Daily Dose of BS June 30 storms

It is amazing what some rain and wind can do to a community.  I don’t know about your neighborhood but in my south side La Crosse neighborhood we had some damage.  I was watching tv with a couple of my kids when my son said dad a tree just fell outside, he has lots better hearing than I.  We looked in between rain drops and sure enough a large branch from the house across the street came down.  We waited the storm out then did a bit of exploring in the hood, from lots of loose branches littering the streets to big limbs that have been blown off decades old trees.  In the alley a half a tree blew across the street and landed in the apron of my alley.  The garbage cans from both sides of 16^th up and down my alley were bowled over, thank goodness for the big cans and that garbage day was only a few days before otherwise there would have been stuff strewn as far as you could see.  I hope your cleanup is fast and painless. 

Daily Dose of BS June 27 car rides

I was talking to my buddy suit last night at our twice weekly meet up at the ball field, in between watching the kids play ball we were telling stories of being a kid growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, how we thought we had it tougher than our kids do now.  The biggest laughs were when we were talking about trips -the dreaded car trip.  I so remember jumping in the little hatchback with my two brothers and I in the back seat and mom and dad in front, dad always drove and mom was the co-pilot it was way before gps, it was all maps and bad smelling coffee.  There was a trip when my brothers and I were particularly rambunctious and both mom and dad asked us many times to quiet down.  Finally the breaking point was when dad raised his voice saying if I hear one more word I am pulling the car over.  We were quiet for what seemed like hours, my brother Frank finally reached over to my side of the car and smacked Brian in the head while his eyes were closed, he yelled at me, dad yelled at us all and did as he promised and pulled the car over, a cop happened to see us pull over and did as well.  This is the reason I am friends with cops to this day. 

Daily Dose of BS June 26 cell phones

I think that the US Supreme Court has it right.  I agree with their ruling that the police cannot search your phone without a warrant.  I am not a bad guy a trouble maker but I think that my phone should be private.  If I ever get arrested and I hope that I don’t but if that ever happens I would hope that my phone would be off limits, it seems as though now it is.  I wonder though if this also pertains to texting and driving laws.  No officer I was not texting and no you may not see my phone.  I also wonder if it is the same if I am in a secure place where you are not supposed to take pictures let’s say the White House, and I do take a selfie, or a cool sighting of something, and my phone gets taken away forever if they would go through my phone.  I guess it is nice that the ruling is there but will it really be taken seriously, I just came up with two holes in the ruling while I was typing this.  But I really do think this is the right direction. 

Daily Dose of BS June 24 bad bosses

Is your boss a wimp or a coward?  I used to work at a place where I do believe that they were, at least some of the time.  The boss I am thinking about came across as an ass so you ended up being afraid of him.  I was talking to a friend of mine who just got a new job that went to this boss and asked for a raise, and was told no, because he was already making more than he should, and that if he did more he would get paid more.  I am telling you that this friend of mine is a hard worker and was always ready to bust his hump to help out and to pick up an extra shift or help when he could.  The above example is what is wrong with many businesses they put people in charge that have no business being in charge and do not know how to manage people, when you are afraid to approach your boss or have fear that you are going to lose your job because you have a suggestion.  That is a sign of a bad boss.  I would think to be a good boss you need to listen, and then react like my boss does not react without listening like too many other bosses do.  

Daily Dose of BS June 23 bathroom rules

I got an early morning text from a friend of mine asking me two questions, one of them is something I have heard of before and the other, well you decide.  The questions were if you and your significant other goes to a friends house and the man has to use the facilities, do you sit as to avoid collateral splashing?  My first reaction is huh?  What?  And lose my man card.  Nope, nada, no way.  The second part of that text was do you look in the medicine cabinet when you are at someone’s house?  For me it is the same answer no way.  There are privacy issues there plus I really don’t care what type toothpaste or aspirin that someone uses.  I don’t even like to go into my wives purse to get something or look at her phone.  That is her business, just like medicine cabinets are the home owners business.  I guess what I’m trying to say is mind your business.  

Daily Dose of BS June 20 gas prices

Pharrell Williams hit song is Happy.  The American population as a whole I bet will not be too happy with a new Congress bipartisan bill that would raise the federal gas tax by 12 cents per gallon, in two annual hikes of 6 cents each.  The reason they are giving is for highway road repair and bridge work.  I guess I understand the higher taxes for each of these items, because we do all benefit from the use of the roads.  Even if you are a die-hard I don’t drive person, you eat don’t you or use the roads in some form or another right?  What I don’t agree with is the ever increasing gas prices.  I have heard that we as Americans are sitting on a huge gas reserve and that there is more gas under the state of North Dakota than there is in Iraq, if that is the case why don’t we work on effectively getting the gas from here, stop paying other countries governments money and then work on trying to wean ourselves off of gas by the time that our gas runs out?

