RACINE COUNTY — Judgments of just when the Great Recession began and when it pulled out of sight vary. But there’s no doubt it had gained a full head of steam in Racine County by this date 10 years ago. For many people, the recession was a time of loss and financial, mental and emotional strain. From 2008 to well into 2010, the economy was a landscape of dominoes, each one that tipped knocking over others in a massive, seemingly unstoppable chain reaction that left almost no part of the economy untouched. Throughout that time, businesses here, like everywhere else in the country, were forced into making agonizing choices. Many of those decisions were savage in their impact, yanking people’s jobs out from under their feet at the worst possible time for them to go seeking other employment. About midway through that chaotic time, in 2009, the City of Racine’s jobless rate hit 17 percent, dropped a bit, then chugged back up to 17 percent before improving a bit that fall. Countywide, at the peak, about one in every nine people was unemployed and looking for work. During those Great Recession years, the economy dominated local news with a torrent of job layoffs, business closings, constricted business spending and deflated investments. Some businesses shrank to withered versions of their former selves, their services unwanted and unneeded when most others were slashing spending in attempts to keep their books in balance. Read more at: https://journaltimes.com/business/local/ten-years-later-a-look-back-at-the-great-recession/article_5ad44db6-9a4d-5900-8b33-490063f341fb.html#tncms-source=infinity-scroll-summary-siderail-latest
Monday, December 31, 2018
A timely story
Sunday, December 30, 2018
The Wall Street Crash
"This BBC documentary from 2009 takes a fresh view of the 'Crash of 1929'
and the subsequent global Depression, comparing aspects of that event
with the most recent turbulence in 2008."
Video of the Punch
He must have hit him really hard. Claims he punched him to stop him from fleeing - He must have known he was good and drunk and just wanted to hide until that wore off. It will be interesting to see the claimed BAC. They can extrapolate backwards in time - he had two hours to burn some juice up. Gotta wonder too - if the guy will get charged for punching him. We'll see if the fix is in....
Promoting Economic Growth In City of Racine
Dear Alderpersons, Since City of Racine Prides Itself by Responding to the Needs of Our Citizens by Enhancing the Quality of Life and Promoting Economic Growth - per the City of Racine website - see attached, City of Racine Logo. I am asking that City of Racine reduce my property tax burden and fund more City services by properly re-assessing the Lakefront property owned by Mayor Cory Mason and Municipal Judge Rebecca Mason. Their Lakefront property shouldn't be assessed at a distressed value of only $440,000 - it should be closer to $1,000,000 - that is - One Million Dollars. Lakefront property is a rare and valuable commodity. Since when has a Racine Lakefront property declined in assessed value by nearly 50% - from 2013 to 2019? It hasn't. Clearly - the 'fix" was in. See the Post: https://arrestrecordsofracinewipublicofficials.wordpress.com/2018/08/19/lifestyles-of-racines-rich-famous-politically-connected/ Sincerely, Tim & Cindy
*WOW*
A report from Reason reveals not a single New Jersey resident has surrendered their “high capacity” magazines to state police since the implementation of the magazine ban. Breitbart News reported that New Jersey’s “high capacity” magazine ban took effect December 11, 2018, making the mere possession of such a magazine a fourth degree felony. At first, the New Jersey State Police refused to rule out door-to-door enforcement of the ban, then made clear that they had no plans to go house-to-house. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2018/12/28/report-nj-residents-not-surrendering-high-capacity-magazines-state-police/
Who's the Boss in Racine?
Dear City of Racine Alderpersons,
Gotta LOL at this one....
A city police officer stopped Mayor John Dickert for speeding Dec. 12,
2009 in the 1200 block of North Main Street. Dickert was going 40 mph
in a 30 mph zone at about 10 a.m. on a Saturday. He did not receive a
ticket. There is no police report on the stop.
Video of the traffic stop, obtained with a records request to the
police department, shows a brief, cordial encounter between Officer
Bob Bojcic and Dickert near Jane Elementary School. Bojcic was
conducting a speed wave near the school after the department received
complaints about traffic.
Here’a transcript of the video:
Prior to exiting squad car:
Officer Bojcic: 1200 block of North Main (indecipherable)
Talking to Dickert:
Dickert: Hello, boss.
Officer: (indecipherable) You’re the boss, aren’t you?
Dickert: (laughs) Not always
Officer: Not always?
Dickert: What’s going on?
Officer: Not much. We had a Speed Wave back here 40 in 30
Dickert: Oh (indecipherable) Sorry … I was going to a radio show
down in Kenosha
Officer: Yeah. Because of the school over there and the crossing
guard always has fits over there so we come out here to do a speed
wave out here to try and slow the traffic down it’s like a race track
out here, you know?
Dickert: It’s actually a good idea.
Officer: Keep it down.
Dickert: You got it.
Sgt. Martin Pavilonis, spokesman for the Racine Police Department who
had watched the video, said proper procedures were handled during the
stop.
It’s up to the officer’s discretion on whether a driver gets a ticket,
Pavilonis said. He said it was not unusual for a stop to take about 3
minutes when the officer does not issue a ticket.
There is no set policy on an officer’s actions when they pull over an
elected official like the mayor, Pavilonis said. If a police officer
stops another police officer there is a policy to follow, he said, but
that doesn’t apply to the mayor.
As for the mayor’s conduct, Pavilonis said he acted appropriately. “I
don’t think he asserted his rank as mayor,” he said. “I don’t think
that’s the case at all.”
Meanwhile.... Not one person around can find a crime Sgt. Stulo may
have committed when he was allegedly involved in a hit and run,
injuring an elderly woman!
Where is the Bearded Lady?
The lack of accountability - and complicity is so in the face - that
most can see it.
See more at: https://arrestrecordsofracinewipublicofficials.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/whos-the-boss-in-racine-mayor-cory-mason-an-oldie-but-goodie/
*FREE SANDY*
Mayor Cory Mason - HELLO - this is your wake up call....
We have an un-elected, that is appointed Chief of Police and his
Officers – overseen by an un-elected, that is appointed Police & Fire
Commission, whose appointments are yours, and yours alone to make –
Mayor Cory Mason. And now one of those appointed members of the Police
& Fire Commission – Attorney Patrick Cafferty, is representing Racine
Police Department Officers who are having legal issues because they
are alleged to have been involved with potential criminal activity.
