Late Night Reading

What, should we apologize for putting those buildings in the way of the airplanes?

-From Anno Domini

Visions of martinis dancing in my head

Much like Christmas Eve, Day Without Illegal Immigrants Eve is full of anticipation over what the next day holds.

For me, it will hold going to work, being productive and celebrating at one of my favorite bars, Eagans, immediately thereafter.

Anyone care to join in? They have great martinis. And I'm fairly sure it will be fully staffed 'round about 4:30.

Uh oh! Somebody carded Cynthia McKinney

Courtesy of Fark.

Next Blog, pt. 2

Gorgath the Hellish and his Minions of the Ninth Realm will be pleased by this offering in honor of his Grand Scheme of Conquest over the weak and unwilling.

The rest of us will recognize that blogging isn't always about politics.

I wonder...what would the Spice Boys say?

Are we so partisan that we can't hear a moderate statement anymore?

He's said that people who want to be citizens should learn English, and to say that is not to say that they shouldn't also speak Spanish, just that wanting to be a part of the country should include wanting to be able to interact with the people here who do speak English. And he's saying that people who want to be citizens should want to learn to sing the anthem along with the rest of us, as we've sung it since it was written, in English. That doesn't mean you can't also sing it in Spanish.

Not just a good quote from Ann Althouse, but proof that she doesn't just blog about blogging.

And now the circle is complete. I've blogged about a blogger not blogging about blogging and linked to a blogger blogging about this blogger blogging about bloggers who blogged about how bad it is to blog about about a blogger who blogs about blogging.

I'm dizzy.

Inoffensive Sex Offender

When I think of sex offenders, or, more specifically, child sex offenders, I'm pretty much disgusted by the concept. So I have no problem with implanting them with GPS systems to track their movement. Of course, I'd much rather lock 'em up and throw away the key, never again to see the light of day.

Well, what I'd really "much rather" do, I won't share.

But then I remember the case of Kevin Gillson, and am reminded that sometimes these situations aren't so cut-and-dry.

NO RUNNING

Or fading.

If you have an American flag flying in front of your home or as a sticker somewhere on your car, and it's starting to show its age, maybe it's time to replace it.

Wondering why? Take a look at what Billiam at View from the Cheap Seats has to say about what that fading image represents.

More nurses, less teachers

The 2006-07 MPS budget proposal has an interesting paradox.

According to a Journal Sentinel analysis, the budget includes:

Using $3 million in federal funds to add 20 school nurses, four psychologists and four social workers to MPS.

While:

The total number of teacher positions would decline from 6,193 to 6,055...

Ah, for the good 'ol days when schools provided an education and hospitals provided health care.

[h/t Phelony Jones]

How to build your fan base, lesson #217

The US soldiers were sent to the desert for 122 days and they sat in the same tent and did nothing, except a little too much masturbating.

-Gay cowboy, military sniper and friend to invisible rabbit, Jake Gyllenhaal, commenting on the 1991 Gulf War.

I wonder if he formed that opinion during the war and when he was ten years old, or more recently?

Quick Question: United 93

I've been meaning to ask....to all those people who think it's "too soon" for a film about September 11, what did you have to say about Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11? I don't remember there being any outcry about timing there.

I'd be happy to know what makes United 93 subject to the terms "distasteful" and "untimely" but not the former Farneheit 9/11.

I'd appreciate it if someone could shed some light on this for me.

United 93: A Respectful Tribute

Watching United 93 last night was a lot different than I thought it would be. It was different in a good way, though, and I stick to my pre-conceived idea that everyone should see this film.

I think I may be one of the "lucky" ones who, having already seen the made-for-tv, "The Flight That Fought Back," was more prepared to consume the information put up on the big screen. The tv version of the movie focused much more on the personal relationships and individual lives of the passengers and those they left behind. In that way, it was a much, much more difficult film to stomach, emotionally.

United 93, comparatively, is a film that puts the emphasis on historical story telling, and sticks to the matter-of-fact events of that day. While I don't think there was a dry eye in the theatre last night, it was not because the film's director made any attempt whatsoever to get an emotional rise out of the audience.

The audience cried because, frankly, the facts alone are enough to make anyone with a beating heart shed some tears.

I also think there was something about the movie theatre experience that really affects you when you watch the movie. Sitting in those rows, next to strangers, it didn't feel all that different to sitting down on a plane, and the feeling that you're on board United 93 is hard to shake. There were more than a few times I felt myself looking at the people next to me in disbelief or denial.

What's so difficult about this movie is knowing the ending. You find yourself saying, "Lock the door!" as though some how things could have turned out differently. And you're trapped in the knowledge that you can't say when it's over, "Well it was just a movie."

The fact that there are no familiar Hollywood faces in the film only adds to the realization that it could have been your dad or sister or husband on that plane. And watching the group band together as they plan their attack, you want them to win, and you begin to feel like they were your brothers. And you hope that the ending will change.

If there's anything United 93 does, it won't necessarily "bring back the memories of 9/11" in the way you think. What it will do is show you what happened behind the scenes and just how unprepared we were to deal with the events of that day. You will see the pandemonium that occurred and how difficult it was to track the 4,200 planes that were in the air that morning.

Mostly, you will be smacked across the face with the reality that these terrorists do not want to kill American soldiers, they want to kill American citizens. And you will see the dedication they have when it comes to completing their task.

If that doesn't shake you up at least a little bit, well then I don't know what will.

Lastly, I think the movie is a fine tribute to the brave Americans on that flight who knew what they were facing and decided to fight back. Watching the film makes you proud to know they did not go quietly. There's something heart wrenchingly beautiful about that.

****Potential Spoiler****

Yeah, I know everyone ultimately knows the end of this story, but between the tv version and United 93 there was some room for speculation, and I have to admit I much preferred the ending put forth in the movie.

The passengers are shown attacking and killing two of the terrorists, and I have to say, watching that made me feel relieved. I wanted those terrorists to suffer, and my boyfriend, who accompanied me to the movie agreed that there was some sort of "Kill those bastards!" sentiment that welled in him, too.

