It's political season again and the airwaves are full of polluted words. Presidential campaigning is a travesty, an official lie. And mainstream media is a diversion, at best. It's enough to drive a person to drink. Thankfully, there are voices crying in the...
Know What You’re Laughing At, Or The Laugh’s On You
I love American history and American culture. I love 'merican people (especially our artists, writers and musicians) and 'merican places. Therefore, it pains me to encounter geo-cultural ignorance. And sadly, I encounter it all too often in places populated by lots of...
Oh Me Oh My Oh
My cousin Joshua is Tour Manager for The Band of Heathens, a rock band from Austin, TX. I'm glad he is, because it's a cool job with an impressive band. Plus, it meant we were on the guest list Saturday night at Mississippi Studios in North Portland! Knowing that...
Eat Your Peas, Or Feed Them To The Hungry
Food waste in America has grown 50% since 1974. Today, the average American household throws out 470 pounds of food every year, making it the largest component in our nation’s landfills. Naturally, this speaks volumes about our culture. Just a few generations removed...
Arranging Words for Money No Game of Scrabble
In Spring of 1977, The Paris Review, published an interview with Kurt Vonnegut. The interview is a composite of four question and answer sessions with the writer, and edited by Vonnegut himself. Therefore, what he has to say in this "interview" is not as off-the-cuff...