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Stevens Point (and neighbors) Calendar of Events

ArtThrough May 2, May 6-13BFA Student Thesis Exhibition. Noel Fine Arts Center. Reception April 29, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Through May 3Thanks for Nothing: New Work by Travis Lester. The Scarabocchio Art Museum. Reception April 6, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Through May 27Common Threads - Textile as art. Riverfront Arts Center.

May 10-June 22Bob Erickson and Keith Wilson.Scarabocchio Art Museum.

May 15-Jun 23Verse&Vision II. Open reception May 18. Gallery Q.

May 18Arts Walk 2012. Main St., downtown Stevens Point. 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

May 18BFA Graphic Design Exhibition. Noel Fine Arts Center. 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

DanceMay 4-6, May 9-11Danstage 2012. Noel Fine Arts Center. Weekdays and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m.

MusicMay 1, 8, 15, 22, 29Tuesday Night Karaoke. Players Lounge. 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

May 2Acoustic Open Mic with Sloppy Joe. Northland Sports Bar, Iola. 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

May 3Concert Pianist Eric Genuis. 7:00 p.m. Theater @ 1800.

May 3-6Showtime 2012. Weekdays and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m. SPASH.

May 4Unity the Band. 9:00 p.m. Mikey’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill, Plover.

May 5Danny Mitchell Jazz Night, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Theater @ 1800.

May 5Barrage. 7:00 p.m. McComb/Bruchs Performing Arts Center, Wautoma.

May 11Icky Friction. 9:00 p.m. Kristin’s Riverwalk.

May 11More Than Lights and Sophistafunk. 6:00 p.m., UWSP.

May 19Galynne Goodwill/Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts. 9:00 p.m. Hollyrock’s Tavern, Wisconsin Rapids.

May 26Evergreen Grass Band. 8:00 p.m. Guu’s on Main.

May 26James Stanley Howen. 9:00 p.m. Kim’s Barrell Inn.

TheaterMay 4-6The Music Man. Friday and Saturday 7:00 p.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m. Rosholt High School, Rosholt.

May 18-20Arcadia. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 4:00 p.m. Sunday, Theater @1800.

OtherMay 2Silenced Voices and Represnations

of Violence: Latin American Female Writers and Memory Construction. Noel Fine Arts Center. 7:30 p.m.

May 5, 12, 19, 26Indoor Farmers Market. 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Market on Strongs.

May 5Save the Penokee Springfest. UWSP Recreation Fields.

May 5Move Some Earth Day. 9:00 a.m. MREA, Custer.

May 10Gasland: Sustainable Stockton Film. 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. MREA, Custer.

May 12Portage County Cultural Festival. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. SPASH.

May 12Raingarden Basics. 1:00 p.m. Portage County Public Library.

May 152012 Solar Olympics. 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Laird Room, UWSP.

May 18The Self-Sustaining Lifestyle Series: Basic Tool Use and Care. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. MREA, Custer. www.midwestrenew.org/workshops.

May 26The Self-Sustaining Lifestyle Series: Introduction to Seed Saving. 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Alice’s Rabbit Whole, Amherst. www.midwestrenew.org/workshops

If you would like to see your event in The Bitchin’ Kitsch next month, please email the details to chris@talbot-heindl.com.

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content may 2012Blue Empress - Andrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE

Calendar of Events

Book Review: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Maxwell Skyles

Made from refuse seed beads, with fully beaded leather neck strap - Kandra Shefchik

Dear Outdoor Sportsman - To Love Sophia

Parallel - Wlkn_Fire

Milk Top Necklace - Kandra Shefchik

Elephant Park - Andrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE

Action - Robin Lee

Star Flower - Wlkn_Fire

So you want to change the world... - Mike Wilson

Pansies - Andrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE

One Million Variations of the Face I Know Best: #39 - Chris Talbot-Heindl

Untitled - Jan Haskell

Lord of the Flies - Robin Lee

White Clouds - Wlkn_Fire

One Million Variations of the Face I Know Best: #38 - Chris Talbot-Heindl

Burn it Off - Wlkn_Fire

Donors & Index

Sunkissed - Tanya Haller

advertising:the bitchin’ kitsch is offering crazy low rates of $5 for a fourth-page ad, $10 for a half-page ad, and $20 for a full page ad. book yours today by emailing chris at chris@talbot-heindl.com.

donation:we love our donors. If you would like to become a donor, email chris@talbot-heindl.com and make your pledge.

about b’k:the bitchin’ kitsch is a zine for artists, poets, prose writers, or anyone else who has something to say. it exists for the purpose of open creativity. if you have something you want to share, please email it to chris@talbot-heindl.com.

