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This Just In...
Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades.
Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “INTERchange,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Franklin.
October 2007 - Posts
By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 09:33 PM
From the way Bryan Maersch describes it, the Franklin School Board needed just 30 minutes to screw over Franklin taxpayers and pass a horrendous school tax levy increase of 5.9%.
Needless to say, the community did not send the strong message that was necessary to fight off this ridiculous tax increase that will go to feed the heavy salaries of Franklin school administrators and teachers, not to the kids in the classroom. The Franklin School Board lied to everyone on August 31 when they made a preliminary move to accept a 5.6% increase. For whatever unexplained reason, the tax increase jumped even higher tonight.
But Franklin taxpayers, you are also to blame. Unlike during the school referendum debate, you were silent, and you get the government you deserve. You have a School Board that is out of touch and control that has demonstrated it doesn’t care at all about you.
They need to be thrown out on their ears. It begins in April. I know I won’t forget and will continue to crusade for fiscal sanity in our school district that can only start when the current Board is removed, one by one.
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By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 08:56 PM
The cameras of FranklinNOW.com were there to capture all the excitement.
Take a look.
Having had a few tours before its opening, having attended the VIP party, and having stopped in on Opening Day, my observations of Sendik's:
1) Sendik's is Disney-like. I know it's only day one, but they appear to have mastered customer service, much like the quality you'd enjoy at the Mouse-House in Orlando.
2) Employees are genuine. They seem to love what they're doing.
3) Variety. Is there anything they don't have?
4) Quality. The sausages have this shiny appearance that looks incredibly appetizing. The produce looks like a picture out of a magazine.The meat and seafood are stunning.
5) Presentation. Each product is meticulously placed in perfect order.
6) Parking. Yes, today was busy, but even the furthest parking spot doesn't seem that far from the front door.
7) Prices. Very reasonable. We'll see if that is just an Opening Day phenomenon.
8) Need help? There's always someone to give assistance.
9) Competiton. That's what Sendik's will provide. And it should make other related businesses better.
10) This is what Franklin wants. It doesn't want a Dairy Queen. I hope the people in power who were at the ribbon cutting get it.
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By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 07:46 PM
It’s a common topic of conversation around this time of year: what’s the best horror movie?
Many of my blogs have featured a nostalgic theme. So indulge me as I walk down memory lane once more to answer above question. When my older brother was in his swinging teens and I could only dream about being as cool as he was, my brother played guitar in a rock and roll band. Yes, rock and roll band. That’s what they were called in those days.
My quiet, reserved, shy brother played rhythm guitar on his bright apple red Fender Stratocaster in clubs where go-go girls danced in cages right next to him.
On Saturday nights when my brother’s band had a gig, it meant he wouldn’t get home until late. Mom and Dad would often go see my brother play, but on nights they didn’t, Dad would go to bed after the 10:00 news. Mom, who to this day loves horror movies, the spookier and creepier the better, would let me stay up with her and turn on Channel 18 to watch Shock Theater.
Shock Theater is where I saw, one after another, the Universal Studio horror classics: Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman. I loved each and every one of them.
Decades later, the “monsters” are revered at Universal. They single-handedly saved a studio in deep economic trouble by drawing huge crowds to theaters to see the latest in the saga of each “monster.”
I never tire of seeing those old classics.
There were some horror movies I saw as a youngster that left me wide-eyed.
I recall walking out the exit doors of the old Juneau Theater on Mitchell Street that led to an alley after seeing this movie, scared out of my wits. "Do you know where you are Bartolome?"
Of course, what could be the very best never had a monster, a man in a mask, a spaceship, a robot, or a villian with super-human strength...
Happy Halloween
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By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 06:28 PM
Laws like the one in Franklin severely restricting where a released sex offender can live are constantly under attack. The latest scam by sex offenders is sure to bring out more opponents of these common-sense measures.
According to MSNBC.com:
“Hundreds of California sex offenders who face tough new restrictions on where they can live are declaring themselves homeless — truthfully or not — and that’s making it difficult for the state to track them.
Jessica’s Law, approved by 70 percent of California voters a year ago, bars registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children gather. That leaves few places where offenders can live legally.
Some who have had trouble finding a place to live are avoiding re-arrest by reporting — falsely, in some cases — that they are homeless.
