You know it, Chairman!

Adding to my Phil Hartman post the other day, here's a link to the full Sinatra Group sketch, which is probably my all-time favorite SNL sketch.

That is all.

It's not dead yet, says Stern

David Stern said what I believe to be his first take on the Bradley Center, home of the Milwaukee Bucks. He has stated that the Bradley Center will eventually need to be replaced, but the situation is not desperate yet. Given the situation in Seattle, I think leaders in Milwaukee and SE Wisconsin should be cognizant of how quickly this will come to pass. There is not much appetite for a new tax to help pay for a new arena, but Milwaukeeans need to realize that there isn't going to be another Jane Pettit to drop a new arena into their laps. Also, keep in mind that the Bradley Center is more than just a home for a basketball team or two. It hosts concerts, seminars, and other events. So, a quality venue is something that will help to keep Milwaukee relevant. I know that the idea of replacing a 20-year old arena that looks really nice seems to be ridiculous. And, on many levels, it is. And, if Stern is right, the Bradley Center is not dead yet. But, its time is limited. If I was in Milwaukee and in a position to do something about this, I am already laying groundwork for any number of scenarios to help construct a new arena. I figure this will come to a head in about five years.

By the way, Timberwolves fans ought to keep an eye on how things are handled concerning a new arena for the Bucks, because the Target Center isn't much younger than the Bradley Center. And, given that the Twins and Gophers are already at the public trough for new stadiums, and the Vikings are trying to get in, the Timberwolves are a few short years away from being in a less-than-desirable situation.

Of course, the NBA could stop holding cities like Seattle hostage. But, that isn't happening.

I feel shocked...OK, not really

Another nail in the coffin of The Nicollet: A proposed 50-story condo tower on the corner of 10th and Nicollet downtown, has lost another partner in the project, which would have been the tallest condo tower in the city. Opus is out. Smart move on their part, I think...

I remember when this project was first proposed. I think whoever proposed this mistook Minneapolis for Chicago. However, they bought out and kicked out one of the better record stores in the city, Let It Be Records. Now, Let It Be may have gone under anyway given the sad state of affairs in the record industry, but it was still a great place to find some musical gems. One day, I walked out of there with Sonic Youth's "Goo," Fugazi's "13 Songs," and Bad Brains' "I Against I." No way could you do that at Target.

But I digress. The Nicollet was the result of a serious leap of faith in the Minneapolis condo market, and was as such even before the cooling of the market. There was never enough pent-up demand for a 50-story condo tower, especially considering it's a mile from the Mississippi, and many other condo projects were already online. It will be interesting to see how many floors come off this project when they revise their plans later this year.

Vote out the weirdo, teacher's orders

Down in Florida, a teacher was reassigned after having her class vote a kid out of it. The article gives the details, but this really bothers me. The child in question is on the autism spectrum, although it does not specify if it is autism, Asperger's Syndrome, or something else. Even if it is on the Aspergers side of things, this kid is going to have a tough go of things as it is. Aspies tend to have trouble reading social cues, and so they have trouble adjusting to societal norms, with bad consequences. So, as I said, this kid is not going to have an easy time with his peers. Then, to have a scarring experience like a teacher getting the rest of the class to gang up on him and kick him out is completely inexcusable. Not only should she be fired, she should have her teaching license suspended and/or revoked. She should not be allowed to practice her chosen profession for a couple of years at least.

For a really interesting look at the life of a person with Aspergers, read Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison. I got it for Christmas from my sister because I had trouble finding it myself. I have a nephew who is an Aspie, and I sometimes wonder if I am one too (albeit undiagnosed).

Hat tip: Anti-Strib

Ten years ago

It was ten years ago tomorrow (May 28th) when one of the few celebrity deaths I actually was upset about happened. Phil Hartman was murdered in a domestic dispute by his wife Brynn. In 1998, he was on the underrated TV show Newsradio, and was the voice for two of the best side characters on The Simpsons, Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz. He was the star of my all-time favorite Saturday Night Live sketch, The Sinatra Group (partial video). Come on, with a line like "I got chunks of guys like you in my stool," it has to be amongst the best ever. Phil Hartman was omnipresent, and TV was better for it.

