Enter the Ninja: Tony Smiley is just one guy and he likes it that way

• Written by: Mike Bookey
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Tony Smiley has always wanted to play rock music, but he doesn’t want to be in a band. He’s been there, done that and the rock band dynamic just isn’t for him. This would be the end of the line for most aspiring rock musicians. Time to clip on the Guitar Center nametag or start giving guitar lessons ...

Pity the Poor Beaver: Getting reacquainted with our state’s namesake critter

• Written by: Jim Anderson
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Aside from the coyote and wolf, no other mammal—including cows—has figured so dramatically in the commercial history of the state of Oregon as the North American beaver. Wars were fought over the beaver and much of western Oregon was impacted by the trapping of these animals and the sale of their fu...

Clams, Creole and Crème Brûlée: A downtown date night in three parts

• Written by: Jared Rasic
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

There’s a calming sense of symmetry when doing everything in threes and last Tuesday marked my third year of marriage to my lovely wife, Gwendolyn. To celebrate our anniversary, we decided that instead of going out for a nice meal, we would go out to three: One place for appetizers, one for the main...

Our Picks for 1/5-1/12

• Written by: The Source Staff
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

thursday 5

Once there was a man who came to Bend from the other side of the mountains and began playing a weird, one-man-band sort of rock and roll. His name was Tony Smiley and they called him the Loop Ninja. We profiled the Ninja himself in this week’s screen section. Free. 7pm. McMenami...

What’s Wrong With Siri?: Apple’s personal assistant doesn’t mean to be sexist

• Written by: Sady Doyle
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

If you tell Siri you’ve been raped, she wouldn’t tell you to go to a hospital, or to the police. If you tell Siri you want some Viagra, she knows where you could get it.

Tech and feminist blogs recently erupted with a startling story: Siri, the iPhone 4 app that responds to voice queries with preprog...

A Tale of Two Movies: Spielberg delivers not one but two holiday treats with Tintin and War Horse

• Written by: Ross Leonard
• Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Lots of film enthusiasts like me are licking their chops in anticipation of Steven Spielberg’s biopic, Lincoln , set to arrive this year and likely win every Academy Award shortly thereafter. But the filmmaker, who hasn’t directed a film since the embarrassing fourth installment of the Indiana Jones f...