A.K.A. PDX Traffic Whisperer

@markdornfeld.bsky.social

327 Followers 256 Following

Former PDX & NW Oregon News & Traffic Reporter, now freshly retired and feeling pretty smug that I worked in radio when it WAS radio. Open to suggestions. Not susceptible to suggestions. I don't know all the answers but if you hum a few bars...

Newsmax gleefully "reporting" about DOGE cutting funding for screwworm abatement.
John Fugelsang's book "Separation of Church and Hate"
"Peters." "It's Goldberg. I have some great news." "Can't this wait until tomorrow morning?," Peters replied. Goldberg continued, "No. This is big. Remember the New Dawn Project Phoenix prototype?" Peters exhaled and said, "Of course I remember, it was created for me. What do you want, Goldberg?" "I have it!", Goldberg gushed. The other soldiers rejected the upgrade but I have Maria Meyer. The prototype!" Peters was silent for a moment then answered, "How did you get ahold of the most dangerous person in the world? New Dawn couldn't even control her." "It wasn't difficult," Goldberg bragged. "I lured her to the lab. She came snooping around when she found out about the soldiers. She's in a stasis pod right now. I just left. She followed every order. I think the New Dawn prototype is worth more than thirty million, Henry." "Call me Mr. Secretary, Goldberg," Peters replied. "And you don't get to haggle with me. You take my price and say thank you. I know what she's capable of. She took down the fucking government! You think you can just nab that weapon? She's playing you."
"Phoenix says he can overwrite the hostile commands, but he needs a hardline." She stepped forward, reaching behind Marcus's head. The skin around the implant was radiating heat. She hesitated, then pressed her palm flat against the angry, scarred tissue. 'Do it.' <Initiating patch.> Maria could feel the area where the implant was cooling immediately. She lifted her hand, seeing the wound starting to lighten. 'Did it work?' <The patch was successfully installed...his system now believes it is receiving orders.> Dr. Kroeger checked Marcus's vitals again. "He's stable. The antibiotic should help to heal the area." Jeff walked up to the head of the bed and said, "Maria. We need to be ready when he wakes up. He's an unknown quantity." "He won't attack Jeff. He was asking for help. And not just for him. He said “us”. Jeff answered, "Just don't let your guard down. So who is... us?"
After a few moments of silence, Annie asked, "Maria. What happened to the man at the cabin?" Maria thought a moment and replied, "You remember when I told you about the Al making the soldiers physically enhanced? Well, meet the new soldier. Not the same as the old soldier." "Do you mean to tell me, YOU took that man out. By yourself? I can't even..." Maria continued, "It's not just physical change, Annie. I've been given advanced knowledge required by these soldiers to survive. Huge amounts of data. I couldn't have learned it better if I went to college or boot camp for 10 years.” "But you weren't supposed to learn it," Annie said, still wearing a look of disbelief. "You seem to be enjoying it.” Maria looked over at her again, noting the unmistakable concern. "That's the thing, Annie. I didn't choose this. But it's in me now. I'm just being me. Dealing with that threat was completely natural. I knew exactly what I needed to do." Annie didn't reply, taking another drink of water, looking out the window at the darkening river in the waning light.
When Oregon State Police Sergeant Owen Cutler arrived on the scene of the double-fatal crash there were already two Troopers on scene. Whenever there were life-threatening injuries involved, an investigation was required. Sgt. Cutler had done numerous crash investigations during his time with O.S.P. but they were never easy. The crash occurred around 6:00 PM on Highway 26 in the Coast Range, roughly halfway between Portland and Seaside. Because of the hour and the fact that it was the end of Spring Break, traffic was extremely heavy but an investigation required the closure of the highway. The Troopers had already closed the scene off and the Oregon Department of Transportation had been notified to close the highway back at the nearest exits in both directions, while the traffic that was trapped on either side of the crash was being turned around and sent back from where they came. Life Flight had landed their helicopter at the scene and transported one. The Fire Department responders had come and gone. Sgt. Cutler got out of his vehicle, making sure his rain slicker was zipped up. The rain had slacked off but it was still pouring, water constantly dripping off the brim of his hat as soon as he stepped outside.
