Portland, OR

So maybe I am just really out of touch with the news and all (at least on the local level), but did you know that alfalfa sprouts have been recalled and taken off shelves in some stores in the Portland area?

I went to the Sellwood QFC, a generally pleasant store, and I was looking for alfalfa sprouts or whatever else they call them nowadays — onion sprouts, salad sprouts, radish or broccoli sprouts, I can’t keep up. I stood in front of the little area with the rest of the lettuce and salad stuff, and starting thinking I was just blind as I didn’t see them. Luckily, there was a QFC staff member nearby. I asked him if they had sprouts. He informed me that all sprouts had been removed from the shelves due to a recall.

Huh…didn’t hear about that one. Maybe I have become so numb to constant produce and meat recalls that I missed this one.

For anyone else who missed this story…copied from KOHD news, the ABC affliate in the Bend area.

09/04/08

Oregon State Public Health Division and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials today announced a recall of Sprouter’s Northwest brand alfalfa sprouts due to a Salmonellosis outbreak. Also, Public Health officials said that while most cases of salmonellosis do not require medical treatment, people who have eaten sprouts and develop severe symptoms should check with their doctors.

“These alfalfa sprouts have been identified as the cause of an ongoing outbreak of salmonellosis,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak, an epidemiologist with the Oregon Department of Human Services State Public Health Division. “Consumers who have them in their refrigerators should discard them immediately and if you develop severe symptoms call your doctor. ”

As of Tuesday, 13 outbreak cases had been identified in Oregon and Washington. All cases reported becoming ill since August 1, 2008.

The recalled sprouts were distributed through a number of wholesalers to grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail outlets in Oregon and Washington.

The recalled sprouts were sold in packages labeled “alfalfa sprouts,” “salad sprouts” or “onion sprouts” or were sold as mixed varieties that contain alfalfa sprouts as an ingredient.

“Sprouter’s Northwest has agreed to voluntarily recall its alfalfa sprouts and is cooperating fully with our ongoing investigation,” Dr. Cieslak said.

State and federal agencies are working with the Kent, Wash.-based grower to remove potentially contaminated sprouts from distribution. Retailers and wholesalers who hold any of the recalled sprouts should segregate them from other produce and contact their suppliers for additional information. Restaurant and delicatessen operators should check their stock immediately to identify and pull any of the recalled products.

Salmonellosis is an acute bacterial infection that can cause diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Symptoms usually develop within one to five days after eating contaminated food. Most cases resolve without the need for medical attention, and antibiotics are not recommended for persons with uncomplicated diarrheal illness. The risk of severe illness is particularly high among the elderly, the immunocompromised, and the very young.

People who have eaten sprouts and developed severe symptoms should discuss this exposure with their doctor. Some persons with salmonellosis develop serious illness that can lead to hospitalization and even death.

Raw sprouts have been repeatedly identified as the cause of outbreaks of salmonellosis, Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections, and other diseases. This is at least the seventh sprout-caused outbreak that has sickened Oregonians since 1996.

Oddly, this KOHD story is lifted verbatim from an Oregon Department of Human Services press release. So, KOHD didn’t even bother writing a story on this, just passes along the recall announcement as if it were their own. The site has a video option, but it doesn’t play. I may have too many things going on on my laptop. So perhaps before I start calling anyone out on plagiarism or lazy reporting, I should simmer down and give the station the benefit of the doubt. Still, they could have cited the press release on the report…

That being said, this is what the KOHD article left out from the press release:

The following is a list of package sizes of the affected Sprouters Northwest, Inc., products: •Alfalfa Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Alfalfa Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Salad Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Salad Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Onion Sprouts 5-ounce cup •Onion Sprouts 4-ounce clamshell •Alfalfa Sprouts 1-pound bag •Alfalfa Sprouts 2-pound tray

I highly doubt that anyone would still be using any sprouts from a week ago much less two weeks ago when the recall was reported, but just in case, you may want to toss any sprouts you have around. If you have any questions, I would recommend contacting your doctor or county health office. As the Sprouter’s Northwest brand comes from Washington, it is likely that a store near you is out of sprouts, whether you are in Portland or not.

