Health Tip

Open Blog - Monday

 

If you can afford it, sleep is a better antidote to Monday than coffee

Sunday Night Green Flashes

Just a few quick shots of sunset tonight. First, a small mock mirage flash above the Sun. Wish I had a little higher res on this one...they are pretty small but it's always a treat to get them before sunset.

Now a few shots of the sunset proper with the usual series of flashes behind different peaks on the mountains.

Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.

It's National Library Week, April 10-16, 2011

Woot! I ♥ libraries. Here's a link to the American Library Association's webpage on National Library Week: http://www.ala.org/ala/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek/index.cfm

The Racine Public Library is also holding some special events to mark the occasion. Here's the Journal Times story on that: http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/article_973bcf58-6248-11e0-a11f-001cc4c03286.html

Go out and hug a library today.

Right time, right angle

GOOD NEWS....!

Yipee - Spring is just around the corner!!!!

"WestJet introduces state-of-the-art money-saving feature"

Better late than never.
 

U.S. Pharmacy Card

My gastroenterologist prescribed a drug for me that my insurance doesn't cover. It costs $83 for a month's worth. Ouch. The first time, my sister paid for it. When it came time to renew, I decided not to do it because I can't afford it. Then a young woman at my pharmacy (Aurora on Erie St.) told me about an Rx card that could help. It's free, it's not insurance, enrollment is instantaneous, and it brought the price of my prescription down from $83 to $28.

It's called the U.S. Pharmacy Card and anyone can get one. Check it out: http://www.uspharmacycard.com/

Four for Fridays

Hello everybody! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after a rather difficult week. This week's thought busters are random.

1) What song is the most personal to you?

2) What TV/movie character best describes you?

3) When was the last you were in a courtroom?

4) Who's your favorite cartoon character?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

Cried? I would have had a nervous breakdown.

Sigur Ros - "Glósóli"

I just happened to be checking out Madame Zoltar's profile (http://www.blogger.com/profile/04522974421889831986), when I noticed that her audio clip links to the song below. I think it's beautiful.

Walker at DeltaHawk

I went to get some pictures of the protesters and King Ding Dong himself. Unfortunately I was on Golf Ave along with some protesters and he went in the airport off Eaton Ln then drove down to DeltaHawk which borders the airport.

I drove over to Eaton Ln and wouldn’t ya know, they left on Golf...dang! Although, I did take some pictures of the protesters; there weren’t very many, almost as many cops as protesters...Laugh’in.

"Bivouac on a Mountainside"

I see before me now a traveling army halting,
                     Below a fertile valley spread, with barns and the orchards of summer,
                     Behind, the terraced sides of a mountain, abrupt, in places rising high,
                     Broken, with rocks, with clinging cedars, with tall shapes dingily seen,
                     The numerous camp-fires scatter'd near and far, some away up on the mountain,
                     The shadowy forms of men and horses, looming, large-sized, flickering,
                     And over all the sky--the sky! far, far out of reach, Studded, breaking out, the
                     eternal stars.

--Walt Whitman

"Walter 'Walt' Whitman (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse.^[1] His work was very controversial in its time, particularly his poetry collection Leaves of Grass, which was described as obscene for its overt sexuality."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Whitman

"Scott Brown reacts to suicide at Cape Cod camp"

"Officials: Suicide victim at Cape Cod camp was employee accused of abuse"

"SANDWICH – An employee of a Christian summer camp on Cape Cod shot himself to death today just days after he became the focus of a criminal investigation into allegations that he sexually abused a camper during the 1980s, officials said."

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/04/suicide_victim.html

"I've felt guilty long enough." Hear, hear.  I congratulate Senator Brown on his courage.
 

Banned by the Journal Times, Again

 
Your Journal Times user account (OrbsCorbs) was banned by one of our editors today,  April 6, for violating our Terms of Service.

You can appeal in 30 days from the date of your ban, and if you say you agree to follow our Terms of Service, your account will be reactivated.

