Confounding the pundits

The Politics of Fear

Hillary’s Moment

Hillary’s Moment… It goes without saying that this year’s presidential election is important. The American electorate will be making a choice that will have enormous implications for our nation and the world. But every so often during an election, a simple event sends a message about its times and becomes part of history for the ages. Of course, I’m talking about “Hillary’s moment” the day before the New Hampshire primary, when Sen. Clinton actually appeared to display an unscripted emotion. History will record that it was in response to an apparently sympathetic questioner, who asked how she managed to keep going (and who did her hair). She didn’t cry, of course, though her eyes definitely appeared to moisten. And she didn’t sob, but there certainly was a catch in her voice and, yes, an undeniable display of emotion. It became the major story of the day and most of the media coverage used the incident to support the conclusion that her campaign was imploding, that it was a repeat of Ed Muskie’s fatal tearing up in 1972. This was the logical conclusion, you see, given her loss to Barack Obama in Iowa and all of the polls were predicting another win for Obama in New Hampshire. Then the people of New Hampshire had their say. The media prognosticators and pundits ended up with egg on their collective faces when Clinton was declared the winner with 38 percent to Obama’s 35. Suddenly, Clinton was the victor in a stunning upset and this race was anything but over. It turns out the incident in the diner wasn’t a death knell but a declaration of sincerity that connected with female voters from Manchester to Nashua. It was like when Sally Field won the Oscar but Hillary was saying “I care about you; I really, really care about you!” Coupled with the moment in Saturday’s debate when Clinton responded to a question about how she felt about apparently not being well-liked by saying it hurt her feelings, her display of emotion was now seen as brilliant strategy. Hillary seized on the opportunity to reinvent herself by declaring in her victory speech that she “listened to (the voters of New Hampshire) and found my voice.” Well time will tell. But for now, I think we have witnessed a moment for the ages. And the message of this moment is … “We have totally lost our minds and gone stark raving mad!” Of course, there was plenty of evidence of our insanity in 2007. There was the focus on Hillary Clinton’s laugh, John Edwards’ hair, Mitt Romney’s religion, Rudy Giuliani’s wives and other matters of transcendent importance. So hold on to your hats. There will probably be lots more examples of zaniness and hilarity in the months ahead. I guess with the writers’ strike we ought to appreciate moments of mirth where we can get them. I, for one, prefer laughing to crying.

Affordable Housing Projects Approved

Multiple affordable housing projects went before the committee looking to receive approval in to apply for Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority tax credits before an upcoming deadline. One of interest due to the projects quality design was brought forward by United Methodist Children’s Services of Wisconsin. They were requesting a change in zoning to General Planned Development to allow for construction of a 24 unit four-story proposal to be located next to there existing building at 3940 W. Lisbon Ave. Volunteers of America was requesting a change in zoning to General Planned Development to allow for construction of a 65 unit building. Unfortunately this project stood out because it didn’t properly utilize a key location which concerned the committee. Alderman Mike D’Amato said that it “has to have active first floor users” because of the buildings high visibility location at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Keefe Avenue. Both of these projects as well as others were approved and will go before the Common Council. Other resolutions of note regarded the Brewery project and the reuse of the 440th site. Resolution 070932 approved the LEED checklist for the Brewery neighborhood and included the properties owned by Jim Haertel. Resolution 071238approved a reuse plan for the area vacated by the 440th that is consistent with the airport’s 1993 master plan. Alderman Bob Bauman was concerned about agreeing to this public benefits conveyance without assurances the County couldn’t then turn it over to a private purpose.

DECISION 2008…..Your Vote Matters!

Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares @ Pabst Theater

In our January Picks, we featured Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, scheduled to appear in concert at the Pabst on Friday, January 18. The show has been rescheduled for Friday, May 16. All tickets previously purchased will be honored and current ticket holders will be contacted by the Pabst to inform them of the change. Here’s what we said: “The Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir, more poetically known as “Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares” (the Mystery of Bulgarian Voices), have moved at least one critic to describe their singing as “the most beautiful music on the planet” (St. Louis Post Dispatch). Dropping jaws around the world since 1951, members of this ensemble are handpicked from rural farms and villages across Bulgaria and train extensively in the unique musical structures that give them their ethereal sound. It’s been hip to be worldly in the past couple of decades, and the Voix Bulgares have garnered international attention from sources as disparate (nay, unlikely) as Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, Linda Rondstadt and the United Nations. But it’s not because they’re kitschy, overproduced or in any way unauthentic. What does it really say about them? Everyone loves them, and you will too. 414-286-3663. pabsttheater.org” We believe this will all still be true in the spring.

City Plan Commission Approves Zoning for Columbia St. Mary’s

Resolution 060259 approved the Detailed Planned Development known as Columbia St. Mary’s Prospect East, Phase 1 which will move on to ZND for further approval. The resolution includes the plans for a 572 stall parking garage to support the Water Tower Medical Commons facility. Although it was approved it was done so with the understanding that before the Common Council gives final approval, issues dealing with the side facing Terrace St. will need to be resolved with the neighborhood. Additionally it included mention of three lots near the structure and the future plans to develop those lots as residential housing. A second resolution of interest was Alderman Mike D’Amato‘s request for a change in zoning from clean shaved to rough bearded. All kidding aside Alderman D’Amato appears to be looking forward to leaving public life in the near future.

