In the sky, it’s a what?
Last night we were enjoying dinner outside when we looked up to see a sky filled — hard to do this justice — with a bird that seemed to be some kind of raptor. My guess is that it is a falcony-like bird (kestrel or something?). It seemed to be up there feasting on the bugs that were so prevalent last night, but maybe it was the dragonflies? It was a smaller raptor and had a kind of stripe across the wings.
I wish I could describe to you how many there were. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. They moved in a mass of them more like a school of fish than birds and seemed to be focused on eating and eating. Simply hundreds of them. I was surprised that a raptor would eat insects but that seemed to be what they were doing.
Opportunity knocks.
“Greek Police Smash Violent Doughnut Ring”
THESSALONIKI – It took an undercover operation, but Greek police have blown a hole in a ring of alleged crooks who had cornered the doughnut market in a beach resort.
I hereby call upon Mayor Ness to offer asylum in Duluth to these industrious, probably misunderstood people, with an eye toward improving our own disastrous local donut market–their violent tendencies would presumably remain latent due to the absence of any competition to intimidate.
RIP Lew Latto: 1940-2011
It’s being reported that local broadcast legend Lew Latto passed today while preparing for work.
The Blasphemists at Teatro Zuccone, Aug. 25
The Blasphemists are playing Teatro on Thursday, Aug. 25, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.
The Blasphemists interbreed rock, gutter punk and trashcan blues to form a bombastic, if not occasionally unsettling, musical experience that will make you bob your head and gasp for air. They consist of Adam Sundberg, multi-instrumentalist Joshua Herbert and percussionist Steve Hamlin. Their live shows include smashing glass, clanging trashcans and the occasional John Cage piece.
What’s that thing in Canal Park?
I keep wondering every time I go to Canal Park — what is that structure being built in the northeast corner of Canal Park, just across from the Endion Station building on that construction site over there. Does anyone know?
A Catastrophic Shipwreck on Lake Superior
[This post originally contained an embedded video that no longer exists at its source.]
ARAC Arts Awards
Two Arrowhead Regional Arts Council news releases below.
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council at its March 17, 2011, meeting approved grant applications totaling $13,500 to be awarded in Small Capital Grants. (more…)
Minnesota Point: Protector or Guide?
From the 1950 book This is Duluth, by Dora May Macdonald:
According to rumour, George Sherwood, one of the old-time real estate men, stood on the barren hills one day with an Easterner, expounding on the charms of the village and the advantages to be gained by investing in Duluth real estate. Pointing to the sandy stretch of land curving out into the water, he said, “There lies Minnesota Point. It looks like God’s arm protecting the town of Duluth.”
The Easterner, unimpressed by the rocky hills, sand, or sentiment, replied, “It looks to me more like God’s finger pointing the way out of town.”
Event at Leif Erickson Park
Does anyone know about the community event going on at Leif Erickson Park on Sept. 10? I can’t find any info on it right now.
Chester Park Dam
I know someone here will have the answer!
Chester Creek used to pond inside the park due to a dam that broke out many years ago. Does anyone know why they’ve never replaced it?
Footage retrieved from the wreck of the mighty Crammenfjorder, Lake Superior
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WwgU37e6mk
Night Without a Home Sleepout at Wade
This year in preparation for the Night Without A Home Sleepout we have many community leaders and other community members joining together for a friendly competition. Who can raise the most money? Will it be a city councilor, or a county commissioner or just a young community member wanting to end homelessness? Go to duluthsleepout.blogspot.com and help end homelessness. If you would like to join the competition please email twinportsaction @ charter.net.
A Night Without A Home Sleep Out and Fundraiser
Saturday, Sept. 24 – Wade Stadium – Duluth MN
New Tangier 57 album now available
Our long-awaited Tiki Odyssey is now available in multiple musical formats. 18 tracks of Northwoods Exotica. Download it immediately from Bandcamp, or wait a day or so for a CD. There’s a big box of them driving around Duluth in a UPS truck right now. We should have them tonight.
The Local (5-6 pm Wednesday) on KUMD will be playing some tracks and talking to someone from T57 this week.
Duluth Trails
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
I took this video on my first trip along the Congdon Trail earlier this month. What a beautiful, short and highly recommended hike! A great place for a perfect Duluth day. I’d like to make more videos of Duluth’s waterways (besides the big lake). Any suggestions?
Matt the Electrician at Amazing Grace
Matt the Electrician is coming all the way from Austin, TX to sing to us Duluthians. He has toured with Erin Mckeown and the Weepies, and apparently his uncle publishes the Duluth Shipping News.
Sunday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m., Amazing Grace. $10 suggested donation. matttheelectrician.com
Duluth Artist Workshops/Studios?
I’m wondering if Duluth has an open or rentable artist workshop space? I play with metals, so it’s big loud noisy art; a place where painters quietly do their thing isn’t going to be right for me. A place with a rentable oxyacetylene torch would be even more awesome. I already sent a message to the Duluth Art Institute but got no answer, so I’m hoping the people here can be some help. I currently have a “studio” set up in my dining room in my apartment … I’m sure the neighbors in my four-plex would be thrilled if I did my grinding somewhere else!
So, if you know someone/somewhere that has the space, or even know another avenue I can poke my nose down, please let me know!
A Perfect Duluth Day on Lake Superior
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6qFulUrWFc
Unspeakable Horrors at Collector’s Connection; Warfare at DragonPort
I spent Friday night playing Munchkin Cthulhu at Collector’s Connection near the Mall. (more…)
Iran continues to be Iran
Associated Press via the Washington Post: “Iran sentences two American men to eight years in jail in blow to hopes for freedom“
Duluth Garbage Bins
OK, so what’s the deal? There are no garbage bins anywhere! I want to pick up after my dog, but I end up walking blocks and blocks carrying a bag of … you know.
I’ve just come from Chicago, where garbage is a city service (never mind the pay for play aspect of this city service). And garbage bins are everywhere. One every block on the major streets. And no one worries about throwing garbage into someone else’s bin, because it’s all covered.
As an aside, I used to live two doors down from Blagojevich. I took extra happy pride in throwing those nasty little bags into his bins.
Are there no curbing laws in Duluth?
Duluth Mommy Blogger needs your vote
There’s an unusual mommy blog out there for the thinking parent looking to find stimulating and educational reading for his or her kids. It’s called Delightful Children’s Books. And it’s the work of a mom right here in Duluth (not me).
The blog has been nominated Parenting Magazine for a Best All-Around Mom Blog. It could use your vote. You just need to hit this link, register and vote.
I wrote a little something about her and her blog at urbangirlinterrupted.blogspot.com or you can just go to her site and learn everything you need to know.
Acceleratii Fish Fry at the Loading Zone!
Friday at the world-famous Loading Zone Bar in Superior the Acceleratii are throwing another hillbilly time-warp fish fry and recording a live CD to be released this winter. This event is going to be nuts. Five bucks gets you admission and some fish & chips. This fish is damn good, people. Food at 9PM, music at 10PM. 24 Winter St. (take the High Bridge over to Hammond, left one block after Dan’s Feed Bin on Winter — all the way to the end). The Zone is cash-only and there’s no ATM. There’s not even a phone. But this is gonna be good. Here’s a link to the Facebook event page.