About Bo Morrison, again

Whatever your position on the Second Amendment, Bo Morrison was a young man in Slinger WI, USA who was essentially killed for being a (possibly) drunk, 20-year-old PRANKSTER. I've played much more serious pranks myself in my youthful years. Did Bo DESERVE to die just for hiding on Adam Kind's front porch? Even though Mr. Kind KNEW the cops were in the area? Mr. Kind CALLED the police on the very underage beer party that Bo Morrison subsequently fled. Simplistic platitudes about the Glories of our Right to Bear Arms won't heal the grief of those left to survive the people negligently or otherwise unecessarily killed. So I'm simply imploring people to act responsibly; I'm not even advocating the Second Amendment be rendered null and void.
BTW, it's important to emphasize: BO Morrison was UNARMED.

Cry, Baby!

I am mystified as to why a prominently bronzed figure has stayed out of 2012's Republican Primary races. House Speaker John Boner could bring something wonderful to the process, namely a good, healthy weeping session. Not only is crying good for the eyeballs, it can be a terrific emotional catharsis, as Mr. Boner knows. Why is Johnny so sentimental? Maybe 'cause his family owns, operates, and no doubt drinks extensively at that "just plain folks" Ohio tavern. Either way, we need a sensitive man to run for the world's most powerful office. Go Boner, GO! The nation would surely stand erect for your benefit!

Regarding the case of Bo Morrison

What about America's murderous gun culture? So many Americans lack the power, both motivational and intellectual, to devise a way of fighting that doesn't entail possibly employing the most extreme forms of violence. The US deliberately exacerbates this sense of the ultra-primitive within all of its citizen-victims. My own state (Wisconsin) recently passed two different measures - one allowing the... "law-abiding" (kind of a joke, in reality, considering the flawed vetting process) to carry concealed pistols. Into taverns, while actually imbibing alcoholic spirits, for instance! The second, the "Castle Doctrine," enables an overly-excited, lethally-armed citizen to cold-bloodedly execute a young man (who had just fled a police raid on an underage beer party) for hiding on his porch. The dead youth was unarmed and presented no REAL threat.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/bo-morrison-killing-like-trayvon-martin_n_1381325.html

Chill Out

What I'm encouraging the "law-abiding," gun-toting, hair-trigger-caressing American populace to do is this: Think before you shoot. Try to determine if there is another way to resolve the situation, which actually may not have even risen to the level of a "conflict." You have the right, in terms of many states' laws, to shoot to kill and ask questions later. But you don't have the MORAL right to do so, if you're really not in danger. The life you save by exercising restraint may be your own son's, or daughter's, or father's...

Happy TMI Day

Three Mile Island's reactor #2 "partially" melted down, beginning on this date in 1979. The nuke's operator, Metropolitan Edison, failed to warn the Harrisburg area of the extreme danger till much of it had already passed, and wouldn't even admit there had been a meltdown until 1986. I still remember my 16-year-old, vague sense of uneasiness. Hadn't yet seen "The China Syndrome." Despite all the whitewash, the rate of birth defects and cancers in Central Pennsylvania is way up since that time. And now we allow them to build more reactors, like the newest, in Georgia.

Florida is the wild wild South.

I've heard the tapes of the 911 call now, wherein George Zimmerman refers to his victim as a "F*ckin' coon." No arrest, no justice. Even Florida's Castle Doctrine Law, which is flawed, on account of it's extreme permissiveness toward anyone who feels "threatened," doesn't allow a citizen to simply follow someone on a street (even in one of those damned gated communities) and gun him down. And Trayvon Martin was unarmed, for Pete's sake. That's how I see it. George Zimmerman must be arrested, his gun confiscated and examined.

Worse Than Kojak

I've decided to name my new band "Worse Than Kojak." My DJ friend approves, and though the audience needs a certain familiarity with 1970's TV, I believe this is a winner. So far, I'm the only member, but as I can play two saxophones at once, I foresee no obstacles to my future virtuoso success. All rights reserved.
Sorry. The seven days of record heat we've had make me swoon with effusive joy.

The Endless Summer

Today is the last day of Winter. Biking home from the College Library, I saw a water skier being pulled along rapidly on Monona Bay. That body of water, like so many Wisconsin lakes, was covered with ice about two weeks ago. Our local weather forecasters are going on and on about how "amazing, absurd, and disorienting" the last five days of record heat have been. They're right about that, but they're forbidden from uttering the term "climate change." Thing to do is keep a positive attitude and enjoy Summer, which starts Tomorrow.

The Secretary is unavailable. How may I help you?

"Leon Panetta has retreated to his underground shelter; he is unable to come to the phone. Please call back, after the attack."

