Daily Dose of BS July 31 status quo

How would you like the national media to ask questions of almost everyone that you ever talked to, and have those questions be super personal?  How about every decision that you have ever made in your life be scrutinized and gone over with a fine tooth comb?  Or have no anonymity for the rest of your life?  Have your life in danger every time you go somewhere, or have to worry about the crazies?  All for $400,000 per year I don’t think so.  I don’t know why anyone would want the job of being President of the United States of America.  I just heard on the radio this morning that now the Speaker of the House is suing the President because he was doing his job.  The reason for suing rather than ask for an impeachment is because they think they will have a better chance of winning.  What about us Americans when are we going to win, when there is politicking in DC there is unrest, when there is unrest there is fighting and when there is fighting there is nothing getting done, when there is nothing getting done I guess that is status quo in Washington DC.  Lets stop the fighting.  And lets get things done.

Daily Dose of BS July 30 call back

What is the proper time to return a message?  Is it different for personal rather than professional?  I try to return messages within the next day part, or at least by the next day.  I dislike when I leave either a voice mail message or an email or a text to someone and I don’t hear back from them.  As I am writing this I feel as though I should clarify if it is someone who I am reaching out to for the first time, or someone I am trying to book as a guest on my show, I am ok with them not getting back to me right away but if it is a friend, or a family member I do wish for a return in the communication as soon as possible.  Unless they can’t or there is something wrong.  I tend to have an active imagination and when I don’t hear back from a loved one I tend to awfulize what has happened to them when they don’t call back, and no one likes to picture a friend upside down in a ditch.  

Daily Dose of BS July 29 waste

My mom would always say waste not want not.  I have been a believer of this for most my life as I think that we waste too much stuff as Americans.  Look at anyone’s pile on garbage day.  We throw away everything.  I drove by my neighbors the other day and they were throwing away an old waterbed set.  I took the drawers to make bed frames for the family cabin.  It often bugs me at what gets thrown away as there are many people in need that could use much of what is tossed.  I know when the big push for everyone to start using the flat screen tvs that many perfectly good tvs were placed out in the alleys and boulevards.  It really bugs me when bikes get thrown away and the scrappers grab them, I could name 3 kids right now that could use a bike.  And when it comes to food we throw away tons.  What can be done about this problem?

Daily Dose of BS July 28 brothers

I got to hang out with my brothers over the weekend.  It is funny we talked about mostly just stuff from when we were kids, no real life changing stuff but enough to make us laugh most of the night.  I don’t get the chance to just hang out with my brothers very often, in fact I think this was the first time that the three of us have hung out without anyone else probably since we were kids.  There usually is a spouse or kid or friend also in the mix.  We didn’t solve any world issues but we didn’t cause any either, we just kicked back and BS’ed.  Sunday morning brought our Dad into the mix he brought over a bottle of Sunny Brook that used to be his fathers, Grandpa Schmidt has been gone for over 25 years and toasted his life and our lives, and talked smack,  it is good to have family.  Best line of the weekend is when my youngest brother said it sure is great to figure out what to do when there are three type A personalities in the room.  

Daily Dose of BS July 25 media race

In the race to be the first to report on something is the media airing info that shouldn’t be aired?  Yesterday there was a horrific accident on I-90 where there was a fatality it was all over the media, including this radio station.  We reported what had happened and painted the picture as radio can.  On facebook there were photos of the crash site, and the smoke and fire the engulfed the area.  Our local tv stations had crews on the scene shortly after it happened reporting what had happened and today the newspaper has the pictures on the front page of the paper, are we thinking of the families when something like this happens?   Or in our rush to get the news or big story out first we overlook the people involved?  As I look at those pictures as a father and can’t help but to wonder what if that was my child, or a loved one, or someone that was my best friend and I saw it somewhere in the media or heard about it from an acquaintance that happened.   It makes me wonder if in our race to the top if we are on a race to the bottom?  

