Daily Dose of BS March 6 patients death

I thought if you worked in health care, as a doctor or a nurse that your job was to work directly with patients and their families. I also thought that a nurse was the primary point of contact between the patient and the world of health care.  I also thought that the job of a nurse was to perform frequent patient evaluations, including monitoring and tracking vital signs, performing procedures such as IV placement, phlebotomy (draw blood), and administering medications.  I really thought that the job of a nurse was to work to keep a patient alive.  I guess I thought that would be the job of any caring person.  When I saw and heard the stories from earlier this week about the 87 year old nursing home patient that died back in February while she was a patient in the care of a nursing home, she died because a nurse there refused to give cpr that bugs me and bugs me more than usually things bug me.  

Daily Dose of BS March 5 thank you

I am lucky I have great friends who help me out all the time; especially since I broke my leg I have needed more help than I usually do.  I am sure I have forgotten to say please and thank you.  I think this starts when we are little, asking Mom or Dad for this that and the other thing, as a Dad I try to remind my kids to say thanks, I even try to each and every time that something is delivered to the table when out to eat.  I believe that when you are polite to people it disarms them, if they are crabby and you say please or thank you, you have them in your hand.  The power of polite I believe is huge and for that I thank you for spending the time to read this, and for all those who have helped me in the past and I forget to say thank you for that I am sorry.  Have a great day. 

Daily Dose of BS March 4 weekend

How was the weekend?  I enjoyed the days off and rested for the most part with my leg up.  I got some bad news on Friday that the fibula that I broke on February 2 shifted and now I can't put any weight on my leg.  I am a big man and to not put any weight on my leg is pretty much impossible.  I’ve been trying though.  The bright spot is the knee scooter I got, zipping around without having to use crutches makes it a bit easier.  On Saturday I emceed the Rocking Out Hunger, we have lots of great local bands and two of the best took the stage Saturday, The Executives and The Remainders, I got to rock the Cow Bell for The Executives, my Mom would be proud.  While BS’ing with some friends who were there they explained how some idiot passed the stopped school bus in front of their house and thank goodness the kids were kids and taking their time to get off the bus, if it would have been a few seconds later things could have tragically different.  I am guessing it was someone texting they looked up saw the stopped cars and thought what to do, slid around the cars and could have killed a couple of kids.  You got to ask yourself is your text worth a life?

Daily Dose of BS March 1 Sleep

I won.  I won the game of sleep.  I went to bed last night when I was tired, fell right asleep and made it through the night, the game winner was I woke up one minute before my alarm.  I felt rested, and ready to take on the day.  To be honest, I do not remember the last time that I had the trifecta of sleep, bed when I wanted a full night without waking up and up right before my alarm.  I really should buy a lottery ticket today cause a good night sleep is the foundation of a great day right?  Which makes me think about sleep, we all need it but rarely do we get all that we need, I went to bed last night right before 9 and woke at 4, 7 full hours of uninterrupted sleep, most of the time I shoot for 5-6 hours.  Do you have a sleep ritual?  I start on my back then lay on my right side then to my left this is before I even drift off to slumber, I have no idea how much tossing I do when I am actually asleep.  I just have to remember what I did last night to cause such a great nights sleep.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 28 pot smoking

There seems to be more drugs on sitcoms, when they had that “70’s show” and the camera that rotated in the circle of smoke, there were some funny things said, they never really talked about the smoking of pot but it was assumed especially once they brought in Tommy Chongs character.  Plus the 70’s to me seemed like the time when they did more pot.  Fast forward to some of the biggest sitcoms of today and there is the pot once again, in the tv show that I find the funniest “How I met your Mother” they always reference it as eating a sandwich but on the highly inappropriate for kids “Two and a half men” it is blatant and is smoked by more than one of the characters.  Not that I am a prude cause I don’t think I am but, I also believe that these tv shows shouldn’t make light of smoking pot because it is illegal.  Here is the twist, I think that marijuana should be legalized our country is in serious debt, and I believe that we will never get out of this debt and I think that the taxes from marijuana alone could make a huge dent in that debt.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 27 Kiss

I doesn’t matter how much money you make, it’s how much you save and how smart you are with your money.  I heard that the guitarist for my favorite band of all time Ace Frehley from KISS is definitely not back (BACK!), back in the New York groove, word is that his home is getting foreclosed on. It seems like the people who make the most money the fastest have the hardest time holding on to it.  I was thinking about this and it seems to make since to me, how can you be responsible for millions of dollars if you cannot even keep track of your minimum wage jobs cash.  If you were to come into lots of money quick either from investments that went well, to winning a lottery or got a job that pays you way too much you got to start with what you know about money and budget, remember there is a limited supply.  Ace Frehley isn’t the only famous singer to go from rags to riches to rags again, Meatloaf, Ted Nugent, MC Hammer, Billy Joel, as well as Willie Nelson and Marvin Gaye.  Just because you have the cash doesn’t mean you can hang on to it.  If you come in to a windfall, find people who can help you out. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 26 bathroom wastes

