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This Just In ...
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 young daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
New year, new laws
With the start of a new year comes an onslaught of brand new laws in states all across the country. Here are a couple of good ones.
Several months ago, I blogged about what a great idea this was, and beginning today in neighboring Illinois, the Cindy Bischof law goes into effect. Blago got this one right.
Here's another new law worthy of merit. Taggers in California will now be required to clean up their criminal mess. Graffiti is not art, it's destruction.
But not every law is a good one. Take for example this gem in Arizona. Some lawmaker really got too creative when this got concocted. It's now a no-no if motorists don't make sure their license plate holder allows the name, "Arizona" on the plate to be seen. If the view is obstructed, it could mean a hefty fine.
Excuse me, but Arizona seriously wants their law enforcers to be out searching high and low for this grave injustice? Don't they, as is so often said, have more important things to do?
Here's a rundown of many of the news laws that go on the books today from Stateline.
This is not surprising
According to a new poll, most active duty military personnel are not optimistic about their soon-to-be new commander in chief.
Hmmmm. Couldn't be Barack Obama's willingness to sit down and talk nicey-nice with terrorists, could it?
No InterCHANGE tonight or Sunday
The panel roundtable discussion returns next Friday night at 6:30 on Channel 10.
Franklin should ban sick leave mandates
STATE OF WISCONSIN CITY OF FRANKLIN MILWAUKEE COUNTY ORDINANCE NO. 2009-_____ AN ORDINANCE TO Create CHAPTER 191 of the Municipal Code Relating to THE NON-REGULATION of Employee Wages or Benefits for Private Businesses
Franklin alderman Steve Olson does not want to see a repeat of what happened in the city of Milwaukee last November. Olson has introduced a resolution that will be taken up at Tuesday's Franklin Common Council meeting that would ban a sick leave mandate.
On November 4, 2008, city of Milwaukee voters approved a referendum to create a sick-leave law. Under the law, employees are required to receive up to one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked in the city of Milwaukee, even if the employer is based outside Milwaukee, amounting to nine days each year. Employees of businesses with less than 10 workers would receive to five sick days per year. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is suing the city over the law.
MMAC correctly argues that the new law is a jobs killer. The struggling economy will prevent businesses from increasing their budgets to pay for the additional sick days. They will have to resort to cutting jobs or benefits.
Milwaukee's law led West Allis and South Milwaukee to pass their own laws barring sick leave mandates, West Allis on December 2, South Milwaukee on December 16. Olson wants Franklin to adopt a similar law.
Here's Olson's resolution:
An Ordinance to Create Chapter 191 of the Municipal Code Relating to the Non-Regulation of Employee Wages or Benefits for Private Businesses (Ald. Olson)
Attached is a draft ordinance as above-entitled and as requested by Aldermen Olson. Also attached are copies of news reports of like ordinances being adopted by the Cities of South Milwaukee and West Allis, and of litigation being commenced against the City of Milwaukee to enjoin the enforcement of certain direct legislation, where a November 2008 referendum produced the direct legislation which requires private businesses in Milwaukee to provide sick pay benefits to employees. The South Milwaukee and West Allis legislation are presumably based upon the following rule of law in an attempt to in effect preempt any direct legislation in those municipalities as had occurred in Milwaukee. Direct legislation cannot be used to compel a city council to repeal an existing ordinance or resolution or to compel the passage of an ordinance which would be in clear conflict with one already in existence, such that it would act as a repealer of the existing ordinance. Heitman v. City of Mauston Common Council, 226 Wis.2d 542, 595 N.W.2d 450 (Ct. App. 1999), review denied 604 N.W.2d 572, 230 Wis.2d 275.
WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Franklin seeks to foster a positive and growing business climate within the City; and
WHEREAS, Franklin is home to many small and medium sized businesses; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Franklin recognizes its responsibility in promoting a free market and limited government intrusion into private enterprise.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Franklin, Wisconsin do ordain as follows:
SECTION 1: Chapter 191 of the Municipal Code of the City of Franklin, Wisconsin, is hereby created to read as follows:
"Chapter 191 PRIVATE BUSINESS EMPLOYEE WAGE AND BENEFIT NON-REGULATION
§191-1. Limitation of municipal regulation.No ordinance of the City of Franklin nor any other municipal ordinance, rule, or regulation shall mandate that any business entity, other than the City itself, shall provide certain wages or benefits to its employees or set forth the amount or type of any employee wages or benefits provided by an employer located within the City limits."
SECTION 2: The terms and provisions of this ordinance are severable. Should any term or provision of this ordinance be found to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining terms and provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3: All ordinances and parts of ordinances in contravention to this ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 4: This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication.
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Common Council of the City of Franklin this ______ day of __________________, 2009, by Alderman
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Common Council of the City of Franklin this ______ day of _______________________, 2009.
Thomas M. Taylor, Mayor
Sandra L. Wesolowski, City Clerk
This is a sound resolution that needs to be approved by the Franklin Common Council next Tuesday.
Milwaukee, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have the sick-leave mandates.
Those old troublemakers at Mayfair
Friday's Journal Sentinel carried this letter to the editor:
Trouble does not belong to the young
During the week ending Dec. 27, Mayfair Mall saw a 36-year-old woman attempt to shoplift $850 in merchandise, a 70-year-old pervert try to touch other moviegoers inappropriately and a brawl involving several 20-something men.
So, Mayfair, are you ready yet to admit that trouble is caused by all age groups, or are you going to continue with your doctrinaire teenage chaperone policy?
Matthew Timothy Phillips
St. Francis
So what's the point? Adults should have to bring even older adults with them before they're allowed into Mayfair?
My guess is Mayfair will continue with its current teen chaperone restrictions, and for good reason…. they work.
Here's more.
Let the arguing begin
Utah blasted Alabama in last night's Sugar Bowl to finish the season 13-0.
Oklahoma and Florida play Thursday for the national championship. Each team has one loss.
College football needs a playoff system in Division 1.
Whiny school boards and voters that cave
J.Gravelle, my top guest blogger, had his column published in Friday's Journal Sentinel.
Using his clever, razor-sharp wit, J. was, as usual, right on the money.
Way to go, partner!
The Barking Lot
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Warmer with some early morning sun will give way to clouds, then freezing rain later in the day (around 6 p.m.) that could change to a mix of rain and snow late tonight. The National Weather Service says, "PAVEMENT TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLOWER TO WARM AND ARE LIKELY TO ICE UP. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF .10 OF AN INCH ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH RESPECT TO TREES AND POWER LINES... BUT SHOULD CAUSE WIDESPREAD ICY CONDITIONS ON AREA ROADS AND SIDEWALKS." Not good, but better than Sunday, because you'll have dry dog-walking opportunities most of the day before the precipitation falls. "D"
SUNDAY: A wintry mix. You'll wake up to rain, sleet, and snow. "F"
Ask any pet owner and they will tell you of course the toughest part of it all is "the end." When it is time to say goodbye to a furry part of the family that has made you laugh, greeted you at the door, and more than likely shared a table scrap or two with you.
I was in fifth grade when my pet rabbit died, and fortunately for me, Mother Nature took Thumper on her own. There was no need for vet-assisted euthanasia. I didn't need to deal with those issues until I was in college, with my two dogs and cat. Needless to say no one in our family wanted to have to make the final decision as to when they should be taken to the vet to be "put to sleep." But in all three cases it was very obvious when the time came. They certainly can't tell you in words what they want but when you look in their eyes, you know.
The most-debated topic Kevin and I have about getting a dog is that they are with you for such a relatively short time and the good-bye is so painful that it makes him think twice about the whole thing. I, of course, feel that the last days of heartbreak are outweighed by the many years of love and joy. (I feel that if you applied this same theory to the rest of your life you would never love another human for the chance of heartbreak and loss years later.)
Recently a dear lady I know had to have the family Golden Retriever put down after a long battle with cancer. He was a very special dog to the family, deeply loved by all, especially her children. I don't know how she and her husband handled the situation with them. I am guessing that she was kind and gentle in her explanations and let each child deal with it in the way they needed to, whether that was saying goodbye privately or being at the vet's side when the dog was put down.
As we are getting ready to bring a new, precious life into this world, Kevin and I talk about lots of hopes, dreams, and plans for our baby. While he's talking about a happy healthy baby that will someday earn a full scholarship to the University of Hawaii, I'm dreaming about the day we bring a fat, fuzzy puppy home and say, "She's all yours!" But I do wonder how parents deal with the situation of young children learning about the death of a family pet.
Perhaps this article can offer some insight and helpful ideas when you are faced with a similar situation as a parent. Another resource offers thoughts on how you will know it is "time" and coping with pet loss.
