March 23, 2008 - March 29, 2008

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Reporter's Notebook: Soldier Suicides: veterans are killing themselves in record numbers

Filed under: City Pages

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.

Back home he couldn’t sleep at night. He was drinking all the time and the spark had drained from his eyes, Softich remembers.

“There were very few smiles that were genuine,” she says.

At the time of his death, Pierce, a member of the Army's Third Infantry Division, had plans for a third tour.

Unlike most parents and family members who are stonewalled by their sons and daughters in uniform who don’t want to speak about the trauma they experienced at war, Pierce journaled his experience in war, leaving behind a book of poetry.

"His writing just brings you to Iraq with him," says Softich, who published her son’s work in the California publication Rogue Voice.

In the poem “WTF” Pierce reflects on the accidental killing of the Iraqi doctor. "The investigation said it was done by the books / I ask myself, 'What the fuck kind of war is this?'"

In “Friends” Pierce writes about Iraqi kids who would give him food in exchange for water. "No english / No arabic / Yet we still understand each other."

He wrote about desert sandstorms in “Dust” and called Iraq a “godforgotten country,” where smoking is an imperative and the “girlfriends, the parties, the training /GONE” in a piece titled "2nd time."

Softich is on a one-woman mission to change the military's current mental health screening system for returning veterans.

Pierce, like the others in our feature on soldier suicides, passed post deployment medical and psychological tests which allowed him to come home sooner, his mother says.

“They know what to say to go home and it’s not, I need help,” Softich says forcefully. “Noah should have never have been sent back to combat for a second time without counseling. Nobody in the military should should."

Many times a soldier thinks they’re fine upon return from cobat, because they feel so good about being home, says Major Cindy Rasmussen, a combat stress officer for the 80th Regional Readiness Command.

This sort of euphoric state can last for months, and sometimes it isn’t until that excitement starts to taper and the reality of life after war sets in, that PTSD symptoms start to show.

Softich is trying to enact a Noah’s clause, legislation that would require all troops to receive mandatory counseling, at least once every two weeks for a year, upon their return from active duty. Since coming forward, Representatives Jim Oberstar, D-Minnesota and Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii along with Senators Norm Coleman, R-Minnesota, and Amy Klobuchar D-Minnesota, have taken interest her idea, she says.

Anyone who has just returned from combat doesn’t have the capacity to determine his or her wellbeing, says Softich. “They shouldn’t be given the opportunity to say, ‘No, I’m fine, when in reality the solder is scared, but can’t admit it because that’s is a sign of weakness and weakness is not allowed,” she continued.

Around the clock access to trained professional is available for anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. If you are a veteran and would like to speak with someone trained in working with military members, press “1” to reach the VA Hotline.

Posted by Beth Walton at March 28, 2008 5:35 PM | Comments (3)

 

VP Pawlenty Meter: Is Charles in Charge?

Filed under: VP Pawlenty Watch

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.

But T-Paw shouldn't get too comfortable, because there's a gay Republican governor creeping up on his rear. According to the Post:

Charlie Crist: The Florida governor has a strong case to make that his endorsement of McCain in the waning days of the Sunshine State primary cinched the nomination for the Arizona Senator. Crist's popularity among Florida voters could well strengthen McCain's hand in a swing state in the fall. (It also doesn't hurt that McCain praised Crist as a "great governor" during a campaign swing through the state earlier this month.) The biggest problem for Crist? He's not beloved among conservatives many of whom feel McCain has to pick one of them to get their votes.

There's even been rumors that McCain promised Crist the VP slot in exchange for his endorsement. Via our old friend Robert Novak:

"Close supporters of Mitt Romney have been injecting into the political rumor stream an unsubstantiated report that Sen. John McCain obtained the vital endorsement of Florida Gov. Charlie Crist by promising him the vice presidential nomination," Robert Novak reports. "Spreading that rumor reflects the anger in the Romney camp over the late endorsements of McCain by Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida. Until then, the Romney insiders claim, their private polls showed a lead in the Jan. 29 Florida primary that in fact delivered a crushing victory for McCain."

Personally, I don't think T-Paw is enough to help McCain swing Minnesota, but Florida is very much in play and Crist could make the difference there.

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at March 28, 2008 11:36 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions 3/28: Jeff's appendix says peace

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

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.