About every ten days I have the same problem the bar of soap is too small to use, I have tried morphing the smaller sliver of soap into the bigger new bar of Irish Spring but nope it doesn’t work.  What are we supposed to do with those little slivers of perfectly good soap?  Think about the wastes that go on in the bathroom alone.  You’re on the thorn you look at the paper and damn there are about 3 squares left for you to finish your job, three squares have you seen what I sit on three little squares are not going to make a dent.  What do you do with those 3 extra squares?  I don’t know, I leave them for the next guy, not really, ok sometimes I do.  Think of tooth paste, if you squeeze from the middle you miss lots at bottom and sides,  I squeeze from the bottom then about half way done I start the roll of the tube, then try to get the last drop out, but there is still the bit at the top that you can't get.  Which leaves me with the deodorant pack, if you make it down toward the end of the deodorant you will either break the piece off at the bottom or you will hit the sides of the container with your armpit.  You just can't win in the bathroom.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 25 knee scooter

If you were at the La Crosse Center yesterday you saw thousands of family members enjoying what lots of local businesses had.  Family Fest took over the entire La Crosse Center yesterday from schools, to skating and education to physical activity there was a ton to see.  You probably did as I did as well it is a great time to people watch, and enjoy the diversity of the families in our area.  You may have noticed the guy zipping around on the knee scooter, that big bald guy was me and I will tell you what using one of those to move around the center made it so much easier to be mobile.  I rented the knee scooter from Hilton Medical supply by the way no relation to the hotel people I asked because that is who I am.  The reason I bring this up today is because it got me thinking what newer inventions have made your life easier?  The scooter started off as a great toy for my kids and the adapted knee scooter has been a great way for me to exercise some freedom, since I broke my leg.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 22 uwl confessions

UWL’s chancellor Joe Gow got better than his wish, we wanted the creators of a Facebook page to take down an image of a woman face down on a tile floor, with shoes strewn about her limp body. That image was on a popular Facebook page called UW-La Crosse Confessions, where people, supposedly students post anonymous descriptions of life including sex acts, alcohol consumption and drug use.  To be honest I never even heard about the UW-La Crosse Confessions twitter or facebook page until I read it from the La Crosse Tribune.  The page was followed by more than 3,000 users, it was taken down yesterday and 2 copy cats popped up and within a few hours one had over 1000 fans.  The sites say that they are not affiliated with the university, and asks visitors to “enter your anonymous confession here.”   One of the pages is https://www.facebook.com/pages/LAX-Confessions/415514135208127?fref=ts  the other is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uw-Lacrosse-Confessions-20/295756247219391?fref=ts should these types of pages be allowed to be up on a forum where the public can see, should they be covered by the1st Amendment?   The original facebook and twitter page has disappeared.  The Facebook page may not have violated the fb Statement of Rights and Responsibilities...but what about social responsibility, Is this just another way to bully individuals and groups of people. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 21 Barron Island

La Crosse County has received an offer for the vacant Barron Island property (the former Holiday Inn across from Petibone Park).  If you remember the controversy over that property about a decade ago when they were talking about putting in a casino and the city overwhelmingly voted it down.  I hope that something good goes in there, something that would add to the charm of La Crosse, like a Wisconsin Dells type hotel with a water park, it would be a great draw to the area, they could also add an outdoor bar/restaurant with a stage and really use the area and showcase the beauty that is here.  There could also be high end condos built there with access to the River.  I for one wonder why some of the land that sits empty does.  I also think with some cleanup and a developer we could have something nice in the old Mobile site.  With a changing of the guard at city hall in La Crosse what would you like to see the new guard work on getting developed in La Crosse?

Daily Dose of BS Feb 20 pain

We have all been to the doctor’s office and seen the pain scale faces up on the wall.  I just don’t get it.  Not that I don’t understand, but how do you rate your pain.  I have taken my kids to the doctor with sore throats before and for them it is a nine or a ten, for me it has always been a one or a two at the most.  I broke my leg a couple of weeks ago and when I was checking in to urgent care they were taking my vitals and the nurse pointed to the wall and the infamous smiley to sad face chart of pain.  For me the pain was a 4 or a 5 and that is because I walked on it.  When I cut my finger tip off it was a 1 or a 2.  I guess when I am thinking of a sad face with a few tears it would be getting shot in the junk with a nail gun right in to the bone of your leg then trying to take that nail out with a kids sized claw hammer, then and maybe only then would we have a ten.  I hope to God that I never have to experience that kind of pain, the closest I got was about a six, two days after I got my cast one of my kids accidently banged the bottom of my broken leg foot when I had it out of the cast icing it.  It kind of brings up the sad faced teary eyes just thinking of that. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 19 vote

