Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts

Monday, September 4, 2017

FAKE NEWS - NOT A NEW PHENOMENON

I am glad that I am blogging again. First, I absolutely need to blog in order to keep myself honest about what I am eating. My blog replaces the need to go to something like a weight-watchers meeting. I suppose that a weight-watchers meeting is effective because people must face their peers each week. I have to face the truth each day. And every week, on Saturday, I will weigh myself and announce to the world just how effective or ineffective I was in the previous week. Another reason I enjoyed blogging so much, is that I get to espouse some of my feelings about current events and particularly politics. Today I have nuclear weapons on my mind.

Clear thinking people never believed that an agreement regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons program would end the resolve of the North Korean government to seek these weapons. To believe this, one would have to live in the make-believe world of 'the left.' The Clinton Administration claimed this agreement as one of their major accomplishments. This was fake. It was fake when it was announced. And it seems a bit more fake now as the North Koreans have have detonated a hydrogen bomb in a recent test this past weekend. Want some more fake news? This was brought to us by the Obama Administration when they announced an agreement with IRAN to end their nuclear program. Is there anyone with an functioning brainstem that believes that this recent agreement with IRAN has caused that country of fine gentlemen to give up their nuclear ambitions? Seriously, do you or anyone you know believe this?

When The New York Times reported that the United States and North Korea signed an agreement to end North Korea's nuclear ambitions it was REAL NEWS. It was REAL NEWS about a FAKE AGREEMENT. In my mind, REAL NEWS ABOUT SOMETHING FAKE is still FAKE NEWS.

Let's take a trip in the 'wayback machine' all the way back to October 22, 1994.

U.S. and North Korea Sign Pact to End Nuclear Dispute
By ALAN RIDING, Published: October 22, 1994

GENEVA, Oct. 21— After almost four months of difficult negotiations, the United States and North Korea signed an agreement today to end their dispute over North Korea's nuclear program but kept secret many details of how the accord will be put into effect.

The chief American negotiator, Robert L. Gallucci, said the two sides had signed a separate confidential document that is more specific than the four-page "agreed framework" that was made public after its signing at the North Korean mission to the United Nations here.

He insisted that the secret document was consistent with the main agreement and would be made available on a confidential basis to senior members of Congress. "Documents of this sort are not unusual in international agreements," he added.

Mr. Gallucci implied but would not say North Korea had asked that parts of the agreement not be divulged. "We agreed to respect the confidentiality of this document," he said.

The document is believed to address some of the questions raised by the public agreement, notably the issue of when North Korea will ship abroad some 8,000 fuel rods that are now being kept in a cooling pond and could in theory be processed into weapons-grade plutonium.

Under the broad agreement concluded here late Monday, North Korea will freeze its nuclear activities, renounce any ambition to become a nuclear power and open up two secret military sites to inspection by international experts so they can determine whether Pyongyang already has nuclear capability.

In exchange, an international consortium will replace North Korea's current graphite nuclear reactors with new light-water reactors, which are considered less dangerous because they produce little weapons-grade plutonium. The United States also agreed to low-level diplomatic ties with North Korea.

After the signing today, North Korea's chief negotiator, Kang Sok Ju, described it as "a very important milestone document of historic significance" that would resolve his country's nuclear dispute with the United States "once and for all."

He said the agreement, once put into effect, would resolve "all questions of the so-called nuclear weapons development by North Korea" that have raised "such unfounded concerns and suspicions."

"We have neither the intention nor the plan to develop nuclear weapons," Mr. Kang said.

At a news conference in Washington, President Clinton said the treaty was "a good deal for the United States."

"The United States and international inspectors will carefully monitor North Korea to make sure it keeps its commitments," he said. "Only as it does so will North Korea fully join the community of nations."

Washington's long concerns about North Korea's nuclear intentions surged into crisis last spring after North Korea removed fuel rods from a nuclear reactor without permitting monitoring by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency.

After the Clinton Administration threatened to seek United Nations sanctions against North Korea, former President Jimmy Carter held talks in Pyongyang with North Korea's dictator, Kim Il Sung, that defused the crisis and led to new negotiations with the United States.

