PDD Poll: Making friends

[poll id=”14″]

This is another perennial topic on PDD, previously discussed in the post, Fierce loyalty, initial aloofness, among others.

Vikings vs. Steelers — Nov. 26, 1972

Complete with commercials, in case you have more than two-and-a-half hours to kill.

Post-flood camping options?

I’ll be up in the area via Minneapolis at the end of the month to play a show at Thirsty Pagan Brewing. I was hoping to camp near Duluth and get some hiking in. Since I haven’t ventured up since before the floods, does any one have suggestions toward what’s still tent-campable? I’m only asking because my first option (Jay Cooke) is obviously out of the picture.

Anything you got will help. Thanks!

Upcoming book publication for local poet

Hello, Kyle Elden here. A book of my poetry is going to be published and released this October. I am collaborating with local painter Kate Whittaker to create a coffee-table-style book with my poems and her paintings throughout.
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UMD Ticketing

I’m newish to town and still trying to figure out regulations. Can I get some advice here?

I live on Grandview Ave, down by Eighth Street. You don’t need a college permit to park there. I forgot to switch sides yesterday. My fault. I screwed up. Normally I remember. I saw the ticket on my car and was prepared to pay my fine to the city of Duluth. (more…)

This week: beer, music and geekery

  

Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.

Charles Ross brings his one man presentation of the Star Wars trilogy (you know, the original one… the good one… the only one that matters) to the Teatro Zuccone this week starting on Tuesday. The $20 ticket price also lets you into entire week’s activities celebrating all things nerdy, including an 8-bit Nintendo Tournament, a special Star-Wars-related Nerd Nite, Dink Tank at the Movies and geek-themed improv from Renegade. Call it “Geek Week.”

Lyle Lovett plays the DECC on Friday.

Moondance Jam runs this coming Friday through Sunday in Walker, Minnesota with performances by Kid Rock, John Fogerty, Heart, Grand Funk Railroad and many others.

There’s a celebration of beer and local brewers on Saturday at the Bayfront at the All Points North Summer Brew Fest with performances by the Black-eyed Snakes, the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank and others.

So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!`

(PS – This calendar editor is out of contact for the next week, so if you submit an event now, be patient.)

Craigslist … is it stupider here?

Craigslist is probably a bad place to gauge the local intelligence of any given place, but after about two minutes of Duluth CL, the profound examples of improper grammar and spelling become overwhelming, like a Shitnami blowing out the manhole covers, so I wondered if Craigslist is any indicator of local smarts, or is just stupid, plain everywhere? Indeed, good grammar is only one form of intelligence, and may not even save you in a knife fight. Certainly the best example was not “looking for painter’s,” but this 1987 Harley was fun. Is there already a thread for creative Craigslist ads? And if not, why not?

Only 10 days left!!!!!

Just a moment... kickstarter.com

Duluth’s premier live hip-hop group has created a Kickstarter project to fund the recording of their next album and they need your help! Please consider donating whatever you can. They will make it worth your while! (more…)

Vision Pro-Envision

For the love of music

I understand the novelty of closing a street and having live music. I applaud the city and the organizers for putting such shindigs together. However, I think that the person who decided that it is a good idea to close Superior Street downtown and in front of Fitger’s, at the same time, on a weekday, during rush hour, is a complete idiot and should be fired.

This isn’t the first time they have done that, but apparently “the decider” comes nowhere near the area during the closures, or he/she would see the traffic chaos and downright anger created by doing so.

Am I completely wrong on this, or do most people think it is acceptable to gridlock a major traffic flow for the sake of novelty? I know I could “lighten up,” and I would if I knew it was an oversight or mistake by the organizer, but really? Did ya’ not think of that?

Another Geek Prom rip-off?

[This post originally linked to phoenixcomicon.com, which is no longer a functioning URL.]

Restaurant with Wifi for fantasy draft

Just seeing if there is an updated list or other suggestions on a restaurant that has a) Wi-fi b) food c) beer d) a spot where 10-12 people can sit around a table near an outlet and be able to hear one another. Thanks.

Interview with Nick Monson, co-founder of Prøve Gallery

Tonight is the ninth show opening at the Prøve Gallery in Downtown Duluth. Nick Monson, a co-owner of the gallery, talked about the show titled “Slow Motion,” which promises to be interesting as usual. The full story is at Ennyman’s Territory.

Vision Pro-Envision

Great Lakes Warriors

[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source. The premiere episode of Great Lakes Warriors can be viewed on Vimeo.]

The new deckhand always gets the worst jobs. At Heritage Marine in Duluth, Captain Mike Ojard gives newbie Brandon one of the more unpleasant assignments — clean up the over-full debris pan from the Incinolet, an electric marine toilet.

This clip is from the History Channel show Great Lakes Warriors, which premieres July 19 at 9 p.m.

The adventures of two of Heritage’s boats — The Nels J. and the Helen — are featured prominently in the show.

Kudos to First Photo

Just saw this on the First Photo Facebook page. Good job First Photo!



Best Camera Stores In Minnesota

Vision Pro-Envision

Lost Maltese Dog in Lakeside

Her name is Cally. She has short white hair. Wearing a purple collar with a rabies tag from Douherty Vet, and a tan flea/tick collar. Please call 218-213-3149 or 218-348-1185 with any information. There is a reward.