Nope, just tired. Jeff Severns Guntzel is several ounces lighter following a trip to the ER and the removal of one surly appendix. He's fine, Guntzel fans, and even funnier on morphine than normal.

I took the late shift of Guntzel Watch. He's now sleeping comfortably, like Ronald Reagan during most of the 1980s, or me during a staff meeting. And sleep is sounding good. So where normally I would extensively run down each new item on the site, here's a casual Friday 3 a.m. take.

There were six new posts on the Blotter yesterday, most of them substantive takes on labor, economics, treaty rights, etc. A pretty good day for fresh news and photos. Check 'em out.

Also scope Beth Walton's new Culture to Go post about a peculiar State of the City address in Hopkins.

Finally tonight, Severns Guntzel can't really listen to the Boredoms due to a long, involved story that includes a yellow Cadillac. But he'd still want you to look at this slideshow of Yamantaka Eye and company.

I'm going to bed, and if I don't get an appendix-in-a-jar out of this, somebody's getting a nasty letter.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 28, 2008 2:50 AM | Comments (2)

 

Leading the fight for farm welfare

Filed under: Congress

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.

Reform advocates, including President Bush, had hoped to strip out as much as $10 billion in subsidies over the next five years. But the most substantive changes were scuttled due to the persuasive powers of the farm lobby. The WSJ story notes that the agribusiness industry pumped $80 million into federal lobbying efforts last year alone.

"We got rolled," says Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican. ... "The agriculture community circled the wagons."

Leading the fight for the status quo? Rep. Colin Peterson, of Minnesota's 7th Congressional District, who also happens to be chairman of the House Agriculture Committee:

As the measure headed to the House floor in July, advocates of reform made a last-ditch bid for support, appealing to Speaker Pelosi. But the California Democrat sided with Mr. Peterson of the House Agriculture Committee. The year before, he'd ushered Mrs. Pelosi around a popular farm festival in Minnesota, where she mingled with farmers and ate pork chops on a stick.

Posted by Paul Demko at March 27, 2008 4:48 PM | Comments (0)

 

Security guards arrested at IDS Center

Filed under: Business

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?"

The rally was held to garner support for security officers who are locked in a contract fight with five companies that provide security at Twin Cities office buildings. The chief dispute is over health care costs. According to Service Employees International Union Local 26, the union that represents the workers, the current contract proposal would increase insurance premiums by as much as 50 percent during the proposed five-year contract.

"We're out here today because we need health insurance," said Tom Convington, who's worked as a security guard at the US Bancorp building in downtown Minneapolis for two years. "People are leaving their jobs because they can't afford the health insurance."

The group then proceeded to the lobby of Minnesota's tallest building. About a dozen protesters bound themselves together with duct tape around an informational kiosk.

Eventually they were arrested by Minneapolis police officers. All together 17 people were cited for trespassing, including nine security officers. Strangely they were hauled away on a Metro Transit bus. It was the second time in a week that arrests were made at protests stemming from the labor dispute.

Posted by Paul Demko at March 27, 2008 3:32 PM | Comments (2)

 

Pothole of the day

Filed under: potholes

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:

Luckily I discovered another redoubtable pothole not far away. This crater on Central Avenue was apparently missed by the three-person pothole crew:

Posted by Paul Demko at March 27, 2008 2:28 PM | Comments (0)

 

Protesters Shut Down Army, Navy Recruiting Offices

Filed under: Protest News

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.

Since around 10 this morning, eight of the protesters--most of whom are members of Macalester's Students for a Democratic Society--have linked arms through PBC pipes reinforced with chicken-wire and duct tape, thereby blocking the entrances. Two members of the crew have fashioned horseshoe bicycle locks around their necks connected to each door handle.

"We think [the Army and Navy recruiters] might have heard about the plan," said one of the non-linked protesters at the site near the corner of Washington Ave. and Oak St. "We know they had recruiting appointments scheduled for today, but they haven't shown up."

Demonstrators say they plan to continue the act of civil disobedience all day or until law enforcement breaks it up. The group has taped two signs to the office windows: "Mission Accomplished: Closed for the Day" and "Five Years is Five Too Many."

Posted by Matt Snyders at March 27, 2008 11:25 AM | Comments (13)

 

Why Can't Dick Read?: Dick Day's ignorance of treaties and the constitution

Filed under: Indian tribes

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.

