Where Have All the Roadside Wild Flowers Gone in Door County

Approximately two weeks ago in the Town of Gibraltar that includes the bristling tourist attractions in Fish Creek a very mysterious occurrence took place. Suddenly all the less-traveled roads in the Town of Gibraltar lost all the wild flowers bordering over one hundred miles of roadways. One day there were literally millions of wildflowers decorating leisurely traveled roadways and the next day they were gone. Dancing white daisies, yellow lady slippers, swaying purple columbines, yellow/orange Indian paint brush, white and yellow delicate primrose, black-eyed Susan, and swaying prairie grass and many other types of naturally growing wildflowers that annually decorate Door County roadsides suddenly disappeared. It was not magic. Instead it was accomplished by "roadside mowing machines" (aka brushing machines) that destroyed the beautiful gifts of nature by edict of the twenty-one Town and Village Boards in Door County where about 27,000 people reside, and approximately 2 million tourists visit annually.

The explanation given by the various Boards is that mowing is necessary to maintain safe roads, as if wildflowers pose potential driving hazards that cause car accidents. Removal of visually obstructive or hazardous trees and shrubs may represent potential hazards but have you ever heard of  wildflowers as obstructive road dangers. Apparently, the Gibraltar Town Board and most of other of the 20 other Village and Town Boards in Door County believe that they are hazardous and must be removed.

So now at least annually (or biannually) in June (and sometimes in Fall) as the wild flowers are in their early splendor and  yet to reach peak beauty the mowing machines descend upon them and just as a guillotine does its job, severs the flowers and foliage and all that is left adjacent to the roadways is barren soil and gravel devoid of the natural beauty that was prominent a moment before. The bikers, hikers, artists, and photographers as`well as unsuspecting tourists who travel along the more than 800 miles of relatively rural roadways in Door County following this massacre will never know what they missed. But they may wonder where all the wild flowers that they expected to see went. They should ask the Town and Village Boards that ordered the wildflower slaughter.

Of course the same Village and Town Boards spend thousands of tax-payers dollars to accomplish destruction of roadside wildflowers using large fuel-swallowing commercial brushing machines, and then spend more tax dollars to decorate the plant marigolds and other decorative flowers so that tourists are afforded some flowery sights along the sidewalks as they shop in the commercial districts. Do these Village and Town Board ever consider the natural beauty that they deliberately destroy or are they content spending tax dollars to plant annual flowers where local businesses operate as generous compensation funded by tax payers

One may argue that what the tourists do not see they will not miss. True, but doesn't that miss the point? Door county is a tourist attraction because of the natural beauty that exists including the abundant woodlands, parks, and miles of shoreline that are sought by city dwellers during vacation breaks to escape the concrete and asphalt laden congestive life they are surrounded`by the rest of the year.

The naturally growing roadside wildflowers that would grow throughout spring, summer, and into fall would enhance the experiences of all tourists and bring additional enjoyment and visual beauty to year round residents as`well. Add to this the many thousands of dollars saved by eliminating the unnecessary and destructive mowing, the outcome is a win-win result for the Towns and Villages, residents, tourists, and taxpayers while preserving the gifts of nature that we can all enjoy as`we travel along Door County roadways by car, foot, bicycle and even baby carriage. Preserve the natural beauty of Door County by eliminating the annual or biannual roadside wildflower mowing. The question: "Where have all the roadside wild flowers gone in Door County?" will become ancient history.

The Game That Wasn't Because of Money

Last evening a spectacle called football in which the Green Bay Packers opposed the Seattle Seahawks resulted in a conclusion that was surreal and wrong!. Inexperienced field judges and the referee decided the winner my making erroneous decisions. The real winner, Green Bay, lost because the NFL executives have neglected their duties and allowed inexperienced people to make decisions for which they are inadequately trained. The experienced field judges and referees have been sidelined by a strike that NFL management refuses to budge on and settle with the underpaid field judges. As a consequence many games this season have been settled by miscalled penalties and erroneous judgments. The NFL executives responsible for this farce should be fired and replaced or the entire NFL season should be cancelled and the NFL pay the players to not play. Last night's circus is a reflection of our society in many ways.

