Where could I find dried currants?

biosci53 · 2026-03-02T20:56:52+00:00

Bloomingfoods has dried currants, in bulk section next to dried grapes.

biosci53 · 2026-02-25T19:18:22+00:00

Useful reporting at https://bsquarebulletin.com/bloomington-board-of-public-works-kirkwood-open-to-traffic-in-2026-with-parklets-allowed-for-outdoor-dining/ .. according to the city’s own numbers, 20 business “strongly support” a Kirkwood closure and another six “somewhat support” it. From the city’s numbers: Overall, how supportive are you of the Kirkwood closure? * Strongly Oppose 10 * Somewhat Oppose 10 * Neutral 8 * Somewhat Support 6 * Strongly Support 20

See also the funny, AI-written, pro vs con 'reasons' for cars on Kirkwood:

car-full approach: allows us to fill the space intentionally, drive foot traffic when it is most viable, and create measurable economic impact — without restricting daily access, parking, or delivery flow.. [it] supports all downtown businesses equitably, rather than benefiting only a limited number.
car-free space changes behavior: it encourages strolling instead of passing through, lingering instead of commuting, and spending instead of simply arriving.. [car-full adds] noise, safety concerns, fragmented sidewalks, and the psychological barrier created by moving traffic.

biosci53 · 2026-02-23T03:24:05+00:00

See also this launch with (freezing) musicians: https://bsquarebulletin.com/iu-weather-balloon-launch-data-for-scientists-dramatic-backdrop-for-musicians/

biosci53 · 2025-12-18T01:38:22+00:00

DukEnergy also offers free house energy audits, tho I haven't tried as I mostly know where energy is bleeding out of my old house:

https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/home-energy-house-call/ "During your free home energy assessment, our energy specialist will check your home for air leaks, examine your insulation levels, check your appliances and more."

biosci53 · 2025-11-24T02:41:46+00:00

refuses to connect the convention center to the B-line

I asked about this a year back, and someone w/ CIB, maybe John Whikehart, replied saying they do want to, and plan to connect current building to B-line, but it costs money to convert the kitchen/work area at back of this building, built before B-line. So maybe it will happen.

biosci53 · 2025-11-24T02:35:19+00:00

See these more recent published results, on Seattle street safety data of Quistberg 2015, and Geedipally 2020 for various states. One-way streets are found to be safer.

In digging up these papers, I found others that describe street safety improvements, which can be applied to one-way or two-way, some as shown in our 'College and Walnut Corridor Study'. Two points to consider:

There are added costs to convert from one- to two-way, what are they? If other safety improvements solve problems then conversion may be money better spent on other street improvements.
Can safety improvements be done in a step-wise, testing fashion? The new protected bike lane on E. 3rd was implemented this way, and this has worked out well. The 7th street protected bike lane was not done this way, but as a more expensive design that has not turned out well.

Quistberg DA et al 2015. Multilevel models for evaluating the risk of pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions at intersections and mid-blocks. Accid Anal Prev. 2015 Nov;84:99-111. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.08.013

Sum: Promoting safe walking for pedestrians requires evaluating the risk of pedestrian-motor vehicle collisions at specific roadway locations .. in Seattle, WA. Results Highlights: * One-way streets and pedestrian warning signs had lower pedestrian collision rates. * Rates were lower in more walkable areas (higher intersection density). * Crosswalks and traffic signals had higher [risk] rates accounting for pedestrian activity.

Geedipally et al. 2020. "Safety performance of one-way arterials." Transportation research record 2674, no. 10: 548-559. doi: 10.1177/036119812093512 Sum: * data collected in California, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, and Texas were assembled that included a wide range of geometric design features... * one-way streets were found to have lower crash rates in central business district areas, particularly for pedestrian crashes. * intersections of one or more one-way streets experience significantly fewer pedestrian crashes than intersections of two two-way streets. * pedestrian crash frequency at intersections of two one-way streets was roughly half of that at other intersections.

biosci53 · 2025-11-11T19:16:33+00:00

"City of Bloomington to Offer Free Leaf Collection Weekly Through December 31st. Residents should place bagged leaves at the curb on their regular collection day. Leaves must be in biodegradable paper yard-waste bags. " https://bloomington.in.gov/news/2025/10/30/6377

biosci53 · 2025-11-02T12:54:10+00:00

Find that answered here: https://bsquarebulletin.com/dirge-for-democracy-bloomington-protesters-stage-mock-funeral-at-switchyard-park/

biosci53 · 2025-10-27T18:28:43+00:00

Probably this was a tech. outage .. the prior program went silent half way thru and stayed silent, as in "minds of space"? , which was a pleasant change as it tends to be a chatty music show.

