Appleton apr scene_proof3

SC NE E
APPLETON • FOX CITIES EDITION | WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM | APRIL 2015
VOLUNTARY 75¢
Bats
Spotlightin
the

L2 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2015
18th Annual Appleton
Featuring quality antique dealers of furniture, home & garden decor,
glassware & china, quilts & linens, toys & sports, country primitives,
paper & textiles, advertising & signage, jewelry & collectibles.
The world’s first home lighted with
hydro-electricity using a Thomas Edison system.
History, culture & innovation are “illuminated”
for visitors in a beautiful 1880’s Victorian mansion
built by an early Wisconsin entrepreneur.
Visit: HearthstoneMuseum.org
or call 920.730.8204
for more information about the antique show,
tour hours, exhibits & special events.
Proceeds benefit
$1 off
admission
with this coupon
(Limit 2)
AntiqueShow&SaleSaturday, April 18
10am - 5pm
Sunday, April 19
11am - 4pm
• On-site Concessions
• Door Prizes
• Hearthstone Exhibit with Costumed Characters
• Admission: $6, good both days
• Children under 16 FREE. Strollers welcome
Tri-County Ice Arena
700 East Shady Lane, Neenah, WI
Directions to Antique Show & Sale:
Along Hwy 41: 100 miles north of
Milwaukee; 30 miles south of Green Bay.
Hwy 41 to Prospect Ave (BB) Exit.
Head west on BB 1/4 mile. Turn left on
American Drive; 11/2 miles on American
Drive to East Shady Lane.
Turn right on to East Shady Lane.
Tri-County Ice Arena will be on the right.E. Shady Lane
Tri-County
Ice Arena
AmericanDr.
Hwy41
Prospect Ave. (BB)

April 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L3
APPLETON • FOX CITIES EDITION
Advertising deadline for May is April 20 at 5 p.m.Submit ads to ads@scenenewspaper.com.The SCENE
is published monthly by Calumet Press, Inc.The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics,
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Calumet
PRESSINC.
R30 L8
L4
COVER STORY
R30 Bats in the Spotlight
FINE ARTS
L6 Celebrating the Arts
R8 Artful Living
L10 Michelle Richeson
FOOD & DRINK
L4 Live at the Source!
R2 Brewmaster
R4 Tricia’s Table
R6 From the Wine Cave
ENTERTAINMENT
R10 Cinema Beneath
R14 Nick Olig
R16 Dobie Maxwell
R28 Buddist Advisor
R36 April Concert Watch
R40 The Spanish Inquisition

NEWS & VIEWS
R18 The View From the Leftfield
Seats
R20 Right Wing Nut
R22 Media Rants
R26 Rohn’s Rants
OUTDOORS
R34 Beauty and the Beast
L9 Spring Gardening Tips
EVENT CALENDARS
R42 Live Music
L12 The Big Events
L10
CONTENTS
Steve Lonsway
Tricia Derge
Kimberly Fisher
Jean Detjen
Richard Ostrom
Nick Olig
Dobie Maxwell
Dennis Riley
Robert Meyer
Tony Palmeri
Rohn Bishop
John Price-Kabhir
Will Stahl
Michael Mentzer
Jane Spietz
George Halas
Rob Zimmer
Marianne Walker
Sherri Thomas
SCENE STAFF
Publisher James Moran • 920.418.1777
jmoran@scenenewspaper.com
Associate Publisher
Norma Jean Fochs • 715.254.6324
njfochs@scenenewspaper.com
OSHKOSH
Ad Sales Dan McCord
mccord.dan@gmail.com
Graphic Designer
Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297
ebaker@scenenewspaper.com
APPLETON
Ad Sales Mareen Andrejeski
920.522.2381 • mo@scenenewspaper.com
Graphic Designer Jeff Hillis
jhillis@scenenewspaper.com
CENTRAL WISCONSIN
Ad Sales
FOND DU LAC
Ad Sales Greg Doyle • 920.251.8944
gregdtdoyle@yahoo.com
Graphic Designer
Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297
ebaker@scenenewspaper.com
GREEN BAY
Ad Sales
CONTRIBUTORS

Live at The Source!
BY JEAN DETJEN,‘ARTFUL LIVING’
At The Source Public House, art is
on the menu. Literally. Menasha’s trendi-
est hotspot is a dynamic cornucopia of
gastropub, beergarden, music venue, and
art oasis. It’s fast becoming a destination
location for those in-the-know about great
music, food and creative expression. If you
haven’t been there yet, what’s on stage may
surprise you!
A wide, black-curtained stage is the
focal point of this diversely appealing
restaurant and entertainment hub. The
Source delights guests with a hip, colorful
chorus of live music, original paintings by
local artists, and a delectable array of food
and beverage offerings.
Owner Dan Long says, “At The Source
we showcase original, local and touring
talent as much as possible. We feature per-
forming, visual, and also culinary artists,
highlighting locally sourced food, a full
bar, and Wisconsin brews.”
Craft beers offered change almost every
day and a new keg is cracked open most
days. “We like to mix up the style of beers
we feature, setting our establishment apart
from most others in the area. We don’t
carry any domestic beers, only PBR in a
16 oz can for nostalgia purposes,” he says
with a smile. Fourteen different varieties of
Wisconsin made beers are currently on tap.
A lounge-pub hybrid of sorts that
attracts an eclectic demographic, The
Source is designed with casual comfort in
mind. “Everyone is welcome here, and we
encourage people to come as they are,” says
Long, donned casually in a t-shirt, jeans,
knit cap and fleece jacket. “You don’t have
to wear fancy clothes to enjoy good drinks,
food, and music. Baseball caps and a nice
bottle of wine go just fine together here.”
According to patron Steve Smits, The
Source has the “best sound system for a
club their size north of Milwaukee. Who
else in the area has a dog friendly patio?
No one. And they host live music almost
every night of the week focusing on origi-
nal hand crafted artists. If I could hug the
entire building in my arms I would.”
Rover and Fluffy would likely agree.
During the summer months, an expansive,
thoughtfully designed pet-friendly outdoor
patio with grass and stone pathway beck-
ons. Long says that the sunset views from
the inviting west-facing patio are spectacu-
lar, adding natural art to the landscape of
the Source’s offerings.
“We are a unique destination restaurant
in the Fox Cities. Our focus is on provid-
ing a comfortable, casual atmosphere for
dining during the day and early evening
that is perfect for a date, a
meeting with friends, or a
dinner with your family. In
the evenings we transform
into a lively music-infused
bar.”
Long says they “wanted
to flip the script” on food
sourcing practices, going
to local farmers to see what
they have to offer and then
developing a menu around
those items. This method
allows them to get the high-
est quality ingredients and then turn it over
to Executive Chef Adam Devons and his
kitchen staff to accent the best flavors of
the season’s harvest.
“Our many, great local farmers, ranch-
ers, and fisherman work hard day in and
day out to produce the highest quality
fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish, without
the aid of pesticides or added hormones.
It’s our duty at The Source Public House,
to ensure that effort shines through by
creating dishes that show off the vivid, true
flavors of these ingredients,” adds Long.
One also can’t help but notice a large
handcrafted dichroic glass pendant hung
on a simple cord on his neck.
Long says he’s been wearing
his “good mojo” necklace for
10-11 years and “feels naked
without it.” Says Long, “this
piece has been to a lot of
places with me where there’s
been good energy. It captures
and radiates it.”
As dichroic glass displays
varying color tones as a result
of the light, The Source projects different
hues as a venue depending on the gleam
of entertainment offered, time of day,
and season. The ability to re-invent the
atmosphere based on the mood and food
envisioned is key to The Source’s adaptable
business model.
“I’ve lived out West and traveled to
more than forty states and have seen lots of
cool spots that have provided inspiration.
What’s been formed here has been a cul-
mination of what I’ve seen on my travels,
ultimately shaped into a mix of local food,
music and art that people want to see and
hear. Alchemy Café in Madison was a bit
of a template for us but we made it our
own based on our local market.”
Rotating menu items are “adjusted
based on what’s locally available and fresh,
offering customers the best taste-expe-
rience possible. The focus is on smaller,
elongated, shareable plates which are more
approachable and definitely designed for
group sampling.”
While providing the perfect space for
guests to connect while sharing food and
music, The Source also strives to reconnect
people to the land around them. “Our
state’s plentiful bounty includes a wide
variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, honey,
syrups, meat, fish, and poultry. We want
our customers to enjoy the delicious differ-
ence in our primarily locally sourced dishes
while also letting people know about where
the food we serve comes from.”
Farm-raised fresh fish is always avail-
able - typically trout, salmon and/or blue-
gill - which is sourced from Wisconsin and
other areas of the Midwest. Grass fed beef
burgers are another popular menu item.
Exceptional flavor and quality are the goals,
as is offering food that encourages custom-
ers to stay and come back for more. “The
menu changes monthly, so there are always
new, fresh creations to try,” says Long.
“How we source our food is the most
important aspect of our menu, as empha-
sized by the first part of our establishment’s
name. We added the words ‘Public House’
to our business name for that very reason.
This is a place for families, singles, couples
and, really, all ages. Depending on the time
of day or night, we have something for
everyone.”
That “something” includes hearty
helpings of live music 4-7 days per week,
making The Source a growing destination
site for Fox Cities music aficionados. The
site’s layout and acoustics are designed so
that the stage is the focal point. Having
affiliations with music artists, sound mas-
ters and organizers connected to Appleton’s
dynamic and growing Mile of Music Festi-
val and its offshoots has been a tremendous
benefit.
Original music artist and performer
Nicole Rae (of The Traveling Suitcase and
Wilfret & Miss) is impressed with The
Source’s “great local food” and a “menu
always showcasing new entrees.” Rae also
appreciates the “beautiful sounding room
in a unique space” adding that “any per-
former would and will be pleased with
their experience there.”
A “boomy” 5,000+ square foot room,
natural acoustic sound absorbers are hung
up on the walls amid an array of art for sale,
looking very at home with their colorful
companions. The treatment panels tacked
about at various angles throughout were
crafted from burlap fabric over recycled
denim and carpet fiber insulation.
“The PA was certainly a thought out
entity, with improvements to be added very
soon, including additional monitor mixes,
FOOD & DRINK // THE SOURCE PUBLIC HOUSE

