I am not the only outdoor baseball stadium geek out there. In fact, I am a mere amateur compared to the authors of a couple of other blogs. Check out Twins Ballpark 2010. Here are photos of the initial ballpark markings on the Rapid Park site, including Home Plate, 2nd Base, etc. Also, check out the view from Home Plate looking towards downtown. Wow - that's even better than looking at the baggy and blue plastic folded seats at the Dome!
http://www.twinsballpark2010.com/baseball/minnesota-twins/stadium/Home.html
These are the things that get me excited, folks.
Peace, and Happy Mother's Day!
Jeff
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Under My Skin
Once again, I have allowed StarTribune columnist Nick Coleman to get under my skin. I have to give the guy credit. No other columnist fills me with angst quicker than Coleman. I truly believe the man is a talented writer, I just wholeheartedly disagree with much of what he has to say. Here is the latest column that ruined my breakfast:
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1171561.html
Apparently Jim Pohlad, son of Twins owner Carl Pohlad, is building a big house on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Not only did the Pohlads (those bastards) buy a jewelry business last week, now they are building big houses on the lake. Nick - they're billionaires. What did you expect them to do - buy a rambler in Maplewood? Here's a quote by Coleman:
It looks more like a palace than a lake home; I don't believe such a large residence has been built in Minneapolis since the days of the lumber barons, and maybe not even then.
This won't look like T.B. Walker built it, however. It will look like Minnesota Meets Malibu. But it will send the same message to passersby:
I Am Richer Than You.
OK. I grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in a modest neighborhood. In a rambler, even. I am the son of a policeman, and proud of it. I'm not exactly "Mr. Showy." I don't believe people with large houses or cars are any better humans than those with with small houses or cars. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that many of them are trying to make up for the fact that they are ass-holes with small penises with the "bling." However, this does not keep me up at night. I can't get past the belief that Nick Coleman is simply jealous and hates the Pohlads. Nick - you have to let it go.
Here's more:
According to plans on file with the city, Jim Pohlad's home will be more like a compound, built in a serpentine fashion with a main entrance far off the street, behind an electronic gate and walls. Shaped like a backward block-letter C, with a panhandle at one corner, the home will have a front-yard pool above the lake, rooftop gardens and a stair tower 34 feet above the main level. The nontraditional design, which bears no resemblance to the traditional hip-and-gable design of large Minneapolis homes, left city planners scratching their heads.
Yeah, it's showy. Probably not a house that a newspaper reporter or a Manager at THE CHECK could afford. I'm also not going to lay awake at night thinking about this, however. What, really, is the problem here? Another quote from Mr. Coleman:
Pohlad's Palace is on a lot three-quarters of an acre in size. Theoretically, it could be twice as large as now planned. A mansion that massive, of course, might well be seen from the upper deck in that shiny new Twins stadium.
And that, sports fans, might be precisely the point.
There you go. The public has helped finance a Twins stadium for Carl Pohlad and his family, and now they are building big houses and buying jewelry businesses. Nick Coleman has allowed the Pohlads to get under his skin, just like Coleman gets under mine. And the Pohlads are under his skin Big Time. I really don't think that Mr. Coleman will be able to enjoy a baseball game at the new park when it opens, even in the fancy StarTribune seats. He's too bitter about it being "built for the Pohlads" to enjoy it. Oddly enough, he does not hold this same bitterness for Bob Naegle, billionaire owner of the Minnesota Wild As I mentioned in a previous post, they play in the publicly-financed Xcel Energy Center. I have never read a Nick Coleman column ripping Naegle's residence, however.
It must be a rambler in Maplewood.
Peace,
Jeff
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1171561.html
Apparently Jim Pohlad, son of Twins owner Carl Pohlad, is building a big house on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Not only did the Pohlads (those bastards) buy a jewelry business last week, now they are building big houses on the lake. Nick - they're billionaires. What did you expect them to do - buy a rambler in Maplewood? Here's a quote by Coleman:
It looks more like a palace than a lake home; I don't believe such a large residence has been built in Minneapolis since the days of the lumber barons, and maybe not even then.
This won't look like T.B. Walker built it, however. It will look like Minnesota Meets Malibu. But it will send the same message to passersby:
I Am Richer Than You.
