July 2007

« June 2007 | Main | August 2007 »

More job cuts looming at the Star Tribune?

Filed under: Media

City Pages received a missive this afternoon from a Star Tribune employee suggesting that another round of belt tightening is imminent at the state's largest daily newspaper. I certainly can't vouch for the veracity of its claims, but given recent events anything seems possible. Here's the nub of it:

I'm a current (for now) employee of the Strib. There have been rumors flying around in the last couple of days that another mass layoff is imminent [next week], way larger than the last layoff/buyout ... which was 145 persons [for buyouts] from varying departments.

This coming from two different persons in two different departments.

Just an anonymous heads-up from a third-person party.

Posted by Paul Demko at July 31, 2007 5:11 PM | Comments (2)

 

7/31 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Peter Schilling Jr. discusses the Luis Castillo trade and Scott Baker's inspired performance at Balls.

Read Christopher Matthew Jensen's review, and view Daniel Corrigan's photos, of the recent Fratellis show in our gallery section.

DVD Reviews this week include Hot Fuzz, The Darwin Awards, 300: Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition, and more.

Check out the best photos and artwork in City Pages from July 2007 in our gallery section.

THESE DAYS

A 2006 government report found more than 1,000 soldiers being billed a total of $1.5 million for lost and damaged equipment.

An electronic tissue dispenser is being rolled out to the masses by Kimberly-Clark Professional as it seeks to capture more of the $1 billion US away-from-home toilet paper market. The company believes most people will be satisfied with five sheets.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Photos and stories of Twin Cities' wind-surfing community can be found at Atlas Surfed.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The 50 Best Movie Robots

Dramatic Prairie Cat (not bad, but no Dramatic Prairie Dog)

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"It was logical."

— 76-year-old actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Mr. Spock in Star Trek TV shows and movies, on agreeing to a role in the Trek prequel directed by J.J. Abrams and scheduled for release Christmas 2008

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 31, 2007 6:59 AM | Comments (0)

 

The UpTake focus their lenses on the Republican National Convention

Filed under: Media

Text by Matt Smith

If you happened to catch the CNN-YouTube Democratic debate last week—and with Minnesota's caucuses more than six months away, who didn't?—you may have noticed one of the video questions from a somewhat excitable Minneapolis man named Marcus Benson, who asked if the candidates would raise his taxes.

That national coup was the handiwork of the Uptake, a new nonprofit devoted to citizen journalism. As one of their first public efforts, the Uptake solicited man-on-the-street questions to the candidates, then sent the videos to the YouTube debates. (You can see the selected question and others at www.theuptake.org.)

But that's only a prelude to their real ambition—to train as many as 100 amateur video reporters to cover the Republican National Convention next year in St. Paul, plus the Democratic convention in Denver and the Iowa caucuses.

The Minnesotans behind the Uptake are well-known players in new media and DFL activism: Executive Director Jason Barnett, a St. Paul sculptor and political activist, and partners Chris Dykstra, who blogs on the New Patriot Web site; Chuck Olsen, creator of the popular Minnesota Stories video blog; Mike McIntee, producer of the Inside Minnesota Politics podcasts; and Bridget Cusick, the team's marketing expert and former communications director for Keith Ellison's congressional campaign.

Their video journalism venture was spurred by the upcoming Republican soiree, and by a general frustration with the way traditional media cover such events.

"We thought it was time to put some of the new-media energy into video and tell real journalistic stories," Barnett says.

The plan is to train video-equipped ordinary Joes to cover three aspects of the convention: the Republicans and their sponsors, the stories behind the protestors, and how traditional media cover the event.

Despite many of the group members' past ties to the DFL, Barnett says the Uptake will be "absolutely nonpartisan."

So what happens if a citizen journalist captures video of—oh, let's say—a DFL leader knocking over a liquor store? Will Uptake put that on its Web site?

"I can't see why we wouldn't," Barnett says.

Text by Matt Smith

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 30, 2007 4:01 PM | Comments (0)

 

A journalistic footjob

Filed under: Media

Lord knows times are tough at the Newspaper of the Twin Cities, and Stribbers take heart: We feel your pain. Still, our empathies took a nosedive once we caught the fawning profile of Michele Bachmann in last Sunday's paper.

In the age of declining readership and sharp media scrutiny, no one could really fault the old Star and Sickle for straining to hook the Fair and Balanced crowd. Still, would it hurt the paper's credibility to be even slightly critical of our daffiest congressional member? Kim Ode's "impossibly gleaming" (her words to describe our nation's Capitol) piece on Bachmann was headlined "Watching Her Step," something that apparently applies to subject and author as well. Setting the equal rights movement back 40 years, Ode regurgitates Bachmann's election victory vow to "hit the ground running, even in high heels" in the lead, before moving on to recount "exactly what [Bachmann] was wearing when she decided that she no longer was a Democrat."

Fashionista issues aside, the puff piece glosses over Bachmann's actions that led to "harsh headlines" when she first arrived in Washington, in particular her claim to know of a top-secret Iranian plan to "partition" Iraq and her failed make-out session with the Commander-in-Chief after his State of the Union address. It also repeats the dubious claim that "Bachmann's political career began almost by chance" when she ran for state senator, a myth that many have debunked, and that her Republican opponent Gary Laidig—who is not quoted in the piece—has previously deemed "absolute bullshit."

But the most striking trait of the story is an apparent foot fetish on someone's part. In telling of Bachmann's routine of walking the Capitol Mall early mornings, Ode writes of Bachmann's "sneakers" and the congresswoman's decision to put "aside her favored kitten-heeled slides for clunky orthopedic sandals" after bunion surgery on both feet.

And therein lies the unintentional scoop: Even with a couple of swollen tootsies, Bachmann has still been able to firmly insert her foot into her mouth.

