October 2009 Posts

Happy Leif Erikson Day

Leif Erikson Park Google-leif-erikson

I just thought it would be good to pay some respect to Mr.  Leif Erikson on his day.  Or is it Ericson?

I will stick with his nickname “Leif the Lucky” that’s catchier anyway. Either way he was a great explorer and discovered this great continent 500 years before Mr. Columbus and was way cooler. Get out and celebrate and have a beer for your favorite Norse explorer.

And screw you Google, why no respect for Leif the Lucky? O’well we will give him the Google love he deserves here.

Send your love to Leif and comment how much he means to you on this Leif Erikson Day 2009.

Fire on the Water – Firey photos of the flaming frenzy

FireOnTheWater05b

The Spin Collective Fire Dancers performed at Lake Place Park as the grand finale to last night’s Fire on the Water dance show at Teatro Zuccone.

There are two more performances, Oct. 9 and 10. See original post.

Chip Stewart

Chip Stewart has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Thousands of people knew Chip and his wife Marcie as proprietors of the amazing Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe in the DeWitt-Seitz Building in Canal Park.

I don’t have any more details right now, but hopefully those will materialize as is possible. But what I can tell you is that Chip was a very great man who I first met in 1997 when I was working on a story as a freelance reporter. Amazing Grace was hosting a counter-rally when anti-gay freakshow activist Fr*d Ph*lps was coming to Duluth. And that was the beginning of many, many conversations. In 2004 he gave me the biggest business break that I never deserved when (despite owning a successful food service operation of his own) he allowed my little food stand to come in and sling some wienies during events at the Historic NorShor Theater, which he was hoping to revive at the time. Chip was a friend to many, many people. The bread, coffee and all the food at Amazing Grace is fantastic, he provided a great venue for live folk music in Duluth, and he also provided a great place for people to sit in a non-rushed atmosphere. One of his least heralded but possibly most important gifts to all of us was providing a safe and fun place for young people (and sober people) to gather, play cards, surf the net and socialize, there was nothing quite like it in Duluth before it opened, and it remains a one-of-a-kind institution with Chip’s fingerprints all over it. He gave big breaks to many more musicians, artists, waitresses, bakers, baristas and entrepreneurs than just me, dozens, maybe hundreds of people’s lives and careers were enhanced by contact with this man. I feel safe in saying that his impact on our community will reverberate not just for days and weeks, but for generations.

My heartfelt prayers go out to his wife Marcie and all of his family, and to the rest of us, his chosen family. May you rest in peace, my brother.

If someone has a good photo or two of Chip, please post it here or provide a link to where we can all see them.

Wind Turbine Manufacturing

Finally with the announcement of two wind turbine manufacturing plants, one in Duluth and one in Two harbors, I can get off that rant. How long did that take, ten years? I hope they work. Now if we could have a pilot program to test stormwater retention through the use of boulevard raingardens, (which have had suceess rates of up to 90% retention in places like Seattle and Burnsville) I could get off that one. But I’ve only been talking about that one for 15 or 20 years. I have another one in my head that would have major economic impact on Northern MN but it is so simple that it would be too complicated for the no republicans and the help everybody else out except the working people democrats, so I’ll leave that alone.

Grab a beer, it’s on you.

Ten years ago this weekend, music history was made.

Missing promo photos, Homegrown 2003

Missing promo photos, Homegrown 2003

With the likes of Ricky Martin, Lou Bega and Sixpence None The Richer dominating the charts, backlash was inevitable. The world clamored for a band which did not suck; did not dance on stage [at least, with choreography]; and had the good sense to combine the best parts of Guns N’ Roses, the Misfits and Mötley Crüe into one girlfriend-thieving package.

This band, of course, was Bone Appetit.

Captured! By Robots, Fall Tour 2009

Captured By Robots homepage:
http://www.capturedbyrobots.com/index.htm

Playing Pizza Luce (11 E. Superior St.) Tuesday, Oct. 13th, 10PM, all ages, 8 bucks

Brought to you by Gonzo Science
http://gonzoscience.com/GonzoUSA/

and the Transistor
http://www.transistormag.com/

No UFO Convention this year, just malevolent robots.

Russ Feingold listening session.

This is a little short notice, but I didn’t hear about it until I received the letter from his office yesterday, so anyway, Russ Feingold will be holding his 2009 Douglas county listening session in Solon Springs at 2pm this sat. If you live on the other side of the bridge and would like to meet the only senator to “Nay” the Patriot Act check out the details below.

What: Russ Feingold’s 2009 Douglas County Listening session.
Time: 2 P.M. Saturday, October 10th
Place:Solon Springs Community Center
11523 South Business 53
Solon Springs, WI

Dull Knife

Looking for a local knife sharpening to put a good edge on my kitchen knives.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Chairman Mauer

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Birth & baby fair – tonight!

Birth_and_Baby_Fair_sample

This is a free event with more than 30 booths covering everything from family planning through pregnancy, birth and babies.  Discussions on baby-wearing, diapering and informed birth choices, and drawings for awesome prizes.

Any good health food stores?

I am in town for the week and the little one is getting junkie in his chest and nose. We need to buy some echanasia and on the east coast I can only find it and all the vitamins we need at the local health food store. My wife saw Betty Lou’s through Google. Is there any others that you might suggest?

Remember this old PDD logo?

Was this Perfect Duluth Day’s first logo?

Circa 2003

Circa 2003

Wilco back in Duluth!

Friday, February 19, 2010

http://www.kumd.org/

Any chance the DECC can get a better beer situation figured out by then?

Rally and Ride for Climate Protection Oct 24

Join Mayor Don Ness, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and hundreds of others in Duluth on October 24 as we celebrate pedal power and take action against global warming.

Rally and Ride (or Walk) for Climate Protection

Saturday, October 24 / International Day of Climate Action

3:00pm: Gather on Harbor Dr behind the DECC for a mini-rally and big group bike ride through Canal Park – costumes and noisemakers encouraged. No bike? There will also be a pedestrian march, complete with brass band.

4:00pm: Climate teach-in (details TBA).

In December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen to craft a new global treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions. While many climate scientists are calling for immediate action to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million or less (we’re now at about 385ppm), the treaty currently on the table doesn’t pass that test.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday Only!

teatro-fireonwater