http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog Mon, 12 May 2008 14:48:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en This is a reprint from an email sent to me. I do not know the original sources. -- To the citizens of the United States of America, in the light of your failure to elect a competent President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/dear-americans/ It's a sad commentary but the current County Board Chairman, Lee Holloway, won re-election from his collegues on the County Board largely based on the politics of race. Holloway managed to get all African-American supervisors as well as the one Latino supervisor to vote for him lock-step. It took over ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/politics-of-race-on-the-milwaukee-county-board/ It's voting day. Please vote. Here are our recommendations: Louis Butler for Supreme Court. Butler is a common sense kind of guy whose opponent has been universally called to the carpet for lying and exaggerating in this race. If there's one thing that both the left and the right ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/endorsements/ It started out as a whimsical idea -- buy a high definition flat screen TV's so I could watch all my favorite action movies on a significantly bigger screen. I called Time Warner to get an upgrade to the HD service and DVR. I was sold on their "all the ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/time-warners-inexcusably-bad-service/ Within ten years, if we continue on the same path as we are now on, we will not be a superpower. I prefer to write about all things local but every once in a while I find the urge to delve into national issues. Today is such a time. Our dollar ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/where-our-country-is-going/ Milwaukee Alderman James Witkowiak is shocked, shocked, that escort services are advertising in the yellow pages and he wants to make sure that if they're doing business, they're licensed. Complaining about them operating without a license in the City of Milwaukee is both silly and ridiculous. To then hold a ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/alderman-james-witkowiaks-escort-sting-goes-after-evil-fornicators/ Wow. Listening to Channel 12 reporter Nick Bohr "report" on Scott Walker you would think it was a paid television ad. Bohr not only let Walker get away with deceiving news watchers about the fiscal health of Milwaukee County, but he failed to call Walker to the carpet for the ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/reporter-nick-bohr-republican-whore/ While using the public airwaves on KICD Radio, King Steve of Iowa gave his take on the potential presidency of Democratic Senator Barack Obama. The King said, "I don't want to disparage anyone because of their race, their ethnicity, their name, whatever the religion of their father might have ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jack/2008/the-king-of-iowa-says-that-they%e2%80%99ll-be-dancin%e2%80%99-dancin%e2%80%99-in-the-streets/ Cut cut cut. No no no. It's a good thing that Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker isn't in charge of childhood nutrition in our homes. All of our children would be dead of starvation. Unfortunately Walker is in charge of funding for transportation and he's deciding which routes ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/blame-walker-for-mass-transit-death-spiral/ Today I'm sick. Runny nose, inability to sleep, some coughing. I took some theraflu and called my doctor to see if I could get in to see a doctor. Their earliest appointment is 11am tomorrow morning. It's frustrating. Exceptionally frustrating. When I hear of citizens in other countries just going ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/its-time-for-national-healthcare/ President George W. Bush announced that he will veto the bill that democrats are crafting that would renew the energy tax credit. That is the credit that homeowners get when they put in energy efficient windows, doors and/or insulation in their home. The credit was originally authorized back ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/energy-tax-credit-vs-tax-cuts-for-big-oil/ Flip-flop… John McCain said Monday that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq is succeeding. If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Republican said. He quickly backed off that remark. "Let me not put it that stark," the likely GOP nominee ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/lnakamoto/2008/john-mccain-has-tied-his-run-for-the-white-house-to-convincing-voters-that-we-are-winning-the-iraq-war/ You've probably seen the commercial recently, calling for people to call their members of the House of Representatives to vote in favor of reauthorizing the Surveillance Bill which supposedly protects us against Al Qaida plotting against us. It claims that we are unprotected against terrorists without this bill in ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/lnakamoto/2008/since-when-has-spying-on-americans-been-democratic/ Many homeowners have experienced ice dams here in Wisconsin so they have felt the personal pain of these unusual and excessive freeze and thaw cycles. However, it's not just homeowners who have been considering opening their wallets to remediate the problems -- it's also government from the feds all the way ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/road-repairs-to-stress-budgets-from-an-unusual-winter/ I didn't see this coming. Apparently a whole bunch of Republicanville (Waukesha) voters are rumored to be crossing over to vote for Hillary because they're afraid of Obama. We'll see what tonight brings. I would love to see a breakdown of where the votes came from by county. http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/unexpected-crossover-voters/ Rarely can you look at a ballot and say to yourself -- wow, there's a candidate I can really get behind, but today is one of those days. There are a few good races for County Supervisor where there are good candidates. Dan Cody is, without a doubt, the best ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/a-good-day-for-democrats-vote-today/ Chalk this one up to clever nerds doing what they do but web surfers who think they're about to go to the Wisconsin Democrats page get redirected to the Ron Paul for President site. Visitors to Wisdems.com (the real site for the Democratic party of Wisconsin is wisdems.ORG) were surprised to ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/nerdwars-gop-hijacks-dem-website/ A widow goes into the hospital for a pacemaker procedure. During the procedure the doctor punctures the widow’s aorta causing her death. Can the doctor be held accountable? Can the family seek justice? You’d think so. Well, not in Wisconsin. Under current Wisconsin law adult ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/doctors-not-held-accountable-for-malpractice-in-wisconsin/ The buzz of energy you might have felt in the air this morning wasn't another snowstorm. Today the Barack Obama for president campaign swoops into Milwaukee for a big rally at the Midwest Express Center. The event is beginning to feel less and less like a campaign stop and more ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/endorsement-obama-wins-our-hearts-and-inspires-hope/ For many years, and many Presidential elections, the decisions have been made far before Wisconsinites have ever had an opportunity to cast their votes, and the front runner