Wild Space Dance’s ‘Map of Memories’ sheds light on a disbanded Milwaukee community
Map of Memories is not only an enthralling 90-minute kinetic display of beautiful sinewy human motion but also a local history lesson. A performance event features a fascinating pre-show talk by Milwaukee Historian John Gurda about the origins of Jones Island, its inhabitants, and its eventual change into its support for modern industry.
May 2nd, 2009 by Michael Madden
The Sweet Spot of Political Speech
As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama was eloquent. He was inspirational, charismatic, a veritable rock star. Tens of thousands of people turned out to hear him speak at rallies here in the United States as well as abroad. Now he’s been reduced to reminding us to wash our hands and cover our mouths when we cough. Mario Cuomo famously said politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. But, truth be told, both are incredibly challenging and Obama has demonstrated, once again, that he gets it and is a master at political speech, both soaring and mundane. Then there’s Vice President Joe Biden. Joe the VP has a lot going for him but he has his Achilles heel. His tendency to speak off the cuff and stick his foot in his mouth is still getting him in trouble. Many of his diversions from approved language are humorous, trivial and occasionally truthful. While poking fun at Chief Justice Roberts’s flub following the inauguration was harmless, his claim that Obama would likely be tested during the first 100 days and the admission that the recovery plan had a less than 100 percent chance of succeeding were refreshingly honest. Yet when Biden went renegade on the Today show yesterday and claimed that he’d recommend his family stay away from confined spaces such as airplanes and subway cars, it was widely agreed that he had muddied the message of the day. White House officials were quick to clarify about what the vice president had “meant.” There is no reason for healthy people to restrict their normal activities, they said. Yet many local governments, including Milwaukee, are exercising caution by closing schools believed to be at risk of exposure. Biden deviated from the official talking points when he switched to the often tried and true perspective of parent. This can be an effective strategy to express empathy for the choices facing average voters and citizens. But Biden would have been wiser to use this strategy to bolster the party line rather than contradict it. For example, he could have said “As a father, I understand why many parents may be concerned about sending their kids to school or being anywhere in a crowd. But the risk of infection in most communities is incredibly small and we don’t see a need for changes in most normal behavior. “The take home message remains sensible steps such as routine hand washing are our best defense from infection though people with flu symptoms should stay home and not go to school or work.” So far, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Health Commissioner Bevan Baker are effectively walking this fine line. Mayor Barrett even employed the “father” card to explain why he was taking the step to close the schools. We look to our leaders for clear explanations for their actions as well as cool under pressure. During health emergencies, economic crises and other high-profile challenges, we want to know the essential facts that informed our government’s decisions as well […]
May 1st, 2009 by Ted Bobrow
Friday Photos Friday, 01. May 2009
Corcoran Lofts Corcoran Lofts Corcoran Lofts The North End The North End
May 1st, 2009 by Dave Reid
RTA Passes Joint Finance Committee
The Regional Transit Authority passed the Joint Finance Committee this morning at 2:17 a.m., but not in a very regional way.
May 1st, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
MAY 2009
Tea Krulos, the Edward R. Murrow of Milwaukee roller derby, gives us the late-season lowdown on the Brewcity Bruisers, with an April 18 bout recap, what to expect in the Championship, plus Mondo Lucha, pancake breakfast and more.
May 1st, 2009 by Tea Krulos
Spring’s Promise
History’s biggest lesson might be the success of hope.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
Greening the White House
Madison woman wins national grassroots vote to send a farmer to transform lawn into organic garden.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
More Matters
On any given day, 45 percent of children eat no fruit, and 20 percent eat less than one serving of vegetables.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
The Natural Gardener
Greetings, gardeners! Let the season begin! The landscape is budding, lawns are greening and nurseries and garden centers beckon. May is a month of promise, but it can also be daunting because now it’s time to turn winter gardening dreams, visions and plans into reality. Did you see winter slip by without making plans? Take some time now and your improved landscape will reward you. If your goal is continuous color, check the bloom times of various plants. If you want a specific color scheme, find plants appropriate for landscape areas, containers, or window boxes. If you plan to raise vegetables, consider varieties for sunny spaces and check how long they take to mature. Thinking of adding a tree or shrubs? Research which do well in our area, and definitely check their mature size! Now you can make your shopping list. This will keep you from buying ‘one of everything,’ as we all are tempted to do. Refer to your gardening journal, notes or photos from last year to remind you which plants to move, divide or replace and what voids need to be filled. If you haven’t kept records, start now and you’ll be glad for the information later. Gardening Tasks By now you have enjoyed spring flowering bulbs. Snip off faded flowers so energy goes to the bulb for next year’s growth. Don’t remove foliage until it dies back as it is needed for future plant energy. Tuck in early blooming annuals such as pansies to provide color and hide straggly leaves. You can also add perennials to help in the future, but be careful where you dig! Before adding new plants (or bulbs in the fall), mark the location of existing plants. This prevents you from digging them up accidentally or slicing bulbs with a sharp tool. You can buy markers at a garden center, or use transparent plastic silverware as an inexpensive and unobtrusive alternative. Plant type and color can be added with a permanent marker. I do this with lone tulips and later move them to related clumps. Spring-blooming shrubs can be pruned as soon as they complete flowering; finish by early June to provide enough time to set next year’s flower buds. Renewal pruning can benefit suckering shrubs including lilacs, forsythia and bridal wreath spirea. You need to remove one-third of older stems to ground level. For pruning information, check a basic how-to book or the University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) web site for publications to download or purchase. Planning to expand your planting space? Use a garden hose to outline proposed beds. This provides a good visual reference and you won’t be disappointed later to discover you chose the wrong site, size or shape. It’s helpful to prepare your beds before shopping and planting. Work compost or fertilizer into the top 6 – 12” of the soil, rake it smooth and then let the soil settle. A soil test can determine if it needs specific amendments. This can be done commercially or through UWEX. […]
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
Spring Cleaning
It’s a great time to unburden yourself and get rid of clutter.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
Domes sweet Domes
It’s a time of rebirth for this Milwaukee landmark.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
Spring for Fun
Getting friends involved in chopping, tearing, and piping is a terrific way to interact. Let everyone grab a glass of local wine or craft beer and invite them to pick up a knife or pastry bag.
May 1st, 2009 by Malcolm McDowell Woods