While the only charges filed, in the Stulo case – have been minor
traffic tickets. *WOW*
Sincerely,
Tim & Cindy
An oldie but a goodie
An oldie but a goodie from Racine Post: http://racinepost.blogspot.com/2010/06/video-mayor-dickert-stopped-for.html A city police officer stopped Mayor John Dickert for speeding Dec. 12, 2009 in the 1200 block of North Main Street. Dickert was going 40 mph in a 30 mph zone at about 10 a.m. on a Saturday. He did not receive a ticket. There is no police report on the stop. Video of the traffic stop, obtained with a records request to the police department, shows a brief, cordial encounter between Officer Bob Bojcic and Dickert near Jane Elementary School. Bojcic was conducting a speed wave near the school after the department received complaints about traffic. Here’a transcript of the video: Prior to exiting squad car: Officer Bojcic: 1200 block of North Main (indecipherable) Talking to Dickert: Dickert: Hello, boss. Officer: (indecipherable) You’re the boss, aren’t you? Dickert: (laughs) Not always Officer: Not always? Dickert: What’s going on? Officer: Not much. We had a Speed Wave back here 40 in 30 Dickert: Oh (indecipherable) Sorry … I was going to a radio show down in Kenosha Officer: Yeah. Because of the school over there and the crossing guard always has fits over there so we come out here to do a speed wave out here to try and slow the traffic down it’s like a race track out here, you know? Dickert: It’s actually a good idea. Officer: Keep it down. Dickert: You got it. Sgt. Martin Pavilonis, spokesman for the Racine Police Department who had watched the video, said proper procedures were handled during the stop. It’s up to the officer’s discretion on whether a driver gets a ticket, Pavilonis said. He said it was not unusual for a stop to take about 3 minutes when the officer does not issue a ticket. There is no set policy on an officer’s actions when they pull over an elected official like the mayor, Pavilonis said. If a police officer stops another police officer there is a policy to follow, he said, but that doesn’t apply to the mayor. https://arrestrecordsofracinewipublicofficials.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/whos-the-boss-in-racine-mayor-cory-mason-an-oldie-but-goodie/
Climate Stabilization
This paper examines and compares two dramatically divergent approaches to climate stabilization developed by analysts and activists on the left. The first, which the author Robert Pollin advocates, is called the "Green New Deal." The second has been termed 'degrowth' by its proponents. The Green New Deal approach is focused, on a global scale, on advancing investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy at a rate of about 1.5 – 2 percent of global GDP per year, so that clean energy can supplant the existing dominant fossil fuel energy infrastructure. Through this approach, economies can continue to grow but economic growth becomes absolutely decoupled from fossil fuel consumption and the resulting generation of CO2 emissions. The prospects are realistic for driving down CO2 emissions by 40 percent within 20 years and eliminating them altogether within 40 years within the Green New Deal framework. The Green New Deal also produces expanding job opportunities through the building of a global clean energy infrastructure. By contrast, the degrowth approach relies primarily on contractions of economic activity—measured by GDP—as the means to cut fossil fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. But as Pollin points out and the degrowth model by leading proponent Peter Victor confirms, in this approach, considered on its own, CO2 emissions will only fall to the extent that GDP itself declines. Thus, in Victor's degrowth scenario for Canada, CO2 emissions fall by about 80 percent within 30 years, but average per capita income also falls by roughly the same amount. An 80 percent contraction in per capita income would represent an unprecedented economic depression, which in turn would likely engender a wide range of severe social and political responses. Contrary to degrowth proponents, Pollin argues that some categories of economic activity must now grow massively—those associated with the production and distribution of clean energy. Concurrently, the global fossil fuel industry needs to contract massively—i.e. to 'de-grow' steadily and dramatically until it has almost completely shut down within the next 40 – 50 years https://www.peri.umass.edu/publication/item/1101-degrowth-vs-a-green-new-deal
No doubt, the Collapse is upon u
"The report underscored that cheap energy flows are the lifeblood of economic growth: and that as we shift into an era of declining resource quality, we are likely to continue seeing slow, weak if not declining economic growth. This is happening at a global scale. EROI is already beginning to approach levels seen in the nineteenth century — demonstrating how constrained global economic growth might be due to declining net energy returns to society". The shift to non-fossil fuels - the abundance of the Sun's stored energy - will diminish - costs increase - and it will mean death - for Billions. William Catton summed it up in one word - "Overshoot". "The crisis of Brexit and the eruption of the riots in France are symptoms of a great unfolding civilizational transition, in which an old reductionist paradigm of materialist self-maximation is dying. Citizens and policymakers, activists and business leaders, need to wake up to what is actually happening to have the conversations that can kick-start meaningful approaches to systemic transformation. This is not a far-flung crisis that is going to happen years in the future. This is now. This is happening and it is affecting you, your children, and those you love the most. And it will affect their children, and their children. This is your legacy. This is your choice. This is your chance to engage with and become an agent of a new paradigm, one that speaks for all humans, all species, and the Earth itself. Maybe we don’t know exactly what the emerging paradigms will look like. But we know that it’s time to ask ourselves: where do we stand? With the old, or with the new?" https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-28/brexit-stage-one-europes-slow-burn-energy-collapse 666 https://youtu.be/r_Ra5LUh6ng
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Friday, December 28, 2018
Dear Village Board,
Let's do the math! OK - please check my figures.... So according to MTP Village President, along with many other SE Wisconsin and Racine County Residents – Foxconn will employ 13,000 people being paid an average of $53,000 per year. 13,000 employees times $53,000 = $689,000,000 – per year! So what is the price point which Foxconn must sell those LCD TV’s at to at least break even? (This does not take into consideration WI tax credits or Pollution credits) Foxconn’s actual cost to produce LCD TV’s is not able to be determined at this time – so we will have to deal with raw numbers – based upon projections provided by MTP Village President David DeGroot….. Let us assume a price point of $250 per LCD TV – does that sound reasonable? So we have 13,000 employees times $53,000 = $689,000,000 – per year divided by $250 LCD TV’s sold annually. Remember that this amount does not allow for profit – or consider what is the actual price point at which Consumers can afford to purchase the LCD TV’s in the quantity required to be produced….. Which comes to: 2,756,000 TV’s which must be sold annually. But we still haven’t actually determined the cost to manufacture the LCD TV’s due to the cost of raw materials and production. Along with distribution and handling. While producing 2,756,000 TV’s in 12 months = 645 LCD TV’s per day – if the factory is operating 7 days a week. Working anything less only increases demands for increased productivity per hour/day . At what point is the Worker – “over worked”? What happens when a bathroom break interferes with production? Raising the price point only increases the demand for less wages to be paid with hopes for increased efficiency and less cost for labor/materials. In Asia, workers usually labor 12 hours a day, 7 days a week – so $53,000 per year comes to 365 X 12 divided by $53,000 = $12.10 per hour. Which is way far more than Foxconn pays it’s Chinese and Indian Workers! And Foxconn has already stated that it didn’t take into account the higher US wage requirements, which it won’t pay…. Workers in Asia and India sleep in shifts at Company owned dorms – often only earning $2.50 day Compare that with taxpayer subsidized section 8 housing in Racine – which starts at $460/month. Who says Republicans hate state sponsored welfare – they are it’s biggest beneficiaries. In addition, every Consumer of the Foxconn manufactured product must be able to afford the cost of the (usually) subscribed TV service. While in areas where subscribed TV service is unavailable – the LCD TV will be….. worthless https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/lets-do-the-math/ Perhaps I am wrong - but it seems that SE WI is doomed to an increasing deflationary spiral which means that taxpayer funded expenses must be curtailed. Or - at least, so we think. Sincerely, Tim & Cindy
Let’s Do the Math
From a Better Mount Pleasant: https://www.facebook.com/abettermtpleasant/
MESSAGE FROM VILLAGE PRESIDENT
Seasons Greetings!