Kandra Shefchik - pg. 6 Wlkn_Fire - pg. 13

on the front cover:Blue EmpressAndrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIREMixed media

on the inside back cover:SunkissedTanya HallerPhotoshopped illustration

cover

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maxwell skyles.

Book Review: Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsBy: Maxwell Skyles

I put this review off for as long as possible. I had hoped my first book review would’ve gone a different way, but unfortunately it wasn’t in the cards. In short, I was deeply disappointed in this book. It seems Ms. Collins managed to turn an old idea, good idea, into just another piece of pop culture garbage. This “Battle Royale with Cheese” just left me wanting so much more. How about a breakdown?

The Story: C+Let’s face it; we’ve all seen Arnold in the Running Man. It was awful. Now imagine Arnold as a coal miner’s daughter, and you have Katniss. The story chugs along at a fairly steady pace, with little to nothing spectacular to talk about. The plot “twists” weren’t really twists at all; in fact there wouldn’t have been a story at all if it wasn’t for them.

The Characters: FMy biggest problem with The Hunger Games is the fact that none of the characters seem to make any sense. It’s almost like everyone only exists so The Games themselves can exist. Katniss has two love interests, Peeta and Gale, and neither of them has any more personality than the coal that is the lifeblood of District 12. And the heroine, the tough tomboy who is Katniss, may have more personality than most in the novel, but that doesn’t mean I can’t complain about her. Her constant waffling over Peeta, alternately whining or pining, was incredibly annoying. I have never been a teenage girl, so I’m unaware of how the minds of said girls work, but it seems incredibly unrealistic that she would have that much trouble deciding whether or not to hate someone.

The Setting: B-The concept of a dystopian system of government has always been a favorite of mine, which is probably the main reason I liked the idea of the twelve districts of Panem. The concept of the Games themselves would have fit right in with this dystopia, but unfortunately the story behind the games is just completely ridiculous. I have a hard time believing that anyone would find the Games an acceptable alternative to war. But again, this dystopian future has its perks. At least in the sense that global warming hasn’t killed off all the wildlife and

the technologically advanced Capitol has created some interesting little mutants. Too bad the mutants only are introduced when no real animal would make sense, making them one of many “deux ex machina.”

The Writing: C+Okay, so the book was obviously written for teenagers. The language is all very vanilla which is understandable. What isn’t understandable is the complete lack of feeling in any sentence. I’ve gotten a better sense of emotion reading text books. Maybe I’m just being too picky here, but it seems to me that a good sentence is more than just proper noun and verb usage. The stilted storytelling combined with the robotic dialogue would have been too much to bear except for the fact that the book was such light reading that it took me less than a day to read the entire novel. Not to imply that it was too good to put down, I put it down a lot. In fact, I probably only read for about 2 hours over the course of the day,

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maxwell skyles (con’t), kandra shefchik.

Made from refuse seed beads, with fully beaded leather neck strapKandra ShefchikWearable art

I just took frequent breaks to wash my brain out with something worth reading. Like the ingredient list of a bag of chips. At least that has some surprises.

If anyone stuck around long enough to get to the final grade I thank you, even if you don’t agree. Obviously this is just my personal opinion based on years of reading anything I could get my hands on, so if you don’t agree, I don’t mind. I didn’t like this book. It had so much potential to be good, to be a reboot of one of my favorite genre, but it was squandered with lazy storytelling and substandard writing. All in all I wouldn’t suggest reading it, although I imagine it might make a decent movie, so just this once I’d say watch the movie, to hell with the book

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to love sophia, wlkn _ fire, kandra shefchik.

