Miscellaneous Topics

Trip to brew club worth it!

Candid Eye — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:15:10 GMT

Laurelwood Brewing Company
1401 SE Rasmussen Blvd.
Battle Ground, WA 98604

tel 360-723-0937
Monday – Thursday 11:00AM – 10:00PM
Friday 11:00AM – Midnight
Saturday 10:00AM – Midnight
Sunday 10:00AM – 10:00P
Breakfast served 10:00AM – 3:00PM on weekends

Well worth the trip!

What a treat to eat at this kid friendly, brew club and restaurant. Laurelwood, located in Battle Ground Village it is destination restaurant that is easily accessed from most of Clark County.

For those of us who try to be careful about what we eat and drink, it is assuring to know that all beers at Laurelwood are organic and certified by Oregon Tilth an organization that provides organic certification services to organic growers, and all beef, chicken and pork are hormone, antibiotic free and have been fed natural diets that contain no genetically modified grains or animal by-products.

Most importantly, a large choice of entree’s is available. Those that I have tried are delicious! My favorite feast is Hummus Fresco. It is an appetizer but it will fill you up.

Twilight: New Moon Event - The Stephenie Meyer Comic Book signing

bluebamboo — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:16:58 GMT

There will be an event held for fans of the "Twilight: New Moon" author, Stephenie Meyer. The creators of the biographical comic book "Female Force: Stephenie Meyer" will be at a book signing this Saturday, November 7th 2009 from 1-3 PM at the Borders in Tigard, Oregon located in the Bridgeport Village.

More info at:

http://www.bluewaterprod.com/news/female_force_signing.php

Candid Eye

Candid Eye — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:50:49 GMT

First Saturday in November, Nov. 7, 2009 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Battle Ground High School–both gyms.
No admission. Suggested donation: Canned or packaged food or money to buy food for the North County Community Food Bank

Vancouver Children’s Opera! I didn’t even know that we had one. That is very sad because so many in our community are working to bring fine arts to Clark County. Val Ogden, past Representative for the 49th District, continues to press for an Arts Center in Vancouver. Betty Sue Morris, past Clark County Commissioner, now heads the Board of Directors of the very fine Vancouver Symphony.

Pat LaCroix, a local jewelry artist from Battle Ground, is sending out press releases regarding the Vancouver Children’s Opera. The group is proudly announcing the date for it’s next production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s classic opera Amahl and the Night Visitors on Friday, October 23rd and Saturday the 24th at 7 PM and Sunday, October 25th at 3 PM. All performances will be held at Hough Elementary School at 1900 Daniels Street in Vancouver.

For your information:

Battle Ground Art Alliance

Vancouver Art Walk

LET the FLU BUG FLY PAST YOU! Public Health link

Congressman Brian Baird
Representing Washington’s 3rd District Congressman

Advice from Baird regarding H1N1 flu.

1. Make prevention the first line of defense

H1N1 can be spread when someone with the flu coughs or sneezes on you, or when you touch something with flu virus on it and then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. With that in mind, we should all try to make it a routine to wash our hands often with soap and water, and try to sneeze into our sleeve or a tissue whenever possible. These steps are easy, but they only work if everyone participates.

2. Know the symptoms and if you’re sick: Stay home

H1N1 and the seasonal flu have similar symptoms. With both, you will have a fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose; achiness, headache, chills and fatigue. Sometimes H1N1 causes diarrhea and vomiting. Both H1N1 and seasonal flu can be severe and occasionally deadly. If you’re sick, stay home and don’t risk spreading the disease to your friends and coworkers.

3. Talk to your health care provider about getting vaccinated

In addition to the normal flu shot, there is a vaccine for H1N1. It is best for you to consult with your health care provider to find out how the vaccine will be available in your area and if it is appropriate for you or members of your family.

4. Visit the Washington State H1N1 and seasonal flu page

The Washington State Department of Health has developed an extensive page with information on how you can better prepare yourself for the H1N1 flu. You can access it by clicking here.

