Charlie's Show Prep #181

• Here's a shocker: Rep. Mark Green votes often in support of President Bush. Wow, news flash! A center-right Congressman is in tune with a center-right President.

• To continue picking on Craig Gilbert: two months after Gov. Doyle started running an ad attacking Green for his similarities to President Bush Gilbert reports the ad is misleading.

• According to Niall Ferguson you can stick a fork in the U.N Security Council, it's done.

• Kim Jong-Il might have to give up his cavier and wine for a nuke.

Charlie's Show Prep #180

• Mark Warner won't be running for President.

• The LA Times has sent its own reporters to investigate how it can survive in the new media future.

• Desparate times call for desparate campaign ads. Especially when they're about sex--and I'm not talking about Mark Foley.

• Google will be assimilating the UW library and the Wisconsin Historical Society.

• The UW marching band got a smackdown.

Charlie's Show Prep #179

• Gov. Doyle can crow all he wants about holding down taxes. The Tax Foundation rated Wisconsin's tax environment for business 38th. Last year it was 37th.

• Intelligence failures surround U.S. policy toward North Korea. That's an inexcusable broken record.

• OPEC can't decide how to cut oil production so prices remain at yearly lows.

• The GOP might have found a counter "October surprise" with Sen. Harry Reid's secret land deal.

Charlie's Show Prep #178

• Thomas Sowell wants to be serious.

• The Davenport, Iowa diocese became the fourth to declare bankruptcy over priest sex abuse charges.

• Here's another "brilliant" idea from Chicago: banning chain stores in certain parts of the city.

Charlie's Show Prep #177

• Milwaukee's police chief wants more cops while some aldermen stick to 1960s thinking that social programs will stop the killings on Milwaukee's streets.

• Business is "nervous" about a second Doyle term as governor.

• Another Nobel Prize, another American winner. This time it's Edmund Phelps winning the economics prize for his inflation and unemployment work. He also happens to be a believer in the dynamic capitalism of the U.S., U.K., and Canada as opposed to the more corporatist capitalism of Continental Europe. He also opposed President Bush's tax cuts. Obviously he's a complex thinker not easily pigeon-holed.

Charlie's Show Prep #176

• It's anecdotal but some evangelical voters aren't blaming the GOP as a whole for Mark Foley's scandal.

• Bigger families are the trend, even in expensive Manhattan.

• The American Academy of Pediatrics wants kids to have more free time.

Charlie's Show Prep #175

• College students attack a Minuteman at Columbia University and shout at Bill Kristol in Austin.

• Wacked-out Lefty Ramsey Clark thinks the "end of civilization as we know it in the birthplace of civilization, Mesopotamia" would happen if Saddam were hanged for his crimes.

• J.B. Van Hollen doesn't support State Rep. Frank Lasee's idea to allow teachers to be armed in schools [PDF]. I wonder how the NRA feels about that position from their endorsed candidate?

• Cheer because Battlestar Galactica's season premier is tonight.

Charlie's Show Prep #174

• GM ends talks on an alliance with Renault and Nissan. The troubled carmaker actually wanted the two other companies to pay it to hook up.

• In the wake of school violence State Rep. Frank Lasee wants to let teachers arm themselves.

• Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke reminds us that Social Security and Medicare are unsustainable unless reformed.

Charlie's Show Prep #173

• SDC is spending $50,000 to boost its reputation.

• The Washington Post, feeling left out in the Foley story, puts a hit piece out on page 1 starring a former Clinton and Kerry campaign staffer who felt uncomfortable that Mark Foley asked to buy him some ice cream. The paper admits, "None of those interviewed said they had received a sexual or suggestive overture from him during their time on Capitol Hill."

• Tony Blankley defends the Washington Times editorial board's call for Speaker Hastert to resign.

• The Dow hit a record high and oil prices continue to go down.

Charlie's Show Prep #172

• Conservatives, including the Washington Times, are calling for Speaker Hastert's head. But before jumping on the resignation bandwagon let's be like Mark Levin and consider if the explicit instant messages were released a few weeks before the elections as a political move rather than "protecting the children."

• The Tennessee Titans' Albert Haynesworth got a 5-game suspension for stomping on the face of a Dallas Cowboy. His suspension for on-field behavior tops the two-game suspension Green Bay's Charles Martin got for bodyslamming Jim McMahon.

• Economics explains the Western world's growing waistline.

Charlie's Show Prep #171

• At study says the nation's ill-maintained highways are costing drivers higher car maintanence bills. Here in Wisconsin our road problem is we'll build a four-lane highway to just about anywhere.

• Xenophobia similar to what happened with the Dubai Ports World plan to buy some U.S. ports could be the biggest sticking point from leasing Mitchell Airport.

• A judge approved a settlement between the Journal Sentinel and Shorewest Realtors over inflated circulation numbers.

Charlie's Show Prep #170

• Because the NY Times leaked the secret activities between U.S. intelligence agencies and Swift, the Belgian bank clearing house is taking heat from the Belgian government. Because of the Times' irresponsiblity it will be harder for U.S. intelligence agencies to track terrorists' money, endangering Americans.

• The TSA fails to use common sense and detained a man for writing "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on a bag. Hawley runs the TSA.

• Police called the Terrell Owens incident an "accidental overdose."

• I approve the new Bucks uniforms.

Charlie's Show Prep #169

• Yes, the Journal Sentinel found the State Elections Board has changed its view of federal campaign fund transfers to state campaign accounts. But remember in Rep. Mark Green's case the board voted to make his transfer illegal after it took place. It also doesn't get Gov. Doyle off the hook for having his lawyer practically tell Democratic members of the board how to vote and why.

• St. Paul gets the 2008 GOP convention.

• Steve Irwin's wife says his death video will never see the light of day. Correct, until someone uploads it to YouTube.

Charlie's Show Prep #168

• Americans who don't understand basic economics like supply and demand think there's a conspiracy between the President and the oil companies.

• The "Madden Curse" strikes again. The 2007 edition of the football video game features Seattle's Shawn Alexander. He broke his foot in Sunday's game against the Giants.

• Washington Republicans are set to increase federal spending 9%.

Charlie's Show Prep #167

• There's lots of yapping over leaked portions of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that the Iraq War has inspired untold numbers of new terrorists. Here are two things to remember: 1. the NIE isn't God's word sent down from heaven, it doesn't have the greatest track record; 2. there's a reason someone wanted this story, based on a report written in April, leaked weeks before Election Day when the GOP was making headway with voters on the terrorism issue.

• There's much still to learn about the deaths of an East St. Louis mother and her four children, one cut from her mother's womb.

• The Washington Times looks at how affirmative action has twisted Indian society.

Charlie's Show Prep #166

• Hamas won't join a coalition Palestinian government if they have to recognize Israel despite what President Mahmoud Abbas told the U.N.

• Wisconsin political junkies won't have to wait a month until the next Green-Doyle head-to-head battle. The two governor candidates will debate 10.06 in Milwaukee.

• Wal-Mart will sell 30-day supplies of generic prescription drugs for $4. Wal-Mart haters are looking for some sort of underhandedness by the monster retailer.

Charlie's Show Prep #165

• "Torture" worked on al-Qaeda leaders, and they provided valuable information.

• Arizona's Sep. 11 memorial is a leftist paean. Instead of focusing on what happened it's full of unrelated moments like the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the sinking of the Lusitania, and Pearl Harbor as well as U.S. mistakes like the bombing of a wedding in Afghanistan, and Congress questioning CIA and FBI missteps. My favorite was the date the Patriot Act became law.

• Because of new airline security rules you're not allowed to use ice or cold packs for carry on food (steaks and lobsters for example) but you can use frozen vegetables.

• McDonald's is thinking about serving breakfast 24/7. A McGriddle anytime of the day? Yum.

Charlie's Show Prep #164

It's baaaack!!! Charlie, I'm sure your show hasn't been the same since I took my unannounced break. Sort of like your unannounced vacations. ;-)

• Whole Foods opens their Milwaukee store today. The Journal Sentinel has 1, 2, 3, and 4 stories and/or sidebars. There's also a collection of videos. It's a full-blown Whole Foods commercial. It's no surprise the supermarket is advertising on the Journal Sentinel's webpage. Being the cynic that I am I'm sure such great coverage must come cheap. Macy's recently came into Milwaukee without the massive coverage. Could the difference be Macy's doesn't market with newspaper coupons?