Also, may I put in a plug to grow your own sprouts…You can buy a kit for around thirty or forty dollars. I saw some in Territorial Seed Company’s catalog this last winter, and thought about getting one. But sometimes, I get lazy and forgetful. I guess I will view this latest recall as a wake up call to finally order one. I love me some sprouts on my sandwiches.

alfalfa sprouts, recall, salmonella, salmonellosis, e coli, Oregon, Washington, Portland, Bend, food safety, health, onion sprouts, salad sprouts, Sellwood, QFC, Territorial Seed Company

Just because Hillary is concentrating her efforts in Pennsylvania right now, anticipating the “win or drop out” primary in the last of the big, industrial states that carry a lot of delegates, that doesn’t mean that Oregon won’t get our fill of the Democratic candidate.

I woke up to the email from the Clinton campaign announcing that Chelsea Clinton will be at Portland State tomorrow, Saturday, April 12 from 6:15 to 7:45 pm. The “event” is called “Our Economy, Our Future” and I have no idea what this event entails, and the email tells me nothing more that where, who, when, and how to rsvp for the event. You can go to the Clinton website if you’d like to check this out and officially rsvp.

Again, and I am starting to feel repetitious, this post is not an endorsement for Ms. Clinton. I am simply passing along any and all info that I receive from both the Clinton and Obama campaigns. If you have not read any of my earlier posts regarding the democratic race, I was worried that Oregon would not be much of a factor when it came to the democratic run-off (and it may still not be), so I am hoping that presidential politics will come to Portland.

And yes, I would be remiss if I did not mention that on Wednesday, I received an email from the Obama campaign asking me to become a “community organizer” for Obama, which entails getting people to register to vote. Obama started out as a community organizer, the email reminds me, so does that mean that I too can run for President some day? No, thank you. I have waaaay too many skeletons in my closet. Besides, I don’t like answering the phone at 3 pm, much less 3 am.

Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Portland, State University, campaign, democrats, Oregon, Portland, Pennsylvania

Tomorrow March 29th marks the second annual “Earth Hour“, an event that started in Sydney, Australia last year, and is spreading all over the world for its second run.

Earth Hour is a sixty minute period (obviously) in which we, as consumers of energy, can curb some of our electricity use, at least when it comes to lighting and electronics. At 8 pm, turn off all of your lights and electronic equipment, i.e. computers, tvs, dvd players, etc. Keep everything off for one hour. Sure, it won’t make that much of a difference in the whole scheme of things, but it is more about making a statement. If we can go an hour without electrical entertainment, why not go without it even more often? Maybe make Earth Hour a weekly event at your house. Go for a walk, plan a candlelit dinner for someone special, or simply sit there in the dark, or twilight depending on the season, and enjoy the night sky.

Also, Earth Hour is meant to show us all that by cutting lighting, we can cut a significant part of our electricity consumption. The California Energy Commission (sorry to use CA, but it’s the first place I found actual numbers) estimates that lighting and small appliances/electronics makes up 25% of our electricity usage. So maybe even if you don’t turn off the lights, you can still do the responsible thing and switch to more efficient lighting choices.

By the way, have I mentioned that Portland is awesome because you can still see the night sky. A city of a million plus, and I can still see the stars. And I don’t live out in the ‘burbs, either. Trust me, you don’t realize how much you can miss seeing the stars at night until you live in a big city with a lot of light pollution. Or even a small town with lots of light pollution. Click on the small map of the Earth at Night below this paragraph for a reality check.

Portland, Oregon is not officially involved in Earth Hour, and yet, Portland, Maine is. Odd. However, we don’t need no stinking “official city” badges on this one, as you can participate on your own. Though I do think it would be super awesome cool if the entire city shut off the lights at 8 pm.

You can check out the Earth Hour website here if you feel so inclined. There are links and more info on what you can do to save the Earth, or at least think you are saving it. The World Wildlife Fund is the uber-sponsor for the event, and it is a great organization that I have been supporting since high school (yeah, I was one of those kids).

Here’s a little video on how it all began.

Earth Hour, Portland, Oregon, Maine, Sydney, Australia, consumers, electricity, electronics, World Wildlife Fund, activism, event

About Portland, OR has a new writer. Sarah has moved on, and I wish her nothing but the best. She has provided some rather big shoes to fill.

No, that is not me.

So welcome to About Portland, OR 2.0. I’m Lulu, and I am a Portland newbie, having moved there almost a half of a year ago from Chicago. I had lived out in PDX (the airport code for Portland — everyone likes using it as a nickname — that and Stumptown) back in 1998, to study at Reed College. Didn’t last long as I really wasn’t much of a “Reedie”, but I always knew I’d end up in Portland in the future.

