Thank You Oshkosh!

The Salvation Army bell-ringing campaign has exceeded its goal. Over $113,000 was collected in those familiar red kettles. Captain Johnny Harsh informed me that the goal this Christmas season was $100,000. He told me to tell everyone: "THANK YOU"! He also notes that every penny collected here stays right in Oshkosh.

The top bell-ringer volunteer this year was Bob Henning who was responsible for over $12,000 of that total. Bob has collected something on the order of $85,000 in donations over the years he has volunteered. Bob has my vote as 'Someone who makes a Difference' in this city.

The overall budget for the local Salvation Army is $480,000. Anyone who wishes to make a late contribution may do so at the office on Algoma Blvd. across from the Courthouse.

Wisconsin's Largest Homeless Shelter? Empty?

I have some good news today about Peter Gruenberg. Pete's story can be read in the recent post on your right titled Homeless in Oshkosh.

After being unceremoniously kicked out of Father Carr's Place 2B Shelter Pete walked to the Salvation Army on a bum leg. The Salvation Army put up Pete in a local motel for a couple of nights. Captain Johnny Harsh attempted to get Pete enrolled in a six month employment program that the Milwaukee Salvation Army runs. That program was full, there was an opening in the shelter at Appleton, and Captain Johnny personally drove Pete there. Captain Johnny talked with a representative of the Appleton Salvation Army some days ago and asked about Pete. Pete was no longer at the shelter. He found a job shortly after arriving in Appleton and moved into an apartment just days ago. A paycheck and a warm bed is a good ending, a bit bittersweet, but a Hell of a lot better than being under the bridge in Oshkosh.

I was asked to find Pete's address. I'll work on that. Regulars at American Family Table on Main want to keep in touch with him. I will bet Pete's still got the mustache!

There has been a buzz of activity in the last weeks regarding housing and the homeless. Mr. Rieckman from the Northwestern was already on the subject weeks back. The Northwestern had put out feelers to some members of the Winnebagoland Housing Coalition. My last blog struck a nerve with many readers including Mr. Rieckman. Congrats go to Alex Hummel for his series of articles on poverty. I'm looking forward to the Northwestern's investigation of Father Carr's Place 2B. I have given my personal info. to the Northwestern and offered to put them in touch with people who are really living 'on the edge'. They don't have phones, and frequently move from one person's sofa to another's basement. The people who are in these dire straits are our concern. (Will the residents of Appleton be accusing Oshkosh of 'dumping' their homeless there?)

Please note that six people were staying at Father Carr's last Tuesday. Also note that the Fond du Lac Shelter, the two Appleton shelters, and the shelter in Green Bay are busting at the seams. Need I say more?

Thanks goes to Miles McGuire at Oshkosh News who posted a link to Father Carr's tax return and named his Board of Directors on Oshblog. Tony Palmeri has a lot of traffic on his site and I truly appreciate that he has linked this blog. Both Tony and Miles asked me if Alex Hummel had contacted me. He still hasn't.

Unintended consequences...?

A side story worth mentioning is that several citizens in our community who don't read well and have extremely poor computer skills are suddenly taking an interest in reading, sharpening up their computer skills, and in some cases are even learning to post comments on blogs. This may not sound like much to you or I, but to them it is an absolute revelation that they can put their personal thoughts out to the community. The local Literacy Council should be smiling about this. I am.

I will continue to write on this subject. I don't feel enough is being done in the media. Oshkosh contains what quite possibly be the largest single homeless shelter in the state of Wisconsin. Underutilized is a nice word. It had six residents the other night. Check the place for lights when you drive by. Will the Post Crescent, the Journal Sentinel, or Madison's Capital Times beat the Northwestern to this story?

No Room at the Inn

A sigh of relief was what I felt last spring when the weather warmed and no one in Oshkosh had frozen to death. What will happen this winter? A few weeks ago a fellow in town woke up to a 17-degree temperature in the back of a pickup truck (not his) and hung up his camping experience and is now staying in someone's basement. Today's column is about the homeless problem in Oshkosh. It is not about medical clinics. It is not about free meal programs for the poor. It is about housing for the homeless. This is not a rant about Father Carr's Place 2B Ltd., but it will be an eye-opener. Serious problems need to be addressed and it is my hope that my words today will lead the way to a community-wide discussion.

Appleton has two homeless shelters. They run at near capacity in the winter months. The staff at these shelters must cringe when a homeless person dropped at their door declares they are from Oshkosh. They know about that giant monolith of a shelter in Oshkosh visible to all who travel Hy.41. They also know that almost all of the (approx.) 180 rooms are vacant on a cold night in January.

Father Carr's Place 2B Ltd. is that mega-complex homeless shelter visible from the highway next to KMart. Father Carr collected over $1.1 million in contributions from donors last year. What those donors don't realize is that the shelter is virtually empty every night of the year. Father Carr, with a net worth of just under $5 million, houses almost no one. You can check these figures by going here and typing in: Father Carr's Place 2B Ltd.
http://drl.wi.gov/drl/drllookup/LicenseLookupServlet?page=lookup_charity
You can check on attendance at the shelter visually anytime you are in that neighborhood.

People who recently received a fund-raising letter from him should note two items which are glaringly absent. Nowhere can the words 'Roman Catholic Church' be found. Nowhere in that letter can 'Diocese of Green Bay' be found. It is apparent to me that he has no oversight from a parent organization. I will hereby refer to him in this article as Mr. Carr (with no disrespect to his background).

The federal housing agency HUD takes a survey every year in order to allocate funds to various agencies which help the homeless. ADVOCAP in Oshkosh is one of those. In order to complete the HUD report, private shelters such as Father Carr's are asked to supply a simple report which includes the number of beds and the number of current clients. Mr. Carr has ignored this survey in the past with the result that ADVOCAP and other groups may have lost out on receiving funds they might have been entitled to. Mr. Carr recently has verbally agreed to allow this survey to be completed for the next reporting cycle. This is an encouraging sign. I hope he follows through.

Mr. Carr routinely tosses clients out on their ear for no apparent reason. He states that he runs an emergency shelter. An emergency might be three days or a week. We must take him at his word. Does Oshkosh need a 180-bed emergency shelter?

A fellow in town who I will refer to as Accordion Man has experience with Mr. Carr and also with the shelters in Appleton. He tells me that in Appleton during the orientation he was told that the shelter would work with him and that he would stay 'as long as it takes' to iron out his problems and find housing. He said they held up their end of the bargain. He did find a job and the shelter assisted him until he was able to rent a place.

Transitional housing...
The Appleton shelters provide emergency housing. It is apparent to me that they also provide transitional housing. Mr. Carr does not provide transitional housing in Oshkosh.

Clients not only need to find work, they need to build up a nest egg. Many landlords want the first month's rent, the last month's rent, and a security deposit. Many clients also have obligations such as child support, fines, and past due power and light bills. This is what transitional housing is about. FATHER CARR'S PLACE 2B DOES NOT PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

The nicest thing that I can say is Mr. Carr is not getting the job done.

Many well meaning churches and individuals contribute to this shelter every year and are under the impression that the job is getting done. Grab your phone and call a member of the clergy right now. Ask them what to do about a homeless person. They will invariably say: "Our church donates to Father Carr's. Give him a call." Mr. Carr however is not doing what these well meaning folks think he is. Mr. Carr is collecting donations and running an empty emergency shelter.
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Here is my suggestion. Mr. Carr is not going to change his way of doing things any time soon. Please direct your contributions regarding the homeless to other agencies. The first ones that come to mind would be the Salvation Army and the Christine Ann Center. They need the cash to put people up in area motels and also to transport clients to shelters in other cities.
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What can you do?
Pass on this link electronically or in hard copy to a neighbor or friend who belongs to another church. Urge the Northwestern or the Post Crescent or the Valley Scene to do a feature on this subject. I profess limited knowledge on this subject but at the same time I can clearly see the problems. I of course welcome comments on this blog. I have already had a public comment from Eye on Oshkosh and Tony Palmeri has expressed an interest. I didn't write this to damn Mr. Carr. I want input and conversation that works toward solutions. Please direct the comments toward housing. Comments on medical clinics and free meals for the poor belong in another column.
_____________________________________
Still thirsty for more? Check out Prof. Dennis P. Culhane:
http://www.sp2.upenn.edu/people/faculty/culhane

Mr. Culhane has been doing extensive research on the homeless. He does this big time in places such as the Big Apple. Some high points...

• 40% of those entering the shelter system in New York City have passed through other institutions such as hospitals, detox, jails, foster care and the like.
• Many are recycled through those institutions again and again.
• The chronic homeless in New York City cost an average of $40,000 per year, per person to shuffle through these various institutions.

Mr Culhane has come to the conclusion that it might be cheaper to GIVE free housing to many of these folks along with adequate supervision. It would be cheaper than the alternative.

Peace. ---Oh yes: Merry Christmas.

Homeless in Oshkosh

Peter Thomas Gruenberg is his name. He asked me to use it. He said: "Use my entire name, 1st, middle, and last". "I want everybody to know what is going on." Mr Gruenberg is not happy. He became homeless and a few days later was kicked out of Father Carr's Shelter. He asked me to put his story out where everyone could see it. Here goes...

Pete is a long time Oshkosh resident somewhere around age 50. He is tall with black hair, glasses, and a mustache. He told me many times as I talked with him that he has no criminal record. He doesn't. I checked. He has fallen upon hard times. He went to Father Carr's and things began to look up. He came in with a full beard and looked pretty scruffy. Carr found him some disposable razors and told him to get rid of the beard. He also told him that he would pay for a much needed haircut. That was good news for Pete. Pete knew that he needed to look decent to get a job anywhere. He spent half an afternoon getting rid of that beard and also trimmed his mustache. He felt good. He was looking forward to getting a haircut the following morning. He felt good that someone would foot the bill for razors and a haircut.

