DEROS Vietnam by Doug Bradley

The only books I've ever read about Vietnam were textbooks from high school. With DEROS Vietnam, by Doug Bradley, I got a dose of reality, from the perspective of a journalist soldier who labored in an office environment in Saigon.

I actually know Doug, as he was an excellent communications specialist for UW-Extension when I was a reporter for Wisconsin Public Radio.  In addition, I am concluding a short-term post at UW System while Doug was a former Communications Director there. Despite our association, I knew next to nothing about his service history until reading this book. It's filled with vivid descriptions, salty language and good story-telling.

Doug calls his work of short stories fiction, but there's a real Dragnet quality to these stories and characters. The names may have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty, but this account sure sounds like the real deal to me.

DEROS stands for Date Eligible for Return from Overseas. Apparently, everybody knew his DEROS date. Bradley describes a nightmarish situation where absolutely nothing makes sense about this war and everybody wants out ASAP.

Given my age, I barely missed the Vietnam War draft and could envision being in the author's shoes, given my own journalism background. Bradley survived this experience, building a long-lasting marriage and a remarkable career, but not everybody was so fortunate.

DEROS Vietnam is a quick read and one worth exploring. It reminds us how not all wounds are physically inflicted, how lives are horrifically disrupted and changed forever by an experience of war and why countries should engage in combat as the absolute last resort.

It appears as though Doug Bradley's facilitation with words has soothed his wounds through the years, with DEROS one more cathartic example of how he is dealing with the reality of the Vietnam War.

New Chapter

from Van Hise

To Dean Health Plan

This post has nothing to do with a book, but I am about to embark on a new adventure! Maybe an insignificant experience last week while visiting Maureen at UW Hospital was some sort of omen.

I was departing the elevator on my way to Maureen's room when a man I did not know greeted me.  "Good morning, doctor." It was such a brief and unexpected encounter, I just responded with a "good morning" in return and chuckled to myself.

I have no idea why he assumed I was a doctor but maybe a dress shirt and tie is typical MD attire these days. Despite my lack of medical training, I will soon begin working for Dean Health Plan, resuming my long history with health communications. I'll be an editor and writer for four magazines, in addition to other new media duties. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Dean, it's among the largest physician-owned practices in the U.S. The Dean office (above right) is less than two miles from our house! I will not miss the parking challenges of campus.

My brush with educational communications at UW System will conclude two months early to accept this new opportunity. And I can't say enough about my current boss Heather LaRoi and her colleagues at UW System. True professionals. Thank you for the chance to learn and work with you on behalf of President Ray Cross. The hurdles are many for those on the 17th floor, but you are all up to the challenge.

I will miss these new co-workers almost as much as the close proximity to Babcock Hall ice cream, Union South and climbing those 17 flights for exercise. But most of all, I'll miss Donut Day! (At the Wisconsin Medical Society, ironically, every day was Donut Day!)

Thanks to Dave Giroux and Ray for their interest in bringing me to UW System and to my new boss, Mary Carr Lee, for encouraging me to take a closer look at the Dean Health Plan job, which is closely suited to my interests, skills and abilities.

I start a week from Monday.

Nobody will call me "doctor" at Dean, but I will enjoy working with and for physicians again.

Loudest Voice in the Room

First an admission: I have never watched Fox News. We don't have cable, so the only Fox News I have ever experienced has been via John Stewart commentaries or Internet clips posted on FB, etc.

So why read The Loudest Voice in the Room by Gabriel Sherman, which examines the life of the amazing, trailblazing and crude Roger Ailes, the man who built the Fox News machine? My interest is mainly borne of fascination with how this "news" network ever got off the ground.

But my curiosity also relates to friends and family who depend on Fox for much of their news consumption. Of course, they supplement their diet with a side of Rush Limbaugh, too. They continually have a take on current events I can barely fathom.

After reading journalist Sherman's thoroughly documented account (112 pages of footnotes), I have developed a better understanding of why half the population seems to have a completely different read on the "news" than I tend to glean from main stream journalism.

This book is the story of a man who began his career as a TV producer for the Mike Douglas show. He was somebody who early on understood the importance of camera angles, lighting and the general power of television, especially for politicians. (He helped Richard Nixon gain credibility).

Above all, Roger Alies learned to get high ratings by giving viewers what they wanted.  He hired beautiful women anchors to appeal to his white male dominated audience. He made certain the stories he covered hit an emotional appeal. And he made sure the network constantly reinforced its messages by repeating them over and over and reinforcing them again with screaming graphics.

