Daily Dose of BS April 23 working the system

Did you hear about Clarence David Moore?  He is the guy who escaped jail a few times and just turned himself in, because he is dying.  He had a stroke last year and couldn’t get medical help because he doesn’t have a social security number, because he was incarcerated.  In my mind the only reason he turned himself in is because he is dying and needs the help.  Does it make me a cold person that he is playing the system?  In my mind there are way too many people working the system.

Daily Dose of BS April 22 parents parties

Trouble brewing for those who host underage drinking parties or social hosting, the county is taking steps against those who intentionally set up, aid, or conspires to commit - and the fines aren’t cheap.  First offence carries a fine of 500 bucks with fines up to 2 thousand for subsequent violations.   A prohibited act entails a teenage drinking party at the parents’ home or at a place set up for by an adult, and the parent or person doesn’t have to be at home.  The issue I have with this, is what about a parent who goes out of town leaves their kids home, the kids have a party and steal the parents beers, or other booze, they get busted, and the parents have no idea until the cops call to say that little Johnny had a raging party that got busted.  The parent didn’t set it up, but the ingredients were all there with the shelter, the booze, and the food.  Not a good idea in my opinion.  

Daily Dose of BS April 16 cigarette butts

Earth day is tomorrow, what will you be doing to celebrate it?  Our world is much like our bodies if we abuse it, it won’t be around forever.  I know we do many things to the earth that we shouldn’t but I want to just focus on one thing, one little piece, the cigarette butt.   I hate let me repeat that I hate with extreme prejudice when someone who smokes tosses out the cigarette butt out the window of a car, tosses that butt on the ground, basically doesn’t dispose of the cigarette butt in a way that litters.  While I am on it I really dislike any litter, it annoys me to no end.  You have garbage find a receptacle do not just toss on the ground, you are making needless work for someone else and you are polluting our world.  Also remember to pitch your gum where someone isn’t going to be stepping on it.

Daily Dose of BS April 20 pot

I am not sure what 4:20 means when the dope smokers use it.  I have asked a few times never got a straight answer.  I really don’t think that they even know, it is just something that has been said.  I have brought this topic up before and what better day than today to bring it up again.  Legalize pot and tax the hell out of it.  I don’t smoke, nor do I plan on it, but I am unsure why we don’t tap into this seemingly bottomless pit of funds.  I also look at it this way that we would be getting tax dollars from some who never has, nor ever will pay taxes, I am talking about the pot pushers.  The money raised will be able to pay off some of America’s debt; it would also allow much of the extra funds to go toward treatment for those that have problems, much like the lottery has gone to help those with gambling addictions.  Just look at the amount of funds that have been brought into the states that have legalized marijuana. I know much of the argument is that it is the gateway drug, I disagree, I feel that smoking tobacco is the gate way drug.  

Daily Dose of BS April 17 ad

Not sure if you read the paper?  I do.  If you do, do you dislike the sticker ad that started out as a Sunday only thing then creeped into the Saturday paper and now graces the paper each and every day.  I get that advertising needs to be sold, but at what cost?  I would think that the paper wouldn’t want that placed over the front page, headline and story.  Plus when you go to take it off, if you have big clumsy hands like I got, you rip the paper and then what do you do with the scrap of paper with semi-sticky stuff on the back?  I know there are much bigger issues out there but this has been bugging me for a while.  

Daily Dose of BS April 16 15$ an hour

I don’t know how many stories that I saw pop up yesterday about the 15$ minimum wage, and how many around the country want it.  I don’t, let me repeat myself I do not want the minimum wage to go to 15$ an hour, and it is not because I want to hold anybody down, it’s not because I wouldn’t like more money for myself.  It is for the plain and simple reason of if the minimum wage doubles won’t that mean that every price will double, rent, gas, food, electricity, internet, cable, hospital visits, everything.  I wish that we had business leaders who instead of huge profits rolled some of that money into wages.  I heard of a local business that had such a great year last year that they bumped everyone’s wage up a buck.  You know that those employees are happy.  The federal minimum wage isn’t a maximum wage, and if we impose a 15$ wage as a minimum I fear that many who are in the ball park of that now will see their potential for higher wages.  A fifteen dollar an hour minimum wage will stifle the economy.  