• A Milwaukee Muslim leader, Othman Atta, decided use the Pope Benedict kerfuffle to take a cheap shot at the "Christian right-wing."

• Sep. 15 was a record-breaking day for the U.S. Treasury. $85.8 billion was collected in taxes, 20% more than the year before. While it's more evidence of economic strength only the green eyeshade, balanced budget crowd should be really happy. Us economic freedom lovers want to see tax receipts go down because that means people are paying fewer taxes.

• Other than the cost ($50,000-60,000) a 100-mpg car is feasible. Yes, and I could fly into space too if I had $20 million lying around.

Charlie's Show Prep #163

• Anti-Bushies in Pittsville, WI got a referendum asking voters if President Bush and Vice President Cheney should be impeached.

• Commutes got a tad bit shorter last year. [via digg]

• Ooo! I want Canadian socialized health care so I can wait over four months between a doctor's referral to treatment. A significant proportion of Canadians are dissatisfied with medical waiting times.

• Gutless RadioShack laid off 400 people by e-mail.

Charlie's Show Prep #161

• The NY Times publishes a fear-mongering economic story that workers are more worse off than in decades. It just happens the Times failed to look at other data. Russ Roberts takes them to task. Stephen Bainbridge calls is "lazy journalism."

• There was a Katrina video Congress didn't want you to see. A good case is made that government incompetance caused New Orleans to be flooded not the hurricane.

Charlie's Show Prep #160

• A plane crash skit during the Emmys when that morning a plane crashed in Kentucky. Oops!

• Can any Democratic candidate beat Rep. Paul Ryan? No.

• A car ferry war is being waged on Wikipedia. The open-source encyclopedia is like any source. Reader beware.

• Jack Bauer gets his Emmy.

Charlie's Show Prep #159

• Moderate Republican Rep. Christopher Shays wants a timetable for pulling out of Iraq.

• Chicago Mayor Richard Daley suggests a fifth year of high school to replaced the freshman year of college. He thinks that would lower college educations costs. Someone should tell the mayor all that would do is push the education cost from the college to the high school.

• Kohl's department stores snag celebrity designer Vera Wang for a clothing, accessory, and bedding line.

Charlie's Show Prep #158

• So far, most the advertising in the governor's race has been by outside groups. That means Doyle and Green have far less control of their total campaign message.

• There may be an ethical way to get embryonic stem cells.

• Maryland GOP Senate candidate Michael Steele has a real shot at the black vote with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmon's endorsement.

• Next season's Survivor will have teams segregated by race.

Charlie's Show Prep #157

• Bill Clinton's coming to save Gov. Doyle. Brian Fraley and Kevin Binversie comment.

• U.S. ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalizad lays out the plan to secure Baghdad.

• Rep. Mark Green says photo ID at the polls will be the first bill he signs as governor.

• Milwaukee moved up in Policom's economic rankings. But Wisconsin's high taxes stop companies from moving here.

• Businesses are accusing competitors of hiring illegal aliens and using them for unfair competition.

Charlie's Show Prep #156

• Economists see the merging of Milwaukee and Chicago ("Milago") as years pass. This region will look and have to work in a similar manner to New York City's tri-state (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) area.

• I watched a small portion of Spike Lee's Hurricane Katrina documentary When the Levees Broke. Depsite Troy Patterson's positive review. It got turned off when "experts" like Sean Penn and Harry Belafonte showed their mugs. I have better ways to waste my time, thank you.

• From yesterday's Presidential news conference:
  

  I don't think you've ever heard me say, gosh, I'd better change positions because the polls say this or that. I've been here long enough to understand you cannot make good decisions if you're trying to chase a poll. And so the second part of your question is, look, I'm going to do what I think is right, and if people don't like me for it, that's just the way it is.

  
  This is why I love President Bush despite his many flaws. Burke would be proud.
  [via Mario Loyola]

• President Bush approves Plan B to be made available to those over 18 without a prescription. Some right to life groups aren't pleased.

• Ted Thompson gave B.J. Sander the boot.

