This link was sent to me by a longtime reader and sometime contributor.  He thought we all might appreciate a tuneful look back at 2008, with a few slightly irreverent portions depending upon your point of view.

Please click here. 

Lee Enterprises is in trouble.  It is based in Davenport, IA.  It publishes newspapers.  Its stock sold at $14 per share a year ago and closed recently at $0.41 per share.  It may not be able to continue its operations. 

So what.

We hear about the newspaper industry over and over it seems.  And virtually none of the news is good.  We are shifting our news gathering efforts and the results are that the news gets worse instead of better for newspapers, in general.  Now we learn about a relatively obscure company, to many at least, that is in the same fix in which many newspaper publishing companies find themselves.

So what.

Lee Enterprises has a big footprint in Wisconsin.  It owns half of Madison Newspapers Inc. and that means it impacts the Capital Times and The Wisconsin State Journal, the Daily Citizen in Beaver Dam, the Baraboo News Republic, and the Portage Daily Register.  It owns the La Crosse Tribune.  It owns the The Chippewa Herald in Chippewa Falls and The Journal Times in Racine.  It owns the Dunn County News in Menomonie, the Coulee News in West Salem, the Houston County News in neighboring La Crescent, MN and the Winona Daily News in neighboring Winona, MN.  It owns the Jackson County Chronicle in Black River Falls, The Chronicle in Melrose, the Onalaska/Holmen Courier-Life News, the Tomah Journal and Monitor Herald, the Vernon County Broadcaster in my old hometown of Viroqua, and the Westby Times.  It owns the Juneau County Star-Times in Mauston, and the Reedsburg Times-Press, and the Sauk Prairie Eagle in Sauk City.  It prints and distributes over 1,200,000 copies of various weekly and monthly publications featuring local advertising, homes for sale, vehicles for sale, and on and on.

This company in Davenport, IA has a tremendous footprint in our state and neighboring areas, and it could be on its way out of existence.

I know many people who value their weekly newspapers, and their 'shoppers' for they have received these pieces week in and week out for longer than they can remember, or they have plucked them off the 'free' stands at the supermarket or in the gas station.  Our family still subscribes to the Vernon County Broadcaster since we still have friends and relatives in that area and can stay somewhat in touch with their worlds in that manner.

We read the stories of failing newsprint-based organizations and don't think much about the impact their failure could have beyond the loss that would represent to employees and families and stockholders.  That loss is not to be diminished but it doesn't necessarily have a face.

This potential loss of a publishing company has a face, at least for me, and I know for hundreds of thousands of people where I grew up.  We are witness to a dramatic change in our country and the world from which some will never recover because they're not sufficiently tech savvy.

That's so what.

I received an e-mail that was circulating through a group of military and special operations types.  It purports to be about an Australian Dentist who wrote an editorial.  I checked Snopes and found that this piece was actually written by Peter Ferrara, an associate professor of law at the George Mason University School of Law.  It was originally published in the National Review on September 25, 2001.

