#pdx imagine

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Announcing the Picks and Shovels book tour

This week only, Barnes and Noble is offering 25% off pre-orders of my forthcoming novel Picks and Shovels.

My next novel, Picks and Shovels, is officially out in the US and Canada on Feb 17, and I'm about to leave on a 20+ city book-tour, which means there's a nonzero chance I'll be in a city near you between now and the end of the spring!

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865908/picksandshovels

Picks and Shovels is a standalone novel starring Martin Hench – my hard-charging, two-fisted, high-tech forensic accountant – in his very first adventure, in the early 1980s. It's a story about the Weird PC era, when no one was really certain what shape PCs should be, who should make them, who should buy them, and what they're for. It features a commercial war between two very different PC companies.

The first one, Fidelity Computing, is a predatory multi-level marketing faith scam, run by a Mormon bishop, a Catholic priest, and an orthodox rabbi. Fidelity recruits people to exploit members of their faith communities by selling them third-rate PCs that are designed as rip-off lock-ins, forcing you to buy special floppies for their drives, special paper for their printers, and to use software that is incompatible with everything else in the world.

The second PC company is Computing Freedom, a rebel alliance of three former Fidelity Computing sales-managers: an orthodox woman who's been rejected by her family after coming out as queer; a Mormon woman who's rejected the Church over its opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, and a nun who's quit her order to join the Liberation Theology movement in the struggle for human rights in America's dirty wars.

In the middle of it all is Martin Hench, coming of age in San Francisco during the PC bubble, going to Dead Kennedys shows, getting radicalized by ACT UP!, and falling in love – all while serving as CFO and consigliere to Computing Freedom, as a trade war turns into a shooting war, and they have to flee for their lives.

The book's had fantastic early reviews, with endorsements from computer historians like Steven Levy (Hackers), Claire Evans (Broad-Band), John Markoff (What the Doormouse Said) and Dan'l Lewin (CEO of the Computer History Museum). Stephen Fry raved that he "hugely enjoyed" the "note perfect," "superb" story.

And I'm about to leave on tour! I have nineteen confirmed dates, and two nearly confirmed dates, and there's more to come! I hope you'll consider joining me at one of these events. I've got a bunch of fantastic conversation partners joining me onstage and online, and the bookstores that are hosting me are some of my favorite indie booksellers in the world.

BOSTON (Feb 14): Boskone, 4PM, Westin Boston Seaport District

BOSTON (Feb 14): Brookline Booksmith with KEN LIU, 7PM, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline

VIRTUAL (Feb 15): YANIS VAROUFAKIS, sponsored by Jacobin and hosted by David Moscrop, 10AM Pacific, 1PM Eastern, 6PM UK, 7PM CET

MENLO PARK (Feb 17): Kepler’s Books with CHARLIE JANE ANDERS, 7PM, 1010 El Camino Real

LOS ANGELES (Feb 18): Diesel Bookstore with WIL WHEATON, 630PM, 225 26th Street, Santa Monica

SEATTLE (Feb 19): Third Place Books with DAN SAVAGE, 7PM, 17171 Bothell Way NW Lake Forest Park

TORONTO (Feb 23): Another Story, 630PM, 315 Roncesvalles Ave

NYC (Feb 26): The Strand with JOHN HODGMAN, 7PM, 828 Broadway

PENN STATE (Feb 27): Kern Auditorium, 7PM, 112 Kern Building

DOYLESTOWN (Mar 1): Doylestown Bookshop, 12PM, 16 S Main St

BALTIMORE (Mar 2): Red Emma’s, 2PM, 630PM, 3128 Greenmount Ave

DC (Mar 4): Cleveland Park Library with MATT STOLLER, 630PM, 3310 Connecticut Ave NW

RICHMOND (Mar 5): Fountain Bookstore with LEE VINSEL, 6PM, 1312 E Cary St

AUSTIN (Mar 10): First Light Books, 7PM, 4300 Speedway/43rd

BURBANK (Mar 13): Dark Delicacies, 6PM, 822 N. Hollywood Way

SAN DIEGO (Mar 24): Mysterious Galaxy, 7PM, 3555 Rosecrans

BELFAST (Mar 24) (remote): Imagine! Festival with ALAN MEBAN, 7PM UK

CHICAGO, Apr 2: Exile in Bookville with PETER SAGAL, 7PM, 410 S Michigan Ave, 2nd floor

BLOOMINGTON, Apr 4: Morgenstern Books, 6PM, 642 N Madison St

PDX, Jun 20 (TBC): Powell’s Books (date and time to be confirmed)

I'm also finalizing plans for one or two dates in NEW ZEALAND at the end of April, as well as a ATLANTA date, likely on March 26.

