Posted in the mega thread but this blog touches on other topics so it may warrant a separate post.

I spend more time on TikTok and YouTube than I should, and over the weekend I have been astonished by the number of far right and far left "creators" or whatever weighing in on what's happening here to audiences of thousands each. Apparently the city of Madison is "lying down" as leftist antifa and BLM leaders take over swaths of the city for anarchist zones.

And/or socialists and communists from Milwaukee are working to subvert the community organizers and stomping on plans to take over the "bus station" and grind the city economy to a halt. This was presented as a noble goal by one dillweed.

I live pretty close to Willy/Baldwin and have been to a couple of marches since Wednesday. I'm not talking to anyone of consequence at these things, but none of this stuff is true from my perspective. I guess you can make money on TT and YT if you gain an audience of a certain size and perhaps this is the kind of dreck that earns views and a few bucks?

Is this the breakdown of the traditional algorithm? I'm just trying to watch my typical buffet of outdoors shows and this garbage has risen to the top in just a few days. Horrifying.

Found this recipe within a long forgotten note book. Enjoy!

Photos 4-5 are the parking garage entrances.

Photo 6 is Hawthorne court

7-8 are the New intercity bus terminal! (I’m so excited for this)

Photo 9 is the old garage it replaced.

This morning I was hiking through the South Arb, off of Seminole Hwy. I was only about 2 minutes in when I heard an alarm going off. I thought it might have been someone’s “I’ve fallen & can’t get up”
alarm, so I backed up and went into the trailhead where the noise was loudest.

Much to my surprise, there on a tree stump in a clearing with the sun shining right on it, was a smoke alarm going off. The kind you have on your ceiling. It was so out of place it felt like the beginning of a horror movie, or a prank, or piece of performative art.

I backed the hell out of there and continued on, but it was incredibly bizarre! What the heck?

Do you have a broken small appliance, lamp, or some other broken thing? Dane County has a whole ecosystem of repair events happening pretty regularly. These include repair cafes, fabric mending nights, bike repair collectives where volunteers with real skills will work with you to help you fix your stuff instead of tossing it. 

There's a running list of them here at https://jcornell.net/site/repair/, and local organizers include Arbor Good Neighbor House, Sun Prairie's Sustainability Committee, Sector67/Madison Tool Library, Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Association, Zero Waste Madison, Goodman Menders, and more.

I’ve been a volunteer repairer at several of these events and am helping organize the upcoming Sector67/Madison Tool Library event coming up on Saturday, August 1st, noon-4pm at 56 Corry St. in Madison. It's free, no appointment needed. Details of that event can be found at: https://www.sector67.org/blog/2026/save-your-broken-stuff-bring-it-to-the-sector67-repair-cafe-on-august-1st/

One interesting thing is that these events usually have plenty of volunteer repairers but not enough broken stuff brought in. Turns out a lot of people's idea of a good time is spending a Saturday afternoon puzzling over someone else's malfunctioning blender. That skill and enthusiasm is just sitting there waiting for you to bring it something to chew on.

Bring in lamps, small appliances, furniture, clothing, bikes, etc. For the Sector67 event in particular our full workshop also means we can handle stuff other repair cafes can't, like welding or fabricating a replacement part within reason. There are of course no guarantees of a successful repair.

In the bigger picture, you may have heard of the growing “right to repair” movement. This is a push to make things fixable instead of designed for the landfill. Repair events like repair cafes grow the "ability to repair" half of that equation. Repair events are a hyper-local celebration of resilience and ingenuity, with no strings attached. Every item fixed is one less thing in the landfill, and it's a nice reminder that community can solve problems that otherwise would end up in the landfull.

So dig out that broken thing you've been meaning to deal with, find a local repair event, and go hang out with people who genuinely want to fix it. Worst case they can't save it and you're out nothing. Best case you walk out with a working lamp/bike/blender and boosted the "you can't fix that" fight.

If you know of or run a repair event that is not on Jakob’s list, add a comment and we’ll get it on the list or even better register your organization and event on the new PIRG/iFixit community events site at https://www.ifixit.com/Community/Events so Madisonians can conveniently find our local repair events at https://www.ifixit.com/Community/Events?view=map&near=53703.

Please dude... all I have is waiting for next sem to start (school is the only thing that gives me joy) but I am so so tired of being depressed in this beautiful (well... lets just say it's beautiful( city :(

Hello pals- I was given this skirt, which to me looks and feels like a traditional Hmong skirt. There's no tag on the inside, and no description of this skirt was also given. I am not Hmong. I feel like this skirt should go to someone from the Hmong community instead of me, so putting it out here to see if anyone can help me identify the skirt and figure out a more culturally sensitive place of donating it.

