Representing 90 AAN member papers and many non-members as well, 588 alties converged on Portland for a rousing 30th annual AAN Convention. There were senators, strip club tours, former US attorneys, marching bands, scores of informative sessions, and, of course, parties galore.

Check out convention pics on AAN’s Flickr account. Thanks to all who contributed to the blog!

And in perhaps my most-favoritest bit of bloggery regarding the Convention, Hank Sims of the North Coast Journal (Humboldt County, CA) blogs the paper’s acceptance to the illustrious organization that is AAN:

“Yours truly was left to hold down the fort last week while the rest of the staff decamped to Portland for days of drunken revelry with our peers from across North America. So when I got the telephone call Saturday evening, I was inclined to take the news with several grains of salt — in other words, in much the same way that the colleague slurring words into my ear had already taken several margaritas.

But by Monday morning the bigwigs in Portland* had evidently sobered up enough to issue a press release, and lo! It was all true. The North Coast Journal had been deemed worthy of admission into the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, journalism’s most exclusive fraternity. Nineteen papers applied this year; only five were accepted. We made it through on the first round, but we were very nearly done in by the sickly remnants of our public service mission. Here’s what the AAN membership committee had to say about the Journal: “[I]t’s a little too rah-rah — take, for example, the story about the local food co-op and how wonderful it is for the community.”

Hey, it was a slow news week! Luckily it appears that our team’s heroic imbibery in Portland more than made up for our sometimes schmaltzy, substandard copy. But consider us duly chastised. I piss on the Co-op.”

* Technically, we keep our large hairpieces at the AAN office in downtown DC.

Have Trade Show Pics?

Add your pictures from the golfing to this slideshow by emailing your pictures to photos@aan.org with “tag: aan07tradeshow” in the body of your email. ((Photos@aan.org is a branded redirect for our upload-to-Flickr email address.))

The list of winners can be found over at aan.org — congrats to all.

Robert Manning is at the AAN Convention for one purpose - to drum up awareness for his organization, RaiseHellForMollyIvins.org.

In her last column, Ivins wrote “Raise hell …. Hit the streets to protest Bush’s proposed surge … We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding STOP IT, NOW!”

Manning has taken her words as a battle cry, coordinating a full-fledged campaign. He’s encouraging folks to visit their congresspeople on the 19th of every month, drums, pots and/or pans in tow, to protest the continuation of our presence in Iraq. The organization is sponsoring a song contest, and producing an online video mocking the “surgettes” in Congress.

“The most powerful statement you can make is with your body,” Manning says, and demonstrates, by coming here.

You know, like maybe “Baby, you can drive my car” … or something along those lines.

No, we’ll spare you from that (but did we really?), but if you didn’t know, tomorrow’s your last chance to take one of Toyota’s fleet of hybrid cars around Portland for a ride-and-drive. Sign up at their display in the trade show area if you want to go for a spin. Snazz.

As somebody who learned the writing craft at a series of earnest daily newspapers, I confess to having a near-total incapacity for alt-style humor in print so I won’t try. First, I want to thank convention participants for taking nearly all the pens and mousepads from my booth in the exhibitor hall because now I don’t have to ship them back to New York. Second, I have so much more to give away….please stop by if you want any of these freebies: For editors with jobs to fill, a CD of resumes from the Class of 2007; for those of you who might be thinking about grad school, some Columbia University Journalism School bulletins, and piles of NYC subway maps (makes cool wallpaper). Thanks for your hospitality. I’m very glad I came to Portland. Except, question mark: What’s with the stripper party? Que Tailhook!
Gina Boubion
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism

Yesterday, we told you about the Willamette Week Revenge of the Nerds mashup on their street box. Well, as they say: Another day, another street box. This time it’s a playful salvo from the Portland Mercury.

We’re not talking about green-colored vodka that tastes like apples or leaves or, well, some other kinds of greens. We’re talking about what’s being hailed as the world’s first “eco-friendly premium spirit.” It’s called 360 Vodka, and it’ll be out in full force at tonight’s opening reception as one of the party’s sponsors. (We’ve heard they’ll be whipping up Pear Ginger martinis.)

360’s green credentials read like a laundry list of environmentally responsible practices: locally grown grain, bottles made from 85 percent recycled glass, a fully integrated, state-of-the-art distillery, 100 percent recycled paper and cardboard packaging. In addition, bottle caps mailed back to the distillery will be reused.

But as with all green products, the real question remains: did they sacrifice quality in pursuit of some degree of sustainability? Because even if they turned Gordon’s or Vladimir into the greenest drinks on earth, I still don’t think I could touch the stuff. I guess you all will have to be the judge of that.

If you didn’t get your tram ticket (MAX) in the mail, grab one from a vending machine for $2.

Head on the Red Light Rail to Beaverton.

Get off at Mall SW 5th Ave & walk up a block and take your first Left.

You’ll see the Hilton Executive Tower on the left.

From here, it’s a short walk to the Hilton!