Daily Dose of BS Feb 9 toll road

What is wrong with the pay as you go method?  The toll road conversation has poked up again.  And I am not sure how I feel about it.  When we drove to DC last summer I borrowed an I Pass from a friend of mine so we wouldn’t have to stop every 15 minutes to wait in line behind the other cars waiting to give money to the man.  The I Pass allowed me to keep on truckin, to not stop, slow down or even pay as much for my privilege to travel on that section of road.  Would a toll road be that bad?  Sure we would pay more for the privilege to drive on certain highways but if the roads were kept up and saved us time, wouldn’t that be worth it?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 8 record store

As a kid I remember going to Great American Music in Har Mar Mall.  You see I used to live 5 houses from the mall in Roseville, Minnesota and I used to save my money and buy a lot of my music there, started as buying albums, then 8 tracks, then cassettes and finally cd’s.  As I started working I would buy more and more then when I got into radio I stopped going to the record stores, I quit buying music, I started getting my music from work.  Enter digital music services like Spotify, Pandora and Slacker as well as Apple iTunes and you have really no need for hard copies of music anymore.  I for one am sorry to see this go away.  Reports are out now that Best Buy is going to quit selling CD’s to me this is weird, as I think the last time that I bought a CD I am pretty sure I bought it at a Best Buy.  What is your favorite way to get music?  For me it is a tossup between listening to the radio and listening to Spotify.  And I never thought I would ever like a digital music service.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 7 girl scout cookies

The sugar high began last week with the knocking on doors and sales pitch in hand.  I am talking Girl Scout Cookie time.  I am like most the rest of America and am enjoying the different flavors of yesteryear with the thin mints and the carmel delights, also enjoying the new smore cookies as well, only thing that they are missing is the gooey mess, but they taste good just the same.  I saw a few posts on Facebook the last few days about some consumers are upset that the girls are selling the cookies in front of some of the marijuana dispensaries around the country and doing quite well I might add, one girl sold over 300 boxes sitting outside the shop.  Should she have been able to sell them there?  I think so, as long as its legal, what are your thoughts? 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 6 gas tax

As a passenger in my own car the other day while my daughter was practicing driving in the snow, I was sipping on some coffee out of my coffee mug, I was on heightened awareness because she is just learning how to drive, the road was clear with no cars coming it was safe to take a swig of coffee.  I forgot to look at the road itself, the potholes are atrocious.  And I mean bad, sipping on my black coffee ended up with me burning my lip and chin.  The roads in the state of Wisconsin are filled with potholes, and the Governor is now saying that a gas tax hike could be on the table.  I wish we would have had it as a sliding scale tax of a bit higher when the gas prices were so low last year and have them a bit lower now that our prices are around 260 a gallon.  I wondered what our gas taxes in Wisconsin were so I looked them up we pay a federal excise tax of 18.4 cents a gallon, a state excise tax of 30.9 cents and a Petroleum Environmental Cleanup Fund Act fee of 2 cents.  Would you be willing to pay a bit more at the pump to make the roads better?  I would.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 4 yesterdays game

A couple of protests over the weekend in the Twin Cities, other than that, from what I’ve seen - a pretty well-behaved group of football fans.  Yesterday marked the 22^nd annual Schmidt Family Waffle Bowl, every year since our oldest was born we have had waffles on Super Bowl Sunday.  Kind of weird that we do it because it is the only time during the year that we all have waffles.  Since none of us really cared about who won the game I think that we were in the game to see the commercials, and as a commercial skipper that was a hard thing to do.  Every time that a commercial came on you could feel the tension in the room as the anticipation to skip the commercials was surely there.  So, of the handful of commercials that tried, what were your favorites?  For me, I really liked the Tide commercials and the one for Dodge that had the Vikings in it when they reached Minneapolis and found out they weren’t playing turned around and headed home.  As for the game, I didn’t care who won.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 2 groundhog day

Have you ever had one of those days like in the 1993 movie Ground Hog day? When you wake up and repeat the same boring as hell tasks day after miserable day? I know when I was younger and had other people looking over me, I had days like that, gotta do what the man says. Guess what you don’t need to be stuck in the same remedial job, the same dead-end place the most boring existence, you don’t need to and I will tell you why. You and you alone are in charge of your own destiny; unless of course, you are under 18 then it’s up to your parents. You can get the ball moving in the right direction though. You can not and should not blame others for your failures. Cause guess what it is your decision to do this that or the other thing, quit blaming your spouse, boss, kids, parents, your social standings etc because you can get up and move, take off and never look back or take off and help those in need with a hand up. I have had one good quote in my life and try to live by it every day so that I do not have a groundhog day moment. As I try to live by, "Life is too short to hang out with people you don’t love, work at a job you don’t like, to eat foods you don’t want and to drink s#!ty beer."