This is the day that we as voters in Wisconsin decide who moves on.  Think of today as the Survivor day, we get to vote 1 off the island for State Supreme Court and vote 9 from the La Crosse Mayoral pool.  And a handful of city council and village boards seats are up around the listening area also slimming their larger pools of candidates down to just 2.  Over the past 6 weeks I have had many conversations with all 11 of the mayoral candidates for the city of La Crosse and like cream a few have risen to the top of the milk barrel.  I know who I am going to be voting for today, who do you like as a candidate?  And are you going to vote?

Daily Dose of BS Feb 18 don't want to hear

We have all come across people saying things that we just don’t like to hear or don’t want to hear.  What are some of the things that you don’t want to hear?  Like the boss wants to see you and bring all your stuff, or  we’ve installed webcams in your studio and you are a really horrible dancer, and you can't carry a tune even in a backpack.   My least favorite is Umm sorry with no added explanation.  What are some things you don’t wanna hear?

Daily Dose of BS Feb 15 glasses

I got new glasses in December and the prescription didn’t change a whole lot, but the stigmatism did.  You know I am not the best test taker and I am always worried when I take those tests what if I am not paying that close attention; you know what is better one or two, one, two.   You pick but how do you really know?  Sometime they are so close.  I have had good luck with most of my glasses looking all the way back to the 2^nd grade when I first got them.  I have broken a few pair, got the glass hit out of one into my eye, and had small scratches in the lenses from time to time.  Which brings me to my question today, how do you clean your glasses?  I mostly use the cloth that came with my glasses that has an advertisement on it from the company they got the lenses from.  Yesterday I noticed that there is a little void of the anti-scratch coating on my glasses, and when they transition to sunglasses that there is also a little void there as well.  Hopefully the void doesn’t void the glasses warrantee.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 14 Happy VD

I choo’choo’ choose you.  Best Simpsons episodes ever.  I used to feel like Ralph when I was a kid as we handed out store bought valentines cards and put conversation hearts into a little place baggie or cellophane cut into squares and synched together with a bit of ribbon.  I remember making sure that the conversation hearts had to match up with your thought of the person cause you wanted that special someone to know how you felt.  I didn’t like that they had all lovey dovey hearts not like guy sayings.  Could you imagine what those would say.  I also remember taking an old shoe box and covering it with construction paper and putting it on my desk, I am feeling a bit nostalgic these days and put one on my desk here, I wonder if I will get any Valentine’s Day cards.  By the way if someone wishes you a happy vd today don’t shoot them a dirty look smile and say you too.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 12 dog eats spinach

When I was growing up I never had any animals except for a couple of turtles, and a few fish and the turtle choice surprises me as I look back because they really smelled.  In my adult life I have had two dogs, the first was Jake and I really didn’t mind walking him until one day one of my smart alex friends said hey look its Jake and the fat man.  Paying homage to the tv show of the same name I guess.  My current dog is a great dog; he is a loyal companion and loves the kids.  It’s funny when we got the dog I said to the kids there will be three rules, number one the dogs name will be dog, a friend suggested d-o-g, number two I won't walk the dog that will be your guys’s job and thirdly I will not ever clean up the doggie mess.   Guess what none of those rules held, when we got the dog he already had a name, I don’t mind walking him, and have you ever got kids to pick up poop?  If you want it done, lots of time you gotta do it yourself.  Last night I dropped some spinach and my goofy dog ate it, now if you drop chips or cereal on the ground my four legged friend won't touch it oh no, but I have seen him eat broccoli, carrots and now spinach, don’t get me wrong he likes most stuff we drop on the ground as long as it has meat on it but the veggie thing really surprised me.   

Daily Dose of BS Feb 11 Pope Benedict

Big news out of Rome today Pope Benedict XVI or the 16^th announced that at the end of February he is stepping down as the Pope - the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years.  The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals this morning.  He emphasized that  being pope - the spiritual leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics worldwide - requires "both strength of mind and body.  The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII (12), who stepped down in 1415.  His Excellency Pope Benedict XVI called his choice "a decision of great importance for the life of the church."  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 7 Postal Service