Experts say it is hard to monitor sex offenders when they lie about their address or are living day-to-day in cheap hotels, homeless shelters or on the street. It also means they may not be getting the treatment they need.
Offenders who declare themselves homeless must tell their parole officer each day where they spent the previous night.
Those who declare themselves homeless are still legally bound by the 2,000-foot rule; they cannot stay under a bridge near where children gather, for example. But it is more difficult for parole officers to keep tabs on them.
Parole officers said some offenders are registering as homeless, then sneaking back to homes that violate the law. That’s easy to do because fewer than 30 percent of transient offenders currently wear the Global Positioning System tracking devices required by Jessica’s Law.
“If they tell you that they were under the American River bridge, we’re going to take that at face value,” said Corrections Department spokesman Bill Sessa, referring to a homeless hangout in Sacramento.
During a recent sweep in the Oakland area, parole officers discovered that two of the five offenders they checked weren’t living in the temporary shelters they had reported as their new homes. Neither had been issued a GPS device.”
The article will lead many to conclude that restrictions on where sex offenders can live are bad laws. Do not be misled. The fact that sex offenders are lying (isn’t that a shock!) does not make these bad laws. The laws are appropriate public safety measures to protect innocent families and their children. They should not be abandoned simply because scummy sex offenders are spending their waking moments trying to figure out how to beat the system so they can prey on more victims.
The city of Franklin has filed a lawsuit against Steven Henke, a sex offender who moved into Franklin four months after Franklin enacted its tough ordinance. Henke refuses to move,
A hearing is scheduled next Monday before Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge John Franke in Room 502 of the Courthouse at 1:30. A strong showing of concerned citizens is needed to help preserve Franklin’s ordinance and many others just like it all over the state of Wisconsin. I urge you to attend this hearing.
I’ll be writing more about this issue in the days ahead.
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By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 05:05 PM
No doubt college football fans in Wisconsin can’t wait for this Saturday’s epic match-up between the Badgers and #1-ranked Ohio State.
If you were expecting to see the game on ABC or ESPN, guess again. It’s b being televised on the Big ten Network. Unless you subscribe to the BTN that major cable distributors have decided not to pick up, you’re out of luck.
None of the top eight cable distributors, including Time-Warner have struck a deal with the network, which is 49 percent owned by Fox. Cable providers say the games should be placed on an optional sports tier, but BTN claims it should be on basic cable at about $1.10 per subscriber in the states that make up the Big Ten Conference.
The mess-up caught the attention of the state legislature’s best and most entertaining speaker, Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah). His blood was boiling on the floor of the state Senate Tuesday.
To see video of Ellis’ remarks, and they’re worth it, click here.
Under 10.30.07 | State Senate Part 2, click on Watch.
You can move your cursor to 2:32:00 into the video to catch the start of Ellis’ floor speech. It runs until 2:36:30.
I would put it in the category of MUST-SEE video.
(During his remarks, Ellis takes a jab at Poplar, Wisconsin, a reference to the home town of constant Ellis target, Democrat Senator Bob Jauch.)
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By Kevin Fischer
Wednesday, Oct 31 2007, 12:01 AM
Did you contact Franklin School Board members?
This taxpayer did:Hi Kevin,
I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes. Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered. I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes). Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), special ed classes they have to have per government rules, they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible. I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't. When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc. She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me.
Let’s review that e-mail with my comments sprinkled in. They are the ones in red.
I called D. Szychlinski, J. Ward, and S. Huhn, I got their answering machines and left a message at all basically saying that I was a taxpayer and a regular voter and wanted them to cut spending instead of raising taxes.
That was the appropriate action to take. This is a good citizen.
Then I called Mary Karolewicz, and she answered. I said the same to her (cut spending, don't raise taxes).
Good, very good.
