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PORTLAND DREAM DIES? NO, THIS ISN’T DETROIT, BUFFALO, OR MINNEAPOLIS

July 21, 2020 by

Big question: Is the Portland Dream dead? From a coin flip on the banks of the Willamette River, to a human shield of protest moms downtown, what was the dream to begin with? It’s a big question, one that gets asked when the biggest town in the state pulls a federal response to Black Lives […]

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HOW STRONG PEOPLE PREVAIL OVER TOUGH TIMES

July 5, 2020 by

Strong people come from every corner of the globe. Based on what I call research, wandering around to flatten my learning curve, I met a bunch of strong folks between Philadelphia and Eugene, New York, and Portland. My interpretation of what strong means comes from where I was raised. It’s probably not much different than […]

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BOOMER ANGLE: BE MORE ENGAGING

June 24, 2020 by

The boomer angle of working through life isn’t working so well. The scummy people you see in the news talking from both sides of their mouth? They all aim for the boomer angle. Mr. Trump himself is Boomer #1 in the line up. What happened?

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SOUTH PORTLAND PEOPLE CHANNEL PROUD MARY

June 17, 2020 by

Old painting of a rower An early morning walk by the Willamette showed the sort of Portland people see before they move here. A calm scene, placid water, with sun breaking through scattered clouds for a blinking reflection. With the Ross Island Bridge on the left, and the actual Ross Island in front, dog walkers […]

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HOW TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE WHEN THINGS FEEL HOPELESS

June 16, 2020 by

Keeping hope alive might sound like some Pollyanna talk. Keep hope alive, like it’s dying or something? Who believes that? Well, until a new level of dread arrives, no one. It’s all good, right up until it’s not. That’s when hope starts to fade.

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BUILT STRONG TAKES TIME TO GET IT DONE

June 3, 2020 by

Eiffel Tower, 1888 Who doubts the Eiffel Tower wasn’t built strong? That it’s still standing is the only testament it needs. Data shows it’s the biggest pay to visit site in the world. How strong is that? Like anything else, it started with a good foundation, and isn’t that the basis for anything built strong, […]

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MICHAEL JORDAN WORKED PORTLAND ONE LAST TIME

May 18, 2020 by

Michael Jordan and the Portland Trail Blazers will always be linked. Every sports fan knows the story of Jordan in the ’84 NBA Draft. But no crying over spilled milk here. No, I’m crying over the time I saw him play in Portland toward the end of his time with the Bulls. Where’s my hankie?

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BASKETBALL COURT: A DATE WITH HISTORY FROM THE DRIVEWAY

May 13, 2020 by

A basketball court is today’s proving ground for American youth. Like other kids of a certain generation, though, baseball was my first proving ground. After I proved I wasn’t very good at it, something about a weak arm and slow legs, the basketball court replaced the diamond. Instead of going to a lumpy field, I […]

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TIGARD HOUSE HUNTER REVIEW

May 2, 2020 by

Before Tigard house hunting began, one big question came up too often. Why Tigard? The view I had from downtown Portland included every direction out of the city.

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PANHANDLING THE PANHANDLERS IN PHILADELPHIA

April 29, 2020 by

Panhandling is an urban characteristic that brings diverse emotions. For some, the response it, “Don’t talk to me.” Followed by, “Don’t make your problem my problem.” The reverse: “I don’t have change, but please take this ten dollar bill.” The response is different with the roles reversed.

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