It is indisputable. Even those of us who love David Prosser and have stood by his side all through these troubled times are forced to step back and admit the truth.
Vicki McKenna, Brian Schimming, Jim Troupis, the FitzWalkers -- all of us are forced to face facts and acknowledge: David Prosser, justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, did, indeed, beat a woman.
Not just any woman but a liberal woman. Beat her like a rented mule.
Outrage is building, torches are being lit. The mob is in an extra-legal mood. Led by Madison Ald. Lisa Subeck, a coven of local women officeholders on Tuesday stormed the Capitol to avenge the beating that Prosser administered to his female victim on or about April 5, 2011.
Armed with allegations, these vigilant vigilantes "demanded" that Justice Prosser step down forthwith. No need for a jury, a trial, or even charges to be filed. The posse libertatus included The Former Kathleen, School Board members Arlene Silvera and Marj Passman, County Board members Barbara Vedder, Melissa Sargent and Diane Hesselbein, Ald. Lauren Cnare, State Rep. Terese Berceau, Ms. Emily Mills and the godless goddess, Annie Laurie Gaylor.
These sisters of justice showed their feminist resolve by hanging the man in effigy. (Thanks to Ann of Althouse for the snap.) The Capital Times has joined the posse, braying for Prosser's hide. (Prosser's "troubles grow more serious with each passing day." That's what the CT says. Gee, it's Thursday today. Hate to think what Monday will bring.)
None of these elites has "demanded" that Madison Ald. Brian Solomon step down -- Solomon is being investigated for the sexual assault of a female City of Madison employee.
None of the furious femmes are clamoring for Justice Ann Walsh Bradley to step aside. (Some accounts have her initiating contact by flying at Prosser with fists raised.) Only a cynical politician -- or a cynical newspaper editor -- would suggest that the obvious double standard is due to the fact that Solomon and Bradley are liberal-progressives. I prefer to think the Leftist ladies' situational ethics results more from selective outrage rather than rank hypocrisy.
Almost forgotten in this revenge bloodlust is the name of Prosser's victim, one Joanne Kloppenburg. (I am indebted to The Daily Scoff for this notion.)
A garden of surprises
Proud that three of the seven gardens on last weekend's Olbrich's Home Garden Tour were located here on the large home lots in beautiful, bucolic Orchard Ridge on Madison's SW side. Among the seven were Japanese gardens with flowing water and a hillside shade garden reminiscent of a dappled Door County woodland.
The Lovely Lisa happened to remark that within earshot of the home gardener herself, that our favorite was situated around the smallest house on the tour, located on Cheryl Drive in Fitchburg. A trim and energetic lady of a certain age, this master gardener was the picture of happiness and health.
Situated in the middle of the backyard is a screened porch, its lazy ceiling fan wafting a shaded breeze. Small, whimsical touches provided unexpected delights -- a child's chair peeks out from under a drooping tree. There must have been 20 varieties of clematis, alone.
The rectangular backyard was divided into paths that led to "rooms" demarcated by shrubbery, tall perennials and/or decorative fences.
The docent at this stop wore a royal purple dress and matching broad-brimmed hat worthy of the Queen Mum. These are the major leagues of gardening. Who knew there were so many different kinds of pulmonaria? And not a single weed in sight. Anywhere.
I am busy laying ambitious plans for the indentured servants here at the Experimental Work Farm. Still, I like a little unplanned randomness in my garden. Some areas we just let go due to the difficulty of finding indentured servants willing to work for what I pay them.
All kinds of surprises result. Thanks to the Squire's benign neglect, a nice stand of milkweed emerged of its own accord, enticing doting butterflies. For all of their demanding nature, are dahlias that much prettier than a stand of bluebells, which plant themselves in the most unlikely places? Nor did we see a single hollyhock on the tour but they naturalize themselves here with an ever-varying color palette.
I like surprises, even in the garden.
All aboard
As Jonathan Barry tells me, "Just think! This could have been ours!" This just in from New Mexico (land of enchantment).
Just as weekend Rail Runner service to Santa Fe is set to end due to financial woes, it turns out the state needs to shell out an additional $16 million for track and system maintenance.
That's on top of the projected $25 million in yearly maintenance and operational costs before the weekend service cuts that have already created a budget crunch for the Belen-to-Santa Fe operation.
The train has about 4,500 weekday boardings going one way and is expected to generate about $3.2 million in fares.
Platinum subscriber bonus goodies
- A lot of dentures are grinding on the Left over the legislative redistricting. But the deep space radio dishes here at the (renamed) Blaska Policy Research Factory (we use just-in-time, assembly line techniques) have detected not a discouraging word about the liberal majority on the Dane County Board dumping Eileen Bruskewitz into the same district as fellow conservative Dave Ripp. That will teach her for running a clean campaign for county executive. Or sometimes conservative Dennis O'Loughlin with Duane Gau. Nary a peep.
- Racism, the last refuge of a scoundrel, Vol. XIV: CT columnist Bill Berry infers that the senate author of Wisconsin's new concealed carry weapon law is a down-and-dirty racist.
Of course, Galloway was just upholding the Constitution, which clearly makes carrying arms legal. Owning slaves was also once a constitutional right, which Galloway probably knows since she's originally from Alabama.
Get it? She's originally from ALABAMA. (George Wallace, nightriders, bullwhips cracking). Now, BB, can you explain why Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, of a minority race, voted WITH Sen. Galloway on CC? - Milwaukee Teachers union won't renegotiate its contract -- even to save 200 teacher jobs. The teachers' union president shamelessly parrots the teachers union mantra. "It's for the kids." Not even his students are stupid enough to believe that.
