Down a Kronkman: Vester Leaves the Kronkmen
The word has slowly spread through the local music scene over the past couple of days, but the Blender got official confirmation today that Tim Vester, front man of raucous punk rockers the Kronkmen, has left the band.
After a nine-year run with the Kronkmen and countless local and out-of-the-area shows, Vester decided over…
File Under: NOW They Tell Us
The current issue of Business Week has a fascinating story headlined, "Once booming, Bend, Oregon tumbles." It runs through the all-too-familiar litany of woes: home sales and prices tumbling, unemployment soaring, businesses closing.
Merkley Performs Surgery on GOP Wordsmith
Oregon's freshman senator, Jeff Merkley, has carved a couple of new orifices in Republican pollster and strategist Frank Luntz over Luntz's plan for derailing health care reform.
Our Endless Winters: What’s the Real Story?
Why does winter linger in Central Oregon like a particularly stubborn case of toenail fungus? Meteorologist Adam Clark of KOHD has the answer - sort of.
Whisnant: Ditch That Creaky State Song
Adopted in 1927, our official state song, "Oregon, My Oregon," is getting a little creaky, with lyrics about Oregon being "conquered and held by free men" and "blest by the blood of martyrs."
Video: Who knew swine flu could be this funny?
The Blender was forwarded this pretty damn funny video of public service announcements from the late 1970s about the dangers of swine flu. Our favorite line: "Dotty had a heart condition, so she died.
Too Big To Fail: After a big setback, questions about the salmon recovery plan
An artist's digital rendering of fish entering the control tower. Bill Bakke isn't exactly a celebrity. But if you fish in Oregon, particularly if you fly fish - which it seems everyone does these days- you owe him a debt of gratitude. A lifelong conservationist, Bakke is the man responsible for removing hatchery fish from…
Stiegler’s Concealed-Carry Compromise
Ever since Oregon's public records law was passed some 40 years ago, special interests have been nibbling holes in it. This week, with the help of Rep. Judy Stiegler of Bend, the legislature bit off another chunk.
Stiegler issued a press release on Monday talking about her role in the passage of HB 2727, a…
We Need More Ammo: Lead shortages, libraries, Jack Kemp sacked, and Souter
The author has been sent on the road to discover a lost country formerly known as America. He is reporting on hedge-funding the 'Green' movement, and stealing advertisers from the Boston Globe while on assignment for Or-Bust.com and The Source Weekly.
Never speak ill of the deadThankfully, Obama's Recession Hasn't Hurt Bush 107 days and…
The Torture Trade Off
This week's letter comes from Mike Caba who continues our ongoing dialogue over interrogation practices with a nice meditation on the moral perils of state-sponsored torture. Thanks for the letter, Mike. You can pick up your winnings, a pound of Strictly Organic Coffee, at our offices, 704 NW Georgia. With this business about torture our…
Going Backwards at BMPRD
The Bend Metro Parks and Recreation District has applicants for its summer programs in a bind suitable for Ken Kesey or Joseph Heller. We've tried to hack our way out only to be ensnared by the befuddling labyrinth of BMPRD's Dickensian circumlocution office. BMPRD plans to queue up all walk-in summer program applicants-seniors, other adults…
Dirt Bag Deal
Being a recovering climbing "dirt bag," I used to spend A LOT of nights out at Skull. Most of the people camping out there are climbers.
The American Taliban
I was so amused by Mr. Epstein's letter in Source (April 16) that at first I thought it intended to be satirical. It was such a perfect presentation of the usual non-sequiturs, pseudo-history, myth making, errors and canards of the loony Right, that I assumed it must have been written in jest. Its delivery, in…
Vintage Variety: The Taffetas rides into the 2nd Street on a wave of nostalgia
The best thing about the ’50s had to be the hair…or the fallout shelters.
Arrival time of intermission is the true test of any stage production. Either it can’t come fast enough as in, “Please, no more” or, if its expediency catches you completely by surprise, it either means you (A) fell asleep; (B) the…
A Spirit of Optimism: Auspicious beginnings for two great new events
Getting wild at the Wild Horse GamesThis past weekend, two passionate race directors brought innovative new events to Central Oregon at a time when entry fees are considered a luxury and sponsors are sparse. The auspicious debuts, however, of the King and Queen of the Cone and the Wild Horse Games were as sweet as…
Going Boldly: J. J. Abrams’ energetic Star Trek embraces some of its history, and throws some away
Call me elf ears one more time, Captain Jerk. You tell me, Trekkers and Trekkies: more than 40 years since its inception, what does the Star Trek "brand" mean, anyway?
Director J. J. Abrams has let it be known that he wasn't a huge fan of Star Trek before diving into this prequel re-launch of…
Slice and Dice: Rampaging Claw-man takes it to the lower level
Rule number 1: Never take wolverine to the spa. Wolverine is predisposed to make a ton of money ($87 million thus far), but it doesn't live up to expectations. Most of it feels like a big waste of cinema, wasting far too much time alluding to sequels and prequels. As a result, it doesn't stand…
Supremely Obscene
No one who’s ever seen the Mr. Boston’s bar guide could expect a bartender to know all of the drinks in it, particularly the more obscure.
Rediscovering Los Jalapeños: A hidden gem in plain sight
The sauteed fish tacos with camerones at Jalapenos. Tucked away on a stretch of Greenwood Avenue a few blocks west of Pilot Butte, Los Jalapeños is the kind of place that people like to think they “discovered.” This tiny taqueria housed in a small stucco yellow building with a shingled roof, red chimney, green doors…
Rediscovering Los Jalapeños: A hidden gem in plain sight
The sauteed fish tacos with camerones at Jalapenos. Tucked away on a stretch of Greenwood Avenue a few blocks west of Pilot Butte, Los Jalapeños is the kind of place that people like to think they "discovered." This tiny taqueria housed in a small stucco yellow building with a shingled roof, red chimney, green doors…
…Past Your Ears
Recordings you may have missed but need to hear Air Virgin Suicides (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Released February 2000
Virgin Suicides, the motion picture soundtrack to the Sofia Copola film by the French duo Air, is one of those recordings that can transport you to a magical place. The record is truly the soundtrack for…
On Stage: Gimme Mo’ Flowmotion
Something about that cloud is slightly troubling.It's been about nine months since they last dropped into Bend, but Seattle's Flowmotion is returning once again for another high-energy, multi-genre rock and roll explosion.
It's been fun to watch Flowmotion grow over the past two-plus years of playing in Bend. A jam-packed show at the Annex in…
Our Picks for the Week of 5/6 – 5/14
The Taffetas
through may 23
Flip to the Culture section to read a review of this play, set in the 1950s and centered on four singing sisters from Muncie, Indiana. Running Apr 30-May 23. Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8pm, Sunday matinees at 3pm. 2nd Street Theater, 220 NE Lafayette Ave. 312-9626. $20/adults, $18/students and seniors.…
The Swine Flu Threat Has Flown — Maybe
We're still keeping our fingers crossed, but it's beginning to look like the Great Swine Flu Pandemic is petering out.
