If I could vote in this country, I would vote for Barack Obama for president. But I can’t vote because I’m not a citizen. Fortunately tonight I managed to convert my wife (an ardent Clinton supporter for years) to voting for him by shelling out $50 for both of us to go hear him speak. For those unaccustomed to reporter’s salaries, that’s a 600% commitment of my weekly income. Just kidding. I meant 700%. Anyway, she now says:”He’s the most exciting candidate we’ve had in this country for 40 years.” Ta-da!OBAMA: DOESN’T CARE IF YOU’RE NOT VOTING FOR HIM, BECAUSE HE’S GOING TO WIN, ANYWAY…

He says people in this country need to rediscover a sense of moral responsibility to each other. He says a President sometimes needs to tell the American people what they need to hear, instead of what they want to hear. He says he went to Detroit to tell the auto industry where to get off. He says he’ll provide universal health care for all in his first term as president. He wants us out of Iraq. He wants the US to lead the world by example. He quotes Kennedy from 1961, saying “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.” The guy is actually funny. Anybody tells you to vote for anyone else is full of shit and they know it.

Have a good weekend.

It’s rumored that attorneys for the City of Portland are fighting in court to keep the Police Bureau’s internal affairs investigation into the death of James Chasse secret, saying they want to protect the privacy of the officers involved.
REMEMBERING A FRIEND: Miniature badges of Chasse, in the hand of teenage friend Brian Lee, at a meeting last weekend…

Tom Steenson, attorney for the Chasse family, said in a press release yesterday that a federal court hearing is scheduled for October 11, “to resolve disputes over the defendants’ production of documents in discovery.”

Sources close to the situation say the Police Bureau is refusing to release its internal affairs documents to Steenson, and that the hearing is scheduled to resolve questions of public disclosure. Nobody was in at the City, or at Steenson’s office, to return a call from Blogtown, but we’ll have more early next week.

Timing of the news is unfortunate—the anniversary of Chasse’s death is the Monday after next, and protests are already planned outside City Hall and the downtown Justice Center. Any efforts by the city to prevent complete transparency around Chasse’s death are bound to leave people asking what the city has to hide.

Amy might be taking bets on whether Potter will run for reelection, but here’s where the real action is.

Will Potter shave his beard before his Monday press conference?

I’m betting it’s yes and no: He keeps the mustache and goatee.

If you can’t figure out what to do with your evening after this post, you obviously don’t want to do anything.

First! Progressive Happy Hour at the Blitz Bar, NW Couch and 10th, starting 20 minutes ago. Here are some conversation starters, in case you don’t know what to talk about: Novick vs. Merkley and the Iraq war vote, is John Frohnmayer going to run for senate as an independent, what’s Potter going to announce on Monday, and, more importantly, who’s the bigger Rogue, David Wu or Kari Chisholm?

Second! Barack Obama! In town! Tonight! Doors open at 8, event starts at 9, though if you don’t have your tickets already, you might be hosed. Get there early (Oregon Convention Center) to snatch one of those last tickets.

Third! The Bicycle Film Festival kicks off its screenings with three killer programs. At 7 is The Warriors and a series of film shorts, at 9 is Monkey Warfare, an award-winning narrative film that centers around bike-riding activists in Toronto, and at 11 is another program of shorts plus Pedal, a 2001 documentary about the daily lives of New York bike messengers. All at Cinema 21, (616 NW 21st).

That’s one crazy friggin’ evening. You might have to clone yourself to hit all of them, and then spend the rest of the weekend at the Bike Film Fest vegging out on movies.

At this point, with five hours still left until Justin Timberlake takes the stage at the Rose Garden (EEEEEEEEEE!!!), there are only a few things left that can take my mind off of what will surely be the show of the century—and that’s watching a dramatic (and unsuccessful) reenactment of a miniature horse with a really huge dong trying to rape a full-grown horse. Don’t worry: This is Judge Joe Brown’s show we’re talking about here, and the dong is blurred. BUT WOW! THAT IS ONE BIG BLUR.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Mayor Tom “Grampy” Potter is going to announce whether or not he’s seeking re-election on Monday, at 11:30 am in council chambers.

For what’s possibly the first time in Potter’s reign as mayor, he’s doing something earlier than expected—Potter’s been saying he wasn’t going to announce his decision until his birthday, which is next Wednesday.

What do you think he’ll decide? My money—or at least my hope—is on retirement. It’s not that I dislike Potter that much, but I do look forward to the ripple effect of open seats a Potter retirement would create.

One of the more buzzed-about events of TBA:07 is the fascinating Toronto-based performance art group Mammalian Diving Reflex’s Haircuts by Children. It is exactly what it sounds like: From 12-4 pm tomorrow at Rudy’s Barbershop, Portland students between the ages of 10-12 (who have received some training) will be giving free cuts to intrepid grownups, including yours truly.

The appointments have all been booked, so it’s too late to sign up, but it’ll certainly be worth checking out, if you’re in the neighborhood—the kids’ll even be running a lemonade stand.

I have an interview with MDR’s artistic director, Darren O’Donnell, plus a bit more explanation of the project here on our TBA blog:

I’m getting my hair cut on Saturday. If I just ask for a trim, am I gonna feel like a square?

No, lots of people ask for trims, and [the kids] will do it really well, they’re really keen on pleasing the client.

I got that impression, looking at pictures from your website. The kids seem to take it really seriously.

It was unanticipated. I was expecting anarchy when I first did it a couple years ago, and hoping for crazy haircuts, but for the most part it has even taken a while for me to convince the kids that when people say “Do whatever you want,” they really can do whatever they want. Most of them would shy away from doing something that was too radical.

Sat-Sun 12-4 pm, Rudy’s Barbershop, 212 NW 13th

This ad, on the current issue’s back page:

This morning, former (and future?) city council candidate Amanda Fritz posted a scathing critique of a mailer sent out by Charles Lewis, currently the only candidate officially running for city council. Lewis is running for Sam Adams’ seat, and he’s in it whether Adams runs for reelection or decides to run for a different office—every other potential candidate is waiting to see what Adams and Tom Potter decide.

He recently sent out a campaign mailer, emphasizing the fact that he’s running under the Voter Owned Elections program (as did Fritz in 2006). Apparently, many of the people who contributed to Fritz’s campaign received the mailer, as did Fritz herself, leading some people to wonder if she’d given Lewis her mailing list. She didn’t.

