Speed Gibson

I found an intriguing document quite by accident on the District 281 web site. Much as I suggested a few posts ago, the District did indeed have a Communications Audit done in 2005, by the National School Public Relations Association. Summary Full Report

Looking it over, I see that at least a couple of the recommendations were adopted. Another was implemented just last month. But for lack of other evidence on the Web site and elsewhere, it would appear that the number one recommendation to develop a Strategic Communications Plan did not happen. Many of this audit's focus group complaints were stated again in the 2008 Strategic Planning meetings.

The audit made 17 recommendations, including the recommendation to add one or two more Public Relations staff positions that clearly won't happen for some time given the budget situation. It would have been remarkable to have implemented all of them even with that help, assuming all 17 were truly worth doing.

Even so, it would be a fine start in addressing Priority 4 of the 2008 Strategic Plan. I'll go through it in more detail after Election Day.

"Transit Tax Bears Fruit says the Minneapolis Star Tribune headline. The first spoils of the new Transit Tax were doled out, $86 million.

The big winner? Light rail, of course, mostly the Hiawatha Line, starting with $31 million to "address Metro Transit's operating deficit." While still heavily subsidized, Metro Transit's existing funds cover bus operations. The deficit is due entirely to Light Rail, and probably understated without depreciation or amortization of its large capital investment. Oh, and the Hiawatha Line also gets another $7.5 million in an Operating Grant. Meanwhile, more good millions were thrown after bad, to the Central Corridor and Northstar lines. As I read the article, 90% of the $86 million went to rail projects and operation.

The big loser? Taxpayers. As a transit alternative, Light Rail is a net negative. It furnishes no new service. It only increases costs, and as we've seen, dramatically so.

Try it this way: $86 million would go a long way toward covering Public School referendums. It would cover the Robbinsale, Osseo, and Minneapolis requests with $10 million left over. It may or may not improve academic outcomes, but it would at least provide more arts and sports.

I didn't want to, but my wife wanted to see what $3 million dollars for 30 minutes was all about. First impression: slow. Very slow. Second impression: false. Very false.

All it needed were those Styrofoam columns and his “Vero Possumus" seal.

Head judge Len was away this week, and it seemed like the level of dancing also took the week off. Lance and Lacey topped the leader board and deservedly so. Otherwise, all that matters is the bottom two.

Despite high scores, despite what Carrie Ann thought she saw, Susan Lucci still is in her glass cage. She'll be in the bottom two. Not saying it won't, but it shouldn't matter. For Cloris Leachman's dance was positively ugly. I had to turn away three times during her performance.

I have to think even Cloris's friends who've been keeping here alive will decide that tomorrow should be her farewell.

***

I always enjoy the show, including all the challenges of live television. But I have to say that this season's field might be the weakest of them all. Maybe season 8 will be some sort of All Star edition with previous contestants.

THE RESULTS: Finally! Cloris Leachman, while a credit to her generation, is gone. The producers will need to rope her to her chair if she's going to be in the audience as she said.

You may remember some legislative proposals to require that at least, say, 65 percent of K-12 spending go "directly" to the "classroom" - whatever that means. As I recall, these never got beyond the guidelines stage, probably because everyone realized how difficult this would be to calculate, let alone enforce.

Take for example the Robbinsdale School District's claim that 67 cents of every tax dollar goes for instruction, specifically "teachers teaching our children and the books and other supplies needed to educate our students." This is from a recent mailing from the District. Is this really true? Let's try to find out.

First, let's look at the tax dollar. Per the chart on page 37 of the 2008-2009 budget which supplies most of the figures below, 90 percent of the revenue comes from state, property, and federal taxes, in that order. You could argue that the other 10 percent is largely for meals and non-academics like sports, but I'll use the worst case value of 90 percent below.

Now, how much are we spending? The total budget is $ 187 million, from which I'll subtract meals and Community Education (including ECFE) to get a net $ 173 million a year. Applying the 90 percent figure above says that $ 155 million tax dollars are being spent this year. The flyer says that 67 percent of that is for instruction, which is $ 104 million. Dividing that by the enrollment of approximately 12,300 gives us $ 8,462 from taxes per student.

Going back to the flyer, the lowest class size shown in 25.4, for fifth grade if both Referendum questions pass. That works out to about $ 215 thousand dollars per class. One teacher with benefits costs about $67,000, but since the average teacher only teaches during 4 of the 6 hours, I'll flex that up to an even $100,000. Subtracting another $ 5,000 for books and supplies leaves another $ 110,000 in taxes allegedly being spent on "instruction." Where, pray tell?

