Month: January 2013
Announcement: Nerd Nite Podcast
From the Math is Hard Network:
The Math Is Hard Network of podcasts and blogs is proud to announce the release of our second podcast property, Nerd Nite MN.
Nerd Nite is a national organization with local chapters, and this podcast features live recordings from the Duluth, MN chapter. Similar to Give and Take and Ignite presentations, Nerd Nite features smart, funny presenters speaking about nerdy topics that they are totally into, and can’t wait to share about. Topics can range from Japanese toilet technology to the collapse of the modern banking system, and everywhere in between.
Our first episode provides a detailed look at the past, present, and future of Scooby Doo. Presenter Luke M. is hugely passionate and informed about the topic, and it shows. You’ll laugh and learn at an equal clip.
Muckety Mucks
Don Ness had his birthday party at Tycoons the same night Al Franken dined there. DFL FTW!
(Photo by Maxwell McGruder)
This week: cops, teens and dying sociology professors
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
You can have Coffee with a Cop this morning at Whole Foods Coop.
Teens from Woodland Hills have been working with local artists to produce a “documentary theater” piece called Gr8ful for Another Day which runs Wednesday and Thursday at Teatro Zuccone.
The Duluth Art Institue is having a big Gallery Celebration on Thursday with works by Carla Stetson, Cecilia Ramon and emerging photographers
Tuesdays with Morrie opens on Thursday and runs two weekends at the Play Ground. And, as an insider to this project, let me say that Kevin Walsh and Luke Moravec turn in not to be missed performances in this two man show.
On Friday you can see Low at Mitchell Auditorium and Homegrown Winter Fiasco featuring 8 bands at 3 venues.
The Chicken Hat Plays come back to the Harbor City Theater on Saturday premiering 8 short plays which don’t exist yet!
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!
Lafayette Wedding
I’m getting married on the beach at Park Point. It will be a small wedding but I want ceremony music and dinner music. Any ideas?
DNT discontinues comments
Close readers of the Duluth News Tribune’s online edition may have noticed that the site no longer allows commenting under any stories, and I think that’s been the case for several days. I’m not privy to the reasons behind the decision, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the comments they were getting didn’t add any value to the site. Quite the opposite, in my opinion.
The DNT isn’t alone in this struggle. Personally, I’ve never seen intelligent comments on a news organization’s website. I think it’s probably better for them to just stick to content creation and allow people to link to the content via Facebook or some other social site, and discuss the content there.
What do you think? Do you miss the comments or do you applaud the decision?
Duck Duck Punch streaming online today
Duluth band Duck Duck Punch will have a song on SomaFM’s BAGeL station today. The station’s notice is below. Pretty cool seeing them listed with Kate Nash and Yo La Tengo.
New music today including a terrific new EP from Kate Nash (London, England), Cropduster (not new…reissue) (Hackensack, NJ), Cub Scouts (Brisbane, Australia), Duck Duck Punch (Duluth, MN), Eux Autres (Portland, OR), The Gimps (not new, but new to us) (Atlanta, San Francisco, New Jersey), Parquet Courts (Brooklyn, NY), Pere Ubu (Cleveland, OH), Peter Peter (Québec, Canada), and Yo La Tengo (Hoboken, NJ).
Please tune in beginning at 9a.m. Pacific Time:
https://somafm.com/bagel/
I’m Glad Spring is Finally Here
I’ve got 61 degrees on the front porch. Any thoughts or memories from native Duluthians, what winter used to be like?
Artisan Bread at Red Mug
A while back PDD people were clamoring for artisan breads. Well, you can now get the real stuff at the Red Mug Bake Shop in Superior, from noon Thursday through Friday, at least through the winter. They are made by Dave Hanlon, whose breads you may have tasted at past Land Trust benefits. That’s about all I know.