Daily Dose of BS June 19 power and cable

We take our power for granted.  You turn on a light and the light goes on, you flip on the tv same thing.  Many of us have lost power either with a glitch or a full fledge power out.  Hard to imagine life without the daily habits that we have come accustom to.  Could you imagine life without your lights, computer, oven or fridge.  Many of us use devices to help us sleep like a c-pap or similar device, if we were without power we couldn’t get a good nights sleep, have lights or computer.  I am taking a huge step, today I am quitting cable tv, I have been a subscriber of wire for many, many years, in fact I don’t remember a time as an adult that I didn’t have cable tv.  So to the people in charge at the wire, I hold you responsible for this, as you changed the deal, you imposed new rules and raised the rates, and stopped caring for the us the customer.  I just got to figure out how to dvr my shows.  

Daily Dose of BS June 18 gnats

There is a reason they are called bugs, they bug you.  With two of my four kids playing ball this summer and my love of sitting the deck in my back yard, I have been inundated with the pesky little flying gnats.  I have heard from different people about their secret sauce for getting rid of these flying pests but none of the ways have worked for me, I have tried vanilla, a soapy concoction of water, I have sprayed the yard and the deck, I have tried burning citronella candles, and bug spray.  I am out of ideas.  These gnats have spread everywhere they get in your eyes up your nose and in your hair, for me it is my beard.  If anyone has a sure fire way of getting rid of the gnats, or at least how to make them stop bugging you please share.  By the way why is there a silent G in gnat, and gnome, and a phonetically modified ph in phone and psychologist?  I know it’s to bug us. 

Daily Dose of BS June 17 life can change

Life can change in a moment.  I was driving into work this morning when I came across a huge house fire in Onalaska.  I stopped and asked a few questions for my job, it was a new construction and no one was living there according to the Onalaska Police Department.  It made me think about how life can change in a snap a blink of an eye a look away from the steering wheel.  Life is short we don’t need to add to the shortness by adding to our own demise, I am talking about the choices we make daily, to pull out in front of the car on the highway, to text and drive to just not pay attention.  We do stupid things that can affect our lives each and every day.  

Daily Dose of BS June 16 fathers day thanks

I hope that the Dad’s out there enjoyed their day as much as I did.  I woke up to the dog barking and let him out read the paper, talked to a neighbor walking by, by the time the first family member got up.  I was showered with love through-out the day from Happy Father’s day to cards to the oldest taking the family out to breakfast to a can of my favorite iced tea and a bag of chips.  Not only did I get to spend the day being showered with love by my kids I also got to spend time with my own Dad, and we had the chance to double BS since I am Bob junior he is the master BS’er.  I also got asked from one of the kids the question I think that every kid asks- when is kids day.  I had the same answer that I was given and am sure everyone of you got as an answer when you asked it.  Every day is kids day, so kids enjoy your todays.  

Daily Dose of BS June 13 fathers day

Do dads get the short end of the stick?  I always remember on Mothers Day when I was a kid that we and by we I mean my brothers and I would always do something above and beyond for our Mom, we would be nice to each other and offer up our services to help with chores around the house pick flowers and give plenty of hugs and kisses.  For Fathers Day we would punch the oldman in the arm, and tell him Happy Fathers day and move on.  When I look back on those times I don’t feel as though I did anything wrong, but now I try to do the same for both my Mom and my Dad.  This year for Fathers Day my Dad is going to be coming down to La Crosse and I am going to be taking him out on the Mississippi river.  Dad’s are often over looked as a caregiver as well, I recall when my kids were little and I would watch the kids, and someone would always say oh you are babysitting, how nice.  As a parent it is my job to parent not baby sit.  For all the lessons taught both when I was a child and now I thank you Dad and remember I love you.  Happy Fathers Day. 

Daily Dose of BS June 12 not my job

On Lang drive there are two pieces of wood that have been there for at least the last two days.   I have driven over, around and past these two pieces of wood at least 15 times.  I have contemplated on stopping and picking them up, but whose job is it?  As a citizen of a community is it your responsibility to stop and right a wrong?  Is it the street departments?  Is it the police or fire departments?  I guess I would like to know.  It is kind of funny to see this get driven over thousands of times, I am guessing at least 50 thousand time maybe even more and not have anyone pull it off the road.  How many different city employees have driven over it or highway workers have seen it and not stopped to pull it off.  Heck I have been by it at least 15 times.  Whose job is it to pick it up?

