Brew Fest Drowns Home Expo

Great Lakes Brew Fest, which the city kicked out of Festival Hall so that the Journal Times could hold their Home Expo there, was held at the Racine Zoo yesterday and today.

I drove past Brew Fest today on my way to and from mom's. I have never seen so many people converge on the Zoo. N. Main Street was almost impassable at points. Cars and buses were parked everywhere. Lines of people snaked down N. Main and Goold Streets, waiting to get in. There had to be thousands. I snapped some quick pics as I drove past:

Meanwhile, this was the scene at Home Expo:

Congratulations to Dickert and the Journal Times for once again ignoring the will of the people of the City of Racine, Wisconsin.
 

THIS MORNING...

This morning I waded across a raging river, escaped from a bear in the woods, marched up and down a mountain, stood in a patch of poison ivy, crawled out of quicksand.

My friend said, you must be some outdoors man!

No, I replied, I'm just a shitty golfer.

Don't mess with old people

A little old lady went to the grocery store to buy cat food. She picked up four cans and took them to the check-out counter.

The girl at the cash register said, "I'm sorry, but we cannot sell you cat food without proof that you have a cat. A lot of old people buy cat food to eat, and the management wants proof that you are buying the cat food for your cat."

The little old lady went home, picked up her cat and brought it back to the store. They sold her the cat food. The next day, she tried to buy two cans of dog food. Again the cashier said "I'm sorry, but we cannot sell you dog food without proof that you have a dog. A lot of old people buy dog food to eat, but the management wants proof that you are buying the dog food for your dog."

So she went home and brought in her dog. She then was able to buy the dog food.

The next day she brought in a box with a hole in the lid. The little old lady asked the cashier to stick her finger in the hole. The cashier said, "No, you might have a snake in there."

The little old lady assured her that there was nothing in the box that would harm her. So the cashier put her finger into the box and pulled it out. She said to the little old lady, "That smells like shit."

The little old lady said, "It is. I want to buy three rolls of toilet paper."

So........... Don't mess with old people.

Four for Fridays

Hello everybody! Welcome back to another amazing episode of Four for Fridays after another short week. Here are some short and random questions...

1) If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy?

2) Do you remember your dreams?

3) What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

4) What are your best physical features?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

Enjoy!

"WWII veterans brave one more flight in B-17 bomber"

"By Meg Jones of the Journal Sentinel

Sept. 15, 2011 10:53 p.m. |

"Kenosha - No one tried to kill Scott Welch on Thursday afternoon - no German Messerschmitts dived toward him with guns blazing, no anti-aircraft guns shot deadly flak his way, and there were no bombs to drop over enemy targets.

"Otherwise, it looked much the same as the Flying Fortresses Welch piloted over Europe.
Welch flew 32 combat missions in B-17 bombers in 1944 in the skies over France and Germany, including the D-Day invasion. He earned a Purple Heart when shrapnel tore into his plane, through his seat and into his backside, and a Distinguished Flying Cross for piloting his plane and crew back to safety while wounded.

"Until Thursday he had not flown in a Flying Fortress since he was a skinny 21-year-old kid. So he jumped at the chance to fly in a B-17 restored in the markings of the 398th Bomb Group.

"'It's very heavy on the controls. When you wanted to roll the wings, it took quite a bit of force,' Welch said before Thursday's flight at Kenosha Regional Airport. 'I weighed 135 pounds, and my shoulders looked like a wrestler.'

"Welch, 88, of Silver Lake, climbed into the EAA-owned B-17 Flying Fortress dubbed 'Aluminum Overcast' along with a few other World War II B-17 veterans for a quick flight over Lake Michigan. Also on the trip was Carl Nielsen, 89, of Racine, a B-17 navigator who was shot down over Wurzberg, Germany, on his 31st mission and was a prisoner of war for nine months.

"Asked if he was anxious to fly in the B-17 again, considering his last trip ended in a bailout over Nazi Germany, Nielsen smiled.

"'I got 800 hours already. Why should I be nervous about another 15 minutes?' said Nielsen, who proudly wore his red, white and blue Distinguished Flying Cross pin on his jacket."

Read more, including pictures and video: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/129926883.html

"Social Security Reform Bill Encourages Americans To Live Faster, Die Younger"

* LANGUAGE ADVISORY *

From The Onion:


Finally, a Social Security reform bill that makes sense.
 

"City committee recommends different management for Oasis"

Read the story here: http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_21b59afe-dec4-11e0-a734-001cc4c002e0.html

I remember the Oasis before it was the Oasis, when it was a beat down rat hole infested by druggies and gangbangers looking for trouble. It had been that way for years. Then Mr. Curtin had an idea. He proposed to the city that he open a business there and once again make it a safe place for people to patronize. They agreed and he started in. He had to fight off some of the scum who thought it was still their private piss hole. He worked and worked against the troublemakers, and he worked and worked to build his business. Soon, the Oasis became an integral part of North Beach's rebirth. Today, it is a smashing success.

So, of course, the city wants to mess with that. After one person's five year effort to build a flourishing business, the city intends to take it away from Mr. Curtin, because they want 5% more of the profits that they never earned in the first place. By "city" here, I, of course, refer to the high and mighty muckity-mucks in our local government who have never operated a successful business, but tell everyone else how to run theirs.

I know that the real city, the people of the city of Racine, Wisconsin, are better than that. We would never reward success by taking away someone's way of making a living. We would not demand 5% more of the profits unless we delivered 5% more in services. We are honest, forthright people. We don't treat others like that.

