My Two Cents

And the Hits Just Keep Coming!!

2012-02-01T04:55:00.000-06:00

If I am fortunate to win a third Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award for Excellence in Radio Editorial Content after this year, I am going to have the plaque sent to Oshkosh School Board President John Lemberger's house. Lemberger has become my main Two Cents inspiration--my muse. The Cleo to my Chaucer, the Gala to my Dali, the Yoko Ono to my John Lennon.

The man is a neverending source of material. Efforts to silence dissention on the board? Did that. Defended open meetings violations? Did that. Declared war on accurate reporting of School Board actions by the local Newspaper? Did that as well. And now Mr Lemberger has come out admitting that he knew all along the Superintendent Don Viegut was shopping around for another job--but didn't think that was the kind of thing other members of the School Board should know.

To add further inspiration this morning, Lemberger "can't remember" if Viegut came to him for a letter of recommendation before or after the School Board voted to give Viegut a two year contract extension back in October. Viegut's application went in the mail about two weeks after that Board meeting. I'd be willing to bet that it was before--and that Lemberger knew full well that Viegut was one foot out the door as he poo-pooed Ben Schneider's concerns about giving two year contracts to administrators who never seem to fulfill them.

And in defending his actions during questions from our reporter last night, Lemberger said he "Owed it to his relationship with Viegut" to remain mum. I guess that lets the other six members of the School Board that elected Lemberger their President know where they stand. It's okay if they find out huge news from reporters calling them at home on a Saturday afternoon--because that is when the District made its announcement about Viegut leaving. Better to have your six colleagues look like they have no idea what is going on with the District that they are supposed to be leading. And don't feed me this stuff about how letting people know Viegut was unhappy here and shopping around would erode public confidence. How many times has UW Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells been a finalist for a job somewhere else--and the campus hasn't slid into the river yet.

Somebody needs to remind John Lemberger that this isn't the Faculty Senate, or the Child Education Consortium or the Winnebago County Labor Council that he is running here. This is the Oshkosh School Board. THIS IS REAL GOVERNMENT!!! With real rules guiding its operation--and a primary commitment to the people who elect its members and fund its operations. NOT preferred employees.

Of course, if he was to get the message--what woud he have to talk about every other week?

Wisconsin's Other Dynasty

2012-01-31T05:04:00.000-06:00

If I asked you to name the most successful college basketball program in Wisconsin over the last 20 years, which team would you choose? Would you guess the Wisconsin Badgers under Bo Ryan and Dick Bennett? Would you pick the Marquette Warriors/Golden Eagles with Buzz Schneider and Tom Crean? Nice picks, but the most successful college basketball program in Wisconsin over the last 20 years has the been the UWGB Lady Phoenix.

Twelve consecutive 20-win seasons, 12 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, 13 straight Horizon League Regular Season Championships, a 34-win season, a Sweet Sixteen appearance and now--for the first time in program history--a Top Ten ranking. The Lady Phoenix have enjoyed this run of success under three head coaches--starting with Carol Hammerle (who built the program up from its Division II roots back in the early 80's to its first NCAA Tournament bid)--to Kevin Borseth (who got the program its first Tournament victory)--to current Heach Coach Matt Bollant (who got the Phoenix to their first Sweet Sixteen--pushing Number One Seed Baylor to the limit last year).

And now, the Lady Phoenix are enjoying their best season ever. Undefeated at 19-0--just one of two teams without a loss in Division 1 as we head into February. And it looks like they won't have to play their early NCAA Tournament games on some other team's home court (a policy that continues to hurt the competitive balance of the Women's Tourney).

All of this success has been built with ladies coming from right here in Wisconsin--usually from just Northeast Wisconsin. In how many other states are a Big Ten and a Big East program also-rans when it comes to getting some of the top girl's basketball recruits every year? By the way, it's been a few years since either the Badgers or the Golden Eagles have beaten GB in their annual matchups.

Despite all of the success, the Lady Phoenix still play fourth or fifth fiddle in local sportscasts--buried behind the Packers, the Badgers, the NFL Draft, Boys High School hoops and fishing or hunting--but their time to get top billing is finally here. Their games are carried live on our sister station 107.5 FM The Fan--and the Horizon League also streams most of its games live on its website. There won't be any dunks or many fancy passes. But what you will see or hear is some of the best basketball in the state.

Hello, Miracle Ear!!

2012-01-30T04:54:00.001-06:00

One of the first things you learn in radio is that people hear what they want to hear. Two phone calls to the WOSH Newsroom proved that last week.

The first came from a very angry (and as I found out, confused) woman Wednesday morning. The woman wanted to know why we only had Republicans on to talk about the previous night's State of the Union Address. (On Wednesday morning we had reaction from Senator Ron Johnson provided to us by ABC Radio News--and Congressman Tom Petri joined Bob Burnell for a live interview from Washington as well). I told the woman that the WOSH listening area is represented, for the most part, by Congressman Petri--with most of the rest covered by Congressman Reid Ribble and a little bit by Sean Duffy--all of whom are Republicans. Senator Johnson is from Oshkosh--and the next time Senator Herb Kohl joins us for a live interview will be the first time that Senator Kohl accepts our invitation to do a live interview (not during campaign season).

The angry woman thought there were some "Democratic Assemblymen who probably had something to say about the speech." (No offense to State Lawmakers--but if you want info or reaction to Federal Government matters, you are better off going to Federal Lawmakers). I told her that Representative Gordon Hintz would be joining us Thursday morning for his reaction to Wednesday night's State of the State Address. There was a pause from the other end of the line and then the angry (and confused) woman told me "You know full well that the State of the State doesn't exist. Good bye."

I was left with two thoughts after that "conversation". One: that woman probably votes--and two: I sure hope she doesn't turn on Wisconsin Public Television tonight to see that the State of the State Address actually does exist--I wouldn't want to burst her bubble of "reality".

The second phone call came in Friday morning from an angry custodian who works for the Oshkosh School District. He "had heard" that Bob Burnell "was telling people that school custodians make $50 an hour". He believed he was at the high end of the pay scale--and even with benefits, he wasn't making close to fifty-bucks an hour. He wanted to "set Bob straight" so he could "make a correction on the air."

Because I do the news on a couple of different stations every morning, I don't hear everything that is on the air on WOSH--so I went to the background record to hear what Bob was saying. Bob was telling a story about renting a facility--not in Oshkosh--that required a $100 an hour fee for custodial services--meaning he was paying 50-bucks an hour for two janitors to be on duty during the event. There was NO mention of Oshkosh in the story--and NO mention of the School District either. Yet somebody listening was positive that Bob was telling people that Oshkosh School District custodians make fifty dollars an hour.

I know the public sector is on a self-persecution kick here in an effort to win sympathy from taxpayers--but not every mention of overpriced services is an attack on you. Needless to say, Bob will not be "correcting" something that he never actually said.

Meanwhile, any audiologist or hearing aid providers that would like to capture our "hard of hearing" audience share should contact the Cumulus Broadcasting Sales Department.

The Trillion Dollar Solution

2012-01-27T05:20:00.000-06:00

Lost in all of the hoopla this week over the "State of this" and the "State of that" was a report from UW-Milwaukee that found just 45-percent of working age African-American men in the Milwaukee actually have a job. When the economy was "better" in 2008, that percentage was still just 53-percent. The study blames the exodus of manufacturing jobs out of Milwaukee, high incarceration rates for black males in the metro area and a lack of transportation options to the suburbs--where most of the jobs are now available.

When you consider that "working age" is 18-60, that represents nearly three entire generations of African-Americans that have basically dropped out of society--becoming comfortable with living on the dole--or choosing to make their livings outside the law. That would explain the 5,000 black men who are incarcerated in the Milwaukee area every year.

So, what is the solution? I have three radical suggestions.

Option 1: A complete takeover of the African-American community by the government. Every unemployed black person will be assigned three "state guardians". Those guardians will work rotating eight hour shift making sure that their "customer" is trying to get a job, showing up to work if they get a job, driving them to the job, making sure that they are doing what they are getting paid to do, keeping them from being disrespectul to their bosses, making sure they aren't wasting whatever money they make on alcohol, drugs, weapons or 20-inch rims, ensuring that they get to bed early enough to be well-rested and that they aren't engaging in unprotected sex--thereby not adding to the number of single-parent families.

To ensure future generations don't get themselves in the same mess. We should assign three guardians to each child in the Milwaukee Public School District. They will make sure that the kids actually show up for class, pay attention in class, eat their school breakfasts and lunches, do their homework, don't bring weapons or drugs to school, don't spend all their free time running the streets, playing video games or chatting on the internet, not being mistreated at home, and aren't engaging in unprotected sex--thereby not adding to the number of teen parent families.

Milwaukee schools should be rebuilt to provide the same opportunities as those in other parts of the state--meaning every school should have a multiple-function fieldhouse, a performing arts center, a solarium ( like at Bay Port) and a planetarium (like they have at Wausau West). And transportation needs to be improved--so buses need to run up and down every street every ten minutes--and we should probably add some light rail and some trolleys as well. I would put the cost of Option 1 at about 1 Trillion dollars--annually.

Option 2 (and remember we are being radical in our thinking here): Legalize illicit drugs--but only allow African-Americans licensed by the government to sell them. This is the same approach the Government took with an equally-depressed Native American population back in the 1980's when it gave them the right to operate casino gambling. When you consider that two guys who moved from Chicago to Oshkosh were able to move $2.5 million dollars of heroin and cocaine in less than three years, this is probably the most lucrative option for the black community. The drop in drug-related prison and jail sentences would save taxpayers a ton of money as well.

And then we have the most outrageous idea: Option 3: Have those in the African-American community in Milwaukee stand up and say "We are sick of this" and take action to demand more from their brothers and sisters. They could certainly do most of the steps I outlined in Option 1--without being paid to do it. Unfortunately, I think we will hear far more calls for Options 1 and even 2 before we see any action on Option 3.

The State of Me

2012-01-26T05:04:00.000-06:00

Since we are getting updates on the "State of" everything else this week.......

My fellow fiscally responsible Americans, the state of Jonathan is improving. (STANDING OVATION)

After two years of reduced income, personal setbacks and challenges, Jonathan is coming back (STANDING OVATION).

Jonathan saw the smallest increase in his property taxes in the four years since becoming a homeowner (EXTENDED STANDING OVATION)

By the end of this week, Jonathan should know if he ended up paying less in personal income taxes--both federal and state--this year. And if I do, how I will end up using the excess to help stimulate the economy (STANDING OVATION).

Jonathan became more energy efficient in the last year by installing new windows in his house. And the milder winter that may be due to global climate change has lowered my heating bills as well (STANDING OVATION).

Jonathan remains debt free (LONGEST AND LOUDEST STANDING OVATION OF THE NIGHT). And Jonathan has returned to putting money away for neccessary large purchases in the future like a new car for his wife (STANDING OVATION AS CAMERA SWITCHES TO MY WIFE IN THE GALLERY) and new carpeting in the bedrooms.

Past fiscal responsibility allowed Jonathan to refinance my house at nearly half the previous interest rate--and substantially reduce my monthly payment--allowing for even greater contributions to the savings account each month (ANOTHER LONG AND LOUD STANDING OVATION).

And who can forget the Boston Bruins ending 39-years of frustration for Jonathan by finally winning a Stanley Cup Championship. (STANDING OVATION WITH CHANTS OF "BRUINS! BRUINS!)

Perhaps most importantly, Jonathan has trimmed three strokes off his golf handicap--and I continue to move toward my goal of becoming eligible to qualify for the State and US Mid-Amateur golf tournaments (STANDING OVATION WITH LOTS OF WHOOPING AND HOLLERING).

However, Jonathan is still facing challenges. I am about five pounds over my ideal weight (CONCERNED GRUMBLE). Jonathan has also passed the two year mark in waiting to adopt my first child. And Jonathan is still looking at not getting a raise anytime in the near future--as costs for gas, food and other necessities continue to rise.

Things are getting better for Jonathan, but we must remain ever vigilant and resist the temptation to go back to ways that set us back in the past. Thank you and ON WISCONSIN! (FINAL EXTENDED STANDING OVATION).

Credit Where It Is Due

2012-01-25T04:58:00.000-06:00

I have to give credit today to a few people who have earned it.

First, a ton of credit to Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords for stepping down from her office. By doing so Giffords spares those living in her Arizona district from what would have been the most uncomfortable campaign in recent memory. Given the extent and effects of the injuries she suffered in the shooting last year, her ability to perform the duties of the job would have been a fair topic of discussion and debate for any candidate from either party that chose to challenge Giffords. But, any candidate choosing to even refer to the issue would have been demonized as "uncaring", "vicious" or "opportunistic". Now, any campaign for Giffords' district can focus on the issues (unless of course a candidate has been arrested, divorced several times or worked for a private equity firm).

Credit also goes to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for learning the lessons of the Penn State scandal and releasing its investigation into allegations of sexual assault against Associate Athletic Director John Chadima without forcing the media to file Freedom of Information requests. Chadima came under investigation during the Badgers Rose Bowl trip for allegedly grabbing the genitals of a male Athletic Department employee--then threatening to fire the kid if he said anything. Chadima resigned a few days after the team returned from Pasadena--so we don't have to worry about a Jerry Sandusky still-allowed-to-hang-around-the-football-facility situation in Madison. Now Barry Alvarez has to hope there isn't a parade of former employees coming forward saying Chadima assaulted them as well--and nobody did anything about it.

And finally some credit to State Representative Richard Spanbauer. Spanbauer announced yesterday that he will not run for re-election this year--after facing backlash within his own party for his vote on the Collective Bargaining Law last year. Granted, most GOP power-brokers always thought Dick was a Democratic operative sent to infiltrate the party and report back on its strategies through his neighbor in the 54th District--but Representative Spanbauer voted his concience knowing full-well it would likely cost him his seat. If nothing else, it is a departure from the normal in both Madison and Washington where just being part of the show is more important than what you actually accomplish on stage.

Tea Party Hockey

2012-01-24T04:49:00.000-06:00

I would like to welcome members of the Tea Party to the Boston Bruins Bandwagon. The 2011 Stanley Cup Champions (I will NEVER get tired of saying that) have become the new darling of the Tea Partiers after my favorite player--goaltender Tim Thomas--refused to accompany the team to the White House yesterday for the annual photo op with President Obama.

The team issued a statement saying that Timmy passed on the trip because of "personal political reasons." Later in the day, Thomas--who is one of just two Americans on the Bruins--issued a statement on his Facebook page:

“I believe the federal government has grown out of control, threatening the rights, liberties, and property of the people. This is being done at the executive, legislative, and judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers’ vision for the federal government. Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a free citizen and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion, both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an individual.’’

Thomas was immediately assailed in the blogosphere and Twittersphere for stiffing the President--with the general consensus being that Timmy should "stick to hockey". I find this ironic, as many of the same reporters and commentators have criticized Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan for failing to be more political. Jordan explained his silence with the famous phrase "Republicans buy shoes too."

It will be interesting to see how Thomas is received by the fans in Boston when they return to the TD Garden Arena later this week. Let's not forget, we are talking about Massachussetts--which gave us the Kennedeys, McGovern, Dukakis and Romney. The encroachment of Government on personal liberties apparently isn't much of a concern in the Commonwealth.

I would hope that people would consider that Tim Thomas was exercising his right as an American citizen. There is no law that says if the President wants you to see him that you have to go. And that is a beautiful thing--that the leader of the country has no right to compel you to do anything (except--according to the current administration--purchase health insurance). Compare that to the story the Beatles' former publicist--Peter Brown--tells about how the band was detained by soldiers in the Phillipines after they cancelled a visit to Imelda Marcos and her children.

Personally, I would have liked to see Timmy go to the White House--and then chop the President in the back of the knees or give him a waffleboard in the chops--just like he gives to forwards who try to camp out in front of his crease.

Sonic Assault

2012-01-23T05:00:00.001-06:00

We can now add another entry to a disturbingly long list of embarrassing performances of the National Anthem before an American sporting event: http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/22/steven-tyler-national-anthem-video/

Aerosmith frontman and American Idol "judge" Steven Tyler is the latest to take a rallying point for patriots (small p) and to turn it into a sonic assault on fans.

What makes me laugh about the reaction to this latest debacle is that people were surprised that Steven Tyler couldn't sing. Has anyone ever listened to an Aerosmith song? Why do you think he fronts a 70's rock band that plays the guitars at 500-decibles?

This won't sit well with the jingoistic crowd, but I think it might be time to take a break from performing the National Anthem before sporting events. The tradition started in periods of war (WWI and WWII)--when patriotic fervor was at its highest--and when people both knew the words and could sing them. There was no need to "promote" the stars of whatever shows are on the network broadcasting the game or a singer with a new album or single. And does anyone really feel comfortable singing the song in a smaller venue, like a girls varsity basketball game with 25 people in the stands?

So let's take a break from the National Anthem at sporting events for awhile. Maybe if we go a couple of years of just having warmups, the coin-flip and the start of the game--people will start saying "I really miss singing the National Anthem--I wish they would bring that back"--and them teams (and more importantly TV networks) will bring back tasteful, in-tune presentations of the song.

EXCEPTIONS!!--Two teams are allowed to continue the pre-game anthem tradition: The Chicago Blackhawks, the originators of the "The Roar" and home of the greatest National Anthem performance in history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvpxVE_kQXg I'm ready to hit someone everytime I hear that--and the Philadelphia Flyers, who still use Kate Smith singing God Bless America: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=kate+smith+god+bless+america+flyers&mid=828FF19E3BAF654B39CE828FF19E3BAF654B39CE&view=detail&FORM=VIRE5

Now, THAT is how you honor America.

Thanks, Mr President

2012-01-20T04:58:00.000-06:00

I wish that I could draw. I've known that I have no artistic talent since kindergarten--when my construction-paper Christmas stocking didn't turn out and my drawings of dogs, my parents and people playing baseball always had to be explained. (SIDENOTE: I hated kindergartern. My attitude was "If I need to be here this early in the morning, let's at least read something or learn about dinosaurs or airplanes. I don't need to sing songs or draw my house, thank you." First grade and getting to do math and science was welcome relief.) Anyway....If I could draw I'd create this fantastic political cartoon summing up President Obama's decision to deny a permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline from the oil sands of Western Canada to refineries in Texas.

On the left side of the panel I would draw a house engulfed in flames--with a couple and their baby out on the 2nd story ledge calling for help. The people would be labeled "Middle Class Americans"--while the flames would be labeled "Rising Energy Prices" and "Dependence on Middle East Oil".

On the right side of the panel would be a hydrant to which firefighters have attached a hose. The hydrant would be labeled Canadian Oil Sands (we could put a little Maple Leaf flag on there too to reinforce the idea)--while the hose would be labeled the "Keystone XL Pipeline".

Then smack dab in the middle of the panel would be President Obama standing on the lawn in front of the White House. He would be preventing the firefighters--whom we will label "unemployed construction workers"--from going over the White House property line by holding up his left hand and saying in his first quote bubble: "I'm sorry, but I can't let you run your hose across my property." In his second quote bubble I'd have President Obama saying "I suggest you use this instead"--as he holds out in his right hand a pinwheel--with the Solyndra logo on it.

I think that pretty much sums up the decision from the White House this week--"Yes, I could open the door to an energy source provided by our friendly neighbors to the north with a project that would put thousands of Americans to work--but I have to solidify support from my base for this year's election and they want me to continue throwing taxpayer money at a solution that will never come close to actually meeting our needs."

If only I could draw....then I could just sit back and wait for the Pulitzer Prize to be delivered.

Oh The Hypocrisy!!

2012-01-19T05:06:00.000-06:00

I'm glad to see that the internet remains safe for the unauthorized broadcast and distribution of copyrighted TV shows, movies and music. You may have seen the ballyhoo yesterday as websites like Wikipedia and Google "blacked out" some content as a form of protest over what they feel is undeserved Government regulation of the "freedoms" of the internet. Their argument is that while the anti-piracy legislation would not affect them directly--it would "open the door" to further Government regulation of internet content down the road. The public outcry fostered by these "brave stands" have lawmakers in Washington now backtracking faster than Vice President Joe Biden after being allowed to say anything at a public function.

I'm sorry, but aren't these the very same people who have been demanding more Government regulation of health care, banking, Wall Street, food production, tobacco use, vehicle emissions, sex education in schools, product safety, air travel, political advertising, wages, energy use, cellular phone rates, recycling, what light bulbs we can use in our homes, home mortgages, hiring practices, mining, and oil drilling--to name just a few? Amazing isn't it, that as soon as Uncle Sam comes to the wild, wild west of the internet and wants to lay down a few laws--suddenly the Government is trying to take away our freedoms!!

And this is liberal-on-liberal violence that we are trying to prevent here! How can Disney continue to afford to provide benefits to the same-sex partners of its employees if people are just downloading illegal copies of Toy Story 3 instead of buying the Blu-Ray/DVD +BD Live combo packs for for $30.99? And if people watch secretly-videotaped posts of their new release movies--instead of actually going to the theater--how will Sean Penn afford to provide rescue boats for the people "Republicans don't care about" after our next hurricane? And how will Steven Spielberg be able to host gala Hollywood fundraising receptions for President Obama?

I guess none of this outcry over trying to make people actually pay for something that has value should surprise us. Especially when we're dealing with those who think health care, higher education and transportation should all be "magically" provided to everyone "for free" as well.

On the Good Ship Lollipop

2012-01-18T05:06:00.000-06:00

This Italian cruise ship accident is giving me a much greater appreciation for commercial airline pilots. The revelations this week that Captain Francesco Schettino was one of the first people to abandon ship after the liner struck a reef and started listing--and the audio recordings of Schettino literally begging the Italian Coast Guard not to make him go back on the ship are the greatest examples of cowardice and negligence that we have seen in some time.

Can you imagine the pilot of an airliner announcing an on-board emergency and then walking through the cabin with a parachute on his back--popping open one of the exit hatches and jumping out? And then the co-pilot and the flight attendants following him out the door--leaving all of the panicked passengers to fend for themselves? (Side note here--as an experienced skydiver, I wouldn't mind having on-board parachutes for passengers who think they might have a better chance of surviving a jump from high altitude than an emergency landing. The same goes for offices in high rise buildings in case of fire or suicide terrorist attack again.)

There is a reason there aren't ejection seats and parachutes on commercial planes: Those hired by the airlines, and entrusted by the passengers, are expected to do all that is humanly possible to save the lives of everyone on board. Unfortunately, the cut-rate business model for commerical aviation has really eroded the public's perception of pilots and flight attendants to the point where we consider them nothing more than cabbies and waitresses in the sky. Stewards aren't paid to pass out peanuts and soda--they are paid to make sure you get your fat butt out of one of the emergency exits in case all hell breaks loose. And pilots are paid to handle the "situations" you never even notice back in coach--instead of just three takeoffs and landings every day.

I am vehemently against taking a cruise for a vacation. I've had friends tell me how "wonderful" it is to just unpack once for the entire trip--not to have to pay for your food and drinks all week--and there is "so much to do on-board". But it is stories like the Costa Concordia and the disappearance of people at sea and the crime rates reported on-board (often involving ship staff) that cement my stance that you won't catch me dead on a cruise ship.

I'm not sure which comedian said it first--but they were absolutely correct when they said "Being on a boat is like being in prison--with an increased risk of drowning."

The Reluctant Candidate

2012-01-17T05:19:00.000-06:00

So the recall petitions are turned in today against Governor Scott Walker--but where is the Democrat that is running against him? As I recall, candidates were announced before any petitions were filed against the Republican State Senators last summer--and there are declared candidates running against the GOP Senators targeted this spring as well. But as of this morning, no prominent Democrat has stepped up to say they will challenge Governor Walker.

From a strategic standpoint, anyone getting in now is going to find themselves way behind in terms of financing and organization. Governor Walker has had the money to run statewide TV and radio ads for about three months already. While there will likely be a number of court challenges to the petitions and the process used to collect them pushing the election into late summer or early fall, the short nature of a recall election will make it almost impossible to raise the kind of cash necessary to challenge the warchest already built by the incumbent.

Despite the financial challenges, the real reason no one is rushing to get in the candidate's pool first is that being the recall challenger is going to be a no-win situation. I don't mean that person has no chance of winning the election--they just have no chance of making anyone happy if they do.

The recall challenger is hamstrung by some unfortunate (for them) realities. They won't be able to run on a platform of repealing Act 10--which did away with collective bargaining for public sector workers and required them to contribute toward their health insurance and retirement benefits (you know, the entire reason we've gone recall crazy in Wisconsin)--because that would automatically put red numbers into not only the state budget but the budget for every county, city and school district in the state (most of which were balanced on the savings seen by reduced personnel expenses). That's why the unions fought so hard and protested so vociferously last year--because they knew that once the gig was up--Joe and Jane Taxpayer wouldn't be jumping up and down demanding we go back to the "old way of doing things". It's also why it was so important for recall organizers to get as many signatures as possible before people got their property tax bills last month and saw the much smaller increase than they were used to the last decade or so. And when was the last time you heard a public outcry over that?

Any Democratic recall candidate would also be faced with the likelihood of at least one and probably both houses of the Legislature still being under Republican control. I tend to doubt GOP leaders will be in any mood to work with a recall election winner--meaning two years of absolute gridlock in Madison (which may not be all that bad, when you think about it). And then there is the fact that if you do knock out Walker, you really have to start campaigning again in just a year for the 2014 regular election.

It is far more advantageous for anyone who thinks they have a chance to win a race for Governor to sit out the recall effort and focus on 2014. If President Obama wins re-election this November, the economic malaise will continue for at least another two years--so you can run on a platform that Governor Walker "failed to turn things around in Wisconsin". Plus you have almost two years to put your organization in place, raise your money and canvass the state building name-recognition. And if you win--you get a full four years in office--instead of barely two.

So look for someone like former Congressman Dave Obey or soon-to-be-former Senator Herb Kohl to reluctantly step into the recall race sometime in the next two months. Their political careers are over--so they have nothing to lose if they do lose--or if they win.

A Good Move

2012-01-16T04:55:00.000-06:00

University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez is coming under fire for his handling of the WIAA Basketball Championships at the Kohl Center. http://host.madison.com/sports/columnists/tom_oates/tom-oates-alvarez-shoots-an-air-ball-with-lame-offer/article_6cbcadf0-3e62-11e1-abf0-001871e3ce6c.html

For those unfamiliar with the situation, Alvarez would like the traditional weekends Madison hosts Boys and Girls State available for the Badger Hockey teams to be able to host Big Ten Tournament games or a Women's Final Four from now on. Last week, Barry basically gave the WIAA a "take it or leave it" option of playing its tourney games Tuesday thru Thursday--or forget about using the Kohl Center. That has the WIAA looking for a new home--most likely the Resch Center in Green Bay. And you know what I say? That sounds great to me.

