apple juice

Some trips this weekend are sold out on the train running between St. Paul and Chicago.
— Read on www.startribune.com/amtraks-popular-borealis-train-a-hot-ticket-on-mea-weekend/601496044

Now just imagine faster speeds and more frequent service!

This article is so timely because I walked to and from work today (about 3.5 miles each way, and made a stop at the bookstore on the way home)

Everyone at work was like… “You WALKED?!? Are you insane? How far is that!?”

Too Many of Us Are Missing the Benefits of a Good, Long Walk

In general, Americans are far behind most of the world when it comes to everyday walking habits, and Minnesota is in the middle of the pack nationally when it comes to walking rates. Even in parts of the city with nice sidewalks, close destinations and good weather, most people don’t walk much unless they’ve got a dog with them. For Twin Cities folks, any unnecessary walking, like being forced to park a block from a restaurant, is seen as a travesty.

Happy to say I’m well over 15,000 steps today 🙂

• Light Rail System Testing Beginning
• Airports Refuse to Show Kristi Noem Video (Including MSP)
• Demolition on the Nicollet Ave. Bridge Started Today One step closer to reopening Nicollet Ave.
• Trump Cancels Nation’s Largest Solar Project Ideology over everything else.
• A Powerhouse Writer Found One Word to Change the Debate About Tech

• What To Make of A Precarious State
• Designing Tech-Ready Spaces for Tomorrow’s Learning
• Chacha Land: The Dream and the Nightmare of Skiing in Georgia
• Last Week Tonight: Bari Weiss
• The A.I. Prompt That Could End the World

• Stephen Miller Is Going for Broke "Violence is not the cause of Trump and Miller’s desire to use state power to crush their opposition. It is the pretext for which they transparently long."
• ‘A Precarious State’ skims the surface of our urban condition People keep sending me the video
• Is The Bread in Europe Better For You? I’ve been asking this question ever since our trip
• What Neuroscience Teaches Us About Reducing Phone Use A couple of simple tips

This is partially a test of the new blogging plugin I just installed. I pulled a laptop out of recycling and have been wanted to get more experience using Linux as a true productivity device and not something to just screw around with. There is a surprising amount of little functions and workflows that one takes for granted having been pretty Mac-exclusive for so long.

Metro Transit

I still strongly believe in the necessity of a good transit system to help create a livable city, and Metro Transit has definitely had it’s ups and downs over the past 10 years. We are still living through the construction of the green line extension in our backyard. I’m going to be one of the first people on that train when it opens in 2027. I’m hopeful that the blue line extension will proceed, and hopefully not all of the delays and lawsuits and nonsense that the green line faced.

Anyway, I’ve been trying to make some more trips on Metro Transit. I want to shout out the excellent app simply called Transit it provides the real-time information and routing information I’ve always wanted. If I could only buy and store tickets in there I’d be set.

Today’s trip was easy. Train was on time. Everything was chill on the train. Multiple Metro Transit employees around.

The $6 we spent on fares sure beats the $60+ uber or parking options. Just can’t wait until we have access to a stop within walking distance!

“The Minneapolis music scene has been adored by fans around the world. And many of the local Black artists — Prince, Jimmy Jam, Morris Day and the Time, Lizzo and others — who subsequently earned national acclaim were already staples on KMOJ before the world met them.”

Important article about KMOJ’s future in the startribune – I still believe radio matters and MSP has a strong culture of independent radio. I’ve been heartened to hear that The Current has been making progress towards their goal of 5,000 new subscribers, and I’m hopeful that KMOJ is successful in raising the funds they need to be a fixture of the Minneapolis music scene well into the future.