Billy Bragg Coming to Bend on November 2
The latest addition to the already strong fall music lineup is the rabble rousing British punk/folk rocker Billy Bragg, who will play the Tower Theatre on November 2. This year, Bragg released Must I Paint You a Picture?, a collection of his greatest hits, a disc that should be required listening for the next generation…
Big, Big Sandwiches: A real live kosher deli in Bend with Letzer's!
Before I lived in Bend, I was living in New York. The Big Apple gave me an appreciation for many things: street art, the perfect music venue (Bowery Ballroom, the Mercury Lounge), well-run subway systems. But perhaps most importantly, New York instilled in me a love of kosher delis. Not just the perfectly sliced, flavorful…
Labor Day Reading
If you don’t have to labor on Labor Day, you probably should thank labor unions. Right-wingers in America today (which as a rule means Republicans) love to bash labor unions (or “union thugs,” to use their favorite term) and blame them for everything from the collapse of the housing market to the national debt to…
Pigskin Parade: Let America’s best sporting season begin
At this time of year we're told that most red-blooded American males are gaga over Major League Baseball's impending playoffs. The pennant races have tightened races in several of baseball's divisions. Will the Phillies once again come through for the National league or are those Reds going to surprise them? And don't forget about the…
Dems: Dudley Should Come Clean on Taxes
Did Dudley do it or didn’t he? And if he did, how much was it? The issue is whether Chris Dudley tried to avoid paying Oregon income taxes when he was a center for the Portland Trail Blazers. Former Democratic Gov.
Not Much for Labor to Cheer on Labor Day
Oregon workers don’t have much to celebrate this Labor Day weekend, according to a report issued today by the Oregon Center for Public Policy. “Not surprisingly, for most Oregon workers the state of affairs is a tough one,” the report says.
The Little Woody Barrel-Aged Brew Fest Kicks Off Tonight
I just climbed the rock wall behind our office and got a look at the Little Woody (produced by our sister company, Lay it Out Events) set up at the Des Chutes Historical Society and things are already almost set up for tonight and tomorrow’s barrel-aged beer festival. Check out the hop-wrapped entry to the…
The Bikies Corral a Downtown Parking Space
They’ve taken away an on-street parking space in downtown Bend to put in a rack for 12 bicycles. The politically correct response would be to jump up and down and cheer, but pardon me if I don’t join in.
Happy 90210 Day!
It’s September 2, 2010, which translates numerically to 9/02/10, making today the most fitting day in the history of time and space to celebrate the legacy of the soap-opera-influenced teenage drama, Beverly Hills 90210. People are actually celebrating 90210 Day.
More in Common
As one of the newest members of the Common Table community, I was excited to see the the Source’s profile of this status-quo-challenging social entrepreneurship venture (“We Are All Common,” Aug. 26). Yet rather than being the project of only two incredibly passionate and talented individuals as the article suggested, Common Table has been a…
Video from the Bob Dylan Show
Let me beat you to it — yes, John Mellencamp was probably better than Bob Dylan at the Les Schwab Amphitheater on Friday night. Everyone has been saying this for the past few days (during which I’ve been battling a print deadline and ignoring my blogging duties) and I’ll begrudgingly agree.
Big, Big Sandwiches: A real live kosher deli in Bend with Letzer's!
Before I lived in Bend, I was living in New York. The Big Apple gave me an appreciation for many things: street art, the perfect music venue (Bowery Ballroom, the Mercury Lounge), well-run subway systems. But perhaps most importantly, New York instilled in me a love of kosher delis. Not just the perfectly sliced, flavorful…
Knocking Down the Dust
Hooray for rain! The much-needed moisture falling from the sky over the past couple of days has helped quell the dusty conditions somewhat. It's amazing how much rain it really takes to bring back the tacky firm soil conditions we know and love.
