Excalibur Comics is doing their “50 percent off of back issues” thing again, which is always an excellent, super-cheap way to stock up on a ton of comics. The sale started today and runs through Sunday, and it looks like this time around, manga graphic novels are also included in the sale.

Might I recommend tracking down some back issues of one of my favorite comics, Y: The Last Man? The book’s 60th and final issue drops on January 30, and in the next Mercury, we’ll have an interview with the book’s co-creator and writer, Brian K. Vaughan. Look at that. All sorts of Mercury-sanctioned comic book love.

Excalibur Comics, 2444 SE Hawthorne, 231-7351.

Post-script: Huh. I just realized that between this post and my earlier ramblings about Star Trek, today I’ve come across on Blogtown as an utterly hopeless geek. Which I am, I guess. So that’s fair. Excelsior!

Per my request, my parents recently dropped off their Smith Corona CX 4000 electric typewriter at my apartment. I remember my parents purchasing it for my sister when she was in high school, in the mid-to-late eighties, at either J.C. Penny or Montgomery Ward.

Anyway, I was all excited to use it the other day, but when I plugged it in, I was sad to find the ink ribbon cartridge had dried up. Or, maybe I had used it all up back in 1992, when my childhood best friend and I decided it would be fun to play office and type up important fart joke memos all summer long… but that’s neither here nor there.

The point is, I needed to find a typewriter cartridge, and I wasn’t willing to drive to St. Johns, the ‘Couv, the Tron, Gresham, or anywhere else a quick search on Dex online pointed me to. I found one place on 35th and Division, but upon calling and asking if they sold typewriter supplies, the man on the line said, “Sorry, we went out of business a year and a half ago.” Drats.

My boyfriend suggested I try “that old-school office supply store behind Maiden in the Mist.” So, today on my lunch break I hauled my typewriter towards that general direction, and found exactly the place he was talking about: Office Supply Co. on SE 6th and Alder.

Hot damn! I will never purchase my office supplies anywhere but there ever again. As I walked through the front door, it felt like I had stepped into the year 1978. The old dude working there was super helpful, and led me to the end cap of typewriter cartridges (complete with old displays that I’m sure had been there for over 20 years). He even had me bring in my typewriter from the back of my car, so he could make sure the cartridges were going to fit.

So if you’re looking for vintage office supplies, or ever need typewriter ribbons, or would rather support small, independent businesses than give your money to corporate vampires when you purchase your Sharpie pens, definitely check this place out.

It’s time to plan your weekend business. What better way to start than planning your nightly shows. There’s always more to browse on Found It!

Friday

Ash Street Saloon–The Slants, Renegade, Hello Lobster, 9:30 pm, $5
Backspace–Ultimate Reality, Dan Deacon, DJ Hoop Dreams, 9 pm, $10, all ages
Copper Monkey Restaurant–Guidance Counselor, Starfucker, Fleshtone, DJ Gray Matter, 7 pm, free, all ages
Dante’s–Eek-a-Mouse, 9:30 pm, $18-20
East End–Spindrift, The Upsidedown, Highway, $6
Holocene–And Justice for All…: Boy Eats Drum Machine, The Antecedents, Atari Tuesday, 9 pm, $7
The Know–Sad Horse, Hungry Ghost, Night Mechanic, 7 pm
Olympic Mills Commerce Center–Paint-Off: Atom 13, Homonym, 5 pm
Rotture–Juicy: DJ Beyonda, DJ Ninjah, DJ Linoleum, 10 pm, $3
Twilight Cafe and Bar–The Curious Mystery, No Go Know, Widower, Late Night Curly, 9 pm, $5

Saturday and Sunday listings after the jump…

Saturday

The Artistery–Bryce Panic, Mirah, Arrington de Dionyso, James Beaton, Rebecca Pearcy, 8 pm, $6 (or $12 w/new Bryce Panic CD), all ages
Berbati's Pan–Paul Green School of Rock perform Jim, Jimi & Janis, 6 pm, $10, all ages
The Brass Monkey–Lasers All the Time, The Newspapers, Guidance Counselor, Cougar Punch, Royal, The Martyrs, 9 pm, free
Dante's–Fist of Dishonor, Cocktail Cabaret, Hello Lobster, 9 pm, $5
Doug Fir–Loch Lomond, Matt Sheehy, Johanna Kunin, 9 pm, $8
Goodfoot–Stevie Wonder Tribute: Joey Porter
Hawthorne Theatre–The Pack, Maniac Lok, Chef Boy R Bangers, Illaj, Mikey Vegaz, 8 pm, $10-12, all ages
Holocene–Ultimate Reality, Dan Deacon, Dat'r, Juice Team DJs, 9 pm, $10
Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center–Salmon National Artists Project: Jim Brunberg, Mariee Sioux, Hunter Paye, Dennis Hitchcox, Stack Sisters, Seth Samuels, Aspen Switzer, Dennis Lakusta, Geno Leech, Jon Middleton, David Densmore, Cassandra Robertson, Alexa Wiley, 7 pm
Kelly's Olympian–The Harvey Girls, Cars & Trains, Autotopia, 9 pm
Mission Theater–Miz Kitty's Parlour: Canote Brothers, Leapin' Louie Lichtenstein, Trashcan Joe, Yasmira, The Tune Stranglers, 7 pm, $12
Mississippi Studios–Fernando, Lael Alderman, 10 pm, $8-10
Slabtown–Yeltsin, The Ovulators, The Empty, The Vintage Media, 9 pm, $6
Someday Lounge–Golden: Reverse Dotty & The Candy Cane Shivs, DJ Copy, DJ BJ, 9 pm, $3
Tonic Lounge–Pierced Arrows, The Family Gun, The Wires, 9:30 pm
Towne Lounge–Citay, White Rainbow, Tres Gone, 9:30 pm, $6
Zach's Shack–Four Year Anniversary: Tye North, Carlton Jackson, Ida Viper, Syntac DJs, 4 pm

Sunday

Castle Greyskull–Folked Up V: The Ocean Floor, Love Menu, Conlan Murphy, Keeley Boyle, Bud, Glass Teeth, Will Carpenter, Dan Hubner, 3:45 pm
Holocene–Scream Club, The Gay Deceivers, Do N Dudes, DJ Girlfriends, 9 pm, $5
Revolver Studios–Spindrift, 9 pm
Valentine's–HER, Lemon Bear, 9 pm

Here’s one to start with, from a former cop:

Regarding the article written by Matt Davis wherein he questioned/criticized Cop’s attitudes, reasons, etc for violence against blacks and Latinos, I have to throw in my two cents. As a former police officer, from a very large city that has been leading the country in crime since the 60’s, I would have to say that by and large blacks and Latino’s (Cubanos in my case) committ a disproportionate amount of crime for their relative population percentage.

While it’s true that some cops harbor prejudice towards certain groups, most just try to protect those of you who are either too smart or too afraid to be police officers. Personally, I was even disgusted with “whitey” by the time I quit.

Blacks not only commit a large number of crimes, but they tend to resist arrest with violence and/or run when stopped. Blacks also tend to carry firearms, as do Cubanos. I have very little experience with Mexicans, so I can’t say why guns are drawn on them except that maybe Meth users and dealers tend toward violence. There’s also evidence to show that gang-bangers are relatively violent offenders.

