Daily Dose of BS March 15 toys r us

When I was a kid we had a toy store in town called Storkville and on special occasions such as after your birthday with your birthday money or before Christmas to beg Mom for the latest and greatest of toys.  There were also a few days throughout the year like when Grandma and Grandpa came into town or if we were good.  Those memories fade as you get older, you grow up, you have your own kids you move, you forget about the toy store.  Well today the toy store that was at one time the big dog in the toy store business announced that they will be closing all their stores in the United State, Toys R Us are closing the doors, and with that over 30 thousand people will lose their jobs.  I am not sure what the demise of the toy store, was it introduction of tablets, and other video devices or the prominence of online retailers such as Amazon.  Or could it be that toys have been being made cheaper and cheaper and that the now a day toys aren’t as fun as playing with tinker toys or Lincoln logs?  

Daily Dose of BS Mar 14 hs basketball star

Milwaukee Washington’s basketball standout Deontay Long is being allowed to play against La Crosse Central on Friday.  Long had been charged being party to an armed robber, a class C felony that carries up to a $100,000 fine and or 25 years in prison.  Long has admitted to being a there and taking part in the robberies.  The Milwaukee Public Schools athletic code states that “being charged in court of any act in violation of, or subject to, penalty under Wisconsin State Statutes, will result in suspension from athletes for 25% of the season."  They say as of now his college prospects are on hold.  During the plea hearing in January, the court gave Long permission to play at the state tournament the team made it that far.  The WIAA code of conduct reportedly has no restrictions on athletes who have been charged with crimes.  What are your thoughts on this?

Daily Dose of BS March 13 self check out

More and more stores are offering the self-checkout lanes, am I the only one who doesn’t like it?  These days we are responsible for finding our own items anyway.  The other day I was at a department store picking up something and thought about an ingredient that I needed for dinner and thought I would look in the limited food area, I didn’t find it nor did I see anyone who worked for the store to help.  I finally flagged down someone who told me that they didn’t know.  I ended up making a special trip to the grocery store to buy.  Btw at neither place did I use the self-checkout register, and if offered I use the lines where bagging is offered at the grocery store.  Here’s the thing, you can’t carry on conversations with the automated cashier, well you can but people look at you weirdly.  Plus, I feel if I am going to be checking myself out I should be eligible for the employee discount, and finally think of the jobs that it is taking away.

Daily Dose of BS Mar 12 run to school

It is pretty sad that a father has to defend his decision to make his son walk or jog to school after the kids was kicked of the bus.  I am not sure if you heard the story about the dad who made his son run to school after getting kicked off the school bus for bullying other kids.  Good to see that parenting is alive and well in Virginia.  Bryan Thornhill the father of the ten year old has faced backlash for his decision to make his son run to school.  I guess I am not sure I understand why he is taking so much backlash for a punishment that is going to be a life lesson.  I am guessing that his son will think twice about bullying the next time that he is presented with the chance to do so.  For the naysayer that don’t think that he should have make his son run what would you have suggest that he do?  Spank him?  Take away his phone, have him go without something?  I personally don’t think that the punishment was to harsh.  The dad followed him to school to make sure he made it, I would guess that it was just as hard for the dad as it was for the kid. 

Daily Dose of BS March 9 standard time

It’s the semi-annual mess with your sleep weekend.  Daylight saving time ends on Sunday morning at 2 am, and Standard time begins.  Notice I called it daylight saving time and not daylight savings time, it is singular as in a singular time change that disrupts my sleep for a few days.  Why oh why can’t we be like parts of Arizona, parts of Indiana, and all of Hawaii and leave the time alone.  I hate changing the clocks.  There I said it I hate messing with the clocks because when I can never get them exact.  I was contemplating on marching to my own drummer when it came to the time, but there are too many variables such as work and kids events.  TV is covered because I TiVo everything and really never watch that live.  Another thing that I dislike is that this weekend will be jipped, as this Saturday and Sunday will only consist of 47 hours, and I will get one less hour of sleep.  Ok that is a lie I am going to take a nap or two over the weekend.  I have asked both of my US Senators and my Congressman about doing away with the time change all together, one man isn’t going to make that change who will stand with me on doing away with the time change?  

