Book Review: Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridhadaras

Winners Take All (full title Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World) is a difficult book.  In many ways, it feels like a book that doesn't want to be read despite the necessity of doing so.  It's bitter, almost acerbic and its writer Anand Giridhadaras is unafraid of speaking his mind.  Winners Take … Continue reading Book Review: Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridhadaras

Advertisement

National Museum of Brazil Burns Down, Nearly 20 Million Artifacts Lost

On September 2nd, 2018 at about 7:30 PM local time, the National Museum of Brazil caught fire.  The fire spread with alacrity as the building was filled with wood and parchment.  Local firefighters were unable to effectively combat the blaze, as nearby fire hydrants were dry and the nearest source of water was a lake … Continue reading National Museum of Brazil Burns Down, Nearly 20 Million Artifacts Lost

Portland Art Museums holds Week-Long Exposition of Art by Staff and Volunteers

What are the benefits of working in your workplace?  Healthcare and dental should go without saying.  But what about extra perks?  Maybe you get the occasional tickets to a sporting event, or discounted prices on affiliated products.  But how many people can say that their employers have created an art show to show their works … Continue reading Portland Art Museums holds Week-Long Exposition of Art by Staff and Volunteers

Book Review: The 2020 Commission Report by Jeffery Lewis

Author's Note: One of the primary purposes of this website is to demonstrate my range as a writer.  So this time, I'm trying something brand new, and I'm publishing a literary review.  Enjoy! Jeffery Lewis' 2020 Commission Report ( full name: The 2020 Commission Report on the North Korean Nuclear Attacks Against the United States, shortened … Continue reading Book Review: The 2020 Commission Report by Jeffery Lewis

A Political Vampire: Explaining The Cal 3 Proposal

Author's Note: Wow, this one turned out to be some kind of undertaking. Introduction: On July 18th, the California Supreme Court announced that a measure voted upon during the primary would not be placed on the general ballot.   The Court wrote, "We conclude that the potential harm in permitting the measure to remain on the ballot … Continue reading A Political Vampire: Explaining The Cal 3 Proposal

The Big Float, The Big Pipe and the Human Access Project

On July 14th, the City of Portland celebrated the 8th annual Big Float.  About 4,000 people (this writer included) made the trip down to Tom McCall Bowl at Southwest Columbus and Naito Parkway to, in the words of the event's organizers, "give our river a hug."  Sponsored by a number of local and international companies, … Continue reading The Big Float, The Big Pipe and the Human Access Project

The Mystery of the Granite Sarcophagus and Why It Matters

If the title of this article reads like something out of an old Doc Savage paperback or an old pulp radio serial, good that is by design. Because quite frankly the archaeological discoveries from last week are genuinely exciting. On July 11th, the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced that archaeologists had unearthed a massive granite … Continue reading The Mystery of the Granite Sarcophagus and Why It Matters

The Shape of Speed Tells a Story of Innovation and Beautiful Failure

Disclosure: I volunteer weekly at the Portland Art Museum, but this article is in no way associated with the museum. The Portland Art Museum's newest featured exhibit, the Shape of Speed is a great diversion this summer.  The exhibit consists of over a dozen classic cars from the years between 1930 and 1943 (and two … Continue reading The Shape of Speed Tells a Story of Innovation and Beautiful Failure