To date, one of the most difficult things I have ever done is to be with each of my pets during their final moments. I held each one of them in my arms as the vet administered the shot that would bring them peace. When I got home I could still hear the echoes of their paws on the floor, the clanking of their tags on their collars. I would dream about them. It would take me a long time to get over the experience. Yet when the time came again, there I was. I felt it was the very least I could do for a companion that had given me so much. I wish I would have had this poem when I still owned Sugar, Skippy, and Tommy. But now that I know about it, it will have a prominent place in our future dog's life… perhaps hanging above her own special doggy bed. I think it is a lovely tribute to our four-legged friends.
---Jennifer Fischer
Thank you once again, Jennifer. For newcomers to this blog, we always open with the dog-walking forecast, followed by Jennifer's main blog. Then it's my turn, with DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the previous week.
In Florida, Coco digs up dead baby.
White House dogs get wary, driver arrested.
Here's a picture of Murphy who was beaten.
Happy ending: Murphy is getting better and had a special honor this week.
We've blogged quite often about dogs in the movies. In "Marley and Me," as many as 22 dogs are used to portray the lead character. It begs the question: Should dog actors be allowed to go out on strike?
And here's a leftover from 2008, an article that made the news before Jennifer and I started our dog blog, the story of Yeppa and Harriet.
That's it for our inaugural installment of The Barking Lot for 2009. Last week, we featured a piece from the Wisconsin Division of Tourism about traveling with your pooch. We close this week with news that will have you shaking your head, wondering if certain pet travel is worth it.
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...
Photo: Reuters
That's USC Trojans quarterback Mark Sanchez as he warms up before the start of the 95th Rose Bowl game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in Pasadena, California, January 1, 2009. USC won easily, continuing the Big Ten's pattern of laying eggs in bowl games.
Take a look at the message underneath Sanchez's eyes.
What does it mean? Here's the answer with details from September and November......and this video.
"The kids are simply being allowed to graduate with less skills"
That's how one blogger who just happens to be an MPS teacher simply and succinctly reacts to a report that MPS graduation rates are up, but students aren't improving their performance. He's right, by the way.
Read the Journal Sentinel story, then the blog.
Brand new feature coming to This Just In...
It debuts tomorrow, Sunday.
That can't be possible.
ANOTHER weekend feature on This Just In?
ANOTHER weekend feature on This Just In.
I'd love to give more details, but that might give it away. So just return Sunday (You know you will) to find out.
I just love surprises, don't you?
Food for thought
This is fascinating.
A Canadian study has found that too much thinking can make you fat.
That's right. Too much use of your though process can cause you to put on weight. Apparently too much brain work causes stress that results in overeating. Again, absolutely fascinating.
However, with all due respect to the researchers at the Universite Laval in Quebec, Canada, I'm afraid I have to express some skepticism. I'm not sure I buy the study's findings. I can easily think of an example close to home that defies the study's conclusion.
Allow me to elaborate…
Kevin, Kevin, Kevin.
This is your conscience speaking.
You are to be reminded that this is a new year. We still bask in the season of peace on Earth, good will to all men.
It is quite apparent the direction you are headed.
You need to seriously reconsider.
You are about to engage in totally sophomoric, juvenile behavior.
Do you really want to do this, Kevin?
It is beneath you.
Do you honestly want to sink to the childish levels of others?
Do you?
So unprofessional, so unbecoming of an adult.
The choice is yours, Kevin. Choose wisely.
I now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.
Anyways….Anywho…..It was just a thought. (Gosh, I hoped I spelled everything right)
Recommended reading
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:
This is a must-read, from the highly under-rated Lakeland Times, "A perfect storm for WEAC's, Democrats' greed."
"All the pieces of the puzzle are sitting on the table known as the state of Wisconsin. And all the players have been elected to sit at the table and put the pieces together. When it's done, it shall no doubt be called The Shafting of the Wisconsin Taxpayer. Let me tell you a thing or two about the players who are so eager to take your money. They are tax-and-spend liberals, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. They control the state Assembly. They control the state Senate. Worst of all, they are led by the biggest tax-and-spend liberal of them all, Gov. Diamond Jim Doyle."
Another outstanding piece from the Lakeland Times, "Is Doyle telling the truth on state budget deficit?"
"Why would the governor mislead? All of which begs the question: Why would Doyle throw out such a misleading and large number, knowing it contained, at the very least, $2.76 billion in new spending requests from individual state agencies, much of which was unrealistic and unlikely to be approved, even by the governor himself? One answer, of course, could be that federal money and a chance for the state to get its hands on it."
Income tax holiday could be right idea
"If you want to encourage people to spend money, give them greater access to money through the tax system. Specifically, as proposed by U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, suspend income tax withholding for two months, in lieu of allowing the treasury secretary to spend the second half of the $700 billion bailout bill from earlier this year."
Obama Will Ration Your Health Care
"It is nearly certain that the process of determining which drugs and which treatments would be approved for use would be quickly politicized. The details of health-care policy may not be kitchen table conversation, but the fact that a Washington committee can deny grandma a hip replacement due to her age, or your sister a new and expensive drug, is. Health care is personal and voters will pressure lawmakers on access to care. Liberal experts believe that America needs to ration new technology and drugs."
After 6 months, drivers ignoring cellphone ban
The twenty biggest stories of 2008
Everyone does lists. This is a very good one.
Make 2009 the year of useful information
"So here's a New Years Resolution for our friends in the media: fewer unqualified experts, less wild speculation, more legitimate and even useful information."
Wild speculation? A Franklin story from 2008 comes to mind: Boomgaard.
Red light districts, secret votes taken behind closed doors. Wild speculation? That's all it was. There's a stronger word that comes to mind.
UPDATE: OT in the NFL
Tonight, the San Diego Chargers beat the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL playoff game, 23-17, in overtime.
The Chargers won the toss in overtime, opted to receive, and drove down the field for the winning touchdown, aided by several penalties to advance to the next round.
I again raise the issue that if the team that wins the toss in overtime scores on its first drive, the opposite team should get the ball for one last drive. I wouldn't mind seeing the current rule of sudden death changed. A playoff spot shouldn't come down to the toss of a coin.
Whatever happened to Billy Lee Morford?
Remember, we were informed by authorities that our most infamous sex predator was so fragile, so frail, and so near death that he could be released without supervision, that he posed no danger.
Badger Blogger has the update.
Sticking it to motorists
In my Week-ends blog yesterday, one of my OUTRAGES OF THE WEEK was the increasing chatter about raising gas taxes. Sure, just when gasoline falls to a manageable price, political dunderheads want to jack up taxes, while the economy is still struggling.
There are more crazy ideas aimed at attacking you right in the wallet in hopes you'll abandon your automobile.
In the city by the Bay, motorists could be charged a fee if they dare wander into heavier-traveled areas.
But here's the real stinker. Some states want to charge you based on the number of miles you drive. How would they know your mileage? They plan to plant a GPS monitor in your car, that's how.
Tax, tax, tax, tax, tax. Fee on top of fee.
It's the solution to everything.
My most popular blogs
As I post every Sunday, here are the top five most popular of my blog entries from the previous week:
1) Photos of the Week (12/28/08)
3) Week-ends (12/27/08)
4) The Barking Lot (12/27/08)
5) Dodging a bullet
Thank you for the off the charts response to the HEROES OF 2008 series on New Year's Eve!
Photos of the Week (1/04/09)
Early morning preparations continue for President-elect Barack Obama's Inaugural Reviewing Stand on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Palestinian protesters throws stones at Israeli troops, not seen, during clashes at a demonstration against Israel's military operation in Gaza, in the Shuafat refugee camp, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Friday, Jan. 2, 2009. Israel showed no sign of slowing a blistering seven-day offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers, destroying homes of more than a dozen of the group's operatives Friday and bombing one of its mosques a day after a deadly strike killed a prominent Hamas figure.(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
The MJS Scorecard (1/4/09)
Last October, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Managing Editor George Stanley tried his best to convince readers that the paper is fair and balanced. He cited some examples and then wrote,
"In these cases the press, in all its forms, is not leading public opinion but reflecting it."
He added, "We're here to serve all readers - conservative, liberal, independent and nonpolitical."
Stanley was referring primarily to the paper's reporters. I don't buy it, and my skepticism applies to both the news and editorial coverage.
In my blog last October, I challenged the paper: "Stop telling us you're fair and balanced. Prove it."
Today, I begin a new feature on This Just In. Every week, I'll review the most coveted editorial pages of the week by opinion-makers as well as the most widely-read, the Sunday "Crossroads" section of the Journal Sentinel. I will keep track of the conservative and liberal pieces published and keep a running score throughout the year.
I will not count pieces by Journal Sentinel columnists or Journal Sentinel editorial writers, short Quick Hits or Advisory Hits. Judgment is, of course, subjective, but I'm pretty sure I can perceive if an opinion piece is conservative or liberal.
What about Monday through Saturday? Sorry. I'm going to concentrate on the Sunday pages. If others want to take on the task of monitoring the other days, God bless them.
