Speed Gibson

This morning (on my bicycle) I swing by a branch of my bank that has two adjoining drive-through ATM's. An armored vehicle is there, with two people, just starting the daily unload/reload. I have to wait nearly 15 minutes because they take them both down at once.

The process is:

1. Park the vehicle to block both lanes.
2. Open up both machines.
3. Have both people service the first machine, but don't put it back in service yet.
4. Have both people service the second machine.
5. Just before finishing the second machine, have one person restart the first machine so both restart at the same time.
6. Pack up, leave.

The technicians were polite and worked quickly but gained no significant time versus doing one at a time. I can see that having them work in pairs is a good security measure, each watching the other and the tens of thousands of dollars involved.

But one at a time, please!

A friend told me I need to see the "Mad Men" series on AMC (American Movie Classics), just starting season 2 last night. She said she watched the season one marathon, said I'd really like it, too. And I do.

Through the magic of Comcast On Demand, I watched the first two episodes, actually 1 and 3. #2 and a couple of others are not there for some reason, but they are out there in HD.

Quoting Wikipedia, "Mad Men depicts the society and culture of the early 1960s, highlighting cigarette smoking, drinking (alcoholic beverages), sexism, and racial bias as examples of how that era, not so long ago, was so radically different from the present."

The cars, the clothes, the furniture, it all matches my limited recall of that period. It's both fun and interesting, and I'm looking forward to the rest of season one and the new season.

As part of my walking hobby, currently working the Northeast and Near North communities, I take buses downtown that rumble past the new Twins stadium site, along 7th Street. Imagine my horror in seeing: gusset plates!

Yes, there are gusset plates in the new stadium! Add the dangerous effluents from the garbage burner right next door, and clearly this site will be a health hazard, and in an even more high crime area than the Metrodome. The old Met is looking better and better.

If you want a quick drive by tour, take the #22 bus north which skirts the west side, then transfer to the #7 bus at Lyndale and Plymouth which snakes around the east side up close.

I caught my wife by surprise when I asked if she wanted to go see the movie "Mama Mia!" tonight. Pleasantly surprised, we went. I wasn't sure what to expect other than the buzz of it being solidly in the chick flick column.

But actually, it was pretty good. I gave it a chance because of Meryl Streep and she did not disappoint. She never does. Plus this is a musical full of ABBA songs, and she handled her songs quite well.

This is a film adaptaton of a stage play and nicely done, capturing much of the fun and spontaneity of that medium.

There is just one problem, at least for me, the casting of (or direction of) Amanda Seyfried as Sophie, the bride. She sort of giggled her way though the movie, like it was a Nickelodeon picture. Most surprising was that her singing just wasn't up to this important part. If you're going to cast an unknown, why not a better unknown, which shouldn't have been difficult.

That said, and limited by this major flaw, I award it only three out of four stars.

I note in the biography of the newly hired Director of Community Education for the Robbinsdale Area Schools that he has the required Director of Community Education License. I guess I'm not all that surprised that such a position requires some sort of licensing, like a principal. But I am somewhat surprised that such an exact license exists or is specifically required.

I guess I see this as a largely managerial position, not requiring extensive educational training. Managers are largely born, not made. I've met dozens of managers who I think could step in and do a great job in this position, perhaps as a career change later in life.

By great, I mean creative, again, something you really can't teach. Maybe it would help not coming up the ranks, learning how to do the job the same way every other licensed person does it.

As a parallel, consider the mess in our State Attorney General's office under Mike Hatch and now, Lori Swanson. Neither are managers. Neither is Amy Klobuchar, who had a similar record running the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Law school can teach you the law and how to practice it, but not how to manage other lawyers.

In fact, anyone can file for State Attorney General; no legal training is required at all. Again, many non-lawyers I know could do a good job running such a department - or a Department of Community Education.

To sharply limit the pool of candidates via licensing for a position like Director of Community Education seems unwarranted to me.

After the DFL shoved the various new rail transit taxes through the 2008 session, I vowed not to pay it. I can report that I have more than succeeded, adjusting my driving habits to reduce my gasoline consumption and raising my use of buses.

