As I don't care about the senate race any longer I will not make comments on it.

I will however provide the news of the race over at www.duluthnewsnow.blogpsot.com . Speaking of that there is new post there well one does include info about the senate race there is also more.

When news becomes available it will be at the Duluth News Now site.

A second foot ball stadium?

This was is the paper a few days ago and I agree with it 100%. Do we really need a second place to play football? I don't think so when we are in a budget crisis. Yes we should focus our efforts on teachers and class rooms. Do you believe we need a second stadium yes or no, and why?

Published December 27 2008

We need good teachers, not another stadiumSomething stinks. The nation’s economy is crumbling. The city of Duluth is under water. Never mind all that. Superintendent Keith Dixon’s pliant School Board can afford a surprise $6 million stadium.


Something stinks. The nation’s economy is crumbling. The city of Duluth is under water. Minnesota is so broke our schools’ superintendent warned that the state probably won’t give Independent School District 709 all the revenue it was promised.
Never mind all that. Superintendent Keith Dixon’s pliant School Board can afford a surprise $6 million stadium. And what a surprise it is! There was no stadium in the red plan that I could recall. It was in the blue plan. What gives?


For as long as I can remember, Central, Denfeld and East have shared Public Schools Stadium amicably. During the football season, there will often be only a single game scheduled at Public Schools Stadium on Friday nights.


Our schools should stick to giving our children a good education. That requires good teachers — not Minnesota’s most expensive school building project of all time. It certainly doesn’t require a
$6 million stadium.


And taking homes by eminent domain leaves a smaller population to pay off the red plan. Some families whose homes have become parking lots now live in Hermantown. If the School Board thinks Duluth’s voters were impressed with its display of raw power in authorizing eminent domain to take Ordean-area homes, it was mistaken. Most of us are still bitter we didn’t get to vote on the red plan. This brutal decision was not the voters’ fault. We have nothing but sympathy for these bullied homeowners. The board smugly told us we can’t stop this. That kind of arrogance begs Duluth to rise up and prove them wrong.



Sheri Pihlaja

Duluth

County commisner Dalhberg.

Chris Dalhberg will soon be sworn in to office. He defeated 32 year incumbent Bill Kron in the last election.

Mr. Dalhberg is a former city councilor as well. He will be sworn in to his new office on Friday starting at 11:30. He will follow with up with a lunch with supporters and friends.

I look forward to Chris being on the board he will be a very effective board member. I however will not be able to attend the ceremony because up work bummer.

Pod cast

Still hoping to get a show up soon here. I am having trouble with my recording device.

Council pay cut.

Former police chief Eli Miletich think the councils pay should be cut in half. Well I am not opposed in part to this, I do have a few issues with it.

If we are going to talk about cuts to elected officials then the first place we need to look is the top official and that is the Mayor. Regard less of who that is then maybe you can talk about others taking a pay cut. We then need to look at not elected officials pay chief administrator pay is insane. If these two things were to happen then you can come and talk to me about council decreasing there pay.

I also believe that if there is an increase or decrease in pay to any elected office the citizens should vote on it.

More wishes for the up coming year.

Well kind of any way. In the paper again county commisner Steve O'Neil said he wished that Governor Tim Pawlenty would not balance the budget by cutting aid to cities and counties. It is clear that Mr. O'Neil does not understand that this had to be done.

Lets face it with out "cuts" of not as much money as you were hoping for. The fact is this needed to be done to help balance the budget. It would have been almost impossible to not include cuts to counties and cities.

New Poll.

The question is this. Will 2009 be a better year for Duluth? Go ahead take a guess what is your thoughts. Leave a comment here as to why you think it will or will not be a better year for Duluth as well.

Don Ness

Mayor of Duluth Don Ness believes that this is the year that we change the course of histories in our country and the city. He said in a wish for 2009 to the Duluth News Tribune published yesterday in Northland Forum part of the paper.

One would think the Mayor believes the change will come because of who was elected President. Yet as Barack Obama makes his cabinet choices it is much of the same that President Clinton had. Were is the change from politics as normal? I am not as optimistic that we will see a huge change in our countries politics.

