You might think the number one British single today in 1967 is …
The number one single today in 1974:
Today in 1980, Grease was no longer the word: The musical closed in New York, after 3,883 performances.
No comments on Presty the DJ for April 13
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The liberal is the founder of Blue Jean Nation:
Another election, another round of venting and fuming about stupid, unthinking people voting against their own interests. You ask for the umpteenth time how long will it take for them to wake up and see they are being sold down the river.
I have different questions on my mind: How many more elections will it take for you to figure out you cannot beat Wisconsin’s governor by hating him? And how many more seats will be filled on the state’s highest court before it becomes clear you cannot beat the governor’s favorite judges merely by tying them to him?
At some point, you are going to have to come to terms with the fact that you are defined by what or who you are against rather than what you are for. That’s on you. That’s how you’ve defined yourselves.
At some point, you need to drop the excuse that voters who don’t support your candidates are stupid and unthinking. They are not voting against their own interests. They are voting for their interests as they see their interests. Your job is to understand how they see their interests and make them a better offer.
That better offer can’t be a recitation of reasons why your opponents are despicable scoundrels. It has to be a vivid description of what you love and what you hope for and what you dream of.
In a Supreme Court race, that description can’t be a vague promise to be a fair, independent, nonpartisan judge when it is plainly obvious to just about everyone in our state that judicial elections have become intensely partisan and highly ideological and that seemingly every candidate nowadays has the backing of a major party and its constituent groups.
Another election, another attempt at beating opponents by hating them. Another election result, another round of venting and fuming. You do know what it’s called when you do the same thing over and over again but expect a different outcome, don’t you?
Related advice comes from Scott Wittkopf:
In a blog post the day before the Wisconsin Primary, I sought to raise serious questions about the conventional Dem strategy playing out in the State Supreme Court race. In addition, I pointed out that because of flawed establishment strategy, the result may not be a good one for Dems. Once again, the day after an important election, Dems are left scratching their heads and playing the same “blame game” we’ve been stuck with since 2010. On social media this morning, I’ve seen a lot of Wisconsin Dems blaming the media, big money, Bernie Sanders, “dumb” Wisconsin voters, Act 10, and more. All that being said, there is now more call for real change in our strategies than ever before. The question is, will there be courage to change?
Here’s a news flash – while money may be playing a big role (and we’ll get to that), it’s not the only factor. It’s a new political world. Yet there are people who would rather point fingers and make excuses, than try to change what they are doing to be more effective in changing the political status quo. Here’s a bit of a “post mortem” on the election based on late polls and results, followed by ideas for how progressives move forward from here and actually start making progress.
The March Marquette Law School Poll showed that Bradley had opened up a considerable lead on Kloppenburg (which panned out in the election). One of the points in my blog post on Monday, was that this shift was largely a function of how the attack ads against Bradley were solidifying conservative support around her. In addition, these attack ads were more of the same flawed Dem strategy of “unframed” negative attacks which only serve to reinforce the conservative message (read the blog). It is the continued absence of a well framed, positive, progressive vision and message that continues to hurt Dem candidates and campaigns. The absence of such a positive, progressive vision/message also serves to weaken progressive ideas and support, while strengthening conservative. This is a well documented cognitive effect on people.
While large sums of money provide a means to disseminate a VERY effective and well-framed conservative message (as well as implied quid pro quo acts once elected), it is the message itself that is motivating and inspiring people. THAT is why it’s so effective. As I have experienced firsthand, there are ways to overcome being outspent in a campaign, but you need to think and act outside the box. More on that in a little bit. First – what are some of the insights from polls and the election outcome?
The February and March Marquette Polls provide a great insight into the effectiveness of the conservative core message, and how ineffective Dem tactics are. Again, while the money provides the means, it is the core message itself that is moving people. Dems consistently ignore the systemic nature of this quandary – and therefore have no answer for it. In fact, I received a personal message from someone in the Kloppenburg Campaign after Monday’s blog post. They contended that I had ignored the $3+ million in third party attack ads against Kloppenburg, and that the Marquette Poll “oversampled” Republicans.
