Near Two Harbors, 34 structures burned and Highway 61 closed; in Crow Wing County, a 1,600-acre fire sparked evacuations

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 after yesterday's derailment in North Dakota, there's another fireball that's getting attention in the Oil Patch. This one (language warning):

We've seen this in other areas of the country where gas and oil is being extracted by fracking. Jacob Haughney says he took the video in northwest North Dakota, but he declined to tell the 

Is it calming to know that North Dakota officials don't believe it has anything to do with oil drilling?

There are no federal health standards for methane in water.

MULTIMEDIA: Casselton train crash resulting in massive fire prompts call for evacuation

Now that the Minnesota Vikings have fired coach Leslie Frazier, the hard part comes: Convincing someone who's any good to come to Minnesota. Oddly enough, it's not been our strong suit in recent years with any of the major sports. Some of the best analysis comes from the 

, where K.J. Segall writes that without a decent QB, it'll be tough to lure a decent coach here.

Quantifying the best and worst NFL broadcasters

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1870915446?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAGBdRBg~,Fa2suEROi7GtTDb1-WvRxAv8kia9EHH1&bctid=2990747906001

 NBA refs sneak in a late entry for "worst call in sports this year" contest.

, especially if you haven't yet realized he's the best sports play-by-play voice in Minnesota.

http://soundcloud.com/bigcatcountry/30-final-call-long

The people on the Shokalskiy, which is stuck in ice in Antarctica, seem so happy that one wonders if they've even heard of 

. Yesterday, they released video of the time they're having.

Icebreakers didn't make it near the stuck ship yesterday, the 

 reports in a blog post featuring additional audio. The stranded were to be helicoptered off the ship and taken to a Chinese ship nearby. But the Chinese ship is now stuck in the ice, too.

The temperature outside the ship yesterday was -1 -- presumably celsius -- which puts it about 30 degrees warmer than Minnesota.

Which would you rather: Be stuck on a ship in the ice when it's 30, or able to get about when it's -6?

Lost Images Come To Life A Century After Antarctic Expedition

, the  movement that started as a protest  against  Canada's weakening of environmental laws and First Nation land rights, is vowing to go ahead with a "flash roundy," as it did at this time last year. The Mall of America officials are warning them not to bother, 

Mall officials sent a letter to organizers warning of arrests if they go ahead with the protest.

5) ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE YALE OR YOUR LYING EYES?   

Is there a more violent place than Chicago, where there's more than one homicide a day?  Yes, it's Minneapolis, 

Natjuan Herrin, who lives on Chicago's West Side, says, "where I come from, they shoot every day, all day, but it's not safe nowhere in Chicago. Wherever you go, it's not safe," Herrin says.

If it's not safe there, it's not safe here -- or in a few other large cities, too. A Yale University study says Chicago's 

violent crime rate ranks 19th in the nation, on part with Houston and Minneapolis.

The Fabulous Confetti Fête: A Times Square New Year's Eve

 The show must go on. Why TV reporters doing live shots deserve a little respect.

"I am known to faint any time I am in high altitudes and get too cold," 

. "I could feel myself getting light headed and tried to warn the producer that I was sick."

"After I went down I sat up and had no idea how long I had been out but saw the camera pointed at my face and decided to keep talking."

More reasons why you should've tipped your newspaper carrier

(9-12 p.m.) - First hour: Today is the final day to sign up for MNSure coverage that begins tomorrow.  We’ll get an update on issues with our state’s exchange including any continuing problems with the website.  We also discuss other healthcare changes that go into effect tomorrow.

Second hour: Taking stock of the intersection between Minnesota's demography and economy

Third hour: The Oxford Dictionaries chose “selfie.” Merriam-Webster’s chose “science.” What was your favorite word of 2013? We’ll look back at the year in words with linguist Anatoly Liberman.

 (12-1 pm) - An American RadioWorks documentary about the history and value of the GED, called "Second Chance Diploma: Examining the GED."

 (1-2 p.m.) - A  closer look at Pope Francis immense popularity.

 (3-6:30 p.m.) -  What changes tomorrow when most of the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act take full effect?  Catharine Richert will have the story.

Michael Zoosman was a heavy drinker and stressed-out lawyer. He eventually quit his job, put down the bottle, and got signed up for a bread-baking class. Now he's a talented baker and has been appointed as a judge. NPR has the story of how this man found happiness in a baking apron and in black

NewsCut

Bob Collins

Author

Take the tap test,  the challenges of finding someone to take the Vikings’ job,  from Antarctica with love,  Idle No More v. Mall of America, and how violent is Chicago? About  as violent as Minneapolis.

Flames from the tap, the Vikings coaching search, and stuck in the ice (5×8- 12/31/13)

Go Deeper.

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