nine inch nails, nov 25 2008

Photo Originally uploaded Uploaded on November 26, 2008
by invisiblepilot

I was supposed to be Greg’s date for the NIN show, but the show was postponed. And hard as it is to believe some cooler kids than us got them for the make up show.

Did you go?

Was Trent looking old? How did they sound?

I want to hear about it.

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Sorry for the hiatus metbloggers; I just made the move from St. Paul to Minneapolis and am still sans personal Internets (so I write this from work while I scarf down my sandwich), as well as still buried in boxes.

As I mentioned when I first introduced myself to you fine folks, I’ve been super excited about all the new shops, restaurants, bars, parks, etc., that I get to scope out. First on my list?  The first day I can get my ass out of bed early enough to make a stop, I’m so hitting up the Wuollet’s at 50th and France on my way to work.  One of my favorite local radio sales reps used to bring these fabulous donuts into the office for myself and other colleagues at the ad agency where I used to work downtown. These left quite an impression and are absolutely to die for.  Maybe it’ll be my Friday morning treat in a couple of days…

On the topic of Things I Intend to Do, I’m hoping to get here for The New Standards Holiday Concert, sponsored by 89.3 The Current.

The Deets:

• When: Saturday, 12/6; 8PM
• Where: Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul
• Who (my faves - so far - are bolded): The New Standards (jazz trio) will be joined by musicians including Mason Jennings, Jeremy Messersmith, Electric Arc Radio, The Frantzich Brothers, The Warblers (Chris Osgood and Dave Ahl from Suicide Commandos), Lucy Michelle, Matt Wilson, and Jello Slave (Michelle Kinney and Jacqueline Ferrier-Ultan).
• Dollars: cost is $29 + $2.50 facility fee (discount available to MPR members!)

Now I just need to recruit a friend or two willing to fork out the change and join me.

In other 89.3 The Current-related news, PD Steve Nelson is moving to the news side of things as the Programming Director on that side.  His shoes are being filled by Jim McGuinn from WXPN in Philadelphia (which if memory serves me correctly, The Current did a little station swap with those nice folks over the summer to expose MN listeners to Philly music and vice versa… interesting…).  Get the details from CityPages here.

Our MB peers over at the Mumbai Metroblog are covering the terror attacks.

Their citizen journalism efforts were even mentioned in yesterday’s CNN story, “Tweeting the terror: How social media reacted to Mumbai“

The minute news broke of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai, India, social media sites like Twitter were inundated with a huge volume of messages…

With more than 6 million members worldwide, an estimated 80 messages, or “tweets,” were being sent to Twitter.com via SMS every five seconds, providing eyewitness accounts and updates.

Many Twitter users also sent pleas for blood donors to make their way to specific hospitals in Mumbai where doctors were faced with low stocks and rising casualties.

Others sent information about helplines and contact numbers for those who had friends and relatives caught up in the attacks. Tweeters were also mobilized to help with transcribing a list of the dead and injured from hospitals, which were quickly posted online.

As Twitter user “naomieve” wrote: “Mumbai is not a city under attack as much as it is a social media experiment in action.”

Neha Viswanathan, a former regional editor for Southeast Asia and a volunteer at Global Voices, told CNN, “Even before I actually heard of it on the news I saw stuff about this on Twitter.

“People were sending in messages about what they were hearing. There were at least five or six blogs from people who were trapped, or who were very close to what happened.”

One tweet from “Dupree” appeared to be coming from inside one of the hotels: “Mumbai terrorists are asking hotel reception for rooms of American citizens and holding them hostage on one floor.”

A group of Mumbai-based bloggers turned their Metroblog into a news wire service, while the blog MumbaiHelp offered to help users get through to their family and friends in the city, or to get information about them, and has had a number of successes.

Flickr also proved a useful source of haunting images chronicling the aftermath of the attacks. Journalist Vinukumar Ranganathan’s stream of photos were published by CNN and other major broadcasters. A Google Map showing the key locations and buildings with links to news stories and eyewitness accounts, and CNN’s iReporters flooded the site with their videos and images of the terror attacks.

The Mumbain Metrobloggers have 6 new posts up already today. Read the Mumbai Metroblog here.