In the end, it's a small comfort. But for some biting reason, I hope it's the truth.

Falling Stone

Q: How do you get a drunk Keith Richards out of a tree?

A: Wave to him.

Day Without Citizens

Here's an idea: How about American citizens, either by birth or legal immigration, all pick a day we don't show up for work?

Do you think the idiot politicos showing support for illegal immigrants may think twice about the choices they've made?

I'm serious about this. Anyone want to try and make it official?

Kinda close to home

When I was in college, I threw a huge party in my tiny little apartment. After all was said and done, and boy-oh-boy was I done, I climbed into bed with my girlfriend and promptly passed out.

When I woke up the next morning, I wasn't in my bed any longer. I was on the pull-out couch in the living room. Next to my girlfriend's sister. When I said "oh shit!" I woke up my girlfriend's roommate, who was asleep on the other couch.

Oh yeah...and I was naked.

I wrapped a blanket around myself, found my underwear on the kitchen floor and jumped back into bed with my girlfriend.

Who laughed her ass off despite being horribly hung over.

Seems that at some point in the middle of the night I got up to visit the WC, made it only as far as the kitchen, apparently had some issues with my boxer shorts and got lost on the way back to the bedroom.

Quite fortunately nothing happened, other than, you know, waking-up-naked-next-to-my-girlfriend's-sister-and-having-the-entire-thing-witnessed-by-the-girlfriend's-best-friend.

Which makes me a whole hell of a lot luckier than this guy.

United 93

I'll be hitting the 9:50 screening of United 93 tonight. I'll be back to post my thoughts and feelings later. All the reviews I've seen have been stellar.

I'd say I'm looking forward to it...but I'm not. Yet, at the same time I feel compelled to see the film.

To me, it's got a Saving Private Ryan-obligation-like feel to it, and perhaps that explains my compulsion. All the same, I'll let you know if the film lives up to what I'm expecting.

Moebius Blog

I wonder if the Spice Boys realize just how silly this post is.

They're complaining about how with all the other news in the world, a blogger is more concerned about blogging on blogging.

Nevermind that they're blogging about a blogger blogging about blogging.

Now if I can just get someone to blog about me blogging about a blog that's blogging about blogging, that would be cool.

Do yourself a favor...

Mandy Jenkins did. She commented on my snarky post regarding the title of her Journal Sentinel hosted blog, Seen and Heard. That let me follow the link to her Blogger profile which contained links to two other blogs she has.

The first is Pop-RX, which hasn't been updated since the end of March, but covers pop culture in a way only Mandy can.

The second is Suspension of Disbelief. Mandy looks like she's a contributor to the blog, but it appears everything is written by someone named Loren. Either way, it gets pretty in-depth into the world of comic books, as well as Loren's bid for office.

So do yourself a favor and check them out!

It's Rally Time

In a matter of days, Ask Me Later will have it's 400th post.

While I can't wait til the day we get our 10,000th visitor, I'm a little more excited over having our 500th post.

So I have a challenge for Cantankerous, Ramon and myself:

Let's hit the 500 mark in as short a time as possible. I'm thinking, like, two weeks.

At the same time, let's not sacrifice quality for quantity.

(Quality, of course, being loosely defined.)

I'm almost afraid to hit "publish" on this one, but tequila knocked on my door tonight and now it's insisting on spending the evening.

So, here goes nothing...

Updates on Mega McGee

To this post and this post.

Tim Cuprisin has commented on Michael McGee, Sr.'s use of the BIG N on his radio show.

So has Eugene Kane.

And apparently the MJS editorial board's opinion on the matter is exactly the opposite of Kane's.

Bitch and Moan

It's essentially what we all do with our blogs.

But reading Mandy Jenkins, as I regularly do, I sometimes wonder if that's a better title for her blog than Seen and Heard.

Yeah...meeeow!

I know.

Kane Watch: Apples and Oranges

So Mr. Kane thinks that a reasonable comparison can be made between the sentencing (or lack thereof) in the Kane beating and the tire slashing incidents. While I do realize it's typically out of the norm for Gene to apply reason to most of his writing, he has clearly dropped the ball on this one.

Allow me to explicate: In the case of the Jude beating, the question was not if Jude was beaten, but rather who, exactly, did what to the man and when. It's no secret that the police put up quite a nasty roadblock in determining the answer to this question, but all the same, it's my belief that no jury had enough evidence to get beyond a reasonable doubt.

The same is just not true in the tire slashing case. The question, again, was not if the tires were slashed, but who did it. And, sorry Gene, but this time the answer was obvious. The guilty tried to plea but the judge understood that a greater message was being sent and appropriately sentenced the guilty for their crimes.

Not a huge surprise that Kane would try to use the latter case as a racial statement and indict the judicial system for valuing "a bunch of tires" more than the life of a bi-racial man, but it just doesn't fly. The evidence was not there in the Jude case.

It's disheartening to see that Kane is more interested in vengence than he is in justice. It would seem from his writing that in the Juded case he would have preferred the jury blindly convict the accused if only to appease his desire for revenge. What type of system would that leave us with then, I wonder?

If the Jude verdict was a result of an all white jury (which I don't believe), and it's true that the evidence was not strong enough to convict, then is Kane saying that an all-black jury would have convicted just to convict? Even though they lacked the evidence? That's a fairly incriminating position.

It's a shame that a voice of the black community has, again, so little faith in his own people.

But perhaps most ridiculous is Kane seemingly arguing here that because the Jude cops were acquitted, every case tried thereafter will somehow reflect an attitude about the Jude case. While race-baiters may bite on such a claim, reason shows us that the two cases are not related whatsoever.

So what does Kane want?

It would seem here that Kane is arguing that any crime less violent than the Jude case should result in no jail time, lest we offend the likes of Kane and his followers. It appears to me that he's saying the judge should have let these tire slashing criminals off because the cops got off? Whatever it is, it's complete absurdity.