Fritz takes issue with the fact that Lewis’s mailing doesn’t say which seat he’s running for, and with the fact that donors who mail in contributions are asked to sign both the “donor” and “solicitor” part of the forms.

But what really concerns me is the letter’s instructions that donors should sign as both donor and collector of the $5 donation on the enclosed triplicate City form. The candidate says, “For mailed requests, you are your own “solicitor”. Write in your own name and address in this portion and don’t forget to sign.”

Now, last time, my donations sent by mail asked exactly the same thing. But the form was different - and that caused/allowed problems, as we saw in the fraud case. Recent program revisions were designed to address those problems, and the new form makes no sense if the contributor and the solicitor are the same person. The solicitor section now starts, “I hereby certify that I received a $5.00 qualifying contribution with the knowledge and consent of the candidate named above, that I gave nothing of value in return for the contribution….”. The donor didn’t receive the $5.00 contribution, they gave it, and the campaign received it. I’m disappointed the Lewis campaign isn’t recognizing that the fiasco and fraud in the initial cycle calls for greater effort to ensure candidates keep everything as well done as possible. Someone from the campaign should sign the lower portion of the form.

…I don’t believe that’s in keeping with the spirit of the revised form or rules. Especially with his mailing arriving at the same time the prison sentence was handed down on Golovan this week, I’m concerned that this candidate’s campaign, with brochures and envelopes championing his being “Voter Owned”, isn’t going the extra mile to follow the intent as well as the letter of the new revisions.

On that point, though, Lewis appears to be following the rules as laid out in the candidate handbook. From page 18: “If the receipt is mailed to the candidate with the $5 contribution, the contributor completes both the contributor and solicitor sections on the form.”

Lewis wasn’t happy about the post.

“If you want to get into the race, then get into the race,” he told me this morning, after I asked for his comment. “But just being on the sidelines and throwing rocks isn’t fair. What’s the issue? That I support Voter-Owned Elections? If that’s the case, it’s ridiculous.”

In other news, John Branam, the development director for Portland Public Schools, says he’s definitely in the race for city council—if Adams leaves his seat to run for a different office.

Here is a transcription of a telephone message left on Mayor Tom Potter’s “opinion line” this Monday. A New-York based singer, Fay Goldberg, left it. Unfortunately we don’t have a recording, but I’m trying to imagine a melody that might work:

I’m a song writer. I would like to send a tape of about 40 of my songs to you free of charge. All I want is for them to be spread around. They’re all educational - they’re all different. This song that I’m going to record for you is about Hitler:

Part I:

Please, please don’t beat the children
Don’t beat the children
Please, Please
Please, please don’t beat the children
Don’t beat the children
Please
Unless you want a Hitler
Unless you want a Hitler
Unless you want a Hitler
Don’t beat the Children
Please.
Hitler was an abused child
Hitler was an abused child
Hitler was an abused child
That’s why he was a rat

Hitler also was homeless
Hitler also was homeless
Hitler also was homeless
Shelter the homeless now

Hitler also was blinded
Hitler also was blinded
Hitler also was blinded
Please help the blind folks
Please

Part II:

Hitler was kicked out of art school
Hitler was kicked out of art school
Hitler was kicked out of art school
Please help the students
Please

Hitler wanted a girlfriend
Hitler wanted a girlfriend
Hitler wanted a girlfriend
Please date the homely
Please
Please, please don’t beat the children
Don’t beat the children

Please date the homely! Indeed…”they’re all very educational,” says Fay. I just called her to ask her to send me a copy of the tape, and she was kind enough to sing me another of her compositions while we were on the phone. This is how it went:

I knew a guy who had Psoriasis
He had it all over his torso
He was first to get fired
And last to get hired
And he was disturbed even more so

Well the lord knew I had a cure
So he brought us together for sure
Well I told him to use Clobetasol
It is a temporary cure
Now he’s first to be hired
And last to be fired
Thank God for the mercy of the lord!

I can’t wait for the tape to arrive. I can’t. Seriously. That is one of the most amazing songs I’ve ever heard.

If you’re one of the Rose City Rollers’ legions of fans, a woman, over 21, and ready to stop sitting on the sidelines, why don’t you try out to be on one of the teams? Sports are always more fun to play than just to watch, and who needs to spend more time getting fat whilst drinking beer in the bleachers? Life is too short! This Tuesday at the Hangar at Oaks Park, sign in at 6:45 to give it a shot. Bring your own roller skates, knee and elbow pads, wrist guards, and helmet.

From this week’s issue of the Miami New Times, about King of Kong “villain” Billy Mitchell:

At the moment, though, the 42-year-old gamer from Hollywood is having technical difficulties. “My computer’s not the best machine,” he says, fumbling through his AOL e-mail interface. A Portland Website has just reviewed The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters — a newly released documentary about Donkey Kong in which Mitchell costars — and he’s trying to author a response, saying his reputation has been tarnished by the film. He pokes at his keyboard with a single outstretched forefinger, making a steady clacking sound like an antique typewriter, like someone’s technically challenged grandfather trying to log on to the Internet for the first time — not the gaming genius he has been perceived as throughout his career.

Mitchell clicks on a link and up pops the review he’s responding to. At the bottom of the page, written in all capital letters, are the words I HATE BILLY MITCHELL.

It’s a harsh review, but not an uncommon one. Since The King of Kong debuted this January at the Slamdance Film Festival, Mitchell has heard countless reports of how deceitful and villainous he appears onscreen.

Wanna guess who tipped me off to that?

Guess.

Billy Mitchell. We talked briefly last week, after he called a couple of times, and we’ll be talking again soon. Keep your eyes peeled for a web-only Q&A with the man who is quite possibly this year’s biggest film villain (though he says that’s an unfair characterization.)

According to the Portland Tribune, the police have identified the parents and child who died in an apparent murder-suicide last night.

In an upstairs bedroom, they found 39-year-old John Kuca, 39-year-old Luray Hodder-Kuca and 5-year-old Ruby Kuca.

Police and paramedics got them outside and started performing CPR. Tather and the child were dead. The mother was revived briefly, but she died at the hospital. Officers found a note in the house, indicating the parents had carefully planned to kill themselves and their child. Officers found a hose hooked to the exhaust pipe of a hearse parked in the driveway. The hose has attached to ducting in the home.

