VOLUME 11, NO. 27 | AUGUST 4, 2011 by Second Supper

INSIDE...

Finding Dan Kapanke Page 6

La Crosse's Free Press

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

PHOTO BY ASHLY CONRAD

VOLUME 11, NO. 27 | AUGUST 4, 2011

A Jay Street fire victim shares his loss and love Page 5 PLUS: HOW YOU CAN HELP • PAGE 3 | GINGER ALE, BUT NOT LIKE THAT • PAGE 9 | WHAT'S OLD IS CRÜE AGAIN • PAGE 11

2// August 4, 2011

Second Supper

COMMUNITY

Letter From The Editor Dear Reader:

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There were a lot of topics I had planned to write about this week — the fallout over the Shilling/Kapanke race, the impasse in Washington and last week’s crossword puzzle snafu — but I just can’t get past the Jay Street fire. Even tonight, on my front porch four days later, I still smell the charred ruins. I remember those huge plumes of smoke, the mad scene downtown and the streetscape that was once a part of my everyday reality and is now gone after 115 years. I don’t live around the corner anymore, but I knew something was wrong as soon as I woke up on Saturday. This may be a 21st century moment, but my Facebook feed was flaring up with photos, eye-witness accounts and conspiracy theories. When I later took in the scene for myself, the odd mix of spectacle and grieving, it felt even more surreal. No, in those first 24 hours I found the best, most crystalline, most powerful accounts came from the Facebook posts of Tim Powers. Tim, if you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting him, is one of the most humble and good-hearted souls you’ll ever encounter. You may know him as the bass player for the Smokin’ Bandits, but Tim has been an anchor in our city’s music scene for decades. He also lived for seven years in an apartment at 425 Jay Street, the building he evacuated in a Saturday morning haze and later watched incinerate right before his eyes.

I was reluctant to ask Tim to write something for Second Supper. His Facebooking was so raw, so of the moment and so incredibly sad that I was afraid I was poking at a raw wound. Yet Tim graciously accepted my offer, and in only two nights he submitted the piece you’ll find on page 5. This is one of the saddest and most poignant stories we have ever printed in this newspaper, and I am so humbled to share it with the community. But I wanted to close this letter with an appreciation for the firefighters. We caught some flak last month for a cover story we printed on the department, but I want to stress that we have the utmost respect for the profession. My grandfather actually served in the La Crosse Fire Department for 30 years, rising to the level of assistant chief, while my dad volunteered for the French Island force. I grew up learning about fire fighting strategy, and I cannot imagine being called to a blaze at a 100-year-old livery stable tucked into a narrow alley behind multiplestory brick buildings. The heat must have been incredible, the stress disorienting and the soreness unceasing for those men and women who scaled ladder trucks and rooftops to fight the blaze that could have spread to the rest downtown. In this small city of ours, we all play a role. Be us firefighters or musicians or newspaper writers, we look after our own — and together we will rebuild.

— Adam Bissen

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CURRENT JOB: Director of Grand River Singers and freelance Choreographer, www. grandriversingers.com

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Second Supper

All that jazz!

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American Red Cross There for Fire Victims By Emily Faeth emily.faeth@secondsupper.com The American Red Cross is lending a hand to the victims of Saturday’s devastating fire, but Cheryl Hancock, executive director of the Scenic Bluffs Chapter, says the relief organization still needs community support. “We provide for the immediate needs,” said Hancock, who wouldn’t describe specifics of the Jay Street relief effort, citing privacy issues. The Red Cross can provide fire victims with a few nights hotel stay, some changes of clothing, as well as food. The organization will also work to replace more specialized needs, like prescription medication or eyeglasses. “We meet with each individual or family in order to identify what their needs are,” Hancock said. Nationwide, the American Red Cross serves over 70,000 people who have experienced house fires each year. The Scenic Bluffs Chapter — which serves La Crosse, Vernon, Jackson, and Monroe counties in Wisconsin and Houston County in Minnesota — provides aid to 50 to 60 of those families. And all that aid takes a lot of resources — which is why Hancock emphasizes the need for donations as well as volunteers. “It’s not always a financial situation [the victims of disaster are in],” she said. “Sometimes people just need emotional support.” To donate to the Scenic Bluffs Chapter of the American Red Cross, visit their online donations page at www.arcscenicbluffs.org.

August 4, 2011 // 3

FIRST THINGS FIRST

There is a lot more to burlesque than a flop Christina Aguilera movie — and members of the Grand River Singers, as well as other local theatre talents, are going to be proving just that this weekend in a special burlesque fundraiser for the Grand River Singers. Held at the Batavaian Building at 319 Main St., performances will be held Friday and Saturday night at 7 and 9 p.m., with Sunday shows at 2 and 4 p.m.The cost of tickets are $40 for one and $70 for two.Tickets include drinks and food provided by Ebeneezers. For tickets, go to the Grand River Singers’ Web site, www.grandriversingers.com.

Get your passport to nature

Get back in touch with Mother Earth this Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Myrick/Hixon EcoPark’s Eco Family Festival! Pick up your EcoPassport inside the EcoPark Center and join in the fun as you and your family head to the nature stations to learn about native species of birds and water-dwelling animals through storytelling, playing, and much more. Or take yourself on your own guided tour with an EcoPack, filled with fun ways to get you started on your own nature exploration. The event is totally free and suitable for all ages. And if those kids get hungry, don’t worry — the People’s Food Coop Snack Station will be on hand to tame those hungry bellies.

Treat yourself to some groovy tunes at this weekend’s Great River Jazz Fest. The event runs tonight through Sunday at both Riverside Park and the Radisson Center. The fest’s featured musicians hail from La Crosse, Madison, Minneapolis, as well as both the right and left coasts. A PianoRama will be held Saturday morning featuring all piano players from the festival, and while we’re not sure what, exactly, that is, it sure sounds like fun! Refreshments are available at both the outside stage and within the Radisson. And for some late-night kicks, after-hours jams will be held both Friday and Saturday nights beginning around 10. Now there’s a way to stay cool in this heat.

What a glorious feeling!

Prepare yourself for some high-intensity entertainment this weekend at the Appleseed Community Theater’s production of Singin’ in the Rain. Show times are Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2. Come see the classic musical based on the classic movie featuring Gene Kelly. Tickets can be purchased at the door and at Merchants Bank and area Festival Foods for $12.

Rock those docks

Get ready to relax and kick back with good friends this Saturday Aug, 6th as Huck Finn’s is hosting the annual Rockin’ the Docks. A fundraiser for the La Crosse Area Family YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign, the all-day affair with feature four local and regional bands: The Remainders, G.B. Leighton, T.U.G.G., Unity and Abbey Lane and the Backbone. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day of show. The music begins at 2- p.m. and lasts until midnight.

WHAT YOU [YES, YOU] CAN DO TO HELP v Come to the benefit for fire victim Tim Powers (of Smokin’ Bandits fame), who lost virtually everything he had in the fire, at the Jay Street Joint, 324 Jay St.The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 13, and feature the music of the Smokin’ Bandits, Sterus,Ya See Three, Brent Brown, the Kokopellians, and more. Until then, a donation box is currently available at the Joint.

at THE JOINT

v Help Dru La Pointe, also known as hip- hop artist Efftup, by checking out his music at efftupp.bandcamp.com.You can also donate on mobfrontrecords.com. A benefit for La Pointe is in the works.

v Donate to the Red Cross, which is assisting fire victims, or other local organizations that help those affected by disaster.Your funds may not directly go to a specific person, but you can be assured that you’ll be helping someone in need.

Forward any information you have regarding benefits, fundraisers or other types of aid for the victims of the Jay Street fire right here to Second Supper (editor@secondsupper.com). We’ll be sure to keep our readers informed of ways they can help.

