Cats on the internet

We have a wonderful neighbor named Mary Ann.  She gave Tabby a Disney Princess guide that, since she got it, we have read every night.  In the Jasmine chapter it says the Jasmine didn't want to "marry a silly, dull prince".  When Tabby remarked on it I asked her, "Do you want to marry a silly, dull prince?"

"No," she answered, "a handsome one.  A handsome, fuzzy, soft one like you."

Yay, fuzzy soft Dads . . . but that's not actually what I'm writing about.

On Saturday we went to Sheboygan to visit Jack.  I mean, Jack was there.  We actually went to meet his cats, Kit and Mordecai.  Mordecai is Jack's cat and Kit is his roomate, Justin's.  They are adorable.  Visiting them reinforced that there is no way we could own one.  They were bothering Becky immediately and within the first 1/2 hour she was having trouble breathing.  Somehow I seem to have contracted Becky's allergy, too.  By the time we'd been there a couple hours, I could feel it in my lungs.

Our kids loved them, though.  They all played with the cats a bunch and had a great time.  The boys played video games for a while, we ate lunch then went to McDonald's for dessert.  Justin joined us for lunch and McD's.  Tabby just adored him, hung on him, insisted on having the same dessert he did.  It was very nice visit.

Wrap up

The overall impression I got from the rest of the debates was that, sure enough, we have politicians running for the nation's highest office.  I don't think any of them are dishonest, as portrayed by their opponents.  Well, maybe Paul Ryan is.  Or maybe I just think that because I really don't like him.  However, what they all repeatedly demonstrated is that they will cherry pick statistics and anecdotal cases to support their views.  That's not a good way to make a strong logical argument, but strong logical arguments are not really what politicians do anyway.  They want to present us with a vision of what they hope to accomplish.  Preferably, a vision that distinguishes them from their opponents, but most importantly a vision that will attract a majority of voters.

Personally, I think that's awesome.  I don't agree with the negative stigma attached to being a politician.  It is irritating to hear candidates run on the "I'm not a politician" platform.  Really?  Not a politician?  Are you sure you want us to hire you to do a politician's job?  As if somehow "businessman" will do a better job at running the country?  I can't imagine anyone accepting the converse - that perhaps a politician would do a better job running a company than someone with business expertise.  That's absurd.  As an aside, it's the primary reason I don't support term limits.  Can you imagine being required to change professions after you've finally been in it long enough to become an expert?

So anyway, in my opinion the debates did exactly what they needed to do.  They presented us with a vision.  Winners & losers?  Hard to call and probably influenced by subjective political beliefs anyway.  What's important is that at the end of the debates, regardless of specific details about whatever plans the various candidates could propose we know basically the direction they're going on any issue.

Well, that and the debates were fun to watch.  More combative.  I understand that turns a lot of people off who would prefer to see a civil exchange of ideas.  You know what though?  This is a high stakes contest that is so much larger than just the two men on the stage.  The candidates had better be willing to go to the mat for it.  They each have of millions of supporters counting on them.

I've got to admit I mostly watch the debates for entertainment value.  That's why I went to hear Joe Biden speak, why I went to see the President Thursday when he was here at Austin Straubel Airport.  When my Mom was up she asked if I planned to go to any of the Republican events or hear any of the Republican candidates speak.  "Why?" I asked.  "Because you're a smart open minded individual who wants to know what they have to say," she answered.  Well, yeah, okay.  I like to think that about myself, too.  The thing is, I already know what they have to say.  Nothing any of the candidates said in any of the debates was a surprise.  At least not if you've been following them for any period of time.  I can't imagine they'd say anything I don't know about them at a rally event.  But it's fun to watch, man.  Big picture democracy in action.  They're good speakers (something politicians have to be and businessmen don't, btw) and good speakers are wonderful to listen to.  Unless what they say is sending your blood pressure through the roof.  So yeah, I'll continue to stay away from Republican events.

What this election comes down to for me is two big issues.

