Daily Dose of BS Dec 20 Star Wars

Over the past few days we have been bombarded with people saying how wonderful the new Star Wars movie is, and how so many of our friends and peers have enjoyed the series.  I for one don’t get it.  I posted yesterday on my Facebook that I won’t be seeing Star Wars, not now not ever.  I expected to get a backlash of people calling me names and giving me guff.  Instead it was like a holiday miracle, I had a few questions why, one said “You're missing out. Stop living in 77 and remember that was 40 years ago.”  I get that it isn’t 1977, but I never got the hype then and I certainly don’t get the hype now.  Plus, I am more a TV person than a movie person.  I have the chance to watch any movie on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon and I always find myself going back to the good old TV shows.  Are you a movie buff?  If so what type of movies, and if you watch the Star Wars movies, can you please explain to me what I am missing?  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 19 pigeons

Well, La Crosse is at it again, working to get rid of unwanted nuisance life, the life I am talking about is the flying poop machine, otherwise known as pigeons.  Pigeons are filthy birds, causing disease and damage. Their droppings are known for triggering human slips and falls, as well as accelerating the aging of structures and statues, and we are seeing this in La Crosse. Making it important to get rid of the pigeons plus pigeons may carry diseases.  The city council approved paying the USDA $23,201 to do away with them.  May I also suggest that we allow the feral cats do away with them.  In my southside La Crosse neighborhood not only do we have feral pigeons, but we have outdoor cats, tons on rabbits, one neighbor caught a possum, a few times over the summer raccoons were spotted, and there were reports last year about a black bear roaming a few blocks away.  Don’t forget about the mice and other animals that within the border of the city.  I feel that lots of the reason that these birds are taking over the airspace over the city is that people keep feeding them so stop, also we give them so many moving targets, which is why my Dad always said don’t look up with your mouth open.

Daily Dose of BS Dec 18 Atlanta

As we gear up for the busy holiday travel schedule I am shocked to hear that the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta was paralyzed after a power substation explosion.  Kind of weird to think that a power failure was responsible for crippling the super busy airport.  There were thousands of flights that were canceled in the 11 plus hour shutdown in Atlanta, not to mention all the adjoining flights from all over the country and the world.  I am guessing that the power outage showed the vulnerability of airports and that the terrorists will now use that knowledge against us and against all travelers.  I couldn’t imagine being stuck on a plane for any amount of time, it did happen to me about 20 years ago, when flying back to La Crosse from California, and it was only about 2 hours, if I had to sit on the plane for up to 11 like some did yesterday, I am guessing I would be like most and would probably not be the most pleasant person out there.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 15 Kendhammer

12 peers made up of 10 women and 2 men found Todd Kendhammer guilty of the September 2016 murder of his wife Barbra.  Kendhammer faces a life sentence with sentencing set for March 9, 2018.  I am not sure how much you watched of how much you followed along, I didn’t catch too much of the trial, but enough to form an opinion.  From what I saw and heard there seemed like there were a lot of inconsistencies in the story, story changing and things not adding up.  Plus hearing that they never fought, never is a long time.  I have been married to my wife for 27 years and we get along great, however I would never say that we don’t fight.  It happens you can’t always agree with everything.  I have sat in on a few conversations about this death a few times before and during the trial and people feel strongly on both sides.  Was justice served? 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 14 Rodgers back

Brett Hundley did a fair job guiding the Packers, the 2 time MVP Arron Rodgers however is back.  We will see number 12 dress and ready to go on Sunday as the Pack attach the Carolina Panthers.  The Panthers are at 9-4 while the Green and Gold are at 7-6.   Both teams are coming off wins from last week the Panthers beat the Vikings while the Packers beat the bottom of the barrel Cleveland Browns.  Is the return of Arron Rodgers going to be the piece of the puzzle that the Pack need?  I think that there is more wrong with the Pack than just the changing of the quarterback.  This is a team that has for far too long relied on that position.  In the modern era we have been blessed with great quarterbacks and a few other good players, why haven’t the Packers worked on bolstering the rest of the team.  It is after all a team sport not a sport of one.  Is it fair for the quarterback?  Rodgers says that he is not coming back to save the team he is coming back to play the way he knows how to play.  This fan hopes that the rest of the team shows up to help.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 13 don't expect

