I am convinced that our state legislature has nothing to do, or at least suffers from ADD, because they can't seem to focus on what their job needs to be.

Last week, a former student who charges that he suffered bullying and racist remarks while attending Mukwonago High School (home of the Indians, at least for now) was due to the school's mascot, and lawmakers were all ears.

While I don't doubt the young man's claims, I wonder if his expression as a Native American would have drawn similar comments if he went to Franklin, Whitnall or other culturally-neutral schools.  In other words, is it the mascot (which is drawn respectfully and not like a cartoon charicature), or is the fact that high school students in general are culturally insensitive?  If it's the latter, then removing the mascot and the name not only doesn't address the real problem of racism, it only serves to remove the presence of the culture, which the city is obviously very proud to promote?

This comes while the state is telling us all yes of COURSE we need high speed rail, even though we're relegated to girding our bridges with nets so the chunks of concrete that are falling off of them won't hit your Honda and take off your head.

The question I've had is 'isn't there something IMPORTANT lawmakers should be doing instead?"

Oh, yeah....

Federal law requires states to provide ballots to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before the Nov. 2 election. The deadline to do that is just four days after Wisconsin's Sept. 14 primary, but it takes about two weeks to finalize that vote.  Which means that our primary is 10 days too late.  Apparently no one in Madison has a calendar, and now that Wisconsin has been denied a waiver regarding this requirement, active military may lose their right to vote in an election that includes key races for governor as well as the  U.S.Senate.

I don't care if I have to vote September 4th, however I understand the logistical nightmare it would be to put an election on the Saturday of a holiday weekend.  What should have been discussed many months ago is placing the primary in early June, as many states do.  It would have allowed for the candidates more time to debate and campaign, and oh yeah - the very people who put their lives on the line to ensure our freedom to cast a ballot could have voted, too.

I'm hoping there still is a solution, but in the meantime, I hope we all make our votes count and are heard in Madison, where apparently they have their priorities screwed up.

 I've been watching the debate over the building of a mosque in New York City, just a couple blocks up from where the World Trade Center towers stood.  

And I am completely torn.

On one hand, there is our Constitution, which proclaims the right and freedom of religion - any religion, our forefathers were ingeniously and intentionally vague - to be practiced.  "Government shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." states the First Amendment; and under the Free Exercise Clause, the government is prohibited from interfering with the expression of religious beliefs.

Therefore, it would seem that interference by the City of New York would be unconstitutional.

On the other hand, I remember not just 9/11, but the circumstances and larger-than-life clues and messages that we didn't deem as important leading up to that day, ironically enough because we believed that all practicing religions have a right to do so, and that their practice was simply to worship their respective deity.

Of late the loudest voice of the Muslim religion has been its fringe, which seemingly has (no pun intended) hijacked the purest intent of its roots.  And it has used acts that are for many benign, like the building of a mosque, to make a worldwide statement on its strength over its enemies.

I want to believe that this is not the case here, but the location would seem to make a proclamation that in the ashes of the symbol of western capitalism rises a community from which certain followers caused its demise in the first place.

It's a question of tin-hat conspiracy beliefs v. abject naivete.  I love my country and the constitution that remains one of the most perfectly crafted documents on a political structure ever made. Yet my head is also saying, 'let's not get fooled again.'

I would love a compromise, where the location is moved off such a scar in lower Manhattan and toward a more neutral, blander piece of real estate.

Perhaps I'm just reminded of an adage that rings true in this case:  Being right and doing the right thing aren't always the same thing.

 As both a parent and a child, I have had more than my share of milestone moments in the past several months.  My parents celebrated 50 years of marriage, and us kids reminisced about the past as well as realized the reality of their present state of health, and how we would need to assist more in making sure things for them continued in a safe and healthy state. Each has had aches and pains that has meant closer scrutiny, and that uncomfortable feeling for us all that they are no longer the same people in so many of those slides we reviewed at their anniversary party.

Along with this, my daughter had circled her 15 1/2 birthday on the calendar and started taking driver's ed.  There is simply no where to turn to get away from life moving on, is there?

They call people like me part of the sandwich generation, and while the analogy puts me in the middle between two slices of 'bread' - caring for my parents on one hand, caring for my child on the other - I certainly don't feel like there's much left of me to be considered the meat.

