Who Didn't Kill The Electric Car?

Tuesday, as the Edina theater marquee asked Who Killed The Electric Car? and gas station marquees hailed the highest gas prices in the history of the Twin Cities ($3.105 for unleaded), I turned the ignition key on one of the few known electric cars in the state, clicked the switch on the control panel to "reverse" and put my foot on the accelerator as the vehicle's owner, Pete Bonahoom, nervously cautioned, "Just remember, this is a $25,000 car."

Not to mention the future of everything, chick magnet, tonic for the troops, dude magnet, the answer to all our problems, kid magnet, hope for the planet, motorcyclist magnet, the only way to go, skateboarder magnet, big fun, and, as one slack-jawed Earth-loving cat with an Amoeba Records Hollywood T-shirt on Lake Street put it, "a very sweet ride."

Continue reading "Who Didn't Kill The Electric Car?"

Posted by Jim Walsh at August 09, 2006 05:36 PM | Comments (0)

 

8/9 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Steve Monaco has a few words for Democrats following Joe Lieberman's loss in the Democratic primary last night at Couch Pundit.

THESE DAYS

Army officials say they are considering allowing a private developer to build a 125-acre military theme park, hotel and conference center complex next to a national Army museum at Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Retreating glaciers and thawing permafrost, the frozen soil that can glue mountains together, are causing cliff faces in the Swiss Alps to collapse into the canyons below. [via Undernews]

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

David W. Downing discusses national politics, the minimum wage, stem cell research, and letters to the Pioneer Press at Downing World.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Bea Arthur and Rock Hudson perform a variety show number about everybody doing drugs

Bloom County and Outland cartoonist Berkeley Breathed discusses neuroses, anxieties and his in-laws with Psychology Today's William Whitney.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"You know, I hear people say, well, civil war this, civil war that. The Iraqi people decided against civil war when they went to the ballot box."

-- President Bush, sharing his perception of the situation in Iraq

"The old politics of partisan polarization won today. For the sake of our state, our country and my party, I cannot, I will not let this result stand."

-- Sore loser-man Joe Lieberman, who lost the Democratic primary for his Connecticut senate seat last night, and has chosen to run as an "independent Democrat"

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 09, 2006 06:33 AM | Comments (1)

 

Johnny Earl Edwards: the archive

This week's City Pages contains a news story about the recent criminal exploits of Johnny Earl Edwards, the most infamous snitch in Minneapolis history. Loyal CP readers will be extremely familiar with Edwards. He first made the paper in a January 1997 cover story ("Get Out of Jail Free") detailing Edwards dubious role as a paid informant helping to prosecute six members of the Rolling 30s Bloods. In the ensuing months CP staff writer Beth Hawkins (who penned pretty much all of the coverage over the years) detailed how Edwards's unreliable testimony led to the acquittal of Obuatawan Holt on attempted murder charges ("Bad Company") and was used to garner a questionable plea deal from Milton Lewis for second degree unintentional murder ("State's Evidence").

The one-legged snitch (Edwards had his leg shot off in 1993) was back on the CP cover in February 1998, this time for his suspect role in the prosecution of Dameion Robinson for the murder of Derangle Riley ("Stool Pigeon"). Ultimately Hennepin County prosecutors didn't call the infamous informant to testify and Robinson was convicted of first-degree murder ("Stool Pigeon Redux"). Later that year Edwards again made headlines when he was charged with possessing and selling crack cocaine ("Snitch Glitch"). The irony? The case was built on cooperation from anonymous informants.

Continue reading "Johnny Earl Edwards: the archive"

Posted by Paul Demko at August 08, 2006 07:37 PM | Comments (0)

 

Reichgott Junge's clumsy dance away from Lieberman

Too little, too late. That's the only way to describe congressional aspirant Ember Reichgott Junge's press conference in opposition to the war in Iraq held earlier this afternoon. If Reichgott Junge had held the same event a week or two ago, or had come out with something stronger than calling for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld to resign, it might have been different, or at least spun plausibly. But for a candidate who has run a pretty shrewd and skillful race thus far to serve up such weak sauce on Iraq, on a day when the top political story is the endangered fate of her ally, incumbent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, certainly does her no favors.