In one telling example told by Sherman regarding a business program Ailes started at Fox, a male Fox colleague asked a new hire about her professional background. She replied that she had experience reading the weather on TV. What are you doing here, he asked? His colleague then shook her breasts in response.

When Ailes studied Nazi propaganda films he soon realized how effective they were, though he never espoused Nazi ideology. Even so, he learned that if you repeated the same message over and over again, it eventually would have its intended impact on the audience. That certainly explains many of the faux story lines Fox News has perpetuated: President Obama doesn't have an American birth certificate. There's a war on Christmas. Various claims regarding the terrorist strike in Benghazi continually are reported. Sherman provides an entire chapter on Ailes' desire and tactics to elect a conservative president and bring down President Obama. 

To counter legitimate charges of bias, Ailes created the tagline, "fair and balanced." Just repeat it over and over and voila! Balance.

But Sherman documents that Ailes himself is not and never has been a journalist. He simply redefined what news is. The Fox executive decided that whatever he chooses to broadcast is "news." The other side, according to Ailes, can be covered by the "liberal media."

Just to be clear, Ailes refused numerous attempts to be interviewed for this book, and actively attempted to sabotage the author's efforts and tarnish his reputation. When you read this account of Ailes' life, it becomes abundantly clear that there are only two sides to an argument: Ailes' and everybody else's. He's a man who's devoted his life to controlling the message, and that certainly wasn't going to change for his own story.

So the author relied on hundreds of first-person interviews with people who worked at Fox, Ailes' brother and published interviews Ailes has done through the years. In addition, Sherman quotes from the book Ailes himself authored. The portrait that emerges is a truly disturbing one, especially in later years when Ailes appears to descend into more frequent rages and bouts of paranoia (He said the Democratic Party was going to assassinate him). 

The same take-no-prisoners tactics he's always leveled at his perceived enemies, Ailes trained on this author, including attacking his journalism and comparing him to Jason Blair, a disgraced plagiarist from the New York Times. 

"Although he may not have intended it," writes Sherman, "Ailes' confrontational response to the reporting of this book was as revealing as any comment he would have made in the course of an extended interview. "

Roger Ailes is a propagandist, plain and simple, but a large portion of his audience may genuinely believe they are getting actual "news." That is the scariest revelation of all.

The Loudest Voice in the Room is an outstanding, engaging book which illuminates a seminal figure in American politics. Roger Ailes may not be a journalist, but he certainly made his mark on the news business. By the stunning weight of the evidence Gabriel Sherman has amassed, it most certainly has been a black mark for journalism, political discourse and democracy itself.

Read it and weep.

Colorado River Adventure

Astonishing is an appropriate word to describe the scenery along the Colorado River. The massive cliffs and enormous boulders along the way seem more probable for a movie set than what we normally recognize as reality.

Our adventure began in Las Vegas where our tour company picked us up at 6 am under the massive clown sign for Circus Circus (I'd never stay there again because it is like living in a maze) half hour later we met our tour guide, Reid, who proved to be a kayak master who did everything but tuck us in at night. Reid brought all of the supplies, including water, tents, food, first aid, etc. He works for aptly named Desert Adventures, which supplies everything one needs to survive on the river. Reid's infectious love of the Colorado was just a bonus.

Reid with Serena

The short van ride down a very steep road past a check point resulted in our first glimpse of massive Hoover Dam from the river. Quite an incredible sight. The water it was holding back is Lake Mead, which serves several states and is a warm 85 degrees or so at surface level.

Everybody who goes on the river must have IDs and kids need a copy of their birth certificates--precautions begun after 911. I was told the concern is more that somebody might attempt to poison the water supply than blow up the dam.

When we arrived at river level carrying all of the equipment, police boats were in plain site, as a man in his 50s apparently jumped off the bridge near the dam the prior afternoon at 3. I'm glad we didn't see any more than that and our river trip began uneventfully.

We settled into our two-person, supply-loaded kayaks and off we went under clear skies. The current was quite strong and we struggled to follow Reid's directions. Having a guide in these spots is priceless, as he tells you when to stay close to the shore, where to avoid a big cross current, when to paddle the hardest, etc. There were a few moments when my heart raced, hoping like hell I wouldn't get swept off course. My kayak partner, Serena, was understandably spooked a few times, which didn't exactly help calm my nerves. But ultimately we did fine, especially after I finally figured out the rudder system on the kayak.

