Can't shake off this irritating cough.

Image by TotoVo via FlickrMay have to go back to my doctor again but there is probably nothing he can do about this deep cough.  It just will not go away although my throat is not sore.  I suspect it will not go away until I am able to get out in the hot sun again.

Results for the colonoscopy turned out fairly good.  Smaller intestine is just inflamed a little.  This is very encouraging after all of the dire consequences the doctors were discussing with me.  I think they just threatened me with the possibility of a perforated intestine so I would expedite the date of the procedure.  I would have done the same thing in their place.  They may modify my medicines and diet a little.

Where is Global Warming when you need it?

Image via WikipediaWhy does it have to stay cold when the calender says its spring?  I want to start planting my container garden but its too cold to even go outside.  Don't tell Judy, but I have hidden a couple of chive containers inside our apartment to start them.  Can't Al Gore reinvent Global Warming?  He invented the internet so warming up Wisconsin a little bit shouldn't be that much of a trick for him.

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Google documents free drawing feature works for gardens.

Image by narniabound via FlickrI like to sketch my container garden out on paper before I plant everything but this year I used Google documents drawing feature to make a sketch.  It does a nice job, its easy and its free.

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New reader from Kenya on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from Kenya on my blog.  Welcome Kenya!

I was listening to Charlie Sykes on radio.

Charlie Sykes appears to enjoy demeaning people who receive any type of aid from the government.  I think this is fundamentally cruel and is not compatible with Christian values. Many conservatives appear to have this attitude.

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Nuclear or Coal power is still needed.

Image via WikipediaNuclear power will be needed to power our cities unless we are willing to use Coal power plants on a larger scale.  Only these two sources of power have the capability to generate enough power to handle the electrical needs of the world.  Solar, Wind, Geothermal and other types of renewable power sources are incapable of generating enough power although they can be useful as a partial source of our electricity in limited areas.

We should try to reduce the risks of any type of large system such as Nuclear power but it is impossible to eliminate all risk when natural events such as large earthquakes or Tsunami's can occur.  The Nuclear tragedy that occurred in Japan can happen in the United States and anyone who deny's that is foolish or telling you a lie.  If the United States is unwilling to give up electricity to all of its citizens, we will by using either nuclear or coal for at least a hundred  years.

We need to retrofit or replace all of our nuclear plants that are not rated for the earthquake zone they are in.  Larger modernized nuclear plants should be built at the site of existing nuclear plants when they become obsolete if these sites are geologically safe.  Building on existing sites is more politically expedient than building at any other location.  Larger modern nuclear plants do not have any more risk than old small plants and they would be able to generate more electricity in the same area.

Coal plants should not be expanded unless a way is found to deal with the Carbon Dioxide they generate.  This may not be impossible in the future but nobody is doing it right now.

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The police officers in Fond Du Lac, WI have my sympathy.

The families of the killed and wounded police officers in Fond Du Lac have my sympathy and prayers.  I hope nothing like this tragedy ever happens there again.

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New Colonoscopy Prep at Froedtert is not as bad as the old one.

I have to have a Colonoscopy quite frequently because of Crohn's disease so anything that makes it a little easier is welcome.  They are using a combination of ducalax followed by Miralax mixed with Gator aid. If you don't throw up the 64 ounces of mixture and you can choke it all down, its not such a bad prep. The old prep was pretty bad but I really can't complain because there are many people without health insurance who can't afford the medical care they need.

New reader from Ghana on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from Ghana on my blog.  Welcome Ghana!

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Governor Walker has increased funding for funerals for the poor.

Image via WikipediaGovernor Walker has increased funding for funerals for the poor and people on Medicaid.  This is a well needed increase and just in time.  Scott's health insurance cuts will surely produce a need for these funeral costs.  I hope that Governor Walker will not have to raise taxes to cover his extravagant plans.

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Fish kill in Milwaukee rivers.

Image via WikipediaThere was a large fish kill in the rivers near Milwaukee.  Normally I would suspect some type of natural geologic activity and try to raise a general panic on this blog, however, this fish kill is different because it is completely isolated to one species of fish with unique physiology.  I tend to doubt that this fish kill has anything to do with geologic activity.

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New reader from France on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from France on my blog.  Welcome France!

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Obama is right on Libya.

Image via WikipediaThe current government in Libya has got to go.  Limited military action by the world community to achieve that goal is justified.  The United States should try to get as many Arab countries as possible involved with this military action so that this action is not perceived as  the U.S. and Europe imposing their values on an Arab country.  Senator John McCain said that "the only thing Gadhafi understands is blood and steel".   Senator McCain is right and we should all prayer that any military action achieves a good objective with the minimum of human suffering.  We need to be involved to insure any new resulting government does not turn the country into a safe haven for terrorists.

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I am watching the World News Polka!

Image by Darwin Bell via FlickrPolka music should be on television more.

New reader from Malaysia on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from Malaysia on my blog.  Welcome Malaysia!

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I am in favor of school vouchers.

Image via WikipediaI think that school vouchers are a good idea.  The current school system in Milwaukee is simply bad and giving it more money will not fix the problem.  Giving students and parents the choice to go to any school of their choosing would improve education and is fair to everyone.  Private schools funded by public vouchers would cost the taxpayer less and produce a superior student by any measurement.  I believe people would stand in line to get vouchers and it would reduce the dangers inherent in the current Milwaukee Public School system to students.

