Twin Cities Real Estate Blog

Movie Review -- 'Horrible Bosses 2' Sustains Laughs No Further Than its Runtime
Posted by Robert Grafsgaard on Monday, December 1, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Robert Grafsgaard / December 1, 2014 Comment

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Released early summer 2011, Horrible Bosses was a surprisingly entertaining but ultimately forgettable hour and a half of comedy.  The titular bosses, played by Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Spacey, and Colin Farrell, were truly abhorrent people in their own intrinsic ways whose demeaning actions encouraged the viewer to empathize with their respective subordinates’ — Dale (Charlie Day), Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) — blundering desire to murder. Though Day, Bateman, and Sudeikis were able to play off each other’s comedic styles well enough, the film lacked tonal and narrative cohesion and...

Running is Tough -- Running in the Snow is Crazy
Posted by Tyler King on Monday, December 1, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Tyler King / December 1, 2014 Comment

running in the snow

During the spring of 2013, my dad introduced me to a new activity: running. I had played sports through college but always hated running. The idea of putting one foot in front of the other with no real goal or objective in mind seemed beyond asinine. Give me a ball, an open field, and someone to beat and I’ll play all day, but the very thought of putting on shoes and running “just because” made my lungs hurt. A little background for you: my dad was turning 50 in 2013 and wanted to cross “run a half marathon” off his bucket list. He somehow roped me into it and we ran the Minneapolis Half...

Too Much Gobble on Thanksgiving Can Make You Wobble
Posted by Mia Brooks on Thursday, November 27, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Mia Brooks / November 27, 2014 Comment

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It's that time of year again and everyone is gearing up for the holidays. Thanksgiving is a time to bond with loved ones, give thanks and of course eat lots of delicious food! One of the hardest things to do during Thanksgiving is stick to your diet. Although you may love your Grandma's famous turkey, buttered mashed potatoes and gravy too much, these delicious foods could have consequences to the progress you’ve made all year. However, have no fear there are a few things you can do to enjoy your Thanksgiving feast without ruining your diet!  
HAVE A SNACK
If you sit down...

Movie Review -- 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' Sets Up the Final Chapter
Posted by Robert Grafsgaard on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Robert Grafsgaard / November 26, 2014 Comment

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As another holiday season approaches, another film in The Hunger Games saga attempts to satisfy fans of Suzanne Collins’ popular book series. For full disclosure’s sake, I have never so much as flipped through the pages of Collins’ source material. Yet, I have seen all three movies to date, and am curiously but patiently awaiting the next and presumably final conclusion to the film series. As someone who has never read the novels, I like to think it puts me in a unique position to view and review the film: I have no anticipation and preoccupation with the film’s potential faithfulness to book events and portrayal of...

The Origins of Thanksgiving
Posted by Leah Putz on Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Leah Putz / November 25, 2014 Comment
Thanksgiving_dinner_at_the_house_of_Earle_Landis_8d10757v We all know the story. 400 years ago in one of America’s first colonies, Plymouth, the Thanksgiving tradition began. It started with an unlikely alliance between the Pilgrims of the Mayflower and a Native American Pawtuxet tribe member called Squanto. Without the assistance of Squanto, the Pilgrims may not have survived the winter of 1621. Squanto taught the pilgrims how to survive in the foreign, unforgiving land they settled in -- how to cultivate corn, what plants to avoid, how to extract sap from trees. He also helped them secure...

A Discussion About Fair Trade Awareness
Posted by Deanna Olson on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Deanna Olson / November 23, 2014 Comment

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October is the month for a multitude of national awareness campaigns. We have begun to expect crowds running and walking in swarms of pink and orange and to see our favorite sports team accent their shoes or gloves with a special color for a respected cause. However, in spite of this monthly participation, do we recognize and acquire the awareness we are expected to have regarding each plight? Each campaign is connected to an organization or person who holds a story connected to a disease, personal loss, or social and labor injustices. The awareness...

Reflections on "Pointergate"
Posted by Erik Bergs on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Erik Bergs / November 22, 2014 Comment
Minneapolis_Mayor-Elect_Betsy_Hodges_10710314156_o The Twin Cities have been rocked by more than an arctic blast this November, the now infamous "#Pointergate" scandal has drawn national attention. Questions have risen to the surface: How did KSTP (one of our local news stations) think it would be sensible to run a story indirectly accusing Mayor Betsy Hodges of standing in solidarity with North Minneapolis gangs? How is it acceptable for police officers to directly accuse the Mayor of standing...

'The Football Jones' Week 12 Picks
Posted by Scott Flaskerud on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Scott Flaskerud / November 22, 2014 Comment
polar vortex I'm going in reverse/upside-down order with my picks this week because these last two full weeks of remorselessly cold polar vortex winter in November have gotten my system completely out of senseless whack. And also, my Upset Dandy this week is too Jim Dandelious not to lead off with it.
The FBJ Upset Dandy of the Week: (2-8) Tampa Bay @ (4-6) Chicago
Two years ago, Chicago fired head coach Lovie Smith after he guided the Bears to a 10-6 record that season. It was shocking to me. A 10-6 record isn't... too shabby. And it's not like the Bears win the Super Bowl every year. The year of 1985...

'Pride of Minnesota' Indoor Concert This Saturday
Posted by Travis Bridell on Friday, November 21, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Travis Bridell / November 21, 2014 Comment

University of Minnesota Marching Band

The University of Minnesota Marching Band, the Pride of Minnesota, play two concerts Saturday after three years away from the University of Minnesota's historic Northrop Auditorium. Having the event indoors is fortunate for those who haven't seen the band play at Gophers football games due to the cold. The event will be the 53rd edition of the marching band indoor concert. There are shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 22 at Northrop, which opened earlier this year after years of renovation. With two shows, there's no reason not to catch a glimpse of the 320-member group. The event's ...

What Are We Going to Do About College Costs?
Posted by Alicia Waters on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 12:00 AM By Alicia Waters / November 20, 2014 Comment
student-debtMany of us know the story. College was supposed to be an opportunity for folks to better their situations. Instead, rising levels of student loan debt and a shortage of good jobs make a four year education more of a financial burden than the fulfillment of "The American Dream." Many parents cannot save up the astronomical sums colleges charge in tuition, and the FAFSA “expected family contributions” often add insult to injury. Enter, high interest government student loans. Enter, $60,000+ worth of debt for an underemployed new graduate to pay. It’s a tough problem, and everyone, from politicians to the colleges themselves, is trying to make changes for the better. ...
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