If you have any questions, you can contact one of our editors by email:  techguy@JournalTimes.com

Brenda Wishau

Online Programmer

The Journal Times

Brenda.Wishau@lee.net

Phone: 262.631.1735

And I don't even know why.

:-(

I don't remember posting anything particularily obnoxious, although I did refer to Racine as the Pedo Capital of the USA.

Oh well. It's been one of those kinds of days. I wonder if OrbsO'Corbs' account is still active?

:-P

Binge drinking

Another UW Student has died from “Binge Drinking”. The student fell down the basement stairs.

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-20110405-uwm-student-dies,0,4801367.story

Definition of Binge Drinking as listed by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Binge drinking is defined as episodic excessive drinking. There is currently no world wide consensus on how many drinks constitute a "binge", but in the USA, the term is often taken to mean consuming five or more standard drinks (male), or four or more drinks (female), in about two hours for a typical adult

I feel the problem with binge dinking is not the deaths even though they are tragic, but the idiots who drive drunk after binge dinking.

I have been around for some time now and still cannot understand how so many people get arrested for 4, 5, 10 times for drunken driving.

I think that anyone who is arrested multiple times, their vehicles should be impounded by the court and sold!

Additionally, If the spouse has a vehicle and allows the drunk to take it, he or she should be arrest and their vehicle should then be confiscated!

There has to be a way to get the multiple drunk drives off the road.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my diaphanous daffodils! How are you? Surprise, I’m baaack!

Oh my, what a story. The “lottery” that I “won” was a scam. I couldn’t believe it at first. I was devastated. Thank God that Mr. OrbsCorbs was there or I might have fallen for it. He appeared at my front door right after I announced that I’d won the money. Mr. OrbsCorbs offered to help pack, clean, or do whatever he could to be useful in the preparation for our move to Romania. He also seemed to pay a lot of personal attention to me (tee-hee), but I know that sudden wealth might have something to do with that. (I found his vague hints at marriage to be unsettling, though.)

While we were making preparations, I received a telephone call from the same gentleman who had called previously to tell me that I had won. He was inquiring about the “earnest money,” and giving me directions on where to send it. I told him that I had no idea of what he was talking about. He said, “It’s right there, printed on the back of your ticket. You must put up $5,000 earnest money as a show of good faith and your intention to come to Romania to claim your prize and live here for at least the next five years."

I panicked. I’ll be honest with you, my dears, I don’t even remember buying a ticket for the Romanian Psychic Lottery. I’m not sure I ever did. When the man called to tell me that I had won $30 million, I wasn’t going to quibble over details. I thought perhaps the lottery was conducted psychically and I had been selected through the ether. In any case, I didn’t have $5,000 lying around. We had already purchased our airline tickets and had to rent out a lot of storage space for our belongings until we were settled in Romania and could send for them. The house was going up for sale, with some of the furniture still in it, but I wasn’t going to sell the business. That meant I had to hire on a manager at more costs.

I told the gentleman that I would need some time to get the money together and he said that he would call again the following day. Oh my. I just didn’t know what to do. At that point, Mr. OrbsCorbs came into the room to ask me if some items were to be put in storage, or shipped with us. He looked at me and said, “Madame, you don’t look too well. Is anything wrong?” Oh dear. I told him about the phone call and the $5,000 and being broke. And I cried. Mr. OrbsCorbs was so consoling. He gave me a great big hug and let me cry on his shoulder for awhile, and then he said, “You know, I think this lottery thing is a scam.” “What?” I said as I pushed back from him. Mr. OrbsCorbs went on to explain about how ruthless telephone scammers ask people to provide money upfront to claim some ”winnings” or “inheritance” or deserted bank account. I was still skeptical. So he offered to take me to the Racine Police Department where we could talk to an officer about it. No thanks! My kind has a built-in aversion to the police.

