Rambling from the North

I don't think any other blog in Minnesota has covered this yet, but I feel an obligation to do so. The Star Tribune has updated the list of those from Minnesota who have died in Iraq. I ask everyone to take a few minutes out of their day and please go through this list. I have friends over there now, and every time there is news of a Minnesota soldier dying in Iraq, I have an awful dread in my stomach that one day I'll recognize the name or picture, when I don't, I am flooded with a sense of relief. The family and friends of these soldiers aren't so lucky. So please, take a moment, look over the list, pray for their families, and never forget that it isn't just money or international credibility this war is costing us, but American lives, that should never, never have been lost.

I hate when Minnesota gets mentioned in Fark, but its been happening a lot lately, First the Tilt-a-whirl thing, now this.

A Minneapolis city worker is worried about blood in the sewer system because he said, while he was cleaning the system, blood sprayed out of a hole and got all over him.
The Met Council said it was a mix of human and animal blood used in medical testing at this nearby lab.

In fact, the company, R & D Systems, does have a permit to dump blood in the sewer system.

Apparently companies in Minneapolis can get permits to dump blood, and then no efforts are currently being taken to filter this out of the water and make adjustments for large amounts of blood being dumped into our sewers. I do hope Mayor Rybak and the city council will get on this, I'm no medical expert, but that sounds nasty.

Today John Edwards will announce he is suspending his campaign for the US Presidency to focus on his wife, who had a resurgence of breast cancer.

This is terrible news. Whether you were supporting Edwards or not, I hope you'll join me in praying for Elizabeth Edward's safe and speedy recovery.

Updated from earlier: Early media reports had said that Edwards would suspend his campaign, this is apparently untrue and he has decided to continue to pursue the Presidency. I wish him and his wife luck.

Recent reports examining the votes of Senator Norm Coleman have revealed that as he approaches the next election year, his votes have gotten more moderate to appeal to the electorate. In fact, Flip-Flopping Normy has flopped more than all but 2 Senators from Conservative to moderate in the last 3 years.

While he claims this is just his true colors coming out, I think we all know the truth. Norm is scared and the only way he's going to be able to win, is by trying to appeal to the moderate Minnesotan. Well, that hasn't worked before, and I don't think Minnesotans will be fooled.

Norm is listed as the weakest Republican Senator currently by the DSCC followed by Susan Collins of Maine. Norm is running scared and I hope he knows defeat is coming his way in short order. Run Norm, Run!

Former Minnesota State Senator Dallas Sams has passed away at age 54 from cancer. Senator Sams was diagnosed last year with brain cancer and fought it all the way through the election.