Daily Dose of BS June 11 cable tv

So I missed Inside Edition and America’s Got Talent last night.  I turned on my TV yesterday after work and to my dismay it didn’t work.  I checked the other TV in the house and guess what it didn’t work either, and then I remembered what a listener told me the other day about the cable company charging for digital boxes.  I didn’t think I had to worry about them because I have the basic-ist of the basic cable, guess what I do.  I called the cable company and talked to a great customer service person who really did help me.  Said all I had to do was go to the cable company and pick up my box not a problem.  Here was where the problem came, I was north of Onalaska and thought I could come down 12^th Ave under the interstate, it was closed off  (had to drive a couple miles out of the way just to drive back).  I got the cable company had to park in the grass, I guess I wasn’t the only one who waited till the TV didn’t work to fix it.  I walked in saw a bunch of people I knew, was directed to take a number, I chose not to and to just leave, I hope today is faster.  I really dislike that the cable company has us jumping through hoops to just watch TV.

Daily Dose of BS June 10 county admin

As a tax payer, is it good money for the county of La Crosse to pay $4.6 million for the Associated Bank building in downtown La Crosse to become the new administrative center.  Apparently this is a fair price since it is based on an assessed value for the 50,000-square-foot building, and a total of 184 parking spaces.  I read that this will spur new development that will bring as much as $38 million more in tax base with the new buildings.  Do you think this will be a good investment?  Will it pay off in the future for the county and in return the city since it is in the city of La Crosse? 

Daily Dose of BS June 9 don't we all deserve love?

Doesn’t everyone deserve the chance at love?  I think that they do.   On Friday the state of Wisconsin joined the growing number of states where federal judges have struck down same-sex marriage bans.  Over the weekend many same sex couples stood in line in attempt to obtain a marriage license, and get married.  I know many gay people and I know that most did not choose this way of life, why would you choose to be constantly ridiculed and looked down on by so many.  I don’t know this to be fact but wouldn’t the discrimination that the gay population is going through now what women went through and blacks went through and other people who are or were discriminated against have gone through?  I don’t think that you have to embrace the lifestyle but to accept is the first step.  I am confused don’t we all want happiness and love?

Daily Dose of BS June 6 sleep

We all have our tricks for fooling ourselves into a longer night’s sleep. I do not get when people knowingly set their bed room clocks ahead, so they get the illusion of sleeping in. Can’t you do math when your alarm rings, you know that it is really whatever time you set your alarm for minus what you set your clock ahead, to me this doesn’t work. What about the person who sets their alarm for an hour earlier than when they are supposed to get up and then reset the alarm for a later time? What, why would you do this, you are losing that hour of good sleep by disrupting it. Do not even get me started on the snooze, again you are losing that extra time of good sleep with what a 9 minute nap, and if you add your moved ahead clock to the time you have on the snooze wouldn’t it just be easier to not trick your mind, and get up when your alarm rings? I wake up when my alarm rings, I listen to a couple of news stories then I get up and go. What is you early morning wake up trick?

Daily Dose of BS June 5 under watch

You can’t scratch yourself without someone knowing. There are cameras here and there and there and there and they seem like just about everywhere. More and more people are getting cameras on their private property, there are hidden cameras in lots of stores and even soon cameras on the streets of La Crosse. Google has given us neighborhood pictures and NSA has given us satellite pictures, who is to say that there is someone out there that can stream those images? We are under constant surveillance, so with all this technology why is it that we still have to wait for a stop light to change from red to green when we are the only ones there? I know someone is watching and they getting their kicks.

Daily Dose of BS June 4 out to eat

Living in a smaller town we miss out on some of the restaurant chains that are out there, I really like to go to Noodles when traveling, I have seen the ads for Chili’s never been I would like try them, also would like to try Long John Slivers.  I like eating at Pot Bellys in Madison and Chicago, for a great sub sandwich.  The In and Out Burger was the hit of the trip out to California.  Growing up I loved Ferrells, Bridgemans, Zantigo and Burger Chef.  Don’t get me wrong I love all the locally owned home cooking place that we have around here, and I do have my favorites.  But, what restaurant chain would you like to see come into the La Crosse area?  

Daily Dose of BS June 3 graffiti

For the second time in four months someone broke in to the construction site of the new North Side Elementary School. This time someone spray painted “teach safe sex” then smeared paint with a gloved hand on an untreated wall, meaning that even though the wall was scrubbed, the graffiti was still visible. The cynic in me wants to say maybe your parents should have followed your message, but that would be rude. There are other ways to get your message across, go to social media, hold up a sign, buy some ads, join a civic group, I could go on. What happen to the golden rule and why would you want to deface someone else’s property? This little trick is going to cost between 5 and ten thousand dollars to clean up.

Daily Dose of BS June 2 negotiate

What happened to “We will not negotiate with terrorists?”  Do not get me wrong, I am glad that Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been released after almost five years in captivity, I think it is awesome and inspiring that Sgt. Bergdahl went into the service and I also feel for his parents and the rest of his family, BUT why did we negotiate with terrorists?  Won’t this just open doors for others to come in and take a hostage, or come up with another demands.  I expect this to keep happening because I we all know once that a wedge is started, once an inch is given, the foundation begins to erode fast.