Merry Christmas

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Here's wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas

Tragedy in Newtown

The shooting in Newtown, Connecticut today seems more tragic than most as it involves young children.  As I was watching the coverage while at work today, I couldn't help but shed tears.  None of us know enough about the particulars to make any judgments except that the loss of life is horrific.  What PISSES me off is that people are already politicizing this massacre.  To be sure, I have a definite opinion on gun control and I may or may not get into it here, but not now.  Not today.

For the moment, can we PLEASE keep politics out of this devastating tragedy and keep our hearts and our prayers on the victims and their loved ones?  Is that even possible in this day and age?

Screw the War on Christians

This is one of my absolute favorites.  It gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

It's the reason for the season.

Bears v. Packers - Food Pantry Football

Well my friends, it's that time again.  What time you ask?  Well, my friend Wendy and I started a little tradition awhile back...Food Pantry Football.  As you may know, this weekend the Bears will be playing the Packers.  To make the game even MORE fun, I, as a Bears fan, commit to donate one non-perishable food item to a local food pantry for every point my team scores.  Wendy will do the same for each point that other team scores.  We encourage you to join in and make that commitment.  As more and more people are in need of assistance, our food pantries are suffering.  This is a fun, easy way to help your community as the holiday season grows near.

Let's hope for a HIGH scoring game, and GO BEARS!!!!

Visiting the Elder & Family

In this post I shared the good news the the Elder was done with his first tour of Afghanistan, and was back home (in Germany) with TSC and Wiggleworm. Well my friends, I'm happy to share even better news - they're back on American soil! They are stationed in the good old U S of A for now. Naturally, I couldn't WAIT to see them...after all, it had been over two and a half years! I practiced an amazing feat of self-restraint and let them settle in a bit before I descended upon them. Early last month I got a chance to spend a few days with my lovely family.

Mommy & Daddy with Wiggleworm

He's grown up SOOO much!

Grape scented bubbles  :)

Will you LOOK at those eyelashes

Grandma Crazy and Wiggleworm

To say that I enjoyed this visit would be a gross understatement.  My little Wiggleworm is, dare I say, the cutest damned kid EVAH...such a joy to be around.  And the Elder & TSC are such awesome parents.  I can't WAIT to go visit them again...and I'm determined to do so as soon as it's feasible with my work & home schedule.  I'd like to get at least one more visit in before the Elder deploys again.  The only consolation to that is TSC and Wiggleworm will remain in the States.  

Again I thank you for all the prayers you sent while he was deployed and they were overseas.  I hope these pictures bring at least a little smile to your face.  :)

The Painting

I know there's a lot going on, and I will speak on much of that later. This is a very personal post.

When I was a child, my family belonged to Grace Lutheran Church in Bensenville, IL.  My mother was VERY involved in the church.  If there was a committee, it seemed she was on it.  Sunday school?  Of COURSE she was a teacher.  It was an integral part of her life.  In fact, when my brother, sister and I all had chicken pox at the same time, I remember the pastor coming over.  Whether that was to talk to her about church business or keep her from killing us, I'll never know.  ;)

When Mom drowned in 1976, it truly sent shock waves throughout the community.  Since she was not only involved in church, but also in girl scouts, boy scouts, the PTA, etc., MANY people knew her.  I vaguely remember there being lines outside of the funeral home.  So many came to pay their respects.

I have a dim memory of someone in the church painting a portrait of Mom not too long after that.  It's a very hazy memory.  I once asked some family members about it, and they didn't seem to know what I was talking about.  I chalked it up to the false memory of an 11 year old child.  We moved shortly after that and joined a different church.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago.  A bunch of friends who I've reconnected with from my childhood got together to watch football and to celebrate a birthday.  In an attempt to make a long story short, the birthday girl's sister-in-law just happens to be the daughter of the pastor from my childhood.  In talking with her it turns out that not only does the painting exist, it's still hanging in the church.  It also turns out that it's not just my mom in the painting, it's also my brother, my sister (who is also no longer with us) and me.  While the painting belongs to the church, I was able to go down to the church to take some pictures.  To say that was emotional is an understatement.  The painting, in my opinion doesn't quite depict the beauty of my mom, but that's not the point.  That it was "discovered" after several decades - PRICELESS.

My friends - I cannot even begin to express how much this means to me.  A shout out to Vanessa for not only the connection, but for being right beside me when I saw the Bible verse and broke down.

Veterans Day

Thank you to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.

A Letter from the CEO

This is a letter written by David Seigel, CEO of Westgate Resorts, to his employees.  I normally don't post something like this in its entirety, but this is good.  It's a rather long read, but it sums up what just ONE business owner is dealing with.  And you know there are likely plenty more out there.

