Re: D.A. charges man for defending himself

First I spotted the following bumper sticker in a Madison parking lot:
Guns kill people like spoons made Rosie O'Donnel Fat.

Anyway as far as Patick's post goes. Didn't a similar case instigate the move for concealed carry in Wisconsin?

IIRC a convenience store clerk was held up and the clerk defended themselves with a gun pulled out from someplace not obvious. I don't recall if the assailant was killed or not, but the DA's office pressed charges for concealed weapons. The clerk was convicted but eventually the Supreme Court of Wisconsin threw the conviction out.

Again IIRC, the decision was concealed carry was a state constitutional right and therefore the conviction was wrong. Of course, this leads to the absurd situation where concealed carry is a constitutional right but not permitted by law. Perhaps the Dems feel like the court will roll back our rights on this issue?

So, the next time the Dems & Doyle talk about rights you know what to say.

Also, thanks a lot Ed Thompson were you in cahoots with Mr. Doyle? I do not believe they were but would the results be any different if they were?

The GBPG Runs a Negative Attack on Campaign Spending

The Green Bay Press-Gazette ups the rhetoric on campaign finance reform:

Campaign finance statistics from recent elections are nightmarish, with candidates and their backers spending record amounts of money, and the campaign advertising reaching new lows in negativity.

I wonder: what if the spending were the same, or even greater, but the messages were all positive? Would the PG be okay with that? Or could the campaigns keep spewing the negativity, as long as they do it for less?

Can you economize on negativity? Are there coupons or something?

And just how much campaign spending is all right with the PG's editors? Ten percent less than was spent in the last election cycle? Twenty percent less?

Do they even know? Or is this just an excuse for another mindless blathering editorial for the sake of righteous pontification?

D.A. charges man for defending himself

A pizza delivery man (one of the most dangerous jobs there is) who has had to shoot two armed robbers over the past 7 months, is being charged with carrying a concealed weapon. In both cases, the shootings were found to be justified, as both thugs were trying to rob him while armed with a gun.

With all of the thugs on Milwaukee's streets, killers, robbers, rapists and all around thugs, our new District Attorney charges a man that was defending himself while doing his dangerous job.

Pizza man who shot 2 charged

A 46-year-old pizza delivery man who has shot two people on the job in the past seven months was hit with his first criminal charge today: carrying a concealed weapon.

Andres Vegas, who told authorities that the teenagers he shot last month and in July were each trying to rob him, appeared in court and was released on a $1,500 signature bond today. He faces up to nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine if convicted of the misdemeanor. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 19.

According to the criminal complaint, Vegas, of Cudahy, was making a delivery in the 2800 block of N. 22nd St. on the evening of Jan. 4 for Mona Lisa Pizza, 4938 W. North Ave. As he got of his car, he was approached by an armed suspect. Vegas then reached into his car's passenger seat, got his .32 semi-automatic pistol and shot his assailant. He then disarmed the suspect and waited for police.

The complaint says the suspect admitted trying to rob Vegas, who prosecutors then determined was justified in the shooting. But because Vegas's gun had been "the front passenger seat beside the pizzas," it met the definition of a concealed weapon.

The complaint also says that "prosecutorial discretion" was why Vegas wasn't charged for the July shooting, even though he "admitted to carrying a gun on his person in a concealed manner" in that case. But Vegas was warned then that he could not carry a concealed gun for protection on his job.

I want to sit on this jury!

We Need Concealed Carry In Wisconsin! Just like they have in 48 other states!

State of the State

It looks like most of the Wisconsin blogosphere chose not to watch the State of the State address tonight, and not many more read the speech, myself included. For analysis, head on over to Boots & Sabers.

Think the La Crosse drownings are a serial killer?

Thing again.

Have trouble understanding how these kids can accidentally end up in the river? Well, here's how it happens (from the La Crosse Tribune):

Early Friday, police found an intoxicated University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student wandering toward the Mississippi River.

“She could have been our first female drowning victim,” Kondracki said.

Ashley Thofthe was staggering at La Crosse and Third streets about 2:20 a.m., headed west and oblivious to the intersection — at least one vehicle had to stop on a green light to avoid hitting her, according to La Crosse police reports.

When police stopped her in a credit union parking lot near the intersection, Thofthe, 21, said she knew where she was and was walking to Ninth Street. Police determined she had gotten off the Safe Ride bus at La Crosse Street but failed to turn onto Ninth Street.

UW La Crosse has one of the most entrenched drinking cultures in the state and a powerful river near the bars. It is fortunate that more drunken college students don't end up in the river when they are plowed at bar time.

More Tax Increases

Grab your wallets, here they come again.

• In the Elmbrook School District, where they want a $100 million spending referendum to build, among other things, two fieldhouses with six basketball courts apiece.
• In Mukwonago, where they want to borrow $15 million to pay for routine maintenance items for which money had been allocated in previous budgets but the repairs not made.
• In Racine, where the County Board wants a referendum asking voter approval on a 0.5 percent sales tax to fund parks, the Racine Zoo and the Heritage Museum under the oldest shell game around: the County Board says it will take those items off the county budget and provide property tax relief.

