The Rake Magazine

Month: March 2007

  • Wrong On So Many Levels

    I know it’s all about money, but today’s decision to send Matt Garza to Rochester nonetheless stinks to high hell from a fan’s perspective.

    Someone tell me: how exactly is J.D. Durbin worth protecting? The guy is 25 years old and out of options. I say send him packing and if somebody else wants to roll the dice and put him on their roster, well, good luck to them and good luck to J.D. As it is he’ll be around to drag his mop out to the mound every time a game gets out of hand. Silva could have just as easily served that role out of the bullpen, which is exactly where he deserves to be when the Twins kick off the regular season next week.

    Anybody want to wager on how long it takes for Garza to make the return trip from Rochester? I’d also be interested in hearing whose place you think he’ll take when he does come back up. My guess is it may not even be Silva’s.

    [Update: Ok, so the Twins aren’t keeping J.D. Durbin. Which means what exactly? Chris Heintz, I guess, but I have absolutely no idea at the moment. Somebody clue me in.]

  • Why Bother With Local TV News?

    Regular commenter, “Jimmy”, is doing the heavy lifting today on the global warming topic so miserably bowdlerized by spin-crazed righties. (My dismissive, elitist position remains: “Let the fools rant on in their private echo chamber. They add nothing to the base of knowledge.”

    Earlier though, “Jimmy”, asked only half-facetiously what I was ever doing watching Channel 5’s late news in the first place? (For the record, an Eyewitness News teaser in the middle of “Lost”, promising a Hubbard Broadcasting news organization’s “report” on global climate change, was just too damned irresistible.)

    But the topic of the relevance and value of local TV popped up again a day or two later over lunch with another former media columnist. We gather occasionally to condemn all the various bastards, (more every hour, it turns out), and bore waiters with our deep thoughts on the low-brow mayhem we see at every point of the compass. That, and we get to play amateur restaurant reviewers, although my colleague rates as something close to a true gourmet. (Capsule review of the M&S Grill’s calamari — quite good. But the dipping sauce still doesn’t compare with Big Bowl’s. The Reuben though, was juicy and flavorful. … Now you know why I don’t write about food.)

    Anyway, amid exchanges of the usual gossip and slander we touched on the likely fate of the 10 pm local news, a “product” neither of us consumes much anymore, mainly because of the absurd concessions broadcasters have made to commercial considerations. It isn’t just the monotony of breathless crime reporting and relentless self-promotion — although that’d be enough to drive any sane person back to print. But in age of so many alternative news sources it is more and more the ridiculous short-hand formulaic 22-minute newscasts apply to almost every type of story, the almost complete lack of analysis given government reporting — beyond which party’s ox is getting gored — and the sheer, numbing corniness of the whole content template.

    I mean, don’t you ever watch the local news, here in the Twin Cities or anywhere, and get the eery feeling that you’re locked in 1970s worm hole? A time trap where 30 years haven’t changed the lighting, make-up, story selection, presentation or ambient chatter?

    With all the ink and tears being spilled over the gutting of newspapers by their investors, it seems worth taking a look into the near term future of local TV news, particularly at this moment when gizmos like Apple TV have arrived to marry all the news sources on the internet to your television set. (OK, for the moment Apple TV will only play video first downloaded to your computer. But we can agree that is a very short-term limitation.)

    “Hyper-localization” is this month’s buzzword among news managers, and TV news, with its satellite trucks able to pump out pictures of yellow-tape wrapped crime scenes faster and better than anyone else probably seem to have a solid lock on the “local news” franchise. But really, folks, tell me there isn’t an audience out there in a city as hip as ours for a lower-tech version oriented to more relevant topics than gang-bang murders and house fires, staffed by smart-asses willing to ask impertinent questions of public officials and flesh a truly relevant story out beyond 45 seconds?

    The actual point of departure for this conversation was the internet video work already being done by first-tier newspaper reporters like the New York Times’ David Carr, David Pogue, etc. and the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank. Based strictly on telegenicity none of those gentlemen would get passed the first purge of photo resumes. But in the evolved world of 2007 video-news, (as opposed to the 1970 standard revered by network consultants), they are all natural “performers”, with, obviously, the huge advantage of being able to constantly assert and establish credibility by having three to five minutes to tell an actual story as opposed to silly, ghoulish, dumb-downed headlines.

