Last weekend I went to Screamtown, located just west of Chaska, MN, with my wife and her sisters. While I did have a previous experience at the haunted attraction, it was during its first year when it was located next to Sever's Corn Maze in Shakopee. To say that it was lackluster in its first year would be far too kind.
Screamtown might now have surpassed its nearby competitor, Trail of Terror (located southwest of Shakopee, MN). Screamtown has that "new haunted attraction smell". While the $25 admission price had me doubting the drive west of Chaska, it did get us in to five different attractions -- each of which began from kind of a central courtyard where you could buy food and drinks from a couple of vendors and warm up in one of the tents.
With the rather heavy load of ads on local radio stations, I have to say that the owner of Screamtown is serious about making a top-notch Halloween-themed haunted attraction that draws from beyond just the southwest Minneapolis suburbs.
But with anything, there were pitfalls. As the clock rolled towards 10:30 a few of the attraction's workers seemed to, for lack of a better word, mail it in. I witnessed at least two costumed employees sitting down, doing nothing to even try to scare attendees as they walked by when we walked through the Circus Asylum. The number of actors working in the corn maze was also a bit sparse (maybe a few actors had taken the evening off but it's better to have extras than not enough). With a bit more attention to weed out actors / employees who can't be bothered to scare people for even three hours and an attempt to knock down admission -- possibly to around $20 per person -- Shakopee's Trail of Terror will easily be exposed as the third-rate haunted attraction that it truly is.
While the lines were long, you definitely have to check out the Oak Blood Forest which is the largest haunted attraction at Chaska's Scream Town. At least there is a looping video depicting the lore and history of the haunted woods at Screamtown. I'd say if there was one haunted attraction you plan on checking out, Screamtown is a far better bet than either Trail of Terror or Frightmares at Buck Hill.
To find Screamtown, head west of Chaska, MN on U.S. Highway 212 a few miles after the four lane portion ends. Find out the specifics at Screamtown.com
Showing posts with label Minneapolis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Minneapolis. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
A no vote for the Vote Yes billboard
A Vote Yes on the Marriage Amendment in the Uptown area of Minneapolis has become the victim of an apparent "No" vote in the form of a barrage of pink paint spattered across the billboard.
Monday, October 1, 2012
The constant of change
Music is powerful. It evokes memories of days gone by. It's music that marks milestones in our lives. Music, like our lives, is constantly changing too.
Music, just like breathing, is free. It is beamed in to our cars and homes for free. (Well, almost free. There are commercials and the small investment of a radio to consider.) It can open a world of possibilities and while we bemoan its current state of blandness and lack of energy, there are those occasional bits of genius that make an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of a few.
The passion about music is what breeds such an emotional attachment to it. The people who love it are most attached and losing what you loved and were so attached to can be heard in their voices when it hits them that change has hit and it's inevitable.
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are often billed as a musical mecca. Sure, our fair cities are no Los Angeles or New York City. We can't claim that punk rock was born here. We can't lay claim to birthing an entire genre of music. Hell, it's a melting pot here with well-known acts such as Atmosphere, The Replacements, Husker Du, Lifter Puller, Soul Asylum, Tapes 'n Tapes and of course Prince hailing from here.
It only seems fitting that such a musically rich and diverse region would have an equally rich history of playing the genre-crossing rock and roll that has created memories for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans.
In the days gone by, radio was the choice for the average music fan to break the monotony of our two seasons. It would warm our cold souls during the winter months and follow us outside during the summer months. For many, music has been and always will be a constant companion. The fanatics will remember these pieces of Minnesota's musical history far better than I will as I have only read about them and write today from the perspective of a fan with much to learn.
Hearing the likes of recorded snippets from KJ104 (KJJO, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul), it's hard to imagine life in the early 90s in the Twin Cities. This radio station which would become a whole host of other formats, landing as JACK-FM most recently, began in the modern heyday of rock music. They missed out on grunge rock as the plug was pulled in 1992 in favor of country but some of the forefathers of modern rock radio in the Twin Cities got their start there. I heard names such as Shelley Miller and BT mentioned during their farewell broadcast. They were a family and they loved what they did. They exposed Minnesotans to homegrown music and to music which wasn't being played elsewhere. The following was never huge but they were dedicated.
A two-year absence of modern rock followed but that drought was ended by the still-remembered REV 105. Yeah, the likes of BT, Mary Lucia, Brian Oake and again Shelley Miller surfaced here and poured their hearts in to the little station that could. Eventually three stations ringing the Twin Cities, REV 105 gained a foothold and a dedicated fan base. The staff knew the music and loved the music. The one thing they didn't have power over was the ownership who sold the station to ABC who ditched the modern/alternative rock format in favor of hard rock sending listeners to the closest thing available, 93.7 The Edge.
A mere nine months later, 105 was reborn as Zone 105 with a somewhat lighter and more "safe" alternative rock format. I still remember being scared to death as my friend's sister drove us down 35W faster than any sane person would drive as I heard Liz Phair coming through her car's speakers. From that moment on, I became a diehard alternative rock fan. As my trips to the Twin Cities became more frequent, I would enjoy whatever Zone 105 had to offer. Yes, even as they floundered around with various flavors of alt-rock and even in to alternative classics. Then one day it vanished. Replacing it was some classic R&B music. It sounded like a bad disco record.
Once again, though, the alternative rock returned. Having sustained my musical tastes for many years on a steady diet of CDs, I discovered one day on my return trip from visiting my girlfriend for the weekend that alternative rock was back on the 105s. Reborn this time as Drive 105, I remember hearing some older Smashing Pumpkins and The Ramones. Those weekends I spent in the Twin Cities, I'd be sure to check out Drive 105 and each time I tuned in, I heard something new that I liked. Sure, it wasn't the same as before but it worked for me. Slowly, my CD collection took a back seat to Drive 105. Even more so as I finally moved to the Twin Cities. I'd listen to 105.7 at work, 105.1 at home and around town and enjoyed it as the station took on an identity of its own instead of competing against Cities 97. Shelley Miller once again was a voice at the station and my ears, for the most part, were happy.
The music wasn't cutting edge but it wasn't being heard anywhere else in the Twin Cities.
Then came 2005 when Minnesota Public Radio and their deep wallets started their own station experimenting with flavors of alt-rock. 89.3 The Current was born and for over two years, I flipped between the two stations. When The Current began, I was exposed to Minnesota rapper Atmosphere and a host of other local music. The more mass appeal acts were on Drive 105. For me, the two stations co-existed well. If the music on one sucked, the other might be the place to be. They were three and five on my car radio's presets.
Then one day in May 2007, I flipped on my desk radio and heard the DJ on Drive 105 say a brief goodbye and that it had been fun. She played "Say it ain't so" by Weezer. It was the end of Drive 105. Hey, five years for alt-rock is a fabulous run. Sure, I was upset by the loss but after well over a year, 89.3 The Current itself has evolved. I still tune in every day to see how Mary Lucia will surprise me in the afternoon. Maybe alternative rock won't ever come back to the commercial airwaves but the listeners support The Current and it's my hope that as long as there is a fan base the music will live on to create more memories for the diehard music fans who still supplement their iPod listening with the tried and true radio.
************
Somehow, this lengthy post sat unpublished since 2008. Here it is if you care.
Music, just like breathing, is free. It is beamed in to our cars and homes for free. (Well, almost free. There are commercials and the small investment of a radio to consider.) It can open a world of possibilities and while we bemoan its current state of blandness and lack of energy, there are those occasional bits of genius that make an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of a few.
The passion about music is what breeds such an emotional attachment to it. The people who love it are most attached and losing what you loved and were so attached to can be heard in their voices when it hits them that change has hit and it's inevitable.
The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are often billed as a musical mecca. Sure, our fair cities are no Los Angeles or New York City. We can't claim that punk rock was born here. We can't lay claim to birthing an entire genre of music. Hell, it's a melting pot here with well-known acts such as Atmosphere, The Replacements, Husker Du, Lifter Puller, Soul Asylum, Tapes 'n Tapes and of course Prince hailing from here.
It only seems fitting that such a musically rich and diverse region would have an equally rich history of playing the genre-crossing rock and roll that has created memories for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans.
In the days gone by, radio was the choice for the average music fan to break the monotony of our two seasons. It would warm our cold souls during the winter months and follow us outside during the summer months. For many, music has been and always will be a constant companion. The fanatics will remember these pieces of Minnesota's musical history far better than I will as I have only read about them and write today from the perspective of a fan with much to learn.