Daily Dose of BS April 15 tax day

This is it; you have until midnight tonight to send in your taxes.  Since 1955 tax day has been on April 15^th.  What started out as a simple thing, turned into a complicated pile of mess.  I am glad I have an awesome tax accountant, and would suggest that everyone get someone that they trust to look over personal and business taxes.  If you cannot get your taxes done by today you should submit IRS Form 4868 so that you can get an automatic six-month filing extension, you can find that form and others at irs.gov.  As for the scammers and cheaters that are out there, shame on you there are lots of people depending on your money.  See yesterday’s entitlement Daily Dose of BS.  Happy Tax Day, here’s for many happy returns.  Get it?

Daily Dose of BS April 13 construction

Its construction season!  On your mark, get set, STOP!  I for one am not ready for the backups and hurry up and wait mentality of the spring fix up the road time that comes our way every year.  It seems sometimes that there are construction projects that happen just to slow the traffic down.  Have you ever driven from Minnesota to Chicago, through Wisconsin?  Has there ever been a time where there wasn’t construction?  I honestly think that they are still working on the freeway in Rockford Illinois that they were working on when I was a little kid.  I think lets finish the jobs we are working on and then put new things on our plate.  What do you think?  On the bright side of this spring driving, gas prices are down again a few cents from last week, which is good since we are going to be idling while waiting for  construction this summer.  

Daily Dose of BS April 7 election day

Couple things I am thinking about today.  Today is Election Day, meaning you should go to your polling place and cast your vote.  Here is where I am going to back track just a bit, I do feel that you should vote to bitch, but if you don’t know who or what you are voting for then maybe you shouldn’t vote.  I think that is the first time I have ever said that.  I kind of feel a little dirty saying it, as for the past um-teen years I have been pushing you should vote.  All too often people just vote the populace without doing the research or thinking of the retributions.  Second thing on my mind today, congrats to the Badgers and making it to the big game, the outcome wasn’t what you wanted but you did the state proud, and you got a guy who normally doesn’t watch basketball to root for Bucky.  Also, it was nice to have a local athlete in the starting lineup.  

Daily Dose of BS April 2 tv

Yesterday was April Fools day, I saw a few online photos, read a few stories about how Brett Farve was coming back to play for the Packers but that was about it.  I remember when April Fools day was something more than just a few print jokes.  Oh well times change, I also recall when I was a kid we never had cable tv, all my buddies did, but the Schmidt Family did not.  That changed once I got out on my own, I for a while had it all, but never used it.  Dropped to basic, had kids got some back and about a year ago decided to cut the cord all together, at first the kids weren’t happy but it is funny how things change.  Now they are ok with it having found other things to do with their time.  For me cutting the cord was easy, the shows I liked were all on the networks.  I bought a few antennas, got Netflix and hooked up PlayOn and PlayLater, combine the PlayOn and PlayLater with my Tivo and all is well and good at the Schmidt house.  How do you get your tv?

Daily Dose of BS April 1 pet rock

Remember the pet rock?  How about the chi-pet or the clapper?  Ever thought how did that ever get to market?  I have had lots of ideas that I thought could be the next pet rock, guess what none of them ever hit.  All it takes is the right place and right time for many products to go from insignificant to significant and then back.  What makes someone buy a pet rock or a chi-pet or any of the other millions of things that we as consumers buy, but don’t need?  Because who ever needed a pet rock?  I guess they are a lot easier to clean up than a dog, right?  By the way this week is International Pooper Scooper week, again, a job that who would have thought would have existed.

Daily Dose of BS March 31 parking

The Schmidt family made it through the parking debauchery again this year.  Tonight we are going to be able to park on either side of the street, for the first time in five months, and I for one am glad.  I am always happy when April 1st comes around as it is the end of the joke perpetuated on the tax payers of the city of La Crosse, April 1st means no more alternate side parking, well at least until November 1st.  We didn’t really have much of a winter snow wise this year, and for us to have an additional fee of parking in front of our own house, well that kind of sucks.  I can see if we get big snowfalls but this past winter our biggest snow came this month and it was melted within 24 hours.  I am guessing that all our parking money helps to subsidies something, but I am not sure what, as my taxes are still through the roof.   Every year I wonder how many alternate side parking tickets will litter the windshield at the Schmidt house, and I am proud to say that this year we got none, zero, zip, nada, and that includes my 16 year old and that makes a dad proud.

