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Another world on the other side of the Internet
Some of you know that I am not only a blogger, but part of a blogging household. My wife Christina is the Northern Cheapskate, dispensing information on coupons, deals and living a frugal lifestyle. Anyway, those of you who read political blogs might not often surf over on the frugal living, deal sharing, parenting and…
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Building independent public media on the Iron Range
I was in studio for this week’s “Between You and Me” at KAXE in Grand Rapids this morning and I’ll be back there next Saturday guest hosting a show about “The Future.” I have done odd jobs and special projects for KAXE over the past few years, which is why I’m now putting out the…
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Brown on the Air: Hitchhiking
My essay for Saturday’s “Between You and Me” on 91.7 KAXE will detail hitchhiking, specifically the stories my dad told me about hitching from northern Minnesota to Washington state back in the 1970s. Have you every hitchhiked? Take part in the show; after all, this program is all about listener participation. This week is special…
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Smackdowns aplenty: Business North brings the news
If you aren’t getting Business North’s weekly e-alerts, you should. On Thursday, Wayne Nelson and the staff at BN put out some great stories. Cleveland-Cliffs merger with that Appalachian coal company is being held up by Wall Street dealmakers. Apparently Cliffs has played the opening chords of the banjo music from “Deliverance” and are waiting…
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Conservative education policy devalues Minnesota
Anyone who lives in Minnesota hears outsiders say, “Cold there, isn’t it?” And, of course, it is cold. But I always enjoy saying, “Yeah, but the summers are perfect and the schools are good.” Only, now the schools aren’t as good. They’re goodish. Better than most places, but they aren’t the best and they struggle…
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Source: Bakk plans primary run for gov
A source tells me that, at a fundraiser for State Sen. Tom Bakk yesterday, the Iron Range lawmaker is telling people that he’s running for governor in 2010 and that he’ll run in the DFL primary regardless of the endorsement. This isn’t a surprise, but I think other candidates can now count on Bakk being…
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MinnPost reports on Blandin’s rural broadband work
MinnPost republishes a post from Minnov8 about the Blandin Foundation initiative to increase rural broadband access, a top issue here at MinnesotaBrown. This post gives a great idea of what Blandin is doing but leaves me with the same feeling I had after I learned that Hibbing voted down Fibernet. We aren’t getting anywhere until…
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Have you ever really been experienced?
A columnist Roger Bloom of the Orange County Register writes about the matter of “experience” in the presidential race. One of the most common criticisms of Barack Obama I hear is that he isn’t “experienced.” Bloom, joining others who have pointed this out, reminds us that great presidents haven’t necissarily had traditional Washington experience. As…
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7B status update; Stenersen spurns TV for food bank
Ask and ye shall receive. Here is an anonymous assessment of the 7B primary race from a reader in Duluth: Just a update about the 7B house DFL Primary race. I have seen a lot of (Roger) Reinert and (Marsh) Stenersen signs and billboards. John Derbis has been knocking on the doors, Brandon Clokey has…
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Duluth’s compelling 7B DFL primary just a month out
I haven’t written much about Duluth’s 7B DFL primary, now just about a month away. If anyone has field reports or news about forums or other events please send them to me or post them in the comments. Duluth city councilor Roger Reinert put out a press release today saying he’d be taking a week…
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Rudy, RIP, still taking flak from the papers
The Chicago Tribune used the biography of the Iron Range native and late former Gov. Rudy Perpich as grist for an attack on current Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich last week. More than a few Iron Rangers will take issue with the characterization of Rudy, as did a Tribune reader and transplanted Iron Ranger now living…
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Obama more like ‘us’ than Cokie and Steve Roberts
Today, the Hibbing Daily Tribune ran a syndicated column by Cokie and Steve Roberts that bears the headline “Is Obama one of us? We’re not sure.” If the question is, is Obama an overrated national pundit thriving off of insider status, I suppose the answer would have to be “no.” But I still have no…
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They’re baaaaack …
It’s been a rather pleasant several weeks not discussing Excelsior Energy’s boondoggle Mesaba Energy Project proposed for the Iron Range. It reminds me of what I imagine the future will be like: a world where this terrible idea is merely a memory of the bad things that can happen when massive amounts of state and…
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Bobby Aro Highway
The St. Louis County Board is taking up a measure to rename Co. Hwy 7 after the late, great polka star Bobby Aro, who wrote and performed the 1957 hit “Highway 7.” Speaking as someone who grew up on Highway 7 not that far from the Aros, I think that’s a pretty good idea. Maybe…
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This week at MinnesotaBrown…
Today is our 8th wedding anniversary, officially ensuring that our marriage will outlast the Bush Administration. Happy anniversary, Christina. We made it! This week I’m working on a column that connects the historical parallels between the politics and economic news of the 1920s to those we see today. I’m specifically focusing on Minnesota and the…