Today in History

I haven’t done this in a while.

Today is January 26, 2009

- it is the 26th day of the year and there are 339 days remaining
- Liberation Day in Uganda
- Australia Day in Australia, of course!
- Republic Day in India

Birthdays include

- 1880 Douglas MacArthur
- 1905 Maria von Trapp
- 1925 Paul Newman
- 1935 Bob Uecker

Events include

- 1837 Michigan admitted as the 26th state
- 1961 Janet G. Travell is appointed to be the 1st female physician to the President of the US
- 1979 The Dukes of Hazard premiers
- 1998 “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky” President Clinton

Reason #3,532 for moving to Arizona

I have found that driving in Wisconsin during the winter months has become insufferable! You’d think that the people out on the road had never seen snow in their life and that they are going to die at the slightest tap on the gas pedal.

I found myself cursing out loud in my car yesterday morning because the people in front of me only felt save driving 20 mph on a relatively clear road. Now if that wasn’t bad enough when I got out of work the roads had been cleared (well as cleared as they are going to get when the salt doesn’t melt the ice because of the temperature) but because it was so cold they were still driving 20 mph…what are they afraid of…do they think that the car might slip a little and they would end up on their tail ends? They are driving like people walk when on ice?!?!

If you live in Wisconsin and you do not feel safe driving in the weather then do all of us a favor and just stay home! Some of us leave early so that we can get places safe when conditions are not ideal. We have trouble enough dealing with the weather we do not have the time or patience to deal with those that do not know how to drive under these conditions.

If I just moved to sunny Arizona where there is no snow I wouldn’t have to deal with this!

Random “Photo” in Racine County

By now you should know that I just love Google Maps and Google Earth and with the Street View on you can really find your way around nearly any city in the county!

Well the other night while playing with that feature I came across the following image posted below and simply did not know where I was.

Can you tell me where or what the name of this place is? I think you might be surprised too!

Happy New Year!

Before I forget…I hope you all have a wonderful new year!

Keep reading and I’ll keep posting.

2009

Well here I am…looking forward to 2009 and looking back at what I’ve done in 2008. I know that I got lazy on this blog but I’m going to do my best to keep it up to date in 2009.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone is having a great day!

But don’t forget we have a lot of work to do here in Wisconsin…

From the Tax Foundation Tax Policy Blog: State Budgets: Wisconsin Governor Boosts Spending, Hopes for Federal Bailout

The holidays are looming…

Are you ready?

Reuters: Consumers’ mood boosted by lower prices in December

AP: Bad weather delays Christmas travelers in West

The blog post to end all blog posts…

Wow…it is amazing how hectic the season and travel can make a person. I just realized last night that I had not posted on my blog all week.

Sorry about that so here is the week in review:

Monday, December 8, 2008

A big thank you to all of you that contributed to the Arthritis Foundation, because of you I was able to raise $475!!! Now I know that it was short of my goal but in tough times you just have to face facts!

The Las Vegas Marathon was a perfect race for me the weather was great for running (50 degrees and overcast) and due to the training I was able to put together a new personal record…even after completing 4 other marathons this year!! My time was 4:45:05.

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The Minnesota recount is still on going!!

Club for Growth: Minnesota Senate Recount: Clear as Mud

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Farm Subsidy Database

A big thank you to Keith over at Government BYTES! For this one: Farm Subsidy Database!

Did you know that is 2006 Wisconsin received over $382,000,000 in USDA subsidies?!?! And that 52% of all farms and ranches DO NOT collect USDA subsidies?!?!

Racine County received $3,877,000 in USDA subsidies in 2006.

Have fun!

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New energy? Could be – Scientific American: Wave power put to the test in California

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Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Name that Place

Last week was pretty easy with those nice big blue roofs and CU got it right they are Culvers!

Name this Place:

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Caledonia Politics – Businessman to run for Seat #5

Woodward announces for Caledonia Village Trustee, vows to run aggressive campaign to earn seat

December 8, 2008

Caledonia resident Curt Woodward announced his candidacy today for the Village Board of Trustees.

“Caledonia is such a wonderful place to live,” said Woodward. “I decided to run to help make sure our community continues to be a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

Woodward has been involved in the community for many years and is the owner of Retail Fixture LLC, a small business providing custom fixtures to retail industry world wide. Woodward and his wife Lisa founded the firm over 15 years ago and have grown it from a few employees to now over 100. In addition Woodward recently opened Artistry Furniture and Gift Gallery in downtown Racine.

“My parents always said that if you want to keep something great you have to work hard to make it happen,” said Woodward. “My lifelong dream was never to run for public office, but after being encouraged by many, many community leaders, I felt it was my turn to step up.”