Continue reading "Reichgott Junge's clumsy dance away from Lieberman"

Posted by Britt Robson at August 08, 2006 04:17 PM | Comments (0)

 

Zimmerman trial will wrap tomorrow

The defense just rested in the corruption trial of former Minneapolis city council member Dean Zimmerman. Closing arguments are slated for tomorrow morning and then the case will be turned over to the jury. The crux of the case hinges on whether the Green Party member illegally took $7,200 in cash from developer Gary Carlson in return for assistance on zoning issues.

The final day of testimony featured Zimmerman on the stand for the second consecutive day, often contentiously sparring with U.S. Attorney John Docherty. During the morning session, the prosecutor attempted to browbeat Zimmerman into admitting that he had repeatedly lied to FBI investigators when they initially interviewed him. The pair repeatedly jostled over exactly what constitutes a lie. "A lie," Zimmeraman stated at one point, "would be something like your opening statement to the jury."

U.S. District Court Judge Ann Montgomery was not amused. She instructed the jury to ignore the statement and warned Zimmerman to limit his testimony to answering questions posed by the prosecutor.

Posted by Paul Demko at August 08, 2006 03:46 PM | Comments (0)

 

8/8 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

A Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll of Americans age 18 to 24 found Bush's approval rating was 20 percent, with 53 percent disapproving and 28 percent with no opinion.

The family of Malcolm S. Forbes sold a significant minority stake in a newly formed company, Forbes Media (which includes Forbes magazine), to Elevation Partners, of which U2 singer Bono is a partner.

The demand for electricity to operate its expanding intelligence systems has left the National Security Agency on the verge of exceeding its power supply, the lifeblood of its sprawling 350-acre Fort Meade headquarters.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Ken Avidor follows the trial of former Minneapolis city council member Dean Zimmermann at Minneapolis Confidential.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

How popular is your last name?

The very first Star Wars trailer.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"It's about too many dumb drivers causing too many dumb things. Distracted driving is a HUGE problem in Minnesota that remains unaddressed."

-- Gubernatorial candidate Peter Hutchinson (I), in a KARE 11 report, calling for stiff fines for those involved in accidents while distracted by cell phones

"When you are a pit bull, and you love what you do and you are going to continue to grow, that talent will find its way out. Talent deserves to be honored. Hands deserve to be slapped if you do something stupid as well, but don't take it too far."

-- Roadhouse actor Patrick Swayze, seeing a future in Hollywood for his friend Mel Gibson, who unleashed an anti-Semitic screed following a recent drunk-driving arrest

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 08, 2006 06:19 AM | Comments (0)

 

A mud-free campaign in House District 38B?

It's not often that we bite on a press release, but the one sent out today by Mike Obermueller is worth a mention. Obermueller, who has been endorsed by the DFL to run against two-term Republican incumbent Lynn Wardlow in House District 38B in Eagan, wants the statewide parties to stay out of the race. Furthermore, he says he'll disavow any DFL-backed effort to distort Wardlow's record.

 

Continue reading "A mud-free campaign in House District 38B?"

Posted by Britt Robson at August 07, 2006 04:21 PM | Comments (1)

 

Convention Wisdom

Party People in the Xcel Center?

If you think a magestic backdrop and a thriving bar scene will factor into the selection of the site for the '08 Democratic and Republican national conventions, the Center for Responsive Politics has some numbers for you. The D.C.-based money-in-politics watchdog group has just released a comparison of the five metro areas vying to host the confabs--to be clear, Minneapolis/St. Paul being one of the areas, not two. Cheeky watchdogs, they titled the report "'08 Presidential Conventions are Big Bid-Ness."

Continue reading "Convention Wisdom"

Posted by Beth Hawkins at August 07, 2006 02:34 PM | Comments (0)

 

Overheard: "They were size double-F and full of varicose veins."