Phil Hartman was a genius. I wish I could be one-tenth as funny as he was.

Boy do I feel old

Normally I don't really care about the WNBA. I have nothing against women's basketball, as I went to a high school where the girl's basketball teams have won four state titles (1987, 1989, 1996, 1998) and have gone to state four other times. I watched them come agonizingly close to ending an incredibly long winning streak against Milwaukee Pius XI as a sophomore. So, I have some bonafides as a fan of women's ball. So, to me, not caring for the WNBA is not about not caring for women's sports. I think if it wasn't backed by the NBA, I would maybe like it more. If I didn't feel like all promotions for the game were trying to guilt me into watching it, I would like it more.

But, that's not the point of this post. It's just that new Minnesota Lynx player Anna DeForge is portrayed as a grizzled veteran in this article. Anna is my age. She graduated as the all-time leading scorer in Wisconsin history back in 1994, the same year I graduated high school. She is a grizzled veteran? I don't feel like a grizzled veteran in pretty much any aspect of my life (save my balding head). Seeing people my age portrayed as being old isn't good. Dammit, Anna and I just graduated high school!!! I know, I have a 15-year reunion coming up next year (as does she, I suppose). But dammit, I'm not old, and neither is she!!!

No hijabs at work?

A group of people at a Mission Foods plant in New Brighton, with the assistance of CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), is suing Mission Foods for religious discrimination. The allegation is that these women are being threatened with being fired because they won't wear the workplace uniforms, and prefer to wear their traditional clothing (which generally covers the body in totality).

On one hand, I see the company's point. There are reasons people are required to wear certain gear for work. Many of these reasons are for safety. At a tortilla-processing plant, I imagine safety would be of great concern. Loose-fitting clothing is more likely than tighter clothing to get caught in the equipment. Companies pay a lot of insurance premiums, and have to take all precautions against workplace accidents. You can bet that if anything was to happen to these women, CAIR would be suing Mission Foods for that.

The other thing to keep in mind is that no one is putting a gun to the heads of these women forcing them to work there. They could find work at a place that is more amenable to their cultural norms. Such places do exist.

On the other hand, we as a nation have to get used to the idea that people who aren't "like us" are here, and will be here for the long haul. There has to be some accommodation for religious beliefs. There has to be some give on the other side, but if there is a way to accommodate these women, Mission Foods ought to do it. I can't imagine that there are a lot of people who are clamoring for work at a tortilla plant, even in this economy. Heck, I didn't even know that Minnesota would even have any tortilla plants. Then again, there probably are some parallels between making tortillas and making lefse. If these are otherwise good employees, I don't think it's too much to ask to help the six employees out on this. Then again, maybe they did.

I am a little disturbed about the comments that readers posted on that site, as they are pretty ugly. You have the usual "to hell with them" comments, sprinkled nicely with "love it or leave it" types. There have been people like this for as long as there has been a United States. I would like to think we can get past this someday. Apparently now is not that time. That is a shame.

Current song I shouldn't like, but do

So, I am starting to not have much use for new music, at least in the pop realm. Pop music is pretty bad now, hip-hop is terrible (I know many don't think it was ever good, but it was), and it seems like everything that is released is pablum for idiots.

With this in mind, I was flipping through the channels the other day and saw a video for the song "Great DJs" by a British group called the Ting Tings. Now, I know I am behind the curve these days. But, I digress. When I saw the video, I wasn't a huge fan. Then, the other day I ate at The Bulldog, a bar on Lyndale in south Minneapolis (pretty good bar food, BTW). I heard the song there on what I assume to be satellite radio. And, I liked it. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but I realized that this song is really catchy. I like this song, and that is despite the ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ees and ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahs that are in this song. I know I shouldn't like the song, but I do.

Here's a link to the video. It's not exactly a great video, but it's not bad either. Kind of strange, actually.