Charlie's Show Prep #155

• J.B. Van Hollen takes to the television airwaves.

• Liberal Juan Williams is on the money when he writes, "If systemic racism remains a reality, there is also a far more sinister obstacle facing African American young people today: a culture steeped in bitterness and nihilism, a culture that is a virtual blueprint for failure." And that's not just Black America.

• Some in Milwaukee want to follow Chicago's embarassing trend and ban foie gras. We are blessed to live in such a country where we're rich enough to spend so much time dealing with the ethics of what we eat.

Thanks, Charlie

Charlie Sykes is on vacation so his show prep will be as well.

Charlie's Show Prep #154

• The election unrest continues in Mexico.

• Americans know their pop culture as opposed to their Supreme Court justices.

• Moron Madison students demonstrate their inability to plan ahead.

Charlie's Show Prep #153

• Gov. Doyle opposed Rep. Mark Green's idea of a tax holiday for school shopping.

• Released reporter Jill Carroll begins the tale of her captivity by begging her captors to shoot her rather than give her the knife.

• Astronomers will finally decide the definition of a planet. And with that Pluto may be crossed off the list.

• Kids and baseball card collecting are going the way of the dodo.

Charlie's Show Prep #152

• The U.K. terrorist cell planning to blow up planes headed to the U.S. were monitored for months. Someone ask Sen. Feingold if he approves or feels the terrorists' rights were violated by a fascist government.

• A tip from the London Muslim community led to monitoring the terrorist cell. Cooperation like that will do well to block Islamists' violent efforts.

• A pathetic, big-time Left-wing weblogger thinks the increased security alert is a political ploy by President Bush to save Sen. Joe Lieberman.

• A business travel expert tells frequent travelers to "check everything." Ha! No serious businessman will risk having their all-important computer damaged or lost to an airline industry who is having problems moving baggage efficiently. They'll video conference instead, hurting the airlines.

• Hank Aaron was diplomatic when talking about possible steroid use by Mark MacGuire and Barry Bonds.

• ScrappleFace's "hard-nosed reporting" found the British Parliament will look into "why some Muslims hate airplanes."

Charlie's Show Prep #150

• Oil and gas prices aren't the United States' only energy problems. A lack of enough electricity transmission plagues the nation.

• Mothers are fighting back to make the culture accept breast feeding in public.

• In July, Technorati counted its 50 millionth weblog with the blogosphere doubling every 200 days. [via digg]

• NFL owners begin voting on a new commissioner replacing Paul Tagliabue.

Charlie's Show Prep #149

• Fill up your gas tanks before prices go up again. An Alaskan pipeline will soon be shut down reducing domestic oil production by 400,000 barrels a day.

• Reuters unleashed a photoshopped picture of Beirut and got caught. Reuters has a recent history of being awfully sympathetic to Islamists. [via Michelle Malkin]

• Last month's North Korean missile tests proved quite successful. "[S]ix of the seven missiles tested by North Korea last month fell within their targets."

Charlie's Show Prep #148

• AlGore's increased visibility hasn't changed the public's perception of him.

• Cuba wonders if this is the end of Fidel Castro's reign and if anything will change.

• Rep. Cynthia McKinney might lose again to a Democrat and is in the "fight of her career."

Charlie's Show Prep #147

• The Senate passed a bill to expand drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. It's not as wide-ranging as the House's bill so a conference committee is needed.

• MealpayPlus lets parents decide what little Jimmy or Jane eats at school lunch. What it can't prevent is the age-old tradition of trading that fruit for a cookie with a classmate. [via Engadget]

• One psychologist has found many affluent parents' over-involvement puts too much pressure on their kids causing depression and drug abuse.

• The Milwaukee Admirals showed off their new logo. Yuck! Cool colors but the floating skull reeks of pirate faddishness.

Charlie's Show Prep #146

• Guantanamo Bay prisoners are violent and a dangerous threat to military guards. So, of course, Gitmo should be shut down and the prisoners released. That's what the anti-American, anti-war types would want.

• A bill opening more of the Gulf of Mexico to drilling will move to a Senate vote.

• Higher gas prices are getting people to ride motorcycles.

