Target Stores.
Politics is the ultra-rich versus the really disgusting ultra, ultra rich; leaving the poor and the rapidly disappearing middle class to watch from the sidelines to see which group of workers in this country will take the next hit...losing their health insurance, having their pay halved, or losing their jobs.
Many voters, come election day, hold their noses and complain about no choices. They're right. There is no choice between corporation X and corporation Y. They're both going to take the money and run.
The media person, the Northwestern reporter for instance, if told to interview candidates for an office, would immediately interview the Democrat and Republican assuming there would be a difference when in reality the reporter is interviewing the pawns of Corporation XY.
$250,000 is being spent on a job which Ms Leschke or Mr Hintz will have for a few years. The person that wins will have to immediately start raising money to fend off issue ads and recalls from the corporation that lost.
The reporter needs a new set of presumptions. Throw the old ones out the window, challenge the status quo, and change the rules. Reporters should ask readers for questions, then dog the candidates repeatedly for answers.
Glossy answers will come forth from the corporate candidates, who should be given that title, and down to earth answers might come from non-corporate candidates.
The newspaper would be much more entertaining if the reporter used wealth and poverty to describe candidates opinions. Right now they try to distinguish wealth from wealth which leaves a bunch of apathetic non-voters on the sidelines complaining about 'nobody to vote for.'
They're all crooks.
It's a choice between worse and worser.
The Democrat and the Republican are just like each other.
I'd vote if I thought my vote would make a difference.
___________________________________
We are all influenced by media. That will be the focus today.
Newspapers and TV are dealing with a very outmoded set of presumptions when they report on politics. This leads to disinteresting blandness from the reader's vantage point.
The presumption, ongoing for at least a century, is that politics is left / right, Democrat / Republican, with a 3rd party thrown in for amusement once in a while. It may have been that way for a while but certainly is no more.
The Republican Party is not a party of people. It is a party of faceless corporations.
The Democrats are a party that is 70 to 80% controlled by faceless corporations.
It's similar to asking someone who owns the Kansas City Chiefs, who owns the Chicago Bears, or the Atlanta Braves. Name the principal owner of Target Stores.
Politics is the ultra-rich versus the really disgusting ultra, ultra rich; leaving the poor and the rapidly disappearing middle class to watch from the sidelines to see which group of workers in this country will take the next hit...losing their health insurance, having their pay halved, or losing their jobs.
Many voters, come election day, hold their noses and complain about no choices. They're right. There is no choice between corporation X and corporation Y. They're both going to take the money and run.
The media person, the Northwestern reporter for instance, if told to interview candidates for an office, would immediately interview the Democrat and Republican assuming there would be a difference when in reality the reporter is interviewing the pawns of Corporation XY.
$250,000 is being spent on a job which Ms Leschke or Mr Hintz will have for a few years. The person that wins will have to immediately start raising money to fend off issue ads and recalls from the corporation that lost.
The reporter needs a new set of presumptions. Throw the old ones out the window, challenge the status quo, and change the rules. Reporters should ask readers for questions, then dog the candidates repeatedly for answers.
Glossy answers will come forth from the corporate candidates, who should be given that title, and down to earth answers might come from non-corporate candidates.
The newspaper would be much more entertaining if the reporter used wealth and poverty to describe candidates opinions. Right now they try to distinguish wealth from wealth which leaves a bunch of apathetic non-voters on the sidelines complaining about 'nobody to vote for.'
Sunday, November 05, 2006
News by the Numbers
A check of news sources and blogs tonight shows them making comparisons of dead people and their relationship to George Dubya Bush and his partner in crime Saddam Hussein.
I'm not going to make those comparisons. You are. I'm going to provide the numbers. You the reader can make any inference or interpretation you like.
140-plus: The number of dead Saddam is convicted of killing in his 9-month trial which will result in his death by hanging.
155: The number of people executed in the state of Texas during the reign of Governor George Dubya Bush.
655,000: The estimated number of Iraqis killed, most of them violently, since George Dubya Bush decided to illegally invade Iraq.
3,000: The number killed in New York City by some renegade without a country who was hiding in Afghanistan. I think his name was Osama.
My sole comment...
Hussein will hang. George and Osama are hiding under your bed.
I'm not going to make those comparisons. You are. I'm going to provide the numbers. You the reader can make any inference or interpretation you like.
140-plus: The number of dead Saddam is convicted of killing in his 9-month trial which will result in his death by hanging.
155: The number of people executed in the state of Texas during the reign of Governor George Dubya Bush.
655,000: The estimated number of Iraqis killed, most of them violently, since George Dubya Bush decided to illegally invade Iraq.
3,000: The number killed in New York City by some renegade without a country who was hiding in Afghanistan. I think his name was Osama.
My sole comment...
Hussein will hang. George and Osama are hiding under your bed.
Write In RON HARDY for County Clerk
VOTE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 7
Join me in writing in Ron Hardy for County Clerk of Winnebago County.
Note that Sue Ertmer is running unopposed for County Clerk. Note that Sue Ertmer wholeheartedly endorsed spending Hundreds-of-thousands of Dollars for the flawed Diebold voting machines which didn't work properly in the September Primary Election.
Sue Ertmer was informed by many people that Diebold machines had problems and could be hacked in a minute by a high-schooler. She was asked to take a wait-and-see attitude but instead went full-steam ahead in spending taxpayer dollars.
Many in the community opposed this, not just Ron Hardy. Since Sue Ertmer is running unopposed chances are high that Ron Hardy won't affect the election.
Writing in Ron Hardy's name for County Clerk is a great way to send the message out about the flawed Diebold voting machines and the rushed bad decision to spend all that money on them.
Join me in writing in Ron Hardy for County Clerk of Winnebago County.
Note that Sue Ertmer is running unopposed for County Clerk. Note that Sue Ertmer wholeheartedly endorsed spending Hundreds-of-thousands of Dollars for the flawed Diebold voting machines which didn't work properly in the September Primary Election.
Sue Ertmer was informed by many people that Diebold machines had problems and could be hacked in a minute by a high-schooler. She was asked to take a wait-and-see attitude but instead went full-steam ahead in spending taxpayer dollars.
Many in the community opposed this, not just Ron Hardy. Since Sue Ertmer is running unopposed chances are high that Ron Hardy won't affect the election.
Writing in Ron Hardy's name for County Clerk is a great way to send the message out about the flawed Diebold voting machines and the rushed bad decision to spend all that money on them.
On Tuesday
Write In
RON HARDY
for
COUNTY CLERK
Friday, November 03, 2006
Wedgies for Julie Pung Leschke
I have never met Julie Pung Leschke. I'm sure she is an engaging, polite, and bright person. I feel sorry for her. It's hard to look in the mirror and see an elephant.
You can vote Republican, but you can't be one.
Does the elephant always remember?
Keep in mind that conservatives kept women from owning property for centuries.
Keep in mind that black males were given the right to vote a half century before women. Liberals helped women gain that right circa 1920. It's the conservatives in our society that are responsible for the longstanding practice of keeping women's wages below mens thus keeping most women from owning property.
It's conservatives who maintained that condoms could only be sold by a pharmacist, (under the counter), who could demand proof of marriage. That ended in the late 1960's when truck stops along the I-system sued to allow condom machines in their restrooms. One Republican state rep. even asked: Where are we going to get the boys we need to join the Army?
Fast forward to 2006 and the conservatives want to limit stem cell research. In generations to come the stem cell thing will look as stupid as the condom idiocy in the latter 1960's. Do you want to be a part of that Julie Pung Leschke?
Here's a classic Republican 'cut taxes and save the government money strategy': Cut the $10 to $15 food stamp stipend to folks on S.S. Disability and give another tax cut to the rich. This just doesn't cut it Julie!
The Republicans have been in charge nationally since 1994. Have we lost jobs to other countries? Have real wages gone up? Has health care become more affordable?
This is where the 'WEDGIES' come in... (i.e. How to get people to vote against their best interests).
WEDGIES
You can vote Republican, but you can't be one.
Does the elephant always remember?
Keep in mind that conservatives kept women from owning property for centuries.