Now I'm sure the District can show us how they came up with the 67 cents of every tax dollar figure but given the language they attached in the flyer, it has to be rather contrived. I requote the flyer's definition of Instruction: "Teachers teaching our children and the books and other supplies needed to educate our students."

The flyer does cite the preliminary District Audit Report as its source. I read the previous year's Audit Report and Management Letter which shows Instruction as 56.6 percent of 2006-2007 expenditures, 55.6 percent for 2005-2006. I therefore infer that the 2007-2008 percent is almost certainly under 60 percent. Their definition of Instruction appears more broad, possibly including some Community Education I believe, yet their percentage is significantly less than claimed on the flyer. Why, pray tell?

I offer this to again say that District communications need significant improvement, as the Strategic Planning process has identified as Priority 4.

District 281 Superintendent Stan Mack II will not seek renewal of his contract that expires June 30, 2009. In his October 22 letter to the Board included in the above link, Mack declared that he will be retiring from K-12, then seek a new opportunity in pre-K or higher education. This will complete a nine year tenure as Superintendent of the Robbinsdale Area Schools.

The timing is good for the District. Right and/or wrong, Mack has become a controversial figure of late, inside and outside the organization. It's hard to keep everybody happy in a period of declining enrollment, especially in the high cost, highly bureaucratic world that is K-12 public education in Minnesota. Perhaps his retirement will now allow some of his critics to refocus on the schools themselves, starting with the Referendum.

The timing is good for Mack as well, judging by his letter. The salad days of expansion and seemingly endless money are over. A new hard reality is setting in, and the next three years will be very demanding of the new Superintendent.

I believe that Stan Mack's dedication to the District is beyond question, even when we disagree. His stepping down is further evidence of that dedication.

Kay Lasman and Tim Roche for Brooklyn Center City Council. Incumbent Lasman's experience, judgement, and demeanor make re-electing her a pleasure. Roche is more of a guess over former Council member Ed Nelson, but I feel that incumbents Ryan and Yelich already provide the fiscal viewpoint Nelson would otherwise bring. Roche will bring energy and ideas. He only needs to temper that enthusiasm while he learns the realities of city government from Mayor Willson.

Vote NO on District 281 Question 2. Remember first that I am voting YES on Question 1. Question 2 is a much smaller amount, an extra point if Question 1 reaches the end zone.

Yes, it's not that much more, but looking at the specifics and the restorations it would bring, I just don't see enough return on that "investment." Two years later, we will have a hard time measuring any real effects.

The District said that they were listening and they did, scaling back the amount and term from the failed 2007 question. As it happened, that amount in Question 1 is not far from the Legislative limit imposed last session. Question 2 takes us to that limit.

Again, it's not much more. If times were better or at least more stable, I'd probably go along. Oddly, I might vote differently a week later or whenever the Federal and State results are known. But given the mess the Democrats have made and the Republicans have exacerbated, and given what the likely next President Obama has planned, I think we're all in for at least couple of tough years. If the lights go out at the Minnesota House, there will be no need to vote on either question. Pogemiller and friends will give us another Minnesota Miracle.

I better stop before I talk myself into voting NO on question 1.

I'm quite the fan of "Old Time Radio" via a couple of subscription web sites. Besides entertaining, it takes me back into times I never knew, largely from 1935 to 1955. It would be easy to wish for the return of those thrilling days of yesteryear. But it was also the days of polio, the Depression, World War II, segregation, and bomb shelters. There was no television, no computers, just radios and vacuum tubes. Ironically, the Internet has now transcended all those pioneering technologies to let new generations visit the world of The Greatest Generation.

One channel has been playing various shows aired in October, many of which had election themes. But when the fun was over at the end of many shows, Jim Anderson, Fibber McGee, Andrew H. Brown, Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve et al, solemnly and sincerely reminded us to vote, as our privilege and our responsibility.

And imagine - elections were held on Election Day in November! There was no early voting. Absentee voting was a last resort, not a convenient alternative. Otherwise you came in person; no mailing it in. You had to register in advance, not simply wave a utility bill on Election Day.

And then I came across a play by the then famous Arch Obler. Raymond Massey (who played Abraham Lincoln twice in films) portrays a man who goes on an extended vacation far from civilization for a few weeks in 1939, and comes back to find his world is gone in some sort of coup. At the end, he gives this impassioned speech, which given some of the issues of the day, perhaps needs to be heard again. He tells his wife:

"All my life I lived with freedom. Jean, we didn't know it was freedom, did we? Living in our house, a good life, our neighbors, not hating anybody. And driving in the country with the kids wherever we wanted to go and feeling sure of the future for the kids because whatever was wrong here we ourselves could fix with work and with our votes and with what we knew was right in our hearts. I never said, 'this was freedom.' But it was.

