So Long 2007

It's that time of the year again, and it comes quicker and quicker it seems.

As in years past this is the time when we reflect on all that we've accomplished, failed to do, or brushed under the rug until next time. It's a time for resolutions, and in most cases very high expectations of ourselves in the upcoming year. Whether it's to call a friend after losing touch or losing weight after gaining a few, most of these missions we embark on seem trivial to some while being monumental to others. When I think of the amount of things on my plate alone I can easily see why I can't find time to better take care of myself or tie up some of the loose ends from resolution's past. I'm about three years behind on mine but I'm hoping this year will be my lucky one.

Whatever your resolutions are I hope you attain them. May your burdens be scarce and your joys be plenty. May your houses be filled with the love of family and the laughter of friends. And may you outperform any expectations of yourself and outrage all who don't believe in you.

Happy New Year!

The Health Insurance farce. What did happen to patient care?

Everybody knows how frustrating it is today when you have to visit the doctor's office or an emergency room. It comes as no surprise to anyone when the staff would rather have you bleed all over the floor to make certain that all the insurance forms are filled out properly rather than get you immediate attention. And then regardless of the discomfort you're in, outside of full blown cardiac arrest, you're herded into a waiting room for what seems like days.

For the most part it's not the health care professionals that I feel cause this bottleneck. I find it inconceivable that a doctor or their staff would enjoy the reams of paperwork that needs to be filled out on their patients when they visit. I mean you go to med school for how many years to become a paper jockey? I went to school for a fraction of that time to become an EMT and the last thing on my mind that I choose to do is the run report. You want to practice what you were taught to do. That's what brought you to the field in the first place!

The reason for this inconvenience is two-fold. The first being a need to cover themselves from a malpractice lawsuit and the second is the almighty dollar. I fully understand the first issue. Unlike our European friends we here in the USA live in a litigation crazy world where the loss of your livelihood is only a court appearance away. As aggravating as that alone is, it's the second issue that chaps my rump and a million others like me. It's the fact that the insurance companies are more interested in their bottom line than the policy holder's well being. Gone are the days of a lollipop and a twenty-five dollar office visit. Enter the days of forty-five dollar acetaminophen, aspirin to you and I but it sounds more expensive that way, and about a grand a day for the room alone. And we can't forget the plethora of individuals lined up with their hands out for everything from ten minute consultations to obscenely priced lab time.

It is truly a wonder how far we've come from the days of house calls and real compassion for the patient. Clinics and hospitals have forced everyone working within them to be so aware of their bottom line that they miss the real reason why a lot of them got into the field in the first place. I personally don't feel like I have an identity any more. They just stack them up and run them out so fast that they hardly get to know you. And if you are lucky enough to have the same family doctor for a period of more than a year, chances are you'll pay more out of your pocket sooner than you think when the policy changes and the new list of individuals who share in the plan does not include them.

This is the part where I step aside and let someone take over who writes a bit more eloquently than I do. Someone who's articles I really enjoy reading and who I think puts this whole thing in perfect perspective. It's by Denny Hatch, and he wrote an article titled “Sicko” — Did Michael Moore Get It Right? A Comparison of Emergency Rooms on Two Continents. Even though I'd be the first person to say that anything involving the words of Michael Moore wouldn't warrant my attention, I think you'll find it most interesting.

Click here to read original article

What's all the hype about?

Ten people on every street corner waiving nude photos of women that I can have in my hotel room in twenty minutes.(With most of these cards and flyers finding their way to the ground by midnight) Annoying individuals at every casino trying to sell me a timeshare. And prices for just about everything being so high you almost have to win big just to eat, drink, and sleep here.

If you haven't figured it out by now I'm talking about my trip to Las Vegas Nevada, Disneyland for adults. Chuck Palahniuk was quoted as saying that Vegas looks the way you'd imagine heaven must look at night. EHHHHHH! Wrong answer! Sorry Chuck, I'm a big fan but I hope that was the Satirist speaking when you made that comment.

In my book, heaven at night would include moonlight over surf and sand in some tropical location. Yeah that's it. Take a Corona beer commercial complete with a bucket of brews on ice, throw in yours truly on the hammock, and paint the sky black with only the moon and stars as a back light. Not a million candlepower of the Vegas strip. That my friends is about as close as one could get.

The trip was planned as business but being there for a week provided me time to walk around and see what all the fuss was about. And after all was seen and done I have to admit that the only thing I enjoyed was the climate. Put me anywhere in this world where it's sunny and 80 degrees and I'll be a happy man. I can do without the casinos and the impossible way of navigating them. The crowds everywhere you go. And if I want to get ripped off and pay $37.50 for a printed Hanes T-Shirt I can spare myself the three hour plane ride and get robbed right here at home. I'm not much of a show person either. Topless or fully clothed, I would much rather watch my grass grow than see a Broadway musical or some washed up cabaret singer in a smoke filled club.

Obviously more people than I truly do like all of this or else the town would have fallen off the map decades ago. I'm certain that once will be enough for me but I have a hard time understanding the need to go back again and again. Some people I know will make the trek many times each year and now that I've been there and taken it in I have to scratch my head more than ever.


One thing that did amuse me though is the honesty in the panhandlers. You don't see many of them, but when the local authorities or casino security haven't swept them away you'll find one on a pedestrian overpass or sitting off to the side of an establishment with their sign and cup looking for spare change. The thing that floored me more than once was when a couple of guys had signs that didn't read your average "Homeless, spare change needed, God bless you" type of thing. One said "It's hot! A beer and cheeseburger would be nice right about now" and my favorite, " I need your change for: a meal, alcohol, and a prostitute - and not necessarily in that order". What a guy! None of that "Please help me I have a 3 year old living in a bus station" kind of story. This man knew what he wanted and he wasn't ashamed to be up front about it. You would think expressing needs like that would get you nothing, but the funny thing was - his cup was the fullest out of all I've seen.

Rumor has it that the Las Vegas Tourism board could have members that answer to the name of Knuckles, and Ice-Pick. With that said, I want to make it very clear here that these are my personal opinions and my intention was never to insult anyone or condemn Vegas in general. I realize that a lot of people find this town exciting but I just don't find it my cup of tea. I felt compelled to say this because I'd really hate to have a guy named Tank Calabrese (of the New Jersey Calabrese's) show up at my door some night attempting to liberate me.

The "Old Guy's" turn at the wheel

All year I wrench on my son's kart and envy him for having the opportunity to do this at his age. Ever since I can remember I wanted to have something to do with racing. And when an uncle of mine purchased a kart and began competing with it back in the 70's I knew where I wanted to be.

So I pestered my father and saved my money but nothing ever came of it. Whether it was a lack of money, a lack of time, or my inability to stay focused on one thing and one thing only, the plan never came together. I had to wait until I was much older to pursue this dream.


Most of you who know me know that I gave up driving about 14 years ago after a luke warm career racing Formula Fords in the SCCA. Just before Sam was born, I sold everything I had and put it into our first house in preparation for a new life as a family and with it, the terrifying thought of being someone's father. There was no way we could afford to continue in the sport and more importantly, we couldn't afford to have one of us going out and risking our neck on the weekends. So with that I hung up the driving suit for good. And even though I can honestly say that I don't for one minute regret the decision I made, there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss it. Flash ahead 14 years and an opportunity just presented itself.


The annual Backwards Enduro at Badger Raceway is an event that we've had the unfortunate luck of not being able to attend in the past three years. It sounded like a blast. At the end of every race season the club puts on a fun only event where drivers take to the track in the opposite direction of how it's normally run. There's a Powder Puff class that we always thought my daughter would do well in, and an Enduro where my son could share his seat with one of his friends. And what about this Mechanics Race I thought? A quick talk with the troops about who wanted to race in what class and we quickly discovered that even though we could finally attend it, no one really wanted to compete. It looks like the kart is all my own!

Now again, anyone who knows me knows that even though the key word in this event is "fun" I was taking it much more seriously than that. I knew I had to find a seat to fit me but I didn't stop at that. I had to find out all the set-up specs for someone my size and I had to track down a larger pipe that would be less restrictive and be able to handle it's new payload. I dug my old safety equipment out of storage and dragged my family to the track to show them how it's done.

The biggest mistake anyone can make when getting into one of these things is assuming that driving a much smaller and lower powered kart over a race car is going to be a walk in the park. On the contrary it's the exact opposite. It demands much more of your strength, which was apparent in my inability to hold my neck straight through corners, and the variety of deep painful bruising in my ribs and arms. Without suspension, karts are a handful when it comes to keeping them steady. It took me nearly the entire day to find my stride and work up the strength to pilot this thing along something resembling the racing line. Although the entire day I would come off the last turn onto the front straight with one side in the grass I'm pretty proud in how far I came. I would eventually finish 5th with a personal best lap time of 42.02


The student is now the teacher "Your not going flat out through turn one Pop!" "You're all over the place in the sweeper, you need to work on it!" he's telling me. Man is that how I sound every weekend? That kid of mine was busting my chops from the moment I set foot in the thing. And no matter what type of progress I made he would always have some smack talk to back up how much quicker he was than me. I'll give him that. With a 38 second lap compared to my 42 he reserves the right to be a little cocky. What he doesn't realize is that I was going in the wrong direction on the track (which he never drove before) and I'm taking along about 50 extra pounds for the ride. I know, excuses, excuses, but he better pray that we never go head to head on the same track. If I ever get a kart of my own I have no doubt in my mind that I'll show him my backside and hand him his in the process.

So what did I come away with after this experience? Oh where to start. I think the biggest thing that hit me while I was out there is that I couldn't believe I was making my son drive at speeds like this. I was doing everything I could to keep the thing pointed in the right direction and I was expecting my 13 year old to do the same? The rate at which you come up on things is so quick that if you snooze for just one second you can easily find yourself in a world of trouble. Those hay bales come up real quick on you.