This year, we’ve continued our work to move the transformational Foxconn project forward and have celebrated numerous milestones. Site preparation and utility and road work is underway, as is vertical construction on the first of many buildings on what is becoming the Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park. We are already seeing the positive results of Foxconn’s investment in our community, including new jobs and business for local companies, increased opportunities for area residents who have been connected with employment and training and the announcement of significant new developments right here in Mount Pleasant.
Read more: https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/lets-do-the-math/
MESSAGE FROM VILLAGE PRESIDENT
Seasons Greetings!
This year, we’ve continued our work to move the transformational Foxconn project forward and have celebrated numerous milestones. Site preparation and utility and road work is underway, as is vertical construction on the first of many buildings on what is becoming the Wisconn Valley Science and Technology Park. We are already seeing the positive results of Foxconn’s investment in our community, including new jobs and business for local companies, increased opportunities for area residents who have been connected with employment and training and the announcement of significant new developments right here in Mount Pleasant.
Read more: https://concernedracinecountyresidentsjustsaynotofoxconn.wordpress.com/2018/12/28/lets-do-the-math/
Four for Fridays!
Good morning everyone I hope you had a good week and I hope you also enjoyed your Christmas. We really enjoyed being with our families for Christmas. Here are your questions.
1) Do you have plans for New Year's Eve?
2) If your plans are to go out for New Year's Eve how far will you travel?
3) If you are going out for New Year's Eve do you have a safe way to get home?
4) If you plan on staying home for New Year's Eve are you having friends or family over?
Have a great weekend!
1) Do you have plans for New Year's Eve?
2) If your plans are to go out for New Year's Eve how far will you travel?
3) If you are going out for New Year's Eve do you have a safe way to get home?
4) If you plan on staying home for New Year's Eve are you having friends or family over?
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Britain bans puppy and kitten sales by pet shops
Britain is forbidding puppies and kittens from being sold by pet shops in a bid to crack down on animal exploitation and abuse. The government said it will roll out the legislation next year after holding public consultations that showed 95-percent support for the ban. "This will mean that anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten under six months must either deal directly with the breeder or with an animal re-homing centre," the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on Sunday as part of its Christmas animal welfare push. Britain is forbidding puppies and kittens from being sold by pet shops in a bid to crack down on animal exploitation and abuse. The government said it will roll out the legislation next year after holding public consultations that showed 95-percent support for the ban. "This will mean that anyone looking to buy or adopt a puppy or kitten under six months must either deal directly with the breeder or with an animal re-homing centre," the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said on Sunday as part of its Christmas animal welfare push.
Dear Madame Zoltar
The weather has fallen into that pattern of gray, winter days. I hate that. Three months of this, if we're lucky. We had some snow but that's long gone.
The Packers did something. I think they won. Hurrah. Rodgers is earning his keep. Ha!
Here are the final standings from the Irregular Football League:
Oh well, there's always next year. Next year I'll cheat.
Señor Zanza and Junior are lobbying hard for a New Year's Party. They said that they'd take care of everything, from start to finish. Everything, that is, except me. I'm not interested in a party, so I suppose I'll have to hide upstairs. Better stock up on goodies.
Instead of my usual rant at the corruption in Racine politics, I thought I'd wish everyone a great Christmas, even if it is a day late.
 |
| "Ho! Ho! Ho!" |
I hope uou got what you wanted. Be grateful whatever you get. You've seen so much.
I'm sorry, but I'm beat from Christmas cleanups. Even with the boys doing the majority of the work, it's still a pain in the butt.
It was wonderful to see everyone. That's the best part of Christmas: the people (and dogs). I love you all and wish you good luck on the rest of your vacation.
madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com
I hope to see you when you're not so preoccupied with money.
_________________________
Please donate: paypal.me/jgmazelis
If you don't like PayPal, send me a note at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com and I'll send you my street address so you can send a check or money order. Thank you.
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Poor Mans Speedball
Post; Alcohol and coffee can help you live past 90, study says Readers, we are honored and privileged to bring you the single greatest piece of news you've heard in your entire life. A study out of the University of California-Irvine has revealed that consumption of moderate amounts of alcohol and coffee is linked to living a longer life. Re-read that last sentence. There are no typos. There are no jokes. The key word is "moderate," of course. The study, called "The 90+ Study," started in 2003 and examined "the oldest-old" age group - about 1,700 nonagenarians - to determine what is key to living to your 90th birthday and beyond.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2018/02/22/alcohol-near-me/362510002/ Fuk that - I've gone foot first! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97ECZMvbLxg
How can the NY Times celebrate so many atrocities?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/world/asia/mongolia-golden-eagle-festival.html
Should Be Forgot, Again
From The Shepherd Express:
But I will tell you’s I recall that at the beginning of this dying year I looked back at 2017 and said it had sucked, and my crystal ball told me to say that the future-2018 would also suck, but even more. Cripes, I should’ve put my money where my mouth was ’cause if I had, I’d be living the luxury life on Easy Street and lighting my Pall Malls with $20-dollar bills, what the fock.
So yeah, the less said about 2018 the better and I’m sticking to it, this week anyways. But before I go, I got to say once again that if you’re out and about New Year’s Eve so’s to kick 2018 out the door, maybe I’ll see you over by the North Shore American Legion Post #331 up there in Shorewood on Wilson Drive just north of Capitol, 9 p.m. to midnight with the John Schneider Orchestra, Claire Morkin and MRS. FUN, ring-a-ding-ding. It’s a suggested donation of $15, but as always, if you’d rather drop a couple, three grand at the door, there’d be no complaints.