    Point being, the Star Tribune should have gotten hip to this evolution at least five years ago. If new owners Avista want a list of a dozen Star Tribune staffers who would make decent TV reporters they can e-mail me here at The Rake.

    Also, for years PBS has danced around a full-scale union with NPR. Now THAT would make astonishing good sense at a point in our history where hoary commercial considerations have led otherwise serious news managers to conclude that the only way to survive is by aping and out bullshitting the likes of Bill O’Reilly and Nancy Grace.

  • Chocolate Cake

    choco.JPG

    I just have to talk about chocolate cake for a moment.

    I love it, I think about it, I seek it.

    Sadly, there are many unfortunate chocolate cake stories out there. Slices that look so promising on a menu can be too rich, too cloying, to flourless.

    Density, moistness, simplicity, chocolate-ocity, these are all important factors.

    I’ve tried to make fancy recipes at home, from Masters of Chocolate like Michael Recchiuti but it always seems like a lot of work for nothing special.

    I might have found a winner. In an effort to make a special cake for my friend Matt Fennacy’s birthday, on St. Patty’s Day, I found this recipe for chocolate stout cake. Come on, chocolate cake and beer? Hoooray.

    I made some changes (halved the recipe, used a little more Guinness, a little less sugar, threw in some cinnamon and cardamom)and baked it in a bundt pan. It was dense without being leaden. It was moist without being sticky. It was chocolatey without the icky sicky over-sweetness. I think it was the stout that kept the tart in balance, that allowed the dark richness of the chocolate to stand.

    No icing needed, just a wallop of fresh whipped cream (or maybe mascarpone sweetened with a bit of dark rum).

    Best part: because I used beer, the kids gave me a BLECH face and left it alone. More for me.

  • Writers in the Mix

    FILM
    Yes, We Make Movies Here

    film.jpgNot really sure what people are referring to when they speak of the local film community? See for yourself at tonight’s March 2007 Fearless Filmmakers Screening Event. Get a little taste for what local and regional filmmakers have been producing. Experience a young family’s journey to euthanasia, personal fulfillment at the end of a cake, a modern-day Noah, college-educated pistol banter, the panty-clad gal horror cliche, a baby-sitting nightmare with a comedic twist, a shy office-worker spreading God’s love, a friendly exchange, and a re-definition of wingman — all in one sitting.

    7:30 p.m., The Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-3134, $9 general admission, $7 students, $5 MN Film Arts members.

    Then join the After Party at Stub and Herbs, 227 Oak Street, Minneapolis.

    FILM LECTURE
    Who Doesn’t Love a Good Spy Movie?

    CIA.jpgEver wonder what makes a good spy movie? Why Hollywood is obsessed with the CIA? What the CIA’s relationship is to Hollywood? William Mitchell College of Law is presenting a free program tonight, “A Strange Bond: The CIA and The Cinema.” Guest speakers include Mark Bowden, Atlantic Monthly reporter and author of Black Hawk Down; Star Tribune movie critic and Rake contributor Colin Colvert; and former CIA William Daugherty and Paul Kelbaugh. How can this not be interesting?

    7-8:30 p.m., Auditorium, William Mitchell College of Law, 875 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, 651-290-6400, Free. Register here.

    THEATER
    Sing the Beloved Aria

    LostInStars.gifLooking to restore your faith in brotherhood and compassion? Maybe tonight is the night for you to go see the Skylark Opera’s performance of Lost in the Stars. Based on Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton’s angry 1948 novel about apartheid in South Africa, this adaptation was penned by Maxwell Anderson and composed Kurt Weill — better known for his collaborations with poet and epic dramatist Bertolt Brecht. The jazzy opus has a largely black cast and is rooted in African-American music. Go see it tonight, Friday or Saturday night, or Sunday at 3.

    8 p.m., Ritz Theater, 345 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, 651-209-6689, $20 – $50.

