This Just In...

Favre plays it classy on return to Green Bay

2008-07-20T02:47:00Z

WBAY reports the following on its website on Brett Favre in Green Bay tonight to induct former teammate Frank Winters into the Packer Hall of Fame:

Favre was there, and steered clear of any talk of his soap opera with the Packers organization. Instead, he spoke only of his former center, Frank Winters, before quickly stepping down from the podium and out a side door.

"I think when you think of great linemen," Favre said. "there's some great names within this organization...I think you need to think of Frank Winters as well."

He went on to praise the Packers saying, "that's the thing about Green Bay. It's a special place, lots of tradition. You think of the Packers and you think of all the great names and to be part of that, I know Frank feels honored, is a special thing."

Unlike Packer GM Ted Thompson, Favre is a class act.

CRG on the $ale$ tax increa$e referendum

2008-07-20T02:35:00Z

In previous blogs and Fridaty night (and Sunday morning) on Channel 10's InterCHANGE, I accused the Milwaukee County Board of being disingenuous about the sales tax increase referendum. Chris Kleismet of Citizens for a Responsible Government agrees.

Kleismet writes a guest opinion in Sunday's Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel as my friend and citizen watchdog Orville Seymer first brought to our attention earlier this week. Kleismet writes:

"The sales tax increase referendum put forth by the County Board is disingenuous at best."

Read the rest.

Gas prices: No news is good news

2008-07-20T02:12:00Z

In less than 24 hours, we heard the good.....and the bad.

First the good, reported Friday. Could it be? We hit the zenith for gas prices. Our cries of "No mas, no mas" had been answered?

Read from Fox News.

That was Friday.

Today we hear this.

The solution, of course, is to drill domestically. But the Do Nothing Democrats in Congress will have nothing to do with that common sense proposal.

What in the world is this man...

2008-07-20T01:31:00Z

Doing in this week's installment of Culinary no-no?

(To my good friend, Mike...is this a shameless plug to selfishly draw attention to my blog or what? Hell yes, and by the way, my love to Lynn).

You'll just have to check back sometime tomorrow (Sunday) on:

THIS JUST IN...

Should this person be allowed to blog?

2008-07-19T19:10:00Z

Scott Peterson was convicted of murdering his wife, Laci and their unborn son, Connor in 2004. Sentenced to death in 2005, Peterson awaits a lethal injection while his case is being appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

While on death row in San Quentin, this convicted killer spends his time blogging. Peterson doesn’t have access to the Internet, but he’s allowed to blog on his family’s website, searching for sympathy and crying out that he’s innocent. Peterson’s blog also includes photos of him and Laci.

Inmates are afforded taxpayer-funded food, clothing, shelter, law libraries, college courses, paid work, recreation, gymnasiums, cable TV, Sego, Nintendo, and now it seems, the opportunity to engage in a public forum by blogging.

Anyone can blog, if they have a computer. Here’s a novel concept. Take Peterson’s computer away. He’s in a prison, not a Hilton and he’s awaiting death for savagely killing two people. Let him add that to his appeal and see what happens.

Unfortunately, appeals take time, especially in death penalty cases. The Supreme Court may rule against Peterson. I hope it does and soon. If and when that happens, capital punishment needs to be meted out quickly. The death penalty can hardly be a deterrent if there are endless appeals, the punishment isn’t actually administered, and if we’re now going to add blogging to the list of prison “perks.”

Here are more details, and reaction from Laci Peterson’s mother.

The Barking Lot

2008-07-19T15:18:40Z

PUPPY MILL CLOSED!
By Jennifer Fischer

As I have said several times on The Barking Lot, the main goal of my blog is to entertain, enlighten and warm your heart about all things Dog. The topic of puppy mills is so horrifying to me that I generally stay away from it, because I like to keep things positive in my stories.

Today the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shares the story that the Wisconsin Humane Society has purchased what WAS the largest puppy mill in Wisconsin for what they said was “pennies on the dollar.” I would say that every penny was well spent! Today’s TMJ4 reported on it as well.

