go forth and encourage...

Medic March has been gone for a bit, and just recently came back... to post that his absence has been due to rehab.

Admitting to the problem (and that he went to the treatment center) took a LOT of guts, especially on a public blog.

Y'all stop by, and wish him luck!

Since folks are asking...

Seems my request for help as brought some interested parties...

What I need is someone (most likely a couple folks) who can deliver packages to Law Dog and Ambulance Driver.

the packages are completely harmless: I'll send volunteers pictures of what they contain. They're in the nature of reminders of certain things (and the pic will be posted here after they've received them).

So... anyone willing to help out a bit?

Surviving amongst 600+ bikers

Well... I made it back from the BACA National Convention. Let me give you my impressions.

First off, when you put 600+ bikers into one hotel, you're guaranteed a party. And we had one, every night of the event. Amazingly though, we had very few problems with the partiers: BACA members are unusually well-behaved in public.

Not to say there weren't a few issues, just that they were handled quickly, and didn't cause major disruptions.

Got to meet some really cool, dedicated folks. Finally got to meet our founder, JP "Chief" Lily (after he had the State Rep from Texas, Willow, poke me to "make sure I was alive" in the board meeting). Good times!

Of course, how did I spend my time?

When not in the board meeting, I was usually on security.

Also got to meet somebody from the shooting boards. Bogie, if you're reading this, thanks again for coming by (and bringing all that stuff: we'll work things out for next year).

Some important things: there's been a new "about BACA" video produced. It's not available yet, but I'll post a link when it finally shows up on the website. If you can watch it without feeling something, you have no soul. We also discussed plans for "Camp BACA": a camp where our kids can go and just be kids. I'm not sure when it's going to happen, but it's a case of "when", not "if"

Bylaws were amended, issues were discussed. And a great time was had by all.

Now back to the business of running this great state.

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Oh... the great job opportunity I have? I could use a little help. If any of y'all know of a bike-related business in your area that would be interested in advertising in the Wisconsin market, let me know. Your help is greatly appreciated!

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And I'm still looking for co-conspirators to deliver a couple packages for me (one in Louisiana, one in Texas). PLEASE don't make me find someone in BACA to help: I'm sure the recipients would rather receive their "presents" at home, rather than work...

Hiatus

Well... in about an hour, several of us leave for the BACA National Conference at the Casino Queen in St Louis. So, I'll probably be out of touch until Sunday night/Monday morning

If you're in the area, feel free to stop in and ask around a bit for me: "Yeah... Strings. State Rep for Wisconsin, wears a kilt?". Somebody will probably be able to find me...

News flash: history repeats itself. Film at 11.

Was having an interesting discussion over coffee tonight. Got to talking about great generals over the years, and a stunning revelation...

In WWII, we had awesome generals (Patton, Eisenhower, Mac Arthur, etc), who Washington left in charge of the war effort. The Germans, on the other hand, while they had some great leaders (Uncle Erwin leaps to mind), Hitler kept sticking his nose in. As we all know, the Allies won.

Hope y'all are keeping up: the side that let the generals run things without dealing with politics won.

In Korea, we still had Mac. In talking with veterans of that conflict, I have yet to hear from one that doesn't agree that Mac was a bastard... But he should have been allowed to actually fight the war. Instead Mac got fired (and we had at best a stalemate). See a pattern?

Let's step right along, to our next big encounter: Vietnam. Heck we didn't even get into the conflict before politicians messed up. And can we remember how THAT whole game played out? Yeah... We let the politicians run things...

Step forward again... Gulf War I. Schwarzkopf was doing a hell of a job, but we had what holding him up?

Class? Anyone?

Yep... Political concerns kept the job from being finished properly.

What... Did we defeat Hitler because we wanted to steal his style?

It's been covered in a few places...

... But I'm going to go ahead and post it here too.

Woman, attacked by a stalker, who has the means to fight back. Even though she survives, this is still kinda chilling to listen to...

What the Hell?

For the record, I neither watch TV nor do I follow sports. However, there's been buzz about the whole "Kelly Tilghman said 'lynch'" thing all over.

For those living further under a rock than I do, you can read about the latest (Rev Sharpton getting his panties in a wad over the mess) here.

Now, let me get this all straight. While talking with another sportscaster, Ms Tilghman commented that other young golfers, if they want to beat tiger Woods, should "Lynch him". Let's take a look at that fer a sec:

From Wikipedia:
Lynching, an enumerated felony in some states in the U.S.A., is defined by some codes of law as "Any act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person which results in the death of the person," with a 'mob' being defined as "the assemblage of two or more persons, without color or authority of law, for the premeditated purpose and with the premeditated intent of committing an act of violence upon the person of another." Lynching in the second degree is defined as "Any act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person and from which death does not result."[1] To sustain a conviction for lynching at least some evidence of premeditation must be produced, however "The common intent to do violence" may be formed before or during the assemblage."

Anybody see any racial overtones there?

Yes yes, I know: during the Reconstruction (and up into fairly recent times), lynch mobs were used to terrorize blacks in the South. But the meaning of the word is NOT "A group of whites attacking a black"...

Funny thing about these terms: I don't recall anybody freaking out over the title of the movie "Ghost Rider", yet that was another "tool" used during the Reconstruction to terrorize recently freed blacks. Hmmm...

Of course, the "Good Reverend Al" has been demonstrating that he, himself, is yet another tool being used to keep black society "down". Wonder how he actually feels about that?

He finally did it!

Some here may remember him from sites such as TFL, THR, and APS. The illustrious Preacherman has, FINALLY, gotten his own blog! Check it out here.

I know, it's late...

Blogs are about personal things, right?

And, since everyone does something fun on New Year's Eve, such makes for good material, right? They go to parties, drink too much, make promises that just never get kept, spend time with friends playing silly games... that kind of thing.

Right?

Raise your hands now: how many got to spend New Year's Eve as a member of a private security detail? For a 16 year old? In the city square of a fair-sized city?



Yep... BACA made sure we got to ring in the New Year by making sure a scumbag didn't cause any problems for one of our kids. Outside. In the cold.

Beats the Hell out of getting drunk!

At one point, I had to ask Tomboy: "How many kids here do you think have their own private security detail?". She just grinned back.

Makes it all worthwhile.

I really don't usually post these...

... pleas for financial help, that is. I don't know these folks (truth be told, I JUST found their blog via AD). But this sounds like a problem that y'all might want to get behind.

So check out the situation here, and give what you can. i just wish I had money I could donate.

Gifts for certain peoples

Wow... life starts happening, and I forget to post on here. Funny how that happens.

Ok, here's the deal: I have a couple gifts to send out to two authors on my blogroll who like to leave us hanging: Law Dog and AD. They're not mean gifts, just something to remind them that they HAVE left us all hanging. Gentle, kind reminders... fluffy, even.

*I* don't have any kind of an address to send them their care packages.

So I need y'all's help.

If someone who reads this knows either of those two worthy folks in the real world, can come up with a "safe" way for me to get the packages to you ('cause i don't expect folks to trust some random guy on the 'Net), and are willing to deliver them: drop me a line. PLEASE don't make me use "other means": it would take longer, and the packages would end up at the SO and hospital...

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Now, like I said: life happens. I'm still the running both my Chapter and State for BACA, keeping up with my lovely wife, and getting ready to start a cool new job (I'll post more on THAT later: don't want to jinx things). But I promise to start posting just a bit more frequently...