Bruce Springsteen at the Rose Garden

Before I got into news, I worked in music radio, and that meant I saw a LOT of concerts. Up until this week, I would have said nobody could have topped Tina Turner when it came to showmanship (well, OK, maybe Neil Diamond). Heck, even at 70, Tina put on a show that would embarrass Justin Timberlake or Britney Spears or just about anyone else in the biz.

But then I saw Bruce Springsteen at the Rose Garden Wednesday night. Wow. He opened with ‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ and closed it out three hours later with ‘10th Avenue Freeze-Out.’ No break, no intermission, no fancy stage or pyrotechnics like U-2, just three hours of pure music and fan interaction.

I’d never seen Bruce in concert, and honestly tried not get my expectations up. But by the third song in, when he threw himself into the audience for some ‘crowd surfing,’ I knew I was in for something special. No security followed the Boss as he made his way through the Rose Garden. In fact, the thing I felt all night was trust. He trusted his fans, and his fans trusted Springsteen to put on a great show. He did. He brought everything with him for that performance…and make no mistake, that’s what it was, a performance.

When some of my co-workers here heard I was going, they kidded  me I was seeing an ‘oldies’ act. Springsteen may be getting up in years ‘I’m on old man’ he said during the show, ‘but I’ve got a job to do.’ And boy did he do it. Thanks for a wonderful night.

Dan Mitchinson

Preventing children’s injuries during the holidays

The holidays are upon us and we all know what that means: chaos. The holidays are a great time to bring family and friends together but it’s important to make sure everyone is safe—especially children. Travel, trees, decorations, fireplaces and new toys will all place our kids at risk.  The newest post on Doernbecher’s Healthy Families blog explains how the OHSU effect can mitigate holiday hazards.

Feeling slow on Turkey Day–The OHSU Effect

We’re all familiar with post-turkey lethargy, but for those with Parkinson’s it’s more than the tryptophan at work.

 

Are we prepared for a natural disaster? – The OHSU Effect

With Hurricane Sandy on everyone’s minds, it’s a good time to look locally at how we are prepared for an unfortunate event such as a natural disaster. Not only is it important to make sure our friends and family are prepared, it’s important that our hospitals are prepared for a crisis as well. While we may not get hurricanes in Portland, we are still at risk for adverse weather, earthquakes, and biological crises that we need to be ready for.

Progress At A Cost

"I guess that's progress." A grocery checker said that the other day while I was in line at the store.  A group of checkers was standing a few feet from us appearing as though they were receiving some sort of training. 

"What's that?" I asked the checker. She said the group was being taught how to operate machines that will allow customers to check their own groceries. Self-serve checking hadn't come to this store until now.

I'm usually among the first to appreciate how technology makes our lives easier. The checker told me the store will have to let six people go-- all replaced by a machine. 

Airlines have been doing this kind of thing for years. They want you to electronically check-in instead of talking to a ticket agent. They want you to use their website to book flights and vacations and in some cases, they'll even charge you fees to talk to someone on the phone when you can't get the website to work. 

So, should we feel sorry that 6 grocery store clerks are losing their job. Maybe not but when we think of them as symbols to our society, it begs our attention. 

Is this progress? Are we just being old fuddy duddies? What do you think?

　

~Steve and Rebecca (currently your live morning show anchors.)

Rock the Vote!

It's time to rock the vote! Do the kids still say that these days?  Well, even if they don't, Tuesday is a very important day for America.  It's a day to make our voices heard.  It's a day to make some very important decisions that will effect us for years to come.  And I'm not just talking President, there are dozens of state and local measures that are just as crucial.  It's way too late to mail your ballot in Oregon so make sure you drop it off by 8:00 Tuesday night.  You can use this tool on the Secretary of State's office to find the ballot drop box closest to you.  Happy voting!-Lacey