Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Wisconsin Right to Life Launches Obamacare Opt-Out Campaign - Sign the Petition! Oil Spill Tars Dems' Reputation for Competence
The media have been crowing that Republicans will lose the Hispanic vote forever if they support enforcing laws against illegal immigration, such as the
Share This: MacIver News Service [Milwaukee, Wisc] The Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors approved a 2010-2011 budget Thursday night that will bridge a $33 million operating deficit through a combination of layoffs and employee furloughs. Two for one certificates are still available. Next to sex, eating is the most sensual thing we do. It engages every sense—even hearing, as we crunch into a crisp apple, say, or sip a spoonful of soup. A romantic dinner is often the prelude to lovemaking. (Or even a part of it, for some couples!) It sustains us and is vital to our very well-being. And yet, we almost always do it clothed—for obvious reasons, of course. But, for the purposes of becoming more comfortable in the nude, there's much to be said for pairing nakedness with a delicious meal, says (Barbara) Keesling (sex therpist). "We used to do it all the time in sex therapy school!" she admits.
"It is one thing for a journalist with ethnic origins from the middle east to advocate over and over again across many administrations for the elimination of the Israeli state. It is another matter altogether for the first President in perhaps two generations to make the case that Israel should be left defenseless, so as to allow her enemies eliminate her." Maybe, just maybe this time the light bulb goes on at
Over the past three decades, he has recorded and performed with the best in music; including Frank Sinatra, Sting, Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell and Aerosmith's own Steven Tyler.
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend (You will note that on occasion, I do not endorse the opinions of the author and may point that out. Despite my disagreements, I still feel the piece is worth a read). 25) “Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! The 2010 Wisconsin State Democratic Party Convention will come to order! Do NOT smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!” I talk with a great number of MPS teachers, active and retired, and officials and the conventional wisdom is that Andrekopoulos was the stereotypical urban superintendence , a caretaker at best, keeping the seat warm until his replacement. Generally, Andrekopoulos was thought to be in way over his head, ill-equipped to go from middle school principal to running the entire school system. Newsbusters was quick to jump all over Paulson’s pathetic defense: My view: Nice PR, I guess, but overall, a bad idea. What about the row in the peanut-free zone that is right next to a row that is not peanut-free? How do you propose to get your allergic child to his/her seat without passing all kinds of areas where peanuts are served and eaten? What if a fan in the peanut gallery tosses a shell in the area of the no-peanut zone? An illustration of the Grand Union Flag of 1776. This was the first flag used by the American colonies to symbolize their unity during the War of Independence.(Kean Collection/Getty Images)
Lila Rose Wows the Crowd at Wisconsin Right to Life Event But won’t. #9 Kevin Glass of Townhall.com has the perfect way to keep track and root for the right countries.
"President Obama addressed the nation on the Gulf oil spill, and told the American people how he has been doing all he can to “plug the damn hole” and whose behind he might kick.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 Here are tonight’s topics on InterCHANGE on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10 at 6:30 with a repeat broadcast Sunday morning at 11:00: A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...
Jennifer, Kyla and I headed to What about you, Papasan? Would you like to guarantee your girl doesn’t end up being Anna Nicole Smith? You would? Good for you. Then keep reading……”
It's Official! Ron Johnson is Endorsed for U.S. Senate Can you do that? Of course you can. That doesn’t mean it will be plausible or acceptable.
President Obama's Federal Communications Commission seems intent on regulating the Internet no matter what. Walthers' company, bearing his family's name, is a big maker and distributor of model railroad stuff. It sells electric trains, tracks, little trees and cars and houses to hobby shops nationwide - including one in Here’s an idea, Franklinites! "And then you know what I told that sonuvabitch, McChrystal......" Gore allegedly asked her to focus on his abdominal area and adductors -- the inner thigh muscles -- as well as his back and other areas. WE HAVE TWO THIS WEEK!
BP is the villain of the year.
U.S. House Passes Bill to Stifle Our Free Speech
In This Issue:
Important Right To Life Links
During Budget Deliberations, MPS Pays Consultants to Help Employees Lighten Up
The MacIver Institute has the story.
Flag vandals strike during holiday weekend
“From
I suppose some liberal or ACLU types might argue this wasn’t desecration or vandalism but, “freedom of expression.”
No one who burns, trashes, rips, tears, desecrates, spits on, tramples on, urinates on, vandalizes, or destroys an American flag gets any sympathy from me.
Read more from Fox News.
Confusion reigns over statewide smoking ban
Guess again, Wally.
Despite all the controversy and news coverage surrounding the latest example of government overstepping its bounds, there is a great deal of confusion and sheer ignorance of the impending smoking ban with about a month before it takes hold.
Wally Kriesant says (hopes?) the guys with badges will step up to ensure the law is obeyed. What Kriesant needs to realize is that under this ingenious statute, he bears responsibility, and a lot.
The Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau in a memo clarifies who is responsible for enforcement. Listen up, barkeeps:
“The person in charge of a facility is responsible for making reasonable efforts to prohibit persons from illegally smoking. For example, a bartender may not provide matches, ashtrays, or other smoking-related equipment, and must take all of the following steps:
Government at its best
"'Obama Struggling to Show He's in Control,' reads the headline on The Washington Post's story on Barack Obama's Thursday press conference, where most of the questions were about the Gulf oil spill. 'Defensive, unauthoritative and equivocal,' wrote Congressional Quarterly's Craig Crawford of Obama's performance. 'He came across as a beleaguered bureaucrat in damage control.'
Uh-oh. People, even people in the Obama-friendly press, are beginning to say that the oil spill is Obama's Katrina. That it destroys his reputation for competence. "
Visit Arizona-Part 25
Boycott, schmoycott!
TripAdvisor.com has published its list of top relaxing weekend getaway destinations.
#5-
And # 1-
Sedona,
Whippersnapper material?
Y-o-u b-e-t-t-e-r b-e-l-i-e-v-e i-t.
Because everyone (well, almost everyone) knows how important it is to be able to spell.
MPS Gives $3 Million to Consultant Despite Declining Performance
The MacIver Institute continues its outstanding reporting on wasteful spending at MPS. Its latest report opens:
“As the Milwaukee Public Schools Board of Directors prepares to vote on a budget proposal that may include layoffs for hundreds of employees, they continue to spend nearly $100,000 a month on a non-profit organization that is failing in its mission to improve performance at five troubled MPS high schools.”
Read the entire report here.
A Rehorst Reminder
The Monthly Newsletter of Wisconsin's First Craft Distillery -Special-
In This Issue
Team EDGE & Dan
New Rum
Rum Release Party
Heaven City Spirits Dinner
It's time to play, what WI municipality am I thinking of?
I’m about to give you several clues about a municipality in
WHOA!
WHOA!
Tonight's MPS Votes Matter to Every Wisconsinite
From the MacIver Instutute:
Tonight’s MPS Votes Matter to Every Wisconsinite
Thank you, Franklin police!
Another outstanding job by our fine police department, working hard to keep our community safe.
Congratulations!
And yes, it’s time to get rid of those unseemly motels on
We added 540,000 jobs last month
Wow, that is great news!
NOT SO FAST!
The overwhelming majority of those jobs are attributed to the huge infusion of temporary Census workers. So this particular jobs report is very misleading.
Even so, let’s see how the Obama-loving media portrays this news, Will they report the obvious, or will they continue to be brainwashed and wave the pom poms.
Soccer is stupid-Part 75
Soccer is the dumbest sport on Earth.
Want more proof?
Tonight, I timed the WIAA Division I Girls Soccer regional game between Milwaukee Rufus King and
With 45 seconds left in the game, King scored again. King 6,
But had this been a game in a certain league in
Huhhh?
What are you talkin’ about, Fischer?
From the truth is stranger than fiction file, The National Post reports:
“In yet another nod to the protection of fledgling self-esteem, an
Think about that. If you win, 5-0, you win. If you win, 6-0, you lose.
In youth sports, I’m not a fan of pouring on the score. But this is beyond ridiculous.
On the other hand, it’s soccer.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Plug the damn hole!
Did You Plug the Hole With a Blue Dress Yet, Daddy?
Help Stop the EPA's Climate Change Power Grab
Help Stop the EPA's Climate Change Power Grab
Congress isn't perfect. That's for sure.
But at least we have the chance to hold them accountable every two years at the ballot box.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for White House bureaucracies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
However, the EPA is ready to side-step Congress to enact harmful, de facto climate change regulations that pose a direct threat to America's economic recovery.
So, what can we do about it?
Email your Senators now in support of S.J. Res. 26 -- Senator Lisa Murkowski's Congressional Review Act Resolution of Disapproval of EPA's new actions.
What, exactly, is the EPA doing? They've declared that greenhouse gases "endanger public health and welfare of current and future generations."
They're going to use that "endangerment" ruling to enact a whole series of regulations under the Clean Air Act -- new measures that will increase our energy prices, impose massive new administrative costs on businesses, and slow down our nation's recovery.
Senator Murkowski's resolution would send a clear signal of disapproval of the EPA's dangerous actions -- click here today to urge your Senators to support it.
Using the Clean Air Act to address climate change means giving businesses all the bad (fees, mandates, citizen suits, project delays) and none of the good (global solutions, incentives for new technologies).
Forget about cap and trade; the Clean Air Act is just a cap.
The Senate is set to vote on Senator Murkowski's resolution as early as June 10. This could be our only legitimate chance to stop the EPA's unprecedented show of power.
Please click here to email your Senators and ask them to support this important resolution.
Sincerely,
Bill Miller
Senior Vice President and National Political Director
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
MPS Board Rejects Efforts to Trim Administrative Budget, Adds New A/V Equipment for Themselves
From the MacIver Institute:
MPS Board Rejects Efforts to Trim Administrative
Budget, Adds New A/V Equipment for Themselves
Panel Approves Budget, Union Negotiations Will Determine Number of Layoffs
Tonight on InterCHANGE
Here are the topics the panel discusses tonight on InterCHANGE on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10 with a repeat Sunday morning at 11:00:
1 – MINIMUM WAGE.
Here comes the weekend!
There's this micro-mini Summerfest going on. Verge or something?
All I know is there are bands I've never heard of. Fogey? I guess.
Maybe a church festival is more my speed.
I do hope you'll check us out this weekend for our regular This Just In features beginning tonight with our weekly Friday night smooth music segue into Saturday and Sunday. Here's a clue about our theme tonight:
Ooooooooooooo. That's a toughie. You'll just have to swing by around sundown.
Then Saturday morning, wake up to The Barking Lot, our weekly dog blog.
Hope he has all his insurance updated.
Also on Saturday morning, Weekends, our weekly week in review. What's going on here?
You'll see.
Goodnight everyone, and have a happily ever after weekend!
It's Friday night. Time to unwind with our regular Friday night feature on This Just In.
The weekend has finally arrived.
The sun has set.
The evening sky has erupted.
Let's put controversy and provocative blogs aside for the rest of this work week and smooth our way into Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight.......
The Barking Lot (06/05/10)
The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of this just in…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me. It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: *REVISED* Scattered showers today and tonight. Warm and sticky. High of 82. "B" today, "F" tonight
SUNDAY: Showers.High of 68. "D"
Here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog:
As Memorial Day marked the unofficial start to the Summer season last weekend, it’s time to start thinking about climbing temperatures and ways to beat the heat. Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy warmer days and extra activities… You know how much your dog loves a day of Frisbee in the park, longer walks, maybe a ride in the family boat or a swim at the cottage lake.
If you are a fan of water sports in the summer and your dog likes to join you, please pay extra attention to the safety issues that surround these fun times. Most people assume that all dogs can swim and that nothing dangerous can happen to their pet on a family outing. That may not be the case.
From fresh drinking water to boating safety, PetPlace.com offers sound advice for making sure your ENTIRE family enjoys summer safely.
Now, quickly finish reading this fantastic blog including those canines that made… oops, that’s Kevin’s line. Anyhow, finish reading Barking Lot because your best friend is waiting for you to go for a walk-play Frisbee-fill the water dish-turn on the air conditioning-play ball-fill the food dish-give a belly rub, etc. Have fun!
--Jennifer Fischer
Thanks, Jennifer!
AHEM.
Yes.
My turn, and my line.
It's time for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
New research indicates dogs can sniff out cancer.
If a dog inside a house is in distress, can police enter without a warrant?
Colorado State saves life-saving dog.
Missing dog returned....4 years later!
Letter carriers, you are not alone.
Have you heard of biodegradable poop bags?
World's ugliest dog passes away.
Meet Chandi. Chandi is high maintenance.
Opera goes to the dogs.
That doggie in the movie is awfully cute. Cute enough to go out and buy one?
Speaking of movies, here's some behind the scenes news about the new film, "Marmaduke."
That's it for this week. Thanks for stopping by.
We close with our closing video, a preview of "Marmaduke."
Week-ends (06/05/10)
A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...
HEROES OF THE WEEK
Marshall Bautz
Lee Midgley
Nabeel
Quantell
Lorie Aliano
City leaders in Sheboygan
Andrew Grose
Jim Joyce........and Armando Galarraga.
Billy Nungesser
Clark Anter
VILLAINS OF THE WEEK
Funeral hecklers
I hate to say it, but, Paul McCartney
Helen Thomas
British Airways
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“It is my job to stay above the controversy. I know the good people of our community are only voicing their concerns based upon their love of the city also.”
New Berlin Mayor Jack Chiovatero in an apology to his constituents after an e-mail from the mayor said the city is "filled with prejudice and bigoted people."
“The heart and soul of what’s wrong with
“For a guy who was once a math teacher, apparently he needs to go back to school and do a little math here.”
Walker responding that the Neumann comparison does not remove capital budget spending from the operating budget, which he said would show a $65 million spending decrease between 2009 and 2010.
“I believe the federal government should use its legal resources to fight illegal immigration, not the State of
“The president finally went down to take a look at the oil disaster last week - which is weird because I didn't even know there were golf courses near the Gulf. To show his concern, Obama is thinking about returning some of the nearly $1 million the oil industry donated to his campaign. Ha, ha -- just kidding. He's not returning any oil money.”
Columnist Ann Coulter
“After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.”
Paul McCartney
“One time, go off! If there's any one time to go off, this is it, because this is a disaster.”
Director Spike Lee urging President Obama.
“For us, it’s trust but verify. You know, it’s that old saying that we’ve heard promises, we want to see that happen on the ground.”
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal telling ABC News what he told President Obama about the oil spill.