FOOD & DRINK // THE SOURCE PUBLIC HOUSE
multi-track recording and a signal feed
to and from the patio, says The Source’s
chief audio engineer, Aaron Duester-Hoff.
“There are also plans to work closely with
SecondHand Studios and future bands to
compile a ‘Live at the Source’ album.”
“The Source is a delight for both
patrons and performers,” says musician
Christopher Gold. “ They put extra effort
into everything they do and it shows.
Aaron is great, the sound is phenomenal,
the whiskey is plentiful, and the nachos
changed my life.”
Enthusiastic customer Todd Van Ham-
mond agrees, saying he “cannot write a
review of the cheese curds or pizza without
expletives!!”
The extra effort put out by The Source
also includes sharing the spotlight with
local visual artists. The restaurant’s colorful
walls are covered in art. Says Long, “We
support these artists by offering a place for
them to display and sell their work. When
an art piece sells the proceeds go to the artist
and a new painting, drawing, photograph,
or other artistic piece takes its place. It cre-
ates a wonderful and changing atmosphere
for our guests while providing income to
numerous artists that would otherwise not
have a place to show their work.”
“We are always looking for new art and
welcome any family-friendly submissions,”
says Long. “Brittany Vera, server and art
curator on staff here, will help you through
the process.”
While you’re waiting for the addictive
nachos, pizza, or cheese curds, be sure to
ask to see the hand screen printed art menu
where you can learn more about what’s for
sale on the walls. Where else can you order
carry-out food and a cool, original paint-
ing?
Appreciative repeat customer Jess Grim
appreciates the artistic focus. “The Source is
a unique place where you can go to gather
with your closest friends, where Wiscon-
sin’s bounty of truly artisan food is available
and talented artists are able to showcase
their talents.”
We want guests to “see our place as
a source of the community,” says Long.
“Come for the music, be surprised by the
food!”
Regular customer Felicia Lyons Rashid
couldn’t be more pleased about the com-
munity palette provided by this unique
establishment. “It’s that place you wish
everyone you knew took an opportunity
to experience. Not only is the food from
local vendors, it is unique, fresh and mouth
watering. The environment is warm, classy
and filled with art inspired pieces through-
out the establishment. You also have the
privilege of listening to live original bands
almost every night of the week! Once you
visit this place you know you will be back!”
Destination unknown? Not so once you
experience all The Source Public House
has to offer. The Source serves lunch and
dinner with brunch on Sundays and is
located at 890 Lake Park Road in Menasha.
For more information about hours, menu,
live music, and other special events, con-
tact them at (920) 830-2050 or visit their
website at www.thesourcepublichouse.
com . You can also follow The Source on
Twitter and Facebook and sign up for their
newsletter.
Music artists who wish to perform at
The Source are asked to submit for consid-
eration via music@thesourcepublichouse.
com. Visual artists interested in having
their art displayed for sale on The Source
walls are encouraged to email information
via art@thesourcepublichouse.com.
Living artFULLY in the heart of Wisconsin jdetjen@
scenenewspaper.com

BY MARIANNE WALKER
The 43rd annual Festival of the Arts at
the UWSP Noel Fine Arts Center opens
the spring “season of art” in central Wis-
consin with high-quality art forms in a
myriad of mediums.
Presented by 45 Midwest professional
artists from Wisconsin, Illinois and Min-
nesota, the Festival is an opportunity to
talk with the artists, learn about their work,
and purchase that unique, one-of-a-kind
treasure. In addition, three exceptional art
students from UWSP will also show and
sell their work.
The atrium and second-floor mezza-
nine of the Noel Fine Arts Center will be
filled to bursting with glass, jewelry, fiber,
photography, ceramics, paintings, sculp-
tures, wood and more. And children are
more than welcome. UWSP art professor
Dianne Bywaters will have art activities for
children in one of the art studio rooms.
The Festival is sponsored by the Stevens
Point Festival of the Arts Council and the
UWSP College of Fine Arts and Commu-
nication. The show is open from 10:00 am
to 4:00 pm on April 19, and admission is
free.
The Festival of the Arts is one of the
longest-running, high-quality art shows in
central Wisconsin. The UWSP University
Women started planning it in 1971, and
the first show was held in 1973 as an eve-
ning program for the University Women
and their guests in the University Center
featuring weavers, spinners, potters,
painters and crafts people from the Ste-
vens Point area.
As of the 1980s, the show had evolved
and grown into a juried show with pur-
chase awards. Teaching art appreciation to
the public was important, and the shows
featured art studio demonstrations in vari-
ous media. Activities for children to engage
in art projects or buy small pieces of art
work were part of the program.
REMEMBERING DICK SCHNEIDER
Dick Schneider, well known in central
Wisconsin for his ceramic artistry, became
a significant contributor to the event by
supporting the planners and participating
as a potter for many years. His creative
talent is legendary at UWSP; among
many other achievements, he designed and
supervised the execution of the “E Pluribus
Unum” mosaic mural on the exterior wall
of the Natural Resources building on the
UWSP campus. His devotion to his craft
and mentoring younger artists resulted
in nationally recognized pottery artists,
Rick Foris and Tim Marcotte, both of the
Stevens Point area. Marcotte continues to
show and sell his pottery at the Festival.
Schneider retired from UWSP in 1988
but continued working as a studio potter,
showing and selling locally as well as at his
summer retreat, the Schneider’s Pottery
Shop near Minocqua. It was a great loss
Celebrating the Arts
Photograph by John Morser
Stained glass by Alan Sievers
Woven pillow cover by Barbara Geurink
Eileen McDaniel’s watering can
Continue on Page L8
FINE ARTS // FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

to the community when he passed away
on April 25, 2014. Schneider’s daughter,
accomplished potter Lora Hagen, will be
selling her own work at this year’s show
in addition to exhibiting some of her
father’s work as a tribute to his contribu-
tions to the Festival’s history. To honor
Schneider’s legacy with the Festival of the
Arts, the annual Best of Show award has
been permanently re-designated The Dick
Schneider Best of Show Award.
In the 1980s the Festival started a
scholarship program to encourage young
artists at UWSP. The College of Fine
Arts and Communication is the only
one in Wisconsin accredited by all four
professional associations: the National
Association of Schools of Art and Design,
National Association of Schools of Dance,
National Association of Schools of Music,
and National Association of Schools of
Theatre. UWSP is one of only 30 universi-
ties in the nation with those credentials.
Many of the Art and Design students
go on to successful careers in the arts with
design firms, galleries, museums, leading
companies, education, and as indepen-
dent artists. Many Music graduates hold
positions in military ensembles, full-time
professional symphony orchestras, studio
musicians, university teachers and private
teachers. The high-quality academic and
production programs in the Department
of Theater and Dance have established
UWSP as the primary undergraduate
center in Wisconsin for students interested
in the performing arts.
In support of these outstanding under-
graduate programs, the Festival awards
scholarships for each department and raises
the money by soliciting donations from the
corporate and private sectors and by hold-
ing a silent auction of a selection of fine art
donated by the participat-
ing artists. Faculty within
each department selects the
scholarship award winner
based on the students’ over-
all performance.
OUR LOCAL WINNER
Jessie Fritsch of Stevens
Point, an accomplished
encaustic painter in the
show this year, was a schol-
arship winner in 2004 and
is now a member of the
Council that plans the show.
“I was always taking
art lessons growing up,”
Fritsch said. “My professor
at UW-Fox Valley let me
try encaustic in her studio
as it was not taught at that
university. I transferred to
UWSP, wrote an approved
research grant and bought
encaustic painting supplies
under the mentorship of
professor Rob Stolzer. The
Festival of Arts scholarship
allowed me to buy more
supplies to continue learn-
ing.”
Fritsch met Brenda
Gingles, a fine jewelry artist
from Stevens Point who has
been in the Festival for a
long time, and as a result,
decided she’d be a professional artist. Frit-
sch graduated from UWSP in 2006 with a
BFA with honors and started participating
in art fairs that same week. In 2007, Jessie
received the Festival’s Best of Show award.
JEWELRY BY KEITH WESTPHAL
Appleton jewelry artist Keith Westphal
joined the show this year. Keith creates
custom handmade silver jewelry using
clean, simple silverwork to enhance the
natural beauty of the individual gemstones.
After learning the art of lapidary in the late
1970s, he enrolled in an art metals class to
learn how to design jewelry to showcase
his own custom-cut gemstones. He subse-
quently taught lapidary and art metals at
the technical college for an adult evening
program. After recently retiring from his
daytime career, he returned to fabricating
his jewelry designs. He and his wife, Col-
leen, who has degree in graphic arts and
marketing, display Keith’s work together at
art fairs around the state. In 2014, he was
presented with the Award of Excellence
for Jewelry at Artstreet. Keith has acquired
numerous unique, natural gemstones from
all over the world such as
fossilized dinosaur bone,
meteorites from Africa,
Russia and Sweden, fos-
silized sea creatures from
Australia, Indonesia and
Madagascar, and colorful
gemstones from Canada,
Mexico and South Amer-
ica. They’ll be featured in
his designs at the show.
Come and meet Keith to
learn about his materials
and designs.
A DAY IN STEVENS
POINT
While contemplat-
ing that next piece of
art for a collection, the
visitor has even more to
see at the Noel Fine Arts
Center. The Carlsten Gal-
lery on the upper floor
of the mezzanine, open
during the Festival, will
be featuring an exhibit
by Jillian Noble titled
“Ampersand”. Inside
the Carlsten Gallery is a
smaller exhibit space for
area art students. And displayed in cases
that span the exterior walls of the gallery,
the Vallier Collection of Early American
Pressed Glass consists of more than 1,000
individual glass goblets, a special treat for
any glass historian or collector.
Plan a day of art appreciation and
enjoyment. Visit Stevens Point and come
to the Festival of the Arts!
“Extinction,” dinosaur bone with gibeon mete-
orite pendant, by Keith Westphal. Photo by Ann
Cady, ARC Photographic Images, Elmira, N.Y.
Continued from Page L6
FINE ARTS // FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
“Jay” by Alexander Lee LandermanWood by Wendell Zeigler

