Google is planning to test ultra-high speed broadband networks and is considering Duluth as a trial location, among others across the country.

Google Fiber, so you’re considering a move to Duluth…? Join the club. In 1982 I first came to visit. Then after a decade-long love affair with the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) to the North, I finally made it here in 95’ and never left. Our office to this day is in famed Canal Park. Many of us here have similar stories of falling in love with Duluth and moving here.

Google, over the coming days, we’ll be sharing aspects of our community and why aimClear, an internationally known search marketing agency & many other tech companies, thrive here.  57% of aimClear’s employees were either born in the Duluth/Superior area and/or are a product of University of Minnesota, Duluth or University if Wisconsin, Superior.  Today’s Part 1 shares some background, pictures from our friend Dennis O’Hara & a free music download of one of my songs-deeply inspired by Lake Superior.

I was but in my early 20’s when I first discovered this unique region. So much about Duluth, Minnesota was utterly compelling to me. Having grown up in Boston, summered on Nantucket, frequented trails in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire’s White Mountains, Duluth was like coming home without having ever been. Dude, I could not believe it was Minnesota!

A Vast Inland Sea
Lake Superior is AWESOME.  I was no stranger to the sea’s spectacular grandeur or intense weather for that matter.

Not to worry… the Souls are hardy here, born of Northern European Immigrants. The ore that powered America’s industrial revolution was sent by train from the great Mesabi Range, loaded onto boats in Duluth Harbor and sent to Detroit. Now, taconite pellets have been replaced by high tech and tourism.

Duluth is a perfectly placed digital port of call.

Duluth is a world-class pristine wilderness port-city gateway. For generations ships of many shapes, sizes and purposes crossed under our great areal lift bridge.  From the Saint Lawrence Seaway Greek, Turkish, Italian and vessels from the farthest waters make their way here.  Google Fiber, it’s awesome here in Duluth.

Now Here’s the Song
Portage to Heaven | Seafarer’s Way .mp3
I recorded this song with some friends in my living room-of-the-day, in a house dug out of the dunes on Park Point, the largest freshwater sandbar in the world. Lake Superior was placid, as the sun set across the rolling dunes on Lake Superior.  Anchored ships on the horizon kissed the sun’s final reflections goodnight.

I was thinking about the mystical nature of Duluth, this gateway to the Boundary Waters & canoeing “up north” with my sweet daughters. It was late summer 1998. We hope you enjoy my song,  Portage to Heaven.

Duluth Pictures: Dennis O’hara NortherImages.com, Copyright, used by permission.

Canoe Picture: Sylvie Weintraub

Music: “Portage to Heaven,” Marty Weintraub

photo credit: pmarkham

All good things get better! aimClear has exited  those architecturally picturesque halls of Duluth’s historic Carnegie Building and “moved on up” to  loft-style grandeur, third floor corner suite offices in the iconic Paulucci Building.  We’re pleased to announce that we’ve relocated to Duluth’s famed Canal Park.  This space doubles the ol’ dig’s square footage, along with an immeasurable upgrade in scenery.

Overlooking our building and filling my window is Duluth’s historic Aerial Lift Bridge.   All day, sounds and sights of the World Wide Web inside converge with  harbor ambiance.  The bridge goes up and down while honking at passing ships from around the world. Manny just took this picture out my office window.

The Paulucci Building, named after legendary entrepreneur Jeno  F. Paulucci  sits in the heart of Duluth’s lakefront and is literally the last building before the Ariel Lift Bridge, timeless passageway to the beaches of  Minnesota Point AKA Park Point and the world.  Mr. Paulucci owns this building and is famous for starting over seventy companies during his long career including Chun King,  Jeno’s Pizza Rolls, and Michelina’s.

Peer out a different window and be graced by a view of the largest of the great lakes, Lake Superior.  The power of the lake makes itself known on days white caps threaten to overtake everything in their path.  Other days, step outside and lunch becomes a peaceful, zen experience walking or sitting along a lakewalk that spans over 3 miles and takes you up the rocky shores of the lake. With sounds of Bob Dylan inside and Seagulls outside, aimClear staff experiences the magnificence of Duluth every day.  Richard Bach eat your heart out.

Nostalgically, our airy space is reminiscent of the 1920s with one open corner dedicated to Marty’s baby Grand piano (one of his favorites).  The recording studio is under construction and expected to come on line next week.

Add some Far Niente Cab’ and mood lighting to be instantly   transported to a lakeside lounge scene that rivals the days of the Velvet Fog.

