Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Dooley Jumps in it Again

Everybody's big, fat clown, Fred Dooley, leaped into the fray over the video of alleged minors signing recall petitions. He titled his post "Recall petition fraud? Everywhere. Democrats don't give a damn about doing this legally." Of course, as usual it wasn't true. Now that it's been discovered that the girls were actually of age, do you think Fred will recant and admit his mea culpa?

Hah!

Sounds like the time he claimed the Obama campaign was violating Wisconsin election law. Where did that post go? Zap!, down the electronic circular file.


To be fair, Fred is not the only conservative blogger to jump on this. However, he's my favorite.

Signed Petitions

Signed recall petitions for Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch today. Can't wait for this tyranny to be overthrown.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Fred Dooley for President

Could he be any worse than the group of nitwits now competing for the Republican Teabagger nomination?

"Got my stimulus package in the mail today. It contained watermelon seeds, cornbread mix, and ten coupons to KFC."

Okay. Maybe.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Veteran's Day Redux

Here is a post, reproduced, I wrote some time ago for Veteran's Day (edited somewhat).

I remember staying with Nana at her home in Appleton shortly after Grandpa's death at the age of 82. It was September 1978 or so. Nana and I were foraging through some items when I found an old uniform. I asked Nana if this was Grandpa's. She said it was his WWI uniform and beckoned to me to try it on. It was a little tight, but it fit! I was 22 at the time and pretty skinny. It was cool to know that my Grandpa and I were about the same size back in our youth. (The picture on the left is of Grandpa in his uniform around 1930.)

I spent a lot of time at my grandparents as a child. My Dad was working hard to feed a growing family (it would become five eventually). We (usually Kelly and I) would often stay with Nana and Grandpa for a week or so at a time during the summer.

I didn't mind. I loved visiting. I enjoyed puttering in the backyard with Nana, picking raspberries, blueberries, apples, pears, dodging the bees, etc. The gathered fruits would later become the filling for pies; the aroma of these just-baked pies filling the house and wafting out the backdoor to the yard where I could be found building miniature cities with hand-smoothed expressways in the gravel driveway.

I remember evenings sitting on the floor in front of Grandpa's lap. He'd peel apples. It was a wondrous experience for the grandkids, watching Grandpa maintain one - long - continuous - peel. Then he'd present slices to each of us kids from the flat side of the paring blade.

I especially liked going with Grandpa to the driving range to practice hitting golfballs. He was an excellent golfer. He had seven hole-in-ones (I've had one, using an old iron of his) and he shot a 79 at Reid Municipal Park in Appleton at the age of 79. Pretty remarkable.

I'd also go out with Grandpa on the course. I was his caddy until my teen years. I had a blast with Grandpa's old buddies and on occasion was even allowed to hit a golfball.

Even when I was finally allowed to golf, Grandpa insisted I never keep score. Nonetheless, in my adult years it's been a goal of mine to break 80. I've hit 80 six times, but have never made it past. I once needed only to bogey the last hole do break 80. It's been a source of frustration. Grandpa must have known something.

Grandpa's service for our nation consisted of being drafted in September 1918. He trained in Alabama and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1918. He never made it to Europe to actually fight in the war-to-end-all-wars and was discharged in in early 1919.

His only child, my Dad, enlisted in the Marines in January 1945 at the age of 17. He trained in the Carolinas and then transferred to California. In October 1945 he sailed from Washington; visiting Japan and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1947.

He later decided to joined the priesthood. Fortunately he changed his mind before his final vows; I'm thankful for obvious reasons.

Over the years I've tried in my own way to fill my Dad's shoes, though I've insisted I wasn't. We've clashed as Son and Dad often do. I'm sad to say that our relationship has not always been the best.

Recently, I sent an email to him asking he stop sending me any more of those thoroughly debunked anti-Obama emails that were cruising the Internet. After explaining how this latest email was false, I asked whether he had any sense and would he please stop or I would have to block his emails. I wish I had not done that.

