November 2007

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cPod, Episode 9

Filed under: cPod

cPod barely squeaks out the door in time for the weekend as we hear from Sarah Askari about Beatrix Jar (who provide our music) and Paul Demko fills us in on the local effect of his dead turkey tale. Lastly, Matt Snyders wanders through to comment on spending a week in the Mall of America.

Click below to hear the cast:

Download the mp3

Posted by Ward Rubrecht at November 30, 2007 5:21 PM | Comments (0)

 

AFSCME endorses Bonoff, Tinklenberg

Filed under: Politics

State Sen. Terri Bonoff and former transportation commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg have received the backing of AFSCME Council 5, one of the state's largest and most politically powerful labor unions. Bonoff is seeking to replace retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad, but faces DFL opposition from Iraq War vet Ashwin Madia and Edina Mayor Jim Hovland. (As noted below this is expected to be one of the most hotly contested House races in the country.) Tinklenberg hopes to oust freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann, a goal shared by fellow DFL'er Bob Olson, a St. Cloud businessman. Earlier this month AFSCME also endorsed the senate candidacy of Al Franken.

Posted by Paul Demko at November 30, 2007 11:07 AM | Comments (2)

 

House prospects bleak for GOP in 2008

Filed under: Politics

WaPo wonk Chris Cillizza once again analyzes which House seats are mostly likely to flip parties in next year's elections. Nine of the top ten endangered posts are currently held by Republicans. Not exactly a positive omen for the GOP heading into 2008.

Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District, currently occupied by retiring GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad makes the list in sixth place. That's three spots down from its previous ranking. Cillizza argues that the race has been slow to take shape:

Among the newly open seats, none is more difficult to analyze than this one. On its face, the district should be very competitive; President Bush won it with just 51 percent in 2004 and the suburbs surrounding the Twin Cities, which are at the heart of the seat, have been moving Democratic of late due to dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq.

Cillizza taps state Rep. Erik Paulson as the likely GOP nominee, but sees a scrum between state Sen. Terri Bonoff, Iraq war vet Ashwin Madia and Edina Mayor Jim Hovland on the DFL side of the aisle. "Minnesota politics goes at its own pace and this race just isn't gelling yet," he writes.

Posted by Paul Demko at November 30, 2007 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/30

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Two new slideshows up from yesterday, one capturing the festivities at Hmong New Year and another which will become a recurring theme -- The Month in Photos, a review of images from some of our favorite stories, galleries and blog posts of the previous lunar cycle.

Also, a couple of new posts on the sports blog. I make a brief argument for Bert Blyleven's inclusion into the Hall of Fame (and link to a couple of sources that offer in-depth justifications). Kevin Hoffman alerts us to Vote 4 Boogey, a site backing Derek Boogaard for the NHL All-Star Game.

BRAIN CANDY

Speaking of hockey, check out this odd tale of art, NHL stars, and public nudity. Oil paintings of hockey players naked -- not taken from real photos, but imagined celebrity nudes.

"This idea of his is not an ephemeral idea, it's a serious idea of the way in which we respond to the naked body," said Zina Davis, director of the University of Hartford's Joseloff Gallery, which showed one of the Grant nudes in 2004. "What are the trigger points, and what are the things that move us from what our expectations are into another realm? It's a high-concept kind of thing."

High-concept hockey nudes. In related news, someone is sure to start "Suicide Centers," a high-concept website where you can see real hockey players naked while you read their blogs.

Pat Robertson thinks yoga is "spooky." I do yoga. I think Pat Robertson is spooky. And thus is balance restored to the universe.

On a serious note, a couple of stories. First, a new audit has found that St. Paul gives comparatively few contracts to minority-owned firms. Minnesota Public Radio has the story here.

Next, at the Minneapolis Critical Mass Arrestee Support blog, there is an update in legal status about the 19 people arrested on a Critical Mass ride a few months back. Charges have been dropped against 14 of them, but five are still in the system, facing up to a year in jail.

Trials are slated to begin next year. The group's next ride is tonight at 5 p.m.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 30, 2007 8:24 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/29

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox (among other projects) is one of indie hip-hops most charismatic and influential figures. I reviewed his Tuesday show at Whiskey Junction, caught up with him in a quick interview and produced a photo slideshow. Also featured was tour partner Copywrite.

Headline: Minnesota woman invents the motorized tricycle. OK, not really. As Paul Demko blogs, someone got pulled over for the rarely enforced infraction Driving An Automobile With Only Three Tires.

Remember Monday's review of The Other Side Project? If it wasn't descriptive enough for your tastes, now you can scope a video of one of the sketch comedy group's routines, a funny little bit called "So You Think You Can Impress a British Person."

There's a thread about Jeff Severns Guntzel's gay marriage story now up at popular link site Fark.com. Check out the discussion if you're so inclined.

At Balls!, I bow before the wisdom of the Pio Press' Bob Sansevere, who has invented the newest great technique for talent acquisition in baseball: trade players to whom you do not have the rights. Later today I'm planning a post about the six-player deal between the Twins and Rays centered around Matt Garza and Delmon Young. Short preview: good trade for both teams, and a fine score for the hometown nine for 2008 and beyond.

Also coming later: two slideshow image galleries, including a Month In Photos review. For now, to the links of the day.

BRAIN CANDY

Looking ... at ... headline ...
... must ... not ... make ... joke ...
... Will ... get ... sent ... to ... Gitmo ...
... Dogs ... will ... starve ...

If you're not clicking the link, I'll tell you that headline is: "John Ashcroft: I'm Willing to Be Waterboarded."

The obvious response here reminds me of a time when I was watching the premiere of New Jack City, starring Ice T and Wesley Snipes. During the film's climax, Ice T's character Scotty Appleton has finally chased down the loathsome drug dealer Nino Brown, played by Snipes.

Appleton has his gun trained on the prone Brown's head. It's a tense moment, the clash between a man's desire for vigilante justice and his sense of decency. The theater had been boisterous up until that point, with several in the crowd punctuating the exciting moments with impromptu lines of their own.

But now the theater was tense and silent. Ice T trained the gun on Snipes' head, pondered whether he could countenance this type of act. What type of man was he willing to be? Finally, he pulls the gun away. Everyone exhaled.

Except one guy. Who gave a low chuckle and said, loud enough for the whole theater to hear: "Give me the gun, man, I'll do it!"

