Minneapolis Metblogs » JasonT

Maybe Florenz can make some more Follies

JasonT — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:05:37 +0000

One industry that still seemed to flourish during the Great Depression was Hollywood, with people still attending movies in droves (guess there weren’t that many cars–how many does a drove hold anyway?) to get a little bit of escape from their hardships. We may not be in a depression yet, but you can pretend it’s that era when you go to one of my favourite theaters in the Twin Cities: The Heights. Built in 1926 by Arthur Gluek, it’s a beautiful place to see a movie, and when they show the classics, you can feel like you’ve truly been transported to another era. At the Heights, you can regularly watch film treasures from all eras they way they were meant to be shown.

I loved the Oak Street for the movies they showed, but I have to be honest, the building itself left me pretty cold. Back when it was being run well, the schedule made up for the fact that the building was in terrible disrepair. There were times when I’d want to see every movie playing for weeks at a time there. But the Oak Street is not what it was, of course.

The Heights! Such a great name for a venue that is the pinnacle of classic theaters in the Twin Cities. I’ve seen so many epics there, like Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus, Gone with the Wind, and the Adventures of Robin Hood. And now, they’re going to show Casablanca on 12 February! I’ve seen Casablanca at the Uptown and the Oak Street, and wish (oh, how I wish) I could go see it at the Heights, but alas, I’ll be out of town. Fortunately, I will be in town for the Universal Pictures film noir series that starts the following Monday, and continues for the next four Mondays afterwards, featuring SEVEN film classics! Two of the Mondays are double features! Have I mentioned that I love this place?

Next, they’re going to hide all the books

JasonT — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:09:05 +0000

Yesterday, the Hennepin County Library system merged the websites for HCL and Minneapolis Public Library. The catalogs and accounts are still separate, but the URL for the Minneapolis Library redirects to HCL. It’s one of the steps they’re taking to merge the two online systems, which, from what I’ve heard, they’re undertaking with absolutely no money available to them. Changes that I’ve found include a “Welcome, Minneapolis website users!” message on the front page, and when you click on the Library Catalog or My Account links, you’re given the option to look at either the HCL or MPL sections of the site (you can also select one of those as your default).

If you select the Minneapolis catalog, you’re taken to the Minneapolis catalog website, which always seemed to be separate from the MPL website. However, if you go to view the My Account section, and you select Minneapolis, you type in your library card number and PIN. You’re then only given two pieces of information about your account: the number of items you have checked out and how much you owe in fines. It may tell you if you have any items overdue, but since I don’t currently have any, I can’t be sure about that. If you want any other detail, like which books you have out, when they’re due, or if you want to renew them, you’re directed to log in to the MPL catalog, which means you type in your card number and PIN again.

I know I’m not a typical library user, often having books out from 3 or 4 different library systems (the most I’ve had out were books from 6 of the TC systems at once–Mpls, St Paul, Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties), so I’ve added bookmarks to all the separate library systems to my browser’s toolbar. I’m going to be editing the MPL bookmark to take me directly to the MPL catalog, sidestepping the hoops needed to jump through to get to it going through the HCL page. This might skew their website statistics, especially if many of their website users do this. But I’m a heavy user of the various library catalogs, enough that I’ve actually memorized my library card number, and I’m going to set things up to make it easier for me to navigate the systems whenever possible.

As an aside, I recently posted on my own blog about certain publishing industry woes, and wondering what effect the various economic downturns will have on public libraries

The lament of a new fan

JasonT — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:48:49 +0000

I finally figured out what was going on, how the team has four tries to move the ball ten yards, that they’ll usually try to run it first, then pass it, then punt it. I have to be honest, the sport of football has always confused me, like when the clock keeps going and when it stops, why they run for three seconds and then walk around for five minutes. But yesterday, I finally figured it out, watching the Vikings get beat down by the Eagles. I tell you, the Vikings seem to be a team that can regularly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Occasionally, despite their best efforts, they do win. But not yesterday, and the fans leaving the Metrodome, upon being asked what they thought of the game, regularly responded with “Fire Childress”, according to what I heard on MPR this morning.

This is the first season where I’ve watched games regularly, going over to my friends place to watch the game on the big screen HDTV, where you can see individual beads of sweat. He also has surround sound, where the noise from the crowd is in the rear channel, so you actually hear the Metrodome fans behind you. If many viewers have set ups like these, it’s no wonder that they had trouble selling tickets to avoid the blackout. But they did sell those tickets, with a day to spare. I don’t know if they discounted the tickets in the final days or not, but according to the Star Tribune, it was all the fans this time; no corporation or local station bought the block of tickets.

