Jas on the tee at Plum Lake. Dave golf's. Uncle Fran and Bruce have golfed. Jas goes once in awhile. I go once a year - here. Bruce had golfed the day before so he stayed back with Dad so it was Jas, me, Uncle Fran and Dave. I finished last with a 61. Better than last year...and I got a few miles walked in. Natural athlete. Though I must admit the beer afterwards was a tad more refreshing.
Excellent beer. Award winner. Brewed right in Wisconsin's state capital, Madison. My Uncle Fran lives there - he brought a twelve-pack Up North on the fishing trip. Gone in 60-seconds.
The boys. Standing: Bruce Hranicka, Fran Ircink (uncle), Jim Ircink (dad), Dave Hranicka. Me and Jason kneeling.
This annual trip is as much about family and friends and the Great "Up North" Outdoors as it is about fishing. Bruce and Dave are brothers. Uncle Fran and Dad are brothers. And then...Jas and I. Gary Schmidt, who grew up with Dave and Uncle Fran, was sick and couldn't make it up this year and we were out his wife's lasagna. And Gary too, of course. This outing is the 2nd ranked highlight of my year - we've been doing this for...hmmm - 20 years? Close to that anyways. Not coincidently, we've all bowhunted together as well.
Dusk on the Rainbow Flowage. I took this shot on my night landscape setting. Sort of has a bluish tinge to it, doesn't it? Reminds me of some guys staring out over a frozen, snow-dusted lake in Norway in the middle of winter. Maybe it's just me. It's fuzzy in the backround but that sort of adds to the mystique that is - the RAINBOW FLOWAGE!
The Rainbow - 2,000+ acres known to make some grown men cry. Well - at least grown men in our group. Ok - just my brother. He's a hardcore outdoorman; I expect nothing less from him. We lucked out and had beautiful weather all week long.
Strategy, bullshit or load talk?
The main tool of the trade - rod and reel. And my hand.
Another tool of the trade - minnows. A veritable feast for hungry walleye.
One more tool of the trade - beer. That's me lounging.
Base camp. And Dave's two trailers.
Me playing with the self-timing mechanism on my camera.
Dad and Jas fixing a reel. 
Dave with our catch for the evening. I believe I may have two walleyes on that stringer. 
Strategy, bullshit or load talk? Definitely bullshit.
Dad, Uncle Fran and Bruce. Thursday afternoon. Dave had already left. No question here - load talking while listening to some classics on the jukebox. The brandy old-fashioned sweets were flowing on that day I can tell you. I think it was about 3 p.m. Jas passed out after dinner.
Jas with the group.
Canadian geese by the dikes. Nice shot, Jeff.
Beaver sign. Wonder how long it takes a beaver to fell a tree this size?
This guy definitely lost his way from Jimmy's Bar in Lake Tomahawk.
Dave's neighbor, Mike. Here's Mike with his homemade cranberry wine. Illegal as hell but he's an elderly retired man - what are ya gonna do? I think that's what the guy in the jalopy picture above was drinking when he made that ill-advised right turn. 
Dusk on the Rainbow. Another walleye fishing trip comes to a close. Thanks, Dave for the invitation once again. Until next year...
My worker's comp. case against my former employer - Barbara Bollenbach - is in high gear. When I arrived home from vacation, I found a check from Fireman's Fund for $4.24 - travel allowance for my medical evaluation by a California State opthamalogist this Friday. It's taken...what - 14 months but the money is rolling in. After my eye doctor couldn't provide FF with an adequate assessment of my eye injury, FF sent me to one of their own eye doctors. Oops - he didn't provide FF with the correct data either, so now it's in the hands of a State of California medical evaluator, who will make a disability rating assessment and hopefully get the data FF needs to settle my WC claim.
Don't ever get injured on the job. Ever. Though I would wish it on my worst enemies 'cause it's worse than shoving icepicks in your temple. I know.
Short but sweet trip to visit Justyna, seen here in her little alcove either contemplating why she's constantly inviting me over to her Victorian in Irving Park OR thinking about her upcoming trip to Belgium with her mother (they left last Wednesday).
It has to be the second one...right? You know seeing this picture brings to mind an anecdote I recently saw painted on the ceiling of the Skylight Theatre in Milwaukee:
"To forget some things, to remember others and to refresh the dry places in our spirit."
From 6th grade on, I grew up in the Village of Waterford, about 25 miles south of Milwaukee - out in "the sticks". There's a bike trail that runs 10 miles into Wind Lake. So, the day after I arrived home, I headed out on a 6-mile walk (round trip). It was around 80. Gorgeous day. Lots of fields and barns. Well, that is the country, ain't it?
Old Norway Church (1843). It's only used for special occasions now (there's a new church to the left). It was the first Norwegian Lutheran congregation in the state of Wisconsin. I ran into two sister planting flowers on their parent's and brother's graves and got to talkin'. Their brother just got back from Vietnam and got killed by a drunk driver. Makes one sick.