Of course, "we" are not the "city." The "city" is a force made of the select few who do as they wish with little regard to what we believe or think. I'd just like to apologize to Mr. Curtin on behalf of the people of the city of Racine, the real people who live and work here, and who patronized your Oasis. I am ashamed of our "leaders," sir, and I apologize for their greed. (GS Avarice LLC - look it up in your Funk & Wagnall's - they're spitting it right in our faces.) They do not represent us, only their own interests. Best wishes to you, sir, in all of your future endeavors.

Famous quotes

he knows nothing.. .he thinks he knows everything.. that clearly points to a political career.. george bernard shaw

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my prized petunias! How are you? As we approach mid-September, we’re still getting a lot of warm days, but you can tell that Mother Nature’s heart isn’t in it. Most of the evenings are cool, and more and more trees are starting to turn color and/or drop leaves. The bracing air of autumn will be upon us soon. Enjoy the show.

Don't forget that this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16 & 17, Great Lakes Brew Fest takes place at the Racine Zoo: http://www.greatlakesbrewfest.com/main.html Also this weekend, Fall Harvest Days take place at the Racine County Fairgrounds: http://www.fallharvestdays.com/fhds.html

Of course our exalted Green Bay Packers reigned triumphant over the New Orleans Saints last week. It was a very thrilling, back and forth game, but there was never any doubt in my mind as to the outcome. Madame Zoltar sees all. This coming Sunday our distinguished and most honorable Packers meet the Carolina Panthers. (Excuse me, but are they really a team? Really? Gee, I don’t remember them…) Our titans from Green Bay will declaw and defang the Panthers promptly. They will make nice house pets. Meow.

Speaking of being catty, have you heard the latest news out of Hollywood? Good, me neither. Meow, meow.

Honestly, the news from everywhere seems depressing. I suggest a case of my Blues-B-Gon elixir and a funny movie or videos, like the short clip below, which should serve as a warning to all amateurs trying to perform magic tricks without the proper training:



Oh my. I hope that young man was OK. Now remember, there are good reasons why you shouldn’t try magic unsupervised at home. Knocking over an entertainment center onto your little brother is hardly the worst thing that could happen. What if you unintentionally opened a portal into another dimension, or accidentally turned a family member into a frog? Then what? If you want me to undo the damage, it’s going to cost you, and big. It’s much better not to dabble in the dark arts in the first place. If you’re interested in such things, hire a guide or a teacher, like me. My rates are very reasonable and are on a sliding scale for those on a limited income. You can contact me anytime at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Thank you for reading my blog today, my lovely Irregulars and regulars. It’s wonderful of you to take time from your busy day for me. Thank you, again. I’d like to say that "we are strangers but once,” but the fact is that with the Irregulars, things get stranger all of the time.

[Confidential to Ms. Why Not?: Relax, you and the girls will have a smooth trip home.]

Enjoy the bucolic days of mid-September. Summer lays recent and warm in memory, winter is still but a dream. It’s a lovely time of year. Go, Pack, go! Repristinate!

Open Blog - Wednesday

Try to look on the sunny side of life.

tonight’s one of those nights I almost start believing in love again

tonight’s one of those nights I almost start believing in love again
something in the air
something this afternoon leaning on a receptionist’s counter
the west sun warming the room
she was so pleasant I was hypnotized
I felt great for hours
still do
I sense spring in autumn
something stirring in September
a shift, perhaps
a sudden spill towards hope in fall’s fading light

--OrbsCorbs, September 13, 2011

"Love Tap"

That's an uplifting short film.

Rain and Lightning on Kitt Peak

I was up at Kitt Peak Friday night with our Project Astro teachers and the weather wasn't totally cooperative. However, I grabbed my camera to get some shots.

My first shot is from the visitor's gallery of the Mayall Four Meter Telescope. The Sun is getting low in the sky and filtering through the clouds. Okay, I took this shot just because it reminded me of the appearance of God in Monty Python's The Holy Grail. For the record, God did not appear in the clouds and give us a quest that evening.

Rain moved in and we had a nice thunderstorm. The storms moved out and I went outside and tried for some lightning shots. The storms were generally farther away when I took these and the nearly full Moon was breaking through the clouds helping light up the landscape. That is the McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope in these shots. The storm was far enough away I wasn't worried about being struck!

Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.

Open Blog - Monday

Be fruitful and multiply.

Open Blog - 9/11/2011

We remember.

Late Night Police Scanner

I haven't listened to the police scanner much lately. I dunno. I think the volume changes and radio squelching irritate me. Anyway, I was listening last night (this morning) between 1 and 2 AM. Wow, the police were kept very busy. If I think of it later on, I may listen again tonight. Saturday night should be even worse than Friday. Sometimes it's good to get a reminder of what is happening out there.

The JT Irregulars has a link to an online police scanner on the sidebar, as does Racine Uncovered, http://racineuncovered.org/ Or, you can just click here: http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=373

Racine Uncovered also has a story up on donating to the Racine Police Department for another K9 unit: http://racineuncovered.org/2011/09/the-racine-police-dept-raising-money-for-an-additional-k9-unit/
 

La Figlia Che Piange

O quam te memorem virgo

Stand on the highest pavement of the stair—
Lean on a garden urn—
Weave, weave the sunlight in your hair—
Clasp your flowers to you with a pained surprise—
Fling them to the ground and turn
With a fugitive resentment in your eyes:
But weave, weave the sunlight in your hair.

So I would have had him leave,
So I would have had her stand and grieve,
So he would have left
As the soul leaves the body torn and bruised,
As the mind deserts the body it has used.
I should find
Some way incomparably light and deft,
Some way we both should understand,
Simple and faithless as a smile and shake of the hand.