The Smokin' Bandits Sterus Ya See Three Brent Brown Mr. Blink The Kokopellians Saturday, August 13, and more! 3:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

4// August 4, 2011

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Second Supper

August 4, 2011 // 5

COMMUNITY

Up from the Ashes

By Tim Powers Special to Second Supper

It is not often that one can say they were part of history. This past Saturday, I was a part of a tragic chapter that was written on the dusty pages of the history of La Crosse. In case you didn’t know, were out of town or just missed it, a fire destroyed the Optometrist Building on Jay Street. I was one of six tenants living in the building who lost … well … pretty much everything. In the space of a few hours, seven years of hard work, sweat and memories were relegated to the bottom of a pile of rubble. It is depressing as hell and I don’t think I have fully processed what went down. I have thought many times over that I could have died in this fire and how lucky I am to be alive. While I am thankful I am alive and that I have the most righteous family and friends a man could ever hope to have, this abrupt uprooting has not been the easiest on my psyche. I have been asked to recount what went down on Saturday morning and in the following paragraphs I will, to the best of my ability, give you, the Second Supper reader, a ground zero account. I want to be explicit with this point — I want to emphasize that I don’t know how the fire started and I am not going to feed the rumor mill with the grabbag accounts I was hearing on the street or what was going through my head. Whatever happened, however it happened, there are people whose lives have been horribly and abruptly uprooted and thrown into a state of uncertainty and flux (mine included). Please show these people the courtesy and respect they deserve. About 9:30 on Saturday morning I awoke to the sound of alarms going off. In my half-awake/half-asleep state and coming off about 12 hours of much needed rest, I thought a car alarm was going off on the street below. I started to drift back to sleep and the alarms were still going off, and needless to say I was getting annoyed. I got out of bed and looked out the window and I saw all the fire trucks on the street. At first I thought something was popping down the street. It took me a few moments, but I realized the alarms I was hearing were smoke detectors going off … in my building. I opened the door and glanced down the hallway. I saw white smoke drifting toward me. It was getting pretty thick toward the back part of the hallway by the back door and just started to get thick in front of my door. Again, still somewhat in my drowsy state, I thought someone’s breakfast got out of hand. But the smoke reeked of plastic and was sickening. I soon realized that something serious was happening. I threw on some clothes right quick and made my way down to the street. Setting foot on Jay Street I made my way across the road and to the alley by the parking ramp. From that vantage point I could see the smoke billowing from the building behind our building, which I later found out was a livery stable. This back building evidently was connected to our building by some sort of walkway or catwalk. As I was

watching the smoke billow from the top I called my landlord to let him know the situation. The fire department was on it and kicking some ass because within 30 minutes it seemed the fire was coming under control. At this point I thought I would be able to go back to my place, grab a few valuables and make some tracks north to my mom’s house. As I was thinking about that, I heard some commotion and snapped back to reality. Where I had seen blue sky I now saw thick, dark smoke — and it was filling the sky fast. I don’t know if part of the livery stable roof gave way or if a new fire started somewhere, but the action got fast and furious on the quick. Once this occurred, my optimism started going south. Finally, I saw the roof over the back building give way and with that influx of oxygen, the smoke billowed skyward once again. For a second time, the fire department seemed to get things under control. Then I noticed something. It was smoke coming from the open windows of the apartment on the corner facing Jay Street. I was thinking something along the lines of, is there a fire in that apartment? and if there is a fire in that apartment, it is right next to my apartment. Damn! There had been firefighters on the roof of our building spraying in the vicinity of the main fire and I think they were spraying our roof as well. Then I heard a bystander by me say that the firefighters were using axes and chainsaws to vent the roof area above the apartment. Then all hell broke loose. Thick smoke started to pour out of the windows of the apartment, and firefighters were spraying in through the roof and the windows. At this point, something inside me told me there was no way my belongings would survive. I started to prepare myself for the worst. I was making phone calls to my friends and family, and I was getting calls from friends and family. In the earlier calls, I was feeling a sense of optimism. Toward the latter calls, I just mentally gave up. I resigned myself to the fact that my guitars, my laptop and my mountain bike were gone. Everything else I didn’t really care about, but I thought about my guitars, my babies, and there was no saving them. I had to leave the area … too many people snapping pics and gawking. I went to my sister and brother-in-law’s house to chill out for a while. On my way to my mom’s house I swung through the parking ramp to check on my vehicle. My amps and wireless unit were in my car, and I wanted to be sure it was locked up solid. I made my way to the ramp entrance and saw that my windows were blown out. I don’t know if the fire spread there or what happened. I just looked for a few moments, shook my head and headed north to Onalaska. The next day I headed back downtown to pick up my car. The previous night my landlord called and a couple of friends called to let me know that the building had been razed. When I came upon the block I wanted to see for myself, thinking somehow I was told wrong. All I saw was a pile of rubble. I think I stood there for a half-hour just star-

PHOTO BY JENN BUSHMAN

Smoke that filled the clear blue skies on Saturday was seen all over the city.

PHOTO BY JENN BUSHMAN

PHOTO BY ASHLY CONRAD

Fire fighters couldn't save the Optometrist Building at 425 Jay St. It remains a pile of rubble, as the fire is under investigation. ing at it. A few friends came by and I made I don’t give a shit), but even though I lost some small talk, but I couldn’t turn away. everything, I already have everything I need. I had to stare at it. Seven years I have lived My family has always been my rock, even there … everything gone. when I was a manipulative drunken asshole Honestly, I worried more about my who maybe didn’t deserve their love and suplandlord because his family had owned the port. I haven’t always been the best person, building for years and there was nothing left. but they stuck by me and believed in me, and I worried more about my neighbor Drew for that I love them forever. across the hallway because he lost his two My friends are the most righteous kickcats. The most important thing was that I was ass friends one could ever have, especially OK and my guitars, clothes, laptop and bike my brethren in the La Crosse music scene. can be replaced. I love each and every one of them because When I moved to 425 Jay Street #3 I was at my most vulnerable they had my back and almost a year clean and sober and looking propped me up when I felt like crawling in for a fresh start. My apartment wasn’t much a hole. Music has always been my sanctuary to brag about, but it was mine and I made and my solace in both good times and bad. sure I paid my rent and bills on time (well, All I ever wanted to do was to play music most of the time). In my time living there, and make people happy, and I am living my I finally became an adult — and when fire dream. I don’t care about being famous or consumed it a part of me just died with it. rich and really don’t care if I ever make a Two days removed from this tragedy I magazine cover (I mean, look at me … ream still trying to process things and am try- ally??) As long as people leave a Bandits ing to get back into the swing of a "normal" show, or a White Iron Band show, or a Ya See life. While this has been a struggle, I have Three show happy that makes me happy. I been absolutely floored by the outpour- don’t know what I did, but I am getting back ing of support and love from my brothers that love, and all I can say is thank you. and sisters in the La Crosse music scene, friends and family. So many people want to Tim Powers is a bass player in the Smokin’ Bandits help and so many people have blown up my and a credit counselor at Consumer Credit Counphone and Facebook offering their love and seling Service. A fundraising benefit in his honor concern, and they want to help in any way will be held Aug. 13 at the Joint. possible. It sounds totally cliche (and well,