Subject: Message from David Siegel

Date:Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:58:05 -0400 (EDT)

From: [David Siegel]

To: [All employees]

 

To All My Valued Employees,As most of you know our company, Westgate Resorts, has continued to succeed in spite of a very dismal economy. There is no question that the economy has changed for the worse and we have not seen any improvement over the past four years. In spite of all of the challenges we have faced, the good news is this: The economy doesn't currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration. Of course, as your employer, I can't tell you whom to vote for, and I certainly wouldn't interfere with your right to vote for whomever you choose. In fact, I encourage you to vote for whomever you think will serve your interests the best.

 

I started this company over 42 years ago. At that time, I lived in a very modest home. I converted my garage into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you. We didn't eat in fancy restaurants or take expensive vacations because every dollar I made went back into this company. I drove an old used car, and often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. Meanwhile, many of my friends got regular jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a nice income, and they spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into this business —-with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford to buy whatever I wanted. Even to this day, every dime I earn goes back into this company. Over the past four years I have had to stop building my dream house, cut back on all of my expenses, and take my kids out of private schools simply to keep this company strong and to keep you employed.

 

Just think about this – most of you arrive at work in the morning and leave that afternoon and the rest of your time is yours to do as you please. But not me- there is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have that freedom. I eat, live, and breathe this company every minute of the day, every day of the week. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. I know many of you work hard and do a great job, but I'm the one who has to sign every check, pay every expense, and make sure that this company continues to succeed. Unfortunately, what most people see is the nice house and the lavish lifestyle. What the press certainly does not want you to see, is the true story of the hard work and sacrifices I've made.

 

Now, the economy is falling apart and people like me who made all the right decisions and invested in themselves are being forced to bail out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed 42 years of my life for. Yes, business ownership has its benefits, but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the costs of running a business have gotten out of control, and let me tell you why: We are being taxed to death and the government thinks we don't pay enough. We pay state taxes, federal taxes, property taxes, sales and use taxes, payroll taxes, workers compensation taxes and unemployment taxes. I even have to hire an entire department to manage all these taxes. The question I have is this: Who is really stimulating the economy? Is it the Government that wants to take money from those who have earned it and give it to those who have not, or is it people like me who built a company out of his garage and directly employs over 7000 people and hosts over 3 million people per year with a great vacation?

 

Obviously, our present government believes that taking my money is the right economic stimulus for this country. The fact is, if I deducted 50 percent of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? Who wants to get rewarded only 50 percent of their hard work? Well, that's what happens to me.

 

Here is what most people don't understand and the press and our Government has chosen to ignore — to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Instead of raising my taxes and depositing that money into the Washington black-hole, let me spend it on growing the company, hire more employees, and generate substantial economic growth. My employees will enjoy the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But that is not what our current Government wants you to believe. They want you to believe that it somehow makes sense to take more from those who create wealth and give it to those who do not, and somehow our economy will improve. They don't want you to know that the "1%", as they like to label us, pay more than 31% of all the taxes in this country. Thomas Jefferson, the author of our great Constitution, once said, "democracy" will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."

 

Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate business, not kill it. However, the power brokers in Washington believe redistributing wealth is the essential driver of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change they want.

 

So where am I going with all this? It's quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company. Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone.

 

So, when you make your decision to vote, ask yourself, which candidate understands the economics of business ownership and who doesn't? Whose policies will endanger your job? Answer those questions and you should know who might be the one capable of protecting and saving your job. While the media wants to tell you to believe the "1 percenters" are bad, I'm telling you they are not. They create most of the jobs. If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the "1%"; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country.

 

You see, I can no longer support a system that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, so will your opportunities. If that happens, you can find me in the Caribbean sitting on the beach, under a palm tree, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

 

Signed, your boss,

David Siegel

 

Any questions? 

I Remember

Food Pantry Football

The Bears play the Packers one week from tomorrow.  My friend Wendy and I have found a way to make this rivalry benefit many.  As you know, I am a Bears fan.  Wendy is a Packers fan (along with most others I know around these parts - it's a rough life I tell ya).  Soooo, Bears fans - for each point we score, please donate one item to your local food pantry.  Packers fans - for each point the Pack scores, please do the same.  Our food pantries are suffering these days, and with the price of food rising as a result of the drought I fear it will not get better soon, so you don't have to limit your donation to one item per point.  If I'm not mistaken, both Wendy and I donated an item for total points scored last season.

Please join in - it really DOES make the game a little more fun, especially if it's a high scoring game!

Thanks!  And  GO BEARS!!!

EXCLUSIVE: WTMJ Blew It.

I've often criticized WTMJ for some of their personnel decisions.  Yes, I know, they make their decisions for their own reasons, but keeping listeners happy doesn't seem to be taken into account.  I believe the most egregious lapse in judgment on the part of the station was letting James T. Harris go to Tucson.  In a way, I guess I understand their thinking...after all, the station is a pretty bland, vanilla type station, and James T. was a VERY outspoken voice.  His personality is a little larger than life and though that may have frightened the powers that be, many of us LOVED the refreshing difference.  His style of conservatism was a breath of fresh air in a sea of rather staid voices.