Daily Dose of BS March 8 cigarette advertising

I don’t remember cigarettes advertising on tv or on the radio, I was too young to have noticed.  I am old enough to remember seeing them on billboards, and I do remember when it was the Winston Cup and many of the cigarette slogans still pop into my head from time to time.  I am a non-smoker, it took a while but I quit that habit for the 39^th birthday about 10 ½ years ago.  I plan on being a non-smoker for the rest of my life.  I do wonder why when cigarette ads are banned on billboards and other media types why they are allowed on the lighted signs outside of convenience stores?  I usually don’t have any desire to smoke but seeing that pop up on the signs rotation while sitting at a stop light makes me think of stopping in and grabbing a pack, I won’t do it but I wonder why that is ok but running the commercials on tv, radio and billboards is not allowed?  

Daily Dose of BS March 7 library fines

I was all ready to write about something else this morning but a story in the paper caught my eye and I thought how stupid.  The city of La Crosse Library system may soon quit charging late fees for books, the fees today are 15 cents per day per item for adult items, audiobooks, cds, etc and 5 cents per day for kids materials except for lucky day items which carry a 50 cent per day charge for being late, to me those don’t seem too lucky if you misplace those.  The new way to combat the not returning of books will be not to allow you to check out books without first returning the books you already checked out.  Hmm, shouldn’t it be like that already?  Research has shown apparently, that fines don’t actually prompt people to return books and that fines make the most vulnerable population from feeling comfortable and welcome in the library.  Here is a novel idea, check out a book, return the book, repeat.  If your book is late pay 15 cents a day.  In a worst-case scenario let’s say the book was a year overdue it would have a fine of $54.75.  How about instead of doing away with fines altogether have book amnesty day, or allow people who don’t want to pay not pay, maybe the power company would take note and have days like this too.  

Daily Dose of BS March 6 money

Not sure if you know what median household income means, it means that half the people make above that amount and half the people make below that amount.  For the United States, that number is $59,039.  For the state of Wisconsin, that number is a bit less being $55,638,  or about $26.75 per hour.  And people still complain about the amount of money that they have.  If you look at our median household income and compare it to the world we are much higher than the average the average is $18,000 per year or $8.65 or just a bit above minimum wage here in the United States.  The “average” person or middle class is sitting between $42,000 to $125,000 and if you are going to be considered upper middle class you have a salary of 3x the median household income of $59,039 or $177,117 I guess my radio salary has a long way to go.  Anybody want to buy a kidney?  

Daily Dose of BS March 5th 8th grader sex with teacher

I am not sure if you heard this story or not but I did over the weekend, there is a female science teacher in Florida that was charged with having sex with an 8^th grade student.  This 14-year-old boy would sneak out of his house at night to meet up with this teacher.  The report that I saw ended up interviewing a psychologist and I am paraphrasing what they said but this gist was that this teacher is lonely and needed to feel love.  I was shocked when I heard that and had to rewind to make sure that is what I heard, and it was.  If this were a male teacher and a female student would that have been said. No.  Are there gender inconsistencies when it comes to sex?  From the sounds of it there are, as a parent of both sexes, I don’t feel that there should be inconsistencies.  What happed to fairness, and protecting our children?  

Daily Dose of BS March 2 walkouts

The high school I graduated from in Roseville, Minnesota is going to be providing a safe space for a couple of walkout protests that are coming up, I think that the school is trying to take the wind away from the sail. If you're protesting something and you're doing it on school time or on company time the protest should be about the journey rather than the event. And along with protests comes responsibility. Allowing the students to get a pass on the day doesn't really measure up as a protest now does it? It makes it more of a school social event rather than what it was meant to be a protest. I know when I was a child they wouldn't have given us a free pass to do anything and I'm OK with that the things that I protest I have the Soap Box to speak from with my job. I get that others don't have the same luxury that I do in me saying what I want for the most part and are able to keep my job for it. With the job came sacrifice, for example, money in radio is horrible, you move around to find a job, I had to work all different shifts, including overnights and weekends. I'm not complaining about the job I have because I chose this job, I chose to do what I do for a living, I chose to have a soapbox if you will. I have paid my dues and fought for what I have and taken the punches at the same time. What they are doing by allowing the students this time as a "free" time I think is wrong.

