war on ISIS: world-wide whac-a-mole again

Soundtrack in my head: Rain Parade, "This Can't Be Today" Photo credit: Kungfuman [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)] So it seems we can't leave Iraq alone.  Now it's a war on ISIS--the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria which now refers itself to as simply the "Islamic State."  The U.S. government just doesn't seem to know … Continue reading war on ISIS: world-wide whac-a-mole again

upcoming tests for democracy in september

Soundtrack in my head: Holly Beth Vincent, "For What It's Worth (Stop Hey What's That Sound)" It turns out that this month of September will have several critical tests for democracy coming up. The U.S. Senate will be voting on a constitutional amendment to overturning Citizens United most likely sometime this week.  For the first … Continue reading upcoming tests for democracy in september

madison moving day madness magnifies mucked-up mid-town milieu

Soundtrack in my head: The Primitives, "Really Stupid" hpgruesen / Pixabay During the month of August, and particularly August 14-16, U-Haul and other trucking rental companies unleash thousands of trucks on the streets of Madison, Wisconsin--driven by people without licenses to be truck drivers.  Yes, it's Madison Moving Day. Does chaos result?  Yes and no. … Continue reading madison moving day madness magnifies mucked-up mid-town milieu

joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago

Soundtrack in my head: The Clash, "Straight To Hell" The image of Americans protesting against busloads of refugee children represents a new low in American hatred of the "other."  To them, it matters little that these children are refugees and desperately fleeing for their lives.  They are "illegals" that don't belong here--regardless of their needs, … Continue reading joe strummer sang about this border crisis hypocrisy 30 years ago

your boss’s religious exemption and you

Soundtrack in my head: The Flaming Lips, "Shine On Sweet Jesus" The US Supreme Court's decision in Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby has opened the floodgates for supposedly secular companies to claim a "religious exemption" from rights that employees and potential employees would otherwise enjoy. Suddenly, a new reality is emerging that when a company owner's … Continue reading your boss’s religious exemption and you

stunning storms still sweeping southern wisconsin with wild, wet, windy weather

Soundtrack in my head: The Flaming Lips, "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots, Pt. 1" The repetitive nature of the storms still sweeping southern Wisconsin just beg for alliteration.  This has been a freaky summer.  Ever since the EF2 and EF3 tornadoes came through a couple weeks ago, wild wet, windy weather has repeatedly barrelled through … Continue reading stunning storms still sweeping southern wisconsin with wild, wet, windy weather