July 1989
Volume 14
Number 7
Features
The Big Lie
Somehow they managed to shake hundreds of thousands loose from friends and acquaintances in a giant pyramid scheme. For Andre Kliczak and his family, making money meant fooling all of the people all of the time – or at least until the Feds got involved.
By Stephen Filmanowicz
How Big Bird Saved an Empire
When times got tough in Zeb Billings’s international music publishing empire, it took a big yellow bird and a handful of computer chips to bring back the sweet sounds of profit.
By Perry M. Lamek
Summer Fiction: “Survival Games”
New fiction from Wisconsin author and P.E.M./Hemingway award-winner Jane Hamilton
The Open Window
How a window left open on Halloween night altered my perceptions about anger, fear and politics.
By Deborah Fries
Departments
Outfront
A good read.
By Judith Woodburn
Letters
Readers respond to “Rating the County Board” and more.
The Insider
Will Barbara run? Plus, Tova Borgnine’s miraculous business success, how power has corrupted John Norquist (or at least his handwriting), the allure of the political button explained, the latest newsroom scoops via Pressroom Confidential, Insider Reviews and more.
Edited by Simon N. Dumenco
Metroscene
Milwaukee history via a Downtown trolley, fireworks at the lakefront, a Lucia Stern retrospective at the Haggerty and emerging sculptors at the Art Museum.
Edited by Dawn M. Behr
Dining Guide
The most complete restaurant listings you’ll find, plus our Meal of the Month.
Columns
Business
How organizational freedom fighters like Colleen Fitzgerald are helping old Wisconsin businesses learn new tricks.
By Mary Van de Kamp Nohl
The Milwaukee Reader
A Fond du Lac psychiatrist takes a look at famous “idiot savants” and a Milwaukee writer debuts a new mystery/horror novel all about modern-day vampires.
By Judith Woodburn
Cityscape
While MECCA grows older and more obsolete, other cities larger and smaller than Milwaukee are creating exciting, vital convention centers that are challenging our notions of the “windowless box.”
By Simon N. Dumenco
Restaurants
Quirky little places where the food may not match the décor but still tastes great.
By Willard Romantini
Endgame
What does Summerfest have hidden up its sleeve? Maybe nothing, but we’re sure entitled to a have a look, don’t you think?
By Bruce Murphy
On the Cover: Illustration by Merle Nacht
Special Advertising Section
The Great July Weekend: a guide to Bastille Days and the Great Circus Parade.
