"37% of most things are accurate. 68% of that accuracy has been traced back to inaccurate results."

Posted by -Berv at 07:44 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Joe Chaco
Filed under Bitching

We lost Pasek Pharmacy (in its original incarnation), Bayside Market, European Bakery and Daugherty's Hardware. All were long, long-time Duluth business, and I would argue, institutions of the community.

We are all poorer for the loss of these businesses.

What does this say about Duluth? What does it say about the businesses themselves? Is this a factor of the current economy, or has this been a long time coming?

Discuss.

Posted by Tomasz at 09:57 AM | Permalink | 29 comments, last by zra.
Filed under Bitching | Duluth History | Duluth News | Duluth Scene | R.I.P. | Serious Substantive Matters

I've been using Yahoo! Mail for a decade, and recently I've wondered why the company wants so desperately to drive me away. I guess it's because I'm not a paying customer, so scamming me is the only way to pay the bills.

I'm curious if any PDDers have ever had the nerve to "Click 2 Claim" and see what they're selling. I can't bring myself to do it. I have this vision of an arm popping out of my monitor, grabbing my credit card and flipping me the bird. And then my inbox would be filled with child porn and all my music files would be replaced with Kia of Duluth commercials.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 08:21 AM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by jelbo jim
Filed under Bitching

"The sponsors of Proposition 8 argued for the first time Friday that the court should undo the marriages of the estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who exchanged vows before voters banned gay marriage at the ballot box last month."

story here.

Continue reading "more smiles (redux)" »

Posted by in.dog.neato at 01:00 PM | Permalink | 8 comments, last by Robert
Filed under Bitching

Ok, really bad children names are kind of a pet peeve/fascination of mine. The "Jordan Michael " birthed yeras ago in my hometown was kooky. The Hmong family the next town over who named their kid "Trans Am" was worth a chuckle, but this...

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/today/index.ssf/2008/12/holland_township_family_angry.html

"JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell and Adolf Hitler Campbell."

Eh? I hope one of them becomes a famous civil rights activist, or does something else of great irony.

Posted by Sjixxxy at 07:32 PM | Permalink | 22 comments, last by Danny G
Filed under Bitching

Posted by Loufuss at 09:18 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Calk
Filed under Bitching

Hi Folks,

Boyz II Dadz is doing ANOTHER of our very popular Family Law Clinics. We will have a judge, a child support magistrate, some lawyers and even an adoption specialist on hand to answer general questions about things like child support, custody, parenting time and other family related matters. There is a very upbeat and congenial vibe (unlike the experience of court for many people) so if you have questions this is a good place to air them out.

It's today at the building for women (32 East First St) from 6-8 pm. We will have free food, and childcare if you need it. Call or text me if you have any questions: 218.391.8330

JP, Boyz II Dadz Outreach Worker

Posted by JP at 12:33 PM | Permalink
Filed under Advice | Bitching | Promotion | Recommendations | Serious Substantive Matters

So I tried to join this milk club today, you know, to put some civic involvement on my resume, and I tell you what I was disappointed to learn that they don’t even have any meetings or board members! I would have made an awesome treasurer.

Posted by -Berv at 11:28 PM | Permalink | 15 comments, last by magus
Filed under Bitching

So, are they ending the discount or continuing to offer it?

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 03:49 PM | Permalink | 10 comments, last by krlars
Filed under Bitching

Dear fortune cookie manufacturers,

If I wanted a small sugary cookie to give me self affirmations, I'd buy a product labeled as "Self Affirmation Cookies." But when the outer wrapper says "Fortune Cookie," I expect to see a glimmer of my future fortunes while I slowly unravel the intricacies of Chinese grammar one word at a time.

Please, take some time and try to get your products & marketing in line.

Sincerly,
Concerned customer who already feels good about himself.

Posted by Sjixxxy at 10:34 AM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by heysme
Filed under Bitching

Two scarecrow decorations just showed up in the front of this Duluth home. I say it's too early for fall decorations. I say it's still summer. I say this might explain why it suddenly got cooler.
I'm just saying ...

Posted by Beverly at 09:04 PM | Permalink | 8 comments, last by Scribbler
Filed under Bitching | Holiday | Serious Substantive Matters

I am a daily bicycle commuter, and today I had an experience on my bike that got me riled up... not with a car, but with another biker.

Continue reading "Jaybiking" »

Posted by rediguana at 07:39 PM | Permalink | 31 comments, last by jQuest
Filed under Bitching

Yesterday evening I drove down to Canal Park to pick up a sandwich at Northern Waters Smokehaus.

During the course of finding a parking spot, I found myself on an alley that's kind of a major thoroughfare in navigating the maze of lots in Canal Park. I came up behind a sedan that was parked in the middle of the alley, blocking both directions of traffic, as its driver chatted with a couple of people outside.

Continue reading "Roads are for driving" »

Posted by akjuneau at 09:38 AM | Permalink | 36 comments, last by Shane
Filed under Bitching

I'm grateful that other people are working hard to raise money for a playground that my kids will play on. But I'm going to miss this.

And don't know what to think of this.

The Junior League of Duluth is raising money for it. The plan is to replace the wooden playground by next summer.

Posted by Beverly at 01:08 AM | Permalink | 26 comments, last by Girl From the North Country
Filed under Bitching | Duluth News | Serious Substantive Matters

Spirit Valley Days, Saturday

From the comfort of a hot bath and a good book, I could hear the resounding 80's cover tunes wafting in from spirit valley days through the open window. Ahh, the memories... or, actually, though I used to love the stuff, I'm sort of sick hearing live bands play what now sounds like karaoke.

2 minor things. This event was supposed to be on Friday. Not surprisingly, the website wasn't updated, nor were others. And, secondly, what is up with Duluth's fetish with the 80's? Is it because the beat is so simple? (1, 2, 1, 2, repeat ad nauseam), or because the chords and structure (refrain/chorus/etc.) are so simple? I'm just teasing... kind of. Maybe I've been going to the wrong venues.

All joking aside, I wished I could have joined in the festivities. Alas, I'm lazy this weekend and am saving my energy to stand in line for 4 hours to see the tall ships.

"Arrrgh, matey! There be scallywag 80ers starboard. Right then. To accord. Kenny Logins, sir, would you be so kind as to put one foot in front of the other across that there plank. . Watch yer step."

Okay, I admit, I'm no playwright :)

Posted by huitz at 12:08 AM | Permalink | 9 comments, last by mrashley
Filed under Bitching

Before continuing, I should apologize for not being able to find a passable first season with Rex Smith and Marilyn McCoo, but Dionne Warwick should suffice.

Without much further ado, let the painful childhood memories commence:

Sorry Folks...Really.

This, along with Dirty Dancing, American Graffiti, Grease and Grease 2 were my childhood. This is the reason I should be forking out thousands of dollars for therapy.

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:43 AM | Permalink | 9 comments, last by Bad Cat!
Filed under Bitching | Good Riddance | Music

Ms. Dean's recent post about Neko Case got me thinking.

