Daily Dose of BS Aug 17 Burzinski

Roger Burzinski the man who was shot and killed by the La Crosse Police Department on Sunday evening wasn’t a stranger to breaking the law.  Burzinski was a career felon, with an extensive arrest record which includes convictions for possession of a firearm by a felon, second-degree sexual assault of a child, battery to police, second-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing police and armed robbery.  And if I recall correctly his brother also tried killing a La Crosse cop by swinging a knife at him.  It is too bad that Burzinski’s actions ended his life the way that they did, but it is also crappy that he put the child in danger that was in the car that he hijacked and the stress that he put on the parents of that 1 year old child and the stress that the shooting has now put on the 2 police officers that were involved in the shooting and also the stress to the families of all involved.  Was the right action taken?    

Daily Dose of BS August 16 statues

Racist? Villain? Hero? You cannot change history.  You can’t, I know many have tried with their own, but what we have done are things that we have done.  I don’t know my family’s history when it comes to slavery, I hope that we never had any slaves, I am not sure if my family has ever been involved in the creation of any positives in the world either.  I only know what I know.  If we were involved in any wrong doings that I haven’t been a part of there is really nothing I can do about it at this time.  Sure, I can say that I don’t agree with what they did but there is not a thing I can do to change it.  I get that there are statues up all over the country honoring the memory of this person or that person, but how many of the statues are really seen?  I just spent a week in Washington DC where there is a statue on just about every corner, and I really couldn’t tell you what statues I saw or where they are or who they honored. Maybe it is just me but if there is a statue that you don’t like or don’t agree with, isn’t it just as easy to ignore it or not search it out than to bring it down and try to change the past?  We can’t deny that it happened, we can only try to not let it happen again.    

Daily Dose of BS August 14 shootings in La Crosse

More gun violence in La Crosse, last week there was a home invader shot, yesterday there was an armed carjacker that was shot and killed by the police.  Whatever happened to La Crosse being a quiet community with everything swept under the carpet?  Isn’t that the way it used to be?  If there was a problem we looked the other way?  Now it seems that the world has different glasses on instead of looking the other way we are looking at another way to make everything a problem, I don’t feel that either of these ways of looking at things are the right way to look at the world.  I think that political bias and political correction has snuck into every aspect of our lives and that because of that we are not able to get things done.  Are things spiraling out of control because we offer too many breaks, a slap on the wrist instead of sentencing worthy of a crime?  

Daily Dose of BS Aug 3 shopping carts

I once heard someone say you never see a successful person leave a shopping cart in the parking lot.  Ever since I heard that I have tried to put my cart away.  Not that I didn’t put my cart away before but there have been times I am sure in the past where I have left it to do what it wants.  No more.  When you put away your cart it kind of makes you a servant leader, you see others first and the big picture, it also shows that you have discipline, you see it is the simple things that add up to the big things, if you put away your shopping cart you have a goal, when you finish that goal you have simple success, with that success you have a feeling of accomplishment, with that accomplishment, you have the feeling as though you can do the next big thing, you set another bigger goal and go through the same steps, the snowball effect is amazing.  And to think that it all starts with putting away your shopping cart.  If you are not a cart returner, I grant you a clean slate, move forward putting away carts, remember it is the simple things.  

Daily Dose of BS Aug 2 Right NOW

Simple question today.  Do you trust the government?  Any government?  I remember the Van Halen song Right Now and on the video there is an animation of someone pushing someone over with the words “Right Now, our government is doing things that we think only other countries do” Those words have stuck with me since that video has come out.  Now we see all the turmoil in Washington DC and even in our states, it makes me think that they weren’t really that far off.   In the news today Rex Tillerson Says the U.S. Wants Dialogue With North Korea at 'Some Point'.  What do you suppose that this means?  There are 3 Americans being held there.  Are we going to negotiate with them?  