Keep in mind that black males were given the right to vote a half century before women. Liberals helped women gain that right circa 1920. It's the conservatives in our society that are responsible for the longstanding practice of keeping women's wages below mens thus keeping most women from owning property.
It's conservatives who maintained that condoms could only be sold by a pharmacist, (under the counter), who could demand proof of marriage. That ended in the late 1960's when truck stops along the I-system sued to allow condom machines in their restrooms. One Republican state rep. even asked: Where are we going to get the boys we need to join the Army?
Fast forward to 2006 and the conservatives want to limit stem cell research. In generations to come the stem cell thing will look as stupid as the condom idiocy in the latter 1960's. Do you want to be a part of that Julie Pung Leschke?
Here's a classic Republican 'cut taxes and save the government money strategy': Cut the $10 to $15 food stamp stipend to folks on S.S. Disability and give another tax cut to the rich. This just doesn't cut it Julie!
The Republicans have been in charge nationally since 1994. Have we lost jobs to other countries? Have real wages gone up? Has health care become more affordable?
This is where the 'WEDGIES' come in... (i.e. How to get people to vote against their best interests).
WEDGIES
- Abortion. Instead of fixing potholes, improving wages, fixing bridges, etc...Let's get people fired up over an issue best left to a woman and her Dr. Does anyone really believe that women should be kept barefoot and pregnant?
- God. Foget God. Leave that for the churches. Just fix the potholes please.
- Guns. Republicans named Brady and Bush passed the big bill I remember. Please fix the potholes. Don't mess with guns.
- Gays. Wisconsin law already prevents gay marriage. What's the problem? Please fix the potholes.
Julie Pung Leschke. If you win you will be stuck with these wedgies. Deviate even slightly and you may suffer the fate of Kathleen Harris.
Being Republican means that any entity with 'Corp.' at the end of its name owns you.
Wisconsin has some of the highest personal taxes in the nation.
Wisconsin has some of the lowest corporate taxes in the nation.
If elected you will have to serve your corporate masters.
Now please excuse me while I go regurgitate.
Peace.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
November 4th Gallery Walk, An Update
There are THIRTY ONE galleries listed on the map for this month's Art Walk! This may be some sort of a record! It's great news, kudos to all who are involved in this community event.
Everyone has their own approach to the Gallery Walk. Today's column will speak to one which I would never try, but admire from a distance. There is a small dedicated group which takes the Gallery Walk as an endurance test...with the clock running. The aim is to be present at each and every gallery in the allotted three hour time limit (6-9pm). It becomes more like a Gallery WALK-RUN! I find it amusing and I do envy them although they miss something in the process. Nuances are missed. One cannot assess the mellifluous meanderings of an artist with a short walk-through.
(Mellifluous: I had to work that one in. Jody from the Side Street used that word in a recent posting. I liked it. I hope she's copacetic.)
THE OSHKOSH GALLERY WALK-RUN
Spectators and runners alike will receive an extra hour Saturday. Pedestrian Arts at 664 N. Main is celebrating their 16th Anniversary with an open house that begins at 5pm. With that in mind start slowly on North Main and work your way south toward the bridge. Movin' Shoes, 511 N. Main always has some interesting items by UWO students. A highlight this month is a 'Huge Art Sale' -Edsel LaBillois, at the Art Space Collective, 7 Merritt Ave. Jacinda's Spa and Solon, 440 N. Main is having a Fashion Show (Kelly Gierach). Jambalaya Co-op, 433 N. Main, is consistently interesting, month after month.
The New Moon Cafe has live music. Jenna Larson is showing at Limelite Studios, 101 Algoma Blvd. You be the judge: Will Jenna's art or Jenna's baby get more attention? Upscale Resale on Market decided some months ago to be open for every gallery walk. Other stores are beginning to take note and see the potential for business. Upscale Resale always has good treats too!
Two new stops are Madqueens at 115 Washington Ave. and Guten Tag Studio and Gallery, 316 Court St. (Leslie Trewyn). Atomic Katz, 17 Waugoo St, is celebrating their 3rd anniversary.
Going down Market St. the Oshkosh Bead Market will be open. Sweet Usoapia is music to one's nose and the Sparr Gallery is a treat to the eyes. The lower level of the Sparr Gallery is not to be missed, especially this time of year.
Don't get tied down to the north side of the bridge. Special mention to the four galleries on the near south side. 6th Avenue Arts, 601 S. Main, Oswald Photography at 615 S. Main. Also the Gallery at 8th & Main at that same address, and the Blue Room Studio at 800 Oregon St. (Alex Becerra and Cal Jones).
______________________________
If the Gallery Walk gets much larger it could become the Gallery Walk-Run. If anyone chooses to try this I will be happy to post the results, the trips-falls, best wine, best treats, etc.
Weather, as I write this, might include snow. I love walking in the first snow of the winter. If you choose to rest and relax after 9pm I would suggest Oblios on N. Main and Brooklyn on S. Main.
Peace.
Everyone has their own approach to the Gallery Walk. Today's column will speak to one which I would never try, but admire from a distance. There is a small dedicated group which takes the Gallery Walk as an endurance test...with the clock running. The aim is to be present at each and every gallery in the allotted three hour time limit (6-9pm). It becomes more like a Gallery WALK-RUN! I find it amusing and I do envy them although they miss something in the process. Nuances are missed. One cannot assess the mellifluous meanderings of an artist with a short walk-through.
(Mellifluous: I had to work that one in. Jody from the Side Street used that word in a recent posting. I liked it. I hope she's copacetic.)
THE OSHKOSH GALLERY WALK-RUN
Spectators and runners alike will receive an extra hour Saturday. Pedestrian Arts at 664 N. Main is celebrating their 16th Anniversary with an open house that begins at 5pm. With that in mind start slowly on North Main and work your way south toward the bridge. Movin' Shoes, 511 N. Main always has some interesting items by UWO students. A highlight this month is a 'Huge Art Sale' -Edsel LaBillois, at the Art Space Collective, 7 Merritt Ave. Jacinda's Spa and Solon, 440 N. Main is having a Fashion Show (Kelly Gierach). Jambalaya Co-op, 433 N. Main, is consistently interesting, month after month.
The New Moon Cafe has live music. Jenna Larson is showing at Limelite Studios, 101 Algoma Blvd. You be the judge: Will Jenna's art or Jenna's baby get more attention? Upscale Resale on Market decided some months ago to be open for every gallery walk. Other stores are beginning to take note and see the potential for business. Upscale Resale always has good treats too!
Two new stops are Madqueens at 115 Washington Ave. and Guten Tag Studio and Gallery, 316 Court St. (Leslie Trewyn). Atomic Katz, 17 Waugoo St, is celebrating their 3rd anniversary.
Going down Market St. the Oshkosh Bead Market will be open. Sweet Usoapia is music to one's nose and the Sparr Gallery is a treat to the eyes. The lower level of the Sparr Gallery is not to be missed, especially this time of year.
Don't get tied down to the north side of the bridge. Special mention to the four galleries on the near south side. 6th Avenue Arts, 601 S. Main, Oswald Photography at 615 S. Main. Also the Gallery at 8th & Main at that same address, and the Blue Room Studio at 800 Oregon St. (Alex Becerra and Cal Jones).
______________________________
If the Gallery Walk gets much larger it could become the Gallery Walk-Run. If anyone chooses to try this I will be happy to post the results, the trips-falls, best wine, best treats, etc.
Weather, as I write this, might include snow. I love walking in the first snow of the winter. If you choose to rest and relax after 9pm I would suggest Oblios on N. Main and Brooklyn on S. Main.
Peace.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Art Walk / Gallery Walk, This Saturday Night
November 4, 2006, six to nine P.M. is the monthly Gallery Walk. Maps are available at most of the 25 locations. Come downtown and enjoy. Locations are primarily along North Main but also over the bridge on the south side. Last month's art displays were enjoyed by hundreds and hundreds! Yours truly entertained at one of the largest venues, the New Moon also had live music, at least one band entertained behind the Exclusive Company, and street musicians were at work too. The Gallery Walk, as always, is free. Enjoy.
While you are marking your calendar for the Art Walk note that the annual Holiday Parade is Saturday November 11 at 10a.m. Another great excuse to stay away from the Mall and the Big Box Stores!
