"Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay | Playing For Change"

I still think that Otis Redding did it best.

Open Blog - Thursday

Eek, a Vulcan!

"O2 - Be more dog"

http://bemoredog.o2.co.uk/

Be more dog: sniff the crotches of people you meet and slobber all over them.

"How To Please a Woman Using Bass"

So that's why boom cars are so popular.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my cool cucumbers!  How are you?  Are you “chillin’”?  Or are you chilly?  The other day, I was outside in the yard on a cool afternoon.  A wind blew and I suddenly thought of autumn.  It’s still July, but it’s beginning to feel like fall.  Tomorrow is the first day of August.  Maybe it will heat back up again. 

Like others, I enjoy the cool evenings and nights we’ve recently experienced.  When that summer heat beats down all day, the nights stay pretty warm (and humid), too.  I sleep, and do everything else, more comfortably when it’s cool.  I do know people, though, who prefer the heat.  Not me.  I wilt in the heat.  I need air conditioning or an astral projection to Iceland.  How did I get so spoiled?  When did the luxuries become necessities?  Or do I have a right to expect an easier life as I get older?

I was taken aback by the news that Dino’s Restaurant is closing.  What a shame.  I don’t suppose that Mr. Mayor, a “professional real estate agent,” can do anything to help.  Mr. Mayor gives our money to his friends and contacts.  There’s nothing left to help out a locally owned restaurant that’s been in existence for more than half a century.  Oh my.  The parade of shame just keeps marching through City Hall.  Millions for millionaires, but not a dime for working people.

The blackout of WTMJ 4 from the local cable provider is sad.  The broadcast of a Packer preseason game may be affected.  That is unacceptable.  The Journal Broadcast Group and Time Warner Cable are both filthy rich.  They are like squabbling, spoiled brats.  As always, the real winners are the lawyers involved in the negotiations.  No matter what happens, they get paid handsomely.

I’d like to formally complain about Racine drivers.  That’s right, I, Ms. Demo Derby, would like to lodge a complaint with the appropriate authorities.  I have never seen worse driving.  Some drivers are uninsured and/or unlicensed.  Some are drunk.  Some are blind.  Some don’t care.  Too many don’t know the rules of the road.  Driving in Racine is now an ordeal for law-abiding citizens.

I like the idea of swapping Ethics Boards with Kenosha.  Is there any way we can swap out Mr. Mayor, too?  We don’t need a mayor in return.  We have an administrator to perform that job.  I suspect that we’ll accept just about anything in trade for Mr. Mayor.  How about some streetlights?  Spare change?  Want us to pay you?  How much?  He’s not worth a lot. 

Thank you, my honeys and bunnies, for visiting my blog today.  I always appreciate the attention.  I always appreciate the love.

Where did our ethics go?  madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com

Bundle up, my dears.  I didn’t think I’d be saying that for at least a few months.  Perhaps another glacial age is upon us.  Get out there and enjoy it before it becomes a winter wasteland.  Ydromancy!     

Open Blog - Wednesday

Happy Wednesday to you.

"JOURNAL TIMES TURNS ITS BACK ON MINORITIES"

"In its July 30 editorial, the Journal Times newspaper made clear that it is indifferent to the needs and wishes of minorities when it called for stopping the recall effort against 4^th District Alderman James Kaplan.

"While the 4^thDistrict residents (67% of whom are minorities) have raised a clear voice that they no longer wish to have Kaplan as their alderman, the Journal recommends that they cancel the recall and wait. To the citizens, this feels like a 'counselor' telling an abused wife to give her abuser another chance, or to wait til the children finish school.

"Kaplan has been worse than indifferent to the needs of 4^th district residents, he has been outright hostile. He has actively worked to prevent minority businesses from opening, has advocated for street lights being shut off in unsafe neighborhoods and has abused his position for personal advantage in petty and spiteful ways.

"The editorial cites the cost of an election as a sound reason for cancelling the recall, but their words are hollow. When hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on remodeling city hall and aldermen like Kaplan voted to cover $100,000 of personal liabilities for the mayor or over one MILLION dollars was given to an engine plant that has produced no jobs and no engines, the Journal Times has stood silent. But try to recall an alderman who has been a disservice to his constituents and they’re suddenly concerned about spending.