has already been crowned the Nominee-to-be. There are many Democrats and Independents who want to be Democrats this year (and even a few ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/lnakamoto/2008/wisconsin-has-historic-importance-in-this-year%e2%80%99s-primary-election/ Intel would like to keep their alleged theft of patent technology on the down-low but UW-Madison isn't too pleased that Intel stole their technlogy to enrich the chip giant. This isn't the first time Intel has taken liberties. Recently they decided to settle out of court with Transmeta, a small ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/theft-by-intel-uw-madison-sues-for-patent-infringement/ At one time voting was impossible for those who wanted to vote abroad. Things have changed. Want to see how? Click here http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/democrats-abroad-fired-up-as-they-vote/ Normal, decent people, wouldn't do this, but the folks from the inappropriately named Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) have put the names of people with issues of mental competency, paternity and guardianship on their website. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published a sugar-coated story on their website. The story reads: Milwaukee County officials ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/crg-misuses-information-to-put-children-and-disabled-under-microscope/ My wife's Uncle Paul passed away yesterday. What was remarkable was that he said to his wife "I'm going to die today". She wanted to rush him to the hospital and he said no. It was his preference to die comfortably in his easy chair. He ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/im-going-to-die-today/ Dear Sheriff David Clarke, I am a Deputy Sheriff and a proud wearer of the Police Officer badge. As I sit in the trenches day after day, I must deal with the uncertainty of what has become of my vocation, a burning passion, and my life. As a member of law ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/a-deputies-plea-for-leadership-to-sheriff-clarke/ It's the deep south and no one could have thought that Louisiana would even consider voting for a democrat since the south went red after the civil rights act was pushed through by Democratic Lyndon B. Johnson. But tonight that all changed. Numbers don't lie. With 99% of the primary vote ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/louisiana-became-a-blue-state-tonight/ Candidate Barack Obama has inspired many people to vote for the first time in their lives.  This keynote address from the Democratic Convention four years ago makes it clear how Obama can reach out to inspire millions of Americans. [youtube MNCLomrqIN8]Part 2[youtube 56-m8wx1mwo] Hat tip to the Brawler for finding this video ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/why-obama-inspires/ Here's a scoop you'll find amusing. Taxpayers are having their money wasted on Internal Affairs cases being generated for Jail personnel's legal signatures. Sheriff Clarke wants to force his deputies to make their legal signatures legible, and anyone who they think is not legible is being referred to internal affairs. This ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/sheriff-david-clarke-policing-penmanship/ Dominated by whackos and malcontents, the Republican shill group CRG, inappropriately named Citizens for Responsible Government, now appears to have members who feel the need to get involved in the race to succeed Alderman Mike D'Amato. Nik Kovak hosted an event where CRG mouthpiece Orville Seymer was in attendance. Dan ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/kovak-has-connections-to-crg-a-republican-shill-group/ I wasn't happy when the total accumulated snowfall reached 18" by my house. I had to snowblow the driveway three times. But this isn't about me -- this is about the men and women who have to deal with the elements on a daily basis. Please be sure to dig out ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/dig-out/ A few days have passed. The one candidate who was running who I felt inspired and spoke to my interests is gone. So now I need to ask myself the question, do I go with the person whose works inspire or do I go with the person I know can ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/mourning-john-edwards/ Usually outgoing President's talk about what a great job they've done. They talk about how America has a stronger economy because of them. Bush cannot honestly say that. They talk about how much safer we are than before he took office. Again, Bush cannot say that. That ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/what-to-expect-for-bushs-last-state-of-the-union/ So I'm with a customer today and we were talking about how cold it has been. He came from Russia -- specifically Siberia. He remarked that it is colder here than in Siberia. His response? "Wisconsin is America's Siberia". http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/wisconsin-is-americas-siberia/ About 12 years ago I had the good fortune to meet President Bill Clinton. It was me, my wife and my 6 month old son Kennedy. We waited on the tarmack as the President's limo pulled up. President Clinton stepped out of the car and his face was graven. ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/a-fathers-pride-and-a-brush-with-history/ I have my favorite blogs as most do. Some of them are investigative. Some focus on research. Some are just solid commentary. A blog earns my respect by being consistent in their message. I don't need to see postings every day. I'm looking more for quality ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/best-of-blogs/ Milwaukee County Supervisor Lynne DeBruin wanted voters to think that her only challenger, Dan Cody, was some out-of-touch lefty and she was a sensible moderate. As such, she attempted to position herself as just to the right of Cody, figuring that she would pick up all moderates and all ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/debruins-divisive-strategy-backfiring/ A lot has changed over the past few decades. Black Sabbath Lead Singer Ozzy Osbourne launched a successful solo career where during a show he bit the head off of a bat. After nearly a decade of obscurity he staged a realty show comeback where his dysfunctional family's prolific use ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/ozzy-osbourne-the-new-pop-image-of-wholesome/ Cluelessness abounds on the right side of the Wisconsin blogosphere and public transportation is often their favorite thing to complain about. Their specific complaint seems to stem from the belief that everyone isn't entitled to transportation despite the fact that everyone is paying for the roads. They also complain that ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/the-bus-system-is-privately-run/ Last night was the Michigan primary. Michigan wanted the national spotlight so bad that their legislators moved up their primary. Under normal circumstances that wouldn't be a big deal but even the national parties looked at Michigan's grab at the spotlight as petty. They were ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/michigan-is-irrelevant/ Some things just won't happen and killing school choice is one of them (light rail is another). That won't stop the right from sending out an army of chicken littles to find a way to energize their base and divide those on both the center and the left. Just because ... http://watchdogmilwaukee.com/blog/jim/2008/killing-school-choice/