Daily Dose of BS March 30 livable wage

The state of Wisconsin is looking to do-away-with the prevailing wage law.  I am all for saving money, on items, but I do not want a disgruntled underpaid worker working on the bridge that I drive over every day.  The state, in their infinite wisdom is looking to get rid of an eighty year old law that requires paying a living wage to workers on state buildings and roads.  I don’t like it.  I want to know that the best person for the job put together the buildings I am in and that the best of the best are also working on the roads I am traveling and bridges I am crossing or going under.  I do get saving money, but at what cost?  If we are going to have to replace the roads or buildings more often, or if we end up having less people get into the fields of construction, what have we accomplished?  

Daily Dose of BS March 27 famous

Ever met anyone famous?  I have had the chance to meet a few rock stars, an actor or two and lots of politicians.  The one who stood out to me as someone I would like to hang out with was Bill Clinton, seemed like a guy that would be fun around the poker table, I guess it is because he was a professional BS’er for a living.  However most of the famous I have met are just shaking hands as a part of their job, not seeming like it was sincere, or that they even wanted to be there.  Would I personally go out of my way to meet any athlete, rock star or movie star, I don’t think so, unless it was to have a real conversation with them.  For me to go to a meet and greet or have a chance for an autograph, I guess I have out grown that.  How has it been when you met someone famous?  

Daily Dose of BS March 26 Trooper Casper

Why is it when a police officer gets shot and killed in the line of duty that this is not a national story, or at least a headline on a national news cast?  I waited the day yesterday to see how it would play out and frankly I am not surprised.  I am disappointed in the media.  A 21 year old Wisconsin State Patrol officer was killed in the line of duty on Tuesday evening during a shootout with a bank robber.  Trevor Casper was just 3 months in to his career as a State Patrolman when he was shot and killed.  Where was the media reporting that a robber shot and killed a cop?  Why is it when the shooter is an officer doing their job, taking down someone who is allegedly fighting back that it is plastered all over the media, but when an officer dies while doing their job, getting shot by a robber that that doesn’t lead the news?  I work in this business and I don’t get it.  All lives matter but do some matter more than others?  Didn’t I read a book like that when I was in school?  

Daily Dose of BS March 25 media

Is traditional media dead?  I am talking about the good old forms of broadcast media?  I am talking radio and tv.  I spend hours a day with good old school media, from my time at work on the radio to my drives listening to music and talk to the comfort of my recliner for screen time catching my favorite tv shows.  I think that the delivery system of both radio and tv have changed but the premise has not.  I now stream more of tv than ever before and my radio station both streams and podcasts our shows.  Heck we even have an app (get it here https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wlfnam.player ) We are changing and evolving but I don’t believe that we are dead.  I think we either need to keep up, reinvent or get out of the way.  How do you listen to the radio or watch tv?

Daily Dose of BS March 24 babysitters

One of the biggest thrills of being a parent is the first time you can leave your children home alone.  It is a whole different ball game now than it was when we were left home the first few times, everyone has a cell phone now and we are reachable.  I recall when my neighbor was babysitting my brothers and I that my youngest brother Brian put paper in the furnace because he saw flames, needless to say that the fire department was called and our house was aired out in the middle of the winter.  With the four kids my wife and I have we have been asked when is the right time to leave the kids alone without a sitter.  My response was always you will know.  And you do.  Which leads me to how much should a babysitter be paid?  My daughter has a few clients where she will watch some children, and she gets paid way more that I used to pay.  I have heard that kids get paid up to 12 bucks an hour, if my mom heard that, we would hear the story how she made 25 cents and had to do the dishes.  Things sure have changed. 

Daily Dose of BS March 23 snow

I am not surprised that we have snow on the ground today.  After the few weeks of nice weather and shorts for a few days, winter has returned to the Upper Midwest.  Funny how on Friday when it wasn’t winter that I didn’t even think of snow now heading into day three of Spring we have a few inches of snow.  By the way because of this snow I lost a lunch bet to my friend at News 8.  I will pay up Michelle.  Were you of the thought that snow was done prior to our last fling with winter?  I was, in fact was ready to put the shovels up in the rafters of the garage a few days ago, I am glad that I wasn’t motivated to do so otherwise I would be back on the ladder bringing them down again.  I know I don’t need to remind you but feel I should say it, drive safe and remember it isn’t a race to get to or from work.  

DailyDose of BS March 13 obese

If you live in Puerto Rico and you have an obese kid, you could be labeled a child abuser.  What?  Their potential new law would allow social workers to open a child neglect case and fine parents 500 bucks if there is no progress in 6 months and even more money if there isn’t progress in a year.  I know as a former fat kid and current big man that shaming people into weight loss is not the way to do it.  If you have confidence and know who you are and are not going to take any guff from people than good for you, maybe these governments should also then start fining parents of bullies and parents of kids that can’t get the presidential fitness award.  Let a kid be a kid, I am guessing it is hard enough being one in today’s society.  

Daily Dose of BS March 12 protest peaceful

Hey America!  Look to Madison to see how to protest.  I think that in Wisconsin we are pretty good at protesting, heck we have had many protesters over the past handful of years.  In fact the Governor and his signing of the right to work law and now the unfortunate shooting death from last weekend, the state has been out protesting but protesting in a peaceful way.  I don’t understand why this morning we heard about the shooting of two police officers in Ferguson, Missouri.  And this was supposed to be a peaceful gathering because of the chief resigning.  There are riots, and throwing of things and fighting, I just don’t get it.  As a country we need to band together, hell other countries from around the world hate us, we should show the rest of the world that we don’t hate us that we even if we don’t love each other that we can work toward tolerating each other.

Daily Dose of BS March 11 Hillary

I watched the Hillary Clinton news conference yesterday afternoon.  I didn’t believe it, because it looked as though she is not telling the truth, when addressing the media Hillary’s eyes are looking all around and she didn’t make sense.  Hillary said she didn’t want to be inconvenienced with a second cell phone, excuse me?  As the Countries leading diplomat you didn’t want to carry two phones, what if you win the presidency will you be inconvenienced with having to carry two phones then?  When you are in a high power government job you would think that a second small phone wouldn’t be an inconvenience, how many commoners or regular people carry a second phone.  Also I don’t know about you but I have multiple email accounts set up on my phone, and they all work.  I am not buying her excuses.  

Daily Dose of BS March 10 protests

Top of mind topics include the civil rights movement, the student movement, the anti-War movement, the women’s movement, the gay rights movement, and the environmental movement.  These issues sound about right, don’t they?  They sound like topics pulled from today’s headlines, right.  It is 2015 why are we still seeing color, why does it matter if people want to get married?  Are we sliding back to the 1960’s, it sounds like it, and the list at the top were protests from the 1960’s.  Have we become stagnant as a country?  Are we fighting just to fight?  In the past 50 years we have had both political parties in charge, we have had different thoughts and practices to address these issues, yet we are still fighting the same demons.  Here is an idea, let’s all get along let’s put our problems aside and come up with peaceful solutions.  

Daily Dose of BS March 9 time change

Parts of Arizona, parts of Indiana, and all of Hawaii have it right…leave the time alone.  I hate the time change…I hate changing the clocks, I hate that when spring rolls around I get one less hour of sleep, in fact this past weekend we only had a 47 hour weekend, and as I am getting older I hate that my body doesn’t seem to cooperate with the change as it once did.  Lets address these three issues… 1- I hate changing my clocks, well La Crosse Technologies has helped with this, however, I finally got my microwave and stove to show the same time, now with the change and they are off again, and when I changed my watch, I changed the date by mistake (I have an old school analog watch). Number 2- you lose an hour of sleep, I for one am smart enough to listen to my body when tired I sleep and when my alarm rings I get up, weekends are no different.  Bringing me to my 3rd issue that my body is not as elastic as it once was, I was up an hour past my bed time last night…why..because that is how I trained my body the past 6 months or so.  Come fall I am going to be tired an hour after my alarm rings.  Let’s all get together and ban the time change, or have a compromise the next time and switch it by 30 minutes and call it good.  

Daily Dose of BS March 6 bulk buying

How often do you buy in bulk?  I find myself looking for deals quite often but have at times bought stuff and ended up paying more for it in the long run.  Almost every day for breakfast I have yogurt mixed with granola and I tend to buy the whole thing in bulk, a big yogurt and a box of granola.  When is it good to buy in bulk and when isn’t it?  I read that often times stores will charge more per ounce for a larger container.  What if anything do you buy in bulk and what don’t you every buy in bulk?

Daily Dose of BS March 5 censorship

Should the internet be censored?  I was poking around on facebook the other day and came across a video of a person laying on the ground and some smarty pants saying above it, I clicked on it and the video showed someone shooting the face off of someone else, and then the shooter proceeded to keep shooting until the head was blown off, this is unacceptable, I don’t want to watch this and don’t want people to think that this is ok.  What in the world are we allowing to be seen online?  Before I was a dad I used to be of the belief that there should be no parental lyric displays, that everyone should have access to everything seen and heard, I remember saying that I really wouldn’t care what my kids would listen to, guess what once you have kids that changes in an instant.  I am not for censoring any speech, and do still believe that we should have access to all - but how do we limit what kids especially young kids have access to online and on the air?

