Membership Sideblog
- The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
July 31, 2010 | 7:45 pmGrowing up in North Dakota during the 50s and 60s, I was privileged to experience something that's all too rare now - the old-fashioned family doctor. "Doc" delivered babies, set broken bones, treated pneumonia, and helped Grandpa with his newfangled hearing aid. Doc knew the community, the families, and the individuals whose basic medical needs he treated from birth through the end of life. Some of you who grew up in that time, and perhaps in smaller communities, may remember a Doc of your own. . . . → Read More: The Marcus Welby of law, by Lance Heisler | Lampe Law Group
- Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
July 28, 2010 | 10:51 pm
Let’s talk about cats, cats and more cats! Why?? Because Prairie’s Edge Humane Society is full of cats and we have many more arriving daily. As of today, there are 44 cats on the adoption floor with more awaiting their surgeries so they are ready for adoption. There are cats in every corner of the shelter who need homes! We are in desperate need of homes for these cats. We cannot emphasize this enough. So we are having a cat sale and we are calling it Kitty Mania ! Kitty Mania is this weekend, beginning Thursday, July . . . → Read More: Kitty Mania at the Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
- On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
July 12, 2010 | 11:50 am
The free market does many things well, but we know it does not do everything. Even market fundamentalists concede that the public must build roads, put out fires, police streets, and provide national defense. Most people, at least those to the left of the Tea Party edge of political spectrum, accept that the government must also be involved in education, disaster relief, and health care. That is, certain services must be rendered — necessary services, universal services — whether or not those services are financially profitable. If your house is on fire, you do not have time to . . . → Read More: On Watermelons and Widgets, by Tom Swift
- Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
July 12, 2010 | 10:56 am
Okay, so most of the news about the Vintage Band Festival so far has been about the bands. But there’s a number of other events during the weekend. Like the VBF Contra Dance, for instance. The Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance will feature music by The Dodworth Saxhorn Band of Ann Arbor, Michigan and will be led by dance instructor/caller Robin Nelson. Dancing will begin at 8:30 p.m. with a “Grand March” led by 60 costumed members of the 1st Wisconsin Infantry Brigade, followed by a variety of period dances including polkas, contra dances, schottisches, reels and waltzes. . . . → Read More: Vintage Band Festival Contra Dance, by Dan Bergeson
- The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
June 27, 2010 | 8:00 am
Even before I read the first word of this article I had a visceral reaction to it. The accompanying photographs — my eyes tend to skip over photographs in magazines — affected me in a manner that is difficult to articulate. I knew, immediately I knew, I was not going to like what I was about to read. In fact, for that reason I put the piece aside. Not now, I thought. Maybe tomorrow, I said to myself. But, then, I couldn’t not read it, either. If you have not done so already, I hope you will read . . . → Read More: The Animal-Cruelty Syndrome, by Tom Swift
- Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
June 27, 2010 | 7:54 am
June may be Adopt A Cat month here at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society and we have lots of wonderful cats, but we also have PUPPIES! We have a male Newfoundland mix named Chong who is 6 months old, he was a stray so we don’t know a lot about him. He loves to play! We also have three Australian Cattle Dog mixes who are two months old. Marcia, Bobby and Cindy were born at the shelter and spent some time in one of our fabulous foster homes. They are now back at the shelter and ready to find . . . → Read More: Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! by Kathy Jasnoch
- Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
June 23, 2010 | 9:35 pm
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay for Life, teams of people camp out at local parks or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events. Relay for Life of Rice . . . → Read More: Relay for Life of Rice County, August 6th, Rice County Fairgrounds. By Sandy Vesledahl
- Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
June 16, 2010 | 9:04 amNow Showing! Live Kittens playing! You can now watch our adoptable animals at Prairie’s Edge Humane Society (PEHS) live 24/7 on the new Critter Cam installed in conjunction with KYMN Radio. Thanks to the fine folks at KYMN radio we now have a live feed of our adoptable animals showing on our website and KYMN’s website, Tim and Jeff are AWESOME! Currently the Critter Cam is featuring kittens available for adoption. Watch them play, sleep, eat, and everything else they do 24 hours a day 7 days a week! It’s better than anything you can see on TV! . . . → Read More: Critter Cam live from Prairie’s Edge Humane Society, by Sandy Vesledahl
- Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
June 11, 2010 | 11:34 am
A BIG Thanks to all of you who came to last Monday’s Volunteer Organization Meeting, and to those who contacted us saying you wanted to help but could not make the meeting. We have pretty full support for Communications and Design and Build sub-committees, and we got a web graphic designer to help with the site. Alice Thomas is facilitating the Communications group, and Steve Edwins is facilitating the Design and Build group. What we are missing and really need are Fund Raising people. We have two grant writiers, but we need folks who are committed to the . . . → Read More: Save the Northfield Depot: fundraising help needed. By Lynn Vincent
- Photo albums: 2010 Prairie’s Edge Humane Society Walk for the Animals, by Bridgette Hallcock Photography
June 11, 2010 | 8:09 am
Thank you to all of those who came to Alexander Park on a beautiful Saturday morning in May to help support Prairie’s Edge Humane Society! I have placed all of the fun photographs on my Bridgette Hallcock Photography Facebook page so that everyone can see how much fun we had! See the two 2010 Walk for the Animals albums here and here. If you would like a print, please contact me, as the proceeds will benefit the animals at PEHS.
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The new second-hand smoke: cell phone-using laptop users in public spaces
By Griff Wigley, on October 13, 2008, 7:59 am
 I’m one of the many people in Northfield who A) spends most of my day on a computer and B) spends a decent chunk of that time in public spaces with wi-fi access (coffeehouses and pubs).
