Gibbsville Unincorporated

E-Mail Scam....This is an Old One

2007-04-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

And I'm surprised it's still going around. But there must be some suckers out there who are falling for it.

Greetings,

I am contacting you in regards to a huge sum of money(Seven Million Eight Hundred Thousand British Pound Sterling)only,in an account with my bank for over 10years belonging to a German property magnate,now deceased.He on the 7th of July 2005,had his surviving wife and only son die in the Bomb Blast at Kings Cross underground Station.They were on holiday in the UK for three weeks as tourists.Click link below for more info:

First clue there is a scam: they tell you too much back-story.

Although I know that a transaction of this magnitude might make anyone apprehensive,I would like to assure you that i have contacted you with the best of intensions.

PROPOSAL;
Since his death, none of his next-of-kin or relations has come forward to lay claims to this money as the heir because he never made any one the next of kin to this fund (it was his secret account). We cannot release the fund from his account unless someone applies for claim as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking guidelines. Upon this discovery, we now seek your permission to have you stand as a next of kin to the deceased as all documentations will be carefully worked out by us for the fund to be released in your favour as the beneficiary's next of kin.

It's always a secret. And they will fix things so you are the beneficiary. And what will that require? A bank account number? No, just name and phone number so they can talk to you directly, and convince you to give them more personal information.

It may interest you to know that we have secured from the probate court, an order of madamus to locate any of the deceased beneficiaries. Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with the following:

1. Your Full Names and Address.
2. Direct Telephone and Fax numbers.

These requirements will enable us file a letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary approvals in your favour before the transfer can be made. We shall be sharing the funds in this mannner 70% to us and 30% for you on final conclusion of this project. Your share stays with you while the rest shall be in an investment for us in your country.

If this proposal is acceptable by you, do not take undue advantage of the trust we have bestowed in you.

God bless,

Mr.Roy Owens.

Roy OWENS? Could he be related to Clem Owens, the purveyor of the Springfield Global Finance Trust Scam?

They want you to either send money (probably through Western Union), or give them bank account numbers so the funds can be transferred to your account. If you are foolish enough to provide them with account numbers, all you'll end up with is an empty bank account.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. And don't trust anyone by the name of "Owens." Buck Owens (may he rest in peace) excluded.

Voting in Wisconsin...

2007-04-03T16:14:00.000-07:00

Light turnout today, I was Voter Number 264. In the February election, I was 1200 something, and 1400 something in the November election. Both of the earlier elections featured school referendums, so that may explain a higher turnout.

Belling had some good observations today: why are the school referendums passing all of a sudden? Oostburg, my school district, passed theirs in February, 3rd time was the charm. I think they just wore down the voting public, and they would have kept bringing it back until some version would pass.

Election results, especially from some of the Milwaukee burbs who are looking at school referendums upwards of $100 million, should be interesting.

Also will be interesting to see if Linda Clifford's mud slinging campaign will pay off. I don't remember seeing a single ad that extolled her virtues, qualifications, and reasons for being on the Wisconsin State Supremem Court. All I saw was a vindictive character assasination that posed as a campaign. I hope the voters saw through it.

Springfield Global Finance Trust Followup

2007-04-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome visitors from all over the USA, and even all over the world!

I don't get a lot of visitors to my humble blog, but this post, below, brought in a lot of traffic from all over the USA, and even from New South Wales, Australia! Apparently these bogus letters and checks were sprinkled all over the place. States represented:

New York
Kansas
Arizona
Virginia
Washington
Florida
Illinois
Michigan
Arkansas
Maryland
Colorado
Ohio
Georgia
Texas
Minnesota
North Carolina
California
Oregon
New Jersey

It's great that so many people sensed something was wrong, and took the time to do some research into this scam. Spread the word so others aren't taken in.

Next post will be about an e-mail scam I received last week...

New Twist on an Old Scam... A Public Service Post

2007-03-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

Imagine my delight to open my mail today to find a "teller's check" for $2,900.00!! Check looks good, watermarks, drawn on a well-known bank. Whoo Hoo!!

Then I read the accompanying letter, it's a total scam. I'm posting about this because I Yahoo searched and Googled all of the names of the organizations listed in the letter. This way, hopefully someone will Google the names and be directed here and not make the mistake of cashing this bum check.

The letter, from Springfield Global Finance Trust (their motto is "To Improve the Way People Live") reads as follows:

After numerous attempts to reach you by phone have failed, we are pleased to inform you through this letter that our network system shows you as the lucky winner of unclaimed prize money in the amount of $29,500 USD. The system indicates that you were selected as a winner for the North American sweepstakes draws.

This already smells. Sounds like a technically advanced company with its "network system," and how the "system indicates." The grammar just doesn't sound right, even though the company is right here in Nassua Bahamas (another red flag).

We continue:

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from readers digest publishers clearing house, computer games, sweepstakes data base, are from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America, South Africa and Asia, as this is our international Promotions Program, which is conducted monthy. CONGRATULATIONS!

That is some computer (probably part of the network system), coming up with its own ballot system. Note that none of the names of the publications are capitalized, except for the "Promotions Program," which must mean that the PP is very important.

Here's the good part:

Enclosed is a check of $2950.00 USD {TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS} payable to you and must be deposited into your bank account immediately to pay for your registration with the States Lottery and Gaming Commission Agency, which must be paid before we can release your remaining balance in the amount of $25,222.50 excluding 5% handling charges in the amount of $1327.50 deducted from your total winnings.

Emphasis theirs.

So they send $2900.00 USD for you to pay off the "States Lottery and Gaming Commission Agency." I've never heard of such a commission or agency. Note how they try to make it sound real offical by using both names.

Here's what happens: You cash the check and make the payment to whoever they tell you to when you call them for further instructions. You make the payment via Western Union or some other form of payment that is untraceable and UNRETRIEVABLE and then the check bounces shortly after. In effect, you are out $2900.00 USD, and the "way that these people live" has been improved.

More...

For security purposes and to avoid double claims, we advise that you keep your winning information confidential until your claims have been processed and your money remitted to you.

For further information....contact... Clems Owens or Rose Brown at...

Yes, don't tell anyone about your winning until the check bounces and we have absconded with your money. You don't want anyone to tell you this was a scam, do you?

Clems? I've been around the block a few times, and I've never heard of anyone named "Clems." And Rose Brown? How generic can you get, other than John Smith?

The phone number you are supposed to call (and the postmark on the envelope) is from somewhere in Ontario, Canada and not the Bahamas.

It's a well-done scam, the letter and the check "look good." I fear that someone out there may fall for it. I hope the bad grammar, the need to send them money, and the lack of any reputable search results on the organizations mentioned will make people think twice about cashing the check.

The scammers must think they have the potential to swindle a few people, the stamp on the envelope (assuming it's not fake) cost $0.93 Canadian.

From the Consumer Fraud Reporting Website:

A typical fraud uses these checks to accompany a letter stating that the recipient "won" a lottery. The "winner" is instructed to cash the check and send most of it bank via a Western Union Money Gram or Postal Order, to "pay taxes" or "delivery fees", etc. The victim cashes the check, and wires the money. By the time the fake check bounces, the scammer has receive the money gram (which is irretrievable). The victim now owes his bank for the full amount of the fake check AND may be arrested for passing a bad check and fraud.

If you receive a check in the mail that you are not expecting, DO NOT CASH IT!

Feel free to post a comment if you've received this letter, or another like it. Spread the word!!

UPDATE: Here's another link, and, yes, some people fell for various renditions of the same scam:

From RipOffReport.com

Wisconsin Blog Summit II

2007-03-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

The participants for the Wispolitics Wisconsin Blog Summit II have been announced. I'm a bit non-plussed over their selection. Many of the people were on last year's panel, I would think that there are other rising stars in the Cheddarsphere who could have been invited to be panelists...

From the Wispolitics site (I deleted the blog addresses, which appeared after each panelist's name, for brevity):

Ed Garvey
Charlie Sykes
John Kraus, Democratic consultant
Brian Fraley, Republican consultant
Jessica McBride
Tim Cuprisin, media columnist
Steve Jagler, executive editor, Small Business Times
Andy Tarnoff, publisher

Jennifer L. Peterson, A Godfrey & Kahn attorney in Madison

Eugene Kane, columnist
Jennifer Morales, Milwaukee school board member, blogger for OnMilwaukee.com
Dasha Kelly, magazine writer, author and poet, blogger for OnMilwaukee.com

Boots and Sabers (Owen Robinson)
Folkbum (Jay Bullock)

Most of the participants are media celebrities or political consultants who, for the most part, seem to be blogging to supplement their day jobs.

Something strikes me about the way they introduce the panelists. Can you tell who the REAL bloggers are? They're the ones identified by their blog's name first, then their real names. Everyone else is identified by name first, then blog.

I'm not saying they're putting together a bad program, in fact most of it looks interesting. And it's always nice to put faces to blogs. My schedule tells me I'll be in Milwaukee that day, so if all works out, I'll probably attend.

Updates:

I guess I'm not the only one who is a little disappointed by the panels...

Sean laments the panel at the summit. I think he would have been a great addition to this year's event. He could have had his own discussion on his adventures at CPAC in Washington DC a few weeks ago.

Aaron also agrees that too few commmoners were empaneled (is that a word?).

Scott thinks that if we wanted to hear radio and TV personalities talk about blogging, we'd turn on our radios and TV's...

Seth has an insightful conclusion to his post on this topic:

This is not to say that the summit won't be a beneficial event for bloggers of all shapes and sizes. The panel topics all look interesting and pertinent. Nevertheless, the main discussions that take place on all of them [the panels] except the last are going to have the distinct perspective of those who really don't need their blogs to have a seat at the table.

Avery Verdict

2007-03-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

The jury came back yesterday afternoon, and found Avery guilty on 2 of the 3 charges against him: murder and possession of a firearm. The found him not guilty of mutilation of a corpse.

It's interesting that they found him not guilty on the mutilation charge. I mean, who else could have done it? Hmmmm, maybe they thought that one should be saved for the nephew, whose trial will be starting in the near future.

I think the jury got it right, there's no way this guy will ever see freedom again. It's a shame that he got a wonderful opportunity to start his life over after his wrongful conviction, and this was the course he chose to take.

Avery Trial: Jury In Deliberation

2007-03-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Just a short note.... The trial of the decade is now in deliberation. And they had to excuse a juror, a 41-year old musician who lives on a trust fund (where can I get a gig like that?). The alternate juror has been accepted by both sides, and they are starting over.

If I were the excused juror, I'd be kind of bummed. After all, he sat through the whole trial, the deliberation is the funnest part (I've been on a couple of juries in my time), and now he has to get replaced....

The Press Starts to Get It? Something Smelleth...

2007-03-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!!) had an interesting editorial concerning the Troha scandal still brewing in Madison. But it was still a tepid tiptoe through what looks like could be a major story:

There it is again. That smell of corruption coming from the Capitol building in Madison.

We recognize it because it was there for so long while four lawmakers and a legislative aide went through criminal prosecutions for illegally using state employees to run political campaigns.

This time the odor comes in the form of allegations of illegal contributions to Gov. Jim Doyle from Kenosha businessman and gambling casino backer Dennis Troha. He was recently indicted by federal authorities for funneling $100,000 to Doyle's campaign through family members. He's also accused of lying about the contributions to the FBI.

The federal indicment says Troha made the contributions in return for support for an Indian casino in Kenosha that he had invested in.

I'm surprised that the only previous examples of "odor" that they used were state employees working on campaigns. These were probably the only scandals that apparently cannot be linked to the governor.

What about Georgia Thompson?

What about the odor that wafted around the sale of the Kewaunee nuclear plant?

What about the contracts awarded for the UW-MKE buildings?

There are many examples where the odor appears to emanate directly from the governor's office. But the Press' ringing endorsement of Doyle last November seems to have put a clothespin on the editorialist's nose, or at least given him/her a very selective sense of smell.

Posted Potted Pot Plant Pics Put Perp in Pokey

2007-03-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

Another tip for those who want to break the law: Don't post pictures of your wrongdoing on your MySpace page...

From today's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!!):

The district attorney says a Sheboygan teen is learning the hard way that posting pictures of your potted marijuana plants on MySpace.com is a bad idea.

That picture, labeled, "My Mary Jane thats growin in my closet right now," also gave police a road map to the alleged stash.

According to Sheboygan County District Attorney Joe DeCecco, that's why Moua Yang, 18, was charged Wednesday with two felonies and two misdemeanors following a police raid of his south-side apartment.

Lamentably...

2007-03-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

we say so long and best of luck to Kevin and Kurt at Lakeshore Laments. Kevin is moving to Washington DC for a new job.

Kevin was/is a great voice for the Sheboygan and Manitowoc County area. His insight into local politics was always thoughtful and thought-provoking.

Now I'll have to start blogging again so someone from this area is making a little noise. Kevin is leaving behind some mighty big shoes to fill...

Good luck to Kevin and Kurt!!

Is It Spring Yet?

2007-03-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Let's see...

Robins back... check.
Red-wing blackbirds... check.
Canada geese... check. No, wait, those damn things never left.
Great blue herons... check.
Kildeer back... check.
Meadowlarks... check.
Snow melted, the Mighty Onion River flooding... check.
Sump pump running almost continuously... check.
Temperature in the 60's 50's 40's 30's 20's...close enough.

Pelosi's Push for Plane Prompts Partisan Pettiness

2007-02-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

This article in the Washington Times is just hilarious. It's about Speaker Pelosi's efforts to obtain an Air Force jet to shuttle herself, staff, and family wherever Madam Speaker wants to go. Some highlights:

Meanwhile, Republican Conference Chairman Adam Putnam of Florida said Mrs. Pelosi's request represents "an arrogance of office that just defies common sense" and called it "a major deviation from the previous speaker."

Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri called it a "flying Lincoln Bedroom," and Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina Republican, labeled the speaker's plane "Pelosi One."

"This is a bullet point to a larger value -- Pelosi's abuse of power continues," Mr. McHenry said yesterday. "It began when the speaker denied minority rights to Republicans, continued with her 'TunaGate' scandal, and now she's exploiting America's armed forces and taxpayers for her own personal convenience."

A "flying Lincoln Bedroom." Now THAT is funny.

More...

The source said the Pentagon will likely give in to Mrs. Pelosi's requests for a large plane and travel entourage, given her and Mr. Murtha's power over defense spending.

Mr. Raimo argues that Mrs. Pelosi needs a military aircraft, as opposed to commercial flights, for security reasons.

The defense source, who asked not to be named, termed her request "carte blanche," saying she wanted a plane that could carry an entourage just like President Bush, who flies on Air Force One, and Vice President Dick Cheney, who also always flies on military planes.

Just like the President and Vice President. Who does she think she is? Do they have to butter her head to get her through the front door at the Capitol?