He never got that haircut. Instead he was booted out of the homeless shelter. It seems the culprit was his mustache! Yes. He was booted out of Father Carr's Place 2B because he didn't shave his mustache, something that has been part of 'him' for over 30 years.

Suffering a foot problem, which had been partially addressed at Carr's Medical Clinic, Pete had hobbled downtown and went to the Salvation Army to see if there was any way that they could help him. Pete told me that Captain Johnny of the Salvation Army thought that there was a possibility that he could find something for him, possibly in Milwaukee.

Then Pete disappeared. No one has seen him. I would like to assume he is OK. I am not going to pry and ask Captain Johnny what happened to him...that's personal and none of my business.

Peter Thomas Gruenberg was a familiar face in downtown Oshkosh, someone you might see coming into the American Family Table in the morning for coffee. He doesn't deserve the jolt of being forced to cope with unfamiliar surroundings.

Pete does not agree with what some of the people in town say about Father Carr's. Pete says: "I would rather be on the street than at Father Carr's" ---a reference to the fact he has no criminal record.

Pete's other comment: "Carr will rot in Hell!"

Ellen Olena Nyeggen

Note: This is my response to recent comments negative to the Hmong community around Oshkosh. I commend those who defended the Hmongs.

Ellen Olena Nyeggen was my maternal grandmother (1892-1937). She was the first-born daughter to a Norwegian immigrant family in rural Spring Valley, Wisconsin. Her middle name 'Olena' is the feminine version of 'Ole'. My grandmother would say: "It's Olena! Never Lena!" She was bilingual and in her parents later years she wrote letters in Norwegian to the relatives back home. I learned from my mother that Ellen could never tolerate a Norwegian slur, or joke. I know children can be brutal and that was the case here. It was the kids in school who taunted the Norwegians about their funny accents, their church, and their clothes.

Who were these kids? I found the answer some years ago in a photograph in a book titled: "Rock Elm Centre ---The First 100yrs". Rock Elm, Wisconsin was her home during her childhood and that is where she went to school. The Photo was a 1910 school picture. Scanning the names of these children I counted 3-Nyeggens and quite a few English sounding names. Three of the kids carried the last name: Ingalls. The Ingalls were the Nyeggens next door neighbors. The Ingall's dad was born in nearby Pepin, Wisconsin a couple months apart from his more famous cousin Laura. They were 10th/11th generation English-Americans. It was the Ingalls and other long time English-Americans who picked on and berated my Norwegian grandmother (and the Germans, the Swiss, the Danes, and the Irish, and all the rest). "Little House in the Big Woods", set just north of Pepin, Wisconsin might be a cute book, but the pain and suffering the non-English newcomers went through was not!
________________________
Got Hmongs for neighbors? Get to know them, embrace them and encourage them. They are no different than my Norwegian grandmother.

Candle Light Vigil to Honor Fallen Soldiers

Winnebago Peace and Justice Center will be having a
candle light vigil to mark the 2000th US casualty in
the Iraq war. The vigil will take place at the Sundial
in downtown Oshkosh on Wednesday October 26th at 7pm.
2000 Tea Light Candles will used representing each
persons death. The candles were donated by Blyth
Homescents Candles 627 Bayshore Drive Oshkosh. The
event is free and all ages are invited to come and
participate.

Jim

I saw Jim, (not his real name), the day after Eddie Cook's memorial service. He was coming out of the Oshkosh Public Library. I hadn't seen him all week. "I can't #@%&*&# believe! I just can't $%^&*@# believe it! That #%$&*@!. I can't #$%&*!@# believe that #%$^&** wouldn't let me go to Eddie's funeral!!!" Jim vented for a while and I stood and listened. There was no reason for me to break in. He needed a minute to vent and cool down.

Jim had made a special trip to the library to read the front page Northwestern article on Ed. Jim was a friend of Eddie and knew him much much better than I did. Jim is a barrel chested fellow in his 40's whose physique is a reminder of what hard work can accomplish without trips to a gym. He works hard but has occasional periods of idleness...the bane of being at the whim of the temp. services. He has been homeless for several days here and there between jobs but has an upbeat attitude. Ed had become his friend and he even stayed a few nights in the park with him. Jim hadn't been able to make his rent and had spent a few nights at Father Carr's.

On the Thursday of Ed's memorial service Jim asked Father Carr for permission to go. (Note that the service was at 4pm, with a meal to follow.) Father Carr told Jim that he wouldn't make it back in time.

The key phrase is 'in time'. Father Carr, whose rules change faster than wind direction, expected Jim to be 'in' by 6pm in order to stay there the night. Of course Father Carr expects all 'inmates' to report for meals. Not reporting for a meal means expulsion from the shelter. The evening meal begins at 5pm, thus Jim had to be present at 5pm or find a place to stay for the night.

Jim detailed the situation that day at Father Carr's. Population in that mammoth mens shelter: two inmates. A typical day in a shelter that could easily hold well into the three figures. Jim's request was certainly reasonable. The number 6 city bus route passes the Salvation Army at 4:45pm, 5:15pm, and 5:45pm. It drops passengers at K-Mart, across from Father Carr's about 12-minutes after each of those times. Jim could have returned at 5, 5:30, or 6pm. He could've caught a meal either place.

Father Carr could have...

• Given him the bus fare and sent him on his way.
• Called a volunteer to ferry him back and forth.
• Called the Salvation Army and asked them to send a volunteer.
• Called a Taxi and guaranteed the fee both ways.
• With a net worth of almost $5 million, rented a limo.

Father Carr gave him the scare of his life, the threat of being tossed out on the street, just for asking permission to attend a funeral. Jim chose to spend the night inside rather than risk going to Eddie's service.

Jim was livid when I saw him at the library. He said that it isn't so much that he missed the service, as much as it is the incredibly nasty treatment he received from Father Carr. Carr's demeaning 'negative attitude at every opportunity' style is what he hates. He worries about people who are not as strong as he being subject to constant abuse at the hands of Carr.

The good news is that Jim found a job which will carry him to March. He left Father Carr's the day I saw him, and had found a place to stay. He did not want his name used. He has been down on his luck enough, had enough hard times, and just wants privacy. I respect that. If anyone would like to hear his story first person, I would be happy to do the introductions.

___________________________________

You won't read this story in the Northwestern. The reporters would rightly demand to use his name. I don't fault the reporters. They know about the goings-on at this shelter, which houses virtually no one, but can't get the back up commitments to use names. They however could've said what many have, about Father Carr's being worse than jail.

___________________________________

The same day I talked to Jim, a woman about age 50, told me she had called Father Carr and needed a place to stay. She was told the shelter was full (BUNK!!!). She called back three hours later and a guy named Adam also told her that the women's shelter was full.

Everyone in town knows that the shelter is never full and very under utilized.

I'm going to leave it at that today. Please post a comment. Please keep the comments civil.

Thank you.

UNITED STATES MILITARY DEATHS

I have dreaded this moment and hoped that it would not happen.

1:00pm Wednesday, October 19 2005

One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighty of our Military is the death count.

When this number becomes 2,000 there will be a candlelight vigil held at the Sundial in downtown Oshkosh. It will be held around dusk on the first calm day.

Winnebago Peace and Justice Center has obtained 2,000 votive candles for this somber occasion. All are welcome for this quiet and reflective time. This will not be a time for signs and politics. This is about troops, human beings, past present and future.

Watch this and other local sites frequently for the details.

Thanks.

Carnivale, Empty Bowls, and Bagpipes

Whoops! I've been having such a good time I almost forgot to write. Early Friday evening before sunset the sounds of bagpipes pervaded the air downtown. The cacaphony could be heard but not seen. It was a real person with real pipes. The guy was down by Schultz's Drug and moving north on Main. Had a real kilt on too. I attempted to con a young lady into sneaking up behind him and finding out just what he was wearing under that kilt. Sorry, readers. She giggled and laughed and wouldn't take the bait so we will never know. The musicianship was excellent as he slowly marched up and down the street and disappeared, never to be seen again. You know why bagpipers usually march when they play? They're trying to get away from the noise.

As dusk approached a magician was plying his trade at the sundial. When the moon began to rise over the trees he got into some very fancy pyrotechnics that could be seen for blocks. Live magic is not common, and he was uncommonly good. I didn't get to watch the whole act but gave him all the encouragement I could. I told him how for years, in the Madison area, I would work as a musician by night, and magician by day. That caught his attention, he wanted to know more. I told him of the various clubs and the late nights, and how I would wake up in the morning, drive down to State Street about 10am, and turn into a bar.

(You know. You don't have to read this. You could be doing something productive.)

The magician was a warm-up for Carnivale. Darkness brought a beautiful windless October rustle-the-leaves eerie calm with an almost full moon. A Ray Bradbury "The October Country" "Something Wicked This Way Comes" type evening. Charlie Chaplin was coming up the street with that famous waddle, the cane, and the undersized derby. He was on his way to Carnivale.

Carnivale is a fundraiser for the art programs at North and West High Schools. The concept is this: Admission is $20. Admission is $5 if you are in costume, formal, or semi-formal dress. It was held at the Algoma Club on Algoma. The night started slow but by 11pm it was just a hummin'. Most were in costume. The party spilled into the street due to absolute smoking bans and that tended to bring in more $20-admissions from the curious. Smiles came to the people working the door, namely Doug Boone and I, when the 'take' went into the four-figure category. I have got to hand it to Doug, who was dressed as an air show tourist, for his hard work that night.

A jazz trio made some great music. I knew these guys were pro's when the drummer began the set with brushes. The acoustics are such that the brushes could be heard everywhere, but the percussion was not overbearing. The fellow on the electric stand-up bass was outrageously good and anyone could tell they were having a great time. The Oshkosh Rythm Institute also did some wonderful percussion things that helped set the mood. Belly dancers performed and were well received. Although I wasn't that close, I looked for finger-cymbals. I could hear them but never saw any. I liked what they did but get yourselves some finger cymbals. It's just not the same without them.