____________________________________
While you are marking your calendar for the Art Walk note that the annual Holiday Parade is Saturday November 11 at 10a.m. Another great excuse to stay away from the Mall and the Big Box Stores!
____________________________________
"THIS WALL WILL FALL. FOR IT CANNOT WITHSTAND FAITH; IT CANNOT WITHSTAND TRUTH. THE WALL CANNOT WITHSTAND FREEDOM." ---Ronald Reagan, 1987
"Let's build a fence." -George Bush 2006
____________________________________
Halloween Hijinks...
The Freak Fest in our state capitol of Madison did not get out of hand as it had in past years. Here is a link to some 200-photos from Halloween in Madison.
Key West, Florida has a ten day fest which culminates on Halloween. You can take an online tour by clicking here: Key West Fantasy Fest 2006.
Alert readers will note that it is warmer in Key West than in Madison.
See you Saturday. Dress warm.
Peace.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Happy Halloween
The worms crawl in,
The worms crawl out,
The worms play pinochle on your snout.
The rest of the lyrics can be found here.
There will be some scares between now and election day but only the weak and the timid will fall for the fear crap that will be spread by the Republicans.
The scary stuff can be found right here. If that doesn't scare you enough try this link.
Whatever you do don't go bobbing for apples at Dick Cheney's house. You might learn what water-boarding is.
You might try bobbing for french fries, but don't come to me about the way your nose looks in the mirror!
Peace.
The worms crawl out,
The worms play pinochle on your snout.
The rest of the lyrics can be found here.
There will be some scares between now and election day but only the weak and the timid will fall for the fear crap that will be spread by the Republicans.
The scary stuff can be found right here. If that doesn't scare you enough try this link.
Whatever you do don't go bobbing for apples at Dick Cheney's house. You might learn what water-boarding is.
You might try bobbing for french fries, but don't come to me about the way your nose looks in the mirror!
Peace.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Being Brought up Small Town Democrat in Wisconsin
Eisenhower was President. Radios took forever to warm up and the furnace alternately was fed wood and coal. Taking a walk through the railroad switch-yard meant carrying a bag (paper of course, plastic didn't exist) to pick up coal that had conveniently bounced out of the rail cars. Natural gas was coming but not yet to our neighborhood. Television was something the taverns and a few wealthier people had. Everyone subscribed to the daily newspaper and I was learning to read. I never heard a bad word uttered towards President Eisenhower (IKE), Ed Gein (rhymes with fiend) had been caught, and the Milwaukee Braves always won. Through the miracle electronics of the day the newspaper carried a photo of Hank Aaron and I learned that my baseball hero was black, in black and white of course.
Sunday after church the chicken or the beef roast in the oven was turned up and stomachs growled in anticipation. The radio was warmed up for the noon news and the reading of the obituaries. At 12:15 my dad shushed up everyone at the table and the meal was finished in silence while we listened to the radio. William T. Evjue's voice would boom out of Madison as if he had to yell to make it heard across the state. The chief honcho of the Capital Times would exclaim: "Hellooooooo Wisconsin!", and for fifteen minutes we learned what went on in the state capitol and the nation's capitol. We knew it was safe to carry on conversation after he ended with, most notably: "Let the people have the truth, and the freedom to discuss it, and all will go well."
My dad, who rarely spoke, would on occasion be moved enough to comment. He liked Social Security and appreciated that those pennies were taken out of his paycheck to pay for it. Born 1913 he would talk about how things were before 1940 and the stories he heard about the years before he was born. He would tell that around the turn of the century (circa 1900) life was different for older folks. It was hard with a farm and a large family to take care of a grandparent who had dementia and couldn't control their bowels. (The term Alzheimers and the product Adult Diapers didn't exist.)
The solution, difficult as it was, was to hitch up the horses and drive grandma or grandpa to the next county, drop them off at the long entrance to the Poor Farm, yell 'giddy-up' and get away as fast as possible.
Why the next county? The County Poor Farm would take people in, but would send a bill to the adult children, who were in no shape to pay for it. People, realizing that care would be the same in either county, chose to leave them where there was no chance they would be recognized.
I used to laugh at this story. I never believed it. Later in life during a genealogy search of a distant relative I found an actual case. A man from Auroraville (Waushara County) was 'dumped' at the old Winnebago Poor Farm north of Oshkosh. He died some years after 1900. His wife in Auroraville told the census taker in 1900 that she was a widow...an outright lie!
My dad would always say that he was proud that the country had developed that program called Social Security and for all the complaining the Republicans did, a lot of them were collecting those checks and getting by.
My dad was right. Old folks are taken care of a Hell of a lot better than they were a century ago. The Republicans fought Social Security tooth and nail in the mid-1930's. Dust off the microfilm of any newspaper to read about it.
The Republicans were wrong about it then and they are still complaining about it. Democrats know that Social Security is a resounding success and possibly one of the greatest things to happen to the common person in recorded history.
All those kids born after WWII (1945), the ones now called Aging Baby Boomers are beginning to stress the system and will put pressure on it into the 2040's. The Republicans who can't think beyond that have to be made aware that the birthrate did drop and the Social Security system will not be as stressed as the Boomers die.
It's 2006 and there is an election around the corner. Vote for liberals, whether they be Democrats or Greens.
Vote against the corporations by voting against Republicans and conservative Democrats.
William T Evjue is gone as is my dad along with tube radios and all those wonderful things of the 1950's and 1960's. The Capital Times, the only liberal daily newspaper in America, is strong and getting stronger. There is a link for it on the right side of this blog and you can acquaint or re-acquaint yourself with the legacy, tradition, and future of Wisconsin by going there every day.
Sunday after church the chicken or the beef roast in the oven was turned up and stomachs growled in anticipation. The radio was warmed up for the noon news and the reading of the obituaries. At 12:15 my dad shushed up everyone at the table and the meal was finished in silence while we listened to the radio. William T. Evjue's voice would boom out of Madison as if he had to yell to make it heard across the state. The chief honcho of the Capital Times would exclaim: "Hellooooooo Wisconsin!", and for fifteen minutes we learned what went on in the state capitol and the nation's capitol. We knew it was safe to carry on conversation after he ended with, most notably: "Let the people have the truth, and the freedom to discuss it, and all will go well."
My dad, who rarely spoke, would on occasion be moved enough to comment. He liked Social Security and appreciated that those pennies were taken out of his paycheck to pay for it. Born 1913 he would talk about how things were before 1940 and the stories he heard about the years before he was born. He would tell that around the turn of the century (circa 1900) life was different for older folks. It was hard with a farm and a large family to take care of a grandparent who had dementia and couldn't control their bowels. (The term Alzheimers and the product Adult Diapers didn't exist.)
The solution, difficult as it was, was to hitch up the horses and drive grandma or grandpa to the next county, drop them off at the long entrance to the Poor Farm, yell 'giddy-up' and get away as fast as possible.
Why the next county? The County Poor Farm would take people in, but would send a bill to the adult children, who were in no shape to pay for it. People, realizing that care would be the same in either county, chose to leave them where there was no chance they would be recognized.
I used to laugh at this story. I never believed it. Later in life during a genealogy search of a distant relative I found an actual case. A man from Auroraville (Waushara County) was 'dumped' at the old Winnebago Poor Farm north of Oshkosh. He died some years after 1900. His wife in Auroraville told the census taker in 1900 that she was a widow...an outright lie!
My dad would always say that he was proud that the country had developed that program called Social Security and for all the complaining the Republicans did, a lot of them were collecting those checks and getting by.
My dad was right. Old folks are taken care of a Hell of a lot better than they were a century ago. The Republicans fought Social Security tooth and nail in the mid-1930's. Dust off the microfilm of any newspaper to read about it.
The Republicans were wrong about it then and they are still complaining about it. Democrats know that Social Security is a resounding success and possibly one of the greatest things to happen to the common person in recorded history.
All those kids born after WWII (1945), the ones now called Aging Baby Boomers are beginning to stress the system and will put pressure on it into the 2040's. The Republicans who can't think beyond that have to be made aware that the birthrate did drop and the Social Security system will not be as stressed as the Boomers die.
