Bitching Posts

Blue Law Blues

According to estimates by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Minnesota could raise $10 million in tax revenues simply by allowing liquor stores to sell on Sundays.

Read this brief story from Saint Paul Legal Ledger Capitol Report for more info.

But the real reason to allow liquor stores to sell on Sundays is because it’s stupid not to, right?

Treatment Bound

Is there a person frequenting PDD who actually saw the Replacements play Duluth ? I saw the Suburbs play here twice (1986 and 1987, I believe) But I, a very big ‘Mats fan from my Duluth high-school influences, never saw the band live. I’ve seen Paul in Minneapolis, but he has yet to play Duluth.

Why do I bring this up? Because Wilco, which has covered the Replacements “Color Me Impressed” numerous times since 1997, and cites the Replacements as an influence, are a Chicago band coming to Duluth for the third time.

So why the hell can we not book Paul Westerberg? And did the Replacements ever play Duluth?

We all can talk about supporting local talent and wanting great acts to play Duluth, but why the hell do we not get the Minneapolis acts that have gone national and are influences to the acts we do attract?

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.

Where in Duluth?

They could have at least added a couple coils of razor wire for ambiance.

Getting Involved.

I am really interested in getting involved in efforts to support some sort of health care reform. Is there a local organization working to support this and show our leaders we think this is important and necessary?

This is something I’ve been really concerned about as an uninsured young adult and I feel like I need to do something other than shout at the television.

Please help!

–Amy Swanoski

Happy Estimated Tax Day!

stamps

Today is one of four days of reckoning for the self-employed among us. I thought it was funny that these were the only stamps I had left on the sheet to put on my federal and state estimated payments.

Can Someone Please Explain to Me…

Sweeney_Toddwhy if you want to see Sweeney Todd, or any Playground performance, you can’t buy tickets in advance? Oh wait, you CAN buy tickets in advance online but you have to pay a $2.50 convenience fee per ticket. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to skip the fee and just sell tickets in advance at the door?

I really just don’t get why every other theater in town can sell tickets in advance but the Playground insists on using this odd system.

So, really, can anyone explain this to me? Because I don’t get it.

Renegade Duluth makes “the Network”

I had given up on much Duluth art being discussed ever on MPR, after forever of hearing the Pioneer Press’ Dominic Papatola’s eye-rolling, painfully self-conscious weekly host chats, (yes, “host chat” a la Regis and Kelly, only if you added a condescending air to their blather). But then they added this interesting feature “Art Hounds” which is a great step in the right direction, only they’re very Twin Cities centric, as is standard for “the Network.” THEN, today I heard a familiar voice: Lucie Amundson, who is (if I’m not mistaken) a PDD and/or Park Point regular. Haven’t heard her on the “network” since election day. They should use her more. Good work, Lucie. Would love to hear you do stories in person sometime!


http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/08/13/art-hounds/?refid=0

She talks about the new renegade theater show, hopefully there is a link there ^ and you can click and listen …

Fall allergy season begins!

It started for me today. Anyone else?

My favorite remedies are sleeping 12 hours a day and eating every second that I’m awake. Snorting cromolyn sodium also helps.

What about the Current in Duluth??!!

The MPR website recently announced a new expansion of the Current station to St. Peter. Not that I don’t love some of the stations we have around here, but it really makes me feel even further from the cultural scene to not have access to all three MPR stations. As a yearly supporter of MPR it doesn’t seem fair. If there’s anyone out there who agrees, please join me in writing to MPR to let them know how we feel.

Anti-Government Rally Today!

HortonChuck Horton is rallying the troops to the steps of City Hall to protest corruption in city government and to demand the resignations of a couple of city councilors. To make this my perfect Duluth day, I’d like to see some counter-protesters holding up signs with snappy slogans, like “Hey Horton, Get a Job!” or “Taxes = Anarchy.” I’m sure you guys get the idea. If you are too busy to counter-protest, at least share your pithy placard pronouncements on Perfect Duluth Day!

What do you know about Duluth ley lines?

Would any of you be able to tell me more about ley lines and why Duluth is on this map?

Namerica

[courtesy of liminalthresholds.blogspot.com]

Boycott the Pickwick Restaurant!

Following months of unsuccessful negotiations and numerous unfair labor practices, Workers United Local 99 is asking that the public boycott the Pickwick restaurant.

Truth in Advertising

This behemoth was about 30 feet long and aptly named.

Miss West Duluth Pageant 2009

An annual tradition that goes along with the Miss West Duluth Pageant is my attempts to stir up controversy about it.

My initial objection came in 1987, when the first Miss West Duluth was a young lady from Morgan Park. It seemed to me that if the title was going to be “Miss West Duluth,” the contestants should all be from West Duluth.

I was told back then the criteria was that girls must live within the attendance boundary for Denfeld High School to be eligible. Although I thought “Miss Western Duluth” might be a more appropriate name, I was satisfied with this Denfeld rule, so I shut up about it for a few years.

Then, in 1996, a graduate of Hermantown High School was a contestant. I assumed she lived in the Denfeld area but chose to attend Hermantown, which would get around the rules enough to allow her to compete. In subsequent years I’ve noticed Proctor High School students in the list of contestants.

Give a contest an inch and it takes a mile. One of this year’s contestants is a senior at East High School, according to the Spirit Valleys Days insert in the Budgeteer News. (UPDATE: She lives in Morgan Park, according to comments to this post.)

Now, I don’t mean to fan the east/west flames here, so I’m just going to suggest we call this thing the Miss North America Pageant already and get it over with.

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