The last two years have been tough on everyone. In fact, there are very few of us whose lives haven’t been altered in some way or another as a result of this recent change of events. For many artists, including musicians, Rolling Stone notes that this unexpected change of life events has affected their livelihoods …
This is the third in a series titled My Friend Herb. The intention is to introduce you to some of my favorite herbs, their traditional uses and the stories surrounding them. Today I would like to introduce you to my friend Herb, his friends call him Catnip. He is the most fascinating of my herb …
Portland, Oregon, has some of the most beautiful landscapes and recreational spots in the entire country. One of the most engaging ways to experience its beauty is by going on a relaxing train ride around the area. Oregon has a robust rail system that connects its major cities, so there are plenty of sights to see. Train …
On Sunday, I attended a memorial service for a deceased neighbor whose family could not have a proper Jewish service due to COVID gathering restrictions. Ruth would have turned 85 years old yesterday. The outdoor service, situated next to Ruth’s headstone and that of her husband who had died 106 weeks earlier, started with a …
Simply titled, “Don’t Stop Believin’ (Marching Band) – SNL” this recent satire featuring Bowen Yang, Zoe Kravitz, Ego Nwodim, Chris Redd and Heidi Gardner is the undeniable greatest SOAT (skit of all time). Mr. Yang’s illuminating commentary gives furtive dramatic life to the manic hopes, troglodyte fears and impermissible ambitions of partially informed music bloggers …
Image via Pexels While many factors are at play when it comes to buying a home in Portland, it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. As long as you learn about the process and take the necessary steps to prepare, then you can put yourself on the path to homeownership. East Portland Blog shares …
Are you a nature enthusiast dreaming of becoming a digital nomad and taking your business on the road? Are you tired of office life and looking for ways to work in the great outdoors? Courtesy of East Portland Blog, here are some things to think about before zipping up your backpack. Become a Full-Time Remote …
Photo Credit: Shot by Sed Queen Naija and GRAMMY®-nominated, multi-Platinum artist Big Sean heat up the snowy streets and rooftops of New York City in the official video for their new single, “Hate Our Love.” The two Detroit natives shot the romantic visual with director Cam Busby (Wiz Khalifa, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby). DJ Envy of “The Breakfast Club” has a …
The above photo has been floating around Facebook the last few days, to much chortling hilarity. Anyone familiar with the northwest side of Chicago will recognize not just the public Catholicism of this picture, but also the style of boxy, brick-only, housing built in the far north end of Chi-town where tradition holds that homeowners …
Candy is Dandy, but liquor is quicker. -Ogden Nash I remember when I saw this quote as a kid (far too young to know what sex was – but I knew what candy was), and it stuck with me. The line is from the 1931 poem by Ogden Nash, ‘Reflections on the Ice Breaking’ – and …
It’s even better than I remember it. POTA: https://youtu.be/Jfku0iyUre4 Here’s an old tribute to the film, written on the occasion of her 30th birthday in 1998. The movie is 54 now– in this plague year of 2022– and counting. Planet of the ApesHits 30:And She’s None the Worse for Wear “I left both earth and …
This is the second in a series titled My Friend Herb. The intention is to introduce you to some of my favorite herbs, their traditional uses and the stories surrounding them that have been passed down through the ages. Today I would like to introduce you to my friend Herb. He is formally known as …
On January 20th, the Oregon Arts Commission announced a total of $1,265,166 of aid distributed between 154 art-focused Oregon organizations through the Operating Support Program. This program focused on large arts organizations with budgets of $150,000 or more. Jenny Green, the chair of the Arts Commission, mentioned that this year’s aid is especially helpful in light of …
David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Stephen Stills have requested that their labels remove their collective recordings from Spotify. In solidarity with their bandmate, Neil Young, and in support of stopping harmful misinformation about COVID, they have decided to remove their records from the streaming platform including the recordings of CSNY, CSN, and CN, as well as Crosby’s …
On Friday, January 28, just before 10 am in Oklahoma City, a 2.5 hour trial commenced with Joe Exotic flown in from North Carolina to be resentenced. With an orange jumpsuit that looked too big for his now skinny frame, it was clear Joe had lost lots of weight in prison, looking frail and weak. …