Now, with bus fares going up to again cover the rail losses this fall I needed a way to avoid paying the extra quarter as well. For that and other reasons including pleasure and exercise, I purchased a used bicycle. I just got it tonight (the shop refurbs it after you buy it), and I really like it. Actually, the left pedal fell off after 1/2 mile and I had to limp back for a quick repair and re-inspection, but all is well now.

I meandered through various bikeway/greenways to get to the Theodore Wirth Parkway and home, about 12 miles I would guess. I haven't been on a bike in many years and I really liked it. But my rear end isn't used to the seat. I had to stop several times in the last third just to rest the pelvis. Is that why those sleeky but geeky looking guys wear Spandex?

But I'll get used to it or change out the seat. Meanwhile, I'll be really green, using no fossil fuels every time I bike to work, just under 6 miles. Plus, I'll save the $4 bus fare or the $2 gas plus depreciation.

The Minnesota Orchestra has canceled the final Lake Harriet appearance of that season. The reason given: budget cuts. Lack of interest would be a better diagnosis.

The old Minneapolis Symphony won national acclaim fifty years ago, under conductor Antal Dorati. But back then, live music had a clear edge over the highest of high fidelity equipment, both recording and playback. It was the age of monoaural and vacuum tubes. Stereo and "solid state" didn't really come along until the early 1960's.

Today, the situation is reversed. Top flight recordings can be more faithfully enjoyed on top flight equipment than a live concert, with all the quirks of acoustics, crowd noise, and jet aircraft passing overhead. These recordings travel instantly around the globe, meaning you can access the world's best musicians. Just as video killed the radio star, CD's, DVD's, HD, and 7.2 Surround Sound have eliminated the need for most local orchestras, including our own Minnesota Orchestra.

Patrons quietly throw a little money in the pot but most of the money comes from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Endowment for the arts. A few more millions come from income off its own $90 million endowment.

Apparently the patrons don't put enough in to meet the Orchestra's expectations, nor should they be expected to if they don't value the product that highly. Obviously, the Orchestra could take a few thousand from their endowment to at least finish this year's 2008 Harriet Band Shell series. Perhaps past attendance in mid-September told them it was time to limit it to the good old summer time.

In general, however, the time has come to gently and gratefully retire this once rich tradition, now largely an anachronism.

UPDATE:An impassioned supporter rightfully chides me a bit. The vague language of the Minnesota Orchestra site may have led me astray and I since then I found their Annual Report. (I was looking for "finance" and "funding".)

The exact ratios of ticket sales, private contributions, government grants, and endowment proceeds are still a bit murky even with this new information. But whether the government portion (does this count Orchestra Hall?) is small or large, I still contend that those who enjoy it should pay for it.

"Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of our Blogs."

This begins year five here at Speed Gibson, four years in the can, on the way to the museum as Rush would say. I do it for recreation, cathartic release at times, like during election season.

Thanks once again to those who inspired me to start, Mitch Berg (Shot in the Dark) and Citizen Jo (Jo's Attic).

Earlier this year, the Robbinsdale Area Schools lost Executive Director of Community Education (and Public Relations) Bob Wittman to the Wayzata schools. We just lost another Cabinet member, Assistant Superintendent Nancy Rajanen, who was just named Superintendent of the Waconia Schools. Congratulations all round, of course, including the Superintendent and the District who helped developed this level of talent.

Community Education will be run by its newly hired Executive Director, Alan Ickler of the Minneapolis Public Schools. But Superintendent Mack tonight announced that there will be no immediate replacement of Rajanen's position overseeing Administrative Services. Gayle Walkowiak continues as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.

I like Mack's decision to at least try life without a pyramid head for the various administrative departments like finance and human resources. As I read the chart, direct replacement isn't the only option. Gayle Walkowiak might be the one who really needs an extra body, for example.

These departures grant a degree of freedom in implementing the newly adopted Strategic Plan by getting the Cabinet structure aligned with that Plan.