Ironically, my first post for About Portland, OR is being written from Orlando, Florida, where I am visiting for the time being. It’s funny, because you would think that I would be enjoying spending January in Florida, but I have to admit, I miss Portland something fierce right now, and it has only been six days. I miss the overcast days in which the clouds are threatening rain. I miss the trees, the lush and odd mix of plantlife, the mosses, the flowers that bloom in the winter, the compost heap in my backyard. I miss the friendly people that say hi to me as I walk around the neighborhood. I miss the hills, and I miss Mt. Hood. I miss sustainable restaurants, recycling, biodiesel buses, and war protests. Sorry to ramble, but I am jonesing for my home, if you cannot tell.

Anyhoo, I am going to try to keep up with what Sarah has established on this site, but I am sure that I will incorporate some new stuff once I really get going. If you have any comments or suggestions, please, I am all eyes/ears.

I also write the watching K-Ville blog for 451 Press, in case you were wondering.

Portland, Chicago, Reed College, Stumptown, PDX, Orlando, Florida, sustainable, recycling, biodiesel buses, Mt Hood, K-Ville

Well faithful readers, there comes a point in most relationships where one party realizes that the rapport has been lost; and unfortunately for you, I have reached this point with my About Portland, OR blog

One of you actually emailed me after my Mental & Emotional Health post including the article about When To Break Up With Your Blog asking me if it was foreshadowing future events. I apologize now, but I ignored your email as I didn’t want to lie to you and tell you no, but until I let the powers that be know my decision, I didn’t want to tell you the truth, either.

I have spent a few months writing for About Portland, OR now and have thoroughly enjoyed my time spent here. I have, however, been hired elsewhere, and done my math many times over which points me in a time saving & money-making situation if I devote more time elsewhere. (If you are interested in following me, please email me and we can talk.)

451Press has been a great beginning for me, and I’m thankful for the opportunities that Kim and Steve have provided me and my writing skills. I have learned many new writing and researching techniques, mastered the posting techniques of WordPress, and have met many bloggers who I will remain in contact with once leaving.

I wish the next About Portland, OR blogger all the best of luck continuing this blog, and I encourage the current readers to stick around and give them a chance. 451Press has good taste in blog writers and I know this blog will continue with great things!

Until I’m a “featured guest,”

Sarah

I entered a contest on Debbie’s Arlington, TX blog and guess what … I won!!!!

Debbie sent me the email earlier tonight and I literally said: “Yay! I never win ANYTHING!” aloud … to no one … in my empty apartment … then I laughed and told Debbie … then I laughed and told you all. I might officially be a geek!

So yeah, I won a Maren Morris CD from her give-away and I’m thrilled to be able to hear the whole thing. Even though country music doesn’t seem to be a huge Portland genre, it’s something I grew up listening to (old school The Judds anyone? …Mama, he’s crazy … crazy over me … anyone?) and so I frequently find myself drawn to it now. I love to listen to it after a few beers … I think it’s the born-and-raised-in-Southern-Oregon part of me.

Oh, and since at least one of is wondering “why does she read the About Arlington, TX blog?” it’s because the 451Press network encourages becoming friends with our coworkers and reading their blogs is something I try to do every now and again. I stumbled upon Debbie’s blog at a perfect time apparently!

Other 451Press blogs I try to regularly read include:
Dating Outlook - I wrote for this site for a while, but don’t date hardly enough to write anything of substance, so I’ve been following Sandy & G’s adventure instead.

Wedding Tactics - I don’t read Stacy’s blog for wedding advice, I’m not even really dating, but I consider Stacy a friend of mine and so I try to stay caught up on her tips!

About Seattle, WA - living in Portland, being so close to Seattle, why wouldn’t I read Kyla’s insight on her city?

Life Tips Daily - Jummy writes about tips for life … and he once told me that I was pretty. He has a follower for life now!

Depression Talk Online - Amanda has been on a break for a while (I do hope she comes back) but reading about hear daily struggles with depression gives me the feeling that I’m really not alone.

Eating Disorder Talk Online - Terra and I are friends … we talk about everything … and so I read her blog to help her hit counts.

You should check out some of those other 451Press blogs if you get a chance - Portlanders always need something new to read, right?

