November 2009 Archives

by Matt Carlson

An explosion in a northeastern China coal mine has now claimed 87 lives by early Sunday, according to state-run media and reported by the CNN.

Rescuers have determined where a remaining 21 miners are trapped, but are unable to tell if they are alive, according to the Associated Press.

The blast happend at 2:30 a.m. Saturday at a mine near Hegang City in the Heilongjiang province, according to a statement issued by the State Administration of Work Safety.

Official figures show that more than 3,200 workers died in coal mine related incidents last year, but some independent labor groups say that there are even more cases of malpractice that are covered up in order to avoid costly coal mine shutdowns, according to the AP.

by Matt Carlson

The owner of NFL franchise Tennessee Titans Bud Adams was fined $250,000 for obscene hand gestures on Monday.

Adams was celebrating a 41-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills when he made the gestures from his luxury suite according to The New York Times.  The gestures were filmed and aired on television news channels nationwide. 

Adams display his middle fingers to the Bills sideline late in Sunday's contest.

On Monday the 86-year-old Adams apologized for the gestures and said, "I do realize that those types of things shouldn't happen," Adams said in the statement. "I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the N.F.L."  Adams also claimed to have gotten caught up in the game's excitement according to comments in the Seattle Post.

by Matt Carlson

Minneapolis Police have arrested two more suspects Wednesday in connection with Twin Cities assaults that were videotaped and posted on Youtube, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

A 16-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested for the alleged assault of a 50-year-old man who was riding his bicycle on the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis.  This particular attack was not taped, but investigators have linked the two boys to the attack, according to an Associated Press article posted on the Worthington Daily Globe website.

Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia said that the motivation for the attacks is still unknown.  "If anybody thinks this is just kids doing stupid things, they might think differently if they were a victim," Garcia said in an interview with the Star Tribune. "People are getting pushed off bikes and into streets, which could cause serious injuries. This isn't acceptable behavior."

The investigation and subsequent arrests hinged on the group posting a Youtube video of the assaults which was set to music and included clear images and names of the suspects.  The video was taken down from the site on Thursday, according to the Star Tribune.

The total number of arrests related to the assaults is now four.  A 17-year-old and 19-year-old were arrested on Tuesday.

by Matt Carlson

Minneapolis Police have arrested two more suspects Wednesday in connection with Twin Cities assaults that were videotaped and posted on Youtube, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

A 16-year-old and 17-year-old were arrested for the alleged assault of a 50-year-old man who was riding his bicycle on the Midtown Greenway in Minneapolis.  This particular attack was not taped, but investigators have linked the two boys to the attack, according to an Associated Press article posted on the Worthington Daily Globe website.

Police Sgt. Jesse Garcia said that the motivation for the attacks is still unknown.  "If anybody thinks this is just kids doing stupid things, they might think differently if they were a victim," Garcia said in an interview with the Star Tribune. "People are getting pushed off bikes and into streets, which could cause serious injuries. This isn't acceptable behavior."

The investigation and subsequent arrests hinged on the group posting a Youtube video of the assaults which was set to music and included clear images and names of the suspects.  The video was taken down from the site on Thursday, according to the Star Tribune.

The total number of arrests related to the assaults is now four.  A 17-year-old and 19-year-old were arrested on Tuesday.

by Matt Carlson

The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher concluded their 2009 season Saturday with a 12-0 shutout loss versus the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.

The Minnesota defense was present, holding the Hawks to only 12 points and the offense outgained Iowa 201 to 172, but the offense still floundered, according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.  Minnesota remains bowl-eligible resulting from last week's victory versus South Dakota State.

The Hawkeyes have maintained the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry trophy with the victory and move to second place in the Big Ten conference, according to the Des Moines Register.  Finishing with a 10-2 record and a national ranking, it was the best start to a regular season for Iowa.

The push for a BCS bowl game is now out of teams hands, according to the Register.  "I think I've counted 37 different scenarios," Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said.  The team is rallying for a BCS bowl game but it is not certain where the team will end up finishing its season.

The Gophers finish the season with a 5-6 record, but maintain hope for future seasons spent in TCF Bank Stadium, citing good defensive performances against the Big Ten's top three teams: Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa.  Minnesota is likely to return to the Insight Bowl versus a Big 12 conference opponent on Dec. 3, according to the Pioneer Press.

by Matt Carlson

The worldwide popular band U2 has announced plans to play in Minneapolis on the University of Minnesota Campus' TCF Bank Stadium this coming June, according to Ganpati News.

The announcement of the show puts to rest rumors of the past week and will be the first non-sporting, large-scale event at TCF Bank Stadium, Ganpati News also reported.

The tickets, going on sale November 21st at 10:00 a.m., sold out in a mere two hours, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.  Fans of the band that are students or season ticket holders of Gopher sports were given the opportunity to buy tickets before they went on sale to the public.

Ticket costs ranged from $295 to $30.  The stadium will hold "thousands more" than the typical 50,000 guests for the upcoming concert scheduled for June 27th, 2010, according to the Star Tribune.