Tired of the same old stuff and looking for something new and exciting? Check out what's got our attention in this week's OnMilwaukee.com Recommends.
"The Labor Movement in Wisconsin: A History" (Wisconsin Historical Society Press) – Robert Ozanne was a UW-Madison professor of economics who taught American labor history for a quarter of a century. So, when his illustrated survey of Wisconsin labor history was published in 1984, it was received as a key look into the labor movement in a state known for its progressive history. And there seems to be no more appropriate time than now, when the labor movement is under assault in Wisconsin, to revisit Ozanne's overview, which was based on years of research in management and union archives, newspapers, manuscripts and other sources. WHS Press has reprinted the original edition in paperback and you can nab it for $24.95, and likely cheaper from some vendors. – Bobby Tanzilo
Netflix streaming – Not a popular choice these days, but Netflix's streaming services are still the best in the business. Sure, the DVD price hike has been frustrating for me too, but I was able to plow through four seasons of "Friday Night Lights" at an unreasonably fast pace. Comparatively, I had to watch most of the fifth season via a month-long Hulu+ trial and was in no way impressed with their offering. Netflix's streaming is only $1 more and has no ads whatsoever, whereas Hulu+ has the same amount of ads as the free Hulu service. I also had major technical glitches with my Hulu+ experience, and while their Twitter feed admirably offered help, I won't be using their services again. Netflix has always been reliable for me and despite their questionable pricing tactics in the past six months, they're still the best (legal) means of streaming content. – Alex Wendland
Beer on tap – My bar order of preference is usually off the tap, but when I've had to resort to a bottle I've never noticed (or been too much of a connoisseur to notice) that big of a difference. However, I recently back-to-backed a glass and a bottle at two different bars and I couldn't have been more surprised – it was like following up a beer with water. OK, that's exaggerating a little – if tap wouldn't have been an option at the first bar I probably would have never tasted a problem – but now I understand what all the fuss is about. Consider me won over. – Renee Lorenz
Live audio on MLB At-Bat app – There is plenty about the official Major League Baseball iPhone/Android App to not recommend, namely the ridiculous video blackout policy despite the $15 price tag but one thing MLB got right is the live audio feature. Sure, this is Milwaukee which means it's Bob and Cory all summer long but when the Brewers are off, or play a day game, take some time during the evening to enjoy some of the great broadcasters in the game. I used to listen to a lot of Mariners games, just to hear Dave Niehaus. Now, I'll tune in to hear Eric Nadel call Rangers games, Chris Wheeler in Philadelphia or John Gordon, who is stepping down after this season, his 25th as the Twins' play-by-play announcer. Do some online channel-surfing one night and enjoy baseball without wanting to curse Yuniesky Betancourt. – Andrew Wagner
