December 2004

Dear Readers, It seems like this would be the month to recount a touching holiday memory, wish everyone peace in the New Year, mention that it’s my two-year anniversary with Vital Source and be done with it. But in the words of Chuck D., I’ve got so much trouble on my mind. I’ve been trying, hard as I can, to engage in the same liberal/progressive group hug so extensively talked about in this issue. I’m trying to tell myself that given the choice between the ineptitude we knew and the vote of no-confidence we couldn’t trust, it’s not surprising-and maybe even not the worst thing in the world-that we stick with the leadership we have for another four years. But I don’t know if I can continue to tamp down my uneasiness and be a good national citizen in light of some pretty scary shit going on around the country and in our own backyard. I’m kind of freaked out about Weldon Angelos. He’s the 25-year old Utah man convicted for the first time of selling pot while carrying a pistol in his bootstrap and having more guns at home. Granted, it’s no way to raise a family, and I have a low opinion of him for putting his two young sons in harm’s way, not to mention the example he was setting. But U.S. District Judge Paul Cassell was forced to sentence him to 55 years with no probation because of the weapons possession element, which forced the case into federal court. Now before you dismiss me as a sniveling liberal soft on drug crime, hang on for just a second while we place this in its larger context. Judge Cassell himself, described as a brainy, conservative former law professor, surveyed the maximum sentences for other federal crimes, and this is what he found: Hijacking an airplane: 25 years. Terrorist bombing intending to kill a bystander: 20 years. Second-degree murder: 14 years. Kidnapping: 13 years. Rape of a 10-year-old: 11 years. Selling pot while carrying a pistol: 55 years. Needless to say, Cassell is mortified, Angelo’s family is devastated and people everywhere are starting to call for re-examination of mandatory sentences and the possibility that some violate our Eighth Amendment rights under the Constitution. In the meantime, Weldon’s plans are to sit behind bars until he’s 80 years old and his sons are old men themselves. So much for family values. Speaking of which, I have a good friend whose two sons are teenagers in New Berlin. The eldest is a senior, and he’s had his share of troubles. He’s been picked up by New Berlin’s finest for awful crimes like stealing a hood ornament off an abandoned car, leaving campus for lunch and littering in a Taco Bell parking lot (that one earned him four squads and a canine unit). This week, he received a detention for swearing. The naughty nugget? “Jesus Christ.” Yep, that’s what this seventeen year-old boy said, and the fine administration of New Berlin […]

