Hey Everyone,

First time ever blogger.  I am so frustrated I had to do something.  I had been looking forward to the Harley 105th for over 6 months, but now that I have experienced it, I couldn't be more disappointed.  The organizers of this event. really blew it.  Once again, as with the 100th, organizers underestimated the amount of Harley faithful and every major event I have been to has been way overcrowded.  Went to Miller Park yesterday to see Sugarland, and Kid Rock.  Took over an hour to go 10 miles, another 20 minutes in line to park.  Took over an hour to walk thru the sea of partiers to get to main stage.  All that is understandable.  What sucked was the fact it took almost 2 hours in line just to get a bottle of water, yes, I said almost 2 hours.  Forget about going to the bathroom.

Thought it would be better at Summerfest today since only those who purchased a special pass would be allowed in.  That was not true.  Anyone, Hog member or not, could buy a ticket ot get in.  it was so crowded you could not move.  It was flesh against flesh.  Just to get in to try and "see" ZZTop took 45 minutes, only to realize you could not see a thing.  Then another 45 minutes to try and get out.  Waited in line for beer and water, only to have the vendor run out just before we got there.  The crowd was easily over 150 thousand.  Come on, what the hell did we buy a pass for if anyone can get in.  The pass is useless.

Final blow is finding out they are still selling Springsteen tickets, again to anyone.  And now you do not need to buy a pass to buy a ticket.  When they first went on sale you had to.  When I called to ask Ticketmaster why can a buy a general admission ticket now without buying a 105th pass I was told the 65 dollars I spent on the pass is a special parking pass.  Yeah, right.  I spent 65 dollars for nothing.  I will never ever by into the hype again.  Harley Davidson,  you just lost one of your faithful.  What a bunch of BLEEP.  I will not be stupid enough to try and see Bruce tomorrow.  All the seats are general admission and the gates do not open until 5:30, then it is a mad dash to the stage.  I will not be treated like cattle again.  If they had done what they said they would, and only sell tickets to pass holders, it would have been fine.  Harley Davidson, you screwed up once again.  Didn't you learn from the Elton John fiasco?!!!  I will be selling my ticket to the first taker.

I forever will be faithful to my Harley, but I will never spend another dime and waste my time at Harley hyped event. 

Those who know me have been asking me a weird question:  Basher, what's up with these books about prostitutes?

Yes, since last year I've been taken with the history of prostitution in the Old West.  When we stopped in Leadville on our way to the ranch I learned that one of the stores we were in had been a "parlor house".  Do tell?  I sort of let that rattle around in my cage for a bit.  When we were at the ranch one of the owners was giving us some history of the place and "St. Elmo", a little ghost town about 15 miles away.  I asked if there had been a brothel there.  Yup, there had been and the guy told me which one it was.   It's the building on the left in this picture Anyway, I've read a couple of books on the subject and it still fascinates me. The parlor houses, the brothels, the cribs, and the street walkers. In the Old West they were a very much racially mixed lot and they performed a service in a time when there were few women around. They also did it when there were plenty of women around! There were the whores with a heart of gold and there were those who were mean and criminal as the day is long. They often had the tacit approval of the local gentry who tolerated their presence as long as the madams paid the "fine" every month (it was really a tax on the service, a monthly "fee"). It's pretty interesting reading.

One of the books is "Soiled Doves:  Prostitution in the Early West" by Anne Seagraves.  It's a pretty quick read; but it gives a great deal of insight into the business practices and economics of the "oldest profession".  There's a lot of history and a ton of anecdotes about the gals.  She mentions something that has come to the minds of many who see a picture of a prostitue from the old west time:  "I wonder if that is anyone's grandmother?" Sadly, most prostitutes back then died quite young, many committed suicide. But those who survived and managed to get out of the profession did live long lives and are, indeed, someone's ancestor.

I'm currently finishing up reading a book called "Brothels, Bordellos, &Bad Girls: Prostitution in colorado 1860-1930" by Jan MacKell.  It is an in depth look at the oldest profession as it operated in cities from Denver to Salida and all points in between.  MacKell has done a ton of in depth research on who was involved, when, and where they worked.  The author even locates wome houses and buildings that, back in the day, were brothels.  Imagine the owner that finds out that their house was once a "sporting house"!

Strange as it may seem, I'm looking around for more books on the subject.  I told one of the elders at my church "Hey, guess what I'm studying right now."  When I told him he busted out laughing.  But even he had to admit that it is probably, from an historical standpoint, an interesting subject.

Did you all know the one of the top hit game shows seen in America is here in Wisconsin in Madison at the Badgers basketball arena, the Kohl Center?

I didn't know that and they are. They are here for the next 3 weeks and with this being the end of the week they've just started with the Quarter Final Rounds and now next week will be the Semi-Final Rounds and possibly the final Rounds the same week. The best part about that is its the College Championship Competition from colleges all over the U.S. including here in our state.

This is great. This is the first time I've ever heard of a big time game show being here. I didn't know they were here until I turned it just in time to watch it.

Big Ups to Jeopardy to making their mark here in Wisconsin in our state's capital.

Well... instead of waiting out 2 weeks to start the new job, I officially begin tomorrow.

It's like they say in the movies when a part two, three, or four of a movie comes out at theaters: "With every ending, comes a new beginning".

It's not actually the end of an era in Red & Khaki yet, but don't worry; it will be ending sooner than you think (referring to myself that is).