Sunday evening around dusk at Lake Hiawatha, a young woman on a bike stops and asks a late-thirty-ish woman a question about the lake. "People swim in it, but it's contaminated," the woman tells the girl on the bike. "I was here with a friend not long ago, and we saw these giant, transparent pod things that had washed up on shore. They were this big around," she says, leaning forward and drawing imaginary circles on the bike path. Her heavily tanned arms make spheres the size of sledding saucers. "There were five of them," the woman says. "I've never seen anything like it. They looked like silicone implants. They were size double-F and full of varicose veins."

The woman on the bike nods, and then asks the woman what she thought she witnessed that day. "It was something crazy, that's for sure," the woman tells her. "The guy I was with, he just smiled like he knew." Like he knew what? the woman on the bike asks. "I have no idea," says the pod-spotter. "I guess I should've asked him."

Posted by Molly Priesmeyer at August 07, 2006 11:19 AM | Comments (0)

 

8/7 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Steve Monaco has your Monday Movie Quiz at Couch Pundit.

Corey Anderson has the top ten ways Mark Kennedy has proven he's totally bipartisan and not a lackey for Pres. Bush at American Idle.

THESE DAYS

Most people were no more satisfied with life after marriage than they were prior to marriage in a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Patients having radiation treatments should be warned they may falsely trigger security alarms.

A 74-year-old woman named Pat Niple was told by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles that she could no longer have the personalized license plate "NWTF."

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Justacoolcat is a software engineer living in St. Paul with his wife, two dogs, and a cat. He blogs on crazy bunnies, inner-supermodels and aggravating urinal water at justacoolcat.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Paul Lukas at ESPN's Page 2 has published the "winning" designs in his "worst uniform ever" contest.

Some of your favorite internet celebrities join the fight for net neutrality at We Are The Web. (Click on "Watch the Video")

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"The reality of the world we live in today is that if Michael Moore endorses it, tens of millions will automatically reject it."

-- Magnolia Films president Eamonn Bowles, requesting that the filmmaker not show Magnolia's newly-acquired documentary, Jesus Camp, at his Traverse City Film Festival. Moore showed the film twice over the weekend.

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 07, 2006 06:31 AM | Comments (1)

 

8/4 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS AND NEWS

Have you ever wondered if any American millionaires have been executed? Is garlic oil lethal? Can herbal supplements increase breast size? You've got the questions, and Cecil Adams is the man with the answers, as we welcome The Straight Dope to City Pages.

THESE DAYS

An official Chinese news agency says the first labor union at a Wal-Mart store in China has been formed following a lobbying campaign by the country's official union group. [via Undernews]

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has set a goal of constructing a crewed lunar base by 2030. [via Slashdot]

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Democratic-leaning A Bluestem Prairie is following the First Congressional District race between incumbant Gil Gutknecht and challenger Tim Walz.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Johnny Knoxville and his crew of jackasses are back in Number Two

Wacky kids simulating intercourse with gas-guzzling SUVs at I Humped Your Hummer

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I'm one year away from 70 and I've had a good run. I really believe I'm OK. In my mind and in my heart, I feel OK. I cannot complain that I haven't lived long enough, but I'd like to live longer."

-- Tex-Mex country singer Freddy Fender, discussing his incurable lung cancer

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 04, 2006 12:31 AM | Comments (1)

 

Crime blotter: bad bet

On July 27, a man entered Action Check Cashing on Excelsior Boulevard in Minnetonka at roughly 5:50 p.m. and handed a note to an employee. "Put $2,500 in a bag," it read. "Act fast and do not make a scene. If the police are called, all will die. ... You are all being watched so DO NOT mess this up. THIS IS NO JOKE." The note was signed "Prince Charming." The man never showed a weapon or claimed that he was armed. The would-be robber left the store without receiving any money.