April 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R1

R2 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2015
FOOD & DRINK // BREWMASTER
BY STEVE LONSWAY
This month’s selection was taken from
our own stock of guests beers that we run
in the Stone Arch Tap Room. The Alaskan
Black Imperial India Pale Ale comes in a
22 oz. bomber bottle with a very intriguing
label portraying
two black
ravens
perched in a riverside tree. This beer is
part of the Alaskan Brewing Company’s
Pilot Series which is what they name their
limited edition specialty releases.
Because it’s a bigger beer, our team
chose snifter style glassware which was
the right decision for this beer. We paid
close attention to our serving temperature
and nailed it at 48 degrees. As we poured
our samples, a couple comments came
out indicating the dark ruby red pour. It
seemed to pour heavy as well. We had
noticed that the foam started out more of
a tan and as it settled (which was rampant)
it darkened. I held the glass up to the
light to admire the richness of the color
and saw that the beer had brilliant clarity
even though the label warned that natural
sedimentation may occur. The color alone
is reason enough to buy this beer. A rich
brown/red and not opaque like many in
this category.
The aroma aspect of this beer was just
as pleasing. Our team identified smells
similar to mint, chocolate, roast malt char-
acteristics, dark cherry, biscuit, and Indian
spice, possibly biryani? Intensely complex
malt notes with spicy citrus hop aromas
popping out to really tease the senses.
When tasting this beer, all the above
aromas appeared in the flavors as well. An
assertive dry, roasted malt flavor but not
over the top and balanced to perfection
with sweet citrus hops. The chocolatey
notes definitely were more pronounced as
it warmed. This dark beauty finished with
a bit of an alcohol bite, strong hop bitter-
ness and an extremely pleasing mouthfeel.
With a touch of prickliness from the
carbonation and a creamy, dry
finish, this full bodied brew
almost whispers treacle at the
end.
This beer will pair very
well with spicy dishes
especially the aforemen-
tioned Indian Biryani.
Other fare that would
complement this brew
is blackened fish or an
aggressive gumbo. Steve actually brought
a bottle home to pair with the nights’ meal
of black bean tacos and reported perfec-
tion!
Their website description of this offer-
ing states an original gravity of 1.087
which in brewing indicates fermentability
that after fermentation, results in alcohol
content. There is a discrepancy in that
number. The site indicates a 8.5% alcohol
by volume, the bottled version we sampled
indicates a 7.7% a.b.v. We assume their
draught version contains the higher
amount. Regardless, the 7.7% in the
bottle works really well.
The bitterness in this beer came in at
70 I.B.U’s. I.B.U. stands for International
Bitterness Units and is a quick indicator
of how hoppy a beer is. The higher that
number, the more hoppy or bitter the
beer is. Typically the human palette can
only identify up to 100 I.B.U.’s so 70 is
definitely on the higher side which, again
works because of the high “fermentatblity”
of this beer.
Overall an excellent, flavorful example
of the Black I.P.A. style.
Now let’s get into the creators of this
libation. Alaskan Brewing Company
proudly calls Juneau, Alaska home and
has since they first opened their doors in
December of 1986. Started by husband
and wife team, Geoff and Marcy Larson as
the 67th
brewing company to start in the
United States, their continued hard work
and impressive trail of awards has gotten
them to be the 16th
ranked brewery on the
Brewers Association’s “Top 50 Craft Brew-
ing Company’s” list based on sales volume
(2012). Matter of fact they are the Great
American Beer Festival’s most award-
winning craft brewery – pretty impressive
especially being located in the final fron-
tier. Their flagship beer was derived from
shipping records and an old newspaper
article they discovered in researching brew-
ing history in Alaska. From the Douglas
City Brewing Co. that operated at the turn
of the last century (1899-1907). That beer
today is known as Alaskan Amber and
deserves a taste or two as well.
These fine folks have developed a well-
deserved reputation of brewing quality
beers for many years and are perennial win-
ners at World Beer Cup competition and
Great American Beer Festival. They have
won numerous awards for their Alaskan
Smoked Porter which lands in my top five
beers of all-time. They use alder wood
to smoke choice malts in a commercial
smoker in small batches and the flavors this
tedious process creates is nothing short of
amazing.
FINAL WORD: Search the Alaskan
Black Imperial India Pale Ale out and
enjoy in moderation. And while you’re
out, pick up a bomber of their amazing
Smoked Porter too. It ages really well so
maybe add a few for your cellar. Make an
Alaskan night out of it. Prosit!
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Black Imperial India Pale Ale

Japan’s Newest Freaky Burger!
If you’re on the go in Japan, and you
don’t have a lot of time for lunch...how
about a quick Frog Burger?!
The home country to pitch-black
burgers can now boast another strange
sandwich, due out later this month. The
Orbi Yokohama Museum has taken the
bamboo-charcoal buns and inserted an
entire deep-fried frog in between them,
and also adding some lettuce, a chili
sauce, and an ingredient described as
“a small amount of soy sauce-flavored
chicken.” It costs about $8.40, and it
comes with a drink. Essentially...it’s a
frogwich!
The burger actually promotes a
new exhibit at the museum featuring
poisonous creatures from around the
world, including spiders and puffer fish.
Giving Baby Chicks for
Easter – PLEASE DON’T
BY TRICIA DERGE
Has a relative of yours ever had the
bright idea of giving live baby chicks as an
Easter gift?
Spring is the season when some Bozo’s
purchase “baby chicks” for their backyard
poultry flocks or to give as Easter gifts, but
one Oregon public health expert advises
caution around these cute, fuzzy birds.
The problem: Baby poultry carry salmo-
nella bacteria that can cause serious illness.
“Salmonella bacteria often contami-
nate adult chickens, ducks and other live
poultry, so it goes without saying that their
offspring often carry it, too,” says Emilio
DeBess, D.V.M., Oregon Public Health
veterinarian
“What’s worse is that because of their
size and cuteness, these birds often are
picked up by children, who will put them
close to their faces and kiss them,” DeBess
says. “In many cases, children may not
wash their hands after handling them.”
Since 2010, nine outbreaks of ill-
nesses caused by salmonella bacteria from
chicks have occurred, affecting at least 37
confirmed salmonellosis cases and many
more suspected cases. A third or more of
the cases were children, DeBess said. The
last major salmonellosis outbreak, in 2013,
occurred after
people han-
dled, kissed
a n d k e p t
poultry inside
the home.
Because noth-
ing says Easter
like a houseful
of chickens
pooping all
over the Ori-
ental rug.
Salmonella
infections can cause diarrhea, abdominal
cramps and fever symptoms lasting three
to seven days, DeBess said. Anyone with
compromised immune systems, the very
young and elderly people could become
very ill and die of the infection.
“We don’t think they are appropriate
Easter gifts,” DeBess says, “especially for
young children - those younger than 5 -
who are particularly vulnerable to serious
illness from salmonella contamination
because of their underdeveloped immu-
nity.”
Many people
purchasing baby
p o u l t r y a l s o
don’t realize the
responsibility
involved with
raising chicks
and ducklings as
the animals grow
up. “These birds
require space to
roam and food to
eat, and these fac-
tors can be expensive,” DeBess says. “As a
result, they often are abandoned after they
become adult chickens and ducks.”
If that dimwit aunt or uncle does give
live chicks as a gift, here are a few tips for
preventing salmonella infection from baby
poultry
• Don’t give live baby birds to children.
How about a nice stuffed animal, or a
package of Peeps?
• Always wash hands with soap and
water, and thoroughly clean surfaces
after handling any animal or coming
in contact with animal waste.
• Keep chicks in an appropriate outdoor
area.
• If chicks are handled, never nuzzle or
kiss them. They’ll only want more
attention, and you’ll have a harder
time separating from them emotion-
ally when it comes time to butcher.
• Never allow poultry inside the home.
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
You’ll have to travel some to find it, but
at long last a bistro has created an edible
“Heaven on Earth.”
A west London restaurant has dreamed
up an Easter-inspired burger topped with a
melted down Creme Egg.
The Creme egg burgers, being served
at the K West Hotel & Spa, in Shepherds
Bush, are made with a sweet brioche bun
dipped in white chocolate.
Inside the bun is a chocolate patty
made out of a gooey melted crème egg, as
well as mascarpone cream, and a helping of
strawberry jelly.
The calorific sliders, available at the
Studio Kitchen restaurant in the hotel, cost
£5.50 ($8.00) for a portion of two, or as
part of the Spring Rocks Afternoon Tea
starting from £22.50 ($33.00) per person.
Each burger contains roughly 530
calories, adding up to 1,060 calories when
served together - more than half the rec-
ommended daily intake of calories for a
woman.
Afternoon tea diners can also enjoy
other Easter inspired treats such as mini
hot cross buns, quail scotch eggs and savory
sliders.
Finally!
The Cadbury Creme Burger!