Her response was that they needed the money for repairs on schools, teacher salaries & benefits, (that’s the real killer….most of the money isn’t going into the classrooms to educate children) transportation expenses(the children have to take buses because there aren't sidewalks!?), (I guess Mom or Dad can’t drive them?) special ed classes they have to have per government rules, (All of this requires a whopping 5.6% increase?), they have cut as much as they could off the budget (oh yeah?), (I agree. If they cut, they didn’t cut much) they have cut programs in the past (isn't that the "party line" in all schools), but couldn't let the quality of our schools suffer, (More money spent doesn’t= or automatically result in a quality school) and that Mr. Milzer (don't know if I am spelling that right), the man who does the budget, has cut everything possible. (That is a joke!) I also asked why there wasn't any publicity about this tax increase, (they didn’t want any)and she said that the August presentation of the budget was publicized, (Yes, by me and the other bloggers) but she didn't really answer why this meeting wasn't. When I said that this increase sounds like the reasons that they wanted the referendum last April she responded with a lot more of "expenses, State Budget not approved until last week, need to hire more teachers", etc. She is going to drop off a copy of the current budget at my home today or tomorrow, and will try to have one emailed to me.
Tonight, the Franklin School Board, without batting an eyelash, intends to screw over Franklin taxpayers with an outrageous 5.6% school levy tax increase.
In return, what will Franklin taxpayers receive?
I’ll tell you what you won’t get:
Improved school achievement
Higher GPA’S
Higher test scores
Better teachers
Fewer dropouts
More kids going on to college
More kids going on to college in Wisconsin
The School Board didn’t lift a finger attempting to find any significant cuts. If they did, we wouldn’t need a 5.6% increase.
Sue Huhn, the ringleader of this “tax ‘em until it hurts and then do it again” posse has to be the happiest person in all of Franklin today. I imagine she’s downright giddy at the prospect of robbing you blind. Rumor has it she won’t seek re-election in April. That would be wonderful except she’s going to do as much damage as she can before she leaves.
Congrats to fellow bloggers Fred Keller and Bryan Maersch for focusing the only attention on this issue.
We’ll get John Neville’s re-cap article after it’s too late. So get ready, Franklin.
They won’t have masks on this Halloween night, but they’re hold-up artists nonetheless.
FRANKLIN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PLANNING A 5.6% INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX LEVY, AND ANOTHER HUGE REFERENDUM. CONTACT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS NOW TO TELL THEM YOU OPPOSE BIG TAX INCREASES!
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By Kevin Fischer
Tuesday, Oct 30 2007, 11:30 PM
My friend and colleague Brian Fraley points out a fundraising e-mail sent by State Senator Dave Hansen.
Hansen accidentally drove over and killed his granddaughter.
Read Brian's blog...
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By Kevin Fischer
Tuesday, Oct 30 2007, 10:17 PM
Liberal politicians with authority are drunk with taxing power.
They can’t help themselves. Liberals see a problem.....snap their fingers, slap their knees.
“I’ve got it.”
The answer, their solution is always the same.
Raise taxes.
The only question is by how much.
And there will always be a new answer because there is no limit. There is no ceiling. Enough is never enough.
And this tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax and tax some more mentality is a sickness, a disease that runs through all levels of government.
THE FEDERAL LEVEL:
Democrats aren’t satisfied. They are proposing the largest tax increase EVER, the largest tax increase in the history of this wonderful country we call the good ‘ol USA.
THE STATE LEVEL:
Let’s look at the numbers, shall we. Here are, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the amount of the increase in taxes and fees contained in the various budgets proposed for the next biennium:
The Governor’s proposed budget earlier this year: $1- billion, 748- million.
The state Senate, not to be outspent by Governor Doyle, proposed their budget: with their government health care plan: $9- billion, 551- million.
Someone had to come in and restore fiscal sanity.
The state Assembly’s budget: $256-million.
The conference committee budget, approved by the Legislature last week and signed into law by Governor Doyle: $763-million. (I thought Governor Doyle promised not to raise taxes).
I am not in support of the budget that was approved, but if it hadn’t been for the Assembly, it could have been much worse. That being said, that’s hardly an endorsement for a sound state budget: it could have been worse.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY:
County Executive Scott Walker, unlike Jim Doyle, keeps his promise, and proposes a no- tax increase budget. Meanwhile, the County Board looks for ways to torpedo Walker’s budget and increase taxing and spending.
CITY OF FRANKLIN:
The Franklin School Board wants to increase the school tax levy by 5.6% and is prepared to do so Wednesday night.
Mayor Tom Taylor has proposed a city budget with an increase in the city tax levy by 5.7%.
