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.”
Is Duluth “anti-growth”?
On his DNT blog, Buzz Duluth, Brandon Stahl interviewed St. Scholastica Econ Professor Tony Barrett about the city council’s frequent talk regarding “expanding the tax base,” and what that actually means. In the post, Barrett explains that the only direct way that the council can expand the tax base is to attract new business “through subsidies or TIFs,” or through zoning changes, or “to eliminate steps” involved with business development.
Barrett then goes on to explain that Duluthians are often resistant to this kind of growth.
“Every community has certain groups that oppose growth; environmentalists who don’t want to see trees cut down, or less green space… people who fear that growth is going to require higher taxes,” he said. “Duluth has a strong element of people who just don’t want Duluth to change. They like it the way it is. That’s why they didn’t move away to the Twin Cities, maybe get a better job. Duluth, of all the communities I’ve lived in, has the strongest anti-growth sentiment. And I think it’s really our culture of people liking Duluth just the way it is.”
The comments, of course, blame the DFL and “environmentalists.” But in light of the recent Honking House fiasco, the Lakewalk townhomes, and the debate over the reorganization of Duluth’s schools, it seems that the conflict in opinions is far more complex than some would like to admit.
So what do you think?
Peace Cabaret
Mississippi Civil Rights Project Fundraiser: Music and Performance
Carmody Irish Pub, 308 E. Superior St, Duluth, Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 7:30-10 pm
Peace Cabaret: Welcome by Claudie Washington. Barton Sutter, Rabbi Amy Bernstein, Mary Cameron, David Comer, Portia Johnson, and Claire Kirch read short pieces by Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert F. Kennedy, Fannie Lou Hamer, Stokely Carmichael, Sojourner Truth, and Barbara Jordan. Jazz by Perfectini.
This November, photographer/activist Sue Sojourner is returning again to Holmes County after working there in the Civil Rights Movement for five years in the 1960s. This time the Oral History Center of the University of Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg is holding a gathering for the surviving veterans of that Movement. The event uses a workbook Sue created on the Holmes Movement History as a memory catalyst. It will be a unique local-community-led oral history documentation project.
This fundraiser will help defray travel costs to Mississippi. It will also help Sue finish her memoir and catalog her historical collections for transfer to two archival institutions.
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…)
Lost dog needs help finding her humans
On Sunday, October 12, I took off from my backyard in the lower Chester park neighborhood. It’s too damn cold now, and I need help finding my humans. I am an adult female (spayed) Springer Spaniel, mostly brown with some white on my paws and face. I was last seen either above or below E. 8th Street, east of Chester Creek. I would like to go back to my humans, Nick and Echo, as long as they promise to take me on long walks each day and feed me bacon grease. Please call them at (218) 213-7817.
P.S. My human is either too much of an idiot, or not worthy enough, to post a photo of me.
Looks like Superior is one-up on Duluth today…
Chip Stewart was a friend of mine
and I can barely remember all the things we did together over the past 27 years… and I know people who’ve been bumping around with him longer than that…
He’s been a friend who, after many attempts, saved my life. I wish I could have returned the favor. Once we tried to save each others lives by taking a trip to Isle Royale. I left my cigarettes behind and he left behind his overeating. We hiked and breathed the fresh air to rid ourselves of life-threatening toxins. We were in our 30’s. As soon as we got back on the mainland we ate a big pizza. We drove 30 mph and felt like we were flying. A few days later I smoked another Marlboro.
Tonight, and Next Thursday-Saturday!
The Last Five Years, at the Duluth Play Ground. Next to Pizza Luce in the Tech Village. Performances are at 7:30, $15.00 a ticket.
A couple of reviews:
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=305810235077&ref=mf
AND
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/148623/
Ski Swap?
Could someone give me the 411 on upcoming ski swaps? I’m looking for X-country and downhill.
Steel drum needed!
With the cold weather starting to arrive I’ve been roused to start looking at ways to keep warm.
I found a very cool stove kit that uses a 55 gallon steel drum. The kit adds a door, legs and vent to the drum to make an inexpensive wood stove for my garage.
Trouble is, I have no idea where I can get a 55 gallon steel drum around these parts, can you help?
Free or cheap is best otherwise I could end up with a stove costing more than a cheapo cast iron one from Menards!
Happy Leif Erikson Day
I just thought it would be good to pay some respect to Mr. Leif Erikson on his day. Or is it Ericson?