WCCO has a story about how MN has outlawed mounting a GPS device on your windshield — even though it comes with suction cups just for the windshield and 49 other states allow it.

“We don’t want to have an obstructed view. Now in Minnesota, many times, our windows are frosted over and it’s difficult to see out of them, said Reinhardt.

His advice on how to safely mount your GPS: “If you have a spot that’s available that you can Velcro or attach it to your dash, that’s what I would do.”

I agree that mounting anything on your window in your line of vision is poor personal judgment, but what about suction-cup mounted cell phone holders, compasses or notepads? We better make laws for that too, Mommy Minnesota. (ps - there’s that slippery slope again).

Then it gets worse:

Reinhardt admits he has never ticketed a driver for breaking the GPS law…But his biggest concern isn’t that drivers can’t see out. It’s what thieves see when they look in.

“Once or twice a day I get a report that somebody broke into a car and the first thing they took was a GPS unit,” said Reinhardt. “With a GPS mounted on your windshield, it’s almost like throwing a $50 or $100 bill up on your dash.”

So the state is passing nanny state legislation to keep us from having expensive toys in the window that may entice a criminal to steal them?

Our politicians and police force must think Minnesotans lack any and all personal responsibility. Give me a break.

I’m going to go ahead and say the Minnesota Independent posted a confusingly stupid story today about Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak playing with a Barack Obama finger puppet.

Maybe Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak doesn’t really want a job with the Obama administration after all. In a YouTube video released this week, hizzoner momentarily toys with a small felt replica of the person who has the power (among other powers) to hire him. “These are finger puppets?” Rybak exclaims. “Barack Obama finger puppets? I love this!”

This momentary toying lasts approximately three seconds (from seconds 52 to 55 in the video), and shows a childlike enthusiasm for a silly toy with the likeness of a very popular president-elect. Mayor Rybak didn’t make the puppet dance, he didn’t make the puppet say anything, he didn’t even seem to really put the puppet on his finger. He picks it up, says “Oooo, neat!” and puts it down again. This is very much like something I would do, especially with the directive the mayor was probably given to be cheery and playful.

You know, I really like MnIndy. But seriously: WTF. This video–and finger puppet segment– is harmless at worst, and genuinely hilarious at best.

Want to try new places to eat around the Cities, but don’t know where to go?  Trying to save a few dollars by eating out less, and always on the lookout for the best deal?  Here’s an idea:

Online Restaurant Reservations website, OpenTable.com is currently running a great dining and culinary deal called the Appetite Stimulus Plan.

The idea is that diners and restaurants both benefit - those of us pinching pennies these days and eating out less can get great local food fare for a decent price, and the restaurants have a chance to show off their culinary prowess, reaching folks that may not have been there before. For a three-course meal, lunch is $24 and dinner is $35 (per person; not including beverage, tax or tip).

Over 40 restaurants are participating (the list can be found here)and diners can do either lunch or dinner (make sure you check the list to see who’s serving just one or both).

I wish I’d heard of this sooner - the last day for the deal is tomorrow.  If you’re still trying to decide what to do for Friday night’s dinner plans - check out the list and try some on of these great participating restaurants.

It’s easy to forget, but just two months ago, St. Paul played host to the Republican National Convention, which resulted in, not just the hottest VP nomination since Richard M. Johnson, but some of the largest protests, and subsequently the largest mass arrests the Twin Cities has ever seen. 400 people were arrested in the weeks leading up to the convention and over the first three days, but another 400 people were arrested in one day on September 4, the final day of the convention.

It probably would not surprise you to learn that I was one of those arrested.

It’s a little late to give a first hand account of what happened leading up to the arrests, though a friend of mine who accompanied me to the protest wrote a very stirring account herself, and it’s a little late to speak out on the bully tactics that the police used in handling the protesters, though City Pages author Matt Snyders does an excellent job recounting the tale.

But it’s not too late to complain: why haven’t I had my trial yet?