Yet life has a funny way of including me in on its demands, and I am happily gaining employment as a sole proprietor, which is it's own set of stresses.

So while I spend a fair amount of time helping to promote others' interests, I am also safeguarding my parents' and sitting in the passenger seat watching my daughter pursue hers.  It is a full life right now and like being on the road with a teenager behind the wheel, I need to stay alert, pay attention and learn, learn learn.

Provided I do what I instruct my daughter to do - keep your eyes open and watching all directions, don't be too nervous, but don't be too casual - and what I have learned from my parents - take life as it comes, have faith, stay steady and level headed - I pray that I will reach my own destination as well in one piece.

 I apologize, but Yahoo! has decided to develop amnesia, and the lifelines email I have listed cannot be accessed, nor can I request new info to re-log in. So again, I have not been ignoring people, I am simply cut off.

 LONG story short...authentication images resulted in a broken connection to my own blog, which meant I could not post, reply etc.  Request to fix was not attended to or at least wasn't responded to so I knew when things were up and running again.  Bottom line: no, I'm not ignoring anyone.

It's rare that people comment on blogs I write and I did expect something from this one as again, I mentioned it is a very emotional issue.  However, emotional and attacks on my accuracy don't answer the central point.

The blog was really a report on my discussion with Mayor Johnson.  Quotes were verbatim, I did not make them up.  

Taking away the Parkland Mall issue, which the Mayor has said he cannot change at this point in time, what are people's suggestions?  Do nothing?  

My invitation was to come up with ideas and not insults and from the comments I see, that fell on deaf ears.  Again, I see some merit to taking advantage of what used to be a main attraction in Muskego - the lake.  I do not live on the lake, and my guess is more than a few people like me would like to have the opportunity to enjoy it in an park setting that would offer more than 10 parking spots.

The mayor is also extending the same invitation, and I can just imagine what that response has been like.

Homes aren't built without a plan of what the final product will look like, nor should cities be. The drawing of a plan also allows for changes before bricks and mortar are applied. The whole discussion I'm seeing depresses me.  People can disagree, but please do so intelligently.

I wrote previously that I was disappointed in the overall tenor of the crowd at the public information meeting, and I felt that the negative momentum probably carried people into a 'just say no' mantra. (Who knew a park on the lake would set people's hair ablaze?)

That's too bad, because again, I feel like we're onto something.  And truthfully, we all agree that SOME thing needs to happen with Muskego's business downtown.  However, this is not going to be a discussion on Parkland Mall.  With a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed by Art Dyer against the city, we simply can't consider that land in this discussion at this time.  Nor should we put everything else on hold to wait for the skies to clear on that subject.

Therefore, I met with Mayor John Johnson, who to his credit, sincerity and integrity gave me 1 1/2 hours of his time without looking at his watch once.  Reporters appreciate that.

We did discuss Parkland Mall, and he reiterated his belief that the city is not in the business of purchasing and developing property for business. He also asked me to quote him saying thus: "I will quit before I write out a check to Mr. Dyer for anything more that what that property is worth." (A town hall meeting about 1 1/2 years ago also yielded resident support of that position.)

"I'm a cheap skate, but I'm a good investor," he explained further.  "I did take issue with people complaining on one hand that the taxes are too high, yet also complained that we cut 20 staff from the city, which saved the city $1 million.  We did so without causing services to suffer as well."

It's not an easy job, and lately it's a frustrating one.  While it's true that the Parkland site has been a thorn in the city's side and has probably cost previous mayor's their jobs, Johnson stated at the public meeting and again in our interview that the only constant has been Dyer in the inability to develop the land.

True, and it is no small potatoes that GE Medical and Walmart have developed along Moorland Road and in far less time from the beginning proposals to breaking ground.

We all also agree that business development brings down residential taxes, and it is what we ALL want.  What Bring Back the Lake is designed to do is to help define Muskego's identity, something that has been missing for many years.  This is a hard concept, because it is based on vision and not something more tangible.  However, once a city has an identity and an overall vision for what it wants to 'look like' when people hear its name, businesses can make a better decision to come to that city and develop as a part of that vision.

Johnson also pointed out that it's a bit myopic to view the entire downtown on the PM site. "Truthfully, the whole downtown is an eyesore, as we have businesses, but they are fragmented.  In addition, the roadway is deteriorating, which will be helped once the Janesville Road project is underway."