A Google search of those names revealed this website—where a Luray Hodder-Kuca and a John Kuca sell their music and talk about the family business, which is buying “vintage and antique clothing for use in cinematic and theatrical productions, and also for resale on eBay,” out of Portland, Oregon. And it’s got photos of their hearse.

(And then there’s the MySpace, which indicates that Luray sent out a bulletin on August 30, to which friends responded: “All of you are going to get through this…we’re praying for over here every day, praying that the universe sends you all of the strength courage, love and support that it has to offer.” Oy.)

There’s a weird editorial cartoon in the September issue of the NW Examiner.

It’s coupled with a Letter from the Editor by Allan Classen, who makes some excellent points about the city’s neighborhood association system, and a new trend of non-geographically based groups popping up. The new groups—like the Black Citizens Coalition of Portland Neighborhoods—are meant to be a place for minorities who may not be involved in their geographic neighborhood, so they can still be heard by the city.

But Classen thoughtfully makes the case that it might be the wrong approach to getting more people involved:

If certain minorities aren’t involved in their neighborhood associations, how do we remedy that? That’s a difficult question. I’m certain that the best way to discourage their involvement in the long run is to create a separate organization whose reason for being assumes African-Americans, Latinos, Native Americans or whoever cannot or will not participate fully in the neighborhood associations where they live….

This process gives minority advocates a direct incentive to keep their people from participating in their conventional neighborhood associations. The minority organizations prove the need for their existence and for continued funding by showing that the people they speak for turn to them and not their neighborhood associations when they have business with City Hall.

As a former community organizer, I’m quite sure that the organizers hired with these grants will drum up support by telling their potential constituents that the “white” neighborhood associations have never heard them, reached out to them, understood them or spoken for them. Organizers identify problems that unite people they want to reach, and the racial/ethnic identity card is the obvious one to play in these circumstances.

As a result, any neighborhood issue could become racially charged.

(I’d link to the whole editorial, but the NW Examiner has a notoriously lacking website.)

But the cartoon at the bottom of the page, unfortunately, takes Classen’s smart insights, tears them apart, and belittles the idea that Portland’s minority groups might want to form their own groups. Frankly, it’s racially charged.

The caption’s a little fuzzy. It says:

First, you’ll have to show these plans to your neighborhood association, then to the African-American Coalition, then to the Indigenous Peoples’ Council and then to the Organization of People Who Can’t Meet on Monday Nights.

This meeting of the Justin Timberlake fan club will now come to order! Look, I know you people are going OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND because Justin will be taking the stage at the Rose Garden in a little more than nine hours… but let’s just try to hold it together and get a little work done today, and… EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE!
For a quick taste of what we’ll see tonight, here’s a quick clip of Justin from the Madison Square Garden concert!
P.S. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

I like old comic book covers. The art’s part of it, but I think what I really love about them is the cover text—hyperbolic and frantic, fucking stoked about what’s going on inside the issue. It’s cheesy and goofy and, at this point, pretty antiquated, but shit. How great is this?

For whatever reason—probably to make comics look all classy or more grown up or whatever—most comic publishers have gotten rid of cover text, which kind of makes me sad. Dark Horse has been putting some on their Star Wars covers of late, which has kind of a cool retro feel, but—and again with the retro-ness—a few of Marvel’s Spider-Man books are busting out the cover text for a few special issues, and I kind of love it. It feels like old school, Stan Lee-era Marvel, and the covers at once crack me up and make me want to read them. Check ‘em out below. (Like the one above, you can click on them to get bigger versions.)

For the past few weeks, there’s been a link on Mayor Tom Potter’s site, where you can sign a petition indicating that you’re in favor of renaming Interstate Boulevard to César E. Chávez Boulevard.

But what about people who oppose the change? Where’s the petition for them to weigh in?

An Arbor Lodge neighbor just crafted one, and even sent it to Team Potter to see if they’d post it too. But it seems Potter’s only in favor of hearing from one side:

I had noticed that there is a petition on there to rename Interstate Ave. and it made me a bit angry that the opposite p.o.v. was not equally available for comment.

This is what I received:

“Please send me any ipetitions you are interested in adding to the Mayor’s website for review. In the case of the petition you are referencing, the reason there is not a petition from the other side is that the Mayor is a supporter of the community-led effort to rename Interstate Avenue in honor of César Chávez. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

Dan Douthit
Policy Assistant to Chief of Staff
Office of Mayor Tom Potter
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 340
Portland, Oregon 97204
503-823-4572 (office) 503-823-3588 (fax)
503-823-8604 (cell)
www.portlandonline.com/mayor”

I think it is VERY important that we as a neighborhood rally to really be heard in this matter, or we will see ourselves with another new street name changed thanks to a small group of people relying on the politically correct and culturally overly-sensitive politicians’ who are looking for re-election, rather than listening to a larger group of folks who actually live in the neighborhood!

I have no issue with C. Chavez…but why not name a NEW street after him…Interstate has history and I am tired of being pushed around in my own neighborhood.

Thoughts?

You can sign my petition at:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/keephistoricalinterstate

thank you….

This is exactly why the city has a specific process for changing street names—so neighbors get a chance to discuss it amongst themselves, instead of fighting with a politician who’s decided to champion the cause.

Last year, TBA kicked off with a performance by David Eckard; last night, the ball got rolling with Rinde Eckert. Coincidence? Only Mark Russell knows for sure…

When I arrived at Pioneer Square for Migration of Excellent Birds at 6:35 pm, “Portland’s living room” was paradoxically packed, unusually quiet, and in full swing. Amidst a swell of audience members, Eckert’s chorus of Portland voices was well into their debut (and final) performance: a choral piece about our winged friends. As we jockeyed for a better view (behind the chorus overlooking the crowd? standing on a table at Starbucks?), Migration felt extremely disappointing. You couldn’t hear the singers well; they were dressed in normal street clothes; the chorus was smaller than anticipated; and I couldn’t help but wish I was witnessing this in a beautiful forest rather than as my “main event” for Thursday night.

I eventually commandeered a proper seat in the amphitheater, and at that point, the piece began to take form and reveal itself. A small orchestra of accordions faced the scrappy choir, who sang (really) beautiful chorale songs about birds. At times, it sounded almost like unused material from a Sufjan Stevens session. As if to punctuate their songs, the chorus would intermittently whistle and chirp like birds; when 100 people do this simultaneously, it creates a really beautiful effect. When they flap their sheet music like so many wings at the same time, it feels like you’re in the middle of a joyous flock. They punctuated the songs with bird-like hand gestures, and by the end, the crowd—myself included—was totally into it, and it created one of those very real moments of beauty and community, as the audience made the “bird head” hand symbol from the production back at the chorus as a respectful applause and show of fraternity.