OK. I grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in a modest neighborhood. In a rambler, even. I am the son of a policeman, and proud of it. I'm not exactly "Mr. Showy." I don't believe people with large houses or cars are any better humans than those with with small houses or cars. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that many of them are trying to make up for the fact that they are ass-holes with small penises with the "bling." However, this does not keep me up at night. I can't get past the belief that Nick Coleman is simply jealous and hates the Pohlads. Nick - you have to let it go.
Here's more:
According to plans on file with the city, Jim Pohlad's home will be more like a compound, built in a serpentine fashion with a main entrance far off the street, behind an electronic gate and walls. Shaped like a backward block-letter C, with a panhandle at one corner, the home will have a front-yard pool above the lake, rooftop gardens and a stair tower 34 feet above the main level. The nontraditional design, which bears no resemblance to the traditional hip-and-gable design of large Minneapolis homes, left city planners scratching their heads.
Yeah, it's showy. Probably not a house that a newspaper reporter or a Manager at THE CHECK could afford. I'm also not going to lay awake at night thinking about this, however. What, really, is the problem here? Another quote from Mr. Coleman:
Pohlad's Palace is on a lot three-quarters of an acre in size. Theoretically, it could be twice as large as now planned. A mansion that massive, of course, might well be seen from the upper deck in that shiny new Twins stadium.
And that, sports fans, might be precisely the point.
There you go. The public has helped finance a Twins stadium for Carl Pohlad and his family, and now they are building big houses and buying jewelry businesses. Nick Coleman has allowed the Pohlads to get under his skin, just like Coleman gets under mine. And the Pohlads are under his skin Big Time. I really don't think that Mr. Coleman will be able to enjoy a baseball game at the new park when it opens, even in the fancy StarTribune seats. He's too bitter about it being "built for the Pohlads" to enjoy it. Oddly enough, he does not hold this same bitterness for Bob Naegle, billionaire owner of the Minnesota Wild As I mentioned in a previous post, they play in the publicly-financed Xcel Energy Center. I have never read a Nick Coleman column ripping Naegle's residence, however.
It must be a rambler in Maplewood.
Peace,
Jeff
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Monkeys are cool and everything, but...
I thought I was done posting any thoughts for the day, but (once again) something came up that I could not leave well enough alone. I was reading the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and I came across an article by William Kole about a monkey in Vienna, Austria named Hiasl. Now, this is not something in of itself that would cause me to log on and start typing. You see, Hiasl - the monkey - has lived with another monkey named Rosi for 25 years in an animal sanctuary in Vienna which is now bankrupt. That is truly bad news because Hazel and Rosi might end up homeless. Now, stay with me here. You see, animal-rights activists are coming to the rescue and they are taking a never-before-tried tactic to save the monkeys. Thus, the post tonight. They are trying to have the monkeys declared as:
People.
Yes. I hope you were sitting down for that one. The animal rights activists are trying to have the monkeys declared as people. Here's a quote:
"Our main argument is that Hiasl is a person and has basic legal rights," said Eberhart Theuer, a lawyer leading the challenge on behalf of the Association Against Animal Factories, a Vienna animal-rights group.
Right! Now, strap yourselves in and get ready for this one:
"If we can get Hiasl declared a person, he would have the right to own property. Then, if people wanted to donate something to him, he'd have the right to receive it," said Theuer, who has vowed to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
Now, I like monkeys and everything, but "he would have the right to own property?" Like a condo or something? Each visit to Como Zoo, I am even guaranteed to say "wow - those gorillas really look like people!" I never have said, however,"wow - those gorillas are people!" Am I missing something here? They're monkeys. I mean, you can call them apples if you want, but they're still monkeys.
Folks, I used to laugh about the idea of Planet of the Apes, but I'm not so sure anymore. That movie might have been a cautionary tale for our future. Those orangutans always look like they are plotting something. We're entering new dimensions of life here. It could be kind of a slippery slope if monkeys are granted "personhood." What about other animals? Sure, monkeys possess the most human-like traits of all animals. But, I knew a guy that kind of looked like a hippo, and a gal that resembled an ostrich. Should we declare hippos and ostriches "people?"
