Daily Dose of BS Jan 31 SOTU

I may be a little groggy this morning, I watched the entire State of the Union speech by President Donald Trump.  I am not sure how I feel about it, there was a lot of grandstanding as there always is.  There were a few points that I had no idea about like lowest unemployment in 45 years.  Let's just think about that for a minute, there are more people working now than ever.  I found out that together, we are building a SAFE, STRONG, and PROUD America.  I agree with this also, we are a safe, strong and proud country.  I believe that the President is trying to do the right thing for our country, in fact, I believe that most of our elected officials are trying to do what they think is right for our country but we live in a world where people are headstrong and willing to argue just for arguments sake, there is no give even the slightest give among most people especially politicians.  I think that we and by we I mean all of us need to work better to compromise and learn to see things from more than just our own eyes, to try to see what others around us are seeing and feeling and all of us work for not only a better country for all but a better life for ourselves, also on these SOTU speeches maybe they could hold the applause until the end so that it could wrap up faster.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 30 straws

A couple of years ago I was in Boston with my son and I was charged for a bag at a few different places, I thought it was odd, I found out it was a law to cut back on bag pollution or litter.  Boston isn’t the only place that charges for bags there is a growing number of cities that are charging for plastic bags including Chicago.  I wonder if that includes a fee for garbage bags?  The reason I bring up the bags this morning is that the state of California wants to ban just handing out straws at dine in restaurants, meaning you have to ask to get a straw. And if the server just gives out the straw without being asked there is a proposed 1,000 dollar fine.  This is absurd, I am not much of a straw user but when I want one I want one.  I guess if I were to say saying any thing about this law is that it sucks, well not really I guess. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 29 foodstamps

Governor Scott Walker has said on many occasions that welfare is supposed to be more like a trampoline rather than a hammock.  Last week Walker called for a special session for lawmakers to consider a package that would impose more restrictions on food stamps and Medicaid.  The efforts to ban the purchase of junk food and pop with food stamps is ongoing.  This and the whole passing of drug testing is where the work for welfare movement in the state of Wisconsin are heading.  The state is also looking to the “idle population” back into the workforce.  The state of Wisconsin already has an unemployment of 3% how much lower could we go?  What do you think the right choice for the state should be? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 26 felony

Headline story this morning in the Tribune “Felony cases spiked in 2017” lead by drugs and bail jumping.  The La Crosse County DA’s office filed 1,184 felony cases last year up 21% from the year before.  Most of the cases were non-violent bail jumping and extradition cases, add to that a growing number of felony drug possession cases, even the smallest amount of meth and heroin is a felony.  Then mix in the people who are released and while released are committing more crimes and we have more felonies for the year.  The numbers also show that last year the number of burglary charges jumped by 90 % last year to 110 as well as the growing number of forgery cases.  According to the La Crosse Police, the drug issue within our community are one of the primary driver of our property crimes.  What should be done? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 25 phones

The happiness, self-esteem and life satisfaction of American Teens are closely tied to their phones.  In a study that was published Monday is says that by 2016 73 % of all teens carried a cell phone of some sorts.  It goes on to say that between 1991 and 2016, teens who spent more time on electronic communication and screens — social media, texting, electronic games, the internet — were less happy, less satisfied with their lives and had lower self-esteem. TV watching, which declined over the nearly two decades they examined, was similarly linked to lower psychological well-being.  It makes me think that we are raising a bunch of kids that are losing out on the life skills that many of us treasure, like face to face communication, human contact and looking at someone while having conversation.  

Daily dose of BS Jan 24 school shootings

Over the past two days there have been reports of high school shootings.  Two days in a row and 11^th so far this young year.  Why is it that I am just hearing of these now?  11 school shootings so far in 2018?  And for what reason?  I don’t get what possesses these kids.  I am not sure if the coping mechanism is different with today’s kids then it was when I was a kid but I tell you what when I was a kid I was disappointed many times.  I never shot and killed anyone I never pulled a gun on anyone, I never wanted to kill or maim anyone.  I was brought up with the mantra of sticks and stone can break my bones but words will never hurt me.  I have said that nursery rhyme many times while growing up.  Guess what it worked, I made it through my childhood.  But the one lie in the old nursery rhyme is that sometimes words do hurt, I think that we and by we I mean us all we do need to watch what we say but we also need to have thicker skin and not take everything to heart, I do realize that is easier said than done.  Is it so hard to be nice to one another? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 23 newspaper