Stinger rant #2

I thought that the rants would be more frequent, as a lot of things in the world bother me. So far, not so much. But, here is number two. Rants generally have no links to any articles.

Over the past few years, companies have been assailed for using automated systems to steer people through their phone calls to the company. The human touch was lost, many said. So, there was a response. No, it was not to bring actual customer service representatives back into the mix (well, there are some, but mostly in India apparently). Instead, they have "voice-activated systems." I absolutely despise these things. First off, are we supposed to believe we are actually talking to someone?!! No one (other than perhaps an ex-girlfriend or something) would ask you a question, then tell you how to answer. "How would you like to pay? Say, 'pay by credit card,' or say 'pay by check.'" And, even if you go along and say it like they want you to, it doesn't register, so it asks the same damn question!! I already answered the question. And, because the system doesn't understand, you now have to over-enunciate. Which by the way makes you look like a crazy person.

Voice-activated systems have got to go. If the options are either me pushing buttons or talking to a computer, I'll press buttons, thank you very much.

Tributes

There are two posts I want to talk about, involving tributes to lost loved ones. Please forgive the schmaltz, but I am in a less-than-chipper mood.

First, my brother put up a nice tribute to my late father, who would have turned 75 today. He passed away almost 18 years ago, in August of 1990. That was the worst day of my life. At some point, I will probably write about my old man, who wasn't perfect, but was the best father I could have, even for the short time I had him.

Second, friend of the Nation Gino wrote a great post about what is happening with him. He recently lost his sister, and has shown remarkable strength under the circumstances. I don't even want to imagine life without either of my sisters (or my brothers, for that matter). This was a wonderful tribute/update. It's a shame there is strife within the family, but hopefully this too shall pass.

Losing people you love is terribly hard. If it hasn't happened to you, count yourself very lucky. The best you can do though is to keep their memories alive, and both Gino and Mr. D do so well.

New Orleans is rising

I started reading a very interesting article in City Journal about the rebuilding of New Orleans post-Katrina. It's a long read, but worth it if you are into urban planning. I like the DIY attitude a lot of New Orleans natives are taking towards rebuilding their homes and businesses. There is the question of whether these people should be rebuilding in flood-prone areas, but it is refreshing to see a more grassroots approach. The article juxtaposes this with New York's rebuilding of Ground Zero. I don't know enough about the planning for that area to judge it, other than it seems to be going really slowly. But, if New Orleans is ahead of schedule, then anything can happen. I really thought New Orleans was done for after Katrina. Guess not, and good for them!

Disappointed Part 2: Not the only one

Not much to add to the other Disappointed post, except Andy Baggot of the Wisconsin State Journal has a column which sums up my feelings and fears about the rest of the season for the Brewers. I really hope we are wrong.

Right on schedule....time to scare the old folks

Presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama (sorry Hillary, it's over) has gone to the playbook, and has started with the oft-told tale that the evil Republicans are going to take away Social Security. I am so tired of this gambit by the Left in this country. No serious candidate for President is ever going to be in favor of scrapping Social Security. Actually, it would be refreshing for a candidate for political office to give us an honest assessment of what is happening with Social Security, and actually tell people that it's a pyramid scheme that is going to go bankrupt because there aren't going to be enough people to pay into it. Then, someone needs to tell people that we need to raise the retirement age. We need to limit increases. We need to let people have their own private accounts. The only other solutions are either to means-test it (which will never happen), or we need to start procreating again in higher numbers, because 2.1 births per woman ain't gonna cut it. Of course, we could raise the contribution and make the evil rich pay more, like Obama wants to do. Unfortunately, the GOP likes to pussy-foot around the issue because if they don't, people like Barack Obama will do what he did out in Oregon. Of course, he did it anyway. This dynamic will mean we will not get a reasonable solution to the Social Security problem. What does that mean?

What it means is that anyone under the age of 40 (I originally said 45, 40=on second thought) shouldn't ever expect to receive a dime of Social Security money. I expect sniveling Baby Boomers to get theirs, then anyone younger than that can pound sand. This is because no one has the cojones to propose any bold solutions because they are scared that senior citizens will not vote for them.