Hearing the likes of recorded snippets from KJ104 (KJJO, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul), it's hard to imagine life in the early 90s in the Twin Cities. This radio station which would become a whole host of other formats, landing as JACK-FM most recently, began in the modern heyday of rock music. They missed out on grunge rock as the plug was pulled in 1992 in favor of country but some of the forefathers of modern rock radio in the Twin Cities got their start there. I heard names such as Shelley Miller and BT mentioned during their farewell broadcast. They were a family and they loved what they did. They exposed Minnesotans to homegrown music and to music which wasn't being played elsewhere. The following was never huge but they were dedicated.
A two-year absence of modern rock followed but that drought was ended by the still-remembered REV 105. Yeah, the likes of BT, Mary Lucia, Brian Oake and again Shelley Miller surfaced here and poured their hearts in to the little station that could. Eventually three stations ringing the Twin Cities, REV 105 gained a foothold and a dedicated fan base. The staff knew the music and loved the music. The one thing they didn't have power over was the ownership who sold the station to ABC who ditched the modern/alternative rock format in favor of hard rock sending listeners to the closest thing available, 93.7 The Edge.
A mere nine months later, 105 was reborn as Zone 105 with a somewhat lighter and more "safe" alternative rock format. I still remember being scared to death as my friend's sister drove us down 35W faster than any sane person would drive as I heard Liz Phair coming through her car's speakers. From that moment on, I became a diehard alternative rock fan. As my trips to the Twin Cities became more frequent, I would enjoy whatever Zone 105 had to offer. Yes, even as they floundered around with various flavors of alt-rock and even in to alternative classics. Then one day it vanished. Replacing it was some classic R&B music. It sounded like a bad disco record.
Once again, though, the alternative rock returned. Having sustained my musical tastes for many years on a steady diet of CDs, I discovered one day on my return trip from visiting my girlfriend for the weekend that alternative rock was back on the 105s. Reborn this time as Drive 105, I remember hearing some older Smashing Pumpkins and The Ramones. Those weekends I spent in the Twin Cities, I'd be sure to check out Drive 105 and each time I tuned in, I heard something new that I liked. Sure, it wasn't the same as before but it worked for me. Slowly, my CD collection took a back seat to Drive 105. Even more so as I finally moved to the Twin Cities. I'd listen to 105.7 at work, 105.1 at home and around town and enjoyed it as the station took on an identity of its own instead of competing against Cities 97. Shelley Miller once again was a voice at the station and my ears, for the most part, were happy.
The music wasn't cutting edge but it wasn't being heard anywhere else in the Twin Cities.
Then came 2005 when Minnesota Public Radio and their deep wallets started their own station experimenting with flavors of alt-rock. 89.3 The Current was born and for over two years, I flipped between the two stations. When The Current began, I was exposed to Minnesota rapper Atmosphere and a host of other local music. The more mass appeal acts were on Drive 105. For me, the two stations co-existed well. If the music on one sucked, the other might be the place to be. They were three and five on my car radio's presets.
Then one day in May 2007, I flipped on my desk radio and heard the DJ on Drive 105 say a brief goodbye and that it had been fun. She played "Say it ain't so" by Weezer. It was the end of Drive 105. Hey, five years for alt-rock is a fabulous run. Sure, I was upset by the loss but after well over a year, 89.3 The Current itself has evolved. I still tune in every day to see how Mary Lucia will surprise me in the afternoon. Maybe alternative rock won't ever come back to the commercial airwaves but the listeners support The Current and it's my hope that as long as there is a fan base the music will live on to create more memories for the diehard music fans who still supplement their iPod listening with the tried and true radio.
************
Somehow, this lengthy post sat unpublished since 2008. Here it is if you care.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Minneapolis - St. Paul daytime TV schedules
Minneapolis - St. Paul daytime TV schedules
WUCW Channel 23
8:30 AM Inside Edition
9:00 AM The Jeremy Kyle Show (NEW SERIES)
10:00 AM Jerry Springer
11:00 AM Maury
12:00 PM Judge Mathis
1:00 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
1:30 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
2:00 PM The People's Court
3:00 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
3:30 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
4:00 PM The Steve Wilkos Show
5:00 PM Maury
6:00 PM Family Feud
6:30 PM Family Feud
WUCW channel 23 adds only one new series to its daytime line-up -- The Jeremy Kyle Show -- while tabloid "news" magazine show "Inside Edition" gets thrown to the dogs with an 8:30 AM timeslot in a vote of no confidence.
KARE Channel 11
7:00 AM Today
11:00 AM KARE 11 Today
12:00 PM Days of our Lives
1:00 PM Rachael Ray
2:00 PM The Doctors
3:00 PM The Dr. Oz Show
4:00 PM KARE 11 News at 4pm
4:30 PM Jeopardy!
5:00 PM KARE 11 News at 5
5:30 PM NBC Nightly News
6:00 PM KARE 11 News at 6
6:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
KARE 11 sees absolutely no changes to its daytime lineup as the Minneapolis TV station begins its daytime lineup with five solid hours of talk / news.
WFTC Channel 29
8:00 AM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
9:00 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
9:30 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
10:00 AM Judge Judy
10:30 AM Judge Judy
11:00 AM Judge Joe Brown
11:30 AM Judge Joe Brown
12:00 PM Divorce Court
12:30 PM Divorce Court
1:00 PM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2:00 PM The Wendy Williams Show
3:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show (NEW SERIES)
4:00 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
4:30 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
5:00 PM The Simpsons
5:30 PM Family Guy
6:00 PM Two and a Half Men
6:30 PM The Big Bang Theory
WFTC (My 29) channel 29 adds only "The Ricki Lake Show" to its daytime schedule which is otherwise littered with court shows, a couple of Law & Order: Criminial Intent repeats and a mish-mash of sitcom / animated comedy repeats. I've now gone about five years since even stopping my TV's remote on WFTC.
KMSP Channel 9
7:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 7AM
8:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 8AM
9:00 AM FOX 9 News: Morning Buzz
10:00 AM Anderson Live
11:00 AM The Wendy Williams Show
12:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show
1:00 PM TMZ
1:30 PM Dish Nation
2:00 PM Anderson Live
3:00 PM Judge Alex
3:30 PM Judge Alex
4:00 PM Judge Judy
4:30 PM Judge Judy
5:00 PM FOX at 5
5:30 PM FOX at 5:30
6:00 PM FOX at 6
6:30 PM TMZ
KMSP (FOX 9) channel 9 has a court show-heavy schedule much like its sister station WFTC. They also air both The Wendy Williams Show and The Ricki Lake Show which can be seen at different times on WFTC channel 29. They do, though, add the revamped Ander Cooper talker "Anderson Live".
KSTC channel 45
7:00 AM 45 News Morning
8:00 AM 45 News Morning
9:00 AM America's Funniest Home Videos
10:00 AM Roseanne
10:30 AM Roseanne
11:00 AM Coach
11:30 AM Coach
12:00 PM Steve Harvey
1:00 PM To Be Announced
1:30 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2:00 PM The Andy Griffith Show
2:30 PM The Andy Griffith Show
3:00 PM That '70s Show
3:30 PM That '70s Show
4:00 PM Frasier
4:30 PM Frasier
5:00 PM Rules of Engagement
5:30 PM Rules of Engagement
6:00 PM The King of Queens
6:30 PM The King of Queens
Unless you're in love with sitcoms fom 15-20 years ago, KSTC channel 45's daytime television schedule isn't for you. With the only new programming being KSTC's rehashing of Minneapolis / St. Paul news for two hours to begin the daytime schedule and Steve Harvey's talk show, KSTC seems targeted to a few generations older than myself.
KSTP channel 5
7:00 AM Good Morning America
9:00 AM Live! With Kelly
10:00 AM The View
11:00 AM 5 Eyewitness News Midday
12:00 PM The Chew
1:00 PM General Hospital
2:00 PM Katie
3:00 PM Twin Cities Live
4:00 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
4:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 4:30
5:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News Live at 5
5:30 PM ABC World News With Diane Sawyer
6:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6
6:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6:30
By the time September 10th happens, it will be official that Live! with Kelly (Ripa) will be paired with Michael Strahan and his huge gap between his front teeth. The only big addition to KSTP channel 5's daytime television schedule is Katie Couric's new daytime talk show which bumps ABC's last daytime soap, General Hospital, an hour earlier.