"The recall has been called for by hundreds of district residents and it has been certified by the city clerk. At this point, only the city clerk can declare the recall effort unqualified, but only if Kaplan’s undocumented claim against one of the petition circulators is accepted. It would be an unprecedented decision and would certainly result in a review by the Government Accountability Board."

The Racine Equakity Project

http://racineequalityproject.org/

Early Morning Grin

How do you make a handkerchief dance?  Put a little boogie in it!

"Dino's Closing After 60 Years in Racine"

From Mount Pleasant Patch:

"After nearly 60 years of serving Racine, Dino's Restaurant will close its doors at the close of business on Sunday.

"Dino Dominici opened the restaurant at the corner of 16th Street and Phillips Avenue in 1955. Now 82, he said it feels terrible to see his life's work closing.

"'I've been here for 58 years, paying the bills and now the bank doesn't want to work with us,' he said. 'We're doing good business and we have good customers.'

"Dominici said the trouble began over two years ago when he had to have open heart surgery and couldn't keep up with the payments. When he was on the mend, the family tried to get the bank - Tri-City National Bank - to work with them, but the family couldn't meet the cash requirement.

"Dave Ferderer, Dominici's grandson, told Patch Monday that the business is going through foreclosure despite an agreement that the bank would own the building and the restaurant would lease. Then, he said, he got a call from the family's lawyer saying the deal was a bust and foreclosure proceedings would commence.

"'We started going through this two years ago, trying to get them to work with us, but they just wouldn't,' he said. 'For some reason, they'd rather see an empty building than give a local business another chance.'"

Read more: http://mountpleasant.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/dinos-closing-after-60-years-in-racine


I've dined there only a couple of times.  The food was good.  It's disappointing to see another locally owned business go belly up.

Edit: Racine Uncovered has a "Letter from Dino’s Restaurant to the community" posted: http://racineuncovered.org/2013/07/letter-from-dinos-restaurant-to-the-community/

Open Blog - Tuesday

Butterfly kisses and chimpanzees make Tuesday a great day for me.

Boatlift and Untold Story

This video is long but it is well worth watching. I never knew this until today and have to thank Mary for sending it to me.

"Porn Sex vs Real Sex: The Differences Explained With Food"

Wow, some guys last for three minutes.

Open Blog - Monday

A lot of us feel that way on Monday morning.

"Researchers study brains of violent psychopaths, find empathy"

"But peer-reviewed academic studies also have linked psychopathic tendencies with the charming, manipulative, grandiose, risky and seemingly guiltless behavior of many leaders, such as politicians, chief executive officers and other telegenic public figures."

Read more:  http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-psychopaths-empathy-20130724,0,4413944.story


"...charming, manipulative, grandiose, risky and seemingly guiltless behavior..."  Is there anyone in City Hall like that?

"GOT ETHICS?"

The video is from Racine Community Media.

The lies are from lying John. Party on, lying John!

"This Bird can copy the sound of everybody including Human - LyreBird"

That is so unbelievable that I had to check it out. It's true: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrebird And he likes Seinfeld.

Open Blog - Weekend

Take it easy, but take it.

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone and welcome back! It has been a pleasant week and I have been enjoying the sunshine. Could easily get used to this weather. Anyways, some questions for you....

1) What is the most awful movie you have ever seen?

2) What is the worst TV program you have ever seen?

3) Have you ever sleepwalked?

4) What is your preferred game piece in Monopoly?

Enjoy your weekend!

Open Blog - Friday

What's the first, fellatio?

Open Blog - Thursday

Penguins are cool in more ways than one.

"Ohio Bank Forecloses On Wrong Home, Sells Owner Katie Barnett's Belongings"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/24/ohio-bank-forecloses-wrong-home-katie-barnett_n_3644246.html

Can you imagine that?  I don't know if she deserves $18,000, but the bank should do something to rectify the situation.

Time Warner Cable Technician "Fix"

A Time Warner Cable technician "fixed" my internet connection this morning.  I subscribe to Road Runner Turbo, which means I should be receiving 20 Mbps or higher.  The test above shows my current speed at 0.90 Mbps.  And they have the gall to charge me money for this.  This problem has been occurring for years. Time Warner technicians apparently are incapable of solving it. 

