Syria

The Syrian Civil War has gone on since March 15, 2011 as an outgrowth of the Middle Eastern movement known as Arab Spring. It is an ongoing conflict between forces attempting to oust the Ba'ath government and forces loyal to that government. The protesters are demanding the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. His family has held the presidency since 1971 and the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party has held power since 1963. The Syrian Army was deployed in April 2011 to quell the protests and fired on demonstrators across the country. It has become an armed rebellion with opposition forces composed mainly of defected soldiers and civilian volunteers. They appear to continue to have no central leadership. The conflict is taking place in cities and towns across the country with no controlled fronts. In late 2011 the Islamist group Jabhat al-Nusra was having growing influence in the opposition forces. In 2013 Hezbollah entered the war in support of the Syrian army. The Syrian government is supported by Russia and Iran while Qatar and Saudi Arabia provide weapons to the rebel forces. In order to clarify who the players are Jabhat al-Nusra is an Al Qaeda associate operating in Syria. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations in December 2012. Hezbollah is a Shi'a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon. It is regarded as a resistance movement throughout much of the Arab and Muslim world. The United States, U.K., Canada, the European Union and Israel classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Hezbollah receives training, support and weapons from Iran and political support from Syria. Hezbollah has called for the destruction of the state of Israel. The death toll in this conflict surpassed 100,000 in June 2013. About half the deaths have been civilians. The U.N. reports that 4 million Syrians have been displaced and 1.8 million have fled to other countries.

It is clear given the evidence gathered from various sources including U.N. inspectors, Doctors Without Boarders, the governments of Britain and France, the government of Turkey, Israeli intelligence forces, Russian Foreign Ministry are among the groups who agree that chemical weapons have been used in Syria. The question of who used them remains unresolved for some of these organizations. The United States claims to have intercepted telephone communications between Syrian Army and government officials that indicate government forces used chemical weapons. This raises a question in my mind. How fucking stupid are these people? Haven't there been enough news reports over the past few years regarding the United States Government's ability to intercept telephone and other electronic communications? President Obama indicated on several occasions that the use of chemical weapons in this conflict would be a "game changer". He now says the situation is going to require "American attention". We have moved naval warships in the area to allow responses to include the use of Tomahawk cruise missiles. We also have several military bases with aircraft capable of striking inside Syria in that area of the world. The United Kingdom would like a U.N. Security Council resolution approving the use of force but since Russia and China are permanent members and have veto power that is unlikely to occur.

So what should we do? When the United States was involved in its Civil War other nations were advised to stay out of the fray. They had no business getting involved in what we felt was an internal matter. It was brother fighting brother. When you get involved in those battles usually the brothers unite and fight you. Would this happen in Syria. It would appear based on the groups involved that neither sides is a friend of the United States. At the same time it would seem like a bad idea to have a group like Hezbollah on one side or Jabhat al-Nusra in possession of chemical weapons. We accused Iraq of having chemical weapons and spent several trillion dollars finding out they didn't. We will continue to pay the price for that error in judgment for decades to come. If you wonder if that is true, our Civil War ended 148 years ago. We are still paying veteran's benefits to relatives of survivors of that war. While the expense is only a few thousand dollars it still goes on. Experts indicate we cannot bomb the chemical weapon stockpiles because doing so would contaminate a large area. We would also be unlikely to destroy all of them and some could fall into the hands of terrorist groups. My recommendation at this time is to sit this one out. Let these groups kill each other for as long as it takes. Whatever action we take will make us an enemy. Our inaction will also make us enemies. The potential loss of life of American service men and women in a conflict where both sides are unfriendly to us makes it hard to see any potential upside in our involvement.

News

I complain on a regular basis about current news programming on the major networks. So much of what is presented is not anything I consider news. Watching the last couple of days you would think the MTV Video Music Awards were the most important thing going on in the world. Miley Cyrus works hard to shred her Hannah Montana image and be seen apparently as a slutty adult. The big news included the statement that she did something called twerking. Not being up on my teen lingo since I left my teens some 40 years ago I did what any sensible adult would do. I turned to google. It appears twerking is a combination movement involving a deep squat and a pelvic tilt. The explanation is as follows. You (and I mean you and clearly not me) take a wide stance with your legs turned out at 10 and 2 so your hips are externally rotated. (I'm already in pain). You pulse up and down as you thrust the pelvis bone forward and back. So it sounds to me like little Hannah Montana was doing a little air humping. So that is the important news of the day. Miley dresses skimpy and humps around the stage while she sings. She makes Lady Gaga and Madonna look tame. So that's big news. Don't care.