The lone wolf belongs to the Forest, not the Village

I have determined that one of the best ways to combat feelings of political ineffectiveness is to join forces with a group of like-minded individuals. The loner tends, by definition, to be somewhat slow on the uptake, because he is not used to the real-time interaction between actual individuals. He misses out on the sort of social and conversational challenges that keep his wits their sharpest. His very isolation removes him from the stimulating interchange of ideas taking place in the real world. See you at the Madison Planning Commission Meeting, on Monday March 19, beginning at 4:30 PM.

Happy Saint Pat's!

Ach, I'm sorry my only Celtic ancestry is Welsh and Scottish. But the latter spoke their own feisty brand of Gaelic, up until recently. Anyway, let me leave you with this ancient ditty: "Some men fight for silver, and some men fight for gold. But the IRA is fighting for the land De Valera sold!" Happy Saint Patty's!

All's Well that Ends Well.

I remember "driving" home the eighty miles from Milwaukee after the 1979 Ramones concert, and what an intense pleasure the night air! We were young and unafraid, at 100mph. Got pulled over on I-94, and my wealthy fiend at the wheel just did a little name-dropping to the State Trooper, who let us off with a warning. True, we slowed down the rest of the way, but it must be great to have a dad who's a state representative. The next morning, around 4:00, he roared his firebird down city streets at 75. Coming up the big hill on Gorham St, I was sure we would kill an errant college student. But we were blessed, and he didn't even drive off the Memorial Union pier, though a close call. No regrets, since all's well that ends well.

Can't say this, can't say that - PC hypocrisy is where it's at!

If "Progressive, Politically Correct" Madison women feel too "intimidated" to vociferously, fearlessly speak their minds on the talk shows, all on account of the bombastic, spastic, hyper-fantastic sexist-pig male callers who predominate, whose fault is that, REALLY? Maybe those ladies shouldn't be so fragile in the realm of Public Affairs. Get out there and speak your feminine minds, which are SO VERY much more developed than the average masculine brain, pound for pound. And if you realy want equality, shovel the snow from your own sidewalk and haul your own firewood, like a lot of the "dykes" do. I admire them for that, anyway.
TGIF, and try as she might, Meryl Streep is NOT Margaret Thatcher. We can all be happy for THAT much.

Totally whipped!

You know, there is much I admire about the Madison Left - its concern for human welfare, etc. But it's probably an open secret by now that one demographic I despise (not dislike, mind you, some are good peoples:) are the willfully-emasculated, grovelling, scum-sucking, "I'm-so-terribly-ashamed-I-was-born-with-a-penis" vegetarian types. They only pretend thus in order they might get lucky, and HOPEFULLY get laid. Their real feelings are different, of course. And they have NEVER known the sheer joy of just impulsively smashing a huge plate glass window. Hell, it's been more than 30 years now! Damn what a testosterone filled ecstasy!
Then there are those who are married. These pitful, beaten-down, totaly WHIPPED specimens desperately just want to STAY married to their rather reluctant wives.

i LOVE sUMMER IN mARCH.

Winter is over, and it's only March 16. I know that seems crazy. But "Game over, dude." Even if we get a massive blizzard in April, as we did in 1974, when I was one of the very few doofus kids who stumbled into Mr. Ralph's Fifth Grade class. Damn near froze my little paws off on the way. Had to sit with the other four doofusses who also staggered in on that Snow Day. But as far as a meaningful season goes, Winter is kaput. Very bizarre for this time of year in Badgerland, and impossible to believe that Humanity is not at least partially responsible.

"Any more questions?"

So when you buy something at Radio Shack, Goodwill, or Shopko, they ask, "Zip Code," as if it were any of their damn business. Next time these busybodies ask you that, just reply, in a tone of voice sweet as molasses, "Any more questions?" Works like a charm! I know, I know, management makes them ask that.

March 13, 2012

Welcome to San Diego, Wisconsin. The weather is perfect here all year round. That's a lie, of course. But it's perfect right now, during the merry, merry month of May, ummm.... March. Wowie Zowie, Yippee Skippie, it must be 25 degrees F. above average. Carpe Diem, enjoy Today! Because in a few short weeks the mosquitoes will come alive! Then you just might wish we'd gotten below 3 degrees in January. I swear, I can't remember a single night when it got colder, the whole Winter long.

"I feel funny..."

Ammonium hydroxide, AKA "Pink Slime," used to suppress the inevitable Bovine Spongiform Encepalopathy prions, finally being removed from McDonald's "hamburgers;" Pepsi Cola just now eliminating 4-methylimidazole from their "special-recipe" caramel-coloring; Fukushima Daiichi radiation found all over North America, and continues to be emitted into atmosphere and ocean in large quantities; Monsanto's genetically-modified "Frankinseeds" escape, contaminate the neighboring farmers' fields. All brought to you courtesy of Private Enterprise, and all exacerbated by a lack of serious government regulation! "Erghh...I don't feel so good..."