Looks like she will get her way, but it appears that there may be some subtle blackmail involved, given Pelosi's and Murtha's "power over defense spending."

Mrs. Pelosi wants a larger aircraft that can fly to her home district of San Francisco nonstop.

Non-stop? Heaven forbid having to set down in "Flyover Country" to refuel.

I don't begrudge her having use of a military plane, especially since her predecessor had one. But it appears that she is getting just a might greedy with the "scope of services" she is expecting the Air Force to fulfill.

And where are the global warming folk on this one? A huge airplane to fly a handful of people cross country on a regular basis? I feel it getting warmer outside already.

Dog Blogging...

2007-02-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Otto and Mavis enjoying their toys on a cold winter afternoon.

Now This is Just Cold...

2007-02-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Recognize this? This is the concentric vent adapter (the air in/exhaust out thingy for the furnace) at my plant. Frozen solid. Apparently, the incoming air cooled the outgoing air a little too efficiently, condensing and freezing the water vapor in the furnace exhaust.

And the furnace won't run when this happens. Who knew...

I dub thee, the Furnacicle!

New Jersey's Supreme Court Decision on Gay "Marriage"

2006-10-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

Quite a bit of reaction on the New Jersey Supreme Court's ruling yesterday. It has a lot of people in the pointing to Wisconsin's Marriage Amendment saying, "See?? This is why we have to VOTE YES!!"

As QuickDraw McGraw would say, "Hold on thar..."

New Jersey's case is DIFFERENT than what is happening in Wisconsin. In New Jersey, gays and lesbians are a protected class, which means that the state's anti-discrimination laws apply to them. Their state laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.

To my knowledge, Wisconsin's anti-discrimination laws do NOT include this clause. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

This appears to be the nail that the NJ Supreme Court hung its hat on. The Court did not find that gay marriage is a right. They found that, because of the anti-discrimination laws, equal rights/protections/benefits had to be extended to gay couples as they are a similar class of citizens as married man/woman couples.

In addition, New Jersey, historically, has been a very gay-friendly state, there is other legislation that passed in recent times (through the legislature, not the courts) that offered many benefits and protections to gays/lesbians through domestic partnerships. The Court also took that into consideration. They felt that they had no other choice but to provide the remaining marriage benefits because they could not find a good reason not to.

Wisconsin has not offered gays/lesbians any protections/benefits through domestic partnership legislation. Wisconsin is not as gay-friendly as New Jersey. Wisconsin does not include gays/lesbians in its anti-discrimination laws. Wisconsin AIN'T New Jersey!

While I agree that gay marriage should not be ordered by the courts, the situation in Wisconsin is not the same as in New Jersey. The hand-wringing on the pro-amendment side over what happened in New Jersey yesterday is over-reaction.

I'm still voting NO.

Jay Weber Rocks...

2006-09-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

Was running WAYYYYYYYYYY behind this morning, and got a chance to catch the beginning of The Jay Weber Show on WISN. I've been a real hit-n-miss listener ever since he got his own show and an 8:30 start (pesky work thing). I've missed him, but enjoyed a brief visit with him this morning. He had a couple of great topics to start the show:

The Governor's Race: Will looks gravitate undecided voters to Mark Green? It's pretty obvious that Mark Green is the more handsome man in this race...Could this tip the scales in his favor? Is this a Nixon/Kennedy thing?

Another Wisconsin Embarassment: Screech

He lives in Port Washington. Recently he made headlines when he was selling T-shirts to make money to prevent foreclosure on his home. That turned out to be, for the most part, a publicity stunt. That didn't seem to generate enough publicity and "exposure," so he is doing this to try to "jump start" his career:

Well, this is one way for Dustin Diamond to overcome his image as the popular '80s "Saved by the Bell" geekazoid Screech.

The former child star joins the ranks of Paris Hilton, Tommy Lee and Colin Farrell as the celebrity star of his very own a sex tape, reports the New York Daily News Daily Dish.

Entertainment agent David Hans Schmidt acquired the rights to the video, which features Diamond in a menage a trois with two women. Although most of the raunchy details have been kept under wraps, word is that some "bodily functions" and the "Dirty Sanchez" are featured acts in the sex romp.

...

He is currently shopping the 40-minute video -- with the working title "Saved by the Smell" -- around town to Larry Flynt, Vivid or other major adult video distributors.

I'll admit it, I had to go to Wikipedia to look up what a
Dirty Sanchez is. Don't click the link unless you want to be horribly grossed out.

Yup, make Wisconsin Proud, Screech!

Green Comes Out Swingin'!

2006-09-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

And high time, too.

Here is the new commercial that came out this week. It hits some nice targets, including Ca$ino Ca$h, FBI investigation, and the recent State Election Board tinkering.

I'm sure the Green Team would like to run a clean, positive campaign, but when the mud starts slinging, you have to return fire! And given the history and recent antics of Doyle & Company, I don't think Green's campaign will run out of ammunition anytime soon.

And I'm very happy that the "Men of Greed" ad seems to have run its course, I haven't heard it on the radio since Monday. That ad was annoying, didn't say anything, and drove me nuts every time it played.

Wicked.......

2006-09-23T22:35:00.000-07:00

Had a great day in Chicago, went to see "Wicked." For those of you who aren't in the know, "Wicked" is the story of the Wicked Witch of the West, and how she got there. Also gives the backstory on Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Needless to say, the WW of the West got the better of the deal here, and it was a lot of fun seeing the story from a completely different perspective.

Music was wonderful, a fun storyline, the singing fantastic, sets and costumes were out of this world, this show was one of the best I've ever seen. The Ford Center Oriental Theatre is just beautiful, one of the nicest theatres I've ever been in.

"Wicked" is playing for another month or so, if you have any interest, you should beat a path to see it.

Reinvigorated, or Reincorporated?

2006-09-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Steveegg for the blogroll addition! And for coining the "reincorporating" term.

After a month of dormancy, I guess it took a little blood in the water to get my juices flowing again. And I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed doing this, so hopefully I will get disciplined to post regularly in the future.

Something Strikes Me...

2006-09-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

about the e-mails to and from the SEB and Doyle's shyster lawyer. Something had been nagging me about it, and I just realized what it was:

I have also been told that the Gov's Campaign and the Dem party and others will give you cover on this in the media - not like what happened on HAVA same day registration.

Was this another manipulation of the SEB by Doyle and Company? Has anyone looked into the e-mails between the SEB and Doyle's henchmen prior to that decision?

This just looks ickier and ickier.

Update: Jessica McBride takes this theory and runs with it with much more depth and aplomb than I could...

Updated again: typos fixed...

Georgia Thompson Sentenced...

2006-09-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

18 months, $4,000 fine, and 3 years probation.

No comment from Governor Doyle, who did not "personally" know Ms. Thompson.

Team Doyle Drops Attorney Like Hot Rock!

2006-09-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

As we speculated, and recommended yesterday, the lawyer working for the Doyle campaign has been dismissed and sent packing. Courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Doyle did not know in advance that Maistelman had been hired by his re-election campaign, spokesman Anson Kaye said Thursday. Maistelman is not working for the campaign now, Kaye said.

Again, make sure EVERYONE knows that the Governor knew nothing about Maistelman, or, apparently, what is going on in his own campaign. Me thinks thou doth protest too much.

The sh*t that was splattered all over the place yesterday appears to be sticking around for a while. More from the article:

Deputy Attorney General Dan Bach said the Department of Justice will investigate whether Maistelman's contact with three Democratic board members violated the open meetings law, which says that government bodies must make decisions in public sessions.
...
Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher said he had received a letter from Sen. Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) requesting an investigation into Maistelman's lobbying of Elections Board members, and Bucher said he would open one. The board voted in Brookfield to sanction Green's campaign.

But Bucher said he had limited information and didn't know whether his inquiry would lead anywhere.

"I'll at least open an investigation and begin to gather some of the documents that I think are necessary," said Bucher, who lost last week's Republican attorney general primary to J.B. Van Hollen.

It is likely that none of these investigations will go anywhere. But the stigma of yet another investigation sings out loud and clear. The Doyle campaign succeeded in shooting themselves in the foot, they should have let the story write itself instead of becoming an active participant.

Hopefully the Green Team is smart enough to pick up this fumble and run with it. Time to put away the cutesy ads and come out swinging.

Who DOES Doyle Know???

2006-09-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Doyle team is taking my advice about their legal services... Lots of backpedaling in an effort to distance the governor from the shyster lawyer involved in the new SEB ethical scandal:

This just in, courtesy of Charlie Sykes:

In another development, Doyle campaign spokesman Anson Kaye said Doyle did not personally know the campaign had hired the lawyer, Michael S. Maistelman, who emailed, talked with or met with three Democratic appointees on the board.

Sound familiar? Didn't Doyle deny "personally" knowing Georgia Thompson??

As the Church Lady used to say, "How Conveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenient..." Are Doyle's henchmen keeping him completely insulated from all the cheap shots and nasty dealings that are going on in this campaign??? I doubt it....

Doyle Lawyer Influences State Election Board

2006-09-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Wow, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel scored big with this story. A lawyer working for Jim Doyle's campaign lobbied three of the Democrat members of the State Elections Board to decide against Mark Green. Illegal? Apparently not... Smacks of the slimy stench of our ethically challenged governor? Bingo!

Note to the Gov: You should hire a new attorney. The man painstakingly stayed within the law during this debacle, knew all the ins and outs of the open meetings laws...but was stupid enough to leave an e-mail paper trail? He plumb forgot about those pesky Open Records Laws...

Bucher and VanHollen.....

2006-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

The following does not attempt to emasculate either candidate. I'm just telling it like it is.....

Listened to the podcast of the debate at State Fair today:

I haven't really paid a whole lot of attention to this race, because there hasn't been a whole lot to respond to. Until today.

That's the problem with first impressions: you only get one.

To the handlers of both candidates: You MUST do something to make your candidate sound more authoratative (if that's a word). What I heard was two very whiny people taking potshots at each other. If that means bribing the sound guy to add a little bass to your candidate's voice, so be it. This is a totally subjective comment: I want the AG to sound like a voice of authority (and that means a lower, commanding voice, not a mosquito slap-inducing whine), like someone who is going to make a difference, not like a whiny finger-pointing wimp. And that is exactly what I heard today, from both sides.

I was looking for some cheese in the omelet (something of substance that would make either candidate stand out), and I really didn't find any. The candidates are not very far apart on the issues, and I think both of them went way out of their way to try to differentiate themselves....It didn't work for me.

Bucher sounded like a little kid stamping his foot on the ground in a temper tantrum. VanHollen didn't sound much different, but he did do a little better.

While Bucher may be called a "bulldog," (here) he came off more as a well-groomed and peticured poodle (those dogs are soooo yappy). VanHollen came off a little bit more on the credible side, but I still felt that both candidates should be capable of expressing themselves and their views on the issues in a more succinct way that would make them sound like they mean business. I didn't hear that today.

I haven't made up my mind yet, and I hope future debates will bring out more positive and attractive traits for both candidates. This is a difficult decision to make for me, and for a lot of voters in Cheeseland.

Drive By Blogging....

2006-08-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

2 new posts coming right up. Summer is just too dang busy to blog. I really envy those who have the discipline to post something every day........

Doyle's Attack Ad

2006-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Is it me, or does Doyle's attack ad on Green sound like a political ad parody from "The Simpsons?" The one currently running does, but the earlier one that had a man and woman sounded more like "The Simpsons" than "The Simpsons!"

Over Three Months...

2006-07-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

since I've posted anything on this blog. That's what summer will do to ya.... Plus a broken computer, a new computer, 70+ hour work weeks, sunshine, fresh air, dogs, yardwork...

Look for new stuff starting next week.

What Breed Puppy Are You?

2006-07-21T11:31:00.000-07:00

You Are a Boston Terrier Puppy

Aggressive, wild, and rambunctious.
Deep down, you're just a cuddle monster.

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

Thanks for the link, Nick.

This is too scary, considering that I have TWO Boston Terriers, or what I call Boston Terrors, of my own...

United 93...

2006-04-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

I am worn out. Physically and mentally. This movie grabbed me and sent me back to September 11, 2001. There were times during the movie when I just could not sit still, I was uncomfortable through most of it. The audience was spellbound, I heard no talking, no one opened a cell phone to check for messages, and when the movie ended, no one spoke. Everyone left the theatre in silence.

Part of me didn't want to go see it, knowing how it was going to end. But I had to go, if for anything, to remind me again and keep fresh the reason why our country is fighting this war on terror.

I guess I won't have to worry about issuing a spoiler alert, as everyone knows the plot. But if you don't want to hear my impressions of the movie before you see it, skip the rest of this post, and read it later...

The movie moves, there is not a lull anywhere in the 2 hour film. I was surprised at how fast the time went.

There was no "star power" in this film, all of the actors appeared to be unknowns, every day people, and some of the cast (per the credits) were actual people who worked for airlines, manned the control towers, etc. This gave the movie a marked note of realism.

The pre-boarding and the early in-flight scenes show normal people doing normal things: talking on cell phones, reading the paper, doing homework. All stuff we've all done while waiting for a flight, or taking a flight. It makes you realize that you could have been on one of those planes.

Much of the movie was filmed with handheld cameras. This gave an impression of seeing what was going on through someone's eyes. It also added to the chaos and confusion in the control towers and on the plane.

They showed quite a bit of footage of the WTC towers burning, and made a point to show the reactions of people watching video monitors. It made me think of my coworkers and I huddled around a TV set in one of our conference rooms that morning.

Three of the four terrorists were portrayed as hard-core hijackers who would stop at nothing to execute the mission. The fourth, the one who eventually piloted the plane, was portrayed as hesitant to carry out the mission. He was also the best looking of the bunch. Part of me wonders if the casting and the character developed was an effort to put a human face on these monsters. Didn't work for me...

At the end of the movie, when the passengers attempted to take back the airplane, a part of me wished that history could have rewritten itself so they would have been successful. My tears at the end were partly due to the tragedy, and partly due to the respect I have for the people on that plane who wouldn't let the terrorists succeed.

A very powerful movie.

Animal Magnetism...

2006-04-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

I love my car. I've always wanted a big black sport sedan. And in 2003, I found one. It's a Mercury Marauder, kind of like a Grand Marquis with an attitude. It's not your grandfather's Mercury. Powerful, sleek, and wayyyyyy comfy.

I'm a very good, careful, and cautious driver. I've been driving for over 30 years (including before I got my license, I learned how to drive a stick at the young age of 12, my dad was cool). And until I got this car, I've never hit an animal, and that is quite a claim to fame considering I'm from the UP, where car-deer accidents within city limits are common.

