New St. Paul Laws: Let’s Par-Tay Till 4 a.m.

Might the Republicans want to drink until 4 a.m. at their convention in St. Paul in the summer? Some legislators there think so.

In a proposal being considered in the Minnesota House, the last call for alcohol would be pushed back two hours from the usual 2 a.m. for all establishments within a 10-mile radius of the convention site.

The sponsors hope to spur spending at the convention from Sept. 1 to 4 — and also to make the Twin Cities metropolitan region seem “more sophisticated,” as one lawmaker put it.

“Las Vegas is open all night long, and New Orleans is open till dawn,” said Representative Phyllis Kahn, a Minneapolis Democrat who is a co-sponsor of the proposal. “I spend a lot of time in cities like New York and Montreal, and they all seem to have later drinking times.”

The change, which would last roughly 11 days and require suspending a state law, would also allow liquor sales on Sundays. A business that objects to the change would be free to close at 2 a.m. “The 2 a.m. closing hour is actually pretty common,” Ms. Kahn said. “But Paris and London barely have closing times at all.”

Ms. Kahn said she wanted her area to seem at least as sophisticated as other American cities.

“Somebody asked me if I was going to stay up until 4 a.m. partying,” she said.

The answer was no.

Article here

Great Story From My Hometown

The Lane Game: Seniors participate in Wii bowling tourney

The thundering roll of balls helped turn the multipurpose room of the Sally Griffin Senior Center into a virtual bowling alley Friday.

It sounded like bowling. It looked like bowling. All that was missing was the pin setter, the beer and the garish shoes.

Dozens of seniors from the Peninsula gathered for a Wii video game bowling tournament that pitted teams from The Park Lane Residence by Hyatt in Monterey, Meals on Wheels drivers from Pacific Grove, and the Griffin Center against one other

Greeeen Minnesota

I'm used to my friends in the Bay Area being avid recyclers and composting, but from my experiences in Minneapolis, it's far less common. I was pleasantly surprised when I found this article on composting in Minnesota:

Hennepin County in Minnesota has developed a multi pronged approach to recycling that now includes organic composting. This program allows individuals and business to separate their trash into two bins, one for stuff that goes to a landfill and one that is stuff that can be composted. 25% of the trash is organic and can be composted: in restaurants it is estimated that over 75% of the waste is organic and does not need to go to a methane producing landfill. Five new businesses are signing on each week and the county is working to meet it’s goal of recycling 50% of it’s waste.

For more information you can contact Randy’s Sanitation in Delano Minnesota.

Once you get in the habit, whether it’s a business or a household, you can reduce your waste, reduce your cost and contribute in a easy way to help the environment.

Congratulations Hennepin County businesses!

Bay Area's Take On MN Issue

I've written previously about the smoking ban, but I forgot to write an entry about how certain Minnesotan businesses are circumventing the smoking ban in a very tricky manner. If I wasn't so anti-smoking in public venues, I'd be impressed that they found a loophole. Don't know what I'm talking about? Under their Weird News section the SFGate has an AP article describing the bar owners wiley ways:

All the world's a stage at some of Minnesota's bars.

A new state ban on smoking in restaurants and other nightspots contains an exception for performers in theatrical productions. So some bars are getting around the ban by printing up playbills, encouraging customers to come in costume, and pronouncing them "actors."

The customers are playing right along, merrily puffing away - and sometimes speaking in funny accents and doing a little improvisation, too.

The state Health Department is threatening to bring the curtain down on these sham productions. But for now, it's on with the show.

The article itself is interesting, but what I really found funny/interesting were the comments from the readers in response to the law/article:

jmd3606:Kevgoins, gee why don't we just have our gov't switch over to a dictatorship that way they can all tell us what we can and can't do because somethings are just too dangerous. How about stairs maybe we should outlaw those...someone could trip and fall. Cars are bad too...too many accidents. Excuse me, but adults should be able to make those kinds of decisions themselves. If I want to have a trans-fat laden dinner and follow it up with a cigarette I should be able to. And if you don't want to be around the smoke then you don't have to go to places where the smoke is.

ninety9 wrote: I'm a guy about 60. When I was a kid the harm done by smoking was regarded as a bunch of hooey put about by uptight adults - along the lines of say, sex [hey, even consorting with 5-fingered Mary] was bad. But In the 60's and 70's it really did come out that smoking was overwhelmingly harmful. And there was a big shift away from it by hipper somewhat arty types for that reason. Its so depressing to see that same crew in the majority of those smoking outside music bars these days. Where the hell did "healthy is hip" get lost?

