According to figures released August 19, Bob Barr, the official Libertarian candidate for President of the United States, only has 150 signatures on the petition to get him on the Minnesota Ballot. He’s already confirmed on the ballot in 38 states and finished or in court in 9 states. Minnesota is SO far behind.

It’s puzzling that most voters — fully 55% — say Barr should be included in the fall series of presidential debates, yet the Minnesota Libertarian party can’t seem to organize well enough to get Barr on the state ballot.

But it’s not too late — the deadline is September 9, with an internal goal of August 25 so the Secretary of State’s office can verify them.

Want to sign your name on the petition? Check the official MN Meetup group to see where they’ll be (MN State Fair today).

Mike Ferguson, the national field director of Bob Barr 2008, confirmed yesterday that Barr is coming to town sometime before and/or during the Republican National Convention. Meanwhile, there are lots of videos on YouTube if you’re wondering just who this guy is and how he differs from two choices presented to us.

I got an email via the Minneapolis Drinking Liberally mailing list about a Laughing Liberally event this Saturday at the Ordway.

(I’ve never actually attended a Drinking Liberally event, but it seems interesting in theory.)

(Laughing Liberally “showcases the brightest progressive comedians from across the nation.”)

So I read the email and I was all, “That’s nice. Wait, that’s in St Paul, not Minneapolis. RNC ongoing? Traffic? Anyway.” In spite of that gut reaction, I clicked through to the Ordway’s Laughing Liberally event page and saw that my man Baratunde Thurston is going to be performing. Dude, you didn’t even tell me you were going to be here!

So, if you like your comedy and your progressive politics all mixed up together, this should be worth a trip to St Paul during the RNC (in case you, like me, were trying to stay far far away from it).

Saturday, August 23, 2008
8:00pm
$15.00 (plus fees)

USE PROMO CODE: DRINK
Purchase tickets by calling the box office at 651.224.4222
Or online at ordway.org Promo Code: DRINK

Make sure you use the promo code, whether you call or order online. My girlfriend bought ours today and found out those seats are normally $45. Ticketbastard charges still apply.

This is part of the Ordway’s Urbanites series, so you can also use the promo code URBAN, though I don’t know how much of a discount that is.

(And yes, I know that the RNC doesn’t actually start until September 1.)

In an news story turned odd from the Strib ”This Friday, lots of people from across Minneapolis are expected to attend a block club-style gathering in the Hawthorne neighborhood to talk about crime, homelessness, community and citizenship. ”

According to Terry Collins of the Star Tribune Dyna Sluyter, a North Minneapolis resident, has “Flip flopped” on a party to show support for the Hawthorne Neighborhood.

Fret not, the party is still going to happen and is being called the “Dyna-mite Party” despite these words by Dyna Sluyter

”
I don’t believe I invited y’all to have a picnic in my yard, which happens to be your preferred location,” she said in a recent post. She threatened to leave the area for her outstate retreat.

“So, if your group of do-gooders want to come ’slumming’ up here and put some lipstick on the pig that is North Minneapolis crime, please wait for an invitation instead of imposing yourselves,” 

I guess not everyone wants to be Johnny Northside.

Ofcourse, if you really want to try and put some lipstick on a pig there are other options.

Are these a bunch of do gooders gone awry?

On the heels of June’s National Conference for Media Reform and last November’s stirring Life After Newspapers conference, the 4th Annual Fall Media Forum promises to be high-energy and a great opportunity to keep the discussion going about media ownership, net neutrality, evolving citizen journalism, and more.

Mark your calendar:
Saturday, October 4th, 2008
9:00am — 3:00pm
Minneapolis Downtown Central Library

The theme for this year’s event will be “Media Forum: Tools for Democracy, Strategies for Change”. Confirmed presenters include local Fox 9 news anchor Robyne Robinson and Amalia Anderson from the Main Street Project.

Registration will begin in early September. Watch for details on www.tcdailyplanet.net.

It appears that money is becoming a hot topic in keeping the Saint Paul Police in town. The police union is even mockingly threatening a mass exodus of cops to other towns.

This from TwinCities.com

Will St. Paul be suffering an exodus of police officers to the suburbs, where they can get paid more?  That’s the specter presented by the police union in a radio ad being released today.  “It’s a short drive to Eden Prairie and Edina’s next door,” the ad begins with a man singing. “Cops from St. Paul can move to either and make thousands more.”

The sticking point for the union, which represents nearly 700 people, has been salary. The city has offered an annual 3.25 percent pay increase for 2008, 2009 and 2010, which is what the city’s other bargaining units accepted, city officials have said. The union is seeking an extra 2.37 percent boost in the final six months of the contract

The cities suggested raises translates to the following,

“The city’s proposal would have St. Paul officers with five years of experience making $66,866, compared with $79,064 for Eden Prairie and $70,459 for Edina, Shannon said. “

 I think the Saint Paul police do a great job, but it seems to me that almost 70k before overtime is a pretty nice salary. Is it fair for the police union to demand more money when everyone else is getting paltry raise or,as is often the case these days in the private sector, no raise at all?

What do you think?

Semo, the MN Zoo’s 44 year-old dolphin, has been *tapping that fin* with mother-daughter dolphins April and Allie.

Allie, the daughter, is pregnant, and April, the mom, is sick with an undetermined disease. She’s sick enough the newspaper is pointing out she’s lived 16 years above average.