Daily Dose of BS March 4 guns

Dumb idea Governor.  I am all for the conceal carry laws and for law abiding Americans to carry guns, but it is a decision, and a decision that is not to be made lightly to own a gun.  There is currently a 48 hour waiting period on picking up a handgun, and I bet that the 48 hours of wait time can be tough to wait for.  I recall when I was a kid and waiting for the summer trip or waiting for the big test, or just about any wait for something that you wanted.  48 hours is a long time, but it is also a time for reflection, and I really feel as though a 48 hour wait on a hand gun is an acceptable time period.  I also know that if you wanted to get a gun and knew the wrong person or in this case the right person that you would be able bypass the typical 48 hour wait.  Nothing is wrong with a little patience especially when it could be life changing.  

Daily Dose of BS March 3 cell phones

I just read that you shouldn’t use your cell phone while you are trying to charge it, the quote was using your phone while trying to charge it is like filling a bucket with a hole in the bottom.  I find that with the exception of when I am working, sleeping or driving I am looking at almost all the time, and when at work I am using it to communicate when not talking on the air.  I am in almost constant contact with someone, and I don’t even know why I am.  I think about the amount of time that people waste on their phones each and every day.  For me it used to be even worse but I took angry birds, and ninja fruit off my phone.  I still have to charge my phone a couple times a day, and I do use it when I am charging it.  Does your phone last the day on a charge or do you have to constantly find a place to plug in to also?  

Daily Dose of BS March 2 open records

The state of Wisconsin has an open records law that seems quite troubling, if you are a marketer, you can request each of a school districts students name, address, picture, etc.  This needs to end.  Not tomorrow or the day after but today.  I worry about the pedophiles, and other weirdos that are looking for names, and addresses of kids.   What even brought this up is that a marketing firm that is looking to market the school voucher program wants to send school paraphernalia to parents of kids to get them to jump to private school using the voucher program.  This is another program that I don’t get; don’t we have good schools in the state?  I appreciate that there are religious schools available and other non-traditional schools out there, but if you want to go to them, shouldn’t that be on your dime?  Am I missing something?  Anyway back to my first thoughts, I don’t want the names and ages of my kids being given to anyone, let alone a marketing group, is nothing sacred anymore?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 27 drinking

Being smart begins with choices.  We have all heard the news stories about how a couple drinks can be good for you and may help your heart but only a couple.  More reports are coming out that say low-to-moderate alcohol consumption is linked to a reduced risk of heart attack. It’s not clear if it is all types of alcoholic beverages, cause I my favorite is an ice cold beer or perhaps a good whiskey it also says that there is an increased risk of harm when drinking goes from moderate to heavy saying that having 6 or more drinks in the past 24 hours is associated with a 40% increased risk of heart attack, isn’t that how most people drink?  They binge and average out the couple a day over a weekend?  Whatever the case for you and your group of friends, be careful this weekend, and be safe, also remember that buzzed driving is drunk driving.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 26 right to work

When I moved to La Crosse back in 1992 it was to work at a radio station.  When I was hired they had me sign a three month no compete, and said that even if I didn’t sign it that Wisconsin was or wasn’t a right to work state I don’t remember but I remember that they said that my non-compete it would hold up in court.  I had no idea what Right to Work meant then, and I still have no idea what a Right to Work State means to me now.  I have never been in a union, nor do I ever see myself being in one since I am a middle aged radio personality and don’t see myself moving from this market anytime soon.  From what I understand the proposal in Wisconsin would make it a crime to require private sector workers who aren’t in a union to pay dues.  If it truly is that simple, I don’t get the problem, but I am assuming that since the government is involved that it is much more than just that.  Supporters say it’s about workers freedoms, while detractors say it will hurt businesses and lower wages.  Since I really don’t know, how can wages be lowered or how can it hurt business by making this a right to work state?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 24 cans

I admit it I was wrong.  I was upset and complaining about the garbage cans and recycling that was forced down our throats about a year ago.  I complained too soon.  When the big 96 gallon garbage can was dropped off and the equally sized recycling bin was also dropped off I was like right my family of six will fill that up and nothing will go in that huge recycling bin.  Ha I was wrong and glad I was, I love the system, it cleaned up my alley, the 96 gallons for trash is plenty in fact I asked my single neighbor if she could get the bigger cans just so I would have room for excess trash, we have only added to her recycling bin, we went from just a few recycling items to 96 gallons of recycled stuff every other week.  It takes a big man to admit it but as I started out, I was wrong.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 23 safety