"I thought when we elected a black president, we were going to get a black president. You know, this [BP oil spill] is where I want a real black president. I want him in a meeting with the BP CEOs, you know, where he lifts up his shirt so you can see the gun in his pants. That's -- (in black man voice) 'we've got a motherfu**ing problem here?' Shoot somebody in the foot."
HBO's Bill Maher
OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK
Mexico opens new office in California to help illegals get IDs.
MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK
Illegals being counted in census.
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK
STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK
Couple sues marriage counselor who advised hubby to cheat.
"Student Flush"
Seattle wants nude beach.
REMEMBER:
Get 'em while they're hot
Every week, my friend and colleague Jay Weber has a Dining 4 Less deal at Newstalk 1130 WISN. Friday’s featured restaurant was Casa Di Giorgio, in my opinion, the best restaurant in
Get some and tell Casa Di Giorgio Kevin, Jennifer and Kyla sent you!
I said to myself, this woman, I've gotta see
In the news business, it’s called a “tease,” a short promo about a story aimed to draw interest.
This just may be the ultimate “tease.”
“Woman fired because she’s too hot."
Now unless you’re dead, an earthquake couldn’t keep you from wanting more information.
Here is the young 33-year old mother who was fired from a bank.
Photo: CBS News
She's Debrahlee Lorenzana, a name that not so subtly implies she's probably devastating.
The Village Voice puts it bluntly, "Everything about Debrahlee Lorenzana is hot. Even her name sizzles. At five-foot-six and 125 pounds, with soft eyes and flawless bronze skin, she is J.Lo curves meets Jessica Simpson rack meets Audrey Hepburn elegance—a head-turning beauty."
CBS News reports, "Debrahlee Lorenzana claims in court papers that she was forced out of her Manhattan Citibank job because she was too good looking, reports the New York Post. According to the paper, Lorenzana says she was subject to 'improper comments' and was reprimanded for dressing sexily - when all she was doing was dressing professionally."
There was only one Lombardi, but John Wooden comes close
The sports world mourns the loss of one of the greatest coaches, period, in John Wooden. The Wizard of Westwood built a college basketball dynasty at UCLA with a motivational style that stressed success on the court and in preparation for life.
The New York Times has published a marvelous piece about this great man. Here are a few interesting excerpts:
"Wooden was a dignified, scholarly man who spoke with the precise language of the English teacher he once was. He always carried a piece of paper with a message from his father that read:
'Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day'."
"At the start of (Bill) Walton’s senior season, in 1973, his U.C.L.A. teams had won 75 consecutive games and 2 N.C.A.A. titles. But when Wooden walked into the locker room before the first practice and saw Walton’s just-trimmed but still long hair, he said: "Bill, that’s not short enough. We’re sure going to miss you on this team. Get on out of here.' Walton jumped onto his bicycle, raced back to the barber shop where his hair had been trimmed the day before, got his head almost shaved and rode back. He made the last half-hour of practice."
"During the Vietnam War era, Wooden’s young players, including Walton, asked permission to stage an antiwar protest. 'He asked us if this reflected our convictions,' one player, Steve Patterson, told Sports Illustrated in 1989, 'and we told him it did. He told us he had his convictions, too, and if we missed practice it would be the end of our careers at U.C.L.A'."
"(Kareem) Abdul-Jabbar recalled, 'Coach Wooden enjoyed winning, but he did not put winning above everything. He was more concerned that we became successful as human beings, that we earned our degrees, that we learned to make the right choices as adults and as parents'."
Read the entire piece here.
Recommended Reading (06/06/10)
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend (You will note that on occasion, I do not endorse the opinions of the author and may point that out. Despite my disagreements, I still feel the piece is worth a read).
Versus America
"The sense of alienation between the
In a welfare state, how much is ‘enough?'
"The average federal worker earns over 70 percent more than the average private-sector worker, writes Arthur Brooks in his new book, The Battle: 'To find this acceptable, you must agree that the average federal worker is much more productive or deserving than the average person in the private sector.'
Show of hands: Who thinks that’s true?
Yet the Democrats want more. More what? More everything. Even as the economy is starting to grow and many experts think we should trim debt and spending, Democrats want yet another stimulus bill, to extend jobless benefits. (They call them 'jobs bills' now.) It turns out that all of that talk of a 'temporary' stimulus was just that: temporary talk."
What Part of ‘No Law’ Doesn’t Michigan Understand?"
"A
State Senator Bruce Patterson is the brains behind this flouting of the U.S. Constitution and outrageously enough, this Patterson fellow claims to be a 'constitutional lawyer.' Pair him with the “constitutional scholar” we have as president and we have a matched set of revisionists out to steal as much power for themselves as one can find in any tinpot dictatorship."
“If success breeds contempt, then bloggers are finally making it big. On the other hand, despite such inroads, 'bloggers' in general have increasingly become scapegoats and bogeymen for the mainstream press and politicians.
Ultimately, bloggers must establish their own credibility if they are to be trusted. As such, they have an incentive to strive for accuracy. But should the accurate and honorable ones face constant criticism that should rightly be aimed at the irresponsible ones?”
Not dead yet
"Readers are fleeing newspapers. …..One bright idea isn’t going to solve the problems of the American newspaper industry, but it’s one bright idea more than the American newspaper industry has had in 40 years. What I propose is 'Pre-Obituaries'—official notices that certain people aren’t dead yet accompanied by brief summaries of their lives indicating why we wish they were."
"The announcement this week that former vice president and his wife, Tipper, are separating after 40 years of marriage deeply saddened me. There were certainly more momentous events — the struggle to contain the Gulf oil spill, an Israeli commando raid on a ship that resulted in more than 10 deaths, North Korea's increasingly erratic and bellicose actions — but the Gore story nonetheless hit a nerve. And in its own way, the Gore split says something profound about a cultural shift that has taken place in our society. No marriage is safe."
First comes the baby carriage
"Reaching a new high, the NSFG found that the percentage of teenage males who agree or strongly agree with the statement, 'It is OK for an unmarried female to have a child,' has risen from 50 percent to 64 percent since 2002. The percentage of teenage girls agreeing with the statement was even higher, nearly 71 percent."
A Tale of Two Students
"In middle school, Ivan and Laura shared a brief romance and a knack for trouble. Then they parted ways. Now he is college-bound and she isn't. How different schools shaped their paths."
My Most Popular Blogs (06/06/10)
As I post every Sunday, here are the five most read blog entries of mine from the previous week. NOTE: some entries may have been posted prior to the past week.
1) Charles Johnson, Donald Dingee, and Robert Hooker
2) It's time to play, what WI municipality am I thinking of?
3) Photos of the Week (05/30/10)
4) A Rehorst reminder
5) THE
Photos of the Week (06/06/10)
An image made from video provided by BP PLC shows oil continues to erupt from the remains of their oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico early Monday May 31, 2010. After their latest attempt to plug the leak failed, BP is look into other means of dealing with the leak. (AP Photo/BP PLC)
Beach goers stare at at pools of oil which washed up on the beach in Gulf Shores, Ala., Friday, June 4, 2010 just west of the Alabama Gulf State Park Pier. (AP Photo/Press-Register, Bill Starling)
In this June 4, 2010 photo, the feet of Rebecca Thomasson, of Knoxville, Tenn., are covered in oil after walking along the beach as oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill washes ashore in Gulf Shores, Ala. (AP Photo/Montgomery Advertiser, David Bundy)
A clean-up worker picks up blobs of oil with absorbent snare on Queen Bess Island at the mouth of Barataria Bay near the Gulf of Mexico in Plaquemines Parish, La., Friday, June 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A brown pelican coated in heavy oil tries to take flight June 4, 2010 on East Grand Terre Island, Louisiana. Oil from the Deepwater Horizon incident is coming ashore in large volumes across southern Louisiana coastal areas. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
A bird flies above oil on the Gulf of Mexico off of East Grand Terre Island along the Louisiana coast Thursday, June 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A helicoptor carrying Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal flies over the oil-impacted beach at East Grand Terre Island along the Louisiana coast, Thursday, June 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
US President Barack Obama speaks alongside Florida Governor Charlie Crist (L), US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen (2nd L), who is in charge of the Federal Response to the oil spill, White House energy advisor Carol Browner (2nd R), and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) during a briefing with officials at the Tarmac Field House at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in New Orleans, Louisiana, June 4, 2010. Obama traveled to the Gulf Coast, his third trip to the region following the oil spill from BP's Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
A sinkhole created by tropical storm Agatha covers a street intersection in dowtown of Guatemala City on Sunday, May 30, 2010. Torrential rains brought by the first tropical storm of the 2010 season pounded Central America and southern Mexico, triggering deadly landslides.(AP Photo/STR)
Residents watch from a bridgeas people try to remove a tree trunk to prevent it from damaging the bridge in La Libertad, south El Salvador, Sunday, May 30, 2010. Torrential rains brought by the first tropical storm of the 2010 season, tropical storm Agatha, pounded Central America and southern Mexico, triggering deadly landslides. (AP Photo/Luis Romero)
A scavenger carries plastic bottles salvaged from a garbage dump in Katmandu, Nepal, Thursday, June 3, 2010. World Environment Day 2010 which fell on Saturday called for an urgent need to conserve the diversity of life on earth. (AP Photo/Binod Joshi)
TV reporter Bridget Naso of KUSI interviews a U.S. Marine during operation "Dawn Blitz" at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Friday, June 4, 2010. About 5,000 Marines and Navy sailors participated in the largest amphibious exercise on the West Coast since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
An Afghan boy reaches out to greet Canadian soldiers with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, as they patrol the area around Salavat, Panjwayi district, south-west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, Sunday, May 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)
US soldiers pray during a Memorial Day ceremony at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, May 31, 2010. Memorial Day commemorates US men and women who died while in the military service. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)
Culinary no-no #169
Magazines geared towards women excel at those front page teasers that hook females into grabbing and purchasing that issue. The promises of terrific advice are just too good to pass up.
For example, here’s the latest cover of Glamour magazine. Note the teases about workouts and impressing your boss...
The new issue of Vogue hawks items you can wear no matter how old you are…
Look great, dress great, feel great in all kinds of new ways each and every month right at the checkout line.
Women's Health recently upped the ante, promoting “6 Ways to Feel Sexier in Your Skin, Everyday tips to rebuild your body confidence and feel beautiful and sexy.” In "Look Better Naked," Michele Promaulayko suggests a six -week regiment doing certain activities in your birthday suit. One of them is dining:
Share dinner in the nude
One Hundred Things That Don’t Make You a Better Person
Morgan Freeberg at Right Wing News has them. Oh my, these are good. Here are just a few:
Banning guns
Sitting down to talk to our enemies
Inventing new "civil rights" like, for example, someone can use the opposite-gender restroom when they're a pre- or post-op tranny
Taking the convict's unpleasant upbringing into account during the sentencing
Looking for the union label
Knowing who got kicked off American Idol last night
Talking smack about Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, Neal Boortz, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, Laura Schlessinger, Roger Ailes, Karl Rove, Tony Snow, Glenn Beck, Oliver North, Ted Olson, Ted Nugent, Laura Bush, Pamela Geller, Mary Katherine Ham, James O'Keefe, Andrew Breitbart, Dan Riehl, Cassy Chesser, Victor Davis Hanson, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, et al.
Recycling
Calling them "undocumented immigrants"
Denouncing the tea parties for being "too white"
Blocking Hooters from opening a restaurant in your neighborhood
Trapping an insect in a glass, carrying it outside, and releasing it as opposed to flattening it
Banning score-keeping during a kid's soccer game
Buying condoms for your kid because he/she is "gonna do it anyway"
Boycotting
Requiring privately-owned restaurants to allow breast-feeding
Using a cloth grocery bag
Here are all 100.
BP Dispersant
Gulf Coast Comedy of Errors
"The President’s recent trip to the region did not help matters at all. While it was positive that he visited coastal Louisiana, he was sheltered from the real damage. The President walked the clean beaches of Grand Isle, instead of visiting damaged marshes. Right before he arrived, hundreds of workers mysteriously arrived to clean up the beach on Grand Isle. Right after Mr. Obama left, the workers departed as well. According to representatives of Oil Mop, Inc., the contractor in charge of the clean-up operation, it was just a coincidence that the workers started right before the presidential visit. If you believe that nonsense, I have some Louisiana swamp land to sell you."
Senate to Consider The Latest Job Killer
What did Obama know and when did he know it?
From Human Events:
“Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), top Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released documents Thursday night showing the Coast Guard recorded on April 21 -- less than 24 hours after the Deepwater Horizon explosion -- the magnitude of the oil leak disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
‘Potential environmental threat is 700,000 gallons of diesel on board the Deepwater Horizon and estimated potential of 8,000 barrels per day of crude oil, if the well were to completely blowout,’ the Coast Guard reported in a log of events from the immediate aftermath of the April 20 explosion -- shedding new information on the first days of the disaster.
‘These documents raise new questions about whether the White House was slow to respond to an incident that was quickly recognized by the Coast Guard as a potentially catastrophic threat to the environment,’ Issa said upon release of the documents. ‘It appears as if this administration would rather tell a half-truth if the full-truth doesn’t fit the story they want to tell’.”
Sir Paul, get back, get back to where you once belonged
McCartney's put-down of Bush draws jeers
"'It was completely ungracious and undignified,' said Fox News contributor Dana Perino, who was Bush's final White House press secretary. 'And it showed how shallow people can be, and it was sad to me someone of Paul McCartney's stature can in one moment erase years of goodwill that he built up with so many people in America,' she said."
Duh, McCartney
"In a coy, condescending remark, Paul implied that President Bush doesn’t know what a library is. Perhaps the decades of a vegetarian diet has started to cause neurological damage to Sir Paul. I know that he was probably just recycling a Bob Hope classic, but President Bush was married to a librarian."
How to be cruel to old guys
AARP EYE CHART
![[Image: cruel.jpg]](http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d135/hippyspec/cruel.jpg)
HOW TO BE CRUEL TO OLD GUYS.
Sent from a loyal This Just In reader, too good not to post.
We can survive cuts in education
WEAC, the state teacher’s union, wanted it gone.
Because WEAC wanted it gone, its puppet, Jim Doyle wanted it gone.
Liberal Democrats in the state Legislature wanted it gone.
Beleaguered taxpayers, fully cognizant that the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO) was the only statutory remedy keeping the worst property taxes in
Big taxers don’t care, as long as their special interests benefit. Surely the repeal of the QEO that limited salary and benefit increases for
Wrong.
