We may be known for being weird, but sometimes, thinking outside the box is just what’s needed to come up with the next big thing. From early pioneers to the Silicon Forest, many ideas that changed the world came from our neck of the woods — but these ones are pure genius.

🎿 Quick-release ski bindings

Sometimes the creative process can be, well, painful. Competitive Norwegian skier Hjalmar Hvam, who moved to Portland in 1927, was sitting in a hospital bed with a broken leg when he designed the first quick-release ski binding. At the time, skiing involved sticking your boot into rigid irons, which could cause gruesome injuries if your leg was twisted. After breaking the same leg a few years later, he finally worked out a safer prototype, and the first manufactured Saf-Ski bindings were put into action by the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division in World War II.

🦶 The Hacky Sack

Before it became the sacred ritual of really chill college kids, Hacky Sack was the passion project of Oregon City’s John Stalberger + Mike Marshall. Mike learned the game, which has fascinating ancient origins, from a fellow inmate in a military brig and John found it therapeutic for his injured knee. The friends’ first version was a denim cube stuffed with rice, but eventually the business partners developed a round, double-layered product that was easier to maneuver.

👟 The Nike “swoosh”
Most people are familiar with the story of how Portland-born Bill Bowerman, the Nike co-founder + legendary track and field coach at the University of Oregon, used a waffle iron to craft the first spikeless running shoe. But, did you know that the iconic “swoosh” logo was designed in 1971 by PSU graphics student Carolyn Davidson, and that she only initially received $35, or about $200 with inflation? Don’t worry, she was later rewarded with a diamond ring and company shares.

4 MORE INVENTIONS

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EVENTS

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Today

Trail Blazers vs. Orlando Magic | Tues., Feb. 8 | 7 p.m. | Moda Center | $5+ | Past fan favorite + noted Disneyphile Robin Lopez returns to Rip City and will probably fight Blaze the Trail Cat. 🏀
Anastasia | Tues., Feb. 8-Sun., Feb. 13 | Times vary | Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St. | $39+ | Follow the protagonist’s journey from the crumbling Russian Empire to the euphoria of 1920s Paris.

Wednesday

Houndmouth | Wed., Feb. 9 | 8:30 p.m. | Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St. | 8:30 p.m. | $27.50+ | Listen to the American alternative blues band behind the hit song “Sedona.” 🎸
Portland ValenTango | Wed., Feb. 9-Mon., Feb. 14 | Times vary | DoubleTree by Hilton Portland, 1000 NE Multnomah St. | $27+ | Experience classes, lectures, and vendors at the self-proclaimed largest + longest-running tango festival in North America. 💃

Thursday

Portland Comic Book Jam 2022 | Thurs., Feb. 10-Sun., Feb. 13 | Times vary | Online | Free | University students are invited to collaborate, get coaching, and compete for prizes like gift certificates, work-for-hire contracts + $1,000 commission. 🖍️

Plan Ahead

Bad Bunny | Mon., Feb. 28 | 8 p.m. | Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, 1 N. Center Court St. | $156+ | Spend an evening vibing to the music of transformative rapper and singer Bad Bunny.*

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

MORE FEBRUARY EVENTS

Note: COVID-19 protocols are changing rapidly to curb the spread of the Omicron variant in Portland. Please make sure to check event listing pages + venue websites for the most up-to-date information.

NEWS NOTES

Weather

52º | Cloudy skies that clear later | 9% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 7:22 a.m.
Set: 5:28 p.m.

Environment

A new 130-page report details how a magnitude 8+ Cascadia earthquake could have an economic cost up to $2.6 billion. Northwest Portland’s Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub — where more than 90% of the state’s liquid fuel is stored — is built on unstable soil prone to liquefaction. (KOIN)

Health

The Oregon Health Authority announced it will lift the general indoor mask rule by March 31 or earlier if COVID hospitalizations fall sooner than expected. The OHA is also working with the Oregon Department of Education to help districts like Portland Public Schools plan for changes in classrooms. (KATU)

Biz

To meet the soaring demand for computer chips, Analog Devices Inc., which has two factories in the Portland area, is increasing production and looking to hire hundreds of employees. The company, which saw a 30% revenue increase last year, creates chips for industrial, automotive, communications + consumer products. 💻 (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Sports

Rip City or Ripped Off City? Over the weekend, many Portland Trail Blazers fans questioned why the team traded starters Norman Powell + Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers. However unpopular, the move could set the stage for more dramatic roster retooling around star point guard Damian Lillard. (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Community

I just can’t wait to be queen. The Portland Rose Festival has announced 40 finalists for the 2022 Rose Festival Court. Each had a GPA of 3.0+ and 20 hours of community service. Now, they will vie for 15 final spots, which includes a $3,500 scholarship and a shot at becoming the Festival Queen. 👑 (Portland Tribune)

📸 @remaining.light

While it may seem like Pioneer Courthouse Square has been invaded by extraterrestrials with flashy fashion sense, the reality is much more mundane — but still mesmerizing.

Behold Helianthus Enorme, a towering art installation on display downtown as part of the Portland Winter Light Festival. The 25-ft. tall sunflower is made of modular rolled steel and an upcycled satellite dish, with 3,500 programmable LED lights. Catch it this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 11-12) before it leaves.

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THE WRAP

Editor’s pick: Even if the efforts to bring an MLB team to Portland have yet to make it to home plate, our city will always have a baseball history that’s fittingly one-of-a-kind.

I wouldn’t call myself the biggest fan of the sport (even if I was serviceable at shortstop back in my Little League days), but I do highly recommend watching “The Battered Bastards of Baseball.” The Netflix documentary tells the story of the now defunct Portland Mavericks, an independent team of misfits + underdogs.

Missed Monday’s newsletter? We found events where you can honor + recognize Black History Month in Portland.

Today's edition by:

Ben

PDXtoday Team

Editorial: Cambrie, Benjamin, Trevor, Britt

Sales: Jennifer

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