In my search for fair and neutral news presentation I have been consistently disappointed by Fox News (too conservative) MSNBC (too liberal), CNN (which seems to be a shadow of its former self) and NBC, ABC and CBS who seem to have decided that being a celebrity in trouble and the outcome of dancing with the stars is news. This morning for a little while I tuned in to Al Jazeera America. Many may be unfamiliar with Al Jazeera, which means "the island". It is headquartered in Doha, Qatar and was initially an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV channel. It is owned by the government of Qatar. The officials of Al Jazeera claim to be independent from the government of Qatar but that is disputed. I watched about half an hour this morning and will admit I was impressed with the coverage. The news was in their wheelhouse as the subject was the civil war in Syria. What impressed me was the coverage from so many different angles. The use of chemical weapons, what were the possible responses from Europe, the United States, Russia, China, Iran, Israel, Egypt, the other Arab states. Would the response result in anything other than a strengthening of terrorist groups involved in the Syrian civil war? The approach was balanced. Here is what is going on and here are the possible outcomes. There was no good news there for any option. They spent some time talking about the refugee camps in Lebanon and the fate of those displaced persons. It was honestly the best half hour of news I have seen in years. No slant to the right or left. No Muslim promotion or bashing. Just honest and fair reporting. Is that a ringing endorsement of Al Jazeera? No. It was a good half hour of news reporting. It earned them another visit. If they continue to impress they will have earned a regular viewer. Al Jazeera America launched on Tuesday of this week. If you are a Dish Network customer they replaced Current TV on channel 215. If you are interested Current TV was founded by Al Gore.

So there you have it. Take a look at Al Jazeera and make up your own mind.

Family Ties

Today will begin a series of posts. They may be spread out over weeks or months. They will not be a daily occurrence. You will still have those days where I talk about stuff that drives me crazy, or annoys me or politics.

I've written a bit about family in the past and I want to recap so anyone new can understand why I want to write about it again. Family to me is about two things. Love and biology. It is a great thing when they both are present. I grew up in a home with a loving mother and father. My father, his mother and my wife were all adopted. They all had families who loved them and in all likelihood had two families who loved them. The family that provided their biology but for reasons at this time not entirely known to me could not keep them. So, in as much as it is possible, we are going on a journey of discovery. Who were these people who provided DNA? What happened? Many of the participants are no longer here to be asked questions. My grandmother Byrdis Sutor would not have allowed the questions. She was adopted by George and Byrd Oyler when she was a little girl. We have pictures of her with them when she was about 4 years of age. She considered them her parents and had no desire to know anything about her birth family. She and my grandfather John J. Sutor adopted my father and aunt Sally in the 1930's. My father never seemed to be interested in finding his birth family. My aunt Sally was somewhat obsessed with the search. She is an interesting story that I will tell when I can flesh out more of what I have heard. My grandparents are all deceased. My father has also passed on, so there are fewer and fewer people who can fill in the blanks that are not contained in public records.

You may wonder what brought this quest to the blog. My niece Kate was contacted by one of her friends. This young lady had seen a note on social media indicating that someone was looking for relatives of John Sutor. The message got passed on to Kate and she contacted the woman who was looking for relatives of my father. My dad, late in his life, had the opportunity to meet his birth mother and be reunited with all his siblings. My dad was adopted by the Sutor's in the mid 1930's. He was reunited with his mother and his siblings in the 1990's. My aunt Sally had done all the digging and leg work to find everyone. In the intervening years all of them have passed away except for my dad's sister Barb. The woman who was looking was a sister to my biological grandmother Dora. She had pictures of my father, his siblings, his biological mother's parents and all of her siblings. This is the spark that started this fire of discovery. Who were these people? What happened?

My father was the oldest of four siblings. They were John, James, Barb and Judith. You may ask, what about Sally? Another interesting part of the story. Sally is Judith. Why was her name changed? When? Who made the change? Her biologic family calls her Judith. The family who loved her and raised her as their own called her Sally. The four siblings were adopted. John, the oldest, and Sally the youngest by the Sutor's. They were raised on the farm near Wataga. James and Barb were adopted by a family in the suburban Chicago area. Why were the siblings separated? What happened? I've heard in the past that Dora had what we would likely call now post partum depression after Judith's birth. She was placed in an institution for a period of time. By the time she had regained her mental health the children had been placed and adopted. Her husband John was apparently incapable of raising the children by himself. No one so far has been willing to talk much about him other than to refer to him as "a bad man". At some point we will try to figure out what that means.

