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20 posts from October 2011

26 October 2011

A communique from Occupy MN

I didn't know Occupy MN had a general assembly...I wonder if they have a security council as well.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Press@gmail.com, (612) 568-8417

OccupyMN Members to Defend Foreclosure Victim

Minneapolis-The General Assembly of OccupyMN unanimously approved last night to support small business owner Ruth Murman as she faces foreclosure.

 Ruth is scheduled to be evicted on Monday, October 31. U.S. Bank holds the mortgage to her home in Plymouth. Ruth has sought legal counsel and asked U.S. Bank to delay the eviction for two weeks while she makes other arrangements, but the bank has refused.

On Wednesday, October 26, at 12:30pm OccupyMN’s Events Committee and their supporters will meet at The People’s Plaza and march on U.S. Bank to demand they negotiate with Ruth and call for a moratorium on foreclosures. Participants plan to occupy Ruth’s home to defend her from eviction should U.S. Bank refuse to negotiate.

Ruth runs a small business in Minnetonka called Auntie Ruth's Animal Care and Wellness Centers (  http://www.auntieruth.com/). The business employs 25 people though Ruth herself hasn't taken a paycheck in over a year.  Ruth lives with her father, a 79-year-old Korean War veteran who has cancer and has recently suffered several heart attacks. If Ruth and her father are evicted, she fears she would have to sleep on the floor with the animals at her business.

"All I'm asking for is two weeks to get my life together before they take away my home,” explained Ruth.  “It's both shocking and tragic that U.S. Bank is unwilling to grant me such a small request as they break records for profits and double the salary of their CEO to $18.8 million a year.”
 

What about the U of M women's hockey champions?

If you know Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede at all, you know his blood type is Maroon and Gold -- he's a major U of M Gophers sports fan, as is his wife, Judy. The sports editor and I tend to hear from them if we don't report enough U of M sports news, especially women's athletics.

So I got a kick out of this item in the Star Tribune a few weeks ago:

There is no question that the Lynx rank among the best teams in Minnesota history (Page C2, Oct. 10). For the most part I can agree with the list of most dominant teams in Minnesota history -- with one exception. It did not include the University of Minnesota women's hockey teams of the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons. The '03-04 team had a record of 30-4-2, finished first in the WCHA and was NCAA champion; the '04-05 team had a record of 36-2-2 and again finished first in the WCHA and repeated as NCAA champion.

Ardell F. Brede, Rochester

 

25 October 2011

'Death porn'

I've been amazed at how casually the cable news channels and online media have used the death videos of Gadhafi...not so long ago, that type of grisly content would have been out of bounds and now it's everywhere, used in the most trivial way even to promote coverage coming up.

That speaks volumes about where the global news media have gone in the digital age -- if it's out there, it gets published or posted.

We don't publish gory death photos in the print edition. Strangely enough, I do think there's still a distinction between what people expect to see in print and what they allow their kids to see on TV, but it gets harder to explain all the time.

Our Backtalk question at PostBulletin.com Monday was on this topic and a majority of people who responded were OK with it.

What do you think?

19 October 2011

Quite a catch!

DSCF9023

DSCF9028

A reader sent these pics and notes on how they do things in northern Minnesota. Not sure what I think about the sign in the lower photo, and similar jingles that have become acceptable regarding breast cancer research fundraisers. Not to be a prude -- just wondering how many are written by men, and how many women find them offensive because they "objectify" parts of the female anatomy?

My husband, Gordon, and I are residents of the Oronoco/Mazeppa area.  However, having recently retired, we have been spending the last several months at our cabin on Upper Red Lake.  I thought your readers might be interested to see how October, breast cancer awareness month, is recognized in the “north country”.
 
Some cities recognize breast cancer awareness month with “walks” or “runs.”  Things are done a bit differently here in Northern MN.  The two little towns of Kelliher and Waskish, MN (combined population probably <500 people) have a “4-Wheeler/ATV” trail ride—organized by and for the local ladies.   The day begins with the women hanging bras from one of the buildings in Kelliher (see attached pictures) and then proceeding with a trail ride through the woods of about 25 miles from Kelliher to Waskish.

There were ~80 riders and the $$$ raised for breast cancer awareness was over $2,000.  Way to go, girls!!!
 

'Some dogs positively revel in dressing up'

If a dog comes to my door dressed as a Chippendale dancer, I'm calling animal control (and the SPCA).

News release:

Hi Jay,
Cats loathe costumes but some dogs positively revel in dressing up for Halloween. Strap on a pair of fairy wings and they begin to strut their stuff, eager to trick-or-treat like a little kid.

Dressing up your dachshund can get pretty pricey, however, without sewing skills or a big budget. Here's a list of easy and frugal ideas to keep Toto happy come Oct. 31. And before you costume your canine, be sure to check out "Dog Halloween Safety Tips" from PuppyinTraining.com.