With the exception of Tom Taylor, there’s no question everyone I’ve alluded to is a flaming tax and spend liberal.
ELECTIONS MATTER!
Keep electing these people to office and you get what you asked for: tax increase after tax increase after tax increase.
These people don’t know any other way.
They claim there is no other alternative. That’s a crock. There is always an alternative. But that involves heavy lifting and hard work on their part……finding cuts on behalf of you, the hard-working taxpayers. But they don’t want to do that. It’s much easier soaking you time and again. And why shouldn’t they. You’re just going to sit back and take it, right?
The art of screwing is a two-way street.
Store in your memory banks when and how you are screwed.
You can always give them a taste of their own medicine.
It’s called Election Day.
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By Kevin Fischer
Tuesday, Oct 30 2007, 05:52 AM
"Easily."
That's what a Sendik's official told me as final preparations are being made for Wednesday's official 10 am opening.
From what I saw, Sendik's could have opened today.
Just about everything is in place.
Great looking meat and seafood were gently being put in their displays. And I mean great-looking.
Those Hungarian sausages and stuffed chicken breasts caught my eye.
One reader asked about live lobsters. Yes, there they are, swimming in their own tank.
SHAMELESS PLUG COMING
And over in the liquor department, my cousin Doug’s Rehorst Vodka and Gin.
Franklin, you're going to love this food market.
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By Kevin Fischer
Tuesday, Oct 30 2007, 05:39 AM
That's what Denver fans are reading in their morning paper....
I also love the "comments" section under the article:
Denver Fans??? If you live in Denver you should be embarrassed by how many Greenbay fans were at the game! You need to support your team no matter how bad the defense is. If they were 6-0 you wont have seen as many Cheeseheads. I thought we were playing in Greenbay for 3/4 of the game.
UPDATE: If you're like Fred Keller, and inexcusably missed last night's thrilling finish....
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By Kevin Fischer
Tuesday, Oct 30 2007, 12:01 AM
By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 09:48 PM
Can anyone deny that this week’s culinary no-no, ketchup on spaghetti, is truly yucky?
Why would anyone want to ruin such a universally popular dish?
Seems only fair after being so icky that we get rid of that bad taste in our mouths and kick simple spaghetti up a notch.
I’m lovin’ this idea from the LA Times: the un-meatball.
Spaghetti takes a wild ride
There's nothing better than pasta and meatballs. Or is there? Our favorite comfort food gets crazy good.
By Amy Scattergood
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 24, 2007
Spaghetti and meatballs isn't just good comfort food, it's the kind of food that you crave with a beautiful desperation, that you secretly prefer to those precious items on chic tasting menus, that you'd want for your last meal. Be honest. You're trapped on one of those imaginary desert islands that doesn't have restaurants or takeout: What would you want to eat?
Some kind of magic happens when a plate of spaghetti is napped with red sauce and crowned with a few glorious meatballs. It's a magic that works even on average plates in forgettable eateries, with the most rudimentary of ingredients, at anyone's table and even if your grandmother was from a Methodist household in Massachusetts, as mine was, instead of the Old Country.
But if ordinary spaghetti and meatballs can suffuse your gastronomic dreams, imagine what would happen with the extraordinary. A plate of perfectly cooked pasta, a beautifully attuned tomato sauce and, instead of the familiar beef or pork meatball, how about one made with duck confit? You might just stay on that desert island.
Ontologically, at least in my book, spaghetti and meatballs require tomato sauce. Rigatoni and pesto, even topped with a terrific meatball, belongs in a totally different category. But who says you need to use meat for the meatball?
A combination of duck breast and duck confit makes fabulous "meatballs," as does monkfish, even rabbit. Sure, you can make great meatballs with pork, beef, veal or even lamb, but top the pasta and sauce with an "un-meatball" and the dish reaches an entirely new level -- without losing its basic nature.
Jazzing up the old formula shouldn't affront purists; the dish is a modern invention anyway, constructed in Italian-American kitchens. And when those kitchens are run by creative chefs, the comfort food can take a whole new trajectory. At A Voce, on Madison Avenue in New York, chef Andrew Carmellini laces his signature duck meatballs with foie gras. He serves them as an appetizer, atop potato purée and sour cherry sauce instead of spaghetti, but it's a dish that's so popular he hasn't taken it off the menu in a year. Esca's David Pasternack goes more traditional, topping the spaghetti and tomato sauce at his New York seafood restaurant with meatballs made with tuna and pancetta.