One gripe—it was pretty great, yes, but it was hardly festive. After the piece concluded around 7:30, there was little to do but head home, and everybody seemed a little confused that there was nothing else going on. No Works show to attend, no afterparty, no surprise March Fourth Marching Band session. I’ve got the rest of the year to be home with my shoes off by 8 pm. When it’s TBA time, I’m ready to go on all cylinders, and tonight was an unusually mellow way to kick things off.

Be sure to check the Mercury’s TBA blog regularly for up to the minute reviews, interviews, gossip, photos and video!

My theory about adults (who should really know better) trying to relive some overly-romanticized period of their youth—whether it be “getting the band back together,” or a game of tackle football—is that it’s totally acceptable, just as long as there is power in numbers.

That will definitely be the case tonight, as a reunited Lifetime makes their first appearance in Portland in about a decade (Anyone know the last time they played here? 1997? Have they ever played here?), if not longer. Time to dust off the old hoodie (should I go with the classic Gorilla Biscuits design, or hold it down for the West Coast with Unbroken) and make a complete ass of myself.

The adults are alright.

MP3:
Lifetime - (The Gym Is) Neutral Territory

Lifetime - Young, Loud, And Scotty

Lifetime performs at the Hawthorne Theatre tonight.

I went down to the Sisters Of The Road block party yesterday afternoon, hoping to score myself a burger. The line was at least half an hour long, so I just stood round chatting, hoping my patience would see the line dwindle before the food ran out. But the food ran out. Hey ho:SISTERS OF THE ROAD GRILL: I never got to sample its delights…

There was some compensation, however, for hanging around unfed. Apart from talking with numerous people who’d had unfortunate run-ins with Portland’s Rent-a-cop firm, PPI, local freelance photographer and full-time activist Teresa Teater showed up around 6:30. Teater is always good for catching up on the local gossip: She attends pretty much every rally, protest, council hearing and the like, and always has her camera ready. Often she’ll have some unbelievable stories to tell me about things she’s seen, but there’s never proof, so I can’t write about them. Yesterday, she told me she saw Stevie Wonder buying a camera in downtown Portland. Which I’d have thought was some deeply ironic joke, were it not for her having photographic proof!TEATER: “HE’S LIKE THE POPE OF MUSIC!”

“I saw him last Friday at 1:30, coming out of the CameraWorld opposite Office Depot,” she says. “And I ran over there and his minders were trying to shoo me off, but I begged them, and I just begged a girl standing there to take a picture of us with my camera.”

Teater describes Wonder as “the pope of music!” and says she told him: “When I was in an orphanage growing up, I only listened to Tammy Tyrell, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder.”

“I just told him ‘I want to thank you’,” she said.

Wonder bought an Olympus compact for his daughter, apparently.

Ugh. A family of three was found dead in their NE Portland home late last night in an apparent murder/suicide. A hearse was parked outside the house, with a hose running from its exhaust into a sealed off room in the house, where two adults and a five-year-old were found. Police were tipped off by someone in Southern California, who’d received an email from the parents warning of the incident, but they arrived too late. It’s a tragic story all around, but seriously, using a hearse to kill yourself and your family with carbon monoxide fumes?

Gen. Patraeus believes that America’s position in Iraq is so fragile and tenuous that he won’t support any troop withdrawals until after January, and even then, the number of troops would only come down to January 2007 levels. A panel led by retired Marine Gen. James Jones, however, says fuck it, let’s get out ASAP.

Osama Bin-Laden plans to release a new video next week. Sources say he didn’t want to put another one out, but his label is totally pressuring him for another hit.

The whole world goes nuts for missing blond girls, because their lives are worth more than anyone else’s. The mother of Madeleine McCann, the British four-year-old who went missing in Portugal, is being declared a suspect.

At least some part of the universe is sane: A federal judge has thrown out a key component of the Patriot Act that allows the FBI to demand customer information from communications companies.

From Shane, at SE 26th and Clinton:

Either it’s training day at tri-met or NoHo’s on Clinton has a funny way of installing a drive-thru.

todayinpdx@portlandmercury.com

The past two days have been entirely transportation-centric at city hall—the kind of two days when you realize that five white guys really do have the ability to completely reshape the city. I hate to sound cynical, but it’s frequently like watching a very slow-moving game of Sim City. And I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way.

First up is the big news: Council voted this evening to move forward on “a process” to rename Interstate Avenue to Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard. After a moving video presentation on the life and work of Chavez, and some moving testimony from activists and community members, city council voted to open up a public comment period that will last no less than five weeks. From there, it’s unclear whether Mayor Potter—the proposal’s champion—will shepherd the project through the existing city code that for street name changes, or whether those rules will be waived by a simple majority of council. I guess that all depends on if someone is running for reelection…

The only people to testify against the name change—sort of—were Sharon Nassett, who ran for city council against Dan Saltzman last year. She objected because she thinks something other than Interstate should be renamed. And Terry Parker, the anti-transit, anti-bike, pro-car curmudgeon who spends a lot of time at CommisionerSam.com, made an off-line appearance to remind council that when they rename a street, they’re erasing history by removing the name of the person the street was originally named after. That left many people in council chamber scratching their heads—Interstate isn’t named after someone, it’s named after the Interstate. Parker also voiced his support for renaming Grand after Ronald Reagan. Ahhh, yes. Ronald Reagan reclaiming his rightful place next to Martin Luther King.

More wonkiness after the jump.

Earlier in the afternoon, council voted to approve a preliminary funding package for the Eastside streetcar extension--the numbers are still less than firm, but the city needed to send something to the federal government, which is expected to pony up $75 million for the $147 million project. The deadline is tomorrow. Issues that still need to get resolved: Who pays if the project goes over budget? Will existing projects in Urban Renewal Areas be jeopardized by pulling $27 million out to pay for the streetcar? And how are operating costs going to be covered?

For the last question, the proposal has a half-million pulled away from existing bus service--the idea is that the No. 6 bus line would stop on the east side and riders would have to transfer to the streetcar in order to get downtown. Someone must have poked Dan Saltzman with a stick, because he found this possibility to be an "awkward impediment" to traveling from North/Northeast Portland to downtown.