The larger point of Day's argument -- he wants to build a racino for gaming revenue -- is fine for what it is. If Minnesota's legislature wants to approve Day's plan, fair enough. But when he gets into the "tribes have it so easy" nonsense, he's clearly out of his depth.

Case in point: Day mutters -- unsupported and devoid of context -- standard anti-Indian talking points like these:

"Domestic dependent nations" is the label that the U.S. Supreme Court has assigned to the relationship of Native American tribes with the U.S. government and the state of Minnesota. "Dependent" is the word that catches my attention. The tribes are dependent on a lot of state services that we all benefit from, but they alone are exempt from paying for those services.

Of course, it's not at all the way Day paints it. In exchange for all the land that now makes up the state of Minnesota, tribes bargained for certain guaranteed rights. The right to fish, the right to maintain a land base -- rights they'd had since time immemorial anyway.

This is one of those "even if it were true, so what?" sort of arguments -- tribes gave up all of the land that is now Minnesota, land of immeasurable value. Even supposing it were so simple as Day indicates, this is a sweetheart deal for non-Indians anyway.

Then there's the sovereignty issue. If we had taken the law seriously since the treaties were signed, tribes would be considered fully sovereign nations, not "domestic dependent nations." The constitution itself prohibits treaties between any two parties with less than full sovereignty -- states can't make treaties, for example. Which means the tribes have to be fully sovereign, or else the treaties are void, and the U.S. has no title to the land Indian people gave up.

(By the way, Article 6, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution declares treaties to be the "supreme law of the land," on a par with the constitution itself. Inviolable.)

Some Indian scholars have noted -- correctly -- that tribes should be under no legal obligation to enter into these state-tribal gaming compacts at all. They're sovereign nations; France doesn't have to ask Minnesota for permission to build a casino, and neither should the Mille Lacs band.

Day blames Democrats' desire to preserve an Indian gaming monopoly for his bill's repeated failure. He should look in the mirror rather than resort to the race-baiting red herring of Indian gaming. Day's proposed racino has little or nothing to do with tribal business, despite him using this opportunity to push a wedge issue.

So how did tribes get to be declared "domestic, dependent nations"? Political expedience. In Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, John Marshall used the phrase, declaring that tribes were "in a state of pupilage" and that "their relations to the US resemble that of a ward to his guardian."

This was then, and remains, nonsense of the highest order. The U.S. had yet to encounter a single tribe west of the Mississippi, and yet all Indian nations were suddenly wards of a state they'd never encountered. Stunningly, Marshall's ruling was actually liberal for the times -- it was designed to undermine Andrew Jackson's murderous Cherokee removal policy. Still, it created unjustifiable law.

You'll note, despite that last reference to the Cherokee Trail of Tears, that none of what I've just written depends on what Day calls "wrongs we committed in the past."

These wrongs -- land theft, denial of treaty rights, suppression of religion and culture, and yes, genocide -- should absolutely not be minimized. They should also not be characterized as "past," given that the wounds inflicted continue to affect Indian people today, and that the federal government continues to mismanage funds rightly owed to native people, costing them billions.

But if you don't want to consider that history, fine. Consider it a strict legal relationship rooted in that most American of documents, the constitution itself. Both sides signed treaties. Minnesotans got land on which to settle; tribes got a trust relationship to preserve their sovereign rights in perpetuity. If you're happy with one half of the exchange, you have to accept the other half.

Treaties are a solemn oath sworn between two fully sovereign nations. When a politician like Day seeks to undermine them, it is a sign that the politician either gravely misunderstands the law -- or cares nothing for honor and decency. Which is it, Dick?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 27, 2008 9:52 AM | Comments (7)

 

We're Number 11!

Filed under: Economy

Rest easy, fellow Minnesotans: We are among the top 22 percent of states in per capita income. Which is, like, totally in the top quarter and easily in the top third. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports the Commerce Department puts our average annual income for 2007 at $41,034. Edging us out for the top ten was Colorado. Damn you, Boulder!

The per capita income statistic, it ought be noted, doesn't take into account income disparity. This explains how Connecticut, with its wealthy suburbs and broken inner cities, placed first.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at March 27, 2008 9:25 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions 3/27: License to Ill

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

The Minnesota license plate generator from ImageChef offers hours of fun for the whole family. Potentially profane and lascivious fun, as you generate uncensored image files with custom messages.

