What do you look for in a candidate for public office? Lots of people look for a proven record of experience and leadership. Sound judgment in times of great stress is another strong qualification for any candidate, most people would say. Another thing to look for is whether your candidate shares your political philosophy. It is this last criterion which Rahn V. Workcuff hopes informs your vote for Hennepin County Soil and Water Supervisor (Seat 3).

In his Star Tribune candidate profile–for Soil and Water Supervisor (Seat 3)–Mr. Workcuff writes

I strongly agree that a marriage should be only between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of same sex marriages. I strongly agree that all MN residence [sic] should have affordable health insurance. even if it means new or added cost to businesses. I strongly agree that we dont [sic] need anymore [sic] increase in taxes, we are all ready [sic] being taxed to death. I strongly agree that an increase of funding should be put towards educating our children in grade k - 12. I strongly agree funding should be allocated toward natural resources conservation.

Dude, this is straight out of a Dead Milkmen song. Do you know what the queers are doing to our soil?! Because evidently Rahn V. Workcuff does.

(photo stolen shamelessly from the Star Tribune)

More on the GOP shopping spree which Erica mentioned.
The Atlantic is reporting it was Jeff Larson that did the shopping for Palin in Sarah Palin’s Personal Shopper.

 
Does the name Jeff Larson sound familiar? It should. Larson is the Karl Rove protégé who’s a principal in the robocalling firm of FLS Connect (the “FLS” stands for Tony Feather, Jeff Larson, and Tom Syndhorst, all veteran Republican political operatives). Larson’s firm is the same one that launched the scurrilous robocalls against John McCain in 2000, and that McCain has now hired to make robocalls connecting Barack Obama to Bill Ayers. He’s also well known in Minnesota for leasing his basement apartment at a steeply discounted rate to embattled Republican Senator Norm Coleman. Evidently, Larson also has quite the eye for women’s fashion.

Apparently Mr.Larson has a place in Oakdale. Hey Jeff, if you feel like buying someone else suits I’m just down McKnight a piece. Stop on over and we’ll talk hair.

Have you heard? It’s two weeks until Election Day! I’ve picked who I’m voting for in all of my districts, for senate, and for president. Chances are you have too.

But, there’s another line on the ballot: Yes or No?

The question, of course, is whether to amend the state constitution to include the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy amendment. This amendment would create a 3/8 of one percent sales tax (38 cents per 100 dollars), all of which would go to the arts and the outdoors (about 2/5 to the arts and 3/5 to the outdoors). That, according to detractors, could be as much as 11 billion dollars over the course of the amendment’s 25-year lifespan.

It’s two weeks out, and I’m still undecided on this question.

So, where’s the problem? The two biggest aspects of Minnesota’s astronomical quality of life are our Edenesque lakes, forests, rivers, and prairies, and our “new New York” arts scene (music, visual arts, theater, film, dance, lit, we have it all). Minnesota is the perfect state because of these two things specifically. Surely these things deserve only the cushiest of budgets!

I have two hesitations. But before I get to those, let me totally debunk what both the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press have said against this amendment.

The Pioneer Press says,

We cannot see the future and we do not know what challenges Minnesota will face. Locking in spending through the state Constitution, as this proposal does, reduces the state’s ability to respond to those unknown problems.

And the Star Tribune says,

Moving Minnesota toward a system of constitutional amendments to formulate funding would lock legislators and the governor into budgetary decisions that they are elected — and paid — to make. And with an anticipated recession and the resulting revenue shortfall expected over the next biennium, it will be more important than ever for elected officials to make the tough calls.

This is just dumb. The state budget will be the same if this amendment passes or fails. This amendment includes a tax increase, not a tax diversion; these arguments make it sound like it’s a tax diversion. Your pie will be the same size, and the cuts you make when times get really bad will be no different. It’s not like you’d have had those millions of dollars each year to put somewhere else. This amendment puts extra money aside for just this reason.

But, like I said. I’m still not sure. Here are my two problems: precedent and accountability.

I was not here in 2006 to vote on the transportation amendment. Had I been, I would have voted a very vigorous “No!” because the constitution is the absolute wrong place for that kind of legislation. But it’s in there now. So, some might say the precedent has already been set, that we have, in fact, re-imaged our constitution to be a place where we not only describe the functions of our government and the rights of our people, but our spending priorities as well. This is not exactly the case. Yet. If we vote “Yes” this year, I believe this re-imaging will be locked in place for quite a while, and we can expect to see something come down the line from the education people, the health care people, and who knows, maybe the State Mime Laureate people. (As an aside: Hey, maybe that’s not such a bad thing. But maybe it is.)

The other question is one of accountability. Maybe it’s not much money per person, but this is still tax money we’re talking about. I have not yet seen any mechanism for how this money will be spent accountably. What if, ten years from now, $300 million goes to bulldoze 100 acres of forest to build a large warehouse that will house the world’s first indoor Outdoor Experience? I want an accountable (i.e. elected or appointed by elected officials) advisory committee to say “Hell no! That’s crazy!”