6// August 4, 2011

Second Supper

COMMUNITY

Finding Dan Kapanke

By Bob Treu Special to Second Supper

What began in the harsh chill of the Wisconsin spring slogs on through the damp, almost paralyzing heat of late July. The energy of the angry protests and the gathering of tens of thousands of signatures to force the largest group of recall elections in our history has been transformed into the dogged determination of canvassing, the distribution of slightly humid fliers. It was over 90 degrees when Ashley and I climbed into my old pickup to interview Senator Dan Kapanke, one of Governor Walker’s most loyal supporters and object of the local recall effort. Somehow we had let this story slide to the last week of the campaign, which could give the senator an advantage, so we decided to even things out by not giving the senator a cover. That didn’t prevent the irrational fear that somehow we would affect the outcome of the election. Then there was the lurking temptation to Gonzo this thing to death, a temptation I would try to resist, since I never liked Gonzo journalism. No one who reads these pages will believe we don’t have a political bias, but we weren’t willing to give up on objectivity entirely. We found the senator at his campaign headquarters, which is almost hidden on the part of the Causeway north of Festival Foods. In fact we missed it first try. Though it has been given a fresh coat of russet brown paint, it resembles nothing so much as a redone fast food place, a model of American efficiency. The woman who called us the day before to set up the interview had a 702 area code, a number we recognized as serving southern Nevada. Her car, one of the few in the lot, bore a Nevada license plate. It turns out she has come out from West Las Vegas to help us make the right choice. We left the windows of the pickup open, since the air conditioning stopped working two years ago. Besides, there was nothing to steal. Inside we were greeted by a life-sized photo of Ronald Reagan dressed in cowboy costume. His pistol is drawn and pointed at us, but he is smiling that Reagan smile, as if he’d shoot and we’d like it. Ashley managed to get a photo of that while we waited. Eventually the senator came out of a rear office and then took time to embrace a supporter, a woman with nicely permed silver hair. After loudly calling down blessings upon her, he took her into a side office to chat briefly. That done, he turned his attention to us. Talking a little baseball seemed a good way to begin. Dan Kapanke: I always loved the game. I played in high school but was mediocre. I was better at track, but I loved baseball. I was a Milwaukee Braves fan back in the days of Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews. Second Supper: Rumor has it you coached our editor in little league. Was he any good? DK: He was. I remember Adam as a good lefthanded hitter. [A fact check revealed that the senator’s memory is accurate on that point.] SS: According to the bios, you were elected to the Senate without ever serving in the Assembly. What did you do before that?

DK: I am proud of some of the legislation I worked on, but I am proudest of the work I have been able to do for my constituents. I keep my local office open year around to be able to help them. [Another fact check: he did close the office this spring.] SS: You find yourself in a very turbulent election season. Were you surprised by the size and strength of the reaction to the governor’s Budget Repair Bill? DK: Not entirely. The controversial part of the bill was the section limiting collective bargaining rights. There was a very large and well organized pushback by the unions. SS: So what’s the most important issue in this election? DK: It’s really about the recall election itself. I’m being recalled, and why? Because of one vote, and that was for the Budget Repair Bill.

Our intrepid reporter sits down with state senator Dan Kapanke at his campaign office.

SS: I talked with your campaign coordinator from Nevada. The recalls seem to have brought in a lot of help and contributions from outside Wisconsin. How do you feel about that?

SS: You spoke of the flexibility the budget gives school districts, but it deprives communities of the right to choose the level at which they want to support their schools. It imposes limits on what communities can do.

DK: I interviewed her for the job myself and she’s doing a good job. Actually there’s nothing new about people helping in elections in other states, although it might be a bit unusual in a local state senate race. [Note: Second Supper has also talked with a woman from Louisiana who is working on the Jennifer Shilling campaign.]

DK: If we hadn’t done that, it would have been like stepping on a balloon and just moving air from one part of the balloon to another. We are stopping the spending.

SS: The Citizens United decision, in which the Republican majority on the Supreme Court gave corporations the right to contribute massive amounts to any campaign anywhere, is changing the face of American politics. Do you think that was a good decision? DK: I don’t have any problem with the court’s decision. For me it’s a freedom of speech issue. I can’t see any reason why a corporation shouldn’t have the same rights as individuals. SS: Traditionally new governors are sworn in near a statue of Robert LaFollette. We hear Walker broke that tradition and had the ceremony elsewhere. Do you feel the governor is trying to erase as much as possible of Wisconsin’s progressive history? DK: No. When the governor was sworn in we were in extraordinary circumstances. We needed to balance the budget to meet the economic crisis and we needed to shrink government. SS: Are you still on board with the governor’s program? DK: Oh yes. And I’m telling you that’s because it’s working. We have given schools the flexibility to deal with their budget problems, and we’re seeing job growth, somewhere between 35(000) and 40,000 new jobs.

DK: I grew up on a farm, so I naturally went into agribusiness. I sold seed corn for 30 years. Before that I served in the Marine Reserve and the National Guard.

SS: Actually this morning’s news isn’t that good. A story in this morning’s Tribune says unemployment has shot up in Wisconsin cities. In La Crosse, unemployment grew by 1 percent in June, which isn’t good. People seem to be losing jobs at a faster pace than new ones appear.

SS: What’s your proudest achievement as senator?

DK: The job growth has been uneven and stronger in some areas than others.

SS: Well not entirely. The bill also provides funding for vouchers to send children to charter schools, and it no longer limits the program to low income families in a few areas. Under Walker, we’ll be paying to send the children of well-off folks to private schools. In the long run, that will certainly hurt our public school systems. Are you alright with that? DK: I was concerned by the fact that the public schools, especially in the cities, are in trouble. I just feel those students deserve a choice, and this gives more freedom for their parents to make those choices. SS: The current deadlock over the debt ceiling has been manufactured by politicians. If the debt ceiling isn’t raised, as it always has been in the past, what will be the effect locally? DK: Of course that’s a federal issue, so I don’t know all that could happen; however, the secretary of administration, Mike Huebsch, has said the state has some safeguards in that eventuality. [Fact check: The secretary feels we will be fine in case of default, for about three months, after which programs for the poor, like heating assistance and homeless shelters, and support for education, will be cut. Wisconsin gets about 30 percent of its funding from the federal government.] SS: As a result of the 2008 crash, at the end of the Bush years, a great many people seemed to want government intervention in the economy. This was done by way of the Bush bailout of financial institutions and Obama’s stimulus program. Even Alan Greenspan, the perennial guru of Ayn Rand economics, has said he regrets his former position. How do you feel about government intervention in the economy? DK: I am against government intervention in the economy. Look what happened with Ford. While the other companies took huge

PHOTOS BY ASHLY CONRAD

loans, Ford didn’t, and they are doing just fine. I think it was a mistake to put all that money into the other companies. [Note: The loans to Chrysler and General Motors prevented millions of Americans from joining the ranks of the unemployed. Also, the loans are being paid back in a timely fashion.] SS: As a person with significant experience in agriculture, you know about the enormous number of small farmers that were driven out of business by the Reagan policies of the ‘80s. How do you react to that history? DK: Well, Wisconsin has a growing number of organic farms, so small farming is still healthy here. In fact tomorrow I’m visiting the Organic Valley organization, which is one of the largest organic farming enterprises in the country. SS: Do you favor the current extensive subsidies to agriculture? DK: I think we need to reevaluate all those programs, especially given the difficult times we are having balancing the budget. SS: Do you think we should eliminate them? DK: No. Not completely. But we need to reevaluate them. SS: How is Wisconsin adjusting to the health care reform known popularly as Obamacare? DK: We are working on constructing the insurance exchanges that the bill mandates. But I have been against Obamacare from the beginning. It’s too big an intrusion into the private economy and it’s going to be way too expensive. I just don’t think the federal government can do health care as well as private business can. SS: Similarly, do you support Congressman Ryan’s plan to privatize medicare? DK: Since I’m not running for federal office, I really haven’t studied that. [Note: People have been trying to pin the Senator down on that one for some time, but with little success. They are getting some mileage out of the fact that Ryan was once scheduled to appear at a Kapanke fundraiser, but was somehow unscheduled.] SS: One last question: Given the vituperative rhetoric and take-no-prisoners attitude that

