HEADLINES
In Colombian captivity, an epiphany on words and war
by Doug McGill, TC Daily Planet
In her very first interviews last week after being rescued in the jungles of Colombia, following six years of brutal captivity, Ingrid Betancourt recollected and reflected on a great many things.
But her most inspiring reflections, I think, were the startling words she uttered on two separate occasions last week about language itself – about words and their profound role in shaping political and human affairs.
Minnesota small-business owners part of McCain/Gramm’s “nation of whiners”?
by Tom Elko, Minnesota Monitor
Sen. John McCain has been taking heat for comments made by his economic policy adviser, former Sen. Phil Gramm, who insisted American’s perception of an economic recession was “mental” and the product of a “nation of whiners.” Minnesota small-business owners may chafe at those words as a recent survey conducted by U.S. Bank reveals their perceptions 74 percent of them believe the economy is in recession and 46 percent are reporting lower revenue than in 2007.
“Holding the water for us to see it:” New artist-designed outdoor drinking fountains in Minneapolis
by Jason Ericson, TC Daily Planet
Minneapolis City Council approved $500,000 last January for the construction of 10 new public drinking fountains, each designed by different Minnesota artists. Invigorate the Common Well, a trilogy of performances being staged over a two-year period at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre (HOBT), inspired the project. Sandy Spieler, artistic director of HOBT, writes in a public letter that the show began as a meditation upon a broken drinking fountain in the lobby of the group’s Avalon Theater. It is a “sad shrine,” she writes, to widespread neglect of the value of water.
VOICES Business gets wise to transportation
by Conrad deFiebre, Minnesota 2020
When America’s leading business advocacy group comes out foursquare for more and smarter investments in transportation infrastructure, you know that the nation has turned a corner in its regard for the roads, bridges, rails and other mobility assets that are so vital to our prosperity.
INSIDE THE DAILY PLANET
NEWS YOU CAN USE Money talking
by Mary Turck, TC Daily Planet
What could you do with a million dollars?
Running for Congress may not be the first answer that comes to mind, but the quarterly campaign disclosure reports show quite a few Minnesota candidates ready to spend more than a million on their campaigns. Want to know who has how much and where it’s coming from? Read on.
What to do with Shingle Creek School
by Amy Luesebrink, Camden Community News
In the broad context of things, Shingle Creek Elementary School building is just one of several properties that the Minneapolis Public School (MPS) district has to find a potential resolution to. The Shingle Creek Neighborhood Association’s (SCNA) Shingle Creek Elementary Reuse Committee and University of Minnesota NPCR Research Assistant David Arbit have spent the last several months delving deeper into potential reuses for the neighborhood asset.
Como 2030 Plan nears completion
by Dave Healy, The Park Bugle
How do you keep a good thing going?
U.S diversity not reflected in country’s newsrooms
by Charles Hallman, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
News anchor Dan Rather says news should operate in public interest
NEW IN BLOGS
The Demented Cousins
by Daniel Cubias, 6/9/08 • Let me be clear that I’ve never related to the whole concept of extended family. I don’t have distant relatives I’m forced to visit or creepy old uncles who make everyone uncomfortable or anonymous children who just show up at Thanksgiving.
Fringe playwrights’ panel at the library
by Kate Hoff, TC Daily Planet
Tonight I checked out the Fringe Playwrights’ Panel at the St. Paul Public Library Merriam Park branch.
Things I learned about the Fringe at the library
by Matthew A. Everett, TC Daily Planet
There’s only so long a crowd will listen to playwrights blather on about their process and creativity and producing before they want to see some proof. “Can we hear some of your plays?” (Subtext – “Entertain us, dammit!”)
Rufus Wainwright sashaying into town
by Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet
The fabulous Rufus Wainwright will be stopping at the State Theatre on October 16, the Hennepin Theatre Trust has just announced. Tickets will go on sale this Friday at 11 a.m.
Poem: Melinda, melinda
by Meggie Elder, Little Lost Causes and Little Relaxed Minds
At age ten melinda contracted a virus called purple-pink fever. purple-pink fever has several symptoms, most of which are latent. at age nineteen melinda started having seizures, in public, on purpose. melinda takes fake medication for her seizures; she puts smarties in old medicine containers with worn down labels. she pops the top of an orange cylinder whenever it seems most inappropriate.
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