After a day's entertainment swapping in-joke-laden plates with friends, we thought it meet to summarize today's new blog posts using the plates. Also, a preview of posts to come in the next few hours. Try it! Your productivity will soon drop to City Pages levels of lassitude.

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

For the Pothole of the Day post, which features a Demko story about a boil on his neck and Ben Palosaari's automotive disaster, we were actually able to catch precisely what Ben said post-incident:

Amazingly, a man with an avid fantasy life was able to convince a crack team of top journalists that Sean "Puffy" Combs was involved in the murder of Tupac Shakur. Tupac? Killed by Diddy? All I have to say is:

In response to Matt Snyders' 70s cop car post, which reminds me of 70s cop shows, we considered who might drive said automobiles here in the land of ice and snow. Hence, we have localized thusly:

James Norton got his blood (sausage) up in response to East Coast Doug's comment, and wrote a stirring response of Midwest pride. When you combine this with Rachel Hutton's awards post, you get my summary:

(Passed without comment: a New Yorker friend of mine once admitted to me that what is called a "New York attitude" in NYC is, in the rest of the country, known as "being an asshole." Just sayin'.)

Sunnis? Shiites? Whichever, sayeth John McCain, reminiscent of Werner Von Braun's imagined dictum: "Once the rockets go up, who cares where they come down?" What say you, license plate? Who runs al-Qaeda?

"Shkurds" doesn't have the same ring.

When even Chris Wallace notices you're wrenching quotations out of context for attack purposes, you know Faux News has crossed a propaganda Rubicon. Like a Magic 8 Ball, the license plate generator always knows just what to utter:

Finally this morning, a couple of posts are in the pipeline that should appear within the next few hours. They carry divergent themes. But if there is one matter linking them -- and if I might foreshadow -- it is this:

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 27, 2008 7:26 AM | Comments (0)

 

Pothole of the day

Filed under: potholes

Many years ago when I was a college student studying in Lagos, Nigeria, I attempted to take a cab back to the residence where I was staying. It was a miserable, stinking, brutally hot day--as are pretty much all days in Lagos. To make matters worse, I was sick with malaria and had a boil roughly the size of a golf ball protruding from my neck.

Weaving through the city's notorious go-slow traffic, the cabbie came upon an opening in the road. Calling this lack of pavement a pothole would be highly inadequate. It was more like a small mine shaft. The intrepid cab driver, rather than be dissuaded by this lack of navigable surface, plunged straight into the ravine. Unfortunately we did not emerge on the other side. The cab became hopelessly lodged in the abyss.

After roughly ten minutes of futilely gunning the engine, it became apparent that we weren't going anywhere. At this point the cab driver implored me to get out of the vehicle and push. For some reason I heeded his instructions. Luckily I was soon joined by several other men--no doubt amused by the sight of some little, sweaty white dude with a giant, grotesque boil on his neck attempting to push a vehicle out of a giant pothole. Eventually we were able to free the cab and I arrived safely back at my homestay family's compound. Unfortunately the boil stuck around for another month.

The Twin Cities, as far as I know, does not posses potholes of quite this awe-inspiring magnitude. But as anyone who's driven the streets in recent weeks knows, the roads are quite treacherous. Months of dumping corrosive materials on the roads, in order to keep them free of ice and snow, has left some huge holes in Twin Cities roads.

The street in front of the CP offices, N. 5th Ave., is a notoriously dodgy surface. In fact it was utilized in the 2005 film Factotum to display the bone rattling shocks on Lili Taylor's vehicle. Associate A List editor Ben Palosaari recently did nearly $900 of damage to the underside of his car while attempting to navigate the "road." Here's a photograph:

But we're looking for other marvels of inadequate roadway in the Twin Cities. Have you noticed a particularly large pothole in your neighborhood? A street conspicuously lacking in navigable paved surface? Post the locale in the comments section (or shoot me an email) and we'll consider it for the honor of pothole of the day.

Posted by Paul Demko at March 26, 2008 1:26 PM | Comments (2)

 

Reporter's Notebook: Artist takes on destructive plant

Filed under: Environment

You don’t have to be an artist to make a statement. And, you most certainly do not have to spend your time like Jim Proctor, creating giant faux dandelions to fix a problem.

