Re: [Mpls] Decline;Excess;/ Muse alleged/drum beat in the hood
In a message dated 6/27/03 8:31:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Keith, I gotta say I love urban avoidance ramps. It was inspired. Don: What POSSIBLE constituency is Pawlenty playing to by severe cuts to battered women's shelters? Is he now courting batterers? Keith says; I laugh too; as you writers (long and short) know, The Muse is the source of amusing discourse (I just made that up for you). I believe Don was piling-on with the blame Pawlenty crap. I am truly not of any party. Over and over again I have been hearing the DFL political reps (Don Samuels excluded- gratefully) taking time out from serious neighborhood issues and concerns, at neighborhood meetings in the hood, and other public venues. The sermons are less then inspiring for me, as I can't help but visualize images of the old gang of City Leaders, and there insider dealing; and spending sprees while dispossessing the poor, and working classes, in the siege neighborhoods. I love the smell of bulldozers, in the morning, knocking down neighborhood housing. Those were the good old days! Oh yea Keith Ellison, Linda Higgins, and Joe Mullery, tell me again how great it was, and how I must now blame the IR, and Tim Pawlenty. Clearly you have your marching orders to deal the dirt; early and often. While citizens have assembled at a Jordan Livability meeting to deal with real issues. Gimme that LD time DFL Religion. Like a bad drum beat: It make me coconut ache, mon. Keith Reitman NearNorth TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] BRT on West Broadway and not Lowry, please
On 6/27/03 7:52 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: PS- I wish some folks would look more closely at BRT foibles on Lowry North. I could use an Amen, here. Amen Brother Keith! Dyna may want to sit down for a second because I pretty much agree with what she said. West Broadway is far more suited to accommodate increased busing than Lowry Ave. Dyna has mentioned before that rail would probably be a better system than BRT, but we are in Minnesota (aka Land of why have a train when you can have 10,000 cars instead?), so of course, that's not going to be an option. Anybody who's ever traveled along both Lowry and West Broadway can easily see that Broadway is a good deal wider - about 20% going by the numbers Dyna supplied. I wondered earlier if the need to replace the decrepit Lowry Ave. Bridge might have been a factor in the BRT route, but then I learned that that won't come into play because the BRT route would reportedly turn downtown at Washington Ave and never get to that bridge. So now I guess I wonder if the reasoning behind BRT on Lowry is because someone wants to widen it like Broadway? As Dyna pointed out, Lowry is currently far too narrow for such a system to work without giving up on-street parking and any hope for bicycle lanes. Has anyone actually heard of any reason given for why Lowry would be preferable to West Broadway for a BRT route? I could keep speculating, but it would be better to just hear from someone who actually knows. Mark Snyder Windom Park TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] One Pork Enchilada at the turn please...
Now I just might take up golfing at Wirth if the margaritas started flowing :-) Annie Young East Phillips At 01:29 PM 6/27/03 -0500, Scott Persons wrote: This is one of the more creative ideas I have heard in a while, Pepito's is strongly considering doing bar and food services upstairs at Theo Wirth golf chalet. This may include offering Mexican food for golfers at the clubhouse level. As someone who has been more than a little disappointed in some of the Park Board's priorities in the last year or two this sounds pretty cool, also a good reason for you non-golfers to come out to Wirth. Will the beverage carts be serving margaritas on the course though... http://www.swjournal.com/display/inn_news/news23.txt Scott Persons Lyndale Neighborhood Avid Golfer and Avid Eater TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls Annie Young East Phillips The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein
[Mpls] Fw: virus-infected Mpls-list digest (Vol 1 #1578)
- Original Message - From: J. Free To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:44 AM Subject: Re: virus-infected Mpls-list digest (Vol 1 #1578) Hi - this is off-topic, and I don't want to scare anyone, and this is absolutely NOT spam, but I was alerted by my ISP just a few minutes ago that they had quarantined an e-mail transmission (Mpls-list digest #1578), which was infected by W32/Bugbear.b.dam virus. Chances are good that no one on this list sent out the virus, as this virus springboards itself to various hard drives via whatever information it finds in your address book. However, since it attached itself to the mpls-list somewhere along the way, it provides us with an opportunity to make sure that everyone has a current anti-virus program in effect. What this virus does, is randomly select a few e-mail addresses from your address book, and forward the infected e-mail to that address. It will also select another e-mail address from your address book, and use this to identify itself. Meaning, that the person you receive the virus from is not the guilty party, but just a randomly selected identity, who is just as likely to be at risk. If you already have an anti-virus program in effect, you might want to check and make sure it's updated. A quick search engine query will provide various links to pages which can help make sure your hard drive is safe, as well as those you send e-mail to. Thanks, and back to your regularly scheduled transmissions!