Daily Dose of BS July 24 drugs

I see we have mobile meth labs now in La Crosse, not that they are new to the area but are now more brought to the forefront of attention with the arrest earlier this week.  I had a chance to talk with the Police Chief about this on the air yesterday and am angered that we as tax payers have to pay for the cleanup from the chemical mess that these drugs cause.  If a drug manufacturer is making their meth in a hotel room or any enclosed space it costs thousands of dollars to clean that room afterward because of the chemicals and the health hazards that it cost to fix.  How do we stop the drugs?  Since I am talking about drugs I have a question about the Len Bias law, if it states that if someone dies because of drugs you gave to them, you get charged with murder why wouldn’t it also have in there if a person you gave drugs to who almost died that you get charged with attempted murder?

Daily Dose of BS Jule 23 customer service

What ever happened to customer service?  I went into a well-known business and waited 25 minutes before anyone from the business even said hello.  As a consumer it is annoying to go to a place that you spend hundreds of dollars a month just to have their service, and have them offer you no hello.  The deals that these businesses put out are for new consumers if you read their small print, what about keeping a long time customer happy and keeping them as a lifelong customer?  I think that this category of business needs to learn customer service, since the majority of us use their services.  I would also bet that this category of business would have the worst of customer service records in the industry.  Which businesses do you think have the worst of customer service and what should they do to fix this problem?  

Daily Dose of BS July 22 air conditioning

I broke down yesterday and turned on the air.  I had only had it on one other day this year but with the heat and the humidity it was time.  When growing up in Roseville, Minnesota we had central air, however I can only recall a handful of days that the air got turned on at the Schmidt house, if we were hot we could go in the basement, it was always cooler down there and there was a ping pong table and a tv.  Fast forward 25 years and I can hear my Dad coming out of me, if you are hot you can go down stairs to watch tv or ride your bike over to the pool.  Anyway I broke down and closed up the house, shut the shades and set the air to 78.  It is still much cooler than outside and with the fans on it isn’t bad and if I need it cooler I can always go downstairs to watch tv, or go to the frozen foods isle at the grocery store.  

Daily Dose of BS July 21 checks

A friend of mine posted on facebook yesterday that she was stuck behind someone writing a check.  And then continued to ask who still uses checks.  The check book comes out when paying bills but when it comes to purchasing things in stores I tend to either use my debit card or credit card that way I have proof that I bought it.  There have been many times that I misplace or loose a receipt and want to return it, so for me using a card works for my purchases.  Are you still a check writer or are you using plastic or cash to make your purchases?  And do you think that it is bad to write checks?

Daily Dose of BS July 18 KISS

Kiss is my favorite band.  I have liked them since the first time I heard Beth.  In fact I remember in 4^th grade Mr Gray had a Beth 45 and I won it somehow.  I don’t remember how but it was mine all mine.  When I first started off in radio I got the chance to meet the band as an intern at Hot Rockin 104 in Minneapolis.  It was a dream come true, I got to hang out in the same room as Paul Stanley.  I later got to go back stage at the show with my buddy Jason, who was wearing leather pants, it was the 80’s after all, and Gene Simmons said to him cool pants, Jason started to tell him about the pants Gene just said I didn’t ask for the story but thought they were cool.  I later got to meet some other bands, lots of authors, and politicians, and a sitting president, but my memory of meeting Kiss will always rank up toward the top.  Who have you met?  

Daily Dose of BS July 17 lights

The light at Market and West needs to be fixed.  Almost every morning it is red and there are no cars around.  Why not turn it to flash yellow, or weight it like some of the others around there but to have the light cycle through at 5 in the morning is ridiculous.  Who should I contact?  What stink do I need to make, should I picket?  If I do are you in?  My Mom and Step Dad were down from the cities to watch the kids play ball and yesterday we had a game at Trempealeau so we stopped to eat at the Trempealeau Hotel, I have never been there before, but it was funny first person I saw when I walked in was my buddy Todd, then later in the evening I ran into Lisa.  I like to try new things when at a new place and heard of the walnut burger at the Trempealeau Hotel, I tried it with the potato wedges, and washed it down with a New Glarus Moon Man.  What a great night, btw my daughters softball team won.  