Did you know that the cost to mail a first class piece of mail is 46 cents?  I have almost a whole roll of 44 cent stamps I bought a bunch of 1 cent stamps to supplement them the last time that the price went up now I am going to have to put two 1 cent stamps on a letter, if the costs keep going up I won't have room for the address.  I am sure you heard last night or this morning the U.S. Postal Service announced plans to end Saturday mail delivery starting in August, It will be the biggest change in mail delivery since the post office ended twice-daily service in the 1950s.  “We are mothers and fathers. And sons and daughters. Who every day go about our lives with duty, honor and pride. And neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, nor the winds of change, nor a nation challenged, will stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds. Ever.”  I think doing away with mail on Saturdays and offering mail delivery Monday – Friday, will save the postal service.  I for one think I can do without the weekend mail delivery, and think about the money it would save us and the business of delivering mail.  I feel bad that it is a job cutting move but many businesses are doing with less people, I like that it will save us over 2 billion dollars.  Your thoughts?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 6 Donald Driver Retiring

Car 3.54 where are you?  Never mind I see you with every service station I drive by.  The prices of gas are up once again.  Can we all put together a hell ya.  I guess it shouldn’t surprise me the election is done and we have 4 more years, and don’t read into that, it doesn’t matter who would have won, the prices would still be high.  I want to turn my attention to a story that begins today, well ends today and then starts today.  Donald Driver good old number 80 hangs up his cleats today in a classy act that no other player has ever done, in front of his fans.  I think that Driver is a class act, a person who cares about his fans, and himself, heck he is retiring in front of the people who love him and on his own terms, and as a Green Bay Packer, unlike what we have seen before.  During the playoffs asked to be on special teams in order to play the game that he loves rather than be a prima-donna arrogant ass like we have seen from many other sports super stars, refusing to play after being put on special teams.  Donald Driver is a super star best of luck to you and your future number 80.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 5 debate

On Wednesday February 13 from 6-9a we will be holding a mayoral forum-debate on Today’s Talk 1490 we have invited all 11 of the mayoral candidates, I have heard back from 10 of the 11 confirming their participation.  I think it is a big group and an important election, because it whittles down the number of candidates from 11 down to 2.  I have 3 questions that I would like them to answer, here are my questions. What specifically will you do to reduce property taxes in La Crosse? How will you corroborate with our neighboring communities? Because many see La Crosse as the bully....and What can we do to better the economic development in La Crosse?  I know there are many more issues that are facing the city of La Crosse, like crime, including drugs.  The north south corridor, inter-turmoil at city hall, what questions would you ask the candidates if you could?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 4 broken leg

I almost made it 44 and a half years without a broken bone. On Friday I broke that streak.  I went out with a few buddies, it was snowing when I left, I stepped out the bar, walked down the ramp and landed on my hands and knees, after the quick look around to make sure no one was looking I got up, well I tried to get up thank goodness for the ramp rail and the garbage can right there, I was able to prop myself up, swear to myself and trek off to my car.  With each and every step the pain intensified, I thought I sprained it, so I was thinking buck up bucky and off to the car, I brushed it off started it up and went on my way.  When I got home out of the car up the back deck and off to my favorite chair.  The family wanted to see the ankle I was complaining about my son said I have never seen that color before.  Wrapped it with ace, watched some tv then went to bed, up the stairs with every painful step.  I tried to sleep but was up every 20 minutes or so with a throbbing leg, up Saturday morning, thank goodness the walk in is open at 6.  X-rayed then fit with an aircast and sent home to rest.  Just so you know it hurts like hell and I am horrible with crutches.  Plus how are you supposed to shower and sleep with this thing on? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 1 technology

With the cold weather some of us are enjoying old school heat, while driving to work this morning I smelled at least 2 wood fires, the smell brings you to warmer days and sitting by a crackling fire.  Technology has made the wood stove obsolete, most of us have electric, oil or gas heat, and oh how easy it is to go to the thermostat and set the temperature to make your home comfortable.  Technology has made its way into much of what we do on a daily basis.  For example at the radio station we got a new automation system, a huge upgrade, with an upgrade comes a learning curve and they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks.  I have faith in our team we have all made it from albums to carts to cds and wav files, bring on the new stuff.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 31 Waffle Bowl

The big game is on Sunday, it is a national day of tv, wings, other tasty treats and lots of alcohol in many cases.  My family however has a totally different menu when it comes to the big game, it started at least 12 years ago.  At the Schmidt house we have a family tradition of waffles, and sausage.  I remember the year we started it after reading the Sunday paper I glanced at a front page of a flyer that had a waffle maker on the front page and bought it, been making waffles every single waffle Sunday since.  It’s a great name cause when your team isn’t in the big game you can waffle back and forth and enjoy the plays and commercials.  I even left a party a few years ago when my team was in the waffle bowl to go home to have the breakfast of hotels.  Have a great Waffle Bowl Sunday and go team.