So to the limit of my optimism, it bears repeating that I wish you all a happy focking New Year, and good luck with that, what the fock, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
From: https://shepherdexpress.com/advice/art-kumbalek/should-be-forgot-again/
Dec. 24, 2018
10:47 a.m.
I’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world,
ain’a? So listen, I know the hub-and-bub of the holiday season is always
a big deal this time of year for the people. But for a guy like me,
hey, every day is just another focking holiday, each and every day of the year. Oh yeah, nothing but seashells, balloons, topped with a generous dollop of you got to be jerking my beefaroni. I kid you not.
And this old year, this time 2018, is practically expired and again I’m thinking the less said about it the better.But I will tell you’s I recall that at the beginning of this dying year I looked back at 2017 and said it had sucked, and my crystal ball told me to say that the future-2018 would also suck, but even more. Cripes, I should’ve put my money where my mouth was ’cause if I had, I’d be living the luxury life on Easy Street and lighting my Pall Malls with $20-dollar bills, what the fock.
So yeah, the less said about 2018 the better and I’m sticking to it, this week anyways. But before I go, I got to say once again that if you’re out and about New Year’s Eve so’s to kick 2018 out the door, maybe I’ll see you over by the North Shore American Legion Post #331 up there in Shorewood on Wilson Drive just north of Capitol, 9 p.m. to midnight with the John Schneider Orchestra, Claire Morkin and MRS. FUN, ring-a-ding-ding. It’s a suggested donation of $15, but as always, if you’d rather drop a couple, three grand at the door, there’d be no complaints.
So to the limit of my optimism, it bears repeating that I wish you all a happy focking New Year, and good luck with that, what the fock, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
From: https://shepherdexpress.com/advice/art-kumbalek/should-be-forgot-again/
Monday, December 24, 2018
Who Gives a Fuk Anyways.
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THIS DAY IN HISTORY – The execution of Eddie Slovik is authorized – 1944
On this day, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower endorses the finding of a court-martial in the case of Eddie Slovik, who was tried for desertion, and authorizes his execution, the first such sentence against a U.S. Army soldier since the Civil War, and the only man so punished during World War II. Private Eddie Slovik was a draftee. Originally classified 4-F because of a prison record (grand theft auto), he was bumped up to a 1-A classification when draft standards were lowered to meet growing personnel needs. In January 1944, he was trained to be a rifleman, which was not to his liking, as he hated guns. In August of the same year, Slovik was shipped to France to fight with the 28th Infantry Division, which had already suffered massive casualties in the fighting there and in Germany. Slovik was a replacement, a class of soldier not particular respected by officers. As he and a companion were on the way to the front lines, they became lost in the chaos of battle, only to stumble upon a Canadian unit that took them in. Slovik stayed on with the Canadians until October 5, when they turned him and his buddy over to the American military police, who reunited them with the 28th Division, now in Elsenborn, Belgium. No charges were brought; replacements getting lost early on in their tours of duty were not unusual. But exactly one day after Slovik returned to his unit, he claimed he was “too scared and too nervous” to be a rifleman and threatened to run away if forced into combat. His admission was ignored-and Slovik took off. One day after that he returned, and Slovik signed a confession of desertion, claiming he would run away again if forced to fight, and submitted it to an officer of the 28th. The officer advised Slovik to take the confession back, as the consequences would be serious. Slovik refused, and he was confined to the stockade. The 28th Division had seen many cases of soldiers wounding themselves or deserting in the hopes of a prison sentence that would at least protect them from the perils of combat. So a legal officer of the 28th offered Slovik a deal: Dive into combat immediately and avoid the court-martial. Slovik refused. He was tried on November 11 for desertion and was convicted in less than two hours. The nine-officer court-martial panel passed a unanimous sentence: execution-“to be shot to death with musketry.” Slovik’s appeal failed. It was held that he “directly challenged the authority” of the United States and that “future discipline depends upon a resolute reply to this challenge.” Slovik was to pay for his recalcitrant attitude-and he was to be made an example. One last appeal was made-to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander. The timing was bad for mercy. The Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes forest was issuing in literally thousands of American casualties, not to mention the second largest surrender of an American Army unit during the war. Eisenhower upheld the sentence. Slovik would be shot to death by a 12-man firing squad in eastern France in January of 1945. None of the rifleman so much as flinched, believing Slovik had gotten what he deserved. https://www.theburningplatform.com/2018/12/23/this-day-in-history-the-execution-of-eddie-slovik-is-authorized-1944-2/
Back In The Good Ol’ Days…..