The drug hit. The warmth spread, dulling the sharp edges of her rage, but leaving her mind dangerously clear. An hour later, Shen came for her. He was wearing a dark, expensive suit, a Chinese flag pin on his lapel. He looked at her with a sickening mix of pride and possession. He reached out and adjusted her collar, his fingers brushing her neck. Maria didn't flinch. "Perfection," Shen murmured. "You look like you were born for this uniform." "It fits well, doesn't it?" Maria said, her voice flat, drugged, but obedient. "Today, we send a message," Shen said, guiding her out of the room. "The West thinks they own the future. Today, we show them that the future has come home where it belongs." They took the elevator down to the main atrium. Even through the haze, Maria clocked the security. The two monkeys in the elevator. Four in the lobby. But the atrium itself was transformed. It was a sea of red. Massive banners hung from the ceiling. A stage had been erected, flanked by teleprompters and cameras. The room was packed with press. International correspondents, state media, tech bloggers. Shen stopped her just behind the curtain. "Listen to them," he whispered. "The whole world is watching." "What do I do?" Maria asked, looking at him with wide, chemically dilated eyes.
"Something...something's wrong," he stammered. "The soldiers are not responding properly. Can you help?" Maria laughed, a genuine, terrifying sound. "Track Suit Mafia. Swear to God! Do you even hear yourself right now? You kidnap me and now you want me to be your tech support?" She unlocked the shackles on her ankles while keeping one eye on him. "Tell you what. I'm going to make sure the 'soldiers' get proper care, something they most definitely are not getting from you. You can assist me or YOU will need care. More than they do. Do you understand?" "Y... Yes," he replied, shaking. Maria hopped off the chair, pausing for a moment as her head swam. <That is normal... it should clear up soon.> 'I'm fine... I'm just glad to have you back, buddy.' She moved her grip to the back of the tech's neck and marched him over to the glass pods containing the nine soldiers. "Here's what you're going to do,” she said. "You will monitor the vitals of these people.
Billy thought 'It's just a poor little girl.' Maria was wearing her t-shirt and black bike shorts with white sneakers, looking to BIlly like she was going out to ride her bike. Except for that stare. Billy continued to climb the stairs. When he reached the top, Maria took a step back, her weight on her rear leg. Billy asked, "Anyone else here?" Maria quietly said, "No". Billy smiled and replied, “Mind if I have a look?" Maria again said, "No." Billy said, "You first." It was the last thing he said that afternoon. As soon as Billy reached out for the door Maria delivered a swift Krav Maga kick to his exposed groin with such speed that he never saw it coming. He doubled over and Maria quickly swept his legs while grabbing his throat with her left hand, hurtling him back down the stairs. Maria watched him tumbling down the stairs, his large body almost wedging between the railings before flopping onto the ground. She walked silently down the stairs to his unconscious body, his boots still on the bottom step. She quickly grabbed his Glock and taser, then took the fob for the Interceptor from his right pants pocket. She took his phone from his vest pocket, pocketing it and the fob,
The morning sun lit up the hotel room, even with the sheer curtains closed. Maria squinted and sat up, still wearing yesterday's clothes. She sniffed under each arm and thought, 'Did you upgrade my sweat glands too. My God.' <Do not underestimate the importance of properly regulating body temperature.> 'Can't you just send ice water through my veins or something? I have to smell it. And my sense of smell is in overdrive.' First item. Shower, she thought. No, second item. First item... Call Paul. She turned her phone on for the first time since the previous morning. She smiled when she checked the missed calls, ignoring the calls from Kyle's phone. Paul had called three times yesterday. She sat in bed and dialed his number. At first she thought he wouldn't answer. 'Too early.' "Hello Maria! I thought something happened to you. How are you doing?" The sound of his voice started the tears flowing, blurring the incoming sunlight. Her sudden relief was immense.
