Ever wonder how much info is gleaned from your every click on the NET? You post on Yahoo, or you post here, or you hit the Home shopping Network Online... Did you know that every place you go, every post you read, there is an app, or cookie, or something? These little invisible trolls are watching you. They see the advertising you look at, They analyze, they track, they grab. Your privacy isn't yours, and because they work in the background you never notice as they go about their work. Sure there are blockers like Adaware and some antivirus packages stop some to most, but not all. I found a new free little program that takes care of these things called Ghostery. Get it, instal;l it, and open your eyes to the little spies you don't really want snooping on you. The only problem is, you have to turn it off to post here as it will block all cookies and trackers unless you give specific permission for a cookie to work.

Open Blog - Weekend

But keep your feet on the ground.

Where's the spam?

Is there a spam shortage?  For years, I have traded spam emails with some friends.  Whenever I received a funny joke or picture or link or whatever, I'd forward it to them. And vice versa. It's where I got a lot of my material.  Now, it's like someone turned off a tap.  There's just a few dribbles of spam here and there.  What gives?

I've gone through dry spells before, but this has been going on for weeks. Who is the Spam Master?  I'm going through spam withdrawal and it ain't pretty.  Friends, Romans, countrymen, send me your spam!

Has anyone ever walked up to you and asked, “Are you Huck Finn?” “Uhhh, say what?” This was the issue I faced this morning. I haven't posted as Huck in a very long time and while I hadn’t forgotten you guys, I needed to step back from how radical I was becoming in the Con/Lib wars. I have another persona, actually a different handle with the same attitudes and style and if a computer were used, it might find the similarities of style and structure. Still, I was posting and fighting too many wars. This Blogshere is a nice rational one and doesn’t need soldiers of reason and doesn’t need a counter to rabid conservatism (or rabid Liberalism). Still, I’ve missed you guys. So there I was, sitting in this chair of inquiry, the torturer had her tools of choice, and asked, “Are you?” As I cringed from the gleam of her probe, I slowly nodded my head and said, “Yes.” You know, when it comes to dentists, I’ll admit to anything. That bright light glaring in your eyes, the fear of, “This won’t hurt a bit,” and the knowledge one little slip will put you to the Moon, make you want to be truthful and hope that you say the right thing. She looked at me and exclaimed, “Well where have you been?” “Uhh, say what?” Well lets see guys, I’ve been dying, then didn’t die (again). When it comes to dying, and not dying, I got it covered better than a troop of cats. Looking back I don’t remember if I told about the double bypass at the Hospital from Hell (St. Mary’s) which is a true story of incompetent mayhem, the story of the Pacemaker/defib, the story of the left ventricle blood clot, and for sure not the story of a rogue doctor trying to put me in a nursing home due to my progressive nerve disorder. If anything will make a guy crawl in a hole and bang the lid down tight, it is the fear of involuntary Nursing Homes. Don’t make waves, don’t draw attention, run away, run away. I have been writing now and then though. Always have that need to let the BS drip from my fingers. I just never thought I might actually have a fan out there. That’s the funny thing. I’ve conversed with you guys, and I jaw with other bloggers elsewhere, have heard there are far more lurkers than posters at any site, but never really thought a Lurker would one day approach me and say, “Get to work! We miss you.” Ya know, I once wrote for a prestigious national magazine and discovered, I HATE fame. Yeah, that’s just silly. Everyone wants to be the center of attention, don’t they? Well, no. Not everyone. I’m a loner with a small group of tight friends, and when people I never saw before started coming up and clapping me on the back and exclaiming, “Hey Bro!” or “Hey Huck!” (not my pen name) like I was a long lost brother took me back. That’s what happens when you start to become famous, and my insecurities clamped down hard. Who, me insecure? I must be, because I sure didn’t like it. For me, the thing about being a biker is the brotherhood and knowing where you stand among your peers. You break bread with them, drink a beer with them, smoke that joint with them and pound down the miles, and in the end, you know they have your back because you have theirs. Having a nameless face slap you on the back and act like you just pounded down a thousand miles at their side seemed to always spook me. I understand now how their familiarity grew as they read my work, and might even be able to endure that sort of hero worship now, even though I know I‘m no hero. Hell, I’m the guy that slipped here and in a fit of anger spewed a very vulgar diatribe at the city. That diatribe is why I faded. Even though I had apologized, I felt the cooling and knew I needed to take a vacation until the anger at my mistake wore down with time. I faded, and time marched on. So here I am again. I have stories, and have lived a bit more life. Maybe I can keep from saying peepee kaka words and upsetting everyone again. No one here is anyone I wish to upset. Give me a few days to dig in my files. I’m sure I have something someone will like to read and not take too much offense at. We’ll see.

The Final Fall Pictures!

Yes my final fall pictures are here. I just can not believe the end of the beautiful colors has come to an end. While we were up north Drew's parents had let me know about a different pine tree. In this picture above is a Tamarack Tree on Hwy DD in Pickeral Wi.. The needles are very short and very soft. This tree is green in the spring and summer and turns yellow in the fall. I am so thankful for mom and dad for letting me know about the Tamarack Tree they seen another picture of this tree on another post to let me know.