Finally, Mr. Orbscorbs suggested that I contact some of my psychic friends in the area to see if they, too, had “won” the Romanian Psychic Lottery. I felt foolish at first, but Mr. OrbsCorbs egged me on. So I called, and the very first psychic that I contacted said that she, too, had been informed that she’d won the lottery. She had not yet received any “earnest money” call, though. I was shocked. So I called all of the psychics that I know here. In total, 29 had been contacted and told that they had won the “lottery.” Of those, 14 had already received the call about providing “earnest money.” And of those, sadly, three had already wired money, in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Oh my, oh my. If Mr. OrbsCorbs hadn’t alerted me to this scam, I don’t know what would have happened. Thank you so much, Mr. OrbsCorbs. Thank you.

And me, a professional psychic, and I didn’t see through this? That is what happens when greed clouds your heart and your vision. Junior is devastated, too, because he won’t be a teenage millionaire playboy on Romania’s nude beaches. Well, I learned a lot from this experience, mainly that old saw, “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

I hope that all of my dear Irregulars will accept the newly-humbled me back into the fold of your loving embrace. I wanted to reply to all of your lovely farewell comments in my last blog, but I couldn't because I was crying too hard.  I started having nightmares about you right after I wrote that blog. The emotional stress of leaving here, even temporarily, was almost too much for me to bear. It’s like I was created to do just this. So I hope that you don’t mind if I hop back into the spot of the JTI’s official prognosticator. Unless, of course, you’ve already replaced me. If you have, please notify me, and I’ll scratch the bitch’s eyes out, oh, no, I mean, we can “discuss” matters.

Please send your lucky lottery numbers to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

[Confidential to JD:  Those who make deals with the Devil get burnt permanently.]

I love you, I love you, I love you, my dear Irregulars. I am so happy to be back with you. It would have been nice to be rich with a lot of money, but here in Racine I am so much richer with a lot friends. May we never part again. Spring is beginning to sproing. Pay attention. The plants will be putting on the greatest show on earth. Anagnorisis!

Open Blog - Wednesday

It's definitely helping!

Jesus Toasters

http://jesustoasters.com/

Only $39.95. Who thinks of this stuff?

SICK PAY

There has been controversy over sick pay where some groups/voters claim business should be required to offer sick pay.

Talking with several individuals the range of sick pay they receive at their jobs varies substantially, anywhere from 3 to 7 in a rolling year.

My question is: “should a business be “REQUIRED BY LAW” to offer sick pay?

The Story Behind the DP Wigley Co Brew-ha-ha

A few days ago I blogged about the recent happenings at DP Wigley Co where a fundraiser featuring homebrew was stopped:

http://www.jtirregulars.com/2011/04/beer-brew-that-made-milwaukee-famous.html

JTI Special Correspondent Clint Teeters has looked further into this matter and has filed this report:

"I emailed the mayor and asked why the fundraiser was stopped at DP Wigley.  City Administrator Tom Friedel replied:

Mr. Teeters,

Thank you for communicating with the city on this matter.   The mayor asked me to respond on his behalf.  In a separate email, I have contacted Mark Flynn of D. P. Wigley

Last Friday the City Clerk’s office received an anonymous report (with a flyer) that the Belle City Homebrewers were planning to offer free beer samples at D.P. Wigley during the First Friday event.  We corresponded with the owners of the business, citing state statute 125.06, concerning home brewing.

125.06 License and permit exceptions. No license or permit is required under this chapter for:

 (3) Homemade wine or fermented malt beverages.

The manufacture of wine or fermented malt beverages of any alcoholic content by any person at his or her home, farm or place of residence if the wine or fermented malt beverages is to be consumed by that person or his or her family and  guests, and if the person manufacturing the wine or fermented malt beverages receives no compensation.

The key words here are, “to be consumed at his or her home, farm or place of residence”.  Clearly the D.P. Wigley site does not fall under any of those categories for exception.  We felt it was our obligation to inform the owners that a complaint was made and remind them of the law.

Mr. Flynn responded that we were making an incorrect interpretation of the law, so we contacted the state commerce department asking for advice on this particular situation.  They responded that there were two additional statutes that governed this situation.

