Dear manufacturers of pretty much every electronics product,
Thank you so much for including a plastic sleeve for the owner’s manual. It would truly be a shame if such an important document as an owner’s manual were to ever be damaged by dust or spilled liquids during the two minutes between it coming out of the box and getting jammed into a file cabinet.
What you can expect Monday, or not expect.
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/jun/02/author-headline-goes-hyere-and-hyere/
Yesterday the Duluth News Tribune online version printed an article on Edison Schools which is listed in the search above. I am not sure if it was in the paper version or not, because I rarely read that except for the headlines when I see the paper, or on weekends. And yes, I do subscribe, weekends only, but I want to support the paper especially for the many fine people I know and care about who work there.
So in the search that I screen-shotted (if that’s a proper term) above I noticed two articles on the same report on Edison schools. The thing is … it’s the same article. So they changed the headline, good. But there is no retraction, no correction, and the article’s substance is essentially the same: no more analysis, interviews, or balance brought to the piece. I am not a journalist by any means, but for me, this doesn’t really pass the smell test. I mean there are, I suppose, a thousand or more families in this community involved in Edison schools and maybe a couple thousand more at other area and regional charter schools. That should be enough people who are affected to get the story out properly in a balanced and factual manner, shouldn’t it? And if not then I say don’t cover it at all because something this critical of an organization requires level headed reporting in order to be responsible.
A final note … anyone who clicks on the new “version” won’t see all of the critical comments from me and nearly a dozen other readers on the first piece. Naturally, they weren’t included in the update. Thin skinned much DNT?
I moved to Duluth in September 2006. Almost a year ago, I wrote a post about words and phrases that seemed unique to Duluth and/or the region. At that point, most seemed pretty odd to me; none had entered my vocabulary.
But I realized this week that at some point in the past few months, I’ve started regularly using one of those language quirks – adding “the” before road names. As in, “Oh, yeah, I saw that house, too – out there on the Rice Lake Road.”
It’s interesting how something little like that really makes you feel grounded in a place.
I suppose this eatery’s name in Fayetteville, Tenn., which I recently passed through, belongs in the hall of name fame, along with Kum ‘n’ Go, Pump and Munch, Kwikee Mart, and the rest. I’m not even sure posting this public signage clears the PDD standards.
For two weeks, Perfect Duluth Day experimented with rating systems for posts (five-star system and thumbs up/down). As you might have already noticed, the ratings have now been removed.
An initial poll showed readers either thought this was a great idea or terrible idea. (The results were pretty evenly split, but slightly leaned in favor of great idea). In practice, however, the ratings didn’t prove useful and interest in them quickly plummeted. In the end, only a handful of people bothered with them.
So now they are gone, perhaps to return another day when a better system can be figured out, or perhaps never to be considered again (except maybe in the comments to this post).
Heads up to local musicians:
Big Top Chautauqua is holding another songwriting competition. The long version of the details is on the “Celebration of Song” page of www.BigTop.org (scroll about halfway down the page).
The short version is, you submit two original songs by June 19. Finalists perform on the Big Top stage August 27 and have a shot at airplay on Tent Show Radio, a $100 cash prize and a chance to play a two-song set opening for Suzanne Vega.
Like many North Shore residents, commentator Catherine Conlan had come to see the 113-year-old white pine as much more than a tree.
The Last Place on Earth wants you to get your resume ready.
This just about became a threadjack for Mary’s “I’ll give you a medal … ” post But propriety seized me just before I hit post when I realized this was probably a post in it’s own right.
It all started when I finally clicked the urban dictionary link to taconite curtain that Adam provided: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Taconite%20Curtain
I have to kick myself that that actually qualifies as “urban” but it’s hilarious and very well written, folks. It wasn’t until I’d read it that I caught the “Iron” v. “Taconite” connection, as in, Europe has (had) the “iron” curtain of totalitarian socialism, but we’ve only got this really dense rock with some iron in it, “taconite.” You people are all way too clever for me.
Farmers Market at UMD
EVERY WEDNESDAY 2:00-4:30
UMD Kirby Plaza Bus Hub
LOCAL Produce, Music and Artisans!
Magician Kelvin Saline brings his Magic Village to events of all kinds. Kelvin’s “magical extravaganza” features audience participation, comedy, ventriloquism, and magical illusions which he has been performing for over 30 years. Kelvin keeps to the traditional types of magic and illusions through appearing, disappearing, sawing through a live person, escapes, and several original tricks that delight young and old. Saline performs for corporate, college, school, fair, and community events including weddings!
Perhaps you saw the article in the DNT a year ago about Rudy Perrault’s 16 year old cousin, Kako, who was brutally murdered in Haiti, after being kidnapped after school on his way to his grandmother’s house. The silver lining to this heinous act, is the KAKO Foundation, a music education program that has already begun in Haiti, with plans to eventually be established in the Twin Ports. The 2nd Annual Haiti Worthy Cause Concert will celebrate this emerging Foundation with great music and food – and, will celebrate Kako, a beacon for us all.
Sunday May 1, Chester Park United Methodist Church
3 PM, Program
4:30 PM Haitian Dinner