My biological grandmother Dora was one of ten children born to Grace and Nicholas Porter. Their children were Brooks, Dora, Ruth, Harry, Margret, Judith, Harriet, David, Kermit and Wanda. On this journey we are going to try to figure out what happened to all of those folks. At this time only two of the ten are still alive. Kate and I are going to go visit one of them next month and try to get enough information to do some internet research. I need to know where they were born and when if that is possible to determine. I need some additional information on my biological grandfather John. The blog will be full of Johns. My son, brother, father, grandfathers (biologic and adoptive), great grandfather and great great grandfather are all Johns.

I tried doing a some research the other day and one of the problems is going to be timing. My father was born in 1929. His siblings were born in the 1930's. Why is this significant? My father may have been counted in the 1930 census. His siblings had not been born. By the time of the census in 1940 all four of them are adopted. The census records will provide virtually no information on where they were in the interim. I have heard clues that my biologic grandfather was a bit of a law breaker and rascal. Not the type of person, living the type of life that would want to be found by a census taker or any other government official. We will see if anyone will be willing to say much more than "he was a bad man."

The search is going to include my grandmother Byrdis and her adoptive parents George and Byrd Oyler. We will from time to time make a visit into the life of my wife and her birth parents James and Mary Loman and her adoptive parents Larry and Jackie. I ask for your patience. The story will be told in bits and pieces over a long period of time. You will know what I know. I will share what I find. The good, the bad, the ugly, the sad, the tragic, the happy, the joyful. When we are done I hope we know how we got where we are today. Time and chance? Karma? The invisible hand of an all knowing god? Biology? Nature of nurture?

No Wonder the New Normal is STUPID

I read things with a healthy helping of skepticism. Just because someone said it doesn't mean it is true. It may not be even partially true. Come on I've admitted to hearing Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh. Truth, it didn't seem like I heard any when they were talking. Yesterday I read an small piece about reading. I find the statistics frightening IF they are true. They seem so out of whack that it is impossible for them to be true. Then, well then, I think about shopping at WalMart and the collective IQ of the "associates" and customers. I generally feel the temperature of the building is higher than the average IQ of the occupants. I have, from time to time, mentioned that I read. Some years I read lots. Maybe too much. One year I was determined to keep track. I finished the year having read almost 30,000 pages from over 100 books. Now, to be completely honest these were not all difficult books to read. Did I read the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Fuck yea. The Hunger Games trilogy, yes. It also included things like Bill Clinton's book Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy. Trita Parsi's book: A Single Roll of the Dice: Obama's Diplomacy with Iran. Allison Stanger: One Nation Under Contract: The Outsourcing or American Power and the Future of Foreign Policy. Edmund Morris: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. Laura Hillenbrand: Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. So it was sex, fiction, history, politics, foreign policy and whatever else seemed to interest me at the time. I said all that to say this was what I read the other day that shocked me.

The results of a study indicated that 33% of high school graduates NEVER read another book the rest of their lives. Never? Never! College graduates, 42% never read another book after college. NEVER? NEVER! College graduates not reading books. It seems impossible. They indicate that 57% of new books purchased are not read to completion. Of adults in the United States 70% have not been in a bookstore in the last 5 years. Now given the fact that there seem to be fewer bookstores I have less trouble believing that one. I have a kindle so I don't go to a bookstore very often. Don't feel the need. Finally 80% of families did not buy a book or read a book last year. It is no wonder we are in the mess we are now. We listen to snippets on the radio or see a brief story on television and we don't take the time to check out what is being said. We don't bother to think any deeper about the issue. We got our 30 seconds of "facts" and now like a dog with ADHD our brain says "LOOK-SQUIRREL!" OOOOO, Kate had a baby, Octomom had 8 babies, Lady Gaga has a new video out. Nothing is seriously considered, nothing is debated we just yell talking points at each other. The new normal is STUPID. You know it is true. If you have doubts take a walk through WalMart.

If you want something to read that will give you something to think about try this book. Eric Greitens' : The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy Seal. Lt. Commander Greitens graduated from Duke University and after graduation in 1996 was selected as a Rhodes and Truman Scholar. He is a Navy Seal and was deployed four times during the global war on terrorism. After returning from Iraq Eric used his combat pay and the disability pay from two friends to start the organization The Mission Continues. It places post 9-11 wounded and disabled veterans in community based nonprofit organizations for 14 to 28 weeks. It matches each with a mentor who assists the veteran in developing educational and professional goals. If you are going to read one book think about making it this one. He is a fascinating man with an incredible story. It is not about war it is about being a man and trying to make a difference in the world.

