How many people have heard the Transocean Ltd name thrown around with the BP oil spill, if I had to guess, not many. Transocean, the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor, provides the most versatile fleet of mobile offshore drilling units to all the different oil companies. Truth be told, it could have been anyone leasing this rig, but it happened to be BP when the failure occurred.

Many columns, blogs, TV shows etc are playing the blame game, seems if you listen to the media this disaster can be blamed on Bush or Obama, depending on what side of the fence you’re on. But let’s face it; we have a big problem on our hands. Placing blame on anyone at this point is ridiculous and a waste of resources.

I lived in the Gulf region for awhile, in fact I used to frequent some of the beaches that are now in danger, (all I can say is if Surfside beach gets ruined, I will fly off the handle). The one thing that always crossed my mind when watching these huge rigs were - how do they work? I have supplied maintenance material to companies similar to Transocean and had the opportunity to see what is involved in such a huge vessel. For those who don’t know, basically eight 7375 horsepower props along with GPS keep the floating rig over the well at all times. When I learned this, the first thing that crossed my mind was, seems like a ton of things have to go right for success and just a few things need to go wrong for failure. I’m not an engineer, but this kind of reminds me of the mentality of The White Star Company with the lack of life boats on the Titanic. I believe P.A.S. Franklin said “We place absolute confidence in the Titanic. We believe the boat is unsinkable.” But I did ask what happens during a hurricane? The response was we disconnect and move the rig to a safe place, but then I asked, what happens if it has to be done quickly, the response this time was, how quick?

I know we can’t engineer for every scenario, for every failure, but where and who decides when where we stop? We need oil right now, I know in a perfect world we would have alternatives to oil, but right now we don’t, to stop drilling would make no sense, our economy revolves around oil, but what we need to do know is first stop the oil being released into the gulf and try to come up with solutions so this does not happen again. As I’m sitting here writing this, I have read many articles and opinions on who’s fault this is, but I am hard-pressed to find anyone offering solutions or suggestions to keep this from happening again. Let’s try to figure out what to do next and leave the blame game to the attorneys. To boycott BP or any other oil company just does not make sense, don’t be a pawn in a game you don’t understand.

Since I was very young I have heard all the stories and history surrounding Rainbow Springs Resort.  Some may recall the name Francis Schrodel and know of all the good he did in the area. He developed many properties but his shining jewel would have been Rainbow Springs.  Sadly he never saw it open and in fact this started the base for the haunted house that use to draw in thousands every October.

The golf course itself has seen times of up and downs but overall has continued to put out a great product and work with its surrounding environments. Over the last ten years, I have heard the rumors of a possible sale of the property to various developers, casinos and finally to the DNR.  I can’t help but be scared off by the last choice. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the DNR has good intentions, but as we have seen many times in the past the DNR seems to make quick, off the cuff decisions with out thinking about the long term effects.  I just read a few passages of a book, "How the DNR Stole Wisconsin," by Richard Moore, and I think everyone should at least read it as a quick reminder that just because it’s a government agency they are not always out for the best interest of the general public. In fact as I was writing this article, the local news was reporting on the DNR being investigated for illegally hunting over baited fields, “DNR Wardens in Waupaca County are accused of illegally hunting Canada geese and ducks.  One Warden even wrote himself a ticket for the crime. Still, despite evidence from the US Fish and Wildlife Service investigation, the case was dropped.”  It looks like the DNR and the Feds get to follow different rules then the rest of us.

But anyway, back to Rainbow, the DNR now has control of the 970 acre parcel and is trying to decide what to do with it.  I have heard rumors that they might rebuild the river so it can be past by boat but at any rate, a golf course is not in its future.  According to Kettle Moraine Forest Superintendent Paul Sandgren, the funds used to buy the property can’t be used for a golf course and would need to be paid back if this is what the people want. I find this ironic since no one asked the people if they wanted to use their tax dollars to maintain this property and loose the tax base if this property was giving to the state.

In my eyes, the easiest solution would be out of the 970 acres that would be used for a golf course, put a value on it, and have the course pay back the fund. I think it would be great, that if for once, we can have a state agency working with the people of the community to make a profit instead of placing more tax burden on them for the benefit of what a few, in-control (DNR) people “think” is best for us.

36 hours have gone by and President Obama signs the health care bill. To be honest I have no idea what he signed, and I have a feeling not many people do, including the people that voted for it. I found this clip of when then elect Obama promised that he would wait 5 days before he signed any bill so that the American people could read what was involved.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2010/03/23/flashback_obama_promises_public_5_days_to_view_bills_before_he_signs_them.html

I really do think its time to put an end to this type of politics; we have reverted back to the style of government that our fore fathers swore against. I had to post the opening paragraph United States Declaration of Independence; I truly do believe it applies more today then it did when it was written especially after the last 36 hours.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

It’s time to have our government work for us, its time to put an end to the “politics as usual” frame of mind. I’m 37 years old, and I’m sick of listening to all the fighting within the parties, I’m embarrassed to be associated with either party or to be considered a liberal or conservative. I’m embarrassed for some of the other people who blog on this site in the way they fight with each other, I’m tired of reading the paper, watching news shows, listening to news radio to hear most of the conversation come down to I’m right and you’re  wrong.

It’s time to stop following our leaders off these cliffs they are taking us, we need new leaders, new governments and a new way of doing business in this country. If we keep following down the path we are headed we will fail as a society, if history teaches us anything, we know that history repeats itself, and we are making all the same mistakes again that brought us to this once great land.