You get the essence of the dish, but with a new flavor profile that can entirely refresh your favorite comfort food. And when the meatball has been re-envisioned, the sauce can also get a new twist -- just build the flavors and components of the tomato sauce to match the meatball.
Playing with fowl
PAIR rich duck meatballs with a sauce befitting their rustic extravagance. Lace the tomato sauce with the mellow earthiness of porcini mushrooms and a generous pour of red wine, then cook it longer, letting the flavors and textures of the sauce build and deepen. Duck doesn't want a light sauce, but one with a long trajectory, a lower register, a soothing complexity.
Rabbit meatballs call for a bright spectrum, even a touch of the garden. Thyme, rosemary, parsley and sage go into a tomato sauce, along with white wine, leeks and shallots. Keep the flavors vibrant by just cooking it for a short time, then purée the sauce and stir in finely diced carrots. The sauce is vibrant in flavor and color but delicate and suited to the subtle flavors of the rabbit.
You can take Pasternack's lead and use fish, but instead of tuna, which is prone to drying out, use monkfish. Monkfish has a fantastic taste -- substantial and full-bodied, even meaty -- and a texture to match. It's ideal for the meatball treatment. And though these meatballs brown up beautifully, we braise them in the tomato sauce instead; they cook up quickly and are incredibly tender.
Monkfish matches well with olives and capers, so throw a generous handful of kalamatas into a simple tomato sauce and then toss capers into the sauce and the meatballs themselves. A sprinkle of crushed red pepper gives dimension and a bite without obscuring the subtlety of the fish.
None of these "un-meatballs" strays from the basic meatball technique. Some bread crumbs, an egg, chopped parsley and salt and pepper is all you need to add to a bowlful of ground duck or monkfish, the same as it is for beef or pork. Use bread crumbs that first have been softened (in either milk or water), then squeezed of excess liquid for the right texture.
Don't add grated Parmesan or chopped garlic as your grandmother might have added to her veal meatballs; they can overwhelm the more delicate flavors. Instead throw in more fresh herbs.
While the herbs, salt and pepper flavor the meatballs, the softened bread crumbs and egg bind the ingredients together. You want a balance to the mixture: some moisture, enough fat, a little structure, not too much weight. Meatballs are surprisingly delicate; there's a reason, after all, why most of us don't dream about meatloaf.
A beautiful braise
ANY kind of meatball can be braised instead of browned. It eliminates a step and it's good for more delicate flavors such as the monkfish. Before browning or braising the batch, fry up a single meatball as a tester. Even if you're confident in a recipe, it's good to taste for seasoning.
Then you can let your imagination go a little wild. Try making little tiny meatballs, scattering them down your mountain of sauced spaghetti. Or scale them so each person has one giant meatball, coconut-sized maybe -- it's your desert island, after all.
Whether browned or braised, dainty or gargantuan, the meatballs are placed in their sauce for the last half-hour of cooking. Put the cover on the pan, turn the heat to low and enjoy the happy aroma.
And because a good plate of spaghetti and meatballs requires a glorious tangle of perfectly cooked pasta, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil while you're waiting.
Good spaghetti has a nutty flavor and a distinct mouth-feel to it, a bite and flavor that can stand up to the weight of the sauce and the meatballs that top it. Fresh pasta is too tender, so choose a high-quality dried spaghetti. Take it to just this side of al dente, because pasta cooks a little after you lift it out of the water (especially since you don't want to rinse it).
Then it's just a matter of building the plate -- a swirl of spaghetti, a ladleful of sauce, a single meatball or a dozen of them. Twirl your fork, and ignore the passing ships.
I’m partial to duck, so prepare to salivate:
Recipe: Spaghetti and duck meatballs
Total time: 2 1/2 hours
Servings: 6 as a main course
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup coarse country-style bread crumbs
2 confit duck legs, at room temperature
2 duck breasts
1 egg
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Flour for dredging
5 tablespoons duck fat (can substitute olive oil), divided
1 cup onions, finely chipped
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced San Marzano or other plum tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 pound spaghetti
1. Into a medium bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried mushrooms and set aside to rehydrate. In another small bowl, pour enough water to cover the bread crumbs and allow to stand.