The theater erupted with laughter and cheers of support.

So, uh, yeah, waterboarding. I mean, if Crisco Johnny's asking for volunteers and all, I suppose I could step up. I mean, hypothetically. Hypothetically. Ontologically. Metaphorically. I'm saying that if he gave me the waterboard, man, I'd do it. Hypothetically.

Friends: you can pay for my legal defense by selling "Don't Waterboard Me, Bro" shirts with a big Ashcroft mug on the front.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 29, 2007 8:30 AM | Comments (2)

 

Crime blotter: three wheelin'

Filed under: Crime

On November 10 at approximately 10:35 p.m. a Minneapolis cop pulled over Carly Jo Juetten in downtown Minneapolis. The reason? Her vehicle had no left front tire. Juetten informed the officer that she was unaware that her car had only three tires. The cop also observed that she had slurred speech, smelled of booze, and had difficulty walking, according to a criminal complaint filed this week. The 26-year-old Minneapolis resident declined to take a breathalyzer test. She's been charged with one count each of driving while intoxicated and refusing to take a breath test.

Posted by Paul Demko at November 28, 2007 2:58 PM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/28

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

From the print issue, Matt Snyders' feature recounts the experience of living at the Mall of America for a full week. I don't mind saying that this is a hilarious read with a number of laugh-out-loud moments, and I'd say that even if Matt Snyders wasn't holding my dog hostage. Web-only content includes a photo slideshow with images by Nick Vlcek and an audio slideshow with a fitting soundtrack: "You Are The Generation That Bought More Shoes and You Get What You Deserve" by Johnny Boy.

When Paul Demko first pitched his story about a local farmer who lost everything to a flood, we were in a news meeting. Always looking for web-only content, I asked Demko if I could take some photos for a slideshow that would run around Thanksgiving, because the story involved turkeys. Demko gave me an appalled look and said, in a who-the-hell-is-this-guy deadpan, "The turkeys are all dead." I'm not even going to pretend I had a retort.

Sarah Askari's column about the electronic duo Beatrix*JAR also has a terrific photo gallery by Emily Utne and a sample MP3 of the group's work (click the link in the right-side box of the story to download). The band's name reminds me of Sarah Jessica Parker's character in LA Story, whose name is spelled SanDeE* (Big S, little A, little N, Big D, little E, Big E. With a star at the end!).

The blogs are hopping, too. On the Blotter, Kevin Hoffman has updated Boy, Interrupted, our story about a local man suffering from an eating disorder. Jeremy has been involuntarily committed to a treatment facility.

Jonathan Kaminsky has an amusing tale of copper and robbers. Well, one alleged robber anyway. Since I know you're wondering, I'm not related to the Frederick Shaw named in the post.

It was all Anthony Bourdain all the time at Culture To Go, with Jessica Armbruster's interview with the famous chef preceding Paul Demko's roundup of local media reaction. Matt Smith broke the string with a post about Diablo Cody's award nomination.

Later today I'll also resist the trend of food blogging with a music review from last night's Vast Aire and Copywrite show at Whiskey Junction, featuring a Q+A with Vast, photo gallery and sound files.

BRAIN CANDY

I would be remiss if I didn't mark a significant event in the life of an American icon. Hulk Hogan is getting a divorce. Alimonimania is running wild!

The Hogan story embodies much of the American narrative: excess, humor, drama, and a little sadness. Much like the experience of living at the Mall of America. And I remember from my childhood fondly the pictures of Hulk Hogan rocking out to the strains of Rick Derringer's "Real American," creating images unique to the United States. A song that might go along with an audio slideshow. With images not unlike the web-only photos from one man's journey through the Mall of America.

On the topic of American ideals, the Fifth Circuit Court has extended limits on freedom of speech. This is antithetical to fundamental democratic values, including freedom of the press. Freedom of the press which, incidentally, allows journalists to write stories about American icons such as the Mall of America. This right also extends to photographers and musicians who set their work to images.

OK, Snyders, can I have my dog back now?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 28, 2007 3:07 AM | Comments (1)

 

Copper blues

Last Wednesday, Frederick Shaw was making his evening rounds in north Minneapolis, carrying a bent copper pipe with fittings and valves still attached, when he crossed paths with Sgt. Frank Holley of the Minneapolis PD, according to a criminal complaint.

The sergeant was curious: Where had the pipe come from?

Good question, Shaw allowed: He'd discovered it in an alley a block away. Shaw offered to take Holley and his colleagues to the exact spot of his lucky find.

Unfortunately for our hero, as he was showing his new friends the pipe's origins, the caretaker of the adjacent property showed up to re-board a shuttered window on his building, just as he'd done the night previous. And he recognized the piece of copper: It was a heating pipe from his building.

Holley placed Shaw under arrest. Shortly thereafter, Shaw modified his story: A couple had given him the copper, he said. In a bit of bad luck, though, he didn't know who they were.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at November 27, 2007 3:17 PM | Comments (0)

 

Boy, Interrupted UPDATED

Filed under: City Pages

Jeremy, the 88 pound man recently profiled by City Pages, has entered treatment involuntarily at Methodist Hospital.

After receiving calls from Jeremy's family requesting a health and welfare check in the wake of the recent City Pages article, the Community Outreach for Psychiatric Emergencies paid him a visit at his condo on the 13th floor of a downtown Minneapolis high rise.

"After arriving, the COPE staff felt the patient was in need of emergency hospitalization and requested police support in transporting him to the hospital," reads a report prepared by a licensed clinical psychologist. "While allowing the patient to get his things from his apartment the police reported he attempted to jump off his balcony." (For his part, Jeremy says that he never tried to commit suicide by jumping off the balcony and that he was instead "turning off his grill.")

Upon being admitted to the hospital, Jeremy weighed just 85 pounds and stood 5' 7 1/2" tall. He had a critically low potassium level of 2.5, which can result in cardiac arrest.

A mental health screener talked to Jeremy's mother, who reported that she was "worried he's killing himself." His family was also "concerned as the holiday season approaches that Jeremy will 'gear up' and his suicidal ideation/intent will worsen," the psychologist's report testifies.

Jeremy was placed on a 72-hour hold--which he is still under as of this very moment.

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Jeremy had a hearing in Hennepin County Court, where he was represented by a court-appointed lawyer. He had hoped to make his case that he has every intention to come in for treatment, but wanted to first take care of a few details, such as having his car winterized, and making arrangements for his mail.

