This Just In...

Tuesday will mark the height of audacity.

All across this great country of ours, including here in Wisconsin, as many as 1 million people who have no business being here will take part in rallies making bold demands. Illegal aliens (the media in search of backbones calls them “undocumented workers”) will take to the streets and clamor for instant citizenship.

It is chutzpah personified. You’re in the country illegally, you’re breaking the law, yet you tell America that it must grant your wishes, no questions asked. Imagine an American trying that overseas.

This in-your-face, blatant disregard for the law is an affront to every immigrant who is properly adhering to all the rules in the quest to become a U.S. citizen.

Last year, organizers called the marches, “A day without immigrants.” I’d like to envision, “A day without illegal immigrants.”

And just what would a day without illegal immigrants be like?

One of the most outspoken critics of illegal immigration is Iowa Congressman Steve King. In a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives May 3, 2006, Congressman King spoke in pointed terms about the impact of illegal immigration in America:

”They argue that they are not criminals. But in fact, it is a crime to enter the United States today. It is a crime to go to work in the United States illegally. And it isn't that they are not criminals. They break the law every day they go to work.

We must do something. And I think Democrats and Republicans agree that we need to control our borders. And the statistics that I have looked at tell me that we have a slow-motion terrorist attack going on in the United States that comes across our southern border.

Now, some will say that if I point out the crimes of anyone coming into the United States, that somehow I am labeling everyone who illegally comes into the United States as a violent criminal. And of course, we know that is not true.

About 11,000 illegals cross our southern border every day. If they were all murderers, we would double our murder rate practically just with 1 day's supply. No, that is not the case. But the crimes that are committed by those who enter this country illegally are in significantly greater numbers than the crimes that are committed by American citizens, to the extent that 28 percent of the inmates in our prisons in the United States are criminal aliens, 28 percent. And that includes our city, our county, our State and our Federal penitentiaries. And they vary only 1 or 2 percent above or below, but they average 28 percent.

And it costs us $6 billion a year to provide for the incarceration of the criminal aliens, and that is just the Federal dollars to speak of. And once we reach down into the cities, into the counties, there are other numbers out there that would grow that greater and greater. It is a minimum of $6 billion.

Now, that means then that criminal aliens are committing 28 percent of the crimes in the United States. And so that means 28 percent of the murders, 28 percent of the rapes, 28 percent of the violence and the assaults and battery, first- and second-degree murder and also manslaughter attacks are committed by criminal aliens.

So this problem is a lot larger than most people think. And it comes down to this: If we had enforced our borders, if we hadn't allowed any illegals to come into the United States, if we would have enforced our domestic laws so when people violated immigration laws internally, domestically; if we did those things, then we wouldn't have illegal aliens in America to commit the crimes.

And that would equate and extrapolate down to 12 fewer murders every day, 13 fewer people that die at the hands of negligent homicide, primarily the victims of drunk drivers, at least 8 little girls that are victims of sex crimes on a daily basis, and that number could be well higher than that because the average predator, perpetrator commits and is convicted on at least 3.6 victims. And that is the ones we find out about. There are many others that are not reported.

This is a slow-rolling, slow-motion terrorist attack on the United States costing us billions of dollars and, in fact, thousands of lives, and we have an obligation to protect the American people, and that means seal and protect our borders.”

Many of those who enter our country illegally scoff at our laws, commit violent crimes, and place a huge burden on our social services.

A day without illegal immigrants. Wouldn’t that be nice?

The U.S. Supreme Court today made the correct ruling when it gave police officers protection from lawsuits that result from high-speed car chases. In an era of 5-4 votes by the high court, today’s ruling was a clear 8-1 decision in favor of law enforcement.

The ruling came in a case involving a Georgia teenager who was paralyzed after his car was run off the road by a deputy in March of 2001.

I talked about the case when I filled in for Mark Belling on WISN earlier this year, taking the position that law enforcement must be allowed plenty of discretion in high speed chases. To take away their ability to chase after getaway criminals would send the terrible message to lawbreakers that all you have to do is drive like hell to avoid getting caught. Sheriff David Clarke called in and correctly predicted the Supreme Court would rule the way it did.