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at July 30, 2007 9:23 AM | Comments (3)

 

7/30 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Steve Monaco has posted the latest Monday Movie Quiz at Couch Pundit.

We're adding new articles like DVD and game reviews every day. Use our Recent Article RSS feed to check for new content:

THESE DAYS

Pharmacists have sued Washington state over a new regulation that requires them to sell emergency contraception, also known as the "morning-after pill."

A surgeon general's report in 2006 that called on Americans to help tackle global health problems has been kept from the public by a Bush political appointee without any background or expertise in medicine or public health, chiefly because the report did not promote the administration's policy accomplishments.

Although the federal government ordered states more than a decade ago to dramatically limit mercury discharges into the Great Lakes, the BP refinery in northwest Indiana will be allowed to continue pouring small amounts of the toxic metal into Lake Michigan for at least another five years.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Amy Crea blogs about losing Teddy the Wonder Dog, Harry Potter, and, of course, knitting at Knit Think.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Artistic tanks of the oil, propane, and water varieties

10 Unfortunate Business Names

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"If this helps clarify the fact that the water originates from public sources, then it's a reasonable thing to do."

— PepsiCo spokeswoman Michelle Naughton, responding to pressure from Corporate Accountability International on bottled water sellers to disclose where the water comes from. Bottles of PepsiCo's Aquafina will soon reflect the water comes from the same source as tap water.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 30, 2007 6:58 AM | Comments (0)

 

7/27 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

THESE DAYS

For the past year, a special Colombian police unit has been locking rats in cages with cats as part of a project to train the rodents to sniff out the more than 100,000 land mines planted mostly by leftist rebels across the conflict-wracked Andean country.

Researchers at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research have found tonsils might serve as a passageway through which HIV enters the body.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

The AimClear internet marketing firm blogs about search optimization, link baiting, and blogging tips at the aimClearBlog.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Ten Fictional Characters Who Must Die from New York Magazine

The Lost Nintendo Sex Ed Tape

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"If the show works, it will work because people care about these three guys under a lot of makeup and... can relate to their problems and find them charming."

— Mike Schiff, producer of the new ABC series "Cavemen," based on the popular Geico ads

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 27, 2007 12:01 AM | Comments (0)

 

7/26 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Read Sarah Askari's review, and view Daniel Corrigan's photos, of St. Vincent's Tuesday night show at the 7th Street Entry in our gallery section.

THESE DAYS

Oscar, a Rhode Island cat, has been observed to have an uncanny knack for predicting when patients in the nursing home in which he resides are going to die.

Countrywide Financial Corp.'s CEO Angelo Mozilo stated during a conference call with investors that the U.S. is experiencing home price depreciation as never before, with the exception of the Great Depression.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Brandon Ivers, James Laurie, and Jared Thiele blog about L.A. punk movies, Brigitte Bardot songs, and the Turkish version of Star Wars at Die Monster.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

From McSweeney's: My Father's Harper's Index

The Top Five Ballpark Promotions That Went Wrong

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Our Earth is talking to us and we must listen to it and decipher its message if we want to survive."

— Pope Benedict XVI, speaking about global climate change during his holiday in northern Italy

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 26, 2007 6:50 AM | Comments (1)

 

Pi Press buyout list

Filed under: Media

Yesterday was the deadline for Pioneer Press staffers to opt for a buyout package offered by parent company MediaNews. The goal was to convince 30 workers to voluntarily leave the company, including 15 editorial employees. Looks like they came up a little short. Among the soon-to-be departed: veteran travel writer Beth Gauper and Positive MEInforcement author Matt Peiken. Here's the note sent around this afternoon by editor Thom Fladung:

Fellow Pioneer Press staffers:

These staffers are taking the buyout:
Mary Bauer
Diana Boger
Craig Borck
Beth Gauper
Sheryl Jean
Matt Peiken
Joe Rossi
Kathy Rysgaard
Jeff Sjerven
Ellen Tomson

Additionally, we have decided to operate the newsroom library with two full-time librarians, so part-time librarians Chris Wareham and Lisa Carlson will be leaving the company.

We also will not be filling several open positions.

I said at the beginning of this process that we were hoping to be able to take at least 15 buyouts. We are not. But this combination of buyouts and other changes should allow us to meet our immediate and critical need to respond to the changing business conditions we face.

For most of these people, the last day of work will be Friday. Chris Wareham's last day is Thursday. Beth Gauper is on the road for a travel story through the weekend. Her last day will be Monday. Sheryl Jean is out of town on vacation. Her last day is Tuesday.

Please join us in wishing these valued colleagues well. We will gather in the newsroom, on the 6th floor, for a more formal good-bye on Friday afternoon.

Thom

Thom Fladung
Editor
St. Paul Pioneer Press
651-228-5487

Posted by Paul Demko at July 25, 2007 5:50 PM | Comments (0)

 

Minnesota Lawyer magazine: Law school rankings are idiotic

Over at Minnesota Lawyer (subscription required), Editor Mark Cohen recently slammed the way U.S. News & World Report ranks law schools.
Cohen says that despite the disparity in the rankings of the four Minnesota law schools—the U of M ranks 20th in the country, while Billy Mitchell and St. Thomas are listed as "Tier 3" and Hamline is relegated to lowly "Tier 4" status—graduates of these schools are indistinguishable from each other.
Thoughts?

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at July 25, 2007 12:01 PM | Comments (8)

 

Is this the end of the daily newspaper?