Does the 1982 Men Without Hats song Safety Dance come to mind after Al Shabaab calls for an attack on the Mall of America?  I am not making light of the fact that the Mall of America is being called out by name, but I really did start hearing the beat of that song when I first read about the called for act in Minnesota.  I wonder how many people take these threats seriously.  Did the call for violence or terrorism stop you from going to a mall over the weekend?  I was out by the mall yesterday and it didn’t seem as though in La Crosse that any less people worked their way to the mall.  Do we let threats dictate our lives?  I think if we are all vigilant and if we see something that seems off or odd that we say something and look out for each other that we will have that much more of a chance of being safe.  I hope that we don’t live our lives in fear over the ranting of one person or another or that we let someone words put a damper on our lives.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 20 words to live by

We all have words to live by, things that we want to pass on to our kids.  My Dad always used to say that a moment of laxity can cause an eternity of regret, when I was younger I didn’t know what that meant, I do now.  We all have those bits of advice that we have heard from mentors, what are some that you have heard?  Some of my favorites include - Give at least one genuine compliment every day.  Take responsibility for what you did.  Promise to do better next time … and actually mean it.  Help people without expecting things in return. And finally try to see the good in people … including yourself.  What are some of the words that you live by? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 19 customer service

Customer service is on top of my mind this morning as I had conversation about it yesterday and heard a national story about how Walmart is at the bottom of the food chain and has become America’s Most Hated Store.  I am taking a class on customer service and time and time again the store gets called out by students.  I don’t think I agree with having the pleasure of being the worst, but they still have a long way to go to crack the top ten.  I like when I shop at a place and there are staff members around to answer questions about whatever I am looking for, and I feel as though not only are the big guys lacking on this but often times some of the smaller chains have these same issues.  We as Americans are always pushing for low cost items, having customer service, and I mean good customer service costs money.  I think that paying a fair price for something and getting great customer service is better than paying the rock bottom price and no customer service.  What are some extremes of service you have received?  

Daily Dose of BS feb 18 stickers

When my kids were young I always loved seeing the bumper stickers that said inappropriate things.  The questions that followed were always welcome.  There was a truck that used to be on the South Side of La Crosse that had he vinyl lettering that said my other toy has (begins with t ends with t and has an I in the middle) I remember that conversation with my kids like it was yesterday.  On the internet we see lots of people post what they think is funny or those who want to make a political statement, in fact the other day I say someone post the bumper sticker on their facebook page that said “I work hard because millions on welfare depend on me”.  What brought this up as a topic is yesterday when driving home from work I saw a car ahead of me with pink on the trunk, I drove up on it to see what the pink tape was for and the owners of the vehicle had written in bright pink duct tape across the trunk of the car “Walker Sucks”.  I also recall seeing a few bigger stickers with the frequently asked questions monogram lettered on the back of a few vehicles which is fine until you phonetically say the letters together.   

Daily Dose of BS Feb 17 ash trees

I just read that neighborhoods are going to be a changing April 11, 2015 the landscape along Losey Boulevard will be a bit sparse.  The city of La Crosse will be eradicating the Ash Tree from the fabric of the city.  I am guessing that when we drive down Losey on April 12^th we will notice the clear cutting of the Ash trees from the boulevard.  Besides the loss of the trees we will be viewing the exposed stumps of 117 Ash trees that have been cut down in hopes of eradicating the Emerald Ash Borer.  It saddens me to think that all these trees will soon be gone from our beautiful city, and that our lovely canopy of leaves will for a long time be missing from the city streets.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 16 basketball

I was at a basketball tournament at Central over the weekend.  There are a lot of bad sport parents in the stands, in fact one of the parents sitting over to the side of me was screaming and yelling and questioning the refs at every call.  I am glad I wasn’t sitting right in front of him.   I wasn’t the only one who was upset by this guy’s behavior; I also think that his “from the stands” coaching caused the kids to loose.  Which brings me to my next thought on this, I have mentioned in the past that my kids are never going to be professional sports stars but they try, and they have fun playing the game, so when the kids are there at every practice and work hard at practice and show up to play the game, play the kids.  I don’t care if you play the kids for 2 minutes a game, play each of the kids, not just your favorite, how do you expect these children to get better.  It is a game you know, especially when the kids playing this game are 13 years old, and it isn’t an A team not by far.  All I can say is I am glad that this season is over and I am guessing that others on the team are also happy.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 13 triskaidekaphobia