https://www.theburningplatform.com/2018/12/23/back-in-the-good-ol-days/
A Better Mount Pleasant Sends:
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.” Thomas Jefferson “Take a sad song and make it better.” The Beatles ~~~~~~~ Time to BOOT DEGROOT! (added) Together - ABMP readers and contributors worked to make the Village more accountable and more transparent. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t always fun, but we made things better. In no particular order: 1. LIVE VIDEO OF VILLAGE MEETINGS: The Village now broadcasts live Village meetings and Foxconn informational sessions - because we did it first. Oh sure, they say they were going to do it - just like we all say we're going to the gym this week. Videos of Village meetings mean that more people can participate. Folks at home don’t have get out to village hall to see what’s happening, you can watch from home...or watch later. Preferably with cocktails. We credit the Village for doing a good job in setting up the recording - certainly better than Kelly did with her iphone - now if we can just get the audio and video synced up correctly. 2. MAKING EXECUTIVE PACKETS PUBLIC: For years, residents were strangely prohibited from seeing and reading the executive packets of information given to Trustees before meetings - even though it is public information. ABMP filed an open records request for all Village executive packets - as a result the Village now posts them before Village meetings. Residents can now see the same information trustees see at meetings. Go to the Village website and click on Agendas and Minutes, then go down to Village Board Packets. 3. APPROVAL AND PUBLISHING OF MEETING MINUTES: Meeting minutes are the official record of actions taken by the Village. The approval and publishing of minutes as soon as reasonably possible is required by law. The purpose is for residents to be appropriately apprised of actions taken on their behalf. Over the last two years, minutes weren’t approved for weeks, even months after votes were taken. It wasn’t just bad government - it was lazy, disrespectful government. ABMP made an issue of it in meetings, posts and in a letter to the Journal Times. These actions got attention and action. For much of the last year, minutes have been approved regularly. Guess it wasn’t so hard after all. 4. FOXCONN STORM WATER FAILURE: In late summer, residents began remarking on flood water runoff problems at the Foxconn construction site. Even a casual observer could see that barriers to protect from silt runoff into the Pike River were ridiculously lame. Sure enough, after a few days of heavy rain, mud and silt began pouring into Lamparek Creek leading directly to the Pike River watershed. ABMP videotaped the flooding and filed a complaint with the DNR. The DNR said Foxconn contractors had failed to do their job and the Village failed to provide the oversight residents were promised. The episode didn’t cost Foxconn much money - but it was embarrassing. In the end, they did a good job correcting their mistake and hopefully it won’t happen again - thanks to sharp-eyed readers who alerted us. 5. FOXCONN TRANSPARENCY: Early on in the Foxconn process, the Village Project team didn’t seem to think breaking down the bills for various contractors was very important. Hundreds of thousands of dollars listed as “Foxconn Bills” was supposed to be good enough for you. ABMP filed an open records request asking for the bills and published them right here so residents could see where their money was going. As a direct result, the Village started including more detailed information in the Village Board meetings and on the agendas when it came time to approve invoices and make purchases. 6. FREEDOM OF SPEECH: The Village has always had a very odd relationship with residents speaking their mind. No example was ever more stunning than when the Village CDA tried to keep residents from speaking on items listed on the agenda during public comments last spring - not once, but twice. ABMP filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s office who came back and gave the Village a clear message they were treading in some funky water that wasn’t likely to hold up in court. So what did our Village leaders do? Apologize? No, they doubled down and tried to get the Attorney General to change their written guidance. The Attorney General said “nyet.” That’s your Village, fighting hard (and paying lawyers) to keep you from speaking. It didn’t work and we will make sure they never do it again. 7. FOXCONN PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS: ABMP held the first Foxconn public town hall meeting last June - after residents were promised meetings would be scheduled and never were. Close to eighty people showed up and many more watched live on Facebook. Coincidentally, Village Project Manager Claude Lois announced the Village’s first town hall at our town hall...yup, totally going to the gym this week. The Village has continued to hold meetings each month - that's a good thing. 8. FOLLOWING THE MONEY: Our readers and contributors are tireless researchers with handy calculators. ABMP has brought residents real, useful information about Village spending. Whether it’s the more than 100% over-budget EMS palace or the insane rise in costs for the Village Assessor - our readers get the information they deserve to know. It’s your money - and while the majority of the Village Board is still on a spending bender, we’re going to keep bringing you the facts. 9. THE PEOPLE’S VOICE: Over the last year, ABMP has gone from being a small town Facebook page to being a legitimate counterpoint to the public relations firm hired by the Village to dispatch talking points and write press releases for Dave DeGroot. We’ve been featured not just in Wisconsin print press, radio and TV, but in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, New Yorker, the Guardian, the Verge, and of course the Reply All podcast. Outside the Wisconn Valley “cone of silence,” there is fact-based criticism by respected financial experts and investigative journalists that the Foxconn deal was too rushed, too generous, and Mt. Pleasant was too damn eager to even bother asking questions. You aren’t going to read those views in the Journal Times - not as long as Publisher Mark Lewis sits on the RAMAC Board. You will read them here. Why? Because we hate Foxconn? No. Because you deserve better than to be spoon-fed rainbows, pixie dust and “faith-based economics.” Foxconn has real life implications for our residents. For some it may be great, but for those who have sacrificed, or been treated unfairly, they deserve a voice too. 10. APPLYING PRESSURE: We didn’t get everything we were promised. We didn’t get annual reports for Police and Fire which were promised. Since they make up more than 70% of Village spending you deserve some data and some responsible planning. We aren’t giving up on that. If we have to file open records requests for the information and give you the reports ourselves - we will. We’ve already started compiling information. ~~~~~~ A government who doesn’t fear its own people, is a government who takes them for granted. Village officials read this page everyday. Good. We’re going to keep doing us. Thank you for reading. Thank you for contributing. Have a great holiday and we will see you next year! A Special Thanks to Kelli for continuing to hold MTP Government accountable! *SHINE ON*
Sunday, December 23, 2018
The New Green Deal
If the recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is to be believed, humanity has just over a decade to get carbon emissions under control before catastrophic climate change impacts become unavoidable. The Republican Party generally ignores or denies that problem. But the Democratic Party claims to accept and understand it. It is odd, then, that Democrats do not have a plan to address climate change. Their last big plan — the American Clean Energy and Security Act — passed the House in 2009 but went on to die an unceremonious death before reaching the Senate floor. Since then, there’s been nothing to replace it. Plenty of Democratic politicians support policies that would reduce climate pollution — renewable energy tax credits, fuel economy standards, and the like — but those policies do not add up to a comprehensive solution, certainly nothing like what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests is necessary. Young activists, who will be forced to live with the ravages of climate change, find this upsetting. So they have proposed a plan of their own. It’s called the Green New Deal (GND) — a term purposefully reminiscent of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s original New Deal in the 1930s — https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/12/21/18144138/green-new-deal-alexandria-ocasio-cortez NO MAS! NO MAS! NO MAS!
