I cleaned the gutters on my house today and found, among the clumps of various yard waste, a flier for a school board candidate forum and a slice of bologna slathered in mustard.

Trick or treat?

Duluth police are looking for a vehicle that struck and critically injured a pedestrian on Rice Lake Road this morning. The driver did not stop. More information here.

Retribution Gospel Choir’s new album “2″ is slated to be released January 26th, 2010

Label: Sub Pop

Tracklist:
01 Hide It Away
02 Your Bird
03 ’68 Comeback
04 Workin ‘ Hard
05 Poor Man’s Daughter
06 White Wolf
07 The Last of the Blue Dream
09 Something’s Going to Break
10 Electric Guitar
11 Bless Us All

Notes: Second album from this Minnesota band, led by Low’s Alan Sparhawk, recently signed to Sub Pop. Hear “dub” versions of two tracks, “Electric Guitar” and “White Wolf” at: http://www.myspace.com/retributiongospelchoir

Live: RGC will be performing a concert December 19th at the 501 Club in Minneapolis.

[image via the DNT]

Here it is, kids. That motorized Lay-Z-Boy involved in last week’s DWI scandal is up for auction on eBay according to the DNT.

Here is the eBay auction for your bidding pleasure.

Bid, and bid well. If you win, please come back here with your story.

Can anyone shed light on this?

From Everything Else

UMD Fall Sustainability Fair
When: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 10-3
Where: UMD Kirby Student Center
What: Sustainability is the balance achieved when a society is able to provide for its own needs without compromising the needs of future generations. The bi-annual UMD Sustainability Fair has been established to highlight the progress of sustainability efforts within our community. The Fall 2009 Sustainability Fair will feature panel discussions and presentations focusing on the issue of food, in conjunction with the Superior Grown Food Summit which will be held at UMD on Saturday, Nov. 14. However, sustainability encompasses multiple, overlapping issues, including: education, energy, natural resources, government, economy, health, transportation and social justice. Public and private groups representing these facets will be present to showcase their progress.

Although many of its highways and bridges are in severe disrepair, the traditionally undemanding state of Minnesota isn’t comfortable asking for more interstate funding, sources reported Monday.

Read the story in the Onion.

“Duluth said it has some scrap metal we might be able to melt down to make some lamp poles.”

We’re gonna be scariest b/c we have a movie with Orson Wells in it…Just try and guess which one it is? Winner gets a special prize! UPDATE : Swan wins …

Howie Mandell (from St. Elsewhere), as seen at RT Quinlan’s on Halloween of 2008

Once again, Superior Street is coming out in full-force this Halloween night, and will undoubtedly be lined with zombies, sluts, slutty zombies, and probably even a Balloon Boy or two. Every bar in town has a “Halloween bash” and costume contest, of course. But here are a few events I’m aware of that sound like they’ll rise considerably above the average Halloween party, which is something when you consider that even the average Halloween party is pretty choice.

Feel free to leave any events I’ve missed in the comments, and I’ll add them to the list. They don’t have to be in Downtown Duluth or even in Duluth at all for that matter.

Most of all, have fun, be safe, and let’s all hope the lights don’t go out again this year.

(more…)

According to estimates by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Minnesota could raise $10 million in tax revenues simply by allowing liquor stores to sell on Sundays.

Read this brief story from Saint Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report for more info.

But the real reason to allow liquor stores to sell on Sundays is because it’s stupid not to, right?

I had to take a second look while reading the ARTS section of the NY Times yesterday. “Gosh, that guy with the muttonchops sure looks like…” Can you guess who it is?

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/arts/dance/27heaven.html

Duluth filmmakers Carrie Boberg and Maxwell Becker have been added to the lineup of fabulous northland media stars appearing at this year’s Indie Film Night Cinema Lounge, or, as we’re calling it this year because of its venue, ZINEMA LOUNGE. Surely you already have this on your calendar, but just in case, here’s the schedule of events for Saturday, November 7:
4:00 — How to Apply for the McKnight Screenwriting and Filmmaking Fellowships – FREE
5:00 — CINEMA LOUNGE Short Films ‘n’ meet the filmmakers – FREE
7:30 — INTO TEMPTATION ‘n’ Q&A with director Patrick Coyle – $10.00
10:00 — RECEPTION at the Zinema2!

http://www.ifpmn.org/Duluth09.html

How To Find A Masculine Halloween Costume For Your Effeminate Son

The Ubuntu developers are moving quickly to bring you the absolute latest and greatest software the Open Source Community has to offer.  It will become Canonical’s eleventh release of the distribution and will likely be supported until April 2011.  With this newest release, Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala, you will notice differences ascetically, and there are also underlying differences in the nuts-n-bolts of things.

I’m not going to make this a technical review, I’d just like to get down to the fun.

I thought it would be a good idea to get some people together for a Release Party for the northern Wisconsin/northeastern Minnesota area to celebrate this fantastic release.  Bring your friends, family, coworkers, even your boss!

Here’s some details:

• Friday, November 6 th, 2009
• 7pm-10pm? (or whenever)
• The Shack @ 3301 Belknap St. Superior, WI 54880
• You don’t have to be 21 to attend
• Wear your Ubuntu gear if you have it, bring laughs, stories, experiences, and prepare to meet some new people
• There is a restaurant if you’re hungry, also soda and a bar (if you’re over 21)

Please click here for a map and RSVP form.

I hope to see you there!

-Anthony Hook

Q gallery

Franklin Art Center
Brainerd, Mn.

