Sept. 11 claim stirs UW probe

Well, this has blown-up to a bigger controversy since I first linked (without posting):

"'The 9/11 lie was designed to sow hatred between the faiths,' Barrett has written on the organization's Web site. 'Either we discuss the compelling evidence that 9/11 was an inside job, or there is precious little to talk about.'"

Other Sept. 11 conspiracy theorists in academia include Steven Jones, a physicist from Brigham Young University who argues that the World Trade Center towers were brought down by controlled explosives, not just the impact of airplanes; James H. Fetzer, a retired philosophy professor from the University of Minnesota-Duluth who believes the U.S. military launched a missile into the Pentagon and shot down the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania; and David Ray Griffin, a retired professor from the Claremont School of Theology who sums up arguments for U.S. involvement in the attacks in two books, "The New Pearl Harbor" and "The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions."

On the one hand, he's an idiot. On the other hand, he's already gotten more publicity than he deserves and is offensive to all - especially those who lost loved ones in the attacks of 911. That UW has not dismissed him makes me re-examine my loyalty to the Alma Mater.

Our Government (EEOC) at Work

Once more, John Stossel sees things clearly regarding certain sexual discrimination cases:

"I suspect Hooters' customers are mostly men who think the firm is quite sensitive to their needs, thank you -- and that there would indeed be a class of disappointed males if the government insisted men do the jobs of Hooters girls."

Also:

Sears found itself in the EEOC's cross hairs because more men than women held jobs selling things like lawn mowers and appliances. The disparate numbers themselves were proof, said the government, that Sears discriminated against women.

Sears denied discriminating: "We asked women to do those jobs. It's just that few women want to sell things like lawn mowers."

Unfortunately:

"Have these and other EEOC excesses embarrassed the government into shrinking the EEOC? Of course not. It now has 2,400 employees, and spent $326.8 million in 2005 -- millions more than the year before. Government keeps growing, and as it grows, it feeds on our money, erodes our freedom and defies our common sense."

Outstanding Opinion: The Good War

The Boston Herald carries an outstanding Editorial that clearly reminds readers that we are in a war. A war that may last for some time:

"Five years on, some people remain unaware that this is war; that we are facing an enemy that will do anything in its power to destroy us."

The column goes on to discuss some reasons why some Americans have forgotten this:

"George Bush, while announcing that we were at war five years ago, made a decision to encourage Americans to go about their business as usual. Rather than mobilizing the country for war, he decided he could fight this unconventional war by unconventional means, and with the forces already at hand. Normalcy had its uses as a weapon. It showed that our enemy could not hobble us."

While admirable, the success of this approach, and the "normalcy" we enjoy, has made it appear that the world is "normal":

"Ironically, Bush has been so effective with his approach, that there has not been an attack on the mainland United States since 9-11. That has allowed his opposition to maintain that all the unpleasant things Bush has had to do domestically and abroad are unnecessary, or the very least excessive. They’ve had the freedom to nitpick at the execution of the war, expressing indignation at every misstep, while ignoring major accomplishments, which they see after all as the accomplishments of an unnecessary war based on global intelligence failures that, in hindsight, they cast as lies."

But the column quickly brings us back to reality. A reality we must be willing to face, or we may face it with another devastating blow:

"Our actual and very real enemy purposefully murdered nearly 3,000 people on one day, and has repeatedly attacked civilians other free nations, killing hundreds of people in Europe and Asia, not to mention the thousands of innocents purposefully murdered in Iraq. This enemy has pursued weapons of mass destruction, and given the opportunity, will use them to kill as many of us as possible. They know that militarily, for now, they cannot beat us. But they are patient. They believe, based on past experience, that with our low tolerance for blood we will falter, pull out, and abandon our allies. That will provide them with the opportunity to control nations, to control armies, to control resources. Maybe then we’ll have something more closely resembling total war that Bush’s domestic opposition can finally recognize as a good and necessary war, in which national security must be respected, and excesses in the defense of freedom will be seen in the context of their time, like the carpet bombing of cities, the internment of American citizens and the suspension of habeas corpus. Like the brutalities of the Pacific war and Sherman’s March through Georgia.

But that kind of war - the fabled Good War - belongs to another time. A simpler time. It is probably something that only exists in the rearview mirror anyway."

Finally, the closing faces another reality and bluntly tells it like it is:

"There are some people who will never get that. Their actions show that they are not worthy of the freedoms that American soldiers have died to give them. Those freedoms are theirs anyway, the birthright of even the most despicable self-centered coward who is born American. But there comes a point when you have to ask, which side are they on? There comes a point when even professional capriciousness and misguided idealism - to be charitable - have to be labeled for what they are: Giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Treason."

A leader can't win

From The Seattle Times opinion page:

"What is isolationism really? The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press did a survey earlier this year and proclaimed 'a revival of isolationist sentiment among the general public.' And what showed that? The finding that 42 percent of American 'influentials' agreed that the United States should 'mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own.'

For a country to mind its own business does not mean isolating itself. It means it chooses its own way, neither poking its nose unnecessarily into other countries' business nor neglecting its own."

Unfortunately, as a world leader, the US is held to much higher standards. If we chose the path of isolationism, we would be criticized and ridiculed for ignoring our global responsibilities.

Fortunately, it is the US that is the world leader, who is willing to do the right thing - despite the criticism - which in the end, will make the world a better, safer place. Not to colonialize the globe, but to provide freedom and liberty to those who can't achieve it on their own.

Lastly, if only 42% of "American influentials" agree we should "mind our own business", we are obviously doing the right thing. I would have expected 90% or more of "our influentials" to be of this opinion!

Talk about a sales figure!

Can you imagine the outrage if a male reporter included this in a story he reported?:

"'I love the fact I have the option - during the day you keep the girls in, and at night you break them out,' Cole said."

It is a slow news period, when this makes the list on the business page.

Who has he been talking to?

Americans 'have had it' with war, Feingold says:

"'The American people have had it with this intervention. They do want a timetable for bringing home the troops. And the fact that the United States Senate doesn't get it shouldn't surprise you,' said Feingold, appearing on NBC's 'Meet the Press.'

'Those who vote against bringing the troops home don't get it. They're not out there (with constituents) enough. They're not listening to the people,' he said. "

Why can't he use the term "war"? We are not at "intervention", we are at war. And the timetable to bring the troops home should be based on the success of the mission, not on the US election cycle!

