Judging by tonight's agenda and special sessions, city councilors have found a way around this problem. At various points in the back-to-back sessions, several of them got up and went to a cupboard behind their seats. I can only conclude that this is some sort of City Pantry of Awesome Snacks.

Tony Cuneo had what looked like Chex Mix. Jeff Anderson had some trail mix-type stuff. Mayor Don Ness- a Milky Way. Jay Fosle went for what must've been barbecue potato chips.

I want one of those bountiful cupboards here at the newsroom.

]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:37:00 CST http://www.areavoices.com/current/?blog=30443 http://www.areavoices.com/current/?blog=30443 I am always amused when I see tourists taking pictures in front of ordinary things. Sometimes I get it - they're being funny or ironic. But when they seem serious about it, I'm kind of confused.

Today for instance, I saw a woman take a picture of her husband in front of the Fountain of Wind (or whatever) in Canal Park. Now, if I had been the subject, I would've walked on the path, or stood near a statue, or pretended I was drowning or something. Anything. But this guy just stood there near the chain fence. Boring, man. Your relatives are not going to want to see that.

Later tonight I saw a couple pose in front of the fountians in front of the courthouse. Now, I like these fountains, but I would never think to get my picture taken there. Maybe I just have a deficient imagination.

The day I see people getting their picture taken in front of Miller Hill Mall, then I'll know I've hit rock bottom.

But because of a scheduling mistake (and my mile-long self-punishment streak), I actually went on a second flight the day after the flight I wrote about.

The pilot for the second flight, Greg Poe, was not so happy I had already flown with another pilot. I think he wanted to me to know this.

Poe would've been a more entertaining pilot to write about. When we started our flight, he told me to "hold on to (my) shorts." When we were doing maneuvers, he asked if I wanted to get more agressive. I said no. He was disappointed. "This thing," he said, referring to his plane,"she'll really put the hurt on ya." He also asked me more than once "What's that feel like?" I didn' t know how to respond.

I'm glad the Air Show is over...

Apparently I will have to take my rock-throwing and obscenity-screaming elsewhere, because the stretch of sidewalk just up Lake Avenue from Pizza Luce will not allow it.

(Sidenote: I bet they really would call the police if you yelled outside this building. Part of my job is listening to a police scanner all night and you would not believe the things people call the police for. A sound outside the window? Yep. Lost car keys? Heard that once. People yelling? At least three times a week).

I have the Eh? column this week and was obligated to mention an article in Midwest Living magazine about Duluth.

Items in the Eh? column are supposed to be small and bright, so that's what I wrote. But here's the raw truth: that article was one big backhanded compliment.

The author was unimpressed with the view of Duluth coming over Thompson Hill. In my opinion that's a great view, so strike number one.

The article goes on to basically say "Not much going on here. But you can buy ice cream. So I guess that's good." It mentions Jay Cooke for some reason, even though that's closer to Carlton.

I wanted to set this writer straight, but the Eh? column isn't the place for that. Good thing this blog is: Get it right, Midwest Living.

Today I tried a new kind of blended drink from Starbucks called a Vivanno. I forget the exact marketing, but it's supposed to be some kind of health drink. I had the chocolate-banana kind, which is a blend of banana, cocoa and whey protein powder.

I was suspicious at first. Was this another Slim-Fast in disguise? But the Starbucks drink had a few things going for it the Cold Fusion didn't:

1.) It had a banana in it, which means it actually had something natural. This is opposed to the Cold Fusion, which as best I can tell makes shakes from a blend of manmade synthetic stuff that could also be used to make nonstick pans or missile-guidance systems.

2.) Chocolate. What isn't better with this stuff?

3.) It's Starbucks. Has anything bad ever come from this place?

All in all, the Vivanno was pretty good. It was too expensive - $4.35 - to get every day and I still don't know about all its "nourish your good day" claims, but it tasted good and that's what matters.

"Cooper Pointless Dent Repair": I laughed when I saw this one - if it's pointless, how does it stay in business? - and then I saw that it actually says "paintless." Still, funny.

"What Would Emily Dickinson Drive?": I'm guessing a carriage?

"Don't Forget To Frolic": You're right! I knew I was forgetting something when I made my to-do list today.

I know grade inflation is a problem, but I didn't know it was this bad...

The Duluth Kennel Club's All Breed Dog Show wasn't a real-life "Best in Show," but it was close...

Seen: A woman take a cooked chicken breast out of her pocket, feed a little to her dog and then eat some herself.

Overheard: Contestant, talking about her boxer: "She's so sweet if you put a choker on her. The minute you take it off..."

Seen: People hairspraying their dogs, putting them in diaper-like things, swabbing areas Homeland Security wouldn't even touch if the alert level was red.

Overheard: The frequent use of a term for a female dog that is, in this situation, technically appropriate, but still startling.

"Oh my god," I heard one of them say to the other, just above the din of their slapping flip-flops and smacking Dentyne. "We are lost in Duluth, of all places."

Any Good Samaritan-style desire I had to help them find wherever they were going evaprorated. "Of all places?" What's that supposed to mean, Gretchen Weiners? Duluth has just as many confusing destinations and against-all-logic streets as any other city.

And you're in Canal Park. Who gets lost there?