Liberal Democrats fell victim to fuzzy math in which their equation designed to help teachers actually hurt them.
Sure, they were chomping at the bit to eliminate the QEO and its 3.8% limit on compensation packages. But, the state also cut aid to schools, meaning the increases weren’t as big as in the past. The state also restricted the amount that school districts could raise in property taxes to make up for lost state funds.
What does it mean? Teachers statewide are finding it hard to reap any benefits from the QEO elimination. Due to an economy that continues to struggle, to make up for an increase in teacher compensation, school boards must then deal with the prospect of staff cuts. Or they can just lay off teachers.
Last December, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported:
“So far this school year, the approximately 100 school districts that have reached agreements with their teachers have average settlements that increase salaries and benefits by 3.75%, according to Bob Butler, staff counsel for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. That compares with an average total compensation increase of 4.11% for teachers in the 2008-'09 school year.”
Did you follow that? Following the repeal of the QEO, teacher compensation went down. From teachers to WEAC and their Pinocchio, Jim Doyle: Thanks, thanks a lot.
The gloomy scenario hasn’t changed months later. MPS is considering massive job cuts. The same holds true in suburban school districts, school districts all across the state and all across
Pink slips are never good. When they’re tossed out in education circles, the bad news stories and editorials essentially write themselves.
But how bad would cuts in school buildings actually be? It can be argued they’re long overdue. The gravy train, you see, after a very long run has finally pulled into the station.
While some will wring their hands and pull out the crying towels, others will say, at the risk of the predictable yet unimaginative charge of teacher bashing, that it’s about time.
Pandering to his base, President Obama threatens that if
Not so fast says Andrew J. Coulson, director of Cato's Center for Educational Freedom. Coulson writes:
“Over the past forty years, public school employment has risen 10 times faster than enrollment. There are only 9 percent more students today, but nearly twice as many public school employees. To prove that rolling back this relentless hiring spree by a few years would hurt student achievement, you’d have to show that all those new employees raised achievement in the first place. That would be hard to do… because it never happened.
If you graduated from high school in 1980, your entire k-12 education cost your fellow taxpayers about $75,000, in 2009 dollars. But the graduating class of 2009 had roughly twice that amount lavished on their public school careers. The extra $75,000 we’re now spending has done wonders for public school employee union membership, dues revenue, and political clout. It’s done a whole lotta nothin’ for student learning.
But, some readers may ask: were all those new employees teachers? About two thirds of public school employment growth has been teachers (41 percent) or teachers’ aides (23 percent). The remaining third was comprised almost entirely of support staff in schools and district offices.
So, yes, a bit of public schooling’s employment bloat can be put down to a swelling bureaucracy. But given that adding a couple of million new instructional jobs did nothing to improve achievement at the end of high school, there’s no reason to expect that shedding a few hundred thousand of them would hurt it.”
That’s a mighty powerful argument that American schools could not only survive personnel cuts, but increasing teachers and staff is no guarantee of success. In fact, it’s done little to advance student achievement.
Read Coulson’s piece here.
Welcome Democrats, welcome to Madison!
Wisconsin Democrats hold their annual state convention in the perfect place this weekend,
Can you imagine that scene? Stale popcorn and pretzels on every table. Everyone badly dressed, 20 or more years out of style. Dylan music pouring through the speakers. One aging hippy after another patting each other on the back about how Socialist America has become.
Given that Wisconsin Republicans are a warm, loving bunch, they wanted to give Democrats riding into
Madison waiters, waitresses, and bartenders, get ready for the absolute worst tippers you've ever seen in your life.
America needs more teachers like Brad Johnson
Back in March, Stuart Shepard, director of digital media for Focus on the Family Action produced a video telling the story of
Johnson teaches in a public school and loves his country. Apparently in this day and age, the display of patriotism is a serious taboo in our schools, unless, of course, you’re professing your love for some other, say Communist or terrorist country. Then all bets are off.
Johnson did something that ticked off a busybody, noise out of joint teacher. Take a look.
That was March.
Late last month, Fox News San Diego provided an update.
I was wrong about Ken Macha
I thought he died two weeks ago and nobody told him.
Casey McGehee is engulfed by teammates and manager Ken Macha (far left) after delivering the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night against the Chicago Cubs. Journal Sentinel photo: Kristyna Wentz-Graff
Note to the Brewers: When you win a game, don't act like you've won the World Series when you are mired in 5th place in your division.
And appearing as Helen Thomas.......Margaret Hamilton!
Helen Thomas' words, Barack Obama's policies
Is there any issue Democrats won't capitalize on to raise taxes?
Democrats will tax anything and everything. In this case, it merely means higher heating bills and higher prices at the gas pump.
Careful Franklin, school administrators are setting you up for a fat tax increase
I believe
My issues are
School board members and district administrators in
(It’s at this point I intended to post a photo from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel taken at an MPS budget hearing in November 2007 showing the hundreds that turned out to protest a 16.4% property tax levy increase. However, a search to find the article that contained the photo using the ingenious Journal Sentinel search engine came up with, “Page Not Found”).
Back in 2007, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Alan Borsuk wrote about the apathy surrounding MPS issues, especially that proposed 16% tax increase.
Borsuk wrote:
"If you wanted to ponder the prospects for educational success in Milwaukee Public Schools, you only needed to walk into the auditorium of the district's central office Tuesday night. With a property tax increase of 16.4% up for consideration, with proposals for substantial changes in educational services as part of what the money would buy, there were close to no citizens present to give their opinions or to show their support or opposition. The room would have been just about empty if you took out the MPS officials and the news media who showed up, expecting a ruckus.
What does it take to stir people? Would that have happened in any suburban district?
It's a speculative question, but let's suggest the answer is no. Opponents of a tax increase that size would have been present in force. Supporters of the increase would probably also have been vocal. "
Borsuk then wrote that another hearing would be held.
"Officials hope there will be a higher turnout. Don't assume there will be. Apathetic responses from parents and the public are common when it comes to MPS issues. "
Some apathy. Hundreds turned out at the meeting to protest the huge tax increase. Milwaukee School Board members, in contempt of taxpayers and with no regard to the large crowd that attended the meeting, approved a big increase anyway, 14.6 %after the board acted to protect their travel budget and to keep their right to receive $150 a year in car allowances.
Borsuk also wrote in his story about apathy, “Would that have happened in any suburban district?”
The answer is yes.
It happened in my community,
Alright, let’s get to the heart of this blog seeing as I have violated a key rule of journalism by totally burying the lead.
I received the latest
Now, I like and respect Franklin Superintendent Steve Patz. You have to love a guy whose IQ is 800 times greater than the people he works for, namely the
My guess is the plan is to bombard residents with a survey asking what they want, and then taking those answers and then using them politically to submit huge budget (i.e. property tax) increases to build and build and build, even though most realize nice, shiny new facilities don’t translate into increased GPAs or state football titles.
Dr. Patz and Franklin residents, please carefully review the results of the recent
Our Super says the school district (the good guys that they are) want to hear from you and you and you and you about (cue the doublespeak) “the physical status of our district facilities.”
Those administrators that run our schools all year round then clean our fiscal clocks every December are going to send out a survey in September. Wow. They really care about us and our opinion, right?
Yes, but not for the right reasons.
Patz argues that unlike most school districts around
Remember the results of the school referenda. Not even close. Blowout. Mandate. We are taxed enough. Forget any call for new Taj Mahal facilities, no matter what your survey says come September.
Careful, taxpayers, careful answering those survey questions.
(By the way, I’d love to link to Patz’s “message” but the communication wizards have not made it available online)
Dear Franklin City Hall: Your budget is really screwed up, so what are you going to do about it?
1 down, 1 to go for Tom Barrett
In his quest to be
It came earlier this week.
Barrett is a shoo-in to receive the second of the two worst possible endorsements in a few months.
If you ever had reasons to vote against Tom Barrett, it would be the nod he’s getting from these two.
The new era of civility under Obama
CNBC Host Says Obama Sullied Office With 'Ass to Kick' Line
“Not everybody was pleased with President Obama's uncharacteristic line on the Today Show, spoken in the pre-school hours Tuesday morning, that he wants some ‘ass to kick’ in the Gulf oil crisis.”
Shame on liberal academia
It’s about time we hear more about how far to the left our campuses and the higher education intelligentsia really are. From Big Government:
“A small committee of professors and academic professionals, normally held in high regard, have blatantly betrayed the trust of the public and quite possibly smeared the reputations of all colleges and universities nationwide. By soliciting ‘paid activists’ to create research papers that are intentionally designed to silence opposing viewpoints, they have undermined the political system and manipulated the governmental policy making process. And in the meantime, they’ve also implicated all of academia in the manufacturing of their propaganda.”
These leftist tweed-jacketed, pipe-smoking instructors need to park their ideologies at the door, or retire.
Read the blog. There’s a
President Obama's press conferences
They seem to be missing a key element.
The Absurd Report caught it.
Friday night on InterCHANGE
Here are the topics the panel discusses Friday night on InterCHANGE on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10 at 6:30, repeat Sunday morning at 11:00:
1 – MPS READING.
Nancy Pelosi, the liberal House speaker, is heckled by liberals
Entertaining stuff from the Washington Post:
“But that was tame compared with the treatment of Pelosi. With her daughter and infant granddaughter watching, the House speaker stammered and struggled to belt out her speech as disability activists shouted her down. Borosage, shaking his head and licking his lips, tried to shoo the wheelchairs away from the podium.
Some audience members tried to shout down the hecklers. ‘Why are you doing this? You think this is going to help?’ pleaded one. Another man asked the demonstrators if they'd ‘mind shutting up’ and flipped his middle finger at them.
This only worsened the disturbance. ‘Sorry, the stakes are a little high!’ James shouted from her wheelchair. Pumping her fists in the air, she chanted: ‘Hey, hey, ho, ho, nursing homes have got to go!’”
Warm fuzzy, compassionate, and oh so unified.
Watch.
From the Scott Walker campaign
Share with a friend...
Unhinged
Rain, rain stay away....it's the weekend!
Will Mother Nature cooperate with what should be a blast of a weekend?
If it rains, could go to a movie...
Goodnight everyone, and have a friendly weekend!
It's Friday night. Time to unwind with our regular Friday night feature on This Just In.
The weekend has finally arrived.
The sun has set.
The evening sky has erupted.
Let's put controversy and provocative blogs aside for the rest of this work week and smooth our way into Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight, talented trumpeter Chris Botti and friends.
From Botti's official web site;
"Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti (pronounced boat-tee) has become the largest selling American jazz instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards.
The Barking Lot (06/12/10)
The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of this just in…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me. It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: UPDATED-Mostly cloudy, humid, isolated thunderstorms beginning this afternoon through the evening. Foggy conditions until after 9:00. High of 72. "C"
SUNDAY: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers. High of 73. "C"
Here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog:
I often talk about getting a dog, especially when Kyla is a little bit older. I figure that’s the best plan… After all, Kevin doesn’t need to know that my intention is really to have dogS. Yes, plural. I had two dogs most of my youth, and it was a blast. They had different personalities, looked different, and played differently with me. So why wouldn’t I consider the same situation with our family?
Actually, there might be some reasons. Or at least there are things to thoughtfully consider before you just spring two dogs on each other and assume they will be doggy BFF’s.
Again from our friends at PetPlace.com, there are certain steps you should follow when you want to introduce two dogs for the first time. I think this information would be useful for introducing two “friends” or “extended family” dogs as well as if you would like to adopt a second one for your home. Excerpts of their article include:
1. Keep it friendly - It may be possible to introduce the dogs in a relaxed manner by just letting them sniff and play, as long as both are known to be friendly with other dogs.
2. Take it slow - If you are not sure how the dogs will react, start off cautiously by taking them for a walk together on neutral territory (e.g. a park, not your yard).
3. Watch for signs - Be aware that wagging tails do not necessarily mean that dogs are happy to see each other.
4. The dominant dog will emerge - When the dogs eventually meet off-leash, one of them is going to need to establish dominance. This is a normal and necessary step in a dog-dog relationship, but sometimes the process can look and sound pretty scary.
5. Support the dominant dog - Once the dogs are together, make sure that you support one dog as dominant (this will probably be the resident dog). Show him that he is number one.
Additional tips from PetPlace.com are specific to helping you think through the process of adopting a second furry friend. So besides all the great ideas listed above here are some more points to ponder:
If you have a dog and you're thinking about getting another dog, choose wisely. There are many things to consider, like finding the right dog, keeping the peace and balancing the pet budget.
The better the match, the easier the transition will be. A natural hierarchy will develop over the first few weeks and usually the older incumbent dog will and should occupy the "alpha" position.
Is it better to get a dog of the same or opposite sex? Many veterinarians and behaviorist recommend choosing a dog of the opposite sex. This will decrease the chance of aggression.
What breeds should you avoid? Avoid breeds that are known for their aggression toward other dogs (e.g. Pit Bull). Do your research first and choose the breed that has the best chance of getting along with your resident dog.
Make sure their personalities match. If the incumbent dog has lots of playful energy, it would be appropriate to get a new puppy or young adult dog. However, if your present dog is unlikely to tolerate the antics and energy of an adolescent dog, consider getting an older dog.
Once you select your new dog, the "dog-to-dog" introduction is very important. Observe their behavior ... see how they react to each other, and then decide how to continue.
Consider all of these factors when choosing a second dog - and don't forget about the added expense for that dog's care. In addition to food, toys and grooming think about the additional medical expenses.
Uh, sorry, Kev. If you think that all this information is going to dissuade my hopes of having eight paws and two tails in our home, you are out of your doggone mind.
---Jennifer Fischer
Gee.
You think you know someone.
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
Humane Society doesn't respond for 6 hours, dog dies in hot car.
Man throws dog off a bridge. What should the sentence be? Same question, woman throws dog in the trash....
Restaurant apologizes for banning seeing eye dog.
Not everyone agrees the beach is a place for dogs to play.
Vet: Don't trust pet with kids.
Dusty has been trained from infancy for an important job.
Blood banks for pets becoming more important.
How much would you spend on a sick pet?
Long leashes could mean big fines here.
Ordinary house dogs are being tested for possible hunting instincts.
Why is Luke Robinson walking dogs for 2,000 miles?
Colleges are putting out the welcome mat for students' pets.
Here, Kev! Here, boy! Is it ok to give the dog a human name?
10 ways to calm dogs of fear of thunder and lightning.
New pet fad: Dyeing dogs.
Yes, your dog can be a good citizen.
That's it for this week.
