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Sept 6 @ 5pm CT
by Laurel Krahn
laurel@windowseat.org
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Word a Day

Labor Day is the last day of this year's Minnesota State Fair. I went on the first day of this year's Fair, seems only fitting I head out for the last day, as well.

Star Tribune MN State Fair Stuff: attendance, and an article about footwear at the Fair.

Kim Ode notices something when viewing the Fair through a newcomer's eyes:

There still are some displays of personal endeavor -- the gardeners' methodical harvests, the livestock brushed to a sheen, the delicate cakes and plump pickles and intricate quilts and, yes, even the quirky crop art. But each year these exhibits seem dwarfed by more and more booths touting hot tubs and leather belts and garden sheds and barbeque grills, and pork chops and caramel apples and fudge pops and potato skins. The fair seems less a festival of achievement and more like a mall with manure.

Yet I can't think of not going, no more than a goose can keep from heading south. Indeed, watching the crowds aim their noses down the avenues reminded me of a great migration, with the fair akin to some prairie wetland on which generations of geese descend not because they want to, but because they always have.

Pioneer Press Fair Page: Travel Guide (a cute intro to the Fair written as a Travel guide), Camping @ The Fair, Fairgo-ers and their Fave Fair Foods (it's a bit frightening, actually).

(I guess I don't go to the Fair for the food, much of it scares me).

I hate this stadium scenario, but I suspect Patrick Reusse is right on this one. I don't wanna lose the Twins, darnit, but I think it's gonna happen. If this had come up when we were coming off a World Series, would be a different story.

A fine article about Randy Moss and the attempts other teams are making to stop him. Brian Billick [former offensive coordinator for the Vikings, current head coach for Baltimore] on Randy Moss:

"Like I said when I had him, there are guys in the league with his size," Billick said. "With his speed, with his hands. Nobody, and I mean nobody, has all those physical skills Randy has. They just don't."

But there's one thing Billick respects most about Moss.

"It's his love for the game," Billick said. "That kid loves to play football. And if there's one thing I could inject into the group of receivers I have, one thing that Randy has, it wouldn't be his height, his speed or his hands. It would be his love for the game."

Agent 1.6 has been released. First new version of this fine newsreader in what seems like ages. If you use Windows and read newsgroups with any regularity, Agent has been the best newsreader for ages. There are a couple of rivals, but Agent is still tops for me. There's a 30 day trial of Agent on the site, of course, as well as ye olde Free Agent which remains free (and has less features than Agent).

StarTribune spotlights five Mill City artists (O'Jeez, Alexander O'Neal, Gypsy, The Jayhawks, and The Big Wu), lists other cool performers. (Boy am I tempted to go to this . . . but I haven't a ticket and I've other things to do, but if I could scrape together the cash I might go on Monday).

And has an interview with The Artist.

"I know that people want to talk about the past," he says. "But we're not at 'Purple Rain' anymore. We don't look like that, we don't dress like that, we're different people now. If you talk about that, the next thing you know, people start writing things like the Revolution is going to reunite!"

Pioneer Press piece on highlights of the festival.

Jim Walsh looks at the ten most memorable Prince shows in Mpls.

Saw Muppets in Space again a couple days ago, 'twas at the dollar theater. I liked it better the second time, I suspect I had my hopes up too high the first time around. It's really quite fun and if you're a fan of the Muppets you should see it on the big screen if you can.

It's Gonzo-centric, can't beat that. ;-)

I was fortunate enough to see an advance screening of the film American Beauty last night: Wow. Amazing film.

It's not for everyone, of course, as it ventures into some dark territory. I'm sure plenty of folks will find something to be offended about. It's an original film, with well-drawn, real characters. There are a lot of laughs in the film, but it's also painful to watch in spots, too. I can see why they gave away tickets to advance screenings to generate some kind of buzz as this is one difficult film to promote.

Sigh. I'll be writing more about the movie, I'm still digesting it all. Want to write a review, but don't want to give too much. I'll probably write about how it affected me . . . I was moved. Not just to tears (though I was), but to think a little harder my life and what and who I care about and all the truly Important Stuff.

The film opens October 1st, earlier in L.A., New York City, Boston, Toronto, and San Francisco (mid-September)

Watch this Flash trailer for the film if you haven't yet. The other flash stuff on the site is kinda cool, too (as these things go). (Avoid any interviews with cast or crew members on the site, some have pretty big spoilers in 'em, IMHO).

<yawn> I'm very tired as I write this. Too many hours looking at TV listings putting together ye olde TV Picks for the long weekend. It's funny, I started out thinking I might take a break or just list a few things . . . figuring many will be traveling or otherwise away from television this weekend. Next thing you know, it's a couple hours later and I've got a page full of recommendations. Huh.