Dear Outdoor SportsmanBy: To Love Sophia

Dear Outdoor Sportsman,

My name is Harry Tatertot. I’m writing ya to tell ya bout a huntin trip I had. As all my friends no I’m a big bow huntin phonetic.

This year I was in pursuit of the White Tail as usual. I am always prepared by having my bow and four arrows, my Buck knife, and a pistol, just in case of not having made a clean kill or shooting at anything that moves cause I’m bored or I run into a bear or something.

I was walking towards my tree stand after setting up quite a few decoys. The path I take looked different for some reason but I paid no mind to it. I think I hear a grouse and as I look to see what it was I step in a beer trap that nearly rips my foot off. Jesus Christ that fuckin hurt. I instantly buckle in pain and fall on my arrows. After the arrows penetrate my ass cheeks I squirm in pain only to cut myself on my Buck knife. I was so angry that when I reached for my gun because I was going to make several shots in Morris code in the air in hopes some one would hear me, I accidentally shoot my good foot. In the travels to my foot the bullet pierces my bottle of Doe urine I use to cover my scent.

ParallelWlkn_FireInk and pastels on paper

Milk Top NecklaceKandra ShefchikWearable sculpture

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to love sophia (con’t), andrew peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE.

Elephant ParkAndrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIREDigital Illustration

So here I am, layin on the ground, smellin like doe piss with four arrows stickin in may ass, my foot almost ripped fuckin off in a trap and a hole in my good foot bleeding from my knife wounds and a Buck tries to hump me cause he thinks I’m a doe in heat. As the buck starts humpin me, his genitalia gets stuck in my coat pocket rippin open a packet of Wet Naps. The alcohol rubs on his dick and causes him to scream like a monkey fightin over the last peanut at the zoo. In the bucks attempt to unmount me and run, an antler gets stuck on the chain of the bear trap. The buck runs wildly pulling the stake out of the ground and drags me with my foot still stuck in the bear trap. This goes on for what seems like miles. The buck, in its panic, runs across highway 10 near Junction City, and as I bounce out of the culvert, the chain comes loose and I am deposited in the middle of the highway right in front of an ambulance. What luck. I was instantly taken to Marshfield.

I’m doing much better since then and have quit huntin and work jigsaw puzzles and make hand puppets out of old socks when I’m not sleeping. I sleep about eighteen hours a day since the accident.

I decided to tell you this story cause I wanted to tell you how important Wet Naps can be during a hunting trip.

Thank you, Harry Tatertot

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robin lee, wlkn _ fire.

Star FlowerWlkn_FireInk and pastels on paper

ActionBy: Robin Lee

The time has come to take some action!The time has come to take a stand.Every boy and every girl,every woman and man.

To take action against the garlic mustard,stop this epidemic plague.To pull it from its toxic roots,and choke it dead with leftoverbags.

The time has come to take some action,against this oil spill.Time to try to clear the pathof all it intends to kill.

Take some action against the status quo,from within its ranks.To try to choke the cash flowfrom big business to the banks.

Just a little bit of action,or maybe a lot.To quit buying beer in bottlesand legalizing marijuana-pot.

The time has come to act on instinct.To unresist resisted desire.To try to burn the bramble,and enjoy the fire.

The time has come to take some action.The time has come to make the bed.The time has come to write the wordsthat have longed to be read.

The time has come to brush the teeth,and stretch the achy bones,and write about the action,through a hyper sensitive poem.

Action must be taken,and it needs to be taken by us.There are many points of rhyme and reason,that we must discuss.

Discussion is the first step,then comes thoughts to be thunk.

Which will lead to the action,to keep the island from being sunk. (ref. Guam)

Action action we want action!Don’t worry it’ll be here soon,after another night of sleep,but before tomorrow’s moon.

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mike wilson.

So you want to change the world…By: Mike Wilson

“The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men.” – Plato

We want to contribute, to make the world a better place. We get an education, develop interests and seek new answers—all because we wish to positively affect the world during our lifetimes.

