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?

Andy Driscoll is the host of KFAI’s Truth to Tell, a show I have come to love and a must-listen for anyone who is curious about the issues we face in the Twin Cities metro. While something about Andy’s voice vaguely creeps me out, dude has been around a long time, knows his stuff, and knows all the players.

Apparently Archbishop John Nienstedt’s cancellation of St. Joan of Arc’s Pride celebration got Andy’s dander up. This commentary is included in the show notes. I’ve not yet listened to the 6/25/08 episode of TTT (”Sexual Violence and Offenders” is the topic), but I presume he read it on air as well.

A Question for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Let us digress for a moment to ask this question of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: what in God’s name is going on with you people that you feel compelled to impose some Neanderthal view of sexuality and sexual orientation as if Jesus Christ himself would condemn all who don’t reproduce, never mind their deep devotion to their Lord and their church? What earthly, let alone, heavenly, harm - other than Archbishop John Nienstadt’s personal and professional disgust with gays and Lesbians, could possibly be driving this idiotic intervention over St. Joan of Arc’s annual celebration and worship of Gay Pride week in the Twin Cities? Is the Church so insulated from public view that it doesn’t sense the rank hypocrisy of this unwarranted authoritarian exercise in light of its own clergy’s sexual history?

Now, I haven’t practiced pure Catholicism in 50 years, but I’ve watched my former faith take ten steps backward recently for every inch gained in behalf of the seriously wanting human condition over those years and cannot help but wonder if Christ himself isn’t turning over in his heavenly home over this prehistoric return to religious fascism.

St. Joan of Arc has been a model of Vatican II principles, providing an overarching cover for all Catholics, including the disaffected, welcoming all of God’s children under its large umbrella. That congregation and others of similar bent are getting hammered into submission by a theoretically celibate male hierarchy which apparently believes that a return to the catacombs is the only way to maintain its iron-fisted authority over purely personal choices to somehow stave off the devil’s entrapment.

What nonsense. And a truly sad commentary on a religious government that was showing such promise that it could live up to its name: Catholic. The name literally means universal, all-encompassing. Universal includes everyone exercising their free will under the teachings and example of their Lord himself. So. Since when did a few men with robes assume the authority to define that term for their own narrow application?

Shame on you, Your Excellency. This will backfire big time, as it has for so many years in other arenas of dicta, driving many Catholics into exile and cynicism.

©2008 Andy Driscoll

Amen, Andy!

Jesse Ventura was on Wait Wait (NPR’s “oddly informative news quiz”) back in May.

Metronet Library Wire. “Metronet is one of seven state-funded multitype library networks created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1979. Unlike the regional public library systems, which were also established that same year, the multitype networks serve all types of libraries—school, public, college and university and special libraries—in their respective regions. Metronet’s region is the seven county metropolitan area including the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul.”

Am I crazy, or did KFAI.org get a design refresh? I suppose both could be true.

Aaron says Electra Tune is a great place to have your car serviced.

live.eat.play.twin cities celebrates the perfect Minnesota summer night.

Johnny Northside has a marketing plan for North Minneapolis. It’s pretty detailed, and with a counter-point/counter-counter-point in the comments. (via The Deets)

David Brauer tells us why the oxo-biodegradable bags the STrib is now delivered in are not actually that environmentally friendly.

MNspeak now requiring registration to comment. And y’all complained when we did it.

Bob Collins loves the blimp. I assumed it was here for that golf tournament thingy that was going on all week.

At a minimum, the Urban Renaissance Coalition blog is always good for a frothy rant on the issue of the day. More often than not, it’s a case of well-placed righteous anger that’s just a little bit lacking in coherent argument. Por ejemplo: “Minneapolis Community Engagement … Why is this so difficult” and “Juneteenth shooting .. Where is the outrage”

Graeme Thickins has the scoop on the Minnesota Cup business plan competition at Minnov8. Semifinalists were named last week.

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.

I don’t know about you, but at the end of the week I count on some music to help me unwind. I like to set the iPod on shuffle and listen.

Image This World Fair @ First Ave (Set)  Uploaded on June 11, 2008
by Tim Carlson MPLS.

What are you listening to?

Monday evening, June 16!

This announcement from Flak Radio co-host James Norton:

We’re doing a live taping of Flak Radio this Monday, June 16, at the Ritz Theater in Northeast — 345 13th Ave NE Minneapolis. The action gets rolling around 6:15 with a live reading by Lit6’s Geoff Herbach.