You can read my thoughts on Elmbrook here, Mukwonago here and my county con artists here.

An Update Please.

Tee Bee & All Others,

About one year ago we got some threads going on solar energy.

I have been eyeing up the ECD Ovonics of late and put a contact in with them. Tee Bee, what did you come with in your contacts and discussions with ECD Ovonics?

Incredible: The Frankenstein Veto.

Jo Egelhoff at Fox Politics takes a closer look at the Governor's line item veto. Jo quotes Mark Gundrum's (R-New Berlin) newsletter:

The only way to understand the Frankenstein Veto is to look at it for yourself. Check out State Senator Sheila Harsdorf’s (R-River Falls) posting of a Journal Sentinel illustration of the Frankenstein veto, used to transfer $427M from the Transportation Fund to the General Fund in the 2005-07 Biennial Budget. (You may have to increase the magnification of your page to read the explanations at the top and lower left of the page.)

Source: FoxPolitics.net – Frankenstein - not in the library, but in the legislature

Now, I suppose many Democratic sympathizers & leftists will complain this is a case of something we enjoyed over the years when a Republican governor was in charge but now do not enjoy when a Democratic governor is in charge. I wonder if any similarly egregious abuses of the veto took place over the Thompson & McCallum administrations?

Still, Jo notes in 1980 the constitution was amended to probibit forming new words by vetoing letters! Hmmm, who was governor back then? Republican Lee Dreyfus. I think the idea should be to establish an atomic legislative unit (ALU) and only whole ALUs may be vetoed. So, this power has been limited in the past.

However, legislative fixes and constitutional amendments while important and needed are material fixes to what is essentially a spiritual problem. Even with the fix I propose, sooner or later some governor who wants to subvert he legislature and a smart lawyer (or who is a smart lawyer) will figure a way to abuse the line item veto again.

Conservatives fight back!

So have you had enough of Senator Chuck Hagel?

I support our troops and winning the war in Iraq.

Despite what the media may be touting, Chuck Hagel does not represent Republicans or our values!

Fight back by signing this pledge that states:

If the United States Senate passes a resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of additional troops to Iraq that General Petraeus has asked for and that the president has pledged, and if the Senate does so after the testimony of General Petraeus on January 23 that such a resolution will be an encouragement to the enemy, I will not contribute to any Republican senator who voted for the resolution. Further, if any Republican senator who votes for such a resolution is a candidate for re-election in 2008, I will not contribute to the National Republican Senatorial Committee unless the Chairman of that Committee, Senator Ensign, commits in writing that none of the funds of the NRSC will go to support the re-election of any senator supporting the non-binding resolution.

Sign the Pledge here: http://www.thenrscpledge.com//index.php

DMV encourages illegal aliens to get a license before law changes

This is just nuts! Wisconsin's Department of Motor vehicles is holding seminars (in Spanish) trying to get illegal aliens to get a Wisconsin drivers license before April, when the law will prohibit non-citizens from receiving a license.

Rep. Suder and Sen. Grothman: Blast DMV Officials for Encouraging Illegal Aliens to Beat Deadline on License Law

Madison… State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) and State Senator Glenn Grothman (R- West Bend) blasted the State Department of Motor Vehicles today after a DMV employee participated in a recent seminar prompting illegal aliens to apply for state driver’s licenses. Suder and Grothman said the Department appears to be deliberately encouraging illegal aliens to beat the April deadline for a new state law that bars non-citizens from receiving state driver’s licenses and ID cards. The lawmakers called the seminar a “complete betrayal of the public’s trust” and demanded that the DMV immediately end all future classes and forums.

“The DMV seems to care more about sliding illegal aliens through the licensing line than it does about allowing law-abiding citizens and their children to get their driver’s licenses,” added Suder. “No wonder Wisconsin’s young people are waiting months to get a driver’s test.”

According to the January 24, 2007, edition of The Janesville Gazette, more than 30 people attended a forum which was offered in Spanish at the Janesville YWCA where a DMV employee encouraged participants who cannot prove their citizenship to apply for a driver’s license before the new law goes into effect in April. The lawmakers said the employee even offered tips on how to circumvent the license law by urging audience members who are NOT legal citizens to renew their current licenses before the April deadline. It also appears that the DMV may be scheduling additional exam times and testing periods to accommodate undocumented applicants.

“It is beyond belief that the Department of Transportation is diverting resources from providing driver’s tests for law abiding citizen,” said Grothman. “Instead, they are spending time to send the message that our immigration laws are to be ignored.”

The lawmakers said Governor Doyle should immediately order the department to cancel any future classes and work to enforce the citizenship requirements now rather than waiting until April.