In the 3 years or so since I got this car, animals seem to be throwing themselves in front of it with alarming frequency. Last night I hit my second deer with this car. The list of carnage includes:

2 deer (the first one walked right into the side of the car)
1 squirrel
1 racoon
1 coon hound
1 bunny rabbit
1 mourning dove (bounced off the windshield)
3 near misses with possums
1 very near miss with two wayward cows

And this all happened in 24,000 miles, I only put about 8,000 miles/year on this car.

What is it about this car that seems to draw animals to it? Is it because it is black, and they don't see it at night? Do they just want a closer look at a fine piece of automotive machinery? Or is my Marauder just plain evil?

I'm at a loss, and will be on my way to the body shop tomorrow to see what last night's latest victim will cost me...

Update: Estimate for repair: $702.61.
Update Again: The first estimate was wrong...revised is $1,800. Eeks!

People Pawning Prized Personal Possessions to Purchase Petroleum Products!! News at 9...

2006-04-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

Just saw this on Fox6 News at 9... Gas prices are reaching record levels, and people are lining up to pawn their belongings to pay for gasoline. One man who mows lawns for a living pawned his lawn mower. Not sure if that makes a whole lot of sense...

Jury Pools and Voter ID...

2006-04-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Listened to Mayor Tom Barrett on the "Early Spin" this morning. The mayor lamented the fact that it is difficult to get the poor and minorities on juries because jury pools are selected mostly from the drivers license database, and most of these people do not drive. As a result, juries skew white, and more affluent.

Dan missed an excellent opportunity to make a great point: The poor and minorities could be included if everyone had a state issued photo ID (whether it be a drivers license or a regular ID) for voting purposes. This would help to select jury pools that are more representative of the citizenry.

This is a perfect chance to fix TWO problems with one simple solution.

Cheddarsphere Kerfluffle

2006-04-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

I've been reading the posts concerning Owen's observations about how the two AG campaigns announced a dual endorsement by WRTL. I found nothing wrong with anything he wrote, it was just an observation.

That post has resulted in a "tempest in a teapot." The Bucher campaign pulled out of a debate that was being planned. Jessica McBride, Bucher's wife, allegedly removed Boots and Sabers from her blogroll, then added them again. A few other blogs commented on the doings, and James has visited nearly all these blogs to comment that Owen has been duped by the Van Hollen team.

My comment in Owen's blog:

I think what we are seeing here is just a taste of things to come. Not only with the AG race, but with this year’s election cycle overall. I’ve written about it before, how the pols are getting out there and using blogs, and I think they are going to do their best to influence bloggers.

The danger for bloggers is falling into the trap of becoming too friendly with the political machine, especially if it means that their opinions become too influenced by whatever the pols are pushing/peddling. If that happens, we lose the voice of the average citizen, which is one of the things I admire and value most about the people in the Cheddarsphere.

Owen has always provided excellent analysis of what he reads or hears, and I think he makes an effort to remain objective. And this is important in a primary race that is barely getting off the ground.

It appears to me that James has fallen into the trap I mentioned above. Although his last post on this issue claims that he is officially undecided on the AG race, his numerous comments on other blogs appear to indicate otherwise.

Everyone, chill out! It is months until the September primary. This is going to be a tough race, especially when it appears we are lucky enough to have two very qualified candidates to choose from. There is no sense in starting to sling mud in the middle of April with so much time until the primary.

I hope I was wrong when I said that this is just the start of things to come. While personal attacks, mudslinging, and taking personal affront over a minor comment may be the way some people operate, I've always thought that the fine folks in the Cheddarsphere were above that.

2006 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days

2006-04-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've been quite remiss in not promoting Gibbsville as the home for this year's Farm Technology Days. I'm having trouble picturing what is going to happen with 10's of thousands of people descending on Gibbsville, this could be chaos! But it will probably end up being a lot of fun.

Looking forward to it!

More Election Results...

2006-04-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

When I stepped into the voting booth last night, I didn't realize these questions were going to be on the ballot. From today's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!):

Sheboygan County taxpayers don't want to be responsible for multimillion-dollar deficits accrued by Sunny Ridge Nursing Home and Rocky Knoll Health Care Facility, according to the results of an advisory referendum on Tuesday's ballot.

Countywide, 57 percent of voters said they would not support exceeding state-imposed tax levy caps to fund the two county-run health centers. The vote was 13,317 to 10,091.

...

Sheboygan County taxpayers — who voted down every referendum in the county on Tuesday — also gave an emphatic thumbs down to a second county tax increase question, asking if they would support raising taxes to fund all of county government at "appropriate levels." The question was defeated 19,234 to 3,564, or 83 to 17 percent.

Again, the people have spoken. They do not want to pay more and more in taxes. Myself, I have never understood why the County is in the nursing home business in this day and age. These facilities should have been privatized years ago, and public opinion, based on the results of the advisory referendum, appears to lean this way.

Hopefully the county board will take the results of these advisory referendums seriously, and act appropriately.

The People Have Spoken... No School for You!!

2006-04-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's election results showed that the people of Oostburg and Sheboygan Falls weren't buying what their school boards were peddling. From today's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!):

Residents in the Sheboygan Falls and Oostburg school districts Tuesday overwhelmingly voted against referendums to build new schools.

In Sheboygan Falls, 87 percent of voters said "no" to a hotly contested $21.5 million referendum to build a new middle school, as the measure failed, 3,336 to 508.

...

In Oostburg, 71 percent of voters rejected the Oostburg School District referendum question, 1,898 to 785. The referendum sought $19 million, mostly to build a new high school. A second question asking voters to approve allowing the district to [permanently!!] exceed its state-imposed revenue limit by up to $400,000 a year for school operations also failed, 1,924 to 758, or 72 percent against.

As for Oostburg, I think the committee that came up with the referendum got greedy and asked for too much. The permanent revenue cap exceedance question really told me that they were not being realistic, and needed to be reined in. And the voters did just that.

The election results remind me of one of my favorite Simpsons episodes, the one where the childless community has grown tired of paying for schools and other "child-friendly" activities. The founder of the program has the greatest quote:

"We're tired of picking up the bills for other peoples kids! We already pay millions every year in school taxes! I dream of an America with nudity and F-words on network TV... An America where the whole world doesn't stop just because a school bus did!

Children are the future, TODAY BELONGS TO ME!"

-Lindsey Naegle

President, SSCCATAGAPP (Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples And Teens And Gays Against Parasitic Parents)

Walker Out in Bid for Governor

2006-03-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

A press release leaked early by some media sources has announced that Scott Walker will be dropping out of the governor's race.

He states that fundraising issues were some of the deciding factors, but it appeared that the main reason is he does not want Doyle re-elected.

Mark Belling read his statement, a very gracious one. Scott Walker is a class act, I think he still has a bright future in Wisconsin politics.

Blog Summit

2006-03-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

I haven't read what anyone else has posted on yesterday's event. I'll do that after I write this.

A beautiful day to take a road trip to Waukesha for the blog summit. I will have to say that I don't know how you people who live around there can stand the traffic. It was a bit much for this rural country boy, especially that racetrack called I-94... Mind you, too much traffic for me is multiple tractors towing manure spreaders on a county highway.

A great turnout for the event. I got to at least say hello to a lot of people. The first person I recognized was Aaron from "Subject to Change", it was nice to meet him after all these months. I also got a chance to meet Ann Althouse just before the seminar stated. Very nice lady, and I thought she did a great job with kicking off the summit.

Enjoyed meeting Owen and the Lovely Wendy, Jib, James Wigderson, Kevin, Patrick and Ingrid. I know I met more, so forgive me if I missed putting you on this mini-blogroll!

And make me weak in the knees, I got to sit next to Jessica McBride! AND I got to keep an eye on her purse when she went up for her panel discussion. Didn't have enough time to go through all of it, but her kid's pictures are sure darn cute.

I liked the way the discussions were set up, each built on things that were talked about in the previous one. Ann's was mostly about why she blogged, why people blogged, and what it did for her, and what it can do for you. Jennifer Peterson's discussion on the legalities of blogging was interesting. An audience member commented that someone hurled an untrue allegation against Senator Feingold in a blog, and asked whether this person be potentially sued. I could see at least a dozen people (myself included) develop a mildly amused/bemused look as they reviewed in their minds what they wrote about Feingold last week.

Owen and Jay built more on Ann's discussion of why people blog. Good stuff, and nice comments and questions from the audience, and good-natured ribbing between the conservatives and liberal/progressive bloggers.

The panel discussion on how history will view blogging was also insightful. The three panelists did a nice job with trying to show how blogging is similar, yet different, than other media such as talk radio. And one interesting thought I had on my way home: How WILL history actually be able to view blogging? Is anyone making the effort to archive this stuff? Can it be archived? It only takes a blown fuse over at Blogger to wipe out thousands of hours of peoples' work. I think this is similar to what has been said in the last few years about how the world's photograph record may be lost with the advent of digital cameras.

The final panel discussion was a hoot, that Ed Garvey is so far out, he's in. I don't know if he believes half of what he says, but he can do it with a straight face, and that says something. Charlie Sykes kept him in check, and the audience enjoyed that segment immensely.

Congratulations to Dennis York for being awarded blog of the year. His videotaped acceptance speech was very funny.

I couldn't stay to mingle much after, I had to get home to the pets. A great day in the Wisconsin Blogosphere, I hope they make this an annual event.

One thing: Next time, they should include the blog name on the name tags, it would be easier to "recognize" people!

Adventure Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-03-18T06:29:00.000-08:00

I have everything ready to go to the dump (we don't have trash pickup out here in the sticks), and then it's off to Milwaukee to look at new TV's, and then attend the Blog Summit. I won't be live-blogging the event, but will report later today.

Hope to see everyone there!

Marriage Amendment - More

2006-03-15T15:49:00.000-08:00

Nice to see that there is a lot of discussion going on out there. And I think it's only beginning.

Saw on my sitemeter that I was getting referrals from Fair Wisconsin, one of the groups actively organized to defeat the marriage amendment. They have a nice roundup of what some of the "right leaning" blogs are saying. It's worth checking out. Good for them to be looking into what the conservative side is saying.

I've added them to my "Links" area, I think it's important to keep them visible.

Blog Update

2006-03-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

I'm proud of myself today. I finally figured out how to add a BlogRoll to my page. I am certainly a novice when working with HTML, and it took me a while to get it to look right. Will try more changes when I get braver...

Not sure I got everyone on here who should be on here. I used my "Favorites" list at work, and will have to compare it to what I have at home.

Wisconsin Marriage Amendment: Another Take

2006-03-14T20:45:00.000-08:00

I read through my post, and apologize if this turned into a Peggy Noonan article...

I've written about Wisconsin's Marriage Amendment a couple times:

Here

And Here

And I still feel the same way. After reading Mr. Sykes' editorial, I think I need to weigh in again. And I hope I can do this justice.

I am still against this amendment.

I loved my father. He was a diamond in the rough. But, truth be told, he was a bigot, a racist. He had nothing kind to say about anyone Black, Jewish, Hispanic, Asian, Arab, and the list goes on. I can only think that if he were alive today, he'd be vilifying the gay community.

And he was wrong about that, about everything that had to do with judging people for their skin color/ethnicity/sexual preference. I hope that, after living life under his teachings and rantings, I can lift myself above his tutelage and see people for who they really are.

Things have changed. "Will and Grace," "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," "Soap." The gay community has gone through many transitions since the 60's. No longer are "they" the flambouyant drag queens, leather-wearing freaks, and effeminate, lisping girly men that we grew to know through TV sitcoms and nightly news documentaries. Suddenly, gay people have become our collegues, friends, neighbors, and (eeks) relatives.

The gay community has begun to touch us all. Who are the two men who moved into the house next door (and, gasp, we have gay people living in Gibbsville, WI, Population 500)? How do they keep their yard so neat? What are they using for fertilizer? Why are two women showing up for a parent-teacher conference, both concerned about little Jenny's progress in 2nd grade (I have friends who are teachers, and this happens)?

It's here. Gay relationships, gay families. People who are eeking out their livings, going about their day to day activities, raising families, and hoping that the system will treat them fairly.

But if they have their way, the sponsors of the Marriage Amendment will see to it that they aren't.

I wasn't in favor of the amendment the first time it came up for vote, and made my voice heard with my representatives. But the amendment still passed through the appropriate channels, and now we have a public vote on a constitutional amendment.

A constitutional amendment is going overboard. Wisconsin statutes already define marriage to be between a husband and wife. The amendment goes beyond this, declaring that a marriage is between a man and a woman, and anything remotely similar is not to be recognized in this state. The wording, and the motivation behind it, appears to be nothing more than discrimination, and, yes, bigotry.

I'm surprised at the response to the amendment in the Cheddarsphere, this is not an issue that is being divided up along party lines. The right-leaning folks are split on the issue, and I am certainly enjoying the opportunity to be a part of a civilized, structured, and thoughtful debate. The supporters and those against the amendment appear to have an excellent opportunity to discuss this issue in a civil manner in the State of Wisconsin. I think that is one of the things that makes our state unique.

I will not debate the religious aspects of homosexuality and gay marriage/civil union. Anyone can cherry-pick bible verses to make a point, and there are quite a few verses that will bite a cherry-picker in the butt if they choose to press the issue. This is not a religious issue by any means. This is the issue of the state doing what is right for all of its citizens. Treating everyone fairly no matter their background, ethnicity, upbringing, or sexual orientation.

It's a long time between now and November, and I'm sure I will have a lot more to say about this issue. Look forward to more posts on this topic!

I'm Just Not Good at Blogging

2006-03-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

But I can write a mean letter. Note the two posts below.

When I was a kid, I remember my parents getting riled up about something political that was going on. I don't remember what, I just remember my mother reading aloud a hand-written letter as my dad banged it out on a manual typewriter. With carbons, so it could be sent to multiple people without having to retype it. I guess that confession ages me considerably!

I totally get what they were feeling. I've been reading about Russ Feingold for the last two days, and it just honked me off. So when I got home from work tonight, I wrote two letters, and felt so much better after I sealed the envelopes and put the stamps on.

Because I know someone who may matter will see what I have to say. A physical piece of paper will be removed from a real envelope by someone who may or may not hand it off to the person it was intended for. And that gives me a feeling that my voice will potentially be heard.

But I don't feel that way about blogging. Maybe because only a handful of people see what I have to say. And that's my fault because I'm not as diligent in blogging as I should be.

I hope the conference this weekend gives me the resolve to do more with this lowly blog. If I can discipline myself to make the effort to make this site interesting, maybe I'll get the same rush when I hit the "Publish" button that I did when I sealed the envelopes.

Dear Senator Kohl:

2006-03-14T17:06:00.000-08:00

This letter is also sitting my mailbox...

March 14, 2006

Senator Herb Kohl
330 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

RE: Censure of the President

Dear Senator Kohl:

I am writing to express my displeasure at your silence regarding Senator Feingold’s resolution to censure President Bush for his handling of national security issues. You were more than obligated to denounce this resolution on behalf of the citizens you represent, and you failed to do so.