For the record, I know scare tactics aren't the sole possession of the left. I will probably address that later. Here's a hint: California

Disappointed!!

The one word in the headline is what Kevin Kline's character yelled upon finding out the diamonds were not where he was told there would be in the movie A Fish Called Wanda. I kinda feel that way about the Milwaukee Brewers' season so far. They came out of the gates strong, but have been stymied by a terribly ineffective bullpen. Eric Gagne is an unqualified bust, the rest of the bully is not up to snuff, and they just got swept by the Red Sox. Losing some games to the Red Sox is not the end of the world, but the Brewers have played terrible baseball lately, losing five straight. Doug Melvin needs to figure out two things: how to fix the bullpen, and whether or not Ned Yost should continue being the Brewers manager.

But, in much better news at Miller Park, the Brewers signed Ryan Braun to a long-term contract. Hopefully Braun lives up to it. But, it's a sign that Mark Attanasio is serious about keeping top-tier talent in Milwaukee. Hopefully guys like J.J. Hardy look at this and decide to stick around. I am less optimistic about Prince Fielder, because he has Scott Boras as an agent.

Minnesota staying blue so far

The Strib has come out with a new presidential poll that shows that John McCain is down 13 percent to Barack Obama and is down 9 to Hillary Clinton. Now, we have heard for the past couple of presidential election cycles that Minnesota is a battleground state. This goes against the reality that the last Republican to get Minnesota's electoral votes was Richard Nixon in 1972. Now, we need to keep in mind that the Star Tribune poll has historically been wrong, and there is reason to believe the poll skews towards the Democratic candidate in any given race. However, even with this bias, I guess I have a hard time seeing John McCain getting Minnesota's 10 electoral votes come November. I think McCain has a much better shot of flipping Wisconsin. Obviously, we are a long way from the election, and one x-factor here is whether Tim Pawlenty actually does get the VP nod from McCain. Also, it's possible for McCain to get a pretty good post-convention bounce given the convention is here in the Twin Cities. We shall see. But, I don't think things are looking good. The core cities are liberal, as always. The Iron Range and Duluth are liberal, as always. The problem is that from what I can see, the burbs here are not going to be reliably conservative this time around. I could be reading this wrong, but I think McCain is going to need something to happen on the ground before Minnesota really comes into play.

One somewhat related quibble in the article: It called Minnesota the heart of the three-state region that is in play, the others being Wisconsin and Iowa. I think that Twin Cities media has believed and continues to believe it wields a lot more influence in Wisconsin (and Iowa for that matter) than it really does. I can tell you with a pretty high degree of certainty that hardly anyone east of Highway 53 gets their news from Twin Cities media. This goes to the whole Minneapolis-St. Paul is the center of the universe thing. But, that is another post.

New blogroll addition

I am adding The Stencil to the roll. Politically, it's a left-wing blog (he's a Barack Obama guy), but there are a lot of interesting posts there. I linked to it on this post, which linked to the most unwanted song ever.

However, I hope this post on there isn't true (point 1 to be specific, which linked to this Washington Post article). If Obama is being subject to racial ignorance, that is a real shame. If you don't like Obama, have a reason other than race. If that's your only reason, nothing you have to say on any topic has any meaning whatsoever. To me, that makes you an ignorant douchebag.

Bush is awesome. No, Bush sucks. You wanna go?

This is what bothers me about politics. Now, I know politics isn't a spring meadow that we all skip through, hand-in-hand. But, it seems like there are two intractable sides right now. On one side, we have the Bush supporters. There aren't that many of them, but they are still there. On the other, we have the Bush-haters. Boy, do they hate Bush.

Anyway, this Jim Stingl column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is indicative of why a lot of people (myself included) are already sick of this election. Also, in my case, I am not enthused by anyone running at all. To me, they all suck. This election is tantamount to classic World War I trench warfare. Two sides, digging their heels in, never giving an inch (because if you do, you're selling out the cause). In this case, booze was added into the mix, with wonderful results. Oh, and it was at a Brewers game. That's swell, folks!!