Vital Source’s 2004 Holiday Events Guide

The holiday season is upon us and the city is bright with twinkling lights and holiday spirit. Why not take a little time out of your holiday rush to enjoy the city’s many seasonal offerings? Vital Source has gathered together our second annual Holiday Events Guide. From shows to shopping, skating to sightseeing, there really is something for everyone. So take some time to enjoy some seasonal cheer with friends and family during this most wonderful time of the year. For Everyone A Grand Avenue ChristmasCaptain Frederick Pabst MansionThrough Jan. 9www.pabstmansion.com414-931-0808A Victorian Christmas with live music on the weekends. Happy “Hollerdays” 2004Apple Holler – SturtevantThrough Dec. 30www.appleholler.com 800-238-3629 Traditional Breakfast with SantaThe Pfister Hotel, Café RougeSaturdays through Dec. 18, 10 a.m.www.thepfisterhotel.com 414-273-8222Santa and his helpers come down the Pfister’s chimney for a holiday breakfast. Saturdays with SantaShops of Grand AvenueSaturdays through Dec. 1812 p.m. – 2 p.m.www.grandavenueshops.com 414-224-0655 Visits With SantaSouthridge Mall  Through Dec. 24, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.www.shopsouthridge.com414-421-1108 A Season of WonderMilwaukee Public Museum  Through Dec. 24, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.www.mpm.edu 414-278-2728See the “European Village” and turn-of-the-century “Streets of Old Milwaukee” decorated for the holidays.  From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., enjoy live hands and craft activities. Milwaukee Holiday Lights Downtown Parks and StreetsThrough Jan. 2 www.milwaukeeholidaylights.com 414-220-4700 Come see downtown dressed up for the holidays. A Schooner ChristmasPier Wisconsin Through Dec. 31www.pierwisconsin.org 414-276-7700Free.  Enjoy stories about the Schooner Christmas Trees, arts, crafts and refreshments. Candy Cane Lane92nd – 96th  Streets from Oklahoma to MontanaDec. 1 – 30 414-456-5830Holiday lights display for MACC Fund and children with cancer. Christmas In The Ward Historic Third WardDec. 3 and 4www.historicthirdward.org 414-273-1173Experience the Trinity Irish Dancers, fireworks, carriage rides, musical performances and the Saturday shopping extravaganza. Cedarburg Christmas in the CountryCedar Creek SettlementDec. 2 – 3, 10 a.m.  –  5 p.m.Dec. 4, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.www.christmasinthecountry.org 800-237-2874                                                                                                        Christmas arts & crafts show featuring 75 artists. Holiday Night Lights Milwaukee County ZooFridays and SaturdaysDec. 3 – 18, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.www.milwaukeezoo.org 414-256-5412See the Zoo lit up with thousands of twinkling lights courtesy of WE Energies, along with holiday activities and musical performances. Christmas by LamplightOld World WisconsinDec. 3 – 4 and 10 – 11 www.wisconsinhistory.org262-594-6305Celebrate traditions of our immigrant ancestors in this after-hours lamplight tour. Children’s Holiday FestivalUWM Union BallroomDec. 4, 10 a.m. to noonwww.uwm.edu/events414-229-5538Stories, songs and traditions from around the world. Cedarburg Festive Friday Eves: “Santa’s Workshop”Dec. 10, 5 p.m – 9 p.m.www.cedarcreeksettlement.com 866-626-7005Santa Claus, magic, balloon sculpture and live music. Children’s projects and cookie decorating, wine tasting, complimentary cider and cookies, plus a winter cookout.  Breakfast with Father ChristmasOld World WisconsinDec. 12, 9 a.m. –  noon www.wisconsinhistory.org262-594-6305Visit with the 19th century version of Father Christmas for breakfast.  Face painting, balloons and old-fashioned goodies for the kids.  Reservations required. Toys for Tots Breakfast with SantaHilton Milwaukee City CenterDec. 4 and 9, 11:30 a.m.414-271-7250Bring a new unwrapped toy or $5 to enjoy breakfast with Santa. Every child receives a complimentary photo with Santa and a special gift. Brunch with […]

Rammstein

From the title track that opens this album, you might get the idea that Rammstein remain the same: Till Lindemann growls verses and operatically chants choruses, everyone else stomps up a blitzkrieg behind him, and the song fades in a swoon derived from both beer hall and dance club. Yet even here, Rammstein sound more open, more ready to emphasize their musicality as much as their omnipresent German muscularity. Throughout Reise, Reise, they manifest the playfulness of a band who have realized that their prominent quasi-military discipline-still in force on their last album, 2001’s Mutter-was becoming less an impression they left with others than a repression they imposed on themselves. Of course, you wouldn’t mistake this looser, freer Rammstein for a jam band, but an actual rock ‘n’ roll groove (as opposed to a sturm und drang march) drives tracks like “Keine Lust” and the relatively barebones, acoustic guitar-based “Los.” And it’s hard to imagine the old Rammstein chuckling heartily in the midst of “Amerika,” a buzzing grind that mixes English and German and quotes Public Image Ltd. (“This is not a love song“) relevantly. Reise, Reise does hold onto the metallic-tinged Wagnerian grandeur that immediately distinguished Rammstein from their American peers, while it also brings their previous hints of electronic melodicism-the influence of Depeche Mode and New Order-directly to the surface. Hearing that combination and the flowering variety it catalyzes, you might get the idea that Rammstein have changed for the better.

