Mike Creger
That day to celebrate presidents
I’ve seen President’s Day, Presidents’ Day, and Presidents Day. (watch the ads on TV or in print) Which is it? I’m with the plural possessive, since we celebrate Lincoln and Washington specifically. Or do we celebrate all presidents? Then it should be like Veterans Day. Chime in.
Great weekend killer
I’ve been doing this in St. Cloud for a looong time and finally it will be simulcasted in Duluth. If you have a group of friends with an array of arcane interests and an arsenal of reference books and computers, you have to sign up and play from here. Oh, and you have to stay awake for 51 hours. Or just get a taste simply by listening in Feb. 11-13.
Google is already in Duluth
Installing a typical home TiSP system is a quick, easy and largely sanitary process — provided you follow these step-by-step instructions very, very carefully.
It’s kind of a Drag
Who will be our shining light at WDIO?
Station press release:
Eyewitness News at Five anchor
Sandy Drag is making a change
Duluth, MN — Eyewitness News Anchor Sandy Drag has decided the time is right to step away from the anchor desk and the newsroom. The announcement was made today by News Director Steve Goodspeed.
(more…)
New Year’s Eve Road Report
Anyone been out there today? What’s the story on the road conditions? We may venture out for a bit tonight if we can make the ice-filled walk to the car and then navigate the inch of ice on the driveway.
Challenged Ballots in Minnesota
Here’s an afternoon killer: Take a look at the challenged ballots in the Minnesota governor’s race recount.
(The three above are from Aitkin County.)
Northern Lights Books & Gifts closing?
In my email today:
Dear Loyal Customers,
Sometime in the near future the Duluth News Tribune will be running a story about Northern Lights Books & Gifts being for sale. It is true. Since August I have been contacting our top customers and local book colleagues to let them know I was looking for a buyer. Our lease will be up the end of February and I do not plan to renew.
I have decided to scale back my professional responsibilities so I can be available to travel in order to care for elderly parents in northern Illinois. Over the past year I have been gone nine weeks. I am very grateful to my staff for their professionalism and for their loyal efforts on behalf of the bookstore.
There have also been significant changes in traditional bookselling. I believe we are at a “Guttenberg” moment in publishing with the impact of electronic media. A new fresh approach is required for continued success in bookselling at the brick and mortar level. My heart and head are distracted with other priorities and I do not have the energy to figure out what comes next for profitible bookselling.
It has truly been an honor and a dream come true to serve the community of book lovers who have shopped with us for the past seventeen years. In the meantime we are operating full steam ahead through the holiday season.
Gratefully,
Anita Zager
Northern Lights Books & Gifts
Rod Grams’ revenge
Chip Cravaack news release:
NORTH BRANCH – The week after edging out Minnesota’s longest-serving Congressperson in state history, Congressman-elect Chip Cravaack has named Senator Rod Grams as his interim chief of staff.
“Senator Grams brings a wealth of knowledge expertise on Washington D.C. and the 8th District to our team,” Cravaack said. “His previous experience serving the state of Minnesota will be invaluable as we prepare to hit the ground running on behalf of all the residents of our district.”
Senator Rod Grams was elected to Congress in 1992 and then to the Senate in 1994.
Cravaack also announced that campaign consultant Tony Post will oversee the transition. Campaign communications director Kyler Nerison will continue in that position during the transition.
Watching the Twins
Actually, I was kind of serious. We got no cable, and the American League games, all of them, are on TBS. Totally bites. Even the ALCS isn’t available for us Luddites. And, no, there are no options for friends with cable. So, if I am forced to go public with my Twins devotion, my bandwagon hopping on, where do PDDers suggest I go without feeling like I have to buy a beer every inning — though that may be fun on a Friday. Looking for low-key, non-sports bar setting. Possible?
Skunk
Dog: Direct hit in the face with skunk in back yard.
Human: Let her in not knowing this had happened.
Dog: Foaming at mouth like Old Yeller, getting slobber all over the floor.
Human: Out you go.
We got the dog cleaning part down. Just wondering how we might ever get this smell out of the house. Please advise. And don’t tell me the spray eventually breaks down, yada, yada. This is horrid.
Yet another reason to drink beer
From a June 1915 Fitger’s newspaper ad.
TV news trickster
Hugh Mongous
This circulated in my Facebook stream, asking if it was the Duluth or Minneapolis ABC station. No, it’s Rochester. A flatter, warmer, duller (save for this!) Duluth.
Dream Job, 1910
I don’t know what he did, but it sounds like a nice gig.
More reason for beer
How do we get ahold of this agent?
Ad from a local newspaper, June 1910.
Honking Tree alert
I noticed it’s been a year since the Honking Tree incident when perusing the Two Harbors paper. They are looking for words-art-whatever to publish next week on the anniversary. They also welcomed stories, made up, I suppose, chronicling what you think might have happened. Email the News-Chronicle at chronicle@lcnewschronicle.com
Tea Party
Add to earlier Bedrock Bar post, from Oct. 4, 1922 Duluth Tribune.
Trivia weekend
Do any PDD regulars do KVSC Trivia weekend in St. Cloud? It begins Friday. Care to be a source? Don’t know what the hell I’m talking about? See kvsc.org. You can listen online and then bug the station into getting a Twin Ports simulcast in 2011. Then we form the PDD trivia team and take home the honors: A beat up trophy and your team name in the paper.
Alas, Mr. Salinger is dead
The car moved west, directly, as it were, into the open furnace of the late-afternoon sky. It continued west for two blocks, till it reached Madison Avenue, and then it right-angled sharply north. I felt as though we were all being saved from being caught up by the sun’s terrible flue only by the anonymous driver’s enormous alertness and skill.
Duluthmas
Does anyone have a key to the armory? I figure all of us non-native Christmas refugees could set up camp there and have our own non-family celebration. I’ll bring the Charlie Brown tree. Who knows the Linus speech? I recall driving 60 miles to Mankato during the Halloween blizzard to make it to an old college roommate’s house, knowing we wanted to be in the old neighborhood for four days of snow fun. It took 3 hours. I was younger, stupider, and perhaps not now as motivated to take on the weather with my car. Home is an hour south of the TCs. A string of 43 straight appearances will be broken. Lamentations?
Old cell phones
I’m looking to score an old-school cell phone. Brick phone. Bag phone. Talking 1980s styles here. Have a friend who is fascinated with then compared to now and it would make a great talking piece/paper weight Xmas gift. Any ideas on how/where to get one?
Pumpkin tales
Wondering if anyone else has some good before and after pumpkin pics.
