Open Blog - Weekend

Saturday is Sweetest Day, another holiday manufactured to take our money. I wonder when Sourest Day is? 

Have a great weekend.

"Battelle DroneDefender™"

With the recent discovery of a broken drone at Batten Field (the owner fesed up - http://journaltimes.com/news/runaway-drone-s-owner-fesses-up/article_b4430871-719a-54da-aba7-db996d9a3cdf.html ), they might consider something like Battelle DroneDefender™.

Remember Uffizi and Friends?

http://www.jtirregulars.com/2015/05/uffizi-and-friends.html

This and another one of John Nowicki's watercolors have been accepted by Watercolor Wisconsin. Go John!

John is the friend I mentioned in answer to question 2 in this week's Four for Fridays!

Four for Fridays!

I am so sorry I am getting this up on here a little late. It feels like this week just flew by me and I feel like I have not gotten anything done that I wanted to get done. I just hope everyone is staying warm this weekend because the temps are going to be cold. Here are the questions for this week.

1) Do you remember any of the theme's you had for your Birthday party when you were younger?

2) Do you keep in contact with any of you friends from school?

3) When you pack some things away do you prefer to use plastic bins or boxes?

4) Do you have any of your favorite shows on dvd or vhs?

Have a good weekend!

"That moment….."

From Knuckledraggin My Life Away:

"Posted on 10/14/2015 by Wirecutter

"Posted in Cool Pics | 6 Comments"

Read more: http://knuckledraggin.com/2015/10/that-moment-11/

"Skeleton Skamper 5k Coming Soon"

From Racine County Eye:

By Paul Holley in Community, Events · October 14, 2015 · No comments 

"The bright orange posters are up for the Real Racine Skeleton Skamper 5k coming Saturday, Oct. 24 to the Mount Pleasant Civic Campus, 8811 Campus Drive.

"Check the posters for a money-saving discount good (valid for online registration through Tuesday, Oct. 20).

"Skeleton Skamper, a costumed 5k, starts at 8:30 a.m. Awards will be presented to the top male and female finishers in 13 ages/ability categories.

"Stick around for the post-run festival starting at 9:45 a.m. It includes a free kids trick-or-treat walk, a DJ, face painting, pumpkin decorating and a costume contest with nearly $500 in cash and prizes.

"Details and registration at www.skeletonskamper5k.com"

Read more: http://racinecountyeye.com/skeleton-skamper-5k-coming-soon/

Open Blog - Friday

I'm a white boy and can't dance.

"LEARN WHY THE CITY OF RACINE WI SETTLED THE BAR LAWSUIT"

From Pattern or Practice:

Posted: October 13, 2015 in The Film

5 Comments

"While there is a lot of reading, you as a reader can go behind the scenes and feel the clumsily staging of the Racine Mayor, the probing of the attorneys as they seek out the racketeering that was included in the complaint. The puzzle pieces begin to fit together winding thru the other depositions. After reading these you will see why they settled."

Read more: http://patternorpractice.com/2015/10/13/learn-why-the-city-of-racine-wi-settled-the-bar-lawsuit/

Halloween

While I was out getting the Fall Color pictures I did find some nice Halloween pictures to share with everyone. I guess one goes with the other while I am out driving around. The only problem with the Halloween pictures is a little harder to find this year because not everyone is putting up the decorations this year. Here is what I have found this time.

                              This picture is on the corner of Ohio St. and Byrd St. in Racine Wi.

                       This picture was taken out in Lomira Wi when we went to Horicon Marsh.

                       This picture was taken out in Lomira Wi when we went to Horicon Marsh.

                     This picture was taken out in Lomira Wi when we went to Horicon Marsh.

                                            This picture was taken on Melvin St. in Racine Wi.

                                            This picture was taken on Melvin St. in Racine Wi.

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures that I have taken I am going to be going out and getting more to share with all of you.

Top 10 Media Thursdays

Open Blog - Thursday

Save the butterflies!

"First Frost of the Year Forecast for Weekend"

From Racine County Eye:

 By Heather Asiyanbi in Community · October 14, 2015 · No comments

Credit - Racine County Eye and WISN12

"Summer appears to have had its last hurrah, and the proof is the first frost forecast for this weekend. Sign.

"WISN 12  News Meteorologist Mark Baden posted on Twitter Tuesday night that eastern Racine County is on course for some patchy fog Saturday night into Sunday morning.

"The news station’s weather blog indicates the area is on pretty much on schedule for its first frost: sometime between Oct. 11 and Oct. 20.