USA TODAY gave this background of the case in an article in February 2007:

It was 10:42 p.m. when Clinton Reynolds, a Coweta deputy, clocked (Victor) Harris at 73 miles an hour in a 55-mile-an-hour zone. Reynolds flashed his lights, then turned on his siren and gave chase in light traffic.

Four minutes later, Harris turned into a strip mall parking lot. (Timothy) Scott, who has joined the pursuit by this time, tried to head off Harris in the parking lot. Their cars collided, though not seriously enough to slow either one.

The chase continued on Georgia Highway 74 and Scott asked to take over the lead pursuit.

"Let me have him, 78," he said, using the number for Reynolds' car. "My car is already tore up."

A few seconds later, Scott asks permission to execute a "Precision Intervention Technique," intended to cause the fleeing car to spin and stop.

"Take him out, take him out," Scott's supervisor said over the radio.

But Scott decided they were traveling too fast for the maneuver, so he rammed Harris' car, hitting it in the rear on the driver's side.

Almost immediately, Harris veered to the left, then sharply right and off the road. Scott brought his cruiser to a stop and the camera picked up the smoking, crumpled Cadillac resting near a telephone pole.

Scott approached the car with his gun drawn, then quickly concluded Harris was no threat.

The chase lasted six minutes, with Scott in the lead for less than a minute before he took the decisive action.

While it is unfortunate that Harris was paralyzed, you must take into consideration the following:

Harris was speeding. When he saw the police lights in his rear-view mirror, he should have pulled over.

Instead, he hit the accelerator, leading police on a dangerous chase, at times going 90 mph.

Harris endangered the lives of many other motorists.

He could have ended the chase after being rammed the first time. He didn’t and kept on running.

The chase lasted six minutes. Harris had ample time to think the better of the situation and pull over. He refused.

Harris could have avoided this whole mess, including his serious injury, had he done the right thing and pulled over. It’s not the deputy’s fault Harris became paralyzed, it’s Harris’ fault.

Police must retain the ability to engage in high speed chases; otherwise the message to criminals will be that they can escape capture by simply fleeing.

The high court made the correct decision.

First and foremost, what is the primary job of any school district? (And that would include Franklin).

The answer is simple. School districts must, as their top priority, function to educate students. Their goal is to promote, build and improve student achievement to prepare youngsters in their journey to become productive and contributing members of society.

Having the best football team and a nice gym and auditorium are nice, but they’re not essential. Getting kids to class and then getting them to achieve at the highest level possible is critical.

The troubled Milwaukee Public School District (MPS) has their priorities all messed up. They’ll never succeed as long as they maintain an ultimate nanny state mentality.

Today’s Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel reports the next MPS budget will consider students to be, and treat them as if they are, completely and utterly helpless.

“Fewer students and teachers, more psychologists, social workers and nurses, and no major changes in the overall approach to teaching children - those are among the highlights of a $1.2 billion budget proposal by Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent William Andrekopoulos for 2007-'08.

Here’s the entire article.

What kind of school district decides that it makes good sense in their next budget to have fewer teachers and more psychologists? Are MPS students headed for less reading, writing and math and more couch sessions with taxpayer-funded shrinks? That’s a winning education strategy if I ever heard one.

A budget summary prepared by MPS says, "Critics will say that the School District's responsibility is to educate children, and not to feed them or to meet their basic health care needs. Those critics are correct. In a perfect world, the Milwaukee Public Schools would not need to serve children breakfast. In a perfect world, children would not come to school hungry or ill, but in real-world Milwaukee, they do. If the School District doesn't provide these services, who will?"

Uhh, gee, at the risk of throwing liberals into a tizzy, the answer to the question of who will provide these services is not who will, but who SHOULD. Is it too much to ask, say, a parent, or guardian, or parent’s live-in boyfriend or girlfriend to make breakfast?

See, in the real world, not the perfect world that MPS wishes existed, that’s what happens. Child wakes up, parent prepares child for school, and that includes fixing breakfast.

Earth to MPS and Superintendent William (I’m in way over my head) Andrekopoulos: There is no perfect world and there never will be. Stop advocating a policy of government taking care of individuals from cradle to grave.

Here in Franklin, there are some similarities. Instead of worrying about student achievement and test scores, we instead lose sleep over how new and shiny the high school is or isn’t. We worry about a new auditorium, or a new gym, or rooms that people can go to at night to learn how to crochet, even if it costs $78-million.