I thought it very well written and wanted to share it in the event that you haven't been exposed to it before.

~~~

"An American

You probably missed this in the rush of news last week, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.  So I just thought I would write to let them know what an American is, so they would know when they found one.

An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek.  An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.  An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navajo, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans.

An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim.  In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan.  The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them choose.

An American is also free to believe in no religion.  For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.

An American is from the most prosperous land in the history of the world.  The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.

An American is generous.  Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.  When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country.  As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan.  The best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best athletes. 

Americans welcome the best, but they also welcome the least.  The national symbol of America welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. 

These in fact are the people who built America.  Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families.  [I've been told that the people in the towers were from at least 30, and maybe many more other countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists.]

So you can try to kill an American if you must.  Hitler did.  So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.  But, in doing so, you would just be killing yourself.  Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place.  They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom.  Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American.

And America will welcome them."

(The text enclosed in brackets was added by someone else who is apparently unknown.)

I received a list of tips for 2009 and decided to post those for you, as well.  There are some good thoughts here, so far as I'm concerned.

1. Take a 10 to 30 minute walk every day; and, while you walk, smile.  It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day; buy a lock if necessary.
3. When you awake in the morning, complete the following thought: "My purpose is to _________ today."
4. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
5. Don't waste precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you are unable to control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
6. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed-out credit card.
7. Remember that while life isn't fair, it's still good.
8. Life is too short to hate anyone.
9. Don't take yourself too seriously; no one else does.
10. You don't have to win every argument; agree to disagree.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil your present.
12. Don't compare your life to others; you've no idea what their journey is all about.
13. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
14. Frame every so-called disaster with these words:  "In five years, will this matter?"
15. Forgive everyone for everything.
16. What other people think of you is none of your business.
17. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
18. Envy is a waste of time; you already have all you need.
19. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements:  I am thankful for _________.  Today I accomplished __________.
20. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed!

 I hope you and those you love have a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2009.  May you be truly blessed!

Obama Smoking 'Issue'...

I continue to see little references to the fact that President-Elect Barack Obama has the occasional cigarette, and musings about whether or not he will or even should quit that nasty habit.  (I can say that because I did smoke cigarettes... a lot...and quit many years ago.)

I am amused that these musings probably come from people who were and are adamantly opposed to smoking but who are now being 'forced' to make excuses for the person they favored in the recent election.  Some of the musings have been nothing short of farcical including the comments that he might well make better decisions if he can smoke a cigarette while pondering the weighty issues of the office he occupies come January 20th.

Will this slow the inexorable tide to rid our nation of any and all cigarettes and all other tobacco products, to close any business that has the audacity to think it is a private entity entitled to make decisions as to the customers it will serve, to outlaw all public use of a lawful agricultural product?  I suspect not.

Does anyone detect any hypocrisy?  Does it matter to anyone?  Is this the sound of one hand clapping? 

~~~

More Scientists Join Global Warming Dissenters...

Dr. Will Happer, award winning Princeton University Physicist says, "I am convinced that the current alarm over carbon dioxide is mistaken."  Happer, who was fired by former Vice President Al Gore in 1993, said of that incident, "I was told that science was not going to intrude on policy."

Additional dissenting scientists include:

• Dr. W.M. Schaffer, Ph.D. who is Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona - Tucson.
• CNN Meteorologist Chad Meyers, a meteorologist for 22 years and certified by the American Meteorological Society.
• Engineer and Physicist J.K. "Jim" August, formerly of the U.S.Navy nuclear power program and former chair of professional standard committees in both the American Nuclear Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineering.
• Biologist and Neuropharmacologist Dr. Doug Pettibone who has authored 120 scientific publications and holds ten patents and is a past member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Meteorologist Tom Wysmuller, former weather forecaster at Amsterdam's Royal Dutch Weather Bureau.
• MIT Scientist Dr. Robert Rose, a professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT with approximately fifty years of teaching experience.
• Climate researcher Dr. Craig Loehle with the National Council for Air and Stream Improvements and who has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers.
• German Meteorologist Dr. Gerd-Rainer Weber, a Consulting Meteorologist.
• Atmospheric Scientist Robert L. Scotto, who has more than 30 years air quality consulting experience and a past member of the American Meteorological Society.
• Atmospheric Scientist Timothy R. Minnich who has more than thirty years experience in the design and management of a wide range of air quality investigations for industry and government.

The story line of a "consensus agreement" is simply not true as we have come to understand with the more than 650 dissenters who have now made themselves and their views known.  Those who are pushing for rapid adoption of the so-called "consensus" are doing so for fear they are being disproved more with every passing day.  They cannot afford to answer the criticisms since they're hypothesis is riddled with error.

Is there any real need to rush to judgment?  Or is this more a contrived need with those pushing the global warming issue recognizing that once unleashed, the movement will go on and on and on regardless of the validity of the movement.  These things take on a life of their own as we have seen in any number of previous government-backed programs, without regard for facts.

This debate is far too important and far too costly for us to make an incorrect judgment.  We will literally ruin the economy of the United States if this is permitted to take root, and we're already sliding down a very slippery slope created by other government meddling where well enough should've been left to be.

The use of the term "debate" is really a reach since there has been only a one-sided diatribe to date; there has been no true debate. 