Another thing that's become very obvious is that I'm not twenty years old anymore and I take longer to recover than I used to. Two weeks after the race and I'm still nursing wounds from that day. Now I know why some bright individual introduced a rib protector in this market. I just started taking full breaths again without pain.


And the last thing I came away with is the fact that the bug is still with me and now more than ever I'd like to get back into it again. Probably not auto racing though. Unless someone with very deep pockets would like to take a chance on me I'll stick to karting. How else can I prove to my son that his old man is still king?

Shameless Plug

In supporting my son's site over at Sam's Race Page and more importantly the online store that subsidizes some of our racing expenses, I bring you this shameless plug.

Just in time for Christmas and for 2008. We've now added a calendar to our online store with team photos spanning our first three years in this sport. Check it out at the Inch-Hi Motorsports Online Store.

Attention Newspaper Editors: Motor Racing needs mention too!

While watching a Formula One race a while back a breaking news story came across the screen about a former World Rally Champion being killed in a helicopter crash in Europe. Details were sketchy at the time but we were promised more information as it became available. None was given during the allotted time slot for the race so I thought I'd eventually read it in the paper on the following day. No such luck as not even one word was spoken of it.

Back in August I attended my first professional race as a spectator in more than 15 years. Both the American LeMans and Champ Car series visited scenic Road America in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin and the competition was absolutely furious. Not just in the pro races but the supporting events held plenty of excitement for everyone as well. We even had a local kid on hand who's been trying to break into the pro ranks for some time now. He managed to finally find the financial backing to contest the last few events of the Star Mazda series and was making his debut on this weekend. I for one was excited to see this but unfortunately the journalists in attendance seemed to think different. What could have been the making of a good article in the local paper turned out to be one paragraph on the pros and not much more.

In addition to not getting the coverage that this sport deserves, the other thing that chaps my rump is when the media buys in to the mentality that if it doesn't include a horrible wreck then no one wants to see it. This redneck frame of mind is prevalent in some markets but for the most part I truly believe that the masses want to see a good close race. We want to hear about the guy who fought back from 29th spot on the grid to first place in 20 laps. I want to hear about the local guy who beat all odds and gave the pros a run for their money when they came to his home track. And what about the increasing number of karters who moved on to Indy Cars or the Rolex Sports Car series. We have so much talent in this state alone that goes unheard of because the editors feel that for whatever reason it's not news worthy. The sport itself does a good job of promoting these individuals but it seems to be done in vain at times. Without help from the media what good does it do? Unfortunately in this day and age it seems that you have to be in the midst of a scandal to get any coverage.

To that point I have to ask when was the last time you heard of a race car driver driver involved in a doping scandal? How about dog fighting or even steroid use? A few of America's finest past times have been riddled so badly with these issues lately, yet they still demand half page stories after every event. And although it's usually a few bad apples who ruin their chosen sport these are definitely not the role models that I feel our kids should be looking up to.

I had once thought that it had a lot to do with pay scale. Give a man a twenty million dollar contract and he feels he can do any damn thing he'd like. Crash your Bentley into a tree and just buy another. Shoot up patrons at your favorite night club and you'll walk. After all you're a celebrity, and you know that there's a separate judicial system for your kind. And don't worry about using elicit drugs to give you a performance advantage. Everyone does it anyway. Besides, it's a victimless crime to begin with, right? Tell that to the millions of Hank Aaron fans who feel a bit cheated by our new home run record by Barry who?


On the other hand when you sit down and compare these athletes to the majority of today's highest paid auto racers it's night and day. The similarities end at the obscene salaries and endorsement deals. Michael Schumacher made it through an illustrious career without scandal. And just about all of the current Formula One drivers still manage to maintain an admirable profile on and off the track. Even Champ Car's undisputed bad boy, Paul Tracy, pales in comparison to some of these guys. As rude as some drivers can be to each other I have yet to see someone jump in a crowd and beat a fan for heckling them. Have you been to an NBA game lately?

Go to any race. Pro or non-pro, kart racing or car racing, and you'll find countless families contributing to some of the highest attendance numbers for a single day in a sporting event. By the way how many families do you find at an NFL game? You would think statistics like these would speak loudly enough in itself, yet these events are still relegated to the back page of the sports section with a column of about 200 words or less.


This really has to change, and soon. There's a whole world of future champions out there who need, and are very deserving of this exposure. There are dozens of stories about overcoming adversity to be the best at what they do. There are increasing numbers of young girls and women who are breaking down barriers and proving wrong the old stigma of the sport being for men only. And there is plenty of excitement and close competition available to you on any given weekend that would make a great story for any paper. These people are fierce competitors and the closest of friends at the same time. They put on quite a show and don't embarrass themselves in the process.

So if you want to do the right thing for a change and not chase after someone's dirty laundry, stop by a local track and see what all the excitement is about. I can assure you won't be disappointed.

Get on your bikes and ride!

As exulted by the late great Freddie Mercury of Queen, I think everyone should do it.