(1) Obamacare.  I like Obamacare.  There may have been a time when adequate health care was a luxury, but we've come farther than that. One of the tag lines from Obama's first big DNC speech, like 8 years ago now, that really touched me was something along the lines of "It is a shame that in richest, most technologically advanced country in the history of the world people die because they can't get a pill they need.  That's unacceptable."

I'm willing to believe Obamacare has flaws.  I mean, it's legislation crafted by imperfect people compromising among each other to get something done.  Obamacare moves us in the right direction, though.  It can be modified as needed by future legislation.  Within a market based system, I think it's about as good a solution to health care access as we're going to get.

It drives me absolutely bonkers to hear it portrayed as a government take over of health care.  Hogwash.  In fact, early in Clinton's administration when he was tackling health care reform and people were really concerned that a government take over was on the table, it was Republicans who proposed the individual mandate that is central to Obamacare.  "We want health care coverage to remain in the market place, so let's just require everyone, by law, to participate in that market place and buy insurance."  At the time it was Democrats who shot it down.  "Are you serious?  Give insurance companies carte blanche to hike rates as high as they want!?  No way."

Turns out that it really can be done in the market place as long as there are good, reasonable regulations in place.  It's what Romeny did as Governor.  It's kind of funny to hear him go back and forth now on Obamacare being either an offensive government take over of health care or just a good idea that's more appropriate to implement at the state level.  Politician, you know.  Nothing wrong with the equivocation.  The details of how his various statements fit together are less important than the overall vision.  He wants to repeal Obamacare.

(2) Iran.  Above all else I want to not go to war in Iran.  I mean, I've got 3 sons age 13, 15 and 19.  Our military has been through the ringer for a decade now.  How unreasonable is it to worry about a draft?  But you know, even if there is not a draft, every young man considers the military as an option.  At least every young man in America that I've known has considered it and most of them at least talked to recruiters.  I did.  Jackson did.  I will be surprised if Sam and Ben don't.  I have real mixed feelings about that.  I mean, I would be incredibly proud of my sons if they became soldiers.  However, as a parent, it would be a nerve wracking choice to watch them make even if the country were at peace.

Regarding Iran though.  Both presidential candidates say the right things they have to say about war being on the table, but being a last option to deal with the threat of a nuclear armed Iran.  However, we have seen how Obama approaches international issues for four years now.  I think it's the right way.  I've read it described as "leading from behind".  He builds coalitions of international allies acting together on common interests.  I trust that Obama really will resort to war with Iran only as a final option.  Just as importantly, if it does come to that, we will have a broad range of international support.

I can't say that about Romney.  It bothers me that he's hired many of the same advisors Bush had when he took us into Iraq.  I worry that the Project for a New American Century people haven't given up on their regional hegemonies vision and they've just adjusted in the Middle East.  "Iraq hasn't turned out like we hoped. Maybe we should try Iran."  Whenever Romney talks about Iran I hear the same drumbeat Bush was sounding as he built up popular opinion against Iraq.  Maybe Romney really is serious about avoiding war with Iran if at all possible.  But I trust Obama to do a better job at it.

My Dad and I actually have a bet riding on Iran.  He thinks we'll be at war there within a year of the election regardless of who's elected.  I think we will be if Romney is elected, but not Obama.  I guess it's not entirely clear how the bet will play out in a situation like what if Romney is elected and we don't go to war . . . but the important thing is that next time my Dad and I get together we're going out for a steak dinner.  We'll figure out who pays for it later.

So anyway.  It's pretty clear that with those two issues being most important for me, Obama is my candidate.

Big News

I had intended to write an entry about my impressions of the rest of the presidential debates. But I heard some astounding news today. Bigger than politics.


There's a new Disney Princess. I'm not talking about Sofia. That wasn't really astounding. That was just the Disney machine chugging away. No, this is bigger even than cartoon racial demographics.
Meet the new Disney Princess:

I mean, I guess the news I heard wasn't really about Leia becoming a Disney princess. That's just the first thing I thought of when I heard Disney bought LucasFilm. You know, being Daddy to a five year old, Disney Princess infatuated little girl.