I'm getting tired of the word "unite" or rather, the overuse and misuse of the word. Political candidates claim they can unite or re-unite Minnesota, America, or the World, as if that's axiomatically desirable. And unite to them means capitulation, you join them, not the reverse. Activists claim their communities are already united in spirit, their way of course, and just need to act to right whatever ship they think is foundering.

United we stand, divided we fall. E pluribus unum, from many, one. "Can't we all just get along?" Division, "dis-unity" if you like, is considered intrinsically flawed by many, the ones who would rather not debate.

Kirby Puckett said, "Play hard, have fun, and respect the game." Unity should be about respecting the game, like three strikes and you're out. That's what our Republic is about, establishing a framework for debate, not ending it. But once we, er, unite about the rules, let's debate hard, even have a little fun doing it.

As Dennis Prager says, let's "prefer clarity to agreement."

It seems like forever, but it's finally time for another District 281 School Board Meeting, on Monday July 21st. As usual, the published agenda is lengthy, 24 pages this time. A true agenda would be 3 pages, which follows.

I continue to press the point because such a lengthy document is unwieldy in trying to run an effective meeting. It's not that all those details aren't important; some may even be legally required. But a quick search of other districts shows others are doing it my way. One I found appends the additional material after the agenda itself. You can either print just the agenda itself (3 pages) or the full tree-killing 24 pages. Another district publishes the collapsed agenda but inserts the detail in the Minutes, as part of the adopted Consent Agenda.

This meeting, we have another couple of points to illustrate, again toward running a more effective meeting. As I've posted previously, I believe a significant part of the criticism leveled at the Robbinsdale Area Schools is just frustration with the flow of Board meetings. So let's see if I can run this one a little better. Compare with the published Agenda if you like.

1. Call to Order and Roll Call


2. Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
   
   The following are considered routine by the Administration and will be enacted by one motion without discussion. Any Board member or the Superintendent may remove an item from this Consent Agenda, the Chair moving it to an appropriate location in the Regular Agenda for separate consideration.
   
   
   1. Approval of the June 16, 2008 Board Meeting Minutes (Attachment C-1)
      
   2. Acceptance, and where required, approval of Personnel Changes (Attachment C-2)
      
   3. Approval of 39 Contracts for Services totaling $175,915 (Attachment C-3)
      
   4. Receipt of Gifts and Deposits totaling $ 432,954.98 (Attachment C-4)
      

First, note the referenced attachments. The detail is not being eliminated. It will be given to the Board and made available to the public like the other attachments for this meeting.

Second, note that I moved the Consent Agenda up to be the first item after convening and taking attendance, which is accepted practice. The published agenda, however, defers this until after some awards and presentations. Why? Because otherwise all that nice award language would get buried at about page 14. This way (and my way), it's on page one.

3. Presentations
   
   
   1. CenterPoint Energy names District its 2007 Conservation Customer of the Year (Attachment P-1)
      
      At its Energy 2008 Technology Conference in May, CenterPoint Energy noted that Director of Buildings and Grounds Jim Gerber and the Robbinsdale Area Schools should be looked to by other schools districts as a model for saving money and energy for their taxpayers.
      
      
   2. Superintendent Stan Mack named Golden Valley Citizen of the Year by the Golden Valley Rotary Club (Attachment P-2)
      
      Bob Junghans of the Golden Valley Rotary Club will make the presentation.
      
      
   3. City of Plymouth tops Money Magazine’s list of America’s best small cities (Attachment P-3)
      
      Money Magazine cited plentiful jobs, affordable housing, and excellent schools among its criteria in placing Plymouth as the best place to live on its list of the top 100 small cities in America. A resolution of congratulations from the District to the City of Plymouth has been prepared for approval.
      
      
   4. District wins seventh consecutive Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Award (Attachment P-4)
      
      The Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International has awarded Robbinsdale Area Schools its Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the seventh year in a row. This reflects the outstanding work of the Finance Department under the leadership of its Director, Gary Hauan.
      

We had a good month in 281; yes, let's talk it up! Trouble is, the first item includes four long paragraphs that push the other three on to page 2. It really wasn't by design, but all four entries happen to fit on my agenda's page 1, each with one paragraph. The published agenda has 4, 1, 0, and 7 paragraphs respectively.