Radar Love

By Lillith Branwen We live in interesting times. Our schedules are packed, with every minute of our day taken up with something important. At the same time, we are more sedentary than ever before. We are in our cars or in front of our computers for long hours each day. When we have a little “free time” we tend to spend it with family or friends. For many, meeting new people is increasingly difficult. Enter the Internet. As we turn to cyberspace in growing numbers for our shopping, information and entertainment, we are also looking there for social interaction. I’ve met people from all over the world through professional forums and music fan sites, and I count some of them as friends, though we’ve never met in person. Obviously, I’m not alone in this. For better or worse, the Internet has changed the way we meet and interact with others in a profound way. According to a 2003 study by Jupiter Research, online dating sites attract about 20�f the U.S. Internet population, with the market for those sites showing growth of about 19�o far in 2004. Last year Jupiter estimated that 17.2 million people viewed online personals each month and 2.5 million of them paid for online ads. In 2006, Jupiter predicts, 27.4 million will view online personals and 5.2 million will pay for ads. Meeting people the “new” fashioned way.Thirty-eight million Americans can’t be wrong, can they? (Some would say that depends on your politics, but that can be saved for a different story.) Another study by the Bloodhound Network reports that Internet dating is the fastest area of online growth. Its’ estimates for the number of people visiting online dating sites each month is even higher than Jupiter’s, at thirty-eight million. In our hectic lives, it is appealing to be able skip the bars and the blind dates. Meeting people online allows you to anonymously shop for an ideal partner without a large investment of your time or emotions. Most of us know someone who has tried a hand at online dating. Like all forms of the mating dance, it works for some people but not as well for others. Some people give up after a few failed attempts, while others seem to have enough luck right away to keep plugging away for months, or better yet to settle down with a new partner to pursue a lasting relationship. Wedding Rings…Christina and Aaron Ring are one such “success” story. Christina has been meeting people on the Web since the early days of the AOL chat room and has made lots of friends through various political and social bulletin boards. She says she loves the opportunity to meet people from different places and cultures. “There’s really no feeling that you need to censor yourself or ‘dress up’ in order to gain attention… the online public’s opinion of you is based entirely on how you present yourself verbally.” Her openness paid off when she joined SocialNet.com in 2000. As a […]

Lydia Lunch

First, Lydia Lunch was the girlfriend of Dead Boys frontman Stiv Bators; then she took over the mic herself in Teenage Jesus & the Jerks, then Eight Eyed Spy; since then, she’s been on her own. But she’s always been a mercurial figure, a no-wave queen and a hot-and-cold seductress. That continues with Smoke in the Shadows, Lunch’s first full album in five years. Slipping into a familiar role-the faded jazz chanteuse, lighting a cigarette with gloved hands and exhaling that first postcoital cloud of smoke-she slips along back alleys drawn from dimestore novels and film noir. She narrates more than she sings, and her lyrics swerve closer to beat poetry than they do to song structure, but with the able co-production of Nels Cline, Len Del Rio, and Tommy Grenas (all of whom also throw in on songwriting), she doesn’t need to be normal. Lunch’s collaborators-including, notably, Cline’s Geraldine Fibbers bandmate Carla Bozulich-supply bend to her strong will, generating atmospheres sodden with sex and death. From the break-in of “Hangover Hotel” to the closing “Hot Tip,” Smoke grovels in bad impulses and bodily fluids, lonely horns and sleazy keyboards. Lunch moves through everything here with the air of someone who craves the guilt that comes with the pleasure. Her trick is to make the listener feel the same.

Technology Gifts for that Special Geek Each year it seems as though the hype for a few products jumps through the roof. Remember Cabbage Patch Kids, Teletubbies and Elmo? And for the over-kindergarten set, Trivial Pursuit, the Star Wars VHS box set and UGG boots have all had their time in the sun. But these days, it’s technology gadgets that make our holiday hearts go pitter-pat. In 2003, techno-gifts topped shopper’s lists. This year that trend is expected to continue, with more products available at better prices. What a relief for those nice moms and aunties who, in the past, have struggled to bond with the geeks they love through gifts of high-end calculators and heavy duty pocket protectors! Depending on your budget for that special nerd in your life, there’s something out there for everyone. In an extremely unscientific poll, we asked at least six people (geeks and regular folks) what they wanted for the holidays, gadget-wise. Here are the three that scored highest on the ole’ coolness chart. Digital Music DevicesHands-down, portable music and their respective hardware devices was the clear leader, with Apple being the favorite brand (based on our “poll,” sales data and various chat rooms we visited). Choose between the regular iPod and the iPod Mini, both of which enable you to carry around more music than you’d find at a jukebox convention.To help you pick a player, check out the features of each. iPod Mini:Price: $249.00 Storage: 4 GB (1,000 songs)Weight: 3.6 ouncesSoftware: Mac and Windows compatibleExtras: Calendar, games, contact lists, notes and other file storage. iPod:Price: $299-$599Storage: 20, 40 or 60 GB (5,000 to 15,000 songs)Weight: 5.6 ouncesSoftware: Mac and Windows compatibleExtras: Everything the Mini has, plus to-do lists and multiple language support. Record voice notes and store up to 25,000 photographs with accessory purchase (40 and 60 GB models only). But wait! Mighty Apple may have some competition in the Rio Carbon. Priced around $225, CNet’s Charles Kim says this is the player that will finally give the iPod a run for its money. With 5 GB of storage (about 1,250 songs), the Rio Carbon is a great choice for those who have a lot of Windows Media files, or don’t want to be restricted to Apple’s online music store. The 3-ounce Carbon bests the Mini in capacity and undercuts its price and weight. ConsumerSearch.com testers squeezed 20 hours of battery life out of the Carbon-more than twice as much as the Mini. They also complimented the player’s sound and sleekness. Blockbuster who?A subscription to Netflix is a great gift for anyone that loves movies. Most who join the service swear they will never step foot into another movie rental store. And with Netflix, you’ll never pay another late fee! If you’re not familiar with Netflix, it’s a subscription-based DVD rental portal on the Internet. You sign-up for a flat fee (try a 15-day free trial), then order as many movies from their website as you’d like, which they send you, three […]