I think we could possible see change in the way our city is ran. As we have seen Mayor Ness do what is necessary in his short time as Mayor to date. I am hoping the Mayor Ness continues with the tough decisions that face our city. Understand that many people and special interest groups will be unhappy with them. I also hop that he sticks to the promise he has made to the city council and work to get to a pay as you go system and not bond for everything.

I will have post.

There were a number of things in paper I want to comment on and I will either do that later tonight or tomorrow so check back.

For now go to the sports page and read about the vikes. http://dpsportspage.blogspot.com/

Larry King Live.

My friend and part time contributor to this blog Garbon has a great piece on Larry King Live You can check it out here, http://garbon2535.blogspot.com/.

DP page updates.

New post are here:

http://duluthnewsnow.blogspot.com/

http://dpsportspage.blogspot.com/

Check them out.

Kmart.

A few days ago in fact two days before Christmas I was walking past Kmart. What I noticed is this.

There were two people standing at the entrance to Kmart picking for some reason. It was union related. I did not read the signs they had. Other then picket by the carpenters union.

All I could think is this the last thing that Kmart needs is a picket against them. No goes there in the first place. Now this for them.

As a side note have you ever noticed that there is like 20 cars in there lot and they are all employees.

DP podcast?

I am attempting to start Duluth Politics podcast. Now I won't make any promises but I am hoping to have the first show up in a next couple of days. I will keep you all updated. If I don't get one up in the next couple of days it maybe a little bit before I can get to one.

post

There will not be a lot of post the next couple of weeks because of the holidays. With Christmas and news years it is a busy time around here. I will however have some post so check back.

Packing it in on the senate race.

It seems now that the race is for the most part over. It looks like Norm Coleman will lose after leading most of the way. Al Franken has a more then 200 vote lead over Coleman.

I have all put given up!!

I guess all there is left to say is congratulations Al.

Thank God!!!

I was glad to see this. The Walsh family can at least bring closer to there and start to heal. After the murder of his son John Walsh started Americas Most Wanted tv show along with many other thing to help with disappearing children.

I can't guess what they are feeling right now. I hope it is some happiness and peace. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Walsh family.


HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A serial killer who died more than a decade ago is the person who decapitated the 6-year-old son of "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh in 1981, police in Florida said Tuesday.


The announcement brought to a close a case that has vexed the Walsh family for more than two decades, launched the television show about the nation's most notorious criminals and inspired changes in how authorities search for missing children.


"Who could take a 6-year-old and murder and decapitate him? Who?" an emotional John Walsh said at Tuesday's news conference. "We needed to know. We needed to know. And today we know. The not knowing has been a torture, but that journey's over."
Walsh's wife, Reve, at one point placed a small photo of their son on the podium.


The suspect, Ottis Toole, had twice confessed to the killing, but later recanted. He claimed responsibility for hundreds of murders, but police determined most of the confessions were lies. Toole's niece told the boy's father, John Walsh, her uncle confessed on his deathbed in prison that he killed Adam.

You can read the whole story here, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081216/ap_on_re_us/adam_walsh.

14% levy increase.

Well there was no one at last nights meeting that spoke against any part of the levy increase. All of the levy increases passed by a 5-4 vote. Those that voted against them were councilor Stauber, Fedora, Fossile, and Krause. These are the five that supported it councilor Gardner, Cuneo, Anderson, and Gilbert.

I am getting sick of people just complaining and not doing anything. It is time for people to start going to the meeting and voicing there thoughts. It is time for people to call and email councilors. There is a reason these councilors listen to special interest groups. One is money the next is they are the most vocal.

Superior will have an open council seat as well.

Superior will have an open city council seat much like Duluth does now. Nick Milroy will vacate his council as he was elected to the Wisconsin Assembly.

I don't know how they will fill the seat. If you are interested you need to contact the Superior city clerks office.

From the Superior Telegram:

Milroy plans to serve out his term on the Superior City Council, which ends April 21. Even-numbered council districts are up for election this spring.


Anyone interested in filing nomination papers for Milroy’s seat should contact the City Clerk’s office at 715-395-720

Milroy currently represents the 8th district on the Superior city council.

President Bush dodges shoes.

Our President made a visit to Iraq. It was a surprise visit which included a press conference. At that press conference there was well a show of disrespect.