Dolphin shows at the zoo have been postponed indefinitely, both because April is sick and because Semo can’t stop rockin’ the cashbah. According to the PiPress:

“The presence of a female and a male is all it takes with dolphins,” said Kevin Willis, director of biological programs at the Apple Valley zoo. “Dolphins are a species that are pretty easy to breed. They’re big, and they do it often. They’re not shy or secretive.” …Parents found themselves even having to explain the dolphin trio’s behaviors to their kids, Willis said. The dolphins were so sexually distracted that trainers had to cancel their shows.

Now that’s good journalism, right there.

A mother-daughter love triangle (with voyeurs of all ages), resulting in quarantining and a baby expected in the spring. I’m telling you, our local zoo needs it’s own reality show.

From my inbox:

Current TV is coming back to Minneapolis as journalist Trace Crutchfield (also seen on Vice Broadcasting System) is taking the metro area by storm to see what happens outside of the convention halls.

“Unconventionally Yours with Trace Crutchfield” will provide local responses to the arrival of the conventions, decipher the mindset of participants, interview politicos and extremists, and explore the thoughts of attendants on the fringe (protesters and nay sayers).

From interviews with the Minneapolis Saint Paul 2008 Host Committee and Minnesotans for Change to show-goers at the Turf Club, Crutchfield is speaking to community members and politicians about this essential and hotly anticipated convention.

Crutchfield’s uninhibited reporting style delivers fresh political coverage for the 18 - 34 demographic. For an unflinching perspective on this election season, tune in to “Unconventionally Yours With Trace Crutchfield, Minneapolis-St.Paul” on Thursday, August 21, 10:30 p.m. EST/PST.

For more information, enjoy the trailer.

Finally made it! A few more photos here.

It turns out the Daily Show has purchased some advertising in the T.C. in preparation for the RNC. 

Apparently, the sign off of I-494 reads “Welcome rich, white oligarchs.” 

It’s about time someone shows a little kindness to the wealthy running the world.

I wish I had a picture.

[Via NickBusse and PioPress RNC Blog]

From the Metblog flickr pool.

Originally uploaded by Kurt Peters.

My favorite things about this photo (which you may have to view large to see), are the pile of papers along the window sill, the rotary phone, the reflection of the front door in the mirror, the giant wooden comb that says “Open” on it, and the little Swedish flag. If I were a guy, I’d want to find a joint like this to get my hair cut in.

Phil’s Barber Shop is located at 55th and Nicollet in Minneapolis and, unsurprisingly, does not have a website.

The annual Wings of the North Air Expo comes to Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie this weekend.

According to the Eden Prairie News:

AirExpo offers a chance to get up close and see a wide variety of aircraft. There are also vendors and displays, children’s activities, B-17 rides, antique aircraft and helicopter rides and a chance to meet aviation pioneers and heroes.

“I look at it as a community fair, that just happens to have an aviation theme,” added Jasperson.

As usual, a venerable who’s who of aviation will attend, this year including NASA space shuttle astronaut and mission commander Curt Brown and Korea F-86 ace Boots Blesse.

Also attending will be Doolittle Raiders ****** Cole and Tom Griffin, Jim Hill and Tom Emrich of the Black Sheep Squadron, Luftwaffe ace Gottfried Dulias, Tuskegee Airmen Joseph Gomer and Kenneth O. Wofford, Elizabeth Strohfus of the WASPs, Chuck DeBellevue, top U.S. ace from Vietnam and many others.

Aircraft expected include the B-17 Flying Fortress “Yankee Lady,” an F2G-1D Super Corsair, an AD5 Skyraider, Clay Adam’s 1929 Travel Air 4000, an L-39 Albatross, an L-29 Delphin, a T-6 and a Navy SNJ.

Attendance has ranged from a high of 15,000 four years ago, to about 3,000 last year, when steady rain throughout grounded all of the aircraft.

They’re right about last year, when it was so crappy and cold we didn’t even bother going even though I was psyched.

AirExpo2008 will be held at Flying Cloud Airport from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 16 and 17. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 8 to-12 and free for children younger than 8. More info here.

It’s Friday and I am ready for the weekend and I am ready for rock and roll.

What’s in your shuffle?

(Image courtesy of Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune )

The Star Tribune has a story today For sale: Historic Minneapolis home needing TLC that was inspired by local blogger Ranty (Connie Nompelis) whom wrote posts, Stolen Property  and PRESERVATION 911 , about one of our favorite homes in the T.C. the Bardwell-Ferrant house.

The former owner of the house, Mary Lou Maxwell, was my last landlord before I bought my first house. Mary had a keen eye for restoration and as a landlord was the best I ever had. Apparently, she spent $160,000 restoring the house just seven years ago and now a great deal of her restoration has been stolen or destroyed.

It’s a shame that such a terrific house fell victim to vandals and thieves, but it gives me hope knowing that someone like Connie is on the case. ( Even though Connie isn’t even the listing agent Via @dbrauer) I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the Bardwell-Ferrant house. If you know anyone looking for a fixer upper or if you want to be part of history I suggest giving Connie a call.

Way to go @Ranty !

Foshay Tower
Originally uploaded by epmd

It’s so pretty. So very, very pretty.

I’m really glad they decided to make this the most badass building on the Minneapolis skyline instead of tearing it down like every other building in Minneapolis over fifty years old.

According to the Star Tribune, “A motorist parks a vehicle in a parking lot and returns to find the window smashed and valuables missing. That’s the scenario that’s played out at least 10 times in the past two weeks in Wayzata.”

This is something I’m having a hard time feeling unsafe about, because these people were leaving purses and wallets in their cars in plain view. How much effort does it take to A) take your purse or wallet with you or B) tuck it under the seat? Seriously. Some people live in such isolation that it makes me *almost* glad this sort of thing happens. But not actually.