James got an opportunity at 104.1 The Truth...weekdays from 10-12 (12-2 central time).  He ROCKED it. So much so, that as you read this, they are announcing that our friend, James T. Harris, is starting his gig at DRIVE TIME!!!  He will be on 3-6 p.m. (5-8 central time) weekdays.  I want to be the first to say

CONGRATULATIONS

FROM

WISCONSIN

I'm am tickled pink for him. Milwaukee's loss is most definitely Tucson's gain.  Make us proud.......nevermind.  You already have.  :)

 

Field of Honor

I had the privilege, and I use that word quite literally, of attending the Field of Honor event at Miller Park on Saturday.  A record breaking crowd attended...no really...Guiness was on hand and confirmed that we set the world record for a feature length movie premier. The previous record was 27, 022 people.  Over 28,400 were in attendance on Saturday. That was just icing on the cake.

Friends, I'm not sure I have words to describe this event.  When I read about it or try to tell people about it, I can't help but get choked up.  MANY tears were shed.  We were there to see the world premier of the movie Honor Flight and more importantly, to honor our World War II veterans.  The movie is a documentary about how the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight came to be.  In this process, two WWII veterans became key players.  Their stories, along with a few others, are highlighted in this film.  And what stories they have to tell.

Every Day is a Bonus.  This phrase was coined by PFC Joe Demler a/k/a the Human Skeleton, pictured above, who was captured by enemy forces during the Battle of the Bulge.  I won't be so presumptuous as to tell his story, but suffice it to say that he was in attendance at Miller Park for the event to honor his service.  I thank you sir.

And then there was Harvey Kurz.  A loveable, prolific flirt who nonetheless is madly in love with his wife, this brave man fought at Iwo Jima.  And yet he does not think of himself as a hero.  In his words, the ones who didn't come back are heroes.  Word to Harvey - YOU are a hero.

There were several others profiled in the film.  You can't help but fall in love with these men.  In their eyes, their country called them up, they did their duty, and then returned home to resume their lives.  Nothing more, nothing less.  Their humility is astounding.  They really do NOT understand our gratitude for guaranteeing every one of us...you, me, our parents, our children, our grandchildren, and on and on and on - the freedoms that we take for granted in this beautiful country.  It was their sacrifice that allowed us to live in freedom.  They truly are the greatest generation.

My friends - I've never experienced anything like the atmosphere that enveloped Miller Park on Saturday.  When the Color Guard came out, there were 28,000+ in the stadium and yet you could have heard a pin drop.  It was an atmosphere of complete and total awe and respect.

I suppose I could go on and on about the experience, but unless you were there, you really won't get it.  I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of those who made this event possible.  I urge all of you to see the move Honor Flight...not only will you not be disappointed, I dare say you won't be the same after.  I seriously doubt there was a dry eye in the stadium...before, during or after the movie.

And most of all, a heartfelt thank you to the WWII vets, and those who have served and continue to serve this great country.  There are no words to express my gratitude to you.  You are ALL heroes.

Fast Food Farce

I didn’t think I was going to post on this issue, but I simply had to vent. I won’t be including links in this post because this is merely an opinion piece. This whole Chick-fil-A business has, in my opinion, gotten out of hand.

Racine has Southeastern Wisconsin’s only Chick-fil-A restaurant which is located in Regency Mall. I normally don’t patronize the establishment because 1) I don’t do malls, and 2) if I’m having fast food for lunch it usually involves a drive-thru. On August 1, however, I got my butt in gear and went to the mall to participate in the Chick-fil-A appreciation event. I stood in line for 45 minutes for a yummy chicken sandwich and waffle fries.

Now, many would have you believe that this was an anti-gay movement. Others would have you believe that it was a stand against same sex marriage. While that may be true for some, it had nothing whatsoever to do with why I and many of those I spoke to were there. For me, and for those around me, this was about supporting the First Amendment protection of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Sure there were some ignorant bigots amongst the hundreds and hundreds of people standing in line. Overall, it was a very friendly bunch of people who were supporting one man’s first amendment rights.

Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A, said in an interview that he believes in the biblical definition of marriage. He most certainly has the right to believe what he wants, and to express those beliefs. If you don’t like it, don’t patronize the restaurants. Easy, right? Well, not so much. In a knee jerk reaction to Mr. Cathy expressing his views (which were well known for quite some time), politicians across the country decided to spout off and state that they would do what they could to (illegally) ban franchises from opening up in their city/district/ward.

Think about that friends. A person in authority deciding that because he/she doesn’t agree with someone else’s beliefs, they will “punish” the offender. That’s quite frightening and doesn’t sound like the United States of America I know and love. Not only that, these are privately owned franchises. Is it okay to make one individual suffer because of the words of another?