Mr. Feingold’s position does not represent Wisconsin. I know I speak for myself and many others when I say that he embarrassed the citizens of this state, and continues to embarrass the United States of America.

Mr. Feingold’s actions provide aid and comfort to the people who want to do our country, our citizens, and our troops harm.

Wisconsin has TWO senators. I expect you to pick up the slack when your Junior Senator strays from serving the people of this state. Your lack of action only gives credibility to Mr. Feingold’s antics, and this puts Wisconsin, and our nation, in a bad light.

I am disappointed in both of you.

Dear Senator Feingold:

2006-03-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

This letter is sitting in my mailbox this evening....

March 14, 2006

Senator Russ Feingold
506 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4904

RE: Censure of the President

Dear Senator Feingold:

I am writing to express my displeasure at your resolution to censure President Bush for his handling of national security issues.

Mr. Feingold, this country is at war, and, if anything, you are lending aid and comfort to the enemy. Your antics do nothing but give hope and encouragement to the people who want to do our country, our citizens, and our troops harm.

The citizens of Wisconsin did not elect you to selfishly grandstand and make a spectacle of yourself for your own advancement and notoriety. I know I speak for more than myself when I say that you embarrassed Wisconsin, and you are embarrassing the United States of America.

I wish there was a way that the citizens of our state could effectively censure you. Your activities of late certainly deserve the same criticism and condemnation that you attempted to smear the President with.

I can only hope that, in the future, you remember the people in the State of Wisconsin when you contemplate another attention-getting stunt. We elected you to represent us, and your recent actions show me that you are completely disconnected with the people you pledged to serve.

New TV in My Future

2006-03-13T03:23:00.000-08:00

This has got to be one of the most frustrating experiences I've had in a long time. I got the bug to get a new wide-screen HDTV, and I've been researching types, manufacturers, models for the last two weeks.

So Saturday I decided to stop in at a couple local places here in the Sheboygan area. We don't have Best Buy or Circuit City, the best I could do was Sears and RexTV. I was not impressed with the salespeople at either store. None of them knew anything about what they were selling, I got the impression that they were steering customers to the TV's that they got the best commission from, and not necessarily the best TV for the customer.

And the TV's ran the gamut in picture quality, no two sets had the same picture. A lot of that may be due to store lighting, the way the set was displayed, the settings, etc. I really wasn't impressed with anything I saw, I need to go somewhere with a decent showroom and knowledgeable sales staff.

Luckily, I heard a commercial on the radio for Flanners when I was driving home. I checked out their website, and saw that they are having an HDTV seminar on Saturday morning. I'm going to stop in on my way to the Blog Summit.

Until then, if anyone has any suggestions or recommendations, I'm all ears and eyes. Plasma or rear projection? DLP or LCD? With about 8-9 feet between the screen and my eyes, how big should the screen be (most places say 2xscreen diagonal is the optimal viewing distance)? Are there some good places to go in the Milwaukee area? Do you have a success or horror story to share?

This is why comments are so cool....

I Got the Monday Morning Pump Station Blues...

2006-03-13T02:29:00.000-08:00

A rainy Sunday evening resulted in a 3:00am pump failure at the turd plant, so I think I'm up for the day. The pager started going off, and I had to go to the pump station to see what was going on. Luckily, the pump seems to be running again with no intervention required, except for yelling obscenities into the wetwell.

As long as I'm up, I decided to comment on some stuff I've been reading:

Scott Jensen Trial
No one seems to be saying a whole lot about this, and I'm not sure why. I did follow the trial proceedings when I had a chance, and I will have to say that he was guilty of what he was charged with. The jury returned an appropriate verdict.

It seems that the practice of having state employees working on campaigns has been going on for years. Not only the Republicans, but with the Democrats as well. In the Senate caucuses as well as the legislative. I'm not sure why there was not/is not more prosecution of other lawbreakers. This is what is giving the Jensen trial an air of being a political witch hunt, and he will likely be remembered more as a sacraficial lamb than a criminal.

As long as the lid has been taken off the pot, why stop with Scott Jensen? Let's clean house and make everyone who has broken these laws accountable for their actions.

Blogging with Comments: Yes or No?

Owen points out an interesting discussion about blogging with or without comments going on over at From Where I Sit.

Some people do have reasons for not allowing comments. I know that whenever Michelle Malkin, who is a lightning rod for moonbats, allows comments, she is trolled back to the stone age. She occasionally allows comments, but has to close them down when they get out of hand.

Charlie Sykes and the Early Spin folks may not be able to accept comments due to legal ramifications of running a company-sponsored blog. I'm not sure if that is completely true, I'm just speculating based on Dan's comment about why they cannot allow un-monitored comments.

I thought Sheldn made a good point:

Did you ever stop to realize that these Blogs are simply advertisments for the person or show. These are people that understand the fragmented media and are using all avenues to drive listeners to their shows which equates to revenues from higher advertising rates or they work for media companies that understand this.

I also enjoyed this comment from Clint:

I think that a blog that doesn’t allow comments is similar to a politician spewing thoughts at a press conference, and then leaving before the reporters ask any questions.

I tend not to read blogs that do not allow comments, unless there is a good reason for them not to, like in Malkin's case. For me, half the fun of blogging is getting some kind of response to what you've written, good or bad. Elliot's original post was quite short, but it spawned a lively and interesting discussion, and that is blogging at its best!

Blog Summit on March 18th... Updated!

2006-03-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

Read about this over at Badger Blog Alliance. This sounds like a lot of fun! Definitely going to go, hope to meet some of the local bloggers in person!

Update:
Wow, there seems to be a mini-controversy brewing over the blog summit. Sean, at The American Mind, weighs in with his opinion:

Let me inform the powers that be that the beauty, interest, and dare I say it, power of the blogosphere isn't from people already involved in politics and media jumping onto the "next big thing." Its power comes from empowering voices of people who previously didn't have a voice or the ability to be easily heard.

He's got an excellent point, and in a way, what he is saying agrees with something I wrote (and took some heat from) in January:

One of the things I liked about our Wisconsin blogs was that the bloggers were not connected to the people they were writing about. That enabled them to write objectively, and they weren't influenced by real or perceived acquaintenceships/friendships with their subjects. That has changed as local politicians jumped on the blog bandwagon. And the polits haven't shown much restraint in using the blogosphere to their advantage and curry favor and exposure from the more prominent blogs.

There's some great commentary going on over at Badger Blog Alliance, and it's early in the day. Chris has a wonderful observation, and it also agrees with what I had written previously:

Blogs have always been about being a little bit underground and not always being parts of the system. We are at a big cross roads with blogs. To use the Music analogy as I am prone to. The Record companies have taken a liking to our sound and wants a piece of it.

I rarely read the politicians' blogs, instead I look to the "originals" for their commentary and views on what is going on. You learn a lot more by listening to the voices of the people than you do trying to wade through a lot of spin and grandstanding.

I still want to go to the summit, my main reason for wanting to go was to meet some of the Wisconsin bloggers. But now, seeing how this event could potentially be spun and propagandized could provide even greater entertainment value.

More on this later...

Podcast No. 1 Coming this Weekend!

2006-03-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

I listened to Aaron and Jenna's Blogger Audio #6 as I wrote up my previous post this morning. Made me really excited to finally having everything set up to do my first podcast. With luck (and I'll need it), I should have my first one up sometime later on Sunday afternoon.

I noticed when I was testing the equipment/software last weekend that I will definitely have to do this when the dogs are napping. I kept hearing little Boston Terrier snorts in the background.

Wisconsin's Marriage Amendment

2006-03-04T05:39:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late weighing in on this, but 60 hours in the office this week will do that to ya...

The Wisconsin State Journal reported that the Assembly passed the bill that will put the question up to the voters in November. I've blogged about this before, here, so the one or two people who stumble onto this blog occasionally know that I am not in favor of this legislation.

I was surprised to see that I'm not alone in the more right-leaning Cheddarsphere. Seems to indicate that this is not a clear cut issue, and is not polarizing everyone into taking the party line. Everyone has unique reasons for not supporting the amendment. A few examples:

Chris at spottedhorse2:

Yes the GOP Legislators in Wisconsin must be really proud of themself they finally found a subject they could get off there asses and do something about. Yes the evils of Gay Marriage. Yes there is a problem that is going to destroy Wisconsin, Not the run away spending, not the fact our state is a Tax Hell.

Nope the State GOP is driven to action by the two Human beings committing the evil act of falling in love and wanting to spend the rest of their lives together.

Nick at The World According to Nick " makes a great point:

Frankly I don't have a problem letting it go to a vote. I'd vote against the ban personally because I do think its discriminatory. But then again... I don't have a stake in the outcome. Its easy for me to be sort of blase about the whole issue, take a side, but not really care either way. In the end, if the ban is enacted, it doesn't affect me. I can snap my fingers, say "Oh well", and go on with my life all the same.

Now try to say the same thing if you're gay. Now you have a whole lot of people who aren't affected by a decision will get to decide whether or not you can do something you want to do. Other people can vote their opinion on your life. That's a damn scary thought, and if it were me, I'd be fighting to make sure they couldn't do it either.

Dean at Musings of a Thoughtful Conservative:

I'm against this amendment, as I've already written.

Let the ads begin.

Excellent observation. From the WSJ article:

Opponents of the Republican-sponsored ban said they want Wisconsin to be the first state in the country to reject a proposed amendment, while supporters see the state as another chance to prove that upholding traditional marriage isn't just a Bible Belt issue.

With two years of preparation behind them, both sides promised a campaign that could run as high as several million dollars, include hundreds or even thousands of volunteers, and employ everything from the pulpit to Web sites and television ads.

I think the big winners here, no matter what the outcome is, are going to be the newspapers, radio and TV stations. That's a LOT of ad revenue!

With gay TV shows all over the airwaves, the phenomenal success of "Brokeback Mountain," and the gay community getting their message out there in a thought-promoting, rather than shock-provoking, manner, does this amendment have a chance to be defeated in Wisconsin? Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy ride into November!

Formatting Issues....

2006-02-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

This has not been a good weekend computer-wise. Now I see the blog isn't looking right, the right column is all the way to the bottom of the page. Must have goofed something up royally. Will look at it later.....

Something to Blog About: Oostburg School Referendum

2006-02-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

Wow, I think I picked a great time to get back into blogging! From today's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!):

The Oostburg School District is holding the first of two public meetings Monday night to answer questions about its April 4 referendum, which includes seeking voter approval on a $19 million bond issue, mainly to pay for building a new high school.

A second, separate question on the April ballot will ask voters to allow the Oostburg district to permanently exceed its annual state-imposed revenue limit by up to $400,000 a year for school operations.

Bold emphasis is mine. I'm supposed to approve of a permanent pass to exceed their revenue limit by up to $400,000 every year??? I don't think so...

More....

The high school bonds will be paid off in 20 years, but the $400,000 a year recurring budget override will continue forever.

"It means it never ends," Miller said of the override. "It's just a $400,000 exemption for now until perpetuity the board has the ability to use. That's not saying they'll use it every year, but they can."

They can and will, if we let them... I will not support something that will never expire, and I hope the taxpayers in the Oostburg School District will feel the same way.

Why are they being so greedy?? Go for a 3-5 year period, you might have a chance to pass that if you really soft soap the public like you did last time. I still remember the "articles" in our local shopping paper that high school students wrote about having to wait to use out-dated computers, having to wear sweaters all the time because it was so cold, how the roof leaked, etc. etc.

The rest of the article summarizes a laundry list of improvements that the existing buildings require just to maintain them. And how "out-dated" their current facilities are. Same song, about 10 years later.

At this time, I'm neutral on the new high school. That could be a legitimate project, but I need to do more research. I'm sure I will be posting more on this topic in the very near future!

Gambling Will Never Be One of My Vices

2006-02-25T23:16:00.000-08:00

I went to Oneida Casino in Green Bay about 6 years ago, the first time I ever went "gambling." I lost $40 to the slot machines, and said to myself, "Well, that was fun," and haven't had the urge to go again.

Tonight I went to Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee with a friend. I had $40, and he had $30. We both lost, but managed to make our money work for us for almost 2 hours. As we walked out the door, I thought to myself, "Well, that was fun, and I can probably go another 6 years before I try it again."

Blogging Lightly

2006-02-25T11:31:00.000-08:00

I can't believe February is almost over with, it's been a very busy couple of months. Now that the show is over (will post a few pictures when I get them from the photographer), I'm trying to catch up on things at work and around the house.

My poor blog has been neglected. A co-worker of mine who was at one of Milwaukee's turd plants a couple weeks ago told me that someone down there said that I had to get back on the stick and start blogging again.

So I'm going to get caught up with what's going on in the blogosphere. I'm way behind on all the current events, and there's some interesting stuff going on in the state of Cheeseland.

Congratulations to Aaron and Jenna for successfully getting their podcasting off the ground. I listened to their latest this morning, and I was more than entertained. Hopefully they will invite me for a guest shot sometime!

Spent most of this morning putting together my podcasting kit, and beginning to try it out. It turned out to be much more complicated than I thought, and I still don't have everything right. But it was great just to get the stuff out of the box and try it out. After hearing my voice, I decided I have a great face for radio, or something like that.

I still need to get set on what kind of format I'm going to use, line up music and some other fun stuff. I may have to ask for some assistance from the more "audio-oriented" bloggers like Patrick when I start to run into all of the technical difficulties.

With some luck, the first podcast will be available by the end of next week.

Now that I've spent most of the day tinkering with computers, it's onto the more mundane Saturday chores that await...

Get Out the Popcorn...

2006-01-25T07:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, the blogosphere and talk radio are lighting up like pinball machines over yesterday's indictment of Georgia Thompson. It should be an interesting few days coming up...

Some good places to go:

Charlie Sykes has a great Travelgate Roundup
Owen offers some possiblities of what happened and why
Jessica McBride explores the possibilities and looks at (the slowness and lack of) media coverage

Jessica, in another interesting post, recalls something that I found odd the first time I read it way back in November:

Another bonus recipient was Georgia Thompson, Department of Administration Enterprise Section administrator. State records show Thompson's bonus was proposed as a $1,000 lump sum, but took effect as a more lucrative, annual increase to her salary. Thompson's bonus was approved shortly after Thompson's contract bid evaluations helped Milwaukee-based Adelman Travel Systems win a $750,000 contract to book state employee air travel.

If this isn't a smoking gun... But, to be fair, one would have to look at how bonuses were handed out in the past to see if this one would or would not pass the smell test. In light of the indictment, this reeks to high heaven.

A quick run through the more liberal Wisconsin blogs shows little more than attacks on conservative blogs/politicians/talk radio, and no analysis or discussion on the events unfolding before us in Madison. The talking points probably haven't been distributed yet, given the time difference between here and Iraq.