Now I have to wait till Friday for another "technician" to visit me.  That will make it a week of shit internet.  This has happened to me a dozen times or more.  I have no idea of how many internet hours I've lost to incompetence by TWC.   TWC don't care just as long as they get $ from me.  I am so sick of paying them to screw up my account.

"WisDOT - Close Call"

Nice. I would have crapped my pants.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my sensuous souls!  How are you?  Are you enjoying the seesaw weather?  We go from broiling to chilly and back again.  Up and down, up and down, up and down.  It’s dizzying.  It’s also nauseating.  Still, I like the cool nights.  August lies ahead.  That’s when the broiling becomes nuclear and frying an egg on the pavement becomes possible. 

Racine’s County Fair starts today and runs through Sunday.  Check out   http://www.racinecountyfair.com/.  I’m a sucker for the demo derbies.  Road ragers should enter demo derbies to release their pent up anger and aggression.  Every year, I want to enter the derby, but Señor Zanza objects, for safety reasons.  He’s afraid that a celebrity driver like me would be a target for the other drivers.  Junior, of course, wants me to enter.  Actually, he wants to enter himself, but he doesn’t have a license or a vehicle.  He talks about riding with me, but I don’t think that the rules allow passengers.  I’m more than capable of holding my own in a demo derby because that’s how I normally drive.  Oh my.

I assume that you’ve all heard about the royal birth and baby.  It would be hard not to.  My best wishes for a healthy and long life for the baby boy and his parents.  I can’t say that I am a big fan of royalty because of the way that the aristocracy treated gypsies in my homeland.  At least Britain’s monarchy is more or less a figurehead.  I don’t think that the current crop of nobility can condemn people to torture and death.  That must take a lot of the fun out of it.  What good is it being king if you can’t say, “Off with his head!” 

The recent triathlon in Racine made me think, why can’t we have a similar challenge/race for people who are out of shape?  I’m glad that someone won the triathlon and I’m sure they worked very hard for it.  Yet, the average person in Racine is not a triathlete, or even an athlete.  The average person is probably a little overweight and sedentary.  It’s difficult for most of us to identify with the triathletes because we’re fat slobs.  If you want us to cheer someone on, give us other fat slobs.  We can relate to them.  We could have kringle eating contests and a Fattest Slob Contest.  At North Beach, we can see which contestant displaces the most water.  The Slobathlon would have to be a mile or less.  For those with personal mobility scooters, we could have races.  (Maybe a demo derby?)  It would be fun for everyone.    

Mr. OrbsCorbs contacted me regarding his troubles with the cable company.  I asked him to calm down, but he didn’t.  I finally had to dose him with elixir.  That quieted him.  He takes his sense of right and wrong so seriously.  I refused to produce the psychic atomic bomb that he wanted me to direct at his perceived enemies.  I told him that is kind of overdoing it.  I suggested meditation to Mr. Corbs to calm his nerves.  Ranting about injustices just gives them more power over him.   “Living well is the best revenge.”

Thank you, my sweets, for visiting my blog today.  I always appreciate your input concerning my output.  You are dear friends and I love you very much.

What does the cable company do with all of that money?  madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com 

Summer continues.  Enjoy the season and enjoy yourselves.  It’s time for relaxing and fun.  Get out there and get some.  Stay cool and stay hydrated.  And stay out of Lake Michigan if it rained recently. Ventripotent!

Useless Information

Did you Know:

Even as aspirins get old their strength will last a long, long, long time, BUT they will start to smell like vinegar.

acetylsalicylic acid can have a very long shelf life (years) if stored dark, dry, and cool.

Open Blog - Wednesday

That's flower power.

Open Blog - Tuesday

Nature is beautiful.

"RAIDERS RUNNING ATTACK PAVES WAY TO VICTORY"

"Racine Extends Winning Streak to 18 Games"

"July 22 (WILLIAMS BAY, WIS.) - The Racine Raiders were without regular starting quarterback Craig McClelland and wide receiver Dorian Palmer on Saturday night against the Lake Geneva Generals in Williams Bay, Wis. The running game picked up the slack and led the Raiders to a 44-29 win.