Biggest WinXP Piracy Case Lands 'Founders' in Jail

delnoriscup — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:50:01 GMT

Biggest WinXP Piracy Case Lands 'Founders' in Jail

by Carlo Orlando on 20090827 @ 11:35AM EST | google it | send to friends
Filed under Piracy | (related terms: china, tomato garden, piracy case, chinese, lei)

Four parties responsible for the widespread bootleg version of Microsoft's Windows XP in China have been found guilty and sentenced to spend as much as three and a half years in a Chinese prison.

China has long been linked with international cyber crime and foreign malware. However, according to Xinhua -- the official news agency of the People's Republic of China -- the hundreds of thousands of other cases of online deviance pales in comparison to the bootlegged "Tomato Garden" version of Windows XP.

Biggest Piracy Case in Chinese History

Created in 2004, the Tomato Garden has had a hemorrhaging spread throughout China, and has been dubbed 'the biggest software piracy case in Chinese history' according to Xinhua news agency.

The illicit software was created by Hong Lei and distributed via tomatolei.com, where it was consumed by the millions. Lei was able to turn his situation profitable thanks in large part to the earnings made from a number of advertisements found on the site.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, the hacked version of Windows XP Tomato Garden caused a crippling effect on program authentication and certification barriers. (Source: yahoo.com)

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BSA Cracks Down on Piracy

In June 2008, the Business Software Alliance (a coalition set up to rid the world of commercial piracy) stumbled upon tomatolei.com and complained to Chinese authorities. Now, Lei finds himself facing a three and a half year prison sentence via a court ruling in Suzhou, located in eastern China. (Source: hollywoodreporter.com)

Another one of Lei's accomplices was handed the same prison sentence while the two remaining parties each received two year sentences.

The four may consider themselves fortunate, however. As founding fathers of the "biggest software piracy case" in the history of the globe's most populated nation, their situation is exacerbated by pressure from Washington to make examples out of online deviants. Now, more than ever, China must prove to the world their seriousness when attempting to stamp out abuse of copyrighted and patented products.

It is not known if the four intend to appeal the court ruling.

Georgia Lawmaker Calls For Caning, Executing Marijuana Offenders

delnoriscup — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:50:01 GMT

August 12th, 2009 By: Daniel Saltman, NORML Deputy Director
Share this Article

[Editor's note: This post is excerpted from this week's forthcoming NORML weekly media advisory. To have NORML's media advisories delivered straight to your in-box, sign up for NORML's free e-zine here.]

State Republican lawmaker Tommy Benton (31st House District) favors “caning” minor marijuana offenders and “executing” those who sell the drug, according to a recent correspondence sent by the representative to a constituent.

In a July 29, 2009 e-mail (which was voluntarily forwarded to the NORML office), Rep. Benton wrote: “Thanks for the email. We will have to agree to disagree on this and whether or not money is wasted (by mandating the state to prosecute minor marijuana offenders). I am opposed to the legalization of marijuana. I think we should go to caning for people caught using and maybe execute dealers. [emphasis NORML’s] That would solve the problem as well. That is what they do in Singapore and they don’t have a drug problem.”

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Caning is a form of corporal punishment consisting of up to 24 violent lashes with a long rattan cane that has been soaked in water. The procedure inflicts intense pain and deep, bloody lacerations that can take several months to heal.

Rep. Benton followed up his remarks in a separate e-mail on August 11 (also forwarded to NORML) in which he threatened to turn over the names of citizens who disagreed with his political viewpoints to local law enforcement.

He wrote: “You and your cronies want it (marijuana) legalized so you can get a hit anytime without having to worry about getting arrested. I have forwarded your email to the Lowndes County sheriffs [sic] office so that they can be on the lookout for you. [emphasis NORML’s] Consider this my last correspondence on the the [sic] subject to you or anyone else who shares your similar “conservative views’.”

