A year later...

It was a year ago today that I got the call we all dread, the call that a close friend had just passed away.

Jared Stene passed away a year ago today. His death was felt across all college campuses in the state. Jared was a strong advocate of higher education and had done some very important work on the rising cost of college textbooks.

We all have our memories of Jared. Whether being a proud member of the Society of the Crown, watching his antics at conferences, his penchant for putting things "on notice", and his interesting artwork, we all miss him dearly.

Jared supported my State Senate campaign back in 2006. He came out on numerous occasions to door knock and to work parades. The Dassel parade and the fun around it is a source of great memories.

Jared seemed a bit nervous. Instead of wearing the "Kimball for Senate" shirt, Jared wanted to wear his DFL shirt with a donkey on it, a shirt that said "Smart Ass", but seemed apprehensive because, well...it's a pretty conservative area.

It was also the weekend of my birthday, so we all went and hung out in Annandale that night. Jared, Nolan, Ryan, Dana, Kristen, Dori and I went and hung out at Tootsies in Annandale, where I witnessed one of the funniest sights I have ever seen. Jared and Nolan knew every word to "My Humps" with Jared dancing at the table as they were singing it.

I wish I had a video camera back then...it was epic.

Jared had a significant impact in our lives. When Dori and I get together with old MSUSA friends, a Jared story is always told, although I am beginning to wonder if the stories aren't being exaggerated a bit now...I'm not sure that Jared and the Winona Senate actually paddled the Potomac back in the day, but I could be wrong.

Jared's legacy lives on.

The Board of Directors with the Minnesota State University Student Association has created a new scholarship to honor Jared and his passion for higher education advocacy.

The Jared Paul Stene Student Leadership Scholarship is a way to honor the phenomenal accomplishments Jared had, and to carry forward Jared’s belief in opportunity for all who wished to pursue higher education. This scholarship will be awarded to students who share Jared’s leadership and passion for student advocacy. The financial support will assist students in continuing to lead others at a time when tuition continues to rise.

In light of a significant budget shortfall this year, we've heard estimates between $4-6 billion, scholarships such as this are important in working to keep higher education accessible and affordable for working and middle class Minnesota families.

I encourage readers to donate to the scholarship.

Jared would be a bit disappointed in some recent developments in my life. No, not the recent wedding, but our recent purchase of Guitar Hero. Jared had this rant about Guitar Hero a few years ago.

Quite possibly the dumbest game ever created by mankind would be Guitar Hero.
Sorry to be the one to break the news to you but you can not apply the skills you "learn" in guitar hero to anything practical in the real world. Here's a novel idea, how about you learn to play a real guitar?! Because that would be too stimulating and challenging....

So you think you can impress the ladies with your mad guitar hero skills? No, its quite ridiculous sitting there thinking you're "in the band" trying to attempt Smoke on the Water for the 3rd time in the row because you can't press two buttons when the TV tells you too. Monkeys trained by the Soviets that were used in early space flights can most likely kick your ass in guitar hero, if not be able to play at the same level as anyone else.

So please spare us all the horrible rendition of Carry on My Wayward Son and just do something practical and less ridiculous looking.

Jared would definitely put "Rock Band" on notice! And last but not least, the famous "on notice" list!

These are all the things that are "on notice" with me, which means they better change or get their act straight before something bad goes down, and we don't want that now.
On Notice:
-City of Lake City
-Rochester Post Bulletin Reader Comments (http://jarheadjps.blogspot.com/2006/12/post-bulletin-reader-comment.html)
-David Hasselhoff
-People who drive motorized tricycles
-Woodbury mom's who let their four year old kids order their own food at Noodles and Company
-People who haven't seen the 1986 blockbuster hit Top Gun starring Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGillis, and Val Kilmer.
-Anti-Mocha people
-Ladies who run around 4th St. in front of Bub's in Winona and yell at their dog Rufus
-The popular 1990's boy band New Kids on the Block
-MySpace bulletin surveys
-Seagull in front of Kryzsko Commons, Winona State University
-The new Coke display fridge at Mugby Junction on Huff St.

We'll add those that refer to hotdish as casserole.

It will always be hotdish...

Taking a break

A few thoughts before I head out for a week or so.

Steve Sarvi did very well this election. Which is why I believe the blogosphere is big enough for us to provide support to all of our candidates, and not just a selected few who had raised over a million dollars, only to lose. I'm sorry I couldn't get more done for you Steve and the rest of Team Sarvi! I definitely have your back in 2010!

Ashwin's loss was a disappointment. But not as disappointing as Elwyn Tinklenberg losing.

I think the Bachmann attacks at the last minute, on Tinklenberg's MnDOT time hurt him significantly. The Tinklenberg campaign didn't push forth a strong push to attack the Bachmann ads and the last view of the voter was some shady stories about Tinklenberg's MnDOT days. I think his lack of response (other then the campaign emails) hurt him significantly.

Who the hell is Bob Anderson?

I'm proud of Dean Barkley and those I met on his staff. Even if this is a 236 vote difference, I still feel Dean was the best candidate for what we need in the US Senate and I would not have changed my vote.

So is the IP a spoiler? Tough call. I have not seen all the numbers yet. I did hear about how exit polls indicate Barkley voters would have gone 50% for Franken, 50% for Coleman.

Team Barkley ran a great campaign. Some criticize Barkley because it wasn't a Ventura like run.

a. Dean is not Jesse, although Jesse had some involvement.
b. Jesse got a large public subsidy from the State of Minnesota. If Dean had the same amount as Jesse did, he would have been on the airwaves much earlier.