Road Tripping with the Family

By Lucky Tomaszek When I was little, long car rides inevitably led to boredom and carsickness. A few road trips gone very bad as a teenager (can you say engine fire?) sealed my already brewing dislike for automobile travel. But after moving the kids two states away from home, I was forced to reconsider my position – the children need to see family and friends back home. I dreaded that first big trip when Jeffrey, our youngest, was just six weeks old. Three kids (two still in diapers) in the car for a seven-hour trip did not sound like a good time. I tried to plan ahead and be prepared for every possible surprise. Of course, I missed a few unforeseeable events as I was overfilling our mini-van with things we didn’t really need. In the end, we learned lessons as a family that are still helpful four years later. All new road rules.One of the best lessons I learned was from my stepdad. An out-of-state birthday party impelled the kids and me to travel, with my parents, for hours in a big Chevy Suburban. My deep-seated dread of family car trips had typically led me to push through every journey as fast and as hard as possible. Not so when we traveled with Grandpa Kenny. He was very patient, and at pit stops, would even encourage the kids to run and play a little. Every time I would bring up the time or fret about being late, he would remind me that the kids were little and needed some fresh air. Not surprisingly, the kids managed that trip better than any we had ever taken. Another thing I learned on that trip was the joy of car games. As an adult, my desire was to put on some music and tune out for the ride, but child travelers need some interaction to pass the time. Scratch that – children need a lot of interaction to survive the monotony of a long drive. We usually start each trip by playing games and singing songs. After a couple of hours, the kids are bored and ready for some quiet down time. At that point, when the kids settle down and doze off, I can put on my favorite music and watch the road go by. Comfort is imperative when spending many hours in a confined space. We always make sure to have a blanket in the car for each child. One year, my best friend made all the kids quilts for their birthdays. They are a little bigger than a baby blanket and not very heavy, making them perfect for road trips. Dressing the kids comfortably is just as important. Sweat pants and t-shirts are all kids need to wear. Everyone seems cheerier when not so bundled that they can’t move. But for winter trips we always have coats, hats and mittens close by in case of an emergency. The way to their hearts…Perhaps the most important single decision is what […]