I know I'm relieved!

Here's the headline from JSOnline, Wisconsin dips to No. 6 in tax burden:

"The state's tax burden has long rankled business groups and property owners. And taxes are likely to emerge as a key issue this year in the governor's race and other state elections, as Wisconsin often comes out near the top in national rankings of tax burdens. An effort to impose constitutional limits on taxes died in the state Senate in April."

Surely, we should be proud of our state's ability to tax and spend. Our quality of life is so superior to the other 43 who have less of a burden!

Another study, intended I presume to downplay the "tax burden", takes fees and service charges into account. While this may "normalize" the burden per capita, I for one would rather pay a fee or service charge for the service I use, rather than have my tax go to a general fund to be used at the discretion of the politician and bureaucrat!

"Andrew Reschovsky, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, also broke out the census numbers and showed Wisconsin ranks No. 14 nationally. His calculations, however, included other government fees and service charges that each state assesses in addition to the revenue that state and local authorities collect through taxes. "In Wisconsin, we have made a choice to finance government by relying more heavily on taxes and less heavily on fees and charges than the average state," Reschovsky said."

Wisconsin "Progressives" Unite?

Group seeks to pull left together:

"Booth, a strategist for Proteus Fund, noted the state's liberal image, bolstered in Washington, D.C., by politicians such as Feingold in the Senate and Madison's Tammy Baldwin in the House.

But she reeled off the problem signs for the left: a state Assembly in which Republicans hold 19 seats in Democratic-leaning districts; a wave of conservative legislation (on guns, civil unions, tax limits, immigration, stem cells) either introduced, passed or vetoed by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle; a huge drop-off from the Feingold vote in 2004 to the John Kerry vote that same year; and 16 years of GOP governors followed by Doyle, who 'won with only 45 percent of the vote, and so he is weakened in his position.'"

The problem signs may be larger than they are willing to admit - but at least they recognize they have them. As a Republican operative asks later in the article, "If the public doesn't agree with the Progressive position, it doesn't matter how united they are. It won't change anything." Holding up Feingold and Baldwin as examples will not win the hearts an minds of Wisconsin moderates!

Feeling grumpy?

That's the finding a poll in Wisconsin reported in JS Online:

"For the second year in a row, more Wisconsin residents are feeling that things in Wisconsin 'have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track' than are feeling that things 'are generally going in the right direction,' according to a poll released Thursday by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute."

Personally, I don't feel grumpy. I'm not ecstatic, especially regarding the political climate in the state, but I feel pretty good about my life and most people I know feel the same. Life's too short to be grumpy!

Washington Post downplays WMD story - surprised?

Early Warning by William M. Arkin:

"The threshold for labeling something WMD in this world is low, if it exists at all. Many of the 'chemical munitions' found in Iraq were even 'unfilled' shells. That is, they had never been filled with chemical agent, according to the summary. But, as Rumsfeld says, 'they are weapons of mass destruction.'

The implication here is that we should drop to our knees and pray at the WMD altar, fearful and desperate to let the professionals deal with the 'men's work' of national security."

I wonder what the story would be if one of those "degraded gases" were released by an "insurgent" on the Metro or a subway in NY?

Global Warming more of a threat than - what, uh oh

The New York Times (among many others) reports on the thwarted terrorist plot in Miami, with targets in many cities including the Sears Tower in Chicago:

"The Federal Bureau of Investigation's deputy director said today that a plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago by seven Miami men now facing federal conspiracy charges was 'more aspirational than operational,' but illustrated the threat posed by small groups without connections to international terror networks. "

Of coarse the NYT chose to use the qualifier 'more aspirational than operational' early in the article. The problem with terrorism is, the difference between aspiration and action is extremely small and with aspiration, terrorism wouldn't exist - it needs people willing (aspiring) to do whatever it takes. It seems the group had found a vision and in the market for the means:

"The only overt acts described in the indictment were swearing oaths of allegiance to Al Qaeda and taking video footage of the F.B.I. office. "

"The aid he sought from Al Qaeda included $50,000 in cash, firearms, vehicles, radios, binoculars, bullet-proof vests and military boots. The boots were the only items delivered, after a meeting in which Mr. Batiste provided shoe sizes, according to the indictment. Mr. Batiste was also given the digital video camera that he used to take pictures of the F.B.I. building. "

Regardless of how the left chooses to spin this: "harmless", "aspirational", "unlikely to take action", etc, I'm happy we got them before they acted and proved the spin wrong.

"He said the members of the group shared a "common ideology," although he did not say what that was. He called them "separatists in the sense of not believing that the United States had the authority to enforce certain laws against them."

Global Warming Affecting Your Life?

What? Has ABC News completely lost their mind?:

"We want to hear and see your stories. Have you noticed changes in your own backyard or hometown? The differences can be large or small - altered blooming schedules, unusual animals that have arrived in your community, higher water levels encroaching on your property. "

I hope they make ALL submissions public. I can't wait to see all the tin-foil hats running around on their Funniest Home Global Warming Videos!

The second step "It's not my fault"

And Barrett would be partly correct. Although, as Mayor, he's still accountable. Here, we find a reason many are fleeing Milwaukee - the city and the county. County pensions and proposed fixes:

"The county's precarious finances, in part a product of the 2000-'01 pension deal, have forced consideration of widespread pool closings, large-scale privatization of county government jobs and service cuts in a variety of programs. A sales tax for parks and/or transit is also under discussion."

The first step is Denial

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's response to a US Census report citing a population drop in the city of Milwaukee:

"'There they go again,' Barrett said. 'I've been down this road before. My view is that the U.S. census data is historically unreliable."

The report claims the following:

"Milwaukee lost 4,257 residents, or 0.7% of its population, from 2004 to 2005, the fourth-largest percentage decrease among American cities with more than 500,000 residents. Madison gained 1,402 people during that time."

If I were Mayor, I wouldn't want to believe it either!

Line-Item Veto: on National Review Online

Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin (ALL our representives are not flakes like Feingold):

"In short, our constitutional version of the line-item veto is one brick in the dike holding back a future flood of big government."

Ryan has always been a strong conservative. Not well known, but more of this and he will be! Let's hope this passes.

Thank you! We are proud.