You never know what is going to happen in a day.  You wake up, you get ready for work and the day goes flawless.  How many times in your life has that happened?  My guess not too often.  This morning a good example, things seemed great, I got to work, I had to replace the water in the water machine, I put the 5-gallon jug in the machine got some water and started back to my studio, all of a sudden, I hear Joanie saying that water is all over the floor and the water machine is glug, glug glugging out water at a good pace, we unplug it, and take the water jug off, problem solved for now.  I guess what I am trying to say is that life happens when you are not expecting it to happen.  How many times in your life did you expect one thing to happen and a totally different outcome happened?  Many times, I bet, come to think of it not too many times has things gone how I have planned, I guess that is the secret of life, be flexible and be ready for anything.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 12 La Crosse and New York

Did you hear about the shooting on the south side of La Crosse on Saturday night?  I didn’t either until today when I read it, apparently, there isn’t a suspect.  What about the group of 6 nine to twelve-year-old’s who ransacked a house and stole some jewelry, a credit card, and a guinea pig, when caught they claimed they thought the house was abandoned.   Um was the guinea pig alive when you took it, were there lights on in the house, and food in the fridge?  Sorry kids but I don’t buy that, if it isn’t yours don’t take it.  What happened to La Crosse being a safe place to live?  Better yet what happened to us feeling safe at home.  Do you feel safe?  I mean yesterday’s news was all about the bomber in New York strapping a pipe bomb to himself and in a failed attempt to blow up some of the subways managed to burn himself and injure a few around him.  I guess we must go back to the whole if you see something say something.  We all need to be involved to live in a safe place.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 11 Santa

So far this season I have played helper for man in the red suit a couple of times, tonight, at The Rotary Lights at Riverside Park, I will be helping again.  Last time I was at the Rotary lights it was 50 degrees and this elf felt the heat, today it will be a bit cooler, but still going to be in a heated shelter.  Once you put on the suit and become the legend if just for a few moments in life, your mind starts to wander, at least mine does, and the slight panic sets in, what if I get too hot, and what if while I am sitting here I have to go to the bathroom, what if a kid uses me as a bathroom, what happens if someone pulls my beard or worse yet my finger?  What should I do?  What if the people show up and call me a phony…. what if this or that or the other thing?  The best thing is to take a couple of deep breaths through the beard, exhale thru your mouth and let out a hardy HO, HO, HO.   So far this year all the kids that came by were on the nice list, and their parents confirmed it.  If you haven’t been down to the Rotary Lights yet, I would suggest you do…bring a food donation to help to stock the food shelves, and Have a Merry Christmas.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 8 cost of life

We had our first measurable snowfall earlier this week, pretty soon It will be that time of year again when kids will be out shoveling show.  When my kids were little and I helped them with their snow shoveling jobs, I expected them to spilt the money with me, I drove them there and they used my shovels.  I took some guff for that from some of my friends, they said your kids should get all that money.  I disagree, they should not.  I took the money that I made from them and used it for us to go somewhere special, we used it to go to Brewer Games, the fair and Wisconsin Dells.  Besides helping a bit with the cost, it showed the kids that things aren’t free and that you should save your money.  I have carried on this trait when the kids got cell phones, they pay for their own cells, and we spilt a family Spotify account.  I just got notice from Netflix that they are raising the prices of membership next year, I wonder if I should pass that cost on to the kids?  Your thoughts? 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 7 Big Indian statue

The big Indian at Riverside park is stirring up controversy.  I remember the first day that I came to La Crosse and got the big tour of what there is here I got brought up to Granddad Bluff, was shown what a Chicken Q was, we visited the zoo at Myrick Park, I was schooled on that it is a bubbler here in Wisconsin and shown the Mississippi River, the La Crosse River and the Black River and where they cross the “Big Indian”.  I for a long time thought that the name of the Hiawatha state at Riverside was just called the “Big Indian”.  There have been calls in the past for the removal of the Hiawatha statue but I think at the time the city just fixed it up, spending about 35 thousand dollars to fix it up.  I do think of the “Big Indian” statue as a point of interest when people come for a visit, but at the same time, have been asked why it is there.  I think that it is time to ask that question, why is it here?  I also have the question, is there anything that can be done to the current statue to make it not offensive to the Native American People?  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 5 food share