Thanks for stopping by.
We close with our closing video. A CBS reporter takes his dog to a dog camp, only to find the clientele a bit strange.
Week-ends (06/12/10)
A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...
HEROES OF THE WEEK
John Peck
Margaet Zerwekh and Alonzo Cushing
Andrew Nelson
Andrea Doherty
Rowdy Pope and Nick Bedoya.........MORE.
The Charlotte Police Department
VILLAINS OF THE WEEK
The UW Board of Regents
Congressman Phil Hare (D-Illinois)
"Sexting" teens
Miley Cyrus.......WAHHH! I GET TO BE TRASHY, TOO!
Lady Gaga......once, and twice.
England and Ghana
Oprah
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“I was down there a month ago, before most of these talkin’ heads were even paying attention to the gulf. A month ago I was meeting with fishermen down there, standin’ in the rain talking about what a potential crisis this could be. and I don’t sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick.”
President Obama
"Look, we’re broke. We’re $13 trillion in debt, and 43 cents of every dollar the federal government spends this year we’re going to have to borrow and pass the bill on to our kids and grandkids. I think it’s time for Democrats here on Capitol Hill to start listening to the American people. They want spending cut and they want it cut now. And I’m wondering, why isn’t the president looking for someone’s ‘ass to kick’ on this subject?"
House Republican Leader John Boehner of
“Two years ago this week, then-Senator Obama declared that his very nomination as Democratic-party presidential candidate (never mind his election, or inauguration) marked the moment when ‘our planet began to heal’ and ‘the rise of the oceans began to slow.’ ‘Well, when you anoint yourself King Canute’, remarked Charles Krauthammer the other day, ‘you mustn’t be surprised when your subjects expect you to command the tides’.”
Conservative columnist Mark Steyn
“How about just tracking down every single person who said drill baby drill and putting them all in prison. Why don’t we do that? Starting with Michael Steele.”
Conservative columnist Alan Grayson
“We're tired of being dumped on."
Distraught shrimper Dianne Wilson yelled as she disrupted a Senate hearing on the oil spill.
“Republicans have done a fantastic job predicting a landslide in the November elections, but not such a good job of doing anything that will actually help them achieve victory”
Conservative columnist Ann Coulter
"We need to give the American people an alternative — who are we, what do we believe in, what are our principles, how will we apply them and what will we do if you elect us back, and how do you make sure we won't repeat the sins of fiscal profligacy that we made last time we were in the majority."
Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan
“It almost feels as if all these women winning are kind of a blow to feminism.”
Tina Brown, the editor of The Daily Beast, discussing the primary wins of many GOP women this week.
“This law is wrong. It’s evil. It [harkens] back to, what I consider to be one of the worst episodes of this world when Nazi
“Tom Barrett’s déjà vu spending proposal follows the same ‘say anything to get elected’ playbook of Governor Doyle from 2002, whose campaign promises to curb state spending were never realized and instead proposed increasing spending by an average of 10% while adding $3 billion in new taxes on struggling Wisconsin families. Scott Walker has introduced eight consecutive budgets without an increase to the property tax levy from the previous year, cut the debt by 10% and reduced the government workforce by 20% - even having an $8.9 million surplus in his most recent budget, while Tom Barrett’s most recent budget proposed $21 million of increased taxes and fees to maintain government spending.”
Keith Gilkes, campaign manager for Scott Walker’s campaign for governor.
Dear Mark:
The last time I wrote you I stated it was time to coalesce around the Republican candidate best able to be elected governor in November 2010. While I appreciate you may have a different view, time has validated my judgment.
Earlier in 2009 when I considered your candidacy you told me that you would conduct a positive campaign with ideas that could address
Today I write to you as I am aghast at where your campaign has gone. You are violating the Reagan commandment.
The event you "staged" at the Republican convention was phony and hollow. I watched in amazement your shallowness and contrivance. You well know, since you were the Republican candidate in 5 elections (2 you won, 3 you lost), that guests are allowed "inside" if they register and pay the appropriate fee. At this convention I arranged for several people to so observe. Your claim of outsider, not being allowed in, was staged and phony.
Now I see you are holding press conferences to attack your primary opponent. As a math teacher you know that your criticism is contrived. All this for media attention; to mislead the voters.
My dad always told me to sell myself; not to knock down the other fellow. I expect yours did as well. You’re not following that sage guidance.
I hope you stop; you are only helping the democrats. It is time for you to leave the field before your integrity is permanently besmirched.
In any event I must ask you to return the contributions which Shirley and I have made to your campaign. You obtained them under the false pretense that you would run a positive campaign focusing on the liberal democrats. You haven’t done that.
Sincerely,
/s/ James R. Klauser
Jim Klauser, writing to Mark Neumann, asking him to drop out of the GOP race for governor.
OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK
Democrats have no shame.
MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK
Yes, the
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK
The World Cup.
STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK
How not to get out of jury duty.
REMEMBER:
Recommended Reading (06/13/10)
Now is the Worst Possible Time for Tax Hikes
“With the economy still in a precarious position, this is no time to raise taxes on anyone. Yet that is just what Congress and President Obama plan to do.”
Our Hero Barbara Boxer
“However, it's hard to argue with the lady's results. Her resolute leadership has torpedoed two major climate bills -- so far. While we continue to disagree with Boxer vehemently, her record of unmitigated failure is a "platform' around which we can rally.”
Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price
“This is your brain on computers. Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information. These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement — a dopamine squirt — that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored. The resulting distractions can have deadly consequences.”
D-Day: When Dems and the New York Times Prayed for
“If President Bush had invoked the
So, I Understand There’s Some Sort of Soccer Thing Going On?
“Nothing against soccer, but if I wanted to be bored to sleep, I'd still be working for someone else and falling asleep in meetings (Yes, really). What can I say? I'm really just not cut out for handling tedium...and let's be honest, I'm pretty sure soccer is a tedious sport.”
My Most Popular Blogs (06/13/10)
As I post every Sunday, here are the five most read blog entries of mine from the previous week. NOTE: some entries may have been posted prior to the past week.
1) Careful
2) President Obama's press conferences
3) We can survive cuts in education
4) Photos of the Week (06/06/10)
5) TIE
Week-ends (06/12/10)
Dear Franklin City Hall....
Culinary no-no #169
Photos of the Week (06/13/10)
Both English and American troops showed support Saturday, June 12, 2010 for their respective World Cup soccer teams at Camp Bastion, northwest of Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan. The friendly rivalry among the troops, who serve at the base medical center, has been building up to the Saturday match of the two teams. The England spokes person was quoted as saying " England are going to win, no hesitation". The American Spokes person was quoted as saying " Bring it on". (Cpl. Gary Kendall - RLC via Getty Images)
A US soccer fan holds her entrance ticket as she is checked as she passes through security outside the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, South Africa, Saturday June 12, 2010. England play USA in a World Cup group C soccer match at the stadium Saturday. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
A vendor sells earplugs prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between England and USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Steven Gerrard of England shoots and scores under pressure from Ricardo Clark of the United States during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between England and USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)
Clint Dempsey of the United States shoots and scores during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between England and USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Robert Green of England misjudges the ball and lets in a goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between England and USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)
Fans celebrate after USA scored against England during a World Cup group C soccer match broadcast from South Africa, Saturday, June 12, 2010, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
England fans show their disappointment after only managing a draw against the USA during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group C match between England and USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 12, 2010 in Rustenburg, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
People in New York protest the proposed construction of a mosque near the World Trade Center site Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Swoan Parker)
A man attending the protest of the proposed construction of a mosque near ground zero holds a sign directed at New York's Mayor near the World Trade Center site in New York Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Swoan Parker)
25 quotes from this weekend's Wisconsin Democrat Party Convention in Middleton
Obey #8, Ryan #14
From the list of the 25 hardest working members of Congress.
The Hill came up with the rankings.
William Andrekopoulos leaves MPS, full of misguided optimism
Does anyone truly believe that outgoing MPS superintendent William Andrekopoulos is leaving the school district in better shape than he took over 8 years ago?
To read Andrekopoulos’ self-critique in Sunday’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, one assumes he sees the overall picture as rosy, the glass more than half full. Wonder what his measure of a failing school system would be?
Andrekopoulos mentions, in his view, beliefs that have driven the MPS mission. One of them is that “children come first.” Really? Ever read a list of the priorities of the teacher’s union? Children coming first isn’t high on that list, if at all.
Another Andrekopoulos core belief: “the classroom is the most important place in the district.”
Again, really? Tell that to the more than 400 teachers getting layoff notices while the district remains top-heavy, bloated with bureaucracy.
Accountability, Andrekopoulos writes, is a key to success. That is indeed, true. Since there is little to no accountability at MPS, the district has failed.
Andrekopoulos also says, “Families are valuable partners.” Can’t argue with that, except that at MPS, parents are absentee landlords. Ask teachers how many bother to show up at parent-teacher nights.
Thank goodness MJS allowed education reporter Alan Borsuk to wade through all of Andrekopoulos’ whipped cream, sprinkles, and cherries.
Borsuk gave Andrekopoulos some credit, mostly for trying. But Borsuk was brutally honest, giving Andrekopoulos mostly poor grades where it counts. Borsuk backed up his bad report card:
“These are not happy times in MPS. The recently released reading and math scores for 18 urban districts put MPS near the bottom of the nation. The financial picture is gloomy. The teachers are restless; morale among principals appears to be poor. Enrollment continues to decline as charter and private school enrollment in the city grows, as does enrollment of
There is no media bias because..... there just isn't
There is no media bias.
So claim a lot of liberals and the liberal news media.
That includes former
Paulson has written a piece attempting, very feebly, to dispute the popular thought that the media is biased. Yes, popular.
In his own piece, Paulson writes, “A recent survey by the
Yeh, I guess all those ham and eggers have no idea what they’re talking about. How could they possibly be as smart as someone who goes to a meeting and takes notes.
But, c’mon everybody, Paulson argues. Reporters are such nice, hard-working individuals. They park their biases at the door:
‘Despite the perception of news media bias, the truth is that most traditional news organizations — primarily newspapers, their Web sites and local TV and radio — adhere to in-house ethics codes and keep politicians at arm’s length. Yes, you read that right. Most traditional news media strive daily to report news about their communities without regard to political affiliation or special interests.”
You see, that would be 100% true, except that reporters and editors are not made of steel. They are human, and like you and I have entrenched opinions, ideologies, and philosophies.
Here’s a hilarious excerpt from Paulson:
“To the extent there is bias in
The news media is biased AGAISNST Obama? Puh-leeze!
And there’s this gem:
“Why would you alienate half your readership by taking one side over another?”
Excellent question. Would love to hear the response from Journal Sentinel management that has clearly alienated conservative news consumers. Explain those circulation numbers, would you, MJS?
“He (Paulson) just described the claims of media bias as untrue, without offering any evidence or considering any criticism….This sounds as if Paulson is writing for a naive sixth-grade social-studies class. How would he contend with questions about all the gooey news magazine covers of Obama, the network anchors going out on burger runs with Obama?”
By the way, Paulson’s column was published June 3, 2010. Newsbusters responded the very next day, The Journal Sentinel, ever on top of things, published Paulson’s commentary 10 days later, of course, without rebuttal.
Culinary no-no #170
Peanuts are dangerous.
This is Culinary no-no.
So you’re expecting a joke.
A punch line.
None is forthcoming.
Peanut allergies have become a concern. But possibly, too much of a concern.
In late July 2008, while filling in for Mark Belling at Newstalk 1130 WISN, I devoted a segment to what could be a baseball promotion first. Busch Stadium in
Some viewed the promotion as a wonderful, thoughtful idea. Others wondered where you draw the line on special accommodations for fans.
Several callers made the valid argument that parents are taking a serious risk bringing their peanut allergy suffering kids to the stadium because in order to get to their seats, they have to pass many areas where peanuts are still being sold, consumed, and dropped on the ground.
And here we go again.
I swear the Obama administration sits around, attempting to invent ways to intrude upon our lives. Witness the latest exhibition of brilliance from the Obamessiah, as reported by the Wall Street Journal:
“The DOT may effectively ban peanuts from flights to protect travelers with peanut allergies. The agency said it would solicit comments on three options: banning peanuts from flights, requiring airlines to offer a ‘peanut free’’ flight if passengers on a particular flight request, or creating ‘peanut-free zones’’ on flights for passengers with allergies. (Peanut-loving Southwest Airlines says it already offers alternative snacks and can halt all peanut service if requested by a passenger who has an allergy. Southwest also recommends that passengers with peanut allergies travel earlier in the day before peanut dust builds.) “
Dr. Anthony Jennings is director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in
“I suppose I could be considered middle-aged, yet I don't recall such measures ever being an issue during my childhood. Kids at school freely ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and I don't remember a single classmate going into anaphylactic shock. So is this a new phenomenon? And, if so, why?”
Chad Smith, DO, a family physician with SSM St. Charles Clinic Medical Group in Warrenton and on staff at SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in
"There's been some investigation into the apparent increase in severe peanut and other food allergies in recent years, but very little scientific evidence to point to what's causing it. Shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk and eggs are among the most common food allergens. For some people, even a minute amount of the allergen can cause a reaction. In many cases, that reaction is no more serious than a rash, runny nose and itchy eyes. But some individuals have dangerous allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis, which causes tissue swelling and problems breathing. Some apparent food allergies are really just food intolerance. They may upset your stomach, but they don't cause the immune reaction that's the hallmark of a true allergy. Only about 6 percent of American children are thought to have food allergies."
So when and where does it stop? Airlines excel in horrendous customer service. You better be choking pretty good to get some H20. Now the ubiquitous peanuts might be gone?
Get rid of free peanuts because you have proven you can’t run your business effectively and costs are killing you, but not because some folks have allergies.
CULINARY NO-NO BONUS
The United Nations wants the world to go vegan.
Today is Flag Day: God bless the Stars and Stripes!
The latest WRTL News You Can Use
In This Issue:
Important Right To Life Links
UPDATE: Culinary no-no #165
Culinary no-no # 165 addressed the impact of the oil spill on seafood.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today localizes the story.
Happy birthday, and thank you!
Today, the U.S. Army celebrates its 235th birthday.
Tax you to death? Local school boards have plenty other options
Local school districts are feeling the budget heat. Not immune to the recession, school board and superintendents are waking up to realize the money train has jumped the tracks.