125.09 prohibits consumption in public places and 125.315 prohibits commercially giving it away.  Unlicensed business cannot do either.

The statutes cited are state laws, not city policies.  The city did not close down the event, but made the owners aware of the state law, so that if they were confronted by an officer attempting to enforce the law, they would not be surprised.  When the city receives complaints from citizens it has an obligation to respond.  We regret that this situation caused the Belle City Homebrewers to cancel their worthwhile event and that our call to them was given on short notice, but those circumstances were beyond our control.

In an effort to find a solution to what happened last Friday and for the Great Lakes Brewfest, we suggest that the club contact an elected state representative to ask for a change in the statutes that would accommodate events that clubs like yours would like to hold.  Statute 125.51(10) allows for temporary licensing and could be modified to include home brewing clubs.  The city would be happy to work with your organization to advance changes in this statute.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact me directly,

Tom

Thomas Friedel

City Administrator

730 Washington Ave.

Racine, WI 53403

262-619-2540

"Yours truly, Clint Teeters."

Thank you JTI Special Correspondent Clint Teeters for your exhaustive investigation and extensive research  into this story.

"125.09 prohibits consumption in public places"  Does this mean the end of the 4th of July as we know it?

Please report in on your voting experience. Ward or municipality and voter number. Crowded or empty? Anything weird happen or was it smooth sailing. Please remember to make your voice heard. This is one of our most precious privilages as citizens.

Commercial for Touch Wood SH-08C Cell Phone

Some of the commercials are better than the TV shows.

"Notice of claim against the City…in black and white"

"Posted on April 4th, 2011 by racineuncovered

"5:14 p.m. – I received permission from the Claimant and the attorney handling this. Here is the Notice of Claim that was filed against the City of Racine this past Friday. This is the first of about 5 contractors that will be filings claims.

"Click to read Notice of Claim against City of Racine"

http://racineuncovered.org/?p=33286

Party on, lying John!

Vote Today!

There are many races being decided today in our area, including Mayor of Racine, County Executive, three RUSD board seats, a state Supreme Court seat, three RUSD referendums, and numerous other races specific to your local ward/village/township/whatever.

It is imperative that we vote.  Hundreds of thousands of valiant men and women have given their lives to protect our right to vote.  Please exercise that right and add your voice to our democratic process.

How It's Made - Decorative Candles

We could have a JTI candle making party!!!

Skin Gun

This is SUPER. This is good news verses all the crap we have been seeing/reading lately.

Open Blog - Monday

I know the feeling...

The Cyclotrope

No tricks, no CGI, no sleight of hand; just a bicycle wheel, your eyes, and your brain.

Also available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyBpt3VrBNg

Baby Sitters

Farms in southeastern Wisconsin

This is an interesting site. It has farms from around Southeastern Wisconsin where you can go to purchase many different items, such as beef, bison, vegetables and even WINE!

Farm Fresh Atlas

"Beer: The Brew that made Milwaukee famous, soon to make Racine & Wisconsin infamous!"

I can't believe this. Just a few hours before yesterday's first Friday, the city informed Mark F;ynn, owner of D.P. Wigley Co., 234 Wisonsin Ave., that they could not serve beer. "Hop To It" is a business within D. P. Wigley that caters to home brewers and wine makers. The Belle City Brewers group was going to hold a fundraiser there for the Racine Urban Garden Network yesterday. They meet at Hop To It to compare their homemade brews. They are the backbone of the Great Lakes Brew Fest, which draws tourists and money to Racine. The fest is now in limbo.

I know Mark and Chris Flynn at D. P. Wigley. I don't think you could find two bigger boosters for the city of Racine. What they have done with the business and building since they took it over is remarakable. They are always postive about Rcine. always promoting the city, always trying to engage their customers in positive action. Even their politics are "right" for the current adminstration. I just don't understand why they're being targeted. Shops and galleries throughout downtown offer wine and beer at events on Frist Fridays and at other times.