I received an email today specifically asking for me to post about this subject. I think that it is for a worthy cause and do believe that we should help this woman out.

Today I’d like you to meet Erin. Erin is a 29-year-old single woman has Chiari malformations and cranial lesions. She is currently being treated at Oregon Health & Science University here in Portland, and she is struggling to pay her hospital bills due to being unemployed and therefore uninsured. Thanks to Oregon’s strict laws, because Erin has no children and is not pregnant, she doesn’t qualify for Medicaid. After a recent surgery consultation, Erin was told that she should have her first brain surgery as soon as she can, but she’s required to put down a deposit on her surgery of anywhere between $1,500 and $5000. Due to her illness, she has been unable to work for a year now and obviously doesn’t have this kind of money.

“Living with a Chiari malformation is painful and exhausting. Living with cranial lesions in addition to the Chiari? Is beyond any kind of description.”

Erin didn’t want to ask for handouts, she’s even hesitating to give away her PayPal information as solicitation for donations, but stumbled upon a MegaUpload reward program in which 5 million downloads from her account will earn her $10,000. There are a few stipulations to this download, including: only one download per original IP address per day, only downloads made from qualifying countries count, and no attempts can be made to manipulate or fraud MegaUpload for more points.

So, Erin has uploaded many word documents to her MegaUpload file in hopes of getting 5 million downloads. Then, to help her out, Cleolinda has uploaded the controversial book; The Golden Compass as a virus-free text file to MegaUpload. The book will be posted in four separate sections and you can download each section as they are uploaded. These clicks are being counted for Project Download - the pet name for Erin’s download project. I’ve had friends download the book and assure me that it is virus-free and a perfectly readable book.

DOWNLOAD The Golden Compass to help save a woman’s life!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, Erin, The Golden Compass, Project Download, Cleolinda, cranial lesions, Chiari malformations

So, have you heard the rumor? The weather rumor? The rumor that our fair city might not be so fair on Saturday … that there might be white flurry stuff falling from the sky? That Portland might get SNOW this weekend!? Snow! SNOW! SNOOOOW!

Weather Underground says that on Saturday, there is a 60% chance of precipatation … but since it’s supposed to be 33 degrees, that also means that there is a 60% chance of FREEZING precipitation. Snow! SNOW! SNOOOOW!

I’m not a huge fan of snow. I lived in Anchorage, Alaska for almost a decade. I was young. Shoveling snow was a chore, it wasn’t something fun to play in. I had to shove dresses into snow suits (oh, that was SO comfortable!) and I once got a bus citation for having a snow ball fight at the bus stop! I like the snow for skiing and for looking at from far away, that’s about it. Living in Portland, I laugh when it snows - people freak out, they shut down, there are accidents all over the place, people get wacky and it isn’t quite as entertaining as most people think it would be.

Last year, snow turned Portland off. It shut the city down. (Do you guys REMEMBER that?) I was literally stuck downtown for six hours waiting for a bus to take me home. I had on boots, but my feet were so cold by the end of my wait, they were swollen and inflamed!

I hope that the snow we’re expected to get on Saturday either
a) doesn’t stick around for more than an hour
b) doesn’t actually happen or
c) falls so heavily and so quickly it shuts the city down in the middle of the night.

I’m such a snow-Scrooge!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, snow

So, earlier I was talking about a Portland-style Biggest Loser competition. Now I want to tell you about the ways you can participate and the prizes you might just win if you do so!

There are three ways to participate in Portland’s Biggest Loser competition:

COMPETITION MODE
~come to an official weigh in (private one-on-one weighings - there will be no public displaying of any results)
~bring $10** for the competition (ALL money goes to the prizes)
~keep track of your goals and progress weekly on SparkPeople (in the blog section)
~find fitness buddies
~come to healthy dinner nights out
~find fitness activities in your area to join in on
~come to the final weigh in and see how much you’ve accomplished!

PLAY AT HOME MODE - not motivated by a cash prize?
~do all the same but ditch the $10 fee and the official weigh in
~you enjoy all the benefits of the program except eligibility to win prizes

SUPPORT MODE
~if you have a friend that is doing it and you want to support them
~if you have gotten into shape and want to share tips
~if you have a service to provide to help people reach their goals
~if you want to donate any items for winners or participants

There are cash prizes available to the top three losers (based on percentage of weight lost) and we are currently working on a head-to-toe makeover for the grand prize winner! This prize is complete with a professional photo shoot to show off the new you! On top of all this, we are working on “swag” bags for all participants in the competition! There will be more details on these things later!