PDOT staff assured him that there'd be a public process before that happened, in order to engage the community. Saltzman scoffed: "That sounds like something we're all too often accused of--we've made up our mind, but we're still going to discuss it with you."

Yesterday, council considered making changes to the Transportation System Development Charges, where developers are charged a fee based on the increased traffic their projects will generate. The fees are supposed to go into projects that increase traffic capacity, but here's the catch: If developers build near transit centers, they can get a discount on the charges. Not surprisingly, those discounts happen most in dense areas, i.e., downtown. The result is that downtown and central city developers pay fewer system development charges that other neighborhoods, yet they receive more money for traffic projects. The advisory committee testifying yesterday recommended doing away with the discount program.

UPDATE, 16:40: The conspiracy deepens! It turns yesterday’s MAX crash destroyed 14,000 copies of the St.Johns Sentinel:SENTINEL: Paper’s truck driver wasn’t looking-out as hard as the name of the publication might suggest…

ORIGINAL POST, 11:30:

Submitted by an anonymous donor (the best kind) who won’t say what he was doing hanging around Old Town at 6:30 last night. Personally I suspect “cutting the brake cables on a big yellow truck, in order to satisfy Blogtown’s insatiable desire for sensational images…” but then again, I was always a conspiracy theorist:
TRAM HITS TRUCK: D’Oh!

Local blogger transit sleuth rants rather amusingly about what an idiot the truck driver must have been.

Seen something incredible?! Email it to: todayinpdx@portlandmercury.com. Thanks!

My neighborhood emails lists have been buzzing with a notice for the September 12 city council session, when the council supposedly planned to discuss Drug and Prostitution Free Zones (which are slated to sunset on September 30).

Hold up! This just in via one of the city’s crime prevention coordinators:

We wanted to let you know that yesterday at about 5:30 PM, the Mayor’s Office pulled the Drug Free Zone / Prostitution Free Zone (DFZ / PFZ) Exclusion Ordinances from the City Council Sept 12th Agenda. At this time it has not been re-scheduled.

Matt and Scott had a piece in last week’s paper, explaining how Mayor Potter screwed up, and didn’t appoint an oversight committee to examine the zones. Instead, he handed the task over to an individual consultant, John Campbell—and he didn’t give the consultant sufficient time to complete the work.

Campbell didn’t receive the contract from the mayor’s office to do the DFZ work until July 30—a mere two months before the zones expire. The mayor’s office is expecting him to deliver a report by mid-September (as early as September 12), but he’s unsure if he’ll be done in time.

“We received the contract to do the analysis at the end of July,” he told the Mercury, “and I’m doing my best to be able to tell them something, but I doubt very much that there’ll be any kind of full report by September 12.”

Indeed.

Check out this hilarious vintage clip that Chris Matthews dug up in which the obviously self-loathing gay Sen. Larry Craig lambastes President Clinton for being a “very naughty boy.” Matthews reaction to the clip is priceless!

Cary Clarke has a great idea in his music column this week. Noting the fun atmosphere downtown during events like MusicfestNW—when people are free to roam from club to club, thanks to a wristband—he proposes a joint cover for downtown’s clubs, year round.

Perhaps if Portland’s many venues, particularly those densely packed together around inner W Burnside, banded together to create and accept a common ticket or wristband that would be good for admission to all participating clubs on the night it was purchased, we would begin to see more people coming out to shows, which would be a win for businesses and bands.

Portlanders reluctant to spend $7 to see an unknown band might be more inclined to do so if the cost of admission included an escape clause allowing them to move, for free, to another show down the street if not smitten by their first choice. No one would be put off by planning stress, as you could simply head downtown and enter the first club to cross your path. Despite its collectivist undertones, a common wristband would increase profits. More people would come out more often and show-hop, meaning more food and drinks sold, and more bands heard. As it is, who’s paying admission to more than one club a night? People freely moving between venues might even create the sense of a happening downtown scene with an allure similar to Austin’s famed 6th Street, and Old Town’s rousing, celebratory ambience during Musicfest could be a year-round proposition. Clubs of Portland, unite!

It’s a brilliant idea. I’ve heard great things about Austin’s nightlife, and a pack of clubs in Seattle’s Pioneer Square (their version of Old Town) has a “Club Stamp” program that’ll get you into most of the neighborhood’s clubs for one cover charge. The result is a bustling nightlife district that draws in even more people.

Whaddya think?

Instead of writing something on tonight’s rare Roky Erickson performance, I’ll let Lance Chess’ preview do the talking:

ROKY ERICKSON, THE NICE BOYS, PURE COUNTRY GOLD, LEGEND OF DUTCH SAVAGE (Berbati’s Pan, 10 SW 3rd) With Roky Erickson, chances are you’ve either never heard of him or you’re crazy about the guy—especially his work with legendary psychedelic band the 13th Floor Elevators. Erickson is perhaps even more famous for his declining mental state, having been psychologically destroyed by a barbaric Texas mental health system in the late ’60s after being hung out to dry for possessing a joint. Able to do what none of his contemporaries (Syd Barrett, Daniel Johnston, etc.) could accomplish, for the past 20 years Erickson has slowly been pulling himself out of a dark, schizophrenic hole. With assistance from the Butthole Surfers and from his little brother, Sumner, Erickson has returned, having recently played gigs in New York and at SXSW. Like a once-in-a-lifetime comet hurtling through space, Erickson has seen fit to cast his prismatic pyramid eye on humble Portland. We acolytes owe it to ourselves and to the shimmering universe of magic mushrooms and Masonic mutations to catch the Roky comet before it again flies into infinity. LANCE CHESS

I think that sums it up pretty well. Also, check out the trailer for the excellent documentary on Roky, You’re Gonna Miss Me.

So Shoot ‘Em Up and The Brothers Solomon—both of which open tomorrow—screened after our deadline this week. I know, I know. LAME. (Thanks for nothing, fancy pants Hollywood studios!)

But! Now we have pieces on both of them online, just for you, because we are awesome like that. Here’s a review of The Brothers Solomon, and here’s a piece on Shoot ‘Em Up that’s actually sort of a hybrid—it’s about half review of the film, and about half interview with the film’s writer/director, Michael Davis.

So there you go. You’re welcome.

