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A recent report from Explore Minnesota revealed that the state’s tourism industry had an excellent summer and that Minnesota’s lodging industry is optimistic about the near-term future.

Buds compliments of NYTimes, fair use

There’s been lots of talk about legalization of marijuana in Minnesota, though it’s not clear to me exactly what’s being proposed

Walz wants state to be ready to roll on legal marijuana Minnesota Democrats make push on recreational marijuana, Senate GOP pumps the brakes

Makes me wonder where these folks were in the 80s when chronic use started catching up with people? This has been a topic on a yak-yak list here in RW, and Alan Muller and I have been talking about this off and on lately. It seems there are at least five distinct issues here: 1) decriminalization v. legalization; 2) gov’t regulation; 3) taxation; and 4) physical and mental health issues; 5) expungement of prior convictions. What exactly does “legalization” mean? Are there more than these 5 issues to consider? Probably…

I can see medicinal benefits, but “recreational” use, I’m not a fan of legalization. Decriminalization, yes.

Hazeldon’s site has a page, but it’s extreme, not that far from a “Reefer Madness” mode.

From Hazeldon’s page:

A number of studies link chronic marijuana use and mental illness. High doses can produce a temporary psychotic reaction in some users. Use of the drug can also worsen the course of illness for patients who have schizophrenia. A series of large, longitudinal studies also shows a link between marijuana and the development of psychosis.

Marijuana abuse has also been associated with other mental health problems, such as:

Depression
Anxiety
Personality disturbances
Suicidal thoughts (among adolescents)
Lack of motivation to engage in typically rewarding activities

More research is needed to better understand these mental health links and ramifications.

It’s this chronic use and correlation that I’m referring to, and have observed. I would guess that there’s also an association between age of first appearance of schizophrenia/bi-polar and/or psychosis and age of initial chronic use (late teens-early 20s), and I think there’s a chicken/egg issue, and again guessing that the chronic use is self-medication (that doesn’t work) for the underlying mental condition. Again, strictly opinion based on observation and not studies or experiments. I’ve seen folks waste away their life, doing nothing; I’ve seen folks using constantly, masking, self-medicating serious mental illness; I’ve seen folks using regularly enough that their wasted behavior affects their primary relationship and it’s off to D-I-V-O-R-C-E court. I have no interest in being around wasted people, whatever the drug of choice, and I don’t want to see our society enabling chemical use. I don’t want to see folks using and then heading down the highway, though they’d probably be doing 25 in the right hand lane!

Bottom line at this time (and I’m just starting to seriously mull it over), I really don’t want to see governmental encouragement and enabling of a more passive population. I’m a supporter of broad decriminalization and expungement of those convictions. I’m not a supporter of government regulation and taxation, that is yet another regressive tax, and avoids the necessity of restoring more progressive corporate and individual income taxation. “Legalization” (whatever that means) is one of the least pressing issues I see that need to be dealt with NOW! Perhaps even a distraction.

We reviewed the science, and I told my favorite story about politics, running for office, and the science of climate change.  

The post 07 August 2019 – The Science Redux appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

Northfield’s Jake Tanghe was honored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for his outstanding conservation efforts during a ceremony Aug. 30, at the Minnesota State Fair.

By Teri Knight, News Director The Northfield Council will meet Tuesday night. On their agenda are items related to the Mill Towns Trail from Riverside Park to the Waterford Bridge, and authorizing the roundabout design for Highway 246 and Jefferson Parkway. According to the packet information, Alternative 2 with underpasses on all four legs is

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The Dukes defeated the Blaine Fusion 5-4 on Sunday. They advance to face the defending state champions, the Chanhassen Redbirds, on Monday, Sept 2nd at 1:30 PM in Maple Lake in the championship game of the 2019 State Tournament. We will bring you that game streaming online thru Facebook Live. Check back to the Duke's page for that coverage

Here are several links for all of your State Tournament info:
Class B bracket: https://bit.ly/327w9dE
MN Baseball site for scores: http://mnbaseball.org
State Tournament host site: https://www.2019baseballmn.com/

While hundreds of hunters were out all morning, the 2019 DJJD Horseshoe was found by Becca Brinkman at about 9:45 a.m. at Oddfellows Park. She has her button registered and gets the $1500! We’ll have more on the win coming up. Congratulations, Becca!   This is the true story of Alexander Franklin James. Born January

