Daily Dose of BS Feb 23 sidewalks

I grew up in Roseville, a suburb in the Twin Cities and in my neighborhood there were no sidewalks.  Since my formative years I have lived in 3 different states and 4 different communities in every one of these other communities there have been sidewalks, I have complained about my front sidewalk only a few times, usually after a heavy snow fall or when my wife suggests that I do the edging, otherwise I am a fan.  I think that sidewalks are the great neighborhood unifier, hear me out.  When you decide to go for a walk you head out to the sidewalk, there are others around walking, you see your neighbors, you say hi.  Life is grand, why because of a sidewalk.  La Crosse is continuing to invest in the neighborhood concept with the possibility of up to 12 new sidewalks.  Let’s all converge on the cities sidewalks.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 22 transportation

I have only been in a cab about 10 times in my life, I have never taken an Uber ride, and public transportation isn’t taken too much.  If I lived in a big city I believe that I would use the above more often, however working at 5am when the busses aren’t even out of the bus corral is a huge hindrance for me.  When it comes to cabbing it I have done so when I have flown into big cities.  The last time I took a cab was a few years ago when it cost my brother and I $250 to cab it from San Francisco to his home in Livermore, because we missed the train back.  I guess I bring this all up because we put a lot of trust into people we don’t know to get us from place to place.  Uber has been making a splash making news with problems that drivers have.  Do you trust an Uber driver or a taxi driver to get you there safely?  

Daiy Dose of BS Feb 19 songs

We all have those special songs, the ones that get you up and off the couch, gets you in the mood for action, the Rocky song if you will.  For me I like a lot of the old school Beastie Boys, Pantera’s Walk, Kiss’ Cold Gin, and just about anything from System of a Down.  What are your Rocky songs?  Speaking of music have you ever had that song or jingle roll through your head at the moment you are ready to sleep, talk to someone, close a sale or just about any other activity?  There has been the same couple of songs going through my head over the past few days.  I don’t know why but that Taylor Swift song we are never ever getting back together keeps rolling through my head at the weirdest times, its weird cause I think that is the only part of the song that I know and it’s like on a loop.  UGGH stop the madness.  These types of songs are called earworms.  What are some of the songs that are the earworms for you? For me these types of songs are enough to give you heartburn, I know a relief, plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is.

Daily Dose of BS feb 18 privacy

I have always been under the assumption that nothing that I text, email, or look at on the internet is private, that someone can always go back and check it out, someone locally or remotely.  I have come to the realization that our information is out there, just hanging in midair being ready to be plucked when they want it, and I am not even sure I know who they are.  In the news lately is that the federal government is asking Apple to unlock a phone that belonged to a terrorist, I always just assumed that the government had the ability to do this.  I wonder if they are asking Apple out of a ruse that they are pulling over our eyes, claiming that they cannot get into someone’s phone.   In a situation like this, I can honestly say that I believe that Apple has an obligation to help the government to unlock this phone, and here is why I think that, first of all the phone is owned by the shooters employer San Bernardino County and they have given permission and secondly I still think that all our information is just hanging out for the picking but most importantly I think that if they could foil some terrorist plot then it is worth it. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 16 award shows

I have never been a fan of the award shows, none of them from the one that crowns the Miss, to the ones that have the Actors, to the biggest musical stars.  I have never been a fan, and guess what that hasn’t changed.  I have worked with people in the past that have had a party for this show or that show, but for me a no go.  I think it goes back to my childhood and that my folks didn’t watch them and now I don’t.  I also think that it is because even though I am in radio I don’t know the artist or the songs of the music I like I am always like you know that one song that goes dum, da, dum, de, de, de drum, by that group that sang that one other song that I like.  Or when it comes to actors it was that guy on that show with that dog and the funny lady, you know.  Then I would get mad if you didn’t know what I was talking about.  And the beauty shows, don’t get me started, for beauty it is in the eye of the beholder, I think that all people are beautiful, especially that one, you know. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 15 tipping