Turn back the clock about 25 years and you would see that I used to be a distance runner in my younger days. I remember when I'd put in at least 5-10 miles before I even made it to work in the morning. Then, if some of my fellow runners were up for it, we'd put in at least the same distance after quitting time. But after many years of pounding, not only from the miles I ran but the hockey games I played in, my joints aren't what they used to be. Combine that with the fact that I get tired just watching someone jog and you can see this once important part of my life is not so appealing any more.

A little over a year ago a guy I know suggested riding bicycles. He couldn't say enough about the sport. From the health benefits associated with it to the camaraderie of other riders and the new friends that you make. He was sold on it and making a hard pitch to me. This guy by the way isn't some newbie like me who just got started. He's been doing it for years now and boasts 250 to 300 mile weeks! He also has a stable of bikes to handle any terrain that he may choose to take in, with his prize piece being an all carbon fiber road bike that most likely weighs less than my wheels alone. I don't dare ask how much he shelled out for that thing but I can be quite certain that I'll never own one.

So he put in a phone call to his good friends at Bike-n-Ski in Sheboygan and less than two weeks later I strolled out of there with a brand new Trek 7.3 Hybrid. My initial reason for this purchase was first and foremost to stay in shape as well as doing my part in stickin' it to the oil companies for their outrageous prices that we're forced to pay at the pumps. I planned on riding to work and back at least twice a week and see where I could go from there. But the bug bit me, and it bit hard I might say. I now find myself getting up at 5am to put a 15 mile ride in just about any chance I get. Add that to the 30 mile round trips to work and its beginning to add up fast. Maybe that 200 mile week won't be that hard to reach after all?


I decided to take it one step further this year and enter my first ride for charity. The Lance Armstrong Foundation puts on a ride at Road America in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin every year when the ALMS and Champ Cars show up to race. Once the cars are through for the day they open up the 4.1 mile road course and about 400 riders from every walk of life embark on their own personal missions. Mine was two-fold. Don't get lapped by the Pros, and make it at least 5 times around the track in the time allotted.

At least one of two objectives were met as by lap four I was passed by about six of the lead riders. I had eventually pulled away from the group behind me and had a pretty clear road ahead as well. It appeared that it was just me and the road, if only for a brief moment. Heading into the carousel turn the soft sounds of my chain and nature around me were shattered by "Inside, Inside, Inside!" erupting from several individuals who were traveling at a much higher rate of speed and who were committed to the inside line on the track. I held my ground and in one swift pass their train was gone. By the time I got out of the carousel and onto the long backstraight they were barely in my sights anymore. Back to me and nature again.

I did manage to finish 5 laps of the course but that was all I was allowed to complete. I felt I could have easily finished another lap, if not two, but track repairs being done while we were on the course made it downright dangerous for us and tough on the workers trying to do their job. I was a little disappointed at first, but when I realized that on my last lap I almost painted myself on the back of a truck who decided to stop right in front of me I figured I probably should quit while I was ahead anyway.


So my next opportunity comes next month when I enter the Tyranena Octoberfest ride. It's offered in several different distances to suit any rider and I think I'm going to try and complete the 42 mile version. I've been trying to eat right and train as much as I can so I'm pretty confident I should do well. Hopefully you'll be reading about it here and not in the obituaries of the Journal Sentinel.

Does blowing out someone else's candles make yours shine brighter?

I read this once and thought to myself how fitting of a saying considering where it was so predominantly displayed.

Everybody knows people who operate this way in their day to day activities. Self proclaimed gods of their craft who feel that no one in their profession is as good as themselves. They don't have to necessarily come out and actually say this but the "world pales in comparison to me" attitude is quite prevalent. This same personality type is also threatened very easily by someone who they feel has the knowledge and/or experience to rival them and their status. And they will resort to many different tactics to keep at bay what they believe to be a new adversary.

I want to make one thing clear with all of you now. Even though the situations that I'll share with you are true and have actually happened, I'm not going to use any names in this article. Neither individual nor organization will be disclosed. I'm not even going to resort to silly games involving pseudo names. If anyone reading this is a friend or colleague of mine you'll most certainly draw a conclusion as to whom I may be referring to but to avoid litigation I'll keep it anonymous. Combined with the fact that you can't be too careful nowadays in avoiding a defamation of character law suit, I also feel I posses far more tact than the individuals that I'm referring to.

The verdict is in: Mean people still suck!

There are a few people that I know in the EMS field that make it very difficult for one to work with. Their style is not very conducive to learning and when you know that more times than less you could be publicly chastised on scene for your actions it effectively takes the wind out of your sails every time the tones go off. It's hard enough to be waken out of a deep sleep to respond to a call, much less work with people who have little or no concern for you. And I'm not implying that any of us are perfect and due praise. The skills of some people in our department do lag from time to time and I as well need refreshing more frequently due to our lower call volume. To stay on top of this, I know, is our responsibility and not theirs. What is their responsibility though is to conduct themselves in a professional manner in front of patients and their families. No condescending attitudes and no ridicule. If intervention is needed they should zip their mouths, assist with the job, and critique later.

