July 1, 2013

"Dumbbells, garden rakes used as weapons during massive fight... that involved as many as 75 people on Madison’s west side Friday night...."

"The officer arrived on scene and reported that dozens of people were fighting in the middle of the street with a variety of weapons from garden rakes to dumbbells.... people were using locks in their hands as brass knuckles and brandishing sticks."

Here's the location:


View Larger Map

158 comments:

edutcher said...

I thought Lefties didn't do such things to other Lefties.

Methadras said...

Was this a Walker protest can horribly wrong?

bagoh20 said...

I wouldn't walk the streets of Madison without an armed guard. Bunch of savages out there. I suspect an abundance of Neanderthal genes. Nuke the whole thing. It's the only way to be sure.

Michael said...

Antwon? Yout?

Michael said...

Antwon? Yout?

Original Mike said...

That neighborhood went to hell in a handbasket many years ago. I have relatives who are long time residents and it's really sad it was allowed to happen.

Rabel said...

A few new bike lanes will put an end to this sort of problem.

Original Mike said...

Mayor Dave was more interested in his trolley than in public safety.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, didn't your city council vote to let people paint murals on the streets? Is this just a case of two artists and their followers trying to claim the same street for their art?

Original Mike said...

" Nuke the whole thing. It's the only way to be sure."

Surely you'll let the good Madisonians know, so we can be out of town at the time.

Baron Zemo said...

Where was Garage?

Anonymous said...

Whoa, what the hell?! Milwaukee might be safer....JK.

Baron Zemo said...

For that matter where was Meade?

He is a gardener after all. Did he supply these garden rakes with out
a "Cooling off" period and an identity check?

Icepick said...

The first comment I saw at the linked site: why would you want to break up a fight like this? let these mental deficients take eachother out and thin the herd!

David said...

Methinks the location has some significance to those who know Madison.

Anyone want to comment on that?

Icepick said...

Is this just a case of two artists and their followers trying to claim the same street for their art?

No, there was ONE artist, and he prefers using blood.

Surely you'll let the good Madisonians know, so we can be out of town at the time.

(a) How do we know there IS such a thing as a good Madisonian?

-and-

(b) How would we know you were one of the 'good' ones?

David said...

From the report on Madison police web site:

"The Madison Police Department continues to investigate this matter to determine the precipitating cause. Additional arrests in this scenario are likely, as this particular call involved 24 officers and 3 ambulances from The Madison Fire Department. Additional patrol officers were also brought into the area to keep additional fights from erupting throughout the night."

Methadras said...

Has anyone asked what the particular genre is/was of these upstanding madisonian citizens is?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

At least three were injured and two were arrested in a fight that involved as many as 75 people on Madison’s west side Friday night, according to a release.

Ok, so we know where they were thanks to that pointer there... but what were they, I dint get to find out because I though it was too poorly written for my standards.

Anonymous said...

It's not a bad-looking neighborhood -- not rich but clean tree-lined streets with detached housing -- at least it was in July 2007 according to Google Maps street view.

What happened? I'm always suspicious that something went Against The Narrative when news stories are so opaque.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

A few new bike lanes will put an end to this sort of problem.

lol

Baron Zemo said...

They didn't mention who they were so you know who they were.

Com'on Lem don't be dense.

Baron Zemo said...

You Dominicans can be so dense sometimes. Jeeez.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Original Mike said... " Nuke the whole thing. It's the only way to be sure."

Surely you'll let the good Madisonians know, so we can be out of town at the time.

7/1/13, 5:35 PM

Kill them all and let Gaia sort em out.

Michael said...

Creeley23. They can obscure the demographics but the demographics self identify.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

A TM Zimmerman reenactment gone bad.

YoungHegelian said...

Was this the Stalinists going after the Trotskyites again?

Original Mike said...

""The Madison Police Department continues to investigate this matter to determine the precipitating cause."

bagoh20 has already identified the cause. They're Neanderthals.

madAsHell said...

If Obama had a son....

Crunchy Frog said...

Rake Control Now!

Gospace said...

WHoa- I didn't see the verdict announced. Zimmerman walked?

Mogget said...

I have friends who live within a mile or so of the area. According to them, it has been going slowly downhill for sometime: petty theft, burglary, vandalism, kids running wild, etc., etc. I'm in the market for a house, but won't even consider buying in that area.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

If you click on map and zoom in you almost see garage with an anti Walker sign.