Benton was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2005.

indian reservation horse slaughter plant being considered

horselover24 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:35:32 GMT

did anyone catch the news cast or find any article on this website about the indian reservation? thank you

Has big real estate finally hit rock bottom?

delnoriscup — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:06:07 GMT

John Cannon has been financing big real estate loans for $25 billion-asset Capmark Finance Inc. of Horsham and its predecessors since 1985, and he’s never seen business this slow.

“There’s nothing being bought and sold,” Cannon told me by phone from the vast Virginia headquarters of government-controlled home lender Freddie Mac, one of the few outfits still pumping millions into buildings.

Capmark financed $1.5 billion in apartment deals during the first half of the year, down by half since early 2008. Almost all this year’s lending was refinancing loans, funded by Freddie and Fannie Mae, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“They’re the only viable lenders in U.S. commercial real estate right now,” and all they do is residential real estate, not offices or industry, Cannon said.

He’s seen slow markets before. The early 1990s, when the savings banks failed. But that “was a supply issue. You saw a lot of empty buildings. Now it’s a liquidity issue.” Banks aren’t lending.

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He’s hoping things have hit bottom. Fannie and Freddie tightened credit sharply last year. Lately, they aren’t requiring quite so many escrow payments, Cannon said hopefully. “Terms are getting looser. Spreads are coming down.”

It’s not that loan rates have fallen. It’s the spread between what money costs and what Fannie and Freddie charge that tells the story, according to Cannon:

Back in the mid-2000s, loans were approved at less than 1 percent above the benchmark 10-year Treasury rate. That zoomed to 3.5 to 4 percent above the benchmark during last fall’s credit crisis, after the Bush administration took control of Fannie and Freddie. Now it’s around 2 percent, Cannon says.

But banks still aren’t coming back into the market. It’s not just that they’re shy. There’s also “the disconnect between buyers’ and sellers’ expectations,” Cannon told me. “Guys bought a building five years ago for $10 million. They don’t want to sell for $8 million.”

NJ to PA

Archer Daniels Midland Co., Decatur, Ill., says it’s closing its Glassboro cocoa plant and ending jobs for 53 workers there. The work is moving to ADM’s new 500,000-square foot plant in Hazleton, says spokesman Roman Blahoski.

Bernanke or Summers?

Democrats in Congress and the Obama White House are plotting to remove Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke and replace him with Obama’s chief economic adviser, Larry Summers, at the end of his term next year, writes veteran bank analyst Richard X. Bove of Connecticut-based Rochdale Securities.

Summers is the brainy Main Line native, Harvard economist, and ex-Treasury Secretary who’s trying to re-regulate the financial institutions he helped deregulate under President Bill Clinton, setting the stage for the current mess.

Bernanke or Summers - what’s the difference? “Mr. Bernanke has demonstrated a willingness to act to defend both the economy and the financial system. Conversely, Mr. Summers has written the bulk of the proposals to regulate the financial industry,” which Bove says “would dramatically restrict fund flow to the economy” and kill the recovery like the government did when it tightened credit rules too soon in 1937. (But when’s the right time?)

Bove credits Bernanke, ex-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, and FDIC chief Sheila Bair with “bold, innovative action” that salvaged the banks and prevented a full U.S. takeover. Bush and Obama at that time “did nothing.” Congress was “the proverbial deer in the headlights.”

Yet “the same people who were incapable of acting when there was a clear need for action will now make the decision as to whether the man who helped save the system should be removed.”

Bernanke is set to testify before the House banking committee next Tuesday. Expect Fed critics to ask how he’ll reverse the scary growth in the money supply without stalling the economy.

Drum and Bugle Corp - Oregon Crusaders at Southridge High School Monday July 20, 6:30 PM

lauragallagher — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:52:37 GMT

Don't miss the high energy Oregon Crusaders - Marching Music's Major League from Portland Oregon
when they perform Equilibrium at Southridge High School on Monday, July 20th at 6:30 PM.