One reported felt the need to take there shoes off and then throw them at President Bush. Well both missed him this is a huge show of disrespect. Now I have posted here when I disagree with some politician and I will continue to I will also post when I agree with some one. I have not been perfect but this was a huge disrespect to the president and the United States.

Not only are some in Iraq saying this was a good thing but many here are as well. People understand this is about respect. Regardless of what you think of the president and the war it is what it is.

UPDATE 3:50 p.m

BAGHDAD - Thousands of Iraqis took to the streets Monday to demand the release of a reporter who threw his shoes at President George W. Bush, as Arabs across many parts of the Middle East hailed the journalist as a hero and praised his insult as a proper send-off to the unpopular U.S. president.

Here is the rest of the above http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28235031?GT1=43001.

At least they don't all think this was good for the Iraq people. Many disagree with reported.
But in general, many Iraqis believe that the insult directed towards Bush has really reflected badly on them – particularly because of their long history of traditions and customs that focus on respecting the guest – even if that guest is considered an "enemy."

Here is the rest of the above story, http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/15/1714893.aspx?GT1=43001.

Smoke this!!!!

The supreme court has said it is okay for smokers to sue cigarette manufactures. Why? Because of the way they market there light, ultra light or mild cigarettes.

What a joke. Everyone knows that smoking is not good for you. Yet some people smoke and they do it for a number of reason's. The ruling said that they market these type of cig's as being saver. That simply is not true they don't. All you have to do is read the pack!!!!!!

Congratulations Bulldogs.

Unless you have been living under a rock you know that U.M.D. played for a DII National championship in football. Not only did they play for it but they won there first ever DII title in any sport. Well the school has been national champs in women's hockey they are DI in both hockey programs.

Congrats to the men's U.M.D. football team.

Tonight's council meeting.

Tonight's council meeting is a very importation one. If you care about your taxes that you need to attend the meeting.

On the schedule is were to set your tax levy. One proposal wants to set it at a 14% increase. Regardless of were you are on this issue get to the meeting. I hope you are for lower taxes in the economic time.

Why do you go to McDonalds?

I don't know about you but I go there because I like the food. Interested in your thoughts.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/big-makeover-at-mcdonalds.aspx

Congress letting anti-invader ballast bill die

Congress letting anti-invader ballast bill die

12/9 - Washington, D.C. - Federal legislation that would require ocean freighters to disinfect ballast water before entering the Great Lakes will die at the end of the month, forcing lawmakers back to square one next year on the politically divisive issue.

The U.S. House of Representatives in April passed legislation requiring all transoceanic freighters to sanitize ballast tanks before entering U.S. waters. It would have required all freighters by 2015 to install treatment systems capable of killing all living organisms in ballast tanks, including pathogens. But the legislation ran into a brick wall in the U.S. Senate. Critics blocked a vote on the legislation because it contained a pre-emption clause that would have prevented individual states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from adopting tougher ballast treatment standards.

The bill officially will die when the current congressional session ends Dec. 31. Congress is expected to revisit the ballast water treatment legislation next year, but some officials familiar with the negotiations predicted the proposed treatment rules will remain paralyzed by politics. "I'm pretty pessimistic about the chances of Congress passing national ballast water treatment legislation," said Steve Fisher, executive director of the American Great Lakes Ports Association. "I think the House of Representatives will pass the legislation but I don't think it will pass the Senate. I haven't seen any change in the political dynamics."

The federal legislation was the most comprehensive effort to stem the flow of invasive species sneaking into the Great Lakes in the ballast tanks of transoceanic freighters. Foreign ships have imported more than 60 invasive species into the lakes since the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959. Those species cause an estimated $200 million damage annually in the lakes.

U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, said he is optimistic that Congress and the administration of president-elect Barack Obama will pass federal ballast water treatment standards. "Invasive species are one of the greatest economic and environmental threats to the region because once introduced, they are nearly impossible to eliminate," Hoekstra said.

Jennifer Nalbone, campaign director for the environmental advocacy group Great Lakes United, said Congress made significant progress this year on ballast treatment standards. "Everyone wants to see this problem solved, and there is enough common ground that we should be able to solve this in the next session of Congress," Nalbone said. "It's clear that we need a strong national ballast treatment standard and a timeline for implementation -- we have to get treatment systems on ships."

