Community Art!

As I have drafts upon drafts laying about in journals, steno notebooks (yeah, you heard me), and various applications, but can't seem to focus, here's some more art. This is a donated piece for my son's public school. Our PTA plans to use it in promotions and fundraising. It was a more challenging map than my usual works, which as significantly smaller and usually fantasy-based, and therefore more forgiving. I loved working on it (it took about 70 hours), and I have plans for two more larger-scale, map-type works that I won't begin until mid-March. I'm looking forward to it!

Trains! Who doesn't love Trains?

Universities, Public Radio, Community Organizations, and Business Owners, I guess.

That's a vast oversimplification, but all of the above have valid issues with the incoming Central Corridor Light Rail line currently going in between downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis. It cuts through a neighborhood that was torn apart by a highway decades ago. It cuts through a major research university that was worried about vibrations and sensitive equipment. It goes past a public radio station that was concerned about its recording studios. It goes down a major avenue, past many small business who will have to suffer through two years of intensive construction and one year of testing before the train is in service.

The process was not always the best, and the above issues have been addressed at least to the point that construction is happening. From my perspective as a citizen who both lives and works on the corridor, I am looking forward to the train. So is my three-year-old son. And my husband, who also lives and works on the corridor. I get that this is not going to be easy; the construction will limit access to businesses on both sides of University Avenue. Once the train is in, on-street parking will be limited.

There is a planning committee looking into how to better utilize existing off-street parking and how to better design the avenue to be user-friendly. There are resources for businesses and citizens. In the end, I hope the train will make things better.

In the meantime, especially during 2011 and 2012, the time of heavy construction, we can stop into these businesses when we need sustenance, energy, and relaxation. Or if we need something repaired or created. This is focused on St. Paul. Add businesses and thoughts in the comments, and I will update the list.

Midway Liquor: a family-owned, family-run, friendly establishment. Lollipops for the kids!
1944 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN

Edge Coffee House: coffee and soup, too! I believe they also have an Irish Trad Music Session there once in awhile. I'll have to ask daddywhumpus.
2399 University Ave, Saint Paul, MN

Twin City Tees: where the Hounds of Finn get their tee shirts.
1952 University Ave, Saint Paul, MN

Lucy Coffee Cafe: new!
North side of Fairview and University, in the Griggs-Midway Building.
540 Fairview Ave N

Fortune Wok: Chinese restaurant. I have not stopped in here yet.
S125 Fairview Avenue North
(651) 287-1881

Second Debut 2: Redundant name aside, this is a cute boutique with designer second hand clothes and accessories for women, a branch of goodwill. The goodwill shop is just up Fairview.
1825 University Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104

Caffe Biaggio: yummy Italian fare
2356 University Ave W
Saint Paul, MN
651-917-7997

Cupcake: coffee, cupcakes, soup, salads, etc., etc., etc.
3338 University Ave. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Park Midway Bank: my bank
2171 University Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55114
Phone: (651) 523-7800

The Dubliner: my neighborhood bar, often complete with live Irish music, including the Hounds of Finn.
2162 University Ave
Saint Paul, MN

On's Kitchen Thai Cuisine: delicious Thai food*
1613 University Ave W
St. Paul, MN 55104
651.644.1444

Turf Club: Local Music! Beer!
1601 University Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55104


Purr-niture: Furniture. For your cat. Winter is coming, and they get bored when the windows close.
2242 University Avenue West

The Town House Bar: The Twin Cities' oldest GLBT Bar.
1415 University Ave. W.


Regina Vacuum Services: they can fix just about any vacuum*
1681 University Ave

World Cycling Productions: for high-end cycling gear*

Salsa Lisa: locally-made salsa. Just eat it. It's excellent.

