This Just In...

Your tax dollar at work this election

Kevin Fischer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:55:00 GMT

There’s a flier floating around promoting a rally (sure to be pro-Barack Obama) followed by an immediate registration and vote at Milwaukee City Hall.

Here’s what the flier reads:

Vote Early Rally
With Special Guest State Senator Lena Taylor

Learn how the political system works and take part in your civic responsibility

Meet at MATC

Downtown Campus

Rm. S120

Tuesday, Oct. 14th 1:00 pm

**Note Time Change**

Questions call (414) 803‐4511

PAID FOR BY CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE, A PROJECT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF WISCONSIN (WWW.WISDEMS.ORG) AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE’S COMMITTEE.

Gee. I wonder who Lena Taylor will be touting at this rally. And look where the rally is taking place: MATC

MATC is a publicly-funded, taxpayer supported institution. And how!

MATC is one of many technical colleges in the state. According to the non-partisan Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, the technical college tax levies have increased from $251 million in 1992-'93 to $622 million in 2005-'06. That’s an increase of almost 150 percent compared to a 75 percent increase in overall levies during the same time period. Non-elected technical college boards have been free to raise tax levies, and taxpayers have been rendered powerless.

After the rally, I’m told people will march to City Hall to register and/or vote.

MATC has no business hosting a rally actively supporting one candidate over the other. The level of tax support for MATC is astounding. They shouldn’t be engaging in blatant politics.

Culinary no-no #80

Kevin Fischer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:43:09 GMT

This weekend, I picked up my brother and his wife at the airport on their return home from a Naples, Florida vacation. My sister-in-law made me think of this week’s Culinary no-no when she mentioned eating at all sorts of wonderful waterside restaurants in Florida.

Our conversation made me recall a former girlfriend. I was19, she was 23. I suggested we go to dinner one Friday night at Pieces of Eight. Located at 550 N. Harbor Drive, Pieces of Eight was Milwaukee‘s only restaurant on the shores of Lake Michigan. My girlfriend at the time had been to Pieces of Eight (I had not) and reluctantly agreed. We had a good time, even though the less than glowing review she warned me about turned out to be correct.

Atmosphere: *********************************

Food: *

And that reputation hounded the restaurant for decades. Pieces of Eight was a great date place, until the entrée arrived. A new owner recently re-decorated the inside and the quality of the food did improve immensely. Then a Pieces of Eight became Harbor 550. Now, who knows what’s next in store for that site.

Milwaukee’s lakefront is considered sacred. When someone foolishly suggested putting up a McDonald’s near the site of that putrid snack bar at Bradford Beach, it was like tugging on Superman’s cape, spitting in the wind, pulling the mask off the ol’ Lone Ranger. There seems to be, on the part of many, a mindset, that absolutely nothing should ever be done to or on Milwaukee’s lakefront beyond what we already have in the Henry Maier Festival grounds (Summerfest). I point out that there was a certain entity that ridiculed and chastised the late Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier and his vision of Summerfest. It would never work, this oh-so-wise group argued because the idea was utterly ridiculous. Yep, that was yet another brainstorm from those geniuses who wrote editorials for, at that time, the Milwaukee Journal.

The restaurant that occupies the old Pieces of Eight is set to close this week. Milwaukee’s fabulous lakefront would be the perfect site for a high quality restaurant that matches that incredible view. The problem is, no one has that vision. No one wants to plop a 4-star dining establishment on that pristine piece of real estate, especially picky, finicky environmentalists.

So Milwaukee wastes a wonderful chance. Visit other cities, towns, villages adjacent to scenic waterways and you’ll find terrific restaurants taking full advantage. Not here. But we can have cigarette butts, broken glass, and a dilapidated snack bar, and that’s ok. Suggest, as I am here, a restaurant on Lake Michigan and the tar and feather brigade calls an emergency meeting.

Again, here is what might be in store to replace the old Pieces of Eight.

There’s nothing wrong with that, but how incredibly unexciting, and what a lost opportunity, truly a Culinary no-no.

Knock knock. Who's there? The Greenfield police...

Kevin Fischer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:40:00 GMT

Convicted sex offender Steve Hanke, booted out of Franklin recently for being in violation of Franklin’s tough ordinances that restrict where sex offenders can live, had to go somewhere.

Look where he turned up: At a motel on Highway 100 in Greenfield that doesn’t have an ordinance that limits where sex offenders can live.

Why doesn’t Greenfield have a Franklin-like ordinance? The Greenfield Common Council is hemming and hawing about a proposed ordinance by Greenfield Alderman Linda Lubotsky, even though Franklin and next-door Greendale have such laws on the books.

Lubotsky told her fellow Council members Greenfield could become a dumping ground. Hanke went right for Greenfield, and is now living just 1531 feet from a day care center.

The next meeting of the Greenfield Common Council Legislative Committee to consider and possibly vote on Lubotsky’s ordinance is Monday, October 20, 2008 at 6:30. So far, the only certain vote in support of the ordinance is Lubotsky’s.

