MyCommunityNOW - Blogs

St. Mary Girl Scouts have a WICKED good time in Chicago!

St. Mary Parish School — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:13:14 GMT

The Saturday before Thanksgiving, 18 Girl Scouts (and most of their moms) went to Chicago to spend a fun-filled day! A luxurious Coach bus picked up the ladies at school, and drove them down to Chicago. While on the bus, the girls got to watch the Wizard of Oz and the moms got to visit with each other! Our first stop was Water Tower Place for some shopping on the Magnificent Mile. Many of the girls made a bee-line for the new American Girl Place, while others opted for shopping for some high-fashion clothes and accessories to wear just in time for the holidays!

After lunch and shopping at the mall, it was time to board the bus for the play! The whole point of the trip to Chicago was to go and see the Broadway smash hit Wicked before the curtain closed in Chicago in January! What an amazing show!! The girls and moms absolutely loved it!! The story was funny, the music was amazing, and the actors and actresses were out of this world.

Just when we thought the day couldn’t get any better, we were off to Ed Debevic’s for dinner. If you recall, Ed Debevic’s is the 50’s style diner/restaurant where the waiters and waitresses are obnoxious and sing and dance throughout your meal. The girls had a blast!! They had never been to a place like this, and had so much fun playing around with the wait staff! Poor Mariana was chosen by our waitress to help her out, and she ended up bringing all of us our sodas and meals throughout the night. Sierra and Rachel already asked when they could get a job there, and our girls really would have made Mrs. Makal proud when they ALL stood up and did a routine to “Car Wash,” entertaining both the customers and wait staff at the restaurant!

Unfortunately, it was then time to go home. We boarded our bus and bid Chicago farewell… for now! We all agreed that we can’t wait to find another reason to take the Girl Scouts back to Chicago!

Where are the Christmas lights?

Rachel Schickowski — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:34:00 GMT

This weekend my Grandma was visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday. I took her around to see the Christmas lights. We drove through Candy Cane Lane in West Allis and stopped at several parks in downtown Milwaukee.

The lights and peppermint flavored coffee at Starbucks were the perfect combo to spark our Christmas spirit. However, as I headed west on North Ave and crossed from Milwaukee to Wauwatosa I noticed the decorations stopped once I hit the Tosa border. Does anyone know if East Towne Tosa decorates at all for the holidays?

WHEN THINGS TURN STUPID, THE STUPID TURN PRO

Michael John Moynihan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 01:05:50 GMT

Apologies to the late, great Dr. Hunter S. Thompson for appropriating and mangling his famous quote, but as the Weiner-Geeze power technology set a Bay View utility pole aflame, and the electricity went on and off again and again in a winter storm, and then more recently the ongoing storm chaos knocked out Time Warner phone, cable and internetz overpriced service, and the news showed people trying to deal with the storm and reporting not seeing the City do the job they are paid to do, I had some time to meditate on the condition our condition is in.

If you need any more evidence that establishes "when things turn stupid, the stupid turn pro"

GWB's delusional daddy (still on the Federal dole) announced he will sky dive again to celebrate his 80th birthday.

Georgia Senator the plainly insane Saxby Chambliss credits his re-election to Sarah Palin.

GWB lil' bro Jebster announces a Senate run in 2010.

The UAW volunteers to take cuts to save the Detroit auto industry.

Members of the evil, criminal Bush family are alive but Odetta is dead.

Despite the trampling death of Jdimytai Damour by crazed consumers at a Wal-Mart,
1) Shoppers refused to stop shopping.
2) Local & national shoppers & local & national apologists are still supportive of more Wal-Marts being built.

Residents struggle to keep the last bookstore in BV alive (by forming a cooperative). Gee, for years nothing in BV, then 3, now...

And the Fed-Gov, just to cover their behinds and sow a bit 'o fear, announce the high odds of another terrorist attack, this time betting on nukes and or germs.

Just in time for the Holiday season.