This list is that of those people whom I remember that died in 2008; if I've missed one or more that you think ought be included, please post a comment with the name and background.

~~~

• January 17th - Bobby Fischer, world chess champion, age 64
• January 19th - Suzanne Pleshette, actress, age 70
• January 20th - John Stewart, musician & songwriter (Kingston Trio)
• February 2nd - Barry Morse, actor (Lt. Gerard on "The Fugitive"), age 89
• February 5th - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, taught transcendental meditation to the Beatles, age 96
• February 10th - Roy Scheider, actor, age 75
• February 12th - Van Johnson, actor
• February 27th - William F. Buckley, conservative author and commentator, age 82
• March 24th - Richard Widmark, actor, age 93
• April 5th - Charleton Heston, actor, age 84
• May 29th - Harvey Korman, actor and comedian, age 81
• June 2nd - Bo Diddley, musician, age 79
• June 7th - Jim McKay, sportscaster ABC Wide World of Sports
• June 13th - Tim Russert, political journalist and host of NBC's Meet The Press
• June 17th - Cyd Charisse, dancer
• June 22nd - George Carlin, comedian, age 71
• July 4th - Sen. Jesse Helms, politician, age 86
• July 12th - Tony Snow, reporter and press secretary, age 53
• July 22nd - Estelle Getty, actress (The Golden Girls), age 85
• August 10th - Isaac Hayes, musician (Shaft), age 65
• September 2nd - Jerry Reed, musician (Smokey & The Bandit), age 71
• September 26th - Paul Newman, actor, race driver, philanthropist, age 83
• December 25th - Eartha Kitt, sultry singer (Santa Baby), age 81

~~~

Future Celebrities Born in 2008...

• Unknown, but probably quite a few!  I wonder what they'll discover, write, create, invent or do in their lifetimes?

The Journal Sentinel has been going through the throes faced by virtually all in the print media.  Layoffs have been encountered several times, newspaper size has diminished and now the daily news stand prices have been increased with the daily editions going from $.50 to $.75 and the Sunday edition going from $1.75 to $2.00.

I noted a week or so ago an announcement of the hiring of a senior executive and paid relatively little attention to that item.

As I saw the note about price increases, I was reminded about that earlier announcement and recalled that the new hire was given what is commonly called a "Change of Control" agreement.  These agreements typically offer protection of one kind or another to the person hired in the event of a 'change of control', or, in other words, in the event that the company were to change hands.  My recollection was that this agreement carried a term of two years from his date of hire.

I had a personal experience that saw me receiving a similar agreement and that was prompted by inquiries from potential suitors about the availability of the company by which I was then employed.

With this line of thought going, I recalled that there was a recent infusion of cash by an investor who thus increased his stake in the company.

Beyond this, the prices were raised on those things that could bring a more or less immediate increase in income that could cause the 'books' to look better than might've otherwise been the case on top of the decrease in people costs.

As I began to put all these pieces together, I found my self wondering if we're watching the sale of the Journal Sentinel being discussed, or if a suitor or two has or have made themselves known to senior management.

The pattern looks familiar.

Calamitous weather seems poised to hit us every day if the weather report teasers are to be believed.  As the thermometer edged upwards to 50+ this morning, I watched local weather reports that were teased with "more snow on the way" and "stay tuned to learn how much we'll get" messages.  The snow "threat" resulted in me learning that we could get all the way from a trace to 1" over night.

Wow!!

I felt cheated, and not just a little foolish, to have spent the time I did waiting to learn about the next catastrophic weather occurrence.

Television stations try their best to capture us as the result of the battle for advertising dollars, but this has simply gone from being too much to being absurd.

This is one of life's little annoyances which I can do without...and I have many alternatives, just as do you.  Am I the only one that gets annoyed?  Should I just 'get over it'?  Or should I respond by altering my viewing habits similarly to the way in which I've altered my news gathering habits?

That certainly does not do the local channels any good, but, then again, maybe they would get a message and ignore the next high-priced consultant that blows through town with the latest 'idea' dreamed up by some guru somewhere.  That is the same consultant who influences the clothing worn and the hair cuts and the hair coloring.

Could we maybe start a new trend where we have real people wearing the clothing they desire with the hair style they prefer?  Could we maybe get the information we desire without the build-ups that take almost more time than the weather or news itself is given?