Just about every venue in town has a website where they post events, but almost NONE of those sites have an RSS feed.

If the Mitchell Auditorium, Marshall Performing Arts Center, Bayfront Park, the DECC, Movies in the Park, Sir Benedict's, Pizza Luce, Carmody, Teatro Zuccone, the Play Ground, etc., had RSS feeds on their websites, people like us could subscribe to them with our Google Reader or whatever, and always be informed about what's going on in town. Plus the information could be custom tailored to our specific individual interests.

That's how I read newspapers. That's how I read blogs. It should be how I find out about events, but it isn't.

Fitger's Brewhouse is the only site I can find with a valid feed. Burrito Union also has a feed, but I put it into my RSS reader and found myself subscribed to vegguide.org.

Amazing Grace has a section called "news feeds" but it's just a worthless part of the template they use, much like the "podcast" link at the bottom (there is no podcast).

The Orpheum has a feed, but the calendar hasn't been updated in months.

Why no feeds, Duluth?

Posted by Barrett at 12:37 PM | Permalink | 13 comments, last by Nick
Filed under Bitching | Duluth Scene

I spent 45 minutes starring at the exit gate at the Tech Village Parking Garage yesterday afternoon. Here's how it went down.

My brother and his family were in town visiting and we went to Pizza Lucé for a late lunch. We got our cards validated at the Looch. Then we went to the card machine in the lobby to run them through there. It spat both of them out without any transaction. I shrugged and figured that since they were validated maybe we just had to take them to the gate. At the gate the machine there also wouldn't read the cards.

Okay, don't panic. Here's a helpful button marked "press for assistance" so I did. Nothing. Occasionally the little red light would light up and I'd hear a hopeful beeping noise, but nothing.

Okay, still, don't panic. There's a phone number here on the ticket and on the sign on the gate. 218 591-8931. I'll try that. No answer.

Oh wait, my brother found another number on the booth. 218 730-8931. Oh, there is no such number anymore.

Hmm... Can I panic yet? I call the police. A helpful lieutenant calls me back and he says he'll come over with a pass card and let me out. About 10 minutes later he comes and swipes the pass card. Nothing. His card doesn't work either.

I decide to skip panicking and watch in amused disbelief. The helpful lieutenant calls someone, apparently some working phone number, and from the conversation he's advised to disable a gate and break me out. Finally he forces an entry gate up, setting off alarms, and we get out.

Has anyone else had this problem with the ramp? Is it Lucé's validation that screwed it up or is it just the system?

I will add that some people were able to get out of the ramp normally while we were sitting there waiting for liberation.

Posted by ironic1 at 07:52 PM | Permalink | 12 comments, last by AndrewS
Filed under Bitching | Duluth Scene

The thing that makes me angrier than high gas prices is that the very act of pumping gas has become complicated.

It used to be simple: Insert nozzle, flip the lever up, pull trigger. Even Goober Pyle could do it without thinking.

Now you have to push a series of buttons indicating your payment method, octane rating of the fuel, etc. — and it’s different everywhere you go. No matter how they lay out the options or try to use a bright color to highlight the “start” button, there will never be a simpler way than the good ol’ lever.

It’s become so complex, the Hermantown Amoco now has a screen with instructions (pictured above).

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 09:35 AM | Permalink | 39 comments, last by huitz
Filed under Bitching

Hey, remember that post I made a few days back about the DNT and its commenting system? It turns out that suddenly everyone's frustrated about the same syndrome. Internet: we must decide. Either we can give a voice to every anonymous talk-radio reject in an effort to drive up hits, or we can provide quality content to a comparatively small number of intelligent readers.

Or, we can (gasp!) come up with a new idea, a new model that is more structurally sound. But for now, read on:

In theory, it's a great thing. We're giving the people a voice! But the reality is that commenting either attracts loathsome people or somehow causes ordinary people to express themselves in a way that is loathsome.

...

Maybe commenters are just on one side of a cultural disconnect between two incompatible ideas of what the social conventions of the Internet should be. One is based on the standards of real-world, off-line politeness. The other is a kind of communal game in which whoever is cleverest and pushes the most buttons wins.

-- Time Magazine (7/10/08), via Fimoculous

Why should we all build our homes and give residence to the trolls under them? Comments on blogs inevitably implode, and we all accept it under the belief that "open is better!" Open is not better. Running a blog is like letting a virtuoso play for 90 minutes are Carnegie Hall, and then seconds after their performance you run to the back Alley and grab the most inebriated homeless person drag them on stage and ask them what they think of the performance they overheard in the Alley. They then take a piss on the stage and say "F-you" to the people who just had a wonderful experience for 90 or 92 minutes. That's openness for you... my how far we've come! We've put the wisdom of the deranged on the same level as the wisdom of the wise.

-- Jason Calacanis (7/11/08), via Gawker

Posted by Barrett at 12:40 AM | Permalink | 22 comments, last by pH
Filed under Bitching | Media Watch

So regarding this recent discussion regarding this article, I think it's time we discuss the embarrassment to this community that is the DNT's "Talk" commenting feature.

Is this an accurate representation of our community's opinions?

Posted by Barrett at 02:32 AM | Permalink | 61 comments, last by chris m
Filed under Art | Bitching | Media Watch

I have taken an interest in how I can get better gas mileage from my vehicle. Here are the Federal Trade Commission's tips. They're about the same as what I've read elsewhere. I would point out a couple specifics, such as "stop aggressive driving" and "stay within posted speed limits."
I have taken some of this advice to heart, and have found that doing so has really punctuated the aggressive driving that surrounds me. If I drive a bit slower and coast up to red lights, people are gunning around me. Now think about that, dear drivers. Why accelerate up to a red light? You know you'll have to stop. You're going to burn up all your gas. Can you really afford to buy more?
And to the person who honked at me today: I did not "cut you off." You were tearing down a winding road with a posted limit of 30 mph. You were around the corner, and the road was clear when I pulled out. Suddenly, there you were, honking at me, going, like 60. You need to slow down, my friend. Slow down.

Posted by Beverly at 11:52 PM | Permalink | 22 comments, last by The Cheerleader
Filed under Advice | Bitching

An interesting new twist on how-effciently-can-duluth-destroy-it's-own-neighborhoods is that the "nice kids", supported by their helicopter moms,
have started moving in and living here in the summers. The ONLY three months we could have any respite from the bud-lite-fired-chest-thumping-cope-chewing-piss-outside maddness are now gone...why? BECAUSE DULUTH IS COOL!! only it's an illuson of cool because it's really NOT..because now it's ONE BIG FRICKIN DORM without RAs..actually, thats sounds cool....City's response? Oh, I know...let's repeal the only law which addressed this RAPE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS..yeah!...I call out all councilors and mayors who claimed to support neighborhoods during the last election TO ACTUALLY DO SO!!! I tottaly support Reinhardt's efforts...it all sounds great, I'd love to live there..it's called a REAL COLLEGE TOWN...except the process creating the mythical new zoning regulations cant be funded and wont be completed by the time the moritorium on new rentals expires (due to a state law limiting the time which moritoriums can be in place)...go figure...the 300' rule brought all the parties to the table..the local relators and rental companies are active parts of the solution ....NOW... (btw, when's their next meeting?)...because long term residents and families and enlightened councilors held them accountable....WHERE'S UMD IN ALL OF THIS????...the regents and umd administration have missed an opportunity to be a part of the solution, where's your innovative urban planning grad students from the humphry inst...they have one of them urban planning programs there dont they? where's The U of M's support (financially) to the creation of informed and evolved zoning around their campus in Duluth...instead, their continued silence makes them of one of the parties to THE RAPE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. Oh and yeah, all of you who are gonna call me lame and an old fart (or worse), just know II'd LOVE to live in a REAL COLLEGE TOWN...not 13th grade.