Profiling is also a necessary tool of law enforcement, tho’ some cops tend to get carried away resulting in unnecessary traffic stops and arrests. However, fill a car with four young black guys and at least one of them has a serious arrest record. The others in the car rarely have the sense to avoid hanging out with their criminal homeboys, sometimes resulting in their arrest. In the 60’s thru’ the 80’s if a cop observed a white guy with long hair driving a beat up car, he could safely assume that there just might be drugs in that vehicle. Hippies, however, rarely resisted arrest.

So, Matt, why don’t you take some “ride-alongs” or actually try doing the job of protecting your fellow man and see for yourself what goes on in the real world? I know I wouldn’t do the job again. Not because of critics like yourself, but because of the shit one constantly steps in on the job. So the next time you decide to write an article like this you might want to do some real research.

Compared to my former city and department, Portland and it’s Police Bureau are very peaceful. Count your blessings.

Name withheld to protect the not-so-innocent.

Hmm. Do some ridealongs—check. Actually try the job—check. Do some real research—check. I’m just glad this guy retired, because his literacy is clearly slipping in old age.

Those jerks at Paramount want you to cough up $10 to go see Cloverfield this weekend in order to see the teaser for J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot. Which you could totally do. Or you could watch a crappy bootlegged version.

I’d be very surprised if this trailer didn’t go officially online once Cloverfield has made a kajillion dollars this weekend, and hopefully it’ll show up in far better quality. Which would be nice, because maybe then I could actually tell what’s happening in it.

Thanks, AICN.

TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen may have skipped two public hearings on the matter, but apparently he got the message: Portlanders don’t want TriMet to curtail Fareless Square, cutting it back to 7 am to 7 pm, as a stop gap measure that TriMet says will shore up public safety. Hansen has killed that proposal.

TriMet will, however, do a “comprehensive review of fareless” over the next 18 months, as previously announced.

TriMet opts for comprehensive review of Fareless Square rather than taking quick action on limiting hours

After evaluating more than 700 comments from the public regarding a proposal to limit the hours of Fareless Square, TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen has announced that at this time, there is no proposal being forwarded that would limit the hours of Fareless Square. Rather, it will be part of his planned comprehensive review of fareless that will be launched over the next few months.

Following several high-profile incidents on the MAX system late last year, Hansen launched a comprehensive security plan that included hiring more police officers and contracted security, having a zero tolerance for those who break TriMet rules, establishing more enforcement tools for our police and security forces, adding more security cameras to MAX platforms, increasing lighting, fixing faulty Ticket Vending Machines, increasing fare inspections and limited the hours of Fareless Square.

Hansen’s full statement is attached.

(Hansen’s statement is after the cut.)

TriMet Safety, Security & Fareless Square

TriMet General Manager Fred Hansen

January 18, 2008

Following several high-profile incidents on the MAX system, I outlined a comprehensive security plan in early December to address safety issues on the transit system. This plan included hiring more police officers and contracted security, having a zero tolerance for those who break TriMet rules, establishing more enforcement tools for our police and security forces, adding more security cameras to MAX platforms, increasing lighting, fixing faulty Ticket Vending Machines, increasing fare inspections and limiting the hours of Fareless Square.

To date we have:

➢ Signed agreements to establish a Westside Police Precinct based in Hillsboro
➢ Conceptual agreement for an Eastside Police Precinct
➢ Hired more police officers and other contracted security spending more time riding the transit system
➢ Expanded the authority to immediately remove individuals from the transit system who are violating the TriMet code – the Interdiction Command increases by two hours the time an individual is restricted from riding transit, now set at six hours and is able to be used for disruptive, intimidating and rowdy behavior
➢ Installed security cameras at more MAX platforms, bringing the total to 30 platforms with cameras
➢ Increased lighting levels in 1,800 lights, plus installed floodlights at NE 82nd and Gresham Central MAX stations
➢ Expanded our Rider Advocate program to have another community-based organization ride the system to prevent disruptive or illegal activity
➢ Increased fare inspections and added the option for riders to purchase fares at station concessionaires

We will continue to measure the effectiveness of these security measures and determine if other steps are necessary. Already, feedback from riders has been that they have begun to notice a difference.

We also heard a lot of feedback about the proposal to limit the hours of Fareless Square.

Our security plan initially included a two-phase approach to Fareless Square – take steps now to limit the hours of fareless to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. – and then launch an all-inclusive public process to study the future of Fareless Square over the next 18 months.

After evaluating more than 700 e-mails, letters and comments from two public hearings held earlier this week, one thing is clear: there is a lot of passion and strongly held views about Fareless Square.

The comments ranged from wanting to limit the hours or eliminate fareless altogether, to keeping it just the way it is. There was also support for taking a broader look at the future of fareless.

Fareless Square is so much a part of this region and its environmental stewardship and reputation. Taking quick action on changing Fareless Square is obviously easier said than done.

Over the next several months, as I announced in early December, we will establish a public process on how best to evaluate the future of Fareless Square, and address security issues in fareless. It will be an open, thorough process that involves and engages the public. At this time, however, we will not take forward a separate proposal to limit the hours of fareless. Please visit trimet.org to find out how to provide additional feedback on this process.

It’s finally time to bring our mayoral candidates into the fold, grilling them on a different city topic each week.

This week, we’ll ease them in, and let them introduce themselves.

Who are you, and what’s the number one reason you’re running for mayor?

Want to take advantage of this golden opportunity, to ask our city’s next mayor (and his many challengers) anything you want? Email me.

Candidate Jim Lee was the first to respond.

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com
Public financing status: Not participating

I was born in Saint Louis on the 4th of July 1937. Early on, my goal was to play first base for the Cardinals in the World Series. Did not happen.

After my father died during the war, my mother moved us to Portland to be with a sister and to revive her teaching career. That was 1948, just in time to catch Mayor Lee’s administration. I graduated from Central Catholic High School, then studied and worked physics in California.

I was embarrassed not being able to build a good science career in Portland (I’ve survived by working audio-visual stuff) but realized that some smart Portland guys, like Linus Pauling and Bill McLean, had to go to California to find work too!

This is the only place I care to live, and I feel the need to pay Portland back for a lifetime of wonderful support, even if it’s been financially dodgy. Life can deal a royal fizzbin, which one must play as best one can. I retired five years ago and now enjoy the best time of all.

Here’s my physics shtick—let’s get that out of the way. I worked at the margins. In 1970 I developed a theory of auditoriums based on “physical acoustics,” which is the science of sound as waves. No one has tried to do that for 2,000 years, so I’m not popular among acoustics wizards, even though all know that sound is wave motion.

Other work involves applying the calculus of variations to minimizing energy use in buildings, and apply Hamiltonian mechanics to prove that fixed-gear bicycles develop 40% more torque and power per stroke than do freewheel machines—really—it’s why fixies are such fabulous street bikes. With all that lovely torque you need only one well-chosen gear. Plus, track stands are ultra cool!

I’m running for Mayor because I want “A Piece of the Action.”

Lee’s challengers—Sam Adams, Kyle Burris, Vladislav Davidzon, Jeff Taylor, Craig Gier, Sho Dozono, Beryl McNair and Gerhard Watzig—are after the cut.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Public financing status: Not participating

My name is Craig Gier. The main reason I am running for mayor is that I am tired of the same stuff going on and on from the city. All the other people running are different from me in the respect that they will probaly follow suit with the last bunch of people in office. With me you won't have any more tram style scams. Thank you.

Jeff Taylor
Position sought: Mayor
Website: portland123.com
Public financing status: Participating, has not submitted any contributions

My name is Jeff Taylor. I am a fourth generation Portlander and was born and raised here. I love the city and my fellow Portlanders. That's why I am running.