Costumes were simple, cute, and to the outer limits of taste towards the prurient, and them some. Medusa was there, green from head to toe with body paint and little else. There were many outfits of this type, elaborate and more than a bit cheeky. Sequins, feathers, and paint...lots of paint. Gilligan was there. About the third time he went out for a smoke I asked him what he was smoking. James Dean was there. I swear I saw Scarlet O'Hara. 'Liz has never looked so great. I mean, I've seen her on her bike heading towards the New Moon and she is always the picture of style, but she was jaw-dropping Friday night. I don't know if it was Scarlet O'Hara or not but that's what it was to me. I am not good at this so bear with me. She had big hair, I mean BIG HAIR! Long, with luscious curls cascading down her back. A floor length wine red gown, could've been crushed velvet, with all the accessories right down to the accordian style fan. There was a fashion show during the evening that was a riot. After the fashion show the models were auctioned off for dances. Someone bid $20 for a dance with 'Liz. She was worth a million. There were so many good costumes. The Master of Ceremonies was another favorite. This guy could've easily done lion taming or a circus. Way over 6-feet and thin, he became taller and thinner with a black top-hat and a brilliant red cut-away long-tailed mourning jacket and two-tone wing-tips. He did a great job announcing throughout the evening.

My personal favorite was the two G-men wearing gas masks. That's because they cheerfully 'jumped' my dead car at 1:45am so I could get home. Thanks again guys.

Carnivale is a real sleeper. This one is 'under the radar' and the whole city has yet to catch on. It was very busy and a lot of people will be ticked that they weren't aware of this avant-garde event. Plan now to be there next year.
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EMPTY BOWLS 2005 took place Saturday night at the First Congregational Church. This is a fundraiser for our local Ecumenical Food Pantry which distributes from Trinity Episcopal Church. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds were served. The idea is simple. Local artists design, make, and contribute soup bowls. Folks pick out a bowl, have soup and bread, and get to keep the bowl and take it home. Beyond that, nothing is simple. The bowls are every conceivable color and shape. The decorations were fancy, and the lights were dimmed briefly for a quiet and meaningful candle lighting ceremony at each end of each table. There were about seven soups to pick from. I had chicken chile. Chunks of white meat with black beans and other goodies in a white sauce. Excellent! Home made bread of all sorts and sizes was served with the soup. These were the fancy thick heavy good-for-you breads. Desserts and more completed the meal. A String Trio performed and also a pianist. An auction of 'painted-chairs' followed the meal. Too many people to thank. I'll mention one: CHEF SUE HEFT! Go here:
http://www.emptybowls.net
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The events of this past weekend had a common thread...ART. And heck, it ain't Art Walk until the beginning of next month. Think about it folks. The downtown is happening...

Eddie Cook ---An Update

(The original article can be found on your right: "Body found in Fox River". A correction: I have since learned that Ed did know how to swim.)

Ed was cremated last Friday morning. The following is taken from the Salvation Army's Church Bulletin. Captain Johnny and Yoley Harsh are Pastors.
____________________________________

Special Memorial Service

This Thursday 4pm

for

ED COOK

This past week, we lost one of our dearest friends. Ed Cook, who was a faithful and precious volunteer at our Salvation Army and had many friends here was promoted to glory Wednesday morning.

In honor of our love for Ed and in support of his family and friends, we will be having a memorial service here Thursday at 4pm with meal following.

Please come and celebrate Ed's life with us.

_____________________________________

Please note that this is a community event and all are welcome for the short service and the meal that follows. The Salvation Army is located at 417 Algoma Blvd. For donations of volunteer time, food, or anything else, please call 920.232.7660.

The Salvation Army runs on a shoe-string budget and does amazing things. Dollar for dollar they are well known for their excellent and frugal use of funds. Overhead is low but at the same time they take care of their employees. How many employers in Oshkosh can boast that their workers have Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday?

The Salvation Army works quietly with community groups and churches. This is done so quietly that I will boast for them. Meal programs are assisted at times by a Women's group from St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Winneconne, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) of Oshkosh, the First Congregational Church and St. Paul's UCC, among others.

If you have ever wondered what goes on at the Salvation Army, or have been curious about volunteering in any capacity, the Memorial Service for Ed Cook might be a good starting point to learn about this wonderful organization.

Tooting my own horn...

While talking with Captain Johnny Harsh I offered to contribute my talents. Yours truly will be at the keyboards for the memorial service Thursday. (That's right! You will be able to put a face with this blog!) Captain Johnny told me that Ed Cook's favorite song was 'Sunday Morning Coming Down' and he will sing it Thursday. Written by Kris Kristofferson, made famous by Johnny Cash, this is a provoking tune. For lyrics go here:

http://www.lyricsondemand.com/j/johnnycashlyrics/sundaymorningcomingdownlyrics.html

RAPE & PILLAGE [or] Happy Columbus Day

I can't believe this! Babblemur posted a photo of me on his site! I'm irate! He could've at least asked permission. On top of that he claimed it was a picture of him! You be the judge:
http://www.babblemur.blogspot.com/2005/10/babblemur-meets-side-street.html

Be careful where you take those nude photos to be processed. Bad things could happen to YOU. You could get a visit from the local gendarmes, the FBI, CIA, KGB, the Thought Police, the Secret Service and more...All because of some snotty smiley face at MALL-WART. Check this out: http://www.progressive.org/mag_mc100405

All together now: Rape and Pillage, Rape and Pillage, Rape and Pillage...

Columbus took that to heart. He brought much more than that. Various forms of V.D. and other wonderful life threatening diseases. Kill the men, rape the mothers and daughters, take the sons to sell as slaves. What a wonderful legacy, AND WE SET ASIDE A DAY TO GLORIFY HIM! Please go here: http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion//index.php?ntid=56962&ntpid=3
and here: http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion//index.php?ntid=56958&ntpid=7

Did I ever tell you about the time (as a musician) I played a Columbus Day party at the Knights of Columbus in Columbus?

Body Found in the Fox River

Eddie Cook of Oshkosh was pulled out of the Fox River this morning about 10:00 in the area of the Leach Amphitheatre. It is surmised that he fell in late last night but probably by 6am this morning. Ed, about 58, was a familiar sight on the streets in the downtown area. Short in stature, he had long grey hair which he combed straight back. He was thin, with light colored glasses. He was a common daily visitor to the Oshkosh Public Library and read the Northwestern. He would make his way to Workforce Development in the old SBC building and to the Salvation Army. He spent a lot of time at the river by the Main Street Bridge and had taken to sleeping under the bridge.

He was a decent fellow and had no enemies. He carried a rectangular black briefcase everywhere he went. He volunteered quite a bit at the Salvation Army helping with preparation and serving of meals. He worked hard and complained almost as much, but still continued to help. He volunteered to help, as he put it, 'build his resume'. He was well liked and fair with people. He was doing some telemarketing work the last few months.

Eddie slept under the bridge. He felt, as many others do, that to stay at Father Carr's was worse than being in jail. He wanted nothing to do with Father Carr.

Ed did not know how to swim. We may never know the circumstances of his death but I will list some items of interest here.

-The city had installed a fence to prevent people from going under the bridge. It stopped at the water's edge. People swung around it momentarily being over open water. The fence stopped nothing. There is no question that the fence made it more dangerous to get under the bridge.

-Rats, rather large ones, had taken to stealing food, even pulling away entire plastic grocery bags. (Could a rat have startled him?)

-Ed may have had too much beer, which at his weight might have been 3-cans.

-He could've slipped. He had been in severe pain at times lately over a knee problem.

Eddie will be missed. He had been working at trying to get on disability for some time and carried his correspondence around in that black briefcase which he was never without.

How many Eddies will die before a more dignified method of taking care of people is legislated?

Happy Birthday!

My favorite political source of late is celebrating an 11th birthday. Capitol Hill Blue bashed Clinton for a while and has spent a lot of time bashing Bush in the last five years. Go here:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com

Speaking of birthdays... More people celebrate their birthdays on October 5th than on any other date. Think about that one on a long cold night next January.

The First Congregational Church had their latest monthly concert today. John Harmon on the grand piano and John Gibson on the upright bass. Very pleasant to the ear and a most welcome way to spend a lunch hour. "Over the Rainbow" was a featured tune. He used a progression that to my best knowledge was first used many many years ago by George Shearing. Rather than beginning with the dominant chord he used a minor 6th to open the tune. (To you musicians: If the first chord was "C", he substituted an "A-minor 6th" followed by "B-7th".) There was a soup & sandwich meal served afterward that was spectacular. Finely decorated tables, centerpieces, and colorful tasty rich desserts. There is not a finer way to spend the noonhour once a month in Oshkosh. A big thanks to everyone that had a part in it.

Is it my imagination? It seems that the flags have been spending more time at half-mast lately than they spend fully raised. I don't know where that comment will lead, but feel free to submit your opinion. Is our country in that dire of straits? What gives?

I visited the Valley Scene website the other day. http://www.valleyscene.com
There was this little circle that said: 50-cents. That explains why I haven't seen it in the entry way over at the Pig on Murdock. I don't know the circumstances of this but on the surface it does not bode well. I like the Scene and I suspect that charging for it may be more of a hindrance than a help. I do wish the Scene well.

Heard on the streets of Oshkosh... Randy S. told me about George Bush's morality. Dubya is the "moral" president. It seems though that the further south toward Texas that a person goes this "moral" thing begins to sound like "more-oil". Thank you for that Randy.