Continue reading "Crime blotter: bad bet"

Posted by Paul Demko at August 03, 2006 03:15 PM | Comments (1)

 

Cruelest Cut

Minimum wage hike will actually cut pay for Minnesota waitstaff

If the U.S. Senate tomorrow approves a controversial measure that would both increase the minimum wage and lower estate taxes for the very wealthy, servers in Minnesota restaurants can kiss goodbye some $4 an hour in wages. The bill, which would increase the federal minimum wage--that is, the least a state can mandate--from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over three years. But wages for some 1 million tipped employees in seven states would actually fall. In Minnesota, waitstaff, cab drivers, and other workers who earn at least $30 a month in tips will see their wages fall from the state's current minimum--$6.15 for most workers--to $2.13.

Continue reading "Cruelest Cut"

Posted by Beth Hawkins at August 03, 2006 12:25 PM | Comments (0)

 

8/3 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

The Open Voting Foundation, a California-based nonprofit organization that works to promote the adoption of "open source" technology to the nation's voting machines, has announced it has found what it calls the "worst ever security flaw found in Diebold RS voting machines."

As of Tuesday, all phone companies selling long-distance phone service were legally required to eliminate the 3 percent federal excise tax on long-distance service, which had been established in 1898 as a luxury tax on wealthy Americans who owned telephones, to help fund the Spanish-American War.

Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) has pulled an image of a burning World Trade Center from a campaign commercial attacking opponent Rep. Sherrod Brown's record on national security because the image was a fake.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Josh Lee, Ben Tesch, and David Zingler cover the Twins and other baseball-related news for Minnesota Public Radio online at the Bleacher Bums.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

A great animated short by Jonas Geirnaert about four eccentric apartment dwellers called Flat Life

More domestic hijinks ensue when a homo sapien and an ape share an apartment in Abe & Ape

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"So, oddly enough, I am watching The Passion of the Christ on TV on Sunday night. Watch the whole thing. Chilling. And in the shadow of the recent Mel G. arrest revelation, even more so... And, as a Catholic, I'm thinking, here Mel has dug down deep to glorify JC, the ultimate promoter of the forgiveness program. Killed the whole film for me. Who'd a thought? Mel Gibson... the Opus Dei buzz-kill."

-- Actor Alec Baldwin, musing on Mel Gibson's recent buffoonery at The Huffington Post

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 03, 2006 06:34 AM | Comments (0)

 

Overheard: Congressional candidate's shocking confession

Tuesday afternoon, Farmfest 2006, congressional candidate panel, Redwood Falls.

After nearly 90 minutes of taking questions, nine incumbent and challenger candidates for U.S. Congress are giving final remarks to a crowd of about 300. Each one--including Collin Peterson, Michele Bachmann, Rod Grams and Coleen Rowley, among others--takes great pains to prove "just folks" bona fides to the independent family farmers assembled.

(Hey, Agent Rowley, how about the name of your blog?)

Tim Walz, the DFLer challenging Gil Gutknecht in Minnesota's First District, scores the biggest laugh of the day, however. (Admittedly, the bar is pretty low at such an event.)

"You wanna talk about small town, I'll tell you that I went to a school with 25 students, and 12 of them were my cousins," Walz says, pausing a beat. "Prom-dating was very difficult."

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at August 02, 2006 04:14 PM | Comments (1)

 

Spotted: A cop with a sense of humor

Walking in downtown Minneapolis today, I encountered two bicycle cops at the intersection of Hennepin Avenue and 5th Street. They seemed to be engaged in casual conversation with a civilian. Everything about the scene was entirely unremarkable. That is, until I glanced over at one of the cop's and noticed that he had affixed a plastic pig head to his handlebars. Chief Dolan, that officer deserves a commendation for humor in the line of duty.

Posted by Mike Mosedale at August 02, 2006 04:04 PM | Comments (0)

 

8/2 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Peter S. Scholtes heads into the City Pages vault to find Tony Glover writing about Stevie Ray Vaughan's 1981 gig at the Union Bar at Culture To Go.

Steve Monaco uncovers a thirty-year-old PSA for High Blood Pressure Month that will send you off your meds, at Couch Pundit.

THESE DAYS

Inspired by the yellow and red penalty cards flashed by soccer referees, some New Zealand bars are using color-coded cards to help curb excess drinking.