"The Raiders rushed for 332 yards on 36 carries, a 9.2 yard per carry average, and four touchdowns. Running back J.R. Taylor led the way with 19 rushes for 134 yards and a touchdown. Dom Kegel, filling in for McClelland at quarterback, had several electrifying runs en route to 133 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. Kegel also passed for one touchdown in the game.

"The Raiders moved backwards on their first drive of the game, losing 26 yards due mainly to a holding penalty and a sack. The Generals started their first drive in Raiders territory but Sir G Albrittin's second pass attempt of the game was intercepted by Raiders linebacker Nate Harris. Harris has now recorded an interception in three of the last four games, dating back to the 2010 Semi-Pro BCS national championship game in November.

"The Raiders marched down the field. On fourth-and-one at the Generals 23-yard line, Kegel took the snap and moved the pile forward for five yards but his helmet came off. On the next play, Taylor, playing quarterback, took the snap and ran for a touchdown but the play was called back on a holding penalty on fullback Marcus Baskin.

"With Kegel back in the game, Taylor punched out a two-yard run before Kegel ran the ball in from 23 yards out for the first score. The DaPra extra point was good and the Raiders led 7-0 with 5:26 to play in the first quarter. The drive went 60 yards on 10 plays and took 6:15.

"The Generals marched the ball into Raiders territory on the ensuing drive but stalled at the Raiders 45-yard line. Mike O'Brien punted the ball to Damonshay Pitt and Pitt broke several tackles, returning the punt 62 yards to the Lake Geneva 25-yard line.

"The Raiders gave the ball to Taylor on three straight plays and Taylor eventually reached the ball across the goal line on a seven-yard run. The DaPra kick was deflected at the line but went through to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead with 12 minutes to play in the first half.

"DaPra booted the kickoff high in the air and while several Generals watched the ball hit the ground without trying to grab it, Ross Toeller was able to pick it up for the Raiders, setting Racine up with the ball at the Lake Geneva 35-yard line.

"On the second play of the drive, Kegel, under pressure, rolled out to his right and found tight end Traves Worthington wide open for a touchdown. It was Worthington's third catch of the season and his third touchdown. The DaPra kick was good and the Raiders led 21-0 with 11:14 to play in the first half.

"Lake Geneva answered on their next drive, going 77 yards on 11 plays in 7:45. Albrittin hit Scott Torkelson on a one-yard pass and the Raiders lead was cut to 21-7 with 3:24 to play in the half.

"The Raiders responded right back as Kegel led the Raiders 86 yards on just seven plays, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown run by Kegel and the Raiders would take a 28-7 lead into halftime.

"The Generals came roaring back in the second half, outscoring the Raiders 14-3 in the third quarter, and trailing by just ten points heading into the final quarter. The third quarter marked the first time this season that the Raiders were outscored in a quarter.

"The Raiders slammed the door in the fourth quarter. Kegel had a 49-yard touchdown run and Torie Ruffin intercepted an Albrittin pass and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to give Racine a 44-21 lead midway through the final quarter.

"The Generals scored one more time with under two minutes to play and completed the two-point conversion but they had no time outs remaining and couldn't recover an onside kick, giving the Raiders the 44-29 win.

"The Raiders extended their winning streak to 18 games and improved to 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the Mid-States Football League (MSFL). The Generals lost their fifth straight game dating back to 2012 and fell to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the MSFL.

"The Raiders have a division bye next week. The next game for Racine is Saturday, August 3, 2013, against the Milwaukee Venom (1-3, 0-1 MSFL) at Stephen J. Gavinski Stadium on the Greendale High School campus in Greendale, Wis. The game begins at 7 p.m. CT.

"The Racine Raiders, a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization, begin their 61st season of operations in 2013. The Raiders won their eighth national championship in 2012. Find out more about the Racine Raiders at http://www.racineraiders.com."

Open Blog - Monday

Is it really that bad?

"Funny, Craziest Magic Trick / Prank! Magician Cut in Half"

http://www.andygrosslive.com/

That's pretty good. How does he do it? Irregular minds want to know.

"Runner Poops In Mans Yard 4 Times"

Man that's some weird shit. Ha-ha-ha!

