Last night’s Game of Thrones successfully combined scheming and plotting with action- wheels were being wound up, but we also got to see plots unfold. The vast majority of it was in one-on-one scenes with characters who opposed each other in some way. Each bit of it had tension, conflict, and usually a satisfying payoff. […]
Joe Streckert
Joe Streckert is the author of Storied & Scandalous Portland, Oregon: A History of Gambling, Vice, Wits, and Wagers. He writes about books, history, and comics.
Posted inSports
Roller Derby Recap: Heartless Heathers vs. Break Neck Betties, Portland vs. Salt Lake City
The fantastic Heartless Heathers vs. Break Neck Betties bout. This past Friday night featured some downright amazing roller derby from the Heartless Heathers and the Break Neck Betties, and on Saturday the Rose City Rollers‘ Axles of Annihilation hosted the Wasatch Bonecrushers from Salt Lake City. While Sunday saw Portland’s Wheels of Justice taking on […]
Posted inTV
Game of Thrones Recap: Falling Dominoes Edition
Oh, good. I was getting a little worried there. Three episodes in, and Game of Thrones was doing a whole lot of setup and not a lot of head-whacking. Last night, though, that changed. This episode knocked down all the dominoes that the first three set up, and the result was wonderful. Blood, death, torture, […]
Posted inTV
Game of Thrones Recap: Hilarious Acts of Violence Edition
Yeah, we’ll get to the ending. Game of Thrones was pretty genre-bendy last night, with elements of comedy, horror, and horror comedy. Skin was bared. Bread products were given. A very important body part was removed. Then, out of nowhere THAT SONG. Oh god, that song. Spoilers after the jump. WHERE THE FUCK IS STRONG […]
Posted inSports
Roller Derby Recap: Break Neck Betties vs. Grave Danger, Wheels of Justice vs. Bay Area All-Stars
The Rose City Rollers hosted both San Francisco and Seattle this past weekend. The Break Neck Betties, Portland’s reigning home team champions, took on Rat City’s Grave Danger, and Rose City’s travel team, the Wheels of Justice, faced off against the Bay Area All Stars. It was on opportunity for Rose City to exhibit their […]
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Game of Thrones Recap: On the Road Edition
Last night’s Game of Thrones was a road movie. Robb set out for Riverrun, Breanne and Jaime stomped through the wilderness, Arya and Gendry met some forest guys, Jon and Sam walked through snow to somewhere, and Bran is having weird dreams while being wagon-ed about by Hodor. Road movies, though, aren’t about the destination […]
Posted inBooks
Bitter Greens
Weed Eating Gets Cosmic in Dandelion Hunter
Weed eating gets cosmic in Rebecca Lerner’s Dandelion Hunter.
Posted inTV
Game of Thrones Recap: Board Setup Edition
Before any board game, you have to set up the pieces. Maybe you’re arranging army tokens all over a Risk board or distributing resources all over a Settlers of Catan map, but inherent in that setup phase is suspense and conjecture. You’re trying to guess, from the setup, what the players are going to do […]
Posted inGeneral
Off the Grid
The History of Portland’s Street Grid, Or “What the HELL Is Up with Ladd’s Addition?”
The history behind Portland’s sometimes baffling street grid.
Posted inBooks
Know Your Home
All the Oregon History That’s Fit to Print
Wanna learn more about local history? Here’s where to start.
Posted inMovies & TV
Hey, Remember That OTHER Hobbit Movie?
Long ago, in the days when disco ruled the Earth and Dungeons and Dragons was in its first edition, there was a Hobbit movie. Before Harry Potter, before World of Warcraft, before Game of Thrones, before Shwarzenegger’s furry Conan Speedo, before even Hawk the Slayer, there was The Hobbit. A simpler Hobbit. A cartoon Hobbit. […]
Posted inBooks
Tonight at the Bagdad: Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein
The people who make Portlandia the show made a book. It is called Portlandia: A Visitor’s Guide, and Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein are promoting it tonight at the Bagdad. The book is not good, but I read it so you don’t have to. You’re welcome. Books like this tend to be cash-ins for the […]