What's Up with the Wisconsin Blogosphere? Part 2

2006-01-17T07:33:00.000-08:00

I was taken to task by Aaron and others for my previous post about what I feel are changes in the Wisconsin blogosphere. The post is a couple below this one...

Note to self: don't get on Jessica McBride's bad side, she has a sharp, biting wit!

I thought about what I wrote, and the response, and I still think I made some valid points. This morning, I ran across this post at Power Line, discussing the live blogging event at the confirmation hearings:

Writing as a friendly critic, Glover criticizes the bloggers' coverage of the hearings. One of Glover's criticisms was our hosts' decision not to invite any good left-wing bloggers. I asked him to elaborate a bit on the criticism he intimates in his column, and he kindly responded yesterday by email:

Too many of the bloggers, however, seemed to be just parroting what the officials said, without much thought as to whether those thoughts were "blog-worthy." Had those bloggers not been in Washington but watched the officials on C-Span, I am convinced that they would have been more selective about what they wrote. That's really where I was coming from in my piece: The bloggers behaved differently than usual -- at least differently than I've seen in the past -- and I think that's because the [Republican National Committee/Senate Republican Conference] made them feel special.

I have the benefit of having talked to officials in both parties who have been quite honest about how they see blogs as a tool for "reaching the base." They GOP in particular sees blogs as the next talk radio. Good for them, and more power to them in trying to achieve their goals. But despite the partisan leanings of blogs on both sides of the political spectrum (which don't bother me in the least), I see so much more potential for them than that. I absolutely do not want to see blogs develop the same weaknesses as the MSM, and that very well could happen if they let themselves be wooed by the establishment.

Emphasis above is mine.

From the National Journal's Daniel Glover's "Beltway Blogroll" column:

The communications experts in the party took to new heights the courtship of the blogosphere that they began last fall -- and they found a most receptive audience.

The bloggers not only welcomed the lavish treatment and exclusive access bestowed upon them by the Republican National Committee and the Senate Republican Conference; they basked in it without reservation. They dropped names (White House adviser Karl Rove was the favorite), heaped praise on their news subjects and celebrated their chance to imbibe in the trappings of power.
...
Still, I recoiled at much of the content written by the GOP-approved bloggers last week. Why? Because the content they wrote from Washington, while being feted by the Republican Party, did not pack the same punch as their normal fare. Too often, they sounded more like unofficial stenographers for the GOP than the passionate, independent watchdogs that they normally are.
...
The sessions revived, and arguably legitimized, criticism that at least some right-leaning bloggers are tools of the GOP. The events also raised questions about where, if at all, lines should be drawn between political parties, party-focused blogs and sometimes-journalistic blogs.
...
I agree to an extent. But blogging also is beautiful because the people who are doing it are outsiders. They are neither part of the media establishment -- the MSM they hate so much -- nor the political establishment. Their ability to see the world differently than people inside the Beltway is precisely what moved them to outrage against former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., three years ago, when the establishment initially yawned.

The blogosphere lost some of that edge last week. I hope the loss is only fleeting.

Again, emphasis mine. Read the whole article, it is very interesting to see how some of the major blogs took a lot of flak for participating in this event.

Power Line's post and the "Beltway Blogroll" column confirmed for me some of the things I'm seeing here in the Wisconsin Blogosphere. We need to be careful that we don't lose our edge.

Alito's Confirmation Hearing

2006-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally over, and I'm sure nothing I write here will add anything to what everyone already knows:

Judge Alito mopped the floor with the Senate Democrats on the committee. Ted Kennedy was nearly over-the-top with his best buffoonish behavior (again with the alliteration), and most of the rest of them just liked to listen to themselves talk. The Dems resorted to attempting to make the good judge appear to be a woman-hating racist, and it didn't work.

I found it amusing, but I was still disgusted, that most of the Senate Dems (save Feinstein) didn't bother to show up when Alito's peers (judges he has worked with in the past) testified in his behalf. That is absolutely disgraceful, and they should be ashamed.

I will say that I was pleased to see that the Wisconsin Senators, Feingold and what's-his-name, were civil and appeared to treat the judge with the respect he deserved.

Alito's confirmation should sail through the Senate. Try as they might, the Democrats just couldn't make any of the mud they were slinging stick.

After watching and reading about this week's hearings, I wonder why anyone would want to put themselves through this? Owen at Boots and Sabers sums it up nicely:

The hearings have become a meaningless kangaroo court where nominees are humiliated, slandered, and bullied for no other purpose than to allow egotistical senators to bloviate for the cameras. Get rid of the hearings and debate it in on the Senate floor.

Did You Ever Notice...

2006-01-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

when you leave a Tums (or its generic equivalent) in your pocket for the day, then eat it, that it tastes like laundry detergent?

What is Up with the Wisconsin Blogosphere??

2006-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

This has been a busy month, not a whole lot of time to blog, or read blogs for that matter. My site meter appears to have dropped to zero (but that might be because I changed formats, and I don't remember how to get it back on there - yes, I am a Blogger idiot). Being under the weather over the weekend did give me a chance to catch up on what is going on at some of the Wisconsin blogs.

What is going on? The Wisconsin conservative blogger scene has changed in the last couple of months, it's become a cross-linking, blog-rolling lovefest for local celebrities and politicians.

Why are so many of the Wisconsin conservative bloggers chapping their lips kissing Charlie Sykes' butt? I give Charlie credit for helping to draw attention to the Wisconsin blogosphere, but is getting on his blogroll worth making a spectacle of yourself? Is preparing pandering posts (love alliteration) to garner his attention and maybe get a link the end-all-be-all in the Wisconsin blogosphere? Is Jessica McBride so hot that you have to pen some drippingly flirtatious tribute to get her to notice you?

In the old days, I think the word was "starstruck." Or was it "suckup?" Maybe a little of both, here...

One of the things I liked about our Wisconsin blogs was that the bloggers were not connected to the people they were writing about. That enabled them to write objectively, and they weren't influenced by real or perceived acquaintenceships/friendships with their subjects. That has changed as local politicians jumped on the blog bandwagon. And the polits haven't shown much restraint in using the blogosphere to their advantage and curry favor and exposure from the more prominent blogs.

As a result, some bloggers appear to be getting too close to the story, and their posts reflect it. We used to have the voices of regular Wisconsin residents analyzing and commenting on what goes on in our state and in our country. They were real voices, real people. Something happened in the last few months, I'm not sure what...

More on this tomorrow...

Happy New Year!

2005-12-30T07:51:00.000-08:00

A busy holiday season, and not much time to spend on the computer. Just wanted to wish all a Happy New Year for 2006.

Still haven't had a chance to really dig into the podcast thing, probably won't be able to until I'm done with the show in February. Too many lines to learn...

See you next year!

The Odd Couple at The Sheboygan Theatre Company

2005-12-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

"The Odd Couple" is the next show at the Sheboygan Theatre Company. Both the male and female versions of the show (the original, male, version was written around 1965, the female version debuted in 1985) will be performed on alternating nights.

Show dates: February 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 (for tickets, call 920-459-3779)

The male version of the show stands up well to the test of time. The only thing "dated" that I see is how attitudes toward failing marriages have changed. Back then, divorce was tragic, you don't get that feeling nowadays.

The female version of the show dates itself starting with the women playing "Trivial Pursuit" instead of poker (like the men do), and again, the attitude toward divorce is much different than it is today.

Why am I writing about this? Because I'm going to be in the show! I played Felix last time we did the show, in 1998, and will be reprising the role. I'll also be playing one of the Spanish brothers (Olive and Florence's dates) in the female version.

We started rehearsal last week, and it's been a bear to go from work to a 3.5 hour rehearsal every night. But it's a lot of fun, and we have a great cast and crew to work with.

So if you're in the area, and are looking for something to do on a cold February night, stop in and see the show!

Podcast? ME??

2005-12-21T11:01:00.000-08:00

Well, the Christmas shopping is done, all that's left is wrapping and paying the credit card bills...No time for a tree or Christmas cards this year, I was lucky to hit the stores and amazon.com this year.

Santa, in the guise of the UPS man, brought me one of my presents today:

The Podcast Factory

This looks like it could be a lot of fun. When I was in college, I used to listen to an AM radio show that a woman did from her home. She was connected by phone to the radio station, and she did a 3-hour show every weekday morning. She's been on the air for over 30 years (I think), and her show is still on. Yes, this does sound like it's one of those "hicks from the sticks" stories (well, it WAS the UP after all...), but I always enjoyed that simple, down-home approach. It wasn't a slick professional production by any means. She butchered words (I still smile every time I think of the time she pronounced the name of the show "Irma la Douce" as "Irma la Douche," and audibly gasped when she realized what she said, then chuckled and plowed ahead), read local news and the obituaries, wrote and read the commercials for various local advertisers, gave out recipes and housekeeping tips, and took callers on various topics. Maybe a little cornball, but when you think of it, in her own way, Jan Tucker, from Ontonagon, MI, was a pioneer of the "at home" broadcast (And bless her heart for still being at it!! Too bad that station doesn't have webcasting, or I'd be a regular listener!). And, for many people who do podcasting, isn't a podcast just an at-home broadcast?

So there's my role model, so to speak. I'll probably spend some time over the holiday week getting this thing set up and trying to put a podcast together. I'll have to think of a theme song..... Then figure out how to post it or link it to the blog. Not sure what my format will be, it will be fun to try out some different things. The only thing I dread is hearing the sound of my own voice!!

Stay tuned....

A Christmas Card with Balls

2005-12-19T08:20:00.000-08:00

This is an electronic Christmas card from one of our local advertising agencies. It's really cute:

XMas Card with Balls

Turn your sound up and enjoy!!

Marriage Amendment: My Take, Part 2

2005-12-15T11:45:00.000-08:00

Mike at Cooler Near the Lake weighs in on the gay marriage issue with two excellent posts. I don't agree with them, but he presents a very level-headed, reasoned argument for his opinion, and not a knee-jerk reaction.

I offer the following comments:

When it comes to the gay marriage debate, there are only three options. We ban it, we sanction it, or we do nothing.
...
If we do nothing, the costs of debating the issue will continue to be incurred. What is the benefit of this option? Enlightenment?

What is wrong with having "enlightenment" as a benefit? And there is little cost for becoming enlightened, other than the time spent to read, listen, learn, discuss, and think.

I think this country is in a period of enlightenment right now. The gay community has come a long way in the last 10-15 years as far as enlightening people to the fact that gay men and women aren't all swishy lispy drag queens and flannel-wearing lumberjack lesbians. Gay people are no longer the distant cousin on some 70's or 80's sitcom who turns up "queer" and provides comic fodder for a 23-minute episode. Gay people are beginning to be seen as real people, not stereotypes. And I feel that is what is beginning to put a "face" on this issue.

I think the younger generations have become a lot more "gay-friendly" as a result of this. That is a benefit. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that (to paraphrase that classic "Seinfeld" episode...).

Sanctioning means that government is expanding. It is expanding in the sense that is has to define a new legal category. This new category will require reinterpretation of a vast number precedent setting interpretations of applicable and associated laws. Considered in this context, one sees that the cost is not inconsequential. Proponents of gay marriage have not provided much sense of the benefits from doing this, other than it will make a small portion of the human population 'feel better'.

I'm no lawyer, but I don't see how sanctioning will require reinterpretation of a vast number of laws, and at great expense. If the benefit is for a "small portion of the population," I would think that any legal issues and skirmishes resulting from sanctioning would be proportional to the percentage of the population participating (wow, how's THAT for alliteration??). In other words, if 1-3 percent of the population goes for the gay marriage/union (I don't have any real stats, just grabbing numbers, here), legal issues surrounding the marriages/unions should account for 1-3 percent of the total legal issues. I'm not denying that there would be "start-up" costs, but I can't see the costs being so high as to empty Wisconsin's coffers. I've seen my tax money thrown away on much worse!!

Child guardianship, medical decisions, insurance, and other legal rights: Peace of mind and security, and those are big benefits.

The current assumption is that 100% of the population can be divided into two groups, heterosexuals and homosexuals. I believe that to be an false assumption, which means that there is a smaller portion, but a portion nonetheless, who have not had their 'preference' sanctioned by the government.

The slippery slope argument, presented in a new way, and very well done. Wisconsin law already bans sex with minors, incest, polygamy, and I hope, beastiality. Those are the usual chestnuts trotted out for this argument. No, there is nothing stopping proponents of any of these "preferences" from educating the public, lobbying, and actively pursuing changes in these laws. That's not saying they will be successful, but they are free to do so. That's what makes this country great!

The same goes with gay marriage/civil unions. Proponents are free to seek changes in existing laws (Wisconsin law already defines marriage as between a husband and a wife, which, by definition of "husband" and "wife," prohibits gay marriage) to sanction gay marriage/civil unions. By passing the Marriage Amendment, opponents of gay marriage/civil unions are simply duplicating an existing law, when all they have to do is defend laws currently on the books. And I admit that the opponents are free to seek changes in the law (yes, our system is great, it works both ways!), but in this case, it's overkill (and sometimes it sounds like mean-spirited, political overkill, but I'll save that for another post.).

Can I say that the third option [banning] will make us better? No. But in selecting the third option, I know that I will not make the situation any worse than it is now.

It does make the situation worse. The Marriage Amendment does nothing but duplicate an existing law and contribute to the emotion-driven hot-headedness on both sides of the issue. The gay marriage/civil union debate is not going to go away with the passage of this amendment.

Wisconsin's Marriage Amendment: My Take, Part 1

2005-12-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while, but a post I read on another site has given me the motivation...

Lucas at Wild Wisconsin presented an argument for the amendment, which would give Wisconsin voters a chance to amend the Wisconsin constitution to recognize marriage between one man and one woman only.

While this will probably cost me my "conservative card," I'm not in favor of this. Yes, I support gay marriage.

Lucas made the following points:

1. God said that homosexuality is wrong.
This about settles it for me. It was Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden not Adam and Steve. God made marriage between a man and wife who am I to question that?

I'm no Bible scholar, and will never claim to be. Lucas is correct, the text is there. However, if you peruse the Bible a little more, you'll also see that God told us not to eat pork. Are we going to close down America's pork industry? I think there is also something in there about wearing clothing made of multiple types of fabric. Should we be putting the garment industry on notice?

God also said that we shouldn't commit adultry. Now, if there's anything that threatens heterosexual (and homosexual) marriage, it's adultry. Are there any laws on the books about that? Laws that are enforced?

No one should be cherry-picking Bible verses to make their case for this argument.

2. Homosexual marriage will destroy traditional marriage.

...

If I could say "I'm married" in Texas (and in Wisconsin so long as no judges come along to make things up) everyone knows that means I've got one wife with whom I've made a special commitment be joined together 'till death do us part. Now if I said "I'm married"in Massachusetts people would only know that I love some other person whether it be man or women. Hence by allowing other relationships to be included under the relationship of man and wife we have struck a fatal blow at the original relationship between man and wife.