The ever popular Friday the 13^th, weird that some have a fear of it, there is even a word that describes that fear triskaidekaphobia.  Try saying that word 5 x fast.  Heck try saying it once, it is a mouthful.  I am not sure what causes the fear of the 13^th, the fear of black cats crossing the road, or any other fears or phobias.  I think for me this year the biggest fear is tomorrow, Valentine’s day.  What do you get someone you have been married to for almost 25 years?  Flowers, a card, chocolates or other candies, I know candy conversation heart, actually to me Valentine’s Day to me it is a made up holiday in order to sell cards and candy.  I know, call me Mr Romantic, 50 shades of blah, I am going to stimulate the local economy and take my wife out for dinner, and maybe a movie, if not it’s hot pockets and Netflix.  By the way what’s good on Netflix these days? 

Daily Dose of BS feb 12 little league

One of the feel good stories of this past summer has a bad ending.  The Chicago-based Jackie Robinson West little league team was stripped of their little league world series, for pushing the boundaries.  I heard lots of grumbling that it’s too bad for the kids, that it doesn’t seem fair, blah, blah, blah.  What the team did was recruit kids from different neighborhoods, neighborhoods that were outside the boundaries set up to make the teams fair.  Much of the grumbling I have heard is that it was a great thing for these kids to win, why take it away, it wasn’t their fault.  Really, what about the other great teams that played by the rules that didn’t make it, how fair was it to them?  If this would have been something that would have been let go and allowed to go on without being what would that have showed these young athletes, they may be sad and mad now that the title got stripped from them, but the right thing was done.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 11 trains

The DNR has given their blessing for another rail line through LaCrosse.  7.2 acres of wetland will be filled in for the extra rail track.  With the millions of gallons of gas and other highly flammable and toxic liquids, and other potentially hazardous materials that will be brought though our fair city, I think it’s safe to assume that with the added line comes the added pressure of more trains through LaCrosse.  Are you ok with this?  Are the trains going to be whistle silent when chugging through town, or are we going to be hearing the whistle blow each and every time that a train passes an intersection?  Is the addition of the new line going to mean more trains running this line, or will it mean more efficient use of the tracks and faster trains?  I also wonder if the owners of the rail have trains running close enough to their own homes to hear the thud, thud, thud, thud each time a train passes?

Daily Dose of BS Feb 10 beer drinking

In Wisconsin we can take our kids to the bar and buy them a drink.  Now the land of 10,000 lakes want to offer the same service to their 18-20 year olds.  I always thought that the law that allowed a parent or guardian to take their kids to the bar to enjoy a cocktail was odd, that is until I had a beer with my son at my favorite watering hole.  Being able to drink a beer with your late teen child is like a rite of passage for them.  My Mom and Dad never allowed me to have a beer with them until I turned 21, I still remember that day, the day of my 21^st birthday over 25 years ago having that first legal beer, I was at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater and my folks took me and my future wife out for dinner and a show, I don’t remember what show it was, or what I had for dinner but I do remember ordering my first beer with my parents.  I think that all adults aged 19 and older should be allowed to buy what they want.  They can fight in a war, live on their own, be treated as an adult, be married, do just about anything someone 21 and older can do, but they can’t go into a bar or legally buy alcohol. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 9 Brian Williams

I know I am going to take some crap for this but if you can’t trust the media, who can you trust?  Now, hear me out, I chose a profession where integrity and honesty are key, I chose to work in the media.  I have been given crap from everyone from my Dad who loves me to my friends to people I don’t even know about the integrity of the media, calling us a bunch of liars and news fabricators.  When someone who is an anchor of one of the networks gets called out as a liar, it gives all the media a black eye.  If you are going to tell stories and fabricate things, please get into writing novels or tv shows not tell them as fact on the news.  I like Brian Williams, however as a media person, I feel as though he should step down as the anchor of NBC.  Don’t be a liar, take personal responsibility for your actions.   

