In the Loop: March 2008 Archive

Being "super" ain't all it's cracked up to be

Posted at 2:55 PM on March 3, 2008 by Sanden Totten

Last week's post got me thinking about my crime fighting heroes. Growing up hooked on Spider-man, Batman and Wolverine gave me the notion that with one small radio-active spider bite, one gamma-radiation experiment gone awry . . . I too could develop superpowers and do great good for the world.

Little did I realize that it's not getting the powers that's the hard part. It's putting them to use. I've been reading up on this trend of "real-life superheroes" (the City Pages did a really great overview a few issues back). These are men and women who have the look, the specialized tools, and sometimes the tactical training to take on a bad guy . . . But few of them ever get more action than helping out a lost tourist with directions.

Check out this interview Fox News did with Indianapolis based hero Mr. Silent:

His big accomplishment of the week? Returning someone's purse. Looks like these "real-life superheroes" are picking up where the Boy Scouts of America left off. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad they're out there. And I'm sure that lady is really happy to have her purse back. But these hardly seem like "super" deeds.

Even with the right skills and motivation, finding your chance to vastly improve the world with one swift punch is nearly impossible. The truth is, good and bad are rarely well defined. Having superpowers wouldn't make solving poverty induced crime or global hunger any easier. I guess the real "power" heroes like Mr. Silent have is a tireless ability to keep trying, even when you know you are only improving the planet one purse at a time. But hey, that counts for something right?

What do you think? Is there a place for "real-life superheroes"? Imagine someone like Superman existed, would they really be able to make a difference in today's complicated world?

Dolphin Double-Speak

Posted at 2:25 PM on March 4, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (6 Comments)

Ok, what's up with the coy headlines on this dolphin thing?

Associated Press: Minnesota Zoo cancels dolphin shows while animals get acquainted

OK, that sounds boring. But what the heck does it exactly mean?

Well, it means a new female dolphin was introduced at the zoo, and the older male dolphin is suddenly thinking only with his dorsal fin. If ya know what I mean...(nudge nudge!)

The details are there, delicately presented in the stories. But here's how the Pioneer Press plays it in their lead paragraph:

"The Minnesota Zoo has canceled its popular daily dolphin shows — possibly until Memorial Day — so two new dolphins can learn the routines and become better acquainted with their pool companions."

What is it with the "get acquainted" language? Who's writing this, Queen Elizabeth? The AP leaves it even more vague, waiting for a few paragraphs in to state demurely that "a courtship has already begun."

It's weird that the instinct is to tip-toe around the language most normal human beings would use to talk about a story like this.

Evidently it's news that the zoo has a horny dolphin. So if you're willing to make that call, why not just say so?

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Manage your time the 8-bit way

Posted at 12:31 PM on March 6, 2008 by Sanden Totten

Some of you may know I've been helping out at Weekend America the last couple of weeks. It's been fun but pretty crazy as well. Today I potentially have 4 interviews to do and 2 stories to cut down from them afterwards! Managing my time has felt like playing a particularly challenging game of Tetris.

So, on that note. I thought it would be a good time to post this video. It's one of my favorite tributes to one of my favorite games. Check out HUMAN TETRIS:

Election coverage poll: Had enough yet? MORE MORE MORE?

Posted at 11:59 AM on March 7, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (1 Comments)

Guess who just signed up for a PollDaddy.com account?

(Granted, this could make it dangerously obvious just how few people pay us a visit each day...but here goes!)

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Without nameless, faceless weirdos . . . what is left of the Internet?

Posted at 10:30 AM on March 11, 2008 by Sanden Totten (2 Comments)

A legislator in Kentucky wants to outlaw anonymous comments on the Internet. His plan? Make everyone register with a website before leaving their message. Websites or blogs that fail to comply get fined.

Whaaa?

The idea is to curtail Internet bullying. A worthy cause, but this is crazy on several levels. Representative Tim Couch, the man behind the proposed bill admits, technically this "would be a challenge". Yes. Yes, it would Tim.