WCCO channel 4
7:00 AM CBS This Morning
9:00 AM The Jeff Probst Show
10:00 AM The Price Is Right
11:00 AM The Young and the Restless
12:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Noon
12:30 PM The Bold and the Beautiful
1:00 PM The Talk
2:00 PM Let's Make a Deal
3:00 PM Dr. Phil
4:00 PM The Ellen DeGeneres Show
5:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Five
5:30 PM CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley
6:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Six
6:30 PM Wheel of Fortune
CBS affiliate WCCO makes only one change to its daytime television schedule. With Anderson Cooper's talk show out, The Jeff Probst Show takes over the 9:00 AM slot on the Minneapolis station.
WUCW Channel 23
8:30 AM Inside Edition
9:00 AM The Jeremy Kyle Show (NEW SERIES)
10:00 AM Jerry Springer
11:00 AM Maury
12:00 PM Judge Mathis
1:00 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
1:30 PM We the People With Gloria Allred
2:00 PM The People's Court
3:00 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
3:30 PM Dr. Drew's Lifechangers
4:00 PM The Steve Wilkos Show
5:00 PM Maury
6:00 PM Family Feud
6:30 PM Family Feud
WUCW channel 23 adds only one new series to its daytime line-up -- The Jeremy Kyle Show -- while tabloid "news" magazine show "Inside Edition" gets thrown to the dogs with an 8:30 AM timeslot in a vote of no confidence.
KARE Channel 11
7:00 AM Today
11:00 AM KARE 11 Today
12:00 PM Days of our Lives
1:00 PM Rachael Ray
2:00 PM The Doctors
3:00 PM The Dr. Oz Show
4:00 PM KARE 11 News at 4pm
4:30 PM Jeopardy!
5:00 PM KARE 11 News at 5
5:30 PM NBC Nightly News
6:00 PM KARE 11 News at 6
6:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
KARE 11 sees absolutely no changes to its daytime lineup as the Minneapolis TV station begins its daytime lineup with five solid hours of talk / news.
WFTC Channel 29
8:00 AM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
9:00 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
9:30 AM America's Court With Judge Ross
10:00 AM Judge Judy
10:30 AM Judge Judy
11:00 AM Judge Joe Brown
11:30 AM Judge Joe Brown
12:00 PM Divorce Court
12:30 PM Divorce Court
1:00 PM Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2:00 PM The Wendy Williams Show
3:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show (NEW SERIES)
4:00 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
4:30 PM Everybody Loves Raymond
5:00 PM The Simpsons
5:30 PM Family Guy
6:00 PM Two and a Half Men
6:30 PM The Big Bang Theory
WFTC (My 29) channel 29 adds only "The Ricki Lake Show" to its daytime schedule which is otherwise littered with court shows, a couple of Law & Order: Criminial Intent repeats and a mish-mash of sitcom / animated comedy repeats. I've now gone about five years since even stopping my TV's remote on WFTC.
KMSP Channel 9
7:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 7AM
8:00 AM FOX 9 Morning News at 8AM
9:00 AM FOX 9 News: Morning Buzz
10:00 AM Anderson Live
11:00 AM The Wendy Williams Show
12:00 PM The Ricki Lake Show
1:00 PM TMZ
1:30 PM Dish Nation
2:00 PM Anderson Live
3:00 PM Judge Alex
3:30 PM Judge Alex
4:00 PM Judge Judy
4:30 PM Judge Judy
5:00 PM FOX at 5
5:30 PM FOX at 5:30
6:00 PM FOX at 6
6:30 PM TMZ
KMSP (FOX 9) channel 9 has a court show-heavy schedule much like its sister station WFTC. They also air both The Wendy Williams Show and The Ricki Lake Show which can be seen at different times on WFTC channel 29. They do, though, add the revamped Ander Cooper talker "Anderson Live".
KSTC channel 45
7:00 AM 45 News Morning
8:00 AM 45 News Morning
9:00 AM America's Funniest Home Videos
10:00 AM Roseanne
10:30 AM Roseanne
11:00 AM Coach
11:30 AM Coach
12:00 PM Steve Harvey
1:00 PM To Be Announced
1:30 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2:00 PM The Andy Griffith Show
2:30 PM The Andy Griffith Show
3:00 PM That '70s Show
3:30 PM That '70s Show
4:00 PM Frasier
4:30 PM Frasier
5:00 PM Rules of Engagement
5:30 PM Rules of Engagement
6:00 PM The King of Queens
6:30 PM The King of Queens
Unless you're in love with sitcoms fom 15-20 years ago, KSTC channel 45's daytime television schedule isn't for you. With the only new programming being KSTC's rehashing of Minneapolis / St. Paul news for two hours to begin the daytime schedule and Steve Harvey's talk show, KSTC seems targeted to a few generations older than myself.
KSTP channel 5
7:00 AM Good Morning America
9:00 AM Live! With Kelly
10:00 AM The View
11:00 AM 5 Eyewitness News Midday
12:00 PM The Chew
1:00 PM General Hospital
2:00 PM Katie
3:00 PM Twin Cities Live
4:00 PM Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
4:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 4:30
5:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News Live at 5
5:30 PM ABC World News With Diane Sawyer
6:00 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6
6:30 PM 5 Eyewitness News at 6:30
By the time September 10th happens, it will be official that Live! with Kelly (Ripa) will be paired with Michael Strahan and his huge gap between his front teeth. The only big addition to KSTP channel 5's daytime television schedule is Katie Couric's new daytime talk show which bumps ABC's last daytime soap, General Hospital, an hour earlier.
WCCO channel 4
7:00 AM CBS This Morning
9:00 AM The Jeff Probst Show
10:00 AM The Price Is Right
11:00 AM The Young and the Restless
12:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Noon
12:30 PM The Bold and the Beautiful
1:00 PM The Talk
2:00 PM Let's Make a Deal
3:00 PM Dr. Phil
4:00 PM The Ellen DeGeneres Show
5:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Five
5:30 PM CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley
6:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Six
6:30 PM Wheel of Fortune
CBS affiliate WCCO makes only one change to its daytime television schedule. With Anderson Cooper's talk show out, The Jeff Probst Show takes over the 9:00 AM slot on the Minneapolis station.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Blackhawk helicopters circling Minneapolis
from flickr user MillCityTimes
No, it's not a full-on police state or a military take-over. The Blackhawk helicopters circling parts of downtown Minneapolis are simply taking part in training exercises throughout the week - each night from 7 PM-Midnight. Hey, it's a believable explanation... until the military is trudging down your street and mercilessly beating you until you cough up whatever secrets they can beat out of you. Yep, just routine training.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Kelsey Soby - Fox 9 Minneapolis - Dance-Off videos
Apparently every Friday, towards the end of the Fox 9 Morning News the anchors / personalities / staff pull out their best or worst dance moves for the Fox 9 Friday Dance-Off segment. Having never seen this live as I am well in to my work day by that time of the morning I have found a number of Fox 9 Friday Dance-Off video compilations - most of which feature traffic reporter Kelsey Soby who has the best moves by far of the morning news team at KMSP-TV.
Is Kelsey Soby the traffic reporter in Minneapolis / St. Paul who is easiest on the eyes? What about her dance moves - good, bad, other? And what about the Fox 9 Morning News program as a whole? Does it need more dancing to fill out the 5 and half hour-long program?
Is Kelsey Soby the traffic reporter in Minneapolis / St. Paul who is easiest on the eyes? What about her dance moves - good, bad, other? And what about the Fox 9 Morning News program as a whole? Does it need more dancing to fill out the 5 and half hour-long program?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Vikings football stadium in Shakopee - sounds good to me!
Go-getter Mayor Brad Tabke of Shakopee -- after just a week or so on the job -- today heads to the Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul to make a pitch to legislators for a Minnesota Vikings football stadium in the southwest Twin Cities suburb of Shakopee. To me it fits well with Tabke's assertion in a newspaper column last week that Shakopee should embrace and expand upon its title of an entertainment capitol of sorts. For many years the city has hung its hat on seasonal venues such as Valleyfair, Canterbury Park and the Renaissance Festival as well as nearby Mystic Lake Casino but, as I hear a morning radio personality say today, a Vikings stadium in Shakopee makes the southwest suburb a weekend-long entertainment destination.
