Paul Lundgren
Mark Mallman returning to Duluth
He’ll be playing Pizza Luce on Nov. 13. (Show canceled.) Here’s his new video, “White Leather Days.”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXWWG0gCxhk
Eeeeeck! Crazy moose loose in the hoose!
This must be the spot where mice are inviting themselves into my home. What I don’t understand is: Why rip the siding apart? That’s got to be hard work for mice, and it’s totally unnecessary. I mean, hell, six mice at a time could enter side by side now. If they make the entry much bigger a cat will be able to go in there after them.
Anyway, finding a little black mouse doing laps in the basement sink is a fun way to start the day, isn’t it?
Make me feel better by commenting about infestations you’ve experienced and your innovative and hopefully humane ideas for termanting the lives of the little bastards.
(I’m not including any photos of the mouse or details about how it was executed, because I want you to like me.)
Circles of Giving – Donate your stuff and shop for free stuff
The next Circles of Giving event is Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Valley Youth Center in West Duluth. It’s a recycling-minded shopping event where everything is free.
If you’ve got something useful you want to get rid of, someone will actually come to your home and pick it up for the purpose of giving it to someone who wants it. (Although it would obviously be easier for the organizers if you drop it off).
Duluth 2009 General Election Sample Ballot
You’ll probably be surprised to discover there are two questions on the Nov. 3 ballot regarding amendments to the City Charter. There’s nothing highly sexy about the questions, so there hasn’t been much reporting about them. Read the questions and you’ll pretty much get the gist.
Another note: There are more races going on than the ballot image above indicates. What will be on your ballot depends on what precinct you vote in.
A complete and more legible list of candidates can be found here. PDD presents this ballot image because, well, some of us are visual learners.
Captured by Robots
In reference to the Captured by Robots show at Pizza Luce, I believe Lumpy G put it best: “It’s like Chuck E. Cheese meets David Lynch.”
Another “harsh online critic” of the Duluth News Tribune
John Ramos’ Cheerleader Blog presents: “How to Control the Media: A Rant.”
Duluth’s western middle school plans
Check out the plans for Duluth’s western middle school. Click here to see the PDF file.
Famous Beaver Bay Invention: Sexual Armor
The Green Door, a liquor store and bar in Beaver Bay, has a framed tribute to Ellen E. Perkins. She was the inventor of “certain new and useful Improvements in Sexual Armor.”
The account on the wall of the bar reads:
Surprisingly enough, the sexual armor invented by Ellen E. Perkins of Beaver Bay, Minnesota is not for defense against assault but to keep the wearer from playing with himself. In her 1908 patent she calls the practice that the garment is designed to prevent one of the most common causes of insanity, imbecility and feeblemindedness – especially in youth – and equally true of both sexes. Her profession, by implication nursing, had made her very familiar with the subject. (more…)
Fall colors on Lake Superior’s North Shore: Silver Bay and Beaver Bay area
Someone left this for me to find on the footbridge across Penn Creek. Kudos to the artist. (more…)
Fire on the Water – Firey photos of the flaming frenzy
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.
Kill the Skunk! – Plus open ranting in the comments about experiences at the West Duluth Kmart
Last night I walked past a house that reeked of a fetid oil recently sprayed from the anus of a West Duluth skunk.
Two kids, who looked to be about 11 years old, were walking the sidewalk toward the odiferous house as I was walking away. They seemed to know that something was going on. Another kid, maybe two years younger, came from across the street and shouted, “Did they kill the skunk yet?”
“No, but they’re about to,” one of the other kids answered.
“Awesome!” the younger kid yelled with great enthusiasm, running over to join them.
I continued on my way, as I often do in these situations, only to wonder later why I didn’t hang around for the full story. It seems that, at some point in my life, getting to Kmart became more important than witnessing an execution.
Go Twins!
The Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers are tied for the American League Central Division Championship. The Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox 5-3 today, and the Twins topped the Kansas City Royals 13-4.