Meanwhile, kudos to Greenfield police who are informing sex offenders what they can and cannot do during Halloween.

Thank goodness Greenfield and so many other communities around the country recognize why measures like these are necessary.

Nice article about Franklin

Kevin Fischer — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:14:00 GMT

It's in today's Journal Sentinel.

As usual, the good stuff is at the end. Residents are interviewed who express a desire for lower taxes, more restaurants, and changes to the roundabout on Drexel.

Photos of the Week (10/12/08)

Kevin Fischer — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:50:00 GMT

Trader Arthur Cashin wears a "Dow 10,000" hat, one that was given out when the Dow Jones Industrial Average first hit 10,000 on March 29, 1999, as he works on the NYSE trading floor Monday Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Members of Code Pink protest as former AIG CEO Martin Sullivan (R) leaves after he testified at a hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Capitol Hill October 7, 2008 in Washington, DC. The hearing was to examine the causes and effects of the AIG bailout. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) take part in their Town Hall Presidential Debate at Belmont University's Curb Event Center October 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee. The debate was the second presidential debate of three, the only one being held in the town hall style with questions coming from audience members. (photos from AP and Getty Images)

Live Peanuts cartoon characters, including Charlie Brown, participate in a mock presidential election Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles, to promote the release of the DVD "You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown." (AP Photo/Ric Francis)

Ralph Ham, owner of Ham’s Bellevue Bar, says that he avoids political discussions in his bar. (Photo: Monica Almeida/The New York Times) I love this photo. Captured on the TV behind Ham, one of the great TV shows of recent times, and its best character.

University of Oregon student Ella Barrett, a junior, holds up a sign on campus as part of an effort to sign up new voters in Eugene, Ore., Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008. The push to sign up new voters has been heavy on campus as young people are showing more interest in this historical presidential election.(AP Photo/Don Ryan)

A general election absentee ballot from Rensselaer County, N.Y. misspelling the name of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is seen, Friday, Oct. 10, 2008 in Sand Lake, N.Y. The absentee ballots sent to voters in Rensselaer County identified the two presidential candidates as "Barack Osama" and "John McCain." In the United States, the best-known individual named Osama is Osama bin Laden, leader of the al Qaida terrorist group behind the 2001 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City. (AP Photo/The Albany Times Union, Michael P. Farrell)

A pregnant woman with a Barack Obama symbol on her belly sits with protestors against Republican Party policies outside the hotel before the arrival of Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, for a fundraiser in Pittsburgh, Friday, Oct. 10, 2008. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

A Roman Catholic priest followed by military officials blessed 50 new machine guns in Kauswagan, a town on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, to help the military in its operation against rebels belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Photo: Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

An Iraqi policeman and an American soldier examine two rockets they discovered while on a routine patrol in the district of Dora in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Loay Hameed)

Anti-government protesters take cover after the police fired tear gas during a dispersal operation near Government House in Bangkok on October 7, 2008. Thai police bombarded protesters with tear gas October 7 in a bid to end a blockade of parliament, leaving 190 people hurt as months of political turmoil boiled over into clashes, police and medics said. (GETTY IMAGES)

Constable Aakash Kumar guards Dal Lake during a curfew October 6, 2008 in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. A strict curfew in Indian Kashmir was imposed yesterday as thousands of troops have been deployed to prevent a major pro-independence rally from taking place on Monday. The curfew includes all Muslim towns within Indian Kashmir. Separatist leaders have also been detained. Kashmiri people have been protesting against Indian rule claiming that they are alienated from the Indian state and want a platform for autonomy. (Photo Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

A man carries an injured girl inside an ambulance, during an operation searching for survivors at the site of the collapsed apartment building in down town Alexandria, Egypt, early Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. A police official says at least 10 people died and six other residents were wounded when a six-story apartment building collapsed in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. (AP)

In this photo provided by the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper, Pope Benedict XVI, fourth from the bottom of the stairs at left, makes his way to a crypt below the main alter in St. Peter's Basilica, to pray before Pope Pius XII tomb, after a mass to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of the late pontiff, at the Vatican Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. Benedict XVI has given a push to possible sainthood for Pope Pius XII, as he defended the World War II pontiff Thursday from accusations that he did little to spare Jews from the Holocaust. Benedict contends his predecessor acted silently to save as many Jews as possible and expressed hope that efforts aimed at his beatification would proceed "smoothly." Beatification is the last formal step before sainthood. Some writers and Jewish leaders others have accused Pius of not doing enough to try to stop the Holocaust, in which 6 million Jews died. (AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, HO)

Cemetery workers take a break after digging the hole where the coffin containing the remains of Jose Luis Garza will rest in Monterrey, Mexico Tuesday, October 7. Garza, who weighed 450-kilograms, 990-pounds, and who had earlier appealed on Mexican television for help tackling his weight problem, died Tuesday Oct. 7, of heart failure, his family said.(MONICA RUEDA, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Malaysian Chinese carrying an Emperor God walk barefoot over burning coals on the final day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Participants have abstained from meat for the past nine days in order to purify their bodies in preparation for this painful ritual, in which women are barred from participating. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