We hope you’ll drop us a line any time you visit Duluth, Minnesota.  You know where to find us: last door on the right before you go over the bridge .

Happy Thanksgiving morning from snowy Duluth, Minnesota.  Greetings to our search marketing friends.

The sun is barely risen, looming golden on the distant Lake Superior horizon. Steam wafts off the harbor, for temperature differential between warm water and frigid air. The contrast is stark and representative of our world, terribly conflicted in awesome beauty and terror.

Things are so very different in Mumbai this morning and we pray for our human brethren. Gratitude should be easy to come by readers. As of now 101 are dead and 314 wounded in India, lives snuffed out prematurely in horrible fireballs and cacophonous gunfire.

Gratitude, Contrast & Thanksgiving
This morning my children sleep in blessed peace and will awaken to feasting, the circle of love and family. Meanwhile all over the world, families grieve the inconceivable loss of precious loved ones. Somehow I am safe and warm, cloistered in our Northern Minnesota outpost city. Yet on every continent, bloody confrontations destroy entire generations of human lineage, one person at a time.

Thank you for the gift of relative peace here, on this traditional day of  family and banquets. Godspeed to those around the world who know not the serenity we treasure. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, from the entire aimClear family.

What is projected to be a massive 3-day spring blizzard is now affecting Internet access and power to the City of Duluth, Minnesota (aimClear’s home). At least one large regional ISP has been taken down by the outage which is city and region-wide.

Over 10,000 electric customers and thousands of Internet users (including websites) are without service at this time. Weather conditions are so serious that one ISP, with over 20,000 customers, was down for over an hour in the pre-dawn light whilst crews hacked accumulated ice from an outdoor generator enclosure for proper exhausting.

The blizzard continues to rage with wind gusts of 50-55 MPH, restricted visibility down to a 1/8 mile and violent thunderstorm cells moving through the area. Lightning is flashing outside intermittently. At this writing city plows have been pulled from the road due to extreme conditions. There is no power or Internet to my home and we have personal Internet access only because Sprint is still providing EVDO service at this time. At least one television station has been knocked off the air.

aimClear will keep clients informed to the extent that my laptop batteries and then Blackberry will sustain communication. Clients expecting to meet with me in Minneapolis today: I will not be making the trip until the roads are passable and power/Internet is restored here.

After the present-day Duluth library was built on Superior St. downtown, The Carnegie Building barely avoided demolition in the late 1970’s. Then, concerned Duluth preservationist instigated a coordinated lobbying effort to save the landmark. The building was neglected and fell into a state of crumbled disrepair.

Following a large private investment, the building, beloved by generations of Duluthians, was placed on the National Register of Historic places and distinctive offices were created while preserving the structure’s historic character.

If you’re ever in Duluth, Minnesota please stop in for a cup of cappuccino, Cabernet, or an air hockey game…or 2…or 3 Our whole staff wishes to thank John Goldfine (and ZMC’s entire crew) for graciously hosting our company through exponential growth in the Palucci Building complex for all of 2007. We’ll miss you guys.

There’s a tremendous amount of buzz about search marketing in the hallowed halls of academia. Today aimClear will speak to students who are engaged, as part of their business education, in consulting with seven different regional businesses (CED clients) in the area of marketing-communications campaign development.

We’re honored for the opportunity to give back to the Duluth and Northern Minnesota regions.

Our founding office is in Duluth, Minnesota’s Canal Park. Duluth is a wonderful place to live and work. Biking trails, boutique restaurant offerings, Lake Superior kayaking, rock climbing and (oh yes) we’re just steps away from Lake Superior. Duluth is a world class city gateway to the Northwoods and a sparkling jewel.

DuluthGuide reports that Outside Magazine has ranked Duluth Minnesota (aimClear’s hometown) as one of the Best Towns in America to live in for “fitness, and fun packed adventure. “ Also making this prestigious index are Santa Cruz, California, Jackson, Wyoming, Iowa City, Iowa, Bend, Oregon, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Asheville, North Carolina, Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont.

A favorite summer holiday pastime in Duluth, Minnesota is watching grand fireworks over Lake Superior. We’re out of the office until Thursday morning, intent on trading analytics for corn on the cob and conference calls for the sandy beaches of Duluth’s Park Point. Tomorrow is the day when each year we celebrate America. We keep in mind those who are and who have sacrificed to keep this country free. God bless America.