What about reviews based on column inches or word totals? Sorry. I have a life. The article is either conservative or liberal leaning. In the box scores, it doesn't show how a basket was made, it just adds them up. That's what I'm going to do. Let's start.
Gregory Nemet and David Weimer: Now's the moment to levy an import tax for energy research
Dan Kohler and Andy Jorgensen: Let's capitalize on our energy assets (Uses the term, "investment, " code for spending)
Mary T. Wagner: How about a tax on what leads to trouble?
Michael J. Mathias: Elections a cure, not curse
Labeling Mathias' piece "conservative" wasn't easy. Mathias is a liberal blogger who is running for the Milwaukee School Board. He takes the position that the board should remain an elected body, unlike the Journal Sentinel that recently editorialized for an appointed board.
This is nothing new. Liberals often turn swiftly to the right when running for office. I can't speak for the level of sincerity in Mathias' statements, but his is a conservative view and the paper did publish an opposing stance.
But isn't it interesting. The only "conservative" piece on the editorial pages today doesn't come from a true conservative.
TODAY: Liberal-3, Conservative-1
YEAR TO DATE: Liberal-3, Conservative -1
Culinary no-no #93
Believe it or not, there is a fair amount of thought and research that goes into each week's Culinary no-no. Unlike the millions of other food blogs, mine focuses on the taboo. It would be much less arduous a task writing about culinary elements that work.
However, this week the no-no came like an Acme Company safe out of a Warner Brothers cartoon window, a virtual no-brainer crying out, "Write about me, Kevin! Write about me!"
Admit it. When was the last time you ate this combination: Ham, pork, sugar, salt, sodium nitrate, water, and potato starch? I believe I was 10 at the time.
What concoction do you get when you mix ham, pork, sugar, salt, sodium nitrate, water, and potato starch?
The friendly skies: "Hands off" illegal immigrants
I have often said that we (the United States) are our own worst enemy when it comes to our illegal immigration dilemma. Here's another example.
Illegal immigrants are being smuggled into America through the Las Vegas airport. Federal agents are aware. So are local agents in Las Vegas. The response the local agents get from the feds: ignore the problem.
HT: Dad29 via Moonbattery.
Prepare to be outraged.
The Buckhorn irony
Tuesday night, the Franklin Common Council will take up the Buckhorn controversy. Specifically, aldermen will consider the License Committee's vote that a special prosecutor's recommendation that the Buckhorn have its license suspended for 75 days be rejected. On Christmas Day 2007, Eddie Lynn Keck was reportedly over-served at the Buckhorn, left the tavern and struck and killed two people that night in a drunk driving accident.
Almost a year ago, the Franklin Common Council retained Roger C. Pyzyk, a private practice attorney who also is the Greenfield city attorney, as a special prosecutor to see if Franklin officials could take action against the tavern.
Franklin aldermen regarded the Buckhorn controversy as a hot potato, refusing comment and deferring the entire matter to Pyzyk. The city has left itself wide open to criticism that it has bungled this entire affair. The slow wheels of the criminal justice system passed judgment on Keck months ago. Franklin City Hall continues to stumble.
While I'm on record supporting a much stronger action against Buckhorn, and still do, and that is a revocation of its license, I find it highly ironic that the Franklin Common Council, in the interest of due process, stepped aside to bring in an impartial prosecutor. The prosecutor after months and months of review, paid for with Franklin taxes, came up with a recommendation, and now the Council is poised to turn it down. So, we've made what progress at the city level in over a year?
Personally, I believe it's time for the aldermen to take a stand and tell the public exactly what it is they want. They ultimately have to vote on something, and the time to keep hemming and hawing is over.
Franklin aldermen, if a 75 day suspension isn't right, what is? You were elected to make tough decisions. This is one of them, one the public is running out of patience over.
For more details on this entire story, read my recap in TOP TEN FRANKLIN STORIES OF 2008: # 9.
The government wants to regulate your TV
Last year, state Senator Mary Lazich blogged that the government is going to regulate your lawnmower.
You can add "television" to the list.
Memo to Big Ten Conference football teams...
Next year, when you get invited to bowl games, do yourselves a favor.
Say no.
Stay home.
Save yourselves a lot of embarassment.
The hottest debate topic of the week
It has nothing to do with Congressional, state, or local politics, breastfeeding in public, Brittany Spears, or even Brett Favre. But it is a sports topic.
No matter who wins the FedEx National Championship Thursday night, Oklahoma or Florida, the victor won't stop the avalanache of discussion about how Division I college football is the only college sport that's decided without a true playoff format. Polls, computers, subjective analyses by coaches and reporters all have a say in who plays for the so-called national title. Again, it can be argued the game doesn't matter. Just ask the folks in Utah and their undefeated Utes.
While listening to SIRIUS Satellite Radio this week, I heard Tim Brando, often seen on CBS, argue vociferously for a playoff system. I can hear you, loud and clear. Yeh, yeh, yeh, that same, tired old debate. Brando, however, has a different take. His plan would result in what hecalls a Final Four of college football. The words, "Final Four," in sports are madly magical. The NCAA semifinals in basketball are not just games, they are a happening, an event embedded in the fabric of America.
Brando would keep all the bowl games, and then take the winners, and I can't remember from which games, but it would be four of the following five: Rose, Cotton, Sugar, Orange, and Fiesta.
The four teams would be seeded with # 1 facing # 4 and #2 facing #3. The two winners would then meet for the national championship.
As compelling as such a system might sound, it appears a playoff format isn't coming anytime soon. There's just too much love for the current way of doing things.
But a Final Four in college football sounds incredibly appealing.
Strange, but very nice
There I was earlier this evening on Broad Street in downtown Greendale, making some quick returns to the local library before heading to a high school basketball game where I was the official timer.
A dark sky, light flakes filling the air, and just off in the distance, the bells chiming from Greendale Village Hall. The melody was so easy to pick up. For a brief moment, I had to stop and think. This is January 6th. But the bells were appropo tonight, and unfortunately in these parts, could be that way right through April.
"And since we've no place to go......"
I smiled as I hopped back into my car at the wondrous timing of Mother Nature and those Greendale bells.
Buckhorn to close: Watch Eddie Keck get over-served
Millwaukee TV stations are reporting the Franklin Common Council has agreed to close the Buckhorn tavern for 90 days for its role in the tragic deaths of two people struck down by a drunk driver on Christmas Day 2007. The driver had reportedly been over-served earlier in the day at the Buckhorn. Eddie Keck is serving a 36-year sentence for killing a West Allis couple after drinking heavily at the Buckhorn.
The Council's License Committee had voted to reject the recommendation of a special prosecutor to close the Buckhorn for 75 days. Franklin's Police Chief Rick Oliva said closing Buckhorn for 90 days sends a powerful message. Indeed, in this economy, when a business is forced to close down for three months, that's a serious punishment.
Even so, the 90 day closing, while unprecedented, will be little consolation for those who wanted Buckhorn's license stripped away permanently.
The question I've posed in the past remains: What would have to happen in Franklin for a liquor license to be taken away for good? I would love if someone could answer that for me.
WISN-TV has EXCLUSIVE video of Eddie Keck being over-served at Buckhorn
More background in TOP TEN FRANKLIN STORIES OF 2008: #9
So what happened to Franklin's ban on sick leave mandates?
Lost in all the coverage surrounding the Buckhorn controversy at Tuesday's Franklin Common Council was the Council's action on Alderman Steve Olson's proposed resolution to ban the type of sick leave mandates now in effect in the city of Milwaukee, Washington D.C., and bleeding heart liberal San Francisco.
A motion was made to review Olson's proposal further because that's the way we do things in Franklin, folks. We think about it, and think about it, and think about it, and think about it some more. Or it's quite possible those who wanted to delay taking action really WANT to impose the very liberal sick leave mandate upon Franklin employers.
Gee. A true conservative, not a phony one pretending to be a conservative would never want to do that, would he/she?
There was plenty of discussion about the job-killing sick leave mandate when it went into effect in beads and sandals country, San Francisco. Here's an excerpt from the San Francisco Chronicle:
"San Francisco resident Katherine Redenius voted for the law because she'd felt the pain of such a trade-off. A few days after starting work at the St. Francis Market in the West Portal neighborhood last year, she needed surgery. She missed a week of work and pay.
'I voted for it because if I get sick again, like I was last year, I would not be able to pay my rent,' said Redenius, 23. 'Rent is the scary thing.'
But Redenius also sympathizes with her boss, grocery store owner Venkat Tangirata. Like Christiane Schmidt, Tangirata was unaware of the pending law until informed by a reporter this week. He doesn't provide paid sick leave or paid vacation to his four full-time employees, but he will have to starting Feb. 5.
