PDD Gift Guide 2011
Here it is, the annual gallery of local goods, submitted for your holiday shopping approval. If you’re going to get all material this Christmas, it might as well be local material, right?
In most cases you can acquire these items in retail stores or shop online. Click on the images for more information and links.
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Asian & Pacific American Student Culture Show at UMD
Saturday was the Asian & Pacific American Culture Show at UMD.
“How We Came to Be Here” was hosted by UMD’s Asian Pacific American Student Association. Kate and I enjoyed a night of Asian arts, cultural performance, and delicious Asian cuisine catered by Sala Thai. (more…)
UMD Alumni Fine Arts Panel
Are you:
- An alum of the School of Fine Arts at UMD?
- Still living in the Twin Ports area?
- Currently making a portion of your income through creation of your art (music, visual arts, theater)?
A student group through UMD’s School of Fine Arts is looking to organize an alumni panel event and discussion in the Spring of 2012 for students of the SFA. Our mission is to provide our students the opportunity to a.) hear from those in the area who have succeeded in creating their art for a living and b.) ask questions about the ins and outs of doing so.
If you are an alum of UMD’s School of Fine Arts and are interested in helping to provide an important educational experience for our students, please email ellis477 @ d.umn.edu with the subject: SFA Alumni Panel.
Look forward to hearing from you talented people!
Developer has new student housing/retail plan for Woodland Middle School site
The DNT ran a story today detailing a new mixed-use residential/commercial plan for the site of the former Woodland Middle School. The developer bought the site from the school district in September. You may be familiar with the developer’s other projects like Boulder Ridge and Campus Park. (more…)
Minnesota Property Tax
If you are trying to make sense of the “Proposed Property Tax for 2012” statement you got in the mail last week, check out the following link on the Minnesota Dept. of Revenue website. I found it helpful in explaining the changes related to the axed Homestead Tax Credit: “Understanding Recent Changes in Homestead Benefits
For Property Tax Purposes.”
Duluth head shot photographer
Does anyone have any recommendations of where to get a simple professional head shot taken? I am just looking for a photographer perhaps in downtown Duluth that would do a good job for a fair price.
What happened to DJ Mouse?
The past few Sundays we’ve noticed that our favorite Caribbean Roots/DJ Mouse programming on KUMD seems to be lacking DJ Mouse. Does anyone know what happened?
Flavor of Nerd Nite, November 2011
Below, just a few photos from Nerd Nite at Teatro Zuccone in Downtown Duluth, November 2011.
Nerds, can you chime in with your best memories? (more…)
Seen this before?
I was at Mt. Royal Foods this morning surveying the doughnut rack with my daughter and I did a double take when I saw a long-john with a slab of fried bacon laid down the middle, on top of the delicious maple frosting. I did not have my camera to take a picture. Is this a “standard build” in the doughnut industry, or is it a custom creation from the bake staff? My wife gave me strict orders to not buy sweets this morning, otherwise I’d probably be posting this on Yelp.
Video Archive: 14-year-old Paula Shires of Bovey tears it up on Chemielewski Fun Time
It’s ladies’ night and the feeling is right.
Out-of-town anarchist identified!
Out-of-town element and notorious volunteer, Diane Emerson, reacts to Duluth Police Chief Gordon Ramsay’s reference to her at yesterday’s press conference about Occupy Duluth. She was so stunned she almost spilled her herbal tea on her Nonviolent Communication handbook! (more…)
Prøve Gallery
The informal gallery opening Thursday night at Prøve Gallery, in the Sons of Norway building across Lake Avenue from the Technology Village, was the most exciting night I’ve experienced in Art in Duluth in some time. (more…)
Barack Obama vs. Dennis Kucinich and Michael Moore on Libya
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vetZKGrDYeI
This dramatizes the pie fight on the left that erupted over Libya.
If you view it on its YouTube page here, the brief title sequence plays too but you get the idea.
She Gets Things Done
On Tuesday, November 15, after a long day of working on my unfinished, but indisputably kick-ass, novel, I cracked an adult beverage and logged onto the Internet to make my usual rounds.
On Perfect Duluth Day, I found a post by City Councilor-elect Jennifer Julsrud, titled “Duluth’s Plumbing Needs Big Fix,” regarding Duluth’s aging water infrastructure. Accompanied by a short YouTube video (serious people talking seriously about water, serious music playing in the background), the post listed a series of upcoming community meetings that were to be held on the subject.
Naturally, this irritated me greatly. As far as I was concerned, this was just the latest example of Duluth’s tendency to be serious one minute about issues that actually need attention, and the next minute to stampede giddily off in pursuit of unneeded, but very expensive, luxuries that we want RIGHT NOW-as if the money we spend on the luxuries has no relation at all to the money we need for necessities.
Hacienda del Sol closed?
Seeing the House of Donuts post makes me wonder … what’s going on with the Hacienda del Sol?
House of Donuts
I recently recovered this photo from my attic. It’s dated July 18, 1992. That’s me on the left in my Minnesota Twins championship T-shirt, proudly raising a bag full of what have got to be bear claws. PDD co-founder Barrett Chase is on the right. In the middle, grabbing his junk, is Bob Schulte.
For most of its existence, and at the time of the photo above, House of Donuts was located just east of where the Whole Foods Co-op is now, at 624 E. Fourth St. Ronald and Michele Carter were the owners.
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Chris Monroe in Minneapolis Star Tribune
Artist with a tool belt
Cartoonist and author Chris Monroe found inspiration for her picture books while toiling in a hardware store. Now she’s working with Kevin Kling on a tale about sibling rivalry and love.
Mac repair in Duluth
I know there was a conversation about this in August of 2010, but I have been unable to contact anyone from those posts. One doesn’t return my e-mail and for some reason the Mac Doctor doesn’t answer the phone or return messages. Does anyone have any advice on where I can find an honest Mac repair person that doesn’t charge Best Buy prices?
Fight poverty by volunteering with Community Action Duluth

Would you like to help put $2,000 into the pockets of a low income family? Community Action Duluth is seeking passionate, dedicated volunteers for its 2012 Free Tax Site. (more…)
Community Meetings: Duluth’s Plumbing Needs Big Fix
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cul30R0z-A&feature=player_embedded
Water is a basic need. Access to clean water and a well functioning system are responsible for good public health, public safety, basic sanitation, and economic prosperity. The strength of our economy is directly connected to the strength of our infrastructure.
Learn about the current state of our drinking water infrastructure; our water treatment plant, pumping stations, and over 400 miles of water mains. These are our common assets and we need to ensure they work for us.
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Making an apartment a home
I remember when I was first looking at Duluth as a place to move for college. Being tired of my job and wanting something new I decided to go back to school, and remembering how much I loved Duluth; I started checking out colleges. Having found a program and school, my next task was to find a place to live. I was not prepared for the daunting task that would ensue.
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NASA Time Lapse
Seeing what makes the northern lights happen from space is pretty amazing. Time lapse photos shot from about 350 km above earth. (more…)
R.I.P. Clearwire in Twin Ports
I got this email last week. (more…)







