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Wild berry season in Duluth
I saw this one on Monday — a rubus of some sort (raspberry? cloudberry?). A few weeks from now should be a tasty time for a hike.
Secret Service – Fail
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/124411/
Sunday’s Bayfront concert cancelled due to low ticket sales. Did they ever promote it? I e-mailed Secret Service on Monday asking some questions about it, since it was not listed in the Transistor and got no response. Another Secret Service flop just like Lucinda Williams last November.
Moving by Bicycle
In June of 2009 I made up my mind to move from one apartment to the other. I also made up my mind to make this move using only bicycles and bicycle trailers. After making up my mind to do this I did some research and found some great testimony to this from other individuals and groups having done this on the Internet.
Two days ago, after I’d decided to move I found out about a contest that Madsen Cycles was putting on. If you’re interested in helping me win, click this link to their site and check out their cool bicycles (it’ll open in a new tab/window). If not, read on and enjoy.
Anyone Recognize this Dog?
This cute little Pug was wandering around the neighborhood this morning. Trying to find it’s owner. Found in the area of 12th Ave East and 7th St.
PDD Birthday Party | Monday, June 29
Perfect Duluth Day is turning 6 years old next Monday. Topic for discussion in the comments: Is there any less significant anniversary than the sixth?
Significant or not, we’ve decided to meet for cocktails and whatnot. So join us at Chester Creek Cafe’s Wine Bar next Monday, June 29, from 9 to 10 p.m.
Historical Link Action
First two PDD posts
PDD shows “The Big Lebowski” at Sailboat Park to mark its first b-day
“Happy Birthday” is sung on PDD’s second b-day
PDD turns 3; August turns 7
… and then we took a two-year break from tooting our own horn
… and now TOOT! TOOT!
Solution for Iron Range economy
I’m no expert, but I came across this and I would guess that $20/gallon taconite pellets would turn the Iron Range economy around in a hurry? I haven’t done the math but I’m pretty sure this deal looks like a winner!
Rebooting without Consent
Umm, yeah…
Windows Vista decided to reboot my system without my consent mid-game (Yes I’m a late night gamer geek). So let’s look at this for a second. What if I were running a 2 hour crunching program, or working on an important spreadsheet? No terrible offense, MS, but your promises are half-assed.
BTW, do you have those TPS reports done?
Found . . .
If you’re missing the roof (and attic, I suppose) of your big white wooden bird house, it washed up on the shore of Connor’s Point. According to Google, the coordinates are 46.744684,-92.093196, but don’t hold me to that.
Cover Story: Gay Getaways & Duluth
Somewhat difficult to find the story online, but click the picture and that will get you started, anyway.
Dungeons & Dragons Mentor Needed
My 10-year-old, known by old PDDers as “Little Pirate”, wants to start playing “Dungeons & Dragons”. Can anyone help explain what “Dungeons & Dragons” is to him? He wants to play the game because he’s a HUGE Futurama fan.
And are there any D&D kids groups in Duluth?
Last seen alive at 4 p.m.
The dog in the shadow somehow made it’s way onto I-35 in West Duluth today. I saw it when traffic stopped on the Grand Avenue onramp, where drivers waited patiently for it to merrily prance by.
I think some people wanted to get out and try to rescue the dog, but it seemed like a dangerous thing to attempt. The dog got to the bottom of the onramp safely and continued on its way. It could be anywhere by now. I’m sure whereever it is and whatever danger it’s in, it still has its tongue hanging out and its tail obliviously wagging as if so much fun has never been had.
(In case the owner is reading: If you’re still looking for Rover/Scrappy/ Whatever, I recommend the Irving area. Sorry I couldn’t get a better description or photo, my camera is slow and I had to watch traffic.)
DNT Watch: Headline changes, but little else
Yesterday the Duluth News Tribune online version printed an article on Edison Schools which is listed in the search above. I am not sure if it was in the paper version or not, because I rarely read that except for the headlines when I see the paper, or on weekends. And yes, I do subscribe, weekends only, but I want to support the paper especially for the many fine people I know and care about who work there.
So in the search that I screen-shotted (if that’s a proper term) above I noticed two articles on the same report on Edison schools. The thing is … it’s the same article. So they changed the headline, good. But there is no retraction, no correction, and the article’s substance is essentially the same: no more analysis, interviews, or balance brought to the piece. I am not a journalist by any means, but for me, this doesn’t really pass the smell test. I mean there are, I suppose, a thousand or more families in this community involved in Edison schools and maybe a couple thousand more at other area and regional charter schools. That should be enough people who are affected to get the story out properly in a balanced and factual manner, shouldn’t it? And if not then I say don’t cover it at all because something this critical of an organization requires level headed reporting in order to be responsible.
A final note … anyone who clicks on the new “version” won’t see all of the critical comments from me and nearly a dozen other readers on the first piece. Naturally, they weren’t included in the update. Thin skinned much DNT?
Questionable signs
I suppose this eatery’s name in Fayetteville, Tenn., which I recently passed through, belongs in the hall of name fame, along with Kum ‘n’ Go, Pump and Munch, Kwikee Mart, and the rest. I’m not even sure posting this public signage clears the PDD standards.
The heart of commerce is… Superior, WI?
And to think, some of us thought it was the armpit…
“The American Geographical Society Library has acquired an extremely rare and unusual map, The Man of Commerce, published in 1889 in Superior, Wisconsin. The highly detailed 31″ x 50″ map/chart conflates human anatomy with the American transportation system, in an apparent attempt to promote Superior as a transportation hub.”