Tough choices have to be made, if you consider rubber-stamping a big tax hike tough. The normal whine here in Franklin and I’m sure in other school districts is that the state that has flooded school districts with aid in the past isn’t quite as generous anymore. So school officials put on their best looks of sorrow and contend they simply have no choice but to come to the taxpayers for help, AGAIN, and, oh yes, did we forget to mention, it’s for the children.
The budget equation this year will probably include a new factor in the mix: actual cuts, a budget tactic school boards have been extremely reluctant to utilize, that is, until now. Here in
The question is, who and or what will be cut? In the city of
What’s a school board to do? Members, like the ones in
Steve Prestegard at his Marketplace of Ideas blog found some terrific education counsel from
“A reporter from the local radio station appeared. She pressed him on the education budget cuts too. She told him the local school board had just laid off nine teachers and an administrator.
‘What would you say to those people?’ she asked.
He visibly flinched….
‘I’d say it should have been nine administrators and one teacher. There are 20 things that school board could do before it had to lay off one teacher.’
In fact, the governor’s office has publicized a ‘Citizens’ Checklist’ that people can take to their local school boards to see if school officials have made every possible economy. Citizens in
‘I want citizens to understand,’ he said. ‘When people start demanding we spend more money, they’re saying, We want to raise your taxes. And the citizens should say, Okay, tell me. Which one of my taxes do you want to raise?’
While local boards set the schools’ budgets, the responsibility for collecting revenue and allocating it to schools has been consolidated in the state government, at Daniels’s insistence. The main benefit, as Daniels sees it, has less to do with schools than with taxation. In
‘Property taxation is the most pernicious taxation there is,’ he said. ‘Where else in life can you just decide how much you want to spend and then just dial up the rates to get enough revenue to pay for it? Elsewhere in life, you figure out how much money you have and fit your budget to that. If you’ve got less to spend, well, you’ve got less to spend’.”
Tough to argue with Daniels whose office provides some great ideas on how to spend education dollars wisely and give relief to beleaguered taxpayers.
Some school board members will claim schools can’t survive without whopping increases. That is simply not true. Public school districts have been awarded pots of gold for years and have squandered their lavish gifts from taxpayers.
The Citizens' Checklist should be required reading for every school board member and every school taxpayer in
HT: Steve Prestegard
What Obama Should Say Tonight....
The Obamessiah addresses the nation tonight about the Gulf oil spill. Conservative columnist Mona Charen writes a beauty:
“My fellow Americans: Events of the past 55 days have taught me some valuable lessons about leadership and I'd like to share those with you tonight.
When the Deepwater Horizons rig blew up and spawned a terrible oil spill on April 22, my administration's response was conditioned by decades of liberal and leftist thinking about business and government. My background in academia and community activism had never exposed me to the basics of making business decisions or to the fundamentals of a market economy. To the contrary, my friends on the left and I tended to see businessmen, doctors, bankers -- pretty much anyone who made a profit -- as selfish creeps. ‘There comes a point when you've made enough money’ I scolded, when urging passage of a financial reform bill.
So when the oil spill became a national story, our instinct was to bash the company.”
And my favorite line:
“Most of all, we must, as grown-ups, recognize that sometimes terrible things happen and there is no one to blame.”
Good stuff.
No matter what he tosses at us, most of America ain't buyin' it.
I just hope Obama doesn’t talk too long. He’s pre-empting Jimmy Kimmel’s Game Night NBA pre-game show.
Which fast food place is the most satisfying?
Fast food is, at best, OK. It fills a hunger need cheaply, and has enjoyed increased popularity during the economic downturn. Service leaves much to be desired. More often than not, it leans toward bad.
How do customers rate fast food chains?
The
Care to guess how they fared? Who was the best and who was the worst? Let's start at the bottom with:
#10
#8
#7
This is how we fix crumbling bridges in Wisconsin
When Tommy Thompson was governor, he used to joke that one of his Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretaries, Chuck Thompson (no relation) wanted to pave everything.
Back then, the notion was possible, with revenues pouring into the state coffers from everywhere.
Not so today. The state transportation fund, designed to appropriate funding for road projects, is in deficit. Why? Blame Governor Jim Doyle.
Three times Doyle raided the transportation fund to divert cash somewhere else, usually to keep campaign promises to the state teacher’s union. Doyle raided the fund to the tune of $1.257 billion. The use of replacement bonds offset the transfers by $865.5 million, but the debt service paid from the transportation fund during the 2003-05 biennium ($43.9 million) adds to the loss. When you add it all up, the total Doyle raided was $435.4 million. (Source: The Legislative Fiscal Bureau).
That’s $435.4 million less that the state has for road repairs, putting future projects in limbo. That would include the
Concrete pieces from a bridge falling down? To me that sounds serious. Here’s how we deal with the situation. It sounds like something out of a cartoon. The Daily Reporter reports the DOT will put netting in place to catch the falling debris, and this is routine maintenance.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Patricia Jursik sees the deterioration as political opportunism. Jursik has campaigned for some time to redo the bridge. In typical liberal fashion, she even supported a sales tax hike to finance the repairs, even though a big chunk of her district was opposed (Can we say, out of touch?). That idea failed even in the Democrat-controlled Legislature this session.
So, how do you pay for the needed repairs beyond the ridiculous idea of netting? The Daily Reporter reports, “Jursik said, given the inability to get state money to rebuild the Hoan, she may join the movement calling for a state constitutional amendment that would segregate the Wisconsin transportation budget.”
That would take several years and might go nowhere if the legislative landscape changes post-November.
The fact is that thanks to Doyle’s raids resulting in a massive transportation fund. The state is left to a laughable band-aid (literally) approach to the falling concrete from the
Complaint on Illegal Blog Use by County Employee
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You say you could care less about the World Cup but....
You still want to follow but aren’t quite sure how?
Another Milwaukee murder: Count the outrages
There are plenty.
1) Man beats 2-month old son into a coma.
Over a barrel
Hey Barack, you should've done this...
Wisconsin Right To Life PAC Endorses Ron Johnson
The Wisconsin Right to Life Political
Action Committee Endorses Ron
Johnson for United States Senate
CNN: America, you're just too stupid to understand the great Obama
CNN reports: "President Obama's speech on the gulf oil disaster may have gone over the heads of many in his audience......"
No wonder their ratings are on the slide.
Tonight on InterCHANGE
1 – MPS LAYOFFS.
Hundreds of young MPS teachers get layoff notices. Is it wise for one of the worst school districts in the country to layoff so many teachers? Is this all just a negotiating tactic being put into action by MPS to force the union to accept a lower cost health care plan? Or, is the district simply adjusting to economic realities? Is it fair that the young teachers are laid off while those with seniority keep their jobs, or is “last hired-first fired” simply the way it works in a unionized environment? Has this union helped or hurt MPS? Will the union end up accepting the lower cost health plan as a trade-off for doing away with the residency clause? Will this complicate the honeymoon period of the new superintendent, who starts July 1st ?
2 – OBAMA / BP.
Is President Obama to be praised for getting BP to set aside $20 billion dollars top address the gulf oil spill problems? His oval office speech isn’t drawing a great deal of praise. Does he come across as too weak and too cerebral? After two months of the oil gushing into the water, has he been too late to make this an urgent matter? Often presidents are judged by how they react to a crisis that wasn’t their fault and that is beyond their control (e.g. Hurricane Katrina, the Challenger explosion, 9-11, etc.) How do you judge Obama so far on his reaction to this disaster?
3 – DOYLE / MORGAN / UW.
Michael Morgan, Governor Doyle’s Secretary of the Department of Administration, has landed a $245,000 a year job (about twice what he makes now) as the
It's the last weekend of the spring
Could we possibly have lots of sunshine this weekend?
Sure would be nice for people heading down to Polish Fest or the Lakefront Festival of the Arts.
There's always a weekend flick to take in.
In case you live in Franklin that doesn't have tornado sirens, and you have no TV, radio, Internet, neighbors or relatives with phones…
Then please look out your window. Bad weather is approaching.
Goodnight everyone, and have a weekend filled with memories!
The evening sky has erupted. And how!
Let's put controversy and provocative blogs aside for the rest of this work week and smooth our way into Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight, a trip down memory lane.
In the past, I’ve dug into my father’s old record collection. With Father’s Day this weekend, we take another stroll that I hope you’ll enjoy.
I’ve mentioned that when it came to music, my dad was old-fashioned mixed in with a surprising amount of cool. Rather than shun the onslaught of rock and roll, dad embraced, not everything, but plenty of good stuff, especially the Beatles and the British Invasion.
A lover of soundtracks, here’s another example of dad’s “cool.” Tossed in amongst the Rodgers and Hammerstein and Henry Mancini LP’s was the soundtrack from the best James Bond movie.
You, of course, remember......
From the "Goldfinger" soundtrack, " Oddjob's Pressing Engagement," an appropriate title if you recall a certain scene from this 007 classic.
Gov't Can't Protect Us From Every Catastrophe
Judge Andrew Napolitano: That government is best which governs least.
Watch.
The Barking Lot (06/19/10)
The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of this just in…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me. It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Sunny. High of 81. Absolutely delightful dog-walking weather. "A"
SUNDAY: UPDATED: Mostly cloudy. High of 74. "B"
Here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog:
Your morning rush-out-the-door ritual probably sounds something like this:
“Lunch? Check.”
“Cell phone/iPhone/Blackberry? Check.”
“Brief Case and Laptop? Check.”
How about adding:
“Milk Bones and Rawhides? Check.”
“Water Dish? Check.”
“Squeaky Toy? Check.”
That’s right, it’s the 12th Annual Take Your Dog To Work Day on Friday, June 25th.
One of only two arguments that Kevin could ever offer against us getting a dog is the fact that we need to home enough to be fair to our Future Fido. Now that I am a SAHM, that argument has been shattered. But for those of you working a Nine-To-Fiver, just think how much more enjoyable your workplace could be if you were allowed to bring your dog with you. There are many facts you can present to your employer in favor of a canine-friendly cubicle.
Perhaps June 25th will be the pawfect way of introducing your tail-wagging buddy to the office. In that case you’ll want to make sure Rex is on his best behavior.
If you need further ammunition to sway your boss, you could mention that this system works well for
If all else fails, you could consider relocating with your four-legged friend to
So next Friday, pack your sandwich and chips but save room in your lunch bag for some kibble.
---Jennifer Fischer
By the way, in a famous workplace in D.C., dogs are welcomed guests all the time.
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
Little dog at center of controversial big estate.
New blog fighting for dogs' rights find enemies.
What's the bigger fine? A dog pooping or a human urinating in public? Let's go to Seattle.
Here's a new twist on Return to Sender.
As we often say, we love a happy ending.
You know what's better than a happy ending? ANOTHER happy ending!
Hero pooch returns favor for owners that saved him.
The nation's first criminal dog-fighting DNA database is launched.
This police dog is pretty good. This dog is also quite talented.
Interesting column: God must love dogs.
Walking your dog is good for your blood pressure and cholesterol.
"This is why your mother says to wash your hands after handling money...."
When confronted by the Hell's Angels...
Dog Day Afternoons at the Iron Horse...
This dog is living the American Dream.
That's it for this week. Thanks for stopping by.
We close, as we always do, with our closing video.
What would the world be like if everyone saw you the way your dog does?
Week-ends (06/19/10)
HEROES OF THE WEEK
Tyanthony Duckette
Nicholas Pronkos
Young heroes in Arkansas
Gerald Lehman
Juan Restrepo
Sheriff's deputies in Phoenix
Chris Law
Betty Merten
Clint Dempsey
Jennifer Aniston and others
VILLAINS OF THE WEEK
Koman Coulibaly
Ronnie Lee Gardner
Chicago school officials
Nickelodeon
Sexters
Ke$ha
Sara Carbonero
Carbonero
Vuvuzela carriers
Newsweek I
Newsweek II
Christine Laycob and other wacko, so-called "educators"
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
"It is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, in this case a $20 billion shakedown."
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), the ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce giving the opening statement at this week’s BP hearing. A compromise was reached with BP on an escrow fund to pay for damages from its broken oil well in the
Former Texas Congressman Dick Armey discussing the $20 billion escrow fund.
"I was personally devastated. Based on the events of April 20 and thereafter, we need to be better prepared for a subsea disaster. It is clear that our industry needs to significantly improve our ability to quickly address deep-sea accidents of this type and magnitude. Based on what happened on April 20, we now know we need better safety technology. We in the industry have long relied on the blowout preventer as the principal piece of safety equipment. Yet, on this occasion it apparently failed, with disastrous consequences. We must use this incident as a case study to avoid a similar failure in the future."
BP President Tony Hayward in a draft of his testimony before the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations.
Obama has "a default mechanism that breaks down on the side of the minority."
Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King said he didn't misspeak when he told a nationally syndicated radio show on Monday that President Obama favors blacks over whites. King told the G. Gordon Liddy show that Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder repeatedly demonstrate an unjust preference toward minorities. But King stopped short of calling the president a racist. “I don't know if I want to go so far as to make that allegation," he said.
Democrats took over the state Legislature in the 2008 elections and then had to deal with "Barack Obama's economic disaster."
Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate slipping up in his remarks at his party's annual convention.
“You have to lift their skirts to find out if they are women. You sure can’t find out by how they vote!” Tennessee Rep. Janis Baird Sontany (D), referring to female Republican state legislators.
“The only sources making this into some kind of travesty are those of the tree hugging, Birkenstock wearing, hairy armpit, soap is kryptonite persuasion. We on the right fully embrace women who aren't afraid to look good. We realize that people are a package deal, and yes, looks are part of it. We don't castigate women who choose to look like, well, women, If Sarah Palin chose to have breast augmentation surgery (which I don't believe she did, just knowing the down time on such a procedure) then we applaud her for making a choice that obviously propped up her self esteem. Non issue.”
The Liberal Heretic blog
"What I am opposed to is the continued negative and nasty tone that the Neumann campaign is taking toward Scott Walker. That doesn't help anyone but Democrats. The time for Mark Neumann to have contrasts with Scott Walker was months and month ago, not 140 days before the general election.”
Former Tommy Thompson associate, political strategist Bill McCoshen, blasting GOP gubernatorial candidate Mark Neumann.
"They're saying we should stop attacking, but the bottom line is all we're doing is bringing out his (
Mark Neumann
“Another child dies as a result of co-sleeping, reporters write stories, politicians bemoan the situation and public service announcements air. Yet nothing changes. Changing behavior requires going back to the old carrot-and-stick adage. Right now, only carrots are in place to induce parents to do the right thing, including free cribs and educational programs. The only stick is the death of the child, and, sadly, that consequence does not seem to be enough of a threat to many parents. Maybe prison combined with grief will get the message across.”