Duluth SoundCloud Sampler 2

Spilled Milk — “The Real Jersey Shore (Summertime)” (New Teague Alexy project.)

Jaze with Big Jess and Bliss – “Lazy Afternoon”

While I recharge my speaker batteries, maybe you have some suggested listening you can mention/embed in the comments.

Vision Pro-Envision

7 West Tap House

old-ragstock-duluth

Apparently the old Ragstock location at 7 W. Superior St. is going to be transformed into a bar. Consider this a “before” shot.

Own worst enemy

The Duluth City Council recently approved spending $75,000 on a PR campaign to show people that the city is open for business post flood. I think it’s a dubious expense, though there are still people asking us how we are holding up and how we are getting around the city. But in reading a rather disjointed and breathless story in the Star Tribune today, I get the feeling that getting FEMA money will keep our city leaders from talking about rebuilding for a while:

From the Strib:

Said Duluth Fire Chief John Strongitharm, “When they see the scope of the storm, it would be difficult to think they would not be providing individual assistance. It’s had a major impact not only on the public infrastructure, but on people’s lives and homes.”

In Duluth, 10 inches of rain created the worst flash flooding in more than a century and hundreds of people were forced from homes by rising water. Roads buckled and washed out, sewers overflowed. Damage to public infrastructure has been estimated at $55 million.

“Any place there was a creek or culvert was destroyed,” Strongitharm said.

Vision Pro-Envision

The 1940s: From our floors to you

Remodeling our hillside home has been a largely subtractive process involving a complex stratigraphy of floor, wall, and ceiling coverings. Thus far, we’ve taken out carpet, panelling, linoleum, lath and plaster (fun, that), dimensional 8′ 2×4 studs that are so dried out they can’t weigh more than 5 pounds, and quite  a lot of charred stuff from at least one historical fire. We’ve also uncovered a fair number of newspapers from the late war/early prewar period. While I’m sure all of this is available in some or other archive, finding it on our floor has a magical quality I wanted to share. Enjoy, and suggestions on the non-English language are appreciated (Finnish?).


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DNT online content roadblock

I pay full price for a print edition subscription of the Duluth News Tribune for my Mother, who is in a nursing home. I however, read what content I can online. Recently, I have been blocked from doing so by a message asking me to register for free access. I jumped through the hoops to do so and was instructed that an e-mail message would follow that would allow me to finish the process. Well, I never got an e-mail and I continue to be blocked from reading online content. Has anyone else run into this dilemma and does anyone have any suggestions on how to get around it? User friendly? Not so much.

Vision Pro-Envision

Wish List for New Downtown Bike Station?

The Duluth Transit Authority is on a fast track for construction of its new Multimodal Transportation Center in downtown Duluth.

When it opens, the center will be a hub for multiple modes of transportation, including the main transit station for DTA buses and other inter-city bus lines, public and private parking, a reconstructed walkway between the downtown to the DECC and the first of its kind in Duluth, a bike station.

What this bike station looks like is where your help is needed.
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Mayor Ness using Twitter for flood info?

Does anybody know if Duluth Mayor Don Ness is on Twitter? I seem to recall a mention about it, but I can’t seem to find him on Twitter.

Vision Pro-Envision

Record Buying in Superior Circa 1991

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QCLOaTiGKM&feature=player_embedded#!

Wow CDs. So ancient.

YouTube synopsis: Midnight release of Guns N’ Roses “Use Your Illusion” albums on September 17, 1991. This video was shot at DJ’s Record Shop which used to be located in the Belknap Plaza in Superior, Wisconsin. The interview is with the owner of the record store.

Looking for some sports geeks to join a fantasy football league

Some friends and I are trying to put together a new fantasy football league for the 2012 season. Most of us don’t spend a lot of time with other sports fans and we’re having trouble getting enough people together. I thought this might be a good place to look for participants. Also, we’d like most of the teams/participants to be from the Twin Ports area. We’ve yet to establish fees or specific scoring rules for this league and you’d be involved in that. We’re mostly creative types, music geeks and/or musicians who enjoy professional sports and hope to find similar people but would like to hear from anyone who’s interested. We really only ask that you’re excited about fantasy football and you’re not an asshole (sexist, racist, homophobe, etc.).

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, contact us at footballtwinports @ hotmail.com. Please don’t express interest solely in the comments section. I’m sure the comments will mostly be about how football is dumb, we’re lame and soccer is cooler, so I probably won’t bother reading the comments.

Thanks!

Vision Pro-Envision

My Crackberry cracked up!

So, Research in Motion is in all likelihood on its way out in the near future. This bodes ill for me as I’m the proud(?) owner of a 9330.

In reality, I love my BlackBerry. It’s tough and reliable … although it’s difficult to get workable apps these days.

That said, my phone did take a damaging fall (down, but not out) which killed the LCD. I’ve got a white screen after boot up which didn’t change after several attempts and “tricks” in an attempt to correct the situation. (Battery removal, MicroSD card removal, etc.) I know it’s not the op system, as the phone still works.
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