Easiest ski trail in the Duluth area
In a land of steep hills and deep valleys, where can a beginning cross-country skier in Duluth go without fear of hills and spills? Check out the new trails and new parking at Boulder Lake on my blog. Now we just need Slim Goodbuzz to check out the adjacent Island Lake Inn.
Pilot has a PDD thanks to Cirrus!
A small plane pilot walked away unhurt from a crash near Kiowa, Colo. early Sunday after he deployed the aircraft’s parachute system, authorities said.
(“Pilot unhurt after plane’s parachute cushions crash near Kiowa” story from Denver7 no longer archived.)
UMD professor on Nova Science Now
University of Minnesota Duluth Biology Professor Matt Andrews appeared in the “Hibernating Humans” segment on last week’s episode of Nova Science Now.
Dr. Andrews has been active in the field of hibernation since 1995 and has used his background in molecular biology and protein-DNA interactions to identify genes that regulate mammalian hibernation.
Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party response to the State of the Union Address, take two
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann gives the Tea Party’s State of the Union response another try.
Free Rent for a Year in Duluth: Go Downtown, Grow Downtown
The Greater Downtown Duluth Council and a bunch of other organizations are offering free rent for a year plus free advertising, business planning and technical support for two businesses in Downtown Duluth. Click the picture for contest details.
One of my obsessive Duluth-oriented twitter feeds led me to this on the Star Tribune website. I couldn’t find mention of it in the online Duluth News Tribune, but they are a sponsor so I’m sure it will get in there sometime, (unless maybe they’re hoping to bring in outside ideas first).
Free rent for a year? And who said this town wasn’t business friendly. I’m all for revitalization in Downtown Duluth. I hope it works.
Home Sweet Home
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
A short film by local high-school student Will Francois III. Impressive for the materials and education allotted.
Valentine’s Day Swing with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley
Hot Toddy is swinging back from Los Angeles to do several shows in February. He’ll also be at Clyde Iron with The Fractals and Aces in Superior with John Seguin.
ISO: Homegrown 2010 Photos

Seeking 2010 Homegrown photos for the 2011 Field Guide. Photos need t0 be high-rez JPGs (no watermarks, please); there’s no need for RAWs. You can send me a link to the photos online, or contact me if they’re on a CD/DVD: adam [at] transistormag [dot] com. Thanks!
Amy Klobuchar’s Hot Dish Recipe
Amy Klobuchar’s Taconite Tater Tot Hot Dish recipe is now available for all who remember when tater tots were not the enemy of school lunches that Michelle Obama has made them out to be in her campaign to bring health lunches to schools. Anyone else notice the irony of this “situation?”
February is I Love to Read Month!
Celebrate I Love to Read Month this February with Cozy Pajama Story Time at the Duluth Public Library every Thursday evening in February 6:30-7:15pm!
Feb 3, 10 and 24 in the Green Room
Feb 17 in the Gold Room
Children ages 0-8 and their families are welcome to come in their pajamas and enjoy a fun story! Story time is a great way to encourage a love of reading and learning! We hope you will celebrate reading with us!
-Your Friends at United Way of Greater Duluth Success By 6
Nate Lindstrom Photo Exhibit
Featured photographer Nate Lindstrom’s photography will be exhibited at the Duluth Photography Institute, 405 E. Superior St. in Duluth through February. There is a free public reception at the DPI facility on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. (more…)
G. Love & Special Sauce at Clyde Iron Works on April 27
First Ave. is announcing G. Love and Special Sauce with special guests The Belle Brigade will be performing at Clyde Iron in Duluth on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Tickets on sale this Saturday, January 29 at 10:00am. I am assuming via Ticket Master but I do not see that show listed as of yet on ticketmaster.com.
“G. Love’s new album, Fixin’ To Die, is set for release on February 22nd on Brushfire Records. Recorded at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville, NC, and produced by Scott and Seth Avett (The Avett Brothers), this new body of work is arguably G. Love’s most sincere and candid work to date.”
Why I love Duluth
At about 1:25 pm today, I rushed down 27th Avenue West and onto the highway, speeding toward the dentist appointment I was going to be late for. As soon as I pulled into traffic, everything slowed to a standstill. Even more confusing, I could see that all lanes were stopped, but forward of 15 cars ahead of me the road was wide open. I tried to look ahead to see what was causing the delay (and bitching that I was going to have an upset dentist waiting for me). I was looking for signs of a car accident, but didn’t see any cars out of place. A quick moving shadow drew my attention – there was a black lab running around on the highway!
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25 Influential Minnesotans in Washington
I just heard an interesting interview on MPR with Michael S. Berman, the UMD graduate who founded the Duberstein Group, a DC campaign consulting organization.
Walk? Bike? Bus? Don’t own a car at all? We want to hear from you!
I’m making a short video about alternative transportation in the Twin Ports, and I’m looking for people who would be interested in being interviewed. The goal of this project is to show different reasons why people don’t drive, and why it’s important to support alternative transportation (buses, sidewalks, bike routes, etc). I am looking to interview people from all walks of life, including, but not limited to…
– People who walk, bike, or bus by choice
– People who walk, bike, or bus out of necessity
– The youth
– The elderly
– The physically disabled
– People who don’t drive much and have kids
– People who live walking distance to everything they need
– The guy who clears the sidewalks for the City
– Anyone else who might be interesting for this project
If you have something to say and think you would be a good interviewee, or know someone who might fit the bill, please email me at lesem002 @ umn.edu. Interviews will be held between February and May.
PAVSA’s I Love Consensual Sex Party