What these sweet, innocent puppies and dogs went through is really more than I can comprehend. I know I am not the only person who would like to see the owners of these puppy mills suffer the same horrific conditions that the dogs did. I would love to see THEM in tiny wire cages with nothing soft to lie on. Of course they would share this “telephone booth-sized” cage with about twelve other adults. For dinner, I would gladly feed them the Nutra Loaf that Kevin blogged about last week. If they started to feel ill, too bad. No medicine for them. And to round out the experience they would not have any outside contact from the human world… they would simply be left to their own devices with each other in that miserable existence. We all know that won’t happen but we can dream. Instead we can focus on supporting puppy mill legislation that is being worked on.

The Wisconsin Humane Society offers this press release about the wonderful purchase of the Puppy Haven Kennel.

Of course there are numerous expenses associated with this purchase. Please consider a donation to help cover the enormous costs of this acquisition. I have had many fundraising jobs for non-profit organizations. I can tell you that any donation, no matter how insignificant YOU may think it is, is greatly appreciated. I know that the Wisconsin Human Society feels that way too. You can mail a check to them or follow the link to make a secure on-line donation.

I am confident that these puppies and dogs will soon find loving adoptive homes. I look forward to hearing updates about this project and hope to bring you another story soon. I would like to offer a sincere, heart-felt THANK YOU to the Wisconsin Humane Society for creating a loving and hopeful future for these precious pups.
---Jennifer Fischer

The Humane Society's wonderful gesture is so important because sadly, so many dogs are abandoned, neglected, even tortured. All week long I've been following a disturbing story out of Texas where a boyfreind scorned took out his anger on a poor, defenseless puppy. Here's the story and video with a disclaimer that the details are very upsetting. CNN has more.

UPDATE: Doctors say "Phoenix" is wagging his tail and can almost stand without falling. He appears to be mostly blind, but was able to find a bit of food on his plate and is now eating on his own.

Let's continue with DOGS IN THE NEWS, more canines that made headlines the past week.

Andre has only two legs, but is a VIP, Very Important Pooch.

Dogs are great for TV ratings. However, the show's second week saw a drop of over two million viewers. Time to bounce back, guys!

And Incredibly, a dog lost five years ago is back home.

That's it for this week. Unlike previous weekends, this one's not an A+ when it comes to dog walking. Take the umbrella.

And consider adoption.

Week-ends

2008-07-19T13:30:00Z

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

Freedom Honor Flight Inc.

Good Samaritans

Maine fisherman

Johnny Depp

Still a hero

VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Indra Book

Daniel Allen Everett

Andrea Curry-Demus

Waukesha County

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

“The reality is, this is a $130 million tax increase.At a time when food and fuel costs are so high here in Wisconsin and across the country, the last thing we need is a $130 million tax increase."
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, on the County Board's proposed sales tax increase referendum

"We could take off our gas tax, but I believe the oil companies simply would make more profits. They would continue to price gasoline at the same level. Second, we need those funds to make sure we have good roads and that our bridges are secure. The big problem with a gasoline tax holiday, which (Sen. John) McCain (of Arizona) talked about, is that it would only save families on average about 30 cents a day or $30 a month. I think the oil companies simply would continue to charge the same price and pocket the additional profit."
Governor Jim Doyle

"It has become increasingly difficult to carry out the mission of the Department, and I do not want to stand in the way of continuing progress; because of that, I am resigning."
Jack Fischer, outgoing Wisconin Commerce secretary, in his resignation letter to Governor Jim Doyle. Fischer resigned following reports of questionable foreign trade trip spending while the state was under travel restrictions. Fischer served only eight months on the job.

"I am grateful for Jack Fischer’s service to the state of Wisconsin. He brought valuable experience from the private sector to the role of commerce secretary, and I thank him for all his work to promote Wisconsin businesses"
Doyle’s response to Fischer’s departure.

"I'm going to be a lot more reluctant with my vote for nominees with this governor."
State Senator Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield).

"I think Milwaukee is a great place to do business. This doesn’t reflect in any way on the city of Milwaukee or the state of Wisconsin."
MillerCoors President Tom Long, saying that the decision to move the corporate HQ to Chicago came from a desire to pick a neutral location for the headquarters.

"Whether you are for or against raising the sales tax to provide funding for property tax relief, parks, transit and EMS, you should be in favor of an advisory referendum on the issue."
Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway on the sales tax increase referendum.