Posted by baci at 05:10 PM | Permalink | 45 comments, last by Mr. Spock
Filed under Bitching

What to you get when you mix a group of trust funders with a bunch of uneducated know if all welfare sucking parasites? PDD. Just think how much of your money is going to pay for some of these individuals housing, heating assistance, food, and unfortunately, because of our messed up system, money for drinking, drugs, and computers to spread their hate and anger.

PDD, if this is Duluth's arts culture, the city is in big trouble. It's a bunch of delinquent kids who are trying to show their parents how smart they are and failing miserably, I might add. They should go back home to mommy and daddy and enroll back in the schools they dropped out of and attend some counseling sessions to get some help with the issues that many clearly possess.

I found this on DCB. I think they're wrong. I'm probably the youngest, by far, on this website, and not even I act like ther description of PDD. Feedback?

Continue reading "I think not." »

Posted by Samuellll :) at 01:40 PM | Permalink | 20 comments, last by purple
Filed under Bitching | Funny Stuff | Overheard in Duluth

ICAN of the Northland meets this Sunday, 4/27, at 3:30 p.m.
Duluth Seventh-day Adventist Church
3210 Decker Road (just above Piedmont)
The topic is Birth Stories.

The mission of ICAN (the International Cesarean Awareness Network) is to improve maternal-child health by reducing unnecessary cesareans through education, providing support for cesarean recovery, and promoting VBAC.

Posted by doubledutch at 02:01 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

Isn't this simply common sense?

Girl who says something we already know

Nothing wrong with spreading good will, but to be lofted up for it seems a little silly to me.

Posted by huitz at 05:16 PM | Permalink | 32 comments, last by funkenschutz
Filed under Bitching

[ Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. Text written by you, in which you make the topic relevant to PDD readers. ]

Continue reading "Post-It Notes" »

Posted by Barrett at 04:39 PM | Permalink | 16 comments, last by Girl From the North Country
Filed under Administration | Bitching

At the end of your Budgeteer column this week you told a joke about a Scandinavian man falling out of a movie theater balcony. I would like you to know that that joke was outdated before I was even born. Movie theater balconies stopped being commonplace about 40 years ago.

Please adjust your ethnic humor to fit the current century.

Thank you.

Posted by Barrett at 11:07 PM | Permalink | 15 comments, last by tony
Filed under Bitching | Duluth News

I was walking my dog this morning and came across two beer bottles in someone's front lawn on Kent Rd. At first I assumed they were a couple of empties, which I don't mind picking up, but then noticed they had caps on. I kicked one and it was full! What's wrong with people that they can waste perfectly good premium beer like that? If I were ten years younger I would definitely drink them. They are pretty crusty with road salt and that makes me a little nervous. Another thing you should know is that today is my birthday. My wife says that it's a sign. If I were cleverer with this whole internet stuff I would post a survey but I need to know; are these beers drinkable?

Posted by chadp at 11:10 AM | Permalink | 25 comments, last by heysme
Filed under Bitching | Found Stuff | Serious Substantive Matters

This is a reminder to set your clocks ahead an hour tonight.

This is also a wake up call that daylight savings time actually wastes energy instead of conserving it, as we've been led to believe.

Posted by ironic1 at 02:16 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by ironic1
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Earth

In Barb Olson's column this week:

"'We support the vision of a Lakewalk for everyone,' Beacon Pointe Condos resident Judy Gordon tells the Council. 'But we don't consider it appropriate to have a Lakewalk right in front of everyone's patios.'"

(Apparently, the "everyone" she is referring to is "everyone" in Duluth who currently owns a million-dollar condo.)

Also, on page 5 is another blow-open-the-scandal article (actually, a letter) about the Red Plan. Seems Duluth Architect Robert Aho thinks Johnson Controls is trying to pull some shady, "possibly illegal" stuff with regards to bilking taxpayers. Or rather, the school board basically told him that's what they were doing. Read it and weep. Then get pissed and do something about it before it's too late.

Posted by rediguana at 09:52 PM | Permalink | 18 comments, last by The Big E
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Media Watch

It seems there is a new owner of the USAN Building, and if you park in the parking lot, even to check out a tux at Arthur's next door, you have a good chance of getting towed. Even if you work in the building with all the proper passes, you could get towed. One person was working over the weekend and came out to find her van gone with her dogs in it. One person was terrorized by this guy watching her and almost running her over with his car. You will recognize him as a fat white guy in his late 30s, button shirt and slacks with prominent bluetooth earpiece with a new dark teal Camry respectable, middle-aged man overseeing the towing process.

Posted by St.G at 08:03 AM | Permalink | 10 comments, last by Tomasz
Filed under Bitching

Continue reading "Orpheum - Duluth - this weekend" »

Posted by Wrekt at 12:29 PM | Permalink | 67 comments, last by tdee
Filed under Bitching

So, I've been an unabashed fan/lover/reader of Dan Savage's Savage Love since way back when his readers used to address him as "Hey Faggot," and he had a day job pulling shots at Cafe Paradisio...

ANYwhooo...back last month for his Valentine week column, he ran a letter concerning sex toys, and the proper etiquette of the proper disposal of such. Within his reply he made a suggestion that any and all old toys could be mailed to a Kandiss Crone, an "investigative" reporter from Jackson MS, who recently staged a raid on an adult book/video/toy store because, apparently Mississippi is one of a few sex-phobic states that has completely outlawed the sale of "three dimensional devices" intended for sexual gratification. The store had been busted a couple of times prior to Ms. Kandiss' story by the JPD, but to her shock and awe, the store had not ceased its immoral retail activity.

Apparently, Ms. Crone went incognito to the adult store, purchased a purple vibe, and then returned later with a camera crew to confront the store's employees. She even went as far as to try to solicit further involvement of the Jackson, MS police department, but they weren't interested. She was rebuffed with a statement from them saying that the citizens of Jackson would prefer the police be involved with rounding up criminals, drug addicts and prostitutes, and that pursuing a criminal investigation on an adult bookstore for selling sex toys wasn't very high on their list.

I wonder whatever became of the purple vibrator.

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:06 AM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by Buttonhead
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Media Watch | Weird Stuff

If you are like me and don't watch television much you had no idea to what Starfire was referring. So here's the clip.