Kentucky Wants God's Help

Janet Evans — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:35:00 GMT

But the Athiests say, no way...

Another one of those "I couldn't make this up if I tried, " real-life political stories...

"FRANKFORT, Kentucky - A group of atheists filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to remove part of a state anti-terrorism law that requires Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security to acknowledge it can't keep the state safe without God's help.

American Atheists Inc. sued in state court over a 2002 law that stresses God's role in Kentucky's homeland security alongside the military, police agencies and health departments."

Click to continue

THE LAST DAYS OF A HORRIBLE PRESIDENCY

Lester Schultz — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:41:30 GMT

Few presidents, if any, disgraced the office and damaged the nation as much as George W. Bush. Perhaps our lofty hopes for Barack Obama are unattainable, but we are left with little beyond that in the rubble of 2001-2009. Think of how low the image of the U.S. has sunk in the past eight years. Even our closest nation-friends grew to despise our actions. No democratic nation in the world thinks George W. Bush's military adventures and corporate hand-outs were the actions of a man of democratic intent. He is/was an ignorant bully with smaller nations. He had people tortured. He ran up astronomical budget deficits. He landed on an aircraft carrier with the boastful "Mission Accomplished" banner boorishly displayed. This military bravado from a man whose military "career" left a great deal to be desired.

Yes, there is no need to dwell on the failures and deviousness of President George W. Bush. The very title with his name attached makes one grimace and want to vomit. But unless there is a clear acknowledgment, the right-wing nutcases will continue to try and convince us otherwise. The man was an absolute failure...with the military, with the budget, with the infrastructure, with health care, with his "guardianship" of children, with the environment, with the elderly, with foreign affairs, with justice, with education, with medical science, with religion, with human rights, with our energy policy, ...the list could go on endlessly. He is what he is, he was what he was. To quote a recently-famous analogy: neocons can try to put lipstick on this pig, but it's still a pig. As a man with a master's degree in history, let me assure you that George W. Bush will go down in history as a sad, devious leader who greatly damaged the United States of America.

Good riddance. Now let us hope for a much cleaner, moral, ethical, and democratic president in January of 2009.

The ACLU opposes a Drexel Avenue Interchange

Kevin Fischer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:19:00 GMT

In keeping with the loopy, warped, twisted, moonbat tradition of the ACLU, read why they're so upset:

WISDOT VIOLATED CIVIL RIGHTS RULES, ACLU ALLEGES
For Immediate Release: December 3, 2008
Contact: Karyn Rotker, Senior Staff Attorney, (414) 272-4032 x 21; krotker@aclu-wi.org

The ACLU of Wisconsin today requested a federal investigation of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for violating civil rights laws when it decided to expand I-94.

In a complaint filed with Offices for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, the ACLU object to WisDOT’s plans to widen I-94, build an new interchange at Drexel Ave., and close much of the interchange at 27th St. and I-894. The ACLU is requesting that the government investigate WisDOT, stop the widening of I-94, and prevent construction of the Drexel Interchange - especially if the 27th St. Interchange is closed.

“WisDOT’s own environmental impact statement shows that building the Drexel Interchangeis likely to hurt development in the city of Milwaukee - the state’s only majority-minority city -while it helps development in non-diverse suburbs,” noted Karyn Rotker, Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin. Rotker added that the disparities will worsen with closure of the 27th St. Interchange. “Title VI of the Civil Rights Act makes it clear that agencies can’t take actions that have a discriminatory effect on communities of color - even if the discrimination isn’t intentional.”

There are similar problems with spending hundreds of millions of dollars to add lanes to I-94, added ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ahmuty. “WisDOT has said adding the lanes is going to have only a minimal effect on travel times - and that not adding lanes could increase the market for development closer to downtown Milwaukee, thus helping city residents,most of whom are persons of color.” WisDOT, however, rejected that approach.