BenderRodriguez wrote: I'd like to see some actors playing characters with lung cancer ... or speaking through a hole in their necks ...

calrhody wrote: As much as I dig the anti-smoking laws (less laundry and less painful hangovers!), this is pretty funny. I'm sure the collective town of Berkeley is pissed they didn't come up with this one. Maybe they can dress up like actors and rip a few bingers in the Marine recruiting station. They should probably learn to swim pretty soon.

jpk1 wrote: It is perfectly legal to inhale secondhand smoke in Minnesota, just as it is in California. If it makes you happy, you breathe in all the secondhand smoke you want! What is not legal is forcing others to breathe in secondhand smoke on the job. Why: because it's toxic. Secondhand smoke kills. Secondhand smoke causes heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. That's why you're protected from having to breathe it in at your workplace. And bars are a workplace. That's the point. And this "play" misses that point completely. Secondhand smoke is no different from radon or carbon monoxide or PCBs or methyl mercury: it is an airborne toxin and carcinogen, and it is a heart and lung pathogen. Secondhand smoke kills. Any workplace that forces you to inhale it, is an unsafe workplace.

More Local Politcal Talk

Pete Smith is at it again with his article on Huffington Post: Anyone smell a first amendment zone? For those of you that don't know, the Republican Convention is being hosted in St. Paul, MN, this year. Both the DNC and the RNC will be sure to have protesters this year. St. Paul announced their plan to handle the expected onslaught of protesters.

Smith said:

The guidelines include a primary event area (the area in and around the Xcel Energy Center, a secondary event area (a wider perimeter, the boundaries of which are yet to be determined) and something called a, "designated public assembly area".

And:

According to the guidelines, groups and organizations ho have applied for and received permits will assemble in a, parade staging area". Then they will march along a, "secondary event area parade route" to that designated public assembly area.

But my favorite line from Smith was:

Can you feel the waves of gratification? Can you imagine yourself hiking back to wherever you parked the Prius, 'No Blood For Oil' sign under your arm, thinking, "There. Guess we told those bastards off"?

I'm not sure if I'll still be in Minnesota in September, but there's no doubt that I'll have to check out the scene at the protest.

U.S. Bank Skyway Open

From Eden Prairie News:

The U.S. Bank Skyway Open returns to the downtown Minneapolis skyways Friday, Feb. 29, and Saturday, March 1. The custom-designed mini-golf course will give Minnesotans a chance to help a good cause while “putting” their way through the downtown Minneapolis skyways. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office/Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities’ Rebound program.

This sounds awesome. I wish I could at least check it out. But I have plans all weekend. Check it out, if you get a chance. For those of you that don't know what the skyway is, here's the Wikipedia that describes it best and shows pictures.

More info here: Skywayopen.org

Indie Coffee Shop.com

From Erica M at Metroblogs:

IndieCoffeeShops.com is a pretty nifty Google Maps mashup. Here are all the currently listed indie coffee shops in the Twin Cities. You can filter for wifi, food, alcohol, non-smoking, outdoor seating, and "one-of-kind" (whatever that is).

This is a great site, but I've already noticed that two coffee shops I've enjoyed are missing: Uncommon Grounds and Audobon Coffee.

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

Two Nations Under...

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

The pundits like to say that Minnesota is a "purple state." We blend progressive and conservative values like few others in the nation. Yesterday President George W. Bush attended a fund raiser at the San Francisco International Airport. For those of you that don't know, SFO is not located in San Francisco -- just as the Minneapolis-St.Paul Airport is not located in either Minneapolis or St. Paul.

While SFO is a short drive from San Francisco, it might as well be a whole 'nother world for Mr. Bush. This might sound strange since most of America looks at San Francisco as a hub for the arts, culture and music, but Mr. Bush has never stepped foot in the city of San Francisco.

How is that possible, you ask?

Well, half of this country has ignored, despised, ridiculed, and shunned the other half for the last seven years, while the other half has thumbed their noses at the their "red neck" cousins who put us in this mess. Never been has it been more bluntly stated than Mr. Bush's appearance yesterday.

We are two nations that long ago forgot what it was like to walk in the shoes of the other. Never in my lifetime has it been more important to become involved politically. Disillusioned as we may be, we do have some power.