Again, we need to envision - cohesive-looking buildings that look like they were not just converted homes, but that are truly open for business together makes for a more attractive view.

The lake property that is being proposed for park and recreational uses has incredible merit, as most people tend to skip over Muskego en route to the Lake Country to launch their boats or picnic.  However, it is just that at this point: a proposal.  There is an open door for suggestions from everyone, and it's a point that Johnson also felt slighted on.

"We've met with neighborhood groups on this site, and we sent out 10,000 postcards to tell people about the informational meeting, to which 200 people showed up.  I've heard that we've been working on this secretly, but that's simply not the case."

It appears that everything is on the table in this case...and any ideas are welcome.  One citizen asked if it were possible to organize a group of residents to approach Dyer separately, which Johnson thought was an excellent idea.

Having grown up on the lake, I don't want the discussion to end here.  I have always felt Idle Isle has been inadequate for the amount of interest there is in spending time on the lake (and in it), and until recently haven't thought about the strangeness of the complete lack of a good restaurant on the lake. So, yes, I'm thinking we need to develop there and showcase what put us on the map in the first place.  The final product may not look like the current proposal, but that's the point.  Resident input may shape an even better plan.  

As Johnson indicated, it's about doing the right thing.

 I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out why, after leaving Tuesday night's informational meeting for the "Bring Back the Lake" proposed development, I felt a bit sad.

After much consideration, I found myself more disappointed in what the residents had to say (or yell) than what the city presented. It wasn't productive, and frankly seemed a bit childish.

Let's be clear...I'm still on the fence, hoping for more information and clarity.  However, it won't come through sarcasm, anger, or raw emotion, which is much of what I heard in the 'question and answer' portion.

I think it is great to be passionate, however emotion thrown makes people unhearing and irrational.

Here's a brief summary of facts that both sides need to keep in mind.

Muskego's taxes will never go down if business does not move and stay here.  The big players will simply not take the risk if they don't see the traffic or an identity with this city.  Park land - especially that which could honor Muskego's lakefront and history - helps to serve the goals of image, vision and identity.  Marketing 101 - packaging.  To that end, the mayor has it right.  GE and Walmart are big players, and they had to be wooed.  

The huge gorilla in the room is Parkland Mall.  As one resident pointed out, it's the gaping hole that any potential business investor mass pass and frankly, it's a scary and indelible image.

While the need to just get on with it regarding the space is tempting, I have a feeling the same people who are screaming about taxes and job loss would also be the first to scream at paying twice what the property is worth.  That said, I do wonder if there has been a study of the lost revenue on that site should we have cut a deal much earlier on and at that time, 'gotten on with it.'  There are a lot of "on the other hand"s in this issue, to be sure.

Another point of fact with Parkland Mall...it is not one mayor's fault, and to claim that the current mayor is in a (ahem) pissing match with Mr. Dyer is simply ignoring history.  Again, name calling won't solve our economic challenges.

Finally, I feel that we are onto something here... Bob Sindic made an excellent point that why not make some of the land a park.  Start there, then see what else is possible v. buying the whole 9 yards and hope to develop part of it residentially in a sluggish market.  Again, history shows that Muskego leaps to great heights when proposing ideas when perhaps more will get done a little at a time.  I know the reason I voted against the $14 million recreation facility was because I would have much preferred a few permanent rentable structures and a community pool.

The bottom line is not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Think along with your elected representative and share your constructive ideas, not taunts. I have waited too long to have Muskego remember its uniqueness and history to just say no.

 I am a fan of history.  In fact, I've written on Muskego Beach and Dandilion Park and helped my daughter present on the same subject over the years.  It's not an easy story to tell, because it doesn't have a happy ending.

So, when the proposal for a reincarnated Muskego Beach on its former site just east of the dam along Janesville Road came along, I had mixed emotions.  I am thrilled to know there might finally be a place that will honor the very thing that put Muskego on the map and gave it an identity.  There is a Tailspin Beach House, which seems to indicate that residents will finally get to see the restored Tailspin sign which hung on the coaster so characteristic of the lake view.  It's placement at the junction of Pioneer Drive is also historic, in that many who rode the rails walked up this street to arrive at the beach.  It too at some point should be given consideration as an area of development and restoration.