"It does not speak well of a public official who would claim to be a member of one party in order to lure its members into assisting with his campaign effort -- be it with volunteer efforts or financial contributions -- then direct those contributions toward a completely different ideological movement."
Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Mark Jefferson in a letter to State Representative Jeff Wood (I-Chetek) who left the party last week. Wood was aksed to return a total of $1,225 in conduit donations he received this campaign cycle while a member of the party.

"I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them as their pastor that I too share in their suffering.Those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice."
The Pope during an address at a Mass at the church's World Youth Day in Sydney, apologizing to victims of clergy abuse.

"Violent crime in the city of Chicago is out of control. I'm offering resources of the state to the city to work in a constructive way with Mayor Daley to do everything we can possibly do to help stop this violence."
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, suggesting he might bring in state troopers or the National Guard to fight crime in Chicago.

"Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, or as she is called on the Big Dogs blog, 'the worst speaker in the history of Congress,'explained the cause of high oil prices back in 2006: 'We have two oilmen in the White House. The logical follow-up from that is $3-a-gallon gasoline. It is no accident. It is a cause and effect. A cause and effect.' Yes, that would explain why the price of oral sex, cigars and Hustler magazine skyrocketed during the Clinton years. Also, I note that Speaker Pelosi is a hotelier ... and the price of a hotel room in New York is $1,000 a night! I think she might be onto something."
Ann Coulter

OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

Indra Book's horrible choice.

MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK

A janitor at a university is accused of racial harassment because........he was reading.

This Wall Street Journal column captures how institutions of higher learning have become hypersensitive.

MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK

Is Heath Ledger really that good in the new Batman movie?

STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK

Police officer fired over free coffee.

You can buy just about anything on ebay.

You may never want to do laundry again.

Is the city of Denver trying to hide its homeless?

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.

Coggs wants to line her pocket

2008-07-19T12:49:00Z

It’s a tale of two Milwaukee County Supervisors.

Elizabeth Coggs says gas prices are too high so the supervisors need a $300/month travel allowance. Coggs can’t live but a couple of miles from the Courthouse.

That’s a lot of guts, telling the taxpayers they have to give her $300/month to subsidize her driving after she proposes that the county sales tax be tripled.

Compare Coggs’ idea to one offered by Supervisor Mark Borkowski who represents part of Franklin. At a time when gas prices are through the ceiling, he wants to test what effect a reduction in bus fares from $2 to $1 would have during the month of August.

What’s intriguing about Borkowski’s plan is that it’s not the same tired old proposal we always get from politicians who only have one page in their how to be an elected official: Raise taxes, raise fees.

Borkowski is thinking about taxpayers. Coggs is thinking about herself.

That's a nice slice

2008-07-19T12:20:00Z

Recently I promised an announcement about Cheesecake Factory, the top-notch national chain. All Cheesecake Factory restaurants nationwide plan to celebrate Wednesday, July 30, National Cheesecake Day by offering every slice of their more than 30 varieties of cheesecake to dine-in guests for $1.50 per slice. That was the price of a slice at the very first Cheesecake Factory when it opened in 1978.

It’s the 30^th anniversary of Cheesecake Factory and the celebration will also include a limited-edition 30th Anniversary cheesecake, Chocolate Cake Cheesecake. In a release I received, CF says:

“This delicious new addition to our dessert menu is a blend of two of our original favorites: Original Cheesecake and our Linda's Fudge Cake. The delectable cake is made of two layers of original cheesecake with two layers of rich chocolate cake, which is topped with chocolate ganache and surrounded by semi-sweet chocolate chunks. Along with marking our 30th anniversary on National Cheesecake Day, the Chocolate Cake Cheesecake will benefit America's Second Harvest. For every slice sold this year, The Cheesecake Factory will donate $0.25 to this important national hunger-relief organization.”