The Economy

Every one, including me, seems to have ideas about why the economy is not where it should be. There are plenty of things that have gone wrong, the housing crash, subprime mortgage mess, manufacturing jobs lost, the Affordable Care Act, congressional gridlock, high taxes, low income, too many on government assistance, not enough infrastructure investment, and who knows how many other things. I'm going to address a few.

If you have been a regular reader you know I am not a big fan of WalMart. I don't like the way the stores are run and I don't like what WalMart does to small businesses when they invade a city. WalMart recently reported sales and income. Overall sales rose but during the same quarter same store sales fell 0.3% from the previous year. When a large retailer measures success they do so by comparing sales at an established store with how that store did the year before. It tells them how their core business is doing. Same store sales can fall for a variety of reasons. During a recession when retail sales are broadly falling you would expect same store sales to be down. That is not the case here. During the same period retail sales overall in the economy were up 5.2% from a comparable period a year ago. Consumers are buying more, just not at WalMart. In a typical WalMart store that has been open for over one year consumers are actually shopping less. There are several possible explanations for this. They could be hampered by the increased payroll tax. They could be shopping elsewhere.

If you go with the simplest solution is usually correct then this may be the issue. WalMart is a large employer. WalMart, by paying low wages, is limiting the ability of a large portion of the American workforce to consume. People tend to shop with the wages they earn. The typical consumer at the low end of the income ladder, spending is a function of income. When they earn less, they spend less. The biggest problem with the economy at this time is the refusal of companies, many of whom are making record profits, to boost wages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates average hourly earnings for private sector workers has risen by only 1.9% in the past 12 months. Quarter after quarter companies are racking up high profits, buying back stock, paying dividends and rewarding executives while freezing wages. Executives at stores like WalMart that cater to the lower half of the income ladder wonder why no one shows up to shop. Where is the consumer spending. WalMart is the largest private sector employer in the United States and accounts for 10%  of employment in the retail sector. WalMart claims to pay an average hourly wage of $12.78 in the United States. Critics say those numbers are inflated because they take into account higher paid managers. Many of WalMart's rank and file make less than $10.00 per hour. If you annualize $10.00 per hour it is less than $25,000 per year.

This isn't complicated by any means. By paying low wages WalMart is limiting the ability of a large number of American workers to consume. By setting this low wage benchmark WalMart encourages other businesses to do the same. The people who work at WalMart are the same group of people who shop at WalMart. They don't spend more at WalMart because they don't have more to spend. They are living hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck hoping that nothing goes wrong, no one gets sick, the car doesn't break down or any other small economic disaster.

It really is this simple. Studies indicate that if WalMart paid employees, not including managers, just regular floor associates $12.00 per hour the result would be an increase in prices of 1%. Henry Ford was a visionary not just with the assembly line production of cars but also in the payment of his employees. He paid employees more than the other car companies did. It was not because he was a nice guy. He wanted them to have enough money to be able to buy a car. They would take more pride in their work if they knew they could someday own one and his sales would increase. WalMart could take a page out of his book. If they raise wages consumption will increase. Sales will increase. Profits will increase. WalMart, by holding wages down, is effectively harming its own bottom line.

This is not a solution to all of our economic ills, it is a first baby step. There are others that need to be taken and the sooner we get started the sooner we will be back where we belong.

More Sex = More Money

I read lots of different things just to get an idea about what is going on in the world. Everything interests me in one way or another. When I saw this headline I thought it made sense if you were a prostitute. It would seem clear in that case that you would make more money if you had more sex. Imagine my surprise when I found out that was not what the article was about. I love science especially social science. How else could we learn valuable information like the facts I will convey to you today. I am providing this information as a public service. If you want to make more money. If you want a pay raise. The answer is simple, have more sex. No speculation, just scientifically researched facts. Dr. Nick Drydakis senior lecturer in economics at the Lord Ashcroft International Business School at Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom has done the research.

