This may be a long shot, but I am hoping PDDers can help. Last night I had two wicker chairs stolen off my front porch by Eighth Ave. E. and Seventh St. Normally, I wouldn’t mind, but these chairs were my great grandmother’s, so they have some sentimental value to me.

They are a darker green with green- and white-striped cushions (although one of the cushions I found in the neighbor’s yard, so one is missing). One is a rocking chair and the other looks the same, but it’s just a regular chair.

I can’t imagine people carrying them around too far, as they are kind of heavy, unless they took them away in a car. I have scoped out the neighborhood, but have not found any sign of them. I’m hoping they weren’t ditched on the side of a street and someone else picked them up thinking they were free for the taking.

If you could keep your eyes out for them, I would greatly appreciate it. If you are the dirty rotten scoundrels that took them, please put them back where you found them. I just don’t understand why people do this type of thing — it really irks me. Thanks for your help!

I don’t get it. Is the billboard telling me I need fun in Hulk/Caveman language? Does Roper’s need fun people to facilitate a positive atmosphere and therefore generate more customers? Does the billboard proclaim that people in general need to have fun in their lives? Is there really someone (like Mr. Norman Fell in Three’s Company) named Roper? Or does the place belong to all people who rope things, in which case the apostrophe is misplaced? This is what I’m asking you.

It always sucks to have something stolen from you. Recently (within the past 3-4 days) I was sitting down on the north side of the pier right by the bridge with some friends, when I walked away to go back to my car, realizing: Oh wow, I forgot my backpack! So, not even 5 minutes had passed, and when I went back to get it, it was gone. I thought, “Oh, someone just picked it up and will read my contact info on the inside and call me later.” That never happened. It was a black Duluth Pack that was given to me from my girlfriend, and then inside was my favorite pea green sweater ever, my iPod Classic, and then my headphones. In the front pocket was a whole lot of fun stuff too. So, I’m just saying, if anyone has it, please return it. I’d be so thankful and probably give you a few bucks for being an awesome person and returning it. If I find you wearing it, I’m going to have to punch you.

Have you ever been double billed by SMDC?

I received a bill from both St. Mary’s and the Duluth Clinic that didn’t go away after paying the clinic. My friend recently also ran into the same problem. Database glitch?

I should add the bill was exactly the same amount.

Now that it quit raining and we have sun and heat, please help spread the word about dogs in cars. Twice already I’ve seen dogs locked in cars; one with windows barely cracked and another closed tightly. Next time, I’m calling the cops.

And while I’m on the animal rant, what is it with dogs in the backs of pick ups but not in a kennel? It outta be illegal!

I was having a conversation with a young friend of mine today and I said Duluth is not a progressive city. But you have to look at what you have said. So I retract that and will clarify.

At the forefront of Duluth doing what I would call progressive thinking is the organic farm movement. There are good urban gardeners and also friends of ours that moved out into the country who are now raising and selling their produce. And we have an up-and-coming arts and music scene. Beyond that it slips away.

The question would be: What is a progressive city? Obviously something is lacking for me. I’d like to see a kick the jams hit on making Duluth sustainable. And what does that mean? The first thing to do when there is a big task is do the first thing right. And because I think this town lags in any sort of alternative energy program. This is a purely symbolic gesture with some overtures of functionality.

Let’s put a fund together, I pledge 50 dollars and we research and get the best solar with windturbine street light and put it on Lake and Superior. You make that intersection run under it’s own power and I’ll take off my hat to ya.

What would that do? If you could make it work it would prove you could do it. It would give a visible indication of what you could do. What is hardcore sustainability? Air, water, food. What is citywide sustainability? Much bigger deal, but it would make a progressive community.