Elections are a good example. We are often forced to choose between incompetent people who if elected by uninformed voters results in game scores that hurt the players, i.e. we the people Ignorance and  inability to judge soundly often creates governing entities that are doomed to make bad decisions that hurt rather than benefit the people. Often the people are unaware that they have been screwed and they even feign delight or worse, indifference.

Last night's "game that wasn't" is an illustration of what can and does happen when incompetence bred by ignorance decides the outcome. The real lesson from the rather inconsequential football debacle is that we allow our elections to become circuses where the outcome is determined by ignorance and money. The game of government is too important to be managed by those who reflect the NFL management attitude and opposition to the referees union. They know that they can increase owners profits and the NFL's take by skinning the union. They care less about the people who play the game.

Let's make our votes count for constructive progress and not backsliding. Vote for those who care about you, the players in our nation, and who are competent enough to make sound decisions. Let's play for the people to win.

"RomneyRyanItis"--A Preventable and Curable Malady

A too prevalent disease has spread in our country afflicting people who should be immune. The disease that I refer to as "RomneyRyanItis" is spreading among susceptible citizens who accept lies and distortions uttered by the namesakes of the infliction as factual declarations. The reality is that virtually all of the so-called facts are not facts. They are bacterial and viral agents that infect individuals by implanting false ideas contrived to confuse and trap voters into believing lies. They attempt to accomplish this viral attack by spreading propaganda through 30 second sound bytes, internet, and TV ads paid for by billionaire supporters. They are trying to deceive hard working Americans who often barely get by on minimum wages or unlivable wages. Yet the RomneyRyanItis malady causes uninformed voters to believe that Romney and Ryan and the Republicans stand up for all working Americans and their needs regardless of income, Romney Republican candidate for President, openly stated at a private fund raising gathering that 47% of Americans are free-loaders, pay no taxes, and expect handouts and are literally parasites. I interpret the Romney statement to mean that he believes that nearly all but rich Americans are free loaders since all Americans benefit from our roads and highways, schools and libraries, drinking water, and railways,parks, and literally thousands of other benefits that our taxes pay for including Social Security and Medicare. Are we all free-loaders as Romney and Ryan and the Republican infer? Romney's distortions and lies disclose his true character as a money-crazed financial wizard whose sole aim in life is self-glorification and acquiring more MONEY. His claims and statements are riddled with lies and falsehoods intended to mislead American voters. This is the insidious disease of RomneyRyanItis. Fortunately this disease is curable and preventable by seeking truth and facts instead of lies and distortions uttered by Romney and Ryan. 

For example, the 2009 IRS tax data accessible by anyone with a computer reveals different facts as follows:
1) Nearly 100 million working Americans and families have incomes that are from hard work for which they are paid about $12/hr or less, and they still pay FICA federal taxes for their future Social Security and Medicare coverage that amounts to 15.3% of their near poverty wages. In addition if they have phones or televisions they pay federal excise taxes and sales taxes for almost everything they buy including gasoline and oil , natural gas, propane, and electricity. Additionally, they must fork up fees for drivers licenses, federal taxes for booze and cigarettes. Those dependent upon Medicaid are effectively being charged for bed taxes that many states impose on nursing homes that Federal Taxes mainly pays for. Taxes on taxes are the norm for Republican red states or states that Republicans would like to turn red.

These one hundred million working poor Americans are classified as free loaders by those who are part of the 47% that  RomnetRyanItis vilifies.. They are not free loaders as Romney/Ryan describes them. They are very hard working American who are simply trying their best to get by. Approximately 190 million additional Americans and their families live on incomes between about $25,000 and $100,000 annually. They often support elderly parents and other dependents including children, and they nearly all pay taxes including the 15.3% Federal Employment Tax and all other taxes. According to Romney many of these are also free loaders who don't pay taxes. These 290 million Americans and their families pay taxes and that is without question. The lies and distortions promulgated by RomneyRyanItis are vile and despicable characterizations of hard working Americans who do not deserve the demeaning smear given by the Republican candidates. Stop RomneyRyanItis in its tracks by seeking truth and then voting for those who are your advocates, not your defamers.    

