Kudzu Jesus

Here is a picture of Nagasaki after the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945.

Here is a picture of Nagasaki in 2011 following the earthquake and tsunami.

What the hell is that arch made out of!! 

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Did you know that 5⁹ + 3⁹ + 4⁹ + 4⁹ + 9⁹ + 4⁹ + 8⁹ + 3⁹ + 6⁹ = 534494836  - yea - check it out!! 

and yea - it took me a little to figure out what the big deal was. 
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Did you know that this July we will have Three Fridays, three Saturdays and three Sundays?  This is actually a pretty big deal for retail sales because when this July is compared to past July's this year will look REALLY GREAT.  Most retail sales are on weekends.

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Will Walker do what North Korea is doing to help their economy?  In North Korea Pyongyang has order all University's to close for 10 months and all students must now go to work in factories!
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Hey - looks like State Workers are getting a big bonus!  6 days will be put into sabbatical because of some furlough rules where lawyers took less and since all gov employees need to be treated equal.  The question is, what about retired workers that also took those EXTRA furlough days - do we get screwed?
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OH MY GOD!!!!! 

IT'S JESUS!!!!!     Kudzu has finally found a way to keep the Round-Up off of it.  After all - you can not spray Jesus with Round-up. Says so in the bible.

On a side note -if you want to cause a stir on the Garden forums - go on and say you have found this amazing vine called Kudzu and planted it all over the country side!!   WOW - will you get a few responses. 

Kudzu is a huge huge huge problem in the south. You can not kill it and it grows a foot a day covering EVERYTHING.
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Looking for Columbus Horse and Carriage photos?  I have a new mini-site devoted to the event.

http://www.carriage.melottephotoimagery.com/

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Golf last night - did well and kicked the competition ass!  In fact in a little hot at the moment - 72 of the last 90 holes will be included in my handicap.    Of course the GOOD golfers adubya are always telling me to fix my swing which is true but they are only seeing one small area that I'm working on.  Seriously, there is a lot more going on then what it looks like. I can only choose so many swing thoughts at a time  LOL

They say my problem is balance which is only ONE of my problems.  Extending my arms, slower back swing, keeping my EYE on the ball.   Put those three together and my balance is much better! 

remember - I have zero natural ability with sports.

So that is my story!

have a great Thursday
Cheers - stay cool!

Rod

Brewers - FAIL And Slavery is a bad thing

WOW - Yankee Stadium really had an adverse effect on the Brewers.    I suppose if football was not such a large muscle sport Lambeau Field would have the same effect.  I mean come on - dropping the ball on the mound?  BALK!!    O'well, only one game and MAYBE we can win 1 game out of the 3 - probably not though!
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Recall data

PPP and DailyKos reported some polling numbers so I thought I would pass it on. The Koch/Rove money machine is pumping serious cash into the 10th Senate race with negative ad's about negative ads against Democrate Shelly Moore. This is suppose to be the closest contest.

10th Senate
Shelly Moore (D): 45%
Sheila Harsdorf (R-inc): 50%
Undecided: 5

18th Senate

Jessica King (D): 50
Randy Hopper (R-inc): 47
Undecided: 3

32nd Senate

Jennifer Shilling (D): 56
Dan Kapanke (R-inc): 42
undecided: 3
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Here are some road signs that pretty much tell it all.

This first sign lays it on the line.  Leave this ski area and YOU CAN DIE!!!  Blunt honesty!

Do not feed you child to the alligator! But wait - is it an alligator?  Or is it a eyeless, remorseless, toothy Death Monster.  Whatever - don't do it.

Again - what's with the alligators! And really should you even have handicap people in a situation where if they go out of control they will run into an alligator?   Or perhaps this is the the most extreme Special Olympics event ever.
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We have relatives driving up from Texas and spending 4 or 5 days with us.  Should be fun. At least they are bring warm sticky weather up with them.  Be careful Friday - triple digit heat index. 
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Speaking on Politics!   Sarah would have gotten this one right!  And I did not know that John Quincy Adams was a founding father



Yea - republicans are so so out of touch.

Cheers
Rod

Republicans Recall - FAIL!!

LOL - seems Republican incompetency reaches all levels. This one is the Democratic Dave Hansen recall efforts. Going against Hanson was to be one of the Walker machines favorite John Nygren. Nygren turned in 426 signatures. Only 400 were needed. Problem was that 28 were no good so he only had 398 - TWO SHORT!

So - now David VanderLeest will run against Hanson. Cool thing about VanderLeest is his past which includes a bankruptcy, a home foreclosure, an unpaid judgment, building code violations and a misdemeanor conviction (plus domestic abuse allegations that were never prosecuted). Wait - why is THIS guy not a favorite of the Walker machine, he seems to fit right in.

For Dave Hansen, unless Justice David Prosser chokes the lawyers, life is much easier now.

BTW - I read in the paper that the Supreme Court Justices will now talk to each other using puppets so no one gets hurt.
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Wisconsin Football - unless you live in a hole you will know that the Badgers have all of a sudden gone Prime Time and there is a lot of talk about National Championship. Not Rose Bowl, Not Big Ten Championship - but BEST IN THE NATION! The reason is a BIG TIME Quarterback transferred to Wisconsin form his final year. The biggest hole for the Badgers has all of a sudden become their biggest strength.