I really am getting to be more curmudgeonly, I guess.

I find myself reflecting a bit at this time of year, and I suspect you may be doing so, as well.  Following are some random thoughts from 2008:

~~~Our election again demonstrated to the world that democracies are workable; sometimes a bit boisterous and rancorous but certainly workable.  Governments can be changed without being overthrown by force.

~~~We have nearly made it through another year without having suffered an attack on our soil; a tribute to the outgoing president when those are seldom heard by him today.

~~~Iraq is moving ahead with its fledgling form of democracy.  That is amazing given that generations had grown up without an idea of what that was.

~~~We have economic issues needing resolution, but we're far from the "Great Depression" of which we continually hear.  The free marketplace will resolve those issues sooner and with less pain if government permits.  The New Deal was not a good deal and should not be repeated.

~~~We need to find the best way to control health care costs.  Our system of health care financing, health insurance, is simply a reflection on costs.  Insurance premiums follow costs, they do not lead costs.  Consumer involvement is among the answers and government needs to permit that to continue to develop.

~~~We must find ways to preclude elections from being influenced by illegal votes; positive identification seems to be a very reasonable answer if we can move beyond demagoguery.

~~~Our education system could be even better than it is today if it were driven from the bottom up instead of from the top down.  Simply throwing more money at the system is not likely to cause the changes that may be necessary.

~~~Each of us has an impact on others beyond our knowledge; we need to be ever mindful of that and conduct ourselves accordingly...someone may be watching (or reading) and we'd like for that lesson to have been a good lesson...although even 'bad' lessons can be good reminders of how not to act.

~~~Faith is an important part of our daily life; it is tested often but will survive if we nurture it and permit it to grow and flourish.

~~~We sometimes imagine that we're more important than we are; and we're sometimes disappointed when that lesson comes crashing down on us as a reminder.

~~~We should strive to keep our friendships alive and well and to not lose track of them in the daily hustle and bustle we create for ourselves.

~~~It is better to give than to receive, but receiving isn't too bad either...balance is important in this as in everything.

~~~Maybe we should use the silver and sets of china passed down over the ages more than just once or twice a year; I find that it evokes fond memories of those who passed these on to us; and, I hope the same will be true a generation or two from now.

~~~It has almost always been interesting to me, since my mid-adulthood, at least, how much a thoughtful gift means without regard to its value.  Would that we all could learn that much earlier in our lives; but learning it at any time is very important.

~~~I can never forget just how wonderful it is to be able to watch the subsequent generations mature and make their own marks on the world.  Just as with snowflakes, each is a different person even given the same parents and heritage. 