SECRET VIDEO: Romney Tells Millionaire Donors What He REALLY Thinks of Obama Voters | Mother Jones

Hello, Please read and view this video that shows  Mr. Romney secretly being recorded insulting the vast majority of Americans. In this degrading description of Americans he states that anyone supporting President Obama believes in handouts from our government. I am proud to support our president and was born in 1931 during the Great Depression. My mother worked for slave wages in garment sweat shops after immigrating from
Romania. She died when 47 from the constant labor to earn 50 cents or less an hour.

I was able to get admitted to UCLA and worked at least 20 hours a week to pay for food and rent earning between $1 and $1.75 an our working in gas stations, dormitory cafeterias, and as a lab assistant for an engineering professor who was my mentor and father figure. While in graduate school I was drafted during the Korean War and served our country for 22 months.

Subsequently I was married and my wife died when our son was two years old. I was fortunate to work for an engineering company that covered medical expenses during my wife's terminal illness. Later I was employed as an aerospace engineer contributing to our nation's first moon landing. I progressed professionall retiring when 65 as VP Technical Services for a Fortune 500 company.

Mr. Romney demeaned all Americans who have worked hard to earn their pay and to contribute to our nation .He vilifies all veterans who served and died for our nation. He vilifies all Americans who paid for Social Security and Medicare throughout their working years. He vilifies virtually everyone except the very rich believing that the middle class includes those earning more than $200,000 annually. He, Romney, was born with a golden spoon and platinum teething ring and has never labored for a living as most middle class Americans have who earn between about $20,000 and $100,000 annually. He received over $20,000,000 in 2010 in the form of interest and paid less taxes as a percentage of his income than most working Americans except the destitute or disabled who receives Social Security or the elderly who are dependent upon Social Security that they paid for, and Medicare also for which they paid. Millions of elderly require Medicaid to live their final years in nursing homes. Social Security, Medicare, Obama Care, and Medicaid are on the Romney/Ryan chopping block. They both believe that the recipients are not entitled to live if requiring government funds to help them, even if they have paid for  the benefits they ultimately received earlier during their working years.

Mr. Romney and Cong. Ryan have revealed themselves as egocentric greedy individuals who believe that money talks and who obviously listen to their very wealthy financial supporters who want to lower their taxes as they strip Americans from the 1935 Social Security Act insurance, eliminate the Medicare Act of 1965, and repeal Obama Care (Affordable Health Care Act of 2010) stripping people of coverage who have preexisting medical problems or millions who can not pay for private insurance without going broke, and simultaneously eliminating Medicaid for elderly who have depleted all resources and are unable to stay alive without help.

Romney/Ryan apparently want to create an oligarchy managed their corporate supporters, by the very wealthy, for, and of the very wealthy. Listen to and read their own words and then decide to vote for the retention of American values that have been continuously fostered by Democrats who care about working Americans, and opposed by Republican who believe that the rich should rule. Clear away the any cobwebs that may obscure you vision and vote, vote, vote for Democrats and President Obama/ VP Biden.


SECRET VIDEO: Romney Tells Millionaire Donors What He REALLY Thinks of Obama Voters | Mother Jones:



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The Unlivable Wage Revolution Has Begun