Marijuana's key ingredient, THC, may make it hard for a fertilized egg to implant in the womb, says a study in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Thanks to the generosity of GOP donors, a Green Party candidate is expected to make it onto the ballot in Pennsylvania's Senate race and siphon votes from Democratic front-runner Bob Casey in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Rick Santorum.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Follow the Minnesota Thunder, as well as national and international soccer news at ThroughBall.com.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Save 1-800-SUICIDE

A 1965 anti-porno video hosted by a guy who resembles a sober Mickey Rourke

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"My fingers are crossed for Harry."

-- acclaimed author John Irving, at a news conference before a charity reading by Irving, Stephen King, and J.K. Rowling. Irving and King both pleaded with Rowling not to kill off Harry Potter in the final book of the series.

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 02, 2006 06:43 AM | Comments (0)

 

Another day in North Minneapolis revisited

In May, City Pages published an account of 18-year-old Norman Parker's run-in with a Minneapolis police officer at the intersection of Lowry and Emerson avenues on the city's North Side. According to two eyewitnesses, Parker was kicked in the face and repeatedly beaten by MPD officer Jeffrey Binfet, even though he was not resisting arrest. As a result of the confrontation, Parker spent three days at North Memorial Medical Center receiving treatment.

According to a police report, Parker was wanted on suspicion of armed robbery. However, the only charge that has been brought against him stemming from the incident is a gross misdemeanor citation for obstructing the legal process. According to Lt. Gregory Reinhardt, a spokesman for the MPD, there is an ongoing internal investigation scrutinizing Binfet's conduct.

Continue reading "Another day in North Minneapolis revisited"

Posted by Paul Demko at August 01, 2006 11:40 AM | Comments (6)

 

Junk Bonds

Duluth on the hook for Northwest's unpaid maintenance base taxes

Northwest Airlines hasn't paid taxes on its Duluth maintenance facility since May 2005. Yeah, that maintenance facility, the one Minnesota taxpayers built for it in exchange for the airline's promise to create and retain decent jobs for skilled union mechanics. And the one where nothing's happened since last August, when those union mechanics struck because of the elimination of their jobs.

The Duluth Economic Development Authority is supposed to make a $340,000 payment today on the $16 million loan that financed construction of the base. According to published reports, the airline was to pay the agency $556,000 this year.

Continue reading "Junk Bonds"

Posted by Beth Hawkins at August 01, 2006 11:25 AM | Comments (1)

 

8/1 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Mel Gibson enters rehab at American idle

THESE DAYS

Money may be able to buy happiness after all--especially when it is poured into healthcare and education. That is the idea suggested by a new ranking of countries in terms of the happiness of their people.

University of Portsmouth scientists say they have solved the mystery of why prehistoric flying reptiles grew crests on their heads, suggesting they were used to attract attention from the opposite sex.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Find podcasts of interviews of local musicians the first of every month (with blog posts tossed in throughout the month) at Minneapoliscast.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Joshuah Bearman plays border volleyball over a fence dividing California and Mexico.

Attu compiles the ten worst products from Sky Mall, the airplane catalog.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"Look up the definition of liberal. We hug trees. We hug each other. We hug people of the same sex and want to marry each other. It's the other side that we need to get to hold their arms out a little bit and coochey-coo."

-- Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, in a Reuters interview, on being approached by conservatives ready to make peace with him

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 01, 2006 06:25 AM | Comments (0)

 

Heal Thyself

Price of health insurance outpaces the cost of care

It seems like every time you turn around there's another headline announcing that they're drowning in money at UnitedHeath's Minnetonka headquarters. The healthcare giant is the nation's second-largest, with some 65 million subscribers and annual sales topping $45 billion--a 22 percent increase over last year. Juicy numbers, to be sure, but lately Wall Street is sounding a little concerned that the party may be starting to wane.