Instead, the hearing was postponed a week to Wednesday, November 28.

Recently, I paid a visit to Jeremy during visiting hours at Methodist Hospital, where he is receiving treatment as he awaits his hearing. When I arrived, he had just come out of a shower and seemed comfortable in a robe. He was the only man in a room full of women receiving treatment for eating disorders.

Jeremy asked that I tell people how to reach him. He is at Methodist Hospital's Eating Disorder Institute.

He also asked that I post the url for his blog. In doing so, City Pages takes no responsibility for its contents, nor any of the claims made therein.

For all of our reportage on this story, including audio, video, photos and links to eating disorder treatment resources, please visit this Blotter post.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at November 27, 2007 1:48 PM | Comments (1)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/27

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

The print issue comes online this afternoon, and we have one or two more posts in the works today that are worth sticking around for as well. Until then:

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

The chilling tale of Duy Ngo has reached its latest chapter. Paul Demko reports on the Minneapolis City Council's record $4.5 million award to the police officer, who was shot multiple times with a sub-machine gun while doing undercover work.

At Culture to Go, read Jessica Armbruster's Q&A with chef Anthony Bourdain, who spoke at the Triple Rock last night. You'll find out what he thinks about celebrity chef culture and what one food he'd eat for the rest of his life if he could pick just one.

BRAIN CANDY

Today: inventions!

Ron Popeil has given the world so much. The pocket fisherman. Spray-on hair. Parodies of his work such as Gallagher's Sledge-o-Matic and the Weird Al Yankovic tune "Mr. Popeil." This link documents several of his contributions to American commerce, delivering unto you 11 Items Sold by Ron Popeil. After you've checked that out, scope Malcolm Gladwell's musings on Mr. Popeil for the New Yorker.

A specific invention that caught my eye: amidst the litany of amusing spam e-mails we get here at City Pages last week came news of the Fish 'n Flush. You've seen those words combined before, no doubt, but not quite in this way. The device is a combination aquarium and toilet.

This costs 300 bones? Seriously? Are the interspersed bubbling and flushing sounds coming from that website supposed to hypnotize me into forking over the credit card digits? For nearly the cost of a Nintendo Wii, you can ... oh, someone edit me, I can't do it.

Say this for the tackytacular toilet: When your fish dies, you don't have far to walk with his corpse.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 26, 2007 10:41 PM | Comments (0)

 

Ngo mas

Filed under: Minneapolis

The Minneapolis City Council approved a $4.5 million settlement with police officer Duy Ngo this afternoon. The council voted 11-1 to make the largest payout stemming from a police misconduct case in the city's history. (Lisa Goodman was the sole dissenting vote.)

In February, 2003 Ngo was shot by an unknown assailant while working undercover gang surveillance. MPD officer Charles Storlie, responding to the scene, then mistakenly shot Ngo multiple times with a sub-machine gun despite the fact that his fellow officer was on his knees and unarmed. Ngo's story was first told in a 2003 City Pages cover story, "Shot to Hell."

"I feel relieved because it's been a hard fought battle," says Ngo. "It's been five years of pain for my family."

Posted by Paul Demko at November 26, 2007 3:08 PM | Comments (4)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/26

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Our new slideshow from the Against Me! and Sage Francis show at First Avenue on Friday night includes a recounting by yours truly to go with the photos by Daniel Corrigan. The review is pasted into the photo captions, so click on through and give it a gander.

Life is funny. At least, the members of The Other Side Project are funny. And they are alive. Therefore, life is funny. It's simple logic, the transitive property. QED. Ponder the essential truths located in this statement, or just read my review of the local sketch comedy troupe's inaugural performance from last night. Watch the photo slideshow, too.

Three new posts are up at Balls!, our sports blog. Have a look at Eric Refsland's glorious account of the Vikings' heroic road victory. Watch the video he embeds of a previous Eli Manning collapse. Enjoy. Eric is so giddy over this win, he even floats the possibility of a wild card berth.

Did someone say: playoffs? You know I'm taking any excuse to link to this:

Next time anybody screws anything up around here, I'm going to do my best Jim Mora impression and say, "In my opinion that sucked."

Also on Balls!: Bummed that the Twins didn't re-sign Torii Hunter? If the reason is you'll miss his skills and personality, absolutely. If you think it would have been a good baseball signing, though, think again. So say I. More recently, Jonathan Kaminsky laments a Wolves' loss that brings the team to a lowly 1-10.

BRAIN CANDY

This link actually sounds like an absurdist comedy sketch that The Other Side Project might come up with, but apparently it's real. The headline is "China Recycling Used Condoms as Cheap Hair Bands." Not "hair bands" like Poison, either. Bands that you put in your hair. Well, not "you," I hope.

Sure, the housing market is down and there seems to be an emerging fiscal crisis, but can't we all just take a weekend to enjoy things? It was Thanksgiving. I hope you took pleasure in it. After all, you never know when things are just going to go straight to hell.

I have no crystal ball, nor do I claim to have well-developed psychic powers, but I'd be willing to bet almost anything that next Thanksgiving season will be dramatically different from this one. A dark curtain of despair has descended ...

On Friday, millions of shoppers will descend on malls and box stores where the bells and whistles of credit card transactions will reverberate every few seconds, non-stop for perhaps seventy-two hours. Those bills will come due for those shoppers in a post-holiday hangover of dollar plummeting hysteria, monumental levels of debt, foreclosure, bankruptcy, unemployment, energy depletion, skyrocketing gas and food prices, illnesses treated without health insurance coverage-or just not treated, unprecedented levels of homelessness, and by all indications, within a few months into 2008, America will be well on the road to a re-run of 1929-or something inconceivably worse.

These are the "good ole days" to be remembered when we have almost nothing that we now take for granted or feel entitled to. And at the same time, these are dark new days that begin and end amid the sea change occurring all around us. That darkness signals and (sic) end to holidays as we have known them. This year, like all those other years, we will lament that despite our best intentions, we ate too much. In what year will we remember Thanksgivings of the past and weep and salivate as we search for whatever morsels of food we can find? I am convinced that absolutely nothing will awaken Americans except starvation, but by the time they have arrived at that horrifying circumstance, it will be far too late.

