Brookfield Basics - All Comments

re: And To This Declaration...........

Practically Speaking — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:25:37 GMT

Great post, Tom. I love that movie too--it's good, clean fun. It certainly speaks to the signers putting their money where there mouth was and sticking their necks out in signing that document.

It wouldn't hurt for people to read through the Declaration and the Constitution. Maybe then they would be less eager to give up our precious rights.

(I especially like the part where he holds the girl with one hand, to keep her from falling, but drops her to rescue the Declaration. When he apologizes to her for making that choice, she says, that's OK, I would have done the same thing! Now those two are history buffs.)

If the weather gets iffy this weekend, National Treasure would make a great diversion.

re: Technology - Activity - and Our Kids

Larry Knetzger — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:31:21 GMT

Hi Tom , really an interesting subject. My 8 year old grand daughter can type, and I mean type, not pick and poke. Certainly this is one skill that will follow her through life unless over ridden by voice technology. Kids still find ways to amuse them selves with the simple toys of by gone years. Balls and bat's etc. I feel there is an overwhelming amount of gifts given to children during a year for special ocassions that are needless.

You often see the gifts, what ever they are, not being used and in disarray and really valuless. Some of those gifts do not stir up intlecuality at all. Kind of a sign of an affluent society with excess funds not being managed very well. FYI

re: The Latest Rant About Oil Prices

Practically Speaking — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:57:17 GMT

Thanks, Tom, for the reminder on how profits are profitable--especially for the tax coffers!

I guess politicians never consider that their taxes are the ultimate windfall profit. (No work done, just profit taken.)

re: Chuck E. Cheese and the Notion of Root Cause

Tom Gehl — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 17:08:37 GMT

I don't believe the issue of self-control is related to race, creed,or gender; it is far too apparent in all cross sections of society. Our culture comes up with ridiculous aphorisms like "road rage", which in fact is nothing but a lack of self-control. Self-control is an "equal opportunity" virtue, or conversely, lack of self-control is an "equal opportunity" vice.

re: Chuck E. Cheese and the Notion of Root Cause

muwarrior — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:35:31 GMT

I never saw alcohol being the reason that place is such a mess. I stopped going there because I would take my kids during the day for lunch and there would be loads of daycare kids that would come in big vans and their "caregivers" would just let them run wild and not supervise them. They also wouldn't give them tokens, so - more than once - I would see the daycare kids begging and/or stealing tokens from kids like mine who were given tokens by their parents. They would make the rounds, hitting all the kids or looking for a cup of tokens that someone set on a table for a moment. It made me so sad for these kids.

Not to mention, these kids were of a different race than my kids and now my kids think "those" are the kids that try to steal their tokens at Chuck E Cheese. Not something I need my kids at such a young age talking about.

So I just stopped going there.

re: Chuck E. Cheese and the Notion of Root Cause

Larry Knetzger — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:13:43 GMT

Hi Tom, quite a subject . A further investigation of all the complaints might lead a person towards racial profileing. Of course the far left media will not go that route, but lets face it. If you looked at the police reports you just might end up with a group of people that abuse adult beverages more often than not with un-stopable behavior to the point of major proportions and the use of firearms to enforce their liquid courage. Out of control individuals maybe even from out of the immediate area. Milwaukee has lost control of the inharmonious groups of people. Alderman Michael McGee is a great example of the mentality of that group of inharmonious people. What a shameful existence.

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re: The Silence of the Calves - Economics 101

NWCguy — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 19:10:02 GMT

Good topic. If "the laws of economics are immutable" than the price of corn will correct itself, right? Well, maybe we should add that the laws are immutable if allowed to function freely. Unfortunatly, like gasoline, tobacco, and guns, (and others) this market is being strangled by the price controls and market restrictions of the government. If it would truly be a free market, the best thing that could happen would be high gas prices, high corn prices, and high prices on other commodities because this would raise the bar. It would dirve out the weak, raise competition, improve quality, and benifit overall society.

But let's be honest, this is probably a pipe dream.

re: The Silence of the Calves - Economics 101

Practically Speaking — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:33:53 GMT

I heard that ad this morning too, My Two Cents. What a joke. No one will be laughing when the price of beef goes through the roof due to the law of supply and demand. Without those bull calves going into beef production, prices will climb even higher. Beef now has 2 price pressures: higher feed costs and less product (calves to fatten).

Thanks, Tom, for bringing this up. People need to be contacting all of their state and federal representatives about ethanol.

re: The Silence of the Calves - Economics 101

My Two Cents — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:15:15 GMT

What I find disturbing are the radio ads being played now. They are put out by the ethanol lobby, suggesting that ethanol is good for Wisconsin farmers. Maybe it's good for some, but it's devasting for others. People who don't follow the issue closely think they are doing a good thing for the environment and for Wisconsin farmers when they use ethanol. Corn ethanol is running up food prices around the world.