We ordered pizza last night for Valentine’s Day because nothing says happy Valentine’s Day like a heart shaped pizza.  We ended up getting 3 pizzas and some bread sticks, a 4 dollar delivery fee was added to the cost.  I still tipped the guy, but is it necessary to tip a delivery person even when you are already paying for them to drop off your food?  What about tipping at a buffet?  How about any other place that looks for tips?   Maybe what places are tips a necessity? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 12 valentines day

Love is in the air, Sunday is Valentine’s Day. Funny how guys think that this is the one time a year to be romantic, the one time a year to gift flowers, or something special the one time a year - to show our love.  Guys, we can be romantic and loving and still be men ya know. There is nothing wrong with going the extra mile anytime of the year to say something nice, drop off a little gift or just let your loved one know you love them - after all a year is 365 days long.  For those who are new to this way of thinking, you still have the weekend to get a special valentine treat, but remember you have 364 other days to show your love as well.  What is the most romantic gesture you have ever given or received?  This year, I am going to stimulate the local economy and take my wife out for dinner, and maybe a movie, if not its roller dogs and Netflix.  By the way what’s good on Netflix these days?

Daily Dose of BS Feb 11 heroin

Do we hand out too much Narcan?  Narcan is the drug that reverses the effects of heroin and other opiates.  I have even heard that as part of the needle exchange at The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin in La Crosse, that not only are needles handed out but also Narcan training is available.   According to the La Crosse Tribune that in the first 40 days of 2016 26 doses of Narcan was used on 16 patients.  Is handing out a lifeline the right thing to do?  Should there be a certain number of times you can administer it?  I am like the rest of the community and wonder out loud when the news reports say that bad heroin has hit the streets wonder isn’t all heroin bad? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 10 wash hands

I think that bathroom doors in public places should swing out.  Here is the reason why.  How often have you been in the bathroom and the person in the stall next to you flushed opened the door and left the bathroom without washing their hands?  I find this sickening, I don’t want to touch their filth…this is also the reason I don’t eat popcorn at bars.  I know this is just another look into the weirdness that is me.  I wash my hands every time I use the restroom, not because I splashed on my hands but because it’s the right thing to do.  No one wants your personal germs and waste on anything that you touch when you are done, and when you don’t wash your hands you are spreading germs.  Have a great day and don’t forget to do as the sign says in most public restrooms employees must wash hands before returning to work.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 9 be seen and heard

I am guilty of it, I think that most of us fail to be seen.  I have a black jacket, I wear blue jeans and sometimes I have on a dark hat.  It is hard to see people who are wearing dark clothing, especially when the person walking isn’t paying attention to their surroundings because of texting or talking on the phone, look where you are going and don’t walk out in front of someone on the roads, remember your mom taught you that.  Speaking of being seen, why is it that so many people don’t use their fog lights when there is fog, my friend Diane reached out to me yesterday and said it was hard to see so many of the cars out there when they are driving around without lights when there is fog, heck turn on your lights when driving period, it will help you to be seen, I just have to remember to do it, on two of our vehicles it happens automatically but my everyday car, not so much.  Speaking of being seen, it is an election year this year, we should practice on being heard as well. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 8 ID's

Last time I was at the cell phone store I had to sign in and show my I.D., even though I knew the guy working.  Hard to believe but when buying a case of beer a few weeks ago I had to show my I.D.  I got pulled over a couple of months ago, guess what, I had to show my I.D.  Check writing, which I don’t do much of but still I.D., get on a plane, rent a car, a hotel room or a house, you need an I.D.  When I bought Sudafed I needed an I.D.  It is pretty clear to me that you need an I.D. for just about everything you do, oh wait everything but to vote, that changes this year in Wisconsin.  Do I think it is a bad idea?  No.  Why would I?  There are people who will complain that showing an I.D. will stop certain people from voting, now personally I wouldn’t want that but I did some research and you need to have a photo I.D. to apply for food stamps, welfare and unemployment.  I am just saying that I would guess that most adults have an I.D. and if they don’t there are programs out there that will help someone get one.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 5 waffle bowl

