I went to vote.... YAY. It was very busy. I hope atleast that the high turn out means that it is less likely that fraud will be as significant.

I hope everyone votes. Even those who would vote against my candidate. Its a lot better to have someone vote against me... than to have people not vote so someone else could vote for them.

Milwaukee County (WI) Executive citing vote-fraud concerns,is publicly balking at a City of Milwaukee's request for almost 260,000 additional ballots in anticipation of high turnout for the November 2nd presidential election.

The City requested over 900,000 ballots though the city's population is 596,974. I understand you may need some extra ballots but this just looks like a good setup for vote-fraud.

Short of calling it a terrorist act, the FBI said the collapse of two 80 foot tall high voltage electric transmission towers was caused by someone purposely removing bolts that held the towers in place.

The outage effected 17,000 customers, including Mitchell International Airport. A southbound freight train stopped on the tracks about 75 yards from the downed lines. Amtrak commuter service between Milwaukee and Chicago has been stoped.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal is reporting "Project Vote Voter registration drive comes under scrutiny when Affirmative Action Officer sees his name and apparently forged signature on a questionable application.

The Racine (WI) City Clerk's office has at least a dozen different stacks of voter registration forms on desks around the office. Stacks contain forms with addresses not in the city, without sufficient proof of identification, and even some duplicates.

I guess it's best to get up early and make sure you vote early so someone doesn't vote for you.

Amateur Radio Field Day
June 26th & 27th

The Racine Megacycle Club Field Day is an annual exercise carried out by Amateur Radio operators to give ham radio ops experience setting up radio stations under emergency conditions. The object is to contact as many other stations as possible during 24 hours. The Public is Invited to Attend. June 26th & 27th from noon till noon at the American Red Cross Building 4521 Taylor Avenue, Racine, WI

Click Here for a Map

Amateur Radio Operator Recognition Day
June 26, 2004

Proclaimed by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle in January 2004, This day is intended to recognize Amateur Radio Operators in the State of Wisconsin for their efforts in providing communication support for community and public service events to help ensure the safety of all attendees, participants and observers; and disaster preparedness.

Racine Megacycle Club
www.w9udu.org

Racine area hams were highlighted in an article by Mary Jo Diem in the Racine section of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Saturday, June 19, 2004 about next week's field day activities.

Excerpt:
"...While hams enjoy the camaraderie and the fun of Field Day, it's balanced by the knowledge that radio communications can be crucial during disasters..."

Read the Article at JS Online:
JS Online

My group of Amateur Radio Operators is planning a DX-Pedition in 2005 to an Island in Alaska. We are planning on operating a station for a few days to become the rare ham radio contact from the island. We already have sponsors, but we want to showcase this event and Ham Radio in some way to the public and were hoping to find some way to get PBS, The Discovery Channel or some other network to tag along with us and showcase what Amateur Radio is. In researching how to contact these I find a sea of red tape. The Discovery Channel Networks only take suggestions from scientists or production crews. PBS seems interested but the few stations I have actually received a response from seem to just mention how they have no budget. How do I find a production company and convince them this would be a good idea? It is important to note that we Ham Radio operators cannot make any money on this and any money made as a result of this going on TV would go to the production company.

Last night I attended the memorial service for Mission Specialist Dr. Cmdr. Laurel Blair Salton Clark here in Racine. It was really amazing to see all the lives she touched. I was also amazed at the number of people I knew who knew her personally.

The tragic loss of the Shuttle Columbia STS-107 has hit our community hard. The memorial service was attended by Governor Jim Doyle, Mayor Jim Smith, Congressman Paul Ryan, County Exec Jean Jacobson, Rear Admiral Ann Rondeau, Rev. Dr. Tony Larsen, Contingent of Sailors from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Racine Area Police, Fire and rescue personnel and her sisters from Gamma Phi Beta, Family, Friends and the citizens of Racine and Wisconsin.

The Columbia did not return safely to Earth but we can pray that all are safely home.

What a useful place the world is? >:)

WI State Law: 97.18(4) - "The serving of colored oleomargarine or margarine at a public eating place as a substitute for table butter is prohibited unless it is ordered by the customer."