They still need to fill some holes in the lines but it's not like Wisconsin has problems finding big linemen.

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Speaking of our neighbors. I must say in all fairness that for the past 2 weeks they have been working their butts off landscaping (they are not big yard people). They have planted more plants in 2 weeks then Elwood and I have in 2 years! Their place will look great in a few years when things really grow. So perhaps they were just tired of planting or just worrying about all the weeding they will have to do. 
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Does anybody watch WEEDS? This is a great show with great writing. Yea it's about pot but still, it's a pretty good dramedy, must be since it's in it's 6th season.

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Yet another photo from the Columbus Horse and Carriage Fest 

Have a great day!

Rod

Thistle seed (Nyjer seed) does not make thistles!

WELL - seems like the garbage men came early and we will be stuck with 4 bags of rotting garbage for a week in the garage. AWESOME!
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Pandora - for Mary - Pandora internet radio is awesome - You start with a seed artist. For instance I have one station called Dire Straits.  Pandora looks at what kind of music Dire Straits is then it plays music that matches. HOWEVER - you can thumbs up or thumbs down each song and it learns from your likes and dislikes.  So each seed station progresses and it get's better and better as you go.

I have Fats Domino, Dire Straits, AC/DC (not that great), Jethro Tull, Beethoven, Sirena, Blackmores Night, Beatles, Lacuna Coil and Pink Floyd as my stations. It's free for 40 hours a month and I love it.

It's not do great on current music.
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Friday I went on Balderdash's annual 36 hole golf extravaganza (I only went 18). Golfed The Oaks and while I did not conquer the course the course did not conquer me! VICTORY!!!

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Saturday my buddy Elwood was over and we were picking, weeding and drinking and we find out that our neighbors were a little miffed at me putting up a thistle seed feeder and feeding the yellow finches! Seems they mistakenly believe that thistle seed is what thistles come from. Totally different plant. And in fact thistle seed and Nyjer Seed are also different also.

Nyjer seed (Guizotia abyssinica ) - IF it germinated has yellow, daisy-like flowers but is heat sterilized to prevent germination.

It's a mystery how Nyjer seed and thistle seed became one as they are different seeds and NEITHER are linked to the common thistle. Nyjer is super high in calories and oil content unlike thistle seed. Birds DO eat common thistles but . . .that is the only link.

They have thistles because they used ground cloth and rocks which have proven to actually attack weeds. Rocks trap seeds and create a perfect protected growing envirement.

Of course once we heard about that then we heard AGAIN that our cat hurt their dog (for the third time but they yelled it to a golfer this time). Seems their dog chased Milo and hurt his leg - thus it is our fault for their dog chasing our cat. I like their dog but they are constantly yelling at her.
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We took Blake to the spa to get a washing and so forth and MAN - he is a different 14 year old puppy. A clean dog is a happy dog it seems LOL. He had his 5 pounds of under fur combed out!
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I got my check for my contribution to Garden Gate Magazine along with a legal-speak cover their ass letter thanking me.

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It's a small world. I went on a baseball vacation once with a friend,10 ballparks in 12 days. We were on the east coast camping in Pennsylvania way back out of the way and the ranger drives by. We wave and about 20 minutes later he drives by again. Then about 20 minutes later here he comes again! OH OH - what have we done wrong.

He gets out and says "So you guys are from Wisconsin?" "yea, Madison" we say. "REALLY - you don't happen to know a guy by the name of Bob Anderson do you?" ...ummmmm, "yea" Chris says "He's my brother". Too Weird.

This story comes up because a woman at my former work who is on my MPI email list was looking at my last newsletter which had a image of the Madison Antique and Wooden Boat Poster that I did. She see's the poster and calls a worker friend and says "Hey, you have a wooden boat, check this out" and the friend says "THAT'S MY BOAT and THAT'S ME IN THE MIDDLE BIG PHOTO!!!"  Awesome!!

So she contacts me and I make a sale and deliver it and it's the best reception I have ever had.  Included a "hug-of-glee".
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I've been working on the Columbus Horse and Carriage photos and I'll create it's own mini-site as people have been asking to see more.  I think what I will do is donate 10% of every sale to the Columbus Horse and Carriage people since I did not donate anything this year (they never asked).  Here is my latest!

All are experimental. No real idea what I'm doing when I start on a photo. 

I love the horse in the back checking out the star horse. 

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Any computer geeks out there?    I have two computers on my desk.  One is an old old WIN98 which runs my weather station and there other is a new desk top.  The problem is the OLD computer only has PS/2 plugs.   What I want to do is set it up so I do not have to unplug the CRT from one computer to the other when I switch computers.  I THOUGHT there was a switch but the problem seems to be that one computer is nothing but PS/2 and there other is all USB.  They are not compatible?  BEST BUY GEEKS were stumped.
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HEY - McKay Nursery has an outlet store for another week. Sort of a overstock thing.  They have Red Chokeberrys for $20 and all sorts of stuff.   Just east of Waterloo on 19.  Open this week and again in fall. They have done this for a few years.  It's a non advertised word of mouth thing.

Storms this afternoon as a front goes through. Then typical summer weather.  it 'll get warmer every day this week until we hit 90 and then a front will go through to cool thins back to the low 80s

OH - I have heard rumblings about a Kurth reunion at some point - anybody interested?

Cheers

Rod

Cbus news

Can anybody tell me if this hauntingly beautiful piece was a in a movie or something?