Yet, history is also full of disappointing decisions, not the least of which was the decision by the city not to purchase any of the parcel where the park once stood, even after an advisory referendum showed this to be a popular idea. Ingeniously, the city fathers would shortly thereafter scratch their heads over where-oh-where a park space could be found to enhance the city. (For far less than the proposed $11.3 million price tag as well.)

I also continue to see the effects of the lack of ability to close the deal on the Parkland Mall crater, and wonder if we should put another iron in the fire if we can't even fashion this 11-acre parcel into...something (anything - please).

Now I'm looking at alternate plans for the space, which would mean displacing residents, some of which have owned land on the lake for generations.  In this case as well, an advisory referendum is also being considered to gauge residents' thoughts.

(In Muskego, an advisory referendum is a way to stall on a decision that is considered to be unpopular, and when voters respond one way to the referendum, the common council does the opposite.)

To be fair, the current members of the council were not responsible for these past decisions, but I am hoping they make themselves aware of the history that seems to be making another round.  Those who tend to ignore history tend to repeat it.

I have tons of questions, and plan to ask them at an informational meeting scheduled for May 4th at 7pm in the 'old cafeteria' at Muskego High School.  I'm hoping there are signs, as I've never eaten there.  I hope I am joined by many others with their own questions. 

Hopefully, the result is a well-thought out plan launched with the blessing of a well-informed public and the approval of those residents directly impacted by the decision.  Otherwise, as the old adage goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

 The world just continues to get weirder, and it's now getting legislated.

The state Senate recently approved a bill that could subject school districts that don't drop American Indian logos and team names to thousands of dollars in fines. Schools could keep their mascots if they can prove the name refers to a specific tribe and it was given permission for the name to be used.

While fines are not automatic, they can be levied at a cost of up to $1,000 per day if a complaint is made against the school, and that complaint can be made by any resident of any school district.  Locally, that means anyone with an axe to grind (no racism intended) can complain that the Muskego Warrior moniker is offensive and discriminatory.

The burden of proof rests on the school district. Hence, the innocent must prove they are not guilty to overturn the verdict. 

I have a ton of questions, not the least of which is who would have given a school permission for the name Warrior?  Or Indian? Or Chiefs?  Is there a specific body that issues permits and licenses for these names which can also be found in professional companies and sports teams?  And why just schools?

Also, why is this bill specific only to native American names?  This would seem like selective justice, leaving every other ethnic group out of the picture (Vikings and Fightin' Irish need not apply).

As for proving that something isn't so before being allowed to continue to use the name, how is that possible?  It is hard enough to prove intent in legal proceedings, but to prove otherwise seems a near impossibility.  That said, I want to hear of a case where in this day and age, malice against anyone of native American descent was perpetrated because they watched a Cleveland Indians game, then took in the local boys from Mukwonago (that'd be the Indians) taking on Hartland - oh, dear! - Arrowhead.

Having graduated from Marquette University when their team name was still thoughtfully, respectfully and inclusively called the Warriors, this continues to be an issue that makes my head explode.  Knowing that some group derailed the mascot, which came about with the blessing and involvement of no less than 10 separate tribes throughout southeastern Wisconsin and whose costume was proudly worn by a native American, is sad for the very people the mascot was designed to honor.  And I believe that is the case for any sports team that uses these name:  no one wants to name their team after something they want to make fun of.

My final question is: REALLY?  THIS is what we need to concern ourselves with in this state?  THIS is what is taking our legislator's time (paid for by the taxpayers).  

It is beyond irony for me to also find out that Josef Stalin's daughter felt at home in the Madison area for the past 40 some years....

 The recent headlines that the Pope may have known about and ignored sexual abuse behavior don't tell the story of the entire Catholic Church.  However, the journalists who merely report and fail to investigate the sources of the story (the judge appointed for this latest case was quoted for things he never said, and a letter printed in the New York Times wasn't even in his handwriting) feel that's all people need to know.

The stories of those abused are true and heartbreaking to be sure, and since the first of them surfaced about a decade ago, as a Catholic I have witnessed a movement to own the sin by both priests and laypeople, and changes to ensure it never happens again.  (So far, any 'new claims' reflect abuse that happened decades ago.)  For me, I have two reactions:  I am the church as much as anyone who wears a habit or a Roman collar.  It is therefore my responsibility as well to ensure we are made more perfect going forward.  The fact that anyone in any contact with children, even volunteers, must engage in training and education on appropriate safeguards with children tells me that the pleas of those abused have not gone unheard.