I really hope you'll come out and say hello. I know these are tough times. Hanging out with nice people who care about the same stuff as you is a genuine tonic.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/06/picks-and-shovels-tour/#19-cities-plus-plus

[letters-with-notes]

I FORGOT MY TAEYOUNG FIC IDEA I HATE IT HERE (ignore the fact that i have like 5 more taeyoung ideas, it's not the point)

anyways, send me some fluffy cravity ideas? pretty sure i'm going to want to write for all of them soon enough, while i binge the entirety of cravity park :')

[pacificnorthwesterngothic]

Hello PNWG (and followers!) - Burning PDX question. I moved here recently and in many of the shops/restaurants the staff say “Welcome In!” when you enter.

To me this is weird phrasing (not just “welcome” or “hello” for example) and I’ve NEVER heard this phrase so frequently before in my life. Is this PDX specific? Is it new to the region in the last ten-ish years? Am I just hearing it all the time now that I’m paying attention? Also I should say I’m not mad about it. It’s delightful.

Hey, welcome in to the PNW! 😁

I hope our winter is treating you well.

Disclaimer: I have nothing other than anecdotal evidence to back this up.

I have mostly heard people reporting on the novelty of “welcome in” when they move to either the Midwest or the PNW. I have also seen people associate it with Starbucks which is, ofc, a Seattle chain whose employee handbook might have reflected those roots.

So here’s my theory…

The Midwest and PNW are two regions with a lot of Scandinavian settlement:

And how does one say “welcome” in Scandinavian languages?

Swedish: Välkommen

Norwegian: Velkommen

Danish: Velkommen

Icelandic: Velkomin

Faroese: Vælkomin

So my tin-hat theory is that formal/polite speech in these regions maybe has a Scandinavian influence. (German settlement is a possible wildcard factor.)

Formal/polite language tends to not change much over time. If Scandinavian words snuck into common usage because they looked like English, I imagine they could get fossilised as normal “polite” speech because 1.) no one expects formal speech to sound normal and, thus, 2.) no one tends to ask why or where formal language comes from.

Like, we all know “ma’am” having an apostrophe there means that something was shortened… but how many people on the street would immediately say, without hesitation, what the full form of that word is?

But that’s my crackpot theory. I’m excited to hear everyone else’s!

[gaza-giving-tree]

Imagine waking up to the sound of bombing, your home shaking violently, the walls cracking as destruction closes in around you. There is no time to grab your belongings, no time to gather your family—just the need to run, and the hope to survive. But where do you go when every place you’ve sought refuge before has already been bombed?

Images: Khaled, before and after the start of the war.

Story written by @rumiandroses

For Khaled, his sister Dina, and their family of 15 people, this has been their reality over and over again. They lost their home in Gaza City to relentless airstrikes. They fled to a school shelter, only for it to be bombed as well. Seeking safety, they moved to another displacement camp, but the occupation bombed that school, too.

Now, displaced once more in Deir al-Balah, they live in a small, makeshift tent that provides little protection from the sun, cold, and the relentless swarm of insects.

Khaled, once a university student studying graphic design, dreaming of a future in his field, now spends every moment fighting for survival. Dina, his sister, suffers from a severe gluten allergy, causing constant pain and illness in an environment where proper food is impossible to find.

Beyond their struggles, they are also caring for their elderly and sick parents and grandfather:

Ali (85), their disabled grandfather

Zuhair (65), their father

Kifa (62), their mother, who suffers from high blood pressure

One of their brothers, who is injured

With no income, no home, and no medical supplies, their situation grows more desperate each day.

Every donation, no matter how small, provides a lifeline—helping Khaled, Dina, and their family afford food, medicine, and a safer place to live.

You can donate to Khaled and Dina’s Chuffed campaign [HERE].

This campaign has been vetted by PDX Pigeon Mutual Aid. One of their organizers, Nastya, is sponsoring the campaign and explains the organization’s vetting process below:

[butchdreams]

Fuckk I just saw this insta post of a PDX missed connection and immediately thought god…. I wish that were me. But all the comments were like “what a terrible day to read”/“I cannot imagine why anyone would do that at all”/“This makes me sick” ….. like 😭😭 I’m sorry I’m a freak

[doomedandstoned]

PDX Sludge Beast VIRAL TYRANT Cuts Loose New Music Video

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

There's a new voice of doom echoing from dank halls all around the Rose City. Met VIRAL TYRANT, dubbed "a new breed of sonic, sludge-laden force from the mixed temperate rainforest and concrete jungle of Portland, Oregon."