The tie-breaking Twins/Tigers game will be on Tuesday, 4 p.m., at the Metrodome, about 17 hours after the Viking/Packer game ends. Quite a back-to-back lineup.
If the Vikings lose to the Packers, I’m blaming it on the lame new name of the field
“Branding the field [at the Metrodome] as Mall of America Field represents an opportunity to share our name and image with an even larger nationwide audience. It also connects two treasured Minnesota brands – Mall of America and the Minnesota Vikings – which adds value to both companies.”
–Maureen Bausch, executive vice president of making people want to puke
Read more here, if you can stomach it.
Duluth News Tribune paid circulation dropped nearly 16 percent in past year
The Duluth News Tribune is seeing its readers migrate to the Internet faster than ever before. Paid distribution of its Monday through Saturday print editions dropped 15.8 percent from Fall 2008 to Fall 2009.
The Sunday edition saw a 13 percent drop during the same period.
Source: Duluth News Tribune Statements of Ownership, Management and Circulation
Brian Olson’s mural of the Palace Theater
Two blocks from the site of the old Palace Theater in Superior is the new Palace Theater, a painting of the old one. Brian Olson created this mural on the back side of the Douglas County Historical Society building.
Pretty sweet.
Duluth Honking House Hearing
Did anyone go to tonight’s Duluth City Council meeting to watch the show as the council debated potential parking restrictions on Skyline Parkway near the infamous Honking House? (Back story found on this post, including a link for the even further back story.)
Or did you all stay home and ironically watch part two of Ken Burns’ documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea?
The council voted unanimously against the two resolutions.
Music Resource Center in Duluth?
Duluth’s Crystal Pelkey traveled to Charlottesville, Va., in June to research the operations of the Music Resource Center there. She’s been exploring the possibility of creating an MRC branch in Duluth.
Crystal will present her Music Resource Center research on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5:30 p.m., at the Teatro Zuccone theater, 222 E. Superior St.
Founded by John Hornsby in 1993, with initial financial support by the Dave Matthews Band, the Music Resource Center is a state-of-the-art facility where teens learn the latest technology in the music industry and participate in every phase of music production and performance.
If you are interested in this project, here’s your chance to find out more and become involved in the next steps of the process.
Music Resource Center website: www.musicresourcecenter.org
Crystal’s e-mail: crystalpelkey [at] hotmail.com
Dr. Samskar has died
Former Denfeld principal Wayne Samskar died on Friday in Appleton, Wis. He was 81.
Dr. Samskar taught and was principal at several Duluth-area schools before becoming principal at Denfeld in 1970. He’s credited with helping to establish the Greater Denfeld Foundation, which awards scholarships to outstanding students.
He retired in 1984, but helped architects design Denfeld’s gymnasium addition in 1987. He was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1996.
Where in Duluth?
Another installment of the exciting game in which, for nothing but bragging rights, PDD readers battle to be the first to identify the spot in Duluth where a select photo was shot.
Beaner’s One Week Live, Day Five
Friday, Sept. 25 | 7 p.m. | Beaner’s Central | $6
Yeltzi
The People Say Fox
The Alrights
The Fontanelles
PDD is yet again giving away a spot (x2) on the Beaner’s guest list. It’s Friday, so we’ll make it real easy this time. Be the first person to comment on this post and tongiht’s show is free for you and a guest.
Mansion on the Hill Controversy Continues
There’s a resolution on next Monday’s Duluth City Council agenda requesting that no parking be allowed from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the pull-off area of Skyline Parkway near the house.
Beaner’s One Week Live, Day Four
Thursday, Sept. 2 | 7 p.m. | Beaner’s Central | $6
Jamie Ness & Brad Nelson
Ill Chemistry
Now, Now Every Children
The Keep Aways
PDD is once again giving away a spot (x2) on the guest list. Be the first person to use the randomly chosen secret word in the comments to this post and tonight’s show is free for you and a guest.