Microtones

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

Close-up photograph of a tan-colored, scuffed City Of Madison garbage receptacle filled with boxes. It sits on the grass near the curb next to a discarded mini-Christmas tree on North Carroll Street in Madison.

Hippie Christmas has come and gone again. But what exactly are we celebrating?

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August 29, 2025

Get some free stuff, but let's stop putting a cutesy spin on housing instability and waste.

Latest in Microtones
An angled photo shows a row of slim, boxy, similarly designed housing units stretching into the distance. The houses are modest in their appearance, but painted colorfully- including shades of blue, red, yellow, and green at the far end.
The outsides of other people’s homes
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Microtones
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August 15, 2025

Complaints about ugly new housing abound in Madison, but they aren't getting us anywhere.

Joe Pera is shown from behind, gazing up at a lights show at Milwaukee's Mitchell Park Domes. There's an interconnected web of lights that illuminate the image in a cool blue. Pera's centered but very low in the frame, amplifying the scope of the Domes. He's wearing a dark, fashionable jacket and his face is not visible.
Wisconsin in film and television: through the looking glass
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Microtones
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August 8, 2025

Perseverance stands out as a common denominator in our state's cultural representation.

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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August 1, 2025

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

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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Microtones
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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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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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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.