How are you going to celebrate National Cheesecake Day? I'm thinking of going with the Key Lime…

National Night Out details

2008-07-19T12:05:00Z

FRANKLIN’S NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2008

KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

MONDAY AUGUST 4, 2008

6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM

LOCATION: Franklin Public Library

9151 W Loomis Rd

EVENTS WILL INCLUDE:

Franklin Police Department Displays

K9 Demonstrations - 6:45pm and 8:15pm

Franklin Fire Department Displays

Survive Alive House

Jaws of Life Demonstration - 6:30pm

Mc Gruff, The Crime Dog

MARINE BANK Bounce house

Franklin Health Department

Franklin Youth Coalition

Make-a-Wish Foundation

Wisconsin Alliance for Fire Safety

Franklin Department of Public Works Equipment

FranklinNOW.com-Media Sponsor

MENARD’S Home Security Products Display

Wisconsin State Patrol-Fatal Vision Goggles

Al Schill Racing

FLIGHT FOR LIFE - Landing at 7:45pm.

CHOSUN Black Belt Academy – Demo 7:00 pm

ADMIRAL’S HOCKEY ROSCOE

St Lukes Medical Center

Rythym of Life Chiropractic

Innovative Health and Fitness

Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare

All Star Racing

WI Department of Corrections (WI-DOC)

Southern Milwaukee County Crime Stoppers 1-866-373-6227

Free Crime Prevention Literature

The Learning Shop of Greendale – Train table

Face Painting sponsored by EWALD

Bottled water provided by TARGET

Orange Drink provided by the FRANKLIN ALL STAR McDONALD’s

Cotton Candy/Popcorn provided by KARL’S PARTY RENTALS/FRPD Crime Prevention Unit

NORTH SHORE BANK-Sign Sponsor

Bicycle Safety Inspections with drawings for Children’s Helmets.

Free drawings for National Night Out T-Shirts provided by WASTE MANAGEMENT and

WATERSTONE BANK

and more…..

The 25th Annual National Night Official Celebration is August 5, 2008 from 7pm to 10pm. Citizens are encouraged to plan activities in their neighborhoods including turning on your porch lights and meeting with your neighbors outside. This sends a message to criminals that Franklin’s neighborhoods are organized against crime. Please contact a Crime Prevention Officer at 414-425-2522 to schedule a Police Officer visit for your neighborhood’s activities on August 5th.

Thanks to Alderman Kristen Wilhelm for the info.

Friday Night Live

2008-07-19T04:30:00Z

Welcome once again to our summer concert series, looking back at late night concert TV shows from the 70's.Tonight's guests on ABC's In Concert are Jim Croce, America, and Seals and Crofts.

Jim Croce, according to starpulse.com, was "a songwriter with a knack for both upbeat, catchy singles and empathetic, melancholy ballads. Croce appealed to fans as a common man, and it was not a gimmick -- he was a father and husband who went through a series of blue-collar jobs. And whether he used dry wit, gentle emotions, or sorrow, Croce sang with a rare form of honesty and power. Few artists have ever been able to pull off such down-to-earth storytelling as convincingly as he was. Raised on ragtime and country, Croce played the accordion as a child and would eventually teach himself the guitar. It wasn't until his freshman year of college that he began to take music seriously, forming several bands over the next few years.After graduation, he continued to play various gigs at local bars and parties, working as both a teacher and construction worker to support himself and his wife, Ingrid."

He would sign with the ABC/Dunhill label and his 1973 album, "Life and Times" featured his first #1 single you'll see him perform here.

Starpulse.com reports, "After four years of grueling tour schedules, Croce grew homesick. Wishing to spend more time with (his wife) Ingrid and his infant son Adrian James, he planned to take a break after the Life and Times tour was completed. Unfortunately, the tour would never finish; just two months after 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown' topped the charts, Croce's plane crashed in Natchitoches, LA. Croce and the four other passengers (including band member Maury Muehleisen) were killed instantly."

Jim Croce was 30.

Our next guest has been performing for four decades, America.

From venturahighway.com:

“The world discovered America in 1972 when a nameless horse began its gallop across the international airwaves. If this sounds like some sort of fairy tale, it seemed like one for the young musicians who harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of their signature song. ‘A Horse With No Name’ made America a global household name, paving the way for an impressive string of hits following in its wake. Slightly more than a year after launching the group, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek were bonafide superstars, thanks to a timeless sound that seamlessly assimilated strands of rock, pop and folk elements into a thrilling musical stew.

