The Ones That Got Away
This little snake managed to make the swim across Bent Trout Lake in Barnum without getting snatched into our boat. Roger had one lunge at it before it found refuge in the weeds.
A conversation that occurred about two hours later, when we saw a circle of small waves nearby on an otherwise calm lake:
Roger: What the hell is that over there?
Paul: Holy crap. Is that a whole school of fish?
Roger: I’ve never seen anything like it. Something’s going on over there.
Paul: Troll over! That’s gotta be fish or beaver or something.
Voice from the shore: Those aren’t fish! Those are scuba divers!
Paul: OK. Well, I guess we’re idiots then.
Roger: Yep. Pretty much.
Has the Piggly Wiggly name wiggled on out of Duluth?
I pulled up to the stop sign at Calvary and Woodland in the heart of Woodland yesterday, looked ahead, and… it’s gone!
The blast-from-the-past, decades-old Piggly Wiggly facade, cherished by… well, at least me, and featured in a PDD banner of yore, is no more! See for yourself:
Coming home for a vacation
My wife, kids and I are traveling home to Duluth in mid October and this will be my first trip back home since having children. The oldest will be 18 months in October and we need some activities for the days since the nights will be spent in Gary bars. (yes the kids too)
I have the common list of the zoo, aquarium, children’s museum and trains. Along with walking the tracks in Morgan Park and showing them were I learned to get into trouble. I need some suggestions of other things to do.
If you could drop me some suggestion in the comment stream, that would be great.
The Boomchucks
Brad and I have a rock and roll band, and we’re playing today at 2:30 as part of The Harvest Fest at Bayfront Park . $4 also gets you in to the Greg Brown show at 4:30!
Mr. Turing: We’re Sorry
Mathematician
Computer Scientist
Code Breaker
Artificial Intelligence Pioneer
Homo
Arguably a little late. Alan Turing received an apology from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown for his “appalling” treatment.
Now where’s his knighthood?
Vegetable Hygiene
Problems with burning, itching, vegetables?
Vegesil stops Vegetable Itch.
Join the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters Duluth
Fall Kick Off Event
Thursday, Sept. 17 @ 7 p.m.
Duluth Art Institute ~ 2229 W. Second St., Duluth
Chocolate Decadence is our theme with wine & coffee to compliment!
Come for the surprise program and learn how to make the most of your membership – This event is provided at no charge and we encourage you to bring a guest.
Health Security for America
Health Insurance Reform
Dr. Charles Gessert
Marlene Hart
Dr. Patrick Schoenfelder
Professor Jennifer Schultz
Wednesday, Sept. 16 | 4:30-7 p.m.
UMD School of Business and Economics, Room 118
(For parking take St. Marie St. to University Dr. to Pay lot G)
Everybody deserves a good paddling on their birthday
Today I turned 44. Which is probably the reason I was left out of the 20-under-40-movers-and-shakers-around-town list today.
That, and the fact that I don’t move or shake so good no more.
Anyway, I sent both kids off to school this morning then loaded up the kayak to treat myself to a quick paddle on the lake.
(more…)
Hey check that out!
Oh it says clocks. Nevermind.
Garage Sale / Publisher’s Clearance Sale!
118 Chester Parkway. Fri 10-6, Sat 8-2. Dining set, couch, library table, books, misc. household items, and much more.
Using this opportunity to create room in my warehouse (some call it a “garage”), so ALL X-comm books will be on sale. C’mon-stock up on Holiday gifts!
Prices slashed: Coffee Table books like Crossing the Canal and Zenith: A Postcard perspective of Historic Duluth (hardcover edition!) will go for just $15; bestseller Will to Murder for $10; paperbacks like Leatherheads of the North, Goodnight, Everybody…and be Kind, True North, and The Mosquito Book only $5.
Special: Buy any book and get a copy of Greetings from the Arrowhead for just $5; buy $20 worth of X-comm books and take a copy home free! (more…)
Glensheen Rap
Josiah Grover, a student guide at Glensheen Mansion and Museum, has released his “Glensheen Rap.”
Duluth Pack – Backpacker Magazine “Get Out More” Event
Backpacker Magazine Get Out More
Sept. 9 | 6-8 p.m. – Backpacker Magazine visits the Duluth Pack retail store in Duluth as a part of its “Get Out More” events. Free outdoor gear give-a-ways, slideshow and more. getoutmore2009.com | duluthpack.com
Duluth Pack is one of about 50 places Backpacker Magazine will visit in the USA.
