8 O'Clock Buzz

An exhibit in the main floor of UW-Madison’s Memorial Library seeks to showcase pivotal moments in the history of experimental and electronic music. Many of those pivotal moments are available to play (and available to check out) in Memorial’s basement, amidst the vast musical collection of the Mills Music Library.

The exhibit is arranged in a loose chronology over roughly eight decades. Yet, some of these recordings sound much more contemporary than you would think.

Pauline Oliveros’s “Bye Bye Butterfly” sounds like it could be a selection on WORT’s RTQE… but it was realized at the The San Francisco Tape Music Center in 1965.

The most well-known composition from Don Voegeli (pronounced “vaguely”) is the original theme to NPR’s All Things Considered, but some of his other “beautiful and lovely” music was composed at Madison’s own WHA/WPR in Vilas Hall, in the 1970s, on one of his Moog synthesizers.

George Lewis’s improvised duos between human and computer musicians are an early example of computer improvisation dating back to the 1980s.

Steve Meyer, Data Strategist for the Mills Music Library and Tom Caw, Music Public Services Librarian teamed up to curate the exhibit. It’s titled Oscillators, Resonators, & Tape, Oh(m) My! (get it?) and runs for just a few more weeks, until February 2.

Meyer and Caw join host Brian Standing in-studio to play some of their careful selections.

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The Madison Bubbler is the Madison Public Library’s artist outreach program. Over the past decade, the Bubbler has brought painting, dance, poetry, fabric arts, printmaking and other community collaborations to the central and branch libraries, showcasing the talents of artists from the Madison community. The Bubbler is looking for its next crop of talent and has issued an open call for artists. Carlee Latimer is the Bubbler Program Administrator for the Madison Public Library and joins host Brian Standing to talk about the Bubbler Program’s open call.

Photo courtesy: Nicholas Wootton/WORT-FM, used under CC 2.0.

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A series of new bipartisan proposals in the state Legislature would expand rights for DACA recipients in Wisconsin.

Senate Bill 78 would allow local sheriffs to hire DACA recipients as law enforcement officers,  Assembly Bill 820 would grant a $250 nonrefundable tax credit to DACA recipients, Assembly Bill 821 would grant a tuition exemption for recipients to attend UW System,  and Assembly Bill 822 would allow DACA recipients to obtain certain other professional credentials. 

One immigrant rights activist group, Wisconsin WISDOM, has found surprising bipartisan support for these series of bills. Organizers Tony Gonzalez and Amanda Ali join host Brian Standing for more about this legislation.

Photo courtesy: Susan Ruggles on Flickr, used under CC 2.0.

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No matter where you land on whether or not the World Naked Bike Ride is a good idea, it’s easy to agree that spending time crafting and voting on bills to criminalize it seems like a poor use of time by our state’s elected officials. According to Thursday 8 O’Clock Buzz guest Peter Keating, organizer of Madison’s annual ride, Dane County Supervisor Jeff Weigand’s objection to being “assaulted by nudity” led him to file a police report after Madison’s 2023 ride, while U.S. Representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald asked the Federal Department of Justice to investigate a young girl’s participation in the Madison event. Planning for the 2024 World Naked Bike Ride in Madison continues afoot; this year’s ride will be held on June 15*, 2024 (*correction from original post which said June 14.)

Photo courtesy of Melissa Griffin on Unsplash.

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Alan Robinson, a local purveyor of Delta 8 THC, joins the Thursday 8 O’Clock Buzz to educate hosts Tony Castañeda and Eli Wilz and our listeners on the intricacies of cannabinoids, their legal sale in Wisconsin and how the products he sells differ from those in nearby states which have legalized the sale of non-medical marijuana. Robinson, who owns Herbal Aspects along with two partners, also discusses the recently stalled Republican-sponsored bill to legalize the sale of medical marijuana, and his attempt to start a dialogue about the often overzealous policing of black people in Monona, where he hopes to establish his fourth location.

Photo courtesy of Erin Hinterland on Pixabay.

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January 11th marked the twenty-second anniversary of the opening of the U.S. black site prison of Guantánamo. Afreen Minai, Program Assistant for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, marked this occasion of the prison which held 730 men for interrogation, torture, and abuse — and still holds 30 prisoners today, with her report “22 Years Later, Guantánamo and Its Dark Legacy Endure“.

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Starting with her mother’s efforts to pass the first abortion rights law in New York State to the current day, Professor or History at the University of Vermont and author Felicia Kornbluh‘s book “A Woman’s Life is a Human Life” chronicles efforts to decriminalize abortion, reverse forced sterilization abuses to women (particularly women of color), and the pending Women’s Health Protection Act in Congress.

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Katie Beilfuss, Outreach Programs Director at the Wisconsin Wetlands Association, talks about the organization’s goals to the protection, restoration, and enjoyment of wetlands and associated ecosystems through science-based programs, education, and advocacy. Wisconsin has already lost one-half of its original wetlands areas due to development, and decisions by courts are whittling away at what protections remain. Check out their Wetlands Coffee Breaks, live or pre-recorded Zoom conferences on their website.

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Today on the Tuesday 8:00 Buzz with Tara Wilhelmi and Antoine McNeail, joined by Lolo Lature and Alan Robinson talk about civil engagement, policing, police culture, and law enforcement relationships with the Black community, particularly in Monona in the wake of the tragic loss of three lives on New Year’s Day in a high speed pursuit.

Video of the City of Monona Council meeting discussing police policy (starts about 20 minutes in, if the link doesn’t jump to it): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrU1zG_5GtU&t=1210s agenda is and minutes will be available at https://www.mymonona.com/agendacenter (January 16 meeting).

More information on Alan’s business, Herbal Aspect, at https://www.herbalaspect.com/ 

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WORT 89.9FM Madison · Solace Friends To Provide Hospice Care To Homeless

Solace Friends is a new nonprofit organization seeking to provide hospice care to the homeless, to give them a safe, comfortable place as they reach the end of their life. Solace Friends Executive Director Kendra Deja and Board of Directors president Dr. Ann Catlett joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on January 15, 2024.

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