2. Separate the duck confit from the bones and skin and pulse briefly in a food processor until coarsely ground. Remove to a large bowl and set aside. 3. Remove the skin from the duck breasts and coarsely chop the meat with a knife. Pulse the breasts briefly in a food processor, until the mixture resembles ground beef. Do not over-process. Remove the meat from the processor and add to the confit in the large bowl.
4. Squeeze the water from the bread crumbs and add them to the bowl. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon pepper, and the parsley; mix to combine. Form the mixture into meatballs, a scant one-fourth cup each. Roll the meatballs in the flour, coating them lightly, and place them on a tray or baking sheet. The mixture should yield 12 meatballs. Set aside.
5. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of duck fat (or olive oil) over medium-high heat until the fat is hot and a few drops of water splatter when sprinkled in. Brown the meatballs in two batches, turning with kitchen tongs so that they brown evenly, 3 to 5 minutes. (They will be brown but not cooked through.) Set aside on a tray or baking sheet, covered with a paper towel.
6. Wipe out the pan and heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat (or olive oil) over medium-high heat. Add the onions, turn down the heat to low and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the wine, the canned tomatoes plus the juice, the mushrooms and their soaking liquid, the bay leaves and the tomato paste. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for an hour, checking periodically to make sure the sauce is at a slow simmer and isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
7. After an hour, add the meatballs to the sauce, covering to coat them. Cover and simmer 30 more minutes.
8. Meanwhile, bring 6 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large pot. When the meatballs have simmered 30 minutes, take the pan off the heat and cook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to the package instructions, and drain. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the spaghetti.
Each serving: 737 calories; 36 grams protein; 95 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams fiber; 20 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 127 mg. cholesterol; 675 mg. sodium.
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By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 07:40 PM
People just don’t how to behave.
We have read that hiding behind an alias, for some, is a license to be as obnoxious and rotten as possible on the Internet.
That provocative column made me recall an article on civility, or the lack thereof, from over 10 years ago that could just as well have been written last week.
And now, Paul Jacob writes that we’re a nation of potty-mouths.
“Americans have become foul-mouthed. Vulgarity, swearing, cursing . . . such talk is everywhere, and it’s getting out of hand.
Now, I’m not perfect, but I do try to keep my own such outbursts to a minimum. Besides, my mother was right: The more you rely on profanity, the more stupid you appear. When you replace the perfect word with the common vulgarity, you appear intellectually lazy, not bright enough to retrieve from memory and deliver the truly apt nouns and verbs and adjectives.”
Jacob, of course, is absolutely right.
There is, however, a “but.”
“Yet, there’s a time and place for everything. I can more than sympathize with use of profanity when the situation merits it.”
Read on…
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By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 06:30 PM
Five things to watchFive things to watch in tonight's Packers-Broncos game, from a printable scouting report by The Denver Post's Mike Klis.
1. This ain't Vince's Packers
This matchup must have Lombardi fuming in his grave. The Packers rank 32nd, out of 32, with 65.7 yards rushing per game. The Broncos' defense ranks 32nd, out of 32, by allowing 176.2 yards. Something's got to give, or go. The Packers understand their one-dimensional ways will eventually hurt them. Look for DeShawn Wynn and Vernand Morency to get some early carries.
2. Jim Bates vs. Jim Bates
In 2005, Bates installed his defensive system for the Packers. He left after that season, but his top assistant, Bob Sanders, stayed behind to take over the Pack D. Bates is in his first season with the Broncos. There have been growing pains. The Packers execute Bates' system better than the Broncos do. Why? The Packers' front four, led by Aaron Kampman, and middle linebacker Nick Barnett are as good as they get.
3. Mile High Salute to Brett Favre
The Pack's living legend quarterback recently turned 38. He nearly retired two years ago. The Packers aren't on the Broncos' schedule in 2008 or 2009, so this is likely Favre's last appearance in Denver. Led by Favre, the Packers rank second in the NFL in passing offense. The Broncos rank second in passing defense.