I like the idea of it but for plenty it's going to be a hard to pill to swallow. The area would need little in the way of infrastructure improvements and it might even serve to hasten improvements such as an elevated Minnesota River crossing at Highway 101. It could also serve to speed up the construction of a new Highway 41 in/around nearby Chaska. Extending the third southbound lane on U.S. Highway 169 for a few miles has to be a cheaper traffic solution than fixing the mess in and around Arden Hills. The best part of a Shakopee VIkings stadium is that it supposedly requires no taxpayer funding. All of the necessary funding (outside of the Wilfs contributions) would come from gaming revenue which is a logical fit with Canterbury Park virtually next door.
To this guy, 4 PM today can't come soon enough because Shakopee's Mayor Tabke is definitely a visionary and securing a Vikings stadium and building out the infrastructure improvements properly would keep Shakopee as a destination on a year-round basis. The city is well-situated from a location standpoint as a majority of Viking season ticketholders reside in the southwest metro making the drive to games far shorter than even to a downtown Minneapolis stadium. Throw in the city's rather progressive stance (for an outer ring suburb) on transit with the BlueXpress line and two sizeable transit stations and the pieces start to come together. Let's face it, a statium overlooking the Minnesota River along Highway 101 in Shakopee would be much nicer than the lack of scenery on the barren Army munitions plant grounds in Arden Hills.
So yeah, I'm all for a Vikings stadium in Shakopee.
I like the idea of it but for plenty it's going to be a hard to pill to swallow. The area would need little in the way of infrastructure improvements and it might even serve to hasten improvements such as an elevated Minnesota River crossing at Highway 101. It could also serve to speed up the construction of a new Highway 41 in/around nearby Chaska. Extending the third southbound lane on U.S. Highway 169 for a few miles has to be a cheaper traffic solution than fixing the mess in and around Arden Hills. The best part of a Shakopee VIkings stadium is that it supposedly requires no taxpayer funding. All of the necessary funding (outside of the Wilfs contributions) would come from gaming revenue which is a logical fit with Canterbury Park virtually next door.
To this guy, 4 PM today can't come soon enough because Shakopee's Mayor Tabke is definitely a visionary and securing a Vikings stadium and building out the infrastructure improvements properly would keep Shakopee as a destination on a year-round basis. The city is well-situated from a location standpoint as a majority of Viking season ticketholders reside in the southwest metro making the drive to games far shorter than even to a downtown Minneapolis stadium. Throw in the city's rather progressive stance (for an outer ring suburb) on transit with the BlueXpress line and two sizeable transit stations and the pieces start to come together. Let's face it, a statium overlooking the Minnesota River along Highway 101 in Shakopee would be much nicer than the lack of scenery on the barren Army munitions plant grounds in Arden Hills.
So yeah, I'm all for a Vikings stadium in Shakopee.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
New radio stations - thoughts on 96.3 KTWIN and Buz'n 102.9
So far, 2012 has been a year of change. Locally speaking the Twin Cities have two new radio stations. But when I say new, that doesn't mean shit when it comes to radio stations because everything has already been done. That is painfully obvious when it comes to Buz'n 102.9. It's a horrible nickname for the new CBS-owned country music station which replaced the equally horrible Lite-FM on Christmas day. I guess it's all about choice for the country music fans in the cities but now with two big country stations to choose from it seems like people being able to choose from two Walmart stores. They both offer the same crap, the only differences being the employees and location. Maybe one Walmart has a more pleasant person working the deli counter so you choose that one but in the end you can get the same offerings either place so maybe you shop both of them. That's how exciting it is having two country station in the Twin Cities.
The second new radio offering is actually different. Gone is 96.3 Now (formerly hip-hop/R&B as B96) and their slightly more danceable mix of KDWB music and in its place is 96.3 K-TWIN. I first checked out the K-TWIN stream as I did some web design work Sunday evening and was intrigued. The station definitely has a bit of a rock and alternative lean to it but tends to lose me when they throw in an 80s track from Bon Jovi. K-TWIN definitely seems to favor artists like Adele, Kings of Leon and Foster the People while I've also heard Lily Allen, Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers more than a few times.
Today (Wednesday) is the first day with live talent on 96.3 K-TWIN and I have been pleasantly surprised with the new morning show featuring KARE-11's Eric Perkins and Tony Fly with the future addition of Danni Starr. Fly and Starr, of course, were both on the previous incarnations of 96.3 and come with that baggage of a more "urban" lean and I've never been a fan of Tony Fly's performance on 96.3. He was terrible in trying to hold down a morning show when it was B96 and even worse in afternoons when the station became 96.3 Now. I'm not sure it was his grating voice or the schtick he tried to pass off.
Perkins, though, feels genuine right off the bat in his first day as a morning drive personality. Maybe it's because he's a personality people can relate to from his current gig on KARE-11 or maybe it's because Fly and Perkins actually work together well on the radio. I'm not sure when their morning show acually ends but they did recycle the two big interviews (Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman) from earlier in the morning in the 9 o'clock hour which doesn't bode well for the first day. Go big right out of the gate, don't mail it in, guys.
Another thing I'm curious about is the involvement if Rick Kupchella's BringMeTheNews.com. Kupchella was in the studio with Fly and Perkins this morning, BMTN provides the twice an hour news segments during the 96.3 K-TWIN morning show and Eric Perkins is also employed by BMTN as a sports reporter. I smell some sort of deeper involvement beyond the purchasing of BMTN newscasts.
Overall, 96.3 KTWN-FM needs a little polishing (get your website up and running) but it should be able to carve out a niche as it refines its music format somewhat. It's different enough from Cities 97 (because it's actually energetic) and features the more upbeat tracks and artists from 89.3 The Current and it avoids the majority of the music played on KS95 and has, to this point, actually managed to hold true to its statement of playing music not found on the majority of stations in the Twin Cities. Add in Blink-182 playing as I finish writing this and I'll keep listening. 96.3 K-TWIN has the familiar music for me and 89.3 The Current covers the new music. Hopefully they can co-exist.
The second new radio offering is actually different. Gone is 96.3 Now (formerly hip-hop/R&B as B96) and their slightly more danceable mix of KDWB music and in its place is 96.3 K-TWIN. I first checked out the K-TWIN stream as I did some web design work Sunday evening and was intrigued. The station definitely has a bit of a rock and alternative lean to it but tends to lose me when they throw in an 80s track from Bon Jovi. K-TWIN definitely seems to favor artists like Adele, Kings of Leon and Foster the People while I've also heard Lily Allen, Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers more than a few times.
Today (Wednesday) is the first day with live talent on 96.3 K-TWIN and I have been pleasantly surprised with the new morning show featuring KARE-11's Eric Perkins and Tony Fly with the future addition of Danni Starr. Fly and Starr, of course, were both on the previous incarnations of 96.3 and come with that baggage of a more "urban" lean and I've never been a fan of Tony Fly's performance on 96.3. He was terrible in trying to hold down a morning show when it was B96 and even worse in afternoons when the station became 96.3 Now. I'm not sure it was his grating voice or the schtick he tried to pass off.
Perkins, though, feels genuine right off the bat in his first day as a morning drive personality. Maybe it's because he's a personality people can relate to from his current gig on KARE-11 or maybe it's because Fly and Perkins actually work together well on the radio. I'm not sure when their morning show acually ends but they did recycle the two big interviews (Twins manager Ron Gardenhire and St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman) from earlier in the morning in the 9 o'clock hour which doesn't bode well for the first day. Go big right out of the gate, don't mail it in, guys.
Another thing I'm curious about is the involvement if Rick Kupchella's BringMeTheNews.com. Kupchella was in the studio with Fly and Perkins this morning, BMTN provides the twice an hour news segments during the 96.3 K-TWIN morning show and Eric Perkins is also employed by BMTN as a sports reporter. I smell some sort of deeper involvement beyond the purchasing of BMTN newscasts.
Overall, 96.3 KTWN-FM needs a little polishing (get your website up and running) but it should be able to carve out a niche as it refines its music format somewhat. It's different enough from Cities 97 (because it's actually energetic) and features the more upbeat tracks and artists from 89.3 The Current and it avoids the majority of the music played on KS95 and has, to this point, actually managed to hold true to its statement of playing music not found on the majority of stations in the Twin Cities. Add in Blink-182 playing as I finish writing this and I'll keep listening. 96.3 K-TWIN has the familiar music for me and 89.3 The Current covers the new music. Hopefully they can co-exist.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
KDWB's War of the Roses is fake
The first clue that the feature entitled “War of the Roses” on local Top 40 station 101.3 KDWB-FM is fake is that when a station calls someone they must inform the person they are calling that they are being recorded. That alone should tip people off that the insanity that ensues when a suspicious woman sets up her man to see who he will send a dozen roses to is entirely fabricated. But some people fail to see the truth.
It’s been discussed back and forth in the inner circles of media insiders
and media watchers but this week it all came bubbling to the surface. Gawker specifically names the faked bit as “War of the Roses”. The name is used nationally and while it’s best known here in the Twin Cities as being a weekly staple of the Dave Ryan Show on KDWB, even the over-exposed Ryan Seacrest in Los Angeles uses the bit on his morning show.
In short, the callers are provided by a company called United Stations Radio Networks (helmed by Dick Clark). The bulk of the talent used for this bit and other pot-stirring radio bits on a number of large Top 40 radio stations are actors plucked from New York City among other places across the country. They are given talking points and a basic outline but the majority is ad libbed and done so quite well.
But it doesn’t stop at staged bits to expose supposedly cheating spouses. When a ludicrous topic is posed by a morning DJ, often times a caller conveniently pops up with an equally ludicrous take on the topic. Many of those scenarios are staged by Dick Clark’s United Stations Radio Network as well. The bottom line is if it sounds too crazy to be real then it’s probably bullshit.
Now while I’m not saying that every wacky bit Dave Ryan (Kibler if you’re all for realism and truth) does on his KDWB morning show is straight up bullshit I think that this company set up by Dick Clark and Premiere Radio Networks (a company under the Clear Channel umbrella) to provide actors for radio bits and calls should be proof enough to be at least skeptical about what you hear during your favorite morning show. Just take t hings with a grain of salt and remember that radio was originally billed as theater of the mind -- not everything you hear is real.
It’s been discussed back and forth in the inner circles of media insiders
In short, the callers are provided by a company called United Stations Radio Networks (helmed by Dick Clark). The bulk of the talent used for this bit and other pot-stirring radio bits on a number of large Top 40 radio stations are actors plucked from New York City among other places across the country. They are given talking points and a basic outline but the majority is ad libbed and done so quite well.
But it doesn’t stop at staged bits to expose supposedly cheating spouses. When a ludicrous topic is posed by a morning DJ, often times a caller conveniently pops up with an equally ludicrous take on the topic. Many of those scenarios are staged by Dick Clark’s United Stations Radio Network as well. The bottom line is if it sounds too crazy to be real then it’s probably bullshit.
Now while I’m not saying that every wacky bit Dave Ryan (Kibler if you’re all for realism and truth) does on his KDWB morning show is straight up bullshit I think that this company set up by Dick Clark and Premiere Radio Networks (a company under the Clear Channel umbrella) to provide actors for radio bits and calls should be proof enough to be at least skeptical about what you hear during your favorite morning show. Just take t hings with a grain of salt and remember that radio was originally billed as theater of the mind -- not everything you hear is real.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
How screwed are the Vikings?
It's inescapable. Everywhere you turn around Minnesota the topic of conversation is about the Minnesota Vikings. Whether it's been the blunder of now-former coach Brad Childress acquiring wide receiver Randy Moss and then essentially cutting him from the team mere weeks later and wasting what could be a valuable draft pick in the process or sending three players to the depth of Mississippi to talk quarterback Brett Favre into returning for a second season with the team, it was a bumpy start to the teams 50th season.
Then the coach was fired due to what can only be described as a piss-poor record. Then Brett Favre got injured. That led to perpetual backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson being thrust into the starting position. Needless to say there's a damn good reason he's been riding the bench for the past five years. He's greener than the fieldturf inside the Metrodome.
Mentioning the Metrodome just makes things worse though. It seems that the Vikings have been trying to secure a new stadium for the past decade with no success. Then last weekend Minnesota -- particularly the metro area -- was blanketed with what I would describe as a fuck-ton of snow -- 17 inches to be exact. That didn't exactly sit well with the paper-thin teflon fabric forming the Metrodone's roof because it tore holes in three of the roof's panels causing the roof to collapse. Then as repair work was being assessed yesterday a fourth panel tore causing still more damage to the humptydome.
This leaves the Vikings in a tough situation. They already played last week's "home" game at Detroit last week as a neutral site. This week, supposedly, will be a bit closer to home as they prepare to play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium which lacks 14,000 seats, heated concession areas, heated restrooms, a heated playing service and beer which truly shows how bush league this stadium is and how ill-prepared the Twin Cities are as a major metropolitan area.
But amidst all of this chaos -- and I'm certain that Monday night's game versus the Chicago Bears will be a complete and utter mess -- the Vikings ownership is hoping that this all leads to them securing a new stadium. While I can see the logic behind their thinking I hope they don't get a new stadium. Hell, the taxpayers have funded three new stadiums/arenas in the Twin Cities in the past decade (U of M, XCel, Target Field) and the new Vikings stadium promises to be the most expensive by far. It's time for ownership to realize that they either need to pay for serious fucking rent for the facilities they play in or build the facilities themselves. It's ridiculous that a team worth hundreds of millions of dollars refuses to foot more than a third of the bill for the facility it plays in. But this is the state of pro sports.
While the Vikings will probably get their shiny new stadium in downtown Minneapolis they certainly are not deserving of it. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have almost ancient stadiums and a hugely successful. Newer isn't always better as was proven with the Metrodome. It was built on the cheap and it shows. It's a rat infested dump that is now virtually condemned and it's publicly owned so, Vikings, take that into consideration. Publicly owned isn't always the best route. Be your own key holder and take some pride in ownership instead of being a tenant.
Then the coach was fired due to what can only be described as a piss-poor record. Then Brett Favre got injured. That led to perpetual backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson being thrust into the starting position. Needless to say there's a damn good reason he's been riding the bench for the past five years. He's greener than the fieldturf inside the Metrodome.
Mentioning the Metrodome just makes things worse though. It seems that the Vikings have been trying to secure a new stadium for the past decade with no success. Then last weekend Minnesota -- particularly the metro area -- was blanketed with what I would describe as a fuck-ton of snow -- 17 inches to be exact. That didn't exactly sit well with the paper-thin teflon fabric forming the Metrodone's roof because it tore holes in three of the roof's panels causing the roof to collapse. Then as repair work was being assessed yesterday a fourth panel tore causing still more damage to the humptydome.
This leaves the Vikings in a tough situation. They already played last week's "home" game at Detroit last week as a neutral site. This week, supposedly, will be a bit closer to home as they prepare to play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium which lacks 14,000 seats, heated concession areas, heated restrooms, a heated playing service and beer which truly shows how bush league this stadium is and how ill-prepared the Twin Cities are as a major metropolitan area.
But amidst all of this chaos -- and I'm certain that Monday night's game versus the Chicago Bears will be a complete and utter mess -- the Vikings ownership is hoping that this all leads to them securing a new stadium. While I can see the logic behind their thinking I hope they don't get a new stadium. Hell, the taxpayers have funded three new stadiums/arenas in the Twin Cities in the past decade (U of M, XCel, Target Field) and the new Vikings stadium promises to be the most expensive by far. It's time for ownership to realize that they either need to pay for serious fucking rent for the facilities they play in or build the facilities themselves. It's ridiculous that a team worth hundreds of millions of dollars refuses to foot more than a third of the bill for the facility it plays in. But this is the state of pro sports.
While the Vikings will probably get their shiny new stadium in downtown Minneapolis they certainly are not deserving of it. The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers have almost ancient stadiums and a hugely successful. Newer isn't always better as was proven with the Metrodome. It was built on the cheap and it shows. It's a rat infested dump that is now virtually condemned and it's publicly owned so, Vikings, take that into consideration. Publicly owned isn't always the best route. Be your own key holder and take some pride in ownership instead of being a tenant.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Keys to being a Minnesotan
Immigrants to Minnesota say that it's hard to adapt, that us native Minnesotans are closed off and cliquish. While that may be true, in my 31-plus years as a native Minnesotan I've noticed certain things that will make you stick out like a sore thumb so below are some tips on how to fit in to the Minnesota culture.
Know how to pronounce Wayzata and Edina. (Why-zet-uh and E-dine-uh) I've haeard both radio and TV personalities virtually slaughter these two lofty Minneapolis suburbs. As for the suburbs of St. Paul, they are so basic and forgettable that nobody cares so let's move along.