The City of Portland is broken and not the city I was raised in. While I cannot turn back the clock we must re-establish the trust between citizens and government and maintaining and enhancing neighborhood livability.

That's the main reason I am running.

I had the honor of receiving around 3200 votes when I ran for Mayor in 2004 and came in 5th place. I was only invited to speak at around 6 of 70 forums and debates. I wonder how I would have done if I was allowed to speak at all 70 debates and gotten the press the other top 4 candidates did.

Our citizens and businesses have had enough of money taken out of their pocket with nothing in return to show for it.

I have a passion for this city and to make change happen. In my campaign of 2004, unlike the top two candidates running for Mayor, I gave specific actions I would do that would not cost taxpayer dollars. In fact, I want to cut taxpayer dollars and cut the waste. Our greatest natural resource, our senior citiizens, my "Grey Berets", will help me cut waste in government, help with afterschool programs, and help build a worldwide model on how seniors and youth can work in harmony in a city.

I have plenty of other ideas about education, crime, housing, transportation, but these will be for future blogs. Stay reading and thank you for getting involved.

You are the chief executive officers of this city and your elected officials have not been listening to you!

Sincerely,

Jeff Taylor
Mayoral Candidate
503-684-5037
e-mail: jeff.taylor007@verizon.net

Vladislav Davidzon
Position sought: Mayor
Website: ourportland.org
Public financing status: Not participating

My name is Vladislav Davidzon. I am a social change entrepreneur who has been the vision behind well known social change brands like ThinkHost, one of the original carbon-neutral internet web hosting companies, and Common Circle Expeditions, a sustainability-focused bicycle tour. For years I have worked for social change, whether as an activist on the front lines of some of the world's most challenging conflicts, through my business ventures or through my involvement in the community.

I am running because I live in what is supposed to be one of America's most liberal, progressive cities. Yet the 'The City that Works' (as claimed by the city's slogan) does so only for the wealthy - homelessness, lack of universal healthcare, and mega corporations are ravaging this city at a level not less than any other in America. Yet, there is no one offering a real alternative vision within the political sphere.

I believe that when others fail to stand up, it is my responsibility to do so; and I believe that there are fights worth fighting even when the odds are stacked against me. Both the current and previous mayors have failed miserably to offer a real vision for the city - a vision that would begin to address the environmental crisis we face, a vision that would address the health care crisis our citizens face, a vision that would address the need for real viable, alternative transportation, and a vision that would blaze a path for other cities to follow in creating a local, living, sustainable economy.

I am running for Mayor because I believe another Portland is possible. I envision a city where every citizen is covered by universal health care. I envision a city where renewable energy isn't a mere pipe dream, but rather required and available through a People's Utility District. I envision a city where bikes, public transit and walking constitute over seventy percent of all trips because the city government once had the foresight to both
build safe multi-use paths throughout the city and to put proper environmental taxes on less sustainable methods of transit. Most importantly I envision a city where small businesses thrive in a sustainable local living economy because the city government once had the foresight to create an unparalleled grant structure to make that economy viable. Quite simply, I believe in building companies that change the world. Not only can small, localized economic development can be a tremendous tool for social change, but I also believe that business has a key role to play in resolving our planet's most pressing problems.

I am running for Mayor because I live in one of the most progressively-minded cities in America, and perhaps the only city that can stomach to take the risks necessary to make itself the sustainable role model for the rest of America to imitate. I believe that my ideas, while radical on first glance, are actually very representative of the overwhelming majority of Portlanders. I believe that by implementing these ideas, I will help spur a true green evolution in this country. And even if I fail at every other goal, but manage to provide universal healthcare to every Portlander, I will have drastically redefined the expectations of what is possible on the local, city level and what we can expect as citizens standing up to corrupt corporate power.

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Public financing status: Not participating, capping contributions

Who I am is very much defined by where I come from. Geographically speaking, I was born in Montana, and grew up in Newport and Eugene. When I was young, these were pretty hard-scrabble places, and working hard to get by was the common denominator of my family and our neighbors.

What really shaped my outlook, however, was the fact that you could work very hard and not get by. My family struggled through tough economic times; we received the help of subsidized housing and food stamps. And I suffered through a personal bankruptcy as well, cause by uninsured medical expenses. (I did voluntarily pay back every penny I owed).

Public education was a big part of my salvation. I had great teachers who took the time and interest to guide me, encourage me and support me – in part because they had the time: that is why I have been such a passionate advocate for schools, and to provide teachers with the support they need to make a difference in kids’ lives.

And yes, I was shaped by my experience as a young man coming to terms with being gay in an environment that did not easily accept it.

There are many reasons that I am running for Mayor – and why I have spent 15 years serving Portland as City Commissioner and Mayor Vera Katz’s Chief of Staff. But if I had to pick one, it would be rooted in my life experience. I believe that we have a great city, with natural beauty, great people, vital neighborhoods and a set of progressive values that really set us apart from other places. But in the midst of all this swell stuff, there are people and families who struggle – all too often just out of view, or just out of mind. The rising cost of living and the fact that wages are not keeping pace, is one of the biggest issues facing Portland. When it comes to the workforce, almost half of our students are not graduating from our high schools. If these trends continue we might still have a beautiful city but one where the cost of living and lack of skilled jobs and labor has pushed out its middle-income families with children.

I believe deeply that as a community and a government we have the ability to help people through tough times, to make sure that the benefits of a great city are felt by all those who live in it.

I guess I also feel a special responsibility because someone with my background doesn’t often serve in elected office much less as Mayor of a major U.S. city.

There isn’t space here to go into a list of accomplishments or policy efforts, so I hope you will click on this link to see some of what I have worked on. But I will mention some of the principles I try to work by:

• Take nothing for granted.
• Accept nothing as impossible.
• Keep your mind open to new ideas.
• Never assume – you can link arms and find common cause with the unlikeliest people.
• Work like a rented mule.
• Never forget the people who are too easily forgotten.

Thanks for reading this. Please visit www.samforpdx.com to learn more. And feel free to email me with your ideas on how to make a great city even greater.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Public financing status: Not participating

I'm going to be blunt; Portland is fucked.

There was once a time when we stood as the best city in the world. Brilliant urban planing -- along with an amazing, unique cast of people -- made Portland the place to be. But that city is quickly rotting away.

NW 23ed has been completely overrun by Chain Stores and overpriced Yuppie feeding holes; the self styled "Pearl District" has perverted its self into a mini-Seattle; and housing prices are sky rocketing, from Alberta to Powell, driving out the people and the businesses that once made those places so great. That block of small businesses that
sit next to The Bagdad? They're all being driven out by a 50% rent hike! Really! What the fuck is our city coming to?!

As a native Portlander, I've seen this all unfold. I've seen Portland reduced to a husk of its former self. As a 21 year-old, I feel I have more at stake here then the average political candidate. Sam? Sho? They're old. They'll be dead soon. I'm the one that's going to have to live in the world that that next city council builds. I'm the one that's going to have to worry if I can afford to live here 20 years from now. I'm the one that's going to have to worry if I'm going to want to live here 20 years from now. Is there going to be anything left of the Portland I love? Or just an endless sea of condos and trendy, overpriced clothing boutiques?

That's why I'm running for Mayor. I want to take control of this situation. I want to implement radical new plans, not only halt the gentrification, but to drive the yuppies and hipsters from our city; to encourage the right kind of people to immigrate here; to set new standards for green living and sustainability; and to once again make Portland the best city in the world.

Sho Dozono, Gerhard Watzig, and Beryl McNair did not respond by deadline.