Thanks to the Northwestern for their lead article last Sunday on the Peace Movement in Oshkosh. Whether you agree or not...stop by Opera House Square Friday from 4:30 to 7pm. There are lively discussions at Peace Park. This kind of thing will never happen at the mall! It's the Town Square. Your voice is welcome. Come in peace.

UP TO OUR AXELS WITH THE BUSH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

(Preface: Back in 1917 Republican Robert M. LaFollette addressed his fellow lawmakers in Washington D.C. and decried that war-profiteers should not be able to influence our country and fill their pockets with the blood-stained profits of WWI. Fighting Bob was eased out of the G.O.P. and the progressive movement is alive and well in Wisconsin today. Progressives own no party but lean towards any candidate which will work for the greater good of society. What would Fighting Bob think of Oshkosh today?)

Axel Tech has been sold. The new buyer is the 'Carlyle Group'. Just who is the Carlyle Group? A group of Republicans Hell-bent on emptying the pockets of the ordinary folks in the good old Untied Skates of America. Hold on Oshkosh! A lot of us are acquainted with the Carlyle Group and now you can be too. The Iraq War is costing about a $Billion and a third each week and the grand total is now about $200 Billion. Who is getting that money that us taxpayers will have our grandchildren pay back? Why of course...outfits such as Halliburton and Carlyle. The employees of Axel here in Oshkosh will continue to survive but the big winners will be the major stockholders of the Carlyle Group.

Who are these major stockholders who will get most of the money? READY! SET! GO HERE:
http://www.hereinreality.com/carlyle.html

I implore you to do your part and pass this link on to your friends. Thank you.
_________________________________________

DRUNK ON POWER...OR JUST DRUNK

Dubya's off the wagon. First Lady Laura has told George: "It's either Jim Beam or me". I will leave you today with one link which has several links of interest. I hope none of this is true. It is rather scary.
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7430.shtml

A HORSE IS A HORSE...

A brewery from south of the border (souse of the border?) brought some beautiful horses to Oshkosh today. Four pair pulling a vintage century old wagon with a dalmation sitting atop the beer cases. The dalmation could hear. I asked. High percentages of dalmations are born deaf, probably from inbreeding. This, of course, explains why fire departments and dalmations have been intertwined over the years. The horses were groomed to-a-tee and very well behaved. They were brought here with several large 18-wheelers. This is a big operation with a lot of costs. Folks kept their cameras busy and the children enjoyed the spectacle.

Children? Of course, of course. There were no samples but the picture is clear. Get those kids adjusted to the sight of those clydesdales now so they'll know what to drink when they get older. The company that owns those clydesdales has done a lot to put brewmasters and brewery workers out of business in Wisconsin, and they continue to try to drain money out of this state. They refuse to distribute Wisconsin's micro-brews with their efficient delivery system. The micro-brews are no competition to them but this out-of-state brewer wants to smash all competition no matter how large or small. They are a ruthless killing machine, a great example of capitalism at its ugliest. They know how to brew a generic beer with the cheapest ingredients (rice...ugh!) and charge the biggest buck to make the most money.

It was explained to me many years ago that these clydesdales were given Schlitz to drink and the pail was put under the horse, bottled, and sent from Missouri to points north. I didn't get a chance to ask the horse groomers if that was true. I guess the dalmation thing...you know...one question was probably enough.

Let them bring their pretty horses, but don't drink their beer unless you are on their turf. You'll know when to drink it when you see that 'gateway to the west' arch. In the meantime crack a Point, Leinies, Huber, Miller, and assorted Wisconsin microbrews. You are keeping some brewery worker from Wisconsin in a paycheck.
___________________________________

Michael Perry, noted author, spoke at the public library tonight. He drew a standing room only crowd and had them in stitches. His small town Wisconsin humor (New Auburn: Pop. 485) is now noted across the country. His advice tonight: "never stand behind a sneezing cow", "if you can see your breath, don't lick the pump handle", is a breath of fresh air. I know librarian Ruth P. had something to do with this. Thank you Ruth and all of the other people involved, especially the person who did the posters for this event. Psssst! People pay to hear storytellers like M. Perry.

Another story teller is Garrison Keillor. His show is broadcast on more radio stations than any other in the world. He can be found here:
http://www.prairiehome.org
He is in the news of late. He has decided to sue a blogger. That's right! A blogger has been selling shirts that say: 'A Prairie Ho Companion'. I can't imagine why GK is so excited. The only thing that "ho's" in Lake Wobegon is Santa Claus.

Protest the Iraq war this weekend. Thanks.

EARTHDANCE!

Last Saturday at the Leach was a gem. Earthdance is an international celebration held in some 150 locations worldwide. The doings took place for 11-hours beginning at noon.

Such a deal. Admission was 5-bucks. It included many bands, a few short speakers, and drums, drums, drums. Beer was 3-glasses for $5.

This was not the 1st Earthdance in Oshkosh, but the first at the Leach. Weather was perfect and such a great time.

Jason Moon entertained in the afternoon. I have never heard him sound better. He was relaxed, laid back, and intense all at once. His voice was crystal clear with excellent diction. His guitar work provides just the right backup to enhance his voice. At times Robin C. and a few others shaded some percussion into Jason's performance. (My congrats go to the person who ran sound.) Jason is worth a listen anytime. He could open for a great act like Greg Brown and take the professional 'heat' and stand tall. Keep at it Jason.

Every act was excellent. I'm not going to name them all here, they all deserve recognition, but I will mention the last one: "Stealin' Strings". This band could swing between rock and country just as smoothly as the Eagles did years ago. I enjoyed their bass player. He did some excellent lines.

I understand that Drew Mueski was in large part responsible in getting these bands. Hell of a job Drew! I don't know how you did it. Great job.

Robin Cardell of the Oshkosh Rhythm Institute worked extremely hard to put together this event and I enjoyed the drum circle between the other acts. Thank you Robin.
http://www.oshkoshrhythm.com/earthdance

A big thank you to all you helped in any way in this great event. There is no way I could name everyone but the music caught my fancy, ---every bit of it.

I PLEDGE...ONE NATION...UNDER...

Went past Leon's Frozen Custard on Murdock the other night. The sign said:

WANTED: PART-TIME JANITOR
DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

What does this imply? Should a person ask about the circumstances of the old janitor? Would you eat there? Just kidding. Just kidding.
_________________________________

FRANCIS JULIUS BELLAMY

Does the name Francis Bellamy ring your bells? You may have heard of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams, but Francis Bellamy?

Mr. Bellamy wrote the Pledge of Allegiance. He did not live in the 1700's. He was only 10yrs-old when President Lincoln died. He wore several hats in his life. He was a Baptist minister. He was a Socialist. He was also an educator.

HE NEVER PUT ANY REFERENCE TO GOD IN THE PLEDGE! Part of the reason for the addition of the 'under God' phrase in 1954 was Wisconsin's own goofball Joe McCarthy carrying on about the 'god-less' Communists. America, famous for its separation of church and state caved in back in 1954 and added it.

Have some fun. Ask the oldest person you know to recite the 'Pledge'. If you are talking to someone who went to school previous to 1954 they will almost always say it without the 'under God' phrase. They even complain about the uneven rhythm it gives the 'Pledge', ---something they are not used to.

Back in 1892 Mr. Bellamy was even afraid to put the word 'equality' in the pledge. White males would never have tolerated that. Women and blacks were not equal. The pledge has changed a bit over the years. That's OK. I didn't say that it changed for the better.

Patriotism is OK too, but blind patriotism is not. My mother, who never missed a chance to remind me that she was born around the time women got the vote, (something she was very proud of), always instilled in us that authority should be dissected and questioned. Think long and hard about this 'under God' phrase.

My opinion? Leave it out of the pledge. Our government exists because the English mixed religion and government. Totally remove all traces of religion in our government.

What's the result? More folks would come to the conclusion that they (and their kids) better start spending more time at church, cause they ain't gonna get religion at school.

Go here:
http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/bellamy_f/bellamy_f.html
http://www.history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

Muttface

Muttface, (not her real name), is a collie approaching the age of three. She is a wonderful dog. She gets me up at 5:30, sometimes 4:30, and even 3:30. She is insistent, and I follow her orders. I'll be darned if I'm going to chance a mess on the floor. Collies are very flighty...high strung if you wish. She barks for no reason, day or night, and sheds hair---not just a little hair, but hair everywhere---tons of it. She drools, begs, and stinks to high heaven. She refuses to come when called so dog biscuits are needed at all times. She even whimpers at the off-brand 'milk-bones' I've been giving her! She will throw them down on the floor where they sit for hours until the mood strikes her.

The paper-girl loves her. She showed up with the Northwestern about 5:30 this morning and muttface jumped all over her. They have become good friends and they both look forward to seeing each other. The mail-woman loves muttface too and they see each other about noon each day.

The kids from a nearby school all know her. About half know her by her right name (which is why I didn't print it here) and the other half call her 'Lassie'. Lassie she is, a carbon copy.

Muttface is good with one or two people but she is horrible in a crowd...too flighty...barks all day. Dogs are fun. They have their moods but they sure give a lot of joy.

Muttface has been trained to stay out of certain rooms in the house and she stays unleashed in the yard if someone is present. She knows better than to step out of the yard.

I wonder what she would type if I taught her how?

Scooping the Northwestern---Scooping Gannett

Fighting Bob Fest was Saturday at the Sauk County Fairgrounds. Bernie Sanders (soon to be) a Senator from Vermont spoke to the crowd. Many others spoke including Jim Hightower, Gwen Moore, Tammy Baldwin, etc.

I estimate the crowd at 5,500. (Using the Oshkosh Air Show type estimation, i.e. -patrons-X-number of speakers, the crowd estimate could easily be 40,000!)

It was, put simply, the largest political event in Wisconsin in 2005. It dwarfs the Democratic, Republican, and Green Party get-togethers.