I understand that various LGBT groups are staging a “counter protest” today – they’re calling it a kiss-in. To those participating I say this…if it’s as peaceful and courteous as the appreciation day was, more power to you.

Colorado Movie Theater Massacre - First thoughts

By now I'm sure you've all heard about the Colorado Movie Theater Massacre which so far left 12 dead and 50 injured.  I realize that everything we're seeing and hearing on the news are preliminary reports, and that much more information will be shared as the investigation continues.  These are just a few initial thoughts that popped into my head while driving to work.

First of all, this was not the usual massacre (if ANY massacre can be labeled "usual") in that the alleged shooter did not blow himself away or commit suicide by cop.  This guy was captured, is in custody, and reportedly talking to the authorities.  Could it be that we'll actually be able to bring the person responsible for this unfathomable crime to justice?  Hear the reasoning behind it?  One can only hope.

Secondly, in this day and age, how in the world did someone get into a movie theater with the following:

• A gas mask
• A bullet proof vest
• At least two cannisters of tear gas (or some sort of gas)
• Two handguns
• One rifle

Seriously?  Fortunately, since they were expecting large crowds for this movie premier, they had police around to handle any crowd control issues that may arise.  I believe this is the reason the gunman was captured.  But HOW was he able to get into the theater armed to the teeth?  I imagine answers will be forthcoming.

I heard a report that one of the injured was a 3 month old baby.  This is wrong on SO many levels!  What the HELL kind of parents/guardians would bring an infant to a midnight premier?  a) it's a very LOUD action movie - infants should not be exposed to that level of noise; and b) it's FREAKIN' MIDNIGHT!!!  Were these parents actually that selfish that they brought their child to the movie because they couldn't find a babysitter?  I hope child protective services takes a look at this.

Friends, my heart is heavy.  The world is a very scary place.  Usually we go to the movies to escape the outside world with its many atrocities.  The fact is, there is nowhere we can go and be truly safe.  We hear of shootings in restaurants, places of employment, schools, malls, and now this. 

These are sad, sad times.  Sigh.

Happy Father's Day

To all the dads out there

It's The End Of The World As We Know It!!!

Well, according to this dude it is...



Seriously people???  I'm guessing it's people like him who are also responsible for this crap...

Some choice examples:

KILL SCOTT WALKER KILL SCOTT WALKER KILL SCOTT WALKER KILL SCOTT WALKER KILL SCOTT WALKER KILL SCOTT WALKER! Ole Bitch Ass Pig Ass Nigga!!!!

Ima fuck Scott walker up. I been wanting to for the longest anyways lowkey.—
`Marques.Scoot. (@__SupaMcNASTY__) June 06, 2012

Scott walker will die within the next week ive already payed for the hit—
AHH FACK IM BASED! (@caleb_white) June 06, 2012

This is but a small example of how "other side" reacts.  We won in November, 2010.  That wasn't good enough.  After a year and a half of HELL, we won fair and square - again.  The FBI and State Department of Justice claims they will look into this, but I won't hold my breath.  Elected officials and conservative talk radio hosts have been getting death threats since the beginning of this debacle, and as far as I know, nothing's been done.

To be fair, there are people on the other side who have been, if not gracious, at least accepting.  It's these tools who give all the decent people a bad name.  And I hope EVERYONE will call them out.

People - it's OVER.  Deal with it!

Dear Wisconsin

First of all, let me say that I'm not going to gloat. While I'm THRILLED that Governor Walker defeated Mayor Barrett, this whole recall cycle has been a travesty. In the past year and a half we've had protesters occupying the capitol, Senators fleeing the state to avoid a vote, teachers walking off the job, so-called doctors forging notes for said teachers, death threats, physical assaults, and the list goes on and on. THIS is what the Republicans have had to deal with as a result of simply attempting to do the job they were elected to do. It resulted in a cost to taxpayers - yes...YOU AND ME...in the tens of millions. Between the cost of the actual recalls, the damage done to the capitol building, overtime for capitol police (who really did nothing to stop it) and various and sundry other costs, WE are paying millions and millions of dollars.

Why? Because the democrats and the unions just couldn't let go. They couldn't face the fact that the voters decided that we wanted to change the way Wisconsin does business. We were sick and tired of the unions owning the governor, and therefore the state. We were sick of the country realizing that Wisconsin was for sale to the highest bidder. We were sick and tired of Wisconsin being one of the least favorable states for business and one of the most favorable place for trial lawyers. So we elected a governor who we believed felt as we did. And he did. And he changed things.