The Resch Center is a perfect venue for the state basketball championships. With a capacity of 10,500--instead of the 17,000+ of the Kohl Center--the arena won't seem so cavernous, especially for the girls' tournament games. They haven't ever had to open the upper deck at the Kohl for a girls game--and few seats are sold upstairs for the boys either. The same size crowd packed into a smaller venue will create much better atmosphere for every game.

Getting to the Resch Center is certainly easier than getting to the Kohl Center. An simple exit from Highway 41 to Lombardi Avenue (or from Highway 172 to Oneida Street) and you are just a few blocks away from the arena. Unlike getting to the UW campus--which requires navigating the narrow, clogged streets of Madison for half an hour. And once fans get there, you have plenty of on-site parking available in the Lambeau Field parking lot--or free parking on the surrounding streets--rather than the exorbitant rates charged by the City of Madison for its ramps--or running the risk of being towed if you park on the street four miles away.

For the thousands of fans that take in Madison's other "attractions" when they say they are going to the games, don't worry. Bay Park Square Mall offers plenty of shopping and dining options--just like State Street. (OK, maybe you won't find as many skull bongs or "street artists" on Oneida Street.) And the burgers at Kroll's West are better than those at the Nitty Gritty or Dotty Dumpling's Dowry.

Opponents of the move decry the loss of "tradition" if the championships are not played at the Kohl Center or the Fieldhouse. Believe me, no one walking past the school trophy case 25-years from now will look at the Gold Ball Trophy and tell their kids "Yeah, we were State Champions--but we won that game in Green Bay."

One of the best scenes in sports movie history is in Hoosiers when coach Norman Dale has his Hickory Huskers players measure the height of the rim (10 feet) and the distance to the free throw line (15 feet) at Hinkle Fieldhouse--to show them they are the same as their small gym at home. And you know what? The distances will be the same for the kids who play for state titles at the Resch Center or the Kohl Center. And that is all that matters.

THIS MEANS WAR!!

2012-01-13T05:20:00.000-06:00

A new war started this week in Oshkosh. It's not a new War on Drugs or a grudge match between Oshkosh North and Oshkosh West in some sport. Instead, it is the personal war that Oshkosh School Board President John Lemberger has declared on the Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper.

(Side note, since Lemberger does not return calls from WOSH Radio, I'm guessing he doesn't listen to our school board coverage--or else he would probably be pretty upset with us as well. I'm guessing he is more of an NPR "All Things Considered" listener)

Lemberger went on a 10-minute and two-second rant during the School Board meeting Wednesday night railing against what he perceives as negatively-biased coverage of the Board and district administration.....

"I am going to be on the Northwesten like a biting sow. And they had better up their journalistic integrity."

None of my friends growing up "in the country" raised pigs on their farms--so I'm not sure if sows are tenacious as wolverines or honey badgers.

Lemberger started by taking umbrage to the Sunday Northwestern headline "School Superintendent Resigns". Lemberger believes that is "factually inaccurate" since the School Board has to "agree to let the superintendent resign" before he can resign. I guess the more accurate headline would have been "Viegut Wants Out of Town".

Next Lemberger attacked stories about School Board discussions of closing Oaklawn Elementary School during improperly noticed closed session meetings this summer--which was raised by Boardmember Ben Schneider II in an interview here on WOSH Radio..................

"There's been some innuendo about that. In particular a meeting that I did not attend on June 22nd. If the Northwestern has evidence that the law was broken they should turn it over to the DA so it can be prosecuted--because it is a crime to withhold evidence of a crime. If you don't, then stop reporting it."

This is classic obstructionist posturing right there. First, Lemberger admits that he wasn't in the meeting cited by Schneider--which begs the question: how then would he know that improper items were not discussed? And secondly, a transcript of the closed session was not entered into the record of the meeting--so the only people who have "evidence of criminal activity" are the six board members, the administrators and the clerk who kept very general minutes of the conversation in that room. And one of the people in that meeting is on the record as saying items not listed on the agenda and not covered by closed session statutes were discussed.

And then Lemberger railed against the paper's use of school capacity numbers--which have been cited in the debate over the need for a new Oaklawn................

"I'd love to see the source for your numbers. If they came from the school district, we've already told you there were wrong. So why do you keep printing them?"

So the School Board President admits that erroneous information was provided to the reporter. Did you hear him offer up the correct information? That was the main point of his entire ten minute rant: "correcting the errors in the newspaper". So put the "correct" capacity percentages out there. Or are you worried they would still not make the schools look "full enough"?

In his screed, Lemberger cited an adage from Mark Twain and called him a "pretty good journalist"--missing the fact that Twain wrote fiction and was a satirist. Perhaps he should have instead read the old adage "Never start an argument with a man who buys ink by the barrel".

Old Media vs New Media

2012-01-12T05:11:00.000-06:00

We had an interesting clash of "new media" versus "old media" this week.

On Monday afternoon, we had the news that a body had been recovered from the Fox River here in Oshkosh. Both the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department and the Oshkosh Police Department refused to issue information on the identity of the person--or if the discovery was connected to the earlier reported disappearance of Michael Philbin--son of Packers Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin. We were told that the identity would be released after a positive identification was made and the family had been notified.

Until a couple of years ago, that would have been pretty much the end of the story until a press release or a news conference was held to release the name and the circumstances surrounding the person's death. But now, the rules have changed. It wasn't even an hour after the recovery of the body that those of us who follow Green Bay Packers players on Twitter started getting tweets about "the loss Joe Philbin and his family have suffered." TJ Lang, JerMichael Finley and his wife were among those "confirming" on their own that the victim was, in fact, Michael Philbin. NFL.com was one of the first to go with a story that Joe Philbin's son had died--and the rest of us pretty much followed suit by 5:00 pm.

In his press conference Tuesday, Oshkosh Police Chief Scott Greuel seemed a bit irritated that everyone was reporting the name without his "official" confirmation--saying the department had waited out of "respect for the wishes of the family"--and that is certainly understandable. I know I would prefer to hear from family about a death than to hear it on the radio or see it on TV. But then somebody has to put a muzzle on others in the know as well. Those Packers players who tweeted have follower numbers larger than the WOSH listening audience--making them their own form of mass media. They need to consider that as soon as they hit "send" it's no different than if they had stepped up to the microphone in their own press conference.

Does that mean that everything we reporters see on Twitter or Facebook should be reported as true and accurate? No way. The key is--and always should be--the source of the information. Another good example followed our other ice-related tragedy so far this winter, where an Oshkosh North student drowned in a pond near his home. Before his name was released I was directed to several Twitter posts and Facebook "tributes" that mentioned his name. But in those cases the posts all came from teenagers. And if there is one thing any parent can tell you, it's kids will believe anything and they aren't above lying about stuff or spreading unfounded rumors about someone as well.

As my first boss in radio news told me, you'd better be sure when you report someone is dead--because only one person has ever been able to bring people back to life--you ain't him.

Cover Your Eyes, Kids...and Your Ears Too

2012-01-11T05:13:00.000-06:00

If you were looking for another reason to get rid of your television, the US Supreme Court may be giving it to you soon. This week, the high court heard arguments in a case that would strip the Federal Communications Commission of the power to regulate over-the-air networks when it comes to issues of indecency. The case stems from fines the FCC handed down to Fox Television for profanities uttered by celebrities on some made-up awards show. Fox believes the days of banning George Carlin's "Seven Words You Can't Say On Television" are over--along with the ban on nudity.

Fox argues that the FCC has been inconsistent in the way it deals with such "taboos"--allowing Bono of U2 to drop the "s-word" in a live broadcast--and allowing ABC to show frontal nudity as part of its airing of Schindler's List in prime time--but leveling fines against them for the "f-bomb" and against CBS for Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" in the Super Bowl. Fox believes the networks themselves should be allowed to decide what is and is not suitable for broadcast.

Let's be honest, the "broadcast standards" have been lowered for years now. In fact, two of Carlin's original 7 Dirty Words are now used in prime time fairly regularly (piss and shit). And both male and female body parts have been displayed on shows like NYPD Blue. Of course, at one time, even married characters had to sleep in seperate beds--and you couldn't show a toilet in a bathroom.

The only issue I have with the networks going "uncensored" is that their arguments aren't about "freedom of speech" or "artistic liberty"--they are about ratings. You'll notice the big hits on TV today: "Mad Men", "Walking Dead" and "Entourage" are all on cable--with its already relaxed standards on profanity and sexuality. The folks at Fox, NBC, ABC and CBS think that their shows are being hurt because their characters still have to say "gosh dang it" and "phooey"--while keeping their underwear on. But, if you were able to tease a topless scene involving a certain actress on "Modern Family" or a bottomless scene involving a certain detective on "Castle"--you could expect a huge ratings.

But only for that first time. Once people get accustomed to seeing that type of thing wears off, the novelty factor is lost and rating go right back to what they once where. In the meantime, kids tuning in get a real "education" their parents may not want them to have at the age of six. If you want a perfect example, watch the "South Park" episode where they use the "s-word" 200-times in a half-hour show. It's humorous the first five or six times--but by the end of the show you wish that you would never hear the word again. And ironically, that is exactly the point the writers were trying to get across.

The Year Without a Winter

2012-01-10T05:10:00.000-06:00

With all due respect to ice fishermen, snowmobilers and ski hill operators--I could live with this kind of winter every year in Wisconsin. No major snowstorms, no prolonged periods of below zero temperatures, not even a windchill warning.

It's amazing the benefits that come with a milder winters in these parts. Lower home heating bills mean less budgetary pressure on low-income families living in draftier houses. Decreased demand for natural gas and home heating oil keeps prices lower for all customers. The homeless are at less risk for hypothermia and warming shelters aren't overwhelmed on bitter cold nights. With no snow and ice, slip and fall incidents are nearly non-existant. It's been safer for kids to walk to school and for seniors to walk in store parking lots.

We haven't had any stories yet about people having heart attacks shoveling their driveways. We haven't had any major pileups on snow-covered Highway 41 and school districts haven't had to cancel or delay class days because of heavy snow.

Counties and cities haven't had to pay overtime to plow drivers for 18-hour shifts trying to clear the roads in blizzards. Salt supplies are well stocked. Crews have been able to spend more time doing maintenance work. The Highway 41 project is moving ahead of pace--as workers don't have to battle the elements and the construction season is extended.

People are being more active--choosing to walk in the mild temperatures instead of just sitting on the couch watching the snow fly outside the window. Golf courses are making some totally unexpected revenues by catering to January players. Without snow cover, deer and other animals are finding food more easily--meaning a bigger herd for hunters next year. Birds aren't stressed nearly as much by lack of food and warmth--with some migratory species not even bothering to leave this year.

Before all you climate change alarmists start telling me about the damage to polar bear habitat and the ice caps, keep in mind that the Arctic is seeing a fairly average winter so far. Just ask the people of Nome, Alaska if they are concerned about mild temperatures in Wisconsin right now--as they need to have the Naitonal Guard and Russian ice breaker ships called in to get them emergency supplies of fuel and food due to way-above-normal amounts of snow and cold they have had so far this season. We are catching a a more northerly jet stream this year thanks to La Nina in the Pacific Ocean. Our friends in Canada just a couple hundred miles north of us are still in the teens for highs this week.

However, if this kind of winter is going to be the "new normal" in Wisconsin--caused by global warming or not--then sign me up.

Nice Timing

2012-01-09T04:55:00.000-06:00

The old adage is "Timing is everything"--and that was never more true than this past weekend.

Take for instance, our learning that former Appleton Police Chief David Walsh "earned" himself an extra $10,400 payout from the city by resigning from his position on January 3rd--rather than December 31st. By "working" the first three days of 2012, Walsh made himself eligible to collect all five weeks of vacation that he "wasn't able to take" by quitting his job. In addition, Walsh got a full month of taxpayer-funded health and dental insurance coverage as well.

In a time when public sector compensation is such a hot-button topic, Walsh's three-day "bonus" doesn't help to calm any emotions. Of course, the Appleton Police and Fire Commission is complicit in this boondoggle. They had to know that allow Walsh to "hang on" for that extra half-week would cost the city thousands--but they signed off on the January 3rd resignation date. Why didn't they say "Sorry, Jim--but your last day is going to be December 31st." What was he going to do? Quit?

Another example of nice timing comes from soon-to-be-former Oshkosh School Superintendent Don Viegut--who announced he is qutting at the end of the school year to head up CESA 8. If I was a parent in the Oaklawn Elementary area, I would be marching upon the District Administration Building with pitchforks and torches--since Mr Viegut has pretty much screwed your chance of finally getting a new school. Do you really think Oshkosh voters are going to rally around a lame-duck Superintendent as he tries to sell the "investment in our future" a new school would represent?

In another "thumb in the eye" to taxpayers, Viegut's plan to stay on through June 30th gets the search firm that recommended him for the position off the hook. It didn't get a lot of publicity at the time, but the contract the School Board signed with the firm provided the district with a guarantee that if Viegut didn't work here for at least two years, they would conduct another search FREE OF CHARGE. But of course, by staying on through the end of June, Viegut reaches the two year deadline--and the district will have to pay full-price for help on another search. Thanks for that "commitment", Don.

I guess it would be good timing to point out now that former District Finance Director Todd Gray is in his fourth year as Waukesha School Superintendent--and getting good reviews in that position. Gray was rejected as a finalist for the Oshkosh Superintendent position by the School Board back in 2008--because he was "too much of a numbers guy" and not focused enough on "progressive educational ideas". (Of course Gray and his wife didn't run in the same social circles as Karen Bowen and Amy Weinsheim--so that hurt his chances as well. I'm sure those two are telling their friends today "If we had just hired David Gundlach--and someone else to supervise his wife--we wouldn't be in this mess again").

Obama vs Obama

2012-01-06T05:18:00.000-06:00

You know who I would like to see run against President Barack Obama this year? 2008 Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Senator Obama would probably have a lot of issues with President Obama--and the spirited (and scripted) debates would make for some very entertaining television.

Senator Obama would take President Obama to task for keeping American troops in Afghanistan for four years--and in Iraq for more three additional years. Senator Obama would decry President Obama's use of warrantless wiretapping of US citizens--arguing that state secrets are warrant alone for maintaining a practice Senator Obama promised to end. Senator Obama would rail against President Obama sending in warplanes to provide support to rebel fighters in Libya--as Senator Obama pointed out that the 'President does not have the power to unilaterally authorize a military attack without imminent threat to the nation."

Senator Obama would also attack President Obama for continuing to keep open the "most egregious example of human rights violations in our history"--Guantanamo Bay. Senator Obama would whip his liberal followers into a frenzy by pointing out the President Obama continues to hold terror suspects indefinitely--and just recently granted himself the power to hold American citizens without charges or trial--again indefinitely. I can hear the laughter and the howls that Senator Obama would draw as he points out President Obama's promise that he would "never use that power myself".

Senator Obama would give President Obama a slight pat on the back for taking on trillions of dollars worth of health care expenses--but would quickly jab the President for not going to the only "fair" route and establish a single-payer system for all citizens. Senator Obama would question President Obama's deporting more illegal aliens in his three years in office than the evil President Bush did in eight. And Senator Obama would be leading the calls for the dismissal of Attorney General Eric Holder for authorizing "Operation Fast and Furious"--mocking the idea that giving Mexican drug cartels weapons to see what might happen is without a doubt the stupidest law enforcement strategy in the history of the country.

So lets fix the Flux Capacitor on the DeLorean and go back in time to bring 2008 Senator Barack Obama to 2012 to take on President Barack Obama. We'll call it "Hope and Change" versus "Reality and the Status Quo".

Rewriting History....Again

2012-01-05T05:22:00.000-06:00

You know what job must be really difficult nowadays? American History textbook writer. I say that because states continue to add more and more "requirements" to what must pass as American History. The latest example comes from California--where a new law went into effect this week that requires schools to teach about Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Trans-gendered persons who "contributed to the history of the country and the state." That is in addition to requirements that were already on the books requiring the inclusion of women, Native Americans, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans and Asian-Americans and unions.

As I read through the list, I thought about a comedy skit I saw once where a director went to his studio executives to pitch an adaptation of Shakespeare--and the producers said they would green light the project--but only if he added a nude scene, a car chase, a shootout and a bunch of explosions. And that it starred Adam Sandler.

Does that mean that American History texts should exclude any "minority" group? No. Students need to know that the Womens Temperance Union was the driving force behind the ill-fated Prohibition of alcohol. They need to discuss the differences between early African-American leaders like Nat Moore, Frederick Taylor and W.E.B. DuBois as to whether former slave owners should have assets taken away and given to former slaves--or if Blacks should work toward self-sufficiency on their own. Texts should include Democratic President Andrew Jackson forcing the Native tribes of Florida to march the Trail of Tears to their new "home" in Oklahoma and Democratic President Franklin Roosevelt requiring the internment of Japanese-Americans in Hawaii and on the West Coast during World War II. Even Democratic President Harry Truman threatening to draft striking coal miners in 1946 so the northern half of the US wouldn't freeze to death deserves a short section in a text.

The main problem with "re-writing" history to be more "inclusionary" of specific segments of the population is that it fails to provide the proper perspective on what is really important to know and understand. In the promotion of gays and lesbians you are going to have to base a lot of "fact" on supposition for the first 500 years of the country--and promote very minor characters in much larger events. Take for instance Friedrich von Steuben--the German military veteran who trained Washington's troops during the winter at Valley Forge--who was "believed to be gay"? Does he need to be promoted to an elevated level of historical importance now? And what difference does his sexuality make on how he trained those troops on European fighting techniques?

Abraham Lincoln was long rumored to have "lain with men" before his marriage. Does that mean students need to debate his sexuality--instead of why he believed so strongly in fighting to preserve the Union? Is James Buchanon to be elevated into the pantheon of Washington and Lincoln because he was the first "Gay President?" Do his diary entries about "wooing" other men--and Democrat Andrew Jackson calling him "Miss Nancy"--deserve precious limited pages of a textbook? Eleanor Roosevelt is believed to have been a lesbian. How much of that needs to be covered in a class report on the Depression and the New Deal?

And don't think that these laws passed in California don't affect kids here in Wisconsin. California and Texas are the largest textbook purchasers in the country--and publishers don't make texts specific to those states--so what is required there become "required" here. We won't get into Texas requiring evolution be taught only as a "theory" in biology and science textbooks--that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish we don't have time to get into right now.

Election Stuff

2012-01-04T05:11:00.000-06:00

This is my day to be disappointed in my fellow citizens. For 11 months every year I get calls in the Newsroom and emails from people complaining endlessly about the City Council, the School Board and the County Board. But in the first week of January, just a handful of people file candidacy papers to run for those bodies. This year, there will be just four contested races for the Winnebago County Board. One of those is for a vacant seat and John Daggett is running in the other one so that really doesn't count. There will be no change on the Oshkosh Common Council as John Daggett is the only challenger to the three incumbents. And the Oshkosh School Board will have two incumbents and two newcomers vying for three open seats--and of course John Daggett will be taking up a spot on the ballot as well. Maybe my responses to the complaints from now on should include directions on how to file candidacy papers as well.

Speaking of the Oshkosh School Board, the UW-Oshkosh influence there could be growing again. Challenger Kelli Saginak is an associate professor at UWO. If she was to win, that would make three University employees filling seven of the seats. That makes it a serious challenger to the "Secret Government" that the black helicopter crowd believes is running things here in Oshkosh.

Elsewhere, I hope Rick Santorum enjoys his one week of fame. New Hampshire is where Evangelicals-Who-Do-Well-In-Iowa go to die. The headline a week from this morning after the "First in the Nation Primary" will be "Can Anyone Stop Mitt?"

This might also be a good day to tune in for Rush Limbaugh from 11 until 2 on WOSH. "The Man Who Controls The Republican Party" apparently has some work to do on his "controlling of the party". Does Rush suddenly dump Newt Gingrich and jump on the Santorum bandwagon? Or--gasp!--does he warm up to Mitt? Should be entertaining radio.

Explaining Ron Paul

2012-01-03T05:21:00.000-06:00

I had someone ask me recently what is the appeal of Ron Paul as a Presidential candidate. Paul heads into the Iowa Caucuses tonight neck-and-neck with Mitt Romney for the lead in the polls--despite getting ZERO attention from the cable news networks. I gave that person my new answer to explain Ron Paul: He is Barack Obama for people who actually know something about politics. By that, I mean that when Ron Paul speaks everybody is able to hear what they want to hear.

In 2008, Barack Obama was truly a blank canvas upon which a majority of voters painted their own picture. He was young and optimistic, hip and funny, he was multi-cultural and he didn't have a twenty year voting record in Congress to actually define his stances on anything--all he really promised was "hope and change--so anything you hoped for or you wished would change became "his" platform--to you. Now, those voters have found out that President Obama is not an agent of "change" and everything they "hoped" they would get they did not.

So enter Ron Paul to become the new voice of the disaffected. For those of us Deficit Hawks we hear him talk about reducing government spending and balancing the books (the only candidate to do so in the 2008 campaign). Those opposed to expansion of government hear him talk about limiting Federal powers to those only contained within the Constitution. The anti-war crowd hears him talk about bring the troops home immediately. The Occupy crowd hears him talking about doing away with the Federal Reserve and breaking down the big banks. The potheads hear him talk about ending the war on drugs. Gay rights activists hear him say he doesn't care who gets married to whom. The Tea Party hears him talk about doing away with the IRS. Even the anti-Semites hear him talking about ending unquestioned support for Israel. Like the Apostles who spoke in tongues in the Bible--everyone hears Ron Paul talking their language.

But by being everyone's candidate, Ron Paul is no one's candidate. Even if he was elected by some major miracle, he would have ZERO political base in Washington. As other pundits have pointed out, there is no "Ron Paul Caucus" in Congress. Outside of the deficit reduction idea, he would have no chance of passing any of the other legislative ideas he proposes--and Washington would be plunged into even deeper gridlock.

I voted for Ron Paul in 2008 as a form of protest against two other candidates who were only talking about new ways to spend even more money we don't have. If he somehow was the GOP candidate in November, I'll be writing in Paul Ryan on my ballot--as a form of protest against two candidates who have no ability to lead a country.

I've Got A Really Bad Feeling About This

2012-01-02T04:27:00.000-06:00

Normally, I am a huge Wisconsin Badger booster. I predicted back in September that Bucky would go 12-1 this season, win the (insert stupid name here) Division of the Big Ten and capture the inaugural (money grab) Conference Championship Game. I was one loss shy of getting all of that right. I also predicted a Badger victory in today's Rose Bowl game.

But this morning, I do not have a very good feeling about that prediction. I thought back in September that Wisconsin would be taking on Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinal as the Pac-12 Champions. Stanford is much like the Badgers. They play a pro-set offense, like to run the ball and they aren't particularly fast at the skill positions or on defense.

Unfortunately (for Wisconsin), their actual opponent today--the Oregon Ducks--are anything but slow. They run a play ever 15 seconds on offense in a spread formation, read-option that for two decades now the Badgers have shown no ability to stop or even slow down. It is the WORST possible matchup for a Wisconsin team that struggles to make tackles in space, cover fleet wide receivers downfield and cover kickoffs and punts.

Am I throwing in the towel on Bucky today? Absolutely not! There is a way for this slow-footed bunch of Midwestern kids to actually pull out a win today--and its the same formula that unfortunately was not followed in the last Rose Bowl game--GROUND AND POUND!

As much as I like Russell Wilson, I hope he doesn't throw a single pass of more than ten yards today. If I was Wisconsin Offensive Coordinator Paul Chryst, I would make it my goal to set the Rose Bowl record for time of possession. Run the ball between the tackles every play--all day. Hopefully Montee Ball got a good night's rest because he should be looking at 40-carries today--with James White getting another 20. Six, eight minute drives that end in one-yard touchdown plunges by Montee Ball should be enough to overcome a kickoff return for a TD, a punt return for a TD and a blocked punt to set up another TD for Oregon and give the Badgers a 42-40 win over the Ducks today.

Please Bret and Paul, RUN THE BALL ALL DAY LONG!!

Winners and Losers of 2011

2011-12-30T05:08:00.000-06:00

With this final "Two Cents" of 2011, let's hand out the awards for Winner and Loser of the Year for 2011.

First off, honorable mentions: In the Winner category, honorable mention goes to State Senator Jessica King. Proving that good timing is just as important as good strategy, King rode the perfect political storm to an historic recall election victory. An incumbent with serious character issues and a large number of angry public employees turned a traditionally Republican district King's direction after a narrow loss two years before.

Also receiving honorable mention on the Winner of the Year side: Mitt Romney. Romney is proving that the Aesop's Fable about the tortoise and the hare is still correct. He has seen Michelle Bachman race out to the "frontrunner" position--before people realized that she is insane. Then Rick Perry rocketed past Romney--only to prove that he is a complete airhead. Herman Cain became the new darling candidate--until we found out that he was the second coming of Bill Clinton. Then Newt Gingrich became the "Anybody But Mitt" candidate--before people remembered that he is Newt Gingrich. And now Ron Paul is the new "major challenger" to Romney--but the power brokers in the GOP will never allow Ron to win. That leaves Mitt as the Last Man Standing--just by standing around.

Honorable mention for Loser of the Year: European Freeloaders. For some reason, state support for those who choose not to work--and providing universal health care--is bankrupting the European Union. The Austerity movement will mean people who have made a comfortable living living on the dole are about to get a rude awakening.

Also an honorable mention in the Loser category: State Representative Gordon Hintz. Rebuffed in his run for party leadership in the Assembly, busted in a prostitution sting, and making national headlines for threatening to kill another Legislator--not the kind of record you want in an effort to move on to higher office someday. It's never a good thing when Jay Leno is getting a big laugh at your expense.

The runner up for Loser of the Year is Assembly Speaker John Boener. Somehow, he has managed to squander all of the ill-will voters have toward President Obama by being an even bigger moron. A good leader knows what battles are worth fighting--and the year-end standoff over the payroll tax holiday was not worth fighting. A good politician should also know that allowing the "other side" to win on some things allows everyone to win in the long run.

The runner up for Winner of the Year: Congressman Paul Ryan. Unlike the aforementioned John Boehner, Ryan is the real voice of fiscal responsibility in Washington. And his decision to not run for President--despite the desperate begging from the real Consveratives in the Republican Party--will pay off in the long run, because the deficit, Medicare and Social Security messes are only to get worse. At some point sanity will reign and a majority of national voters will be ready to take the steps necessary to get back out of the hole--and Congressman Ryan will have the high ground in that fight.

And now the Biggest Loser of 2012: Former State Senator Randy Hopper. He became the first sitting State Senator to lose in a recall election. He also had his private life dragged out into public--in a very ugly way. And then there was the drunk driving arrest after that. Randy was seen as a mover and shaker in the state GOP--with perhaps some bigger goals in mind. Now, that is all gone in the course of one very bad year.

