Dubiousask

This weekend, a pair of articles in Sunday's Star Tribune caught my eye. They were right next to each other on the site, shining a spotlight on the challenge facing our city and our country when it comes to climate change. [We're still talking about lightbulbs.] The first one -- the #1 most read article of the day -- is a classic good intentions piece . It tells how individual people in the Twin Cities are concerned about climate change, and trying to change their habits. Here's the gist: They tossed out the old gas lawn mower and got an electric one instead. The new car in the garage? It�s electric, too.  �It�s sort of like, the more stuff that got plugged in, the more excited I got,� she said. ...  While the science suggests that individual actions by individual households won�t solve the problem alone, hopelessness is wrong, said University of Minnesota economics Prof. Stephen Polasky. It�s not too late, he said, and the fix can be made with tools we already have.  �We...

[A Villager underfoot.] [Basically the problem is that the best source of Saint Paul streets & sidewalks news is the Highland Villager, a very fine and historical newspaper. This wouldn't be a problem, except that its not available online. You basically have to live in or frequent Saint Paul to read it. Until this newspaper goes online, sidewalk information must be set free. See also:  Three Reasons Why I Re-Blog the Highland Villager .] Headline: City Council holds hearing on proposed $15 minimum wage on Nov. 7 Author: Jane McClure Short short version: The City Council is going to have a meeting about how to raise the minimum wage. Some people want tip credits, others do not. Headline: Ryan Cos.' Master plan for Ford site gets rave reviews Author: Jane McClure Short short version: The developer who bought the Ford site released some initial plans for the development. There was a meeting and people clapped. CM Tolbert is quoted: there's a lot for people to like." T...

 [Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis.]  [Plum City, WI.]  [Cathedral Hill, Saint Paul.]  [Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis.]  [Saint Clair Avenue, Saint Paul.]  [Saint Clair Avenue, Saint Paul.]   [Summit Avenue, Saint Paul.] [Summit Avenue, Saint Paul.]

[West Side, Saint Paul.]   [Lacrosse, WI.]  [ Location forgotten . West Side, Saint Paul]  [Boston, MA.]  [Boston, MA.]  [Location forgotten.]  [South Minneapolis.] [Upper Landing, Saint Paul.]

[What fresh hell is this?] Imagine if the cigarette industry had never been reined in. Imagine if "Surgeon General's" warnings had never been amplified into a more meaningful gesture -- SMOKING KILLS -- or had never even existed in the first place. Imagine if cigarette taxes had been fought and killed at every level politically, and, even worse, that cigarettes were subsidized and provided to the public at below market costs. Imagine if cigarette commercials were not banned from TV, but instead became an omnipresent, full of sexy images and catchy jingles at all hours of the day and night promoting smoking. That's the infuriating reality we live in, only cars are the new tobacco . Filling the gas tank of a borrowed car the other night, I was greeted to the dumbfounding sight of a Jeff Johnson political ad blaring out of the TV installed in the gas pump. "Tim Walz wants to raise the gas tax," it said, along with a bunch of other scary sounding things. (Well,...

[Downtown, Saint Paul.] [Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis.] [Falcon Heights.] [Downtown, Saint Paul.] [Selby Avenue, Saint Paul.] [Selby Avenue, Saint Paul.] [Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis.] [Snelling Avenue, Saint Paul.] [Seattle, WA.]

 NUTRITION HOME [Door. Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis.] Please Keep the Building Clean! No Dogs NO Cats [Door. Medford, MA.] CORNED BEEF w/ fries $8 CASH ONLY [Door. Detroit, MI.]  [Mysterious orange arrow.] [Pole. Lansing, MI.]  PUPPY WATERING STATION [Plant pot. Lansing, MI.] Open til 7pm Wednesday's Night Market [Window. Manitowoc, WI.]  ATTENTION For safety reasons, Please Do not use the post office driveway as a  parking spot. Also, please do not use the post office  parking lot to turn around in. Thank You [Door. Manitowoc, WI.] POSSIBLE ALWAYS POSSIBLE [Pole. Boston, MA.]  PLEASE HELP US! DON'T TRAMPLE PLANTS KEEP PETS OFF [Garden boulevard. Medford, MA.]