Posted by ironic1 at 01:37 PM | Permalink | 16 comments, last by Buttonhead
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Politics

Select Size

Womens SmallWomens MediumWomens LargeWomens XLUnisex SmallUnisex MediumUnisex LargeUnisex XLUnisex 2XL

Posted by Starfire at 01:55 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by Buttonhead
Filed under Bitching | For Sale | Politics

I've got a favor to ask yas: How 'bout NOT electrocuting my damned arm with a
Thirteen Freaking Thousand Kilovolt shock each time I touch your metal handles this winter, mmm-KAY?!?! THAY-hanks!!!
Phuckerz.

Posted by -Berv at 07:16 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by ironic1
Filed under Bitching

Continue reading "Support Our Oops v.2.0" »

Posted by in.dog.neato at 07:58 PM | Permalink | 11 comments, last by ironic1
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Politics | Serious Substantive Matters

Cloverfield...

Continue reading "I call "Shenanigans"! [Updated! Yea!]" »

Posted by JJLee at 10:36 AM | Permalink | 23 comments, last by zra.
Filed under Bitching | Movie Reviews

I love movies.

Posted by mayday at 08:52 PM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by tamara
Filed under Art | Bitching | Movie Reviews | Serious Substantive Matters

Left: Good Christmas card. Right: Bad Christmas card.

Dear friends of mine who have children and are sending me a Christmas Card,

I agree that your child is cute, but when you don't include yourself in the photo I feel let down. I love how stupid you look. It makes my whole Christmas.

It is cruel to deprive me of the hearty laugh I should be having at your expense. Christmas is not the time of year to flaunt how adorable your child is. It's time to announce what a square, grown-up dweeb you are. Put on that awful sweater and make my month. Christmas is a time of giving, damn it.

Seasons greetings,
Paul

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 04:11 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by asmentko
Filed under Bitching

Soldiers who've served in Iraq and are being released from duty due to serious injury are being asked to return their signing bonuses for their inability to fulfill their commitments.

IMO, the treatment that injured vets (or vets period) receive in this country is appalling...

Fortunately, Pennsylvania Representative Jason Altmire is introducing a bill that would prevent the D.O.D. from requiring seriously injured servicemembers to return their enlistment bonuses...

Posted by in.dog.neato at 09:24 AM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by Scribbler
Filed under Bitching

I've had this record player a long time. I think my brother bought it in the 1970s. Now, tragedy has struck.

Continue reading "I've got two turntables and a problem" »

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 09:35 AM | Permalink | 16 comments, last by zra...
Filed under Bitching

Assisant Homeland Security Secretary Julie Myers has applogized after awarding first prize in a holloween costume contest to a white man dressed as an african american in a prison outfit. Myers, who also heads the Imigration and Customs enforcement said she deeply regretes that this has happened. The winner was dressed in a stripped uniform, dreadlocks, and dark makeup.

is that a Oops, or a Whoops?

Continue reading "And the winner is......" »

Posted by Kitty Brand at 07:37 PM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by Girl From the North Country
Filed under Bitching | Politics

Fox Sports' coverage of the World Series is bad enough to make a lifelong baseball fan give up on the game. To begin with, Tim McCarver and Joe Buck suck. Oh, but they dress so well. They look like mannequins inn a department store window. You'd never know McCarver played in the major leagues. His analysis is so pathetic, and he never has an interesting anecdote from his playing days to share. He must not have had any friends as a ballplayer and it's easy to see why. He has this professorial, didactic air about him, talking down to the viewers as if he had insight instead of his Blinding Flash of the Obvious repeated over and over again. McCarver racks his simple brain to comd up with a pun, and then he hammers you over the head with it by using an affected voioce to emphasize his (dim) wit. His patronizing, lecturing tone is so annoying I can't stand it. His sidekick, Joe Buck, does not hold a candle to his father, Jack Buck, who was a genuinely fine play-by-play guy. It's clear to me that Joe pulled a lot of strings and dropped daddy's name to all the networks in order to get his mitts on a microphone. He is bland, blase, conceited, boring, supercilious, one dimensional and phony. Teamed with McCarver, they are truly the worst thing about the best sport. Don't get me started about Fox' tactic of using goofy sound affects to accompany their visual graphics and the way they cleverly show a slo-mo replay after EVERY SINGLE PITCH so McCarver can say he told us so. Does anyone else think this Fox baseball coverage is the worst ever?

Posted by Repur at 09:04 AM | Permalink | 15 comments, last by c-freak
Filed under Bitching

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:55 AM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by Michael
Filed under Bitching

In a discussion about Al Gore winning the Nobel Peace Prize on KUWS yesterday Karl Spring, chief meteorologist for NBC affiliate KBJR, scoffed at Al Gore and said he wouldn't "pay a dime" to see "An Inconvenient Truth" because Al Gore is a "left wing nut job."

Don't you find it refreshing when scientists can put aside prejudice and examine issues based on cold, hard facts?

Seriously, if this guy as a meteorologist wanted to argue the science behind the movie, I'm all ears. If he just wants to cast aspersions and call people names, then maybe Fox is hiring.

Posted by ironic1 at 08:52 PM | Permalink | 151 comments, last by Lucie B.
Filed under Bitching | Creepy Duluth Stuff | Current Events | Overheard in Duluth | Politics

Posted by in.dog.neato at 08:25 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by Paul Lundgren
Filed under Bitching

Explosions in the Sky is going to be on Austin City Limits along with the Decemberists this Saturday night...unfortunately for me, I'll be at church.

Posted by in.dog.neato at 07:01 AM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by paja
Filed under Bitching | Music

creepy, i don't know what is.

"Marry Our Daughter is an introduction service assisting those following the Biblical tradition of arranging marriages for their daughters"

I'm a little grossed out right now...and reading some of the testimonials, like this one from Jack M.:

"At first we were worried that Janine was too young to get married, but then her new husband bought her a house and a car and jewelry and the money we got let us buy a house for ourselves. Getting out of the trailer park at our age was the best thing that ever happened to us, and it’s all thanks to Marry Our Daughter!"

...makes me even more so.

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:20 AM | Permalink | 9 comments, last by hotlilmama
Filed under Bitching | Serious Substantive Matters

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 08:48 AM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

Posted by ohnoanotherputz at 11:24 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Sherman
Filed under Bitching

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 09:57 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

My next cat will be named after Mookie.

Posted by Xenolith at 09:52 PM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by B Cookie
Filed under Bitching

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 09:38 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this, but here goes: (commentary by Sherman)

I just love how he has the same face in two different cards.
I imagine his photo shoot went something like this:

Photographer, "Are you ready for your baseball card picture Rick?"

Rick, "I reckon I am."

Photographer, "Ok, on three, one..., two..."

Somebody else, "Hey Rick, isn't that someone stealing your car?"

Photographer, "Three." Click.

Posted by -Berv at 09:32 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

I can go all night.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 09:16 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

But kudos for the "Bubble Gum" Bevacqua, Cookie B.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 08:27 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

Speaking of the Brew Crew, this is the all-time greatest card ever. May Kurt's reign never end.