During the last several weeks people from all walks of life who are mostly living as part of the "invisible class" have become visible. I believe we are witnessing the beginning of a true people's revolution aimed at upsetting the great and growing disparity between typical wages and incomes and the top scales of income and wages.The demonstrations that began on Wall Street are now spreading and the message is becoming clear. The protesting voices say simply that they will no longer remain invisible and unheard! They demand economic fairness. During the last 60 years, since the end of WWII we have emerged from a brief livable wage era (from about 1950 to 1970) and relative income parity to what is now an excessively unbalanced income distribution. The very rich have acquired Sheik-like wealth of Arabian oil barons, while the so called "middle class" Americans have seen their share of the "American Dream Pie" shrink to the smallest bite in modern times. At least 81 million American are now either unemployed, working part time while seeking full time employment, working for minimum wage of $7.25/hr, and sunk or sinking into poverty. These 81 million men, women, and children represent nearly 30% of our population. Their voices are generally ignored by many of us, and by most callous politicians who beckon to the call of their special money bag lobbyists and campaign donors. They will be heard loud and clear as their thousands will grow to tens of thousands and then multiply to the millions. Millions more who are one job away from foreclosure and destitution will join the swelling tide of protestors and become unstoppable. Politicians and others who dismiss this popular uprising against unfair economic conditions and unlivable wages will eventually learn that they are part of the minority and they, the politicians, will have to relent. Those of us who have been fortunate to have lived during periods of economic fairness and who now enjoy the benefits will also rally to the support of the "Wall Street Protestors" because we know that the protestors are speaking for all who have worked for a living. Financial institutions and their shenanigans finally were exposed at the expense of typical working American and their families who lost their savings, jobs, and health insurance as part of the present economic recession that mimics the Great Depression of the 1929-1939 period. The path from that Great Depression to now is a history lesson that deserves careful study and analysis. A separate series of articles on the latter subject is in my blog "Twenty-First Century Life on Earth". I for one am jubilant to witness the young and older American to join hands and demonstrate against the economic unfairness that has been the status for the last three decades, and to demand fair wages and incomes for all Americans. Hooray for the "Unlivable Wage Revolution"! Hold on to your seat. It is likely to be a bumpy ride and one that is long overdue.

The Joke's on US--Mr. Boehner and Mr. McConnell, Enjoy Your Laughs While you Can.

After the Tea Party/Republican Party succeeded to ransom the USA for a Debt deal, House Speaker Boehner joyfully exclaimed that he got "98 % of what he wanted". Whether or not the USA benefited mattered not to Boehner, he was overjoyed. Seems that the stock market investors are less than gleeful as the NYSE has plummeted since the Tea Party/Republican extracted there pound of flesh from President Obama and our nation. Now the world markets recognize the stupid action taken by the Tea Party/Republicans and the inevitable economic damage that it will cause. Millions of jobs will be lost in addition to the nearly 15 million Americans now unemployed. Consumers will be less able to spend their hard earned dollars as their incomes decrease, and social programs disappear.

Time has come to rally for the American people who work for a living and kick the Tea Party/Republicans and some wandering Democrats out of Congress and state governments also. They represent the most irresponsible self interested segment of society and must not be allowed to govern for the sake of our country.

House Leader Tea Party/Republican Boehner and his boundless happiness over sinking our country economically is itself self evident admission by Boehenr that he cares less for the American people than for his rabid and illogical money bag supporters. Sen. McConnell, leader of the Senate Tea Party/Republicans who filibustered all Democratic debt ceiling bills joined the joyous Boehner by stating they have established a standard plan to hold the American people hostage forever for all future debt ceiling bills. Seems that chaos forever is their idea of comedy.

Thanks "happy men" for your gleeful promises to screw up Democracy the genuine Tea Party/Republican way. If you were Abbot and Costello instead of Boehner and McConnell we might all have a belly laugh instead of a belly ache. However you and your lemmings and some Democratic fools pulled a joke on the rest of America as the economic downfall of our county will prove. Perhaps then we will upchuck you out of our system once and for all. If so the last laugh will be ours.

March of the Dead Brains

Like zombies emerging from a swamp, the Tea Party/Republicans march onward displaying Dead Brains leading the brainless and brain impaired masses over a cliff. Hooray for such an esteemed and enlightened segment of US politics. We should all be joyous as this display of brave brainlessness engulfs our entire nation. Eventually with a bit of luck we will be unable to think at all. This ultimate pinnacle of human achievement will finally restore total stability. No one will notice the difference. Let us all join the march of the dead brains, and bask in a glorious and brainless future.