A Green Party speaker flew in from San Francisco and was warmly received by what is possibly the largest audience a Green Party speaker has ever seen in this state. The event had many progressive Democrats on the podium too. It was a diverse and friendly crowd. For more go here: http://www.fightingbobfest.com

One visitor to the Fest was Ben Masel. Ben has announced that he will be running for U.S. Senator from Wisconsin against Mr. Kohl. For more, and photographs, go here:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/9/10/20315/8625

Best bumper sticker seen Saturday: "VIETNAM IS ARABIC FOR IRAQ"
Best T-shirt: "THE FLOGGINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES"
____________________________________

Last Friday the war vigil at the sundial had some interesting twists.

Mr. Metz, who used to run the Northwestern, greeted the protesters with half-a-peace-sign (the bird). Remember that the next time someone howls about the 'liberal media'.

A giggling young lady riding 'shotgun' in a passing car flashed the assembled protesters.

I'm still trying to decide who is the biggest boob.
_____________________________________

The Sunday parade honoring the troops had a dismal turnout. I did my part. I was there. Where were you?
_____________________________________

It has now been 1,461 days since Osama attacked the twin towers. Where is he? Have you checked under your bed lately? Go here:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091105Y.shtml

A GREAT PRESIDENT WOULD...

Seen on the streets of Oshkosh...---a t-shirt that says:

"I DO WHAT THE VOICES IN MY DEERSTAND TELL ME".

FIGHTING BOB FEST is Saturday. There is still room on the (free) bus which departs from the sundial at 8am. The Fest is also free. Suggested donation is $5 for the bus (still cheap) and $10 for the Fest (a deal at any price). Go here to learn more:
http://www.fightingbobfest.com

"Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans,
And miss it each night and day?"
Satchmo did in 1946 and it was re-recorded many times to this day. From the movie "New Orleans":
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/louis-armstrong/85364.htm

Monument to Disaster: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7349.shtml

Notes on an EMS Conference held in New Orleans:
http://www.emsnetwork.org/artman/publish/article_18427.shtml

What do others think? Find out what the Germans think of us along with selected worldwide news at the English version of the German News site - 'Der Spiegel':
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international

_____________________________________________________

A GREAT PRESIDENT WOULD see the current situation in New Orleans as an opportunity to turn a great tragedy into a world revered triumph. A new city, built for a new century, a shining star that would bring tourists from around the world. A place geared for walking, public transportation, mopeds, bicycles, scooters, and skate boards. A city with solar panels for a skyline, sewerless compost toilets, public free wireless internet...the list could go on and on but I'm sure you get the idea. Jobs-jobs-jobs for architects, innovative city planners, and anyone with ambition. A premier showplace of a new city for a new century and a President with his legacy firmly planted in the new history books.

Mr. Bush is not a great president. He is not a good president. He is not even a mediocre president. He is listening to the gloom and doom of the Grover Norquist bunch and will be relegated to the history books as a moron.

Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin disappeared some years back when the Kickapoo River rose above it. An alert president saw an opportunity and jumped at it. The Feds pumped several million dollars into moving the berg a few blocks over onto higher land and took the cutting edge solar power of the day and had all of the businesses install it. Jimmy Carter was the president and the year was 1978. It took four years to complete this new town nick-named 'Solar Town,USA'. The 550 residents of this sleepy little community in southwestern Wisconsin kept that sense of community and eventually saved a bundle of money.

To the best of my knowledge the natural gas furnace installed at the Soldiers Grove grocery store has NEVER kicked in! It was put in for back-up but has never been used. The grocery uses several energy saving devices including massive solar panels on the roof and devices which re-direct heat from the refrigeration unit coils to heat the store in winter.

Humanitarian Jimmy Carter is a hero to me. He was willing to try new things. That's what it means to be called a political 'Progressive'. (I'm one. How about you?) Go here:
http://www.soldiersgrove.com
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/freshstart/case/soldiers.htm

LOTS TO DO...

Bryan Bain's 5th Tuesday Forum will be held Tuesday night at the Grand Theatre. There will be informal tours afterward. Bryan is working hard to do a good job for Oshkosh. If you have a concern make sure to attend. I don't think he has a solution for the wasps but you could ask. (My solution is to use a dryer sheet. Wipe it on your arms and neck.) Go here:
http://www.bryanbain.com

Wednesday evening at 6pm be at the sundial. This is the kick-off for the local 'bring the troops home' referendum. There will be speakers (and a few more wasps). About 3,000 signatures will be needed in sixty days. Paul Esslinger will be speaking. He may/may not be in favor of the referendum BUT he is very much in favor of using the referendum as a tool to gauge public sentiment. Thank you Paul. Go here:
http://www.wpjc.blogspot.com

Wednesday night brings the band LIFEHOUSE to the Leach. This show is part of the PMI series. If you can't make it, they will be appearing on Jay Leno's Tonight Show on September 6. Go here: http://www.lifehousemusic.com

Thursday afternoon around 5pm be at the sundial. The Fox Jazz Fest begins. This will be the first of two nights of Jazz in Oshkosh. The first night will be at Peace Park (OK. Opera House Square) Go here:
http://www.foxjazzfest.com/pgs/cal.tpl

Thursday night brings Rick Springfield to the Leach Amphitheater. Go here:
http://www.waterfest.org
http://www.rickspringfield.com

Friday night the Fox Jazz Fest moves to the Leach. Be there early. The music starts around 5. Remember, the Jazz Fest is FREE!

Friday night will also be the last movie of the series at Peace Park. Bring the kids and a blanket (no chairs please) and enjoy a free bag of popcorn. National Treasure-starring Nicholas Cage is the feature. Go here:
http://www.intergen.org


Don't forget the ART WALK downtown Saturday night from 6-9pm.

Last but not least remember to stop by the official Labor Day picnic at South Park on Monday. This reminds us what Labor Day is about.

Please check back this week for updates.

Peace.

"GIMME A 'W'..."

http://www.buzzflash.com/bradenton/05/08/bra05049.html

I have been a Steve Bradenton fan for a while. He does great work.

Dubya went to the reddest state in the union, Utah, and the Mormons hit the fan. The Mayor of Salt Lake City spoke at an anti-war rally a few blocks away from Bush. Sorry King George but the most Republican state in the country has something to say to you about this sorry war. It was the largest protest in Utah since 1991 previous to the Bush-Daddy War. Mormon friends tell me there is a lot of division among their members over this war.

Pat Robertson should hang it up. When we have a 'so-called' church leader calling for the assassination of a country's leader that's gone way-way over any line of taste, ---much less morals. Robertson should be sent to Texas and executed. Whoops! I'm just kidding. I don't believe in capital punishment. Maybe we should just send Robertson down to Florida and have him room with Joe Paulus. Paulus could get some religion and teach Robertson the fine art of lawn maintainance. I'm sure it's hotter than Hell down there.

Day Ja Beer news is that the UW-Madison is the Nation's party school all over again. So what else is new? Quite a bit. Here is your chance to drink and get paid for it. The Beer Man is gone from the Post Crescent. Rumor has it that he is filing for disability against Gannett, fell off his bar-stool and can't get up...or sober up. {Remember these key words: 1)rumor 2)blog}

At any rate here is your chance to get a new part time job. Go here:
http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/beerman

Now all you women go apply for the job as 'BEERMAN'. Think they'll hire you?

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro...

It's been a bit bumpy, but quiet enough to think. Who the hell would invite people to a campfire and then burn painted wood from an old fence? Who got a 'package' from the local gendarmes in the last week? You aren't going to hear a peep from me. Let's hope for better weather this Thursday for the concert at the Leach.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP SHORTEN THIS BILLION DOLLAR A WEEK WAR? Good. I knew you would agree.

Be at the Oshkosh Public Library on Wednesday evening at 7:00pm. Go to meeting room 'A'. A lot of help is needed. Bring a neighbor. Bring a friend. See you there.
_____________________________________

SHELTER FOR THE POLITICALLY HOMELESS...

Fighting Bob Fest is just around the corner -Saturday September 10. Want to go? There's room for a few dozen people. Guess what? It costs $10-bucks. Guess what? It's in Baraboo at the Sauk County Fairgrounds. Just stop at the cash machine, fill your wallet, then empty your wallet when you fill your tank.

WHOA...WHOA...WHOA... Wait a minute.

Admission to Fighting Bob Fest is a $10-donation. DONATION! Get it. Don't have the $10, don't worry. Just bring yourself. This is a non-corporate event. Give if you can, but the admission price is YOUR call.

About transportation: It's FREE. (DID I SAY FREE?) Yes. The bus will leave the sun-dial in downtown Oshkosh at 8am Saturday September 10. Be there. Meet John Conyers. Meet Amy Goodman. Meet Jim Hightower.

Please go here: http://www.fightingbobfest.com

and then go here: http://www.tonypalmeri.com/fightingbobfest.htm

I'll be your tour guide.
_____________________________________

Thirty Five years ago last week Sterling Hall was bombed in Madison, Wisconsin. It was a sad time for all. Here's a few links:
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2005:08:18:486338:SPECTRUM
http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2005:08:18:486334:SPECTRUM

and my favorite: http://www.leoburt.com

Peace.

25-CENTS OFF ALL TAPS AND RAIL

This is old news but gets better every time I think about it. Tom Breuer of the Valley Scene monthly rag sez we got it all wrong with the new Wisconsin state quarter. He thinks that it should've just said: 25-cents off all taps and rail. It would become the most popular of all the state quarters. That even beats my idea, which was to put the view of the Wisconsin River at Ferry Bluff looking downriver towards Wisconsin's only public optional-clothes beach. That view has been shown on TV too many times to count. It flashes by on the state tourism ad, is never identified, and then the phone is given: 1-800-432-trip.
This is the view:
http://www.iit.edu/~travel/wisview.jpg
http://www.zoology.wisc.edu/news/floattrip/bluff1.jpg


Doug B. of Oshkosh passed this next thing on to me. It is a new state law soon to be introduced in Wisconsin. It asks simply that all returning veterans be required to take a test to see if they have absorbed any depleted uranium while in Iraq. Great idea. In retrospect this would have been helpful concerning Agent Orange/Viet Nam.