“Move,” the guard said, pulling her up. Maria stumbled, then found her footing. She walked to the door. Outside, it was night, but it was bright as day. The airfield was surrounded by massive warehouses with the logo ZHI illuminated in red neon. A convoy of three black SUVs waited on the tarmac. Standing in front of the middle car was a huge man in a pristine white suit. He looked calm, almost bored. Maria walked down the stairs, her chains rattling. The man in the white suit stepped forward. He didn't look at the guards. He looked directly into Maria’s eyes. “Welcome to China, Ms. Meyer,” Shen Zemin said, his powerful voice smooth and cultured. “I must say, your audition tape was impressive. But you look much smaller in person.” Maria straightened her spine, fighting another urge to vomit from the drug withdrawal. She managed a crooked, dangerous smile. “Objects in the mirror,” she rasped, her voice gravelly, “are closer than they appear.” Shen smiled. It was a cold, reptilian expression. “Indeed. Put her in the car.”
She pulled the covers back and rolled out of bed, walking to the bathroom. She heard the coffee pot starting in the kitchen. She set it for 6:15 every morning, even though Marcus always slept later. She needed that fix. After taking care of the morning pee and cleanup, she pulled her robe on and walked to the kitchen, pouring a mug full of the fresh Italian Dark Roast she loved. She held the mug in both hands, inhaling the coffee-scented steam. She walked out to the living room, sitting on the couch, Livia’s old “hurricane workstation” still next to it. ‘Anything new this morning?’ <Apparently not…you are sitting and drinking coffee at the same time you do every morning.> ‘You probably enjoy the caffeine running through my veins’ <I enjoy the mood it puts you in…you are addicted to it.> ‘I know. But it’s good for me.’ <Should I tell you what the abundance of caffeine does to you or just not say anything.>
“Maria. You were in a serious accident two days ago. You’ve been unconscious for the last 48 hours. Your parents didn’t make it, Maria. I’m sorry. It was instantaneous. There was no suffering.” “Maria?” Maria felt the blood drain from her head like water in a flushed toilet. She blacked out. “Maria?” The nurse and counselor walked in. Dr. Thomas asked Christine, the Hospital Counselor, to sit and stay in case she woke up. Christine asked the doctor, “How long is she going to be here?” Dr. Thomas replied, “Probably a few more weeks. The damage to the spinal cord at L5 wasn’t full. She probably won’t need surgery but she’ll need to get into a Rehab care center around that time. We need to make sure there are no incontinence issues too. We can’t tell with the catheter. The last thing we need is a UTI.” “Okay,” Christine replied. “I’m sure she’ll want to know.” The doctor continued, “She just found out about her parents before passing out. I think that’s going to take some time.” Christine nodded, “Yes. It is definitely going to take a long time.”
Annie went to her bedroom to retrieve her bag and Maria took hers into her room. She didn't have much to take, just the freshly cleaned clothes from yesterday and the few clothes she bought at Freddie's that she wasn't wearing. She transferred the cash she had in her purse to a ziplock bag and then the Manila folder and put it into the gym bag. <I am sending all relevant data on special forces self-defense…battlefield acuity…strategy…survival techniques…the Host requires this learning now…I do not believe we will depart before they arrive.> Maria looked at herself in the mirror. ‘What do you mean ”sending all relevant data”? What am I supposed to do? I just learned to walk!’ At that moment she felt something change, like a cool wave crashing over her mind. Her eyes widened and she exhaled slowly. Her fear was gone, replaced by cool logic and knowing exactly what she was going to do.