Holiday Signs: Public Enemy #1
It has been mentioned on this site before how awful that Holiday sign is on I-35 at 27th Avenue West, but it bears repeating since it is pretty much the worst thing about Duluth, coming in just ahead of the Honking House and the fact that liquor stores can’t sell on Sundays (which is statewide, but so are the Holiday signs).
Well, I just noticed that the agenda for the Jan. 14 Duluth City Council meeting mentions that Councilor Jim Stauber will be introducing an ordinance regarding sign regulations that would seem, if I’m reading it right, to ban the Holiday sign.
[UPDATE: A closer reading of the resolution reveals that “legal, non-conforming signs are allowed to continue.” So Holiday couldn’t put up more signs with bright outlines at its stores in Duluth that don’t have them, but the ones that do have them could keep them.]
(more…)
The old Zippys Pizza Express
I was asked recently via e-mail what the name was of the pizza joint at 1830 E. Eighth St. before it was Vintage Italian Pizza (as seen in the modern photo above).
Since I spent no time at all in that neighborhood in my youth, I looked it up. (more…)
New to Duluth
My family (hubby, myself, and two 3-year-olds) are relocating to Duluth this summer from Madison, Wisconsin. We want to rent a 3- or 4-bedroom family home with a backyard for the little ones, a garage, and laundry. Any ideas/suggestions/tips for a newbie would be welcome. What are your favorite neighborhoods or areas in town? What is the best way to find a place?
Don Ness Gregnam Style
This was part of Rubber Chicken Theater‘s holiday sketch comedy revue A Flood of Christmas Cheer, which was performed in December. The sketch parodied the “Gangnam Style” Korean pop song and viral music video that has inspired uncountable memes. The premise of the Rubber Chicken bit was that cast member Greg J. Anderson’s new dance was sweeping the Twin Ports and this video was his proof. Even Duluth Mayor Don Ness was doing it!
This week: arty art art, little green army guys, cybermen and puttin’ on the ritz
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
There are several art exhibition openings this week:
- Sculptures by David Everett at the Zeitgeist today
- Past Life by Michael Converse and Jacob Swanson at the Washington Gallery on Friday
- Fragility by a bunch of artists with music provided by the Crunchy Bunch at the Prøve on Friday
and there are all the ice sculptures on exhibit (while weather permits) outside Little Angie’s in Canal Park.
Eight week skating classes for beginners start up at the Mars Lakeview Arena with Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday class options.
The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza runs Thursday through Saturday at the Teatro Zuccone. I’m not sure what that is, but it involves dance, little green army men, and Nerf guns, so why not?
Mark Russell brings his musical take on political humor to UMD on Friday.
Young Frankenstein gets the Rubber Chicken treatment in a live reading of the script at Fitger’s Spirit of the North Theater on Saturday.
And if you were at last night’s Doctor Who 101 premier you know to get to the Zinema 2 early for this Sunday’s screening of Tomb of the Cybermen featuring the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!
Houses on Wisconsin Point?
I had forgotten about the fenced-off houses at the end of Wisconsin Point for a few years, until seeing them again a couple days ago. I always figured they were somehow affiliated with the lighthouse … does anyone have any other information/stories about them?
80 Nerds in the Dark
I admit — I entered the Zinema’s “Doctor Who 101” with some trepidation. The organizer is the sharp, innovative Tony M., the real engine behind the Zinema for some time. (I know there was another architect, but frankly, some architects are engineers, while Tony is an artist, breathing life). (more…)
Bent Paddle Brewing Co. of Duluth
I noticed banners on the side of a building off of West Michigan Street proclaiming Bent Paddle Brewing Co. taproom and brewery to open soon. Does anybody know more about it?
World Book Night is April 23
The second annual U.S./World Book Night is taking place on, appropriately enough, William Shakespeare’s birthday. On World Book Night, volunteers across the country give out free copies of a book they’ve selected from a list to complete strangers. It’s all part of an effort to promote literacy and book lust.
