Save the Coliseum ... Not

Time for me to chip in on the Memorial Coliseum debate.

I find it interesting that we have been thinking and planning for years to find a use for this old building and now that we finally have a really good idea, i.e. a new baseball stadium, the plan gets thrown out by our mayor.

I have lived in Portland since 1991 and ever since I moved here, I've been hearing about how old and outdated the coliseum was. We built a new sports arena called the Rose Garden to solve that problem, then began to figure out how to make the remaining area vibrant and attractive. Ten or more years later, we still have the same old building, vacated restaurant spaces, and a completely failed entertainment zone.

This dying area has been off the radar for years as no one seemed to care... not the city nor the Trailblazers. Now along comes a terrific plan to move minor league baseball onto the site of the old coliseum. Baseball games bring people who are ready to spend some money. We have the mass transit in place, the parking in place, the views of downtown in place... everything you could want to create a vibrant and sustainable entertainment district. It makes perfect sense.

But wait, a group of architects and people who love old buildings say not so fast. Can't take it down. It has significant value as an example of modern arena design. The mayor listens, kills the baseball plan. He calls for yet another planning session - as if the last dozen or so were somehow flawed or incomplete... there has to be an even better idea.

Lets face it Portland, the coliseum is old, outdated, and serves no useful function. It is not a catalyst.... it's a dinosaur.

I love old buildings as much as anyone but I am also a financial realist. The city needs to create forward momentum for the Rose Quarter to achieve it's potential. Baseball yes, Coliseum no.

Maybe those intent on maintaining the status quo could figure out a way to move the old building to Lents where we can all look at and admire it for it's beauty.

First Thursday Art Picks

Below is our list for interesting exhibits for this months' first Thursday art walk.

Art Institute of Portland, 1122 NW Davis St - Top Green Projects: an exhibit of sustainable architecture and green design solutions as recognized by the American Institute of Architects and its committee on the Environment.

Bullseye Gallery, 300 NW 13th - Glassworks by Steve Klein and Michael Rogers.

Froelick Gallery, 714 NW Davis - works by Susan Seubert (Science/fiction) and Gail Tremblay (Recycled Images/Iroquois Forms)

Blackfish Gallery, 420 NW Ninth - "Blackfish is 30". Celebrating 30 years of business and still going strong.

Augen Gallery, 716 NW Davis - Selected works by Tom Miller, Sally Cleveland, and Amy Archer.

CD of the Week: New from U2

For music lovers, there is a new CD out by U2 – No Line on the Horizon. According to the Greg Kot at the Chicago Tribune, U2 tries to “shrug off years of staleness” with its 12th album. Coming off two popular but artistically unsurprising releases, the new CD looks to “reconnect with the sense of yearning and mystery that once made it special”. While half the songs “sound as fresh as anything U2 has done in a decade,” the other half fall prey on predictability.

No Line on the Horizon isn’t meant to reinvent U2. Rather, it’s a “record about searching for meaning, but always knowing the way home.”

U2’s new music is available at amazon.com (where the album gets a four star rating), the Itunes music store, and music sellers throughout downtown Portland.

Interesting First Thursday Events

Tired of looking the same galleries on your First Thursday evenings? Try one or more of these interesting events tonight.

Lizard Lounge: Featuring art work from Ashley Montague and live music by Mark Twain Indians, the First Thursday Reception Party at the Lizard Lounge will benefit Mercy Corps. Join Mercy Corps volunteers to learn more about their programs and ways you can help. Enjoy complimentary beverages from Widmer Brothers Brewery, a 10% discount on Lizard Lounge merchandise and 15% of all sales are donated to Mercy Corps. Music, drink, art, shopping and philanthropy – it doesn’t get any better than this. Lizard Lounge, 1323 NW Irving, 503.416.7476.

Wine Unwind: Romantic and thought provoking photographic images of vineyards from around the world by Emma Juhli. Wine Unwind 1019 NW 11th Ave, at Lovejoy, 503.946.8482

Forever Art & The CEO’s Home: Meet International Artist, Alexander Voitsekhovsky, Here from St. Petersburg, Russia. Exhibition through March 7th. Forever Art & The CEO's Home, 828 NW Hoyt St (corner of 9th & Hoyt), 503.227.2010

Urban Wine Works: Arletha Mueller Ryan's exhibit will be on display for all to see during the entire month of March. Join us for a First Thursday reception in honor of this talented artist and enjoy her artwork while treating yourself to complimentary appetizers, live music by Alfonso Pe Benito and Bishop Creek Cellars finely crafted Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris. Arletha Mueller Ryan will be on hand to discuss her work and reveal her barrel-top art. Join us for art, food, music and wine! (Artwork will be featured until March 31st). Urban Wineworks, 407 NW 16th Ave., 503.226.9797.