The Beebs grabbing more than he should

Daily Dose of BS Jan 30 garbage

I don’t know what it is when it comes to the white can in our kitchen.  It gets full and then over full every single day.  Our garbage can must be generating its own mess, I could empty the garbage in the morning have the whole family leave for the day and then when we get home the can needs to be emptied again.  There is more maintenance with the garbage can than there is for the dog, at least the dog lets himself in and out, the garbage on the other hand has to be handled a few times first to feed it then to bring out to the cans then back to grab a bag and replace.  Does this ever happen at your house?  I had to grab a second bag this morning to take the stuff piled up next to and on top of the can, I am glad that this isn’t a regular occurrence I will cut the kids a break today since last night you would have had to put on flippers to get to the garbage cans behind the garage, at least today it looks more like January.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 29 break ins

Another day another nickel, gas up to 3.34 I should have filled up yesterday.  The stoplight at West and Main is still out, what happened there anyway?  It is the end of January and instead of worrying about where to put all my snow, my backyard is flooded, the water is over the sidewalk in the middle of the yard.  We had the sidewalk raised a few years ago, but it must have re-settled and now we need a foot bridge to navigate to the garage.  There have been a rash of burglaries in the neighborhoods between UWL and WTC, the La Crosse police are reminding people to make your house look occupied, lock windows and doors and be a good neighbor.   If you see a crime, please report it. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 28 gas fire lights

Gas prices are on their way up, again we have 3.27 in La Crosse, funny I was just getting used to the 3.12 we had a few weeks ago.  I thought after the inauguration the prices go down.  Pretty disappointed first of all in myself for allowing myself to think the prices are going to stay at 3.12 and secondly for thinking that the 3.12 was cheap.  I guess it is all relative.  Remember when you were a kid and everyone threw in a buck or two and you cruised for the night.  Not anymore.  Sad day in Brazil as there was a concert where someone was lighting off flairs or pyrotechnics and the fire extinguisher didn’t work, over 200 young adults either burnt or died from smoke inhalation, what a horrible way to die.  I think that pyrotechnics should be outlawed inside.  This is not the first time that this has happened where people going to a concert died because of this stupidity.  Finally I am thinking about who gets contacted when a light is out on the highway?  The light on the road where I turn into the radio station is burnt out?

Daily Dose of BS jan 25 not all created equal

Our forefathers were wrong, we are not all created equal.  I know we all think that we are but guess what we are not.  Let me explain my thoughts here, I will never be able to no matter how hard I try be able to slam dunk a basketball against a professional team, or against anyone for that matter.  I won't be able to run a seven minute mile, I will never be one of the top 100 most handsome people in the world.  There are just somethings that we need to take a look at and say I tried and this is not feasible I am not saying give up on a dream but we have to know that we are not all created equal.  When lots of us were younger I am guessing that we wanted to be something other than what we ended up being because either your parents did it or someone else that you looked up to did that job, we may have even started down the path to obtaining that job but did not do it, why, because either we decided that we didn’t want to do it or we tried and we couldn’t do it, and that is what I am talking about, we are not all created equal.  I think what our forefathers were talking about that we all should have the opportunity to do the things we want.  

DEAR MATT-

“Dear Matt, you are a loser and you have a fat back.” Just one example of the individually-designed hate mail postcards drawn by London-based artist Mr Bingo. It all started when a drunken Mr Bingo impulsively tweeted that he’d send an offensive postcard to the first person who replied. Someone did, and now his hate mail has became so popular, he’s charging a fee to send expletive-laden and obscene postcards to whomever you wish. He’s even put out a collection of his nastiest work … “The Hate Mail Book”.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 24 Office Depot

Well it happened and it was bound to happen, my youngest son ended up with a crack in the glass of his tablet computer that he got for Christmas.  He was bummed and I was kind of mad, in my mind it was ruined and never to be used again after all it was purchased well before Christmas from Office Depot, and I wasn’t sure what kind of a policy they had when it came to broken electronics, boy was I pleasantly surprised as they took the tablet back with the receipt with no questions asked, plus the manager was both friendly and helpful.  This is the way that service is supposed to be, so my hats off to you Office Depot for making it easy on a parent, making a kid happy and for doing business the way it ought to be done, let me rephrase my original kudos, hats off till I head outside, it is below zero after all.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 23 bathroom doors

I always wondered about public restroom doors, why is it you need to pull a handle toward you rather than a push or a kick motion to open.  You have been in a public restroom where someone used the facility and walked right out the door without even pretending to wash their hands, that is a whole other event using the pot and not sending the job down, gross.  Do these people do this at their own homes I bet not, then why the heck would they leave someone else’s throne disgusting?  Also if ya dribble and I am not talking about on the court or in the field, but in the stall clean it up.  Does the crappy paper that many businesses use help to save money?  Don’t you need 3 or 4x the amount to make it work?  I also think that all the automated things in the bathroom that flush, dispense soap, turn on the water and kick out paper towels or turn on the dryer are nice, but even with all the automation you still have to grab a dirty door handle and turn and pull. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 22 warming up your car