You sales professionals out there know you should avoid giving the audience your script in advance. Their heads stay down, reading along with you, not looking up at you the speaker or, in these cases, the honoree. Again, the full detail is available as attachments.

I'd also suggest that I gave Jim Berger, Stan Mack, and Gary Hauan a little better press than did the published agenda, and in a couple of cases, a little more information. I know, these agendas don't have much circulation, but they do guide the follow-up coverage of the meetings.

Finally, let me again note the importance of adopting the Agenda and Consent Agenda first, which I believe starts the meeting in earnest. It's like a typical church service these days, where announcements are light-heartedly presented prior to getting serious with the liturgy. I think awards like this are indeed District business, part of what it is trying to accomplish, and should be in the mainstream of the agenda.

4. Education
   
   
   1. Restoration of Student Activities Report (Attachment E-1)
      
      The board will hear a report from the Restoration of Student Activities Committee.
      
      
   2. Strategic Plan Report (Attachment E-2)
      
      After a presentation, the Board will be asked to approve the completed Strategic Plan for the Robbinsdale Area Schools.
      

These two items are also ahead of the Consent Agenda for some reason, which seems out of place to me, even in the existing format. I think they should have been under existing Teaching and Learning section, which corresponds to my Education section above. The second item requests Board approval, not the stuff of Presentations and Special Reports.

5. Business
   
   The Administration seeks Board approval of the following submitted items.
   
   
   1. Award of bid to Corporate Express for office supplies for 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, 70% discount and 10% Margin Floor discount. (Attachment B-1)
      
      
   2. Solicitation of bids for Plymouth Middle School Renovation, LENEL Security Wiring, Devices and Programming. (Attachment B-2)
      
      
   3. Approval to revise School Board policy B-18 to align with the new competitive quote/bid limits set by the State of Minnesota. (Attachment B-3)
      
   
   
6. Administration
   
   The Administration seeks Board approval of the following submitted items.
   
   
   1. Sick Leave Pool Bylaws (Attachment A-1)
      
      The Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers Executive Council has approved the new language in the sick leave pool bylaws at their April general membership meeting. The Board is asked to approve the new language.
      
      
   2. Truth in Taxation Hearing Dates
      
      The Administration recommends setting Tuesday, December 2, 2008 as the date for the Truth in Taxation Hearing. If necessary, the Continuation Hearing will be held Monday, December 15, 2008 at 7 pm, with Board action on levy adoption at the December 15, 2008 regular Board meeting.
      
      
   3. Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreement - Principals Association (Attachment A-2)
      
      The Board is asked to approve a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Robbinsdale Area Schools Principals Association. The agreement includes a 2% increase in wages and performance incentive in year one and an additional 2.5% in year two.
      
      
   4. Approval of Cabinet Level Administrators Terms and Conditions of Employment (Attachment A-3)
      
      The board is asked to approve a two-year terms and conditions of employment for Cabinet administrators. The agreement includes a 2% increase in wages and performance incentive in year one and an additional 2.5% in year two
      
   
   The Administration seeks Board action on the following:
   
   
   5. Intermediate District 287 Board Transition
      
      As part of changes to the structure of the Intermediate District 287 Board, the Robbinsdale Area School District 281 Board has been asked to extend Helen Bassett's expired term through December 31, 2008. The District 281 Board will address subsequent board member representation to District 287 at a future work session.
      
      
   6. Appointment of Members to the Robbinsdale Area Schools Financial Advisory Council
      
   
   
7. Board Reports
   
   
   1. System Accountability Committee Report - Barb Van Heel
      
   2. Construction Update - Superintendent Mack
      
   3. July 14 Board Work Session Report - Patsy Green
      
   4. Board Rapport
      
   
   
8. Adjournment
   

The rest of the meeting flows about the same. I rearranged the Administrative items slightly to separate the items for approval vs action. Otherwise, this meeting is over. Roll the announcements!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
All meetings held in ESC Boardroom except as noted.