This picture is on Hwy W in the town of Doty by were my mom use to live. Yes it was raining up north all weekend. I just could not believe the fall colors were still up there but some trees are bare up there too.

This picture was taken on Hwy 55 in the Menominee Reservation. Yes I stopped in on the road to take this picture because it looks like a tunnel of fall colors you are going under. It was so pretty when we went back and forth to town I knew this was one picture I had to get.

Drew told me to add this picture because it does show the fall color of the tree in the back and no leaves on the tree with the Bald Eagle. This picture was taken on Hwy 55 by Lily Wi.. To get this picture I made a u-turn in the middle of the road. Drew asked me what I was doing and I told him I think I seen an Eagle in the tree. Sure enough that is what I seen and we had gotten some beautiful pictures of him. He started to get skiddish so I went and turned around to get back to the house. The next day when we went to the hospital to say goodbye to my son and his girlfriend my son told me an Eagle swooped down and went past him. I believe to this day that was my dad telling my son congratulations for his son. My son believes the same thing.

I hope everyone has enjoyed the fall colors as much as I have taking the pictures to share with you. Please feel free to leave your comments!

Four for Fridays

Hello everyone! Another amazing episode of Four for Fridays is here! It's been another long week for me. Too much work and not enough play. Anyways, are you ready for some questions? Well, here they are....

1) If you had a call to appear on the "Jerry Springer Show" what would you do?

2)  If you would change something about yourself, what would you change?

3) What constellations can you recognize in the night sky?

4) What magazines do you read?

Enjoy your weekend!  

Open Blog - Friday

Shalom aleikhem.

That's Flickering, FLICKERING!

Ho-ho-ho.

"The Midnight Archive - Ouija"

Hello, my dears! I'm posting this in the spirit of the season. I love you all. Boo!

Spread the Stupidity

Only in This Stupid World do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the Store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front. 

Only in This Stupid World do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Only in This Stupid World do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

Only in This Stupid World do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Only in This Stupid World do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

Only in This Stupid World do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

EVER WONDER

Why don't you ever see the Headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'?

Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word?

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is the time of Day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there Mouse-flavored cat food?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the Needle for lethal injections?

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called Apartments when they are all stuck together?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

Open Blog - Thursday

Ears to you.

My Grandson Is Here!

Yes my Grandson was born on Friday morning. I had gotten a phone call from my mom while I was going around Milwaukee that my Grandson was born. He is 7lbs 15oz and 20 inches long. 

I just couldn't wait to get up there to see him. His name is Ace William Drogemuller, yes my son named him after the guitar and bass player from the group KISS. My son wanted to name him after himself which would have been the third but his girlfriend said no. William is after my father, I am happy he decided name him after my dad because I know how much my son loves his Grandpa.

As soon as we walked into the room I was handed my Grandson. I didn't even get a chance to get my jacket off. Then Grandpa went into action taking pictures of Ace and Grandma. I had to have Drew help me get my jacket off, yes I was having a problem taking my jacket off because it was a hoody sweatshirt. It was so nice to be able to hold my Grandson and see the family too. The main thing is that Ace and Mommy are both doing really good and they went home on Monday.

Then we had the jealous big sister Skylee she is thirteen months old. I have never seen her act like this at all but she was so jealous of her brother. If Mom or Dad would hold him she would scream for attention.

So Grandma and Grandpa took her for the night up to Drew's parents house. At first when we got there she was crabby because she didn't know where she was and just woke up from a nap in the car. But she had gotten use to everything and she did really good. In the morning she was given a tour of the house by Great Grandma. After that she was following Great Grandma all over the house.

After Skylee had a bath and Drew and I had our showers we went back to town. Our first stop was to go and say hi to Aunt Kay at her work. It really surprised me that Skylee went right up to Aunt Kay and put her arms up for Aunt Kay to pick her up. We had some shopping to do and we bought both of the kids a pumpkin for Halloween. Skylee had to pick both of them out. Then we went back up to the hospital to see Ace, my son and his girlfriend again. Skylee couldn't get to Daddy quick enough for him to pick her up.

I found this picture on facebook of Skylee holding her little brother Ace. I thought this was so cute and I had to share it with you.

It was a long ride home on Sunday. We left Drew's parents around 10am.. We went to the hospital to say goodbye to everyone and to hold my Grandson one more time before coming home. Then we went to my sisters house to get my youngest daughter and her things packed in the car, we said goodbye to my mom and sister. Then from there we had to take my daughter back to Whitewater to college, get my schedule from work and finally made it home. We did not get home and get the car unpacked until 8pm.. Then I kept my promise to Drew's mom and my mom to call them and let them both know we made it home. Then Drew and I had to be up at 4am. to go to work the next day. We need a vacation from the weekend. Monday at work I felt like I was still on the road driving.