Reid was invaluable off the river, too. He knows the best places to stop along the way to hike, have lunch, camp or all of the above. The best surprise for me was the amount of hiking. It was such a terrific break from paddling because the environment is just so arresting. I never imagined we'd visit so many hot springs and enjoy so many walks through gorgeous, rocky terrain.

At our camping spot, I was too lazy to go for another hike before dinner, but Serena and Maureen made the 30-minute trek. When they returned, they were all smiles. Serena couldn't stop talking about the hot pools, the big ladder leading up to them, etc. When the rest of us went with Reid the next day, I soon learned what Serena got so excited about. You are soon walking in a wide, winding corridor with cliffs 500+ feet high on both sides with a tiny warm stream running down the middle. During flash floods, Reid said the water can rise 20 ft! You'd be totally screwed if you were in there then. 

"You don't drown," Reid offered helpfully. "You die of blunt force trauma." Remember, there is nothing but solid rock surrounding you, in addition to some trees and other vegetation.

The real payoff is the hot pool, where a 20-rung steel ladder led us. I'm not crazy about heights but made the climb anyway and lived to experience nature's warmth. The pool above that was just short of boiling, so I only waded into that. A couple from Hawaii was neck deep in it! 

My mother-in-law is 68 and courageously made the climb up that ladder, too. She stepped very carefully and made it just fine, but I was worried she might slip and come tumbling down. Descending backward down those first few steps wasn't exactly enjoyable for me, either but worth the experience. On the way back, Reid had us drink some warm water flowing from the center of the rock wall, which had a pleasant tea like taste. It was quite warm, as well.

On another hike, we got a glimpse of a few big horn sheep, including an agile baby who seemed quite comfortable on those steep cliffs. Other than ducks that followed us everywhere and a few high flying ravens and hawks, there wasn't the amount of wildlife I had hoped for.

The first day of paddling was pretty easy because the wind was at our backs, though it was very light wind. The next day was forecast to be very windy, which would make the trip more challenging. But luckily, we only experienced several minutes of gusts which dissipated and never reappeared for the remainder of our trip. A short time later, after we reached our destination point, we heard two people were tossed off their kayaks and had to be rescued. A Milwaukee native, Jeffrey, was the one who rescued them! In fact, our guide, Reid, is also a Milwaukee native.

We all loved the trip, but some more than others. "Why did that stupid river trip have to ruin everything," said Olivia to her mom as I write this, lamenting that we'd have to leave soon for Wisconsin. She much prefers hanging out in the mountains in grandma's back yard in Rio Rico, Arizona, as one can surmise by viewing our group photos.

It's actually a fine trip for kids, especially if the weather cooperates and you have a good guide. The river itself is a real joy, crystal clear and even drinkable. That's what made it real for me.

Emerald Cave photo by Dennis Allen

When you experience such jaw-dropping beauty over a couple of days, it sinks in that no movie scene could possibly compete with Mother nature.

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173 and Counting...

It's been almost a year since Wacky News Names came out. The book chronicles the many ironic or contextually funny names that constantly appear in the news. But since the book went to press, I have continued to log 'em as I read 'em. This is an endless collection which grows by the day, especially since I have minions sending me even more names via email since the book came out. And yes, I do verify my submissions!

New lower price. Click the cover!

Just today, I read about a boat captain named Martin Leake. Not long ago, a pilot who conducted an aerial tour of a disaster area is named Gary Bird. Keeping with the disaster theme, I learned about a 1994 tornado that did a number on a community named Big Flats.

I also read an article quoting a lighting specialist, Lisa Clarity. Morgan Brooks is a meteorologist who informed me about flooding. And then there was the defense attorney who defended his client against sodomy. Appropriately, his name is B.J. Bernstein. 

In the world of publishing, I came across a book on botany, written by Bob Flowerdew. I just finished reading Paul Tough's excellent book, where he argues that grit and determination are important predictors of student success. Maura Lerner wrote a piece last week about on-line college courses.

The crime names always get my attention. There's Samuel Mullet, accused of hair-cutting attacks. Sounds hair raising! Jay Skare is an alleged pedophile. Indeed. And Charles Walker escaped from prison by presenting fake papers and waltzing right out the door.