And the Biggest Winner of 2012: Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers. I considered naming Wisconsin taxpayers for this honor--but the fight to undo the changes that resulted in actual tax relief this year is ongoing, and I wouldn't want to celebrate a victory too soon--so Rodgers ends up the winner. Super Bowl MVP, a shoo-in for this year's NFL MVP and his emergence as popular endorsement pitchman--2012 was about as great a year as possible for A-Rod. About the only downside was that Tim Tebow emerged as a replacement to Brett Favre as the media darling that steals the spotlight from the great things that Aaron has accomplished.

Thanks to everyone who listens to WOSH Radio for making 2011 a great year. And here's to a great 2012.

A Fight Where Nobody Wins

2011-12-29T05:19:00.000-06:00

As someone who is looking to adopt a child, an article in yesterday's on-line edition of the New York Times caught my attention: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/us/for-bishops-a-battle-over-whose-rights-prevail.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1325156497-Gm8n9Y4J/YP9q0xeaG2LJw

It seems Catholic Charities--a leading agency for domestic adoptions in the US is closing up shop in some states--including Illinois--rather than comply with new requirements to place children with same-sex couples. Church leaders claim their right to practice the tenets of their faith--in this case, that homosexuality is a sin--is being quashed by the states--which claim gays should have the same access to adoption as anyone else.

As usual in this battle between two Goliaths, it is the very people that who actually need the help of both that are caught in the crossfire. Catholic Charities is an important partner with many states in serving children caught in the foster care system--who are considered very difficult to place with new families--who prefer newborns who don't come with as much "baggage" as an older child who has lived in several homes growing up. So how does alienating the Church-run program help either the state or the kids?

But the Church is just as myopic. I have seen same-sex couples parenting their kids. A gay couple was part of our adoption education program at Lutheran Social Services--and believe me, they are much better equipped to handle raising a child than the vast majority of heterosexual couples that I've seen with children. And isn't goal of an adoption or foster care program to remove children from abusive, neglectful situations and place them with two people who will love them, care for them and provide them with what is needed to be a sucessful adult in our society--regardless of which body parts those parents have between their legs?

As a private entity, the Catholic Church reserves the right to serve whomever it wants. And the state is right that same-sex couples are no threat to the health or well-being of children. Let's try to figure out some way to make two rights into a third right--instead of choosing to make two rights into a horrible wrong.

If You Talk About It Enough

2011-12-28T04:56:00.000-06:00

It's amazing what we are able to convince ourselves of--if we talk about something enough. I was listening to a national sports talk radio show yesterday afternoon and the hot topic was who should be the NFL Most Valuable Player. The host admitted that "until a few weeks ago, this was a no-brainer--but now there is some doubt!!" And I kept thinking "what doubt is there? The doubt talking heads have created by saying 'there is some doubt!'?"

Aaron Rodgers is the NFL MVP. This was the "no-brainer" when the Packers were 13-0--and it remains a "no-brainer" now as the Packers are 14-1. And how one road game where his receivers couldn't catch and his offensive line couldn't block changes that is beyond me. Yet, show after show on ESPN beats the drum for Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Patriots QB Tom Brady as "potential new frontrunners".

This is my frustration with the "new media"--if a story is going to be settled without controversy, those covering the story feel the overwhelming need to boost interest by injecting their own controversy. Back in the pre-ESPN-sports-radio-24/7-talk-cycle world, people would think about NFL MVP the day the award was handed out. You wouldn't have three hours of "who is the first half NFL MVP" discussions in October. You wouldn't have weekly Power Polls or Stock Up/Stock Down features. Those who voted on the award would look at the entire season--at the end of the season--consider who had the best year for the best team and vote for that player. And this year, Aaron Rodgers would have been the unanimous choice--no doubt about it.

And when A-Rod wins this year's award, all of those talking heads who questioned if he would be the one this week will be back on the air saying "This was an obvious choice, blah, blah, blah...." Give me a break.

What's Good For the Goose....

2011-12-27T05:16:00.000-06:00

I was cleaning out my email yesterday and came across an item I was hoping to talk about last week:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-1220-byrne-20111220,0,7120320.column

It's an Op-Ed article from the Chicago Tribune last week addressing the court battle over Congressional redistricting in Illinois.

The State's Court of Appeals has ruled that even though the districts are clearly gerry-mandered and obviously drawn up to give one party an advantage in most areas--they are not unconstitutional. Illinois allows the Legislature to draw up the districts--and the majority party pretty much gets to set the rules.

This may sound very familiar to those of us here in Wisconsin--where court challenges are being filed against redistricting maps approved by the Legislature this year. "Evil" Republicans are accused of "disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of voters" by drawing them into new districts. And if allowed to stand, the GOP will "unfairly" win a majority of districts for a decade. What is different from Wisconsin is that it is Illinois DEMOCRATS that are "guilty" of the affront to election fairness.

Democrats control all three houses of government in Illinois (as if you couldn't tell by their outrageous increases in taxes and tolls) and they drew up their Congressional districts to get an advantage in 11 of the 18 races the next ten years. What's more, as part of the legal process, the party was forced to release memos that revealed the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee basically drew the lines--and the Legislative Democrats just slapped their rubber stamp on them.

I would hope that Wisconsin Republicans would hold up the Illinois example every time Wisconsin Democrats roll out their tired claim of being about "voting rights" and "fair elections" and "equal representation". Because let's be honest--neither party has any high ground upon which to stand on this issue.

Boxing Day Blather

2011-12-26T05:07:00.000-06:00

While visions of Sugar Plum Fairies were dancing in your head this weekend, this is what I was thinking about.

--Do you get the feeling that shows like Hoarders and Hording will never have an "International" edition? It's hard to picture an Indonesian woman with 50-thousand dolls. Or a French man who has never thrown out a newspaper delivered to his house. In my European travels, I don't remember driving by mammoth self-storage parks either.

--Can someone explain to me why the NFL chose to play nearly all of its games on Saturday? My family is boycotting the NBA for another decade--so there wasn't much to watch on TV after the gift-opening extravaganza in the morning. If there had been football on--I can guarantee we would have been watching that. And now next weekend, most of the games will be played on Sunday again--meaning the Rose Bowl gets pushed back to January 2nd. When this calendar arragement comes around again in 2016, let's play the games on Christmas Day and New Years Eve day. I'm guessing there still won't be an NCAA football playoff by that time--so the Rose Bowl can be on January 1st--like it should be.

--This might be the most important season in the history of the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have long been an afterthought in the Wisconsin sports hierarchy--and with this year's lockout and the success of nearly every other state team--they are even fathrer out of mind. And yet, the franchise is out trying to sell the need for a new arena in Milwaukee to replace the "aging" Bradley Center. Last week, Governor Walker went on the record saying there would be no state money available for a new facility--and the Petitt family isn't about to build another "free" arena for the city either. So it is up to the Bucks to somehow build up enough interest from fans to make a "We get a new arena or we leave town" threat effective. Of course, the Bucks really have nowhere to go. Outside of Seattle, I can't think of a single city that is out there "demanding" an NBA team move to their vacant arena. Maybe NBA Commissioner can threaten to contract the Bucks--along with the equally unpopular Minnesota Timberwolves--to light a fire under Milwaukee.

The Annual Festivus Airing of Grievances

2011-12-23T04:58:00.000-06:00

It's Festivus!! According to founder Frank Kostanza, the Tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances. AND I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH YOU PEOPLE!!

--TO THE NFL NETWORK AND TIME WARNER CABLE: GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER AND GET THAT STATION ON MY TV! YOU TAKE A COUPLE OF STEELERS AND COWBOYS GAMES EVERY YEAR--AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THAT GAME AT HOME--INSTEAD OF IN A BAR!!

--TO THE PEOPLE THAT STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE THROUGH ROUNDABOUTS: WE HAVE HAD THEM FOR TWO YEARS NOW IN OSHKOSH!! HOW CAN WE GET THE RULES FOR NAVIGATING THEM THROUGH YOUR INCREDIBLY THICK SKULLS? IT'S SIMPLE--YOU CAN'T TURN LEFT FROM THE RIGHT HAND LANE, YOU CAN GO STRAIGHT IN BOTH LANES--AND IF YOU ARE IN THE ROUNDABOUT YOU DON'T YIELD TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE ROUNDABOUT!!

--TO THOSE WORKING TO FORCE A RECALL ELECTION NEXT YEAR: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY FOUR YEARS AS A HOMEOWNER, MY PROPERTY TAXES INCREASED LESS THAN MY HOUSEHOLD INCOME (-0.2% TO 0% RESPECTIVELY)! THAT SOUNDS VERY FAIR TO ME!!

--TO TIM TEBOW APOLOGISTS: I LOOK FORWARD TO PITTSBURGH CRUSHING THE BRONCOS IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NFL PLAYOFFS AND FINALLY PUTTING YOU FOOTBALL IGNORAMUSES IN YOUR PLACE!!

--TO JENNIFER LOPEZ: YOUR FIAT COMMERICALS MAKE ME WANT TO OWN ONE OF THOSE OVERPRICED, EURO-JUNK, MICROCARS EVEN LESS THAN I WOULD HAVE BEFORE!!

--TO FOX TELEVISION NETWORK: THANKS FOR RUINING NAPOLEON DYNAMITE BY TURNING IT INTO AN INCREDIBLY UNFUNNY CARTOON SERIES. HAVE WE REALLY RUN OUT OF ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING IDEAS--THAT THIS GOT THE GREEN LIGHT?!? PUT ON SOMETHING FUNNY--LIKE AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE!!!

--FOX AGAIN: YOU CAN DROP AMERICAN IDOL ANY YEAR NOW AS WELL!! CAN ANYONE NAME ANY OF THE LAST FIVE WINNERS?!?! NO--BECAUSE THEY SUCK!!

--TO THOSE COMPLAINING ABOUT NO SNOW OR ICE IN OUR AREA: WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA HAS PLENTY OF SNOW AND FREEZING COLD RIGHT NOW--SO FEEL FREE TO MOVE!! AND THEY HAVE A HOCKEY TEAM AGAIN, SO THERE IS SOMETHING TO DO DURING THEIR SIX MONTH WINTER!!

--TO THOSE OCCUPY WALL STREET FOLKS WHO WANT THEIR STUDENT LOAN DEBT FORGIVEN: MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED SOMETHING OTHER THAN PUPPETRY, MUSIC OR GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR A MAJOR!! SOMETHING LESS THAN SIX YEARS ON CAMPUS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD IDEA AS WELL!!

--TO MICHELLE BACHMAN, RICK PERRY AND NEWT GINGRICH: JUST GO HOME ALREADY!! AND KEEP SARAH PALIN THERE AS WELL!!

--TO PARENTS WHO SPEND EVERY SECOND OF THEIR KIDS' BASKETBALL GAMES YELLING ABOUT FOULS AND TRAVELING: YOU ARE BIASED, IGNORANT FOOLS!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOUR CHILD IS NOT GOING TO THE N-B-A--AND NO AMOUNT OF COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE COURT IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT FACT!!

Festivus now continues with the Feats of Strength! Festivus cannot end until you pin me!!

Learning From the Past

2011-12-22T05:04:00.001-06:00

I have to admit, I'm impressed by how the Oshkosh School Board has learned the lessons from mistakes made by previous Boards. That is especially true in how it is handling the upcoming Oaklawn Elementary referendum.

Unlike the first attempt at getting voters to approve construction of a new Oaklawn, this Board avoided the temptation of moving the school to an area where no one actually lives. I was a bit concerned when the District sent out that press release right before the referendum-setting meeting about having an offer to purchase land on Highway A north of town. I thought "here comes the U-Boat that will torpedo the USS Oaklawn before it can even get out of port".

But this Board listened to those who will serve as the biggest cheerleaders for the referendum--Oaklawn parents themselves--and decided to build on the site of the existing school. That is a positive change from the obstinate Board of the past that was so sure that building on Ryf Road would magically create a development boom in that area. (Obviously, they weren't keeping a very close eye on the looming housing and debt bubble that has brought new residential construction to a virtual standstill since then).

And then this week, the current members showed that they learned another lesson from the previous Board by working on a backup plan in case this referendum isn't successful. Some might consider that to be a defeatist attitude--but those of us who take a more pragmatic approach to planning see it as a responsible thing to do. Right now, it looks like that backup plan would call for the closure of Oaklawn--and the re-distribution of elementary school students throughout the District.

Is that going to be popular with a lot of parents? Probably not. But it's a far better strategy than the hard-headed Board adopted in the wake of the first Oaklawn referendum failure--to sit and pout, while the school continued to decay around the students. I doubt we are going to hear from any current Boardmembers how "embarrassed" they are by their constituents--or how "Oshkosh clearly doesn't care about kids"--if voters say "no" again.

Einstein defined insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again--and expecting a different result." It's nice to know this School Board is more sane than some of its predecessors.

'Tis the Season

2011-12-21T05:08:00.000-06:00

We must be close to Christmas--everyone is arguing about religion.

First, you have Lowe's Home Improvement coming under fire from a conservative Christian group for sponsoring the TLC show "All American Muslim". Then Lowe's comes under fire from everybody else in the world for dropping its ads from the show.

Why a large, successful corporation like Lowe's would kowtow to a fringe group like the Florida Family Association is beyond me. I'd provide you some information on how many people actually belong to this group--but their website has removed pretty much all of its information--except the link to donate money to them (SHOCKER!). I doubt the membership is more than a couple thousand people. Their reason for hating "All American Muslim": It doesn't have any characters plotting attacks against the US. The FFA contends "All American Muslim" doesn't "accurately portray" American Muslims--because it shows people who do the same things nearly all of us do in our everyday lives.

If you are to extend the FFA argument against "All American Muslim" to all other programming--then every show featuring Evangelical Christians should include characters that are skimming money off the top at their tax-exempt mega-churches and shows featuring Catholics should also have a child-molesting priest or two thrown in the mix to "accurately portray" those religions as well.

Meanwhile, the hard workers at the Freedom From Religion Foundation are busy as usual this holiday season. They have filed lawsuits to remove religious symbols from public grounds in several states. But they are missing the mark with their approach to protesting the Capitol Christmas tree and a nativity scene in the rotunda in Madison. The "counter nativity" display put up Freedom From features a female "Baby Jesus", the goddess Venus as Mary and what it calls the "3 Wiser Men" of Mark Twain, Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin.

Unfortunately, Einstein and Darwin were not atheists. In fact, Einstein stated that his theories--which solved a lot of the astro-physical questions that had previously been answered with "God did that"--actually reaffirmed his belief in a higher power. You could say that Einstein was the first proponent of "intelligent design." If Freedom From wanted to be a bit more accurate, Einstein and Darwin should be replaced with Stephen Hawking and the recently-deceased Christopher Hitchens.

Or better yet, they could just drop the whole "counter nativity" display--as I think it's rather juvenile--and use what those of us who base our lives on science and the laws of man do best--provide people with the facts. Hand out copies of Hawking's A Brief History of Time or Darwin's On the Origin of Species at the Capitol. Better to educate the masses--than try to sway them through insult.

RECALL SANTA!!

2011-12-20T05:09:00.000-06:00

I've been hoping the incredible disparity between the rich and the poor would be closed over the years--but it is clear that nothing is going to change anytime soon--so I think the time has come to recall Santa Claus. It's obvious that Santa is nothing more than a puppet of big corporations promoting their anti-working families agendas and rewarding his rich friends.

You've seen the TV ads, Santa brings the "one percent" expensive jewelry, big TV's and even leased Lexuses (Lexi?). Meanwhile, poor, hardworking "99-percent" are forced to rely on the generosity of strangers just to have something to put under the tree. So let's get those pre-printed petitions ready to remove Father Christmas from his office.

First off, we'll need someone to run against Santa in the recall election. Someone whose "jolly", "fat" and represents "diversity". Did the first name pop into your head too? Of course, Barney Frank!! He's leaving Congress so he will have time to take over the job.

Next, we need to come up with a more "fair" way of running Christmas. Why don't we have Santa Barney go from house to house on Christmas Eve taking gifts from the rich and giving them to more "deserving" families.

Wait a minute--Al Gore just requested Santa Barney cruise around in Chevy Volt rather than a sleigh pulled by reindeer (which should be grazing and mating in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve)--so we'd better give him a month to make his rounds. Need to keep plugging in every 70-miles.

Oops, Attorney General Eric Holder just requested we drop the whole "naughty and nice" determinant for gifts as well--since that is too "subjective" to be fairly determined. He recommends Santa Barney distribute gifts strictly based on race, income and sexual orientation.

Hang on, AFSCME just demanded that its members not have to give up anything to benefit anyone else. So if you put a big blue fist in your window or your front yard, Santa Barney will "passover" your house--and just take more from your neighbor.

Ummm--the Occupy Wall Street folks just weighed in. They'd like all of the corporate-made toys removed and replaced by "fair trade" items. So I guess all of the kids will have to enjoy their hand-woven burlap dolls produced by the native peoples of Ecuador from eco-friendly, organic, sustainable growing operations.

The folks on the Diversity Council would also like us to refrain from using the term "Christmas"--since it offends all of the non-Christians. The preferred term from here on out should be "Non-Denominational Celebration of All Beliefs and Non-Beliefs Day--Unless Your Religion Bans The Celebration Of All Holidays--In Which Case Happy Sunday."

We already have the recall machinery in place--so lets hit the malls and the community carol sings and the masses and let's get those signatures! It's time to teach Santa the meaning of "fairness".

Living and Giving Like No One Else

2011-12-19T04:38:00.000-06:00

Marjorie Drexler is my kind of person. For those that missed it Friday afternoon, the Oshkosh Public Library announced that Drexler had left them a $1.1 Million bequest in her will when she died back in August of 2010. The donation came as a complete surprise to everyone at the Library--and to those who knew Marjorie as well.

Library staff didn't know much about Ms. Drexler before her death. She didn't serve on the Library Board, she didn't sit on any steering committees and she never went to City Hall to complain about proposed budget cuts for the library. She checked out books and movies--enjoyed them at home--and then brought them back in a timely fashion.

The bequest was never brought to the attention of Library officials before Marjorie's death. There was no press conference with a big check and a bunch of local politicians and bureaucrats droning on about the decline of public investment in libraries and museums. There was no "groundbreaking" or "formal dedication" of the Marjorie Drexler Wing or Conference Center. There was no requirement for taxpayers to put up an equal amount to build something--and there is no long-term expense to the city to maintain a new building or facility.

My favorite part of this story is that--to a person--those who knew Marjorie had no idea that she had a million dollars to donate to the Library. She worked at Oshkosh Truck and--by all accounts--lived very simply. No fancy house, no fancy cars, no other conspicuous consumption. Apparently, she bought only what she needed--and put the rest of her money into retirement accounts and investments. Amazingly, that gave her more than enough to live on into her 80's--with plenty more left to benefit that which she enjoyed the most in life.

Dave Ramsey's mantra in his Total Money Makeover is "If you are willing to live like no one else now--later, you can live (and give) like no one else." I'm glad to see Marjorie Drexler proves that really is true.

Please Shut Up Now

2011-12-16T05:14:00.000-06:00

Is there a shortage of qualified defense attorneys in State College, Pennsylvania? I ask because the growing legal team for former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky continues to baffle everyone with the public comments they are making.

The latest doozy comes from attorney Karl Rominger who told a local TV station that the reason Jerry Sandusky was showering with boys is because "he was teaching them basic hygene." It's Rominger's contention that these 10 or 12 year old boys "had no idea how to put soap on their bodies".

When I first saw this video clip, I had to make sure that I didn't have on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart or The Colbert Report or The Onion News Network--because it is so ludicrously implausible that it had to be scripted for a laugh. Right? Unfortunately, it was a "real" news channel.

It appears that the Sandusky defense is either trying to win its case in the court of public opinion--or its trying to taint the jury pool so that it would be impossible for their client to get a fair trial anywhere except Amish Country. (There are more than a few attorneys in our area who believe that if a crime story is featured in one radio or TV newscast that every person within 200-miles of the courthouse has formed an opinion about the case and cannot be expected to be impartial on a jury.) So the more the story gets on TV, the harder it will be to try the case near Penn State.

Or, perhaps these attorneys believe that Jerry Sandusky's explanations for his behavior fit within the realm of sexual normalcy. I mean, his original attorney--Joe Amendola--fathered a child with a 17-year old girl--when he was 49-years old. And that was a girl that he was representing in her efforts to emancipate herself from her parents. Amendola then married the girl right before she gave birth to a second child. So to attorney Amendola, the idea of "teaching boys how to shower" by getting naked with them and having intimate physical contact must seem like the kind of explanation any "rational" person would accept.

And while we are on the subject, why hasn't Penn State filed a "cease and desist" action against Sandusky from wearing Nittany Lions apparel when appearing in public? The day he's arrested the first time--he's got on his Penn State Football shirt and running pants. He does a videotaped interview with the New York Times--he's got a Penn State golf shirt on. The second time he's arrested and brought to jail--he's wearing a Penn State windbreaker. You would think that the University could argue that by continuning to don the school's licensed apparel, Sandusky is giving the public the idea that he is still affiliated with the school.

The guys in legal requested this be added: Today's My Two Cents is not to be considered legal advice and should not be taken as such. My Two Cents is not a licensed legal practice and this material is not to be considered a solicitation for legal representation.

Nonetheless, the time has come for the Sandusky defense to shut its mouths--stay away from the cameras and microphones for a while--and to stop making a horrible situation even worse.

Here's Your Ballot, Mr Hitler

2011-12-15T05:06:00.000-06:00

With all apologies to the Republican Party of Wisconsin, Adolph Hitler will not be signing recall petitions against Governor Scott Walker. Nor will we find Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Santa Claus, Betty Boop or Carl B from "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" on the petitions.

You know why we won't see those names? Because you would have to be an idiot to try and fill out the petition forms with names that are so obviously fake. If you are going to cheat the system--it's usually better to do so in a way that will attract less attention--and be harder to determine.

Even the most naive petition reviewer will notice Hitler on the list--but what about the elderly gentlemen who passed away back in May? How would someone in Madison know that A--He's dead and B--that he didn't actually sign the petition? The same goes for the couple that moved out of the neighborhood last year--but never were able to sell the house. They are probably still on the voter rolls at that address--and is someone going to bring in a handwriting expert to determine if they are the ones who signed the form? And don't forget about all of those mystery voters living in State Senator Lena Taylor's Milwaukee apartment complex.

The process for forcing a recall--or for simply getting a candidate on the ballot--was drafted in much simpler political times. A time when the stakes weren't nearly as high and the temptation to cheat wasn't nearly as great. But those are the rules by which everyone has to play--and if there are some who want to go outside of those rules, well, I guess we don't really have a good way to catch them.

Better to put all of your effort and resources into winning the election--rather than trying hunt down dead Nazis.

The Debt Wars

2011-12-14T05:24:00.000-06:00

When we were kids it was generally accepted that the next World War would be fought to stop the spread of Communism. Then President Reagan won the Cold War--with just a few regional skirmishes over the years--and it wasn't so clear what would be the source of the next global conflict. "Concerned Citizens" like Al Gore told us the next major war would be fought over natural resources--like fresh water, energy sources and tillable land--as the global population soared and those without would rise up to try and take from those who had such resources. Then along came 9/11 and it looked like religion would be the source of the next World War--with the Judeo-Christian nations battling the Islamic World over what satirist Jonathan Swift described as the "correct way to crack an egg".

But now it's beginning to look like the new source of international tension will be debt. More specifically, sovereign debt owed between countries. Like World Wars I and II, the seeds of this battle have already been sown in Europe. Nations freed from the burden of self-defense by NATO and the US, embarked on unsustainable financial policies funded during the economic growth of the last three decades by borrowing money from their neighbors. As the Bible says, "The borrower is slave to the lender". Now that the sources of credit have dried up, the lenders are expecting some payoff from the borrowers.

The seeds of that discontent are about to get watered and fertilized by the measures agreed to in the Eurozone summit last week--as those profligate nations agreed to the debtor nations' demands to get their financial houses in order--even if that means budgetary oversight from outside agencies. If there is one thing we have learned over the centuries, people don't like having other nations telling them what to do--especially when those demands mean they might have to work harder and longer. The public unrest aimed at the debtor governments will soon turn against the lenders--and the drums of war will begin to beat.

Just like in the 1900's the dominoes are lined up to take the regional conflict global. The oil producing nations of the Middle East will have to choose sides--likely joining the countries that actually have money to pay for that precious crude. And then there is China--who has become the 21st Century superpower by buying up everyone's debt. Who do they align with in the Debt Wars? And will it be on the same side as the United States? I tend to doubt they are going to keep loaning us money to do battle against them.

The one positive thing is that barren, radioactive wastelands tend not to repay their debts--so we probably won't have to worry about WW3 being a nuclear conflict. Now we can just concern ourselves with learning the Mandarin language of our future masters.

Opening the Floodgates

2011-12-13T05:19:00.001-06:00

Unable to influence enough politicians at the statehouse--or browbeat enough voters at the polls--supporters of increased government spending took a new tact in Colorado--suing the state to raise taxes. Last Friday, District Judge Sheila Rappaport ruled that Colorado spending on public education is "unconstitutionally low".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2011/12/12/colorado-education-underf_n_1143753.html

Colorado ranks 40th in the nation in terms of money spent per child on public education--at $8,167 per student. That is about 15-hundred dollars below the national average--and about three-thousand dollars less per student than what we spend here in Wisconsin. As a percentage of total state spending, Colorado puts 40-percent of its budget to K-12 education--to the tune of $3.2 Billion annually. Voters recently rejected a referendum to raise income and sales taxes by $2.9 Billion dollars over the next four years to increase school spending.

Of course, in her ruling Judge Rappaport didn't give lawmakers any idea what would be a "constitutional" amount to spend on public education. (Bigger Government supporters can never actually give you an amount that is "enough" for all of their programs. "Much more than we are spending now" seems to be the only answer they can provide.) However, the group that filed the lawsuit actually did have a number in mind: an additional FOUR BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR!

According to the plaintiffs, Colorado should spend 110% of it current budget for ALL STATE OPERATIONS just on K-12 education. That would take it from 40th in per student spending, to #1 in the nation--racing past New York and it's spendthrift $17-Thousand per child. And it would do it with no say from taxpayers or their elected officials. Needless to say, the State will be appealing the decision.

Now before you think "Wow, I'm glad I don't live in Colorado--cuz they're about to get screwed"--think about this: The blueprint has now been established for circumventing the will of the people in every other state. You don't think WEAC doesn't have a team of lawyers poring over all 183-pages of Judge Rappaport's ruling to find out if the same legal arguments can be applied here in Wisconsin? Sure, we spend about 15-hundred dollars more than the national average per child--but anything less than the Colorado levels must be a violation of those poor children's Constitutional right to a "thorough and uniform education system".