Charlie's Show Prep #145

• After the Qana bombing Israel suspended air strikes. I doubt Hezbollah will be suspending their rocket attacks.

• The airlines are finally making money.

• The NY Times editorial crowd has joined the Kossites and endorsed Ned Lamont over Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Charlie's Show Prep #144

• A jury found Milwaukee's deep tunnel responsible for damaging a downtown Milwaukee building.

• The army discharged a gay Arabic lingust even though he says he followed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. This at a time when Arabic speakers are very useful.

• Cindy Sheehan's obsession with President Bush will be long-term now that she's bought property in Crawford, TX.

Charlie's Show Prep #143

• John Malone's Liberty Media Group bought BuySeasons.

• Woodman's Food Markets has to stop a gas promotion because it runs into the asinine minimum markup law.

• Howard Dean, M.D. opens his mouth a sticks his foot in it...again. This time he compares Florida Senate candidate Katherine Harris to Stalin. [via Right Wing News]

Charlie's Show Prep #142

• The Doyle drip, drip, drip continues with prosecutors looking into a UWM building contract and Marc Marotta's role.

• A federal judge in Chicago tossed out an ACLU lawsuit dealing with terrorist surveillance. A Kossite declared, "facism has risen." [via Stop the ACLU]

• Cuba with China's help is exploring for oil off Florida's coast. This is giving drilling proponents political ammunition.

• An 18-year-old chose an ice cream franchise over a scholarship in a business plan contest.

Charlie's Show Prep #141

• In Connecticut with Sen. Joe Lieberman faltering to the anti-war candidate Ned Lamont Republicans are tossing around the idea of handing the pro-war Democrat its nomination since their nominee has issues with gambling debts.

• Amnesty International is in the middle of a potentially damaging debate over abortion.

• Wisconsin's dairy cow population increased for the first time in years. It's economics at work: higher milk prices encourage farmers to increase their herds.

• The Keith Olberman-Bill O'Reilly battle ran smack into Godwin's Law.

• Monopoly goes cashless.

Charlie's Show Prep #140

• The week long Queens, NY blackout is finally starting to end.

• The American Bar Association is loudly criticizing President Bush's bill-signing statements.

• America still is king of cycling. Floyd Landis won the Tour de France.

Charlie's Show Prep #139

• In a sign of political strength Rep. Mark Green outraised Gov. Jim Doyle.

• Al Harris won't hold out and will show up on time for Packers training camp.

• Slum lord Lee Holloway won't be housing mentally ill people anymore.

• Travelers are ticked at TSA's inconsistent application of rules and having to take off their shoes in security lines.

Charlie's Show Prep #138

• President Bush vetoed the embryonic stem cell bill and the House couldn't override it. Surrounded by "snowflake babies" he said, "boys and girls are not spare parts."

• Israel dropped 23 tons of bombs on a bunker hoping to kill Hezbollah leaders.

• A federal court knocked down a Maryland law that forced Wal-Mart to spend 8% of its payroll on health insurance.

• After a collapse in the Alps Floyd Landis, bad hip and all, won't win the Tour de France.

Charlie's Show Prep #137

• President Bush rubs German Chancellor Angela Merkel's shoulders and the Left goes crazy.

• Some conservatives aren't too thrilled with President Bush's foreign policy.

• A few anti-trade Congressman are freaking out over a free trade agreement with Oman they say threatens national security.

• The Consumerist has highlights from the AOL Retention Manual.

Charlie's Show Prep #136

• Michael McGee/Jackson got his drivers license revoked because he's two licenses under both names and had one revoked in 2000. Michael Jackson still owes Farmers Insurance $650. Can you say possible insurance fraud?

• USA Today looks at 10 years of welfare reform. Welfare rolls have decreased 57.6%. Some have done better than others. Culture and behavioral issues appear to be the main obstacles left to reduce rolls further.

• The Senate will debate embryonic stem cell funding. Majority Leader Bill Frist supports allowing scientists "as many stem cell lines as they can produce." Frist means well, but he supports turning the unborn into stem cell factories.

• A New York City Councilman wants to treat fast food restaurants like porn shops by restricting them with zoning laws.

• Money Magazine lists Waukesha as the 37th best place to live.