River Time: A mere mortal's guide to North Umpqua Trail
For years, the McKenzie River Trail was Oregon's premier running and hiking trail. But as time went by and the trail's popularity grew, so too did the crowds and trail damage. Both situations led many active outdoor people to seek a trail that, despite some extra drive time, has turned out to be a wonderful…
Befouled Anniversaries and Real Ghosts
The author reporting from Morehead, Kentucky, deep in research while on the road. A woman asked if we can impeach President “Take Credit?” Obama somewhere in Utah, on another AM radio show almost as fair and balanced as NPR. And, as the host fumbled for a response, something about impeachment enraging and maybe motivating Democrat…
Bargains Ahoy!: Garage Sale-ing through the neighborhoods of Bend
There are telephone polls in the westside neighborhood in which I reside that are wrapped almost completely in neon-colored paper. The colors change and sometimes when I ride by there's less paper than usual, but there's always at least one sizeable chunk of Day-Glo green (or pink or yellow or orange) poster board emphatically declaring…
I’ll Have What They’re Having: Going the Distance mostly finds what works in a 20-year-old romantic comedy formula
It's been more than 20 years since a tale of enemies who become friends who become lovers became the gold standard for the contemporary romantic comedy. But Going the Distance helps us understand why every exploration of what works or doesn't work in the genre circles back to When Harry Met Sally.
Linda Blair Witch Project: Exciting and fresh at first, The Last Exorcism then drops the ball
The Last Exorcism is a pain in the ass. A lot of movies tick me off, but this one takes the cake. Movies with either “Exorcism” or “Haunting” in the title have a high rate of sucking, but with The Last Exorcism I thought I'd found something completely different. I was once again duped and…
Hey, Oldie! You're OLD!
[Hey Guys! I'm on vacation this week, so enjoy this old-timey episode of I Love Television™ designed to make you – and myself – feel old. Mission accomplished! – Humpy] Ever get the feeling the years are flying by? Well, get ready for a coronary, grandpa, because MTV's The Real World is finishing its 16th…
Loud Love: The Thermals get along just fine, and they've also got a killer new album
Westin Glass is the drummer for the Thermals and last week when he checked in from North Carolina where he was visiting family, he wanted to talk about friendships. More specifically, he wanted to talk about his relationship with his two band mates.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack
It's a soundtrack for a movie about being a teenager. In love. And beating the shit out of the world and shoving it in his pocket. At least, that's what I gleaned from the trailer – and even more so, the soundtrack. The Twilight franchise shocked everyone with its (admittedly) amazing soundtracks, and Scott Pilgrim's…
Little Bites: Wine Tastings: Drink your way through Central Oregon
This unseasonably chilly weather is good for a couple of things. Mt. Bachelor is seeing a flurry of snow and suddenly, a glass of red wine sounds really good. While our river-floating days are dwindling, our wine-o afternoons are just beginning. If you're not sure if you're a pinot noir person or prefer a more…
Our Picks for 9/1-9/9: The Ascetic Junkies, First Friday, The Little Woody, Downtown Cruiser Crit, and more
The Ascetic Junkies thursday 2 Go. See. This. Band. After big shows at the Silver Moon and the Bite of Bend, there is reason for our region to love this Portland-based pop and indie folk act. Fronted by Kali Giaritta and Matt Harmon, the band excellently blends Americana sounds with a modern and poppy edge.…
The Banksters Strike Again: Chase Bank and Obama's “Make Home Affordable” scam
It isn’t surprising, what with the world falling apart and all, that the world scarcely noticed that I lost my job as an editor in April 2009. Why should it? I was one of millions of Americans who lost their job that month. But it mattered to me. It wasn’t all bad. No more early…
Corporate Kicker Welfare Checks
Oregon prides itself on not being afraid to be different. Often that's a good thing, as when the state passed the nation's first beverage container refund bill in 1971, or when it enacted the nation's most comprehensive land use regulations in 1973. Sometimes, though, it's just a dumb thing – the prime case in point…
Snow, Cougars and Beer… and of course something about Paris Hilton
Those Drugs Ain't Mine, I'm Famous Oh, Paris Hilton. What's funny is that we really hadn't heard much about the heiress until recently, but she must have thought it necessary to get back into relevancy with her latest round of arrests and controversy. Just days after a man holding “two big knives” tried to break…
No DMV on Brookswood
I understand that the Bend branch of the DMV is planning to lease a location in the Brookswood Plaza. For many reasons, this is an inappropriate location for the DMV.
Missed Boots?
I’m shocked…shocked!!! You didn’t give The Boot to MeShell Ma Bell when she went to Spain on our dimes, or should I say thousands. Maybe she doesn’t see the bumper stickers that say, “Make Local Habit,” because she rides around in limos with tinted windows and can’t see the real world.
Ticketmaster Rip-off
We recently visited Bend, Oregon, and, while there, we were pleasantly surprised that a Bob Dylan concert was happening on August 27, 2010 at the Les Schwab Amphitheater in town. The general admission tickets were available at a price of $48.50, with this price published in several papers, as well as on the website. The…
