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DFL dustup over sulfide mining on Iron Range
This interesting MinnPost story by Ron Way from yesterday shows the battle lines for an intra-DFL squabble over a certain type of mining that would be used for a new project on the Iron Range. Range DFLers back the mining, saying that a mining area should be the place where experimental mining techniques are used,…
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Wild’s vague new mascot is ‘from the Range’
The Minnesota Wild, a team I have yet to fully embrace because of their stupid name, have named their new mascot. The Star Tribune has the story. “Nordy” is a “hybrid of several wild animals” who, according to team officials, was born in Eveleth and learned to play hockey on the ponds and lakes of…
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Iron Range economy: the same, and yet different
Chuck Ramsey had an interesting story in the Sunday Mesabi Daily News. The national economic volatility is having an impact on the stock and commodity prices affecting the big mining companies doing business on the Iron Range. Thus, even though demand and production for our Iron Range minerals are high, we might not be out…
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Politics in Minnesota mentions my new book
I got a nice mention in last week’s Politics in Minnesota Weekly Report. One of our favorite bloggers, Aaron Brown of Minnesota Brown, has published his first book, Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range. Aaron is a regular in our Morning Report, and we profiled him a few months ago in The Weekly Report.…
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The season that shall not yet be named
This is my weekly column for the Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. This piece is based on an essay I read for KAXE’s “Between You and Me” a couple weeks ago. The season that shall not yet be namedBy Aaron J. Brown In the American folk song “Goodnight, Irene,” the narrator tells us…
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Make the right choo-choo choice
Partisan, yes. Apt? Maybe. But as a parent of three young boys I’m a sucker for Thomas the Tank Engine references. Courtesy KDoug at Daily Kos. As comments there show, Thomas is actually “Really Useful” on his show, so Sarah Palin fans have that going for them even if Thomas would be considered “A Danger…
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Also, my thoughts
Political Wire has a nice roundup of reactions to last night’s VP debate. DailyKos has some interesting reactions, too, but mostly for the partisans. For instance, Plutonium Page analyzes the debate transcript with a “word cloud” computer program. Both Joe Biden and Sarah Palin used the word “going” a lot, as one would expect from…
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Brown on the Air: Postcards
My essay for Saturday’s “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE is about postcards. Each week the show explores a new topic and invites northern Minnesotans (and anyone else) to join in an eclectic mix of conversation and music. I contribute an essay that frames the topic in a compelling way. For instance, this week…
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See Russia, sure, but true Alaskans throw their garbage at Russia, too
My friends the Rudstroms always provide valuable first hand observations about Alaska’s frontier on their blog, especially now that it’s in the news so often thanks to their Gov. Sarah Palin. Today is no exception. As you watch tonight’s vice presidential debate, remember that the only part of Alaska where you can actually see Russia…
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Deafening silence on auditor’s findings with Excelsior Energy loan
Here’s another brief story about the Office of the Legislative Auditor’s report on the Iron Range Resources loans to Excelsior Energy, this one from Business North. Again, the story mentions the fact that loan funds were used to lobby, but sports no exploration of that topic. That potentially vast amount of money spent on lobbying…
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Get ‘Bushed’ in Duluth for fun
If you’re looking for some fun, left of center entertainment this weekend or over the next few weekends, check this out (From a Linda Hanson story in today’s DNT). Barton Sutter didn’t set out to write a play in verse about the Bush administration. It started with a poem, then another poem and another. “I…
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Overburden events lining up
October has arrived. In addition to colder weather and autumnal foliage, the month also brings the campaign for my new book “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range.” Though the official opening remains Oct. 16, local bookstores are beginning to carry the book. You can also preorder a copy at Barnes and Noble’s website at…
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Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range
Overburden Modern Life on the Iron RangeWinner of the 2008 Northeastern Minnesota Book Award By Aaron Brown A 21st century memoir of a place and a people: (Buy now on Amazon or BN.com) — The IronRange is a string of blue collar towns along an iron formation in northern Minnesota, many of which formed in…
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No joy in Mudville
Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes it rains. Sometimes you wish it rained hell fire on the city of Chicago. Twins lose 1-0. We did a lot for a team full of people no one’s ever heard of. Maybe if we hadn’t blown those 20-odd games where we led going into the last innings…
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Oberstar announces grant to advance Duluth to Minneapolis high-speed rail
Though this blog is not normally a clearing house for press releases, this release came from U.S. Rep Jim Oberstar’s office this afternoon. I think the U.S. should, where feasible, invest in rail service for commuters. It’s more sustainable from an energy use perspective and much of the “work” of the 21st century economy could…