The ACLU complaint also asserts that expanding highways without moving forward on public transportation projects has a discriminatory effect on communities of color, who are disproportionately dependent on public transit. “In a time of limited resources, WisDOT needs to ensure that it isn’t increasing the disparities between those with access to cars and transit dependent persons. But that’s what this plan does. Instead, WisDOT needs to ensure that a fair share of the benefits of its transportation programs are going to communities of color - who will be much more likely to benefit from increased transit access than from the bigger highway WisDOT wants to build.”

Boy they're really sharp at the ACLU. WisDOT wants to put in that Drexel Interchange because they're racist.

Village Buzz - December 3rd...

Al Campbell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:45:00 GMT

Open Seats...

Dave Magill has confirmed that he has filed papers indicating he would not be standing for re-election to the Germantown School Board's At Large Seat #1. His term expires in April, 2009. So far, I am unaware of any person filing to run for that open seat, but there is still plenty of time for that to happen.

Michael Bech has also filed papers indicating that he will not be a candidate for Trustee in District 1 of the Village of Germantown. The rumor mill has it that Bill Steitz, a former trustee, will be filing papers soon.

~~~~~~~~~~

Officer Bosco Update...

Chief Pete Hoell provided the following information today:

On Tuesday, December 2nd, our K-9 Officer Bosco had been placed on a light anesthetic for the first procedure. When the doctor increased the anesthetic for the biopsy procedure, Bosco's heart rate elevated. Additional anesthetic would have caused Bosco to go into cardiac arrest so they stopped the biopsy procedure. It is unknown why his heart rate would have increased while on the anesthetic. Due to the three doctors' previous examinations, they are confident and concur that it is not a cancerous mass; however, the mass will have to be watched very closely. The doctors believe Bosco can be treated with medication without having to undergo surgery at this time.

To date, we have incurred $1,300 in medical bills. The monthly costs for the medication could be as high as $500 a month. We have at least a $4,000 fund raising goal in mind to pay for the medical bills and future medication(s).

On the whole, we are optimistic that Bosco will recover, however we will have to monitor the mass and hope the medication works. We are in a day by day situation to see how things work out. The way it stands now, we believe Bosco will be back to work on Monday, December 8th.

I'll continue to keep you posted on his status.

I would also like to thank every one for their support and kind words and thoughts. It means a lot to us here at GPD but it is especially meaningful to PO Jeff Schnell and Bosco.

K-9 Officer Bosco is supported by contributions from the community without tax money involved. This occurrence has obviously started the run-up of medical bills that will need to be paid from the Germantown Police Department K-9 Fund. If you can find it in your heart to help Bosco with a contribution of a dollar or ten dollars or a hundred dollars, that can be made by mailing a check as indicated below or by simply stopping at the Germantown Police Department and walking into the lobby to make the contribution.

Remember that you can make a contribution by mailing a check made out to Germantown Police Department K-9 Fund to the department at P.O. Box 96 , Germantown, WI 53022 or by stopping at the Police Department building at N112 W16877 Mequon Road to drop off any contributions.

Thanks in advance for your help!

A UW Band parent speaks out

Kevin Fischer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:50:34 GMT

I recently responded to a Wisconsin State Journal editorial that suggested UW Band Director Michael Leckrone should be fired if there are any more incidents involving questionable behavior (i.e. hazing) on the part of his musicians.

I wrote, “While it’s true Leckrone is in charge, personal responsibility must come into play. Leckrone cannot serve as babysitter for hundreds of so-called young adults 24/7. His job cannot be put on the line because some boneheads decided to get really stupid. The ones who are stupid should be held responsible and dropped immediately, from the band and possibly from school.”

A UW Band parent e-mailed to say my blog was “spot on.” The parent then wrote the following:

“The recent band turmoil has taken a toll on both of my daughters. It’s apparent that the school’s administration has decided to make much ado about not much….over, and over again….the conspiracy theorist in me believes the intent is to eliminate the band as a creditable course and eliminate Leckrone.