Posted by Cookie B at 05:44 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching

Everyone wants to work in a Rowland Office!

Posted by -Berv at 10:12 PM | Permalink | 1 comment by Paul Lundgren
Filed under Bitching

Sherman/Berv, I see your Bill Greif and raise you two Cookie Rojas'.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 10:10 PM | Permalink | 1 comment by -Berv
Filed under Bitching

Good grief!

Posted by -Berv at 10:09 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Paul Lundgren
Filed under Bitching

According to Facebook, the top books in the Duluth, MN network are:

1. The Bible
2. Harry Potter
3. Angels and Demons
4. Lord of the Rings
5. Harry Potter Series

Good job people; way to make us like every other schmucktown in the country.

Posted by rediguana at 10:24 PM | Permalink | 11 comments, last by DLTBGYD
Filed under Bitching | Geeky

As if the I-35 bridge collapse wasn't a bad enough tragedy, Shirley Roper-Phelps and her father-in-law's hatemongering crew from Westboro Baptist Church are going to grace the funeral of one of the victims of the tragedy to spread more of their hate.

(watch out...PDF alert! the link is to the pdf of their protest flier.)

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:23 AM | Permalink | 19 comments, last by zra...
Filed under Bitching

I've been known to misplace my house keys and even my winter gloves, but they always seem to come back to me...unlike the U.S. Government who, in Iraq can't seem to locate about 190,000 AK47 Rifles and pistols that were supposed to be issued to the Iraqi police forces.

The article also gos on to say that over a quarter million (say it with me: "mmmmmmiiilllliiiooooooonnnn") pieces of body armor are also missing.

Any guesses as to where those rifles and kevlar vests are now?

Posted by in.dog.neato at 08:20 PM | Permalink | 8 comments, last by Bad Cat!
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Serious Substantive Matters

let's see if we can come up with a list of potential names and qualifications.

let the sociological study begin.

Posted by sharksattack at 03:01 PM | Permalink | 12 comments, last by edgeways
Filed under Bitching

I ran across an interesting article on Middle East online, by way of cursor.org by Ismael Hossein-Zadeh, a professor of Economics at Drake University about the escalation of war and military spending. This economic info should be staggering (to say the least) to anyone on either side of the fence.

He makes some really grim comparisons on military budgets versus government spending in other areas, causing a dramatic shift in the distribution of wealth from the middle and lower income to the already wealthy by noting the impending permanence of tax cuts to the richest 1%, and then the plan to cut vital services and programs in order to make up the difference in money coming in.

For perspective, he quotes comparisons in the article made by William D. Hartung, Senior Fellow at the World Policy Institute in New York:

Proposed US military spending for FY 2008 is larger than military spending by all of the other nations in the world combined.

At $141.7 billion, this year's proposed spending on the Iraq war is larger than the military budgets of China and Russia combined. Total US military spending for FY2008 is roughly ten times the military budget of the second largest military spending country in the world, China.

Proposed US military spending is larger than the combined gross domestic products (GDP) of all 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The FY 2008 military budget proposal is more than 30 times higher than all spending on State Department operations and non-military foreign aid combined.

The FY 2008 military budget is over 120 times higher than the roughly $5 billion per year the US government spends on combating global warming.

Continue reading "By the numbers..." »

Posted by in.dog.neato at 09:01 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Politics

from this week's Reader Weakly...

(p.s. - the punctuation, spelling, grammar... all that jazz... appears below exactly as it appears in print....)

The Fartwell Tour
Hubert Cumberdale (andrew olson)
Northland Enquirer (reader weekly)

The Fartwell Tour have announced their 4th Cd release this month titled, He Who Smelt It Dealt It. The State Chumps will be opening the show and kicking off their "When Nerds Attack" three city tour. The cities include far off locations like, Proctor, Hermantown, and Cloquet.

On cowbell Greg "Pussycat" Connor put Will Farrell to shame. Not many can wrangle the electric bell, but Greg makes it an essential to any band. He also was showing off his latest tattoo of his cat's name, and the girls were swooning. Fat also had another tattoo, but this one was of his pet gerbil, Sandy.

this dude is fucking clever.

changing mat milinkovich to fat milkawitch?

the farewell well tour and cars & trucks to the fartwell tour and trucks and suvs? wow...

and calling the state champs the state chumps?

wow. this guy's genius. he's worth all the coupons he's paid in.

Posted by Sarcasmsetyourhouseonfire at 08:50 AM | Permalink | 153 comments, last by Dubz
Filed under Bitching

At around 1:00-1:30am on Tuesday night (Wed. morning), I stepped out on the deck and noticed three guys walking down the street, trying the doors of every car on the block. This happened about two blocks from the place where Ezra & Tamara's car was broken into last week.

I yelled at the guys and they ran. The police were called. When the cops came, they circled the area with what looked like two squads, but I doubt they caught the little douchebags, who were probably long gone.

So if you live in the East Hillside, don't forget to lock your car. Also, you might just want to step out and look around if you're awake at night. Neighborhood watch and all that.

Posted by Barrett at 11:42 PM | Permalink | 1 comment by B Cookie
Filed under Bitching

I'm sure that many of you have noticed that the TypeKey commenting system is currently down. To be honest, I have no idea what is wrong with it. I've contacted the people at TypeKey, and they insist that the problem is not on their end. However, both PDD and my personal blog are experiencing the same problem, even though they are separate installations.

We'll try to figure out what is wrong. In the meantime, I've opened the commenting to everyone -- not just TypeKey members -- to allow free access to commenting.

What this means to you is that for the time being, you won't have to log in to comment. You will, however, notice spam in the comments from time to time.

Sorry about the inconvenience.

If you still see a "sign in" requirement, do a SHIFT + REFRESH and that should clear up the problem.

UPDATE: There is now a simple word-verification test in the comment form. From now on, no one will be asked to log in, but instead will have to type "PDD" into the comment form to prove that they're a human being, and not a spambot. This should work. TypeKey no more!

Posted by Barrett at 12:17 AM | Permalink | 25 comments, last by blogger police
Filed under Administration | Bitching

Will someone please tell Tamara it's not "Teenage Wasteland?"

Posted by in.dog.neato at 10:06 PM | Permalink | 1 comment by Sandraker
Filed under Bitching | Music | Puzzler | Recommendations

Leibniz said (more or less) “everything is as it should be.”

Everything is perfect. Perfectly painful, flawlessly beautiful. History’s perfect control of the present and future. Everything is written. Perfect reactions, perfect nonsense. I love the perfection of it all. Love-IT!

Absolutely boring and stupid. Entirely dramatic, cool and stylish. Cold, steel perfection, and yes, even a perfect Duluth day.

Suicidally driven! Glaringly handsome! Smooth like honey, a perfect gentleman. Adorable, unattainable. A perfect liar, utterly terrified, honorable among thieves. Perfectly broken in a self-made prison.

Perfectly molded, crafted, and sculpted. Purely naive and totally aware. In perfect health and terminally ill. Manipulated and then manipulating. Completely destroyed and annihilated. Then eternally reborn. Perfect, just perfect.