It's by Helen Jane Long on the Album Porcelain, call "Doll".

http://youtu.be/UpvSK2qTGAE



Another piece of music I would have never heard except for Pandora Internet Radio. "Blackmores Night" Station.
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I have a Se . .  Se . .  Seven OH Six tee time tomorrow for balderdash's yearly 36 HOLE GOLF EXTRAVAGANZA. So no blog.
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I was SO pissed off at Milo last night and this morning he can not get enough lovin from me. He keeps crawling into my face - he's starting to piss me off AGAIN  LOL

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I attended the Columbus Business Roundtable (there were only square tables in reality) at the new place in town "Our Market". 

This is more then just another farmers market.   For $10 you rent a space for a day and can sell anything you have made.  Amish goods, bakery, candles, all sorts of stuff.  They are open every Friday and Sunday and each day there are different things.  So far they are averaging about 7 different vendors and gaining momentum.  Fresh meats I hear are coming soon.   They will have live music in the future and it could be an "it" place to go.  

Also in the news was that there is something exciting opening in downtown Columbus.  The official word is not out yet so it's all a secret but there were twinkles in the eyes of the people who knew.  We will know in a month.    My best guess is a space port or a monument to the Walker administration.

   
Or I have heard that they might do some minor highway improvements through Columbus.

 

When talking to the business people seems Walker really screwed Columbus as we were on the short list for a rather large Wind Technology Company moving here.  Now it seems MOST wind technology companies have left Wisconsin.  In fact a large number of companies do not even consider Wisconsin as a viable place to move too.   

Oddly large corporations like to have labor that is NOT angry. States where labor and government work together for the better good.  Not battles and hatred and protests and school teachers up in arms and school budgets being cut.  Companies look at education for the families of their employees!  Might as well move to Afghanistan.  I did hear that Walker thinks that if we would just stop educating woman we could balance the budget?   
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 MILO - YOU ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!  54r4     milo typed that - it's some secret cat code for the mother ship I think.

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Columbus Horse and Carriage Festival

 That's it - cheers

Rod

You know you are getting old when

Columbus had only 0.82 inches of rain last night - we missed most of the storms until about 9:30ish.  It looks like Madison got hardly any rain while Milwaukee got clobbered with more then 2 inches.
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You know you are getting old when you are looking for doggie diapers and joke to the young dude at Mounds and you comment "If this is too large for Blake maybe I can just use it in 10 years" and I think the guy was taking me seriously.

Also I use to joke about when you get old and you drop something on the floor you look around for anything else you can pick up while you are down there.  Now all of a sudden I see that it's actually not a joke at all.  

And now it seems conversations among friends seem to turn to physical ailments and what drugs they are taking . . . like the old people always talked about.  I remember when conversations about what drugs we were taking seemed a lot more entertaining.   


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I took DJs laptop into DUC Computer Repair in Columbus (right next to The Cage) and the guy seems good enough.  Unlike Geek Squad who automatically say "We will first need to wipe the hard drive" this guy actually looked first.  He charges $29 an hour.   Looks like a software problem.
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A few more photos from the Columbus Horse and Carriage Festival.

Man - having problems uploading photos today.
I wonder if I could ask Columbus Water and Light if they could twirl the water tower just a little so the park could see Columbus better?

More to come in the next few days - I must now grieve.

There has been a mosquito buzzing me the last 2 days while at my computer. Never landing, just flying around.  We had become buddies.  I killed him just now.  Seeing his cold lifeless body crumpled on my keyboard made me sad.  Good bye little friend.
 
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Having some time off I get to record all the news shows that catch my interest and review them as I eat my morning crumpets and tea.  This morning I watched a new show called "COMBAT HOSPITAL".  I had no idea what it was about as the title did not give me any clues.  I bet the guy that came up with that title got a big bonus!   

It's basically M*A*S*H  in Afghanistan.  Not a BAD show but I feel "been there done that".  Perhaps for people that never saw M*A*S*H??    Did you know you can not get "China Beach" on DVD?  What's up with that???

Another show I watched was on TNT called "Falling Sky's" staring Noah Wyle. I watched half and turned it off. It's sort of a family-style alien invasion.  I'm still pissed off at SciFy Network for Deadwooding Stargate Universe.  They just stop - no ending - CANCEL!!   

The one show I'm REALLY looking forward too is Expedition Impossible which is a cross between Amazing Race and Mark Burnett's first reality challenge Eco-Challenge. This is must see TV for people who like adventure.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CAMELS   LOL    Check out this video!!  Looks awesome.

http://youtu.be/ZntM3Lcpqzs



Here is the full trailer!




Ten "stages", each of which has a series of "checkpoints". At each checkpoint, teams receive instructions on how to reach the next checkpoint. The last team in each stage to reach the final checkpoint is eliminated. If any member of a team quits, the team is eliminated.

The competition began in Merzouga and concluded in Marrakech, covering a course of around 2,000 miles including treks through the Sahara Desert and over the Atlas Mountains.

Each member of the first team to cross the finish line after completing the ten stages of the competition will receive USD$50,000 and a new Ford Explorer.

I wonder who the advertisers will be!

Have a great Wednesday!

