Wineke: Let’s put Trump back into Xmas
MADISON, Wis. -- The email come-on in my mailbox this morning offered me a cheery “Merry Trumpmas” and encouraged me to purchase “Let’s God Brandon” wrapping paper to help my Christmas presents stand out in a crowd. As it turns…
Wineke: Madison Opera is back and better than ever
Madison Opera’s weekend performances of “Lucia Di Lammermoor” are the best I have experienced in more than 40 years of attending the opera. Everything worked. The singing was superb. The lighting was magnificent. The stage direction kept the show moving…
Wineke: Democracy can’t work without process
Sometimes I wonder if anyone other than President Biden and a few legislators still have faith in the democratic process.
Wineke: Olga Kern wows MSO audience again
As I read through the program notes for the weekend Madison Symphony Orchestra concerts, it struck me that the commentaries J. Michael Allsen writes for each performance are almost as much a part of the enjoyment as the concerts themselves.
Bill Wineke: Captain Kirk Inspires Anew
When I learned that billionaire Jeff Bezos was planning to shoot Captain Kirk into space, I thought it was one of the dumbest publicity stunts of the year. William Shatner, the star of the original Star Trek television series, is…
Wineke: The blind seek to lead the blind
MADISON, Wis. -- This is an actual quote from the man Wisconsin has hired to investigate claims of fraud in the last election: “Most people, myself included, do not have a comprehensive understanding, or even any understanding, of how elections…
Wineke: Happy, masked crowd returns to the MSO
One of the nicest things about the Madison Symphony Orchestra is that it is pretty easy to feel among friends when one attends a concert.
Wineke: Our Legislature in action: telling schools what not to teach
In case you were wondering what your state legislators have been up to, this week they're considering telling schools they can't teach students about racism. It's part of a nationwide Republican effort to link schools to something called “Critical Race…
Wineke: What would a “successful” Afghanistan withdrawal look like?
MADISON, Wis. -- It's pretty much official that the American withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years was “botched.” Virtually every newspaper account, television account, and pundit account use “botched” as a prefix for the withdrawal. To be honest, the scenes…
Wineke: The insurrection is not over
We talk about the Jan. 6 attack on our nation’s Capitol as if it was “over.” It’s not.
Wineke: Robin joins the insurrection
This is what I read from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on the front page of this morning’s paper: “It was an honor to be invited to travel by private plane with President Trump and top staff to attend his rally in Alabama.”
Wineke: Was the war worth it? We don't know
The easy answer is “no.” I think the more accurate answer is that the assessment depends on what we mean by “worth.”
Wineke: Is Nancy Pelosi the Jan. 6 villain?
The House of Representatives has begun its hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nation’s Capitol and Republicans in Congress have found their villain: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Is the Trump cult becoming a death cult?
At some point you’d think that the morning headlines would become less shocking.
Wineke: Are you a fool for paying taxes?
About 12 years ago, I decided I needed the help of an accountant to figure out my taxes.
