The Zenith Perspective

A People's History of the Twin Ports

2013-12-16T19:22:00.001-06:00

I created this piece using primarily using Google Maps. I got most of my images from the Northeast Minnesota History Center. I wanted to embed video, but the current google maps only allows still images. Also all the still images had to be hosted online somewhere. I created umn blog of the original files for solely for this purpose.

The user can interact with the piece by exploring the Twin Ports in a new historical context. They can choose a point of interest based on location and type of topic.

Screenshot

Overall it was a success. One major problem is that I am working with suppressed histories, thus the information out there is minimal. However there are still many more sites I could have add. I'd like to pursue a UROP to expand on this project.

Final Proposal

2013-12-02T18:51:00.001-06:00

Final Project Proposal – Blake Romenesko

The idea I'm most leaning toward is the People's History of the Twin Ports. Where I would create an interactive map showing sites linked to local history of the Anishinaabe, people of color, and the working class. When the user clicks on a site they will see historical images as well as my own photography.

Tools-Google maps is the obvious choice, but I want to look into other interactive map programs. The long term goal would be to create my own interface like the Dijital Pasaj project and even make into a phone app.

Timeline plan of action-

This week I want to get in contact with some people I know. One person I know is well versed in local labor history, another person knows local history about people of color. About six months ago somebody did a presentation at the Duluth Public Library about Anishinaabe sites in Duluth. I think I have the network to find that person. From there determine sites.

Next Week would be to photograph sites and organize map.

3 examples-

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/A-Before-and-After-Look-at-Americas-Great-Cities.html

http://www.worldology.com/Europe/europe_history_lg.htm

http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/history-of-religion.html

Interactive Media Responses and What-Not

2013-11-18T16:50:00.000-06:00

SAM HAGEN'S PEICE
I thoroughly enjoyed Sam Hagen's piece at the Tweed. I interacted with it by deciding which column to stand by which played a different note. Also I played with my distance from the column which caused the note to change pitch. Sam was probably playing with the relation between human and computer. The columns communicated with each other as humans communicate with themselves, which can be commentary on relations.

WILD IDEA

REALISTIC IDEA
I'm actually not sure. Right now I am learning how to code Python which is an app coding language. After I finish my Codacademy lesson(I'm about 1/3 done) I can see what skill I possess to create something in my skill range.

Pumpkins

2013-11-12T13:50:00.002-06:00

Here's some pumpkins that were carved at my house this year:

I made the top one which is says Love > $. The next one down was made by this guy staying at my house named Michael. He named his pumpkin "Vamp Jenkins," and he partially scooped out on inside under the eyes to make it look like it was blushing. The last one was made by Justin. It's a lazy version of the IWW symbol.

I bought them super cheap from this old guy who sells produce from the back of his truck. He also sold me six squash for $5.

Links

2013-11-11T19:13:00.001-06:00

How to get leap app development kit.
https://www.leapmotion.com/developers

How to learn basic coding
http://www.codecademy.com/dashboard

Duluth Locative - City Hall

2013-11-04T15:57:00.001-06:00

Where you are now standing at is Duluth City Hall. It was built in 1928, and is one of four buildings in the Duluth Civic Center Historical District. Throughout the 1930's local farmers, the unemployed, and Communists held rallies here. First Street on the lakeside of the building was also the site to a major labor struggle which led to violent events brought on by the local police.

On April 4, 1938, news workers represented by the Newspaper Guild went on strike for recognition, a union shop, and a union contract. During the strike other union workers associated with the CIO joined the Newspaper Guild in pickets in front of the newspaper offices(where they are still located today.) On May 23, 100 police in riot gear stormed out of City Hall to disperse the pickets with clubs, guns, and tear gas.

Farmer-Labor Governor Elmer Benson supported the striking workers and sent the Minnesota Guard to protect the workers from any further violence from the police. The strike ended in victory for the workers.

Interactive Media: Myron W. Krueger

2013-10-14T16:48:00.003-05:00

Blake Romenesko

Myron Krueger is seen as a pioneer in digital art, augmented reality, and interactive art. His work dates back to 1969; a period before internet, Atari, and arcade machines. During that time he began some early experiments in virtual realty using a system of sensing surfaces and video cameras. Eventually he teamed up with a number of artists and engineers came a variety of pieces that changed the relationship between the viewer and art.