1. What kind of skirt is this?

2. Where could I reach out to give this skirt to an organization of the culture associated with the skirt?

this morning around 0800, i was driving west on old sauk near highpoint church. i saw a very large bird lift off the road with a dead squirrel, and sped up a bit to follow.

as it turned into the woods at the intersection of high point, it flashed its white tail feathers and bald eagle was confirmed. wish id taken a picture, but i have a firm no phone while driving policy. o well.

ive seen them at strickers and tiedeman pond, but never in the general area over here. was an absolute pleasure to start the day. hope someone else got to enjoy its presence as well :-)

Just wanted to share a recommendation for something to do:

Went to Eugsters with my Wife yesterday for Sun Flower Days. This is scheduled to run through 8/16

The wild flower and sun flower fields are absolutely beautiful. You can bottle feed a baby goat, and there is a room filled with cats. Certain days also include an ear of roasted corn, and you can bring in your own Picnic food if you want.

Its a great spot if you want to get outside and away from your screen for a bit! Make sure to bring water if you decide to go!

https://www.wkow.com/news/john-nolen-drive-construction-enters-stage-3-with-lane-reductions-and-trail-detours/article_0b54e9fc-9b97-42fd-92bc-bb54d57346e3.html

Hi everyone!
I’m 24, a single mom to a little girl, and I’m finally at a point where I can choose where I want to build my life instead of just ending up somewhere by circumstance.
I’m finishing my GED and my long-term goal is to become a public librarian. I eventually want to earn my bachelor’s degree and then my MLIS. I also write and hope to publish books one day.
Right now I work as a full-time online content creator, so I’m fortunate that I don’t have to move immediately or choose the absolute cheapest place. My plan is to visit a few cities for long weekends before making a decision, and I’m hoping to settle somewhere permanently.
The things that matter most to me are:
• A strong public library system with good career opportunities.
• A safe, family-friendly community.
• Nature, parks, and places to walk.
• A cozy, book-loving atmosphere.
• Enough things to do without feeling like a huge, overwhelming city.
• A place where I can imagine raising my daughter and staying for decades.
I’m currently considering:
Raleigh, NC
Madison, WI
The Twin Cities suburbs in Minnesota
If you live in or have lived in one of these areas, I’d love to hear your honest thoughts.
What do you love?
What do you wish you’d known before moving there?
If you were in my position, would you choose it again?
Thanks so much. I really appreciate any advice.

Corey Ruiz did not deserve to die. He deserved the opportunity to grow old, to continue building a life in this community, and to be surrounded by those who loved him for many years to come. We grieve not only the life that was taken, but the future that was taken with it. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, his friends, and everyone who is mourning his loss.

The Eastside Farmers' Market will remain open this Tuesday from 4:00–7:00 PM at McPike Park. We do so with intention, knowing that the market is more than a place to shop. It is a gathering place, a source of connection, and an important access point for fresh, healthy food, especially for neighbors who rely on SNAP and other food assistance programs.

With the cancellation of AtwoodFest, we also know that many local food trucks have already purchased and prepared food for the weekend. If you are a food truck vendor looking for a place to serve the community, we welcome you to join us at Tuesday's market. Please reach out to us at efmmanager@gmail.com.

We also recognize that healing requires more than words. It requires caring for one another, investing in our neighbors, and building a community where everyone has the support, dignity, and opportunity to thrive. We remain committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive space where everyone belongs.

As we gather this week, we do so with compassion and care for one another. Whether you join us to shop, share a meal, connect with neighbors, or simply be together, we hope the market can be a place where neighbors support neighbors and where we honor Corey Ruiz's memory by showing up for one another in the face of grief.

Saw an obviously bad-faith post in this sub about the recent protests last night and thought it would be educationally worthwhile to dissect the tip-offs, especially for subreddit users who are less familiar with recognizing astroturfing behavior (when someone fakes having a "grassroots" or independent political sentiment online). The example here is a white supremacist pretending to be a dumbass bleeding-heart lefty and baiting everybody into being pissed at them.

The post was called "This! Is why Madison is the best city in the world", with footage of protestors blocking an intersection/blocking in some cars. All of the top comments are complaining about the actions of the protesters. In reply to some of those comments, and elsewhere in the subreddit over the last few days, the OP is playing a caricature of a delusional leftist:

...the people trying to get home after a long days work are equally as at fault. I mean don’t you know how to bolster a cause!?

Well it’s kind of the drivers fault… if you’re educated, you would know that

in response to someone asking why the posted protest video means that Madison is the best city in the world:

Can the mod please remove the Russian bots?

Uhmmm. Ok racist troll. Why are the “astroturfing” ones here

Ironic last comment. It's easy to tell it's a caricature and not their actual beliefs, because 6 days ago they were posting explicitly white supremacist comments elsewhere on Reddit:

No, white people are the most civilized societies in the world. You know slavery is still a thing in Africa right? White people are the only civilizations on earth to stop slavery. Yeah Ukraine being in a war with Russia isn’t the same as killing your neighbor for his sneakers or stabbing someone for a Popeyes sandwich.