As you may know, conservative radio maven/old biddy DR. LAURA SCHLESSINGER will be performing her one-woman show tonight and tomorrow at the Newmark Theater—so if you can’t afford the $54 bones it requires to sit in the audience and “BOOOOOO!!”, then you may want to join this guy who emailed us yesterday.

Dr. Laura Protest! Are you a biological error?

Tell Dr. Laura that her brand of bigotry is not welcome in Portland.

Notorious, homophobic, hypocritical, bigot, radio host Laura Schlessinger takes her hate on the road and right into your lap!

For two nights this week the Dr. will be appearing at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts- Newmark Theater.

Lets make sure that she knows that you can’t sell hate to Portland!

Please join together in the ArtBar & Bistro (open to the public and located in the rotunda of the very building where she will be performing!) and don your gay apparel for a toast to a Hate Free Town! Lets show the good Dr. what a biological error looks like… come on folks, lets get creative!

Dr. Laura Protest!
Friday Jan. 18th 7:00pm,
SW Broadway & Main Street

http://www.art-bar.com/

This sounds like fun to me! The weird thing about Dr. Laura is she seems to really think she’s got a fair/moderate outlook on things. For such an example, check out this week’s MERCURY WEB EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DR. LAURA, conducted by our own Will Gardner… who certainly isn’t a “gay Dr. Laura apologist,” but he does have a complicated relationship with her.

Aiiieeeee! She’s going to EAT ME!

There’s nary a mention of what city they will be filming the series in, but there’s a casting call in Portland coming up…

Real World Casting Call
Sat Feb 2
10 am-5 pm
City Sports Bar
424 SW 4th

From the press release:

Applicants are asked to bring a recent picture of themselves (which will not be returned) and photo ID. Please be between the ages of 18 and 24 to apply.

“We look for characters from real life; people with strong personalities who are unafraid to speak their minds,” says Jonathan Murray, executive producer of The Real World. Past seasons have been populated with cast members from diverse backgrounds, who have shared their daily experiences openly with millions of viewers.

For Real World’s upcoming 21st season, we are searching for driven, career-minded individuals who will continue to pursue their life goals while on the show. In addition, we are seeking “activists” who are passionate about political, social, or environmental causes.

Visit bunim-murray.com for complete details on how you can apply.

It’s not often that I listen to the radio, but this morning I caught KINK’s twice-a-week “KINK Considers” spot, which is “a combination of radio column and station editorial.” It’s a nice segment—in an era where most radio stations seem completely out of touch with the market they air in, KINK weighs in on very Portland-specific issues. Recently, the radio-torial has tackled issues like whether the Rose Garden’s name should be sold, and gave a “lemon” to TriMet’s Fred Hansen when he first proposed limiting Fareless Square’s hours.

“Hansen told City Club that he no longer wanted TriMet to give free rides to panhandlers, drug dealers, gangs, homeless people and drunks. While we support Hansen’s overall effort to improve security, we don’t think homeless people should just be lumped in with the rest.” Right on, KINK!

But today’s spot echoed an editorial line I’ve heard a few times now. Since Erik Sten has resigned—he’ll leave office after just 16 months of a four year term—and since he won the seat with the help of public financing, should he pay back at least part of the $173,000 he used during the 2006 election?

KINK, after outlining the many things Sten has done for Portland, says he should pay us back:

…we owe Erik Sten. But we think he owes us too. When he ran for reelection in 2006 there was an implied contract that he would serve four years, not leave when he got bored. Unlike Congressman Earl Blumenauer who left City Council midterm to move up to a position that would clearly benefit the city, Sten will go to the private sector, maybe here, maybe somewhere else. The City can’t demand that Sten pay his campaign contribution back to taxpayers, but we think he should.

I think the logic is completely wrong. Yes, Sten isn’t finishing his four year term—but we aren’t going to pay him for a four year term, either.

And public financing does not carry an implied contract that anyone using the system and paying for a campaign is going to serve four years. What if Sten had lost to Ginny Burdick? Would he have owed the entire pot of money back to the city?

And what about the race for the seat Sam Adams is vacating? One candidate is certified as a publicly financed candidate, and as many as four more candidates for that seat could qualify (one turned in 1,001 signatures today, and the other three aren’t far behind). That’s five candidates for one seat, each picking up $150,000 in city money to run. Only one will actually win the seat (and it could be Mike Fahey, who isn’t running under the system, or another candidate who jumps in before the March 11 deadline). That means up to four or five publicly financed candidates won’t serve a four year term—will they owe the city every penny they spent to not serve the taxpayers? Nope.

It’s pretty simple: Publicly financing pays for campaigns. They aren’t paying for someone’s four years of service. In Sten’s case, his $173,000 paid for exactly what we knew it was paying for—a clean money campaign. That he happened to win with that campaign is a separate issue, and his resignation is twice removed from the public financing issue.

KINK is probably right about one thing, though—this non-issue is something we’ll “be hearing about” again, “when the system comes up for a public vote.”

My boyfriend, who as anyone who’s ever come over for dinner knows, is an outstanding chef, heard about this spooky method of preparing steak: Against all convention, you take a nice ribeye, and you leave it uncovered in the fridge, on a mesh tray, or something that will allow the air to flow all around it. Leave it like that for a few days (ours was there for four), and then cook it very rare. The crusty shell that forms around it while it’s sitting in the fridge supposedly locks in the flavors or some such thing. The difference is said to be substantial.

Well, we cooked it up last night, after being a little disappointed at how un-gross the meat actually looked. We were hoping for some mold or gunk, but it really just looked dry. Unfortunately, and possibly due to the wine we were swigging, the steak ended up way overcooked. It was fine, and we ate it, but we basically jacked up the experiment and now we still don’t know if it works. Has anyone tried this? Successfully? Is it really worth it?

Spindrift. Yeah, I know, it sort of sounds like a washing machine setting. Or the sequel to this movie. Instead, Spindrift is a band from Los Angeles with one helluva new record, The Legend of God’s Gun. Here’s what I wrote about them in this week’s issue.

The Legend of God’s Gun soundtrack borrows from the Ennio Morricone playbook; grizzled renegade cowboys light matches across their coarse stubble on their way to some dusty shootout in the ol’ corral. Except in Spindrift’s world, things are really trippy. It’s like a shootout at Burning Man, or dueling with Gram Parsons at Joshua Tree. The stark tumbleweed and dust are present, but they’re trumped by the synapse-frying effects of all those psychedelics you just took.

Spindrift’s songs feel downright vintage in nature and each instrumental track builds with frantic recklessness, before dropping out completely into softer, nearly ambient, tones. The songs of God’s Gun transition from guns-a-blazin’ shootouts to mellow tripping, all within a few minutes. The lows are so low they might as well re-title the film A Fistful of Downers. Meanwhile the highs swell with a natural machismo that begs for a cinematic moment to match their brilliant nature. A villain ominously standing in the swinging doors of the saloon? A knife fight over some stolen horses? The options are endless.

MP3:
Spindrift - Preacher’s Theme

PURCHASE:
Spindrift - The Legend of God’s Gun

Spindrift perform tonight at East End (203 SE Grand), and at Revolver Studios (532 SE Ankeny) on Sun Jan 20.

Spin and drift on over to End Hits, the Mercury music blog.

So what happens in Oregon when one protected species starts eating another protected species? You shoot one of them in the face. That’s the plan being considered now by scientists and anglers who are fed up with rampaging sea lions gobbling up salmon as they queue for the escalator over the Bonneville Dam.