I liken the band experience to my time in the military. Leckrone puts them through hell and breaks down their selfishness until they commit 100% to the band as a whole. There are no individuals and no individual is more important than the band. Because of that shared experience and camaraderie, the band members tend to be very, very tight.

I’m well aware of the downside of that (groups can tend to lose the conscience when shenanigans are afoot), but this group is really not like that. There’s definitely a few individuals that have crossed the line from time to time, but Leckrone deals with them harshly. Mike actually went all the way to the US Court of Appeals to force a member to pay one of his fines (the “F-bomb” is considered “the $200 word). http://badgerherald.com/news/2005/04/25/judge_clears_leckron.php Gauder v. Leckrone, 366 F. Supp. 2d 780 (W.D. Wisc. 2005).

Most of the behavior alleged was boorish, crude and for a lot of “normal” people, offensive. Drinking? Definitely. Excessive drinking? Probably. Underage drinking? Certainly.

But, let’s not forget…these are COLLEGE STUDENTS. Sincerely, the behavior alleged by band members (much of which is unsubstantiated legend) is nowhere near the level of debauchery that occurs every single weekend at most frat houses and athletic team parties.

As the university began the most recent investigation, they asked aggrieved students to come forward and state their grievances. When no one voluntarily went in to talk to the Dean of Students, she sent an email stating words to the effect of: 'because no one is coming forward to talk to us, the band may remain suspended indefinitely.'

The upperclassmen decided to go in on their own and talk to the dean. These 'talks' quickly turned into a witch hunt. Questioning went like this (per my oldest daughter):

'Have you ever _______?'
'Have you ever witnessed anyone else doing ________?'
'Have you ever HEARD of anyone doing _________....if so, who did you hear it from and who did they say did it.'

So, now that all is said and done, what was the outcome? At last count, seven members out of 350 were found to have violated the university code of conduct. All seven received letters of reprimand, which remain in their file…..until graduation….when it is to be removed and destroyed.

The reeking stench of fishy-ness is rampant here. The university tipped off the media to the situation originally.”

In a subsequent e-mail, this parent added:

“Just to illustrate the effect the university’s actions have had on many of the band students, my oldest, called us one night the week the story was in full bloom in the media. She was sobbing. Her comment: ‘I’ve worked so hard for four years…..I always thought being in the band would be such a great thing to put on a resume….now I can’t do that.’

It’s not so much the fact that the university did an ‘investigation’. It’s the way it was handled, the fiasco it created and the way they besmirched the reputation of 350 people when a handful were responsible.

Can you honestly think of any organization, having received an email ‘tip’, that would suspend an entire group and hold a press conference detailing the tip?

You would think the normal response would be: ‘We’ve received an allegation of potential hazing and will investigate. We won’t comment until the investigation is complete.’”

In my view, the university totally botched this entire affair.

What a crock!

Christine McLaughlin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:50:21 GMT

I came late to the joys of crockpot cookery, but I'm a complete convert. Did you know you can make a passable carrot cake in one? Yep.

Anyway, today is a crockpot-and-cupboard cleaning kind of day. Sendik's on North has angus beef stew meat and mushrooms on sale, so guess what's simmering right now? I'm heading out to walk the dog, but I thought you might like a stew recipe reminder. Nothing is more forgiving than stew, as long as you cook it long enough. So get creative: use what you have. This recipe started out as Mom's Beef Stew in the Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, which I got for $5 and change at Half Price Books in Brookfield.

Not Your Mom's Beef Stew

2 lbs or so of stew meat in bite-sized pieces.

Toss in a bag with 1/2 cup of flour, teaspoon of paprika (smoked from the Kavenaugh Street Spice Works is best), salt, pepper if you want but it kinda cancels the paprika). Shake off excess flour and brown in a tablespoon of olive oil. Or bacon fat. Set aside.

1 1/2 pounds or so each of potatoes and carrots, cut into biggish chunks (or use tiny expensive whole potatoes. Don't use packaged baby carrots: their texture gets weird when cooked). Peel if you must or don't. Or leave out the potatoes and serve stew later on a snowy mound of mashed potatoes, whatever you like.

Put these in the bottom of the crock pot; put the meat on top.