“You can’t be neutral on a moving train,” Howard Zinn wrote. You have to be political; the political is personal. Whether or not you are conscious of it, you impact the world everyday you wake up. How your taxes and other resources are allocated, what kind of standing you have, and almost every social condition that determines your everyday life, is determined by politics.

While some do not wait to graduate college to work for (or against) political change, many students across the world are making use of their education, experience and the network they developed as undergraduates, to take positions of power.

One way to influence society and achieve change is to run for office. Given the changes in candidacy age restrictions, the doors to public office have been widened to younger people. For instance, Zach Vruwink, a 24-year-old and UW – Stevens Point graduate in Political Science and Public Administration, just won the April 3 election for mayor of Wisconsin Rapids.

“I am interested in running for office, its just a matter of when and where,” said Patrick Testin, who served as student senator and president of the College Republicans until he graduated from UWSP last year.

“I have found that many people in city, county, and state politics started on campus,” said Jay Burseth, a former student body president and Political Science and History double major at UW – Milwaukee. “Chris Larson, for example, who is my state senator here in Milwaukee, ran for the same office I held at UWM just four years before me. Sachin Chheda, who is the Chair of the Milwaukee Democratic Party, used to run campaigns at UWM.”

“I suspect and foresee the ultra-conservative and malicious people I ran against a few years ago at UWM

will pop up again in state politics. Many were very open about how they were using UWM as a start to move on to other, much larger elected positions,” Burseth pondered. “This idea frightens me.”

Self-identified young conservatives tend to be distrustful of government and politicians; on the other side of the spectrum, many young progressives and radicals reject running for office—which can be overly dramatic and undeniably superficial—as a means to enact social change.

Not all believe that organized social change is necessary. “Change your life, you’ll impact the world around, changing that world, hopefully creating a domino effect that, in turn, changes the rest of the world,” said Libby Olbrantz, a recent UWSP graduate and the current Vote Organizer at Lane Community College, Oregon.

Of course, individual action is important. The numbers add up; take a half-long shower, ride a bike to work, recycle, and you’re making a difference. Ultimately, however, privatism can only take society so far. Climate change is a factor to consider—how quickly do we need to change the world?

“Running for office is the least effective way to make change. Getting together with other people and demonstrating is one of the most. So is educating people about how our society really works,” said Matt Rothschild, editor of The Progressive.

“There are many roles so-called ‘radicals’ can play in society. It is important to have these people in positions as journalists, educators, elected officials, etc.,” Burseth said. “I have found that when people I agree with politically don’t run for office or don’t take a serious role in combating power, then other, power-hungry and corrupt folks take those positions.”

Burseth said that while political office is unappealing, there is no other choice. “I know far too many great activists and organizers who have resorted to bartending, when maybe elected officials of both parties are better suited for these types of jobs.”

The question on social change denotes a change in the characteristics of society and culture; therefore, political victories must expand beyond the legal system. For example, musicians and artists can sway public opinion

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mike wilson (con’t), andrew peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE.

But, while universities are prime places for political organizing and action, academia is an institution of exploitation just as any other. Graduate schools do not produce independent thinkers and innovators, but a cheap pool of adjuncts expected to satisfy market demands. The exhausting workload and status-conscious environment might also be disengaging, and many who enter as idealists leave as cynics.

Ultimately, you don’t need any specific vocation or degree to find your voice, demand justice and accountability, and overall be informed and politically active. Each person in society must remain aware and vocal for democracy to truly function.

“Civil disobedience is not our problem … Our problem is civil obedience. … Our problem is that people are obedient allover the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity, and war, and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves … and the grand thieves are running this country.” – Howard Zinn

“Movements are the voice of the people, independently thinking. Academics are teaching to the test because they’re forced to if they want to get more funding to do more innovative teaching… but it’s hard to say this new teaching will be better. Politicians can be swayed by ‘investors,’ public and private, because they like what they have and would like to stay in office,” Predaina asserted.

In all, a combination of people willing to organize within and outside of the political system is the most effective means of changing society. “I’m not sure which I’d place over the other,” said Predaina of the different paths to social change. “Radical organizing has a huge part and has played a significant impact in Wisconsin this past year, as we’ve seen.”