Daily Dose of BS March 1 guns

Looks like both Walmart and Dicks Sporting goods will be limiting some of the guns that will be sold at their brick and mortar and their online stores.  Is this what needs to be done?  Will limiting the purchase of guns and ammo to those that are 21 and older stop the flow of guns from the stores?  I see how hard it is for a 17-year-old to get beer or whatever else they want to drink.  Heck even picking up drugs is hard right, it is illegal and there are no illegal drugs flowing in the veins of the typical city.  Oh, there are, I get that these stores are trying to help with the problem of guns making it into the hands of those that are younger but do you think that this symbolic gesture is just that a gesture that really has no merit?  I am not sure what needs to be done.  The only thing that I can think that would really work is for all of us to say something if we see or hear something, at least someone will then be able to help before the preverbal Schmidt hits the fan. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 28 prices

Do you price shop?  Yesterday I needed a battery cable spice kit for replacing a battery in my car, I searched for what the product was then went to buy it.  I stopped at the auto store that was on my way home, figuring that the cost was going to be the same or about the same no matter where I went.  The cost of that part was 10 dollars higher at the place I stopped first.  I quickly got back into my car and drove to the other store to save 10 bucks.  Would I have just bought it if it was a buck or two difference, yes but would not have shopped there again, the price difference in between the two made the first place loose that sale and future sales, because I am not going to be stopping by there again.  I would think that similar stores, selling similar things would have prices that are similar, wouldn’t you?  Do you check prices?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 27 cows lives matter

Cows lives matter that was the chant in a Madison Festival Foods Store.  Protesting the sale of steaks, roasts and burger.  The protester was playing guitar chanting loudly “murder” and “cows lives matter”.  This is the second time that this group protested this Festival Food Store last time was at Thanksgiving, chanting “turkeys lives matter.” The protesters blocked the isle and wouldn’t let customers make purchases.  I am assuming that since the protest was for meat that the protesters are vegetarian?  Maybe us carnivores should protest tofu, after all it is made of a bean curd made from mashed soybeans, and soy is actually one of the most commonly genetically modified foods in the world, plus soy bean doesn’t taste good on a grill with an ice cold beer.  Seems protestable to me.  Back to the whole cows lives matter, I am not sure that was a protest rather than a celebration, think about it without cows we wouldn’t have our delicious hamburgers, steaks, milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream.  I guess cows lives do matter. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 26 21 year olds

I was talking with someone yesterday at Family Fest and we ended up talking about the school shooting incident in Florida and how there are far too many of these happening around the country, this guy went on to say that the best way around this is to make it 21 to do anything.  From voting, to drinking, to joining the military to buying guns to driving a car.  I looked at him like you have a screw loose.  I don’t disagree on some but think that he was off base on others.  Let’s look at voting, I don’t agree with that one as I think that voting age should be lowered to 16 get the kids hooked on the process.  Drinking I think should be lowered to 19 for beer, and 21 for booze.  To join the military, I think that if a young adult wants to serve their country that they should be able to once they are an adult.  As a parent of 4 kids I can tell you that driving not only gives the kids freedom but also frees up Mom and Dad, as for owning guns, I think that certain guns should be able to be bought at 18 and have no problem with having some be owned at a later age.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 23 human powered vehicle

If you want to drive a hybrid or an electric car, by all means, be my guest, if you want to ride in a bus powered by solar energy go right ahead. If wind-powered transportation is your thing great, human-powered transportation wonderful.  But don’t tell me I can’t drive my car.  Mayor Tim Kabat has called upon federal and state government to address the climate change by denouncing the EPA’s plan to reverse the clean standards developed by the Obama administration.  Calling for automakers and consumers to reduce greenhouse gasses through fuel efficiency standards.  I am already driving a fuel-efficient car and don’t feel comfortable in a super small hybrid vehicle and I can’t afford a new one. 