Tapping into the Dungeons & Dragons and horror films, extreme metal and video games for inspiration, the band rails against "dehumanization and group think" with a potent blend of doom, sludge, thrash, grunge, prog, and even black metal. Let's be clear: this isn't an album covering different genres, but one unique strain of metal "woven cohesively together to forge a sound of complex, yet grounded blackened, psychedelic sludge."

Today, Doomed & Stoned brings you the third single from the band's upcoming album, 'Vultures Like You' (2023). "A Savage, Ensnared" introduces us to a place where there's no justice, no peace, no mercy, and is so beautifully accompanied by a music video from Dark Sprite Video

Viral Tyrant bassist Casey Martin reflects on the meaning of the song:

When I approached the idea of lyrics, I started with the way the song sounded. It reminded me of this lone warrior/gunslinger sorta character trope and ran with it. It was approaching the elections at the time and the BLM protests were winding down here in Portland. I wanted to take the opportunity to write a protest song.

I always thought that we need more messages of revolution and catharsis interwoven into our popular culture that reveal the truths of the world and not just a bunch of songs so focused on ego and shallow ethos. I wanted to instill a mood of pessimism and angst. Of frustration and anger. Of cathartic vengeance for freedom and human rights.

I imagined a disembodied narrator like in the Conan The Barbarian film telling a tale that keeps repeating time and time again. The Everyman character of the song is inspired by the struggles of the disenfranchised and the working class from whom imperialism keeps the truth buried.

Viral Tyrant's brand of heaviness pierces deep into the modern psyche, with razor sharp riffs, gruff vocals, and tales not soon forgotten. Vultures Like You comes out July 21st on multiple formats via Ripple Music (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with High on Fire, Phantom Hound, Serial Hawk, and Cough.

Give ear...

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[expressshuttle01]

Portland Travel Just Got INSANELY Easier!

Effortless Travel: Hourly & Daily Shuttle Services Across Portland, Oregon

Tired of Portland's parking headaches and sky-high ride-sharing fees? Say goodbye to travel stress and hello to effortless exploration with Portland's game-changing shuttle services! Whether you're a local zipping between meetings or a visitor eager to soak in the city's unique vibes, hourly and daily shuttle options are revolutionizing how people get around.

Imagine this: You land at PDX, skip the taxi queue, and hop on a comfy shuttle that whisks you directly to your downtown hotel. Need to explore the Pearl District's art galleries? A quick shuttle ride gets you there in minutes, without the hassle of finding (and paying for) parking. Planning a day trip to the Columbia River Gorge? Several shuttle services offer convenient daily excursions, letting you focus on the breathtaking views, not the road.

Portland's shuttle services cater to diverse needs. Hourly shuttles are perfect for quick trips and errands, offering an affordable alternative to ride-sharing during peak hours. Daily shuttles provide comprehensive coverage, connecting popular attractions, business districts, and residential areas. Many services also offer specialized options like airport transfers, corporate transportation, and group outings.

Why are Portland shuttles the smart choice?

Cost-Effective: Shuttles often beat ride-sharing prices, especially during surges.

Convenient: Skip the parking hunt and relax while someone else drives.

Eco-Friendly: Reduce your carbon footprint by sharing a ride.

Reliable: Pre-booked shuttles guarantee timely transportation.

Comfortable: Modern shuttles offer comfortable seating and amenities.

Explore more about Portland Express Shuttle

For more information please Contact with us

[jcmarchi]

Peter Ellman, President and CEO of Certis Oncology Solutions – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/peter-ellman-president-and-ceo-of-certis-oncology-solutions-interview-series/

Peter Ellman, President and CEO of Certis Oncology Solutions – Interview Series

Certis Oncology Solutions, led by Peter Ellman, President and CEO, is a life science technology company dedicated to realizing the promise of precision oncology. The company’s product is Oncology Intelligence® — highly predictive therapeutic response data derived from advanced cancer models. Certis partners with physician-scientists and industry researchers to expand access to precision oncology and address the critical translation gap between preclinical studies and clinical trials.

Can you describe the broader problem in oncology research that the CertisOI Assistant is addressing?

The failure rate of oncology investigational drug candidates is high. It was recently reported that in 2023, 90% of oncology programs ultimately failed. That figure is a remarkable improvement over the historical trend, which hovered around 96% until 2022. Considering the cost of developing drugs, a 90% failure rate is not sustainable. Imagine how patients would benefit if the success rate were even 50%.

CertisOI Assistant immediately addresses two really important issues that contribute to this failure rate:

Improved preclinical model selection: Many compounds show promising results in preclinical studies but fail to demonstrate a sufficient therapeutic effect in humans.Most members of the scientific community point to preclinical models as part of the problem. Choosing preclinical models with the correct gene expression signature (and using orthotopic engraftments for pivotal studies) can improve “translation” into the clinic.