~~~Our extended family was blessed with news of healing and we are thankful for that gift this year.  Thanksgiving should come every day, if but for a moment.

~~~I hope your Christmas season has been as rewarding as ours.

From the Contemporary English Version of the New Testament...

About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books.  These records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed.  So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea.  Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.

Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem.  She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son.  She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep.  All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them.  The shepherds were frightened.  But the angel said, "Don't be afraid!  I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy.  This very day in King David's hometown a Saviour was born for you.  He is Christ the Lord.  You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay."

Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God.  They said:

"Praise God in heaven!  Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God."

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about."  They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.

When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him.  Everyone listened and was surprised.  But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondered what it meant.

As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him.  Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

Eight days later Jesus' parents did for him what the Law of Moses commands.  And they named him Jesus, just as the angel had told Mary when he promised she would have a baby.

As I sit and ponder the increasing snow depth, the overturned garbage and recycling container curbside and the growing barrier at the end of my driveway, I managed to find something to take me to warmer thoughts:

Stan Sesser has a great article in the morning Wall Street Journal (which I accessed online since I didn't think my mailbox held my copy yet today) about one of my favorite creatures...the Monarch.

If you've some time on your hands this morning and want to learn more about this phenomenon of nature, the article can be accessed here.

One of the 'miracles' we find here on earth.

We had the opportunity to go caroling with a group from our church last evening.  There were some twenty of us and we visited three assisted living centers in Menomonee Falls and Germantown.

The experience was uplifting and a bit concerning...all at the same time.  It was uplifting to see the smiles of gratitude and to watch as members of our 'audiences' began to sing along to some of the old favorite Christmas hymns and secular tunes.

It was concerning, I suspect, because we were exposed to some of life's realities that we often choose to ignore.  I watched as grown men were being assisted with their evening meals, and while frail older ladies were struggling to keep their blankets about them.

Above all, however, it was more rewarding for me than it could possibly have been for them.  I had the opportunity to help in a small way, and there are blessings that flow from those small opportunities taken...and those blessings flow in many directions.  Care-givers are reminded that life as most of us know it goes on outside their facilities.  The folks who are being cared for are reminded of past memories and, I hope, are able to relive those experiences as we sing for them.

And those of us who are singing do so as we remind ourselves of the true spirit of this season.  It is truly more blessed to give than it is to receive...in so many ways.

There is debate over whether or not the "trickle-down" theory of economics functions as advertised.  I have a friend whom we'll refer to as John Jones for the purposes of this Blog since he prefers to remain anonymous.  He feels that he can attest to the fact that "trickle-down" is alive and well.

John Jones is a small business owner.  He is a professional and sells his services to clients.  That process often finds him traveling and sometimes traveling for several weeks at a time.  This creates, as you can imagine, some pretty hefty travel bills by the time flights, hotels and meals are all totaled up.

John has been a user of his American Express card in good standing for many years, and has had no need for a second card.  The typical AMEX card, as you may know, is not really a credit card in that it requires full payment by the due date that shows on each and every billing statement.  American Express is known to not be very understanding when one misses that due date, so John Jones has been quite meticulous about being sure his payment has been made on a timely basis.  John's card was set at a maximum amount of $10,000 and that had worked well for John over the many years he has been using it.

John tried to use his AMEX card a few weeks ago and was shocked to learn that his card was declined.  Fortunately, this usage occurred at a gas station and he had sufficient cash to pay for the gasoline.  When he called the American Express customer service group, he indicated that his card was well within the limits set by AMEX and that he was within the time period (set by them) for his payment to have been made.

He was even more shocked to learn that his $10,000 card limit had been arbitrarily lowered to $2,000.  He hadn't been notified of this and told them so.  They said that their company policy recently (apparently for about a year) has been to review all accounts and to re-establish credit limits based on the analysis of patterns of use.  Since his card had typically not been at the amount he was carrying at the time, they had decided he didn't need the $10,000 limit, so they thought they'd lower it.  In effect, AMEX was trying to protect itself since it's customers have been getting slower at paying as the economy sours, and AMEX was simply cutting future losses by limiting card exposure one customer at a time.

As stated earlier, John Jones is a small business person and isn't made of money.  He is accustomed to paying his bills and most of his clients are accustomed to paying their bills.  But, they take the full 30 days and sometimes a little more.  As the economy tightens, they are likely to take 45 days or maybe even 60 days.  Some may falter and have to go through the process of bankruptcy.

So, John is now faced with having to make some decisions.  He may need more capital put into his company.  He may need to tighten his credit terms.  He may need to insist on prepayment of some engagements if those are going to be extensive and sure to cost much more than the $2,000 limit, etc. 

John's clients may tell him that they'll find another professional with similar credentials to handle their business.  They may simply use his services much less than today.  This is representative of the "trickle-down" theory of economics, and it really has an impact on each of us whether or not we recognize that. 

We're not crying huge tears for John.  He's a big boy and he knows how the world works.  But, I thought it very interesting to hypothesize about what I would've felt in a similar situation.  What would happen if you or I were traveling on an extended trip only to learn that we can't get a hotel room in New York or Los Angeles or where ever?  Remember that hotels reserve a portion of your credit line for the costs they expect you might run up when you check in or even when you make your reservation, if in the near-term.  What would have happened if a large meal for several members of the client firm had been consumed and then you learned you couldn't cover the cost?  How embarrassing!  And, would that client have remained a client?

I'll be sure to review my credit limit on each monthly AMEX bill since I'm also a user.  I'll try to be sure I have some other alternative 'plastic' just in case.  And I'll continue to try to pay my bills on a timely basis even as the economy softens.

And, I'll continue to be a firm believer in "trickle-down" economics...at least on the ill effects of "trickle-down" economics.

Two different classroom experiences in the past two days have convinced me that I am too naive for my own good.