Deanna Ding,
“I know that between Brett Favre, and the NFL period, of course there’s going to be a double standard. That guy came out of retirement and he played extremely well. He played extraordinary. The rules can stretch for him, should I say? The thing is, I don’t see anybody having a problem with that. No. 1, his age. No. 2, how long he’s been in the league. And then No. 3, how well he’s been playing since he’s been in the league. It’s been consistent and constant. It hasn’t been sporadic. To have him back, it will help the team. We wouldn’t want to – well, I wouldn’t want to – ruffle any feathers with him.”
Visanthe Shiancoe,
OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK
I have a few this week.
Club Fed for illegal aliens......MORE.
Despicable display of American flag.
Light sentence for a baby killer.
That blown call near the end of the US-Slovenia soccer match.
MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK
Ex-porn star: Porn is destroying America.
MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK
Once again, the World Cup, and it's only going to get worse.
STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK
Stoughon, Wisconsin?
The value of whale poop.
One never knows how or where Cupid will strike.
REMEMBER:
When does 'no' mean 'yes'? When it's Franklin City Hall
KF: Note two important items- 1) The vote AGAINST the will of residents. 2) The continued spending by Franklin City Hall. Here's the latest from Franklin 1st District Alderman Steve Olson:
Dear Neighbors:
This past Tuesday evening, the Common Council made decisions on two road projects affecting our district.
Two votes were taken on this matter after a report was given by City Engineer Bennett outlining the four options. During his presentation he was clear in the fact that the neighbors did not want the road widened by a 2 to 1 margin. Installation of sidewalks was a split result with half for and half against a path.
I made a motion to proceed with either option 3 or 4 with the decision on whether to install a path to be made near the time of construction. That motion FAILED. Ald. Wilhelm and Ald. Schmidt supported me. Ald. Solomon, Taylor and Skowronski voted no. The Mayor refused to vote.
Then Ald. Taylor made a motion to proceed with applying for state funds to do option 2, that being widening the lanes (and roadway) and providing a path on the south side of the street. He was supported by Ald. Skowronski and Solomon. This time, Mayor Taylor broke the tie in favor of the motion.
Contrary to the people who live on or near the street, the Common Council has voted to widen the street, potentially taking a number of large, well established trees and impacting the property of many of you.
I argued that there would be no more development on the eastern ¾ of the road. The traffic that’s there now will essentially be the traffic of the future. I argued that it makes no sense to destroy trees and take property to widen a road that will see very little if any increase in traffic. I also argued that you, the neighbors have voiced an educated opinion, many having been to the meeting and reviewed the drawings. You, the neighbors didn’t see the need.
In the end, the three members of the council were, I think, looking only at the money and they were joined by the Mayor.
This decision can be changed by a week from Tuesday if you call the Mayor and discuss the matter with him and ask him to change his vote. 425-7500
Also last Tuesday night, the Common Council voted to spend $900,000 on sidewalks along the east side of 76th Street and to agree with the County’s plan to reconstruct the street as a 4 lane undivided roadway with limited curbs and gutters. I voted against all motions because I continue to feel that the County is treating
As always, don’t hesitate to call with your questions or needs.
Steve
Alderman, 1st District
solson@franklinwi.gov
www.steveolson.us
www.franklinwi.gov
Recommended Reading (06/20/10)
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend (You will note that on occasion, I do not endorse the opinions of the author and may point that out. Despite my disagreements, I still feel the piece is worth a read).
My name is America and I'm an addict
"Just over 32 million Americans tuned in for President Obama’s 18-minute address on Tuesday evening. Finally, the country’s leader would provide some clarity and direction in the midst of the quagmire. Instead, Americans heard a lecture about their gluttonous consumption of energy and an embarrassing attempt to shift blame from a floundering administration."
Leftists say the darndest things
"WHOSE fault is, well, you know, everything? In the eyes of mainline mediaists -- George W. Bush. The break-up of the Gore marriage? CBS Evening News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson finds a likely cause in Al Gore 'winning the popular vote for president but losing the electoral vote'."
Obama's ideal American
"Obama still finds greater approval among unmarried, unchurched, poor and inexperienced Americans than he does among the married, churchgoing, middle-class and middle-aged. But he is losing his grip on the unchurched and the poor."
Is President Obama the worst president in history?
"There are only two other true contenders for the title of 'worst president in
Educational Reductionism
"If you’re not cynical about education in the
Smearing Republican Women
"Liberals in the media don't root for more women in government. They only root for more liberal women in government. Republican women are merely targets. The media can disregard a lot of tastelessness when the women who are smeared are Republicans."
Praise the Lord and pass the chicken wings
Later this morning, I will head to Sunday Mass at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on
Everything, I mean everything is wonderful about this sacred place. The Gothic architecture. The wood. The gold. The statues. The traditional
No acoustic guitar or Peter, Paul and Mary jazz here.
The gifted Lee Erickson, the best church organist, period, will be at the keyboard, and even without the tremendous choir that now has the summer off, he’ll find a way to make the Sunday experience heavenly.
Lee Erickson, St. Anthony's Music Director and director of the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus.
Diana at St. Fiacre’s Garden has captured the beauty of St. Anthony’s in photos.
I marvel at newcomers to St. Anthony’s. They gaze in wonderment, necks craning. They sheepishly ask this usher if they can snap a photo before asking in amazement, “You do this every Sunday?”
Newcomers and veteran parishioners alike have been known to stare up at the choir loft during the recessional, refusing to leave until the music and singing have ended. Then they stand, and in a practice not often seen in a Catholic Church unless the newlyweds have just kissed, they applaud.
As a Catholic purist, I’ve been spoiled, and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Despite how grand and uplifting St. Anthony’s is, not every seat is filled. And that’s not just a Catholic phenomenon. Filling those pews is a challenge. I am appreciative that my church has not resorted to any bells and whistles to entice greater numbers.
In the town of
The Charlotte Observer reports there will be “recliners in the sanctuary, ESPN highlights on the lobby monitors, and motorcycles and cool cars in the parking lot. And there's more, dude: For its ‘Ultimate Man Day’ festivities - set for the 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services - Next Level will also make available quality cigars, classic rock music and, at the church fire pit, chicken wings and one-pound smoked turkey legs. And get this: Next Level will purposely shorten its services this Sunday, to 45 minutes.”
That’s not Sunday Mass. That’s a church festival.
If that’s what it takes to get a lazy lump to go to church on Sunday, then he/she is going for the wrong reasons.
My Most Popular Blogs (06/20/10)
As I post every Sunday, here are the five most read blog entries of mine from the previous week. NOTE: some entries may have been posted prior to the past week.
1) The Year of My Mother- Jimmy Dean
2) Complaint on Illegal Blog Use by
3) MPS layoffs: Do MPS teachers care?
4) This is how we fix crumbling bridges in
5) 25 quotes from this weekend's
Photos of the Week (06/20/10)
BP CEO Tony Hayward is sworn in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 17, 2010, prior to before testifying before the Energy and Environment subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing on the role of BP in the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and Oil Spill. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., holds an Associated Press photo taken by Charlie Riedel, of an oil covered pelican, the state bird of Louisiana, as he questions BP CEO Tony Hayward, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, June 17, 2010, during the House Oversight and Investigations subcommittee hearing on "the role of BP in the Deepwater Horizon Explosion and oil spill. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
A Father's Day message from WRTL
Happy Father's Day
1 parent + 1 parent = The Best
The latest issue of the Atlantic offers one of the most absurd assertions one could imagine: Fathers are unnecessary. The Atlantic writes:
“Dads, we tell our husbands, are essential influences on children, the source of unique benefits. There’s only one problem: none of this is proven.”
The Atlantic cites a February 2010 Journal of Marriage and Family study that essentially states single moms and lesbian parents are better than fathers, thus making fathers unnecessary, or their importance overrated.
Preposterous.
I’ve known some terrific single moms, but the plethora of facts illustrates the odds are against them.
The National Fatherhood Initiative reports, in part:
“There is a ‘father factor’ in nearly all of the social issues facing
Children in father-absent homes are five times more likely to be poor.
Infant mortality rates are 1.8 times higher for infants of unmarried mothers than for married mothers.
Unmarried mothers are less likely to obtain prenatal care and more likely to have a low birth-weight baby.
Toddlers living in stepfamilies and single-parent families were more likely to suffer a burn, have a bad fall, or be scarred from an accident compared to kids living with both of their biological parents.
Even after controlling for income, youths in father-absent households still had significantly higher odds of incarceration than those in mother-father families.
There is significantly more drug use among children who do not live with their mother and father.
Being raised by a single mother raises the risk of teen pregnancy, marrying with less than a high school degree, and forming a marriage where both partners have less than a high school degree.
Living in a single-parent home doubles the risk that a child will suffer physical, emotional, or educational neglect.
Obese children are more likely to live in father-absent homes than are non-obese children.
Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.”
There’s more at Fathers.com and from Wisconsin Fathers for Children and Families.
“Dads, we tell our husbands, are essential influences on children, the source of unique benefits. There’s only one problem: none of this is proven.” Absolute garbage.
Dads, don't believe any of that psycho mumbo-jumbo crap. You’re needed now more than ever.
Culinary no-no #171
Yummy stuff, but a definite weight watcher’s nightmare. What a pleasant surprise to see young and old, bikers, cyclists, businesspeople on lunch breaks all taking in this welcome, quality addition to the lakeshore.
South of Northpoint, at the old Pieces of Eight restaurant site, workers are busy preparing the next Bartolotta installment, Harbor House for its opening next month. Unlike the spotty reputation Pieces of Eight had to fight for years, Harbor House, I’m guessing will be a jewel heartily endorsed by consumers, right there, right on the lakefront, right next to the water.
I’d love to see even more quality development along
It’s too bad Tony Pepito wasn’t as fortunate as Joe Bartolotta was with his quest for fine waterfront dining.
Two years ago, I blogged in defense of Club Porticello, a restaurant owned by Pepito adjacent to Silver Lake in Oconomowoc.
For quite some time, the local bureaucrats fought like hell to keep the restaurant from opening, threatening heavy fines because it was too close to the shoreline. It was a perfect example of how Wisconsin hates business.
But then the locals came to their senses and allowed the restaurant to open. Unfortunately, that was not the end of story or business harassment.
Who do you think would enter the picture and gum up the works? Takes but one guess. A local business, on some shoreline property. Who always throws tacks in the road? Who lives for finding ways to throw up obstacles to business opening up shop?
Did someone say the DNR (Department of Natural Resources)?
DING DING DING DING!
What did come as a surprise to me was that Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen joined forces with the DNR to resurrect the attack against Club Porticello instead of letting local officials handle the situation and getting off Club Porticello’s back.
At the time, jsonline.com reported:
State sues to overturn restaurant opening
Waukesha — The state has filed suit to overturn Oconomowoc’s decision allowing a restaurant to open on the shore of Silver Lake.
In the civil suit, state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen contends that Oconomowoc zoning commissioners improperly granted variances for Club Porticello, which opened for business in May.
On behalf of the state Department of Natural Resources, the suit alleges that Oconomowoc officials violated the law, partly by failing to address “extensive testimony” that the restaurant would hurt water quality and fish habitats at Silver Lake.
The restaurant is just 17 feet from the shoreline, which normally would not be permitted except for Oconomowoc’s approved variances.
The state’s suit, filed last week in Waukesha County Circuit Court, seeks a judge’s ruling overturning the variances and granting a restraining order on the matter.
###
Then on September 25, 2008, I blogged, "DNR bullies get sand kicked in their face":
Wednesday afternoon while filling in for Mark Belling on Newstalk 1130 WISN, I recognized the famous voice in my headphones during some of the spot breaks. Legendary Milwaukee radio celebrity Bob Barry was promoting a new restaurant in Oconomowoc called, “Porticello.”
With glee, I smiled. You have no idea how happy I am that Porticello is up, operating, has a website, and is advertising on a 50-thousand watt radio station like WISN. It has to be driving the tyrannical Department of Natural Resources (DNR) out of their power-hungry minds.
For months, the owner of Porticello, located on Silver Lake, desperately tried to open but ran into roadblocks from the state agency that absolutely loves making life for ordinary citizens as miserable as possible. That would be the DNR, not so affectionately referred to by some as Damn Near Russia.
The DNR tried to put its collective foot down (as always) that a restaurant couldn’t open in what was a vacant, deteriorating building because it was just too darn close to the lake. After all, who ever heard of a restaurant with a water view? How preposterous! We can't have that!
But in the end, the DNR lost, and a persistent and patient entrepreneur won, and it’s just got to grind the DNR’s beans. They had an opportunity to not only make it agonizing for a business, but prevent it from opening altogether. But like Eric Gagne in the 8th inning, the DNR blew it.
They have to be kicking themselves knowing that this…..
Obama's World Cup
Obamacare's Broken Promises
"Focused on what President Obama insists is the worst environmental disaster the country has ever seen, many Americans perhaps haven’t noticed the nastiness spewing from Obamacare’s two thousand pages. But the impact of the new healthcare law will be at least as disastrous as that of the oil gushing from the Deepwater Horizon oil leak, and even more hazardous to our health.
The Obama administration’s inept handling of the oil leak foreshadows what will happen when hapless government bureaucrats begin administering our healthcare."
"How to Father Faithful and Fearsome Kids"
One of my favorite columnists, Doug Giles, father of two daughters, offers some advice:
“I’d like to make certain that my daughters never flaunt themselves to get the attention of some Darwinian-throwback-gold-toothed-rapping-thug just so they can be the chief hoochie in his stupid booty video. Furthermore, as my daughters’ dad, I’d like to reduce the possibility that they’ll ever become sex objects—or pregnant teens. I do not want my chicas becoming STD wagons or teens who do dope and abuse booze. I’d like to make certain that they’ve got a snowball’s chance in
The Latest News You Can Use from WRTL
In This Issue:
Help in Campaign to "Opt-Out" of Obamacare - Sign the Petition!
Important Right To Life Links
UPDATE: Praise the Lord and pass the chicken wings
"That’s not Sunday Mass. That’s a church festival."