Posted by -Berv at 10:58 AM | Permalink | 1 comment by Amanda
Filed under Bitching

Put me out of my misery. Please.

Posted by alison at 03:49 AM | Permalink | 11 comments, last by in.dog.neato
Filed under Bitching

As some of you may know, the Little Pirate and I are in the production of "Holes" at the Duluth Playhouse, which is part of their Children's Theatre Arts series. It looks like it will be a good show and I'm very proud of the time & effort the cast and crew has put into the production.

However, I am extremely upset about the Playhouse's treatment of the cast & crew who volunteer their time on the Playhouse's children's productions. I was informed a few nights ago that the cast and crew of Children's Theatre Arts plays do not receive complimentary tickets (comps) in appreciation for their hard work. Meanwhile, the cast and crew of the regular season productions (adult plays) do receive two comps to their shows.

UPDATE: I received an explanation. There is not a set policy for comps, but the Playhouse does not give comps for children’s productions because they are trying to instill a sense of volunteerism in the youth. The adults in “Holes” can ask for comps and will probably receive them. My complaint was that I think the non-policy for comps should be equal for all productions (i.e. offered to everyone); I wasn’t fishing for comps so I won’t take them since they’re not offered to all of the cast & crew.

Anyway, I was told that they’re going to review this non-policy for next year so that it’s a little more equal.

As a cast member, I am insulted that my time is deemed less valuable than the time of those involved in a main season production. As a parent of a cast member and youth advocate, I am furious because I feel this policy is ageist. I feel that the Duluth Playhouse does not respect or appreciate the time and effort that these children put into these productions. Not to mention the time & effort these children’s parents put into these productions.

Posted by Purple at 11:28 AM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by Purple
Filed under Bitching | Duluth Scene

Crazy weather indeed. The sounds of the "end of the year' down-pour are great,

Posted by reddomain at 10:31 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching | Current Events

So I was all set to download some music from my favorite music download site, Allofmp3.com, when I found out that I had run out of credit. I like buying music from All of MP3, because it's a Russian site run by a Russian Mafia company, and therefore the prices are, shall we say, discounted.

I click over to the payment option and find that lo and behold, Visa and Mastercard are boycotting All of MP3. Oh, sure, you can still purchase music from All of MP3. If you happen to have a Diner's Club card. Apparantly I'm wrong about this, but I thought Diner's Club went out of business circa 1979.

My question is this: Where can a person go to purchase MP3s at a decent price? I would even pay the prices on iTunes, for that matter, but I'm fed up with the restrictions they place on you. I've heard similar things about the alternative big name sites.

Where do you get your MP3s? I'm not interested in CDs, so that's not an option.

Posted by Barrett at 11:17 PM | Permalink | 8 comments, last by Chris
Filed under Bitching | I Need Your Service

My pet issue. Waah waah waah. Nobody loves me. I regurgitate White House talking points and dare people to call me on it. Waah. Baby needs bottle.

Update: It's just that with conservative viewpoints dominating the entire government-media complex, it gets my dander up when they creep into my community weblog too.

Posted by The Professor at 09:11 PM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by cathyp
Filed under Bitching

I have a question about growler etiquette. So I bought a growler of beer from South Shore Brewery - is it tres gauche of me to bring it into another establishment like the Brewhouse or TPBP to get it refilled?

Posted by -Berv at 11:36 AM | Permalink | 8 comments, last by Paul Lundgren
Filed under Bitching

I am offended by the title of this contest.

Posted by -Berv at 08:12 AM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by The PartsGuy
Filed under Bitching

So this frog walks into a bank and inquires about borrowing some money. The receptionist directs the frog to have a seat and wait until someone can help him. Pretty soon one of the loan officers, Patty Wack, comes out and greets the frog and leads him to her office. "So I understand you are interested in taking out a loan from us," Patty says. The frog nods in agreement. "Do you have any collateral?" Patty asks. The frog again nods in agreement and produces a mysterious object. Patty takes the object from him and examines it. She can't quite figure out what it is, although it looks somehow valuable if not a bit gaudy. "Excuse me a moment," she says. She calls the Bank President and summons him to her office. She explains her plight: "Mr. Frog here came in seeking a loan and wants to use this object for collateral, but I'm not sure how valuable it is or if we can accept it." The Bank President looks at the object, sniffs, and exclaims quite loudly, "It's a knick-knack, Patty Wack, give the frog a loan!"

Posted by -Berv at 10:01 AM | Permalink | 19 comments, last by St.G
Filed under Bitching

What did the ham say to the epoxy?

Posted by -Berv at 12:36 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Barrett
Filed under Bitching

Posted by -Berv at 04:18 AM | Permalink | 10 comments, last by in.dog.neato
Filed under Bitching

If you get a chance check this out on Wisconsin Public Radio. Here's a link to the book.

Posted by -Berv at 10:34 AM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by Purple
Filed under Bitching

courtesy of da plummah...

clicky.

Posted by in.dog.neato at 06:44 PM | Permalink
Filed under Bitching | Found Stuff | Web Fun

There is not many more things more fustrating than having to replace the major insides of your computer, and doing it yourself.

Posted by edgeways at 12:24 AM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by Angel
Filed under Bitching

>

Posted by -Berv at 06:13 AM | Permalink | 9 comments, last by in.dog.neato
Filed under Bitching

When you have a digital odometer, it's not as much fun to hit the 100,000-mile mark. Still, I was looking forward to it.

Then, the weekend got busy with Hairball concerts and time capsule openings and whatnot, and the next thing I knew, I had missed my car's milestone moment.

Share my pain, PDD. Share my pain.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 02:22 PM | Permalink | 4 comments, last by Paul Lundgren
Filed under Bitching

Zephram Cochrane's from Colorado? Okay, fine.

The UFP Arrowhead insignia on a pre-NCC-1701 interstellar probe? I guess.

NX-01? Apologies, excuses, and a bikini-clad Vulcan.

But...

Continue reading "Have they ever seen the show?" »

Posted by JJLee at 03:22 PM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by JJLee
Filed under Bitching | Geeky | Movie Reviews

Why is it that Subway restaurant employees have stopped asking people if they want their sandwiches "for here" or "to go"? They don't even have trays at Subway anymore. All sandwiches are prepared to go, which means they wrap them in paper and shove them in a plastic bag.

You take the bag from them, walk four feet away to a table, remove the sandwich and eat it, then throw the bag away.

Sure, you can tell them not to put it in a bag, but the majority of people don't. I often don't because I forget until its too late. Besides, you shouldn't have to keep them from being wasteful. It should be up to the company to be responsible citizens, not its patrons.

Posted by Barrett at 01:54 PM | Permalink | 4 comments, last by Mandie
Filed under Bitching

!

Posted by -Berv at 09:28 AM | Permalink | 2 comments, last by ironic1
Filed under Bitching

Don't hack Amazing Grace's page, people. Bad, bad karma.

I can't read about honey wheat now.