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BY KIMBERLY FISHER
Ahh, finally we are starting to see
signs of spring. The snow has melted, the
grass is starting to green, and the warmer
weather brings out the best in us. Shake
that cabin fever and get ready for your next
leg of wine exploration. Let’s talk about the
three basic white grapes, but this time with
a twist.
Each year, some new region comes into
vogue and some new grapes come to the
forefront. It is worthwhile to concentrate
on these three classic white grapes and by
varying the regions; you can put them side
by side and really taste the difference. See
how each region, each producer is similar
and how they can be different. The jour-
ney won’t take long, but the result is your
palate will broaden greatly and you will
add a wealth of knowledge for your wine
vocabulary.
Kimberly Fisher is Director of Fine Wine
Sales for Badger Liquor-Wine & Spirits.
From the Wine Cave
FOOD & DRINK // FROM THE WINE CAVE
Sauvignon Blanc is a varietal that originated in the Bordeaux
region in France and the name most likely gets its name from the French words
Sauvage (wild) and Blanc (white). It is planted in many regions of the world and
takes on many different personalities. When exploring this intriguing varietal,
take the time to taste through three different regions to experience the incredible
variety found in this grape. Depending on the climate, the flavors can differ from
grassy, brassy herbaceous flavors – Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) to
tropical fruit and floral notes – Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc, Bennett Valley,
Sonoma (CA). Other parts of the world can show flavors of grapefruit, tree fruit
such as peach notes and green peppers – Yealands Sauvignon Blanc (New Zea-
land). Each will lend its own expression and take you down a path of discovery.
Chardonnay originated in the Burgundy wine region of
Eastern France, but is grown everywhere. The grape is a neutral varietal
but can be greatly influenced by terroir and oak. It can be a lean, mean,
fighting machine meant to age such as Chardonnay based Champagne or
White Burgundy. It can appear medium bodied with noticeable acidity
and flavors of green apple and pear out of New Zealand - Villa Maria Char-
donnay (New Zealand). In California, you can find a creamy mouth feel
and a kiss of oak – Freemark Abbey Chardonnay, Napa (CA). Finally the
wines of Washington State tend to be similar to California, but it empha-
sizes the fruit than the creaminess – Columbia Crest 2 Vines (WA).
Riesling first originated in the Rhine region in Germany and I
believe it is a chameleon in terms of what it can express. It is aromatic, with
flowery, perfumey notes and can have high acidity when done perfectly
well. Usually pure and fresh, this varietal can take you on a roller coaster
ride. In Washington State, Riesling is an easy drinker with a detectable
peach and mineral component that tends to adapt to production methods
done in Germany – Snoqualmie Naked Riesling (WA). In Germany,
Riesling tends to have more apple and tree fruit notes with a tangy level of
acidity – Schlink Haus Riesling (Germany). Monterey has an expression
of cool weather allowing Riesling to sport its own character. Seaglass Ries-
ling, Monterey (CA) is the perfect expression of cool air, minimal rainfall
and a long growing season putting all the flavors in check.

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A
FINE ARTS // ARTFUL LIVING
BY JEAN DETJEN
Fox Cities/Central Wisconsin inde-
pendent business owners: A side-feature of
my new ‘Artful Living’ column in Scene
Newspaper will be all about fashion and
objects d’art. My personally selected ‘Foxy
Finds’ will be featured monthly, starting
with the April issue. I’m on the hunt for
unique, artful creations for body and work/
living spaces that excite the senses. Cloth-
ing, shoes, accessories, decor items, and all
variety of art objects will be highlighted.
DIY artisans, shop owners and fashionistas
are encouraged to contact me with sug-
gestions for my picks of the
month.
Cheers to living artFULLY!
Artful Living
Murano glass cufflinks in aqua
green stone and chrome. Crafted
in Italy for XMI Platinum collec-
tion. Other color combinations
of blues, tans and reds available.
$89.50 from Bill Paul Ltd.,
Neenah. billpaulltd.com
Reclaimed silver and gold
artisan necklace. This piece
is made with organic discs of
reclaimed sterling silver, fused
fine silver, and 12k gold-filled
links. Even the clasp is made by
hand. Each piece is unique but
can be ordered by contacting
Jackie Schubbe at doobeadoo@
gmail.com. This 25-inch necklace
sells for $100.
Blue & cream Aztec print
jersey track shorts by Envi (USA).
Drawstring waist with sporty
piping detail. $74. Available at
Azure, DePere in sizes XS-L.
azurewi.com
Exquisite Kinzig Design
lamps from The Frame Work-
shop, Appleton.theframework-
shop.com. Hand blown glass
bases. Richly colored shades sewn
from embroidered silks and other
elegant fabrics. Topped with dis-
tinctive finials that enhance these
uniquely crafted pieces. Made in
the USA. Prices vary.
Paintable ceramic wall sharks
from The Fire | Pottery, Mosaic
& Glass Fusing Studio, Appleton.
$25.99 each. thefireartstudio.
com.
Take edginess up a notch in
the Sugar, a wedge style sandal
that straps all the way to the ankle
with a back zipper. Reminiscent
of gladiator styles that have been
one of the top trends of the last
few seasons. Comfy and cool.
Black & white polka dots fea-
tured. Eye-catching animal prints
and solid hues also available.
Joseph’s Shoes, Appleton. $139.
shopjosephsshoes.com.
Straw coral cowgirl hat with
funky fabric band from Besselli,
Green Bay. Guaranteed to turn
heads. Price: $48.00. besselli.
com.
Lou Reed woodcut tribute
print by Chad Brady / C.E. Brady
Art. Custom frame by Foxley’s,
Appleton. Created on the day
of the musician’s death. Limited
edition of 10, $150 (print only).
Available at Coventry Glass-
works & Gallery, Appleton, or
through the artist: cebradyart@
gmail.com.
Chic vegan faux leather mint
green moto/biker jacket by Black
Swan. Dress it up or down. $94.
Available at Vintique, Neenah.
vintiqueboutique.com.
Site:1 portable wireless
speaker from Princeton Audio.
Handcrafted from instrument-
quality tonewood and tuned for
optimum frequency response.
Interchangeable interfaces make
it simple to listen inside or out-
side, wireless, over Bluetooth or
hardwired. Rechargeable battery
lasts up to 12 hours. Sleek design,
available in a wide variety of wood
and finish combinations. Special
reduced pricing on the initial
build of these through Spring at
$299. Listening party at the Fox
Note in Downtown Princeton
on April 4th with free drinks and
concert by Rebecca Hron of The
Guilty Wanted! More listening
parties will also take place in
Appleton and Milwaukee. prince-
ton-audio.com.

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BY RICHARD OSTROM
This month I am going to devote some
quality time toward a surprisingly good
modern day take on one of the oldest
school fractions of the monster movie sub-
genre. Said film, calling itself ‘Late Phases’
(with the subtitle, ‘Night of the Lone
Wolf’ on the cover art but nowhere in the
film) and hailing from the good folks at
Glass Eye Pix (by way of Dark Sky Films)
seeks to pull itself up from the oft tread
conventions tied tight to the common fold
of the werewolf film staple and branch off
in a decidedly different, more character
fueled, direction.
Situated in some far flung, small in
scale New York state locale dubbed ‘Cres-
cent City’, ‘Late Phases’ weds the viewer
close to the pared down living situation of
one vision free war vet name of Ambrose
McKinley (realized onscreen by the ever
dependable Nick Damici) with little more
to yearn for but to count off the remain-
ing days of his dwindling existence with
his loyal pooch by his side. Our dutifully
complacent chap has just freshly set down
in these uneventful parts (with the aid
of his always distracted son, played by
Ethan Embry) when, from directly out of
nowhere, arrives an intrusive menace of an
extremely bestial nature. It would appear,
as the pesky quirks of horror movie fate
would have it, that the ‘harmless’ vibe of
this community is seriously inflected by a
heady dose of Lycanthropic corruption.
The first thick taste of such comes in
very direct fashion one fitfully solemn eve-
ning wherein our main man cursed with
the failed eyeballs must quickly acclimate
to a violent, fatal attack upon, first his
kindly neighbor and next his ever faithful,
four legged best friend. Promptly follow-
ing this unprovoked assault, Ambrose sets
forth to plot a course of action that will,
hopefully, locate, isolate and snuff out the
savage culprit. What this will ultimately
entail is the deeper delving into the pre-
dictably conservative social circles that
inform the spine of this specific slice of
small town Americana. Ambrose attempts
(not often successfully) to win the trust of
the resident old biddy greeting committee
(designed, to a degree, after characters in
the original ‘Stepford Wives’ as confessed
by the director on the revelatory com-
mentary track) as well as integrate himself
into the thick of the area religious populace
(which looks to be a fair chunk of the
story’s supporting players). This all unfolds
in a fairly expected manner with a series
of not-so-stable confrontations giving way
to the inevitable red herring or two on the
way to the customary human to were-thing
transformation reveal that these kinds of
pictures are cemented around.
Fortunately for us, this oh so poten-
tially simple and cliché susceptible piece of
lower budget, wolfman calamity is guided
to a far nobler fruition by the totally able
hand of a gent named Adrian Garcia
Bogliano. Those precious few of you who
actually follow my scattershot column on
a constant basis may recall that name as
being associated with a lively film I covered
but a year ago called ‘Here Comes the
Devil’. That film proved itself the wealthy
result of an ingenious and uber-resourceful
filmmaker who could absorb and adapt his
volumetric genre influences to the benefit
of a work that, in itself, was wholly original
and effortlessly engrossing. ‘Here Comes
the Devil’ also marked the widest ever
exposure in this America Bogliano had yet
been graced with. This reasonable level of
cult success on, mostly, the festival circuit
served to put him in a position to take the
next best step forward in his rising career,
to craft a film within our lovely boarders.
Thus, ‘Late Phases’ was born.
For this, Bogliano’s official English
lingo debut, the man has carted a few
of his well honed directorial traits with
him. Witness the soothing warmth of the
often succulent cinematography that works
one into a lull to pull them away from the
danger you know damn well is impend-
ing. See, as well, the fetishistic dedication
to utter practicality when it comes to the
meat of his film’s FX work. Minimal digital
input was employed in the rendering of the
beasties or their unsparing carnage. What
you eventually lay eyes on is, for the most
part, pure latex, body in suit reality (the
‘from scratch to completion’ details can be
found in the 30 minute featurette ‘Early
Phases’ which ventures into creature maker
Robert Kurtzman’s studio to casually
observe the nuts and bolts behind it all).
Now, while it makes for a slight case of sen-
sory adjustment, these delightfully cheesy
monstrosities actually prove to be effective
throwback, shock horror material once the
last stains of polished digital trickery fall
from ones’ psyche. They help to propel the
mounting unease as generated throughout
the narrative between our protagonist and
a litany of set minded residents who can
never really gel to Ambrose’s somewhat
cold, do it yourself persona.
It seems this fella’s determined in-town
snooping has raised up the red flag with a
number of folks from the gabby spinsters
to the local police and back around to
the members of faith who express equal
parts concern and distain at his disruptive
behavior. In the end, it all must spiral back
to a case of a life hardened man and his
sharpened wits pairing up against a violent
wall of supernatural opposition, something
the film rather effectively marries to the
concept of a fading mortal soul facing its’
concluding moments.
‘Late Phases’ is, apart from being a solid
genre entry occasioned by welcome bursts
of quality gore, a very satisfying roll out
of distinct characters and the fitting per-
formances that breathe them to cinematic
life. In addition to the fine, subtly ren-
dered lead work by Damici (whom some
may recall from his team ups with stellar
director Jim Mickle, like ‘Stakeland”), the
picture is peppered with many a (semi)
familiar mug from across the cult-pop
culture entertainment landscape.
The statuesque Tom (‘House of the
Devil’, ‘Last Action Hero’) Noonan takes
part as a mentor like preacher with a soft
spot for cigarettes, Tina Louise (Ginger
from Gilligan’s Island, now looking more
like a Golden Girl) show up as one of the
pesky neighbors, Lance Guest (the teen
hero of ‘The Last Starfighter’) is a rather
creepy hanger on at the church and
former ‘Twin Peaks’ bad boy Dana Ash-
brook cameos as an underground gun
dealer. All help to fill out the background
details nicely. Each piece of this decent
cast works to raise the end product well
above the standards long set down by one
too many a slapped together, direct to the
shelf, werewolf themed time killer.
‘Late Phases’ features the usual extra
stuff (some of it mentioned above); play
by play audio commentary, a pair of fea-
turettes and the film’s trailer. It comes to
availability on Blu Ray and/or DVD from
the aforementioned Dark Sky Films (dark-
skyfilms.com).
Worth a shot, I say.
Now, for a much needed passing men-
tion to the ongoing phenomenon of the
film festival in this state of ours. With
many such cinema based gatherings taking
place all across Wisconsin (Wildwood in
Appleton, Wisconsin International Film
Fest in Madison plus collectives in Green
Bay, Milwaukee, Weyauwega and many,
many others) I thought it only fitting to
pass along a quick assemblage of my own
make pretend fest line up culled from many
recent finds that I just never got around to
rambling about in a regular column.
1. ‘Whiplash’-Call it ‘Full Metal Jazz
Band’. Young drummer with obvious skill
set comes under the intense tutelage of a
firebrand instructor (J.K. Simmons in an
Oscar winning, volcano of a performance).
The film charts how the poor lad must
endure relentless immersion into the meth-
ods of his chosen craft (often to the sharp
accompaniment of a barrage of profane
insults) in order to come out the other side
as one of the greats. The best I’ve seen, thus
far, of the most recent slate of Academy
Mortal Phases
ENTERTAINMENT // CINEMA BENEATH
Continue on Page 12