She turned away, but with the autumn weather
Compelled my imagination many days,
Many days and many hours:
Her hair over her arms and her arms full of flowers.
And I wonder how they should have been together!
I should have lost a gesture and a pose.
Sometimes these cogitations still amaze
The troubled midnight and the noon's repose.

--T. S. Eliot

"Thomas Stearns 'T. S.' Eliot OM (September 26, 1888 – January 4, 1965) was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century.^[3] Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 (at age 25) and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.

"The poem that made his name, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock—started in 1910 and published in Chicago in 1915—is regarded as a masterpiece of the modernist movement. He followed this with what have become some of the best-known poems in the English language, including Gerontion (1920), The Waste Land (1922), The Hollow Men (1925), Ash Wednesday (1930), and Four Quartets (1945).^[4] He is also known for his seven plays, particularly Murder in the Cathedral (1935). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948.^[5]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot

To hear T. S. Eliot read this poem, click here: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15305

The Beatles - "And I Love Her"

distraught senior citizen

A distraught senior citizen phoned her doctor's office. 'Is it true,' she wanted to know, 'that the medication you prescribed has to be taken for the rest of my life?'

'Yes, I'm afraid so,' the doctor told her.

There was a moment of silence before the senior lady replied, I'm wondering, then,Just how serious is my condition because this prescription is marked 'NO REFILLS'!

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after a seemingly short week. It least mine felt like that. Here are some random questions for ya!

1) How well do you follow football?

2) When was the last time you have been to the dentist?

3) How many keys on your key ring?

4) What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

There's something about that group that I can relate to.

"Racine Post Office to use pictorial cancellation to honor 9-11 heroes, firefighters"

From FOX6NOW.com:

"12:30 p.m. CDT, September 8, 2011

WITI-TV, RACINE —

"The Racine Post Office will honor the Racine Fire Department and the memory of 911 by issuing a unique pictorial cancellation on the ten-year anniversary of 9-11.

"The special pictue postmark would normally be available in the West Racine Post Office (1300 Perry Avenue) on the day of the event. However 9-11 falls on a Sunday this year and the West Racine Post Office will not be open. Consequently, Saturday, September 10th has been selected as the date the cancellation will be available."

Read more: http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-20110908-9-11-postage-cancellation,0,6072031.story

LAW OF THE WILD

The Law Of The Wild says kill only when you are hungry

Photographer Michel Denis-Huot, who captured these amazing pictures on safari in Kenya 's Masai Mara in October last year, said he was astounded by what he saw:

"These three brothers (cheetahs) have been living together since they left their mother at about 18 months old," he said.

"On the morning we saw them, they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together. At one point, they met a group of impala who ran away. But one youngster was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easily."

These extraordinary scenes followed.

ColorQuiz.com

 

http://www.colorquiz.com/

A very simple test. You click on eight different blocks of color to make them disappear. Then you wait 110 seconds and repeat the process. That's it. From that, these were my results:

Your Existing Situation

Needs excitement and constant stimulation. Willingly participates in activities that are thrilling and offer adventure.

Your Stress Sources

"Wishes for freedom and independence, free from limitations and restrictions except for the ones he choices to give himself."

Your Restrained Characteristics

"Demanding and picky in his relationships, but careful not to bring out conflict or disagreements and this may decrease his chances of achieving his goals and ideas."

"Finds satisfaction in sexual activity, but is emotionally detached which prevents him from becoming too involved."

"Willing to become emotionally involved, but is demanding and picky when choosing a partner. Is careful not to bring out conflict or disagreements as this may decrease his chances of achieving his goals and ideas."

"He is able to find satisfaction through sexual activity, but can be restless and emotionally distant so he never really gets too involved with others."

Your Desired Objective

"If motivated, he will easily and quickly learn new skills. Is very intense person who seeks excitement and sexual stimulation. Wants others to see him as an exciting and interesting person, who is also charming and can easily influence others. Uses his charm to increase his chances of success and gain other people's trust."

Your Actual Problem

Longs the freedom to make his own decisions and plans without the criticism and restrictions of others. Uses his charm to deal with others and get what he wants.

 

Should City Hall be Allowed to Have Burglar Bars?

They already do. But new businesses opening up in the most dangerous parts of the city are not allowed to protect themselves.

Vote here: http://racineuncovered.org/2011/09/bars-or-no-bars/
 

"How Should U.S. Postal Service's Financial Problems Be Fixed? "

Or should we just let it fail? Would private enterprise pick up the slack? Can it, especially in rural areas?

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my ornery orchids! How are you? Taa-daa! September is here. Brrr! Who turned off the heat? Last week, I was wearing shorts and a blouse. This week, people are walking around with long pants and jackets on. Have you noticed that some trees are already dropping their leaves? I suppose I must break out the sweaters and windbreakers. I do love the crisper weather of autumn, but I do so dread the wretched winter.

Our decidedly un-wretched and glorious Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs last week in the final exhibition game. Our second and third string players outperformed some of the Chiefs’ first string. Hurray! Hurray! Tomorrow night (Thursday), our defending world champion Green Bay Packers take on the New Orleans Saints at 7:30 PM in Lambeau Field for their first regulation game of the season. Crush the Saints, o mighty Packers! Send them back to heaven.

