I love this little bit from Politico. Just off the House floor today, the Crypt overheard House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers tell two other people: “We’re closing in on Rove. Someone’s got to kick his ass.” Asked a few minutes later for a more official explanation, Conyers told us that Rove has a week to appear before his committee. If he doesn’t, said...

What goes on.

The legal term "preemption" is one of those boring sounding words that makes eyes glaze over and starts the snoozefest. Seems like the Bush administration is counting on that reaction in its latest threat to consumer safety. Preemption is a concept that provides that federal law can trump or overrule state standards when Congress passes a...

I am addicted to watching the Andy Griffith show. It is a world I would like to live in, not that it ever existed in reality. I just discovered that you can watch full episodes at the TV Land web site. Now I don't have to wait until the evening, even though it's something I really look forward to at the end of the day....

Today I noticed a job posting at Search Engine Watch where the Obama campaign was looking for an internet marketing specialist. I've provided a copy of this job opening for an SEOs out there that want to support the Obama campaign by doing a little SEO work for them. Barack Obama has amassed an army of people to support him financially and politically online. This is a stark contrast to what...

Now that I've tossed the non-cloudy Nalgene water bottles, I've been casting my angry eye around the rest of the kitchen. Sippy cups? Flour storage containers? Teethers? Wish I could just see the stuff. So good thing I stumbled across...

Six more days and counting until my boy returns from Paradise. He called last night, tipsy on pina coladas, to chat. It was a fun chat, full of laughter and banter. He also told me he misses me "quite a bit." He's having a grand time snorkeling, swimming, hiking, and lounging on the beach so I'm pretty glad he misses me at all! I feel like I'm handling his absence pretty well. I miss him to...

African-american customer talking to two african-american cashiers about Barack Obama... African-american customer: First day he in, they shoot him. You watch! White customer: They'd better not shoot him - he's our only hope! African-american customer, to cashiers: White people think they ready; everybody think they ready. White customer: I'm ready! I'm ready! African-american customer looks...

The Oregon Supreme Court handed Oregon employers a huge victory today, finding that employees have no private right of action for missed breaks under Oregon wage and hour laws. The Court of Appeals in Gafur v. Legacy Good Samritan Hospital had interpreted BOLI’s administrative rule, OAR 839-020-0050, to require four hours' pay for every three hours and 50 minutes of work. The Supreme Court...

I had a dream the other nite. I dreamt I woke up and President Bush was lying on the bed next to me on top of the covers. He was on his back with his hands crossed on his chest. "What are you doing here?" I asked him. "Just letting you see what it feels like to sleep next to the President of the United States," he told me. "Why are you wearing a suit?" I asked him. "A President must always...

Junk Face Alan Singley & Pants Machine Andy Combs & The Moth All Ages / $5 Doors 8pm Berbati's Pan 231 SW Ankeny St Portland, OR 97204 (503) 248-4579 Check out what Sean Gothman's Post about Baracking da votes...

In an unsurprising vote Monday night, the PPS Board of Education moved to spend $1.2 million on middle school history materials, the first such adoption in over 20 years. I differ with some of my activist cohorts on the degree to which standardization is necessary to ensure equity (I'm pleased the district is moving toward more standardization in general, though I have doubts about the kind of...

Not a cloud in the sky, no humidity, and a fresh breeze here in Portland. Morning calls and a bunch of other logistical challenges kept me from a good chunk of the last day of sessions, but I did manage to make the last couple of morning sessions as well as the Google Maps session where Lior Ron announced 9 new features in 9 minutes (well, maybe 10 minutes, but who's counting). Going to keep this...

The sun is out and Portland's streets are full of signs that summer is fast approaching — including this fantastically flowerly dress I spotted on my way to a meeting today... Great to see for many reasons. This woman and her dress are so great to see for a lot of reasons: It's finally warm enough to...

My friend the Gastronaut is throwing a party on Sunday for the National Marrow Donor Program. Live music! Beer! Helping sick kids! At the event, he'll be registering people to become bone marrow donors?which, as best I understood from the explanation I drunkenly received a few nights ago, basically means you just give a couple cell swabs from the inside of your cheek, fill out some forms, they...

Two of three engines on the northbound Coast Starlight this afternoon; the lead twinkie and a F69phi following along for the ride.

As the presidential primaries draw to a close, events on the campaign trail accelerate to a rapid-fire staccato of spin and imagery. Here's a couple observations from the events of the last few days: Git ya a pair o' overalls, girl! Hillary Clinton's landslide victory in West Virginia on Tuesday was largely meaningless. Obama is going to be the nominee. Yes, Hillary won the West Virginia...

Straw bag decorated with raffia flowers. You can purchase this purse for the sale price of $14.99 over at PlaidPonyVintage.com Woven wicker bag from Hong Kong. You can purchase this purse for the sale price of $19.99 over at PlaidPonyVintage.com Straw bag from Jamaica embroidered with flowers. You can purchase this purse for the sale price of $14.99 over at PlaidPonyVintage.com Woven...