World Wide Fund (WWF) members are dressed to protest against the construction of new coal mines in Europe, in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, Tuesday Oct. 7, 2008. Later Tuesday members of the European Parliament are voting on the EU's response to climate change with implications for the construction of over 50 coal plants in Europe. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

People search for usable coal at a cinder dump site on a hazy day in Changzhi, Shanxi province October 7, 2008. Negotiations seeking a global pact to tackle global warming are troubled and could end in disastrous failure, China's top climate change envoy warned on Monday, saying rich countries are failing to deliver on promises. REUTERS/Stringer

Partially clothed protesters seen with taped on banderillas, a decorated barbed dart, lay in front of the European Parliament in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. The activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were protesting against EU tax payers money being used to organize Bullfights in Spain. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

A man walks past a sculpture of an executioner during an exhibition on medieval execution methods in the Peter and Paul fortress in St Petersburg October 5, 2008. (Reuters)

Still flooded: Despite constant pumping, Kate and Mike Holzum of Mukwonago still have nearly five feet of water standing in their basement since the June floods. Engineers say homes in the area were built at extraordinarily low elevation levels without adequate drainage. Journal Sentinel photo: Gary Porter

Luke Scholze uses a rake to push cranberries into a berry pumping apparatus near Camp Douglas, Wis., Monday, Oct. 6, during the fall cranberry harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that Wisconsin will yield 3.85 million barrels of cranberries, nearly a 4 percent increase over last year's crop. (ANDY MANIS, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Deborah Moore, a cancer survivor and owner of Country Treasures in Hernando, Tennessee is offering free literature, hats and wigs to women undergoing cancer treatment.Photo: Thomas Busler, Memphis Commerical Appeal.

The White House is illuminated by pink lights in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month as seen from the North Lawn in Washington, DC, on October 7, 2008. Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

Paralympian Jennifer Armbruster presents team jackets to President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura the President delivered his remarks to members of the 2008 United States Summer Olympic and Paralympic Teams Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, on the South Lawn of the White House. (Getty Images)

Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps (top-L) shakes hands with US President George W. Bush (bottom-R) after Bush made remarks to the 2008 US Summer Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn of the White House, October 7, 2008, in Washington, DC. Also pictured are paralympian Jennifer Armbruster (bottom-L) and olympic swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale (top-R). (Getty Images)

President George W. Bush kisses Army Lieutenant Melissa Stockwell, Paralympian and Iraq war veteran, after she presents President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush with the American Flag that flew over the Olympic Village in Beijing following his remarks to members of the 2008 United States Summer Olympic and Paralympic Teams Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, on the South Lawn of the White House. White House photo by Eric Draper

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig throws the ceremonial first pitch before Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, in Milwaukee. Michael Conroy/AP

From top, the Phillies' Pat Burrell, top, is congratulated by teammates Jayson Werth (28), Ryan Howard (6) and Shane Victorino (8) after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning in Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, in Milwaukee. Ben Smidt/AP

The Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after winning Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, in Milwaukee. The Phillies won 6-2 to advance to the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ben Smidt/AP

The Brewers' Prince Fielder (28) and Bill Hall (2) leave the dugout after losing Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, in Milwaukee. The Phillies won 6-2 to advance to the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Charlie Neibergall/AP

Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings sits in the stands after his second-half TD catch. Dan Powers/Gannett Wisconsin Media

Atlanta Falcons linebacker Michael Boley (59) celebrates with teammate Roddy White (84) after Boley made an interception in the fourth quarter during Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Photo by Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) hangs his head as he walks off the field after the Packers loss to the Atlanta Falcons during Sunday's game at Lambeau Field. Photo by Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette

Regan Smith, driver of the #01 DEI/The Principal Financial Group Chevrolet crosses the finishline with Tony Stewart, driver of the #20 Subway/Home Depot Toyota at the end of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 5, 2008 in Talladega, AL. Stewart won the race after NASCAR Officials reviewed the finish and found Smith crossed below the yellow line to pass. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

US player Jennifer Boss signals to her teammate April Ross during their qualifying Beach Volleyball match against Kazakhstan in Dubai on October 7, 2008. More than 25 players from over 40 nations are competing in the first edition of the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Dubai Open. The event ended on October 11, 2008. (Getty Images)

This Oct. 5, 2008 photograph provided by Canadian skydiver Neil Jones shows Neil Jones as he performs a parachute jump near Mount Everest in Nepal. According to the Everest Skydive 2008 official blog, Neil Jones of Canada along with Holly Budge of Britain and Wendy Smith of New Zealand all jumped solo out of a plane at an altitude of almost 9,000 meters (29,500 feet) over the world's tallest peak Sunday. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Neil Jones)