Come on, Gene. Apples and oranges.

Kane Watch: Eugene Kane is an ass

(Memo to clueless squawkers: Black folks can call each other the N-word without
taking it as an insult or slur. It's a black thing; you wouldn't understand.)

-Eugene Kane

Mr. Kane, you're an ass. To claim that a word uttered by a person of one skin color is okay but offensive by a person of another is nothing more than a gigantic double standard that, unfortunately for you, is something I quite fully understand.

I understand it makes you an ass. I understand that you're essentially saying that the norms are different based upon race. I understand that no matter how much you hope to achieve equality among races, you wish to do so only so long as it provides exceptions for blacks.

Not to beat a dead horse, but it makes you an ass.

And I feel quite confident in making that accusation because asses, apparently, come in all colors.

If you were white, I'd call you an ass.

But since you're black, I'm assuming you're going to call me racist.

To that, all I have to say is, consider the source.

I was offended by the Mexican joke McGee uttered and flabbergasted by his use of the BIG N in not only poorly telling a joke, but thinking it was appropriate to utter on air.

It's not a "black thing." It's a sign of double standards and unwillingness to understand that no matter who says an offensive word the color of their skin doesn't make it any less offensive. And so long as you're willing to accept that double standard, you should be prepared to defend an indefensable viewpoint essentially saying "because of our skin color, we can get away with things you can't."

Nice. Really nice.

Hooray for Science!

It's a good thing we'll always have politicians, because scientists have figured out a way to eliminate another type of blowhard.

[h/t Jules]

Good God. I mean, really. Good God.

-Dennis York, responding to comments made on this post.

So let me get this straight. Dennis York writes a tongue-in-cheek post on the MPS proposal to provide all students with free wireless internet access. In his familiar fashion he makes a point so many others are making: this will not solve the educational issues facing students in the Milwaukee school system. And included in the post is an obviously Photoshopped picture of two young black boys looking at a picture of a scantily clad white woman on a computer monitor.

And somehow this was racist.

Nevermind that the picture and post had nothing to do with the race of the children but rather the silliness of the MPS proposal. Forget the fact that the majority of students attending MPS are black. Apparently we're now at a point in our society where the mere use of a minority in a photo can easily be interpreted as racism.

I'd hate to see what happens when a picture of Michael Redd appears in a story about the Bucks losing in the first round of the playoffs.

With all due respect to Dan Knauss, whose writing I've enjoyed in the Riverwest Currents over the years, this was a major over-reaction on his part. He invested a lot of time into deconstructing the reaction to the photo, and admirably so. But with so many race-related issues society faces today, this one wasn't even close to being on the radar.

Meanwhile, you've got a former Milwaukee alderman and radio personality, father of a current alderman, telling two jokes back-to-back on air that could easily be construed as racist. He used the BIG N multiple times, just to tell a joke. Tim Cuprisin, the MJS television and radio columnist doesn't think it's worth commenting on in spite of being all over Mark Belling's use of the phrase "wetback." Eugene Kane, who has repeatedly written on the detrimental effects of black youths' use of the BIG N in popular culture hasn't even touched it.

Bang up job on covering news that touches both of your specialties, boys.

I'm reminded of a post I did sometime back where I asked readers if I should have identified the race of an individual because I had no other way to describe her. People thought there would have been no problem in my doing so. And while I agree with them, it would appear that my fears weren't entirely unfounded.

Irrational and silly, yes. Unfounded, not at all.

So to everyone focusing on Dennis's picture, ignoring the point he wanted to make in the first place and once again focusing on race rather than the issue, I'll quote the man himself:

Good God. I mean, really. Good God.

Kane Watch: Back to Reality, Anyone?

Looks like our old friend Gene is having a good time bashing Republicans, blacks, black Republicans, the cops and Milwaukee talk radio. Good for you, Gene. Work it. One point really struck me as odd, though. More so than normal, that is:

Gene claims, "No matter how many bloody weekends in Milwaukee, current chief Nannette Hegerty seldom gets roasted by the police union or the talk show squawkers the way Jones did."

I guess Gene must have turned off his headphones this week. Talk radio was all over the 16 shootings, 1 murder and 2 stabbings that happened in our fine city this weekend. The only media entity that was not, actually, was Gene's own The Journal Sentinal. (Well, they did cover the violence in Regional News Briefs, but they sure didn't do any finger pointing.)

So, that leaves me to wonder, exactly who is Gene trying to fry with this point? Seems like a backfire to me.

Hey Gene: It's hard to boil eggs with cold water. (That's my attempt at a Kane-ian proverb).

Voces de Hotties

The fight against illegal immigration has gone too far this time.

Now we're turning away supermodels.

I can only hope she doesn't decide not to show up for work one day in protest. Otherwise there will simply be no reason for me to read Cosmo anymore.

When will it end?!?!?

Kane Watch: Hot Tip for Eugene

From Charlie Sykes CNI column, via Sykes Writes:

Last year BuySeasons hired 218 central city residents and expected to hire even more after the relocation.

This was big news because Milwaukee has one of the worst African-American unemployment rates in the country.

Gwen Moore, who Gene always seems to have a soft-spot for, was one of the few involved in seeing to it that BuySeasons won't be moving to Milwaukee.

Black Milwaukeeans losing out on employment opportunities from the state's fastest growing business because, in part, of a black politician.

Will she get an asterisk now as well?

My New Favorite Restaurant

While I haven't eaten there since high school, I just may have to make a trip to the nearest Applebee's in support of the recent firings of three employees who ditched work to attend a rally.

What's interesting to me is that the debate has surrounded whether or not they deserved to be fired in the first place. This, then, leads into a debate about lying to get out of work, taking sick days or using personal days, etc. I think the fact remains that when staging a walkout, the goal is to show the employer how much they need you. These guys could have had ten personal days and they probably wouldn't have given ample notice. The very object of a walkout is to not give the establishment time to scramble together a tentative workforce, but rather for the establishment to suffer so as to learn just how valuable a particular group is to the overall success of the organization.

As such, I think the bigger point here is the message that Applebee's has sent to the rest of the nation: unskilled laborers can be replaced.

It's one thing when the truckers strike, or when teachers unions strike. The reality is, those positions can't necessarily be filled overnight. In the case of dishwashers, however, the same is just not true.

The fact that Applebee's fired these men points out a serious flaw in the structure of the recent illegal immigrant walkouts: Walkouts only work when the employer cannot exist without you.

There are plenty of college students, I'm sure, who would be happy to upgrade to a job that pays $10.50 an hour. What's more, there are plenty of unemployed Americans who have the skill set it would take to fill their positions. In the plain language of economics, these workers are not vital to the success of an organization. America can do just fine without them.

All the same, at least the three fired employees will be taken care of: "Meanwhile, funds have been started to assist workers who did lose their jobs or pay because of participating in the rally." Kinda like welfare, I guess. I wonder how long it's going to take before the people who donate to this 'cause' decide the jobless people they're supporting should go out and get another job or go home. That's a dangerous position: They just may end up sounding like Republicans after awhile.

Drew Carey is my neighbor!

I advocate a large degree of economic and personal freedom. My neighbors include folks like Ayn Rand, Jesse Ventura, Milton Friedman, and Drew Carey, and may refer to themselves as "classical liberals," "libertarians," "market liberals," "old whigs," "objectivists," "propertarians," "agorists," or "anarcho-capitalist."


Find out which part of Politopia you live in.

And isn't it interesting how John Kerry is closer to Hitler than George Bush? Who is it that keeps getting called a Nazi?

[h/t Belle]

The weather it is nice!

And so I would like to introduce to all of you saucies what Ramon will be wearing when he is out at the beach this summer! I will be in the green!

When College Students Attack

Ah yes, to be young, idealistic and full of misdirection again. College students are just so damn cute with their big ideas, blind confidence and supposed wisdom. That said, the recent attacks on Michelle Malkin by students of UC Santa Cruz are, albeit vile, almost adorable in their naivete.

Besides, it's difficult to take too seriously the words of those whose idea of a bad day is summed up by missing a volleyball game in the quad because of a hangover from Tuesday night $1 taps. Dude! While this may be a harsh summation of the group, it seems these kids aren't too bright:

(Hint: Those who wish to maintain their anonymity should refrain from including their names on press releases)

How to Deal with Iran

As Iran moves closer to a nuclear weapon and the United States stands before yet another major decision, the National Review Online has published an article that I feel concisely and accurately describes the situation.

Four years ago, George W. Bush said his administration would not "permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons." Yet precisely that is about to happen. With Iran's announcement this week that it has begun uranium enrichment, we know that the world's most dangerous regime — a sponsor of global terror and sworn enemy of the United States that openly threatens the annihilation of Israel — is on a fast track to building an atomic bomb. If we don't want that to happen, we must recognize that our Iran policy has failed and change it — now.

Read the rest here.

Proof

Yet another rapper goes down while mingling with the lifestyle so often glorified in rap music. Biggie, Tupac, the list goes on. This newest story is only really surprising in the spin that the MSM has placed on it.

To be sure, this weekend's lead states, "He felt obligated to "the streets," friends said, so Proof stayed close to give back what he owed - and paid with his life."

Paid with his life? Touching. Too bad the article goes on to say, "Yet after an argument inside a seedy Detroit after-hours club early Tuesday, police said, Proof fired the first shot in a gun battle that left him dead."

And who's to blame? The article explains, "But rappers and their audiences don't bear all the blame, Hunt and others said, pointing to a music industry that encourages rappers to "keep it real."

Fascinating.

Seriously?

Jay Bullock points out what must pass for "investigative" reporting at MJS these days.

And as he says, I could do that.

They get paid for this stuff?

Thoughts on the Big News

Hennings/Parker bodies discovered?
I think it's important, with the recent discovery of two bodies in a McGovern Park lagoon, that any inference of snitching, or lack thereof, led to the prolonged disappearance of Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Virginia Parker. If the bodies are, in fact, those of the two missing boys, it sounds as if the level of decomposition points to the bodies having been in the lagoon for quite some time. Police Chief Nan Hegerty said in a late-night press conference that in spite of repeated searches, the amount of mud, muck and garbage in the lagoon could have prevented searchers from detecting the bodies. If this is the case, we may be witnessing what amounts to no more than a tremendously unfortunate accident. It would make sense that two boys playing in a park wouldn't have attracted anyone's attention and therefore there would have been nothing for anyone to hide or snitch about.

Now, information released to the public is not yet complete. Autopsies may reveal more information, including some level of foul play. But if it does come out that the bodies have been in the water since the day they disappeared and no other signs of trauma are present, a resounding chorus of apologies to the black community for accusations of possibly withholding information that could lead to finding the boys is in order.

Jude Beating Verdict
I was surprised by the verdict, but as every attorney involved in the case said, including E. Michael McCann, to some extent, the justice system worked. Sometimes it just doesn't work the way we want it to. The jury was unable to find the defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and I heard a commentator on last night's news remind viewers that it was not the former officers' duty to prove their innocence, but rather the prosecution's job to prove their guilt. Remember, in this country it's "innocent until proven guilty," and the state simply couldn't make its case.

This isn't to say that there wasn't a problem with witnesses not coming forward. Obviously, a perceived "code of silence" among police officers is more than just perceived. Hopefully this case and the public's reaction will lead law enforcement to change its culture and understand that while fellow officers may not like "snitching," the public demands it.

Accusations that an all-white jury had anything to do with it are irresponsible. They did their civic duty. To imply the color of their skin impacted the verdict says they were incapable of doing their duty. I fear that now we'll hear calls for racial quotas on juries, and we all know how well quotas work.

