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BOOMER ANGLE: BE MORE ENGAGING

The boomer angle of working through life isn’t working so well. The scummy people you see in the news talking from both sides of their mouth? They all aim for the boomer angle. Mr. Trump himself is Boomer #1 in the line up. What happened?

SOUTH PORTLAND PEOPLE CHANNEL PROUD MARY

Old painting of a rower An early morning walk by the Willamette showed the sort of Portland people see before they move here. A calm scene, placid water, with sun breaking through scattered clouds for a blinking reflection. With the Ross Island Bridge on the left, and the actual Ross Island in front, dog walkers […]

HOW TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE WHEN THINGS FEEL HOPELESS

Keeping hope alive might sound like some Pollyanna talk. Keep hope alive, like it’s dying or something? Who believes that? Well, until a new level of dread arrives, no one. It’s all good, right up until it’s not. That’s when hope starts to fade.

BUILT STRONG TAKES TIME TO GET IT DONE

Eiffel Tower, 1888 Who doubts the Eiffel Tower wasn’t built strong? That it’s still standing is the only testament it needs. Data shows it’s the biggest pay to visit site in the world. How strong is that? Like anything else, it started with a good foundation, and isn’t that the basis for anything built strong, […]

MICHAEL JORDAN WORKED PORTLAND ONE LAST TIME

Michael Jordan and the Portland Trail Blazers will always be linked. Every sports fan knows the story of Jordan in the ’84 NBA Draft. But no crying over spilled milk here. No, I’m crying over the time I saw him play in Portland toward the end of his time with the Bulls. Where’s my hankie?

BASKETBALL COURT: A DATE WITH HISTORY FROM THE DRIVEWAY

A basketball court is today’s proving ground for American youth. Like other kids of a certain generation, though, baseball was my first proving ground. After I proved I wasn’t very good at it, something about a weak arm and slow legs, the basketball court replaced the diamond. Instead of going to a lumpy field, I […]

TIGARD HOUSE HUNTER REVIEW

Before Tigard house hunting began, one big question came up too often. Why Tigard? The view I had from downtown Portland included every direction out of the city.

PANHANDLING THE PANHANDLERS IN PHILADELPHIA

Panhandling is an urban characteristic that brings diverse emotions. For some, the response it, “Don’t talk to me.” Followed by, “Don’t make your problem my problem.” The reverse: “I don’t have change, but please take this ten dollar bill.” The response is different with the roles reversed.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK? COME ON NEW YORK

Doing the right thing in New York is the same as doing the right thing in Oregon: Stay home, keep a social distance. My social distance from NYC is 3000 miles away, but it wasn’t always that way. Frank said it best:

HISTORY SPEAKS IN A LOUD VOICE FROM A ROOF TOP

History speaks in a loud voice, sometimes too loud. And if it tells something uncomfortable, the only thing louder is denial. A boompdx reader checked in to ask about the Fox Theater posts. Why all the Broadway posts. “All two of them?” I said.