A Reality Check on the Values Voter

By Paul McLeary In the last few weeks, there has been much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments among the “reality-based community” about the great new albatross supposedly hanging around the Democratic party’s neck: The Values Voter. As with so many other dumbed-down media constructions (think “Security Mom” or “Nascar Dad”), the sheer intellectual laziness and utter sophistry of the media’s lunging groupthink is here on full display. While it would be foolish to claim that that there isn’t a core group of socially conservative Americans who vote with one hand placed firmly on their Bible, it’s another thing entirely to promote this vocal minority into the stratosphere of the major voting blocs. The history of this supposedly new group can be traced back to a single question in the Election Day exit poll. Question J asked: “Which ONE issue mattered most in deciding how you voted for president?” The answers ran as follows: Education, four percent; Taxes, five percent; Health Care, eight percent; Iraq, 15 percent; Terrorism, 19 percent; Economy and Jobs, 20 percent and the kicker, Moral Values, 22 percent. Yes, moral values had the highest ranking, but just what does it mean to say that people hold moral values to be important? Are they against lying? Cheating? Liberal Hollywood? Adultery? War? Running the numbers.What are we asking when we ask about moral values? Given the exit poll’s muddy terminology, it would probably be helpful if we combine the poll’s choices in a more logical way – grouping them into categories. After all, education, taxes, etc. are incredibly specific answers, while moral values allows for quite a bit of wiggle room in its interpretation. For example, grouping “war issues” (Iraq and terrorism) together, we find that 34 percent of voters felt they were the most important issues facing the country, while economic issues (economy and jobs, taxes, health care) clocks in at 33 percent. When looked at this way, moral values bring up the rear at 22 percent. It seems that despite all the post-election revisionism, the issue Americans are still most concerned about is the war and the West’s fight against violent Islamic fundamentalism. And there’s plenty more where that came from. Remember those weepy Democrats saying that it was gay marriage that sunk Kerry’s chances? Turns out, that wasn’t quite right, either. As Alan Abramowitz over at the Donkey Rising blog reported, “In 11 states with gay marriage referenda on the ballot, the president increased his share of the vote from an average of 55.4 percent in 2000 to an average of 58.0 percent in 2004 – an improvement of 2.6 percentage points. However, in the rest of the country, the president increased his share of the vote from an average of 48.1 percent in 2000 to an average of 51.0 percent in 2004 – an improvement of 2.9 percentage points.” Digging even deeper, we find that voters who cited moral issues as most important gave their votes overwhelmingly to Bush (80 percent to 18 […]

The Sauce Guru of the Fifth Ward

By Catherine McGarry Miller Dion Willis is something of a rarity in today’s world: he’s happy. Barclay’s Executive Chef is a contented family man who loves his job and is so confident in his own abilities that he’ll take on all comers. Although Barclay Gallery and Garden Café in the “Fifth Ward” (Walker’s Point to some of us) is new to the restaurant scene-and owner John LeBrun’s first-Willis has 20 years of cooking experience under his belt. As a youngster, his first kitchen experiment was preparing a pork chop dinner for his mother. But his “real” culinary career started at 15 with a dishwashing job at Chi Chi’s. “I came up through the school of hard knocks” he says of his culinary education. By 16, he’d moved up to the position of appetizer cook and his interest in food blossomed: “I love just grabbing everything and coming up with anything good.” He puts the emphasis on good. You could call him an excitable boy – he seems electrified by his culinary adventures and inventions. A native Milwaukeean, Willis grew up on the city’s North side in a restaurant family – his mother and father ran a George Webb’s at 91st and Carmen for most of their adult lives. At home, his father ran the kitchen: “Dad was the cook [in the family] – Southern, soul food, ribs, chicken, Midwest, everything.” He graduated from Greendale High School, where he played defensive end for the school’s football team. During this time, he put away a lot of pizza and still considers Italian food his favorite. Training under his hero Bob Zappatelli at Zappa’s Restaurant on Silver Spring was an excellent proving ground for Willis. There, Willis developed his proficiency in Mediterranean cookery and complex sauces. The turning point in his career came when he made a curried chicken dish better than the head chef:  Willis knew then that he was well on his way. After Zappa’s, he has worked in the main kitchen at Potawatomi Bingo Casino, home of the lauded Dream Dance and Bya wi se nek Buffet, and two years ago was the first chef at Swank, “the posh eatery” on Water Street. At Barclay’s, Willis started as Sous Chef, but was promoted to Executive Chef within the first week. “We had faith in him and loved his enthusiasm,” owner LeBrun avers with pride. Willis returns the compliment. “I start with the boss man and if he likes it, I make it.” In his own role as boss, Wills is laid back. In his kitchen of ten chefs, one mistake is not enough to banish the Sous Chef to Siberia. Perhaps that’s why many of his Swank staff followed him to Barclay’s. “I’m always smiling. I have the drive to put out good food. I get high on the positive comments and respect constructive criticism.” Willis enhanced the menu created by Barclay’s owners: Buffalo wings for LeBrun’s daughter Laura; sweet & sour chicken without breading for his daughter Sara’s gluten-free […]