And it won't stop with the schools. Why go to referendum on a Wheel Tax, when you can just sue the City to provide a "thorough" Transit System--or the County to provide "uniform" end-of-life services to all of the elderly? Why not just dump State Legislatures, County Boards and City Councils all together and let judges and lawyers decide how much is "fair" to spend on public services?

If this decision is allowed to stand, we may all end up feeling like Leslie Nielsen as the Captain of the Poseidon--as he sees the tidal wave about to hit his ship: http://movieclips.com/P2jH-the-poseidon-adventure-movie-the-tidal-wave-hits/

Why We Play the Games

2011-12-12T04:53:00.000-06:00

I referreed the JV Boys Basketball game between Oshkosh West and Kimberly on Friday night. In the closing minutes of a one-sided contest, West Head Coach Jason Fahrney cleared his bench--getting in some of his (let's use the politically correct term) "project players".

Before one of West's final possessions, Coach Fahrney called over one of his guards to the sidelines and talked to him about something. As the ball came down court, that player ran off a high screen, got open at the top of the key, took a pass and nailed a three-pointer. I don't know if that was the player's first basket of the year or maybe his first three pointer--but let's just say he was very excited about scoring that basket (as were most of the players on the bench). As he headed back to the other end, that player pointed to Coach Fahrney on the bench--and both broke out into huge smiles. And in that moment, I was reminded about all that is great about sports.

It wasn't a game winning shot, but for that young man that three point shot represented the culmination of plenty hard work at practice every week--with no guarantee of any playing time. To have Coach Fahrney run a play specifically to give that player the opportunity to make that hard work pay off will give him a boost in self-confidence that few other outlets can provide. And the reaction shared by player and coach shows again the influence that a positive adult role model can have on the life of young men and women.

So forget about Penn State, overbearing parents, basketball brawls and now Ryan Braun. That three point shot in an already-decided JV basketball contest is why we play the games.

Historical Preservation

2011-12-09T05:12:00.000-06:00

I'm really excited this morning--I've found out that everything I have ever posted on Twitter will now be stored in the Library of Congress archives. Whoever thought that my 120-character opinions on Badger football games, the length of Oshkosh School Board meetings, and how much I hate ham will now be available for historians and scholars to pour over for the rest of time.

In fact, anything anyone has ever posted on Twitter will be stored in the archives. Wonder what Snooki thought about the shoes she was wearing on June 13th, 2010? The Library of Congress will now know. Need to know what Kim Kardashian bought on her trip to the mall last Thursday? Archivists in Washington can help you find the answer.

Let's get serious now. The archiving of all Twitter posts is--WITHOUT A DOUBT--the greatest waste of effort and resources since the Kyoto Treaty. Per its website this is the mission of the Library: "The Library's mission is to support the Congress in fulfilling its constitutional duties and to further the progress of knowledge and creativity for the benefit of the American people." Being a regular contributor and consumer of Twitter I can tell you two things: 1--there is am amazing dearth of knowledge exhibited in the vast majority of tweets--and 2--unless you consider teenagers using alternative spellings of profanities to be "creativity", there isn't a lot of that out there either.

Is this really where we are now in terms of historical perspective? We've gone from the Founding Fathers' writings to each other on the meanings of liberty and the process they used to develop our amazing Constitution and Bill of Rights--or Lincoln's diaries detailing his struggles to preserve the Union--to "dang @kelcijoho, u luking fyn grrll!!!!!!" as knowledge that needs to be preserved for future generations.

Oh well, the future author of How Did America Get So Fat, Stupid and Lazy? should have plenty of research material.

Hold On a Minute

2011-12-08T05:06:00.000-06:00

You hear a lot of things in the radio news business--some of which make you say "Hold on a minute."

One of those came in a press release from the state Democratic Party on Tuesday. The headline was "Walker Budget Drastically Cuts Funding For Sexual Assault Victims". The release was in response to stories this week that the Department of Justice let sexual assault crisis centers know that it will be handing out 42% less money in grants next year. According to the Democrats, Governor Walker cut that funding to pay for tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.

But hold on a minute--the grants handed out from the DOJ come from a segregated fund that sees its revenue come from surcharges on criminal offenders as part of their sentences. Fewer people paid those surcharges last year--meaning less revenue came into the segregated fund. So I have to ask Democrats, should Governor Walker have been out there encouraging more people to commit crimes so there were more surcharges to fund sexual assault crisis centers? It kind of reminds me of when the state jacked up the tobacco tax on the premise of funding "smoking related healthcare expenses". But when a lot of people quit the habit, the revenues actually declined--leaving the state even farther in its hole.

The other "Hold On a Minute" moment came Monday afternoon when Rush Limbaugh (heard from 11 to 2 Monday thru Friday and from Noon to 3 on Saturdays) took the talking heads at ESPN to task for tearing down Tim Tebow. It's Rush's belief that analysts have to denegrate Tebow because he is an Evangelical Christian who leads an exemplary life and who once did a pro-life commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.

Hold on a minute, Rush. Aren't you the guy who claimed the very same analysts were boosting up Donovan McNabb--who had far superior passing numbers and just as many wins as Tim Tebow--because "they wanted a Black quarterback to succeed"? Like those experts, I don't care if a quarterback is a Wiccan who sacrifices a live chicken in his locker before a game--if he can't play the position, he can't play the position! If anything, Tebow is getting a boost from fellow Evangelicals in the media--namely Skip Bayless at ESPN http://beaconblog.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/beacon-sports-espns-skip-bayless-reflects-on-god-sports-and-lebron-james/ who continue to tout his "intangibles" (code for "devout religious beliefs"?) as the reason he is the Second Coming of God......Johnny Unitas.

Taking Stock

2011-12-07T05:13:00.000-06:00

Some thoughts on the hysteria surrounding the sale of Green Bay Packers stock yesterday:

--NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should take time away from fining defensive players for textbook tackles that are now illegal under the "concussion concious" rules and book a lot more time to hand out owner fines. If you check the fine print on the stock purchase agreement, shareholders fall under the restrictions on all NFL owners. That means the Commish can fine Packers Stockholders for "conduct detrimental to the league". I can't wait for Wally and Merle to get called to New York to explain their drunken fight in the Lambeau Field parking lot on game day. Fines should also be handed out for anyone who goes shirtless to any game below freezing. The same goes for the Packelope, Saint Vince and anyone else with a FAVRE 4 EVER bumper sticker or license plate.

--I can guarantee that my parents--Mr and Mrs Robert Krause--didn't purchase any Packers stock yesterday. $295 million renovation projects, personal seat licenses and another 190-million dollar expansion plan will still leave them sitting on cold alumimum bleachers with a puddle of water at their feet--even though it hasn't rained in Green Bay for a week. I'm sure that everyone else who sits with one cheek off the end of the rows would like to see some improvements to the actual seating bowl one of these years as well.

--Anyone from Oshkosh who bought stock yesterday automatically forfeits their right to complain about property tax increases for infrastructure projects around here. You can't wait to hand over $250 for a multi-million dollar private enterprise that uses its building a maximum of 12 times a year--yet you bitch up a storm when the School Board asks you to pay 20-dollars more a year for construction of a new school that will be used more than 200-times a year. (My Libertarian side talking here: People feel good about giving to the Packers because they are doing it of their own free will. It wasn't seven people at School District offices or 132 folks in Madison saying you "have to" give money to the Packers--and their neighbors didn't overrule their vote against spending that money)

Anyway, enjoy your $250 souvenier. I'll take the same amount of money and put it in my Roth IRA to invest in companies that will actually pay me back.

One Expensive Ballot

2011-12-06T05:06:00.000-06:00

April 3rd, 2012 is shaping up to be an expensive day for people in Oshkosh. That is the spring general election day--with a ballot that could feature as many as three tax-increasing referenda.

First up is the Oshkosh School District looking for 13-million dollars for a new Oaklawn School. The School Board will decide what--if any-chance they will have to win that one tomorrow night. If they go with the idea of moving Oaklawn to a new site along County Highway A--you can expect the same result as the referendum to build new along Ryf Road a few years back (based on conversations with Oaklawn parents who say even they wouldn't support that idea). If they opt for the recommendation going before them tomorrow night from a parents group--rebuild on the same site--they will have a fighting chance. Of course, when has the Oshkosh School Board ever thought that anyone but itself has any good ideas?

Up next will be the Fox Valley Technical College with a referendum totalling up to 85-million dollars. Oshkosh voters won't have total control on this one--as the FVTC district covers the better part of five counties. This will actually be a refreshing change of public accountability for the Tech School System--as its boardmembers are not elected--even though they have the authority to raise our property taxes. I guess we should thank them for at least asking this time around.

And now Common Councilmember Bob Poeschl--sensing that he has ZERO chance of getting his Wheel Tax proposal approved by the council--wants to put that on the spring ballot as well. I'll be calling this measure the "Penalty For Not Riding the Bus" referendum--since revenues won't go to fund street repairs like in other cities--but rather Oshkosh Transit. If so many of us weren't being so eco-unfriendly and driving our own cars everywhere we go--we wouldn't need this wheel tax.

So all told, the total of new taxes being proposed for the April 3rd ballot is 98-point-five million dollars. It kind of reminds me of being back in high school--as my teachers in Honors Economics, Honors English and Advanced Placement Calculus all handed out major homework assignments on the same day--unaware of the load the others were also placing on us.

It will be interesting to see what voters in Oshkosh--who have seen stagnant income growth and decreased property values--will decide to do. For some reason, I don't think they will be rushing to the polls that Tuesday to add 99-million dollars to their tax burdens. Call it "Democracy In Action".

Oh, I almost forgot. If April 3rd is also the date of the Gubernatorial Recall election--you can add another two billion dollars in new taxes to that total above. Still a drop in the bucket compared to the TRILLIONS in tax hikes that will be at stake in November.

Ah Yes, The BCS

2011-12-05T05:11:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite days of the year is Selection Sunday for the NCAA Basketball Tournament--when you look at that bracket (which was better at just 64 teams) and start breaking down all the matchups for the office pool. One of my least favorite days of the year was yesterday--when we find out who the BCS has screwed again this year. If baffles me how the same organization that produces March Madness--where people who haven't watched a college basketball game all year are huddled around the office TV to watch a potential Cinderella upset in the first round--can also bring us a system where people talk about boycotting the Championship game telecast.

One of the "selling points" that the NCAA and the idiots that run the BCS tout is that "Every Game Counts". Except, every game doesn't actually count. How else to explain how Michigan State can win its division in the Big Ten and beat Michigan head-to-head--but then watch the Wolverines get a BCS bowl bid (and the big cash payout) while Sparty goes to Tampa for a meaningless contest. Apparently getting your butt handed to you for the second time by the same opponent in the ACC Championship game didn't count for Virginia Tech--who goes to a BCS bowl game, while Boise State (with a better ranking) is shut out of the BCS for the fourth time in sixth years. And based on the computers--LSU could have lost the SEC Championship game and still played Alabama for the BCS Championship.

I've been told that it's annoying to constantly point out on the air that the BCS Championship is a mythical National Championship. The NCAA does not recognize an official Football Bowl Division champion--like it does for every other single sport that it authorizes. There is a Women's Bowling National Champion, a Fencing National Champion and even a Rifle Shooting National Champion.

So how do we change this? The ideas that always get floated around at this time of year are boycott watching the BCS Championship game or holding Congressional hearings--but we all know that won't change a thing. The root that allows the BCS to continue to live is money--money that we the fans continue to hand over willingly. And like the roots of any noxious weed, this will be a tough one to either kill or dig out of the ground. The key will be to cost the schools more than they can make on the system--thereby catching the attention of the university presidents who endorse and control the BCS.

One of the dirty little secrets of the bowl system is that most schools that go to non-BCS games lose money on the trip. Schools are required to pay for any tickets they don't actually sell for the game--and considering the increasing number of empty seats at the vast majority of these bowls, that cost keeps going up. So let's hit the system in the wallet by not bothering to take the trip to Orlando or Tampa or Boise (yes, they host a bowl).

Step two should be a little bit easier, don't watch any of the games. It's not called the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas because Meineke Car Care thinks its going to sell a lot of brake jobs to people coming to the game itself. It wants the constant on-screen presence provided by ESPN's telecast of the game. If ESPN loses the ratings for these meaningless contests--then the sponsorship money will go away as well. (By the way, I find it laughable when ESPN talking heads criticize the BCS--when it is their BILLION DOLLAR contract that fuels the whole system.)

And finally, fans will have to take away all the other revenue streams schools enjoy from the bowl system. That means not buying Rose Bowl sweatshirts, t'shirts, caps and seat cushions at the University Bookstore. This will be difficult for my family members--as that is becoming the easiest gifts to get for me this time of year.

With two bowl bids going to nearly every one of the conferences tied in to the BCS--that will mean a minimum of $25-MILLION DOLLARS to the Big Ten, the SEC, the ACC, and the Pac-12 each. Money that is supposed to salve the wounds of those deserving teams that got the shaft yesterday--and to keep them supporting the giant money grab that robs the fans and the student-athletes of a chance to have the championship actually decided on the field.

Master of Puppets

2011-12-02T05:34:00.000-06:00

The Occupy Wall Street movement has a new face today. His name is Joe Therrien and he personifies perfectly the people who are blaming big corporations and banks for his plight in life.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-01/news/ct-oped-1201-goldberg-20111201_1_herman-cain-puppetry-health-care

Joe is a former New York City School District drama teacher. Joe didn't lose his teaching job due to reduced enrollment or because his union decided it was more important to force the district to cover the cost of Viagara as part of the health insurance package. Instead, Joe was upset a few years ago that No Child Left Behind was forcing New York schools to focus on unimportant subjects like Math, English and Science--so he quit. Instead of forming his own acting troupe or setting up shop giving acting lessons or tutoring the children of New York's elite, Joe chose to go back to school to pursue his "passion"--puppetry.
After taking out $35,000 in student loans over three years of study, Joe finally earned his Masters of Fine Arts degree in puppetry.

Unfortunately for Joe, there isn't a whole lot of demand for Master Puppeteers in today's economy--and he can't find a job. So he now spends his days at the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York, demanding that his student loan debt be forgiven--while building giant puppets that he hopes will "open people up to this new cultural conciousness."

I would like to a study on the degrees earned (or not earned) by those currently in default on their student loans. I'd be willing to bet that the number one field of study will be an MBA--which for about two decades was marketed as the golden ticket to business success--until everyone and their dog got one, thereby watering down the value of the degree. After that, you can almost guarantee will be a long list of humanities and social sciences. That is due in large part to years of kids being encouraged to "follow your passion" when it came to choosing a degree program and a career path. Educators were so sure that someday there would be a huge demand for Womens Studies majors and Sociologists.

Now that reality has set in for that generation of "passion followers", even the most liberal education officials are admitting that four-year degrees really aren't that necessary to succeed in life. That's why Wisconsin Public Instruction Secretary Tony Evers was touring a Kaukauna manufacturing plant this week to learn about their apprenticeship programs--which only require high school diplomas. After the tour he told us in the media that "maybe we need to do a better job of steering kids into technical fields of study." Unfortunately, no members of the Oshkosh School Board were in attendance for that statement--as it looks at forming a Performing Arts Charter School--where the focus will be on music, singing and acting. As we say on twitter: "facepalm".

In the movie Caddyshack Judge Smails--played brilliantly by the late Ted Knight--tells caddy Danny Noonan who is whining about not being able to afford to go to college: "Well, the world needs ditch diggers too". When Brian Doyle-Murray wrote that line, he meant it as a shot at the attitude of the country club elite in the 1980's. But as those finding out all that student loan debt isn't paying off like they thought are now learning the hard way--the world really does need ditch diggers. Or at least more than puppeteers.

Do You Want Free Will With That?

2011-12-01T05:14:00.000-06:00

Two big thumbs up to executives at McDonald's this morning for stymieing the City of San Francisco's efforts to limit consumer choice and basically telling people how to live their lives. Starting today it is illegal for restaurants in the City By the Bay to include a "free" toy with children's meals. The City Council approved the ordinance earlier this year on the argument that toys in Happy Meals force children to drive themselves to Mickey D's and purchase--with their own money--food that is detrimental to their health.

McDonald's had already tried to make the Happy Meal healthier in response to threats from the Food Police--replacing the fries with apple slices and the soda with milk. But that still wasn't good enough. The apples weren't organic and it was dairy milk--not soy milk-so the public's "health" was still at risk.

In response to the new law, McDonald's is now "selling" Happy Meal toys for 10-cents--with all proceeds from the sale of those toys going to the Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco. What an unbelievable marketing coup! Continuing to provide a product consumers want--and allowing them to benefit a fine charitable effort as well! The only way it could get better is if the menu boards now included a big notice that "free" toys are no longer available "due to the efforts of over-reaching liberal lawmakers who think they know what is better for your kids than you, their parents."

As you might expect, those over-reaching liberal lawmakers are not taking McDonald's business decision well. The city's Health Department Director calls the decision "a win for obesity and diabetes." He also promises to "improve the regulation." I take that to mean that another ordinance is on the way to just flat out ban restaurants from selling toys, period.

Could I make some suggestions to the San Francisco City Council? Instead of expending so much energy and effort on trying to limit free enterprise--why not try getting kids to expend more energy and effort in their everyday lives? Why not have kids spend less time writing essays on how global warming makes them sad and give them more time on the playground for recess and phy ed? And when they are out there--why not let them play games that actually encourage running around and burning off some calories--like "tag", dodgeball, football or basketball? Yes, these are games that have winners and losers--and those that don't win might have their self-esteem "bruised"--but it sure beats the increasingly sedentary lifestyles promoted by the internet and video game systems at home.

Or maybe those lawmakers could hold people responsible for the decisions they make. I know this is a foreign concept to liberals--personal accounatability--it's just easier to take away any and all options they deem "non-beneificial" to their utopian society. For instance, you could allow health insurance companies to charge more to cover those who are obese and out of shape. That would send a very clear message to consumers--if you exercise your free will to make poor lifestyle choices--you will be held accountable by paying more than those who mix in a few fruits and veggies every meal. I'm guessing the whining from the backseat of the car about getting a Happy Meal won't be so annoying when Mom or Dad think about the extra couple hundred bucks a month it could cost them insure Junior.

Can We Go Back to Real Football Again?

2011-11-30T05:15:00.000-06:00

(WARNING! Today's "My Two Cents" features a rant from a middle-aged man about how "things were better when I was a kid")

I have a couple of theorys about the NFL. First, I believe that if the modern rules of the game had been in place for the entire history of the league, Deion Sanders would be the only defensive player in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "Prime Time" would be the only defensive player not because of his career interception numbers or his prowess as a punt returner. Instead, Deion would be the only defender in Canton because he never once attempted to actually tackle someone.

Every other defensive player in the Hall of Fame would have been totally incapable of playing in today's NFL. Think Ndamakong Suh's arm-stomp was "horrible"? That was an average play for Dick Butkus. Hitting a receiver trying to catch a ball is illegal because he is "defenseless? Dick "Night Train" Lane used to clothesline guys coming across the middle--whether they had the ball or not. Ronnie Lott wouldn't be allowed on the field nowadays--because he would either be suspended for leading with his helmet or he wouldn't be cleared by the team physician because of "concussion like symptoms". Chuck Bednarik is famous for two things: being the last two-way star in the league and for almost killing Frank Gifford with a huge hit--forcing a game-winning fumble. The entire Steel Curtain, Fearsome Foursome and Purple People Eaters would be playing for free--given the number of fines they would incur for "unneccesary roughness".

I follow a number of NFL analysts, "insiders" and talking heads on Twitter--and the general consensus with all of them is that nobody knows how you are supposed to legally play defense anymore. Touching the quarterback a split-second after he releases the ball--FLAG. Seperating a receiver from the ball as he tries to catch it--FLAG. Looking at a receiver as he reaches for the ball on a deep pass--FLAG. If we had more than four talented quarterbacks in the league right now, every game would go over 100-points.

Which brings me to my second theory: The only thing that matters to the NFL now is Fantasy Football. It's no coincidence that the rise of the league as the be-all, end-all of the American sports landscape mirrors the rise in popularity of Fantasy Football. And since scoring is the only things that counts in the vast majority of leagues--that is the only thing that most fans now care about. How else to explain the NFL Redzone Channel--which features nothing but scoring plays all Sunday long--or the need to provide all of the individual stats on the "crawl" instead of the actual scores of the games?

As someone who grew up watching football in the glory days of team defense (and the running game--but that's a topic for another Two Cents) this new, all offense all the time trend in the sport bores me. It might as well be the NBA--where last possession wins every game.

Recreational Hazards

2011-11-29T05:09:00.000-06:00

Let me preface today's "My Two Cents" with the fact that I am an 11-handicap golfer--which according to the United States Golf Association--puts me in the top 25% of golfers in the country. But that does not mean that I am immune to the pressure that comes from seeing water down the right-hand side of a fairway (when my most common miss is a push-fade) or that I never chunk one when I have to carry water to get to a green. But I think those protesting the addition of stormwater retention ponds as water hazards on Reid Municipal Golf Course need to take a step back and look at the big picture.

I play Reid about three or four times a year--usually in the Fox Cities Amateur or the Appleton City Tournament. It's a nice little course that is usually in very good condition and that presents a fair challenge for both the location and the price. It already has the two things that inflate my score--out of bounds on several holes, and large trees that you just can't blast the ball over. What it doesn't have is a lot of water in play. The lone pond on the course affects one hole--while an ugly, concrete "stream" scars a few holes on the back nine. I've seen more than a few guys go down into the "berm" and try to play out--scratching the heck out of their wedges just to save one stroke. So I wouldn't mind seeing a few more ponds put into play.

I realize the construction of those retention ponds will force the shutdown of at least a third of the holes on the course for one season--and that is a major concern for those who have had their leagues, tournaments and outings at Reid for years now. But let's keep in mind that Lakeshore Municipal here in Oshkosh was closed for an entire year to deal with its major flooding problems--and most players would agree it was worth the shutdown for the improved playing conditions since. And if you are worried about losing a few more balls every summer, you probably shouldn't be playing the expensive Tour balls anyway. Besides, water hazards make a course even better.

Think about it. If you had to name the greatest golf holes in the world--the vast majority of them have water hazards. Every hole in Amen Corner at Augusta National has water in play. So does 15 and 16 at Augusta. 18 at the Blue Monster at Doral....18 at Carnoustie has the berm crossing the fairway twice...the 7th, 17th and 18th at Pebble Beach have a little pond we like to call the Pacific Ocean in play--where the drop zone is in Hawaii. And of course, the most iconic hole in golf--the 17th at TPC Sawgrass--is just a tee, a green and a whole lot of water. (Now would be a perfect time to mention that I hit the green at 17 while playing Sawgrass last February).

So I'm asking my fellow golfers to calm down a bit and let a designer take a look at what the city wants to do to help Reid's neighbors deal with unwanted flooding and standing water in their yards. It sure beats the alternative of the City Council shutting it down and turning it into a housing development as has been suggested in the past.

What's Not Working?

2011-11-28T04:59:00.000-06:00

The Missus and I took a trip to Chicago over the weekend. As we approached the first toll booth in Waukegan a Lebaron Convertible with one of those big RECALL WALKER! and the "blue fist" "I stand with the Unions" bumper stickers went flying by us. A few seconds later, we saw the portable message sign alerting drivers that the toll for that plaza will increase from $1.50 to $2.80 per vehicle--effective January 1st.

I have to wonder, did RECALL WALKER! Guy think "Holy (expletive), they are almost doubling the tolls down here!" like I did? Or did he think "Wow, Democratic Governor Pat Quinn is awesome!! He's making everyone pay 87% more to drive the tollways--just so state workers don't have to contribute 12% to their health insurance benefits!"?

I don't know if RECALL WALKER! Guy had to buy gas while in the Chicago area. He would have found an average around $3.51 a gallon--compared to $3.09 that I got at a truck stop station just north of Kenosha. That is thanks, in part, to the higher gas tax in Illinois--69-cents a gallon there (fifth highest in the nation) compared to 51.3-cents a gallon here (11th highest). If he did fuel up, was RECALL WALKER! Guy thinking "(expletive), I'd rather run out of gas then fill up before I get back to Wisconsin" like I did? Or did he think "Way to go Democratic-controlled Illinois Legislature! Make everyone pay 35% more for gas than in Wisconsin so state employees don't have to pay 5% of the retirement benefits!"?

And I can't be sure if RECALL WALKER! Guy bought anything in Chicago. If he did, he would have noticed the 10% sales tax. Would he have thought "(expletive) (expletive), are they providing British or Canadian-style health care down here?" Or would his thought process be "Rahm Emanuel is the MAN!" He's making everyone pay 100% more in sales tax than they do in Oshkosh so city union employees can still get their 4% raises!"

I should also point out that Illinois' budget deficit is eight-BILLION dollars--compared to the zero budget deficit in Wisconsin. Unemployment in Illinois was 10.1% in October--compared to 7.8% in Wisconsin. So RECALL WALKER! Guy: what exactly isn't working here--that is working in Illinois?

Black (Hearts) Friday

2011-11-25T05:09:00.000-06:00

I sure hope the person in the white or light gray SUV that nearly collided with me making a left-hand turn into the WalMart parking lot at 2:55 this morning got whatever item was so damn important that obeying the rules of the road no longer applied. Nothing gets you out of a post-Thanksgiving tryptophan coma like having to lock up the brakes to avoid t-boning some moron who is so engrossed in saving 40% on something that the person receiving it won't even be using a year from now.

I'd be willing to bet that Miss or Mister No One Else Exists on This Planet is one of those people who is habitually six or seven minutes late for work at 8:00 every morning. But on Black Friday, he or she is amazingly capable of making it to a store at 4:00 AM or 3:00 AM or even at Midnight.

I'm also guessing he or she is also one of those people who just can't find enough time to spend with their kids--but will just make up for it by buying everything their children put on their Christmas list. Nothing says "I love you, son" like a 125-dollar video game system. I just heard a woman on TV "complaining" that the midnight doorbusters "forced" her to leave her family's Thanksgiving dinner early so she would have time to get to the store. You know, if Grandma or Grandpa gets real sick or passes away this year, I'm sure they won't regret losing those last few hours that could have been spent together.

It's hard to believe, but I actually can agree with the #Occupy folks who are out protesting the doorbuster sales events in New York today. Believe me, the #OccupyMyWallet people who aren't already out working hard to pay their bills first--not their Christmas shopping list--were not in line to storm the stores today. We've got our priorities a little bit better in line.

