Northern Lights Express Passenger Rail: Stimulus or Boondoggle?
There have been a number of posts on PDD in the past regarding the Northern Lights Express passenger rail project, which would create a 155-mile train corridor connecting Duluth to Minneapolis. With Congressman Jim Oberstar’s loss to Chip Cravaack in Tuesday’s election, and Cravaack’s stated lack of support for the project, the subject of the NLX seems worth revisiting.
However, I’d like to provide some special guidelines for commenting on this post, because we’ve seen in the past that there are some pretty passionate supporters and opponents of this project, and its pros and cons tend to get lost in personal attacks and partisan silliness.
So, let’s try a little experiment. What I’d like to see is three different types of comments.
1) Simple links to news and information related to this subject, without any commentary whatsoever.
2) Comments labeled “Pro” at the beginning, which list one good thing about the project.
3) Comments labeled “Con” at the beginning, which list one negative thing about the project.
Keep it brief, resist the urge to respond to other people’s comments, resist the urge to make multiple pro or con comments, resist the urge to bash Cravaack or Oberstar, resist the urge to comment about these guidelines.
Ready. Set. Go.
New Brewfest coming to Black Bear!
The Great Twin Ports Taste-Together Brewfest & Wine Tasting is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, at Black Bear Casino. I know one of the brewers coming (Northwoods out of Eau Claire) and they make awesome beer (the Floppin’ Crappie is the best). Find out more info about this at twinportsbrewfest.com.
Apple Pressing at Hartley Nature Center!
Families with preschool-aged children are invited to come to Hartley Nature Center this Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10am to noon for a program on apples and apple pressing. The program is for adults and preschool age children and the cost is $7 for non-members participants or $4 for Hartley members participants. Class size is limited to 30 people. Please call 724-6735 to register.
More information on other monthly Saturday Sprites programming can be found at hartleynature.org.
Grey Surf Rebels – Luce, Nov. 13
Grey Matador
The Surfactants
American Rebels
So much rock! This is one that’ll melt your face clean off. Not for the faint of heart! Start hydrating now.
Food shelf benefit
It’s time for the 4th Annual Fine Spirits, Cheese & Chocolate
Food Shelf Benefit.
Date: Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010
Place: Garden House Green House
11517 S. Cemetery Road, Solon Springs
Time: 2pm – 7pm
Cost: $15 + food shelf donation
A Winter Downpour Nov. 5 at Lucé
Rock music Nov. 5 at Pizza Lucé with Duluth’s A Winter Downpour and Minneapolis’ Red Label.
Straw Poll: Who Shocked the World More?
I woke up today with an otherworldly, twilight zone-like feeling similar to the one I had in November of 1998, like where I had to check multiple news sources to see if I was understanding the election results correctly and then check back again to make sure. Shocked I tell you. Shocked.
My question to the PDD brain trust: What was more shocking Jesse’s win or Chip’s? And you can do a “where were you” personal memory or two if you want for color and flavor.
Love, Wild Goose
Duluth 2010 General Election Results
With all precincts reporting, here are the statewide numbers for Minnesota races related to Duluth and St. Louis County. (more…)
Duluth Osaka Sushi Hibachi Steakhouse
Osaka Sushi Hibachi Steakhouse
5115 Burning Tree Road, Duluth
218-727-3222
Another sushi joint will be opening in Duluth, but this one will be the city’s first hibachi restaurant. Work is underway at Burning Tree Plaza in preparation for Osaka Sushi Hibachi Steakhouse.
The Burning Tree Plaza mall, located at 5115 Burning Tree Road in Duluth’s Miller Hill area, is recognized for its anchor stores Best Buy and T.J. Maxx. Osaka Sushi Hibachi Steakhouse will be situated in store #309 of the mall, between Beauty Mart and Regency Beauty Institute, so, theoretically, it should be beautiful.
Owners are Sam Lin, Dan Xu and Lester Teseng.
Join LakeVoice in our election Tweets
The LakeVoice editing team will be Tweeting the local Midterm election today. Feel free to follow us below or on Twitter and add your own perspectives by using the hashtag #DuluthVotes10 (that’s Twitter talk).
Dios Mio – “Shit Life”
Featuring the infamous “Pervertible” van, before it was fully perverted.
Livin’ the dream, baby.
Google map update
I just noticed that a new satellite image of my neighborhood is on google maps. The area used to be fuzzy and green; it was hard to see the houses clearly. Now we can tell that two people were getting out of my minivan when the image of my house was taken. It was taken sometime this summer.
The photo posted here is the Hartley Nature Center parking lot, not far away. The screen-grab doesn’t look as clear as it does originally. Maybe your house has been updated, too?
A Weekend of String Music at Sacred Heart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iCsKDfQ-9s
Two great shows this weekend at the Sacred Heart Music Center. (more…)
How do you deal with criticism?
I’d really like to hear people’s honest response to how they are affected by the criticism of others.
Vote Proudly!
The Daily Beast: The Most Political States
Over the past 30 years Minnesota has the highest voter registration and participation of any state in the union!
Average voter registration rate: 83.8
Average voter participation rate: 69.8
Duluth Public Schools Website — A joke!
Anyone else find the Duluth Public Schools website absolutely abominable?
I had reason to call three elementary schools, one of which I needed the address for. Sure I could use my handy-dandy phone book — oh, wait, this is 2010 I don’t have a phone book! Not to mention I’m sitting at my desk, with my high-speed world wide web right here.
(more…)
NHS Duluth Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction – Nov. 9
Mark your calendars for the third annual NHS Duluth Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction: Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 5 to 8 pm at Holy Family Church (2430 W. Third St.).
(more…)
Candy Calculation?
Lundgren has published at length on Return On Investment when considering package liquor, beer and transportation and I believe I recently saw some discussion on variables to consider when putting a Halloween costume together. Has anybody come up with an algorithm, equation or model for predicting how much Halloween candy to stage for distribution? Last year, I had to recycle the stuff the kids brought home and based this year’s purchase off that. Now we are stuck with seven pounds of Reese’s [at least we predicted there would be left overs]. Anybody identified trends or tricks used with this annual purchase?
Ghosts of Halloween Past
A pair of photos from the Boogieman Project — the NorShor Theatre’s Halloween party on Oct. 28, 2000. (more…)