This photo, supplied by Patty Watson, shows 1,450 Frontier Middle School students, teachers, staff, and volunteers standing to form an American eagle in Hamburg, N.Y., Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. Designer Patty Watson has staged 10 similar photos representing different symbols of America since 9/11 to teach children about patriotism. Photographer Dave Sion took this from the bucket of a fire truck 100 feet in the air. (AP Photo/Patty Watson-Dave Sion)

Waitresses sit on a table after the end of the beer festival Oktoberfest 2008 in a festival tent in Munich, southern Germany, on Sunday evening, Oct. 5, 2008. Thousands of peoples visited the world largest beer festival Oktoberfest in Munich during the last two weeks. (AP)

In this photo released Monday, Oct. 6, 2008 by International Fund for Animal Welfare, penguins are released at the Cassino Beach, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. More than 370 frigid water penguins that mysteriously stranded in the warm waters of northeastern Brazil have been released into the ocean, environmentalists said.(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Baby parrots sit in a federal police station in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. Federal police said a man was arrested while trying to smuggle 200 baby parrots which have a black market value of close to US$15,000. The parrots will be taken to a recovery center at Ibama, Brazil's environmental agency, before being returned to their natural habitat. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Yuri and Sasha, a pair of rare Amur tigers get fed at their new home the Highland Wildlife Park on October 6, 2008 in Kincraig, Scotland. With only 500 remaining in the wild, it is hoped that the pair will continue to contribute to the worldwide breeding programme, which acts as a safety-net against extinction. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

14-year-old female sea lion Cookie controls a plastic pumpkin during a show at the Shinagawa Aquarium in Tokyo. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

A married couple who decided to go their separate ways agreed to divide their home and its contents literally - by sawing the house in half. One day the house was standing on stilts in a Cambodian village. The next, only half was there. The wife will keep the half that is standing, while the husband has carried off bits and pieces of the home to put them up in a nearby field.The extraordinary case came about after the couple, whose privacy is being protected by the village chief in the Kamchay Mea district of Cambodia, agreed that after 40 years of living together their marriage was over. (Photo: The London Mail)

In this photo distributed by China's Xinhua news agency, pregnant women show up the colored paintings on their bellies during a colored body drawing and beauty contest of pregnant women held in Haikou, south China's Hainan province, on Wednesday October 8, 2008. Fourteen pregnant women took part in the final of contest here Wednesday, according to Xinhua. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Peng Tong)

Brady White as Santa, right, dances with models Brooke Tobolka, left, and Donny Boaz, back, during the unveiling of the 82nd edition of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book in Irving, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. A 35-year collection of 45 RPM records is one of the featured wow gifts priced at $275,000., in the Christmas Book. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Artist Nathan Sawaya, left, and his girlfriend Courtney Simmons poses with LEGO brick sculptures of themselves during the unveiling of the 82nd edition of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book in Irving, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Featured as the His and Hers gift, life-size sculptures made of LEGO bricks can be purchased for $60,000., for each. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Harlem Globetrotter Buckets Blakes, left, and Reed Luter, 10, demonstrate how to spin a basketball on the index finger during the unveiling of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book in Irving, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Playing with the Harlem Globetrotters in a game as a special guest in the 2008-09 season is one of the featured wow gifts in the Christmas Book. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

My most popular blogs

Kevin Fischer — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 13:39:52 GMT

As I post every Sunday, here are the top five most popular of my blog entries from the previous week:

1) The Barking Lot (10/04/08)

2) Culinary no-no #79

3) The latest weapon against sex offenders...and other sex offender news

4) Photos of the Week (10/05/08)

5) Sweetheart, are you "Party A" or am I?

Ed Hochuli is not having a good season

Kevin Fischer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:00:00 GMT

If you watched Monday Night Football earlier this week, you saw another blown call by referee Ed Hochuli.

Minnesota linebacker Chad Greenway grabbed the facemask of New Orleans’ Reggie Bush. The play forced a fumble that was recovered by the Vikings.

Everyone in the stadium and watching on television saw the blatant facemask penalty……everyone except Hochuli and the other blind mice on his crew. No flag was thrown was on the play. As you might expect, the Saints weren’t happy.

The National Football League has fined Greenway $7,500. No word on what, if anything will happen to Hochuli who has turned in an absolutely brutal performance so far this season.

33 years ago today, a Notre Dame legend was born

Kevin Fischer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Being a Notre Dame fan, I’m watching their game at North Carolina this afternoon.

Thirty-three years ago this afternoon at North Carolina, Notre Dame struggled, until one of the future greats came off the bench in the 4^th quarter for the Irish.

From today’s South Bend Tribune:

“In the third period, however, the Tar Heels scored twice and took a 14-0 lead into the final period. Early in the fourth period, Rick Slager engineered a drive and with plenty of running help from Jerome Heavens and Al Hunter, the Irish scored. But Slager misfired on a 2-point conversion pass and it was 14-6 with 11:27 to play. When the clock got down to 6:00, it was ‘Montana time.'”