“Oversampled”? One day after the Kloppenburg email, 96,000 more Republicans then Democrats voted. Bradley got more votes than all of the Democratic presidential candidates combined.
The bottom line is that Republicans turned out nearly 100,000 more voters for their candidates than Democrats. This is actually an historic, emerging trend in Wisconsin – and it began BEFORE Citizens United. While more money into Republican coffers means that they are able to better disseminate their vision and message, make no mistake – they are motivating and inspiring (even through fear) more people to vote Republican. WKOW political reporter Greg Neumann pointed out today that in the 2008 Presidential Primary, Democrats attracted 700,000 more voters than Republicans. As of yesterday, that represents a shift of nearly 800,000 voters in favor of Republicans! Here’s a figure to show that trend – and note that 2012 is an outlier as Barack Obama ran unopposed, so Dem turnout is atypically low. By all accounts, Dem turnout peaked with Obama, and is waning …Dems need to face the facts. They’ve squandered the energy and hope that came with the Obama Campaigns. The effectiveness of the conservative Republican messaging machine, and their core messages are simply motivating and inspiring more people to vote Republican than Democrat. A great deal of the problem is that many Dems are satisfied with the status quo; and fail to recognize that even though progressives will be outspent, there are ways to overcome it if you learn to THINK about your strategy differently.
To start, everyone talks about “messaging” and “progressive values,” but no one effectively communicates or evokes what those values are to the public at large. Worse yet, Dems are recently too busy being “not Scott Walker” than being FOR something that resonates across all issues. Next, there needs to be a recognition and solution to the “issue” problem that divides us within the Party and to the public at large. None of these ideas are new. And to tell the truth, Dems have had these ideas in front of them for a long time. They continually choose to keep playing in a 21st Century game with 19th Century ideas.
Remember Bill Clinton? Wisconsin Democrats have forgotten him. (And, by the way, Hillary Clinton is not Bill Clinton.)
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Today in 1966, Jan Berry of Jan and Dean crashed his Corvette into a parked truck in Los Angeles, suffering permanent injuries.
The number one single today in 1969:
Today in 1975, David Bowie announced, “I’ve rocked my roll. It’s a boring dead end, there will be no more rock ‘n’ roll records from me.”
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The lefties at Salon have nothing positive to say about Hillary! and the state of her coronation — I mean, campaign:
Wisconsin represents more than just Bernie’s sixth straight win, or the likelihood of seven straight wins after Wyoming, right before New York. This political revolution, ignited by Bernie Sanders and fought for by people of all races, faiths, and ethnic backgrounds across the U.S. has been bolstered by political momentum. It’s not current delegate count or prior poll numbers, it’s unprecedented political momentum that will win Sanders the Democratic nomination.
It’s the fact Bernie Sanders isn’t going to be interviewed by the FBI like Clinton, and also the fact Wisconsin has kept political momentum alive at a crucial time in the Democratic Primary race. Since Sanders does better against GOP competition than Clinton, he’ll win the presidency when elected Democratic nominee. Clinton’s “FBI Primary” is around the corner and Wisconsin symbolizes the continuation of something profound.
Had Clinton won Wisconsin, America’s political establishment would have tried to nail the coffin shut on a political movement that is just getting started. Had Bernie lost Wisconsin, the naysayers would gleefully have remarked that ideals and principles are nice, but FBI investigations and Iraq votes define pragmatism. In short, Wisconsin kept the flame alive, despite attempts by DNC and progressive naysayers in the media (you know who they are, the same people who can’t stand H. A. Goodman) to dim the lights.
Thus, the “adults” in the room, as they like to be called, must come to the realization that Clinton isn’t only battling the FBI, but also Bernie Sanders and millions of voters opposed to status quo politics. In addition, this movement is bolstered by women and younger voters.
82% of voters ages 18-29 went to Bernie Sanders in Wisconsin.
66% of voters 30-44 went to Sanders.Sure, but the older, more experienced voter chose Clinton, right?
Well, Clinton only won voters 45-64 by a margin of 54% to 46%.