(**this $10 “fee” is totally optional but required to be eligible for the prize. this is not a scam - some people are just more motivated by the chance to win some dough!!)

Donations from hairdressers, estheticians, massage therapists, photographers and other Portland companies are always welcome. Please either send me an email or leave a MySpace message on The Biggest Loser PDX’s MySpace page

DON’T BE SHY! This is not just for the extremely overweight. It is about being healthy and working towards a better you! You can’t even say that you don’t know anyone who is going to do this - I am, you know me, right!? Invite friends to join with you, compete with them (Cav and I are competing between the two of us on top of the overall competition!) If your work is not already doing it - have them start! The more people involved - the more we can do to make this really work for the people that really want to make a change!

Getting in shape can be tough - but it is a lot easier when you know that you are not alone! Again don’t be shy - whether you just want to tone up or you need to lose serious weight - make today the day you commit to doing it! We’ll be here to help!

My friend Cav and I both religiously watch The Biggest Loser and chat through it. This week while watching, she had a great idea - let’s bring The Biggest Loser to Portland!

So, have you ever watched The Biggest Loser and thought “I wish I could do that!” or even felt jealous that the contestants were so supported by their peers to lose weight? Now nothing is stopping you!

Who can join? You can! Your friends can! Your co-workers are even invited! The more people who join, the better it will be for everyone!

What: A “let’s make Portland healthier” campaign - lose some of your body weight, gain more muscle mass, learn to cook great tasting healthy foods, climb 18 flights of stairs without passing out! Essentially this is a contest with prizes (cash, a makeover and a photo shoot) to those who lose the greatest percentage of weight.

When: At the first of the year, Portland’s own version of The Biggest Loser is set to begin. There will be approximately 90 days worth of competition (January through March) in hopes of making these life-long habit changes, not just a temporary fix up.

Where: Here. Portland. Our town. Our town that is slowing becoming more and more unhealthy.

Why: to get in shape, to tone up, to find some fitness buddies, to improve your life and to change your current habits.

How: Friend The Biggest Loser PDX on MySpace!
Go to SparkPeople (an amazing website that tracks your calorie intake, activities, weight and measurement tracking)
Add cavilleri as your friend on SparkPeople
Join The Biggest Loser PDX group!

***more on prizes and incentives in the next entry!***

Today in one of my public health education classes, the professor brought up something quite surprising to me … the benzene levels in our good ‘ol city. She told the class that Portland has the highest benzene levels in the nation and that since benzene is a carcinogen (cancer promoting chemical) we shouldn’t run on the Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade since it’s so near the freeway (and therfore the benzene). I left class and here I sit, researching benzene. I thought I would share!

*benzene is a toxic substance found in gasoline (as well as cigarette smoke)
*the EPA has found benzene to cause “chromosomal abnormalities” and cancer

*the WHO has said “no safe levels of exposure” to benzene “can be recommended”
*the DEQ believes that the immune system, blood cell production & leukemia can be included on the adverse reactions list
*the Pacific Northwest receives most of the crude oil used here from the North Slope in Alaska
*this North Slope crude oil has a high level of benzene
*the crude oil isn’t benzene-filtered as well through Washington’s plants
*Portland’s levels of benzene are almost twice that of the national average but not high enough to trigger federal regulation (check out the above map if you live in the Portland area … my area is in the 1.3-1.9 range)

More Articles on the Benzene Levels
The Portland State University VanGuard - PSU Study Examines Freeway Pollution
Long Blog writes a bit about benzene research
Stand Tall for America encourages benzene reduction
Blue Oregon writes about the EPA finally listening to Senator Ron Wyden’s benzene cap request
Commissioner Sam Adams - Wyden Rips EPA Over Benzene-Heavy Air

To Reduce Benzene Production/Consumption
*maintain your vehicles properly, have your oil changed, keep your filters clean, just keep up on this
*drive less - take the bus or MAX, carpool, ride your bike, walk to class, just avoid being in your car
*use “certified” woodstoves and fireplaces which only burn compressed logs or dry and clean wood
*quit smoking and avoid being around those who are smoking

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, benzene levels, Portland benzene levels, EPA, WHO, DEQ, reducing benzene

So, in order to keep myself organized, I spent a bit of time on Friday before one of my classes thinking and writing about theme-ing my About Portland, OR entries. This way I will always have something in mind to write about without being overwhelmed by all the somethings in Portland there are to write about!