OMSI After Dark

Looking for something fun and scientific to do at night. On the fourth Wednesday of every month, OMSI puts on a special program - OMSI After Dark.

Here's your chance to shoot off water rockets, concoct chemical creations, and enjoy the wonders of OMSI with no kids in sight! Enjoy a glass of wine while learning about robots, tornados, or fossils. Have a pint of local beer while exploring the exhibits. Talk to a baker about the science behind bread, or taste the complexity of coffee.

OMSI After Dark is an opportunity for the 21-and-over crowd to explore the museum in a child-free environment. Visitors will also be able to taste and learn the science behind food and beverage favorites with local artisans. The OMSI Market Cafe will be open and cash bars will also be available for those who want more than just a taste!

Special features for Wednesday, February 25:

See Leonardo da Vinci's genius come to life! In our featured exhibit Da Vinci: The Genius, you can enjoy two floors of interactive reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions and 3D plasma presentations of his paintings. Highlights include Secrets of Mona Lisa Gallery, which features findings about the world's most famous painting that have startled the art world.

Talk to local food and beverage companies about the science behind their products and sample their tasty treats! Companies joining us in February will include: Caffe Vita Coffe Roasting Co., Cupcake Jones, Dave's Killer Bread, Hot Lips Soda, Missionary Chocolates, and Picklopolis.

For more info, go to the OMSI web site or calll 503.797.4517.

Amazing Green Comet to Pass the Earth this Month.

This just in from the Associated Press (AP) - An odd, greenish backward-flying comet is zipping by Earth this month, as it takes its only trip toward the sun from the farthest edges of the solar system. The comet is called Lulin, and there's a chance it can be seen with the naked eye — far from city lights, astronomers say. But you'll most likely need a telescope, or at least binoculars, to spot it.

The best opportunity is just before dawn one-third of the way up the southern sky. It should be near Saturn and two bright stars, Spica and Regula.

On Monday at 10:43 p.m. EST, it will be 38 million miles from Earth, the closest it will ever get, according to Donald Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object program.

Lulin was discovered by a Chinese teenager two years ago. It still has many of its original gases — gases that are usually stripped away as comets near the sun. Unlike most comets viewable from Earth, this one hasn't been this close to the sun before, Yeomans said.

First Thursday Gallery Suggestions

Should be a beautiful evening tonight for art viewing. There are quite a few new shows and the weather should be nice. Below are just a few of the more interesting exhibits you might want to check out.

• Laura Russo Gallery, 805 NW 21st St - Painter Jack Portland combines elements of surrealism and expressionism with a patterned and abstract vocabulary. He incorporates images ranging from landscape to still life to a synopsis of personal forms.
  
• Butters Gallery, 520 N.W. Davis, Second floor - encaustic paintings by Debra Van Tuinen, and glass pieces by Alessandro Casson.
  
• New American Art Union, 922 SE Ankeny Street - presents Evident by Laura Fritz.

Weekend Fun

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, 'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO : No, the name's Lou .
ABBOTT : Your computer?
COSTELLO : I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT : Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou .
ABBOTT : What about Windows?
COSTELLO : Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT : Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO : I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT : Wallpaper.
COSTELLO : Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT : Software for Windows?
COSTELLO : No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT : I just did.
COSTELLO : You just did what?
ABBOTT : Recommend something.
COSTELLO : You recommended something ?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : For my office?
ABBOTT : Yes.
COSTELLO : OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT : Office.
COSTELLO : Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT : I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO : I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT : Word.
COSTELLO : What word?
ABBOTT : Word in Office.
COSTELLO : The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT : The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO : Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT : The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.
COSTELLO : I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO : That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT : It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO : What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT : Money.
COSTELLO : Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT : Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO : I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT : One copy.
COSTELLO : Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT : Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO : They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT : Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)
ABBOTT : Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO : How do I turn my computer off?ABBOTT : Click on 'START'.............

Modern Daydreams

While attending the OMSI Gala last Saturday night we were entertained by BodyVox, Portland's internationally acclaimed dance company. One of the items they entertained us with was this humorous video. You may enjoy it here and if you look closely, you will recognize scenes of the Pearl District, circa 2001.

Apollo @ Portland Center Stage

On Saturday evening we had the good fortune to attend a terrific performance of "Apollo" at Portland Center Stage. I highly recommend it.