One of the victims of the infamous San Francisco tiger attack now admits that he and his friends were yelling and taunting the tiger like a bunch of drunk dumbasses. Low and behold, they turned around to see said tiger leaping at them from behind a bush. Perhaps we should just chalk this up to natural selection.

Obama is now yucking it up in Las Vegas with a stand-up routine that has audiences laughing, as he pokes fun at Clinton and political double-speak.

And the world of chess is kind of saddened by the death of oddball chess master Bobby Fisher. “Chess is war on a board,” he once said. “The object is to crush the other man’s mind.” Too true, Mr. Fisher, too true.

-Jenny Furniss

I’m at the Auditor’s office, bright at early, to catch John Branam as he turns in his 1,000 contributions and signatures. He’s the second candidate to turn in 1,000 in his bid for public financing.

I missed Amanda Fritz’s turn in—it was over the Christmas break, and I was out of town. But, as luck would have it, Fritz was at the Auditor’s office this morning, picking up her certification as a publicly financed candidate. While she doesn’t have a check in her hands quite yet, the certification means she will very shortly—and she can already start spending it on things like a campaign office.

To that end, Fritz says her campaign has located a great space: The old Waitresses Union building in the Hollywood District.

Back to Branam. Technically speaking, he turned in his 1,001st signature. “Obviously, we’re going to keep going,” he says.

He still plans to go door-to-door this weekend, and has five house parties scheduled next week, plus a movie night. He believes he’ll end up turning in an extra 200 as a cushion, to make sure 1,000 are valid.

With thanks to those who sent in their ideas:
POTTER: Curiosity incarnate…

I can’t tell you what’s been discussed at the racial profiling committee this afternoon, because I’ve agreed to keep the conversation off the record. I took the decision a few months ago on the basis that the committee considered barring the media altogether.

The idea of today’s conversations between the community and the police is to discuss some of the real issues relating to racial profiling that both sides are afraid to talk about on record, or be quoted on.

Needless to say, the conversation has been fascinating. It’s touched on racial stereotypes and prejudices in a way more honest than I’ve ever seen in this city. Emotion has been running high, and at times I’ve felt extremely uncomfortable, even listening to what’s being said. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for those participating, and I salute their bravery in doing so.

I just wish I could tell you about it.

Incidentally, last night, Police Chief Rosie Sizer and Oregon Action Director Jo Ann Bowman presented to the mayor on the progress of the committee. I was not there to see it, because the session looked to be going extremely late, and I had a Flexcar to return by 8pm. Shame. I’d have thought 2 hours would be enough for the council to get there, which shows how naive I am.

Bowman, it’s understood, told the mayor that the committee wants to hold a two day retreat, focused on outcomes, and to hold a conference on racial profiling issues. She also wants to hold more community sessions. Sizer, it’s understood, recommended hiring a technical writer to work on the police plan to end racial profiling, and forming a group within the Bureau to implement the police plan within the organization.

Seriously though, I wish I could tell you what’s been said here today. It was far, far more important and relevant to the issue at hand. But I’m aware of how sensitive the discussion is, and how my reporting on it could thwart the process. It’s conflicting. Your thoughts?

This week’s question—from reader Jasun Wurster—tackles the PDC’s urban renewal areas.

What are your thoughts on the Portland Development Commission’s eleven Urban Renewal Areas? More specifically, would you support extending the following Urban Renewal Areas when they reach their expiration date (dates are from the PDC’s website)—three would expire during your term:

* Downtown Waterfront - 2008

* South Park Blocks - 2008

* Airport Way - May 2011

* Oregon Convention Center - June 2013

* Lents Town Center - 2015

Also, why would they support to extend or let the above URA’s lapse?

From what I hear, Charles Lewis was ecstatic about this question. So much so, that he not only shot and edited a video while in Namibia, Africa, but he was also the first to respond:

Charles Lewis
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: charleslewis.com
Public financing status: “Over a 1,000 signatures and counting,” according to his campaign.

Lewis’ challengers are after the cut. Send question suggestions to me in the comments, or via email.

Chris Smith
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: citizensmith.us
Public financing status: 932 signatures & contributions, according to Smith

I think we’re asking the wrong question. District-based Urban Renewal is no longer working for Portland. The City certainly needs to continue to make investments, but they don’t fall conveniently into ‘blighted districts’. Indeed the definition of blight is now so flexible that I think we can declare any property blighted!

And the needs for investment don’t just fall in the 15% of the City (a statutory limit) covered by districts, they are all over the city. This is a huge matter of equity.

I would like to lead the conversation to shift to a City-wide capital budgeting process as a replacement for Urban Renewal. In such a system the School Districts and County would be voluntary partners, not dragged along for the ride. As we design the replacement for Urban Renewal, we can work out the transition process that will phase out the current districts. In general I do believe the first three districts have largely accomplished their missions and should close soon, although I am not committed to exact dates as I know there is still considerable discussion in the community about the specifics. And some portion of the two downtown districts may be appended to the River District.

Amanda Fritz
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: amandafritzforcitycouncil.com
Public financing status: Has filed request for certification.

Urban Renewal Areas (URAs) have helped Portland thrive while other city centers continue to decay. Public investment in the districts promotes private development. Both improve blighted areas, and rising property values will eventually generate revenue for the city.

"Eventually" is the key word. Even after the expiration date of a district, it will take ten to twenty years to pay off the debts. Extending the timeline and maximum indebtedness in Urban Renewal Areas is like taking out a second mortgage on a home. There might be good reasons to do it, but is it really the best choice?

Each year, urban renewal districts use $59 million in property taxes collected within the districts. About $24 million is diverted from the City's general fund, and $19 million from Multnomah County services. Renewing, extending, and expanding Urban Renwal Areas impacts the ability to pay for necessary infrastructure and services in the rest of the city and county.

Two Citizen Advisory groups are currently formulating recommendations on whether to add more debt, more time, and/or more land to existing urban renewal areas. The arguments that have been presented so far have not yet convinced me of the value of extending or expanding the first four districts listed in the question, but I will wait to hear citizen testimony before making final decisions on each one.

In addition to capturing funds generated within the districts, the four areas together currently receive $14.5 million annually from citywide property taxes (check the line item on the back of your property tax statement). Other neighborhoods may have greater needs for infrastructure improvements and basic services than urban renewal districts that are no longer truly "blighted". Some or all of these districts may now thrive without borrowing more money to fund public projects. Downtown Waterfront began in 1974, and has already been extended. These factors must be weighed against valid goals to fund worthy projects with long-term public benefits.

In Lents, I believe there may be a good case for extending the timeline and debt level. Many community leaders feel Lents was funded too conservatively, and now lacks enough investment capacity to complete the goal of creating a vibrant commercial and employment center. I am less convinced that expanding the boundaries of the Lents URA makes sense - but again, I want to hear the Advisory Committee's recommendations, and more from affected neighbors, before drawing firm conclusions. City Commissioners should not ask citizens to provide advice without the honest intention to consider it.

This is a complicated issue. I invite you to read more information on my campaign blog, and add your comments there.

Jeff Bissonnette
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: portlandersforjeff.com
Public financing status: 660 signatures in hand, according to Bissonnette

I am supportive of Urban Renewal Areas (URA) as a tool to focus resources on specific areas to accomplish specific economic and development goals within the targeted area. However, we need to realize that by establishing an Urban Renewal Area, we are directing resources into that area and making those resources unavailable to support city services or make other investments.

