While Obama is doing he can to stimulate the economy  a social phenomenon in Salem, Oregon called the Culture Shock Community Project has it’s own stimulus package designed to bring people together affordably.

Culture Shock Community is a 501C Non Profit Organization, hosting family oriented events throughout the Willamette Valley.

A pumpkin carving event was enjoyed by everyone, at the Willamette Art Center on Oregon State Fairgrounds on October 26th. The pumpkin carving event is one of 13 nights of family events held nightly in the Willamette Valley. For upcoming events check on the Culture Shock Community event website.

After Halloween, another event was created to lend a green way to return pumkins to the land:

Below in a video, community enthusiasm is shared by three local youth about destroying their pumpkins after Halloween.

Community partner Fordyce Farms helped host the the event, “Pumpkin Smash and Kill” on is a part of The 13 Nights of Halloween, as organized by The Culture Community Project, dedicated to low cost life enrichment programs for all.

I don’t agree with an article regarding the Portland housing market.  It suggested that Portland housing markets are less viable than others. It is published here.

My reasons  why:

Portland is retaining it’s value is because it is a city that is on the cutting edge of being a green city, heavy investment in public transportation and really does have more water friendly weather than Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix or Detroit.  Portland has less pollution, less overbuilding, and increased demand from people moving north from California.

I can’t help but laught at this every time.  Tim Conway keeps such a straight face, and Harvey Korman can’t keep from laughing during this Carol Burnett Show ad lib;

A recent study shows that playing he Digeridoo helps those with sleep apnea. See article

In 2008 a couple of Brazilian college students made a study about “The use of Didgeridoo for  people with anxiety”. They study stated that the instrument (didgeridoo) can lower a person´s anxiety by practicing it 20 minutes a day. For 7 weeks the average rate was 10% (ten percent) at anxiety decreasing. [This information from Wiki.]

Don Sellway  has been a barber for forty years.  For 16 of them he’s had a barber shop in the rural community of Silverton, Oregon at 201 Oak Street.
“If I believe the customer is on rough times,”said Sellway, “on fixed income or out of work, the price is 7 dollars. It’s as simple as that. That’s not true for everybody, you gotta remember the average home in Silverton goes for $400,000, so if you pull up in a fancy car our standard rate applies.”

Street parking in Silverton is still also a terrific value. One penny still gives you twelve minutes in a downtown Silverton parking meter.

It’s not often that I feel passionate enough about a business so much that I will specify one to avoid.  But I can no longer keep quiet about this one.  People need to be forewarned.

The award this year’s Fickle Finger of Pharmacy goes to Express Scripts for generally bad service, poor delivery and  communications with physicians offices.  The who point of course is to eliminate getting the prescription to the patient. This also goes for Cura Scripts which was purchased by Express Scripts. I can’t tell you how many times my doctor has rolled his eyes about these people.

Today’s excuse for not delivering my prescription, “your doctor sent the prescription, and but not the strength, so we faxed them, faxed them and faxed them with no response.” Truth is, they don’t and won’t use a telephone. Why?  Because they don’t have to hire people to answer them. It sure would be nice if they had let me know here was a problem!

Last month the excuse was, “we need to reverify your insurance” which hasn’t changed in years. My last delivery was at least 4 weeks late, with the wrong quantities.

Its not that they don’t only NOT deliver on time, but they put up so many road blocks, (gee willickers…and the online forms you have to fill out?)  Now, its not only that skimmed (sent) me a lesser quantity serveral times than what the order required. But they actually asked I go to a local Rite Aid pharmacist to verify the quantities were wrong.

Used and favored heavily by Insurance companies, the theory is they save the customer money by providing a 90 day supply for the price of a copay.  The problem is they don’t deliver. Motive? Well, let me ask you this:  If a insurance adjuster where the one to actually repair your car collision, would it ever get done?

Document, document document with these people! Keep dates and times. Businesses like these won’t be around very long. Why? Two words.

Attorney General.  And don’t think for a second they haven’t been in trouble before!

Related: Safer Health Care

Karen & Mike Wendte brought in 64 head this year from Cornelius.

The Ninth Annual Oregon’s Best Showpig Sale was featured at the Polk Country Fairgrounds this Saturday. The Wendte Farm among others, brought in 64 of 150 head of pigs to Rickreall this year. In a morning seminar Mike Wendte explained how to pick a good pig, and to value each one according to it’s health.

Wendte explained, “The main reason we do these events is it really does help with the bio-security of the animals. Anybody can buy a pig, but they are especially popular with the FFA and 4H kids. One only needs 4 to 6 months to get them up to show weight, around 250 pounds. Most are shown at the Washington County Fair at that time.”

The auction was held today at noon by John Walton.

Greg & Bryson Peters, Nick and Marv Vanaken are members of the Verboort Livestock 4H Club out of Forrest Grove.

Kasey, a resident of Salem, Oregon, brings her son and a next door neighbor to the the event once a month.

This Saturday Home Depot in Salem,Oregon hosted a family event, letting kids and their parents  build more than 180 homes for local wildlife.

The “Kids Workhop” is a what is becoming to be thought of as a quality time opportunity for parents to spend with their kids.

It is a free activity for youth ages 8 to 12  and their parents.  This months featured project is the Window Birdhouse, which allows viewing of the nest from behind.

Captain Byron, a 20 year veteran of Home Depot has been hosting these workshops for 11 years now. "We have a new project for the kids on the first Saturday of every month. It's best to show just before 9am, when we do go over Safety tips."

Each birdhouse was  built by a youth, with the assistance of a parent or legal guardian. The event is free.

Next month’s featured project will be  a Wheelbarrow Planter. That workshop is scheduled on Saturday May 2nd. The planter will come with a sticker on it saying, “Happy Mother’s Day” making a perfect gift from any child.

For detail on the upcoming May event, click here.

Be sure to show up early before 9 am for registration in May.

Fish oil pills don’t boost benefit of heart drugs – Yahoo! News.’

The German study shows that “we need to be a little more cautious about the prediction of individual benefit of any nutritional supplements,” said Lichtenstein, who had no role in the research.

“We see this pattern — people are so willing to embrace the simple answer,” as if it’s possible “to crack a capsule over a hot fudge sundae” and undo the harm of harmful diets and lack of exercise, she said.