Thanks to Joe for unearthing this one:

I walked into last night’s meeting of the Day Laborers’ Center committee, expecting to see a list of potential sites. After all, at the last focus group meeting about the forthcoming center—on August 15—project leader Jonath Colon said he’d be spending the next few weeks checking out available properties, and holding them up against criteria that had been vetted in the focus groups.

By the September 5 meeting at city hall, “It would be absolutely wonderful if we could announce a site” that fit all the criteria—things like size, impact on the neighborhood, traffic flow, and safety and comfort for the workers. But Colon cautioned that identifying “the” site by September 5 was unlikely. He would, however, have a list of “what sites could be considered, challenges with those sites, criteria.”

Last night, though, there were no sites for the committee to discuss. Instead, they got a presentation on the criteria that stakeholders—like day laborers, their employers, surrounding business owners and neighbors—had crafted, and an explanation from Colon on why they weren’t looking at a list of tangible sites.

“This is what everyone wants to hear about now. With our schedule, we were supposed to have a response today,” Colon said. “We now have the criteria, and we’re out looking at the stock now.” Colon—who refused to use the word setback or delay—told them that Peter Finley Fry, a Portland planning consulatant, has come on board to help vet properties, and they were going to take more time to tap his expertise. (Colon gave me this metaphor as I was heading out: If you were scheduled for surgery with the resident physician, and suddenly the doctor who invented the surgery was available, wouldn’t you… “reschedule?” I asked. Colon didn’t like that word, either. But they now seem to be working around the doctor’s schedule.)

“I just came from doing a tour with him,” Colon told the committee. “By the time we come back next time [in October], we’ll have five properties that have met the minimum criteria.”

“I’m confident that we’ll be able to find five properties. The challenge comes in [whether] they will meet all of those criteria.” Colon said that at the October meeting, the committee will have a chance to look at those five properties that might be a good fit—plus any other properties that committee members have suggested, to see how they did or didn’t stack up.

Teresa Bliven, the other project manager, said that they were still “on target” to find a site and pick a group to run the center by their November 14 “project wrap-up” committee meeting.

Another exciting music section to read while you ponder what other Law & Order stars will run for office. Ice-T, the 3rd district needs a new comptroller…

Sub Pop’s newest cuties, The Brunettes, have come all the way from New Zealand (where, judging by the above photo, all residents bathe in pairs while fully clothed) to share their bouncy pop with you.
MP3: The Brunettes - B-A-B-Y

Yeah, I sort of like Okkervil River. What gave it away? The face paint? The big foam #1 finger? The neck tattoo of their logo?
MP3: Okkervil River - Plus Ones

Clipse drop rhymes about coke and birds. Yup, they love soda pop and are both card carrying members of the National Audubon Society.
MP3: Clipse - Trill

Personally, I think the new Rilo Kiley record is a flaming car wreck, but others think it’s a damn sexy record. Hey, it’s sort of like this movie!
MP3: Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining

Grayskul keep things bleak, but if you call them “goth rap,” you deserve a kick to the throat.
MP3: Grayskul - Dope

Am I the only one who likes Ne-Yo’s version of “Irreplaceable” more than Beyoncé’s?
MP3: Beyoncé Ne-Yo - Irreplaceable

Thanks to the deep pockets of Pete Wentz, Lifetime has returned. You take the good with the bad, I guess.
MP3: Lifetime - Haircuts and Tee-Shirts

How to best sell a candy bar? Using a gorilla to rock out to Phil Collins, of course.

There is a lot going on this First Thursday, especially with TBA getting off the ground. I’m about to throw another idea out for when you’re sick of talking about art, and ready for a gay dance party. How Rude! is a new queer/gay/electro/hiphop/rock/dance night, every First Thursday at Casey’s Underground (NW 6th & Couch). Dance the wine and cheese off with DJs Danny Damage, Olek, Ill Camino, and Bdrm Eyes.

… And, if you have fun tonight, get ready for an additional How Rude! event coming up on Sept 22: The Pants Off Dance Off at Eagle PDX!

…is still a Parkrose.

Yeah, it’s one word. You know it, I know it, Randy Leonard knows it.

Let’s leave it at that.

You might be asking yourself, “Are these guys going to post every single new Menomena video that gets released?” and the answer is “Probably so, yeah.” How can you blame us—this one has a bumblebee yakking copious amounts of pollen into a shot glass and a rolling-crow-espresso machine creature. So yes, until next time, here’s the new one from Menomena.

• Philadelphia morning show anchors forced to apologize for giving away “Shoot ‘Em Up” bullet riddled jacket as promotion. Stop apologizing, and GIVE ME THAT FUCKING JACKET.

• Remember when obviously gay Idaho Senator Larry Craig said he was going to resign, then decided not to resign? Now he’s going to resign.

• Not to be outdone by the iPhone, Google has announced they are creating the “gPhone.” Stay tuned for the “hcPhone” from Hormel Chili.

• THE TROOPS WILL BE LEAVING IRAQ! (Ummm… sometime long after 2009.)

• Famed Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti is dead at age 71. Here’s his signature song, “Nessun Dorma” performed in Paris in 1998. He KILLS it. Activate chills!

Grand Opening “White Party”:

The salon will roll out the white carpet on Thursday, September 13, at 7 p.m. with a “White Party” complete with “white” cocktails, “white” hors d’oeuvres, and a bit of swag, playing off the white design palate created by Rivera.

This morning was Mayor Tom Potter’s first council session since returning from a two-week vacation, during which he was rumored to be mulling over his future plans (reelection or retirement). While he didn’t make any surprise announcements upon returning, he did shock the city with this, a beard:

Pulitzer-worthy photo courtesy of Matt Davis

Obviously, the question is, “What does the beard mean???” Does it look like retirement, or like an attempt to appear imposing and gruff, and totally ready to take on another term? Mostly, I think it looks like Kenny Rogers. Which can only mean one thing:

On a warm summer's evenin' on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin' out the window at the darkness
'Til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,
And knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
And if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
'Cause ev'ry hand's a winner and ev'ry hand's a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."

And when he'd finished speakin', he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table.
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.

Indeed. Now, who's hungry for fried chicken?

Probably won’t include this guy. But you can bet his presence in town is going to give our local TV stations some fantastic opportunities to, er, follow him around and pay him lots of attention, over the next six months.

TBA:07 kicks off in earnest tomorrow with composer Rinde Eckert’s On the Great Migration of Excellent Birds, a free, public performance in Pioneer Square by a choir composed of hundreds of Portlanders.