Pfc. Thomas L. Tucker:

"'I'm going to defend my country,' Private Tucker said in the telephone message. 'Be proud of me.'"

Martial Law?

Is New Orleans under it? The Governor has sent the National Guard in at the request of Mayor Nagin.:

"Frustration over a rise in crime reached a tipping point on Saturday when five teenagers in an SUV were shot and killed in the city's deadliest attack in at least 11 years. Police said the attack was apparently motivated by drugs or revenge. Also, a man was stabbed to death Sunday night in an argument over beer.

The killings brought this year's murder toll to 53, raising fears violence was back on the rise in a city plagued by violent crime before Katrina drove out much of the population last year. "

I wonder when Mayor Barrett will ask Governor Doyle to send in the guards to secure Milwaukee? (Milwaukee: 45 murders YTD, June 20, 2006)

Ahhh. Diversity, one family at a time.

Apparently Angelina has her own world-view and is creating her family in it's image:

"'It's, you know, another boy, another girl, which country, which race would fit best with the kids,' she said."

Is anyone else a little creeped out by this? I have this image of Jolie walking through towns and villages like some boutique on Rodeo Drive: "I'll take one of those, two of those, no, no, yes, and I'll try one of those too. Can you wrap them up and have them delivered?"

The "Me" Generation - Magnified

In this article - The Pursuit of Gratification - the author examines our current culture and isn't surprised that we find ourselves in this situation:

"'Today's emphasis on feeling good reflects the fact that the individual self has become the central focus of social, moral and cultural life,' writes Furedi. 'Feeling good' becomes an escape from civic virtue and the demands of community life, where hard work, sacrifice, altruism and commitment are antithetical to immediate gratification. A late education is better than no education at all, but Hillary obviously finds small consolation in the fact that it was her indulgent generation that put into play what she now rails against. Life can be a tough schoolmaster."

Not to put all the blame back on public schools, but much of this is, at minimum, re-enforced by educational practices employed over the years that focus on individual self-esteem and feeling good even though you don't get results.

The War on Terror - Run on Political Timelines

OpinionJournal - John Fund on the Trail:

"Not every Democrat believes there's no progress in Iraq. Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, who managed Walter Mondale's 1984 campaign, had the honesty to tell Fox News Channel last Friday: 'Yes, we're winning, but we're not winning fast enough.' Imagine what would have happened if in the middle of the fight against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, Franklin Roosevelt had been accused of not rolling back the Axis fast enough. Mr. Beckel went on to conclude 'This war is just--it's stupid politics.'"

Yes. But who's playing the "stupid politics" Mr. Beckel?!

At what cost?

Venezuela offers help in the US - Milwaukee, Chicago and the Northeast - in the form of free eye surgery and discounted heating oil:

"The natural question is whether we would work with the Venezuelan government, which is not a close ally of the United States,' Barrett said. 'My view is that if we can improve communications and help our people at the same time, I would support that, with the emphasis on helping our people."

On the surface, this appears to be a wonderful, humanitarian gesture. The skeptic in me, however, is jumping up and down screaming "NO"! I am not an expert in Venezuelan history or their current political condition. I am familiar with Chavez and his heroes. Even if (and that's a huge IF) Chavez's intentions are purely magnanimous, and his governing style is not dictatorial (right!), it has yet to be demonstrated that reliance upon government for all a citizens needs to be met, can work.

If Not America, Who?

Condoleeza Rice at The Southern Baptist Convention:

"We in America are blessed with lives of tremendous liberty: the freedom to govern ourselves and elect our leaders; the freedom to own property; the freedom to educate our children, our boys and our girls; and of course the freedom to think as we please and to worship as we wish. America embodies these liberties but America does not own these liberties. We stand for ideals that are greater than ourselves and we go into the world not to plunder but to protect, not to subjugate but to liberate, not as masters of others but as servants of freedom. (Applause.)"

Later...

"America will lead...America will lead the cause of freedom in our world, not because we think ourselves perfect. To the contrary, we cherish democracy and champion its ideals because we know ourselves to be imperfect. With a long history of failures and false starts that testify to our own fallibility, after all, when our Founding Fathers said "We the people", they didn't mean me. My ancestors in Mr. Jefferson's Constitution were three-fifths of a man. And it's only in my lifetime that America has guaranteed the right to vote for all our citizens. But we have made progress and we are striving toward a more perfect union."

Rice in '08? Rice in '12? Who cares. She can run anytime and get my vote!

Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

Anti-Americanism's Deep Roots:

"The United States was to blame both for the suffering it caused and the suffering it did not alleviate."

Let's face it, as Americans - specifically the United States - we can't win. We will always be damned by someone.

"The fact is, because America is the dominant power in the world, it will always attract criticism and be blamed both for what it does and what it does not do."

I wonder, if we could have an "It's A Wonderful Life" moment, what would the world (Pottersville), look like today if the United States never existed?

Who cares about numbers...

...we're all going to die! The Numbers Guy at WSJ Online:

"On a Web site promoting the awareness week, a fact sheet filled with exclamatory lightning stats says, 'Lightning Kills About 100 People In The U.S. Each Year!' But another page states, 'In the United States, an average of 66 people are killed each year by lightning.' And the National Weather Service's own stats show that, over the past 10 years, the average number of lightning fatalities has been 45. Deaths haven't topped 53 in a single year since 1996."

Statistics and facts get in the way of perfectly good agendas - just ask Al Gore.

US Must adopt Kyoto...

...but we'll give China a pass:

"It was the latest in a series of mishaps to degrade the country's already polluted waterways. Officials said there have been at least 76 water pollution accidents in the last six months."

I guess because they're a lost cause?

{I know, Kyoto doesn't address water pollution. It's the Principle, stupid!}

First Named Storm of 2006 Could Have Been Worse

First Named Storm of 2006 Could Have Been Worse

"But Steve Kerr of the American Red Cross said even though Alberto did not reach hurricane strength, each damaged home or business is still a disaster. "To a business, to a family, to a homeowner, a loss is a loss," he said."

And we should be ashamed of ourselves and our country's inability to respond to each and every loss any American faces! If Al Gore or John Kerry were President, we wouldn't have disasters anymore!

Never mind.

"There were 138 active fires -- including the smoldering remains of a fire that burned through 6,500 acres in Canaveral Groves -- reported across the state before Alberto blew through, belting parched landscapes and wild lands with much-needed rain."