Secondly, I worry that only the sin of the Church is the focus.  Too few realize the vast outreach and generosity and good the Church has practiced throughout the world.  With the Triduum upon us (that is the three days leading to Easter Sunday), the image could not be more appropo, and I must give credit to the priest who presided at last night's mass commemorating the last supper for the scenario.

He explained that here was the Son of God, surrounded at the table by those who were to lead after his death.  Saints and martyrs in the making, yes, but also people who would scatter, betray and deny under pressure in just a few short hours.  We understand him to point this very fact out during the meal, yet he never asked them to leave or not to bother eating and drinking with them.

Catholics still gather 2000 years later with a history of sin but also a history of holiness behind them.  We are still drawn by that same person at the center of our virtual table and while we're imperfect, we're still invited to join.  Scandal therefore cannot scatter us, nor should it be the sole focus of what makes us Catholic.  That is also something that will never make the news, which is too bad, because it is for everyone the best news of all.  

 I'll admit, I have not read the 1,300 page healthcare reform bill.  This would put me in the company of everyone else in the house and senate.  What therefore, has not been explained well enough to me makes me nervous, and even more so when I know the people voting to pass this legislation have done so based on little more information than I have.

Perhaps this is the best bill devised by a legislative body in the history of mankind.  However, when so many are upset over its contents (imagined and real), then it requires those people whom we have elected to STOP, make the contents available and make themselves available as well to answer questions.  

"Listening sessions" were a misnomer...the President basically explained to fellow democrats in congress that if their constituents were unhappy with a YES vote, that's what elections were for.  (In other words, 'ere's my sword, you fall on it.')

No matter what side you stand on the issue, the PROCESS has been nothing short of disturbing.  Promises to televise discussions on CSPAN never rang true, and the term reconciliation these days has really taken a beating.  If this becomes the norm, there really is no voice that people will have, and no access to what is really happening if it's all kept a secret, and that will affect everyone: libertarians to radical leftists.

The President proudly proclaimed that 'this is what change looks like,' but really change for change's sake is not the answer...it has to be smart, open and agreed upon by the majority of the people it impacts.

My personal prayer is that we can orchestrate some sort of second opinion before surgery begins, and with regard to our nation's health,  that is our most basic right of all.

 I've seen a great line that goes "I went around for years, shouting, HEY, EVERYBODY, I'M WHISPERING, and wondered why nobody believed me."

That saying ran through my mind when I heard the version of what happened on the UWM campus from the students who were arrested after the mob, which originally was organized to protest tuition hikes and staff cuts, decided to forcibly enter the Chancellor's office, attempting to do so in one case by scaling the building and entering through a second floor window.

The students claim the assembly was "peaceful and legal" and the arrests were a violation of their first amendment rights to free speech.  I'm sure it started that way, and they could have garnered support for their plight, but they blew their credibility when their conduct clearly overstepped the definition of peaceful, therefore also calling the legality of their conduct into question.  Their own student TV station "Panthervision" recorded the event, along with snowballs being thrown at police.

My profession depends on the first amendment, but I too realize that it stops when the behavior associated with the message becomes physically threatening to others.  I counted about 6 policemen trying to talk to the assembly while snowballs cascaded down on them, and I don't think the intent was to engage in play.

If students are so concerned about issues, it's important to understand the most effective way to enact change is through a more legislative process.  Protests make great news footage, but rarely do they change policy, and definitely not when the protest turns aggressive and even violent.  Police made arrests, and in my mind, did not act with violence against a much larger crowd. Arrests were made.  Those are the consequences.

Today they are staging another 'silent' protest, which is legal and perhaps will provide more impact than trying to break a door in.  Hopefully they outcome of this demonstration will provide a better lesson, and recall another saying, "If you want to capture someones attention...whisper."

A friend of mine is in a citizen's group allied with Police, and I will receive from time to time alerts or updates from her based on Muskego Police communications.

Last week, I paid attention to one regarding a red van, which I admit seeing during the week, driving slowly.  I quickly realized that once again we were receiving another of about a dozen yellow pages that seem to spring up just below my mailbox.  What really caught my attention in the email was the statement that neighbors noted two black men driving the van.

Let me say I am not one to jump to conclusions, and I hate how much the race card gets played.  However, if any of these complainants had looked past the color of the skin of the driver or the passenger, they would have seen a bright yellow bag in their wake, explaining everything and avoiding police time in investigating.