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Second Supper

August 4, 2011 // 7

MUSIC

'Dog Sees God' plays for Peanuts

By Jonathan Majak jonathan.majak@secondsupper.com

Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” are about to be roasted in a blisteringly funny send-up of the classic Charlie Brown characters in “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” a student-produced production at UWLa Crosse. A kooky blend of coming-of-age story and satire, this unauthorized parody looks at the lives of the iconic child characters in their teenage years. And being that it is not authorized by the Schulz estate, with all the potential litigation that goes along with that, discussions about the inspiration behind the show have to be done in a fairly roundabout manner. “It’s a seriocomic play based around characters we can’t name,” laughed UW-L student Austin Hernandez who, along with fellow UW-L student Kevin Fenshaw, is producing the show. While the idea of mixing the classic Charlie Brown characters with the perils of drugs, sexual awakenings and other staples of teenage drama sounds interesting, if slightly one-note, Fenshaw said that there is just as much pathos as there is parody in the show. “It’s not just about who they are,” Fenshaw said, “but who they are going to be. They are shockingly real.” One thing that has been shockingly real for both Fenshaw and Hernandez is the amount of work that comes with mounting a production including things like casting the show, planning rehearsals, and getting a production crew together. “I thought I had a lot to do as an actor,” Hernandez said. “But with this, I didn’t just have to step up; I had to leap.”

The students have taken it upon themselves to do this for a variety of reasons, according to Fenshaw and Hernandez. “‘Art’ [last summer’s student production] had been a lot more beneficial than I even thought possible,” Fenshaw explained. “It gives people more experience.” There is a certain amount of freedom that comes with putting on a show without the aid of the university faculty and, according to Fenshaw, it is both liberating and nerve-wracking. “We have a lot of flexibility,” he said. “No one is going to step in and rescue us. The faculty has entrusted us with this space.” Both Hernandez and Fenshaw has said the experience of putting on the show has been terrific, particularly because of the gungho spirit of all those involved. “There has been a great energy,” Fenshaw explained. “People have been really prepped with everything since even the auditions,” Hernandez added. When it comes to what they want audiences to expect from the show, Hernandez and Fenshaw were adamant that there is a lot more to proceedings than just poking fun of a classic comic strip character and his cohorts. “You’ll enjoy the comedic stuff,” said Fenshaw. “You also get captured up from the plotting, following the journey.”” “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” a student production at UW-L, will have performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Frederick Theatre in Morris Hall as well as a remount on Sept. 17. The show is free, though donations are welcomed to support UW-L theatre students scholarships.

The Majak Mixtape

By Jonathan Majak jonathan.majak@secondsupper.com

Huzzah, Mixtapers! A crippling financial crisis has been temporarily averted! Sadly, this is not in reference to the balance in our checking account. Instead, we are, of course, referring to hotly debated raising of the debt ceiling to keep the United States from defaulting on its bills and being forced to go to one of those check-into-cash places to cover its finances. President Obama signed the legislation into law on Tuesday, and in honor of this, we look back at the highs, the lows and all the in-between that happened in a mix we’re calling “Mixtaping on the Debt Ceiling.” The debt ceiling fight exposed some major cracks in the foundation of the Republican party as the Old Guard squared off against the scrappy upstarts known as the Tea Party for ideological dominance, which leads us to our first song “Better Off Without You” from the awesome duo Summer Camp. We’re sure both sides were of this exact opinion at various points during all the jockeying for control of the party, with House Speaker John Boehner the Regina George to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s Cadie Heron. The only thing more amazing than watching those two battle for power is the fact that Boehner has managed to get through this whole debt ceiling

fight without crying. Well, at least publicly. Over on the Democratic side, President Obama is probably wondering what happened to the halcyon days of Hope posters and Will.I.Am songs penned in his honor. This leads us to our song “Come Down” from Dum Dum Girls’ upcoming second album “Only in Dreams.” As he deals with a party with a wide spectrum of folks that range from Electric Car liberals to “Really? How are you NOT a Republican” conservative Democrats, President Obama was going to have a difficult go with the debt ceiling without even having to deal with Republicans. If you’ve noticed, the presidency has aged Obama to the point that come 2012 elections he’ll probably look as youthful as Morgan Freeman at the end of “Driving Miss Daisy.” But not all of the high drama that came with the raising of the debt ceiling was bad. One of the true high points of the whole thing was when Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was seriously injured when shot back in January while meeting with constituents, came to Washington, D.C., and cast a vote in favor of raising the debt ceiling. This leads us to our last song, “Baby I Was There” from TV Girl’s EP “Benny and the Jetts.” Seriously, Rep. Giffords was shot in the head and still made it to vote on the bill. Makes you feel like a d-bag for calling into work that one time when you had the sniffles, doesn’t it? Buy: The Ettes “Wicked Will” YouTube: The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl Read: Large Hearted Boy www.largehearted boy. Get your daily dose of all the wig-snatching antics of The Majak Mixtape at The Majak Kingdom blog, www.majakkingdom.blogspot.com

Medium: Album Stimulus: Handsome Furs — Sound Kapital Anno: 2011 Medium: Album Stimulus: Memory Tapes — Player Piano Anno: 2011

When jerkwad music journalists like me use the word “ethereal” to describe a work, they usually mean one of two things: the music is a near-ambient sound collage that aims for pixielike and adorable, or the singer is drugged to hell and babbling inane or incomprehensible lyrics. Memory Tapes is an example of the first school of ethereal, though Player Piano gets a bit too motivated in places to be completely described as fly on the wall. There are a lot of precious electronic-driven instrumentals on this album coupled with earnest smurf pop tunes, and all of it adds up to one simple message: hug us. The instrumentals are generally better than the vocal tracks, but one lyrical track stands out as the album’s best work. “Offers” is a moody and seductive song full of empty hallway vocals, bleeding synthetic squeaks, and some really pretty keyboards at its core. While there’s not much on Player Piano that I’d call memorable, “Offers” is a fairly arresting piece of work.

Though it could be called a few different things, one thing Sound Kapital is not is a slick album. The keyboards which overpopulate what is ultimately a rock album sound like they were purchased at a rummage sale, and the tones they create for the album are so rough and abrasive that they dominate every song. The vocals and beats are rendered incredibly secondary. That said, Sound Kapital is a pretty sterling example of bargain basement electronica. Sure, there are tracks like “When I Get Back,” which is one more example of the recent crop of drawling hippie electropop, and “Bury Me Standing” sounds too much like a teched-up Billy Idol song to be taken as anything but silly. But there are good tracks like “What About Us,” which blares its Nintendo dancefloor to maximum effect, as well as the glittering, pulsating “Memories of the Future.” On this album, Handsome Furs sounds highly competent, but its caustic lo-fi orchestration does seem to render this work as strictly for old school tech geeks.

— Brett Emerson

Reminds you to support the retailers, restaurants, taverns and bands that support us. We are funded solely by advertising so if you want to support us, support them!

CONSCIENTIOUS COMMERCE:

Vote with your Wallet

8// August 4, 2011

Second Supper

MUSIC

music directory // August 5 to August 11 FRIDAY,

August 5

LYLE LOVETT // August 14 Potawatomi Casino • $55 JANET JACKSON // August 14 Milwaukee Theatre • $99

HOFFERS // 500 Copeland Ave. Shawno & Echant (acoustic covers) • 9:30 p.m.

GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS // August 18 Potawatomi Casino • $30

NIGHTHAWKS TAP // 401 S. Third St. The Mighty Dave O • 10 p.m.