For most people, marriage is part of religion, and I think that is what Lucas means by "traditional." I don't think advocates of gay marriage are looking for acceptance from the religious groups. They are looking for government-based "rights," like guardianship, child custody, health care issues... No one is asking anyone to force gay marriage on any religious institution, and I agree wholeheartedly with that.

I think it's overdramatic to feel a "fatal blow" is struck to the man-woman relationship. If you are involved in a man-woman relationship, I can't see how gay marriage would affect what you have....Someone has to explain that to me better...

3. It's all about the Children

Children deserve a stable family. They don't always get one, but they still deserve it. Today we recognize that many children live in broken families that only have one parent, or many other arrangements that are less than ideal. That doesn't mean the state, the society, should work to endorse and encourage more of this type of situation. It should be apparent by the inability of procreation in a homosexual marriage that it does not raise kids well. To think that a child will not have a mom or dad if homosexual marriage is allowed should confirm our rejection.

Agreed for the most part, except the part about a homosexual marriage not being able to raise kids well. I know a lesbian couple (together for almost 20 years) who successfully raised, and are continuing to raise, 4 children. Two of the children were from a previous marriage by one of the partners (the father was an absolute bastard). The younger two were adopted. The oldest child, a son, married recently, and to a woman!! Who knew.... The second child, a girl, has a steady boyfriend. All 4 kids appear to be well-adjusted, normal, and in the case of the older ones, heterosexual.

Children deserve a stable family environment, with two parents. But, in today's world, that's sometimes an ideal world, and you just have to play the hand you're dealt. That goes for "normal" marriages, and gay marriages. To suggest that gay marriage should be rejected just because a kid won't have both a mom and a dad is very short-sighted. A kid needs loving, attentive parents, no matter what the sex.

And if marriage is for children, what about all those childless married couples out there? And the ones who decide to get married, but don't want to have children? Or the ones who cannot have children? A marriage license is not a breeders' license.

4. It reduces marriage to attraction

This reasoning is probably what prompted me to make this post. In 5 words, Lucas managed to summize that being gay is nothing more than glands calling out to each other, and that two people of the same sex are unable to love each other. That people who are gay are unable to control their lusts. That accepting gay marriage is the first leak in the dyke (no pun intended) toward sex with animals, sex with sisters/cousins, polygamy.....

Lucas is an insightful young man, I've enjoyed reading his stuff for quite a while. But he is towing the party line on this issue, without the life experience necessary to step back and look at how gay marriage would actually affect him. Truth be told, it probably won't. He will be able to live his life, marry the girl of his dreams, and raise his children the way he sees fit. Heaven forbid if one of them turns up gay, however.....

"Fargo" in Mishicot, WI

2005-11-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

No one who has seen the movie "Fargo" can ever forget the woodchipper scene at the end of the movie.

It comes to mind again today with a news conference concerning the disappearance of Teresa Halbach (from WFRV Channel 5):

Investigators found the remains of an adult woman at a salvage yard owned by the family of a man who was wrongly convicted of rape 20 years ago, the Calumet County sheriff said Thursday.

The remains were found by people searching for Teresa Halbach, who was last seen Oct. 31. Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel said investigators have not identified the pieces of human bone and teeth found at the salvage yard owned by Steven Avery's family.

"It appears that an attempt was made to dispose of a body by an incendiary means. However, that attempt was not completely successful," Pagel said.

...

Halbach's family found her sport utility vehicle at the salvage yard Saturday, and Pagel said investigators later found the SUV's key in Avery's bedroom.

Doesn't look good at all.

I'm Baaaacccccckkkkk...

2005-11-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's been almost two months since I've posted anything on here... I really need to get a life outside of work. I really need to get a computer that works...

Have had computer problems both at home and at work. My work computer won't let me into Blogger, and my home computer just wouldn't let me do anything. So I bought a new computer, and ended up having to send that in to be repaired, it's supposed to be back in my hot little hands today. I got the old one up and running again after spending a weekend banging my head against the wall trying to redo the hard drive.

A new look for the blog, the dots were starting to make me dizzy.

A fresh look means a fresh start, there has been a lot of stuff going on that I just haven't had time to comment on, although I've been enjoying what everyone else has had to say about current events. Time for me to get back into the saddle, and make a sincere effort to keep blogging.

Look for stuff this weekend!

Strange...

2005-09-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't been able to access Blogger from work all week....but this afternoon it started working again. Weird...

Well, the spammers have spoken, so I've evoked the "word verification" option in the comments section. Hope no one will mind...

Busy day today, and I have some minor storm damage to clean up this evening. Lost one of the trunks of my "birch clump" in the front yard, I didn't notice it until this morning.

Cindy?...Sheehan?...Buehler?...Buehler?....Anyone?

2005-09-14T15:48:00.000-07:00

Looks like the MSM has dropped Cindy Sheehan like a hot rock. Good thing, this woman has more than worn out her 15 minutes of fame. I think people finally realized that this woman is a lightning rod for controversy, given her "out there" views and super far left rhetoric.

Did a Yahoo search on her this afternoon, and the most recent article I saw was on September 11th. And it was bland, at best.

Buh Bye, Cindy. While the nation feels for your loss, you really need to find another outlet for your grief. Being a tool for the far left isn't going to help you come to terms with your loss, find that acceptance, and finally move on with your life. God speed.

What a Storm!!!

2005-09-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

Sheboygan County has been in a "banana belt" all summer. Any major storm activity seemed to part as it approached the county line, sending the fury north and/or south, sparing us of severe weather, and much needed rain.

Yesterday was different...and I paid a price. I heard, but did not heed, the severe thunderstorm warning. I have a retractable awning over my deck, it's about 9x12, and provides much-needed shade on a hot summer afternoon. I decided not to roll it up before the storm hit. Big mistake.

It survived OK during the first wave of weather....then the clips that tied it to the cross member snapped as the second, more severe, wave hit. The whole awning began to lift skyward before my eyes... I ran outside, grabbed it, and pulled it back down, and stayed out there with it for almost half an hour! Thunder, lightning, screaming wind, torrential downpour. The force of the winds actually lifted me off the ground a few times, and I was thoroughly soaked by the driving, horizontal rain. I was sure the whole thing was going to break free, and I would find myself hang-gliding over the mighty Onion River. I felt like one of those guys doing on-the-spot hurricane reports on The Weather Channel. Finally, the winds subsided, and my awning and me were safe, a little battered, but safe.

1.75 inches of rain in less than an hour... Lost a major limb on a birch tree in the front yard, but otherwise, everything survived.

From now on, when they say warning, I will take heed!!

John Roberts Confirmation Hearings

2005-09-14T15:29:00.000-07:00

The man impresses me. No notes, no props, no long-winded answers to extremely long-winded (and I'm being kind) questions. The windbaggage appeared to apply to both sides of the aisle... He handled their questions with the grace, thoughtfulness, (sometimes undeserved) respect, and conciseness that I would expect from a Supreme Court judge.

Senator Biden, in my opinion, looked like a jackass almost everytime he came up to bat (to borrow from Judge Roberts' baseball analogy). Kennedy was also annoying, I wonder if it was a good idea to televise the hearing, the presence of cameras only seemed to egg them on.

Bottom line, I think that Judge Roberts will make an excellent Chief Justice.

Life is Busy....

2005-09-14T15:26:00.000-07:00

But I suppose it's time to start blogging again, thanks to Aaron's gentle nudge. Been a busy few weeks or so, and it's all I can do to keep up with what everyone else is writing and commenting about.

On to blogging...

More Internet Child Stuff...

2005-08-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Unreal, this has been a busy couple of weeks for internet child molesters... Two cases in the Milwaukee area, and now we have one here in Sheboygan. But this guy just isn't very bright...

From today's Sheboygan Press (Yesterday's News Tomorrow!!):

A 23-year-old Sheboygan man is facing 40 years in prison after tipping off police about his alleged rendezvous with a 13-year-old Sheboygan girl he met on the Internet, according to authorities.

...

The police were first made aware of the incident when Cheng called them Aug. 17, two days after the assault.

“He was concerned he would have to pay for medical tests if she went to the hospital, and of course his problem was a lot bigger than that,” Wojs said. “When he called at that point, that started the investigation. We had no clue about anything until he called.”

I certainly hope parents out there are reading this stuff, and taking steps to make sure their kids aren't getting involved in this kind of stuff.

Times have certainly changed, when I was a kid, the rule was Don't accept rides or candy from strangers.

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star - FINAL Comments

2005-08-24T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, Charlie Sykes threw down the gauntlet at the bloggers who have been commenting on the contest.

Note to Charlie: Gissbville is spelled G-i-b-b-s-v-i-l-l-e. But I appreciate the link! :-)

First of all, Cuprisin's column doesn't even bother to link to any of the conservative blogs that have been commenting on the contest. For the most part, that would be my blog, and Patrick's at Badgerblogger.com. Instead, he gave multiple plugs for dailykos and freerepublic (sorry, not going to link them, find it for yourself).

He should have, we offered a very different perspective than the liberal blogs did. Our posts showed that we were interested in quality entertainment, and, for the most part, not involved in some kind of political quest to ensure a conservative remains in charge of morning drive time.

I commented on each day of the first round of the contest. I was correct predicting 8 out of the 10 first round winners. And that was based, for the most part, on talent. Feel free to check out those early posts in late June and July. One I did not guess correctly was Nicole, I truly thought her "opponent" was more entertaining. The other was a toss-up, I believe I even stated that it could go either way.

When Nicole bested Neal in the second round, I knew something was up. Again, I have nothing against Nicole, I just don't believe she has the talent and personality to be successful in this endeavor.

While Patrick gives me credit for uncovering the Kos connection, it was one of my anonymous commenters who showed me the way. I just blogged about it, and helped to spread the word.

I commented at length about how the contest *should* have been designed to prevent this from happening. WISN wasted a lot of money hiring a website consultant to design the voting process for this contest. It is apparent that the website designer never saw something like this coming... I would ask for my money back.

Jerry Bott has buried his head in the sand, his comments to Cuprisin confirm his residence in the state of denial:

"I don't think there is any way to definitively say for sure if any individual or group had a direct effect on the outcome of the balloting. And, by definition, such speculation is born of ignorance."

I'm not sure how I feel about him saying his core audience is born (or should that be borne, Mr. Cuprisin? I would expect a journalist to be up on that kind of language thing) of ignorance...

Unless Mr. Bott comes up with the numbers, and the IP addresses of everyone voting (they should be available), I guess we'll never know. Some questions Cuprisin should have asked:

1. What percentage of votes came from Wisconsin? The Milwaukee Metro area? Your crack web designer limited voting to 1 vote per IP address. That means there should be a record of IP addresses, and they should be minimally traceable to a local internet provider...

2. How many votes were from out of this state? Country? Planet? (I think the space shuttle was in orbit around that time...they could have voted, too!!)

3. Were the voting numbers unusually higher during Nicole votes?

The instigator of the liberal charge offered
this as a justification for his actions:

"I need an objective voice on the radio on my way to work," I wrote, "as does 51 percent of southeastern Wisconsin."

That doesn't pass the smell test with me. If 51 percent of SE Wisconsin are liberal, and want liberal programming (other than NPR), there would be a great demand for that type of radio programming, and it would not be necessary to hijack the WISN contest. Air America would LOVE the opportunity to tap such a market!! Appealing to the management at the various radio outlets in Milwaukee should have done the trick. Show us your statistics!! Apparently, it was easier to go this route than to legitimately petition radio stations for more liberal programming.

IN SUMMARY:

1. No rules were broken in voting Nicole to be the Next Milwaukee Talk Star. However, the intent/spirit of the contest was broken.
2. WISN messed up in not putting enough safeguards into the voting process.
3. I'll give Nicole a chance, but she has a tough row to hoe, not only with me, but with thousands of WISN listeners.

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: Unveiled!!

2005-08-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

Saturday Morning Update: Please be sure to check out the comments in this post. Some excellent observations by Merkhead.
---------------------------------------------------------------

Well, the "listeners" have spoken, and the new Milwaukee Talk Star is Nicole.

What a travesty. A competition that started out in good faith to give WISN listeners a chance to provide input on the new morning show host ended up turning into a political machination.

This website is probably the tip of the iceburg of what went on behind the scenes, and that is a shame. Instead of legitimately lobbying local radio stations to provide more liberal programming, these people decided to take over this contest and elect an unqualified person just because she appears to believe in the same things they do.

Who really wins here? No one will. The people who voted for Nicole will probably not be listening to the morning show, even though, as pointed out by one of my anonymous commenters, it is available on the internet. The true WISN listeners didn't win, I'm sure the bulk of them will find somewhere else on the dial to call home in the morning. WISN didn't win, I'm sure they enjoyed a ratings boost during the contest, but it won't last after the new show starts.

And poor Nicole (I have nothing against Nicole, she just did not perform well enough to make it this far, in my opinion), wow, I would hate to be Nicole when the remnants of the WISN audience finds its voice and calls her on her views. I think, during the contest, the audience politely refrained from calling in to rebut her comments on some potentially controversial issues ("Birth Control at UW," "Women Incubators"). Most, including myself, thought that she would be "voted off the island" and didn't want to make waves or make her look/feel bad. Thanks to this organized political machine, that didn't happen. All bets will be off if she continues with her current trains of thought, and very few of the people who voted for her are going to be around to offer support, because they won't be listening.

I certainly hope that WISN will have ratings-based escape clauses in any contract that they make with Nicole. They will surely need them.

What started as a fun contest turned into a political event. That wasn't fair to anyone.

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: Final Day of Competition

2005-08-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, after today, I don't know if I'll have anything to blog about. Maybe it will be time for me to get a life and start commenting on some other stuff besides this contest. Or post more photos of the pups, I'll think about that over the weekend.

Today was the last time we'll be hearing from two of the contestants. The voting started at 8:30 this morning, and I believe it will run through noon on Monday. The winner will be announced during Homer's show on Friday evening, August 12th. I wonder if he'll have a big ratings bump that night...

Don't forget to vote at www.milwaukeetalkstar.com

I'd put in a link, but for some darn reason, Blogger's linking feature isn't working for me today.

My thoughts on today:

Nicole (6:30-7:30)

Nicole did a better job today than she did on Tuesday. There was more life in her this morning. I think she should have picked better topics for her last show. Again, she had one major chick topic, her boyfriend, and that didn't hold my interest.

She needed to end the show on a much brighter and memorable note. Her last topic was about the comatose woman who was on life support until her unborn child was developed enough to survive outside the womb. Nicole was beginning to develop a poorly thought out "slippery slope" theory that if this was allowed, could there become a market for purchasing comatose people for experimentation, egg and sperm harvesting? Luckily, she ran out of time, but I think this may have cost her votes.