Rod

The Worlds Greatest EXTRA -and Libertarian Magic Dust

The Worlds Greatest EXTRA -and Libertarian Magic Dust 

Jesse Heiman - the worlds greatest EXTRA!!   56 main stream movies and TV shows!!   Check him out. I've actually NOTICED him and am surprised he is not a real actor!

http://youtu.be/IdEBu7ODVk8



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I am SO excited - I got this letter in my email today

Hello Dear

Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. and have Decided to get in touch with you after my prayer, to see if you can help me alliviate this problem.

Isn't that nice - he said a prayer

I can't imagine how you will feel receiving a sudden letter from a remote country far away and probably from someone you are not closely related with. (hmmmm  I do not believe I am related at all, except he does have the same expertise with the English language as I do).  But all the same, I believe we do not need to be of blood relatives before we can establish cordial relationship.  Good!

My name is Mr micheal odum. The only son of (Late Mr Edward odum) Who lost his life in the course of political crisis here in Cote D'ivoire on his way to work.  POLITICAL CRISIS in Cote D'ivoire???  NO WAY (BTW that would be the Ivory Coast of S Africa)

My father willed in cash, the sum of $7.6Million US Dollars which he deposited in Bank in but there was

(1) That upon request for the release of the fund, there must be evidence of investment intentions, (that would be Grinders Warehouse who did receive the 2009 CDA’s Business Recognition Award so he Has done his homework.  This is looking better and better)

(2) To invest this fund in solid business,Such as manufactures factory or company,Real Estates,or agriculture investment.   hmmmmm  I manufacture truthyness I guess

I contact you therefore to confirm if you can absorb me in a partnership in your company or possibly advise me on any investment opportunity in your country. I'm not really sire about the absorbing part.   we shall reach an agreement, that you will stand on my behalf and claim this very Fund from the Bank

and transfer it into your account there in your country. and after all I will come over to your country to finish my education and commence business partnership with you and the fund.  Will Pay Pal except $7.6Million US Dollars?

Awaiting your urgent response

 Mr micheal odum

I know a odum where I use to work, golfed with him!  I don't think he is the same guy!     What do you guys think - I'm on the fence with this one.  7.6 million would help a lot.!

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Remember - they are judge for beauty.

Alyssa Campanella, Miss USA believes in evolution - "I was taught evolution in high school. I do believe in it. I’m a huge science geek…. I like to believe in the big bang theory and, you know, the evolution of humans throughout time."    

So far so good!

Alaska’s Jessica Chuckran, Mississippi’s Keeley Patterson and West Virginia’s Whitney Veach at least thought evolution should be taught as “a theory” alongside religion, Alabama’s Madeline Mitchell simply declared, “I do not believe in evolution, I do not believe it should be taught in schools, and I would not encourage it.”   

OK then.  Thinking outside the box there. Well played!
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Libertarian Magic Dust

http://youtu.be/saWCZVggQAs



Have a great day and watch the weather - bad things are coming this afternoon!

Cheers

Rod

Mallards Drunk Blind and Blue Dog Democrates - FAIL

We had the opportunity to go to the Madison Mallards baseball game Saturday night with tickets to the Mallards Duck Blind. Did not really comprehend what the Duck Blind was. We were there many years ago but I tell ya - it's changed. It's basically all you can eat and drink beer tent with out the tent.

Don't get me wrong - if all you want to do is eat and drink and stand it's a great place, 20 some beers on tap (mostly grocery store beer) and there is what some would call food although all the good food was gone by the 2nd inning.  The below photo is the Duck Blind and if it looks crowded  - it is - ridiculously crowded.
 

The food was  . . . . ok I suppose.  The chicken sliders were about half the size of my hand but tasted good for the 3 bites you get.  The hot dogs?  hmmmmm,   pale, almost luke warm and well . . . . . take a look at my wiener! 

I had two and this is actually the better looking for the two.  I think they delivered the hot dogs in peoples back pockets.  OH - there were condiments but you had to use your fingers to apply then once you pried the bun off the dog (which was harder then I tough it could be).   

But the experience gets worse - you are pretty out of touch with baseball.  No one is actually watching the game at all - was there a game?  Did anybody care?  no - not really.

So DJ and I bugged out for the bleachers and - THERE ACTUALLY WAS A GAME!   And there is actually good looking food and a totally different reality OUTSIDE the Mallard Drunk Blind.

There is a great big store selling all sorts of Mallard stuff.

And the seating for watching the game is rather nice with each seat having a cup holder.

 

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I also had a chance to see the Columbus Horse and Carriage Festival which from reports everybody loved.  About 70 Carriages were in attendance and I have not had a chance to go through all the photos I took but here are a few - I'll have more this week.

As DJ said "I could just sit here all day and watch the horses, it's so relaxing". 

 

 I'll have more coming this week.

Politics!   From a Political Science friend (not sure I understand 100% of this but . . I don't understand 100% of what "I" type so . . . .  

Koch, who gave Scott Walker’s gubernatorial campaign $43,000 in direct contributions and funneled much more to Walker and other Wisconsin GOP candidates in 2010 through various groups, expects to receive millions of dollars worth of no-bid Wisconsin government contracts for his Koch Industries. Koch Industries is also in line to gain ownership of vital resources currently held by the state.

A key component of Koch’s strategy is incapacitating state agencies so they will be unable to provide services that Koch industries can then come in and perform at a profit. The elimination of collective bargaining rights for government unions in Wisconsin was part of Koch’s strategy to achieve this aim.