Is pooping in public a fetish that some people have? I assume that her jog gets her "going," and she relieves herself. I wonder where she's pooping during the week?

Open Blog - Weekend

I hope that you can relax this weekend.

Four for Fridays

Welcome back to another hot edition of Four for Fridays! It sure is hot out there already... 82 degrees as of this posting. Makes me think of summer questions....

1) What do you love the most about summer?

2) What do you do to cool yourself off in the summer heat?

3) What do think is a perfect summer song?

4) Did you chase after fireflies when you were a kid?

Enjoy your weekend!

Mom wins for Caledonia!!

She was excited and a little surprised that she won

our of quite a few nominations. 

It was definitely toasty out there but at least it 

was early morning before it became unbearable. 

Random strangers stop at her house just to look, 

and if she's home, she happily gives them the whole tour. 

She's worked really hard and loves this stuff.

Open Blog - Friday

Have a fantastic one, too.

"'Senior moments' may have real link to Alzheimer's disease"

By Geoffrey Mohan

July 17, 2013, 2:19 p.m. 

"The 'senior moments' of unreliable memory may be a scientifically valid way to predict Alzheimer’s disease, after all.

 
"Alzheimer’s disease experts gathered at an international conference in Boston this week have a fancy name for that sense that your noggin’ is just not ticking like the old days – subjective cognitive impairment.
 
"Studies in the last few years have been trying to bridge a divide between the anecdotal evidence of memory decline and objective, measureable signs, such as atrophy of certain brain regions evident through imaging devices, genetic anomalies on a cellular level, and other clinical tests. Studies suggest that these measurable cognitive declines can lead to Alzheimer’s, and possibly to early dementia."

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-senior-moments-alzheimers-20130717,0,1159950.story


Uh-oh.  For years they've told us not to worry about occasional memory lapses as we age.  Now, they say, "Worry."  Next week, they'll tell us that worrying causes Alzheimer’s disease.  The week after that, they'll say that worrying is good for us.  Maybe I can just forget this whole thing.

Wisconsin Jazz Festival

"Detroit files for bankruptcy"

"The city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy on Thursday, making it the largest-ever municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history and marking a new low for a city that was the cradle of the U.S. automotive industry.

"In a letter accompanying the filing, Michigan's Governor Rick Snyder said he had approved a request from Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection saying 'it is clear that the financial emergency in Detroit cannot be successfully addressed outside of such a filing, and it is the only reasonable alternative that is available.'"

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-detroit-bankruptcy-20130718,0,6170774.story


How soon before Racine follows suit?  While Dickert rewards his cronies with millions of our tax dollars, our streetlights are taken down and our services cut.  $1.3 million tax dollars given to a multimillionaire to finance his private project: Porter's.  Why doesn't he use his own money?  Because he knows this will be another financial black hole.  He will piss away our money, but never his. 

I can't even conceive of $1.3 million.  Our tax dollars.  Given to a millionaire crony while our neighborhoods go dark and the trash piles up.  Why the hell should tax payers pay for this man's personal investments?  Where is he in the middle of the night when gangbangers attack?  Will he be there to help us?  Of course not, but he expects us to pay for his investments anyway.  Selfish swine and a traitorous mayor - they are enemies of Racine.       

Open Blog - Thursday

Some people just want it to be over.

"Colorado town considers licensing bounty hunters to shoot down drones"

"The tiny town of Deer Trail, Colo. — barely more than a wide spot on Interstate 70 about 55 miles east of Denver, population 546 — is considering an ordinance that would authorize licensed bounty hunters to shoot down unmanned aircraft violating its 'sovereign airspace.'

"A six-page petition circulated by a resident says that the threat of surveillance from drones — regardless of who is piloting them — is a threat to 'traditional American ideas of Liberty and Freedom' enjoyed by Deer Trail’s 'ranchers, farmers, cowboys and Indians, as well as contemporary citizens.'

"Therefore, drone incursions are to be seen as acts of war.

"According to the proposed ordinance, which will be considered by the town council at its next meeting on Aug. 6, prospective bounty hunters can get a one-year drone-hunting license for $25.