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ENTERTAINMENT // CINEMA BENEATH
Award darlings (sorry Birdman).
2. ‘Under the Skin’- Scarlett Johansson
is an alien newly arrived on Earth (more
explicitly, Scotland) with an apparent
agenda of luring suitable human males, by
virtue of her foxy exterior, to her mysteri-
ous lair for abduction and...uh...process-
ing purposes or something. Slow, spare
and enigmatic, the film marks a return to
filmmaking after a near decade of absence
for Jonathan Glazer (‘Sexy Beast’, ‘Birth’)
who takes the bare skeleton of Michel
Faber’s source novel and has crafted an
absorbing study of a being out of place in
an environment made all the more alien in
itself as the whole film seems to align with
Scarlett’s character’s somewhat abstracted
point of view. Dense and challenging in its
ambiguity.
3. ‘The Guest’- Those clever, ‘wink,
wink’, cats behind the home invasion
splat fest ‘You’re Next’, Adam Wingard
and Simon Barrett, are back with another
jumpy thriller that repeatedly nods back in
time toward entries from multiple genres
from the 80s and 90s. A soldier on return
from the Afghan war ingratiates himself
as the proposed combat pal of a naïve
family’s fallen son. The mystery thickens
as the man (essayed by ‘Downtown Abby’
star Dan Stevens) turns out to hold secrets
that could prove quite threatening to his
obliging hosts. Twisty, stylish fun in an old
school, accidental video store discovery
kind of way.
4. ‘Starry Eyes’- Think of one of David
Lynch’s starlet in trouble scenarios played
out on a more straight arrow path, for
awhile, until the darker themes of the story-
line bleed vividly to the surface. Somebody
named Alex Essoe stars as Sarah, a waitress
at a typically degrading Hooters knock off
joint who yearns to be a star, awww. She
claims she’ll do anything to get the part and
soon finds herself put to the test of making
good on her word in the most unexpected
and disturbing way. Relentless once it kicks
into its’ true narrative intent, with a game
lead performance by Essoe that runs an
emotional gauntlet that stands to gut the
soul of any timid viewer.
5. ‘VHS Viral’+’The ABC’s of Death
2’- The latest additions to the two anthol-
ogy franchises that have done all in their
power to fully revitalize the format to the
level once held by the likes of ‘Creepshow’.
They’re not quite there, but not for lack
of persistence and notable improvement
of product (especially ‘ABC’s’ which had
a lot to make up for in relation to its
inaugural entry). Segments very wildly as
per usual, but there seems to be a shift in
favor of craftsmanship and stronger ideas
(as opposed to beat you over the head gross
out/shock tactics) which gives me great
hope as this whole concept continues to
move foreword. Bring on the next round.
6. ‘Life Itself’- A look at the life and
uneasy death (more to the point, dying
days) of the most famous of all movie crit-
ics, Roger Ebert. ‘Hoops Dreams’ creator
Steve James conducts a series of interviews
with a post speech, jaw removal Ebert in
his hospital room and interweaves the
recollection of Roger’s rise from lowly
Illinois newspaper lackey to the heights
of cinematic analysis as the co-host of the
popular ‘At The Movies’ syndicated pro-
gram and beyond with input from some
of the man’s big name pals like Martin
Scorsese and Werner Herzog. We see
images from Ebert’s youth in Urbana, IL
and hear recollections from many mouths
of his tussle with serious alcohol abuse
before he became the sweater sporting
rival to fellow Chicago film critic Gene
Siskel. Funny, revealing and a bit unsettling
(James is often present for Ebert’s some-
times unpleasant medical upkeep), ‘Life
Itself’ is a fully rewarding look at one of
the most unique of all modern celebrities,
in this overburdened age of self indulgent
blogging and social network info-overkill
will there ever be elbow room enough for
another like him? Me thinks not.
That’s enough. Happy festing, no
matter how or where you do it.
killpeoplenamedrichard@yahoo.com
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ENTERTAINMENT // NICK OLIG
Game of Thrones Stimulus Package
BY NICK OLIG
The new year brought with it subzero
temperatures and a temptation to binge-
watch popular shows I’d never seen. A
friend’s recommendation guided me
to Game of Thrones. By the end of the
first episode, with so much potential for
episodic drama rife with good, evil, sex,
and violence, I gazed out the window, saw
two polar bears battling over dumpster
scraps outside of Chinatown Kitchen, and
realized I was indeed hooked on Game of
Thrones.
The most striking part of the HBO
series is its enormity. Due to its ever-
sprawling story arc, Thrones features about
a dozen major characters, scores of minor
characters, numerous stunt doubles, and
countless extras—and that only covers the
people who appear on-screen, not the pro-
ducers, writers, directors, editors, camera
and boom mic operators, wardrobe design-
ers, set builders, stylists, key grips and best
boys (whatever it is they do), caterers, and
dialect coaches who constantly harp on the
actors to British-up those accents.
That last job might be the easiest since
many of the performers hail from the
United Kingdom. Although the program is
certifiably huge in the States and we can at
least be proud the dwarf was born in Jersey,
we seem to be missing the full potential of
HBO’s pop-culture juggernaut. Thrones
makes a staggering amount of money and
generates a lot of industry, but that indus-
try mostly profits Europeans, not Ameri-
cans. And for that reason, I declare that our
president and Congress should unite in a
massive group-text effort with the show’s
producers. We’ve got to let them know that
the average American has the potential to
be yet another minor character in a seem-
ingly infinite realm. We must demand that
an already crowded, fictional universe be
expanded for the benefit of America.
Our Thrones homeland is to be named
McDonaldsburgh. Devout fans have no
reason to suspect the rise of McDonalds-
burgh will clash with author George RR
Martin’s epic vision. The new land’s inhab-
itants, the McDonaldsburghers, will exist
apart from Martin’s multitude of characters
and their various adventures. If we can
somehow tie together all the stories in the
end just like they did on Seinfeld, that’d be
fantastic. If not, hey, we’re just hoping to
get paid either way. As if that plea wasn’t
humble enough for the purists, we’re only
asking for ten minutes of screen time per
episode. Plus we’re Americans, so you don’t
have to worry about a drop-off when it
comes to sex and violence.
By introducing McDonaldsburgh into
the narrative, my hunch is that America’s
unemployment rate could be cut in half.
Filmed in the
woods of northern
Wisconsin—the
Midwest’s answer
to Hollywood
if there ever was
one—job-growth
would commence
with some big-time
deforestation efforts
so we can build
enormous sets to
make McDonalds-
burgh come to life.
For that endeavor,
we’re going to need thousands of lumber-
ers, construction workers, and engineers—
and if any of them fit the part, we also need
someone to play the parts of the rugged
crusader Clutch Mountainside as well as
the goateed schemer Fork Stansbury.
The most crucial set-piece is the luxuri-
ous mayor’s office. (Yes, mayor’s office,
the others can have their silly monarchies,
but we do things the McDonaldsburgh
way.) Mayor Plus Wonderpledge rules the
land with a strong hand and a charming
smile, but you might remember him
from a bunch of movies in which he gets
butchered, so don’t get too attached to the
guy! His wife Fern is a paragon of virtue
and his children Whiff and Beige are
spirited upstarts with bright futures, but
Plus’ longtime rival Lance Wedgers and
his cousinly lover Stemla Prickerbush are
dead-set on sabotaging the entire Wonder-
pledge family. They intend to unseat Won-
derpledge behind the hallowed mayor’s
desk and symbolically decimate his empire
by using the over-sized key to the city to
smash his “Realm’s Best Mayor” mug.
Bare in mind, besides the obvious
acting jobs these characters create, every
performer will require makeup ladies (or
lads), costume designers, fight coordina-
tors, acting coaches, personal trainers,
personal assistants, desperate hangers-on
like that surfer dude who crashed at OJ’s,
and various shoulder-to-cry-on specialists
(a position which pays a respectable $12/
hour).
Elsewhere in McDonaldsburgh,
the area’s finest horse-drawn carriage
manufacturing barn is overseen by Lord
Fordsworth, who’s constantly warning
his rabble-rousing blacksmiths Vanderley
Cobbleport and Bloom Chesters to stop
carousing with his 19 irresistible daugh-
ters—each more scantily clad and born out
of wedlock than the last! (Hoping this one
will get its own spin-off, btw.)
Citizens can take refuge from their
troubles at the McDonaldsburgh Gladiator
Arena. Therein, a series of physical chal-
lenges pit contestants against Gladiators
like Clamp Superplex, Ore Flackington,
Boom Merlin-Olsen, and my personal
favorites, the chesty Eliza Thundersnow
and her bosomy friend Vivacity Landol-
akes. All performers are clad in McDon-
aldsburgh’s most wondrous invention:
spandex. Gladiator events like the Dwarf
Catapult, the Rapunzel Climb, the Bastard
Toss, and the Axe Fight to the Death are
sure to put even the best Gladiator, Indigo
Foxboro (whom I just made up to create
another job), to the ultimate test. Contes-
tants include Remi Millimeter, who was
sentenced to compete after his newfangled
system of measurement was deemed
straight-up witchcraft.
In more scandalous fashion, citizens
can also take refuge from their troubles, or
perhaps add to their troubles, by patron-
izing Vice Everlast’s Burlesque-o-torium,
where the bedazzling Marigold Minutia
dances nightly. Male dancers Fort Bravado
and Leif Deciduous provide some eye
candy for the ladies. Also the gay men, I
suppose. Anyway, they supply this eye
candy to the tunes of Clive Aerosmith
and Sammi Redrocker, McDonaldsburgh’s
most radical glockenspiel and lute combo.
The villainous Speck Crumbsteign and the
complex yet also quite complicated Plate
Wightly vie to manage them.
Oh, and in closing, we’ll come up with
stuff to do for the following characters: Flea
Highriser, Fanny Pebblekeg, Zane Beedles,
Ladybird Nippley, Wheely Cobblestone,
Big Mama Cabbagepatch, and if possible, a
part for me, Sir Beardythins of the North.
The main cause for concern is that
these jobs are not going to create them-
selves. (Though Sir Beardythins would
be capable of magically creating jobs if
given the opportunity.) Our government
needs to reach an agreement with Game
of Thrones and its British contingency. So,
however you want to go about it, whether
that means screaming out the window in
the general direction of the White House
or sending your city counsel a video cas-
sette of you being super- P.O.’d, or perhaps
some third, smarter form of political
action, make your voice heard about the
Game of Thrones Stimulus Package. Let’s
let those British thespians know they’re
not the only ones with castles and dragons,
and we’re proud of our bouncy castles and
WWE Hall-of-Famer Ricky “The Dragon”
Steamboat!
And if they refuse us, we must usurp
the British throne. Queen Elizabeth is 88
years old, so I gotta wonder, how hard
could it be? It’d be such an easy usurping,
we could arm a dwarf from Jersey with a
crossbow to get the job done.
Only kidding about the regicide! Regi-
cide is no joke, it’s not a comedy. It’s the
best drama on TV.