Original Mike said...

"Kill them all and let Gaia sort em out."

What if I built an ark? I'll grant passage to Althouse and Meade.

Jason said...

A rake fight? No doubt instigated by a couple of hoes.

Nightbird Glineux said...

Here's something that happened at the nearby park a couple of months ago:

http://www.channel3000.com/news/Argument-between-teens-escalates-to-melee-in-Madison-park/-/1648/19621106/-/f6pfpo/-/index.html

Dante said...

suspect an abundance of Neanderthal genes

You think this was Caucasians?

Baron Zemo said...

Mogget said...
I have friends who live within a mile or so of the area. According to them, it has been going slowly downhill for sometime: petty theft, burglary, vandalism, kids running wild, etc., etc. I'm in the market for a house, but won't even consider buying in that area.

I really don't know anything about Wisconsin in general or Madison in particular. Why is this neighborhood going downhill? Are the buildings getting too old and decrepit? Is there some sort of bad weather damage like a hurricane or tornado or something?
I am very curious. Why do you feel this way?

Garage? MadisonMan? Buellar?

Can somebody with some local knowledge give us some details?

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Jason's comment was superior.

Icepick said...

Is Madison one of those northern cities in which 105% of the population voted for Obama?

n.n said...

The solution is obvious. The symptoms must be addressed and the causes ignored. There must be an immediate ban of high-capacity dumbbells and garden rakes. That is the "correct" way to address dumbbell and garden rake violence.

Icepick said...

And another comment gets eaten. What the Hell?

Anonymous said...

According to them, it has been going slowly downhill for sometime: petty theft, burglary, vandalism, kids running wild, etc., etc

It must be a Northern branch of the Irish Travellers, though they run mostly to scams.

(Last night I saw a 1997 Bill Paxton film about the Travellers. Decent, like one of the less-memorable Clint Eastwood films -- which isn't a coincidence since it was directed by Eastwood's cinematographer, Jack Green.)

Baron Zemo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Baron Zemo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dante said...

Rabel sez:

A few new bike lanes will put an end to this sort of problem.

Or perhaps a million dollar rec-center will help.

Mogget said...

The houses are not new, but neither is it decrepit or damaged by any storm other than human behaviors, as far as I know. Decent is what it looks like, but folks who have moved in during the last five-ten years don't share some of the mores of the old timers, shall we say. I will try to learn more details from my friends.

Baron Zemo said...

That was suitably evasive and vague.

Thank you.

virgil xenophon said...

Riots? In liberal paradise Madison?

Perish the thought!

Must be those outside agitators..

Original Mike said...

"Why is this neighborhood going downhill?"

Basically, it was allowed to. When the problems began, the usual liberal crowd flung the "racist" feces at anybody who attempted to address the issue. The district elected an alderperson a few years ago who tried, but she was hounded off the council by the rest of the liberals safe in their districts.

Original Mike said...

The neighborhood needed a Rudy Giuliani. Instead, it got a Dave Cieslewicz.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

If you look at the lower left quadrant of the map there is Something called City of Madison Police Dept West District.

That must be a far cry police.

jr565 said...

It's like the fight between the socs and the greasers in the Outsiders.
Which one is Pony Boy?

David said...

"Lem said...
If you look at the lower left quadrant of the map there is Something called City of Madison Police Dept West District."

400-500 yards away it seems.

Original Mike said...

It's a progressive police department.

Strelnikov said...

I take it that Madisonites will immediately be able to identify the marked area as....somewhere that can't be named, occupied by people who can't be identified publicly. The rest of us will be left to the usual, unavoidable assumptions.

Carnifex said...

This is the fate of all cities as liberalism, and political correctness walk hand in hand to watch America sink into the sunset. Cowboy up, and only trust thoughts you know. Everyone else is the enemy. I didn't want ithat way. He wants it that way. Well, he gets it. Some men just can't be reached

AllenS said...

Here's a great comment --

Ernie Jones · Works at New York Jets
Ain't no man big enough to pull out Ernie Jones hair!

If obama had a son that could tie knots in his hair, he'd have a son that looked like Ernie.

Carnifex said...

This is the fate of all cities as liberalism, and political correctness walk hand in hand to watch America sink into the sunset. Cowboy up, and only trust thoughts you know. Everyone else is the enemy. I didn't want ithat way. He wants it that way. Well, he gets it. Some men just can't be reached

Strelnikov said...

