We had Ojibwe class today at Dakota Ridge School in ISD196. We have culture and language classes every other Saturday. Today, we heard the Ojibwe flood story and learned vocabulary words related to the story beforehand (using the Smart Board and games). It was a blast — a multi-generational class made up of students from many different tribes and some non-native guests. We followed up class with traditional crafts — today we made necklaces, bracelets and chokers out of sinew, beads and shells. Our teacher, James Vukelich, is a real treasure and has melded technology and traditional teachings in a way that makes students want to learn. His teaching style makes what could be a tough language to master accessible to students of all ages. Chi-miigwetch, James.

There have been a lot of kooky misinformation and wild conspiracy theories going around in the American Indian community about H1N1 and the public health response. This is not a manufactured health crisis created by the feds to control Indian people. C’mon, folks, let’s take off the tin-foil hats. There are plenty of reasons to distrust the federal government, lord knows. But this isn’t one of them. Don’t gamble with your life or the lives of your loved ones. As Wes Studi says in the videos above: Get your shot. Wash your hands. And if you get sick, take medicine – and protect the circle of life.

From BuffaloPost.net:

Last week, the federal Centers for Disease Control released a report that detailed what everybody already knew. In the dozen states studied, Native people made up 9 percent of the deaths from H1N1, even though they only constitute 3.3 percent of the population.

Now the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has releaesed a video, urging Native people to get vaccinated against H1N1.

Wes Studi, the Cherokee actor from “Avatar,” “The Only Good Indian,” and “Dances With Wolves,” urges people to “take three” to protect themselves.

Get your shot. Wash your hands. And if you get sick, take medicine – and protect the circle of life.

Tell it, Wes. We must protect our health.

May the lord strike me dead if I am lying...

Getting a lot of messages these days from something called Friend FAQ on Facebook. It asks people questions about me, tells me the answers then wants to charge me “50 coins” to find out who gave the answers. I had to laugh at some of the questions and responses. Here they are, with the purported answers and my corrections. So if any of you are curious and want the real scoop, read on:

Do you think that Art Coulson has ever mooned someone?
No (Heh. You obviously have never seen me after one too many beers)
Do you think that Art Coulson would secretly fart in public?
No  (Ehhhhhhh. Sorry, wrong answer. I ONLY do so secretly)
Would Art Coulson make a good spouse?
Yes (Thanks, hon)
Do you think that Art Coulson is a slacker?
Yes (Correct!)
Do you think that Art Coulson is cute?
Yes (Thanks, sis)
Do you think that Art Coulson is a liar?
Yes (Correct! But only to those I love when I think it will keep me out of trouble…)

I can't see a freaking thing! I knew I should have wiped off my windshield! /Photo originally posted on Flickr by woodleywonderworks

From KARE-11 TV:

MINNEAPOLIS — Hellacious might be a good term to describe road conditions across Minnesota Thursday morning and afternoon. ‘Brutal’ would also be fitting.
Between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m the Minnesota State Patrol reported 413 property damage crashes(27 of them rollovers) and 62 personal injury crashes, none of them serious.
Safety officials were not immune to the fender bending, either. At least one State Trooper was hit on I-35 near Forest Lake, and two MnDot snowplows were also struck by commuters.
Troopers responded to 280 vehicles that left the roadway, mostly due to slippery conditions caused by fresh snow on glare ice. A MnDot spokesman called it “the worst winter driving day of the season.”

So we got that going for us … which is nice.

This video made me guffaw. Thanks @RezBomb for letting us know about it.

Here is an interview I did Monday on ThisWeekLive—The Show, with Jeff Achen of This Week Newspapers. Topics included growth of social media, my work with nonprofits, my service on the school board and other scintillating issues. I know only Bill Roehl will make it to the end (to see if I said anything about LazyLightning.org or his mad Mario Karts skills).

So what do you think? Were my answers really as rambling as they sound to me? Did the video add 10 pounds to my weight (or was it more like 25)? Should This Week continue the show after Jeff’s departure, or did my appearance take away your appetite for such local public affairs programming?

More scenes from Christmas Day. We would have taken more photos, but we were shoveling snow, eating, playing Mario Karts, eating, watching Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince on Blu Ray and eating.

Here are some family photos shot at Holz Farm Park in Eagan in October, when we were getting Katie’s senior portraits done.

The girls got a bunch of makeup in their stockings today and had fun giving each other makeovers. I laughed until they threatened to give me a makeover. Now I cower in fear back in the office.