It's 2006 and there is an election around the corner. Vote for liberals, whether they be Democrats or Greens.
Vote against the corporations by voting against Republicans and conservative Democrats.
William T Evjue is gone as is my dad along with tube radios and all those wonderful things of the 1950's and 1960's. The Capital Times, the only liberal daily newspaper in America, is strong and getting stronger. There is a link for it on the right side of this blog and you can acquaint or re-acquaint yourself with the legacy, tradition, and future of Wisconsin by going there every day.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Abortion, God, Guns, & Gays / Redneck Republicans & FEAR!
Defining a Redneck Republican would take far more time and energy than I wish to spend on such a mundane subject. Suffice it to say, Redneck Republicans (RNR's) are fun to pimp.
Question: Is it true that you are against abortion and favor lowering or eliminating welfare payments?
RNR replies: Aaaahh... That's not fair.
Republicans hate children. Get used to it. Corner them like greased pigs. They are.
Abortion is fine or it's not fine. I'll make my own decision about it but I'll be damned if I decide what my neighbor, the family across town, or the family in Armpit, Nebraska is going to do. That's their business. I'm going to assume that they and their MD's have some level of intelligence. In fact they might be a lot smarter than I am.
Maybe the RNR's are right. We could go back to the coathanger and suicide days with no government welfare.
On the subject of God...
RNR's will tell you that liberals are godless. A minute later they'll tell you that if we'd killed a few more Hmongs in 1968 there wouldn't be as many of them here. The next minute it's the FEAR thing. The lightning will strike you dead. The people on the left coast will be swallowed by craters caused by the great quake.
RNR's quote the Bible and often in the same sentence spew hate and fear. I don't buy it.
Introduce them to Rupert Murdoch, the Republican owner of FOX, most responsible for pushing the nasty edge of nasty on the tube. Thank the RNR's for supporting this trend.
On Guns...
The largest most well known gun bill in my lifetime has been the Brady Bill.
Mr Brady was a ________. (Republican)
The Brady bill was signed by a Republican President named _____. (Bush)
Don't like gun laws? Don't vote Republican.
Tell a Redneck Republican that Osama's under his bed.
On Gays...
It's fear. Redneck Republicans are terrified of Gays, terrified of feminism. They live in fear of anything outside their tunnel-vision of life.
Want to strike absolute fear in a Redneck Republican?
Enter the room at the start of the Packer game. Comment on how nicely the make-up has been applied to the sportscasters. Wonder aloud if the announcers trade make-up secrets.
That's all for today. If you have the cash, borrow a Redneck Republican's pickup truck and bring it back painted pink.
Peace.
Question: Is it true that you are against abortion and favor lowering or eliminating welfare payments?
RNR replies: Aaaahh... That's not fair.
Republicans hate children. Get used to it. Corner them like greased pigs. They are.
Abortion is fine or it's not fine. I'll make my own decision about it but I'll be damned if I decide what my neighbor, the family across town, or the family in Armpit, Nebraska is going to do. That's their business. I'm going to assume that they and their MD's have some level of intelligence. In fact they might be a lot smarter than I am.
Maybe the RNR's are right. We could go back to the coathanger and suicide days with no government welfare.
On the subject of God...
RNR's will tell you that liberals are godless. A minute later they'll tell you that if we'd killed a few more Hmongs in 1968 there wouldn't be as many of them here. The next minute it's the FEAR thing. The lightning will strike you dead. The people on the left coast will be swallowed by craters caused by the great quake.
RNR's quote the Bible and often in the same sentence spew hate and fear. I don't buy it.
Introduce them to Rupert Murdoch, the Republican owner of FOX, most responsible for pushing the nasty edge of nasty on the tube. Thank the RNR's for supporting this trend.
On Guns...
The largest most well known gun bill in my lifetime has been the Brady Bill.
Mr Brady was a ________. (Republican)
The Brady bill was signed by a Republican President named _____. (Bush)
Don't like gun laws? Don't vote Republican.
Tell a Redneck Republican that Osama's under his bed.
On Gays...
It's fear. Redneck Republicans are terrified of Gays, terrified of feminism. They live in fear of anything outside their tunnel-vision of life.
Want to strike absolute fear in a Redneck Republican?
Enter the room at the start of the Packer game. Comment on how nicely the make-up has been applied to the sportscasters. Wonder aloud if the announcers trade make-up secrets.
That's all for today. If you have the cash, borrow a Redneck Republican's pickup truck and bring it back painted pink.
Peace.
Monday, October 23, 2006
John Gard's Canoe Trip
"IT'S MUCH HARDER TO BE A LIBERAL THAN A CONSERVATIVE. WHY? BECAUSE IT IS EASIER TO GIVE SOMEONE THE FINGER THAN A HELPING HAND." -Mike Royko
That's the banner on Wisconsin State Rep. Mark Pocan's blog.
I read Mike Royko in the Chicago newspapers for many years. He was often reprinted in Madison's Capital Times. I looked up to him as the working man's hero. He came across as an equal, a guy you might throw dice with at the corner tap. I never dreamed I'd meet him, and when I did he swore and screamed at me.
I was entertaining at a well known supper club on the southeast side of Madison in the early 1980's. Unknown to me Mike's brother was a Madison resident and ran General Beverage there. Brother brought Mike to the supper club and while I was on break Mike Royko told me what I could do with my 'noise'. It was not in polite language and was not done quietly. I smiled and retreated. I knew his reputation. Never held it against him.
__________________________________________
I have added a new link at right. Oshkosh Gas Prices. Use it as a loose guide. Prices not updated in 36hrs are dropped from the chart. As I write this the Renew station, far north on Jackson past hy41, is not listed. That's because no one posted it. Renew generally runs 5-cents cheaper than the others. Renew's last price: $219.9. The BP across the street usually matches them.
The Citgo Station at Jackson and Snell Rd. offers a 2-cent a gallon discount on Wednesdays for the over 55 crowd. I filled up at $222.9 there last Wednesday.
__________________________________________
While perusing Mark Pocan's blog I found an October 19 column on John Gard. It reminded me of a John Gard story I heard some years back. I searched for it on the web and ProQuest provided me with the answer. I didn't take the time to try to link it.
The article can be found in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of May 7, 1999. It appeared on Page 2, byline: Richard P. Jones.
This is the story as I heard it...
John Gard, hearing that there was a nude beach operating on state-owned DNR land decided to take his 7yr old son for a canoe ride. They rented a canoe south of Sauk City on the Wisconsin River and proceeded downriver.
Note that the beach is real and has been frequented by skinny-dippers for at least a century or four. It is located on the Dane County side of the river and has an island directly in front of it. Note that the main channel, the navigable part of the river, runs on the far side of the island and canoeists are putting themselves in danger of running aground if they choose to canoe directly past the beach. Most canoeists prefer to stay in the main channel with the island blocking the view.
John Gard, with full knowledge of the goings-on chose to take his young son directly past the skinny-dipping area. Later in the day Gard called a news conference to report his findings. He, of course, was living in Sun Prairie at the time. He complained about the beach.
Gard is damn lucky Social Services didn't yank his son away from him.
John Gard is an idiot.
He's a smart idiot though. He represents Peshtigo,WI where he supposedly lives, but he actually lives in Sun Prairie,Wi where his sons have gone to school for years! Even though he lives in Sun Prairie, 15-minutes from his seat at the Capitol, he gouges the taxpayers $88 per day since he is supposedly coming down from Peshtigo!
John Gard is another great Republican, just like Joe Paulus.
That's the banner on Wisconsin State Rep. Mark Pocan's blog.
I read Mike Royko in the Chicago newspapers for many years. He was often reprinted in Madison's Capital Times. I looked up to him as the working man's hero. He came across as an equal, a guy you might throw dice with at the corner tap. I never dreamed I'd meet him, and when I did he swore and screamed at me.
I was entertaining at a well known supper club on the southeast side of Madison in the early 1980's. Unknown to me Mike's brother was a Madison resident and ran General Beverage there. Brother brought Mike to the supper club and while I was on break Mike Royko told me what I could do with my 'noise'. It was not in polite language and was not done quietly. I smiled and retreated. I knew his reputation. Never held it against him.