Sherwood Forest

Earlier this week Becky took Tabby to Sherwood Forest (a local park) to feed ducks.  Well, I mean, they did feed ducks there . . . but I guess what they actually went to do was take pictures.

 

 

Of course, other people visit the park, too. 

After Sherwood Forest, they went across the street to Smith Park, where there's a playground.  With a teeter totter.

My Mom and Dad's Visit

Two weeks ago my parents came up and spent a few days here.  It was great.  Becky's parents joined us for a drive up to door county where we visited a tourist trap, a lighthouse and a picturesque cemetery.  We watched Once Upon a Time, Dancing with the Stars and a Presidential debate.  Becky took them to the Outlet Mall in Osh Kosh.  They got to go read stories in Tabby's Kindergarten class.  We immensely enjoyed just spending time together.

Best of all, of course, Becky got pictures.

 

 

 

The weekend after my parents left, Becky and I drove up to a park we'd driven past with them in Door County.  Becky figured she might be able to get some nice sunset shots there.  And yes, yes she did.

Mitt Wins!

This debate. At least, he won the "debate" portion of it. I mean, he didn't convince me to vote for him, but he gave the better presentation last night. I've got to admit I missed a good chunk of the debate while putting Tabby to bed, but I imagine he did as well during that portion I missed.


My overall impression is that, sure enough, we have two politicians running for president. But at least they both seem competent.

Romney had a good point that he really can't give the level of detail everyone expects him to. The president's role is to establish broad principles and then legislators hammer out the details. I still like President Obama's broad principles better.

I missed Dancing with the Stars for this!?

Honestly, it was an exciting game to watch. Despite Seattle totally dominating the first half. Pushed the Packers around like it was nothing. I seriously got sick of how gleefully the announcers talked about how awesome Seattle is and this is what we can expect from them all year and isn't it great how they can demonstrate it against the Pack that was supposed to be so good. At least the Packer D played well enough to limit Seattle to a single TD. Did the announcers bother to point that out? How despite the Seattle Defense manhandling GB so thoroughly, they were held to only 7 points in the half? Ha!


Then the Packers came out with a revised game plan second half. Instead of passing every down, they mixed in a healthy dose of run plays. Maintained forward progress, got a first down every few plays. No big plays. Nope, none. But more important than anything else, kept our offense on the field. Turns out it's a lot easier to see how good Green Bay's defense is when the opposing offense never hits the field. 3 and out 75% of the time has a bigger impact when you take the field 4 times than it does when you take the field 16.

Or something like that. Point is, Green Bay controlled the game indisputably the second half. Held the ball, like, 25 minutes. Scored two field goals. Then a TD. Missed the 2 point conversion, but took a 12-7 lead.

Intense, exciting come back. Especially, remember, after Seattle had spent the first half demonstrating what a great team they were. And they were still ground down by Green Bay in the long game.

Then came the final drive. Less than 2 mins left on the clock. Green Bay had just kicked the ball back far enough that Seattle had a long field in front of them. And they began marching down it. Moved the ball further that drive than they had the whole 2nd half. Got a couple first downs. Got as far as their own 40 yard line before Green Bay stuffed them. Hard. Forced a long pass on 3rd and 32(!). Seattle put the ball up, heading straight for a receiver being dogged closely by a GB defender. The defender won the fight to get between the ball and the receiver, had a great chance to intercept it, so the receiver wrapped up the GB defender and the ball bounced off his hands, pass broken up. The officials could have, and looking at the replays should have, called offensive pass interference on Seattle. But OPI is rarely called, right? No one really expects it, even when the foul is that blatant.

But what no one really expected was when the official called pass interference against Green Bay! Seriously?! Seattle's player had Green Bay's wrapped up in a bear hug? And the Packers get the pass interference penalty? Yep. A 38 yard penalty for a Seattle first down. Bringing them into field goal range.