Here’s what happened next….

The Barking Lot

Kevin Fischer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:06:00 GMT

TO NEW READERS: The Barking Lot is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...co-written by my wife and yours truly. Jennifer provides the opening blog and then I bring you DOGS IN THE NEWS.

THE WEEKEND DOG-WALKING FORECAST: We grade the weather outlook for taking your pet outdoors.

TODAY: “A” all day and this evening.

SUNDAY: Ditto. A picture perfect dog-walking weekend is in store.

My favorite neighbor dog Mickey is a beautiful, sweet-tempered Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier. If I see her out for a walk with her dad George, I run out to pet her and get my fix of licks and tail wags. I think Mickey is one of the happiest, healthiest dogs I have ever known. I swear that dog actually SMILES.

Mickey is about four years old and has all the spark of a puppy. She has a soft, shiny coat; bright eyes; perky disposition and I’ve never noticed any odor about her, be it “dog coat smell or doggy breath.” George and his wife treat this dog like gold… the same way we will treat our dog when we get one. (While Dad takes her for a walk in the winter, Mom is home warming towels in the dryer to wipe her chilled, damp paws. Every day.)

Kevin and I have discussed feeding practices many times. He’s all for the occasional scrap of human goodies: a toss of a pizza scrap, a morsel of meat, etc. I’ve seen what too many table scraps and treats can do to dogs: my Sugar was terribly overweight because our family literally killed her with kindness. Unfortunately pet health wasn’t as big an issue 25 years ago and we didn’t really know any better. Kevin’s theory is she must have lived a happy and content life… if she really enjoyed that piece of occasional pizza was that really so wrong? Did it knock of a day in her short life? Maybe. But if she was one day less on this earth, she was one day happier.

I have seen Kevin give Leia, our Yellow Lab dog-in-law, several bits of treats from the snack table on holidays. (Of course her family does it too so we are not going against their wishes.) Kevin helped let her out this past week while his brother and sister-in-law were on vacation. I bought her a new squeak toy. I can only imagine what he slipped her in everyone’s absence!

Back to Mickey, our neighbor dog. Mickey is fed nothing but 100% human food. Her mom cooks for her daily. Poached chicken, ground beef, rice, and an occasional piece of steak. She loves her vegetables too, especially green beans. Her diet has been fully sanctioned by her vet, a vet George has used for many years for many dogs. She gets commercial “treats” with vitamin supplements but other than that she and her mom and dad could share the same plate.

George has made the decision to feed Mickey a human food diet because of all the frightening recalls of dog food. He is not about to see anything bad happen to their beloved dog. Kevin and I both agree with this theory and plan on feeding our future dog this way. We can’t imagine the heartbreak of having a pet poisoned by the very food we thought would be appropriate.

We know that MANY dog owners and dog health professionals disagree with us. Obviously we would do our research and consult our vet before we’d make our dog bacon and eggs for breakfast.

The Whole Dog Journal offers subscription options but some articles are available in their entirety on-line. This article reviews many alternatives to feeding Fido his usual canned Alpo.

There is as much debate over feeding your dog a human food diet as there is over its owners being vegetarians vs. omnivores. For the Future Fischer dog, a human diet is as guaranteed as Mr. and Mrs. Fischer never touching tofu.
---Jennifer Fischer

Thanks, Jennifer! Time now for DOGS IN THE NEWS, canines that made all kinds of headlines this past week, and did they ever. We always begin with the more serious stories.

Did this woman go too far? I certainly think so.

A U.S. soldier's dog could be executed.

A warning has been issued about a rabid Iraqi dog here in the U.S.

A Texas woman uses the Internet to track down the adult child of a man killed while saving dogs from a freeway.

We love stories like this one, about another very special dog.

This church welcomes dogs.

Politics and pooches in a sibling rivalry.

There's a Rin TinTin-Hollywood controversy brewing.

The most popular names for dogs?

And it's an age old question. Do dogs look like.......their owners?

That's it for this week. Thanks for visiting. We close with music and lyrics from Eric Stoltz.

Week-ends

Kevin Fischer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:32:00 GMT

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

Leonel Cesar

Mike Rivera

Fairgoers in Florida

VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Harrell Johnson

Starbucks

Husband of the Year

Texas cheerleaders and their school principal

Radio talk show hosts in the Twin Cities

The Reverend Peter Mullen

Adam Mucklin

The Milwaukee County Board

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"The United States government is acting; we will continue to act to resolve this crisis and restore stability to our markets. We are a prosperous nation with immense resources and a wide range of tools at our disposal. We're using these tools aggressively."
President Bush Friday, trying to reassure Americans that the economy will rebound.