Filed under: City Pages

In this week's cover story, Trials and Stribulations, G.R. Anderson Jr. and Paul Demko analyze the recent sales, buy-outs, and legal tangles involving the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press. An excerpt: "Avista Capital Partners, a private equity firm with no prior experience in the newspaper business, agreed to buy the Strib for $530 million—less than half what McClatchy had paid for the paper eight years earlier. McClatchy tried to put a positive spin on the shortfall by pointing out that the sale would save the company $160 million in taxes. But the Strib sale nonetheless became a national benchmark for how steeply the value of daily newspapers has tumbled in recent years. 'I was stunned,' says Tim J. McGuire, the newspaper's former top editor. 'I didn't realize that revenues had declined quite as much as they obviously had.'" Can two daily papers thrive in such a small market? Can daily newspapers survive in the internet age? Check out the cover story here, then come back to join the conversation.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 25, 2007 10:16 AM | Comments (11)

 

7/25 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Peter Schilling Jr. bemoans the lack of Twins' scoring at Balls.

Check our gallery section for photos of last weekend's Art Car Parade.

THESE DAYS

The National Braille Press estimates that today only 12 percent of 55,000 legally blind children in the United States can read braille, down significantly from 50 percent in the 1960s.

A study conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that Muslims and white evanglical Christians have significant similarities, especially with regard to the gay lifestyle.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Erica blogs about seeing Guster, dubious furniture store brochures, and performing with the Twin Cities Women's Choir at swirlspice.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Quiz: Ripped from the headlines or plot from Scooby Doo?

If Charles Bukowski had written Peanuts [via BoingBoing]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I learnt how to systematize my impressions and to read other (people's minds), and through the horses I learnt to communicate with the animals on a deeper level. It was while I was taking care of the horses that I got in contact with the angels."

— Norwegian Princess Maertha Louise, claiming to be clairvoyant

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 25, 2007 12:14 AM | Comments (1)

 

7/24 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Peter Schilling Jr. discusses why Johan Santana won't win the Cy Young this year at Balls.

Check out our gallery section for photos of last weekend's Art Car Parade.

Chris Ward finds the Transformers game for the Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 stuck in first.

This week's DVD Reviews: Hard Boiled: Two-Disc Ultimate Edition, The Exterminating Angels, Zodiac, and more.

THESE DAYS

The more exposure middle school students have to anti-smoking ads, the more likely they are to smoke, according to a new University of Georgia study.

Climatologists are building evidence that crops, particularly corn, are driving up dew points as they put water into the atmosphere through evaporation.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Goobermaster, Mom, and Rabbit post on mojito recipes, Simpsons avatars, and revenge of the cheerleader ninja movies at Goobertech.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

A middle school science teacher battles a hot sauce mogul for the Guinness World Record on the arcade classic Donkey Kong in The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters.

Hey, it's a bunch of babies eating lemons!

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I'm cool with it."

— 83-year-old game show host Bob Barker, on comedian and sitcom star Drew Carey replacing him as host of The Price is Right

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 24, 2007 6:32 AM | Comments (0)

 

Bill Kling: Oops, I did it again

Filed under: Media

Bill Kling's American Public Media Group has reportedly offered more than $20 million to buy WGTS, a college-owned radio station in the D.C. area.

The proposed deal, first reported by the Washington Times, would give Kling's public radio empire, which includes MPR and Southern California Public Radio, a presence in the nation's capital. MPR quoted Kling as saying the station, which can reach up to six million people, would focus on "global government issues."

WGTS, which has been around for 50 years, is owned by Columbia Union College, an affiliate of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The school's board is currently weighing Kling's big money offer, and will announce its decision in September. In the meantime, devotees of the station have made an impassioned effort to stop the sale, setting up two websites to preserve its current Christian format.

If this sounds familiar, it should. Kling pulled off a similar deal a couple years ago for St. Olaf's classic music radio station, WCAL, turning it into The Current. That deal has recently come under scrutiny in court, with WCAL backers saying St. Olaf lacked the legal standing to sell the station.

Ruth Sylte, a diehard supporter of St. Olaf's erstwhile station, sees this latest news as a little bit of history repeated: "The story is unfortunately very similar to the story of WCAL," she says.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at July 23, 2007 10:49 AM | Comments (0)

 

7/23 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Steve Monaco has posted the latest Monday Movie Quiz at Couch Pundit.

The 6th Annual Lebowski Fest was held this past weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, honoring the Coen Brothers' 1998 film. Check out photos from the two-day festival in our gallery section.

Download free MP3s from local artists such as Cloud Cult, the Hopefuls, Ben Harper, M.anifest, the Plastic Constellations, and more at Music To Go.

THESE DAYS

A small genetic mutation in the section of human DNA that codes for immune proteins appears able to reduce the amount of HIV in the body by an average of 90%, new research at Duke University suggests.

In an apparent violation of the law, a controversial aide to presidential candidate Mitt Romney created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards into giving them immediate access to campaign venues.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Scooter blogs about lawn jockey sightings, puppets in the shape of giant toes, and eating banana-flavored Play-Doh at A Nod to Nothing.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The 10 Worst Celebrity Bands from Cracked.com

Over 1,500 prisoners in the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines re-enact Micahel Jackson's Thriller

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Pretty soon (I) came to a pile, that had a fifty dollar bill hanging out, part of a fifty, and I said 'gosh, look at that."

— Debbie Hulleman, owner of an eight-year-old Lab-German shorthair mix named Pepper Ann who ate and subsequently shat out more than $800 in cash from Hulleman's grandmother's purse [via Obscure Store]

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 23, 2007 6:26 AM | Comments (1)

 

Did the rose-colored glasses come with the kevlar helmet?

Filed under: Iraq

Earlier this month Rep. Michele Bachmann, visited Iraq. This was particularly newsworthy because the freshman Republican had previously made waves by announcing that Iran had a secret plan to take over our Middle East colony. This revelation was either a serious breach of classified military information or delusional speculation.

Since returning from Iraq, Bachmann has been spouting sunny rhetoric about the country. "(Gen. Petraeus) said al-Qaida in Iraq is off its plan and we want to keep it that way," she told the St. Cloud Times.

But Bachmann may as well have been reporting her opinions about this year's soybean crop on Pluto. As Daily Kos pointed out earlier this week, the freshman congresswoman was in the region for less than day. She never left the Green Zone. And she never spoke with an actual Iraqi.