~~~~~~~~~~

I've shared that I am involved in this year's class of the Germantown Citizen Police Academy.  Our session on Wednesday evening concerned drugs, and I came away from that class shocked at what I had seen.  I do not want to be alarmist, but we have a problem here in the Germantown area as do virtually all communities across Wisconsin.  The class presented was a very shortened version of one that is delivered by Cpl. Dan Delmore to officers in our department as well as in departments requesting his services.

We saw graphic evidence of what people use, how they use it, and what the consequences of that use are for those people.  There are, obviously, consequences for citizens, in general, since these habits have to be supported...and that results in crimes.  I was very surprised at the things that are common in grocery stores and gas stations and other retail outlets that can and are being used in an abusive manner by students as well as adults.  As I said, I was too naive for my own good.

I have raised my children long ago, and I am happy that this was the case.  It was much less threatening then than it is today.  If I were raising children today, I would, knowing what I now know, be very active in my supervision of their activities while trying to not be too controlling, of course.  That is a difficult line to walk, and I'm sure it is fraught with hurt feelings and anger as our children make their ways into adulthood.  But, it is something that needs be monitored.  It is something that needs be discussed with the children so that there is an awareness.

The D.A.R.E program that Officer Ray Borden is involved with is a big step in the right direction.  The School Officer program is a big step in the right direction.  But those, in and of themselves, are insufficient.  Us parents have to be involved, and that has to be happening on a 24/7/365 basis.

~~~~~~~~~~

The second class experience was yesterday during a continuing education course that is required for me for a state license I hold.  We listened to an Investigator and an Assistant District Attorney from the Waukesha DA's office discuss the issue of identity theft.  They shed light on a murky area that I knew existed but about which I was ill-informed.

According to their information, over 700,000 people are affected by identity theft every year in the United States.  The five common types of identity theft include:

• Driver's License
• Social Security Number
• Medical Information
• Character and/or Criminal
• Financial

Identity theft is a felony in Wisconsin and is vigorously prosecuted whenever possible.  We heard of people who have had second mortgages made on their own dwelling and who were unaware of that until they were hit with legal action because the bad guy was no longer paying the monthly amounts due.  This case involved something beyond $20,000.

Others have been the subject of arrest warrants for things done by people using their identities.  Others have seen their credit ratings destroyed by multiple credit card accounts that were opened and then never paid after large amounts were run up by the bad guys.

One of the things that hit me was the fact that there are people who do nothing but cruise neighborhoods every day filching mail from mailboxes looking for paper checks being mailed to the resident, or gathering all the 'pre-approved' credit card applications, or watching for the red flag to be raised indicating that there might be a bill payment sitting there with all the bank and checking account information.

Phishing scams are designed to gather private information to be used illegally.  Those are most often tied to the Internet, but some can be done by telephone, too.  Credit card numbers are available to employees in retail establishments or may be part of the junk tossed into a dumpster.  Dumpster diving is often employed by identity thieves.

Some of their suggestions were:

• never give your credit card to the waiter or waitress and instead take the bill to the cashier.
• never use the mailbox outside your house to mail outbound items.
• maintain a credit card with a minimal credit limit for use in Internet transactions.
• check your credit card balances and transactions several times monthly over the Internet to catch irregular items as quickly as possible.
• always cover or conceal items being left in your vehicle and lock the vehicle.

The one thing that hit me between the eyes was the fact that they see more identity theft being perpetrated by a relative of the victim than any other single cause.  I wondered if some of those thefts were as the result of the relative having a drug habit needing to be supported?

~~~~~~~~~~

As you can see, I was plainly too naive for my own good.  I hope you aren't.

I find myself reading more contemplative things these days as we move from one political era to the next.  I have long admired Winston Churchill and was reminded, reading some anecdotes, of just how important humor and the ability to use self-deprecation can be in the role of a leader.  Some of those anecdotes follow:

During a visit to America, Churchill was invited to a buffet luncheon at which cold fried chicken was served. Returning for a second helping, he asked politely, "May I have some breast?"   "Mr. Churchill", replied his hostess, "in this country we ask for white meat or dark meat."  Churchill apologized profusely.  The following morning, the lady received a magnificent orchid from her guest of honor.  The accompanying card read: "I would be most obliged if you would pin this on your white meat."