Dean got out raised in this race 1600:1 by both Norm Coleman and Al Franken.

In other words, a $100 contribution to Dean would be like giving $160,000 to Norm or Al.

Coleman and Franken spent nearly $20 per vote they got.

Barkley spent .30 for every vote he got.

In the days after the election, some were pretty ticked off that I would support Barkley and encourage others to do so as well.

Two things influenced my move to a more moderate mode.

a. The DFL crapped on the local units out in Wright County. After the Wright County DFL was dissolved at the State Convention, we were not notified of this until nearly 2 months later. Party officials were supposed to come out and explain how we reconfigure out here (even though it was promised to us that it would not occur until 2010 and that we would get a sufficient number of delegates). No party officials came out to discuss this with us, in fact, they even just failed to show up to an organized meeting and didn't call. There's some shady stuff behind the scenes of some of this stuff, and quite frankly, when the party leadership was confronted, they did nothing.

b. Poor candidate selection and endorsement.

So, to hell with it all. If the party folks (not local) are going to be deceitful and corrupt, I'm not going to be a party to that.

Which is why I will probably run for office next time as an IP candidate. I'm still sorting all this out, but it seems like the best fit for me right now. I'm tired of the BS and a lack of leadership.

Since the party doesn't want to listen, I'll go somewhere where my efforts and opinion are welcomed.

So, with that said...be good! We'll be gone for probably the next week.

I have our grooms dinner tonight and Bluewoman and I are getting married tomorrow afternoon, regardless of the snow!

Then off to Duluth for a few days of relaxation!

Thank you to everyone for your support!

A special thanks go out to the Ollie Ox and Political Muse! Keep up the great work!

Tom, Chris, Sally, Diana, Jim, Jim, Dean, Nikki, and the rest of Team Barkley...

Thank you! Your passion for change and independent thought inspire me.

See you at the wedding!

I Voted For Change

Bluewoman and I were in line before 7am this morning, getting ready to vote for change.

I was the 10th person to cast my vote in town today. I held true to my conscience and voted for Obama, Barkley, Tinklenberg, and Dave Detert.

I also voted no on the Constitutional Amendment as I think the legislature ought to have a little courage and actually pass it without the need for an amendment. I just don't think this stuff should go in the Constitution.

Anyway, it's going to be an interesting day!

Barkley weighs in

Meanwhile, Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley called the latest round of accusations and denials that are suddenly dominating the Senate race "a fitting end to the dirtiest campaign in Minnesota history."

There's really no exaggeration there. This has been the nastiest race in Minnesota history.

Will the Coleman scandal morph into a Rudy Boschwitz sized final stretch election mistake?

Granted, Coleman's sleaze was evident long before the last few days, however his reaction and inability to answer a question straight forward will cost him this election.

Happy MCCL Attack Piece Day!

The Sunday before the election is always my favorite.

I go to church with a clean windshield and leave with an awesome gift!

A shiny new MCCL attack piece!

I can't wait!

Coleman Whines Again

The editors of the Startribune need to "grow some balls" and rescind their endorsement Senator sleaze, Norm Coleman.

For crying out loud.

The Startibune endorses Coleman last weekend, and he proudly boasts the Stribs endorsement on his website.

One week later...

Sheehan also said that the Star Tribune, by reporting on the lawsuits, "is actively participating in the destruction of the reputation of Senator Coleman and his wife.''

I'll say this...

I have some pretty generous friends. Granted, they're not as powerful and Coleman's cronies, but they are generous nonetheless. However, Blueman paid for his own suits. Bluewoman isn't getting $75k funneled from friends.

The Startribune is participating in the destruction of the reputation of Senator Coleman and his wife?

Please.

Senator Coleman is participating in the destruction of their individual and collective reputations. His alleged "unconventional marriage" alone, damages the Coleman family reputation. His rent free living in Washington damages his reputation. His ties to Nasser Kazeminy damage his reputation. His ties to Senator Ted Stevens damage his reputation.

Coleman has shown significant lapses in judgement, enough so that the Startribune and other mainstream media outlets in Minnesota should reconsider their endorsements.

Coleman/Bachmann Photo Captions

What? No kiss?

Post your caption in the comments!

Coleman/Franken: Pioneer Press 4 years ago!

I stumbled upon this neat little article this morning. My how things change!

A September 21, 2004 Pioneer Press story titled "Voters Like Coleman Over Franken"

A few interesting exerpts:

Humorist and liberal talk-radio host Al Franken's first satirical book was "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!

"They may like you, Al, but Minnesotans are not yet ready to elect you to the U.S. Senate.

A new poll shows that if Franken were to challenge U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman in 2008, the Republican incumbent would crush Franken like one of the bugs Franken used to flatten on "Saturday Night Live" during an infamous skit 30 years ago about the supposed indestructibility of cockroaches.

Asked for whom they would vote in the 2008 Senate election, 57 percent of likely Minnesota voters picked Coleman, while 29 percent supported Franken, according to a Pioneer Press/Minnesota Public Radio poll conducted Sept. 11 through 14. The poll had margin of error of 4 percent.

While Coleman's sunk like a rock, Franken is stuck somewhere in the 30's now.

The poll results were heart-warming to Sarah Janecek, a lobbyist and Republican co-editor of the newsletter "Politics in Minnesota," whom Franken criticized in his latest book, "Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them."

"As one of Al Franken's lying liars, I couldn't be more delighted that the guy couldn't even crack 30 percent," Janecek said.

With 3 days left, Franken will most likely climb above 30%, but in my humble opinion, not much more.