Dave Knows Portland

History Pub: The Early Organization of Portland’s Polish Community & The White Eagle Saloon (24-October-2011)

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White EagleThe Kennedy School Theater (5736 NE 33rd) hosts the latest History Pub on Monday, October 24, 2011. Topic: The Early Organization of Portland’s Polish Community & The White Eagle Saloon.

For decades the White Eagle Saloon in North Portland has been a favorite blues & rock ‘n’ roll joint. It also has a reputation for being one of the most haunted spots in the city, drawing many ghost hunters and curiosity seekers, especially this time of year. But this venerable establishment, which dates to 1905, began its life with a much different mission: an important hub for Polish immigrants. Meetings to organize the first Polish Catholic Church on the Pacific Coast as well as Portland’s Polish Library Hall, which turns 100 this year, were held at the White Eagle.

The presenter is the McMenamins empire’s own historian, Tim Hills.

Join event co-sponsors Oregon Historical Society and Holy Names Heritage Center at 7pm Monday for a beer and history! Admission is free and this event is all ages. Canned food donations will be accepted for the Oregon Food Bank.

City of Portland Free Financial Planning Day (22-October-2011)

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The City of Portland and the Financial Planning Associations of Oregon and SW Washington bring you Portland Financial Planning Day this Saturday, October 22, 2011 at the Portland Building (1120 SW 5th), second floor.

Dozens of Portland Area financial planners will be offering free one-on-one counseling and seminars on budgeting, income taxes, investment strategies, mortgages and foreclosures, retirement planning and more. The advice will be offered on a “no strings attached” basis – planners will not be giving out business cards or selling financial products or services.

Portland Financial Planning Day is free and open to the public, and runs from 10am to 4pm. Online registration is available at www.FinancialPlanningDays.org/Portland, or by calling toll free at 877-861-7826. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Brainstorm: Explore the Genesis of Innovation, Part 3 (17-October-2011)

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BrainstormOMSI and Portland Monthly present part thre of the OMSI Science Pub talk series Brain Storm: Exploring the Genesis of Innovation this Monday, October 17, 2011 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne).

The talks are part of “Brain Storm,” a unique collaboration between OMSI and Portland Monthly to explore creative thinking in science, business, health, technology, and the arts. From a field of 130 nominees, a jury of peers selected 12 leading innovators whose work, creative processes, and personal stories are being presented through an interactive display at OMSI, a series of profiles in Portland Monthly, and onstage in conversation with Portland Monthly editor in chief Randy Gragg.

This week‘s guests are Eric Dishman, Director of Health Innovation and Policy at Intel, Visionary in home health technology; Iain Tait, Global Interactive Executive Creative Director at Wieden + Kennedy, Trendsetter in interactive advertising strategies; and Ward Cunningham, Principal Engineer for AboutUs, Inventor of the Wiki and other collaborative software.

The doors of the Bagdad open at 5pm, program begins at 7pm. $5 is the suggested admission. Minors are permitted if accompanied by parent or guardian.

The Brain Storm series continues, each Monday through October 24th.

Kick Ass Oregon History Vol 3 #5: Bears in Portland

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Kick Ass Oregon History Vol. 3 #4: Bears in PortlandKick Ass Oregon History is the latest series of podcasts from the enthusiastic historians behind ORHistory.com.

Volume 3 #5 dropped yesterday – Bears in Portland:

A brief history of angry Ursidae and hirsute humans in the City of Roses.

The brains behind this Kick Ass project are the crack hustlers of Oregon History Doug Kenck-Crispin and Andy Lindberg. Doug is a graduate student studying Public History and Pacific Northwest History at PSU, and Andy, though a Portland native, is currently working as an actor in New York City. Doug does most of the research and writing for the podcasts with input from Andy, who voices the broadcasts with a thespian’s flair.

With the Kick Ass Oregon History podcast they plan to cover just the good stuff: Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll and Earth Shattering, Devastating Destruction.

Ultimately, our goal is to take Oregon History out of the hallowed halls of the academy, get folks excited and enthused about this shared history, and get them out into the state, digging it and experiencing it. Get them to embrace it, and get their boots muddy in the process. It’s all OUR History; nobody owns it.

Visit ORHistory.com and stay tuned to @Oregon_History on Twitter for further details on specific episodes and the series. Catch up on missed episodes at the Kick Ass Oregon History archives.