These talks were interrupted after one day by the death of President Kim on July 8. But new talks started five weeks later. Although Mr. Kim's son, Kim Jong Il, has not yet been named his successor, Mr. Clinton addressed a so-called "letter of assurance" to him Thursday confirming Washington's commitment to the accord.

The agreement confirms that North Korea will be supplied with two new light-water reactors with a generating capacity of around 2,000 megawatts by "a target date of 2003." Contracts to provide the reactors should be signed within six months, it said. Mr. Gallucci added that South Korea would play "a central role" in financing and supplying the reactors, which are expected to cost about $4 billion.

To compensate North Korea for not refueling a small 5-megawatt reactor and not completing construction of 50-megawatt and 200-megawatt reactors, the United States said it would arrange for North Korea to be supplied with heavy oil -- some 500,000 metric tons annually by 1996 -- for heating and electricity production until the new reactors are operational.

The agreement commits North Korea to freeze all its nuclear activities within one month. It also provides that it dismantle its reactors and related operations and store its spent fuel rods while the light-water reactors are under construction. It will then "dispose of the fuel in a safe manner that does not involve reprocessing" in North Korea.

On the key question of when North Korea's secret sites will be opened for international inspection, the agreement said this would occur when "a significant portion" of the light-water reactor project was completed, "but before delivery of key nuclear components."

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Most of my steps yesterday were from walking throughout the Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn, Wisconsin where we spent the afternoon before seeing Blue Öyster Cult in the evening.

My lunch and dinner choices were made at the Walworth County Fair. I think I did a good job considering all the deep fried higher calorie choices that were available.
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Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Egg - Poached Eggs	300	2	20	25	629	1
Biscuit Ham Slices, 4 slices	60	0	3	9	680	0
	360	2	23	34	1,309	1
L U N C H
BBQ Turkey Leg	600	12	25	74	718	10
	600	12	25	74	718	10
D I N N E R
Hamburger	500	48	25	23	1,189	6
	500	48	25	23	1,189	6
S N A C K S
Red Delicious Apple, 3	285	75	1	2	5	57
	285	75	1	2	5	57

Totals	1,745	137	74	133	3,221	74
Your Daily Goal	2,220	277	74	112	2,300	83
Remaining	475	140	0	-21	-921	9
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 290 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 238.9 lbs in 5 weeks

M/M Jacobs before the Blue Öyster Cult Concert

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

BONG RECREATION AREA

Seriously, did you think that I would be blogging about some drug frenzied exploits using a bong? Just to set the record straight, I do not do any drugs. No part of my recreational activity yesterday included smoking any substance, not even a cigarette, and I especially did not use a bong. Before I proceed, are we clear on this? Yes? Good. Now I can continue. Yesterday, I was at the BONG RECREATION AREA in Brighton, Wisconsin.

After an appointment in Burlington, Wisconsin, I decided to finally visit the Bong Recreational Area that I have passed countless times on the Interstate that leads from Chicago to Milwaukee. This State Recreation Area is used for camping and swimming and hiking among other activities. The park is named after a man named, Richard Bong.

from wikipedia....

Richard Bong State Recreation Area is a 4,515-acre (1,827 ha) unit of the state park system of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is located in the town of Brighton, in Kenosha County. This managed prairie contains 8.3 miles (13 km) of mountain bike trails. Other recreational activities include high power rocketry, swimming, dogsledding, falconry, ATV sports, land sailing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, camping with amenities, and ultralight aviation. There is a wildlife preserve where great egrets, sandhill cranes, and great blue herons are known to nest.

The park is on land once intended for the Richard Bong Air Force Base, whose namesake is World War II veteran aviator Maj. Richard Ira Bong. Part of what was intended to be the 12,500-foot (3,800 m) main airstrip is still visible from aerial photos of the site.

Largely due to its name's coincidental allusions to marijuana use, Bong Recreation Area is a frequent target of sign theft. This has led to the manufacturing of T-shirts and sweatshirts bearing the highway exit sign.

I spotted this curious sign nearly 25 years ago when I first moved to the midwest. I remember thinking that the word 'bong' must have a different meaning than the one that I was more familiar with. In fact, that is the case. I visited this Nature Preserve for the very first time yesterday.

