http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19283
by Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet
It’s been quite a year in the Twin Cities, and the Daily Planet has
been on the scene. With the help of our media partners and our
tireless citizen journalists, in 2008 we published over 10,000
articles, blog entries, photos, and event listings. When we saw that
the Minnesota Independent had tallied their top ten most-read
articles for the year, we were inspired to check the stats and see
what articles Daily Planet readers found most fascinating in 2008.
Arts Orbit Weekly: 1/1/09
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19308
by Jay Gabler, TC Daily Planet
What to do, read, hear, and see this week.
MnIndy's Best: Top RNC tweets
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/19311
by Paul Schmelzer, Minnesota Independent
Tweets — the 140-character mini-blog posts sent via Twitter — are
very much of-the-moment and therefore often have a fairly short shelf-
life. But in reviewing these brief dispatches sent by our reporters
during the Republican National Convention, we found that, despite the
140-character restraint and the inevitable typos that result from
punching in text on a cellphone while ducking teargas canisters, an
RNC-only best-of list was a fitting way to capture the humor,
excitement and surreal nature of last summer's event.
Protesters occupy Klobuchar's office
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/19322
by Nekessa Opoti, TC Daily Planet
A group of about 40 protesters on Tuesday afternoon took over Senator
Amy Klobuchar's Minneapolis office, demanding that the Senator take a
stand against the recent Israeli attacks on Gaza. After two hours,
they got a meeting with Senator Klobuchar.
Department of Defense recruiting immigrants
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/16714
by Ndze Ntuv Evaristus Tunka, African News Journal
The US Department of Defense recently announced the launching of a
new recruiting program that is designed to attract immigrant
healthcare workers, linguists and also cultural specialists to serve
in the military. The new program targets immigrants who can legally
work in the US but do not have "Green Cards"-Permanent Resident Status.
INSIDE THE DAILY PLANET
MOVIES | Top ten of 2008
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19307
by Jim Brunzell III, TC Daily Planet
I saw over 200 films in 2008, and narrowing a list down to the top
ten films is tough. In 2002, I bought a blank book and started
writing down every film I saw, making it easier to create a top-ten
list each year. Going through my book brought back a lot of memories
of films that I hardly remember anything about. For instance, how did
the French film Roman de Gare end? I don’t recall. Does that mean
it’s forgettable? Not exactly, but the ones that jumped out are
denoted with a little star—if anyone asked me about one of those
movies, I could tell him or her what I enjoyed about it or why it
worked.
THEATER | "Grease" at the Orpheum is nothing special...but then, it
doesn't need to be
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19328
by Jean Gabler and Betsy Lofgren, TC Daily Planet
In 1978, the movie "Grease" was released and became a smash hit at
the box office. Before it was a hit movie, though, "Grease" was a
musical written for the stage. A new touring production is currently
playing at the Orpheum Theatre.
DINING | Roat Osha: More of the same in Uptown
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/16717
by Jeremy Iggers, Secrets of the City
Roat Osha offers Thai food the way Americans like it, and that's just
fine. The new Thai restaurant at 27th and Hennepin follows pretty
much the same formula as the other three Uptown Thai eateries,
including Chiang Mai Thai, Amazing Thailand, and Roat Osha's sister
restaurant, Tum Rup Thai: stylish contemporary décor, big bar with a
hip cocktail menu, and lots of colorful dishes that tend to look
alike, because they all have carrots and broccoli and green beans and
big chunks of red bell pepper. Okay, not all of them, but you get the
idea. And of course, cream cheese wontons.
Weekend What's What 1/1-1/4: Feelin' fine in 2009
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19326
by l'etoile magazine staff
By now, your New Year’s hangover ought to have scabbed over, leaving
only the residual memories of the festive fool-making you most likely
participated in. This weekend feel free to take it easy with some
cool art exhibits or a burlesque show; or keep partying with plenty
of rockin’ live music. Whatever you do, we wish you a wonderful
beginning to a wonderful new year!
MUSIC | Behind the scenes with Jimmy Lyback of Sunshine Behavior
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19298
by Dwight Hobbes, TC Daily Planet
"We've achieved staying power and we're going to push it."
Swedish, Minneapolis teachers share educational experiences
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/16712
by Katie Fournier, The Bridge
"In Minneapolis, you have an expectation that children will succeed,
an attitude of 'yes, you can do it!'" observed a Swedish teacher,
part of a group from Uppsala, Sweden that visited Minneapolis public
schools in late October.
NEW IN BLOGS
BLOG OF THE MODERATE LEFT | Of Cats and Conformity
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/19264
by Jeff Fecke • During our marriage, my ex-wife and I peaked at three
cats. We divided custody after our divorce; Tucker lives with me, and
Cassidy and Fusser stayed with my ex, as she came into the
relationship with them.
SAINT PAUL ALMANAC | Minnesota RollerGirls
http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/19268
by Drew Johnson • The door to the legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium
doesn't even open for an hour, yet eighty people are waiting as my
wife and I step into line. In another half hour, the line will double
and then double again, until the RiverCentre staff will ask the
RollerGirls to open the doors early. A line of over three hundred
people messes up the flow of the public through Saint Paul's
convention center and to the Xcel.
LIFE OF CYN | Does your man smell like schizophrenia?
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19317
by Cyn Collins • What to do with a guy who has a funky odor.
SINGLE WHITE FRINGE GEEK | It seems like happiness is just a thing
called...
http://tcdailyplanet.net/node/19318
by Matthew A. Everett • I avoided writing the final monologue in my
play "Leave" even though I knew for a couple of days exactly what it
was going to be. That time I was unconsciously trying to avoid the
death of a fictional character. This time it’s real.