As I was driving to my monthly gathering of conservative friends/bloggers, I heard a comment on the radio...someone was saying that this recall election was good because it gives the voters a chance to be heard. NOTE TO ALL THOSE OUT THERE...the voters WERE heard. We were heard in the November, 2010 election. This recall was nothing but your attempt at a do-over. Guess what - you got your second bite at the apple and you lost. Not only did you lose, but in many ways the state lost. We have been divided since Governor Walker won the election fair and square. We have taken taxpayer dollars which could have been well spent elsewhere and instead is being spent on this farce. Hey Wisconsin. Let it go. Leave it alone. Let Governor Walker get back to actually governing. If you don't like what he's doing, vote him out in the next election. But enough of this shit...I would hope you care more about the future of Wisconsin than you do about continuing this losing battle.

Get Out and Vote

I've been asked by a few people why I've been so quiet regarding the (now) infamous recall election.

If you are my facebook friend (and once again I ask...if not, why not?) you know that this has been quite a year at work. We moved out of our old building into temporary offices and FINALLY moved into our new building last weekend. To say it's been quite "challenge" working in the temporary place would be an understatement.

More importantly though, is that I don't know quite what to say about all the garbage leading up to this election, which is dominating not only local airwaves but national airwaves as well. The hypocrisy I've seen from every avenue is enough to make me physically ill. I've NEVER seen double standards the likes of which I've seen in the past year. There are people and/or organizations who have sunk lower than I EVER thought possible, and that's saying a lot. I'll not get into details, because I'm sure you've been reading them ad nauseum. Suffice it to say that there are some out there who have resorted to unfounded rumors that even their own side refuted.

I will simply leave you with this...

Memorial Day 2012

When you go home, tell them of us and say 

For your tomorrow, we gave our today.

Thank you.

National Armed Forces Day

Thank you to all the men and women who served and continue to serve our country.

The Abortionist - A Review

I am re-posting this review in the hopes of shaming the author into finishing the new book he's working on!  ;)

When I started reading the blogs a few years back, I stumbled across a blog called From Where I Sit. It intrigued me because it is written by a fictional character named Elliot Stearns. That fictional character has now come to life in a book titled The Abortionist written by Michael James Caughill.

In this post I reflect on friendships and the internet. Michael James Caughill is one of those who I got to know through Twitter and I finally got to meet him in person a couple of months ago. As a very avid reader, I was a little uptight reading a book written by someone I know – what if it’s bad? What if it’s just so-so? What do I say?

Well, in this case I don’t have to worry about those what-ifs. This book is fantastic!! It a suspense/thriller about a serial killer that takes place in Milwaukee. It is NOT pro-life or pro-choice…as the author says, it’s pro-thought. The character development is tremendous – I really “got to know” the characters. Above all, it is a spine-tingling blood-chilling page turner. It’s one of those books you just don’t want to put down…you want to find out what happens next. If you don’t believe me, visit the site – you can read the first five chapters for free!! And if you don’t want to go out and buy the book after reading those first five chapters, there is something seriously wrong with you!

Originally posted at Ol' Broad's Place in July, 2009. Yeah - that's before I decided on making my own home in the blogosphere.

Happy Mother's Day

To all you moms...AND single dads out there...

Don't Forget to Vote Tomorrow!

Don't forget friends, tomorrow, May 8, 2012 is a very important primary. Here's what my ballot will look like...

Please take the time to vote!

Hey Mr. President - THESE are the Real Heroes

Mr. President...YOU are not the hero here. Politicizing the killing of Bin Laden is beyond contempt.

Happy Easter

Good Friday

Happy Birthday Val!

I honestly can't remember if I've mentioned my little sister here before. My sister Val was killed in a car accident in 1985 when she was 18 years old. She was quite the spitfire. We fought like wildcats many times, but I chalk that up to us being very similar. Today, she would have turned 45 years old. This boggles my mind. I will ALWAYS picture her as an 18 year old, though every so often I wonder what she would be like today had she lived. She was quite the complicated person...in many ways very troubled. There are many who tried to help, and many who still remember all of the wonderful traits that made Val the person she was. Rest in peace baby sister...you are missed.

P.S. - those of you who knew her, I'd LOVE for you to share your thoughts and/or memories in the comment section here or on facebook.

The Obligatory Treyvon Martin Post

I pride myself in the fact that when I'm wrong, I admit it. In this situation, I looked that the facts the MSM presented and was convinced that George Zimmerman was a cold blooded killer. Mind you, I didn't think race really had anything to do with it but nevertheless, I was taken in by what the media was presenting as facts. I can blame the meds I'm taking, I can blame my heavy work schedule, or any number of things, but I won't. I simply made a rookie mistake...a mistake I thought I outgrew ages ago.

As more facts come out, more questions are raised. There are witnesses, videos, pictures, statements, all SORTS of stuff that wasn't initially reported. There is more background into the two key players. Of course, that information should not be used to form an opinion as to this particular case, but human nature will indeed take this into consideration.

We have the typical race baiters, who while trying to become relevant again, are threatening "civil disobedience" and have gone so far as putting a bounty on Mr. Zimmerman's head. There are celebrities, and celebrity has-beens, publishing Mr. Zimmerman's address for all to see. This is not only dangerous, it's criminal. Should anything happen to Mr. Zimmerman by vigilantes who have been thrown into a frenzy by this hysteria, those who fed the fire should also be held liable.