Know something about our cultural icons. For instance, Minneapolis used to have an NBA team (don't confuse the Minnesota Timberwolves with being of NBA caliber). The Minneapolis Lakers were a damn good team but moved to the greener (?) pastures of Los Angeles where people actually venture outdoors during the winter months and professional-quality basketball arenas abound.
Don't forget, too, about legends such as Paul Bunyan. He was a steel driving man who, as legend has it, stood eight feet tall and had a toenail on his penis. Legend also has it that his back was the first mode of transport across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Important man indeed.
Minnesota also has true, honest to God winters but they aren't nearly as bad as people would have you believe. In all seriousness, buy a pair of gloves and a warm winter jacket. Feel free to invest in a stocking cap and remember to keep your tires inflated. Lastly, don't walk out to get your mail barefoot in the middle of January. That will not end well and you could very well end up stuck to your ice-covered sidewalk for all of the neighborhood to laugh at... and we WILL laugh.
Buy a boat. In a state whose population is nearly 5 million there are just over 3 million registered boats so if you don't have a boat in your driveway people will know you're not one of us. If you can't afford a Glastron or Alumacraft, save up your milk jugs and cartons and build your own boat. Hey, if it floats, it's a boat. Right? If it doesn't float you could still enter it in a milk carton boat race. It seems like most every town with a lake in Minnesota sponsors a milk carton boat race during their cutesy little annual summer festival.
Finally you should learn to love hot dish (or as some refer to it, casserole). Church festivals and neighborhood gatherings will require you to bring a dish to pass and hot dish is viewed as an alternate form of currency in Minnesota. Tater Tot hot dish is always a classic but if you're in desperate need of a recipe, ask your neighbor. Chances are that any millde-aged Minnesotan has a shoebox full of hot dish recipes lying around that they'd be more than eager to share and recommend their favorite to you.
With the basics down, you're one step closer to fitting in. Just don't piss us off because while we'll just brush it off, after you leave we'll bad talk you until the day you die because Minnesota nice is just a myth.
Know how to pronounce Wayzata and Edina. (Why-zet-uh and E-dine-uh) I've haeard both radio and TV personalities virtually slaughter these two lofty Minneapolis suburbs. As for the suburbs of St. Paul, they are so basic and forgettable that nobody cares so let's move along.
Know something about our cultural icons. For instance, Minneapolis used to have an NBA team (don't confuse the Minnesota Timberwolves with being of NBA caliber). The Minneapolis Lakers were a damn good team but moved to the greener (?) pastures of Los Angeles where people actually venture outdoors during the winter months and professional-quality basketball arenas abound.
Don't forget, too, about legends such as Paul Bunyan. He was a steel driving man who, as legend has it, stood eight feet tall and had a toenail on his penis. Legend also has it that his back was the first mode of transport across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Important man indeed.
Minnesota also has true, honest to God winters but they aren't nearly as bad as people would have you believe. In all seriousness, buy a pair of gloves and a warm winter jacket. Feel free to invest in a stocking cap and remember to keep your tires inflated. Lastly, don't walk out to get your mail barefoot in the middle of January. That will not end well and you could very well end up stuck to your ice-covered sidewalk for all of the neighborhood to laugh at... and we WILL laugh.
Buy a boat. In a state whose population is nearly 5 million there are just over 3 million registered boats so if you don't have a boat in your driveway people will know you're not one of us. If you can't afford a Glastron or Alumacraft, save up your milk jugs and cartons and build your own boat. Hey, if it floats, it's a boat. Right? If it doesn't float you could still enter it in a milk carton boat race. It seems like most every town with a lake in Minnesota sponsors a milk carton boat race during their cutesy little annual summer festival.
Finally you should learn to love hot dish (or as some refer to it, casserole). Church festivals and neighborhood gatherings will require you to bring a dish to pass and hot dish is viewed as an alternate form of currency in Minnesota. Tater Tot hot dish is always a classic but if you're in desperate need of a recipe, ask your neighbor. Chances are that any millde-aged Minnesotan has a shoebox full of hot dish recipes lying around that they'd be more than eager to share and recommend their favorite to you.
With the basics down, you're one step closer to fitting in. Just don't piss us off because while we'll just brush it off, after you leave we'll bad talk you until the day you die because Minnesota nice is just a myth.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Brett Favre isn't retiring
How's that for taking a stance on a subject? When I first saw the retweet of Judd Zulgad (Star-Tribue sports writer) informing the online universe that Brett Favre was retiring, I called bullcrap. It seemed too abrupt. Favre was quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings for one season. Not to get all preachy and optimistic but Favre has something to prove. Sure, he took the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game last season but that isn't the pinnacle of success in the NFL.
Sure, Brett Favre is slowly becoming the Bionic Man with his shoulder surgery last year and his ankle surgery this year but the man's athleticism is nothing to laugh at. He's 41 years old and has taken more beatings than a slave but he still has something to prove. If he can't do it this year, I'm almost certain that it will be his swan song but mark my words -- Brett Favre will be in a Vikings uniform for the 2010 NFL regular season. He may use his ankle as an excuse to not only miss traning camp but dodge the preseason games this year as well but he'll play in the regular season.
We already know that his wife, Deanna, renewed her Lifetime Fitness gym membership so if rumors like that mean anything, Favre will be riding in to Minneapolis on a white horse to rescue the Minnesota Vikings and save them from being a 3-13 team.
If you want to escape both my madness and sports madness, check out the spectacular photos of Minnesota at MinnPics.
Sure, Brett Favre is slowly becoming the Bionic Man with his shoulder surgery last year and his ankle surgery this year but the man's athleticism is nothing to laugh at. He's 41 years old and has taken more beatings than a slave but he still has something to prove. If he can't do it this year, I'm almost certain that it will be his swan song but mark my words -- Brett Favre will be in a Vikings uniform for the 2010 NFL regular season. He may use his ankle as an excuse to not only miss traning camp but dodge the preseason games this year as well but he'll play in the regular season.
We already know that his wife, Deanna, renewed her Lifetime Fitness gym membership so if rumors like that mean anything, Favre will be riding in to Minneapolis on a white horse to rescue the Minnesota Vikings and save them from being a 3-13 team.
If you want to escape both my madness and sports madness, check out the spectacular photos of Minnesota at MinnPics.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
$854 Million?!?
It's old news that the Minnesota Vikings want a new stadium. It's also old news that the Metrodome - where the Vikings currently play - is stale and outdated. So it makes sense that with a somewhat useable building already in place the Vikes make use of the Dome. But the newest plan, costing $854 million, is downright nauseating.
At least this newest stadium proposal makes use of the current Metrodome site in eastern downtown Minneapolis but that price tag is hard to fathom. That number alone is close to what the current budget deficit is for the state of Minnesota and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission wants to erect a building with that sort of price tag. That is what's wrong with professional sports.
Now I don't expect the Vikings to play on a glorified high school football field complete with portable metal bleachers but let's get real here. The Metrodome cost a mere $68 million to build in the early 1980s and to expect tax payers to foot the bill for a stadium costing around 15 times as much as the one currently occupying the space doesn't add up. Have your wages increased 15-fold in the past 28 years? Has the minimum wage increased at that same rate in the past 28 years?
Maybe the Vikings need to take a different approach here. If the Vikings are such a Minnesota treasure that we couldn't bear to go on with our lives without them in Minnesota than maybe it's time for the Vikings to become a publicly owned and traded company. Take the model used in Green Bay by the Packers and use it here. The fans there own the team. The stadium underwent a massive overhaul recently and they play in a historical venue. Maybe now is the time to make that change and allow those with the interest and passion for the team to foot the bill for their stadium. Maybe even some sort of reverse revenue sharing. Maybe Zygi Wilf could still somehow maintain a majority share of ownership and make his dream of developing all around a Vikings stadium a reality. Maybe it would actually work or maybe my idea is so off base that I should be locked away forever. Thoughts?
Or maybe you should just head over to MinnPics as I begin looking back on the year that was.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Thugs in Minneapolis tape selves being jackasses
It's not the fact that the teens stupidly featured filming themselves being little pissant thugs pushing down unsuspecting walkers and bikers near the Minneapolis greenway are apparently Somali - any other race or nationality would be just as stupid for featuring their juvenile hijinks on video - it's the fact that they did it in the first place. Here's an idea: if you don't want to pigeonholed as a bunch of ingrateful little shits and troublemakers who, based on this video, seem destined for a life bouncing in and out of the jail system do something with your teenage years. Get a job. Volunteer in your community. Build some goodwill.
