TresSugar

Front Page: Al Franken Heads to the Senate

TresSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:00:08 -0700

After an eight-month battle with Norm Coleman, Al Franken has finally won the Minnesota Senate seat. - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer, joined hands with a major labor union Tuesday to endorse the idea of requiring large companies to provide health insurance to their workers - Wall Street Journal
The FDA is considering a ban on Vicodin and Percocet, citing liver damage. - New York Times
The Jackson Family is deciding on memorial services for Michael Jackson. Right now services at the Staples Center and Neverland are being considered, as well as a 125-mile funeral procession from LA to the Santa Barbara County ranch. - LA Times
Meanwhile, Al Sharpton busted a few moves at last night's Michael Jackson memorial at the Apollo Theater. - Huffington Post

Front Page: Al Franken Clings to Lead in Endless Senate Race

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 07:40:25 -0800

The Minnesota Canvasing Board is prepared to award the final bundle of recounted votes, with Democrat Al Franken clinging to a narrow lead. But there's still no telling when the Senate race will actually be finished. - AP
In the West African country of Guinea, a previously unknown military group said they seized power and suspended the constitution in the hours following the death of authoritarian President Lansana Conté. - New York Times

Hillary Clinton formally took the $13.2 million loan she made to her presidential campaign off the books, helping ease her campaign debt and pave the way for her Senate confirmation as secretary of state. - Bloomberg
The state of California could be broke in two months, unless a budget deal is met. - AP

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Front Page: Stocks Rally on Bailout Plan, I-35 Bridge Has First Day, South Korea Withdraws Troops, Prison Riots

CitizenSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:00:47 -0700

Stocks Rally on Bailout Plan:
European stocks rebounded sharply after US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced yesterday evening plans to introduce new laws to buy hundreds of billions of bad debt from struggling banks. Options include establishing a government agency to buy bad loans, a plan that could, "ultimately undermine the dollar, push up inflation" according to one expert.

I-35 Bridge Has First Day:
The rebuilt I-35 W Bridge in Minneapolis had its first full day of service yesterday, three months ahead of schedule. Hundreds of vehicles lined up on both sides of the span to inch across shortly before 5 a.m. The 10-lane, $234 million span replaced the bridge that collapsed on August 1, 2007, killing 13 and injuring 145.

South Korea Withdraws Troops:
South Korea is set to completely withdraw its remaining troops in Iraq by the end of the year. The country has had troops stationed in Iraq for a reconstruction mission at the request of the US. From a high of 3,600 troops, now only 520 remain. The Defense Minister said, "There is no more need for us to stay there."
More Than 20 Die in Prison Riots:
Over 20 inmates in an overcrowded Tijuana prison died in riots this week according to police. The violence broke out after a prisoner died, apparently after abuse from a guard. The prison was built to hold 3,000 and now houses 8,000.

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Grads Tossed For Rebel Flag - Has the Meaning Changed?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 06:00:58 -0700

Three seniors in Bloomington, MN, missed walking in their graduation last night as punishment for displaying the Confederate flag on their trucks. For displaying the flag, the three were suspended from all school activities including their own graduation ceremony.

"The Confederate flag is a symbol of, in some cases, hatred, bigotry and it has the potential to create a very disruptive environment," said a spokesperson for the Bloomington School District, on the decision to punish the three. Officials say the Student Code of Conduct prohibits behavior that may provoke or offend other students.

The Confederate flag controversy isn't new, but this part caught my attention - to see how the students defend the actions and the flag, read more.

One of the students punished said, "I'm just a country type of person, country music, big trucks and everything, that's basically all it means to me . . . it has nothing to do with hate and racism, that's just what these parents are teaching their children today."

And then this from another, "We're all big fans of the Dukes of Hazard. It's just us showing we have our own style and we aren't going to conform to whatever anyone else thinks. . . I did not mean to offend anybody. I guess it's how you interpret it. And if I did offend somebody I'm sorry, it wasn't a shot at anyone." To them, the flag is a sign of rebellion, not racism. The student continues, "The confederate army was in rebellion to the US Army who were about money and power. We never took it as racial or anything like that."

And then there's this sticky part of the story: since the school principal is African-American, the students said that's why he was so offended and too harsh with their punishment. Ah.

Is it possible the Confederate flag now means country music, trucks, and non-conformity? Has a Dukes of Hazard modern sensibility erased the history of the symbol?

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Huge Storms Swipe Iowa and Minnesota Killing Eight

CitizenSugar — Mon, 26 May 2008 07:04:59 -0700

Storms brought huge hail, heavy rain and tornadoes to Iowa and Minnesota this weekend, killing at least seven people in Iowa and one 2-year-old in Minnesota.