Tuesday is the caucus in Minnesota. I believe our best chance to bring back these two nations back together is to elect Senator Barack Obama president of the United States of America. I've been semi-active in his Minneapolis campaign. Not nearly as much as I'd like to be, but as much as I can be under the current situation. As a precinct captain, I will be at our precinct's caucus Tuesday evening helping our supporters bring Mr. Obama to office. You can find your caucus at the secretary of state's website. The grass roots energy in Mr. Obama's campaign is inspiring. It brings me back to AP Government and Civics class my senior year of high school.

Our generation was challenged to be active citizens and somewhere along the way we went off that track. This is our opportunity to make a difference, to create change with our bear hands. Saturday afternoon Minnesotans get the opportunity to hear Mr. Obama speak at the Target Center. Doors open at 1:30. Tickets were free, but over 20 K have been given out.The event is "sold out."

Hopefully if some of you haven't decided yet who you'll be supporting Tuesday, you'll attend the rally with an open mind and open heart, with an opportunity to become proactive citizens in mind. Never before have I been as emotionally involved with a candidate, but for anyone that knows me, they understand that morals, my word and my ideals are things that I hold dear. Mr. Obama shares those ideals, and he is our best opportunity to turn our country around and into a "purple nation."

Only in California

I was not surprised when I heard Sean Young checked herself into rehab. I met Ms. Young at Lighthouse Cinema my senior year of high school. Living on the Monterey Peninsula, we were used to having celebrities at the theater. She showed up my the theater with an entourage of 20 some and wanted everyone to get in free to a sold out showing. She started yelling, screaming and then almost physically attacked the manager. Members of actors guild receive a card that allows them free entrance plus one to any movie theater in the nation. We generally didn't care about additional comps, but there just wasn't space and she wasn't hearing that. We never would have allowed 20 anyway, but so yeah, that's my crazy abusive Sean Young story and now the quack is in rehab and it's only fitting.

Creeping Along, Although Barely

Rarely do you hear anything about the Hell's Angels in the press anymore. They are a relic in today's gang wars. That doesn't mean they aren't out there, as we learned today, when a federal jury handed back the keys to the Angels' clubhouse. There aren't many Minneapolis members left, as the article claims eight or nine Minneapolis members. Most have been sent to jail thanks to the governments crackdown on methamphetamines.

Growing up in California, we hear a lot about the Hell's Angels. They were active participants in the 60s counterculture, often acting as "security" for Bill Graham's legendary rock concerts. They were founded on Oakland, CA before spreading west across the nation. Because my great-uncle was an active member and I'd hear random stories from his sisters, I've been fascinated with the Hell's Angels from an early age.

Years ago I read and was disappointed with Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. It wasn't that Thompson's "new journalism" wasn't fascinating, because it was.Thompson's ego simply got in the way for me to truly delve into the underworld he experienced. I've been looking at Frost-Bite in a similar light. Frost-Bite is my attempt to write in a style not unlike Thompson or Tom Wolfe or Ted Conover.

I don't know how well I'm doing yet, but then again, I'm just starting the process and have many plans for the future. It was strange seeing Hell's Angels as the headline story on the Star Tribune's site. I hadn't thought about them since my great-uncle passed away due to complications from lead poisoning from prison tattoos. I guess the Hell's Angels are still around, although barely.

School's Back

Apparently there's a new club on the U of M campus, Kinky U. Katherine Kersten wrote an interesting take on the club in today's Star Tribune. And by interesting I mean, she really has no opinion at all. It's written as an opinion piece without any real opinion behind it, which reads more like an infomercial than a piece of journalism.

School started this week and of all weeks did it really have to be this cold? The hustle and bustle of first days jitters along with the serious bite of Minnesota Winter. I lucked into rides to campus this semester, meaning no early morning waits for the bus. I am thrilled about this. I can't say it enough. THRILLED.

Yesterday in class I overheard three girls debating the upcoming Super Bowl. Only the debate wasn't over who was going to win and why, the debate was over who had the cutest butt and how one of the debaters wished Randy Moss wasn't so ugly. I've always enjoyed the fact that Minnesotan women have such a high sports IQ. I know that the appearance of the athletes isn't the #1 concern of all of these fans, but I'm sure a sigh of relief was heard across Minnesota when Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer signed to long term contracts this week.

Fighting Perceptions

From Pioneer Press:
Backers of the image makeover for Minneapolis and St. Paul say stereotypes of us - often false - need to be combated with facts. Here are a few examples:

Stereotype: It's freezing.

Rebuttal: It's not that much colder than Chicago, and it doesn't have skyways. Plus, our summers are awesome.