Now, this is not to say that politics should be all that civil. But, both sides do need to stop seeing the other as evil boogeymen who will destroy everything that makes this country great.

I've been maimed....I mean memed

So Mr. D tagged me, and the deal is I have 150 characters to send a message to the world, and apparently it does not have to be in a bottle. Wow, how can I put my philosophy in 150 characters or less? It took KRS-One a lot more than 150 characters to lay down his philosophy. At least punctuation doesn't count. OK, here goes...oh, this is my message. It's also something to which I aspire. I'm trying.

Live life to the fullest. Take a chance. Cherish family and friends. Believe in something, it's too cold of a world if you don't. The world is funny, laugh at it sometimes!!

132 characters. Not bad. So, now I have to tag someone else. OK, Deron, you're it. I am certain you will come up with something better.

You want it? You pay for it!

So the state of Minnesota will not be subsidizing the development of Phase II of the Megamall. Instead, they are putting it into Bloomington's lap. The owners of the mall want to put up a massive expansion of the mall, including hotels, restaurants, and more shops. There is a question as to whether Bloomington wants to add a tax in order to finance this expansion. I would probably not want to dine there anytime soon if this passes. The question I have is this: If there needs to be a subsidy for this, is there really a market for it? OK, some more questions: Do we really need an additional behemoth of a retail facility in that area? I know of the tourism factor, but is there so much clamoring for more retail that we need to subsidize it? Oh, and have they accommodated light rail in their planning (I don't think you can plan anything in the Twin Cities anymore without someone asking that....figured I would get it out of the way)?

Good grief, that damn mall sucks as it is. The only people who go there are wannabe teenage thugs and freaking Sconnies (I can say that because I am a freaking Sconnie)! I feel like such a disgruntled local whenever I think about that place. Whenever people come and visit, invariably someone will bring up going to that hellhole. Every time, I try to come up with anything that will get that idea out of their heads. I'd rather look at the cherry spoon for several hours, thank you very much.

Really, I wonder if the state passing the baton to Bloomington will kill this project? I don't think I would want to count on a city with declining population to finance this, even if it does get a crapload of Sconnies shopping there. But, we'll see.

An Appleton mystery (at least to me)

Apparently I am on a bit of a history kick here....I was looking at some historical photos of Appleton at the hometown paper, and I saw the photo shown on this link. The linked photo was taken 16 years before I was born, and a good 20-22 years before I have any memories of looking at that building. I suppose my brother can and probably will answer this. It looks like someone took a hunk out the AAL building (now known as 222 W College) shown in the picture. So, my questions are these: When did the AAL building in that picture from 1960 become the building that is pictured at the top of this post? What is the age difference in the west and east sides (looks like the east side is older)? Or, were both buildings in the 1960 photo torn down and replaced with a new, similar-looking building? I always thought the whole building was built at once, but apparently this is not the case.

A quiet sesquicentennial

150 years ago today, President James Buchanan made the biggest mistake of his presidency (which is saying something given the US split under his watch), and granted Minnesota statehood. He had one last chance to get with the British and re-attach it to Rupert's Land, but instead he made Minnesota a state. And the rest of America has been paying for it ever since. Silly accents, Scandie culture, Walter Mondale, Gus Hall, and the Vikings are just some of the horrible injuries inflicted on the Republic ever since Minnesota was granted statehood. I think if Buchanan knew what pain Minnesota would cause America, he would have handed it over to the British in a heartbeat.

Hmmm....I wonder if that might bring some traffic over here? Minnesota-bashing on its 150th birthday?

