Live in St. Paul: John Edwards

Braving sub-zero temperatures, Mollie and I drove to St. Paul to see John Edwards speak at the Carpenters Union Hall. He spoke for about 15 minutes, covering the same themes that have earned my support these past two primary cycles -- poverty and inequality, restoring America's moral authority in the word, and universal health care.

The crowd was enthusiastic, though as Edwards repeatedly assailed a health insurance CEO for an exorbitant salary, I mockingly said, "Let's get him!" This is the difficulty with Edwards populist message. He at times relies on creating an enemy out of wealth rather than a rigged economic system.

I hoped Edwards would stress his electability more, it's his strongest argument at this late stage. But my criticisms of his appearance are largely because I've watched his ralies and speeches on the internet, so the material was too well worn to be truly inspirational. That it was Sen. Edwards' third state, having begun the day in Oklahoma didn't help his performance, which I'd say was average, improved by his natural magnetism and clear passion for his subject.

Certainly I intend to support him in the caucus on Tuesday, though I'd welcome a chance to see Sens. Obama or Clinton as well.

and we're back

A gentle hum, warm air flowing through my vents and the power has been restored. Credit Xcel with a rapid response, 42 minutes by my count.

blackout blogging

The temperature is -10. And moments after arriving home from a John Edwards event in St. Paul, the electricity in my home and throughout my block shut off.

Xcel Energy estimates four hours until power will be restored. But having an excess of technology is valuable in these moments, and surrounded by candles and a decending temperature I blog.

they're alive

Clams prepare simply, with wine and garlic, but as they are alive before cooking, they deserve special treatment. To ensure all the clams open properly and taste delicious, I played some Neutral Milk Hotel for them. After all, if nothing else, at least the clams got to hear some tremendous music once before their garlicky demise.

Whether it was the tunes or the clams natural goodness, they sure were tasty:

2007 in music

However late, here’s a quick mention of my favorite albums of 2007:

• Cloud Cult - The Meaning of 8
  
• Explosions in the Sky - All of the Sudeen I Miss Everyone
  
• Okkervil River - The Stage Names

The above three are standouts, the below three, excellent but likely not as lasting:

• Au Revoir Simone - The Bird of Music
  
• Bishop Allen - The Broken String
  
• alaska in winter - Dance Party in the Balkans

2007 in review

Soon-ish a quick rundown of the year's best music, but now, a snapshot of the year past:

States are colored based on my total duration of visit or visits. The redder the state the longer I visited. Light gray states were visited but not slept in. All told:

• Another year with more than 30,000 miles flown.
  
• MSP-LAX-PDX-MSP MSP-MGM-DCA-MGM-MSP MSP-AMS-FCO-AMS-MSP MSP-CRW-MSP MSP-BDL-MHT-MSP MSP-PDX-MSP MSP-DFW-ACT-MSP MSP-ORD-MSP MSP-PDX-MSP MSP-DCA-MSP
  
• Having a home matters, this year I spent more than half my time in Minneapolis.
  
• This year's tally includes overnights in eleven states, DC and four countries (outside the U.S.) and visits to six other states.
  
• I remained stationary for just two months: January and November.