Daily Dose of BS July 16 library

How much does the location of a library or a school play into where you live?  Is it really all about location, location, location when you do buy a house?  I specifically bought my house on the south side of La Crosse because it was located close to a library.  When I grew up in Roseville Minnesota we lived about a block from the local library and I was there often, it was in the late 70’s and early 80’s a place to go that was safe, a place for meeting friends and a place for information and I have always craved information.  When I was looking to buy a house in La Crosse I was looking for that as well, I knew I wanted kids and wanted them to have the same opportunity that I had growing up living close to a library.  About a year ago there was talk about closing my south side library and I see that it got a reprieve of a year.  This reprieve includes less hours and no weekend hours.  I guess I will take it but isn’t there a better solution?  

Daily Dose of BS July 15 comic books

If you were like me when you were a kid and didn’t really like reading but read cause you had to then today will be a sad day for you.  I remember buying a box of old comics at a garage sale it was jammed full of old Archie comics, there were Garfield and old Snoopy comic books in the box, also old Ripley’s Believe it or Not and lots of Guinness Book of World Records, it was a non-readers dream come true, I could pretend to be looking at the pictures and really read what was going on with the characters.  That box was my entry into reading, and into facts as I read and reread the Guinness and the Ripley’s I also enjoyed the antics of the gang from Riverdale, I read this morning with sadness that they have killed off Archie.  What has the world become when a non-violent comic book hero is killed?  

Daily Dose of BS July 14 police

As a home owner I enjoy seeing the cops roam the neighborhoods.  But as a driver, I do not. I saw three police cars this morning and a sheriff’s car on my way into work.  In fact one of the cop cars was sitting at the end of my alley as I was turning out he did a y turn and ended up following me, he was on my tail for over a mile on three different streets, even though I was doing nothing wrong I had the feeling I was going to be pulled over, I wasn’t.  I really dislike when a cop is driving behind you cause you feel like any little deviation of the norm the light will be flipped on.  Ever wish you had ticket writing ability?  I often do, it is funny when you are minding your own business, any witnessing some stupid blatant disregard of the law there is never a police officer to see, and you want to step in to write it up.  I know I would like to write up a few tickets but would certainly never like to be a cop.  If you could write a ticket what would it be for?  

Daily Dose of BS July 11 gas

It just hit me that the summer for kids is just about half way done.  Have you done anything yet this summer to write home about?  There have been the local fests like Riverfest,  June Dairy Days, Freedomfest,  Logger Games, kids ball games, camping, boating and summer picnics.  It seems like more and more that once it gets here, it is gone.  I remember when I was a kid that summer seemed to last forever by the time August rolled around that I was so ready to go back to school.  Kids now a days have so much stuff packed in to their lives are they even getting a chance to be kids?  Yesterday for example had to go to Winona for a baseball game, stopped by Bloedows, the Fleet store and got gas, amazing that gas just 30 miles to the north was 28 cents cheaper than in La Crosse. I filled up all nine gallons worth.  

Daily Dose of BS July 10 IRS

I am able to access my emails from 10 or more years ago.  Most of the things I have said on the radio have been archived as well.  I am guessing if you go to my mom’s house there will be art from when I was a kid.  I don’t understand how a governmental agency an agency that is in charge of our payments to the government, loses its emails unless it has something to hide.   There is also information that is being talked about today about an instant messaging system that was being used for off the record communication.  I don’t get this what about being transparent or being the new better irs.  Will justice be served, will we ever find out what was said in the confines of the irs?  I guess only the walls will know.  

Daily Dose of BS July 9

Couple things I am thinking about today.  First of all the other day I heard the TSA in other countries are going to make sure that cell phones, computers and tablets turn on before allowing them to be brought on to a plane as checked luggage for people flying into America, that doesn’t make any sense as if someone who could make a bomb that small couldn’t make it so that a piece of electronics that could power on.  We really need to think about things before we say them.  If I thought of this I am guessing that a terrorist has also thought of this.  Also the US government is going to start deporting children who end up crossing the border without a parent or guardian, I thought that this was already happening?  

Daily Dose of BS July 8 cell phones

July is cell phone courtesy month.  What are some of the things you have seen people do on their cell phone?  I really dislike when people talk loud on their cell.  That is one of my biggest pet peeves well that and when the phone is answered at the most inappropriate times, like any time there is conversation going on, or when standing in line at the store or at church.  Yep I saw that, and boy was it inappropriate.  Other irritants when dealing with a phone has to do with texting while having conversation or looking at facebook or playing games when you are supposed to be paying attention. How are you going to be celebrating the rest of cell phone courtesy month?