Giving Thanks

2011-11-23T05:26:00.002-06:00

It’s time to give thanks again. Here is what I am thankful for:

Once again this year, I am thankful for the love of my wife, Michele. She’s decided to stay with me for another year—although there have been times when she has wondered why.

I’m thankful for Congressmen Paul Ryan and Ron Paul. Their continued efforts to show the fallacy of thinking we can tax and spend our way out of our huge Federal deficit and the recession continues to give me hope for the future of this country.

I’m thankful for the former leaders of Greece and Italy for proving in the “real world” that trying to tax and spend your way out of a huge Federal deficit and the recession is doomed to failure.

I’m thankful for the new divisional alignment of the Big Ten Football Conference. Because of the two-division format, the Wisconsin Badgers remain alive for the Conference Championship Game and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Under the old format, Michigan State fans would already be booking their trips to Pasadena—and the Badgers would be going to Orlando again.

I’m thankful for Dave Ramsey and his Total Money Makeover. By following Dave’s advice for the last seven years, my household has been able to weather economic challenges without the fear and uncertainty that so many other families are facing today.

I’m thankful for Tim Thomas—whose outstanding goaltending backstopped my beloved Boston Bruins to their first Stanley Cup Championship since 1972. That June night has become my new “Happy Place”.

As always, I’m thankful for the WOSH listeners—and those who tune into all of our sister stations. It’s because of you and our wonderful sponsors that I get to talk for living.

And finally this year, I give my biggest “Thank You” to the doctors, nurses and staff at the Bellin Hospital Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for treating my new nephew, Jackson—who was born almost four months pre-mature. Jackson is home now and doing great--thanks to the fantastic work of these health care providers.

Toys

2011-11-22T05:11:00.000-06:00

I have a theory about the discontent and frustration felt by the #occupy people: They had bad toys as kids.

My wife and I were in the toy department of an area store a few weeks ago when I suggested we get one of the kids an "Ernie" doll from Sesame Street. My wife dismissed the idea saying "He doesn't even 'do anything'" Technically, she was correct. It wasn't "Tickle Me Ernie" or "Rockin' Dancin' Ernie" or "Read To Me Ernie". A child who got that doll would have had to use their imagination to make Ernie "come to life".

That's when I noticed that just about every other toy in the department did "do something". They would move in pre-programmed ways, or make a certain noise when a button was pushed, or light up when shaken. Even the books nowadays read themselves. It's like children can no longer be expected to take an inanimate object and use their own creativity to make it "fun".

(WARNING: MIDDLE AGED MAN ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE BETTER WHEN HE WAS A KID!)

When I was a kid, there were far fewer "electronic" toys on the market--we had to be the "voice" the "motor" and the "program" for our toys. Those Fisher-Price Little People? They spent more time playing football or basketball on the floor of my bedroom than they did working the farm they actually came with. Matchbox Cars didn't follow streets on "sold seperately" mats. They took part in car chases over and around furniture--or they raced to the "bar and back" in the basement. And the few video games that we had didn't include "shortcut codes" to skip ahead to advanced levels without "earning" your way there.

And that leads me back to my theory about the #occupy folks. These young people grew up with toys that did all the work for them. Elmo always had his own voice, the cars raced around their own tracks and buttons decided what a toy would do. There was no need to come up with their own games or adventures--everything was pre-packaged for them. And now that they are out in the "real world", they are frustrated there isn't that "button" to push to make things happen--and they don't know what to do now. So they sit on the floor and they pout--until someone comes along to give them what they want.

Unfortunately, we are buying the little ones the toys with all the bells and whistles. But I won't be disappointed if they have more fun playing with the boxes or the wrapping paper on Christmas morning.

Shocker

2011-11-21T05:11:00.001-06:00

So the SuperCommittee on Deficit Reduction has failed to come up with a plan to save us from future financial disaster. If any of you are shocked by this--you need to get out of the house more often.

Let's be honest, this committee was doomed from the start--not because it was a "bi-partisan" body that came to the table with very "partisan" opinions on how to address our continued budget shortfalls--but rather because the these are the very people who got us into the mess in the first place. If your car was totalled in a crash involving a drunk driver, would you ask the drunk driver to give you a ride home?

The SuperCommittee meetings should have started with a press conference where each member looked into the camera and said "I am a total moron who approved a whole bunch of spending without giving any thought to how to pay for it. Therefore I have zero credibility when it now comes to fixing the mess I created." Next, every member should have quit, saying "President Obama should be coming up with his own plan--since he was elected to provide some leadership for this country--instead of pushing off the actual tough stuff to a Congressional committee that he can blame when he runs for re-election next year."

Instead, a bunch of politicians went behind closed doors to seek a politically-convenient proposal instead of an actual financial solution. The brutal truth is that it won't be solved by just cutting spending and it won't be solved by just raising taxes. But when you send people with hard-line positions in to "negotiate" a compromise--and who are incapable of accepting the blame for creating the situation--you are doomed to failure before you even start.

Quick Hits

2011-11-18T04:58:00.000-06:00

Just a few thoughts on a couple of topics.....

--Can we have some consistancy on how we handle threats on public officials? I ask as the Dane County District Attorney announces that he will not seek charges against a convicted felon accused of posting death threats against Governor Scott Walker on Facebook. Meanwhile, later this month an inmate at the Green Bay Correctional Institution will undergo a federal trial for writing letters to the White House threatening President Obama. I wonder how a guy locked up in a penitentiary is considered to be a credible threat to the President--but someone walking around free is considered to just be "joking around"?

--I appreciate the importance of deer hunting to certain parts of the state--but I don't think recent legislative attempts to boost the sport are going to do any good. First time license buyers will now get a deep discount and kids who take a hunter safety course can get high school credit toward their graduation. Supporters think it will get more young people interested in hunting. The only problem? Today's teenager has no interest in hunting--no matter how cheap you make it. Consider that there is no 3G internet access in the woods and there is no guarantee of success--no matter how good a shot you are. Why bundle up to sit in the cold and hope that a deer walks by--when there is a video game that has deer walking past you all the time to be shot?

If we are so concerned about fewer hunters in the field, why not just expand the season to include the entire month of November? You open up more hunting opportunities for those who can't take next week off of work--and you give everyone more time to bag a buck. Because we hunt to help control the deer herd right?

--I'm dragging butt today because I had the play-by-play last night for the Division Four Football Championship game between Wrightstown and Somerset. What a fantastic game--as it became the first title game to go into double overtime. Wrightstown was down 8 with about 2:00 minutes to go--but put together an impressive drive that ended with a game tying TD and 2-point conversion with less than :30. The Tigers then stuffed a Somerset 2-point attempt in the second OT to seal the win. It was a privilege and joy to describe the action as both team literally left everything they had out on the field. It's a shame someone has to lose a game like that. Nonetheless, congratulations to Wrightstown on their third state championship.

One Small Win for Accountable Government--And One Big Loss

2011-11-17T05:13:00.000-06:00

Those of us who push for open and accountable government scored a small victory last night, as the Oshkosh School Board rejected the creation of an "investigatory panel" to look into allegations of open meetings law violations by member Ben Schneider II. The discussion centered on nearly all of the points that I raised in yesterday's "Two Cents"--mainly that Schneider broke no laws by telling the media about Oaklawn Elementary discussions that did not fit the definition of proper closed session material and that there are various avenues of actual legal recourse for alleged rules violations.

Board President John Lemberger tried to cover his butt for this naked intimidation tactic by claiming that he merely wanted to "start a discussion about the Board speaking with one voice after a decision is made". Well, as Board President he could have had such a discussion by placing on the agenda "Discussion about the Board speaking with one voice after a decision is made"--rather than consulting with the district's legal counsel (at taxpayer expense) to see if he could convene a Kangaroo Court packed with his own lackeys.

Unfortunately, the open government movement suffered a major blow as reporters trying to hold Penn State officials accountable for their actions in the alleged coverup of sexual abuse of children on its campus found out the University is exempt from open records laws. In 2008, the Pennsylvania Legislature granted Penn State the exemption--meaning reporters will not be allowed to request internal memos, emails, phone records and schedules from those accused of keeping Jerry Sandusky's alleged actions under wraps for at least 13-years.

Care to guess who was the biggest proponent of granting Penn State that exemption from public scrutiny required from every other branch of government? None other than former President Graham Spanier--who was quick to say he supported the school officials charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in the Sandusky case. At the time, Spanier claimed the exemption was needed to protect the "competitiveness" of the University--and to save the institution from the expense of complying with hundreds of open records request.

I hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist--but don't you get the feeling that Spanier knew the potential bombshell that exisited in the personnel files and electronic records of both the Athletic Department and the Penn State Police Department? He had to know it would be just a matter of time before one of Sandusky's victims grew tired of the man walking about free and respected in the community and took their accusations to a reporter who was not in bed with the University. Better to go to extraordinary legislative lengths to put up a wall around that dirty laundry--rather than have it dragged out for everyone to see.

Fortunately, prosecutors can still subpoena that information--and it will be exposed--but only if the case goes to trial. If Sandusky was to cop a plea--and the discovery information was to be sealed by the court--we may never know the full culpability of Penn State University and its adminstration. And those that believe they are not accountable to the people will have scored another big victory.

The Kangaroo Court is Now in Session

2011-11-16T05:11:00.000-06:00

In baseball there is an old locker room tradition called the "Kangaroo Court". The veterans on the team levy fines on other players for such "crimes" as running through a coach's "stop" sign on the bases, failing to hit a cutoff man or wearing your socks wrong on the field. It's meant to be a joke--and to build an esprit de corps in the locker room. Tonight, the Oshkosh School Board will vote to create its own Kangaroo Court. It too will be a joke--but its purpose is to intimidate any members who might want to guarantee open and honest government.

In a nutshell, Board President John Lemberger will be given the power to appoint the members of this "Investigative Panel"--which will look into comments Ben Schneider II made to WOSH Radio and other local media outlets about improper matters discussed in closed session. Schneider came on our station accusing his fellow Boardmembers of talking about Oaklawn Elementary School options that were not properly noticed before several closed session meetings this spring and summer--and which do not fall under the qualifications for closed session anyway. In other words, Schneider would be "investigated" for exposing improper action by his fellow Boardmembers.

Given the union influence on the School Board, such strong-armed tactics and thuggery should have been expected. "We got caught--now let's punish the guy who turned us in". And what better way to do that than to create an extra-judicial entity--controlled by those seeking vengence--to dole out its own form of "justice".

If Board President Lemberger really wants to focus on "misconduct" by members then he should form a panel that includes actual experts on Open Meetings Law--who will examine the entire process of these closed session meetings this year--not just on the whistle-blowing that turned attention to them. That means no professor who teaches Principles of Good Government at the University, no attorney who specializes in negotiating contracts for labor unions, no handpicked "concerned parent" for this panel. If you are serious about "investigating" misconduct, Mr. Lemberger, then this panel should be made up of Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett (who actually has the power to bring legal action against an elected official who violates the law), Judge Thomas Gritton (who does not live in the Oshkosh School District) and Assistant Attorney General Thomas Bellavia (the State Department of Justice expert on Open Meetings Laws).

I wonder who would be intimidated by that truly impartial panel looking into School Board conduct?

Why We Need To Talk About It

2011-11-15T05:12:00.000-06:00

We got a post from a listener Sunday night on our WOSH Facebook page. The listener was "offended" that Bill Cunningham was using the word "rape" on the air repeatedly while discussing the Penn State scandal. That listener believes such a word should not be used--and that "their (sic) is other stuff to talk about" besides that.

And that is exactly why we need to be talking about that.

First off, the use of the word "rape". If you read the grand jury presentment you would agree that "rape" is certainly a proper description of the acts that were allegedly witnessed by Michael McQueary--and that "rape" is probably one of the least offensive ways to describe it. Perhaps that listener would prefer the terms that Jerry Sandusky and his attorney are using in their "media blitz": "horseplay" or "just fooling around in the shower". That in NO way diminishes the nature of the alleged offenses--and I'm sure makes all sexual assault victims feel like we really sympathize with their plight.

And as far as the complaint about such topics being discussed on the radio--that is the very attitude that allowed an institution like Penn State or Catholic Church to keep such alleged abuses under wraps for so long. I can imagine the meeting McQueary and his father had with Joe Paterno the day after the 2002 "shower incident".

"Coach I saw Jerry having sex with a boy in the shower last night. The boy was pinned against the wall and Jerry was....."

"Aw, geez Michael, I don't need to hear about that stuff. I'll talk to the Athletic Director and we'll get this straightened out. Now don't talk about that stuff ever again. You hear me?"

And right there, the policy is set: Coach Paterno (and everyone else at Penn State) doesn't want to hear about the molestation of children in his football facility. Out of sight--out of mind.

On a related note, I hope you were able to tear yourself away from the Packers game last night to watch Jerry Sandusky and his attorney on NBC's Rock Center With Brian Williams. Bob Costas asked Sandusky pointed questions about the allegations against him. Sandusky's answers sounded like 75% of the suspect statements I read in child sexual assault criminal complaints: they are willing to admit to everything that is alleged--up to the point where it becomes a criminal act. "Yes I showered with boys, yes I touched their legs, yes I hugged them, maybe my genitals bumped up against them but I didn't have any sexual contact with them!" And the simple yes or no question of "Are you sexually attracted to young boys?" got a rambling twenty-second answer that ended with "I just enjoy being with children."

So make the decision listeners--are we going to talk about the serial molestation of children with the tacit knowledge of a public institution--or are we going to continue to turn away from it because it "makes us uncomfortable"?

#Occupy My Wallet Update

2011-11-14T05:04:00.000-06:00

While members of other #Occupy "movements" have moved on to their real purpose: anarchy and violence--members of #Occupy My Wallet have been busy in more positive directions.

Members of #Occupy My Wallet have been taking advantage of the artificially low interest rates to refinance their mortgages. Even though we are paying ahead on this debt, having a lower interest rate will still save us tens of thousands over the life of the loan. #Occupy My Wallet members are finding that banks and other financial institutions really do have money to loan--they just need more people who are likely to repay it to ask for some! Members are also benefiting from not being underwater on their mortgages and having bought only the amount of house they could afford on just one income.

Members of #Occupy My Wallet are also enrolling for their 2012 benefits. The high-deductible, Health Savings Account plan continues to be the greatest value in health care--with rates as low at $30 a month. As an added bonus, the State of Wisconsin has stopped punishing those of us who are being responsible and saving for our health care costs, by no longer taxing contributions to HSA's next year. We are also enrolling for long-term disability insurance--so if something disastrous happens to us--we will continue to have income coming in.

Members of #Occupy My Wallet were not lined up to buy the new iPhone 4s or Call of Duty 3: Modern Warfare. Our 3G phones (which we bought at a deep discount after the hot new phones came out a few years ago) continue to operate just fine--and we are too busy working extra hours spending time with friends and family to play a lot of video games.

Members of #Occupy My Wallet celebrated the resignations of European leaders who took part in irresponsible spending patterns for decades. We now await the selection of Presidents who support cutting back deficit spending that threatens to sink an entire continent--and the world economy.

Members of #Occupy My Wallet issued a sternly worded warning to those coming to visit this winter to wear a sweater. A La Nina weather pattern is expected--meaning another colder, snowier winter. #Occupy My Wallet recommends keeping the thermostat at 68 max--even though natural gas prices will be the same as last year.

And finally, #Occupy My Wallet members continue to reject the over-commercialism of Christmas--which this year started weeks before Halloween. Friends and family should expect more time spent together and fewer costly gifts that you won't be using in a year anyway.

Big Government is still coming for #Occupy My Wallet members--not with riot gear and tear gas, but rather with new taxes and "redistribution of wealth" plans. We need to be as well-armed in our bank accounts as possible.

In Honor of Those Who Served

2011-11-11T05:07:00.000-06:00

For the first Veterans Day ever, I actually know what my dad did in the Military.

The fact that I was born in Virginia has always been a conversation starter--as you would never know I was a native Suthuhna--I've got no accent and I don't call every soda a "Coke" (although I do eat grits with Tabasco Sauce). I was born there because my dad was stationed in the Army at the time--and my mom moved out there with him. Dad already had a college degree--and ended up getting a very low draft number--so he decided to enlist. But the conversation would always come to a stop when the question was raised about what he did in the Army--because I could never give them an answer.

Growing up, I would see my Dad in his old fatigues--usually when he was going to do something that required getting very dirty--like fixing the car. I would ask him "What did you do in the Army?" and the answer would either be "That's classified" or "As little as possible". (My father is a man of few words--my gift of gab comes from my Mother). So I would just let it go. Imagine my surprise then when my wife asked Dad the same question over the Labor Day Weekend this summer--and we actually got an answer.

When the question was first asked I chuckled--expecting one of the above pat answers--but this time my Dad said that he worked in Military Intelligence. My wife asked what that entailed--and Dad answered that he was part of a team that deciphered intercepted messages from the North Vietnamese Army. My wife then asked if he helped to head off any major attacks by the enemy. Dad said that he didn't think so--but they did find out how much help the Chinese were providing NVA in the early 1970's. Maybe after 39-years my Father's military experience was finally "de-classified"--but it was really neat to finally know.

I've always thought it was lucky that Dad got to stay stateside during the war. I've got a couple of Uncles that served in Vietnam--and they can tell you some stories that would make your hair curl. He served his hitch--got his honorable discharge--and moved back to Wisconsin to start living the American Dream.

So on this Veterans Day, I'd like to thank my favorite Vet--Bob Krause--for his service (now that I know exactly what it was). The same goes for everyone else who served--it's because of you that the United States continues to be the best place to live.

Success With Honor

2011-11-10T05:13:00.000-06:00

I chose that title for today's "My Two Cents" because it is the motto of the Penn State University football team. It's a motto that thousands of students who took to the streets of State College, PA last night protesting the firing of Coach Joe Paterno seemed to have forgotten.

Anger is never a proper motivating factor ("it only leads to the Dark Side" said a very wise philosopher a long time ago)--but I wonder how the anger of Penn State fans has become so misplaced? The signs and chants in last night's protest directed that anger at the Board of Trustees--who had finally brought some semblence of sanity to this tragedy and fired Joe Paterno--effective immediately. It took a group of business and academic leaders to look at what was going on and realize that there was no way to meet the expectation of the above motto with JoePa still at the helm. Also, the Board decided that two other coverup participants--former Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President Gary Schultz--can enjoy the "full support" of now former University President Graham Spanier.

Paterno and his hired damage-control PR firm had earlier in the day made a last-gasp effort to maintain control in the situation by announcing Coach would retire at the end of the year. Just give me these final three games and I will leave--on my own terms. But the Board of Trustees correctly stepped in and re-established that it--and the school itself--is the one with the control here--and it would set the terms of JoePa's departure.

How football coaches and Athletic Department executives could have the run of the campus became clear in last night's press conference--where the local reporters only wanted to know who would be coaching the Nittany Lions Saturday versus Nebraska, why JoePa wasn't allowed to retire on his own terms, and why was Coach being punished for doing only what he was required to do?

Saturday's game between Penn State and Nebraska is now must-watch TV. How will the fans respond? Will they boycott the game in protest? Will that protest be in favor of JoePa--or in support for the molestation victims? Will the student section chant for those who allowed a child predator to lure in an unknown number of victims for an additional nine years? Will the players even show up? Even though they now have a chance to return some actual meaning to their motto: "Success With Honor".

2011-11-09T05:07:00.000-06:00

Below is a link to a Sportscenter segment featuring college football analyst--and Penn State alum--Matt Millen discussing the child sexual abuse scandal affecting his alma mater.

http://www.awfulannouncing.com/2011-articles/november/matt-millen-gets-choked-up-talking-about-penn-state-on-sportscenter.html

It was tough to watch--as I can relate to what Millen is feeling--having had a friend and colleague turn out to be something that nobody thought they were. You can see and hear how Matt wants to believe that what is alleged to have happened is not true--but that is in conflict with the nature of allegations and the effect that such actions will have on the victims.

Millen's heartfelt expression of emotion stands in stark contrast to the continued response from everyone else involved in this scandal. Penn State officials continue to make no acknowledgement of the boys involved--only discussing its support of the adults who helped to keep these allegations under wraps for almost ten years--and who allowed the alleged predator to use their football program and facilities to entice his victims. I'm guessing this is the "legally correct" thing to do--but it sure makes the institution look cold and uncaring.

And then you have the "impromptu" student rally last night in support of embattled head coach Joe Paterno. Granted, college students will rally for low-cost pizza, but I'm hoping that one day when they are bit older--and have children of their own--they will look back on last night as one of those things they regret doing. In the meantime, the campus should probably postpone any marches or vigils in honor of sexual abuse victims--it continues to be clear that winning football games is far more important at Penn State University.

Sorry Folks, No Solutions Yet

2011-11-08T05:12:00.000-06:00

I took part in a forum last night on the UW Oshkosh campus entitled "Whatever Happened to Good Government in Wisconsin--and How Can We Fix It?" Also on the panel was former Oshkosh Common Councillor Tony Palmeri, Representatives Gordon Hintz and Dick Spanbauer, Senator Jessica King, Professor Jim Simmons and Jay Heck of Common Cause Wisconsin. I wish that I could report that this august panel was able to answer both of the above questions--but alas, I cannot.

First off, the combination of professors and politicians without a time limit for responses and comments really limits the time that can actually be dedicated to debate and discussion. Opening statements were the first 40-minutes of a 90-minute forum. There is a reason Pardon the Interruption on ESPN is so popular with viewers--give me 60-seconds and let's move on.

The one thing that really struck me last night is how we look back fondly at state government 25 or 30 years ago--when, as Jay pointed out, the state had a really squeaky-clean reputation for government. What I wonder is how much of that was tied to the fact that we spent a lot less on government back then as well. We weren't trying to pay for every scratch, bruise and sniffle for everyone making up to three times the poverty level, we didn't have educational programs that started the minute you popped out of the womb, we didn't subsidize ethanol plants and we didn't pay for daycare.

The analogy I cited in my opening diatribe--I mean statement--was this: If Mark Cuban announced that at noon tomorrow he would be in the middle of Oshkosh with $10-million dollars that he planned to give out to the five people who convinced him that they were "most deserving" of that cash what would you do? Would you think "Ah, there are a lot more people in Oshkosh that deserve a share of that $10-million dollars than I do. No need going down there to fight all that traffic." Probably not.

Instead, you would probably tell your boss you were taking tomorrow off--and you would make sure that you were at the giveaway location with the biggest and best presentation you could put together as early as possible--and you probably wouldn't be afraid to offer "criticism" of your fellow competitors as they make their presentations. Guaranteed, things would turn ugly early--but you would be in there fighting dirty because $2-million dollars is worth it.

Now what would you do if I told you that at noon tomorrow I'll be in the middle of town with $10 that I would share with the five people that convinced me they were the "most deserving". You would laugh at that. Why, because two bucks isn't worth the time or the effort.

And that is my point. Back when there wasn't nearly the money involved in government operations, spending millions of dollars on campaigns made no financial sense. But now that we are dealing in TRILLIONS of dollars on the Federal level and BILLIONS of dollars on the state level and HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars on the city, county and school district level--spending "obscene" amounts on the political process suddenly is worth it. As they point out on Shark Week on Discovery Channel--sharks tend to hang out where there is the most food available. Take away the food source--and the sharks go away.

We didn't go from Good Government to Bad Government in Wisconsin (or in Washington for that matter). We went from Good Government to BIG GOVERNMENT and the bigger it gets, the worse it gets. Maybe it's time to make the payoff for wielding influence in the Capitol a less profitable-enterprise.

Of Course It Gets Worse

2011-11-07T04:54:00.000-06:00

For those of you who thought the cesspool that is major college athletics couldn't get any worse, along comes the sexual abuse case involving the Penn State football program to show us we weren't even standing in the deep end yet.

For those of you who missed it over the weekend, former Nittany Lions Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky was arrested and charged with 40 counts of sexual assault of a child. According to the criminal complaint, many of the alleged assaults took place in the Penn State Athletic Department complex and on football team road trips--with at least three of the assaults witnessed by Athletic Department staff. Athletic Director Timothy Curley and the school's Vice President for Business and Finance Gary Schultz were charged with perjury after allegedly lying to a grand jury about what they knew about the assaults.

I will spare you the breathtakingly-disgusting details of Sandusky's alleged conduct--and only say that it was first reported to university officials in 1998 and again in 2002--from which the criminal charges filed last week stem. For I want to focus on the way the University--not just the Athletic Department--responded to these allegations.

Head Football Coach Joe Paterno has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing--as prosecutors say he fulfilled his lone requirement as a University employee--tell his superiors about the allegations. Not go to police, not bar Sandusky from ever setting foot in the football offices again--just let your boss know about what is going on. That boss--Cauley--didn't go to the cops either--instead bringing the witness into a closed door meeting with Schultz. Schultz's involvement sends up the biggest red flag in what looks like a drum and bugel corps competition--as his duties include oversight of the Penn State campus Police Department. The same Police Department that should have been investigating Sandusky.

While the nature of the allegations are shocking--the University response, sadly, is not. The culture within all of these Universities and Colleges is that their accountability to the public ends at the edge of the campus. If you witnessed a co-worker engaging a child in sex in your office, would you tell your boss and just walk away thinking "Well, my responsibility here is done"? And in what other form of government operation does the police department answer to a non-law enforcement administrator? Even here in Oshkosh all questions about crime on campus are referred to a Vice Chancellor--not the Police Chief. And the next on-campus crime numbers press release that I get from UWO will be the first such release I get--in eleven years on the job. Apparently, it's more important to preserve the image of the campus area being this idyllic place of peace and harmony.

As expected, Penn State administration spent the weekend circling the wagons. The University President was quick to issue a statement saying Cauley and Schultz still had her "full support". Both will also have their legal defenses paid for by the University System--and therefore the taxpayers. Cauley and Schultz are no longer in their positions--having resigned instead of being fired during an emergency meeting of the University Board of Trustees.

You know, these Universities and Colleges can hold all of the rallies and marches and candlelight vigils they want in "support" of sexual assault and abuse victims--but until they stop trying to handle such on-campus incidents "in house" to "save face"--all they are doing is giving those victims a bunch of lip service. No wonder the majority of college assaults go unreported.

Since You Have the Time...

2011-11-04T05:15:00.000-05:00

It turns out the Appleton protesters will not be camping out in City Park all weekend. I expect there will be a few people who decide they are going to partake in "civil disobedience" and will still pitch a tent--for the exclusive purpose of being arrested and (they hope) making the news. But for the rest, might I suggest a few other activities to fill your time?