BY DOBIE MAXWELL
As painful and disappointing as it may
be to accept, I have finally forced myself to
live with the harsh reality that at this point
in my life the only way I will ever appear
on SportsCenter is if I take a foul ball
to the face at a baseball game. And even
then, they won’t mention my name and I
will only be on for a few seconds while the
anchors crack a joke and then report the
final score.
Sports dreams die hard in those of
us that have them. I’m not sure what the
exact percentage is of little boys that have
pictured themselves as being locks to be
inducted into one or more sports Hall’s of
Fame, but I have to believe it’s in the high
90s. I know I was bitten by the baseball
bug at first, then football and basketball
followed shortly thereafter. By age nine I
had my life plan set.
There was absolutely no doubt in my
still squishy and not fully developed prepu-
bescent brain that I was going to conquer
them all, and be a modern day Jim Thorpe.
I would work out a deal where I could have
special clearance to play in all the big games
in all three sports, and of course I would be
able to play for my local Wisconsin teams
so I wouldn’t have to move anywhere else.
I was fully prepared to work at it, but
that pesky little distraction called “school”
kept holding me back from devoting my
entire being to what I was sure was to be
my true calling. Why would I have to
waste valuable space inside my skull with
useless claptrap like math or world history?
Millions of little boys – and who
knows how many little girls – fall prey
to this ridiculous idea every year only to
have those delicate dreams and sky high
hopes dashed to the rocks below with no
consolation prize from the universe. Only
a precious few ever make it and that’s just
how it is.
The closest I ever made it to par-
ticipating in professional sports was in
high school when I was a ball boy for the
Milwaukee Bucks. It was my job to sit
underneath one of the baskets during the
game, and whenever anybody would hit
the ground I ran out on the court with a
towel to wipe up the sweat so nobody else
would slip and fall. Sometimes the game
would stop, sometimes not.
It was especially tricky when it wouldn’t,
because I had to run out and wipe up the
sweat while watching what was happening
on the other end of the court. The action
could switch back to my end in a split
second, and more than a few times I had
to dive off the court to avoid a trampling.
I lasted two seasons as a ball boy, and in
retrospect it was an unbelievably pleasant
experience most sports fans never get to
enjoy. I was lucky enough to have a great
staff of fellow ball boys to work with, and
we all got along swimmingly. In fact, I am
still in touch with many to this day.
One story I will never forget involves
my fellow ball boy Wade Waugus and
Philadelphia 76er player Henry Bibby. It
taught Wade and I a valuable life lesson
while also letting us both know in no
uncertain terms that a career in the NBA
as a player was officially off the bargain-
ing table for the rest of eternity on this
particular cosmic plane. Once again, the
harshness of it all was ugly.
Like any number of high school boys
anywhere Wade and I fancied ourselves to
be more than decent basketball players.
The fact we were both Caucasians without
the genetic dispositions to make us even
close to six much less seven feet tall wasn’t
enough to stop us from assuming we’d
eventually get drafted by an NBA team
and spend a dozen years getting rich and
winning rings.
Henry Bibby was the last player on the
bench for the 76ers who were a power-
house team then. They had the great Julius
Erving aka “Dr. J” and a galaxy of stars
around him. Mr. Bibby didn’t play all that
much, and he wasn’t all that tall either. He
might have been six feet, but no more.
Wade and I were doing our ball boy
duties hours before the game and Henry
Bibby was on the court by himself practic-
ing his free throws. He sized up Wade and
me and asked if either of us were basketball
players. We said we were, and Henry came
up with an on the spot proposal.
“How about we have a little game
then?” he asked innocently. “It will be you
two against me and we’ll play to 21. For
every basket you get, you get three points.
For every basket I get I get one point. And
to make it even more interesting, how
about we play for one dollar a point?”
To avoid reliving all the bloody details,
the final score was 21-3, and I honestly
can’t recall if Wade or I scored our lone
basket. Mr. Bibby beat us within an inch
of our lives, and I don’t think he came close
to breaking a sweat. Wade and I instantly
had respect for just how good any player
is that makes it to the pros – even if it’s the
very last person on the bench. He stomped
us good.
And to add gas to the fire he made us
pay up on the bet. Ball boy salaries were
nowhere near player salaries, but a bet was
a bet. Wade and I emptied our pockets,
and swore we’d never tell a living soul
about what happened. I have always kept
that secret buried in my heart – until now.
My last brush with professional sports
was with baseball. After I graduated high
school I still thought I had a shot at getting
drafted to play baseball. I pitched in some
city leagues around the Milwaukee area and
the Kansas City Royals held tryout camps
in every Major League city. They came to
Milwaukee and my coach suggested I go
try out. I did get a second look by the scout
on duty, but I never got a contract offer.
That was a sledge hammer to the heart, but
what could I do?
The following summer the Milwaukee
Brewers were hiring vendors. I needed a job,
but I also wasn’t ready to let go of the dream.
Somewhere deep in the crevices of my cere-
bral cortex I had a fuzzy image of one of the
Brewers’ pitchers tearing his rotator cuff and
word getting out that I was in the stadium
to come to the rescue. I’m ashamed to admit
it now, but it’s absolutely true.
Being a vendor on opening day in an
outdoor stadium in Milwaukee made
mopping up sweat as a ball boy look like a
dream career. The temperature that first day
was locked firmly between severe testicle
retraction and purple flesh frostbite requir-
ing amputation of digits. It was torture.
And what ball park treat was I assigned
to sell for nine hellacious innings? POP-
CORN! Stale, over salted, disgusting
popcorn. I think I had a better chance of
selling life insurance that day.
Needless to say, I didn’t set any sales
records that first day. It was pelting some-
thing between snow and sleet, and the Brew-
ers were playing the dreaded White Sox that
day so their obnoxious fans were mixed in
with the drunken sea of Brew Crew faithful
to make it one big ugly bar fight.
Everybody was yelling at me to, “Get
the beer man over here.” I tried to sell them
my popcorn but they wouldn’t have any
of it. By the end of the game I was ready
to jump off the upper deck and end it all.
But the Brewers squeaked out a win and I
decided to come back for another day.
The next game was two days later,
and there were one tenth of the people
in the stands that were there for Opening
Day. The bad part was there was the same
amount of vendors. I had no chance to
unload anything without three more of
my cohorts swarming around them with
the same item for sale. The only redeeming
factor was that instead of popcorn I was
now selling hot dogs.
After taking a few laps across my sec-
tion of the stadium and not selling a single
dog, I walked down to the front row of the
bleachers and plopped myself down next
to the warmth of the hot dog container. I
started watching the game while simultane-
ously downing one hot dog after the next.
I made it through a half a dozen, and got
thirsty so I ended up buying a Coke from
one of the other vendors who shot me the
most quizzical look I ever received – but he
sold me the Coke.
By the later innings a few people had
wandered into my section and I shared
the remainder of my hot dogs with them.
When the game was over I left my con-
tainer there and put my vendor’s smock on
top of it. I didn’t have any money for bus
fare, so I ended up walking several miles
home. But at least I wasn’t hungry. I can’t
help but remember that story whenever
another year of baseball starts. Somewhere
in the karma files I owe the Milwaukee
Brewers 24 hot dogs.
Dobie Maxwell is a stand up comedian, and
writer. Find where he’ll be performing his
next hell-gig at dobiemaxwell.com
An Ending to Vending
ENTERTAINMENT // DOBIE MAXWELL