To the right (somewhere – I never know where it will show up) is a screenshot from those wonderful people at the Journal Times and their online story, “Your guide to summer fun in Racine County,” http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_ff8c2baa-7672-11e0-88b9-001cc4c03286.html That “Zoo Debut – Hanging with the Stars” looks interesting, but $200 is too rich for my blood. Perhaps the Senor will “want” to take me, with a little help, that is…

Oh my, oh dear. Well, I really do not like to be the bearer of bad news, but it is my duty as resident soothsayer of the JT Irregulars to inform you of events that affect, or will affect, our community. For some time now, I have been sensing the darkness gathering in the æther above Racine. At first I hoped that it was just a passing anomaly, like a spirit pausing in the night; but no, the darkness lingered, remained, then grew even more. It took me a little while to decipher this omen. I had to be sure. Now there is no doubt. We are facing a grave threat. There is more danger now in the Land of Blog than when the O’Brienite barbarians invaded us, deleting, banning, and censoring. Unlike Brendan the Banner, the leader of this horde is a dark lord, skilled in chicanery. His perceived power is great, his dullard minions many. He is a master of deception and the lie. And he will stop at nothing, absolutely nothing, to banish the truth from our realm.

Fortunately for our community, I can see beyond the miasma emanating from this confluence of corruption and greed. I can see the karma mounting, and the arrogance that guarantees an avalanche of facts. I can see right into the souls of bigots and conmen. I can see so much that I cannot yet reveal. However, fear not, my dear Irregulars. In the ripeness of time, our community will once again be allowed to live and speak freely. A groundswell is afoot, a groundswell that will grow into a wave, a wave that will wash our community clean. The truth will be known and light will permeate the Land of Blog. That I guarantee. Thus spake Madame Zoltar®!

[Confidential to Ms. kk: Put forth your best effort, my dear, and you will be rewarded.]

Thank you all so much for reading my blog today. I am always thrilled to have visitors. It is an honor to write for you. Especially you.

To contact La Résistance, send an email to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Enjoy the waning days of summer, my dears. I could wax poetic, but I fear that my sorrow at summer’s passing would overshadow it all. I’m going to have to seriously consider moving into Ms. Beejay’s neck of the woods. Stay warm, or cool, depending upon the weather. I love you all! Ponerology!

Open Blog - Wednesday

Halfway there!

"Racine native's first novel generating literary buzz"

From (Milwaukee Jouranl Sentinel) JSOnline:

"Racine-born author Chad Harbach spent 10 years laboring on his first novel.

"It's about baseball, love, loss and dreams, all set at a fictional Wisconsin college along the shore of Lake Michigan.

"While many of his former classmates at Harvard University found success in the workplace, Harbach struggled with the book and struggled to make financial ends meet. He took part-time copy-editing jobs while also cofounding the literary journal n+1.

"Harbach's novel, 'The Art of Fielding,' receives its official release Wednesday, and it is bound to be among the big publishing events of the fall season.

"The book, published by Little, Brown and Co., has already brought a financial windfall to Harbach, who received a reported $650,000 advance.

"And the novel just received what may be the most important seal of approval in the bookselling world: a rave review in The New York Times from critic Michiko Kakutani.

"In the kind of lead paragraph every first-time novelist longs to read, Kakutani wrote: 'Chad Harbach's book "The Art of Fielding" is not only a wonderful baseball novel - it zooms immediately into the pantheon of classics, alongside "The Natural" by Bernard Malamud and "The Southpaw" by Mark Harris - but it's also a magical, melancholy story about friendship and coming of age that marks the debut of an immensely talented writer.'"

Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/129320048.html

I don't know Chad Harbuch or anything about his book. I just think it's neat that a Racine author has hit the big time. Congratulations, Chad.

Best Milk Commercial Ever

Our milkman was Borden's, but I think Progressive covered most of Racine.
 

The Cleaning Poem

I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.

He asked if I'd been 'computering',
And I had to answer 'yes.'
He told me to get off my fanny,
And tidy up the house.

And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.
I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...

I was just admiring my good work.
I didn't mean to 'click.'
But click, I did, and oops - I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into it...
I was into it all night.

Nothing's changed except my mouse.
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney

Kitt Peak Time Lapse

Beautiful time lapses of the night sky have become quite popular and today we have one from Kitt Peak. This was taken by Dean Ketelsen, one of the guides of the Nightly Observing Program which you should definitely attend if you visit Tucson!

That's why I need to get myself a fisheye lens!

Urgent! One More Team Needed

It is almost time to kick off the Irregular Fantasy Football League for 2011, except we have an issue. We need one more team or else we cant draft. If you ever wanted to play in a non-aggressive (except for KK, she gets fired up)fun Fantasy league, give us a try. But you have to do it today! Comment below if you are interested. We need a team in place today so we can draft tomorrow, and start play Thursday!

My First Grandchild!

Yes my granddaughter is here finally. Saturday I had gotten a phone call from my son asking me to come up by him. His girlfriend was getting induced. I told him I had to talk to my boyfriend about this. He said mom I need you here with me. My son kept begging me on the phone and I kept telling him I had to talk to my boyfriend. My son was lucky I had the weekend off of work.

I was talking to my boyfriend and my son kept texting me and asking me if I was coming up there. Then he was asking me to text him some phone numbers.

So my boyfriend gave in and I told my son and he was so happy. I told him we all had to take showers and I had to pack an overnight bag. But the phone calls and the text messages didn't stop with my son. He was so nerves. 

I had my ex husband's seven year old for the weekend too. So it was my boyfriend, my ex husband's seven year old, my youngest daughter. the dog and myself going up there. I had to try to get everything together for the trip. This was not in the plans for the weekend. We left about 3:30pm and got up there about 7pm.

The people that were there when we got to the hospital was my mom, my younger sister, my older daughter, my ex husband, my niece her daughter and my nieces boyfriend. My son was upset because no one from my ex husband's family came to the hospital.