"My concern is that people think because we passed this (bailout) bill we're going to avoid a recession and everything's going to be fine. That will not happen."
Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan

“Going forward now might cement the feeling among certain voters that we are insensitive to their economic situations."
West Bend school board member John Duwell. The board unanimously agreed Wednesday to postpone the district's $68.85 million building referendum from the Nov. 4 ballot until early next year in the wake of the economic uncertainty created by the nation's ongoing financial crisis.

"This is a tough campaign. I'm the underdog. I've always been the underdog from the beginning."
John McCain

"I'm really mad! And what's going to surprise you, it's not the economy. It's the socialists taking over our country."
An attendee at the McCain-Palin rally in Waukesha

"I am begging you, sir. I am begging you. Take it to him."
WTMJ talk show host James T. Harris, imploring McCain.

"[Ayers] wasn't a guy in the neighborhood. [Obama] launched his political career in his living room, in Mr. Ayers' living room. And I don't care about two washed-up old terrorists that are unrepentant about trying to destroy America. But I do care, and Americans should care, about his relationship with him and whether he's being truthful and candid about it. I have every right to insist that he be candid and truthful with the American people. And he needs to be asked about it, and he needs to be forthcoming,"
McCain, on Barack OBama's ties to 60's anti-war activist William Ayers. Ayers was a co-founder of the Weather Underground, a Vietnam-era group that executed domestic bombings and plotted attacks on the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon.

"Why don't we just clear it up right now. I'll repeat again what I've said many times. This is a guy who engaged in some despicable acts 40 years ago when I was eight years old. By the time I met him, 10 or 15 years ago, he was a college professor of education at the University of Illinois . . . And the notion that somehow he has been involved in my campaign, that he is an adviser of mine, that . . . I've 'palled around with a terrorist', all these statements are made simply to try to score cheap political points."
Barack Obama

"Does he have the experience and the knowledge and judgment and has he made the right decisions and has he told -- been candid with the American people? I think that's important.They certainly know me."
John McCain

"The notion that people don't know who I am is a little hard to swallow. I've been running for president for the last two years. I've campaigned in 49 states. Millions of people have heard me speak at length on every topic under the sun. I've been involved now in 25 debates, going on my 26th. And I've written two books which any -- everybody who reads them will say are about as honest a set of reflections by, at least, a politician as are out there."
Barack Obama

"The day that Sen Obama decided to cast a vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body. I would suggest that Sen Obama change shoes with me for just one day and see what it means… to have a loved one serving in the armed forces and more importantly, serving in harm's way."
Cindy McCain

"I know that Barack has the utmost respect for Sen McCain. He said so on so many occasions. You know, I think this has been a long, tough fight. And politics sometimes leads to things said between the candidates."
Michelle Obama

"With the economy in crisis and Election Day in sight, Obama can't say enough about the Clinton epoch -- the job growth, the budget surpluses, the broad prosperity -- and often lauds the former president's economic stewardship as a model. Obama's characterization of Clinton's presidency is markedly different than the one he offered during the Democratic primaries, when he was running against Clinton's wife, Senator Hillary Clinton."
Scott Helman, writing in the Boston Globe.

"I never voted before. Without this service, I would have had no way to get here."
William Woods of Cleveland, who has a felony conviction.Volunteers supporting Barack Obama picked up hundreds of people at homeless shelters, soup kitchens and drug-rehab centers and drove them to a polling place this week on the last day that Ohioans could register and vote on the same day, almost no questions asked. The huge effort by a pro-Obama group, Vote Today Ohio, takes advantage of a quirk in the state's elections laws that allows people to register and cast ballots at the same time without having to prove residency.

"The McCain folks are more helpful and generally friendly. The schedules are printed on actual books you can hold in your hand, read, and then plan accordingly. The press aides are more knowledgeable and useful to us in the news media. The events are designed with a better eye, and for the simple needs of the press corps. When he is available, John McCain is friendly and loquacious. Obama holds news conferences, but seldom banters with the reporters who've been following him for thousands of miles around the country. Go figure.The McCain campaign plane is better than Obama's, which is cramped, uncomfortable and smells terrible most of the time. Somehow the McCain folks manage to keep their charter clean, even where the press is seated."
CBS' Dean Reynolds

"Hi Charlie,

As you might have heard, I am covering the McCain/Palin appearance today. At the media breakfast at the Pfister Hotel about an hour ago, you would simply not believe the vicious, nasty conversation I just overheard between several “elite” media types from the McClatchey news service, AP, and a couple of other sources I didn’t quite catch.

Over the course of just a few minutes, I heard that 'Sean Hannity gives Dick Cheney the best head of his life,' and that he and Lou Dobbs are 'mean-spirited sycophants,' and that McCain himself is 'angry' and 'crusty.' One even recalled a recent campaign event at which Sarah Palin autographed a supporter’s Bible, prompting this 'objective”'journalist to remark 'these people terrify me.'