"Nuke the whole thing. It's the only way to be sure".

Close, but the line is, "We'll take off and nuke them from space. It's the only way to be sure."

Methadras said...

Dante said...

Rabel sez:

A few new bike lanes will put an end to this sort of problem.

Or perhaps a million dollar rec-center will help.


Where is Bill Clinton's midnight basketball when you need it?

Methadras said...

Ladies and Gentlement, please please please, can't you see what is happening here. Clearly Madison's gun control laws have worked.

David said...

There is a Mario Scott who is a high school basketball player of some note, a rising senior at West Madison high school. There's some video of him, which I will not link. Stocky quick guard, black kid playing with mostly white teammates on an all star type team. Nice player. Hope its not him, but unfortunately the age fits, as does the neighborhood.

This is a disaster for the kids involved. Bad stuff.

I blame the adults as well as the kids, and not just the parents. Lots of adults who let this environment develop, in Madison, Wisconsin no less. This kind of thing does not just develop from nowhere. It can be stopped. But bullshit stops nothing.





hombre said...

"It's a progressive police department."

Thus, the "hug and release" policy applied to all but Mario and Antwon. No racism there, by gum.

Joe Schmoe said...

I'm sorry to laugh at what I'm sure was a traumatic event, but reading the description in the post made me think of the brawl among the rival news gangs on The Anchorman.

Anyone have a trident?

jr565 said...

"We'll get even with those socs. Let's do it for Johnny. We'll do it for Johnny!

The Outsiders - Do it for Johnny

Do it for Johnny Wisconsin!

Rusty said...

Do you think some pavement art could have prevented this?

Anonymous said...

Yikes! I just called my friend, Bill the attorney. He lives in Madison and tells me that the area mentioned in the news has transitioned toward a substantially sub-Saharan demographic. I guess that Madison is like the rest of the country.

JAL said...

Is there "why" yet?

Bryan C said...

That would make an awesome kung-fu movie.

Sorun said...

Golly, I hope it wasn't anyone I know. LOL!

jr565 said...

I'm sure it looked a lot like this fight:

Anchor Man - News Team Fight

"Not so fast you ingrates!Public News Team is taking a break from its pledge drive to kick some ass. No commercials! NO MERCY!"

jr565 said...

Damn Joe Shmoe, you beat me to the punch. :)

Joe Schmoe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

This thread had so much potential.

Unknown said...

I sure hope they'll finally close the garden show loophole.

Original Mike said...

What's your solution, Ritmo?

chickelit said...

Witnesses say people were yelling in cursive.

Moose said...

City Council meeting?

David said...

hombre said...
"It's a progressive police department."

Thus, the "hug and release" policy applied to all but Mario and Antwon. No racism there, by gum.


Antwon has been hugged and released before. On probation. Sun Prarie web site has an Antonio Amos with delinquent fines for several minor violations going back to 2005. If this is they guy and the age 20 is right, he's got a sheet beginning at age 12. Or could be a close relative. There's a mug shot with a serious not defiant expression. Nice looking kid with dreadlocks. Neat, clean dreadlocks.

Pathetic. Sad. Stupid. Dangerous.

The two arrested males were "armed" according to the police report. With guns? Does not expressly say. At least nobody used guns.

Original Mike said...

I just zoomed the map. My relatives live one block away.

chickelit said...

JAL said...
Is there "why" yet?

75 people fighting means 30 to 40 like minded individuals per side. That's what fascinates me -- the cohesiveness and the group think.

Given the scanty details released, they could have been fighting over something very basic or even tribal.

Anonymous said...

A bit of research on Greatschools.org shows that children from the area in question would attend Falk Elementary School.* 68% of the students in this school are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, compared to a statewide average of 39%. Test scores in grades 3 through 5 are significantly below the statewide average. Without question, this is one of the less-desirable parts of Madison.

* = middle and high schools are less useful for evaluating neighborhood quality due to their larger enrollment areas

Peter

rcocean said...

A dumbbell fight, how apt.

ricpic said...

Maybe Madison will have the smarts to import the stop and frisk police procedure that suicidal New York City will be jettisoning apres Bloomberg.

rcocean said...

I believe the Wisconsin SC was also involved.

rcocean said...

"This thread had so much potential."

Yes, it did. And then you showed up.

Original Mike said...