"Proposed bounties will be $25 for those turning in the wings or fuselage of downed aircraft and $100 for mostly intact vehicles. To collect the bounty, the wreckage must have 'markings, and configuration … consistent with those used by the United States federal government.'

"Such 'trophies' then become the property of Deer Trail."

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/07/16/colorado-town-considers-licensing-bounty-hunters-to-shoot-down-drones/#ixzz2ZMukdIbo

Drone hunting should be allowed throughout the United States.  Issuing licenses for bounty hunters is a good idea.  However, I believe that any property owner in the USA who sees a drone hovering over his property should be allowed to shoot it without a license. 

CAR25 is now BelleTV

BUMP.  Racine Community Media (http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/) has an interesting commentary on this subject from one of CAR25's former staff:. 

"Former Racine  Employee RIPS Racine Journal Times Via Commentary"

"This commentary was sent in to us by a former employee of The City Of Racine, in regards to an article written about CAR25/BelleTV, by the Racine Journal Times. Here’s a link to the story, and also his submitted commentary, enjoy!
 
"http://journaltimes.com/news/local/contractor-embarking-on-ambitious-re-branding-of-city-s-cable/article_959e9c32-ed44-11e2-9d7a-0019bb2963f4.html

"I’m a long time consumer of the Racine Journal Times, and fully understand the challenges of a small paper asked to do more with less. Unfortunately, I have to complain today about your article discussing the re-branding of Racine’s cable access channel. 
 
"Your story is incredibly one-sided. Although you make the minor effort of getting two different people to quote, they work for the same company (Skies Fall) and represent almost identical viewpoints. There’s no quote from any of the old CAR 25 staff, members of the community, or aldermen. You don’t even present a view point outside of the narrative Belle TV has given you. This is not journalism. It’s weak, P.R. style writing. You owe the citizens of Racine better than that.

"For example, I worked at CAR 25 for almost three years prior to the outsourcing of the channel. Our spending power was never $106,000 as you suggest in your story. We were always told to stay under an operating budget of $80,000, with the other $26,000 in a separate account that our manager was never able to freely spend. Because of that, we never got the kind of upgrades to equipment or staff hours that we needed. It’d be nice to hear that side of the story, rather than have it be ignored.

"I have worked professionally as a videographer for four years, and can critique a variety of things Belle TV has struggled with. They consistently shoot interviews with a window in the background, leading to a ton of issues with their lighting. They often frame interview subjects poorly, without any natural 'looking space;. The camera shots are often shaky, and aren’t white balanced. Interview questions are incredibly soft and repetitive. I could go on with other legitimate critiques. It’s astounding that you published this article without talking to anyone who could give expert evaluation and criticism to some of Belle TV’s work.
 
"I was a print and broadcast journalism major at UW-Milwaukee. It takes more than just reporting what someone tells you to craft a strong story. You need to objectively capture every detail you can about any story, in a way that lets a reader decide for themselves what to think and believe. Question what people tell you. Investigate the numbers, dig a little deeper and expose people’s lies or half-truths. It’s incredibly frustrating to read your stories, and know that some of the information is simply wrong.

"Thanks for reading my thoughts,

"Justin Wheeler

"After thought to my letter to the Journal Times (Or an overly simplistic look at why newspapers don’t work like they used to, and what we can do about it):
 
"I’ve lived in Racine for the entirety of my existence. Though it’s fairly common place and acceptable to criticize some of the qualities of our local newspaper, the Racine Journal Times suffers from a much larger problem that is destroying journalism in our country.
 
"That’s the shrinking of the 'News Hole', the amount of space in a newspaper after the advertisements and fluff pieces have been situated.  At the core of the news hole is the investigative, inquisitive, journalism that our democracy thrives on. 
 
"But that kind of writing is extremely expensive and time consuming.  I don’t need to highlight the financial struggles the newspaper industry has found itself in. But the reason newspapers don’t make money like they used to might surprise you. It’s not as much about subscription rates going down. It’s more about how little newspapers can charge for online advertisements, in comparison to color print ads in the actual paper. 
 
"Obviously, the Journal Times was a little slow in developing online subscription charges, and once they did, even more people left to consume news elsewhere. 
 
