News and Current Affairs
Lift Bridge changes
From MinnPost:
Duluth considering new lift bridge plan that would limit openings for small vessels
Duluth’s Aerial Lift Bridge may be in for a new schedule that will mean small boats may have to wait.
Jitterbug for Jitterbug TONIGHT
Jitterbug for Jitterbug
TONIGHT!
April 9th, 2010
6 – 11 pm
Peace Church – 1111 N 11th Ave E – Duluth
People of all ages, shapes and sizes will have a chance to learn some basic, advanced and even “trick” swing dance steps taught by a team of professional dancers (rumor has it that the area’s premier mix tape master will also make a guest DJ appearance sometime during the night slinging his favorite swing tunes).
Looking for something other than a tea party on tax day?
Coleen Rowley, you may remember, was the veteran FBI agent who blew the whistle on pre-9/11 intelligence failures and tried to warn the Bush Administration against the war in Iraq. She’s retired from the FBI now, but still working for a more transparent and ethical government.
If you miss her at the rally, she’ll be giving a public lecture that same evening at UMD, 7:30pm in Room 120 of the Solon Campus Center.
New Taxi Rule in Duluth
Attention Duluth cab customers: From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. you have to either pre-pay or prove you have the ability to pay before the cab driver will begin the trip.
Details in a Duluth Police Department news release published on John Ramos’ Cheerleader Blog.
Thank You President Obama (UPDATED x 3)
Thank you for the health care bill; I would have preferred a public option but I’m sure we’ll get there. But I really appreciate the fact that this bill protects the little guy from getting screwed by insurance companies – nice to know I can sick now without getting dropped. Hopefully my costs will go down too. I also appreciate that this bill cuts the deficit. I’m glad Oberstar quit playing chicken and voted for it.
I gotta say that it’s pretty hilarious that the right-wing fringe thinks this bill will end the world. If my grandma gets sent to any death panels I’ll let you know. Eek, socialism!
I also want to say thank you for the “Cash for Caulkers” tax rebate for the new windows and insulation I bought. That reduces my oil consumption and saves me money. It’s about time the government did something for the people that also helps the country as a whole. A refreshing approach, after all, despite what the glibertarians say, government is good.
Next up: financial reform, and immigration! If you thought the crazies were going crazy over health care, it’s time to put on some popcorn. And brace yourselves for another wave of right-wing violence and racist rhetoric. Hell of a party they’re running.
Voting Democratic in 2010,
Jim Richardson
UPDATE: A couple of pertinent fun links to share. Here is “An open letter to conservatives” which I take as a studiously hyperlinked treatise on why, even if you have no love for Democrats, the game has become one of keepaway from the crazy. And then here is some more on escalating threats of rightwing violence.
UPDATE x2: Some perspective on deficit hawk hysteria here. Right wing violence/vandalism tracker here. Republican Eric Cantor’s claim of his office getting shot at debunked here.
UPDATE x3: A full to bursting catalog of the recent right wing rhetoric of violence, and here is some additional commentary. Provocative stuff. Y’all ready for the immigration debate?
Obama’s going to need our help, and that includes voting in more, and better, Democrats. If we can keep Republican gains to a minimum in 2010, we are well-positioned to send them entirely packing in 2012.
We got your back sir!
Mayor Ness in New York Times
The mayor’s jump in the lake to support Google Fiber made a splash in the New York Times. How about that?
Mr. Nice in: Death From Above
Featuring the Keep Aways.
This is the maiden voyage of the Gonzo Science youtube channel, the Gonzonomicron.
“Cities Go Gaga for Google Fiber”
Catching up on some of my favorite tech blogs this morning and found this familiar face headlining a post on Gizmodo.
Duluth, Minnesota
But wait! Patrick Garmoe, public information officer of the Google Twin Ports Initiative laughs sheepishly as he explains Googlefest, an event that is one part rally, one part carnival and all parts enthusiasm for the promise of Google Fiber. In the midst of bands, choirs and other entertainment, “We’ll be shooting a movie with real actors and a Hollywood director and live-streaming the event to impress Google,” Garmoe says. The new initiative comes on the heels of Deluth mayor Don Ness’s own stunts. In a spoof video proclamation that in honor of Google, all first born males would be henceforth named GoogleFiber and first born females would of course be Googlette. Also, he literally sunk to a new low in the brutal battle for business. He jumped into the freezing waters of Lake Superior. Hizzoner, perhaps you’ll be deterred from further lunacy by these extremely gnarly Google Image results for “frostbite.”
Sen Al Franken Resurrects “Duluth Answer Man” to Support Twin Ports Google Fiber
MARCH 10, 2010 – Minnesota Sen. Al Franken has joined The Google Twin Ports Fiber Initiative by resurrecting his Duluth Answer Man clips.
Duluth’s campaign combines a fun and creative grassroots campaign with a very serious effort to build a strong business case for bringing Google Fiber to the Twin Ports.
The Duluth Answer Man campaign was produced in the mid 80s by the Duluth Convention and Visitors Bureau, known today as Visit Duluth. The series ran in the Twin Cites market as the summer tourism campaign for Duluth.
Please don’t cheese
From DNT article…
“We found a Hollywood director with ties to our area to shoot a short movie, about 10 minutes long, that we are gearing for Google,” Garmoe said. “We want to make sure that Google sees us, and this is one of our many efforts make us stand out from other cities.”
In my head, a collage of clips from movies and songs that mention Duluth would be pretty cool. Make it artsy, I says. Other ideas that aren’t terribly cheesy? (i.e. DBU commercials; no offense)
Shorter Days for All of Us?
