blue cheddar

A Koch conflict with PBS halts broadcast of “Citizen Koch” film – but permanently?

bluecheddar — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:24:43 +0000

So in tonight’s episode of the neverending reality show entitled, “How Many Ways Can a Koch Screw America?”, we learn that the documentary “Citizen Koch” will not air on PBS because it greatly displeases David Koch. That’s how the drama goes according to PR Watch which states that “Koch is also a board trustee and major donor to WNET.” But hold on. What are we to make of a ThinkProgress post that has this title: “As Koch Industries Ramps Up Attack On ‘Left-Leaning’ Media, WNET Dumps David Koch From Board” That ThinkProgress post concludes with an “UPDATE”: “Mr. Koch resigned from our Board of Trustees as of Thursday, May 16th to concentrate on his other obligations,” WNET communications director Kellie Castruita Specter informed Forecast the Facts in an email response. Does this mean that New York’s WNET and Boston’s WGBH will quit worrying what the Free Market Monsters think and air the show after all? The not knowing what’s going on disturbs me – and of course it disturbs the hell out of me that these premiere public television stations are public in name only. I’m going to take two of my favorite Albert King songs and check my internet more »

Ray Manzarek of The Doors has passed away

bluecheddar — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:28:26 +0000

Update from Ray’s facebook page: David Dutkowski here. Ray’s webmaster and personal archivist. It is with such a heavy heart that I post this today.. Ray passed away today at 12:31PM PT at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany after a lengthy battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his wife Dorothy Manzarek, and his brothers Rick and James Manczarek. “I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today,” said Krieger. “I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.” Manzarek is survived by his wife Dorothy, brothers Rick and James Manczarek, son Pablo Manzarek, Pablo’s wife Sharmin and their three children Noah, Apollo and Camille. Funeral arrangements are pending. The family asks that their privacy be respected at this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, please make a memoriam donation in Ray Manzarek’s name at www.standup2cancer.org ———————————- Today famous keyboardist for The Doors, Ray Manzarek, passed on. In this nifty youtube video Ray explains that the keyboard more »

All these political slush fund money pits should be exposed

Featured Wisconsin Blogger — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:58:29 +0000

This is a guest post by SleepinJeezus. It regards the IRS “Scandal”. It is troubling if in fact the Obama Administration targeted these outfits on a purely political basis. But I also know these astroturf groups have raised plenty of red flags on their own that would indicate an audit is justified – indeed, that a determination of their eligibility as privileged non-political actors is required, IMO. I simply cannot get on board with the Faux outrage that has the rest of the media in such a breathless frenzy. We are being played here – arguably by “both sides” in this supposedly two-party political system – to paint Rove and the Koch Brothers and Armey, et. al., as victims here instead of truly exploring the far more serious issues of just how dangerous are the impacts of FEC v. Citizen’s United on our democracy. We’d be far better served if the media would concentrate on the 501(c)whatevers that have perhaps been given a “free ride” by the Administration if that is truly what has been going on. Whether librul or conservative, all these political slush fund money pits should be exposed. If in fact some have been given protected status whilst others more »

Wisconsin cows are doing a happy dance

bluecheddar — Sat, 18 May 2013 19:27:12 +0000

And now for something so…so… Wisconsin. This video was shared by Organic Valley this morning on facebook with this, “Happy Friday, everyone! One of our favorite times of year is when the cows get to go on grass for the first time after a long winter. Watch the cows do their ‘pasture dance’ on the Wedeberg farm in Wisconsin– it’s pretty cute!” I’d call that “pasture dance” a happy dance! This post reminds me – quite literally – that I need to eat some more of my favorite cheese in the world: Pleasant Ridge Reserve. [My 2nd fave is maybe the Colby I used to eat in Clark County.] Pleasant Ridge Reserve is made only from raw milk of cows who’ve been eating fresh pasture from May through October. This post also reminds me that the joy of frolicking cows is only possible if those cows get on pasture – and cows stuck in CAFO’s dont’ get that. Confined Feedlot Animal Operations weren’t springing up left and right when I was a kid. Are the farm kids of today even seeing a cow dance? [And we were having such fun on this blog for a change .... *sigh* See the more »

Pope Francis: “Money has to serve, not to rule”

bluecheddar — Sat, 18 May 2013 03:00:15 +0000

I had heard internet rumblings about what the Pope said the other day and ignored the whole thing. “How big a deal could it be?”, I thought. As it turns out, RATHER BIG. Here are quotes by Pope Francis that The Guardian reprinted: “We have created new idols,” he said in a speech in the Vatican. “The worship of the golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal.” and Attacking unchecked capitalism, the pope said the growing inequality in society was caused by “ideologies which uphold the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation, and thus deny the right of control to States, which are themselves charged with providing for the common good” and “A new, invisible and at times virtual, tyranny is established, one which unilaterally and irremediably imposes its own laws and rules.” and “There is a need for financial reform along ethical lines that would produce in its turn an economic reform to benefit everyone,” he said. “Money has to serve, not to rule.” If you would like to see his words in context more »