The raging storms left parts of towns reduced to rubble and heavy rain and lightning continued with wind gusts of 70 mph. The National Weather Service pegs the storms to a massive warm system that had been centered over the southern and western great Plains several days ago. Moving north into Minnesota and Canada, the cold high that followed sparked severe storms.

Nearly 100 people have died in tornadoes so far this year - the biggest death toll in a decade - and the danger has not passed yet. Tornado season typically peaks in the spring and early summer.

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US Senator From Minnesota: Jesse Ventura vs. Al Franken?

LibertySugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:23 -0700

Jesse Ventura is hinting at a run to be the US Senator from Minnesota this fall. Only problem, there is already an eccentric and popular personality with his hat in the ring - satirist Al Franken!

Let's compare credentials. Franken has worked on Saturday Night Live, and written books like Lies and the Liars Who Tell Them. He is also a pioneer of progressive talk radio.

Jesse "The Body" Ventura is a former governor of Minnesota, Navy veteran, and radio and TV host. Oh and don't forget - he's also a veteran of professional wrestling.

Who would you like to see in the Senate - the wrestler or the comedian? Are both skills equally suited to Congress?

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Funny Man Al Franken's Campaign Flummoxed by Blogger

CitizenSugar — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:00:52 -0700

Al Franken, former SNL funny man turned face of Air America is the Senate candidate running for election in Minnesota, interested in discussing problems that concern his constituents. You know the good issues like jobs, health care, and the environment. Enter the blogosphere. Oops. Unfortunately for the Franken campaign, what he's now being forced to discuss is his failure to pay his income taxes on time. To the tune of $70,000 in 17 different states.

Republican blogger Michael Brodkorb started the blog MinnesotaDemocratsExposed and scooped the mainstream media to out Franken's suspicious bookkeeping and calls Franken “mean spirited and un-Minnesotan” candidate behind a “desperate and ridiculous” campaign. Franken says of the blog, "when people talk about the right wing noise machine, that's what it is." Brodkorb says, "I do think it has some influence right now, but that's never what I sat down to do. This was always about a political junkie looking for an outlet."

Franken is taking on Republican incumbent Senator Norm Coleman.

But, Al - if it's true, how is it noise?

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Would You Rather Party with the Democrats or Republicans?

LibertySugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:00:16 -0700

Minnesota lawmakers want Republicans to get drunk. Well, not exactly, but they are considering a law that would keep bars serving alcohol until 4 am and liquor stores open on Sundays for the 11 days surrounding the Republican National Convention this summer. Last call is currently 2 am.

Establishments located within a 11 mile radius of the convention center would feel the alcohol love. Either Minnesota politicians are afraid a dry convention wouldn't be any fun, or they're trying to find a way to help the businesses rake in a few more dollars.

The Republican convention will be held at St. Paul from September 1st through 4th, and about 35,000 visitors are expected to attend. The Democrats will be gathering in Denver in late August.

Which convention would you rather attend?

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Somali Women in the US Join Together for Business Success

CitizenSugar — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:32 -0700

Somali women living in Minneapolis, one of the nation's largest concentration of Somali immigrants, are using a custom of home to great business success. Though the women have owned small shops for years, they're pooling their money and moving on up. Relying on a collective model used in Somalia - plus two years of planning - 21 women have socked away $500 apiece. Adding donations of two business groups of $20,000 they're ready to develop their very own mall of shops.

Their mall will be the first such women's Somali cooperative in the country, according to people involved in the enterprise. It gets even more impressive, just read more.

Many of the women who are investing in the mall can't read or write, but they are crackerjack with math because they're already running their own stores. In addition, the merging of Somali and Western business practices in the model is important because Islam forbids charging or paying interest. One of the women says, "It's very common in Africa for women to come together and put their money and their resources together. The men are always off doing their own thing."

Doing their own thing indeed! This story is entirely inspiring.

TMI? Woman to Broadcast Baby's Birth on Live TV

TresSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

It started out as a blogging gig for a moms-to-be site, but 23-year-old Lynsee, a teacher from Minnesota, decided to take it a step further. Along with her mother, husband, and midwife, she's going to have a cameraman film her giving birth while it's broadcast on live television. (No graphic shots, however.)

Although her husband Anders was hesitant at first, he finally agreed to it. "We wanted to share this experience," said Lynsee. "If I were in a classroom, I'd be teaching about development. It was a way for me to teach . . . A way for me to use myself as a textbook."

I find it odd that Lynsee asked to keep her last name private for this news story but is going to have someone film and broadcast to strangers one of the most private experiences of her life. (But maybe that's just me.) Is giving birth on television for strangers to watch TMI?