The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Rex,

THANX

SB (enjoys being able to "keep in touch" from 200 miles away)

Rock on and good for you.

Thanks for building this and making sure it went to people that can keep it going.

Congrats.
Tom Bartel has clearly proven "he gets it" throughout the years. We're always a bit wary of change -- as well we should be -- but this is a very promising one. Thanks.

Sorry I didn't teach you pinochle last night. I was distracted kicking Taylor's ass.

I'm pretty sure that was my ass you were kicking.

*shakes head* I'd like to point out that the only game I lost was when chuck, who lost all three games, was my partner.

Thanks for the good wishes, but The Rake has not bought MNSpeak. Tom and Matt Bartel have bought MNSpeak, and more Matt than Tom.

Can we get some numbers here? Is it close to the $35 million that Digg is rumored to get from Yahoo?

Regarding the typeface: I'm not a big fan of it by itself but it has, at least for me, become a part of the personality and identity of this site. What is that typeface anyway?

You'll laugh. The typeface is.... Pussycat.

Seriously, I chose it on a whim and never really went back to rethink my whim.

For God's sake Tom, you can officially register now. Congrats on buying an awesome site... I love this place. And if it changes too much, I'm going to lose my main source of pitching story ideas at WCCO.

well whatever...all i'm saying is - you get what you pay for and Pussycat is definitely free. i mean christ look at the KERNING, people. The KERNING!!!!

I suppose it's time for a little introduction. A lot of you know quite a bit about my parents, so here's my story:

As it says in the press release, I am indeed a senior econ major at Carleton. I'm pretty swamped this term because my senior thesis is due in 4 weeks. It's a study on the intergenerational income mobility of military veterans who fought both during and after the Vietnam War. (It looks like serving in the military during peacetime actually has some positive effects on lifetime earnings because of education/health benefits and job experience. Serving during a war... not so much.)

I've worked on and off for my parents at City Pages and The Rake since I could carry a bundle of newspapers. In high school, I started a now-defunct web design company called Dos Huevos Web Design (don't ask), which produced two sites for a non-profit org and a construction company. Two years ago, I spent the summer working in DC for Mark Dayton and then four months at North Woods Advertising with Bill Hillsman (the guy who did Ventura and Wellstone's ad campaigns).

As for life after graduation, my short term plan is to have no plan. I figure that I can't possibly fail. If I end up living in a van down by the river, I was thinking that a PhD in economics might be a cool fallback. Of course, the first thing I learned in an econ class is that, economically speaking, it's not worth it to get a PhD in economics.

I hope to get better acquainted with all of you over the next few months. There might have to be a MNSpeak sponsored happy hour sometime in the spring (when I'll be taking Tai Chi and observational drawing).

For now, keep those posts coming.

Wow, I used to play catch with Matt at City Pages softball games when he was just a little dude. (Tom was usually on the mound perfecting his Al Hrabosky glare.) I feel so old.

Good for both of you, and welcome.

A couple of things:

I don't hate Mpls. St. Paul. In fact, I've been a friend of Burt Cohen's for years and have often said that I think he's the only publisher in town who actually knows what he's doing. (Ok, I was being facetious, but only somewhat...)

The Rake doesn't hate Mpls. St.Paul either. Hell, if it weren't for you, we'd have to get all our best cosmetic surgeon lists from Minnesota Monthly, and they're just not as good at being you as you are.

Finally, MNSpeak is not The Rake. You are welcome to hang on MNSpeak all you like. The Rake, however, probably won't be offering you a job. We think we're the hippest guys in town and you blew your credibility by leaving us off your list.

Chuck. Is. So. Dead.

Congrats Rex!

Going away party at Myth??

my bid of $418 apparently was not enough.

*sigh*

Tommy B, you mean you won't offer me $22,000 for a staff writers job so I can pen 5000 word zzzzfests about honeybees with AIDS? Did Rex break the bank? I'm crushed. C'mon, man. I mean we totally were going to put you on the list, but then Burt told me that you majored in medieval studies at Carelton and I had to veto you. But hey, we put MNspeak on the hipsters list, and you bought it, right? I'm sure it will match Matt's new graduation Prius perfectly.

ok, i heard the news from your ex-roomie, and was sad. but congrats on the new job (though, i heard msnbc, not microsoft... six in one, half dozen- oh nevermind.) i'm so glad to hear mnspeak lives on... just tell me where to send those damn press releases when you're gone!

Are we starting the hipster debate again? Aren't you guys glad you bought this thing? Anyway, there's got to be some sort of going away party-- I'd love to meet some of the people who post here all the time.

At least I think I'd like to meet some of the people who post here all the time.

aren't MILFs by definition underused? oh wait

Fuck me, I don't think I say "milk" at all. I hate milk. MILF.

I have to agree about the kerning.

How much? Way more than that Yahoo/Flickr deal. Waaaaaay more. We're talking AOL/TimerWarner numbers.

Hah.

I told the PiPress the deal has "one comma" in it.

Honestly, I wanted to find someone who would keep the site going with some integrity. That was my primary objective, and the payday isn't that big o' deal. If I do start SeattleSpeak and if it becomes successful (two iffy ifs), then you can read the WSJ for your "speculated price tag."

Congrats Rex and thanks for starting this whole thing. I think this place gives a lot of otherwise unknown people (with opinions) a voice. I love the quick exchange of ideas and opinions made possible by your vision of a great site.

You will be missed.

That is the most dreadful idea ever. I'd be slaughtered by exes.

There will be a 'good riddance' party at my place in mid-february. More on that later.

"pussycat must stay."

this from an artist/graphic designer? yikes.

I enjoyed the one comma quote.

Great work!