But she did get to wear one of those cool kevlar helmets throughout her stay.

Posted by Paul Demko at July 20, 2007 5:00 PM | Comments (2)

 

7/20 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Steve Monaco updates us on his Movie Year (So Far) with some '80s schlock starring Ryan O'Neal, and a 1950's crooked-cop flick starring Jack Klugman at Couch Pundit.

We're adding new articles like DVD and game reviews every day. Use our Recent Article RSS feed to check for new content:

THESE DAYS

President Bush has rejected entreaties by his Republican allies that he compromise with Democrats on legislation to renew a popular program that provides health coverage to poor children.

Someone broke into the New Orleans Zephyrs baseball stadium in Metairie last week and stole a Coors Light beer truck containing 51 kegs of beer.

The vast majority of New Zealanders are against a recent rule approved by lawmakers that bans using images captured inside Parliament to satirize, ridicule, or denigrate lawmakers on broadcast and print media, a la The Daily Show.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Kevin-M from Minneapolis blogs about farting during national holidays, the resemblance between Donald Rumsfeld and Ghidorah, and the musical stylings of Brigette Bardot at the restarted Insomnia Report.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Can you name all the U.S. presidents in 10 minutes? I got 36 out of 43. Stupid Rutherford B. Hayes.

A 1966 interview with William Shatner describing his new show Star Trek

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Now that I have won my freedom and I get to choose my next team, I am just like many other people who have to go out and find employment so that I can take care of my family."

— Pro Bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper, following his release from the Miami Dolphins after they acquired Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 20, 2007 6:40 AM | Comments (0)

 

Compare and contrast: The Reichstag fire and 9/11

Filed under: Congress

Rep. Keith Ellison (Minnesota's 5th District) is taking flak from the Anti-Defamation League for controversial remarks he made earlier in the month. During a July 8 speech he gave to a group of atheists in Edina, Ellison compared the Bush administration's post-9/11 actions to the heavy-handed undertakings carried out by the Nazi government in the wake of the 1933 Reichstag fire—initiatives that fomented Adolf Hitler's rise to power.

"After the Reichstag was burned, they blamed the Communists for it and it put the leader of that country [Hitler] in a position where he could basically have authority to do whatever he wanted," a July 8 Strib article quoted Ellison as saying.

So in a Tuesday press release, the Anti-Defamation League took Ellison to task and demanded that he retract his remarks. "[His] comments comparing the rise of Nazism in the aftermath of the burning of the Reichstag to the War on Terror in the aftermath of 9/11 is outrageous and offensive to all Americans," read the statement.

Strangely, the Anti-Defamation neglected to empirically demonstrate how the Reichstag fire differs from the 9/11 in their statement, so in the name of public service, we thought we'd pick up the slack and debunk Ellison's claim ourselves:

1) Hitler suspended many articles of the Weimar Constitution in order to gain power, whereas the Bush Administration is merely ignoring a few aspects of our own Constitution for our own protection.

2) In the wake of the Reichstag fire, the German government did away with habeas corpus so they could arrest enemies of the state without trial, whereas the Bush administration has done away with habeas corpus so they can detain terrrorists without trial. (Plus, we have no idea how many U.S. citizens have actually been detained. For all we know, the number could be less than four.)

3) The Reichstag Fire Decree allowed the German government to wiretap citizens' phones and read their snail mail, whereas our own government is able to wiretap our phones and read our e-mail.

4) Hitler enacted the above provisions as part of an intentionally misleading, Orwellian-titled government decree (the Order of the Reich President for the Protection of People and State), whereas the PATRIOT Act's name is merely derived from a coincidental acronym.

So there you have it. Rep. Ellison is obviously way off base here. Click here and tell him so.

Posted by Matt Snyders at July 19, 2007 3:31 PM | Comments (23)

 

7/19 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

We remember Will H. Schaefer, who composed background music for Hogan's Heroes, The Jetsons, The Tonight Show, The Flintstones, and more at Corpus Obscurum.

Download free MP3s from local artists such as Avenpitch, the Blind Shake, Fort Wilson Riot, Romanitca, and more at Music To Go.

THESE DAYS

A surge in the demand for ethanol—touted as a greener alternative to gasoline—could have a serious environmental downside for the Chesapeake Bay, because more farmers growing corn could mean more pollution washing off farm fields. [Related]

A study of 50,000 post-menopausal women found eating just a quarter of a grapefruit daily raised the risk of developing breast cancer by up to 30%.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Zander Cannon, Kevin Cannon, and Shad Petosky are a few of the comic conspirators features in our Comix Issue. Find more of their work, as well as tutorials, and posts about their influences at Big Time Attic.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The Sweathogs enroll at Hogwarts: Welcome Back, Potter

Peanuts painted to resemble Harry Potter, the Powerpuff Girls, Albert Einstein, and more [via Neatorama]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"If we had those 40 million children that were killed over the last 30 years, we wouldn't need the illegal immigrants to fill the jobs that they are doing today. Think about it."

— Former Texas representative Tom Delay, connecting the dots between abortion and illegal immigration in a recent speech to the College Republicans

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 19, 2007 6:46 AM | Comments (1)

 

Kids beware: former Roseville mayor runs for school board

Filed under: Minnesota Politics

Perhaps the most interesting name to pop up in the ranks of candidates for office this year in Ramsey County is John Kysylyczyn. The former Roseville mayor has filed to run for the Roseville school board. He's one of 12 candidates vying for three seats. Kysylyczyn was elected mayor in 1999 and served a contentious (to put it charitably) four-year term. His tenure was marked by personal attacks and unusually combative city council meetings that often dragged on into the wee hours of the morning. (The drama was similar to what's been happening in Maplewood in recent months.) Kysylyczyn didn't seek a second mayoral term in 2003. Instead he opted to run for city council, losing in the primary election. For those not familiar with Kysylyczyn's leaderhip style, here's a May 2002 clip of him browbeating then-city council member (and now mayor) Craig Klausing:

Posted by Paul Demko at July 18, 2007 3:24 PM | Comments (0)

 

Life in the Twin Cities gets graphic

Filed under: City Pages

This week we turn our pages over to the International Cartoonist Conspiracy, based in Minneapolis, for their take on life in the Twin Cities through their words and art. Local cartoonists such as Ken Avidor, Kevin Cannon, Sara Witty, Justin "Spanky" Cermak, and many more contributed comics that can be viewed here. Check them out, then come back to tell us what you think.