Chris (6:30-7:30)

Once again, a very strong show for Chris. He was pretty darn entertaining. One of his first topics was taking a vacation as a family (inlaws, brothers, sisters), and he solicited advice on whether or not it was a good idea. Lots of caller input.

His last topic, naked men/women/people sitting around in locker rooms, was risky. I thought for sure that this one was going to sink him (my first thought being that yesterday he was talking about men hugging, and today he's talking about naked men? What's next, naked men hugging in locker rooms? Not that there's anything wrong with that...). But he had one caller who really saved the day with a story that made me blow Diet Mountain Dew through my nose. The story was about an old naked man with a bowel control problem in the locker room who left a...well, you get the picture. Chris lost it, he's got a great laugh!

A very enjoyable hour had by all.

Michelle (7:30-8:30)

I commented yesterday that I didn't think that Michelle had Chris' spark. Today, she did, especially in her first half hour. I missed most of the second half hour as I was meeting with a contractor at the treatment plant. But I really liked what I heard, today Michelle took real control of her show and drove it. If she finished as well as she started (I'm bummed that I missed the end), then she left the audience wanting more.

Final Thoughts

Now we wait until Friday... There has been a lot of discussion in the comments section of this blog, Patrick's blog (badgerblogger.com), and other places, about the fairness of the voting process. And theories about WISN trying to get a more liberal host on the air in the mornings. It boils down to this:

1. It would appear that all three of the finalists are networking for votes, asking friends, family, coworkers to vote for them. There is nothing in the rules that says you can't. I posted a week or so ago on how this could have been avoided when the contest was designed, but hindsight is always 20-20, and we have to work with what we have. At this stage in the contest, I hope that these networking efforts will cancel each other out, and that the listeners' votes will prevail. Listeners, make sure you make your vote count!!

2. I've read stuff about WISN wanting a liberal host, or WISN had a ringer planted in the first round of 20 contestants (who got eliminated), and a myriad of other half-baked conspiracy theories. There's no real proof of any of that going on, just speculation and, sometimes, biting commentary.

Personally, I think this contest was a great idea, and a lot of fun for the contestants and the audience. I've enjoyed sharing my thoughts with the people who stumble onto this blog occasionally, and liked reading their comments. It made for good discussion, and made us all feel involved with the contest. I hope people will continue to stop in after all of this is said and done (shameless plug, I know).

I think WISN probably received a ratings bump for the summer, and that, initially, will probably have good ratings when the new morning show is rolled out. The trick will be to keep that audience, and continue to build it. That will take a host with a lot of talent, personality, instinct, smarts, likability, and listenability.

Who do I think it will be? Based on what I've heard this week, and over the past couple of months, Christopher T. is the Next Milwaukee Talk Star.

We'll see what happens on Friday, August 12th!!

Don't forget to vote!!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: Round 4

2005-08-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Well, the votes have been counted, and the winners are:

Michelle H.
Nicole D.
Chris T.

Pretty much as predicted. Starting tomorrow, each contestant will fill a 2.5 hour slot. Then on Friday, each contestant will do a one hour stint to wrap everything up:

Tuesday, August 2nd: Michelle H (6:05 - 8:30)

Michelle turned it up a couple notches this morning, she had a great show! Not a lot of callers, but she managed to fill the time with some very interesting topics. I said after her first appearance that she was able to fill the time with little or no caller input, and she continues to do very well for herself.

Mark Belling, on his show yesterday, was wondering if the final 3 were all lefties. Well, Michelle let it be known this morning that she is no lefty (other than being left-handed).

While I didn't enjoy it the first time she did it, I really liked her "Go Ride a Bike" segment today. She let quite a few people have it, including our beloved governor and the Milwaukee County Sheriff.

Good stuff, Michelle!

Wednesday, August 3rd: Nicole D (6:05 - 8:30)

Nicole's show was OK. But I have to admit, it left me tired, maybe because she was tired because she didn't get much sleep last night. There was no spark and little energy in the show, and that's what I need to get my day going (that, and a Diet Mountain Dew).

Thursday, August 4th: Chris T. (6:05 - 8:30)

A very good performance this morning from Chris T. I thought he had a great show, and the fact that he briefly mentioned me has nothing to do with it. That's the first time I've ever heard my name on the radio without it being followed by "will be arraigned on..." But I digress...

The show moved along nicely, it was a fast 3 hours for me, anyway, and you could tell he was genuinely enjoying himself. Good topics, I liked how the audience took him to the woodshed on his not telling his wife about his major-dollar cell phone bill. I think he may have been a bit surprised by the response.

He also addressed the Belling discussion on political persuasion, but really didn't nail down what he believed in.

His last topic, the men hugging thing, was kind of a lead balloon, but I think the one and only caller on the subject bailed him out.

After hearing all three contestants do their full 3-hour shows, I think Chris is still the guy to beat. He has the personality, voice, and the talent to pull this off. While I thought that Michelle did a great job on Tuesday, she just doesn't have Chris' spark.

Friday, August 5th

Each contestant gets to make his/her final impression. Voting starts at 8:30 and runs through the weekend (noon Monday, I think, will verify!).

Nicole D. (5:30 - 6:30)
Chris T. (6:30 - 7:30)
Michelle H. (7:30 - 8:30)

Good luck to everyone!

Milwaukee's Next Talkstar Voting - READ!!

2005-07-31T06:56:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to vote this morning, and I couldn't access the site from the link at WISN's main page http://www.newstalk1130.com/main.html. I've been trying for over an hour, and once again, slow on the uptake, I looked closer at the link:

The link is broken...the link points to "themilwaukeetalkstar.com". Clicking on this link brings you to the "Cannot Find Server" page.

The correct address is www.milwaukeetalkstar.com

Trying.....to....avoid.....thinking.....conspiracy.....theory.......

This is careless. Will this affect the outcome of the contest if a lot of people are trying to vote and can't get to the voting page?????

Edited to soften my overreaction...

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star... Round 3 Thoughts

2005-07-31T05:44:00.000-07:00

Round 3 was a fun week, all of the contestants seemed to enjoy their 2 hour stints, I'm sure it gave them an appreciation on how difficult it could be to fill a whole 3 hour show with material, and then having to do it day after day after day....

My favorites for the week:

Chris T.
Michelle H.
Mike C.

I have a feeling that Chris and Michelle are certainly going to advance. While I would love to see Mike go to the next round, I have a feeling that Nicole's "magic," or whatever she has going for her, will continue to propel her forward.

Chris T did, by far, the best job this week, he was the only one who sounded like he could make a go of this. He's got a great radio voice, was a natural with callers, and had good topics. During his first round, he did a couple of topics that were controversial, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. A little controversy in the morning helps to get your blood pumping!!

My vote for the week is going to Mike, just to try to break Nicole's streak, I think Chris will have enough support to make it to the next round...

Off Topic, Sort of...

To be honest, I don't know if I would want this job. It is apparent, from listening to the other on-air talent at WISN, that none of them are too keen on this contest. What kind of working relationship would you be able to develop with any of these people if they have little or no respect for the process or the winner?

Side Note to Jerry Bott (rant on):

Do you think it would be possible to squeeze in a few MORE commercials?? Something nagged at me all week, and I didn't realize what it was until Andy's show on Friday (I'm a little slow on the uptake once in a while). Andy's show started at 6:40, and his first segment lasted 16 minutes... Here's a rundown:

6:40-6:56 Andy
6:56-7:09 News, traffic, commercials
7:09-7:12 Andy
7:12-7:16 Commercials
7:16-7:26 Andy
7:26-7:39 Paul Harvey, commercials

First "hour" of airtime for Andy: Approximately 29 minutes
News, weather, traffic, Paul Harvey: Approximately 7 minutes
Commercials: 24 minutes

I missed part of the second hour, but it was running along the same lines...

The traffic and weather reports are just another form of commercial, each report is tagged with at least one plug for whoever is sponsoring it.

If anything is going to make people want to change stations, throwing 6-12 commercials at them in a 4-minute period is going to do it. A 13-minute block of limited news, weather report, traffic report and commercial barrage at the top of the hour? How many listeners bailed during that time? If this is the new format for the early morning show, near non-stop commercials and a live person to fill in the brief gaps between them, I won't be sticking around...

Rant off!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: Round 3

2005-07-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

Round 3 begins today. Here is the lineup for the week:

Monday: Michelle H.
Tuesday: Mike C.
Wednesday: Nicole D.
Thursday: Chris T.
Friday: Andy B.

Each contestant will do a 2 hour show from 6:30-8:30. Voting will not begin until Friday morning, 8:30 am, and will run through the weekend, ending at noon on Monday (August 1). (updated Tuesday, July 26)

This will be a difficult week, not only for the contestants, but for the audience. You will only get one vote to help narrow the field to 3, so make it count! I'm not going to make up my mind about who I am going to vote for until after Friday's show, I want to hear each contestant go through his/her paces. I have my favorites (see post below), and if you've been reading previous posts, you know of my reservations about the overall voting process. Next Monday's announcement of the Final 3 should be interesting.

Good luck to all the contestants!

Monday, July 25: Michelle H.

For a Monday morning, and being the first of the 5 to do the 2-hour gig, I thought Michelle did a pretty good job. Her topics covered a wide range, from the John Roberts nomination to "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," to the local housing market and problems with co-workers. She had decent caller response, kept the show moving at a decent pace, and sounded like she was enjoying herself.

I think Michelle is a definite contender for the final 3.

Tuesday, July 26: Mike C.

Last time I commented on Mike, I said his show was like spending the morning with an old friend. Someone asked me about that, and I explained that listening to him was comfortable, he is an everyday guy.

I thought about that this morning, and it hit me: The reason I feel this way about Mike is because he is from the UP, and so am I. When I was a kid, we didn't have FM radio up there, all we had in Iron Mountain was WMIQ, "1450 on your radio dial!" and the on-air talent, for the most part, spoke with Yooper accents. Mike has that accent, although it's been somewhat "tamed" with years of living away from the UP. But you still hear it when he pronounces "talk" as "taaahk." So listening to Mike brings me back years and years, and I like it!

I thought he did a good show today. He had some technical difficulties with the phones and his microphone (too many darn buttons), but he recovered nicely. He had a great rapport with the callers, and he got good caller response on a wide range of topics, including The Packers...

And you just have to like a guy who describes Ted Kennedy as "gassy" and "bloviating."

He deserves to make the cut for the next round...

Wednesday, July 27: Nicole D.

Well, as the few of you who read what I write know, I haven't been a real fan of Nicole's since the first round. I thought two very good competitors who were much better than Nicole were eliminated going up against her. I'm not saying I don't still feel that way, but I thought Nicole ratcheted her performance up a couple of notches for this round.

Her speaking voice was more natural today (but not a good radio voice, in my opinion), she wasn't doing that awkward pronunciation stuff (emphasizing the wrong syllables in words) nearly as much as she did last time. Her choice of topics was OK, it seemed to be too chick-related at times for my taste, but then again, I'm a guy... I kind of enjoyed her rant on the people at the Brewers' game, and the followup calls were entertaining.

Whether she will advance to the next round... I don't know...So far I thought Michelle and Mike did better than Nicole, and Chris T should be formidable tomorrow. Time will tell!

Thursday, July 28: Chris T.

Well, folks, Chris is the man to beat in the Final 5. He did a bang-up job this morning, I thought he took control of the show, was confident, entertaining, and sounded professional. I would be very surprised if he doesn't make it to the next round, he is very deserving.

Chris discussed the local blogging community, and how he stirred up some controversy during his last appearance. He and Patrick at BadgerBlogger have been having some good debate in the comments section of Patrick's blog. He also gave Patrick a plug on the show, so I hope his site meter starts spinning faster! Chris also talked about some of the comments on Brew City Radio, and the conspiracy theories that are being theorized about the Talkstar competition (note to Chris: Brew City Radio is a chat/discussion board, not a blog!). No mention of my lowly blog, however...sniff

Nice job, Chris!

Friday, July 29: Andy B.

I missed part of Andy's show this morning due to a meeting at the plant, but I thought he did OK, he didn't have me on the edge of my seat, but he was nice to listen to as the week winds down. He drew quite a bit of caller response, but his topics were pretty generic (driving courtesy, barking dogs...).

I don't see Andy making it to the next round...

My thoughts on this week, and next week, soon to come!

OK, Can't Resist a Couple More....

2005-07-18T17:49:00.000-07:00

Two more birthday pictures of my darlings... They have been a lot of fun, I heartily endorse Boston Terriers to anyone who is thinking about a dog.... They're a big dog in a small dog body, they're sensitive, smart, and loving. That unconditional love, who could want more??

Happy Birthday Otto and Mavis!!

2005-07-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone?? Otto and Mavis turned one year old today. I couldn't find "doggy" birthday hats, so I made some for them (not as fancy as Mavis' Pope Hat, though...). I had to tire them out before they would wear them, and I only made them wear them long enough to get these pictures...

I love my puppies, although I should now call them dogs... Picked up Adult dog food for them tonight, and it made me sad, I want them to be puppies forever!!

Happy Birthday, kids!!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: The Final 5

2005-07-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

Mike C advances to the next round...

Well, I was 100 percent on my predictions for this round. The final 5:

Nicole D.
Michelle H.
Chris T.
Andrew B.
Mike C.

Going into the next round, hmmmm, I guess my favorites (again in no particular order) are:

Michelle H.
Chris T.
Mike C.

Next round starts on July 25th!!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star Round 2...

2005-07-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 15

Andrew B. advances to the next round.

Allen E. versus Mike C.

Allen "the Edge" did a better job than he did in the first round. He lost most of that "sing-song" thing he was doing, and was less the "radio jock." He's got a good voice, but for some reason, he just didn't ring real for me.

Mike did a great job today, listening to him was like spending the morning with an old friend. It was comfortable. Not sure if he has a chance of making it to the top 3, but I enjoyed him more than I did most of the contestants I listened to this week.

Mike gets my vote today.

Round 3 starts on July 25th!!

Thursday, July 14

Christopher T advances to the next round.

Dan M. versus Andrew B.

Both contestants did OK, but neither one of them set the airwaves on fire, in my opinion. None of their topics really caught my attention, but I was scurrying to get to work, running errands as I skedaddled, so maybe I wasn't attentive enough to get drawn in. I thought Andrew's hour was a little lighter and peppier. He gets my vote today!

Wednesday, July 13

Be sure to read the next post, and check out the comments. Also, stop over at BadgerBlogger to see what Patrick has to say about the contest!

As predicted, Michelle H advances to the next round.

Christopher T. versus Joe K.

I missed the first half of Chris' show, I overslept through 2 alarm clocks, and I've been behind with my day ever since! I thought Chris did an excellent job from what I did hear, he was entertaining and kept things moving at a nice pace. I definitely think he deserves to make the final 3!!