Can America go green?

Questions Elizabeth Kolbert:

"Certainly, there are few questions more urgent than how - and how quickly - the US will react to climate change. "

Like, "Can the Democrats use this to win back Congress and the White House before they get caught?"

Lo and behold, this question is, in fact, raised:

"At this point, midterm elections in the US are just five months away. Recent polls suggest that control of both houses of Congress is up for grabs. It's possible that the Democrats will win a majority in at least one, in which case the chairmanships of certain important committees will shift to less openly anti-science members."

And who is Elizabeth Kolbert?

"Prior to joining the staff of The New Yorker, Ms. Kolbert was a political reporter for The New York Times. She is a graduate of Yale University."

As I asked in an earlier post, "Where are the unbiased, non-partisan, fact seekers?"

Tongue in cheek....

...but who's tongue?

Q&A With Greg Gutfeld: The Cool Conservative:

"Who is Armin Meiwes? [Editor's note: Gutfeld asked this question of
himself.]

He is the 41-year-old computer technician and practicing cannibal who ate some guy he met off the Internet. He taped it all on a camcorder. I have not seen the footage, although at times I like to think I have. Cannibalism is a totally viable lifestyle choice -- and if you find it uncomfortable, then that's your hang-up. Deal with it. Open your mind."

Read it all.

Apparently the trial balloon still has air in it...

...although the 'regional' idea isn't present, the 1% sales tax plan gains ground:

"The board's Finance Committee voted 4-3 Thursday in favor of a November referendum on the plan. The full County Board is scheduled to vote next Thursday on whether to put the question to voters."

I wonder if there's a connection with this story:

General Growth Properties Inc., the company that owns Mayfair Mall, announced plans Thursday to develop a similar-sized center on 110 acres at the northwest corner of I-94 and state Highway 67. The center would include national department stores, upscale shops, a multiscreen theater and restaurants in about 1 million square feet.

Journalists

Michael Barone believes they have lost their way:

"Journalists in the 1940s, '50s and early '60s tended to believe they had a duty to buttress Americans' faith in their leaders and their government. Journalists since Vietnam and Watergate have tended to believe that they have a duty to undermine such faith, especially when the wrong party is in office."

I agree.

Where are the truly, non-partisan, independent truth seekers? I know they exist, but they don't get the attention they deserve - because it doesn't sell. It also doesn't help with the agenda - either way!

Papers Show 'Gloomy' State in Iraq

Quagmire!

"'Generally speaking and despite the gloomy present situation, we find that the best solution in order to get out of this crisis is to..."

It's not what you think.

There goes the neighbor (hood)...

JS Online:The bell may not save him this time:

"Diamond, 29, faces losing the home under a foreclosure order filed in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on May 4. It demands that he kick up the remaining $250,000 he owes under a land contract, which Diamond said was one of the few options available for him in 2003 because of a bad credit record, which includes a 2001
bankruptcy filing in California. "

Yep. Dustin "Screech" Diamond is a neighbor of mine. Drive by his house nearly every day when I run errands. Only two ways out of our neighborhood, and he lives on the most used exit street. Rumor has it (pretty well founded rumor), when he first moved into the neighborhood, he'd call the police on a weekly basis complaining about "all the cars driving by". He'd get the license numbers to report the gawkers. The police would later need to let the celeb know that "those cars" belong to his neighbors, just trying to get home for dinner!

Port Washington eases off drinking ban in some city parks

JS Online:

"'What if you get 20 guys sucking on beer all day?' Hudson asked."

...and what? They go home, eat dinner, watch some TV and fall asleep on the couch?

If you build it, they will drive it...

...not really. As this column in JS Online states "roads fill up when they go where needed":

"While a region's transportation is important to businesses, people choose communities in a region because of factors such as taxes, schools or available houses. Freeways may shuffle some growth toward this suburb rather than that, but lacking a freeway doesn't make people into new urbanists.

'We design our personal network' - our trips to work or the grocery store - 'not around the highway network but around our lives,' he says."

The demonizing of freeways, by some on the left, as the reason people flock to the suburbs is debunked. People choose to live where they live for many, many reasons. One of the lowest priorities is whether a freeway runs through it!

Shrine to Hitler?

JS Online:Shrine to Hitler unnerves community:

"It's a beautiful location for a memorial to a man who most believe started World War II, in which 50 million people died, including more than 6 million Jewish people in the Holocaust - that's all part of what Junker disputes as bunk."

The human mind can rationalize almost anything it seems. I can imagine that, to some, Hitler did some good. Got the country working again. Similarly, Mussolini is credited for keeping the trains on time. There is even a renewed admiration of Stalin in some parts of Russia. We can add Mao, Castro, Hussein, Quadafi, Pol Pot and others to the list. I'm sure we could find pockets of support for each, somewhere in the world.

It's a bit disconcerting that the JS chose to use the phrase "...most believe started World War II...", but as this confused person proves, the phrase is accurate. To forget this, is a mistake. As the old adage warns: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

...she wondered if a Republican's marrow had save her body.

Ann Althouse referenced this story this morning and used basically the same headline. The comments were more nostalgic reminiscing about the music of PP&M - which was/is good.

However, if you read the story in the New York Times, within the context of this quote, the Times chooses to hyperlink to other stories about Republicans, but not Democrats. The articles on the linked page were overwhelmingly negative. Surprised?:

"Ms. Travers, a lifetime Democrat, joked with her family that she wondered if a Republican's marrow had save her body. She learned that this was indeed true when she called the other Mary to thank her."

Best wishes to Ms Travers, but the NYTs is pathetic!

How to lose an election with one statement

From WisOpinion Quote of the Week:

"The ongoing violence in the city of Milwaukee is not just simply a city problem. It's not the mayor's problem. It's not County Executive (Scott) Walker's problem. It's a problem of the citizens of this state."

-- Republican attorney general candidate and Waukesha County DA Paul Bucher, proposing that the state pay for increased police patrols in Milwaukee

Uh-huh. Maybe we should increase the state sales tax to help Milwaukee fix "our" problem. Sorry Mr Bucher, it seems like your campaign for AG is officially over.

Compare and Contrast

Two stories, two schools, two very different lessons. Both from JS Online:WIAA soccer report:

" Homestead probably won't be in line for the WIAA's sportsmanship award. Highlanders fans chanted 'Choke' at Middleton players during the shootout. Then, while Middleton received its championship medals, Homestead players turned their backs to the action. . . ."