America's journey has found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes were cornerstones of 70's Top 40 and FM rock radio. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners would discover there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Gerry Beckley's melodic pop rock and Dewey Bunnell's use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Dan Peek's more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.”

There definitely is an "acoustic" flavor to tonight's concert and it continues in our final segment.

From music.yahoo.com:

“One of the 1970s' most successful soft-rock acts, the duo of Jim Seals and Dash Crofts met while playing with singer Dean Beard in 1958. That year, Beard was invited to join the Champs (of ‘Tequila’ fame), and Seals and Crofts tagged along, remaining with the group until 1965. The two then bounced from the Mushrooms to the Dawnbreakers before deciding to strike out on their own as a duo in 1969. Seals played guitar, saxophone, and fiddle, while Crofts handled drums, mandolin, keyboards, and guitar. From 1972 to 1976, the duo had a string of five gold albums for Warner Bros., with an additional greatest-hits compilation certified double platinum. The group became embroiled in controversy in 1974 due to the title track of their Unborn Child album, an anti-abortion song written from the fetus' point-of-view; the album was a critical failure, while the single flopped and outraged abortion advocates, who held demonstrations at many of the group's shows.

By 1976, Seals & Crofts' appeal began to decline; their albums failed to sell as well, and they scored their last Top 40 hit in 1978 with ‘You're the Love.’ Warner dropped them shortly after their 1980 LP The Longest Road, but by this time, both Seals and Crofts were more interested in devoting themselves fully to the Baha'i religion they had converted to back in 1969. The two have reunited occasionally at Baha'i gatherings, and for a short 1991-1992 tour; Crofts has lived in several different countries, while Seals moved to a Costa Rican coffee farm in 1980.”

Thanks for watching Friday Night Live.

Goodnight!

Still to come on This Just In...

2008-07-19T02:54:00Z

Lots to do this weekend but I hope you'll check in here for our regular weekend features

Still to come tonight, we pull out our guitars for another Friday Night Live, featuring live music from the 70's.

That's at 11:30 tonight music lovers (Or first thing tomorrow morning if you can't stay awake).

Saturday morning, it's Week-ends.

This person makes the list.....

Is that shirt telling the truth?

Also on Week-ends....

And....

And their connection.

My lovely bride Jennifer takes us into The Barking Lot Saturday morning as well.

And on Sunday, Culinary no-no finds us outside by the grill.

I know you're busy but do check us out, and thanks.

The Milwaukee County Board isn't being truthful about the sales tax

2008-07-18T21:31:00Z

History proves it.

In 1991, the Milwaukee County Board raised the county sales tax, promising property tax relief in return.

What happened? You know what happened if you own a house in Tax Hell, USA.

Between 1992 and 2002, property taxes jumped a whopping, eye-opening 55% in Milwaukee County.

Now the Milwaukee County Board is back, hoping a referendum will go on the November ballot asking voters to TRIPLE the county sales tax. County supervisors who support this folly claim $130-million will be raised and half will go to property tax relief.

There is absolutely no way they can keep that promise. You know and I know they will spend that money. Property taxes go down? Here? Who do they think they’re kidding???

You do not lower taxes by raising another tax.

Unfortunately, even when this gets shot down, big time in November, the clueless County Board still won’t get it.

Quick, somebody introduce a bill!

2008-07-18T21:15:00Z

There ought to be a ban on chastising children while driving.

Heading to any of the ethnic festivals?

2008-07-18T21:00:00Z

Keep Culinary no-no #7 in mind.

The "N" word

2008-07-18T02:41:00Z

There is no accepted policy, especially in America’s black community, about the use of the infamous “N” word.

I know a lot, I mean a whole helluva lot of white folk. None, zero, nada, not a single one uses the “N” word and with good reason. To a person, they know how incredibly wrong that particular choice of word is.

What we white folks don’t understand to be quite honest is why it’s okay for blacks to use the word, especially to refer to other blacks.

It’s much like that whole NAACP deal. I can’t say, “colored,” but millions of blacks can be in an organization that does?

I have seen, in person, Jesse Jackson speak, at least 4 or 5 times. I still have the speeches on tape. Each experience was exhilarating and impressive. There was a common theme in every speech: Black Americans needed to be more disciplined and exhibit more independence. The message was beyond admirable. Jackson was not only electrifying, he was right.