"It was. When they talked to me about losing it, I said 'Don't be fools. No one will take it from us.' I thought freedom was like the air, always with me as long as I lived. I thought I didn't have to do anything about it. Jean, I was wrong. I've got the words now to say it. What I had wasn't a gift. It was a victory, and I can't live without it.

"Do you hear me out there? I won't live without it. To say what I think is right. To do what I think is right. That's the only life I want. It is life. I'll live for it! I'll fight for it! This precious freedom!"

It's hard to imagine anyone catching Brooke and Derek, who rocked the joint with a 29 point jitterbug. But we also remember what happened to the Cheetah Girl last season.

It was a great night of dancing, with four new dances, but not the best night of judging. Poor Warren Sap got an 8 - 8 - 9 to a stunned audience figuring 9's, maybe a 10. Size matters, I guess. Meanwhile, the judges fell over for Maurice.

Cloris, we love you. Now go home. But she might survive another week, give another weak performance by Susan Lucci. Erica Caine has left the building. Lance and Lacey led off but did no better than to tie Cloris, so they could be in trouble, too.

Still, I think Cloris goes this week, Lucci the next.

The Results:I doubt few thought singer Toni Braxton at 41 would go before actress Cloris Leachman at 82, but she was Cheetah'd tonight nonetheless. This also spared Susan Lucci and maybe even Lance Bass. Another week of Cloris, sigh.

Tim Olson for State Representative, District 46B: This saddens me, for I've known the incumbent Debra Hillstrom from her City Council days. She used to be a centrist, at least by DFL standards. No longer. She has suddenly lurched far left, I think because she received a committee gavel this term. I know almost nothing about Tim Olson, but even he votes like RINO Ron Earhardt, it's still an improvement. Debra Hillstrom has not lost touch with her community per se but she has lost touch with what is truly best for the northwest suburbs. That doesn't include new taxes on cell phones or yanking referendum ballots on stadium taxes out of our hands.

Erik Paulsen for U.S. Representative, District 3: Again, I don't know much about Paulsen beyond a couple of interviews. But that and knowing how difficult it would be to pass Ramstad on the RINO meter is enough for me. Ashwin Madia has run a tawdry campaign even the normally compliant media is calling him on.

An Honorable Mention however goes to Independence Party candidate David Dillon, who performed admirably on Almanac last week, winning the three way debate I thought. The GOP would do well to recruit him and Dillon should accept if he really wants to get elected.

John McCain / Sarah Pallin for President and Vice President: I hold this turth to be self-evident.

As I've reported, District 281 recently launched their new web site, rdale.org. As I've also reported, their old site was looking dated and the fresh colors alone were most welcome.

I was a bit surprised to see this change, completely unannounced. I've been attending a Communications Advisory Council and more than once hinted I'd be happy to assist with such a makeover. You would think the District would have sought some input, maybe a dry run, at least to find and fix the many broken links. Still, I thought it was progress, and it was.

But curious about their referendum, I visited the Minneapolis Public Schools web site. I'm not a web designer like Chief, but I know what I like and I love what MPS did here. It embodies the maxim that "great engineering is simple engineering."

Already, the new 281 site looks old by comparison, mostly because it's cluttered and (in my opinion of course) poorly organized for navigation.

As to their referendum, again MPS is much better, all resources nicely grouped and indexed. And instead of a chippy "myths and facts" section, here we have "Bet you didn't know ..." where I learned that Northside Kindergarten registration is up 50% this term.

Nicely done, MPS. I'd vote for your referendum, too.

Was Senator McCain right after all, constantly, publicly repudiating various "negative" ads and remarks about Senator Obama? The time came, courtesy of Congressman John Lewis, to ask why no reciprocation and it caught Obama completely flat-footed. He refused even a cursory apology, since it wasn't his campaign. In other words, Obama again voted Present while McCain then twisted the Ayers and Acorn knives.

This debate started slow like last time, like another Vikings 12 Lions 10 in the making. Like before, McCain stumbled around the bailout bill. But like before, McCain then began landing punches, like "Joe the Plumber" that Obama couldn't handle either.

McCain is no Obama on camera, his sole advantage being he doesn't Obama's halting speech pattern. And yet it's Obama that's clearly on defense, has been since about ten minutes into this. McCain alertly quoted Obama's "look at off-shore drilling" remark which of course means no drilling.

I'm sort of live blogging this via DVR, just came to Health Care. Obama is pulling a bit of a Gore, physically reacting to Obama's statements as if to laugh. But health care and judicial appoints again have Obama on the ropes, openly lying in fact, secure in the knowledge that his many media friends won't bother to check.

FYI, Bob Schieffer wins the moderator prize. The questions were great discussion starters and he let them talk. Case in point, the last question on education.

Shieffer: The U.S. spends more per capita than any other country on education. Yet by every international measurement in math and science competence from kindergarten through the twelfth grade, we trail most of the countries of the world. The implications of this are clearly obvious. Some even say it poses a threat to our national security. Do you feel that way and what do you intend to do about it?

Again, I think McCain won the point, speaking of choice, the choice both he and the Obamas have for their children.

Even in the closing statements, where Obama should shine, he did no better than a draw with McCain.

I'm no fan of McCain. I will hold my nose voting for him. He still too often reminds me of our own Prime Minister Pawlenty. McCain could have done better. McCain has always left us wishing that he had said or done something else. And yet I must readily give him the duke tonight.

Of course, most of the media will probably call it a draw, a few a win for Obama. And no doubt millions of Americans will agree. Am I vain in thinking that it takes a modicum of intellect and knowledge of current events (and the Constitution) to realize that McCain won?

The Central Corridor Light Rail Project is years away and already our central planners are floating the next turd: the Southwest LRT to Eden Prairie. Yesterday's Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that this one is running into some Not In My Back Yard resistance.

The 14-mile Southwest transitway will traverse an urban landscape far different from those of the Hiawatha Line and Central Corridor, which mostly were plotted along busy four-to-six-lane roads.

I've walked and biked through the upscale Kenwood / Bryn Mawr / Lake of the Isles neighborhoods this train is supposed to use and it's just what the paper reports, with many homes within 100 feet at many points. This isn't an old train yard, this is prime real estate in Minneapolis due to the adjacent lakes and parks.

"Choking a scenic byway with frequent rail crossings" is not in the park's best interest, said Matthew Dalquist, a member of the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood board, at a hearing last week.

Another option is to bypass via Nicollet to Lake Street, chugging through Uptown, or even further to the east, possibly via a tunnel.

The residents worry about the noise. Indeed, have you noticed how squeaky the Hiawatha cars are? Business owners are concerned with the extensive disruption during construction, just like the business owners along the Central Corridor along University Avenue.

The big loser of course will be the taxpayers, with yet another white elephant requiring endless subsidies.

Quite by accident, I noticed that my CPU usage rises significantly when visiting the Freedom Dogs site. On Firefox, it was 32% of my 1.7 GHz Pentium. On IE7, it was 40%. I checked many other sites, all normal.

What gives, Chief? Are you secretly collecting data on your readers?

Perhaps the greatest performance this week was by Musical Director Harold Wheeler. The song selection, arrangements, and performances were excellent tonight.

My Rocker Chick (Lance and Lacey) came through, winning the judges tonight with 26 points. Actually, Brooke and Derek also scored 26, also well-earned.

The judges were a little harder to figure this week. They were agog with Susan Lucci, 24 vs 21 last week, for reasons unknown to me. Rocco wasn't great, probably never will be, but he deserved better than the 18 he got tonight. Warren Sapp did deserve the 22 he got this week, after 26 last week. He let up a bit, though still amazes with his twinkletoes.

And then there was Cloris, who even impressed me with her 22 point tango, with an 8 from Carrie Ann. She's staying, Rocco's leaving (again) this week.

THE RESULTS: We now have an official bottom two, and Cloris was there despite a surprising good tango. But Rocco had dug too deep a hole and was eliminated (again) this week.

House Speaker Margaret Kelliher said this on KSTP's "At Issue with Tom Hauser" yesterday, speaking of her party's performance:

"We have cut spending."

That quote is completely in context.

Point of Order, Madam Speaker. When has State Spending ever gone down?

I could get to like the Independence Party candidate for the Third Congressional District, David Dillon. He was the clear winner of this weekend's three way debate with GOP nominee Erik Paulsen and DFL nominee Ashwin Madia.

After Madia gave his personal history - Osseo High School, University of Minnesota, Law School, the Marines, Iraq - Dillon took one of the best political shots I can remember.

"[... When] you came into this race, you very early on took the position [endorsing] Card Check, taking away from people the right to vote in private in a union election [...]. And I find it impossible to believe that anything about getting a law degree or serving in the Marines or coming back home had you come home as say 'You know what we gotta do? We gotta make sure people can't vote in private. That's what we gotta work on.' The truth is, that opinion was given to you by the same people who brought you the satchel of money." (edited for clarity - SG)

The "satchel" was an earlier Dillon metaphor for Washington Democratic Party money. Madia offered a weak, brief and dishonest rebuttal and changed the subject.

Madia has run a scurrilous campaign, approaching the infamous State record set by Patty Wetterling in 2006. No responsible voter should reward this. But as to Paulsen vs Dillon, this may be my hardest decision this fall.

Two easy ones:

Vote NO on the Constitutional Amendment for a 3/8 ppt increase in the Sales Tax, allegedly for the Environment and "the Arts." It's bad law and ultimately doesn't really fund the Environment. It simply frees up General Fund revenue for pork projects, just like massive vetoed and overriden Transit Tax bill did.

Re-elect Norm Coleman for U.S. Senate. This is easy only because the DFL is running one of its worst candidates ever in Al Franken. Besides being a proven jerk, liar, ruffian, and scofflaw, he has no applicable experience. He has hidden his many failings behind a facade of continuous sneering of his intellectual betters.

And one more to again rile my readers:

Vote YES on District 281 Question 1. This is a gentler, kinder version of the Operating Levy of November 2007 that went down. I voted yes on this because I feel that School Boards as elected bodies should be able to set the levy directly like the city and county - and face the electoral consequences. (Unelected boards like the Met Council should be stripped of all such authority.) Voting no never results in the cuts such voters would themselves make anyway. Again I say, let's hold the kids harmless while the adults sort this out.

My Sun Post this week has a number of Letters to the Editor regarding this year's District 281 Operating Levy Referendum. They further illustrate how difficult communications can be, as in public relations and campaigning.

Letter 1 opens:

On Nov. 4, we are being given a chance to contribute to our community by voting yes on the District 281 referendum.

Why read further, pro or con? This intellectually vacant and insulting statement promises that nothing significant follows. And it didn't. I plan on voting yes, to Question 1 at least. But a steady diet of this could well change my mind.

Letter 2 asserts:

A great majority of District 281 residents understand the critical importance of passing our school referendum questions.

I know the author, which makes it difficult to call this what it is: false. Yes, I read the survey taken earlier, but this didn't rise to the levels of "great" majority or "critical" importance. If it were true, no campaign would be necessary.

Letter 3 says, among other complaints, that:

The district's test results are pitiful at best.

This author promises to vote no unless his many demands are met. I presume he is trying to convince others, only to show show difficult convincing others can be. The District's test results are no worse than typical and above State averages in some categories. (That's not to say they're acceptable, either.) Such testing is quantifiable and on the public record for all public school districts in Minnesota. The author would know this if he had paid more than a cursory visit to the District web site, which might set him straight on some his other points. An intelligent voter will not be persuaded.

My point is that we all imagine we're better at this than we are. That applies to the District as well in my opinion. As long as they're hiring consultants to do strategic planning, facilities planning, etc., perhaps it's also time to have professionals assess District communications. This is a weakness identified by the Strategic Plan, and would be an appropriate action to help meet goal 4-B.

"We're Listening!" is a refrain you may have seen in various communications from District 281, the Robbinsdale Area Schools. This refers to the Strategic Planning process and other formal interactions with the public. With its spiffy new web site, it isn't too early to think about enabling comments or providing a forum equivalent. Even the Star Tribune does this now.

For example, consider this "tough" question and "honest" answer from the Referendum section:

Q: Why can't you get the job done with what you are already getting?

A: School costs in the metro area are increasing at approximately 4% annually. The most recent increase from the legislature was for 2% for 2007-08 and 1% for 2008-09 and 2009-10. The legislature also approved an additional one-time payment, equal to about 1%, for 2009-10. When costs are increasing faster than the funds provided to cover those costs, cuts need to be made and more revenue must be found. The state actually encourages districts to pursue additional funding through levies, as part of their funding. Click here to see a chart showing underfunding by the state.

Some sample comments might be:

• Costs are rising by 4%? That's the problem, that you're letting your costs rise by more than inflation. You don't get your own inflation rate based on the way you prefer to do business.
  
• More revenue must be "found" - in my wallet no doubt. Say what you mean: you want a tax increase.
  
• I thought there were levy limits imposed by the State. How can you say they encourage local levies?
  
• My Corvette is still on the showroom floor because my employer is underfunding me. You're spending, what $13,000 a student and it's not enough? Just ten to a class is $130 thousand, a teacher and what else? Be sure to tell me next time you're overfunded.
  
• Kids might eat those stupid salads if you put bacon bits on top instead of alfalfa.
  

Yes, you'll get a few screeds and Learned Foot may drop by. You'll get some positive comments, too, and the commenters may argue among themselves, an "honest" and "tough" dialog. The District might learn something.

A favorite NARN ritual is the First Team's "gatekeeper of the week" segment at the end of the second hour. A recent press clipping is read that a even a cursory Google search would expose as false or faked. And yet, it makes it onto the AP wire, a news broadcast, even the front page of the New York Times. Where are the editors, the gatekeepers as a certain Star Tribune Op-Ed writer claimed the press has?

So it is with the new Robbinsdale Schools' web site, rdale.org. Who's in charge? Who's watching and coordinating the content? Who's doing the proofreading and the fact checking? I point to a page titled "The District is an excellent steward of taxpayer dollars" in regard to the November 2008 Operating Levy Referendum.

Are they wrong? Is the district not an excellent steward of our tax money? I don't know and neither does the District. I am not aware of any objective basis for making this statement, nor is any given on the web page in question. On many other pages, the phrase "We're listening!" refers to the recent Strategic Planning process. One major outcome of that study was that more transparency and scrutiny of District spending are needed, which led to the creation of the Financial Advisory Commission in August. They have met twice, but have issued no such opinions yet.

I'm not saying that the District cannot take pride in handling tax dollars responsibly. The mechanics are sound, with the Finance Director having been recognized several times for his expertise. The Board and Administration have worked many hours developing budget cuts, before and after the Strategic Planning process, taking great care throughout. But say it another way. Simply proclaiming yourself as "excellent" is too easily perceived as arrogance.

As Dr. Frank Luntz says, it's not what you say, it's what people hear.

8:00 First question: the economy

OMG, McCain is vintage McCain right out of the chute. Populist crap. Obama is lying or clueless, but his version still sounds better than McCain. Brokaw's follow question of who will be the new Treasury Secretary was stupid, fumbled by McCain, Obama wins again with more BS.

8:10 Second question: how will "the package" help?

McCain speaks truly, but after Q1 response, looks like he's just lashing out. Repeats proposal to rework bad loans, sigh! Obama claiming to have sounded alarm. Why, he wrote letters! Obama wins, but "we have to coordinate with other countries" - Hugh Hewitt will be all over that. McCain repeats mortgage redos, lands one small punch few will notice. Round two to Obama.

8:18 Third question: How can we trust either of you, who both created this mess?

Obama leads off, starts running agains Bush, some criticisms valid but unresponsive to question. McCain reminds us of his failures reaching across the aisle, but it allows him to point out that Obama never takes on his party. McCain jabbing now, at Obama's spending plans. A slight edge to McCain. Follow up: your number one priority of Health Care, Energy, Entitlements in year one? Dumb question, Tom. McCain ducks, we'll do all three, by reaching across the aisle. He is partly right - have to start working on all of them. Obama: Energy. Ten years to freedom from Middle East oil! BS, especially with just $150 billion over those ten years. Health care second. Promises to eliminate programs that don't work. Obama BS's again on tax cuts, but dumb electorate will nod their approval. Score this one even.

8:28 Fourth question: what sacrifices should America make?

McCain pedantic, a few earmark jabs. Obama remembers the brief unity after 9/11 (ended by Democrats you may remember), Bush saying "go out and shop!" Good opening spoiled by wandering into energy, blather about the Peace Corps. Lackluster on both sides. Followup: how would you bring American overuse of credit and deficits in line? More than earmarks Obama says, true enough. Placates teachers, a little social justice nonsense. Unfocused. McCain says last President to raise taxes in a recession was Herbert Hoover. Good line even if poorly delivered. Small business will suffer Obama's tax increases. Double personal exemption for children. Let's not raise anyone's taxes. Slight win for McCain, but he's still trailing after big bungles on Q1 and Q2.

8:37 Fifth question: Entitlement Reform?

Obama goes back to tax policy. Make less than $250,000? No increase. Less than $200,000? Taxes go down. Statistically impossible, and corporations don't pay taxes. That said, Obama is playing his dumb audience beautifully. McCain says Social Security - we know what to do. Medicare - harder, appoint a commission, then vote up or down. Ha. Look at our records. I fought spending, cut taxes, and made reforms, my opponent has not.

8:42 Sixth question: what will you do first two years about Climate Change and Green Jobs.

McCain buckshots all fronts, ties to economy, jobs it will produce. Obama: not just a job, it's an opportunity, to create 5 million jobs. Says McCain voted against alternative fuels over 20 times. "We can't drill our way out." Even if we could, greenhouse gas too high. B as in B, S as in S, but it plays in Peoria. Brokaw: a Manhattan Project or thousands of entrepreneurs? McCain: we've got to drill, we can, we will. Slight win for McCain.

8:49 Seventh question: Should Health Care be a commodity.

(I'll answer that: yes!) Obama has Pollyanna program to cut everyone's costs and pre-existing conditions don't matter. Characterizes McCain's approach as a tax increase, one even Chamber of Commerce said would eliminate employer health care. (And?) McCain: This issue really shows difference in approach, that Obama uses government. Your employer doesn't offer coverage, you don't cover your children, there will be fines, there will be suspensions ... McCain tied it together well at the end. Brokaw: is health care a privilege, a right, or a responsibility? McCain - a responsibility, and without government mandates. Obama - a right. Repeats his earlier material, doesn't refute McCain's assertion, confirms it. And insurance companies will lie and cheat otherwise. Big win for McCain.

8:58 Eight question: Can a weak American Economy sustain its Peace Maker role in the world?

McCain: when and where to ask requires experience I have, Obama does not, got first couple tests wrong. Obama: old Iraq didn't attack us on 9/11. Iraq spending money Obama could spend better, while Iraq has plenty of oil money. Yawn. Speech a little more halted at first, finding words a little harder to come by. Brokaw: What is Obama/McCain doctrine on humanitarian issues like Rowanda? Obama: predictable patter. McCain: you have to temper your temptations with judgments, my long suit, as my record shows. Good answer, another win for McCain.

9:07 Ninth question: Should we respect Pakistan's border or just go in and get Bin Laden?

Obama gives a rather flawed summary of the situation, seems unaware of recent leadership changes there, or where Al Queda is. McCain: Afghanistan became a problem when we left when the Russians were driven out. Key is to get the support of the people, the true purpose of the surge. Good point. Obama butts in, realizing he messed up, says, no I'm not for invading Pakistan. (He was once.) Obama lashes out in apparent frustration, looks a little small, sounds like Jimmy Carter. McCain responds well. Brokaw: what is current Afghan situation? can we find an acceptable dictator? McCain wins again, pointing out how Obama still won't admit the surge worked. Clear win for McCain.

9:20 Tenth question: Can US pressure Russia on humanitarian issues?

McCain: Russia is a challenge, but we have multiple options, particularly with NATO and other allies. Obama walks out on the ledge on Georgia, which he botched initially, saying we need to anticipate. McCain didn't saw off the branch. Even round.

9:26 Eleventh question: would you wait for UN OK to support Israel if attacked by Iran?

Seems like a softball, but McCain gives a surprisingly deep answer, ends firm with "we can never allow a second Holocaust." Obama: we can't allow Iran to go nuclear, but by diplomacy and sanctions. We need direct talks with our enemies, if only to make threats? Unconvincing, small win for McCain.

9:30 Twelfth question: What don't you know and how will you learn it?

Obama entirely unresponsive, just vote for change, new direction. McCain: the future. We don't know what awaits us at home at abroad. Might have to deal with countries we can't find on a map today. But I believe our country is up to whatever happens, especially with my steady hand on the tiller.

***

A typical debate I suppose. McCain lost first two questions handily, but then started moving up and had all the momentum at the end. Obama appeared calm, but clearly was rattled on the Pakistan question. For a typical voter, this was a draw. For the more astute, a slight edge goes to McCain.

Still, for real Republicans, McCain again shoved the bamboo under our fingernails with his populism and reaching across the aisle as if that is virtue alone. This has to hurt getting volunteers and turnout. It's like the Star Tribune, seemingly oblivious to why they're losing money.

-30-

The Vikings got in the way, so my week 3 post covers the results as well. Even now, I see that Cloris Leachman is safe once again and I freely admit that she was my pick to leave, assuming someone is. Instead, I'll predict no one leaves because of Misty May's injury, with the week 3 scores carried over into week 4.

Brooke Burke received the first 10, and from Len, no less. I wasn't quite there, but it may have been the best of the night. I really liked the variation and risks that Toni Braxton and Maurice Green gave us. Cloris was borderline awful, and with Rocco DiSpirito and Susan Lucci showing improvement, all alone at the bottom.

The results: Hey, I was right. The ballroom is booked for the however many weeks, not to mention the sponsors. Rocco would have gone home, but returns again next week.

I got home from tonight's School Board meeting expecting to have missed the Vikings game like a month ago when they lost to Green Bay. But instead of Dancing with the Stars via the DVR, I find Channel 5 has picked up the ESPN broadcast. It's now 27-27 with 7:10 left.

Meanwhile, back at the ESC, the District 281 School Board has hired consultants to develop a facilities plan, including a much-needed demographic forecast. This addresses Strategic Plan goal 5-E, to "create a facilities plan to meet the needs of our students and our communities." I'm all for it. Plus, it looks like the Board did a good job in bidding and awarding the contract.