Three years ago I was thinking that drug testing for food share was a good idea, today, not so much.  I think what changed for me is that food and shelter are the most basic of needs, if you don’t have food, you die, if you don’t have shelter, up here in the Midwest you could die.  I don’t want drug addicts to die, I would like them to get help.  In Wisconsin drug testing is moving ahead, Governor Scott Walker has approved the rule change to screen food stamp users.  Not sure if this is the best of ideas.  I do think that the basics should be provided for all.  Under this plan, childless food share recipients who fail a drug test would be eligible for state funded rehab if they don’t have any other way of paying for it.  I do think that the program needs an over haul. 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 4 texting

It was 25 years ago yesterday that a big change came to your style of communications, I bet that you didn’t even know.  Twenty-five years ago yesterday was the invention of one of the biggest distractors out there, the reason for many car accidents and broken relationships, 25 years ago yesterday was the first text message.  I know that I was kicking and screaming and refused to use the technology for many years, my kids were using it and I was the typical radio guy and wanted to have conversation rather than text someone.  I will tell you what if the past 8 years or so that I have been texting I have sent thousands of texts and I will bet upwards of a hundred thousand texts.  It honestly is my preferred way of communicating when not face to face, it saves the hassle of picking up the phone for a quick answer, I know what time my kids are going to be home and I can verify an appointment and get a digital coupon for my favorite restaurant.  I like the time-saving element of it, and that if I am thinking about something I can do it now, in fact, sent a birthday text to my brother at 5 this morning, I will follow up with a call later but at least he knows I am thinking about him.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 1 deer hunt

The official numbers for the gun deer hunt are in and so are the Wisconsin’s new no age limit hunting rule saw a few infants in the woods, actually 10 went to kids under the age of one.  I think that this rule is one of the most asinine rules out there.  There were 52 licenses that went to kids 5 and under and the youngest to register a kill was 4 years old.  4.  Seven deer were registered by five year olds.  I wonder if many hunters got licenses for their kids in hopes of only registering the deer under their names.  Of the 7 hunters that were injured 5 of them shot themselves.  The harvest included 98,364 bucks about .4 % less than last year. And a grand total of 195,738 deer in the 9-day hunt.  I am still trying to process how 10 infants were supposed to hunt. 

Daily Dose of BS Nov 30 business

I have a few friends who are very successful in what they do, and they are very giving of their time, and money to help out others and the community.  It made me think, what makes you successful?  Or do you even consider yourself a success?  I consider any day that I am up and out of bed a success.  Lately I have been reading business books, and a few of the common threads in the books have been sharing, thinking outside the box, work on figuring out new ways to do things, don’t expect perfection because you are not going to get it, that ideas will hit you at the weirdest times (I have found this one to be true) and often times the problem isn’t what you think it is.  What are some of the things that you have learned in business?   

Daily Dose of BS Nov 28 Giving Tueday

It started 5 years ago and already has raised millions of dollars in fact last year over 168 million dollars was given on #givingtuesday.  The idea of the day was first introduced back in October of 2012 and has quickly grown into a day of giving, there are local groups and national groups vying for your donation dollars.  Last year worldwide charitable giving was at an all-time high of $168 million dollars topping the previous year by 44% with more donations being given online.  This past year has been a tough year for many as there were the hurricanes in the Texas and Florida as well as the fires in California.  I wonder how we are going to do this year with giving?  I have always said I have more time than money and I try to give of my time.  #givingtuesday is a great way to give back to our community.  I know that there is always a need in La Crosse, look around and dig deep and help if you can.  