YMCA Midway: They have a great weight room with excellent machines and tons of free weights, and they're always trying to keep it up-to-date. Staff is super friendly. They have daycare and a pool too! Their basketball court/gym has an old wood floor - super old skool construction, but it's a great court to play on. Lots of good classes to take as well.
1761 University Ave W

Classic Retro at Pete's: antique/vintage store looks a bit like a cheap garage sale from the outside but you have to go inside. The shop owner knows his stuff, and he has some really cool items. Maybe a bit pricey, but if you have the money he does have good vintage furniture and housewares.
2145 W University Ave
651) 224-5235

Hampden Park Co-Op: Off the Avenue, but definitely on the Corridor. A small co-op that is not part of the Co-op co-op, if you like that sort of thing.
928 Raymond Ave

Eden Pizza: a little neighborhood store-front pizza shop within walking distance of our house. They also deliver, lucky us. As we are 1/2 block from the outer limits of Green Mill's deliver, just outside of Leaning Tower, and also outside of the Selby Pizza Luce zone, this is good news. Plus, it's really good pizza.
629 Aldine, St. Paul, MN 55104
Call (651) 646-7616 for pickup or delivery

Caribe: Yum. Caribbean bistro just off the Avenue.
http://caribemn.com/Caribe_Caribbean_Bistro/Home_Page.html
791 Raymond Ave.

Lunch on the Avenue: an ongoing lunch series set up by the Midway Chamber of Commerce.
They are on Facebook as well.

Discounts!
There is a discount program for customers of Central Corridor businesses, as part of the Discover Central Corridor program. You can pick up a coupon book at Cub Foods - Midway, Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, Western Bank, Midway Chamber and Stadium Village Dairy Queen.

You can download a Perks Card app for iPad or iPhone as well.

Construction updates:
Metro Transit: If you are affected by the line, you simply cannot complain about being uninformed of the activities. All you have to do is look. I get email updates regularly from the team, and they are specific and helpful.

Small Business Forgivable Loan: $4 Million in Forgivable Loans Available to Small Businesses Along Central Corridor Light Rail Line

Business Resources: This link includes information about loans, access, zones, and more.

Ready for Rail: a Central Corridor information hub provided by the Business Resources Collaborative.

LRT Works: Trades people seeking work

A few more links relevant to the subject:
University Avenue Business Association

St. Paul Central Corridor Updates

Nice Ride comes to Saint Paul!

New Businesses on the Central Corridor 

*Thanks to my neighbors for these suggestions.

Target & Best Buy: Make it Right?

A lot of people and organizations are calling on Target to "make it right" by giving an equal amount to an off-setting recipient.

Sorry. There's no way to off-set this. Giving money to an LGBTA cause won't take back the publicity and air-time that Tom Emmer is getting from Minnesota Forward. It also won't help out science education, immigrants, choice, the environment, or facts. The opposite recipient would be a PAC that is running ads for Margaret Anderson-Kelliher, who is the Democratic Farmer-Laborer (DFL) endorsed candidate for Minnesota governor, and clearly, that would be a ridiculous thing to do.

This is still a hot topic here in Minnesota, and it's getting national play, too, from the Human Rights Campaign and Moveon.org.

Something that's missing from the debate, as I have been hearing it, is that it's not just about gay marriage and equal rights for LGBT individuals. It's much broader, and it concerns other issues that are equally important. Tom Emmer does not believe in evolution or anthropogenic global warming. Tom Emmer is anti-choice. Tom Emmer wants to continue the same economic policies of Tim Pawlenty, who is leaving us with a 5-6 billion dollar budget deficit problem.

Not to mention the insinuation that the other candidates for governor are pro-business, the false dichotomy that one cannot be pro-labor and pro-business, which is tied to the mistaken idea that jobs do not, somehow, equal people.

My boycott of Target continues, and it took me to Goodwill on Friday, where I got some cute clothes, including a shirt that originally came from Target. It's reminding me that when I go to Target, so do millions of other people, and we wind up with the same stuff. Also, when I only go to Target, I keep seeing the same brands, over and over again. It's nice to branch out. I am feeling liberated because I am not stopping at one place; I think it will re-open my city, at least in the material sense.

Target's Form Letter Response

It's nothing I didn't already know and address in my letter to them. They support both sides, candidates who they think will help their retail business, blah blah blah. It's not going to change my mind, and I still don't believe that "republican economic policies" are really better for the economy as a whole, including businesses. It seems that, after eight years of  "no new taxes" and cutting spending under a republican governor here in Minnesota, we have a 5 billion dollar deficit. Sure, it's part of a broader nation-wide recession, which seems to have been brought about by the same economic policies, deregulation, spurious mortgage practices, and interesting securities trading.