Our big guest is Doug Hoverson, beer expert/author (“Land of Amber Waters”), and we’ll have music by DJ Soviet Panda. There’ll be an awesome Flak Radio quiz (audience members as contestants!) and all manner of hijinks.

Admission is free.

While we may not have it as bad as Iowa, according to the Chaska Herald:

The heavy rains are pushing up the level of the Minnesota River, which will reach flood stage at Chaska by Friday, according to Tim Wiebe, public works superintendent.

Flood stage at Chaska is about 18 feet, and it is predicted that Chaska will crest at 24 feet, or six feet above flood stage.

Public Works crews are closing two of the city’s three flood gates, and turning on pumps, shooting rainwater over the gates.

Hopefully by the end of the following week, we’ll be out of flood stage,” Wiebe said. “Right now, the water should be … nearing Athletic Park – nearing the outfield grass,” Wiebe said, adding, Time will tell.”

The river has already reached flood level at Chaska once this year.

Current weather forecast shows rain this weekend and next weekend -ack!  I just bought a house in the Chaska flood plain, and while it’s a stellar community, I’m definitely planning to purchase flood insurance.

(photo from livingincarveracounty via CC attribution)

Peter Fleck has a good first blush on the National Conference of Media Reform, so I’m not gonna reinvent that wheel.

Free Press site has links to all the major keynotes and plenary sessions from the National Conference for Media Reform and I think they are uploading video of all the sessions this week (and beyond—there were so many excellent sessions and it’s probably going to take some time). Here’s the video archive. Local folks will want to listen to Keith Ellison’s impassioned plea around reform and Janice Lane Ewart’s [sic] (KFAI Radio) opening address. Bill Moyers’ and Dan Rather’s vids are up too. Watch for Naomi Klein, Amy Goodman, Shá Cage, Arianna Huffington, and Van Jones. For a twitterful view of the NCMR check Twemes. [Erica’s note: Or Summize.] The official tag for the conference was NCMR2008.

The Minnesota Independent (formerly Minnesota Monitor/MnMon and henceforth known as MnIndy) has a wrap-up, including audio from sessions MnIndy folks participated in.

The Uptake has spectacular footage. The best of the best is the FOX News ambush of PBS’s Bill Moyers and coverage of the Live From Main Street Town Hall which took place Sunday afternoon after the conference. Find the full program in the on-demand content at their Mogulus channel and clips at their blip.tv channel [1] [2] [3] [4].

I’ve got a rough cut of my notes from the sessions I attended over at my place.

Never did find out what was up with the polar bear.

Yes, thousands and thousands of free books at the Minneapolis Public Library. You just have to take care of them and return them when you’re done reading them. And that’s what I’m doing today, returning books and DVDs, and checking out new ones at several of our local libraries. I’m hitting three for sure, the Franklin, Hosmer and Walker branches. I could request all the books be sent to the Central library, and pick them all up there, but it’s a nice day for a scooter ride, and I can visit several parts of our fair city at the same time. Technically, it’s all part of the Hennepin County Library system, but that’s still pretty much in name only, until sometime in the next couple of years when the catalogs and collections merge. And if you’re out and about tomorrow, visit some of the libraries that are now open on Sunday, thanks to the Hennepin County Baseball Park tax fund. I stopped by the Augsburg Park library on Nicollet and 71st last week, the first Sunday it was open. Not many people were there, and it was pretty quiet. Find one of the libraries on the list, and swing by while you’re taking a walk or bike ride through the neighbourhood.

Gossip. Sweet,delicious, gossip.

 It’s nectar and it’s poison. I guess it depends on your tastes and immunity. Me? Mostly I can’t stand the stuff, unless it’s about someone else.

I was going to post a Flikr photostream image today, I’ve had my eye on a few, but quick draw McGreg beat me to the draw with a waterfall.  You won this round park patron, but I’ll be back. 

So now I have to turn to the sultry and juicy world of gossip VIA:MNspeak, OMG! Fashionist Fracas @ 50th & France!.

Which raises a few questions. Is JACC really desperate to make deadline? Is anyone as incoherent as Marsh? Am I required to do an obligatory C.J. and Melly shout out? If a local t.v. station were to do a soap opera which archetype would you play?

All this and more, next week with, As The Metblogs Turn.