Now I have received the following alert that I will pass along, as it proves even more disturbing.  While I doubt one is related to the other, I have to admit I thought of the earlier email when I read it:

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM

SPECIAL BULLITEN

February 25, 2010

On today’s date, the Muskego Police Department was contacted by a resident who received racist propaganda in their mailbox. The flyer included derogatory comments about African Americans and Hispanics. The flyer was found in a mailbox on Ladwig Dr., which is located off Woods Rd., between Bay Lane and Durham Dr. In speaking to the letter carrier in the area, it appears these flyers were placed in numerous mailboxes in the area.

As part of our investigation, our officers will be in the area, speaking with residents, and attempting to determine how widespread the distribution of this flyer was and if possible, identify the person responsible for it. Officers will be checking mailboxes in the area in an attempt to find more flyers that may contain evidence identifying its author. We will also be in contact with the United States Postal Inspector.

We ask that if you have received one of these flyers, please contact the police department at the non-emergency number, 262-679-4130. While we may not respond and take the letter, we will take your information and add it to our investigation.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time material like this has been found in Muskego, but it is the first time that it has been widely distributed to the general public. Any help you can provide in helping us identify the person responsible is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your help,

Lt David Constantineau

My face is currently red....but I'm not sure if it's from anger or embarrassment.

A follow up to my last group of Olympic thoughts...things I have learned (athletes, feel free to borrow these nuggets of wisdom) thus far:

• Never state that figure skating is remaining simply a sport.  About 24 hours after my last post, the antics at the medal ceremony and subsequent comments by the Russian skater Evgeni Plushenko (and Vladimir Putin, for Petrov's sake!) have pushed it back into 'soap operaville'
• No athlete should let the NBC cameras or microphones near them.  Intrusive and embarrasing, they've picked up on intimate, emotional conversations between athletes, sometimes having to publicly apologize for the f-bombs that came with them. 
• Any sport can be made more interesting with a good wipe out (non-lethal, of course)
• Canada's national anthem is darn catchy, and I'm hoping to learn all the words.
• Bobsledders go faster when they turn to each other and scream into each other's face just prior to their run
• Ice dancing is the exception to my previous point about wipe outs.  Nothing can make this riveting in my eyes, unless Johnny Depp takes up the sport.
• I love Lou Reed's "Perfect Day", even though I initially thought it was They Might Be Giants - good call by AT&T (no pun intended)
• Apollo Ono's soul patch still annoys me; I need to constantly fight the urge to grab a napkin and wipe his chin to make it go away
• Bob Costas still annoys me; I need to constantly fight the urge to grab a napkin and wipe my television screen to make him stop talking and go away

The question seems simple enough, but when posed, it generally elicits a bit of debate.

Most of the people who do and most of the people who don't watch cite the same reason:  these are sports I've never seen before. 

I stand in the camp of watching, and so far I've not been disappointed.  The idea of overcoming adversity to compete on a global stage in a sport you are passionate about is compelling to me.  Only a few days into competition, here are a few observations, positive and negative.

• From the vignettes that NBC feature, it would seem that you cannot participate in the Olympics unless a) training every day meant a 17 hour journey, b) one or both parents/siblings died suddenly within two weeks of the opening ceremonies OR c) the athlete themselves were near death in the last 6 months.
• That said, the best of these vignettes have featured the developmentally disabled siblings of several different athletes, and the message of encouragement they convey to their "normal" brothers.  A fantastic lesson in life and what gifts everyone has to offer.
• For all the talk of the commercials during the Superbowl that often get overlooked if you're attending a party, the corporate sponsors (with the exception of McDonald's) have stepped up in a big way with their own compelling ads (GE gets my gold medal), whether they be poignant or funny.  And they get repeated more than once so if you missed it the first time, stick around.
• Broadcasters should also be tested for substances.  Cross country skiing is interesting to watch, but I have to say the color commentator at the end of these races may need an ambulance or rehab given his near-apopletic play-by-play at the finish line.  Regardless, they deserve an A for enthusiasm and drawing the viewer - neophytes that we may be - into the drama of the sport.
• Technical difficulties have been rampant since the opening ceremonies, and Canada needs to step up their ability to foresee and react to these snafus once they occur.  Last night's speed skating events were delayed over an hour because not one but three Zamboni's were on the fritz.  It's Canada - doesn't everyone drive one during the winter?
• Figure skating has so far managed to be a sport and not a soap opera - here, here!  (Granted, we've got a long way to go - there HAS to be a scoring controversy brewing.)