I’m increasingly irritated by my fellow laptop jockeys who use their cell phones or their VOIP service within earshot of others, especially me. I’m tempted to order one of those illegal cell phone jammer devices.
 I understand the temptation. Online collaboration increasingly requires one to be in voice contact while navigating web pages. But puhleeeeease, it’s really rude. Either do this elsewhere, or use IM instead of voice.
Lately, I’ve taken to making eye contact with the offender, and then giving them the phone gesture followed by a pointing motion to the outdoors or hallway. Most get the hint.
Anyone else have interventions to suggest?
And for a related annoyance, see this funny September/October 2008 Technology Review article by Jonathan Franzen titled “I Just Called to Say I Love You” – Cell phones, sentimentality, and the decline of public space
Which is why, of all the worsening varieties of bad cell-phone behavior, the one that most deeply irritates me is the one that seems, because it is ostensibly victimless, to irritate nobody else. I’m talking about the habit, uncommon 10 years ago, now ubiquitous, of ending cell-phone conversations by braying the words “LOVE YOU!” Or, even more oppressive and grating: “I LOVE YOU!” It makes me want to go and live in China, where I don’t understand the language. It makes me want to scream.
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but I’d have a hard time during the sabbatical not paying attention to see if that was actually the case. I think the more places in Northfield...
as long as we’re complaining, here’s a good story. A person(I refuse to call her a customer) comes in the store, parks her stroller, plunks her kids down in the kids section, goes outside, makes a call(10-15 minutes), returns, grabs the kids and says “let’s go.” one child has a book she wants to buy, $5.99. Mother says “put it back, we’re not buying any books, we’re going to the library.” Mother tosses the book in the kids section and splits. Apparently I was the baby sitter.
Got that off my chest, I feel better now.
For goodness sake, Jerry! I am totally with you on this one, and with Griff on his plight.
But, I do have a funny story relating to a cell phone user in a fairly fine family style restaurant just outside of Tulsa. I was having dinner with friends, and the man at the booth next to us gets a call, and for the next 3 to 4 minutes all we heard was “Ye ep, ye ep, ye ep” and each time we heard ‘ye ep’, it got louder and louder.
Two of my friends started laughing and they couldn’t stop. I didn’t think it was all that funny, but I started laughing because those two were laughing so hard by then. One friend only got upset because we were all laughing. I excused myself and went to the ladies room to keep from getting into any more trouble.
When the cell phone man got off the cell phone, he explained to his mates that his daughter was missing, took all his money and ran away from home with some dude. Not all that funny. Morals of the story, some calls you just have to take while sitting down, surrounded by friends, and don’t laugh at one sided conversations.
Griff- When it comes to cell phones, there is just no call for some of the public behavior being exhibited.
Ha!
I think we all must have funny cell phone stories. I was once in a movie theater in Las Vegas and the person sitting behind me answered their cell phone (which rang in the middle of the movie) and then proceeded to have a conversation, in their regular speaking voice, like they were just hanging out at in their living room. Completely oblivious to the fact that they were in a public theater. The person must have been asked by the caller what they were up to, because the response was, “Oh, nothing. I’m just at the movies.” Then it was just non-stop chit-chat for what seemed like forever. I’m surprised there wasn’t a mutiny (this was when cell phones were very new and not so commonly used. I think most of the audience members, myself included, were just so stunned we didn’t know how to respond!).
totally hear you on that one, jerry. i think we should start charging for baby-sitting entertainment services. “We watch your kids while you chat. Only $.50/minute!”
It’s not like laptops and cell phones are turning polite people into rude ones. It’s just a new way for people who are already rude to express themselves.
I believe there is a way to carry on a digital conversation politely in a public place, especially in a cafe already noisy with chatter.
I like to work outside of my studio apartment from time to time, which means calling people on my cell phone in public places. I was carrying on such a conversation in a cafe across the street when a group of women walked over to my table and began speaking with me as if I were not conducting an interview with someone over the phone. They said they needed my table and began pushing it toward another table so they could have some kind of discussion group (which was exceedingly loud). In the process of shoving my table out from under me, they nearly toppled my coffee onto my laptop and my laptop onto the floor. Not to mention I had to have the person on the phone repeat what he had just said. How rude!
Bonnie, I am so sorry that happened to you. You could have been injured.
Next time, grab a chair, squeeze in amongst them at the stolen table,
and let them know you are our star reporter and you are very interested in everything they say and do. I bet you get more apologies than you have ever heard.
While I agree that this behavior can be annoying, I don’t know if I would call it the “new second-hand smoke” without some concrete analysis of potential health consequences:
Here is what OSHA says on noise:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_id=9735&p_table=STANDARDS
I guess I view coffehouses and pubs as places for people to go and socialize. If they supply the ability for people to work that’s great, but if the environment interferes with your ability to work then leave. If a coffeehouse or pub wants to cater to the person showing up to login and do work in a quiet place, then by all means they should create that environment and make the rules.
I don’t know what the Wigley-line-in-the-sand is here, but if I’m out having a cup of coffee at a coffeehouse or a beer at a pub and I get a phone call and in turn I get a thumb-pinky phone gesture and a point on where to go, I’ll probably meet it with my own array of gestures if I don’t feel like I’m being rude.
All that being said if a committee is to be formed to figure out what annoying behavior to ban I’ll gladly volunteer my time and bring a long list of things I find annoying.
If the call is brief, and the volume of speaking is not out of line with what is already going on in the coffee shop, I have no problem with a bit of cell phone conversation.
Speaking with full voice in a relatively quiet place – say, Hogan Bros. at mid-afternoon – yes, that’s quite rude.