Inside the Daily Planet, 11/22/08

By |

VOICES | A Somali Perspective: Brian Coyle Center Controversy by Wali Hassan, Mshale • As America celebrates President-Elect Barack Obama’s historic win, the Somali community in Minnesota is forced to deal with negative press brought about by one of their own. On Election Day, November 4th, stories about Somali volunteers allegedly influencing voters at the polling stations began to appear in the press.Community Earth Councils launched in Minneapolis by Karen Engelsen, TC Daily Planet • On November 12, 200 Elders (50+) and Youngers (16-28) from around the metro area gathered in the Great Hall of Coffman Union to launch an intergenerational community-building movement, an event held in conjunction with the Positive Aging Conference at the University of Minnesota. Participants gathered to set up Community Earth Councils grouped by location in the metro area, and began to assess local needs, envisioning how to heal, steward, and sustain the earth.Hawkinson Peace Awards honor local activists by Sheila Regan, TC Daily Planet • Rhoda Gilman, Betsy Raasch-Gilman and Arvid “Bud” Dixen received honorary awards and twenty students received scholarships totaling $36,000 from the Hawkinson Foundation November 16, honoring their commitment to peace and justice. The foundation was created in honor of Reverend Vincent L. Hawkinson, a lifelong advocate for peace and justice.NEW IN BLOGSARTS ORBIT | The Daily Planet swears off meth (and crack, while we’re at it) by Jay Gabler • I blame myself. It all started with my review of Jeune Lune’s The Deception, which I thought I was being real clever by likening to “Dangerous Liaisons on crystal meth.” But that was just the beginning.Refugee Winter Clothing Drive at Downtown Bars This Weekend by Erica Mauter • Several downtown establishments — The Lounge, ENVY, AQUA, drink, and Spin — are participating in a winter clothing drive for refugees, sponsored by the International Institute of Minnesota. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/21/08

By |

See latest recount update in column 3.NEWS YOU CAN USE | Giving thanks and giving backby Sheila Regan, TC Daily PlanetThis Thanksgiving, families throughout the Twin Cities will gather at the table and be thankful for what they have, despite the rough economic climate. But Thanksgiving can also be a time for people to help those less fortunate themselves: here is a list of ways you can help on Thanksgiving Day and beyond.MOVIES | Let the Right One In: Classic horror, minus the naked coedsby Jim Brunzell III, TC Daily PlanetLet The Right One In does have many spooks and surprises, but at its core, the film is a love story that captures all the desperation, isolation, and emotional intensity of being a preteen.Musicians telling it like it isMUSIC | “My guitar’s an asshole!”: Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs at the Entryby Cyn Collins, TC Daily PlanetOne of the first songs, the lively “Ain’t Nobody Gonna Love Me Like the Devil Do,” was a seeming companion to a later number, “Jesus Doesn’t Love Me Anymore.” Both were performed in a folky, sing-songy fashion—the latter sounded like the sequel to “Jesus Loves Me” that no one ever taught us as children. Every good country noir show needs a foot-stompin’ gospel song, and accordingly there was “Getting High For Jesus (‘Cause He Got Low for Me).”MUSIC | Bill Mike on music and money: “Same shit, different system”by Rich Horton, Rift Magazine”Most musicians are susceptible to giving in and shelling out money at the risk of wanting to be known. Basically, you are contributing to the ‘artists get paid last’ system that’s been set up since rock ‘n’ roll began in the 1950s.”NEW IN BLOGSBLOG OF THE MODERATE LEFT | Defanging Holy JoeBy Jeff Fecke • Like most Democrats, I was gleeful after the Dems took a big lead in the Senate. Sure, part of that was about getting our agenda pushed through, but mostly I was happy because it meant that defenestrated Sen. Joe Lieberman, Joe-Conn., would soon be out of a job. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/19/08

By |

THEATER | The complicated visions of Aditi Kapil by Dwight Hobbes, TC Daily Planet • Aditi Kapil is one of the finest comedic talents ever to see a Twin Cities stage. Too bad she’s squandered her gift by deciding to write and direct in addition to acting. That decision has led to Kapil’s play Love Person being nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.Can we ‘presume’ the Star Tribune prefers Coleman over Franken? by Paul Schmelzer, Minnesota Independent • Does the Star Tribune have it in for U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken? A look at the paper’s coverage over the past few weeks might suggest as much.Hard times call for rationalizing resources and state policies by Lee Egerstrom, Minnesota 2020 • Announcements from Minnesota education officials and state agencies this fall show that the state isn’t just circling the wagons or going into full retreat from economic development efforts despite the weak state, national and now global economies.SLIDESHOW | Old Friary by Jon Behm, TC Daily PlanetThe Old Friary adjacent to Guardian Angels Church in Chaska is, at 140 years old, one of the oldest buildings in Minnesota. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/18/08

