The Infinite Sadness

The state of Wisconsin's embroiled political turmoil has taken another bizarre turn as Waukesha County clerk Kathy Nickolaus found over 14,000 eleventh hour unrecorded votes turning the state's Supreme Court election from the favor of challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg to incumbent David Prosser.  The official count is currently subject to canvassing and more than likely will be subject recounts.  To me the concern is not so much the election results (be they fraudulent or be they legit), it is once again with the douche bag voters.

Let's start with those who did not vote.  Of the voting age public of Wisconsin, 66% did not register a vote.  66%!  Two thirds of the states voters do not care about the tumultuous direction their government is headed.  Only 28% of the city of Milwaukee eligible voters voted.  Granted the norm for an April election in Wisconsin is a pathetic 20%, but the state teeters on a historically significant ledge.  To a certain extent I understand voter apathy, but now is not the time for sitting on one's hands.

Now on to those who did vote.  No matter which candidate emerges from the political muck, the voting results are a figurative 50/50.  I stop short of referring to this election as a referendum on Governor Scott Walker's neo-con thinking and policy, but it was a litmus test of how the state's voters feel about where Wisconsin is heading.  While 19 counties that voted for Walker were won by Kloppenburg, no sleeping giant arose.  At best a slacker on a couch got up and microwaved a burrito.

Road Guest Vol. II

Score:  White 2, Blue 0

Venue:  Miller Park

Game Day:  April 2, 2011

Roadmates:  Mike (friend)

MVP:  Taylor Green 1-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R  Also he signed autographs well past his time slot up until player introductions.  The guy was awesome.

Announced Attendance:  11,312

Recap:  The Brewers Rising Stars Game was an excellent opportunity to get out to Miller Park even before the opening day crowd.  Seats were just ten dollars and with an announced crowd of just over 11,000 great seats were there for the taking (we sat first row behind first base).  The new scoreboard was on display, but more importantly so was the Milwaukee Brewers top minor league talent, as both teams were made up of Brewers prospects.

Pitching prospects dominated the game with the eight pitchers giving up just two runs on five hits.  I'd love to say this is a great development for the Brewers, but really none of the hitters looked Major League caliber and while the pitchers looked much better none looked like more than fringe players, save for maybe Kyle Heckathorn.

The game experience was a blast.  You could tell the guys were excited to get a chance to play in Milwaukee and the fans were just thrilled to be there.  I won a Lee Haydel jersey in the jersey raffle which was pretty cool, but more importantly I tried a Four Loko for the first time.  My feelings on said semi-legal product are best described here.

Go Brewers!  Get it done now because the future looks, uh, bleak.