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

Practically Speaking — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:09:02 GMT

Oh, my humble apologies to Leapin, I meant to say Scubamax. Leapin is right on the money with his "Hitler of Iran" comparison.

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

Practically Speaking — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:48:00 GMT

Thank you for this piece. I love history. During an election year, we need to be reminded of the dangers of thinking talking to and appeasing terrorists and madmen like Hitler will work. It did not work for Neville Chamberlain and it won't work for Obama or Carter either. As for Leapin, I have no idea how he drew his conclusions about the Jews when this piece dealt with the dangers of ignoring a threat.

By the way, we were without power during the May snowstorm for 2 days. The fireplace became our source of heat I even cooked a bit in it.

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

Tom Gehl — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:14:41 GMT

Dear Scubamax,

WOW- I think it is quite a leap to suggest from the column above(which is about the date of May 10 in local and world history), to the deliberate suggestion that I am an anti-semite. Three years ago I wrote and delivered a speech about Western Civilization and post-modern culture. In it I addressed in some detail the issues of the Holocaust, and my personal tours of some of the German concentration camps. It leaves little doubt as to my views on the matter. I would be happy to respond in greater detail and in person, if I knew who you were.

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

scubamax — Thu, 15 May 2008 12:42:29 GMT

This is all very well but, unfortunately, you negleted to mention the most horrific event of this time. Yes, Hitler's invasion of Europe was devastating to the geopolitical character of Europe but what about the 11,000,000 souls that he anhilited just for his own amusement? I think this bears mentioning when speaking of Hitler. You miss the mark by miles by leaving it out. Could it be, Mr. Gehl, that you are an anti-semite hiding behind your outrage?

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

leapin — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:19:36 GMT

Great piece. We could be facing the same situation now with the "Hitler of Iran".

re: The Ghost of May Tenth Past

Cheri M. — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:08:11 GMT

Tom, what powerful coverage of an important time in history. Reflect on these unfortunate events and the ultimate triumph of liberty gives us much to think about even today. For history tends to repeat itself as new generations forget the events which have occurred... ushered in by denial or a kind of apathy, ushered out when we are roused to our senses. Interesting how that inspiration came from a man formerly scorned.

re: Some Things are so Simple They're Difficult - Part Two

GerryG — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:53:12 GMT

Tom,

It's so nice to once again read your thoughts on a current issue.

But I think you have assured failure to achieve your stated goal by the way you have expressed the contest rules. In saying: "I believe this issue is a latent gold mine for any one of the three Presidential candidates.", not only have you determined that the goal will never be reached, but also that the one person still on the ticket who agrees with you on this issue will never be considered.

In 2003, Ron Paul, the House member still running as a Republican candidate for President expressed similar sentiments in an article entitled: "Time to Renounce the United Nations?".

see: www.lewrockwell.com/.../paul82.html

Unfortunately Dr. Paul refuses to busy his campaign with all of the wedge issues and fantasizing that represent the heart of the top three candidates. What's more, his call to "follow the constitution" has that scary Barry Goldwater ring to it, hence Paul is easily marginalized by both the media and his competitors.

But thinking back on it, being the modern day Barry Goldwater probably isn't so bad after all. Goldwater too was marginalized the first time he ran for president. But he was nominated the second time he ran, only to be defeated by Lyndon Johnston's campaign scare tactics. And after all was said and done, it was Johnston who proved to be the far scarier of the two!

Goldwater was finally vindicated a few years later when Ronald Reagan won standing on a largely Goldwater platform.

Unfortunately I do not believe that we have time to replay this entire scenario. Exigencies of the moment demand someone who is willing to rise above the clap trap of modern politics, take a firm stand on the complex issues that beset us, and point to a better way for our nation in the midst of an ever more challenging world.

To learn more about our fourth candidate, check out his web site at:

http://www.ronpaul2008.com

re: Thumbs Up - Thumbs Down to Brookfield Now

Tom Gehl — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:29:33 GMT

Santa's Elf - Fair enough. This posting was actually about three topics, but we all have doors we like to knock on. That is as it should be.

re: Thumbs Up - Thumbs Down to Brookfield Now

Santa's Elf — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:10:48 GMT

You can keep beating on that door Tom, but I'm afraid there's no one home. Apparently forensics is not a biggie in the greater scheme of things.

If, on the other hand, it was a student event requiring astro turf, well now ....

re: Thumbs Up - Thumbs Down to Brookfield Now

My Two Cents — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:23:21 GMT

I agree, it's important for students to get recognition for their efforts. Coming in third is a very good showing. They each deserve a pat on the back.