That was Jesse Jackson in the 80’s. The Jesse Jackson of recent times is described this way, overseas, in the Daily Telegraph:

“The Rev Jackson had already said sorry for saying of Mr. (Barack)Obama that he would like to ‘cut off his nuts’ for talking down to black people.

He was speaking off-air on Fox News and did not realise that his comments to a fellow guest were being picked up by a microphone. It has now emerged that he said: ‘Barack...he's talking down to black people...telling niggers how to behave.’”

That’s in today’s edition of the British paper. In November of 2006, CBS in Los Angeles reported the following:

“Rev. Jesse Jackson is calling for entertainers to stop using the N-word.He and other leaders held a news conference in Los Angeles Monday, calling for the voluntary ban. The move comes one day after comedian Michael Richards appeared on Jackson's radio show to apologize for his racial rant last week.As CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports, Jackson is going after TV and film stars, as well as musicians.Jackson says he plans to meet with TV networks, film companies and musicians to talk about what they can do to stop using the racial slur. Richards, who played the wacky neighbor on the popular Seinfeld show, was captured on a video cell phone using the N-word after two African Americans heckled him during his comedy routine.”

There appears to be an inconsistency at the very least, even a blatant hypocrisy when it comes to Jackson and the “N” word. This wouldn’t be the first time Jackson has uttered a racist comment and yet we are told by America’s mainstream media that Jackson along with Al Sharpton are black leaders, and the arbiters whenever speech is questioned to be racist.

Again, I can’t (and I never would) use the “N” word. But blacks can call each other the “N” word because, why? It’s a black thing, you stupid honky?

There will be, if there hasn’t been already, a summons to call out the Milwaukee Journal’s race-baiting columnist, Eugene Kane to address Jesse Jackson’s faux pas.

Back in 2006, Tonya Weathersbee wrote on blackamericaweb.com:

“A colleague of mine, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Eugene Kane, is on what has all the markings of a quixotic mission. He wants to bring a ‘ban the N-word 'campaign to Milwaukee public schools.

Right now though, it seems like the black students he’s encountered so far aren’t having it.

Kane wasn’t just prompted to start this sorely-needed consciousness-raising by Michael Richards’ rant, but by a white teacher who was struggling to get her black students to stop using the word.

In the world of surreal twists, that beats all.

Yet sadly enough, when Kane tried to educate her students on the awfulness of the N-word, they shot back defenses that made them seem dumber than the Jim Crow racists of the 1960s who of the 1960s who spelled it as 'Nigers' on their protest signs.

Among other things, they insisted the word doesn’t mean the same as it used to mean in the past. Some even said they wouldn’t care if a white person used it -- a statement I sense wasn’t made out of sincerity as much as it was made to defuse Kane’s argument and have the last word. One girl, Kane wrote, vigorously stood up for the N-word because, she said, it doesn’t mean anything to them to say it.”

It appears black families have some instruction on their hands. To earn respect, they have to respect themselves.

When I was at WUWM, I produced a highly successful documentary on black on black crime that I’m proud won many awards. That was in the late 80’s. Back then, the consensus among experts on the subject was that there is a huge lack of ethnic pride in the black community leading to violent crime. If that’s true, and I believe it is, then what’s stopping someone from tossing the “N” epithet if blacks are shooting and killing each other?

The “N” word isn’t as much of a problem in the white community. Oh, sure, some ignoramus will use it now and then. Unfortunately, until the final day of Earth, a certain amount of racism will exist and that’s tragic. However, the black community needs to clean up its act and stop using the “N’ word just as much as it’s offensive for whites to utter this slur.

How can people respect you if you don’t respect yourself?

The public knows what the Milwaukee County Board fails to understand

2008-07-17T22:45:00Z

An astute listener to Charlie Sykes’ program on WTMJ gets credit for this bit of insight.

The Milwaukee County Board will probably have enough votes next week to override County Executive Scott Walker’s veto of that foolish sales tax increase referendum, forcing an advisory question on the November ballot.

The current Milwaukee County sales tax is:

.5%

The resolution calling for a referendum asks Milwaukee County voters to increase the sales tax by:

1.0%

That would bring the Milwaukee County sales tax to:

1.5%

Do the math: 1.5% as opposed to the current .5%.