We will be serving desert and an "intense, choreographed musical experience staged by students achieving high levels of excellence in performance". http://www.dci.org/corps/

Suggested donation is $20.00 to help us get to Indianapolis for the DCI Championships.
Come anyway - you'll love it!

For more information about the Oregon Crusaders or to make a donation online, please go to www.oregoncrusaders.org

Event:
Monday, July 20, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Location: Southridge High School, 9625 SW 125th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97007

David Lettermans hate speech

vperl — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:18:24 GMT

Letterman's attack on the Palin family is sick. Will his network ignore his hate speech? Has anyone looked at the falling rating of the show letterman is running.

Can any imagine the reaction if letterman had people look and comment on his wife and kid, rumors that he has her locked up in a basement so no one can attack her ... with the same violent actions letterman did against all of Palins family. The behavior of letterman and his attitude toward those that disagree with him. letterman is an old tired bitter not funny leftist loon. Anyone noticed how he is very careful to not make any jokes about bamma that are as hate filled as letterman has made against every Republican he mentions......

lettermans ratings are terrible and he has lost many advertisers because of his loonier hate speech.... will the network continue to allow this hate speech ?

My guess is sure they will keep letterman, till the cash really slows down

World’s Rarest Insect found on Rocky Spire

delnoriscup — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:13:42 GMT

Posted by Dylan Thuras, June 19, 2009 2:20 PM

Ball’s Pyramid is fairly amazing at first glance. However it wasn’t until 2001 on a much closer inspection of the island, that scientists realized just how amazing the island, and its inhabits, really were

The remnants of a once massive volcano, Ball’s Pyramid juts 1,843 feet out of the Pacific ocean. Discovered in 1788, the barren, rocky spire was thought to be devoid of life until 2001 when a group of scientists discovered what may be the world’s rarest insect.

The Lord Howe Island stick insect (Dryococelus australis) had not been seen alive in over 70 years. Known as “land lobsters” or “walking sausages,” the six inch long insects had once been common on the neighboring Lord Howe Island, but were assumed to have been eaten into extinction by black rats introduced when a supply ship ran aground in 1918.

Yet in 2001 the scientists found a colony of the huge Lord Howe Island stick insects living under a single bush, a hundred feet up the otherwise entirely infertile rock. Somehow a few of the wingless insects escaped and managed–by means still unknown–to traverse 23 kilometers of open ocean, land on Ball’s Pyramid, and survive there. Just 27 of the insects have been found on the rocky spire. They are currently being bred in captivity.

Links to Ball’s Pyramid on the Atlas and a link to the fact sheet on the Lord Howe Island stick insect.

Is koin 6 news written by total morons?

wombato — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:43:51 GMT

What the heck makes you think we are interested in a guy who got bored with jury duty. Further more what makes you think we are interested in him making a court date. Does Koin news 6 now slant the news to apease the totally mor... i mean the ummmm what is the politically correct term the intellegence challenged. My mom said "If ya don't got any thing good to say SHUT UP!" i think the news programs on all of the portland venu should take that to heart

Why is telecast done in wide screen now?

rdsquid — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:43:45 GMT

People that have "old TV's" don't get the written news. kinda seems like the rich get it, and the poor don't! Like the Trailblazers giving a trip to the winner of the best "wear
your Blazers outfit in an exotic location". Wow, you can travel and we'll give you more. I think in this economic time, we might go the other way! RD

ALL HAPPY HOURS IN PDX

pdxcutie — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:13:59 GMT

It's high time Portland got an iPhone Application for happy hours! Download it now and you can thank me later: http://www.gotime.com/mobile/happy_hour_video - oh and it's free!

What happened to the Teacher's Lounge contest

FBGYD — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:11:24 GMT

I came here to log my daily vote and was unable. Is there something wrong?