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Harmon Settlement
Dear City of Racine Alderpersons - Yet another OUTRAGE! Approved by the Common Council.... Reports have it the Harmons will receive a pittance amount for the wrongful death of their dog while the two law firms representing the plaintiff and the city will cash in on a sweet Sugar coated deal, each netting around $200,000.00 (two hundred thousand dollars each). Estimates exceeding $400.000.00 (four hundred thousand dollars) to settle the claim has been discussed and is in the works. The pitance amount the Harmons will receive will be less than $12,000.00 (twelve thousand dollars) for the wrongful death of their dog, that amount includes pain, suffering, humiliation and civil rights violations they endured. LET'S DO THE MATH +$400,000.00 dollars to the flea bag attorneys for processing paper. - $12,000.00 to the victims of the crime. This is how injustice* is rammed up the ass of citizens in Racine county. We ask the following of City Attorney Scott Letteney; Is this your sick sense of justice, $400,00.00 dollars to the attorneys? From the Racine Journal Times: "It is far better to put this case behind us all, in return for this fair settlement, than to allow the case to be a distraction."...Scott Letteney Let's see how this settlement works out: Approximately 97.5 % of the payout goes to the attorneys and 2.5% goes to the victims of the crime. Letteney has the audacity to call this a fair settlement. You may read more here: https://racinecountycorruption.blogspot.com/search?q=sugar One outrage after another! When will it end? Sincerely, Tim & Cindy
Indications of more incompetence/collussion/malfeasance at City of Racine Attorney Office
Dear City of Racine Alderpersons, *WOW* It is strange - but true - and WTF is happening - to make this happen? AND - What's the Bearded Lady gonna do? (that's Trish Hanson - the Ham Hanson - Racine County DA). And how is questionably competent City Attorney City Attorney Scott Letteney and his potentially malfeasant staff involved in this? (Yet, once again - I recommend you FIRE! the City Attorney and his entire staff) RACINE — A Racine family is pursuing a civil lawsuit against Tyrone Buckley, the man who allegedly stabbed and killed Matthew Young the day after Labor Day during a fight in a church parking lot. The Racine Police Department found that Buckley had been acting in self-defense and didn’t forward the police report from the case to the Racine County District Attorney’s Office until 64 days after Young’s death. Buckley, who is a felon, was reportedly carrying a retractable knife, which appears to be illegal under state law since it is a misdemeanor for felons to be “armed with a concealed knife that is a dangerous weapon.” A knife to the heart: Questions remain after fatal September stabbing “Keep in mind that the burden of proof is lower in a civil action, so Mr. Buckley could be liable civilly, even if he’s not convicted criminally,” Ken Yandell, an attorney from De Los Santos Law Offices who has been hired by the Young family, said in an email. The incident is reportedly under investigation once again by the Racine Police Department and the Racine County District Attorney’s Office. Two separate law firms — including De Los Santos Law Offices — have reached out to The Journal Times to receive a copy of the police report the RPD provided in October, since department officials have said the case has been reopened and thus they cannot share documents related to an ongoing investigation. District attorney reviewing Racine stabbing death investigation In a statement, Yandell said: “The circumstances surrounding the incident are highly suspicious. The Young family is frustrated and deeply disappointed with their treatment by the Racine Police Department and (Racine County) District Attorney’s Office. The RPD and RCDA have kept the family in the dark for three-and-a-half months now. The family requested, and was denied, documents related to this incident. They were not given a copy of the 79-page report … The fact that it took nearly two months for the police to forward a copy of their findings to the RCDA seems unusual, given that a young man was murdered in cold blood.” Yandell added that the Young family never received a medical examiner’s report from the incident. He also said that, after receiving a copy of the police report from The Journal Times, “making sense of it is challenging because it is so heavily redacted,” since many but not all of the names mentioned have been blacked out. “If Mr. Buckley is charged by the RCDA, I think a lot of our questions will be answered,” Yandell said. “Likewise, if the RCDA closes the case, and we are able to get an unredacted report and any other available records, we’ll be in a better position to pursue civil actions.” https://madison.com/news/local/courts/racine-family-suing-man-who-allegedly-stabbed-son-to-death/article_44f8e7f9-5478-55a7-9ab4-5fa36e3cd19d.html *WOW* - Let us hope that the allegations - ONE AGAIN! - aren't true - but most likely, City of Racine Taxpayers will be paying for more legal assistance to clean up the mess. Time after time - lie after lie. (and) *FREE* Sandy Weidner! End the hate and oppression! End the deception and lies. Sincerely, Tim & Cindy
What's the Bearded Lady Gonna DO?
Racine family suing man who allegedly stabbed son to death RACINE — A Racine family is pursuing a civil lawsuit against Tyrone Buckley, the man who allegedly stabbed and killed Matthew Young the day after Labor Day during a fight in a church parking lot. The Racine Police Department found that Buckley had been acting in self-defense and didn’t forward the police report from the case to the Racine County District Attorney’s Office until 64 days after Young’s death. Buckley, who is a felon, was reportedly carrying a retractable knife, which appears to be illegal under state law since it is a misdemeanor for felons to be “armed with a concealed knife that is a dangerous weapon.” A knife to the heart: Questions remain after fatal September stabbing “Keep in mind that the burden of proof is lower in a civil action, so Mr. Buckley could be liable civilly, even if he’s not convicted criminally,” Ken Yandell, an attorney from De Los Santos Law Offices who has been hired by the Young family, said in an email. The incident is reportedly under investigation once again by the Racine Police Department and the Racine County District Attorney’s Office. Two separate law firms — including De Los Santos Law Offices — have reached out to The Journal Times to receive a copy of the police report the RPD provided in October, since department officials have said the case has been reopened and thus they cannot share documents related to an ongoing investigation. In a statement, Yandell said: “The circumstances surrounding the incident are highly suspicious. The Young family is frustrated and deeply disappointed with their treatment by the Racine Police Department and (Racine County) District Attorney’s Office. The RPD and RCDA have kept the family in the dark for three-and-a-half months now. The family requested, and was denied, documents related to this incident. They were not given a copy of the 79-page report … The fact that it took nearly two months for the police to forward a copy of their findings to the RCDA seems unusual, given that a young man was murdered in cold blood.” Yandell added that the Young family never received a medical examiner’s report from the incident. He also said that, after receiving a copy of the police report from The Journal Times, “making sense of it is challenging because it is so heavily redacted,” since many but not all of the names mentioned have been blacked out. “If Mr. Buckley is charged by the RCDA, I think a lot of our questions will be answered,” Yandell said. “Likewise, if the RCDA closes the case, and we are able to get an unredacted report and any other available records, we’ll be in a better position to pursue civil actions.” https://madison.com/news/local/courts/racine-family-suing-man-who-allegedly-stabbed-son-to-death/article_44f8e7f9-5478-55a7-9ab4-5fa36e3cd19d.html
Friday, December 21, 2018
To all the other drivers in the vicinity of Hwys 20 and 31:
FUCK YOU!
I usually drive the speed limit or 5 miles above. But I'm not going to do 15 or 20 mph above the limit You can ride inches within my rear bumper and I don't care.
I have seen some insane stuff on the hwys here. Lots of red lights run.
Speaking of which, very early this morning I was at an intersection. The lane to my left was left turn only. My lane was straight ahead or right turn. I was going straignt. While waiting for the light, the guy behind me started beeping He had his right directional on. Apparently, he wanted me to run the red light so that he could turn. As I said above, fuck you! When the light turned green, I took my foot off of the brake but didn't hit the accelerator. I let it idle out. The guy behind me was furious, leaning on his horn. Ha ha! Fuck you!
I'm tired of spending half my time waiting at stoplights and I'm tired of the idiots on the road. The Christmas shopping season really brings them out. My fix? I start my shopping at 6 - 7 AM now. Get it done quick and get off the roads.