2008 Republicans

John Hawkins has a listing of Most and Least Desired Republican candidates for president in 2008 over at Right Wing News. Here's his analysis of the results.

Very interesting. Especially to see where Tommy Thompson finished.

Breaking News...

Last evening it was learned, through a document leaked out the Governors office, that the Governor has has been contemplating a comprehensive plan that he feels can solve many of the state's budget woes. The latest plan also will provide Doyle with another constituency block in which he can tap for campaign money. This constituency block is handsomely paid, and will also be the beneficiary of your tax dollars. Surprise, surprise, surprise. The proposal out of Madison is backed by the state medical board and will help in these three areas, a statewide smoking ban, a smoking cessation program, health coverage mandates, as well as the potential to further brainwash the voting public. More on that last point later in the news brief.

The plan is calling for an immediate roundup of ALL smokers in the state, whether they smoke a single cigarette a day, one cigar a week, and in many cases, even the citizens who are victims of 'second hand' smoke, and scheduling them for brain surgery. That's right, brain surgery.

It is revealed that Governor Doyle has been in contact with Paul Matthews, a clinical neuroscientist at Imperial College in London, UK, who has been a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and has discovered a particular area of the brain that deals with addictions, (See breaking story in New Scientist), smoking being one of them. Doyle was particularly worried that the potential for malfeasance could occur in that it may also cure a person's addiction to government as well. but was assured that they could isolate the area dealing with smoking. Another plus in the plan, is that right before the surgery is done, an small shock in a region of the brain next to the insula, will almost render the victim unable to remember that the surgery had even occurred at all.

It has also been rumored that there have been large segments of the Madison population that have fallen victim to the plan in preliminary secret tests over the last 2 years. It has been determined that the many of the recipients were unknown guinea pigs and that most of them actually had failed attempts. This of course worked in favor of the current state administration. Many of the recipients of the early surgery have had their ability to think logically, altered. If you've ever spent time in Madison or read their newspapers, by watching and listening to everyone, you will know that this is true.

More details will be further explained as we receive them.

Chris - OTBL

CBO Required to Assume Falsehoods

If Congressional Dems want to make real changes, perhaps they should start with truth in accounting:

The federal budget deficit will fall to $172 billion this year and $98 billion next year, then disappear completely by 2012, according to a report released yesterday by the Congressional Budget Office. But virtually nobody -- not even top CBO officials -- believes it.

That is because the CBO, the nonpartisan office that supplies Congress with cost estimates, is required to make some whopping assumptions, including: that all of President Bush's tax cuts will expire on schedule in 2010; that the alternative minimum tax will be permitted to ensnare millions of additional taxpayers; and that the war in Iraq and other military operations will never cost much more than the $70 billion that has so far been approved for the fiscal year that ends in September.

Back in the real world, even Democrats want to extend at least some of the Bush tax cuts. Even the White House wants to halt the expansion of the alternative minimum tax. And, as for global war efforts, the president is calling for an additional 21,500 troops to be sent to Iraq and is expected to ask Congress to approve an additional $100 billion for this year alone.

It seems rather silly, perhaps almost dangerous, to ignore reality in our budget forecasts. These projections should be a useful tool to look at the future and gauge legislation by. But if they're allowed to ignore what will really happen, they're completely pointless.

Wow...

Three new posts within a half an hour...

When was the last time that happened?

Michael McGee just can't help himself

Open mouth, insert foot. For any other politician, comments like this about your constituents would be news... But this is Milwaukee.

The Guvs gift to the tribes...

In a stunning lack of common sense today. Jim Doyle is announcing that the proposed $1 a pack increase in cigarette taxes is not enough for him and he is endorsing a $1.25 a pack increase moving Wisconsin's tax per pack of cigarettes to $2.02. (God forbid we not be among the five highest taxed anything)

They are trying to use tax policy again to legislate behavior, same old liberal social engineering.

I ask you who are the benefactors of this tax increase?Any businesses in neighboring states that sell cigarettes will see an increase in business as people cross borders to feed their habits.

But in addition, the Indian tribes who have smoke shops in their casinos will see a huge influx of people going there to avoid the state tax the casinos are exempt from. Of course the casinos do not pass all the savings along, they mark their smokes up to a point where their profit is much higher than retailers who have to pay the taxes, but their prices are marginally lower.

This will be of huge benefit to the casinos that just dropped how many hundreds of thousands into the Governors re-election campaign?

One thing is certain they will have to hire extra people to count all the windfall profits coming their was as a result of horrid tax policy.

Furthermore, when Jim Doyle was telling us how hard he worked to balance the budget, you remember the one they found the almost $2 billion hole in after Doyle won, why didn't he tell us about all the tax increases and fee increases he was in favor of?

Hmmm?

This is only the beginning people. Hold onto your wallets, pick up those phones and call your legislators, fire up those keyboards and send those emails tell them Wisconsin taxes are high enough.