Is it wrong to expect my newspaper at least on my step?  For the longest time I have had the perfect paper delivery person.  I would get my paper before 5a so I would be able to grab it and then head to work.  Right around the middle of December that changed, the person who used to deliver for my house must have quit or retired or something, now I get my paper much too late for me to read before work.  And on weekends it doesn’t come until after 9.  By 9 the day is half over, the paper should be read and coffee drank by 730 on a Saturday and Sunday.  With the rain yesterday, my paper ended up on the sidewalk in front of my house, not leading up to my house but the sidewalk that runs parallel to the home.  When I was a kid and had a paper route, things were different, you called the newspaper, you talked to someone there, and your complaint got taken care of, by the person who delivered the paper, or their mom if they were already in school.  Don't get me wrong, I love the paper but want it delivered to my house, not at my house. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 22 shutdown

This latest governmental shutdown has had an effect me, the teacher for my Psych class sent some links to check out about substance abuse and the big government shutdown banner was across the top of the page.  Makes me think that someone thought about this prior to the shutdown and made the banner available for the government website so that when the shutdown happens that whoever goes to that government website knew for a fact that that website was part of the shutdown.  Have you ever given any thought the question, is my job essential? I’m not sure mine is. In fact, I know mine is not. I have few friends who are being affected because of the shutdown. If the government truly wants to make a difference instead of a point have the whole government shutdown. I am guessing that that will not happen cause the man never goes without. Could you imagine the people in Congress or the Senate say no to a paycheck? There may be a few out there who will as a gesture give it up but really? It isn’t affecting them anyway it is cutting to the core the backbone, the people who are in the trenches and are busting their hump for the man. Let’s put politics aside and unite as a country and put these people back to work. The gesture is there we “shut down” the government now let’s show the world that America is open for business.

Daily Dose of BS Jan19 food stamps

Governor Walker made a quick stop in La Crosse yesterday to talk about a proposal to overhaul welfare in the state making the requirements some of the toughest in the country.  The proposal would force parents on food stamps with school-aged kids to work or be on the job training, also adding the requirement of photo id for food stamp recipients.  Walker defends the package as a way to get more people off public assistance and into the workforce.  Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling.  “It’s sad and desperate that he thinks the best way to win re-election is to go after struggling families who are trying to get ahead,”  Walkers proposal also would require drug screening, testing and treatment to be eligible for public housing, and Forbid anyone living in a home worth double the median value home, about $321,000, or owning vehicles worth more than $20,000 from receiving food stamps and other Medicaid benefits. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 18 walmart

America’s opioid epidemic kills more people per year than breast cancer, and yesterday Walmart pharmacy rolled out a product that provides a safe way to get rid of extra prescription opioid drugs.  Kudos to the big box store for coming up with what I hope is a dent in the problem with opioid addiction. The product called DisposeRx turns any form of opioid including powders, pills, tablets, capsules, liquids or patches into a gel that can’t be converted back into a usable drug.  Walmart will be handing out this new product with each new opioid prescription and existing customers can ask for one at any time.  About a third of all prescribed prescriptions go unused, I think that this is a great first step.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 17 junk email

Am I the only one who is sick of the thousands of junk emails that we get each and every day?  I have a few email accounts, my gmail one, my business one and my radio station one.  Between the different accounts and texts and various things that we get everyday I am guessing that we are reading a book a day, and that is just the messages that don’t get kicked out of our message in box from the spam filter.  After the first round of defense, I for one look at my inbox and delete about ¾ of my emails before even opening them up.  Who is reading this email?  Who is thinking this is a really good idea, send our account numbers to some Nigerian Prince so that they can smuggle money out of their country?  Why would I want to buy counterfeit prescriptions from Canada, Mexico or Alabama?   Why is some company in India trying to sell me SEO products for my business?  This type of marketing must be working because they are still trying to get us to pony up and buy this that and the other thing, or to send our social security numbers so that we can claim our 4.6 million pound prize from Google Belgium.  I hope your smarter than to send your information to someone asking for your info via the internet with a Dear Sir or Madam, or a phone call, but  if your not please send your check or money order to Daily Dose of BS 1407 2nd Ave N, Onalaska Wisconsin 54650.

