Koz's Mini-bowl

My Daughter-in-law invited me to join her at a south side Milwaukee restaurant to celebrate my Son’s birthday.  The dinner at the restaurant was wonderful; we used the menu to order a series of small plates and turned it into a tapas place.  The restaurant specializes in fresh Wisconsin ingredients and the only deviation was a Spanish Tempranillo wine we drank.  Afterwards we had a beer at a great beer bar and then met some of their friends at Koz’s Mini-bowl.

Koz’s is a Milwaukee classic, though it was my first time there.  How was it my first time?  I don’t know, but I’m glad to have “found” it after so many years.  Koz’s features duckpin bowling which is a miniature version of the real game.  The lanes are 17 feet in length, the pins proportionally smaller and the balls about the size of a grapefruit, with no holes.  The game is scored the same.  Pins are reset by real people, like the larger game years ago.

Koz’s has been around for almost a century and was rumored to be a speak-easy during prohibition.  Later it was rumored to be a house of prostitution and the four lanes were added to provide the clients an excuse to give their wives.  Whether any of that is true doesn’t matter.  The place hasn’t changed in many years.  The feature beer is Pabst Blue Ribbon, which happened to be the beer of choice in Milwaukee during my early drinking years.  It is nice to see a place dedicate its beer list to this classic.  The only thing reasonably modern is the music play list.

The group we bowled with was fun and good duckpin bowlers.  This group grew up with computerized scoring and automation that kept the game in order.  Only three of us knew how to keep score manually and there was confusion all night as people bowled on the wrong lane and out of order, but that just added to the fun.

A partially stuffed lion keeps guard in the bar.  I say partially stuff, because only the head and upper body have material inside the carcass and the back end hide hangs off of a liquor cabinet.  It provides a strange and creepy look, but doesn’t cause anyone to slow down their consumption of PBR.

My high game was 266 and I now desire to get my name on the Koz’s 300 club poster, so a return visit is in the cards.  I’m glad my Daughter-in-law and Son helped me to "find" Koz’s. Check out the Youtube video below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpsqMhfLKp0

 

My Running

I have enjoyed running for a number of years.  As a child I was a sprinter; built for speed and not too interested in running long distances.  My Father and Brother both ran cross country in High School and continued running through adulthood. 

This past Saturday I ran a 5K race to support research for a cure for Ovarian Cancer.  This disease took the life of my late wife in 2008.  I participated in the first event by the local Ovarian Cancer group in 2006, with friends and family.  In 2007 I ran the 5K race with my Daughter-in-law and ran a decent time, finishing 3^rd place for my age group.   We ran the race again in 2008, which had become a much larger event and hosted by the local runner group.  More than 600 runners participated in this race.  This year the race was smaller and was part road course and part cross country, with the course running through a wooded area.

I finished 3^rd again for my age group, though I ran more than 3 minutes slower than 2007.  In all of the races I finished in the top half of the total field-this year I finished 79 out of 166.   After the 2008 race, I had significant pain in my left leg while running.  After about a year of pain, my doctor took x-rays and declared me fit to run.  The pain persisted and I took the x-rays to a sports orthopaedic doctor who suggested my doctor missed that I clearly had three stress fractures, and had never given them the chance to heal.  The doctor asked why I continued to run with significant pain, and I didn’t have a good answer for him.  It has taken almost three years to heal properly, after reinjuring my leg several times.  I am now pain free again, though I am intentionally running easier and slower than previously.  Five years ago I ran under eight minute miles and now I am intentionally running over nine.

I enjoy running and typically run every weekday morning before work.  The first picture was taken after the race this weekend.  The second picture is my son, grandson and friends that participated in the walk and came for support.  After the race, we went to my son’s house for beer, pizza and football.  The third picture is my 3^rd place finish in 2007. The last two pictures were taken in 2006.  The racing sausages from the Milwaukee Brewers participated and they were not nearly as fast as they appear when they race at the ballpark.  I guess they are not built for speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tommy Thompson is a Piece of Crap

I didn’t start this blog a year ago to push my political views on anyone.  But sometimes you just have to speak up.  For my blog readers that live outside of Wisconsin or in other countries, or are just politically oblivious, Tommy Thompson is the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate running against Democratic U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin.   Tammy’s politics are liberal and she is an openly gay woman; not that her sexual orientation should matter.  Both are trying to fill the seat vacated by retiring Senator Herb Kohl.  Senator Kohl is respected by many members of both parties as a very decent and charitable man. Maybe a little ineffective, but very decent.

