Showing posts with label WI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WI. Show all posts

Friday, July 24, 2015

Euchre: The People's Card Game

The People's Card Game - The Awl

In the fall of 1872, nineteen travelers were marooned in the Arctic Ocean. Lost during the infamous Polaris expedition, this miserable band included sailors, explorers, and a newborn baby. They lived on a five-mile sheet of ice for months, building huts out of ice and snow, and hunting seals for food. During the ordeal, a German immigrant taught the survivors how to play a game with homemade cards called euchre. When they were rescued months later, the makeshift card game was memorialized in a survivor’s diary, a rescuer’s memoir and a Congressional report about the disaster.
Never heard of euchre 'til I moved Wisconsin. (Setback was the game we played in Connecticut.) Never learned to play, so pretty much forgot about it until I came across this article.


Saturday, April 4, 2015

Madison, WI first in nation to pass ordinance protecting atheists


Madison, WI via CityofMadison
"It's really making a big statement that we're not going to put up with discrimination in the name of God. That being a believer doesn't mean you can discriminate," Freedom From Religion Foundation co-founder Annie Laurie Gaylor said. 
No one spoke out against the proposal. 
Atheism is now added to the city's long list of protected classes which, in part, includes: sex, race, religion, color, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, handicap/disability, marital status, source of income, arrest record, conviction record, credit history, military discharge status, physical appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity, political beliefs, familial, student and domestic partner status, receipt of rental assistance and Social Security number disclosure.
I miss Madison. An isthmus of civilization in an otherwise dodgy region. (Well, outside of Scott Walker's office anyways.)

Friday, July 22, 2011

O Wisconsin, so much to answer for ...

Nine Wisconsinites Who Are Screwing Up America | The Awl:


Whoa, that image is doing an optical illusion expansion thing on my eyes.


Wisconsin. You've heard of it. Maybe it was a fat joke. More likely it was a cheese joke. A drunk joke? Even more likely it was about drunk fat people eating cheese. Yes, Wisconsin Dells. You've certainly flown over it.

Laugh all you want, Wisconsinites are now a leading force in right wing politics and, maybe more so than any other state's residents, are responsible for our messed-up national state of affairs. Here are nine Cheeseheads who are working hard at this very moment to mess up your life.
Fighting Bob La Follette's zombified corpse must be clawing its way out of the ground even now ...

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

WI Gov. Walker can't tolerate the idea of a human being comforting another human being in a time of need.

Walker seeks to stop defense of state's domestic partner registry - JSOnline:


"Dope" is the nicest thing you could say about this guy.


Gov. Scott Walker believes a new law that gives gay couples hospital visitation rights violates the state constitution and has asked a judge to allow the state to stop defending it.
If you want people to suffer because you think they're somehow less human than you are, or if you think you're better than somebody else because of how you were born (straight, rich, white, male, etc.), you're not a good person. It's that simple. You may have good qualities, you may be good at math, spelling, cooking, or any number of things, you may not be a complete, hopeless waste of space as a human being; however, when you're using your authority to increase the level of human suffering in the world because you're full of hate, then, on balance, you're a [expletive deleted]. I have no patience for anyone arguing somebody is not as entitled as they are to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on the basis of something as trivial as what gender of consenting adult they like to sex up.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Stick Boy Bread Company | Fuquay-Varina, NC: NCAA Cookies available for pre-order.

Stick Boy Bread Company | Fuquay-Varina, NC


This is a pain point when it comes to living NC. Duke and Carolina cookies featured, while no UCONN to be seen. Somebody over there must be a Badger fan though?

Friday, March 4, 2011

#FF @clarkekant (Elegantly encapsulating GOP class warfare and misogyny.)


I'd say that Republicans are trying to rape the working class, but since they redefined rape, they're simply making "rough love" to them.Thu Mar 03 03:04:13 via Twitter for iPhone


Meanwhile, I've since lost track of where I first read it, it took someone on twitter to point out the irony I'd missed of the 2012 Democratic National Convention being held in NC -- one of the most union unfriendly states in the nation. If they're not still on the lam, maybe the fourteen Wisconsin State Senators could be invited to serve as an example for the national party?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

We'd 'Absolutely' Use Force on Protesters: Wis. Police

We'd 'Absolutely' Use Force on Protesters: Wis. Police - But 'it would not look like the US if we did that':

Image via Elia Isquire.

However, Fuller added, 'I can't even imagine that the governor or anybody else would think that's a viable option. It would not look like the United States, if we did that. No one said anything to me about anything like that.' Fuller also says the union is opposed to the governor's proposals to strip public unions of their collective bargaining rights. State troopers won't be losing their right to collective bargaining under the bill, although some members of two other police agencies the union represents will.
It would not look like the US we imagine when we see ourselves as a beacon of democracy, a shining example for the world. However, it would look a lot like the US at its worst -- Kent State -- not to mention the historical struggles of labor and the progressive movement.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Wall Street's view of the WI protests

WIReview & Outlook: Athens in Mad Town - WSJ.com

Hey, Rabble, you're making your Wall Street Overlords tetchy. (Image via Gerry Canavan.)

For Americans who don't think the welfare state riots of France or Greece can happen here, we recommend a look at the union and Democratic Party spectacle now unfolding in Wisconsin. Over the past few days, thousands have swarmed the state capital and airwaves to intimidate lawmakers and disrupt Governor Scott Walker's plan to level the playing field between taxpayers and government unions.
Oh, Wall Street, you're so adorable. What you've done to the WI employee pension plan could best be described using violent sexual imagery, yet you still have the audacity to paint the workers as little better than anarchist rabble-rousers out to destroy the middle-class. 