A follow-up item on MPR was about budget plans for Minnesota, and Pawlenty talking about his priorities being Military and Vetarans Affairs, Public Safety, and then K-12 Education. A new Vikings stadium with state money definitely is not part of the agenda. Ain’t it a shame…I’m sure the Vikings could use something to cheer them up.

Can’t get a car loan? There’s always the bus…or is there?

JasonT — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:50:29 +0000

I’m a big advocate of public transit, so I was quite dismayed when I heard on MPR this morning that Metro Transit is looking at an 80 to 90 million dollar deficit over the next several years. Metro Transit’s funding is ironically tied to new vehicle sales, so the more cars people buy, the more money…the…bus…system…gets? Right. Makes…sense? Anyway, since people can’t get financing to buy cars, since gas prices were high, since everyone is feeling a pinch, people aren’t buying cars, and they’re riding the bus instead. So ridership is up! Great! But now funding is down! The options currently seem to be either get new funding from the legislature (unlikely), cut service and raise fares yet again (even odds). Any bets on how long this will delay the University light rail corridor?

Rally for Marriage Equality and protest against Proposition 8

JasonT — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 17:19:55 +0000

There are protests taking place from coast to coast tomorrow to show national dismay at the passing of Proposition 8 in California, as well as similar constitutional amendments banning marriage equality in Florida and Arizona. With the passage of these three initiatives, 30 states have now amended their constitutions, restricting marriage as an opposite gender privilege. A fourth state, Arkansas, passed a law banning unmarried couples from adopting children or being foster parents.

Rallies are taking place in downtown Minneapolis at 12:30pm in front of the Hennepin County Government Center, and at 3pm in Saint Paul on the south steps of the State Capitol Building. Join the Impact has more information about these rallies, as well as others going on across the country.

Matthew Shepard vigil tonight in Loring Park

JasonT — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:11:19 +0000

At 6:30 pm, Loring Park will host a remembrance gathering for the 10-year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death. His mother, Judy Shepard, will be speaking during the candle-light vigil, and afterwards, a benefit reading of “The Laramie Project” will be held at the Women’s Center. Proceeds from the reading will go to benefit the Matthew Shepard Foundation, an anti-hate group.

Matthew Shepard died 10 years ago yesterday, after being brutally attacked and tied to a fence post in freezing temperatures. I was studying in Spain at the time, and the newspapers were full of stories about him and his attackers.

GLBT science fiction convention coming to Twin Cities

JasonT — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:55:15 +0000

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?

Around Lake Calhoun on a Sunday afternoon

JasonT — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 03:48:39 +0000

Who knows how many nice days we have left this year, so my friends and I took advantage of the wonderfully warm weather, and walked around Lake Calhoun. The wind on the north side of the lake was taken advantage of by windsurfers when we started around; I counted 10 surfriders out on the water, just booking across. The leaves were amazing. Who says you have to drive out of the city to look at the leaves? We have our own arboreal firework display right here in Uptown. Get out there and look while you can, the Winter Carnival will be here before you know it.

FallCon comic book convention

JasonT — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:27:03 +0000

Speaking of jewelry, I bet you could pick up a Wonder Woman pin, or a Superman belt buckle at FallCon, the annual two-day comic book convention put on by the Midwest Comic Book Association. This year is the 20th anniversary, so it’s being moved from its regular digs in the Education Building to the Grandstand. There are going to be more guests and more vendors, so hopefully I’ll get even more deals this time. If you can stand to wait six months, those comics that would cost you three bucks when they’re brand new, usually drop to a buck at the convention.

I’m particularly excited this year, because one of the guests is Don Rosa. That name may not mean a lot to most people, but he’s the current writer and artist behind the majority of the Disney Duck comics, like Uncle Scrooge. He’ll be doing a panel on Sunday:

1PM to 2PM: THE MAN, THE MYTH & THE DUCK – DON ROSA – A rare opportunity to meet one of the most accomplished & definitive Disney Duck artists of all time! A casual Ducky discussion with Don Rosa. A creative genius and also a fairly decent guy!

Really looking forward to the convention this year!

Art open house in the South Metro

JasonT — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:18:04 +0000

My mom makes dichroic glass jewelry and knitted felted bags and sells them at small art fairs around town. I think the biggest she’s been in is one in Northfield. I think she’s going to try to get into Powderhorn or Loring for next year. She and a group of other artisans are holding an Open House in Rosemount to sell their creations tomorrow. Other items for sale will be handmade teddy bears, raku pottery, suede designs and block print watercolors. If you’re in Dakota County tomorrow, and want to support local independent artisans, visit this informal collective’s open house, at the home of Laura Lybek (who makes the teddy bears), at 4463 Derrymoor Ct, Rosemount, MN 55068, from 9am to 4pm.

Open House flier