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El programa de hoy lo tienen en dos partes. Estuvimos hablando del festivo del dia del trabajo y la importancia de no manejar tras consumir alcohol ni usar el celular mientras se maneja. La vuelta a la escuela para todos los niveles es en casi todos los lugares en septiembre, mucha suerte a todos/as los/as

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Another dream-y edition of Fine Tune: Fine Tune 09-01-19 #437 * Dream / Brad Mehldau Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams / Sarah Vaughan The Girl in My Dreams / The Cliques Only a Dream in Rio / Cassandra Wilson Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) / Astrud Gilberto The Dream Police / David Byrne Even in My Dreams

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This is the true story of Alexander Franklin James. Born January 10, 1843. Clay County, Missouri. Died February 18, 1915 (aged 72). Clay County, Missouri.

Clue No. 3:

With new attractions accompanying hundreds of antique tractors and machines, the 45th annual Rice County Steam and Gas Engines show promises an enjoyable few days of family-friendly entertainment.

Merchants Financial Group, Inc., the parent company for Merchants Bank, has taken ownership of the First National Bank of Northfield, according to Merchants Financial Group, Inc. President & CEO Gregory M. Evans.

After yesterday’s post I had a fascinating discussion with someone who codes for a living about whether patents were a viable research resource in CS. First off, they’re extremely hard to understand. And yes, I definitely agree, and it’s a good reminder that when I talk about this with students I also talk explicitly about what I expect they’ll be able to learn from the exercise.

Hensel, Otto A. 1900. Rocking or oscillating bath-tub. United States US643094A, filed January 6, 1899, and issued February 6, 1900.

1. If you find a patent that you think is related to your topic, look at other similarly classified patents to see what problems people are tackling in the field and who is tackling them.
2. As you look through similarly classified patents, collect vocabulary that you can use in future searches. After all, most search systems simply match letters in a row rather than semantics, so if people are talking about the same thing but using different words to do so, you won’t find that whole side of the conversation.

While reading in order to understand the patented process is probably not feasible for most people, reading instrumentally has been super useful for me when exploring CS topics.

So far so good, but what really set me thinking was this industry coder’s take on the disadvantages of reading patents. Apparently he’s told not to read patents because knowingly infringing on someone else’s IP brings worse penalties than unknowingly infringing. In order to mitigate penalties, they don’t look at patents. So now I’m wondering how to guide students as they prepare for a world in which, at least some of the time, lack of information has value. And how do I square that with the idea of the very real costs involved in having a bunch of people reinventing wheels and falling into the same pitfalls, all so that if they get sued it won’t be quite so bad? And how do I square that with how this upends the progress narrative of the sciences in general, a set of disciplines which so carefully finds gaps in knowledge and then fills them, or finds the limits of current knowledge and then pushes those limits back bit by bit?

I wonder if it matters what sector you’re in, or even what specific companies you’re working for. And I wonder how liberal arts students might engage with this conundrum in a way that prepares them for life after graduation, whether that life involves CS careers or not.

The Greenvale Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday lifted its moratorium on single-family homes.

By Teri Knight, News Director Greenvale Township Planning Commissioners approved the “tightened up language” to their 2017 Building Eligibility policies. On Wednesday evening, the commissioners reconvened their meeting from Monday and the Board of Supervisors met immediately afterward, approving the ordinances and voting to lift the moratorium on building single family homes that was put

The post Moratorium to lift in Greenvale Township; Sibley and Greenvale Elementary Schools give progress reports; Bus safety as kids head back to school appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

Wayne’s guest is Jae Morrison, who began working for the City of Northfield this year.

The post Jae Morrison appeared first on KYMN Radio · Northfield, MN · AM 1080 & FM 95.1.

 Residents can give input via app, website or paper  Northfield, MN (August 30, 2019) –  The City of Northfield is asking for the public to participate in short survey questions related to what is the important attribute to a good DMV experience by using POLCO, a public engagement platform. Survey results will be tabulated and

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Task force agents this week busted a local man allegedly in possession of nearly 1,000 oxycodone pills and other illegal drugs worth nearly $100,000.

Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn reports that Highway 60 in Morristown is closed now between County Road 16 and County Road 44 due to a very serious injury accident. The State Patrol is on scene and will be reconstructing the accident. They expect the closure to remain in place until about 12:30 p.m. Please use

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