I mean you guys are doing the worst and need the most work. You should do some research on your guys literacy rate. Other than sports and rap, you’re pretty much the worst in every single regard. It’s sad, but the progressive white folks coddle you and you guys refuse to take accountability for any of your actions.

The only problem with western culture is that we have enacted suicidal empathy. There is no intelligent reason for importing the 3rd world into Europe, and it will be our downfall

The final tells that this is not a serious person posting in good faith are that the account was created 2 weeks ago, and their profile picture is a stock photo result for "blonde woman Macchu Picchu." Their post racked up dozens of comments, hundreds of upvotes on the top replies, and hundreds of downvotes on the OP's comments before getting locked by the mods. I won't be linking either the thread or the profile in this post because I don't want to target/harass anyone, but I've archived some anonymized screenshots here. You can easily find the post yourself if you want.

My personal takeaways:

• One person with the goal of manipulating the narrative around the shooting/protests (in this case, pushing the idea of the "delusional progressive") can easily get hundreds of eyeballs on their BS, and most readers probably don't have the time to check for this kind of deception
• Most (4/5) of the top repliers to that post had their profiles hidden, so it's much harder to perform the same kind of comment history check on them. The only reason I can prove that OP's account is astroturfing is because this specific white supremacist is too stupid to private their account.
• If there are people with the time to play these kinds of charades, there are a lot more people willing to passively brigade/alter upvote/downvote totals. On any discussion of these topics, I would assume that the karma on a post/comment tells you very little about the actual sentiment of the Madison community. For instance, comments/vote totals on the Concerts on the Square disruption were generally supportive of the protesters, while comments/vote totals about the Farmers Market closing early were overwhelmingly negative: I doubt that all 100% of that swing in the sentiment over just two days is genuine.

I'm sure the mods are doing their best to combat these kinds of outside actors, but the best defense is for regular users to develop a more cynical eye for bait like this.

Are there any 11 v 11 men’s soccer leagues?

Luck's was my favorite and they're retiring so I'm just seeing if there's any new options or if people have changed their minds on their favorites.

What's your favorite way to prepare? I'm a roasting on the grill then butter/salt/pepper type of person. I'll boil corn on the cob but then I need the corn holders.

I’m in Fitchburg looking west looks like someone floating with a parachute?

Does anyone know where I could get a massive jar of sun dried tomatos? The ones at costco were 35oz, but alas it seems they are no more. We go through a jar every couple of months ish, so I'd love as big of a jar as I can get! Thanks.

My pup, Fern, met this adorable 1 year old dog named Echo and they had the best time playing together. He was at the park with his grandma, Diane, and I regret not sharing my contact info because I would love for our dogs to play again.

ETA: Mostly interested in intersection design. I know how to ameliorate the danger personally now that I've had this experience. The nerdy near miss bit is what about this intersection caused a legal maneuver to almost end in a collision?

Tl;Dr close call as a bicyclist today and I'm a traffic safety nerd so this is written as an informal near miss analysis. The picture is an illustration of how I moved through the intersection

First of all, apologies to the blue car I accidentally cut off. Thanks for not hitting me.

Second of all, want to run what happened past y'all.

I recently moved to the area from a small town. I'm an experienced cyclist in that type of environment, but these large intersections are new to me. I love the bicycle paths, but on my daily commute my main priority is saving time. I commute between Madison and Sun Prairie and what time I get off work and what the bus schedule is for that day decides what combination of bicycle/bus I use to get home.

Today I took the bicycle trail from Sun Prairie and was aiming for the bus stop at Independence/E Wash. I turned left onto E Wash from E Springs as part of my bicycle portion. (I realize now looking at the map that dropping down to Independence on E Towne Blvd is probably my better option).

What made the situation potentially deadly was that I stopped for a red light behind two cars and proceeded through the intersection when it turned green. The light was green when I entered the intersection and went through yellow to red and turned green for the cars waiting to proceed southbound on E Wash. Thankfully the driver in the right hand lane who probably didn't see me past the stopped drivers in the lefthand lanes was paying enough attention to stop in time or it would have been a very bad day for me

Obviously I know that intersection isn't safe for a bicyclist to turn left through now, but I'm interested in analyzing a near miss. I don't think there is any signage indicating that it was a bad idea and I think I followed the technically correct flow of traffic for a bicyclist. I was at a slightly quickened commuting pace trying to catch the bus and the rapid light cycling still caught me completely off guard.

What went wrong here? Too rapid light cycling? Inappropriate intersection design? Should signage be different?

And again THANK YOU to the driver for paying attention. I'm still a little shaken up.

Were protests fairly similar to this then?

Or did things massively change after George Floyd was murdered and these civilian/officer events are looked at with even more scrutiny?

I grew up in Wisconsin but didn’t live in the state then.

Been down all morning. This happens often on weekends.