Also, one of the artists, Eric Lappegard, was recently injured severely in a car accident near Seattle. Updates on his condition can be found here, and information on an upcoming benefit can be found here. Donations can be sent to: Account of Eric Lappegard, Voyager Bank, 500 Marschall Road, Shakopee, MN 55379.

UPDATE: Steven Stwalley of the International Cartoonist Conspiracy informs us in the comments section that Eric Lappegard passed away at 3:00 am this morning from his injuries. City Pages offers its condolences.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 18, 2007 11:47 AM | Comments (9)

 

Former U of M researcher bestowed highest civilian honor awarded by Congress

Filed under: Environment

A former University of Minnesota scientist received the Congressional Gold Medal Tuesday during a ceremony held in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington D.C. Dr. Norman Borlaug—who earned bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees while studying plant pathology at the U of M—was honored for developing high-yield strains of disease-resistant wheat in the 1960's, an achievement that sparked the Green Revolution and helped to alleviate hunger throughout much of the Third World.

"He has long understood that one of the greatest threats to global progress is the torment of human hunger," said President Bush during the ceremony. "Dr. Borlaug, I thank you for your vision and dedication." (A full transcript of Bush's speech can be found here.)

In conducting his research, Dr. Borlaug confronted what he called "the Population Monster"—mankind's inability to produce enough food to keep up with worldwide population gains. He saw various social ills, such as war and terrorism, as consequences of this phenomenon. As Borlaug explained in 1970 upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize: "You can't build peace on empty stomachs."

Read more about Dr. Borlaug and his accomplishment here.

Posted by Matt Snyders at July 18, 2007 9:22 AM | Comments (2)

 

7/18 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

THESE DAYS

An ingredient in curry may help stimulate immune system cells that gobble up the brain-clogging proteins that mark Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at the University of California.

The Bush administration has said it "strongly opposes" key military pay and benefit gains placed in the fiscal 2008 defense bill.

Australia's prime minister announced plans to ban pornography and alcohol for Aborigines in northern areas and tighten control over their welfare benefits to fight child sex abuse among them.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Dylan is a St. Paul resident who posts on bad names for boy children, the Taste of Minnesota, and the Seven Wonders of Minnesota at A Place Called B.L.O.G.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

A Knitted Ferrari

Potato porn

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Jon picked Andy up by the head and smashed him into the bar four or five times, and blood started pouring out of his nose."

— Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada, describing a recent fight between SNL alum Jon Lovitz and fellow comedian Andy Dick after Dick refused to apologize for telling Lovitz, "I put the 'Phil Hartman hex' on you—you're the next one to die."

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 18, 2007 12:21 AM | Comments (0)

 

Pioneer Press looks to cut 15 newsroom jobs

Filed under: Media

Not be outdone by the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press announced this afternoon that it's seeking buyouts from 15 editorial staffers. Employees who voluntarily depart will receive two weeks of pay for each year of service at the St. Paul daily. Here's the note sent out by editor Thom Fladung:

Fellow Pioneer Press staffers:

We are offering a buyout program in the newsroom.

Newsroom employees can apply for a buyout that will offer two weeks' pay for each year of service, up to the equivalent of one year's pay. Also, the Pioneer Press will pay the company portion of COBRA health-care coverage for up to six months, based on years of service.

We would like to grant buyouts to at least 15 people in the newsroom.

Here's how it will work: Anyone interested in the buyout should see me immediately. If you elect to volunteer for the buyout, you'll be asked to sign an election sheet available from me, Barb Johnson or Human Resources. To be eligible for the buyout, you must return this sheet to Mica Carlson in Human Resources no later than noon Central time on July 24.

The Pioneer Press must approve each buyout application. And while our intent is to grant at least 15 buyouts in the newsroom, we may accept more or less depending on who applies and our ongoing needs. We will base who gets buyouts on:
* Length of employment
* Impact on and contribution to the paper
* Breadth and depth of skills/work experience
* Unique skills/work experience

We will tell you whether we have accepted your buyout by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25. For those people granted buyouts, the last day of work will be Friday, July 27.

Mica Carlson, Lynne Swenson and others in Human Resources will be available to answer your questions and to help should you be considering this step.

Why are we doing this? Financial conditions have only gotten tougher in the first six months of 2007. We continue to work on new ways to increase revenue, particularly with online initiatives and niche publications. Meanwhile, though, we believe we have to act now -- both to deal with the current economic conditions and to put us on a more stable footing going into the near future.

We remain committed to our mission of emphasizing distinctive local news from everyone in the newsroom and continuing to emphasize zoning for community news from our metro desk.

As with the last round of buyouts, we will be conducting these with that mission in mind. And we will react and reorganize in the newsroom to deal with the changes that will come with the buyouts.

Please feel free to come to me with any questions.

Thom

Thom Fladung
Editor
St. Paul Pioneer Press
651-228-5487

Posted by Paul Demko at July 17, 2007 4:59 PM | Comments (1)

 

7/17 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Ward Rubrecht took in the Dragon Festival at Lake Phalen last weekend. Check out our gallery section to view his photos.