The Sunday snapshots:
A worshiper raises a hand in prayer during Sunday services at the Next Levvel Church in Stallings, North Carolina. On Father's Day, at least three area churches used this annual day for Dad to try to woo more men into the pews. Pollsters and authors have told us for years that women tend to go to church in much higher percentages than male. "Why Men Hate to Go to Church:" was the title of one bestseller that tried to explain why. Next Level Church, just inside Union County, turned Father's Day Sunday into "Ultimate Man Day," complete with cigars, ESPN highlights and turkey legs in the lobby and motorcycles and cool cars in the parking lot. The church also shortened the service to 45 minutes. JOHN D. SIMMONS, Charlotte Observer.
Pastor Mark Gillming works to hit the high notes while singing "Carry On My Wayward Son" by Kansas during worship service Sunday at the Next Level Church. Photo: JOHN D. SIMMONS - Charlotte Observer
Dan Osborne came to the Next Level Church Sunday for worship and a turkey leg. Photo: JOHN D. SIMMONS - Charlotte Observer
Ernie Holmes, the keyboardist for the Next Level Church band, works through a silent practice of the upcoming songs for the worship service. ESPN plays on the screens in the background. Photo: JOHN D. SIMMONS - Charlotte Observer
Brenda Brenes and husband Carlos Brenes reminisced about riding in a GTO in their younger years. The couple looked over a 1967 GTO at the next Level Church Sunday. JOHN D. SIMMONS - Charlotte Observer.
I subscribe to the theory that each individual should worship the way he/she chooses.
But there’s worship, and then there’s partying.
More idiocy in our public schools
“A New England school district has approved a measure that will provide free condoms to elementary school students and direct teachers not to comply with parental wishes to the contrary.”
This lunatic idea was approved unanimously.
And I’m sure every kid in that wonderful public school district is doing just great in reading, writing, and math.
*YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE: THE FOLLOWING IS A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS WEBSITE*
A storm is approaching. Take the necessary precautions.
The preceding cost you,
Warning sirens that may or may not have worked would have
cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Putting a positive spin on the oil spill
The Charlotte Observer notes, “The amount of oil spilled so far could only fill the cavernous New Orleans Superdome about one-seventh of the way up.” Not very comforting.
The newspaper offers some gloomy analogies, too.
One would expect a positive spin from Planet BP. That would be the firm’s online, in-house magazine. If you want to read how Planet BP is spinning, take a look.
UPDATE: Culinary no-no #164
Is nothing sacred anymore?
Today comes word that the Center for Science in the Public Interest may sue the Golden Arches (like they don’t have as many lawyers as burgers sold).
"McDonald's marketing has the effect of conscripting
Kids, nagging their parents?
Whining?
Begging?
Crying?
Demanding?
I wanna go to McDonald's!!! Take me to McDonald’s!!!!!
Uhhh, can’t mommy or daddy just say no?
Ridiculous.
Obama's Gulf spill response
Where's FEMA?
"We are spending $5.5 billion on FEMA and, if the agency is not authorized, not qualified, and/or not equipped to be in charge of a disaster then perhaps a good re-think is in order before the FY 2011 appropriation is adopted."
*DANGER DANGER DANGER*
America
Beware.
You are about to enter…..
A danger zone.
This Just In reader, to grasp the full effect of this incredibly serious blog, please click the following and listen, listen, listen….
Now they're what you call REAL whippersnappers!
Three students from
Good for them!
It's never OK for a general to criticize the POTUS, unless, of course.....
The president is a Republican!
From Newsbusters:
"During Bush's tenure, active duty generals that spoke out against administration policy were portrayed as courageous whistleblowers."
Read the entire piece.
*Shhhhhh....we take you now to the 7th hole where Obama is putting for a double bogey"
Confidence waning in Obama
"Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama's leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. The survey also shows grave and growing concerns about the Gulf oil spill, with overwhelming majorities of adults favoring stronger regulation of the oil industry and believing that the spill will affect the nation's economy and environment."
In the world of politics, it's called a gaffe
This one's major.
Can you imagine if a Republican had said this?
"Hey you, you with the walker....take your shoes off!"
I‘ve written and discussed on WISN my far less than favorable assessment of the TSA workers at airports, a motley bunch that walks on their knuckles and wouldn’t know a terrorist from a wheelchair-bound octogenarian. The most flattering description I could give these professional grunters is that they’re unfriendly.
ABC News reports a new documentary due out next week contends airports are nowhere near as safe as you think they are:
“Despite spending billions of dollars, creating a new government agency and creating numerous new security procedures, the makers of ‘Please Remove Your Shoes’ argue that the flying public today is no safer from a terrorist attack than it was before Sept. 11, 2001.
‘What we've got now is nothing but security theater, meaning all these bells and whistles that you see are only meant to make you feel safe,’ former federal air marshal P. Jeffrey Black says in the documentary. ‘I honestly think we were safer before 9/11 than we are now’."
It’s not just the TSA sheepherders.
(Former federal air marshal P. Jeffrey) Black said that his job as an air marshal was compromised by a rigid dress code that forced him to wear a suit and tie, even on flights to tourist destinations like
The message: You kill the guys with the suits first.”
Great. Just great.
The latest from Rehorst
The Newsletter of Wisconsin's Oldest Craft Distillery (est.2004)
Quick Links
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American Distilling Institute
Great Lakes Distillery is the only distillery member of the Wisconsin State Agriculture Departments "Something Special from Wisconsin" created to promote Wisconsin produced products.
Get Social!
Distillery Tours
In Milwaukee for Summerfest? The distillery is located 2 miles from the festival grounds, stop in before the Big Gig and check us out!
We are now open Monday through Saturday from Noon to 6PM. With tour times daily at 2 and 4PM, and an additional tour at 6PM on Fridays.
Tours typically last 45 minutes and are free. A tasting flight of our products is $3.
Groups of eight or more and service industry member tours can be scheduled for any day of the week. Call to reserve a private tour 414-431-8683.
Summer is in full swing! Keep us in mind for your next party, you can make a lot of really great summer cocktails with our products. One recipe below...
We're pleased to say our Roaring Dan Rum has been a huge hit! We had a shortage after our initial release, but are shipping more today. It can currently be found in SE WI. Other areas soon.
Ray's Wine & Spirits Tasting
Wednesday June 30th
Ray's Wine & Spirits will be featuring a Craft Spirits Classic Cocktail Seminar in their new tasting room!
The event is Wednesday June 30th and starts at 6:30pm in Ray's Tasting Room and Education Center. A limited number of seats are available.
Special pricing for the spirits tasted and used in the cocktails will be offered that day for event attendees.
Great Lakes Distillery's own Mixologist Jason Neu will show you how to create some of his favorite classic cocktails. Distillery founder Guy Rehorst will also be on hand sharing samples of our award winning spirits. Also be the first to try a potential future Great Lakes product that will exclusively be available to try at this event only!
Rays is located at 8930 W. North Avenue Wauwatosa, WI
Your cost only $15 per person. Tickets may be ordered online from Ray's Tasting room page. Seating is limited!
Cocktail of the Month
This month it's the Milwaukee Mai Tai- our twist on Trader Vic's classic from 1944. Our Roaring Dan's Rum has maple syrup and it just goes so well with this drink. Give it a try today!
Milwaukee Mai Tai
2 oz Roaring Dan's Rum
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz Orgeat syrup
Shake with ice and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with lime zest.
Want more great cocktail ideas? Try our online Cocktail Database!
We appreciate you asking for our products at all your favorite bars, restaurants, and stores. If they don't have it the best thing you can do to help them get it is to ask for it!
Thanks,
Guy Rehorst
Great Lakes Distillery, LLC
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Vodka is 40% Alcohol by Volume (80 Proof).
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Gin is 44% Alcohol By Volume (88 Proof).
Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Citrus & Honey Flavored Vodka is 40% Alcohol By Volume (80 Proof).
Artisan Series Pear Brandy Eau-de-Vie, Grappa and Kirschwasser are 40% Alcohol by Volume (80 Proof).
Drink Responsibly.
Great Lakes Distillery, Milwaukee WI
Great Lakes Distillery, LLC | 616 W. Virginia St. | Milwaukee | WI | 53204
Why tennis is sooooo much better than stupid soccer...
Because you play until there’s a WINNER!
Tell Congress to Stop the FCC's Internet Takeover
Y'know, I rarely feature a lefty blog on my blog
So, courtesy of Weasel Zippers, here's an entry from one of the more popular lefty blogs in America.
You can tell it's a lefty because it lacks any hate and just oozes warmth and fuzziness.
Enjoy the love!
Most Americans feel the country is headed in the wrong direction
Could this be one of the reasons why?
Tonight on InterCHANGE
Here are the topics up for discussion Friday night on Interchange Friday night at 6:30 with a repeat at 11:00 Sunday morning on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10:
Rick Horowitz will fill in for regular host Dan Jones. Please watch anyway.
1 – McCHRYSTAL OUT, PETRAEUS IN
On McChrystal’s ouster: Was he right to submit his resignation? If he hadn’t, would Obama have let him go anyway? Did Obama have any choice? Was McChrystal tossed for doing normal soldier griping? If he and his colleagues are dumb enough to say these kinds of things with a reporter sitting there, are they too dumb to be left in charge of a mission as important as Afghanistan? Is tension between the military and civilian authorities inevitable? Did Obama make too big a deal of it in this case? Will Obama’s action change the perception of him in the military? Among the public at large?
On Petraeus’s new assignment: Would Obama have let McChrystal go if he didn’t have someone of Petraeus’s reputation willing to take over? Does Petraeus bring anything to the job that McChrystal lacked? McChrystal believed in the same counter-insurgency strategies that Petraeus has advocated -- so is this, as Obama insisted, simply a change in personnel, not in strategy? (Should he be rethinking the strategy, too?) Will naming Petraeus satisfy those who have opposed the expansion of the war in
2 – MORE OIL IN THE GULF
A robotic device hits the containment cap, and the flow of oil gets -- temporarily, at least -- even larger. Meanwhile a judge in
As I predicted on InterCHANGE...
A few weeks ago on the Milwaukee Public Television roundtable discussion program, InterCHANGE that I appear on as a regular panelist, we discussed the MATC Board’s foolish call for a boycott of
I pointed out that
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Patrick McIleran has a must-read column that demonstrates
"Thursday morning, the Milwaukee County Board will decide whether to wallop Arizona - and, collaterally, the employees at Phil Walthers' northwest side business, who probably didn't see it coming.
Seen several times this week in Franklin...
Joggers running in fast pace in near 90 degree temperatures sans water bottles.
Can we say, estupido?
Hey!
After this whole tornado warning siren business is taken care of, let’s ask our suddenly spend happy mayor (remember that 3% pledge, Mayor?) and our spend happy Common Council to approve a whole bunch of brand new spending for water checkpoints throughout the city to accommodate summertime runners who don’t have the brains or common sense to take care of themselves.
To quote my alderman, if we can save just one life…
Summertime, and the weekend is easy...
It's the first weekend of the summer.
Heading down to the lakefront?
Or do you prefer a smaller, quieter festival?
I know you'll be soaking up the summer but I do hope you'll check us out this weekend for our regular This Just In features beginning tonight with our weekly Friday night smooth music segue into Saturday and Sunday. The theme? Therrrrrrrrrrrrrre's a Summer Plaaaaaaaaaace....
Then Saturday morning, wake up to The Barking Lot, our weekly dog blog. This guy makes DOGS IN THE NEWS....
Also on Saturday morning, Weekends, our weekly week in review with one of those can't miss, great stories...
Recommended Reading has moved to Sunday.
Also on Sunday, My Most Popular Blogs, Culinary no-no, and Photos of the Week.
Here is a photo that did NOT make the final cut.....
Accompanied by their interpereters and under the wondering stares of other customers, President Barack Obama and Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev chat over hamburgers during an unscheduled visit to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, Va., Thursday, June 24, 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by.
Goodnight everyone, and have a terrific summer weekend!
It's Friday night. Time to unwind with our regular Friday night feature on This Just In.
The weekend has finally arrived.
The sun has set.
The evening sky has erupted.
Let's put controversy and provocative blogs aside for the rest of this work week and smooth our way into Saturday and Sunday.
Tonight, our theme….
We long for it.
We agonizingly wait for it.
It arrives.
But only for a short time.
I swear it feels like two, maybe three weeks.
Tonight, our theme is summer.
If you’re expecting Beach Boys, I’m sorry. None her, though I love them dearly.
No Mungo Jerry or Lovin’ Spoonful either.
But I was tempted.
Think smooth, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Smooth.
We begin with an artist I really admire. Not since Chuck Mangione has a musician so embraced the wonderful flugelhorn.
Here is the talented Rick Braun with a number not to be confused with a 70’s movie.
Gropal warming
Accuser: Gore demanded sexual favors
"The massage therapist at the center of sex assault allegations against Al Gore told police of her terror as the former vice president mauled her in a
A copy of her lengthy police statement on the 2006 ordeal was obtained by
In it, the woman tells how Gore greeted her at the door of his room at the Hotel Lucia for the 11 p.m. appointment with a hug that 'went on a bit long, 'then quipped 'call me Al.' Hotel staff had told the licensed therapist when booking her that the client was Al Gore, but that he was going under the name 'Mr Stone.'
The Barking Lot (06/26/10)
The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of this just in…Written by my lovely wife, Jennifer and me. It opens with the weekend dog walking forecast followed by the main blog from dog lover, Jennifer. Then it’s DOGS IN THE NEWS and our close. Enjoy!
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Morning thunderstorms, scattered thunderstorms in the evening. High of 82. "B"
SUNDAY: Scattered thunderstorms. High of 84. "B"
Here’s my lovely wife, Jennifer with this week’s main blog:
Next Sunday, July 4, 2010 will again be time to celebrate the independence of our wonderful country. Sights, sounds and activities over this weekend will include:
Swimming, barbequing, and boating...
How many people will take their dogs along to join in the festivities? After all, dogs like hamburgers and the lazy days of summer too! But have you stopped to consider that while your human companions are “oohing” and “ahhing” at the Big Bang, Fido is less than happy about the rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air?
Whether you are partying at
Please remember the sensitivity of your dog’s ears as you are celebrating our great country this July 4th. That way, EVERY member of your family can enjoy this spectacular holiday.
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Thank you, Jennifer.
Ohhhh, that’s a big PET peeve with me. These selfish yahoos who drag their babies and /or pets to a crowded, late night fireworks show. Sorry, folks. You think you’re more important than your child or pet? GET A SITTER!
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week. Lots of interesting stuff this week. Let's get at it!
Gulf Coast dogs need rescue.
Dog left for dead prepares for surgery.
Botched surgery leaves dog in heat, owner steamed.
Iranian cleric: Dogs are too "unclean" to be pets.