It was about midnight we were told that his girlfriend wouldn't be having the baby until between 5-6 in the morning on Sunday. So we were getting ready to leave to get some sleep. My boyfriend and I went to get the girls and then we were told that his girlfriend was going for emergency c-section. The baby's heart rate was dropping. She was born at 1:35am on September 4th, 2011. This picture is my son feeding his daughter before we left the hospital right after she was born. I took this picture of my son and granddaughter.


We did manage to go and get about five hours of sleep and came back to the hospital to see the baby. The picture above is me holding my granddaughter after some sleep. My boyfriend took the picture above.  I am very happy for my son. But I also told him I can spoil her and send her back home to mommy and daddy. He gave me a dirty look for that one. But I have a feeling my boyfriend will spoil her more than I will.


It was a very long two days for us. By the time we got home Sunday night we were wiped out. We did have plans to go to a concert Sunday night but we never made it. The main thing for me is I did get to be with my boyfriend the whole weekend and we were able to be there for my son when his daughter was born. I never thought I would hear my son say mom I need you. I hope everyone was able to enjoy there weekend. I am a very proud Grandma!

"World's Shortest Train"

Now I want one of those, too. Gee, I'm like a kid again: everything I see on the net, I want.
 

Early Labor Day Musical Double Feature

In a recent blog, Toad and I were commenting on the good old days when bands like Chicago and Blood, Sweat, and Tears ruled. Today, I heard this song on the radio. I cranked it as loud as I could stand it. It was a classic when I first heard it and it's still a classic today. Chicago - "25 or 6 to 4"



And this one has been in my head for a couple of days now, but I couldn't remember much more than the title refrain. Then I looked it up on YouTube, and, SER, it has finally displaced "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" as the song du jour rattling around in my brain. Warren Zevon - "Lawyers, Guns, and Money"

Open Blog - Labor Day

Enjoy your holiday!

"Skilled laborers sought in factories"

From (the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) JSOnline:

"Even as thousands of Wisconsin manufacturing workers remain unemployed, companies are worried about a lack of skilled labor. Some manufacturers say they've lost business or face stagnant growth because they can't find qualified help.

"Often there's a disconnect between people who are out of work and companies struggling to fill factory jobs that require advanced skills such as reading blueprints and programming computer-controlled machines.

"'I worry more about that than I worry about competition from China,' (Paul) Rauscher said.

"Statewide, 31,000 job openings were posted at Department of Workforce Development employment centers last month, including thousands of openings at manufacturing plants. Yet the state's unemployment rate remains stubbornly high at 7.8% as of July."

And:

"While he was at Bucyrus, now owned by Caterpillar Inc., (Tim) Sullivan moved about 125 welding jobs to Texas because he couldn't find enough people locally with the necessary skills. Show up with the right credentials, and companies such as Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. could offer you a job on the spot, according to the Marinette maker of engine parts.

"'We don't need rocket scientists. We need people with basic technical skills who know how to use tools, work with their hands and make something happen,' said Ron Kadlubowski, director of machining technology at Karl Schmidt Unisia.

"The company has grown from 250 employees in 1985 to more than 900 now. Currently, Kadlubowski said, it has dozens of openings for skilled machine operators.

"'We have so many openings now, it's amazing,' he said. 'If you come in with a basic skill set, and you don't have some rotten work history, you are going to get hired. And other companies in the area are hiring people left and right. The hard part is finding someone who looks encouraging.'

"One problem in addressing the skills crisis is a lack of basic math skills, manufacturers say.

"Many job applicants can't answer the question 'what is one half of one half,' Rauscher said, and they can't measure something to a fraction of an inch.

"'How are you going to get a workforce together when people lack those basic skills? It's pretty pathetic,' he said.

"A manufacturer looking to fill 134 entry-level jobs, paying $15 per hour, received 850 applications but hired only 17 of the applicants, according to Jim Golembeski, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, in Green Bay.

"Many lacked a high school diploma or could not pass basic reading, math or dexterity tests. Others flunked the drug and alcohol test."

Read the entire article: http://www.jsonline.com/business/129200543.html


The dumbing down of America. It's been happening for decades. Good, solid, make-a-living jobs go begging while thousands are unemployed. We reap what we sow.
 

A Groaner.....

A Pastor goes to the dentist for a set of false teeth. The first Sunday after he gets his new teeth, he talks for only eight minutes.

The second Sunday, he talks for only ten minutes.

The following Sunday he talks for 2 hours and 48 minutes. The congregation had to mob him to get him down from the pulpit and they asked him what happened.

The Pastor explains the first Sunday his gums hurt so bad he couldn't talk for more than 8 minutes. The second Sunday his gums hurt too muchto talk for more than 10 minutes. But, the third Sunday, he put his wife's teeth in by mistake and he couldn't shut up...

georgia o’keefe

great lady painter
what she do now
she goes out with a stick
and kills snakes

georgia o’keefe
all life still
cow skull
bull skull
no bull shit
pyrite pyrite
shes no fool
started out pretty
pretty pretty girl

georgia o’keefe
until she had her fill
painted desert
flower cactus
hawk and head mule
choral water color
red coral reef
been around forever
georgia o’keefe

great lady painter
what she do now
go and beat the desert
stir dust bowl
go and beat the desert
snake skin skull
go and beat the desert
all life still

--Patti Smith

"Patricia Lee 'Patti' Smith (born December 30, 1946)^[1] is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses.^[2] Called the 'Godmother of Punk',^[3] her work was a fusion of rock and poetry. Smith's most widely known song is 'Because the Night', which was co-written with Bruce Springsteen and reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978.^[2] In 2005, Patti Smith was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture,^[4] and in 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.^[5] On November 17, 2010, she won the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids. Recipient of the 2011 Polar Music Prize."