Daily Dose of BS Feb 6 vaccinations

Should I or shouldn’t I, that is the question.  The debate has been around I am guessing for many more years than how long I have been a parent, but I never paid attention to it until I was.  Should or should I not vaccinate my children.   We are seeing more and more opting out of the shots for many different reasons.  And I am not sure what those reasons are.  If something is going to protect my little bundle of joy wouldn’t I as a parent do that?  Proponents say it is safe and one of the greatest health developents of the time, opponents say that a child’s immune system deals with infections on its own.  What is the right thing to do?  I personally think if I can give my kids an advantage for a healthier life, I am going to do it. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 5 worries

There are lots of factors when it comes to stress, from home to work and everything in between.  In a survey released earlier this weeks is shows that 72% of adults report feeling stressed about money at least some of the time.  72% really?  I would like to meet the other 28%.  I remember the last presidential election, it was said that there were the 99% of us and then the 1%’ers out there, now we are hearing about the 28%’ers that don’t worry about finances.  I wonder what the 28%’ers worry about?  There are so many things out there that can worry a person, am I doing a good job at work, am I a good parent, have a done this well or that well.  Did I get that homework done correctly, will they like me.  Can I afford it?  There is stress everywhere.  One of the things I noticed is when I have worried about some big life changing decision and the worry that comes with it, most of the time that what I have worried about never materialized. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 3 budgets

Its budget time, across the county, nationally and budgets are being turned in for states as well, from what I heard this morning about new programs makes me think, how is this going to be paid?  Ever thought about all these programs that are in the government need to be paid for by someone or something, guess who that is, it is us.  I have a hard time keeping to my budget at certain times of the year, and I always want more things as do most of us, but here is the difference between me and the government , I save then buy, not buy, then tax, then buy some more and borrow.  We need to get these state and federal budgets taken care of.  The burden for every man, woman and child right now is nearly $56,000.  WOW and we are paying interest on that money.  We need to have a balanced budget and need to have it done soon, we can’t afford to continue this spending.   What happens when the bills come due?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 2 super game

I think that the Seahawks now know how the Packers felt a couple weeks ago.  I am sure that the feeling among fans of Seattle was we got this, only a few seconds left in the game we are up and had the ball.  Time running down and intercepted all I can say is wow.  That was about the most exciting thing in the game was the final seconds.  I wasn’t impressed with the commercials this year.  The excitement of watching the game for the commercials may have run its course with me.  I can honestly say the only one that I really liked is one that won’t be able to play again, it was the one right before the big game when the tv signal went away and it ending up being a Chevy commercial.  I am guessing the there was a collective yell across America with the word that rhymes with my last name when that happened.  No wings at the Schmidt house during or before the game, just nachos and the family tradition of Waffles for Waffle Sunday.  Btw the waffle machine gets put away now till the next big game, the 50^th.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 30 waffle bowl

This coming Sunday is finally Waffle 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 Sunday since. I love Waffle 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. #bswithbob #wafflebowl

Daily Dose of BS Jan 29 facebook

Has social media become a sounding board for the too afraid to say something in public?  Have the pages of facebook become a finger pointing, lets air our dirty laundry sounding board?  Do the posts that lots of people make kind of give the preverbal middle finger to others around that cannot do what it is that you do, or are doing?   I say yes to this, but I also think that the social media platforms have a place in our lives as well.  For each of the times that I have seen someone upset with their relationship and down on everyone and the very next person to post is having the best day of their lives and nothing can go wrong.  I don’t know how many times I have read a negative post on a politician and then see the complete opposite.  I guess what I am trying to ask is, do you think that we are to _____ on social media?  (open honest/ closed fake) I like my social media time, in fact I sometimes wonder what we did before we could peer in on others’ lives?  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 28 walker

I would think that running a state would take all your efforts.  Governor Scott Walker announced yesterday that he had formed a political organization to help boost his potential 2016 presidential run, Getting this group together is the first big step toward a possible presidential campaign that comes as other candidates are also building up their efforts to seek the republican nomination.  Governor Walkers group called “Our American Revival” was formed earlier this month and will be able to raise and spend unlimited cash to help Walker push his agenda to a national audience.  I asked Governor Walker in an interview if he was thinking of running for president someday and he was pretty vague, I think that if I were to ask him again I would get an answer.  Do you think that Governor Scott Walker would make a good President of the United States of America?  Please try to play nice on your comments.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 27 choices

We all have choices to make these choices will determine your day and the day of others.  Funny I was thinking about that while driving into work, that the choices I make will determine how my day will go and could determine how the days of my coworkers will be as well or others that I run in to throughout the day.  It is the little things that add up to be big things I think.  You choose to hit the snooze, or skip breakfast, return that last email, take the call.  All choices, all things you decide to do in a day can have an effect on your day.  You can choose to react or over react, or ignore.  However you choose to take on your day, best of luck with your decision and remember you will have to live with the consequences.