August 2012 Posts

New Darin Bergsven video is quite sappy

[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]

… and that’s just how I like it. I hope you do, too. This cover of the Pixies’ “Ana” is on my CD Out of Nowhere. The video was made by Brian Barber; many thanks to him.

North Shore Sands

My wedding is coming up soon and at my finance’s request we will be having a sand ceremony, where you pour two different kinds of sand in a jar. I remember seeing black sand on the North Shore, however, my frequent trips up there have blurred my memory on the exact location. I am thinking somewhere near Knife River, but don’t want to pay for the gas to get there and be wrong.

Minneapolis Fundraisers Haven’t Learned the Duluth Trick: Not Paying Artists

Fundraisers cost money?

Onion A.V. Club in Hibbing

The Onion A.V. Club’s Sean O’Neal traveled to Hibbing for a video that soaks up the Bob Dylan experience for the series Pop Pilgrims. There’s a nice look inside the Hibbing High School Auditorium — Minnesota’s second-nicest high-school auditorium.

[This post originally linked to the video, which no longer exists on the Onion’s site.]

New Standard Encyclopedia 1933

Duluth activist & cohorts shut down high-security nuke plant

Today on the Reuters newswire:

The U.S. government’s only facility for handling, processing and storing weapons-grade uranium has been temporarily shut after anti-nuclear activists, including an 82-year-old nun, breached security fences, government officials said on Thursday.

Where’s the dill?

The cukes are growing like mad, but the dill is doing diddly. Whole Foods, Cub, Super One don’t have any dill on hand — apparently shipments are coming in at the end of the week … maybe, no guarantees. Any suggestions where I can find fresh dill?

What’s a geek to do in town?

I’m going to be moving to Duluth in the next couple months and was wondering what kind of nerdy stuff is around town.

What’s the best computer store in town for components? Somewhere where they’ll know what a GTX680 is. Are there any hacker/maker clubs? I’m also interested in volunteering; does anyone know of a computer refurbishing program? Are there any local tech websites or handouts?

I know there are more nerds like me; what are you up to?

McPants on Fire?

I’ve been watching that god-awful fortress of a retaining wall around the London Road McDonald’s slowly bulge outward over the past months with a mixture of bemused amazement and horror. Now comes word via the News Tribune that the wall is being knocked down and rebuilt … as part of a cosmetic enhancement?

“Strongman” a melancholy Tuesday

I went to see the story of Stanless Steel, the strongman. He’s an old-school strongman, the kind that I would have seen on That’s Incredible growing up in the 1980s.

Rocket, man.

So if anyone in the Chester Creek Cafe neighborhood finds a model rocket in their tree / backyard / roof, I know who it belongs to. Orange parachute, dark rocket with Ryan T written on it. Launched from the baseball fields, ended up somewhere S SW of there tonight. Thanks.

Duluth Jalapeno Express: Closed

Walt Dizzo reports via Facebook today: “So bummed, best restaurant in town. RIP Jalapeno Express.”

Remember all the ranting and raving about the greatness of this place? What happened?

Moving Day Group

We’re in the middle of moving, and all of the trips up and down the stairs got me thinking about something that actually seems viable. I was imagining the best possible scenario for moving and I came up with the Duluth Moving Consortium, a gigantic group of people that could help each other move. Imaging how quickly and easily you could move your stuff if a group of 100-200 people all came to help. In a perfect world, enough would show up that each person could take one load down the stairs and the work would be done.

Sure, you might draw a bad load and end up with half a couch or mattress, but the next move might be a shoebox of CDs or a trashcan. And if you help, then others come to your aid when you need to move.

I just thought that with all of the moving going on in this town, this sort of cooperative just might have legs.

It’s so crazy, it might work.

New newsletter for Lakeside and Lester Park neighborhoods

The first issue of the Look at Lakeside newsletter is out. It will come out every two months (on the even-numbered months). If you have article topics, Lakeside photos, news, even history, or even want to share why you live in or what you like about Lakeside-Lester Park, send me an email. The issues are being distributed at Lakeside-Lester Park businesses and online. You can subscribe (free) to get a notice when the next issue is out online.

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