I will leave it at that. I was hoping writing this post would help me sort things out in my mind. It has not. I still really want to pay 3/8 of one cent per dollar I spend on items and have that go to the best parts about the state that I love. I also want it the hell out of the constitution.

Please, in the comments section, convince me!

(And no, I can’t pussy out and abstain. That’s the same as a “No” vote.)

The 20th anniversary of Gaylaxicon just happened this past weekend in the Washington DC area, so it’s only a year until the convention comes to the Twin Cities for the first time. I’ve never been to one, but some friends of mine go every year, and for the TC event, they’ve talked me into helping out with it. We’re getting authors Margaret Weis, Andy Mangels and Lawrence Schimel in, as well as local out gay wrestler and Scooby-Doo comics writer, Terrance “The Spider-Baby” Griep as the guests of honor, as well as many local writers and artists. It’s going to be at the Saint Louis Park Doubletree on October 9th through 11th, 2009.

Today is the last day for early registration, so if you register for the convention today, you can save a few bucks. With which you can buy more beer. Doesn’t that sound like a great idea?

So it’s almost been a year since the statewide ban went into effect, and the Minneapolis ban went into effect back in 2005. I haven’t heard much griping lately and according to this Pioneer Press article a majority of people agree with it.

I personally enjoy going to see a band in a club and not having a hazy nicotine hangover and being able to go outside and cool get some fresh air during the night is also a great even though I am not going out to smoke.

I also like to bring my kids to a restaurant and not have smoke drifting over from the smoking section. Has anyone seen any adverse effects - Bars closing, less tips for waitpeople, etc…

It doesn’t sound like it from the article, besides the fall in revenue from the pulltabs. Plus it looks like the health factor cannot not be denied. Hip Hip Hooray for the smoking ban!!

Smokers feel free to blast this post.

It’s time again in Minnesota for a change of seasons and all that comes along for the ride: leaves are turning colors, sunflowers are starting to droop, the pumpkins are getting orange, and people are changing up their routines.

One thing that never changes around here is wanting to turn up the music and rock out the weekend.

Along The Greenway

(photo originally uploaded by epmd )

Although, my palette does seem to have changed a bit. I’ve switched from white wines to red, I’m now craving heavier foods, and summer songs just don’t sound the same.

Are there any songs that defined your summer?

What’s in your shuffle?

This year’s McNally Smith River Rocks Festival was a success on all levels. It had it all; great music, awesome weather, beautiful atmosphere, two stages of entertainment, and an outdoor festival sound quality that I’ve only heard in a few outdoor venues around the country. The Gorge Amphitheatre comes to mind.

Although, on the surface this was a musical festival just like any other, upon closer examination it was an exploration of diversity and culture wrapped up in Minnesotan influences: from the “Nordic stock” that Mike Doughty claimed as his heritage as he flirted with the crowd, to the Puerto Rican infuesed grooves on history and life by Maria Isza, and the intelligent composition of the Heiruspecs.

Sure, this festival also had historical dream concerts put on by The Roots and Semisonic.

When I spoke with college co-founder Jack McNally, who was more  Richard Branson meets Ty Webb than stuffy college founder, I began to realize this show really was a tribute to the students. He spoke of their hard work, dedication, and help putting it all together. He spoke of their diversity, from the metal bands,to the classical ensembles, to the classical ensembles that may play Led Zepplin sets, and he spoke of their promising Hip Hop community and being one of the few colleges in the world that offers a music degree in Hip Hop. And while I did give Jack plenty of opportunity to expound on the college and it’s unique and ever growing influence with music, he continued to speak about the students.

Jack, I like you, hook up some Twitter.

So after several great shows, interviews with fans and musicians, and that little extra something something that comes with all outdoors festivals; I came to the conclusion that River Rocks is probably the best Minnesota outdoors music festival and I got an idea of just how much the students contributed to the whole show; from help with the infrastructure,to band selection, and giving performances. Lock, stock, and two smoking barrels of action packed stage performance.

I get the feeling River Rocks is getting better every year and with the reasonable prices I have a hard time imagining why anyone would miss out. I only hope that next year I can make it to all the shows.

Read the reviews, interviews, and see some pics: The Roots, Mike Dougty, Maria Isa, Semisonic,and Heiruspecs.

Read more

After a hare of a first weekend, I’m trying to tortoise my way to the end of the Fringe. Is there really still four days left? And two of them are weekend days?

Tonight’s Fringe Central fun: DJ. Starting at midnight. Think First Avenue, not wedding. Finish your last show, head to the Bedlam for snacks, then shake your groove thang.

On to the reviews.