Mark Flynn's Facebook page on the beer bust: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/notes/mark-flynn/beer-the-brew-that-made-milwaukee-famous-soon-to-make-racine-wisconsin-infamous/205516592800250

RacineUncovered's story: http://racineuncovered.org/?p=33165

And, as always, the Journal times is completely MIA on stories of local merit. They might catcvh up in a day or two after asking lying John what they should write . . .

Hal Ketchum - "Past The Point Of Rescue"

I'm not a big country fan, but that is one of my all-time favorite songs.

The Haircut

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I can not accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

BOTH POLITICIANS AND DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON!

More Crazy in Arizona...

Phoenix, AZ Following their approval of increased restrictions on abortion, the Arizona Senate has passed legislation cracking down on men seeking vasectomies. SB2442 introduces a waiting period before a man can have a vasectomy and changes the definition of informed consent.

“Men can get vasectomies at will without thinking about the potential children they could father”, said Senator Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix. The bill requires all men seeking an abortion to provide a semen sample and be offered the chance to view their sperm under a microscope before undergoing the procedure. “Men need to realize that there are living sperm being denied a chance to fertilize and egg,” said Senator Al Melvin, R-Tucson. “When I first saw my sperm’s little tail wiggling, I knew I had to help him find an egg to fertilize”.

Senator Don Shooter, R-Yuma, proposed an amendment to stop doctors from selecting sperm to use for in vitro fertilization based on sex, gender, eye color, intelligence, athletic ability, attractiveness or “any other physical trait, including genetic disoders”.

“I believe in the sanctity of the sperm”, said Shooter. “Every sperm deserves an equal chance to fulfill its destiny and bring new life to the great state of Arizona. Ideally, every sperm produced by every man in Arizona would result in a new life”.

Senator Paula Aboud, D-Tucson, argued furiously against the measure to no avail. “The government is needlessly intruding in the relationship between a man and his doctor. It will result in more unplanned pregnancies and additional hardship on families in Arizona”.

The bill passed the Seante 21-10 and is expected to pass the House and be sent to Governor Jan Brewer next week.

SPRING by Edna St. Vincent Millay

To what purpose, April, do you return again?
Beauty is not enough.
You can no longer quiet me with the redness
Of little leaves opening stickily.
I know what I know.
The sun is hot on my neck as I observe
The spikes of the crocus.
The smell of the earth is good.
It is apparent that there is no death.
But what does that signify?

Not only under ground are the brains of men
Eaten by maggots.
Life in itself
Is nothing,
An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.
It is not enough that yearly, down this hill,
April
Comes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after an eventful week. This weeks' points to ponder are just off of my head this morning...

1) If you had a million bucks to give to charity, what charity would you choose?

2) If were an athlete, what sport would you play?

3) What household chore do you dislike doing the most?

4) Do you consider yourself a morning person or a night owl?

Enjoy your weekend!

"Dog Greets Mom Coming Home From War"

That's heartwarming to me.

'First Fridays' Returns to Downtown Racine Tonight

"WELCOME SPRING WITH SILLINESS DURING FIRST FRIDAYS IN DOWNTOWN RACINE!"

"Downtown Racine Merchants kick off the 2011 season of the popular First Friday’s on April 1 from 6-9pm! This is no joke!

"Discover the shops, galleries & museums in downtown Racine on April Fools Day for some silliness as the 7th annual First Friday event unfolds for the season.  Over 50 downtown businesses collaborate to bring you this fun filled evening of shopping, dining, music and more."

Read more: http://racinedowntown.com/april2010ff.html 

I've never been to a First Friday.

Open Blog - Friday

Watch out for the pranksters out there!

A QUOTE

QUOTE FROM Harold Schlumberg

I've often been asked, 'What do you old folks do now that you're retired?'

Well...I'm fortunate to have a chemical engineering background and one of the things I enjoy most is converting beer, wine and vodka into urine. I do it every day and I really enjoy it

How Can I Get John Dickert To Sue Me?

I want him to sue me for slander or libel or something.  I'm broke, so he wouldn't get anything, but I would love the opportunity to perform in open court against him.  The press would have to cover it.

