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."

Subzero Homelessness

It's -10 right now, which is easily the coldest it's been since I moved to Minneapolis, and it got me thinking about homelessness. Where would I be right now if I was homeless in Minneapolis? I assume I'd find a shelter, but there are only so many shelter beds to be had. I could go away from the cities and find a shelter. I know one thing I'd never do is sleep in a dumpster - not in this weather.

I wonder why homeless people even stay in Minnesota. Years ago I remember cities would put people on buses and send them to San Francisco. Last year Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had a series of suggestions for San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome to deal with San Francisco's homeless problem.

It's funny to hear a New Yorker try to tell a San Franciscan how to run his city, as if politics in SF is even remotely similar to NYC. The weather here keeps homelessness from being at the levels of either coast, but these arctic temperatures make any level more critical. It's scary to think about any one out there right now, but I'm sure there are thousands.

Reverse Migration

Last night was just how I'd envisioned my introduction to Minneapolis to be. I'd be invited out by an old friend, the friend would tell funny stories that included our previous adventures together in the Bay Area, and I'd slowly ease in to conversations, confident of my place at the party.

My transition into Minneapolis was not as smooth. I thought I was prepared for the cultural differences. I was never prepared to start completely new, which is something I knew going in and one of the reasons I moved to the Minneapolis.

Try imagining being cool enough to be at the party, but not cool enough for anyone to actually talk to you. I was starving for attention, which only made me less attractive. Who wants to the talk to the guy who tries too hard?

I wanted to stand on my own merits, but I needed an in. Once "inside" Minnesotans will give you the shirt off their back. There are many layers of acquaintance before you prove worthy of friendship. Getting to that point takes time, lots of time, and I wasn't prepared for just how many callbacks I'd need to get the part. The audition felt never ending.

Many of these steps are skipped once someone vouches for you. Last night that happened, as easily as I'd expected it.

My buddy Greg is in town for Christmas from San Francisco. We met six years ago in the Bay Area. Greg was always one of my favorites: a lovable guy with a big heart that you never once questioned his motives. There aren't many people who listen to techno in San Francisco - techno music, not the catchall term like "electronica." Techno is the same vein as Richie Hawtin, Detroit's Underground Resistance, or Minnesotan Woody McBride.

Techno is much more popular in the Midwest. Whenever a techno artist performed in San Francisco, all of the Midwest transplants would come out for the show. Due to our shared love for the four to the floor, I have friends from Chicago, Toledo, Detroit, Madison, Minneapolis, and Kansas City. Techno vouched for me. My new friends and I had a common love. The rest of the details work themselves out.

I don't listen to electronic music as much as I used to. The music still holds a soft spot in my heart. I'll always be grateful for the relationships that formed thanks to techno. I still love dancing to it, just not as much as I used to.

Greg vouched for me last night the same way techno did for him many years ago. Many of those initial barriers were skipped ad relaxed, stress-free discourse was had. I now have New Years plans. I now have the beginning of steps of a friendship, several steps beyond acquaintance.

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?