Sodom and Gomorrah on the Willamette

Posted inOpinion

Sodom and Gomorrah on the Willamette

Joseph Oguiza

Great boutique brews? Sure. Charming old neighborhoods? Check. An attractive, walkable downtown? Definitely. An outstanding public transit system? You bet.
But Portland as the second-most-lusty city in America? Upfront was, we must confess, somewhat taken aback.
All the same, there it was in black and white in the pages of Forbes Magazine: The Rose City ranks Number 2 in the respected publication's scientific (well, sort of) compilation of the Ten Lustiest Cities in America.
A word about the methodology: Forbes asked the research firm of ACNielsen to provide it with a per-capita index of over-the-counter contraceptive purchases in major US markets over a one-year period. Taking the average as 100, the intrepid Forbes data-crunchers then scored American cities on the basis of how much their contraceptive purchases ranked above or below the average.
Oddly enough, the traditional fleshpots like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas didn't even make the cut. Tied for second place with a score of 227 were Portland and San Antonio, TX. Interestingly, Portland females were substantially lustier than Portland males (325 to 212).
Moving on up the West Coast, soggy and lusty old Seattle came in at fourth place with an overall score of 124. In fifth place - rather a surprise here, or maybe not - was the Mormon stronghold of Salt Lake City at 207, followed by (no surprise here at all) Washington, DC at 189. Denver was first with a score of 289, nearly three times the national average. Giving new meaning to the term "Mile High Club."

Posted inMusic

Maple Leaf Mob: Sweatshop Union serves up drive-thu rhymes

Mike Bookey

The Wu Tang Clan of the North? Whether it's warranted or not, we tend to think of Canadians as nicer than us. Maybe it's because they put gravy on their French fries, or their health care system keeps them in tip-top shape. Whatever the reason, these neighbors to the north seem less pissed off.

And even when it comes to hip-hop music, which all too often in the States digresses into a battle of egos and semi automatic firearms, Canadians rappers just seem like they're in a better mood. Such is the case with Vancouver, B.C.'s seven-piece rap squad, Sweatshop Union.

Posted inMusic

Call it Folk, Call it Rock… Just don’t call Langhorne Slim old timey

The Source Staff

Black and White, yes. But not old timey.Langhorne Slim is in North Carolina gearing up for a friend's wedding and he's telling me about the iPod that his girlfriend gave him for Christmas. But he's not talking about the new Radiohead he just dumped onto the device - like a whole lot of new iPod owners probably did in the wake of the holidays - he's telling me about all the Lee Hazlewood tracks he loaded up.

Hazlewood, the iconic country music rebel who died of cancer just this past summer, isn't who I'd expected Langhorne Slim - one of the most promising young songwriters playing today - to be listening to. Then again, after a few more listens to Langhorne's tunes, it makes sense.

Posted inNews

Sound Check MP3s: Coyo and Shireen Amini

The Source Staff

Not only do Central Oregon musicians just generally kick ass, but they also tend to be nice and open to the idea of letting you hear their music — even if you’re not ready to track ’em down at a show or buy their album. In that spirit, here are two tracks apiece from Coyo and Shireen Amini, the local artists whose lastest CD releases we reviewed in this week’s Sound Check. Read on for the goods.

Posted inNews

In the Land of the Angry Republicans: Talking with the new Deschutes Democratic Chairman

The Source Staff

Jim Thomassen was elected in November to chair the Deschutes County Democratic Party. A graduate of the University of Oregon, he was a professional economist for state government before working in marketing in the high-tech field. He and his wife moved to Bend in 2004. This is an edited transcript of a conversation with him by Source Senior Writer H. Bruce Miller.

Posted inFood & Drink

Get Your Yumm

Eric Flowers

Café Yumm! has it down. Once a typical college town eatery, it has now turned into a viable franchise supporting six thriving locations with a business plan to include 50 more in the next five years. Founders Mary Ann and Mark Beauchamp have been able to blend their crunchy aesthetic of serving rice and beans in a variety of combinations with a modern, PC atmosphere appealing to everyone from the latent hippy to the blatant yuppie.
From its user-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing website, to underwriting Eugene’s public radio station, to creating food that infuses the Deep South with the Far East, Café Yumm’s concept comes close to what most say is impossible – pleasing all of the people all of the time. It’s the Starbucks of beans and rice.

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