And just in time (we’re here for you!) for the eleven days of amazing visual and performance art that’re about to be unleashed on Portland, the Mercury’s TBA blog launched this morning—here you’ll find a complete, searchable schedule, information about every event, our TBA picks, interviews with artists, and reviews (updated daily) of everything TBA has to offer.

Check it out and let us know what you think—and don’t forget to revisit as the festival goes on (9/6-9/16), ‘cause we’re pretty sure we’ve put together the most comprehensive and informative TBA guide in the entire, dare I say… universe.

www.portlandmercury.com/tba

In a letter to Oregon’s Director of Elections yesterday, longtime clean-elections activist Ellen Lowe filed an elections law complaint against Concerned Oregonians PAC and Defense of Marriage and Family Again!, for failing to register as official political committees, yet promising donors tax credits for contributions. Since the groups haven’t filed as political action committees, their fundraising activities are essentially secret—and their promises of a tax credit are misleading.

From the complaint:

The Elections Division should notify them that they are not “political committees” and should also notify the Department of Revenue that contributions to the committees do not qualify for the political tax credit.

Sure, Concerned Oregonians—the group connected to Restore America, which led the “Marriage and Morality Sunday” on August 18—may call themselves a PAC, but that was purely on their filing with the Secretary of State’s corporations division to establish a name. To date, they haven’t filed as a real political action committee, and they aren’t even a chief petitioner committee (as Defense of Marriage and Family Again! is). Or, as attorney Margaret S. Olney writes in the complaint:

Not withstanding this fact, [Concerned Oregonians founder] David Crowe sent a solicitation to 9000 members the day after the referenda were filed, promising that a tax credit was available for donations. He certain knew—or should have known—that he needed to register as a political committee with the Secretary of State (assuming he could have) in order to (1) claim to be a political committee and (2) promise donors that they could take the political tax credit. In other words, calling your organization a “PAC” and registering the name with the corporations division is not enough.

The complaint also alleges that Concerned Oregonians has “falsely claimed that it is ‘sponsoring’ the referenda, and solicited funds based upon that representation.” Indeed, Crowe sends out a weekly update about the petitions—including today’s, about collecting signatures at post offices (I’ve got a call in to the Postal Service to find out if this is even legit). He seems to be running the show.

Basic Rights Oregon weighed in on the complaint this afternoon:

“We are very concerned that these groups are misleading donors and failing to comply with the law,” said John Hummel, Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon. “These groups are advising churches and voters on election law, but they aren’t following the laws themselves.”

Oregon’s campaign finance laws require the registration of political committees and the disclosure of campaign contributions to ensure clean and transparent elections. By failing to comply with the laws, Concerned Oregonians is able to conceal its financial donors from public scrutiny.

“Just like Oregon’s family fairness and anti-discrimination laws, our election laws are here to guarantee fairness and a level playing field to all Oregonians,” Hummel said. “What if their supporters follow their advice and falsely claim the tax credit? These groups have to follow rules just like everyone else.”

Wow. That was fast. Only a few months after the debut of Apple’s iPhone, now you can snag one for $200 less. Apparently fed up with the puny 4GB iPhone, Apple is stopping production on this model, and is now letting them all go for the low, low price of $299 (while supplies last). ALSO! For those who want the convenience of surfing the web, and storing your music, without those constant interruptions from your annoying mom, Apple has also introduced the iPod Touch—basically an iPhone without the phone. They’ll set you back $299 and $399 (for the 8GB and 16GB) and are shipping worldwide in a few weeks.
Sorry, Apple! I’m holding out for the iPhone that’s just an empty shell with no phone, web, or the ability to store music. It’s called the “iJust Wanna Appear Cool.”

So I’ve been getting a little more daring lately on my occasional visits to the Fubonn supermarket down on SE 82nd. The result of which is that I now have these in my fridge, and no idea what to do with them (apart from the obvious). Or even, really, what they are. I think they’re a variety of eggplant, but if you’ve got a recipe, feel free to leave it in the comments, or email it to me. Also, can I stick ‘em in the freezer? I hope so. Because that’s where they’re going unless I can work something out. Frankly, they unnerve me:WEIRD VEG: Like big, purple willies…

This is Kristen Bell. You might know her from Veronica Mars, which was an awesome show in its first season, then got kind of crappy. No one watched it—either when it was good or when it was bad—so it got canceled. Which is still kind of sad.

Here are some quotes from Bell’s recent interview in Entertainment Weekly:

“I have the mouth of a sailor. I have to remember not to drop F-bombs when I’m ordering my lunch.”

“I love nerds. Comic-Con junkies are the tastemakers of tomorrow. Isn’t that funny? The tables have turned. They’re a fiercely intelligent audience, which makes filmmakers want to please them. But I’m looking for the fangirl to come out of her shell a little, to be more accepted.”

“I find Erik Henriksen to not only be charming and handsome, but also rather witty.”

If you’re a cynical person, you might say that Bell’s clearly working the whole “nerd” angle to net herself a tidy group of drooling geek fanboys. But you know what? I don’t care what you say. Look at her. She’s wearing a Chewbacca t-shirt! She’s telling me I’m “fiercely intelligent”! You can shut up for all I care. Don’t ruin this for me.

If you hate your co-workers as much as I do, then it’s time to do something about it: Audition for the new reality show, OFFICE FIGHT! Unsurprisingly, it’s exactly what you think it is: Pick an office mate that you dislike, tell the producers why you hate him/her, and then beat the crap out of them in a boxing ring.
Ah, sweet simplicity. However, if you still prefer to settle your disputes in calm, orderly fashion, then may I suggest emulating what these gentlemen did.

Damn. I’m out of stamps… and now I better get to the Post Office before Saturday, or I’ll potentially face a gauntlet of homophobes. From Restore America:

Saturday, September 8th, marks the comencement of two full weeks of signature gathering outside post offices throughout Oregon.

Oregonians want to sign petitions 303 and 304 in order to prevent the gay and lesbian agenda from being imposed on all Oregonians without their say, or their permission.

They are more than a little disturbed that the legislature - led by liberal Portland legislators - ignored their VOTES in 2004 to preserve and protect marriage between a man and a woman only, and instead, participated in a deceptive and cabalistic strategem to legalize so called ‘same sex marriage’ by giving it another name.