"So here we are, newspapers around the country face a reality of operating on sometimes less than 1/4^th of their staff sizes in the early 1990’s. Instead of having three or four government reporters, small papers have maybe one journalist to write multiple stories every day. Instead of having the time to question the quotes and information, newspaper journalists are in a race to stay relevant, pushing their stories out quickly. 
 
"To fill space, papers use more 'Associated Press' stories, which lack the local context and personality of our individual cities. More, cheap, stories dominate our papers. Instead of a month long investigation into crime rates in the inner city, we get stories about natural stress relief tips and the benefits of frozen yogurt. Recently, the Racine Journal Times began publishing old stories from their archives. While interesting, this is a substitute for new stories they can’t produce.
 
"We who consume the news must be aware of this.  We must be ever more resourceful in finding real journalism. It’s still out there.  What you see on MSNBC and Fox News isn’t journalism. It too, functions as cheap(er) filler for real news. We could pay hundreds of journalists to produce enough real news for a 24 hour news cycle. Or we could pay 4 or 5 idiots to debate immigration policy for an hour a day. Which one saves more money? 
 
"So, read more blogs, and talk with more people that share different opinions than you. Let the open market competition of ideas reveal a more accurate truth. Still read the newspaper, because they still do a lot of things very well. Just keep in mind, more with less doesn’t work in the field of journalism. And we the people are paying for it.

"Questions or Comments? 
 
"Follow Justin on Twitter @The1Life2Live4
 
"Or Facebook: Justin Wheeler
 
"Or Email: wheele27@uwm.edu"

http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/55713077850/former-racine-employee-rips-racine-journal-times-via


Thank you, Journal Times and lying John, for fucking over our community.  We have to get rid of Dickert.  We also have to get rid of management at the JT which poisons the population with Dickert's lies on a daily basis.   They are enemies of Racine and should be treated as such.  They're not even from Racine.  Lee Enterprises sends in their carpetbaggers to pump all the money that they can out of a community.  They don't give a damn about Racine or you or me.  The Journal Times constantly berates others for doing exactly what it does.  Hypocrites and deceivers. Get the lying liars out of our city!     


Originally published on July 15, 2013 at 8:48 PM:

 
CAR25 is kaput.  It's replacement, BelleTV, promises to be a mouthpiece for Dickert and his pals.

I thought that these cable stations were given to communities so that residents could produce their own TV programs.  CAR was Cable Access Racine.  It doesn't look like that is going to happen with BelleTV.  They want to sell ad time instead.

Dickert already controls the Journal Times.  Now he controls what we see and hear on our cable access channel.  Soon an ordinance will be in place giving Dickert complete control over who says what during the public comment portion of Common Council meetings.

What's next?  Loyalty oaths?

      *     *     *     *     *

BelleTV home page: http://belletv.tv/

JournalTimes.com BelleTV story: http://journaltimes.com/news/local/contractor-embarking-on-ambitious-re-branding-of-city-s-cable/article_959e9c32-ed44-11e2-9d7a-0019bb2963f4.html

Racine 4th of July Parade, 2013: http://vimeo.com/69958466

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my hot tamales!  How are you?  Now this weather is more like it: hot and humid.  That’s summer.  August can get baking hot.  It will be interesting to see if we continue to get rain.  Everyone’s lawn is green.  Usually, the grass goes dormant in August because of the heat and lack of moisture.  That may not happen this year.

Please don’t forget about your pets in the heat wave.  If kept outdoors, they need a lot of water and some shade.  Never leave your pets in your car while you shop.  It gets very hot very quickly in vehicles parked outdoors, even if the windows are cracked open.

What gets to me is that as I wrote the above, I thought, “I probably should say ‘pets and children.’”  Unfortunately, there are individuals in Racine who treat their children worse than dogs.  Don’t leave your children in the parked car while you shop, either.  It can get hot enough to kill them.  Also, who knows what nut is running loose where?  Child abduction can occur within seconds.

Beat the heat.  If you don’t have air conditioning at home, you can go to public buildings to stay cool.  Drink plenty of water.  Wear light, loose fitting clothing.  Protect your eyes and skin if you go outdoors.  Also, wear a hat if you go outdoors.  A cool bath might make you feel better than a hot shower. 

