Tild~ » Minnesota

Misery Index (weather-wise)

Tild — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 18:16:25 +0000

Welcome to the steambath…

…AKA Minnesota.

What’s making it so miserable?

UPDATE: Also, too –

“Heat Storm” (record-setting dew point of 82 at MSP, heat index tied all-time record at 119!)

Woo hoo! We’re number one! We’re number one!

OK, back inside (to the a/c). Yes, I am a total weather wuss.
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Mark Dayton lands a bullhead

Tild — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:07:15 +0000

While the MNGOP gave in on all of their demands except one. Can you guess which one? Protecting the very wealthy few from a tax increase rather than looking out for the other 98% of Minnesotans, of course. Republicans always know what — and who — is most important, and believe me, average middle class Minnesota, it ain’t you.

Aaron Klemz elucidates what happened yesterday: Who Won? *

* Hint: Not the GOP, no matter how they try to spin it.

Plan 9 Parry?

Tild — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:25:11 +0000

Oh yes, we still be vamping. It's gonna be a long summer.

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Emo Senator Mike “Tor” Parry appears to have a real future in low-budget horror/sci-fi movies whenever his current low-budget horror/sci-fi gig is over.

Darth Emmer finds your lack of taking-him-seriously disturbing

Tild — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 05:17:05 +0000

Notice several things with reconciliation. First, assume during reconciliation that Emmer and Dayton are close in votes statewide and therefore removal of ballots would produce a rough equivalent for each of them. In this scenario for every 100 ballots removed 50 belong to Dayton and 45 to Emmer. This is a net gain of 5 for Emmer. This would require 175,400 ballots to be removed from the state. This is 175,400 phantom or overvotes. An improbable number.

–Hamline University Professor David Schultz in Do the Math: Part II (Emmer’s Strategy)

Meanwhile, at Bluestem Prairie:

Vote Wars: emboldened by praise of sportsmanship, Emmer campaign launches frivolous ballot challenges

Pass the popcorn!

Hey, MN-03 Voters: Erik Paulsen Thinks You’re Stupid

Tild — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:41:19 +0000

What else are we to think in face of the blatant lies Paulsen continues to spew in his campaign ads? Apparently Paulsen thinks MN-03 voters are too dumb to notice. What a guy!

Paulsen Ad: “Jim Meffert, don’t cut my Medicare!”
Kessler: “Yeah, and don’t touch my rocket ship to Pluto either! That’s how far-out false the claims of this ad are.”

But it’s not just WCCO that’s giving Paulsen’s ads poor grades. KSTP’s Truth Test gave Paulsen’s first ad a “D”:

MPR’s PoliGraph verdict on Paulsen’s second ad: FALSE

And their verdict on Jim Meffert’s ad? TRUE

And now WCCO’s Reality Check on Paulsen’s latest ad:

The truth about Erik Paulsen is that he only made it into Congress by riding his predecessor Jim Ramstad’s coattails. Ramstad was a decidedly centrist Republican who during the 20 years he represented MN-03 often voted against the party line (i.e., he could be rational.) Paulsen got elected by presenting himself as Ramstad Redux, altho previously in the MN State House he had been one of the more conservative Republicans, far to the right of Ramstad and to the right of the average 3rd district voter. How far to the right?

Since the beginning of his term, Rep. Paulsen has voted with Michele Bachmann an astounding 93% of the time.

93%.

And WWRD? What Would Ramstad Do? You’d have to ask him, but you can be sure that his answer would NOT be

“Vote 93% of the time in virtual lockstep with (far-right looneytune ) Michele Bachmann .”

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Some days the jokes almost ‘shop themselves

Tild — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:20:57 +0000

Timmy McBridgeFAIL’s new book (improved)

Tild — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:55:21 +0000

News that Minnesota’s soon to be ex- Governor Tim Pawlenty has written a book set to be released on January 11, 2011 was accompanied by a picture of the forthcoming book’s cover:

The cover image ended speculation about why Gov Timmy had been seen ~~grimacing presidentially~~ posing for photographers in scenic Frontenac State Park a few months ago.

Pretty as the cover is, some felt it might be improved by the use of imagery more personally relevant to its subject, and asked me to create an alternate cover implementing their suggestions:

There. Fixed it.

Not that the Pawlenty ppl would ever take my advice on effective graphics, for books or campaign signs or anything else…
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Live feed via The Uptake

Tild — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 17:46:00 +0000

I’m in Duluth this weekend but actually doing much more vacation-y things than paying attention to what’s going on at the DECC. Thank heavens for The Uptake and their excellent coverage. Watch the live feed here:

UPDATE 04/30/10: Now it’s the GOoPers’ turn. Once again the intrepid Uptake crew provides the live feed:

UPDATE 06/05/2010 : Live feed is now turned off.

Is this heaven? No, it’s Target Field

Tild — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 16:55:01 +0000

The view from our seats at the Happiest Place On Earth, aka Target Field, on April 15th, 2010.

Twins beat Boston 8-0. woo hoo!

Yes, the young’uns gave their dad a Twins season ticket package for Xmas and since he couldn’t go to the game on Thursday I went in his place, along with Elder Offspring. After some trepidation about how this stadium [funded largely on the backs of Hennepin County taxpayers; crammed in downtown next to the frigging garbage burner for chrissakes] was going to turn out, I have to admit that after visiting the place, in my heart at least all is forgiven.

Actually, the hearts of all in attendance on the 15th seemed to be similarly disposed. Smiling, blissful countenances all around. Can you believe it? 30,000+ people celebrating Tax Day at the new ballpark, and not a downcast soul among them? Believe it. Everyone looked happy. Even the folks waiting in long lines at the concessions. But then who would be perturbed about waiting in line for more than 30 minutes when it’s a Murray’s steak sandwich you’re waiting for, and you’re standing in perfect breeze-swept comfort in the spacious upper reaches of a beautiful brand new ballpark on a gorgeous sunny 70-degree April day, watching the Twins demolish the Red Sox ?

At one point the jumbotron cam focused on a grinning kid in the left field bleachers holding up a sign that read “Is this heaven? No, it’s Target Field”.

Seemed an awful lot like my idea of heaven, and I bet that many other folks there felt the same.

While walking around looking at everything I did happen upon a scene so startling, so unexpected, I just had to stop and take a picture of it. I wasn’t the only one, either. As I stood there digging my camera out of my bag, four other women stopped and looked and expressed wonder and amazement. Here is what we saw:

That’s right. What you are seeing is a line outside the men’s restroom. A line.

And, even more incredibly, you are seeing no one, not even one person! in line for the women’s restroom.

Actually when I first stopped to see this wonderment the line was twice as long. I’m not kidding, at least a dozen guys were in line for the men’s room, but by the time I got my camera out the line had dwindled to the 5 or 6 you see here. And nary a woman to be seen near the women’s doorway.

Elder Offspring said he’d heard that the restrooms were specifically designed to ameliorate the available stalls ratio along gender lines. Well, he didn’t actually say that, he just said he’d heard the women’s rooms were going to be a lot bigger; have more stalls. I believed him after another lady and myself actually got lost in one of them for a minute or two, wandering around past endless rows of stalls looking for an exit sign until an attendant showed up and showed us the way out.

What mad universe is this?!

T-paw to corporations: Hey sailor, want a free one?

Tild — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:40:57 +0000

What T-paw is really saying with that call for a reduction in corporate income tax.

Hey, Sailor, c’mere; you want a free one?

Hey, Sailor, c’mere; you want a free one? Part II

Hey, Sailor, c’mere; you want a free one? Part III

Oh, Timmy… You slut, you!