Association of   Metropolitan School Districts	Friday, August 8,   7 am 1667 Snelling Avenue, St. Paul
School Board Work Session	Monday, August 11, 5:30 pm
School Board Meeting	Monday, August 18, 7 pm
System Accountability Committee	Thursday, August 21, 7 pm
Labor Day Holiday	Monday, September 1 – Offices Closed
First Day of School	Tuesday, September 2
School Board Meeting	Monday, September 8, 7 pm,   Preceded by Listening Time 6-7 pm
Government Advisory Council	Tuesday, September 9, 7:30 pm
Interschool Council	Wednesday, September 10, 9:30 am
School Board Work Session	Monday, September 15, 5:30 pm
School Board Meeting	Monday, September 21, 7 pm

He hasn't brought Ron Rosenbaum on for quite a while now, so I'm settling in pretty well with Chris Baker on KTLK-FM in the mornings. He had a good one this morning regarding the latest Viking stadium concept, to reuse the foundation of the Metrodome and save $100 million.

Get those guys from "Flip This House!" on HGTV to come here and do something with the Metrodome. Actually, it could work.

What if we had a competition where ordinary people could submit a remodeling plan for the Dome. With the Twins leaving, it can now be configured full time for football, no more pull-out seating. In fact, as Andy notes, replace all of that awful seating!

Charge maybe $100-250 per entry, for which you get a full tour, even the heating plant, and the some of existing design drawings to get you started. Winner gets a VIP box and lifetime season tickets.

Why not? The professionals aren't getting anywhere on this.

I think Jo Stafford is easily among the top ten female singers ever. Her 90 years with us ended today.

She was as precise and on key as they come. Every note was perfect, every phrasing personal. But I was not to really find out about her until perhaps 20 years ago when I happened to really listen to her #1 hit "You Belong to Me" of 1952. Later, I heard my personal favorite "No Other Love" and I was hers. That song still gets to me.

I didn't know it at the time, but I had heard her many years before, as "Darlene Edwards" singing with "Jonathan Edwards" on the piano, in real life her husband Paul Westin. He would stumble through the numbers while she slid oh so gently and yet oh so gratingly on and off key, a little ahead and then a little behind the score. My older readers may remember morning host Howard Viken on WCCO-AM occasionally playing one of their songs, parodies of those awful lounge acts we've all endured. Viken would claim that was the voice of Joyce Lamont, who did recipes and other homemaking features. If you don't remember this, don't feel bad. This was in the early 1960's.

I'm told by those who know that this is much harder than it sounds, especially for an accomplished singer. When asked about it, she quipped: "Well, Jo Stafford might have found it difficult, but Darlene had no problem at all."

She could do it for real. She could play it for laughs. Thanks, Jo. You, too, Darlene.

The Twin Cities slept through the last Transit strike and barely noticed the one before that. But now ridership is up and the union knows it. They voted down the latest offer, 19 to 1. A strike is possible in about a month, just in time for the State Fair and the Republican National Convention.

Public Transit provides a very small percentage of the total number of passenger miles. Most don't use it at all. But if you're a regular, you might want to arrange an alternative. As ineffective as the last strike was, it did last 45 days.

Any doubt about fares going up another 50 cents next year?

I was at the first of the eight public hearings for raising Metro Transit fares, and also attended the last one tonight. Held at an apartment building in the Seward neighborhood near Cedar and Franklin, this was the only one of the eight held where the bus riders really are, when they can attend. You really can't count lunch hour sessions downtown.

Turnout was much higher than the first meeting as a result, I would guess over 40 and it went 15 minutes over the scheduled one hour. About half spoke. In various ways, they spoke as one regarding the fare increase: No!

Several had picked up on the fact that Metro Transit may have some reserve money from the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) that could forestall the increase long enough for the 2009 Legislature to provide more money, assuming it would, of course. Others were well aware that this increase was going to happen regardless, simply making sure the Metro Transit representatives truly understood the effects.

I was quite impressed with most of the arguments presented, disappointed by none. One had a good idea, to sell day passes. When we were in Florida in May, the local trolley/bus service had these for $3.50 and I used it three of those days. Here, I'd sell them for $5. Isn't the idea to be free of the car all day?