His work generally consists of using a system of censoring surfaces, video cameras, and projections. Very often Krueger uses hardware and ideas from a previous piece to further explore in a new piece. He even continues to work on a single piece for over twenty years to change it with newer technology and new ideas. The timeline of his works demonstrates a fluid evolution. He is also interested with the human-computer relationship as well the human-human relationship via computer. Also he plays the idea of a "composed reality."

Videoplace(1970) is most likely Krueger's most famous piece and biggest contribution to both digital arts and interactive media. The piece was a result of three smaller experiments. It opened as an artificial reality lab at the University of Connecticut and was seen as a pioneering curiosity for both art and science. And now the piece is on permanent display at the State Museum of Natural History at the University of Connecticut.

Videoplace:

About of Krueger's early experiments Glowflow(1969):

http://www.artelectronicmedia.com/artwork/glowflow

Small Planet(1993) works as the viewer uses their arms to fly around the planet

http://www.iamas.ac.jp/interaction/i97/artist_Krueger.html

*Disclaimer

2013-10-14T15:58:00.001-05:00

I need to use this blog for a class, so you are going to start seeing some weird posts that might seem random. You'll notice up above there's a tab called "Interactive Media" as well as posts labeled "Interactive Media." These are posts more for my class rather than the general Zenith Perspective reader.

The Mystery of Clough Island

2013-10-08T11:08:00.001-05:00

In 1946 the government received unusual radioactive signals coming from Clough Island in Duluth. Professor Whiteside of Chicago got hired by the U.S. Government to inspect the island. According to recently declassified documents he found the ruins of a lost civilization and a strange machine. During the investigation he disappeared and was never seen ever since.

Reflection:

Moviestorm is a pretty neat program. It has a number of both pros and cons. The program allows you to do things most student filmmakers would unable to do such as special effects, large sets, and large casts. However it can be restrictive on some things as well. The Moviestorm avatars often don't have the same liberty that the human body does. The human face can do an infinite amount of expressions that the avatar can not. There were other specifics that I had to manipulate Moviestorm to do that would be easy in real life. The program is great to create humorous and/or magical scenes, but less efficient in much more.

Another Kayaking Adventure: Under the Bridge to the Big Blue

2013-09-14T14:04:00.002-05:00

I went kayaking again: no surprise there.

This time I launched from Rice's Point.

There was a ship. It almost killed me(well not really since it was moving slower than a drifting milk jug.)

I cut across the bay and kayaked along Park Point.

I wasn't sure if the lake was going to be rough, so I thought I'd check it out. Mostly I just wanted to kayak under the lift bridge.

Over 1,000 ships from across the globe pass through this canal....plus my kayak.

Through the canal I was ventured out into the Big Blue.

On Wednesdays the yacht club has sailboat races, so I was followed out the canal by an entourage of sailboats.

Also the tourists on the piers kept trying to talk to me. I hate tourists.

Eventually it quickly got really dark and cloudy, so I headed back full speed. I didn't beat the rain which was fun.

First Zenith City Kayaking Adventure!

2013-09-05T13:29:00.002-05:00

On my two year anniversary of moving to Duluth a dream of mine came true: I brought a kayak to Duluth. I always have been fascinated with Duluth's waterways, but I was always restricted to many parts of the city due to my landlocked handicap. Fortunately I now have water transportation. My first adventure was to explore a part of the St. Louis River Estuary including Clough Island, Spirit Lake, and Spirit Island.

I brought my kayak to the river via Tuska style.

This was my route: starting at the top and moving counter-clockwise. Red means on water. Yellow means on land.

I launched my kayak out of an old slip and started my adventure.

One of the places I always wanted to explore was Clough Island. It is the largest island in the estuary.

I landed on the island and continued on foot.

Fun Fact: Clough Island is actually Wisconsin.

I followed a system of low used trails and came to a meadow.

I didn't explore too long as I was barefoot and the meadow was thistle central. Also I realized how large the island was and decided to come back another day. Later I found a nicer spot on the island to land which has a picnic table on a sandy beach. There's also I hear of ruins of an old farm on the other side of the island as well.

I made sure to make a friend before launching.