Daily Dose of BS August 1 waking up

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed seems like a stupid thing to say, I get up every morning on the same side of the bed, if I were to get up on the wrong side I would have to crawl over my wife and that I am sure would go over like a lead balloon.  Most mornings I feel as though my attitude first thing in the morning is going to dictate where my day goes, if I start off with a crappy attitude then the day seems to go the way I thought it would go, therefore I try to have a good attitude for the day.  I read an article awhile back touting Purpose, Control, and Optimism.  If you feel a sense purpose, and control and you are optimistic you can tackle anything.  So when your day is derailed from the start, look at reigning it back in by refocusing your day and start with purpose, control and optimism. 

Daily Dose of BS July 28 buying time

The old Jimmy Soul song “If you want to be happy” Starts off with if you wanna be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your wife, so from my personal point of view, get an ugly girl to marry you.  This doesn’t really hold true these days, firstly because there are no ugly people we all have redeeming qualities, secondly because studies say that money can’t buy happiness but at sure can buy you free time and that is what makes people happy.  In our 24 hour a day world the thing that makes us most happy is time.  A study published from the National Academy of Science, found that people who spent money on time-saving investments like having things delivered or hiring someone to do your yard instead of tending to the yard themselves, or paying for a cleaning person to come in a couple times a month makes for greater life satisfaction. That wasn’t only true for only the rich, but everybody benefited from buying time.  What time savor can you not live without?  For me it is the Tivo, dishwasher and when the kids mow the lawn. 

Daily dose of BS July 27 transgender

I have to admit I was kind of shocked when I heard the tweet storm from the President yesterday regarding the ban on transgendered people from being in the military.  His 3 tweets said this “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow ... Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming ... victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you,” his decision reverses a decision from former President Obama and caught the Pentagon off guard.  I wonder what happens to the already enlisted men and women in our military that are struggling with their identity.  I read one report that one soldier felt fired.  The Pentagon hasn’t released data on how many transgender troops there are, however the Human Rights Campaign says the military the “largest employer of transgender people in America.”

Daily Dose of BS July 26 rfid

I don’t think my employer could pay me enough to implant a chip into my body.  Employees at Three Square Market a vending company out of River Falls will starting next month be implanting RFID chips in the hands of employees.  The chip will allow the employees the chance to long in to office tools like copiers, unlock doors and pay for items in the vending machines.  I have nothing to hide but there is no way on Gods Green Earth that I would want my employer or anyone for that matter to know where I am all the time.  I don’t like that Google tracks my everything don’t believe me check out this link.  https://www.google.com/maps/timeline  Google knows where we were, who we saw, I am guessing that Big Brother knows what we bought.  So the those who own companies and want to start chipping your employees, you better look past this guy, or start paying a whole lot more.  

Daily Dose of BS July 25 war eagle

Sure, I think that the war eagle on the side of the old meat market looks cool.  Does it mean anything to me?  Nope.  Will its destruction make me lose any sleep?  Nope.  Is the building kind of an eye sore?  Yep.  In the 25 years that I have lived in La Crosse sure I have seen that painting on the side of the crappy building, do I know anything about it?  Nope, I didn’t even know it was on the old Weagel Schubert Meat Market until I read it in the paper.  Come to think of it I am not even sure what the meaning or history of the old painting is.  I know it looks cool, and after they were talking about taking down the building and the historic effort to try to save it came out, I have been thinking that there has to be a way to save the painting, not that I think that it should be but because there has to be a way and I like to figure stuff out.  The nomination of the building to be an historic landmark by someone who doesn’t own it, I don’t think is right.  If the building’s owner wanted to look into it I think that is a whole different story.  Thoughts on someone else trying to push an agenda?  