@ricpic: That'll never happen. Madison is incapable of dealing with this.

deborah said...

"75 people fighting means 30 to 40 like minded individuals per side."

Not necessarily; could have just devolved into a free-for-all.

(Ritmo, you knew from minute one where this thread was going to end up.)

deborah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

Not necessarily; could have just devolved into a free-for-all.

No, it's pretty unusual for Madison -- not since the students vs. the cops days. It sounds more like Chicago. I hope more details come out.

James Pawlak said...

Madison is, after all, a set number of square-miles surrounded by reality. (A more-or-less quote.)

Mr. Biden's shotguns, loaded with "OO" shot, will resolve such problems.

Titus said...

There are like two or three nice little hoods in Madison, but with no fab restaurants mixed in.

If you live in a fab hood you should be able to step outside your place and walk 10 steps to a local fab bistro. Actually you should have like 30 options. In Madison they get in their cars....not fab.

The rest of the place is pretty fucking gross.

rhhardin said...

Scythes make terrible weapons.

The balance is all wrong and the cutting edge on the wrong side.

chickelit said...

rhhardin said...
Scythes make terrible weapons.

The scythe's swath gets everyone in the end.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

It was Canada Day celebration that some Madisonians took offence to, since it is so close to our own 4th of July.

Yea, that's the ticket.

It was the first skirmish in a fight that's been a long time coming.

Unknown said...

I wish to draw the attention of the Police Chief to the curious incident of the Scott Walker in the night-time.

Cedarford said...

Madison, just another American city that is having chunks of it ravaged bt the cancer that is inner-city blacks.
Future of the growingly black areas? Filth, crime, decay. And higher taxes on the other residents of Madison.
Same story in most US cities with black rule, or a good part of the population "low civilizational level" blacks. All on the way to being Detroit or Chicago or Oakland.

You cannot escape with such clear evidence of most American cities in decline, many now bankrupt, that they drag the whole nation into decline.
While the rot goes on, Americans concern themselves mainly with "rights they believe are due them" on an old scrap of paper. Much as Muslims mainly focus on their obligations to even more ancient paper.

All while the world's oldest civilization takes a can-do attitude and resembles America back in their vibrant days. The Chinese have no time to wave sacred yellowed scraps of paper at one another while awaiting verdicts on them from lawyers or Mullahs..

Meanwhile, in black-free China, the superlatives in China continue -- the latest symbol of China's "bigger is much, much better" ethos is open for business.

Located in Chengdu (population 14 million), capital of Sichuan province in southwestern China, the New Century Global Center is the largest freestanding building in the world, Chinese officials say.
At 500 meters long, 400 meters wide and 100 meters high, the 1.7-million-square-meter mega-structure is capable of housing 20 Sydney Opera Houses and almost three times the size of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

The Global Center, which opened June 28, is home to business offices, hotels, theaters, shopping malls, a faux Mediterranean village and family-themed attractions such as a water park called Paradise Island.

Chengdu has seen the average standard of living of its residents quadruple since the 1980. The city has seen 300,000 middle class jobs added since 2001, and number of university degrees attained by residents go up 6-fold since 1990.

The New Century Global Center is located in an entirely new planned area of Chengdu called Tainfu New District.

Chengdu is also currently expanding its subway line and plans to construct a new airport by 2020.
From June 6-8, Chengdu hosted this year's Fortune Global Forum, an annual invite-only event featuring chairs, presidents, and CEOs of the world's largest companies.


Rabel said...

There's a great opportunity for UW to step up its game and get involved in solving the difficult social problems that are developing in parts of Madison.

A few options:

1. Move the Mifflin Street block party to Bettys Lane. The cops will follow. Problem solved.

2. Drum circles. Use the percussion section from the marching band for extra volume. Mob will break up as nobody wants to listen to that shit.

3. Send in the SWAT team from the sociology department. Hold the Diversity squad in reserve in case things get out of hand. The Queer Studies faculty could mount a rearguard action if required.

4. Intersquad basketball game at the corner of Theresa Terrace and Bettys Lane. Nothing will send the locals running faster than Bo Ryan's offense.

This may be one of those comments where delete was the better choice.

chickelit said...

This may be one of those comments where delete was the better choice.

No, it was classic, rabel.

deborah said...

Cedarford, don't forget the housing bubble developing in China, with the building of massive cities with no one to living in them. I'll see if I have an article bookmarked.