My next spot was in a widening of the river called "Spirit Lake." And at its center is "Manidoo-minis" or "Spirit Island" for the English speakers. My core fascination to this island has been its significance to the Anishinaabe. The Anishinaabe(or Ojibwe) were originally from the East Coast. An oracle of sorts told the Anishinaabe to move or be destroyed(as the Europeans were coming in around this time.) They migrated to different places slowing moving westward. Every time they landed somewhere a magis shell would rise out of the sand and tell them where to go next. Manidoo-minis was the sixth and second-last site of the migration until ending the migration at Madeline Island in Wisco. The "Spirit" name of the island, lake, and nearby hillside comes from the legend that you should read HERE.

With this in mind I approached the island with caution.

The geography of the island is strange. All sides of the crescent-shaped island are steep clay bluff, but on the tips are small lowlands great for getting access.

I liked Spirit Island much more than Clough Island. Its much more grassy, easy to explore, and has great views on all sides.

I eventually said "Gigawaabamin!" and called it a day.

I heading back by going on the other side of Clough Island which is separated by the mainland by a series of small islands and channels.

I was able to return to the views of the city before sundown.

Can You do me a Flavor?

2013-09-04T13:37:00.003-05:00

Go to this link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151924918973265&set=a.10151924918038265.1073741840.69221658264&type=3&permPage=1

And "Like" the photo on Facebook. Why you ask? So that I can win money.

Miigwech!

Amnicon Falls State Park

2013-07-31T11:49:00.001-05:00

I haven't blogged in months. Here's a post, so you all know I'm not dead. My sister gave me a (Wisco) State Park sticker. I've always wanted to visit the state parks around the Twin Ports and now I can. So Courtney and I went to Amnicon Falls State Park which is only about ten miles from Superior.

The upper Amnicon Falls.

The whole time I was like, "This stone is pretty."

We found a lifetime supply of clay, so we made heads. Courtney's on left and mine on right.

Eventually we came across a quarry...

...so we jumped in.

I did jump in the quarry via rope. It stung my hands, so I only did it once.

The stone from this quarry was used to build the Fairlawn Mansion in Superior.

Afterward we found the meadow where the quarry's loading yard used to be.

We just hung out there like hippie children for awhile then moved on.

We gandered upon more waterfalls then called it a day.

Open House Duluth

2013-02-20T12:29:00.003-06:00

On Valentine's day me along with a small group of people broke into a foreclosed home. We hosted a soup dinner and invited the community over for conversation about housing in Duluth.

The house has been empty for four years. The previous occupants still owned the house for the time being, so they gave us permission to be there.

The house soon filled with 100+ people attending the event.

It was a great night. We sparked a lot of talk in the community. Some future steps to take can be:

-Ask the city to use eminent domain to claim empty houses to add to the affordable housing stock.

-Call for a city-wide review of Duluth's housing stock.

-Have the City of Duluth declare that housing is a human right.

Slide Experiments

2012-12-22T10:37:00.001-06:00

I found a slide projector in my attic, so I started playing with it.

Then I started projecting it onto paintings.

Bang!

2012-12-04T15:06:00.003-06:00

Aurora Borealis

2012-07-15T11:13:00.002-05:00

At work a coworker was talking about how the northern lights were going to be out that night and how they wanted to drive out to the country. Realizing that I didn't have to work the next day I decided to join in to the late-night adventure.

The aurora forecast seemed decent, and the weather was perfect.

At about 11:30 we drove around the country and eventually found a clearing where we could see the sky.

It was super trippy. And the strength of this aurora was only a five out of nine.

Fishing

2012-07-12T19:04:00.000-05:00

As I got into the summer swing, I realized that summer isn't ever complete without fishing. Also since I live in northern Minnesota I figured that I should take advantage of my geographical location. I bought a license(I didn't need a MN drivers license since I'm under 21.) I also wanted my mom to mail my fishing pole from my cottage, but knowing my mother I figured that it won't happen anytime soon if ever. So I bought a sweet (and cheap) fishing pole at an antique store and some tackle from a nearby bait shop. Then after dinner I walked to Hartley Pond.

It was a perfect evening for it.

This is my sweet pole.

Just about everything I was catching was tiny catfish and bluegills. But I did catch a couple of small perch as well.