Most importantly, 57% of voters were female, and the women of Wisconsin sided with Bernie Sanders over Clinton, 50% to 49%.
50% of female voters chose Bernie Sanders.
49% of female voters sided with Clinton.
The smartest people in the room also never imagined Bernie Sanders would be raising more money than Hillary Clinton. The professional “inevitability press” failed to predict Bernie Sanders battling a political juggernaut and former Secretary of State in April of 2016, and certainly never predicted Sanders would have earned over 1,000 pledged delegates at this point.
Political momentum from Wisconsin will result in even more money for the Sanders campaign. Bernie’s ability to outraise even Hillary Clinton is highlighted in a U.S. News & World Report piece titled “Bernie Sanders: the Fundraising Front-Runner”:
Say what you will about the viability of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ candidacy at this stage in the campaign. He is an undisputed fundraising machine.
Sanders raised $43.5 million in February, according to filings to the Federal Election Commission, more than any candidate in either party.Yes, the “undisputed fundraising machine” has raised “more money than any candidate in either party.” With all of Clinton’s Wall Street ties and prison lobbyist donors, Bernie Sanders soundly defeats the former Secretary of State and other Republicans in terms of fundraising.
Bernie’s Wisconsin victory will no doubt add even more money to the Sanders campaign. Like the inability of pundits to predict his ascent in national polls, and the Vermont Senator’s current political momentum, establishment critics never predicted the cascade of money flowing to Bernie Sanders. An article in The Washington Post titled “Bernie Sanders outraises Hillary Clinton for third consecutive month” highlights what poll numbers can’t tell you:
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’s fundraising juggernaut outraised Hillary Clinton’s campaign in March, surpassing her for the third consecutive month.
Clinton announced on Monday that her campaign had raised $29.5 million for the month compared with the $44 million raised by the Sanders campaign. Sanders’s March fundraising haul surpasses the campaign’s own record-setting $43.3 million raised in February.
Sanders has made a point to raise a vast majority of his money from small-dollar contributors who donate online — an average of $27 each, according to the campaign. He has also criticized Clinton for devoting time to fundraising from the wealthy.“What this campaign is doing is bringing together millions of people contributing an average of just $27 each to take on a billionaire class which is so used to buying elections,” Sanders said in a statement on Friday. “Working people standing together are going to propel this campaign to the Democratic nomination and then the White House.”
With an average of only $27, the Sanders campaign has outraised everyone in 2016. Not only has Sanders defeated Clinton in six straight contests, but he’s raised more money in three consecutive months.
While Bernie Sanders just won Wisconsin and will continue to outraise everyone else, Hillary Clinton must contend with the FBI. Years from now, somebody will be reading this and wondering how Americans could possibly vote for a person at risk of DOJ indictments. Yes, future readers, as of today establishment Democrats still think Clinton’s experience overshadows an FBI investigation.
I explain what Hillary Clinton thinks of the FBI in the following YouTube segment.
Nonetheless, there are people questioning the logic of voting for a person linked to an FBI investigation. An article by Ronald J. Sievert in USA Today titled “Hillary’s ‘classified’ smokescreen hides real crime” highlights the case for DOJ indictment:
Law makes clear DOJ should prosecute Clinton for mishandling ‘national defense information,’ classified or not.
Since the beginning of the Clinton email scandal, the nation has been subjected to a political and criminal defense generated smokescreen. The Clinton campaign has attempted to make the public believe that she is not guilty of anything because the information on her very unprotected server was not “marked as classified” or “classified at the time.”
The applicable statute, 18 USC 793, however, does not even once mention the word “classified.” The focus is on “information respecting the national defense” that potentially “could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation.” 793 (f) specifically makes it a crime for anyone “entrusted with … any document … or information relating to the national defense … through gross negligence (to permit) the same to be removed from its proper place of custody.” A jury (not a Democrat or Republican political administration) is, of course, the best body to determine gross negligence on the facts of this case.
The courts have held repeatedly that “national defense information” includes closely held military, foreign policy and intelligence information and that evidence that the information is classified is not necessary for a prosecution.