That is a TRIPLING of the current sales tax.

That’s right.

Milwaukee County Board members want to TRIPLE your county sales tax and they think you’re stupid enough to go to the polls and willingly make the choice to TRIPLE your county share of the sales tax. This would be on top, don’t forget, of the state sales tax and the Miller Park sales tax.

These county supervisors apparently believe that our taxes in these parts just aren’t high enough and need to be raised even more, and not by just a little bit, but instead they need to be……

TRIPLED

You also know you’re living in a tax hell when you have some yahoo’s who are downright giddy at the possibility that their county sales tax might be……….

TRIPLED

Most of the public gets this. It’s unfortunate the County Board doesn’t.

Milwaukee County already had a referendum on a sales tax increase

2008-07-17T22:25:00Z

It took place on April 1 of this year.

Milwaukee County voters spoke rather demonstrably that they support County Executive Scott Walker’s views, policies, and the way he manages the county, and that includes his strong opposition to a sales tax increase. In a referendum on the job Walker is doing, it wasn’t even close.

Scott Walker: 97, 953 votes (59%)

Lena Taylor: 68, 207 votes (41%)

In Franklin, it was an even bigger landslide.

Walker: 6,448 (79.12%)

Taylor: 1,696 (20.81%)

Unfortunately for the vast majority of concerned Milwaukee County taxpayers, you have a County Board comprised of members who have a huge disconnect with the public’s sentiments. They are dead from the neck up, in denial of how citizens feel about taxes, or just plain ignorant.

The county supervisors may get their way and force this ridiculous sales tax idea on the November ballot. I suspect those same folks that came out in full force for Walker in April will then bury a huge tax increase on November 4^th.

Friday night on InterCHANGE

2008-07-17T22:16:00Z

Here are the topics the InterCHANGE panel will discuss Friday night at 6:30 on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, with a repeat Sunday morning at 11:00:

1 – MillerCoors.

The main headquarters of MillerCoors will be in Chicago. Is this a major blow to Milwaukee, keeping in mind that more people will still be working in the Milwaukee office than will be working in Chicago. Miller says it will also be investing $50 million into the Milwaukee brewery, and that employment levels should jump to where they were in the 1970’s. Is it sad that no major brewer will be headquartered here anymore? Is there anything Milwaukee could have done to make itself more attractive? It appears Milwaukee was never even in the running as a location for the headquarters. How can you win a race you’re not even in?

2 – Milwaukee City Wheel Tax / Milwaukee County Sales Tax.

City of Milwaukee alderman want a new wheel tax to support maintenance of city streets, and it appears they have the votes to enact it despite pleas against it from Mayor Barrett. Milwaukee County Supervisors are pushing ahead with a plan for an increased sales tax to fund parks and busses, despite a veto from County Executive Scott Walker and a possible rejection of the referendum question from the voters. Are these measures aimed at preserving the quality of life in this community, or are they going to result in making Milwaukee an even costlier place to live and do business?

3 – Brett Favre.

How has Brett Favre conducted himself in this situation? How have the Packers conducted themselves? What will happen? What should happen? If the goal is to win the Super Bowl, does the team have a better chance of doing it with Favre or with Aaron Rodgers? Is Favre showing himself to be like any other spoiled jock? Do the Packers owe Favre anything besides the salary they gave him for the contributions he made to that team?

Brand new in Racine: The Rummage Police

2008-07-17T10:44:00Z

Last month, I blogged about bureaucratic regulations run amok in Racine where the city was considering coming down on the time-honored, warm weather tradition of rummage sales.

Racine considered.

Guess what?

You know it.

They went overboard and implemented new rules on yard sales. Apparently every major issue has been thoroughly dealt with in the Shangri-la known as Racine so all that was left was clamping down on how many times Grandma could try to unload her clothes basket on the front lawn.

Here are details from the Racine Journal-Times and Fox 6 Milwaukee (Click the play button).

The pencil-pushing city bureaucrat has a point about all those nasty signs plastered all over town. Then go after the SIGNS, not the RUMMAGES.

I’ll say it again. Is it any wonder people hate the government.