At the risk of talking politics in July, Metro Transit could have handled this whole situation better, assuming it truly wanted any public input. No, I'm afraid the fix is in. Rail needs the money and will need much more when the Northstar Commuter and Central Corridor lines begin operation.

I've worn glasses all my life, since age 2 I'm told. I got my first bifocals around age 50, and my eye doctor today said I'll probably want trifocals next exam. But you know, I came away happy.

I am what I am. In days of old when knights were bold there were no glasses at all. I would be suitable for field work or hard labor, unable to read or perform any skilled labor.

But I live in more modern times, modern enough to provide the optics necessary to let me see this wonderful world around me. Modern enough to provide bifocals and trifocals, and surgical options if desired.

And I live in the best country of this modern age, where most can readily afford glasses. I can get what I need.

Life is good in America even when gasoline is $4 a gallon.

As expected, today's muggy weather spawned some big thunderstorms, with significant tornado activity in Willmar. All four TV stations lit up around 7:30 pm with radar graphics and for once, understandably so. I of course hope everyone is safe and taking the appropriate precautions.

Something's different tonight, way different: WCCO-TV. Maybe a lot more than Paul Douglas was cut recently in their weather operation.

KSTP-TV is leading the way again, with the full A-team on duty - John Mason, Leah McLean, and Dave Dahl, the best weatherman in town. They have tornado video from Willmar, traffic camera shots including the Basilica block party. They talked with the reporter they dispatched enroute to Willmar. Channels 9 and 11 are doing about the same on a smaller scale.

But what's on Channel 4, once mighty Scene Tonight Channel 4? Pure radar with weatherman Mike Fairborne narrating, never on camera. He has no pictures, no video, nobody to interview or even banter with. He's clearly ad-libbing. Nobody's getting him coffee, let alone any copy to read other than weather service alerts. Don Shelby, call your office.

Channel 4 went back to the network about 8:05, rejoining a "NUMB3RS" rerun. Channel 5 just ended at 8:45, with the storm heading into Wisconsin. Channel 9 will stay on into their 9 o'clock news, I'm sure. Channel 11 is still going.

Channel 4 came back on about 8:50, more narrated radar, for Wisconsin. Mike finally has a few still shots now, look like cell phone uploads. Channel 5 just popped back on at 8:55 and now at 9 pm, all four doing cleanup.

Again, what has happened to WCCO, i.e., what has owner CBS done to WCCO? What they aired literally could have been sourced from a home computer with a good Internet connection. The fact that Fairborne never shows himself has me wondering if that isn't in fact what's going on.

I was at the first of eight public hearings for raising Metro Transit fares this fall and next year. Obviously this will happen, a 25 cent increase this year and at least another 25 cents next year. These hearings are largely a formality, service cutbacks being all but politically impossible.

As others have noted, the meeting schedule is not going to generate much reaction given their places and times, held during a short 8 day period in the peak of our summer vacation season. This first meeting is indicative, held in a third ring suburb at the edge of regular transit service. Scheduling it from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm makes it hard for most with daytime jobs to get there in time, even with a car. Then you have to find the "Community Room" in the Northtown Mall, which is not shown on the big display maps around the center. I had to ask the Guest Services rep, who directed me to an obscure hallway.

The turnout was perhaps 10 to 20 actual citizens like me, the rest being with the Metropolitan Council or Metro Transit. Chairing the meeting was Kris Sanda of the Council, flanked by Transit's Gerri Sutton and Ed Petrie. Met Council member Natalie Steffen was also present.

I in fact spoke, saying that they need to break out the numbers by bus, rail, and Metro Mobility, for it looks like this increase is largely going to cover light rail losses. I added the Metro Mobility when during the formal presentation they broke out the fare percents. Overall, fares cover about 27% of costs. For buses, it's 32%, light rail 40%, Metro Mobility 12%. You do the math. (A friend said I made the Fox 9 coverage.)

Next up is Hopkins, 6:30 pm (July 8), again, not exactly where the Transit action is. How about holding one of these at, say, the Minneapolis Public Library at Fremont and Lowry, where your customers are?

I'll soon be renewing my charter membership in Rush 24/7, which provides podcasts and various other premium content on his web site. I do so happily, even if he doesn't need a dollar of it.

