Yes, today is the gubernatorial recall in Wisconsin.
But you may also recall that it's been two weeks since the last ScuttleButton puzzle. And that is far worse than simply limiting collective bargaining rights.
So here's the new puzzle. Just don't forget how to play. ScuttleButton, as you know, is the once a week waste of time exercise in which each Tuesday (more or less) I put up a vertical display of buttons on this site. Your job is to simply take one word (or concept) per button, add 'em up, and, hopefully, you will arrive at a famous name or a familiar expression. (And seriously, by familiar, I mean it's something that more than one person on Earth would recognize.)
For years, a correct answer chosen at random would get his or her name posted in this column, an incredible honor in itself. Now the stakes are even higher. Thanks to the efforts of the folks at Talk of the Nation, that person also hears their name mentioned on the Wednesday show (by me) and receives a Political Junkie t-shirt in the bargain. Is this a great country or what?
You can't use the comments box at the bottom of the page for your answer. Send submission (plus your name and city/state — you won't win without that) to politicaljunkie@npr.org.
And, by adding your name to the Political Junkie mailing list, you will be among the first on your block to receive notice about the column and the puzzle. Sign up at politicaljunkie@npr.org. Or you can make sure to get an automatic RSS feed whenever a new Junkie post goes up by clicking here.
Good luck!
By the way, I always announce the winner on Wednesday's Junkie segment on TOTN. But with a new puzzle up every Tuesday, more or less, you should get your answer in as soon as possible.
Here are the buttons used and the answer to the last puzzle:
Mim Daddario Governor — Rep. Emilio "Mim" Daddario was the Democratic nominee for governor of Connecticut in 1970, losing to Tom Meskill.
I'm for the Birds (picture of a Baltimore Oriole)/Orioles — Some team in the American League East from Maryland that used to be competitive.
Welcome Yogi Day At Yankee Stadium April 14, 1964 — There's no way I could end a ScuttleButton with an Orioles button. So I had to insert one from a beloved former Yankee, Yogi Berra.
So, when you combine Mim + Oriole + Day, you may just very well end up with ...
Memorial Day. Pretty lame, I know. And yes, many people sent in answers that said "Memorial Stadium," which is where the Orioles used to play. But the puzzle went up days in advance of Memorial Day, for goshsakes, and so I'm sticking with that.
This week's winner, chosen completely at random, is ... Michael Weinman of San Francisco, Calif. Michael gets a TOTN Junkie t-shirt.
Don't forget to check out this week's Political Junkie column, which focuses on what's at stake on the ballot on June 5 — the Wisconsin recall and primaries in five states. You can read the column here.
And a special thanks to all who came out to listen to me gab last Thursday at the Syracuse Stage in, um, Syracuse, N.Y., courtesy member station WRVO. It was an evening that no one will forget ... no matter how hard they try.
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