MPS wants psychologists instead of teachers. Franklin wants a new gym and auditorium. The requests are different, but the result is the same. The tools that are really needed to boost student achievement along with the realization that the top priority must be education, not making kids feel better, are pushed to the back burner.

We are churning out kids who can’t read or write at a 12th grade level. MPS is a broken and failed school system. Franklin, while far from it, can still do a lot better.

At the risk of oversimplification, school districts and educators exist to educate. Let’s not forget that.

This could have been a lot worse.

Last Sunday with temps approaching 80, I wrote that the controversy of the day was:


Brat………………………..or Italian?


Today, more sunshine and warm temps.


The controversy of the day today is:


Boil………………………….or not to boil?

There seem to be some worries about Franklin’s two big development projects, the Fountains of Franklin and the Shoppes at Wyndham Village

I am far less concerned about the Shoppes at Wyndham Village than I am about the total lack of progress at the Fountains of Franklin. FOF wanted to be up and running by November. We’re almost into May and FOF remains a veritable ghost town of activity. Of course the community wants it to succeed, but for heaven’s sake…….let’s go!

Regarding the Shoppes at Wyndham Village, some have expressed consternation about asphalt being poured. The same anxiety wasn’t expressed about asphalt being poured for a possible new high school’s parking lot.

Where are cars supposed to park at the Shoppes at Wyndham Village, on gravel?

One idea that’s been suggested is to allow parking on Drexel Avenue to alleviate the dreaded parking inside the Shoppes at Wyndham Village. How absurd! How are shoppers supposed to get to the shops? Walk a great distance? Pull a bike out of the trunk? Levitate?

Let’s get real. The overwhelming majority of patrons are going to DRIVE to the shops. They are going to want to get a parking space as close to their destination as possible. They will not be happy if they are forced to walk rather far to enter a store. You can kiss their business goodbye. In order to attract customers and keep them coming back, you must offer the most pleasant shopping experience possible. This concept apparently is lost on some who only care about how many asphalt parking spaces are being planned.

Franklin has two tremendous retail development opportunities on the horizon. It appears Fountains of Franklin is being bungled. Hopefully that project will get rolling and soon. Let’s not botch the Shoppes at Wyndham Village by insisting on fewer parking spaces and more bike paths.

Last night, I was the emcee at the annual banquet of the Wisconsin Scorers and Timers Association (WISTA). WISTA provides unbiased, professional scorers and timers for all City Conference boys and girls varsity and junior varsity high school basketball games.

One of the guest speakers at the banquet was Milwaukee Vincent girls varsity basketball coach Marquis Hines. In March, Vincent won the girls state basketball championship at the state tournament. Vincent beat Sheboygan North for the title. Sheboygan North had knocked out Franklin in the quarterfinals.

In the middle of the 2005-2006 season, Hines replaced Vincent coach Chris Griffin when Griffin died unexpectedly. Griffin was starting to build Vincent into a power. Hines this year led Vincent to a 24-1 record and the state title.

A disciplinarian, Hines made his girls practice twice a day: at 6:30 in the morning, and then again right after school.

During the state tournament, realizing his team was on a mission to win not only for Vincent High School, but for the late Chris Griffin, the goal-oriented Hines took away his players’ cell phones.

“And you know how much the girls love their cell phones,” Hines told our banquet audience last night.

It worked. With one less major distraction, Vincent won the state title, and Hines was chosen Wisconsin Associated Press Coach of the Year.

A cell phone ban at MPS or any other school district can work, but not the way MPS does it. MPS has too many loopholes and exemptions and lax enforcement to make any cell phone ban effective.

The Packers horrible #1 pick in the draft is bad enough.

Here's what the Packer brain trust is working on.

Packer fans aren't happy with Green Bay's top draft pick today, and they let General Manager Ted Thompson know about it.

From jsonline.com:

Despite being cascaded with boos as he addressed fans in the Lambeau Field Atrium, Packers general manager Ted Thompson stood by his pick of Tennessee defensive tackle Justin Harrell.

Never mind that Harrell only played three games last season because of a ruptured biceps in his left arm, Thompson said he was the top player left on the Packers' draft board and was someone who might have been a top 10 pick had he stayed healthy this year.