Wisconsin Governor Uses Police State Tactics (Literally) on Democratic Senators

Wisconsin Governor Uses Police State Tactics (Literally) on Democratic Senators (Updated)  naked capitalism




It’s bad enough that the “make the workers suffer” push is misguided (any budgetary pain should be shared, not dumped on a single target group). According to David Cay Johnson of Tax.com, the average Wisconsin pension is $24,500 a year, which is hardly lavish. But what is stunning is that 15% of the money contributed to the fund each year is going to Wall Street in fees. Thus the blame for any shortfall should go in very large measure to ... rank incompetence in the state’s dealing with the financial services industry and the impact of the financial crisis on state revenues.
15% of contributions per year goes to fees?! That's obscene. But, you can't just blame "Wall Street" for that; as the article points out, that's rank incompetence -- or worse -- on the part of whoever awarded that business to the company running the fund.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Fighting Bob (No time like the present for remembering the heroes our past.)

Robert M. La Follette, Sr. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




As governor, La Follette championed numerous progressive reforms, including the first workers' compensation system, railroad rate reform, direct legislation, municipal home rule, open government, the minimum wage, non-partisan elections, the open primary system, direct election of U.S. Senators, women's suffrage, and progressive taxation. He created an atmosphere of close cooperation between the state government and the University of Wisconsin in the development of progressive policy, which became known as the Wisconsin Idea.

On Wisconsin!

Wisconsin Taken Over by Working People | The Awl

Image via Caffeinated Politics

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

WKNC Among Top 10 Finalists for MTVU Woodie Award

WKNC Among Top 10 Finalists for MTVU Woodie Award | New Raleigh


WKNC has made it to the top 10 list of best college radio stations in the country (via MTVU's College Radio Woodie awards) as voted on by fans over the past few weeks.
I've listened to college radio in CT, RI, MA, WI & NC and WKNC is the best I've heard yet.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The United States of Shame

The United States of Shame (CHART) |:


Whether it’s a fat population, high rate of STDs or excessive tax rate, it turns out that every state ranks dead last in at least one unsavory category.
When we saw the chart for Best At a few weeks ago, I included the clip showing the states in which I've lived, so we'll have another go.
  • Connecticut is worst at breast cancer. I'm from Connecticut and have an aunt who's been ravaged by cancer, yet still fights on. This isn't turning out to be comic enterprise I'd envisioned.
  • Massachusetts has the worst drivers -- yeah, I can see that. We didn't grow up calling them Massholes for nothing. I think it's all those rotaries; drives them insane.
  • Wisconsin is worst at binge drinking? I would have called it "best at," but you didn't want me coming to your bar loaded on a Saturday night after Badger football or hockey promising to skull f*ck any insufficiently prompt and attentive bartenders in your fine establishment.
  • Rhode Island is worst at drug use. I've already used the "best at" joke so ... I got nothin'. 
  • North Carolina is worst at teacher salary. But ,we're on the road to competing in worst at school segregation, too, so we go that going for us. ~Kicks the ground in disgust.~
This one also via Gerry Canavan. So, if nothing else, this is probably as good a time as any for you add his site to your reader.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

A Welsh View: If States Were Countries

A Welsh View: If States Were Countries


States compared to countries by comparable GDP. The states I've lived in match the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Finland, and Sweden.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What’s Your State Good At?

What’s Your State Good At? | Buy Solar Panels for Your Home – 1BOG Group Solar Power Discounts


NC is sweet potato country. Other states I have lived in are good at: general well-being (CT), energy policy and speeding tickets (MA) -- I can attest to the latter, smokin' weed (RI), and making cheese (WI, of course).

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Hexavalent Chromium, Carcinogen in "Erin Brockovich", Found in 31 of 35 US Cities

Hexavalent Chromium, Carcinogen in Erin Brockovich, Found in 31 of 35 US Cities:

Image via Newser

(NEWSER) – Those who thought Erin Brockovich was just a decent movie might want to check their drinking water: An environmental group has found the probable carcinogen featured in the film in the tap water of 31 of 35 US cities it analyzed—the first such study of hexavalent chromium to be made public. Topping the list of offenders were Norman, Okla., Honolulu, Riverside, Calif., and Madison, Wis.
 First, a bit concerned; second, "just a decent movie."  Regardless of what you may think of Ms. Roberts, Erin Brokovich is not "just a decent movie." [#35 on my Flickchart]

Friday, December 17, 2010

Strip Club Sign Declares "No Negro's [sic] Allowed" - The Consumerist

Strip Club Sign Declares "No Negro's Allowed" - The Consumerist:

The next racist to spell an entire sign correctly will be the first.

'If I've got a problem with you it's going to be on the front of my store,' says the open-minded business owner. 'I'm going to stick to my guns because I think I have the right as a business owner to reject service to anyone. It's not all the black people there are just a few bad ones.'
O Wisconsin, Aryan strip clubs? Really? 

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Always Nitpicking (State Movies Edition)

Pics from Blame It On The Voices:

Detail from Blame It On The Voices


Not bad. Not bad at all. I would've gone another way with Florida though. Scarface seems dated and overrated to me; I'd have picked the Marx Brothers' The Cocoanuts there. I like L.A. Confidential or The Maltese Falcon better than Fast Times for California. I know someone who would've insisted on Valley Girl. (You know who you are.) Most of these though are spot on.
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