I thought I was all done phone banking. But NOOOOOOO….some of you haven’t voted yet. Actually, most of you haven’t voted yet.

So I’ll be trekking down to Measure 26-84 headquarters on Thursday night to call probable supporters who just haven’t gotten their ballots in yet. I hate talking on the phone. I hate bothering people. And even though phone banking rates dead last on any list of ‘how I’d like to spend any of my free time’ (even below emergency dental work, believe it or not), well – you’re making me do it, people.

See, I really believe it’s critical that we provide financial stability for Portland Public Schools for the next five years. And I really really want you to help me by voting yes on 26-84.

But in order to do that, you need to get your ballot in. And then I won’t need to call you!

Win-win all around, no?

Halloween on a Tuesday. A school night no less. I bet most of the big kids got the parties out of the way over the weekend, but we still have today.

Are you dressing up for work? For the day but not at work? If so, how does your work support the pagan in you? Do you have trick or treating for the executive staff? Maybe a bob for apples for the CFO? Talk to me. I know for sure there will be some individuals at my work dressed up. I may even bring in a mask to get into the spirit.

See, I assumed (as did The Merc) that Anna Griffin’s new nickname for Tom Potter – Mayor McProcess – was a riff on that old McDonald’s commercial character and new pop culture icon Mayor McCheese.

But Blue Oregon’s Kari Chisholm waded into the comments on this Merc post to tell us know we’d gotten it all Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. Says Kari: “No, no, no… you’re not getting the reference! Sheesh! It’s a Grey’s Anatomy reference. You know, Doctor McDreamy…”

He goes on to castigate my friends at The Merc for letting him down on that whole “witty pop culture analysis” bit. (I get a Free Hall Pass on that front because, y’know, I’m all old and decrepit. Or don’t watch The View. Or something like that…)

So, Anna – care to shed some light here? Were you thinking of a hot, steamy McDreamy? Or were you contemplating the meat that arrives on a trans-fat laden bun & covered with even more carcinogenic substances instead?

Inquiring minds want to know…

Update at 7:36 am: I WIN, I WIN, I WIN! Or, alternately, Kari’s the one who’s Wrong, Wrong, Wrong. This just in from Anna: “I was definitely thinking Mayor McCheese.”

Tonight I found an interesting surprise in my inbox notifying me of a new way to watch the Civil War game on November 24th… at Cinetopia. They’re going to show the game on the screen in their living room theaters. Admission is with the purchase of an all-you-can-eat prime rib buffet ticket that’ll set you back $35.

This sounds like an interesting way to watch the game, and they’ve said they’ll offer a group rate if you have a big bunch of folks in your party. What I want to know however… how come Cinetopia, in Vancouver, is offering the Civil War and not the Apple Cup?

It’s like an acid flashback but with more candy….Russ, stop reading right here and go to the next post.

Shamelessly ripping off agood idea from Blogging.la, I rustled up some of our spookiest posts about Halloween. Here they are now! Oh hold on, let me put on my Nick Cave Best Of record. OK, much better. Here we goooooooooooooo…

* Newly minted Metroblogger divebarwife told us about a pumpkin carving party that reminded her why she loves Portland (yeahhhh, boyyyy!)
* If you’re feeling a bit uninspired this year (and you’re more than a touch geeky/nerdy/Trekkie) then you’ll appreciate this List Of Lanterns for tips and ideas.
* If you still aren’t inspired, there’s always the virtual jack-o-lantern for you.
* Should your interest in pumpkins be purely culinary, Alex hips you to some pumpkin eats.
* Our own boy of diesel asked around about The Best Costume Ever, and Betsy wondered what we should dress our public officials as for Halloween. (I still say Mayor Potter in a sequined sweater is as scary as it gets!)
* Betsy wondered if kids even bother anymore.
* It turns out Jonas has some AWESOME neighbors (so do I! not a lot of Christmas lights, but boy at Halloween it’s a cool block to be on.)
* Rusty pointed out even the City has some holiday spirit, with the PortlandMaps site getting a festive makeover.
* If you want to trick or treat but you’re of voting age, try Trick Or Voting instead.
*If you can’t find anything to do, see if Kitty or GooGhoul can steer you in the right direction.
* I know it won’t be until Thursday, but isn’t there a Zombie Walk like every First Thursday?

And I can’t speak for all the MetroBloggers, but I’ll be doing my damnedest to spend Wednesday recovering from my office Halloween party (two words: jello shots) and doing so by trying to munch my way through whatever leftover candy I can come up with. Then the countdown begins!! (What countdown, Miz Fishbones?) To my birthday! Or as I call it, Christmas in November. Should you not have anything picked out for me yet, don’t worry. You have more than two weeks still. Get on it now and you’ll have plenty of time. (: Now Nick, what was that about a Red Right Hand…?

A list of politicians who are labeled as “candidates for sale.” Check out the list of corporate polluters.

Here’s the scenario: a 44-year old man dies. There are no signs of foul play.

Is it front-page news?

Add this tidbit: he was an inmate in the Clark County Jail.

Now is it front page news? KGW thinks so.

Is this comprehensive reporting or stretching for something to print?

Earlier in the month I posted about canceling my newspaper subscription. Apparently I’m not alone. In the last six months, the Oregonian’s subscriptions numbers are down nearly 7%. And they’re not alone. Of the top 25 newspapers in the country, only three saw increased numbers.

Note to self: probably a bad time to start a newspaper career…

Good Dog/Bad Dog/Closed Dog

Originally uploaded by dieselboii.

I walked by Good Dog, Bad Dog today with thoughts of a juicy Italian in my mind when I discovered they were CLOSED! Holy crap! What am I going to do when I crave a quality dog and want to sit inside for lunch. I am so bummed. I remember when they opened like 10 years ago. My buddy and I would split our time between there, Tennessee Red’s and the Hawaiian cart at Keller fountain.

Any suggestions for a good brat downtown? So sad. So sad.

My father, in his weekly phone call on Sunday, let me know about an article in the Saturday Seattle Times that took a look at our very own N. Mississippi Ave. I gave it a quick look online, as I always like to see how the outside world sees areas of our town, and as is usually the case, while there are some good points made about the changing of the neighborhood over the last few years — and the reporter appears to think that someone snapped their fingers and created the Mississippi we know today nearly overnight — overall, it’s a pretty shallow glance at the street, though there are some interesting historical tidbits laid out by Kay Newell, the owner of SunLan Lighting, who has been on the street longer than just about any other business there.

While there are a few other businesses and owners interviewed, there’s no mention made (except in the sidebar) of some of the more prominent and established places on the street like the Crow Bar, Video Verit√©, and Pistils Nursery. The author seemed to go out of his way to establish the hipsterness of the street by talking to the owner of the newly-opened Moloko Plus while ignoring the more laid-back, post-hipster vibe of the above-named places, along with storefronts like Laughing Planet, Salty’s Dog Shop, Amnesia Brewing, and Bridge City Comics. If you want to see hipsters, Seattlites, go to Hawthorne (for young, broke hipsters) or stroll around the Pearl (for sleek, yuppie hipsters) or Alberta (for a mix of the two). I’m probably a wee bit biased seeing as N. Mississippi is my adopted ‘hood, but it’s much more in tune with the surrounding people and area than a number of the other commercial streets in Portland.

The article also notes the recent filming on the street as a confimation of the author’s own premise that the street and the “good-looking young hipsters slumming at streetside tables” reminded him of a movie set more than a lived-in street, to which all I have to say is we must be watching totally different movies and living in completely different neighborhoods, though if he meant that in a “too good to be true” way, I’ll take it.