I do watch the Olympics, and I am proud to do so.  While I doubt I will ever understand the Biathlon, I can appreciate the sheer athleticism and cardio-vascular integrity you need to push your physical limits on skis, then stop and calmly fire a rifle at a target the size of a tennis ball.  I've heard these athletes can plummet their heart rate to about 28 beats per minute while firing to stay calm and aim true.

Still not convinced?  What else is there in the middle of February, still too far from Spring Training games and with the NFL in the rear view mirror?  Pass the chips, please....

Many posts back, I swore I wasn't interested in social networking.  I resisted invites to LinkedIn, and eventually relented because it was a good step in getting my resume out there.  Being unemployed, I figured it couldn't hurt, and I swear I'm trying to keep up.

However, my daughter asked if she could join facebook, and explained that through her cousin's account, she found many of our relatives - adults and students alike.  Wouldn't it be a great way to connect?

OK. Sure.  Then she showed me how to join.  That was back in late summer.

Now I feel like I have made that important step, similar to learning a language where translation falls by the wayside and hearing is understanding.  I now automatically can relate real-time situations to what my FB nation would think.  I am slightly disappointed when I am 'scooped' by someone else in posting a funny youtube video or commercial.

I have even taken a camera to events with the sole purpose of posting it to my photos page. What have I become?

To top it off, a report released recently has pointed to social networking and internet usage increasing feelings of isolation and depression. 

However, I did a little research of my own - on the internet no less - and found the basis for the study out of UC Berkley (strike one)  was Emile Durkheim, a sociologist who lived from 1858 to 1917.  His conclusion then of our need to relate to something outside of ourselves: "If we have no other object than ourselves we cannot avoid the thought that our efforts will finally end in nothingness, since we ourselves disappear." 

I'm thinking Emile didn't get a lot of dates.

I feel much better about my self-admitted addiction to the site, mainly because it does help me communicate with cousins out of state and out of the country.  The alternative would have been to not talk to any of them because by comparison email is one-dimensional and regular mail is getting too expensive.

I also feel (unlike Mr. Durkheim) that our efforts are what keep legacies alive and memories real.  Not to say that Facebook is the venue for creating legacies, but to assume the lowest common denominator about its use is also ridiculous.

And I plan on posting as much on my home page.

There was a note that came home regarding Catholic Memorial's annual TWIRP (the woman is required to pay) dance. 

It covered dress code, hours, and the fact that there would be a breathalizer there on behalf of the Waukesha County Sherrif's department as well as many chaperones who would escort any obscene dancers out of the building.  Standard stuff.

At the risk of carbon-dating myself, I recall when dances were formal, and a bit uptight, events.  Where most kids danced awkwardly together (with the exception of the long-dating football and cheerleading couples), and the only drama occurred in the girls' bathroom when so-and-so came with a new girl on his arm only days after breaking up with another so-and -so.

Now schools have begun to more specifically identify obscene dancing, and it's been quite a revelation.  "Grinding" is definitely out, which is a sad thing to have to explain to kids, who obviously have been comfortable engaging in it.  In their own school's gym.

Perhaps what is more revealing that the casualness teens feel about sexuality (many feel fellatio is the new 'good night kiss'), is that is has been allowed to get to this point.

Again, at the risk of being labeled prehistoric, I don't accept the idea that "it's just what kids are doing these days."  If people believe that, it has only happened at the complete approval and acceptance of parents who want to remain 'friends' with their kids, and instead put them in greater peril.

It will never be OK in my house for my minor daughter to engage in sexual activity of any kind, or even imitate it in public.  If she wants to pole dance, she'll just have to wait to practice until she is over 18 and legally doesn't require my permission. If people want the best for their children, standards need to reflect that and it starts with something as simple as a dance.

Yes, I may end up in a museum, but I hope the plaque in front of me says "Cared enough to teach her child to respect herself and not to fall victim to popular progressive culture."

I learned Tuesday at 5pm of the Haiti earthquake, and as I knew 6 women from my parish were heading down to Haiti, my initial thoughts were for their safety.  I was grateful to learn that they were still here, their flight that was to leave early the next morning canceled.  Relief, but only momentarily.

