Quickies: Big idea; N.D. quarter minted
* Just got a press release from the North Dakota governor's office. The first North Dakota quarter got minted in Denver today. Ours is pretty cool with the two bisons at the Badlands. I'm still a little pissed at Kansas for using the bison first.
Check out South Dakota's. Yeck. Minnesota's all right.
Update 3:48 p.m., 8/3/06: I noticed this story in the Herald today about the Knight Foundation's "big idea" contest, which basically offer prizes for people that come up with a big idea to improve the community.
My first thought was: Who's going to pay for this?
But I looked more into it and the idea of the big idea is pretty cool. It was inspired by a book by Journalist Malcolm Gladwell called "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference." According to Wikipedia, Gladwell wanted to figure out what kicks off sudden changes in society.
There aren't too many details on the Knight Foundations' seven finalists and their ideas so I'm not entirely sure how these ideas will lead to cascading positive changes. I'm more confident, though, that some of these ideas would probably need tax ideas.
Here they are, straight from the paper, the finalists and their ideas:
Donna Anel, who proposed a food festival showcasing baked goods made from locally grown sugar and wheat. [Sounds a lot like the idea behind Dakota Harvest Bakers.]
Emily Burkland, who proposed a cultural exposition featuring Grand Cities-based organizations from the performing and visual arts. [Sounds like a localized Artfest.]
Traie Dockter, whose "tipping point" idea is to physically remodel older public schools using the ambience of Starbucks as a model. [Starbucks is to coffee houses what McDonald's is to burger joints, in my opinion. So, my first thought was, Starbucks??]
Naomi Jackson, a Manvel, N.D., teen who would like to see a city-run roller skating rink in the Grand Cities. [Sounds like a job for the Park District!]
Marlys Pung, who submitted an idea in each of Knight Foundation's six areas of funding priorities.
Taylor Sand, a teenager who proposed several ideas for children and youth, including creating a dog park. [Don't say anything Grand Forks Guy, he/she's just a kid.]
Eric Trueblood, who proposed the "Yellow Bike Project" that would provide free-to-borrow bicycles throughout Grand Forks. [Sounds like another job for the Park District. It'd be cooler if people could rent canoes, though. I already have a bike.]
Update 9:31 p.m., 8/3/06: Reporter Kyle Johnson said the local food festival won, followed by the cultural exposition.
* Just got back from Mike Mohaupt's photo exhibit at Third Street Gallery downtown. Mikey's one of my colleagues. A really nice guy with plenty of talent. Seriously, drop by the gallery. He exhibited with artist Mariah Masilko. Their art is for sale.
Check out South Dakota's. Yeck. Minnesota's all right.
Update 3:48 p.m., 8/3/06: I noticed this story in the Herald today about the Knight Foundation's "big idea" contest, which basically offer prizes for people that come up with a big idea to improve the community.
My first thought was: Who's going to pay for this?
But I looked more into it and the idea of the big idea is pretty cool. It was inspired by a book by Journalist Malcolm Gladwell called "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference." According to Wikipedia, Gladwell wanted to figure out what kicks off sudden changes in society.
There aren't too many details on the Knight Foundations' seven finalists and their ideas so I'm not entirely sure how these ideas will lead to cascading positive changes. I'm more confident, though, that some of these ideas would probably need tax ideas.
Here they are, straight from the paper, the finalists and their ideas:
Donna Anel, who proposed a food festival showcasing baked goods made from locally grown sugar and wheat. [Sounds a lot like the idea behind Dakota Harvest Bakers.]
Emily Burkland, who proposed a cultural exposition featuring Grand Cities-based organizations from the performing and visual arts. [Sounds like a localized Artfest.]
Traie Dockter, whose "tipping point" idea is to physically remodel older public schools using the ambience of Starbucks as a model. [Starbucks is to coffee houses what McDonald's is to burger joints, in my opinion. So, my first thought was, Starbucks??]
Naomi Jackson, a Manvel, N.D., teen who would like to see a city-run roller skating rink in the Grand Cities. [Sounds like a job for the Park District!]
Marlys Pung, who submitted an idea in each of Knight Foundation's six areas of funding priorities.
Taylor Sand, a teenager who proposed several ideas for children and youth, including creating a dog park. [Don't say anything Grand Forks Guy, he/she's just a kid.]
Eric Trueblood, who proposed the "Yellow Bike Project" that would provide free-to-borrow bicycles throughout Grand Forks. [Sounds like another job for the Park District. It'd be cooler if people could rent canoes, though. I already have a bike.]
Update 9:31 p.m., 8/3/06: Reporter Kyle Johnson said the local food festival won, followed by the cultural exposition.
* Just got back from Mike Mohaupt's photo exhibit at Third Street Gallery downtown. Mikey's one of my colleagues. A really nice guy with plenty of talent. Seriously, drop by the gallery. He exhibited with artist Mariah Masilko. Their art is for sale.
posted by Tu-Uyen at 1:24 PM
6 Comments:
Why are you pissed at Kansas? It isn't like we have a trademark on bison. Perhaps they were just trying to be "cute."
Just couldn't help yourself, eh?
What else is on the Kansas quarter? Sunflowers. Kansas is known as the "Sunflower State," yet North Dakota has the highest sunflower acreage in the nation.
Remodeling old schools to look like a Starbucks? What is the purpose behind that? How is that a big idea? What kind of cascading positivity is that going to create?
Maybe only seven people submitted ideas...that would explain a lot about how that one made the list.
I'm a little confused with the whole Starbucks/school thing, too. Now if the plan was to put a Starbucks in every school that would make sense to me. After all, shouldn't every building have a Starbucks in it? :)
I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that it's not the actual Starbucks part - it's the modern feel and slick atmosphere of Starbucks that Ms. Docktor appreciates.
In other words, she likes the interior spaces. Now how one would connect Starbucks decor and renovated schools....I just can't figure that one out.
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