Daily Dose of BS Feb 1 bac .05

There is talk of moving the legal limit for the level of intoxication from .08 to .05.  The National Transportation Safety Board says that with the new lower limit it would save lives, nearly 1,800 lives if every state lowered the Legal blood alcohol content for driving to .05.  The American Beverage Institute calls the report agenda driven science at its worst.  That a 180-pound man having 4 beers over 2 hours would be legally drunk with the new limits.  Utah is poised to become the first in the country to move to the .05 bac, but that won’t be until December 30 of this year, I am guessing that they did that date so that they can pick up a few on New Year’s Eve.  The reason for that they want to move it down to .05 because over 100 countries have already moved to the .05.  But to me that doesn’t make sense, because I was always told not to be a follower but to be a leader and if Jimmy jumped off the bridge it doesn’t mean that you do too.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 31 SOTU

I may be a little groggy this morning, I watched the entire State of the Union speech by President Donald Trump.  I am not sure how I feel about it, there was a lot of grandstanding as there always is.  There were a few points that I had no idea about like lowest unemployment in 45 years.  Let's just think about that for a minute, there are more people working now than ever.  I found out that together, we are building a SAFE, STRONG, and PROUD America.  I agree with this also, we are a safe, strong and proud country.  I believe that the President is trying to do the right thing for our country, in fact, I believe that most of our elected officials are trying to do what they think is right for our country but we live in a world where people are headstrong and willing to argue just for arguments sake, there is no give even the slightest give among most people especially politicians.  I think that we and by we I mean all of us need to work better to compromise and learn to see things from more than just our own eyes, to try to see what others around us are seeing and feeling and all of us work for not only a better country for all but a better life for ourselves, also on these SOTU speeches maybe they could hold the applause until the end so that it could wrap up faster.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 30 straws

A couple of years ago I was in Boston with my son and I was charged for a bag at a few different places, I thought it was odd, I found out it was a law to cut back on bag pollution or litter.  Boston isn’t the only place that charges for bags there is a growing number of cities that are charging for plastic bags including Chicago.  I wonder if that includes a fee for garbage bags?  The reason I bring up the bags this morning is that the state of California wants to ban just handing out straws at dine in restaurants, meaning you have to ask to get a straw. And if the server just gives out the straw without being asked there is a proposed 1,000 dollar fine.  This is absurd, I am not much of a straw user but when I want one I want one.  I guess if I were to say saying any thing about this law is that it sucks, well not really I guess. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 29 foodstamps

Governor Scott Walker has said on many occasions that welfare is supposed to be more like a trampoline rather than a hammock.  Last week Walker called for a special session for lawmakers to consider a package that would impose more restrictions on food stamps and Medicaid.  The efforts to ban the purchase of junk food and pop with food stamps is ongoing.  This and the whole passing of drug testing is where the work for welfare movement in the state of Wisconsin are heading.  The state is also looking to the “idle population” back into the workforce.  The state of Wisconsin already has an unemployment of 3% how much lower could we go?  What do you think the right choice for the state should be? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 26 felony

Headline story this morning in the Tribune “Felony cases spiked in 2017” lead by drugs and bail jumping.  The La Crosse County DA’s office filed 1,184 felony cases last year up 21% from the year before.  Most of the cases were non-violent bail jumping and extradition cases, add to that a growing number of felony drug possession cases, even the smallest amount of meth and heroin is a felony.  Then mix in the people who are released and while released are committing more crimes and we have more felonies for the year.  The numbers also show that last year the number of burglary charges jumped by 90 % last year to 110 as well as the growing number of forgery cases.  According to the La Crosse Police, the drug issue within our community are one of the primary driver of our property crimes.  What should be done? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 25 phones