Nothing good can come from making a public spectacle of yourself and others, especially in the presence of the very people we care for. Regardless of what the perceived infraction is, outside of plain negligence, everyone should be treated with the same amount of professionalism. We need to convey a unified front when dealing with the public. Not the look of a mixed group of individuals who are at odds with one another and don't see eye to eye. The best possible care that we can give our patients should be the ultimate goal for both sides. Not who's technicians are better than the others. If an ego trip is what you're looking for then you should do everyone a favor and just stay home.

Hi, I'm Mr. Know-It-All and you are?...

Although it would be nice if I could say that I posses half the knowledge that the next individual has, I'd be lying if I did. The sad thing about this person is if they weren't so self-absorbed with a definite Christ-like complex and an absolute lack of people skills, they could be someone of great respect in my mind and in many others I'm sure. Why this person probably won't see this from me is because I have always been a firm believer that respect is earned, not given. And after hearing for years how second rate my town, the department, and the members involved are, it's no wonder it won't be reciprocated any time soon. And now after I've just finished reading the last article published by this individual I can say there's a good chance it won't happen in my lifetime. This person made a concerted effort to stray from the intended subject of the column, bring up some one's past history, and attempt to further damage their reputation. A definite cheap and very low move in my book. Tasteless and unprofessional to say the least but nothing shy of what I've grown to expect from this person.

I have a vivid recollection of a pretty serious mistake made by this individual that I haven't breathed a word to anyone of. No one was hurt or killed but the severity of the infraction was nonetheless something of concern. A very basic rule was broken that neither veteran nor rookie should have committed but it was done. And unless I had a sadistic urge to throw this person under the bus there was no other reason for me to publicize it. What benefit would I really have in doing so?

There's absolutely no reason to justify any of this type of behavior. Like I've said in the past there are people that can complete a task with little or no fanfare and there are others who need their ego constantly stroked. There are bright individuals who see opportunity and learn from others and there are people who feel they are better than the rest and share nothing. But to belittle someone or treat them in a diminutive manner is not an effective way to teach, no matter what a person's shortcomings are. When this occurs it merely breeds a lack of respect, mistrust, and a loss of enthusiasm to try harder. How long could you go on if you were constantly reminded how inadequate you are? And to those of you who treat others in this manner I have to ask how can you look at yourself in the mirror every day?

On the other hand all of my respect goes to people who lead by example and who understand the proper etiquette of management. I've had the pleasure of working with people like this in the past, and I still know a few individuals today who are very charismatic and can rally their troops in a heartbeat. Most successful people want to generally be around leaders like this. Someone who rolls up their sleeves and gets in the trenches with you. A person who has an objective and a goal and who takes you along in reaching them. They never view their subordinates as pawns in their personal chess game of life. Success comes from the team. And making sure that everyone involved feels that they play a pivotal role in obtaining these goals builds successful organizations. Mary Kay Ash built a cosmetic empire on the thought that you have to "Make people feel important". A powerful statement but very simplistic in the fact that if you treat people with dignity results will follow.

And when problems do arise good leaders do not forget rule #1 in handling a crisis. As an example, if someone is not performing a task properly you first explain to them how to do it, physically show how it's done, then let them complete it on their own. If additional scrutiny is needed, it's done discreetly on a one-on-one basis. More can be learned and retained by individuals who are treated in this fashion verses putting them on public display and humiliating them.

The unfortunate fact in all of this is that it's tough to shake who you are. People are people and some have more abrasive personalities than others. If that was the case I could live with it. But in these circumstances it goes beyond that. No one deserves to be treated rude or cruelly. I have no control over these and other individuals who choose to act this way, I can only control myself. And with any luck I'll be able to let it roll off me and move on. I know I can be the better person for it.

What Hometown Heroes Act?

Every day I get news updates and e-mails from a favorite website that I subscribe to. And more than I care to hear, there are stories about line of duty deaths involving police officers and firefighters and yet another family fighting an uphill battle with the Department of Justice to receive death benefits for the loss of their loved one.

Back in 2003 the Hometown Heroes Act was introduced to congress and signed into law amid great fanfare. Then-Attorney General John Ashcroft guaranteed that all claims filed would be processed within 90 days. But anyone familiar with the Fire Service and people affected under this law know that things aren't happening anywhere near that quickly.

As of July 2007, a little more than 20% of the 253 pending claims have been processed with only 7 being approved! Instead of these families receiving the benefits that they duly have a right to, they are caught up in an endless jungle of red tape and countless hoops that they must jump through. "It's total administrative foot-dragging", says lawmakers on both sides, with the DOJ asking families to submit 10 years worth of medical records in some cases! Chief Billy Goldfeder said it best when he wrote: "All that this DOJ game does is allow the families to replay the nightmare of their loved one's death over and over, as their Federal Government, in one breath, thanks Americas First Responders and then out of the other side of their mouth tells that family to stick it. All courtesy of the Department of Injustice".