I was arrested at 8:30pm on September 4, with no less than ten men in riot gear pointing their guns at me. I had flash-bang grenades and tear gas shot at me. That is to say, shot directly at me - I actually had a flash-bag bounce off of me before it went off. I was yelled at, and told that if I didn’t put my hands on my head and drop to the ground, that they will open fire on me. I was then cuffed, and forced to sit on the curb for three and a half hours, sitting right next to a 16 year old girl, an old woman walking home, and three journalists from MTV, Colorado Public Radio, and the City Pages (the very guy who wrote the above-linked article). I was finally processed and taken to the Ramsey County Jail, where I had to wait another two and a half hours until I was finally issued my citation and released.

I went through a lot. Or rather, Ramsey County has gone through a lot to make sure that criminals like me are off the streets and not exercising our First Amendment rights. And yet, I’ve just gotten off the phone with the Ramsey County Courthouse, and have been informed that, after 76 days, I have not yet been charged with anything. “Oh, you will be,” I was told, “Don’t you worry. Just call back in two weeks.”

Meanwhile, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington is saying that while mistakes were made in the handling of the arrests at the RNC, “police tried hard to sort out innocent people and release them as soon as possible.” Yes, I was sitting next to three journalists, a 16 year old girl, and an old woman who was walking home. The old woman was carrying groceries. The journalists had RNC-certified credentials. The 16 year old girl was crying. And yet they all went to jail with me. In fact, when the City Pages journalist asserted that he was a journalist, he was ridiculed by a police officer, and told “Well, I heard that press are going to jail tonight anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”

Yup. Police sure tried hard to sort out the innocent people.

Today marks the first day of the infamous Senate recount, where election judges and campaign stooges will be going over, by hand, all 2.9 million votes in the US Senate race. According to Mark Richie’s website, they are not prepared to announce the final results of the recount until December 16, making this the last contest of 2008 (with Georgia’s runoff election on December 2 and Alaska no longer accepting absentee ballots as of today). This not only means that everyone and their dog are suddenly going to become interested in Minnesota, but everyone is suddenly going to become experts on Minnesota election law.

Take last Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal editorial. The Journal, using their vast, partisan brains, have deduced that since Norm Coleman’s lead has narrowed from 726 votes to 215 votes post-election, then obviously it’s because Al Franken has stolen the election. “This lopsided bleeding of Republican votes is passing strange considering that the official recount hasn’t even begun.” Never mind election judges have always gone over their figures post-election night and issued corrections thereafter. And never mind that Norm Coleman has actually gained 800 votes since election night, with Al Franken gaining 1,347, and Dean Barkley gaining 258. It’s not that Coleman lost votes - it’s that Franken has gained more.

I was listening to Dennis Prager on 100.3 last Sunday, as the only other thing on was a really attrocious DJ on the Current and A Prairie Home Companion on MPR. Prager was talking surprisingly fairly about the Minnesota recount, as he wasn’t accusing Franken of stealing votes and eating small children or anything. But he brought this alleged “expert” on Minnesota politics in on the show, who was asked “What does the Minnesota voter intent law mean?” He replied, “I don’t know.” Prager tried to prod him, and asked, “Well, does this mean that if you put an ‘X’ instead of filling in the bubble, that your vote will be counted?” He replied, “No.” Huh. Really?

For all of the experts who are being brought in to talk on Talk Radio about the recount, allow me to give you a little primer. First, Al Franken is not stealing votes, but is just getting more post-election corrections than Norm Coleman. Second, the Minnesota voter intent law means that an election judge and a representative from each party has to divine the intent of the voter, rather than establish whether they had filled in the ballot correctly. This means that if you put an “X” instead of filling in the bubble, then your vote is counted. If you circle your candidate’s name, then your vote is counted. If you scratch out every single other candidate’s name except for yours, then your vote is counted. If you draw a little picture if a man that looks like one of the three Senate candidates, then your vote is counted. Third, either representative from the respective campaigns can challenge a ballot, in which case it goes straight to the Minnesota Canvassing Board, where Richie and a technically bipartisan panel (there are no DFL appointed judges on the panel, only GOP and IP appointed judges) will make a final ruling on the ballot. Forth, once the recount is over, if it’s a tie, it comes down to a coin toss. No reelection: Minnesota state statute 204C.34 is very clear, the winner is determined by lot. Fifth, this is not Florida. Stop calling us that.