Daily Dose of BS Jan jan 16 viral videos

Last year on an icy La Crosse day my boys wanted to ice skate in front of our house, at first, I said no then thought what the heck.  I videoed them and it had over 2 million views, a video that I took of my kids went viral.  The kids were excited, we heard from friends from around the country after it hit Good Morning America.  There are a lot of things that go viral, and you never know what will and what won’t.  I saw a video on Facebook at the beginning of winter that had some people put their faces in fluffy snow then videoed the outcome it was cool as the face implant looked like their face, I tried that yesterday expecting it not to work, guess what it did.  There are other viral videos out there of people doing stupid things like the cinnamon challenge where you eat a tablespoon of cinnamon or the hot pepper challenge.  Dumb.  But the newest in viral stupidity is the laundry pod challenge.  Who is raising our kids?  Don’t they know that this is stupid?  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 15 hawaii

I get it we all make mistakes.  I do you do we all do.  Could you imagine if your job was to alert the people of Hawaii of an issue and you dropped the bomb figuratively not literally.  How would you have felt if you were minding your own business, looking forward to a pleasant day living in or visiting Hawaii and suddenly you get a text from the texting robots telling you ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii.  Seek immediate shelter.  This is not a drill.  I think I would go into panic mode.  The worst part of it all is that it took 38 minutes for the second alert to reach all the phones for the all clear.  The president of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, called the mistake — which sent terrified tourists searching for shelter — “regrettable and completely avoidable.” and that “Hawaii continues to be the safest, cleanest and most welcoming travel destination in the world, and the alarm created today by the false alert does not change that at all.”

Daily Dose of BS Jan 12 shithole countries

The President of the United States asked, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” I was personally shocked when I first read that.  I double checked and triple checked my sources, then I called my boss and asked what to do.  Do I talk about it?  Do I bring up the word or gloss over it like many are doing?  I was told to use my judgement.  I feel like the comment made by the President of the United States is newsworthy.  According to the Oxford Dictionaries, the word is defined as “An extremely dirty, shabby, or otherwise unpleasant place.”  Is there a place and a time for vulgar language?  Personally, I think that there is, however do I think that the President of the United States should use it to describe another county no F’in way.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 11 flu

Yesterday I talked to an infection control specialist about the flu, there is an outbreak in 46 of the states.  I got my flu shot back in September and knock on wood, I have had a flu free winter so far.  Sure I have had the sniffles a few times, but for the most part been doing ok.  I have heard both sides of the story about why not to get the shot, but I work in the public and see lots of people and shake lots of hands, and I mean I do shake hands none of that fist bump BS. I also have kids and talk for a living so getting influenza is out of the question for me. Lots of people think if I get the flu shot will get the flu, or you won’t get stomachaches or headaches. Its not the case, the flu shot will help you from getting influenza which is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It spreads easily and the Flu symptoms usually start quickly. The first symptom of the flu is a fever but can include: Body aches, Chills, Dry cough, Increased breathing symptoms and much more.  Also remember you are not only getting the shot for yourself but to stop the spread of the flu.  To find out more about getting your flu shot give the county health department a call at 608-785-9723 you won’t be sorry.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 10 stuff

Ever thought about the stuff that you have laying around your home, I mean the stuff that you have laying around that you really don’t need.  I look at my office at home and it is the collection spot for things to go and slowly die, the old cellphones that still work but have no use, but are kept just because they may save you from having to buy a new phone when the one you have decided not to work how about all the chargers and the cords that go with those old phones, tablets. Computers, and TVs that are just lying around.  I have been pitching these but they seem to multiply every time they are in a dark room by themselves.  I opened one of our junk drawers the other day and found two digital cameras there staring up at me and the clothes that line the closets and drawers around our homes would fill a few racks at the stores.  I do know of some people who take pride in having clothes from many years ago, an example is my dad who just visited last weekend showing off to my kids that he is still using the shoes he got when he was in the Navy 50 years ago.  They look it.  Anyway, I guess I am saying it is ok to go through and get rid of some of the stuff in your home.  It isn’t worth what you think it is.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 9 Oprah

We have a billionaire business tycoon now as President of the United States, would you vote for a billionaire talk-show-host-turned-media-mogul as the next President?  Since the Golden Globes on Sunday there has been talk of an Oprah Winfrey presidential run in 2020.  Before you discount it think about this she has the same political experience as President Trump did heading into the election and she has likeability.  I wonder though, what happened to having experience, qualifications, and judgement to be the President?  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 8 art

