The birds are just going to have to adapt. WCCO-TV’s Pat Kessler says, “The Minnesota Vikings are moving ahead with clear glass on their new stadium in downtown Minneapolis. That’s the latest word from the Sports Authority, which is overseeing stadium construction. This is despite concerns about possible bird collisions with the soaring glass stadium walls.”
Not that anyone is pleased with the way the NFL has handled the Ray Rice domestic abuse case. But Reena Flores of The National Journal reports, “Sen. Amy Klobuchar knocked the NFL for their initial investigation into Ravens player Ray Rice and his assault of then-fiancee Janay Palmer. ‘You just can’t close your eyes and try not to see that: you do everything you can to see that evidence’, the former prosecutor said at a National Journal Live event on empowering women.”
There are a lot of non-scientific hands messing with pot research. Jennifer Brooks of the Strib says, “For the state’s scientists, it’s still a struggle to do basic research into the medicinal properties of the plant. Kalpna Gupta, a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota spent four years entangled in federal paperwork before winning approval to study whether vaporized cannabis was an effective pain relief treatment for patients with sickle cell disease. The research itself will take another four years. ‘When I try to do scientific research, social issues get in the way,’ Gupta told members of the task force, which will be assessing the effect of the state’s new medical marijuana program. The 23-member panel is made up of lawmakers, medical and legal experts, law enforcement officials, substance abuse experts and patients.”
“Just short.” Ricardo Lopez of the Strib says, “Net Minnesota tax collections were $1.35 billion in August, falling just short of officials’ projections in February, the Minnesota Management and Budget Office reported Wednesday.”
Oh, come on! Marino Eccher of the PiPress says, “When Michelle MacDonald goes to trial next week, the prosecution will not be televised. On Wednesday, a Dakota County district judge nixed the state Supreme Court candidate’s bid to allow video cameras in the Hastings courtroom, deferring to procedural rules that generally bar such recordings in Minnesota.” With every else going on — and Congress back “in session” — we need a laugh, bad.
The campaign season, i.e. Christmas for TV stations, will soon get another infusion. Says Rachel Stassen-Berger in the Strib, “The Minnesota DFL plans to launch a major ad campaign starting next week to support Gov. Mark Dayton’s re-election bid. Ken Martin, state party chair, said Wednesday the party will spend more than $1 million on the ad barrage. He would not say what message the ads will contain.” The implicit message of, “I’m Not Them” is usually pretty effective.
Do I hear $50,000? According to the AP: “The reward is now up to $40,000 for a Minneapolis man accused of killing his ex-boyfriend at an Arden Hills gas station a month ago. The Ramsey County sheriff’s office on Wednesday announced the increased reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of 44-year-old Lyle ‘Ty’ Hoffman. The reward previously had been up to $25,000.”
Team members heard from their head coach/leader/scout master. MPR’s Martin Moylan writes, “One month into his new job at Target’s top executive, Brian Cornell’s vision for the company is taking shape. In a speech at the company’s annual employee meeting Wednesday, the new CEO laid out elements of his strategy and his expectations for the struggling retailer. Chief among them are making Target a leader in fashion, clothing, home, beauty, babies, children and wellness. It’s a plan that some think makes sense, but others don’t.”
Al Franken gets a “Misleading” from MPR. Catharine Richert looks at the Senator’s latest ad and writes, “Franken’s latest ad says … ‘Meet investment banker, Mike McFadden. He’s running for Senate in Minnesota. But McFadden’s business is based right here in Bermuda. That’s right: McFadden’s company uses a special tax loophole to list its headquarters offshore and to avoid paying millions of taxes in America’. The truth of this statement hinges on how you define ‘McFadden’s business.’ … The ad also glosses over the fact that Lazard Limited was incorporated in Bermuda before McFadden joined the company. Franken has ties to Lazard as well. According to the Associated Press, Franken is invested in the company through a mutual fund.”
Michelle MacDonald…priceless
The funniest thing about Ms MacDonald’s request is that she thinks that having video will help the public perception of her. She seems clueless about how she is perceived. I wish she’d turn her case over to Judge Judy. I would buy that video.
the Birds
We are being played like a cheap harmonica. By ignoring this problem now this is what will happen. The birds, dead and dying on the entry plaza, in the dozens, will constitute a public nuisance ( to say nothing of how the birds will feel about it.) The city council in customary,after the fact, fashion will determine something must be done. The Wilfs will point out that they have no responsibility to do anything. And the City and Stadium Authority will pay to do an expensive (very) retrofit to the glass.
I may have the details wrong, but you get the point.
I Can Only Wish
That the civil authorities in Minneapolis and Hennepin County will have the temerity to take a slightly different approach to the inevitable dead birds at the new Viking’s stadium:
i.e. “You were warned about this problem and refused to address it. We civil authorities have a public responsibility to preserve the natural environment. Therefore, the city and county will share the modst cost of covering the offending windows with black fabric in order to protect the migratory birds using the Mississippi flyway which has existed for millenia. We will be happy to remove the fabric if and when you choose to replace the glass with the type required to prevent birds from crashing into it.”
the bird solution
After they determine that something must be done they’ll just cover the glass with some huge militaristic ads for the National Guard and Marines and call it a win-win because no dead birds and ad revenue.
The whole design and selling point for the stadium will effectively be covered over in the first year.
Or
The Vikings folk will hire someone to dispose of the birds as fast as they fall.
“Look folks. No dead birds here. All that fuss for nothing.”
Stadium for the birds
The Sports Authority and Vikings have had little regard for the citizens and taxpayers in the way of the stadium. Why would they care about the birds?
Stadium recipes
The refusal of the Vikings to consider bird-friendlier glass is appalling, and a slap in the face to taxpayers and the City Council. Perhaps a few satire campaigns along the line of Favorite Recipes for Bird Bodies should be launched.
For example– Basted Cardinal on a Skewer a la Wilf.
Or maybe (Insert your favorite Viking player’s name here)’s Diced Chickadee with Onions.
I know that Audubon volunteers do a daily downtown count during migration seasons to get an idea of how many casualties per day from window crashes. Perhaps they’ll need to double their number of these volunteers, and maybe bring wheelbarrows…
Our own John Appelen
has already graced us with the conservative solution to the bird problem. Sweep them up and send them to the food bank…of course, he’d make the recipients of such generosity do the sweeping, but hey, those unemployed people only have themselves to blame for their poor choices in life.