I resent my dependence upon a vehicle here and need to learn how to walk again. There's probably assholes on the sidewalks, too.
Four for Fridays!
Good morning everyone I hope all of you had a good week. It is the Christmas weekend and travels are going to be busy so I hope everyone stays safe. Here are your questions.
1) Do you have plans to travel?
2) If you do have plans to travel are you going to see family or friends?
3) Did you finish your Christmas shopping or is last minute shopping?
4) Do you enjoy the Christmas Holiday?
Have a Merry Christmas and be safe!
1) Do you have plans to travel?
2) If you do have plans to travel are you going to see family or friends?
3) Did you finish your Christmas shopping or is last minute shopping?
4) Do you enjoy the Christmas Holiday?
Have a Merry Christmas and be safe!
Thursday, December 20, 2018
"Council approves Harmon settlement second time around"
From The Journal Times.com
RACINE — The City Council on Tuesday approved a settlement that stemmed from the 2016 killing of a family dog by police during a “no-knock” search warrant.
In a 10-2 vote — with ‘no’ votes from 6th District Alderman Sandy Weidner and 5th District Alderman Steve Smetana — the council approved a total settlement of $10,000 for the Harmon family.
In return, the family’s lawsuit against the city is to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can not be filed again, and there would be no admission of liability by the City of Racine or the individual officers named in the case.
“The City of Racine supports its police officers, who have a very difficult and potentially dangerous job to do every day,” said City Attorney Scott Letteney. “It is far better to put this case behind us all, in return for this fair settlement, than to allow the case to be a distraction.”
Smetana declined to comment on his “no” vote because the discussions regarding the case had been closed to the public. Weidner said that while she fully understands why her fellow aldermen supported the settlement, she is concerned with the message the decision to settle sends.
“I’m concerned with what settling it would do with the morale of the Police Department,” Weidner said. “When we continue to settle cases as we do, we look like an easy mark for attorneys that will take clients that don’t have a case.”
Read more: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/council-approves-harmon-settlement-second-time-around/article_7309b650-ca78-5ea5-9cc4-f76b7ed46dfb.html
Chief Art Howell's enforcer shoots 'em and we, the taxpayers, pay for 'em. Sweet deal.
Read more: https://journaltimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/council-approves-harmon-settlement-second-time-around/article_7309b650-ca78-5ea5-9cc4-f76b7ed46dfb.html
Chief Art Howell's enforcer shoots 'em and we, the taxpayers, pay for 'em. Sweet deal.
Why Everything That Needs To Be Fixed Remains Permanently Broken
Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,
Just in case you missed what's going on in France: the status quo in
Europe is doomed.
The status quo has a simple fix for every crisis and systemic problem:
1. create currency out of thin air
2. give it to super-wealthy banks, financiers and corporations to
boost their wealth and income.
One way these entities increase their wealth and income is to lend
this nearly free money to commoners at much higher rates of interest.
I borrow from central banks at 1% and lend it to you at 4.5%, 7% or
even 19% or more. What's not to like?
If a bank is insolvent, it can borrow money at 1% from central
banks. If Joe Blow is insolvent, the only loan he can get is at 23%,
if he can get any credit at all.
3. China has a variant fix for every financial crisis: build tens
of millions of empty flats only the wealthy can afford as second or
third "investment" flats. If the empty flats start dropping in price,
government entities start secretly buying flats to support the market.
4. Empty malls, bridges to nowhere and ghost cities are also a
standard-issue fix in China. Built it and they will come, until they
don't. But who cares, the developers and local governments (i.e.
corrupt officials) already pocketed the dough.
You see the problem: making rich people richer doesn't actually
fix what's broken, it only makes the problems worse. So why can't we
fix what's broken?
It's a question that deserves an answer, and the answer has six parts:
1. Any meaningful systemic reform threatens an entrenched,
self-serving interest/elite which has a tremendous incentive to
squash, co-opt or water down any reform that threatens their monopoly,
benefits, etc.
2. It's far cheaper in cash and political capital to block
something than it is to push through a reform that reduces the skims
and scams of entrenched, self-serving interests.
3. Entrenched, self-serving elites are disconnected from the real
world of the commoners; they live in protective bubbles, from
you-can't-fire-me job security to gold-plated healthcare to generous
pensions to access to central bank credit lines-- all of which is
unavailable to the commoners wearing yellow vests. As a result, their
grasp of the real problems is unrealistic, as the real-world
experience of the bottom 90% is an abstraction.
4. Entrenched, self-serving elites are protected from the
disastrous consequences of their policies and self-serving greed. In
Taleb's terminology, they have no skin in the game: policies can be
complete failures but nobody's fired, and nobody's pay is cut.
5. The Neofeudal "fix" to all crises, and social and financial
problems--enriching the already rich and empowering the already
powerful--signals the entrenched elites that the system is working
just fine: if it's working great for me and my cronies, so clearly
it's working great for everyone.
6. The corporate media and the social media giants are entrenched
interests, and so it serves their interests to ceaselessly promote the
status quo Neofeudalism as the cat's meow and marginalize dissenters,
skeptics and reformers.
Just in case you missed what's going on in France: the status quo in
Europe is doomed. The status quo fixes of enriching the already rich
as the solution to every problem have gutted the social contract and
destabilized the economy. Giving more nearly free money to banks,
financiers and corporations is only going to speed the dissolution of
the Eurozone and the existing social order.
Link: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-12-19/why-everything-needs-be-fixed-remains-permanently-broken
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Dear Madame Zoltar
By the way, Merry Christmas. My next blog is scheduled for the day after Christmas, so I thought I'd say it now. May all your dreams come true, and may a ton of love happen to you. I hope you get the toy you wanted.
The Green Bay Packers are a joke. The most expemsive player in the league and they can't even make it to the playoffs. I'll say it again: they should have kept Mike McCarthy and looked for ways to dump Aaron Rodgers instead. The last few games mean nothing now. It would be a good time to test the second string. Someone might sneeze and give Aaron Rodgers pneumonia. Better keep him off of the field.
Here are the standings from the Irregular Football League:
It looks like the Half-Astrophysicists won't take first place this year. That will be either the Brooklyn Bombers or the Racine Irregulars. The Mighty Bears might take third place. I, of course, am in last place. The Orbliterators are just above me, in 5th place. Go get them Racine Irregulars and The Mighty Bears!
Here's a video treat from legal stranger:
Wouldn't it be something if the people of Racine rose up against corruption the way that the people of Athens did? Chase the dirty politicians out of office. Huh, then I think there would only be a few left.