It scares me to death to think that, God forbid, if I should go down on the job I could leave my family in a situation like many of these families are experiencing. I don't understand it and frankly the whole thing disgusts me. If the Act has parameters set of which one must fall under to receive this benefit, and a claim falls clearly within them, then why must the DOJ subject these families to additional scrutiny and cause more anguish than they need? Particularily at this point in their lives.

Currently under this Act if a Firefighter dies in the line of duty or succumbs to a heart attack within 24 hours of being on duty, a $300,000 benefit is paid to the surviving members of his or her family. Obviously a small amount compared to the loss of a loved one's life but many of the deceased leave wives and children behind that could use this money for education or every day needs. Since most of these bloated puppets in Washington are pulling down a pretty penny I wouldn't expect them to understand this. And when you factor in that Volunteer fire fighters outnumber career guys by a ratio of 3:1 nationally, a fair portion of these deaths are vollies who do not collect a dime! This is a fine thank you to all these individuals who put their lives on the line every day when the alarm sounds. All the while saving our taxpayers and the government billions of dollars each year.

And when you know that sudden cardiac death is the most common cause of firefighter fatalities, even ahead of burns, it's a major concern to all of us in the industry. Nearly half of all on-duty firefighter fatalities from 1995 to 2004 were due to sudden cardiac death. I once feared building collapse or running out of air would kill me but I now worry more about what could happen to me while we're cleaning up or hours after we return.

I hear of it all too often. A thirty or forty-something who dies of a heart attack after returning from a call or even a day later. When I was a young buck this sounded old to me but now that I'm in this demographic it shocks and concerns me even though I feel that I'm in about the best shape of my life today. Most of the time these articles don't provide a picture of the person and I disclose it as just another individual who may have let himself go a bit. Face it, some of the people I see on departments could use a fitness plan but does this make them any less deserving of these benefits? On the contrary though, and to my amazement, many of these deaths I read about involved individuals who were described as physically fit and took very good care of themselves. Runners, weight lifters, and cyclists. Guys who were as strong as a bull and took great strides in staying healthy.

So what do we do? All we can hope for now is that our current Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales, is a man of his word. In a prepared statement, Gonzales said: "I know that the administration of the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program, specifically those claims filed under Hometown Heroes, is of grave concern to the FOP and its leadership. The delay in providing benefits is unacceptable to me. And I want you to know I have directed that improvements to that program be made immediately".

With all due respect Mr. Gonzales these are nothing more than words for now. Action needs to be taken and it needs to be done now. No more passing the buck and sitting quietly on this one. There are lives involved here who are counting on you and your administration so roll up your sleeves and deliver. We'll be waiting.

Tailgating 101

I couldn't believe what he was saying. "What are those people doing in the parking lot of the stadium?" asked my son. "That's Tailgating" I replied. "Tail-whating?" he said.

I assumed everyone from birth naturally knew what this form of pre game ceremony was. And being from Wisconsin, I'm pretty darn sure we invented it. I don't think there are many cities that put such an emphasis on this activity aside from the lightweights in Minnesota who brave the cold before Vikings games only to come into a heated stadium afterward. We Packer fans endure the elements from start to finish with only our knuckleheaded neighbors to our south being able to rival us.

I wasn't about to baptize the young one into our tailgating rituals at a Packer game (not just because of the climate but I can't afford the tickets) so his grandfather and I took him to a Brewers game instead.

We got to the stadium and set up about two hours before the game. We arrived just in time as all the prime real estate in the lots were gone in literally minutes. I thought we came well prepared with chairs, a full cooler, grille, mits and ball, etc. But looking around at others I quickly realized that I don't take it as seriously as some do. There were grilles the size of my truck's bed, tents, and tv's, you name it they had it. I was once at a game where a group brought old living room furniture with them.


So there we were in our own little den in the parking lot. It was about 90 degrees and the sun was baking directly on us but I wouldn't have it any other way. My game plan was to stuff us all with beer, soda, and burgers so we didn't have to spend a dime once we got in. It's relatively easy to go broke on four dollar brats and six-fifty beers. Although my dad and I were content, I underestimated the stomach of a 13 year old boy as I still had to pay double eye gouge plus tax for 2 ice creams and a soda pop. All money well spent for the kid's first time and a great win by the home team.

My Cat has ADD

No real story here other than the fact that this crazy feline of ours has Attention Deficit Disorder. He can't sit still for 2 seconds regardless of the situation, and just watching him wears me out.

Uh-oh! I feel a tangent coming on here. Could be gas but.. No, it's definitely a tangent.

You know, come to think of it everyone must have ADD. At least that's what the medical society is trying to make you and I believe. I heard somewhere that within about 15 seconds of a person speaking to you, you're already thinking about what you are going to say to them about yourself. So none of us really listen to each other as attentively as we should anyway. And with 600 channels on your TV to choose from, verses the six I had as a child, it's no wonder someone can't stay on one program for long. Compared to 30 years ago, we now live in a world with so much visual stimulation that it's hard to keep focused on any one thing for a lengthy period of time. Combine that with the fact that we carry our ability to multi-task as a badge of honor, and you're bound to get a little distracted once in a while.