Homestead coach Rich Dorn wasn't happy with the defensive-minded approach Middleton took against his Highlanders in the Division 1 title game. "I think justice was not served," Dorn said. "I think attacking soccer should be somewhat rewarded. Maybe we could go to a point system, almost like gymnastics does instead of deciding games with shootouts.

"We're recognized for the soccer we play and. . . I take pride in that. I'm not interested in somebody saying, 'You have a vaunted defense.' This could set the game back. I couldn't be happy playing for a tie."

JS Online:WIAA soccer report:

"DO-GOODERS: Catholic Memorial's girls team spends every Saturday morning working with handicapped children. And even though the Crusaders had a state title game to play this week, their routine didn't change. 'I want us to be defined by the quality of our team, not just wins and losses,' Burke said. 'And I think that's why we've enjoyed as much success as we have here. It's because we have such good people come through this program.'"

Having witnessed the behavior and "sportsmanship" of other fans from Mequon during the Padre Serra 8th grade girls basketball tournament, I can say that the people of Mequon are not exactly displaying much class. Get a grip folks!

The Soldier in Me - by Kos

American Prospect Online - The Soldier in Me:

"One of the many tragedies of the Iraq War is that the military is no longer a viable option for those needing a boost up the socio-economic ladder, making college a possibility, granting people the confidence and experience that has paid such huge dividends for countless veterans. "

I'm sorry. When did the military become a social service agency. The military is there to protect and defend our country. The fact that veterans were/are able to benefit from their service is secondary to their primary mission. The few who enlisted for the "boost up the socio-economic ladder" may have found out what the true cost of that boost is when they were deployed.

A MUST Read

John Podhoretz @ The Corner finds this gem:

The Greatest Kos Posting Ever

We should always be that high!

JS Online:Reported leap in city crime challenged:

"In 2004, according to the FBI report, there were 87 homicides in Milwaukee, the lowest total in 16 years. Last year, there were 122 homicides.

'2004 really was an anomaly,' Schwartz said of the low homicide figure."

Yeah. We should realize that 120 homicides is normal!

Say what?!

This is the third or fourth story on this "trend" in the last six months. Who at JS Online is obsessed with this?:

"In her hour of weekly pole-dancing lessons, Sue Hesselgrave also will crawl across the floor, learn how to stand up 'the sexy way' and discover how to roll her hips in a manner that usually requires a $20 cover charge to watch. And she's already signed up for chair dancing, the club's companion class.""

Plus...

"At least once a month, Kolf takes students to the Silk Exotic gentlemen's club in Milwaukee to see how the professionals do it. Husbands and boyfriends tag along and "come up shaking my hand," Kolf said, "saying, 'You have no idea how much she likes this.'

Yeah. It's all about her!

Bush's surprise Iraq visit cloaked in secrecy

Secrecy. Because the President doesn't want us to know! Right.

WAPO from Reuters:

"Wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and blue tie, Bush swept into a large, domed room at the center of the Republican Palace, part of the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad."

What does, what the President is wearing, have to do with any of this? Was the fashion reporter the only person Reuters could find to submit a report?

The liberation of Karl Rove

A bad, bad day for the left. Sidney Blumenthal starts it off:

"Freed from fear of indictment, Rove remains in character as unabashedly shameless. Before a Republican party gathering in New Hampshire yesterday, he launched his usual partisan fusillades. Though the Bush administration has run up the largest deficit in US history, Rove blamed the Democrats, the powerless minority party in the Congress: 'They're for more spending. We're for less spending.' On Iraq, he admitted no error: 'We have no excuses to make for it.'"

Typical comments from the intellectual left (via DU) (sorry for the language - apparently these are intellectually articulate people):

129. IOKIYAR -- These motherf*ckers get away with anything, don't they?
IOKIYAR = It's OK If You Are Republican If only a Clinton adviser had done half of what Rove did, the Republicans wouldn't have stopped until the guy had gotten the chair. They would have instituted special prosecutors and gone relentlessly all the way until indictments were handed, no matter what.Heck, these bastards shoot old people in the face, and then their victims have to apologize to them.

156. The Grinch stole Fitzmas!
So the greased pig slipped out of Fitgerald's grasp and I am pissed off. That fat bastard should be slow roasting with a rotten apple in his mouth for treason against America. What happened? Did KKKarl have a get out of jail free card or did Fitz just blow it? I am so disillusioned by this country. We only have a sense of freedom, democracy is crumbling, and justice is a whore to the rich!

12. that bastard gets away with everything doesn't he?
watch the freepers rally around this g.d. traitor, never once asking themselves how they would behave if this was a DEMOCRAT....yeah that's right freepers, you hypocritical pathetic pieces of SHIT

209. So that's it?
Rove must have been granted immunity for his testimony. Either that or we are all fucked, because that means no one is answerable to the People. Sad days ahead.

Queue the Idol wrap, "So you had a day..."

What's wrong with this picture?

Florida Prepares for the Worst with Alberto

So says the headline on ABC News. Meteorlogists aren't quite as concerned, but people should still recognize the dangers:

" Some meteorologists said Monday that Tropical Storm Alberto was a marginal storm that might solve local drought concerns in Florida. Today, it is a potential hurricane and Florida residents are preparing for the worst. "

Now look at the picture again. This is the photo ABC chose to use. Does that look like preparing for the worst? Here's the caption:

Scott Kuffer, 11, Christian Kuffer, 7, and Scott Kuffer are hit by waves that are crashing ashore from Tropical Storm Alberto in the Gulf of Mexico June 12, 2006 in Venice, Florida. The first named storm of the season wasn't expected to reach the Florida coast until Tuesday. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Are we already seeing the 'chicken little syndrome'? I don't think this guy is recklessly endangering his kids, but I do have a question. At what point do individuals lose any ability to question the government if bad things happen to them in natural disasters?

The news just gets better and better...

Coffee may help to protect liver:

"'Consuming coffee seems to have some protective benefits against alcoholic cirrhosis and the more coffee a person consumes, the less risk they seem to have of being hospitalised or dying of alcoholic cirrhosis. We did not see a similar protective association between coffee and non-alcoholic drinks', explained one of the researchers, Dr Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente's division of research."