The Jamal Lullabies by Emily Conbere and East River Commedia
I didn’t really know what to expect from this show. All I know is if it had the name Jamal in the title, it probably had something to do with black folks and you just don’t see that that often in Minnesota, much less in the Fringe Festival. So I was interested because it was different, but I hadn’t committed to it until I saw Bill Stiteler recommend it on Twitter, saying that this particular show is not getting the love it deserved. He was totally right! So of course, I was not expecting a show about a memorial to a drug dealer named Jamal Slims Hall to be performed by four white women. But I got over that pretty quickly. The thing that really blew me away: The singing is excellent. Tight four-part harmonies (I’m in a choir, I dig that kind of stuff). And it really is funny. And touching, too. I was totally engaged throughout the entire show, and that has only happened a handful of times so far this Fringe. Recommended! Still playing at the Southern Theater on Friday, 8/8, at 10pm and on Sunday, 8/10, at 1pm.

EMISSARY’S N.O.W. by EMISSARY
We picked this one because it looked “different” and you can only handle so many one-woman monologue shows. So in a complete 180, this show has no plot. The show descriptions says it’s a “fusion of sound design, original spoken narrative as word design, live piano performance and body movement.” One reviewer called it a collage of media. The thing is, with all those aforementioned elements going on at once, I found it hard to catch it all. I gave up on trying to really understand the deeper meaning and just enjoyed the background music which was some groovy deep house type stuff. There was also a pretty cool marionette scene with a guy on stilts directing another dancer. I wanted to be the guy running the sound board, who sat with his back to the audience through the entire show. It was an experience that I’m glad I’ve had but I wouldn’t voluntarily have it again. Don’t use up your precious few remaining time slots on it.

War of Worlds: The Musical - A Tribute to Old-Time Radio by Hometown Theatre
It’s War of the Worlds, with a twist. They had the old-time radio thing down pat. My girlfriend liked the crazy scientist the best. I liked the Martians the best. Having seen the Fringe-For-All preview, I knew there was going to be a Martian, but I had to wait all the way until the end for that pay off. It was fun and easy. Nice to enjoy a show without having to think too hard. I’d say go see it, but if you have other ones you’ve been waiting for, go see those first.

Further miscellaneous observations…

What little local and national mainstream media I’ve consumed this week has all mentioned the upcoming “4th of July” holiday in one way or another (weather, sports, recreational events, etc).

And it got me thinking about something that concerns me every year around this time…Why is Independence Day, arguably one of our country’s most sacred and important holidays, the only holiday we refer to by the day of the year?

No one calls Halloween the Thirty-First of October or Christmas the Twenty-Fifth of December. That would sound odd now, wouldn’t it? Yet Independence Day has become the Fourth of July in popular culture almost unapologetically.

As our culture and media increasingly focus more on vacation, barbecues, fireworks, Taste of Minnesota, parades, et al, I often feel it’s disrespectful and irreverent to fog over the true meaning of Independence Day in the name of political correctness.

True, the adoption of the Declaration of Independence is associated with July 4, 1776 — the day our forefathers declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain in one document that summed up provisions of Natural Law and principles of justice.

And while much has been written about the decision to seek independence rather than seeking traditional colonist rights as British subjects, I think we tend to forget about the sacrifices made to have the freedom to partake in cheese curds at Taste each year on July 4th.

What do you think?

I’m a huge fan of the Minnesota Zoo. I’ve been going there since before I could walk and have been a member of the Zoo for five years now. We know it so well now that my family will now go just to see one exhibit, just check out the farm, or maybe only look at the monkeys and eat a picnic lunch.

This weekend was our first trip to the zoo since their new Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit opened, and since I’ve been avoiding all news coverage and conversation about it on purpose, I went in with a completely fresh perspective.

First off, the new water sculpture in the main plaza in front of the monorail station is beautiful and extremely functional. Note to self: pack extra dry clothes for the kiddo next time.

Even the new manhole covers are decorative.

Upon entering the new exhibit, I immediately recalled memories of the National Zoo in DC — particularly around the panda exhibit, with its cavernous walkway and audio sound effects added to the aural mix.

The sea otter exhibit features floor to ceiling windows, so you can get a good look at the frisky critters underwater. But I’m less enamored with otters and headed straight for the grizzlys. As we entered the brown bear exhibit, the most noticeable thing was all of the people jammed into an exhibit at 10 a.m. on a Saturday. The zoo was a happening place, and this was the exhibit of the day.


One of the three bears (Sadie, Haines and Kenai, all orphaned as cubs in Alaska), was sitting calmly in front of the glass watching the crowd. He was almost more interested in us than we were in him. The other two playfully wrestled toward the back of the exhibit. I’m not sure if mornings are just better for active animals — maybe the weather was just perfect — but all the animals we encountered were extremely active and affable.


And look how close you can get to them:

After the grizzly exhibit is a children’s play area where kids can dig up bones in the sand. After brushing the sand out of my sandals, we headed over to the wild boars, which were actually much smaller than I thought they would be. I’m picturing Mason Verger feeding Hannibal Lecter to them and just not buying it so much now.

The last animals in the exhibit, the amur leopards, were hiding. There was a small sign that stated they were still adjusting to their new environs. If they’re anything like my cats after a big move, they’ll take another week or so to come out of hiding.

Although last summer’s Minnesota Trail redux was a newish highlight worth checking out, I can say Russia’s Grizzly Coast is worth the “unbearable” trip to Apple Valley in itself.