U.S. Garage Sale Corporations that file for bankruptcy typically have their debt discharged — zeroing out their shareholders — and their new equity issued to erstwhile creditors. What’s the equivalent for sovereign nations? Put it this way: what would Alaska fetch on the open market? Seward’s Folly When Secretary of State William Seward orchestrated Alaska’s...Read More
Nov. 3 2009 Ranked Choice Voting: Cure For What Ails Us? There, that wasn’t so hard. I just left my neighborhood polling station, having completed my first-ever “ranked choice” ballot. Also called “instant run-off voting” (“IRV”), ranked choice allows voters to prioritize their preferences for each office to be filled. The math can be...Read More
“Can I Please Speak to Myra Mains?” Courtesy of retired Edina Realty office manager Josh Kaplan, here is a classic April Fool’s joke for — make that on — Realtors, especially “newbie” Realtors. The front desk leaves a voicemail for the intended Realtor-victim (plural, ideally), telling them that they have a lead for them. The...Read More
We all know somebody who’s successful, in great shape, plays in a band, is close with their parents, volunteers at the ASPCA, and has a food blog. Assume you’re not that person.” –Scott Galloway, “The Algebra of Happiness.” Want to get a reader’s attention? Here’s. One. Way. But, if you overuse such techniques —...Read More
The Opposite of Teddy Roosevelt Let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin, can even begin, to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like . . . This chaos would not open up an express lane to liberal change. It would...Read More
I now have a warm-weather complement to my post, “True Minnesotan,” Defined“: A true Minnesotan — if they happen to be in the landscaping business — chides you every year for hiring them instead of having your able-bodied teenage sons mow your lawn.” My standard retort: “Do you encourage all your clients to fire you?”...Read More