As I said above, I think all the attorneys involved in the case made a point to say that, for better or worse, justice worked. It worked within the confines of what the law allows. That said, the tempered reactions from both sides of the case stood in stark contrast to Mayor Tom Barrett's first statement late last night. He came out and showed clear disgust over the outcome. That's fine, but in his position (one I have to say is often forgotten considering how rarely we see him in the news), at a critical moment when public outrage had a suspected chance of turning to violence, he should have better chose his words. I don't have the transcripts for the public statements, but having watched pretty much all of them back-to-back and as they happened, his really stood out.

Barrett did say something like "this isn't over." Though I don't think that was appropriate at the time, he was right. Where the state prosecution failed, I believe federal prosecution might succeed. And one defendant is still facing state charges for which he'll stand trial, including a mis-trial resulting from a jury deadlock. But we must recognize that as a society we have to accept how these trials work. We may not have a perfect system, but it's one of the best around.

Today is a sad day in Milwaukee. In one case I'm afraid there was simply nothing we could do about it. In another, I think there are valuable lessons for everyone to learn.

When news hits...

...it hits big.

It's 10:30 pm, and for the first time in a long time Milwaukee news literally has me on the edge of my seat.

Unfortunately, it's all for the wrong reasons.

Kane Watch: Is Eugene Illiterate or Ignorant?

Leave it to good ol' Gene Kane to once again misrepresent a story. In this bog post, Kane says:

...it's pretty certain that some blacks think more immigration will take away jobs from African-Americans.

And then he links to a story where the headline reads:

Are Undocumented Immigrants Taking Jobs from Blacks?

For those of you who haven't been paying attention, undocumented means illegal. According to the article, blacks are showing concerns over illegal immigration. They aren't anti-immigration. They're anti-illegal immigration. I really doubt he's illiterate, so did Kane read the article and just ignore what it was saying? Or is it that this story simply didn't fit his template of African-American liberal group think and he sub-consciously made it so?

Lastly, the following two statements give me a sickening feeling:

I hope this doesn't become a divisive issue between blacks and Latinos who just want equal opportunity to make a better life for themselves.

But it does have the potential of being a source of contention between the country's two largest minority groups.

What makes it sickening? It's that I can't help but think that in Eugene Kane's mind there's some sort of Black/Latino vs. White, us vs. them, battle going on.

And he doesn't want it to stop.

Maybe I should get half his column.

Michael McGee may want to try Netflix

Has anyone noticed that Alderman McGee seems to have a lot of problems revolving around DVDs?

McGee just won a restraining order against a young woman he claims is obsessed with him (she claims she's pregnant with his child). One of the incidents leading up to the order as quoted from a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article:

He [McGee] claimed the behavior reached its zenith March 31, when a planned meeting to return a DVD McGee lent her ended up with Rucker reaching into the vehicle where McGee sat and clawing his face.

In the same article we're reminded of McGee's recent Blockbuster incident where:

...McGee was arrested in Wauwatosa after he yelled at some Blockbuster employees, who had called police to report a suspicious car in their lot at closing time. McGee said he was meeting a friend - not Rucker - to whom he'd planned to give a DVD on non-violence...

Netflix lets you order DVDs online and have them delivered to the comfort of your own home, usually within one or two business days. In the case of a certain Alderman, it may offer the additional benefit of sparing him from becoming Milwaukee's own version of Ted Kennedy.

[h/t Jules]

Next Blog

Tonight I hit the "Next Blog" button on the Blogger header and was treated to something just great. Seriously...how could you not enjoy monkeys?

But it's this post that made me stick around.

What have you found on the Next Blog?

Voces de los Idiotas

Wanna know something?

I speak Spanish.

And I don't just speak "classroom" Spanish. Despite six years of Spanish classes throughout junior high and high school, I've picked up far more Spanish from my Central American friends than my blonde haired, blue eyed Anglo-Saxon Spanish teacher ever taught me (which essentially means I couldn't conjugate a verb properly to save my life).

But I am familiar enough with the language to come up with nifty little things like Voces de los Idiotas. Not only is it always amazing to me that you can simply add a vowel to an English word and make it Spanish, but how appropriate the translation is.

(In case you're truly lost, it means "voices of the idiots.")

Why?

Because, for some odd reason, they think that exercising First Amendment rights comes without reprecussions. Let me translate that one for you as well: they think it means you can skip out of work to attend a protest and expect your employer to have your job waiting for you when you decide to show up for your next shift.

In case anyone from Voces de los Idiotas is reading this now, allow me to point out that the First Amendment protects you from the government persecuting you for what you say. But whatever anyone else has to say or do about it, within reason, is fair game.

I'm an American through and through who enjoys all the rights the Constitution has to offer. But if I chose to not show up to work so I could attend a protest, I'd be fired. And I wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Welcome to America.

Or as Elliot, who brought this story to my attention, had to say:

News flash: the First Amendment protects the right to speak. It does not protect a theoretical right to speak without consequences.

If you want to come to America, you’ve got to live by our rules. (I know that seems hard to believe because Voces contends everybody should be able to come live here regardless of the rules.) If you don’t come to work when y0u’re supposed to you can be fired.

Here's some advice for Voces: Si queres vivir en este pais, aprende las leyes.

(FYI, my Central American friends are here legally. And they're not to crazy about anyone trying to do it any other way.)

Hey Lefty!

Now that I have our one liberal reader's attention, I'd like to extend to him or her an invitation.

It seems to me that a vast majority of Americans are taking serious issue with the marches in favor of rights for illegal immigrants as well as those citizens who support them. But short of fairly lame arguments like "why not prosecute the affluent whites who hire them" (I'm all for that, by the way) or "being anti-illegal immigrant makes you anti-immigrant and racist" or "we were all immigrants at one time" (but those were different times Nicole Devlin), I've yet to see a legitimate point being made as to why we should be forced to simply open our doors to anyone who wants to come in and ignore the fact that millions broke the law in doing so. Granted, I don't have a lot of time to dig around for this, but you'd think I'd have seen at least something!