'We don't have large margins in the grocery business,' Redenius said. 'This will hurt. If we increase our prices to cover this, will customers come back or will they just go to chain shops like Safeway or Wal-Mart that are able to pressure vendors for lower prices? This is not fair for us, especially when the minimum wage is also going up.'
Although the new law affects all firms with employees in San Francisco, its impact is likely to be felt most strongly by small businesses, especially retailers and restaurants. Big corporations often provide some form of paid sick leave already, and they have large personnel and accounting departments that can figure out how to track employees' accrued sick leave.
Some small-business owners say that the sick leave law by itself isn't a problem: It's the combination of sick leave with other city mandates. San Francisco's minimum wage just rose to $9.14, which is higher than the statewide minimum of $7.50. The city levies a 1.5 percent tax on businesses with payrolls over $166,667. And in July, San Francisco will start phasing in a new requirement that companies with 20 or more workers spend at least $1.11 per hour per employee on health coverage.
'Between this sick leave law and raising the minimum wage, pretty soon the only ones who can afford to do business in the city will be chains,' said Richard Crain, owner of the Village Grill, a restaurant with nine employees down the street from the St. Francis Market. 'How can we afford this? You can only charge so much for a hamburger, and then people will stop coming. I'm 52 and was hoping to do this until I retire, but the city is going to force me out of business.'"
That was 2007. Fast forward to NOW. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Patrick McIlheran correctly writes about the devastating impact a sick leave mandate will have:
"Employers will no more sit still for this hunt than do deer. Take Capitol Stampings, which employs about 90 people on the north side. The owners also own a couple of plants in Hartford. They're seeking a big contract, says President Gary Wenzel, one that could mean six new hires.
But the ordinance makes Milwaukee workers more expensive - another $100,000 a year for Capitol, Wenzel estimates. 'We'd very strongly consider moving that work,' said Wenzel. He'd rather not: He serves on a group promoting the 30th St. industrial corridor. Still, 'we just can't pass that on to our customers,' not when the plant competes with China."
Thus, a lawsuit has been filed to try to stop the chilling effect on our already struggling economy the sick leave mandate would create.
The sick leave mandate is a horrible idea that will cost employers and will cost jobs. The sooner the Franklin Common Council adopts its ban on sick leave mandates, the better.
Sorry, freeloaders: We're out of coupons
One of my OUTRAGES OF THE WEEK in this past Saturday's Week-ends entry was our warm and fuzzy, out of money, but warm and fuzzy nonetheless federal government offering coupons if you needed help adjusting to the digital TV conversion coming in February.
I guess that no matter how many money-grubbing hands are out there, eventually even Uncle Sam cries "uncle."
My goodness, liberals. You've got to be crying and bleeding all over the floor. How, my God, how are these oppressed people going to manage without their three household TV's?
I think they'll find a way. The solution will probably involve getting on one of their many cell phones…
Goodbye,Heinemann's!Everyone, I mean EVERYBODY is writing/taking about the abrupt closing of Heinemann's. What does that tell you?
Last year, Jennifer and I attended a wedding reception at the Heinemann's in Greendale before it closed. We had no idea the restaurant had such wonderful space for receptions and the like.
Back at the beginning of this decade, Heinemann's ran a restaurant in what is now the US Bank building across the street from the state Capitol that I patronized often for great, I'm talkin' great bakery goods. The rent must have been too much because it was gone much too quickly.
The MJS is looking for Heinemann's memories. I'm sure that pound cake will be mentioned a lot. I'll miss the best muffins I've ever had.
Tradition. The best thing about tradition is that it does provide great memories. The worst thing about tradition is that it's sometimes involves something good that finally came to an end.
Two out of five's not bad
President George W. Bush, center, poses with President-elect Barack Obama, and former presidents, from left, George H.W. Bush, left, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, right, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The story.
Late term abortions at UW clinic need to be stopped
The plan is to have a UW clinic provide second trimester abortions. Here are details from the Wisconsin State Journal.
Thank God state Senator Glenn Grothman is asking tough questions.
Here's a press release about this travesty issued by Wisconsin Right to Life:
Wisconsin Right to Life Condemns UW Hospitals and Clinics, UW Foundation and Meriter Hospital Decision to Perform Second Trimester Abortions
Plan Re-Ignites Public Indignation Over Babies Who Survived Abortion Attempts at These Hospitals
For immediate release: Wednesday, January 7, 2009
"Wisconsin Right to Life unequivocally condemns the decision by UW Hospitals and Clinics, the UW Medical Foundation and Meriter Hospital to open up a secondtrimester abortion operation at the Madison Surgery Center," declared Barbara Lyons, Executive Director of Wisconsin Right to Life. "The decision brings these medical facilities full circle back to the early 1980s when six babies within a short time span survived abortion attempts within their corridors."
In 1982-83, two babies survived abortion attempts at UW Hospitals and Clinics and four babies survived abortion attempts at Madison General Hospital (now known as Meriter Hospital). All of the babies died within 27 hours of birth. The abortions were performed up to the 26th week of pregnancy.
"Intense public outcry rose from these live births which were the subject of numerous media articles," stated Lyons. "Wisconsin Right to Life will join other organizations to work to overturn this horrendous decision which is a blight on what should be the life-saving, not life-taking, work of medical professionals and facilities."
Wisconsin Right to Life
Barbara L. Lyons
Executive Director, Wisconsin Right to Life
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 877-855-5007
Wisconsin Right to Life | 10625 W. North Ave. | Suite LL | Milwaukee | WI | 53226-2331
Florida vs. Oklahoma: Who will liberals root for?
Thursday night, Oklahoma meets Florida for the national championship of college football. It's a matchup pitting last year's Heisman Trophy winner, Tim Tebow of Florida against this year's Heisman recipient, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford.
Conventional wisdom would have liberals cheering for Oklahoma. There's no way lefties could pull for any team led by Tim Tebow for two reasons:
1) Tebow of Florida: Nice, solid young man. But he's always talking about, you know……(whisper) God.
2) Tebow's not even supposed to be around. He should have been dead a long time ago if not for his mother.
Elvis is recession-proof
Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll would have been 74 years old on Thursday.
The King is so powerful, even more than 31 years after his death, that nothing, not even a bad economy can stop him.
Happy Birthday E., and thanks for all the great memories!
Here's classic Elvis. From Jailhouse Rock, the title song. Elvis arranged all of the choreography.
Utah investigating college football bowl system
I sympathize with fans of the Utah Utes, the only major undefeated team in college football. Utah feels it should hav eplayed for the national title, and even though it didn't, dserves the crown because they're 13-0. The two teams fighting for the championship, Oklahoma and Florida, each have one loss.
Unfortunately, Diviision I college football doesn't have a playoff system, and the champiosnhip should be decided on the playing field, not in the courts.
InterCHANGE returns Friday night
After a holiday hiatus, InterCHANGE returns Friday night at 6:30 with a repeat Sunday morning at 11:00 on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10.
The topics we'll discuss:
Why did Israel choose now to go after the folks in the Gaza? Is it because they know their White House support is coming to an end? Is it because they don't want the Gaza to be used as a staging area if and when Iran attacks Israel? Why is the world so seemingly united in condemning Israel for its actions? What effect will this have on the United States.
Obama is urging a massive and urgent economic stimulus plan be enacted immediately. Without it, he says the recession could last for years, double digit inflation could arrive, and we could see the worst times since the great depression. Is it wise to spend so much money to stimulate the economy, at the same time he says he's going to cut wasteful spending? Would a package of just tax cuts which allow people to keep more of their own money, be better than spending still more federal "bailout" money? Are we continuing to saddle generations to come with an almost unbearable debt?
A Milwaukee institution shuts its doors after nearly 90 years in business? Is it because they didn't know how to run a business in the current economic climate, or is this simply a result of a competitive market. The owner claims that one reason for the decision, is the new requirement that Milwaukee provide sick days to all full and part-time employees.
4- 2009.
Predictions about any big things that might happen in the year ahead.
How foolish do the Heisman voters look now....and, Tim Tebow, the next Brett Favre
Tim Tebow led the Florida Gators to the college football national championship Thursday night, beating Oklahoma, 24-14. Sam Bradford of Oklahoma won this season's Heisman Trophy Award, but Bradford couldn't lead his team to the national title.
Here's how the Heisman Trophy Award voting went this season:
1) Sam Bradford of the University of Oklahoma polled 1,726 points to capture the award.
2) Colt McCoy of Texas polled 1,604 points.
3) The 2007 Heisman winner, Tim Tebow of Florida received 1,575 points.
It seems the Heisman voters only looked at Oklahoma's explosive offensive numbers instead of also factoring in guts, courage, heart, toughness, leadership, and ability to inspire. In all of those categories, Tim Tebow wins handily.
As I write this, the conventional wisdom is that Tebow will return to play in his senior year at Florida. Then he will go pro and I believe he will be the next Brett Favre.