OK, I am kidding! It is Minnesota's 150th birthday, but I swear you wouldn't know it unless you were really paying attention, or if you stumbled into the Minnesota History Center over in St. Paul. Nick Coleman of the Star Tribune has lamented this a few times, although his reasoning is questionable at best....we can't celebrate Minnesota's 150th well because of the fishing opener and Mother's Day? He is right about one thing though...Wisconsin did a better job in 1998. If you had even set foot in the state between 1996-1998, you knew Wisconsin was celebrating its sesquicentennial. But, I have heard very little about Minnesota's until today. Now, the official celebration is supposed to take place next weekend. Hopefully it will be a celebration that is good enough for Minnesota, with plenty of 3.2 beer and lutefisk for all (kidding).

Happy 150th, Minnesota! Minnesota has been pretty good to me in the almost 10 years I have lived here, so maybe I will have a Grain Belt to help celebrate.

Stupid Gagne

A few short days after I dismissed them, the Houston Astros sweep my Milwaukee Brewers. Eric Gascan blows his fifth save today, and the Astros win in extra innings to finish the Brewers off. So I was wrong about the Astros...apparently they are a threat, especially when the Brewers bullpen is so willing to help. I regarded the Gagne move as a relatively low-cost proposition because of the length of the contract....boy was I wrong. We need another closer, and soon. Gascan is on pace to blow about 28-30 saves. He has to go!!!

I can't believe it...

...something I used to say as a kid to avoid eating vegetables is actually being seriously discussed. In Switzerland, that means plant rights. Found through this post on True North.

When I was a kid, I used to claim that I was a carnivore and that I didn't eat plants because I believed in plant rights. It's a throwaway line, never meant to be taken seriously. I would say it when people saw me not eating veggies, and I would sometimes say it to people I knew who were into animal rights, in an attempt to demonstrate the folly that is the animal rights movement.

But, I didn't think I would see the day that someone would take that concept seriously. The Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology has said that the dignity of plants needs to be taken into account when handling them. Plants have dignity? When did this happen?

I may have to start eating more veggies in protest. If I throw down a salad in Zurich, could I get arrested now?

Read the whole article (the plant rights link....links to The Weekly Standard). I am not sure I agree with the lack of Judeo-Christian ethos leading to this, but I do think this sets a really bad precedent.

Grand Theft Auto IV...the road to Hades??

Katherine Kersten is essentially the token conservative for the Star Tribune. Sometimes, her columns are pretty good. She uses the plain folks fallacy a little too much like our buddy Nick Coleman, but she still serves a purpose, which is at least putting conservative thought into a paper that is decidedly liberal, and probably has a decidedly liberal readership.

But, this column is a little much for me. She is trying to make Grand Theft Auto IV to be a lot more than it is. Grand Theft Auto is a video game that is admittedly misogynistic. You can almost count down the ten commandments as they are broken, from what I understand (I have never played any Grand Theft Auto game). But, I believe Kersten is using the same train of thought that blames hip-hop lyrics for inner city violence and rock lyrics for kids committing suicide. To me, this is ridiculous on its face. For one, despite her protests, a lot of gamers are adults. They are people my age who cut their teeth playing Nintendo. For another, the video game reps she mocks are correct in that parents need to know what their kids are doing and playing. One of my brothers bought a Playstation 2 for his kids. There is no way that any Grand Theft Auto game will ever go through his doorway. He pays attention to what his kids are doing. This is good parenting, and frankly raising well-adjusted kids is a parent's number one job.

Here's the bottom line, though...Grand Theft Auto is a game!! There is little if any reflection in reality in this game. Does Kersten really think that a bunch of hormone-addled kids (and adults for that matter) are going to play this game and then go out into society and cap hookers? She says she doesn't think that, but I tend to think that people like her really want to have something to blame for people acting like idiots. TV, hip-hop and rock music, and video games make an easy scapegoat. However, in the incredibly unlikely event that someone tries to re-enact GTA IV, you would have to question whether that person has all of his/her marbles in the first place.

Bacon-wrapped hot dogs...wow!!

I read this post over at Cake Eater Chronicles. I am incredibly upset by what I read there....not just because of the bureaucratic crap that is foisted upon us "for our own good," but for the simple fact that I have lived my entire life without having eaten a bacon-wrapped hot dog!! How could I not have thought of this? Hot dogs and bacon together?!!! And, I find out about this due to what essentially is a ban? I demand justice!! No American should be denied his or her right to enjoy bacon!!!

