Weird Posts

Attention Jr. Nerds

UWS has an annual Science Night, and tonight is the night. We’ve gone the last couple years, and it’s a good time – for kids especially, but for adults too. Glowing goo, bugs, explosions, liquid nitrogen …  yeah.

6-9 PM, UWS Barstow Hall

Look at this kitchen table filled with fabulous prizes

prizes985371 Congratulations to Mary on her victory in the Whacko Yard Art Photo Scavenger Hunt. As promised, Mary will recieve a Geek Prom T-shirt and Space Patrol walkie talkies. I’m also throwing in a used copy of Cinderella’s 1988 hit album Long Cold Winter, since the contest ended on the first day of spring.

It’s a battle of dinosaurs

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The Whacko Yard Art Photo Scanvenger Hunt is over and the finalists are Mary and Mark. (Sorry, Barrett, but you missed the deadline. Those rules are there for a reason, mister.)

I said I’d allow comments to sway my decision, so those with a strong opinion on who should win have until … oh, let’s say noon … to make their voices heard. After lunch I’ll return from my chambers with a decision.

Kind of whacko yard art along North Shore

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Whacko Yard Art: Stickin’ It To The Man Edition.

Now, I don’t know if this counts, because I took these pictures back in September and I don’t know if it’s still standing (it looks like parts of it were made out of papier-mâché, so I’m not sure how it would’ve fared through the winter months), but it was definitely in a yard and it was definitely art.

And yeah, definitely a little whacko, too.

(East Superior Street, near the Northland Country Club, 9/21/08.)

Whacko Yard Art: Here Comes Santa Claus Edition.

I love Christmas trim!   The more, the merrier, I always say.   Fortunately, that’s not an uncommon sentiment in the Ashland area, so around Christmastime there’s plenty to enjoy.

One shining jewel in the Garland City’s crown?   This fabulous yard display on the east end of town:

I love it!   There’s so much, it’s hard to find an angle to get it all in the frame at once!

Now, heaps of Christmas trim alone don’t make this whacko yard art.   I get that.   The devil’s in the details on this one:

1.  This picture was taken on Tuesday.  This week.

2.  The people who own this house are known around town as “The Cowboy and Mrs. Cowboy.”    (They run the local Subway franchise, and like all local fast food franchise operators, they are local celebrities.)  Also: The Cowboy sidelines as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator every February.

3.  While the majority of this display is store-bought and/or inflatable, there are some fabulous homespun touches throughout that really shouldn’t be missed.  My favorite:  the Santas up front…especially Patriot Santa.


Oh, yeah, and they squeezed a little Jesus in there, too.

Petus Rockus

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Petus Rockus. This rock was found in Keene Creek, left here by the Wisconsin Glacier 23,648 years ago. Placed on this stand May 1985 by Ken Seehus.

Tough day in the O.R.?

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Loiselle Liquor understands, and is there to fill your needs.

I think it’s actually the word “daily” that I find most alarming.

Thrills, Spills and Chills: Chester Bowl Wipeouts

I shot this on Sunday, the last day at Chester Bowl for skiing/snowboarding. I’m still trying to dry out my kid’s snowboard boots.

This is mostly the crashing and burning, and to be fair, most of the skiers made it across just fine. But really, who wants to watch that? Success is boring.

Summer or winter, Chester Bowl is the best.

Vandalism, Art, or Insanity?

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Taking advantage of the nice weather today, I went for a walk in Leif Erickson Park, where I found several of these “installations” for lack of a better word. If you can’t quite make it out, these are eggs stuffed into pantyhose and thrown up into a tree.

Wacko Yard-art Photo Scavenger Hunt

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While running errands today I came across this lovely piece of yard art. I’m posting it as a challenge, because I know you can do better. And because a piddly blizzard like today’s is no excuse to stay inside.

Announcing the PDD Wacko Yard-art Photo Scavenger Hunt

You have until 10 p.m. next Thursday, March 19, to post the most awesome yard art photo on this Web site.

Not exactly Bigfoot prints, but …

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This trail struck me a little strange.  I’m referring to the roughly 20-inch-wide path that’s been cleared in the middle. As if tracking some strange beast, I’m trying to figure out what cleared that path.

Duluth Space Jam

Friday, March 27
Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium
University of Minnesota Duluth
7 p.m. AA
$5 suggested donation

SkoalKodiak
Thunderbolt Pagoda
Moonstone
Brothers Band (Duluth’s own (think: Sleep/Sabbath))
A possible second day (i.e. March 28) is in the works.

Good luck, Bill

Minnesota’s own Bill Pine is applying for the Best Job in the World.

By the way, ABC TV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is casting for Minnesota families. You can nominate someone here, or e-mail castingduluth @ gmail.com. Deadline is Friday the 13th, so it’s now or never.

What happens when they teach photoshop in junior high.

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