Thompson seemed almost irritated when asked how he could put so much faith in someone who didn't have a senior year. He admitted he might have been able to move back in the first round and still get Harrell, but "none (of the trade offers) we felt were of real value. We didn't want to move back too far" and miss out on him.

Thompson heard the boos from the fans who wanted him to draft someone on offense. He said there was still a lot of the draft left.

The Packers went for defense in their #1 draft pick selection. They took DT Justin Harrell of Tennessee.

THEY DON'T NEED DEFENSE. THEY NEED OFFENSIVE WEAPONS TO HELP BRETT FAVRE WHO GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO COME BACK AND PLAY THIS SEASON!

Offensive picks Ted Thompson passed over that would have helped Favre and the Packer offense:

WR Dwayne Bowe of LSU

WR Robert Meachem of Tennsesse

TE Greg Olsen of Miami

By the way, jsonline.com reports, "Harrell ruptured his biceps tendon and missed most of the season, playing in only three games in 2006."

What an incredibly stupid #1 draft pick.

If Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is available when the Packers have the #16 pick in the draft, I say take him and then dump Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is not the long-term answer for Green Bay.

Quinn's brother-in-law plays for the Packers and was our #1 pick last year: linebacker A.J. Hawk out of Ohio State.

Brady Quinn would look great in green and gold.

A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...

HEROES OF THE WEEK

Lauren Nelson.

Nola Ochs.

Andy Reiser.

Green Bay witnesses.
A dramatic rescue was caught on tape Wednesday morning after a motorist flew through an intersection at Ashland and 9th in Green Bay.

The car slammed head-on into a tree as the news crew from sister station WGBA-TV, originally on scene for another story, called for help.

Witnesses quickly pulled the male driver to safety before the car’s engine erupted in flames.

The man suffered a broken leg and chest injuries. He admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.


VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Brendan Dassey, found guilty this week in the murder of Teresa Halbach…

The adults who were called by a student with a cell-phone at Hamilton High School who then drove to the school and started fighting with students….

Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee Jr.

Marvell Thomas.
(Click on the play arrow at left side of the video screen)

Jack Rhodes.


QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"If Congress wants to test my will as to whether I'll accept a timetable, I just won't accept one. I really think it's a mistake for Congress to tell military experts how to conduct a war."
President Bush vowing to veto any Congressional bill that includes a pullout from Iraq.

"Hopefully Teresa can now enjoy her time in heaven instead of worrying about us. We're sending both of them to prison."
Mike Halbach, Teresa's brother, after the Brendan Dassey guilty verdicts this week. Halbach said his family is relieved they no longer must endure months of court dates. Brendan Dassey was found guilty this week of being a party to first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and second-degree sexual assault in the death of Teresa Halbach on Halloween in 2005 after she went to the family's auto salvage lot to photograph a vehicle for sale. Dassey’s uncle, Steven Avery was found guilty of Halbach’s murder last month.

"You want something for me to say, you want me to say something? I think the Halbachs set this s*** all up. I really do!"
Brendan Dassey’s mother, Barb Tadych, after her son was found guilty. Tadych lashed out at the media after the trial, slamming her fist on the hood of her car. She started to back out, then pulled forward, got out of her car and screamed at congregated reporters and photographers. She got back into her car and sped away.

"It had a swagger to it. You know, it has a long slender tail, flat face. It was definitely a cat."
Andy Smyczek, describing an animal seen in Franklin this week near 51st and Ryan Road. Other witnesses called it a lion or cougar. Authorities summoned to the scene found nothing.


OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

Puppy mills sell sick dogs.


MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK

Wisconsin’s totally inept Department of Motor Vehicles.

From the Journal/Sentinel:

More than two years after installing a new computer system that cost twice as much as expected, the state Division of Motor Vehicles is still taking more than seven weeks to mail out license plates and vehicle titles - more than twice as long as it took before the system was installed, records show.


MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK

Rosie O’Donnell leaving “The View.”

Goodbye. Good riddance. Just leave.


STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK

As usual, there were numerous possibilities. But this seemed to stick out. White men really can’t dance.


REMEMBER: Your suggestions/nominations for any of these categories every week are welcome, especially for HEROES OF THE WEEK. If you know of anyone in the community deserving of recognition, please e-mail me.