I will say one thing the trip was worth all of it. Because we were able to see all of the family and Drew was able to get some good wildlife pictures and I was able to get some nice fall pictures along the way. Drew asked me on the way home what I thought the highlight of the weekend was I would have to say the whole weekend seeing everyone.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my tasty treats!  How are you?  I don’t think we’ve had Indian summer yet, but there have been a few days of relative warmth, and we finally got some much needed rain.  It may appear that all of nature is shutting down, but that isn’t so.  Evergreens, which respire throughout the winter, need as much water as possible before the long winter freeze. Other trees, shrubs, and perennials also will benefit from water uptake before going dormant.  My, sometimes I wish I could go dormant through the winter, or hibernate like bears.  It’s not my favorite season, and becomes less so with each passing year.

Speaking of passing, Aaron Rodgers, the superb and superior quarterback of our stately, sublime, and superlative Green Bay Packers, threw 6 touchdown passes last Sunday night in the Packers win over the Houston Texans.  Oh joy!  The Pack is back!  Next up, the St. Louis Rams, this Sunday, October 21, at noon in St. Louis.  May our mighty Pack lay waste to the hapless Rams, chewing them up like a large meat grinder.  They will be the St. Louis Sausages when the Packers are done with them. 

This week I received an email from one of my favorite Irregulars, Mr. SER.  He wrote:

Dear Madame Zoltar,

Do you believe in Voodoo?

If so, do you sell Voodoo dolls?  I know someone who needs a treatment and I would love to give it to them!

……..SER

Thank you for taking the time to contact me, Mr. SER.  It’s always a pleasure.  Not only do I believe in Voodoo, but I know some practitioners of it.  It is a religion and I do not practice it.  Therefore, I don’t stock Voodoo dolls. However, a quick search of the internet turned up numerous sources for voodoo dolls (http://www.voodooshop.com/products/dolls/A1.html), and even instructions on how to make your own (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Voodoo-Doll).  Be careful messing with that stuff, Mr. SER.  If you Voodoo someone, what’s to prevent them from Voodooing you back?  Here’s an informational video on Haitian Voodoo:

It’s interesting that they refer to Voodoo as a “spirit religion.”  Aren’t all religions involved with spirits, or the Spirit?

Thank you for stopping by today. I appreciate your feedback and I want you to always feel welcome here.  Because you are.

Spirits or spooks?  Find out: madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com.

Have a great week, my dears.  When you’re driving in the rain, watch out for wet leaves.  They can be a slippery as ice. Enjoy this weather while it lasts. Zetetic!

"Did You Know? 10 Boob Facts"

I like the internet because it is so educational.

Open Blog - Wednesday

Boop-Oop-A-Doop.

"Racine woman charged for flooding jail day room"

http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/racine-woman-charged-for-flooding-jail-day-room/article_689f193c-1789-11e2-92cb-0019bb2963f4.html

Supposedly, she did it by sticking her head in the toilet.  That raises a few questions. How many flushes does it take to flood a day room?  Why didn't she drown?  Is her head shaped like a stopper or the inside of a toilet?  Pondering minds want to know.   

Inspirational Story

From RacineUncovered.org:

"Victim Doesn’t Understand Why. But Won’t Let It Define Him"

"What started out as a day where David Scholzen celebrated a birthday and spent time with friends, ended in an attack. David Scholzen was on his way home from spending time with friends celebrating their daughters birthday early Sunday morning when he was attacked, beaten and robbed by two suspects who were shortly arrested afterwards, and charged. One is currently out on a $3,000 signature bond and GPS devise and the other suspect is still currently being held on a PO hold and a $2,500 bond. 

"As I spoke with David, I still noticed defensive bruises on his arms, where he tried to protect himself from the blows and kicks and still appeared to be very sore. He had sustained cuts to his head from the attack even though they are not quite as visible under his hair.

"David explains that he doesn’t fully understand why this happened. He has thought about it numerous times and feels that it may have been because is he in a wheelchair. But as he as stated in a firm voice, he is not going to make this event feel like he has to hide in his home. He just moved to Racine in May from Milwaukee where he battled and successfully conquered medical conditions related to his paralysis. He’s a very independent and active person, often visiting with family and friends and will not let his wheelchair hinder his activity. He never complained about his paralysis to me, he tells me that he lost 2 of his friends in that accident and that he’s lucky to be alive."

Read more:  http://racineuncovered.org/2012/10/victim-doesnt-understand-why-but-wont-let-it-define-him/

Read the original story, "Updated-Teens accused of robbing & assaulting paralyzed man appear in court:" http://racineuncovered.org/2012/10/updated-teens-appear-in-court-accused-of-robbing-assaulting-paralyzed-man/


I'd say that David Scholzen is quite a man.  He is a welcome asset to Racine.

Open Blog - Tuesday

Friends are important.

My Heart Shaped Tomato

Sorry it's fuzzy. When I turn off the flash, anything that moves is blurred.

Open Blog - Monday

Walking for a cause.

"BBC News - Skydiver Felix Baumgartner leaps to record"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19943590

He broke the sound barrier in free fall today.