But if Democrats retake control of the state Senate through this summer’s recall elections, it could interrupt Koch’s agenda. That’s why Americans for Prosperity is gearing up to spend millions of dollars defending GOP senators in the state through phone banks, campaign ads and any other tactic that Koch’s money can buy.
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and in another piece -  The political equivalent of the Marines are beginning to arrive in Wisconsin for the July 12 recalls. While the Obama White House has been focused on its own re-election, the progressives activists are not waiting. They are beginning to arrive in Wisconsin and the Democratic Party is going to find out which wing of the party you can count on when times get tough, and it isn't the Southern dominated, Conservative, Corporate, Blue Dog Democrats, who exist primarily to enable Republicans whenever the Democrats win elections. Meanwhile, the leading Blue Dog in the US Senate, retired Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana demonstrated the true worth of Blue Dog Democrats, rather than facing down the Republicans in Wisconsin like Howard Dean is doing, Senator Evan Bayh decided to join the Republican Business activist group the Chamber of Commerce. For the record, the Blue Dog Democrats have sent bupkis in the way of assistance to the recall efforts in Wisconsin. It is important to remember who your friends were when times are tough, and they do not get any tougher than right now in Wisconsin.

That in a nutshell illustrate the difference between Blue Dog Traitorcrats, and true progressive Democrats. When the going gets rough, the Blue Dogs sell out, join the enemy, and treat any Democrats in power like fire hydrants.

There’s no doubt the progressive movement wants to use Wisconsin as a springboard for the 2012 presidential election and beyond. Just Thursday in Minneapolis at the liberal activist convention “Netroots Nation,” the intention to get involved in Wisconsin politics was made extremely clear by a number of national groups. Howard Dean’s “Democracy for America” announced it was going to spend $1.5 million and hire 35 staffers to help Democrats in the upcoming recall elections.

Six unions, along with Democracy for American and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, will bus conference attendees to Hudson to go door-to-door to advocate for Shelly Moore, a Wisconsin Education Association Council activist challenging in the recall against state Sen. Sheila Harsdorf.

Game on! 

What is Wrong with the Economy?

Seems when we got so anal about the Wisconsin Supreme Court voting to pass the anti Government worker bill we were not actually dealing with all the facts. It was not the Conservatives that all voted for striking down Sumi. The three that voted FOR WORKERS were the three judges with the most seniority. Not the 3 liberal judges.One conservative judge voted for and one liberal judge voted against.

So it seems now liberals have to recall one of their own?

Then it sounds like Wisconsin taxpayers will have to spend $500,000 of our own money to fund the six republicans that are running as democrat's in the recall primaries. Yea -seems fair - we're broke you know.

What is wrong with the economy?   This makes so much freaking sense - share it.

http://youtu.be/JTzMqm2TwgE



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The Columbus Horse & Carriage Festival is this weekend. This year once again it is free and before I was told I could not take photographs a couple years ago and decided to screw it . . . it was pretty cool. Now under new management it is once again free. If you are a horse fan or carriage fan you should come up and take a peak at it. Columbus has one of the worlds foremost horseless carriage restorers and ships worldwide. Check it out. They have a facebook page.

Don't worry about weather  - we  have rain coming after midnight tonight and lasting to about 8ish tomorrow morning.  We will hit 80 today about 3:00, drop down to 62 after midnight and when it starts raining the temps will also start warming reaching 79 tomorrow about 2:00 in the afternoon. Sprinkles or a passing storm in the afternoon.

At the Royal Ascot horse race in England they were showing off their new hats - I'm hoping we will have the same in Columbus - that would ROCK!!!  
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McDonalds Big Breakfast is my favorite breakfast from a fast food place and it seems it gets an "F" for nutrition.  WHY!!!     OK it has 740 calories!  Where are those coming from anyway.  If I make the same breakfast at home is it equally as bad?


 Let's take a look here.  McDonalds vs. HOME made

Eggs - 170 calories  10g Fat  is this normal?
    2 eggs - 204 calories  14.4g Fat

Sausage Patty - 170 calories  15g Fat
  Bacon 3 slices Oscar Meyer -  70 calories  4.5g Fat

 Hash Browns - 150 calories  9g Fat
     Simply Potatoes hash Browns  -  70 calories  0g Fat

 Biscuit -  260 calories  12g Fat - hole crap! (does not include butter)
    Toast  - 130 calories  1.8g Fat (does not include butter)

So a McDonalds Big Breakfast is 740 calories with 48 grams of fat - if I make the equivalent home cooked meal the damage is 474 calories and 20.8g fat.   So basically I could eat TWO of my breakfast's - THIS IS AWESOME NEWS!!!!
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Going to the Duck Pond Saturday night with the Wort Hogs. Too bad the Mallards have mostly yellow fizzy corn beer except for the Great Dane Brewery.  I guess they are holding down costs! I'll have my camera!!

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I watched a special on the Japan earthquake/tsunami and for the 1st time I saw people running and cars fleeing or trying to flee the rushing water.   Really brought things home when you see that.   Were these images hidden from us just after the disaster?   I kept noticing that you never saw humans.  It was more like watching a science experiment and not an actual disaster.  It was like watching a war with no deaths on TV.  Censored???

Lots of things I did not know.  Like how water was pushed up from cracks in city streets and just how LONG things shook!  