4. Packer Backer crowd?
With all the excitement over the Rockies being in the World Series, there was fear an inordinate percentage of tickets for the game tonight at Invesco Field would be snatched up by Packers fans. A first down by the Packers could produce a roar similar to a first down by the Broncos.
5. More Air Cutler
Broncos running back Travis Henry was walking gingerly this week, the result of battered ribs. Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is coming off the most efficient game of his 11-game career, posting a 106.7 rating against Pittsburgh. Packers cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris are right there with the Broncos' Champ Bailey and Dré Bly as the best cover tandem in the NFL. The Packers' defense has at least one interception in 12 consecutive games, the NFL's longest current streak. Expect Woodson and Harris to try to jump a route or two tonight.
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By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 06:20 PM
By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 06:15 PM
This bill comes up for a vote Tuesday on the floor of the state Senate.
UPDATE: This bill passed on a voice vote in the state Senate on 10/30/07 and now goes to the Assembly. I doubt it will go anywhere there.
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By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 05:39 PM
Here are the guidelines the editor of this and the other community websites, Mark Maley has set down for the comments section of our blogs:
Managing comments
About commenting: We want to give readers the chance to comment on your posts by using the commenting feature. However, people have to be registered in order to comment. For now, we are going to let each blogger decide whether to post a comment or not. However, almost all comments you receive should be approved – unless it’s obscene, in bad taste or libelous. If someone disagrees with you, we still want their comments by your post.
Approving, deleting (no editing allowed): NEVER EDIT a comment; if you do we can be held liable for the content of the comment. Also, do not delete a comment. If you don’t want a comment posted, you can “unpublish” it, but we want to keep a record of what kind of comments you’re receiving. They’re pretty straightforward and easy to understand. And yet, out of the dozens of bloggers on the various community sites, only one just can’t seem to comprehend, and has been in a consistent state of consternation, now asking for guidance from his readers.
Of course, I’m talking about Greg Kowalski who is so inept he couldn’t find his way out of a phone booth.
Many readers have gone on record chastising thin-skinned Greg for deleting their comments even before they’re published. That is in clear violation of the rules set forth by the editor of our blogs.
Greg, of course, who can’t go two paragraphs without butchering the English language, has no idea what all the fuss is about. Blatantly refusing to follow the guidelines (“almost all comments you receive should be approved”), he merrily begs and pleads for people to write to him, but when they do, he zaps their comments before they see the light of day.
The editor’s goal is that comments should rarely be deleted. Kowalski deletes them frequently.
If you’ve been victimized by his censorship, you need to let the editor know how you feel. Kowalski has to learn that he can’t always have his way. Life is full of set principles to follow. Sometimes, there is no petition drive to bail you out.
Speaking of petitions, while other bloggers that Kowalski criticizes write about commendable issues like education, taxes, crime, sex predators, illegal immigration, the military, love of country, etc., Kowalski selfishly wants to save his precious spot on a meaningless commission.
He is Mr. Irrelevant.
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By Kevin Fischer
Monday, Oct 29 2007, 12:01 AM
By Kevin Fischer
Sunday, Oct 28 2007, 10:08 PM
Dear Mom,
I am about to write my blog and tell all 6 of my readers about my latest culinary no-no.
You know. I write about some food taboo every Sunday.
I’m tired. I had a long week. (That whole state budget nonsense).
But you know how you always told me to be nice to the ladies.
There’s this nice gal who also writes a blog. I met her at a bloggers’ meeting. As nice as she is, I think she’s crazy. She claims she really likes these culinary no-no’s.
She might be on to something. When I post these goofy no-no’s, I get a whole lot more people checking in, like……..11 or 12 or…..well….. a whole bunch more. So, I’ve just got to write this no-no deal before I hit the sack.
And believe me, this has been an adventure of a day, what with the Mayor and Hulk Hogan and Barry Manilow all stopping at my door for trick or treat.
I guess I’m just writing to tell you that I want to thank you for never serving us the slop I’m going to write about in my next culinary no-no.
You’re the best Mom ever.
Love, Kevin
I just discovered this culinary no-no, even though it’s been around since the Depression era.
That’s close to 80 years ago.
Way back then, when so many Americans were poor, it was customary to take ordinary pasta and make spaghetti.
A popular dish was called, “Japanese” spaghetti.
