Sunday, January 29, 2006

Wireless Internet - A New Utility for Lake Minnetonka?

A New Utility or Little Brother Comes Knocking?

From the Lakeshore Weekly:
“The Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission(LMCC) met recently to discuss whether a wireless Internet system would make sense for the Lake Minnetonka area.”

I would like the LMCC to define “makes sense” and for whom. It makes sense for the LMCC. The 17 member cities would, through the LMCC, provide you with the service you had previously privately purchased. At a nominal fee, this new public utility would have incredible access to information you have on your computer, on your internet usage and on your consumer habits... all with your approval. - And what a fun new toy for the LMCC.

About the LMCC from their web site:
“The Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission is a joint powers agreement of seventeen cities with two representatives appointed from each city. The general purpose is to administer and enforce a non-exclusive franchise agreement with the cable company. The Commission fields subscriber concerns and guides studio policy. Commission meetings are held monthly and are open to the public. To learn more, contact the LMCC at (952) 471-7125. The Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission strives to ensure appropriate cable communications standards to its cities' residents. The LMCC also provides a television studio for public use and is dedicated to providing our communities with television production training and cablecast access at no charge.”

I encourage Lake Minnetonka residents to study this “new utility”. The City of Minneapolis is currently evaluating which of 2 companies to partner with in their new wireless system. 2 companies. I wonder how involved and informed the citizens of Minneapolis have been in the development of this new utility.

Friday, January 27, 2006

A Hot Time On The Lake

A Chill Wind Does Not Blow

Lake Minnetonka Businesses dependent on ice fishing, people sporting on the Lake, and of course snowmobiling are feeling a real crunch. Not only is there very little snow (Lord knows we have had years of little snow) - now we have day after day of January temperatures in the mid forties. Frosty has vanished for cooler climes.
It is warm enough not only to ward off motor vehicles from the unsound
surface, but even the usual walkers and skiers have left the Lake a desolate void.
I used to go for a run on the lake, winding my way among the little ice villages and imagining that I was on an Alaskan ice flow.
Maybe in February.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

A Warm Wind In January


A Warm Wind In January
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Winter Carnival Medallion found by Lake Minnetonka

Under the category of stories I would like to see:
The St. Paul Winter Carnival Medallion was discovered on the shore of Lake Minnetonka near Al and Almas Boat Landing. To everyone's surprise it was not found in a Pearson Nut Goodie wrapper, but in the skeletal remains of the missing Candy bar heiress - Helen Vooorhees Pearson - missing since 1977!
The Hennepin County Sherrif was called to investigate.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Art Bell's Wife Ramona Passed Away Last Week

A few that read this blog, and all my friends, know that I am a radiophile. I have layed awake a good portion of my life listening to the radio, from the dawn of the Beatles in the 60s to the present. The Art Bell phenomenon has always been a true fascination to me. The Rod Serling of night time radio, Art's very personal style and straight-out whackiness is now part of the American culture. He inspired my first "proto blog" named "The Adventures of Professor Donald P. Stone". Yes it was pretty terrible, but I enjoyed it and it had an Art Bell flair. I may ressurrect it out of pure silliness.

To continue:
Art just spent the last hour (12:00am-1:00am Sunday) in a very personal talk with his listeners describing his wife's death in detail. Ramona died of asthsma at the age of 47. He described his utter lonliness. He has insisted on returning to the air to keep himself busy.

1:18-bulletin: Art's talk was just interrupted by the police who heard him on the radio and checked on his condition. That is live radio.
Well I must go to bed, and fall asleep listening to Art and his guest describe super string theory and "an ocean of universes".

