July 2012 Posts

Tallest Structure in Duluth

Here’s a question to contemplate: What is the tallest standing structure within Duluth city limits?

Here’s what I was thinking for determining this: The tallest height should be relative to the starting point of the structure in the ground. So a structure that begins on a higher elevation does not have advantage. Also, “ground” can be defined as the Lake bottom, so a structure could begin on the Lake bottom, but the footings (or anything underneath the ground [or Lake bottom]) wouldn’t be part of the equation.

The Duluth Arial Lift Bridge is pretty high (177 feet), but other higher buildings and structures are clearly in view.

Beware: Attacking Otters in Duluth

attacking otter duluth mn attacking otter duluth

Beware of attacking otters in the Duluth area. There is at least one on the loose at Island Lake. Where there is one there has got to be more.

Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Anoka triathlete suffers 25 bites in otter attack in Island Lake near Duluth

You can run but you can’t hide hate

I stopped at the Lakeside Super One for groceries and saw that the Christian youth ministry “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide” had a table set up outside and was collecting money to “prevent teen suicide.” I didn’t immediately recognize the name of the group, but once I thought about it I realized it was this bunch.

Really? This group was labeled an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Law Poverty Center. I wonder if Super One realizes what this group represents. I will be calling and asking them that question. YCRBYCH representatives are very dishonest about themselves when they ask to speak at schools, and I would bet they don’t reveal their true agenda when asking to solicit.

MODERATOR’S NOTE:

In the interest of fairness to Super One Foods, PDD’s moderators are inserting Super One’s response here with the submitted post rather than burying it in the comments. (It should be clarified that the early comments to this post occurred before this information was presented.)

According to Boyd Hanson, director of human resources at Miner’s Inc., which owns the Super One Foods chain, there was never proper approval for the You Can Run But Cannot Hide group to solicit in front of the Lakeside Super One … or any other Super One for that matter.

Hanson says the group presented itself to a Lakeside Super One employee as a Christian ministry with a mission to stop teen suicide. The employee said that would be fine, but when the store manager, John Radcliff, arrived he asked the group to leave because Super One has a no-solicitation policy.

“We allow the Salvation Army to ring the bell in our entrances … some of those kind of things,” Hanson said. “But generally speaking anything that would have any kind of a political or religious-type view we don’t allow to do that. … Why this group came to our store we don’t even know. … We just don’t get involved in those kind of things.”

Looking to buy a starter motorcycle

My wife will be completing the motorcycle safety class and is in need of a used bike. She would prefer something modern, under 500CCs and not of the “cruiser” style. If you have such an item hanging around now would be a great time to trade it to me for cash. I have searched Craigslist daily and cannot find more than one or two suitable choices so I figured I would shake the PDD tree to see if anything falls out. Reply to this post or e-mail me at junkmailcrapbox @ gmail (dot) com with pics, details and contact info. Thanks.

PDD Poll: Making friends

How hard is it to make friends in Duluth?

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This is another perennial topic on PDD, previously discussed in the post, Fierce loyalty, initial aloofness, among others.

Vikings vs. Steelers — Nov. 26, 1972

Complete with commercials, in case you have more than two-and-a-half hours to kill.

Post-flood camping options?

I’ll be up in the area via Minneapolis at the end of the month to play a show at Thirsty Pagan Brewing. I was hoping to camp near Duluth and get some hiking in. Since I haven’t ventured up since before the floods, does any one have suggestions toward what’s still tent-campable? I’m only asking because my first option (Jay Cooke) is obviously out of the picture.

Anything you got will help. Thanks!

Upcoming book publication for local poet

Hello, Kyle Elden here. A book of my poetry is going to be published and released this October. I am collaborating with local painter Kate Whittaker to create a coffee-table-style book with my poems and her paintings throughout.

UMD Ticketing

I’m newish to town and still trying to figure out regulations. Can I get some advice here?

I live on Grandview Ave, down by Eighth Street. You don’t need a college permit to park there. I forgot to switch sides yesterday. My fault. I screwed up. Normally I remember. I saw the ticket on my car and was prepared to pay my fine to the city of Duluth.

This week: beer, music and geekery

  

Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.

Charles Ross brings his one man presentation of the Star Wars trilogy (you know, the original one… the good one… the only one that matters) to the Teatro Zuccone this week starting on Tuesday. The $20 ticket price also lets you into entire week’s activities celebrating all things nerdy, including an 8-bit Nintendo Tournament, a special Star-Wars-related Nerd Nite, Dink Tank at the Movies and geek-themed improv from Renegade. Call it “Geek Week.”

Lyle Lovett plays the DECC on Friday.

Moondance Jam runs this coming Friday through Sunday in Walker, Minnesota with performances by Kid Rock, John Fogerty, Heart, Grand Funk Railroad and many others.

There’s a celebration of beer and local brewers on Saturday at the Bayfront at the All Points North Summer Brew Fest with performances by the Black-eyed Snakes, the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank and others.

So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!`

(PS – This calendar editor is out of contact for the next week, so if you submit an event now, be patient.)

Craigslist … is it stupider here?

Craigslist is probably a bad place to gauge the local intelligence of any given place, but after about two minutes of Duluth CL, the profound examples of improper grammar and spelling become overwhelming, like a Shitnami blowing out the manhole covers, so I wondered if Craigslist is any indicator of local smarts, or is just stupid, plain everywhere? Indeed, good grammar is only one form of intelligence, and may not even save you in a knife fight. Certainly the best example was not “looking for painter’s,” but this 1987 Harley was fun. Is there already a thread for creative Craigslist ads? And if not, why not?

Only 10 days left!!!!!

Duluth’s premier live hip-hop group has created a Kickstarter project to fund the recording of their next album and they need your help! Please consider donating whatever you can. They will make it worth your while!

For the love of music

I understand the novelty of closing a street and having live music. I applaud the city and the organizers for putting such shindigs together. However, I think that the person who decided that it is a good idea to close Superior Street downtown and in front of Fitger’s, at the same time, on a weekday, during rush hour, is a complete idiot and should be fired.

This isn’t the first time they have done that, but apparently “the decider” comes nowhere near the area during the closures, or he/she would see the traffic chaos and downright anger created by doing so.

Am I completely wrong on this, or do most people think it is acceptable to gridlock a major traffic flow for the sake of novelty? I know I could “lighten up,” and I would if I knew it was an oversight or mistake by the organizer, but really? Did ya’ not think of that?

Another Geek Prom rip-off?

[This post originally linked to phoenixcomicon.com, which is no longer a functioning URL.]

Restaurant with Wifi for fantasy draft

Just seeing if there is an updated list or other suggestions on a restaurant that has a) Wi-fi b) food c) beer d) a spot where 10-12 people can sit around a table near an outlet and be able to hear one another. Thanks.