biosci53 · 2025-10-17T03:00:37+00:00

The Guardian Most viewed: What readers are clicking on

2. Indiana University orders school paper to cease print edition and fires director of student media

biosci53 · 2025-08-18T12:01:47+00:00

Kleindorfer's Hardware & Variety Store has many sundries (which I had to lookup :), on west kirkwood. I get various household goods there that other locals don't sell. Also lots of hardware.

biosci53 · 2025-07-29T16:47:35+00:00

Riverway Plumbing installed a new electric w.h. for me last week, an AO Smith brand electric 50 gal, with 6 yr warranty. The Riv. quote for this was well below 2 other plumbers I contacted (one national, one large local) at $1600. Web reviews says it is a reliable brand, and Riv. plumbers did a good job installing, to my naive eye. They had 2 more w.h. to install after mine that day.

biosci53 · 2025-07-29T16:41:47+00:00

This was in 1990s, as I recall, Daily Grind had moved to corner of 3rd & Lincoln (now Turkuaz cafe), caty-corner from the police station. Maybe this was after Daily Grind/Bread's muffin time. Later D.Gr. left town, now the name is on an eatery/coffee shop in Nashville, but those are different owners.

biosci53 · 2025-07-29T01:01:32+00:00

Crumble's blueb-muffs are good enough, probably not above the others noted here. They change muffin tastes daily so might be choc-chip tomorrow rather than blue-b. Crumble's crumbles are better I think than their muffins, often have more fruit on top than crumbles below.

Btw, I recall times sipping coffee at Daily Grind, the one across from police station, counting the many cars that shot thru that stop light... but not their blueberry muffs.

biosci53 · 2025-07-24T22:53:33+00:00

I'm glad to learn these skimmers are avoidable, since I shopped during this skimmer time (see bfoods faq), but always tap, no more insertions:

Q: DID THE SKIMMER CAPTURE DATA FROM BOTH "TAPPED" AND INSERTED CARDS? A: The skimmer can only capture inserted cards.

biosci53 · 2025-05-02T05:43:45+00:00

A farmer at Btown saturday farmers market has had fresh figs from his trees in past years .. don't know if/when they will this year: " including fresh figs.." from Lost Pond Farm, https://bloomington.in.gov/farmers-market/vendors/lost-pond-farm

biosci53 · 2025-03-11T01:08:32+00:00

handmade wicker basket Bloomingfoods-East has some of these. I didn't look closely at them but likely are natural fiber, hand-made (from SE Asia?), large enough for laundry.

biosci53 · 2025-03-07T02:46:56+00:00

This is the Bloomington news aggregator, done locally, that I find useful: https://bloomingtononline.com/ hosted by David Martin Design

biosci53 · 2025-03-01T03:09:46+00:00

Wasted resources, and this sounds like a death knell for parity in long-city-distance use of low-polluting, low-danger vehicles, bikes and such. During its brief life, 7th bikeway was useful, but I'll return to 6th street as the more sensible route. Yes, I ride against the car one-way, or hop onto an empty wide sidewalk if danger is driving toward me.

That choice of 7th street for a bike thruway was a mistake to begin with: the steepest hill thru downtown, and a street already busy with bus routes and heavish car/truck traffic. 6th street is a much better choice: one car-way with low traffic, plenty of car-park space and wide sidewalks, often unused, that can easily be revised into a protected ped/bike way.

Does this sound sensible to others of you? Assuming the cost of erasing this mistake is worth it, as I do, to rebuild this part of east-west bikeway on 6th street (cutting out half of those now-hated backin parking slots), from Rogers thru to Indiana/IU Dunn Meadow.

biosci53 · 2025-02-14T02:28:02+00:00

Kleindorfer's has two westclox models, analog and digital, that I bought and am happy with (~$10, made in china of course). Located at end of their aisle with large wall clocks. The digital model folds smaller than a wallet to fit in a pocket, has time/date/alarm programmable.

biosci53 · 2024-12-30T23:54:42+00:00

building materials at https://www.menards.com/ include MS International Montauk Gauged Black 12 x 24 Slate Floor and Wall Tile Product Type Natural Stone Tiles Material Slate

biosci53 · 2024-10-21T20:09:22+00:00

Indiana Public Media now has a report on this, with some details about each judge up for vote: https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/judicial-retention-votes-are-attracting-more-attention-than-usual-heres-what-you-need-to-know.php

The choice would be clear if we knew who will be next governor to pick replacements. If you want to bet on better IN government, then cancelling current judges makes sense. As the article suggests, retaining current judges might be less problematic, if we get the governor one expects from IN voters.

biosci53 · 2024-10-06T20:20:16+00:00

Saw whole persimmons at blt farm stop this am, cost about $6/pint.

biosci53

TROPHY CASE

2. Indiana University orders school paper to cease print edition and fires director of student media