You may have already seen them: cyclocross people. There's a chance they are dressed in generally tight-fitting clothes and perhaps the men wear muttonchops and old-timey cycling hats and the occasional scarf and the women, well, they might look the same, save the muttonchops. Or, more likely, they look a lot like you or your neighbor.
Mike Bookey
Posted inOutside
A Thanksgiving Miracle! American Ninja Warrior vs. every other sport in the world
American Ninja Warrior is probably the greatest sport ever.
I gave thanks for many a sports blessing this past week, including the continuing mediocrity of the Miami Heat and the shanked Boise State field goals that once again made the world safe for big-money college football programs, but that's not what I'm most thankful for this year. Rather, I'm most thankful that there is something called American Ninja Warrior and that this is an actual televised athletic competition, not just the desired profession of second-grade boys everywhere.
Posted inNews
Green Business: In one week, Bend gets its first full time medical marijuana clinic and private cardholder club
Although Measure 74, a proposed law to create a state-regulated medical marijuana dispensary system, was voted down last month, the medical pot movement has been increasingly active in Bend.
Although Measure 74, a proposed law to create a state-regulated medical marijuana dispensary system, was voted down last month, the medical pot movement has been increasingly active in Bend. Just this week, a medical marijuana club and a full-time medical marijuana clinic opened here in town.
Central Oregon Alternative Therapy (COAT) is planning to open this week in a strip mall location at 2600 Division Street and will operate as a private medical marijuana club for cardholders only. COAT co-organizer Chris Smith described the operation as a “patient-to-patient” interface where cardholders will be on hand to distribute small amounts of medical marijuana in return for a donation. The club requires a paid membership and only members will be allowed to receive marijuana. This is the first organization of this kind in Deschutes County, but similar clubs exist in southern Oregon and the Portland area.
As of October 1, the Oregon Department of Human Services reported that there were 1,738 registered cardholders in Deschutes County, giving it one of the highest cardholder per capita ratios of any county in the state.
Posted inMusic
Jingle Banjos: Bela Fleck and the Flecktones arrive in Bend with holiday cheer
More than 20 years ago, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones started playing Christmas songs on their tours during the holiday season.
More than 20 years ago, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones started playing Christmas songs on their tours during the holiday season. It began with bassist Victor Wooten playing a tune solo and soon grew into the entire band rocking out a medley of holiday favorites.
Over the years, they'd continue to toss out a Christmas tune during the appropriate season, but over the course of the band's legendary run as one of the premiere instrumental acts in the world, the idea of holiday music has never been too far off the radar.
Posted inOutside
Sorry, Blazer Fans: An open letter from Greg Oden's knee
Last week, the Blazers announced that Greg Oden would undergo yet another microfracture surgery in an attempt to repair his left knee – the same knee that kept him out for most of last season – and will miss the remainder of the 2010-2011 campaign.
Last week, the Blazers announced that Greg Oden would undergo yet another microfracture surgery in an attempt to repair his left knee – the same knee that kept him out for most of last season – and will miss the remainder of the 2010-2011 campaign. With frustrated fans beginning to make Sam Bowie comparisons and all but giving up on the friendly giant, I figured I'd go straight to the source for a comment. And that's why I'll now provide you with an open letter from Greg Oden's knee.
Posted inMusic
Still Wearing White: The Parson Redheads picked Oregon over LA, and have no regrets
The Parson Redheads followed that formula after college. The band moved from Eugene down to L.A. with rock and roll dreams in tow and soon found themselves part of the burgeoning Silver Lake/Echo Park indie rock scene.
Bands are supposed to move to Los Angeles to make it big. Or else New York, specifically Brooklyn these days. For the past 50 years (and maybe longer), bands from across the country have packed up and headed to one corner of the country or the other in the hopes that the magnificent flying rock and roll unicorn swoops down and carries them off to stardom.
Posted inOutside
College Hoops All Night: Watching basketball in the middle of the night because ESPN told me to
ESPN’s Tip Off Marathon was an overboard treat for college basketball addicts.
It's almost two in the morning on Tuesday and what do you think I'm doing? Sleeping? Nope. First of all, how would I be writing this if I were sleeping? Jeez, get your head in the game, pal. No, I'm watching college basketball on live television between two teams about which I could care less. Did you know they have a Central Michigan University now?
Posted inMusic
As Loud as They Want to Be: The Ascetic Junkies prove that they can rock
Portland band The Ascetic Junkies have hit their stride with their new album.
Ascetic Junkies guitarist and co-vocalist Matt Harmon was riding a bike near his southeast Portland home when he noticed a piece of paper hanging from a tree. He couldn't quite read what was written on the page, but being the sort of curious individual who stops when he sees out-of-place items in trees, Harmon turned around and grabbed the paper. On it he found a crayon drawing featuring a bird flying out of the bottom of a cage. Then, there were the words “this cage has no bottom,” accompanied by an arrow pointing up at the tree.
Posted inMusic
The Return of Talib Kweli
For the most part, when a band or performer comes to Bend, there's talk of the show maybe for a few days, but then the chatter dies down and you don't hear anything about that act until they come back to town. But on occasion, there are shows that reverberate through the local music scene long after the band's tour bus has rumbled out of town.
Posted inNews
Internet Famous! Allie Brosh has made Hyperbole and a Half into one of the Web's most read and hilarious blogs
Allie Brosh has made her Hyperbole and a Half blog into one of the most ridiculously hilarious items on the Web.
Allie Brosh is sipping an IPA and taking the occasional bite of a cheeseburger as she gives a detailed treatise as to why she'll never be a real, actual adult, even though she's 25 years old. She says the pressures of real-world responsibilities like grocery shopping and replying to e-mail eventually give her reason to rebel, setting aside important tasks in favor of Internet surfing for days at a time. But if you read Brosh's outrageously popular blog, Hyperbole and a Half, you probably already knew this because she outlined it in one of her posts, complete with a diagram and the purposely goofy paintbrush illustrations that have become the hallmark of her style.