Don't get me wrong - I hope everything goes well for the people, I mean monkeys. I just think it's a big step to declare them people and grant them property rights and everything. Am I off base on this? Please let me know....
Jeff
People.
Yes. I hope you were sitting down for that one. The animal rights activists are trying to have the monkeys declared as people. Here's a quote:
"Our main argument is that Hiasl is a person and has basic legal rights," said Eberhart Theuer, a lawyer leading the challenge on behalf of the Association Against Animal Factories, a Vienna animal-rights group.
Right! Now, strap yourselves in and get ready for this one:
"If we can get Hiasl declared a person, he would have the right to own property. Then, if people wanted to donate something to him, he'd have the right to receive it," said Theuer, who has vowed to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
Now, I like monkeys and everything, but "he would have the right to own property?" Like a condo or something? Each visit to Como Zoo, I am even guaranteed to say "wow - those gorillas really look like people!" I never have said, however,"wow - those gorillas are people!" Am I missing something here? They're monkeys. I mean, you can call them apples if you want, but they're still monkeys.
Folks, I used to laugh about the idea of Planet of the Apes, but I'm not so sure anymore. That movie might have been a cautionary tale for our future. Those orangutans always look like they are plotting something. We're entering new dimensions of life here. It could be kind of a slippery slope if monkeys are granted "personhood." What about other animals? Sure, monkeys possess the most human-like traits of all animals. But, I knew a guy that kind of looked like a hippo, and a gal that resembled an ostrich. Should we declare hippos and ostriches "people?"
Don't get me wrong - I hope everything goes well for the people, I mean monkeys. I just think it's a big step to declare them people and grant them property rights and everything. Am I off base on this? Please let me know....
Jeff
Smile On My Face
Yes, I know I am completely obsessed about the Twins ballpark, but these are the kind of announcements that put a smile on my face. (By, the way, I do NOT have the same passion for the Vikings stadium. In fact, I am rather neutral on that one, so you don't have to worry about my sanity - at least on that!) Back to the announcement from the Ballpark Authority web site:
This Update is the second in a series of informational alerts to let you know about the construction going on related to the Twins Ballpark.
• 5th STREET, WEST END OF THE BRIDGE, by the FORD CENTER
Monday morning May 7th, 2007 at 6am the 5th St. North bridge between 3rd Avenue North and 5th Avenue North will close to all traffic, vehicle and pedestrian, until sometime late fall of 2007.
The closure is for Metropolitan Council Environmental Services to re-line a sewer interceptor and to move the BNSF rail line for the Twins Ballpark Construction and the Northstar rail line.
• 3rd Avenue North, BETWEEN 5th and 7th Streets
With the Hennepin County acquisition of the ballpark site, work will likely begin on May 16th on: site demolition of the Rapid Park lot, relocation of utilities on the Rapid Park site, and mass grading of the ballpark site and parking lot area. The 3rd Avenue North connection up to the 7th Street Bridge will close permanently.
Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to drive and walk carefully, expect delays, and allow extra time to reach destinations.
Does that get your corpuscles jumpin' like mine? (Copywrite Jim Wacker)
Ballpark Area Construction Update 5/04/07
CONSTRUCTION ALERT
CONSTRUCTION ALERT
This Update is the second in a series of informational alerts to let you know about the construction going on related to the Twins Ballpark.
• 5th STREET, WEST END OF THE BRIDGE, by the FORD CENTER
Monday morning May 7th, 2007 at 6am the 5th St. North bridge between 3rd Avenue North and 5th Avenue North will close to all traffic, vehicle and pedestrian, until sometime late fall of 2007.
The closure is for Metropolitan Council Environmental Services to re-line a sewer interceptor and to move the BNSF rail line for the Twins Ballpark Construction and the Northstar rail line.
• 3rd Avenue North, BETWEEN 5th and 7th Streets
With the Hennepin County acquisition of the ballpark site, work will likely begin on May 16th on: site demolition of the Rapid Park lot, relocation of utilities on the Rapid Park site, and mass grading of the ballpark site and parking lot area. The 3rd Avenue North connection up to the 7th Street Bridge will close permanently.
Motorists and pedestrians are encouraged to drive and walk carefully, expect delays, and allow extra time to reach destinations.