“I see it as a cycle with feedback. You need all of them,” said Matthew Guidry, a UWSP graduate and former member of student government. He emphasized the coalition between progressive candidates, grassroots organizers, journalists and academics. “When the elected officials are so far off, organizing and radical organizing become key in directly and indirectly communicating the needs of the people to elected officials.”

and inspire action, although the vast majority of what we consider celebrities is far from risking a career for social justice. There are notable exceptions, of course. George Clooney, known for his acting and looks, was recently arrested in Washington D.C. while leading a protest outside of the Sudanese embassy.

Johnathan Predaina, who was the student senate president at UW – Platteville last year, sees a value to different approaches to enacting change, such as journalism. However, journalism degrees are next to worthless, and that industry retains a level of elitism despite digitally based openings.

“Personally I’m going into academia to be a Tech-Ed teacher to keep classes here relevant to the 21st century, keeping our children up to speed with emerging technologies,” he said.

PansiesAndrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIREDigital Illustration

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chris talbot-heindl, jan haskell, robin lee.

Lord of the FliesBy: Robin Lee

We must realize, the Lord of the Flies,will always haunt the wood.It can’t compromise, as it stalk-hunts our lives.Evil peaks through the shroud of good.

There’s always piggies in the wild.They scream they squeal they grunt.The only time there’s truly peaceis before and after the hunt.

There’s danger in the wild beauty,as beautiful as it may be,and the only ones who truly see itare the ones who truly see.

There’s always a predator,whenever there is prey.There’s always rebirth.after dead decay.

We can bang our brains, till we’ve drilled holes.We can try to hold our ground.But however long we wait, the beast of hatewill surely come around.

One Million Variations of the Face I Know Best: #39Chris Talbot-HeindlMarker continuous line drawing on scrap paper

UntitledBy: Jan Haskell

How are you, how is the city, your family? Here everything is pretty much the same, really the only thing that seems to change the most is the weather. We go from rain to sun, freezing to 70’ and everywhere in between. May is here and welcomes the sun like a budding flower, petals stretched out grabbing every ray of light. I too stretch, reaching for a moment to breath to breath you, the wind carries you to me.

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robin lee (con’t), wlkn _ fire, chris talbot-heindl.

We can worship at the water.The water may hold hope.And even if it’s a false prophet,it will help us cope.

We will forget our memoriesif our documents disappear.We may forget what we’re ‘fraid ofbut we will never forget fear.

The beast is always with usin whichever form it takes.A dead pilot or wild child,the low men or the snake.

The hunted will always be huntedthat’s until they’re hunted extinct.The boats will always rescue us,unless all those boats sink.

And if we happen to be rescued,and on the if I emphasize,what will be left to rescue themfrom the Lord of the Flies.

White CloudsWlkn_FireInk and watercolor sketch on paper

One Million Variations of the Face I Know Best: #38Chris Talbot-HeindlPhotograph

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we love our donors!We love our donors, and to prove it, we’re going to let you know who they are. Without their generosity, the Bitchin’ Kitsch would probably not make it through the year. If you would like to become a donor and see your name here, email chris@talbot-heindl.com and make your pledge.

acquaintences of the bitchin’ kitsch ($1-10)Colin Bares, Casey Bernardo, Eric Krszjzaniek, Dana Lawson, Jason Loeffler, Justin Olszewski

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advertisersBitchin’ Kitsch 16

mcfishenburger 12

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www.talbot-heindl.com 4

artistsTanya Haller 15

Jan Haskell 12

Robin Lee 8, 12-13

Andrew Peterson of OVER NIGHT EMPIRE cover, 7, 11

Kandra Shefchik 5, 6

Maxwell Skyles 4-5

Chris Talbot-Heindl 12, 13

To Love Sophia 6-7

Mike Wilson 10-11

Wlkn_Fire 6, 8, 13, 14

wlkn _ fire, donors, index.

Burn It OffWlkn_FireInk and watercolor sketch on paper

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