Madison Senate Republican's changed their mind about punishing the Democrats.

Image via WikipediaMadison Senate Republican's decided against fining the Democrats and making their votes not count.  How disappointing.  It would have been more honest for the Republicans to stay true to their word and carried out their punitive threats.  Why would they want to change their mind if they were right in the first place?  Could it be that they actually realized how their actions look to the public?  Maybe there is hope for the Republican party's continued existence if they can cover up their true attitude on issues.

If Governor Walker would have made a threat, he would have carried it through despite any public opposition because he is at least true to his word even when he looks like a jerk.  The Senate Republicans should be honest like Governor Walker.

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Madison Republican's should learn to work and play well with others.

Image by wallyg via FlickrNow the Senate Republican's are holding the Democrats in contempt and not allowing them to vote.  Maybe they never went to kindergarten where we all learned to work and play well with other people.  Must be why they don't see the value in funding education, they are missing the basic kindergarten fundamentals.  The Democrats are not the ones who look like a Jackass in Madison.  Thank God for the recall election laws we have in Wisconsin.  It prevents this kind of abuse of power over a minority by the majority from going unchecked. Maybe the Republicans should just have those disobedient Democrats tarred and feathered to put them in their place.

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Lowes has a plastic patio garden container that is pretty sharp.

Image via WikipediaI splurged and bought a self-watering plastic patio garden container at Lowes.  It seems like it will work well for things like tomatoes and peppers. It even has wheels!  The price was right. The directions recommended adding a little dolomite to the potting soil so I am going to try that.  I think it will grow about 4 tomato plants in the one container. When I was young we had a large garden and I would just about overdose on tomatoes, cukes and strawberry s.

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New reader from Greece on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from Greece on my blog.  Welcome Greece!   We have  some friends who are Greek.

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New reader from Indonesia on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from Indonesia on my blog.  Welcome Indonesia!

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Glad to see that the farmers are going to protest in Madison.

Image by thelastminute via FlickrMy wife and I may both lose our health insurance thanks to our new Governor so it makes me happy to see that the farmers of Wisconsin are going to protest against Governor Walkers kind hearted actions.  Farmers will also be affected by the Governor's inhumane plans so perhaps the Republican legislators may decide not to blindly follow their tyrannical leader.  I wonder if Scott knows what a tractor looks like. Where and when do we get to sign those recall petitions?

Nuclear power is still needed even with the disaster in Japan.

Image via WikipediaThe world needs large amounts of electricity to supply our current population.  Solar, wind, tidal, etc just can't generate enough power to get that job done.  Only nuclear power can get the job done.  Japan was hit by a 8.9 earthquake and the whole country shifted by 6 feet so it is inevitable that people are going to die from many causes and all of those causes are terrible.

We should modernize and build new nuclear power plants in the safest areas possible because they are a necessary risk.  Everything in life is subject to chance and time.  We need nuclear power unless we are willing to live without any electricity in our cities.

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New reader from India on Glenn's blog!

Image via WikipediaThere is a new reader from India on my blog.  Welcome India!

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Denying anyone health care is a sin.

Image via WikipediaShould a Christian let people suffer when they have the power to help them?  I don't believe that anyone who has a personal relationship with Jesus can deny someone health care.  Simply read the parable of the Good Samaritan and do what it says.  The Good Samaritan paid the Innkeeper to take care of the wounded man while the Samaritan attended to other business.

Obama's health plan may have flaws but its closer to what Jesus said than anything I have heard any Republican say.  I hope Scott Walker's shenanigans have created a wedge issue that will allow President Obama to be re-elected because everyone needs health care. Someone said that "God works in mysterious ways" so perhaps God will answer my prayer that this country has some type of health care for all of its citizens.  Maybe if enough Republican Politicians really knew who God was they would have done something to solve this issue long ago.

The Republican party will fail unless it addresses the real problems that people have in a Christian manner.  A hidden agenda of Eliminating health insurance, Deporting hard-working Mexicans, Busting Unions, Supporting subtle Racism and eliminating people's rights may work well in Libya but the United States is not a dictatorship as our Governor will find out on his recall election day.  Democrats are not any better but I will get to their issues on another day.

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New reader from Australia on Glenn's blog on this tragic earthquake day.

Image via WikipediaThe Tsunami makes this a tragic day but I would like to still welcome a new reader from Australia on my blog.  Australia has been having flooding and other problems.  I do not know if this Tsunami effects them directly in a physical way.

8.9 Earthquake/Tsunami in Japan

Image by IFRC via FlickrTerrible human suffering and death in Japan from the earthquake.  Japan was smart and has prepared for earthquakes in their building codes and alarm systems for Tsunami so they may have minimized the damage as much as humanly possible.  We should of course provide them with any help we can.  My prayers are with them.

The United States should learn a lesson from Japan's current tragedy.  The Madrid fault line runs near the middle of our country and the United States does not take it very seriously.  Our building codes need to be upgraded to equal Japans and major structures need to be retrofitted for protection.  Medical capabilities and emergency water supplies need to be upgraded to handle earthquake victims from existing structures.  Japan's nuclear plants shut down safely but I wonder if our old plants have the same design.  Instead of wasting money on legal fees for political arguments, the Republicans and Democrats should be looking at these types of contingencies.