Zygi buys new apartment in NY

On Tuesday, November 15, after a long day of working on my unfinished, but indisputably kick-ass, novel, I cracked an adult beverage and logged onto the Internet to make my usual rounds.

On Perfect Duluth Day, I found a post by City Councilor-elect Jennifer Julsrud, titled “Duluth’s Plumbing Needs Big Fix,” regarding Duluth’s aging water infrastructure. Accompanied by a short YouTube video (serious people talking seriously about water, serious music playing in the background), the post listed a series of upcoming community meetings that were to be held on the subject.

Naturally, this irritated me greatly. As far as I was concerned, this was just the latest example of Duluth’s tendency to be serious one minute about issues that actually need attention, and the next minute to stampede giddily off in pursuit of unneeded, but very expensive, luxuries that we want RIGHT NOW—as if the money we spend on the luxuries has no relation at all to the money we need for necessities.

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Since this summer, I’ve seen several large, blaze orange coils of fiber optic cable being installed throughout the city. As of today I spotted some by Holy Rosary and up near Home Depot on Central Entrance.

Does anyone know if our Google overlords are trying to pull a fast one on us? Were area ISPs startled into actually building out their networks up here? Please tell me I’ll be browsing the Internet at satisfyingly fast speeds in the near future.

A couple of weeks ago I emailed Chip’s office stating my views on Obama’s jobs bill and I asked for Chip’s view on the bill and if he would be supporting it.

To date, I’ve heard nothing from him.

In the past I’ve email Franken on an unrelated matter and at least his people bothered to send me a standard response in a timely fashion.

Are elected officials obligated to reply to the questions those they represent have for them?

If not, I’ve not sure how appropriate the term ‘representative’ really is.

Has anybody else being driven crazy by all the mosquitoes in Duluth the past week?! Seriously, it’s like Alaska out there. I can’t work in the yard without getting drained. I can’t ever remember it being this bad. Theories? (Sustained west winds? Moth spraying killed all the dragonflies? Hurricane Irene sucking them all down from northern Canada?)

My cousin had his bike stolen from the Hillside (9th & 10th Avenue East area) Friday night/Saturday morning. Easily identifiable, 1971 BMW, desert tan paint. Ammo cans were off at time of theft. Please call the DPD if you see this bike, it is one of a kind and hard to miss. Or if you are not the type of person to call the cops, post here or call me at 218-591-five seven ate five.

Hotel Suicide by Manheat

Associated Press via the Washington Post: “Iran sentences two American men to eight years in jail in blow to hopes for freedom“

Folks, please be on the lookout for a bass guitar that was taken during a burglary at my home recently. This bass is a viola-type, hollow body (think Paul McCartney, Hofner-type bass) painted green with a small spot on the back that was sanded down to the original wood. It was in a soft gig bag. I don’t have a picture, unfortunately, but really you can’t miss this if you see it. Very high sentimental value. If you happen to see it around please call the Duluth Police Department, or call me at 341-8175.

Anybody else notice a high amount of burglaries in Duluth lately? It seems that a lot of people I tell about this has a similar story of being burglarized recently.

Thanks,
Tony Derrick

Is it just me, or is there an insane amount of vandalism in Duluth this spring? It seems like everywhere I go there’s a bunch of random scribbles on everything. I’m even seeing it on the sides of people’s houses! I went for a walk down in the ol’ Canal Park this morning, the first time this year since the thaw, only to be pretty disappointed by what I found.
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Neil Gaiman (l.) w/ M.T. Anderson at Midwest Booksellers Association trade show in 2009

Republicans now targeting a hard-working author for being too successful at what he does.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/121223134.html

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2011/05/opinions-of-pencil-necked-weasel-thief.html

I propose that the City only issue event licenses under the condition that tickets must be purchasable locally. For example, do I really have to pay Ticketmaster $11.37 in handling fees for a $35 concert ticket at Bayfront Festival Park this summer? A 32% markup paid to a California company? I would much rather pay any ticket markup to a local record store or nonprofit. Or, directly to the City for that matter. Anything to keep the money in our community, not exporting it to a corporation in California. Maybe I am missing something?

I am not a Wiki person but I am just putting this out there to those of you who are: check out the Duluth Public Schools Wikipedia Page.  Not only is it outdated and lacks proofreading it is quite salacious and suggests “controversity” (sic) without evidence to support those claims.  I don’t have the knowledge to update the page but would like to see something better out there! 

Click the image to see it at a readable size.

Have you recently looked out into the evening sky to be welcomed by what would seem to be a search beacon?

I don’t know that I have ever witnessed it while I have lived in Duluth, however, years ago, it was common practice to hire a “searchlight advertising” team help promote your special event.

This new searchlight seems to be something altogether different.

Of course, some might applaud the re-opening of the London Road McDonald’s, and it might even be searchlight worthy, but it seems that the searchlight that is emitting from McDonald’s is permanently fixed on top of the building. WTF?

(Admin note: According to McDonald’s Duluth-area supervisor, the light is not permanent. It will be in use for about 30 days.)

Are we to expect that this light will constantly beam into the sky, luring unsuspecting folk to this establishment? Forever polluting our night space?

When I look out toward the big dark lake, that’s all I care to see … black … nothing else … thank you very much.