After a few hours I called it quits; mostly because walking through the woods at night without a flashlight is difficult.

Here's a short vid I made showing the sunset.

I also used my birthday money(that I didn't spend on food and gas) on this sweet knife. A local sells it in his bead shop.

It was made in Finland and made with reindeer antler.

Here come the bloody part...

I haven't filleted a fish in about five years, so I kinda sucked at it. Even back then I wasn't too great.

Now this is where I tell you that I am reintroducing fish into my diet, but with some conditions: I will only eat fish that I caught myself or was given/served by whoever caught it. So don't expect me getting shrimp at the grocery store or ordering salmon at a restaurant. I did eat fish for about half of my time as a vegetarian, so this isn't anything big.

Now if I could actually fillet a fish there would be only four pieces. But at least there weren't any bones. Nonetheless it was delicious. It wasn't very filling, but it's okay since it was second dinner.

The Duluth Deluge

2012-06-20T21:41:00.004-05:00

I was dreaming that it was snowing, everyone in Duluth was in awe as well as in distress at the extreme weather. But then I awoke. It was about 9:15 am. I checked facebook to find everyone talking about animals escaping from the zoo. Upon reading my email I discover that there is flooding in Duluth. First thing I thought about was Chester Creek. I immediately grabbed my camera then ran outside without changing clothes nor putting on shoes.

After getting at the bottom of the ravine in my backyard this is what I found. Chester Creek had become Chester River.

There's no hiking on the SHT today.

But the really scary part was that there were landslides along the creek. This one got so close to this person's house.

The stone stairs were also a waterfall.

What was usually this:

Was this:

And what was usually this:

Was this:

It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen. While I was taking photos it started down pouring and thunder storming. So I headed home for refuge. Afterward Tyler R. told me he wanted to walk around and check out the flood, so I headed back out.

Chester Creek again.

The retaining wall for Whole Food's parking lot had collapsed.

Some people pay a lot of money to have waterfall landscaping.

Off course no flood is complete without having cars fall into sinkholes.

The steam was going crazy also.

Amy wanted her picture taken next to the exploding storm drain.

Well maybe Chip Cravaack will finally give us the infrastructure funding we have been trying to get for so long.

This flood had also gave rise to flood related internet memes. Here are some of my favorites:

I'm a Tourist Too

2012-06-17T22:31:00.000-05:00

Since I work in the tourism industry I got a bunch of free passes to different attractions in Duluth. My sister Brooke came up for a day so that we could go be tourists.

First we went on the Lake Superior and Mississippi Railroad to go for a train ride. This was the only tourist attraction I've had never heard of prior to this summer. It was really neat as not many people go on it as it is slightly off the radar of the standard tourist.

The train ride starts in West Duluth. Then it rides along the western shore of the St. Louis River to New Duluth. And finally it returns to West Duluth.

Brooke made a friend.

This is a short video of the 1940's engine during the switch over.

"Come ride us!"

You can see here in this photo that I did enjoy the ride very much.

After the train ride I took Brooke to Glensheen to show her around the mansion. We also had lunch in the formal gardens.

Despite the fact that I work here, I realized that I never photographed the house. So I made sure I took one.

Next we decided to go on a cruise. Of course we went on the Vista Fleet.

I took more than two pictures, but seeing how this blog has an overabundant number of pictures of the Aerial Lift Bridge, Lake Superior, and downtown Duluth, I decided to not post them.

But wait, there's more:

Finally we toured the William A. Irvin: the former flagship of the U.S. Steel Corporation.

The engine room.

This was the dining room for guests on the ship.

I could have played this up more.

The guests' cabins had these awesome great lake lamps.

And finally this is in the hull.

The Vista Fleet gave us coupon books and one coupon was a buy-one-get-one-half-off sandwiches at Amazing Grace. So we of course ate there before Brooke went home.

Climbing Ely's Peak

2012-06-04T20:11:00.000-05:00

Today I had the day off, so I decided to climb Ely's Peak. At roughly 1,250 feet, Ely's Peak is a peak in the Sawtooth Mountains(the ridge that Duluth is built on and which extends along the North Shore.) It was also a sacred place for the Anishinaabe being a place of vision quests and rites of passage. Here boys would climb to the top with no food or water and lay on a rock. After several days the boy would have his vision quest. He would then climb back down as a man.