With that understanding, as an Urban Renewal Area reaches its expiration date, I will look to see whether the goals that were put in place in establishing the URA have been achieved. If they have, I will be inclined to advocate for letting the URA designation expire and recapturing those tax dollars for other purposes. If the goals have not been accomplished, I will work to explore, with my council colleagues as well as residents and businesses within the URA, whether those goals remain relevant and if more time is needed to accomplish the URA's purpose. Allowing the expiration of a URA designation, or not, will need to be done on a case-by-case basis.

There is a specific proposal for an Urban Renewal Area that has is worthy of discussion here, even though its expiration date is relatively far away. The River District URA was created in September 1998 and is slated to last until October 2020. As most Portlanders know, the fomer industrial area that was redeveloped and revitalized and is now known as the Pearl has been wildly successful, largely because it has received targeted resources since it is part of the River District URA. In fact, the Pearl's development has been so successful that an active proposal suggests adding part of the David Douglas School District to the River District URA as a "satellite district" in order to send some of the River District URA funds to the school district. The theory is that because development has caused property values to soar in and around the Pearl, families are moving to East Portland and putting pressure on institutions like David Douglas with increased demand for services. The school district cannot afford to build classrooms to meet the increased demand. The idea is controversial because no other URA is separated geographically like this "satellite district" proposes to be.

I appreciate the creativity behind the proposal and agree with its overall purpose: to have the economic benefits of development in one area help fund needed services in another. However, before I would vote in favor of such a proposal, I have concerns about its legality that I would want to investigate thoroughly. And I am not sure that having this type of "satellite district" is the best way to prioritize funds. That is best accomplished through the city budget process. If there is indeed enough money being generated in an Urban Renewal Area to re-distribute to another area in the city, then the first step should be to explore whether we might end the designation early, capture the increased revenues from the improved tax base and prioritize investment another area, like the area served by David Douglas. I am in full support of designating areas in East Portland or other outer neighborhoods as targets for investment and development. But I would rather do it in a more straightforward manner.

John Branam
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: john4pdx.org
Public financing status: Over 900 signatures & contributions

I believe Urban Renewal Areas (URAs) can give a much-needed shot in the arm to specific neighborhoods. In their best iteration, URAs have helped boost the business and residential vitality of Portland's communities. This is important because two of my campaign's focus areas are just that: economic development and healthy neighborhoods. Portland's URAs are therefore one element of an overall strategy to achieve a better Portland.

That said, it's important to note that URAs are not the panacea for all of Portland's most challenged neighborhoods, particularly given the broader effects they have on our city. Most importantly, the Portland Development Commission (PDC) and the City must maintain a precise approach throughout the life of each URA, and must continually evaluate the degree to which we're achieving the broader goals of economic and neighborhood development. Too, since a significant percentage of PDC's staff are paid through URA revenues, it is also important for us to be extraordinarily careful to ensure that we're focused exclusively on doing what's in the best interest of our neighbors and neighborhoods.

I believe our general approach should be to allow URAs to expire so that we're forced to reconsider the needs of other challenged Portland neighborhoods. One possible exception is our downtown, whose success is essential to Portland's vitality and where there will always be challenges of less expensive land outside of the city's core.

Our reality is that we have limited funding for city and regional projects. Extending URAs diverts revenue streams away from other critical partners like the county and our school districts; all of whose health is imperative to a vibrant Portland. In real ways, URAs can position neighborhoods against neighborhoods and, in some cases, school districts against school districts. Our actions, therefore, must be precise and done in the context of our big-picture goals for a better Portland.

In short, I will support extending Urban Renewal Areas only in cases where there are compelling, specific and documented reasons that I could clearly justify to Portland's taxpayers.

I’m curious how the Portland Business Alliance feels about the proposal to cut back Fareless Square’s hours. On one hand, there are plenty of businesses who’ve already spoken up in favor of keeping Fareless Square 24/7—or who haven’t spoken up, but can certainly be counted on to be in favor of late-night Fareless Square (like the Trailblazers).

On the other hand, the PBA has long been concerned with the safety and security of downtown. Perhaps anecdotes from PBA members are driving TriMet’s assertation that there’s a security problem associated with fareless transit after dark?

I asked Megan Doern, PBA spokesperson, where the organization falls.

They haven’t made a decision yet, she said. The PBA has put together a task force—headed up by a rep from OHSU, which is outside of Fareless Square, and stocked with members who aren’t directly impacted by the decision (so the Trailblazers are not deciding the PBA’s position). They’ve met once, Doern says, and she’s going to get back to me on whether they’ll reach a conclusion before TriMet general manager Fred Hansen makes his pitch to the TriMet board, which will happen later this month, or in late February. According to Doern, however, the PBA is taking a bigger picture look at Fareless Square—more in line with what Hansen has said is step two, after he cuts back Fareless Square.

BikePortland.org’s Jonathan Maus met up with new city council candidate Jim Middaugh yesterday, to check out his bike cred—and see how he’d stack up as a city commissioner. Maus’ conclusion?

What impressed me about Middaugh is his breadth of experience on a range of issues that are complementary, but not solely focused on bikes. In fact, for most of our chat we didn’t even mention bikes or the bike culture at all.

With Middaugh, it seems we have the opportunity to elect a city commissioner that can broaden bike issues far beyond the “Four E’s” of engineering, enforcement, encouragement and education.

If we really want to take bikes to the next level here in Portland, we’ve got to talk about them in a larger context than just bike lanes and Bridge Pedal; and it seems Middaugh is precisely the type of guy that can help us do that.

There’s a lot more, and great photos, here.

Meanwhile, Middaugh is scrambling to gather up 1,000 $5 contributions and signatures by January 31—which is just two weeks away. You can find him gathering contributions on Sunday night at Lucky Lab in SE (915 SE Hawthorne), with U.S. Representative Peter Defazio, from 5:30 to 7:30.

I understand that the writers’ strike has TV networks struggling for content. But there’s an obvious solution: Get your content from the world-wide masters of the medium, the Japanese! Check out these classic clips from a Japanese hidden camera show, and tell me: “Instead of American Idol, wouldn’t you much rather watch an emu assault a man in a urinal?”

The City Auditor, Gary Blackmer, just told this Mercury reporter: “I think you’re despicable,” and “fuck you,” in the corridor at City Hall, in front of a witness. To say Blackmer was verging on violence would be going too far, but his manner was certainly unprofessional and bizarre. Indeed, I was concerned I might be called upon to defend myself. BLACKMER: “FUCK YOU…”

What’s he so upset about? Specifically, this line in our news lede about racial disparity in the cops’ use of force numbers:

Handelman is concerned that a report on use of force released last spring by the Independent Police Review (IPR) chose not to include data on race for this reason.

“I just hope the IPR and the police bureau didn’t keep hold of this data for so long because the numbers are so skewed,” he says.

IPR Director Leslie Stevens and City Auditor Gary Blackmer declined to comment.

Meanwhile Blackmer’s colleague, IPR director Leslie Stevens, sent this email:

It is an outright lie to write to that I declined to comment to Handleman’s irresponsible and dishonest insinuations that I had data and chose not to release it. The Use of Force Report clearly states and I confirmed to you that we never RECEIVED the data. You will be getting no comments from me in the future.

It’s frustrating to receive such a forthright response to one’s reporting after having made extensive efforts to get comments from both parties on the eve of publication of this story, and been met with a wall of silence. Read more after the jump.

