Posted inCulture

Air-Power to the People: Pirate Radio USA gives media to the masses

These pirates don’t have scurvy.This is one of those highly entertaining, insightful, humorous,
fact-filled documentaries that can be enjoyed by those on both sides of
the political fence, despite its clear agenda.
I saw this movie
at the BendFilm Festival and was glad to see our local community radio
station KPOV 106.7 FM bringing the documentary to McMenamins on
Wednesday. As a DJ on KPOV, I confess that I'm somewhat biased -
sharing an affinity for the free-speech rights of local broadcasters
over large media conglomerates, having volunteered at the station for
more than three years.

Posted inMusic

Bluegrass and Newgrass: Acoustic sounds new and old hit Bend this week

Poor Man's Whiskey
Taking a stab at replicating Pink
Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon isn't completely new - several bands have
pulled off the rock opera in its entirety, but to play the entire
record with in a bluegrass vein? That takes some guts. But San
Francisco's Poor Man's Whiskey isn't backing down to the challenge. The
band's acoustic lineup brings as many as seven string-playing yahoos
onstage to play a rock-influenced brand of bluegrass.

Posted inOutside

Random Thought While Watching the SuperBowl

How fast are you?Any doubt that sports and politics don't mix?
Perhaps, you missed the usual pre-game shots of American troops in Iraq. Or the flyover by United States Air Force. Yeah, nothing like a bit of compulsory patriotism with your professional football.
And, just how American is the NFL?
If Left Field had the financial means to establish a professional football club with a desire to join the NFL, well, the league restricts the number of franchises (currently, 32), charges a multi-million dollar entry fee (Robert McNair paid a $700 million expansion fee for the Houston Texans to join the NFL in 1999), and does not allow multiple teams in markets (exception: New York) without compensation to an existing team.

Posted inOutside

Inspiration in Salt Lake: More dispatches from Utah

Conservation Alliance
Tackling Maple Canyon In 1989, four main players in the outdoor industry identified a very important need to protect and preserve wild places in the great outdoors. The North Face, REI, Patagonia, and Kelty determined they were providing people with the equipment necessary to enjoy wilderness and wild places, but doing little to protect and save those places. The Conservation Alliance became the solution these companies were looking for - a way for them to give back. The four companies decided to contribute a portion of their profits from the year to a fund for distribution to grassroots conservation efforts all across the country. Since that time, 150 outdoor companies have joined the Alliance and have contributed more than $6 million to conservation efforts. Close to home, Oregon Natural Dessert Association and Deschutes Basin Land Trust have been on the receiving end of Conservation Alliance funds. These monies help protect and preserve lands near and dear to our hearts and soles of our feet.

Posted inFood & Drink

Far Off Places: Café 3456

I have always loved airports. Even now, when the experience means throwing away expensive perfume and padding through security barefoot, airports still represent the possibilities of distant locales and reunions with loved ones. It is the hope of travel, whether near or far, big plane or small, that evokes a palpable human electricity in all airports. From the tactile experience of walking across the tarmac at Redmond to the sci-fi glass tubes of Charles De Gaulle, airports are about adventure.
For some of us, air travel for business is a must – and anticipated with dread. But for those of us that may want to travel a bit more, or just miss those vagabond days of hopping on a plane once a year to spend all our minimum-wage earnings on sojourns in far-off lands, we welcome any opportunity to have a pleasant airport experience.

Posted inFood & Drink

Far Off Places: Café 3456

I have always loved airports. Even now, when the experience means throwing away expensive perfume and padding through security barefoot, airports still represent the possibilities of distant locales and reunions with loved ones. It is the hope of travel, whether near or far, big plane or small, that evokes a palpable human electricity in all airports. From the tactile experience of walking across the tarmac at Redmond to the sci-fi glass tubes of Charles De Gaulle, airports are about adventure.
For some of us, air travel for business is a must - and anticipated with dread. But for those of us that may want to travel a bit more, or just miss those vagabond days of hopping on a plane once a year to spend all our minimum-wage earnings on sojourns in far-off lands, we welcome any opportunity to have a pleasant airport experience.

Posted inMusic

Life in Sci-Fi: Talking Star Wars with Pinback

Like to rock, don’t like talkRob Crow is in a band, but doesn't seem all that jazzed to be talking about his music. He's polite and seems to appreciate that we're writing about him, but not all that enthused to discuss his much-revered new record. But when I bring up Star Wars … there's a little extra spark in his voice.
The men of Pinback obsess over science fiction to the point that Crow says he should get a tax break for his devotion to the genre. At times, it's hard to tell whether Crow, the band's multi-instrumentalist, is a musician that's into sci-fi movies, comics, and video games, or if he's maybe a sci-fi nut who just happens to be a damn good musician.

Posted inOpinion

Schralping the Butte

Kyle Ohlson lays it down on PBEvery few years a snowfall comes along that allows us to indulge in some unusual fantasies.
An igloo in the front yard? Check.
An Apple computer logo snow sculpture on Franklin? Check.
The most recent in-town dumps allowed a few determined DIYers to do what many skiers and boarders have pondered, but probably never done - put down fresh tracks on Pilot Butte. Upfront had heard whispers of people schralping the Butte. But got our first visual confirmation this past Sunday when presented with a cell phone video of an acquaintance busting turns through the scrub Juniper in a piece of low-res video that would have brought a smile to Warren Miller's face.

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