Art is subjective and means something different to different people.  I get that.  As a person who creates on a daily basis I get that somedays creations are better than others and that some people likes some of what I do, others don’t.  My feelings don’t get hurt over this.  La Crosse currently has a problem with a piece of loaned art, the “Hatched Baby” sculpture of a blue baby hatching from an egg.  How about bringing in the Blue Man Group to do a photo shoot with it.  I am not sure if this is an outdoor piece of art.  If it is, we could put it in one of the lessor known parks for the exposure that it would bring to that park, we could put the questionable art work in a new space perhaps we could come up with a safe space for showcasing creations, it could have a stage, a few walls, a place for larger pieces, and a giant refrigerator for kids to showcase their artwork.  Or it could go in one of the empty spaces in the mall.  Or it could be part of a parklet downtown.  See if a little time goes in to the thought process, a solution could be found.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 5 parking

I think that the cops have a crappy job a job I wouldn’t want to do, I respect them and think highly of them, I do however question the need for a 1 million dollar secure parking structure for the police department at city hall.  A million dollars to park?  No, no, no, can I say no enough?  The claim is the need for new parking because of the redevelopment of the county administrative center now the Hub on Sixth housing for Western Tech.  They say the reason for needing the new secure parking is because “Right now basically anyone and everyone drives through the back parking lots” here is an idea, put up a gate or how about ticketing people when they drive back there if they shouldn’t be there.  It would save us as taxpayers some money, and may, in fact, make the city some money if they start collecting on the tickets.  The claim is also that it would clear up parking for the rest of city hall.  I have been to city hall a bunch of times and there hasn’t been a time that I haven’t been able to park, and if there was you could park in one of the cities other parking lots.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 4 pbj

In the week between Christmas and New Years I went back to the basics, I enjoyed a staycation for the most part.  I did take a side trip up to the Twin Cities and went to the Como Park Conservatory.  Always one of my favorite stops when headed up to the cities.  I also went basic with food, I had for the first time in probably a couple of decades a plain old peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread.  I have to say it was super enjoyable.  Sure in the past couple of decades I have had peanut butter and jelly but it was on wheat bread or it was toasted or it was crunchy peanut butter or had on strawberry jelly, it wasn’t the good old plain old creamy peanut butter and grape jelly on plain old white bread.  Which brings me to todays topic, what is your favorite type of sandwich?  Is it old school like the pbj or remember the slice of Kraft American Cheese on white bread with either mayo or mustard?  What about the old liverwurst sandwich?  Sandwiches have come a long way haven’t they? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 2 pot

The above the fold, front page of today’s La Crosse Tribune headline says “Complaint: 500 pounds of pot” it goes on to tell the story of a West Salem man and how an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest for conspiracy to commit delivery of THC greater than 10,000 grams.  Yesterday’s paper had a story of Californians hailing the first day of legal pot.  Isn’t it time that we open up those doors and allow marijuana to be legalized?  I have heard that people call it the gateway drug, but is it really?  I honestly believe that cigarettes and beer are.  I think of the illegal drug trade going on and the lives that are changed because of it, the jail time, the addiction, the failure to pay taxes on it.  I would think for the taxes alone we would legalize it.  Here is the thing, I don’t smoke pot, but I do pay taxes, to many taxes, and many of my tax dollars are going to pay for people who are addicted to various drugs, wouldn’t it make sense for the problem to pay for the solution?  Plus, is would open up our court systems, it would free up some of the time that the cops are dedicating to busting those smoking a little weed.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 1 2018 Happy New Year

The start of the New Year is an exciting time, a new calendar, a new month, the start of a new week, it is a new day, it is a brand new year, a chance to start over.  The New Year is like a new clean slate, a do-over, a chance to start over, to reset if you will.  I hope that the New Year find you and your family with all the adventures, the love, the enjoyment, the travel,  basically everything that you wish for in your do-over.  I know it's something that everybody just says- but I truly hope that 2018 is the year for you.  Through hard work and desire, I hope that your reset button gives you the chance to achieve all of your dreams.  My hopes for this year are to finish college, get my business up off the ground, continue to communicate daily with my listeners and friends, and to become a success in the things that I try to do.  I hope the same for you that you're able to find the things that you need in order for you have a happy, successful, enjoyable and great 2018.