Studies have shown that sexual activity is associated with good health, personal happiness, satisfaction, self esteem, cognitive functioning and reasoning ability, improved physical and mental capabilities, psychological well being and dietary habits. When you look at that list you wonder if there is anything that sex doesn't make better. It's a wonder we aren't all in a big pile making the world a better place. The good Dr. Drydakis postulated that since all those characteristics noted above (good health, mental well being and mental health) are related to an economists notion of productive output it would make sense they would have economic value and be an indicator of higher wages. Blanchflower and Oswald completed a study in 2004 that concluded the more sex a person has the happier the person is. Seems to make sense. Here are the results of Dr. Drydakis study.

Adult individuals have sex approximately once per week. This is where you stop and try to figure out when the last time was and how long it has been since then. Please keep in mind that we are talking about sex that involves another person. In general there is a monotonic relationship between the frequency of sexual activity and wages. Dr. Drydakis study indicates that for both sexes an increase from weekly sexual activity to activity MORE THAN FOUR TIMES A WEEK increases wages by 3.2%. Employees who have sex more than four times per week receive statistically higher wages. There is more. Men having no sex receive lower wages by 1.0% and married men having no sex receive 1.3% lower wages.

Well boys and girls you know what you need to do. Want some extra cash in that take home pay. Sex more than four times a week is the answer to your financial dreams. Don't be fooled by those get rich schemes you see on the TV or that fill your email with spam. Turn off the TV, shut off the computer, have a romantic meal, light some candles and get busy making more money.

This is a public service announcement brought to you by Bodine Dilligaf.

Downtown

I wanted to finish up talking about Oconomowoc today by taking a quick visit downtown. The Galesburg of my youth had a vibrant downtown and no mall. The mall, in my mind, was not what caused the demise of much of the downtown. It had more to do with attitude. We will just keep the same old storefront and the same interior and the same attitude about customer service and you will continue to show up and spend your money. The mall has now learned the same lesson. It is a lesson that WalMart will learn eventually. Low price isn't everything. I don't want to spend 30 minutes waiting in line while 75% of your checklanes are unmanned. I don't want to ask a question of one of your so called "associates" who seem to have no clue about any product you sell. Enough about all that. When I look at downtown Oconomowoc I see what downtown Galesburg could have been. It just required some effort. Someone to care. Someone to have a vision.

This is the view looking west in downtown Oconomowoc. The raised pedestrian crossings are in the middle of the block. Drivers are required to yeild to pedestrians who are crossing. It is a system that works well and drivers were unfailingly polite about stopping. The thing a noted first downtown was that it was clean. No trash along the street. No broken glass next to the buildings or in the alleys.

The view downtown looking East. Note the varied architecture in the buildings. What again stuck me was even the few buildings that were empty were clean and well maintained. They were ready at a monments notice for a new tenant.

This is an alley in the downtown that leads to the lake. This picture was taken facing away from the lake looking back toward downtown. It is for pedestrian traffic only. Again note how clean it is. Not an alley you would be afraid to walk down any time of day or night.

A good downtown needs a few speciality stores. Again note how clean and well maintained both appear. The owner of The Doggy Bag has gone to the extent of putting out a bowl of water for any thirsty pup who might be walking by with its person in tow. I did shop at the Doggy Bag and found the owner, like so many others in Wisconsin, friendly and willing to recommend other businesses in the area to visit.

Like Galesburg the city of Oconomowoc has train tracks. Granted not the number of tracks or trains that plague Galesburg. The trains passing through do not sound those annoying horns as the crossings all have gates and medians so you cannot bypass the gates. It is at first strange to see a train coming and have no sound but the thrumming of that huge engine. Galesburg is headed toward quiet crossings but in my opinion many years behind when it should have been done.

So to me the key to the success of Oconomowoc's downtown is three simple things. One, the attention to appearance. They seem to invite you downtown with the well maintained clean buildings. Two, the friendliness and courtesy of the shop owners and their employees. Finally the existence of some interesting specialty stores. If you go about a mile from the downtown there are several nice shopping areas with new buildings and nice parking areas. They are no busier than the shops downtown and quite frankly lack their charm. The attitude of friendliness and service is pervasive throughout the area. I leave you with this example. We went to Brennan's Market as our last stop before returning to Galesburg. I wanted a couple of 25 pound cases of fresh peaches. I went over to load them in the cart and the young man working in the area asked how soon I would be using them. He stated they had peaches that would be ready in a day or two and other cases that would be a week before they were at their peak. I advised him I wanted the ones that were ready in a day or two. He asked if we had other shopping to do because he wanted to go through both cases to make sure every peach was good. We did some other shopping and came back about 15 minutes later. He had gone through and examined every peach in both cases and had replaced a few that were not up to their standards. I know had I made the same purchase in Galesburg I would have had some kid point at a stack of boxes and told to help myself to a box or two. In Oconomowoc the peaches were inspected and loaded in the cart for me. So there you have it- service, friendliness, courtesy. Galesburg could use some of all three.