Call for artist for: 2×2 Artwork 2009
Award : Solo show
Exhibit information: janitorproductions.blogspot.com
60 spots

For Mn artist only
Sign-up by: 11/16/09

I am looking for a moderator for a forum tomorrow afternoon at the Labor Temple from 4 until 530. The moderator we had scheduled is unable to make it. The topic is regarding funding for long-term care, although you don’t have to have a lot of knowledge about the subject, and there will be local legislators and members of the public there. Can anyone help out?

As a former wrestler I found this article quite interesting. I remember visiting UMD and looking at the conference Champ Pennants up at the fieldhouse.

http://www.intermatwrestle.com/articles/5657

Rod Raymond is a fitness instructor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He was investigated by UMD administrators this past summer and reprimanded for sexually harassing students. The issue became the hot topic in town last week when the Duluth News Tribune reported on it.

A post was made on this Web site last week regarding the issue, and a lot of people weighed in with comments. The person who made the post ultimately grew uncomfortable with it and decided to change the post and remove all the comments, except one.

Since then, PDD administrators have opted to not approve two other posts about the issue — one that didn’t seem to make any sense, and another that was purely mean spirited. A third post was automatically published, but was later removed because it was considered to be in poor taste.

This is a sensitive issue, but it’s also an important one. It is not the intention of PDD’s administrators to shut down all commentary about this. On the contrary, we encourage you to add your comments to this post. If you feel Mr. Raymond’s punishment was too light or that he was unfairly judged, by all means say so.

Just keep it productive, please. Don’t go all batshit loonball.

UWS will be sponsoring a 3-on-3 indoor soccer tournament to benefit the Genocide Prevention Network. Cost is $5/person to play or $10/person which includes a Genocide Prevention t-shirt. The tournament will be held on Saturday November 8th in the Health & Wellness Center from roughly 10 am to 4 pm. If you are interested, email Ryan Hebert at rhebert(at)uwsuper.edu. We are hoping to get 16 teams. Winners will receive special soccer balls.

In 2008 Pro Video Productions in Duluth, in cooperation with a number of big employers and VisitDuluth.com produced a slick documentary “Fresh Duluth.” It was posted and discussed by many of us here on Perfect Duluth Day

I liked the film just fine and from my lay person’s perspective it was well done. The idea was to use it to lure employees to the city and maybe some businesses or conventions or whatever … It features great action shots of the outdoors, culture and business and interviews with a number of well-lit, Ken Burns style “expert” interviews with prominent folks talking about how great the city was including …

–Ann Klefstad DNT arts and culture reporter who was laid off in one of several mass lay offs that the DNT did that same year. Just a few months after the video premiered

–A Cirrus Design Exec (Alan Klapmeier, I think) who was fired/quit/demoted from the organization earlier this year.

And rounding out the list …

–Rod Raymond a prominent local businessman, endurance athlete, and (somehow he also finds time to be a) fitness professor at UMD whose name and reputation are now bound up in allegations of Sexual Harassment at UMD, plus lots and lots and lots of rumors and allegations, that may never end, regardless of the truth.

Now … I’m having that not so Fresh Feeling …

Please come to the Peace Cabaret at Carmody at 7:30 on Oct. 27– suggested donation a ten-spot. This is meant to benefit Sue Sojourner, who is struggling to assemble the photos, the ephemera, the words, the memories, of her role and those of her friends in the fight for civil rights in the south in the sixties. Hers may be the real “greatest generation”–those who threw their lives into jeopardy for some idea of justice that wasn’t popular at the time.

The entertainment will surprise you–political talk that isn’t boring. I’ve assembled sections of speeches from the likes of Stokely Carmichael, Fanny Lou Hamer, MLK, and more that carry the flavor of those days’ immediacy, the sense that something real could change. They’ll be read by Duluth citizens: David Comer, Portia Johnson, Bart Sutter, Rabbi Amy Bernstein and more.

And hey–for fun, Perfectini plays lounge jazz– another 60s artifact.

come on down and let’s think and feel together about what political change can be.

Surely this will come as no surprise, but there’s now a Facebook page for the Honking House.

Oh and don’t forget Haxan:Witchcraft thru the Ages with a newly written score that will be performed live by Tim Kaiser on October 30th 7p.m. and October31st at 9p.m. Tickets are available for both Haxan and Paranormal on the Zinema 2 site

I didn’t get around to checking it out until yesterday, but I must say the new Lakewalk extension to 47th Avenue East is fantastic. Call it reason #1,327 to love Duluth.

My only complaint: What’s the deal with the annoying chain-link fence that runs the entire stretch? I suppose it’s to prevent toddlers from crawling in front of a train, but can’t we sacrifice a few kids for the sake of aesthetics?

Is there a person who has frequented PDD that actually saw The Replacements play Duluth ? I saw The Suburbs play here twice (1986 & 1987 I believe…) But I, a very big ‘Mats fan from my Duluth HS influences, never saw them as a band live. I’ve seen Paul in MPLS, but he has yet to play Duluth.

Why do I bring this up? Because Wilco, who has covered The Replacements “Color Me Impressed”  song.php?song_key=234 numerous times since 1997, and cite The Replacements as their influence, are a Chicago band coming to Duluth for the third time.

So why the hell can we NOT book Paul Westerberg? And did The Replacements ever play Duluth?

We all can talk about supporting local talent and wanting great acts  to play Duluth, but why the hell do we not get the MPLS acts that have gone national and are influences to the acts we do attract?

photo: Dan Branovan

Tonight at Carmody Irish Pub
10pm

Coyote artwork by Sarah Heimer

Reggae heads, come to the Twin’s bar on Sat. 24th. It’s the return of the supreme rockers! Current and vintage tunes, cheap booze, no cover, LOUD BASS! come enjoy the vibes!