We love seeing shows at the Gerding Theater in the old (renovated) Armory Building. This was no exception.

While long at 3+ hours (two intermissions) the play "explores the birth of the U.S. space program, its employment of former-Nazi rocket scientists, and their surprising intersection with the Civil Rights Movement. Using the U.S. mission to the moon as a symbol of our country’s greatness, Apollo probes deep into the question: what did we sacrifice to become the America we are today? And was it worth it? A a kaleidoscopic array of theatrical methods (movement, text, video projection, music), reveals the costs and ambiguities of human aspiration and progress."

Happy Hour at the Uptown Billiard Club

Uptown Billiard Club has one of the best happy hour offers of anyplace in the downtown area. Called the 5-course Happy Hour it features five entrees for $10. And if this is not good enough, you can pair your five courses with five wines for an additional ten dollars. That's five entrees with five small glasses of wine for just $20. A terrific deal at a terrific place.

Uptown Billiards is located at 120 NW 23rd. Oh, did I mention you can also enjoy a few rounds of pool while you're there?

Orbiting Tool Bag Flys Over Portland

Amateur astronomers have spotted the world's most famous — and expensive — lost tool bag, which has been circling the Earth for the past week.

Endeavor astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper lost her grip on the $100,000, backpack-size bag while cleaning up after a grease gun leaked during a Nov. 18 spacewalk.



Grab your binoculars or telescopes: Your next chance to spot it over Portland is tonight, Thursday, January 8 at approx 11:09 pm. Look for it flying a few minutes ahead of the International Space Station. Moving from the southwest to the northeast, it appears as a tiny white dot streaking across the sky. Hopefully the weather cooperates.

NASA expects the bag to burn up when it re-enters Earth's atmosphere next June.

The 30-pound bag — which holds two grease guns, a scraper tool, a large trash bag and a small debris bag — is one of the more than 8,500 objects classified as "space debris" circling the globe.

Second Thursday Gallery Suggestions

Due to holiday, this month’s First Thursday is being held on “Second Thursday” - January 8.

There are quite a few interesting exhibits this month that will make for an interesting tour. Bring an umbrella because it will probably be raining – heavily at times. You will find the forecast for Thursday night here.

Below are just a few of the openings you will find in Downtown Portland courtesy of PADA - Portland Art Dealers Association:

• Attic Gallery, 206 SW First St features acrylic paintings on canvas by Jean Schwabe.
  


• Beet Gallery, 1720 NW Lovejoy #120 is showing figurative ceramics by Robin and John Gumaelius.
  


• Portland Northwest College of Art (PNCA), 1241 NW Johnson St, has drawings by Robert Hanson and an exhibit by Artist-in-residence Molly Dilworth.
  


• Bullseye Gallery, 300 NW 13th Ave is featuring “Due North” - the legacy and artists of Scotland’s North Lands Creative Glass as well as works by Jeff Wallin.
  


• Froelick Gallery, 714 NW Davis presents a Winter Group Show. Works by various artists.

Polar Express - The Movie

Now that Christmas is past and the cold spell seems to be breaking, what to do with the holiday time that remains. Perhaps take in a movie, maybe on an Omnimax screen over at OMSI.

Playing thru January 4 is The Polar Express.

Watch snowflakes float down on Portland’s largest screen and feel the train rumble via 12,000 watts of digital surround sound when The Polar Express arrives at the OMNIMAX Dome Theater. Based on the classic Caldecott award-wining children’s book written by Chris Van Allsburg, the film tells the story of a young boy’s extraordinary train ride to the North Pole and his discovery that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. Tom Hanks stars.

The Internet ... sites for downloading audio books

My wife, Dianne Rodway, loves audio books. She participates in two book clubs and this is her favorite way to "read" the assigned texts. Thought you might like to know where to download audio books.

• Audible.com features more than 50,000 digital titles including novels, magazines, radio shows, and podcasts. A one-month subscription costs $15. Non-members can download books for $15 to $50 per title.
  
• Overdrive.com partners with libraries Nationwide to offer free book downloads to library cardholders. A word of warning: most books come in WMA format, which requires devices compatible with Windows.
  
• Audiobooksforfree.com has a "generous (if eclectic) selection of titles." The catch? Most books in the public domain are "musty classics rather than today's best-sellers". Free audio recordings also tend to be low quality; higher-quality versions cost from $5 to $8.
  
• Apple's Itunes Store has thousands of titles for purchase. Costs vary depending on the nature of the publication.
  
  Source: Kiplinger's Personal Finance