Join us for a night of music, food and awareness raising!
Music by:
Hattie Peterson
Charile Parr
Cars & Trucks
Coal Car Caboose
Drink special with the purchase of an event T-shirt!
New this year! This an 18+ event from 8-11 p.m. Underagers are invited to join in on the fun from so bring your friends and get ready for a great night!
All proceeds to benefit Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault.
Special thanks to local Duluthian Sam Luoma for T-shirt and poster designs!
Another new Lava Lake mix online now!
Here, for your listening enjoyment, is another brand new Lava Lake mix!
Head on over to KKXYB, click digital download, and then leave some feedback at Lava Lake’s Facebook page.
Thanks a bunch!
(P.S. Minecraft cover art, ooooh yeeeaaah. )
WOJB Presents Kelli Scarr Live Feb 19
Brooklyn singer-songwriter Kelli Scarr spent much of 2009-2010 recording and touring with Moby, including a collaboration for NPR Music’s Project Song. Scarr is currently touring in support of her new album, Piece, and she’s making an exclusive Northern Midwest appearance Feb 19 at the Park Theater, 15791 U.S. Highway 63 in Hayward.
Show time is 7:30PM – Molly Otis & the Danger Band open.
$18/$20 – purchase tickets at wojb.org or 800-776-3689.
Roller Dames “Heartbreakers Brawl”
Hello there friends and fans! Harbor City Roller Dames are inviting you to an evening of tough love on Feb. 19 at World of Wheels Skate Center in Superior. We will be hosting our Heartbreakers Brawl, a roller derby mash-up of Valentine’s Day and classic 1980s heavy metal. For the first time ever, it’s HCRD against HCRD as we split up into two teams for the night: Motley Cupids vs. Stuns N’ Roses!
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Center of the Universe
A physicist explains why parallel universes may exist
These guys stole my idea circa 1997, probably while they were cruising the astral plane, that our universe may be one among many, perhaps overlapping. Not to draw on the big picture here, but any thoughts? Verify your veracious vicissitudes and I will venerate you.
Art Needs You!

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is currently accepting applications from individuals wishing to serve on its Board of Directors. There are currently openings for the following two Board positions: an At-Large representative and a Student Ad-Hoc representative.
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