Instead of just standing outside the banks and yelling about the people in suits inside and on Wall Street, why not ask the people actually using the bank if they have a personal budget? If they do not--provide them with the knowledge they need to make one. People who have--and stick to--a budget are far less likely to use high-interest credit cards, borrow to purchase big-ticket items like vehicles, and default on their mortgages. Think about how "empowered" "the 99%" would feel if they were actually in control of their money--instead of sending it to those "evil Wall Street bankers" in the form of interest, late fees and overdraft charges? If you need some information on fiscal responsibility (and I'm guessing you probably do, Mr Protester), you can find books by Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman and Clark Howard at the public library.

Looking to make a "social impact"? Why not occupy the streets of known drug dealers? Based on stories from other protests, many of you seem to know where the marijuana dealers are. Here in Oshkosh, those criminals took $2.4-million from people who couldn't afford to lose that money--and sent much of it to the drug cartels that are terrorizing people in border towns down south. I can guarantee "the 1%" didn't contribute anything to that $2.4-million--thereby widening the gap in personal wealth that you hate so much. If you want to patrol the bars looking for drunks to set on the right path--you could do that as well.

And as you complain about the "lack of access to education"--why not take some time to make sure those with access to free education actually take advantage of it? The vast majority of kids in K-thru-12 who fail classes and fall behind their peers are those who don't actually go to class. "Adopt" one of these at-risk kids and make sure they are getting to school every day--not just telling their mom they are "going to school". Sit with that kid and make sure they actually pay attention to the teacher--and that if they don't understand something, ask a question--rather than thinking it will make them look "dumb" or like a "nerd". Watch them do their homework (and don't just give them the answers--you don't learn like that) before they settle in for a night of sitting in front of the TV or the video games or the internet. You might want to chaperone dates as well to make sure they practice safe sex and not add to the "99%" before they can support that baby.

I'll admit, these activities aren't as easy as sitting around in a drum circle and blaming others for your problems--but they might actually earn you the respect of the rest of the 98.9999999% you claim to be "fighting for".

The Second Most Important Election in the History of Democracy

2011-11-03T05:13:00.000-05:00

The most important election in the history of democracy was the 1860 Presidential contest here in the United States. Abraham Lincoln, Stephen Douglas and John C. Breckenridge squared off in a race that would decide the future of the country in a way that no election before or since ever has.

I like to think that Americans at that time knew the paths that lay ahead of them based on how that election would play out. With the election of Lincoln, they knew that the Southern states would secede--and that bloody civil war would be needed almost immediately to save the Union. The election of Douglas or Breckenridge would have led to the continuation of the unsustainable division of the country along the lines of slavery and free states--which would still eventually lead to a civil war that, thanks to increased mechanism, would have been even longer and bloodier. Not to mention more African-Americans being subjected to the horrors of slavery for more decades.

Those 1860 Americans decided that the time had come to finally settle the issue of slavery and the power of the Federal Government--elected Lincoln--and braced for the war that would tear the Nation and families apart. In hindsight, we think that the decision should have been easy--but I'm sure it wasn't for the people of that time.

Now, the people of Greece will have the chance to head to the polls next month with the fate of the European Union--and perhaps the worldwide economy--riding on their decision. In the greatest case of political punting since Pontius Pilate gave the people of Jerusalem the choice of setting Jesus or Barabas free, Greek President George Papandreou is putting the EU bailout plan for his bankrupt country up for a referendum. Approve the plan, and the Greek people accept 11-billion Euros in aid--with a caveat that they must greatly reduce the cost of their welfare state. Reject the plan and likely get kicked out of the Eurozone and sink under the unsustainable weight of the entitlement programs that got you into the mess to begin with.

I don't know what kind of campaign finance laws and political advertising rules they have in Greece--but I do know that if such a referendum was held here in the US--all of the TV networks could just cancel their programming for the month leaing up to the election, because every group that suckles at the teat of the Federal Government would be running continuous ads bombarding the electorate to save their bacon.

The Greek people have to know the paths that lie ahead of them as they head into this referendum. It will be interesting to see if they, like our Antebellum American ancestors, choose to address their crisis right away--or decide to keep pushing it off into the future--when it might be too late.

How the "Little Guy" Actually Wins

2011-11-02T05:17:00.000-05:00

So Bank of America will not be charging a five dollar monthly fee for customers who use a check card to make purchases. Let's give Congress and the President a big round of applause for passing and signing into law that bill banning banks from charging fees for the use of check cards or withdrawing money from an ATM.

I'm sorry, what's that? Congress never passed a bill banning bank fees? The President never even proposed such a bill? Are you sure? I mean, that is the only way to get big, evil corporations to stop sticking it to the "little guy" right? To pass laws against it?

Oh never mind--it was the people camping out in the park and clashing with riot police in front of BOA headquarters that forced the bank to concede. What? There was never a campout or a riot? Did they threaten to recall the Governor? No? Well then how could an all-powerful institution like Bank of America be convinced to drop such a customer-unfriendly policy?

Really, you don't say--people closed their accounts and moved to other financial institutions? Or at least threatened to take their business elsewhere? Wow, what a novel idea!

You know, that might work in some other areas as well. I mean, if you think there's too much fat and calories in a McDonald's Happy Meal--you could choose to purchase another food item for your child at a totally different restaurant!! And if you think High Fructose Corn Syrup is milked directly from Satan himself, you could buy another beverage from the grocery store that doesn't have any!! I bet you could even choose to send a message about manufacturing jobs being sent to China by shopping at stores other than WalMart!!

Sure, it will be more work than making a cardboard sign, sleeping in a tent and yelling at guys in suits--but we are 99% of the consumers--and that is where the real power lies.

Welcome to the Wild, Wild West

2011-11-01T05:08:00.000-05:00

I'm moving a little bit slower today. I'm being weighed down by all of this body armor that I'm wearing--along with this steel helmet and shield. It's also taking me a bit longer to walk out the door and down the aisle as I have to look both ways--dive to the ground and somersault into a crouching position before checking both ways again and then slide along the wall--staying low to the ground.

Why would I have to do this? Well because the Carry Concealed Weapons law has gone into effect today--and I remember all the talk from opponents of the measure who predicted Wisconsin would turn into the Wild Wild West--with gunfights breaking out all over the place and bullets flying left and right.

Of course I'm being facetious. Unless you live in certain parts of Milwaukee, there will not be any gunplay in your neighborhood starting today. The sound of gunfire will not become a regular part of your life. And people will not be dueling at 30-paces on Main Street or in the park. We will all go about our daily lives without any greater fear of getting shot--and eventually, we won't even think about the possibility of the person next to us having a concealed weapon on them--just like residents of 48-other states have been doing for years.

That is, until the first case of someone accidentally discharging their weapons in a public place--or the first case where someone actually uses a weapon in self-defense. Then the media circus will kick into high gear--with coverage of the incident topping all newscasts all across the state. The same folks who predicted gunfire in the streets will be back out claiming they were "right" about the law. But then there won't be anything like that again for several years--and life will roll on.

I don't feel any less safe or any more safe today than I did when I went to bed last night. And there is a good chance that I won't feel any different the tomorrow, the day after that or this day a decade from now. A couple thousand people will exercise their Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms. Good for them. Jefferson and Monroe would be very proud.

The one thing I do find disconcerting is the number of bars and restaurants that have been quick to place signs on the doors and walls alerting everyone that concealed weapons are banned from their establishment. Many of these are the same people who fought tooth and nail to keep cigarettes legal in their businesses--when those things are a thousand times more likely to kill their employees and customers than a woman carrying a handgun in her purse. Apparently gun owners don't drink as much as smokers.

Halloween--Liberal Style

2011-10-31T04:51:00.000-05:00

This year I will be celebrating Halloween--Liberal style.

This afternoon I will don my black suit and put on my power tie for the most evil, ghoulish costume you can imagine...a Corporate CEO!!!!

Instead of making children go door-to-door to get their candy, I will go to their houses--so they don't have to work so hard for their handout.

I will be giving out Payday and $100-grand bars--since that seems to be what the new generation thinks it "deserves" nowadays. (Although Slo-Pokes and Goobers would be far more fitting).

I will not be offended when the kids don't say "Thank you" and instead respond with "Is that all I get?"

I will not expect any candy in return for my kids (OK I don't have any)--since they are the children of privilege and have been getting candy their whole lives.

I will feel shame as the children march en masse to camp out at the local park to protest me not giving them "their fair share of candy".

I will apolgize to the children's parents for my irresponsibility in giving them so much candy that when they ate it all in one sitting they got a stomache ache and threw up. I will then head back to their houses to give them more candy to make up for what ended up on the living room carpet.

I will pay the dentist bills for all the kids who got cavities because I failed to warn them and their parents that sugar causes tooth decay and that they should have brushed their teeth after eating it.

I will curse the evil candy companies as they report record October sales and increased profits.

Come to think of it--this is going to be the scariest Halloween ever!!

And THAT Is Why I Love Baseball

2011-10-28T04:58:00.000-05:00

If I suddenly trail off in the middle of this "Two Cents" it's because I am dead tired from staying up to watch Game Six of the World Series last night. I didn't plan on staying up until 11:15 pm--since I have to wake up for work just 3 1/2 hours later--but I just could not get myself to stop watching. Last night's game is why I LOVE baseball.

I'll grant you, the first six or seven innings weren't much to write home about: terrible defense, terrible baseruning, terrible pitching and --what has been a hallmark of this series--terrible managing. But once it got down to crunch time, the beauty of the game shown through.

After the Rangers went up by 3 in the 8th inning I told my wife I was going to stay up just to watch Tony LaRussa and Albert Pujols get their come-uppance. A solo homerun made it a two run game. "Nothing to worry about" I thought, "just three outs to go." (If Rangers fans or Cardinals haters want to blame me for putting the jinx on this one, go ahead)

I wasn't even that worried when the Rangers closer threw six consecutive balls and put runners on all over the place. "Just one more out"--then "just one more strike". But in what is baseball's greatest attribute--the lack of a clock to "end" the game--the Cardinals got that last out, last strike base hit--just out of the reach of the outfielder--to tie things up and send it into extra innings.

I gave very serious consideration to calling it a night and finding out what happened when I got up. But then Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer in the top of the tenth--and I again figured it would be a few more minutes and everything would be over--may as well stay up. (And while we are talking about it--can someone write a screenplay for the Josh Hamilton Story movie that MUST be made? A recovering crack addict who makes his way back to the Major Leagues, watches a man die in front of his son after falling from the stands while trying to catch a ball that Josh had thrown to him, and then hits what appeared to be the World Series winning homer after his team blows a 9th innning lead. Hello Oscar!!)

Of course, the Cardinals come back with another two-out, two-strike rally in the 10th and on we go past 11:00. By this time, I am way too emotionally invested in the outcome to even think about going to bed. Fortunately (for my body--not for those of us wanting the Cardinals to lose), St Louis native David Freese hits a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th to win it and force a game 7.

I know some people who call baseball "boring" and too slow-paced (and when the Yankees or Red Sox are involved it can be). But for high drama and the uncertainty of when that game-winning play is going to take place--you just cannot beat it.

Now, if we could just play some of these games in the afternoon so I can get some sleep.......

Dear America, F--- You!! Signed, AARP

2011-10-27T05:05:00.000-05:00

Last week I suggested AARP start a new ad campaign to address a survey that found a majority of Millenials had given up hope of having Social Social available when they retire. I thought ads telling those twenty-somethings that saving for your own retirement was fruitless and you MUST depend on the Federal Government to take care of you in your old age.

Instead, AARP has decided to fall back on their usual modus operandi: threatening politicians....

http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-04-2011/AARP-fights-against-threats-to-medicare-and-social-security.html

I was actually surprised the ad doesn't end with the assembled AARP "members" giving the camera "the bird"--sending younger Americans a very direct message as well. And am I the only one struck by the fact the lead "member" in this ad looks exactly like Walter--commedian Jeff Dunham's curmudgeonly puppet? I keep looking for a hand up the back of that guy and Jose Jalapeno on a Stick somewhere in the shot as well.

Anyway, here is a script that I think would more accurately sum up the message AARP should be sending to the public:

Our fellow Americans, we here at AARP realize many of you have not had a pay raise for several years--or that you have been displaced from your jobs and are making less than you were before--but you owe us. Years ago, Congress--with no regard for the actual expense--promised us a whole bunch of stuff to get our votes--and now you have to pay up.

Sure, we lived our entire lives in the greatest sustained period of economic growth in American history and could have easily saved up enough to deal with a longer than expected life-span and retirement and maybe even leave a little bit for you when we are gone--but we didn't. I mean, pot was expensive back in the '60's--as was cocaine in the '70's, those Saab Turbos we drove in the '80's, our timeshares in the '90's and all of those plastic surgeries and Botox treatments we got in the 2000's. So now we don't have enough to make it for another 20-years.

Besides, there are 50-million of us--and we vote in higher percentages than the rest of you--so quit your complaining and give us what we think we deserve!

Wouldn't you like such honesty in advertising?

#Occupy My Wallet--Part II

2011-10-26T05:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we kicked off the #Occupy My Wallet effort--bringing together the fiscally responsible to call for economic changes that will actually get us out of the recession. Today, we issue our demands.

1--Immediately develop a plan to reduce entitlement spending at all levels of government to what can be sustained by average income growth of taxpayers. We may as well start with the toughest goal first. As we edge closer to a two-worker-to-one-entitlement-recipient ratio, those of us who can do simple math know that is not sustainable. #Occupy My Wallet members support an increased retirement age for Social Security and increased income limits for all other entitlement programs.

2--Truly reform health care coverage by eliminating all requirements of "ObamaCare" already in place, allowing all Americans to have Health Savings Accounts--regardless of insurance plan, making all HSA contributions and disbursements tax-exempt, repeaing limits on annual contributions to HSA's, allowing carriers to price premiums the same way auto insurers do--based on risk and past history--and requiring health care providers to publish prices for all medical services--allowing patients to make informed health care choices. #Occupy My Wallet members take good care of themselves and should be rewarded for our efforts.

3--Lower energy costs by eliminating arbitrary requirements on the amount of electricity that must be produced by far money-losing renewable sources, increase drilling for oil and natural gas in America, and open up Canadian oil shale fields by allowing pipelines to be connected to US refineries. This will not only lower the cost to transport goods purchased by #Occupy My Wallet members--but will also lower home heating costs and reduce our need to fund expensive, sustained fights against anti-American forces in other oil producing countries.

4--End the demonization of private companies and profits. #Occupy My Wallet members work for corporations and private companies--and their profits mean we keep our jobs. #Occupy My Wallet members also invest for retirement in 401(k)'s and Roth IRA's containing nearly all Wall Street stocks and bonds. When they make money, we make money--and thereby lower our dependence on Uncle Sam to see us through our golden years.

5--End subsidies for ethanol production. This--along with lower transportation costs in demand #3--will ease pressure on food prices.

6--Limit any Federal mortgage subsidy programs to those who had at least ten percent down at closing and took out only 15, 20 or 30 year mortgages. Those people followed sound financial principles in buying their house and should have been able to afford what they purchased. Anyone who got a no money down, jumbo, ARM or interest-only mortgage obviously could not afford what they bought--even with the two incomes they may have had at the time.

7--Begin raising interest rates again to encourage savings. #Occupy My Wallet members are tired of getting less than 1% return on the money they put away for emergencies and large purchases.

When we see these steps being taken in Washington and Madison, then #Occupy My Wallet members will return to "stimulating" the economy with our massive buying power. If not, we will continue to sit on the sidelines and be content with what we have--at least until you come to take it away from us by force, in the name of "fairness" and "Social Justice".

#Occupy My Wallet--Part I

2011-10-25T05:22:00.000-05:00

I've decided to jump on the #Occupy bandwagon. No, I'm not going to New York City to camp in park and defecate on police cars--and I don't plan to join ten other people in a rally outside a closed bank in downtown Appleton on a Saturday afternoon. Instead, I have decided to #Occupy My Wallet. That's right, everyday I will be there with my wallet making sure that it doesn't open for business until my demands are met--and I encourage others to join the "fight".

I don't know what percentage of the population #Occupy My Wallet represents. Everybody in the group so far is employed, bought only the size house they could afford on one salary, spent the last few years paying off their debt instead of racking it up, keeps in good shape, doesn't use recreational drugs, doesn't see their vehicle, their TV or their smartphone as a status symbol, pays cash for their vacations and invests 15% of their gross pay for their retirement. I'm guessing their aren't many of us now--but many are moving toward us.

Our power doesn't come from having loud bullhorns, big American flags, union backing or having the President claim he "feels our pain." Our power comes from the money we have--the money that will get all of us back out of this mess. The money that quite honestly, those of us in #Occupy My Wallet feel isn't being appreciated right now. #Occupy My Wallet employers didn't get government bailouts--they didn't get any money in Stimulus I or Stimulus II either. #Occupy My Wallet members aren't getting government help to pay their mortgages or to subsidize their child care.

#Occupy My Wallet members want recognition as the real "job creators" in this new, new, new economy. Because you can give all the tax breaks in the world to small business owners and companies and corporations--but until we walk through those doors with our cash in hand--ready to fork it over for a product or service--this ship isn't going anywhere.

Tomorrow, #Occupy My Wallet will release its list of demands.

Europe in Eclipse

2011-10-24T05:17:00.000-05:00

I never thought that I would agree with Paul Krugman (the dour, ultra-liberal New York Times economist who also serves as the equally-pompous foil to George Will on ABC's "This Week"), but today, we actually stand on common ground. In response to the European debt crisis, Krugman is calling for an end to the Eurozone and the use of a joint currency across national boundaries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/opinion/the-hole-in-europes-bucket.html?_r=1&smid=tw-NytimesKrugman&seid=auto

Let me be quick to point out that Krugman and I do not agree on the root reasons for placing the Euro on the historical scrap heap. He believes that nations drowning in debt should be able to print unlimited amounts of their own currency to devalue the debt and "stimulate" the economy with boatloads of government spending and the resulting skyrocketing inflation. That would be his answer for the US economic doldrums as well. Tax the rich is in his plan too. I, on the other hand, believe the Euro should go because it threatens to bring down industrious nations by tying their fates to, shall we say, less-industrious cultures.

Increasingly, the Euro bailout plan falls more and more upon the shoulders of Germany--the Continent's largest economy. And increasingly, the German people are getting more and more frustrated with their "partners". You see, Germans don't get full retirement benefits from the government at 58 like the Greeks. Their retirement age is 67--increased four years ago as economists saw they would not be able to support the rising costs of the program (HELLO CONGRESS--DID YOU HEAR THAT?!?!). The German public train system doesn't cost five times as much to operate as it brings in in revenue like in Italy. Gemerans don't take the month of August off of work to sit on the beach like they do in Spain. And they don't take two hour lunch breaks to sit at the cafe,drink wine and discuss culture and society like they do in France. The Huns get up every morning--go to work--and make high-quality products the rest of the world actually wants.

So why would the average German citizen--or politician--want their economic fate tied to the slackers on the rest of the continent?

When it was first proposed by the Socialist leaders of Europe's major powers in the 1990's, the Euro promised convenience and unlimited economic growth potential. The 21st Century was going to be the European Century--reclaiming the title of Economic Superpower from the US. Some countries--like those in Scandanavia and Great Britain--were wise and said "thanks, but no thanks" and kept their own sovreign currencies. But 17-others were more than happy to tie their boats together and head out to sea.

Now--like the treaties that allowed a small, regional skirmish in the Balkans to lead to World War One--the Euro threatens to sink the Continent into a morass that will likely require the US to come in and save everyone's bacon again. Provided we don't let Socialist policies take us down the same rat hole as well.

Rays of Hope

2011-10-21T05:11:00.000-05:00

And out of the gloom and doom of our everyday news and the continued ecnomic downturn come a few rays of light that really can give us some hope.

--A new study finds 50% of so-called "Millenials" (those currently between the ages of 18 and 29) do not expect to get any Social Security when they reach retirement age. http://iomechallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/NEW-iOme-Millennials-on-Social-Security.pdf And a whopping 95% percent realize that there is no way the current level of benefits will be available to them when they become eligible. (I believe those final 5% who think things can continue as they are match the percentage of Americans who aren't able to do basic math.)

I expect this study to set off alarm bells at the White House (We can't have a generation of voters thinking they can't depend on the Government to provide them with everything they want and need!!) and at the AARP headquarters (Social Security is our political hammer!! We must start running ads on MTV and Bravo immediately to try and scare these youngin's!!). But it is incredibly positive that the younger generation accepts the economic realities that their elders continue to ignore--and are adopting the attitude that they will have to be responsible for themselves. That's why 42% are already putting money away for their retirement--a sharp increase in the savings rate for those under thirty from just a few years ago.

--We hear all the time how bi-partisanship is dead in Madison. But a bill co-authored by Democrat Gordon Hintz and Republican Dean Kaufert that will allow school districts to establish education foundations that would be operated by community foundations. Finally, those people who come to school board meetings and ask to have their property taxes raised in order to save Elementary Foreign Language programs or high school courses that average about ten students a semester will have a chance to put their money where their mouths are--without increasing the burden on everyone else in the district!

Because community foundations aren't under the same tight restrictions on investments that school districts are--the money donated should see better annual growth. And with a third party involved, hopefully we won't see school board members with personal axes to grind trying to hold up the process of putting that money to use--like we saw with the renaming of the West basketball court in honor of Steve Randall.

--Finally, the Big Ten (12) has suspended Michigan State defensive end William Gholston for tomorrow's game against Wisconsin. This is not a positive just because it gives the Badgers a better chance of moving the ball against a tough defense--but because it penalized downright dirty play. If you haven't seen the lowlights, Gholston twisted the head of Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson after a tackle last week and sucker punched an offensive lineman in the face far behind another play. Amazingly, Gholston was not penalized by the refs for either of those plays. Things were so ugly that one Badger Football Blogger titled his article this week "The Badgers Need to be Ready For 60 Minutes of Unneccesary Roughness".

Michigan State itself had the opportunity to punish Gholston--but apparently beating the fourth ranked Badgers so they had a chance to get millions of dollars by playing in a BCS Bowl game in January was a higher priority than good sportsmanship. In a rare good move on its part, the conference finally stepped in and sent a message that intentionally trying to hurt your opponents will not be tolerated.

Alright--back to the gloom and doom.............

Gumbel's Law of Slavery Analogies

2011-10-20T05:11:00.000-05:00

In previous "My Two Cents" commentaries I have referred to Godwin's Law of Nazi Analogies. It's the somewhat tongue-in-cheek postulate from Mike Godwin that the longer a political conversation goes on--the more likely a reference to Hitler or Naziism will be made. It is usually the point in the conversation where we cross over from actual serious debate into idiocy.

Well now, I would like to add a new "law" to the science of discussion: Gumbel's Law of Slavery Analogies--which will hold that the longer a discussion goes on about a professional sports contract situation--the more likely an inappropriate comparison to slavery will be made. It is named in "honor" of HBO Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel--who this week had these comments about NBA Commissioner David Stern in an opinion piece about the on-going lockout............

"His efforts are typical of a commissioner who has always seemed eager to be viewed as some kind of modern-day plantation overseer, treating NBA men as if they were his "boys". ... His moves are intended to do little more than show how he's the one keeping the hired hands in their place."

Now Gumbel's comments aren't the first comparison of pro athletes to Africans brought to America against their will and forced to labor for no compensation. In fact, it's not even the first one this year. You may recall, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made this comment in a Yahoo Sports interview during the NFL lockout this summer:

"It's modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too."

Sure, I could have called it Peterson's Law of Slavery Analogies--but Adrian Peterson was a football player at the University of Arkansas--while Gumbel graduated with a journalism degree from Bates College--so I would expect him to be a bit more knowledgeable on American History.

If Gumbel wanted to make a reasoned argument that the owners themselves are the ones who agreed to previous labor deals that resulted in bloated contracts for over-rated players, that would have been valid. So too would have been pointing out that the players have come to the table from the beginning willing to cut their percentage of basketball-related revenues. But instead, Bryant went immediately to the giant hammer of "slavery"--usually swung by race-baiters like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson in an effort to discredit any points made by non-African Americans.

I'm sure that Bryant Gumbel's and Adrian Peterson's ancestors would have jumped at the chance to be among the highest paid people in America--and to have the ability to change employers through free agency. But since they did not, then it is probably best just to leave them out of the conversation.

And Now For a Completely Different Perspective

2011-10-19T05:07:00.000-05:00

Leave it to Scientific American to come up with the reason the #OccupyWallStreet effort--and Obama-nomics as an entity are both doomed to fail............

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=occupy-wall-street-psychology

Researchers have found that while some may believe that everyone should be equal in terms of their economic situation--the human brain is, in fact, wired to oppose having those considered "behind" us allowed to catch up.

It's called the "Last Place Aversion"--and it explains why during a period of deep recession, opposition to "redistribution of wealth" supported by the President and the #Occupy hippies is growing. As Americans deal with having less--the idea of someone who currently has even less catching up to--or passing us by--becomes less appealing. In simple terms, nobody wants to be in--or closer to--last place.

When you think about it, it's basic Darwinism--the inner drive of the species to be better than every other member--and it's why all attempt at Socialism has failed. Perhaps the #Occupy folks should leave Wall Street and get into the biology lab--where they can work on removing the "Last Place Aversion" gene from our DNA.

Sports Held Hostage

2011-10-18T05:09:00.000-05:00

If ever there was an argument for drastically shrinking the number of teams allowed into the High School Football Playoffs the mess surrounding this year's field--and the delay that is proving to be unfair to nearly everyone who qualified--would be it. Usually, we have an idea of who plays who, where and when by this time--but Divisions 3 thru 7 weren't posted by the WIAA until after 7:00 last night. Teams in Divisions 1 and 2 still have no idea who they are playing--just three days before the games are set to be played.

The mess is due exclusively to one school--the Messmer/Shorewood co-op team--which is suing the WIAA over an eligibility issue. Messmer dropped out of its conference without WIAA approval in 2007--and was placed on probation by the administration for four years--starting the next season. The first three years of that suspension, Messmer/Shorewood never won the requisite number of games to be eligible for the postseason--but this year they have (in their own minds anyway) and they want a judge to force the WIAA to include them in the playoff field. An injunction blocking the establishment of the playoff field and setting of the brackets has been issued by the judge--putting the playoff process on hold for every other team in the state.

We can argue the merits of deciding sports-related issues in the court of law rather than on the field of play--but what really gets my goat in this case is that Messmer/Shorewood doesn't even have a winning record. They finished their regular season at 4-4 (playing one less game than the rest of the state due to scheduling problems). But because they went 4-2 in their conference, they are technically eligible for postseason play under the WIAA's less-than-strenuous playoff qualification process. What is really sad is that M/S is far and away the largest school in their conference--which features mostly small suburban Milwaukee private schools--none of whom are football powerhouses.