Vist our webiste for more information
www.foxcitiesbookfestival.org

BY DENNIS RILEY
The 14th
Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution guarantees every citizen equal
protection of the laws of the state in which
that citizen — any U.S. citizen in any state
for any reason — finds himself or herself.
The amendment doesn’t define equal
protection, but the First amendment
doesn’t define free speech, the Fifth doesn’t
define due process, and the Eighth doesn’t
define cruel and unusual punishment. That
job is left to the courts, and it is definitely a
work in progress.
Likewise, we don’t have a clear and
easy-to-find statement of what it means to
be a citizen entitled to equal protection.
That is, are there aspects of the relation-
ship between an individual and the state
he or she resides in that rise to the level of
citizenship and that do raise clear issues of
equal protection? I think we can identify at
least three.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Start with voting. Would anyone con-
sider himself or herself an equal citizen if
denied the right to vote? This gets to be a
bit of a tricky question, of course. That’s
because as important as the right to vote
is, the opportunity to vote is crucial to
making that right a reality.
In fact, serious enough restrictions on
the opportunity to vote can quickly erode
the right to vote. Even in the heyday of
the suppression of the African American
vote — from the end of Reconstruction to
the passage of the Voting Rights Act — no
Southern state formally denied those Afri-
can Americans the right to vote. They just
made it virtually impossible to cast a ballot
by using impossible-to-pass literacy tests,
poll taxes, and good old-fashioned physical
and economic intimidation.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 opened
up the opportunity for African Americans
to vote, and until the Supreme Court
struck down one of its most important
enforcement mechanisms, no state had
moved to put greater obstacles in the paths
to the polls . . . for anybody. But those days
are over, and state after state — includ-
ing Wisconsin — has moved to make it
tougher for people to vote. Photo IDs,
shorter voting hours, fewer chances to vote
on weekends, even moving polling places,
have all been aimed at reducing the ease of
showing up to vote. These restrictions may
not have been aimed exclusively at African
Americans, but Souls to the Polls was
created by African American churches for
Sunday voting, and an awful lot of South-
ern states reduced or eliminated Sunday
voting. Besides, even if some restrictions
were not aimed at African American voters,
those restrictions hit those voters dispro-
portionately, and results matter just about
as much as intentions.
EDUCATION
Then there is public education. We got
into the business of widespread, basically
free, and generally compulsory public
education by the 1840s, and the job was
always left to state and local governments.
It is hard to overestimate the historical
importance of public education in the tale
of upward social mobility in this country.
Even before the Supreme Court held in
1896 that “separate but equal” facilities
met the 14th
amendment test of equal
protection in public accommodations
— segregated railroad cars, to be precise
— Southern and even border states main-
tained separate school systems, if there
were schools for African Americans at all.
That system continued unchanged
until the Supreme Court held in Brown
v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
(1954), that separate could never be equal,
and it was changed only very little over the
next couple of decades despite President
Eisenhower’s use of federal troops in Little
Rock in 1957.
Housing segregation accomplished in
the North what the law had accomplished
in the South, and to this day the bulk of
African American children in the South
and in the big and even medium-sized
cities of the North go to schools where they
are surrounded by other children of color.
EQUAL PROTECTION
Finally, equal protection of the laws
has to depend on equal enforcement of the
laws. That, alas, may be the furthest away
of all. Not every American city or town
is a Ferguson, Mo., but even the Justice
Department’s carefully worded and clearly
circumscribed report on the law enforce-
ment system in Ferguson suggested that
Missouri town was not an anomaly.
If you haven’t been exposed to the
mind-numbing numbers included in that
report, just consider one or two. Sixty-
seven percent of the city’s residents are
African American — 85% percent of the
citations were written to African Ameri-
cans, 93% of the arrests were of African
Americans, and 100% of the 60 incidents
in which a police dog was commanded to
attack a Ferguson citizen involved an Afri-
can American. The reason we know all of
this is that Michael Brown was an African
American. To add insult to injury, the cita-
tions and arrests were used in part to raise
money to help the cash-strapped city pay
its bills, and officials in the police depart-
ment exchanged racist emails all the while.
As President Barack Obama said so elo-
quently at the Edmund Pettis Bridge at the
ceremony commemorating what has come
to be called Bloody Sunday — the day
that voting rights marchers were attacked
by Alabama state troopers — 2015 is not
1965, let alone 1915. So much change has
come, and so much good accomplished.
John Lewis was one of the young men
severely beaten on the bridge that day. He
is now Representative John Lewis (D. Ga.).
African Americans are prominent in every
walk of life.
The small private liberal arts college I
attended all those years ago, the one with-
out a single African American student or
faculty member, just said good-bye to its
beloved African American president. When
I pick up my grandsons at school, there are
students of color in every classroom, a far
cry from what I saw when I picked up my
daughter 30 years ago.
As our African American President also
said, however, we have a long way to go.
Can anything make us hurry?
Enough out of me.
Dennis Riley has been teaching about
American government and politics since
the year Richard Nixon was inaugurated as
President of the United States.
The Long Path to Equal Citizenship
NEWS & VIEWS // THE VIEW FROM THE LEFT-FIELD SEATS

April 18–September 6, 2015
Inspired by the flora
and fauna of the
Pacific Northwest,
Native Species
features 38, blown
glass vessels by
William Morris,
protégé of
Dale Chihuly.
165 North Park Avenue
Neenah, WI 54956-2294
Telephone: 920.751.4658
bmmglass.com
HOURS: TU–SA, 10am to 4:30pm, SU 1–4:30pm
Free General Admission for Everyone, Always
A A C GArt Alliance for Contemporary Glass
This exhibition is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board
with funds from the state of Wisconsin and The National Endowment for the Arts.