Pulling buckthorn can be fun, says St. Olaf sophomore John van der Linden, who helped Proctor with the newest installations of the Buckthorn Menace. He laughs remembering the time that even a downpour of rain didn’t stop him and his friends from pulling the root.

“Everything was all muddy, yet we still stood there in the rain pulling out buckthorn. It looked like we came out of a swamp or something, but it was just so much fun to get down and dirty and really work on this major problem.”

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has some tips for recognizing buckthorn and aiding in its removal.

To control buckthorn, a plant that is slowing destroying Minnesota's forests, people need to kill it by pulling it out at its roots and cutting down seed producing trees, says Ann Pierce, a terrestrial invasive species coordinator for the Department.

Many people with one or two buckthorn hedges in their lots might not understand it’s an invasive species, says Pierce. But, buckthorn can easily be identified in the fall because it holds its leaves and stays green longer than most native species.

"If you wait until October, you’ll know if it’s buckthorn," she says.

Posted by Beth Walton at March 26, 2008 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

 

Retro Craze Sweeps Minnesota State Patrol

Filed under: Police

This morning, the Minnesota State Po-Po unveiled a totally bitchin' new look for their squad cars. The State Patrol opted for a vintage maroon-body/white-door design to "reflect the Patrol squad cars used during 1960-1991," according to a radical press release disseminated earlier today.

The throwback look will be phased in as new cars join the fleet in order to "help motorists better recognize troopers, understand their duties, and how the agency supports safe travel on Minnesota roads." None of the tragically square current cars--which feature lame-o gold strips across maroon bodies--will be outfitted with the new design. Consequently, there will be no extra costs to the changes.

State troopers themselves are expected to participate in the retro trend by growing out their cop-mustaches, drinking Beam-and-Cokes during lunch breaks, and terrorizing long-hairs.

Posted by Matt Snyders at March 26, 2008 12:35 PM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions 3/26: The War Comes Home

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Beth Walton's two stories about Iraq war veterans are timely this week, as news broke that the five-year conflict has cost at least 4,000 American lives.

The risk doesn't stop once they've returned home, Walton writes. Soldiers are committing suicide in ever-increasing numbers, and there are serious questions about V.A. policy in the face of this burgeoning threat. Then there are veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the horrors they've experienced. Sometimes, these PTSD victims become victimizers themselves, perpetrating crimes. But experts say they need psychological help, not jail time.

Elsewhere around the site, the Beth Walton Issue continues with her story about Jim Proctor, a sculptor whose medium is largely invasive plants. Aesthetically interesting and environmentally friendly, you can see his work with buckthorn in this photo slideshow.

Musically, content abounds:

* Matt Snyders has news about the Current's playlist, which -- given the station's slogan -- you might expect to be expanding. Think again.

* Some great photos of Black Mountain by Emily Utne, from the band's Monday night show. Another slideshow of Jayhawks/Golden Smog singer Gary Louris at Pantages last night is also up now.

* The struggle over copyright law and music comes to karaoke, as ASCAP targets a local karaoke bar. You'll have my "Dancing Queen" when you pry the microphone from my cold, dead hands.

Opening Day happened abroad again, but Judd Spicer's focused on the home team. He has your Minnesota Twins preview, along with his take on the recent extension granted to closer Joe Nathan.

How are state Republican parties doing as the march to the September convention continues? Not well, writes Jeff Severns Guntzel. The Hillary Clinton campaign is similarly battered, and she appears to be grasping at the straws of irony by launching an attack in the Richard Mellon Scaife-owned Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

John McCain: oh la la! The French love him!

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 25, 2008 2:11 PM | Comments (0)

 

mnSpin: Music + Beer + Workshop = epic good times

Filed under: Local Music

You might have heard of mnSpin, the quarterly contest for local musicians. It's an exciting initiative that promises to increase exposure for budding Minnesota musicians. This weekend, they launch their first in a series of workshops.

Plus, there's beer.

Their first workshop is called "Don’t Hang the DJ: Breaking into Radio for Minnesota Musicians." A panel of local radio programmers, DJs, promoters, and other luminaries will be on hand Saturday, March 29, 4–6 pm, at the Summit Brewery.

A party sponsored by Summit follows the workshop. Come for the music, stay for the suds.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 25, 2008 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions 3/25: Play Ball

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

The first baseball game of the season has just hit the seventh inning stretch. Although there's still snow on the ground here, that's a sure sign of spring.