1. Octopus
This works best with taller dogs. Stuff pantyhose with a light material, sew eight of them together in a cluster, and pin to your dog's harness.

2. Chippendale Dancer
Cut the collar and cuffs from a disposable white shirt and secure to to a large dog's neck and front paws. Create a bow tie out of a strip of black cloth. Encourage donations by tucking a few $1 bills into their collar. This works really well if you have a dog able to dance on their hind legs.

3. Little Red Riding Hood
A good costume for a small dog, this one is also easy on the sewing impaired. Hit Joann Fabrics for a yard of red material with some starch to it, like felt or flannel, and a length of red ribbon. Cut the material into a hood and cape shape then baste the ribbon to the neck of the hood.

4. Gangsta Pup
Let your street-wise hound go gangsta style with a hoodie and gold medallions. Make the bling out of Yoplait yogurt lids and pick up a hoodie on the cheapside with a Petsmart coupon from sites like CouponSherpa.com.

5. Vampire
Those canine teeth will come in handy when your dog takes on the most popular costume of the decade. Simply cut a swath of black silk into a cape shape and attach it to the collar. If you have sewing skills or a glue gun, create a stand-up collar by melding red silk to a cardboard frame.

6. Winged Fairy
Teacup pups might be too tiny to handle wings, but a small dog should be able to pull off this low-cost outfit. Read how to create this look with directions from instructables.com.

7. Rescue Dog
This one's a natural for St. Bernards, but even funnier on a small dog. Strap an empty beer or pop can to their collar and use a long piece of red felt to create a waistband painted with a white cross. For a humorous twist, larger dogs might be able to handle an empty coffee can instead of the expected beer barrel.

8. Pillow Camel
From all reports, dachshunds enjoy a bit of dress up now and then. Turn your weiner dog into a camel by attaching an old sofa pillow in a caramel shade to a center harness. For a lumpier look, wrap a belt around the middle to give them two humps.

9. Go Pre-made
Walmart has added to their online costume section with an entire line of outfits for dogs. Here you'll find everything from maid to sheriff costumes for various size dogsand all at bargain-friendly prices. And with so many other online Halloween stores selling pet costumes, you'll likely find something fitting for Fido, whether freaky, festive or funny. Just remember to search for promo codes to score savings and free shipping before checking out.

###


Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. She is available for in-studio, satellite or skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles.

For all media inquiries, please contact Andrea Woroch at 970-672-6085 or email andrea@kinoliinc.com.

Feel free to share "9 Costumes to Help Fido Celebrate Halloween" with your audience, giving proper attribution to the source.


Today on the front page

Bishop runs an excavator at the groundbreaking for Lourdes High School, city of Dover goes to court to remove a ramshackle house and NFL official puts Minnesota over a barrel regarding new stadium.

17 October 2011

How to make a buck off the dead

A news release:

Dear Jay Furst,

The past few weeks in the tech world have been extremely
upsetting. The death of Apple founder Steve Jobs has hit many of
us really hard.

To commemorate Steve and in conjunction with the timing of Steve's
funeral and memorial, the team here at The Reading Site have decided
to offer something to his customers and the people at Post-Bulletin Company LLC.

This week only, we are offering lifetime membership to The Reading
Site to iPad, iPhone and other smartphone owners for 50% off.

This membership will enable you to download unlimited FREE eBooks,
comic books, newspapers and magazines to your device.

Some popular titles you can get from The Reading Site for FREE include:

- THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett
- THE LITIGATORS, by John Grisham
- THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins
- A GAME OF THRONES, by George R.R. Martin
- THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson
- DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, by Jeff Kinney
- THE HARRY POTTER SERIES, by J.K. Rowling

Just visit http://www.TheReadingSite.com to start downloading and
use the promo code "RIPSTEVE" at the sign up page.

Steve was a great man, a visionary, and a revolutionary, and would
want people to make the most of his inventions.

He will be missed.

Rest in peace, Steve.

Sincerely,

The Team at The Reading Site

"When did 'arrowed' become a verb?"

A note from a reader:

Hello.

We can't help but comment on Saturday, October 15th's "Shot of the Week," on page C5. When did "arrowed" become a verb?

Well, it didn't and we'll avoid in the future. Though some hunting magazines use it as a way to clarify whether a deer was shot with a gun or a bow, it doesn't make much sense for a general audience.

Today on the front page

Top of the page: New "church lady" law stirs the pot in church basement kitchens; the latest from the federal courthouse in Minneapolis as the trial of two Rochester women wraps up; and Occupy Rochester protesters made their presence known downtown Sunday.

 

13 October 2011

Today on the front page

Top of page: Mayo to take over Mayowood mansion

More wiretap revelations at Somali terror trial in Minneapolis federal court

Outflow of students from Rochester public schools grows