Brutal murder of 8 year old girl

posty — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:34:58 GMT

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=7344342&page=1

I need to be email compliant before I get in trouble, can anyone help?

bjonez1980 — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 23:14:28 GMT

So, I'm currently looking to get our company compliant and I'm hunting for a provider. I was going to try and do it myself with archiving software but after thinking more about it I realized that my great luck would kick in and I'd end up losing all the data by mistake, or some other bad event.

So, I've done some research and come to some conclusions.

It seems that a company called Live Office is the by far the biggest and most popular email archiving company, sort of like the Walmart of the archiving field. However, there are probably 3 bad reviews for every positive one I can find. Now this could be due to the fact they really do offer bad service or it could be their competitors out to tarnish their name.

I found an archiving "reviews" site and it kind of laws out all the different options and prices for each company. It seems that "smarsh" and "archive compliance" are the best two options in terms of price and features.

My question is, are you currently using an archiving service with another company, such as Live Office or whatever? If so, please give me your feedback on the company you're currently with and any company you have been with in the past.

I DO NOT, under any circumstance, want to bounce from one company to another. I want to make sure this is a one time thing.

Thanks in advance for helping me in my decision!

P.S. In case you don't know what the heck I'm talking about and feel like learning about it: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/index.html

Not Every Christian Is Under The Pope

kvport53nw — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:35:41 GMT

Let's be honest you are not doing fair reporting of the news when you glorify the Pope when every religious holiday rolls around.

Not every Christian is under the stupid Pope. I do not acknowledge him or follow his path. I am in a completely different church denomination and I am still considered Christian. No place in the Bible does it ever say to elect a Pope.

Please be more fair in your reporting and include other church denominations. The Catholics do not own Christianity. It was given to us as a free gift from God and not cerntainly meant to be overtaken by one particular denomination.

Please correct this ongoing problem.

Please help find Tony!

franknnikki — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:08:10 GMT

Hi,

My name is Nicole Jorgenson! We are desprately seeking any information on the whereabouts of Tony, my husband's little brother! We have not recieved any contact from him in almost 5 years now. We live in Malad, Id and have four children in school or we would be in Portland hunting the streets for him ourselves. The photo attached is one from January 2009 in Multonomah County, Oregon that I recieved from a law enforcement agent. We have some news of his adoptive father passing that we would like to be able to give him, and we are really concerned about him! I also have never met him, but he means so much to my husband, that we named our son after him. Any info can be sent to wfrankjorgenson@yahoo.com or call (208)540-2290 or (208)766-0964. I'm also attaching a photo and a flyer that we have put together to hopefully locate him. Anyone willing to post flyers in the Gresham/Portland can contact us and we are willing to send flyers to anyone interested. Also, you can read our story and see photos on our myspace page at www.myspace.com/nikkimalchannlex.

Tony's full name is Anthony Michael James

he is between 5'8" and 5'10"

he is age 27 and lives in the Portland/Gresham area

Thanks,

Nikki Jorgenson

What is it with Koin?

JadedBastard — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:43:08 GMT

I just got myself a big, beautiful 47-inch HD TV. Oh, man, once you go HD, you never want to go back.

But what do I see most times when watching HD content on Koin (And most other networks)? I see a third of my screen real estate taken up with flashy, noisy, distracting ADS. Don't they realize:

1. People are WATCHING something ELSE and hate being distracted by these ads?

2. We are actually LOSING a third of OUR screen and KOIN is being PAID by the advertisers, not us? That's theft, if you ask me...

3. What? KOIN is the ONLY local channel to not have an HD contract with DirecTV? I watch a LOT of CBS programming, but most of it I have to watch in Low-RES due to KOIN's bent nose. Oh, goody.

4. A lot programming on KOIN is sports. I watch sports. Most sports programming keeps the score of whatever event is on near the bottom of the screen. Most times, I can't see it - there's a CBS/KOIN 'ghost' there, blocking the information. Even better, if the disaster du jour occurs while I'm watching said sports or drama or whatever, I get a 'scroller' going telling me nothing but "DETAILS AT KOIN.COM" or "WATCH KOINLOCAL6 FOR FURTHER DETAILS" - when will self-promotion ever reach a saturation point? Ever? Anyone?