La Crosse cops could be ticketing ya soon for warming up your car on the public streets.  If a person leaves their car unattended you are subject to a fine of $114, this applies to vehicles on the street or any other public place.  The ordinance is in place to protect people from car thieves, because if someone passing by who might not have thought about stealing a car may be tempted to take advantage of an easy target.  This is some flawed logic I think, people should have better will power than to take something that isn’t nailed down.  If I walk into a store and there are no cameras and the clerk is in back the opportunity is there for me to clean out the store of their goods, what my parents taught me and the golden rule teaches me to not take stuff that is not mine.  The fining of $114 to warm your car is flawed in my opinion; cause no one likes to get into a cold car and I really hate grabbing the ice cold steering wheel.  I got a better idea make an example of the person who steals the car and make it so that others don’t steal cars.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 21 inventions

So there I was yesterday afternoon sitting on my recliner, playing on my computer while talking on my smartphone all this while watching a program that recorded a couple weeks ago.  This made me think what are the most important inventions ever, or at least the ones that make a difference in your life?  Some of the ones that I have mentioned are on my list for the best and the worst just think about how much more time we had before we had any of the above because they truly are time suckers and anti-human contact machines.  I also think the car, toilets, indoor plumbing, heat and refrigeration should make the list and the best fix it material out there duct tape should be on the list also.  What are the inventions that you can't live without?   

Some good books

"A World Without Us" by Alan Weisman


"Concussions and Our Kids" by Robert Cantu


"God's Hotel" by Victoria Sweet


"Indomitable Will: LBJ and the Presidency" by Mark Updegrove




"Medicine for the Soul" - inscription at the Library of Thebes
Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Bookworm Sez, LLC
W5556 State Road 33
LaCrosse, WI 54601
office: 608-782-BOOK (2665)
mobile: 608-792-3314
fax: 608-787-8222

Daily Dose of BS Jan 17 conspiracy theories

I heard yesterday that there are conspiracy theories out there about Newtown, CT.  The conspiracy people are saying that it is an elaborate scheme that the media, the government, and Obama administration either manipulated or orchestrated the shooting to move political opinion on gun control, I call BS.  In particular, a video that focuses on discrepancies in initial reporting about the number and types of guns used in the shooting, information was being found as it happened and the national media was doing what they could.  ENOUGH!  Who would fake such a thing, why would anyone fake such a horrific event? 

How hot is it?

http://www.nrdc.org/extremeweather

Daily Dose of BS Jan 16 phone calls

I went through and deleted a bunch of station voice mails from the station voice mail.  As I was listening to them I realized that we get a lot of spam or telemarking calls to a work line that I put on the no call list.  Many of these calls are robo calls telling me of my winnings, all I have to do is call an 800 number.  I have been getting calls at home saying it is imperative for me to call about my credit card.  I don’t even carry a balance on my card.  Enough of the madness, I don’t even answer my home phone if I don’t recognize the number, it is pretty sad that these companies have taken what we used to look forward to answering making it a chore.  I am also not a fan of those who you know that call wait through the voice mail message then hang up without saying anything, causing you to waste time to call and listen to the hang up noise.  

THE BEER BIBLE:

A new reference guide called ‘Beertone’ (a play on the iconic Pantone color guide) has been designed to help barley drinkers identify and choose the right type of beer … based on its color. The brightest beers begin the guide, which runs through the spectrum ending with the darkest. Each beer has a card featuring a detailed description, alcohol by volume, the brewery, its bottle design, and its color information … ‘RGB’, ‘CMYK’, ‘Web’, ‘SRM’ (that’s the beer color scale). Photos show each beer in its bottle and in a glass. This ultimate reference guide will cost suds lovers $39 a pop.
NET: http://tinyurl.com/amlp9az
– DesignTaxi.com

Daily Dose of BS Jan 15 la crosse mayor

I went to a mayoral forum last night at the Moose lodge; eight of the 11 running for mayor for the city of La Crosse were in attendance.  You can really learn a lot from listening for a couple of hours.  Even though I have lived in La Crosse for the past 21 years and thought I was in the know of who is who there were a handful of people that I didn’t even know who they were.  I even met a few of the people who are running for city council  I hope to have all the men running for mayor on the radio with me, I am about half way there.  I would think that if I were running for office that I would reach out to all medias that are out there, especially if my number was not listed.  Of the candidates that I have had on, their numbers were in the phone book or easily found, the ones I don’t have on yet, well their numbers are either unlisted or changed from the last time the phone book was updated.  Back to the reason I said I hope to have all the men on the air, it surprises me that there are no women running to run our great community.  Remember to do your homework and get out and vote on February 19^th for the primary, this election whittles it down to two candidates that will then run for mayor on April 2^nd.  May the best man win!