Friends, my point is this. NONE of us know all the facts of this case. We are not being presented with all of the evidence. We are not privy to the investigation. Unless and until we are, cool heads need to prevail. Let the investigations play out and THEN form an opinion as to what really happened that tragic day.

UPDATE: Spike Lee does the right thing.

Missing the Opportunity to Abort Child, Couple Strikes it Rich.

There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to begin. Ahh - okay - let's start at the beginning. The title of the article.

Couple Wins Suit, Doc Didn’t Suggest Aborting Baby With Down Syndrome

Say whut?? There must be more to the story than that, right? Unfortunately, that pretty much says it all.

A couple in Oregon has been awarded $2.9 million because they would have aborted their little girl had they known she had Down Syndrome. Deborah and Ariel Levy told an Oregon court that prenatal testing they received said little Kalanit did not have Down Syndrome. The Levy said that they were devastated when Kalanit was diagnosed after she was born.

Yet in this article which bears the headline

Victory for couple who said they 'would have aborted daughter if they knew she had Down's syndrome' as jury forces hospital to pay $2.9million following botched test

their attorney says

'These are parents who love this little girl very, very much,' he said. 'Their mission since the beginning was to provide for her and that's what this is all about.'

Okaaaayyy...you love your little girl so much that you are willing to let the entire world that you would have aborted her had you known her condition. They claim the money is to take care of this precious innocent. Okay - I'll give ya that. It's not cheap to take care of a special needs child...however, millions of people do it every day. They don't juice the system and publicize to not only the world, but their two OTHER sons that they were chagrined that they didn't have an opportunity to kill this child.

As one of their two other boys, what would you think? Would you wonder if mommy and daddy would have killed you if you weren't perfect?

The parents claim they love their child, and make excuse after excuse about how the lawsuit was the right thing to do. They complain that they're receiving death threats. Well cry me a river. I have NO sympathy for these people. What they may have done had they known is, I suppose, their business. However, letting the entire world know that you don't think an imperfect (in your eyes) child deserves to be born is beyond reprehensible.

Happy Birthday!!!

It's hard to believe it was 22 years ago...it still seems like yesterday to me.

Happy Birthday babe - I'm so incredibly proud of you!

Ethics my Sweet ASS!!!

Friends, my head is exploding right now. My body is literally shaking. I am aware that generally speaking, the morals of the masses have been on a VERY slippery slope. Look at what they show on TV. Look at the types of people kids idolize. I find it quite disturbing, but THIS takes the cake.

Parents should be allowed to have their newborn babies killed because they are “morally irrelevant” and ending their lives is no different to abortion, a group of medical ethicists linked to Oxford University has argued.

The article, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, says newborn babies are not “actual persons” and do not have a “moral right to life”. The academics also argue that parents should be able to have their baby killed if it turns out to be disabled when it is born.

The article, entitled “After-birth abortion: Why should the baby live?”, was written by two of Prof Savulescu’s former associates, Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva.

They argued: “The moral status of an infant is equivalent to that of a fetus in the sense that both lack those properties that justify the attribution of a right to life to an individual.”

Rather than being “actual persons”, newborns were “potential persons”. They explained: “Both a fetus and a newborn certainly are human beings and potential persons, but neither is a ‘person’ in the sense of ‘subject of a moral right to life’.

I don't even know where to begin. "Morally irrelevant"???? "Potential person"???? Okay, let's start with this, and I'll try to go REAL slow. These cretins call it "post-birth abortion" when what it really is is infanticide. Infantacide is defined as the killing of an infant. Infantacide is illegal. There is a reason for this. Because once the child is born, it is LEGALLY a person. NOT a potential person. (I will not get into the argument about when a fetus becomes a person - that's not the point here) A living breathing Person. The thought that ANYONE could think of a newborn as a "thing" and that anyone would have a right to murder that "thing" is abhorrent.

Good Lord - does no one value life anymore? It seems, in article after article that I read, that there is NO value put on babies. There have been, as of this writing, 5 co-sleeping deaths in Milwaukee already. It's gotten to the point that this surprises no one anymore. Yet no one is held accountable. Women are murdering, or letting their baby daddy murder, innocent children, yet the punishment they get is laughable!!

That this is written by "medical ethicists" and published in the Journal for Medical Ethics is truly frightening. Ethics is defined as follows:

1.
a. A set of principles of right conduct.
b. A theory or a system of moral values: "An ethic of service is at war with a craving for gain" (Gregg Easterbrook).
2. ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy.
3. ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.

The right conduct? Moral values? More worrisome, the "general nature" of morals? The article goes on to read:

“The goal of the Journal of Medical Ethics is not to present the Truth or promote some one moral view. It is to present well reasoned argument based on widely accepted premises.”