But all the details aside, the anonymity of the web is one of its best features. What would chat rooms be like if everyone had their reputation to worry about? What would tell all bloggers do if a quick Google search could dredge up harmful information? What about folks on the Internet who log on to be someone else, like a different age, gender or even species (Second Life - I'm looking at you).

Every time a law like this surfaces I shudder. Yes, I want a solution to online bullying. But please don't sacrifice the best parts of this social experiment we call the Internet to find it.

And on that note:

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"Red Tail" Northwest doc aims for Sundance

Posted at 3:38 PM on March 12, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

Nothing like a random email to give you a shot of nostalgia. Maybe not quite nostalgia...

Back when I spent my days (and nights, and sometimes weekends) dogging the continual labor troubles at Northwest, some folks got started on a documentary called "The Red Tail." The filmmaker's father was a mechanic who went on strike and subsequently lost his job. Here's the trailer:

Red Tail - Press Clip from Dawn Mikkelson on Vimeo.

After not hearing from them for a year or two, they just sent out an update. Just like it's been a hard slog at Northwest itself, it sounds like finishing the documentary has been a long journey. But the film is growing in scope. They've been to Hong Kong and are banking on a fundraiser this month to send them off to mainland China to visit some of the places Northwest's planes are now serviced.

This is a "documentary" in the sense that Michael Moore's films are documentaries. And it proceeds on the faith that there's a lot of dramatic punch in the Northwest mechanics' union stories (I haven't seen in any of the footage so far much mention of unions other than the ill-starred AMFA). I'm not so sure that story line is potent any more. The mechanics story is indeed sad -- but all the more because it failed to resonate with the public.

Still, it's a smart move to go personal, and keep it focused on the father. This thing could score after all, if they raise the money.

According to the web site, the goal for this thing is Sundance 2009.

(Yeah, I know, Collins posted on this too -- but I was halfway done with this before I saw that. And he didn't mention the Sundance thing :-)

Poll: "Spitzer's wife: What was she thinking???"

Posted at 12:45 PM on March 14, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

(TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

You've seen the captivating photo: Silda Spitzer, formerly high-powered attorney, who gave it all up to help her husband's political career succeed. Knowing pretty soon she has to leave the podium and figure a few things out with "Client No. 9."

What's going on behind those glazed eyes?

Got your own theory? Leave a comment!

"Just Waiting for my Airplane to the Sea"

Posted at 11:25 AM on March 20, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (1 Comments)

Here's the deal: In The Loop got all hyped up to help out with some fun content from our listeners in the event of a Northwest-Delta merger. At one time, it felt extremely likely that merger was about to happen.

In the meantime, Delta pilots got cold feet or something and it looks like everyone might have gotten all worked up for nothing. Some of the stuff we had from listeners doesn't make any sense without a merger, and may never see the light of day.

We did, however, have this cute take on "Octopus's Garden" from listener Chris Kemp, inspired by the merger talk:

This text will be replaced by the flash music player.

Airplane to the Sea Lyrics and vocals by Chris Kemp Right-click here to download

Chris sent in the lyrics, we dug up a karaoke track, monkeyed with it a little bit, and he came in and laid on the vocals. And then we....waited.

Well, no more. Northwest and Delta, we are out of patience. At the very least, Chris's very Loop-worthy effort deserves a place of honor here on the blog.

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The best of YouTube: like the Oscars only less predictable

Posted at 4:54 PM on March 21, 2008 by Sanden Totten (2 Comments)

A glimpse into the narrative of America? The best of the lowest common denominator? The "genius" of crowds? The most famous you can get without actually being famous?

No matter what you want to make of it, YouTube has announced the winners of the 2007 Video Awards .