I'm so glad that the appelate court sided with Sandy Weidner in the witch hunt by the city of Racine. Let's sit on Letteny and shave his beard off. I have a weed wacker that oughta work.
I love you all. May your holidays be blessed.
madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com
Be nice to each other and remember the reason for the holiday. This is supposed to be a time of peace. Let's make it so.
_________________________
Please donate: paypal.me/jgmazelis
If you don't like PayPal, send me a note at madamezoltar@jtirregulars.com and I'll send you my street address so you can send a check or money order. Thank you.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Calling JT Publisher Mark Lewis....
America's dying industries: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/18/americas-dying-industries-businesses-losing-most-workers/38693221/ 8. Newspaper publishers • Employment change 2008-17: -50.3% • Employment total: 160,739 • Wage growth 2008-17: -17.8% • Avg. annual wage: $32,765 Newspaper publishing is one of only eight U.S. industries that employs less than half as many workers as it did in 2008. There are now just 160,739 newspaper publishers workers in the United States, compared to more than 320,000 a decade earlier. While people still read newspapers, many who do subscribe to the digital version, reducing the need for those who print physical copies. Industry workers today are making less money than industry workers in 2008. Since that time, the industry's average annual wages dropped 17.8%, one of the larger declines of any industry.
Blitzened Upon the Midnight Beer
From The Shepherd Express:
But before I go, I’ll give you’s a nice little retelling of a favorite Christmas story of mine that you can present to loved ones this season, perhaps in lieu of a regular gift, you cheap bastards.
So, one Christmas Eve long, long time ago, Santa’s getting ready for his yearly trip ’round the world like always, but he’s running into all kind of problems every time he turns around. All of a sudden five elves have the flu-like symptoms and are way too sick to work and the rest of the elves can’t pick up the slack, so now’s Santa got a case of the heebie-jeebies from being way behind schedule. Then on top of that, the Mrs. tells Santa that her mother was coming to visit for a couple weeks, and now he’s really in a bad mood.
So he goes out to harness the reindeer, and he discovers that three of them are about to give birth and another two had gone AWOL over the fence to who knows where. Now he’s really stressed out. And then while he’s loading the sleigh, one of the floor boards cracks, his big bag of toys tears, falls to the ground, and now he’s got toys all over the gosh darn place.
Santa’s really beside himself, so he goes back into the house for a cup of coffee and a quick shot or three of whiskey, only to find the bottle empty and now he knows why the elves were too sick to work. Then he accidentally drops the coffee pot, which shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces all over the kitchen floor. He goes to get the broom to clean up the mess only to discover that mice had eaten all the bristles.
And just then, wouldn’t you know, the doorbell rings. Santa goes to open the door, cussing all the way. And there, holding a Christmas tree, stands the chirpiest, most cheerful angel you ever did see. The angel looks up at Santa and says, “Hi ya’, Santa. I’m Harold. What a wonderful, wonderful day. Merry, merry Christmas to you, and look at this beautiful, beautiful tree I have just for you. Hey Santa, where would you like me to put it?”
And that is how the tradition of an angel stuck on top of the Christmas tree began. Ba-ding!
One more thing, for those generous souls who just may wonder what a guy like me would truly appreciate for Christmas, my wish list remains unchanged from any other year:
• A busload of Vegas showgirls.
• Case of Pall Malls and a boatload of Old Crow to wash ’em down with.
• My own private compartment on all buses that run the No. 30 or 15 line. (Hey, one of my favorite movies all-time is Todd Browning’s Freaks, but I’d rather watch it than be in it, I kid you not.)
So, there you go. Happy holidays, merry Christmas, joyous whatever-it-is-you-got-deserves-celebrating. And to all: I hope you get what’s coming to you, right here, right now, and I mean that in the best way, whatever that means.
So be damn sure to celebrate this holiday good and plenty. You just can’t ever be 100 per-focking-cent sure that it may not be the last one you’ll get; so make it a good one, what the fock, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
From: https://shepherdexpress.com/advice/art-kumbalek/blitzened-upon-the-midnight-beer/
So, one Christmas Eve long, long time ago, Santa’s getting ready for his yearly trip ’round the world like always, but he’s running into all kind of problems every time he turns around. All of a sudden five elves have the flu-like symptoms and are way too sick to work and the rest of the elves can’t pick up the slack, so now’s Santa got a case of the heebie-jeebies from being way behind schedule. Then on top of that, the Mrs. tells Santa that her mother was coming to visit for a couple weeks, and now he’s really in a bad mood.
So he goes out to harness the reindeer, and he discovers that three of them are about to give birth and another two had gone AWOL over the fence to who knows where. Now he’s really stressed out. And then while he’s loading the sleigh, one of the floor boards cracks, his big bag of toys tears, falls to the ground, and now he’s got toys all over the gosh darn place.
Santa’s really beside himself, so he goes back into the house for a cup of coffee and a quick shot or three of whiskey, only to find the bottle empty and now he knows why the elves were too sick to work. Then he accidentally drops the coffee pot, which shatters into hundreds of tiny pieces all over the kitchen floor. He goes to get the broom to clean up the mess only to discover that mice had eaten all the bristles.
And just then, wouldn’t you know, the doorbell rings. Santa goes to open the door, cussing all the way. And there, holding a Christmas tree, stands the chirpiest, most cheerful angel you ever did see. The angel looks up at Santa and says, “Hi ya’, Santa. I’m Harold. What a wonderful, wonderful day. Merry, merry Christmas to you, and look at this beautiful, beautiful tree I have just for you. Hey Santa, where would you like me to put it?”
And that is how the tradition of an angel stuck on top of the Christmas tree began. Ba-ding!
One more thing, for those generous souls who just may wonder what a guy like me would truly appreciate for Christmas, my wish list remains unchanged from any other year:
• A busload of Vegas showgirls.
• Case of Pall Malls and a boatload of Old Crow to wash ’em down with.
• My own private compartment on all buses that run the No. 30 or 15 line. (Hey, one of my favorite movies all-time is Todd Browning’s Freaks, but I’d rather watch it than be in it, I kid you not.)
So, there you go. Happy holidays, merry Christmas, joyous whatever-it-is-you-got-deserves-celebrating. And to all: I hope you get what’s coming to you, right here, right now, and I mean that in the best way, whatever that means.
So be damn sure to celebrate this holiday good and plenty. You just can’t ever be 100 per-focking-cent sure that it may not be the last one you’ll get; so make it a good one, what the fock, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.
From: https://shepherdexpress.com/advice/art-kumbalek/blitzened-upon-the-midnight-beer/