Tommy was elected to four terms as the Governor of Wisconsin and viewed by many, including me at one time, as having been effective. Much of his rein was during the boom time Clinton years, when every Governor looked like an economic genius.  Tommy left to become number 43’s Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Tommy preferred the Department of Transportation and was at odds with GW over his appointment.  Ironically HHS was financially rewarding to Tommy.

Tommy was often quoted or recorded saying amusing or sometimes politically incorrect sound bites. We shrugged those off as part of lovable Tommy.  I met Tommy years ago, which began my shift in opinion.  I invited Tommy to a celebration at our company which included some General Motors’ executives.  It was good publicity for our company and good politics for Tommy.  However, Tommy came across as the most arrogant ass I had met to date.  He was upset that the lineup of GM executives didn’t include the CEO, suggesting our guests were not worthy of his presence.

As a U.S. Senate candidate, Tommy is being criticized for the significant income he has made since his HHS appointment.  Like many ex-politicians, Tommy is politically useful to groups desiring access to his contacts.  Tommy has financial stakes in companies that have benefited by his influence.   It is reported that Tommy’s position on Medicare changes would benefit companies he is involved with.  Regardless of the apparent conflict of interest and self-serving politics, he probably has done nothing illegal.   Give Tommy a break.

It has been reported often that Tommy had numerous extramarital affairs and many viewed that as too much of a political liability for Tommy to consider running for public office again.  I don’t believe Tommy’s sexual habits should be a consideration and in fact he would be considered a hero in France or Italy.  The only person that should have an issue with any of Tommy’s alleged affairs is his wife Sue Ann, who is a very decent person.   Give Tommy a break.

Tommy has refused to make his personal income tax returns public.  Obviously he has made a lot of money and the potential conflicts of interest are already public.  The man has met the financial disclosure obligations for candidates.  Give Tommy a break.

Many conservative people believe a marriage should be between a male and female.  Tommy’s anti-gay positions would suggest that is probably his belief.  Or maybe between a man and a woman and a mistress and …   I don’t agree that a religion based definition of marriage should become a legal/constitutional position, excluding a significant portion of our population from the rights and benefits they deserve.

Tommy’s anti-gay position is well known.  On the Chris Matthews show, Tommy said that employers should be able to fire workers because they are gay.  After someone with greater intellect suggested to Tommy that his comments are offensive and outdated, he attempted to suggest he misunderstood the question.  That is actually possible. He also reiterated his position at a 2008 Republican Presidential debate.  

However, Tommy’s campaign recently decided to attack Tammy Baldwin based on her sexual orientation.  They planned to show Tammy having fun at a Gay Pride Fest rally, suggesting she is unable to speak to “heartland values”.  Tommy hasn’t publically denounced this campaign tactic, implying he agrees.  If only Tammy would have married a man and then had serial affairs.  Tommy would then have to talk about the real differences of policy that mark this election.

Tommy is not fit to represent the 21^st century United States.  His publically espoused exclusive views preclude him from representing the populace.  Tommy, if you are reading this, the translation is that a bigot shouldn’t be a Senator.  Stick with your current gig-many of your people are jealous of what you have accomplished, on multiple fronts.

I can only think of two other men that I have as little respect for.  Tommy, you are a piece of crap. You don't deserve a break anymore.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jdTLzzpYMo

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvP_vYI6GHc

 

 

Weekend at the Lake

Every year our family gets together for a weekend at my Father and his wife’s home on the lake.  The lake is one of the best in the Midwest.  I am the oldest of five sons and everyone is scattered around the U.S., and occasionally the world.  In addition to my brothers, our children and grandkids come to have fun.  This week is also my Father’s 81^st birthday.

The weather was perfect with plenty of sun and low humidity.  Everyone enjoyed the boats and jet ski, and the kids did well fishing.  The food served was excellent, and beer and wine were plentiful.

This is generally the only time all five boys are together.  Historically we struggle to discuss certain subjects, such as politics and it is usually considered off limits.  This weekend the political discussions were actually civil and all of us were impressed.  We did have one minor argument over the passing of a family heirloom to the next generation, though it quickly ended.  I guess this happens in families.

I had a great time seeing everyone again and enjoyed talking with people that have a similar sense of humor.