HOW TO BREEZE THROUGH THE ER:

Tips from an Emergency Room physician on how to speed up your treatment …

Always have a wallet card that lists your health history. Often, during the panic of an ER visit, patients are either physically unable to relate it or too anxious to remember details. Wallet cards should contain the following data-

 Name, address, date of birth, insurance information.

 Next of kin, who to contact in case of emergency.

 Past health conditions, since birth (even childhood asthma).

 Past surgeries, since birth.

 All medications, including recent short term treatments.

 Allergies.

Pre-treating your symptoms can shave hours off your ER visit. Treatments might include …

 Acetaminophen (ie: Tylenol) for fever.

 Gravol for nausea and/or vomiting.

 Diphenhydramine (DPH) antihistamine for allergic reaction.

Bring in all your assistive devices, whether they be corrective eyeglasses, a special brace to walk, or a hearing aid to hear. It allows doctors to compare your function in the ER to your baseline function at home.

Stick to the real emergency. Trying to also sneak in a reassessment of a chronic condition can distract and delay an ER doc from recognizing the acute emergency condition that you actually came to the hospital to have treated.

From the “Huffington Post”

Daily Dose of BS July 7 water

As I was driving in to work this morning I heard a story about how in Detroit that they are now requiring homeowners to pay for their water or risk getting it turned off.  The news guy then played a clip of a woman that said what kind of government would allow this.  My question is what kind of government wouldn’t do this?  It is not the government’s job to keep you in food and shelter is it?  What kind of government would allow for water to be shut off?  Really?  I think any responsible government.  The more I think of this the more it bugs me.  I pay my bills when they come if I can’t afford something I don’t buy it.  If I still can’t afford it I find a second or a third job.  If we all had the mentality of what kind of government, we would be in a lot worse situation than we are now.  I think that the city of Detroit is doing the right thing, pay your bills or risk losing whatever it is that you are supposed to be paying for shut off. 

Daily Dose of BS July 3rd - 4th of July

God bless America.  Land that I love.  We are blessed to live in a great country, a country that lets us be who we want to be and a country that gives us the freedom to stand up for what we believe in, a country that offers opportunity, and equal rights.  America, the freest nation on earth, let’s all enjoy each other’s company over the 4^th of July.  Independence Day.  A time for family and friends, I remember as a kid having family kick ball tournaments at my mom’s cousin’s family.  I also recall have watermelon seed spitting contests and great barbeque food and pot lucks.  I also remember falling in love with deviled eggs at these picnics and you can’t forget about the fireworks.  Enjoy the Independence day celebration that you celebrate.  

Daily Dose of BS July 2nd lack of respect

Total lack of respect.  I am seeing more people with lack of respect to not only themselves but too many around them.  I was driving down West Avenue the other day heading south and in the north bound lane there were two punks on long boards holding up traffic kind of doing a little free styling in the middle of the road.  Really?  Get off the road and allow cars to pass.  This goes for anyone holding up traffic.  As for the lack of respect for themselves look at the pants, it is not only disrespectful to themselves but to others around them.  I am all for being unique, being outside the box, I do get that.  March to the beat of your own drum, that is cool, but to follow the lead of others and to have your pants hanging so low that I see your entire ass, not cool at all.  I have no time for that, and also what would your mother think?  

Daily Dose of BS July 1 2 years and counting

Two years ago today we started with a new radio station Today’s Talk 1490.  I was hired as the morning guy and charged with making a show.  Here it is two years later and still loving it.  There were some growing pains, and some changes and swaps but after all said and done, I am pleased with the direction of things.  Those first few days were scary, I wasn’t sure if I had made the right decision but I do believe that I have.  I would like to take this moment to thank all that made this possible from Pat Smith, Deb Brague, and Tom Nankival to all the sales, programming, traffic and bookkeeping at the station, you can’t forget about the awesome front end people as well.  I have an awesome supportive family and friends that are second to none.  If not for all of the above and the countless others who have made these last two years the best ever, I thank you.   It is the guests that I have interviewed who have taught us and I can’t forget the best listeners anywhere.  Thanks for making this past two years so great and here is to 22 more years.