Cliff's Notes: DOOM DOOM DOOM

So, um ... who's up for pumpkin pie?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 26, 2007 8:33 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/22 (Thanksgiving Edition!)

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Culture To Go is the place to be lately. Sarah Askari reviews the M.I.A. show at First Avenue, and her coverage is supplemented with photos by Daniel Corrigan. Also on CTG, Paul Demko has an interesting Q&A with Michael Tisserand, an author whose most recent work is about picking up the pieces in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It's a timely piece, with Tisserand in town for a reading on Sunday.

Ward Rubrecht's eighth edition of cPod has music by Ed Ackerson, not-in-print anecdotes from Kaminsky and Jeff Severns Gunztel about their print stories (about gay marriage and intrigue in Harris, respectively) and a brief appearance by a Nobel laureate. Note: the Nobel laureate is not, as was rumored, Kevin Hoffman.

We continue to add the market's top free agent sports bloggers, welcoming Benjamin Polk into the fold to write about Gopher hoops. Benjamin has been teaming up on Timberwolves posts with Jonathan Kaminsky, and this takes him to the college side of the basketball beat.

Speaking of Kaminsky, he has a brief post about inept criminal conduct. In my experience it is always the second auto theft and joyride of the day that gets me in trouble. But as usual, I've said too much.

BRAIN CANDY FOR THANKSGIVING

Keeping up with a rich City Pages tradition of Thanksgiving content, we have a couple of Turkey Day offerings for you.

From our site, don't miss my Five Songs About Thanksgiving post, nor Paul Demko's able addition in the comments. If you see anything I missed, feel free to add a comment as well.

From elsewhere on the web, and in conclusion, I give you the best turkey-related cartoon of all time. Possibly Berkeley Breathed's finest work that involved neither Opus nor Bill the Cat, this 1981 strip has stood the test of time. I may even link to this again at Christmas.

Enjoy the typtophan-induced haze, and we'll see you Friday.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 22, 2007 7:34 AM | Comments (0)

 

cPod, Episode 8

Filed under: cPod

In this week's episode, we hear from Jeff Severns Guntzel about gay marriage and religion in the Twin Cities and hear a humorous anecdote from Jonathan Kaminsky regarding the Harris situation. Desmond Tutu makes a brief appearance, and we get Matt Snyders' thoughts on interviewing the Nobel laureate. Music is provided by Ed Ackerson.

Download the mp3

Posted by Ward Rubrecht at November 21, 2007 6:37 PM | Comments (0)

 

A day at the mall

Filed under: Crime

According to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County Court: Last Sunday, 18-year-old Joshua Jackson and a couple friends were cruising Lake Street in the car he'd stolen the day before when, in a stroke of bad luck, it broke down. Happily, the three pals were close to the light rail, so they hopped aboard and rode it to the Mall of America, where they spent a few hours soaking in the ubiquitous amusements. When it was time to go home, the three amigos decided not to bother with public transport. Instead, they settled on an enticing Buick Century in the parking garage. Sadly, as Jackson was hotwiring the car with a screwdriver, its rightful owner showed up. Jackson and his two friends were quickly apprehended and arrested. And, in a sign of how fragile friendship can be, two of them got right to accusing each other of breaking the car window.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at November 21, 2007 1:52 PM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/21

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

The issue is on-line, as are several web-exclusive items. Jonathan Kaminsky tells the story of a kerfluffle in Harris, where small-town politics equal big-time controversy. Jeff Severns Guntzel reports on same-sex marriage and those local churches who are protesting its prohibition by refusing to perform marriages for heterosexual couples.

Matt Snyders' latest offering about the Desmond Tutu affair also comes with web-only MP3 files of our interview with the Nobel laureate.

This is also a good spot for me to point out that we've been offering sample MP3 files of songs from artists featured in Sarah Askari's music column, and this week we've continued that trend. Check out three songs from Ed Ackerson's new solo release while you read Sarah's Mash Notes.

Only on the web, check out Rhena Tantisunthorn's photo slideshow of the Miss Gay 90s Pageant.

On the Blotter, Paul Demko blogs a new report from the Washington Post. Survey says: Norm Coleman's in trouble. Kevin Hoffman posts about a young boy with a rare inherited condition's decision to have his leg amputated.

Previously, I link to a New York Times story about how locals of Norwegian descent are upset about that nation's decision to remove its consulate from Minneapolis. I also have a brief note at CTG about Theatre de la Jeune Lune's production of "The Deception" being held over for four more performances.

BRAIN CANDY

Sometimes we forget just how awesome Mr. Rogers was. Let us, inspired by this blog entry, remember the man who was for many of us a profound early childhood influence. Critters dug him, too, as you can see from Fred's visit with Koko the Gorilla.

One fact unknown to many: Mr. Rogers played a central role in saving public television. Watch him -- gently and persuasively -- take on the U.S. Senate. About 3:30 in ... well, just watch it. And watch it until the end, for sure. It's like Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, but it actually happened.

Mr. Rogers also was old school in the hip-hop sense, bringing the art of breakdancing to the masses during the early stages of the practice:

Unfortunately, Tom Junod's amazing profile of Fred Rogers from Esquire Magazine is no longer available on the Internet available at a site other than where it was first published! It's worth hunting up in both your online and offline endeavors.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 21, 2007 7:15 AM | Comments (0)

 

Nine-Year-Old Chooses to Amputate Own Leg

Filed under: Health Care

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams today picked up the amazing story--from local affiliate KARE-11--of Nick Nelson, a nine-year-old boy who requested that his leg be amputated.

Nelson was born with a rare inherited condition called Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome that caused a web of skin to connect the back of his leg to his heel. Because of that webbing, Nelson was not able to straighten his leg and was confined to a wheelchair.

So he made a decision no young boy should ever face: He asked to have his leg amputated so that he could be fitted with a prosthesis.

"Sometimes you have to make hard choices in your life," Nick told KARE-11 reporter Joe Fryer. "And that's one of them."

NBC Nightly News isn't the end of the national exposure for this inspiring local story--tomorrow morning, Nick will appear on the Today show.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at November 20, 2007 10:58 PM | Comments (1)

 

Desmond Tutu: Expanded Web Content

Filed under: City Pages

After Matt Snyders broke the story of the University of St. Thomas canceling an appearance by Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a series of events was set in motion. There was an apology and a new arrangement with Metropolitan State University and PeaceJam International. In our new issue, Snyders catches up with the Archbishop and updates us all on the story.