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iPhone will soon make it so certain things can not be photographed with your phone.  Using a special infrared thingy your iPhone's camera will be disabled at some things like concerts and so forth.  Perhaps Congressman Weiner would have never gotten in trouble.

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Have a great weekend all!!

Rod

I seem to be missing 6.6 Billion dollars. Has anybody found a bunch of money?

Come on guys - So you send money over to Iraq in the form of plane loads of $100 bills during the invasion and now you can not find the money? Well done. It's only SIX POINT SIX BILLION DOLLARS!!!! Perhaps someone should have MAYBE been keeping tabs on it?

And the same group that in charge at the time the money was sent says they will fix Obama's Financial mistakes? That is what always gets me. The Republicans are always whining that Obama is doing a bad job at fixing THE REPUBLICANS mistakes. sigh.

I'm not even going to get into what is happening in that socialist controlled Madison. Hey - all they want to do is make it so Miller and Anheuser Busch won't go belly up because of all that nasty craft beer in Wisconsin.

After all - if they let a craft Brewery distribute it's own beer AND AND, here is the kicker maybe they distribute someone else's beer all hell will break loose and there will be chaos.

I work part time at a very nice Craft Brew store, Cannery Wine and Spirits in Sun Prairie. I would say 80% of their shelf space is Craft brew but get this. When Pat and Kathy purchased the store they had a very very hard time trying to get craft beer. The distributors would not even tell them what they had in craft beer. They kept pushing the big boys "HERE, fill this row with Miller 64".

Time and time again they would ask for more craft beer and the distributors would say - "here is one more we just got but if you put in Bug Light in 24 oz cans it will sell".

SO - walker wants to get the distributors MORE power. They don't want to have anybody like Ale Asylum even think about distributing their own beer. Did you know that Ale Asylum has to charge MORE at their Brewery to sell a 6-pack then at a liquor store? It's the rules. They can not undersell the distributor.

RECALL, REPEAL, REBUILD

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Remember last year when we had all sorts of bees in our basement?  I was talking to a guy with "pest control" on his shirt last night and asked about the bees.  He said "you know what some people do? As soon as they see bees entering their house they plug up the hole".  HA HA I said (to myself) - what a loser thing to do, that's crazy.  "yea" he said " the bees can not get out so they fly into the house"!.

OK - lesson learned.

Bees should not be a problem this year because last year was perfect bee weather.  He said there were hives with 10,000 bees.  The weather is too cool this spring for huge bee problems.

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CRANE - FAIL!!!!  Don;'t try this at home.

Wait for it! Watch out for the Chimney LOL ummmm!!!!!

http://youtu.be/-7MfHsLT9hY



The story behind this

We were wiring up a continuous motion pool/hot-tub in Shoreview MN the home owner was over seeing all the work himself had the hole dug rented the crane operator etc.. We were onsite waiting for the pool to be set so we could bond the frame and what not, when things took a wrong turn.... I was filming with my phone and I heard the crane operator scream and I took off running toward the front of the house as soon as he started to yell I knew something went wrong. It sounded like thunder when the thing hit the house knocked out the chimney crushed the garage and busted up the house good. The operator was shaking in his boots scared the hell out of him not to mention things like this do not happen they have a load chart that prevents things like that.. needless to say he was on the phone with the owner of the company right away. Crazy Friday....

Awesome.

Have a great Tuesday
Rod

It's been a while

I think the problem I'm having is that I'm not getting my normal 40 minute drive time to work which seems to be when I got all of my whacky ideas for the blog. Now I wake up at 5:45 and by 7:30 and I'm at the computer typing the daily Brewer blog and by the time that is finished I'm all typed out. Then when I try to type a Island blog I can't remember what I wanted to say.

So maybe I'll do this first.

It is sad that I report that my good friend Kim Bates will be leaving Columbus to find greener pastures (not pastries as the spell checker want me to say) in Green River. This could be the downfall for the East (or is it West) James Gallery. Columbus will be losing a friendly face and one of the first people DJ and I came in contact with when he moved to Cbus.

In Columbus the new Horse & Carriage Festival is next weekend. This use to be called the Columbus Carriage Classic but is under new ownership and perhaps I will be allowed to take photos this year. In the previous two Classic I was told my camera was not wanted and would I please stop taking photos.

Unlike last year this will be free to the public.

That storm that went through on Wednesday had a strange effect on our new light LED lights. Talk about an eerie sound as the wind whistled through lights! creepy!

On Thursday police from Columbus, Fall River and the Dodge County Sheriff's Department set up a containment on the Whitney Building in Columbus because of a disturbance.  They made contact with a dude but he fled inside the building locking himself inside.

After a while the police got into the building but it seems the perp went out a back door or something.

CONTAINMENT FAIL!!

They should probably work on that "containment" thing.

HEY - whatever happened to the campaign speech our Mayor had when he talked about repairing streets.  Seems the bad streets are STILL bad.  Was it all talk and lies?

It's June Dairy Month.  I remember when my parents would take me to the bank and I would get free chocolate milk.  Those big heavy silver things you would lift up and milk would flow into your little cup.


How about Prince Fielder! WOW - seven of his last 9 home runs have put the Brewers into the lead and 1 has tied the game! So only one of his last 9 homeruns was a "meaningless" bomb!