A look back at the people and events that made news the past week. Week-ends is a regular weekly feature of This Just In...

HEROES OF THE WEEK

Lauren Nelson.

Nola Ochs.

Andy Reiser.

Green Bay witnesses.
A dramatic rescue was caught on tape Wednesday morning after a motorist flew through an intersection at Ashland and 9th in Green Bay.

The car slammed head-on into a tree as the news crew from sister station WGBA-TV, originally on scene for another story, called for help.

Witnesses quickly pulled the male driver to safety before the car’s engine erupted in flames.

The man suffered a broken leg and chest injuries. He admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.


VILLAINS OF THE WEEK

Brendan Dassey, found guilty this week in the murder of Teresa Halbach…

The adults who were called by a student with a cell-phone at Hamilton High School who then drove to the school and started fighting with students….

Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee Jr.

Marvell Thomas.
(Click on the play arrow at left side of the video screen)

Jack Rhodes.


QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"If Congress wants to test my will as to whether I'll accept a timetable, I just won't accept one. I really think it's a mistake for Congress to tell military experts how to conduct a war."
President Bush vowing to veto any Congressional bill that includes a pullout from Iraq.

"Hopefully Teresa can now enjoy her time in heaven instead of worrying about us. We're sending both of them to prison."
Mike Halbach, Teresa's brother, after the Brendan Dassey guilty verdicts this week. Halbach said his family is relieved they no longer must endure months of court dates. Brendan Dassey was found guilty this week of being a party to first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and second-degree sexual assault in the death of Teresa Halbach on Halloween in 2005 after she went to the family's auto salvage lot to photograph a vehicle for sale. Dassey’s uncle, Steven Avery was found guilty of Halbach’s murder last month.

"You want something for me to say, you want me to say something? I think the Halbachs set this s*** all up. I really do!"
Brendan Dassey’s mother, Barb Tadych, after her son was found guilty. Tadych lashed out at the media after the trial, slamming her fist on the hood of her car. She started to back out, then pulled forward, got out of her car and screamed at congregated reporters and photographers. She got back into her car and sped away.

"It had a swagger to it. You know, it has a long slender tail, flat face. It was definitely a cat."
Andy Smyczek, describing an animal seen in Franklin this week near 51st and Ryan Road. Other witnesses called it a lion or cougar. Authorities summoned to the scene found nothing.


OUTRAGE OF THE WEEK

Puppy mills sell sick dogs.


MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY OF THE WEEK

Wisconsin’s totally inept Department of Motor Vehicles.

From the Journal/Sentinel:

More than two years after installing a new computer system that cost twice as much as expected, the state Division of Motor Vehicles is still taking more than seven weeks to mail out license plates and vehicle titles - more than twice as long as it took before the system was installed, records show.


MOST OVER-HYPED STORY OF THE WEEK

Rosie O’Donnell leaving “The View.”

Goodbye. Good riddance. Just leave.


STRANGEST, MOST UNUSUAL STORY OF THE WEEK

As usual, there were numerous possibilities. But this seemed to stick out. White men really can’t dance.


REMEMBER: Your suggestions/nominations for any of these categories every week are welcome, especially for HEROES OF THE WEEK. If you know of anyone in the community deserving of recognition, please e-mail me.

This week, I’ve blogged about Elvis because the King has, once again, made worldwide news. I dedicated a segment about Elvis when I filled in on WISN on Thursday. (On that show, I coincidentally talked about my two boyhood heroes: Elvis and Henry Aaron).

Elvis had lots of leading ladies. His best was Ann-Margret. The two created a sizzling chemistry on and off the set that was quite evident. The future Mrs. Presley who was living at Graceland at the time of the filming of Viva Las Vegas, Priscilla, was reportedly very jealous of Ann-Margret.

Elvis gave Ann-Margret the nickname “Thumper,” and whenever she telephoned Graceland, it was the code name she used.

It’s hard to believe, but Ann-Margret turns 66 today.

Happy Birthday Thumper!

The April/May 2007 issue of the Financial Times FDI magazine has announced its “City of the Future” awards. FDI is an international magazine published by the Financial Times of London, specifically focusing on the target audience of corporate executives and managers at large companies with operations in more than one country.

The “City of the Future” Awards provide international recognition and are conferred once every two years for cities in North America. Franklin received five awards in the Micro Cities category, cities with less than 100,000 population.