Malt Shoppe gets big Shout Out
Portland Malt Shoppe – Duluth, Minn.
“I appreciate places that know they’re the best but are still nice. You find that kind of friendly cockiness at this art deco shack set on Lake Superior. I’ve never had a better malt in my life (716 E. Superior St., portlandmaltshoppe.com , open summers, malts from $6).” – Danny Meyer
For the Non-Twitter folks.
I present to you creepy beauty heads in bed of pickup.
Current Farmtown Grain Exchange Prices
* Data Updated to Include Cost of Plowing/Preparing Fields
| Product | Days | Cost | Net | Gross | Profit/Day | |
| grapes | 4 hours | 40 | 56 | 16 | $95.98 | |
| onion | 3 | 190 | 338 | 148 | $49.33 | |
| sunflower | 3 | 135 | 277 | 142 | $47.33 | |
| peas | 2 | 110 | 202 | 92 | $46.00 | |
| rice | 2 | 100 | 190 | 90 | $45.00 | |
| corn | 3 | 150 | 285 | 135 | $45.00 | |
| coffee | 3 | 170 | 298 | 128 | $42.67 | |
| wheat | 2 | 100 | 180 | 80 | $40.00 | |
| wheat | 2 | 100 | 180 | 80 | $40.00 | |
| potato | 1 | 60 | 99 | 39 | $39.00 | |
| watermelo | 1 | 55 | 92 | 37 | $37.00 | |
| strawberry | 1 | 50 | 85 | 35 | $35.00 | |
| tomato | 2 | 70 | 140 | 70 | $35.00 | |
| cabbage | 1 | 85 | 107 | 22 | $22.00 | |
New PDD Feature: Rating Posts
As some of you have already figured out, we added a tool on PDD in which readers can rate how useful or enjoyable they find particular posts.
[UPDATE: Ratings were taken down 15 days after this post went up, so don’t look for them and feel stupid.]
See that row of stars at the bottom of this (and every other) post? That’s where the rating happens. All you have to do is click on the appropriate star to gauge your appreciation. The meaning behind the stars is basically this:
1 star – Lame
2 stars – Somewhat appreciated, but still kind of lame
3 stars – Above average
4 stars – Mint
5 stars – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
A NOTE ABOUT RATING THIS PARTICULAR POST: Rather than rating the quality of this post, please rate the whole idea of having ratings at all, as that will be useful to know. And feel free to comment about it as well.
Share the Love Super1
Why is it that only the West Duluth Super1 bakery has the recipe for Peanut Butter Kisses? I recently moved to the East side and neither the Kenwood or Superior St. Super1’s have these delicious calorie grenades. I had to make the drive last night to satisfy the cravings of my significant other…
Homegrown Lost and Found
LOST
I dropped my camera at the Main Club last night and didn’t realize the memory card popped out until today. Anybody find it?
FOUND
Someone lost a Nikon lens cover at the Main Club last night. It’s available at the bar.
Party Bus FAIL
To the organizers of Homegrown,
On the surface of it, having a “Highway 61 night” theme to Wednesday’s homegrown festivities seemed like a good idea. But it would have been a much better idea had there been adequate transportation up that namesake road to the Lakeview Castle, the main venue of the later evening, as was advertised. Frustratingly, there was not.
The night started well enough at the Twins Bar, with a stellar (as always) performance by the Rez. The “first” bus left on its journey to the Castle at 9 PM as scheduled. I wasn’t on it, but I imagine it was fairly sparsely ridden, as the bar was still pretty empty and the first act was still playing at that point.
Though none of the Homegrown volunteers working the Twins seemed to know anything specific about the bus times, the Homegrown Guide gave the impression that the bus would go up, turn around and come back, making multiple trips throughout the evening. But it turns out we were falsely led.
I talked to several people, who all were under the impression that the next bus would come be at 10. Between 9 and 10, the Twins went from sparse to quite full. Several people arrived specifically to catch the 10 PM bus up the shore, maybe to have a drink first. At least a couple dozen people were waiting for the bus around 10, but it didn’t show up and didn’t show up. Finally, we received word from a volunteer that the bus was parked at the Castle and wouldn’t be leaving there until 11 for another run.
What should have been a completely fun night became tainted with frustration. Had the bus done its job as advertised, we all could have gotten up there in time to see Old Knifey (a travesty to be missed) and stayed long enough to make the 25-minute trip worthwhile. But as it stood, you had a couple dozen people out waiting in the rain instead of at least being informed of the situation in a timely manner so they could go back inside, relax and enjoy the music at Twins. It also became a potentially dangerous situation when people who had already had a few drinks got fed up with waiting and decided to drive themselves up the shore instead of taking the bus. And once those unlucky enough to stick it out for the bus got on and got up the shore, they only had an hour or so of musical talent to enjoy at the Castle.
9 PM is a fine time to start running a bus if it’s your FIRST bus. But it’s too early to be the ONLY reasonable bus. Advertising a back-and-forth shuttle and then not having one just isn’t cool. Better to have no bus than half a bus and leave people stuck.
Growler Review
It’s no secret that Fitger’s Brewhouse beers are outstanding, but what happens when you mix a bunch of them together?
Having recently had 11 different Brewhouse beers available at an event, I was faced at the end of the night with many growlers that had less than an inch of beer left. So a consolidation into one growler seemed like the best idea.
The answer to the question at hand is this: If Wildfire Lager is one of the beers involved in the mix, the mix will taste like Wildfire Lager.