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Microtones

Our newsletter-first column brings you the notes between the notes.

A close-up photo of a grey Super Nintendo video game cartridge sitting on a shelf in a wooden display case. The label on the game shows the title and graphic of "Zombies Ate My Neighbors." A yellow and white Half Price Books price sticker below the label reads "Our Price 100.00" in black font.

Against collecting

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Microtones
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August 1, 2025

Embracing sentimental value and resisting the urge to splurge in an era of inflation.

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Latest in Microtones
A one-quarter headshot of Tone Madison's incoming News and Politics Editor, Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez. He wears a black collared shirt, stands against an eggshell-colored wall, and faces the camera.
Meet Tone Madison’s new News and Politics Editor, Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez
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July 18, 2025

Listening to underrepresented perspectives and continuing our impactful politics coverage.

An illustration colored in shades of purple, black, and white depicts a young woman in a wheelchair looking outside at the landscape of trees and buildings. It is framed at the center of a large, inclusive Pride flag that surrounds the illustration.
QueerCrip Pride from home
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Microtones
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June 27, 2025

What disability can teach us about queer culture, care, and pride.

A superimposed collage of various headlines, article text, and illustrations from the Wisconsin Historical Society's LGBTQ History page. Some references include "Wisconsin's Gay History," "LGBTQ+ History," a book jacket for "We Will Always Be Here," illustrations of queer couples, and the pride flag.
Good luck avoiding politics, Wisconsin Historical Society
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Microtones
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June 13, 2025

A missing Pride flag and the impossible neutrality of public institutions.

Photo of a tan-colored cobblestone wall with the ornate UW–Madison institutional insignia or crest on the right-hand side. The crest contains a decorative pattern that surrounds a smaller red oval and large white "W" capital letter. The photo is graphically altered, distorted by wavy lines.
A leftist critique of top-heavy public institutions
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June 6, 2025

More investment in the actual laborers will better serve everyone.

A photograph depicts a row of homes placed closely together along a sidewalk on Madison's east side. The sun is setting and there is a pale blue tint to the image.
Madison house-hunting: 2025 edition
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May 30, 2025

Local housing exploration offers windows into the past, present, and future.

A photo captures a dimly lit movie theater from the point of view of someone sitting near the middle row. The large white projection screen is blank, but parenthetical black text had been added digitally that reads "(anxious writer expounds upon attachment to accessibility feature)." A row of 10 red seats directly in front of the screen are empty.
Worlds hidden in (captions)
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Microtones
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May 16, 2025

Recognizing the expressive translation endeavors of film subtitlers.

Emily Mills is shown roller skating during an intro rollout for the Madison Roller Derby home team the Reservoir Dolls. They are wearing a mask, a white helmet, and an all-black uniform. Their shirt, though partially obscured in the photo, reads "Trans Athletes Belong Here." They seem to be smiling behind their mask. They have fashioned the trans flag as a cape, and it's swept up in the wind behind them. One of their hands is clutching the flag's ends together as they skate, while the other is outstretched. They're wearing a white helmet and are in mid-stride, surrounded by a few of their Reservoir Doll teammates.
Roller derby’s beautiful radicalism
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May 9, 2025

The subculture's diversity, gender-inclusion, and democratic system offers a vision of the world we could live in.

A black-and-white photo shows the three members of Killdozer posing in loudly patterned button-up shirts. They are crouched and wearing thoughtful expressions.
Die, die, miss “American Pie”
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May 2, 2025

Killdozer's masterful cover of a godawful "classic" endures.

An illustration depicts a weathered doormat made of the Wisconsin state flag, with a pair of jackboots sitting on top of it and bloodstains spreading out from the boots.
Wisconsin’s leaders need to stop being doormats
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Microtones
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April 25, 2025

Lawsuits and stern statements won't cut it—and nothing short of escalated resistance will.