Having attended the United Way Chili Cook-off numerous times, I have two pieces of advice to those who either have never gone before or don’t easily learn from past mistakes:

1) Don’t wear a jacket or sweatshirt into the event. It’s pretty warm outside this year, so maybe you wouldn’t have done that anyway, but my point is that no matter what the weather is like outside, there are 40 different kinds of chili being cooked for a giant crowd of people inside. It gets hot.

2) It’s best to go to this event with someone you don’t mind sharing food with. Instead of the two of you getting two portions of everything, just get one portion and share. If you like that particular chili, get a second portion. If you don’t, move on. You don’t want to waste a lot of time and stomach on a chili you don’t like, because there are many that you will like if you can get to them before they run out.

2009 United Way Chili Cook-off
Sept. 17 | 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | DECC
$6 for adults; $3 for kids

Also, I should note two art openings going on tonight (Sept. 17) for your post-chilifest enjoyment:

1) “Burning Bridges,” new paintings by Eric Dubnicka at Washington Gallery from 5 to 7 p.m.

2) Photography by Nate Lindstrom at the Spiritual Deli from 7 to 9 p.m.

The Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault will be offering its next advocacy training starting in October 2009. This training, composed of various sessions, prepares volunteers to provide advocacy services on PAVSA’s 24-hour crisis/resource line and/or in the hospital setting with sexual assault survivors.

Randy is in Solvay House, 801 Baylis St., awaiting a liver transplant. I don’t believe he’s on the short list. You know what your duty is. He’s not the Rugged Fish he once was.

My wife, kids and I are traveling home to Duluth in mid October and this will be my first trip back home since having children. The oldest will be 18 months in October and we need some activities for the days since the nights will be spent in Gary bars. (yes the kids too)

I have the common list of the zoo, aquarium, children’s museum and trains. Along with walking the tracks in Morgan Park and showing them were I learned to get into trouble. I need some suggestions of other things to do.

If you could drop me some suggestion in the comment stream, that would be great.

Julius Andreas Gimli Arn MacGyver Chewbacka Highlander Elessar-Jankov: Norway’s longest name?

Story in Norwegian and English. Norwegians, apparently, are awesome.

Mathematician
Computer Scientist
Code Breaker
Artificial Intelligence Pioneer
Homo

Arguably a little late. Alan Turing received an apology from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his “appalling” treatment.

Now where’s his knighthood?

I am completely obsessed with the Botfly.

Today I turned 44. Which is probably the reason I was left out of the 20-under-40-movers-and-shakers-around-town list today.
That, and the fact that I don’t move or shake so good no more.

Anyway, I sent both kids off to school this morning then loaded up the kayak to treat myself to a quick paddle on the lake.

Renegade Comedy Theatre is proud to announce the return of Dink Tank with its all-new sketch comedy show, “Dink Tank: After School Special.”

I have a car engine in my garage that I need to get rid of. It belonged to my ex husband and I don’t know anything about it. It may be good, it may be bad. I believe it went into a Honda Civic.

Is there anyway to donate this to a school that could use it to teach kids about auto repair? Or do something with it other than dump it?

I have a chain fall in my garage right above it to help move it and the chain fall came come with it to aid moving it wherever it might go.

Any ideas?

Ok, so Batteries aren’t that psychedelic, but you really need to see Daughters of the Sun and Vampire Hands, two of the finest and most unique groups out of mpls., and Total Freedom Rock? Get out of town, man!