Messages were left via voice mail and through an assistant for both Auditor Blackmer and IPR director Leslie Stevens, to which the only response we received was the following non-comment from IPR Director Stevens, quoting 2 lines of an earlier use of force report. At 5:36pm on January 14, she wrote:

Hi Matt. I understand you wanted to know why there was no racial breakdown on force statistics and whether IPR was sitting on those numbers. The answer is on page 3 of the report:

"The Task Force did not receive or analyze suspect data such as gender, race, or age. The Task Force agreed a meaningful analysis in this area would not be possible within the time or funding provided for this project."

Nothing more than that. Let me know if that does not answer your questions.

Leslie

If I wanted a quote from the report, I could lift it from there. So I responded, sending this email at 5:52:

Hi Leslie

The racial profiling committee has just started looking at the use of force numbers broken down by race.

They show a trend—30% of those who had guns pointed at them between 2004-6 were African American.

Handelman says he sincerely hopes the IPR didn't decide to sit on these numbers back in the Spring for fear of the controversy they might provoke.

I was hoping you could hit back.

Best

Matt

When Auditor Blackmer confronted me in the corridor he said "we did give you a comment," to which I responded, "no you did not. you gave me two lines quoted from the original report." That was when he said: "Fuck you."

I don't feel I've got anything to apologize for. I told Stevens I wasn't happy with her response and didn't receive a phone call to discuss my follow-up email. To say the auditor and IPR director declined comment is fair, and I would challenge them to state publicly, here, why they did not. Defensive non-cooperation is not what I expect of our civil servants. Blackmer has just emailed all elected officials, and our editor, as follows:

I will not respond to any communications from Matt Davis of the Portland Mercury in the future. The email from Leslie Stevens below clearly responds to the question he asked, and asks if his question is answered. I was copied in her response. His subsequent hope that she would "hit" Dan Handelman did not constitute a clear request for more information in either of our minds.

His story in the Mercury stated, "IPR Director Leslie Stevens and City
Auditor Gary Blackmer declined to comment." When I saw him in City Hall a
few minutes ago I called him despicable and he said two lines from Leslie
Stevens do not constitute a comment. I then lost my temper and swore at
him. In the future Leslie Stevens and I will only respond to him through
one of my staff.

Gary Blackmer

This strikes me as at worst a misunderstanding. I cannot comprehend the reasons for Blackmer's over-zealous response. What do you think, readers? Am I a piece of shit journalist? Incidentally, this is the best email I have ever gotten from a city official. I will frame it.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Easier Than Reading, your weekly music podcast that keeps you in the know on what shows are happening around town. Ezra Ace Caraeff, the host you’ve come to know and love, has retired from the show, now that his hands are full with the Mercury’s new kick-ass music blog, End Hits. Stepping in to fill his shoes as host for Easier Than Reading is Andrew R. Tonry. Tune in to this week’s show and hear music from Swim Swam Swum (pictured above), Citay, Dan Deacon, & Circle Jerks.

Another week, another Mercury music section to read while you think about the UFOs hovering over Texas. “Are they drunk?”

Dan Deacon tells us all about his trip to Europe. Oh sure, when I went to London when I was 16 and my girlfriend dumped me hours after getting off the plane, no one published my journal about it. Then again, that’s probably a good thing.
MP3: Dan Deacon - Lion with a Sharks Head “demostration version”

Although he didn’t say it, Jeremy Enigk would like to apologize for unleashing the snarling beast known as “emo” upon the masses. He is very sorry. He was so young back then, and he needed the money.
MP3: Jeremy Enigk - Canons

Could there be a better way to live than spending yours days playing dooming metal and smoking weed? I’m sure OM do more than that, they probably mix in some Xbox or something.
MP3: OM - To the Shrinebuilder (Live in Toronto, 2006)

Want more references to teenagers getting dumped, apologetic emo, and lazy jokes about heshers smoking weed? End Hits.

Cloverfield starts screening at midnight tonight, and I can’t think of a better time and setting to check out what’s looking to be one of the most interesting films of 2008. If you’re at all curious about the film, I’d recommend not reading anything else about it and just going and checking it out as soon as you can. See it on a big screen, and see it in a full theater. Then let me know what you think—on Monday, I’ll put up some sort of “What’d you think about Cloverfield” post or something here on Blogtown—and that’ll be that.

I saw the flick Tuesday night, and the more I think about it, the more I like it, and the more I wonder how it’s going to be received. The hype on this picture has been immense, and by the time the end credits roll, I’m not sure whether audience members are gonna be stoked, or relieved, or disappointed, or confused. (There were people with all those reactions at the screening I attended.) In some ways, Cloverfield is little more than a pop blockbuster, a monster adventure flick. In other ways, it’s incredibly inventive and clever and witty and creepy, and pretty much one of the weirdest/ballsiest/coolest mainstream movies I’ve seen in a really long time.

I think the thing I like the most about it is its sense of immersive spectacle: I didn't get a chance to really go into this in my review, but the most astounding thing is just how engrossing the handheld camera makes the film. (I can't get one scene--all I'll say is that it takes place on the Brooklyn Bridge--out of my head.) The camera's not like the one in Blair Witch, where it feels gimmicky; here, once you get past the novelty of the format, which takes maybe 15 or 20 minutes, you really feel like you're in the film, running along with these kids, astonished and bewildered and excited by what's going on. I won't go into it a lot, 'cause honestly the experience of seeing this stuff for yourself, and catching totally believable glimpses of stuff that's strange and epic and unbelievable, is what sells it. But the way that director Matt Reeves has the camera catch blurs and hints of what's going on during this really bad day in New York feels accurate and engrossing, and the fact that what's going on is incredibly huge and bizarre and incomprehensible just adds to Cloverfield's hypnotic tone. There's stuff that's just as big as what happens in Independence Day or The Poseidon Adventure or whatever in Cloverfield, but the point of view is totally different--here, we're down on the ground, we're with people we like, we're being shepherded around by an overwhelmed military, we're learning what little we can from TV, we're running and hiding--and it changes everything.

This, along with The Host, is what monster movies should be like: Inventive and daring and weird and fun. Everybody's seen some dude in a rubber Godzilla suit tear through miniature cardboard buildings a thousand times; focusing on the human element of what's going on makes this sort of escapist adventure feel not only far less tired, but also opens up whole new ways to watch these sort of genre movies--whether it's paying attention to The Host's swipes at political allegory or getting caught up in Cloverfield's exploitation/satirization of our video-soaked culture. Cloverfield shamelessly takes stuff from Godzilla and Alien and a dozen similar films, but still, it somehow feels like nothing we've really seen before. So yeah. Go see it, and come back on Monday. I'm curious to see what people think.

Amy’s Blind Spot Of Justice feature this week makes for troubling reading. She’s out reporting this morning but here’s our first letter to the editor on the subject:

Dear MERCURY,

In response to the article about the horrible death of Tracey Sparling: I am confident that the District Attorney and the Police Department carried out a complete and thorough investigation regarding all of these unfortunate incidences. Each of these drivers will live with the knowledge that they unfortunately killed someone. Isn’t this consequence enough? No amount of prosecution or citations given will ever bring these individuals back. While my heart goes out to the pedestrians, bicyclists and their families, my heart also goes out to the motorists involved in these case. I cannot find any reason to bring on more pain, agony and suffering to the motorists. Lets not forget that these individuals and their families will live with these deaths for a long time. As a pedestrian myself I have to assume that the these drivers may or may not see me and that I have proceed with caution. After all, a vehicle, no matter the size, can do a whole lot more damage to me than I can to them.

Chuck

Something tells me the family was thinking a prosecution might be a fair way to end their “pain, agony and suffering.” But I could be wrong. Your thoughts?