Tell the Governor to stop rewarding those who put him in office and start fighting for the people and lowering our ridiculous tax burden.

As if that is not bad enough Doyle is also planning to ban smoking in every workplace in the state including every restaurant and every tavern.

This is just plain wrong. Look if you own a business and you want to allow smoking in it, that is your concern, not the governors. Let the market work.

There are places that allow smoking and ones that don't, there is a market for each.

Tell me how many people die by drunk driver every year? I don't see the Guv banning alcohol for everyone's greater good, or increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages by 162%.

C/P @ RDW.

Doyle begins his 07 meddling in your life

I see the Governor and all those people who know how to run our lives better than we do are fixing to interfere with your life because well "they know whats best" right

Gov wants to raise the taxes on a pack of smokes by as much as a 1.25 oh and well he and the health nanny Nazi types are at it they will tell you smokers where you can smoke a legal taxed product.

My first question is why stop at a dollar twenty five? If the real purpose of this tax is to stop people from smoking why not raise the tax by 3.50 or 5 dollars a pack. Hmmm maybe this is the typical anti smoking full of bullshat hypocritical cash grab.

Once again if Governor Doyle and the Health Nazi's were serious about this they would propose outlawing the sale of tobacco in the State of Wisconsin. But we know that wont happen they would never give the tobacco tax money.

"Maureen Busalacchi, executive director of SmokeFree Wisconsin, said smoking rates among teens and pregnant women would plummet if the tax were raised by $1 per pack or more."

Bullshat they trot out this same tired excuse every time they want to raise the tax.

I used to smoke a lot like a fraking chimney 3 plus packs a day as most of you know I really really liked it. Do you think a dollar a pack increase would have stopped me hell no. You know how I know this I have been through it when I left the Navy had to start paying Wisconsin state taxes when I bought my smokes the leap was almost that great and it didn't slow me down one bit. I found the money to smoke and so will todays smokers

So this is nothing more than a bunch of do gooders who think they know how to live our lives better than we do.

Once again State Government cannot resist meddling in our lives. Be it Tobacco taxes or booster seats or seat belts they just cant stop meddling.

Don't forget there will be GOP types who will flock to Doyle and the Health Nazi's banner on this they will say its for the Children and the smokers who obviously cannot help themselves .

Hypocrites two faced bullshat artists

If you really believe that smoking is that bad for us(and it is) Daddy Dole stop collecting the tax money, outlaw the sale. Then you would show us you are serious about helping people stop smoking.

We know that wont happen its all about the money, it always is.

I know I am over using this but it is so true when it comes to state and local government in Wisconsin

"People don’t like to be meddled with. We tell them what to do, what to think, don’t run, don’t walk. We’re in their homes and in their heads and we haven’t the right. We’re meddlesome"

Regards,
Chris CP with swear words over at SH2

Split-screens helped Bush

A UW Madison researcher, who I've had as a TA before and is incredibly passionate about political research, did a study on the split-screen debate coverage, and found out that they actually benefited GWB.

Campaigns should not, however, take this to be the rule. I think we all remember Mr. Al Gore's facial expressions and utterances during the 2000 debates.

"View from today" doesn't look promising for Republicans

A lot of people on the right side of the political spectrum, myself included, have made a hobby guessing at what lead to the big losses of last November. There have been some good guesses out there, but I think most have been oversimplified. If you want to see the mindset of the disaffected or worn out 2004 Republican voter, then I suggest you head over to this post at Darn Floor. Drew was a founding member of the BBA, but he took a long hiatus from the blogosphere. He's been dabbling at blogging again, and I think the post I reference above might actually be one of his best because it is very revealing. I'd be willing to wager (that's me guessing again) that there are a lot of '04 Republican voters that are currently in the same boat as he is, and if that's the case then '08 could be ugly for Republicans again. And there are no simple answers for winning them back.

Everybody say hello

...to Jay P at Greenbluff Views, the newest kid on the blogging block from Greater Metropolitan Baraboo. He hasn't done much posting yet, but he's got a link to me, and what else does he really need?

Cigarette tax rumor

Here's a little grist from the rumor mill for everyone. By now, you know that $1 a pack increase in cigarette taxes is "building momentum." But which formerly solid anti-tax Assemblyman is now rumored to be in support of this cigarette tax increase?

The Assembly is our last line of defense against the Senate and the Governor. Are they fracturing already?

Wanna know how Tommy's doing?

Go read this WisPolitics story about new additions to Tommy Thompson's exploratory committee in Iowa. I don't know where these people rank as far as Iowan power politicos go, but it sure seems like a good list. Particularly for someone whose presidential aspirations aren't getting any respect.

As if I needed another reason to love football...

Via Dean Barnett at Townhall, this Daily Kos diary:

Searching for masculine bliss incarnate?

Look no further than NFL football and its myriad machismo delights....

Fierce armor-clad gladiators applying wicked hits, battering each other relentlessly, engaging in bone-jarring collisions, and performing feats of near super-human athleticism....