Earlier, better biomarker identification: Relying on biomarkers that do not accurately predict therapeutic response can result in failed clinical trials. CertisOI Assistant is integrated with CertisAI, our patent-pending predictive AI/ML platform, enabling the identification of predictive biomarkers early in the drug development process.

How does the CertisOI Assistant use AI to improve access to oncology data, and what sets it apart from other AI tools in the field?

The CertisOI Assistant provides advanced data analysis and predictive modeling capabilities through an easy-to-use, natural language interface. It stands out in several ways:

Comprehensive Dataset Integration: The assistant integrates a wide range of oncology data, including patient information, tumor characteristics, genetic profiles, and drug response predictions. This holistic approach allows for a more comprehensive analysis than tools focusing on isolated data types.

AI-Based Predictions: The assistant employs AI algorithms to predict drug response and resistance, offering insights into which treatments will likely be effective for specific cancer models. This predictive capability is crucial for personalized medicine and sets it apart from tools that rely solely on historical data.

User-Friendly Interface: By providing an intuitive interface for querying and analyzing complex datasets, the assistant makes it easier for researchers to access and interpret oncology data without requiring advanced technical skills.

Focus on Pre-Clinical Models: The assistant specializes in pre-clinical oncology research, particularly PDX and cell line models, offering unique insights into early-stage drug development and tumor biology.

Interactive Visualizations: The assistant supports interactive visualizations, such as pharmacology and tumor growth studies, enabling researchers to explore data more engaging and informatively.

How does the tool transform complex data into actionable insights, especially for researchers working on drug sensitivity or genomic data?

CertisOI Assistant leverages a structured workflow to transform raw data into meaningful insights. It involves querying a comprehensive oncology dataset, analyzing the data, and presenting the results in a clear and interpretable format. Here’s how it works:

Data Querying: CertisOI Assistant can access a relational database containing detailed information about oncology models, including patient data, tumor characteristics, genomic data, and drug response predictions. It uses SQL-like queries to extract relevant data based on the researcher’s specific needs.

Data Analysis: Once the data is retrieved, CertisOI Assistant can perform various analyses, such as identifying common mutations, correlating gene expression with drug sensitivity, or evaluating pharmacology study results. It can also rank and filter data to highlight the most significant findings.

Visualization: The assistant can present data in tabular formats, generate interactive charts for pharmacology and tumor growth studies, and display histology images. This visualization helps researchers quickly grasp complex data patterns and relationships.

Interpretation and Insights: By providing a clear interpretation of the data, including predictions for drug sensitivity or resistance, CertisOI Assistant helps researchers make informed decisions about potential therapeutic strategies or further experimental directions.

Customization and Flexibility: Researchers can tailor their queries to focus on specific cancer types, genetic markers, or treatment responses, allowing for a highly customized analysis that aligns with their research objectives.

How does the CertisOI Assistant enhance researchers’ ability to select cancer models, design biomarker strategies, or perform in silico validations?

I covered the first two areas – the cancer model section and biomarker strategy design – at the outset of this interview, so I’ll focus on performing in silico validations. CertisOI Assistant provides a virtual environment to test and validate hypotheses related to drug efficacy, target engagement, and biomarker discovery without the need for immediate laboratory experiments. This allows them to rapidly refine their hypotheses and focus experimental efforts on the most promising avenues.

Here are a few examples:

Drug Response Predictions: Use AI-based predictions for drug response and resistance to assess how different models are likely to respond to specific drugs. This can help validate the potential efficacy of a drug in silico before moving to in vitro or in vivo studies.

Genomic and Molecular Profiling: Analyze the genomic data, including mutations, gene expression, and copy number variations, to identify potential targets and validate their relevance to the drug’s mechanism of action. This can help in understanding the molecular basis of drug sensitivity or resistance.

Biomarker Discovery: Correlate molecular characteristics with drug response predictions to identify potential predictive biomarkers. This can guide the selection of patient populations more likely to benefit from a particular therapy.

Combination Therapy Exploration: Explore drug synergy predictions to identify promising drug combinations that may enhance therapeutic outcomes. This can provide insights into potential combination strategies that can be further validated experimentally.

Histological Analysis: Use histology images to validate the morphological effects of drugs on tumor tissues, providing additional evidence for the drug’s mechanism of action and potential efficacy.

Cross-Model Comparisons: Compare different models to understand how various genetic backgrounds influence drug response, helping to validate hypotheses about the role of specific genes or pathways in silico.