And this was just in the span of a 10 minute conversation! I simply cannot believe that these are the people entrusted to cover the McCain/Palin campaign fairly and accurately. I have never before wanted to do a show like yours quite as badly as I do right now--so that I can expose these people for who they really are: unabashed, unashamed partisans whose callous, bitter attitude towards conservatives very clearly permeates their work."
An e-mail sent to WTMJ's Charlie Sykes from a local journalist covering a visit this week to Wisconsin by John McCain.

"She should just drop all pretense and put on her white hood and light up a cross. She is a despicable human being."
A reference to Sarah Palin from the blog, Democratic Underground. The blog asserted that because Palin was wearing white at a campaign event, she is racist. Here are other nice, warm, compassionate quotes from the same blog.

“If Wisconsin would simply allow police to pull drivers over for failing to wear their seat belts, the savings are estimated at 73 lives and $220 million every year, according to the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. So what's the hold up?”
Wisconsin State Journal editorial, arguing in support of a primary seat belt enfordcement law.

"Look, it's well documented that wearing seatbelts is smart and saves lives. Much as we dislike being bossed around by Washington, the state law mandating belts makes sense. We're not against seatbelts. We are, however, against encouraging police officers to pull people over just because they might think a driver forgot to fasten the belt. There's just too much room for harassment.Most states have seatbelt-stop laws. Wisconsin certainly wouldn't be breaking any new ground by giving in to the federal demand. But somewhere, some day, we believe it's worth drawing a line that says, 'No thanks. We're satisfied the way things are, so keep the money - and keep your nose out of our business.'"
From a Beloit Daily New editorial.The federal government is offering Wisconsin millions of dollars if it adopts a primary seat belt law.

OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

Has to be Starbucks. See Villains above.

MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK

John McCain is still in it.

MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK

John McCain is out of it.

STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK

More than one this week...

Its'a miracle.

Are you a witch?

Blogger Dad29 reads This Just In...and I read Dad29. He's got his own suggestion for this category.

Remember that woman stuck on a toilet? Here's an update you won't believe.

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.

Coming up on This Just In....

Kevin Fischer — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:36:00 GMT

I promise there will plenty to talk about, in addition to our regular weekend features.

Saturday morning, another interesting installment of Week-ends. Jennifer will present The Barking Lot complete with the latest DOGS IN THE NEWS and what promises to be a rather pleasant dog-walking forecast.

Sunday, no Shari Hanneman this week, but we will have our Photos of the Week, the most popular blogs of the past week, and a very sweet Culinary no-no.

Thank you for stopping by.

There is no voter fraud

Kevin Fischer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:23:45 GMT

None in Texas.

None in Missouri.

None in Indiana.

None being perpetrated by ACORN.

BrookfieldNOW’s Kyle Prast says Republicans aren’t sitting idly by.

And John McCain has launched an Internet ad pointing to Barack Obama’s ties to ACORN.

Brett Favre is Jack Benny

Kevin Fischer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:13:00 GMT

Happy 39^th birthday, Brett!

Favre’s stats so far this season with the New York Jets……impressive.

Green Bay record after 5 games this year: 2-3.

Green Bay record after 5 games last year: 4-1.

How does Favre compare to other 39-year old QB’s?

And yes, Aaron Rodgers did play well last Sunday against the lowly Atlanta Falcons until....

Falcons linebacker Michael Boley is tackled by Packers running back Brandon Jackson after Boley picked off a pass during the fourth quarter. (Journal Sentinel photo)

Packer losing streak: 3 games (the total number of games lost all last season)

A genius, that Ted Thompson. An absolute geniuS.

UPDATE on 10/11/08: A brand new Brett

Farrakhan and Obama

Kevin Fischer — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:12:00 GMT

Scary stuff.

A message for varsity high school football coaches

Kevin Fischer — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:21:40 GMT

Don’t pour it on.

Last fall, I wrote about an unnecessary bludgeoning of Milwaukee Washington by Milwaukee Bradley Tech that I witnessed. Word got around MPS athletics and let’s just say it didn’t happen again……..last season. Last weekend, I saw another blatant case of the worst sportsmanship in high school athletics: running up the score.

This time, I won’t mention the teams, but I will detail the circumstances. Leading 42-19 with under two minutes to go in the game, the team about to coast to a victory had the football at about their opponent’s 25-yard line. I swear there isn’t a coach in southeast Wisconsin who has heard of, “taking a knee.” Have the quarterback take the snap, drop back a step or two and go down to one knee. Do this two or three times, run out the clock, game over, everybody goes home, no fights break out and no one gets seriously injured for nothing.

Are you kidding me? We can’t do that. We’ve got a chance for more, more, more! Did I forget to mention the team in the lead still has starters out on the field?

The ball is snapped, and the quarterback...........DROPS BACK TO PASS! It’s a perfect spiral into the right corner of the end zone. Pass caught. Touchdown. 48-19.

The brilliant coaches decide to go for two points because during the time it took to drive down the field, they used their public school math skills to determine that would give them an even 50 points if the conversion was successful, and it was.

Oh, there’s more.