Jenny has become a coupon guru.  She is now buying like $35 in groceries for $6.  Yea - real stuff.  It's like when I was a bonus whore in online gambling.  I was making $1000 a month by investing $100 and just playing the deals and working the  system.  Jenny collects coupons, organizes them and works the coupon system.   It's truly amazing.   Like everyone else I said "You can't do that and get real food" but you can!!!   Half off sales, 2 for 1 double coupon Wednesdays and so forth.    OH - she is working the system.

Congratulations to Josh for getting an interview for the Madison Fire Department.  Just GETTING an interview is a big deal!

I went to let Blake out the other night and Mr. Toad was on the window. I think he was watching TV.  We have a lot of toads and frogs around this time of year.  When I mow the lawn I always have to be alert for jumping toads.

I'm glad my grass has decided not to grow as fast this year! 

Caydence celebrated her 2nd birthday yesterday in fine fashion.  She and Sydney are doing well.  Caydence is always happy (for the most part) and Sydney is still getting used to the world.

Caydence,

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Anybody see Feingold's speech yesterday in Walkerville?   Was that not a speech saying "I will run for Governor if there was an opening" speech?    There is no doubt in my mind he has started his campaign.

HEY - people are always talking about all the road kills and how cars are killing wildlife.  But no one ever cheers about all the bugs that are being killed on windshields.   How many more bugs would we have if not for cars.

Speaking of bugs - sounds like we are in for another bad mosquito year if you live near the  Mississippi River.  The mosquitoes should be hatching in about 10 days so be ready!

LONDON (Reuters) - The Germans have been voted the world's "least funny nationality" in a global poll, which names Americans the funniest overall and the Spanish the most amusing Europeans, ahead of the Italians and French.   YEA BABY!!  That is a throw down to be proud of! 

Have a great week - good weather coming up.    Looking forward to "A Trip to the Duck Pond" next Saturday - lots of photos.

BTW - one of the most fascinating shows I have seen on TV is called "How the States Got their Shapes" on the History Channel. Check it out - really interesting and entertaining. 

Cheers
Rod

STOP HAVING SEX ON MY YARD

I drove to Beaver Dam to pick up a new recycle bin and as I exited onto the 151 ramp I pull up to the stop sign and on the other side of the road is a car coming UP the down ramp. How does that happen? And the odd things is that if that were ME I would get off that ramp as fast as I could not wanting to look like a fool. But this guy just calmly stopped and waited. In fact he (or she) sort of just parked there and as I watched him in my rear view mirror they did not move. Weird.
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I had an Art fair in Deforest Saturday and all sorts of people I knew showed up. One of my good friends at 1 W Wilson What's His Name is retiring on the 16th and having a going away lunch so anyone reading this count me in. Another name from the past came by - Dick Snortem and he says hi to whoever is left at 1 W Wilson. He lives in a tiny town I had never heard of just north of Deforest.

It was a very nice show.

This image will be on the Dragon Art Group Website

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I thought I had better go out and take a couple photos of the yard before the baseball size hail crushed everything this morning.


This is our front entrance way which is looking better then ever.  We moved into this house June 1st 2007 so it's been four years now and I believe this will be the 3rd year for the front entrance plants (Year #2 for the climbing honeysuckle).

And in the back yard I had to take some photos of what we call Big Wooly the HUGE Dianthus

WHOA - streak lightning outside my window!!  SCARY  Freaking midnight now here!  Hard to believe it's 59, dark and raining now and later it'll be 90 and sunny!  AND HUMID!

Har

Hard to imagine that 4 years ago this was nothing but dirt with zero landscaping.  AND - it's still a work in progress.

NEW BIRDS!!

After watching a Public Television show on Hummingbird gardens I learned a few things about hummingbird feeders and why we need them.  The thing is that on hot days or rainy days flowers do not put out nectar and the babies go hungry!  This is why feeders are needed.  HOWEVER - you don't want to buy store food for them.  Just mix 4 to 1 water and sugar but the trick is to only put a small amount into the feeder. Then clean it ever 2 or 3 days.

Also I was noticing that THEIR  feeders on the show all had little perches for the birds to sit on while eating . Made sense, what would you rather do, eat while jogging or sitting down. Stay away from fancy humming bird feeders that are more artsy - those are for YOU, get the basic feeder with a perch FOR THE BIRDS.

So I got a feeder from true value and put it up.  Now I have humming birds flying around all over.  No photos yet but sooner or later.

not my photo

Also while I was outside last night I spotted a new bird near the feeder "normal" feeder - a Cedar Waxwing.  Very pretty bird.

In other news it SEEMS the Baltimore Oriole is no longer called "Baltimore".  The name Baltimore came from the male's colors which resembled those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore. BUT . . . . now it's been renamed a Northern Oriole and now there is a Bullock's Oriole also. FINE!!!!

HEY YOU BIRDS - STOP HAVING SEX ON MY YARD!!!  Damn Grackles are always sexing it up out there! I don't even want to go barefoot!
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hmmmmm - newspapers are complaining that people are reading FREE stuff online instead of reading newspapers - WELL YEA - I got a subscription to the State Journal and the Brewer articles are the exact articles I read 10 minutes after the game on MSNBC!

NEWSPAPER - FAIL!!!
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Packing Peanuts - FAIL!!