This coming Sunday is finally Waffle Bowl Sunday, it is also big game day, a national day of tv, wings, other high calorie tasty treats and lots of alcohol. My family however has a totally different menu when it comes to the big game, it started many, many years ago. At the Schmidt house we have a family tradition of waffles, and sausage on the day when football plays its big game. I remember the year we started it, it was right after reading the Sunday paper I glanced at a glossy newspaper ad that had a waffle maker on the front page, we went to the store and bought it, as a family we have been making waffles every single Waffle Bowl Sunday since. I love Waffle Bowl Sunday, because even if your team isn’t playing in the big game you can still waffle back and forth and enjoy the plays and of course the commercials. I even left a party a few years ago when the Green and Gold was in the waffle bowl to go home to have the breakfast of hotels with my family. Have a great Waffle Bowl Sunday no matter how you spend it and go team go.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 4 cultural sensitivity

Has cultural sensitivity gone too far?  There is a school in St Paul that is kissing off Valentine’s Day and other holidays as a way of being more culturally sensitive and inclusive.  Some of these schools around the country are teaching our kids to not have any beliefs, how are we going to raise this generation now if they cannot celebrate holidays, or other beliefs, I know let’s have a culturally generic celebration 4 times a year, spring, summer, winter and fall.  But we cannot call it anything because we don’t want someone 50 years or 100 years down the way to take it away.  Heck I am surprised that we are still able to celebrate our birthdays and that someone hasn’t complained that it is Johnnies special day today and no one can be special everybody has to feel the same.  Well if that is the case do you have a sore ankle today because mine is bugging me? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 3 smile

Ever heard smile and the whole world smiles with you?  My mom used to say that to my brothers and I, there is now some studies out there that support this.  These studies show that during conversation we tend to mimic those around us.  I guess that this makes sense as if you watch a salesperson they will nod and smile when you are talking with them, inviting you to sign on the dotted line.  It works with others as well, note when you are in a classroom setting or a work event heck even in your own home and someone is happy you want to smile with them, same goes the other way as well, if someone is in the room angry they tend to bring the rest of the group down, it guess what I am trying to say is turn that frown upside down, and make it a great day.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 2 snow day

Am I the only one that thinks it is weird to cancel school the night before for the threat of the shoe dropping?  I woke this morning to 25 degrees and no snow, the weird part is every school in our area is closed.  Today is ground hog day and I am wondering if kids want life to be like the movie and relive the no snow – snow day.  I haven’t seen that movie in a long time, I should find it to watch today with the kids.  Ever thought about the history of the first ground hogs day?  It dates back to the 18^th and 19^th centuries, however the first documented time in America is 1841.  I hope that the ground hog sees his shadow, or is it not sees his shadow.  Anyway I am hoping to enjoy a bit of ground hog at the Moose Lodge later today, the Lions Club is serving a Ground Hog dinner.  All I gotta say is it is yummy.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 1 trains

When I was a kid I always heard that if you put a penny on a train track that it could derail a train.  I am not going to lie, as a rebellious teenager I tried it.  As soon as we ran away the feeling of guilt overtook the thrill of doing something bad.  The sudden urge to run back toward the oncoming train to rescue the Lincoln from the oncoming train, only to be reminded of the almost certain decapitation of an arm or worse.  Thank goodness that the derailment didn’t happen, in fact a quick google search shows that it has never happened, but as an adventurous boy it could have.  Again, thank God that it didn’t happen.  With more trains moving through the country, there have been more and more derailments there has even been a couple close to home.  Shouldn’t the railroads be required to make the manifest public as soon as a train jumps the tracks, I for one would like to know.  Especially since there are tracks about 100 yards from where I work.