Continue reading "Heal Thyself"

Posted by Beth Hawkins at July 31, 2006 02:59 PM | Comments (0)

 

Minnesota by the numbers: Top 20 polluters

So you want to know what companies are releasing the most pollutants into Minnesota's air and water? The ugly answers can be found in the recently released Right-to-Know Chemical Information Report, which is posted on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website. Among other things, the report lists the top 20 pollution producing facilities in the state. As usual, Xcel Energy's coal-burning power plant in Becker occupies the top spot; according to the report, the Sherco plant emitted more than seven million pounds of pollutants during the 2004 calender year. That's more than three times as much as the number two polluter, Minnesota Power's Boswell Energy Center in Cohasset. The full report is larded with useful tables and other data. Below are the Dirty 20, ranked top to bottom.

Continue reading "Minnesota by the numbers: Top 20 polluters"

Posted by Mike Mosedale at July 31, 2006 02:02 PM | Comments (0)

 

7/31 Morning Communiqué

CITY PAGES BLOGS

Steve Monaco has this week's Monday Movie Quiz at Couch Pundit.

THESE DAYS

The U.S. Army recently discharged a highly regarded Arabic linguist, Sergeant Bleu Copas, who was the target of an anonymous email "outing" campaign, bringing the total number of Arabic language specialists dismissed under the gay ban to at least 55.

Coal-burning utilities are passing the hat for one of the few remaining scientists, Pat Michaels, Virginia's state climatologist, skeptical of the global warming harm caused by industries that burn fossil fuels. [via Digg]

The government's crackdown on media indecency could prevent World War II veterans from sharing their stories in an upcoming TV documentary series by Ken Burns, Paula Kerger of the Public Broadcasting Service said.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

Oren Goldberg left his job as the listings coordinator for City Pages to trek through Central America. Read about his being robbed at gunpoint and other adventures at The OG Diaries.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

A cake made out of meat [via b3ta]

Polish posters of American movies

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I have never heard the song 'Cousin Dupree' and I don't even know who this gentleman, Mr. Steely Dan, is. I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, 'HEY 19.'"

-- "You, Me & Dupree" star Owen Wilson, responding to Steely Dan's accusation that the film plot was lifted from their 2001 Grammy-winning song "Cousin Dupree"

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 31, 2006 06:22 AM | Comments (0)

 

Last dance at Hooters

"YMCA" has probably been performed for the last time at the new Hooters in downtown Minneapolis. The restaurant, which opened July 5 in Block E, has been informed by the city that such performances are not permitted under its liquor license.

The problem: Hooters has a Class E liquor license. The only entertainment permitted with such a license is recorded music, such as from a jukebox. In order to have dance performances, according to Ricardo Cervantes, the city's deputy director of licenses and consumer services, Hooters would have to obtain a Class A or B license. "If they wanted to upgrade they certainly can," he notes.

Continue reading "Last dance at Hooters"

Posted by Paul Demko at July 28, 2006 10:41 AM | Comments (21)

 

7/28 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

Yesterday was "Faith Day" at Atlanta's Turner Field, where fans were invited to stay following the Braves-Marlins game to hear Braves star pitcher John Smoltz share how his life changed by believing in Christ.

Astronomers at the University of Tasmania have found that the solar system's smallest planet, Pluto, is not getting colder as first thought and it probably does not have rings.

War protester Cindy Sheehan has purchased a 5-acre plot in the president's hometown of Crawford, Texas, with some of the insurance money she received after her son was killed in Iraq.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

The Rochester newspaper has an impressive collection of news and sports blogs, as well as sites from around the region, at Post-Bulletin Blogs.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

Batman and Robin meet Jay and Silent Bob: Justice Rats

Ben Cohen from Ben & Jerry's explains the U.S. defense budget on the Tavis Smiley show using cookies.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"I'm happy that Ullrich and Basso weren't allowed in... [Floyd Landis] was one of my favorites before the race. He's clean and what's more, he's a great guy."

-- Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, July 24, admonishing cyclists implicated in a pre-Tour drug scandal, and congratulating this year's winner

"Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has been suspended by his professional cycling team. The team said it has been notified that he tested positive for high levels of testosterone during the race."