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

Also see: http://www.pattismith.net/

Black Sabbath - "Iron Man"

One of my all-time fave's, from Black Sabbath's Paranoid album.

Omg, that's more than 40 years ago.

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to another exciting episode of Four for Fridays! Looking forward to the three day weekend! Here are some random questions....

1) So, what are your weekend plans?

2) What is the most realistic TV sitcom you have seen?

3) Have you ever used a firearm for target shooting?

4) What is/are your favorite Beatles' song(s).

Enjoy your weekend!

Glad I did it.

I got two tickets from a VA benefactor to Thursday night's Packer game at Lambau field. Could not have asked for a better night. The temperature was mild shirt sleeve weather. It was way better than any of the times I've been to see the Brewers. I don't know if it was televised, but the game was an edge of your seat ending. Our third string offense really sucks. Remember the name Jason Hurel. The lad is a bone head, and we do NOT want him having to fill in for an injured Rogers. Because of how weak the third string offense is, we came within seconds of a loss. Defense however was excellent and I hope they have room or a few of those lads.

I was surprise to learn Green Bay is just 2:40 hours away. We made good time up and had an excellent tail gate even with parking costing FORTY DOLLARS! Ye-ouch! The Brewers give disabled permit cars 1/2 off parking. No such luck with the Packers. The night was mildly spoiled to find that some dirtbag decided my $15 Smokey Joe knock off was something he wanted. I'd gotten a few uses out of it so it wasn't a real bad loss.

All in all, glad I went. Good seats, good view, lots of nice people. Thinking about it now that I've been there, I would NEVER go to one of those frozen tundra games. LOL I'm delicate!!

Open Blog - Friday

Go, Goofy, go!

"Law firm representing John Dickert subpeona’s Racine Uncovered!"

"I have been served with a 6 page subpoena from the law firm representing John Dickert (which is attached) I have been subpoenaed to appear for a deposition on September 20th. This is in regards to the slander lawsuit filed against John Dickert for his alleged comments made during a WRJN Mayoral Candidate Forum.

"They are wanting all information relating to confidential sources, email communications, interviews with people, They are asking questions about anything I had to do with Eric Marcus (I endorsed him for Mayor), anyone that reads this site has seen the comments that if need be I would have run for Mayor. I have even said that I would have endorsed Satan over John Dickert. What I do isn’t politically motivated. Its about accountability and doing what’s right for this city (the only thing they haven’t asked for my DNA)…."

Read more: http://racineuncovered.org/2011/09/john-dickert-subpeonas-racine-uncovered/

As I said in my comment on the Racine Uncovered site, I consider this a threat to the Racine blogging community and to free speech. It is an intimidation tactic by a bully. All I can think of is a paranoid Nixon making his "enemies list." I am so ashamed for Racine.

Air Swimmers

http://airswimmers.com

I want one for my cat, Charlie.
 

Rolling in Racine

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day features Racine. Not exactly an astronomy picture, but a cool weather picture. It shows a roll cloud.Roll clouds like this from along advancing cold fronts, and I know those come through Racine occasionally!

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my vivacious violets! How are you? The marvelous weather just keeps on keeping on. The weatherman predicts some heat for Friday. Will that be summer’s last blast? I doubt it. We usually get some hot days in September, too, don’t we? How did it ever get to be the end of August already? Summer just started a couple of weeks ago, didn’t it? Oh my.

Our spectacular Green Bay Packers came back from behind last Friday to defeat the Indianapolis Colts. Huzzah! Huzzah! Next, the Packers meet the Kansas City Chiefs tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7 PM in Lambeau Field. Please, dear Packers, annihilate them. Thank you. I know these are only preseason games and therefore they “don’t count,” but my loyalty and love of our wonderful Packers compels me to cheer them on no matter what the circumstances. Go, Pack, go! Overwhelm your opponents and lay waste to them. Huzzah!

This Friday is a First Friday in beautiful downtown Racine. Make the scene to see and be seen. http://www.firstfridaysracine.com/ Monday, Labor Day, is Taste of Racine at the Zoo. Lots of delicious eats and treats. http://www.racinezoo.org/Special_Events/Taste_of_Racine.shtml

Below is a video from The History Channel on Labor Day. I offer it for educational purposes only. The views expressed are those of The History Channel only, and Zoltar® Industries, Inc., LLC, neither endorses nor opposes them.



Thank you for reading my blog and thank you especially for being you. I love my Irregulars and regular readers.

Please send your questions, comments, and subpoenas to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend. For those of you who bend an occasional elbow, don’t forget that the police have stepped up patrols for drunk drivers through Labor Day. Do the right thing, don’t drink and drive. Everyone else, please watch out for those who do. Eleutheromania!

Open Blog - Wednesday

Have a great day.

A Trip Up Mount Graham

Going to get back into this blogging thing again. I have a good reason to post today. I finally got a trip up to the Mount Graham International Observatory today. Mount Graham is near Safford, Arizona and home to some great telescopes.

The drive up the mountain is pretty long with lots of switchbacks. You aren't going to make good time up there. However you are treated to the changing vegetation as you ascend to 10,500 feet and a nice collection of animals.

The first telescope we stopped at was the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT), affectionately known as the Pope Scope. The VATT is a relatively modest 1.8 meter diameter telescope but broke new ground, particularly with its f/1.0 mirror, ushering in an era of fast telescope mirror fabrication. Here is the VATT.Next up was the Sub-Millimeter Telescope (SMT), a radio telescope.

The SMT is in a dome and the dish sits right next to the edge of the dome make it virtually impossible to get a decent picture unless the dome is open (which it wasn't).