After you read it, hear audio excerpts from the interview. Desmond Tutu speaks in the following MP3 files:

* Tutu explains why he was disappointed about not being allowed to speak (:53)
* Tutu commends the college president for his ultimate response (:34)
* "I've never been anti any group of persons. I've been anti the injustice, or the policies those particular people carried out." (1:08)

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 20, 2007 2:56 PM | Comments (0)

 

Norwegian Consulate Leaving Stings

Filed under: International

The coming closure of the Norwegian consulate has caused consternation in Minneapolis, particularly among the sons and daughters of Norway. Today, the Grey Lady has a piece covering response from local residents of Norwegian descent. Quoting customers of Ingebretsen's, the NYT delivers the goods. Short version: there's a whole lot of miffed going around.

Excerpts:

“This is a bit of a slap in the face,” Janet Rog, 74, said of Norway’s recent announcement that it would shut its career consulate here next year and send the diplomats home.

“We’re very proud of our roots, and we’ve tried really hard to preserve them,” said Shirley Hansen, another knitter at a table bursting with the bright geometric patterns Norway is known for. “Norway is near and dear to us, but now we feel like maybe they haven’t considered us quite so important.”

Response from the Norwegian government hasn't exactly calmed the waters.

Wegger Christian Strommen, the recently appointed Norwegian ambassador, said no one was abandoning the Midwest. “We’re not going to leave,” Mr. Strommen said in a telephone interview from his Washington office. “We are going to take all these things forward, in a slightly different way.”

Yeah. The highway.

The other three Norwegian consulates in the U.S., in case you were wondering, are in New York, San Francisco, and in that noted hotbed of Scandinavian culture, Houston. It might not be as steeped in Norwegian tradition, but I hear it looks a lot like Block E.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 20, 2007 2:19 PM | Comments (0)

 

We're movin' on up!

Filed under: Politics

WaPo wonk Chris Cillizza has bumped Sen. Norm Coleman up to sixth on the list of seats most likely to switch parties in next year's elections. Previously the first-term incumbent was sitting slightly more comfortably in eighth place. Cillizza says he may have been underestimating the extent of Coleman's troubles:

Coleman, himself, has done nearly everything right -- raised millions of dollars, cut a moderate image in the Senate, and from early on understood he was in a tough race. But Minnesota returned to its progressive, anti-war roots in a big way in 2006, as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) turned what was once expected to be a competitive open seat race into a blowout.

Cilliza also has some kind words for challengers Al Franken (who got a boost with yesterday's AFSCME endorsement) and Mike Ciresi:

While Republicans like to paint comedian Al Franken (D) as a caricature, the truth is he has run a solid and substantive campaign to date and has proven his capacity to match Coleman's fundraising. Mike Ciresi (D), who ran unsuccessfully in the 2000 primary, is starting to show signs of life and should never be underestimated given his considerable personal wealth.

(Yeah, I know this is modly cheese by the standards of the Internets, but I've been out of town.)

Posted by Paul Demko at November 20, 2007 11:31 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/20

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

The Strib's Katherine Kersten -- strap in for this revelation, it's shocking -- writes a strident, poorly sourced and lazy column about the noose incident in a local college newsroom that shoehorns available facts into her bizarre agenda. Jonathan Kaminsky batters her logic with the two fists of journalistic integrity.

Rachel Paulose is out as U.S. Attorney for Minnesota. I have a quick post about that.

I was so excited about college football, too. But my rooting interest has cursed my alma mater,and now my friend's team, too. Absent a Gopher team with prospects, I'm thinking of becoming an "anti-fan," a paid jinx that is bankrolled to root for a team my clients actually want to lose. It's a win-win for me, and for the unscrupulous win-at-any-cost types who will take me up on it. In unrelated news, I just got a call from Bill Belichick.

In a couple of hours: a photo slideshow from the Ms. Gay 90s pageant! This afternoon: the print issue you've waited with bated breath for! Right now: the links.

BRAIN CANDY

In Eric Hoffer's book "The True Believer," he opines about the origins of mass movements, about how leaders in certain societies are venerated as infallible until they stumble, revealing weakness -- and at that point the mob turns on them. This is what I think of when I see the entertaining SF Weekly photo slideshow "The 20 Most Disappointing Moments in Simpsons History." For two decades, the show has brought us joy through subversive cleverness. But there have been lots of false steps in recent years, so it's pitchfork-and-torch territory. Now it's time to entertain ourselves by hating on The Simpsons.

See, it has to come full circle. "Oh, The Simpsons," we'll say, "that's cool." Mirroring my favorite line from the episode Homerpalooza, someone will ask us if we are being ironic. And we will respond, honestly, that we don't even know any more. This will serve as a commentary on the human condition, about how much-loved icons age and are brought low like a wounded gazelle by pillories from once faithful adherents.

But I digress. Quick, read about how freak dancing has split the small community of Argyle, Texas. Watch the video! Hear a local describe the dancing as "dadgum nasty!" (presumably with no hint of irony). Learn about how the director of "Footloose" is going to sue life for imitating art! Guess which, if any, of these sentences is a joke!

Finally today, I'm trying to think "warm" in advance of winter. If you are, too -- and you enjoy beautiful photos of subtropical ecosystems -- you'll want to check out the Okinawa Digital Archive, which catalogs pictures and information about a place I used to live, one of the richest and most diverse environmental spots in the world. The photo gallery is searchable by region. Personally, I recommend the beaches.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 20, 2007 8:15 AM | Comments (3)

 

Paulose: Timeline Ends

Filed under: Politics

We finally have an end to the "Timeline for a Timebomb" that Jeff Severns Guntzel posted in September. At the time, we didn't have an idea when or how the saga of Minnesota's embattled U.S. Attorney would end. Turns out it's a whimper, not a bang -- Paulose announced her resignation yesterday afternoon.

Eric Black has been all over this since the beginning, and first posted news of the resignation. Check out the timestamp on her resignation email compared to the timestamp on Black's post. Gotta love the immediacy of the Internet.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 20, 2007 7:26 AM | Comments (0)

 

Kersten weighs in on noose brouhaha

In case you're just tuning in, a while back we brought you the story of a noose-hanging in a local college newsroom. Last week, the Strib picked it up. And now, swinging at what might be the best pitch to hit she's had in years, Katherine Kersten has smacked it out of the park.