So now, truly playoff-worthy teams like Kimberly and Appleton North--who won all nine of their games--or went 8-1 in the regular season are forced to sit around wait to find out who they play in their first round contests. You could say that since everyone in those divisions are in the same boat, the spirit of competition isn't being hurt--but it certainly is not the way to handle something as important as a chance to win a state championship. My point is that we'd be ready to roll with the brackets and matchups in place by now if the field of playoff qualifiers was cut by at least half (and even better 2/3's) to make the playoffs more of a special acheivement and reward teams that actually accomplish something.

In Memory of Dan Wheldon

2011-10-17T05:08:00.000-05:00

For the second time in ten years, one of my favorite racecar drivers has died in a crash. First, it was Dale Earnhardt, Sr--who died in a final lap crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. Now it's Dan Wheldon--the two-time Indy 500 champion--who died at the Las Vegas race on Sunday.

Unlike the Earnhardt crash, I didn't see the incident that took Wheldon's life live. I joined ABC coverage of the race about four or five minutes after the 15-car pileup. By that time, he had been removed from the car and the emergency helicopter was being fired up. As much as the ABC announcers were trying to downplay the possibility that someone had been killed, as soon as I saw Wheldon's car covered by a yellow tarp, I knew that he was not going to survive. Having covered a fair share of airplane and serious car crashes, I know that the tarp means we are no longer dealing with a vehicle--but rather a piece of evidence that will need to be preserved for an investigation.

I had a chance to talk with Dan Wheldon at the EAA Airventure in 2005--about two months after he won his first Indy 500. I remember how small a guy he was (about 5-9, 160 pounds) and what a quick wit he had as well. I think it was the second question in our interview that I asked him if he was irritated by all of the attention Danica Patrick got for NOT winning the 500 that year--while he seemed to play second fiddle by WINNING THE RACE!! As I was asking the question, he got this little wry smile on his face and I could tell what he wanted to say--but like the skilled PR machines that these top-rank racers are, he gave me the politically correct answer of "Danica brings lots of fans and attention to the sport so it's all good."

He was worried about a flight with fellow Klein Tools endorser Mike Mancuso later that day at EAA--hoping Mike wouldn't make him lose his lunch doing stunts. While we waited for the Klein folks to bring him a t-shirt and picture to sign, Wheldon asked me about what it was like to live in town with so many planes flying around all the time. I appreciated the fact that he was willing to give 15-good minutes to a radio reporter from a podunk radio station.

What angers me about what happened yesterday is the fact that Dan Wheldon really should not have even been in that race. As proof of what a two-bit operation Indycar Racing has become, the defending 500 champion didn't even have a full-time sponsor. In fact, this was only his third race of the year. Wheldon was there only because he had a chance to win $5-million dollars in some cheesy challenge put up by IndyCar President Randy Bernard in a desperate attempt to gin up some interest in a race that was competing with NFL Football and the baseball playoffs for TV ratings. The prize was to be split with a woman from New Jersey who won an on-line contest (how do you think she feels today?).

I'm trying to take solace in the two things that eased the shock of Dale, Sr's death a decade ago: 1) That Dan's death will make the sport safer. Ironically, the ABC announcers mentioned that Wheldon was doing the test driving for a "safer" IndyCar--which will be used starting next year. You'll recall that Earnhardt's death led to required use of the Head and Neck Support device in NASCAR--along with improved safety belts, safer barrier walls and other advancements in the "Car of Tomorrow". And 2) That Dan Wheldon died doing what he loved and was passionate about. How many of us will ever get to have that as our epitaph?

Dan Wheldon leaves behind his wife and two children--both under the age of two.

The Stealers

2011-10-14T05:10:00.000-05:00

My wife hopes the person who stole some of her Halloween decorations really enjoys them. I'm sure that they are smashed on the street somewhere else in Oshkosh--creating a short-term laugh for somebody--but she is not going to be happy for a while. Being the realist that I am, I had warned her stuff like that left out is just going to be stolen or vandalized--but out it went anyway.

I'm never surprised by what people will steal--or the lengths to which they will go to get something that is not rightly theirs. All you need to do is tune in to any of our newscasts to learn that. Take for instance the Crimestoppers reports we get every week from Waushara County. They've seen entire farm irrigation systems, large commercial grade lawnmowers and large amounts of construction equipment from homebuilding sites. What gets me is that a lot of this stuff would require multiple people and big trailers to steal--yet no one ever sees anything suspicious? And then you had the guy in the Town of Menasha stealing all four of the sewer grates at a busy intersection. There again, heavy objects out in a very visible location and nobody thinks "Why is that guy removing all of those grates?

The one that really made me laugh this week was the theft of a semi-trailer from the WalMart distribution center in Beaver Dam. First, that would require having a semi to actually haul that away--I doubt someone was able to hook it up to their diesel-dually. Second, what do you then do with an empty trailer that has a big WalMart logo on its side? That should look a bit out of place anywhere you try to store it. The chuckles were doubled when police noted those at the distribution center weren't really sure when the trailer disappeared. I'll admit, I didn't notice my wife's decorations were missing--but those were pumpkins and stuf--not a 50-foot long semi-trailer. You'd think someone would say the next day "Hey, wasn't there something here before?"

And then you have the people who think the best theft victims are those in their own family. We've had a couple of stories recently of nephews breaking into Aunts and Uncles houses to steal cash, guns and other items. I bet that makes for some interesting conversation at holiday dinners and family weddings. This week we had a conviction in a case where a woman forged her in-law's signatures on promissary notes and contracts--then sued them for a quarter-of-a-million dollars. That really takes some guts. She even went so far as to continue calling them the "quote/unquote alleged victims"--while using flying quotations hand gesture--in court.

So enjoy our Halloween decorations, Stealers. I know you think you "deserve" to have them more than us.

OK--now that my wife thinks this Two Cents is done...feel free to steal our Christmas lights this winter so I don't have to climb up the ladder in freezing cold weather to put them up and take them down anymore.

Just To Put Things In Perspective

2011-10-13T05:11:00.000-05:00

I wanted to tell you about a couple of big "rallies" going on this weekend in Wisconsin. One of them is scheduled for Saturday in Madison--the other will be Sunday in Green Bay.

In Madison, many of the attendees will have significant student loan debt. Others will have kids dealing with substantial debt. In Green Bay, you will have many who are struggling to pay their mortgages and who are worrying about losing their jobs.

At both "rallies" attendees will don apparel of matching colors in a show of solidarity. They will chant chants, they will sing songs, they will clap their hands and stomp their feet. Some will even bring signs showing support for those on "their side"--or mocking those they oppose. In Green Bay, I expect a lot of booing of millionaires. Law enforcement will be out in force in both cities--making sure things don't get out of hand. Dozens of media outlets will cover the "rallies"--gathering information for passionate followers.

An expected 80-thousand-plus will attend the Madison "rally" on Saturday. Better than 73-thousand will show up for the Green Bay "event". Numbers that will dwarf the turnout for #Occupy rallies in much bigger cities like New York or San Francisco. Millions more will watch the action unfold live on TV, will listen on the radio or will log onto the internet for updates--generating ratings that Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow would give their left arms to see in a month.

The Madison "rally" is expected to generate an estimated $1.3-million dollars for the "cause". The Green Bay "rally" will bring in more than $2-million dollars. Millions more will be spent at restaurants and hotels in those cities this weekend. Proving to be an incredible economic boost for the state.

How can you be a part of this "movement" that so many other people care so much about? Just stop down at Camp Randall Stadium around 11:00 Saturday morning for the Badgers game against Indiana--or swing by Lambeau Field at Noon Sunday for the game against St. Louis.

The best part? You don't have to hate anyone to attend--well at least not until the Ohio State or Vikings games.

Short Takes

2011-10-12T05:07:00.000-05:00

Just some short takes on various topics today:

--Given my wife's excitement over the news of a Kohl's Department Store coming to Oshkosh soon, staying on the Dave Ramsey Plan may be a bit more of a challenge. Her only disappointment--the store won't be open by the Christmas shopping season. All we need now in Oshkosh is a Golf Galaxy or one of those stores that sells authentic sports jerseys and ballcaps and I'll need to get a third job.

--It's "Mission Accomplished" for everyone in Washington DC this week. By approving--but not by enough votes--President Obama's Jobs Act, the Senate has given all those running for election next year the ammunition they need. For the President, he can go out on the campaign trail and say "I put forth a bill that would have 'created' thousands of jobs and fix our infrastructure and cut taxes and cut spending and they (Republicans) said 'no'" Senate Republicans can go out and say "We kept the President from sinking us farther in debt with a plan to increase the size of government and not 'create' any long-term jobs for anybody." And the Red-State Democrats in the Senate can say "Hey, I didn't vote for that bag of flaming dog doo either--check the record!"

--I figure you have about two more weeks to actually enjoy watching television. After that, both sides in the Recall Scott Walker effort will start firing up their advertising machines. AFSCME and WEAC will be first on the tube with their "Governor Walker's extreme agenda has cost hard-working Wisconsin families money and jobs"--while showing the protests at the Capitol and the stock footage of a couple looking disturbed by the latest bill they got in the mail. That will be followed a few days later by Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce ads saying "Governor Walker took on the special interests and union lobbyists in Madison and achieved tax savings for most Wisconsinites"--over the stock footage of protesters clashing with Capitol police and all of the headlines about school districts saving millions of dollars on benefits packages. Our only hope is that they wait until after the World Series is done--and there is really nothing to watch anyways.

--And finally, kudos to those who organized and attended the Oshkosh Pub Crawl last weekend. Citations and arrests were down this year--while attendance was up. I know there was a segment of the population here in Oshkosh that was disappointed there wasn't looting and clashes with riot police so they would have grounds to completely shut down the Crawl. I look forward to continued support of downtown businesses created by this event--here in "Event City." Prost!!

Let Them Work, Senator Kohl!!

2011-10-11T05:12:00.000-05:00

Now that "Wisconsin Jobs Now" has wrapped up their pro-Jobs Act rally on the College Avenue bridge in Appleton, they can jump in their VW Microbuses and Toyota Priuses and head down to 1001 North
Fourth Street in Milwaukee to demand that millionaires start paying their fair share to save hundreds of jobs. I'll spare you the trip to Mapquest and let you know that is the address of the Bradley Center--home of the Milwaukee Bucks.

In case you missed it, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced yesterday that at least the first two weeks of the 2011-2012 season will be cancelled due to the owners' lockout of the players. That's right, Herb Kohl is keeping hardworking union members from making a living. The players want to play, they have offered concessions on their share of the income generated by the league--but Senator Kohl and his millionaire and billionaire associates have said that is not enough--and they are trying to bust the union.

Sure, Senator Kohl can claim the Bucks have lost money for years--but he has a net worth of $231-million dollars (I believe that figure leaves him a little short of being part of the "1%" that Occupy Wall Street wants to destroy--so that group will have to sit out this protest)--so he should be able to continue covering those losses out of his own pocket. Besides, how could he be losing money when he and his greedy partners are getting $930-million dollars annually in television revenues from "evil" Wall Street Corporations like Disney (ABC/ESPN) and Time-Warner Cable (Turner Broadcasting/NBA Network)?

And it's not just the players who are prevented from working--it's the coaches, the trainers, the equipment guys, the ball boys, the concession stand workers, the security guards, the ticket-takers, all of the front-office personnel, the PA announcer, the beat reporters and the play-by-play guys that are losing out on income as well, Senator Kohl. Those are "hardworking Wisconsin Families" whose efforts have been putting money in your pocket for years, Senator--and now you are taking money out of theirs. You seem so ready to commit $447-Billion of our (taxpayers) money for President Obama's Jobs Act--why don't you dig into your own pocket and give the players "a fair deal"? Oh, and you can buy your own new arena in Downtown Milwaukee as well--because we aren't about bailouts for businesses anymore.

So c'mon professional protesters, union brothers and all of those sick of the rich taking advantage of the middle class--take up your picket signs against Senator Herb Kohl and demand that he end the lockout and let the players play. Because this fight isn't about politics, right?

Right?

Hello???

Anyone??

The President is Right

2011-10-10T05:15:00.001-05:00

One of the things I hate about the current political climate is that when someone from the opposite party or ideology says something that you should agree with--everyone is still compelled to bash that person and denigrate their position.

Case in point, President Obama's statement last week to Orlando, FL TV station when asked about why the ecnomony isn't pulling out of the recession: "I mean, there are a lot of things we can do. The way I think about it is, you know, this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft and, you know, we didn't have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades. We need to get back on track."

Now you would have thought the President had called Americans a bunch of lilly-livered, yellow cowards the way conservatives have reacted to his comments. Rick Perry (OK--a pseudo-conservative) said it was President Obama who "is soft". Most of the hosts on this very radio station bashed the President for "bashing America again." But the truth of the matter is President Obama is correct--we are soft and we have lost our competitive edge.

We don't keep score in youth sports because that would mean having "winners" and "losers". High schools are doing away with Valedictorians and Salutatorians at graduation ceremonies. Instead of teaching our children that underage drinking in illegal and wrong--we host house parties for them. We consider a 26-year old a "child" for the purpose of remaining on their parents' health insurance. We oppose merit-based pay raises. We buy cars that open their own doors, park themselves and now, even compensate for our own inattentiveness behind the wheel. We demonize anyone that makes more money than us. And now we are trying to model our economy after systems that have dragged other nations down into financial ruin.

One of my favorite moments during the time I took off last year to "pursue other opportunities" was visiting a house here in Oshkosh where a father and son were both unemployed. The father--Id' say about 350-pounds--was on disability "you know, because of my back". The son--I'd say in his mid-20's--complained there were no jobs available. I asked him what he did--and he said he was a welder. I told him that FVTC had to add courses last year trying to train welders just to meet demand in the area. He said "Yeah, but all them jobs are in Manitowoc and Marinette--and I ain't going there just for a job."

So I applaud President Obama for speaking the truth (for a change) and for throwing down the gauntlet. Now, how will America accept the challenge?

Know Your Protesters!!!

2011-10-06T05:10:00.000-05:00

Occupy Wall Street is looking to expand across the country. The anti-corporation protest movement that started in New York City has announced three rallies in Wisconsin next week--including one in Appleton. I know the "professional protesters" will be out there--you know, the folks that seem to have a grievance with everything in society today and who seem to get a deluded pleasure out of making everyone aware of that. But should you--the "Average American"--consider joining the movement? Well before you go to Hobby Lobby to get your cardboard and magic markers to make your "GREED" and "SHAME" signs, you should probably know what Occupy Wall Street actually stands for.

There are multiple outlets on the internet listing the "Official Demands" of OWS--many of which have absolutely nothing to do with the way business or the economy operate here in the US. Take for instance demand #2--Repeal the Patriot Act. I guess I don't see how warrant-less wiretaps on suspected terrorists resulted in higher unemployment--but Occupy Wall Street believes that is the second most important thing that must happen in our country.

And then you have demand #6--End the War on Drugs. Are the protesters saying we should create jobs by legallizing the sale of marijuana and other recreational drugs? I know we had 48-people right here in Oshkosh pulling in a total of $2.4 million dollars selling cocaine and heroin over the last two years--so obviously there is demand for the product. And will we become a more productive country if employers can no longer test employees for drug use? The folks at OWS apparently believe it will.

Demand #8--National Repeal of Capital Punishment--has me scratching my head. Is my Roth IRA down 12-percent this year because people who killed others in cold blood were put to death? Do we have that many potential job creators on death row across the US?

Here's a real scary one--demand #10--Office of the Citizen. This demand calls for the creation of a non-elected "Citizen Representative" in the federal government that would have Ombudsman-type powers to strike down legislation deemed "unfair to the people". I'm not sure where in the Constitution such a position is allowed in our democratic-republic style of government. The rambling explanation of this demand includes references to selection of "experts" to fill out this office who would somehow "know" how to act on behalf of "the people". Apparently electing our leaders isn't the "fair" way to do things anymore.

Demand #11--the US Must Comply With International Human Rights Law. I guess this rules out waterboarding businessowners until they hire people.

And then you have demand #13--Prosecutions of the Guilty. Here again, we have people calling for "fairness" for everyone in the system already handing down decisions on who is "guilty" and who is "innocent". So much for due process and the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

So if these demands are what you believe in as well--then I encourage you to join the "struggle" and Occupy Wall Street. But if you recognize this as just the same old far-left, quasi-Socialist garbage packaged in a new wrapper, then follow the advice of Sir Winston Churchill during the Blitz of World War Two: "Keep Calm and Carry On."

Life--Through the Eyes of a Liberal

2011-10-05T08:36:00.000-05:00

With the Earth Charter Summit at UW-Oshkosh this week, I thought I would take a look at a day in my life through the eyes of those trying to "save the planet".

I awoke yesterday and shuffled into the bathroom. Since I have a regular-flow toilet and no restrictor on my shower head I placed further stress on our freshwater supply and lowered the level of Lake Winnebago by a milli-micron--threatening habitat for thousands of fish and other wildlife.

To get dressed, I turned on a light fixture that uses two incandescent light bulbs--thereby causing the coal fired power plant owned by Wisconsin Public Service to increase production--resulting in more greenhouse gasses and a further reduction of the polar ice cap by about one square millimeter--further threatening the exisitance of polar bears.

For breakfast I had a couple of brand-name bagels washed down with major dairy milk--thereby promoting the use of processed food products using grains grown on corporate-owned farms that don't use conservation practices. The milk came from cows provided with steroids to boost production at huge milking operations whose manure control practices threaten rural water supplies.

I drove to work in my gas-guzzling SUV--providing more money to the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia--who will use it buy another fleet of Mercedes-Benzes and swords to cut off the heads of their political opponents.

Once in the newsroom, I fired up three different computers and monitors--requiring more electricity and further shrinking the polar ice cap. Among the stories I worked on yesterday was the continued negotiations between the Oshkosh Corporation and its United Auto Workers Union employees. While I provided comments from both sides-I failed to mention the "obscene" profits Oshkosh made from producing "weapons of war" that will only result in further misery and terror for the innocent people of Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come. The only stories featuring people of color were those involving drug rings and sexual assaults--thereby perpetuating the perception that racial minorities commit a disproportionate number of crimes in Wisconsin.

Since I was pressed for time, for lunch I drove (another palace for a Saudi Prince) to Burger King to get a couple of double cheeseburgers--made with beef that required clearing of more rain forest in Brazil and operation of inhumane slaughterhouses.

I also downloaded the monthly portfolio report for my Roth IRA. Those mutual funds are filled with shares of greedy Wall Street Corporations--and my investment in them only endorses their anti-worker, anti-"fair share of taxes" agendas pushed by their over-compensated CEO's.

After driving home in my SUV (another yacht for the Saudis) I settled in to enjoy some Major League Baseball Playoffs on my "energy hog" big-screen HDTV (less ice cap for the polar bears). The games featured athletes being paid hundreds of millions of dollars to play a game while teachers are forced to pay 12% of their health insurance premiums and 5% toward their retirement benefits. I also enjoyed a beer with the game--further promoting alcohol use and irresponsible social behavior.

Once the Brewers fell behind by seven runs, I shuffled back to bed. And despite the "terrible toll" that I inflicted upon our "fragile" planet and my fellow man in the previous 19-hours--I somehow had no trouble falling right asleep--without an ounce of guilt.

Life--According to Ron Roenicke

2011-10-04T05:13:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing you can say about Milwaukee Brewers Manager Ron Roenicke, it's that he is more than willing to take a risk. Starting Zach Greinke on three days rest the final day of the regular season in a game the Crew had to win to secure home field advantage in the 1st round of the Playoffs, starting Jerry Hairston at 3rd base when he had mainly been a bench player since being acquired mid-season, coming back with Greinke on 3-days rest again in Game 2 of the NLDS, a squeeze play in a tie game Sunday when the Diamondbacks had all the momentum going their way--all of which have paid off handsomely.

Roenicke is living proof that those who aren't afraid to fail are the least likely to fail. Did he think that Greinke might get shelled early in either of those short-rest starts--thereby blowing out the bullpen for the playoffs? He might have--but he also had a feeling that his big-money ace would dig down and find a way to give them at least five good innings--and the best chance to win. Was there a good chance that Jonathan Lucroy might whiff on the bunt attempt--or worse yet pop it up, resulting in a rally killing double play? Absolutely--but he stuck with his gut feeling that "Luc" would come through with another clutch play.

If any of these moves had backfired, Roenicke would be getting roasted on sports talk radio both here in Wisconsin and nationally as well. But I'm guessing that he would have sat there in front of all the microphones and the cameras and told reporters that the unsuccessful plays were his fault. He wouldn't rant about how the players are bums or how the umpires had a terrible strike zone or that the ballpark was too dark while the Brewers were hitting. And by "manning up" he would earn the respect of not only the players--but the fans as well.

Ron is from the old school philosophy on life--where you have to go out and make your own success in the world. You can't live worried about everything you do not working out exactly as you had hoped. If you experience failure, you accept the result--look at what you need to do better--and work hard to be more successful the next time. Just think where we could be as a country and a society if more people had Ron Roenicke "flashing them signs" from the dugout as they play the game of life.

After Further Review.....

2011-10-03T05:12:00.000-05:00

In case you missed it late Friday afternoon, a Waukesha County judge struck down the Department of Public Instruction's order to the Mukwonago School District to change its "Indians" high school mascot. Judge Donald Hassin, Jr cited all of the issues I pointed out in a "My Two Cents" after the Berlin School District received a similar order from the DPI a couple of weeks ago--mainly that the process is unconstitutionally biased against districts.

The attorney who represented the group that challenged the DPI ruling believes this ruling can now be applied to any of the other districts that have been forced to change their mascots in the same process--meaning Berlin, Kewaunee, et al can sue and expect to win (unless of course the case is heard in Dane County). But I would encourage them NOT to take this back to court.

Since the mascot issue is tied directly to sports in high schools, then we should use this to teach the same life lessons kids learn by competing in athletics. One of the main reasons rules change in sports is because something happens in the course of a game that makes people realize that the rule in the book is not entirely fair. But once that changes, it's not like everyone who got screwed by the old version of the rule gets to appeal and have the game results overturned. And sometimes you get a referee or an umpire that really is biased against one team or the other. You don't get to play the game again with a different set of officials.

Besides, going back to the old mascot just sets the table for another round of fighting and anger somewhere else down the line. Eventually, a Democrat will be governor again in Wisconsin--and Democrats will control both houses of the Legislature again. When that happens, they will just pass the bill they didn't have the guts to pass last session that just says "All Native American mascots are hereby illegal"--instead of setting up the sham DPI "public hearing" procedure that is being thrown out in the Waukesha County ruling.

I've got a couple of suggestions for a new Berlin mascot. One of them comes from an "Anonymous" (real gutsy there) respondent to that previous "Two Cents" blog: "The Cavemen"--because that commenter believes anyone who doesn't see blatant racism and hatred in an Indianhead logo on a letterman's jacket is a "Troglodyte".

The other suggestion would be the "Old Hickories". That would be in "tribute" to Democratic President Andrew Jackson--who initially rose to national prominance by defeating the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in 1814--and then openly defied a Supreme Court ruling overturning the Indian Removal Act, and forced Florida's Native American population to march the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma--resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands. It should be important that kids know the historic record of those pushing the mascot issue.

Your Guess Is As Good As Mine

2011-09-30T05:03:00.000-05:00

I'm sure Oshkosh Corporation employees had a restless night--knowing they had to vote today on a new 5-year contract with the company. Not only did they have to project their personal 5-year budgets based on the pay increases, bonus payment and rising health insurance premiums--they also had to figure out just where this economy is heading. If things continue the way they are going, the deal offered to them will be well ahead of many other workers in the area. If things finally turn around, then they might get left behind. So in the space of one night, those workers need to come up with answers to a whole lot of questions.

For example, if the Obama Administration goes on for another five years there will be reductions in military spending. Will that mean the huge FMTV contract will be scaled back as well? Will the Pentagon continue to need reconditioned trucks for use in Afghanistan if the President decides to pull out before sustainable peace can be assured?

What if all the requirements of Obamacare stay in place? If you think they will, then having an agreement that guarantees private health insurance for another five years is a huge bonus. It would be so much cheaper for the corporation to just dump the benefit and just pay the $2000 fine per employee--forcing its workers onto Badgercare or higher rates in the insurance "exchanges". That would make the doubling of the premiums contained in the new contract look like a real bargain.

Oshkosh is also a multi-national operation--with a large presence in Europe. So those union workers also have to figure out if the Euro Zone members will continue on their current path to mutual economic destruction. Countries in default don't buy a lot of garbage trucks, fire trucks or military vehicles. And while sales to our new economic overlords in China represent a growing market now--how long until they have the infrastructure in place to make their own heavy-duty trucks (stealing the designs and technology patented by Oshkosh, of course)?

And let's not forget Oshkosh is an "evil corporation" doing business on Wall Street--so under another five years of Obamanomics they will be paying "their fair share" of taxes from now on. That increases the cost of production and makes the company less competitive in bidding for contracts. Will that mean less work and layoffs? An eight percent pay increase doesn't mean much if you don't have that job anymore.

If I was in the union, I would have asked for just an 18-month contract. Let's find out if we are getting four more years of talk about "hope and change"--or some actual economic hope and change.

Stop the Music!

2011-09-29T05:10:00.000-05:00

It is time for the City of Oshkosh to end the silly little dance it does with downtown bar owners. We hear ad nauseum that the City is committed to making the North Main Street district a viable, vibrant area--yet, when somebody tries to actually bring people to the businesses in the district they are made to feel like a bunch of criminals.

As usual, the City's hypocrisy is exposed by an event that will bring an estimated three-thousand people to North Main Street on October 8th--the Oshkosh Pub Crawl. Based on personal experience and observation, the turnout for the Crawl will be approximately 15-times the turnout for the Farmers Market every Saturday and about 30-times the attendance for an average Gallery Walk held in the very same area. And yet those snooze-fests are promoted as the "success stories" for downtown revitalization.

And how does the City "welcome" those three-thousand money-paying visitors? Well, those who put together the event are slapped with a Special Event Permit fee higher than any other charged by the City. While those actually attending the event are met with an overwhelming police presence and are treated like criminals-in-waiting.

The time has come for City officials and those who call themselves "community leaders" to come clean and admit they hate the fact the most successful businesses in the downtown district are the bars. I've been here 11-years now--and I don't recall ever driving down North Main and thinking "Wow, they turned that bar into a vintage clothing store" or "When did that bar shut down--leaving behind an empty building again?"

If the majority of the City Councillors don't want people coming to the area to spend money on drinking, then man up and put that in writing. Put together a development plan for the area that phases out the night clubs and replaces them with wine bars or coffee shops or bistros--you know, the type of niche businesses that make us look like we are a "more refined society" here in Oshkosh. If you detest Pub Crawls so much, then follow the example of the Madison and pass an ordinance that bans drink specials that "promote overconsumption".