On the ensuing kickoff, instead of sending the ball deep, the team leading 50-19 does something I’ve never seen in that situation, ever, at any level of sports. They attempted an onside kick in the hope of getting the ball back one more time. Thankfully, the attempt failed, but what if it hadn’t? Would they have thrown another bomb into the end zone? Would they have been unable to settle for 50? Were 56, 57, even 58 points in their sights?

There’s a word for this kind of coaching and playing: It’s garbage. I’m not suggesting teams not give their best effort, but for those who say we should just let the kids play, I counter that at that point, the time for playing has long expired. It’s time to wind down the clock and go home. Nothing is gained from frustrations boiling over, fights erupting, or heaven forbid, a freak, serious injury that was completely avoidable.

Varsity high school football coaches, show some class. When the game is clearly in hand, clear your bench, and don’t rub it in.

Friday night on InterCHANGE

Kevin Fischer — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:30:00 GMT

Here are this week’s topics on InterCHANGE, Friday night at 6:30, with a repeat broadcast Sunday morning at 11:00 on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10:

1 – Economy / Presidential Race.

The Milwaukee Journal financial writer had a great lead line in her article this morning. “Once again Wall Street got what it wanted. Once again, it wasn’t enough.” No matter what the government does, no matter how much money they pledge to pump into the system, it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. Are people simply afraid to trust the policy makers and politicians who stood by and watched as we got into this mess? Is that why they are pulling their money out of the stock market? Are you starting to wonder if maybe they’re all wrong and there will be another depression? Has the financial crisis hit home for most Americans yet? Are you confident that in a few months, or maybe a few years, things will bounce back to “normal”, whatever that is? Does the average American even understand what the factors are that are causing this financial crisis?

2 – Milwaukee Buses.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff is joining the bus drivers union in calling for protective shields to keep the bus drivers safe and away from dangerous riders. This, after a number of recent beating incidents aboard busses. Is this a reasonable request? Should there be a security agent stationed on every bus? Should the county get completely out of the bus business? Is this a good argument for contracting, rather than expanding, bus service? Should rates be increased to cover the costs of additional security? You can’t have a community where people are afraid to get on the buses, can you? Or, are we already at that point.

3 – UW Band.

Last weekend, for the first time in forty years, there was a UW Badger football game without the presence of the UW band. Because of alleged hazing incidents, including drinking and apparent inappropriate sexual shenanigans (harassment?), the 300 band members were suspended from performing. The school sent a letter to parents explaining (sort of) what is going on. Is the school being forthright with the community in this matter? Was it fair to impose a penalty on all 300 kids? Was it admirable that the school sent the parents a letter urging them to talk with their children when most of these kids are legal adults? Should the parents have been notified at all? Is Madison simply trying to do what it can to address its problem image of a party school? Aren’t band members about the last group of kids you’d expect to have behavior problems?

Mr. Obama, Sir....Columbo wants to know

Kevin Fischer — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:18:07 GMT

From an e-mail that's floating around that is sooooo good:

Ah...sorry to bother you, Mr. Obama, sir.

Excuse me Mr. Obama, I mean Senator Obama, sir. Um . . . know you are busy and important and stuff. I mean running for president is very important and . . . ah . . . I hate to bother you. I will only take a minute ok, sir?

See, I have these missing pieces that are holding me up, and I was wondering sir, if you could take time out of your busy schedule and help me out. You know, no big deal, just some loose ends and things.

Hey, you have a nice place here! The wife sees houses like this on TV all the time and says boy she wishes she had digs like this you know? Is that painting real? Really? Wow. I saw something like that in a museum once!

Oh, sorry sir. I didn't mean to get off the track. So if you could just help me out a minute and give me some details, I will get right out of your way. I want to close this case and maybe take the wife to Coney Island or something. Ever been to Coney Island ? No, I didn't think so. .

Well, listen, anyways, I can't seem to get some information I need to wrap this up. These things seem to either be 'locked' or 'not available'. I'm sure it's just some oversight or glitch or something, so if you could you tell me where these things are . . . I . . . I . . . have them written down here somewhere . . . oh wait. Sorry about the smears. It was raining out. I'll just read it to you.

Could you help me please find these things, sir?

1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- 'not available'
4. Harvard College records -- Not released
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- 'not available'
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate - - Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None
12. University of Chicago scholarly articles -- None
13. Your Record of baptism-- Not released or 'not available'
14. Your Illinois State Senate records--'not available'

Oh hey . . listen! I know you are busy! Is this too much for you now? I mean tell you what.. I will come back tomorrow. Give you some time to get these things together, you know? I mean, I know you are busy, so I will just let myself out. I will be back tomorrow. And the day after. .Who wants to know these things you ask, Senator Obama? Columbo answered:

THE PEOPLE

JOHN McCAIN IN HIS OWN WORDS

There is no bias in the media: Chapter 59,463

Kevin Fischer — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:22:27 GMT

From Charlie Sykes...