I suggest that we begin here, with a letter-writing campaign urging that they turn that damn light off.

I was longboarding to work today on the Lakewalk, riding on the paved section like I should, and I ended up behind a family riding those huge rental bikes. I yelled, “On your left!” and then continued to repeat it. They apparently never heard it, or didn’t care. I had to squeeze past them, and they ended up running into the fence because they freaked out. Their little girl started crying and said she couldn’t breathe and had a panic attack. I stopped and checked if they were all right, and they were.

I don’t believe those things should be used on the boardwalk. Actually, I don’t think they should exist in Canal Park at all. They are big, people don’t know how to correctly use them, and they just get in the way of bike/board/walking commuters.

Sorry if someone reading this owns the stand that rents these, or if you love them so much that you are offended by this, but I still hate them.

Maybe a month ago a hole appeared out of nowhere on the avenue in front of our house. Not a pothole mind you, more like a door leading to a banquet hall. I myself have examined it, as well as just about every curious soul in the neighborhood. I’ve even seen people throw their trash in it.  At this point it’s roughly a foot in diameter, but opens up into quite a cavernous void directly below the asphalt. My wife can insert her leg up to her hip and fully extend it.

The city hasn’t shown much interest in fixing it, but probably a week ago it did put a fantastic orange warning sign over it, including a blinking light to shout warning to all those who travel along Ninth Avenue East. The problem is, is that the blinking light doesn’t work, nor does the nearest streetlight leaving it an extremely dark corner. The closest lamps are, well, a block away in all directions leaving this marker useless after dark.

Which brings me to the excitement of this eve. The sound of the neighborhood jackanapes knocking over the sign got our attention at around 11:30pm, but I didn’t pay much mind to it as of course, this isn’t the first time some goof pushed over the sign while walking down the street in the extreme darkness trying to impress a chick. What did turn my head was the sound of said sign throwing down fiery fisticuffs with the underbelly of a car not slowing for the yield sign. Plastic shattered, sparks flew, and metal screeched for several blocks before the driver stopped, looked under his car, and then kept driving until what looked like hitting a major pothole or “bump” in the road, dislodging what was left of the sign. I have yet to investigate the corpse, but I’m guessing I will see blaze orange extremities spread over a good 3 blocks on my way to work tomorrow.

After all this time of waiting to see or hear the front end of someone’s vehicle being devoured by the massive darkness beneath the city street it turned out to be a device of warning, placed to protect Duluth’s citizens, that has taken a victim.

And the sinkhole laughs, and waits.

*Writers note: The sign was nowhere to be seen this morning, which is unfortunate because I really wanted to see the carnage. Oh well, I’m sure this isn’t the last time this will happen.

“Duluth” Trading Company opens its first retail store. Where, you ask? Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, naturally.

Wisconsin State Journal: Remodeling starts for Duluth Trading’s first retail store in Mount Horeb

I know previously someone started up a conversation about the proper use of the merge lanes on I-35, but I am unable to find that posting.

I now have been honked at, given the finger, had one woman actually move her car to block me and then just sit in the left lane blocking traffic, because I’ve properly used the left lane for merging and have zipped past all those who have chosen to sit and creep along in the right lane.  My husband has actually had cars swerve out at him as he’s passed, which is now making me nervous to even attempt to use the merge lane.

Have any of the local news stations talked about this? It’d be sweet if they’d all remind people that those of us who actually use the left lane and merge at the appropriate point are the one’s doing the correct thing.

It always sucks to have something stolen from you. Recently (within the past 3-4 days) I was sitting down on the north side of the pier right by the bridge with some friends, when I walked away to go back to my car, realizing: Oh wow, I forgot my backpack! So, not even 5 minutes had passed, and when I went back to get it, it was gone. I thought, “Oh, someone just picked it up and will read my contact info on the inside and call me later.” That never happened. It was a black Duluth Pack that was given to me from my girlfriend, and then inside was my favorite pea green sweater ever, my iPod Classic, and then my headphones. In the front pocket was a whole lot of fun stuff too. So, I’m just saying, if anyone has it, please return it. I’d be so thankful and probably give you a few bucks for being an awesome person and returning it. If I find you wearing it, I’m going to have to punch you.

As a hardcore environmentalist and a Red Plan critic, I am rather befuddled by all the talk of an EIS for the Western Middle School.

To be quite honest, the Western Middle School on the chosen site is the one part of the Red Plan I actually support. As an avid outdoor explorer, I think I’ve made tracks in just about every wild spot in Duluth, this one included. I can tell you the “pristine field” critics talk about is mostly an invasive buckthorn hell. Putting a middle school there, if done right, could lead to ecological restoration and native landscaping to improve a highly disturbed ecosystem.
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Stupid stupid stupid oil industry! If you thought all this crap was bad today, it was equally bad in 1979 (“equally bad” as in “the exact same fucking problem”).

That was Then, This is Then

A warning to all dog owners out there: some asshole is going around Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood poisoning dogs (DPD, DNT, Strib, Fox21, MPR). Unlike the dog-napper rumors, this appears to be real.

Watch your doggies, bring them to the vet if you notice symptoms, and keep an eye out for suspicious people giving your pets “treats.”

Dairy Queen purchases naming rights to BWCAW.