New invasive species are currently being discovered in the lakes at the rate of one every seven months.

The U.S. and Canada recently adopted rules requiring every transoceanic freighter destined for the Great Lakes to flush ballast tanks with sea water before entering the St. Lawrence River. Studies have shown that procedure reduces the number of viable organisms in the tanks by 95 percent. Treatment systems that use filtration, chemicals, heat and pressure chambers can kill an even greater percentage of organisms and pathogens in ballast water.

Michigan and several other states have adopted their own ballast water regulations, creating a variety of rules. The shipping industry wants a single national standard to avoid creating confusion and logistical problems for shippers. Fisher said he believes states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio -- where most transoceanic ships discharge ballast water -- are on the right track in developing treatment standards. Those states recently adopted similar regulations based on ballast treatment standards proposed by the International Maritime Organization.

Given the recent state laws passed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio, Fisher said it is likely all ocean freighters plying the Great Lakes will be required to have ballast treatment systems on board by 2016.

From the Muskegon Chronicle

Bayfront Park to have no Christmas lights this year.

Bayfront Park will not take part in the Christmas spirit this year. Mayor Don Ness said because of budget woes. Well the Mayor was unwilling to say the cost of the lighting display he did say the main reason was man power and set up cost to the city.

Now I have to say I am a bit disappointed that there will not be a display there this year. It was a great place to take the kids and let them run around the lights. Grace loved to do that when we went out looking at lights.

I think it is also a bad idea to not find a way to fund the lights. I think our parks are a core service. This includes keeping them up for all to use and yes even to a point taking part in Christmas spirit.

Duluth News Now has a short story about it. Duluth News Now will also try to get a statment from the Mayor about it. www.duluthnewsnow.blogspot.com

DP page update.

The sports page has updates on it. If you care to read it. Also the news page has a story or two you may or may not have seen yet check them both out.

http://dpsportspage.blogspot.com/

Here is what you will find. These are just teases so check out the page.

Gophers way to go team.

Great Bulldogs ( what a weekend).

www.duluthnewsnow.blogspot.com

Poll question.

I normally have a political question up on the poll. This week it is just a fun one. Which do you like better Coke or Pepsi. Now please note that this is to just be these two and not there other products.

Vote on the poll. It is located to the right hand side of the page.

They don't seem to understand one simple thing.

Here is what the Minnesota AFL-CIO president wrote about the Minnesota economy. It is from there web page, http://www.mnaflcio.org/.

There is one thing that the AFL-CIO does not understand. It is the State house that is responsible for our troubles. That is of course lead by the DFL party. Why would the AFL-CIO not attack them? Oh wait that is right, that is who they support. They can't blame there own.

The Governor does try to set the budget however it is up to the state house to approve it and this is were the water get muddled with pork. Governor Pawlenty has done a good job of dealing with what he has been dealt by the DFL.


MN AFL-CIO President tells Governor “Invest in Minnesotans --create jobs!”


"The latest budget forecast of the Pawlenty Administration shows the disastrous impact of the Governor’s economic policies.” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron said today. "We MUST invest in Minnesota to rebuild our economy, our state and our long-term prosperity. The quickest way to rebuild our state is to create good-paying jobs—a move that will help workers, employers and the state as a whole.”The need is clear, Waldron said. The Jobs Now Coalition reported this week that the number of unemployed workers in the state has risen by 98 percent1 during the past eight years, while the number of job openings has dropped by 63 percent 2. Right now, 165,0003 unemployed workers are competing for only 52,0004 open jobs.
Open jobs in Minnesota today: - 38 percent are part-time - 61 percent require no education past High School - Median wage $10.58 The impact of creating good jobs: "Every 1,000 jobs created through investment in construction will support 610 total upstream jobs." From "Infrastructure investment and economic recovery." Testimony of John Irons, Research and Policy Director, Economic Policy Institute before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. Notes & Sources 1,2,3,4,5—Jobs Now Coalition Updated Jobs Vacancy Survey, Dec. 3, 2008www.jobsnowcoalition.org

