Edwin's City of Lakes Blog

MnDOT emergency response official is fired

2007-11-09T18:55:00.000-06:00

MnDOT emergency response official is fired Finally! I hope Carol Malnau is next.

Los Angeles Times: They love to do their homework

2007-10-12T12:55:00.000-05:00

Los Angeles Times: They love to do their homework: "Last year, Patterson fired a female professor of biblical languages; he interprets the Bible as prohibiting women from teaching men theology." These people are nuts! They would miss out on someone like The Rev Dr Wanda Deifelt--an inspiring and amazing professor at Luther, for the sake of their own misguided understanding.

Netlets for Sunday, Aug. 19

2007-08-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

Netlets for Sunday, Aug. 19: "In your article we were reminded that the person leading the Minnesota Department of Transportation, a 4,500-person, $2 billion organization, has no college education and a background in farming and arm wrestling."

They are of course referring to Carol Malnau the Lt Gov and Commissioner of Transportation.

Gas tax increase appears certain

2007-08-04T01:49:00.000-05:00

Gas tax increase appears certain: "That bill also included a mandate for yearly inspection of state bridges, which under current law must be inspected at least every two years. DFLers' attempt to override the veto failed"

Pawlenty vetoed a bill including bridge inspections and more money for transportation...Looking pretty foolish now. Did people really have to die for the governor to see the necessity of good funding policy?

Weekend break approaching

2007-06-07T15:41:00.000-05:00

It's been 12 days of training here at Camp Wapo. Tomorrow we are done with training and are free until 12:00 M. on Sunday. I am really looking forward to a bit of a break and also very excited at the prospect of campers arriving Sunday.

Oh how sweet it will be to spend some time in Minneapolis.

Almost time for camp

2007-05-25T22:57:00.000-05:00

It is 8 hours before my scheduled departure for Amery, Wisconsin to work at camp. I haven't started packing yet. I guess I should soon--I have been so good about bedtimes since coming home to Minneapolis for the summer.

Today (well I guess now yesterday) I met up with Not Lee in Roseville where we had lunch at Green Mill and then went to Har-Mar to get our nails done. She had never had a manicure-pedicure before! They did a better job, for less money and in less time than the last time I had my nails done in Decorah.

I just reread what I wrote. My goodness, I am so queer.

J Term's end

2007-01-23T17:14:00.000-06:00

This week marks the final week of Luther's January Term. Last night several of us celebrated the Last Monday in J Term, which resulted in a rough morning for me.

I have been taking a class dealing with Islam and the aftermath of "9-11"; so is everyone else from my cluster it seems. This has been very nice because I have had more of a chance to get to know them – and for the most part they're a decent bunch of guys (Micah J. Holt excepted—he's a real jerk*). On Friday I am flying out to Washington, DC to visit the other Micah—Micah Clemens which should be a good time. He's working for our new representative from the 5th Minnesota Congressional District—Rep. Keith Ellison. Anyway, Washington is always a fun city to visit and he actually lives there now as opposed to the Virginia 'burbs and I will get to meet his womanfriend.

*Obviously a joke.

10:24 was great

2007-01-22T16:11:00.000-06:00

YouTube - 10:24 covers Here It Goes Again by OK Go

The artists from my cluster were totally robbed by the judges at BOMB.

You're right I am officially a scumbag

2007-01-05T15:23:00.000-06:00

I just took a personality test online. I am sure there are many not surprised at the following result: Scumbag- ENFP

60% Extraversion, 66% Intuition, 33% Thinking, 40% Judging

I have a feeling you're not going to like this much. Do I care? No.
How do I know? It's because you hate criticism. You love to be loved and you'll do anything to be accepted.

Unfortunately for you, I can see right through your insincere compliments and over-the-top greetings. No matter what you do, I'll always hate you for what you are. An arrogant, unstable, overly enthusiastic scumbag.

I bet you're pretty proud of your accomplishments, huh? You seem to achieve at whatever you put your little mind too. Trust me. Nobody likes the person who is good at everything. NOBODY LIKES YOU.

This might also have something to do with the fact that you're a cheating machine. You're just not the type of person to make long-term commitments. You enjoy seeing "what could be", rather than being satisfied with "what is." This, of course, means you often leave others in the dust while you seek out another lover.

Well, at least you're not the one left in the dust.

Unfortunately, when you're the one lying in the gutter with a bloody knife in your back, you might think differently.

*****************
If you want to learn more about your personality type in a slightly less negative way, check out this.
*****************

The other personality types are as follows...