So what do we do, medicate the whole damn world? Actually I think the medical community and the pharmecutical companies have begun doing just that. I still can't believe it when I go on rescue calls and I see the amount of meds some people are on. And anti-depressants, There must be a vending machine somewhere selling this crap because everyone is on it!

I do realize that there are bona fide instances where children need intervention but my worry is that they (being our doctors and their clinics) have been too hasty in prescribing medications for some kids. We better get a handle on this situation before they start crop dusting our schools with Ritalin at recess time.

The world according to Gus. Today's subject: Music

For several days now I've been listening to a local radio station that's been playing a chronological of rock music spanning the past three decades. Today they're on 1978 and man have I forgotten how good music was back then!

My personal collection includes Big Band, Classical, Blues, Jazz, Rock. And I find myself equally at home listening to New Wave, Punk, Disco, and Old School R&B. I'm pretty diverse in my tastes in that I can easily listen to ABBA's Greatest Hits after finishing Ministry's "In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up". ("angry white boy music" as a co-worker of mine calls it).

I really don't have a favorite year or decade that I consider better than others. The 50's are timeless in my mind. The 60's and 70's had music that I feel I grew up with more or less, and influenced a lot of my tastes today. And the 80's ushered in the New Wave era of which I'm not ashamed to say I was a big part of. The 90's didn't hold that much for me but I still enjoy just about every genre of music that I've heard to date. Almost every one that is. I still find it very hard to stomach Hip-Hop and I just can't understand the whole culture, language, and it's fashion.

Before you're quick to say that I'm launching a direct attack on it let me digress and say that I have all the respect in the world for past groups and artists who were pioneers of Hip-Hop. Voicing opinions on government, questioning the system, and expressing their anger- these were pressing issues that needed the world's attention at that time. And regardless of how rude they appeared to some people it was for a noble cause and it had to be said. No doubt they all made a truck load of money also but it was the changing times and current issues that motivated them to give birth to this form of music.

But now it seems like anyone who can cover themselves in ridiculous jewelry, mispronounce words, and shout obscenities, finds themselves with a big fat record contract and truly annoying videos on MTV. And to be fair it's not just Hip-Hop that seems to be lowering their standards to produce the next big thing. The "angry white boy" music industry that spawned such great acts like Pantera, Slayer, Nine Inch Nails, and Ministry have begun a downward spiral in my opinion as well. No pun intended for all of you NIN fans. From what I see most of the new bands coming up in this genre of music just have to possess the ability to loudly clear their throats on mic and another star is born. Not long ago I even heard a band who's lead singer was a girl trying to perform in this style and they sounded idiotic. Tell me, is today's talent pool that shallow that this is all we can come up with now?


That's why I have and always will say that music from 20 plus years ago was head and shoulders above what's being made today. There is absolutely no comparison, and I accept any challenges on this one. Artists like Hendrix and Clapton, and groups like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Boston, and Rush were as great back then as they are today. And they continue to have more staying power than any of today's talent. Back then they had bands that actually had musicians in them. They sang with their own voices and played their own instruments! Quite the concept to the younger generation today. These artists were not techno geeks who could program grunts and beeps from a computer, or someone who wears a hole in a record while sampling another artist's music. And when one of these greats passed away they were immortalized by their work, not their east coast or west coast affiliations. Back in the day you wrote, composed, and performed your music by yourselves. And the whole bling factor, if any, was in your set and it's light show, not half dressed women prancing around combined with an entourage of posers.

And that my friends is what separates true artists from a flash in the pan. Call me an opinionated old fart who thinks the current generation lacks substance from his but that's how I see it. In a way most of us all grow older in this frame of mind. And not being able to understand the next generation from yours has and will go on forever. But regardless of your age, if you truly call yourself a music aficionado, I'm sure you'll have no problem agreeing with me on this one. Now go put on side two of Dark Side of the Moon and see what I mean.

They really do grow up fast

The other day my family and I were in a restaurant where another foursome with much younger children was seated next to us. I watched as the mother went up to the buffet table to get her food and a dish for her 4 year old daughter in tow. Dad was back at the table trying to feed a very cranky toddler when it hit me that we were that very same family not long ago. I remember many times when our appetite came second to our young ones who would stomp and shout until they were fed. Taking turns holding or feeding the youngest, and diaper changes when the inevitable happened in underventilated public places were all part of a normal day in the life of a young family.


Grandpa and Sam at the racetrack

I told my wife how I would see other people back then with older kids and think how simple it must be when they become a little more self sufficient. I never really wished for it to happen since I always recalled my elders telling me the age old line: "enjoy them while they're young because they grow up fast". And I did, and still do. I enjoy every moment that I can. But in doing so I thought I could slow the hands of time and make it last a lot longer than it would. And honestly I have no regrets. I was there enjoying all of this time when they were alot younger. More so than alot of parents who work long hours and have other commitments to tend to in their lives. Anyway, I thought, this time wasn't coming for many years so I have nothing to worry about.