Daily Dose of BS July 24 class reunion

Some I knew some, I didn’t, all of us had something in common, we all graduated 30 years ago.  Over the weekend, I drove to the cites on a mission, not quite a mission from God but it was a self-discovery if you will.  I really enjoyed getting together and talking with these familiar strangers, familiar because we all had the joy and the burden of being the first graduating class of Roseville Area High School.   And strangers because our lives have taken us to different places, we have all experienced different paths in our lives and yet somehow even though 30 years ago we were basically made to be classmates, 30 years later we came together on our own to enjoy the stories that have made us, us.  Funny I heard from a few there, that the word was be careful what you say to Bob as it would end up on the radio on Monday.  Sorry to disappoint, but what happened at the 30 reunion will stay at the reunion, not because it was a code, but because I had so many conversations that I forgot what details go with what story.  If you have the chance to go to your reunion, please go, you will be surprised that as you get older the playing field levels.  

Daily Dose of BS July 21 juice

Do you remember June 17, 1994?  I bet the date doesn’t ring a bell but if I say slow speed chase featuring a white bronco, I bet you immediately recall the OJ Simpson chase through LA.  I remember being glued to the television and then watched the OJ Simpson trial, then the shock when OJ was found not guilty for the murders of his wife Nicole and her friend Ron.  Fast forward a few years when the juice was in trouble with the law again, and by this time I believe that he thought that he was Teflon, was jailed in 2007 for conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, two counts of first-degree kidnapping with a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery with use of a deadly weapon and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon.  Yesterday we heard that the Juice will be loose.  Did he pay the price for his crimes? 

Daily Dose of BS July 20 weather

Even though we think we are we are not in control, let me repeat that, we are not in control.  If you have ever been through a storm you begin to realize this.  I was sleeping like a baby after last nights storm, I ended up heading out and about to check out the local damage after it stopped raining last night as to have something to talk about this morning, as I mentioned I was sleeping like a baby when my wife’s phone went off this morning at 2:20 saying a flash flood warning I just laid there in bed listing to the rain come down in sheets and when I finally was able to reach the point of sleep again there were loud thunder boom.  In this latest round of stroms to hit La Crosse, I have seen a blue cooler overturned on the street, manhole covers moved, down trees, a few cars where they shouldn’t be, neighborhoods without power, water over the roads, mud on the highway and a tipped over outhouse.  Be careful in your travels, also be aware of changing road conditions and remember to not try driving though flooded streets.  

Daily Dose of BS July 19 shooting

For the second time in about a year there was a cop that shot a civilian in Minnesota, this time it was an unarmed Australian woman dressed in her pajamas, last time if you recall it was broadcast all over Facebook live by the girlfriend of the victim.  Last time there was up roar over the shooting, this time it took a few days for the news to trickle out of Minnesota to hit the national news.  I am not sure what the difference in the shootings was except that the one victim was black and American and one was white and Australian.  I am going to start by saying that black lives matter, I agree with that statement, but I also think that all lives matter.  Nobody’s life is more important than anyone’s else’s nobody’s.  I feel as though there is a double standard when it comes to protesting of unfortunate killings of anyone.  What happened to justice for all, or is it justice for some?   

Daily Dose of BS July 18 legal weed

I know I am going to take some crap on this but I think it is a good idea, Wisconsin State Representative Melissa Sargent introduced bill LRB-2457 a bill to legalize both medicinal and recreational use of marijuana in Wisconsin.  I have said it before and will say it again, I think that legalizing marijuana will help with the high taxes that we have in Wisconsin and some of the money could be funneled back into the problem issues that we have here like infrastructure.  I was at a large outdoor concert the past weekend and it seemed as though many were already enjoying the bud, and I am not talking the king of beers.  Of course, if legalized some of the money needs to be set aside for treatment for those that would like to stop, but I feel that legalizing it would help with state budget and would take some of the drug trafficking and sales off the street.  