Now . . the game had been plagued by bad calls. I understand all the games have been so far this year. And probably both teams had benefitted from bad calls over the course of the game. It would probably be pointless to try and figure out who benefitted most. You just laugh, shrug and play on, right? What was clear, painfully clear, was that no call in the game had been that absurdly wrong.

Not yet anyway.

Green Bay held Seattle again. With 8 seconds left in the game they were still over 30 yards out of the end zone needing a TD to win. Last play of the game, a few players from both teams skirmish around the QB, but most of both teams sprinted to the end zone and waited for the Hail Mary. It came to the back left corner, two Seattle receivers in the area, four Packers. The defenders surrounded one receiver, totally cutting the second off from the ball. The surrounded receiver hauls off with a violent shove of one defender. I mean, not even remotely defensible as "bumping", but blantantly violent enough to legitimately disqualify him as a legal receiver. Everyone jumped for the ball. Green Bay intercepted it. As the intercepting player came down, Seattle's receiver reached in and tried to rip the ball out of his hands. Both players hit the ground hanging on to the ball, a scrum ensued, when it cleared, Green Bay still had the ball. Two officials were standing right there. One signaled an interception for Green Bay, the other (senior) official a fair catch and touchdown for Seattle.

The play was reviewed. Watching the replay, maybe you could the make the case that as fast as everything happened, maybe it looked like both players simultaneously got hands on the ball, in which case it would go to Seattle.. In slow motion, it becomes apparent that is not really the case, though. And yet they let call on the field stand.

Oh man. I do understand that sometimes games are decided by bad officiating. And when it happens, we should consider that it's not just a bad call that won the game for Seattle. They played extremely well the first half and because of that were in a position where one touchdown would win them the game. But man, I have never seen any calls as bad as those last two of the game. I mean, this is a perfect example of why good officiating matters. The NFL needs to get its scabs off the field and put real officials back in charge.

Pictures!

 

Last weekend was the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival held in Cable, WI each year.  Becky's Dad has ridden in it every years since the beginning.  He has, in fact, become its poster boy.  Literally.

 

 



 

 

 

 

That picture of Bob taking the corner at the start of the race in 1983 was on a huge banner at the race, on towels, shirts, glasses.

 

Every year he rents a cabin on Lake Delta and takes his family up there.  Mike races with him.  Everyone else watches, spends the day shopping in Cable and plays on the Lake.  It's great fun.

 

Before I get to the pictures Becky took, though, I found a few I'd missed from our Labor Day visit to Sheboygan.

 

 

And there are a few I never got around to posting that Becky took of Ben.

And a nice one Becky took of the Bay.

 

The Cabin Bob rents is at a place called Delta Lodge.  It's on a very picturesque little lake with some nice docks and boats.

 

 

They have some Kayaks that are just a blast.



 

 

Tabby and I watched for fish in the lily pads.  And saw some!  We stayed out in the Kayaks until late one night to watch the bats come in over the lake.  Dozens of them diving all around the water.  No pictures, but it was pretty cool.

 

 Of course, the whole reason we go is the race right?  We were at the finish line to watch Bob come in.  Mike came in about 15 mins later, having gotten a 20-25 minute late start due to a mechanical problem at the starting line.

 

 

I've got to share a photo disappointment.

 

 

 

Becky and I went out driving looking for pictures.  She took some nice ones of scenery.  Then, coming around a corner, about 50 feet down the road, we saw a black bear in the road with her cub.  And the camery was still set up for the landscape/nature scenery photos Becky had been taking.  She quickly got the camera up anyway while the mama bear watched us for a second.  Then the bear dropped to all fours and continued across the road.  And 3 more cubs bounded out of the woods to join Mama and the first dashing into the woods.

 

Becky was kicking herself about not getting a good picture, but man, it was still awesome.

 

On the way home Sunday morning we stopped by Copper Falls and hiked a very nice trail along a river flowing through some cool rock formations making some pretty spectacular falls.