    MUSIC
    21st-Century Singer-Songwriters

    mat.jpgThis year, VH1 launched its first-ever You Oughta Know Tour in an effort to introduce artists on the rise to their adult music-lover base. I think that’s us. And to be honest, they’ve put together a rather solid line-up: Mat Kearney, The Feeling, and Rocco Deluca and The Burden. Acoustic folk/pop, singer-songwriter Mat Kearney serves up music with an acoustic base and hints of spoken word and even rap. Although he’s often associated with the Christian music scene, this 28-year-old has opened for The Fray, Sheryl Crow, and John Mayer. Also playing is U.K. band The Feeling. With two Top 10 international hit singles — “Sewn” and “Fill My Little World” — The Feeling offers a broad range of music for fans lamenting the golden age of Top 40 radio. They’re like My Chemical Romance with cheesier, prettier harmonies. (My Chemical Romance meets The Beatles?) And last, but definitely not least, Rocco DeLuca offers a fresh sound with a Dobro steel guitar and elements of Appalachian and Blues influences. DeLuca and The Burden are the first group to sign with Jude Cole and Kiefer Sutherland’s independent record label, Ironworks Music. Rolling Stone recently wrote, “The echoes of Neil Young, Robert Plant, Jeff Buckley and Pearl Jam blend into something unique, especially when performed live … the group packs the heat and rocks aggression to work its way into your head and stay there.”

    7 p.m., First Avenue, 701 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, 612-332-1775, $18.00 advance, $20.00 door.

    Listen to Mat Kearney.
    Listen to The Feeling.
    Listen to Rocco DeLuca and The Burden.

    MUSIC
    Urban Crooning

    Lloyd.jpgTrue, Lloyd got his start with teen pop group N-Toon — put together by Klymaxx’s Joyce Irby — but he’s a whopping 21 years old now, and far more mature. OK, not that much, but he did acquire a few adult influences. Adding a little touch of Marvin Gaye and R. Kelley, Lloyd finally made his claim to fame, topping the BET playlist with a sultry duet with Beyonce-wannabe Ashanti. And now, well… it’s up to you to say.

    9 p.m., Escape Ultra Lounge, 600 Hennepin Avenue Suite 200, Minneapolis, 612-333-8855, $25-$45.

    Watch and listen to Lloyd.

    READINGS
    USPS: United States Postal Stories

    beware.gifIt’s not often that a mailman writes a book about his mail-delivery adventures. But this is exactly what Vincent Wyckoff has done in Beware of Cat: And Other Encounters of a Letter Carrier. After 15 years as a letter carrier in South Minneapolis, walking the same route each day, Wyckoff has compiled his stories into a community portrait of sorts.

    7 p.m., Barnes and Noble Roseville II, 2100 Snelling Ave N, Saint Paul, 651-639-9256, Free.

    READINGS
    Eclectic, Learned, and Wise

    resurtra.jpgLooking for something more grandiloquent? Go see Leslie Adrienne Miller read some poetry from her new book, The Resurrection Trade. A marriage of science and poetry reminiscent of the metaphysical poets — Miller’s poetry speaks to 18th-century medicine and the mystery of the female body. Former US Poet Laureate Ted Kooser wrote that, “For me The Resurrection Trade is very much like being given a rare chance to have dinner with one of the most interesting conversationalists in the world. These poems are delightfully eclectic, learned and wise, and it is a privilege to have this fine book as guest in the house.”

    7 p.m., The Loft, 1011 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, 612-215-2576, Free.

    Read “The Flayed Angel,” by Leslie Adrienne Miller.

  • Not An Avenger, Not A Thief

    ministries.jpg

    Time is a sputtering lantern, a bruised child, a gray, flat-faced man with fists of concrete and legs like pistons. He has it in for dogs, which is one of his many cruel and inexplicable character traits.

    Misunderstood and misrepresented throughout history, gussied up and dumbed down, the snaggle-toothed bastard is frequently outfitted with wings he’d never wear let alone learn to use. He merely smirks at clocks and every other so-called timepiece man has ever devised –foolish abstractions, he’d tell you if ever he deigned to speak, wholly inadequate and far too orderly to ever approximate the real thing.

    He is a stutterer, a creature of fits and starts and the long pauses of an unorthodox and not entirely competent chess player. He doesn’t have a rational bone in his body, nor could he be said to have ever had a thoughtful moment. No, he’s as impulsive and reckless and irrational as the day he was born in a maelstrom.

    He’s a cold, plodding motherfucker, methodically unpredictable, a mess maker, back breaker, teeth kicker, heart wrecker. A connoisseur of ruins and a ruthless collector of forgotten debts.

    He doesn’t heal. He doesn’t mend. He doesn’t forgive. He doesn’t forget. He doesn’t fly. He doesn’t tell. He’s got it in for dogs.

    It’s been said that he wiggled out from under the thumb of God centuries ago and has been a lone wolf ever since.