Until this law is either overturned or not enforced, I may have to boycott Los Angeles. Never mind the fact that I have not been to LA as an adult, but still. Bacon forever, and forever bacon!!

Ich bin ein Windomer - 1

Back in college, as now, I took a fair amount of crap for being a Cheesehead. This is especially true whenever some story comes out of Wisconsin that is particularly embarrassing. So, in an effort to make things a little easier, some of my buddies and I concocted an alternate upbringing so I could temporarily not be a Cheesehead. Basically, my alternate Minnesota childhood is that I am from Windom. I went to Windom High School, cheered heartily for the Windom Eagles, and so on. We never really finished construction of it, but Windom is a random enough Minnesota city that not many people I've encountered in the Twin Cities know anyone from there. Of course, I've never actually told anyone I am from Windom, but it's a good running joke with some of my friends.

Anyway, it's stories like this one that make me want to assume the Windom upbringing. What the hell was on this woman's mind? Is this the Sheboygan version of the Duke brothers' bet in Trading Places? "I bet you a buck that I can shoot little Betsy in the leg with this here BB gun." For God's sake, you shouldn't even joke about stuff like that, let alone actually do it!!! This woman should never be allowed to be a parent again. Tie her tubes, send her to Taycheedah, and never let her near this poor girl ever again. This girl is better off being a ward of the state. Oh, the boyfriend should be smacked around repeatedly for letting this happen. Freaking idiots!!

So for the next few days, I am a Windomer. Go Eagles!!

Quick question

So, in light of Al Franken's seeming inability to pay his taxes, the Star Tribune published this editorial. It basically is saying this is minor, and it shouldn't undercut his campaign, despite the evil plans being hatched by Ron Carey and his wingnut ilk. Once again, it should be about "the issues."

So, my quick question to end a night of heavy posting: Do you think the Star Tribune is upset because of what happened, or because they already wrote their editorial endorsing him for Senate, and don't want to rewrite it?

Good night!

Swillin' on Mifflin

The Mifflin Street Block Party turns 40 this year, as this article indicates. At first it a bunch of hippies doing whatever it was hippies did in those days (not showering, dropping acid, etc) and was a bit of a protest. But, it evolved into a bunch of house parties that spilled outside. The article gives a bit of a history lesson on it.

I only got to go once, in 1995. I was working at BW-3 at the time, trying to figure out my next move after getting rejected by UW-Madison. I had heard stories from people I worked with about this huge party where, as long as you didn't act stupidly, you could pretty much drink underage outdoors. That day I remember as being pretty nice weather-wise. I did what most people did, which was get really messed up (and yes, I was underage). I remember there being a pretty cool vibe though, with people just hanging out, and little if any fighting, although some fighting apparently happened that night...I was gone by 8:00ish. Apparently that changed in 1996, because they tried to clamp down on it. It looks like they have failed for the most part. While I don't like reading stories about cops being pelted with rocks and bottles, I am glad the Mifflin Street Block Party still happens, unsanctioned as it is. I doubt I would want to go now (I would feel too old), but I did enjoy my one go at it back in '95.

NL Central update

We have entered May, so I want to look at how things are stacking up in the NL Central, and see where the Brewers stand.

St. Louis is off to a great start. They are getting good pitching from some young guys, and Albert Pujols is hitting .365 (only 5 HR so far). They have already won a series against Milwaukee and split one with the Brewers on the road. 18-11 as of this post, 1st place. They get their first taste of the Chicago Cubs this weekend at home. Can they keep this up? Right now, I would say no. Then again, Tony LaRussa is their manager.

The Chicago Cubs stumbled out of the gates a bit, losing two of three to the Milwaukee Brewers. They ended April and began May by losing two of three to the Brewers at home (although putting up 19 against the Brew Crew was impressive...and crappy). So far, the Cubs are 2-4 against the Brewers, and have not gone to Miller Park yet. But, the Cubs are 15-7 versus everyone else, and have had some great hitting. Kosuke Fukudome looks to be the real deal. There is a reason the Cubs were most peoples' pick to win the NL Central. 17-11 as of this post, 1/2 game back.