I could also happily list the reasons why I enjoy him so, but the reaction to his latest contract perhaps sums them all.

Rush has shared the secrets of his success in his books, speeches, columns, and of course, on the air. And yet the pundits are stumped, refusing to believe that the man has any smarts at all. That would concede the possibility that he's smarter than some of them.

The survey that found his audience is more erudite than that of National Public Radio has to be particularly galling. It does help explain how he can charge those confiscatory advertising rates.

Rush Limbaugh is so talented as a broadcaster, a businessman, and yes, an entertainer that it's easy to overlook his intellectual powers. He has it all, and as a long time listener, I think his program has subtly matured and improved over the years.

Dittos Rush on the contract, twenty years come August 1st, and the many more to come.

I was up until 4 am watching the Daytona race on the DVR in HD splendor. I went to bed happy, having won the office NASCAR pool this week.

I faded in and out this morning, but snapped awake when I heard a woman say, and I quote: "There are no plays in soccer." I didn't catch the name but the conversation soon indicated that this was the Women's head coach for our Golden Gophers. Despite being obvious, it was still a shocking admission from an insider.

In fact, she went on to say that she really didn't have much to say once the game (or is it a match?) started. She can't even call a time out.

Next she'll be saying that there isn't enough scoring in soccer. I like her already.

UPDATE:Now that I'm fully awake, I notice that the radio dial was set to 770, not 830, so it probably wasn't the Gophers' coach after all.

After a morning of yard chores, I went out walking, to finish up the Jordan neighborhood as part of my current quest to walk all of Minneapolis. That's 14 down, 73 to go.

To get there is simple, take the 5 bus at 1:04, arriving at Lowry and Emerson at 1:20, only this time, it was 1:50! You see, about 5 minutes into the trip, an amiable but disoriented German Shepherd decided to get on. We all thought it was a seeing eye dog at first, but while docile, she needed five minutes of coaxing to get off the bus.

She then decides to relax and sprawl under the bus. The owner finally appeared with the leash that she had somehow escaped, but even then, it was a ten minute job, not without a piece of tenderloin. Add to this two wheelchair passengers, numerous parents with bulky strollers, and someone with a bicycle to mount in front. It was packed, too, meaning we stopped at every stop to pick up passengers, standing room only.

But I was in no hurry and very pleased with the driver's professional handling of all of these situations. I sent Metro Transit an email commendation in fact. We should be praise our public servants when they do it right, not just carp when they don't.

The real struggle was the walk itself, being on Weight Watchers, and passing one grill after another, all wafting sweet aromas at me. Let me tell you, there was some fine barbecuing going on in this section of North Minneapolis today.

Tonight, I'll be watching The Music Man as is my July tradition, which is set around the Fourth of July in 1912 Iowa. A quaint town, music, romance, and a flim-flammer. Can't get any more American than that.

Starbucks Coffee began and is headquartered there. After a brisk expansion, they are now closing 600 stores, most of which are less than two years old. What happened? Yes, the economy and gas prices are factors. Yes, there is increased competition, even from McDonald's. Office coffee machines have stepped up their quality and options as well.

But the simplest explanation is that Starbucks makes lousy coffee. It's too harsh, somewhere between strong and burned. Even Andy Rooney says so. When you can get better coffee for half the price at a convenience store, why bother with Starbucks?

Fancy flavorings, ambiance, and marketing can only take you so far. Pour a shot of Maker's Mark into a glass of Coors Light and you still get a lousy boilermaker.

Looking at my last two posts, I realize I have the makings of a Soucheray link. Maybe it's not so much a link as a contrast, which is why the Mayor of Garage Logic cautions us amateur linkers.

Compare the late Ken Macke of Daytons and Target and, to put a face on it, your favorite Minneapolis Star Tribune Publisher.

One worked tirelessly to please his customers and thereby find new ones. The other seemed to take his existing customers for granted, and unwilling to consider what one third to one half of his potential readership might want. One company grew, the other shrank.