__________________________________________
I have added a new link at right. Oshkosh Gas Prices. Use it as a loose guide. Prices not updated in 36hrs are dropped from the chart. As I write this the Renew station, far north on Jackson past hy41, is not listed. That's because no one posted it. Renew generally runs 5-cents cheaper than the others. Renew's last price: $219.9. The BP across the street usually matches them.
The Citgo Station at Jackson and Snell Rd. offers a 2-cent a gallon discount on Wednesdays for the over 55 crowd. I filled up at $222.9 there last Wednesday.
__________________________________________
While perusing Mark Pocan's blog I found an October 19 column on John Gard. It reminded me of a John Gard story I heard some years back. I searched for it on the web and ProQuest provided me with the answer. I didn't take the time to try to link it.
The article can be found in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of May 7, 1999. It appeared on Page 2, byline: Richard P. Jones.
This is the story as I heard it...
John Gard, hearing that there was a nude beach operating on state-owned DNR land decided to take his 7yr old son for a canoe ride. They rented a canoe south of Sauk City on the Wisconsin River and proceeded downriver.
Note that the beach is real and has been frequented by skinny-dippers for at least a century or four. It is located on the Dane County side of the river and has an island directly in front of it. Note that the main channel, the navigable part of the river, runs on the far side of the island and canoeists are putting themselves in danger of running aground if they choose to canoe directly past the beach. Most canoeists prefer to stay in the main channel with the island blocking the view.
John Gard, with full knowledge of the goings-on chose to take his young son directly past the skinny-dipping area. Later in the day Gard called a news conference to report his findings. He, of course, was living in Sun Prairie at the time. He complained about the beach.
Gard is damn lucky Social Services didn't yank his son away from him.
John Gard is an idiot.
He's a smart idiot though. He represents Peshtigo,WI where he supposedly lives, but he actually lives in Sun Prairie,Wi where his sons have gone to school for years! Even though he lives in Sun Prairie, 15-minutes from his seat at the Capitol, he gouges the taxpayers $88 per day since he is supposedly coming down from Peshtigo!
John Gard is another great Republican, just like Joe Paulus.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Civil Unions / Gay Marriage
Forget Civil Unions and Gay Marriage for a minute. A larger overall principle must be in place first...
Our country was derived from English and a smattering of Scots who decided in the latter 1700's that America should not resemble the daily life of a person in England.
England had a ruling class, i.e. Kings, Dukes, Lords, etc. Lords are by example Landowners. The Lords ruled the peons who worked the fields and tended to cattle. The peons were the bottom rung of society and produced the goods which were passed upwards to the titled ones.
A grand experiment in America was a thing called 'Government'. 'Government' was this Giant Wedge that was installed between the peons and the 'Powers that Be'.
In England the peons had no rights and existed at the whim of the Lords, etc. They were bought, traded, raped and cast aside without basic rights. The American idea of using this Giant Wedge called 'Government' attempted to give the peon a base platform of decent human rights while still allowing the Lords, Dukes, etc. (read Corporations), to make money.
To that end the founders of the United States of America put forth a number of glowing documents that in theory would make America utopia. It was no utopia then and still isn't. What it is is a work in progress. Lincoln freeing the slaves. Women getting to vote. Non-landowners getting the vote. Attainment of equality is a never ending task that every person should be vigilant about.
The ideal of a perfect family is horseapples. There have always been stepchildren and various combinations of family groups which don't resemble the 'ideal'.
This Giant Wedge we call Government was designed to enhance and protect the common peons, the working people, the 9/10's of our population against the whims of the monied rest.
The Corporations, i.e. the 'Powers that Be', want to keep the peons interested in Abortion, God, Guns, and Gays. Don't fall for their boloney.
Ordinary people want health insurance for everyone who lives under their roof. That includes stepchildren, grandchildren, a cousin's wayward child, Aunt Nellie whose husband left her, and adult gay liasons. People need health insurance regardless of their situation...period.
People also need to be able to visit loved ones in hospitals, assist in end of life decisions, and much more.
That Giant Wedge called Government should guarantee that one or two adults should be able to carry health insurance for all who live under their roof at no higher a cost than any other family group on the block.
Equality for all races is a no-brainer. Equality for women is a no-brainer. One person, one vote is a no-brainer. Allowing judges to perform (non-religious) marriages is a no-brainer. Equality for same sex civil unions is a no-brainer. Any individual could disagree with any of these. The pragmatist fully realizes that he or she should be concerned what goes on under their own roof and what goes on at someone elses home (castle) is their own business.
I feel that born again right wing evangelicals should have been held under the water longer, quite a bit longer, but the pragmatist in me tells me I have no business telling them how to live. They have no business telling anyone else how to live.
Let us continue to use this Giant Wedge called Government to give all of us a decent base platform of basic human rights, regardless of our race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
VOTE 'NO' ON THE WISCONSIN MARRIAGE AMENDMENT.
Remember that Wisconsin already defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The marriage amendment is not needed and will be derogatory to many.
One example: Voting yes would negate all domestic abuse laws for live-in non-married couples. This is not a good idea.
Our country was derived from English and a smattering of Scots who decided in the latter 1700's that America should not resemble the daily life of a person in England.
England had a ruling class, i.e. Kings, Dukes, Lords, etc. Lords are by example Landowners. The Lords ruled the peons who worked the fields and tended to cattle. The peons were the bottom rung of society and produced the goods which were passed upwards to the titled ones.
A grand experiment in America was a thing called 'Government'. 'Government' was this Giant Wedge that was installed between the peons and the 'Powers that Be'.
In England the peons had no rights and existed at the whim of the Lords, etc. They were bought, traded, raped and cast aside without basic rights. The American idea of using this Giant Wedge called 'Government' attempted to give the peon a base platform of decent human rights while still allowing the Lords, Dukes, etc. (read Corporations), to make money.
To that end the founders of the United States of America put forth a number of glowing documents that in theory would make America utopia. It was no utopia then and still isn't. What it is is a work in progress. Lincoln freeing the slaves. Women getting to vote. Non-landowners getting the vote. Attainment of equality is a never ending task that every person should be vigilant about.
The ideal of a perfect family is horseapples. There have always been stepchildren and various combinations of family groups which don't resemble the 'ideal'.
This Giant Wedge we call Government was designed to enhance and protect the common peons, the working people, the 9/10's of our population against the whims of the monied rest.
The Corporations, i.e. the 'Powers that Be', want to keep the peons interested in Abortion, God, Guns, and Gays. Don't fall for their boloney.
Ordinary people want health insurance for everyone who lives under their roof. That includes stepchildren, grandchildren, a cousin's wayward child, Aunt Nellie whose husband left her, and adult gay liasons. People need health insurance regardless of their situation...period.
People also need to be able to visit loved ones in hospitals, assist in end of life decisions, and much more.
That Giant Wedge called Government should guarantee that one or two adults should be able to carry health insurance for all who live under their roof at no higher a cost than any other family group on the block.
Equality for all races is a no-brainer. Equality for women is a no-brainer. One person, one vote is a no-brainer. Allowing judges to perform (non-religious) marriages is a no-brainer. Equality for same sex civil unions is a no-brainer. Any individual could disagree with any of these. The pragmatist fully realizes that he or she should be concerned what goes on under their own roof and what goes on at someone elses home (castle) is their own business.
I feel that born again right wing evangelicals should have been held under the water longer, quite a bit longer, but the pragmatist in me tells me I have no business telling them how to live. They have no business telling anyone else how to live.
Let us continue to use this Giant Wedge called Government to give all of us a decent base platform of basic human rights, regardless of our race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
VOTE 'NO' ON THE WISCONSIN MARRIAGE AMENDMENT.
Remember that Wisconsin already defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The marriage amendment is not needed and will be derogatory to many.
One example: Voting yes would negate all domestic abuse laws for live-in non-married couples. This is not a good idea.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Dubya Bush to Move to Paraguay?
Some days this is just too easy. Humor is fun but how does one write serious when the subject matter is so far-fetched and true that laughter holds up the simple act of typing? My ribs hurt.
