Barrett Chase Posts

Where in Duluth (Flashback Edition)

Hint 1: This photo was taken in 2006.
Hint 2: The sign is no longer there.

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?

PDD Poll: Legalization

Should Minnesota follow suit with Washington and Colorado, and legalize marijuana use for recreational purposes?

This poll is now closed. The results were:

Yes – 88.6 percent
No – 6.8 percent
Not sure – 4.6 percent

Should Minnesota follow suit with Washington and Colorado, and legalize marijuana use for recreational purposes?

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Note: Only people who are logged in to their Perfect Duluth Day blogging account are allowed to vote (to prevent people from voting multiple times). To create an account, click here. If you need help figuring it out, click here.

Where in Duluth?

PDD Poll: How Much Heat?

The stereotype maintains that it’s hard to get spicy restaurant food around here because so many people prefer their food on the mild side. Where do you stand?

How spicy do you like your restaurant food?

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PDD Poll: Making friends

How hard is it to make friends in Duluth?

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This is another perennial topic on PDD, previously discussed in the post, Fierce loyalty, initial aloofness, among others.

So long, Laura MacArthur Elementary

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Demolition has begun on the old Laura MacArthur Elementary School (aka MacArthur/West Elementary). The new school, which was built last summer, is visible in the background of the photo below.

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PDD Poll: Liquor on Sunday

Let’s see how and if the PDD community’s opinion varies from the more general opinion of Minnesotans discussed in this post from last week.

Do you support or oppose allowing Sunday liquor sales in Minnesota?

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Who won Homegrown 2012?

This poll is now closed. The results were:

Bratwurst – 13.6 percent
Gallus – 9.6 percent
Tangier 57 – 7.2 percent
The Blasphemists – 5.6 percent
The Surfactants – 3.8 percent
Big Wave Dave & the Ripples – 3.1 percent
The Keep Aways – 2.9 percent
Dead Guys – 2.9 percent
Sexhawk – 2.4 percent
Various other bands – 48.9 percent

Homegrown 2012 Photo Retrospective

View the full set of 226 images from Homegrown 2012 on Flickr.

Homegrown 2012 Resource Rundown

Today, ladies and gents, marks Day One of Homegrown: The Apocalypse. Homegrown banners are in rotation here at PDD, and you can still submit new ones if you’re so inclined.

Poll: Jim Carlson

This is the first in a series of polls I will be posting to try and get a sense of how the numbers break down on certain opinions that pop up on PDD. I’ve closed comments on this post, because the purpose here is boil things down, as much as possible, to a set of numbers.

For background and/or the opportunity to weigh in on this topic, visit the 12/07/2011 post: Is the Last Place on Earth ruining Duluth? If you want to point out a problem with the poll itself, feel free to email me at [email protected].

The poll will close this Friday night/Saturday morning at 12:00am.

Should the Duluth Police Department return the money and property they seized from Jim Carlson last September?

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8-Bit Duluth

Can anyone give me a walkthrough of the dungeon underneath the Seaway Hotel?

Google Maps | April Fools Joke

Duluth-Area BBS

Recently, I stumbled on this website, which lists BBS numbers that existed in the 218 area code in the 80s and 90s. The BBS or bulletin board system was a precursor to web forums. People usually used BBSs that were physically in the same area as they were, since their computer would actually have to call the BBS and would incur long-distance charges just like any other landline phone call.

I never used a BBS, but I remember other kids talking about them furtively in my computer programming class in 8th grade. Sadly, my trusty VIC-20 lacked a modem.

Did anyone here use these or other local BBSs, or better yet did anyone actually run one? If so, please nerd out in the comments.

Twin Ports Illuminated Signs

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I’m sad to see that the Big L sign has gone dark. It’s definitely my favorite illuminated sign in the area. Here’s a gallery of a few more of my favorites. I’m sure there are others that I’ve missed, so if you have some photos you’d like to share, please do so in the comments.