Category: Local

Things I’ve Learned In This Nasty Weather

In case you haven’t heard, the weather all over Oregon has been a cold, nasty mess this week, with the temps earlier this week dropping below zero (with high temps in the single digits — Fahrenheit degrees, not Celsius). There are some things I’ve learned throughout this:

  • My car battery — which is about the size of a go-cart battery and equally as powerful — doesn’t seem to like the temps below 10°F. I had to jump my car or pop the clutch on both Monday and Tuesday when the temps were in single digits. Get above 10°F, and it starts fine. It struggles, but it starts. I actually had an old, fully functional, basically new car battery in my garage (long story) that I just put in my trunk and kept it in there with my cables in case I couldn’t find somebody to jump me or I didn’t park on a hill so I could pop the clutch (which is a pain in the cold, but still possible).
  • People in the Willamette Valley totally freak out when there’s ice and snow. If you read some of the Portland-area blogs or even the newspapers from the area, it’s like the end of the world over there. Granted, I know that Portland is not built for that kind of thing, nor are its residents, but I had a great laugh, watching folks try to drive in it. Portland, Eugene, and Salem are ripe with mass transit options — why people aren’t using them up there when it gets like this is beyond me.
  • People become retarded when driving in the crap. I drive to work down Hwy 97 to Sunriver from Bend — one of the ugliest stretches of highway this time of year — and am constantly seeing people a) Driving way too fast for the conditions (it’s a frickin’ skating rink, folks) and b) driving with out their headlights on blizzards (like it was on the highway today). I nearly rear-ended a few people today because I couldn’t see them until I nearly clobbered them. They’re in white cars, in white-out weather, with no lights on. And they think because they’re in a big ol’ SUV or pickup that they can still drive the speed limit (or over it). Frickin’ idiots.
  • My headlights need cleaning. They’re pretty heavily oxidized, and when I drive home at night, I need all the help I can get. Any recommendations, other than the various solutions suggested on Google? Anything particular work for anybody?

If You’re Trying To Hide Away From A Crime On Foot…

…don’t do it when there is snow on the ground. You have a tendency to leave tracks that cops can easily follow to track you down, like a couple of local smart guys: Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

Google Street View Is Now In Bend

I had wondered how long it would be before it came here, but it looks like it’s now here. I don’t know exactly when it got here, but it’s here, and it covers a good chunk of the major highways around Central Oregon (it doesn’t appear that streets around the city of Bend have gotten much coverage).

Google Maps is being a bit clunky today, so I can’t really see where things are mapped out in Bend, but if you find anything fun on there, email me a screenshot. But based on the little bit I’ve looked at, it was winter time when the camera came through as there is snow on the ground in some places.

Anybody Have Any Holy Water?

This guy’s looking for some, as his neighbor’s driving him nuts:

I need a 4 Oz bottle of holy water. I live next to a Satanist.

I am not able to make it to a church to get Holy Water.

Thanks Jasmine for the link.

On a completely unrelated note, blogging will be light (read: non-existent) until after Sunday’s concert as I’m actually doing some last-minute practicing and preparing and making sure we sound our best. I hope to see some of you there!

Karma?

Indeed.

In what can only be described as a bizarre coincidence, a northeast Bend home raided in a theft investigation that led to two arrests was burglarized less than six hours later Wednesday — -and two other men were arrested in that case, police said.

But it may not have been karma, but these guys may have known each other. One commenter on the story had an interesting theory:

It doesnt seem too coincidental. I think the two that lived in the house didnt want all of ‘their’ property siezed so somehow contact was made with Watson (the 18-year old arrested for breaking into the home) and he was told to enter the home by the other boys to recover and keep some of the items. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out. It will still be burglary, but if the tenants of the home gave permission to enter it will be pretty difficult to hold.

Cheap Plug

See that Cascade Winds banner over there to the right of this text? Click on it. There’s a concert coming up. I’m in the band. I’m a percussionist in the group — which really means I bang on stuff to sheet music — and have been for 15 years. It’ll be a great concert, and I encourage you all to come out (it’s family-friendly, so bring the kids). Full press release after the jump.

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“These cuts on my arms? I was trying to be a hero…”

“It has nothing to do with the break in at the adult toy store up the street. Really. I promise.”

Did Bend Have A Ninja Problem in the Early 80s?

It’s a good question that Jon asks, based on what he found in the Bend City code.

Possession of a Throwing Star.

(1) Definition: “Throwing Star” means any instrument, without handles, consisting of a metal plate having three or more radiation points with one or more sharp edges, and designed in the shape of a polygon, trefoil, cross, star, diamond, or other geometric shape for use as a weapon for throwing.

(2) A person commits the offense of possession of a throwing star if the person knowingly manufactures, causes to be manufactured, brings into the city, keeps for sale, offers for sale, exposes for sale, gives, lends or possesses a throwing star as defined in section l herein.

(3) Possession of a throwing star is a Class A misdemeanor.

[Section 5.070 added by Ord. NS-l398, passed 6-20-84]

Now, looking at that date, it appeared that it was adopted into law two days before Karate Kid hit the theaters. I was six years old then, but I used to think karate stuff (and throwing stars) were pretty sweet (what little boy didn’t?), but I wouldn’t have ever know they were illegal (my buddy had a few of them, but we didn’t live in the city limits at the time, so I’m sure we were fine). And ol’ timers know the story behind this?

I wonder how often this law is enforced. I remember seeing them for sale at some store around town at one point in recent memory, but can’t remember where.

But Jon’s inspired me — I think I’m going to have to start digging into the city code. I’m sure there are some goodies in there.

Update on 11/15: Thanks to Cheryl, who talked to some folks at the city, we have an answer:

Yes, the problems was associated with one store owner who was importing various weapons and selling them to kids. The police asked that the owner not sell the throwing stars to kids under 18, but the store owner wouldn’t comply. Then the newspaper got wind of the concern expressed by some folks in the community and it was referred to the Council and became a total ban.

Here We Go Again

Bend’s formally pregnant “man” — created all sorts of press locally, had a baby just four months agois apparently pregnant again, due on June 12.

Am I the only one that is starting to get sick of this guy/gal/whatever?

Thanks Cheryl for ruining my day.

Kids These Days

Either I’m getting too old or teenagers are getting too stupid. Or probably a bit of both…

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