Posted by creeko at 10:32 PM | Permalink | 9 comments, last by ZB
Filed under Bitching

My car was so hot on Saturday that it decided to clunk out in the middle of I-35, just before the downtown exit. Let me tell you, nothing says “Perfect Duluth Day” like dodging four lanes of freeway traffic (plus an on-ramp) and scaling a hill full of dry grass in the searing heat to get to the friendly M&H store for coolant.

Just blogging about it is making we sweat.

Posted by Paul Lundgren at 01:16 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by -Berv
Filed under Bitching

And the 911 dispatcher was more concerned with the fact that my cell phone was breaking up.

I awoke this morning to find I was out of coffee, which in it self is an emergency situation. It's pissing down rain, but I MUST have coffee. My body is also telling me I need food, so I begin my drive down to The Sunshine Cafe
As I'm yielding at the corner of 26th Ave. W. and first, I gaze to the left and witness the front porch of a house completely in flames. There is absolutely no one about. No tenants standing outside crying about the loss of their home, no neighbors gawking for entertainment -- nobody. Except for me, in my car, manically honking the horn. I call 911 from my cell phone, get out of my car to get a better assessment of what’s happening; it’s still pissing down rain.

As I’m trying to tell the dispatcher that there is a fire at 26th Ave. W and first, she keeps repeating, in an irritated tone, “I can’t hear you from that phone….I can’t hear you.” I get back in my car and begin screaming at her “FIRE! 26TH W AND FIRST! ..."FIRE!” Shortly thereafter the fire trucks arrive.

By the way, today’s breakfast specials at The Sunshine Café are the mushroom omelet or the Swedish pancakes. I highly recommend the mushroom omelet.

Posted by Purple at 10:27 AM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by in.dog.neato
Filed under Bitching | Creepy Duluth Stuff | Duluth News | Recommendations

You know I like to browse the Transistor as well as the next homosapien or nigh sentient button pusher, but have they totally given up on their web presence? The on-line version hasn't changed since, well, March.

Posted by ironic1 at 04:50 PM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by jamie
Filed under Bitching | Duluth Scene

Good News: turned in two-week notice at my sucky-ass job
Bad News: they did a "screw you" and said I'm done effective immediately, which leaves me without a paycheck for two weeks
Best News: giving my ex-job the finger and never having to deal with them again! :D

Posted by Bad Cat! at 03:37 PM | Permalink | 11 comments, last by Bad Cat!
Filed under Bitching

I saw this chair at a local store and had to rant about it to someone, lucky you. I won't post my full rant here, but crap like this reduces patriotism to product. It's obscene. When patriotism is something that you buy and sell, something you wear, sit on, or get your burger in, it robs the power of the symbol. It no longer means anything other than brand identification. And when all it means is brand identification, all one has to do to be a patriot is to purchase the right things.

Posted by ironic1 at 09:06 PM | Permalink | 5 comments, last by c-freak
Filed under Bitching | Politics

I write this culinary review (more a "tidbit" or "recount," really) to vent a sense of boundless frustration at the people who were sitting adjacent to us last night at a charming eatery between here and Two Harbors. Though not to be considered "an open-letter to the old bats who’d clearly rather be eating at Perkins," my wholly insignificant grouse is against – and at – them, and no one else.

Additionally, though enthusiastic about the location and its atmosphere, I've chosen to withhold the establisment's name... but I think you're all clever enough to figure it out.

Also... it's lengthy. 830 words, give or take.

Continue reading "Oh, just shut the hell up!" »

Posted by JJLee at 01:02 PM | Permalink | 13 comments, last by edgeways
Filed under Bitching

Now I know what ALL THOSE CAMERAS are for.

Posted by Starfire at 08:28 AM | Permalink | 22 comments, last by c-freak
Filed under Bitching | Found Stuff | Weird Stuff

Continue reading "one foot in the grave" »

Posted by mayday at 07:21 PM | Permalink | 22 comments, last by tamara
Filed under Bitching

i was going to create a frapper map for pdd and it informs me that the name "perfect duluth day" is already taken for a frapper map.

who has it and why don't you have it activated?

I WANT ANSWERS!

Posted by enealio at 03:07 PM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by Bad Cat!
Filed under Bitching

Seymour Hersh (an investigative reporter for The New Yorker) quotes a white house source as saying:
"This White House believes that the only way to solve the problem is to change the power structure in Iran, and that means war."

President Bush views Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a "potential Adolf Hitler," and sees "regime change" in Tehran as the ultimate goal.

Isn't this starting to sound a little redundant?

read the full story here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060409/ts_nm/iran_hersh_dc

The rest appears in the April 17th issue of The New Yorker, and has also been reported on
http://www.antiwar.com

Posted by in.dog.neato at 10:31 PM | Permalink | 19 comments, last by Dzargul
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Politics

In 1934, the Bureau of Air Commerce recognized the Waterman Arrowplane as one of two award-winning designs for its flivver, (i.e. light, easy-to-fly, and affordable) aircraft competition. The Waterman Aerobile #6 is the improved version of the design. The Arrowplane was initially designed in response to U. S. Bureau of Air Commerce Chief Eugene Vidal's initiative AB-205 for "everyman's safe, low-cost, airplane." The target price of $700 for a flivver aircraft was widely ridiculed as too low, even at depression prices, because of practical engine and manufacturing costs, but Vidal found significant general interest in the concept.

Waldo Waterman flew the first test flight of the Arrowbile on February 21, 1937, and found the aircraft easy to fly and virtually spin and stall proof. However, its price of $3,000 was nowhere near the $700 airplane envisioned by Vidal. The craft was registered as a motorcycle in California. The Studebaker Company, looking to advertise its engines (used to power the Arrowbile), bought the company and ordered the first five aircraft. Numbers 1, 2, and 3 were completed and given restricted certificates for flight from Santa Monica to Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1937 to attend the National Air Races. Although No. 1 was severely damaged during a forced landing in Arizona, No. 2 and No. 3 performed impressive daily demonstrations.

So where's my goram flying car at!?!?!

Posted by enealio at 05:57 PM | Permalink | 1 comment by budb
Filed under Bitching

I just thought I would start a new thread regarding this discussion that started under a previous post.

So what do you think? Is the "Creepy Japanese Things" category offensive? Is it just fun? Should PDD be more PC? Are we "Eurocentric numbnuts"?

Let's face it, there are a lot of creepy Japanese things out there on the web, and it's fun to look at them. The gap between our cultures is what makes it fun. (And if you look at trends, we often end up adopting Japanese ideas 10 years later anyway.) Also, if some Japanese people had a blog with a "Creepy American Things" category, I wouldn't be offended at all.

Maybe we should change it to "Creepy Foreign Things" and be equal-opportunity offenders.

Nonetheless, if people feel differently, I will admit that my opinions are stupid, and remove the category.

Posted by Barrett at 01:52 PM | Permalink | 128 comments, last by Spencer
Filed under Bitching | Creepy Japanese Things | Politics

After I get this one, my collection will be complete!

Posted by -Berv at 04:35 PM | Permalink | 4 comments, last by Jaime
Filed under Bitching | Bitching

After I get this one, my collection will be complete!