My friends, if this EVER becomes a "widely accepted premise" we are in a WHOLE lot more trouble than I ever imagined.

It's simply reprehensible.

R.I.P. Andrew Breitbart

I am simply stunned. Via Breitbart TV

With a terrible feeling of pain and loss we announce the passing of Andrew Breitbart.

Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles.

We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior.

Andrew lived boldly, so that we more timid souls would dare to live freely and fully, and fight for the fragile liberty he showed us how to love.

Andrew recently wrote a new conclusion to his book, Righteous Indignation:

I love my job. I love fighting for what I believe in. I love having fun while doing it. I love reporting stories that the Complex refuses to report. I love fighting back, I love finding allies, and—famously—I enjoy making enemies.

Three years ago, I was mostly a behind-the-scenes guy who linked to stuff on a very popular website. I always wondered what it would be like to enter the public realm to fight for what I believe in. I’ve lost friends, perhaps dozens. But I’ve gained hundreds, thousands—who knows?—of allies. At the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror, and I sleep very well at night.

Andrew is at rest, yet the happy warrior lives on, in each of us.

He was truly a pioneer - a warrior of the people. He will most assuredly be missed.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Welcome Home.

The Elder - Update!

Many of you are aware that about this time last year, the Elder was deployed to Afghanistan. Well friends, I couldn't be more thrilled to report that he is back home with TSC and Wiggleworm! I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet...I think he MORE than deserves to have some time alone with his wife and son. I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the prayers and good wishes y'all threw out in the past year. I'm certain that played a part in getting him through his first deployment relatively unscathed. HOPEFULLY I won't have to ask for prayers to keep him safe through another deployment anytime soon!

2 Years Old?

My Precious Wiggleworm,

I simply cannot believe that you are 2 years old today. Time can't possibly be going that quickly. Of course, it may have something to do with the fact that I haven't seen you since you were six months old. This is what you looked like the last time I saw you.

This is what you look like now.

Listen buddy - I asked you in this post to take care of your Mom while Daddy is gone. Sweetheart - you've done an AWESOME job! You make your mommy SOOOOO happy. And that makes all of us happy. Your Daddy is SO proud of you, and so am I. And your Mommy has been incredible during this time as well. I can't wait to see you and hold you. It seems like a LOOOONG time, but I'm sure it will fly. Well, to you and mommy and daddy anyway! It can't come soon enough for me.

I love you sweetheart. And I love your Mommy and Daddy too. I'm SO grateful you will all be together again soon.

Happy 2nd Birthday Wiggleworm. I love you.

Celebrate Walker and Media Bias

I had the pleasure of attending the Celebrate Walker rally in Wauwatosa yesterday with a friend of mine. Now, if you rely on the mainstream media for your news, I was one of the "hundreds" who attended. Ummm - not exactly.

It never ceases to amaze me how the lamestream media tilts something as benign as a rally to fit their agenda. I understand that they despise the fact that those of us who support our governor are willing to come out in droves on a cold January day, but honestly, can't you get the number a LITTLE closer? Hundreds? More like hundreds...and hundreds...and hundreds. The energy from the crowd was amazing and the speakers really fired everyone up. Of course, the paid thugs protesters had to infiltrate and attempt to shake things up. The police promptly escorted them out. However, I did find it amusing that our crowd started yelling "shame shame shame" to the point it was echoing throughout the park. Heh.

Speaking of the protesters, if you look at the pictures provided by the MSM, one would think that they had quite a showing. Ummm - again - not so much.

I'll admit that we left early - I had another engagement I had to attend. However, it seems that we left at the perfect time. As we were leaving, who should we run in to??

Yep - a good time was had by all.

The Marines and the Taliban

I've been holding my tongue on this one so far, but then I figured - why the hell did I start this blog? To vent, to rant, to voice my opinions. So here goes.

Much has been made about the images of four Marines desecrating the bodies of dead members of the Taliban. While I most certainly DO NOT condone this behavior, let's look into this a little further, shall we? Were the Marines cutting off body parts? No. Were they posing the bodies? No. Were they taking pictures that were MEANT to be disseminated for all to see? No. They were urinating on the bodies. I can't emphasize enough that I don't agree with what they did, but why don't we look at it from their perspective.

I've heard from folks on the ground what it's really like over there. Chris Kyle, the most prolific sniper in history, refers to the Taliban in his book "American Sniper" as Savages. Folks - these are people who want us dead and will do anything to achieve that goal. These are people who use women and CHILDREN to kill Americans. And when they do, they celebrate. Loud and Proud. Disgusting. It doesn't matter whether or not you agree with the war...the fact is that we have our brave armed forces facing death every day from these savages. IEDs, snipers, suicide bombers...one never knows over there. I've only heard a very small portion of what the Elder has seen and faced and it breaks my heart and infuriates me at the same time.