"After the cool down, though, temperatures could be on a short upward swing before the end of the month, the post continues."

Read more: http://racinecountyeye.com/first-frost-of-the-year-forecast-for-weekend/


I can't take it.

"Excellence in Racine: Police Pals & Importance of Mentoring"

From Racine County Eye:

By Heather Asiyanbi in Schools · October 14, 2015 · No comments

"Racine police Investigator Jody Spiegelhoff wasn’t sure what she was getting into when she signed up to be part of the Police Pals – Racine Unified mentoring program three years ago, but she thinks more people should get into mentoring because of the marked positive impact the program has on students.

"As a police officer with a number of years of experience, Spiegelhoff deals with her fair share of kids, but until she started mentoring at the Racine Unified School District, most of those interactions were the result of criminal activity. Becoming a mentor gave her the opportunity to get involved with students in a different way.

"'I am lucky to have two girls,' she said in a recent video interview with district representatives. 'I get to be with them and follow them through this bumpy time. It’s neat to listen to each other because this is not a mother-daughter and it goes beyond just friends.'

"One of her mentees, Migali Hernandez, has been partnered with Spiegelhoff for three years, and she said the best part of their relationship is that Spiegelhoff helps her work through stuff, and they do fun things together like making cards and putting together a scrapbook.

"Spiegelhoff thinks more people should get involved in mentoring because of the growth trajectory she sees in her students.

"'It’s great to see them grow and become more mature," she said. 'The biggest change I’ve seen in both girls is improved problem solving on their own; taking discussions and applying them. I’ve also seen both of their grades improve.'

"To become a mentor, please visit the Racine Unified mentoring pages on the district’s website. "

See the video at: http://racinecountyeye.com/excellence-in-racine-police-pals-importance-of-mentoring/


Mentor, mentee, mentos. 

Fall Colors!

This time I went to a safe place to get some Fall Colors to share with every one. I think this week is going to be the last week we see any kind of colors with the winds blowing the leaves off the trees. It is like I go to some places and there is no color changing and then I go some place else and it is just so beautiful. I am going to try to get out some more to get pictures this week. The first picture is just on Ohio St. in Racine Wi and then the rest will be from Pritchard Park in Racine Wi.

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures I really enjoyed going out to take them to share with you. There are more to come. Enjoy your day.

Dear Madame Zoltar

Hello, my dear angels!  How are you?  We’re still playing yo-yo weather temperatures.  Sunday got to 84 degrees!  Now it appears that we’re in a more seasonal groove.  Leaves blowing around.  Homes decorated for Halloween.  Tons of candy and orange and black decorations in stores.  It gets dark earlier and earlier.  These can mean only one thing: the end of the world and God’s second coming.  Oh shush!  God likes a good joke, too.  Otherwise, He/She wouldn’t have created me.

Talk of God often prompts talk of perfection and that’s what the Green Bay Packers have so far: a perfect record: 5–0.  Last Sunday, the Pack masticated the St. Louis Rams and this Sunday they have the opportunity to chew up the San Diego Chargers at 3:25 PM at Lambeau Field. May the Green Machine roll on!

In the Irregular Football League, Mr. Hale-bopp’s Half-Astrophysicists have woken up and jumped two spots.  Mr. OrbsCorbs’ team, meanwhile, dropped like a stone: 

Just so you know:  “Obregon in custody” http://journaltimes.com/news/local/obregon-in-custody/article_37183523-00a2-5d3e-8242-93fe5393dc00.html  I understand the countryside has been terrorized by this monster for days.  Everything is all better now, until the next major tragedy hits our town, our state, our nation.  Mass shootings are fast becoming common occurrences on school campuses.  It’s not just the schools, either.  Go to the premiere of a Batman movie and some psycho walks into the audience with flaming orange hair, firing a gun.  No place is “safe” anymore.  Maybe your basement, behind sandbags and barbed wire with a machine gun mounted in the middle.  Live there and you’ll probably be safe.  Thing is, it’s rather difficult to conduct everyday business, let alone a job, when a person is stuck behind a basement machine gun nest.

I’m all for concealed carry as long as there is enough training.  The criminals are armed and they’re out there.  Again, a citizen should know all he/she can about their weapon, especially its proper use and maintenance.  Also, spend some time on the shooting range improving your skills.  Learn what you should do about responding to an armed criminal.  And, again, practice your skills.  Unfortunately, the world has gone crazy, and we must learn new methods of survival.