This may shorten the Iraq morass. Iraqis have seen a seven-fold rise in childhood cancers and birth defects since the Bush League follies have begun. Go here:
http://www.rense.com/general67/DUtestingforreturning.htm

RENSE is a site worth bookmarking.
http://www.rense.com

Honor the Dead?

Late note ...While at the Pat Benatar concert at the Leach I had occasion to use the $675,000.00 facilities. They are nice and the lines moved fast enough. The lines did not move fast enough for some of the patrons who decided to use a bank of port-a-potties nearby. Yes. There are not enough restrooms there. Huh?

I ran into my 88yr.-young friend Millie in the Oshkosh Public Library newspaper room today. She was reading the Chicago Tribune, an article on the high cost of dying, and complaining about the cost. Millie sez: "I can just go to Iraq. Then I won't need a funeral."

Iraq just doesn't seem to be working out. Maybe we can iron out the problems so we can get it right in Iran.

Excellent article today in Truthout about Cindy Sheehan down near the Bush estate. Note that I will not call it a ranch. A ranch has animals.
http://www.truthout.org/docs2005/081605A.shtm

Life is good. In fact life is great for the folks in the Saudi Arabia area. Money everywhere. Good times. Life just couldn't be any better. Go here:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/445F5F22-1c05-49E8-AC1C-10D3C6EDC75B.htm

Peace.

Protest

I went to Appleton today. There was a show of support for Cindy Sheehan at Houdini Park. Cindy lost her son last year in the Iraq morass and is camping near the Bush estate with the hope that she might get Dubya's attention.

There were 40-50 people with signs, a lot of honking horns, and media including NBC-26 and the Post Crescent. I wish Cindy S. the best in taking on King George II. She needs support from all of us.

Is 'W' nuts? Doug Thompson has the goods on this. Go here:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7218.shtml

The Fair month of August

I have been a fan of the state fair since I was a kid. I have missed the Wisconsin State Fair less than a handful of times in my life. County fairs are wonderful but there is something magical about going to West Allis and chowing down all day...The New Berlin Lion's Club Corn Roast, Sheboygan Brats, roast pig on the spit, pig races, and of course creme puffs.

My favorite for many years was an indoor petting zoo. Every year someone brought a pair of the world's largest rats. The latin name begins with a 'C'. Their names were Fred and Ethyl. They were 60-70lbs. ---not something you wish to see in the wild.

The Fighting Bob Fest is coming September 10 at the Baraboo Fairgrounds. Several people from the Oshkosh area are going including me. If you would like to carpool/drive/ride feel welcome to come along. About 4,000 folks did that last year making it larger than any political gathering in Wisconsin in years. They expect more this year. The all-star line-up is:
http://www.fightingbobfest.com

Social Security is 70 on Sunday. Many do not know that it had it's roots in Wisconsin. Go here:
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/topics/socialsecurity

My oh my---Have you filled your tank lately? Gas is still about a nickel a gallon in Bagdad. Somewhere between there and here a middleman takes a cut. I found the middleman. Pass this on to your friends so they know who gets the money:
http://www.aztlan.net/oiltanker.htm

To the death.

Dog Days

I enjoy picking up the Scene Magazine, -you know, the free one at the exit of many stores. The Scene is an excellent local rag. It reminds me of reading Isthmus in Madison in the early 70's. Isthmus has become a bit stale and mainstream. The Scene is better reading in 2005 than Madison's Isthmus. It is much more edgy than Isthmus. I hope it stays that way.

Great concert last Thursday at the Leach. The band before Pat Benatar had the most atrocious engineering imaginable. The EQ was way out of whack...no discernable bass, screamy screechy highs with distortion where no distortion belonged. I can't comment on the band. The engineer simply did them in. The sound was excellent from the moment Benatar began.

The Downtown Art Walk was great last Saturday. Once the sun began to dip in the west the streets rapidly became full. The drums by the sundial were really cooking up a storm. It was an extremely professional performance.

Internet chatter about peak oil continues to reverberate daily with talk about $5 per gallon gasoline this winter and much more. My favorites of the last week are these...

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0804-26.htm

http://www.kunstler.com/spch_hudson.htm

This last one I check almost every day:

http://www.fromthewilderness.com

or it's mirror site:

http://www.copvscia.com

Support the People in Uniform

A person in Oshkosh had the temerity to question the support of the troops. Find me someone who doesn't support the troops.

Well. OK. Dubya Bush and the Republicans have cut support of veterans in the last 4yrs. out of five.

Doug Boone and others have collected 1,1912 signatures to bring the troops home as of last Friday. The death toll in Iraq of U.S. troops just topped 1,800 today. Time to bring the rest home while they are talking and walking. There is nothing about freedom going on in Iraq. Get used to it!

What do the soldiers think? Read some letters in the armed services magazine Stars and Stripes:
http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=30636

Peace.

Drugs, Murder, and Armored Vehicles

Wow! CAFTA passed by two votes. Yippee! This has got some people dancing in the streets. Those 'Some People' are the owners of the large pharmaceutical concerns. This is amazing news. Somewhere in the Central American Free Trade Agreement is fine print which calls for drugs distributed in Central America to be of the brand name Rx-type. That's right folks. No generic drugs for you!

This is a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of humans from south of the border. How in the hell could anyone with any kind of a conscience legislate the murder of incredible numbers of people?

To understand this story of murder by slime-ball con artists filling their pockets with money go here: http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/0801-07.htm

Did I mention that one of the largest Rx concerns in the world (Eli Lilly) is owned by the Republicans including the Bush and Quayle families and friends? These pieces of slime are murderers...period.
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Winnebago County has purchased an armored vehicle...value $180,000.00. Something to do with Homeland Security. Portholes for guns, and all the trimmings. Just who are they going to use this on??? They apparently used this twice already. Are the terrorists that close to Oshkosh?

Peace.

BRING THE TROOPS HOME

I went to a meeting at the Oshkosh Public Library concerning this subject last week. What an age range! The origins of thought cover a greater range than I could've first imagined. There are as many reasons for ending this Iraq quagmire as the made-up and lying reasons that got us there in the first place. There were new faces...ones I hadn't seen before. There is room for a lot more faces and ideas to keep pressure on the government at ALL levels to put an end to this war.

The next meeting will be held on August 3 at 7pm at the Oshkosh Public Library. I'm going to be there if I can. I appeal to anyone who reads this to please join me and others in this worthwhile endeavor.

The reasons are endless. Here are a few of mine...

The Republican Conservative lower taxes/less government one: The Iraq Quagmire is costing at least 1 and 1/3 billion dollars per week. END IT.

What about Truck? Oshkosh Truck is great. I believe that the government should shell out much more money to Truck---much more of our tax dollars. Truck can retool and build windmills and solar panels. We need a crash public infusion of tax dollars that would make FDR and the New Deal a flash in the pan. Let's spend enough money to make the U.S. the leader on the planet in preparing for the eventual demise of the oil industry. Let's make the U.S. the cheapest place on Earth to make a widget, -and with cheap energy the standard of living could remain high.

The editorial staff at the Northwestern takes the "Cobblestoner's Award" for their backward stance on the Iraq mess. COME ON! This has lasted almost as long as WWII. We don't need perpetual war...or even the 12-year long war I keep reading about.

The Northwestern is a bit boring when a person can read Doug Thompson:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7102.shtml

Doug Boone is doing quite a job collecting signatures to bring the troops home. His peace petition is getting an excellent response. I have helped him a few times over at the Leach, where he sets up a few tables before the concerts. It is fascinating to see folks stop on a hot summer night, rushing to make the 7pm deadline for lower priced tickets, and take the time to sign the petition. About 1,500 have done so. The comments are simple, to the point, and reflect Oshkosh quite well. The fellow who served in Gulf War I and just came back from serving again. He said: "get out now, a civil war is starting" "we had no business being there". The couple who is irate about the recruiter who is talking to their son and promising more than he can deliver. Disgusted traditional Republicans who are tired of Bush's crap.

Want to help? Come to the Leach Thursday around 5pm. You can hear those responses for yourself.

Come to the Leach Thursday to hear some good blues. It should be a great concert. The Guess Who put on a great show last week. They announced that the band has had over 50-members in its history. They are tight and not in the has-been category.

Abortion---THAT'S RIGHT: ABORTION

Welcome back folks. I've been recreating for several days. That's recreate, -as in recreation. It is a strange summer, no bugs but lots of spiders. The corn looks horrible.

Fun with Google. This link has very practical applications but it is more fun to play pranks with it. You can make these up as you go along. I'll just give you a start. See an unattended computer? Go to this site and leave it. Got children? Go here and ask them what is wrong with the computer. Children can go here and ask the adults the same thing. Library users should go to the librarian and complain BUT should do it now, not next week.

Ever wonder what your screen looks like from the other side?
http://elgoog.rb-hosting.de/index.cgi

The Space Shuttle is in trouble. A fuel sensor is not working, needs a wire wiggled according to the news. They should take it down to the filling station in Mayberry and have Goober take a look at it.
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Abortion, pro and con. This is about the cons, the people who con other people. Whatever your thoughts are on abortion be aware of the following items.

Dubya will be on Faux News and other outlets spewing his spittle on the new nominee for the Supreme Court. I won't be watching. I refuse to watch Dubya until he gets that smart-ass smirk off his monkey face.

Republicans are anti-abortion. Dubya is anti-abortion. Well meaning Republicans voted for Dubya. HOOEY.

