BHO AND THE LATEST DISASTER

Here it is, about a month into "the biggest oil disaster in history" (not counting the constant leakage of oil tankers crossing the oceans to bring overseas oil to the US because we aren't allowed to get our own and the oil-producing countries that have no environmental laws, i.e. Rwanda) and our President has been on both sides of the fence. BP and its employees gave BHO over a million dollars in campaign contributions and has bent over backwards to appease the envirofreaks since the beginning, so BHO has to tread lightly on BP's toes while still seeming to be tough on them. The man who has fixed America seems unable to plug the hole, so his answer to his daughter's question, "did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?" is an unequivocal "NIET!".

Part of the reason it has taken so long to "plug the hole" is because the "hole" is in 5,000 feet of water and the only access to this point is from the surface by unmanned robotic submarines with cameras attached. And this depth was necessary because shallow water drilling ist verboten by the all knowing, all seeing U.S. Congress. If this "hole" had occurred in shallow water BHO could have already plugged it with known conventional methods. But the depth has presented new problems and The One's expertise in deep water water oil pipe leak repair is proving, dare I say, somewhat limited. I am HOPEful, though, that this will CHANGE and the sheer magnitude of his personality will "plug the hole" as it has with all the other problems he has solved.

Now, how 'bout plugging the "hole" at our southern border Mr. President.

MEMORIAL DAY - 2010

This Memorial Day weekend began, as last year, in the Manitowoc/TwoRivers area where we rode the bike trails there that we enjoy so - The Rawley Point and Mariner Trails. The Rawley Point Trail runs from the north end of Two Rivers through Point Beach State Park to Lake Michigan. The Mariner Trail runs from the south end of Two Rivers into Manitowoc. All totaled it was about twenty-five miles of nice flat riding - a great way to begin the cycling season.




The second day, Sunday, we ventured to the north end of Oshkosh (we stayed at the kids' house while they left town for the weekend) to find the largest cemetery I've seen since Arlington in DC. Here it is (sorry for the size).

This photo shows the Veterans' section of this vast expanse. This is a sobering reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by ordinary citizen/soldiers (service members, men AND women) in order for the rest of us to sit on our fat duffs and "celebrate" the day in their honor.

As a kid I remember traveling with my dad to numerous cemeteries to honor the war dead. He was in an honor guard with The American Legion. He marched, fired blank rounds from an M-1 and other "Legion kids" and I scrambled to retrieve the spent shell casings. Most of them were returned for reloading at a later date, some we kept - don't know why. As my dad aged, he moved up the ranks in The American Legion and was elected the State Commander in 1972. That year I went to the Legion-sponsored Badger Boys State and dad was a big deal there. That's when I found out how big, anyway. I was actually elected County Sheriff of the "State's" largest County and, thus, a delegate to the "State" convention. This was my first real foray into any real politics. I was, however, student body president of my junior high three years earlier.

Anyway, these numerous cemetery visits and parade witnessings were the excuses I have to skip these remembrances since, but I have grown to appreciate the valor and honor those having served and presently serving in our armed forces depict in their service to keep this, STILL, the "Greatest Country on the Planet". God Bless them and God Bless America!

WISCONSIN POLITICS GETTING INTERESTING

For the first time in a long time Wisconsin politics is actually getting major media attention, though, as is the case in today's media, not the entire story. But I digress.

U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan, a Republican from Janesville, is getting national attention as a stalwart, bright, energetic conservative, unafraid to question The One in person. Our U.S. Senator, Russ "Soupy Sales" Feingold may be in a fight for his seat, even with inferior opposition, just "because". Democrat U.S. Congressman David Obey (Oh-bee not Oh-bay, thank goodness) has decided to forfeit his twenty-second term because he is "tired". He is down in the polls to ANYone running against him as he is the architect of BHO's Porkulous Major.

Also, the Milwaukee Common Council and maybe even the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Board of Education (a term used only very lightly in this case) have decided to make official a boycott of Arizona because Arizona had the audacity to pass a strict anti-ILLEGAL immigration law - one EXACTLY worded as the Federal law that is ignored everywhere in this country - to protect itself from illicit drugs, kidnappings, murders, rapes and other crimes. THAT ouhgta show 'em! (LOL) When asked how much business the MPS does with Arizona businesses, the Board member threatening to raise the resolution admitted that he wasn't sure. I give credit to the local television station (WTMJ4) for not only asking the question, but airing it and the response.

See, it is getting interesting.

TO WALMART OR NOT TO WALMART

In the second time in as many months, two different Walmart stores have offered me employment. "Great! Congratulations!", you say? Well, not so great. The first one was a third shift stocker for $9.65/hr (including shift premium). The second was today as an Asset Protection Assistant for $8.95/hr. How do families make ends meet with wages like these? Even rents are in the high $500 to low $600 for decent apartments. Throw in kids and car payments and - voila - working poor. It's not Walmart's fault. It's their business model. I make more with unemployment compensation than the pretax take-home from either of these. AND, if I lost one of these jobs, the unemployment would be less than minimum wage, I fear. I've even just finished applying to four factory jobs, all paying in excess of $11.00/hr and within easy driving distance, or even local. I know I won't get any of these, but one can dream.

