As Others See Us
It's always fun to see how people from The Great Outside perceive little old Bend, Ory-gun, so The Eye decided to pass on some observations made by blogger Jim Tankersley of the Baltimore Sun, who was here to cover Barack Obama's appearance on May 10:
A Pat on the Back for Anti-Resort Vote
The Oregonian’s editorial board handed some praise to Crook County citizens this morning for voting to put the brakes on more destination resorts.
So Now We’re “The New Boulder”
There they go again: USA Today has published another Chamber-of-Commerce-style puff piece on Bend, touting it as "the new Boulder."
Westlund Ups the Debate Ante
On Wednesday morning, Republican state treasurer candidate Allen Alley challenged Democratic nominee Ben Westlund to a series of five debates. On Wednesday afternoon, Westlund called Alley's bet and raised him by five.
A Political Smackdown for Destination Resorts
It's not clear what the legal effect of Crook County's overwhelming vote against destination resorts will be, but it might make public officials all over Central Oregon want to hesitate before throwing open the gates for more of them.
Cat Scratch Fever
Letter of the Week Jim Anderson (tSW 5/22) has a long list of reasons to be alarmed about the killing of indigenous animals by non-indigenous cats, but he ignores one very critical fact. Countless indigenous populations have been decimated not by cats, but by non-indigenous humans who have irreparably altered or destroyed their natural habitats,…
Westlund’s Opponent Issues Debate Challenge
Republican business executive Allen Alley threw down the gauntlet to Ben Westlund today, challenging his rival for the state treasurer's job to a series of debates.
Liner Notes: Don’t Skip the Openers
Did someone say old timey? the decembErists join death cab on Saturday’s lsa bill. This weekend is one of the biggest ever for the Les Schwab Amphitheater, which is hosting what we could fairly call Sasquatch Jr. or perhaps Baby Sasquatch, or maybe Oregon-quatch - take your pick. Any way you split it, we're basically…
Across the Earth: Lahiri’s new collection of stories spans the globe
Toward the end of Jhumpa Lahiri's mournful, deeply satisfying new collection of stories, two Bengali lovers visit a museum in an Italian town founded by Etruscans. There, amidst dusty sarcophagi, they discover shelves lined with terra-cotta urns depicting the journey the Etruscans made to this landscape - a landscape since claimed and reclaimed by several…
Killer cat strikes again!: High Desert Museum turns a blind eye to cat menace
Nothing is safe when an outdoor cat is on the prowl. Last week I gave the High Desert Museum the glad hand for the many things they are doing to further conservation of our natural and cultural resources. The principal subject was the excellent work they are doing with spotted owl reproduction with captive owls.…
Hot & Fast: The 2008 edition of the PPP proves scorching, while two skiers take Europe by storm
shortly after landing in their invisible jet. Pole Pedal Paddle "It's hot, it's damn hot!" This classic line from O Brother, Where Art Thou must have played over and over again in the minds of many of the PPP racers on Saturday. Scorching temperatures reaching up into the 90s made for one of the…
Kill ‘Em All: Grand Theft Auto makes its triumphant return
American gangsta.When stores open at midnight on the day of a game’s release, you know it's big. Grand Theft Auto (GTA) IV is the first installment in the popular series designed for the latest game systems. The Grand Theft Auto series was the first notable game outside of the RPG genre to introduce open…
The Spell is Gone: Flying griffins and fearless mice can’t redeem Prince Caspian
Wait a minute, you’re not frodo. As a fan of the C.S. Lewis book series, The Chronicles of Narnia, in which fantasy and adventure are underlain with greater conflicts, I truly wanted to fall under the spell of the second installment of its film franchise, Prince Caspian. Ten minutes into it, when the four Pevensie…
Forever Young: You’ve never been rocked until you’ve been rocked by senior citizens
something about a whipper snapper. I defy anyone to not like this movie. Young at Heart will run your emotions through the gamut of joy, sorrow, anticipation and hilarity with affirmations of life, death and yes, even sex…you get it all. This documentary is about the "Young at Heart" senior citizens chorus whose average…
Bucking the “Kid-Friendly” Restaurant Trend
I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason…