School Boards generally have much less power than most residents think, particularly around referendum time. Facilities - buildings - might be the area where they have the most discretion, i.e., the least second guessing by the Legislature and the Departments of Education. It is also an area where the District hasn't historically shown the best judgment. It was too quick to expand in the 1960's, building many schools only to begin closing them in the 1970's and 1980's.

Facilities are more than just buildings. Parents and the communities develop bonds with their local schools, strengths the district can build on, and equally problematic to close. The unexpected closing of the flagship Robbinsdale High School in 1982 is the ultimate example, still a touchy subject here on the east side of the District.

Even now, with the closing of at least one building all but certain, regardless of the referendum results, which building will generate a spirited meeting or two. We see this in most every district, particularly when the decision appears arbitrary - or political. Facts alone provide no judgement, but should support a correct decision.

Meanwhile, the Vikings pull this one out, 30 to 27. Dancing with the Stars, rescheduled for 1:35 am, will have to wait.

If the oil companies can set prices, explain this, Bill O'Reilly.

Coming back to town on Highway 55 Saturday - , we saw it - gas for $2.99 a gallon at a SuperAmerica in Buffalo.

The new Robbinsdale web site has another edition of referendum "myths" and "facts" to refute them. There are additional sections with "honest responses to tough questions" and more points characterizing the district as an "excellent steward" of taxpayer dollars.

Last December, the chairs of the 2007 referendum that failed wrote an op-ed in the Sun Post to refute the "blitzkrieg of disinformation" waged by referendum opponents. Trouble was, their facts were mostly anecdotal and unresponsive so all that was left was some rather obvious bitterness.

The bitterness is gone this time, but an attitude remains. Some of the questions could have been presented better and too many of the answers are just too unfocused. I'm sure that the authors think they really set the record straight, but not really. They say "We're Listening!" and they are. But the same old words, with a noticeable attitude, get printed.

Communication is more art than science in any organization. It was an issue raised many times during the Strategic Planning process, including the staff. The District is moving ahead trying to get a better grip on its finances. It needs to make a similar effort in communications.

I doubt this debate changed many minds, but it probably reassured the GOP. Governor Sarah Palin held her own, even if she did wiff on the bailout questions by simply blaming Wall Street, pure populism. Mark Levin as he frequently says, wouldn't have jumped out of the batter's box, not with a Pedro Ramos 75 mph Freddie Mac fastball coming right down Broadway.

Hopping around the dial, I only saw Karl Rove catch what so many ignored, the many outrageously false statements made by Senator Biden. With a less than curious media watching, the liar has the advantage in such a contest. And, yes, if you watch the delivery, yes, Biden won the debate.

But given Biden's large advantage in national experience, including lying, he should have won big, a TKO. Instead, Palin went the distance, lost on points, and not by much.

The rest is up to Senator McCain, who has dribbled away the Palin bounce with more of his classic, annoying populism and so-called bi-partisanship lately. He's got a fine chance to win, and plenty of time. Palin has passed her test. It is McCain's show the rest of the way.

The old District 281 website has a new look and a new URL: rdale.org. The old URL will redirect you here automatically.

They are using a new service bureau that specializes in such sites, with about 3,000 clients across the country. It's a nice look, to the point where it makes the old square "R" emblem look a bit dated. Maybe it was already.

The content is largely the same, as is its targeted audience groups. There are more phased upgrades to come that may both broaden and focus the site for individual users. I don't expect "iGoogle" but that should be the goal.

It was a race of sorts, between raising taxes and raising a new Interstate 35W bridge. Amazingly, the bridge won, reopening in September ahead of schedule, barely over a year since the old bridge collapsed.

But it is now October, and the final 3 cents a gallon tax goes into effect. Allegedly, this will pay for roads and bridges, but that's not really true. This money and the 25 cent Metro Transit fare increase that also begins October 1st is really just going for Light Rail. So will the 50 cent fare increase all but certain for next year.

We're far from done, I'm afraid. Plans are already on the table for several more lines that will connect with the Hiawatha and Central Corridor lines. We can expect to spend several more billions of dollars to build them, then at least 100 million more dollars a year in subsidies, much more if you factor in opportunity costs. And they go where buses go now, sometimes faster, so there is no real improvement in publicly conveying passengers. As if that was the goal.

This nonsense expands because there is no feedback, i.e. elections held to turn out these dreamers on the unelected, unaccountable Metropolitan Council. You won't find any of them listed on the ballot in November. And yet they have the power to lighten your wallet and disrupt your commute with an obsolete idea so rightly abandoned in the 1950's. You won't get them to discuss the inevitable fatalities, either.

The Governor appoints the Metropolitan Council. Something to think about in 2010.