The weather outside is delightful

Up here in Wisconsin, anyways!

These last few golden but threadbare years, the Werkes fantasized that if we were to establish a southern outpost, it would be somewhere around Asheville NC. The Great Smoky mountains, forests, waterfalls, art scene, craft brews. Some of the greatest motorcycle riding in America. Yeah, we did the Tail of the Dragon.

Guess we’ll stay put and freeze our tootsies this winter here in Madison WI. We’ll take the blizzard that shuts down Interstate 39 over storms so big they are given names. 

Now the weather people say Hurricane Milton Berle is headed straight at Tampa FL and that it’s going to be bad. Second hurricane in as many weeks! Sure, we get tornadoes up here, but they’re very picky about their destruction. Might hit the house next door but not yours.

Driving down to Natchez MS a few years back we noticed highway signage not seen up here. Signs read: “Evacuation Route.” They all pointed north toward Wisconsin.

Which puts us in mind of a little history. In 1852, the four-year-old State of Wisconsin distributed pamphlets in German, Norwegian, English, and Dutch throughout Europe and eastern ports such as New York. The WI Commission of Emigration also placed ads in 900 newspapers. That year happens to be the year our great-great grandparents came over from the Sudetenland of Bohemia. We believe the leaflets promised cold beer.

• Talking weather, we keep missing out on the aurora borealis seen here in southern Wisconsin the last couple of days. We did see it once by happenstance. Living around Lake Ripley when we went outside to relieve a few cans of beer and there it was, like looking up at the bottom of billowing white, stage curtains.

• Check out two differing opinions on January 6 prosecutor Jack Smith’s motion against Donald Trump. 

• Politico explores how Wisconsin Democrats have the long knives out for Jill Stein and her Green Party. “The nasty feud that could flip Wisconsin.”

• Did you notice? Trump was still speaking at the Dodge County airport when the Packers kicked off 10-06-24? What’s wrong with this guy?

• Eric Hovde is hitting back at Tammy’s “What a Jerk” attack ads with that most devastating campaign tactic: humor. “Eric Hovde is really a vampire who wants to suck your blood,” his own ad teases. The Cook Political Report moves that race into “toss up” from “leans Democrat.”

• Madison School Board issues $1.9 million in pay raises while hitting up taxpayers for $607 million in additional spending. (Read & Weep)

• Speaking of Norwegians, Gilbertson’s general store and tavern up in the hamlet of Keyeser is closing after 130 years. WMTV-15 has the story. We wrote about it here. Its own piece of history.

Blaska’s Bottom Line: If Springfield OH can take Haitians, Wisconsin can absorb a few hillbillies and their elegies. After all, we took the Norwegians, Irish, and Germans. And no, the Biden administration is not trying to kill red state voters by summoning hurricanes! (That we even have to say that!) Make America Smart Again!

Has any storm been more politicized than Helene?

(Yes, Hurricane Katrina because George W. Bush didn’t row a boat down Bourbon Street.)