Gabriel Keith, who wouldn't speak to City Pages, is easy to find in Katherine's story. He's actually the only person she seems to have bothered talking to. (She does do a commendable job lifting quotes from the Strib's story to line up others for target practice. As Katherine ably shows us, it's much more fun to shit on people when you don't have to actually talk to them.)

In the column, Katherine portrays Keith as a) a war hero who served three tours in Iraq, b) a friend to the black man, c) a hard-working, up-by-his-bootstraps editor trying to motivate his writers, and d) the victim of political correctness run amok.

What she fails to touch on, of course, is e): If we accept Keith's explanation at face value, he's comically ignorant. I'll borrow a quote from the Strib here, since he didn't want to be interviewed when I wrote my story: "I heard about something to do with a noose, but I didn't even think of it," Keith said. "I don't watch the news."

Now, Keith's service to country is to be commended. And the fact that he palled around with a black dude in Iraq is super. But as a newspaper editor who—best-case scenario, here—can’t be bothered to follow the news, is he really the guy you want to hitch your wagon to?

Given that Katherine's probably off already reporting her next one-source column, I'll answer for her: Of course he is. Because, really, what's the downside in obscuring a little ignorance compared with the irresistible opportunity to pit the immigrant-and-minority-worshipping-espresso-sipping-college-campus set against the truly-discriminated-against-war-hero white guy?

What I’m really trying to say is: You're welcome, Katherine, for the fodder for your latest lazy polemic. You owe me one.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at November 19, 2007 9:30 AM | Comments (3)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/19

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

On Culture to Go, a new review and slideshow gallery from Sharon Jones' Friday performance at First Avenue are up. The review is by Geoff Cannon and the photos are by Daniel Corrigan.

It's an especially content-filled cPod this week, as Ward Rubrecht brings you sounds from local spoken word artists, talks to Paul Demko and Rhena Tantisunthorn about their features for this week's paper, and Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl about a restaurant you won't see reviewed in our dead-tree edition anytime soon.

Sports-wise, the Vikings tried their best, but ultimately the Raiders just wanted this loss more. Eric Refsland reports, and supplies a sound file you've gotta hear.

Jonathan Kaminsky has anecdotes and analysis from recent Timberwolves efforts that have me wondering just what type of watch Antoine Walker was wearing. Uneducated guess: a Breitling for Bentley with ice on the bezel.

BRAIN CANDY

Know who really owns the world? No, it's not bankers. It's bugs. There are more species of insect than all other animal species put together, and scientists still haven't identified more than a fraction of them. If all of them were as magnificent as the photos in the next link, though, we'd have no shortage of entomologists. Check out these charismatic microfauna.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 19, 2007 7:00 AM | Comments (0)

 

cPod, Episode 7

Filed under: cPod

In this week's episode, we feature music and poetry from the recent homelessness awareness event at the Minneapolis Central Library and speak to Rhena Tantisunthorn about her feature on Karen refugees, to Paul Demko about how to not get swindled by Scott Sennes, and to Dara Moskowitz about a recent restaurant experience that left her less than pleased.

Download cPod as an .mp3

Posted by Ward Rubrecht at November 16, 2007 12:43 PM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/16

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

A bevy of blog posts in the last 24 hours or so await you on the site.

Rhena Tantisunthorn alerts us to a volunteer opportunity. Better yet, it's an opportunity that may involve watching the Vikings' Bryant McKinnie throw a turkey. But the Vikings don't need someone who can throw a turkey -- they need someone who can throw a football. If he can pitch that bird 15 yards or more, I say make him play quarterback.

Paul Demko went to see David Beckham play, and links to an audio report. You will be shocked to learn that there was beer drinking and sung taunts at the game. It is, after all, soccer. Jonathan Kaminksy enjoys the Wolves' inaugural win of the year, and passes that joy on to you.

Jeff Severns Guntzel sees Block E rollin'. He hatin'. And so are other observers of twin cities architecture, by omission or otherwise.

Update: A new slideshow of the Minnesota Roller Girls, with shots by Rhena Tantisunthorn, is up now.

cPod should be up later today.

BRAIN CANDY

Friday's links have a theme, and that theme is dissatisfaction. The primary entry concerns a lifelong customer of Jimmy Dean's sausages who is upset over their decision to downsize from 16 oz. to 12 oz, yet continue to charge the same price. This is an audio file of his complaint.

Please believe me when I say it is worth listening to all the way through.

From the other end of the food chain is this tale of woe involving a man running from the police. The story takes place in Florida. They have alligators in Florida. This is bad news for our would-be escapee, who ends up as a taste treat for some walking handbag.

Finally, what is more unsatisfying than a bad toy? Some of these aren't "bad" ... just "different." But still.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 16, 2007 8:55 AM | Comments (0)

 

Bryant McKinnie Volunteers and So Can You

Filed under: General Archive

Jonathan Kaminsky is a push-over. Me? Not so much. I am extremely picky about what I will and will not be guilted into recommending. While researching Thanksgiving Day volunteering options for A-List, I stumbled across an organization, People Serving People, that has an unexpected need for volunteers for their Wednesday November 21st Thanksgiving Toss, which they are throwing (pun intended) from 5:45 to 7:45. Perhaps it was that People Serving People is the largest provider of emergency shelter for families with children in the Twin Cities. Perhaps it was that a toss seems like a festive way to spend the day before Thanksgiving. Or perhaps it was that Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie will be the celebrity guest at the toss. Regardless, it seemed like a blotter-worthy call for volunteers. And don’t worry, other than the one they serve up for dinner, no actual turkeys will be harmed at this event. Step up; call 612.277.0256

Posted by Rhena Tantisunthorn at November 15, 2007 2:53 PM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/15

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

Daily Dish: What's New Around the Site

Yesterday's flurry of stories and blog posts are still fresh. Brand new so far today: Jonathan Kaminsky updates you on the story of a noose being hung at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College newsaper office.

At Culture to Go, I have a post that's not so much a recommendation as an alert. It's about Theatre de la Jeune Lune's performance of "Deception," a show I've not see but have heard excellent word of mouth for. Especially read the post if you're younger than 25 years of age.

Later this afternoon, another photo slideshow or two from events around the cities.

BRAIN CANDY

Today: a triumvirate of rap links.