You’d take the pasta and toss in some butter.
But then came the sacrilege.
Instead of spaghetti sauce, cooks would throw…………..
I shudder at the thought………………………………………
ketchup on the noodles.
Are you kidding me?
I’m not picky at all when it comes to eating. This strikes me as something you’d be served in Waupun or Taycheedah.
Alright.
Pasta. Toss in some butter to jazz it up.
I understand that……….the more butter the better. (Hey, my cholesterol is perfect). But Heinz? Hunt’s?
Resorting to ketchup in the 30’s because you have no idea where the next dinner is coming from…………..I get that.
But here’s the puzzler.
People today are still eating this (Mom, I’m sorry) crap.
They remember eating it as kids. So the folks that endured the Depression, God bless them, have handed it down, and those folks have handed it down, and people today are not only eating it, they’re claiming they love it.
Hello!!!!!!!
It’s not the Depression anymore.
Not even close.
The poorest of the poor can still settle for Ragu.
Ketchup on spaghetti??
* WARNING: NAME-DROPPING ABOUT TO TRANSPIRE*
Try serving that to my dear friend, Mrs. Joseph Campione (Yes, that Campione) and if she wasn’t such a lovely refined lady, she might just spit in your face.
On a side note, my wife and I have seen the Butoni sweet Italian sausage tortellini and any other number of Butoni products at the grocery store.
Problem: The tortellini has raisins in it. (No-no)
And a lot of the Butoni products sound appetizing, but unfortunately the pasta is of the whole wheat variety (another no-no).
Why, Butoni, why?
OK, back to ketchup on spaghetti.
It’s not the 1930’s anymore. Let’s get real. There’s no need to put Heinz on your pasta.
That’s not just a no-no.
It’s a mortal sin.
PREVIOUS CULINARY NO-NO’S
1) Ketchup on a brat
2) Green peppers on pizza
3) The dirty martini
4) Fruity brats
5) A Bloody Mary after dinner
6) Women “manning” the grill
7) Eating pizza at Festa Italiana, brats at German Fest, or tacos at Fiesta Mexicana. (Be adventurous. You can have those items anytime).
8) Eating a cream puff as though it was a hamburger.
9) Taking your own bottle of sauce when invited to a barbecue.
10) Touching the grill if you’re a guest at an outdoor barbecue.
11) Coaching the host on how to grill.
12) Some regional flavored ice cream…..like black licorice.
13) Taking the husks off before you grill corn on the cob
14) Being afraid to chill red wine
15) Pizza on the grill
16) When serving exotic or strange dishes to guests, do not tell them exactly what it is. Instead, use a more inviting term (caviar) rather than being blunt (fish eggs).
17) In late summer and early fall, this time of year, don’t buy zucchini. Somehow, someway, you will find zucchini or zucchini will find you.
18) Showing disrespect to your restaurant server.
19) Eating out on a Monday night.
20) Pumpkin beer.
21) Mail-order turkey.
22) Grilled cheese is just for kids.
23) Dining in the dark.
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By Kevin Fischer
Sunday, Oct 28 2007, 09:07 PM
I sent the following e-mail to fellow blogger Fred Keller just a little while ago:
I want to personally apologize to you for the malicious and incredibly heartless comments that were directed at you earlier tonight on my blog.
Though we’ve met only once, I know you to be a humble, decent, upstanding citizen and an exemplary father and husband. You were in no way deserving of the evil comments that were made about you tonight.
Those remarks were the only blemish on an exercise I intended to provide compelling and hopefully humorous insights on this holiday occasion. Though we are thick-skinned, I understand how hurtful the comments were. I accept responsibility for not removing them in time before you and others saw them.
As I have stated in the past, some individuals are fully capable of making anonymous contributions that are thought-provoking and worthy of public scrutiny. This individual is not one of them.
How tragic is it that this individual has such little happiness in his life that he/she has to resort to the slimiest of tactics.
And yet, people like you and me are called mean-spirited when in reality, there’s plenty of hatred being manufactured on the left.
I know the comments of some poor, broken down, lonely nameless coward won’t deter you or anyone else, Fred. Even so, I wanted you to know how deeply sorry I am that this pathetic individual’s statement made it even for a second on my blog.
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