We're adding new articles like DVD and game reviews every day. Use our Recent Article RSS feed to check for new content:

THESE DAYS

A study of humans and chimpanzees has provided new evidence to support the theory that our ancestors evolved to walk upright for the simple reason that doing so saves energy.

Years before the war began, Pentagon officials knew of the effectiveness of a type of vehicle that better shielded troops from bombs that have killed 1,500 soldiers and Marines. But military officials repeatedly balked at appeals—from commanders on the battlefield and from the Pentagon's own staff—to provide the lifesaving Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Teresa Boardman blogs about condo rules, house prices by neighborhood, and absorption rates in the capital city at St. Paul Real Estate.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

From John D. Rockefeller to James C. Flood: The Wealthiest Americans Ever

Super-cheesy corporate music video from Apple circa 1984 (Irene Cara, call your lawyer)

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"This is bizarre, but this apparently was a normal occurrence."

— Edgewater (Fla.) Police Detective Heather Brady, on Edgewater city councilwoman Debra Rogers and her husband, Daniel Rogers, attempting to exorcise the demons out of their daughter by pouring olive oil on her while they held her hands behind her back. Police have recommended the State Attorney's Office file charges of battery and false imprisonment against the couple.

"Dolphins are easily excited when they sense people making love. They get jealous and bang their noses against the window."

— US Submarines president Bruce Jones, discussing the use of small, private submarines to indulge in deep-sea sex and the dolphins such action attracts

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 17, 2007 6:27 AM | Comments (0)

 

Alternate juror in Jourdain case weighs in

Filed under: City Pages

As fortune would have it, a blogger named Jeremy was an alternate juror in the trial featured in this week's cover story, Devil's Advocate. You can read his thoughts on the case here.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at July 16, 2007 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

 

Chaska makes Money magazine's Best Places to Live

Filed under: Outstate

This year, Money magazine's annual America's Best Places to Live feature focused on smaller cities, between 7,500 and 50,000 in population. Middleton, Wisconsin, (pop. 17,400) earned the top spot with the lone Minnesota entry in the Top 10, Chaska, (pop. 22,500) coming in at No. 8. The magazine cites the exurb's technology and biotech firms, as well as its small-town charm, including a city square gazebo where concerts take place every Friday night. Apple Valley came in at No. 28 and Vadnais Heights ranked 36th. Read the profile on Chaska here, and review the rest of the Top 10 here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 16, 2007 9:14 AM | Comments (1)

 

7/16 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Steve Monaco has posted the new Monday Movie Quiz at Couch Pundit.

Peter Schilling Jr. tell us why Babe the pig should be the Minnesota Twins' new mascot at Balls.

We're adding new articles like DVD and game reviews every day. Use our Recent Article RSS feed to check for new content:

THESE DAYS

University of Colorado police are investigating a series of threatening messages and documents relating to creationism e-mailed to and slipped under the door of evolutionary biology labs on the Boulder campus.

A new report by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research states that Hawaii residents live longer than people anywhere else in the country and residents of Mississippi are among those with the shortest lives.

McDonald's announced it is going to convert its British delivery fleet to run on biodiesel made largely from its own recycled cooking oil.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Hammer, Jambo, and Libby Mae blog from the left about Norm Coleman, the Iraq war, and other political news at Three Way News.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

The Great Internet Swear Word Project aims to find the best swear word in the world

Nittles, spraints, and chanking: 33 Names of Things You Never Knew Had Names

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"The movie refers to the big flood during the time of Prophet Noah, but this has been turned into a comedy which is insulting to Islam."

— Secretary-General Maamor Osman of Malaysia's Muslim Consumers Association, giving Evan Almighty a big thumbs-down

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 16, 2007 6:22 AM | Comments (1)

 

The Queen of the Lakes goes to war

Filed under: Iraq

A queen trades her gown for camo | courtesy of Jessica Chayer

When Jessica Chayer (née Gaulke) was crowned Queen of the Lakes at the 2006 Aquatennial, she anticipated that her year-long reign would culminate at the Ten Best Days of Summer celebration where she would pass on her crown to her successor. Her service to the Aquatennial Ambassador Organization came to a halt however when her National Guard unit was called up for a different type of service in Iraq. After representing the Aquatennial in the Rose Bowl and turning her crown over to Jenna Berhhardson, Chayer headed to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where she will be stationed until her deployment in August. She took a few minutes out of her training to talk to City Pages.

CP: How did you start doing pageants?

JC: My sister had run the year before me for Ms. Robinsdale and got crowned the Robbinsdale princess. I saw that she was meeting a lot of friends and having a good time and it just opened her to a whole world and I figured I would try it out and I did. I guess they're not really considered pageants, they're more scholarship programs.

CP: What was the highlight of your time as Queen of the Lakes?

JC: I would definitely say it was just meeting people. The Commodore [the Queen of the Lake's escort] also gives his award to volunteers at all of the coronations and festivals we went to. And just the amazing things that people do for each other and their community and the state, it's just unbelievable. So I think meeting those people and learning what they do for the city and the state was probably the most rewarding.

CP: What skills do being Queen of the Lakes and a member of the National Guard have in common?

JC: Definitely working with people from all over. As Queen of the Lakes, you're going around to different communities and communicating with different people. Here a unit from Washington joined our National Guard unit from Minnesota and also a group of people from Hawaii is joining us and when we ship overseas, we're joining a unit from Germany. We have a whole mesh of people that are from all over the place. And just working together as a team also is something that's in common. Not only was there a queen, but there were two princesses and then we each had kind of an escort. I had the commodore and then there were the captains that escorted the princesses.

CP: Did your fellow Queen of the Lakes contestants give you a hard time about being in the National Guard?

JC: No. I mean, I think people were kind of taken aback when they didn't know and then they found out. I think they were kind of like, "wow." I think that's why this has become huge publicity—because it's two ends of the spectrum of, as you say, beauty queen and army woman or whatever. I hope I put the word out that it's doable and you can be involved in whatever as long as you give it a hundred percent.