In most of Japan the cherry blossoms are peaking. This year, that's where the first game of the season is underway between Daisuke Matsuzaka's Boston Red Sox and Billy Beane's Oakland A's. Judd Spicer will be along tomorrow with another blog entry on the Twins, but until then, hold out in the knowledge that winter is almost (finally) over.

Oh, and check the game out. It's a good one thus far.

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

Wilt Chamberlain astutely observed that no one roots for Goliath. That's one reason I never root for Tiger Woods in anything, despite this incredibly awesome Dan Bern song about him:

He's the world's greatest rapper-blogger, which is, as he admits, "kind of a depressing claim to fame." But Jordan Selbo's review of El Guante tells you why it might not be his only claim to fame soon.

Driving toward Madison reveals all manner of culinary options. James Norton has one for you to consider.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 25, 2008 7:04 AM | Comments (0)

 

Breakfast of Champions 3/24: Happy Birthday, Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Filed under: Breakfast of Champions

One of the country's most accomplished artists turns 89 today. Join me in celebrating his work, right after we catalog what's popped up on the site over the weekend:

DAILY DISH: WHAT'S NEW AROUND THE SITE

A new slideshow documents Muja Messiah's MPLS Massacre show, featuring Dody Phi, I Self Divine, M.anifest, Maria Isa and more.

Remember the halcyon days of Block E? Jeff Severns Guntzel does, and so do numerous commenters. MNSpeak joins the discussion.

Guntzel also speaks on John McCain's backtracking on Jerry Falwell. I've been thinking a lot lately about the double standard in the media about associations like this, and might post on it later.

Incidentally, three posts by Severns Guntzel on the main page. Three headlines ending in ellipses. Clearly, there's a stylistic trend in evidence ...

Paul Demko has the latest in the security guards' labor struggle for health care.

BRAIN CANDY

Born in 1919, Lawrence Ferlinghetti was a firsthand participant in watershed events of the 20th century, artistic and otherwise. He's a writer and publisher, of course, but has meant so much more to the artistic community, the country and the world.

A free speech pioneer, Ferlinghetti and his City Lights Press famously faced legal sanction for publishing Allen Ginsberg's "Howl." A Navy veteran of World War II, he saw the devastation wrought on Nagasaki mere weeks after the atomic bombing -- an event that cemented his status as a lifelong pacifist.

Ferlinghetti is deservedly most famous for poetry, but he's also an accomplished painter and experimental playwright. A man older than Jack Kerouac, but a man who well outlived his friend the college athlete by going to the gym every day while Kerouac was drinking. (A fictionalized version of Ferlinghetti also appears in Kerouac's novel Big Sur.) Also, you have love a nearly-90 man who coined the phrase (and still sports a button proclaiming) "Fuck art, let's dance."

At the end of the day, though, Ferlinghetti is a poet, and a damn fine one. Works like "Junkman's Obbligato" are at once bohemian products of their era and keen expressions of timeless ideas:

Let’s go
Come on
Let’s go
Empty our pockets
And disappear.
Missing all our appointments
And turning up unshaven
Years later
Old cigarette papers
stuck to our pants
leaves in our hair.
Let us not
worry about the payments
anymore.
Let them come
and take it away
whatever it was
we were paying for.
And us with it.

A healthy chunk of Ferlinghetti's work is meant to be read accompanied by jazz, as a sort of oral message punctuated with music. This is true of his most famous work, "I am Waiting", from the classic A Coney Island of the Mind. Celebrating the natural world -- and the magical, surreal everyday experience of the common individual -- the poems lead us through screen doors, into candy stores and past pastoral landscapes of unreality.

Writers often say that they write to explain the world to themselves, to make sense of their own lives. Ferlinghetti is way ahead of most of us, and has been for years. This passage from his poem "Autobiography" is one of my favorites:

and I have read somewhere
the Meaning of Existence
yet have forgotten
just exactly where.
But I am the man
And I’ll be there.

Published in 1958, that poem turns 50 this year. Part manifesto and part mantra, it sets up a fair blueprint for the artistic life: fumbling for the lost meaning of existence, the artist finds meaning in the practice -- and comfort in knowing that the journey itself is worth it.

Fuck art, let's dance. Happy birthday, Ferlinghetti.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at March 24, 2008 7:04 AM | Comments (1)

 

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