SATURDAY,

August 6

BOOT HILL PUB // 1501 St. Andrew St. Dan Collins & a Piano (pop) • 6 p.m. FIELD HOUSE // W5450 Keil Coulee Rd. Ultrasonic Duo (acoustic/electric rock) • 8 p.m. FREIGHT HOUSE // 107 Vine St. Rose River (acoustic/folk) • 7 p.m. MY SECOND HOME // 2104 George St. Town and Country Band (35th anniversary show) • 8 p.m. PIGGY'S BLUES LOUNGE // 501 Front St. S. Swing Inc. (jazz) • 8 p.m. RED PINES BAR & GRILL // W7305 Hwy Z La Barge (folk) Duo • 8 p.m. TOM SAWYER’S // 30899 Dickson Rd. Smoke N’ Gunz (acoustic duo) • 9 p.m. THE WAREHOUSE // 324 Pearl St. Serpents, Of Glaciers, Jason Todd, Heavy Arms, Guardians (metal) • 6:30 p.m. THE WATERFRONT TAVERN // 328 Front St. Dan Sebranek (folk) • 8 p.m.

596,974

JOSH GROBAN // August 9 Bradley Center • $73

FREIGHT HOUSE // 107 Vine St. Rose River (acoustic/folk)• 6:30 p.m.

THE WATERFRONT TAVERN // 328 Front St. Dan Sebranek (folk) • 8 p.m.

Milwaukee population

BOOT HILL PUB // 1501 St. Andrew St. Rick Weeth (acoustic) • 6:30 p.m.

PIGGY'S BLUES LOUNGE // 501 Front St. S. Swing Inc (jazz) • 8 p.m.

just a roadie away

Voices of Wisconsin will be holding a Get the Vote Out concert event this Sunday, August 7 at the Bodega Brew Pub and Jules Coffeeshop. The event is to raise awareness of the upcoming recall election this Tuesday and will feature guest appearances from Madison activists Segway Jeremy Ryan, Jenna Pope-Solidarity Batman and Matthew Schaunenburg (the hunger strike guy). Featured bands will include The Kokopellians, Middletown, Neon, Paulie, Mr. Blink (pictured above), the Brent Brown Band, Jawbone, Eddie Allen, Bill Motzel, Charlotte Deranek, Driftless River Band and more. The event starts at 2 p.m., so be sure to head downtown and show your support for voting.

SUNDAY,

August 7

BODEGA BREW PUB // 122 4th St. The Kokopellians, Middletown, Neon, Paulie, Mr. Blink, Brent Brown Band, Jawbone ("Voices of Wisconsin") • 2 p.m.

MONDAY,

August 8

DEL’S BAR // 229 Third St. Open Jam with Cheech • 10 p.m.

YOUNG JEEZY // August 19 The Rave • $22 BLINK 182, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA // August 23 Marcus Amphitheatre • $18 AMON AMARTH // August 24 The Rave/Eagles Ballroom • $19

THE MIRAGE // 4329 Mormon Coulee Rd. Live Music (oldies/variety/easy listening) • 6 p.m.

POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Shawn’s Open Jam • 10 p.m.

THE WAREHOUSE // 324 Pearl St. Gideon, All’s Quiet, Conveyor, This Embrace (hard rock) • 6 p.m.

FIELD HOUSE // W5450 Keil Coulee Rd. Michael Patrick (acoustic jam) • 6 p.m.

TUESDAY,

THURSDAY,

HALFWAY CREEK // 300 W. Roberts (Holmen) Executives (concerts in the park) • 2 p.m.

POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Paulie (one-man band) • 8:30 p.m.

JULES COFFEE HOUSE // 327 Pearl St Eddie Allen, Bill Motzel, Charlotte Deranek ("Voices of Wisconsin") • 2 p.m.

DEWEY'S // 621 St. Paul St. Randy’s Corner Hosted by Gregg “Cheech” Hall (songwriters) • 6 p.m.

CAVALIER LOUNGE // 114 5th Ave. N. Matt Davignon, Kristin Miltner, Igloo Martian, Moscatello (noise show) • 8 p.m.

JAVA VINO // 1505 Losey Blvd S. Dan Collins and a Piano (pop) • 6 p.m.

LA CROSSE QUEEN // Riverside Park Journeymen (classic covers) • 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY,

August 9

August 10

August 11

NORTH SIDE OASIS // 620 Gillette St. Shawno & Echant (acoustic jam) • 9 p.m.

THE JOINT // 324 Jay St. Adam Palm (Palm Sunday) • 4 p.m.

BOOT HILL PUB // 1501 St. Andrew St. Jerry Anderson & Neil Duresky (variety/lounge) • 5:30 p.m.

RECOVERY ROOM // 901 7th St. S. Michael Patrick (acoustic jam) • 6 p.m.

POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Dave Orr (man about town) • 10 p.m.

Seven Rivers Brass (swing) • 6 p.m.

SCHMIDTY'S // 3119 State Rd. Dave Kerska (oldies) • 5:30 p.m.

RECOVERY ROOM // 901 7th St. S. Kin Pickin' (jam grass) • 5 p.m.

THE STARLITE LOUNGE // 222 Pearl St. Kies & Kompanie (jazz) • 5 p.m.

RIVER JACK'S //1835 Rose St. Mark Harrod (pop/rock) • 6 p.m.

TREMPEALEAU HOTEL // 150 Main St. The SoapBox Project (pop, rock) • 7 p.m.

SLOOPY'S // 163 Copeland Ave. Jaded Blonde (ladies night) • 8 p.m. SOUTHSIDE NEIGH. CENTER // 1300 S. 6th St.

Second Supper

The Beer Review Good Juju Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, Colorado I’m generally leery of spiced beers. Not that I’m a purist or anything, but too many brewers get overzealous when they hit the spice rack — as evidenced by all those strange liquid ginger snaps that flood the shelves each winter. Hops and barley are already a lovely mix on their own, so any extra spices should work to better serve the beer and not overpower an already perfect flavor combination. Thankfully the wise minds at Colorado’s Left Hand Brewing Company understand this lesson well. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a bad beer from this bunch,

and they keep that hot streak alive with Good Juju, a summer ale brewed with ginger that’s a perfect treat on a 90 degree day. To brush away any misconceptions, this isn’t a “ginger beer” exactly, or even a “ginger ale.” It’s an ale brewed with ginger, and the distinction is an important one when you’re working with a flavor as powerful as ginger root. Without the ginger, Good Juju would probably be a perfectly palatable pale ale, but the spice infusion hits the lips just right, leaving an assertive flavor and a slight burn that cuts through the summer heat and works twice as well as you’d expect it to. It’s the best adjunct beer I’ve tried all year. Purchase: Six-pack of Good Juju from Festival Foods, $8.69 Style: Spice beer Strength: 4 percent ABV

Packaging: The Good Juju has some of the coolest beer packaging I’ve seen lately. The label is a psychedelic lime green and rose print depicting a skull with a snake and lizard for eyes. It doesn’t so much scream “Drink me” as “Whoa, I think we did too much.” Appearance: The beer pours a rather translucent gold color with a carbonated white head that has little retention. Aroma: Clearly, there is ginger in this beer. It specifically smells like candied ginger, but the malts have a strong enough backbone to keep it from getting out of hand. Taste: The Good Juju slides easilyy onto the front of the tongue and spread sugary sweetness until the ginger kicks in halfway through. For a moment it’s like eating Japanese candy, but this seems to have a base of an American pale ale whose West Coast hops are

The Best Food & Drink Specials in Town LOCATION

SUNDAY

BODEGA BREW PUB BROTHERS

CLOSED

306 Pearl St. 784-0522

CARLIE'S ON THIRD

$5 domestic pitchers

1914 Campbell Road 782-7764

FEATURES

W3923 State Highway 16 786-9000

FISH'S BAR & GRILL

Bar Menu

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

2-Fers, Buy any regularly priced food item and get one of equal or lesser value for free

$4 Rueben Sliders

$1 Wells, $5 Domestic pitchers All specials 9 p.m. to close

Wristband Night: AUC2D domestic taps, rail mixers, Long Islands. All specials 9 p.m. to close

15-cent wings, $1.50 Keystone Lights, $1.50 rail mixers; $2.50 call drinks. 2 For 1 Captains All specials 9 p.m. to close.