Provocatively undressed cheerleaders manifesting our culture’s ideal of feminine perfection.....

Rivers of ice cold beer gushing forth to satiate our desire to numb the mind and lower inhibitions....

And lest we forget, the NFL provides us with "Man Law" to shield us from our long repressed anima, which is constantly poised to assail our grossly exaggerated masculinity ....

And he says all that like it's a bad thing.

Proving, however, that football is universal, the comments are full of dissent. For example, this comment, by Lightningman:

Or, for our international friends, "American Rules" football. It is the greatest sport yet invented. It combines deep strategy, enormous athleticism, lots of action, and complicated rules and statistics.

It is America's pastime--not baseball. Please, diarist, can't we have something that we don't have to feel guilty about? I mean, c'mon, give me a break, already.

A lot of plugging for people's favorite teams, too.

Crazy British Doctor

Let me apologize for not posting here more. I don't even deserve posting privileges any more...but at least I have a doozy for y'all now.

A physician has proposed that smokers, being medically and now socially undesirable, should not necessarily receive surgery (h/t: the Mayor)

Smokers should be denied surgery on the NHS unless they kick their habit, a leading doctor has said.

In a debate published today in the British Medical Journal, Professor Matthew Peters, the head of thoracic medicine at the Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, Australia, claims that five non- smokers could be operated on for the cost of four smokers, and that their outcomes would be better.

About a thousand patients a day are admitted to NHS hospitals in England for smoking-related diseases, at a cost of £1.7 billion a year.

Imagine a society where doctors can decide who "deserves" surgery or life-saving procedures and who doesn't. I'm sure we wouldn't stop at smokers--there are several segments of society that put themselves at risk for medical issues. Surely doctors are the ones who should decide who deserves medical treatment.

The usual blather...

...at my own blog tonight (and never mind what Wendy says). Something about Isaac Newton and Condoleeza Rice. I dunno.

The only reason I'm posting this is because I wanted to include some pictures with today's post, but they just didn't seem to work. So I'm posting them here.

Everybody knows this one:


But how many of you can tell me who this is without looking it up?

Is There an Arabic Restaurant in Wisconsin?

Yesterday the Empress and myself dined at Siroccos downtown Appleton. Not bad but pricey and we had our hearts set on some good ole Arabic food. There were teases of Arabic in the food but pork tenderloin & ham wrapped scallops do not strike me as very Arabic.

Is there an authentic Arabic restaurant in the state? Don't tell me Husnus on State St. in Madison either, as we have dined there and it didn't strike me as Arabic either. It was close but no hubbly-bubbly.

The last time I had decent Arabic food was in 2000 at the Golden Sheep on Khalifa St. in Al-Ain. I tell you it was heaven. Prior that, it was at a couple of joints in – Detroit.

Klingons in the White House?

This one is so for Chris from Spottedhorse...words fail me.



Thankfully video did not.

Wait Gas Under $2.00 a gallon

But I thought Jim Doyle had proved beyond a doubt that the Evil Big Oil Companies were manipulating the price of Oil. It was not natural market forces that drove the price up over $3.00 a gallon last spring and summer.

Now that a mild winter and hurricane season have lead to a glut of oil on the world market. We are being told it is natural forces that have caused the price to drop not the benevolence of the Evil Oil Companies.

Ok you people who spend all your time screaming every time Gas and Oil prices go up that its Big Oil price gouging I will once again ask you the "Question"

If Big Oil has that much control over the price of oil why are they letting it come back down? Why if they are the real force that sets the prices instead of market forces are they letting those profits escape?

No I know you will not admit you were wrong last spring and summer but then again we should not expect socialists to understand how market forces work ;)

Regards,
Chris

Guess who was arrested at the Bradley Tech brawl in Milwaukee

Incase you haven't heard, there was a huge brawl in a Milwaukee high school (Bradley Tech) where students called parents from cell phones and several students and parents were arrested. Well, it turns out that one of those adults arrested was a prominent liberal Latino activist. You will have to come over to BadgerBlogger to find out who it was...

Vote TEE BEE

Boo,

Yes I still have posting privileges here lol.

Fellow BBA member TEE BEE's blog Guide to Midwestern Culture has been nominated for Mkeonline.com blog of the week.

So go vote for her, vote early and often for TEE BEE

Thank You for your time

Chris

A plan for Milwaukee, from someone that has done the job

I can't post this here due to formatting problems, but on my primary blog I have posted an email from former Milwaukee Police Captain Glenn Frankovis. This email has the numbers showing how his brand of Quality of Life Policing really did work. This was of course before Chief Hegerty forced him out of the MPD because he sent a memo to his cops calling the thugs... Thugs. Oh the horror!

Please come and read this post, it is from someone that really did the job on Milwaukee streets.

Milwaukee needs a police chief with a plan… This my friends, is a PLAN

What? Health Savings Accounts work?