Even those who watch little TV might care about some of the stuff this weekend. There's a Max Headroom marathon on A&E on Saturday and Sunday. A mini marathon of Humphrey Bogart movies on Monday morning and afternoon (Turner Classic Movies). Kurosawa films Friday night on TCM. Etc. Gads, I'd best not get started again or I'll be babbling. It's all covered on the aforementioned TV Picks page.

I couldn't make this stuff up . . . The text on the official Jesse Ventura T-shirts that you can buy at his booth at the MN State Fair:"got underwear?"

(It's a reference to something mentioned in Ventura's book . . . he sometimes-- gasp!-- doesn't wear underwear).

Joe Sciacca of the Boston Herald re a certain MN Guv [via mediagossip]:

The problem with professional wrestling is you end up being dropped on your head a lot.

This pretty much explains Jesse Ventura.

Dan Barreiro on the Stadium mess (this time it's re the Minnesota Vikings . . . and Red McCombs who said the team would move if they didn't get a new stadium, then issued a press release saying he didn't say that. Whatever).

God I'm sick of all this. I don't want the Vikings to leave any more than I'd want the Twins to. Anyway, it's a good column from Barreiro, worth reading if you care a whit about the Vikings or the Twins or this whole MN stadium situation.

Ain't It Cool News is updated, at long last (there'd been a problem with the software since last Friday).

Salon piece about Warren Beatty and Bill Hillsman. Hillsman is the guy behind Jesse Ventura's ad campaign for the MN Governor race. He and Beatty and Bening had dinner together. Interesting piece if you're interested in the whole Beatty for Prez thing. Hillman:

But when he arrived at the Beatty-Bening Beverly Hills spread at around 7 that night, he saw that it really was just them and the kids -- and a fairly modest home.

"Their house is really nothing spectacular," Hillsman says. "I've been in nicer houses in Minnetonka."

I've just done the web version of applauding when one's hometown is mentioned; I live in Minnetonka, Minnesota (though not in one of those fancy houses . . . just a teensy tiny apartment).

Some new albums listed under now playing in the sidebar. The Oyster Band album Here I Stand rocks. Gives me happy-feet. I was grinning from ear to ear the second it hit my CD player (and all through the album). With guest performances from Great Big Sea and Chumbawamba (really!). Too cool for words. But then I've been starved for a new album from these guys.

Then there's the new Richard Thompson album, which I've mentioned before (and there are links in the sidebar, too). Fabulous. Wonderful. Whee!

(Seriously, getting these two albums has put me in an ludicrously good mood. Amazing).

A couple of years ago, the highlight of The Mill City Music Festival for me was seeing Weird Al Yankovic "jam" with Moxy Früvous. Aw heck, I still think it was cool to see folks who're fans of each other play together.

But anyway, where was I? Mill City Festival takes place in the Warehouse District part of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

This weekend, at this year's Mill City, they've rounded up 140 or so artists/bands that hail from Minnesota (or, at least, used to). It's a pretty amazing list, not by any means comprehensive, but darn impressive. And I'm sure plenty of cool folks will all be playing at the same time at different stages (aieee!).

Did I mention that Prince (or should I say The Artist?) and Bob Mould are both on this impressive list? Goodness. (Ha, not playing together though, that thought just gave me a headache and a chuckle). The other sorta headlining acts are the Jayhawks and Semisonic.

The Editing Room features funny (usually) abridged (greatly) versions of movie scripts. Spoiler-rich and often quite cruel, they amuse me.

Eek! Jedi pick-up lines [thanks, i think, Felix].

Jeez, I get months behind on reading ecto and I miss hearing about ectofest until just days before it happens. Alas, I wouldn't have been able to afford to go anyway.

If you're gonna be in or near Danbury, Connecticut on September 4th, you gotta go. Great music and good folks. Check the website for details.

Winners of the 1999 Creative Arts Primetime Emmy Awards: A heap of awards for The Sopranos, Tracey Ullman for her guest spot on Ally McBeal, Mel Brooks for guest starring on Mad About You (yawn), costume design for That '70s Show and JAG, multi-camera picture editing to Sports Night, single camera picture editing to The Sopranos, outstanding animated show (longer than 1 hour) went to Spawn, outstanding animated show (less than 1 hour) went to King of the Hill, guest actor in a drama went to Edward Herrmann ("Anderson Pearson" on The Practice), guest actress in a drama went to Debra Monk ("Katie Sipowitz" on NYPD Blue) art direction (series) went to Buddy Faro (yay!), special visual effects went to Voyager, outstanding makeup went to The X-Files, main title design went to Dilbert, sound awards went to ER and Ally McBeal.