That’s easier said than done when you’re older.  It’s difficult to change habits that we’ve used since childhood.  It’s difficult to change anything at all.  Our brains are no longer the young sponges that they once were, looking to soak up knowledge, or, in Mr. OrbsCorbs’ case, alcohol.  (Is that below the belt?  I’m not sure.)  Our brains are much less pliable than a child’s.

Personally, I avoid any place that’s crowded.  That used to be a psychological quirk, but now it’s a safety requirement.  Mass murderers want a “mass” of people.  So I stay away from crowds and rely on my pocket cannon for self-protection.

If we could show each other a little more respect and love, we might find solutions to our problems.  Put more oomph into your love and less into your anger.  Writing this blog is an act of love.  I love the Irregulars, my other readers, and just about everybody else.  I write and post the blog in the hope that it might negate some small piece of negativity somewhere in the world.  What the world needs now is good karma.  Do your share.

Thank you, my dears, for reading my blog today.  Thank you for taking the time to take a look.  I appreciate all of my readers, even the illiterate ones.

Where has all the love gone? Ask: MadameZoltar@jtirregulars.com

Enjoy the fall weather, my friends.  “Good sleeping weather” is what we always called it.  Be careful around school buses and idiot drivers.  Give both a wide berth.  I love you, Irregulars!       

"Vino2Go - the 'wine sippy cup.'"

http://www.vino2go.com/

What do you think?  Yay or nay?

I wonder if  you can get ice between the inner wine glass and the outer "sippy" shell.  They look pretty, like confections.  Now you'll have to coordinate your wine with your sippy glass cover. 

Open Blog - Wednesday

Yeah, but it's all downhill to the weekend from here.

"Thursday Oct. 15th - Stop Bullying Rally"

From RacineUncovered:

10/13/2015 | Filed under: Community Calendar,Local News | Posted by: racineuncovered

"On Thursday October 15th the Racine Family YMCA P.R.E.P is holding a Stop Bully Rally 'Stand up, Speak Out.' It is being held at the Martin Luther King Center 1134 Martin Luther King Drive, Racine from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m."

 Read more:  http://racineuncovered.org/2015/10/thursday-oct-15th-stop-bullying-rally/


Good. I hate bullies.  I'm so glad that this 'cause' came to light.  Bullying can leave psychological/emotional scars that follow a person throughout their life.

Oh, the lost old words...

I never got into 'tomfoolery', but shenanigans - definitely!

Oh, I miss some of the old words and phrases!

Open Blog - Tuesday

Have a purrfect day.

"Residents Not Told About High Lead Levels Until Now"

From Racine County Eye:

By Denise Lockwood in Community, Health and fitness · October 10, 2015

"Lead levels in Racine residents’ municipal water were nearly double the allowable levels in 2014 and customers weren’t notified until earlier this week, but progress has been made this year.

"A letter from the utility, sent on October 5, 2015, notified residents that 5,025 of the 33,500 property owners in 2014 were at risk of high lead levels just over the U.S. EPA  standard of 15 parts per billion, with some lead levels as high as 25 ppb. This letter was supposed to be sent to all property owners at the beginning of 2015, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources mandate.

"Drinking water with high levels of lead can cause delays in physical and mental development in babies and children, according to the EPA."

Read more:  http://racinecountyeye.com/residents-not-told-about-high-lead-levels-until-now/

"The C part of OCD"

From The Lonely Libertarian :

"I can't leave bubble wrap alone. When I get something in the mail that's wrapped in bubble wrap, I carefully set it aside, tingling in anticipation. I inspect the items received. Carefully put them away. And then I sit down with my compulsion. My bubble wrap. My Precious.

"And now the O part of OCD. People who pop the bubbles all willy nilly drive me up the fucking wall. You must pop them in order, right to left, top to bottom. And you can't stop me. No, sorry, I don't care what it is you think you want or need from me, I'm not done popping bubbles. Go away."

http://hopelesslysane.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-c-part-of-ocd.html


Lizardmom, these are made for you.

White House Astronomy Night

Next Monday, October 19th, there will be an Astronomy Night at the White House. There will be telescopes set up at the White House for invited guests, students and VIPs.

They are encouraging local astronomy clubs to host events around the country on that night, but I don't see anything listed on the Racine Astronomical Society website. I have heard there will be a livestream of the event, but I haven't seen the link yet.

Here is the press release about the event.

Open Blog - Monday

No snail mail today.

" Aurora borealis high activity raw video footage"

From LiveLeak:

"Filmed tonight with Canon 5D mk3 on f1.4 iso 12800.

"Digermulen, Norway"

Read more at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9df_1444350633#Sy48xuUO1phYCUZa.99