CP: How did being Queen of the Lakes prepare you for your training and deployment?

JC: I would say more so the Guard prepared me for Queen of the Lakes. I've been in the Guard for almost 6 years now. In the Guard when you learn things and you go to school for things, then you go back and you teach your unit those tasks. So I would say getting up in front of large crowds and speaking and also just being an individual because going away to basic training when I was 17 years old was kind of a huge shock to me—as I'm sure it would be to many people—going somewhere where you know nobody and a new environment, so I think that's kind of prepared me for a lot in my life.

CP: What's been the toughest thing about your National Guard training?

JC: I would say just being away from home, friends, and family. It's physically demanding and mentally and emotionally and everything—everyone has a difficult time being a way from home. And just the luxuries of home, things that you don't think of as being luxuries of just being able to eat when you want and being able to go to sleep when you're tired and the privacy and things like that.

CP: What will your duties in Iraq be?

JC: As of right now I will be a generator mechanic.

CP: What is it about serving as a National Guardswoman or serving in Iraq that's so important to you that you'd be willing to make those sorts of sacrifices?

JC: That's probably one of the hardest questions to answer. I don't know. I think people either have it or they don't. It's so hard to explain the feeling. It means so much that we have the freedoms we do and can wear we want and say the things we want. I think freedom is why I do it..

CP: Do your fellow guardsmen and woman give you a hard time about being a "beauty queen"?

JC: Yeah. I get my fair share. If you ask me, it's good ‘cause then I push myself more and kind of prove myself back to them.

CP: What is going to be the hardest part about leaving for Iraq?

JC: I mean, obviously it's going to be difficult going into a war zone. I don't know. I would say again being away from home. My love is growing for the state of Minnesota, that's for sure—just the climate and the familiarities. You're kind of going into a whole new world of not just surroundings but people. It'll definitely be a change.

The Aquatennial History exhibit at the Hennepin History Museum will feature Chayer (and her gown) during the Aquatennial celebrations. $4; free Saturday July 14. 2303 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612.870.1329. Through July 22.

Posted by Rhena Tantisunthorn at July 13, 2007 2:53 PM | Comments (6)

 

Twin Cities grandmothers take to Nicollet Mall to protest the war

Filed under: Iraq

As downtown suits, shoppers, and workers flooded onto the streets for their lunch breaks late Thursday morning, a group of some 50 people (mostly women, many grandmothers) from Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) marched down Nicollet Mall to protest against the war in Iraq. Their goal, according to organizer Carol Masters, was to "bring attention to the war." The group chose downtown at lunchtime, hoping to make the pro-peace movement more visible to people they may not typically meet.

They chanted as they walked, ("No more death. No more dollars. Bring the troops home now!") and banged on drums, pots, and Tupperware containers. The response on the street was, according to marcher Mary Ellen Halderson, "very positive. There were no insults, no middle fingers. It confirms that they're thinking 'pro-peace.'" Many on-lookers accepted the yellow leaflets the women were handing out, and when WAMM founding member Polly Mann stopped to tell teenaged boys the reason for the protest was so youngsters wouldn't have to serve in the military, some said "I know" and nodded their heads. By-stander David Wright thought the protest was effective. "It's the most basic thing that people can do—to get together and make noise. It's a good place to start."

Mann compared the role that the women were playing to a mother duck flapping her wings at her chicks. The mother duck is "going crazy," Mann explained. "And you don't know why and then you look over there and there's a fox. We're trying to save the world from corporations. We're not sure [if it's going to work] but we have to do something." She paused to hand WAMM cards to a group of men in suits outside of Masa, but they shook their heads. "Don't you want to be enlightened?" she asked. "I'm enlightened in my own way," one responded. Mann shrugged and walked away, a mother duck momentarily defeated by a fox, before spotting another group of diners to enlighten.

Posted by Rhena Tantisunthorn at July 13, 2007 12:45 PM | Comments (1)

 

7/13 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Diablo Cody is featured in the August issue of Playboy. Details at Culture To Go.

Check out Drunk Girls and Dissonant Toys, the artwork of Ben Moore and Telos, in our gallery section.

We're adding new articles like DVD and game reviews every day. Use our Recent Article RSS feed to check for new content:

THESE DAYS

Governments could save thousands of lives by introducing a 'fat tax' on unhealthy foods, a group of Oxford University scientists reported in the journal Epidemiol Community Health.

Arizona lawmakers voted to enact new laws designed to stop the sale of anti-war T-shirts with the names of dead soldiers—a measure a veteran media lawyer says is "unconstitutional about three or four different ways."

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Merlin's Rest is a newish bar and restaurant on Lake Street. Keep informed about single-malt Scotch tastings, folk jams, and kilt nights at their blog.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Can you tell the difference between a jam band fan and a member of the Taliban?

Aaron Schwarz has decided to change his name and wants the public's help. If he picks the name you offer, you get $25,000.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Frankly, Michael Moore is an example of why the health care system costs so much in this country. He clearly is one of the reasons that we have a very expensive system."

— Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who lost more than 110 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes, admonishing the Sicko director for his obesity

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 13, 2007 6:16 AM | Comments (3)

 

7/12 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Nick Drake's Family Tree, Earth Defense Force 2017, and The Henry Rollins Show: Season 1 are all featured in this week's Culture Jamming by Michael Gallucci.

Download free MP3s from local artists such as Askeleton, the Hopefuls, Chris Koza, M.anifest, the Plastic Constellations, and more at Music To Go.

THESE DAYS

According to the 2007 World Drug Report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Canada has the honor of leading the industrialized world in marijuana use.

Dead bodies frequently pulled from the River Tigris have dulled the Iraqi capital's appetite for the popular dish of grilled carp after it was reported that clerics had warned that the fish dined on rotting corpses.