Virtual Screening: Perform virtual screening of drugs against a wide range of models to prioritize candidates for further experimental validation.

Can you share examples of how researchers are anticipated to use this tool to improve their workflows or achieve breakthroughs?

The simplest example is preclinical model selection. Every preclinical study begins with the selection of tumor models. CertisOI Assistant takes the manual effort out of this process and brings great precision to selecting the optimal models for any given study.

Another is developing a biomarker strategy. The traditional approach is to hypothesize what biomarker or biomarkers might be linked to the drug’s mechanism of action and then test those hypotheses in preclinical studies, which is usually an iterative process. If preclinical data is promising, researchers must validate predictive biomarkers in human clinical trials—and as discussed, the failure rate is high.

The CertisOI Assistant helps researchers identify and validate more precise, predictive gene expression biomarkers earlier in the development process and with less iteration than the traditional workflow—saving time, and money, and improving chances for commercial success.

What kinds of cancer models or datasets does the tool support, and how does this breadth benefit the research community?

The current version of CertisOI gives researchers access to Certis’ rapidly expanding library of PDX and PDX-derived tumor models and the entire Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) of models. The platform’s algorithms also draw on data from Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer (GDSC), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), CI ALMANAC, O’Neil, and other datasets. This holistic approach to data integration allows for a more comprehensive analysis than tools that focus on isolated data types.

The CertisOI Assistant is designed to be user-friendly. How do you ensure that it is accessible to researchers who may not have extensive technical expertise?

Several features make CertisOI Assistant accessible to researchers at all levels:

Intuitive Interface: The interface is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, allowing users to perform complex queries and analyses without needing to understand the underlying technical details.

Guided Workflows: The assistant provides guided workflows for common research tasks, such as querying drug response predictions, analyzing genomic data, and exploring pharmacology studies. This helps users focus on their research questions without getting bogged down in technical complexities.

Natural Language Processing: Users can interact with the assistant using natural language queries, making accessing the information they need easier for those without technical expertise. The assistant interprets the queries and translates them into the appropriate database queries.

Comprehensive Documentation: Detailed documentation and tutorials help users understand how to use the assistant effectively. This includes step-by-step guides, examples, and explanations of key concepts.

Interactive Visualizations: The assistant provides interactive visualizations for data analysis, such as charts and histology images, allowing users to explore and interpret data visually without needing to write code.

Responsive Support: Users can access responsive support to assist with any questions or issues. This ensures they can get help quickly and continue their research without unnecessary delays.

Customizable Queries: While the assistant provides default workflows, it also allows for customization, enabling users to tailor queries to their specific research needs without requiring deep technical knowledge.

Collaboration is a key aspect of research. How does the CertisOI Assistant facilitate teamwork among researchers or institutions?

With CertisOI Assistant, researchers from different teams or institutions can access the same dataset and tools, allowing them to work collaboratively on shared projects or research questions. The platform also makes it easy to download and share data queries, results, and insights among team members so everyone involved in a project can contribute effectively.

What are the biggest challenges in scaling AI adoption in cancer research, and how can they be addressed?

Significant challenges include data security, data integration, and trust in AI‐based outcome predictions. I am not an expert on data security or data integration, but great minds are working to solve those challenges. With respect to trusting AI-generated predictions, we need efficient and credible ways to validate those predictions.

Certis has taken a two-pronged approach to this: in silico validation via internal, cross-validation studies, and in vivo validation—performing studies in clinically relevant mouse models to evaluate the accuracy of our platform’s predictions. Over time, these tools will also be validated clinically in human patients—but of course, that will take a great deal of time and money, as well as the willingness to change the current cancer treatment paradigm. The medical and regulatory community will have to stop relying on how things have always been done and embrace the power of computational analyses to inform decisions.

How do you envision tools like the CertisOI Assistant shaping the future of cancer treatment and precision medicine?

Modern medicine doesn’t yet have a great way to match patients to the ideal treatments. Overall, only 10% of cancer patients experience a clinical benefit from treatments matched to tumor DNA mutations. That not only hurts patients’ health, but it also harms them financially. An estimated $2.5 billion —with a B—is wasted on ineffective therapies. It is a very sad fact that 42% of cancer patients fully deplete their assets by the second year of their diagnosis.

Tools like CertisOI Assistant and CertisAI will help us realize the promise of precision medicine—getting people the optimal treatment for their unique form of cancer the first time, every time…. And to democratize access to more effective, personalized care.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Certis Oncology Solutions.

[nwbeerguide]

Hosted June 16th Gigantic Brewing Company and Loyal Legion PDX presents "Snackdown VI:Snacking Never Dies!"

https://bit.ly/3KFOwOU Press Release Portland, OR – PDX Beer Week, Gigantic Brewing Company and Loyal Legion are thrilled to announce SNACKDOWN VI: SNACKING NEVER DIES!, a lively and entertaining food and beer pairing event set for Father's Day, Sunday, June 16th, at The Evergreen event space above Loyal Legion. SNACKDOWN! brings together 8 of Portland's finest chefs and 8 renowned Oregon brewers, pairing them into 8 dynamic Brewer/Chef teams. Each team will craft their ultimate snack and beer pairing, vying for the coveted SNACKDOWN Belt. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample all the pairings and vote for their favorite, adding an interactive element to this one-of-a-kind event. Unlike your typical beer dinner, SNACKDOWN! promises a more relaxed and playful atmosphere, reminiscent of a WWF-style Smackdown. Brewers and chefs will take the stage to hype their pairings, possibly donning wrestling-themed costumes such as luchador masks, spandex, capes, and tassels. DJ Big Tim Slade will be spinning tracks to keep the energy high throughout the evening. Tickets for the event are priced at $49, which includes all 8 small plates and 8 x 5oz beer pours. Guests are encouraged to embrace the wrestling theme and dress up in the most outrageous outfits imaginable. To enhance the festive mood, there will be old WWF wrestling footage projected throughout the venue. All proceeds after expenses from SNACKDOWN will benefit P:ear, a local charity dedicated to building positive relationships with homeless youth through education, art, recreation, and job training. P:ear's mission is to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives for young people in the community. 2024 SNACKDOWN BREWERY/CHEF TAG TEAMS: Gigantic Brewing + Morchella Von Ebert Brewing + Pizza Thief Brujos Brewing + Machete Breakside Brewing + Salt & Straw Block 15 Brewing + Loyal Legion Vice Beer + El Viejon Cerveceria Del Norte + The Pie Spot SteepleJack Brewing + Prime Tap House Join us for an unforgettable Father's Day celebration filled with creativity, fun, and fantastic food and beer pairings. SNACKDOWN VI: SNACKING NEVER DIES! is the perfect way to enjoy top-tier culinary delights in a uniquely entertaining setting. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.pdxbeerweek.com/schedule/snackdown-vi-snacking-never-dies.  SNACKDOWN VI: Snacking Never Dies! Sunday, June 16th, 1-3:30pm The Evergreen above Loyal Legion 710 SE 6th Ave All ages  LINK TO THE PROMO VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67LLg1Az7qE About PDX Beer Week: PDX Beer Week is an annual celebration of craft beer culture in Portland, Oregon, featuring a diverse range of events, tastings, and activities that highlight the city's vibrant brewing community. About Gigantic Brewing Company: Gigantic Brewing Company is an independent, artisanal brewery located in the Southeast quadrant of Portland. We hold ourselves to a simple principle – Never Give an Inch. We vow to start small and (stubbornly) stay small, focusing our efforts on making exceptional beer, rather than a lot of beer. When you drink Gigantic, know that we didn't just put our names on the label – our effort, imagination, and dry wit are in every beer.   from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/4bWe1HJ

[vaspider]

This is not the first stripper strike in PDX in the last few years. I hope this ends with a union - the owners of this club have made a lot of hay out of their "diverse dancers" while also apparently treating labor like shit.

Imagine having to put Bitter Yuck on your body at work so customers wouldn't fucking lick you because your boss won't provide adequate security.

Gross.

Trouble is brewing in America's strip club capital, where dancers from one bar have been on strike for nearly four months as they attempt to become the second unionized strip club in the country. Most of the 33 strippers employed by Portland's Magic Tavern launched their strike on April 4, citing "dangerous working conditions," Willamette Week reported. "We’re fighting for basic safety and respect in the workplace, just like any other industry expects," Nyx, one of the dancers on strike, told the outlet. The dancers say a slew of safety concerns spurred the strike, ranging from a lack of security cameras, an unstable pole, unmarked and uneven stage flooring, the scent of gas and more. They accuse management of retaliating against dancers who complained, and naming an official club group chat "Anus Tarts."

[autistickaitovocaloid]

I know it doesn't really have a plot other than "have fun with miku + her friends :)" (excluding pdx which has an actual story) but the canon implications of Project Diva sure are something. Like imagine if you went to work one day and a 16 year old version of yourself from an alternate universe was there what would you do?

[heartoclock]

[3:56 pm] “i am soooo tired...”, you huffed as you and sihun walked back to your apartment. “oh come on! we only walked 4 blocks lazy pants”, sihun replied. you laid on your couch and motioned for sihun to come and cuddle with you. “you know we have dinner reservations right? we can’t just take a nap.”

“just cuddle me~~ who said anything about taking a nap?”

he just smiled to himself and cuddled closer to you, “only for you.”

[x1masterpeace]

non-idol boyfriend!au : Dongyoon

- very ordinary student philologist with brightest smile;

- had a crush on you in the library when you was there with your team and painted a poster for a biology project;

- tried to come often just to see you and even missed a few lessons because of you;

- at some moment he couldn’t take his eyes off you, and you meet your eyes. you winked sweetly, and his heart beat at times stronger;

- after this time library becomes to your little place, and time after time you made his heart beat more often with some innocent signs of attention. but he was still too shy to talk with you;

- and you took the situation into your own hands, realizing that as soon as you finish the project, it will be harder for you to find each other

- in that moment when you asked him to meet somewhere outside the library his eyes sparkled. in this moment you realized that you had a crush on him

- now he’s doing all that he can to see you more often

- like, you are doing your homework together

- or dinners in university’s dining room – you are always texting each other if someone is late

- Dongyoon is not so jealous guy, but he always feel uncomfortable when you talk about some boys from your team;

- and you know about that, lightly banging his nose and tell smth like ‘hey, you’re really think that I look at least one of them knowing that magnificent guy is waiting for me with my favorite donuts?’;

- after that Dongyoon literally melts;

- because of education you don’t see each other so often, but if it does happen, it’s remembered for long time;

- like the moment when Dongyoon sneezed so loud that somebody thought that it was film’s part, and both of you couldn't concentrate on the movie and run away;

- or cafe date where you you organized a marathon of eating ice cream, because of what you lost your voice, but you were immensely happy;

- or that momentous day when you wandered around the shops with various accessories, when he suddenly disappeared. you waited him for 20 minutes, but forgot about all when you saw a small bouquet and cute necklace with metal fox, and after that he officially asked you to be his girlfriend;

- and that moment when in response you almost burst into tears of laughter, pulling from the bag a similar necklace bought a week ago.

[iheartjeno]

[21:37] Koo Jungmo

Jungmo never wanted to get you involved to racing, and yet here you are, in his leather jacket on the bleachers next to Minhee, there to cheer him on. He made Minhee make sure you wouldn't drink too much, not even a sip, as he only let you drink sprite. "One sip." You said as you reached out for the cup Minhee was holding that was actually for Jungmo. "No, I don't think so." He replied, swatting your hand away.

"Oh come on! Just a sip."

"No! I promised Mogu."

"He wouldn't mind,"

"Uh, yes he would."

"Please?

"No-"

"Y/n!" Jungmo called out for you as he watched you and his best frind argue over a stupid drink. Your eyes lit up as they set on Jungmo’s figure, his helmet in his hand, his hoodie smeared all over with oil and dirt. He would use his signature leather jacket, but he wanted you to use it tonight. You start to rush down the bleachers, mumbling a few apologies to people you accidentally kick or bump into.

Jungmo laughs at you when you finally reach his arms, your own circling around his waist, your face pressed up to his hoodie, the oil now on your face as well. "Baby, I'm sorry but i'm gonna have to put this on your back okay? I swear it's not a kick me sign. I only do that to Mini." He mumbled against your forehead as you felt him stick something to your back. You pull back from him, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. "What is it?"

He grinned at you before placing a quick, wet kiss to your lips, also known as his infamous good luck kiss he would always require in order to win every race. He then raised his helmet to his head, his fluffy hair bouncing as his head fits through it perfectly. "Ask Minhee, babe." Was the only thing he said before he got onto his motorcycle, zooming off with an 'I LOVE YOU BABYYY' You giggle as you wave back at him. Turning around, you notice everyone staring at your back. "I will beat his ass if it says kick me."

You walk up cautiously, sure not to bump into more people. You reach your seat just to see Minhee smirking at you. "Oh my fucking god it says kick me, doesn't it?" You panic, trying to rip off whatever was on your back. Minhee hits the back of your head, making you stop to hold your head in pain.

"Keep it on, it will save you, trust me." His words confuse you even more. You face him with a big frown, "What does it say?" You ask him, scowling as you see one of the showgirls trying to touch Mark. You grin in triumph when he zooms off in his motorbike. "It says 'KOO JUNGMO’S PROPERTY (the jacket included)'. He's whipped for you. I've never seen him so in love." He coos when a big hue of pink dusts over your cheeks.

"Oh." You state, watching your boyfriend as he gets ready to race, the light pink on your cheeks growing bigger into a deep crimson as you thought of what Minhee said. You watch as Jungmo starts revving up his engine, standing out in his hoodie as the rest of the contestants are all wearing leather jackets. A tiny smile appears on your face when you realize he had given you his, instead of wearing it himself.

Your cheeky boyfriend glanced at you, and although his helmet and hair blocked it, you swear you saw a small wink sent to you. He was definitely gonna win.

NOT ME GHOSTING FOR LIKE A MONTH 😭✋ here’s the a very very shitty Jungmo little drabble to make it up haha 🤠 i hope it’s okay 😔🔫 please feel free to find and read my other posts, like seriously, please

MY DUMBASS JSNFSJBFSJG I KEPT THE MARK LEE AND DIDNT CHANGE IT TO KOO JUNGMO UGHHH IM SO SO SO SO SO SORRY GJENJWBTHENG

[exostuffs]

i miss him so much ):

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[strawbwrry]

dear darling ♡ son dongpyo

angst ; 0.84k ; gender neutral

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dear darling ♡ son dongpyo

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Days ticked by one by one, each felt longer than the last, and as those days passed, the boy grew more and more worrying. As each day went by he became merely a shell of what he once was. He was no longer himself.

He was never the quiet type, much the opposite. He was once animated, talkative, and a smiley boy, that was gone. Lost in the flurry of feelings created by a tragedy, he rarely talked. The people who surrounded him could do nothing but watch as he withdrew from his former self, that wasn’t Dongpyo.

Time had passed, and he could only smile sadly at his thoughts. Anecdotes of the two of you overflowed his head, the heartbreaking view of the boy letting his tears fall as he laughed was enough to make even the toughest cry, he didn’t know what to do anymore. Each day he could only ponder the what if’s racing through his head,

“What would be different?” A whole lot a would be different.

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The sixth month came, and he couldn’t forget. He was haunted, tormented, by the endless memories of you both, he couldn’t sleep, not in the slightest. At nights when he’d lay down with intentions to sleep he was met with dark sleepless hours. Each hour went by slowly, the dark room provided a scarily empty atmosphere. In that dark room all that developed were dark thoughts.

Darkness, that’s all he saw. Darkness, that’s all he felt.

As the hours passed, his thoughts only worsened. He turned helplessly, he longed sleep, for just one second he wished he could stop thinking of you. Then when reality hit, everything hurt more. He didn’t long for sleep, he wanted you. Deep down in his heart there was only one thing he truly wanted, to see you again. To see you laugh, smile, blink; to feel a hug, just anything, from you. He let himself cry just this once, he let himself be enveloped in his endless thoughts of you. He wanted one thing he couldn’t have, and that was you.

As each night passed they shared one constant, thoughts of you.

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Another six months passed, making it a year since you had passed. Dongpyo was still lost, without you he was directionless, but with time he had somewhat been able to bring himself back to life. The night you had died, a part of him died along side you, but as he sat at his desk writing away a final letter to you he found himself going down a place he hadn’t been down in a while. A place that formerly brought him pain, now provided him with a sense of comfort.

Thinking back at memories of you both used to bring a suffocating feeling of heartache. Each formerly joyous memory hurt more than the last. At a year since you had passed he now looked back at his memories and could rest peacefully knowing one thing, you knew he loved you.

Maybe that was enough for him.

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Dear darling, it’s been a while.

I miss you a lot more than I want to admit, but it’s getting better. How are you? I hope you’re doing well, because that’s all you’ve ever deserved. Life without you is so dull. Everything seems so empty here. Days have all kind of blurred together, and the past year is one big chunk of time I don’t really remember. I promise I’m getting better Y/N, I know you wouldn’t have wanted me to be sad about it forever. It’s just hard without you.

Seungwoo and the others have been so protective of me since last year, I can’t go an hour alone without having someone checking in on me. It’s nice though, being alone hasn’t done me any well in the past year, having their company makes everything a lot more bearable. Dohyun has grown so much, it’s kind of scary how tall he is, I’ve grown a little bit too! You always said I’d grow a bit more, you were always right with those kinda of things.

My grades in school have gotten better, I promised you the last time we talked I’d study harder, and I didn’t break my promise this time. I miss talking to you Y/N, your voice always made me feel better. I still look through all the pictures I have of you sometimes, you seem to get prettier every time I look back at them. I had my first birthday without you back in September, it was so weird not hearing you sing happy birthday for the first time, you were always the loudest when singing.

Wherever you are Y/N, please remember how much you mattered to me. How much you mattered to everyone. Please remember how much you will always matter to me, because you always will. I love you Y/N. I want to be at peace with the fact you’re gone, so I can live happily, for you.

With love,

Son Dongpyo ♡

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