Feels like 30 years ago

The Canadian women won the gold in hockey tonight, damnit.

I love Olympic hockey. I'm a Minnesotan who came of age with the 1980 U.S. men's team, how could I not? As I have been watching the Olympics this winter my eyes have naturally been drawn to one of my favorite photos, which hangs prominently in our family room:


Ya, that's me in the middle with my brother close behind, waiting to have our sticks signed by Herb Brooks the summer after the 1980 Olympics. The photo was taken at the Roseville Ice Arena just after a session in Herbie's summer camp. Attending his camp the summer after the Olympics was akin to hanging out with God just after the seventh day. We even got a pep talk from the man himself, in which we were instructed by the greatest coach ever to watch out for fast women.

And the stick? Still got it, including the signature, which I immediately covered in scotch tape when I got home that day. The curve is long gone and it would no doubt disintegrate if I tried to pass a donut, but the signature is as clear as the day he signed it:


No reason at all for this post beyond taking a stroll down memory lane. I hope you're enjoying the games. I'm looking forward to another chance to steal hockey gold from Canada. We shall see.

Another dagger

Dr. Phil Jones admits he is a lousy record keeper, and adds this gem, sure to rip the heart right out of anyone who worships at the altar of warming:

Professor Jones also conceded the possibility that the world was warmer in medieval times than now – suggesting global warming may not be a man-made phenomenon.

And he said that for the past 15 years there has been no ‘statistically significant’ warming.

Yes, even Jones is suggesting now we were all subject to a giant fraud. Well, some of us were more "subject" than others. Les Enfants Terrible has been proud purveyor of denialism since 2005.

A familiar stirring

The winter Olympics are officially open for business, which means - like in 2006 when we mainlined Torino snow - blogging will be even lighter than normal. Indeed, The Terrible Children has been around long enough to cover two winter Olympic games. How about that?

This games gets off to a tragic start. Here's the disturbing video (Just a warning, I wished I hadn't watched it after I did). I'm normally not one to rush to judgment, but how in the hell could there not be copious amounts of padding on those posts?

As is often the case (I'm pretty sure), There are more athletes from Minnesota on the U.S. Olympic team than from any other state. Minnesota probably has more athletes than some of the nations represented at the games.

I don't know how it does in the rest of the country, I've heard not that great. But I bet the broadcast does great here. The winter Olympics are Minnesota's games. It's such a shame that, due to a lack of altitude, we can never host the games. They belong here.

Because you know you want it, here's the curling schedule. Hockey is going on all the time. I can't wait until the medal round, especially the men. All that speed and grace on the big ice. Mmm.

I think I just went "from six to midnight."

Enjoy the games!

Inflation is Everywhere

So, 10-year-old GD⁴ just walked into the room with twenty bucks in quarters. He earned it selling his snacks at school. That's right, he's the kid hooking you up with Oreos for money; every school has one.

The going rate these days, according to GD⁴, is 75 cents to a dollar. And it sure doesn't hurt that GD³ is paying him $1.65 for a scoop of cotton candy ice cream. (The entire box of ice cream was $2.50.)

Time capsule: Everything you could buy from a kid in school was a quarter when I was his age. Everything.

We've had Teaparty since 2005

He doesn't have a website yet, but Bob Barrett is running for Jeremy Kalin's House seat (17B). I've known Barrett and his family for a number of years and he and I have had many a conversation over that time.

Fans of the local editorial pages may recall Barrett; Chisago County is GOP was a big fan of his letters to the editor when he was writing.

I am certain all of the GOP candidates for this seat are good people, but Barrett is the only one I know well enough to state it unequivocally. Bob's not a big shot or anything, just a regular dude; the kind of guy you just know the legislature needs more of but rarely, if ever, enjoys.

If any of the five or ten 17B readers would like to know more about Bob, here's his e-mail: barrett.is.change@gmail.com

Tell him the original Teaparty said hello.