This was the oldest gravestone I could find, dating back to 1795.
You can see the statue to Col. Heg and his memorial plate in my Memorial Day post. We used to come up to the park a lot when we were kids to see the Civil War Reenactments.
Col. Heg's boyhood home. OK - time to turn around and head back home.
Oops. Almost stepped on this baby painted turtle. As big as a half dollar piece if that. I picked it up off the bike trail and set her down on the other side out of harm's way. Right away when I got home, my dad and brother (founding members of the Izaak Walton League) asked, "What direction was she facing when you picked her up?" (if they're facing west you take them to that side of the trail) and Jason said, "Why didn't you bring it home?". Liberals.
Got a mile or two to finish here, so I best kick'er in high gear. It's almost been three hours since I left. Mom's probably worried. As a matter of fact, she called me to see where I was.Got back last night late from my three-week vacation in Wisconsin - fishing, visiting Chicago, Iowa and general traipsing around my home state of Wisconsin. I will attempt to chronicle the trip in the next 20 or so posts - in reverse order. Which means you'll have to page down to follow in order to follow my vacation in chronicle order.
On this day we honor those who gave their lives in service to our country - our fallen heroes. Near my hometown in the Village of Waterford (Wisconsin), there's a park named after a Civil War soldier who emigrated to Wisconsin from Norway, then served in a Wisconsin regiment and died in the Battle of Chickamauga. His name is Colonel Hans Christian Heg.
I land in California tonight at 10:44pm. Helluva thing...vacations. Three weeks go by faster than one work week. Well, lots of things to catch you up on - fishing, Iowa, theater in Wisconsin, Brolen Park, Chicago, family, friends, Taliesen, my newfound Irish and Italian heritage (just add those to every other nationality I have in me) gas prices, Myanmar, etcetera.
Look for updates tomorrow (Memorial Day) and all next week.
I may report in with a post or two from the field but I will be traveling May 5 thru May 25 - with my annual walleye fishing trip May 9-16. I'll be fishing the beautiful Rainbow Flowage in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin - 5 hours straight north from Milwaukee ("Up North"), wayyyy near the top of my native state. During my vacation time, I'll be visiting family and friends in Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. See ya when I see ya.
...With the ADDED capability to SEE the person you're talking to. If this sounds interesting to you, email me and I'll get back to you when I get home from my fishing trip on May 25.
Oh - did I forget to mention you can make money with this business venture as well? And instead of paying $24.95 per month you get your long distance service for FREE? My long-time friend of 14 years does just this - I saw the check he received. 4 figures.
My email is: irc_64@hotmail.com. Just let me know you saw this on my blog and that you want more information and I'll get back to you after May 25.
Kent State University. 1970. Allison Krause, Jeff Miller (seen lying on the pavement above), Sandy Scheuer and Bill Schroeder were murdered by National Guardsman. Scheuer and Schroeder weren't even taking part in the student demonstrations (against the Vietnam War). Nine others were injured and one remains paralyzed.
Above in order: Krause, Schroeder, Miller and Sheuer. 800 National Guardsman converged on campus that day. 67 bullets were fired in all. Every guardsman involved was acquitted. The event was immortalized in the Crosby, Stills and Nash song, "Ohio", which you can listen to here.
Comedy's subjective, so I'm always a bit skeptical about recommending someone's schtick. But you've gotta watch Brian Regan - he's my favorite, especially if you like Pop Tarts. He's hilarious - very physical so he's at his funniest when you watch him.
This was originally posted last July but that particular video is no longer available AND you can't go back and insert YouTube videos for previous dates. SO, here it is again. Sorta goes hand-in-hand with my fishing adventure I'm going on. I AM Jonny Quest!
"The coolest show" - what I thought when I was a kid and by far my all-time favorite cartoon. Jonny Quest first aired in 1964 (the year I was born). Jonny was voiced by actor Tim Matheson (Animal House) and Dr. Quest (the guy with the goatee) was voiced by Wisconsin native, John Stephenson, from Kenosha - near my hometown. I LOVE this intro!
..."where were you? I was looking all over for you."
As if you were off doing nothing. This person looking for you supposedly has had their nose to the grindstone, working their ass off - and, on top of that, they've been running all over the place looking for you. They're intimating that you're not where you're "supposed to be". First of all, what business of it is theirs"where I was"? If I thought you needed to know where I was I would've told you, you dumb bastard. Second of all - well there is no second point, really.
The Mexican gardeners used say this to me all the time when I lived on the bitch's property in Bel Air. Like - it's 10 acres. People frequently disappear on 10 acres. Maybe I was taking a shit. Do you mind?
So the next time you run into me don't say, "where have you been - I've been looking all over for you."
That's a good way for me to bite your head off.
May Day - the first day of May - is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labor movement. In Los Angeles, where May Day organizers specifically celebrate the contributions of the immigrant workers who make up nearly half of Los Angeles County's workforce, two major marches are planned. They march for the "rights" they think they "deserve" and to protest raids on businesses who hire illegal aliens. Read this story about May Day in LA.