Since becoming a Village, Caledonia elected officials have been working hard to move our community forward. Woodward wants to be a part of insuring that the Village maintains an adequate balance of growth and development along with the high quality of life so many residents have come to love about the Village.

“We need to make sure that our community grows but we also have to remember that families won’t be able to afford to live here if we don’t keep property taxes in check,” Woodward said.

Curt is an avid outdoorsman and lover of nature, along with the four acre pond he had dug, one of his proudest accomplishments is that his property contains hundreds of trees planted by him and his family.

“I look forward to running an aggressive campaign going door to door in every part of the village. I want everyone to know that I intend to work hard to earn their votes,” Woodward said.

Woodward is a member of RAMAC, Grace Lutheran Church LCMS, where he is a Trustee and usher captain, ARE (Association of Retail Environments) NFIB, Downtown Racine Corporation, RCEDC and has coached youth basketball for over 8 years.

Curt & his wife Lisa have five children Jade 19, Andrea 18, Joseph 15, Samantha 11 and Jack 5.

Woodward is running for seat #5, currently held by Bob Bradley.

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Illinois Governor Arrested…you got to love headlines like that!!!

I know that the Obama camp (set up behind the fictitious “office of the President Elect”) is saying that Obama is clean but a shooting star in the Democrat party, out of Chicago, with ties to the Governor, an unrepentant domestic terrorist, and a felon (can you say Rezko?) can not be as clean as he has stated.

Think about it…the guy that will soon be president has gone to a church and has been baptized, married, and had his children baptized by a pastor that says “God da** America!” but then claims that “that isn’t the pastor I knew.”

How long before the ties between the Chicago machine and Obama really come to light?

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Interesting…New Scientist: Hot landslides may have set off mystery wildfires

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Obama calls for Blago to resign…What?!?
Democrats don’t do that!
What is going on here?
Have I lost my mind?
Yeah…Obama isn’t part of the Chicago machine…and I’m an Olympic Sprinter.

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The auto bailout is still on the table…would someone just kill the damn thing!!!

Silent e does some math for us:

“In 2007, Toyota sold 9.37 milion cars world wide.

They MADE 17.7 BILLION dollars.

In 2007, GM sold 9.37 million cars world wide.

They LOST 38.7 BILLION dollars.

We’re talking bailout WHY?”

Excellent question…can you say UAW?

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Thursday, December 11, 2008

Name that Country:

I need to give credit once again to CU for hitting this one out of the park! I just want to know how CU figured it out?!?!

The country was Luxemburg!

On my 1-10 scale this week’s country is only a 3.

PLEASE DO NOT POST THE ANSWER…supply info or a hint that proves you know it…there are others playing!!!THANK YOU – gopfolk

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I don’t believe it but it is true…Congressman Paul Ryan voted for the auto bailout…how sad.

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I thought Obama was the “Change” candidate:

Obama picks Daschle to spearhead healthcare

Clinton for Sec. of State

Holder as Attorney General

Richardson as Commerce Sec.

Orszag as Teasury Sec. (although I like this one!)

Same old names not a lot of “change” here.

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Good night Bettie…Model Bettie Page Dies in Los Angeles at 85

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Senate says NO!

UAW not willing to work a deal…no bailout.

I do have a big question though…shouldn’t the auto execs have done this years ago? You know what I mean…say NO to the UAW?!?

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Look at that…a whole weeks worth of posts…hmm…maybe this is how I should do it regularly! LOL!!!!

Odd News…

AP: Why won’t polar bears mate? They’re both female
Didn’t anyone check?!?!

AP: Accused drunk driver ends up running over himself
Wow! Now that was a hell of a feat! At least it wasn’t here in Wisconsin.

Reuters: Panda attacks Chinese man who wanted a cuddle
20 year old student…I’m thinking alcohol was involved!

Reuters: Obese have right to 2 airline seats
That is just wrong…so wrong.

Sale of Cigar Banned!

That was not a typo in the title…it looks like Prince George County in Maryland has banned the sale of single cigars!

Now if you guessed it is because smoking is bad for you…well you’d be wrong!

It seems that there is a trend among the drug crowd to hollow out cigars and to smoke marijuana.

Now if the legislation seems odd you are correct since as this article in the Washington Post points out “The new law will also make it easier to charge someone possessing a cigar with a drug paraphernalia offense,” and that “Tobacco stores that specialize in cigar sales…are excluded from the legislation’s restrictions.”

I’m confused…if I buy a cigar from a high end tobacco store, place it in my shirt pocket, and then get pulled over for speeding, will I get a fine (or worse arrested) for carrying ‘drug paraphernalia’?

h/t Andrew Roth at the Club for Growth