Come to think of it, even reading some left-leaning blogs it seems that liberals aren't entirely keen on illegal immigrants taking advantage of us either.

So who is?

Frankly, this debate is really starting to tick me off. That's right, I'm getting New Hulk angry. While for a long time I've had a soft-spot for illegal immigrants simply because their desire to be here was actually flattering, these marches and demands for rights that they've tried to steal has gone to far. Voces de la Frontera can kiss my big green ass for all I care. Peg Lautenschlager and Kathleen Falk have demonstrated just how unqualified they are to uphold the law by supporting law-breakers. And so far as I'm concerned, it takes a lot of cajones to come here illegally, hold a job illegally, skip out of work and then march for something you think you should get in spite of not doing a damned thing to earn it like so many of your former countrymen have!

So before I rip out of my shirt, I'm going to ask someone, anyone, to send an e-mail to askmelaterblog@yahoo.com. Justify the recent marches. Make me believe we should forgive and forget all the illegal immigrants currently here and planning on coming in the future. I'll happily publish your thoughts.

I'm waiting.

Irony

[People are] saying it's terrible, evil, unfair, awful, racist. And that's just what the politicians are saying as they side with the masses.

-Phelony Jones on the illegal immigration debate

The best advice I can offer

At one point during the bloggers' conference, I leaned over to my buddy Jules and wondered aloud who the hot blonde in front of us was. Considering Ask Me Later is the only blog he reads, I shouldn't have been surprised that he didn't know.

But had he known the answer, he probably would have said something like, "she's the one who hates poop in the lake and has problems with rutabaga."

Now, I'm not one to plug another blogger simply for the sake of gaining their undying appreciation, but I am one who loves a blogger who, like Ragnar Mentaire and Triticale, occasionally deviates from hard-hitting political commentary and shares a little something that everyone can appreciate.

But if there's one thing I'm not giving up, it's my secret recipes. Actually, I'm usually well pickled when I cook, so I honestly have no idea what the recipe is for anything I make. All I know is that there's lots of butter. And bacon. Bacon and butter. Bacon butter. Now there's a million dollar idea.

Nevertheless, I will share the following with everyone, hoping that anyone who reads this promptly makes one for his or herself or orders one at their nearest and favoritist watering hole.

The Perfect Martini
Fill a glass with ice and water and place in the freezer. Take several ounces of Level vodka and a bunch of ice. Put them in a shaker. Glance at a bottle of vermouth. DO NOT ANYTHING FURTHER WITH SAID VERMOUTH. Shake vigorously. Shake again. Wink at the nearest person of the opposite sex. Remove glass from freezer and empty water and ice. Blow kiss at another person of the opposite sex. Empty shaker into glass. Garnish with olives stuffed with either blue cheese or anchovies.

If made properly, the martini will taste like water and you will be able to say to your friends, "watch this" and slam it in one gulp. Repeat the above recipe as many times as required with intermittent compliments to Casper.

And whatever you do, for the love of all that's holy, if you drive, drive fast so you're off the road before you hurt anyone.

Kane Watch: Swan Song

Not surprising that with Lynn Swan running for governor, Eugene Kane isn't changing his tune.

Given the fact that there are a staggering amount of African Americans that will be represented in upcoming gubernatorial elections, it was nice to see Kane give credit to a man who is, perhaps, a role model for more than his football accomplishments.

Oh wait. Scratch that.

Here is Kane's position: "He's running as a Republican. Which wasn't surprising, seeing how some people love to talk about "qualifications" and "merit" in terms of affirmative action, but never want to acknowledge that people are sometimes picked for jobs on nothing but popularity."

To be honest, I still haven't figured out what he means by that. At best, I have deciphered it to mean that Kane has no respect for a Republican African American.

However, that's not even the best part. Kane's conclusion is perhaps the most startling:

Many blacks are sticking with current Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who has a good reputation in terms of diversity.

I wonder if anybody will give African-Americans credit for not automatically choosing a candidate based on skin color, but on actual credentials?

Nope, I didn't think so.

Apparently, Kane thinks African Americans should be applauded for using more than skin color to form an opinion about someone.

Wow. It would certainly seem that Mr. Kane has very little faith in the reasoning skills of his own people.

Picture = 1000 Words

Not only does this picture from The Capital Times not do any favors for illegal immigrants hoping to become legal (unless, of course, they're attempting to build support among self-loathing Americans), but the associated caption entirely mis-characterizes the debate.


The national flag of Mexico and a upside down American flag in protest the US handling of immigrants.

I thought that what we were discussing were the problems associated with illegal immigrants. I know, I know, if our immigration laws were less strict, we'd have fewer problems with illegal immigrants.

Much in the same way that if we didn't have speeding laws, we wouldn't have speeders.

[h/t Brian Fraley]

How Dare They

Imagine a man breaking into your house. Of all the other homes on the street, he picked yours because it was easy to get inside. While you're away at work, he raids your cupboards, pockets cash from your nightstand, helps himself to a sampling of the drugs in your medicine cabinet and falls asleep on your couch watching Judge Judy.

You come home to find him still asleep. You call the police. They arrest him. He goes to court. Breaking and entering is the charge. He's found guilty. The judge levies several fines along with time served.

And then you're told that since he broke into your house in the first place because he was hungry and poor with nowhere else to go, you must take him back in. Feed him. Give him shelter. He's now guaranteed residence under your roof.

This is exactly what advocates for illegal immigrants are asking for. This is what illegal immigrants hope to achieve. They both demand that with fines and back taxes the United States gives them what they tried to steal to begin with: citizenship.

How dare they.