THE BUSH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE PRO-ABORTION AND FILL THEIR $POCKETS$ DAILY WITH MONEY FROM THE SALE OF THE MORNING-AFTER PILL.

Please follow this...

1975- J. Danforth Quayle Sr. is CEO of the multi-zillion dollar drug company Eli Lilly. He invites George H.W. Bush to be on the Board of Directors of Eli Lilly.

1982-83- The Supreme Court tells Bush the Elder that he will be handcuffed if he continues to lobby for Eli Lilly while on the Gov. Payroll.

1987-88-King George the 1st pays back Quayle Sr. by taking on his potatoe-headed son as his Vice-Presidential running mate.

Eli Lilly continues to rake in $Zillions$ on drugs such as Prozac, BUT WHOA: THEY ALSO MAKE BIRTH CONTROL PILLS ---WHICH ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR COMMON FORMS OF THE 'MORNING AFTER PILL' ---THE ABORTION PILL.

The Bush Family and Friends sell the abortion pill. Why let Surgeons perform abortions when we can stuff our pockets with money from an abortion pill.

Many people from Eli Lilly were hired by Dubya to come to Washington in 2000. They include Mitch Daniels. He was high-up in Eli Lilly in Indiana, went to Washington, then ran for Governor of Indiana. Go Here:
http://www.opensecrets.org/bush/cabinet/cabinet.daniels.asp

Yes. I'll repeat it. THE BUSH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING THE ABORTION PILL.

Please pass the word.

The United Church of Christ (UCC)

I said at the beginning that I would write about religion. The UCC is the topic today. I will concentrate on one area of the UCC, the Congregational Church. The UCC has been in the news lately due to its very liberal treatment of gays. Knowing some background is certainly in order.

England broke from the Roman Catholic Church (1500's) and the state church became known as the Anglican Church. English emigrants to America (1620) included many who eventually formed the Congregational Church. Yes. The Congregational Church is commonly known as the 'Pilgrim Church'.

(The Anglican Church eventually came to America, where it is called the Episcopal Church.)

The Congregational Church, the pilgrim's church, has also been called the 'Church of the Presidents' many times over the years. Many many presidents have attended the Congregational Church, ---and when they needed more dignity and pomp, have attended the Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. Many people doing their family genealogies, upon finding out they have an English 'side', are very used to the idea that the Congregational Church, United States of America, and roots in England, all seem to blend into one.

The Congregational Church exists from the 'bottom-up', as opposed to its polar opposite - the Roman Catholic Church. Catholics are dictated to by Rome. The Congregational Church is a product of the local parish members ---and they inform the state or national church officials what they are doing, or intend to do. Each individual Congregational Church may be quite different than another just ten miles away.

There was always some form of outreach to other churches and the Congregationals began merging with other churches in the 1930's. The largest merger happened after some twenty years of work in the 1950's. They merged with the Evangelical & Reformed Church (E&R) and the merger gave the church a new name: The United Church of Christ.

Many of these merged groups used 'UCC' on their sign with 'Congregational' or 'E&R' below it in smaller (or larger) print. Some still are not totally comfortable with this merger as in the case of the Congregational Church in downtown Oshkosh. They have allegiance to both the UCC and the old Congregational Church.

The UCC continues to reach out to other churches and considers harmony with other faiths as necessary and proper. The Kennebunkport, Maine UCC is one church which you may have heard of, being the place where a former president attends, and has even been the scene of protests.

What is the UCC like? I was confirmed in the UCC in the early 1960's in a small town in Wisconsin. One of the requirements was that I attend the other churches in town at least once and be able to comment on them. (They were Missouri Synod Lutheran and Roman Catholic.) Now, some 40yrs later, some people gasp when I tell them this. I never thought it unusual.

Yes. The UCC is quite liberal and open to new ideas and social justice. I can truly understand why they welcome gays into the fold. They are quite possibly way ahead of everyone else.

Republican Origins in Ripon

We're getting some confusing dates from Washington on the status of the mess in Iraq...
First V.P. Dick (Lon) Cheney says the insurgency is in its last throes...
Second-Rumsfeld says it could last 12 years.
Third-The only date that ever seems to come from the mouth of Dubya Bush is 9-11.
Don't you think we deserve a bit more than this?

I will be doing some research on Ripon in the coming months. Ripon, supposedly the origin of the G.O.P., has some very interesting origins. Many of the early settlers there were Prussian (German) Socialists who came there via Milwaukee. How much influence did they have on the early G.O.P.? Keep in mind that Milwaukee had a Socialist Mayor until the 1960's. This is a very interesting subject. Part of the Ripon group broke off and formed a commune in the Rush Lake area.

There is a new book by Milwaukee's last Socialist Mayor, Frank Zeidler, who is age 93.
Go here: http://www.milwaukeepublishers.com

A Billion Dollars a Week

The Art Walk is this Saturday from 6-9pm downtown. Amidst all of the holiday activities this stands out as one of my favorites. Art is such a subjective thing. What appeals to one can be hated by another. I have an online contribution for the Art Walk. Here it is: http://home.comcast.net/~wizardofwhimsy

Fireworks and celebrations...
Oshkosh has fireworks Sunday night. Omro has theirs on Monday the 4th. The BIG ONE in the midwest is in Madison Saturday night. For the thrill of a lifetime go to Madison Saturday. They expect 300,000+ for one of the best displays in the country. They call it Rhythm & Booms since they combine the fireworks with music. The music is being provided this year by the Madison Symphony Orchestra with noted singer Sandi Patty. The music is broadcast live on WOLX-the oldies station there. People are encouraged to bring boom boxes to the fireworks. Imagine 75,000 boom boxes all tuned to the same station. They traditionally end the program with the bombastic '1812 Overture', complete with authentic Civil War cannons in the gala ending. For more go here: http://www.rhythmandbooms.com

Sawdust Days should be a good time. I have one concern regarding this. It's strange to go to an Oshkosh event and think that you are in St. Louis. That's right. St. Louis. Why are we Wisconsinites promoting beer from Missouri? The signs are everywhere for that cheap rice beer which I refuse to name. It's time to get Wisconsin beer sponsors for Sawdust Days if we have to drag them kicking and screaming into the fold. Do your part. If you imbibe, try to keep the money in Wisconsin. If you have visitors coming from out of town offer them a taste of Wisconsin. We've got some damn fine beer here: Point, Leinies, New Glarus, and my all time favorite any time of the year Huber Bock. Huber's premium brand is Berghoff. I'm impressed with the Huber Brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin which in part is owned by its employees. http://www.huberbrewery.com



Mill Rate. There has been a lot of talk about this in the last week. Ever ask someone what a 'mill' is? A mill is 1/10 of one cent. It is that '9' at the end of the price at the gas pump. $229.9 is simply Two Dollars and 29 and 9/10ths cents a gallon. Do they teach this in school anymore? An old timer told me many years ago that when he was young the general store would make change RIGHT DOWN TO THE MILL. He said that the mill was a wooden coin, but couldn't verify if it was government issued or just used and made locally for the business. Do museums and coin collectors have these?

On freedom...
Bloggers in China had until Thursday of this week to register with the government. Some are already in jail for questioning China's government on a variety of issues. Here in the Untied Skates of America the issue de jour is flag burning.

FLAG BURNING should be kept legal. Anyone who wants flag burning to be a crime should move to Cuba where they have a wonderful law against desecrating the Cuban flag. Fidel locks them up for years. The changes in the last week here regarding "Eminent Domain" is going to breed a whole new group of folks willing to burn the flag. I say: put the flags on the graves on Memorial Day, if you need a few for Flag Day on June 14-the cemeteries have lots of them, and if the spirit moves you-burn a few on the 4th of July.

A BILLION A WEEK
Over one $billion is spent each week on this Iraq quagmire. What could we do if we chose to do something else with that money? What would it buy? That's the question I'm going to leave you with today. Think about it and write a line or two.

Happy 4th!

Windy Thursday in June

Winnebago Peace and Justice Center is helping sponsor a petition to advise our Wisconsin politicos get moving on some sort of plan to bring home the troops from Iraq. They have tables near the entrance of the Leach Amphitheater. There are no dates on this petition. The Iraq War has now lasted almost as long as WWII. Rumsfeld said it could total 12yrs.

Over 300 signed on tonight by 7:30pm. Over 800 have signed in the last few weeks. These tables will be set up again next Wednesday and Thursday before the concerts. Take a minute to sign on if the spirit moves you.

The petitions are also available at the Sundial at Peace Park on Fridays from 4:30-5:30.

Peace.

CAR 54...WHERE ARE YOU???

I have heard comments from several people lately about the retro black&white design of the new gendarmobiles. They all are running in the same vein..."leave it alone, keep 'em white" "menacing looking" "intimidating" "threatening". I wonder what others think?

Speaking of the gendarmes...They were at Riverside Park last night about midnight. Two cars, lights blazing, motors running; (translated: $two officers$, $insurance$ and $gasoline$ on two $cars$---you get the picture). They woke a homeless guy out of a sound sleep to tell him he shouldn't be sleeping there. My initial thought is 'How much crime can a sleeping person commit?' and wouldn't it be more effective for them to keep an eye on people that are awake? That doesn't end the story. They came back at 4am and went through the whole procedure again. Both times they asked him for his address.

Let me repeat that. BOTH TIMES THEY ASKED HIM FOR HIS ADDRESS. Thank you. Tonight I'm sure he will find a different tree to sleep under. He was not cited. Congrats to the gendarmes on duty.