Stereotype: There's nothing to do but go to the Mall of America.

Rebuttal: We have museums, stores and recreation, all within the core cities.

Stereotype: There's no economy up there.

Rebuttal: We've got more corporate headquarters than Chicago, and our economy traditionally outstrips the nation's.

Stereotype: You're not very sophisticated.

Rebuttal: We've got colleges and universities everywhere, we're highly educated compared with other metropolitan areas, and Men's Journal named us "smartest" on their list of "50 Best Places to Live."

In May I was camping with some friends in Oregon. I felt myself getting defensive when describing Minneapolis. For as many issues as I've had socially in Minneapolis, I really do love the city and the state. It was funny to see this rundown of rebuttals. I'll have to remember these next time I'm confronted.

A Favor to Ask For Live Journal RSS Readers

I have Live Journal readers who are actively comment on Frost-Bite. I appreciate your comments and the discourse we have, but can you please comment directly on the Blogspot entry. Follow the URL is listed at the top of the feed for access. I do not receive notification when you respond to the feed on Live Journal and the links disappear after a week and with it all of your comments. I hope you enjoy reading my entries and I'm looking forward to you following me when I move Frost-Bite over to frost-bite.us very shortly.

Again, thank you again for following Frost-Bite.

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: Danville artist creating a sculpture monument of human rights leaders
San Francisco Chronicle: Doctoral students turning down UC due to inadequate aid packages
Porn prince wants to build kinky condos in Armory
S.F. leaders hear about Portland's approach to homelessness
San Jose Mercury: Toy guns draw real cops to San Jose Wendy's
Twin Cities Links
Star Tribune: Minnesotan Diablo Cody's 'Juno' knocked up -- and out of the park
Vita.mn: Alexis on the Sexes: Leapin' libidos!
MPR: Minneapolis officers fired on, not hurt
TC Daily Planet: Hard Times re-opens!
MN Monitor: The Biblical Roots of LGBT Oppression

Hockey in Your Blood. Hockey in Your Soul.

California is hardly known for its ice rinks, so as a child, I followed the best team in the world - Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers. With Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr, the Oilers were the greatest show on ice. At the time, it wasn't uncommon to watch Sunday afternoon hockey on ABC. This was before the days cable television took over the airwaves and well before the days of the San Jose Sharks. Before the Sharks came along, Gretzky moved on, leaving Canada, for Hollywood with his beautiful blond wife.

They were a couple made for California -- well before David and Victoria Beckham took over the tabloids earlier this year. I was never a die hard hockey fan. Any Californian prior to Gretzky's trek west to the Los Angeles Kings that told you they were was a) either lying or b) not a native Californian. Gretzky made Californians leave the hockey highlights on while watching Sports Center, but not much else. It didn't change anything within the culture. I've always been a believer that unless you come from a state with real winters you cannot be a true hockey fan.

This opinion has only strengthened since I moved here. While the North Stars left for warmer clients, hockey never left the blood of Minnesotans. I love seeing both hipsters and aging, graying sports fans in retro Minnesota North Stars jackets. Even at the lowest level of fandom - fashion -the North Stars are still in the hearts of many Minnesotans. I should make it clear. I'm talking about the North Stars and not the bastardized version now playing in Dallas. If the Sharks ever left San Jose for another city, I know that the same love would not still be there for the team. There would not be retro Sharks jerseys worn by hipsters on Haight Street. You'll never hear a San Francisco Giants fan debate the merits of the Cow Palace and HP Pavilion (the Sharks former and current arenas) with a panhandler as I did last year at a Twins vs. A's game. I pretended to stare off searching for my friend, but instead I was amazed the common denominator that can be met between Minnesotans of all socio-economic backgrounds.

Tonight the Sharks thrashed the Wild 4-1 - finally looking like the team the pundits and the fans expected the Sharks to be. The Wild play the most boring style of hockey imaginable. Only in Minnesota would fans permit such a boring style, substance over style. The most entertaining part of the match was not Steve Bernier two goals, but the stark difference in the way the two teams local newspapers covered the match.

The San Jose Mercury's upbeat, anything is better than yesterday, we're on a roll theme balanced against the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune's doomsday, we're never going to win again, this is the end if things don't change theme was hilarious.

Give them a read... SJ Mercury and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.

I'm not the biggest hockey fan. Then again I did grow up a 49er fan with Jerry Rice as my hero, so who can fault me for being a California boy at heart?