Star Tribune's Weatherman is Bored

I've heard many different descriptions of weather here. I've never heard, until now, it described as "hazy moonlight." How about you?

Barack Obama Rally, Minneapolis, MN

more images from rally behind link

Minnesotans are passionate about their politics. I think that might be as a result of having such an educated electorate. The founders intended the United States would have an active, educated electorate. Over the years, with the rising cost of education, the electorate has become more and more dumbed down. Reactionary instead of proactive, one might say. This year really feels different. This year, it feels as though, people have said enough is enough of the same ol' same ol'.

Today was dedicated to Barack Obama. I was up late last night working on homework and wasn't up and in line for the rally as early as I'd intended. This might have been a great thing. My feet are still sore. As an precinct coordinator, we were given special green tickets that put us on the floor, giving us a better view, and yet battering our poor feet. Brad and I arrived at 11:30 knowing that doors were opening at 1:30. Doors opened closer to 2:30 and by 4:30 just then was Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak introducing Jane Freeman, the widow of former Minnesota governor Orville Freeman, who at 87-years-old was awfully spry as she finally introduced Mr. Obama.

Mr. Obama's message had a different tone today, more in line with John Edwards populist message. It's only natural that Mr. Obama would hone in on the Edwards support. I could give a run down on the substance of his speech, but I'll leave that to other people.

I will say that this was the most I've ever felt part of a community in Minnesota. Minnesotans of all races, creeds, sexual orientations were all there together in support of one cause. I especially enjoyed conversing with Laura, a precinct captain, from south of St. Paul. She was a riot, in her 40s, an employee at the U, a democrat from Texas, who loves Dave Navarro and Jane's Addiction. Her energy was inspiring. She'd moved here for her fiancé and immediately became active in Minnesota politics.

I hope the energy captured in the Target Center carries over to Tuesday and the caucuses across Minnesota. The support on campus has been surprising. I've always heard, and the stats back it up, that twenty-somethings aren't active. Something about Mr. Obama changes that, at least I hope so.

Tomorrow we're making more phone calls, gathering last minute support and challenging those to come out Tuesday. The attention Mr. Obama's visit today brought should show he's not taking Minnesota lightly and that Minnesotans will see his views are most in line with theirs.

Local Obama Links
Bemidji Pioneer - Bemidji,MN,USA
Worthington Daily Globe - Worthington,MN,USA
Star Tribune - Minneapolis, MN USA
Pioneer Press - St. Paul, MN USA
Minnesota Public Radio - St. Paul, MN USA

Taking Issue With Pioneer Press

I should first say that I rarely read the Saint Paul Pioneer Press. I scan the headlines for anything that catches my eye. Yesterday's Pioneer Press article, "Do redistricting right, coalition of Minnesota political all-stars tells Legislature" did just that. I'm huge opponent of gerrymandering. I'd go as far as saying that it's one of the biggest faults of our current electoral system.

For those of you that don't know, gerrymandering is the reestablishing of electoral districts in favor of gaining seats for political power. Former U.S Representative Tom Delay was one of the worst at this in the late 1990s, and this helped multiple Republicans get elected in Texas and disenfranchised thousands of African-Americans who now found themselves living in Republican dominated districts.

So as you can imagine, I was thrilled to see a bipartisan effort to design electoral districts fairly. However, further down in the article the journalist paraphrases a University of Minnesota study, "That fuels political polarization, a study by the U's center said."

While I know that the "U's center" is making reference to the "University of Minnesota's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance," mentioned earlier in the article. This is not an obvious connection for someone outside of Minnesota. For one of only two major newspapers in the state to write for an audience of a few is disheartening. Yes, Minnesota is a few when we're talking about a much larger scale of the United States political system.

The subject matter at hand is larger and more serious than just a Minnesota issue. I can see college students researching a paper and coming across and wanting to cite this article. The reporter makes no reference to the term "gerrymandering" or that this is a problem that does occur across the country. By giving the audience no context to the problem, the reporter's minimizing the issue and selling the reader short.

The Star Tribune does a much better job at covering the same story, "Reformers want politics out of political mapping." At least they provide historical context to why this is important in Minnesota and how it's affected the constituency in the past. But again, there's a term for what they are describing, there's a larger context to the issue that both reporters ignore. We should know that the "reformers," as the Star Tribune calls them, are taking an even more impressive stand in the larger context of national politics. Limiting our World view helps no one, especially the reformers at hand.