Franklin placed 2nd in Best Human Resources.

The judging criteria for this category:

•Number of university-level educational
institutions in the city
•Number of university-level educational
institutions in the state/province
• Leading university and research
institutions in the city
• Leading university and research
institutions in the state/province
•Number of student graduates in 2005
• Percentage of the city population with
a university-level degree
•Number of “World top-200” universities
•Government-sponsored worker
training programmes



Franklin placed 4th in Best Infrastructure

The judging criteria for this category:

• Strategic transport links
• Mobile phone ownership (percentage
of adult population)
• Internet connection speeds (maximum
available bandwidth)


Franklin placed 10th in Fall in Unemployment 2004-2005 (%).

Franklin placed 5th in Average earnings growth 2004-2005.

Franklin placed 3rd in Percentage of population with a degree.

Congratulations, Franklin!


Here are the rankings for Micro Cities:

Top ten micro cities of the future

1 Zapata Texas United States
2 Ennis Texas United States
3 Sarnia Ontario Canada
4 Yuma Arizona United States
5 Wilmington Delaware United States
6 Silverthorne Colorado United States
7 Surprise Arizona United States
8 Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
9 Plattsburgh New York United States
10 Poughkeepsie New York United States

Micro cities - best economic potential

1 Wilmington Delaware United States
2 Yuma Arizona United States
3 Ennis Texas United States
4 Danville Virginia United States
5 Zapata Texas United States

Micro cities - best development and investment promotion

1 Surprise Arizona United States
2 Zapata Texas United States
3 Sarnia Ontario Canada
4 Yuma Arizona United States
5= Campbell River British Columbia Canada
5= Ennis Texas United States

Micro cities - best human resources

1 Wilmington Delaware United States
2 Franklin Wisconsin United States
3 Plattsburgh New York United States
4 Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
5 Silverthorne Colorado United States

Micro cities - best infrastructure

1 Poughkeepsie New York United States
2 Surprise Arizona United States
3 Zapata Texas United States
4 Franklin Wisconsin United States
5 Wilmington Delaware United States

Micro cities - most business friendly

1 Zapata Texas United States
2 Blue Ash Ohio United States
3 Surprise Arizona United States
4 Ennis Texas United States
5 Wilmington Delaware United States

Micro cities - most cost effective

1 Ennis Texas United States
2 Sarnia Ontario Canada
3 Yuma Arizona United States
4 Plattsburgh New York United States
5 Zapata Texas United States

Micro cities - quality of life

1 Silverthorne Colorado United States
2 Campbell River British Columbia Canada
3 Surprise Arizona United States
4 Wilmington Delaware United States
5 Sarnia Ontario Canada


More details here.

Leave it to the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel to bungle a story.

You knew when Mayfair Mall instituted its new policy of restricting the hours teens could shop, the race card would be played. It was, and the newspaper jumped all over the story about charges of discrimination at the mall.

The obligatory editorial and Eugene Kane column condemning the new Mayfair policy are no doubt in the works.

As usual, the paper didn’t get the whole story, or in this case, the true story.

Today’s Milwaukee Business Journal carries a front-page story with the headline, “Mayfair’s policy brings shopper satisfaction.”

After one month of Mayfair’s new policy, the Business Journal reports the mall has experienced “significant decreases in disorderly conduct and shoplifting, and increases in merchant and shopper satisfaction.”

The new policy is being labeled a success, and for good reason.

Disorderly conduct incidents declined to eight from 24 in the same period of 2006 and retail theft plummeted by more than 50 percent according to Mayfair Mall General manager Steve Smith.

Smith says there’s proof that the policy has resulted, not only in the reduction of incident reports, but a reduction in the amount of “hanging out and cruising” associated with teens.

It stands to reason that as time goes on, more teens learn the policy. Fewer teens are being turned away by security. More teens are being accompanied by a parent.

Retailers claim sales are up on Friday and Saturday evenings and say the atmosphere at Mayfair is more relaxed and family friendly.

Mayfair enacted its new policy March 30. From 2 p.m. to closing on Friday and Saturday, security guards are posted at mall entrances checking ID of anyone who appears to be in the age range of the policy. It requires visitors 17 and younger to be with a parent or adult 21 or older.