The family in the new house on wheels

Jump forward to 2:30am this morning. I'm sitting in a fire truck staged in the parking lot of our hometown high school. We just got a call of a fire alarm sounding in the school and being the second-in engine company, we were assigned to wait in this lot until given further orders. At any other call in this situation I'd be engaged in some sort of mindless banter about who makes the most powerful diesel engine or how so-and-so is doing. All while trying to breathe in a truck so full of morning mouth that it could knock a buzzard off a ... well, you get the idea.


But none of this was to happen on this occassion. I sat quitely in my own little corner of the world and pondered the thought that in one year my oldest will be here and the younger one is soon to follow. Seven years ago we moved here and it feels like only yesterday. We do that over again and both of them will be graduated and possibly out of the house. Compounding all of this is the recollection of what I was exposed to when I was at that age. I've tried to teach them well since birth but I think I'm still living in some sort of denial when I think my kids aren't going to get into the situations that I did. I know it's a right of passage of sorts. They're going to get in trouble, they're going to struggle to find their identity and the right crowd to fit in with. All we can do as parents is hope that when they are presented with these situations they will choose good judgement.

The call is over but my train of thought isn't. We return to quarters and I still have about an hour or two of things running through my mind that prohibits me from even trying to fall back asleep. This topic is one of which I lose the most sleep over. It's not money, or the fact that my house needs repairs. It's not even the thought that my retirement may not be what I plan it to be. It's the kids. How far we've all come, the road ahead, and what little time we really do have with them.

Deja' Vu

On a recent trip back from a race in Shawano, my family and I stopped for dinner at a truck stop on Hwy 41 in Fond Du Lac called The Stretch.

When I was a kid my family and I would stop there from time to time to grab a bite to eat when driving up to Omro to visit my grandparents. My grandfather always said it was the half way point between Milwaukee and Oshkosh, and I remember my father always disagreeing with him, saying it was clearly alot closer to Oshkosh than Milwaukee. After a few hundred trips back and forth in that direction I've come to know that Dad was right. Sorry Nan.

Next door to the diner still stands a motel. And on the grounds of this motel are a couple of fiberglass sculptures of dinosaurs. Over the years the two of them have weathered the elements far better than the motel has. The building appears to have fallen into such disrepair that it looks like a movie set for a low budget slasher flick. Eerie looking or not, I had to walk over there and have a closer look. Yep' there it was just like they were all those years ago. I still remember my sister and I playing on these things when we were younger and if my parents dig deep enough, I'm sure we have a picture somewhere of the two of us on them. They did seem a lot taller though back then.

So on this last trip I decided for posterity's sake that I needed to click a picture of my two kids in this once familiar setting. Over 35 years later and the next generation is now introduced to this roadside icon. (You can almost sense the excitement and see the look of fascination in their eyes). To most people this is just another truck stop, with just another motel, and not much more than that. And to the masses, they're probably right. What makes it special for me is that it's not only the place where I thought at a very young age that I was going to make my living as a trucker, it was also a point along a journey that I loved as a kid. One that took us out of the city and into our grandparent's home on the river for a few weekends every year. It's just another reminder of a simpler time in life when your parents took care of everything and standing on a fiberglass dinosaur was fun enough.

Who knows, if either of my kids feel the same way in another 35 years I'll bring you shots of my grandchildren on them.

Welcome everyone

This new Blog, 3AM with Gus, was conceived to lessen some of the rants that I've been famous for writing about on my son's site over at Sam's Race Page. I would hijack it from time to time to voice my opinions and broadcast my beliefs and interests on a variety of things not always race related. To stay true to what that site was intended to be, while providing my very own conduit to the world, I bring you this.

3AM with Gus is designed to be more or less my journal of thoughts and ideas that mainly culminate in the night. You know, the time when your internal clock says it's time for a glass of water or a trip to the restroom. I, like possibly one or two other people in this world, find it nearly impossible to drift back asleep again when this moment arrives. The only drifting that occurs is in my mind and it's typically filled with thoughts of how fast my children are growing up and just how in the hell I'm ever going to plan to retire comfortably.

A lot of great ideas came from this time as well. For years I've kept a small notebook and pen in the night stand to jot down an idea or two that would surely be lost by daybreak. After all the memory isn't what it used to be and I'm convinced that it was from drinking all of that soda and beer directly from the can like a wise relative once told me. So this, combined with the fact that my handwriting stinks and I really needed to step up to the 21st century, is what brings me here today. Airing my laundry and right wing beliefs for all to see but don't hit the escape key just yet! I have been known to steer left of center from time to time.

So with that I invite you to stop in from time to time and check out what I might be babbling about. You may draw parallels to what I say and the situations I find myself in, or you may disagree with what I think. Either way I intend to either amuse you, have you see things in a different light, or inform you of something you may not have known much about. Either way I hope to get your mind going. Call it "snack time for your brain"!