“Obsession”: Springing a September Surprise?
The Eye found a surprise when we opened up our copy of The Bulletin on Sunday - an insert containing a DVD of a documentary called "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West."
Round One Goes to McCain
The first big debate is over, the early reviews are in, and - predictably - both sides are saying they're happy with the way their guy did.
Paper Scissors Live at the Silver Moon – Saturday 9/27
We caught up with the men of Fairbanks, Alaska's Paper Scissors today as the band woke up in Portland as part of their current Northwest Tour. The guys talked to us about their eclectic taste and how they manage to sound nothing really like any other band around.
Outta Control Burning
Come on…let's face it: the Controlled Burning in Oregon is outta control. Hmmm, Let's see…It's a No Brainer that early this past Wednesday winds were extra strong from the get go…Not talking a little breezy here, we're talking strong, forceful, steady, blustery winds. Could it be a dangerous type of person with a mindset to…
Great Expectations: Driving Miss Daisy succeeds at Tower Theatre
It's only the second performance by the cast of Driving Miss Daisy, but it seems like the 100th. Cast members Michael Learned, Willis Burks II and Dirk Blocker are seasoned acting veterans and it shows. As the show ends and the lights on the stage go out, the nearly full theater for Sunday's matinee performance…
A Bad Rap: Follow a few rules in rattlesnake country
Whoa there, that’s a western rattlesnake.Among the magnificent variety of reptiles you may meet up with as you're wandering around the Northwest is the much maligned, greatly feared and infamous Great Basin Rattlesnake, a subspecies of the Western Rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis (spp). Contrary to popular opinion, rattlesnakes are not "poisonous," they are venomous, and as…
On the Comeback Trail: Another bike/car crash, talking Lance and more
Local olympian Barb Buchan with legendary cycling coach Eddie B. IS IT SAFE TO RIDE YOUR BIKE IN BEND? Last week, I told my story of being hit by a car while riding my bike. I don't have the data to statistically prove an epidemic, but it sure seems like one. Naturally, I've now heard…
Cold Dark Ride: Transsiberian veers off the tracks
I’ve listened to preachers, I’ve listened to fools. Opening with an intriguing and deftly shot scene, Transsiberian promises a film that will look good, even if it goes sour. And sadly, sour it goes. Nevertheless, there's something compelling about this snow-driven trek
A do-gooder American couple (not without their own problems), Roy and Jessie (Woody…
True Romance: Choke finds an unexpected vein of sweetness in the creator of Fight Club.
Shakespeare in love. Clark Gregg did it. I wouldn't recommend trying, but he did it. This is Chuck Palahniuk we're talking about, after all.
The creator of Fight Club.
The nihilist. The gross-out artist. The guy who famously or infamously or anecdotally inspired multiple people to drop over in a dead faint at readings of…
Happy Hour: Astro Lounge
What's the ideal menu for a seven-year-old's birthday? How about hush puppies and pigs in blankets? Pizza and chips and dip? Sounds perfect, though when the party's for the seventh anniversary of Astro Lounge-Bend's one-shop answer to Northwest Portland or Williamsburg, Brooklyn-you can bet that those old favorites come with an attitude and a formidable…
Happy Hour: Astro Lounge
What’s the ideal menu for a seven-year-old’s birthday? How about hush puppies and pigs in blankets? Pizza and chips and dip? Sounds perfect, though when the party’s for the seventh anniversary of Astro Lounge-Bend’s one-shop answer to Northwest Portland or Williamsburg, Brooklyn-you can bet that those old favorites come with an attitude and a formidable…
Island Hopping: Bend’s Hawaiian dining expands with Aloha
The full meal deal at Aloha.There may not be enough inexpensive meals downtown for some people's taste, but that’s not a problem in eastside "Costco Hub." The corner of Hwy 20 and 27th Street has a bevy of low-priced options, some worth checking out and some worth skipping. Since February one of those worthy spots…
Island Hopping: Bend’s Hawaiian dining expands with Aloha
The full meal deal at Aloha.There may not be enough inexpensive meals downtown for some people’s taste, but that’s not a problem in eastside “Costco Hub.” The corner of Hwy 20 and 27th Street has a bevy of low-priced options, some worth checking out and some worth skipping. Since February one of those worthy spots…
Sequels Don’t Always Suck: The Stage Names-Okkervil River
Austin-based Okkervil River's release The Stage Names, a beautifully crafted album discussing the obsession with celebrity and populated with "mid-level bands," washed-up porn stars, and poets jumping off bridges, was on several Best Of lists for 2007. The Stand Ins is the sequel to that album-further expanding on the idea of life for those slightly…
Talking with the Maestro: Taj Mahal arrives in town and drops a solid new record
They don’t make cars or blues heroes like this anymore.Taj Mahal has been playing his brand of blues music for 40 years now and you might be inclined to think he's slowed down a stride or two during that time. But after a 20 minute chat, the 66-year-old legendary musician seems as quick as ever…
Setting its Roots: Bend Roots Revival gets bigger but stays free in year three
It’s big, it’s three-days, it’s local and hey, it’s free…Bend Roots ’08.I like to think of fall as "locals time" here in Bend. The tourist flow lessens and remains slow until the snow starts falling and that means it's time for the people who actually live here to get out on the town. And our…
An Aroma of Desperation
Talk about beating a dead horse - this is like digging up and beating the decayed corpse of a horse that died 26 years ago.
New Kid in Town Bend’s Eric King is lauded as a steady hand in troubled times
Life at the 30,000 foot level Eric King, Bend's freshman city manager, leaves City Hall once a week in his quest to talk to every city employee. On a recent tour of the Public Works facility, he stopped in every office. "Are those your grandkids?" he asked one woman whose desk was decorated with baby…
Cozy, Friendly, Greasy Crook County
We almost had to buy out the contents of a medium-sized shoe store this week to get enough BOOTs to hand out to Crook County officials. The beginning of our story takes us back to early August, when Gene Gramzow did a neighborly thing and picked up the tab for several members of the county…
No Handouts, Just Bailouts
Upfront couldn't very well let the biggest financial meltdown since "I lost all my savings at a Vegas bachelor party" go by without comment. Well, there ain't a whole lot to say at this point except R.I.P. American economy. I wonder if that homeowner bailout that Bush pooh poohed less than a year ago is…
Wake Up, America
In the history of economics these are "interesting times", times when the great deceit that is "Free Market Reaganomics" was exposed for what it really is - a lie covering up a thieving game in which exorbitantly paid gamblers play high risk games with other people's money - a game in which winnings are privatized…
Beware Parking Ticket Racket
I am writing this to let everyone know about a parking ticket scam going on in the dirt lot behind the Midtown (and please know it has nothing to do with owner or operator of the Midtown). Last Friday, Sept. 12, I parked in said dirt lot around 7:30pm to work at a concert…
Facts Are Lost in GOP Campaign
The political cartoon (?) in the Sept. 18 edition of the Oregonian was right on! McCain is pointing to a graph saying "The Fundamentals Are Strong." The graph shows "LIES" up, "BALDFACED LIES" up, "WHOPPERS" up, "DENIAL OF OBJECTIVE REALITY" up, and "CANARDS" up! Palin is looking on with a big smile. Let's check for…
Step Up To The Ranch
First, about golf: yes, it's spendy. It also sucks up all of our water.