When the whole kerfluffle with this fellow known as "Dog the Bounty Hunter," broke, America had only one question: "What would Oakland rapper Too $hort, author of 'The Freaky Tales,' have to say about these shenanigans?" Thanks to the magic of the web, now we know.

Pontificating about another subject entirely comes The Rappin' Mathematician. He educates the youth thusly (MP3). While I admit that had I listened to this growing up I might have been better with multiplication tables, let's just say I don't expect him to battle-rap KRS-One over rights to the name "The Teacher."

Growing up on the West Coast, Sir Mixalot was huge even far before we knew of any baby having back. Winter is coming, and I've got to get me a hat like the one worn by Kid Sensation in Mix's video for what was his iconic song before that track you may have heard, the one about the big butts. It's called Posse on Broadway. This was campy even then, right? Of course it was, but Mixalways had a canny sense of humor.

The clip is kind of slow until 2:00 in, at which point every 10 seconds contains something memorable. Stick with it until the end.

Where to begin? Kid Sensation stripping from waist up but leaving his fur chapeau on. Larry The White Guy, the real estate investor. The synchronized nods. The fact that every verse is interpreted literally, including the skeezer kissing the $20 bill. My favorite part may well be legendary DJ Nasty Nes' haircut, though. He seems to be having a helluva time with this video, too; I bet even his cameo on Eazy E's first record wasn't this much fun.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 15, 2007 7:06 AM | Comments (0)

 

Nooseroom Uproar Grows

Filed under: Media

A couple weeks ago, we brought you the story of a noose in the newsroom of Minneapolis Community and Technical College's student newspaper. Last week, students at the school staged a protest. Among other things, they were angry that the school's administration didn't go public with the incident until after it was reported in City Pages.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Keith, who hung the noose, told the Strib that he was ignorant of the racial symbolism of nooses in this country. "I am definitely aware of it now," he said.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at November 15, 2007 12:52 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/14

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

From the Print Issue: Originally from Burma, the Karen of St. Paul fled human rights abuses at the hands of the Burmese government and are now the largest population of Karen outside of Southeast Asia. In "Final Refuge," Rhena Tantisunthorn takes you inside their world. Read the story and view our two photo galleries, one from Burma and one from St. Paul. After reading the story and looking at the photos, check out our web-exclusive audio in the bottom of this blog post.

Elsewhere in the issue, Paul Demko writes about a grifter who has bilked local families for tens of thousands by promising to deliver dream houses and skipping out. We also have a web-exclusive slideshow of The Owls' CD release show with photos by Nick Vlcek.

Taking the blog list bottom up, we have tons of new material.

Balls!: To scare any evil spirits from Adrian Peterson's knee, I chose to distract them by chronicling the Top 10 Worst ACL Injuries on Video. It worked. You're welcome. Don't watch the videos before lunch. Shortly thereafter, I explained why trading for Craig Monroe is like lighting the Dome on fire for the Twins.

Culture to Go: Paul Demko muses on Forever, the latest offering from filmmaker Heddy Honigmann. The "often remarkably moving piece," he writes, focuses on the Pere-Lachaise cemetery and can be seen for a few more days at Oak Street Cinema.

Ward Rubrecht went to the Northstar Storytelling League's event at Java Jack's, and brought back a report and sense of awe to go along with three excellent audio recordings from the featured tellers. You can't download the sense of awe, but you can access everything else.

Blotter: Drop a few posts down to where Jeff Severns Guntzel has a foreboding warning about the Minneapolis Police Department's budget. Not only are current financial projections dire, but when you look back at what past projections have said, it's sobering. He also highlights a story about someone who wanted to tip the cops off to a rape, but instead got voicemail.

BRAIN CANDY

With all that we've got goin' on here, why would you go anywhere else on the Internet? I mean, seriously. If you want to read scurrilous gossip about Mike Ditka making out in a public place with a 20-something, well, I wouldn't blame you. But just that.

Guess the Levitra's working, eh, Mike?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 14, 2007 7:15 AM | Comments (0)

 

Final Refuge: Expanded Web Content

Filed under: International

Originally from Burma, the Karen of St. Paul fled human rights abuses at the hands of the Burmese government and are now the largest population of Karen outside of Southeast Asia. In "Final Refuge," Rhena Tantisunthorn takes you inside their world. Read the story and view our two photo galleries, one from Burma and one from St. Paul. After reading the story and looking at the photos, check out our web-exclusive audio below.

But first, maybe you can help one of the community members mentioned in the story make a connection.

Paw Nay Bu taught Internally Displaced People with an American woman named Elizabeth on the eastern border of Karen State. She doesn't haven't any more information about the woman, but would like to get in touch with her. This is Paw Nay Bu, photographed by Nick Vlcek:

If you have any information, you can reach Paw Nay Bu through writer Rhena Tantisunthorn.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled web content.

In the audio clip below, First Baptist Church of St. Paul Karen congregants sing a traditional hymn which translates loosely as "I love you with the love of the Lord." Many Karen converted to the First Baptist church when missionaries from the United States brought the bible to their region over two hundred years ago. Today, the Baptist churches in St. Paul provide support and resources and operate as community space for Karen refugees. Hear their song in the Karen language: download the MP3 of the hymn.

ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB
Free Burma Rangers
Karen Human Rights Group

Burma Issues

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 13, 2007 5:48 PM | Comments (0)

 

What do you have to do to solve a sex crime in the Twin Cities?

Filed under: Crime

In the wake of the City Pages investigation into the under-staffing of the Minneapolis Sex Crimes Unit, today's Pioneer Press front page story raises many of the same issues about the infrastructure a city needs to respond to and solve rapes and other sex crimes.

The headline of Mara Gottfried's piece says about all you need to know: "Rape tipster wanted cops, got voicemail." Get the rest of the story here.

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at November 13, 2007 11:54 AM | Comments (0)

 

The Blue in the Red (Redux)

Filed under: Minneapolis

With a city-wide campaign urging the hiring of more cops, an overtime crunch at the Minneapolis Police Department, and a general atmosphere of tension between the MPD and City Council over budget issues, Chief Dolan does not bring good news to the Ways & Means Committee at City Hall today. In September, the department was projecting it would end the year $4.7 million over budget. When the numbers were crunched at the end of October, it was projecting a $5.2 million deficit.