Bucking the “Kid-Friendly” Restaurant Trend
I have often wondered why, in a society of parents who are wait-listing their barely conceived children at private schools and enrolling toddlers in immersion language schools and advanced tap dancing, that we so neglect the education of the palette. America is fostering a culinary culture unmatched in our history and there is no reason…
Not Your Everyday Buffet: Cramming your plate at Taj Palace dinner buffet
Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I’ll admit that I’ve never…
Not Your Everyday Buffet: Cramming your plate at Taj Palace dinner buffet
Burgers and Fries beware. We’ve got ethnic, buffet style. Since its opening, Taj Palace has stood out as the ONLY Indian eatery in town, but it also happens to produce some of the best Sag Paneer (spinach and cheese cubes in a spiced cream sauce) this side of New Delhi. I'll admit that I've never…
Holy Crap! Death Cab For Cutie Talked To Us!: Our fifteen minutes with Chris Walla
What? We can’t find thick-rimmed glasses for all four of these guys?Chris Walla isn't merely a guitarist and songwriter in one of the most successful "indie" rock bands of all time, his solo career and record producing acclaim (Tegan and Sara, the Decemberists) have also transformed him into a major player in the Northwest music…
A Real Political Party: Michael Franti & Spearhead balance activism and music
Guess which one of these guys isn’t a member of the Shoe Club for Men.It's cutting late into a Friday afternoon in early May and Michael Franti is preparing to skip halfway around the world to Europe in only a matter of hours. The purpose: promote the forthcoming Michael Franti & Spearhead record, All Rebel…
Our Picks for the Week of 5/22-5/29
Prince vs. Michael thursday 22 The San Franciscan DJs of Bombhiphop return with the quintessential 80s showdown party, pitting The Purple One against the King of Pop in a turntable death match. Get your white glove on one hand and the skin-tight one-piece on your body, and you'll be all good. 9:30pm-2:30am. $5. Summit Saloon…
This Road is History: Obscure wagon road may be the wrench in federal-state land deal
Hatchet marks serve as historical reminders.The march of time has erased most of the Huntington Wagon Road. The shifting desert sand has long since filled in the wagon ruts. The few artifacts left behind by travelers on this early north-south route through Oregon are now encased behind museum glass at the Des Chutes Historical Center.…
Destination Resort Reforms
In the beginning - actually in 1969 - there was Sunriver, and a couple of years later there was Black Butte Ranch. And Sunriver and Black Butte Ranch attracted thousands of tourists, and that created jobs and brought millions of dollars into Central Oregon, and that was very good. And when the Oregon Legislature looked…
Dog Owners Have Rights
Letter of the Week
I know just how Mr. Orr feels about dogs in Sawyer Park because I feel the same way about kids. Children demand so many things these days: swing sets and slides; basketball and tennis courts; baseball and soccer fields; running tracks and pools; even skate parks. When I was growing…
Out With The Truth
Cognitive dissonance can be defined as an irresolvable conflict between what we hold (or wish) to be true and what we know to be true. There is an old saying that one should never discuss religion or politics. Perhaps this is because these subjects conjure up large amounts of cognitive dissonance. People hold that their…
The Hatchet Falls At Mt. B.: POWDR Corp clears house
A Dump of Snow Can’t fix EverythingJust days after the end of an embattled season that saw near record snowfall but a dip in visitors at Mt. Bachelor, the brass at POWDR Corp. is apparently clearing house in Bend. A tipster told Upfront that several front office folks at Mt. Bachelor got their walking papers…
Time For Badlands Wilderness Is Now
As a little girl growing up in the desert east of Bend, nothing escaped my inquisitive eye. Everything from the blue summer sky to the warm sand under my bare feet, each unique attribute of my desert world, was observed, touched, smelled, heard, and occasionally tasted. My childhood memories are speckled with the scent of…
Oregon Gives Obama a Blue-Collar Boost
Barack Obama's decisive 16-percentage-point victory in the Oregon primary gave him a majority of the pledged delegates at the upcoming Democratic convention, but its big significance might have been in showing that he can appeal to white working-class voters.