This news, combined with yesterday's report gives me hope!

Top 11 Seminars At The Yearly Kos Convention

Heh!

Ann Coulter is not alone in her distaste for the "Jersey Girls"

This from Dorothy Rabinowitz's Media Log:

"That shouldn't have been surprising. The hearing room that day had seen a substantial group of 9/11 families, similarly irate over the Jersey Girls and their accusations--families that made their feelings evident in their burst of loud applause when Ms. Rice scored a telling zinger under questioning. But these were not the 9/11 voices TV and newspaper editors were interested in. They had chosen to tell a different story--that of four intrepid New Jersey housewives who had, as one news report had it, brought an administration 'to its knees'--and that was, as far as they were concerned, the only story."

...dated: April 14, 2004!

This says that either Ann Coulter is late, and taking advantage of other's work, or she is only repeating an under-reported phenomena in the MSM. Read another quote from Ms Rabinowitz:

"The venerable status accorded this group of widows comes as no surprise given our times, an age quick to confer both celebrity and authority on those who have suffered."

Sound familiar? "Liberal's Doctrine of Infallibility"

Later still, Ms Rabinowitz does something that the left hates. She put the current issue in historical perspective:

"From August 1940 to May 1941, the Luftwaffe's nightly terror bombings killed 43,000 British men, women and children. That was only phase one. Phase two, involving the V-1 flying bombs and, later, rockets, killed an additional 6,180. The British defense, was, to the say the least, ineffectual, particularly in the early stages of the war--the antiaircraft guns were few, the fire control system inadequate, as was the radar system. Still, it would have been impossible, then as now, to imagine victims of those nightly assaults rising up to declare war on their government, charging its leaders, say, with failure to develop effective radar--the British government had, after all, had plenty of warning that war was coming. It occurred to no one, including families who had lost husbands, wives and children, to claim that tens of thousands had been murdered on Winston Churchill's watch. They understood that their war was with the enemies bombing them."

This is not to say that 3,000 murdered Americans isn't relavent compared to nearly 50,000 Brits. It is to re-enforce the reaction of the Jersey Girls and the way the MSM embraced them.

Byron York on YearlyKos

Byron York on Daily Kos on National Review Online:

"The reason bloggers might do well on TV and radio, Trainer 1 continued, is that they aren't afraid of speaking their minds. And they can stand up to some well-known media figures. "If you're on with John Gibson, Bill O'Reilly, Chris Matthews --

"You're in hell!" said someone in the audience.

"They are hosts with a point of view," Trainer 1 said. And by the way, Trainer 1 continued, liberal bloggers shouldn't avoid appearing on the Fox News Channel. "If Fox TV asks you to go on, you should go on. The American people are smart, and they can see what's going on."

Not everyone in the group found that terribly convincing. "I was just wondering what world you were living in," said one man who raised his hand, "if you said the America people are smart..."

Oh those smug intellectuals over at Kos and the enlightened left. How much better this world would be if it weren't for those ignorant American people!

Lileks: In the mind of the left

It's been a while since I've visited Lileks. I have to remember to get to his site more often:

"But wait. You read that the suspects were not connected to al-Qaida, and you're confused for a moment. Maybe it won't be over if they get Osama bin Laden (provided he isn't really in an supersecret Idaho prison). What if the 'terrorists' hate you for their own reasons? The evildoer-in-chief said 'they hate our freedoms' -- as if we have freedoms, really, just try and get a bike-messenger job that has full health benefits. But what if rights and mixed-sex education and an economy based on sustainable hemp-based art installations mean nothing to them?"

It is a predicament!

Lessons for Liberals in California

RealClearPolitics has some thoughts:

"Progressives have a lot to think about. For one thing, there remains a deep skepticism about government spending, even for the best purposes. On the same day that the two propositions went down, voters in five California counties rejected sales tax increases, mostly to fund transportation projects. Attacks on tax and spend sound old and tired, but they still have force.

Higher taxes on the wealthy are a logical way to finance necessary programs because the best-off Americans have been posting much larger gains in income and wealth than the rest. But the well-to-do can still fend off such tax increases by creating rational doubts about what the money will be used for."

Maybe the "best purposes" and "necessary programs" need to be re-thought. Too often, progressives view government as THE answer to everything - even if the majority (government by the people, for the people) don't have a problem!

Greenpeace's fill-in-the-blank public relations

The Philadelphia Inquirer has this, an excerpt from a Greenpeace PR template:

"We present it here exactly as it was written, capital letters and all: 'In the twenty years since the Chernobyl tragedy, the world's worst nuclear accident, there have been nearly [FILL IN ALARMIST AND ARMAGEDDONIST FACTOID HERE].'"

Once again, "fear" is okay to use - if its for the "right" cause. Isn't that so, Mr Gore?

An underlying problem for the left?

Byron York in the National Review has a review of the YearlyKos convention in Las Vegas. The story discusses an interesting dichotomy within the ranks of Kos-followers. Its worth reading. However, the last paragraph contains a quote from Markos himself, delivered in a keynote that might be a tip-off to one of the left's problems:

They can't keep us out any longer, Moulitsas said. We're going to crash the gates. "People power is a wonderful thing. Everyone can be a leader. Everyone can be a strong voice. Everyone can make a difference. There has been far too much talent, far too much passion, far too much intelligence in this country marginalized by the establishment currently stinking up Washington D.C. And now, that talent has an outlet. It can no longer be marginalized." (emphasis mine)

No. Everyone cannot BE a leader if you want to be effective. Everyone has the ability to lead, at some time, but unless everyone agrees where the group is going, they cannot all lead - and be effective.

This seems to be the left's biggest problem. They all have their cause(and on the left, that includes hundreds of them). Even when their cause is the same, they have a difficult time accepting that someone else believes it too. Perhaps it's part of the "me" personality trait which many of the left seem to have. This is why many of the left are content to spend hours discussing the intricacies of the "problem" and, in many cases --like the commenters on DailyKos -- whine and complain about everything. Conservatives, on the other hand, are truly grounded in common sense and common good. They see a problem, they fix it.

An Inconvenient Truth

I stand corrected, if Dr. Ebert says we're to blame, we must be:

"Global warming is real.

It is caused by human activity."