  • The Three-Pointer: Historic Collapse

    Game # 70, Home Game #34, Seattle 114, Minnesota 106

    1. Parade of Goats

    At this point, you really do just have to shake your head and laugh, don’t you? Up 88-63 with 5:56 left in the third quarter, the Wolves caved and crumbled like never before in their history, scoring just 18 points in the final 18 minutes while allowing 51 to get buried 106-114 to a putrid Seattle squad without Ray Allen, a team that vanquished the Wolves by 3 on Friday and then lost to San Antonio by 41 on Sunday.

    This is one diseased ballclub, folks. This is a team that just walloped the Sonics for 71 points in the first half, shooting 60 percent from the field and from the trey while racking up 21 assists on their 27 baskets versus just 5 turnovers. Midway through the third, the assist/turnover ration had swelled to 26/6 and the 19 point lead bumped to 25. After that? Three assists, 10 turnovers. Sclerotic defense at the other end. The worst aspects of panic and apathy, mixed together into a toxic combo of willful selfish ignorance about the right way to play the game of basketball. Ladies and gents, your parade of goats…

    Kevin Garnett. Three dimes in the first 1:49, five in the first quarter, eight for the half. Two rebounds and an assist away from a triple double at the end of 3. Then a 4th quarter of exerting leadership right into the dumpster, an inept and ill-advised performance. He wasn’t tired, going only 17:20 in the first half as coach Wittman rested him with a big lead and Utah on the road tomorrow night in the second half of a back to back. He had a decent sit from 2:59 to go in the third to 10:29 to go in the 4th, during which time the Wolves lead was only whittled from 18 to 14.

    But in the last five minutes–crunchtime–the Big Ticket was a torn stub. He missed the second of two free throws, holding the lead at 10. Then he traveled. Then he threw a pass that Randy Foye had to use all his hops to snag standing at the baseline (before Foye himself turned it over on a pass back to the cutting but covered KG). Then he missed a 20-foot jumper instead of trying to draw contact. Then he threw the ball way over the point guard’s head for a backcourt violation, on a basic pass to the top of the key that he executes successfully a dozen times a game. Then he fouls Wilcox driving baseline on a three-point play. Then he misses an easy, open jumper. This is all within 5 minutes.

    Randy Foye. Two assists and zero turnovers after three quarters of action (12:00 overall), then one assists and four huge turnovers–at least three of them, silly, unforced passing errors–and three fouls in 9:14 of play in the 4th. No poise. No court vision. Shoddy defense, continually pulled on a string via jumpers and penetration from backup point guard Mike Wilks, the co-MVP of the game with Rashard Lewis, who also roasted Mike James, who played like a less assertive version of Foye, which in this case lessened the damage.

    Trenton Hassell. Rashard Lewis started to get hot so Wittman went small, putting in Hassell for Smith with Minnesota up 10 with 5:19 to play. It is the job of Hassell, the team’s defensive stopper, to stop Lewis. Nope. Lewis proceeds to score 12 points in the last 5:19, capping off a 21 point 4th quarter that included nine trips to the free throw line. For the game he had 35, and was 16-17 FT.

    Ricky Davis. The only guy with a pulse in the 4th quarter, he helped keep the lead at 15 for nearly half the period with two nifty assists and other nice ball movement. But his showboating in the third–a behind the back pass in traffic on the fast break when the Wolves were up big–sent a message that the squad erronously figured it had the game won (this after choking up a sizable lead to this same team four days ago) and was ready to screw around. There was also a few missed shots, a missed free throw, and a costly turnover in the 4th. And his second half defense on little Earl Watson was abysmal.

    Randy Wittman. Many timeouts during the collapse, and many substitutions. No response from his team. He may as well have drawn straws for a player rotation and diagrammed plays in invisible ink on his chalkboard during that 4th quarter.

    Dishonorable mentions to Smilin’ Mark Blount crossing guard allowing little men into the painted area and a man who enjoys a good internal joke on the bench while his teammates are vomiting up a 25-point margin.

    2. Verbatim

    Randy Wittman: “It has been the same thing all year; we play the right way for three quarters and then we stop. They trap and we don’t swing it. We try a behind-the-back pass in traffic and they get a layup and suddenly a 20-point lead is an 18-point lead and it begins. They [his players] don’t respect the game and don’t respect the opponent.” During timeouts in the huddle “we didn’t have anybody wanting to step up. When it got tight, they were hoping the clock would run out. This isn’t the first time it has happened this year. We don’t have the mix of guys who want to put their foot on their [opponent’s] necks. They don’t move the ball or make the easy pass with a guy open standing right next to you. For three quarters we didn’t care who shot the ball or made the points.”

