Morning Briefing: Portland Edition

Let me tell you, there are several hundred things I would rather be doing than watching the sun rise from the Portland airport, although this is the thing that I have most recently done. Unfortunately, this is all I’m going to get to see of the Rose City. So without further ado, your briefing.

Ta-Nehisi Coates pens a love song of sorts to his days at Howard, U Street, his search for the Real and, finally, Biggie Smalls.

***

Poet Mark Irwin talks about the evil word “if.”

***

Kevin Stein has a new book coming out.

***

The calls start for Dungy’s non-playoff-winning head.

Boise, the WaPo needs your help

Oh sure, you bring down Nixon and blow the lid off Walter Reed, but you can’t find a goddamn bar in Boise?

The WaPo needs your help, Boise. Don’t let Terps (fat turtles) and sports reporters (fat writers) get lost and stumble into some kind of backwards, Idaho-ish bar where everyone carries guns and has sex with elk militias. Because that’s what the East Coast Liberal Elite think you do here, Boise.

I am calling on all residents of Boise, Idaho, to let Maryland fans and a few reporters know about all the top spots to visit in Boise, Idaho, while we are there to watch Maryland play Nevada in the Humanitarian Bowl on Dec. 30. What are the best restaurants, bars, etc? What should we avoid?

I got one recommendation. Avoid the shit out of Mai Thai downtown. The food is worse than the pun.