Daily Dose of BS July 17 when to retire

The rock and roll lifestyle took its toll in one of the two classic rockers I had the experience of seeing over the weekend.  On Friday I headed to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for Rock USA featuring Ozzy Osborne, and I was pumped to see him as it was the first concert I had ever seen back when Motley Crue opened for him in the early 80’s.  Fast forward to last Friday, life has taken its toll, he was out of it and I am pretty sure he didn’t know where he was.  There were times that I believe he forgot the words to his own songs.  Flip the calendar to last Saturday and Freedomfest at UWL, I got to see the artist who guided me through my teenaged years, John Fogerty rocked, and I mean rocked Veterans Memorial Stadium, there wasn’t a butt on the seat during his 90+ minute concert, covering most of the great CCR songs that we loved and a couple of the classic Fogerty tunes.  I am glad I had the chance to see Ozzy again but I believe he should retire and I really loved seeing John Fogerty.  How was your weekend?  

Daily Dose of BS July 14 brown bag

When I think brown bag special I think a sandwich, some chips, an apple, a juice and a napkin.  The brown bag special offered by the Citgo in La Crosse has a new meaning to brown bagging it.  According to an article in the La Crosse Tribune when you order a brown bag at this store you get a small paper bag with a copper scrubber and a glass tube with the components of a ball point pen.  The talk is that this kit is used for drug consumption, I think we may be looking at it wrong, this may be a brilliant way of getting kids to either do dishes with the copper scrubby or maybe it is a do it yourself science kit since it comes with the items to build a ball point pen.  Seriously though the paper goes on to say that the owner of the store said that the items when used together are for smoking tobacco, umm, I used to smoke tobacco and I have never once smoked it out of a glass pipe.  Do you think that the owner was lying and these make shift pipes are used for smoking meth, cocaine and heroin?  

Daily Dose of BS July 13 lazy

A study by Stanford University researchers that used step-counters installed in most smartphones to track the walking activity of about 700,000 people in 46 countries around the world.  Found that the least lazy, according to the step tracking study are the Chinese, where people averaged 6,880 a steps a day.  The worst nation was nearby Indonesia, where people walked nearly half as much, averaging 3,513 steps a day. The worldwide average is 4,961 steps, with Americans averaging 4,774.  Many of us have counters on our wrists and our phones, mine track me and yours track you.  I know we are supposed to strive for 10,000 steps a day and I very rarely hit that mark.  For me it used to be a game, I tried to beat the day before, like I said it used to be a game, I like many other Americans have become complacent with my step tracker.  Ever since I got it I have wore it 24 hours a day as to track my steps and my sleep.  All it has really shown me is that I am lazy and that I don’t get enough sleep.  

Daily Dose of BS July 11 firearms in school

I read an article last week about the state of Wisconsin thinking about allowing guns in schools.  Before a gasket is blown the bill, I read about would allow high schools offer a gun safety class.  I for one am happy to hear this.  I think the more that people are comfortable with the workings of a gun the safer we will all be.  Hear me out.  Of the gun violence that we hear about how many of the perpetrators are trained in gun usage?  I am guessing not too high.  Also, if you have young adults comfortable around guns you are to do away with the mystery.  The younger person will realize that guns are not play things and learn a respect for the fire arm.  Proper training, proper handling and proper cleaning will teach respect for the fire arm.

Daily Dose of BS July 10 tipping

You’ve heard the saying “Tipping is not just a city in China.”  Guess what it really isn’t.  There is no city in China called Tipping.  I have been called frugal at times, by more than one person.  I like to hang on to my money and there is nothing wrong with that.  I do however tip well (at least 20% for a meal, not as much for just beers), I get embarrassed when I go out with someone and I offer to pick up the check and they offer to leave the tip and they don’t tip well, leaving only 10% or so.  I guess if you are getting good service and service with a smile, drinks topped off, and the little glimpse into the life of the person serving you, it’s gotta be worth something, right.  I have been out with people that pull the tip card out of their wallet to figure out the tip.  How hard is it to figure out a tip?  Move the decimal point over to the left one, if you have a $23.45 bill and you want to leave a 10% tip it is $2.35, a 20% tip is $4.70, the ten percent tip doubled, and for a 15% tip spilt the difference.  Not rocket science, its rent, a car payment, groceries, etc.   BTW a new study shows that men, Republicans, and residents of the northeast are the best tippers.  How good a tipper are you?