They were to deliver supplies to our 'sister parish' in LaTabouliere, which is in the mountains.  No doubt that village was eagerly looking forward to the visit, as they always are, for the moral and practical support our parish in Hales Corners brings.  I am told they are all OK being separated they are from Port Au Prince by a one-hour plane ride, plus an additional bus trek up the mountain.

Yet my heart breaks to see the need, even though we have known this nation, in which 80% do not have electricity and 70% are illiterate, has suffered great need for decades.  I will agree with the President in this case:  the tragedy seems especially cruel given their hardships already endured.

As fragile as the buildings were that fell, so is their fledgling government, a republic in place only a few years.  That there has been no official statement from the capitol is equally distressing.  The concern is of course first to save the survivors trapped, bury the dead, and then ensure the fragile structure of order remains.

I've spent the better part of last year questioning my ill fortune, and wondering what it will take for things to improve.  The images I've seen in the last 24 hours shame me, with a young mother grateful to God that her children are still alive, even though she has little to nothing else and no certainty when help will come.

I pray that help truly arrives to all those who need it, no matter where they are or what their disaster is, and realize that gratitude is our anchor. Our own fragility is reason enough to believe that there certainly is one stronger in which to place our faith.

"Oh lespri sen desann soy nou; vin konble nou ak tout de bon K'ap fe tout de BonDye. Le ou avek nou ranj nou byen bel ou fe tout de byen Je`men nan nou menm."

(Oh Holy Spirit, descend upon us. Come mix us with all the goo that will make us resemble God. When you're with us, You make us beautiful. You make all that is good germinate in us.)

Perhaps unwittingly, I have been laughing death in the face. Or at least my age, which if you're a teenager like my daughter, they are one and the same.

I do not turn 45 until February, and for the most part my age has meant little to me.  It really is just a number.  But as I recall some of the last conversations I've had with similarly-aged peers, the topics have aged.  What hurts, to dye or not to dye (for the record, hell yes), and how to counsel our children on the hidden temptations of dating, alcohol and sex.

My response has been, now that I look back at it, to run and keep running.  Literally.  I started jogging about a year ago again in earnest, figuring I had the time.  Now I think it was a way to say "take that!" I figure I'm in better shape (at least in a cardio-vascular sense) than when I graduated from highschool. (I'll let you do the math on when that was.)

This fetish led to my taking a seasonal position with UPS as a driver helper.  I'm sure I did not fit the general demographic.  Most who 'live the big brown dream' are male and about 20 years younger.  However, with some twisted pride mixed into the need to make money, I lasted the season of hopping onto and off of a truck carrying packages in cold and slippery conditions. In fact, I was thrilled to know that most of those 20-somethings don't bother to come back after the second week.

I tuck that experience into my cap, along with every step I take on the treadmill these days, and realize, "hey I still got it!" Take that, 45, and many more to come!

I am so there. Ready to leave the 'aughts' or 'oughts', whatever they are called.  A decade that for most is remembered by great polarizing election division, 9/11, war and economic stress. Personally, it has been a decade of 5 jobs lost, 7 pets lost, several close relatives lost, and in general a lost feeling of where to turn next.

Normally, I long for a quiet evening on New Years eve, then realize my teenager may consider that a serious sign of depression, then decide last minute to attend a party where I start to wonder how soon after midnight is not considered impolite to leave.  This year of all years, I have been granted such a wish.  A peaceful last 1/2 hour to toast the few treasures brought to me in the last year, the last decade, alone with the only dog God has still granted me.

I have three vibrant nieces, brought to me through my brother's marriage to a lovely woman who has also been a great sister.  I also have the "00's" to thank for bringing me the highlights of my daughter's growth from a toddler to a teenager, and my golden retriever Ralph, who bowed out in the waning days of the decade.  I am grateful, make no mistake.

However, I share the general 'good riddance' that so many feel for a decade that has under-performed. And while I may say 'forget the last 10 years' I - like all the others -  have been indelibly shaped by them as I leave them behind.

I plan on tackling the 'teens' as a stronger person for having survived, a wiser person for the lessons I have learned, and a gentler person for the trials that have humbled me to my knees.

I ask our good Lord for blessings on all of us as the clock passes into 2010, a new year, a new decade and a new outlook.