Also appearing on the page was this,


Budget Forecast: Ugly… The Dec. 4 State Budget Forecast forecast was grim: the state, already facing an unexpected half-billion dollar deficit, expects income from taxes and fees to drop as unemployment continues to rise. One of the results of that…unbudgeted costs for folks who no longer have jobs or employer-paid health care. On Thursday morning, Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron called on the Governor to create jobs to help pull Minnesota out of its budget morass; leaders of the House and Senate DFL caucuses echoed that call. …and the

Governor's response is just as uglyGovernor Pawlenty sang his ‘no new taxes’ song and suggested that health care for low-income and unemployed folks might be first on the chopping block.Action steps: Union members can let their legislators know that the best way to rebuild our economy is to first, preserve good paying jobs and secondly, create those jobs where none exist.

No council meeting tonight.

As many of you know there is no council meeting tonight. Next week however is the big one they will be setting the levy. I encourage anyone concerned to attend the meeting.

To plow or not to that is the question.

Well you can't be right all the time and this time former city councilor Russ Stewart was dead wrong. He started his radio show today questing the city on why it was not out plowing.

This came up because unless you were living under a rock yesterday we got our first snow fall. If that is what you want to call it. He started saying that he was surprised the city was not out plowing and it must be because of the finical troubles we are having. Are you kidding me? We were out last night about 8 and yes it was snowing but it was not staying on the roads. I was out later then my wife when I went home after work at 9 there was still no snow on any road. There was not even slush. It was wet, but not froze. The roads were in the same conditions as if it was raining and the city can't do anything about that.

The city did what they should have and that was nothing. As there was nothing they could do. Way to react correct Duluth.

post coming

I will have some interesting post coming tonight hopefully. If not tonight tomorrow. They will also include the other pages of DP.

Open council seat update.

I just received the letter that will out line the Dec.11th introductions. Here is what will happen each person will get a max or two minutes to introduce them self's. It will be done by alphabetical order. I will be one of the last ones to present that night.

Minnesota Senate Race loses some steam.

Now that Minnesota is the only Senate race undecided it would seem to be a significant part to the make up of the senate. That seems not to be true with the race in Georgia decided yesterday. The republican won this mean that even if Coleman lost the democrats would not get the 60 seats.

Danny Does Duluth.

Danny has a pod cast called Danny Does Duluth. He asked if I would like to take part in the show and I said yes . Now the show is mostly a play on local media but he will do politics from time to time. By the way he has an open invite to all 35 that put in for Rienert's seat.

I want to thank Danny for having and I hope more people take part in the show. I have to say he was very pleasant and fair. I believe he will be with everyone that would take part in the show.

After first interviews.

Well now that the filing is closed for Rienerts seat it is on to interviews. After tonight's meeting nothing seems clear except for the first part. There will be interviews Dec. 11th starting at 6pm all the people will be interviewed.

After that it now seems it could be unclear as to what happens next as a councilor raised a concern about how to and how many people should be in the final vote. Well the chair of the committee thought she may have had it figured out it may not be. With question asked by councilor Fedora. He asked how many rounds of vote there would and when the final vote was up how many would there be left. Gardner said that would be five or six. Councilor Fedora thinks there should be more.

There for at this point tell it is all worked it is unclear as to what will go on. The other thing we do is that there will be at least one more interview process.

At 3pm we sit at 25.

With an hour and half to go to the closing of filing for the city council seat we sit at 25 people wanting it. Many thought there would be 50 to 60 people that would have filed for the seat.

The way it is set up now is they will interview everyone once. Then they will have to eliminate the list down to 12 and then they would interview again.

Here is who I think the top 12 could be keep in mind that this is before the first interviews however. In no particular order.

Mike Akervik

Jack Arnold

Ronald D. DeGrio

Gary E. Eckenberg

Becky Hall

Daniel Hartman

Scott Keenan

Russell Stover

John Rathe

Jon L. Donahue

Maureen Booth

Jay Cole

This is just a quick look over the names check back later for more.

******UPDATE****** 4:15pm

The list now at 31 and I think it will be hard to pick a top 12 there for I will most likely not have finale top 12 list till after he first interviews and I hear what everyone says. Do I think I could be in the top 12? Yes I do.

4:45pm filing is closed and the number is at 35 more later.