The world of business remains a plentiful font of appropriate names, too. There's Craig Sword who founded a knife company, Window Snyder who is a security specialist related to Windows XP and Steve Small, a human development specialist!

The names people remember most are the medical ones, and for good reason!  Laura Finger is a gynecologist, Richard Chopp is vasectomy specialist and John Noseworthy treats people with smell-related disorders!

Many of the new medical names come via my friend Richard Frankenstein, MD, who wrote the foreword to my book. For obvious reasons, he also has a heightened interest in this phenomenon.

Please keep the names coming.  We can do better than 173.

How Children Succeed by Paul Tough

How Children  Succeed is well done. I'm not a big fan of education books because they almost always involve test scores, which I find boring.

But Paul Tough is a journalist, a great writer and takes a different tack. Maybe natural ability, great genes and high SAT scores are not the best way to predict success in kids.

Tough argues that skills which include, curiosity, perseverance, optimism and self-control are better predictors. And he says those traits can be taught.

"[Science] says that character strengths that matter so much to young people's success are not innate; they don't appear magically, as a result of good luck or good genes," writes Tough. "And they are not simply a choice."

Tough says society can do a lot to influence the development of children by providing support to low-income families. Parents may lack the ability and the resources to offer their children what they need to succeed, and that includes being a good role model.

He says making this effort will not just be good for the kids, but good for society too because it would lessen the need to pay for remedial education and job training. In fact, one program was determined to provide "seven and twelve dollars of tangible benefit for every dollar invested."

Invest your time in this book and learn about what Paul Tough is proposing.

Million Dollar Idea

Wouldn't it be cool if you could give your kids or grand kids a million dollars? Sounds like a get-rich quick scheme, right? Actually, it's quite the opposite. Your kids get rich, very rich, very slowly.

I was listening to financial guru Paul Merriman, who discussed a brilliant idea in one of his podcasts. Here are the basics of how this works. Sock away $365 per year until the child is 16. You will have invested a total of $5,840 on their behalf. Stop. You are finished.

Now here's where the magic takes over. Assuming this teenager begins working at age 16, open a Roth IRA for him or her, putting the money into an all growth-stock index fund. Put in the maximum amount you can annually, drawing it from the $5,840 kitty. Keep doing that every year until the original fund is depleted and everything is transferred to the Roth IRA.

That's it. Then just wait five decades or so and, they'll have one decent pile of cash. When the kids are senior citizens about to retire, the IRA will likely be worth roughly a million bucks or more. Merriman says a 10% average return would not be overly optimistic for a growth fund over a very long time period, especially if one invests in value funds. Thank you, tax-free compounding!

I encourage you to listen to Paul Merriman explain it, as he does a much better job of laying out the details.

This idea takes me back to my teen years when I wrote out a check to my dad for a million dollars on his birthday. He absolutely loved it and laughed uproariously when he opened the envelope. With our kids, we're actually going to give them a million bucks. Dad would have just loved this plan, but his grand kids will love it more.

Sticker Shock

Ah, the aroma on my fingers is quite vexing indeed. It's a combination of WD-40, rubbing alcohol, Goo-Gone and nail polish remover. And the sticky black residue is just an added bonus.

My four year-procrastination ended yesterday as I undertook the detestable task of attacking those impossible-to-remove Wisconsin State Park windshield stickers. It took about 90 minutes to remove four of them that have accumulated over the years. That explains the procrastination.

I am not alone in my derision for this park-visiting requirement. At Devil's Lake a few years ago, I was behind this young guy who was going through the ranger station with his nice sports car. He wanted the annual pass, which he paid for and was given. He was then instructed to stick it on his windshield.

"No way," he told the ranger. They got into a rather heated discussion about the necessity of actually sticking that on the windshield as opposed to just leaving it on the dashboard. Ultimately, the ranger promised it would cost him $50. Stick it or ticket, baby.

I talked the guy off the ledge by commiserating with him, confirming that he was absolutely right about this annoying requirement, but that he can't possibly accept a $50 fine as a protest every time he goes to a state park!

He agreed and acquiesced.

Yesterday, I felt his pain. Wasting a good portion of one of our few nice Saturdays of late with a razor blade, scraping these things off the glass was the last thing I felt like doing. The gooey residue is among the least pleasant aspects of this chore.

The maniacal genius who invented these stickers should not be shot. Instead, his car windows should be plastered with them. Then we'd make a YouTube video of him killing himself, trying to get them off with nothing but a putty knife and a jar of peanut butter. Man, I'd love to see that!