1 large onion and a pound or so of mushrooms, chopped. A celery stalk or two if you like that: I don't. If you don't like mushrooms, leave out. And get help for that problem!

Garlic cloves, minced.

Put another tablespoon of fat in the frying pan and saute the onions (and celery) for a couple minutes, then add the mushrooms and saute a couple minutes, and finally add the garlic for just a minute or two: don't burn it or it tastes nasty.

Then add to the veggies the following ingredients or whatever you want to kind of juicy it up. Mix thoroughly while bringing to a boil.

2 cups beef broth (or beer, red wine, water: I used the last of the turkey juice)

1 small can tomato paste. If you don't have that, catsup will do fine. Or you can skip the tomato entirely if you don't like it.But if you ask me, the only reason to avoid tomatoes is allergy--the kind that swells your throat, not the kind you claim if you just don't like something.

Big splash of soy or worchesteshire sauce, big splash of red wine vinegar

A bay leaf or two: thyme, crumbled, if you like that flavor; a bit of sugar if you want; an envelop of dry onion soup if you want to get rid of it; anything else that grabs you for a sauce.

Pour the saucy concoction over the stuff in the pot, maybe poke around a bit so some of it seeps through to the bottom. Or not: it'll work its way through. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or so, high 4 hours or so, depending on your pot. When you're ready to eat, fish out the bay leaves and season to taste. If you like peas, throw in a small bag and just heat through.

Great food to fuel your personal snow removal efforts!

It was 20 months ago today...

Kevin Fischer — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:14:28 GMT

Franklin voters were told that if they didn’t approve school referenda totaling over $78 million, students would be forced into trailers.

On April 3, 2007, the referenda were soundly rejected.

I’ve looked and looked and looked. Still haven’t seen those trailers.

The Three P’s of Safe Winter Driving:

Brown Deer Police Department — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:07:00 GMT

PREPARE for the trip;

PROTECT yourself; andPREVENT crashes on the road. PREPAREMaintain Your Car: Check battery and tire tread, keep your windows clear, put no- freeze fluid in the washer reservoir, check your antifreeze.Have On Hand: flashlight, jumper cables, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter, even floor mats), shovel, snow brush and ice scraper, warning devices (like flares) and blankets. Forlong trips, add food and water, medication and cell phone.Stopped or Stalled? Stay with your car, don’t over exert, put bright markers on antenna or windows and shine dome light, and, if you run your car, clear exhaust pipe and run it just enough to stay warm.Plan Your Route: Allow plenty of time (check the weather and leave early if necessary), be familiar with the maps/directions, and let others know your route and arrival time.Practice Cold Weather Driving:

During daylight, rehearse maneuvers slowly on the ice or snow in an empty lot
Steer into a skid
Know what your brakes will do, stomp on anti-lock brakes.
Stopping distances are longer on water-covered and normal ice.
Don’t idle for a long time with the windows up or in an enclosed space.

PROTECT YOURSELF• Buckle up and use child safety seats properly.• Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag.• Children 12 and under are much safer in the back seat.• Sit back 10 inches from an air bag. PREVENT CRASHES• Drugs and alcohol never mix with driving• Slow down and increase distances between cars.• Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the road.• Avoid fatigue – Get plenty of rest before the trip, stop at least every 3 hours and rotate drivers if possible.

Tips for Safe Christmas Shopping

Brown Deer Police Department — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:01:00 GMT

The Brown Deer Police Department encourages citizens to be alert and cautious while shopping, especially during the holiday seasons. Don’t become a crime victim this Christmas season. Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind:

➤ Avoid shopping alone - if you do shop alone, let someone know you’re expected location and time of return.➤ Immediately report suspicious persons and activities to police.➤ Carry a well charged cell phone.➤ Shop during the daytime when possible.➤ Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse under your arm and keep it towards the front of you. Don’t place your purse in a shopping cart. Keep a wallet in an inside jacket pocket or in a front pocket.➤ Check your purses/wallet before leaving each store to prevent leaving items behind.➤ Limit the amount of cash you carry.➤ Carry only the credit cards you’re going to use that day & make sure you have the account numbers and creditor contact numbers recorded at home in case you have to cancel a lost or stolen card.➤ Park in well-lit areas when shopping at night and ask security to escort you to your vehicle.