I will stick with his nickname “Leif the Lucky” that’s catchier anyway. Either way he was a great explorer and discovered this great continent 500 years before Mr. Columbus and was way cooler. Get out and celebrate and have a beer for your favorite Norse explorer.
And screw you Google, why no respect for Leif the Lucky? O’well we will give him the Google love he deserves here.
Send your love to Leif and comment how much he means to you on this Leif Erikson Day 2009.
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.
Chip Stewart
Chip Stewart has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Thousands of people knew Chip and his wife Marcie as proprietors of the amazing Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe in the DeWitt-Seitz Building in Canal Park.
I don’t have any more details right now, but hopefully those will materialize as is possible. But what I can tell you is that Chip was a very great man who I first met in 1997 when I was working on a story as a freelance reporter. Amazing Grace was hosting a counter-rally when anti-gay freakshow activist Fr*d Ph*lps was coming to Duluth. And that was the beginning of many, many conversations. In 2004 he gave me the biggest business break that I never deserved when (despite owning a successful food service operation of his own) he allowed my little food stand to come in and sling some wienies during events at the Historic NorShor Theater, which he was hoping to revive at the time. Chip was a friend to many, many people. The bread, coffee and all the food at Amazing Grace is fantastic, he provided a great venue for live folk music in Duluth, and he also provided a great place for people to sit in a non-rushed atmosphere. One of his least heralded but possibly most important gifts to all of us was providing a safe and fun place for young people (and sober people) to gather, play cards, surf the net and socialize, there was nothing quite like it in Duluth before it opened, and it remains a one-of-a-kind institution with Chip’s fingerprints all over it. He gave big breaks to many more musicians, artists, waitresses, bakers, baristas and entrepreneurs than just me, dozens, maybe hundreds of people’s lives and careers were enhanced by contact with this man. I feel safe in saying that his impact on our community will reverberate not just for days and weeks, but for generations.
My heartfelt prayers go out to his wife Marcie and all of his family, and to the rest of us, his chosen family. May you rest in peace, my brother.
If someone has a good photo or two of Chip, please post it here or provide a link to where we can all see them.
Wind Turbine Manufacturing
Finally with the announcement of two wind turbine manufacturing plants, one in Duluth and one in Two harbors, I can get off that rant. How long did that take, ten years? I hope they work. Now if we could have a pilot program to test stormwater retention through the use of boulevard raingardens, (which have had suceess rates of up to 90% retention in places like Seattle and Burnsville) I could get off that one. But I’ve only been talking about that one for 15 or 20 years. I have another one in my head that would have major economic impact on Northern MN but it is so simple that it would be too complicated for the no republicans and the help everybody else out except the working people democrats, so I’ll leave that alone.
Grab a beer, it’s on you.
Ten years ago this weekend, music history was made.
Missing promo photos, Homegrown 2003
With the likes of Ricky Martin, Lou Bega and Sixpence None The Richer dominating the charts, backlash was inevitable. The world clamored for a band which did not suck; did not dance on stage [at least, with choreography]; and had the good sense to combine the best parts of Guns N’ Roses, the Misfits and Mötley Crüe into one girlfriend-thieving package.
This band, of course, was Bone Appetit.
Captured! By Robots, Fall Tour 2009
Captured By Robots homepage:
https://www.capturedbyrobots.com/index.htm
Playing Pizza Luce (11 E. Superior St.) Tuesday, Oct. 13th, 10PM, all ages, 8 bucks
Brought to you by Gonzo Science
https://gonzoscience.com/GonzoUSA/
and the Transistor
https://www.transistormag.com/
No UFO Convention this year, just malevolent robots.
Russ Feingold listening session.
This is a little short notice, but I didn’t hear about it until I received the letter from his office yesterday, so anyway, Russ Feingold will be holding his 2009 Douglas county listening session in Solon Springs at 2pm this sat. If you live on the other side of the bridge and would like to meet the only senator to “Nay” the Patriot Act check out the details below.
What: Russ Feingold’s 2009 Douglas County Listening session.
Time: 2 P.M. Saturday, October 10th
Place:Solon Springs Community Center
11523 South Business 53
Solon Springs, WI
Dull Knife
Looking for a local knife sharpening to put a good edge on my kitchen knives. Anyone have any suggestions?
Birth & baby fair – tonight!
This is a free event with more than 30 booths covering everything from family planning through pregnancy, birth and babies. Discussions on baby-wearing, diapering and informed birth choices, and drawings for awesome prizes.