But the problem goes beyond just that. I'm guilty of it too but I prefer, in my daily business, to deal with people whose accents aren't so thick that I can't understand what they are saying. Chalk it up to my hurried lifestyle or the fact that, even though my grandpa himself was an immigrant from Denmark and probably faced at least some level of discrimination, I harbor at least some level of racism. There are bad apples in every racial or nationality group but the little pricks in this video made the ultimate mistake. They outed themselves for the world to see just how damn stupid they are. I hope that they are punished for what they did and I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for these kids and doesn't leave them further resenting the culture of Minnesota which they likely feel that they are outcasts in.
If you want something less controversial, check out MinnPics. A photographic tour through all corners of Minnesota that's open 24 hours/day.
But the problem goes beyond just that. I'm guilty of it too but I prefer, in my daily business, to deal with people whose accents aren't so thick that I can't understand what they are saying. Chalk it up to my hurried lifestyle or the fact that, even though my grandpa himself was an immigrant from Denmark and probably faced at least some level of discrimination, I harbor at least some level of racism. There are bad apples in every racial or nationality group but the little pricks in this video made the ultimate mistake. They outed themselves for the world to see just how damn stupid they are. I hope that they are punished for what they did and I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for these kids and doesn't leave them further resenting the culture of Minnesota which they likely feel that they are outcasts in.
If you want something less controversial, check out MinnPics. A photographic tour through all corners of Minnesota that's open 24 hours/day.
Monday, October 19, 2009
A stadium conundrum
I don't normally write about sports here because my audience, for whatever reason, is mainly females and the remainder are drive-bys searching for nipples, boobs and camel toe photos. But despite my rather obvious obsession with the female form I do at least casually follow sports and find myself almost infatuated with the role that stadiums play in professional and collegiate sports in America. Most every major metropolitan area has one huge stadium. It could be for college football, an NFL team or Major League Baseball but they are definitely a cornerstone of sorts in their respective city.
What amazes me is the cost of these stadiums. Locally, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (The Dome) was built in the first years of the 1980s for what is now the paltry sum of $30 million. It has been the home of major league baseball's Minnesota Twins, the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and, up until last year, was also the home of the University of Minnesota's Golden Gopher football team. Yep, three teams occupied The Dome for the bulk of dates for eight months every year. It was also host to monster truck rallies, concerts, trade shows, the Super Bowl, the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves for a year and the NCAA Final Four college basketball tournament. This ass-ugly but functional stadium has stood for nearly thirty years and could still very well be used for many more years with a substantial overhaul.
And that's about the only way I see The Metrodome as being functional beyond the next couple of years. It is hopelessly outdated. The concourses are dark and can become very crowded. The concession stands are set up poorly which leads to insanely long lines and the restrooms (the the troughs guys have to piss in) are too small and there are too few to serve the crowds during a Vikings game.
But the pricetag, coupled with a rather shitty location (eastern downtown Minneapolis) of the Metrodome, to remodel the domed stadium is lofty at best but a complete overhaul is still cheaper than building a completely new, single tenant stadium for $900 million which could sit on the same spot as The Metrodome or as far out as Blaine. The Vikes want amenities like luxury suites, parking revenue and money from concessions. As it stands right now they are merely tenants at The Dome. They lease the place and are now the sole tenant in the rat infested Dome.
But why do they need their own stadium? If The Dome won't suit your needs and you want amenities and the money from those the Vikings should have been forced a few years ago to team up with the Gophers when they built their new open air football stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. But the shortsighted fools begging for cash never though that two football teams could share a stadium - especially one where one team plays on Saturday and the other on Sunday. No, that kind of shared solution would have actually made sense and when it comes to politics and money that just doesn't register.
So now we're stuck with a college football stadium that was built to suit a college team. It isn't chock full of the amenities that an NFL team wants and needs and retrofitting a brand new stadium is actually stupid. So we're back to remodeling The Metrodome and unless hell freezes over shortly that will never happen and I don't see tax payers willing to pony up any more in the way of additional sales tax to fund another playground for millionaires. So the two unlikely scenarios remain - the Vikings owner Zygi Wilf performs a drastic overhaul of The Metrodome and builds the surrounding area into a year around venue as MinnPost suggests or the Vikings pay for some crazy-spendy overhauls to the new Gophers stadium and still compromise alot in the process.
Or the Vikings move to that eventual stadium in Los Angeles. It is designed with purple seats and it wouldn't be the first time a Minnesota team relocated to Los Angeles. Oh well, I've never been to a Vikings game anyway but I do hear that the nearly vacant Brookdale Center could be had on the cheap. Think it over Zygi.
Or Zygi Wilf could check out MinnPics. Hey, if Zygi is loving the stunning photos of Minnesota you should check them out too!
What amazes me is the cost of these stadiums. Locally, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (The Dome) was built in the first years of the 1980s for what is now the paltry sum of $30 million. It has been the home of major league baseball's Minnesota Twins, the NFL's Minnesota Vikings and, up until last year, was also the home of the University of Minnesota's Golden Gopher football team. Yep, three teams occupied The Dome for the bulk of dates for eight months every year. It was also host to monster truck rallies, concerts, trade shows, the Super Bowl, the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves for a year and the NCAA Final Four college basketball tournament. This ass-ugly but functional stadium has stood for nearly thirty years and could still very well be used for many more years with a substantial overhaul.
And that's about the only way I see The Metrodome as being functional beyond the next couple of years. It is hopelessly outdated. The concourses are dark and can become very crowded. The concession stands are set up poorly which leads to insanely long lines and the restrooms (the the troughs guys have to piss in) are too small and there are too few to serve the crowds during a Vikings game.
But the pricetag, coupled with a rather shitty location (eastern downtown Minneapolis) of the Metrodome, to remodel the domed stadium is lofty at best but a complete overhaul is still cheaper than building a completely new, single tenant stadium for $900 million which could sit on the same spot as The Metrodome or as far out as Blaine. The Vikes want amenities like luxury suites, parking revenue and money from concessions. As it stands right now they are merely tenants at The Dome. They lease the place and are now the sole tenant in the rat infested Dome.
But why do they need their own stadium? If The Dome won't suit your needs and you want amenities and the money from those the Vikings should have been forced a few years ago to team up with the Gophers when they built their new open air football stadium on the University of Minnesota campus. But the shortsighted fools begging for cash never though that two football teams could share a stadium - especially one where one team plays on Saturday and the other on Sunday. No, that kind of shared solution would have actually made sense and when it comes to politics and money that just doesn't register.
So now we're stuck with a college football stadium that was built to suit a college team. It isn't chock full of the amenities that an NFL team wants and needs and retrofitting a brand new stadium is actually stupid. So we're back to remodeling The Metrodome and unless hell freezes over shortly that will never happen and I don't see tax payers willing to pony up any more in the way of additional sales tax to fund another playground for millionaires. So the two unlikely scenarios remain - the Vikings owner Zygi Wilf performs a drastic overhaul of The Metrodome and builds the surrounding area into a year around venue as MinnPost suggests or the Vikings pay for some crazy-spendy overhauls to the new Gophers stadium and still compromise alot in the process.
Or the Vikings move to that eventual stadium in Los Angeles. It is designed with purple seats and it wouldn't be the first time a Minnesota team relocated to Los Angeles. Oh well, I've never been to a Vikings game anyway but I do hear that the nearly vacant Brookdale Center could be had on the cheap. Think it over Zygi.
Or Zygi Wilf could check out MinnPics. Hey, if Zygi is loving the stunning photos of Minnesota you should check them out too!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tornado hits Minneapolis
Alright, in all seriousness it appears that an actual tornado did touch down (briefly) in Minneapolis. This sort of bizarre weather is usually reserved for June and usually in Oklahoma but this is the midwest and it can happen here from March thru early November. And there are photos. Tons of photos. MinnPics unearthed some of the damage shortly after touchdown and even the actual twister crossing I-35W around the Lake St. area in Minneapolis.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The word of the day is "bitter"
The suburbs are supposedly a peaceful haven where people move to get away from the noise, hustle and bustle of the big city. I guess it's that rather mistaken identity that prompts the uptight citizens of certain suburbs to write well-worded but still bitter letters to the editor about what some would see as a rather prominent cultural event coming to their city and billing it as nothing but "vulgar noise".