A critic once had the temerity to correct a Churchillian sentence on the grounds that he should not have ended the sentence with a preposition.  Churchill scribbled a note of his own:  "This is the sort of English up with which I shall not put."

At a dinner party one evening, there was a heated exchange between Churchill and a female MP.  At the end of the exchange the lady scornfully remarked, "Mr. Churchill, you are drunk".  "And you, madam," replied Churchill, "are ugly.  But I shall be sober tomorrow."

He had few illusions about his oratorical effectiveness.  When one of his friends asked, "Aren't you impressed to see ten thousand people gather to hear you speak?"  He replied, "No - because ten times as many would come to see me hanged."

Returning home exhausted one evening, Churchill felt he could not face his last appointment of the day - a visit from a rather tiresome colleague who always outstayed his welcome.  "When Sir ______ arrives," he told his valet, "tell him I'm out."  Then, after a moment's thought, he added, "And, to convince him, smoke one of my cigars when you open the door."

The anecdotes were taken from the Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes copyright 1985.

I wrote about 'slippery slopes' back on October 15th.  It seems that things have gotten progressively worse since then.  We are, if we permit it, deluged with bad news.  That can take a real toll on us if we permit.

I know it isn't happening this often, but seemingly I read about another 'intervention' on a daily basis.  This morning I learned that you and me have bailed out Citibank with $20 billion of our dollars and more to follow that in the form of protecting that company against some $300 billion of bad investments.

We have been pummeled over the subject of the 'big three' automobile companies and what it is we need to do for them and their employees.  This one particularly hits home since we have relatives who could be adversely affected depending upon what is or isn't done.

We know people who have had significant losses in the stock market over the past several months.  Obviously the word 'significant' has a different meaning to each of us.  If we had a million dollars and lost half, that would be 'significant'.  If we had five hundred dollars and lost half of that, that would be just as significant if not more so, as I suspect you'd agree.

I read about our president-elect and a new multi-hundred billion dollar 'bail out' program that he wants ready for his signature by the time he is sworn in as our next president.  I read about the price of turkeys being higher this year. Thanksgiving Day is upon us and I imagine that many are questioning what it is they have for which to be thankful.  Even though we live in the greatest time in history and in 'the land of plenty', we sometimes seem to have problems finding things for which to be thankful.

It really seems that we have to search for our daily dose of "feel good".  Yes; I do believe that we need some "feel good" daily or we risk becoming deadened to the things about us that are good.  Some of us find that dose of "feel good" in the scriptures; some of us find it in the beauty of nature; some of us find it in the kind words of a friend; some of us find it in the giggles of a youngster; some of us find it in books or art or music; some of us find it in the warmth of the touch of a loved one; some of us find it having done a good deed for another.

Some of us, on the other hand, feel good only if we're able to buy things, or if we can dine at the best restaurants, or if we can sip an expensive wine each day, or if we can feel superior to a neighbor because our house is bigger, or our automobile is larger and more expensive.

In our present economic situation, it will be much easier to find our daily "feel good" if we can do that in a non-economic sense.  It isn't always easy to make that transition; I know that from having been on both sides of this equation.  But, it is well worth the effort that is required.  Some of us will find ourselves learning or re-learning how it is to live on less; some of us have already begun that learning process.  Very few of us will be able to avoid some level of 'less' during this period in our nation's history.

But, we don't have to go without that daily dose of "feel good".   

This is a very nice little slide show set to music that might give you a bit of an uplift for the day after the elections.

Click here.

Hope you enjoy it.

After the morning's comments, maybe this will help calm us a bit.

Recently I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests: 

I decide to water my garden.  As I turn on the hose in the driveway. I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.  As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mailbox earlier.  I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.  I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.  So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.  I take my checkbook off the table, and I see that there is only one check left.  My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find a can of Coke I'd been drinking.  I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.

The Coke is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.  As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye-they need water.  I put the Coke on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning.  I decided I'd better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote.  Someone left it on the kitchen table.  I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water on the flowers but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.  So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.  Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

* * * * *

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed; the bills aren't paid; there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter; the flowers don't have enough water; there is still only 1 check left in my check book; I can't find the remote; I can't find my glasses; and, I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I am really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail...