Overtime is projected to be nearly $400,000 over budget--which includes $90,000 in overtime paid to cops watching the 10th Ave Bridge after the collapse of the 35W bridge--that money won't be reimbursed by FEMA or the State of MN.

Getting back to the projected $5.2 million deficit...it is a bit ominous to look back at last November's projected deficit and what happened in the end. Britt Robson's February 2007 City Pages article "The Blue in the Red" reported a year-end budget deficit of nearly $7 million. The November 2006 deficit projection: $3.4 million.

Posted by Jeff Severns Guntzel at November 13, 2007 11:15 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/13

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW ON THE SITE

Culture to Go has been rolling lately, and that continues. Since yesterday morning we have a couple of interesting offerings: Jordan Selbo's review of the Hip Hop Live! show at First Avenue and a slideshow of the event with photos by Daniel Corrigan is one. Corrigan also supplies the photos for Rick Mason's review of the Neil Young show.

The audio slideshow from Sunday's "I Couldn't Live at Home" spoken word event didn't get up until late yesterday afternoon, so here's another chance to check it out.

In the first of a series of Hot Stove league baseball posts at Balls!, I explain why the Twins should go after Jose Lopez. It's a seemingly minor move, but it makes sense for both teams, and the Twins have to start their offseason somewhere.

BRAIN CANDY

Today is Brain Candy ... the Good Taste edition. The Bad Taste edition is coming tomorrow. And you think I'm kidding.

First, good taste in fashion. A musician friend of mine found this jacket on a music retailer website. This is Big Pimpin', Matthew Lesko style. Nothing says fashion forward like green velvet paisley.

Interior decor: if only the green shag cozy on that toilet matched the velvet jacket, I'd pull the trigger on both at once. With bonus fashion content!

Finally, home improvement. From the rural Pacific Northwest comes the tale of an intrepid man who had trouble removing a lugnut from a bolt. Deez Lugnutz, quoth he, I have just the tool for this job! A shotgun.

Yes, a shotgun. And yes, he got peppered like he was in Dick Cheney's hunting party. Moral of the story: buy the green velvet jacket instead. That nut will be so frightened, it will scamper away.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 13, 2007 8:13 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions: 11/12

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

Daily Dish: What's New On the Site

The power of the word and the web combine at Culture to Go to bring you coverage of "I Couldn't Live at Home," where spoken word artists, MCs and musicians brought lyrical light to the topic of homelessness. Besides my quick review of Sunday's event, we have a photo gallery and MP3s of eight different stirring performances. In a few hours, we'll also have an audio slideshow up that will be well worth your time. (Speaking of which, don't miss the audio slideshow from RetroRama last week, either.)

Update: the audio slideshow is up now.

We like to test our new sports bloggers, really putting them through their paces. Eric Refsland's debut in writing about the Vikings featured pretty much everything that makes fans miserable -- a ruthless ass-beating by a rival, the team's first regular-season shutout in 16 years, and an injury to the only Vikes player that's spectacular to watch -- so we figure if Eric can make it through this and deliver the goods, he's a keeper.

Also on Balls!, Paul Demko previewed That Guy Who Married Posh Spice's foray into local soccer. His post features photos from the Minnesota Thunder's practice last week.

A few updates coming later this afternoon, with more coverage of weekend events. Until then, I give you ...

Brain Candy

As part of my ceaseless, life-affirming mission to help you waste time on the Internet, I offer you a list -- in no particular order -- of 10 webcomics that I peruse on a regular basis.

1. Gotta start out reppin' for the locals. Paul Taylor's Wapsi Square is set in a fictional Minneapolis neighborhood that gives the strip its name. The main character is spunky, busty museum anthropologist who encounters an Aztec deity and otherworldly figures including, but not limited to, her Twin Cities circle of friends.

2. Tyler Page is also from the Twin Cities, and his Nothing Better is set at a fictional Lutheran College St. Olaf. The story follows a cast of students as they grapple with life's big questions, make youthful blunders and attempt to relate to another. This beautifully drawn, wide-eyed narrative is sadly only updating once a week these days, but there's plenty to check out (and love) in the back issues.

3.Girl Genius, a MWF strip with terrific art, follows Agatha Heterodyne, heir to a legacy of mad science. This steampunk tale features Victorian style costumes, wild inventions, adventure, romance and humor. Worth reading for the art alone; worth reading for the writing alone.

4. Up for fierce weirdness cut by sneakily laugh-out-loud funny lines? You've never seen anything like Jeffrey Rowland's Overcompensating, and that's -- like Martha Stewart would say -- a good thing. The artwork is full of pleasant surprises and subversive sight gags. The "story," such as it is, related 100 percent real events from the life of Mr. Rowland, a cowboy poet and raconteur.

5. Anyone who moves in music nerd circles will especially appreciate Questionable Content, a Monday-Friday comic about indie rock, the vicissitudes of love amidst urban hipsters, and the wacky habits of silicone-based life. Plus, it's fun to see how the art has progressed from day one to its current status.

6. Something Positive. Remember that kid in high school who hated just about everyone and everything, and couldn't care less what you thought of the inappropriate comments he made or the offensive doodles he was making in class? Well, that kid grew up and started a webcomic, a venerable one by genre standards. You might not want to hang around that guy at a party, but you do want to read his comic.

7. Shortpacked is a mostly MWF comic on the unlikely topic of action figure collecting. That this comic is at all funny, let alone a regular read for me, is testament to how someone's passion for a particular subject can make that topic interesting for people who don't know what Galvatron is, or how many variant Optimus Prime designs were made.

8. PVP and Penny Arcade are both ostensibly about video gaming, but that's really about all they have in common. One's a daily, one runs thrice a week; one has intricate art, one features clean-but-unspectacular line drawings; one is character-driven, the other gag driven. They both do like good ca-ca poo-poo humor, but who doesn't? Oh, and another commonality: they're both regularly enjoyable.

9. The Order of the Stick, by Rich Burlew, features a funky stick-figure art style that works for the characters and subject matter. There are roughly 11,983,630,364 comics on the Internet, and of those, approximately 10,539,078,128 are about role-playing games and/or sword and sorcery fantasy. Burlew's is one of the few that combines those topics in a consistently funny fashion.

10. Dominic Deegan, a daily fantasy strip that features a seer, his litany of allies and a host of bad puns, is a long-running affair that has managed to stay relatively fresh. It has its detractors, and the a