a little red hen: PDX Bands @$5 Fund-raiser: NO-people running scared?

Our daughter Rachel truly has been knocking herself out this month. She's sprained an ankle, has the flu, but says it will be worth it when (not "if") YES wins the day. In this photo she's phone banking from home with ice on her foot. The hat is one I made in those halcyon days of big deal knitting--it matched a zip-front pullover. For figure skating when she was 13, few years ago. Another YES patch--blue yarn, scratchy wool/hemp from China that's found its best use.

Her young staff at her business, FULL LIFE, wanted to pitch in some way. Why not use their Coffee House space on a Saturday night for a low-cost event that would attract and raise consciousness of twenty and thirty-somethings.

Music, of course, is the way in Portland, Oregon. On yesterday's post here, the card created by clients at Full Life features "YES, PLEASE!" an evening of music in support of Measures 66 & 67. Speaking to Portlanders of all ages, last week's editorial in Williamette Week, came out for YES. Under the title,"Class Warfare," all the issues plus charts were carefully laid out. What rock are "undecideds" living under?

Back to the bands. "Quiet Countries," here's the cover of their latest CD. And "bazillionaire"--from Jesse, seen here playing guitar, works at Full Life, runs all kinds of activities for clients--a radio show for one. (Yes, I lifted this photo from Jason Quigley's blog; he is a real PDX photographer. I think the idea for tonight's event started with Jesse. Two more bands, "St. Frankie Lee" and--you have to wonder how their high school English teachers would react to some of these titles--"Swim Swam Swum."

The latest development in the struggle over the lifeblood of schools and social services in Oregon, which is what this is all about, happened where Ron and I live. Every Saturday morning there's a Men's Breakfast with a speaker. Oh, I hear you, Hattie as you demand, what's with that? From my perspective, it's a good thing: older guys are so (how do I say this nicely?) less-able than women around socializing outside of work and sports. When we came to look over Terwilliger Plaza last winter, we were surprised how many of them lived here. (That would make an intriguing research project.)

Anyway, a few weeks ago, the Breakfast speaker was a Vote Yes proponent, a CEO named John Calhoun, who returned a couple of weeks later for an afternoon debate with Bob Wiggins, a venture capitalist from the other side. Meanwhile, in this very active retirement community, a Vote No proponent was invited as the solo speaker for this morning's Saturday breakfast. In the interest of niceness, I will not give his name because he did not show up! As they say, what's with that?

Both sides have been pouring many dollars into this struggle but I'm sure the Noes feel confident with the number of big corporations behind them--Nike (Phil Knight is the real-life bazillionaire), Columbia Sportswear (real loss to us because we've had to boycott their clothes which havve been favorites), Whole Foods (well, John Macky their CEO is opposed to universal health care, so that's no surprise;). Great sadness when THE paper in town, The Oregonian, came out for the No side. Many cancelled subscriptions--including Rachel Bloom's.

Could it be that the heavy-hitters are over-confident? Let me end with this link to the Flashmob singing and dancing to the tune of "Hey, Mackey" at the Oakland, Whole Foods. Yes to 66 & 67 and to more music by more bands in PDX! If you go tonight, the "Portland Mercury" wants you to write a review HERE.