Nick Vlcek

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For those of you who may have missed it over the Thanksgiving Holiday, City Pages staff writer Matt Snyders appears on MSNBC to discuss his recent Michele Bachmann cover story.

After watching Snyders dissect the Bachmann political strategy, stay-tuned till the end when a national GOP operative says he only agreed to the interview on the condition that the City Pages cover story not be discussed.

Ed Schultz quickly shuts him down.

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Photo by fleur design

​Between November 2006 and May 2008, two dozen slaughterhouse workers in Minnesota and Indiana took ill with a variety of neurological and physical illnesses. Now, researchers think they know why.

The medical journal Lancet Neurology describes what happened this way: "An outbreak of neurological autoimmunity with polyradiculoneuropathy in workers exposed to aerosolised porcine neural tissue."

That's another way of saying the workers inhaled a mist of pig brain tissue and it made them very sick.

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​Jesse Ventura has been everywhere lately promoting his new TruTV show, "Conspiracy Theory." The weekly gig, which launches Dec. 2,  gives him a platform to delve into all manner of nefarious doings, not the least of which, he asserts, is the government's effort to hide the truth behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Now, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he suggests a conspiracy of another sort: An effort at the cable channel MSNBC to shut him up over his opposition to the war in Iraq.

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​Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been racking up a lot of frequent flyer miles in recent weeks, but not a whole lot of recognition among Republicans as a standard bearer for their party, according to a new Washington Post poll.

Subjects who self-identified as GOP leaners were asked, "Thinking about Republican leaders today -- which one person best reflects the core values of the Republican Party?"

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Today on Citypages.com's 'In The Stream' with T.D. Mischke:

• Puttin' more miles on the brain of 'ol Nylez
• Our very own film scholar turns his sights on "The Road"
• The weekend news hangover with Emily Kaiser
• And, I just feel I could go the rest of my life without visiting Texas: 

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Chase, the police dog. Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Police

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Early this morning, police answered a burglary call. They found the suspects, but they lost the police dog.

The 911 call came in at around 7 a.m. Chase, a Minneapolis canine, went to the third story of a former car dealership at 222 Hennepin Avenue South with his handler, Officer Eric Lukes. At around 8:15 a.m., Chase fell off the roof.

He was gravely injured, and taken to the University of Minnesota for treatment, but veterinarians couldn't save him. Officer Lukes was not injured, and three burglary suspects were arrested. Chief Tim Dolan took the time to pass on his condolences:

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Photo by ktylerconk

​Gareth Seehawer, of Oconto Falls, Wis., says his 2-year-old grandson is such a persuasive liar that he could dirty his diaper and make his mother believe someone else had done it. The Burlington, Wis., Liar's Club last year thought the story was such a crock, he was awarded the club's World's Greatest Liar title.

Got a story better than that one? Send it in by Dec. 15, along with $1.

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Photo by Clinton Steed

​A man uttering  "hammer, hammer, hammer," as he roamed through a Target store in Winona on Saturday, smashing flat-panel TV sets and "walking like Frankenstein" was eventually brought to heel by police using Tasers.

Now charged with two counts of assault for attacking officers, obstruction of justice with force, first-degree property damage and disorderly conduct, Chicagoan Jerome Charles Eberle, 39, tells police he barely remembers a thing about his rampage.

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​ If you plan to make your first appearance as a newborn baby in Minnesota while everyone is too busy preparing to stuff their faces with grub, you might as well come out giant. Wendi and Michael Dolton of Racine welcomed Axel LaVerne Dolton into the world last week at a whopping 15 lbs, 6 oz. He was three weeks early. A win for Axel, but now his family has nicknamed him "butterball turkey."

The average newborn baby in Minnesota is 7 lbs.

The family made national headlines this weekend. Check out a clip of the family on Weekend Today below. More >>