It is disingenuous to the bar owners along Main Street to hit them with a special assessment for the "improvements" to the street (that were supposed to make thing safer for pedestrians walking from business to business) or to encourage them to borrow money to improve the facades of their building--but then work to undermine their efforts to actually bring people into their businesses. And these are customers who are definitely coming to spend money--not the average "browser" of the Farmers Market and Gallery Walk who have no intention of spending dollar one.

So what will it be City Hall? More lip service about revitalizing Downtown Oshkosh or actually working to make sure that ALL businesses in the area are successful?

Not So Ford Tough

2011-09-28T05:12:00.000-05:00

I sure hope the Ford Motor Company is telling the truth when it says it didn't pull a new ad due to pressure from President Barack Obama's re-election campaign. If you haven't heard, the Detroit News reported earlier this week that an ad featuring a Ford buyer denigrating the auto industry bailout was pulled from the air after the White House felt it would build further animosity toward the billions that were spent to bailout the two other major US automakers. Here is the "script" from that supposedly "unscripted" ad.........

“I wasn’t going to buy another car that was bailed out by our government,” said a Ford owner identified as Chris.

“I was going to buy from a manufacturer that’s standing on their own: Win, lose or draw. “That’s what America is about, taking the chance to succeed and understanding when you fail that you gotta’ pick yourself up and go back to work. Ford is that company for me.”

Chris is buying a Ford F-150 pickup truck in the ad--so I'm guessing he probably wasn't planning on putting an "Obama 2012" sticker on the bumper anyway--and I'm sure he isn't alone in his choice to purchase based on the bailout.

In response to the initial report, Ford has issued statements claiming the ad was removed from the air as part of a regular rotation--and that it may or may not return. Ford's CEO denied any pressure from the President or his campaign to pull the ad--and that he personally remains in full support of the auto industry bailout. It has also been reported that GM and Chrysler executives were PO'ed by the ad as well. If that was the case, then Chevy should have found someone who ponied up the down payment on a new Volt and had them say:

"I was happy to overpay for my electric vehicle--just like I'll be happy to pay a bunch more for the wind-generated electricity to re-charge it because that makes me feel like I'm doing something to save the planet from evil corporations like Ford."

In the advertising world, you always want to stress what make you better than your competitor--that is called "differentiation". And Ford should be proud to shout from the rooftops that they didn't take taxpayer dollars to prop up unsustainable UAW pension and health care plans. In the eyes of many buyers like "Chris"--that is reason to buy a Ford--despite what a struggling politician might think.

Catching Hell

2011-09-27T04:59:00.000-05:00

I don't usually recommend watching much television (outside of live sports coverage)--but there is a can't miss documentary on ESPN tonight. "Catching Hell" tells the story of a real-life American Hero: Steve Bartman. For those of you who vaguely remember the name--but can't quite place where you've heard of Steve Bartman before, maybe this will help.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX8OwMeE2MQ

I call Bartman an American Hero because he spared us an interminable amount of bragging from insufferable Cubs fans by starting in motion a string of events that derailed what appeared to be the first Chicago appearance in the World Series since the end of World War Two. Unfortunately, for his heroic actions--which probably prevented the Apocalypse that would have been unleashed by a Cubs World Series Championship--Bartman was subjected to the type of derision and hatred that would have been more suitable for one of the 9/11 hijackers if they had somehow survived the plane crashes.

And that is the basis of "Catching Hell"--the over-the-top reaction from Cubs fans, the national media and the late night comedians--which made life nearly impossible for a guy who only did what any other fan in any other stadium would have done if thrown into the same situation. To his credit, Bartman has not lashed out at the buffoons who blamed him for what Cubs teams have been doing for more than 100-years now--choking in the biggest moments. He continues to go to work, he hasn't written a book--he even refused to take part in tonight's documentary.

In a way, it's too bad Bartman hasn't tried to capitalize on his "infamy". I'm guessing there would be a lot more pats on the back and high-fives than there would be death threats. Of course, he'd probably be 500-pounds and an alcoholic from all the free lunches and free drinks all of us Cub Haters would still be buying him.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same....Again

2011-09-26T04:55:00.000-05:00

It baffles me why politicians have the biggest problem learning from their own mistakes--or the mistakes of others. I ask this after news broke on Friday that three members of Governor Scott Walker's administration are granted immunity in a John Doe investigation into illegal campaign work done by Milwaukee County Employees working under Walker.

If this type of controversy sound familiar, it's because this is not the first time such alleged activity has taken place. You may recall it was was called the "Capitol Caucus Scandal" the first time around--and some people actually went to jail because of their activities. Long story short, state employees were directed to do campaign work on taxpayers time--in clear violation of state law. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala was convicted on two felony counts and served nine months in jail. State Senator Brian Burke spent six months in jail after he was found guilty of collecting contributions for his Attorney General campaign in his state office. Both Chvala and Burke were booted from the Senate as well.

Now you would think that anyone working on any campaign anywhere in Wisconsin would look at what happened to Chvala and Burke and think "Holy cow, I don't want to go to jail and be a convicted felon just to win an election!" But it's possible that was not the thought process employed in Milwaukee County. Perhaps it was more along the lines of "Well they may have been caught--but we'll be 'smarter' than them."

The next step in the playbook will be the statement from the campaign that these were merely "overly eager workers going rogue on their own with no direction from any campaign officials or their boss" and then a few low-level people falling on their swords to protect those higher up. As someone who tried to take on this career politician "I can't afford to lose at any cost" type attitude, it just makes me shake my head and say "The more things change, the more they stay the same."

The Kids Lose Again

2011-09-23T05:40:00.000-05:00

Chalk up another win for the money counters at the WIAA--and another loss for the student-athletes they claim to care so much about. The Association announced this week that Boys Basketball Sectionals will no longer be played at at college sites like the Kolf Sports Center or the Brown County Arena. In a refreshing change, WIAA spokesman Todd Clark openly admitted that the only factor in this decision was that it would allow them to keep more of the money generated by ticket sales--rather than having to rent the gym. So instead of having a unique opportunity to play before big crowds on college-sized courts, teams making it to sectionals now get to play in just another high school gym.

Even though we never had a prayer of making it there when I played at Bay Port, playing at the Brown County Arena was a really big deal. That was where Dick Bennett and the UWGB Phoenix played, there were actual shot clocks and the hoops weren't connected to the ceiling. It was a really neat thing to experience (for teams that actually made it there I mean). If you had told me a regional title would mean another trip to Ashwaubenon High School, it would have been a bit of a disappointment. As a broadcaster, I've done sectional doubleheaders at the Arena and let me tell you having four fan bases in the house at the same time really gets things rocking.

And let's not forget the fans lose out here as well. I've been at a few sectional games at the Kolf featuring Oshkosh teams where it was standing room only--and the Kolf holds about five-thousand people. Only about half of those fans would get in a game at Stevens Point. Kind of makes you wonder how the WIAA expects to make more money if fewer fans are able to buy tickets. I doubt, venue rental was so expensive as to make that trade off a break-even deal.

I understand the WIAA has to be self-sufficient--and that Boys Football and Basketball playoffs are the only moneymakers they have--so profits need to be maximized. And let's not forget the Gannett Newspapers likely cost them thousands with their lawsuit to avoid paying $50 broadcast fees to stream playoff games--so that money has to be made back as well. But at some point, the student-athletes and the fans have to be given some consideration.

So just add this to what is becoming a lengthy list of questionable decisions coming from the WIAA--along with the Valley Football Association (which no one wanted), the idea of everyone making the playoffs in football (which no one wants) and no more taking your shirt off at insde sporting events (OK, only the kids didn't want that one). And you can also add another tick in the loss column for the kids--even though this is supposed to be "all about the children".

A Bad Call

2011-09-22T05:14:00.000-05:00

This is a tough morning for those of us who support the death penalty. On the same day that a white supremacist who dragged a black man behind his pickup truck is put to death for his heinous crimes, a black man who very well may have been falsely accused in the death of a white police officer is also executed.

The case of Lawrence Brewer in Texas represents the very reason capital punishment needs to be an option in the US. Brewer is one of three men who picked up James Byrd, Jr along a country road back in 1998--chained him to the back bumper of his pickup truck--and dragged him behind the vehicle for two miles--leaving a trail of body parts and blood. Even as he faced the lethal injection, Brewer had no apology to offer for what he had done. Tell me, how would we be a better society for having Lawrence Brewer still alive and sitting in a prison cell eating three square meals a day, watching TV and interacting with other hardcore racists in a Texas prison? I don't think we would be any better than we are for having put him to death.

And then you have the much more ballyhooed case of Troy Davis--an African-American man found guilty of killing a white off-duty police officer in Georgia back in 1989. Seven of the nine people who testified against Davis have since recanted or changed their versions of what happened that night--leading many to question whether the death penalty is fair punishment in the case. And I happen to agree.

I'm sure those who took more than just a few pre-law classes will tell me this isn't the way things work, but I would have preferred seeing those who have recanted or changed their stories charged with perjury or obstruction of justice--beacuse isn't that what they are admitting to have done? If in those seven trials convictions are brought back by juries, that should provide compelling evidence to appeals courts that perhaps a new trial is warranted--with the "corrected versions of the facts" being presented. Unfortunately, affidavits of now-admitted-liars were all that appeals attorneys had to use and a number of courts rejected them.

Juries are instructed to convict only if they feel a defendant is "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt". In death penalty cases the standard for the punishment itself needs to be "beyond a shadow of a doubt". Yes, it will mean fewer executions I'm sure--but that is much better than the possibility of putting an innocent man to death. The lone solace we can take from last night is that even the most liberal members of the Supreme Court--Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Sonia Sotomayor--did not dissent to the denial of Davis's last minute plea for clemency--and how many times have we been told they have the best grasp of the law in the land?

So THAT'S Who Is To Blame!

2011-09-21T05:19:00.000-05:00

According to President Obama, 234,000 people are to blame for our current federal budget crisis. Those 234-thousand people are the households that reported incomes of at least $1-million dollars last year. And--according to the President--they are the ones who did not pay their "fair share" of taxes.

Those 234-thousand people are the one's targeted by the so-called "Buffett Rule" that the President is including in his new tax increase proposal. The "Buffett" referred to there is Warren Buffett, who claims his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does. However, the "Oracle of Omaha" actually doesn't need a change in the Federal Tax Code to rectify that situation. He just needs to raise his salary from Berkshire Hathaway--which is taxed at a rate much higher than what his secretary would pay--and decrease what he claims as income from capital gains and dividends--which are taxed at a lower rate. Voila, Buffett is paying 35% in federal taxes--while his secretary (assuming she makes between 40- and 50-thousand dollars a year) will continue paying 15%.

According to an Associated Press "Fact Check" story,

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/story/2011-09-20/buffett-tax-millionaires/50480226/1

the top 10% of wage earners in the US pay 70% of all federal income taxes. The rest is picked up by those of us in the next 44% of wage earners. 46% of all Americans pay nothing in federal income taxes. And that final group is growing every year. Kind of makes you wonder who isn't paying their fair share. Of course, I'm not part of that 46% President Obama needs to scare/placate/over-promise to have any chance of winning election in 2012.

Now, back to work to support my family--and one other one too.

Why Even Bother?

2011-09-20T05:18:00.000-05:00

I'm not going to try and re-fight the battle over high school mascots--those of us who believe in freedom of expression have pretty much accepted defeat on this issue--but I do have raise some questions as to the process the Department of Public Instruction uses to strip schools of their nicknames. After reading through the "Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law" in the Berlin High School case, it's clear that there is absolutely no way for a school district to win a challenge to a complaint--so why even bother?

When Democrats in the Legislature and Governor Doyle passed this law back in 2009 the clear intent was to eliminate all Native American-related mascots--but rather than taking responsibility for this unpopular move and writing the bill to just make the nicknames illegal--lawmakers instead chose to have the Department of Public Instruction do their dirty work.

The deck is immediately stacked against districts by requiring them to provide the burden of proof that the mascot is NOT racist. As any criminal defense attorney will tell you, proving a negative is much harder than proving a positive. That is why in our criminal system the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a defendent DID commit a crime--rather than the suspect having to prove beyond a reasonalbe doubt that he or she DIDN'T do it. Add to that, the DPI is to take at face-value anyone's testimony that they are "offended" by the mascot.

In the Berlin hearing, one district resident testified that he saw students at games wearing a headress twice--once in 2001 and once in 2009. A couple of witnesses claiming to represent Wisconsin Indian Tribes--but not Berlin residents (and who have testified at other such hearings for districts where they do not reside)--testified to incidents they saw years ago as children--but again, not in Berlin--and how it traumatized them.
Meanwhile, a longer list of witnesses for the district were dismissed as failing to provide "convincing" evidence that the logo and mascot do not promote stereotyping. The expenses associated with removing all references to the current logo and mascot from buildings and jerseys was also dismissed as "irrelevant".

While there is support in the new-look Legislature for doing away with this dog-and-pony show process--it is not a top priority right now--so we are stuck with what we've got. Therefore, I propose that we use the same process for redress of other school-related grievances.

Imagine if one senior citizen here in Oshkosh this past year had filed a complaint about the 10% property tax increase--claiming it was an "undue hardship" upon them with their fixed incomes. AARP could have brought in "experts" on the negative impact such tax increases have on all retirees everywhere else. I'm guessing six members of the Oshkosh Board of Education would be testifying at the hearing claiming it really isn't "that much of a hardship"--and that the vast majority of district residents had "no problem" with tax hike. The Oshkosh Education Association would be there as well detailing the expenses their members would incur to make up for the lost tax revenue. But the DPI would be required to ignore all of those arguments--and would really have no choice but to overturn the tax increase--not just for the retiree who couldn't afford it--but for EVERYONE in the district!!

You know what, this "social justice" way of doing things might actually be better than the old "equal justice" way we used to do things.

Please Stop, My Brain Hurts

2011-09-19T05:11:00.000-05:00

I used to think that the proliferation of live sports programming on TV was a good thing. It wasn't so long ago that all of these pennant chase Brewers games would not have been televised locally--and forget about a home game ever being on TV. Remember when the only way to see a Badgers football game on TV was to wait for the replay on Wisconsin Public Television Saturday night? And being a fan of other "out-of-town" teams in the NFL, NHL and NBA--the more games broadcast, the better the chance of one of my teams being shown here.

But now I'm wondering if maybe it might be time to start scaling back--not because I don't want to watch so many games--but rather because there are clearly not enough quality play-by-play crews to call all of the action. (Why else would the insufferable Gus Johnson be considered a "top-tier" play-by-play guy?) Never was that more evident than in the Badgers and Packers games this weekend.

Thanks to the MAC'S contract arrangement with ESPN, the Wisconsin-Northern Illinois game was relegated to ESPN3--an internet-only channel. I'll give credit to Time Warner Cable for putting the show on one of its sports tier channels (not in HiDef)--so we didn't have to deal with stop-and-go-action and "buffering" messages trying to watch it on-line. But given the production work and the call of the game--I would have rather just been kept in the dark.

The broadcast featured some of the worst camera angles ever, sloppily-edited replays and the worst call of a game I have ever seen outside of public access television. For awhile, I thought maybe the crew was watching the contest on-line as well--and was surfing some other sites during the game. And then Christian Fauria provided insightful color commentary like "Uhhhh" on a long run by Montee Ball.

The Packers were broadcast on FOX Sunday--so you would expect at least a more professional effort (I'll skip the rant about fighting robots this time). But the call from Charles Davis and Jim Mora, Junior made me want to stick meat thermometers in my ears to find some relief from the pain. I've been in TV meetings where the broadcast crew and the producers decide what the "storylines" are going to be coming into the game. Obviously, the "storyline" for the Packers-Panthers game was going to be "Cam Newton is going to be the next big thing in the NFL so we need to be on his bandwagon as soon as possible."

You would have thought it was Tim Tebow at quarterback and Evangelical Christians in the booth the way Davis and Mora were slurping on Newton. He was the greatest runner they'd ever seen, he has the strongest arm, the greatest downfield vision, etc, etc. Mora elicited the biggest groan by blaming the Panthers offensive coordinator for the three interception thrown by Newton in the 2nd half--as it was obvious that a guy sitting in a booth was responsible for overthrowing wide open receivers and throwing into double coverage several times.

Yes, I could have listened to Matt and Mike during the Badgers game--but the stream from our Green Bay sister station would not have matched up with the game action--so it would have sounded like they were doing an old-school recreation of a road game. The Packers game was on the radio as well--but I don't need Wayne Larivee yelling about every three yard run like it just won the Super Bowl in overtime--with color commentary by Chewbacca--I mean Larry McCarren--groaning and grunting in reaction to the play on the field.

So maybe the time has come to admit there is a limited number of quality broadcast crews available for games--and as a service to the fans, the networks will air only the games they can work every week. My intelligence as a sports fan can't take anymore.

Boycott Idiocy

2011-09-16T05:13:00.001-05:00

Those "fighting for Wisconsin's working families" are once again turning their guns on those they claim to support. Democratic State Senator Lena Taylor is encouraging her Facebook "friends" and constituents to boycott Georgia-Pacific products made right here in Wisconsin.

The company's great sin: Moving jobs to China or Mexico? Nope. Eliminating health insurance coverage for employees? Not that either. G-P is drawing this attack from the left because the corporation is under the majority control of the Koch Brothers. And because the Koch Brothers provided campaign money to Governor Scott Walker and other Repoublicans who voted for changes to the collective bargaining law--anything they are associated with is automatically "evil" and needs to be boycotted.

Not surprisingly, Taylor is finding ZERO support for her boycott--even from her fellow Democratic lawmakers. Organized Labor's biggest puppet--Senator Dave Hansen of Green Bay--laughed off the idea--knowing that any support for such a ludicrous idea would require him to stay permanently in Illinois the next time he decides to abscond from his elected duties. His comment was "we need to be focusing on job creation."

And there is the irony in all of the Democratic rhetoric. People like the Koch Brothers, and the owners of Johnsonville Brats and Menards (other Democratic boycott targets) are the actual "job creators" in our economy. Without their financial backing, and their focus on maintaining profitable operations, several thousand more people here in Wisconsin would be looking for gainful employment. But people like Senator Lena Taylor don't think about that. All they know is those people have a bunch of money and therefore must be villified for political purposes.

Since Senator Taylor's district covers many of the decaying northside Milwaukee neighborhoods, it might better serve Wisconsin's "working families" if she encouraged her constituents to "boycott" drugs...or drinking alcohol to excess...or illegal weapons...or dropping out of high school...or having unprotected sex. Maybe we could afford to pick up more than 88% of state emloyees health insurance premiums--or 95% of their retirement benefits--if we didn't have to pay for the actions of so many of Senator Taylor's supporters.

Tough Business

2011-09-15T08:16:00.000-05:00

I'm glad I'm not a business owner right now. You're facing a dwindling customer base with less money to spend, rising expenses and now, people in Washington who have never run a private business in their lives pressuring you to make really bad decisions--all in the name of "saving the economy."

Americans are falling into two groups: Those with no money to spend because they un- or under-employed and didn't put enough away while working to make it through a downturn--and those who have money, but are choosing to sit on it because it looks like things will be getting much more expensive for them in the future--or they fear falling into the other category. No matter how low you go with your prices, it's hard to convince people to part with their cash if what you are selling is not a necessity.

Adding to the struggle is the increase in energy costs as utilities are hog-tied and forced to abandon the cheapest forms of electricity in favor of more expensive renewable sources--and continued de-valuation of the US Dollar increases the price of oil and gasoline. And not only are you paying for your increase in energy costs--but you are also picking up the increase in your suppliers and manufacturers power and gas bills as well.

And now, the President is trying to tempt you into expanding your workforce by offering short-lived tax breaks. It's funny how Mr. Obama touts the temporary reduction in payroll taxes--but conveniently forgets to mention the increased rates that would take effect after the 2012 election. And the only way to get the highly-touted tax credits is to hire someone who has been unemployed for more than a year. Yes, some of those long-term unemployed are in situations where the specialized job they are qualified to do just isn't available in the "New, New, New Economy"--but more are people who lack the basic education and work skills to keep a job. That makes a business owner have to decide if the guy who misses a day of work every week because he is "sick again" is worth the cost of a tax-break.

i know most business owners in our area didn't study Keynsian Economics while attending Harvard--so they aren't qualified to know how things work--but those I do know don't hire or increase production in hopes that more people will start pouring through the doors. Usually in the real economy, you wait for demand to increase beyond the point where you can meet it economically--then you bring in more staff and ramp up production. If no one is buying snowthrowers, you don't keep making snowthrowers thinking that if they see enough sitting around for sale Joe Homeowner is going to suddenly want a new one.

And let's not forget about the "ObamaCare Penalties" waiting around the corner. For companies that do provide private health insurance, premiums will skyrocket at providers are required to take on high-risk, more-expensive employees that they could exclude in the past--while small firms not offering health insurance can look forward to the $2000 penalty. Every new employee added now is another two-grand to Uncle Sam down the road.

Of course, those business owners who pass on the short-sighted incentives and make fiscally-sound decisions face villainization as "not being willing to help the economy recover." Just look at the treatment banks are getting for not lending enough money after the TARP bailouts. "Greedy" and "Unpatriotic" are the terms being thrown around to describe them. Nevermind the fact pointed out by a friend of mine at a local credit union--that those coming in looking to borrow money right now are terrible credit risks--and giving money to them just puts us on the path to the same situation we were in before. Meanwhile, those of us who can actually afford to borrow money aren't doing it--because we realize that doing so in this economy is brining unnecessary risk into our lives.

So that is the decision Mr and Mrs Small Business Owner faces now: Take a giant leap of faith that things are suddenly going to turn around because Uncle Sam is going to spend even more money--and risk losing everything you worked hard to build....or exercise sound business judgement and hang on until people are ready to spend again and ride the wave back to success. Glad I don't have to face that decision.

The Worst of Minnesota

2011-09-14T05:07:00.000-05:00

After a day of watery eyes, a raw throat and smelling like I was just sitting around a campfire in my office--it might be time to amend my Top Ten List of the Worst Things to Ever Come Out of Minnesota.

#10--Wildfire Smoke. I'll put this at the bottom of the list for now--as it's possible it could be a one-day thing--unlike every other item on the list which has plagued us for years.

#9--The Mall of America. Yes, mega-malls are the norm now--but this was the original monument to materialism and finding ways to waste as much of your money as possible. I mean, do we really need to have four different Foot Locker stores in one building? I'm still ashamed to admit that I worked there for almost a year.

#8--Michelle Bachman. She is still early in her political career so her ranking could "improve" in the future. I can't think of anything that I have heard her say that hasn't made me roll my eyes and want to crawl under a rock. Fortunately, her "media darling" status appears to be fading as far more qualified candidates for President have entered the race.

#7--Hamm's Beer. You have to give a lot of credit to the marketing guys that came up with the cute Hamm's Bear mascot and the Indian-themed "Land of Sky Blue Waters" ad jingle for making this one of the most popular Midwest beers back in the day. It certainly didn't attain that status based on taste or quality.

#6--Paul Wellstone. The only Senator who could make Russ Feingold look like a moderate. Nonetheless, his death in a plane crash remains a real tragedy.

#5--Brett Favre's 2nd Comeback. Was it the continuous press coverage of the move, the former Packer teammates flying to Mississippi to "convince Brett to come back", "Chilly" going to pick him up at the airport, or the hype surrounding the two games against the Packers that made everyone the sickest? All I will remember is an old, broken-down man huddled under a parka along the sidelines as his non-playoff team was getting pounded by the Bears in his "final, final game" in the NFL.

#4--Lutefisk. Rotten fish soaked in lye--then spread on crackers or bread. It's even more disgusting than it sounds.

#3--Al Franken. It amazes me that someone with such contempt for every other human being on the planet can win election to a major post like the US Senate. It must be his smugness that wins everyone over.

#2--Walter Mondale. Where to begin here? His early efforts to kill the Apollo Space Program because it was taking money away from programs for the poor? His disastrous turn as Vice President during the first Obama--I mean Carter Administration? The idea that voters in 1984 would want to return to those failed economic policies? Or his "We don't negotiate with terrorists--so I'll go over there and do it myself" efforts in the 1990's. (BTW, how many Minnesota politicians is that on the list now? 4 out of 10?)

And finally, the clear and forever choice at #1--University of Minnesota sports teams. Your football team stinks. You win Paul Bunyon's ax so infrequently that the "red side" of the thing is beginning to fade because its the only side that sees any light in the Badgers trophy case. Your basketball team stinks. Clem Haskins had to cheat to get you to the Final Four that one year. And after Doug Woog got caught paying players, your hockey team hasn't won diddly poo. The Badgers could lose every other game in every sport--but if they beat the Gophers in those one or two contests I would still consider it to be a very successful season.

The China Syndrome

2011-09-13T05:22:00.000-05:00

Is anyone noticing how much debt the Chinese are racking up? I don't mean the people of China or the Chinese government going into hock--but rather the amount of money that other countries around the globe are borrowing from China. Their latest "investment" is going to be in Italy--which needs to come up with billions of dollars to head off the same debt crisis that threatens to engulf nearly all of the European economies.

The fact that China is entering into the Euro disaster zone must mean that Germany is tapped out in trying to help keep its neighbors afloat. I know the German bailout of several other countries had to be approved by the nation's Supreme Court--as the conservative political minority was fed up with being the Continental ATM Machine. And how could you blame them for having that attitude? You don't see Germans taking the entire month of August off of work like Spain and Italy. German seniors don't get full retirement benefits at 55 like in Greece and there is no acceptance of permanent unemployment for the younger generations like in Britain. The term "German work ethic" didn't come about by accident--it was earned.

Anyway, a Chinese bailout of a European country is another sign of the decline of the US economic power in the world. The US has always been Western Europe's security blanket, first with the Marshall Plan after World War Two and then by picking up the lion's share of operation expenses for NATO. But now, the countries that we helped to free from facism and whom we protected from Communism for decades are turning to the very Socialists they once feared for help.

Maybe the Chinese will be benevolent creditors. I know the Keynsian economists defending our own major borrowing insist that it is in China's best interest to see all of the countries that owe it money do well--since that is how they will get their money back. But for some reason, I have my suspicions about a regime that still holds political prisoners--and has turned tanks on its own people more than once.

My brother-in-law does a lot of business in China--and he strongly believes they will be the economic leaders of the 21st century. Already, Chinese companies are farming out their work to countries like India and Vietnam--where the labor pool is even cheaper than in their own country--thereby increasing the profits they see in selling items to companies and retailers here in the US. It's just a matter of time before they don't need Apple or Microsoft or Boeing to develop the new cutting edge (and most profitable) technology--they will have the resources to do it themselves. And that is when the US will be pushed to the side--to join its European counterparts on the downward slide into secondary economic status.

Maybe it really was a good idea to start teaching our children Mandarin in elementary school.