I was thoroughly enjoying my hike, until around the the time I was completing my 8th mile, the temperature dropped, the skies darkened and it started pouring. This was the first time that I truly found myself in the middle of nowhere during a hard rain. What to do? I got wet. I returned to my car and drove back to Chicago, for much of the trip I had the heater on to warm up..

This was the biggest mushroom that I have ever seen. I photographed it with my hiking boot to give an indication of its size.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Roundys - Creamy Wheat - Enriched Farina	480	100	0	16	340	4
Quaker - Chewy Granola 90 Calories, 2 bar	180	38	4	2	160	14
Take 5 - Protein Bar, 1 package (2 bars)	200	25	11	4	180	18
	860	163	15	22	680	36
L U N C H
Special K - Protein Meal Bar Chocolate	170	23	6	12	250	15
UNSWEETENED BANANA CHIPS	200	19	12	2	6	1
DARK COCOA MELT WAFERS	400	44	24	5	82	38
	770	86	42	19	338	54
D I N N E R
Crystal Farms -Diced Potatoes	160	38	0	4	340	0
Johnsonville - Polish Kielbasa Sausage	340	4	30	14	1,140	2
Earthbound Farm organic baby spinach	40	6	0	4	130	0
Tomatoes - 3 Cherry Tomatoes	24	0	0	0	0	3
Trader Joe's Sauerkraut - Sauerkraut	25	10	0	0	1,000	0
	589	58	30	22	2,610	5
S N A C K S
Doughnut	250	51	25	5	0	0
	250	51	25	5	0	0

Totals	2,469	358	112	68	3,628	95
Your Daily Goal	3,344	418	111	168	2,300	125
Remaining	875	60	-1	100	-1,328	30
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,414 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 191.5 lbs in 5 weeks

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
8.44 MILE HIKE	130	1,414


Daily Total / Goal	130 / 30	1,414 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	275 / 210	3,601 / 4,130

* * * * * * * * * *

informal definition of a 'bong'

a device made of clay, ceramic, plastic tubing or PVC, glass, a two liter coke bottles, or any other man made or fabricated substance that is normally filled with water to smoke marijuanna with; can be of varying lengths and sizes.

* * * * * * * * * *

I had no reason to be surprised that I was caught in a rainstorm. The prediction when my hike began was very gloomy.

Friday, July 15, 2016

BEARSKIN STATE PARK TRAIL

Another day, another customer, another city, another trail, another hike. This time I explored five miles of the Bearskin State Trail in Minoqua, Wisconsin as part of an eleven mile hike. The trail is a converted railway line as are many trails around the country.

The weather was 'cold' (for a summer day). I actually set out wearing a long sleeve shirt. Although the cloudy conditions were not supposed to change to rain. The last mile of my eleven mile hike was through a light rain. After traveling south for five miles on the trail I headed back to the trailhead along Highway 51. I often try not to retrace my steps when hiking if I can.

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The trailhead where I began my hike was in Minoqua and I hiked to Hazlehurst. On the way back I stopped to take this photo of the Welcome to Minoqua sign.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original	600	132	0	12	1,860	0
Deli express - Oven roasted turkey & cheese	230	29	6	16	1,110	4
	830	161	6	28	2,970	4
L U N C H
Subway - Roast Beef Foot Long, 1 Foot long	640	90	10	48	1,400	14
KF Foods - Roast Beef and Cheese	270	27	11	16	1,050	2
	910	117	21	64	2,450	16
D I N N E R
HYVEE - SPINACH SALAD	500	0	0	0	0	0
	500	0	0	0	0	0
S N A C K S
Energy Chewy & Crunchy Granola Bar Cherry	200	30	5	10	150	15
Crunchy Granola Bar - Oats 'n' Honey	190	29	7	3	135	11
Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate Bar	200	17	13	8	25	9
Country Fresh -sausage & Colby sticks	280	2	24	18	740	0
YOGURT PRETZELS, 40 g (approx 8 pcs)	190	28	0	2	180	19
Atkins - Coconut Almond bar, 1 bar	200	3	15	7	90	1
	1,260	109	64	48	1,320	55

Totals	3,500	387	91	140	6,740	75
Your Daily Goal	3,699	462	123	185	2,300	138
Remaining	199	75	32	45	-4,440	63
	Calories kcal	Carbs g	Fat g	Protein g	Sodium mg	Sugar g
	*You've earned 1,769 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 215.7 lbs in 5 weeks.

