Examples of The Impact of Johnny Northside’s Blog
A couple comments by two North Minneapolis residents on a recent MNSpeak post about Johnny Northside kind of irked me. Here they are followed by my own comments:
Kurtis:
I don’t think it does a service to any community to exaggerate how awful it is and make it sound like a total cesspool just to make your own boring “story” of having bought a fixer upper more movie worthy.
I don’t see how it’s exaggerating to document open air drug dealing, boarded home break-ins, wandering prostitutes, and slumlords building irresponsible and illegal properties. Shining a light on crap isn’t exaggerating. However, if one gets the impression that the entire North side of Minneapolis is as rough as the stuff Johnny chooses to document on his blog, I can see where one would be miffed.
It may be worth spending time learning more about the topic of the movie before dismissing it based on your assumptions, Kurtis. Having had a chance to see clips, and knowing many of the people involved in the project, I know that John’s actions in North will play a significant role in the film, but the story is not about him.
Bixby:
“I also don’t really know what Johnny Northside’s blog does besides make me want to punch him. Fighting crime in one’s neighborhood and working to improve it great but I don’t think the blog really helps anything.”
I can think of at least a few things Johnny’s blog has achieved:
1. It’s motivated me to spend more time in that part of the city.
2. I’ve spent more money in that part of the city.
3. I’ve attended community meetings about issues important to me in that part of the city.
4. I’ve made friends who I never would have met without being brought together by events John has blogged about.
If you’re going to be a pain in the ass, as John has chosen to be to slumlords, drug dealers, and deadbeat community council members, having a blog is a great way to demonstrate just how much of a pain in the ass you are. It allows John to scale his pain in the assedness beyond community meetings, 311 calls, and other interactions.
Review: On Target: How the World’s Hottest Retailer Hit a Bull’s-Eye
I’ve started reading the 2003 book, On Target, which takes a glowing look at how Minnesota’s favorite big box chain retailer came to be what it is today.
Clearly, a book with the subtitle, “How the World’s Hottest Retailer Hit a Bull’s-Eye” is going to present the company favorably at every opportunity.
So far, the writing has come across as elitist and mean to me. For example,
“Wal-Mart, which is the nation’s largest seller of apparel, may have Target in its crosshairs, but for the down-home discounter to actually compete on Target’s turf would take a cultural and image revolution – one that would risk alienating its traditional customers, who are far more interested in saving hard-earned money on toilet paper and snack food than seeking a Mossimo tee to pair with Armani slacks, or a Michael Graves toaster to complement a stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator.”
The author does seem to capture the Target culture with that spin.
In my opinion, Target’s specialty is their ability run up women’s Target credit cards by convincing them to measure their self-worth based on whether their napkins are in season, or what their can opener says about them as a person, rather than focusing on saving a few bucks on household staples.
The Hamm’s Bear Deserves Better
This monument to the Hamm’s Bear stands outside the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul.
What irks me about this is why didn’t the Hamm’s Bear earn a ful-fledged statue? The guy’s an institution! Mary Tyler Moore had a shorter run and spent less time on TV than this famous local character.
While I doubt we’ll ever see it, a Snoopy-style Hamm’s Bear statues around town deal would be an awesome tribute to our hard working bear.
Johnny Northside Gets Served
Carly and I went to an Adventures of Johnny Northside Movie preview last weekend in the Homewood neighborhood where clips of the upcoming movie where revealed, connections were made, and friendships formed. However, we left a bit too early, so missed an opportunity to see John “Johnny Northside” Hoff get served with a defamation lawsuit.
The Jordan Livability Blog and Anna Pratt both have more information about the $50,000 lawsuit.
I hear that there was a dramatic reading of the papers by John at the party. I’m sorry I missed that.
Dex Doesn’t Know
Dex once again screwed Minneapolis business owners, tax payers, and wasted Carly’s time by delivering yet another set of unwanted phone books to our home.
As I mentioned back in February following a PR piece written by the StarTribune, phone book distributors may maintain unsubscribe lists these days, but there is no incentive to abide by the lists they maintain. By dropping three unwanted books on my property, they can boast about their circulation numbers while taxing my household’s time, my city’s recycling resources while providing absolutely no value to local businesses who put their faith in Qwest Dex’s yellow pages advertising program.
While Yellow Pages industry spokesperson, Amy Healy, doesn’t believe legislation is needed to prevent situations like this, I suggest looking at my situation. I’ve unsubscribed with Dex, I’ve also tried using every 3rd party unsubscribe service I encounter such as Yellow Pages Goes Green. Their opt-out systems have not worked for me. The same problem exists in Denver, as I’ve mentioned here before.
Continuing to deliver yellow pages to people who no longer plan to use them is a nasty circulation inflation tactic that will burn advertiser’s remaining trust in the industry. This self-destructive behavior calls for legislation since the industry seems incapable of changing on its own.
Munich Hilton TP
Nathan traveled throughout Germany to document the TP scene across the pond. We’ve seen a previous example of asymmetrical TP folding out of Europe from Jason who sent in a shot from Belgium a while back.
Heat Kills Receipts
I’m not saying it was hot today. I’m just saying that my receipt pulled a chameleon move after sitting on my car’s seat in the sun all day.
Minneapolis’ New Sidewalk Cuts Are Lame
Some time in recent years, Minneapolis changed the texture of the ramp in their sidewalk cuts. The above photo is an example of what the city is using these days. I happened to grab this photo at 46th Ave S & Lake St E but I’ve seen them used throughout the city in areas with new streets and curbs.
Before using this style, the ramp down to the street from sidewalk height was relatively smooth. In some cases, it was poured concrete. In others, it was a slightly rough surface made up of small rocks.
So, why is the new version with golf ball sized pimples lame? Because it’s difficult to rollerblade over. Small wheels and big bumps don’t mix.
This is particularly problematic on the Northern section of the Grand Rounds. Over the weekend, Carly and I looped from the Stone Arch bridge up past the U of MN, Diagonal Trail, Stinson, St. Anthony, Weber, Victory Memorial, and Wirth Parkways, then back on the Cedar Lake trail on blades.
The new Grand Rounds paths are awesome . . . with one exception. Every road crossing sucks on rollerblades because you have to deal with two of these bumpy sidewalk cuts. Frankly, for most rollerbladers, it’s enough to make the otherwise awesome paths unusable.
I imagine there were some decent reasons for the change to this particular surface. If you know, I’d love to hear it.
Riviera Monaco Tower, Las Vegas, NV TP
Aaron captured this TP shot at the Riviera Monaco Tower in Las Vegas this spring. The TP looks a little rushed but not bad. I suppose people don’t go to Las Vegas for the TP, eh?
CRT Monitors on the Endangered Species List at MSP
I don’t know if the MSP airport is considered a national wildlife refuge for CRT monitors or not, but where else can you find flocks of these things in all of their maladjusted colors? I know this is one of Ben from BenCredible.com’s biggest peeves when he’s traveling in/out of our fair cities’ airport.
MSP does seem to be making the move to LCD at a snail’s pace. This particular flock resides in the A concourse.
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