Wristband Night: AUC2D, Domestic taps, rail mixers and Long Islands. $2.50 SoCo & Jack. All specials 9 to close.

Mug Club 9pm-12:30pm $5 for filled mug $1 Domestic Taps, Rail & Long Islands 12:30-Close Ladies night Free Taps Rails & Long Islands *excludes premium long islands.

5 domestic taps for $1; $2 domestic pitchers

$2 domestic pints and $2 rail mixers; $1 shots of Doctor (3 flavors);

All specials 9 to close.

$3 Bacardi mixers; $3 Three Olives vocka mixers (8 flavors); $2 domestic pints and $2 rail mixers

CLOSED

1125 La Crosse St. 784-7400

IMPULSE

214 Main St. 782-6010 www.impulseoflacrosse.com

Free Beer: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free Wings: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free Bowling: After 9 p.m.

Taco buffet 11-2; $1 Pabst bottles and $1 bowling after 9

All you care to eat pizza buffet, 11-2 (Holmen)

All you care to eat fish fry 4-10; un- Prime rib dinner 4-10; limited Glow-N-Bowl $9.99 unlimited Glow-N-Bowl $9.99

Bar Menu

La Crosse's Best Tacos: Beef $2, Chicken $2.50

La Crosse's Best Tacos: Beef $2, Chicken $2.50 Dog in a Diaper, $5

Fish’s Fish Taco $3.50

La Crosse's Best Tacos: Beef $2, Chicken $2.50 Chimis and Burritos, $5

9 p.m. to close: $1.25 rails, $1.75 bottles/cans

9 p.m. to close: $2 Captain mixers, $2 bottles/cans, $3 Jager bombs

9 p.m. to close: $2 Bacardi mixers, $2 domestic pints, $1.50 shots blackberry brandy

Free Wing Night (while supplies last); $5 AUC2D wristbands: domestic taps, rail mixers, Long Islands, 9 p.m. to close ($7 after 11p.m.):; live DJ

$5 AUC2D Wristbands 9 p.m. to close ($10 after 11p.m.): Domestic Taps, Rail Mixers, Long Islands; Live DJ, Dancing 9 p.m. to close

Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m.

Bar Menu

Ladies Night, $1 off all drinks, 4 to All you can eat boneless wings, inclose; Pint-Aritas $3 (lime or straw- cludes a choice of potatoe, slaw and berry) a frosted pint, 4-9:30 p.m., $8.99

Happy hour 4 to 9 p.m.; 9 p.m. to 9 p.m. to close: $3.50 domestic 9 p.m. to close: $1 rails, $2.50 pitch- $5 all you can drink close: Night Before Class - $3 pitch- pitchers ers, beer pong ers of the beast CLOSED

SATURDAY

Fish Tacos: 1 / $2.50, 2 / $5.00, 3 / $6.50.

Happy Hour: 2 for 1 domestic bottles Karaoke 9 p.m. to close and rail drinks, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All you can eat wings, includes a Wisconsin cheese steak sandwich choice of potatoe, slaw and a frosted with a pint of beer, $8.99 pint, 4-9:30 p.m., $8.99

400 Lang Drive 784-2242

HOWIE’S

CLOSED

FRIDAY

$1.50 domestic taps and rail drinks, Bird Brain Trivia 8 p.m.; $1.50 do- Wing Night - 25-cent wings (dine- $1.50 domestic bottles and rail 4 p.m. to close mestic bottles and rails 4 p.m. to in only); $1 Miller High Life silos and drinks, $2 craft bottles, 4 p.m. to close PBR silos; $1.50 taps and rail drinks; close $2 craft taps. All specials 4 to close.

1452 Caledonia St. 782-6446

FLIPSIDE PUB & GRILL

— Adam Bissen

$2 BBQ Pork Sliders

CLOSED

115 3rd St. S 782-7550

THURSDAY

an assertive compliment to the spice. It has a dry, clean finish with some ginger burn that lingers on the tip of the tongue. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, surprising given the alcohol content, and it’s also creamy with a bit of fizz. Drinkability: In the summer I could drink these all day, buy maybe only these since it would probably mess with your palette. I’d like to pair it with some Asian food, too. Ratings: BeerAdvocate grades it a B+, while RateBeer scores it a laughably misguided 35. In ancient times, ginger was a common beer ingredient all around the world, but clearly it has fallen out of favor. As this Good Juju demonstrates, it’s time to bring it back.

MONDAY

122 4th St. 782-0677

EAGLES NEST

August 4, 2011 // 9

YOUR GUIDE TO CONSUMPTION

CLOSED

$5 AUC2D wristbands: domestic taps, rail mixers, Long Islands, 9 p.m. to close; ($7 after 11p.m.): karaoke 10 p.m. to close

JB’S SPEAKEASY

$1.75 domestic bottles, $1.75 Dom Monday Madness: $1.75 domestics bottles and rails, $2.50 Bombs and rails, $2.50 Bombs, $1 off all top shelf and specialty beers

SCHMIDTY’S

$1.79 burger (after 8 p.m.) Breakfast 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SLOOPY'S ALMA MATER 163 Copeland Ave. 785-0245

$1.50 Tacos, $4.99 nachos;: $11 Tacos: $11 buckets during pro and 12-inch pizza $8.99 buckets during pro and college foot- college football games. Happy Hour Happy Hour 2 to 6 p.m. ball games. 2 to 6 p.m.; $2 pints all day

14-inch pizza, $2 off; Wings Happy Hour 2 to 6 p.m.

$1.89 hamburger + toppings Ladies Fish Dinner Special-$7.89 night, 2 for 1 drinks (6-close), Happy Hour 2 to 6 p.m. Happy Hour 2 to 6 p.m.

$1.50 Tacos, $4.99 nachos; $11 buckets during pro and college football games.

THE LIBRARY

Wristband Night

$5 Wristbands and $2 Cherry Bombs

$2 bottled beer, double rail mixers & JUMBO long islands, $3 double call mixers & $2.50 shots of Jack Daniels, SoCo & Tuaca

$5 Mug Club (gets you a cup and first drink) with $1 refills & $2.50 Miller Lite bottles and 16oz. silos Ladies Night after 12:30AM, Check it out!

TOP SHOTS 137 4th St. 782-6622

$5 Pitchers/$2 bottles of Miller prod- $1.75 Miller/Bud Light Taps, $2.25 $1.75 Rails, $1.50 Domestic Taps, $2 domestic bottles, $2.50 Skyy/ ucts (11-4pm) $2 Corona Bottles, $2 MIcro/Craft Taps, $2.50 Cherry $3.50 Jager Bombs Absolut mixers, $2 Dr. shots (7-1 Kilo Kai Mixers , $3 Bloodys (7-1 a.m.) Bombs (7-1 a.m.) (7-1 a.m.) a.m.)

5 Domestic Bottles for $10, $5 $2 Captain Mixers, $2. Long Island Micro/Import Bottles $11.50, $7 Mixers, $3 Effen Vodka Mixers (7-1 Micro/Craft Pitchers (7-1 a.m.) a.m.)

$5 Miller/Bud Light Pitchers, $2.25 Leinies Bottles (7-1 a.m.)