Original Mike said...

"This may be one of those comments where delete was the better choice."

I think you should run for City Council.

Mark said...

This neighborhood has gone downhill, and just keeps sliding. During grade school I would bike to my soccer practice outside of Falk school just a few blocks away. Alone.

What used to be starter homes and duplexes turned into rental properties. People moved further out for starter homes and this became a discarded suburban area full of cheap 60's houses.

It's been a bad neighborhood for a decade now as the rental properties get more crummy.

Michael said...

Rabel. Good ideas. One small change. The locals would savor drums. Better a quartet playing Beethoven. That would scatter them like bowling pins.

gk1 said...

This riot reminds me kind of like when those rascals the Tsarnev bros. were on the loose. It sure would be nice to have the means of protecting you and your property while the p.c police puts out bulletins not to make contact, avoid the area and just hand over your belongings if accousted. God help you if you fight back like Zimmerman!

Petunia said...

Excellent ideas, Rabel, and I would just add, send in the Solidarity Shriekers from the state capitol building. Their ridiculous lyrics, ongoing bitterness, and appalling singing would drive ANYONE away.

roesch/voltaire said...

Mark you made a good point --the area has been taken over by rental properties and those living there have little sense of community ownership in part because of a transitional minority population-- some with gang connections mixed in with long time residences. I live in a mixed population neighborhood but with a better balance between owners and renters and a strong neighborhood organization; this 4th we will have a parade and picnic for all the kids in Arbor Hills.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

I'm so thankful that Madison is enjoying it's newfound diversity. I thought you all would be happy that there are "affordable" rental housing units.

Perhaps some section 8 rentals could be opened up in Althouse's neighborhood? Madison law professors love diversity, so I'm sure she and Meade will be advocating for more of it right in their neighborhood.

Titus said...

Madison is not diverse.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This may be one of those comments where delete was the better choice.

Discretion is the better part of repossession.

Unknown said...

"...transitional minority population..."

A new entry in the Encyclopedia of Progressive Euphemisms, courtesy of Roesch/Voltaire.

Petunia said...

What Titus said. Madison is amazingly UN-diverse, in both racial composition and political viewpoint. But the white, over-educated, liberal, intolerant elite don't see that, and they think that minorities can't take care of themselves.

Carnifex said...

@C4. I thought I was the only one reading "stuffblackpeopledontlike" thatvisitedAlthouse too. We're not alone.

Cedarford said...

deborah - I have read the article on land value "bubbles" driving property flippers and noveau riche Chinese living large just like illegals with 3 houses in California or the Kelo Case property speculators did.

The overall trend is America is rotting from barbarism and a malignant concern with "rights and entitlements" versus hard work and duties as citizens.

While China is Rising. And better to have a fresh, new well-planned city waiting for 80 million new factory workers that are planned to be moving into cities from the countryside.......than a trash filled, crime filled, decaying away Detroit (and 80 other American cities like it or 5-10 years away from being Detroit)...filled with feral dogs and feral people.

Indigo Red said...

From the article: "Officials said two men, Mario J. Scott, 17, of Madison, and Antwon D. Amos, 20..."

Why is Mario a man at 17 and Travon is a child at 17?

Mark said...

r/v - If you look at the problem area landlords, not good. Also age of units (zero insulation, all single pane windows, crap layout and materials) ... it's all cheap built crap from one decade. Around the age of Allied Drive too, no surprise.

The problem really is the schools, those local schools are struggling and with good schools around town it is a tough blow to the area. Friends in the area have moved although my family there have not.

deborah said...

Cedarford, I agree about the decline in American cities, and think that 3/4 of Detroit should be returned to arable land to grow trees, or something. A good make-work project.

As for China, the article I saw wasn't about just a couple cities, but many. I don't know what the ramifications are for displacing peasants by the millions into city high rises...reminds me of something...

Also, I'm not sure about this idea jump-starting the Chinese economy by this method. I hope they can swing it.

Guildofcannonballs said...

By what measure is one not elite?

Certainly status as a United States Senator would qualify one as amongst the most elite in the current world, don't you believe?

Yet we all can point to idiots in the Senate currently. Idiots defined here as unreasonable, mad personalities.

The elite must, especially in perfunctory manner, be elite no matter the eliteness of the actors involved. Fake sincerity and whatnot.

Hence local politicians feelings and transference of doubt; quite nicely for them.