Jenna Bush has been down in Paraguay meeting with the country's President and the U.S Ambassador to that country. She is there on behalf of UNICEF.
Would that be a cover story? George Bush hates the U.N. which sponsors UNICEF. Oh! Did I mention the Democrats might take Congress in the November elections and if they do, Impeachment Proceedings will probably begin against Bush?
News services are reporting that George Bush has bought almost 100,000 acres of land in Paraguay.
Did I mention possible impeachment proceedings if Democrats win in November?
The Red Cross has filed War Crimes Charges against George W. Bush. The only other time in the history of the Red Cross that these charges have been filed was in the year 1943. Those charges were made against Adolph Hitler.
Did I mention Paraguay has no Extradition Treaties?
George Dubya Bush's new farm in Paraguay will adjoin one owned by one of his close friends. That piece of land, much larger that Bush's, is owned by none other than Rev. Moon. It totals just under 1.5 million acres.
How'd Rev Moon get in here?
Violence and death has increased dramatically in Iraq in the last weeks.
Dubya himself is even making comparisons to Viet Nam.
We still have Redneck Republicans in Wisconsin saying: STAY THE CORPSE!
Some of this came from Wonkette.com. You can go directly to the article which has great links, by clicking here.
Here is another international story on the same subject.
This is far better than fiction. Watergate was never as fun as this. A lot of items are on the web regarding the above items. I picked Wonkette because of the number of good links there.
Have a great weekend and be ready for Iran to erupt.
Elect and re-elect liberals. It's time.
Jenna Bush has been down in Paraguay meeting with the country's President and the U.S Ambassador to that country. She is there on behalf of UNICEF.
Would that be a cover story? George Bush hates the U.N. which sponsors UNICEF. Oh! Did I mention the Democrats might take Congress in the November elections and if they do, Impeachment Proceedings will probably begin against Bush?
News services are reporting that George Bush has bought almost 100,000 acres of land in Paraguay.
Did I mention possible impeachment proceedings if Democrats win in November?
The Red Cross has filed War Crimes Charges against George W. Bush. The only other time in the history of the Red Cross that these charges have been filed was in the year 1943. Those charges were made against Adolph Hitler.
Did I mention Paraguay has no Extradition Treaties?
George Dubya Bush's new farm in Paraguay will adjoin one owned by one of his close friends. That piece of land, much larger that Bush's, is owned by none other than Rev. Moon. It totals just under 1.5 million acres.
How'd Rev Moon get in here?
Violence and death has increased dramatically in Iraq in the last weeks.
Dubya himself is even making comparisons to Viet Nam.
We still have Redneck Republicans in Wisconsin saying: STAY THE CORPSE!
Some of this came from Wonkette.com. You can go directly to the article which has great links, by clicking here.
Here is another international story on the same subject.
This is far better than fiction. Watergate was never as fun as this. A lot of items are on the web regarding the above items. I picked Wonkette because of the number of good links there.
Have a great weekend and be ready for Iran to erupt.
Elect and re-elect liberals. It's time.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tommy Thompson to go on Welfare
Poor Republican Tommy Thompson plans to ask the Oshkosh City Council for a handout in the near future. The amount, undetermined as yet, might be $14 million, $17 million, or as high as $25 million.
The last time in Oshkosh that Tommy Thompson and Welfare were brought up in the same sentence was in the latter half of the 1990's. Tommy, with a waiver from Washington, allowed counties to opt out of the General Relief program. Winnebago County took that option.
TAXPAYER MONEY I
General Relief was a long time Social Service program. It was a safety net when all else failed. If a person or family did not qualify for Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children, Social Security Disability, etc., General Relief provided a last ditch bare bones program to house and feed people in transition. General Relief was the only assistance program I know of to provide a payback option. When the person died, the county could attach their bank accounts and real estate to recover the funds.
Tommy Thompson tossed General Relief in the garbage without providing an alternative program! The safety net was broken!
TAXPAYER MONEY II
TIF: Tax Incremental Financing. Taxpayers give a wealthy person money up front to help finance large loans to get a project off the ground. If things go well the wealthy person eventually pays back the Taxpayers albeit a lower interest rate than the bank might charge.
_________________________________
Neither of these programs absolutely guarantee that the County will get its money back.
BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE WELFARE!
One, welfare for the poor, the other, welfare for the rich.
Tommy Thompson cut off welfare for the poorest of the poor. Now he's coming to Oshkosh to ask for welfare for he and his friends.
Anyone want to join me at City Hall for this one?
ENDNOTE...
I tried to simplify as much as possible to get the general idea across. TIF's were a noble idea. They have outlived any and all usefulness at this point. Latest casualty: 100 block of North Main which was to have a mix of low, middle, and high rents, which has resulted in high rents only.
Count me out for giving Republican Tommy a welfare check.
The last time in Oshkosh that Tommy Thompson and Welfare were brought up in the same sentence was in the latter half of the 1990's. Tommy, with a waiver from Washington, allowed counties to opt out of the General Relief program. Winnebago County took that option.
TAXPAYER MONEY I
General Relief was a long time Social Service program. It was a safety net when all else failed. If a person or family did not qualify for Old Age Assistance, Aid to Dependent Children, Social Security Disability, etc., General Relief provided a last ditch bare bones program to house and feed people in transition. General Relief was the only assistance program I know of to provide a payback option. When the person died, the county could attach their bank accounts and real estate to recover the funds.
Tommy Thompson tossed General Relief in the garbage without providing an alternative program! The safety net was broken!
TAXPAYER MONEY II
TIF: Tax Incremental Financing. Taxpayers give a wealthy person money up front to help finance large loans to get a project off the ground. If things go well the wealthy person eventually pays back the Taxpayers albeit a lower interest rate than the bank might charge.
_________________________________
Neither of these programs absolutely guarantee that the County will get its money back.
BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE WELFARE!
One, welfare for the poor, the other, welfare for the rich.
Tommy Thompson cut off welfare for the poorest of the poor. Now he's coming to Oshkosh to ask for welfare for he and his friends.
Anyone want to join me at City Hall for this one?
ENDNOTE...
I tried to simplify as much as possible to get the general idea across. TIF's were a noble idea. They have outlived any and all usefulness at this point. Latest casualty: 100 block of North Main which was to have a mix of low, middle, and high rents, which has resulted in high rents only.
Count me out for giving Republican Tommy a welfare check.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
The November Surprise
I recently wrote about the October Surprise. Now comes the one for November.
Our White House con-man Dubya, (actually Karl Rove), has another dirty trick up his sleeve. The one person who had absolutely nothing to do with the bombing in New York City in 2001 will be sentenced just in time for the corrupt Bush Republicans to cash in for more votes.
That person's first name is Saddam. He comes not from Afghanistan (home of the terrorists), but from Iraq. He will no doubt be executed and Dubya will take credit for it.
You can read the story here.
I Think Dubya should also take credit for finding Osama, North Korea, and the useless upcoming invasion of Iran, and the useless invasion of Iraq.
It's time for change. Vote the stalemate Republicans OUT in November.
Pray for peace.
Our White House con-man Dubya, (actually Karl Rove), has another dirty trick up his sleeve. The one person who had absolutely nothing to do with the bombing in New York City in 2001 will be sentenced just in time for the corrupt Bush Republicans to cash in for more votes.
That person's first name is Saddam. He comes not from Afghanistan (home of the terrorists), but from Iraq. He will no doubt be executed and Dubya will take credit for it.
You can read the story here.
I Think Dubya should also take credit for finding Osama, North Korea, and the useless upcoming invasion of Iran, and the useless invasion of Iraq.
It's time for change. Vote the stalemate Republicans OUT in November.
Pray for peace.
Cassandra Peterson: Unmasked
It took me a long time to find someone older than I to write about, actually three weeks older. Cassandra Peterson, Scandahuvian no doubt, graduated from High School in 1967 and looked like this.
There are many more right here.
The juicy stuff is here, the official website is here, and for even more you can go here.
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, is humor, caricature, mystery, and so much more.
She says she is in the process of retiring but the name will live on in the form of a hand-picked young lady to take her place. I'm glad. I'd hate to see Elvira die, except maybe by Dracula biting her in the neck. That would be fun.