Will the Journal/Sentinel report on this positive trend, or will it continue to placate the race-baiters?

The Mayfair policy is working. It needs to be expanded and enforced everyday, not just weekends.

By the way, policies like the one at Mayfair have been successful everywhere they've been implemented. Here's the story.

Franklin Alderman Steve Olson was listening to me fill in for Mark Belling Thursday on Newstalk 1130 WISN during my opening segment on the incredible Elvis/Celine Dion duet on American Idol.

Like me and the many, many callers to my show, he was impressed. Olson wrote me the following e-mail:


Kevin:

Welcome to my former world.

I used to sell the software/systems used to make this kind of video.

The technology is called “compositing.” It’s the technology of removing one (or more) backgrounds and replacing them with new images. The trick comes in “cutting out” the image that will become a foreground from the background, then matching camera moves (rotoscoping) and lighting and focal lengths to make it appear in such a way that the normal viewer would believe it real.

Remember “Forest Gump?” Same technology.

Cheap software can do this ($1,000) but it wouldn’t be as refined and would take forever. The stuff I used to sell that has tons and tons of tools to make the end product look like this cost upwards of $750,000 (in my day) and the product is called an Inferno or a Flame from a company called Discreet. (click on the “Watch our best of the show reel” for an interesting video experience)

Whoever did this did a great job. The comments you got on the air today proved it.

It was NOT live. Matching a taped moving image to a live moving image is really difficult.

This is definitely an award winner for whomever was the effects artist.

S.


Steve Olson
Alderman, 1st District
8091 S. Meadowcreek Ct.
Franklin, Wisconsin 53132
414-425-9060
414-427-7285 fax
solson@franklinwi.gov
www.steveolson.us
www.franklinwi.gov


In a second e-mail, Olson wrote:

The people who do this kind of compositing work are really, really creative. Plus, they’re really, really smart. But the people who write the software are even more creative and smart.

Imagine writing software code that will look at each pixel on a screen and be able to mathmatically determine whether it’s Elvis’ hair (pick the shade of black) or the background, then remove the background without removing any of the hair (or sequins or threads on his duds) and insert a new image. Then, calculate the grain characteristics of the original footage (recorded on film) and apply that characteristic (colorimetry, grain pattern, focus diffusion, contrast ratio) to the new background so that they look like the same image… or do it in reverse. Make the Elvis film image look like modern video!

Really cool stuff.

The mantra of an effects artist is: “If you can’t tell it’s an effect, it’s good and I’ve done my job.”


Here’s more on how they did it.

I missed last night’s American Idol because I always do. I never watch that show……I fail to understand the fascination.

Last night’s show is one I wish I had seen. All of America is talking about it. Let’s not stop there. One of the show’s memorable moments is probably a worldwide topic of conversation.

My affection for Elvis has been addressed on this blog, which is why I would have loved last night’s American Idol. Host Ryan Seacrest told a worldwide audience, “Prepare to be startled, prepare for magnificence, prepare for a duet you thought was impossible.”

Out walked Celine Dion to perform with a singer Seacrest called, “the man who is and always will be the world’s greatest Idol.” Onto the darkened stage Dion emerged with a figure all in white who turned out to be an Elvis actor. I use the word “actor” instead of “impersonator’ because he would not sing.

The crowd immediately erupted into excited applause to the opening notes of an Elvis classic, “If I Can Dream.”

Some history is in order. When Elvis came out of the Army in 1960, he made a guest appearance on a welcome home special starring Frank Sinatra. For the next eight years, Elvis would do one B-movie after another along with the obligatory soundtrack albums, never appearing before a live audience……..until 1968. Elvis and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker agreed to do a TV special for NBC to air near the end of the year. There were no guest stars. Elvis was a one-man TV special.

The final song he sang was a special “message” song suited for the late 60’s, with inspirational lyrics yearning for peace, harmony and understanding. It was unlike anything Elvis had ever done and was a perfect show-ending piece. The TV special is now affectionately referred to as the ’68 Comeback Special that featured Elvis in the round during one live studio audience segment completely decked out in black leather. Elvis had essentially invented the “unplugged” concept. But it was “If I Can Dream” that capped off what is now a legendary broadcast.


