Bolstering her credentials prior to another shot at the presidency? Former 6th District Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann was spotted in Washington Wednesday morning by Huffington Post reporter Igor Bobic … filming a scene for the forthcoming “Sharknado 3.” Her line? “I believe they are growing in size. Congress has to take this seriously.” Indeed.
Well this is certainly a charged controversy. Quartz’s Frank Jossi looks at the competing possibilities of natural gas and solar power generation in the U.S. For his opening example, he looks to St. Paul’s own High Bridge Generating Station:
Xcel Energy’s High Bridge Generating Station offers an iconic view of the current state of electrical generation in the United States. Opened in 2008 as a replacement for an aging coal plant, the 534-megawatt natural gas facility looms over three solar photovoltaic panels that provide a sculptural element to the site in addition to 9.8 kilowatts of electricity.
In MinnPost today, Devin Henry reported on a new EPA rule that is pushing states to move toward these less-carbon-intensive forms of electricity generation.
Norwegian novelist Karl Ove Knausgaard continues his journey across North America, retracing the steps of the Vikings and later Scandinavian immigrants. Part two of the series for the New York Times Magazine brings him to the North Star State:
Soon we drove on through the woods. After a few hours, the landscape suddenly opened up, and there, far ahead, a city appeared, floating in the darkness. At its center stood what appeared to be several enormous towers, with red, blinking lights running up and down their sides. We stared at them, mesmerized. They looked like something out of the future, something that didn’t exist yet. What were they? Skyscrapers?
“What’s the name of the town?” I asked.
“Duluth,” Peter said.
We can’t even begin to summarize the literary and observational treasures contained in this piece — it’s totally worth the long read.
A group of 30 media organizations, including the Minnesota Newspaper Association, filed an amicus brief with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals opposing a jury’s award of $1.3 million to former Gov. Jesse Ventura in his defamation lawsuit against Chris Kyle. According to the Star Tribune’s Randy Furst, “They said they are concerned about the negative impact on media organizations of ‘unjustified and potentially crippling awards’ such as this one.”
Do you know about Humans of Minneapolis? It’s a street photography blog created by Stephanie Glaros to “document the lives and stories of everyday people on the streets of [Minneapolis].” The Journal as a Q&A with Glaros on the origins of the project and what it’s like to photograph strangers on the street.
In other news…
“Legal fight with bear researcher has cost Minnesota $430,000” [Associated Press]
When luxury apartments go wrong… [Star Tribune]
St. Paul residents can be ticketed for campers and trailers parked in the street that aren’t attached to a vehicle. [Pioneer Press]
“No privacy in your trash, Minnesota Supreme Court rules” [MPR’s NewsCut]
“Textbook crime: Trio hit St. Cloud State store 9 times, stole $15K in books” [Star Tribune]
Dodgeball is so over. Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute presents…The Twin Cities Musical Chairs Championship [Amsterdam Bar and Hall]