I found the video below by accident.  It’s very short and to the point. 

Oh my, that wasn’t very nice.  I think that gentleman needs to take anger management classes.  If he slapped me like that, I’d slap him back into the last century.  The “clairvoyant” in the video is not a certified Professional Psychic (PP).  You get what you pay for.

Thank you, my friends and otherwise, for dropping by my blog.  I love visitors.  “The more, the merrier.

How hot is it?  madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Enjoy the weather, my dears, but don’t overdo it.  Remember to drink plenty of fluids.  Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur rapidly.  Take it easy.  Take care of yourselves.  Wittol!

Open Blog - Wednesday

What's a "Beary Wacky Wednesday?"

Toothache Home Remedy

Unfortunately, I posted this too late to help lizardmom and SER.

The best remedy I had was to hold a shot of bourbon in my mouth up against the bad tooth. An alcohol bath. Then I swallowed the shot. Repeat until I can't feel a thing.

Those days are long gone. So are my teeth.

Fluffing Up Lately?

Visa recently completed a study and found that people who use their credit cards at fast food restaurants spend (on the average) 30% more then if they paid with cash.

So when you get on the scale and it says "one at a time please" maybe you should pay cash the next time you stop for the special burger you have a taste for.

Open Blog - Tuesday

♪ Sing your song! ♫

Open Blog - Monday

I hate all the days of the week.

"RACINE RAIDERS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 17 GAMES"

"Raiders Beat Madison Mustangs, 51-33, in Rivalry Renewed After Nearly 40 Years"

"July 14 (RACINE) - The Racine Raiders (3-0, 1-0 MSFL) extended the team's winning streak to 17 games against a team that is used to winning, the Madison Mustangs (0-1, 0-1 MSFL) in front of 1,458 fans at Historic Horlick Athletic Field in Racine Saturday night..

"The Mustangs won 54 straight games before losing in the Ironman Football League championship game last season and have now lost two straight for the first time since at least 2007. It was the first time the two franchises played since October 12, 1974, when Racine beat Madison using a second half comeback.

"The Raiders gave the Mustangs defense a heavy dose of running back J.R. Taylor early on and it paid off as Taylor had 12 carries for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns at the half and the Raiders led 21-6 going into the locker room.

"The teams combined to put up 41 points in the third quarter. Raiders quarterback Craig McClelland started to heat up in the second half, tossing three touchdowns to three different receivers in the third quarter.

"David Pietrowiak and the Mustangs kept pace, however, as Petrowiak also threw three touchdowns in the third quarter, including a 20-yard pass to Austin Ryan as the clock expired to pull Madison to within 16 points heading into the final quarter.

"The Raiders controlled the ball for nearly seven minutes to open the fourth quarter and got a 30-yard field goal from Joel DaPra to extend their lead 45-26.

"Racine would turn Pietrowiak's third interception of the game into another touchdown on a 9-yard run by Ivry Lashley, the rookie's first touchdown as a Raider, and increased lead to 25 points with 4:30 to play.

"Madison scored one more touchdown, this one a defensive touchdown. Raiders running back Floyd Underwood never got the handle on a handoff from McClelland and coughed it up right into the hands of Noah Williams who returned it 60 yards for a touchdown to make the final score 51-33 in favor of Racine.

"Pietrowiak set a Madison record with 381 yards passing. He threw for four touchdowns but also had three passes intercepted and lost a fumble. Taylor finished with 145 yards and the 3 touchdowns. McClelland threw for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns.

"The Raiders hit the road until August 7. They head to Williams Bay High School to play the Lake Geneva Generals next week. The Raiders are 3-0 all-time against Lake Geneva. The game will be broadcast on News/Talk 1400 AM WRJN beginning with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. CT.

"The Racine Raiders, a 501c(3) not-for-profit organization, begin their 61st season of operations in 2013. The Raiders won their eighth national championship in 2012. Find out more about the Racine Raiders at http://www.racineraiders.com."

The Mother of All Russian Dashcam Videos

Some of these I've seen, some I haven't. I appreciate that dashcams are so popular in Russia. They've provided me with much entertainment.

Useless Information

 

Did you Know:

 

75% of the noise generated on US highways is caused by tire noise not engine noise!