Any suggestions?

"I Miss My Dear Cats"

My water-colored hands are catless now
seated here alone in the dark
my window-shaped head is bowed with sad draperies
I am catless near death almost
behind me my last cat hanging on the wall
dead of my hand drink bloated
And on all my other walls from attic to cellar
my sad life of cats hangs

--Gregory Corso

"Gregory Nunzio Corso (March 26, 1930 – January 17, 2001) was an American poet, youngest of the inner circle of Beat Generation writers (with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Corso

For a friend who just lost a very dear friend.

Talking to a lawyer about All Saints

I just got a Collection Agency bill for over $10,000 on an original $1,000 All Saints bill I never got. If this is a bill from when they did the shit job of a double bypass and weren't capable of transferring a Paraplegic without putting me in harms way. This is the bypass over four years ago that had me near a lawsuit then. I kept the notebooks they wrote in to me. Anyone got a favorite lawyer they can recommend?

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my precious preciouses! How are you?

I have a very important announcement to make. It fills me with great joy and great sadness at the same time. I have won the Romanian Psychic Lottery! 90 million Romanian lei. That is “only” about 30 million US dollars. I am rich, I am rich! Huzzah, huzzah!

That was the good news. Now for the bad news: I have to commit to living in Romania for at least the next five years if I want to claim the prize. Oh my! I have been anguishing and anguishing over this for days, ever since I learned that I’d won. I’ve talked it over with Junior and he is all for moving to Romania. He says the girls are “easy” over there. (Oh dear, I suspect that they will be even easier for a multimillionaire’s son.) After much careful thought and deliberation, I have decided that I cannot pass up this opportunity. What this means for Junior’s future is what is most important to me. Now I will be able to send him to the finest college and his finest future.

What this means for me and Racine is: boo-hoo-hoo! I love my dear, dear Racine and I love my dear, dear Irregulars. The thought of leaving here tears at my heart. Yet, it is what I must do. I am quite sure that I will be very busy for the next few weeks and unable to blog. Once settled in the old country, we shall see what happens. I realize that I could probably blog from Romania, if they have the internet, which Junior assures me that they do. I don’t know that I will have the time to do so, however. There are many more psychics in Romania than here and recently they have become politically active because of a new tax imposed upon them. My family’s roots and history may compel me to join in the fight.

So, I can promise you nothing, my wonderful Irregulars, other than that I love you. Maybe I’ll just post an occasional comment. No matter what, I can still astral project to JTI gatherings, so we won’t lose touch entirely. In an emergency, you can still contact me at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Thank you so much for reading my blogs over the years. You don’t know what it has meant to me. Please continue to love and respect each other. Remember, I will always be watching over you. Peace, my dear, dear friends. I bid you adieu.

Open Blog - Wednesday

 

Those are the strangest looking humps I have ever seen.

 

Stu, This Could Really Test Your Marriage...

I know you and your wife are really tight, but some things can test the best marriages. It turns out that Florida is considering a bill that would allow construction of a columbarium at Daytona International Speedway to house urns containing the ashes of race fans. You could spend eternity live tweeting (theological question: Do they have twitter in heaven?) NASCAR races.

Or are you holding out for Talladega or Michigan International? Is the Florida legislature really that anti-family that it would risk tearing families apart of burial disputes? Will people who are interned here literally be continually spinning in their graves?

Or would your wife say, "Cool!"

Your Daily Dose of Cute

Busch Gardens in Tampa is adding a new roller coaster called Cheetah Hunt this spring. They are also adding cheetahs to their collection of animals.

One of them is a kitten which has gotten a lot of internet play. Here is a video of their new cheetah kitten.

Lutheran Airlines

I'm posting this for Lizardmom, who sent an audio file and wanted to post it on a blog here. She wrote: Is there a way to post this on our blog? if so, I have no clue but it's too funny not to share, could you post if you agree? :)

I don't think there is a way to directly upload a sound file here. In fact, we used to be able to upload our own videos, but if you are using the new composing editor, now you can upload only YouTube videos. Luckily, someone already has posted Lizardmom's sound file on YouTube:

Which is the Guilty Dog?