By |

DINING | Eat, drink and be local: The Caux Culinary Challengeby Jeremy Iggers, Secrets of the CityIf you have $125 left in your 401k, I can think of at least three good reasons why you should splurge on a ticket to the Caux Culinary Challenge, a gastronomic extravaganza next Tuesday evening (November 18) from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Minneapolis Club, 729 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis.How Obama wonby Charles Hallman, Minnesota Spokesman-RecorderThe way Sen. Barack Obama ran his campaign was thoroughly discussed in a series of panel discussions and other presentations at “The Obama Effect” conference held October 23-25 at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication.New from the University of Minnesota PressBOOKS | A fish-stocked tome fit for the ice shanty’s coffee tableby John Hierlinger, TC Daily PlanetWith illustrator Joseph Tomelleri, Tom Dickson has created a beautiful, informative book on the many varieties of fish found in Minnesota’s ponds, rivers, and 10,000 lakes. The Great Minnesota Fish Book is a resource for the avid fisherperson or for the curious browser. Dickson doesn’t miss a fish, providing insight on more than 150 species: he devotes as much attention to the pirate perch as to Minnesota’s state fish the walleye (Sander Vitreus).BOOKS | Was spirit photographer William Mumler a humbug?by Melissa Slachetka, TC Daily PlanetPhotographing the spirits of the dead made William Mumler famous from 1862 until 1869. It also got him in trouble with the law. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/17/08

By |

VISUAL ARTS | A primer on Minnesota cartoonists by Britt Aamodt, mnartists.org • A proverbial flood of attention is being lavished on an art form that, for far too long, has languished in the sock drawer of American lowbrow entertainments, along with the Hustler magazine and cigarettes you bought at recess and didn’t want Mom to find. Perhaps it’s in this spirit of full disclosure that the Minnesota Museum of American Art presents a new exhibition, Hot Ink: Comic Art in Minnesota: “Hey, Ma, I’ve got a drawer full of comics, and I like ‘em.”U lobbyists: influence for hire by Jon Collins and Karlee Weinmann, Minnesota Daily • Donna Peterson was plucked from her seat in the Minnesota Senate in 1990 to serve as the associate vice president of the University of Minnesota’s Government and Community Relations, the department that handles lobbying efforts.SLIDESHOW | Jeune Lune Rummage Sale by Sheila Regan, TC Daily Planet • The Theatre de la Jeune Lune recently held a rummage sale to liquidate 30 years of stage props and other supplies.NEW IN BLOGSARTS ORBIT | John Munger is dance by Matt Peiken • A researcher for Dance USA by day, John Munger has been producing his own dance works and participating in the dances of others locally since the 1970s. This past Wednesday, as part of his occasional series at the Bryant-Lake Bowl, Munger invited a handful of other local dance-makers to perform an evening of solos.FROM THE SOAPBOX | One Myth About Taxes by Michael Rodning Bash • 11/8/08 • Throughout the closing days of this grueling campaign season it was inevitable that one side would start hammering away on taxes, taxes and more taxes. At the national level, Senator McCain claimed that Senator Obama’s plan to raise taxes on wealthier individuals amounted to “redistributionism” (as far as I know, a new word in our political lexicon) and more pointedly accused the Democrat of “socialism,” as if a system of progressive taxation were the equivalent of collectivized industry and agriculture. Here in Minnesota, the Republicans were trumpeting over and over that DFL candidates were all for taxes, taxes and more taxes (see for example, Erik Paulson’s ads in his race against Ashwin Madia).BLOG OF THE MODERATE LEFT | Do as I say (and ignore what I’ve done): Tim Pawlenty reinventing himself by Jeff Fecke • My governor, Tim Pawlenty, has been a regular media gadfly during the Republican Governors’ Association meetings. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/16/08