Maria woke up remembering nothing about the previous 48 hours. She could recall riding in the back of the SUV while listening to music in her headphones. After that, it was a giant blank slate. In the dark room the only thing she could make out were the lights of the monitors, blinking in time to the beeping sound as the machine monitored her heartbeat. She was wearing a mask that obscured her vision as she exhaled, like an incoming and outgoing fogbank. Her head hurt, and she couldn’t move her left arm. It was in a sling and her shoulder screamed at her if she tried to move it. Her waist felt bruised but her back felt fine. In fact, she felt nothing. She reached down and touched her right thigh, immediately pulling it back. It felt like touching someone else’s leg. Her leg didn’t feel it. She tried again, as far as she could reach with the same result. The feeling of no feeling sickened her. She started crying, wanting to yell out for her Mom, realizing the mask would mute it anyway. She looked and felt around with her right hand, trying to find a call button, the digital heartbeat speeding up as her stress level increased. She finally found it and pressed the button, the nurse coming right in.
Snippet of "Realization Dawns". So many fates!
Painted Hills Unit - John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Florsheim. The official shoe sponsor for Trump 2028.
‘Phoenix, what did you mean when you said you would repair me?’ <Directive One is to ensure the safety of the Host OS…you will be repaired.> ‘I noticed you don’t call me Host as much as you used to. Are you learning to talk more like me?’ <Effective communication with the host is imperative for this symbiotic relationship…I am adjusting to your neuron patterns…learning to talk like a human is not one of my directives.> ‘What is it exactly that you are repairing?’ <Your pain receptors in your scalp were repaired and are functioning within normal parameters…the sensory nerves in the area damaged in the motor vehicle crash are currently undergoing synaptic repair…your bipedal locomotion will be functioning within normal parameters within the two hours…your physical abilities will be heightened after that.> ‘Heightened? What does that mean?’
‘Phoenix, what did you mean when you said you would repair me?’ <Directive One is to ensure the safety of the Host OS…you will be repaired.> ‘I noticed you don’t call me Host as much as you used to. Are you learning to talk more like me?’ <Effective communication with the host is imperative for this symbiotic relationship…I am adjusting to your neuron patterns…learning to talk like a human is not one of my directives.> ‘What is it exactly that you are repairing?’ <Your pain receptors in your scalp were repaired and are functioning within normal parameters…the sensory nerves in the area damaged in the motor vehicle crash are currently undergoing synaptic repair…your bipedal locomotion will be functioning within normal parameters within the two hours…your physical abilities will be heightened after that.> ‘Heightened? What does that mean?’
Gas prices in Portland Metro area, Monday, 3/16/26. Regular 4.69, Plus 4.99, V-Power 5.29, Diesel 5.19.
Newport, Oregon from the top of Salal Hill in the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.
Portland Police Bureau press release updating the monitoring of protests in South Waterfront.
Jack Russell, King of the Terriers. (From PetMD)
Live shot of Downtown Portland, Oregon, Saturday morning, September 27th, 2025.
Live shot of Downtown Portland on Saturday morning, September 27th, 2025.
NPR posting a link to a story about former VP Harris' new book while Filipkowski hits the nail on the head.
Fire evacuation map for Flat Fire in Central Oregon for Saturday evening 8/23.
Wildfire evacuation map of Flat Fire West of Culver, Oregon, green level one, yellow level 2, and red level 3 go now.
Gemini explains diffusion model resource gobbling data centers for me.
Island locals caught red-handed.
Penguin bandits caught red-handed with filthy lucre.
"Banjo Man" at the Oakland Coliseum during an A's-Mariners game Friday, June 14th, 2019.
Google's AI "Gemini" making excuses for why it won't answer questions about politics.
President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, November 19th, 1863.
The definition of obsequious, obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
Just Elon Musk unilaterally deciding to cut "illegal" payments to Lutheran charities.
Tweets from the January 6th insurrection, back when we still believed domestic terrorism was a bad thing.
Pacific Ocean waves crashing on the cobbles at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. The sound is much like that of Dodger fans cheering for their team as they take the field.
Multnomah County Deputy ticketing the driver of a vehicle with no plates. Quote from the driver is, " I've already been ticketed for this".