Maybe this isn’t really a local enough topic for PDD, but given the earlier post on whether we’re vulnerable here to earthquakes, a Yahoo news story today seems interesting and relevant. The Chile quake apparently may have shifted earth’s axis, and made earth days slightly shorter. And this has happened before with big quakes, too.
Reminds me, too, of a Harper’s article from 2000 about dam building. There’s a quotation in that article that says: 
“The planet accommodates 40,000 large dams–dams more than four stories high–and some 800,000 small ones. They have shifted so much weight that geophysicists believe they have slightly altered the speed of the earth’s rotation, the tilt of its axis, and the shape of its gravitational field. Together they blot out a terrain bigger than California.”
So, any thoughts–think we’re headed towards shorter Perfect Duluth Days due to earthquakes and dam building?
Journalistic Integrety at Stake, part 2
Personally, I didn’t care much about the accuracy of Jeff Tweedy quotes in various media, but I believe I’ve found a media issue of the utmost importance to our society.
In the Duluth News Tribune’s report about Superior High School wrestler Nikola Bogojevic winning the state championship in his weight class, this paragraph jumped out at me:
Moments later he grabbed Superior coach Bill Gedde and put him in an airplane spin — made famous by professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper — to celebrate the title.
Since when did Roddy Piper make the airplane spin famous? I remember Mike Rotunda using it as his signature maneuver in the 1980s, but I don’t remember ever seeing Piper do it. I mean, I suppose it happened, but I just don’t associate that move with Piper.
Am I right here?
By the way, congratulations to Bogojevic for his victory, his awesome season, and most of all putting his coach in an airplane spin. That’s epic.
What is the risk of earthquakes in Duluth?
Does anyone know about the seismic issues in this area? What kind of risk are we at for an earthquake? If one occurred in Lake Superior, could a tsunami be generated? If so, how big? Any other relevant facts or thoughts related to this?
Major earthquakes and shifts in weather patterns seem to be the norm these days. Does this align with anyone’s scientific knowledge or religious beliefs associated with the “End Times”? And, if you think it is the end times, is Duluth a good place to be? I sure think it is.
Brewing beer in Duluth and Superior
Topic #1: According to a story from the Associated Press, a Minnesota House panel will consider a bill today that would make it legal to brew beer in basements. The story specifically references home brewers. Personally, I have brewed beer in at least two different Minnesota basements, and I had no idea it was illegal to do so.
Reading what I think is the overview of the bill, however, it seems to have nothing to do with home brewing. It’s about producing “beer or other beverages for commercial sale.” Am I missing something?
Topic #2: The local micro brewing industry sure seems to be taking off. In addition to Lake Superior Brewing Co., Fitger’s Brewhouse and Thirsty Pagan Brewing, Carmody Irish Pub began brewing beer recently and a brewpub is in the works at Clyde Park. Further into the future, another brewpub could be popping up in Canal Park at the old Duluth Spring Co. location. I wonder how the total gallons produced in the area will compare to 50 years ago.
For those of you who just don’t understand the Tea Party movement
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV6bNpNU4ls&feature=player_embedded
Cheryl Skafte IS Don Ness!
Cheryl Skafte as Don Ness.
John Munson as Rockin’ Johnny Rocker, Morning Drive Homicide Detective.
Christa Lawler as Christa Lawler. And music from Sara Thomsen.
That’s a lot of entertainment for just five dollars.
The Rubber Chicken Radio Hour, broadcast live on KUWS 91.3FM this Thursday at 8pm. (But all the fun is had in the live studio audience at The Shack in Superior…) Call (218) 213-2780 for tix.
Duluth’s Tentative Good News
So, which are you most excited about?
* Duluth being in the running for ultra-high speed Internet access.
* Duluth being in the running for a plant making wind turbine tower tops.
* Plans to finally connect the Munger Trail and the Lakewalk.
* The recent interest by developers in creating student housing at the old Armory on London Road.
What are the odds-makers saying? Can Duluth nail down all four of these? Even one would be awesome. I’ll bet we get at least two.
MPR interview with Mayor Ness – Duluth tries to land high-speed Internet via Google
The mayor of Duluth is ready to throw his city’s hat in the ring for a new Google experiment to test ultra-high speed Internet access.
MPR’s Steven John talks to Don Ness about his city’s plan.
The axe falls again at the DNT
What happened?
The News Tribune laid off two employees today, including education reporter Sarah Horner.
Why?
It’s a long story. And I’ll preface it by saying that while this comes from someone on the union side of the fence, what follows are facts that I don’t believe the company would protest.
Duluth antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections
Antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections.
The Onion just republished this 2002 story, which many of you may have missed eight years ago.
Gigabyte broadband from Google – in Duluth?
Here’s a press release we’ll be sending out about our intent to explore Google’s offer to bring gigabyte speed broadband to an entire community. There are many unanswered questions and any application may be a long shot, but it would be a game-changer for Duluth. I think it’s worth putting our best foot forward and see what happens… If you want to help out, check the bottom of the post. See you around… Don
Mayor Don Ness has indicated the City of Duluth‘s intent to pursue a partnership with Google to bring fiber-to-home connections to city residents. Google plans to select a community to test ultra-high speed connections at more than a gigabit per second later this year through a competitive process.
The following is a statement from Mayor Ness on the city’s intent:
We want Duluth, Minnesota to be at the forefront of a new gigaband revolution in America. For America to be competitive into the future, we need to be aggressive at investing in our data infrastructure. To unfairly paraphrase Tip O’Neill “All bandwidth use is local” – Google’s community initiative will be a powerful tool to demonstrate the positive impact of local broadband improvements.