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The Don and a film maker with time to kill?

The January Days are dwindling and the need to gorge on as much Duluth as possible is rising. I spent an hour with Mayor Ness today — he’s a wonderful guy. Also, I had an odd idea I might try to execute this weekend if anybody is interested.

Is anybody out there a film person? I have a very short film I’d like to make — named “100 Seconds of Solitude” — that’s reasonably simple in concept/shooting but might be a little tricky to edit. If anybody wants to spend some time this weekend on a fun project, I’ll bring the beer!

Engraving in Duluth

I have a small plate for my guitar that I want to have engraved with my initials. After a quick search I’ve found a few places that would be able to do this for me, but I was hoping some of the fine folks here have any experience or recommendations with any of these companies.

Ideally, it would be laser engraving about 1×2 inches.

Murder of Crows — “The Score”

Organize my iTunes

I’m looking for somebody to get our iTunes library consolidated and organized – or maybe some advice on how to do it. Right now it’s spread out over three lap tops and an external hard drive. Perhaps iCloud is the solution? All I know is that right now it’s a GF and I feel a bit overwhelmed thinking about it. Thoughts or advice? 
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Ian Thomas Alexy — “You Better Pray”

Need Your Help

Someone took this picture of the Evil Queen with Snow White’s heart from the bathroom at Chester Creek Cafe. It was a gift from my brother 25 years ago and had sentimental value. Ok – yes it was dopey of me to have it in there but it was screwed to the wall and I had misplaced faith in humankind. I want it back – a reward is offered. No questions asked. Please help me if you can.

Eveil Queen

Here's Her Heart

Duluth Underground Bass at UMD

Duluth Underground Bass is a new student organization at the University of Minnesota Duluth. For the most part, we really like bass music. Anything and everything with lots of bass and funky rhythms. Some of us like it so much that we put on parties and shows and such and try to share our love for the bass with other people.

We have done pretty well, but there is a lot of room for improvement. So far we’re hosting a monthly gig at Stargate Nightclub called BassGate. It’s on first Thursdays of every month and it’s 18+.  My favorite thing about BassGate is that it’s for the bass heads.  The regular crew doesn’t come out and we completely take over the club, have our own DJ’s play the music they want to play and we all dance how we want to dance.  Everyone has a good time.  

If anyone is interested in seeing what we’re about, come on out to February’s BassGate next Thursday. “Dress Your Best” is the theme and we’ll be blessed with selections from Andrew Koch, Matt Harris, Cam Dickison, Jimmie Townsend, and Jordan Berndt.

Ten Minutes with Simon Gray

If a man is worth knowing at all, he is worth knowing well. Simon Gray has been doing fascinating creative work for quite some time. Many here have appreciated his whimsical paintings and cartoons. He was willing to be interviewed for Ennyman’s Territory this past week. It’s a good read. With pictures.

Drop in and check it out.

 

Igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary, anthropic

Brian Klawiter taught an energetic class on the geology of our region at Denfeld High School last night. We learned about two dozen new terms for “rock” but more importantly, we came to understand the geologic processes that created the rocks around here…
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Japanese on the North Coast

Last night, Kate and I attended our second cooking class with Miaki Habuka through Duluth Community Education.
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Duluth Albums from the 1900s

This list is just getting started. Click on any image to see it bigger and start a slideshow.

Duluth East High School A Cappella Choir
1964-65

1965
Directed by Robert D. Mix; includes the “East High Alma Mater.”

Don Yoder
Because He Lives

Year not listed, Word Records
Produced, as near as anyone can tell, through the everlasting love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gene Hill
That’s Just His Way

1976
Recorded and mastered at Sound 80 in Minneapolis; directed by C. Edward Thomas.

Various Artists
Trackin’ Up the North

1982, KQDS 95FM Radio
Features bands from the KQDS Miller High Life Rock to Riches Talent Search Contest.

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Amazing Aurora!

It’s visible in Finland — as in northern Europe, not Finland, Minn.

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“Carless in Duluth” Teaser

Carless in Duluth is a short documentary showcasing people in Duluth who walk, bike, or take the bus instead of driving. Notice how easy it is to forget that pedestrians and bicyclists exist when the environment is designed only for cars.

Premiering this March at a local downtown independent cinema near you.

Trampled by Turtles — Making of Stars and Satellites Part 1 – “Alone”

Hometown Heroes – Today’s DNT

Ann Lockwood, who stands outside her home at 627 E. Eighth St., expresses her gratitude Monday for the help she received from Project Save Our Homes in preventing the foreclosure of her house. She’s flanked by Duluth city Councilor Sharla Gardner (left) and County Commissioner Steve O’Neil.

Duluth News Tribune: “Fighting foreclosures, one home at a time: New group helps Duluth woman keep her home.”

Red sun in the morning

Northern Lights in Norway

Bjørn Jørgensen Image taken: Jan. 22, 2012 Location: Grøtfjord close to Tromsø, North Norway

Also to listen to the effects, check out the software defined radio from Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The low and middle bands show the activity.

Chester Bowl looking for stories

The Chester Bowl Improvement Group wants to hear from people who have been in the ski program.