Unlike the Oscars, YouTube doesn't have a "best video" category. It just has 12 genre categories, like comedy, music and "adorable". I like that better though. The title "best picture" always seems a tad presumptuous. What if I don't like subtle dramas about the human condition? Can it really be the "best" if I'd rather see a movie with talking animals or zombie escape scenes?

Anyway, the winners are certainly worthy. Some of my favorites are there, like Human Tetris (winner in the Creative category), Potter Puppet Pals (Comedy) and local vocal phenom Tay Zonday (Music).

None of these videos look perfect. A lot of them are only interesting for one or two minutes. Some of them I don't quite get. But still, there's something triumphant about each one. Whether it's a heard of water buffalo's rescuing a calf from a pride of hungry lions, a strangely deep voiced singer getting his moment in the spotlight or a formula for beating the Rubick's Cube, each of these videos is a little story of victory. And honestly, I feel like I got a much better look at the "human condition" through these twelve videos than any of the "best picture" Oscar winners of recent memory.

Go ahead and check them out. It'll only take about a half hour of your day. And let me know what you make of it all. If you had to pick, would you rather see the best films according to the Oscars or according to YouTube?

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The "Loop" in action...

Posted at 10:09 AM on March 24, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (1 Comments)

Step 1: We put out a call for songs about the Northwest Airlines merger (which now seems highly unlikely, but play along...)

Step 2: Chris Kemp sends in lyrics based off of "Octopus's Garden."

Step 3: We dig up a karaoke track and have Chris come in and record the new vocals.

Step 4: We post the song here on the blog.

Step 5: Chris's brother David mixes his brother's song into a YouTube video.

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Are bats (and bees) going the way of the buffalo?

Posted at 12:00 PM on March 25, 2008 by Sanden Totten

(photo courtesy of tcatcarson via creative commons)

As if losing his parents wasn't bad enough, Batman is about to get even lonelier.

The New York Times ran some sad news for lovers of the nocturnal flying mammal. Bats are dying off and no one knows why. Some are dying in their sleep (winter is hibernation time after all). Others are waking up too soon and flying outside in daylight only to collapse in the snow. Scientists are baffled as to what is causing this strange bat-havior, but it seems to be linked to a mysterious white fungus that has been found on the bodies of some bats.

This is scary for several reasons. One: bats are crucial in the fight against mosquitoes, flies and other summertime pests. Two: bats are pollinators . . . especially in desert areas where the few plants that exists are quite important. And three: Bats flying out of caves during the day covered in white fungus is freaky and will scare your children next time you are camping.

This whole episode is reminiscent of last year's bee scare. It doesn't look like the two are directly related, but in both cases some suspect humans are to blame.

Yikes. Looks like we could use a hero to step in and solve this problem. Unfortunately, Batman is silently weeping for the loss of his fuzzy flying friends. Let's hope our scientists can figure this one out before it's too late!

Poll: Hillary's "Sniper-Gate:" What really happened?

Posted at 1:33 PM on March 26, 2008 by Jeff Horwich

Hillary Clinton: I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.

Hmmm...evidently, the first lady's 1996 visit to Bosnia didn't play out that way. It was more like a leisurely stroll down the tarmac to the official greeting party, including an eight-year-old girl who gave her a poem. (And apparently, on this dangerous mission, comedian Sinbad was along for the ride.)

So now the sniping really begins. What can possibly account for her faulty recollection?

Leave your vote, and a comment with your own explanation!

Has a presidential candidate shown up in your dreams lately?

Posted at 12:45 PM on March 27, 2008 by Sanden Totten

Sometimes our dreams let us know how we really feel . . . other times, they totally change our feelings. Take this 22 year old female Obama supporter for example:

"I met McCain in a big industrial kitchen. He looked about ten years younger than he does on TV . . . Suddenly I realized that he was in love with me, and to my own surprise I realized that I was in love with him, too. I was overcome with embarrassment and sadness because I knew nobody would respect me for loving an older man, especially a Republican, but I had never fallen so quickly for someone before."