Does that get your corpuscles jumpin' like mine? (Copywrite Jim Wacker)
Peace,
Jeff
Friday, May 4, 2007
Hypocrite
My buddy Nick Coleman of the StarTribune is at it again. Now that the Twins ballpark is seemingly a done deal, he has published yet another rip job of the Hennepin County Commissioners, the Twins organization and (of course) Carl Pohlad. Mr. Coleman is not a fan of public money being spent on building a stadium for a baseball team owned by a billionaire. And, with no referendum! Here's the article for your reading pleasure:
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1162274.html
What strikes me as odd is the fact that Mr. Coleman recently wrote at least two sweet odes to the Minnesota Wild, hockey in general and the Xcel Energy Center. He wrote:
"It'd be a shame if this postseason party never got rolling. Wild fans have been hungering for more Spring Puck since the brilliant and thoroughly thrilling postseason ride of 2003.It remains to be seen if we will have another Miracle on Kellogg Boulevard.But win or lose, the franchise has proved something that franchises in Anaheim and Nashville will never prove: The Minnesota hockey community is close, tight-knit, loyal and, did I mention, close? It is a real community, in the true sense." Here is that full article:
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1122691.html
I actually love that article. I find it hypocritical, however, that Coleman takes so much pride in the Wild and has so much scorn for the Twins. After all, the Wild play in a publicly funded arena that was built without the input of a public referendum. The last I checked their owner Bob Naegle is a billionaire. There are poor areas of St. Paul that could have used the tax money that was used for building the hockey arena, right? In addition, I remember hearing from some politicians at the time that the old St. Paul Civic Center was "good enough" for NHL hockey. Whey build a new arena? Well, 10 years later, we all know (including Nick Coleman) that the building of the Xcel Energy Center was necessary for attracting the NHL back to Minnesota, and it has been a boon for the economy and pride of the City of St. Paul.Now, under similar circumstances, Hennepin County has agreed to implement a sales tax and build a new Twins stadium. While being pro-Xcel and Wild, Mr. Coleman is bitterly against the Twins plan. Here are some of his points, and my responses:
NC: As I have said repeatedly to fend off accusations from 16-year-olds that I am an un-American lickspittle, I want the Twins to stay in Minnesota, where I have watched them since I was a lad. But I don't like the way this deal was rammed through, or the way it relies on a tax that the voters were deprived of a chance to approve or reject.
JT: This condescending rant implies that all objections to Coleman's beliefs are made by teen-agers. I hear from many anti-ballpark types that "they want the Twins to stay in Minnesota, but.." Well, YOU come up with a feasible plan that will actually work, and makes everyone happy. Good luck. Also - the deal was "rammed through?" It took 10 frickin' years to pass! No referendum? See above regarding Xcel Energy Center.
NC: More than that, I'm still not convinced the new park has a better design than the old. The Twins say the closest seat to home plate will be 45 feet away, while it's 46 at the Metrodome. But without knowing how far away the cheap seats are, or how high above the field, we can't know whether most patrons will have a better vantage than they do in the Dome.
JT: This may be the most ridiculous assertion in the entire column. The Twins have played baseball in a football stadium for 25 years in which many of the seats point away from the infield. I once sat in a suite in which you could not see the infield unless you went beyond the sliding glass door and turned your head at a 90-degree angle. There is a teflon roof and plastic grass. Enough said - it's a ridiculous statement.
NC: With 40,000 seats, the new park will have 28 percent fewer seats than the Metrodome. And tickets will cost far more than we suppose, especially now that the Legislature -- that champion of the little people -- is poised to legalize scalping. "Hey, Buddy. You and the kids wanna sit behind first base? That'll be $400. Or I tell you what, just give me the kids."
JT: Most new baseball stadiums have no more than 40,000 seats. How often do more than 40,000 fans attend games at the dome? Hardly ever - that is why they put the "curtain" up in center field to hide the empty blue seats. As far as scalpers buying all the good seats, I'm sure that Mr. Coleman will just get his tickets from the StarTribune.