The Brewers, as stated above, have already had some success against the Cubs. Unfortunately, they have been middling against everyone else. 4-2 against the Cubs, 3-0 against the lowly Giants, 9-10 against everyone else. The Brewers have already shown us their Achilles' heel, the bullpen. That has to get better, and soon. However, they are better defensively, and they will get better with their hitting. Prince Fielder has been slow out of the gates, but that will change. The Brewers are playing with more of a full deck at the moment. 16-12, 1.5 games back of St. Louis.

When I posted about the Brewers' chances, I said I didn't know much about the Houston Astros. If their first month is any indicator, I see nothing to indicate that they will be a threat. Miguel Tejada (if that's his real name) is playing well out of the gates, and Lance Berkman already has 8 HRs, but beyond that there isn't much there. Their pitching rotation is Roy Oswalt, and not much else. As of this post, they are 13-16, 5 games back. Bet they are glad they don't have Roger Clemens at the moment, though.

Earlier, I said that I think the Cincinnati Reds are about a year away from being pretty good. As of now, not so much. They can say they split with the Brewers so far (3-3), but that's about it. I heard that they may be shopping Ken Griffey Jr. They are going to have to resolve that somehow if that's true. The one thing the Reds have going for them is that Adam Dunn has yet to get untracked. If he does, the Reds might be OK. I doubt they get past Chicago or Milwaukee, but they can make some noise. But for now, they are 12-17, 6 games back.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing true to form, which is to say not well. Their highlight was a three-game sweep of the Reds, or perhaps it was taking 2 of 3 from the Atlanta Braves (who are hated here in Stinger Nation). But, they are not getting what they need out of Adam LaRoche and Jason Bay at the moment. Paul Maholm is pitching decently, but he is about it. The Pirates may be able to smack some teams around, but overall this is not their year. 11-17, 6.5 games back.

Overall, since ultimately this is about the Brewers for me, I still think the Cubs are their major roadblock to the playoffs. However, the Cardinals are playing good ball right now. If they can keep it up, this could develop into a great race later on. Stay tuned.

Put on your PJs

P.J. O'Rourke is one of my favorite commentators. I was introduced to his writing when he wrote for Rolling Stone as an international affairs correspondent. I also got an intro to him from my brother. He also happened to be about the only known non-lefty at the magazine. His not being there was one of the reasons I stopped subscribing. In fairness, the biggest reason was that I was sick of reading highbrow reviews of crappy music. I don't think that there needs to be a lyrical deconstruction of a Britney Spears album in order to glean meaning from it. "Oops I did it again" has no meaning. Most pop music is pretty prima facie, so please review it that way.

Anyway, he was in town a few days ago. I missed it, which sucks. Oh well....he had an interview in the Strib back on Monday. As usual, he has a pretty solid take on things. If you read it, I think he largely gets things right. For example, he believes that John McCain is doing fairly well so far. However, he is also correct in stating that things are aligned pretty well for the Democrats this year. I know some believe that the Democrats may Keystone Cop their way to an election loss this year, but I really think whoever comes out of the nomination fight between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will likely be the next President. Barring that Keystone Cop scenario, I think we'd have to see a substantial drop in oil prices and some serious movement in Iraq to have McCain get elected. As for me, I am not enthused by anyone running for President. No matter how I vote, my fingers will be pinching my nose big time while doing it.

So, read the short interview. And, if you haven't done so, read some of P.J's books.

UPDATE: Not so much an update but a clarification: I think the Dems do have the advantage, but this is not to say that they aren't trying their best to Keystone Cop their way into a loss. Between Obama and Wright, plus Hillary Clinton with her stories of being shot at, they are putting the effort forth towards that end. This election is far from over, but I think O'Rourke is right to say the Dems have an advantage.