Daily Dose of BS Jan 14 Packers

Went to a party on Saturday night and watched the Packers with some friends.  I was hoping that the first play of the night was going to be the way game would go, an interception and up by seven to begin the game….bam.  Not quite the way it happened.  Not even close, in fact the Packers were out played in every aspect of the game.  A friend of mine was sitting next to me while we were watching the game and he brought up a great observation, he said when the Packers were a bunch of losers that the fans were awesome, they stuck with the team and when there was a win the fans were grateful winners, now he said that the fans are like every other professional team fan, out for blood and no longer the gracious winner but an in-your-face winner like every other fan.  Now don’t get me wrong I would have loved to see the Pack go on to next week and then to the big game, but am proud of the way the team made it as far as they did with all the injuries that they played through this year.  I am not sure if I am the only other football fan who doesn’t care for Saturday Night games, but I do like that it seemed like I got an extra day of the weekend. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 11 celebrate

I am not against prayer, I did get embarrassed when I was a kid and out to eat when my folks would say a prayer before eating but at home it didn’t bother me.  I think the reason it bugged me as a kid was that it drew attention to us as being different.  Now we as a society celebrate differences, as long as the differences are what we believe in or what we see as normal.  I am willing to bet that someone who stands up for someone who wants to pray in a public place is not the same person who will stand up for the right to have a ritualistic branding.  It is kind of funny that even though we are saying we are an open and free society, that we are all brothers and sisters, we should come together and celebrate our differences but then point out what makes us different.  I think that we are becoming more a polarizing society than we were before, there are democrats and republicans, Christians and atheists, meat eaters and vegetarians, gays and straights.  Within each of the above groups there are many great people but there are also many zealots.  If we truly are a society that wants to get along, open your eyes and your hearts.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 10 year round school

School days, school days, dear old Golden Rule days, 'reading and 'riting and 'rithmetic taught to the tune of the hickory stick.  This week the kids are back in school for the first full week since mid December and are trying to get their heads back in the game.  Beginning next school year Hamilton Early Learning Center in La Crosse a preschool - 3rd grade school that will operate on a year-round calendar beginning with the 2013-14 school year.  The school's schedule is a 45-15 day operation the same number of days as the rest of the district, but the days are dispersed more evenly throughout the school year. Hamilton's school calendar includes the same staff development days and holiday breaks as the district's traditional nine month school calendar.  The 45-15 calendar will help the students better adjust to school.  I think that this is a great idea and wonder why it has not been done before?  I know it will take some getting used to for the families and vacation schedules, but if you know 6 months you should be able to make scheduled vacation changes.  I really believe that this should be implemented through-out all the k-9 grades.  Once a kid hits the high school years they should work over the summer to get them ready for working later in life.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 9 Guns

Guns, they are available everywhere, why not level the playing field?  We are about to embark in a national debate on firearms.  Some groups want guns in all schools and others want the gun to go away.  Personally I am leaning toward more guns with consequences, I don’t see why having a gun in a school if it is somewhere where no kid or person with bad intentions would get at it, if the person who has access to it is trained and really knows how to use and would only use it if God forbid that a gunman that came in to the school.  I also have the same thoughts when it comes to concealed carry, if you are trained and pass a mental health test, a yearly mental health test then by all means conceal carry.  I also think that we need to add punishments to those that do not follow the law when dealing with guns maybe a triple or at least a double sentence.  I don’t think that putting restrictions on purchases of legal firearms is the answer, but I also don’t think that we need to have ammo out there that is armor piercing, and clips that are able to hold over 15 rounds.   Thoughts?

What we are reading this month

WHAT WOMEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:

• ‘Our Best 75 Weight-Loss Tips’ – “Woman’s Day”

• ‘Dress Cuter For Work With Stuff You Already Own’ – “Glamour”

• ‘The Resolutions Top Doctors Make’ – “Redbook”

• ‘How to Create a Sock Bun’ – “Ladies’ Home Journal”

• ‘What He Really Thinks About Your Lingerie’ – “Cosmopolitan”




WHAT MEN ARE READING THIS MONTH:

• ‘How to Avoid Being Creepy Around Women’ – AskMen.com

• ‘Why Do Fat Guys Live Longer?’ – “Men’s Health”

• ‘The 6 Worst Athlete Tattoos’ – “Maxim”

• ‘5 Foods That’ll Make You Look Younger’ – “Details”

