Here’s what we’ve found as we’ve traveled the local PDX web (complete with our comments) for November 16th:
- Oregon’s unemployment levels off, but workers are leaving the state’s labor force | Econ International Blog
For the policy wonks in the house, a blog that’s new to me (but maybe not for you), done by economist Eric Fruits. Heavy on stats, but well-seasoned with a dash of analysis and a bit of snark besides… “Oregon’s Employment Department seems mystified by Oregon persistently high unemployment. In this memo (pdf), they provide a mishmash of reasons for Oregon’s high unemployment rate, including:
- Oregon’s labor force is small (but other “small” states have very low unemployment);
- Oregon has nice weather;
- More seasonality in employment (which suggests that Oregon has nice weather, but only part of the time).”
Do read the rest of the post, won’t you?
- City gatherings focus on vision for area’s future
Deja-vu, anyone? I read the first part of this…
"Portland-area leaders kick off the most ambitious city planning process ever Monday setting up a series of community meetings though mid-December."Wasn't there this loooong drawwn out vision-y thing during the previous administration? What did that accomplish, again?
"The plan is intended to build on the community goals identified by the VisionPDX process which gathered comments from more than 17,000 residents."
Oh. How much money again did it cost us as a city to identify goals? How much *more* money to make a plan? I don't even want to know…
- We Make The Media
Yes, it’s another day-long Saturday conference to figure out how to make media work in the digital age. Yes, I’ll be there…will you? From the site: “Oregon and Portland region newspapers are cutting back. Local TV News is only weather, sports, mayhem and fluff. Radio is more talk than news. The Internet is challenging the traditional advertising-based scaffolding for reporting and journalism.
The journalism we want and need is dying, dead – or yet to be born. The time has come for new approaches, tools, business models, and media organizations to be built and nurtured…”
- Thanksgiving for Lazy People 2009: Market & Restaurant Guide. | Willamette Week | Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Take it easy this year and let a professional do the work for you. Here’s a list of all the best lazy-day Thanksgivings, from restaurants serving dinner to food carts selling pie.
- Neighborhood Notes – The Localist: Celebrating Thanksgiving in Portland Neighborhoods
From the post: “Whether you're planning a traditional family feast or prefer fine dining out on Thanksgiving, you'll want to check out our hot picks for the best in local, fresh fare for DIY dinner at home or delish choices from Portland's fab food scene.
Buying seasonal goodies adds life to your recipes, and supporting local businesses makes great sense on a variety of levels. There's something for diners and chefs alike here to ensure that everyone's happy at the Thanksgiving table.”
Quick quiz — how many turkeys did you spot…?
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