NEWS & VIEWS // RIGHT WING NUT
BY ROBERT E. MEYER
Scott Walker got elected as governor of
Wisconsin without a college degree. That
has the usual purveyors of snide remarks,
such as democratic provocateur, Howard
Dean, questioning Walker’s presidential
qualifications. Funny, once upon a time
the unlikely achiever was celebrated as an
American success story. In Howard Dean’s
world, Walker is shunned because he isn’t
an elitist--or a liberal. In my book, Walker’s
decision to drop out of college only helped
him to escape being immersed in the liberal
hegemony that permeates contemporary
higher educational environments.
On the other hand, I do have a college
degree, but never got elected to anything
(though I tried a few times when I was
younger). So I guess that proves I’m an
underachiever of the highest order. I guess
higher education ain’t everything!
Former Wisconsin Senator Russ
Feingold acted according to his convic-
tions and was lauded by the media as a
maverick. Walker does the same thing and
gets branded as a shill for his close friends
the Koch Brothers. In fact, he’s such good
friends with them, that he couldn’t tell the
difference when a liberal imposter called
his office pretending to be one of the
brothers. That would seemingly indicate a
rather dubious close friendship.
The gag never could have worked with
me though--I don’t have any close friends
for anyone to impersonate. Being a rock,
an island and a loner has certain advan-
tages, I suppose.
Speaking of the Koch Brothers, I never
knew much about them before Walker
was elected the first time. These guys have
been so relentlessly impugned with boil-
erplate diatribes, that were I not already a
conservative, I’d have to assume these guys
are doing something right. A little research
showed that the brothers were generous
philanthropists. Some people are surprised
to discover that conservatives tend to be
more generous with their own money than
are liberals. I was never surprised by that
fact. If you expect the government to do
everything for everyone, you’re less likely
to see the need for doing anything for
anyone yourself.
Of course, I could never make the
cut in politics anyway. I would address
issues regarding the meaningless curiosity
over my opinions on the neo-Darwinian
synthesis, the causes of Climate Change,
Obama’s religious beliefs and my edu-
cational deficiencies, along with other
irrelevant issues before the questions were
even asked. That way the people who are
swayed by my answers could leave, and not
bother wasting their time listening to the
actual policy speech.
And that’s the state of media vetting
today. Don’t bother finding out anything
for sure about candidates, just single out
the candidates you don’t like, and ask a
bunch of foolish questions that will make
the candidate look bad regardless of the
answer they give. Walker was smart not to
take the bait. I have often suggested that
fools ask questions that serve no purpose
in being answered, but far from having no
purpose, their questions have a nefarious
purpose. The statesman Benjamin Disraeli
is credited with saying that there are lies,
damn lies, and then there are statistics. In
that spirit, I would submit that there and
lies, damn lies, and questions designed to
provoke one word answers that are mis-
leading.
We know any innuendo about media
bias is just part of a loony conspiracy
theory. Of course, I have noticed that
people who deny the presence of media
bias are usually the ones who share the
same ideology as the source of the bias. Go
figure.
But, alright then, the mainstream
media can demonstrate that they are fair
and objective once more, by having their
moderator ask all candidates participat-
ing in the 2016 Democratic Presidential
Debates, to raise their hands if they
believe in Biblical Creationism. On second
thought, that venue may not include many
participants, so perhaps any collection of
assembled liberal politicians should do.
After all, the Democrats came within
a whisker
of dropping
r e f e r e n c e
to “God”
i n t h e i r
p l a t f o r m
for 2012...
at least until
cooler heads
p re vai le d ,
a n d t h e y
realized they
had gone a
bridge too far. They could have unneces-
sarily lost the votes of some lunchbox Joe’s,
who though they have nothing in common
with progressive ideology, still continue
to vote for the donkey, because everyone
“knows” the Democrats are the only party
championing the little guy. My oh my, how
they have feasted off that canard.
I’m not expecting Walker to be the last
man standing when the smoke clears in the
Republican primary. But, Walker’s success
could influence the audacity of the con-
servative platform for 2016. The longer he
stays relevant in the presidential race, the
more shrill and obnoxious his detractors
will become. That will prove to be wonder-
fully entertaining.
The State of Media Vetting
April 21st-May 2nd
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NEWS & VIEWS // MEDIA RANTS
BY TONY PALMERI
Democracy activist Mike McCabe,
former Executive Director of the Wiscon-
sin Democracy Campaign and author of
the reform manifesto Blue Jeans in High
Places, will speak at the University of Wis-
consin Oshkosh on Thursday, April 9 at
7:30 p.m. in Reeve Union 306. Attendance
is free and open to all. If you are interested
in what is ailing our democracy and what
we can do to cure it, please attend!
In anticipation of Mike’s visit, I asked
him to respond to a few questions.
MEDIA RANTS: Blue Jeans in High
Places is relatively silent on the role of
mainstream media in helping to create the
civic crisis described. What’s the media’s
role in that crisis?
MCCABE: The role has been huge.
Chapter 12 focuses on how the changing
media landscape has contributed mightily
to the decline of our democracy’s health.
There are other parts of the book that
don’t appear to be addressing the media,
but describe how politics has changed
because of the way news organizations have
changed. Like how Bill Proxmire used to be
able to run successfully for statewide office
while spending less than $300 on each of
his campaigns at a time when newspapers
were king, and how we now see $80 mil-
lion spent on statewide races for governor
once television replaced newspapers as the
place where most people get most of their
information about government, elections
and candidates running for office.TV also
has changed the way politicians talk. They
now have to speak in soundbites. They
have to be glib, and they think they have
to be blow dried and made up to look like
TV anchors. Substance is sacrificed. More
truth is found on “fake news” on Comedy
Central than is found on the “real” news
provided by cable news. That’s a sad com-
mentary on the state of the media.
MEDIA RANTS: Are there particular
Wisconsin news sources and/or journalists
that you rely on to find out what’s “really
going on” in our state?
MCCABE: I don’t put my eggs in one
basket, or even in a few baskets. I believe
in reliance on a very wide variety of news
sources. I still subscribe to a daily news-
paper, and glean news from the websites
of many others. I am an avid public radio
listener. I get a lot of news online, from
a large number of sources. I occasionally
listen to commercial talk radio, but gen-
erally don’t find it very useful. I used to
faithfully watch “Meet the Press” and “Face
the Nation” and other national news pro-
grams, but have given up on them. I learn
way more from one episode of The Daily
Show on Comedy Central than I did from
a month’s worth of watching Washington
pundits pontificating on one of the major
networks. Some of the best news sources
are small, little known operations, and
some of the finest journalists work for such
outfits. The Wisconsin Center for Investi-
gative Journalism and its wisconsinwatch.
org website is outstanding. I’m a big fan of
Bruce Murphy at urbanmilwaukee.com.
He’s really good. Jon Stewart and Stephen
Colbert deserve to be included among the
nation’s best newsmen. They are going to
be tough to replace on those shows. As I
write in the book, thank god for satire. The
last safe harbor for truth.
MEDIA RANTS: During your time
at the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign,
your “Big Money Blog” was a lifeline for
many activists seeking information and
insight about how special interests rule our
politics. Will you continue to blog or pro-
duce similar reports in some other format?
MCCABE: Yes, I will start blogging
again very soon. I can’t help myself.
MEDIA RANTS: You’re quite active
on social media. How are Facebook and
other social media changing the civic
landscape?
MCCABE: I have a love/hate relation-
ship with social media. They are amazing
tools, with vast potential to democratize
the media. But they are still in their
infancy, politically speaking. They also
have a dark side, obviously. Some of what
you find on social media is mindless,
some of it is disgusting, and some of it is
downright depressing. But on the whole, I
think the good outweighs the bad. I find
Facebook and Twitter and other social
media platforms to be very valuable ways
to reach people, exchange ideas and even
inspire action. So I try to overlook what I
hate about them.
MEDIA RANTS: Blue Jeans in High
Places offers some pretty hard-hitting criti-
cism of the political status quo, yet it’s also
a very hopeful book. You seem optimistic
that engaged citizens can repair our broken
democracy. Why are you so optimistic?
MCCABE: The political system is
broken; the major parties are failing us.
There’s no whitewashing that. The current
moment is bleak. But such conditions
have existed before. And every time past
generations encountered these same kinds
of threats to democracy and civil society,
they rose to the occasion and straightened
things out. I refuse to believe that there
is something fundamentally different
about us or wrong with us that renders us
less capable of making change than past
generations were. We’ve reached a crucial
turning point, just as our grandparents and
great grandparents and great great grand-
parents did. And I have no doubt that we
will do what they did.
Tony Palmeri (palmeri.tony@gmail.com)
is a Professor of Communication Studies at
UW Oshkosh.
Media Rants Talks to Mike McCabe
220 N.Main Street
Family owned in Oshkosh for 30 years
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April elections and, Did the GOP
commit treason?
BY ROHN BISHOP
Attorney General, Brad Schimel, likes
to remind his audience how a bill becomes
a law, using the “School House Rocks”
cartoon as his example. It goes something
like this:
“First, a bill passes the Assembly; if it
passes the Senate in the exact form; it goes to
the Governor’s desk. If the governor signs the
bill, it becomes a la………a lawsuit in Dane
County Court!”
The left’s attempt to cir-
cumvent the legislative pro-
cess by using activist liberal
judges, who see themselves
as “super legislators” instead
of judges interpreting the
law and constitution, is why
these spring judicial elections
have become so important.
There is no better example
of liberal activist judges than,
Chief Justice Shirley Abraha-
mson and Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. On
April 7, we can do something about it.
The non partisan spring election has
two important reasons to get a conservative
out to vote.
State Supreme Court race between Jus-
tice Ann Walsh Bradley and Judge James
Daley
An amendment to the state constitu-
tion that changes how the Chief Justice of
the state supreme court is determined.
Daley vs Bradley
The race for the Wisconsin Supreme
Court pits long time liberal justice, Ann
Walsh Bradley, against Rock County Judge
James Daley.
Daley served as the Rock County Dis-
trict Attorney when he was appointed to
the bench by Governor Tommy Thompson
in 1998 and he’s been re-elected five times.
In 2013 the Wisconsin Supreme Court
named Daley as the Chief Judge of the 5th
Judicial Circuit, where he established three
specialized diversion courts, a drug court, a
veteran’s court, and an OWI court.
Judge Daley is also a decorated war
hero, enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps;
he served in Vietnam, where he was
awarded the Bronze Star with “V” Device
for Valor, the Purple Heart Medal, a
Meritorious Mast, and the Combat Action
Ribbon. Following his service overseas,
Daley served the Wisconsin National
Guard for 30 years.
Then we have incumbent Justice Ann
Walsh Bradley, who’s helped to turn the
Supreme Court into something of a circus.
It was Justice Bradley, who during their
discussions about Act 10...snapped, and in
a rage of anger charged at Justice Prosser in
an apparent attempt to harm him. Justice
Prosser put his hands up for self defense
and the justices had to be split apart. Then
Justice Bradley lied about the event, leak-
ing to media outlets that it was Prosser
whom attempted to “choke hold” her!
Justice Bradley has repeatedly ignored
precedent, the constitution, and the law
in a fledgling attempt to undercut the
conservative legislature and governor. Most
notable are her attempts to overturn the
governor’s reforms, mitigate our Second
Amendment Rights, and to block our
Voter ID law.
Justice Bradley has become an embar-
rassment on the high court.
Defeating Justice Bradley will be no
easy task and is unlikely. Only two justices
have been defeated for re-election since
World War II... “Loop Hole” Louis Butler
in 2008, and in 1967 a challenger defeated
incumbent Justice George Currie. Currie
lost his bid for re-election after he allowed
the Milwaukee Braves baseball team to
relocate to Atlanta. (As a baseball fan I’d
have voted against him too!)
On April 7, vote for Judge James Daley.
For an independent fair minded conserva-
tive Supreme Court justice.
Constitutional Amendment
Currently the chief justice of the state
Supreme Court goes to the longest serv-
ing justice on the court. This amendment
would change that, allowing the justices to
elect their own chief.
This amendment comes after years of
frustration with the current chief justice,
Shirley Abrahamson. Her inability to get
along with justices has helped to make
our court slow, dysfunctional, and a joke.
Allowing the justices to elect a chief is a
way to make the chief justice accountable
to his or her peers. This would put Wiscon-
sin on par with 22 other states and should
make the court more efficient and effective.
Did GOP Senators commit Treason?
In early March, 47 Republican Sena-
tors signed an open letter to the leadership
of Iran, reminding them that any “deal”
Iran was to strike with President Barack
Obama could be terminated on January
20, 2017...the first day of the next presi-
dent’s administration.
The White House, democrats, and the
news media were indignant; Nancy Pelosi
was so hot her plastically enhanced face
started to melt.
“Treason!” they roared.
Did the Republican commit treason?
No.
Article 2 of the constitution states,
“He shall have power, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, to make treaties,
provided two thirds of the senators present
concur”
As usual Obama is
ignoring both the constitu-
tion and the congress, a
co-equal branch of govern-
ment. Secretary of State
John Kerry announced
that he is not negotiating a
treaty, but a “legally binding
plan.”
“This is clearly a treaty,”
Sen. John McCain said, “They can call it a
banana, but it’s a treaty.”
President Obama seems hell bent on
letting Iran have a nuclear weapon. This
notion terrifies many of us, who believe
that Iran’s leadership is so dangerous, so
nutty, that if they get nuclear weapons,
they will use them. There will be a second
holocaust and a third World War fought
this time with nuclear weapons.
No, the Republicans didn’t commit
treason; they’re trying to save the world
from a nuclear Iran. The Republicans are
trying to sound an alarm, an alarm no one
wants to hear. But, at least their letter
brought attention to the “treason” being
committed by Obama and Kerry.
In 1953 America executed the Rosen-
berg’s for secretly giving nuclear technol-
ogy to an enemy, the Soviet Union. In
2015 the president does it in plain sight!
Rohn W. Bishop is a monthly contributor to the
Scene. Bishop, a former member of the Waupun
City Council, currently serves as Treasurer for the
Republican Party of Fond du Lac County.
Contact Rohn: email: rohnnyb@msn.com
Twitter: @RohnWBishop
NEWS & VIEWS // ROHN’S RANTS
Article 2 of the constitution states, “He shall
have power, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of
the senators present concur”

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