While Joe Exotic’s retrial is happening today, Friday January 28th, in Oklahoma City, which I’ll be attending and reporting on, the latest Season 2 actually ended with the sad images and video clips of wildlife veteran and true tiger king, Tim Stark, from Indiana. That episode highlighted the seizure of his personal property and beloved …
Photo credit: Sean Dunn Athens, Georgia-based rapper, linguist, activist, parent, and politician Mariah Parker (they/them) aka Linqua Franqa has announced new album Bellringer due out April 22 on Ernest Jenning Record Co. Weaving a rich tapestry of hip-hop lyricism and neo-soul hooks, Parker uses music as a tool to communicate – and educate – across cultural boundaries, imbuing every song with a …
All Classical Portland is the recent winner of the 2021 Local That Works public media contest. The station’s new Recording Inclusivity Initiative, which won the competition, aims to highlight the importance of diversity and eliminate barriers for musicians and composers who’ve been marginalized in the past. Over 100 US entries were submitted to the contest (sponsored by public media …
The Beth Israel Synagogue hostage-taker was heard, during the crisis, saying on the livestream: “They let me in. I said ‘Is this a night shelter?’ and they let me in and they gave me a cup of tea so I do feel bad… I like the rabbi, he’s a good guy, I bonded with him, …
Hey Carrie Anne… What’s your game now, can anybody play? Topic of the evening: what up wit Carrie Anne Moss (CAM), the actress in The Matrix series??? Now, I’ve never been a Matrix fan – they’re just so overwrought (in fact, I pretty much swore off since the 1st one)- but I just stumbled on …
GW Zoo Manager John Reinke is best remembered for being the most level-headed among the literal circus of characters in Tiger King. Therefore, his perspective around the 2nd and 3rd seasons was essential. Once again, critics do not understand Tiger King’s appeal, slamming the new season with a 35 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating. The public …
Rarely has a movie captured a time and place as “Saturday Night Fever” does. As a cultural artifact, “Fever” is remarkable. Bell bottoms, working-class Brooklyn and the brief reign of disco are all celebrated in the 1977 story of young Tony Manero, ruling New York dance floors at night while struggling on the city’s mean streets during the …
Here is one of my first woodblock carving prints. Wanted it to have “color lift”! Hope it brightens you up! One of my dearest friends, Elizabeth Lyssa Magnuson, described it in this way: “Beautiful work! I like the way that it starts in blue calming turning its way to greens and blues with the beginnings …
Pray for the Wildcats is so very good. This 1974 glory stomp through Baja features William Shatner, Robert Reed and Andy Griffith all playing against type, and they can’t even hold a candle to Angie Dickinson. I just watched the first half hour, seated in my parked Dodge Dart in the rain, staring at the …
OKLAHOMA – While many would like to focus on Tiger King’s Joe Exotic’s colorful personality, and some may choose to vilify him due to his most explosive moments, there was no denying that many lives were affected, animals and humans. Namely the loyal and earnest GW Zoo day-to-day manager John Reinke. John and I caught …
I heard a blurb on the NPR this morning that the classic Charlton Heston sci-fi movie Soylent Green was set in 2022. Surely Rimkus must have something to say about that? Well he DOES! People eating just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s hard to get a uniform fat content (or ANY lean …
On Saturday evenings, when few humans are listening, NPR does radio theater. When driving at such times, I’ll listen. They recently covered Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. I was blown away by Ball and Arnaz and how determined they were to negotiate shrewdly with CBS (and tobacco company sponsors) to make their show the way …
Between 1851 and 1910, approximately 1.6 million Swedish people – 86% of whom were under 35 y/o, left the fatherland to establish themselves in the United States. Swedes established the Swedish Lutheran Mission Institute in Keokuk, Iowa, in 1873. A banker in Knoxville (near Galesburg, IL) persuaded the Institute to relocate and it was renamed …
Photo by Zachary Kyra-Derksen on Unsplash Portland is ranked among the top ten Best Places to Live in the US. “Keep Portland Weird,” the city’s unofficial tagline, is a testament to its easy going and friendly culture. One of the things that makes Portland the tenth best place to live in is the abundance of recreational spots that …
Seniors throughout Portland and the state of Oregon are in more need of community assistance and care than ever before. The American In-Care Association has made it clear that community is essential in alleviating loneliness in the elder members of society. Now that the festive season is approaching, initiatives throughout Portland are aiming to provide …