Meet ‘Em Mondays - I’ll spend some time telling you about Portlanders. Portland photographers, clothing designers, artists, teachers, and Portlanders in general. There are over a half-million people in Portland proper and hundreds of thousands more in nearby areas. I will always be able to find someone to write about.

Tunes for Tuesday - Every Tuesday, since Portland is such a diverse & music-filled city, I will feature Portland musicians as well as concerts that will be coming to town. I may also feature performances that will be in town as well as musicians from Portland who are in the news.

On Wednesday I am going to help Keep Portland Weird. Portlanders are proud of our weirdness. I will help keep PDX weird by talking about it. The strange laws that we have around here (did you know that “canned corn is not to be used as bait for fishing”? Yeah, gross idea, too, huh?), the strange people I see on campus (the shouting preacher was out for the first time this term last week. He makes me smile he’s so strange) and events that the group Keep Portland Weird has planned!

Things on Thursday will be all about things to do in Portland. I know that there will always be more things going on than I can write about, but I will try to keep up on the neat things (not just concerts, performances and Powell’s readings) that you can participate in while you’re living in Portland!

Portlanders like their food, so we’ll have Friday Feasts where I talk about food, drink, restaurants, festivals and the like!

All of these things will only be better with your help! Do you know of someone you think everyone else should know about to? Send and email to me at aboutportlandor@gmail.com telling me who it is and why you find them so fascinating! If you have a band and want some free advertising, drop me an email and let me know - tell me about your stuff and let’s talk! What is your favorite restaurant? Share the info and I can feature both you AND your favorite place to eat! I want this blog to center around Portland and those who make up my beautiful city, but I can’t do that unless you start sharing!

Even though my entries are going to be themed, I plan on posting more than once a day when I can - with Portland news, Portland in the news, random things I’m learning about & seeing in my city and whatnot. I won’t be keeping myself to these five topics strictly, but hopefully this will help me narrow down my writing scope!

About Portland OR, Portland OR, Portland, featured Portlanders, Portland music, Keep Portland Weird, Keeping Portland Weird, things to do in Portland, food in Portland

Today’s real entry will be late … I took the day off to celebrate living in Portland so I drove to the beach! I’ll see you later with pictures!

Some of you may have noticed that this blog wasn’t being regularly updated … that’s because it was waiting for me!

Hi, I’m Sarah! *opens her arms wide to hug you all* I live in Portland and want to tell you all about my beautiful city! /crazy Mr. Rodgers imitation

Born & (mostly) raised in Oregon, I moved to Portland in June of 2004 (after graduating from Oregon State! Go Beavs!). I currently live on the West side of the river and thoroughly love the area I’m in. As of 9/24 I’m going to be a full-time Portland State student getting a second degree in Public Health Education. (I have a (dusty) degree in German right now that I rarely use.)

I’m a “typical” Portlander - I don’t use an umbrella, I drink gallons of coffee, I run, I like the rain, I blog, I am kinda strange (gotta keep Portland weird, guys!), I’m artsy and I recycle. I had the opportunity to leave town for school (for upstate New York) and after weighing my options, chose to stay in this beautiful city.

So, I welcome you all to the new About Portland, OR and I hope you stick around. I’ll be blogging about anything and everything that has to do with Portland and if you have any ideas or things you’d like to see me write about (you want your art show featured? you’ve got something super-cool for sale? you have a personal account of the major wreck on 26?) email me or leave me a comment! I’d love to hear from ya’ll!

About Portland OR, Portland, Oregon, new writer, email me

Well if you haven’t heard of the show BIG Brother,it is a reality series where 13 strangers are locked in a house to be videotaped 24-7, by numerous cameras set up in house.

There is a head of household each week, this person wins immunity kind of like survivor, but the twist is the head of household picks two nominees to be evicted and then the houseguests that aren’t nominated vote live.

Well this season we have one of our very own Oregonians on the show.
Her name is Kail, now she might not live in Portland, but she is playing the game and playing it decently although been on the chopping blocks the last three weeks in a row.

It is a very great reality show and one I am quite addicted to! So check it out and support Kail.