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	160	1,950


Daily Total / Goal	160 / 30	1,950 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1078 / 210	10,080 / 4,130

* * * * * * * * *

this was lifted directly from traillink.com website.

Shimmering lakes and Wisconsin's beautiful North Woods wilderness await you on the Bearskin State Park Trail. The trail provides a splendid journey along an old Milwaukee Road rail corridor that hauled white pine to the Midwest and later carried a passenger train named the "Hiawatha."

The trail traverses an area of one of the densest concentrations of lakes in the world. Converted railroad trestles help you glide across long spans of lakes covered in lily pads. On the Bearskin trail, 8 of 13 trestles cross the trail's namesake, Bearskin Creek, and act as lookout landings for bald eagles, loons and other wildlife. Watch for snapping turtles basking in the sun.

Bearskin State Park Trail starts in Minocqua, where a long boardwalk across shimmering Lake Minocqua is the beginning of an 18.3-mile venture south where you'll encounter a beautiful, remote wilderness, plus a few picnic tables and portable restrooms at various trailheads.

Several interpretive signs and old railroad structures provide a glimpse into the rich history of this railroad corridor. A century-old railroad line shed, approximately 9.5 miles from Minocqua, attests to the rustic living conditions of some railroad workers, and old photographs illustrate the challenging nature of railroad labor. During the warmer months, hikers and bikers hit these trails and take in the astounding lake vistas. Snowmobiles are permitted in winter, and many connecting trails provide endless hours of exploration.

At trail's end you can continue for another 14 miles on the Hiawatha Trail, where both trails meet at County Highway K just east of where it intersects with US 51.

The allure of these North Woods trails lies in their isolated, scenic charm. If you want to explore both trails, plan accordingly; besides one remote restroom facility on the Bearskin, there are no other amenities or easy access to food and water.

A state pass is required for cyclists and cross-country skiers over 16 years old. For more information, contact Wisconsin State Parks.

* * * * * * * * *

This maps shows the Bearskin State Park Trail in Wisconsin.

Thursday, July 14, 2016

QUARRY QUEST

I visited two customers in Wasau, Wisconsin yesterday to sell buttons. I was finished with both appointments in the early afternoon. My first customer proposed that I could park my car in her parking lot and walk approximately 1.3 miles to a lesser known park entrance to re-visit Rib Mountain State Park. Her suggestion was that my hike include a trip to the abandoned rock quarry. Her favorite way of entering the park is from the bottom of one of the ski slopes and walking up the mountain. This is precisely what I did. As I climbed UP the ski slope, I felt my heart pounding. I rested for a few seconds, a few times and I was very grateful when I arrived at the top of the mountain. My first stop was the Vistiors Center. I asked the ranger about getting to the quarry. The quarry is now abandoned, the Park Ranger confirmed that it was well worth the visit. After a few false starts - apparently following a trail is not like following driving directions from a GPS - I did finally find the right trail. I arrived at the quarry. I hiked all around it. I hiked at the bottom of it. There was one spot which was stunning as it edged out beyond the rest of the perimeter. Unbelievably, while I was there, so was another hiker. That hiker was the photographer of this photo. This photo fails to capture that fact that I was too scared to be any further back on the rocks than I already was. It had appeared to me that falling down from this spot would have been very hazardous to my health.

Earlier on the hike I had used my self-timer to snap this photograph of me on a rock ledge while at the Quarry. Here again, I was close to the edge...I crawled from the camera to get into place for this photo. I am not a good enough photographer to capture the grandeur of this quarry, the open wound in this mountain from the days when quartzite was mined.

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The weather for the hike was spectacular. I kept hydrated with my CAMELBAK 'bladder' filled with cold icewater. I also brought four extra bottles of Glaceau Vitamin Water.