I had fun doing this. Hope you enjoyed it too.
QUESTION: Would it be politically incorrect to dress up on Halloween as Steve Irwin with the sting ray's snout through the heart?
There are many more right here.
The juicy stuff is here, the official website is here, and for even more you can go here.
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, is humor, caricature, mystery, and so much more.
She says she is in the process of retiring but the name will live on in the form of a hand-picked young lady to take her place. I'm glad. I'd hate to see Elvira die, except maybe by Dracula biting her in the neck. That would be fun.
I had fun doing this. Hope you enjoyed it too.
QUESTION: Would it be politically incorrect to dress up on Halloween as Steve Irwin with the sting ray's snout through the heart?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Bait and Switch, The October Surprise
As Maxwell Smart might say to Agent 99: "Aha! That's the old bait and switch game."
Can you imagine a Bush as president during WWII.
Can you imagine a Bush as president during WWII.
- Hitler invades Poland
- Bush retaliates by attacking Japan
Or:
- Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese
- Bush sends troops to France in retaliation
Or farther into the world of fantasy...
- Some guys in Afghanistan bomb New York
- Bush invades Iraq
and for the sequel:
- North Korea dabbles in 'nookltr' bombs
- Bush attacks Iran
Could it get any better than that? Heck yes!
The Bush family spiritual advisor Rev. Sun Myung Moon has given lots of $$$ to the present and past leaders of North Korea. Moon, who is noted for his chairing and leading prayer breakfasts in the Bush White House, has violated sanctions that have been in place against North Korea since the 1950's. With Republican Bush in the White House it is likely that increased sanctions against North Korea will begin to starve the population, opening the door for Rev. Moon to deliver food, medicine, etc. into North Korea. That's what Moon has wanted all along. Get his foot in the door to do business there.
Now that I've pissed off the evangelical right wing Bush Republican lovers, who can't understand or explain away the Bush/Moon marriage of convenience here's more.
Yes. The election is the first Tuesday in November, and the October Surprise is right around the corner. It has nothing to do with North Korea. North Korea has a bomb. Our ChickenHawk president will ignore North Korea and attack a country that has no bomb: IRAN!!!
The attack will commence after October 21 and before the first Tuesday in November.
The large flotilla left the right coast of America days ago and is expected to arrive off the coast of Iran circa October 21. The attack on Iran will be done with missiles, not ground troops. We don't have any. The newly and hurriedly refurbished aircraft carrier Eisenhower is among the ships, submarines, etc.
Yes. The price at the pump will be going up after October 21. Bush will instill FEAR in every GOD-LUBBIN' 'MERICAN so they will vote to STAY THE CURSE. Then Bush will invite Rev. Moon to the White House again.
Now I've got to go look for that plastic and duct tape. (Please click on the links of the article to learn the origin of my thoughts and much more.)
Scarier Than Scary
Yesterday's column incited a number of comments of which none I dared print. At a very young age I learned the Mad Magazine axiom, All the News Fitted to Print, and nothing's changed. If you didn't get it go back and click on BOO!!.
Johnny Law has chosen to begin pulling in the reins yelling Whoa to the wild webbers on the Writers Wild West. Us cowboys always knew that's what www. stood for.
A virtual insult is worth about $3-million a word. In this case there were four of them: 'crook' 'con artist' and 'fraud'. Nineteen alphabet letters.
I knew this was coming a long time ago. I never thought about this aspect of blogging but always thought the obvious: Never write anything you would feel uncomfortable about your mother reading.
Warren Zevon's Lawyers, Guns, and Money keeps running through my mind. Fifty three million bloggers. Lawyers may stop chasing ambulances, start reading blogs, and who knows where that might lead? Insert a Wisconsin-ism here Gary. Two guys standing out in the cold drizzle. One remarks "If this keeps up it might rain." Whoa! It isn't rain. It's drool on the computer keyboard coming from the mouth of an attorney with $$$-signs in his eyes.
The Media Law Resource Center keeps an updated list of Libel and Related Lawsuits Against Bloggers. There's a lot of room for expansion in the legal trade considering the total number of blogs.
Getting closer to home the State Bar of Wisconsin tells us about the Shifting Legal Landscape of Blogging. Scroll down to the section on Defamation Standards. That's the meat of the article. From the conclusion section of the article, written by Atty. Jennifer L. Peterson, she advises that: ...bloggers should "speak" as though they are potentially liable for false and defamatory speech in their postings... and I most certainly agree with her.
I can sense the urgency that might coincide with reading the last paragraph but what's there to erase? The internet is funny that way. You click delete, come back tomorrow, and it's still there (cached)!
Peace.
Johnny Law has chosen to begin pulling in the reins yelling Whoa to the wild webbers on the Writers Wild West. Us cowboys always knew that's what www. stood for.
A virtual insult is worth about $3-million a word. In this case there were four of them: 'crook' 'con artist' and 'fraud'. Nineteen alphabet letters.
I knew this was coming a long time ago. I never thought about this aspect of blogging but always thought the obvious: Never write anything you would feel uncomfortable about your mother reading.
Warren Zevon's Lawyers, Guns, and Money keeps running through my mind. Fifty three million bloggers. Lawyers may stop chasing ambulances, start reading blogs, and who knows where that might lead? Insert a Wisconsin-ism here Gary. Two guys standing out in the cold drizzle. One remarks "If this keeps up it might rain." Whoa! It isn't rain. It's drool on the computer keyboard coming from the mouth of an attorney with $$$-signs in his eyes.
The Media Law Resource Center keeps an updated list of Libel and Related Lawsuits Against Bloggers. There's a lot of room for expansion in the legal trade considering the total number of blogs.
Getting closer to home the State Bar of Wisconsin tells us about the Shifting Legal Landscape of Blogging. Scroll down to the section on Defamation Standards. That's the meat of the article. From the conclusion section of the article, written by Atty. Jennifer L. Peterson, she advises that: ...bloggers should "speak" as though they are potentially liable for false and defamatory speech in their postings... and I most certainly agree with her.
I can sense the urgency that might coincide with reading the last paragraph but what's there to erase? The internet is funny that way. You click delete, come back tomorrow, and it's still there (cached)!
Peace.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
NOT in the Northwestern!
DESTINATION VENEZUELA
Hizzonerdamare Bill Castle and County Exec. Mark Harris will be leaving next week for sunny Venezuela. Taking a cue from former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin visiting Fidel Castro in Cuba some years ago, Mr. Castle and Mr. Harris will be meeting with none other than Hugo Chavez. They hope that Mr. Chavez can help Oshkosh and Winnebago County worm their way out of the current budget crisis. Preliminary communications indicate that they will get a warm welcome in Curacas.
To put it bluntly they are going to ask Chavez for some cheap gasoline. Horse-trading will be the order of the day. In return for cheap gas there will be a number of trade-offs. 9th Street will be renamed Hugo Chavez Pkwy. along with a number of other name changes, parks, public buildings, schools and the like. A 'sister-city' 'sister county' will be arranged too. The nice thing is that gasoline throughout the county will be selling for about 30-cents a gallon with snowplows running 24/7. Business will take off here and my favorite: Due to the cheap gas direct flights will depart Wittman Field daily for Curacas bringing folks by the thousands from Milwaukee, Chicago, and the Twin Cities.
G.O.P. MIDWEST CONVENTION
A meeting of the minds is scheduled between the Red Neck Republicans and the Log Cabin Republicans. They will be making a sincere attempt to iron out their differences. The convention will be held in Minnesota since Wisconsin still hasn't passed a concealed carry law. Ripon is disappointed.
STOCK MARKET
The DOW reached 11,700 this week. The last time it was this high William Jefferson Clinton was President. Remind a Republican how good their party is at running the economy.
SOCIAL SECURITY
January 1, 2007 will mark the beginning of a new era. Workers will have no deductions for S.S. until their income hits $90,000. At that point deductions kick in. (What the Hell. It's worth a try.)
POPULATION
Sometime this month the U.S. population will reach 300 million. We are spending 8 billion a month in Iraq. Let's see...
