Letter To The People - April 2011
Publisher's Commentary
by Rökker
Nikolai with goggles
SUPREME COURT:
Wisconsin’s politics have been out of hand lately, and one of the underlying reasons is that the many people who have voices didn’t get out to vote in the last election cycle. Including Wisconsin’s current governor, a portion of the politicians across the state won by a small margin. I even heard one person say that she didn’t vote because she “assumed” her candidate would win. Not true.
As the current legislature makes the act of voting more difficult, now more than ever the greater public must keep its vigilance and go to the polls. Voting now is better than protesting later.
April fifth brings Wisconsin to a vote for a new State Supreme Court judge. This position carries a 10 year term, a very long term in comparison to the four year term for governor. Not many think about the State Supreme Court because much of their business happens without fanfare but not for long.
Federal Supreme Court decisions are more often in the thoughts of the public. Citizens can see the effects of their decisions clearer in their daily life. Miranda Rights, Legalized Abortion, and the 2000 Presidential Election of George Bush were all decisions by that federal court. Federal justices are appointed by the President of the United States, and their term is for life. However, State Supreme Court justices are elected. Yet, their decisions carry an enormous weight as well, even if the public is not paying attention. The State Supreme Court is a large part of the ‘“checks and balances” system.
Wisconsin’s current state of politics is in great peril as the parties in control of the legislature are in heated battles and do not trust each other. As these partisan battles rage, and tactics are taken that might appear less than lawful, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court will likely have a few cases moved to the front of their load. The recent “meeting law” violation is one example that could not only allow the current “repair bill” items to pass, but change the actual meeting law itself- perpetuating more of the same type of political tactics seen in the last few months.
Wisconsin’s citizens have the honor and duty to educate themselves about the current candidates and cast a vote. If transportation to the voting polls is an issue, those living in Madison have the opportunity for free transportation from Union Cab and Badger Cab. There are no excuses, only votes or no votes. There are people who will benefit from not voting, please deny that benefit.
Maximum Ink is entering new territories in April as we begin to launch an internet radio station. The radio station, like the magazine, will feature many genres of music from local, national, and international artists.
Our station will bring some of the music already heard on various commercial radio stations, and it offers a lot of music they would never touch.
For instance, every morning at 9:00am is the “Morning Ragas” show. Ragas are traditional, instrumental Indian music that are uplifting and inspirational. Ragas employ two main instruments, sitar and tabla.
Stay on from 10:00am-noon for Wisconsin Local, a mix of Wisconsin based bands. We’re building up songs for that show, so if you would like to submit music for consideration, please send a 128k MP3 to mp3 (at) maxinkradio.com. Please only attach and send one song per email.
There will also be rock, metal, reggae, blues, world, and maybe even a little talk radio down the line, which brings us to The Bastard Den.
The Bastard Den was a local radio show that was featured in a story on InfernalRockRadio.com in Maximum Ink a few months back. The Bastard Den will be moving their show to Max Ink Radio, and the show will air every Tuesday from 4:00pm-9:00pm. The Bastard Den will feature local music, interviews of local bands, comedy, sports, and some talk radio.
The show’s host, JimmyK, is joined by co-hosts Edub and local comedian Steve Percell, known as Stolley. Listeners will be able to chat and interact with the show by clicking “chat” on the website.
Their first show for Max Ink Radio will premier on Tuesday, April 12th and will feature interviews with local bands Wall of Funk, 4 Aspirin Morning, and Chaos Revolution Theory. These bands will also appear live at The Bastard Den’s first anniversary party at The Annex on Friday, April 15th.
The following Tuesday, April 19th will feature The Mother Hive Syndicate, Subatomic, and The Pinch on the show as those bands will also be performing live at Bomblastica 2011.
Hairtopia, an 80s hair-metal show, mixed with comedy and hosted by Stolley, will be airing on Sunday nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm. This show has also moved to Max Ink Radio and will simulcast on the Uber Radio Network.
Max Ink Radio is a work in progress, and listeners will receive updates here regularly as we add shows and DJ’s. If you are an aspiring Radio DJ and have an idea for a show, please send an email to programdirector (at) maxinkradio.com.
BOMBLASTICA 2011:
Maximum Ink’s 15 year anniversary party will happen on Friday, April 22nd at The Annex in Madison. There is free admission all night long, and the party will kick off at 9:00pm with free Ale Asylum Hopalicious, a Yahara Bay Vodka tasting, and pizza from Bellini Italian Restaurant until everything is gone.
Music will kick off at 9:00pm with Lyden Moon, the guitar wizard from Kenosha, along with The Mother Hive Syndicate doing Black Sabbath, Subatomic doing AC/DC, and the Pinch as Neil Young.
WAMI:The Annual WAMI award show is back in Milwaukee this year at Turner Hall on Sunday, April 17th. Find all the nominees and information at their site: WamiMusic.com.
Milwaukee punkers Die Kruezen (prounounced De Kroytzen) are being inducted into WAMI’s hall of fame. Congratulations to Dan Kubinski and the boys.
ADVENTURES WITH NIKOLAI:
Nikko participated in his first science fair at school. All of the students were asked to come up with an experiment and hypothesis. The little “engineer boy” in me screamed for complexity, but it was Elizabeth’s voice of simplicity that saved the day. Thank goodness for big sisters.
What happens to air when heated and cooled? The experiment would test the fundamentals of the weather system. The equipment list was fairly simple: an empty two liter bottle, a balloon, two cooking pots, 20-40 ice cubes, and tap water. The action was fairly simple. Place the balloon over the opening of the bottle, place the bottle in a cold water bath, observe what happens, then the hot water bath, observe what happens, and back to the cold water bath.
After many conversations on heat rising, air expanding, and their opposite states, Nikko was ready to deliver his first public speech. As the assistant, my job was to hold the poster board and fetch the water.
This science fair invited all the parents to the school to see the presentations. Nikko said he had a few butterflies, but when his turn came, he jumped into action with his first step ... safety goggles.
As he immersed the balloon tipped bottle in cold water, the crowd was silent. As anticipated, there was not any action. Nikko then pulled the bottle from the cold water and immersed it into the hot water bath. Again, nothing happened, as anticipated. But, after a pause of silence, the crowd’s reaction was filled with oohs and ahhs (and a little laughter from the adults) as the balloon perked up to attention, filling with the warmer air that was heated by the water.
The bottle and balloon went back into the cold water bath, and it quickly responded by deflating, which was followed with another round of oohs and aahs from the crowd. This experiment was a total success for Junior Scientist Nikolai.
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