The way these stickers work (they live up to their name) is that you get the edge to come off the glass and then it quickly rips so you can't actually pull the whole thing off. What you have are a bunch of gooey, gross strips or pieces of broken film. By the time you work off all of the pieces, you have a big smudge of grossness that must be rubbed off with some solution. This entire process is quite time-consuming.

Obviously, there are much bigger state issues to worry about than State Park stickers, but anything that soaks up that much time, energy and frustration is worth taking a look at and revising. Maureen tells me the Legislature even debated this issue at one point, but never resolved it. The Parks Department isn't up to the task of figuring out a better way?!

I just can't believe this is the only strategy to make sure people don't use the sticker on multiple vehicles or let their friends use their permit. Making the thing nearly impossible to remove doesn't seem like good customer service to me.

A state that discovered Vitamin D and invented the Lambeau Leap can certainly find a more innovative way to charge people to use state parks. There must be some sort of electronic scanning of a license plate, for instance, that would do the trick. And I bet if somebody surveyed other states, we'd find that somebody already figured out a better way.

In the meantime, I Googled this problem and found a product that was designed to beat the system. I am not buying my 2014 park sticker until it arrives.

My fingers might be back to normal by then.

Lost Decades by Menzie Chinn and Jeffry Frieden

Economists who can write! Amazing. I happened to come across this book while searching for another title I had heard about and was shocked at how accessible the material is. This is no text book.

These authors, including the University of Wisconsin economist Menzie Chinn, do an outstanding job of explaining how the economy nearly imploded back in 2008.

What was most enlightening about their account is that what happened to the US had happened to other countries in the past. Argentina, Mexico and Thailand are among them. We should have known better than to borrow so much from foreigners and then not adequately regulate the financial industry.

In fact, the authors say the U.S. gave advice to other countries that we failed to take ourselves, which got us into a situation that nearly collapsed the entire banking system.

"Many of the decade's failures were the result of a perversion of otherwise reasonable ideas, distorted for suspect motives," write the authors. They say there are good reasons to offer tax cuts, run deficits and accept foreign loans. And yes, it's good to promote home ownership, too. And now to the but. You knew that was coming.

"But in America's lost decade, taxes were cut to curry favor with the wealthy and middle-income voters, to make it easier to starve programs the ruling party did not like, and to tie the hands of future governments," the authors assert.

With all of that cash, consumers went on a spending spree and home prices soared. The party appeared to be endless, but the needle eventually scratched and many people shuddered when they lost their jobs, following revelations about complex, misleading financial instruments that many experts didn't fully understand. Importantly, Chinn and Frieden say the devastation to the economy and to families could have been avoided.

"...the root of all the evil that befell the country was irresponsible government policies, policies that encouraged a foreign borrowing binge and consumption boom, policies that allowed financial institutions to take inordinate risks with an implicit government guarantee, policies that gambled with taxpayer money."

They're referring to fighting multiple wars on a credit card without asking current taxpayers to share this burden, failing to collect enough revenue to cover our other obligations and offering cheap interest rates because of the flood of foreign capital.

They urge citizens to be vigilant about not allowing their government to act irresponsibly in the future. Their advice:

• Monetary policy must not be used for political purposes
• The fruits of economic growth must be shared widely
• Citizens must be willing to pay for what the government decides to spend money on
• The financial system requires supervision

Are we up to the task?

The Last Oil Change

I can't say I actually enjoyed it, but for the past three decades I have changed my own oil on two of our cars. Yesterday, I did it for the last time because we are selling the Camry to make way for the new Subaru. And I have no intention of doing any work on a 2014 vehicle. Hell, I have never touched our 2003 Acura, either.

Changing oil on an older car isn't too difficult though, but it is messy. I liked doing it because I could use the higher-end synthetic oil and not have it cost me $75+ for an oil change! And, I could do it safely, without jacking up the car and risk the thing crushing me. There's enough clearance under a '92 Camry that you can just slide under there, unscrew the plug and let it drain.

Never in those three decades did I make the mistake I made yesterday. I did not position the oil pan correctly and all of the oil spilled directly onto the garage floor. Ugh... Off to Shopko for cat litter and that pretty much sopped it up.

Otherwise, the experience over the years has been pretty uneventful, with the exception of the time all of the oil leaked out of my '85 Toyota Tercel and fried the engine. Yeah, that was a heart breaker.