-- Associated Press, July 27

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 28, 2006 06:03 AM | Comments (0)

 

Overheard: Joe Schmit's final wisecrack

Wednesday, 6:58 p.m., the Channel 5 studios somewhere in the Hubbard Empire complex on University Avenue, where Minneapolis meets St. Paul.

Longtime KSTP-TV sports guy and recent news anchor Joe Schmit is bidding an emotional adieu, leaving his job of 21 years for a gig with Petters Media & Marketing Group.

Continue reading "Overheard: Joe Schmit's final wisecrack"

Posted by G.R. Anderson Jr. at July 27, 2006 06:31 PM | Comments (0)

 

Put down that dilly bar and step away from the ice cream truck

A new menace is loose on the streets of Minneapolis: unlicensed ice cream trucks. Earlier this week city license inspector Richard Tuffs sent out an email to CCP/SAFE officers seeking help with the issue.

"I am having problems with unlicensed ice cream trucks around the city," he wrote. "Could you send a message out on your email sites to all the block club leaders asking them to do the following. If they see an ice cream truck in the neighborhood to check and see if they have a valid green 2007 Minneapolis Mobile Food Vendor sticker posted on the side of the vehicle."

Continue reading "Put down that dilly bar and step away from the ice cream truck"

Posted by Paul Demko at July 27, 2006 04:29 PM | Comments (2)

 

The guy behind the "Hitler Ad"

WCCO political reporter Pat Kessler nicely dissected Senate hopeful Mark Kennedy's inaugural campaign ad, which makes the somewhat laughable claim that Kennedy--among the most reliable pro-Administration votes in Congress--is "not much of a party guy." But Kessler's best catch in the piece is shining the spotlight on Kennedy's media consultant, Scott Howell.

Continue reading "The guy behind the "Hitler Ad""

Posted by Mike Mosedale at July 27, 2006 11:33 AM | Comments (4)

 

No party for Reichgott Junge

5th District Congressional candidate Ember Reichgott Junge has backed down in her fight with the DFL over use of the party's moniker. On July 10, DFL attorney Alan Weinblatt sent her campaign a letter demanding that the moniker be stripped from all "billboards, websites, and other campaign materials, forthwith." State Rep. Keith Ellison is the DFL-endorsed candidate, but faces three serious challengers in the September primary.

The former state senator initially refused (see "Party Games"). But in a press release put out by the campaign this morning Reichgott-Junge agreed to make the changes. "Frankly, I was surprised at the strident tone of the letter," Reichgott Junge says in the release. "The initials DFL had been prominently displayed on our campaign website since April, and we were never notified by the party or anyone else that there was a problem."

Continue reading "No party for Reichgott Junge"

Posted by Paul Demko at July 27, 2006 11:04 AM | Comments (1)

 

7/27 Morning Communiqué

THESE DAYS

Despite several years of official and press reports to the contrary, a new Harris poll finds that half of adult Americans still believe that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the United States invaded the country in 2003.

Orlando officials have banned charitable groups from feeding homeless people in parks downtown, arguing that transients who gather for weekly meals create safety and sanitary problems for businesses.

A study carried out by Oxford University and The University of Toronto looked at more than 60,000 deaths, of men aged between 35 and 46, in the U.S., Canada and Poland, and found that more than half the difference in the risk of death of wealthy or educated men, and those who have had less education, can be attributed to smoking.

MINNESOTA BLOG OF THE DAY

The prodigal Norwegian has returned! Certified curmudgeon (he'll hate that) Mark Gisleson has emerged from his Ford Bell folly to restart Norwegianity.

[Minnesota-based blog directory]

TIME WASTERS

What happens when owls get scared

Find out what kind of guy would chug a whole bottle of maple syrup

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"He clearly has some issues that need to be dealt with, and I will encourage him to seek the necessary help."

-- Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), condemning his 81-year-old father after he was cited for lewd conduct and indecent exposure for allegedly having sex in a vehicle with a 38-year-old woman

Posted by Corey Anderson at July 27, 2006 06:40 AM | Comments (1)