Neither are they happy with the legislature’s granting of protected minority status to homosexuals in the face of heavy opposition and under the ruse of discrimination. Oregonians want to VOTE on these critical moral and culturally devastating government actions, whether homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals and Portland liberals want them to or not. They do not want these bills to become embedded in Oregon law on January 1, 2008.

Also… who might they be referring to here? Restore America claims that “Defending traditional marriage and morality is not about discrimination,” and:

Oregonians should not be deceived or dictated to by a small but vociferous minority and their elitist friends in Portland crying “Wolf, wolf.” Instead, they should go to their local post office, sign the petitions, and restore good governance to the people of Oregon.

Want to see one of punk’s greatest anthems be totally ruined?

The clip below is like an instructional manual on how a band (Sham 69) can take a perfect song (“If The Kids Are United”) and turn it into a goofy sing along, complete with little kids (united, never divided!) and a bunch of old folks merrily clapping along.

Despite the above video, Sham 69 was actually an important element of UK street-punk, as seen in this less embarrassing clip.

Sham 69 perform (without lead singer Jimmy Pursey) tonight at Berbati’s Pan.

In an interview with The Guardian UK, actor JOHN CUSACK candidly reveals, “I’ve made 10 good films (out of 40). I’m sure you know which ones they are.”
SO? In your opinion, WHICH TEN FILMS ARE THEY?
(My valued opinion after the leap.)

In no particular order:

1) The Grifters
2) The Sure Thing
3) Eight Men Out
4) Being John Malkovich
5) High Fidelity
6) Grosse Pointe Blank
7) Say Anything
8) Tapeheads
9) Better Off Dead
10) TIE: The Journey of Natty Gann (sorry, but he was dreamy in that) and Sixteen Candles (his portrayal of Bryce was nothing short of brilliant).

A couple months ago, I posted some photos of—and thoughts on—Milepost 5, the artist live/work/condo/performance space/gallery project going up on NE 81st and Oregon.

Today is your chance to see the spot for yourself. Someday Lounge is helping to put on a multimedia event this evening to show off the facilities and the progress on the condo building.

Someday Lounge presents: A night at Milepost 5

On WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH, to celebrate the launch of Milepost 5, Garett Strickland will host/curate an on-site, interdisciplinary mini-festival of film, music, and performances.

Featuring:

Screenings by filmmakers:

* MATT MCCORMICK
* VANESSA RENWICK
* GRACE CARTER & HOLLY ANDRES

Music and performances from:

* WATERY GRAVES
* MATTRESS
* JANET PANTS
* JOE VON APPEN
* HAIKU INFERNO
* PASH (LY)
* RUSH-N-DISCO

The event will be completely FREE and open to the public
from 6 PM, with available food and drinks. ALL-AGES (Bar w/ ID).

LOCATION: Milepost 5. NE 81st & Oregon St.
(Take Red or Blue line MAX to NE 82nd).

Check out the project’s website here.

A while back, someone asked how Milepost 5 plans to establish itself as an artist incubator, and who qualifies as an “artist” to be considered for a space. Here’s the answer:

Milepost 5 defines a working artist as an individual who is actively and demonstrably engaged in some aspect of the arts including but not limited to visual arts, crafts, theater, performance, new media, design, dance, music or writing. A working artist is committed to his or her work, has a body of work that demonstrates development within an art discipline or disciplines, and intends to pursue that work for the foreseeable future.

Emerging artists, novices and apprentices are included within this definition; hobbyists are not.

We know that many artists do not earn their full income from their work as an artist and often work in a variety of fields to supplement their art earnings. For us, primary source of income does not define a working artist.

To resign or not to resign? That’s Larry Craig’s current question. He might not quit after all!

A Multhomah County judge sentenced Vladimir Golovan to up to nine months in prison, for fraudulently gathering signatures for Emilie Boyles, Lucinda Tate, and Bruce Broussard’s bids for public financing. But the judge had something to say to the candidates, too: “If I could throw all four of you in prison, I would do it in a heartbeat.”

Three suspected Islamic terrorists were arrested in Germany. The trio were allegedly plotting “imminent, massive bomb attacks on U.S. facilities in Germany… They had obtained some 1,500 pounds of hydrogen peroxide for making explosives.”

Did cops find a dead body on a Yamhill County farm? They won’t say…

It is a lovely day for a hike: Three suspected bank robbers ditched their car at the Oregon Zoo exit on Highway 26, and fled into Washington Park.

THE ONION NEWS NETWORK shares this truly horrible report of a missing college teen who was raped and murdered… at least that’s what these soulless news anchors think.
(Is it just me are is the humor over at The Onion getting darker and darker?)

BREAKING NEWS: Missing Girl Probably Raped

Alright, I’m not usually one to shamelessly promote Mercury-sponsored events, nor to I tend to use this blog as a forum to talk about how good I am at things.

I’m about to do both.

Tonight kicks off the Rose City Air Hockey League at the Hawthorne Theater, which promises prizes, music, and “sexy atheletes.” It’s the first of a weekly event, every Tuesday at 7 pm (arrive early to sign up, as space is limited).

And man, I fucking rule at air hockey (as certain repeatedly humiliated Mercury Film Editors can attest). When I lived in Olympia, there was something of an air hockey “scene” at the time—and I dominated it. Masculine egos were bruised. Shit was talked. Barfights were narrowly averted. My one complaint about Portland bars is the lack of air hockey tables, so I’m really excited that someone is finally picking up the slack. I don’t think I can make it tonight (Stereo Total calls), but you’d best believe I’ll be there one of these nights to show y’all how the game is played. Consider the gauntlet thrown.

Hawthorne Theater, 3862 SE Hawthorne

The folks at Know Thy Neighbor Oregon—it’s the group that plans to post the names of everyone who signs the two anti-gay petitions currently circulating—launched a blog a week or two ago. And it seems the ‘phobes have already found the blog, and are plowing it with hateful comments and emails.

Like:

[I] have been Patiently waiting for hunting season to try out my new high powered rifle on a live target.

Nice. Another commenter—who is clearly offput by the idea that the signatures are public record, and will be publicly displayed—had this to say…

Clearly, it may be time to put together a web site listing gay rights activists information; THEIR addresses; THEIR phone numbers… in fact, everything about gay rights activists. You know, purely in the interest of “advocating for the removal of governmental barriers to public information by providing meaningful access online.”

Is that fair game? Or comparing apples to oranges?