On every oil filter there is a rubber ring that seals the filter to the engine. When I replaced my filter after an oil change, unbeknownst to me, that black rubber gasket came off the filter and stayed on the car's filter mount. When I put a new filter on after the oil change, I had no leaks and I thought all was fine, as per usual. But when the car heated up, rubber on rubber doesn't seal and the oil just squirted out. (The new filter has a rubber ring, too).

Perhaps the most notable takeaway from this experience is that it truly is nearly impossible for a regular person to do any maintenance on a modern car. You'd have to take off all kinds of stuff to get near plugs or hoses or oil filters or... It's just not worth it, and there's too much at risk if you screw something up. This is a distinct possibility for me, as I managed to find trouble on the simplest of cars!

No, I happily give up my oil filter wrench, messy pans and appropriately-fitted ratchet. And I certainly won't miss dumping off my waste oil and supplies at the Badger Road drop-off site. What I will miss is being able to do something with my car without having to rely totally on a mechanic.

Consumer Reports: Most Expensive Subscription Ever at $10

The federal stimulus package should have included a free subscription to Consumer Reports. If my experience is typical, that would have led to a buying spree this nation has never seen.

What I love about Consumer Reports are the gadgets and consumer tips. I never tire of reading about that stuff. And just recently, about eight months ago, I subscribed to it, possibly for the second time in my life. I don't recall. But what was especially notable is that it is so damn cheap. Ten bucks, and I got a free book and a crappy battery-operated radio, to boot. I'm sure the radio would have garnered black circles all around, had they reviewed it within their pages.

In the past, I'd seek out CR at the library and use it for research if I was buying a car or some other expensive item. But now that I'm a subscriber, I'm realizing that I'm buying more stuff because of it.

For example, around Christmas I bought the coolest green Hitachi cordless drill, complete with a fashionable case and blinding flashlight and extra battery. I didn't even know Hitachi made drills until the CR issue came out. Tops in all categories, and I had to have it. That, despite having two cordless drills already and three corded ones! Granted, the cordless ones I had were horrible and weren't even adequate for a non-handyman like me. The corded ones work perfectly, but there's that annoying cord!

Then, there are the new Whirlpool washer and dryer, also highly rated. We love them and they use less water and lack that mind-numbing buzzer. Our Maytags were in perfect order, but nearing 12-years old. Why not update and get something for the old ones while they're still operable? Thank you, CR.

And it only gets worse. We just dropped a bundle on a new car, an SUV, actually. Top rated in its class, of course, by CR. Our old Camry is only that, but works perfectly fine. Still, it sure would be nice to have a modern vehicle with all of those safety improvements. Yes, it will be!  4WD and blind-spot buzzer, here we come.

Yep, if the Governor and President really want to goose the economy and create jobs, they should cook up a deal with the folks at CR. Putting this magazine in the hands of 100 million consumers would have to have a bigger economic bang than bailing out bankers who fleeced the country and then used the taxpayer money for massive, undeserved bonuses for their inept and unethical workforce.

Thank Goodness for Bad Sales Managers

I don't buy cars often, but when I do I buy new and keep them a long time. I did my homework, test drove a couple of top candidates and decided which one to pursue. Our local dealer treated us well, but dropped the ball and ultimately missed out on a sale exceeding $30,000. Here's why.

I checked around at a couple of other dealerships about 75 miles away and they had slightly lower prices, but not enough for me to abandon the local dealer, especially since the salesperson is a friend of mine.

My friend offered to take the print-out quote from the other out-of-town dealer for the exact same vehicle and see if his manager would come down a bit more, even if he couldn't match the $500 lower price.

I had a check in my pocket, and was ready to just buy the car if he came down a bit more or offered us discounted extra features or something.

"No, he won't go any lower," my friend informed me after a few minutes. I was surprised by the manager's blunt reaction and didn't feel especially valued as a customer so I was in no hurry to buy at that moment. If the price was so set, I could buy it any time. Still, I thought it odd that such a high-end product would not have any wiggle room on the price. I've experienced this on two previous auto purchases, where I saved thousands by driving 90 minutes to the east.

When I returned home, my past auto buying experience was on my mind and I felt more motivated to see what other offers might be out there. Ah-ha! After a quick Google search, I discovered that there was a dealer I hadn't approached. I found the model I was interested in, and sent the email. Within a few minutes I had my quote. It was more than $2,300 lower than the local price that was set in concrete!