Went to the fortune teller


Bringing the horse around


Bringing the horse around
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

Friday, January 20, 2006

Saturn 2006 Acrylic on Canvas


Wednesday, January 18, 2006

"Excelsior Council Member Investigated For Theft"

Lakeshore Weekly News headlines*:
"Excelsior Council Member Investigated For Theft"

In this article, an Excelsior city council member (Bob Bolles) was investigated but not charged by the Hennepin county Sheriff for throwing away 2 boxes of scented candles from an office he rents. He did not own the candles, his landlord did. After asking the landlord to remove the boxes (in what is implied to be a non-amicable relationship) he threw the candles into a dumpster. The unnamed store owner called the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department, who in turn called the Hennepin County Sherriff (The same department who investigated the now dead & buried Vikings Boat incident). Resposibilites for investigation are somewhat in dispute. A Hennepin county Sherriff's police investigation resulted. After the Hennepin County Sherrif's investiagation and negotiationwith the invoved parties, councilman Bolles paid $300 restitution for throwing the candles away.
The subcontracted City Attorney, Jeff Lambert, is still reviewing the case.

A note: There is more to this little incident than just 300 dollars worth of scented candles. We have 2 Police Departments, a City Attorney, a landlord (unnnamed) and a tennant who cannot get 2 boxes of scented candles cleaned up without 5,000 dollars in legal fees.


• Lakeshore Weekly News is a free publication that serves the Lake Minnetonka area.

Monday, January 16, 2006

POPPEE'S GOLDEN RULES OF ICE FISHING

There are three rules of ice fishing that Poppee ( a world classs ice fisherman - from Vermont, for Gods sake) has dubbed his golden rules. You will do well to heed them.
Rule #1: Be safe. Never ever walk out on unsafe ice. Drowning over a bucket of perch is not an option.
Rule #2: Don't be cheap.
Rule #3: Don't be a moron. Popee goes into some detail on this point. - Example; don't drill a fishing hole into another fisherman's foot just because he caught a fish.

Well, I have broken Popee's first 2 rules while taking the following photos. As I walked across the Lake, with coffee and camera in hand, I noticed the emptiness, and lack of vehicles. It was early. I sipped and framed up a couple shots, both of which did not work out. I walked a little further and heard a little sound. A grumble. A low level groan. Ice shifting. Crackling?
Techtonic plates rubbing elbows? No, - I could see open water.
Popee suggests you carrry an ice auger or meta cleaver, - something to extracate yourself when you make the icy plunge into the morass. I had a Swiss army knife. I backed away ....slowly.
I did not violate rule #3. The morning shots are my gift to you.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

The Moon sets during a Saturday walk on the lake


A Saturday walk on lake
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

A Saturday morning walk on the lake


A Saturday walk on lake
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

The Noble Ice Fishing House


A Saturday walk on lake
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.



As the sun began to go down, I could hear the fishermen readying for an evening of fishing in St. Louis Bay.

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Before the meltdown


Before the meltdown
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

A ticket in my mailbox

The Mysterious intersection at McGinty Road & 101

On any given day, during waking hours, this is a traffic thorn in the motorist's side, or a railway spike in it on bad days. I have often wondered why this 4-way, semifore regulated intersection has remained a backed up mess for the 15 years I have used it. Finally, it has become clear to me. The city of Wayzata wants it that way, in a (futile) attempt to force drivers to use alternate routes. I will not bore you with the details, but the punitive management of 101, the only road to cross the eastern side of Lake Minnetonka, reflects a local rendition of the paternalistic management style of the Minnesota DMV. - Well, that's my observaton, and I expect my automatic video camera ticket to be in the mail.
- No, there is none at this intersection.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

winter window


winter window
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

Saturday, January 07, 2006

runnning shoes


runnning shoes lay about
Originally uploaded by minnetonkafelix.

Friday, January 06, 2006

A Curmudgeon's Fitness Trend Review

Lake Minnetonka Magazine, an upscale publication for the Lake Minnetonka environs, has published a list of “Top 10 Trends in Fitness and Health”. I am a classic fitness person. I have never enrolled in any Spinning classes (in the dark or light) and I never practiced the Winsor Pilates ‘ab fest’. In other words - I am an anti social workout bum. I run the streets, I swim on my own side of the lane, I lift freeweights alone and I bicycle (here I part somewhat from personal tradition because I do participate in group rides). I have done these activities for over 35 years and I continue to do so.
Here are the abbreviated “trends” with a few comments and suggestions of my own.

LMM (Lake Minnetonka Mag.) Top 10 Fitness Trends - with MF (Minnetonkafelix) commentary.

1. “Not just looking better, feeling better”. MF comment: I'll be satisfied with looking better.