[Mpls] Northwest Corridor BRT
Mark Snyder wrote Has anyone actually heard of any reason given for why Lowry would be preferable to West Broadway for a BRT route? I could keep speculating, but it would be better to just hear from someone who actually knows. . I would think that some members of this list have been to the community meetings on this subject and could either confirm or correct this. The BRT is planned to come down the Broadway/Co.81 corridor from the northwest suburbs. As I understand it, the bus routes will actually split off into three different routes to come into and out of downtown Mpls - Broadway, Lowry, and Hwy-100/394. Also, as I understand it, the Lowry Avenue rebuild project will extend easterly across NE Mpls, east of any NW-BRT corridor bus traffic. And is pretty much a separate project that would still go forward with or without the BRT. Dave Stack, Harrison (where the fireflies are back again along Bassett Creek) TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] Library scenarios
I'm definitely in favor of scenario A. The Library Board long ago went beyond its mandate of providing free books to the city residents. (I have similar thoughts about the Park Board, but that's another posting). Offering such things as homework help and literacy initiatives is the job for the city government or the schools, not the library. The library should have an adequate supply of books in the various languages spoken in the city, and signs, posters and ads should be in multiple languages, but it isn't the library's job to get people to read, just to provide the books. The library should spend its money on obtaining books the city residents want to read, and making these books available to residents with the most libraries and longest hours possible. And maybe even staying open all weekend when most residents are free, in exchange for shutting down on a couple of weekdays? The only piece of scenario A that I disapprove of is minimal building maintenance. I don't think letting our buildings go to Hell is a true money saving option. Mark Anderson Bancroft - Original Message - From: David Brauer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 10:43 AM Subject: [Mpls] Library scenarios While it's compelling to debate big boxes and graffiti, the city has asked the public for its view on a very specific question: how to close a $4.5 million budget gap for the libraries in 2004. The board is presenting three scenarios. I'd appreciate it if list members could pick one - use the letter if you can - and explain why. Here's the SW Journal's summation of the options: ? Scenario A keeps all community libraries open, but cuts reference services, technology support, collection development and building maintenance to a minimum. Funding for bilingual outreach, homework help, summer reading, teen and early literacy initiatives would be eliminated. Community libraries would be open four days a week for a total of 28 hours. The Central Library would open a total of 48 hours. ? Scenario B reduces the city¹s community libraries from 14 to nine, with Walker, 2880 Hennepin Ave. S., or Linden Hills, 2900 W. 43rd St., among the targets. The Central Library would be open 35 hours a week with adequate staff and the nine community libraries would be open 37.5 hours a week with adequate staffing. Funding for bilingual outreach, homework help, summer reading, teen and early literacy initiatives is maintained. Webber Park, Northeast, Southeast and Roosevelt libraries would also be closed. ? Scenario C keeps the Central Library would open 44 hours a week with adequate staff. Community libraries are open between 22 to 48 hours a week on different days with varying staffing levels. No Southwest libraries are closed, though Roosevelt, Southeast and Webber Park would be. Funding for bilingual outreach, homework help, summer reading, teen and early literacy initiatives is maintained. In each scenario the administrative budget is cut between $200,000 and $250,000; five positions are cut, wages are frozen and travel eliminated. Thanks, David Brauer King Field Editor, SW Journal TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
RE: [Mpls] Library scenarios
David Brauer wrote: The board is presenting three scenarios. I'd appreciate it if list members could pick one - use the letter if you can - and explain why. How can anyone wisely choose between these options without knowing what the usage patterns are like? Without this information the most you can do is to make an idiosyncratic or ideological decision, neither of which is likely to result in an effective allocation of recourses. Michael Atherton Prospect Park TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
[Mpls] Fw: MPPA at Two Months
Craig Miller Buffalo MiniStorage 930 Calder Ave NE Buffalo MN 55313 763-682-4320 Boats, Household, Office 10X11 $50 - Original Message - From: Mitch Berg [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 5:59 PM Subject: MPD: MPPA at Two Months The law was passed two months ago, and took effect about a month back. Where's the bloodbath? There've been quite a number of shootings - but not a one has been carried out by a permit-holder. There's been road rage - but none of it has ended in a shootout involving a legal permittee. I know, I know - it's only been a month. But in eleven more months, I'll be recycling the same post. But this post isn't about statistics. It's about press bias. The Strib reported yesterday on the U of M's myopic attempt to declare itself above the law by banning *legally permitted* handguns from its campuses. The story has the same paranoid, ignorant, alarm-baiting bleatings from the U administration. The article notes a comment by President Bruininks: Our university community has always assumed that handguns and other weapons had no place in our classes, libraries, labs, student unions and at other sponsored activities, Bruininks said. Given these considerations, we felt that a policy addressing the possession of weapons on campus is the best course of action for the University of Minnesota. Enh, whatever. The guy's wrong, but that's no news flash. The galling part, of course, is the bias of the reporting on the subject. The Strib article relies on campus shooting incidents that, if you look a little closer, actually make the case for concealed carry on campus. The article says: Shootings occur every year at American colleges. Last year at least five incidents resulted in fatalities. At the University of Arizona, a failing student shot and killed three professors and then turned the gun on himself. The story fails to note that, while Arizona is a shall issue state, the University had gotten itself exempted. The shooting took placed in a Gun Free Zone. Just like the U wants to be! The story continues: At the University of Cincinnati, a student shot two other students and then killed himself. Until last week, Ohio was a discretionary issue state. This next one is the best: ...a student suspended from a Virginia law school shot and killed the dean, a faculty member and a student and wounded three others. The article omits that the shooter was then apprehended by three students - http://www.uwire.com/content/topops012402002.htmlarmed with legally-permitted handguns! In the meantime - stores are remaining un-posted in droves. And CCRN is writing the history of Concealed Carry reform in Minnesota - it should be available very shortly, and will directly address the notion that the bill didn't get enough debate... See you next month. Mitch Berg Yes, I feel safer now Da Midway! Shot In The Dark Laura Billings' Favorite Blog http://www.mitchberg.com/shotindark/ MN-POLITICS-DISCUSS http://www.e-democracy.org/mn-politics/ is a CIVIL discussion of Minnesota public issues and politics. --- Don't like E-Democracy's rules? You have alternatives: http://www.e-democracy.org/mninteract Messages (text-only, no attachments) are to be signed with your full real name, city and e-mail address. No member may post more than twice a day. Moderator/Discussion Rules Manager: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - To unsubscribe to MN-Politics-Discuss send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For the list to retain its value, and to show respect for your fellow list members, please keep a Minnesota focus on your posts. Thanks. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
Re: [Mpls] BRT on Lowry: An Excess Project for the Northside?
