I missed a connection at the airport the other day, and was starting to get upset at the situation. However, at that time I saw the now-familiar camo jacket signifying a member of the armed forces walking the hallways.
With all of my “problems” - I realized here are men and women who are giving up the comforts of American life and risking their lives not because of an army that is on the ground invading our nation (when I think most of us would join as “minuteman”); but more precisely, fighting for the freedom of another people half a world away.
Gratitude for our soldiers. It’s not just for Veteran’s Day…
Now that the November elections are out of the way, its time to look forward to the April Nonpartisan elections:
Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahmson in her “State of the Judiciary” speech calls for public funding of judicial elections.
Not to be outdone, prospective contender Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Randy Koschnick is planning a speech in the Wisconsin Capitol at 3 PM…
From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Gov. Jim Doyle said Tuesday that the state budget deficit would top $5 billion through mid-2011, making it by far the biggest funding gap in state history…
“I am going to do everything humanly possible to avoid any general tax increase,” he said. “We got through the last significant deficit (in 2003) without raising taxes, and that is what I really want to accomplish here….
When Doyle came into office in 2003, he inherited what at the time was a record deficit of $3.2 billion. He balanced that budget, but each subsequent budget has opened with a sizable gap between revenue and expenses.
That’s because Republicans and Democrats have solved each budget with one-time fixes, relying on accounting tricks, increased borrowing and transfers from the state’s transportation fund.”
So what are we going to do now that we’re out of accounting tricks? And by the way - this is more than double the deficit estimated in May.
While we hear depressing news every day, let’s regroup and look for how we can succeed. Grab some inspiring reading and reorient your thinking.
A great book to read is an older one I picked up this week: Think Out of the Box
. Here’s some quick highlights of the first chapter:
- The book begins by citing Apple’s founder’s (pre-Steve Jobs) philosophy: “the most important asset we have is a good set of values. We believe ‘management by values’ is the only way to go.”
- Stress is good. Stress is not the problem, distress is. The difference between the two is worry.
- “Do things to excess” in “concepts, values, and standards.” We need to “Get worked up over something.”
- Laugh. “Humor reveals conditions that are screwed up, which forces us to look at problems the way they are, rather than bluffing or covering up.”
- Open mind = Bad Idea. Open minds tend to refer to “ambiguous convictions, vague concepts… unresolved issues…trash.” We need an informed mind, “open to new ideas, but recognizes and filters out detrimental thoughts.”
- Be afraid of failure. We need to “be afraid of failure, but not to fail.” Once these prerequisites are in place we can have “a mission with a method” that will stimulate out of the box thinking.
Chapter 2 is a great section as well on sensanation…
“On Sunday morning, amidst worshiping congregants and following unifying prayers that our President-elect be granted wisdom as he prepares to lead our nation through difficult global, social and economic challenges, the Michigan left declared open war on peaceful church goers.
They did it with banners, chants, blasphemy, by storming the pulpit, by vandalizing the church facility, by potentially defiling the building with lewd acts and by intentionally forcing physical confrontations with worshipers.
This didn’t take place in some dystopian, post modern work of fiction and it didn’t take place in San Francisco or Berkley. This was the scene at a Bible believing church in Lansing, Michigan. “ - RightMichigan
And according to the blogs, some Milwaukeeans were involved…
Can you feel the love? 
A friend of mine from college called me to say that I had received a Write-In vote in South Carolina for the 22nd District Greenville Common Council election. He also told me that I was currently tied with Miss Piggy and well behind Micky Mouse. For that well-meaning soul who wrote me in on the ballot (who apparently felt so sad that he or she couldn’t vote for me back in September), thank you. However, I much prefer the Midwest where we actually get “real snow”(TM).
Final Count:
Senate Dist. 8 REPORTING 100%
Alberta Darling (R) (inc) 50,144 51%
Sheldon Wasserman (D) 48,154 49%