A contraceptive implant for dogs that halts testosterone and sperm production for months at a time is expected to gain European approval within weeks.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Kate is a retired educator who photo-blogs our local bridges and rivers, as well as the dinosaurs that have popped up around town at ExtraExtra.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Top 10 Most Memorable Movie Cars from cars.com

The oldest people in the world

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"He just said July the 6th and I assumed it was this year because if you tell the guy July 6th, they're going to think it's this year."

— Toronto teacher Dave Barclay, after flying to Cardiff, Wales, last week to attend the July 6, 2008 wedding of his friend Dave Best

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 12, 2007 9:00 AM | Comments (1)

 

Blotter going offline while we move servers

Filed under: City Pages

The Blotter will be moving to another server beginning Wednesday afternoon. We hope to begin updating within 24 hours. Thanks for your patience.

The Management

Photo from I Can Has Cheezburger?

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 2:51 PM | Comments (0)

 

What would a lawyer do to clear his client of child sex abuse charges?

Filed under: City Pages

In this week's cover story, Devil's Advocate, writer Jonathan Kaminsky delves into the difficult tasks law enforcement and the medical community face when dealing with alleged victims of sexual abuse by examining the case of Daniel Jourdain, who was accused of abusing his 11-year-old nephew. An excerpt: "As [pediatrician Carolyn Levitt] explains it, the objective of the interview, which is conducted in one of the clinic's two exam rooms, is to collect salient details from reticent children while steering clear of leading questions. 'You have to make sure the child is sturdy enough to tell their own story,' she says. Sturdiness matters because if the child tells of sexual abuse during the interview, and if Levitt and her staff make a finding that is consistent with abuse having occurred, odds are the tape will be admitted as evidence for the prosecution in a subsequent criminal case." Read the cover story here, them come back to join the conversation.

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 9:23 AM

 

7/11 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Peter Schilling Jr. recaps the 2007 All-Star Game at Balls.

We proudly welcome back lawyer and author Elaine Cassel to her blog Civil Liberties Watch.

Download free MP3s from local artists such as Askeleton, the Hopefuls, Chris Koza, M.anifest, the Plastic Constellations, and more at Music To Go.

THESE DAYS

Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

The University of Oregon study notes 90 per cent of 294 network-affiliated television stations studied contained at least 1 instance per newscast of stealth advertising.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Minneapolis moderate Curt Prins offers up 17 syllables on politics, and the local and national media that covers it at Politiku: Political Haiku.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

From Cracked.com: 11 Movies Saved by Historical Inaccuracy

D.C. Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey's phone records

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I think that Harry's story comes to quite a clear end, sadly. But I've always said that I wouldn't say never."

— Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, not ruling out a return to Hogwarts following the release of the final book of the series on July 21

"Men's magazines have nipples so why don't women have a magazine where men show their penises?"

— Fantastic Four actress Jessica Alba, looking for more than tips for dry skin from women's magazines, as quoted in the British edition of GQ

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 11, 2007 1:16 AM | Comments (0)

 

Matt Smith joins City Pages as Managing Editor

Filed under: City Pages

Veteran journalist Matt Smith will be the new managing editor at City Pages, Village Voice Media announced today. He replaces Michael Tortorello, who is resigning to pursue other interests.

Smith has nearly twenty years of experience as an editor and writer for major city and regional magazines. He is the former managing editor of VVM's SF Weekly in San Francisco, and before that held positions as news editor of the Los Angeles Times magazine, senior editor of California magazine (owned by Texas Monthly), and associate editor of New West (a sister publication of New York magazine). For several years he made his living as a freelance editor and writer, and he served for six years as the fundraising director of a non-profit employment agency for homeless people in Los Angeles.

"I'm really looking forward to working at City Pages and returning to Village Voice Media," said Smith. "One of the things I like best about alt-weeklies is that there are no restrictions on the stories you can tell. You can write about anything from hard news to the arts, as long as it's a good read. And I know there are a lot of good stories to tell in the Twin Cities."

"I'm thrilled that Matt will be joining the paper," said City Pages editor Kevin Hoffman. "He's a consummate professional, and we're lucky to have found someone with his talent and experience to work with our staff."

Smith has lived in the Twin Cities since 2002. Before his move to City Pages, he worked as a public and media relations specialist for Twin Cities Public Television. He lives in St. Paul.

Smith takes the chair as managing editor on Monday, July 16.

Source: Village Voice Media Press Release

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 10, 2007 3:22 PM | Comments (0)

 

7/10 Morning Communiqué

Filed under: Morning Communique

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

The City Pages Media Taster lets you actually hear the great music you read about in City Pages—just launch, click, and listen. Simply download the Media Taster and you'll automatically receive a digital mixtape of music on a semi-regular basis (including free MP3s), legal and free of charge. A new Taster has been posted today!

THESE DAYS

A Chewbacca impersonator is still on the loose after sexually assaulting a Marilyn Monroe impersonator in front of the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood in June.

According to a government study, antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. They're prescribed more than drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or headaches.

Adult film star Syvette Wimberly is being sued by a former high school classmate, Kristen Syvette Wimberly, for using her name while starring in films such as Anal Camera 19.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Marty Andrade and Captain Bogs deliver a mid-season analysis of the Twins, question the threat of global warming, and ruminate on the works of Ayn Rand at Martin Andrade Blogs.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Ten Politically Incorrect Truths about Human Nature from Psychology Today

The results of Slate's action-movie one-liner contest

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"They aren't going to wake up and it's a dream, like it's some episode of 'Dallas.'"

— comic book writer Jeph Loeb, on the death of super-hero Captain America after 66 years in print

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 10, 2007 6:35 AM | Comments (3)

 

A bad day fishing

Filed under: Crime

On July 9, 2005, Dewayne Davidson was fishing along the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis when he decided to take a nap. The Mankato resident's sleep was interrupted, however, by the sound of a barking dog.</