All this is courtesy of a very nice young lady who directs the choir in our church and who included this in an e-mail she sent to our home this morning.  Don't blame me!

The Journal Sentinel released its report for the latest period and the news was a continuation of the trend that has been apparent for many newspapers nationwide.

The Sunday edition dropped 3.8% and the weekday edition dropped 3.9%.  My family has become one of those that dropped the weekday edition at our renewal a week or so ago.  I now find my daily news using JSOnline during the day and settle in with a lap full of newspaper on Sundays.  I have had the tactile sensation of a newspaper in my hands for nearly so long as I can remember, and I confess that I miss that experience.  As stated in a much earlier Blog, I delivered the La Crosse Tribune for several years while growing up near that city so I'm accustomed to having smudged fingertips from the newsprint.

I was frankly surprised during a recent meeting of Bloggers when I asked the group nearest me about their subscriptions.  I was in the minority since most had already dropped their print editions.

The newest iteration of JSOnline is improved and more easily navigable from my perspective.  I suspect that more and more people will make the decision to discontinue their daily print edition.  The users of JSOnline continue to increase and the new version should assist that migration...if that is desired by the Journal Sentinel organization.  They find themselves in a bit of a fix.  On the one hand, they want to be in a leadership position as the shift continues.  On the other hand, they need to find ways to boost their revenue stream to offset the loss of subscription money and advertising dollars, and the advertising doesn't seem to have kept pace with the shift from print to electronic media.  Part of that is obviously about the economy, but to what effect may be hard to measure.  If GM and Ford and Chrysler continue to become shadows of themselves, and if their major dealers either go out of business or downsize, advertising dollars will get more and more scarce.

I believe that much of this movement has been driven by the rising prices caused in large part by the price of oil and all things related.  Newsprint is among the real cost increase issues for publishers.  That goes away when printed newspapers are no longer printed.  The leap from the historic "paper", though, is not assured to be successful; we see the struggles of the majority of publishers across our nation.  Those that have significantly diversified, as has the Journal Sentinel organization, should have a better outlook as this migration continues, but nothing is certain in today's economy.

People costs are also a significant factor and we've seen the staff cuts that have been made a couple of times so far.  I suspect there is little if any fat left, so that future cuts will be felt in the overall quality of the effort.  There are those who would claim that is already an issue and that this may be hastening the outflow of subscribers.

Milwaukee is by no means an isolated phenomenon in this regard.  The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times both saw continuing declines.  The old stalwart "Christian Science Monitor" has just announced that it is going to end publishing a print paper by next April.  There will be many more casualties before this storm has calmed.

If you've watched the Fox News Channel chances are good that you've seen Judge Andrew Napolitano, the dapper and perpetually happy senior judicial analyst for Fox News.  He has written a piece titled "Most Presidents Ignore The Constitution" that appears on the Opinion page of today's Wall Street Journal.

He writes about the 2001 Public Radio interview of Barack Obama where Obama was lamenting that the civil rights movement had become too 'court centered' and therefore failed to cause 'reparations' for past abuses.  That, of course, serves as quite a bombshell so far as future implications if he is elected and presuming he has the same thoughts today that he held then.

I thought, however, that the balance of the opinion piece was quite interesting as Judge Napolitano discussed how the majority of presidents of our country have ignored the Constitution and forged ahead as they desired.  Roosevelt caused agriculture to be subjected to a "Soviet-style central planning" process and rejected arguments that this was unconstitutional.  Roosevelt said that the Constitution was "quaint" and that it was written in the "horse and buggy days" and predicted that the public and the courts would agree with him according to Napolitano's article.

Napolitano cites that Jefferson, Jackson and Cleveland were the exceptions he recalled who didn't ignore the Constitution.

As we move into the next presidency, regardless of who wins, I'll have to remind myself that most have ignored our Constitution whenever I feel the current President has crossed the line.  He probably will have crossed the line, and appears to have had a lot of company over the history of our country.

We have survived even with the intentional ignoring of our Constitution...but it doesn't seem right no matter who ignores that document.  Where will it end, if it ever will end?