Spreading awareness about Sido.
Good boy, Rambo!
NO WAY!
California boot camps get dogs in shape.
Groomers can bring out what's fabulous in a dog. There's always a doggie dye job.
More pooch pampering.
You think your dog is spoiled?
Mo is one lucky dog.
Meeting with Nancy Reagan inspired canine caper.
10 million tons of....you know.
Speaking of, you know....
Pay up, Mariah!
OK.
I can't resist.
Gotta love Mariah. I heard her tell Larry King she's half Irish.
UPDATE: Ugly Dog contest has a winner!
That's it for the Barkling Lot. Thanks for stopping by.
We close with our closing video, and boy, are you in luck!
#1.....
UPDATE: Most Americans feel the country is headed in the wrong direction
California
The latest…
The 100 Americans the Left Hates Most
The July issue of Townhall magazine arrived in my mailbox Friday (I subscribe and recommend).
Here is the cover story.
Joe Biden is used to putting his foot in his mouth, but on his trip to Wisconsin....
It was custard in his face.
Later...
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The statesmanlike VP calls the manager a smart ass.
What an absolute boob.
BTW, IT'S CUSTARD, JOE!!!
Recommended Reading (06/27/10)
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend (You will note that on occasion, I do not endorse the opinions of the author and may point that out. Despite my disagreements, I still feel the piece is worth a read).
Let investigators work
"Until a cause is determined, officials and citizens should withhold judgment and refrain from idle speculation."
Let the Big Dogs Run
“I read the Rolling Stone piece at an airport bookstore. When finished, I put the ultra-leftist hippie magazine back on the rack for some dreadlocked wandering idiot wearing a Che shirt to purchase. Indeed, a fool and his money will soon part.
One has to seriously question the otherwise brilliant Gen. McChrystal's judgment to allow an anti-war, biased reporter from the Rolling Stone magazine access to him and his staff for 30 days. Th bulk of writing in this goofy magazine is at the best suspicious and more often than not simply hardcore leftwing propaganda.
Gen. McChrystal had to know the hack from Rolling Stone would portray him and his staff in a negative light. For McChrystal to believe otherwise is analogous to me believing that Rolling Stone magazine would give me or the National Rifle Association a fair shake. Not happening.”
Obama and the Woes of the Democrats
“Democrats are acknowledging they'll lose ground in the midterms. The only question is how much. Today, the evidence points to quite a lot. The most important indicator is…..:
Political neophyte challenges Feingold
“Another reason Republicans have been attracted to Johnson’s candidacy is that he has the financial resources to self-fund his campaign.
‘Over 31 years of very hard work, I’ve tucked away, outside of business, enough money to get my message out,’ he said. ‘If I have to, I’ll spend it all’.”
The instrument of crime remains only an instrument
“When someone uses a car to carry out a crime, nobody proposes stringent new curbs on car sales. Nearly 50 homicides in
The handouts just keep coming
“When Congress says, ‘Hey, pay them for 39 weeks. No, we changed our minds, pay them for 52 weeks. No, no, for 78 weeks,’ do they send the actuaries scrambling back to increase the premiums now being charged employers of existing workers, so that the income drawn from those premiums will now cover 78 weeks of unemployment benefits?
I don’t think so. I don’t think they’re ‘extending unemployment benefits,’ at all. I think these are just cash handouts — income transfers from the taxes of those still working, without regard to the premiums collected in the past.
I think the government is just printing money as fast as it can, and sending it anywhere it can think of, to keep everybody off their backs while they try to figure out which wacky new bailout or slush fund to try next.”
My Most Popular Blogs (06/27/10)
As I post every Sunday, here are the five most read blog entries of mine from the previous week. NOTE: some entries may have been posted prior to the past week.
1) *YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE: THE FOLLOWING IS A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS WEBSITE*
2) The facts: Too many problems associated with tornado warning sirens
3) *DANGER DANGER DANGER*
4) Seen several times this week in Franklin...
5) "Hey you, you with the walker....take your shoes off!"
Photos of the Week (06/27/10)
Milwaukee firefighters on Thursday hang a tarp over the facade at the O'Donnell Park garage where a concrete slab fell, killing one person and injuring two others.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photo: Benny Sieu
Police close the pedestrian bridge from the Milwaukee Art Museum to the O'Donnell Park garage. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photo: Benny Sieu
A woman returning from Summerfest reacts after hearing about the accident. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel photo: Benny Sieu
2ND UPDATE: Culinary no-no #164
Culinary no-no #164 addressed the threatened lawsuit against McDonald’s over the toys in their Happy Meals.
The liberal anti-kid meanie going to court is the wacko, inaccurately named Center for Science in the Public Interest. More like Center for Science in their Interest.
Over at Big Hollywood, Greg Gutfield rips the
“Here’s what chafes my thighs. It’s this quote from the CSPI litigator, Stephen Gardner. He says,
‘McDonald’s is the stranger in the playground handing out candy to children.’
Okay. So, in effect, this jackass has compared the production of fast food with child molestation – branding over 1.5 million McDonald’s employees as pedophiles.”
Here’s Gutfield’s column.
Culinary no-no #172
My friend, Jim and I had finished spinning music for a wedding at a well-known downtown
The disarray was surprising. If only people could see this uncleanliness, we thought, they’d be shocked.
Did you dine out this weekend? Did you give any second thoughts about what was going on behind closed kitchen doors? Did you just assume that all food service rules, regulations and guidelines were being followed to the letter?
What if?
What if we could actually observe the inside of restaurant and cafeteria kitchens?
Would we like what we find?
Probably not.
For the first time, a new study by
The study’s conclusion in a nutshell, according to a university press release: “risky practices can happen more often than previously thought.”
Let’s go to the videotape. Again, quoting the release, the study found “approximately one cross-contamination event per food handler per hour. In other words, the average kitchen worker committed eight cross-contamination errors, which have the potential to lead to illnesses, in the course of the typical eight-hour shift.”
Cross –contamination occurs when, for example a knife used to cut raw chicken is used again on another food item. Major no-no.
Famous celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse has often warned on his TV program that if you have raw chicken in the house, you need to wash everything, including your car.
Think about the study numbers: one cross-contamination per food handler per hour. Suppose your favorite restaurant has five kitchen workers. That’s 40 miscues in a typical work shift. No matter how great the linguini was, somebody’s going home sick.
Previous studies resulted in fewer incidents of cross-contamination. However, that’s understandable. But those studies relied on inspections and, get this, self-reporting by food handlers.
There are two eyebrow-raising elements to this study:
1) Dr. Ben Chapman, assistant professor and food safety specialist in the department of family and consumer sciences at North Carolina State and lead author of the research paper says, “It’s important to note that the food-service providers we surveyed in this study reflected the best practices in the industry for training their staff.”
That’s enough to send any Felix Unger-type into cardiac arrest.
But here’s the real stunner…
2) The kitchens that were observed in this study? They all volunteered to participate.
THEY KNEW THEY WERE BEING WATCHED.
AND THEY STILL MESSED UP!
Solutions:
Better training, of course.
More hand sanitizers in the kitchens.
Information sheets given to food handlers every week.
Read more in this NCSU press release.
Putting cameras.
In kitchens.
What an idea.
Because you just never know……
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What you’ll find.
Obama, the great Commander-in-Chief
Obama Fires McChrystal - We Can Fire Obama
"Obama may have been able to fire the General for speaking the truth, but he can’t fire America. No, on the contrary, we can 'can' his backside and those of his stripe come their respective election days, and we should for the way they have mismanaged all the major issues touching our nation. "
There is no liberal bias in the news media: Part 3,672
"Let Them Eat Cheeseburgers: How the AP Starves Its Readers of Real Information."
Obama and taxing Democrats kick oil spill victims in the teeth
They need to pay, we’ve been lectured over and over and over again.
BP must pay for all the damage they’ve caused.
Closed door meeting.
Obama lays the hammer down so he can look tough later. He shakes down BP. BP caves (or did BP just cut their losses in a desperate PR move?) and agrees to a $20 billion relief fund for oil spill victims.
Liberals go orgasmic. They are ready to throw a ticker tape parade.
You did it, Barack!
You showed ‘em.
You gave it to those big bad bullies.
And liberals stood proud because they could do what they always do: make situations appear as though they’re champions of the downtrodden, the proverbial little guy.
But as usual, liberal Democrats stand for big government, big taxes, and big spending.
Help the poor little guys in the Gulf? Sure thing. Democrats would love to help!
Kyla's Korner- Musings of a Mother (06/28/10)
By Jennifer Fischer
Mother of beautiful angel, Kyla
Nearly every evening as I prepare to rock our Princess to sleep, I know I'm in for a little difficulty. She is a joy to watch drift off, but GETTING her there is another story. It's as if she thinks there is going to be a big party as soon as she's sleeping.
Apparently "Marvin" feels the same way Kyla does:
It's good to know I'm not alone!
The Latest News You Can Use from WRTL
In This Issue:
Important Right To Life Links
The larger, almost forgotten issue in the Franklin warning siren debate
It’s there.
Big as life.
However, most folks don’t realize it because they’re barely looking beyond their noses.
The tornado warning siren discussion in our fair humble city is more about just sirens. Much more. And it demonstrates how out of touch our city is becoming with common sense policymaking.
Again, the issue is more than just sirens. But the “We just gotta have sirens, no matter what” crowd is fixated only on……..the sirens. Just listen to their arguments.
1) I can’t believe
Oh, I just love that one. The old, “Johnny jumped in the river, Mom, so why can’t I?” whine.
People living in communities outside
Sometimes engaging in a policy decision because someone else did it isn’t the best reasoning. I hear low –income housing is all the rage in
2) I was waiting for a siren to go off so I would know what to do.
Another personal favorite. Apparently those thick black clouds and winds over 50 mph weren’t a good enough signal that, gee, Aunt Harriet, something’s not quite right here.
3) Those bad storms are exactly the reason why we need the sirens.
That gem comes from my friend,
Packers in the Super Bowl?
OH
MY
GOD!
Watch a highly paid network commentator make a fool of himself as Adam Schein thinks the Packers are going to the Super Bowl. This doofus admits he thought Aaron Rodgers was going to be the MVP last year. I guess Schein forgot about Drew Brees and Peyton Manning.
Look.
I'd LOVE the green and gold to be playing for the NFL title. You saw Rodgers and the Packers lose to Arizona last year in the playoffs. Do you honestly believe that Aaron (stats but results like Lynn Dickey) Rodgers is taking us to the Super Bowl? Schein uses as his argument, running back Ryan Grant.
I hope he's right.
But I walk away, and it's not the first time after listening to Schein. He sounds like he swallowed a radio.
Who are the best players in the NFL?
Let’s suppose you were ranking the top Packer players.
Who would rank the highest?
Where would Brett Favre rank?
Fox Sports thinks Aaron Rodgers is the 8th best player in the league. That in itself brings chuckles.
Favre?
#46.
Whatever.
Un-American enviros
You can count on them every holiday.
They are the rag tag, fuddy duddy killjoys that aren’t happy unless they make the holidays unhappy for everyone. Usually they’re liberals or atheists.
Who could possibly rain on
Newsbusters stumbled upon a nutjob June 2009 piece written by Russell McClendon at the ---get ready for goosebumps--- Mother Nature Network. Ooooh, does that feel all warm and gooshy or what?
You see, when it comes to the 4th of July, I say light up the sky over and over and over again and just when you think there’s been enough, do it all over again. The ---excuse me while I grab some Kleenex---Mother Nature Network--- says fireworks are bad, bad, bad, nasty bad.
THIS IS THE 10:00 REPORT. HERE NOW IS YOUR UP TO THE MINUTE ANCHORMAN, DIRK ROBERTS!
ROBERTS: Thank you, my adoring announcer man.
An exclusive reminder from the 10:00 REPORT, you silly celebratory Americans.
According to the, (tear falls) Mother Nature Network, “The rockets' red glare during a fireworks show can fill onlookers with particulates and aluminum.”
(Shaking head in disgust) Oh my God, folks, there’s more. The (SNIFF) Mother Nature Network says, “Fireworks get their flamboyance from a variety of chemicals, many of which are toxic to humans. From the gunpowder that fuels their flight to the metallic compounds that color their explosions, fireworks often contain carcinogenic or hormone-disrupting substances that can seep into soil and water, not to mention the lung-clogging smoke they release and plastic debris they scatter.”
We’ll have more in a moment, but first, the annual Gay Pride Parade wound its way downtown this evening…..
Back to that Mother Nature Network column. First they attempt to scare the daylights out of you before conceding, “It’s still not entirely clear how fireworks affect environmental or human health.”
But then, bring back the scare:
“While they (fireworks) haven’t been linked to any widespread outbreaks of disease, it's not always easy to pin down why someone developed hypothyroidism, anemia or cancer.”
Please follow along the moonbat philosophy on fireworks:
Fireworks shoot up, up into the sky.
Fireworks come down, down to earth.
Fireworks are a “toxic concoction.”
The “toxic concoction’ (sounds like a late 60’s rock band) then “rains down quietly into lakes, rivers and bays throughout the country.’
Those icky chemicals just sit there. They don’t break down, dagnabbit.
They can cause hypothyroidism, lung cancer, impair bone growth in children, lead to Alzheimer’s disease, disrupt hormone production and glucose metabolism, and can result in symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, breathing trouble, changes in blood pressure, numbness around the face, general muscle weakness, cramps, changes in heart rhythm, paralysis or death.
Fireworks, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, according to the…..well….you know who….can “wreak havoc in the human body.”
Thus, if you use fireworks or attend a fireworks show, you are a fool flirting with the Grim Reaper. The ……you know who….has a better idea:
“The most eco-friendly alternative to fireworks is to forgo explosions altogether — go to a parade, go fishing, grill out, camp out, or help out. If you must see the sky festively illuminated, you might want to try a laser light show, which create dazzling displays of color without launching dangerous chemicals into the air.”
A laser light show?
That’s like looking at Raquel Welch outdoors in
Let’s check some of the online comments that came in following this, AHEM, article:
Arizona Governor Brewer to Obama: Warning signs are not enough
BRAVO JAN BREWER!
How will governor-wanna be Barrett and Chief Flynn spin this one?
CRG Network
414-801-0800
www.crgnetwork.com
crg@crgnetwork.com
Reminder to members of the Franklin School Board
The Franklin Civic Celebration is this Friday through Sunday.
You guys wouldn’t wanna gather at some picnic table and violate the open meetings law, wouldja?