The Depot

We go back to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin today to visit the train depot. I suppose it is natural for someone from the Galesburg area to be interested in trains and train depots given the massive train traffic in this area. I majored in history in college and enjoy when buildings that are no longer used for their original purpose are rehabilitated into a new use. This is the Oconomowoc Depot.

It had been unused for years until a couple converted it into a restaurant and bakery about 20 years ago. The Depot used to be the center of life in Oconomowoc. The wealthy folks from Chicago and Milwaukee used to ride the train, often in their private cars, out to the resort city of Oconomowoc. The town folks would go down to the depot on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon to watch the comings and goings of the rich and famous in their finery. This is the view about 4 blocks from the depot. 



That is beautiful lake Oconomowoc. It is apparent why the rich folks came here to unwind and relax. The weather is lovely in the summer and the townsfolk are cordial.

This old rail car is at the east end of The Depot and is used for Sunday Brunch and private parties. Again a good reuse.

This is a picture of part of the east end of The Depot. It is a stone structure and I draw your attention to the detail along the roof ridge.

A close up ot the detail. They don't build them like they used to.

The covered canopy out front to protect disembarking passengers from the elements. In your mind's eye can you picture the well dressed folks from the 1910's and 1920's arriving for a weekend in the country?

The Depot has the well deserved honor of being on the National Register of Historic Places. When you walk out the front door this is part of your view.

The beautiful building with the clock tower is the Oconomowoc City Hall built in 1886. Do you see yet why I like this town? Beer, cheese, sausage, history, but most importantly friendly folks at every hand.

I would be remiss if I didn't compliment The Depot on their excellent food. Carol and I went Friday evening for the ever present Wisconsin Fish Fry and it was very good. We returned the next morning for breakfast. Again a very good meal. The thing to keep in mind in Wisconsin is that the restaurants continue to feed you like you are a hard working farm hand or heavy working laborer. The meal portions are huge. Carol and I can normally split a meal and still have food left. They then have the nerve to ask if we would like any dessert. While the baked goods at The Depot always look great we have never had room left to sample any.

Wisconsin

There are places in this world that I really enjoy. Wisconsin, the state's only fault being the Packers, is one of those places. The people up there are unfailingly polite and cheerful. Given the winters I have no idea why. It is paradise for me. A state filled with beer, cheese and sausages. We spent a few days in Oconomowoc while Carol attended a quilt show. I wanted to share a few photographs of Oconomowoc and tell you what a beautiful city it is and some of the highlights of what we saw. First, it is home to Pabst Farms. Yes, the "Blue Ribbon" beer and a personal favorite of this beer drinker. When I'm not delving into the world of craft beer this is my go to beer. In addition Oconomowoc has a great old downtown, a wonderful Saturday farmer's market and an old train depot converted into a restaurant.

The subject for today is the Farmer's Market. Carol and I went to the Depot for breakfast on Saturday morning and while we ate watched the vendors set up. We walked around after we ate and then Carol had to go to her class. I went back later and took these pictures.

 



 This is the view from the parking lot. There are four rows of tents with all sorts of goods for sale. Fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, flowers, baked goods, crafts to name a few.



This stand was preparing and selling pizza cooked in a wood fired oven. I was still full from breakfast so I didn't try one. They did smell great and the toppings were interesting. The one being prepared in the photo had a pesto based sauce.

 



Max and Linda were proud of their pesticide and herbacide free produce and their free range eggs. It is always a bonus to know the producer and the nature of the production of your food.

 



 There was a great selection of cut flowers for anyone who wanted a few to brighten their home.

 The produce was fresh,clean and abundant. We watched a pickup truck and trailer completely full of sweet corn pull in before 7 am and by 11 am there was no sweet corn available.

So there you have it the Oconomowoc Farmer's Market. If you are in the area during the season stop by on Saturday morning and walk among some of Wisconsin's finest citizens and farmers. 

Do the Right Thing

I want to start by saying that this post isn't about saying what good people Carol and I are. It is just about doing the right thing. Sometimes you are tested and your moral fiber is stretched. I think it is just to see how you will react. Those who are regular readers probably realize by now I have little or no use for organized religion. Is there a supernatural being who created us, who watches our every move, who knows our thoughts, who will reward or punish us in a life after this one? I don't know. At this point in my life I honestly don't care. I have to look in the mirror from time to time and I want to look at a guy who does the right thing.