No one has EVER suggested that they might before now, but it must be true! The Oshkosh Northwestern says so:

Manitowoc County is setting what looks to be a surefire health care trend to sweep across local government for the future and for the better.

The idea is generating buzz in Milwaukee, Madison and, thank goodness, among local government leaders wrestling with the same cost crisis.

Manitowoc County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer, also a Democrat state representative in Madison, found that both county employer and county employee save a bundle when the county simply shells out up to $3,000 in a health savings account per employee.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran an editorial on the same thing late last year.

There's no such thing as too many statistics

Crunching the numbers: A look back at interesting 2006 Packers statistics

Re: "real" blogger

Aaron, if you mean you find yourself caring about things enough to argue about them without really knowing why, well, it may not make you a "real" blogger, but it's certainly a symptom.

I think a lot of us are suffering from the same thing today.

And by the way, if you're interested (and if you spent a LOT more on your education than I did), here's a link to the paper on amniotic stem cells.

Am I A "Real" Blogger Now?

I just wrote a really long post about an issue that I don't have much interest in, and it's not the first time.

Does finding a passion for debating stem cell research or gay marriage, in spite of myself, mean I've finally "made it" as a blogger?

'Nifonged'

Cross-posted at Texas Hold 'Em Blogger.

H/T to Michelle Malkin.

Officially, “nifonged” is now a verb:

• To be unjustly prosecuted by a politically motivated District Attorney.
• The railroading or harming of a person with no justifiable cause, except for one’s own gain. It is someone being taken advantage of unfairly by someone without scruples or morals.

Stem Cell Breakthrough

Professor Malcolm Alison, a stem cell expert from the University of London, said the researchers had found a new, ethically-acceptable source of stem cells that are at least as versatile as the much-feted embryonic stem cells.

'It is a readily available source and an attractive source that would otherwise be thrown away,' said Prof Alison. 'They appear to be at least as malleable as embryonic stem cells but without all the ethical baggage' [Emphasis mine].

The source? Amniotic fluid.

The stem cells are "easily obtainable, ... can be grown quickly in large quantities," ... they have "broad potential" and "are capable of extensive self-renewal."

Milwaukee's search for a new Police Chief

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an interesting column about Milwaukee's search for a new police chief.

JS Online: Search for next chief is wide open

This column brought more questions and comments to my mind than it answered.

There are the up-and-comers working in bigger departments such as New York. There are chiefs in smaller cities looking to move up. And there's coaching staff - looking inside Milwaukee's ranks for the next chief.

Milwaukee typically has taken the final option.

The fact that, except for Phil Arreola, all past chiefs in modern history have come from inside of the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is not reason to do so again. In fact, I would argue that this is the reason to look outside of the department. Can anyone name a chief from the past 20 years that has really been successful in reducing violent crime in Milwaukee?

The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, it is time to end the cycle of keeping this position in-house. I believe that the MPD is broken, not at the cop on the street level, but in it's command and control level. It is time that this changes.

Mayor Tom Barrett says that he will be personally engaged in the search for a new chief, well, he sure better be, this will be the defining moment of his first term. We have seen violence in Milwaukee grow while the mayor tried to downplay the crisis on our streets. He may disagree with this comment, but it is what the people living in this city believe!

As in a number of American cities, violent crime has increased in Milwaukee recently. Also, there has been a rash of misconduct among officers here. Those factors likely won't deter applicants, according to experts in police chief searches, who suggest there will be no shortage of interest in Milwaukee.

Again, I believe that this points to why we need someone from the outside to oversee this department right now. Someone that can clean house at the upper levels of the MPD and someone with a plan that has been proven to work. It would be a disaster to this city if the Mayor and Fire & Police Commission settled on someone that would perpetuate the status quo. Do I have confidence that they will do this? Just listen to this quote from Woody Welsh.

Commissioner Robert "Woody" Welch said he hasn't decided what kind of search to do, but he knows what he'll be looking for in the next chief: someone very much like Hegerty, whom he described as a strong manager and careful listener.

"The ability she has to work with people, that is my criteria for the next chief: Can you work with people?" Welch said.

I would like to invite Woody to spend some time in the inner city of Milwaukee and explain to the people living here what Nan Hegerty has done to make their neighborhoods safer. The current policies are not working, hell, what is Nan's plan? I have never heard her express a compressive plan to make Milwaukee safer. All I have heard from her in the past year is that the police can't change things alone, and her plan to have police actually stop responding to non emergency calls, in other words, we won't come until someone starts shooting, until then, we can't be bothered...

Another reason to have little confidence in the Fire & Police Commission is the fact that after 9 months of searching for the next Fire Chief, they still haven't even interviewed the the finalists for the job! So instead of doing what many pundits have thought, and moving Hegerty out before the end of her term in November, we may actually not even have a new chief lined up by then.

The past three chiefs have all been "firsts" for the city.