In the March 2, 2010 of the Mukwonago Chief  reporter Amy Nixon wrote a story titled, “The end of the Indians?”   I knew before I even read it what was going to be said in this article. It seems that every few years someone decides in this politically correct world that a Mascot that has been around for many years is now is offending some. The article mentions a high school senior, Rain Koepke and Rep. Jim Soletski (D-Green Bay), Koepke would like to see the end of the mascot and logo, and Soletski has introduced a bill that would fine the school districts if they find the logos and mascots discriminate or amount to harassment or stereotyping.

I don’t get it; Mukwonago was originally a Native American village, settled thru Potawatomi Indians. The name "Mukwonago" is derived from "mequanego" which translates to place of the bear. Heck there might even be a few statues out there in town that say this. Does this mean we need to change the name of our towns, villages, counties here in Wisconsin to make sure we are not offending anyone? I know that sounds silly but to me saying we are taking anything away from anyone with Indian decent because of a likeness that is used in high school logo is ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong history has taught us of many mistakes man has made with different cultures and heritages, but to blame anyone of not understanding or of being intolerant to others does not hold up. I’m Irish Catholic, and if I were to ask all of you to stop getting drunk and eating corn beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day I would guess many of you would tell me where to go. So Rain, no offense but I hope you don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day.

I know there is no end to doing good in the world, especially when it comes to being politically correct, but I would urge for the people of Mukwonago to take a stand on this, tell Rep. Jim Soletski that trying to bully the people of Mukwonago with 1000 dollar per day fines is unacceptable, and if you do get Jim on the phone, kindly ask him where this fine money would go from these fines.

 State Representative Jim Soletski

          88th Assembly District

          Madison Office: Room 307 West State Capitol

          P.O. Box 8953 Madison, WI 53708

          Telephone: (608) 266-0485

          Toll-Free: (888) 534-0088

          Email: Rep.Soletski@legis.wisconsin.gov

The other day I was out shopping at one of the big box stores in town and ran into my first boss as a kid. Since then, he was forced out of that business and has had to work for the larger companies just to stay a float. Ironically we sat there and talked about how crappy most of the stores are run these days. He also mentioned that if he could just take a few isles of that store he could make it so much better with just adding and subtracting a few things and adding a large amount of customer service. And I could not agree more with his logic.

Our conversation left me a bit angry and a bit sad that so many of our local business have left us. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of a capitalistic society, but in the end I truly do believe that if you do not have a vested interest in the community, you run your business differently.

As I’m typing a way at my computer this morning, I can’t help think about all the business that have disappeared in Mukwonago since I was a kid, Hill’s department store, Horn Hardware, Sentry , McAdams foods, the list keeps going on. The one thing so many of these businesses had that you loose with the big box stores or a franchise is customer service.

To be honest I’m sick of giving my money to large corporations, I would rather spend a bit more and keep it local. During the State of Union Address our president said he feels that if we can increase exporting that will help our economy. After giving this some thought I have to disagree, I think we need to put a cap on importing. If I have a product and I want to start a factory here in the US, how am I going to compete with the large retailers that are importing my same product for half the price? And I doubt I will be able to export it either.

If we truly want to get back making our own products here in the States, we need to spend and keep our money local, not send it overseas.

So I would like to use this blog today for people all over our community to give a shout out to a business here that has given great service and has had an impact on you or your community.

I think its important to start out by saying I doubt anyone from the left  or the  right wants to see Grandpa and Grandma sitting on the corner gasping for their last breath because they did not have adequate health care. Unfortunately when it comes to politics and selling an idea, scaring the heck out of someone gets great results.

But before we try to fix the issue we need to find the underlying problem, and when it comes to healthcare, it’s a mess. First and foremost there is just too many people taking out of the system then putting in. And no, this has nothing to do with how much money you have or what kind of insurance you have, but more of a baby boomer issue. Let’s face it, a good majority of those who fall into the baby boomer category are getting up there in age and they need health care. Unfortunately once again social programs of the past did not do the best job of planning for this, I’m sure I will get all kinds of emails stating how the evil republicans borrowed from the system and how all the crazy democrats want to give health care to everyone but that’s not the problem. It’s just a numbers game, more people are taking out of the system them putting in.

So how do you fix it? Not sure unless you start all over, and I’m sure most of you will say that this is impossible, and you might be right, but putting a Band-Aid on a cut that needs stitches does not work, or at least not for long. If I could make a change, this is what I would do, first how about let the government run a medical school. A school where anyone could attend as long as they could keep up, and where people who could not afford health care could go for free. Make it mandatory that all doctors and nurses go thru this system before they go into the private sector. This school would be funded by the social programs that exist today. I would stop law suits against our doctors and nurses, I doubt Doctor Brown wakes up in the morning with the notion of hurting anyone, but he has to keep incredible amounts of insurance to protect him and we have  lawyers that know just how to get it. So to keep the doctors honest I would put in place a three strike rule, after that, I get your license, because in the end , if these people go thru so much training and schooling to get where they are, to keep a license should be rather easy if they are any good. Let’s face it, most airline pilots make it thru their whole careers without making a catastrophic mistake.

So this is more of discussion on what I would do to fix the problem, who cares how we got here, let’s just fix what we can. So that’s where I would start, where would you?

I had been reading blogs and articles all over the country and soon realized that the majority of the country is stuck somewhere between who is right and who is wrong, Democrat vs. Republican, Liberal vs. Conservative.

To be honest, I am tired of listening. There comes a point when we have to look at our leaders politically, financially and spiritually and stop allowing them to lead us down the road we are headed.

Not sure how many of you noticed, but our country is a wreck, and we are repeating all the same mistakes over and over and we are not getting anywhere. This isn't because we don't have some of the brightest people in the world working on our problems; it's because of the egos and the fighting.