Reluctantly, for the benefit of those who will classify what I've said and what I'm about to say as racist, I will qualify this once and only once. I am speaking of only illegal immigration. It is both ridiculous and insulting that critics of our current state of illegal immigration cannot debate this topic without being accused of being anti-immigrant and full of hate. I, like many of those demanding something be done about foreigners disregarding our laws, sneaking across our borders and expecting to be treated as any legal citizen would, cherish legitimate immigration. Following 9/11, when anti-American sentiments and rhetoric returned to its normal pace, I often looked to continuing immigration as a testament of just how great this country is. In spite of everything that may be wrong with this nation of ours, millions emigrating here from other nations are proof that it might not be as bad as it could be. And even though illegal immigrants are part of that proof, I'm unwilling to excuse the method by which they hope to achieve the "American dream."

Just as I'm unwilling to offer them citizenship. Illegal immigrants are essentially trying to steal that which so many have attained legitimately and legally. American citizens who fight for granting them this right are nothing more than accessories to the crime.

At the same time, however, I'm willing to accept that we cannot simply deport the tens of millions of illegal immigrants already here, be they Mexican, Cuban, Russian, Asian or otherwise. What I'm insisting upon is that they never be allowed that which they tried to take.

So here is my proposal:

For one year all current illegal immigrants are allowed to register their presence in the United States without fear of deportation, but they will need to pay fines, fees and back taxes amounting to more than those paid by any legal immigrant. At the same time, the borders will be tightened to insure any further illegal immigration is kept at a bare minimum, including a fence on the Mexican/American border. I'm sorry to say it, but I honestly don't believe any measure short of that will truly solve the problem.

After the one year grace period, any unregistered illegal immigrant discovered will immediately be deported to their country of origin. Businesses employing illegal immigrants will face crippling fines. And registered, illegal immigrants will have the chance to become permanent resident aliens. But that's it. Never, under any circumstance, will previously illegal immigrants be granted full citizenship in the United States of America. Any child born to a previously illegal immigrant would be born a citizen, but not those born to unregistered illegal immigrants after the end of the grace period. Children under the age of 18 who crossed the border illegally will only be able to attain citizenship through military service or by marrying an American citizen. But the adults who tried to steal the American dream will never get the chance of seeing that dream come true.

It should serve as a valuable lesson. As these people grow older and explain to their children and grandchildren why they cannot vote, cannot hold office and, most important, why they will never be Americans, hopefully it will instill a belief in their progeny that they live in a nation of laws and rules that welcomes immigrants with open arms and embraces the diversity of its citizenship.

Just so long as they don't try to steal it.

US Math Through the Decades

While checking out the blog of those crazy folks at The Morning Spin, I came across a post containing this email. Priceless. (H/t Dan)

Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds for $3.58.

The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and
gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies.
While looking at the screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort
and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the
manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she
stood there and cried.

Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math
since the 1950s:

Teaching Math In 1950

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1960

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 1990

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of
$20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class
participation after answering the question: How did the birds and
squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong
answers.)

Teaching Math In 2005

Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la
produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas se puede comprar?

Amazingly, European Countries Don't Want to Get Blown Up

An absolutely amazing transformation that pertains to National Security has taken place across many European countries. Yep, it seems those countries don't want to get blown up.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks and the terrorist bombings that followed in Madrid and London, authorities across the continent are getting more powers to electronically eavesdrop, and meeting less apparent opposition than President Bush did over his post-9/11 wiretapping program.

That's right, folks. The governments and citizens of England, Italy, France, Netherlands, Sweden and more are all convinced that wiretapping just may help to protect against terrorist attacks. What an amazing concept.

In fact, "...the Dutch secret service, known by its acronym AIVD, has gained vast powers since 9/11. In September 2004, the government passed sweeping measures that lowered the threshold for bugging and surveillance. A turning point in Dutch public attitudes came with the 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a Muslim extremist who claimed a film he made insulted Islam."

What a show of support for their countrymen. The Dutch lost one civilian to a terrorist and an overall shift in attitude was shown that favors their government taking more measures towards protection.

Must be nice.

MSM Catches Up to Bloggers

Way to go Fred. I wouldn't exactly call this a news flash, but it's nice to see the credit go to the person who did the work.

Uranus has a blue ring

News you just can't resist sharing from the solar system's least respected planet.

Sorry.

[h/t Drudge]

Favre Announces

Anti-WHAT sentiments "on the rise"??

In the wake of all the recent MSM claims that anti-Islamic sentiments are on the rise in the United States, I felt compelled to point out that it is easier to find incidences of anti-American sentiments in the United States than it is to find anti-Islamic.

In fact, a Yahoo search of "anti-Islamic" yields more findings for "Islamic anti-Semitic" materials than it does for the intended search. And most of those findings appear on the official news sites of major Arabic countries.

So, MSM, where are all these anti-Islamic sentiments? I'm curious. I'm not saying they don't exist. I'm just wondering from where the idea that they are "on the rise" has emerged.

Feminist Rhetoric

What's worse than a man bitching and moaning about the "objectification of women" blah, blah, blah?

When the person bitching about that is a woman.

Don't get me wrong, I could care less about whether or not women wear make-up, or who's on the cover of Cosmopolitan. But after reading Jenna's post, I was curious as to how exactly she would define "feminist rhetoric." That's a pretty large term, I think, and it covers a lot of ground. In fact, it covers so much ground that I felt compelled to write this post.

I believe that almost any cause can be taken to an extreme that makes it ridiculous (and maybe that's the point she was trying to make). And I do know a fair share of feminists I would classify as absurd, same with pro-lifers. However, I think one should take care when throwing around notions like, "the "objectification of women" blah, blah, blah..."

Have you forgotten our Afghanistan sisters? Our African sisters? The women of Bosnia? How about our Indian sisters who face death for shaming the family? To believe that the state of women in the world is even comparable to the state of women in the US is to be ignorant of the reality. And to count the objectification of women as "feminist rhetoric" is to severely underestimate its power.

It is argued that because of the objectification of women, our sisters in Iran are forced to cover, for example. It is also the reason women around the world are claimed as property. How about the status of Asian female babies? Is that such a trivial notion that it can be laughed off?