One changed with the times, migrating over time from low volume high margin department store retailing to high volume low margin discount stores. The other has dabbled with the Internet, but still clings to the old formulas. One company grew, the other shrank.

One kept touch with and supported the community, at every level, in many creative ways. The other chose largely to hobnob, often encouraging those who were creating problems for the community. One company grew, the other shrank.

When venerable IBM ran aground in the 1ate 1980's, their Board brought in an outsider (from Pepsi!) as Chief Executive. They felt (correctly) that the traditional method of grooming insiders would only perpetuate the outdated "IBM way" of thinking.

How interesting it would have been for the Star Tribune to bring in a leader like Mr. Macke ten years ago.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has missed a debt payment, I believe for the first time ever. It has lost $100 million, 25 percent, in annual sales in the last seven years. Adjusted for inflation, that's really a 38 percent drop.

Its fate seems all but certain. Whether unwilling or unable, if it were capable of balancing its coverage, improving its quality, or making a major technology move, it would have done so by now. The same forces dragging it down now will continue the top line erosion, though one would think there is some minimum circulation.

A change to tabloid format seems inevitable now, jettisoning more people and more content. The Sunday editions may escape this fate for some time, assuming the company itself can stay afloat.

I think a more radical change is required, which I'll pose in an upcoming post.

Kenneth A. Macke left us too early at age 69. He was one of the greats that built what is now Target Corporation after many years of learning his craft at Dayton's. I worked there during many of those years. He served as the then named Dayton-Hudson Corporation's Chief Executive from 1984 to 1994.

Like, say, a Jackie Gleason, Macke was a natural. He loved retail, and it seemed everyone loved him. He was just a kid from Iowa who went to college on a football scholarship, then joined Daytons back when it was just three stores - Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Southdale. That, hard work, and a parallel commitment to his community produced one of Minnesota's finest.

Chad the Elder at the Fraters says we should suspend politics for July.

Let's spend the heart of the summer talking about barbecue, beer, baseball, beaches, and bombpops. Let's listen to music. Let's go to movies purely for fun. Let's read books (fiction) for pleasure. Let's all sit back and relax and not worry about the latest polls and who's up and who's down.

For a month, let's all simply be Americans ...

I agree and this blog will comply. I'll have to do a couple of news posts on District 281 and the Metro Transit rate increase hearings that I hope to attend, but that will be just the facts. I'll resume August 1, when Rush Limbaugh celebrates 20 years on the EIB.

Be warned - this means I must now turn my attention to: who is The Mole?

July 1 begins a new fiscal year for the State of Minnesota and likely most every public school district given how closely tied they are to the state, legally and financially.

Fiscal 2007-2008 will be a year many in District 281, the Robbinsdale Area Schools, would rather forget given the events surrounding its first ever defeat of an Operating Levy Referendum. It was the proverbial wake up call. It was a vote of no confidence in what was once considered one of the best public school systems in Minnesota, right up there with Edina.

Fiscal 2008-2009 will be a year when District 281 can, when District 281 must openly confront the 21st century. It can look wistfully to the west at the comparatively wealthy Wayzata system, maybe learn a thing or two, but it had better spend most of its time looking east. The North Side that the Minneapolis Schools has abandoned shows what will happen if the District doesn't change, and despite significantly higher spending per pupil.

Granted, many factors are outside the District's control, factors that apply to all schools including charter schools. A student has to ultimately be willing to learn or have a stable home life that insists on it. The community has to work through cultural and economic differences, not have segments that consider education secondary or "inauthentic" to their perceived identity.

But the fact remains that most charter schools and private schools are getting much better results across the same range of demographics. District 281, really all public school districts must accept that as a challenge. The thinking must change from compliance and conformity to competition and creativity. The Legislature must give them the freedom to do so, and the unions may have to cooperate in some cases.

The Sun Post recently chided the Robbinsdale Schools for a lack of leadership. I think much of that was misguided, having more to do with the mechanics of running meetings as I covered in my "Meetings, Bloody Meetings" posts last month. Leadership isn't about snap decisions, it's about making good decisions of the proper scope at the proper time.

I believe the current 281 School Board has that ability and that we'll see tangible improvement this year.