From today's rally (and I quote), "...we are here for them to respect us as a people, to treat us with dignity and respect, so we are not only asking for legalization but we are asking to see us like they see everybody else - not 2nd class, not 3rd class but as 1st class...". And can you believe, even after last year's May Day rally, there are still illegal idiots marching down the streets with Mexican Flags? Morons.
Click READ MORE, if you'd like to find out what my 6-point plan is to help curb this problem.
This is laughable. These illegals should be treated like the criminals they are. It has nothing to do with their dignity or them being a "class of peoples below 1st class". Why should we look at them the same as we look at people who are citizens OR are here with work visas? INS should've been present at the event and rounded up every one of the the illegal aliens and shipped them back to their country.
Our mayor is a joke - he spoke at the march last year...in favor of the marchers. He shows up at these rallies in support of the rights of illegal aliens (he should be bounced from office just for that). What rights should these people have? And what rights do the companies who hire them have? NONE! These people are in the U.S. ILLEGALLY! Get it through your God damn heads, people. Our government and Corporate America are just as much to blame as the pregnant woman who swims across a Texas river, only to show up dripping wet in a hospital and in the process, dumping her newborn baby off on American soil - Voila! - instant fucking American citizenship. And you and I pay for her hospital bill to boot. But you can't say anything against Momma and her anchor baby because your comments will be construed as racist. It's not racist to be against illegal aliens entering our country and anyone who thinks it is racist is a dumb ass. In asserting that statement, I'm simply acting as a proponent of what our country's laws state.
This country is becoming a real piece of work, let me tell you. I'm sorry for swearing but our principles are getting all fucked up and our crooked politicians don't wanna put their heads on the block for fear of losing their jobs. Where our the true leaders - our patriots, like OUR Founding Fathers: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Hancock? Leaders who will take a stand on this issue? How difficult is it? Christ. Worried about your job security? Worried about the labor force that we "can't live without"? Fine. Here's the Jeff Ircink plan:
1) Grant amnesty to those illegals who are already here. There's the workforce in tact. Make them U.S. citizens and make them pay taxes.
2) Reword the 14th Amendment so that babies born to illegals are not automatically "instant U.S. citizens".
3) Wall or no wall, shoot-to-kill order for people crossing the border. If you honestly think capturing them and returning them to whence they came is the solution - you're wrong. They'll just turn around and come back. Really, if they're that stupid to cross the border knowing a cross hairs is on their forehead, then let them cross. I'm dead serious about this. You remember how successful the Berlin Wall was, don't you? Now before you go wacky and start calling me a Comm-Simp - I'm not suggesting a wall and a killing zone that separates OUR own country (like in Germany) - just separating us from everyone who's not US. What's the alternative folks? Open up our borders so anyone can come in? It's not affecting you directly now so you don't give a rat's ass. They'll come a time though when you'll start to feel the squeeze - then, THEN suddenly you'll be the first one's bitching. Isn't that how most people are? Not my problem. Guy at work said that to me today. "It's not affecting me." OK, Jack (not his name) - when the national language of the United States of America is changed to a language other than English, don't come crying to me in Spanish.
4) Allow our police force to arrest and deport illegal aliens. Right now, they don't do it because it falls under the job description of the INS. Here's a startling fact, of the approximate 300 prisoners being held in one particular Iowa city's jail - 1/3 are illegal. If the crime they've committed isn't deemed "serious" enough, INS won't come and get them...unless the state has a specific unit set aside for such matters. And most don't.
5) Companies who hire illegal aliens should be shut down - immediately. All their business goes to a competitior.
6) Limit terms for our politicians. They they won't have to worry about the job being at stake if they do what's right for their constituents and this country. No more career politicians.
I understand numbers 3 and 5 are harsh. But harsh times call for harsh measures. Let me ask you this: do you think there's a problem with theft in the Middle East or China? No - because if you're caught stealing they chop off your hand. But that's beneath the U.S. We're too civil for such extreme measures. But we'll continue to ignore the elephant in the room when it comes to the illegal immigrant issue. We'll condemn the hiring of illegals, yet allow companies to build shelters for illegal aliens to hang around in while waiting outside - Home Depot, for example - for work. We'll continue to say that the illegal alien has rights, pay for their medical bills, pay for them to have their babies here, let the drive on our roads with no insurance, pay for their tuition and anything else we pay illegal aliens for. We talk and we talk and we talk some more. And the elephant sits in the room eating its peanuts while it freeloads off U.S. taxpayers.
Rights for illegal aliens? Here's a right - turn around and march RIGHT back over the border or wherever you entered MY COUNTRY from ILLEGALLY. I should just stay in the Northwoods of Wisconsin while on my fishing trip and become a hermit. This living in civilization thing is getting to be a pain in the ass.
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