The happiness, self-esteem and life satisfaction of American Teens are closely tied to their phones.  In a study that was published Monday is says that by 2016 73 % of all teens carried a cell phone of some sorts.  It goes on to say that between 1991 and 2016, teens who spent more time on electronic communication and screens — social media, texting, electronic games, the internet — were less happy, less satisfied with their lives and had lower self-esteem. TV watching, which declined over the nearly two decades they examined, was similarly linked to lower psychological well-being.  It makes me think that we are raising a bunch of kids that are losing out on the life skills that many of us treasure, like face to face communication, human contact and looking at someone while having conversation.  

Daily dose of BS Jan 24 school shootings

Over the past two days there have been reports of high school shootings.  Two days in a row and 11^th so far this young year.  Why is it that I am just hearing of these now?  11 school shootings so far in 2018?  And for what reason?  I don’t get what possesses these kids.  I am not sure if the coping mechanism is different with today’s kids then it was when I was a kid but I tell you what when I was a kid I was disappointed many times.  I never shot and killed anyone I never pulled a gun on anyone, I never wanted to kill or maim anyone.  I was brought up with the mantra of sticks and stone can break my bones but words will never hurt me.  I have said that nursery rhyme many times while growing up.  Guess what it worked, I made it through my childhood.  But the one lie in the old nursery rhyme is that sometimes words do hurt, I think that we and by we I mean us all we do need to watch what we say but we also need to have thicker skin and not take everything to heart, I do realize that is easier said than done.  Is it so hard to be nice to one another? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 23 newspaper

Is it wrong to expect my newspaper at least on my step?  For the longest time I have had the perfect paper delivery person.  I would get my paper before 5a so I would be able to grab it and then head to work.  Right around the middle of December that changed, the person who used to deliver for my house must have quit or retired or something, now I get my paper much too late for me to read before work.  And on weekends it doesn’t come until after 9.  By 9 the day is half over, the paper should be read and coffee drank by 730 on a Saturday and Sunday.  With the rain yesterday, my paper ended up on the sidewalk in front of my house, not leading up to my house but the sidewalk that runs parallel to the home.  When I was a kid and had a paper route, things were different, you called the newspaper, you talked to someone there, and your complaint got taken care of, by the person who delivered the paper, or their mom if they were already in school.  Don't get me wrong, I love the paper but want it delivered to my house, not at my house. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 22 shutdown

This latest governmental shutdown has had an effect me, the teacher for my Psych class sent some links to check out about substance abuse and the big government shutdown banner was across the top of the page.  Makes me think that someone thought about this prior to the shutdown and made the banner available for the government website so that when the shutdown happens that whoever goes to that government website knew for a fact that that website was part of the shutdown.  Have you ever given any thought the question, is my job essential? I’m not sure mine is. In fact, I know mine is not. I have few friends who are being affected because of the shutdown. If the government truly wants to make a difference instead of a point have the whole government shutdown. I am guessing that that will not happen cause the man never goes without. Could you imagine the people in Congress or the Senate say no to a paycheck? There may be a few out there who will as a gesture give it up but really? It isn’t affecting them anyway it is cutting to the core the backbone, the people who are in the trenches and are busting their hump for the man. Let’s put politics aside and unite as a country and put these people back to work. The gesture is there we “shut down” the government now let’s show the world that America is open for business.

Daily Dose of BS Jan19 food stamps

Governor Walker made a quick stop in La Crosse yesterday to talk about a proposal to overhaul welfare in the state making the requirements some of the toughest in the country.  The proposal would force parents on food stamps with school-aged kids to work or be on the job training, also adding the requirement of photo id for food stamp recipients.  Walker defends the package as a way to get more people off public assistance and into the workforce.  Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling.  “It’s sad and desperate that he thinks the best way to win re-election is to go after struggling families who are trying to get ahead,”  Walkers proposal also would require drug screening, testing and treatment to be eligible for public housing, and Forbid anyone living in a home worth double the median value home, about $321,000, or owning vehicles worth more than $20,000 from receiving food stamps and other Medicaid benefits. 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 18 walmart