I guess my point is, sometimes there's a fine line between sounding like a big, bad Republican and sounding like this guy.

The Shield

Doesn't This Just Say It All

I came across this piece of propaganda over at wisopinion. It really is amazing to me how much the left absolutely hates this country.

I could take the time to logically deconstruct this "argument," but all I really need point out is that, at minimum, and if we grant that both premises are true, it is an informal fallacy, a case of tu quo qua. (I don't agree that both premises are true, but clearly the author of this cartoon needs that condition for his argument.)

Mostly though it just serves as yet another reminder that the American people need a wake up call. Since we are lucky to have a government that actually invests in protecting us from a literal one (i.e. another 9/11) I have to say that I am grateful someone had the respect and the guts to make a film about the core of what all this "spying" and "torturing" is all about.

I once told a guy that the main difference between a liberal and a conservative is not that we don't want the same things, but rather liberals talk and act on the way things should be and conservatives keep that in mind but talk and act on the way things are. This cartoon reminds me of that naivete.

Who doesn't want a peaceful world? Who doesn't want our troops to come home and all the bad guys to go away and leave use alone? Everyone wants those things. The reality we live in though does not allow for flights of fancy. The reality is that there are people in the world, right now, who want nothing more than to kill Americans. Pretending that the situation is otherwise is just plain stupidity.

And while I'm at it, It always seems to me that liberals, in an effort to adhere to the fairyland they live in, like to forget key facts. Like the thousands of people who died in New York City that day. Like the tens of thousands of people Saddam Hussein is accused of murdering. Like the fact that displaying American flags in America (for Christ's sake) is not a source of antagonism because some people are actually proud to be American. What a shocker.

That cartoon is just sick. It's shameful that the man who constructed it was only able to do so because of the freedom he enjoys in a country such as this, a country that he obviously hates.

Journal Sentinel: Wheel of Death

Maybe I shouldn't be one to talk, but is it just me, or are the ads at JS Online getting increasingly more challenging to watch? From crusty writers...err fingernails, to flying ducks and revolving fans, just reading a damn article there makes me feel like I'm on a merry-go-round.

I don't know whose brilliant idea it was to put moving objects next to the articles, but I wish someone would make it stop. I realize this may come as a surprise, but some of us actually want to read the stories.

Pervert

"The deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was arrested Tuesday for using the Internet to seduce what he thought was a teenage girl, authorities said," reports The AP.

Ya gotta wonder, his pervertedness aside, how big of an idiot is this guy? "During other online conversations, [Brian] Doyle revealed his name, that he worked for the Homeland Security Department and offered his office and government issued cell phone numbers, the sheriff's office said."

"Doyle later had a telephone conversation with an undercover deputy posing as the teenager and encouraged her to purchase a web camera to send graphic images of herself to him, the sheriff's office said."

Maybe this incident will entice the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department to move a little quicker on the whole "camwhore" craze apparently sweeping the nation.

Jesus!

Get off the ice, would ya? You're freakin' out the neighbors again!

Wouldn't It Be Grand....

Not in My House

I just returned from the Brewers home opener. I had a great time. I love baseball, and it was a pleasure to spend the day at the ball park. I mean, I watched baseball, today! How great is that? It was also nice to see the Brewers churn out a win.

What wasn't so nice was driving past a brutal fight on 38th and Wisconsin as I was leaving the park. After swerving to avoid the body of a man who was swung into oncoming traffic, I immediately reached for my phone and called 911.

When I told the operator the situation, she said, "You need to talk to Milwaukee county." After waiting a moment to be transferred, the next woman said, "I don't know why you called me! This is the Sheriff."

My response was swift, and simple, "Hey, lady, sorry to trouble you. I'm just a concerned citizen trying to report something. Don't let that get in the way of not helping me." She decided to take the complaint and said she'd get it to the right person.

While continuing to drive on, I realized I had no idea what would ultimately happen behind me. But I did know that I didn't even hesitate to call 911. It was almost a natural progression. I don't know why I reached for my phone; I just did. That's the way I was taught, I suppose.

Or maybe it's because even though I have no idea what started that fight, or who was fighting who, I felt an obligation as a citizen of this city to do my part to help it stop.

I donno. Maybe it was just a selfish inclination. I was pretty angered by the whole thing, to be honest. I had just had a fantastic baseball-filled afternoon, and after a wicked morning rain, was enjoying the sunshine that somehow made its way through the clouds, and turned the day gorgeous. I still had the smell of the tailgater's charcoal grills in my mind, and I come around a corner to see what?!

I don't want to see violence on MY city streets, and I can not understand a mentality that says, "Not my problem." That fight became my problem the minute I laid eyes on it. The mentality I had was more along the lines of, "Not in my house."

If that is, in fact, a selfish inclination, I wish more people would have them about the goings-on in our city. I believe it implies a sense of ownership, and people who take ownership of something tend to care more about it.

As the scene got smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror, I found myself thinking of the post I wrote about Raheim Patrick, and the reason for writing it. Because I can't help but wonder how different things could have been for that boy had someone picked up the phone.

The Big Announcement

So The Simpsons is set to become a major motion picture.

It's going to be really good. Or suck.

One of the two.

Ask Me Later going offline

If you're familiar with Ask Me Later, you know that for that last several months we tried to maintain a regular feature known as the Kane Watch. With it we hoped to track the writings of Journal Sentinel columnist Eugene Kane. Unfortunately, we received a letter, via snail-mail of all things, from Journal Sentinel Communications indicating that by hosting a regular column focused on a JSC employee's writings, we were in potential violation of copyright laws and should cease and desist immediately.

To avoid any possible litigation, we are temporarily taking Ask Me Later offline. I will spend the majority of today being sure to remove the content in question, as well as eliminate any mention of Eugene Kane in any post or comment.

I apologize to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and its parent company, Journal Sentinel Communications, for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Readers, you can read the content of the notice I received here.

Thank you. Hopefully we'll be back soon.