Suzanne Obermire of RRW Consulting has a thoughtful post on the struggle to establish good boundaries in direct marketing. The issue in question is mobile marketing — delivering advertising to cell phones and other mobile devices. When I take off my direct marketing hat and think about mobile marketing from a consumers' perspective, it can be a little frightening. Marketers can know where I...

Published May 14, 2008 This spring, Oregon Democrats will try to choose the candidate who has the best shot at picking off the last remaining Republican senator on the West Coast. It’s a tall order, but we think the short guy is the best choice to do it. There are two main contenders for the Democratic Senate nomination. Both are well qualified, both have solid progressive credentials,...

Apparently we're getting some pretty large conventions without it.

You already knew it was delicious and instructional watching this colossal prick throw a tantrum, and now you can dance to it too!

A single poppy flower in the middle of a field of fennel.

Mercato is vintage London mod meets urban contemporary. And it's very very orange. The dining area is really spacious and all the chairs and couches are orange, styled like something out of a 60's sci-fi movie. Even some of the industrial beams and structures are painted orange. The way it works is that you are handed a menu as you walk in and then you order at the counter. After that, you find a...

I love having the SA widget on my Google page. I constantly read science articles that I wouldn't have run across otherwise. Often they are serious or even frightening. The link below, though, covers two stories about young students whose observations, thoughtfulness, and curiousity have led to wonderful possibilities in solving problems that face our culture. Makes me happy, and I pass...

I realize some of my writing recently may come off as a little cranky. I know I've been hammering the professional stuff recently, and its been due to some cocktail enthusiasts (I'm not naming names here) repeatedly asking me for access to things and jumping into some conversations I've had with other professional bartenders about technique. Sometimes, as a bartender, I really need to just discuss...

Powers Building, 1878 The furniture store that was advertised here is long gone but, happily for ghost sign fans, most of the sign remains, although the top has suffered water damage. Originally named the Rensselaer Building, it was the site of several hardware and furniture companies over the years. It was the site of the Harbor Club beginning in 1946, one of the few gay bars in Portland....

We had a wildly successful poker party last night. Agent made blended lemon drops and we shuffled up brand new cards for the occasion. We decided to play tournament style, still a five dollar buy-in, but winner takes all in the end. The blinds were doubled every time the button came back to Agent. I folded every single hand until the very end. I had really crappy cards. Even though it's boring to...

I love eating my lunch on the roof of the Dekum Building, where my office is located. A beautiful unobstructed view across the Willamette all the way out to Mt Hood. Actually, Crustodio and I had drinks up there the weekend of my wedding a few years ago. The deck is in disrepair these days, though there are still benches and chairs and a grill. What's missing is shade. There used to be some kind...

Hamburgler: This one surprised. $9.00 Cheeseburger with potato salad or house salad. Natural Misty Ilse ground angus beef with herb aioli, pickled red onions, sharp cheddar, on brioche. Add bacon $1.00. It was cooked perfect to order (medium rare of course) and the herb aioli shined. Nice summer patio. Rontoms 600 E. Burnside St. Portland, OR 97214 (503)...

Here's the text of an e-mail I was forwarded, sent around to the Oregonian's advertising department and various campaign e-mails. Pavel Goberman, the subject of the e-mail, is running in the Democratic contest for U.S. Senate. Here it is, in all its glory: Thank for email, but: the Voters' Pamphlet is the BEST advertisement. I got a letter from high school students with Subject: Mock Election:...

Yesterday was my birthday, one of those "big ones', the kind that end in 9, implying that the next will end in an even bigger-yet 0. Staying true to my birthday traditions, my best arcade pals and I spent the evening pumping nickels into the economy at the Avalon Arcade. I spent about 40 bucks earning enough tickets to buy a five dollar ball for the real cutest dog in the world, Shasta. The ball...

Been a while since we'd heard from Fernando Viciconte. Portland's premier roots rock singer/songwriter of the past decade disassembled his band shortly after the critically lauded release of 2006's Enter To Exit—he was named one of Magnet's Ten Artists To Watch that year—after continuing throat problems threatened his career. Listening to new album True Instigator, though, the voicebox...

Even though Hillary’s campaign seems to be losing momentum, might in fact be dead, it refuses to grind to a dead stop. Hillary bravely soldiers on, much to the delight of dwindling numbers of supporters—and GOP members made ecstatic by the continuing divide within the Democratic Party. At this point, by remaining in the race she does the party more harm than good. Frankly, I...

From KDRV in Medford: The housing market slump has had a ripple affect on the entire economy. Workforce analysts say the slowdown has affected the construction and manufacturing industries to varying degrees. "Cause when there are fewer jobs, fewer people have enough of the disposable income to spend in the local community, to eat out in the restaurants, to pay for gas, to have normal consumer...

nytimes.comCraig Robinson.As I returned from a pickup game in SE Portland last night, I was happily surprised to get a message from the renowned DraftKevinDurant blog founder, and current contributor for BlazersEdge, Ben Golliver. Recently, Ben had the chance to...