From Thom Storm:

We are in the process of applying for different grants for our ski program. It was suggested that we have some Chester Bowl stories/testimonials to include with our applications. I would like to take that a step further, and have a Chester Bowl Stories section on our website, chesterbowl.org.
Many parents have told me that the ski program has made a big difference to their families. If you would like to share your story, we would like to post it on our site. Please send any stories/testimonials to:
chesterbowl@clearwire.net
and include your name for the posting.

If you’ve got any historical stories, photos or artifacts, you could submit them to the Chester Bowl History page.

A Little Help from my Friends

I recently got hosed big time by Go Daddy. My domain was up for renewal and instead of notifying me, they sold it. Now I have a new domain, but I lost my search engine standing (my old site was numbers 1,2 and 3 for a Google search of my name). Anyway, if you have a minute, give my new site a click and help a guy out. Thanks.

tim-kaiser.org

The good kind of profiling.

As part of the January in Duluth project, I’ve been working a bit with talented Duluth photographer with Kip Praslowicz, particularly with his awesome Dramatizations of Everyday Life series. Essentially, I’ve been piggybacking photos he’s done, doing an audio/narrative version of his portraits. I just finished one on Anna Affias (which I really enjoyed putting together) and did one last week on Rich Narum (not from the same series, but from the same photographer). These were the exact kinds of stories I hoped I’d be able to do in Duluth, which brings me to a question:

Anybody out there have a specific story they’d like to share? Particularly if it in some way ties into your experiences living here? (If you’ve ever had This American Life aspirations, this might be a good time to give it a shot) I’d love to do the recording and producing, and perhaps Kip might be interested in also doing a portrait. Also, if it’s not a specific story, we could just sit down and chat about your experiences here.

(Also, the clock’s ticking on January, so if this idea at all interests you, get in touch soon!)

Drunken Photos from the 1990s

I’m not sure if “Drunken Photos from the 1990s” is meant to be a series or not, but I happened to come across two images in my attic that fit the category and raised some questions I thought the Internet could answer.

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Midwest Snowboarding

This is not so much a Duluth video, but it will help riders from Duluth get known. This snowboard hill is Granite Peaks, in Wausau, Wis. I highly recommend taking a trip out there, amazing hill.

This week: much music, good eats, interesting tales and more.


Monday, Jan. 23
Minneapolis group Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps take over Papa Charlie’s at Lutsen Mountains.

Wednesday, Jan. 25
Treat yourself to a seven course dinner courtesy of Chef Bruce Wallis of Sara’s Table.

Friday, Jan. 27
R.T.’s hosts the Equal Xchange Reunion Show also featuring Fearless Moral Inventory and Aaron Gall & the Likely Story. Minneapolis group Machine 22 headlines at the Thirsty Pagan with local talent Excuse Me, Princess and the Thunder Brothers opening.

Saturday, Jan. 28
Some of the areas most talented writers and performers come together for a night of storytelling at Teatro’s Zenith City Tales: Stories of New Beginnings. Silent woods, groomed trails, iced ponds, and snowshoe access to unique areas of Hartley await at the Candlelight Ski, Skate, and Showshoe event at the park.

Giving up on skiing, thinking about skating

Why even listen to the weather forecast? With the fizzle of yet another snow forecast into gray skies and brown ground, I’m about to give up hope on the cross country ski season. Time to pull out the ice skates and hit one of Duluth’s fine outdoor rinks.

Any recommendations about places to rent skates here in town?

Bernie Larsen and Alan Sparhawk featuring DJ Burt Blackarach — “Bottomless”

Brother Ali at St. Scholastica

Friday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m.

Brother Ali will be playing at the Mitchell auditorium at CSS. Tickets are available at the Electric Fetus for only $15 or email amnesty @ css.edu

Facebook event

Jack Campbell of Excuse Me, Princess is putting up an EP for free download

Jack is working with Nate Rendulich of Blue Water Dance and Keith Yanes of Coal Car Caboose and will be playing around town starting this Spring. Download the EP for free!

http://jackcampbell.bandcamp.com/album/control

UWS Student Exhibition

The Superior Council for the Arts and North End Arts Gallery are showing University of Wisconsin-Superior student-artist paintings, weaving and sculpture until Feb. 11.   

North End Arts Gallery is in the Red Mug Building at 1323 Broadway St. in Superior. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  T-TH-F-S.   

Duluth Art Institute event was very special

Wednesday evening at the Depot there were four art openings in one … including the Member Show, and exhibits by Kathy McTavish, Steve Read and Emerging Photgraphers. Here is my take on the night. The DAI is a gift to our community in so many ways. Check in and check it out.

View from the balcony down into the Great Hall. Music by Tangier 57 permeated the scene as friends of the arts enjoyed the Member Show below.

Duluth Care Package

Let’s say you were sending a care package to someone. You want it to reflect Duluth. The female recipient is in college out of state and isn’t from Duluth (although her parents are recent transplants). What would you send?

Farewell, Newspaper Lady

The Newspaper Lady has died. When I moved here, I stubbornly continued to red MSP papers for a year. At every street festival, at every new student weekend on campus at UMD and LSC, she was there, giving out papers and tempting me with deals. After about four free papers and four smooth pitches, I became a DNT subscriber and never looked back.

Thank you, Newspaper Lady. You helped make Duluth home.

See: “Man held on suspicion of drunken driving in Duluth crash that kills woman, injures grandson” for details.