Google today announced another new version of Google Maps for the Android. The new version adds a “Places” feature with a new icon on the main menu. Places is Google Maps’ search tool for finding nearby businesses and other points of interest. With Places as a separate search tool, searchable categories ca

For the longest time, I’ve been talking about getting a tattoo.  I’d always wanted to have a Jolly Roger (skull and crossbones) tattooed on my left ankle, but have always chickened out on it.  Plus, I was always drunk when I spoke about it, and that’s not always a good precursor to actually getting inked

Many of you may not know that I did a little bit of free lance writing for the Strad magazine back in the early 00′s.  Here’s an cover feature that I wrote about Curtis Institute of Music President Roberto Dìaz from 2003. Click here to download it in PDF format.

The magazine says I’d be welcome at their perfect party, in the company of a few other nice folks, and a trash compactor: Thanks to Scrappers for sending me the scan. And to Michael Novak for the nice illustration: I think the “dip in our punchbowl” line may well be related to this post, in which case [..

Pondering a play's relationship to the work of a master of self-reference

“Transition representative”: Each one of you is unique to your position here and we really need you for this partnership to succeed… so please give us a chance before you send your resume out there. [makes note to polish resume, update LinkedIn the second I

A new video by TransActive Education & Advocacy examines the “negative cumulative effect that oppressive and exploitative media representations have on all transgender people, especially children and youth.” Entitled “You Are What You’re Born… in Texas,” the clip explores how trans pe

Long version: I still have a job, and probably won’t once they figure out how to do what it is that I do… but without me… about 6 months from now. It’s hard to not be cynical when you’ve done this dance so many times.

The Obama Administration is reacting exactly the way the last Bush Administration would to WikiLeak's revelations, ("Afghan War Diaries, 2004-2010,").What's happening in the current news cycle is "reframing" the news.

No, not Elvis.

It turns out that, contrary to what you might think, the ClimateDepot.com site of professional prevaricator Marc Morano actually has decreasing traffic since Cliamtegate:

Once a month, OMSI opens its doors to the 21 and over crowd to enjoy science with food and adult beverages! This month’s event will be held on Wednesday, July 28th from 7pm -11pm. As part of OMSI After Dark, guests will have the opportunity to explore the new Einstein exhibit which is in town from [...]

Hawthorne Bridge Portland, Oregon PDX Bridge Festival Taken on July 24, 2010 Photo by Andrew Curtis Description: Hard to tell but there are these canvas sails attached all over the bridge, and supposedly a light display was supposed to be turned on at 10pm last night. My wife and I were scratching our heads trying [...]

This [book's] pages are packed solid with disgusting informati

Here we are…. day three.  It’s quarter to three and I’ve had breakfast and the morning ATRA, I took a shower, Karen has been working like a fiend with meeting and after meeting this morning (so nice though that she can work from here), we scored another ONC verizon internet portable modem for her so [...]

Dear "Technology": Go eff yourself. First, our entire Mercury server went kablooey, and we lost everything we were working on for this coming week's print edition. (Not that anything we were working on was all that great... but that's hardly the point!) Second, the blog posting program we us

Kmart is selling an Android tablet for $149.99, reports Liliputing The Augen GenTouch 7 inch tablet features an 800 x 480 pixel display, an 800MHz CPU, 256MB of RAM, 2GB of storage and WiFi, as well as an SD card slot and runs Google Android 2.1. In addition to the 7-inch tablet, Augen has also [...]

Just a week after proposing a plastic bag ban in Portland’s major retailers, Mayor Adams has pulled back on the proposal in favor of a state-wide law. The Mayor’s office posted the following statement on its web site: This week, I met with State Legislators regarding the City’s and the State’s effort

Hello Dear Readers,I am back in town. I actually got back on Saturday, but as per usual I have been super busy. Saturday I got to play as Meyercord at the Doug Fir. I was so stoked. Then yesterday I went and saw a MAKE Records Records showcase at I

When you’re committed to another individual and believe you each will probably be together forever, the blow could be staggering when the romantic relationship comes to a halt. At this time, your emotions are running riot and they’re really hard to manage. Ironically, this really is also the same time that you

The Lemonade Diet Pill is surely of the best new items to come along in the weight loss business. It is actually a new spin on the old and proven Lemonade Diet plan concept also recognized as the Master Cleanse. The Lemonade Diet is a cleansing, detox diet, that uses a special combination of water, [...]

Now that I’ve written my review of Anatole Kaletsky’s Capitalism 4.0, I have time to see what others have said about him in the past.  I searched Forbes for “Kaletsky”and found a blog quoting an article written by Kaletsky in May of 2008: “Could oil mania be coming to an end?” Don’

Air Hogs are the ultimate in remote control toy helicopters designed and made by the Spin Master Company in Toronto, Canada. Air hogs toys are a really perfect gift for the aspiring junior pilot (or his Dad), they’re radio managed, free-flying, simply mastered and durable. Let’s have a look on the Air Hogs Havo

On Sunday July 25th, the Clackamas County Sheriffs Search and Rescue Team responded to the Roaring Creek Wilderness area near Rock Lakes on the report of a missing camper. The missing camper is Robert P. Bissell of NE Portland. The reporting party was Michael Bissell, brother of the missing person. Robert Bissell went up to

Despite a noble effort, the Mississippi Wreckers—the softball team of Mississippi Records—fell to Team Mercury this weekend by a final score of 10-4.