Of course the big boy on the block is the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT). The LBT features two 8.4 meter mirrors on a single mount. The light from these two massive mirrors can be combined to create the resolution of one telescope with a diameter of 22.8 meters if I remember correctly. The observatory is active, but still has lots of work being done with the addition of new instruments and an adaptive optics system. Here's a panoramic look from the mirror level.

You can see one mirror. The other mirror is on the far side behind the equipment in the middle. The best pic I got from the floor had me in it as scale model.

The mirror you saw in the previous picture is being supported by those silver supports on the left. The whole telescope can rotate and tip up and down. The scope is so well balanced, the whole thing can be moved by a 4 horsepower motor.

Now I am a fan of the quirky. Moths are very common up on Mount Graham. They have a homemade moth catcher...

That's just what it looks like. The light attracts the moths and the big fan sucks them down into the garbage can.

Finally, I will leave you with a pic showing how close we came to losing the observatory. A fire came within 500 feet in the summer of 2004. You can see where the fire advanced to before it was stopped.

Reprinted with permission from the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.

Jeb Corliss - "Grinding The Crack"

How cool is that? My mind says I'd love to try it, but my guts say something else.
 

Open Blog - Monday

Peace, bro!

Playing with food

I got enough tomatoes (sorta) and plenty of oregano and basil to try scratch spaghetti sauce. Neighbor Bob tossed me several clumps of garlic from his garden, and I cheated with the mushrooms, celery and thyme. All the rest is from fooling around with my mini garden. We shall see how it works. Got some onion and a carrot. Yes, the recipe I found says carrot. I didn't see the simmer for four hours part.... Should be time for the fridge by bed time. This stuff is better the next day, right?

Freeze drying food

I have an industrial vacuum pump.... Doing some research. Might try to make my own freeze dried foods for storage. Any thoughts?

"POLL: Should a proposed inner-city candy store be allowed to have security bars on its windows"

The Journal Times is running a poll on Dickert's veto of personal property rights regarding burglar bars on an inner city candy store: http://www.journaltimes.com/polls/html_25273f5a-cdab-11e0-9f75-001cc4c03286.html.
Please vote.

SER's related blog: http://www.jtirregulars.com/2011/08/burglar-bars.html
 

Filter - "Hey Man, Nice Shot"

OK, I know it's dark. It's also old. And it's also one of those "screamers" that Toad doesn't like. (He's screaming, "A man/Has gun/Hey man/Have fun".) But I've heard this song on the radio three times in the past few days. Is somebody trying to tell me something?
 

SmellyPoop.com

http://www.smellypoop.com/facts_about_poop.php

Everythihg you always wanted to know, and probably a lot you didn't.
 

Refrigerators

Have you ever found something lurking in the back of your refrigerator?

Yesterday I saw something, a little baggie hiding out, reached back, pulled it out and it started waving at me!

I bought some beef sticks at Mars Cheese Castle a couple months ago and they accidentally got pushed all the way back. They were scary...

Remember months ago I talked about forming pubic opinion?

Yesterday there were news articles about how Verizon workers had skewed unemployment figures. "They were responsible." I hate it when those that pull the strings outright lie in order to further their goals. Too often now people are just not capable in dealing with simple mathematics and because a news article reinforces their beliefs, they repeat what they read EVEN WHEN IT'S WRONG.

What bothers me most is being censored so the lies perpetuate. Several times now this reply has been deleted from Yahoo news articles repeating the lies.

"Does anyone understand mathematics? Anyone at all? There are 350 MILLION people in America. Of those, over 75 MILLION are employable. That's 75,000,000. If there is 10% unemployment, that's 7,500,000 on Unemployment compensation. Lets say there are 6,000 workers on strike at Verizon. Using simple math, 6,000 of SEVEN-MILLION-FIVE-HUNDRED-THOUSAND, we find that Verizon workers make up LESS than .001% of those unemployed.

Please tell me how Verizon strikers managed to push up unemployment numbers. Seriously, you're being LIED to AGAIN."

Yes, fast with my own figures. There are only 318 million documented people, but also after some research, there were 138 million people with jobs the summer of 08. Almost twice as many as in my quote. In the first five months after the crash, almost NINE MILLION people lost their jobs. Employment is now bouncing around 128,000,000. Also there are 8,000 Verizon workers, but not all applied, not all are Union, and unemployed are much higher then the 7,500,000 in my example.

I'm bothered on so many levels about the fact Americans are no longer capable of simple math or unable to realize a million is a heck of a lot, a billion is far more, and a Trillion is unimaginable. We are so screwed.

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Welcome back to Four for Fridays after a hectic week of working and errand chasing. Here are some random questions, my friends!

1) If you were given a ticket to see a Packers vs. Bears game at Lambeau, in the middle of December, would you go?

2) Whole milk, skim milk, 1% 0r 2%, what do you prefer to drink?

3) When was the last time you have been to an observatory or planetarium?

4) When was the last time you have been to the library?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

Hi, Winnie!
 

The time will come
when, with elation,
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror,
and each will smile at the other's welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger that was yourself.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

Derek Walcott

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my happy hostas! How are you? I know, I know, I keep extolling the virtues of our wonderful weather week after week, but it just doesn’t end. I must say that this has been the most pleasant August in my recent memory. We did have a cold and wet spring, and wretchedly hot July, so we deserve this. Soak it up, my dears. You never know when Mother Nature is going to get nasty again.

As the month wears on, the local events wind down. Below on the right is the usual screenshot from the Journal Times’ online article, “Your guide to summer fun in Racine County,” http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/leisure/article_ff8c2baa-7672-11e0-88b9-001cc4c03286.html We still have Music on the Monument, and next week is a First Friday downtown. Huzzah!

