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May 28, 2006
:: May Fishing Report
In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and in true Meggisi tradition, Pierre was out on the water over the last few weeks. Patience pays off in fishing...and the picture above is proof. My fist catch of 2006 - a nice 30" Tiger Muskie. (I didn't have the tape out, but I am guessing from the pic she is about 30") Got her out of Lake Wasserman yesterday trolling with a 1 1/2" Rapala Rebel in green and bright orange.
I had been out for Walleye opener 2 weeks ago, and got skunked; Mrs. Pierre went out with me a week ago, and I got skunked. She actually tagged our only fish that day -- an accidental bass whislt trolling for Northerns. So yesterday was official Bass opener for Minnesota...we gathered with friends at Lake Wasserman, which produced quite a few bass last year. We had three separate outings yesterday...one in the early afternoon, one in the late afternoon, and one after supper. I hit the Muskie about 5pm. My only other fish yesterday was a small Sunfish. My friend Scott got the most of the day (5 bass), followed by my friend Jonathan (3 bass). Here is a nice bucketmouth Scott tagged into with a small spinnerjig:
More fishing reports to come!!!
Posted by pierre at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 22, 2006
:: Wild Thing Derails
Wild Thing, Valleyfair's biggest rollercoaster-thrillride, derailed yesterday. Several people were sent to the hospital and treated for muscle strains and sprains. According to the StarTribune:
The accident happened about 4:25 p.m. as the roller coaster train was slowing as it approached the ride station. One of the cars somehow separated from the train, Von Bank said.
Bailey Merchant, 12, of Shakopee, said she was in the rear car when the middle car began jerking and smoking. She said the car "fell right off the track" and made the last car turn over.
"We were jerked and twisted, and it started to hurt really badly," Bailey said as she left the hospital.
Her mother, Tracy Theis, said a nurse at St. Francis called to tell her of the accident. "It's very scary," she said. "You don't ever want to get that phone call."
Katelyn Churchich, 16, of Oakdale, who was treated for neck and back pains, said she was in the middle car when it happened.
"It started jerking and moving around, like, not right," she said. "We kind of heard scratching, and we didn't know anything was wrong until we smelled metal grinding ... and when we looked back one of the cars was tilted on its side."
One of the injuries was diagnosed as a possible mild concussion. None of the riders were "ejected" from the ride...they just got jolted badly...no good for a ride that goes 75 mph!
I thought I would be making a trip to Valleyfair again soon...I haven't been there for about 7 years or so. This has changed my mind: The park later said in a statement that two sensor faults caused the computerized safety system to shut down the ride twice Saturday. Both times, it said, maintenance staff found no problems and the ride was reopened. The ride was shut down for 10 minutes less than two hours before Sunday's accident for a routine inspection, but no problems were noted, the statement said.
Sensors going off enough to shut the ride down twice in a day? Sounds like the derail could maybe have been averted. Here is a link to the Strib's story on the accident. Here is a link to Valleyfair.
Posted by pierre at 10:39 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 19, 2006
:: It Aint Over Yet
The unions representing pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics that work for Mesaba Airlines won, in landmark fashion, their argument that Mesaba does not have the right to reject their collective bargaining agreements in bankruptcy reorganization. Cheif Judge Gregory Kishel ruled in favor of the unions when he rejected the airlines application to reject the labor pacts.
Mesaba has, of course, put their spin on their loss, saying that "Judge Kishel denied Mesaba's motion only due to its failure to provide a working financial model to the unions and its modeling of workforce attrition. These limited issues either already have been addressed or will be shortly."
Here is more detail from Mesaba's Information Minister:
"Let me tell you this: the decision on Mesaba's 1113c motion is a great victory for our supremely worthy cause! The righteous adjudicator Kishel has wisely seen through the vicious lies of the evil union gangsters and vindicated every word and deed of Mesaba's exhalted leadership. He states clearly that our workers should get down on their knees and kiss every executive foot in the company for the chance to serve Mesaba for the ridiculously high sum of current book minus 19.4 percent.
In particular, the sacred text of the proceedings exposes the laughbable weakness of the case presented by the vile pilots' union. For example, they could not produce so much as a single witness to prove that the pay cuts would force first officers to eat from motel dumpsters on overnights! Let them fill their bellies with dirt, I say, for that is what those snakes deserve!
The Word of Kishel makes it clear that every one of the miserable, undeserving dogs who are priveleged to serve Mesaba must share the blame for all the ills that have befallen the company. Their laziness and greed are like a plague that must be swept away by Mesaba management's most blessed broom, and that broom will be pushed with fists clad in iron gloves, I assure you!
In the conclusion of his wise words, the Emporer Kishel declares that he eagerly awaits the chance to further humiliate the unions by undoing the blasphemous contract that allows them all to live like fattened parasites on the thinning haunches of Mesaba.
Soon our superior legal team will repair minor typographical errors in Mesaba's economic model (and I tell you, those errors were probably introduced by cowardly union saboteurs, may their children be consumed by ravenous wolves). When the newly-perfected model is approved, and the despicable contract dissolved, Mesaba's worthless workers will see unimaginable vengeance visited upon them!
No longer will they extort a criminally high wage from their benevolent employers! Instead, they will bend their backs for whatever wage the company deems worthy! And if they refuse? Then the mighty hand of justice will still prevail, as each one of them is dragged from their homes by police, slapped into leg irons, and beaten savagely until they submit to the insurmountable will of Mesaba! This I promise you! They cannot hide! They cannot escape! Their defeat is certain! They must surrender NOW!!!
Mesaba's Labor Coalition intends to bargian in good faith to reach consensual agreements with Mesaba management.
Special credit due to a pilot friend of Pierre's for providing the Information Minister's comments - excellent find, JM!"
Posted by pierre at 11:24 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack