Going to be in Indiana for the next week and a few days to visit the folks, see some old friends, and take in the media circus surrounding the primaries. Standby for some pictures and stories from the Hoosier state in the next few days.
In the same meme as Oregarus's Prog Rock Trading Cards from a couple weeks ago. From The ZehnKatzen Times comes the beautifully executed Portland Political Season Trading Cards 2008. 
Too bad Extremo the Clown or the late Jim Spagg aren't in the running this year. Perhaps a posthumous Spagg card should be in the works. Happy Doodles!
42% of all draft beer consumed in Oregon is brewed in Oregon, the highest in the nation. This and a few other stats about Oregon beer just came out today from the Oregon Brewer's Guild.
OREGON BREWERS BREAK RECORD PRODUCTION NUMBERS
PORTLAND, Ore. (April 24, 2008) – Figures released today by the Oregon Brewers Guild show 2007 was a banner year for Oregon’s craft brewing industry as production across the state grew at a rate of 8.1 percent. Total beer production for the state was approximately 860,000 barrels, or 285 million bottles of beer. That is an increase of more than 64,000 barrels, up from 796,000 barrels in 2006.
The industry posted strong growth despite increases in hop and barley prices, the two main ingredients in craft beer. Portland, Oregon currently has 32 microbreweries within its city limits, more than any other city in the world. The state of Oregon has 64 brewing companies operating 90 brewing facilities, with strong growth anticipated throughout 2008.
“The impact of the brewing industry stretches far beyond the breweries themselves,” said Brian Butenschoen, Executive Director of the Oregon Brewers Guild. “A strong production year supports a variety of local products including barley, hops, yeast and glass producers as well as providing nearly 5,000 family wage jobs and a draw for tourism across the state.”
Oregonians don’t just love to make great beer, they love to drink it, too. Of the beer brewed in-state, more than 11.4 percent, or 308,000 barrels, were purchased and consumed in Oregon. For draft beer, that percentage is even higher, with Oregon breweries producing 42 percent of all draft beer consumed in the state. This is the highest percentage of local craft draft beer consumption in the country. 2007 marks the first year that Oregon brewers have sold more than 300,000 barrels in state. A barrel is equal to 31 gallons or 13.77 cases or 331 bottles of beer.
“For years we’ve been producing some of the best and most unique beers in the world,” says Oregon Brewers Guild President Van Havig. “No wonder Oregon is known as Beervana and has become a mecca for craft beer enthusiasts.”
Oregon’s largest craft beer producer is Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, which produced 283,000 barrels in 2007. During 2007 one of Oregon's smallest breweries to open, the Heater-Allen Brewery in McMinnville, produced 36 Barrels.
The inner workings remind me of a giant CD changer.
The video is in Japanese, but you'll still get the point.
A cute video from The Hazzards (formerly the "Ukes of Hazzard"). Found this posted deep within the Sellwoodstreet archives and felt the need to bring it back up to the front.
Free shipping through April! Made to order dog treats!
Try some treats made especially for your pooch, they bake 'em as you order 'em, then ship 'em to you with love from Florida. Cute gourmet dog snacks for everyday walks or for a special treat.
Ya'll know I don't normally plug random products here, but I know there's quite a few dog folks who are reading this, and Dustin, a co-owner of Rainbone Dog Treats is a fellow native of Doans, Indiana. He grew up just down the road from me. Gotta represent Doans, yo!
I love the Rose City Rollers, but here's my hometown team, the Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls.
We made a visit to the Japanese Garden a couple weekends ago. I always underestimate the difference that altitude can make in the onset of spring. Almost all the trees in the lower parts of the city had been blooming for at least a week before these pics were taken, but up at 541 feet, things were just starting to bud. Not as spectacular as I had hoped, but the Japanese Garden is always a treat, no matter what's blooming.
Thanks to Oregarus for this series of trading cards. See also, my personal favorite, the Presidential Ailments Trading Cards.
This picture has been floating around the internets ever since the store was built. This is my neighborhood Fred Meyer, as seen from the clothing section balcony. So colorful and orderly, yet creepy at the same time. Click the pic for the giant version.
One of the peculiar things I noticed about Oregon as soon as I crossed the border seven years ago was the speed limit signs. For some reason (that has been lost to history), the word "limit" was forbidden from Oregon's speed limit signs up until 2002.
Since then, whenever one of the old signs is damaged, it gets replaced by the same old sign used in the rest of the US, instead of our special Oregon "Speed" sign. I've noticed the new standard signs on the freeways around Portland.
The Oregon "Speed" sign has always been my reassurance that I was back home, crossing the Columbia after a long drive home through Washington, or on visits to the Idaho borderlands where I end up crossing between Ontario and Fruitland multiple times in one day.
I'm sure plenty of these old signs will be hanging around for awhile, there's still an old-school "Speed 30 Miles" sign, and a rotting old wooden "Broadway Bridge" directional in my neighborhood, it seems as long as they're not completely destroyed, the city isn't quick to replace signs.
Audio descriptions from sample video clips found on adult websites.
"Big Sausage Pizza" is not to be missed.
It should be noted that neither link is suitable for mixed company.