POPCORN TAVERN

$2 Lost Lake cans

$1.75 PBR Bottles $2 Lost Lake cans

$2 Miller Light Bottles $2 Lost Lake cans

$2 Grain Belt $2 Lost Lake cans

$2 Coors & Coors Light Bottles $2.50 Skyy mixers $2 Lost Lake cans

$2 Lost Lake cans

WHO'S ON THIRD

Happy Hour until 10 p.m. $1.50 domestic taps, $2 rails from 10 to close

$1.50 taps PBR, $1.50 rails

$2 domestic bottles, $3 call doubles

$2 taps, $3 Jack and Captain doubles

$2 Miller products, $8.50 fish bowls

$2 domestic taps, $3 Three Olives products

717 Rose St. 796-1161

3119 State Road 788-5110

Hat Night: Buy 1 drink, get 1 free w/ Rail drinks $2 (4:30 to close); Buckets of beer $10, Boston Bobby's Margaritas $4 (Straw, rasp, mango, hat (4:30 to close); $1.50 chili dogs After 8 p.m. specials: $5 skewer of drummies 10 for $2 (4:30 to close), peach and reg); After 8 p.m. specials: (after 8 p.m.) shrimp,l $1.79 burger, $1.50 chili dogs $1.79 burger (after 8 p.m.) $5 skewer of shrimp, $1.79 burger

$1 domestic taps and rail mixers and 1/2 price tequilas

123 3rd St. 784-8020

308 4th St. S. 782-9069

126 3rd St. N. 782-9467

Tuesday Boozeday $1 off all liquor Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m. drinks and 50 cents off all shots, $2 Bombs

Breakfast 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; lunch buffet 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., $6.99

10// August 4, 2011

Maze Efflux

Second Supper

DIVERSIONS By Erich Boldt By Matt Jones

IMHO Honestly, there's no more fitting group

ACROSS

• La Crosse • Sparta • Richland Center • Prairie du Chien Birth Control Services Annual Exams for Women STD Testing & Treatment for Men and Women Pregnancy Testing Emergency Contraception Call for an appointment today!

800.657.5177

Helping create healthy lives and families.

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614 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601 Phone: (608) 782-7001 Online: secondsupper.com Publisher: Roger Bartel roger.bartel@secondsupper.com Editor in Chief: Adam Bissen adam.bissen@secondsupper.com Student Editor: Emily Faeth emily.faeth@secondsupper.com Sales: Mike Keith mike.keith@secondsupper.com Sales: Ansel Ericksen ansel.ericksen@secondsupper.com Graphic Designer: Jenn Bushman Regular Contributors: Amy Alkon, Erich Boldt, Mary Catanese, Jason Crider, Ashly Conrad, Ben DeLine, Marcel Dunn, Brett Emerson, Shuggypop Jackson, Jonathan Majak, Matt Jones, Briana Rupel, Julie Schneider, Stephanie Schultz, Nate Willer, Ralph Winrich Second Supper is a weekly alternative newspaper published by Bartanese Enterprises LLC, 614 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601

1 Hair relaxer option 7 Slinky shape 11 Ms. ___-Man 14 Portugal's secondlargest city 15 "___ Approved" 16 "___ little teapot..." 17 Announcement before "go" 18 It can't help being negative 20 Story that ends with the Slaying of the Suitors 22 Abbr. in many Quebec city names 24 Org. that holds Renaissance Fairs 25 Former Sony line of robotic pets 26 Different roles, so to

speak 28 Pancreas or kidney 33 Steer clear of 35 Club choice 36 What a doctor takes 43 Do some serious damage 44 Like "Paranormal Activity" 45 Where branches refer back to 51 Active person 52 Elvis's middle name 53 "Hagar the Horrible" cartoonist Browne 55 Fair ___ 56 Highly-touted NBC spinoff cancelled in 2008 before production 62 What miracle creams claim to remove 63 Doing some garden-

Answers to July 21 puzzle "Better Living Through Chemistry"— a simple formula

ing 66 Pet name 67 Nova Scotia, for one: abbr. 68 Baling strings 69 "I'll take that as ___" 70 Dance move 71 "Just a sec..."

DOWN 1 Refuse to share 2 Unlock, to poets 3 Direction of some race goals 4 Approximately 5 Inventory stock, in adventure games 6 Not big on gadgetry, slangily 7 Actor's indicators 8 Capital on a fjord 9 Carded at the door 10 Like some lingerie 11 "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" author Robert 12 "The Far Side" critter 13 Echo location 19 Pre-1917 ruler 21 Former German president Johannes ___ 22 Iranian ruler 23 Kipling's "RikkiTikki-___" 27 Take a little drink 29 Heat source? 30 Exhibition stuff 31 "There's ___ in

'team'!" 32 Way back when 34 "___ arigato, Mr. Roboto..." 37 Half-___ latte 38 Org. with a "Leading to Reading" program 39 Massive Brit. lexicon 40 Stimulating 41 They may bind 42 "Take it!" 45 "That was soooo funny..." 46 State name often mispronounced by East Coasters 47 Rita of "The Electric Company" 48 Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane's underling 49 401, in old Rome 50 Half a quarter 54 Oklahoma tribe 57 Actor Omar 58 Match up socks 59 Native Nebraskan 60 Invitation request 61 Alternative to ja 64 "Chosen one" played by Keanu 65 Channel that revived "The Newlywed Game" ©2011 Jonesin' Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

Second Supper

August 4, 2011 // 11

DIVERSIONS

What’s Old Is Crüe Again By Brett Emerson brett.emerson@secondsupper.com The message, forwarded to me by Captain Adam Bissen of the USS Second Supper, contained the typical chummy form letter used by music publicists since music publicists emerged from the oceans. Hey, super-cool people of [insert publication], just wanted to let you know about [insert band], who are coming through [insert town] on [insert date]. Would you be cool with inserting a little publicity for the show into your fine publication? We can set up an interview if you’re interested. You rawk! The only difference between this message and every other one I’ve received since I emerged from the music journalism oceans was that [insert band] was Motley Crüe. “You interested?” Bissen asked. Shit yes, says I. Yet what would probably have been the biggest music interview of my phony career in music journalism was not to be. As it turns out, I don’t feel that bad about missing out. The next message I received from Cap-

tain Bissen cast doubt upon the interview’s likelihood. It included another forwarded message, this one a response from Admiral Roger Bartel of the USS Second Supper to Motley Crüe’s publicist. I’m pretty sure Roger wasn’t using a form letter. The summary of it is that while there are a lot of local venues and businesses that support the Second Supper, Fort McCoy has not been one of them, so there’s not much reason for the Supper to promote its shows. After giving a shoutout to more symbiotic venues like Freedom Fest, the Kickapoo County Fair, and the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, he closes with this awesome line: “for some reason Fort McCoy is not interested in reaching audiences under 50, which is exactly our audience. Sorry we can't be of more help.” Shit yes, says I. Here’s something I’ve felt for years which may not make me popular among certain people of my hometown: I don’t think that most people in La Crosse give a shit about anything that isn’t safe, simple, and right in front of them. La Crosse has no sense of creative community beyond a few freaks who all get ignored because beer is cheaper and more readily procured. Major bands play major shows at the Warehouse all the time and the Root Note has thrown together some sweet performances and Jammin’ George is one of the funniest bastards I’ve ever met and I’ve heard word about a bunch of Noise City schmucks sowing discord at the Cavalier and there have been loads of amazing musicians in town scraping by doing shows in the dirtiest corners of bars and basements and Chris Zobin puts bologna on his face and croons about the dangers of shaking babies and La Crosse as a whole simply cannot be bothered to give the slightest subatomic particle of a fuck about any of it.