At first I thought it might be an error or they just wanted to unload this white car that was languishing on the lot. Since I preferred another color, I asked if she had the same vehicle in blue. The Internet manager found the version I wanted and came up with essentially the same price! I bought it the next day over the phone with my credit card down payment.

I did try to negotiate that price lower, but to no avail. The dealership was already selling it under cost. They do that sometimes because they'll miss out on the manufacturer's bonus if their dealership doesn't move enough cars that month. I learned this from an episode of This American Life, which explained how crucial it is to make that bonus each month. One manager interviewed for the show bought a car himself to reach his target number. His dealership could not lose that bonus!

In any case, thank goodness the sales manager at our local dealer didn't have the sense to at least come out from his office and meet me, explain how his margins are tight, but that he'd really appreciate my business. Had he done any of that, I would have cut the check and been done with it. This car is highly rated, his price was fair according to Edmonds.com and the prices I had seen were all very similar. Besides, I already decided I wanted this car.

The lesson for sales novices and pros is that even if you have a hot commodity, you're wise to show that buyer you'd appreciate his or her business. And at minimum, step out of your office and say hello.

The Other Talk Radio: Joy Cardin, Wisconsin Public Radio

The radio waves may be filled with talkers who have very strong opinions, but there's also a spot on the dial and on the Internet that offers informed conversation without the histrionics.

"We don't tell you what to think," Wisconsin Public Radio's Joy Cardin told Madison South Rotary members. "Our mission is to inform and present all sides of an issue," explains Cardin, whose program was named "Best Morning Talk Show" by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association in 2012.

Despite the great attention and high ratings partisan, commercial radio talk shows get, Cardin points out that WPR's audience is growing to record heights.

"People are looking for news and civil discussion," she explains. And, the hosts do not spout their personal and political opinions on the air.

"We let our guests do the talking," says Cardin. Callers get a chance to chime in too and ask guests pointed questions themselves.

The biggest complaint Cardin tends to hear from listeners is, "I didn't like your conservative guest."  Generally speaking, Cardin says the electorate seems to have become quite polarized.

"Sometimes they (listeners) don't want to hear other views. Intolerance makes me sad," she says.

When asked what is driving this polarization, Cardin pointed to the proliferation of radio and TV programs where the hosts spout pointed opinions. In contrast, Cardin says WPR "promotes discussion so people can make informed choices."

To check out Joy Cardin's program, visit wpr.org, where you can also subscribe to her podcast.

Talk show host Joy Cardin, of Wisconsin Public Radio, spoke to Madison South Rotary today. Hear the main portion of her presentation by clicking the player below.

In Defense of Criminal Aptronyms--Wacky Wednesday

Say what, man?

One of the chapters in Wacky News Names focuses on names that come up in the criminal justice system, which include lawyers, judges and the defendants. My wife just discovered a real beauty.

In a story posted by the Wheeler Report, a court ruling yesterday lists a man convicted of selling THC, the mind-altering ingredient in marijuana.

The defendant's all-too-appropriate name is Kearney Hemp.

Younger Next Year

This book, Younger Next Year, was a gift, one which may well add some years to my life. But I didn't love it.

The authors, Chris Crowley and Henry S, Lodge, MD, make an admirable case for increasing the amount of exercise in one's life. And, I plan to implement many of their suggestions. But how the Washington Post could call it "hilarious" is beyond me.

The book is structured with alternating chapters by each author. Lodge is quite good and clearly explains the benefits of regular exercise, while Crowley's self-deprecating humor and advice got old very fast. His generalizations were even worse. Apparently, the audience for this book is a despondent, overweight man who never heard of the word, exercise. Here's an example of Crowley's sage comments:

"Everyone, everyone, everyone fears and dreads aging. And the possible emptiness of retirement. And death, which seems all of a piece with the other two. You think about that literal trio---emptiness, aging and death---all the time in your fifties."

Hmm. I do?  I guess we decrepit 50-year-olds are two steps away from jumping off the ledge. What total BS.

Thankfully, the actual content (sans the moronic  commentary) is pretty good. Both writers offer strong evidence for daily exercise, which will literally keep us younger and protect us from illness and injury.