Daily Dose of BS Feb 22 teachers armed

According to debate.org 60% think that teachers should not be armed.  In the state of Wisconsin state attorney general and a couple of legislators think that teachers should be able to pack heat.  I saw an infographic the other day saying that we guard the president and government officials with guns, celebrities, and other dignitaries who are looking to be safe.  As a father of 4 I think that my most valuable asset is my children, shouldn’t they also be allowed the same protection that heads of state are offered?  If the old saying is true that our children are our future, shouldn’t we protect our most valuable assets?  On the other hand, I do not feel as though every teacher should be armed, I think there must be training and back ground checks and more training and psych evaluations and more training.  But I think that our children’s lives are worth it.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 21 jobs

I heard an interview yesterday morning talking about how Wisconsin is having a hard time finding people to fill all the jobs that are here.  I guess we are seeing this first hand in Western Wisconsin, there are many jobs that are going unfilled from starting jobs, for example, Taco Bell, the one on West Avenue has been on and off open over the past few weeks, I have heard because they can’t find anyone to run the place.  I know of a few big companies looking to recruit talent, the job boards have jobs listed but there is a shortage of people either willing to jump ship from a job that they like or are unqualified because of made up requirements.  I have some friends who work at each of the hospitals and I have heard conversations from them about how many times employers are missing out on great employees that are already in the system because they want to have a certain degree or higher for the job, not considering the experience of the person or the loyalty that they have already shown.  What do you suggest that we do to build the talent pool for these businesses?  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 20 icy roads

Its icy in La Crosse and surrounding areas, however every road that I took in to work this morning was already salted as I live about a half a block from the main drag.  For me the drive in to work was ok but I am assuming that the side roads are skatable.   My walk in to work across the parking lot did take me about as long as my drive in to work today.  When the roads are as they are today it is so important to be extra careful, slow down, don’t rush, keep both hands on the wheel, you know all the things that you are supposed to do every day.  Also remember that your 4-wheel drive car doesn’t help when you are sliding on ice, you are still sliding on ice.  The icy roads didn’t hit La Crosse until much later that forecasted.  Would you rather hear of the possibility of bad weather or be surprised by it?  For me I appreciated what I heard yesterday, because it put me in the right frame of mind for today.  Remember slow down, and pay attention.  This isn’t the Olympics we are not in a race to get anywhere today, just make it there safely.  

Daily Dose of BS Feb 19 cameras

Ever looked at old family photos, or some real old school pictures of people from the 1800’s?  I have often wondered why aren’t the smiling?  Why are most old pictures people just flat faced, no smile no cheer in the eyes and just cranky looking.  I remember my wedding day 8.3 million photos with the fake smile, I could see not smiling for many of these.  Nowadays people have more smiles on their faces, just look around and watch people have conversations, the smiles come more free, and why wouldn’t they, we have much better dental nowadays than they had the past and with the better dental comes better teeth, both whiter and straighter, plus we have access to cameras all the time, I challenge you to go a day outside of your home to not be caught on someone’s camera.  I was downtown over the weekend and I know there are a bunch of cameras placed around down there, guess what I didn’t look for them nor did I notice them, but you are damn sure I was walking around with a smile on my face.  I gotta keep them wondering what I am up to.

Daily Dose of BS Feb 16 drivers

I think that the universe is messing with me.  This morning I felt great, no headache, my back wasn’t sore, my vision was crystal clear.  Not that these things bug me often, because they don’t but I noticed them.  I felt like hey I feel great.  And I still do feel pretty good, however it started right after I backed up and pulled out of my alley, I drove through the first intersection no problem, got to the second one and when I was just about there a lady in a crappy car pulled right out in front of me, I honked and she continued to go slow so I went around here of course she turned into the alley a half a block up.  I am sick and tired of people who shouldn’t be driving, driving.  I hate the people who drive under the speed limit in the passing lane, if you are going speed limit or below move over.   That was the next idiot I encountered this morning.  How often does this happen to you? These people should be ticketed for impeding the flow of traffic.  Please for my sanity and for the sanity of others who have a life, if you are driving under the speed limit or not keeping up with the person in the right lane…… Move over!