America’s opioid epidemic kills more people per year than breast cancer, and yesterday Walmart pharmacy rolled out a product that provides a safe way to get rid of extra prescription opioid drugs.  Kudos to the big box store for coming up with what I hope is a dent in the problem with opioid addiction. The product called DisposeRx turns any form of opioid including powders, pills, tablets, capsules, liquids or patches into a gel that can’t be converted back into a usable drug.  Walmart will be handing out this new product with each new opioid prescription and existing customers can ask for one at any time.  About a third of all prescribed prescriptions go unused, I think that this is a great first step.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 17 junk email

Am I the only one who is sick of the thousands of junk emails that we get each and every day?  I have a few email accounts, my gmail one, my business one and my radio station one.  Between the different accounts and texts and various things that we get everyday I am guessing that we are reading a book a day, and that is just the messages that don’t get kicked out of our message in box from the spam filter.  After the first round of defense, I for one look at my inbox and delete about ¾ of my emails before even opening them up.  Who is reading this email?  Who is thinking this is a really good idea, send our account numbers to some Nigerian Prince so that they can smuggle money out of their country?  Why would I want to buy counterfeit prescriptions from Canada, Mexico or Alabama?   Why is some company in India trying to sell me SEO products for my business?  This type of marketing must be working because they are still trying to get us to pony up and buy this that and the other thing, or to send our social security numbers so that we can claim our 4.6 million pound prize from Google Belgium.  I hope your smarter than to send your information to someone asking for your info via the internet with a Dear Sir or Madam, or a phone call, but  if your not please send your check or money order to Daily Dose of BS 1407 2nd Ave N, Onalaska Wisconsin 54650.

Daily Dose of BS Jan jan 16 viral videos

Last year on an icy La Crosse day my boys wanted to ice skate in front of our house, at first, I said no then thought what the heck.  I videoed them and it had over 2 million views, a video that I took of my kids went viral.  The kids were excited, we heard from friends from around the country after it hit Good Morning America.  There are a lot of things that go viral, and you never know what will and what won’t.  I saw a video on Facebook at the beginning of winter that had some people put their faces in fluffy snow then videoed the outcome it was cool as the face implant looked like their face, I tried that yesterday expecting it not to work, guess what it did.  There are other viral videos out there of people doing stupid things like the cinnamon challenge where you eat a tablespoon of cinnamon or the hot pepper challenge.  Dumb.  But the newest in viral stupidity is the laundry pod challenge.  Who is raising our kids?  Don’t they know that this is stupid?  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 15 hawaii

I get it we all make mistakes.  I do you do we all do.  Could you imagine if your job was to alert the people of Hawaii of an issue and you dropped the bomb figuratively not literally.  How would you have felt if you were minding your own business, looking forward to a pleasant day living in or visiting Hawaii and suddenly you get a text from the texting robots telling you ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii.  Seek immediate shelter.  This is not a drill.  I think I would go into panic mode.  The worst part of it all is that it took 38 minutes for the second alert to reach all the phones for the all clear.  The president of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, called the mistake — which sent terrified tourists searching for shelter — “regrettable and completely avoidable.” and that “Hawaii continues to be the safest, cleanest and most welcoming travel destination in the world, and the alarm created today by the false alert does not change that at all.”

Daily Dose of BS Jan 12 shithole countries

The President of the United States asked, “Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” I was personally shocked when I first read that.  I double checked and triple checked my sources, then I called my boss and asked what to do.  Do I talk about it?  Do I bring up the word or gloss over it like many are doing?  I was told to use my judgement.  I feel like the comment made by the President of the United States is newsworthy.  According to the Oxford Dictionaries, the word is defined as “An extremely dirty, shabby, or otherwise unpleasant place.”  Is there a place and a time for vulgar language?  Personally, I think that there is, however do I think that the President of the United States should use it to describe another county no F’in way.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 11 flu

Yesterday I talked to an infection control specialist about the flu, there is an outbreak in 46 of the states.  I got my flu shot back in September and knock on wood, I have had a flu free winter so far.  Sure I have had the sniffles a few times, but for the most part been doing ok.  I have heard both sides of the story about why not to get the shot, but I work in the public and see lots of people and shake lots of hands, and I mean I do shake hands none of that fist bump BS. I also have kids and talk for a living so getting influenza is out of the question for me. Lots of people think if I get the flu shot will get the flu, or you won’t get stomachaches or headaches. Its not the case, the flu shot will help you from getting influenza which is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It spreads easily and the Flu symptoms usually start quickly. The first symptom of the flu is a fever but can include: Body aches, Chills, Dry cough, Increased breathing symptoms and much more.  Also remember you are not only getting the shot for yourself but to stop the spread of the flu.  To find out more about getting your flu shot give the county health department a call at 608-785-9723 you won’t be sorry.