Little of this stuff is brand new to anybody who pays attention to wellness, but they are all excellent reminders:

1. Exercise six days per week.
2. Do aerobic exercise four days per week.
3. Lift weights two days per week.
4. Avoid lousy food.
5. Maintain friendships and relationships

I'll throw in a sixth piece of advice. Read great books, especially ones that don't assume you're a total idiot.

Life Insurance editor: It's Wacky Wednesday

A friend of mine passed along an interesting aptronym the other day from the world of publishing. This person is the editor of a life insurance magazine. Appropriately, his name is Bill Coffin.

Med Screening Gains Undeserved Cred in Absence of MD Trust

An afternoon visit with relatives included a discussion about medical screening tests, advertised directly to church congregations, but also via newspaper inserts. The ads talk about how such tests can lead to discoveries that might prevent a stroke or heart attack. We all want to prevent those killers!

Their scans are scheduled for Tuesday, even though my wife and I tried to explain it's essentially a scam. These scans are modern-era snake oil, as there's no evidence that they are worthwhile, despite their high cost. In other words, it's unlikely that finding potential problems this way prevents bad stuff from happening. In fact, sometimes it leads to even more unnecessary testing, putting the patient at undue risk, as noted in this NPR piece.

But "a friend" told them such scans are worthwhile and they weren't interested in simply having a physical with a doctor, which would be much less costly and more effective in terms of heading off serious health problems. Nevertheless, what trumped our view is the fact that the relatives simply do not trust the medical establishment. Insurance costs a fortune, even under the new law and the deductible for them is crazy high. They dislike the system so much, they don't fully trust those running it (doctors). So instead, they'll order independent tests they want for peace of mind.

Ironically though, when they get the results, they're going right to a physician to get the results interpreted! The company scans them and their credit card, but that's it. If there is something that shows up, then they have to decide what, if anything, to do about it. Doctors have told me for years that there are lots of bumps and other things inside the body that present no problems at all, so knowing where exactly they are creates an unnecessarily tricky situation.

Unfortunately, excess medical testing is one of the biggest and most expensive issues in American healthcare. These screenings marketed directly to nervous patients are part of the problem, as is the lack of trust inherent in a system that is way too expensive and excludes millions of people.

DOT official commenting on alcohol-related crashes: Wacky Wednesday

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation specialist recently quoted in the Wisconsin State Journal discussed accident statistics related to drinking and driving. His name is...

A. Gary Rhodes

B. David Pabst

C. Lawrence Lane

The answer is B. David Pabst.

Madison: Illustrated Sesquicentennial History

Stuart Levitan's comprehensive history of the City of Madison from 1856-1931 is something to be savored. This book took me more than two months to read, not because it isn't gripping, but because it is so packed with information. One needs a bit of time for it to sink in. The author devoted a year of his life to researching and writing this book, and it shows in all of its meticulous detail.

Anybody who's lived in the city for any amount of time is familiar with the names chronicled in Madison because the streets and other locations are named for prominent people featured in the book: Doty, Nolen, Olin, Bascom, Fairchild and more.

Speaking of Fairchild, Jairus Cassiusus Fairchild served as Madison's first Mayor as well as Wisconsin's first State Treasurer. What was truly remarkable about Fairchild and the other early leaders of the city is that they often held multiple prominent positions over their lives.

Fairchild, who opposed Lincoln and the Civil War, had three sons volunteer to fight, nonetheless. In fact, his son Lucius lost his left arm at Gettysburg and would begin a storied political career of his own, becoming the state's first three-term Governor.

In similar contrast, city residents twice voted against Abraham Lincoln, some calling him a war monger. Despite that opposition, Madison sent more than its share of men to fight for the Union.

Madison, in coffee table style, boasts dozens of photos and sketches, documenting how Madison grew up to be the jewel she is today. Public drunkenness, polluted lakes and prostitution were all part of her history. But great leaders, often from the University of Wisconsin, helped overcome these problems and helped the city mature.

Remnants of the early era of Madison's history remain in the historic mansions of these early leaders that still stand in the streets surrounding the Capitol, on Campus and in other parts of the city. Read Madison and then better appreciate these structures, street names and public gathering spots named for them.

Give Humor this Season

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Laughter is the best gift to bestow to friends, family and co-workers. This collection of hysterically relevant names from the news will lighten up any holiday gathering and make for a unique gift. They're all real and they're all really funny! Doctor Frankenstein wrote the foreword, sharing what it's like to be one of these folks who have an amazingly apt name. You''ll read about more than 700 others.

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