Arreola was the city's first Hispanic chief. Jones was the first permanent African-American chief. Hegerty was the first female chief, one of only a handful of female big-city chiefs nationwide.

This should not even be a consideration! We need someone that can do the job, not some social experiment. I don't care what the race or gender of the new chief is, I want a strong leader with a proven plan to fight violence and crime in Milwaukee.

Another leader at the city governmental level is Alderman Bob Donovan, he is the chairman of the Common Council's Public Safety Committee and has been critical of Barrett and Hegerty in the past. But he too seems to be limiting the search to someone inside of the MPD. I ask, why limit yourself to someone inside of a failed system? Donovan says:

"It's one thing to be an effective captain, to be an effective detective," Donovan said. "It's a whole other ball game when you're the chief. It's lonely at the top. You need the ability and stamina to take that. You need to be a tough individual."

So why limit the search to what is already in place? If there was a strong leader among the crowd that is already there, who is it? It seems to me that the people willing to do what needed to be done, like a Captain Glenn Frankovis, were moved out of command just for calling the thugs what they are... Thugs. Do you think anyone else in the current administration is willing to change what is happening now? I don't, if they disagreed with current policies, why have they been silent while over 700 people were shot last year, with over 100 of them killed? That isn't the kind of leader I want.

D.P. Van Blaricom, former police chief in Bellevue, Wash., and a consultant for the past 20 years, said that since chiefs have traditionally come from within the department, the trend will likely continue.

If Milwaukee looks outside, he said, candidates would likely be "a rising star in some other department (who) sees no way to the top of his particular organization, or a chief of a smaller department (who) wants to trade up because he wants a bigger boat."

I fear that he is right, and the trend to keep hiring from within will continue, but my suggestion would be along the lines of Van Blaricom's second point. We need the 'rising star' or as I suggested yesterday, the second in command of one of the really successful agencies. Talk to LAPD Chief William Bratton and ask who he would least like to lose, then hire him. Or talk to Bernard Kerik, the former New York City Police Commissioner. I know he has his warts, but the man did a hell of a good job in cleaning up NYC with Rudy Giuliani. We need to look outside of the box of the MPD!

Common Council President Willie Hines says:

[H]e hoped internal candidates would be looked at first, which could spare the expense of a national search. He cited other national searches in which ultimately a local candidate was chosen.

I am amazed at the things people like Hines are willing to cut costs on. Making the expenditure now, and getting the right person for the job will cut crime and violence in Milwaukee, that in the long run will save the taxpayers a lot more than will a few airline tickets to meet with the best people available, where ever they are. Again, we have another elected official that wants to limit the most important job search we have available, to the current staff of the MPD. If the current people were getting the job done, we wouldn't be having this debate.

Milwaukee deserves the best, we have suffered from the violence and crime in our streets for to long, it is time that we, the good and law abiding people of Milwaukee take back the city that we love.

Super NANNY to the Rescue!!

So you're not sure if there really is an effort by the "Establishment" to raise your kids for you, are ya?

Here was an email sent to all employees of a local school district in our neck of the woods that I'm sure was sent to all other school districts as well.

I just love they way they can talk for the so-called 2/3's of us out here in the state of Wisconsin.

Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 8:46 AM
To: All Staff

Subject: FW: [Wi_afterschool_state_network] Time is NOW to contact Governor Doyle about afterschool funding!]
Importance: High

FYI

Dear Partner in Afterschool,

As you know, Governor Doyle is in the process of crafting his 2007-09 State Budget. One of the funding priorities his is considering would provide $5 million annually to support after-school/before-school programs. This proposal is based on the work of the Wisconsin Afterschool Network and forwarded to the Governor by State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster in her biennial budget request.

The time is NOW to let the Governor know that state investment in afterschool is a priority for citizens across Wisconsin.

Please take a few minutes in the next 3 weeks to send a message to Governor Doyle supporting inclusion of the Before and Afterschool funding proposal. Below are points to include in your message but also feel free to share your own personal story.

Afterschool is a wise public investment and I urge you to include in your 2007-09 Biennial State Budget the afterschool funding proposal forwarded by State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster that provides $5 million annually to support before and after school learning opportunities.

This deliberate investment will help make it possible for existing programs to continue and expansion of afterschool opportunities to meet the unserved need.

Investment in afterschool has wide public support. In a recent survey, two-thirds of voters believe that federal and state tax dollars should be used to expand afterschool programs to make them accessible for all children. Of those surveyed, sixty-nine percent said they support increased funding for afterschool even if it leads to a tax increase.

Between the hours of three and six p.m. children are most at risk of being involved in dangerous behaviors or becoming victims of crime. Afterschool programs keep kids out of trouble by providing safe and structured time during these critical afternoon hours. In Wisconsin, afterschool programs have contributed to the sharp drop in the number of young people having contact with the juvenile justice system.