Posted by -Berv at 04:35 PM | Permalink | 4 comments, last by Jaime
Filed under Bitching | Bitching

Why the hell do they call them 'sexual favors?' Would you ever walk up to someone and ask, "Excuse me, but would you do me a sexual favor?" You might as well drop the last three words and just ask, "Excuse me, but would you do me?"

And would you ever accept a sexual favor from Flavor Flav? I'd like to go up to him someday and ask, "What's your favorite flavor, Flavor Flav?" Say that 5 times fast! Now do it in a Groucho Marx voice. Now stop.

Posted by -Berv at 09:14 PM | Permalink | 10 comments, last by Purple
Filed under Bitching

I think I am ready to start the preliminary phase of looking for new employment. My current job has become boring, and things are changing that may remove some of the benefits I felt it offered.
I/we would like to remain in Duluth but in general if anyone knows of something, in a northern climate, close to water that involves skills I may have let me know.

Oh, and you Mac Heads might find this enticing(not releated to the above post)

Posted by edgeways at 09:37 PM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by jlk806
Filed under Bitching

Continue reading "..." »

Posted by in.dog.neato at 10:08 PM | Permalink | 16 comments, last by vicarious
Filed under Bitching

To the FCC:

It is my understanding that Duluth, Minnesota's television station KDLH is due to have its broadcast license renewed soon. It is also my understanding that television stations must work in the public interest as they utilize public airwaves. One of the main ways TV stations work in the public interest is by providing local news broadcasts.

In the past year, KDLH's news service was taken over by another local station, KBJR. KDLH's news service was cut to a miniscule amount (5 minutes at 6:00 and 10:00pm, for example) and its news is now provided directly by KBJR staff.

Not only does KDLH provide an absolute minimum of local news, it offers the same news available on another station. I believe this lack of competition in news gathering is harmful to the public, as it limits the amount of available viewpoints.

I recommend that KDLH not have its broadcast license renewed until they offer a quantity of independent local news comparable to other stations, and further recommend KBJR's license be reviewed and possibly revoked for promoting anti-competitive practices.

Sincerely,

Posted by -Berv at 06:51 PM | Permalink | 31 comments, last by Radcliffe McIntyre
Filed under Bitching

Posted by -Berv at 10:32 AM | Permalink | 7 comments, last by (flat)eric
Filed under Bitching

Are there any nice rental houses around? I've been searching for weeks and all I find are nice houses/creepy landlords or creepy houses/creepy landlords. Do any PDDers know of any nice places for rent in June?
Bully

Posted by Bully at 11:34 PM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Tomasz
Filed under Bitching

This might be old news by now but not to me. Pizza Luce is cutting way back on music especially lower drawing local bands. You can read a thread aboout this topic here. So what does that leave Duluth with? The Tap Room, Brewhouse, Sir Ben's. Duluth's "scene" continues to shrink. What happened to the glory days? I have pretty much stopped contributing but where is the next generation? What is the next great age of Duluth aRt going to be?

Discuss.

Posted by Starfire at 08:28 AM | Permalink | 53 comments, last by HillsideStranger
Filed under Art | Bitching | Current Events | Duluth Scene | Music

Yesterday I was picking up milk at the Jubilee at Arrowhead and Kenwood, and there was a Salvation Army bellringer at the exit. She was shaking a maraca instead of a bell.

Posted by Drifter at 08:42 AM | Permalink | 6 comments, last by xkabukislaybaler
Filed under Bitching

Hello kitties. The new Whole Foods Coop has been open for a couple of weeks now. What do you all think? I for one wish the aisles were a bit wider, I still find it hard to get around when it's busy. Also what's with all the surveillance cameras? I understand they need to protect their product but I've never seen so many cameras in a store that size before. You can watch for yourself here.

On the positive side. They carry my favorite bottled water now and the quart size of Silk Soy Creamer.

Discuss.

Posted by Starfire at 10:36 AM | Permalink | 52 comments, last by Chris
Filed under Bitching | Duluth History | Duluth Scene | Restaurant Reviews

Wow. These guys are organized. What a great way to release a movie. Sell the DVD's for 10 bucks to anyone that would like to show it free to a group. Set up a website that lists all the free screenings, make available tons of Blog resources, press releases and other promotional help. Voila, you have an army of passionate citizens selling your film.

Well, I signed up to go to Chester Creek Cafe and watch the movie next Tuesday. They have room for 50 people. Maybe it should be a PDD field trip.

Posted by Starfire at 08:38 AM | Permalink | 3 comments, last by Doug
Filed under Bitching | Current Events | Politics

this summer my brother got microscopic mites from a dead raccoon under the front porch floorboards. it was god awful. he did some research on the net and came across this:

HI Betsy,Yes,I do have brain fog lately & have had it since I found that the scabies wouldn't go away.No I don't have any fibers,but I do have some big lesions that got a terrible infection of hookworms.I went to the best infecuios disease doctor & he took one look & took his tweesers out & pulled these worms from around the 4 biggest lesions.He wrote a script for this ointment{that diffinatly works} & 1 box of stromectol,one bottle of Quell shampoo,one bottle of Quell for the body & one bottle of Eurex.I got to the drug store & my husband had his scripts but mine were gone.I called the Dr back & he wasn't so nice & said "I don't know were the hell you lost it"& I'm not at my office & hung up on me.So that was Friday, this morning I got a call from this other Dr.office downstairs from the other doctor that my husband wanted to go to but wrong insurance & she said she found them & get there by 4:00 today & I forgot.I am having a lot of trouble with my husband lately he had another break down & all we do is fight because he is abuseing his Mental Health medicine & I turned him in to his shrink & for spite he is making my life miserable.Just when the meds were wearing off he went out & bought a bottle of Vocka & got drunk.Now he knows the Board of Health is coming tomorrow & I need him to get rid of the stuff on the floors in the closet because I have to have back surgery soon & can't even unload the dishwasher without pain So you can imagine why I have brain fog.This happens a couple of times a year to him.I can't take it no more.Since he's been skitsafrenic {can't spell it}about 15yrs.I've put up with it but with these bugs & now the bed bugs that I'm deathly afraid of I want to leave him .I have to think for two everyday while he sleeps.2 yrs ago we had a fight & he took all the money we had in the world from his fathers death & lost 10,500 in one night & can't remember what he did or if he hid it.Sorry I'm ramblem on so much but there is no one to talk to now.I'm so afraid he'll get my mothers death money & do it again to me.I want to leave so bad & go back to Hawaii & stay there.But now I don't know what my future holds with these dirty bugs.I try to stay awake all night but about 5:00AM I fall out & we bombed again just the bedroom & they aren't biting for 3 days in that room.Thanks for thinking of me Betsy you seem like a nice person & I wish you the best & hope you find some peace with the Morgellons if thats what it is.JS

poor js.

Posted by c-freak at 08:47 AM | Permalink | 11 comments, last by in.dog.neato
Filed under Bitching | Scabies/No-see-ums