Officials and Solutions

Eugene Kane continues his diatribe:

"Like me, Dumas gets suspicious when some officials start offering solutions only when their jobs are at stake. 'Guns have been proliferating (in the central city) for a while,' he said Wednesday. 'They're making it look like crime just started happening.'"

At some point, the people of the central city have to stop looking for "officials to have solutions" and take responsibility for their own situation.

A colleague in the office and I were discussing why Michael McGee continues to represent these people and concluded that he, in fact, represents many of them. He is their mouthpiece to voice the opinion that "there's always someone else to blame." Kane does the same through is column. At what point can an opinion like Bill Cosby's get through to this group? Take personal responsibility. Have self-respect and, in turn respect for others. Don't buy-in to the "victim mentality". Until that happens, I don't care how many "officials" there are or even how many cops are on the street - people will still kill other people - - with or without guns!

Vandals desecrate grounds of Holy Hill on 6-6-'06

How many street riots and fatwas would have taken place in fundamentalist Muslim countries over what these vandals did to a Roman Catholic site. Unlike the them, the Christians here reflect on the act and, while still a vulgar act, in the big picture, it isn't worth killing for:

"'I think, overall, people are disgusted by this,' he said. But it was one conversation with an elderly Jewish woman that helped Kontny put the desecration in a larger perspective and understand that the damage was not permanent.

'She told me that her Synagogue was spray painted with Nazi graffiti,' he said. 'This happens, I know. I'm glad that the damage was superficial.'"

Update: Apparently suspects were arrested this morning at the scene. Five people were seen in a car this morning and apprehended by sheriff deputies who believe they returned to the scene to 'view their handy-work'.

Berg: No good in al-Zarqawi's death

Just as Ann Coulter discusses the "Liberals' Doctrine of Infallibility" and how no one dare question the group of anti-Bush widows from 9/11 or Cindy Sheehan, Michael Berg falls into the same group:

"Berg said 'restorative justice,' - such as being forced to work in a hospital where maimed children are treated - could have made al-Zarqawi 'a decent human being. 'Now that he's dead, that's not a possibility,' he said."

This man may feel better calling himself a 'pacifist' and the media may oblige him - for their own reasons - but what he truly is, is an anarchist. And since his anarchy is targeted at the US and what the US stands for, he could further be described as a socialist - perhaps, communist (in the Stalin, Mao, and Fidel mold). I don't wish to resort to name-calling. I believe Mr Berg would agree with my description of him. His interview this morning on CNN demonstrates that he is not a pacifist. He does not see both sides of the violence as culpable. He repeatedly attacked George Bush and the US claiming Iraq is worse off under "King George" than under Hussein and that more people are dying because of the US than were dying before.

Yes. Innocent Iraqis are dying. Far more of them at the hands of Iraqi and other fundamental terrorists than US actions. Innocents are also dying at these terrorists in other places throughout the world - the Sudan, Somalia, the Gaza strip, SE Asia, Afghanistan, etc. These people are not dying because the US is killing them, they are dying because they don't want to live under the thumb of the terrorists and their fundamental beliefs. The innocents are dying because they want freedom - what the US stands for!

Self-mutilation rampant at 2 Ivy League schools

Okay. I think the term "rampant" used by MSNBC.com is pushing it a bit...

"It was part of waking up, getting dressed, the last look in the mirror and then the cut on the wrist. It got to be where I couldn't have a perfect day without it," Rodey said.

...but, I will say this has been around for some time. My wife had a 'friend' in college in the early to mid-80's who used to fake attacks on her to gain attention. At one point, she went into a bathroom at a club, broke her drink glass, starting slashing her hands, arms and face and then ran out screaming that she was being attacked. The police were called and immediately saw through the story. When they explained all the tell-tale signs, my wife and friends were amazed - not only by how someone could do that to themselves, but also how the police were able to recognize it.

Hamas won't budge on peace ultimatum

I guess it isn't only Israelis that Hamas is willing to kill for the "right to exist"!:

"A PREGNANT woman was among at least five Palestinians killed in two separate incidents in the Gaza Strip early yesterday as rival political factions continued to clash over control of the streets and relations with Israel."

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin)

From a WAPO interview with potential 2008 Presidential candidates, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin):

Q. "A lot of polls also show that when people are asked, 'Would you mind if your calls were listened to?' a surprisingly large percentage say no.

R. "I don't know what those percentages are. But I'll be honest with you, the fact that anyone would say that surprises me. That's not the way Wisconsin people think. I have had a couple of people say that to me."

Emphasis mine: a couple of people, that's how Russ sets his policy?!

Read the entire interview. Russ has managed to grab the "Howard Dean - Extreme" poll position for the primary season.

Don't put the fire out, just add more fuel...

So says the editorial board at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"The immediate need is financial rather than organizational. The county must designate either an increase in the county's existing sales tax or a certain percentage of the property tax for the sole purpose of parks and recreation. The alternative - continuing to rely on an ever-shrinking share of the county's overburdened property tax - will eventually spell disaster.

Of the two options, the sales tax makes more sense because the county is already too dependent on the overused property tax and the sales tax would spread the cost of parks and culture over a broader tax base, namely tourists and out-of-county residents."

Right. Let's stick it to the 'sucker' tourists who choose to visit Milwaukee County. Let them pay for parks they never use. Let them pay extra* for the few cultural attractions they may visit. Better yet, let them pay for Milwaukee County's mismanagement and corruption.

*non-county residents already pay higher admissions to most cultural attractions in Milwaukee County.

Week Two

I know "weeks" normally begin on Sundays, but since I spent most of the afternoon doing yard work, rather than riding, this week begins on Monday.

Had 90 miles last week. Would like to see 100 this week.

Cool and calm this morning. Sunny and dry. Beautiful.

As an aside, whenever I get out and ride - road or mountain - take a hike in the woods or cross-country ski, I always think to myself, "why don't I do this more often?" It is the most peaceful, stress-free thing you can do and the scenery is almost always gorgeous. It seems like a chore sometimes, but after, I feel so good.

I sometimes think I need a new incentive to get me out there. Should I get a GPS and start geo-caching (like a co-worker does)? Do I need a new piece of bike gear? Should I get some new ski equipment or gadget? But then, once I'm out there, I realize you don't need any other incentive. But I still don't do it enough.

I need to figure it out so I can explain it to the kids.