$8,000,000,000 divided by 300,ooo,ooo people. You do the math.
GASOLINE
Gas will go up the first Wednesday in November. Whoa! It will start to go up the week before but not enough to scare the Republicans into not staying the curse.
Peace.
Hizzonerdamare Bill Castle and County Exec. Mark Harris will be leaving next week for sunny Venezuela. Taking a cue from former Madison Mayor Paul Soglin visiting Fidel Castro in Cuba some years ago, Mr. Castle and Mr. Harris will be meeting with none other than Hugo Chavez. They hope that Mr. Chavez can help Oshkosh and Winnebago County worm their way out of the current budget crisis. Preliminary communications indicate that they will get a warm welcome in Curacas.
To put it bluntly they are going to ask Chavez for some cheap gasoline. Horse-trading will be the order of the day. In return for cheap gas there will be a number of trade-offs. 9th Street will be renamed Hugo Chavez Pkwy. along with a number of other name changes, parks, public buildings, schools and the like. A 'sister-city' 'sister county' will be arranged too. The nice thing is that gasoline throughout the county will be selling for about 30-cents a gallon with snowplows running 24/7. Business will take off here and my favorite: Due to the cheap gas direct flights will depart Wittman Field daily for Curacas bringing folks by the thousands from Milwaukee, Chicago, and the Twin Cities.
G.O.P. MIDWEST CONVENTION
A meeting of the minds is scheduled between the Red Neck Republicans and the Log Cabin Republicans. They will be making a sincere attempt to iron out their differences. The convention will be held in Minnesota since Wisconsin still hasn't passed a concealed carry law. Ripon is disappointed.
STOCK MARKET
The DOW reached 11,700 this week. The last time it was this high William Jefferson Clinton was President. Remind a Republican how good their party is at running the economy.
SOCIAL SECURITY
January 1, 2007 will mark the beginning of a new era. Workers will have no deductions for S.S. until their income hits $90,000. At that point deductions kick in. (What the Hell. It's worth a try.)
POPULATION
Sometime this month the U.S. population will reach 300 million. We are spending 8 billion a month in Iraq. Let's see...
$8,000,000,000 divided by 300,ooo,ooo people. You do the math.
GASOLINE
Gas will go up the first Wednesday in November. Whoa! It will start to go up the week before but not enough to scare the Republicans into not staying the curse.
Peace.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Oshkosh, Gallery Walk, Art Walk
Art Walk, Gallery Walk, whatever you want to call it is this Saturday 6-9pm, the October 2006 edition. The first Saturday of every month, certainly an out of mall experience. If you have questions for politicians keep your eyes peeled. You will get the chance to ask them in person. This is a low key event that gives everyone a chance to see artwork, visit friends and neighbors, and enjoy a crisp fall night.
The Oshkosh Public Library will be open for the Art Walk. Not the regular entrance but the Washington Street entrance by the lions. A photograph collection: "Barns of Winnebago County" is the feature under the dome. Michael Cooney is the photographer.
Twenty some galleries will be open Saturday night and maps will be available at most of them. If you don't see one please ask.
Fall is a favorite time of year for me. The cooler air, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and early darkness. It's a bit mysterious, has a foreboding aura.
I have two favorite books to mention:
The Oshkosh Public Library will be open for the Art Walk. Not the regular entrance but the Washington Street entrance by the lions. A photograph collection: "Barns of Winnebago County" is the feature under the dome. Michael Cooney is the photographer.
Twenty some galleries will be open Saturday night and maps will be available at most of them. If you don't see one please ask.
Fall is a favorite time of year for me. The cooler air, the crunch of leaves underfoot, and early darkness. It's a bit mysterious, has a foreboding aura.
I have two favorite books to mention:
- "The October Country" -Ray Bradbury
- "Something Wicked This Way Comes" -Ray Bradbury
They are bone-chilling for fall reading. You'll get up and double check to see if your doors and windows are locked. The second one is takes it's title from the Shakespeare lines:
By the Pricking of the Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Peace.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
U.S. to go GREEN in Iraq
United States frontline Iraq commander Marine Major General Richard Zilmer has made a 'Priority 1' plea to the Pentagon for "solar panels and wind turbines." This may be the first time such a high ranking military commander has done so.
The per gallon cost for delivered fuel in Iraq is $13 to $300. By example fuel delivered to Fallujah runs about $100 per gallon. These are old figures, more than two years old, that predate the spike in oil prices. Up to 70% of the U.S. troop traffic on Iraqi roads is fuel deliveries.
Roadside Bombs
My general reading of the news of the last few weeks is that roadside bombings are up to record levels. Hmmmm? 70% of the traffic is fuel?
Insurgents
The 'people of Iraq' must see those 18-wheeler tanker trucks going down the road toward the U.S. base where the generators give our troops lights, etc. 24/7 while they have to settle for electricity 2-3hrs per day. Would 'insurgent' be the definition of an ordinary citizen of Iraq who has decided they are mad as hell and won't take it anymore?
______________
Every day we hear reports of pipelines sabotaged and electric grids shut down due to tampering. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the anger of an Iraqi citizen. No wonder that a high ranking General, Richard Zilmer, has made the request for Green Power!
Today's column could go in a lot of directions. I will limit it to a few...
The per gallon cost for delivered fuel in Iraq is $13 to $300. By example fuel delivered to Fallujah runs about $100 per gallon. These are old figures, more than two years old, that predate the spike in oil prices. Up to 70% of the U.S. troop traffic on Iraqi roads is fuel deliveries.
Roadside Bombs
My general reading of the news of the last few weeks is that roadside bombings are up to record levels. Hmmmm? 70% of the traffic is fuel?
Insurgents
The 'people of Iraq' must see those 18-wheeler tanker trucks going down the road toward the U.S. base where the generators give our troops lights, etc. 24/7 while they have to settle for electricity 2-3hrs per day. Would 'insurgent' be the definition of an ordinary citizen of Iraq who has decided they are mad as hell and won't take it anymore?
______________
Every day we hear reports of pipelines sabotaged and electric grids shut down due to tampering. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand the anger of an Iraqi citizen. No wonder that a high ranking General, Richard Zilmer, has made the request for Green Power!
Today's column could go in a lot of directions. I will limit it to a few...
- We are at war atop the 2nd largest source of oil in the world. The Iraqi's can't get any, we pay up to $300 per gallon, and we have a top commander asking for solar panels and wind turbines.
- Advances in society sometimes come in the strangest 'head up the butt' way. Light weight canoes and bicycles are a result of incredible amounts of money spent in research by NASA for space programs over the decades. The internet (as we know it) was about to be tossed in the dumpster by the Pentagon until Al Gore spearheaded the drive to allow the general public to put it to use. Seventeen tons of solar panel hardware was recently delivered to the International Space Station. Could it be that Mr. Zilmer's request for green power will spark that industry stateside?
- My rant starts here: Major General Richard Zilmer made the high priority request for Green Power on July 25, 2006. It was reported August 23, 2006 by Defense Industry Daily, which was one of my sources for writing this and your source for buying tanks, guns, rocket launchers, etc. in large quantities. The Christian Science Monitor, in which I have complete trust in all areas except medicine, wrote about it on September 7, 2006. CBS had a short blurb on September 9. We have 24/7 news sources, CNN, MSNBC, and the 'knews' source FAUX KNEWS and they didn't have room for this story. I guess we need more than 24hrs in a day so they could squeeze it in. Congrats goes to the Christian Science Monitor for it's timely reporting. Are we truly getting timely reports in the media?
One more for the rocky road. One of the items being considered comes from Skybuilt. It is a container system. You have seen those standard size containers on railroad cars, the same ones used by the Merchant Marine. The container is delivered, the contents (solar panels) unloaded and set up, and the inside of the now vacant container can be used as an office, barracks, or communication center. These would've been ideal when the sun came out in New Orleans a year ago. Displaced folks were asked to register for aid online, but how and where?
Whoops! There I opened another can of worms! In case of an emergency in Oshkosh does the community have the necessary computer access? The local FEMA meeting is coming up and the Oshkosh Public Library and UWO Polk Library should come up with a plan and ask FEMA for the promise of $$$ to implement same.
Peace.
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