But Motley Crüe? A band as old as I am? Golden. Hordes of my fellow Midwesterners will show up at Fort McCoy, probably ignore any song that isn’t “Dr. Feelgood,” “Kickstart My Heart,” or “Girls, Girls, Girls,” go nuts for those songs, fart, and go home. That other newspaper will cover the show with its typical bland tripe, and the radio stations will fawn. Fists will be pumped, heads will be banged, rebellion will be faked, and what I’m assuming will be a fine, high-production show will go off without a hitch or the faintest sense of danger. I doubt anybody will go home afterwards and write a song. This void is a big reason why I left La Crosse, and why I don’t ever expect to live there again. Bissen told me that if I really wanted to, I could pursue the Motley Crüe interview, but after reading Roger’s letter (and being really, really proud of it) I lost all interest. Ultimately, my decision not to go for the interview was based less on giving the finger to La Crosse’s smug and sedate victory lap rock concert scene than it was on my complete disinterest in interviewing a band that has been around since the ‘80s and has had its dirt splashed across a vast product line of books and VH-1 specials. What the hell am I, or anybody, going to add to the story? I’m assuming it would end up being the whole prerecorded “this is our best album/ tour ever” bullshit hype that makes reading most Q&As with major musicians pointless. Besides, if you’re a fan of Motley Crüe, you don’t really need a prick like me to convince you to go, do you? So Motley Crüe is playing this Friday at Fort McCoy. You’re welcome, [insert publicist]. The show will probably be pretty good. Go if you want. Or don’t. I don’t give a shit.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Kapanke

dominates the political discourse this year, do you believe Republicans and Democrats will be able to work together in Madison in the future? DK: I definitely think this is something we’re going through politically, and we will be able to work in a spirit of compromise in the future. And that, as they say, was that. Back in the pickup Ashley said it went OK. “He’s really just a guy,” she concluded, and I wondered if she was right. Maybe he’s a guy who’s tasted the Kool Aid. Even with windows open, my shirt was as wet as if I had jumped into the Black River, whether from the heat or naked fear I wasn’t sure. In the end I told myself people reading this will simply confirm what they already believe, vote for the candidate they have already chosen, and that’s a relief. But this is not just an election about Dan Kapanke and Jennifer Shilling, or even about Governor Walker and his legislative maelstrom. It’s about the serious question of whether ordinary people have the right to construct governments to perform important tasks, like educating the young, caring for the poor and even putting out the occasional fire. Radical as it sounds, it is the social contract that is under attack. If you don’t believe that, you haven’t been paying attention to the debt ceiling debates.

Sales Wanted Help your local press. Build your career. Second Supper is seeking an advertising representative to beef up our local presence. Candidates may submit a letter of introduction and resume to editor@secondsupper.com.

MONDAY 9-BALL TOURNEYS!

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SUNDAY

$5 Pitchers $2 Bottles of Miller Products (11-4 pm) $2 Corona Bottles $2 Kilo Kai Mixers $3 Bloody’s (7-1am)

MONDAY

$1.75 - Miller/Bud Taps $2.25 Micro/Craft Taps $2.50 Cherry Bombs (7-1am)

TUESDAY

$1.75 Rails $1.50 Domestic Taps $3.50 Jager Bombs (7-1am)

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

$2 Domestic Bottles $2.50 Skyy/Absolute Mixers $2 Dr. Shots (7-1am)

THURSDAY

5 Domestic Bottles 4 $10 $5 Micro/Import Bottles $11.50, $7 Micro/Craft Pitchers (7-1am)

$5 Miller Lite/Bud Light Pitchers $2.25 Leinies Bottles (7-1am)

FRIDAY

$2 Captain Mixers $2 Long Islands Mixers (7-1am)

12// August 4, 2011

The Advice Goddess By Amy Alkon amy.alkon@secondsupper.com

Hold me, Tightwad My boyfriend moved in with me after his landlord raised his rent. He announced that he’d give me $400 a month (half of what he was paying at his place), then cut that to $350. I pay $1,250 a month for my home loan and utilities, and more for groceries, lawn care, etc. Now he’s decided he shouldn’t have to pay anything because he never charged me when I stayed over frequently at his apartment one year. He occasionally buys groceries, takes me out to dinner monthly, and had a little remodeling done ($1,200). He also bought a freezer ($400) and a side of beef ($1,000). I love the guy. He’s lots of fun, sex is great, and he only started being this way when he learned that I was helping my sons out with about $60 a month. (Both just graduated with extensive student loans.) He said he was never helped like this by his parents, and apparently money's no problem for me if I do this. — Disturbed

There’s a time in a man’s life when he

THE LAST WORD shouldn’t expect to contribute to keeping a roof over his head, and it’s when he’s waking up on sheets with little cartoon spaceships on them to go to his day job — attending fourth grade. What kind of disturbed cheapskate tells his girlfriend she’s lucky he didn’t charge her for rent, gas and electric on all those nights she didn’t drag herself out of his bed and drive home immediately after sex? But, wait — it gets better. He’s so petty that he justifies his freeloading by pointing to where some of your money’s going — to help your just-graduated kids out in a tough economy. (Some ladies have meth habits; it seems you have a nasty mothering habit.) And not that it’s any of his business, but wow, $60 a month? Why, with that kind of loot, your boys’ll be able to go in on a 2011 Jag — in another 1,166 years. Nothing says “We’re in it together, babe” like a man telling a woman she’ll be covering all the bills. OK, so he was never helped out financially by his parents. We all have some point in our lives when Mommy didn’t give us a cookie. If it affects us longterm, the correct thing to do is work it out at Mr. Therapist’s office, not make it part of an elaborate rationale to stiff the girlfriend on living expenses. Sure, he contributes in some ways ($1,400 of frozen beef), maybe because he likes steak and maybe because he feels guilty for being a mooch, but your mortgage documents surely don’t allow you to pay with cash, check or cow. It shouldn’t be hard to get him to start contributing. Just hold him by the ankles

and shake all the change out of his pockets. What you can’t cure is the character flaw that leads him to show all the generosity of spirit of an angry accounts receivable clerk. Of course, it takes two to make the sponge dynamic work — one to do the squeezing and one to ignore being squeezed. Ask yourself whether you need a relationship — any relationship — so badly that you’ll settle for parasite/hostess. That’s what you’ll keep settling for as long as you stay focused on the positives here, like how two can live as cheaply as one when one’s stiffing the other on the rent money, and how he’s so much fun and sex is so great. (It had better be. You’re paying $625 a month for it.)

Too mosh information I have tickets to a rock concert next week. I’m interested in a woman who works at my regular morning coffee shop. How do I ask her to dinner and the concert as a first date without it seeming like a consolation prize (like she was my last choice at this late date)? — Hopeful The issue isn’t the late date, but inviting a woman you barely know on a romance-soaked date-athalon, which is what it becomes when you add dinner to the equation. (Think hostage situation with linguini and roving violinists.) The concert invite alone is a bit much, with the ticket price, two or three hours at the event and a couple hours getting in and out of the parking lot, but it allows for plausible

Second Supper

deniability on the romantic nature of your intentions. If she’s not into you, she can play it like you just had an extra seat, and you can tell yourself she just wasn’t into Bowels of Satan or whomever and go back to your normal coffee provider/providee relationship. Ideally, though, you’d just invite her out for a drink, which would tell her what your intentions are, but without going straight from “Double latte, no foam” to “I’d like you to be my breed sow.”

Have an opinion? Send your letters to the editor to Second Supper, 614 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601 or by e-mail to editor@secondsupper.com. Letters should be signed and include phone number for verification purposes. Please limit letters to no more than 300 words. Second Supper reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and grammar. For more information, call (608) 782-7001.

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