➤Shop with friends or family members in numbers.

➤ Keep your vehicle locked at all times and set your alarm.➤ Lock purchases and valuable items in your trunk, never leave items in your vehicle that are visible to the public. Stay aware of your surroundings while transferring packages from a cart to your vehicle.➤ Keep your hands free and avoid carrying an excessive number of packages. Have your vehicle key in hand and ready when walking to your car. Look at people around you.➤When leaving a store or before exiting your car onto the parking lot, scan the area and if anything, or any person, looks suspicious, wait and/or call the police. Visually check the back seat of your vehicle before opening the door and getting in.➤Teach your children to go to a store clerk or security guard and ask for help if they become separated in a store or shopping mall. The holiday season is a busy time for all, so please take a little time to plan your outings.

Make Sure Your Address Is Visible From the Roadway

Brown Deer Police Department — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:56 GMT

Please take a few moments to make sure your home or business address is clearly visible from the roadway. Put yourself in the place of emergency response personnel; safely step out onto the curb in front of your home or business. Is your address marker clearly visible? If not, it may affect the time it takes for emergency personnel to locate your home or business in the event of an emergency. Time is a critical factor when responding to an emergency situation. The more clearly we are able to identify your home or business address, the more quickly our crews will be able to arrive at your location and administer life-saving procedures. So please, take a few minutes to make sure that your home or business address is displayed clearly. If your home or business is located a distance away from the roadway, please ensure that your address is clearly identifiable on your mailbox. In the event of an emergency; turn on the light adjacent to the entryway to your home or office to further illuminate your address marker.

Accreditation Assessment Team Invites Public Comment

Brown Deer Police Department — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:02 GMT

The Brown Deer Police Department is proud to announce that it is scheduled for an on-site assessment to achieve accreditation through the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WILEAG). The on-site assessment is scheduled for the week of December 15, 2008.

The accreditation program requires agencies to comply with state-of-the-art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services. The program consists of 234 standards that incorporate the best police practices; agencies are evaluated every three years. The Brown Deer Police Department is applying for our initial accreditation status.

Once the Board’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the full WILEAG Board, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accreditation status. Accreditation is for three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The session will be held in the Earl McGovern Board Room at Brown Deer Village Hall, 4800 West Green Brook Drive.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would still like to provide comments to the assessment team, they may do so by telephone. The public may call 414-371-2942 on December 17^th between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. or December 18^th between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. A member of the Assessment Team will be available to take your comments.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with WILEAG’s standards. A copy of the standards is available for review at the Brown Deer Police Department. For further information contact Lieutenant Nimmer at 414-371-2900.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Brown Deer Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to send those comments to the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group, c/o David Steingraber-Secretary
4760 Schneider Drive, Oregon, WI 53575.

Citizens Academy - Applications being accepted

Brown Deer Police Department — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:58:39 GMT

The Brown Deer Police Department will be offering its Citizens Police Academy for area residents. The Academy will begin on Wednesday, February 4, 2009. The nine week course, which meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., provides insights into police operations and includes a variety of presentations from members of the department. Applications are available at the Department, 4800 West Green Brook Drive. Stop by today and pick yours up, we look forward to seeing you there!

"JDI"

Janet Evans — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:44:07 GMT