Daily Dose of BS Jan 10 stuff

Ever thought about the stuff that you have laying around your home, I mean the stuff that you have laying around that you really don’t need.  I look at my office at home and it is the collection spot for things to go and slowly die, the old cellphones that still work but have no use, but are kept just because they may save you from having to buy a new phone when the one you have decided not to work how about all the chargers and the cords that go with those old phones, tablets. Computers, and TVs that are just lying around.  I have been pitching these but they seem to multiply every time they are in a dark room by themselves.  I opened one of our junk drawers the other day and found two digital cameras there staring up at me and the clothes that line the closets and drawers around our homes would fill a few racks at the stores.  I do know of some people who take pride in having clothes from many years ago, an example is my dad who just visited last weekend showing off to my kids that he is still using the shoes he got when he was in the Navy 50 years ago.  They look it.  Anyway, I guess I am saying it is ok to go through and get rid of some of the stuff in your home.  It isn’t worth what you think it is.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 9 Oprah

We have a billionaire business tycoon now as President of the United States, would you vote for a billionaire talk-show-host-turned-media-mogul as the next President?  Since the Golden Globes on Sunday there has been talk of an Oprah Winfrey presidential run in 2020.  Before you discount it think about this she has the same political experience as President Trump did heading into the election and she has likeability.  I wonder though, what happened to having experience, qualifications, and judgement to be the President?  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 8 art

Art is subjective and means something different to different people.  I get that.  As a person who creates on a daily basis I get that somedays creations are better than others and that some people likes some of what I do, others don’t.  My feelings don’t get hurt over this.  La Crosse currently has a problem with a piece of loaned art, the “Hatched Baby” sculpture of a blue baby hatching from an egg.  How about bringing in the Blue Man Group to do a photo shoot with it.  I am not sure if this is an outdoor piece of art.  If it is, we could put it in one of the lessor known parks for the exposure that it would bring to that park, we could put the questionable art work in a new space perhaps we could come up with a safe space for showcasing creations, it could have a stage, a few walls, a place for larger pieces, and a giant refrigerator for kids to showcase their artwork.  Or it could go in one of the empty spaces in the mall.  Or it could be part of a parklet downtown.  See if a little time goes in to the thought process, a solution could be found.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 5 parking

I think that the cops have a crappy job a job I wouldn’t want to do, I respect them and think highly of them, I do however question the need for a 1 million dollar secure parking structure for the police department at city hall.  A million dollars to park?  No, no, no, can I say no enough?  The claim is the need for new parking because of the redevelopment of the county administrative center now the Hub on Sixth housing for Western Tech.  They say the reason for needing the new secure parking is because “Right now basically anyone and everyone drives through the back parking lots” here is an idea, put up a gate or how about ticketing people when they drive back there if they shouldn’t be there.  It would save us as taxpayers some money, and may, in fact, make the city some money if they start collecting on the tickets.  The claim is also that it would clear up parking for the rest of city hall.  I have been to city hall a bunch of times and there hasn’t been a time that I haven’t been able to park, and if there was you could park in one of the cities other parking lots.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 4 pbj

In the week between Christmas and New Years I went back to the basics, I enjoyed a staycation for the most part.  I did take a side trip up to the Twin Cities and went to the Como Park Conservatory.  Always one of my favorite stops when headed up to the cities.  I also went basic with food, I had for the first time in probably a couple of decades a plain old peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread.  I have to say it was super enjoyable.  Sure in the past couple of decades I have had peanut butter and jelly but it was on wheat bread or it was toasted or it was crunchy peanut butter or had on strawberry jelly, it wasn’t the good old plain old creamy peanut butter and grape jelly on plain old white bread.  Which brings me to todays topic, what is your favorite type of sandwich?  Is it old school like the pbj or remember the slice of Kraft American Cheese on white bread with either mayo or mustard?  What about the old liverwurst sandwich?  Sandwiches have come a long way haven’t they? 