A thought. For the $$$$ spent on those two stops last night the city probably could've hired that guy to guard the park for a month.
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John Lemberger wrote another great letter which was published in the Northwestern today. He briefly mentioned the origins of NAFTA and GAP, the free trade agreements that have sent our jobs flying out of the country. Please note that those were Republican programs that were opposed by Democrats. Many Democrats were flabbergasted when Mr. Clinton crossed over and signed on to NAFTA and GAP. John is right on when he refers to Clinton as 'Republican Lite'. Thanks to these Corporate Republicans (with the help of Clinton) all of these jobs have left the country.

A local (loco) letter writer awhile back blamed Clinton for the whole mess. His name: DENNIS EHRENBERG. Dear Dennis Ehrenberg: It was a Republican idea from the beginning and still is a Republican idea. Get used to it Dennis. REPUBLICAN/NIXON/PAULUS. Yes Dennis. Great names and ideas all together in the same paragraph.

Now we have CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement, another great REPUBLICAN/BUSH/CHENEY etc. thing that will continue to lower our standard of living. Would someone tell Mr. Ehrenberg that we are watching him and he better take the time to document his next letter to the paper?

They Should Boil in their Oil

Oh no. Not another piece on oil. Yes, but this one will be easy to understand.

Caspian Sea is the site of one of the largest and last oil and natural gas deposits to raid on the planet. It is landlocked, which means that you can't just back up the tanker and say 'fill-er-up'. You need a pipeline from the Caspian Sea to an ocean port.

Enter UNOCAL. You know, the 76-gas station. Unocal wants to build a pipeline to the Caspian Sea. The pipes will run right through Afghanistan. It doesn't go too well so UNOCAL goes to Dubya Bush and asks for help. Dubya receives the war plans on September 9, 2001. On October 7,2001 the good old "WARS'R'U.S." starts bombing Afghanistan. For an update, the war there has gotten worse as of this week.

WHOOPS!!! I forgot to mention that a group of Saudi's ran airplanes into some buildings on September 11,2001, ---TWO DAYS AFTER DUBYA DECIDES TO BOMB AFGHANISTAN. Saudi's and airplanes have absolutely nothing to do with Afghanistan but I thought the timeline might help.

DUBYA says Osama is in Afghanistan (or under your bed) and we're gonna get him. Later he said Osama didn't matter. I believe him on the latter point.

UNOCAL and several other companies are in on this pipeline now and it has finally officially opened for business, with U.S. servicemen and women at $7.50 per hour guarding the pipeline. That's a great use for our tax money, guarding a pipeline for a private company.

ENTER CHINA. Yes, China. China is right next door to the Caspian Sea. They have many more autos to fuel and factories to run making cheap plastic crap for 'Mall-Wart'. They need that oil so bad that they bid an incredible amount of money in what can be described as a hostile takeover of UNOCAL.

Watch what happens in Washington D.C. in the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see how the Bush/Cheney/Halliburton/Condy Rice/Chevron Oil Consortium that runs our country (into the ground) will handle this whole affair. Remember...this bunch of oil rich Republicans refused to pass a bill on alternate (wind/solar) fuels last week.

As Dr. Hunter S. Thompson said in Playboy about Dubya's bunch in December 2004: THEY SHOULD ALL BOIL IN THEIR OWN OIL.

For more go here: http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/oil.html

Horse Apples

Wonderful parade in Oshkosh tonight. The real entertainment in a parade is watching the dazzled looks of the youngest spectators. The person next to me finally got off their cell phone after 2/3 of the parade was over...must have been an important call. No garbage trucks in the parade this year, but there was a honey wagon. HONEY WAGON? What the Hell is a honey wagon doing in a parade? The least they could've done is have the honey wagon follow the horses, AND NOT the other way around.

The occasion for the parade is the Miss Wisconsin Pageant. (Twilight Zone music: Is this really 2005, or just a bad dream?) Here it is folks...Ready...Aim...

Question: Why is the Miss Wisconsin Pageant held in Oshkosh?

Answer: Because no other Wisconsin city will put up with such tripe. (no pun intended)

Why are women putting up with this 'meat market' mentality in 2005? Maybe they could find a cardboard cutout of Bert Parks with the mike in his hand singing "There She Is....Miss America...". The Beetles are OK but no longer humorous, ---since most cars now are that small. Good to see Festival's Grocery Cart in the parade. (Notice that Mall-Wart contributes nothing to the community.)

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK...

The REPUBLICANS and DUBYA BUSH have decided to cut the funding for the COAST GUARD by one-half for 2006. This is a great way to encourage terrorists and drug smugglers. Ain't the Bush crowd great? Read it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5089293,00.html

Pulling Out of Iraq

Headline today. Bush Says: Pulling Out of Iraq not an Option.
I say: Withdrawal is something Bush's father should've done some 58yrs ago.

Oil prices neared $60 a barrel today. Republicans blocked a bill promoting alternative energy last week. So what else is new.

Jim Genisio, whom I greatly admire, wrote another great letter to the Northwestern. "Bush daughters could help recruiting by enlisting." Whatever Jim is smoking...I want some of that! You can read it here: http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/opinion/stories/opinion_21474414.shtml

Jim writes from a religious perspective. I admire another religious writer, William Wineke, who has been at the Wisconsin State Journal forever. Bill is an ordained United Church of Christ minister who has used his talents to run the Wisconsin Rescue Mission in Madison for many years. A fellow who attended Sunday Services there for many years told me that he went there for the entertainment value, i.e. the ushers doubled as bouncers! Bill Wineke wrote this challenging column: "No Easy Answers for Iraq". http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=wsj:2005:06:18:446338DAYBREAK

Dave Zweifel of Madison's Capital Times writes: "We've Seen Enough to Impeach Bush". Read it here: http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/images/index.php?ntid=44161

Doug Thompson runs Washington D.C.'s oldest and best known blog: Capitol Hill Blue. A former Republican, he claims no party affiliation now and his latest rant is titled: TIME TO IMPEACH A WAR CRIMINAL!!! I'll second that. Read his rant here: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_6898.shtml

To those who think I'm a 'Bush Basher'...Shut up and go fill up your gas tank. Leave the pump on and I'll be in line right behind you. Pay the bill for both of us and 'have a great day'.

Airplanes and Ferries

IMPEACHMENT. That word appeared in print in the news today. It appeared in so many different publications that I cannot neglect to mention it. For the first time since the onset of the Iraq debacle I sense that impeachment is distinctly possible. It's an ugly word, we're in an ugly war, and our country is in an ugly mess.

Take your car for a boat ride. Go to Merrimac, Wisconsin. Take Hy.26-Hy.151 to Columbus. Get on Hy.60 west to Lodi(Home of Suzie the Duck). Take Hy.113 north. There are other ways-but that one is the fastest. The car ferry, run by the state, is totally free. It is a real treat. Drive on, get out of your car and feel the breeze. There are snack shops on both sides and a county park on the south side. I think the Ferry-Xing Tavern still sells T-shirts. It is 3miles south of Devil's Lake State Park. There are many free and inexpensive things to do and see in the area.
http://www.tn.merrimac.wi.gov/ferry.htm

The Circus Parade---will be held Saturday June 25 in Baraboo, Wisconsin...another free one! Baraboo is of course home to the Circus World Museum. Trivia: The very first appearance of the Ringling Bros. Circus was in what city? Ans: Mazomanie, Wisconsin.
http://www.circusworldmuseum.com/circusparade/index.html

SMOKING. Will it take a new library director to get those smelly ashtrays away from the entrance of the Oshkosh Public Library? Would it be possible to ban smoking on the property? They do this in Appleton. While I am at it, why don't they ban smoking at the at the bus transfer center downtown? That is so gross to see the bus drivers, who the children look up to, race off the bus for a smoke between runs.

THE MOVIE AIRPLANE is 25yrs. old. I don't know about you but that makes me feel real ancient. It seems just yesterday that I was young and toking up with friends to watch this movie over and over. What brought about 'Airplane'? It was a low budget ($65,000) flick called 'The Kentucky Fried Movie'. If you liked Airplane this is a must see. It all started in Madison, Wisconsin in the late 1960's with "The Kentucky Fried Theatre". The 'Theatre' was a precursor to 'Theater Sports'. That evolved into the movie, and then Airplane. You know the rest.
http://uk.geocities.com/zaz_fan/zaz_web_pages/kfmhome.htm

As someone who performed professionally in the music business for twenty years, take it from me, go to Waterfest this Thursday. It just might be the best show of the year.
http://www.waterfest.org

A Rough Weekend

I heard the gendarmes tagged a few drunk drivers early today. Must've been a long weekend for these two...getting into a car accident very early on Monday. This happened on the south side around Oregon Street. The lady was driving one way, the guy was driving the other, and WHAMMO! Head on. Both were under the influence.

In other news, there is another large church picnic this coming weekend.

Dear readers: Should I have put both those items in the same paragraph, or are they okay just the way they are?

The Fighting Bob 150th birthday celebration is tomorrow in Madison. Fighting Bob Lafollette had a newsletter which he published while he held various offices. It was an important journal of the time. In a way it was quite like a mondern day blog. He printed items in his newsletter that the newspapers of the time wouldn't touch. LaFollette's Weekly, as it was sometimes called, eventually evolved into a daily newspaper and a monthly magazine. Almost a century later both are healthy and vital in society.

Madison's CAPITAL TIMES is the daily newspaper. It comes out in the afternoon, has lost circulation over the years, but still has a lot of clout---and a growing number of readers daily on the net. Capital is spelled with an 'A', (not the 'O' used in the building). The 'A' means it stands for $cash$. http://www.madison.com/tct

THE PROGRESSIVE is the monthly magazine, international, with it's offices in downtown Madison. http://www.progressive.org

The latest twist is a web site and a yearly fest. I was at the Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo last September. I can't wait to go again. http://www.fightingbob.com

Thanks goes to The Northwestern for printing the Downing Street Memo for everyone to see...I MEAN A BIG THANK YOU!

Who is Doug Thompson? What's his rant today? Go here:
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_6860.shtml