My hike was not completed until I had logged 20 miles. Even more remarkable than that was that my fitbit recorded that I had climbed the equivalent of 308 floors. This was only the third time I have 'climbed' so much in one day since I have become a 'fitbitter'. There was the time that I logged 400 flights of stairs walking up the staircase in my building when I was training for the Half Dome Yosemite Park hike. The actual Half Dome hike logged 563 floors. (That particular hike up Half Dome included a climb of nearly 5000 feet elevation - no ups and downs - just 'UPS') Still 306 floors was the most I had climbed since October 1, 2015 at Yosemite. The Rib Mountain is 'only' about 2000 feet above sea level but with 20 miles hikes over quite a few trails, there were many, many UPS and downs. Although the mountain is 2000 feet above sea level, there is less than a 1000 foot climb from the base to the top.

My hike included travel on The Red Trail, The Yellow Trail, The Quarry Trail, The Homestead Loop Trail, The Turkey Vulture Trail and the colorfully named, Dynamite Trail

After I left the park and started walking back to my car, I spotted this sign. This is not the type of sign that one typically

sees when driving through Chicago. Chicago is home to plenty of dangers, at least forest fires are not among them.

Your Food Diary For:

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Grits - Instant - Original, 6 packet	600	132	0	12	1,860	0
	600	132	0	12	1,860	0
L U N C H
Deli Express - Charbroil Burger w/ cheese	710	58	36	39	2,020	9
Glaceau Vitamin Water - Lemonade	120	34	0	0	0	31
	830	92	36	39	2,020	40
D I N N E R
Jack Links - Teriyaki Jerky, 3 oz	240	18	3	36	1,440	15
Read - 3 Bean Salad, 1.67 Cup (85g)	300	65	0	5	1,500	40
Glaceau Vitamin Water Zero - Lemonade	0	15	0	0	0	0
Gourmet - Club wrap, 1 sandwich	600	59	21	41	2,570	4
	1,140	157	24	82	5,510	59
S N A C K S
Balance - Chocolate Mint Cookie Crunch	200	23	7	14	190	16
Bai Cocofusion - Molokai Coconut	10	18	0	0	70	2
Sobe Lifewater - Yumberry Pomegranate	0	16	0	0	120	0
Met Rx Protein Plus - Chocolate Chocolate	620	58	20	64	190	2
	830	115	27	78	570	20

Totals	3,400	496	87	211	9,960	119
Your Daily Goal	7,035	879	234	352	2,300	263
Remaining	3,635	383	147	141	-7,660	144
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 5,105 extra calories from exercise today

If every day were like today... You'd weigh 181.3 lbs in 5 weeks

Your Exercise Diary for:

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking	462	3,221


Daily Total / Goal	462 / 30	3,221 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	918 / 210	8,130 / 4,130

* * * * * * * * * *

This is a look back at my fitbit 'scorecard' from the October 1, 2015 hike up and down Half Dome in Yosemite Park. It was this hike that changed my life. This hike instilled in me a love for hiking. Whether I am hiking a a big or small mountain, a small hill, a bluff, a forest path, or a city street - I love to hike. Hiking is good exercise and you can see a lot of amazing things.

I was reviewing my food diary for yesterday. I made a conscious effort to hydrate myself yesterday and eat lots of protein. It's probably a good thing that I am not on a sodium restrictive diet - as my total for the day was nearly 10,000 milligrams. The funny thing is... I NEVER actually use salt to flavor any of my foods. For example, I would never add salt to french fries. I don't even know what other examples of foods to list as examples as I add salt to no foods at all. Obviously, due to the factory prepared foods that I do consume, I don't have to worry about a sodium (salt) deficient diet.

In a completely frivolous link to my discussion of salt - is the very first Star Trek episode that ever aired. America was treated to the first Star Trek episode ever on September 8th, 1966. In this initial episode foisted upon the public was a shapeshifter who craved salt. It was not the best episode ever, but did start a chain of Star Trek shows, movies, books, games, and endless merchandise offerings that continues and shows no sign of slowing down. The latest movie, STAR TREK BEYOND opens next Friday and next January a new STAR TREK series will make its debut.

The salt creature from the original Star Trek series