Brewpublic recaps another amazing craft beer-fueled weekend in Beervana that included the Oregon Brewers Festival, Belmont Station, Hair of the Dog, The BeerMongers, Full Sail, a trip to Seattle for baseball and beer, and much more.

Want to vote on the winning poster from our softball bet against Mississippi Records? Of course you do.

This item was reported in the CBA News Letter:Greg Uvila, one of our active duty Navy chaplains, is assigned to a Naval Marine Construction Battalion in Afghanistan. This battalion has some 600-700 personnel called "Seabees" assigned to it. He leads two chapels a week along with a Bible study in the Gospel of Jo

In response to the anticipated repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” OutServe — an organization representing gay and lesbian active duty military personnel — announced its launch Monday, The Advocate reports. Despite its recent launch, the organization got its start in October 2009 as an und

When trying to shop around for a Used Ford, it is much more convenient if you use the tools that are given to you. You will find that on many websites on the Internet, you have a tool that allows you to search by a specific make, Used Ford model, color, body style, fuel type, [...]

In a sensational season-opener, "Mad Men" returns with a bang -- but a Portland icon comes off as stuck in the olden days, advertising-wise.

This substandard bridge in SE Portland's Brooklyn neighborhood would be improved with TIGER II grant funds. A partnership between TriMet, Metro, and the cities of Portland and Milwaukie could lead to a series of significant biking and walking improvements along the yet-to-be built Portland to Milwaukie light-rail line. Tr

Does this mean it's not "jailbreaking" anymore? As mentioned in GMN, new government rules say that it's legal

Salem Police Officers arrested one suspect and another escaped following a burglary at a South Salem Church early Sunday morning. Officers were dispatched to a silent alarm at 1:55 am at the Salem Friends Church located at 1140 Baxter Rd SE in Salem. Officers arrived on scene within two minutes and discovered a door to the

We take a moment to introduce a new freelance contributor, John Motley.

Oregon is already leading the country in its rates of breastfeeding, and length of breastfeeding; for children born in 2006, 91.4% of babies were breastfed at some point, and 37.0% were breastfed still at 12 months, significantly higher than the...

Rainn Wilson, star of NBC's "The Office, argues that the Portland company suiting him, Think Brilliant, was itself guilty of "brazen fraud and breach of trust."

Jeri Williams tells her storyOn Sunday, July 25,

This weekend was absolutely beautiful...and horribly tragic.When the sun comes out, people love to cool down in the water, but don't always do so with safety in mind. And that's when fatal mistakes can be made.But rath

The transport mavens who are planning the Columbia River Crossing should consider, if they haven't already, figuring out how the bridge can accommodate, not light rail, but heavy rail traffic, to replace or support the old SP&S (now BNSF) railroad...

After a long and active weekend, I feel like I need a weekend to catch up on the rest and relaxation I didn't get during the weekend. I. Am. Tired. Today. Sleepy music would only make the situation worse, so, instead, I give you this.

The Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote is most certainly a must-have for every home. Integrating it’s now a fantastic knowledge, all the credit provided to this tiny gadget. It really is a uncomplicated answer to clean the clutter and simplify your home. Plus, the full-color one-touch display can make every thing m

I will be away from my computer for the rest of the week. It's possible I'll do some phone-blogging, but likely not. In anticipation of this, I've scheduled some re-posts from the last couple years of my favorite items. Lots of people will have missed them anyway, so it's a good excuse to do a few days of best-of posting

mar-see-ah: If you need something done by 4:20, and that thing takes 90 minutes, maybe don’t wait until 3:45 to ask me to do it. We’ll both get stressed out and snippy, and no one likes that. CO-SIGN

Target—which markets itself as hip, urban, and diverse—is pouring money into a PAC that is underwriting the campaign of an anti-gay politician who pals around with anti-gay terrorists.

It's time for our True Blood discussion group everybody! Follow me behind the jump!

Bob Kingston's opera blog, dramma per musica, is up and running again. It will be great to read his observations once more. Huzzah!

There is something very strange about octopuses -- they are unlike almost all animals we know, and they creep me out because I can easily imagine that the extraterrestrial species that will someday invade and takeover Earth (...) will be very octopus like. (A bit like the aliens in the remake of The War of the

Serge Koussevitsky (1874-1951)Georges Favre (1905-1993)Tadeusz Baird (1928-1981)Alexis Weissenberg (1929)Anthony Gilbert (1934)Roger Smalley (1943)Angela Hewitt (1958)Mick Jagger (1943)andGeorge Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)Carl Jung (1875-1961)Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)Aldous Huxley (1894-1963)

The Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN) will be meeting tonight at Q Center from 7 – 9 p.m. This monthly meeting with the volunteer-based non-profit organization – who work to preserve Oregon’s queer cultural heritage – aims to give LGBTQ community members the opportunity to edu