Yeah, here's the actual incident, when a guy took Laura Ingle's microphone during an Apple iPhone demo in 2007: http://youtu.be/Pz8M34t0M1Y

This has become a meme of sorts.

One of these days, I'll find a real one of these, even if I have to do it myself!

Last time I was interviewed by the local news was the morning after a tear gassing broke up some riots back in Madison, Wisconsin over Halloween. My then-wife lived on the street in question, and we turned out taking in like twelve folks from outside, who were confused, getting beaten, etc. put towels under the door, etc. Gas came through the windows anyway, and she had a couple of gerbils, so their safety was our biggest concern.

Conveniently I worked a few houses down on the same street so I was up at 8AM for work, semi-hungover, and the news person chases me down, asking me my opinion on the riots (ours was one of the few storefronts that did not close the next day so we were open, otherwise it looked like, well, a riot had happened a few hours before) and I said "fuck the people, I'm just worried about the gerbils." and went into to work.

It was edited of course, but they used it and it sounded like "(beep) just worried about the gerbils." I got shit for a year over that.

you should have added "and fuck Charlie Shortino" for good measure

Hell yeah! In sports news Charlie Shit-tino = 0, Tomas the Palella guy = 100!

M-deem You probably remember those.. I worked at The Den at the time right across from the Urban Outfitters and our storefront was smashed in with a rock, so I spent most of the day cleaning up glass, cutting myself, installing a new window. We had a logbook where we could bitch about customers, fellow employees, etc. and I wrote "FIRE ME NOW" across the whole page. So they fired me. I turned out working at the corner store down the street on the corner of 500, the Rainbow Coop on Gilman and Four Star Video for the duration of my time in Madison. Also I went to Cosmo's house, and he gave me one of his bikes, may he rest in peace.

Hahah. Fire me now, nice. God damn, the Den? I was probably still trying to shop clearance racks at flying fish back then. I still live in the area and they tore down the university inn that caught a couple of beer bottles/rocks/streetfire from probably about the same year you're talking about. I still go to that corner store you worked at when I'm desperate for milk. I think four-star closed or moved within the last year. Art Paul showed up at my apartment for move-in day too. Wasn't familiar with cosmo but looks like he passed away.

as "may he rest in peace" would suggest

You mean we sell milk now? Back when I worked there our entire storefront wall was covered with dumb customer questions.. I heard it's changed quite a bit. We used to get away with anything there.. we had Midget Porn Tuesdays where our TV just showed the same Midget Porn VHS all day long. We had to stop selling beer because employees would get intoxicated to the point where they couldn't do their job, which was pretty easy, and a new employee sign went up explaining how if we wanted to get drunk, go to Amy's or the Lava Lounge- something close by. Don't leave your co-worker stranded for more than 3 hours.

I was assistant manager and I have to fire a co-worker for doing ketamine in the basement and couldn't make it up the stairs, so we had some rules... speaking of locals, does the guy with the santa claus beard who sometimes dyes it orange and plays the piccolo still exist on this spectral plane? People are always telling me "ooh you moved back to Portland it must be so weird and kooky to have a Darth Vader riding around on a unicorn playing the bagpipes".. I've seen him once; it's not like he comes to my house. These things in Madison were every day.

One time during move-out-move-in day my friend was sleeping on a curbed couch overnight, because you know you're pretty much homeless for a night, and came feet away from getting picked up by one of those big trash trucks with the metal tongs that picks it up and takes it away. Ah, memories. This has become the best unintentional poetv post for me to reminisce about Madison, Wisconsin that I've ever posted!

I don't get down to state st. or even hang out there much anymore so can't report on beard man. He may be hibernating but I'll keep you posted. I'm kind of digging capitol square casio keyboard girl and speedo and cape Honda Ruckus guy these days. (https://www.facebook.com/ThongCapeScooterMan).

I sometimes have to go to the stop and shop at 501 state to get milk and I'm sure it has changed. No tv and they have a security guard on weekends.

There are a bunch of mattresses laying around from people moving out and I'm kind of surprised to not see more college kids passed out drunk on them when I leave for work in the AM

I don't know if you were a Gino's fan, but they just closed too.

I can't remember his name but the guy from Gino's would regularly stop by and need one item, like milk, batteries, something random like that for the store, and hand me a 0 bill, just saying "keep the change." That made up for the fact that we made under-minimum wage (we had to sign something that said it was ok). Never actually ate at Gino's.. I always felt bad because they were so good to our employees and we could still barely afford to eat there: the 1.99/pound shit from Yummy Buffet across the street was usually my go-to, even though I knew exactly what it'd do to me.

For context I lived in the two co-ops, Lothlorian and Nottingham, for my first couple of years, then moving down towards the zoo into a house and eventually winding up on Livingston right across from the Lake. Please please please don't tell me that Mildred's is gone. I know I can just look it up, but I'll just assume ignorance on that one :)

fuck. looked it up. fuck :(

Oh wow. Lothlorian almost burned down last September and the old buildings across from Nottingham (which I can almost hit with a rock from my place) have been torn down and a big apartment building is going up. Cliffdweller is getting gutted and two floors added. Edgewater is in the middle of a massive overhaul too. They're also trying to tear down the highlander which I think is a great idea. Greenbush donuts are still the truth.

That's so funny, I never set foot in Gino's either, but it was one of those Madison staples like four star, the curve, bernies or b-side.

Kind of a bummer, but seems like lots of businesses on E. Johnson seem to struggle

To quote the simpsons, "we'll always have the laundromat." Next to the Caribou. I can only imagine the smell of Delorean on fire.. until fairly recently I lived in a freepile house in Portland. Everyone bailed and left all their shit, and I swear I found an ounce's worth of weed, fishscales, you name it, in drawers, cupboards etc. I found a baggie hidden in the pinball machine! The only reason why I can still rent in this town is because I helped the landlord clean it all up, but I got a 3rd pinball machine because of it :)