A presidential debate in little old Bend, Oregon? It could actually happen - although we have to say it's a long shot.
The Barack and Hilary Show Coming to Town?
Posted inNews
Real Estate Forecast: Continued Chilly
Tomorrow, April 25, marks the day when the Bend real estate market is supposed to pull out of its slump - at least according to the cheerful prediction that appraiser Dana Bratton made publicly two months ago. The EYE can't say we've seen any clear signs of a turnaround so far, but maybe it's too soon to tell.
Posted inNews
Controversy in the Cascades: 4 Peaks Presents, LLC meet opposition
Four Peaks Music Festival has already announced its lineup and plans for a bigger and better get-together with overnight camping and two days filled with live music and revelry on private land outside Bend. Early birds can even grab advance tickets for the event on the festival website. The only thing, it seems, missing is a permit from Deschutes County that will allow the event to go forward.
Event organizers had hoped to clear that last hurdle during a hearing Monday before the three-member Deschutes County Commission. The county's own staff was recommending approval of the festival's permit. However, faced with a group of vocal opponents that object to the potential for traffic jams and noisy crowds, the commission decided to hold off at least another week before deciding whether to green light the fledgling festival set for July 25-26.
Posted inCulture
Politics is a Joke: Creating caricatures on the Capitol Steps
Gonna get all wacky on ya. The earliest traces of satire can be found on ancient Egyptian papyrus, poking fun at various trades in society. The roots of western political satire date to the works of Aristophanes in ancient Greece. A more modern foundation for satirical treatment of politicians can be traced to Swift's "Gulliver's Travels".
And there is no shortage of political satire in the United States, (who doesn't, these days, recognize Jon Stewart's face) Television personalities aren't the only ones mining this rich vein of material, thespians are getting into the act as well. Enter the Capitol Steps, a unique group that incorporates drama, music, and comedy in their send up of current American political figures and issues. The D.C.-based troupe has been creating active caricatures for the American public since 1981. The goal is simple, says troupe member Mark Eaton.
Posted inOutside
Consider Fleas, Please: Things that bite in the night II
Dog flea, Ctenocephalides canis, and cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. They can cause more problems than the entire spider combined. Last week we had a discussion regarding how brown recluse and spiders are made scapegoats for misdiagnosed human ailments. This is a timely topic because of the recent misinformation published in newspapers and an extreme email circulating that purports to show the thumb of a man that was allegedly bitten by a brown recluse.
What the medical community and pet-owners have apparently overlooked as the culprit, and should be looking at, is the tiny flea – that enigmatic little beast that has been living with and on Man ever since we walked out of our caves into the sunlight.
Posted inOutside
Sliding and Gliding : Still plenty of winter sports to be had
Paragliding off Bachelor
Chip Miller spreading his wingsSeveral Paragliding gurus call Bend home. Last Thursday, Steve Rotti, Chip Miller, John Iraggi, Tim Reynolds, Wade Holmes, and Mike Teixeira took advantage of the stunning spring day to spread their wings and soar. The group took off from the summit of Mt. Bachelor and flew to the base of Skyliner lift. According to Rotti, "Thursday was great for flying because the winds aloft were light and the mountain wasn't cloud-covered (referred to as "cloaked" in the local paragliding vernacular). Spring is typically a good time for flying at Bachelor. We look for thermals (columns of warm air) rising up from the ground to provide lift, which can keep us airborne for hours. On exceptionally good days paraglider pilots have flown from Bachelor to Bend and beyond." Mt. Bachelor is just one of the many hills, or buttes, in the area that provide a good ride. Imagine flying like a bird, and it is easy to see the attraction drawing these pilots to paragliding.
Posted inCulture
Train Kept A Rollin’: Sarah Marshall worthy of the Apatow brand
Steven seagal smashes stereotypcasting in the new apatow comedy hit. The Judd Apatow comedy train has hit a few recent bumps. After last year's excellent Superbad and Knocked Up, we've gotten mediocre fare like Walk Hard and the just-north-of-horseshit Drillbit Taylor.
Jason Segel, a hilarious bit player in Knocked Up, gets the limelight in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a comedy that, while not as consistent as some of Apatow's classic efforts, certainly belongs in the same class. Thanks to a stellar comedic effort from Segel and a cast of Apatow regulars including Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader, the laughs are consistent, often original and laced with nasty doses of reality.
Posted inCulture
Taking Out the Trash: Not even Pacino can salvage 88 Minutes
die hard 8? Nah, Just pacino hanging out.Going under the assumption that 88 Minutes might be bad, I felt Pacino - no stranger to really bad movies - would use his scene-chewing ability to make his screen time worth watching. It might have redeeming quality, some value, I thought. Sadly, this was not the case. Why anyone would consider making this flick is beyond my comprehension. Why Al chose to do this movie will haunt me to my grave. He might as well have starred in a Murder She Wrote anniversary special.
The premise: a college professor named Jack Gramm (Pacino) moonlights as an FBI forensic specialist. Gramm's questionable testimony has helped to convict a murderer that receives the death sentence. The move comes back to haunt Gramm on the day of the serial killer's execution via cryptic cell-phone death threats that give him, you guessed it, 88 minutes to live.
Posted inFood & Drink
Quick Bites: Mission Malbec: A transcendental tasting tour
Malbec: A nice little french grape gone badSome friends recently returned from Argentina with a once-in-a-lifetime bottle of Alta Vista Alto Malbec 1999, complete with a 3-digit price tag. With characteristic generosity, they invited a small group over for a Malbec tasting. The theme was decidedly Argentine, and contributions included the $7 Alberti 154 2006, Martino 2003 ($20), Casa Marguery 2005 ($15), and Nandu 2004 ($15). In a sporting mood and with nothing else to offer, I added Domaine de la Pepiere, a $13 Loire Valley Malbec blend.
Posted inFood & Drink
Quick Bites: Mission Malbec: A transcendental tasting tour
Malbec: A nice little french grape gone badSome friends recently returned from Argentina with a once-in-a-lifetime bottle of Alta Vista Alto Malbec 1999, complete with a 3-digit price tag. With characteristic generosity, they invited a small group over for a Malbec tasting. The theme was decidedly Argentine, and contributions included the $7 Alberti 154 2006, Martino 2003 ($20), Casa Marguery 2005 ($15), and Nandu 2004 ($15). In a sporting mood and with nothing else to offer, I added Domaine de la Pepiere, a $13 Loire Valley Malbec blend.