He is bigger and probably stronger than a young Brett Favre that could mean great longevity for Tebow.
He has all the charm and personality that makes him extremely likable. Football fans all across the country will love him.
He has class and a wonderful, inspirational story that will follow him every day of his life. I firmly believe it is impossible not to see him, hear him, or learn about him and not like him.
Again, thank you Mrs.Tebow for choosing not to abort your baby who turned out to be an incredible role model.
Shame on the weather folks!
The weather advisories said starting at 6:00 this morning (Friday), the snow would start and wouldn't stop for 24 hours. Be prepared for 5-8 inches, maybe more we were warned.
When did the snow stop? 10:30, 11:00 this morning?
But because the weather people speak, and we, like blind sheep, listen and obey, what did we do? We freaked.
How many people stayed home tonight when the weather was calm and the roads were in great shape?
How many businesses that look forward to Friday night took a soaking because the weather people were WRONG?
How is it possible that weather people with millions of dollars worth of state of the art equipment can be so wrong so often, AND keep their jobs?
Coming up on This Just In...or, where've you been, Kev?
I've been a bit busy with my personal and professional life lately, so I haven't power blogged as usual.
Of course, I could write like some who treat their blog as a computer form of home movies. It usually goes something like this:
Guys, I'm sorry but I won't be blogging much today. I'll probably be out in the garden all morning planting petunias. Then I thought I'd run to the mall. I hear they have some great bargains so I might be there for a few hours. Then #1 son is over for dinner so I might make a pot of chili and throw a pie in the oven. So, sorry guys, you're on your own for today.
Oh my God! Blogger X is out in the garden! Blogger X is shopping! Blogger X won't blog today! How in the world are we going to get by today?? How will we survive. Oh, the pain, the pain!
Nothing wrong with that, of course. Everybody blogs about what they want to, but that's not my cup of tea. Personal experiences on the blogs, in my opinion, are fine if they segue to a larger point or theme. Otherwise, who the hell cares if you're tired or not in the mood or out gardening or won't blog for 24 hours because you're planning family dinner and # 8 daughter has volleyball practice or #5 son's acne has him all depressed.
I'll just say that the regular weekend features on This Just In are coming, including Week-ends and The Barking Lot Saturday.
Also, my announcement of a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel scorecard got some reaction this week and apparently touched some nerves. I'll have my reaction and then I will continue my scorecard on Sunday along with My Most Popular Blogs, Culinary no-no, and Photos of the Week.
And don't forget Recommended Reading. I can't blog all day every day like some, so I like to pass on some good stuff that I couldn't get to during the week.
That's what's coming up. No long, boring, who the hell cares explanation why I haven't blogged much the past 48 hours.
And thanks for stopping by.
It's ELVIS' Birthday Weekend: OK, admit it guys...
You'd love to be ELVIS, not even for one day, but for just under 3 minutes...
Even the President can't say no to his mother-in-law
Marian Robinson is moving into the White House.
But no word on whether there's any space available for the President-elect's half-brother.
Coyotes on the prowl again
This time, they've been seen on Milwaukee's south side.
The ever so helpful Department of Natural Resources says it will supply concerned citizens with a list of licensed trappers. That'll work, especially when a coyote is gnawing on your child or pet.
You'll recall this was a problem not too long ago in our quiet little Camelot, Franklin. Franklin residents do have options if they spot a coyote:
1) Start clapping your hands loudly
2) Scream, "Hey, get out of here!"
3) Run to the phone and dial 9-1-1
4) Pray
5) Cross fingers
6) Hope
But do not, I repeat, do not, if you are licensed gun owner attempt to shoot that animal, even if it is attacking you, a family member, neighbor, or pet. That would just be so wrong.
The Barking Lot
THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.
TODAY: Light snow this morning. Otherwise, cloudy skies. Snow covered roads and sidewalks. "F"
SUNDAY: Some snow showers. Otherwise, mostly cloudy. "F"
Time is on my side for February 2009. Usually on Monday evenings in the Fischer household it is guaranteed that ONE member of the family will be yelling and screaming at the TV from September to December. But I have no worries that NFL broadcasting will interfere with a program I faithfully watch when it airs Monday February 9th and continues Tuesday February 10th… Of course I am talking about the Westminster Kennel Club annual Dog Show. This is one competition that I cheer and clap and holler for… especially last year when Uno one, the very first beagle to win Best In Show. That is, ahem, truly an UNDERDOG winning!
We know the state of California can be trailblazing when it comes to drafting and/or enacting new legislation. Many times the law is loopy, strange, nutty, downright crazy. That's the Golden State for you. So it did not surprise me to read an article about PETA in the LA Times. Get this: PETA wants the USA Network to stop airing the Westminster Kennel Club's annual show.
I know I have written many times that I personally favor adopting a mixed breed (my favorite term is, and always will be, "mutt") over a pedigree. That is just my feeling and I would never criticize people for purchasing and owning a pedigree. Pedigree dogs are bred for qualities and characteristics, and there is fascinating history behind the many reasons why they have evolved into the standards of today. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show was established in 1887 with a history as proud as the breeds of dogs it showcases.
The LA Times suspected its readers "would take issue with PETA's premise: that breeding dogs for the show ring locks in genetic defects that, it argues, plague 'as many as one in four purebred dogs ... with a serious genetic problem.'" Well, apparently they were wrong. As of today, 96% of voters in a poll do NOT agree that the USA Network should cancel showing the WKC Dog Show. I am proud to say I am part of that 96%.
I honestly don't know where PETA gets these ridiculous ideas. I can just see a bunch of them clad in organic cotton, wearing their vegan shoes… eating a bowl of sprouts and beans, drinking water they collected in rain barrels in the back of their building… sitting on recycled cardboard-based furniture… discussing what they can whine & cry about next in the world of animal abuse… Suddenly one brain child declares that nationally televised dog shows are the root of all evil and must be stopped. In the meantime, two blocks away from their headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, an elderly woman is hoarding 125 cats in her studio apartment. But let's get that nasty dog show off the USA Network and all will be right in the animal world!
Thanks but I will be sitting on my couch the evening of February 9th cheering for my favorite breed. This will, of course, be after I finish my dinner of beef, or chicken, or even fish… Drinking a glass of COW'S MILK to support my growing baby, and maybe having a piece of chocolate for dessert that isn't wrapped in an organic wrapper with a picture of a panda bear and facts about the dying rainforests.
PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals… That's MY version of the acronym.
---Jennifer Fischer
Thanks, Jennifer! Take the Westminster show off the air? That would be a sacrilege, or at least Communistic.Leave it to the moonbats. Oh, and I DO NOT yell and scream at the TV, unless it's MSNBC.
Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made headlines the past week.
As we've written in the past, the news isn't always good.
Tanya Martin deserves to be punished (Read some of the comemnts that follow. Not much sympathy for this woman).
Thank goodness Lou Beddow's neighbor noticed he hadn't been walking his dog.
Here's the story of MissyToo and Mira, cloned dogs. Why don't they look alike?
Back in October, Jennifer blogged about proposed legislation in California that mandated the spaying and neutering of pets. Jennifer ended her blog writing, "I wonder what California will try to legislate next… how many times a day a dog can bark?" Well, guess what?
We've also referenced several articles about the impact the tough economy has had on pet owners. Here's a story with a different outlook and perspective: The sacrifices dedicated owners are willing to make to keep their pets. Of course, you can always splurge on your pet in many ways. Just make sure that chew toy is safe.
And finally, an effort is underway to return red dogs to proud hunting status.
That's it for this week. Thank you dog lovers, one and all! In keeping with the theme of this week's entry, let's review last year's Westminster Dog Show where history was made...
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...
US Marines
Citizen soldiers
John Surinchak and his grandson
Priscilla Presley
9-year old Drew Heredia
Erin Caffey
Danny Platt
"I think this woman was assassinated by the media."
John Ziegler, a conservative radio talk show host turned filmmaker referring to Sarah Palin. His new DVD is entitled, "Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected."
"When did we start accepting as hard news sources bloggers, anonymous bloggers especially? It's a sad state of affairs in the world of the media today, mainstream media especially, that they're going to rely on bloggers, anonymous bloggers, for their hard news information."
Sarah Palin, who said that her press office is still getting calls about rumors that she is not the mother of her infant son. She called this "quite absurd," saying she is "frustrated that I wasn't believed that Trig was really my son."
"Katie, you're not the center of everyone's universe."
Palin on CBS' Katie Couric.
"...trillion-dollar deficits for years to come."
President-elect Obama warning Americans of dire economic times.
"It is embarrassing and sad. With Obama being elected, the city was on such a roll."
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley conceding that Chicago's name has been tarnished because of the scandal surrounding Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich.
"You ought to be angry. You ought to be disgusted. We have no choice but to vote 'yes' today."
Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross said Blagojevich "repeatedly and systematically" violated his oath of office and the trust voters placed in him.The Illinois House of Representatives voted Friday to impeach Blagojevich on a 114-1 vote. A trial in the state Senate will decide if he should be removed from office.
"I'm going to continue to fight every step of the way. I am not guilty."
"It's like a rich uncle giving you $1,000 to make a down payment on a car, and you rush out and buy a Maserati. Sure, you have that down payment, but you still have to figure out how to pay for the rest of the car."
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker questioning the wisdom of a proposed stimulus plan. Walker did not send the Obama administration any requests for Milwaukee County projects to be included in the package.
"Increasing taxes, any taxes, will only make the burden higher."
Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau), in a speech on the Senate floor vowing to fight any tax increases.
Porn industry wants bailout
UW Hospital plans to open abortion clinic
Franklin takes away Buckhorn license for 90 days. Hvaing covered Milwaukee City Hall politics for many, many years, I've seen stiffer penalties for bars whose patrons did far less than killing two people.
Other than two paragraphs on one of its blogs, will the Journal Sentinel ever get around to covering this?
Israel is the bad guy because it finally decided after about 10,000 missile attacks to defend itself. Sorry, world. I side with Israel. They have every right to fight for survival.
Really dumb criminal
Today's collection will be used to, ahem, snip snip.
Longtime lobster liberated
PETA offended....again
REMEMBER: Your suggestions/nominations for any of these categories every week are welcome, especially for HEROES OF THE WEEK. If you know of anyone in the community deserving of recognition, please e-mail me.
Week-ends UPDATE
In last Saturday's edition of Week-ends, my MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK was that Wisconsin ended the fiscal year 2008 with a $2.5 billion deficit.
Not very sexy, but important as hell.
It was good to see the Journal Sentinel finally blog about it this week.
Recommended reading
Here are, in my view, interesting, noteworthy columns and articles from the past week that I highly recommend:
DNR to hunters: Hand over your guns on demand
"The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has a simple, blunt message for hunters in Wisconsin: When a DNR warden asks you to give up your legal firearm, do so, plain and simple, no matter what.What's more, that goes for all citizens, the agency has asserted. Citizens with firearms, the DNR argues, should always do exactly what law enforcement officers tell them to do, regardless of the circumstances of the situation.
To which one former hunter education instructor for the department has an equally simple and blunt response: The agency's directive is unconstitutional, plain and simple, and citizens don't have to hand over their firearms without any probable cause."
Inaugural Windbaggery
"Once again, WisconsinEye is doing the Lord's work by bringing us our Wisconsin elected officials live and uncut. On inauguration day 2009, the channel conducted a number of interviews with legislators, in which they ruminate on the upcoming legislative session. One interview that caught my eye in particular was a 17-minute sit-down with State Senator Pat Krietlow of Chippewa falls. I think this interview, ably conducted by Stacy Forster of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, perfectly captures some of the windbaggery that Wisconsin residents are going to see from their elected officials in the near future."
Night of the Living Dems
"Beware the 'undead' ideas of our Democratic legislators rising up to haunt the state, at least until the next election in two years."
Drilling a Hole in the Economy
"Wisconsin Senate Democrats went to Home Depot and bought a drill on Thursday. With the state expecting unemployment to hit 8% later this year, the Senate Dems introduced a package of three bills that effectively yank the life vest away from any business hoping to stay afloat."
Calls Grow to Cap Property Taxes
"Support for property-tax rollbacks is building from Arizona to New York, fueled by angry homeowners in some locales who are seeing rising tax bills despite plunging home prices."
Chicago Public Schools' cappuccino bill: $67,000
"Chicago public school bureaucrats skirted competitive bidding rules to buy 30 cappuccino/espresso machines for $67,000, with most of the machines going unused because the schools they were ordered for had not asked for them,"
Coulter v. The Counter-Coulters
"The so-called 'objective' media clearly feel threatened because they are the very liberals Coulter is attacking. If they weren't liberals, none of her mockery of liberals would bother them. Oh, they might not appreciate her style, as some conservatives don't. But they wouldn't have pitched debates inside their walls about how they will savage her in interviews -- and I defy the networks to deny this -- or how they would remove her from their airwaves altogether."
It's ELVIS Birthday Weekend Final Jeopardy!
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, yes it's that time.....time once again for another This Just In edition of:
Are you ready?
Well then, let's play!
Today's Final Jeopardy category is:
Now, you know how this works.
In a moment, I'll give you the Final Jeopardy clue.
You will have 30 seconds (if you play fair, that will be when the music runs out) to come up with an answer and remember, players……… your answer must be in the form of a question.
Here's your clue.
It's the percentage of Americans today that has seen an Elvis Presley movie.
Good luck! (please click)
OK, time's up. Today's Final Jeopardy category is ELVIS.
The Final Jeopardy clue was, The percentage of Americans today that has seen an Elvis Presley movie.
The correct Final Jeopardy answer is:
What is 70%? (Source: Sirius Satellite Radio).
My most popular blogs
As I post every Sunday, here are the top five most popular of my blog entries from the previous week:
1) Photos of the Week (1/04/09)
2) The MJS Scorecard (1/04/09)
3) Culinary no-no #93
4) Whatever happened to Billy Lee Morford?
5) My most popular blogs (1/04/09)
Photos of the Week (1/11/09)
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama waves as he boards his plane for Washington, DC at Chicago Midway Airport January 4, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. Obama will join his wife and children who are already in Washington as he prepares to take office on January 20. (Photo by Tannen Maury-Pool/Getty Images)
The MJS Scorecard (1/11/09)
Last Sunday, I began a new feature on This Just In called, "The MJS Scorecard." My goal is to subjectively track the number of liberal and conservative pieces printed in the Sunday "Crossroads" editorial section of the MJS (The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
I am shocked, SHOCKED that this little ol' blogger and his little ol' experiment in just a matter of days garnered reaction. Of course, it came from the usual suspects: some lefty bloggers, and, not surprisingly, the newspaper!
Poor Sonya Jongsma Knauss of the MJS. I think it's a pretty good guess she showed up for work earlier last week not expecting some higher up to walk into her office space, muttering and sputtering that something had to be done about that no good Kevin Fischer and that she, unfortunately, had drawn the short straw.
I am convinced that some folks (Kevin Fischer detractors) don't fully read my entire posts, or if they do, they simply don't or refuse to comprehend the message.
The MJS' Knauss and some others opined that I didn't know George Stanley of the paper from George Jetson. Stanley doesn't run the Crossroads pages, Ricardo Pimentel does.
Let's go to my blog, shall we? I distinctly wrote;
"Last October, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Managing Editor George Stanley tried his best to convince readers that the paper is fair and balanced. He cited some examples and then wrote, 'In these cases the press, in all its forms, is not leading public opinion but reflecting it.'
He added, 'We're here to serve all readers - conservative, liberal, independent and nonpolitical.'
Stanley was referring primarily to the paper's reporters."
Let's see. Stanley's name correct? Check.
Stanley's official title correct? Check.
Stanley's name spelled correctly? Check.
Reference made that Stanley is talking about the newsroom? Check.
Any mention at all that he is in charge of editorial pages? None.
So what the hell?
Some skeptics also suggested that I bear no resemblance to a Harvard or Yale statistician. They're right. I don't.
But I know a liberal column when I see one. Ditto for a conservative piece.
But Fischer's doing it all wrong. He's not (whine) including works by Journal Sentinel writers. My goodness, that's a hoot.
No, I'm not including newspaper employees like Patrick McIlheran whose work is in every Sunday edition. That would only skew the results. And do lefties really want me to score every product from Eugene Kane, Jim Stingl, Laurel Walker, and Pimentel as well as the actual editorials? I don't think so.
For the record, I've received many "You go, Kev" notes, encouraging this watchdog weekly. So I repeat the parameters of my project:
I'll review the most coveted editorial pages of the week by opinion-makers as well as the most widely-read, the Sunday "Crossroads" section of the Journal Sentinel. I will keep track of the conservative and liberal pieces published and keep a running score throughout the year.
I will not count pieces by Journal Sentinel columnists or Journal Sentinel editorial writers, short Quick Hits or Advisory Hits. Judgment is, of course, subjective, but I'm pretty sure I can perceive if an opinion piece is conservative or liberal.
What about Monday through Saturday? Sorry. I'm going to concentrate on the Sunday pages. If others want to take on the task of monitoring the other days, God bless them.
Let's go to today's paper:
Jerry Resler: Manufacturers could help recycle e-waste
I know Jerry, a retired member of the MJS Editorial Board, a good writer and a good guy. While he writes about a bipartisan proposal that has the support of the MMAC, his piece endorses a mandate on businesses. Not by much, but I toss this one under the "L" column.