Target has its say (bold-faced choices are mine):

guest.relations@target.com
Fri, Jul 30, 2010
at 8:35 AM

Dear Karen McCauley,

Target has long believed that engaging in civic activities is an important and necessary element of operating a national retail business. What's more important than any one candidate's stance on a particular issue is how we nurture thoughtful, long-term growth in the state of Minnesota.

Our support of causes and candidates is based strictly on issues that affect our retail and business objectives.* To continue to grow and create jobs and opportunity in our home state, we believe it is imperative to be engaged in public policy and the political process. That is why we are members of organizations like the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Chamber of Commerce and many others. And that is why we decided to contribute to MN Forward.

MN Forward's objective is to elect candidates from both parties who will make job creation and economic growth a top priority. We operate best when working collaboratively with legislators on both sides of the aisle.  In fact, if you look at our Federal PAC contributions year to date, you will see that they are very balanced between Republicans and Democrats.** For more information please visit www.target.com/company, and view the Civic Activity page.

Target has a large stake in Minnesota's future, which is why it is so important to be able to provide jobs, serve guests, support communities and deliver on our commitment to shareholders.*** As an international business that is proud to call Minnesota home, it is critical that we have a business environment that allows us to be competitive. Our guests, team members, communities and shareholders depend on Target to remain competitive.

Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hanson
Target Executive Offices
[THREAD ID:1-7HS3H5]

*That's nice. As I have said, you can't just elect the business policies, and I continue to questions whether those business policies are really better for the economy and for business.


**Thanks for playing. I said you would say that, and that's why I included it in my letter to you.

***You are not delivering on all those commitments by supporting a candidate like Tom Emmer.

Black Hole of Stupid

Minnesota has a grand tradition of intelligent, thoughtful politicians. Eugene McCarthy, Elmer Anderson, Hubert Humphrey, Paul Wellstone, and Walter Mondale leap to mind. We have a lot to be proud of.

It's something we have to remember on a day like today, when Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty, two of our less-than-thoughtful politicians, gather with celebrity Sarah Palin and talking head Sean Hannity in downtown Minneapolis for a rally and fundraiser. I am uncertain if the time-space continuum can handle the weight of the white hot rhetoric that will erupt from the convention center. Certainly, the fabric of fact-based knowledge has already been fraying and is in danger of being reduced to dust by the claims of the Teabaggers and the far right, and an event such as this might just do us all in, leaving the entire populace of Minnesota as jibbering, paranoid idiots, convinced that census takers are going to show up at our homes, make us gay marry, go through our wallets, and tell our children to eat their vegetables or Czar Obama will put them into an interment camp where they will have to pray to Mecca five times a day.

Did I miss anything?

The woman who is running against Michele Bachmann, Tarryl Clark, has a site set up where you can make a photo of yourself with the Dynamic Duo. They call it the 10,000 dollar photo because that reputedly what it will cost to have yourself photographed with these two women, which is certainly money well spent.

 babywhumpus isn't too happy about it.

Later, if my stomach can handle it, I will try to write about the sad and sorry state of women in politics.

Thanks, Mr. Pawlenty!

What you have done in your terms as governor of Minnesota doesn't equal balancing the budget without raising taxes, though I am sure that will be in your stump speech in the run-up to 2012.

Many of us are poorer due to your decisions, and not just the unallotment.

Our school districts have to borrow this year specifically because you would not work with the legislature. They are borrowing to pay their teachers, costing them even more money.

That's not the least of it. Just ask the 33,000 people laid off of health care by your cuts to the General Assistance Medical Care program. Those people will either suffer or have to access care at higher rates to the system and, therefore, to the taxpayers. Someone always has to pay.

Spin it all you want. The buck stops at your desk, though it does make for a stunning trophy to show your financial supporters. Too bad it crapped all over the citizens before it got there.