Earlier this summer while tossing a ball around with my Son, I noticed how difficult it was to throw with any sort of pace. The distance I could throw a ball had also diminished. But I kept at it even though I knew I would be sore the next day. I thought of my Dad then. He used to set up as catcher and let me throw fastball after fastball. They were not very fast. I tried out for Little League and the first pitch I threw was hit over the centerfield fence. But Dad kept catching and encouraging.

So I keep catching and running after my Son's errant throws. I help him with his homework and I try not to take it personally when he argues with me or gets sullen, as teenagers are wont to do regardless of the generation.

I've been a fortunate person. I had the chance to know my Grandpa and had a Dad who worked and stuck around to care for his family. There are too many children missing that. Because of their efforts, I've turned out fairly all right. I have three kids now. In addition to my teenage boy, I have two beautiful daughters.

I wonder if my Dad has an old uniform lying around? Despite our differences, I bet we were about the same size once, too, in our youth.

Saturday Thoughts

On rare occasions I purchase the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel just to see what's going on. Three items from the Nov. 11 edition made enough of an impression for me to comment (And no, I'm not providing links. It was the print version. Look them up yourself.)

The Petulant David Clarke
The first was a story about a federal lawsuit filed against the sheriff of Milwaukee County, Republican Democrat David Clarke. Sgt. Rich Graber has alleged his constitutional rights were violated in the suit.

What bothers me is Graber claims Clarke went on an expletive-filled rant during a meeting with Graber. Clarke admits using profanity. Really, how long should Milwaukee put up with this clownish buffoon? Clarke is like a toddler that throws a tantrum if it doesn't get it's way, often flying to Charlie Sykes to tell his side of the story, which usually is filled with lies. And, in the business world, how long do you think a supervisor would last if the Human Resources Department discovered this sort of behavior?

Idiot Savant Krysta Sutterfield
This woman appears to have no other talents than to wear her toy holster around in public. She walked into a Brookfield church in 2010 (a very liberal church) openly wearing her toy, was arrested, and in a settlement after the incident, received $7,500. Now she's been arrested for loitering, prowling and resisting arrest -- armed again, of course. She must be short of money.

New Berlin Resident is Dumb
And finally, from the Letters section comes Maggie Brieske of Brookfield. She suggests new strict voting rules for recall elections. Well, only one actually, but let's not let her grammar get in the way. She suggests that only legitimate voters of both parties be allowed to vote.

I'm not sure what that means, but it apparently has something to do with the fact, she claims, the people spoke when Scott Walker was elected governor. How she is so sure of this amazes me. I voted and I certainly did not speak for Walker (another popular conservative talking point is the taxpayers voted for the boy king, but I pay taxes too).

Anyway, she is so refreshed, she claims. She writes, "It is refreshing to see someone in a public office actually walk the walk of what he promised in his campaign." Really. So that comment Walker made about "dropping the bomb" (referring to his union-busting scheme) was just a funny.

Sorry, Maggie. If Walker is recalled will you move to Illinois? Please.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Another Idiot Christian Conservative Running for Office

When, if ever, will conservatives get it. Apparently not yet in Kentucky (and the case can be made for "never" in Wisconsin). Anyway, Kentucky GOP governor hopeful, David Williams, had this to say about his opponent, Govenor Steve BeShear, sitting down and joining a Hindu religious cermony at a groundbreaking ceremony.

“I just brought to people’s attention that it’s rather odd that a governor that wouldn’t stand up for Bell County’s schools ability to say a prayer before a football game and didn’t want to call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree, he wanted to call it a holiday tree, and when he was attorney general didn’t want to post the Ten Commandments, climbed down in a pit and to do a Hindu prayer,” Williams said.

Let me repeat this again (it's been said countless times): The groundbreaking ceremony was private. It had no relation to government interference by religious groups. Saying a prayer at a public school football game, or not posting the Ten Commandments in a public building are entirely different from accepting a request to sit in on a religious celebration put on by a private firm which happens to be based in India (a largely Hindu nation).

Oh by the way, according to TPM, the plant represents a $180 million investment, and is expected to create 250 jobs in Kentucky.

Williams also suggested he was just doing his part in supporting Christianity, because you know, everyone is down on Christians these days. Except for the 2.1 billion who "claim" they are Christians, more than any other faith in the world. Those poor, downtrodden Christians.