‘Tis the season, eh?

I love the holiday season. From right about now through January 2, I am in my element. I’m one of those people that loves good Christmas music, drives around looking at decorations, and every single year I make a list of people to send Christmas cards to (one of these years, I’ll actually send them).

I love all of the things that just feel like winter - hot chocolate, fireplaces, pumpkin pies, and red wine.

Bold, cozy, and rich, red wines were made for winter.  Kicking it up a notch, it’s also the perfect time for Port wines or, if they’re not “authentic” and actually from Portugal, wines in the style of port. (Port is essentially red wine fortified with brandy.)

(Photo Credit: Doniree)

A port-style wine worth noting here in the Cities, is Alexis Bailly’s Ratafia. Alexis Bailly vineyard (abvwines.com) sits on the south edge of Hastings, 35 miles south of St. Paul. The Ratafia is produced there and, as their website describes, is a fortified red wine with the addition of oranges and other herbs and spices.

If you’ve ever had one of those chocolate oranges that you have to smash against a table or a wall first to break it apart, you’ll get the hint of orange that I’m talking about with this beautiful apretif/dessert wine.

I’ve already gone through a bottle and will probably keep it stocked through at least New Year’s. It goes amazingly well with rich, dark chocolate, and I’ve also meant to use a cooking ingredient by poaching fruit with it.  The Alexis Bailly website includes a recipe for Ratafia Poached Peaches which I’ll likely serve up at a Christmas party next month. Other drink and food recipes are also suggested on the page.

If you like dessert wines, port-style wines, brandy or all of the above, check out the vineyard’s website website to see who carries it locally. (I do know that it’s carried at 1st Grand Ave Liquors at Grand Ave. and Milton St. in St. Paul.)

Alexis Bailly also offers tours and tastings (been there, done that, awesome!) throughout the year.  The next one coming up is their 2nd Annual Chocolate and Wine Tasting this Saturday, November 22 from 11am-5:30pm.  More details can be found here.

A fire pit and piles of wood stacked in the back yard of the O'Link family remind Jamie and Marty of a time when they romanticized the smell of wood smoke. (MPR Photo/Ambar Espinoza)

In multiple posts and comments, I told you the smoking ban, alley-walking ban and txting ban were part of a slippery slope of government interference in our lives. This is how we lose freedoms, I claim, one step at a time.

MPR has a story about a person who got emphysema because of exposure to wood smoke. I heard a different version of the story on KTLK-FM this morning. I really feel for the lady. She never smoked and has a smoker’s disease. I am sympathetic.

The story says her neighbors have agreed *not* to heat their homes with wood this year. That’s super nice of them. The local authorities didn’t require the entire neighborhood to go smoke free or anything. The neighbors did the right thing for this special case. Kudos!

However, the MPR story shows a picture of a fire ring with the caption, “A fire pit and piles of wood stacked in the back yard of the O’Link family remind Jamie and Marty of a time when they romanticized the smell of wood smoke.”

WAIT a minute…that’s a leap from one person’s exposure to wood-heated homes to a fire ring outside, right? Well, I guess it is all smoke…so that means….Alarm bells are going off here. This connection, coupled with the anti-wood smoke news report skew I heard this morning, suggests “particulate matter in the air” from burning materials of any sort is the next target of the nanny state.

I’m going to make a prediction that soon our state’s consumer protectionism nazis will be at it again. Pretty soon using an outdoor stove, fire ring or using an indoor fireplace will be under attack. Maybe even charcoal grills!?!

“We didn’t know that the wood smoke was bad to inhale,” the public will cry. State Attorney Generals will sue the big box stores who sell patio fire rings. Weber Grills have to fund thousands to research a smokeless smoker. Cracker Barrel, the restaurant chain known for it’s expansive wood-burning fireplaces, will go out of business. Local campgrounds will face class-action suits from the last 10 years of campers who unknowingly exposed themselves to wood smoke while cooking their S’mores.

It’s only a matter of time before your home fireplace will be regulated down to gas-only. I hope I’m wrong, but I predict that burning wood, both indoors and out, will become the next scarlet letter of the nanny state police.

Put *that* in your pipe and smoke it.