References to Duluth in Popular Literature
Mark Twain’s Following the Equator
“A few ships rode at anchor in it — one of them a sailing vessel flying the American flag; and they said she came from Duluth! There’s a journey! Duluth is several thousand miles from the sea, and yet she is entitled to the proud name of Mistress of the Commercial Marine of the United States of America. There is only one free, independent, unsubsidized American ship sailing the foreign seas, and Duluth owns it. All by itself that ship is the American fleet. … For what Duluth has done, in building, equipping, and maintaining at her sole expense the American Foreign Commercial Fleet … we owe her a debt of gratitude which our hearts shall confess with quickened beats whenever her name is named henceforth. … Health and prosperity to Thee, O Duluth, American Queen of the Alien Seas!”
Ernest Hemingway’s The Torrents of Spring
“The foreman was a short, iron-jawed man. He had once made a trip as far as Duluth. Duluth was far across the blue waters of the lake in the hills of Minnesota. A wonderful thing had happened to him there.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
“A few days later he took him to Duluth and bought him a blue coat, six pair of white duck trousers, and a yachting cap.”
Dalton Trumbo’s letter to Guy Endore
“I’ve seen their faces in a miners’ union hall in Duluth on a night when the wind off the lake blew the snow so killingly and so deep that cars couldn’t be used and everybody walked to the meeting.”
Willa Cather’s The Song of the Lark
“I must go now. I had to give my lesson hour this morning to a Duluth woman who has come on to coach, and I must go and play ‘On Mighty Pens’ for her. Please tell Mr. Harsanyi that I think oratorio is a great chance for bluffers.”
Free The Hikers: The 59th Day benefit, freethehikers.org
Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd have been detained in Iran since July 31, 2009, when news reports say they accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. They were in a peaceful region of Iraq that is increasingly popular with Western tourists.
The three young Americans, all graduates of the University of California at Berkeley, are believed to be held in the Iranian capital, Tehran. They have not been charged with any crime, have had no contact with their families, and have not been granted their right to consular access.
Shane, Josh and Sarah care greatly about the world. They admire and respect different cultures and religions and share a love of travel that has taken them to many countries. That’s why they went to Kurdistan, not because they wanted to enter Iran.
Shane Bauer grew up in Onamia, Minnesota. His sister and brother-in-law live in Duluth. We are holding a fundraiser for them on Sept. 27 to raise money and support the effort to bring them home as soon as possible.
Please consider supporting any way you can! All proceeds will go to the families to help defray the costs of travel, awareness, etc. that are adding up daily.
Fundraiser Sept. 27
5 p.m. Hiking Meditation in honor of the hikers. By donation. All proceeds go toward Free the Hikers. Details to follow!
6-9 p.m. Silent Auction and live music at the Spiritual Deli
Donations needed for the silent auction!
Please contact us if you have something to offer! All donations greatly appreciated! 218.722.9378 or jodi@spiritualdeli.com
Learn more, be informed. Visit www.FreeTheHikers.org. The families and friends of the three hikers created this site to tell the story of Shane, Josh and Sarah and keep the world informed about their situation.
Dink Tank returns!
Renegade Comedy Theatre is proud to announce the return of Dink Tank with its all-new sketch comedy show, “Dink Tank: After School Special.” (more…)
Superior Choice Credit Union Cookout FREE
Free Food & Prizes!
Join us at 4161 Haines Road for a cookout!
Hermantown Branch of Superior Choice Credit Union.
Hotdogs, chips, punch and cookies available.
Prize drawings!
Email kacil@superiorchoice.com if you have questions. Hope to see you there!
Get This Engine Running … or at least out of my garage
I have a car engine in my garage that I need to get rid of. It belonged to my ex husband and I don’t know anything about it. It may be good, it may be bad. I believe it went into a Honda Civic.
Is there anyway to donate this to a school that could use it to teach kids about auto repair? Or do something with it other than dump it?
I have a chain fall in my garage right above it to help move it and the chain fall came come with it to aid moving it wherever it might go.
Any ideas?
An Evening With Low
Thursday Sept. 24, 8 pm
Sacred Heart Music Center
$10 advance / $15 door
Tickets online at sacredheartmusic.org or at the Electric Fetus
Where in Duluth?
A special holiday edition of PDD’s photo geographical identification competition sensation thing or something.
As usual with “Where in Duluth?” there is no prize for being the first to identify the location of this photo, other than bragging rights.
Magic Mama – Duluth performance
Magic Mama will be performing at Beaner’s Central in Duluth on Saturday, October 3rd at 7 PM. The Concert will feature music from her CD’s Rodeo deGaia and Wild Birds. Magic Mama performs organic hip hop and world beats for the whole family. Family-friendly set starts at 7 PM and a more adult-oriented set begins at 8:30. Tickets at the door $5 adults $3 kids. more info available at www.magicmamamusic.com and www.beanerscentral.com