I thought this one is pretty cute......


Guilty Dog

"Sympathy for the Devil"

Local blogger Heather Rayne, also know as "Cheers," has posted an article on her blog concerning the sympathy expressed for Curtis Johnson by Racine's business "leaders" while they ignore the victim of his alleged crimes.

Heather's blog is here: http://heatherrayne.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/sympathy-for-the-devil/

The Journal Times story expressing sympathies for the alleged pedophile is here: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_558b8392-5829-11e0-8022-001cc4c03286.html

My comments on the issue are here: http://news.racinepost.com/2011/03/billionaire-curt-johnson-charged-with.html

The vomit and explosive diarrhea which I expelled in reaction to the Journal Times story (I have IBS-D, often triggered by emotion or stress) were flushed away Saturday. If only we could also flush away these expressions of solidarity with an accused child molester.  How can these people shed so many tears for an accused pedo, but not one for the victim?

This filth has brought back memories of a pedophile juvenile judge in the City of Racine who attempted to molest me as a child. Too bad for him, but a family friend had already initiated me into the "wonders" of child molestation, so I didn't let the judge get very far. But I cried and cried that night thinking about all of the other young boys he had put his greasy hands on. A few years later, a Catholic priest would attempt the same shit with me.

This sickness has permeated Racine for decades. You don't think a pedophile mayor molests children while on the job without aid and assistance from others do you? How did a pedo become a juvenile judge, a sick pervert with a line on all the at-rick children in the city, all the young boys from broken homes that he could molest at will? Obviously, there are enablers throughout our community, like the business "leaders" who express so much sympathy for a billionaire who had every option in life available to him but apparently chose to molest a child, over and over and over again. And then you swine say how bad you feel for HIM?
.
Excuse me, I had to go puke again. Literally. I cannot take this. You fucking pigs support people who rape and molest CHILDREN! I can't finish this blog. Fuck you pig swine pieces of shit that support pedos! May you rot in hell forever. May someone have the decency to blow your fucking brains out of your sick, raping bodies, you bloody pieces of excrement.

Angry Birds: The Movie

Directed by Michael Bay



Sad thing is that I am feeling the need for a new cell phone since Angry Birds is painfully slow n mine (okay, that's not the ONLY reason!)

Open Blog - Monday

It seems to happen every week at about this time.

Computer Generated Preview of 6th Street Roundabout

"Where's the exit for City Hall?"

A Boy Singing to his little sister.....

You are My Sunshine, My only Sunshine'
(Be prepared to get watery eyes! Have a box of tissues handy!

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.

They found out that the new baby was going be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in mommy's tummy.

He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.

The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee

In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose during delivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor.

Would a C-section be required? Finally, after a long struggle, Michael's little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville , Tennessee

The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there is very little hope. Be prepared for the worst.

Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby but now they found themselves having to plan for a funeral.

Michael however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. I want to sing to her, he kept saying.

Week two in intensive care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over.

Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care. Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not.

If he didn't see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket.

The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, 'Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed!'

The mother rose up strong in Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurse's face, her lips a firm line.

'He is not leaving until he sings to his sister' she stated. Then Karen towed Michael to his sister's bedside.

He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live.

After a moment, he began to sing.

In the pure-hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:

'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy when skies are gray.'

Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and become steady.

'Keep on singing, Michael,' encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.

'You never know, dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away.'

As Michael sang to his sister, the baby's ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kitten's purr

Keep on singing, sweetheart.' 'The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms'

Michael's little sister began to relax as rest,
Healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.

'Keep on singing, Michael.' Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed.

'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't take my sunshine away.'

The next day...the very next day. The little girl was well enough to get out of ICU..... She went home two weeks later.

Woman's Day Magazine called it The Miracle of a Brother's Song.

The medical staff just called it a miracle.

Karen called it a miracle of God's love.