If you live in/near Minneapolis, Detroit, or Memphis you must read Northwest Airlines' Cybersaver fares webpage regularly (or receive the info via email). Bargain airfares for spur of the moment weekend fun. Yeah.

And if you aren't in those cities, they're still worth checking. Better yet, if you've got a friend in one of the aforementioned cities, make sure they keep you in mind when they check the fares each week. For instance, this weekend folks in Miami, FL; Winnipeg, MB; Wausau, WI; Aberdeen, SD; Kalamazoo, MI; Memphis, TN; Fairbanks, AK; or Saginaw, MI could all fly roundtrip to Mpls for a fun filled weekend at the notorious Minnesota State Fair or The Mall of America (hehehehe) or better yet at area lakes, parks, etc.

New Backfence column from James Lileks (and friends). This is strange, but true:

Standing in line at the corn-dog stand, you note an interesting quirk of human nature: Even when there is one item on the menu, some people still don't know what they want when they get to the head of the line. They stare at the sign CORN DOGS as though expecting it will suddenly sprout a dozen additional options, or include a choice of woods for the stick.

I'm getting the urge to make a return visit to the State Fair (and no, not for the food on a stick).

Is nothing sacred? End of the innocence: Crop art stolen at Fair:

"I think it's kind of a cool compliment to have your art work stolen by people running through the fair," said the artist, Emily Shepard, 16, of St. Paul. "I'm thinking of putting my little sister up as a reward."

Ugh!

Two years ago, the threat from baseball's powers-that-be took this form: Without a new stadium the Twins would move to North Carolina, where a publicly subsidized stadium would be built. That didn't work.

Now, according to published reports, the possible outcome of no new ballpark in Minnesota could be simpler: Shoot the franchise and let it die.

That's the vision of Colorado Rockies owner Jerry McMorris and an unnamed handful of his colleagues. They apparently believe it's easier to do away with the Twins, Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals and Oakland A's than to relocate the teams to untested markets or to fundamentally change the industry's economic structure.

You know, I understand folks not wanting to pay extra taxes to help build stadiums or otherwise keep ballteams in town-- but I've gone to games all of my life, I just can't fathom MN without a major league baseball team. I've had a blast at games this year (nevermind that the Twins aren't contenders). I wish someone would come up with some reasonable way to build a new stadium and keep the team here.

Both Leagues could stand to have fewer teams, but I don't want to see the Twins eliminated. Nope. Uh-uh.

I'm working my way through my webpages, trying to update and/or revamp existing pages. First victim? My bio page. Next victim? Ahem. You're looking at it. Like it? Hate it? What works? What doesn't? Tell me what you think.

And no, I don't plan to keep this page purple forever . . . will likely change the colorscheme in October or November (suggestions? Again, just email me).

An even longer Munch article that includes still more details about the potential Homicide movie and about The Beat [thanks to Jim King of hlotslinks for emailing me re these articles]:

The Beat "is the way real New York cops behave," Fontana says. "They don't follow a particular case. Their lives are the little incidents that happen every day."

In real life, Fontana says, "80 percent of being a uniformed cop is boring. The other 20 percent is what we see on TV. We're trying to put the balance back in, with conversations and events, not with people running and jumping and shooting and all that nonsense."

They also mention Clark Johnson-- he'll be directing an episode of The Beat (cool! It's great to see Johnson get directing work . . . but I'd really love to see him act again, too).

Fatbrain (I still hate that name) introduces EMatter. Sounds interesting, but will anyone give it a shot? I suppose 50% to 100% of the royalties for each book/mag is big incentive.

An article about the launch of shopgoodwill.com:

Some shopping afficionados, however, don't envision Web sites ever replacing the individual store, where many people visit for the eclectic atmosphere.

Duh!

This is supposedly the last week of sale prices on Homicide: Life on the Street stuff at emerchandise. And it may be the last chance for the stuff at all. They've got some nifty T-shirts, mugs, jackets, caps and the like.

They've got a lot of cool shirts, toys, posters, etc. from nifty TV shows and movies.

I've been pleased with their products and service when I've ordered from them. Backordered items can take forever, but if you order stuff they've got on hand, they're quick to send it to you (extremely). Shipping is cheap, too.

A bunch of Star Wars stuff is now on sale (clearance) @ the official website and at stores near you. As much as 75% off regular prices (whee!).

Got suggestions? Comments? Let me know what you think would improve this page. Don't hesitate, just write. I read all feedback and do my best to respond with, at the very least, a thank you.

This page created and maintained by Laurel Krahn who can be reached via email to laurel@windowseat.org. If you'd like to email or snail mail Laurel cool stuff (for this weblog or not), she'd love that.

Copyright ©1999 Laurel Krahn unless otherwise noted. May not be redistributed without permission.