NC: It was a gift, from you to professional baseball (Thank you!), just part of half a billion (when you include interest) taxpayers have been assigned to shoulder on behalf of the Pohlad family business plan. The very day we extended that helping hand, it was learned that Twins owner Carl Pohlad and sons paid $6 million to buy J.B. Hudson Jewelers, the upscale bling-bling shop where Minnesotans go to gaze at engagement rings before they get real about their budget. As I say, it's good to have cash on hand. And diamonds.
JT: My feeling all along has been that Nick Coleman simply hates Carl Pohlad. This statement goes a long way in backing that up. Pohlad bought a jewelery business? So what? All sports teams owners are billionaires, and all of them receive stadium deals like the current Twins plan. Right or wrong, that's the way it goes. As I've mentioned before, Bob Naegle, owner of the Wild is rich, and Coleman does not have a regular rant against him. I think Coleman has a personal vendetta for Carl Pohlad.
NC: Nearly 1,000 homes in north Minneapolis were foreclosed last year, and the rate is skyrocketing this year, adding to the troubles in a part of town where affordable housing is in short supply, hundreds of homes are vacant or boarded, street murders are frightening the citizens and public schools are closing for lack of interest. You can make a case that north Minneapolis should be declared a disaster zone that urgently needs a united effort from state, city and county governments.Instead, the state lent the city $11 million to revive some foreclosed homes in a feeble effort to stop the downward spiral of a historic community whose collapse, if it is allowed, will cause calamity.
JT: No County money was going toward a ballpark in 2006, and 1000 homes were still foreclosed in Minneapolis last year. Will NOT building a baseball park mean that housing will suddenly become more affordable? Will NOT building a baseball park suddenly make North Minneapolis a safer place to live? I would argue that having 81 games played per year downtown will actually increase police protection, and help revitalize that area. Remember the Xcel Energy Center, Mr. Coleman, and the effect it has had on the West 7th street of St. Paul? Were there not home-foreclosures in St. Paul before the X was built? Why were you not protesting back in 1997? My belief? Even though Mr. Coleman writes for the Minneapolis paper, he is a St. Paul guy. I think he is simply biased in this case because the Twins park is in Minneapolis.
The bottom line is that if a community does not build stadiums, theatres, museums, etc., because there is still crime, poverty and other social ills, nothing would ever get built, and the community would eventually suffer. It won't make these areas more attractive to live in or any safer. Which, oddly enough, can cause more crime and poverty. All I am asking for is some consistency from Mr. Coleman. The Xcel Energy Center has been a great success, and he has every right to praise it in his columns. The new Twins stadium will have the same positive effect on Minneapolis, but we'll probably never hear this from him , even though he'll have an excellent vantage point from his StarTribune seats.
Let me know what you think!
Jeff
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1162274.html
What strikes me as odd is the fact that Mr. Coleman recently wrote at least two sweet odes to the Minnesota Wild, hockey in general and the Xcel Energy Center. He wrote:
"It'd be a shame if this postseason party never got rolling. Wild fans have been hungering for more Spring Puck since the brilliant and thoroughly thrilling postseason ride of 2003.It remains to be seen if we will have another Miracle on Kellogg Boulevard.But win or lose, the franchise has proved something that franchises in Anaheim and Nashville will never prove: The Minnesota hockey community is close, tight-knit, loyal and, did I mention, close? It is a real community, in the true sense." Here is that full article:
http://www.startribune.com/357/story/1122691.html
I actually love that article. I find it hypocritical, however, that Coleman takes so much pride in the Wild and has so much scorn for the Twins. After all, the Wild play in a publicly funded arena that was built without the input of a public referendum. The last I checked their owner Bob Naegle is a billionaire. There are poor areas of St. Paul that could have used the tax money that was used for building the hockey arena, right? In addition, I remember hearing from some politicians at the time that the old St. Paul Civic Center was "good enough" for NHL hockey. Whey build a new arena? Well, 10 years later, we all know (including Nick Coleman) that the building of the Xcel Energy Center was necessary for attracting the NHL back to Minnesota, and it has been a boon for the economy and pride of the City of St. Paul.Now, under similar circumstances, Hennepin County has agreed to implement a sales tax and build a new Twins stadium. While being pro-Xcel and Wild, Mr. Coleman is bitterly against the Twins plan. Here are some of his points, and my responses:
NC: As I have said repeatedly to fend off accusations from 16-year-olds that I am an un-American lickspittle, I want the Twins to stay in Minnesota, where I have watched them since I was a lad. But I don't like the way this deal was rammed through, or the way it relies on a tax that the voters were deprived of a chance to approve or reject.