More than one-third of Wisconsin's children are unsupervised in the hours between the end of the school day and their parent's workday. Afterschool programs benefit the entire family by giving parents the security of knowing their children are in a safe place involved in enriching activities, consequently helping them to balance work and family responsibilities.

Research shows that afterschool programs contribute to students' academic achievement. A UW study of sixty-four afterschool programs found that teachers reported these programs promoted better behavior and improved academic performance of participants.

Sending a message to the Governor is EASY - open this link to email Governor Doyle: Contact Us and follow these simple steps.

Step 1 - enter your contact information.
Be sure to fill-in all requested information. You want to hear back from the Governor and this will be the information used to reply to you.

Step 2 - enter the type and subject of your message.
For the message type, use the pull down menu and choose General Information.
For the email subject, type in Afterschool Funding.

Step 3 - enter your message using some of the points listed above.

Step 4 - click the box Send My E-mail and your message is in the Governor mailbox.

Finally, please share this information with other individuals, organizations and groups you know who support afterschool and the $5 million funding proposal. The more messages supporting this funding proposal Governor Doyle receives the higher priority it takes as he completes his 2007-09 State Budget.

Thank you!
_______________________________________________
Wi_afterschool_state_network mailing list
Wi_afterschool_state_network@lists.uwex.edu
https://lists.uwex.edu/mailman/listinfo/wi_afterschool_state_network

I wonder if they would be willing to have supper ready and on the table for me when I get home from work too?

See comment(s) as well.

kilowatt @ OnTheBorderLine

Harr-eye & Nanc-eye Are Dead Heads.

Oh freakin' no! HT Drudge who also points out a story that talks about Nanc-eye Pelos-eye being a 'Head. Sooner or later I guess it was bound to happen. Oh well, if they start talking weird (who can tell) we will know what is going on.

I been to a few shows (all Alpine Valley from '86 through '89 and at one time I had a bootleg collection that was growing) and what I found amazing was how a group of people who were so strongly conforming detested conformance. One of my 'Head college buddies who was usually in 'Head uniform complained about having his car searched each & every time a cop pulled him over. I told him simply he was every bit in uniform as was the police officer pulling him over.

I wonder if Harr-eye & Nanc-eye get searched? Oh well, one may mistake Nanc-eye for being an anti-Head given how sharply she dresses.

Yes, dumping my bootleg collection & CDs occurred to me but was quickly dashed. The Dead don't pick & choose their fans. This begs for some 60s psychedelic art featuring the two Eyes! Heheheh.

Something Must Be Going On

Pretty dead in here of late. Are we all hung over yet?

Re: The Big Ten will post a losing Bowl record this year.

Lance,

Well, I look at it a little bit differently. Tonight during the Rose Bowl someone in the place yelled touchdown clearly meant to mean MI scored. I laughed and said: Another TD for WI? :-) I don't know if anyone got the little dig at the MI fans present.

Here is how I look at it.
Badgers Men BB: Check.
Packers over the Bears: Check.
Badgers win their bowl game: Check.

Good weekend in sports!

The Big Ten will post a losing Bowl record this year.

Six Big Ten teams have played their Bowl Games, and one more has yet to play theirs (Go Buckeyes!). Thus far, we're 2-4. That's a sub-.500 season.

Crap.

A few thoughts:

Wisconsin did our part, no matter how bad we looked in the second half.

Some sub-thoughts:

Arkansas is one dangerous team. The Badger defense deserves most of the credit for this win.

Play of the game: Wisconsin punting in the 2nd quarter, the punt is BLOCKED and rolls deep into Badger territory. Badger punter Ken DeBauche chases and recovers the ball, and throws what I assumed (at that moment) to be a pass out-of-bounds, which would have been a great heads-up play. But no! He's found an open receiver, who catches the ball for a first down!

Negated, of course, by an illegal-man-downfield penalty, which was to be expected on a play like that. But still. Arkansas had to take the penalty, the Badgers kicked again, and what could have been a game-changing play in the Razorbacks' favor became a pretty decent punt.

Also on the same play, another Badger (don't know who) had the wherewithal to throw a block on the only Razorback to come close to the ball, before DeBauche recovered it. That also prevented absolute disaster.

Michigan had the biggest responsibility as our representative in the Rose Bowl, and blew it. It is my sincere hope that this will end all the dreck about how the Wolverines deserved to be in the championship game.

I know some will disagree with that last statement, and say that Ohio St. - playing for the national championship - has the biggest responsibility. Crazy talk! The Rose Bowl is far more important, and USC the more immediate enemy.

But as low as Michigan should be hanging their heads right now, the real fault lies with Minnesota. They blew a 31-point, 3rd quarter lead to Texas Tech. Shame! Shame! Nothing but shame!

UPDATE - Minnesota head coach Glen Mason has been fired.

Want to hear what the New year sounds like in Milwaukee?

Give this a listen, you will hear what I heard last night at midnight.

HappyNewYear_DUCK.wma