I parked my car in Fond du Lac(which was once the location of an Anishinaabe village and is today Duluth's westernmost neighborhood) and started the ascend.

I climbed the peak via the Superior Hiking Trail. My goal is to someday hike the entire SHT.

A cool bridge crossing a creek.

Found some wild roses.

After climbing a hundred feet or so was able to see the peak.

A muskrat or something.

Wild strawberries: while they weren't entirely ripe, they were still delicious.

Almost to the top.

And finally I reached the top.

A view of Spirit Island from Ely's Peak. Someday I want to canoe here. Spirit Island is also a really sacred place in Anishinaabe culture; probably more so than anything else in Duluth. According to the Migration Story, Spirit Island was the sixth and second last stop of the great migration of the Anishinaabe who came from the East Coast. The seventh and final stop was Madeline Island in the Apostles as it was the place where food grew on water: aka manoomin(wild rice.)

More landscapes

I also heard that there was an abandoned train tunnel that goes under Ely's Peak. After following some unmarked trails I finally found it. This tunnel was used by the Duluth-Winnipeg-Pacific Railroad. DWP is now a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway.

The middle of the tunnel was hazardous. It was pitch black and parts of the tunnel had collapsed, so I had to use my auto-focas light as a flashlight.

Next time I am bringing a flashlight and a hot shoe flash.

After the hike I was exhausted. So I stopped at Duluth's best (and possibly only?) real drive-in: A & Dubs. I needed some energy dense food, so I got onion rings and a strawberry milkshake.

Moving Day

2012-06-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

First of all I should note that I got my new camera, so now posts should appear more frequently.

BEFORE:

I've been living in my tent for the past few weeks. While I am moving out, I am still keeping my tent up because i'll still be camping out on the weekends.

But I must say, the view from my rooftop campsite was quite phenomenal.

AFTER:

This is the house I am living in for the summer. I was originally going to permanently rent the basement, but missed my chance. So I have sublease for the summer instead.

The bathroom has its own balcony. Apparently this is an architectural feature common in Duluth. Probably a Scandinavian thing.

Also if you enter the house through the patio doors you may die. I think the "and/or" is unnecessary. One would assume that you would lose your skiing privileges if you were dead.

And finally this little yellow room is mine for the summer.

(Rooftop) Urban Camping

2012-05-18T20:04:00.002-05:00

"Oh, I'm a happy camper,

I love the summer sun,

I love the trees and forest,

I'm always having fun....

Oooohhh, I'm a happy camper

I love the clear blue sky,

And with the grace of God,

I will camp until I die."

No camera = no posts. We apologized for the inconvenience.

Magic Smelt Earth Day Celebration

2012-04-22T22:46:00.001-05:00

For Earth Day there was a second line parade called "Run, Smelt, Run!" It was organized by Duluth's Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe.

The event started at Canal Park with a mini puppet show.

The music was performed by the Brass Messengers.

"WTF?" -Tourists

After the puppet show there was a second line parade that marched up the Lakewalk to downtown.

A giant red carrot-thing.

The parade ended at the Zeitgeist Arts Cafe where there was a mini party out front followed by a smelt fry inside.

I definitely got my dance on today.

Tax Day Rally to Support the Buffett Rule

2012-04-17T22:13:00.001-05:00

Take Action Minnesota organized a march and rally on Tax Day to try to pressure our congressmen, Chip Cravaack(R), to support the Buffett Rule. In case you don't pay attention to the nation's political ongoings, the Buffett Rule is a proposed bill to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Americans so that they pay at least of what the middle class pay(currently the effective tax rate for many of the wealthy is lower than what the middle class and poor pay.)

We marched from the Rainbow Center, down to Superior Street, then up to the Civic Center.

The march went to the Federal Building(where Cravaack's office is) to have a little rally.

There were over 50 people rallying for the Buffet Rule. The rally was greeted by 5 or 6 Tea Partiers who brought their giant "Cravaack for Congress" signs, and were using the signs to try to block out the rally from the media. They do this for everything.

This final image is of a Take Action MN sticker that somebody put on a Cravaack sign. The Tea Partier holding the sign never noticed the sticker.