National webzine announces Latina writing contest

We received this press release today from Austin, Texas: Following a reverse trend in publishing, Latinitas Magazine, the first digital magazine made for and by Latina youth, is augmenting its successful online publications with the launch of a print magazine for “‘tweens” in 2008. To gather “voces authenticas” (authentic voices) from all over the United States, the magazine is launching the Latinitas Magazine National Writing Contest, seeking feedback from Latina youth ages 14 to 21 on what it is to be Latina. Winning writers will see their articles published in the print and online issues of Latinitas Magazine. Media tends to either neglect or misrepresent Latina identity, crystallizing her in over-sexualized images or excessive portrayals of servitude. Aside from ABC’s Ugly Betty, much of mainstream media depicts Latinas as uneducated gangster “cholas” or maids. According to media watchdog Children Now, negative media portrayals of youth have been associated with damaging body image and self-esteem among children and teens, particularly among girls who often find themselves marginalized by media. Contest Criteria: Contestants should be between the ages of 14 and 21. Submissions should be 800-1000 words in first person or Associated Press style on one of the following subjects: What is it like to be a Hispanic/Latina female in your hometown? What does it mean to be a Hispanic/Latina female to you? As a Hispanic/Latina female, are you doing something in your community to make a difference? If so, what? Describe the biggest challenge facing the young Hispanic/Latinas today. Applicants should submit articles to latinitasawards@yahoo.com by midnight February 10, 2008 or mail a copy: Latinitas P.O. Box 4284 Austin, TX 78765 “Latinas come from the barrios and the ‘burbs. We are hoping to hear from Hispanic young women who represent the large diaspora of Latinas,” explains Alicia Rascon, Latinitas co-founder. “I was born in Mexico, but you have other Latinas in the United States who may have never seen their family’s country of origin – yet they practice the culture and traditions of that place. Those are the stories we are excited to read.” The U.S. Census reports that by 2025, one in every five teens will be Latino. Clearly, what goes on among Latina teens not only affects the Latino community, but also has an extraordinary impact on the nation as a whole. VITAL Source hopes you’ll spread the word and wishes you luck!

Wall Street Journal loves The Norman Conquests

Deserved and markedly positive attention was paid to Milwaukee this weekend in a major coup for the city and its arts scene with a glowing review in The Wall Street Journal of The Norman Conquests at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. “Revivals of so complex a theatrical undertaking must of necessity be rare, and I very much doubt you’ll see a better one than this,” writes the Journal’s drama critic Terry Teachout, amidst praise for Artistic Director Joseph Hanreddy, the Rep’s resident acting ensemble and the costume and set design. Read it for yourself online — then head over to The Rep’s website and get your tickets now. This show is a huge deal, and it closes in two weeks, so this is your last chance to see it for a long time. As Terry Teachout points out, this ambitious production is rarely, if ever, revived in America.

Family Dinner

Fried chicken Collard greens Cheese grits Candied sweet potatoes Three generations Father >> Daughter > Fiance, 9 yr old son, 15 yr old soontobe daughter, 14 yr old soontobe daughter Daughter > Partner, 12 yr old daughter, 9 yr old daughter, 7 yr old son > Kids’ dad Daughter > 5 yr old son Two dogs (trapped in bedrooms), One dog (free to roam the house), Two cats (trapped in basement), One tortoise (happy on the buffet), One guinea pig (cuddled and hand-fed salad), Seven hermit crabs (quickly fed and then ignored out of respect for the crabaphobe) Laughter, squealing, Iloveyou across the room. Paper plates, rooster salt and pepper and shakers. Hugs, song lyrics, wooden spoons brandished and a decided lack of aprons and hot pad holders. Cubist turtle picture drawn in one quiet corner of the house. Lego worlds built and disassembled. A rare 60 minutes stolen on the Nintendo 64 while dinner cooks downstairs. We’ve repeated this scene with minor variations at least 5 times in the last two weeks. We are lucky. We are blessed. We are family.

Weekly Milwaukee Development Bookmarks

Articles from the week of 12/31/07 to 1/6/08 covering development in Milwaukee. JS Online: Holiday Inn plan converts downtown offices Astronautics to expand in Milwaukee – Small Business Times Developers plan to transform downtown building into Holiday Inn – Small Business Times JS Online: Senior housing units sought for King Drive Modern condo development planned for street of historic homes – Small Business Times Pabst brewery site lands another tenant – Small Business Times

Kinnickinnic River Trail

Kinnickinnic River Spillway Originally uploaded by Retinal Fetish Julie Lawrence at OnMilwaukee.com drew my attention to this excellent community development taking place along the Kinnickinnic River on the south side of urban Milwaukee, the Kinnickinnic River Trail. The trail is in the early stages of development and will have a southern terminus at the river and 6th Street (near its intersection with Cleveland St) and at Water St and 1st Street on the northern end. The trail, while still in its infancy, will hopefully include a restoration of the river to a more natural state with the removal of the concrete channeling. Like many other developments occurring in Milwaukee (the Riverwalk, Menomonee Valley restoration, and the Beerline neighborhood come to mind), the KK River Trail is just one of many ways in which Milwaukee is learning to embrace its natural assets. The developments are all the more special because they’re actual functional ways to move around the city without a car, which is due in large part to the dense development surrounding the rivers. Groundwork Milwaukee has provided a PDF with all you could ever want to know about what was discussed in planning for the trail. I’ll try to learn more over the next few days as to what the actual status of the trail is (it’s a little bit hard to figure out with the information online). I took the map out of the PDF and put it online as a JPG image in case you wanted to see the proposed route.