October 2009 Posts

Duluth 2009 General Election Sample Ballot

Oct 14, 2009 8 Comments

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.


Politics

Captured by Robots

Oct 14, 2009 7 Comments

Captured002b

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.”

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Music

Another “harsh online critic” of the Duluth News Tribune

Oct 13, 2009 26 Comments

John Ramos’ Cheerleader Blog presents: “How to Control the Media: A Rant.”


Uncategorized

Is Duluth “anti-growth”?

Oct 13, 2009 51 Comments

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?


News and Current Affairs, Politics

Peace Cabaret

Oct 13, 2009 1 Comment

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.


News and Current Affairs ,

C&T release show Saturday!

Oct 13, 2009 No Comments

We’ve posted three tracks from our album on the interwebs as well (MySpace. Tumblr. Facebook.)


Music

Duluth’s western middle school plans

Oct 13, 2009 10 Comments

DuluthWesternMiddleSchool3498

Check out the plans for Duluth’s western middle school. Click here to see the PDF file.


News and Current Affairs

Famous Beaver Bay Invention: Sexual Armor

Oct 13, 2009 4 Comments

SexualArmor00234The 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.

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History , ,

Fall colors on Lake Superior’s North Shore: Silver Bay and Beaver Bay area

Oct 13, 2009 13 Comments

PennCreek894572

Someone left this for me to find on the footbridge across Penn Creek. Kudos to the artist.

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Outdoors, Photos , ,

Lost dog needs help finding her humans

Oct 13, 2009 2 Comments

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.


Random

Looks like Superior is one-up on Duluth today…

Oct 12, 2009 2 Comments

… that is, unless Duluth has produced any Nobel laureates (has it? Does anyone know?)

Superior native Oliver Williamson shares this year’s Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences…. stories here and here.


News and Current Affairs

Chip Stewart was a friend of mine

Oct 11, 2009 6 Comments

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.

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Random

Tonight, and Next Thursday-Saturday!

Oct 10, 2009 1 Comment

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:

AND

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/148623/safe_image.php


Random

Ski Swap?

Oct 10, 2009 3 Comments

Could someone give me the 411 on upcoming ski swaps? I’m looking for X-country and downhill.


Random

Steel drum needed!

Oct 10, 2009 6 Comments

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!


Random