God has quite a sense of humor, or the devil is quite the tempter.

THE REPUTATION OF A USED CAR SALESMAN

At the end of my last post I wrote of a possibility of my being an automobile sales person (selection specialist is preferred now) by the end of the week. My lovely wife even commented on it perhaps being God-sent. Well, I completed the first day of training by Tony today. I called said wife at noon and gave a positive progress report. So far, so good. Excitement ensued, I was told later. By the end of this training session, however, my perceived enthusiasm waned. Tony continued droning on on about how to prevent the customer from making any negative reaction and to sell the car today. My stomach was in a knot. My blood pressure must have been a billion over 300 million. I couldn't possibly go home and tell my life partner (just as ridiculous as "selection specialist") that I (we) just blew a good sum of cash on training materials I will probably not bring home and/or never use. The risk factor was WAY too high and my body was even rebelling because of it. That's right, I've decided to cease pursuing my dream of becoming a vehicle selection specialist. Back to hitting the pavement.

On a good note, my three-year-old granddaughter drove her new (to her) pre-owned Cadillac Escalade. It was a gift from a friend of a friend. It is a battery powered two-seater complete with FM radio and CB. I missed this while having my hopes and dreams dashed (yet again)!

MUCHO MACHO

On an afternoon walk today, using one of the usual routes, I came upon an unusual scene. Two guys from a construction crew outside a tavern renovation project at The Rusty Nail Saloon were engaged in a non-construction activity. One was shouting to the other "No, go around the other side of the trailer. Hurry! They're going to get hit by a car!"

This is obviously serious. Here, two macho guys - construction workers, working on a macho job - renovating a tavern none-the-less and the tavern is named "The Rusty Nail Saloon". Thus, mucho macho. Back to the story.

The urgency was wrangling a duck brood from crossing a busy state highway. Here this macho guy was chasing a female duck and her ducklings back onto the curb. He even bent down slowly, gingerly cupped his hand and gently and slowly lifted two stranded ducklings onto the curb and chased them as well. I called back "Now you can add duck wrangling to your resume".

Speaking of resumes, I will be taking, in my mind, a huge risk beginning tomorrow - I am going to a Ford dealership to undertake the training to become an automobile salesperson. I have NEVER sold anything before in my life. The entire process that lead me to this point had - and still has - my skeptic's radar humming overtime.

I answered an ad in the local newspaper which wanted people to show up for interviews. I gave it a shot. I met with Tony - an Italian-American stereotype from Boston - who explained that he was the trainer. It was his sole responsibility to choose a small number of people from two days of interviews to take the three-day training course and, thus, become a certified Ford salesperson and become hired at this dealership. I was his first interview. He chose me immediately. He said I had "the look". He also said "I'm gunna make you alotta money". If he said this to all those chosen, I have no idea. So, chances are, be the end of this week I will be a car salesman. Ooh boy. Wish me luck.

THE STATE BUREAUCRACY AT ITS FINEST

In order to continue receiving my well-deserved government handout, I was summoned to appear at a "reemployment seminar" at a state employment office building eighteen miles from my home. That was bad enough, but when I discovered that the seminar was to take place during the most enjoyable time of my unemployed week - that time my Tizu visits after preschool - it was irritating. Then as a topper, it was 80 degrees! There I sat in a "training" room at a government service center listening to a government hack drone on and on about how to look for jobs in Jefferson County and that it is important to have a GED.

She kept on repeating the lie that all the services that this wonderful bureaucracy provides are free. I did not have the heart to correct her, to let her know that the state has no money of its own, that it all comes from tax payers, US. I was only one of two people dressed in casual business attire. The other wasn't even the government employee - she wore jeans and Birkenstocks. I also think I was one of only three with college degrees. There were five unemployed truck drivers, which struck me (and others it was divulged) as quite odd with all the ads for same in the papers and on line.

Anyway, this entire "orientation" was to inform us of all the employment retraining services available, like the use of a telephone to call prospective employers, computers for training to use something called the "internet" and to learn how to use them to type. This agency could also teach us needed math, reading and comprehension skills.

Did the bureaucrats who chose the attendees required to be "orientated" actually look at what criteria was used? I just took a test that required knowledge of geometry, trigonometry, civil and structural engineering, along with 135 others for a construction inspection job! I guess I should have been "orientated" sooner sos I could answer the questions. Oh well, I least I still "paid" for sitting on my behind.

Oops, I almost forgot, this "orientation" counted as my required two job applications for this week. Catrina - her actual name - actually said we could breathe a sigh of relief for a week and not have to undergo the strain of job searching for the week. Oh happy days!