Scott Walker: Don't use stimulus to build in swell budgets
George Will: Culture of law sues us into a stupor
Willie L. Hines Jr.: It's wrong not to teach what's right
Hines of the Milwaukee Common Council calls for ethics, morals and values in the Milwaukee Public School System. Definitely a conservative theme, even if Hines never attends the right-wing conspiracy meetings.
The paper also ran two pieces with differing views on the current Middle East conflict. While more conservatives and few liberals have come out in support of Israel the past week, this issue is difficult to label ideologically. I give the MJS credit for running both columns, but they're not part of this week's tally.
TODAY: Liberal-1, Conservative-3
YEAR TO DATE: Liberal-4, Conservative -4
Hmmmmm. Could we be making a difference already?
UPDATE: Culinary no-no #91
Culinary no-no #91 was devoted to crummy airport food. I wrote:
"Culinary prognosticators swear airports will substantially upgrade their fare in 2009. I'll believe it when I see it."
Here's a start, right here in Milwaukee.
Culinary no-no #94
The slowly deteriorating Southridge Mall is a veritable wasteland when it comes to dining options, especially when you compare it to other malls.
Disregarding the obligatory food courts, Mayfair has Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar, Maggiano's Little Italy, McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory and Panera Bread.
Brookfield Square has Paciugo, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Claim Jumper, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Houlihan's, Mitchell's Fish Market Restaurant & Bar, and Stir Crazy.
The Bayshore Town Center has Applebee's, Bar Louie, BD's Mongolian Grill, Bravo, California Pizza Kitchen, Cheesecake factory, Chocolate Factory, Devon Seafood Grill, and Ovation Restaurant.
Southridge has……….not much. Well, it has……..nothing.
Down the street is Red Robin. Further down the street is an Olive Garden and a Carabbas. But the floundering Southridge Mall has nothing like its counterparts, save an ordinary food court. Its best and most popular restaurant changed dramatically when the Boston Store was forced to shut down Bingo games at its cafeteria.
The last time the mall had a decent place for sit down dining physically inside the mall was many years ago when it featured a Ruby Tuesday. That's been long gone.
Before Ruby Tuesday, remember JoJo's with those porthole windows? JoJo's was right on 76th Street, near the current bank and Border's.
The southwest corner of Milwaukee County cries out for more and better retail shopping and dining destinations. Southridge shoppers know that if they want something other than fast food on a tray with the huddled masses, you have to leave the mall and drive somewhere else. This will change on Tuesday.
Like the phoenix rising from the dead, another Ruby Tuesday officially opens on S.76th Street. Ruby Tuesday is a quality chain, a welcome addition to the restaurant.-barren landscape known as the Southridge area.
No standing in line to order. No lugging your tray hunting for a place to sit that's actually clean. No looking into a speaker telling a pimply-faced 16-year old who can't read, write, or understand basic English that you don't want apple pie with that.
Finally, an honest to goodness, decent, reputable, tried and true place to eat. Sigh upon sigh of relief.
Having said all that, when Ruby Tuesday's opens on Tuesday (how clever is that), don't go. That's right.
Not Tuesday. Not Wednesday. Not next week. Not in two weeks. Not this month.
"Did you hear that, Edith? Kevin Fischer says we should stay away from that there new whatchacallit, Judy Thursday Place."
"That's Ruby Tuesday, Archie."
So what kind of community/business promoter am I if I'm urging readers, and this is no joke, not to patronize a place I've already defined as a "quality" establishment? It's really quite simple.
Ruby Tuesday, through no fault of its own, is like any other comparable restaurant. It can't help itself. Through no fault of its own, Ruby Tuesday will have all kinds of kinks and bugs to work out, being a spanking brand new place.
Go there on opening day or week and you might have a delightful experience. The odds are better you'll encounter service delays, botched up orders, questions that employees can't answer, confusion, apologies. It goes with the territory. Problem is it could lead to an unfair assessment on your part preventing a return visit. Now how's that for good business?
The late Milwaukee Journal Sentinel dining critic Dennis Getto used to say that you should wait 4-6 weeks before venturing into a just-opened restaurant. Four to six weeks? Won't that spell economic disaster? Not for a chain. And you'll probably enjoy your first trip there a whole lot more.
As Mick Jagger once sang, "Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday," At least for a few weeks.
A restaurant with food to die for.
Ok, that place is still a helluva lot better than this.
All eyes on MPS this week
Mother Nature throws the kitchen sink at us the next several days with snow, wind, and cold.
Our corner of the world will revolve around the Milwaukee Public Schools, anxiously awaiting how they will react to the hodgepodge of weather. They close and just about everyone else tosses in the towel, too.
Many, many years ago, an MPS insider told me any announcement to close isn't based on amount of snow, the temperature, or the wind chill factor. Whether or not to have classes depends on the school buses. If they start, the school bells ring. I'm not sure if the same criteria holds true today but it does seem to make sense.
Breast-feed or bust
Nursing moms are in a tizzy. They want to breast-feed.
Go ahead.
They want to have pictures taken of them doing so, and they want to be able to show you those pictures on their Facebook accounts on the Internet.
Sorry, sweetheart, but not everyone wants to see that. And not everyone wants to see you breast-feeding wherever you darn well feel like it.
The controversy will soon hit Wisconsin. Read about it in my post on The Right View Wisconsin.
An e-mail I have to share
We all get 'em, those mass e-mails that come in over and over again. people keep forwarding and you just keep deleting. But some are very good, worthy of sharing. Here's one I recently received that is worth a look:
Great Orators of the Democratic Party...
'One man with courage makes a majority.'
- Andrew Jackson
'The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.'
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
'The buck stops here.'
- Harry S. Truman
'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.'
- John F. Kennedy
And for today's Democrats...
'It depends what your definition of 'IS' is?''
- Bill Clinton
'That Obama - I would like to cut his NUTS off.'
- Jesse Jackson
'Those rumors are false .... I believe in the sanctity of marriage.'
- John Edwards
'I invented the Internet.'
- Al Gore
'The next person that tells me I'm not religious, I'm going to shove my rosary beads up their ***.'
- Joe Biden
' America is--is no longer, uh, what it--it, uh, could be, uh what it was once was...uh, and I say to myself, 'uh, I don't want that future, uh, uh for my children.'
- Barack Obama
'I have campaigned in all 57 states.'
- Barack Obama
'You don't need God anymore, you have us Democrats.'
- Nancy Pelosi (said back in 2006)
'Bill is the greatest husband and father I know. No one is more faithful, true , and honest than he.'
- Hillary Clinton (said back in 1998)
Were the Tennessee Titans robbed?
I think so.
Even if the Titans were too classy to complain, I submit they were screwed.
I do a great deal of timing for college and high school basketball games. Timers like to say there is a certain, albeit brief amount of "reaction time," the time it takes when the timer hears a whistle to actually stop the game clock. It can be anywhere from zero to a few tenths of a second.
In the NFL, giant play clocks show how much time a team has to snap the ball. It's pretty basic stuff. The clock gets to zero, the ball isn't snapped, it's a delay of game penalty on the offense.
Not so this past weekend during a crucial play in the Baltimore-Tennessee playoff game. The referees scoff, chalking the failure to throw a flag on a "natural delay."
Then why have the play clock for all the world to see if, when it gets to zero, it's just going to be ignored?
Another bad year for NFL officials, and it's not over yet.
This girl needs some serious lifestyle adjustments. Her parents need to administer some laying the law down pronto.
The liberal answer would be some legislation with the word "ban " in it.
PETA's latest target...
Marquette University.
Dear PETA:
Get a life.
They just don't make them like they used to...
The "stars" of today, pictured at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards
It's tough being a corporate executive at GM....just ask him
This man is General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz:
Photo: Stan Honda
National Public Radio (NPR) received a lot of listener feedback following a comment made by Lutz during an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit that was broadcast Monday during NPR's All Things Considered.
Before you hear Lutz's comment, I pose these questions in advance that you should consider before you make your own personal reaction:
1) Do you sympathize with the poor man?
2) Are you indifferent?
3) Do you say to yourself, "Yeh, I can relate!"
4) Do you wish Lutz well in his adjustment? (This will become clear after you hear his comment)
5) Do you chuckle as Lutz did while he was answering?
6) Are you outraged?
7) Are you incredulous as to how he could say something like that?
Choose to listen to the entire eight minute piece, or scroll 7:06 into the story when you will hear Lutz respond to Siegel. Lutz's comment comes after Siegel says;
"Lutz has been in the car business for 45 years, so it's a change for him to operate on the federal government's nickel."
Here's the NPR story. (Please note that NPR's Siegel DID NOT follow up with any hardball question).
Rallying around Scott Walker
The Scott Walker tar and feather brigade, led by irresponsible tax and spend lefties, has been out in full force the past several days. They are aghast that Walker won't accept part of an $80 gazillion federal stimulus package for useless government projects. They forget that Walker is a man of principle who was elected big time because of his fiscally conservative principles, and that there's no such thing as free money.