Loner - Introverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Pushover - Introverted Sensing Feeling Judging
Criminal - Introverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Borefest - Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Almost Perfect - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
Freak - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Loser - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Crackpot - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging
Clown - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
Sap - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Judging
Commander - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Perceiving
Do Gooder - Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging
Busybody - Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging
Prick - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
Dictator - Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 67% on Extraversion
You scored higher than 52% on Intuition
You scored higher than 13% on Thinking
You scored higher than 29% on Judging

Link: The Brutally Honest Personality Test written by UltimateMaster on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Mayo entertainment

2006-12-24T17:30:00.000-06:00

I just viewed the claim to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Minnesota for my November heart incident. All I can say is: Thank goodness my dad is a state employee with excellent health insurance. See this.

The real “Final Countdown”

2006-11-06T09:31:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is D-Day 2006. Will the American public make a change?

Failure in Iraq due to incompetence

Doomed energy policy

Health care costs out of control

Corruption, lies, abuse of power

Etc

Let me say this much—if the Democratic Party doesn't capture a chamber tomorrow then the very future of both the Party and our republic is in jeopardy. I don't think that's hyperbole—I truly think that if there is this much failure and malfeasance and the public doesn't "fire" the leadership then we are in a world of trouble. Thomas Friedman did a much better job of calling for a change in his most recent column for the Times which we read in International Relations this morning.

This afternoon I will drive to Minneapolis to serve as an election judge tomorrow. When I say the words of the oath tomorrow morning:
"I solemnly swear that I will perform the duties of election judge according to law and the best of my ability and will diligently endeavor to prevent fraud, deceit and abuse in conducting this election. I will perform my duties in a fair and impartial manner and not attempt to create an advantage for my party or for any candidate."
You can bet I mean it. I hope the judges in Ohio, California, Iowa and the rest of the Union mean it too.

GRDD

2006-10-23T02:36:00.000-05:00

Ding dong...Michele Bachman is nuts! But you already knew that.

In other news, the life in Decorah couldn't be more exciting with at least three major gay-related drama disorder (GRDD, or "grid"--okay that is a joke in very poor taste I will admit it). First we have the lies-liar-and-rumor-monger set along with a poor confused kid caught in a net of gayness, then the inevitable assorted relationship dramas. Ah!

Sunday, Sunday

2006-10-15T07:47:00.000-05:00

Here I am at 07:30 Central in the KWLC studios. How exciting that I get to listen to five hours of church programming including the current hour in Norsk. I volunteered to stay late during Fall Break and work yesterday and today. I am such a masochist...

Which reminds of a verbal gaffe I made yesterday when I was complaining about my decision to stay behind. I used the expression above except I misspoke and said "misogynist". The person to whom I was speaking looked taken aback and then I realized what I had just said. That is not the same thing at all!

By13:00 I will be on US 52 heading home to the City of Lakes. I can't wait.

Self -congratulatory post on the great show I just did

2006-09-30T11:15:00.000-05:00

I did my weekly Saturday morning show today (08:30 Central) and had as my guest Michael Mauro, who is the Democratic candidate for Iowa Secretary of State. (Mary Hanusa is the other party’s candidate, but she is near-impossible to get a hold of as she has no website or reliable telephone number).

Mr Mauro is the current auditor of Polk County and is what everyone should want in an SOS candidate—concerned with transparency, accountability and accessibility in elections and administration. I asked him about Election Day registration (EDR) of which, as an election judge in Minnesota, I am a huge promoter. He said the idea needs to be sold to the General Assembly and the governor as well as the electorate so that any concerns that they have are addressed. (Of course personally I think that EDR is a better way of assuring that someone actually resides in the precinct that simply having a pre-registered list, because with EDR you must show that you currently live there.)

I have to say, sorry to so blatantly congratulate myself, that it was a great show. It was exactly the type of show I just love doing.

Poor time management

2006-09-28T04:32:00.000-05:00

I have been sitting at this screen for four hours and have written not a page.

By the way, I hate politics these days.

Brief post

2006-09-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

As you may have guessed, I was disappointed by the outcome of the primaries. I supported Becky Lourey in her gubernatorial bid and Erlandson in his congressional bid. I will support Hatch and Ellison, but with Ellison at least, I am very wary.

Just did my second show of the semester on KWLC and it went ok. Next week I'll have a guest. Saturdays at 08:30 Central!

Countdown to beginning of Decision 2006!