That's text messaging short hand for "Just Do It."

And just do it is what a doctor volunteering in the Congo did when he performed a very complex amputation by receiving his instructions via text message.

GR8 job doctor!

"A doctor volunteering in war-torn Congo performed a complex amputation to save a boy’s life by following instructions sent by text message from a colleague in London.

David Nott, 52, a vascular surgeon, was working for a Medicins Sans Frontieres hospital in the eastern town of Rutshuru, an area ravaged by bloody battles between Congolese and rebel troops.
Among the hundreds of wounded soldiers and civilians brought into the hospital in October was a 16-year-old boy who had been caught in the midst of a gun fight between advancing combatants in a forest in the Nyanzale region. "

Click to continue

Georgia & Minnesota on my mind...no filibuster proof Senate majority

Kyle Prast — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:30:53 GMT

Phew! If you have been watching these state's Senate races, you know that the Senate's filibuster proof Democratic majority hung in the balance. But Senator Saxby Chamblis easily won reelection yesterday in that Georgia runoff, 57% to 43%. So the Democrats won't get their 60 seat majority.

The Minnesota Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken "now remains the only unresolved Senate contest in the country."

Unfortunately, the Franken race has turned into a Frankenstein monster of voter fraud on steroids:*

“The Franken campaign has made it clear that the recounted votes and will of Minnesotans matter little to them, and that they intend to take their campaign to change the outcome of this election on to the United States Senate,” said Coleman campaign spokesman Mark Drake. “Al Franken should personally reject this strategy outright, and honor the right of Minnesotans to choose who their senator should be — and not allow lawsuits and the strong-arm tactics of the majority leader of the United States Senate to intervene in this process."

Who knows how the Franken race will ultimately resolve. If Franken pulls off a victory, it will be a victory for voter fraud in my opinion.

What caught my attention in the Georgia race was WHO campaigned with the Georgian candidates. The democrats brought in Al Gore and former President Bill Clinton to promote their candidate Martin.

On Chambliss' behalf, the Republicans brought in John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and closed with SARAH PALIN! "She headlined four rallies for Chambliss across the state Monday that drew thousands of party faithful."

There are many in the media and mushy middle of the Republican party that want to declare her dead in the water. However, the Conservative base in Georgia isn't buying it. The proof was that Palin Rallies Georgia's Base: (My emphasis)

“We all have Georgia on our mind,” declared governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as she kicked off an early morning Dec. 1 rally...

It was the first of four rallies yesterday, each featuring thousands of cheering crowds brandishing “Palin 2012” shirts and buttons -- along with, of course, Chambliss signs. (My favorite anti-Barack Obama sign read: “Keep the change.”)

The Alaska governor was firing up the faithful to hold a critical GOP seat... Palin was also countering earlier appearances on behalf of Democratic candidate Jim Martin by several liberal “big guns” led by former President Bill Clinton and Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga.

...Democrats are worrying, too, that the Palin appearances are attracting more blue collar votes to their opponents. The final Pain rally at the Gwinnett County Arena drew some 3,000 people -- well over half of them blue collar workers and young people under the age of 30. A large truck parked outside the arena sported a “Mechanic for Chambliss and Palin” sign, and dozens of construction workers – some of them wearing their hard hats-- had obviously come straight from their worksites.
...Palin concluded every appearance by calling for a “rebuilding of the Republican Party starting in Georgia” with the re-election of Chambliss. She reminded Republican candidates that they must appeal to “the working class” -- which elicited another big round of applause from those hard hats and mechanics.

Sarah Palin isn't gone with the wind in Georgia:

At a time when Republican Governors across the nation are trying to smear Palin in anticipation of 2012, she is proving that, contrary to media reports, she is the current bright star of the GOP.

Looking ahead 4 years to 2012, I will be asking the same question the Chambliss campaign just heard, " 'Is Sarah Palin coming?' No one has cared about Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani, or McCain. Palin is all anyone wanted."

*Franken race reminds us voter fraud still going strong

