Our Picks for 11/4 – 11/12: The Nature of Words, Swollen Members, First Friday, Jim Witty Book Release Party and more

Posted inCulture

Our Picks for 11/4 – 11/12: The Nature of Words, Swollen Members, First Friday, Jim Witty Book Release Party and more

Source Weekly

The Nature of Words
wednesday-sunday 4-8
It's time again for Central Oregon's biggest literary celebration and this year the festival has brought in some high-powered wordsmiths for readings, book signings, workshops and more. The lineup includes Sherman Alexie, Matthew Dickman, Charles Goodrich, Seth Katner, Karen Karbo, Jane Kirkpatrick, Valzhyna Mort and Kim Stafford. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.thenatureofwords.org.
Sherman Alexie Unplugged
friday 6
This year's Nature of Words features an appearance by this National Book Award Winner (for Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) in an open forum where he'll read, answer questions and probably just run that hilarious mouth of his. Alexie's presentations are entertaining and sometimes delightfully profane – but in a good way. Ask him about the Seattle Supersonics if you really want to get him going. $45. 9am-11am Friday, Nov 6. Pinckney Center at COCC, 2600 NW College Way.

Posted inNews

Green Light: Pot remains illegal, but Oregon's medical marijuana laws have led to a booming industry that continues to confound cops

Mike Bookey

Sandee Burbank is 65 years old, a breast cancer survivor, a grandmother and a longtime community volunteer in her hometown of Mosier, Oregon. She also uses marijuana.
Burbank is one of Oregon's 23,000-plus marijuana cardholders and also the executive director of Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse, a group that has long held two-day clinics here in Bend to assist residents in obtaining medical marijuana cards. She doesn't think of herself as a criminal – even if federal law says she is – and she hasn't for a long while, ever since taking up the cause of medical marijuana in the early 1990s. This winter, her organization plans to open a permanent clinic in Bend. It's the first such business in the region and comes at a time when marijuana and the enforcement puzzle surrounding it is becoming an increasingly frequent topic of political discussion.

Posted inOpinion

Kulongoski's Sneaky Green Fastball

Source Weekly

Deceptiveness is an admirable quality in a baseball pitcher, but not in a political leader. When Gov. Ted Kulongoski sold his green energy tax credit plan to the legislature, he threw a sinking fastball that any major-leaguer would be proud of.
The tax credit, officially known as the Business Energy Tax Credit, is the core of Kulongoski's campaign to transform Oregon into the green energy capital of America, and in the process to create lots of jobs. To accomplish that, it offers tax credits to developers of projects such as wind farms and solar energy installations.

Posted inOpinion

The Anniversary Column: O-merica turns one, Congress gets hacked and Karzai gets backed

Source Weekly

The author has been sent on the road to discover a lost country formerly known as America. He is reporting from Big Pink, letting his creative juices fester, on assignment for Or-Bust.com and The Source Weekly.
A Year Later
Oprah was weeping, Michelle as elegant as Jackie-Ohhh, and Barack's hair not so gray. Now the ballroom is empty, balloons, confetti and used condoms on the floor, yet hot air still lingering. Where did the time go? This week we celebrate the anniversary of Obama's historic win over creepy McCain and psycho Palin. Let's look at the progress: Hate crimes now include sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (legislation aptly attached to a $680 defense spending bill, including another $130 billion for Afghanistan and Iraq); obviously we're remaining in the aforementioned foreign countries and now using drones to blast suspected terrorists in Pakistan and God knows where else; “Don't ask, don't tell” may be overturned; Cheney remains free and un-indicted; GITMO is still a BDSM icon and no one wants its occupants… Yep, a year after electing an รผber-liberal-socialist-muslim-non-caucasian, we've gone gay, remain violent and our 2nd Amendment rights still intact, yet utterly unemployed. Don't get pessimistic, though: The stock market is cranking, new GDP figures showed a leap in industry (mostly due to government spending); Ford posted a surprising $997 million profit; and New Orleans has been rebuilt – Its football team, at least.

Posted inOpinion

One-Stop Treating

Source Weekly

Halloween served up a hefty plate of WTFs – ass-bearing costumes, football beatdowns – but there was one that out WTFed the others and that was when we heard that H1N1 fears had canceled certain Halloween festivities. OK, we understand health concerns and the whole gotta-do-what-ya-gotta-do approach to public safety, but then we heard the alternative to a few shopping center and public building door-to-door trick or treating events – just give the kids a pre-packged bag of goodies.

Posted inOpinion

The Destination Resort Threat

Source Weekly

According to your August 5 article, “Now or Never: County's resort map remake opens door for developer amid questions of viability,” elected officials are attempting to refine Central Oregon's Destination Resort Map. They could potentially add thousands of acres of previously resort-free land to the areas allowed to be built on. And a study by Central Oregon Landwatch found that if all of the proposed and approved projects were completed, the number of overnight units and resort homes would triple. Though some of the earlier resorts benefit the local economy and generate significant revenues, newer resorts threaten the beauty and resources of Central Oregon.

Posted inOpinion

Not Reading

Source Weekly

This letter is to let you know that after many years of reading your paper, I will be doing so no longer. Your sensationalized article (WTF?, 10/21) about the recent death at a wilderness camp was disrespectful of the boy's family, and a painful disclosure of your ignorance and assumptions regarding what wilderness therapy programs are all about.

Posted inOpinion

Any Color You Like

Source Weekly

I was reading the Snowriders Guide issue last night and came across a mistake in the Properly Equipped article on page 21. The Spyder pants pictured are the Inspection pants, but the yellow pants are the official pant of the Jamaica Ski Team, not US Team. You probably don't believe me about the Jamaica Ski Team, but it truly does exist and Spyder is the clothing supplier.

Posted inOpinion

A Damn Good Solution

Source Weekly

The dam at the Colorado Bridge is long overdue for a redesign. As floating the section of river above and below the dam has gained in popularity due to easier access and the growth in population, we have seen one death and several near misses.
The proposed redesign offers several benefits: safe floating passage, improved fish and bird habitat and a whitewater play park. I don't think anyone would argue against removing a structure that has claimed a life and that creates a safer passage for floaters. Additionally, allowing for better fish habitat and improving the feeding grounds of the resident Osprey are concepts that many citizens immediately recognize the benefits of. But a whitewater park; what is it and do we really need one?

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