I participated in WBN last year, and gave away free copies of A Reliable Wife (set in northern Wisconsin) by Robert Goolrick to strangers imbibing at Thirsty Pagan Brewing and at the Anchor Bar. It was a lot of fun, and I urge anyone who loves books and loves to talk about books to apply.
The books are supplied by the participating publishers and if you are selected as a book giver, the books will be shipped to a local pick-up point for you to pick up that day. Each giver gets 20 books. Last year’s local pick-up point was Fitger’s Bookstore.
The list of books for this year’s World Book Night is on worldbooknight.org, as is the application form. The deadline to apply to be a book giver is Jan. 23. UPDATE: The deadline to apply to be a book giver is January 25, 2013.
I’m giving away copies of Population:485 by Michael Perry this year, and intend to, once again, hit bars in Supetown to give away Perry’s memoir about living and working in a small Wisconsin town.
Takk for Maten closing
From the Takk for Maten Cafe Facebook page:
It is with great disappointment that I am closing Takk for Maten Cafe. It has been 4 1/2 years since I opened the cafe in the Sons of Norway building and 3 1/2 years since we opened in the Tech Village. The exact date has yet to be determined, but I should know within a day or two.
Many friends have walked through our doors and we leave with so many wonderful memories. We will truly miss all of you. Thank you for your kindness, support and patronage. If we don’t see you again before we close, we hope our paths will cross again soon. If you have any questions or comments, please send us a message.
Klem, Sandy, Bente and all the Trolls ♥
Retribution B Side
Here’s a track from, or a side of, the upcoming Retribution Gospel Choir record, titled 3. It’s a “two-song full-length” album scheduled for release by Chaperone Records on Jan. 22. The songs were tracked live in one take, with the band playing together in the same room, and featuring guest guitarist Nels Cline of Wilco.
Retribution Gospel Choir is playing the Red Star Lounge every Tuesday night this month and also will play Tycoons on Jan. 31.
“Emeriti” or “’emeritus,'” not “emeritus”
from today’s DNT:
“Other retired UMD faculty members have been identified as emeritus when writing opinion pieces in the pages of the News Tribune. . .”
“emeriti” = referring to the people in question
“’emeritus'” = implying a quote from the opinion pieces in question
“emeritus” = cognitive dissonance
Can’t see it any other way. Sticks in my craw.
Low Deconstructed
Duluth band Low is featured in the lead article at stereogum.com.
Deconstructing: Yo La Tengo, Low and the Creative Potential of Domestic Bliss
New Year’s Eve Concert
Did anyone catch the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra concert at Amsoil Arena on New Year’s Eve? What did you think?
The Lowertown Line – Trampled by Turtles, hosted by Dessa
Perfect Duluth Day was invited to shoot photos for the pilot of the MN Original program The Lowertown Line at Twins Cities Public Television. The Lowertown Line is a music special hosted by hip-hop artist Dessa and featuring bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles and their special guest, fellow Duluth native Alan Sparhawk of Low. The Lowertown Line’s five-song set and insightful conversation was recorded with a live studio audience. (more…)
Exclusive Buyer’s Agent?
Does anyone have any recommendations for a buyer’s agent in Duluth who works exclusively with buyers (i.e. does not represent sellers)?
Viking Dishwasher
Is there any value in a 2010 Viking Professional Series Dishwasher that has never really worked the way it is suppose to? Are there any vendors that take this stuff on trade? Should I part it out on eBay? I traded my neighbor for it [his wife didn’t like it – there is no drying element] and the drain pump went out this weekend. I don’t want to put any money into it [it’s the worst dishwasher we’ve every had]; but it feels like there needs to be some value in it. I guess the damn thing was over 1K when they bought it and I’ve got sausage in my freezer that’s older than this thing. Perhaps I should set it out on Island Lake and sell chances at guessing when it falls through in the spring? Winner gets 1/2 the pot? [actual fundraiser by the Lion’s Club in my hometown, except it was a car on the Mississippi]. Will entertain interesting offers.