MOST networks have this same issue. I'm sick of it. If I'm watching the show on YOUR channel, isn't that enough? Why not?

And I could certainly go on all day about the useless 'Local News' we get in this area. Egads...

Do you think there is a thing as P.T.S.D. and does it happen to others but not you?

royse city — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:26:33 GMT

I will keep my name silent for now ,was wondering if any other people feel that what they have lived through is just part of this thing we call life ? Why does V.a. TAKE SO LONG TO SEE THE SIGNS WHEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAY YOU SCREAM IT ?

Way to go Koin Local 6... not

Rainbow — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 20:38:45 GMT

Do YOU really think we care to hear what people will/would be willing to live without? No, of course we don't... what an incredibly stupid thing to waste airtime on... UNLESS you're in cahoots with Verizon, Comcast and the rest of the internet service providers and THEY wanted to know, so they can raise our bills accordingly... hey... THANKS A LOT... not.

did Jeff Gianola really say the new beer tax is 50$ per glass? or just a slip....

littlehelper — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:35:39 GMT

how interesting that a slip like that (that went uncorrected...) left the viewers with the impression that a new beer tax would cost unbelievable amounts of money. Fact is, Oregon has one of the lowest beer prices in the US, and we also have the distinction of having the highest percentage of 8th grade drinkers....yup that's right EIGHTH GRADE...check out the stats and research that clearly links the price of beer to early onset patterns of drinking. How do I know that? I am a drug and alcohol counselor that deals daily with the wreckage of lives from addiction. Some very intelligent person made sure that when Oregon developed a lottery, it also funded the treatment for the small percentage of people who are problem gamblers. Seems like a no brainer right? Well, Anheuser Busch has worked very hard, and paid a lot of money to make sure Oregonians are petrified of raising the price of beer to pay for treatment. Check out the state research on the ACCBO website that shows us for every dollar we spend on treatment, we DON'T spend 7 dollars in the emergency room. Seems simple enough, but when big dollar liquor lobbyists don't want Salem to do something, it doesn't get done. Ask why advertising is set at the level of a three year old....We need well rounded newscasting, not just reports designed to ensure continued ignorance. Portray both sides of an issue, not just the side your advertisers pay for. It was obvious the beer producers got their say tonight, how about a little time for Eric Martin, someone who is really looking out for the people, especially those 8th graders.

misinformation

BP982 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:15:13 GMT

Hi news team ...

not a good day to go to OMSI .... there closed on Mondays

Sweet 16

bdodge — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:40:43 GMT

Megan turns 16 this year and she wanted to have her own dance party. It'll be held on the 27th of February. There are two things that make this Sweet 16 stand out.

Our goal is to create an event that is simple and under $1000 total cost to prove that not all birthday parties have to be as extravagant as the MTV's Sweet 16 Parties in order to be fun. The theme will be Black & White with a hint of New York and stars. We will serve sodas and snacks and will make our own cupcakes. This all eliminates any need for silverware. We are also making most of the decorations ourselves surfing the internet for ideas.

Last but not least, Megan decided that we would collect donations at the door for a charity. She chose St Jude Children's hospital since she loves kids and specifically listed on the invite to bring at least $2. I would like to try and get some of our local businesses here in Oregon to match the donations we receive. If you are interested, please let me know by commenting this posting. Thank you.

Things to do

donnashouse — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:02:32 GMT

I just found a great and inexpensive way to spend the day. I was given a couple day passes to WAAAM for christmas. WAAAM is the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Mueseum in Hood River, OR. I am sure that all will enjoy this as much as we did.

Besides a fabulous drive down the Gorge to Hood River, the WAAAM museum topped off the trip.

There are something like 50 flyable antique airplanes and maybe around 80 antique and classic cars.

If you are going just head for Hood Rivers Airport and WAAAM is there in this HUGE building.

hope you enjoy it like I did.