That's an expert from a dream posted on the site I Dream of McCain. It's part of a "metaphysical poll" on the three presidential candidates. There's also I Dream of Barack and I Dream of Hillary.

Dreamers can log on and enter their own night time trysts with one of the three presidential hopefuls. It's also fun to read through. The New Yorker did a nice overview of common dream-themes. Sex, death, cars and drugs all come up regularly ("Hillary Clinton came to my apartment, smoked a bowl with me and a couple friends, then she gave me an iPhone," one dreamer wrote.)

Overall, the dreams are surprisingly personal. Picnics, vacations, therapy sessions . . . people are getting the kind of face time with candidates that would make even Iowans jealous. And more than once a supporter of one candidate is wooed by the opposite candidate in a dream. In fact, I'm sure if they could, the candidates would jump all over the chance to hit the dreamscape campaign trail. They could make personal pleas to each American for their vote, and not be held responsible if they smoke a dream bowl along the way.

Got a dream of your own? Go ahead and submit it here, or post something below. What other famous people have popped up in your dreams? Did it change the way you felt about them?

Breaking news: Canada makes a bid to buy Ely

Posted at 12:20 PM on March 28, 2008 by Jeff Horwich (12 Comments)

I guess being so far from the action can leave you feeling a little...detached. Dejected.

Apparently the residents of little Ely, Minnesota have decided they've had enough of life on the fringes of Minnesota, and are threatening to up and move to Canada (about 25 miles away).

In The Loop sources have supplied an early copy of the town's pending news release:

ELY, MINN. -- April 1, 2008 -- Today it was announced that Canada has made an unprecedented offer, as a boost to tourism, to purchase the famous Boundary Waters town of Ely, Minn., and relocate it north of the U.S./Canadian border.

In a prepared statement, the Premier of Ontario pledged Ely will retain its worldwide reputation as the entryway to the Boundary Waters, though now from the other side, as well as its legendary lakes, resorts, restaurants, gift shops and museums, including the world-famous International Wolf Center.

Reportedly, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has entered into negotiations with the Minnesota DNR and the Governor's office to arrive at a satisfactory price. Sources close to the deal say that Ely will become Ely, Ontario as early as 2009.

Well...not exactly.

This text will be replaced by the flash music player.

It's part of a pretty clever ad campaign whipped up for April Fools week, including some fake news spots that might make me do a double-take if I heard them on commercial radio:

Other spots simulate a bidding war for Ely, among Nebraska, Uzbekistan, and a tycoon who wants to move the town to his private island.

The message, of course: Get up to Ely while you still can!

Somehow I don't think the press will actually bite on the story (God help any poor little newsroom that sincerely relays this release without checking it out!) but it's a good attention-getter.

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"How do you feel about video games?"

Posted at 4:01 PM on March 31, 2008 by Sanden Totten (4 Comments)

Last night I watched The King of Kong. It's a documentary about competitive arcade game players. Most of the serious competitors in the movie were in their 30's, 40's and 50's. In fact, there was one lady gunning for the Q-Bert high score who was in her 80's.

This made me think about how by now, folks who grew up on early video games (think Atari and Nintendo) must be turning into parents. It's only a matter of time until video games are an accepted and mainstream form of entertainment, right?

Maybe not. I found this article written by a video game designer. She says that at parties with folks her own age, almost universally people trash her profession:

"Videogames are addictive, violent and blood-soaked. People just shouldn't let their kids play games."

So she sent an e-mail to 40 of her friends asking one simple question: "How do you feel about video games?" Her inbox filled up with smack talk. 38 out of the 40 said something negative about games.

I guess I was expecting her to get a more nuanced response. But it seems people love to hate on video games. Why? Are people thinking of a study or a specific event that makes them dislike games, or are video games just tagged with negative imagery in the collective mind?

So let me throw this same question at you. What are your feelings about video games? I'm curious to know what images and ideas first pop into your head when you think about them. Try it sort of like a word association game. Post your responses below.

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