So, I'm watching my brother and Mike L. post their blogs and I'm laughing my head off. Seems like Mike L's getting quite the following of people starting their own blogs...

In the state of Minnesota today, things are getting pretty interesting with the legislative battle over the budget, and new government candidates. Yesterday, Rep. Tim Pawlenty, the Republican Majority Leader, who is also running for governor, decided this in the following AP article:

ST. PAUL -- House Republicans on Thursday stepped up their pressure on Target Market, an anti-smoking advocacy group funded with money they want to use to reduce the state's budget deficit.

House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty criticized the group for co-sponsoring a concert later this month that features alternative rock bands that use obscene language and sing about violence, drinking and drug use.

"We need to find creative ways to appeal to teens, but this is like treating cocaine addiction by encouraging heroin use," said Pawlenty, who is also a candidate for governor.

Pawlenty said Target Market should cancel its financial support for the April 30 concert, which features Sum 41 and Goldfinger, in St. Paul. A spokeswoman for Target Market didn't return a phone call Wednesday night. (not true)

Target Market, an independent group overseen by the state Department of Health, coordinates the state's anti-tobacco ad campaign aimed at 12- to 17-year-olds. It uses money from the endowment fund created by settlement of the state's lawsuit against the tobacco industry in the late 1990s.

House Republicans have proposed using $325 million from the $590 million endowment to reduce the state's deficit. Such a move could put Target Market out of business.

Last week, another Republican lawmaker, Rep. Kevin Goodno of Moorhead, criticized Target Market for an October concert in St. Cloud in which a punk band from Chicago sang songs with obscenities.

State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the two concerts are different cases. The band discussed last week was hired to play at a Target Market event, but the upcoming event is put on by a local radio station that Target Market paid $3,600 to co-sponsor.

"To me, it's a rather different thing for Target Market to have a presence," she said. "Target Market isn't hiring these bands. Target Market isn't creating this."

And the organization thinks it's an effective way to reach some hard-to-reach teens, she said. "To me, it's a question of effective marketing strategies," Malcolm said. "I accept that there's room to debate the effectiveness."

This is cracking me up. Fortunately, our governor, who hosts his own weekly lunch program on WCCO radio, commented that he thought this was a bunch of crap. The gist of his message was that he and his wife attended Ozzy Osbourne concerts when they were younger, and that it was up to PARENTS to protect their kids from lyrics, not a Representative. heehee He also asked, what's worse? Having your kid go to a concert with questionable lyrics, a phase that may only last a brief time, or get them hooked on smoking for the rest of their life? GO JESSE! The Strib is running something this weekend that might screw us pretty good, however, so it's on to a hard core fight again.


FYI-I've pulled out my husband's Ozzy CD's for a little trek down memory road. Did you recognize the theme song to the show? It's the first lines of Crazy Train!


Here's a list of movies that I thought of, in contribution to Pat: (no order, with quotes)

Ferris Bueller "I could be the Walrus and I'd still have to bum rides off people."
(corrected by Mike L.)
16 Candles "She getting married to oily bohunk."

Field Of Dreams "Ty Cobb wanted to play, but none of us could stand the son-of-bitch when he was alive, so we told him to stick it!"

Say Anything "Lloyd, see ya round. Maybe."

Slap Shot "You go to the penalty box. You feel shame."

La Bamba "Rock and Roll in Spanish?"

Fast Times at Ridgemont High "Learn it, Know it, Live it."

Revenge of the Nerds "What the f --- are Robster Craws?"

The Green Mile "What happens on the mile, stays on the mile."

Wierd Science "Anything bigger then a handful and you're risking a sprained tongue."

Forrest Gump "Momma said you can tell a lot about a person and they shoes"

Grease "I got chills...they're multiplying...and I'm looosing control."

Dumb and Dumber "I thought the Rocky Mountains would be a lot rockier then this. John Denver's full of shit."

Office Space "Hey Milton whaaaaat's happenin."

It's A Wonderful Life "You sit here, Mr. Potter, and weave your little web..."

Almost Famous "Your mom kind of freaked me out...."

Tommy Boy "Bees! OH MY GOD!"