Carol and I recently went on a trip to Wisconsin so she could take some computer classes at the Upper Midwest Machine Quilting Show. We stopped in Milton, Wisconsin at a little place called the
Caddy Shack.

We like stopping at Mom and Pop places. No chain places for us. The Caddy Shack in addition to the items on their sign had a driving range. No golf course here just a place for equipment, lunch, a drink or two and wack a few balls.

 

We were there on "Wee Wee Wednesday" when $10.00 buys all you can drink until you have to pee. We had miles yet to drive so I was unwilling to take on the challenge.

 

After lunch we went less than a mile down the road and spotted this quilt store.

We were close to our destination, about an hour out and I asked if Carol wanted to stop. I knew before I asked the reply would be yes. She went in and did some shopping while I sat in the car and snapped a few pictures of the shop and listened to the radio. She finished and we headed down the road and as we drove she told me about what she bought and how nice the shop was. We got about 20 miles down the road and she started looking at her receipt. I asked if something was wrong and she said they made a mistake on the order. She had bought a pile of fabric that quilters call a "layer cake". It is a pile of different patterned fabrics that go together cut into 5" squares in this case. She said instead of charging her $35.00 they had charged her 35 cents. She said what do you want to do? We agree immediately that we had to make it right. It was an hour drive from where we were going to stay and I didn't want to drive back from there. We were 20 miles down the road and turned around and drove back to the store. Carol went in and the lady asked if something was wrong and Carol told her there was a problem with what she was charged. The lady said they wanted to make it right and Carol told her she had been under charged almost the entire amount of the layer cake and came back to pay the difference. The lady was surprised we had driven that far and was relived we had "done the right thing". She said that many likely would have just gone on and felt they had gotten a "deal". It restored her faith in humanity. It was simple for us. We knew we had something we hadn't paid for. We knew if we kept it that it was stealing. We knew it would keep us up at night. We would have to look in the mirror at someone who was dishonest.

 

What is the result? If we had gone on our way and not made it right two things happen. At the end of the day when they do the books they know that they made a mistake and we know we have something we esentially stole. If we do the right thing they have more faith in their fellow man and we have a clear conscience. Isn't it simple what needs to be done for the world to be a better place? This isn't about trying to say that we are good people. It is about saying the world is a better place when we put ourselves in the other person's shoes and consider their feelings and the impact our actions can have on them. Let's all just resolve to do the right thing. If you wonder in addition to the shop lady's thank you Carol got a small percentage off her purchase (enough to cover the cost of the extra gas we used) and a couple of free ink pens. 





Charity

I probably should have done this some time ago but as they say, better late than never. On the last Thursday of every month it is my privilege to prepare lunch for some of the nicest women in Knox County, oh hell, Illinois, well honestly maybe in the United States. They come out here, as Mike says, in BFE, to quilt. These are quilts that no one can buy. Quilts that none of the ladies ever show off as theirs. Quilts that are given free of charge to a variety of groups. Those groups have included: Quilts of Valor, Quilts for Kids, St. Judes Childrens Hospital, Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities, Safe Harbour Family Crisis Center, Illinois Veteran's Home and other groups I don't know about or have forgotten to mention. The group sits down and decides where the quilts go. No one is in charge. It is a group effort from beginning to end. All the fabric, batting and labor are donated. The ladies contribute money when batting is needed and between dates when the group meets Carol works on quilting the tops that are completed. Some of the ladies also do quilting or take bundles of fabric home to work on during the month. Last year over 150 quilts were donated to various charities. It appears that total will be surpassed this year. So every month 15 to 20 ladies come out to our house and work in our basement.

 On the left Mary Edwards on the right Julie Carlson

 Ladies working around the bar. No drinking just working.

 In the white blouse Janet Page. The lady with her back to you is Dee Quinn

 On the left Karen Reynolds and on the right Carole Knott.

 One of the quilts on Carol's long arm quilting machine.

 This is Carol's computerized long arm quilting machine. It is a wonderous machine.

 The red sewing machine is a 1956 Singer Featherweight affectionately referred to as Ruby Mae. At the time of the picture Ruby Mae was working on binding the edge of a completed quilt.

 The three photos above are the ladies enjoying a lunch cooked by "Chef Jeff". I am lucky enough to be able to prepare the main course and the ladies bring a dish to pass.