By |

MOVIES | British Television Advertising Awards bring whimsy to the Walker by Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet • Here is a medium where the hands of the creators have virtually no autonomy from the hands holding the purse strings, and yet the ads on display demonstrate far more genuine imagination than most “independent” films. Maybe we’d have more stimulating theatrical fare if we just turned, say, 20th Century Fox over to Verizon and told them to go ahead and make two-hour commercials for family calling plans.How Obama won by Charles Hallman, Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder • The way Sen. Barack Obama ran his campaign was thoroughly discussed in a series of panel discussions and other presentations at “The Obama Effect” conference held October 23-25 at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication.Chuck Solberg’s double life by Judy Woodward, The Park Bugle • Most people are lucky if they find one thing in life they enjoy and can get paid to do.NEW IN BLOGSARTS ORBIT | Yeah. Can I get a large baked potato pizza, an order of wings, and some independent hip-hop? by Jay Gabler • Haters who deride Rhymesayers hip-hop as sanitized crap for wealthy, overeducated yuppies will feel wickedly vindicated by this instance of urban synergy: From this Sunday, November 16, through the following Sunday, November 23, every delivery from the Pizza Lucé locations in St. Paul and Uptown Minneapolis will include a teaser CD featuring three tracks from the upcoming eponymous album by Heiruspecs.CABBAGES AND KINGS | Will tax breaks for green investment bring green jobs? by Charlie Quimby, Growth & Justice • 11/12/08 • Warmed-over, renamed “Green JOBZ” won’t do the job for green economy.BLOG OF THE MODERATE LEFT | The pause that refreshes: Pondering space travel and drinking water by Jeff Fecke • 11/15/08 • I’ve been a space geek since I was roughly four, and while we don’t have the moon bases, space habitats, and manned Mars missions I was promised back in 1978, we’ve finally started making some nice incremental improvements in space technology of late, primarily related to the impending retirement of the space shuttle fleet, which were far more expensive and far less useful than originally advertised, and tragically much less reliable. Continue Reading

The pause that refreshes: Pondering space travel and drinking water

By |

by Jeff Fecke • 11/15/08 • I’ve been a space geek since I was roughly four, and while we don’t have the moon bases, space habitats, and manned Mars missions I was promised back in 1978, we’ve finally started making some nice incremental improvements in space technology of late, primarily related to the impending retirement of the space shuttle fleet, which were far more expensive and far less useful than originally advertised, and tragically much less reliable. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/15/08

By |

Tibetan community voices support for “Middle Way Path” by Tenzin Waleag, TC Daily Planet • On March 10, 2008 the Chinese government suppressed riots in Tibet, killing more than 100 people. That riot worried Tibetans and Tibetans in the exile, including Tibetans in Minnesota, which has the second largest Tibetan Community in the United States. On October 19 more than 150 people, mostly Tibetans in exile, gathered at the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota in St. Paul to discuss the situation of the Tibetan Government in Exile. There was a question and answer panel discussion with Tibetan Community of Minnesota board members. Continue Reading

Inside the Daily Planet, 11/14/08

By |

Secretary of State lays out details of Senate recountby Paul Demko, Minnesota IndependentSecretary of State Mark Ritchie announced the formation of a five-person statewide canvassing board today that will oversee the mandatory recount in the U. S. Senate race. Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Magnuson and Ramsey County Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin, along with two other judges, will join Ritchie on the panel.Workers seek support as foundry lockout enters third weekby Steve Share, Workday MinnesotaA lockout idling 160 union workers at a Plymouth foundry is now in its third week – and the union is reaching out to the rest of the labor movement for support.Heather Henson’s puppet film collection comes to Minneapolisby Jay Gabler, TC Daily PlanetHeather Henson, daughter of Jim Henson, hasn’t fallen far from the tree—she’s dedicated her life to creating and supporting puppetry of all kinds. Among her many projects is collecting short films featuring puppetry; selections from that collection will be screening this weekend at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, with a live performance by puppet miniaturist Laura Heit. Henson is based in Orlando, where she heads IBEX Puppetry; she spoke by phone about the short films, her father, and the Minneapolis-St. Paul puppetry scene.MUSIC | U Opera Theatre student signs with Metropolitan Operaby David Introwitz, Minnesota DailyBig productions are in place this year at the University of Minnesota Opera Theatre, as it kicked off its 2008-09 season this weekend with “The Rape of Lucretia.” Continue Reading