I always seem to have a ton of packing peanuts but my peanut guys had corn starch peanuts that would disintegrate in water and were 100% biodegradable.  So I got a new box of images in a ton of peanuts and put them in the sink as instructed and start the water.  Nothing happen.  SIGH - seems they switched to a cheaper peanut and now I have two sinks of wet peanuts!

Nuff said

Cheers

Very entertaining

Beneath our two decks we use to have weeds and all jungle-like, so after clearing Deck #1 we planted periwinkle which are slowly taking over and blocking weeds.  Under Deck #2 I started a no dig bed where I'm basically growing dirt.  Sort of a mulch bed and I throw store bought top soil and compost in it layering as I go.  After a year the dirt is terrific.

Anyway I came into the house and was standing in the sun room teasing a sleeping Milo and a flash of color streaked by the window.  I figured it was a Goldfinch and looked out the next window to catch a glimpse of it.

 
SWEET - a Baltimore Oriole.   I grabbed my camera on the table and through a window and screen snapped one shot before he was gone.  Put it on the list!!   I decided I would spreadsheet all of the birds I see on our yard.  Not that I stare at the yard all day but when I'm at the computer I can see the feeders. Here is the list so far.

Robin
Chipping Sparrow
Black cap Chickadee
Cow Bird
Grackle
Black Bird
Red Wing Black Bird
Downy Woodpecker
American Gold Finch
House Sparrow
Purple Finch
Ring Neck Pheasant
Mallards
Blue Jay
Cardinal
Mourning Dove
Black-capped Chickadee
White Crowned Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow

Nothing earth shaking but it's a list!

Sunday DJ and I were on the back patio and I saw my first Monarch of the year - at first I thought it could be Princess Lalla Hasna, part of the Royal Family of Morocco from the Alaouite dynasty which has been ruling the kingdom of Morocco since the 17th century.

But then I realized she would be much much too small so I settled on a Monarch butterfly of the Nymphalidae family.

The below shows the path of their migration to Wisconsin.  Wait for it!!  HA - and you thought I could not spell - they add an "e" on the end of end. 

I entered my sighting in to the Maps and Sightings website.  This shows to sightings as of yesterday for monarchs. 

The site has all sorts of first sightings so I'm ON IT!!  I have my eye out to see the first Gray Whale in Wisconsin.  So far none have been seen.
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Recycle Bin - FAIL!!!

Today's big project is to get a new recycle bin!  The last one was doing well until the dumper dudes broke a wheel.  Never found it and it probably got recycled.  But I was making do with a one wheeler (being on a fixed budget and all) and then last week the other wheel came off (sort of like my putting game last night).  So I was forced to drag it out and prop it on the curb and all was well.

But Tuesday they dumped it and I looked out and it was laying on the grass.  When I went out for the highlight of the day (getting the mail) the wind was howling at 40mph and the bin was nowhere to be found.  It had blown away!   FAIL!!!!    Bins are not suppose to go on walk-a-bouts and I'm sure it got lost.  I've waited for a few days but I fear it has left the county by now.

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Last night was golf night and I believe I had one of my best long ball hitting nights in my life.  Heck, on the 515 yard par 5 I was 30 yards in front of the green after my 2nd stroke!   Poor course management on the last hole cost me a stroke or two (I really thought I could hit UNDER that pine) and I missed two easy 3 foot putts which irritated me.  

On the 382 yard #3 I used an 9 iron for the 2nd shot as I was only 115 yards away - the drive went 260ish dead center with a cross wind!  In fact I had three drives all in the 250 plus.  One of the guys I was with (Mike) said "you are just crushing the ball tonight" which caused me to push the next one right as my chest was so large I could not get my arms through.

The hole that really cranked my cranker was #7.  One of my personal hardest holes on the front nine.  I hit a 220 yard second shot (this was the shot AFTER the Mike comment) onto the green and I was all yippee!  As I walk up I see that yea, I'm on the green BUT I CAN'T GET TO THE HOLE!!  It's like some weird bean shape and  I have to like make a layup putt. WTF!!!

The par 3s killed me - I was too close.  Actually #2 killed me. Went left - took a recovery shot from under a tree and then cranked a ball way way to far over the green from 180 and ended up 3 putting!.

OK - I'm getting all adubya-like - no need on a stroke by stroke story of my night!  It was just so much fun though - until two of my foursome had a throw down on some rule technicalities.  It was about to get all WWF-like.

I started on #3. I'm ahead of everybody and I looked back and I figured this guy is just looking for balls but he is looking for HIS ball.   I say you didn't make it across the creek. He says no no it landed on the other side of the sand trap 60 yards from where I thought.  hmmmmm  I'm pretty sure he didn't make it across the creek. 

Same with everyone else but he drops the ball 60 yards ON THE FAIRWAY from where HE thought the ball was lost.   Got dicey after that.

ANYWAY I came away from the night feeling totally pumped!
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HEY - all you state employees - if you work overtime and get paid time and a half in COMP time but only weekend time (extra 60 cents) when getting paid in cash - that ain't right right?
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OH - if you get a chance, watch the Special on the HISTORY Channel called "GETTYSBURG" - it's pretty good. Slightly graphic.





Except they never mention Longstreet - one of my favorite Generals. 

Another wonderful thing I've been watching "How the States got Their Shapes" - very entertaining!



I've been listening to the Dan Patrick Sports show - really like it.  He reviewed "The Hangover Part 2".  He said "geez, I feel like I watched this movie already".

Have a great Thursday!

Rod