Chuck said...

I always say, "Never bring a bike lock, to a garden rake fight."

Naturally, I see that I have been soundly beaten, several times over, to the notion that a person without identification can purchase, for cash, an unlimited number of garden rakes. You can get them from dealers, like Lowe's and Home Depot, and you can get them from unlicensed dealers at yard sales and garden rake shows. No background checks; no need to have a garden; no proof that you'll keep your garden rakes locked up. People can buy garden rakes by the dozen in places like Virginia, transport them in the trunk of a car and resell them in New york, Chicago, Detroit... and Madison.

And yet the street fight in Madison might have involved stolen garden rakes. We just don't know.

Comprehensive garden rake control. Let's get with it!

rcocean said...

The scythe, a farming tool, could be easily transformed into an effective infantry weapon. The process usually involved reforging the blade of a scythe at a 90 degree angle, strengthening the joint between the blade and the shaft with an additional metal pipe or bolts and reinforcing the shaft to better protect it against cuts from enemy blades. At times instead of scythe blade, a blade from hand-operated chaff cutter was used.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Why is Mario a man at 17 and Travon is a child at 17?

Activisim over journalism.

deborah said...

Beat your scythe blade into a sword.

Unknown said...

Kreezus Jist, Zimmerman hasn't even been acquitted yet!

Guildofcannonballs said...

Oh and I am having a "convo" (that means "conversation" I declare) with myself with reasoning I will explain to myself later.

That being said.

The answer here is fear.

Punishment. Loss. Regret. Sorrow.

And Pain.



Emil Blatz said...

They wuz kung-foo fightin!

I have memories of the area circa 1969-1970. Pretty nice then. Used to launch model rockets from Elver Park. Sounds like the southwest side has gone to hell. Too bad for those who are stuck with real estate in that vicinity.

Guildofcannonballs said...

This is a link to a Bing failure in that it isn't Bing but why I be bingin' yo?

Guildofcannonballs said...

How long?

How long till some asshole comes 'long and says "I saw the void and filled it."

Because I AM THAT ASSHOLE.

I see the void.

I know how to fill it.

But you all argue argle-bargle other than Althouse-Barnhardt-Palin argle-bargle, WHICH IS NO ARGLE-BARGLE AT ALL.

I offer the American public decades of something much more than "other-than-baby-boo-boos" and Idiocracy, but David Burge offers more for less with better everything.

The question you ask yourself now is: Do I unfuck myself?

If the affirmative is present in your answer, even if vague which I don't doubt it will be, then by all means view and cogitate to your delight:

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog

You pay me via Althouse Amazon for your forthcoming appreciation.

Danno said...

From my reading of the map, it appeared this riot was a fair bit east of Elver Park, closer to Meadowwood. I have bicycled thru this area during the day time, but I wouldn't want to try this at night, even with security by Smith & Wesson.

Kirk Parker said...

O'Mike,

If you were good, wouldn't you have already left by now?

:-/



gk1,

"It sure would be nice to have the means of protecting you and your property ..."

Umm, dude: this is Wisconsin, which means you can.

Clyde said...

It's a good thing it wasn't Chicago or they would have been shooting each other. Or as they say in Chicago, never bring a dumbbell to a gun fight.

Clyde said...

Obviously this was just preparation for a local re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg that just got a wee bit out of hand...

Rusty said...

deborah said...
Cedarford, I agree about the decline in American cities, and think that 3/4 of Detroit should be returned to arable land to grow trees, or something. A good make-work project.

As for China, the article I saw wasn't about just a couple cities, but many. I don't know what the ramifications are for displacing peasants by the millions into city high rises...reminds me of something...

Also, I'm not sure about this idea jump-starting the Chinese economy by this method. I hope they can swing it.

The Chinese government has taken wealth through taxes and built something no one wants.
What do you think that is going to to their economy?

deborah said...

Good point, Rusty, but as I understand, it is private enterprise (speculation) that built the cities.

http://www.news.com.au/business/china-building-mega-cities-but-they-remain-empty-sparking-fears-of-housing-bubble-burst/story-e6frfm1i-1226611169281

roesch/voltaire said...

titus claims Madison is not diverse, but within one block where I live reside a family from India, several Mexican American families in a side by side rental, African Americans, one a State Patrol member, several gay couples, an engineer, Republican, who owns his own business, a doctor, a retired professor, Democrat, next door to a retired person on disability who is a Republican and I could go on...