Joe K did a nice job with his show, and I could hear definite improvement in his delivery from his first day. His topic for just about the whole hour, customer service, was entertaining, and he drew quite a few callers. But he still speaks too slowly for my taste...

Chris gets my vote today!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star - Some Thoughts

2005-07-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

In the comments section two posts down, there is some discussion about how fair the voting is for the contest. If a contestant is able to garner more votes by getting friends, relatives, coworkers to vote for them, and some/many aren't regular listeners, does this skew the results? Will WISN really be giving the people what they want?

I said in the post that if there is a "friend factor," I hoped it would be diluted by high numbers of both new and old listeners voting. Is this happening, or is networking affecting the outcome of this contest?

One of the comments got me thinking:

Oh - and for those of you who didn't already know this, anytime one advances in life based upon popular vote, the winner is the person who does the best job of getting the word out.

Well said, and bullseye! This is the flaw in the way the voting/judging was designed for this contest. They took the steps to ensure that each IP address only got one vote, but they weren't able to do anything to make sure that those with a "vested interest," in other words, the listeners (old and new), are truly having their say.

The contest design should have taken the above quote into consideration so that the result would be:

...anytime one advances in life based upon popular vote, the winner is the person who does the best job.

How could have this been done? Well, hindsight being 20/20, I'll put on my Monday Morning Quarterback hat, sit down in my Armchair Quarterback chair, and offer this:

The "Friend Factor" could have been eliminated completely if voting had not been open to the entire world (literally, as we were told that someone in Germany cast a vote!). Before the 20 contestants were chosen, WISN should have registered listeners to form a panel. It could have been an anonymous panel of 10's, 100's, or 1000's (with computers, a large panel could be easily managed). And because people would not know who the contestants were going in, the judging panel would have likely been a broad, impartial representation of their current listenership. There would be little or no bias or perceived advantage for any of the competitors.

Yes, the problem with this is that new listeners would not be given the opportunity to vote. But is this a problem when WISN is likely trying to hang onto and improve their existing target demographics?? If the panel selects a contestant who is popular with their true listeners, would that not attract people of the same ilk?

Looks like I'm asking more questions than giving answers in this post. Please feel free to comment!

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star Round 2

2005-07-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 12

As predicted, Nicole D. will advance to the next round. I'm disappointed, I thought that Neal was probably in the top 2 or 3.

Michelle H. versus Pat C.

Again, two strong contenders did battle today. Michelle was one of my favorites going into this round, but Pat did a bang-up job today. His choice of topics and his caller response were very good. Also liked his voice, he paced himself better this time, and was enjoyable to listen to. I think this one is a toss-up. Although I am predicting Michelle to advance, my vote is going to Pat.

Michelle's hour went fairly well, she didn't have a whole lot of call volume. Her "Go Ride a Bike" segment didn't draw a lot of response. And she admitted something that didn't ring well with me. She talked about the e-mail campaign she launched to get people to vote for her. Personally, I don't think this is in the spirit of the competition, and not what the fine folks at WISN were anticipating. It's one thing to get out there and spread the word about the competition, but the way Michelle talked, all she was asking for was votes. She even said that her sister, temporarily in Germany, logged on to vote for her, she didn't say whether or not the sister actually listened to the show (which you can over the internet). Nothing in the rules that say you can't do that, apparently, but it just has the appearance of trying to stack the deck.

But if a weaker contestant could theoretically advance by getting everyone he/she knows to vote for him/her, how can the outcome be good? Maybe I'm overreacting to this as I don't know how many hundreds or thousands or 10's of thousands of people actually vote. Hopefully the "friend factor," if there is one, is diluted by high numbers of both new and old listeners voting.

Update: Apparently, I'm not the only one who is feeling this way. There are some interesting comments at Brew City Radio.

Will be interesting to see what happens during Round 3. I'm not going to make any speculations at this point, but I will say that I would love to see the voting numbers when all is said and done.

Monday, July 11

Nicole D. versus Neal L.

Round 2 started on Monday, July 11th. Two tough competitors today, I'm not sure how the voting is going to go. A disadvantage for both of them was winning the Monday morning slot, slow caller day! My thoughts:

Nicole did a nice job this morning, she didn't bring up any controversial topics like she did on her debut... I was surprised that she made it to the second round, I thought Brian, the guy she was up against, was more entertaining and sounded better. I still don't particularly care for Nicole's radio voice, she doesn't speak smoothly, she seems to emphasize the wrong words when she talks. And that bugs me!!

Neal, on the other hand, is a smooth talker. He has the radio voice. I thought he was doing a good job until he started the Latin Crooner "Hurricane Denise," that came totally out of left field for me (I thought I had bumped the radio dial and accidentally switched stations). Wacky radio thing, I guess... Once that ended, the rest of his hour went very well, even with no callers. This guy can carry a show on his own (but leave the Latin crooner home!).

I would like to see Neal advance to the next round, he is someone I could listen to in the morning. But I have a feeling that Nicole will get the nod...

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star: Predictions...

2005-07-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

One of the two or three people who stumble onto this blog occasionally asked if I would predict who will advance to Round 3 for this week. OK, what the heck!

I missed Jerry Bott's early morning introduction of today's competitors, so I don't know if he talked about how they matched everyone up for Round 2. I would imagine they drew names out of a hat. At least I hope that's what they did... I'm not going to start any conspiracy theories at this point.

My picks are based on what I heard during Round 1 and what I thought of each performer (see previous posts). Last week I listed who my favorites were going into Round 2, and I am sticking with most of them, except for Neal L, mostly due to "luck of the draw." I think Nicole D. will advance...

Here are my predictions, the bold names are who I think will advance:

Nicole D. versus Neal L.
Michelle H. versus Pat C.
Chris T. versus Joe K.
Dan M. versus Andrew B.
Allen E. versus Mike C.

Again, these are based on my Round 1 impressions. I'm sure all of the contestants will apply some fine-tuning based on feedback they received from friends, family, and maybe even some of the blogs that have been commenting on the contest.

Should be a fun week!

Shed Blogging...

2005-07-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Much progress again this weekend, but I really could have used another day or two... Would have been nice to get the roof completed, but that will have to wait. Hectic schedule for the next couple weeks, won't have much time for construction. Hope the weather stays dry!!

We finished off the north wall and got the rafters cut and installed, along with the fascia board. Was a lot of work, many measurements and cuts. If I ever do this again, I will definitely use pre-made trusses!!

Shed Update....

2005-07-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

Pictures tomorrow...Made major progress this week, we finished off the floor for the loft this evening. Putting in floor joists sucks!! It is very awkward and time-consuming, but at least it's done. I was surprised at how sturdy the building became when the upper floor was nailed in. This shed is a brick shithouse now...

Tomorrow, we start the roof...

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star...Round 1 Favorites

2005-07-05T04:56:00.000-07:00

Updated:

20 contestants have now been narrowed down to 10... My favorites going into Round 2:

In no particular order....

Christopher T (got to like a guy with a Boston Terrier)
Mike C (he's from the UP, that has to count for something)
Neal L (great voice...)
Michelle H (she did a great job, and has a nice voice)

These guys and girl sounded "bigger than life," for the most part. They were confident, had a lot to say, and had good voices for radio. That set them apart from the Average Joe contestant, in my opinion.

Round 2 starts on July 11...

Shed Project Update

2005-07-03T05:11:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that two days ago this was nothing but two piles of lumber. I'm very happy with how much progress we've made. Again, I certainly appreciated my neighbors coming over to help get the walls in place, there's no way two people could have done this...

A quick tour...In the top picture, you can see the north wall and the east wall, which will have an overhead door. The lower picture is the south wall, which will have a door and a sliding glass patio door (I want to be able to work on my furniture refinishing stuff out there, and I like having a lot of natural light).

We're going to try to get the floor for the upper level in today, roof goes on next weekend. Whoo Hoo!!

Blogger Images...

2005-07-03T04:57:00.000-07:00

Tried out the Blogger Images in the posts below. But I find that when I open the blog, the text that accompanies the photos doesn't show up until I scroll past the blog entry, then back up. Is this a glitch, or is it my IE?? It doesn't do this when I post photos with Hello...

Construction Observers: Otto and Mavis

2005-07-02T21:29:00.000-07:00

Otto and Mavis (Mavis is on the left) contentedly watch construction progress from the safety of their penned-in area...

Sorry, couldn't resist some shameless puppy-blogging....

Shed Project Update: We Have Walls!!

2005-07-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

But since we finished so late, no pictures until tomorrow...

Again, I am exhausted, it was a rough day. Too much sun, lots of sunburn, but we made a lot of progress. Will write more about that tomorrow when I have photos...

In this picture, we just finished the last wall...you can see all four laying there, the east wall is laying on top of the (very heavy) north wall.

Fifteen minutes after I took this picture, 5 neighbors showed up to help raise the walls. I'll tell you, it made my day to have these people give up part of their Saturday afternoon to pitch in and help me. I was thinking that this was going to take 2-3 hours to get the walls up, squared, and level, but my best friend Al and I must have done a VERY good job in building these walls. Each wall practically snapped into place, all four were up, level, square, and nailed together in about 30 minutes...

Tomorrow we will put in the floor for the upper level, and then I will let Al enjoy the rest of his weekend with his wife...

More pictures tomorrow...

Way Behind on Milwaukee's Next Talk Star...

2005-07-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

Where to begin....This damn shed building thing has me totally wrapped up right now. But while I tend to my sunburn, and rub liniment into my aching joints, I'll catch up on the contest:

June 29

First of all, shock here that Nicole D. advanced to the next round. The sound of crickets during her morning-after pill diatribe was an indication that she would be shown the door. Brian F. did a much better job, in my opinion...

Round 8: William S. versus Pat C.

Again, a hectic day all the way around, and didn't catch much of Pat. I quickly lost interest with Bill, he became background noise, for the most part. Yet another work emergency kept me from listening to much of Pat, but he was clearly better...

June 30

Pat C advanced to the next round...

Round 9: Christopher T. versus Aaron K.

All right, I will admit an immediate prejudice: Christopher T has a Boston Terrier (I have 2, Otto and Mavis). The puppies immediately picked up on this, and insisted that I vote for Christopher. I found him to be very entertaining, he has a great radio voice. I'm finding that the contestants who have theatrical training seem to have an edge...

Aaron had some problems, his topics weren't drawing a lot of callers, and I think it flustered him a little bit. But he did have some good things to say...

I think Christopher T moves ahead to the next round.

July 1

Christopher T indeed moves on to the next round. Hope he brings his pup in for his next gig (Bostons snort a lot, so you would know he/she was there...). Just as long as he doesn't turn him into "Spunky the Weatherdog," that was just plain wrong.

Round 10: John B. versus Michelle H.

I actually enjoyed both contestants. They drew the shortest straws, though. Who would want to have the early morning shift on a holiday weekend Friday?? Caller volume would be predictably light, but both contestants seemed to plan ahead for that, especially Michelle...

John drew some interesting callers talking about being salesmen, and I found that entertaining. I now know I could never be a salesman... He was also very well-spoken...

Michelle's hour was also pretty good. She was very prepared for low caller volume, she regaled us with vacation horror stories for the first part of the hour. Her first caller, I believe, was her best friend, and you could tell these two probably had even more stories to tell.

I think Michelle has the edge for this round, partly because she's a woman, and partly because she was able to carry her hour with little caller input.

Shed Project Continues

2005-07-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

The nearly finished south wall is on top of the completed north wall. West wall is in the background. Beyond that is the neighbor's dog taking a dump in another neighbor's yard. Bad Boomer!!

The Shed Project

2005-07-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

Here is the lumber that showed up on Wednesday morning. For $1,500, I was expecting a much larger pile...

Above it is a shot of our organized construction site after the first day. Very little wasted lumber, we definitely practiced the "measure twice, cut once" rule!

Construction started yesterday, we were off to a slow start while we figured out how to frame out the windows and doors. We started with the west wall, which was the "easiest." Took about 4 hours to get it done right (we're amateurs). The north wall was next, and it went much faster. The south wall followed, and we banged that one out in pretty short order (we're getting better).

I hurt in places I forgot I had by the end of the day.

Today we finish sheeting the south wall, and then build the east wall. Hopefully, by sunset, all four walls will be up, square, and level!

More to come...

Killdeer Update...

2005-06-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

June 26
I was at work today, and saw the killdeer babies out hunting for food with Mom and Dad... Sorry to report, only 2 of the 4 appear to be left. But they are growing fast, they are about 1/3 the size of the parents, and look just like miniature versions of them. I tried to get a picture, but they wouldn't let me get close enough...

The nest at the plant is still incubating...

June 27 Update:

Saw 3 chicks with the parents this morning, so 3 out of 4 are still with us...

June 28 Update:

The nest at the plant had 4 eggs in it this morning...I stopped at the plant at noon because I saw earth-moving equipment rolling around, and I wanted to point out the nest site. But when I walked over to the nest, the eggs were GONE! No shells, no mom, no dad, nothing! Could they have hatched and been up and gone between 8:00 and noon? Or did a rascally raccoon get them?

Well, I hope the former happened, but if it was the latter, that's nature. I know I would have felt awful if the nest had been run over by an errant bulldozer...

Milwaukee's Next Talk Star - Week 2

2005-06-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, June 28

Results from Round 6 are in: Mike C advances to the next round.

Round 7: Brian F. versus Nicole D.

Brian did a great job, I could easily listen to him in the morning. He kept things moving, topics light. He didn't have a lot of callers, but he didn't seem to be asking for them, and he really didn't need them. He was entertaining...

Nicole, Nicole, Nicole...Nothing is going to turn off a conservative early morning audience more than a diatribe on how the UW System should be passing out birth control/morning-after pills like the Easter Bunny does candy. Her first half hour was (over)spent talking about movies and the movie theatre experience. After the news break, she launched into a rant about how the proposed legislation prohibiting the UW System from handing out birth control was so unfair. Her logic ranged from "students don't have cars to get to drug stores" to "students don't have a lot of money, so if the UW can help them out, it's a good thing." Needless to say, caller volume dropped to zero... She tried to recover after the next break, but I think the damage was done.

I predict Brian F will advance.

Monday, June 27

Results from Round 5 are in: Dan M advances to the next round. I thought Roi E was going to get the nod. I was 4/5 for the week...

Round 6: James T. versus Mike C.

Hmmmm, listening to attorneys chatting on a Monday morning. I caught most of James' show, but wasn't really impressed with what I heard. He used to do standup, and I think he thought he was funnier than he was (wasn't). At one point he lamented the fact that with radio, you couldn't tell if you were bombing or not. A lack of callers would have been my first clue...

Only caught about 10 minutes of Mike's show, but I liked what I heard. He had a lot more energy, something we all need on a Monday morning. Plus he is from the UP (upper Michigan) where I'm from, and I always root for the home boy.

I think Mike C will advance to the next round.