    Kevin Garnett: “I told everybody when I came in [the locker room after the game] that I felt like it was my fault…I’m very good at dissecting things, figuring out how we take teams apart. I didn’t initiate and do those things and that bothers me…[In the huddles] Ricky kept saying ‘Let’s pick it up! Let’s pick it up!’ but we didn’t have the same people in the game. They had a small lineup in and we didn’t take advantage of it. We stopped playing as a team.”

    Media question: “This 25 point lead was the biggest one blown in franchise history. Can you put that in perspective?”
    Garnett: “No I can’t. That’s fucked up. That’s fucked up.”

    3. Tick Tock

    With tonight’s loss, the Wolves are 4 full games behind the Clippers with 12 left to play. If they go 10-2, say, losing only to Dallas and San Antonio while beating the likes of Utah, Golden State and Denver on the road and Miami, Cleveland, and Toronto (Sam Mitchell is undefeated vs. Minnesota) at home, the Clips would only have to split their dozen games to tie at 40-42–and that’s assuming the other three squads ahead of or tied with the Wolves (Golden State, New Orleans and Sacramento) don’t rally.

    Playing time for Rashad McCants: 10:09. For Craig Smith: 21:14. For Randy Foye: 24:48.

  • "News War" Finale Tonight

    A programming note to the media-wise. PBS’ “Frontline/World” concludes its series on the post 9/11 media with a segment on Al Jazeera and the role it plays in shaping opinion in the Middle East. (9 p.m. TPT 2). Here in the US, where Congressional neandertals made a patriotic show of re-naming French fries, we continue to have almost no idea of how we are portrayed in the popular press in a region where we’ve dumped a half trillion dollars and 3200 of our soldiers’ lives. Ignorance is bliss, I guess.

    You don’t have to buy Al Jazeera’s act. But considering how so much of American news is packaged to “appeal” to viewers, and/or avoid outraging them, it’d be valuable to be able to check in on how we’re faring with street level consumers on the other side of the great cultural divide.

  • The Onion Goes Video: Scary

    With so much of the so-called mainstream electronic news media engaged in a bizarre process of self-marginalization, it comes as no great surprise — but genuine delight – that The Onion has decided to get into the 24-hour “fake news” business. Describing itself as, “faster, harder, scarier and all-knowing”, (“Scarier” than what? Fox News? Impossible!)

    Actually, the news service declares itself a rival to CNN and MSNBC. “Those are parody shows,” Onion prez, Sean Mills, told Variety. “This is serious news.”

    Given the rather startling number of cronies of mine — go ahead, consider the source — who have thrown up their hands at the timidity and target-demo driven silliness of the 10 pm local news and made a habit of “The Daily Show” instead, The Onion News Network, (ONN), available now at Theonion.com, commences business with a nice built-in audience.

  • Yucks, Butts, Trills, and Game

    COMEDY
    Stand-up Stand-off

    2277053418.jpgLast Comic Standing is coming back for a 5th season, and Minneapolis has been chosen as one of the five national audition cities. (That’s right; this season is going international, so Australia, Canada, and England will also host auditions.) Auditions start at 9 a.m., but those of us less-funny people can watch the finals later that night — after the line-up has been a bit distilled.

    8 p.m., Acme Comedy Company, Historic Itasca Building, 708 1st St N, Minneapolis, 612-338-6393, $15, $27 dinner and show package.

    LECTURE
    The Gay Publishing Elite

    BUTT-13-cover.jpgCall them elegant, slick, pornographic, and even pretentious, but Jop van Bennekom’s magazines are just plain great to look at. Influenced by English music magazines, as well as Peter Saville’s designs for Joy Division and New Order back in the 80s, Jop van Bennekom is now designer, editor, and publisher for three different magazines — RE-, Butt, and Fantastic Man — and has become one of Europe’s most influential magazine designers at only thirty-six years of age. That’s right, there might be hope for some of us yet. Come hear him talk about his work tonight at the Walker. Get inspired.

    7:00 pm, Walker Cinema, Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612.375.7600, $24 ($12 AIGA/Walker members/students).