We also have our glorious Superbowl Champion Green Bay Packers warming up for the regular season. Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! I get my Packers information here: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/ Watch out, Indianapolis Colts! Our Packers are going to ride you into the ground. Oh my.

To be blunt, there is nothing else in the news that I wish to talk about. Locally, on the state level, nationally, the world – everywhere it appears dismal. Perhaps we need to leave our world to escape its woes. Thank goodness that we have Mr. hale-bopp on board as our guide to the rest of the universe. I’ve been known to travel to some other-worldly realms, too, so we should have all of the bases covered. We gotta get out of this place:



How’s that for a segue? I loved those little Animal guys. And so much voice from such a small young man. Oh deer, I hope you enjoyed the animal side of me. (Get it?)

I enjoyed your visit today to read my blog. Thank you for stopping by. It is always my honor to host you. JT Irregulars! Huzzah! “Long live its fame and long live its glory / And long may its story be told.”

Please send your stories to: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Soak up the rays, my dear family, except for those of you who are allergic/sensitive to the sun. Don’t forget the sun block. Don’t forget a hat. An umbrella might be nice. Don’t forget to stay hydrated. Don’t forget to – aw, forget it, just stay home. Ha, ha. I’m joking. I love you all. Nympholepsy!

Open Blog - Wednesday

I love SpongeBob SquarePants!
 

Cellphone Karma

This one speaks for itself....

"NAACP says Racine Police Department isn't doing enough to recruit minorities"

Bump - The plot thickens: "Another police lieutenant alleges discrimination by chief," http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_e338f6e2-cde6-11e0-98c6-001cc4c03286.html

Originally posted Monday, August 22, 2011, at 2:02 AM:

 

"Ben Handelman FOX6 Reporter

1:40 a.m. CDT, August 22, 2011

WITI-TV, RACINE—

"Community groups are questioning the Racine Police Department's diversity, saying the department isn't doing enough to recruit minorities.

"Groups like the NAACP are upset the department is conducting a national search for a new police chief instead of looking at qualified minorities internally. 

"'It is easy to throw stones and try and hurt the organization when in fact you haven't done your homework and really looked at the problem in an objective way,' outgoing Racine Police Chief Kurt Wahlen tells FOX6 News.

"Chief Wahlen says he wants people selected based on their proven abilities and not necessarily on what they are.

"Earlier this month, a black officer filed a discrimination lawsuit against the City of Racine, saying the chief passed him up on a promotion based on his skin color. The city's affirmative action committee sent a letter to Chief Wahlen pointing out dismal diversity statistics in the Racine Police Department.

"The NAACP believes the department is not reflecting the diversity of the community."

Read more:

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-racine-police-diversity-20110821,0,225446.story

I don't know enough about this to take sides. The 75% failure rate that Wahlen refers to is depressing. Are those high school graduates? How difficult is the written test? Sometimes minorities claim that such tests are culturally biased.
 

The Beatles - "You Know My Name"

I am re-posting this simply as a music video. Mary liked it but didn't get to see the whole thing.

From the video description:

"The longest version of 'You Know My Name' I found, coupled with more or less rare footage from the Beatles. Recorded while 'Sgt. Pepper', released in 1970. After McCartney, Evans and Lennon added some extra vocals in 1969, Lennon planed to release (with '...Mary Jane') it as a Plastic Ono single (heavily edited by himself), but the other Beatles prevented it. Even on Anthology there are some parts of the song missing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DkaRUtp3w8

I Wish

Another dead child
in the news and again I
think rise up out
of the water, water lilies
pouring over my shoulders
like fire, and
even if the man is dead
now, a suicide, hanging
himself in fact,
the part of me rising
from under water wants to
kill him, truly, for
what was in his eyes
when his eyes snagged
mine to push them back
under. Me a boy,
in the water,
him a drunk on a
pier — watching me
drown, my eyes begging
him, his loving this better
than sex if the eyes
were to be believed.
My father ran down
from the bunkhouse,
how did he know? and
snagged me with
a boat oar, my miraculous
father,
who did not swear,
called that son
of a bitch a son of a bitch
and rummy.
The guy was gangly,
loose in the knees and
elbows, a great tap dancer at
parties. There he was
on the pier,
loose as tap dancer,
not even splashing his highball.
“Hey, the kid can
swim, the kid’s just
foolin’ around, what’s
the big deal?” Nowadays
I see
the school picture of another
one in the paper and I say,
“I know
what the eyes
were, I know what the last
eyes you ever saw
said to you.” And
now, old and foolish, I go on
wishing for them all
that some miracle father
like mine had come
down from the bunkhouse
for every one of them.

--Jim Hazard

I know of Jim Hazard through my late friend, James Liddy. They were both English professors at UW - Milwaukee. According to the Foot of the Lake Poetry Collective, "Jim Hazard was raised in Whiting, Indiana, for which he is grateful to any god anyone can dream up. In Lake County, Indiana, he worked in #3 Open Hearth of Inland Steel Company as a common laborer, also was a hod carrier, a mailman in a research laboratory, a runner for a bookie, and a trumpet player. He graduated from Northwestern University and then University of Connecticut. He published several books and chapbooks of poems between l961 and l985 and then took a leave of absence from writing poems. From 1985 until just recently (when he began writing poems again) he wrote (and still writes) non-fiction, mostly for Milwaukee Magazine, but also for Jazz Times, The Milwaukee Journal, The Onion, and others. He also published fiction in Evergreen Review, Exquisite Corpse, Richmond Review (U.K.), and others. He is a retired school teacher and currently plays second cornet with the Milwaukee Golden Eagle Concert Band."

http://lakepoets.com/?page_id=563