2. LMM- “Long Term Goals versus short term fix - lifestyle changes versus quick fixes”. MF - Each year after 50 long term and short differentiations mean less. Really - short term fix means injury.

3. LMM - "A personal approach versus the cookie cutter approach". MF - This is just a pitch for personal trainers or physical therapists. Most people just need the basics.

4. LMM - Avoid the scale. MF - Avoid the refrigerator.

5. LMM - Aerobics - still a key piece of the puzzle- try cross training. MF - Yes, it is the cornerstone.
6. LMM- Weight training for all major muscle groups. MF - This is a trend? Genetic supplements - thats a trend.

7. LMM - Focus on alignment and posture for balance. MF - Stretch.

8. LMM - Yoga and pilates for men. MF - these classes are thinning out, and men are 2/3rd of health club memberships.

9. LMM - "Think whole body. Excercise using the whole body rather than isolated exercises". MF - This is another yoga pitch and that is fine, but there is a place for everything - even a french curl.

10. LMM - Any age is the right age to get fit. MF - just keep the under 12 crowd out of the free weight area.

My tips:

1. The first step out the door is the longest. Show up.
2. Alternate workouts, alternate days.
3. Build consistency before intensity.
4. If you think you are injured, stop exercising for God's sake.
5. Ice and water are your friends. Inflamation and dehydration are not.
6. Do not run or bike outside with a headset on.
7. Do not talk on a cell phone while working out - period, exclamation point.
8. Always watch your foot position. In my case in relationship to my mouth is an extra concern.
9. Put a bell on your bike, signal your turns, and stop for stop signs.
10. Good shoes.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

2006 - Dail 911 Story #1

To reinforce my previous post, read this from Ohio: I think I will post these 911 stories as they spring up

MSNBC Bulletin - Jan.4
SEE MY PREVIOUS POST, paragraph 1.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Police aren't sure how else to explain it. But when an officer walked into an apartment Thursday night to answer a 911 call, an orange-and-tan striped cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. The cat's owner, Gary Rosheisen, was on the ground near his bed having fallen out of his wheelchair.

Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911.

**** **** ****
Dark Driving

Lake Minnetonka posts in January become difficult when the lake becomes a slush covered mass. With temperatures a steady 32- degrees, as the talk radio host said this morning, "That's close to freezing"...Yep that's pretty close. Very few ice fishermen, houses or cars on the lake. Poor photo ops. And with oppresive cloud coverage a constant, we are experiencing the longevity of Alaska-like winter days. Dark. Very dark.

I could start a vehicle "sink- o-meter" on my blog. A running count of the number of cars, trucks and snowmobiles that arrive at Minnetonka lake bottom, but I think I will pass at this time. There are just too many sad instances to make light of it.

So let's lighten up in a differnt way. Excersise. A News Years resolution report is next.

Monday, January 02, 2006

Happy 2006, & my silly predictions.

Unable to sleep early Friday morning, in the waning days of 2005, I listened to Art Bell - renowned radio host for the sleepless. Insomniacs nationwide called in their predictions for 2006, and most were merely political wish lists. They are obvious. I tried to compile my own list of preditions, but found them uninspired. I do predict this: There will be more odd 911 dialing stories - you know - “Pet hamster dials 911 to save choking baby’s life”, “911 operator has heart trouble and dials 911 only to get self. Saves own life”.

I tried again on Sunday, and in a half sleepy state wrote delirious predicitons. They are the best kind, and about as likely to happen.

In the desire to be a sage, but an objective one, I would like to make these 2006 predictions.


1. Mike Tice will start his own, very popular Boat Cruise franchise ..
2. Aliens will visit the earth - and ask us the meanings of crop circles.
3. Volcanic activity around Mount Saint Helen will cause a small butterfly in the Amazon rain forsest to flap it’s wings.
4. Young women will begin to utter the forbidden words: “Tatoo removal”.
5. The media re-living of the 60’s decade will enter its 16th year.
6. Hollywood will remake “Happy Days”. Unable to afford balding Ron Howard, Henry Winkler will play Mr. C., 5 Cents will play the Fonz.

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