JT: This condescending rant implies that all objections to Coleman's beliefs are made by teen-agers. I hear from many anti-ballpark types that "they want the Twins to stay in Minnesota, but.." Well, YOU come up with a feasible plan that will actually work, and makes everyone happy. Good luck. Also - the deal was "rammed through?" It took 10 frickin' years to pass! No referendum? See above regarding Xcel Energy Center.
NC: More than that, I'm still not convinced the new park has a better design than the old. The Twins say the closest seat to home plate will be 45 feet away, while it's 46 at the Metrodome. But without knowing how far away the cheap seats are, or how high above the field, we can't know whether most patrons will have a better vantage than they do in the Dome.
JT: This may be the most ridiculous assertion in the entire column. The Twins have played baseball in a football stadium for 25 years in which many of the seats point away from the infield. I once sat in a suite in which you could not see the infield unless you went beyond the sliding glass door and turned your head at a 90-degree angle. There is a teflon roof and plastic grass. Enough said - it's a ridiculous statement.
NC: With 40,000 seats, the new park will have 28 percent fewer seats than the Metrodome. And tickets will cost far more than we suppose, especially now that the Legislature -- that champion of the little people -- is poised to legalize scalping. "Hey, Buddy. You and the kids wanna sit behind first base? That'll be $400. Or I tell you what, just give me the kids."
JT: Most new baseball stadiums have no more than 40,000 seats. How often do more than 40,000 fans attend games at the dome? Hardly ever - that is why they put the "curtain" up in center field to hide the empty blue seats. As far as scalpers buying all the good seats, I'm sure that Mr. Coleman will just get his tickets from the StarTribune.
NC: It was a gift, from you to professional baseball (Thank you!), just part of half a billion (when you include interest) taxpayers have been assigned to shoulder on behalf of the Pohlad family business plan. The very day we extended that helping hand, it was learned that Twins owner Carl Pohlad and sons paid $6 million to buy J.B. Hudson Jewelers, the upscale bling-bling shop where Minnesotans go to gaze at engagement rings before they get real about their budget. As I say, it's good to have cash on hand. And diamonds.
JT: My feeling all along has been that Nick Coleman simply hates Carl Pohlad. This statement goes a long way in backing that up. Pohlad bought a jewelery business? So what? All sports teams owners are billionaires, and all of them receive stadium deals like the current Twins plan. Right or wrong, that's the way it goes. As I've mentioned before, Bob Naegle, owner of the Wild is rich, and Coleman does not have a regular rant against him. I think Coleman has a personal vendetta for Carl Pohlad.
NC: Nearly 1,000 homes in north Minneapolis were foreclosed last year, and the rate is skyrocketing this year, adding to the troubles in a part of town where affordable housing is in short supply, hundreds of homes are vacant or boarded, street murders are frightening the citizens and public schools are closing for lack of interest. You can make a case that north Minneapolis should be declared a disaster zone that urgently needs a united effort from state, city and county governments.Instead, the state lent the city $11 million to revive some foreclosed homes in a feeble effort to stop the downward spiral of a historic community whose collapse, if it is allowed, will cause calamity.
JT: No County money was going toward a ballpark in 2006, and 1000 homes were still foreclosed in Minneapolis last year. Will NOT building a baseball park mean that housing will suddenly become more affordable? Will NOT building a baseball park suddenly make North Minneapolis a safer place to live? I would argue that having 81 games played per year downtown will actually increase police protection, and help revitalize that area. Remember the Xcel Energy Center, Mr. Coleman, and the effect it has had on the West 7th street of St. Paul? Were there not home-foreclosures in St. Paul before the X was built? Why were you not protesting back in 1997? My belief? Even though Mr. Coleman writes for the Minneapolis paper, he is a St. Paul guy. I think he is simply biased in this case because the Twins park is in Minneapolis.