2006-09-11T13:33:00.000-05:00

Less than 20 hours until the beginning of the Primary Election! I am starting to get the nervous feeling in my stomach that always accompanies an election...

MyNetworkTV is frighteningly addictive

2006-09-06T22:43:00.000-05:00

I think I am channeling someone's beloved Latina grandmother because I am becoming addicted to "Fashion House" on the new MyNetworkTV. "FH" is an American version of the telenovela — Latin America's contribution to the soap opera genre. Like other telenovelas the show is for a limited time (13 weeks) and will have a conclusion at the end. Very different than our own soap operas some of which began airing in the 1950s and are still on the air.

The show has two of the very best (I am being serious here) in B-list female actors, Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild. On a side note, I adored Ms Fairchild in the hilarious "Zany Adventures of Robin Hood", a '80s television movie I used to watch a lot of as a child. George Segal (of "Just Shoot Me!") played Robin Hood in that movie and it is silly and a lot of fun.

Anyway I saw a promo for "FH" at the State Fair and I started watching this week. It is over the top, dramatic and addictive. So call me «abuelita» and be done with it. I have to go—I feel an urge to make some hot chocolate and pray un rosario, I mean a rosary.

I have trouble thinking of clever titles for my blog posts - 1

2006-09-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

The Minnesota Statewide Primary Election is next Tuesday, September 12th. It is a very exciting time. In Minnesota there is no partisan voter registration because we believe that a voter's political preference should be private (what a novel concept). The primary is therefore open; all three major parties (Republican, Democratic-Farmer-Labor, and Independence Party) appear on the same ballot. You can only select candidates from one party however—the optical scan counting machine will beep at you if you try to "cross-over vote."

Anyway, I mailed in my absentee ballot (since I am an election judge in Ward 3-Precinct 2 and live in Ward 2-Pricinct 1). I voted for Becky Lourey for governor and Mike Erlandson for 5th District U.S. House. Those were the only notable contested races (although gee, maybe I should've voted for "Dick" Franson for secretary of state!).

Lutherans, Journalists and Politicians

2006-09-04T20:20:00.000-05:00

We started class last Wednesday. I have a pretty good schedule with interesting courses and instructors. Aaron Murphy came up on Thursday and stayed with me and that was pretty fun. He gave me the motivation I needed to clean my damn room so that was a huge plus.

On Friday, for the twentieth-odd year Dr Jim Wand came to entertain Luther students the first Friday evening of school. He is a former clinician that now practices "hypnotic entertainment" (an unintentional pun I assure you). This is an event I attended in 2001, 2002, 2005 and this past Friday. In other words, every fall that I've been here I've gone. It really is a Luther tradition and is pretty entertaining.

You can probably guess where I am going with this—yes I got brought up to the stage under hypnosis (along with say 15 other LC students) and regaled the crowd with my impression of The Pussycat Dolls dancing to their hit single "Don't Cha" and my statement that a certain KWLC music director and Res Life employee was having an affair with a senior Luther administrator. Well luckily for me, my co-worker from KWLC took it in stride and thought it was funny.

Being in hypnosis is a weird feeling and hard to describe—it's something like the twilight feeling one gets right before falling into sleep. I was generally aware of the large CFL crowd but felt no inhibition or distress at making a fool of myself. All in all it was a good time and I can look forward to this year of notoriety as the "PCD dancing man."

Saturday morning I made excellent time returning to beautiful Minneapolis (about two hours, 30 minutes) where I then went to the Minnesota State Fair for a second time for the year. It makes up for missing last year (well somewhat). As I write this the 2006 State Fair is coming to a close. Saturday evening I went to the 90s with Murph and had a pretty good time.

Last night I returned to Decorah. On my drive I played a little game to keep myself occupied. The weather was rainy and dark and it wasn't yet sunset. I have always claimed that Minnesotans are better drivers that Iowegians in inclement weather and more sensible too. So I put my theory to the test. There is no reason anyone should've been driving without headlights on. Of the 31 oncoming cars that I passed without headlights on—28 had legible license plates. 2 were from Wisconsin, 3 were from Minnesota and the balance—23—were from Iowa. It was pretty funny actually how accurate the headlight test became to prove they were Iowans. Why won't they just turn the damn lights on?

I presented in Luther and Lutheranism today and presented a oral summarization of the chapter we read for today along with a written outline of the chapter. It went over pretty well and now it is over for the semester. Good for me.

Great Minnesota Get Together – Take 2

2006-08-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

I was supposed to go to the State Fair yesterday, but the weather was horrible. I drove back from Decorah and arrived home around 5am went to sleep and awoke to find pouring rain. Damn….