 On the left Carole Knott, center Martha West and right is Julie Carlson.

 Karen Reynolds is hard at work at the bar.

 On the left Peggy Magneson, center Penny Smallwood and right is Mary McNeil.

 Dee Quinn is working on hand binding a quilt.

 These two quilts were made by Dee Quinn. The ladies aren't just slapping things together to give away. They are doing the quilts as if they were staying in their home.

These two quilts were donated to Quilts of Valor.

 

This, to me, is what charity is all about. The ladies don't know the person who will receive the quilt. They never know what happens to them, how they are received, what impact they might have on the recipient. They are doing because they see a need for their fellow human beings to be comforted. For someone they have never met and likely will never meet to know that they are cared for and about. That contrary to what many may think there are people out there who care. Who love with no expectation of reward. It is my honor to have gotten to know them and for one meal a month to be able to cook for them. When you wonder what is good in America remember that unrecognized and unknown groups all around our great country do these good works every day because they care and love their fellow man.

Just the Facts

I blogged a while back about the royal baby and the fact that thousands of people die daily from hunger in the world. Today is about hunger in America. I started volunteering at FISH food bank in Galesburg. It gives me a different perspective on the issue than I had a month ago. There were lots of things I was wrong about. I will acknowledge them as we go along today.

I wanted to think that the majority of those on food stamps were welfare queens who continue to have babies and scam the system. I was sure they had to be young and black and didn't want to work. I know that my few days at the food bank are not a complete sampling and in no way scientific results based on research. I do know what I see come in when I am there. The recipients are generally white and in their 30's or 40's. They have that half dead look in their eyes that people get when life has beat them down. The majority of food stamp recipients work full or part time. In Galesburg I see and hear folks who come in talk about having a job but not enough hours of work, or looking and cannot find a job. I don't know that it is a lack of education or skill, but something keeps them out of the job market. We can talk all day about how they should  try harder, pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Sorry but they have no boots.

Who is the largest group receiving food stamps? Again I would have chosen a combination of minorities. Hispanics and blacks. I was wrong again according to what I can find in articles. The largest recipients, by dollar amount, are white children. Does that make it any more tragic? No, it just makes me stupid and prejudiced. It makes me feel like an ass. My reading indicates that 76% of food stamp benefits go to households with children. Disabled and senior citizens make up the largest percentage of recipients. The majority of those receiving benefits are on the program for six months or less. The rate of fraud is less than 1%. Those are the facts. Those are not the things we think or that we hear. We want to think that those people are lazy and shiftless scum of the earth who wouldn't work if they had the chance. They want to collect benefits forever and live on the teat of the welfare state. That they are poor and black and that everything is disabled except their baby making parts. The truth is different. They are young and white. They are old or disabled. They use the benefits to get them through a tough spot. We have been lucky in our personal lives. We have never been on food stamps. We have had times when it was tough to feed our kids. I can remember when a weeks groceries was some chicken leg quarters, a gallon of milk, a couple dozen eggs and a bag of flour. We ate a lot of chicken and noodles. It was cheap and filling. It was tough. We were lucky. It could have been worse.

So now some in our government feel like we spend too much on programs like food stamps. The agricultural bill that funds food stamps (now called SNAP) was partially passed. The part that passed was the part that subsidized farmers including corporate farms and large corporations that produce food. The part that got held up was the part that funded food stamps. We took care of the folks with the money and told the poor they cost too much and we need to cut their benefits. Where did things go so wrong? Didn't we ask for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to be free? Don't we claim to be a Christian nation? Didn't Jesus admonish Christians to care for the sick and infirm, to visit those in prison, to care for the poor? Now the message from too many churches is give your money to Jesus (us) and you will receive back from God more than you can imagine. I don't understand how we turn our backs so quickly on the most vulnerable in our country.

I listened to a Fox News reporter today on a couple of clips played on The Daily Show or the Colbert Report. She seemed to think that the fast food workers who were striking were asking for too much. After all they are being paid minimum wage which is $8.25 in Illinois. Paying them $15.00 per hour just seemed greedy to her. They followed it up with her talking about the President wanting to raise taxes on those making over $250,000 per year last year. She talked about how tough it was to live in New York City on that paltry amount. I guess she didn't realize that minimum wage makes you about 10% of that for a year.

All I hope for is that you, whoever you are, will take a few minutes and actually look at the facts. Stop thinking you know. Start reading and actually find out what the facts are. Maybe it won't change your mind but at least you will be aware of the facts.