Today I began receiving my complimentary copies of The Oregonian newspaper. For 13 weeks I will be receiving the daily and Sunday newspapers. I haven’t subscribed to The Oregonian for many months since they have raised the subscription rates.

Why is The Oregonian sending me complimentary newspapers? In a letter I received from the Oregonian a few days ago, they hope that it will “result in your becoming a long term customer of The Oregonian.”

I picked up the paper from my driveway this morning (I do have a paper box) and removed it from the plastic wrap. The very first thing on that newspaper that jumped out at me was the single copy price at the upper right hand corner that now reads: “$1.00.” Not to mention, a small disclaimer that prices may be higher outside the Portland metropolitan area placed beneath the price.

It seems that The Oregonian is desperate for my subscription, but at this point I am not planning on subscribing and here is why. First, I cannot justify spending more on a newspaper that is providing less content with lack of quality. Second, in digital media, newspapers print yesterday’s news whereas digital media is instant information. Third, why pay for a newspaper when you can receive news for free online.

My first point about paying more and getting less is very solid. I’ve noticed each time The Oregonian has raised rates the paper seems to become thinner and thinner. The Monday’s edition nearly qualifies as a leaflet.

The Oregonian does have its own online version at Oregonlive.com. The drawback to this site is that Oregonlive is extremely difficult to navigate, making navigating to a section somewhat difficult. The navigation menu is all over the site and is extremely disorganized.

The paper seems to become less popular when online news sources are freely available, and some online sites allow reader interactions like leaving comments. Unlike a newspaper, however, advertisements sometimes appear over an article instead of along side it. One of the benefits of a print newspaper over a digital newspaper is less distractions from sloppy layouts and online technology like Flash.

As for me, I won’t become a “long term customer” with the direction which The Oregonian is heading. If they seek subscribers, they need to look at the quality and quantity of the contents. The Oregonian also needs to look at keeping the rates reasonable so it doesn’t deter newspaper buyers and subscribers. But I doubt they will do that.

“Hi! Billy Mays here.”

Now he’s gone. The infomercial king pitchman Billy Mays died last night in his sleep at his home at the age of 50.

I first learned about the heartbreaking news through a Twitter tweet that I received from his son, Billy May III, this morning. It seems all too sudden, and I’ve had my share of losing relatives and friends suddenly in similar ways. It’s extremely difficult to absorb the shock from a sudden loss.

Just last Tuesday, both Mays and fellow pitchman Anthony “Sully” Sullivan from Discovery Channel’s “Pitchmen” were on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (the show paid a tribute that same night to Ed McMahon who passed away last week).

If Mays wasn’t on television, he had his Twitter. “Just had a close call landing in Tampa. The tires blew out upon landing. Stuck in the plane on the runway. You can always count on US Air,” Mays tweeted in his last and what could be his final post just 23 hours ago.

Rest in peace, Billy.

Yours truly at Elk Rock rest area, where it was 44 degrees, foggy, drizzly and miserably cold.

We did not make it to Johnston Ridge.

My father and I cranked our way up Spirit Lake Highway (SR 504) from Toutle to Elk Rock on our bicycle today.

After we pick up our bib numbers, the ride for us starts off at 7 am in the small town of Toutle. Clouds cover the sky and it’s 54 degrees.

The first leg is 16 miles and it takes on a shallow climb between Toutle and Hoffstadt Viewpoint. There is one decent grade about a mile in length east of the Toutle River near the Sediment Dam. The 11-mile second leg between Hoffstadt and Elk Rock is more work since the seven miles between Hoffstadt Bridge and Elk Rock is straight up.

Both rest stops at Hoffstadt and Elk Rock provided food, beverages and snacks. Elk Rock on the other hand provided a campfire for warming up in the 46-degree temperature (it was 55 degrees at Hoffstadt).

At Elk Rock, both my father and I had to decide whether we were continuing to Johnston Ridge. Unfortunately, Joshnston Ridge’s temperature was 38 degrees and neither of us was prepared for that, especially on the first day of summer. The decision was to return to Toutle.

Unlike climbing because it kept me warm, going downhill in the 46 temperature was intensely miserable, especially between Elk Rock and the Forest Visitor Center five miles down the road.

I also came extremely close to a disaster. During a 30-mph descent on the Hoffstadt Bridge, my bicycle began to shimmy violently. Over the 3 and half-foot guardrail to my right is a 350-foot plunge into Hoffstadt Creek. Fortunately I regained control of my bicycle without an incident.

Both of us arrived back safely in Toutle at 1:30 pm. I may do this again next year if the weather is better. Tour de Clouds, it was.

A backhoe cleans up debris from the old Ardenwald Elementary School.

Ten days ago I sat in the Ardenwald Elementary School cafeteria with twenty-five members and guests. My job as the Secretary is to write the minutes. So I was typing away on my laptop computer as I heard the discussions taking place on various issues.

Ardenwald School is a place where the children went to learn during the school days or play after school. For the adults, it was a place to congregate to discuss neighborhood business at our neighborhood association’s monthly meetings.

Our meetings are normally—or was held in the school’s library. Our June 9th meeting was held in the cafeteria, normally reserved for the Christmas potluck and big meetings on matters like the Balfour House for the criminally insane.

Inside the cafeteria it was our usual discussions about the Balfour House and the Milwaukie light rail. The Balfour House issue is now down to updates and good neighbor relations now that the house is near completion. The light rail issue seems to have gotten worse with the surprise of an elevated rail line and a parking garage that never seems to stop increasing (and more meetings are coming up on that issue).

The old cafeteria.

The meeting ended rather early at 8:27 pm instead of close to 9 pm. It was our final motion we will ever make in that old school. Meeting adjourned, turn off the lights, lock the door and we go home.

Ten days later, backhoes chomped away at the old administrative building and classrooms, erasing them from the site. Light covers dangle from the darkened cafeteria ceiling. Farewell graffiti were scribbled on the walls in both the cafeteria and on the exterior walls. Letters are now missing from the old school’s facade.

As the old school slowly fades from the scene, behind it the new two-story school slowly reveals itself. It’s design, the peaked roof and the triangular facade with the columns, is modeled off the old school and with intentions to retain the character of the neighborhood.

Many whom I have spoken to are saddened to see the old school go, but at the same time delighted to see the new school open.

The offending mower racing around the dog off-leash area at Sellwood Riverfront Park around 9:20 am Wednesday.

It’s Wednesday. Here are the weekday summer (June 15-Sept. 1) hours for the dog off-leash area at the Sellwood Riverfront Park in southeast Portland: 5 am to 10 am and 6 pm to midnight.

So why the hell was a lawnmower racing around the off leash area at 9:20 am when well over a dozen dogs are racing around on the same area? If the Portland Parks and Recreation maintenance crew had any common sense they would have waited at least until 10 am when leash requirements are mandated.

It would also be safer. Imagine some poor pooch tearing off after a toy, a ball or racing over to other side of the field to socialize with another dog and being mowed over my the mower.

Too bad my dog’s trip at the dog park today was cut short by this menacing wheeled grass clipper.