Talks stop at COP15

UPDATE 7:55 a.m – Chuck Olson reports that the talks are back on after a meeting between the African bloc and Conie Heegard. Here’s the link – can’t confirm, because I don’t read Danish.

Endnu et lille drama er nu historie på klimakonferencen i Bella Center.

Efter et møde med COP15-formand Connie Hedegaard er forhandlerne fra de afrikanske lande og gruppen af verdens fattigste lande blevet enige om at genoptage møderne.

The African bloc walked out of climate change negotiations today, stopping all talks at the Copenhagen climate change meeting, according to BBC. The Washington Post reported that the entire G77 bloc of developing nations has walked out. Continue reading

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More dollars for diplomas

The University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities will both raise tuition rates in the fall, reports MPR. The U of M currently plans a 7.5 percent hike, but that could increase if the legislature cuts funding. MNSCU is planning a five percent increase, but that, too, could change if the legislature cuts more than $10 million from the $615 million MNSCU budget. State Senator Sandy Pappas, chair of the higher education committee, is not optimistic: Continue reading

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H1N1 shots – for everyone

St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health announced that everyone can come and get an H1N1 flu shot, beginning with a clinic on Saturday, December 19, from noon to 4 p.m. at North Heights Christian Academy, 2701 North Rice Street, Roseville. According to the Ramsey County Public Health website, “The vaccine is free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.” Pubic health officials said they are opening the shots to everyone because there is more vaccine than is needed for high-risk groups. The website also lists clinics earlier in the week for high-risk groups – call 651-266-2440 for further information. Continue reading

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Obama accepts Nobel Peace Prize

Less than ten days after escalating the war in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Whether you count that as irony or tragedy, his speech is part of the public record and debate – and TPM is one place to get the full text and video. Obama offers an eloquent defense of just war theory, though IMHO even just war theory doesn’t support the current war(s). Continue reading

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Twin Cities top schools – according to U.S. News & World Report

In its annual ranking, U.S. News gave a silver rating to nine Twin Cites metro area high schools: Central High School (St. Paul), Patrick Henry High School (Minneapolis), South High School (Minneapolis), Edina High School, Hopkins High School, Irondale High School (New Brighton), Mounds View High School, Roseville High School,and Wayzata High School. Continue reading

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When is an ICE raid not an immigration raid?

Yesterday at Plaza Lake, according to Alberto Monserrate’s post at PrensaLibreSur, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided businesses suspected of piracy: Continue reading

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John Harrington and Dick Day

Minnesota State Senator Dick Day and St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington both announced that they are resigning – but the circumstances are very different. Continue reading

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Health and Human Rights Day

December 10 is International Human Rights Day and, in observance of that day, the Minnesota AFL-CIO is sponsoring a forum on health as a human right. Then, at 12:30, three DFL legislators will present their plan to save GAMC – General Assistance Medical Care, which serves as a safety net for the poorest, most marginalized people in our community. MinnPost reports that about 36,000 poor adults are currently enrolled in GAMC. Governor Tim Pawlenty cut all funding for GAMC as part of his unallotment strategy for solving the state budget deficit in the current biennium. Continue reading

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Now is the time: H1N1 shots

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Today’s Star Tribune editorial lays it out – while the second wave of H1N1 may be fading, the third wave is just over the horizon and now is the time to get vaccinations: Continue reading

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Locked out in the blizzard

An email from WAMM and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout tells a dramatic story: In south Minneapolis, during Tuesday night’s blizzard, Leslie Parks arrived home to find the locks changed, leaving them outside in the blizzard. Parks and her mother have been trying to negotiate a way to reverse last May’s foreclosure and stay in their home. According to the press release:

After the start of national call-in week to IndyMac officials, IndyMac informed Leslie, in writing, on November 25 that they were rescinding both the foreclosure and the sheriff’s sale. According to Ms. Parks, “I got an email from IndyMac stating, and I quote, ‘In an effort to work with you and your mother and come to a resolution, we have started the process of rescinding the Trusteed Sale which took place on May 29, 2009.’ They go on to say, and again I quote, ‘You expressed concern that at the end of the redemption period (on Monday November 30, 2009) you and your mother will be evicted from the property. Rest assured, that will not take place due to the rescission of the foreclosure sale.’” …
Bailout lawyers also point out that even IF IndyMac had not come to the table, the next step would be a notice to come to court for eviction proceedings. In no case should the locks be changed. “They did the same thing in May of this year – changed the locks illegally. We had to take them to court and fine them, and we will do it again,” said Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

According to Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, Parks and allies went to court Wednesday morning, and the judge ordered IndyMac to let her back into her house. Negotiations between Parks and IndyMac/OneWest are still on-going, and the next court date is December 16 at 8:30 a.m.

(I tried calling IndyMac to get their version of the story, but no one at their corporate office was authorized to talk about the lockout, or even knew anything about it. They gave me a phone number for “the people they use” for PR — but there was no one answering phones at that office either – only voicemail.)

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