Fast forward to last night’s American Idol. As Celine Dion stops at center stage with the Elvis “actor,” we now see, superimposed on the Elvis-like figure, through the magic of television and technology, the white suited Elvis from the ’68 Comeback Special’s final segment singing, “If I Can Dream.”

The footage is amazing. It appears as though the 1968 Elvis, with the help of some remarkable time machine, is standing right next to Celine Dion onstage. Like the famous Natalie Cole-Nat King Cole duet of “Unforgettable,” Elvis and Celine belt out a moving song that is just as meaningful and maybe more so today than in the tumultuous year of 1968.

Elvis’ voice is filled with power and passion. The Idol contestants come onstage all in white to offer backup vocals.

Filling in for Mark Belling today on WISN, I opened with this topic and told my producer Paul off the air that I was worried the topic would bomb. Instead, I had jammed phone lines and the consensus was unanimous. Viewers who saw the incredible duet raved, saying it was impressive and emotional. Three women said they were brought to tears.


If you missed it, or just want to see it again………………..enjoy!

Listen as I fill in for Mark Belling, 3-6 this afternoon. Mark has lost his voice, so I'll be guest-hosting.

During my career, I’ve interviewed literally hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of elected officials, policymakers and authority figures. I’ve covered just as many press conferences. After all that I’ve heard, trust me, I know when I’m being snowed.

That’s why I have to shake my head at some of the statements made in the article reporter John Neville posted today on the District Attorney’s investigation into charges of misconduct by Franklin officials during the recent school referendum. Some of the quotes are incredibly breathtaking in their posture that Franklin school officials saw nothing, heard nothing, said nothing, and did nothing wrong.

For example, School Board President James Ward said “he doesn't know of any pro-referendum materials disseminated by school district officials.”

With regard to the much-publicized, much-talked about assembly for Franklin High School senior students the Friday before the election, Ward “said the reason he knew about the assembly was that his daughter, Anna, a senior, attended the event and told him.”

How can the School Board President be so left out of the loop and the decision-making process about an assembly of 348 students in the high school the Friday before the election?

How can the School Board President, one of the top cheerleaders for the referenda, not be aware of pro-referendum literature in the community, and literature that was actually handed out in the schools?

Then you have Franklin High School Principal Mike Cady.

In an interview about the assembly, Cady said, “No information was presented with any kind of an angle or slant."

Oh, really??

Neville writes that, “Cady said students were shown a 13-minute referendum video, sample ballots and a map with polling locations. Also discussed, he said, was the impact of a passed referendum on local property taxes.”

Seems to me that during the assembly, school officials certainly pointed all the arrows to a YES vote.

Was the 13-minute video produced by the school district?

Was the video produced with school district resources?

Was the video produced on school time?

Did the video present both sides of the referendum issue? (The answer to that is an obvious NO).

How naïve do they think we, the taxpaying public, are?

They conduct an assembly with voting-age students on school property during school time the Friday before the election. They play a one-sided video. They hand out ballot instructions and maps with polling places. As I stated in previous blogs, it was a last-minute desperate, highly questionable and unethical measure to take.

This was clearly an election primer geared toward getting positive votes. And we’re supposed to believe school officials when they throw their hands up in the air and claim they did absolutely nothing wrong?

Sure James Ward didn’t know anything about those pro-referendum pamphlets. He first found out about that assembly when his daughter who attended it came home and told him about it…….yeh, that’s it. My daughter told me, after it was all over.

And that assembly? They weren’t trying to pull some shenanigans. Principal Cady says it was just a “civics lesson.” You mean like a seminar on honesty in government?

If this was such an important "civics lesson," why weren't the non-voting age students included in this educational endeavor? Because they specifically and purposely targeted students who could go out and vote YES....that's why. Their intent was clear.

This is simply amazing. This same band of folks tried to sell us a bill of goods with the $78-million tax increase. You didn’t fall for it. Now they’re trying to pull the wool over your eyes again by claiming innocence on the one hand, and ignorance on the other (I didn’t know anything about those pamphlets. I didn’t know anything about the assembly. We weren’t telling the kids how to vote……it was a…..civics lesson. That’s it……a civics lesson).

They must think we’re really stupid. Guess what? We’re not. This doesn’t even come close to passing the smell test.

Remember everything that’s transpired here the next time they come asking for a tax increase claiming they know what’s best and you should trust them….