Daily Dose of BS Jan 2 pot

The above the fold, front page of today’s La Crosse Tribune headline says “Complaint: 500 pounds of pot” it goes on to tell the story of a West Salem man and how an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest for conspiracy to commit delivery of THC greater than 10,000 grams.  Yesterday’s paper had a story of Californians hailing the first day of legal pot.  Isn’t it time that we open up those doors and allow marijuana to be legalized?  I have heard that people call it the gateway drug, but is it really?  I honestly believe that cigarettes and beer are.  I think of the illegal drug trade going on and the lives that are changed because of it, the jail time, the addiction, the failure to pay taxes on it.  I would think for the taxes alone we would legalize it.  Here is the thing, I don’t smoke pot, but I do pay taxes, to many taxes, and many of my tax dollars are going to pay for people who are addicted to various drugs, wouldn’t it make sense for the problem to pay for the solution?  Plus, is would open up our court systems, it would free up some of the time that the cops are dedicating to busting those smoking a little weed.  

Daily Dose of BS Jan 1 2018 Happy New Year

The start of the New Year is an exciting time, a new calendar, a new month, the start of a new week, it is a new day, it is a brand new year, a chance to start over.  The New Year is like a new clean slate, a do-over, a chance to start over, to reset if you will.  I hope that the New Year find you and your family with all the adventures, the love, the enjoyment, the travel,  basically everything that you wish for in your do-over.  I know it's something that everybody just says- but I truly hope that 2018 is the year for you.  Through hard work and desire, I hope that your reset button gives you the chance to achieve all of your dreams.  My hopes for this year are to finish college, get my business up off the ground, continue to communicate daily with my listeners and friends, and to become a success in the things that I try to do.  I hope the same for you that you're able to find the things that you need in order for you have a happy, successful, enjoyable and great 2018.

Daily Dose of BS Dec 22 board games

I read a quick story yesterday that suggested that women could improve their chances of winning board games this Christmas by playing rock music in the background.  Apparently, men became more distracted, and make far more errors if we are forced to listen to AC/DC compared with classical music.  I wonder which men were tested on this theory?  I would be willing to bet that I would do better when listening to rock music rather than classical music.  Either way music to me is soothing, and helps me to focus. I hope that whatever family events that you have planned for this holiday weekend that you are able to enjoy the time either with or without family.  Just enjoy the time.  I know I have had the argument with people in the past about is it Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays, Hanukkah or Seasons Greetings.  Honestly whatever you say, and however you celebrate it I hope that this season brings you the best feelings, and the best Memories.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 21 top ten toys

It’s funny that the list of the 10 bestselling toys of all time are the toys that we grew up with.

10. Hot Wheels

9. Slinky

8. Lincoln Logs

7. Frisbee

6. Erector Set

5. Play-Doh

4. Lionel Trains

3. Barbie

2. Crayons

1. Yo-Yo

Nowhere on that list is there a hatchimal or fingerling or lol surprise I don’t see any electronics or drones, no games or tablets.  I see good old-fashioned toys that are meant to be played with and played with hard, with no worry of breaking.  I see ingenuity and creativity, I also see future careers built from these toys.  The one that I am surprised that isn’t on that list would be Lego and my favorite toy from when I was a kid, the GI Joe with real hair not the ones that came later with the molded plastic hair.  What was your favorite toy as a child? 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 20 Star Wars

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 19 pigeons

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 18 Atlanta

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 15 Kendhammer

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 14 Rodgers back

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 13 don't expect

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 12 La Crosse and New York

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 11 Santa

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 8 cost of life

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 7 Big Indian statue

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 5 food share

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 4 texting

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

Daily Dose of BS Dec 1 deer hunt

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 30 business

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 28 Giving Tueday

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 27 cyber monday

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 17 give it away

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 16 freedom of speech

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

Daily Dose of BS Nov 15 cards against humanity

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