DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

I went to the Twin Cities Battle League intending to blog about it this morning, and I suppose that's just what I'm doing. But this post is going to be shorter than the in-depth review I had planned.

That's not because the event wasn't off the hook, because it was, or that there weren't compelling characters there, because there were.

Battling is a big part of hip-hop culture and history. Battles are also a way for truly underground freestylers to be heard and to gain a following. In two rounds -- one 45 second blast, one minute-long round -- two rappers go at each other with an array of impromptu boasts and disses. At the end of the night, one MC is crowned the winner. He or she qualifies for the final, which will be held this summer.

I did some fun interviews with competitors -- victorious and, um, otherwise -- judges, spectators and event organizers. I was going to write that up today. But this is just round two of five. I think it makes sense to follow this a while, get to know the people involved better, and do something bigger, later. So I think some brief notes now and a longer post after the dust clears is in order.

Start with the slideshow, which gives you the Cliff's Notes on the evening. Then, check out some MP3s from the rhymes of Illab, the evening's champion. Here's a short clip of one of the night's best disses, and this longer rhyme where Illab takes on Mike Starks' skinny frame and Lake Street roots. You can also see videos at the Twin Cities Battle League MySpace page.

So, what else is fresh from the weekend? A ton.

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U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar endorsed Barack Obama for president today, making her the 64th superdelegate to throw support his way since Super Tuesday.

"My endorsement reflects both Barack's strong support in my state and my own independent judgment about his abilities," Klobuchar said in a statement.

As of recently, soldiers killing themselves upon their return from combat has become all too familiar to Cheryl Softich, of Eveleth, Minn. Her son, Army Specialist Noah Pierce, 23, killed himself in July after deployment in Iraq.

He came home and was felt like he was a murderer. He said he killed a doctor while he was there; he mistook the doctor for a suicide bomber, his mother says.

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Will Governor Tim Pawlenty become our nation's next vice president? It's hard to keep track of all the many factors at play. Each week, the VP Pawlenty Meter (TM) provides an odds sheet to ensure you make your best bet.

When last we left T-Paw, he had suffered a series of setbacks: He'd been dissed in the Wall Street Journal as "too liberal," his transportation commissioner had become a very husky albatross around his neck, and conservative columnist Bob Novak had stuck a fork in him.

Well, what a difference several weeks make (sorry about that)! According to the Washington Post, T-Paw weathered to storm and is still clinging to frontrunner status:

Pawlenty still remains the most likely choice for McCain. The two have known each other since the 1980s, Pawlenty is significantly younger than McCain (he's 47), and he makes Minnesota instantly competitive. Pawlenty is also playing the politics of the veepstakes perfectly -- denying any interest in the job while not making any Sherman-esque pronouncements.

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It's possible (even probable) that this post will get bigger later in the morning, but as it stands, it's 2:45 a.m., I just got back from the hospital, it's dark and I'm not even setting up a Blues Brothers joke.

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Today's Wall Street Journal has a fascinating deconstruction of how the farm lobby beat back attempts to curtail agriculture subsidies. Farmers will collect some $13 billion in federal subsidies this year. This despite the fact that farms, buoyed by the ethanol boom and soaring commodity prices, are projected to reap record income of $92.3 billion in 2008. Average farm household income is expected be about $90,000 this year. Currently farms with incomes of up to $2.5 million are elligible for federal funds. More >>

Dozens of protesters descended on the IDS Center at noon today. "What do we want? Healthcare," the group chanted as they emerged from the skyway system. "When do we want it? Now." The protesters also carried signs that read "Stand up for Health Care" and "Protect Working Families." They handed out flyers to the bewildered lunch crowd headlined, "Do you want strong, healthy, well-trained security officers to protect you downtown?"

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I discovered a fine specimen this morning while driving down SE 4th Street in Minneapolis. But by the time I'd parked my car and doubled back on foot, some intrepid city employees had already filled the damn hole. They were just taking off down the road as I arrived. Here's their handiwork:

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About 20 Macalester College students are taking part in a demonstration outside neighboring Army and Navy recruiting offices on the U of M's East Bank, a move that has effectively shut down the businesses for the day.

Pictures after the jump.

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In a disturbingly dishonest op-ed entitled "Minnesota's tribes have it both ways," Republican state senator Dick Day repeats old anti-Indian canards in a callow, self-serving way.

This piece is irresponsibly simpleminded and should not go unchallenged. It is ignorant of history, of the U.S. Constitution, of modern law, and of ethics.

It is also sadly representative of most politicos' understanding of Indian tribes and their relationship with other American governments. Let's talk about Indian law for a second.

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