The fact that these Marines may be facing charges demonstrates how PC this country has become. I think Allen West is SPOT ON when he says:

“The Marines were wrong. Give them a maximum punishment under field grade level Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), place a General Officer level letter of reprimand in their personnel file, and have them in full dress uniform stand before their Battalion, each personally apologize to God, Country, and Corps videotaped and conclude by singing the full US Marine Corps Hymn without a teleprompter.

“As for everyone else, unless you have been shot at by the Taliban, shut your mouth, war is hell.”

I highly recommend you read the whole thing at the link above.

The Marines:

Does that really compare with the Taliban?

Just sayin'

A Mile in their Shoes

For all those bastards who decided they were in a position to judge Rick Santorum on how he and his family handled the death of their child, this is a must read. A woman who went through the same type of situation weighs in...

At first blush, the way Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum handled the death of his newborn son almost 16 years ago may seem a little bizarre to some.

But it’s not. I know because I’ve gone through it, too.

Nearly two and a half years ago, my world came crashing down.
...
One of the nurses swaddled my daughter and put her in my arms — an act for which I am eternally grateful. Despite our fears and trepidation, the nurse assured us that holding our baby daughter would help us through our ordeal. As painful as it might seem, it would help us heal.

Grace was beautiful. She had my husband’s lips and my big toe. We told her how much we loved her and how sorry we were. Our families got to see her, too, and a priest came to our hospital room to bless her.
...
Those precious moments with my daughter — the only time I ever got to see and hold her — are cherished ones. That single memory of holding Grace brings me much peace.
...
As Santorum did for his son, we had a funeral for Grace. She’s buried alongside her grandmother and her obituary ran in this newspaper.

And like Santorum, not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. My 12-year-old stepdaughter, meanwhile, wears a remembrance bracelet to honor the baby sister she never knew.

I was sickened this week when liberal pundits mocked Santorum as “weird” and “crazy,” and tried to use the tragedy to highlight his extreme right-wing views.

Some may not agree with Santorum’s ideology, but to ridicule a grief-stricken father for grappling with one of life’s most agonizing tragedies is the dirtiest of politics.

My hope is that none of his heartless critics will ever have to walk in his — or my — shoes.

You really should read the whole thing...it goes into far more detail.

As most of you know, there was a period of time after the Boy was born that we weren't sure whether or not he was going make it. Would I have done the same thing? I have NO idea. And that's the point - unless one has been through this, heaven only knows how one would react and what choices they would make.

What I DO know is no one has the right to judge this type of decision. NO ONE can say they know without a doubt what they would do in the face of such a tragic emotional event. Moreover, how DARE anyone make fun of or criticize a decision such as this. I, like the author, hope they never have to find out what they'd do in such a situation.

They should be ashamed of themselves, but since they have no shame we know that ain't gonna happen.

Reflections

Well, 2011 has been a helluva year, eh?

If you're my facebook friend (and if not, why not??), y'all already know that I'm starting 2012 in a new location...professionally speaking, that is. My law firm spent the last week of 2011 moving our offices to temporary quarters until our new building is completed, which we HOPE will be around June. I'm digging the idea of starting a new year in a new place.

Soooo, 2011. As many of you know, the year didn't start so well. I missed the infamous Groundhog Day Blizzard because I was up in Green Bay watching my father in law fight for his life. Thanks to the incredible support and the outpouring of prayers from y'all, he has completely recovered. He's even gone back to working out at the health club...something I should probably think about. Or not.

In 2011 I was also blessed with many new friendships. Some of these people have become a part of my every day life and for that I am grateful. I've also reconnected with some people from my past and they too have become an incredibly important part of my life. And of course, there are those friends who have been by my side for years. I thank you ALL for...well...putting up with me! ;)

The politics. Lord have mercy - I could go on for DAYS about Wisconsin politics in 2011. February saw Wisconsin thrown into the national spotlight when 14 senate democrats decided to act like a bunch of children who get angry because they don't like the rules, so they ran away from home. I was honestly waiting for them to hold their collective breaths until they turned blue...oh wait...they're about as blue as they can possibly get, aren't they? Contemporaneous to that was the sick outs. Teachers all over the state decided that because they didn't like the idea of joining the real world by having to contribute a bit more (but much less than those of us in the private sector) to their medical insurance and pensions, they would just walk off the job. This resulted in schools shutting down and parents having to scramble to find alternate care for the children who these teachers are SUPPOSED to care about. We also had thousands of former hippies, wannabes and union thugs destroying our capital...and many of them couldn't even explain why they were there. And that was only the BEGINNING of the year. All of this culminated in the perpetual recalls which continue to this day...as does the bill to the taxpayers.

With the presidential election coming up in 2012 along with the effort to recall Governor Walker, it promises to be a very interesting year in politics. As far as personally and professionally...well, I guess that remains to be seen!

My wish for all of you is a blessed and prosperous 2012.