On Saturday, June 28, 2003, at 09:59 AM, Mark Snyder wrote: Amen Brother Keith! And that DFL gospel beat is as true and soulful as ever! Dyna may want to sit down for a second because I pretty much agree with what she said. I knew you'd come around eventually- you've got something like 3 of your members in good standing of the small is beautiful (to a fault) caucus tag teaming me on the list now in this debate and your just starting to get your argument framed (what is a big box?) after weeks of back and forth. West Broadway is far more suited to accommodate increased busing than Lowry Ave. Dyna has mentioned before that rail would probably be a better system than BRT, but we are in Minnesota (aka Land of why have a train when you can have 10,000 cars instead?), so of course, that's not going to be an option. It's amazing that folks are so blind to the potential of the rail network that is all around them- no wonder they keep driving into trains! We have miles upon miles of underused freight tracks in the metro area, and the line from downtown to Monticello is one of the best. Know as the Monticello Subdivision, these were once mainline Great Northern tracks that hosted the legendary Empire Builder. After the merger of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific raIlroads the Northern Pacific was left with three routes west, They decided to make the Northstar Corridor a high speed mainline, the Willmar line a secondary main for lower speed coal, grain, etc., and the Monticello Sub was the odd man out. The tracks were pulled up west of Monticello, but what remains is still in excellent condition and can handle the heaviest freight cars. With but a half dozen or so customers, one local freight train a day is enough to service them. This leaves an ideal route for commuter rail at minimal cost from Minneapolis to the northwestern 'burbs. Service could start in weeks instead of years if the political will were present. but then I learned that that won't come into play because the BRT route would reportedly turn downtown at Washington Ave and never get to that bridge. Wonder how they expect buses to get up (and stop for the stoplight below) the hill on Lowry just west of Washington when it's icy. Methinks they'd need a whole new bridge with a lesser grade across I-94. I don't have a topo map with me, but the hill doesn't crest until about Lyndale so they'd need a whole new right of way as far west as Bryant at least. Then figure in that they'll need a transit station for transfers to the express busses on I-94, entrance and exit ramps, etc.. Sounds like an excuse to tear out most everything between Lowry and 33rd from I-94 west to Lyndale and heaven knows where west from there? Figure in transit hubs at Emerson, Penn, Broadway, and then clearing a block or so radius around for anticipated redevelopment. Then add in clearing a few more blocks for storm water storage ponds and the Jordan crime problem has been pretty much eliminated along with pretty much Jordan. So now I guess I wonder if the reasoning behind BRT on Lowry is because someone wants to widen it like Broadway? As Dyna pointed out, Lowry is currently far too narrow for such a system to work without giving up on-street parking and any hope for bicycle lanes. Oops! forgot about the bike lanes, and while were at it 4 traffic lanes plus turn lanes plus parking lanes on Lowry too. Same for all the major cross streets for a block or two on either side of the Lowry BRT/bike lanes/expressway. Figure on taking down a few more blocks... Has anyone actually heard of any reason given for why Lowry would be preferable to West Broadway for a BRT route? I could keep speculating, but it would be better to just hear from someone who actually knows. I suspect deep in the bowels of the Highway Building at the Capital the highway engineers who tried to bring us the 29th Street Crosstown, I-894, etc.. are plotting their revenge. BTW, does anyone remember the planned Northwest extension of I-894 from downtown to the northwest suburbs? Could this be the resurrection of I-894? Built to current standards, the interchange with I-94 would level pretty much the northeast quadrant of Hawthorne including that pesky public housing high rise at 3rd Street and Lowry. Of course this would also require a mile or so long flyover across the river followed by another over the railroads as I-894 levels a blocks wide swath east to MN36. With road building Republicans in power and the Princess of Pavement at the wheel of the Highway Department, anything is possible... a bit of (hopefully just) humor from Hawthorne, Dyna Sluyter TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn
