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I am a cooking fraud (the column)
This is my weekly column for Sunday, March 16, 2008 published in the Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive my columns at my writing page. I am a cooking fraud (and almost got away with it)By Aaron J. Brown If you missed it, I recently appeared on “WDSE Cooks” on Channel 8, northern Minnesota’s public television…
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Franken sweeps Iron Range
I bring news from the Iron Range. DFL county unit conventions were held for Senate District 5 and Itasca County today in Hibbing and Nashwauk, respectively. Both use walking subcaucuses to elect delegates to the 8th Congressional District and State DFL conventions. Both were essentially proxy fights between Al Franken and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer for the…
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Iron Range high speed internet at crossroads
Public investment in high speed Internet on the Iron Range should be among our highest priorities. Whether we use this method or another, we need to make tech infrastructure happen. It’s not for the people who are here now, it’s for the people we need to come here and stay here. Range fibernet project at…
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Range Wars in tomorrow’s DFL county unit conventions
County unit conventions are taking place all over Minnesota in the DFL and Republican parties. The only matter of statewide significance is who the Democrats will endorse in the U.S. Senate race to oppose Norm Coleman, Al Franken or Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. Both have agreed to abide by the party’s endorsement. One of the most important…
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Generational change in the Democratic party
For all we see in the media, especially television, you would think that the campaign for the Democratic nomination is all about the identity politics of race, gender and style. But that’s just what’s visible on the surface. When you consider history, voting trends and technological advances, what we’re seeing in Obama vs. Clinton is…
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"The Mind" might run in ’08
Seeing as this year’s presidential race will be so boring, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is entering the speculation of of national bloggers as a 2008 alternative candidate. Related posts: No related posts.
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Sertich wins plausibility contest
The final numbers are in. The question: Several Iron Rangers are mentioned as possible candidates for statewide office. Which Iron Ranger do you think has the best chance of winning a statewide election? * Tony Sertich, 21That guy who posts the crazy signs along Highway 53 south of Cotton, 17Tom Bakk, 8Tom Rukavina, 6 It’s…
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Help Wanted?
The Duluth News-Tribune has a story today about the estimated number of needed construction workers for the proposed mining projects on the Iron Range. I’m tired of these stories. I want to see financial close and shovels in the ground before I dance a jig for developers. Mining plans require thousands of workersJane Brissett, Duluth…
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Brown on the Air: Gas Prices
We get topical on “Between You and Me” this week as the music and call-in show will focus on gas. My commentary discusses gas prices and continues my growing advocacy for legalized moonshine. Huh? You’ll have to tune in to “Between You and Me” Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon on 91.7 FM in northern…
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I return, bearing the head of the dragon called First Draft
I still have to mop up the blood on the last essay, but I’ve had a good week of writing for my book of Iron Range essays and finally feel like I can dabble in the time vortex that is blogging. Thanks to the person or persons who contributed so many fine lines of dialogue…
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It’s book time
Hello, blog audience. I love all 38 of you beautiful people. Especially you, person reading this right now. But I need to take a few days off to finish the first draft of my book, which was unofficially due about a month ago. I’ll post tidbits if I have time, but I might not be…
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The arts, the Iron Range and the resulting dilemma for many young people
The Hibbing Daily Tribune, like many local papers, is running its “annual edition” this month. The edition spans four consecutive Sundays and includes large feature sections that, back in the day, were huge advertising revenue builders for the paper. They’re not as big as they used to be, but the paper still puts a lot…
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Small germs, big impact
This is my weekly column for the March 9, 2008 Hibbing Daily Tribune. I archive my columns at my writing homepage. Small germs, big impactBy Aaron J. Brown I could cite many credible news stories about the impact of the cold and flu this winter. I could quote a local doctor, read you a report…
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Cliffs hires away Hibbing PUC utilities chief to run biomass; a flash of what’s to come?
Today’s Hibbing Daily Tribune reports that Hibbing Public Utilities general manager Jim Kochevar is taking a job with Cleveland-Cliffs to oversee that company’s energy operations in Michigan. Kochevar was one of the leaders who developed the Laurentian Energy Authority, a biomass power generation project shared by the cities of Hibbing and Virginia. Cleveland-Cliffs recently announced…
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Augsburg claims biodiesel breakthrough
Researchers at Augsburg College in (Correction: Minneapolis … I was close), inspired by the work of an undergraduate student, now claim to have made a major breakthrough in the production of biodiesel fuels that could be used for vehicles and in energy production. Their new process is much more efficient than traditional biofuels and produce…