Evidence that the information was upon later review found to be classified, however, as is the case with approximately 2,000 Clinton messages, is of course one kind of proof that the information met the test of “national defense information” in the first place. (See U.S. v. Rosen and Weissman, 445 F. Supp. 2d 602 (E.D. Va. 2006) pertaining to a different provision but containing a good summary of law on national defense information and classified information.)
The fact that the information does not have to be “marked classified” at the time only makes sense because sometimes, as in the case of the Clinton case and other 793 cases, the information is originated and distributed before any security officer can perform a review and put a classification mark on it.
Finally, I explain in a recent CNN International appearance that Clinton faces potential FBI indictment. I also discuss on CNN New Day that Clinton’s email fiasco is the epitome of white privilege. Ultimately, Wisconsin just elected Bernie Sanders president, and the momentum from this win will lead to further landmark victories. While Bernie is raising more money than anyone, Clinton is facing potential FBI and DOJ indictment. Clinton’s excuses regarding retroactive classification won’t impress the FBI and very soon, Bernie Sanders will be the official Democratic front-runner. Wisconsin continued the momentum at a critical point and helped elect President Bernie Sanders.
I don’t know who “H.A. Goodman” is, but clearly H.A. doesn’t lack for self-esteem or for making predictions that aren’t based on solid evidence. Goodman appears to not grasp that should Hillary! be indicted, there is Joe Biden ready to step up and succeed her. Goodman also appears to not grasp that Democratic National Committee leadership do not support Sanders. Hillary!, remember, failed to be elected president the last time she ran.
If you think Goodman is crazy, consider this from Politico, reported Tuesday before Wisconsin primary results were released:
Bernie Sanders will surpass Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton in pledged delegates and emerge as the nominee at a contested convention, his campaign said Tuesday.
Sanders has vowed to win Wisconsin, New York and, ultimately, the nomination, but his campaign is pushing back on the notion that either state is a must-win. The Vermont senator holds a narrow lead over Clinton in Wisconsin, according to a RealClearPolitics average of state polls, but trails her by 11 percentage points in New York.
“We’ve mapped out a path to victory in our campaign in terms of delegates — pledged delegates — and we don’t have to win everywhere, but we do have to win most of the states coming up,” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver told MSNBC on Tuesday. “So there’s no one state that’s a must-win, and as we look forward we’re gonna be able to accumulate the delegates we need to get the pledged delegate lead by the end of this primary and caucus process.”
Clinton has a 263-pledged-delegate lead over Sanders. But factoring in superdelegates, who are free to support any candidate at the Democratic convention, Clinton’s advantage surges by 438 delegates. The Sanders campaign has maintained that superdelegates should shift their support to match the popular vote and rejected the “funny math” that suggests Sanders can’t win.
“He is winning by these gigantic margins, and that’s gonna allow him to catch up to the secretary,” Weaver said on CNN’s “New Day.”
Weaver said it’s highly unlikely either candidate will garner 2,383 pledged delegates to win the nomination. Superdelegates “don’t count until they vote, and they don’t vote until we get to the convention,” Weaver argued. “So when we arrive at the convention, it will be an open convention, likely with neither candidate having a majority of pledged delegates. So I think it’ll be an interesting Democratic convention.”
After more than a century without a single contested convention, imagine two contested conventions this summer.
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The number one single today in 1954:
Today in 1964, the Billboard Hot 100 could have been called the Beatles 14 and the non-Beatles 86, topped by …
The number one single today in 1970:
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The number one single today in 1965:
The number one album today in 1976 was Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive,” the best selling live album in rock music history:
The number one album today in 1993 was Depeche Mode’s “Songs of Faith and Devotion”:
Birthdays start with one-hit wonder Sheb Wooley:
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The number 15 British song today in 1966 was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards:
The number one single today in 1966:
The number one single today in 1977:
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A month ago I blogged here about fiction and fictional characters set in Wisconsin.
This sort-of sequel considers the University of Wisconsin, and its Big Ten, or Televen, or T1e2n, or now T1e4n, as characters within TV series. Apparently there is a considerable collection of such exercises, one of which I saw online, forcing me to look for others. Though I watch little TV, readers can determine whether these depictions of my alma mater are accurate.
The opinions expressed here obviously are based in part on a school’s likability, or not, to impartial observers. Buzzfeed wrote a guide to rooting for Big Ten football teams, which placed Wisconsin third behind Missedagain and O!S!U! a few years ago:
Pros:
– Recruit anonymous players. Turn them into beasts who crush bigger-name teams en route to Rose Bowl. Repeat.
– “Jump Around” tradition is killer.
– You feel for their fans after their meatheaded but successful coach, Bret Bielema, straight-up jumped ship and went to Arkansas.
– Big on tradition and continuity, but had the brains and flexibility to pick up Russell Wilson for his last year of eligibility.
– The Onion started in Madison.Cons:
– Likely headed back to period of also-ran status beneath Michigan and OSU.
– Not really any other cons now that Meatbrain Bielema is gone. Good tradition, team that perennially maximizes talent and plays grade-A football that’s sound but exciting — this is a good program for any uncommitted fan to get behind.I don’t watch “Game of Thrones,” but apparently Wisconsin is, according to 10Worthy …
ARYA STARK
Spunky, brave and kind of badass, much like a Wisconsin badger
“Game of Thrones” sort of supplanted “Mad Men” as must-see non-network TV, so Hammer & Rails decided on …
Wisconsin Badgers = Stan Rizzo
In both football and basketball Wisconsin puts forth a tough, hard-nosed attitude that often works well. They’re brash and will run you over in football while in basketball they aren’t afraid to ugly it up and win 45-42. Stan is the guy in the office that walks around with his biceps showing and a general “Come at me, Bro” attitude, at least as much as one can do that in 1966.
Still, as good as Stan is, he can easily be forgotten. People forget about Wisconsin at their peril. Stan is an ultimately likeable character, and I have to say I like Wisconsin’s work ethic.
… which is praise coming from a Purdue writer.
I don’t watch “House of Cards” either, but Sherman Ave. does, and decided on …
Wisconsin – Edward Meechum: We know you wanna be good at sports and smart, but sleeping with the top dogs will get you nowhere. They don’t care about you. You’re a pawn in their game. Don’t be a Meechum, Wisco. You’ll get there eventually. Always on the periphery, never top dog, but certainly one to hobnob with them–Edward Meechum suits Wisconsin to a T. Also does not know how to hold his liquor.
That last sentence will provoke disagreement among true Wisconsinites.
Indeed, Wisconsin seems to come up often for characters that enjoy food, drink and, uh, other substances, particularly in group settings. If Big Ten schools were Harry Potter characters, according to Her Campus, Wisconsin would be …
Ron Weasley loves to eat food. If Ron Weasley knew what cheese curds were, he would be all about them. Ron has his shining moments throughout the series, but he’s never the star. He puts forth a solid effort. UW-Madison has consistently good records and we’re a dependable team to root for, just like Ron.
And according to The Big Lead …
… Wisconsin is Barney Gumble, although someone else on Reddit suggested …
Barry Huffman, known mostly by his working name Duffman, is the mascot and spokesman for the Duff Beer company.
… who has his own theme song:
As for “Family Guy,” according to No Coast Bias …
Brian Griffin is Wisconsin
Brian is opinionated, liberal and a bit out of an outcast in his environment… much like the city of Madison is in the Midwest. As an example, his views on legalizing marijuana seem to be shared by the students of Wisconsin. Despite all that, Brian has proven to be a strong character that can carry the rest of the group when they are off their game. And, of course, he likes to party.Speaking of partying, Sherman Ave. returns with “Parks and Recreation”:
University of Wisconsin as Tom Haverford
“Oh, what’s this in my shoe? Red carpet insole. Everywhere I go, I’m walking on red carpet.”Tom’s boyishness and naivety would make him feel right at home at Wisconsin. However, no one can deny that both know how to throw down.
(That’s naïveté, by the way.)
Speaking of food, The Champaign Room compared Big Ten schools to fast-food franchises, and the Wisconsin pick is obvious …
The obvious answer is usually obvious for a reason. Created out of essentially nothing in the middle of Wisconsin in the mid-80s, somehow grew into a regional powerhouse through the vision of one man (George Culver/Barry Alvarez). Primarily based on making things gigantic and fat (Butterburgers and custard/immovable offensive linemen). A good enough formula that tends to overreach and not quite make that final big step (too pricey/three Rose Bowl losses in a row).
… though incorrectly described, unless you seriously prefer Taco Bell, Arby’s, Subway, Long John Silver’s, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, KFC, Sonic (good luck finding one since, like Krispy Kreme the company overexpanded and opened, then closed, numerous stores), Portillo’s (which I’ve never heard of), Five Guys, Jack in the Box, Rax (see Portillo’s) or White Castle to Culver’s, in which case I question your judgment.
Land-Grant Holy Land didn’t make a particularly pleasant choice of “Arrested Development” character …
Wisconsin: Lucille Bluth
Barry Alvarez is the shadow emperor of the Big Ten. Their very existence is sort of a loud-mouthed one. Their fans (and band) are pretty much always drunk before noon, and their last coach was basically always saying stuff that seemed to get him into trouble. They’re rather materialistic in their ambitions, but they’re also never really willing to work hard enough to get what they want (see: their non-conference schedule).
… apparently because it was written by an Ohio State graduate.
I loathe “Grey’s Anatomy” (and once wrote online that I wish the series would end with every character getting killed off), but I don’t think Odyssey is being complimentary either:
14. University of Wisconsin as Jackson Avery
They seem to skate by in life and get everything handed to them, but both this character and the school know what’s good. Jackson, like students from Wisconsin, is a total “guy’s guy,” but also a great person.“They seem to skate by in life and get everything handed to them” reminds me of no one I know from this state.
My favorite, and I’m sure yours, is from “The Office” by way of Odyssey again:
Jim Halpert
Badgers. Beets. Battlestar Galactica. Hot, smart, witty-you’re the complete package. Your Midwestern charm combined with your no-f*cks attitude puts you at the top of the list. You have the natural ability to win over the hearts of many, especially when you’re the situational underdog. Some may find it a tad fishy that a U of M student such as myself would award a rival with the ‘Big Tuna’ label. However, the deed had to be done.
“Hot, smart, witty — you’re the complete package.” And I’m modest too.
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Deadspin has every reported U.S. call, and two foreign-broadcaster calls, of the finish of Monday’s NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship game.
This play henceforth shall be called “Villanova” or “Nova” by every coach who uses it. And it’s a good play, because the ball-handler ends up acting as an additional screen for the shooter. Even though the point guard was apparently the designated shooter, I think it works better with the inbounder and trail guy taking the shot.
TBS extended its Team Stream — featuring team-biased announcers — to the national championship, which is great, and should be emulated by all pro and Division I college sports broadcasters.
To no one’s surprise Villanova’s announcers were bigger fans of the finish than North Carolina’s. I don’t know that if I were the Tar Heel announcer I’d go to dead silence, but given the audience it isn’t necessarily inappropriate. Nearly always on TV less is more.
(I got to call a buzzer-beater that went the wrong way this college basketball season. What I should have said was something like “this was a great game … for 39 minutes and 59 seconds.”)
As for Villanova radio …
The one thing that got somewhat ignored in the frenetic finish was that the final shot had to be reviewed by the officials, even though the confetti and streamer bombs had been fired off already. Imagine what would have happened had officials waved off the shot. Before overtime would have been played, the floor would have had to have been cleaned off of all the debris.
The postgame interview is a sad moment. TBS’ Craig Sager has leukemia, which is no longer in remission, meaning this may be the final Final Four he gets to work.
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Today in 1967, John Lennon took his Rolls–Royce to J.P. Fallon Ltd. in Surrey, England, to see if it could paint the car in psychedelic colors. The result three months later:
The number one single today in 1973:
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 