Paco Wové said...

At last, we've finally found an ethnic group that Cedarford doesn't loathe.

Paco Wové said...

R/V -- so you're saying all America should aspire to be as diverse as Madison?

David said...

I live in a neighborhood of primarily 1950's starter homes that have turned into rental properties. We are about 65% rental. Some are in poor condition. We have many black families, some quite poor. There are 2 low income housing complexes, one four blocks away, the other six. They are not long blocks.

Black teenagers roam the streets in groups.

These black teenagers, however, do not get in fights with each other, do not mug and rob, do not prey on each other or vulnerable others, black or white. They have their problems, including some with the law, mostly drug issues. The police presence is not unusual, nor are we 500 yards from a police station.

This is in a small city in the benighted, racist south, as many Madison liberals see it. Madison liberals are convinced that we need federal supervision of our elections, because we are so backward and bigoted.

As usual, the Madison liberals have no idea what they are talking about.

Astro said...

So which side won? 'Tastes great' or 'Less filling'?

Michael said...

R/V. Well, hurray for you. You should raise your diversity flag above your smug flag.

Michael said...

R/V. Well, hurray for you. You should raise your diversity flag above your smug flag.

MadisonMan said...

Madison is not diverse.

More diverse than Waunakee.

Joseph Blieu said...

Instead of Argle Bargle how about using Hurly Burly. It is Shakespeare certified and has the same humor value as Walla Walla, Washington and when Johnny Carson said Cucamonga.

Joseph Blieu said...

Instead of Argle Bargle how about using Hurly Burly. It is Shakespeare certified and has the same humor value as Walla Walla, Washington and when Johnny Carson said Cucamonga.

Amartel said...

Were they decorating an intersection at the time? Inquiring minds want to know. I want to know.

richard mcenroe said...

We have got to do something about this Swede on Swede violence.

Strelnikov said...

Maybe they were shooting "The Warriors II". Any film permits issued recently?

Strelnikov said...

"titus claims Madison is not diverse, but within one block where I live..."

Nice variation on "some of my best friends are diverse".

Rusty said...

deborah said...
Good point, Rusty, but as I understand, it is private enterprise (speculation) that built the cities.

http://www.news.com.au/business/china-building-mega-cities-but-they-remain-empty-sparking-fears-of-housing-bubble-burst/story-e6frfm1i-1226611169281


Nothing gets done in China without the central committee.
That being said.
There's a supply without a demand. A huge waste of resources.

Rusty said...

roesch/voltaire said...
titus claims........



WTFCs

ErnieG said...

Titus said...

Madison is not diverse.

Yes, but the longer you verk there, diverse it gets.

ken in tx said...

Something similar happened in Greensboro, NC this weekend.

Probably the same demographic.

ErnieG said...

I saw the Greensboro thing on Drudge, and went to the video. Imagine my surprise.

Known Unknown said...

Ernie G! Ha ha ha.

Sofa King said...


Nothing gets done in China without the central committee.
That being said.
There's a supply without a demand. A huge waste of resources.


But there is a staggeringly huge demand, from the millions of Chinese living in substandard condition. The problem at the moment is that very successful Chinese capitalists, somewhat limited in their ability to get their wealth out of the country or into other safe assets, have poured their wealth into real estate. So much investment wealth chasing a limited supply of units has pushed the prices of those units well beyond all reason. Eventually that bubble will collapse of course, evaporating a considerable amount of the wealth of the rich investors, but they will still have the capital improvements, which will then, being more reasonably priced, be eagerly snatched up.

Crunchy Frog said...

Instead of Argle Bargle how about using Hurly Burly.

I'm partial to Higgledy-Piggledy myself.

Drago said...

Rusty: "Nothing gets done in China without the central committee."

In China, central committee always find you....

Gospace said...

http://myfox8.com/2013/07/01/push-for-teen-curfew-after-massive-fight-breaks-out-in-downtown-greensboro/

400 youths rioting and fighting in Greensboro, and no identifiers in the article. But- do any of us really need any identifiers to know the majority group present?

Didn't think so.

Michael McNeil said...

“suspect an abundance of Neanderthal genes”

You think this was Caucasians?


Actually, all non (sub-Saharan) Africans bear the same (~2.5%) proportion of Neanderthal genome, so it could have been, say, Asians.