Please, comment content should relate to the subject of the post. Although I try to respond to many, do not interpret my lack of a response as agreement.

Links:

Brookfield7, Fairly Conservative, Vicki Mckenna, Jay Weber, The Right View Wisconsin, Mark Levin, CNS News

Final Count for the J.E. Jones Read to Feed Program

Cudahy School District — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:10:44 GMT

J.E. Jones just participated in a program with Time Warner Cable called Read to Feed.

For every book read, Time Warner Cable will donate one can of food to an area food pantry. The school just tallied up the number of books. The students read read 440 books! Great job!

Planning Your Holiday Events

Chef Michael Feker — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:28:05 GMT

My Dear Friends,

Holiday meals and get togethers should not be stressful.
By having a focused theme your work will be very easy.

Many of you may say “oh sure” that is easy for Michael Feker
to say, but remember, cooking and event planning is not rocket
science is Passion Science. If you are passionate about pleasing
and amazing your guests, yet never overlooking your peace
and serenity, everything will be great.

To achieve this goal, keep the following in mind:

#1 Be Flavor Conscious
(Flavor is the backbone of all food).
Fresh herbs and seasoning and spices go a long way.

#2 Be Time Conscious
(Your time is valuable and needs to be used effectively)
If you do not respect your time you do not respect your Peace.
Choose food that can be prepared in advance, yet possible
to be warmed and served last minute.

#3 Remember, You are the Host/Hostess and the Culinary Creator
You may and should follow recipes, but remember that recipes are only a technical guideline and flavor suggestions. You can and should substitute complimentary ingredients to the main ingredient. Do not set your expectations based on a dish that you may have tasted either at my restaurant or somewhere else, but satisfy the palate by making sure the flavors are pleasing to you as
the creator. (Remember when it comes to your palate you know it best and all chefs and touches are different) That is what makes you unique.

Stays tuned for more of my passionate approaches to the culinary arts,
and ask me any unanswered questions you may have through my
website at ilmitocooking.com

Your Chef,
Michael Feker

We Voted For Change...

Al Campbell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:27:43 GMT

And, we're going to get 'change' if the Democrats have their way...and that seems likely.

Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) retained his seat in the senate yesterday so the Democrats will not have the magic number necessary to absolutely control the senate. The outcome in Minnesota is still somewhat in question, but, at the rate that new votes for the Democrat candidate are being 'found', I suspect that he'll prevail.

The problem with Republicans in the senate has always been the number who have worked hard to earn the right to be called by that ugly name, "RINO"; "Republicans In Name Only". Those people are still there and they are still beyond the ability of the Republican leadership to 'control'. Even though the Democrats will technically be unable to override filibuster attempts, the RINOs will often tip the scales by bolting from the 'party line'. Those three or four people tend to be more liberal in their thinking than conservative.

So, we are going to see the 'change' we voted for in November. The only questions remaining, in my mind, are just what that 'change' will be, how quickly it will occur, and how much it will cost.

The magic "first 100 days" comes into play so far as answering the question of how quickly change will occur.

The Democrat leaders are busy shaping what they'll propose, developing the time lines for each, and determining whether or not they'll go for a few all-encompassing bills or take smaller bills up, pass those and bask in the victories during the course of those first 100 days.

The likely items include the vaunted "economic stimulus plan", a bill requiring electric utilities to be using renewable sources for at least 15% of their power by 2020, a big push on funding and hurdle-clearing for embryonic stem cell programs and increases in the funding and reach of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

After the meeting between governors and the president-elect yesterday, I presume we'll also see some kind of state-directed stimulus programs proposed, possibly as part of the overall stimulus package.

Change is around the corner. The Democrats understand that they will be gaged by what they accomplish in the coming two-year period, so far as the elections that hit two years down the road for the entire house of representatives and for one-third of the senate seats in Congress.

As always, these are interesting times in which we live.