Daily Dose of BS Nov 27 cyber monday

Black Friday has come and gone, I have been hearing over the weekend that this is not necessary the best time to buy, in fact one of the worst?  If you are looking for a specific item and it is on sale and the only extra cost to you is your time, isn’t it worth it?  Last week I was off work and enjoyed sleeping in, in fact slept till at least 630 most days and as late as 8 on a couple, that includes Black Friday.  I saw a few things that I wanted at Menards, that was it, so when I finally did get out of bed and headed to the store I wasn’t expecting to get the few things I wanted, guess what I did, and I was out of the store and home within 30 minutes.  I missed the scurrying rats with maps to their predetermined destinations.  When I made my trip, I leisurely walked to what I had on my list and bought nothing else.  Today more buying with cyber Monday, 3.45 billion expected to be spent today, up about triple in the past 7 years, is it all for Christmas gifts you think or is it for personal use?  I bet most is for personal use. 

Daily Dose of BS Nov 17 give it away

Just give it all away man. Free yourself from yourself. What better time than now? It is kind of funny that a song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers had it right.  Think about it for a moment, with the song "Give it away" released back in 1991 "Give It Away" is centered on the philosophy of selflessness and altruistic behavior, and at this time of year there are lots of needs out there from the need of Bell Ringers for the Salvation Army, to non-perishable food items for the Hunger Task Force, to the La Crosse Jaycees Toys for Tots which has their toy drive going on today until 6pm at the La Crosse Center,  to the needs of your neighbors and your church.  Kind of weird that a song from the 90’s gives so much, back to more lyrics “Reeling with the feeling don't stop continue” from reaching into your pocket for change to the time shared to help a child, to holding a door for a stranger at the mall.  I think we get out of life what we give, so “send a smile and show you care. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give It Away"

Daily Dose of BS Nov 16 freedom of speech

What are your thoughts on free speech?  Are they that you have the right to say what you want?  What if what someone wanted to say or display had words that you didn’t like perhaps they said the N word or the word that rhymes with my last name.  Perhaps someone used the Lords name in vain?  How about the F word?  There is a truck in Texas with the lettering on the back of its window that says “F--- TRUMP AND F--- YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM” would you be ok with that?  And honestly I bet that this goes political so just for sake of it not, what if it said “F--- Fill in your any name of a winning candidate here AND F--- YOU FOR VOTING FOR HIM” Would that change your thoughts on it?  I bet for some it would.  There used to be a truck around La Crosse with a big window sticker on it is that said my other toy has tits, (I bet he was a dairy farmer) and believe it or not I was bugged by that one, not only because it was rude but my at the time innocent kids asked me what it meant.  So we say we are for freedom of speech but are we really?  

Daily Dose of BS Nov 15 cards against humanity

For the past few years the card game Cards Against Humanity has had some sort of holiday prank, to get national press for free, this year is no different, this year the card game is making it difficult for the Trump administration to purchase border land by buying up some of the land that borders the United States and Mexico and vows to make it “as time-consuming and expensive” as possible.  To me that is counterproductive on a couple of different levels, first of all it is the United States, there is such a thing as eminent domain, they can sweep in and take land, and I could really see the government doing something like this, all it would take is a “just” compensation, and secondly, if they are making it “as time-consuming and expensive” as possible, doesn’t that just mean more tax dollars out of my pocket fighting for something that isn’t even going to be built anyway?   I have played the game a few times, it was fun, but I don’t think it was that irreverent, but maybe that’s just me.  

Daily Dose of BS Nov 14 Parking

I hope you enjoyed where you parked last night. It was the last night of parking without alternate side parking until March 15th you have 120 days to try to get it right. I like to look at it like a game you can’t win.  And this year since we have less days the city of La Crosse will not be putting warnings on cars.  The annual free for all money grab starts at 1 tonight as the yearly alternate side parking debacle begins.  I am lucky enough to have off street parking but my son isn’t as lucky. Sometimes he can park behind the house but for the most part it is street parking for him.  From today until March 15^th we will have to follow the even, odd parking rules, this is even if we don’t have any snow or even any snow in the forecast.  I wonder where the parking money even goes?