Under "All Things Norm Coleman," Kevin Duchschere interviews Supreme Court watchers and offers reassurances that despite past campaign contributions few are concerned about an ideologically divided court when, not if, Coleman files his notice of appeal, most likely next week.

Meanwhile, an AP story reports a Texas court has granted a one-month delay in the "where there's smoke there must be ... " case involving Coleman supporter Nasser Kazeminy. WCCO-TV's Pat Kessler's interview with Coleman elicited the assurance from Coleman that the long recount process was "not about me". KARE-11's Joe Fryer got the same sit-down-on-the-patio with Coleman and absorbed Coleman's comparison of the fight as not "fast food, but a multi-course meal." The PiPress's Rachel Stassen-Berger rolls all the ongoing themes of the recount into a piece that includes Coleman's lead attorney, Ben Ginsberg, reiterating the possible re-introduction of his "double-counting" complaint as well as again muttering that the three-judge panel that ruled against his client "misunderstood a number of issues." If true, the judges would hardly be alone, would they?

From the Office of Timorousness and Beard Stroking, the Strib's lead editorial boldly urges the Minnesota Supreme Court to "expedite" Coleman's anticipated appeal for the good of the citizens of the state. Because, you know, if only the court system would get its act together we'd all have proper representation.

The Minnesota Independent's Paul Demko plays around with the potentially critical side-story to the recount, namely Coleman's myriad financial problems. He references research guru Nate Silver's belief that Coleman's legal tab — for the recount — amounts to $145,000 a week, and presents opinions on how much of the cost of the recount fight can be assessed to Coleman.

Pat Lopez covered Gov. Pawlenty's Tuesday news conference for the Strib. The one where the governor waded back into his idea of a furlough for government workers, a whopping 48 days — nine-and-a-half work weeks — over two years. The money quote is the governor saying, "Let's face it, public employees have it pretty good in terms of what they get paid, benefits ... ." Talk about fresh gun powder. Union officials are suggesting he lead by example.

Denny Hecker is fast-going from the equivalent of a full-sized, tricked-out Escalade to a keys-and-heater Aveo. Dee DePass reports for the Strib that car dealer Paul Walser has bought embattled, deeply indebted Hecker's Southview Chevy shop in Inver Grove Heights. No terms were revealed and no one at Hecker's camp talked to DePass, who wrote the 1A piece on Hecker the Sunday before last, the one that was more compendium than revelatory. We think there's a fascinating Sammy Glick story in there somewhere still waiting to be told.

You know it's bad when Cargill puts up numbers like GM and Chrysler. Matt McKinney reports that Cargill has announced a 68 percent drop in profits for the first quarter of the year, citing the miserable international economy's effect on commodities of all sorts and food purchasing habits. We doubt it amounts to more than a fraction of a fraction, but all the bad publicity about obesity and high fructose corn syrup can't be helping the Minnesota empire's bottom line.

The Strib business section has a piece from Liz Fedor about the first quarterly loss of Winona's construction-oriented Fastenal corporation, with business off 17.4 percent in the first quarter. We marvel at brave words such as those of Fastenal CEO Willard Oberton, quoted in the story saying, "We're seeing some signs we're getting near the bottom" of the recession. Every time a CEO says something like this you want a couple tangible examples. Building permits in St. George, Utah? Reconstruction contracts in central Italy? What?

Bob Von Sternberg plugs in a minimalist item about the so-called (and much smirked over) "Tea Bag Protests" scheduled for around the state today. It's hard to say what is most newsworthy here, that the "protests" are happening or that they have been portrayed as spontaneous grass roots events when it has been widely reported that they have been funded by familiar Republican donors.

WCCO-TV's Heather Brown burned up some gas in the company van trekking back and forth across town for a consumer piece on recession-driven discounting by popular local restaurants. These stories usually amount to little more than thinly disguised ads for reporters' and editors' favorite eating and watering holes, but Brown seems to have found a magic number — $28 — that places like Broder's in southwest Minneapolis and Red Stag in Nordeast are settling on as the best lure for diners desperate to get out of their own kitchens.

In another consumer piece, Fox9's Ellen Galles reports on declines in occupancy for Minneapolis hotels, including the upscale Ivy and W, which like restaurants are offering discounted packages to lure clients. When that $28 figure applies to a night at The Ivy they'll have plenty of takers.

The release of the Vikings 2009 schedule plays at or near the top of both papers' "most read/most e-mailed lists." Sean Jensen at the PiPress notes the effect tackles Pat and Kevin Williams' possible suspensions will have, and that according to the kids over at espn.com the Vikings have the "second easiest schedule in the NFL" next season. Well, maybe.

Editor's note: Brian Lambert, local media critic and journalist, will be a regular contributor to the Daily Glean.