Wisconsin Rep. Nick Milroy: Republicans interfere with justice for veterans

bluecheddar — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:47:41 +0000

This is a column from Wisconsin Rep. Nick Milroy [D-South Range] of the 73rd District: Republicans interfere with justice for veterans Honoring and protecting Wisconsin’s veterans should always be a shared value among Wisconsin legislators, regardless of party. As a veteran, I’ve seen firsthand the sacrifices these brave men and women make every day to serve our country and keep us safe. That is why I am so troubled by the actions of my Republican colleagues in the State Assembly who knowingly voted to take vital protection away from veterans. After hearing moving testimony from veterans, they decided to make it more difficult for patients, including veterans, who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma to get justice after they have been exposed to asbestos. I’m especially disappointed by the Republican legislators who chose to ignore the strong opposition to this bill by veterans’ advocacy groups, such as the Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. On a party line vote, they even chose to abolish an amendment that would have granted an exemption for veterans who were exposed to asbestos while serving their country. Veterans make up just eight percent of the population – but more »

Scott Walker’s Budget Fairy Tale is Grimm

bluecheddar — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:31:51 +0000

This morning after reading Bruce Murphy’s piece on Walker’s budget, my mind turned to Red Riding Hood. At the beginning of our tale, Wisconsin was “broke” and Walker had to put the screws to the unions to fix things. That was his story and he was stickin’ to it. Now, due to a plan to borrow for a LOT of new roads* instead of raising the gas tax or other fees, Walker “could leave the transportation fund so in debt that 25 cents of every dollar would be spent on debt service by 2023″. A couple of years ago Wisconsin conservatives naively stood by their wolf in governor’s clothing and said, “Governor, what big budget cuts you give!” He replied, “All the better to make you rich!” I know where this dialog goes. “Governor what big debts you make!” “All the better to privatize your state!” This story sucks from start to finish. Check out The Not-So Fiscally Conservative Governor. *A LOT. It’s out of whack. Check out Highway Boom, Budget Bust from WISPIRG for the details. You just finished reading Scott Walker's Budget Fairy Tale is Grimm! Consider leaving a comment!Visit bluecheddar.net for more news and opinion. You can more »

Another Wisconsin mystery left unsolved. Deleters of redistricting files walk scot-free.

bluecheddar — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:38:03 +0000

Well that’s that, then. Wisconsin has another great political mystery to add to the pile. The mystery of who deleted all those redistricting files will get tossed in an Al Gore-brand lockbox along with the mystery of who left that box of ammo on the Capitol square in March of 2011 and exactly why the massage parlor 1 block from the Capitol building will never be shut down and why it is that all those ballot bags were discovered torn open over in Waukesha County during that Kloppenburg-Prosser recount and who exactly Scott Walker’s daughter is.* As noted in the Wisconsin State Journal: “The plaintiffs in a case that challenged Wisconsin’s 2011 redistricting agreed Wednesday to drop an effort to determine why Republicans failed to turn over records to them after finding no evidence of malicious intent.” Nevermind that it was discovered that “afoltz” and “tottman” were logged into computers used while thousands of redistricting files were deleted – those files that were ordered turned over to the plaintiff Voces de la Frontera. Nevermind that those usernames sound eerily similar to the names “Adam Foltz” and “Tad Ottman” – two Republican pukes who’ve been pulling down $50K and $79,236 state more »

Brace yourself. Scott Walker has “new data” on jobs. Meanwhile, old data remains buried.

bluecheddar — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:45:01 +0000

I’m listening to John Coltrane play one of my favorite songs while I write this as I attempt to bring down my blood pressure. (Not kidding.) Blogging about politics reeeeally isn’t good for me. Here’s what the “Governor Scott Walker” page said this morning: Look at that contradictory comment our governor got right away! Is that just some sassy citizen giving Our Dear Leader some backtalk? Well, no. In case you missed it – and I certainly forgive you if you did – the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s own recent report put Wisconsin at 45th in long-term job growth and 50th at short term job growth. We rank 44th overall. source: full report (see page 81). The Wisconsin press really did not get the Chamber’s data out there on the last go-round. Again, I am not kidding. The only Wisconsin journalist* to give any respectable treatment to these stats was Mike Ivey of The Cap Times. I searched the net for 20 minutes to double check on this back when Daily Kos blogger Puddytat pointed it out. I searched the net again today. Coming up empty handed. Will the press help me maintain a healthy blood pressure AND help us more »

Milwaukee Strike #MKEstrike

bluecheddar — Thu, 16 May 2013 01:18:26 +0000

This happened today. I think this sort of thing needs to happen more. Milwaukee Burger King employee Tessie Harrell says she earned the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour from 2008 through 2012, even after she was promoted to shift supervisor in 2011. Last year, she got a raise to $8.25 an hour. But she says that’s not enough to pay the $650 monthly rent on her two-bedroom apartment and support her six children. “I can’t afford to buy my kids shoes,” says Harrell, 34, who gets food stamps and $150 a month from her mother. “There’s no way I should be struggling to make ends meet.” Read more at Milwaukee makes five (cities so far): Fast food workers strike for higher pay and union rights at Daily Kos And check out this storify from Wisconsin Jobs Now for photos. [View the story "#MKEstrike" on Storify] You just finished reading Milwaukee Strike #MKEstrike! Consider leaving a comment!Visit bluecheddar.net for more news and opinion. You can contact blue cheddar through twitter or facebook. Blue Cheddar is a progressive blog in Wisconsin.