The bottom line is that if a community does not build stadiums, theatres, museums, etc., because there is still crime, poverty and other social ills, nothing would ever get built, and the community would eventually suffer. It won't make these areas more attractive to live in or any safer. Which, oddly enough, can cause more crime and poverty. All I am asking for is some consistency from Mr. Coleman. The Xcel Energy Center has been a great success, and he has every right to praise it in his columns. The new Twins stadium will have the same positive effect on Minneapolis, but we'll probably never hear this from him , even though he'll have an excellent vantage point from his StarTribune seats.
Let me know what you think!
Jeff
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Only In Minneapolis...
Each day, I learn something new about The World We Live In that exposes me for the rube that I am. Usually, it's some product, idea or way of thinking that exists that would make the world a better place to live in (supposedly) if only people like me would pay more attention instead of watching hockey. Today's idea that I didn't know about was:Green Roofs.
What are green roofs? According to an article in today's StarTribune: Simply put, a green roof uses grass and vegetation on top of a waterproof membrane. Its benefits include keeping buildings cooler in the summer and somewhat warmer in the winter. In dense urban centers, green roofs tend to cool so-called "heat islands," which are created by lots of cars and the sun beating down on more traditional tar or rock roofs. A green roof retains rainfall, thereby reducing dirty runoff that ends up in the nearby Mississippi River.
Ok. After reading that, I get the idea. It's basically a roof made of grass. I think that I've seen pictures of these in Europe, particularity Ireland and Scotland. I've seen pretty cool pictures of Irish pubs with goats eating grass on the roof. Sounds like a good idea, right? Well, certain politicians in Minneapolis seem to think it's a good idea, and they have a certain building in mind: The Target Center. Where the Timberwolves play. More from today's StarTribune:
A city-funded study estimated that a green roof would cost $400,000 more than a traditional roof. But the green-roof technology would pay for itself in energy savings in about five years. Electric bills at Target Center are typically $60,000 per month.If installed, Target Center would become the largest building in Minnesota with a green roof surface. What's more, it could be among the 10 largest green projects in the world. "Bragging rights," said Minneapolis Finance Officer Patrick Born." A priceless branding tool for a city," said Mark Andrew, an environmental consultant to sports teams and facilities.
Now, I'm all for pubs and restaurants and maybe even some office complexes having "Green Roofs" with some grass and hanging plants and stuff, but The Target Center? The Timberwolves have suffered enough embarrassment over the past couple of decades without having to play in a grass hut. How would you like to be a losing NBA team, and to make matters worse your arena has a jungle on top. I can imagine the National TV announcers saying "...And, if you think the Wolves are bad, you should see the roof of this place." Also, I would imagine the blaring rap music coming from inside the Target Center would scare the hell out of the goats and yaks grazing on top. This could cause problems on Block E below if you have animals jumping off Target Center. And we all know Block E has enough problems right now.
Why must the politicians in Minneapolis mess with these things? You just don't see this type of thing come up in St. Paul. (Gondolas over the Mississippi, maybe, but not Green Roofs on sports arenas.) Now that the Twins ballpark is a done deal, I hope that the Hennepin County Commissioners don't start thinking about adding a green "grazing area" for antelope beyond the center field fence. Thank God the site is so small, or this might become a reality.
Maybe, I'll e-mail Larry Pogemiller about this. He'll get something done.
Jeff
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Quick Take - Stadium Done Deal?
From startribune.com:Hennepin County handed a check for $13.75 million to a judge Tuesday in a move that all but asssures that construction of a new Minnesota Twins ballpark will begin by June 1.The team announced it had cleared the last roadblock to the start of construction, and ended a confusing four-month dispute over the purchase of the ballpark site from its owners.Work will begin on the 40,000-seat stadium in downtown Minneapolis as a separate court hearing takes place this summer to determine the final price of the site.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, who took office in January, said in court that the county may have erred in its handling of the land sale."Anyone looking at this in retrospect, right now, might have handled this differently -- I think both sides," said Freeman, in what amounted to the most forceful critique of the county's role in the land purchase controversy. "There's some things that could have been done differently -- options picked up, discussions occurred earlier."
The last roadblock had been a series of agreements between the team and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, whose tracks run alongside the stadium property.
Outstanding!
Peace,
Jeff
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