Patience, patience.

I attended an excruciating hearing of Madison, Wisconsin's Urban Design Commission last night. A few of us historic preservationists are trying to prevent the destruction of some of Madison's oldest buildings, on the 100 Block of State Street. I should have remembered one crucial thing: Officialdom often gets away with doing the bidding of the moneyed interests by wearing us - the opposition - down. Through sheer, agonizing, bureaucratic tedium. It was a long night indeed, but I held out for my three minute comment period!

Welcome to Amerika!

"Murder Is Legal, Says Eric Holder:" Reichskanzler Obama's top "lawyer" Eric Holder assures un these targeted killings are not Assassinations. Terrorists, you see (as opposed to the quaint old category of "alleged terrorists") are entitled to "Due Process," but NOT "Judicial Process." Ah, the Joys of living in Post-NDAA Amerika!
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article30729.htm

Here's where I heard Holder's remarks today, about "Due Process" vs. "Judicial Process:" Eric Holder: "Some have argued that the president is required to get permission from a federal court before taking action against a United States citizen who is a senior operational leader of al-Qaeda or associated forces. This is simply not accurate. Due process and judicial process are not one and the same, particularly when it comes to national security. The Constitution guarantees due process; it does not guarantee judicial process."
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/3/6/headlines#4

Just another day in Paradise

Who needs what the British call a Holiday in the Sun? It's not only Sunny here in Madison, it's far warmer than average. Fifty-eight degrees during the first week of March. Maybe this year March will come in like a lamb and go out like a lion? Anyway, the Right Wing Nut Jobs, jealously guarding their petroleum-based vested interests, assure us that humanity is NOT causing dramatic global climate change. So What Me Worry? I just asked Alfred E. Newman; he's not concerned one little bit.

Florida is born again, in Jerry Falwell's image.

During my time in Florida, Jeb Bush was governor. Even so, the Repubs in Tallahassee who ran the state were a little less contemptuous of the 1st Amendment's separation of Church and State. Gov. Rick Scott is WAY beyond the pale, making Jeb look almost rational (at times) by comparison.
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2012/03/florida_prayer_in_schools_bill_1.php

The Greeks don't like Rich Freaks.

Heared recently many Greeks are realy starting to resent the German Government and German business class. Who can blame them, with the Euro replacing the Swastika as a symbol of economic, rather than military Imperialism. One can only hope the Koch brothers and other billionaires aren't successful in "doing a Greece" here in the USA. Because if they are, we'll see our minimum wage cut by 30%, as it's been reduced in Athens. Goldman Sachs and other Wall Street criminals also played a big part engineering the "Greek Crisis." http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/feb2012/gree-f18.shtml

Save Miffland

Katie Cierzan's flat, with all the problems that accompany age and probable neglect by landlords, is still, in so many ways, better than the overpriced crap the developers would build in its place. Miffland has an illustrious history and is at least more affordable than the cheap, generic, plastic boxes Madison's real estate moguls would put up. When there's money to be made, the developers will knock down just about anything, including structures that are more solid and attractive than say, University Avenue's "Lucky Apartments."
http://host.madison.com/daily-cardinal/news/mifflin-s-unclear-future/article_1e3f1a5a-6379-11e1-807e-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=story

Pesticides kill US, too.

The University of Wisconsin sprays Roundup/Glyphosate on its parkland, including the UW Arboretum. Then they turn around and claim to have a "green consciousness." Liars. Many of us have spoken out against the application of harmful pesticides here in Madison, to no avail.
http://naturalsociety.com/monsantos-infertility-linked-roundup-found-in-all-urine-samples-tested/

Criminal "Just Us," in Dane County, Wisconsin, USA

One of the WORST examples of racial discrimination here in Dane County centers around the "Drug War." Every other day it seems, another Black male is sentenced to 14 or even 20 years for selling a bit of crack. Dane's become notorious nationwide for it's grossly disproportionate sentencing habits. There's too little vocal, principled oppostion to the criminalization and imprisonment of non-violent "drug offenders" in the Madison area. We MUST END the "Drug War," somehow. The overarching need for drug policy change is also particularly urgent for cannabis "offenses."

Hey Mr. Paperboy!

The newspaper biz looks to be about the toughest business of any in the Info Realm. John Lanchester asserts if we 37 remaining readers refuse to pay for content, newspapers won't be around four of five years from now:) So please stop scavenging them from the recycle box, as I did just now. The London Review of Books has enormous articles, but I read this one in its entirety before posting:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v32/n24/john-lanchester/let-us-pay