I came a long ways with them and the biggest thing said to me many times year after year after year is "I can't believe you have been working there for so long". Yeah, I know and "neither can I", but I did. I guess I just have a certain strength for some reason to hang in there until something NEW came across my way and with my just luck, it did.

This isn't said much the other way around, but "For every beginning, there comes an ending".

Sure, it may be sad for some good people I work with may know I'm leaving, but it's a happy feeling that not only I can move on. A new era and a fresh start--it feels real good.

BEFORE...

AFTER....

Take your pic of the TP you like!!    :-D

HEY EVERYONE

BEST WESTERN INN TOWNE HOTEL & SPEAK EASY & EATERY ARE HOSTING A PIG & CORN ROAST ON SAT. AUG 30 FROM 11-4

LOCATION; OLD WORLD 3RD ST RIGHT OFF OF WISCONSIN ST

LIVE BAND & GREAT FOOD & COCTAILS

WOULD LOVE TO MEET LOTS OF HARLEY RIDERS

GET YOUR FREE HARLEY TOWEL FROM THE BEST WESTERN

Anybody ever heard of Joe's Crab Shack?  Excellent restaurant that serves a variety of delicious seafood platters and appetizers.  Waiters and waitresses, as part of their service, perform dancing and singing routines.   I checked their website and found to my chagrin, the closest one is in Gurnee, Illinois.  Along with an Italian restaurant featuring live Italian performances (perhaps Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Dean Martin impersonators), Joe's Crab Shack would be a very nice addition to the Third Ward area... Preferably overlooking the Milwaukee River.   Any thoughts...

Website:

http://www.joescrabshack.com/

I was just thinking about something when Ted Perry was via satellite from his first stop in Washington D.C. He said something about "Milwaukee is lacking on a place that's not even here in the city".

There is a lot of people that can agree that what Milwaukee is lacking of in adult fun is the ESPNZone. You guys really didn't think I ever knew about it, did you?

I've actually been to the ESPNZone before when I was 14-Years-Old and in the 8TH Grade and some old classmates of mine went down to Chicago as a school field trip.

Now, it has been a while since I been to the ESPNZone (8 Years ago if anyone wants me to be technical about it). It's amazing how the years can be so slow when you were in school and as you get out of school completely, the years all of the sudden want to go fast and you forget things that happen way back when. OK, enough of the blast from the past stories... There isn't anything I could ask for or give to go to the ESPNZone again.

If you have never been to the ESPNZone before, you really don't know what you're missing. Ted just actually gave me an idea. I really like when people give me ideas and if anyone knows me, when I get ideas of any or all sorts I actually make things happen with no hesitation. When I save up some extra money, I'm thinking about actually going down there to go on my day off or on the weekend (even if I have to by myself).

What does it take to get an ESPNZone here in Milwaukee (even if it would go on the South Side of Milwaukee like in  Oak Creek, West Milwaukee, West Allis, Greenfield, Greendale, or possibly in Glendale, or Wauwatosa)?

I haven't been watching up Hollywood's funniest celebrity buzz TV show.

I almost forgot how funny TMZ was.

I can never catch the new episodes at night after the news at 10:00PM and boring Seinfeld.

The new episodes that air at night is the same ones you watch weekday afternoons at 12:30PM after the mid-day news at 11:00AM and M.A.S.H.

That's really about the only time I can watch TMZ. I don't usually have the energy to stay up at night unless I'm playing the XBOX 360. I always have the time for that. I know that sounds weird, but I'm trying to beat a game so I can scoop up the 2ND game when it comes out in October--

--But this isn't about the video games; it's about missing my favorite show and being able to catch up on what I've been missing.

Does anyone watch TMZ or even like it for that matter? I know I can't be the only one.

O.K. tell me someone else has wondered this too?

The nun on cable. 

Who is she and how old are those shows? I never actually watch her. But as I'm flipping through the channels-- I see her long enough to know she's on all the time.

I've also wondered about the lady who plays the piano.

Tell me you know the one. It's just her, the piano and she's having a hallelujah good time singing off key!

The two of them have got to have the longest running shows on television!

This is the last time you are going to hear me mention Brett Favre's name for a very long time.

If he can move on; if the Packers can move on, and if fans can move on, then I can move on--to another job that is.

I had an interview with Walgreens for the 3RD time at a different location and the main store manager interviewed me and to tell you the truth, out of the other two interviews I had with a Walgreens store (one on 76TH & Capitol and the one 27TH & Ohio), this was the best one I have ever had.

Coming to the end of the interview the manager said to me "I commend you on having a stable working ability to be at a job you had to deal with for nearly four years". Not only that, he also said "I feel real confident about you". There has never been not one manager at any job I have had an interview that has said that to me before ever, until today. It's a first time for everything.

From there, he gave me the drug test paper and I went took the drug test; I already know I'm going to pass that. Within a couple of weeks I know I'll be in there.

I can finally put in a 2-Week Notice soon and work those last 2 weeks (since I only work four hours a day on the days I work and 8 hours a week, 2 out of 7 days) and start fresh somewhere else.

TARGET doesn't know it and they won't it; until I leave. When it comes time for me to depart ways out of Red & Khaki, I'm going out...with a BANG (but only in a good way for all the right reasons).

It took me 3 times to get a job at Walgreens and I guess what they say is true: "A 3RD time is a charm".