    MUSIC
    Don’t Overlook the Obvious

    It’s nice to be reminded, now and then, that Minneapolis still has an impressive local music scene on all fronts. You don’t have to sit around and wait for the next great jazz band to swing into town. Tonight at the Fine Line our very own Sol Spectre will be playing with The Higgle and Histrionic. Looking for a nice relaxing evening of improvisational jazz? They’re solid. They’re pleasant. They’ll get your head bobbing with a variety of jazz fusion, eclectic rock, experimental improvisation, and even a dose of electronica to spice things up.

    8 p.m., Fine Line Music Cafe, 318 1st Ave N, Minneapolis, 612-338-8100.

    Listen to Sol Spectre

    MUSIC
    Rock from Down Under

    SickPup2.jpgDid any of you see the “Free Hugs” video on YouTube last year? If so, then you’ve heard The Sick Puppies. The band’s song “All The Same” provided the soundtrack to the popular YouTube video and earned them exposure on Oprah, Jay Leno, 60 Minutes, and CNN. Influenced by Green Day and Rage Against The Machine, The Sick Puppies are a three-piece, guitar-fueled-rock band. They have garnered a number prestigious awards, including Best Song from Triple J Unearthed, and Best Live Performance from the Australian Live Music Awards. They have toured with Good Charlotte, Deep Purple, and Midnight Oil. The Australian edition of Rolling Stone called them “the most dynamic new band in the country.” And to be honest, they don’t sound anything like sick puppies.

    6 p.m., 7th Street Entry, 701 1st Ave N, Minneapolis, 612-332-1775, $6.

    Listen to The Sick Puppies

    SPORTS
    Will the Real Minnesota Sport Please Stand Up

    timberwolves.jpgAfter their 82-85 loss to the Seattle Sonics last week, let’s hope the Timberwolves feel inclined to prove themselves against the Sonics’ seemingly solidified defense. Tonight’s rematch might seem like a worthless game in the general NBA arena, but the Timberwolves still have a chance at the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, so go cheer them on. In the end, it’s a win either way, as they still have a chance at retaining their status as one of the NBA’s 10 worst.

    7 p.m., Target Center, 600 1st Ave N., Minneapolis, 612-673-0900, $10-$700.

    Read Britt Robson’s Timberwolves Blog: On the Ball

    Wild.jpgI realize that everyone is distracted with basketball and baseball, but what ever happened to Minnesota hockey? Did it fade away with the cold Minnesota winters? Don’t let El Nino deprive you of your heritage. Get out there and support the Minnesota Wild against the Calgary Flames tonight. (And if you’re wondering why the bottom-price tickets cost more than the bottom-price basketball tickets, remember, they have to keep that ice frozen.)

    7 p.m., Xcel Energy Center, 175 W Kellogg Blvd., Saint Paul, 651-989-5151, $16 to $250.

    Sportsshows.gifWe all know that the true Minnesota sports don’t take place in arenas or rinks. They occur in the wild, on the lake, and in the woods. And this wouldn’t be a true Minnesota publication if we failed to mention The Northwest Sportshow, starting today in our lovely Convention Center. (Did you forget what that big building complex over on 2nd and 13th was?) Come check out the best in boats, RV’s, fishing tackle, hunting gear, trips, and more. There are also plenty of activities for kids. Yeah, you’ve got until Sunday to get there, but tonight only, the first 500 attendees will receive a 75th Anniversary commemorative bobber. How’s that for incentive!

    5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 2nd Ave S., Minneapolis, 612-335-6000, adults $10, youth (13-15) $5, and children (12 and under) free.

    DANCE
    Heat It Up

    Did you think you were going to have an opportunity to see some great ballet or flamenco this evening? Think again. Rather than sitting around watching, it’s time to get that rear end off the chair and oil those hinges a bit. Learn how to Tango, baby. It’s a little pricey, but don’t worry, your greatly honed skills will not go to waste. If you manage to master a few moves, you can go show them off on Sunday night at the Loring Pasta Bar.

    4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., The Whole, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, 612-624-6224, $28.00 for U of M Students/Staff/Faculty, $48.00 for general public.

  • That's My (Fat) Boy

    Damn, I love Sidney Ponson.

    I’ve always been a fan of the big man, and nobody was happier than I was to see the Twins swoop in and snag one of the huge Hot Stove League bargains, but after today’s stellar start (and –yeah, yeah– the Real Deal had to come in and blow up Souffle Sid’s masterpiece) I’m guessing that Jim Leyland is going to have a tough time choosing between Santana and Ponson when it comes time to name his All Star Game starter.

    I say Sid is a lock –a freaking lock, I’m telling you– to win 18 games. Minimum.