So today is my second attempt. I actually went this morning with Micah before 8am. We did Fair stuff till 11am, then he was called in by his job. We left at the same time and I came home, where I am now writing this, and am picking up my sister Bessie before going back. It will be fun to see the animals with her—I love the Minnesota State Fair!

Long commute

2006-08-23T23:40:00.000-05:00

So...Twenty one days from my last post and I find myself in the exact same place--On the air at KWLC. Tonight is an interesting night:

1) I drove from Minneapolis and arrived in Decorah at around 20:30, plenty of time for a 22:00 show.

2) The Union is half inaccessible due to the race to finish the renovations before class starts on the 30th. The only way to get to the KWLC studios in the subbasement was to take the freight/service elevator from the catering department on the third floor because the stairway is torn apart.

3) I will be leaving from the studios, picking up my (with any luck charged) mobile and then hopping back into the Volvo to return to Minneapolis. Yea me!

On the plus side--I am going to The Great Minnesota Get Together tomorrow!

Radio isn't dead

2006-08-02T23:31:00.000-05:00

...But I am deadly bored here at the radio station. Because of the absence of one of our team members I have spent an inordinate amount of time working here lately and I am going "slightly" crazy...Is that like being "a little pregnant"?

Anyway, I miss many people who won't be back at Luther this fall like Allison and Murph and am really not looking forward to being in school without them--they're good kids.

My other current frustrations are my difficulty with Res Life and being here in Iowa when Micah is up in Minneapolis visiting.

Well this was a fairly worthless post in terms of insight or good ideas.

Nordic Fest and sad story

2006-07-29T18:04:00.000-05:00

Today I broadcast the 40th Annual Nordic Fest Parade live for KWLC. It was very hot, sweltering in fact but the parade kept my mind distracted at least until the last FARMALL tractor passed by. One of the neater things was seeing how large the parade is and how many other local festivals had float entries. The Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days, royalty such as the Iowa ALTERNATE Beef Princess and the Winneshiek County Beef Princess and ALTERNATE Princess all made an appearance, even Little Miss Calmar, the Harmony Queen and Mrs Oktoberfest of La Crosse. Wow! Because of a family tragedy with one of our KWLC staffers, there are just two us figuring out how to divide 16 hour broadcast days and I will be here at the station from now until 21:00 CT

On a sadder note this story from the Star Tribune gave me pause because this kid seems like one of those really nice kids who really have an effect on their communities and schools and he was killed riding a bike—I am sure because of his commitment to the environment. I drive past the BP station in Marion outside of Rochester on US 52 anytime I go home. I know it will bother me to drive past now.

McLaughlin makes another poor decision

2006-07-19T02:50:00.000-05:00

I once had quite a bit of respect for my representative on the Hennepin County Board, Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. In fact, I supported him at the Minneapolis DFL City Convention last year in his race against Mayor Rybak. I believed then, and still do, that Mayor Rybak cut spending on public safety during the budget crisis instead of other services--and we're paying the price with the crime and decay on the north side and downtown and hoped McLaughlin would be a more forceful advocate for the City of Lakes at the Capitol.

After Rybak won reelection however, McLaughlin voted against the public interest to weaken the Hennepin County Smoking Ban.

My disillusionment is now complete. The images attached to this post are scans of a mailing we got at my family home in Minneapolis. The purpose of this mailing is obstenibly to let south/south-central Minneapolis residents know about the new County Service Center (driver's licenses, passports, birth certificates, various filings, etc). However it prominently displays his picture and appears to credit the "activities of a political subdivision to an individual." Peter McLaughlin is, in an election year, using county taxpayer funds to send what is essentially a promotional mailing for himself. The sad thing is that no other serious candidate has filed for election against him (I do not count anti-stadium gadfly Nye or "Green Party" candidate Hakeem as serious candidates because I would never seriously entertain the notion of voting for either of them) and McLaughlin locked the DFL endorsement.

When Rybak and some city council members sent some newsletters at city expense last year which inappropriately contained his photo and credited actions of the city to themselves personally, they were issued a scolding by family-values-loving, Bush-backing, library-hating State Auditor Patricia Anderson. (Formerly known as Pat Awada, she reverted to Anderson after her divorce--most likely caused by a homosexual getting married somewhere). For as much as I dislike the auditor's personal politics--she was right--using the city's money was wrong for Rybak and company and using the county's is wrong for McLaughlin.