Weekly Rundown of Links

Bay Area Links
SF Chronicle: 'Dykes on Bikes' trademark OKd - challenger rebuffed by high court
Appeals court allows S.F. to enforce health care law
San Jose Mercury: Editorial: California's kids deserve better
Group including Stanford, Monterey Bay Aquarium form center to protect oceans
Morgan Hill man cited for three DUIs over holidays now in jail
Oakland Tribune: Rockabilly Revival: Take a trip to the historic 23 Club in Brisbane for a night of Rockabilly fun.
Wikia Search founder: It's terrible
Contra Costa Times: Not staying abstinent

Twin Cities Links
Star Tribune: Larry Etkin: Investing in the arts is investing in our future
Minnesota has healthiest hearts in the nation
Do you live next door to a pot palace?
Pioneer Press: December DWI sweep arrests 3,354
Dakota County / Woman, 19, sentenced for sex ring
Minnesota Education / Magazine: Kids' future looks bright
From MNSpeak WCCO News 4: Man Who Had Sex With Dead Deer Gets More Jail Time

Weekly Rundown of Links

Bay Area Links
Oakland Tribune: UC Berkeley graduate among world's top solvers of Rubik's Cube puzzle
SFGate: S.F. Zoo's history of mismanagement; morale down under new director
The top 10 sex memes of 2007: From convictions to hoaxes, Violet Blue looks at 2007's most-clicked items
Contra Costa Times: County puts cuffs on drunk drivers

Twin Cities Links
Star Tribune: Emily Saunders finds the missing piece of her puzzle
The new face of driving drunk
DWI court succeeds by keeping keen eye on offenders
Diablo Cody 'cracked a door open and everything was Technicolor'
Pioneer Press: Readers share own tales of mouse bladders and rodent terrorism
MPR: Minnesota woman is a champion beaver skinner
'Madness in a bottle' makes a comeback
The Book Standard: Minneapolis Tops List of America's Most Literate Cities
Twin Cities Daily Planet: Top Neo-Nazi group leaves Minneapolis

Weekly Rundown of Links

Bay Area Links
SF Chronicle: Pew survey: Half of us have looked up people we know on Internet
TOUGH ODDS FOR GAMBLING ADDICTS
SJ Mercury: San Jose taking no chances amid rumors of tainted bingo at senior centers
Freezing your icicles off? The cold's all relative
Oakland Tribune: Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums seeks probe of 'threats' to pot sites
Twin Cites Links
Star Tribune: Wisconsin school district makes home drug tests available
Woman, driving drunk, hits cop car making a DWI stop
City Pages: The Year's Best Local Albums
Peer into the Ears of Dan Wilson and Al Franken
The Rake: Let the Good Times Roll

Smoking Ban Does Its Job

My daily readings include several newspapers. To be honest I enjoy the free indie publications more than Star Tribune or the Pioneer Press. I'm usually frustrated more often than not when I finish the Strib. I was happy to hear the state-wide smoking ban that went into effect that more Minnesotans were trying to quit. I grew up in a household where both of my parents smoked. It wasn't until my late teens that my mother quit. Growing up in that environment can lead to two things: an early start on smoking or being repulsed by the smell of cigarettes.

My clothes reeked of cigarettes and I've never once smoked one. Just thinking about it now is frustrating. I always joke that no one smokes in California. That's far from true. But California's laws sure do make it difficult on smokers. They have for years and because of that along with other factors, it feels like most Californians do not smoke. I didn't make it out of Minneapolis for three months, right in the heart of the winter. I didn't venture far, only across the river to St. Paul, but it felt like I walked into an episode of the Twilight Zone. Where in Minneapolis my lungs were clear of tobacco, in St. Paul I couldn't breathe. The yellow tobacco grime covered the walls. My winter clothes, after only a few hours, needed to be washed. Asthma of years gone by showed signs again. I was miserable and told myself I'd never go back. Weeks later on a trip up to Moorhead/Fargo, I came across that same experience. It was a struggle for me to keep my breath, the constant threat of hyperventilation was present. I just couldn't "get it." The health of everyone was being directly challenged by the few. Since that weekend I've been lucky enough to stay out of too many smoking environments.

The laws have since changed and I'm thrilled to hear along with that the culture is changing. I've since been back to St. Paul, one the law changed last year, but now that I know the rest of the state has opened its mind to the smoking ban, I can safely open my lungs to many more cities.