96 days to the DCC (see the countdown under my profile)

End of 1st Week Riding ~ 2006

Well, I made it out of bed. Last night was 8th grade graduation from Port Catholic. Neighborhood was crawling with kids until well past midnight. Still managed to get my butt outta bed and ride at 6:30 for an hour and 20 minutes. Still had time to shower before the girls soccer game at 9. They tied - oldest had a goal in the first half, then played shut-out goalie in the second. I'm trying not to encourage her too much because select soccer can consume a lot of resources - both money and time! She would need to choose between basketball and winter indoor soccer. I'd prefer basketball, and so far, so does she.

Felt like I was in The Birds early in the ride. There's a red-wing blackbird just north of town on the bike trail that gets pretty aggressive. On the way out, he hit my helmet.

Breeze was stronger than I thought it was. Happy I chose to go north and get the tailwind on the way home.

Lake Wobegon of Public Education

That's what we have here in Wisconsin:

"'The state is a modern day educational utopia where a large majority of students meet academic standards, high school graduation rates are high, every school is safe and nearly all teachers are highly qualified,' if you believe what the DPI says, the report says."

But we are the Dean of Loopholes:

Wisconsin's accountability system, which has been approved by federal officials, effectively includes broader definitions of what is acceptable than systems used in many other states. As a result, 99% of teachers in the state are considered "highly qualified" and only one of the state's 426 school districts and less than 2% of the state's schools did not meet the yearly progress standards for 2004-'05. The district was Milwaukee, and 38 of the 45 schools were in Milwaukee.

Which,I guess, demonstrates that our bloated administration levels and the work of the strong teacher's union - WEAC - are getting the job done!

In a separate analysis cited:

The two researchers, Paul E. Peterson and Frederick M. Hess, both generally described as conservatives, then gave each state a grade based on how big a difference there was between the state scores and the national scores. The two gave Wisconsin a grade of C-, based on 2005 results. That was better than the D they gave the state for results in 2003.

I'd like to see the report that also shows per student spending factored into this analysis.

Whoo - hoo! I passed!

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

All quiet on Day 1 of hurricane season

UPI reports:

"There were no tropical systems moving off Africa toward the Americas Thursday, the first day of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season."

I'm sure someone at the White House is breathing a sigh of relief! On the other end of the spectrum, I'm sure that someone is complaining that the administration is hiding something or has paid off NOAA to change the report to reflect more favorably on the White House.

Impeachment? No. Impalement!

Well, this is a clear and reasoned position to take:

"Impeachment? Hell no. Impalement."

I can truly understand this opinion and see the path where we can come together as a country and move forward as one. And some people think there are factions on the left that are too extreme!

Port Washington "Survey" Update

From today's JS Online: DayWatch:

"The two Port Washington High School teachers who helped students distribute the 'Heterosexual Questionnaire' at the school will not appeal disciplinary actions taken against them, the president of their union said today."

At least they seem to recognize that this exercise was not appropriate.

I struggle to comment too directly since my kids are not old enough for high school and they attend Catholic school. It does give me reasons to consider Catholic high school - despite the commute and cost (where's school choice?).

Don't get me wrong. I don't feel that kids should be sheltered from 'reality'. I just don't believe school is the place to teach all of life's lessons to all at the same time - on the school's schedule.

Armstrong exonerated...

....at least for now, the witch-hunt is over. From JS Online:

"The ICU appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman last October to investigate the handling of the urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory. Vrijman said Wednesday his report 'exonerates Lance Armstrong completely with respect to alleged use of doping in the 1999 Tour de France.'"

But of coarse, it's not good enough for the "hunters":

"It's clearly everything we feared. There was no interest in determining whether the samples Armstrong provided were positive or not," he told The Associated Press by telephone from Montreal.

"Whether the samples were positive or not, I don't know how a Dutch lawyer with no expertise came to a conclusion that one of the leading laboratories in the world messed up on the analysis. To say Armstrong is totally exonerated seems strange," Pound said.

7-county sales tax for cultural sites pushed

I posted this the day the story broke:

"Barrett said he envisioned a regional sales tax that could be shared among the county, city and suburbs, with proceeds divided toward Milwaukee County parks; Milwaukee police, fire and public health services; and regional transit, which could include not only the Milwaukee County Transit System but also the Kenosha and Racine bus systems and a proposed extension of Chicago's Metra commuter trains from Kenosha to Racine and downtown Milwaukee."

And before the ink could dry on the paper, the balloon burst. Fortunately, clearer heads prevailed and shot this clean out of the sky.

As if the people of Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties all want to pay for Milwaukee County's shortcomings and mismanagement. It almost seems that Mayor Barrett knew the regional, 'cultural tax' would flop so he added his own, far-reaching ideas on top. This is an old ploy to ask for the extreme and get something less. In this case, even 'something less' is extreme. There is absolutely no case to be made why the taxpayers of the six other counties should pay for the parks and other cultural venues of Milwaukee county through a sales tax. We have our own parks and if the museums, domes, and zoo are not making money, charge more or figure out how to get more people to want to visit.

A Katie lovefest

As tragic as it may seem - to some Today - it is time for this:

"Couric took the ribbing in stride, buffeted by the reported $15 million annual contract she signed with CBS, a raise from her 4-1/2-year, $60 million NBC contract.

'I never dreamed I'd see a rainbow over Victoria Falls or walk silently among the crosses above the beaches of Normandy, see the Blue Mountains of Australia or get a tour of 10 Downing Street from Tony Blair. And that's just a small sampling of what I'm grateful for,' she said."

All those wonderful things she has done in her "job" and for only $15M a year. What an unselfish act. Unlike those greedy oil executives and other CEO's who only lead companies that employ hundreds and thousands of workers and produce goods and services that the rest of us often depend on.

"Woke up, got my lazy...

..butt, outta bed."

Nice ride this morning. Weather was much improved over yesterday - although still cool. Mid-sixties. It's always nice to see the sun, even if it's only peaking through the clouds now and then.

Almost had a collision with three deer that passed in front of me. Had it happened further down the hill, when my head was dragging, we would have collided.

It seems there's an increase in the deer herd in these parts just based on how many I see on rides and the number "resting" on the sides of the roads. Last weekend while running errands between Port, Grafton and Milwaukee, we must have counted eight or nine deer in various "sleeping" conditions. A bit unusual for this time of the year.

100 days until DCC