That is what a husband and wife from Shakopee (who each wrote a letter which got published) called Soundset '09 which took place on Sunday, May 24 - Memorial Day weekend. Soundset, if you didn't know, is an all-day rap/hip-hop festival which took place at Canterbury Park. It is one of just a few venues in the Twin Cities where outdoor concert events take place and if these sticks in the mud have their way it wouldn't happen there again.
I'm a huge music fan and I've lived near outdoor events which I didn't attend. I loved sitting on my deck listening ot the music off in the distance. It always made the bland sameness of the suburbs seem alive but the letters by Kathy and Cliff Stafford give me the impression that they would only be happy if everyone in the city shut their mouths and simply played canasta only to call it a night by 8 PM.
Sure, to many hip-hop is just noise but I'm fairly certain that the music of their generation was called noise by their elders as well. It's a never-ending circle and these "forward-thinking" citizens who want their peace and quiet can keep on bitching because I'm fairly certain that while there are plenty of others who feel the same way, the hundreds of thousands of dollars this event brought in trump the backwoods views of two people who complained about some homegrown Minnesota hip-hop which is far from vulgar. Form your own opinions and listen to some Brother Ali, Atmosphere and P.O.S.
But if you can't stand the "noise", go inside (like almost all other suburbanites), close your windows, turn on a fan and the TV and that should pretty much cover up the "noise".
If you appreciate all things Minnesota, check out the amazing photos at MinnPics.
That is what a husband and wife from Shakopee (who each wrote a letter which got published) called Soundset '09 which took place on Sunday, May 24 - Memorial Day weekend. Soundset, if you didn't know, is an all-day rap/hip-hop festival which took place at Canterbury Park. It is one of just a few venues in the Twin Cities where outdoor concert events take place and if these sticks in the mud have their way it wouldn't happen there again.
I'm a huge music fan and I've lived near outdoor events which I didn't attend. I loved sitting on my deck listening ot the music off in the distance. It always made the bland sameness of the suburbs seem alive but the letters by Kathy and Cliff Stafford give me the impression that they would only be happy if everyone in the city shut their mouths and simply played canasta only to call it a night by 8 PM.
Sure, to many hip-hop is just noise but I'm fairly certain that the music of their generation was called noise by their elders as well. It's a never-ending circle and these "forward-thinking" citizens who want their peace and quiet can keep on bitching because I'm fairly certain that while there are plenty of others who feel the same way, the hundreds of thousands of dollars this event brought in trump the backwoods views of two people who complained about some homegrown Minnesota hip-hop which is far from vulgar. Form your own opinions and listen to some Brother Ali, Atmosphere and P.O.S.
But if you can't stand the "noise", go inside (like almost all other suburbanites), close your windows, turn on a fan and the TV and that should pretty much cover up the "noise".
If you appreciate all things Minnesota, check out the amazing photos at MinnPics.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
The "best of" that nobody notices
Maybe that headline is a bit harsh but each year it seems that Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages pounds yet another nail in its coffin of credibility by releasing its yearly Best of the Twin Cities list.
Regardless of its rather dated nature, I usually peruse it - particularly the media section and at least this year they got a couple things correct.
I expect a ton of gloating Wednesday from KFAN host Dan Cole after he pulled down the award for Best Sports Radio Host. He makes the mundane culture of Minnesota sports tolerable with his relentless mocking of both the teams and fans who throw their full support behind the sub-par franchises who call Minnesota home. His show is weird, sometimes painful but always entertaining because of his relative disdain for sports but he is also vastly knowledgeable about the topics he mocks. He does a good schtick.
At least City Pages has the balls to name crazy congresswoman Michele Bachmann as the best villain. Maybe villain should be reserved for people better than her. What's worse than a villain?
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bedbugs are a real bitch in the 'burbs
After reading a post on MPR's News Cut, I might rethink the phrase "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite."
Bedbugs are such a tremendous problem that the EPA is holding a summit on the tiny, blood-sucking critters in Washington, DC. Hopefully we know to be wary of the cleanliness of certain motels. I tend to stay far away from the roadside variety that look like a great place to hook up with your latest Craigslist casual encounter or to dice up an enemy but even the cleanest appearing suites are sometimes infested.
Check out The Bedbug Registry and poke around some. Here's some excerpts from places in the Twin Cities reported to have bedbugs...
620 Gorman St
Shakopee, MN 55379-2609
I noticed a really ugly rash appearing on me sometime in August 2008... We also kept noticing blood and black/brown little stains on the sheet too... they are bad in third world countries which makes sense for the Hunter's Ridge Apts where we live... furniture in the garbage frequently too - of which other residents scavenge and bring back inside...
Holiday Inn Express Minneapolis Dwtn (Conv Ctr)
225 S 11th Ave, #55403
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1218
I observed a bug in my bed... had my home exterminated twice, purchased the mattress covers and am still living out of plastic bags... live in central South Dakota, so you see, even 5 or 600 miles away, word travels fast.
2525 Harriet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55405-3456
...then he found the bugs... very gross and freaked me out... the property is owned by persaud properties and they refused to do any work to fix the problem, a real slum lord.
So that led me to ponder what the most disgusting thing is that you have ever found in an apartment or hotel room? My worst was a whole shit-ton of moth balls in the bottom of a closet. The smell never left. Thankfully I've never had bug infestations outside of two mice in a suburban Minneapolis apartment.
If creepy-crawlies are not your thing, scope out MinnPics where there's plenty of majestic wildlife, cool events and colorful places captured in amazing photographs around Minnesota.
Bedbugs are such a tremendous problem that the EPA is holding a summit on the tiny, blood-sucking critters in Washington, DC. Hopefully we know to be wary of the cleanliness of certain motels. I tend to stay far away from the roadside variety that look like a great place to hook up with your latest Craigslist casual encounter or to dice up an enemy but even the cleanest appearing suites are sometimes infested.
Check out The Bedbug Registry and poke around some. Here's some excerpts from places in the Twin Cities reported to have bedbugs...
620 Gorman St
Shakopee, MN 55379-2609
I noticed a really ugly rash appearing on me sometime in August 2008... We also kept noticing blood and black/brown little stains on the sheet too... they are bad in third world countries which makes sense for the Hunter's Ridge Apts where we live... furniture in the garbage frequently too - of which other residents scavenge and bring back inside...
Holiday Inn Express Minneapolis Dwtn (Conv Ctr)
225 S 11th Ave, #55403
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1218
I observed a bug in my bed... had my home exterminated twice, purchased the mattress covers and am still living out of plastic bags... live in central South Dakota, so you see, even 5 or 600 miles away, word travels fast.
2525 Harriet Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55405-3456
...then he found the bugs... very gross and freaked me out... the property is owned by persaud properties and they refused to do any work to fix the problem, a real slum lord.
So that led me to ponder what the most disgusting thing is that you have ever found in an apartment or hotel room? My worst was a whole shit-ton of moth balls in the bottom of a closet. The smell never left. Thankfully I've never had bug infestations outside of two mice in a suburban Minneapolis apartment.
If creepy-crawlies are not your thing, scope out MinnPics where there's plenty of majestic wildlife, cool events and colorful places captured in amazing photographs around Minnesota.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Consumer corner tip: Cub Foods
Is it considered gluttony that I just ate half of a rotisserie chicken?I don't consider myself a glutton but I do have a healthy appetite and I do love chicken. Chicken is one of those perfect foods. People love the wings (I don't). It tastes great baked, fried, grilled, smoked, roasted, stuffed or just about any way you can think of.
It tastes even better because is was a Gold 'n Plump chicken and it was on sale. Sort of.
Sure, I had to buy ten Knorr (formerly Lipton) rice and/or noodle pouches for a dollar each at Cub Foods but doing so saved me four bucks on that succulent little bird. Three and one-half pounds of Gold 'n Plump rotisserie cooked chicken plus ten Knorr rice and/or noodle pouches for thirteen dollars and change. It's one of those rare times I can brag about a deal at Cub Foods.
Hey, if you live in many "metro" areas of Minnesota, it's worth the trip to Cub Foods this week and it's damn tasty. I'm off to clean the bones on that little bird.
If you like even more things Minnesota, check out MinnPics. It's got tons of fresh photos just unearthed today!
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