• ‘Reasons Not to Play Beer Pong’ – “Esquire”

Daily Dose of BS Jan 8 Cancelled tv shows

I am not a fan of tv leading up to this week on the tube, the last few weeks we have been stuck in re-run hell, this week my TiVo has picked up some of my favorite shows but not for much longer.  I am sad to remind you some of the mainstays in our tv viewing are going away.  One of the shows I didn’t really start watching until I got Netflix 30 Rock is going off the air that is a well written funny show.  Another show I am sorry to see leave is The Office, I was wondering how long it would take to go away after Steve Carell left.  A few shows never even get the chance to reel in the viewers for example I really liked Harrys Law with Kathy Bates, Alcatraz, and just started watching the Mob Doctor only to find out that that is canceled in fact last night the season and the series wrapped up.  I also liked the Finder on fox and will miss Horatio Caine with his cheesy opening lines and his sunglasses.  I wonder why some stupid TV shows stay on and others that are watched go away?  Oh well here is to the January sweeps and hopefully some good quality hours of tv watching. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 7 Black Box

It’s Monday and many people hate Mondays, are you one of them?  I am not sure that there are any days that I like or dislike any other than the rest.  I am not a fan of paydays but that is because I think I got up everyday for this?  I know don’t like it change it, I don’t think that we will ever make what we want to make will we?  I guess we just keep plugging forward right.  I read an article last night before I went to bed that said that most of the new cars rolled off the assembly line have a black box, I am not sure I like this, how can we fight a speeding ticket if the cop can pull the black box data right?  I am not usually a conspiracy guy but if this is available and has been in most cars this decade wouldn’t it be lots easier to find who was where and with what vehicle?  Won't the government be able to track us with that technology and know that at 4:35 yesterday afternoon you were driving down Losey Blvd?  At 5 you were parked in the parking lot at the Mall and at 6:33 your car was parked in your garage.  Combine this info with your cell phone and they will know who you were talking to at what time and for how long where you were and what you were driving.  I am just saying it’s a lot to think about on a Monday.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 4 Friday finally

Today is Friday time to celebrate, celebrate that we made it through the week.  These short weeks just drag on; in my mind they take longer than the regular 5 day work week.  Yesterday afternoon I got a call from a friend of mine and I was immediately brought back to a time in my life 3 years ago when I lost my job.  It is funny how the turn of someone else’s cards can be a reminder of life experiences past in your life.  I could feel his emotion on the phone and the uncertainty in his voice.  I know when you get laid off that it is the biggest kick in the pants that you can go through at the time, especially if you are blindsided, but of most the people I have talked to about this, most have landed in a better and more challenging, better suited position, where they are appreciated, I guess it is a chance to start a new chapter or even start over.  I am sure that my buddy will do well once he realizes this, but until then, I feel bad for his situation.  

Stalker via cell phone...scary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMu8R7eFpug

Daily Dose of BS Jan 3 What's in a name

In my 44 years of being on this earth we have seen a lot of changes from our technology we always have a phone with us, we have instant access to everyone’s thoughts with the help of twitter and facebook,  we have seen changes in our cars, and houses to the things we buy and eat…heck a dozen years ago I would have never bought bottled water, let alone ordered a glass of water at a restaurant and now water is my favorite drink.   The reason I bring this up is because I was thinking I don’t know any kid named Bob, when I was growing up there where about 15 of us in my class from Rob, to Robby, and Bob to Bobby and don’t forget about Robert.  I was born in 1968 and then the top names were Michael, David, John, James and Robert….for the boys and Lisa, Michelle, Kimberly, Jennifer and Melissa for the girls.  Number one for 2012 was Aiden for boys and Sophia for girls and Robert is nowhere in the top 100.  The top name for many years Michael isn’t even in the top 5 any more in fact it slipped to number 16 for boys and none of the girls names from 1968 made it to this generation.  To see where your name ranks check out the Social Security Administrations website http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

Daily Dose of BS Jan 2 odd day

Odd, yesterday was very odd from the time I went to bed to the time I woke up to the day and the year, yesterday was odd.  Weird I never thought of it this way before being odd like I am, but we have alternate side parking here in La Crosse and there are a few days that you can keep your car on the same side of the street over the winter and December 31^st and January 1^st are a couple of those days.  I worked at the stroke of midnight on January 1^st broadcasting the La Crosse Skyrockers fireworks, it is more a thank you to the community than anything else, and we truly do live in an awesome community.  Back to the odd day that yesterday was, it was the first day of the first month of the year 2013 so it really was an odd day.  Today we will try to even things out.  By the way today is Wednesday January 2, 2013 so if you are writing a check remember the date, does anyone write checks anymore?  Have a happy 2013.