Some asinine suggestions have even been made to recall the Milwaukee County Executive. Hey chumps, good luck trying to get signatures where I live. Franklin gave 80% of its vote to Walker last April.
Today, many conservatives, including myself received an e-mail from Franklin resident and political insider Orville Seymer that read, in part:
"Why is it that the left is very good at rallying around a cause or a candidate yet the right allows there causes and candidates (Scott Walker) to sit out there all alone and fend for themselves?
Yesterday, the left (Milw. County labor unions) held a rally to denounce Scott Walker for not taking Federal stimulus money and there is talk that they are gearing up for a Recall effort against Walker. I have not heard a single word from any conservative about this or an effort to stand up for Walker and his principles.
I think we all know in out heart of hearts that what Walker is doing or not doing in this case is the right thing to do, even if we don't completely understand all of the economic principles behind his decision. So why is it that conservatives are so reluctant to stand up for Walker and his principles?"
Seymer just may have awakened those sleeping conservatives. I can tell you that conservatives are buzzing today, united in their quest to get the message out that Walker is to be supported at a time when the tax and spend crowd, knowing it has the daily newspaper in its hip pocket, is out to crucify one of the few sane political voices left in our area.
Beginning today, watch for conservative officials, bloggers, and talk show hosts to counter the smear campaign being waged against one of our finest elected officials. Count me in as I will try to do my part to stand up and support my friend and colleague, Scott Walker. We will use reason, logic, and facts to proliferate our message as opposed to the demagoguery and juvenile, sophomoric commentary and name-calling being customarily tossed out by the left.
The lefties who would tax and spend us into oblivion want a fight? They've got one.
The Conservative Young Professionals of Milwaukee are holding their monthly "Happy Hour" this Thursday evening at 5:30pm and Scott Walker is the special guest. This is a special shout out to turn this event into a pro-Scott Walker rally to show our support for fiscal sanity and responsibility against the selfish tax and spenders that continually have their hands out, even in a recession when the taxpayers have been tapped too much and then some.
Date: Thursday, January 15, 2009
Time: 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Karma, 600 East Ogden Avenue, Milwaukee
Watch my blog and others in the days and weeks ahead for news about why Scott Walker deserves our strong support for his defense of the beleaguered taxpayers on Milwaukee County.
Others who have written on this subject:
Mark Belling
Badger Blogger
Jessica McBride
No Runny Eggs, Part One
No Runny Eggs, Part Two (contains link to audio from Charlie Sykes' show)
North Shore Exponent
Letters in Bottles
Scott Walker's explanation
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker laid out his case in last Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel why he's opposed to accepting federal stimulus package money. Walker, you see, isn't like most money-grubbing politicians who, at the first sniff, want to get their hands on and then spend tax money foolishly. Here were some of his logical, on the money points:
"How many people would take a gift of $1,000 and go out and buy an expensive sports car? While the gift might be nice, it makes no sense if you cannot afford the monthly payments."
"Federal money nearly always comes with strings attached."
"The federal government should not be bailing out failed operating budgets of state and local governments."
"The real way to stimulate the economy is not to put more money into the hands of the government but into the hands of the people. For months, I have called for tax cuts to get this economy going again."
"Forty-six years ago this month, President John F. Kennedy told members of Congress that: 'It is no contradiction - the most important single thing we can do to stimulate investment in today's economy is to raise consumption by major reduction of individual income tax rates.' He was right."
Read his entire column for some fiscal sanity.
"Scott Walker is showing leadership"
The Wisconsin Republican Party is expressing support for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker:
"The County Executive who fought to keep Milwaukee County from fiscal ruin after the Pension Scandal deserves praise for his caution while other politicians go on spending sprees…"
Read the entire release.
Thank your lucky stars because you could be...
This guy...
(St. Cloud Times/AP Photo)
These guys and gals have a really tough job...
Fred Sorensen makes his way back to his US Postal Service truck after dropping mail off at a home in Albert Lea, Minn. on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009. Temperatures crashed to Arctic levels Tuesday as a severe cold wave rolled across the upper Midwest on the heels of yet another snowstorm, closing schools and making most people think twice before going outside.
(Albert Lea Tribune/AP Photo)
OK. Why?
A group of skiers practice on the race trail in the subzero weather at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 before the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships were canceled due to frigid weather. Alaska is experiencing the third-longest cold snap in its history.
(Al Grillo/AP Photo)
Roller Derby back in Franklin this weekend


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Transform Your Room Into a 3D Planetarium
Turn off the television and discover a 3D world of astronomic proportions with this first ever three-dimensional home planetarium. Easy to set up and use, the projector casts celestial bodies onto your ceiling and wall as you observe through included 3D glasses. You'll feel like you're laying in the middle of an open field under the night sky as you gaze up at accurate representations of constellations, stars, planets and more.
3D glasses are meant for viewing 3D images only; not to be worn for long periods of time or used as sunglasses.
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This Just In ...
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 young daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
The supreme injustice of the Grammy Awards
Nothing against Beyonce.
She's extremely attractive and mighty talented. However she epitomizes with what's terribly wrong with the Grammy Awards and their history.
Beyonce was nominated for 10 Grammy Awards Sunday. Throughout her career, Diana Ross has never won a Grammy, whether for her single career, or all her phenomenal work with the Supremes.
Elaborately gowned, they could really sing. We'll probably never see anything like them again.
Wired media rejuvenates the GOP
"With the Democratic defeat in the recent special senatorial election in
And it's being fueled by new media.
Alice in Wonderland looks amazing
Have you seen the trailer on TV yet?
If not.....
Scott Walker building momentum
Last Friday, a Rasmussen poll showed Scott Walker leading Tom Barrett by 10 points in the race for governor. It is very, very early. Even so, this is a good sign.
Then campaign donations for
What do you think the spin of the state government agency was that it was slow in handling the onslaught of
We didn't do anything wrong. We were able to function. We got everything into our system.
Yeh, sure. But after how long?
The past couple of years have seen a number of stories about problems with state computers and software. I don't doubt for a minute the GAB's equipment couldn't effectively adapt to the
In typical bureaucrat-ese, the GAB cries, "Not true. We did everything right!"
OK, whatever. The fact is Scott Walker's campaign is growing and picking up steam.
And the left is very, very worried.
The latest News You Can Use from WRTL


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Velo magazine did a big chain lube test in their latest magazine. ĀI was stunned that chain lube would actually make a testable difference in the amount of power it takes to propel a bike. ĀBetween the worst and best lube they tested there was almost 4 watts difference. ĀDoesn't seem like much, but think about it, Āa 1500 dollar Aero wheelset probably makes around 4 watts difference.
The best, "normal" lube they tested was Rock and Roll Gold. ĀI wrote a review of some of the lubes I've used and it has been one of my most popular posts, I have Ābottle of Rock and Roll Extreme that worked very well. ĀOne of the least efficient lubes they tested was Prolink Gold, which I also reviewed and really like on my road bike. ĀThere is a reason it stays so clean, it doesn't do that good of job lubricating.
The Winner of their test was a very old school lube, in fact its not even a lube, its a solid at room temperature, paraffin wax. ĀParaffin wax was not only the mostĀefficientĀlube they tested but it also was the cleanest, it actually even got more efficent when they tested the chain dirty.
Ever since reading this I've been thinking about waxing my chain and last night I took the plunge. ĀAfter waxing I rode the bike today on a harsh mountain bike trail for over 2 hours, countless creek crossings and some mud too. ĀTheĀdrive trainĀwas like a rock, and it felt much smoother, especially after getting soaked. ĀCheck out these easy to follow picture by picture directions.


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A Public/Private Partnership is a funding agreement between a Local School System (LSS) and a Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved nonpublic special education program for the purpose of serving students with significant and intensive needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The partnership classroom or program enhances Individualized Education Program (IEP) services for students within their community.
The Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services (DSE/EIS) Nonpublic Special Education Section is requesting that all applications for establishing or continuing a Public/Private Partnership be submitted by June 1, 2013.
Applications must include •The PPP Financial Worksheet •Draft Contractual Agreement •Completed MSDE Nonpublic Budget Packet supporting the contract
The MSDE, DSE/EIS, Nonpublic Special Education Section will review submitted applications to determine approval status. For approved applications received by June 1, 2013, the MSDE, DSE/EIS, will provide a preliminary notice of intent for State funding by July 1, 2013. When an application requires additional documentation or clarification, the MSDE, DSE/EIS, Nonpublic Special Education Section will provide technical assistance. All applications and signed contracts for Public/Private Partnerships with State nonpublic funding must be on file in the MSDE, DSE/EIS Nonpublic Special Education Section office prior to the implementation of the contract, the establishment of a State fund grant, and the release of any State dollars to the LSS.
NOTE: The application form has been updated. All previous forms should be discarded.