A controversial proposal by Commissioner Randy Leonard to open a second temporary day access center for the homeless on NW 5th is off the table.
SIT/LIE COMMITTEE: “Spinning its wheels,” to quote one member this morning…

“Unfortunately the timing wasn’t the best,” Old Town Cop Jeff Myers [pictured center, above] told the mayor’s Street Access For Everyone (SAFE) committee this morning—referring to resistance to the new center from Old Town neighbors, including one of the SAFE group’s own members, Doreen Binder, Executive Director of Transition Projects. Myers had been working with Leonard on the new center.

“Is it really worth doing the leg work to find a second center if we’re just going to be fighting against each other?” asked a representative of the Lloyd Business Improvement District. Binder was not present at this morning’s meeting.

“It’s dead,” said Monica Goracke of the Oregon Law Center.

SAFE needs another temporary day access center—the current one at the Julia West House on SW 13th and Alder is overloaded and struggling to cope. But Erik Sten’s effort to locate a permanent homeless center on block 25 is also picking up steam, and neighbors say they don’t want two more social service centers in their district. SAFE has $50,000 to spend on such a center, but it’s proving almost impossible for the group to find one, which is frustrating for all involved.

“It really is up to this group to give me some direction,” said Myers. The search for a second space continues.

This is a bit odd…

So unless you are this guy, you know that Apple just launched a new laptop, the ridiculously slim MacBook Air. The thinnovative (their world, not mine) laptop is supposedly able to slide into a standard manila envelope.

That is where local musician YACHT (his mom calls him Jona Bechtolt) and his special lady friend, Claire L. Evans, come into the picture. The two launched their own model of carrying case for the MacBook Air, it’s called AirMail, and it has taken off, so to speak. Their basic looking case has generated tons of press here, here, here, oh, and here as well.

I’d gladly test out AirMail on my new MacBook Air, but sadly I do not have one. The Mercury makes me work on this laptop.

So how did Bechtolt and Evans celebrate their newfound success in the world of Apple accessories? Like anyone else would, they moved to Marfa, Texas. There, Bechtolt is “working on two new albums over the next two months. Then we come home to Portland before touring more.”

When laptop musicians makes laptop bags, End Hits is all over it.

In this week’s issue of the Mercury, John Motely writes about Hap Tivey’s solo show at the Elizabeth Leach Gallery. Tivey has experimented with the formal and perceptual qualities of light since the late ’60s, and creates LED sculptures that function almost like self-illuminating, flickering, and kinetic paintings. John calls the pieces “mesmerizing,” “sensuous,” and “disorienting,” and muses that several of the pieces, “the edges of shapes appear almost liquid. One half-expects the forms, like those in a lava lamp, to break apart and reassemble in some inevitably fluid motion.”

Tomorrow night, Fri Dec 18, the gallery is hosting a reception for Tivey from 5:30-7:30 pm, and the artist will hold an informal gallery talk at 6 pm. Once you see the pieces, you’ll surely have questions, so tomorrow night is a perfect time to catch this show.

The Elizabeth Leach Gallery is located at 417 NW 9th, and Tivey’s show runs through March 1.

It may have been 31 years since Milos Forman shot One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Oregon State Hospital in Salem, but a new Department of Justice report released yesterday says the hospital is still violating patients’ constitutional right to good care.
NURSE RATCHED: Ken Kesey’s archetypal mental health ‘nurse’…

From the O:

Issues included patient-to-patient assault, repeated suicide attempts by patients who were supposed to receive one-to-one monitoring, and questionable use of restraint and seclusion to control violent or suicidal behavior. Other problems, the report said, included improper medication and disease control procedures and inadequate planning that delayed patients’ recovery and discharge.

“After the extensive investigation by the Department of Justice, the Oregon State Hospital is revealed to be nothing but a warehouse,” says Jason Renaud of the Mental Health Association.

“If this report is true every employee at the state hospital should submit their resignation immediately,” Renaud continues. “These charges are damning, devastating, and expose irresponsible and inexcusable clinical management. These practice are the diametrically opposite of best practice - criminal practice.”

“As mental health advocates, we’ve heard tales for years about poor medication care, of falls, self-abuse, patient-on-patient injuries, of poor nursing care, poor medical care, and poor discharge planning at the Oregon State Hospital. Tales were true - treatment was replaced by punishment. This investigation confirms decades of mismanagement by thousands of state employees.”

You can download the report at the O’s website. Try not to let it ruin your week/month/year. Hey, at least it won’t ruin your entire life—unless, of course, you’re sufficiently depressed by it to end up in the hospital.

It’s Thursday, January 17… GET THAT NEWS ON!

• After being accused of destroying tapes in which they allegedly tortured terror suspects, the CIA has finally found their scapegoat. PHEW! Now can we PLEASE move on?

• A U.S. company claims it has used cloning technology to make five human embryos. Finally, the Spice Girl reunion we’ve been waiting for!

• McCain holds a steady lead in South Carolina, followed by Huckabee and Thompson, leading Mitt Romney to say, “What am I? Mormon chopped liver?”

• Geologists noticed a small earthquake and a bit of steam popping out of Mount St. Helens. You know what to do. PANIC!!!

• Newlyweds Eddie Murphy and Tracy Edmunds have called it quits after only two weeks of marriage. Oh, you nutty, nutty professor!

• And finally, in “Hillbilly News,” is it some kind of CRIME to drive your lawnmower down the highway to get beer for your wife who has threatened to stab you in the face? BEHOLD, THE FUNNIEST HILLBILLY BUST YOU ARE EVER LIKELY TO SEE.

A friend who couldn’t make last night’s TriMet meeting asked where she could send her emailed comments.

From the bottom of the page with public meeting info, here’s TriMet contact info.

Mail: TriMet-MK2, 4012 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202

Email: comments@trimet.org

Phone: 503-962-5806

Fax: 503-962-6469

TTY: 503-238-5811, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays

Funny, though. The html for the email address on TriMet’s page is messed up; Instead of a “mailto:” tag, it says “maito:”—which means if you try to click on it to send TriMet a note, your browser pops up an error window.

Which reminds me of something one guy said at last night’s meeting. He compared the outreach and thoroughness on TriMet’s part when the agency was deciding where to temporarily move the bus mall during construction. There were signs all over downtown, at every bus stop, alerting riders to the impending decision, and letting them know how to weigh in.

Too bad there’s not a similar effort to let people know about the possible Fareless Square change.

(If you send something to TriMet, copy it in the comments, too!)

I thought TriMet officials would have gotten the message that citizens practically shouted at them earlier today: A contracted facilitator behind a table at the front of a room is not a public hearing. When people give public testimony, they want to be heard—directly—by the person who put forth the proposal (at the least), and ideally the entire body that will be deciding on the proposal. Anything less than that is disrespectful to citizen’s time testifying.

Perhaps TriMet staff will slog through the entire five-plus hours of transcript, but I’m hard pressed to believe that TriMet general manager Fred Hansen will read it all before he takes his Fareless Square cutback proposal to the TriMet board. (Prove me wrong, Fred!)

One TriMet board member, Bob Williams—appointed by the governor to represent Clackamas County—did attend part of tonight’s hearing; the facilitator pointed him out. “If there was any doubt that TriMet is listening, that should quell that doubt,” he said. Williams appeared to leave after about an hour. So much for that.

TriMet’s Carolyn Young opened the meeting again, and tried her darndest to argue that TriMet cared about the testimony. “There are several people from TriMet here to listen tonight,” she said, before joining the two that she pointed out at the back of the room. “Thank you so much for coming out, and we are here to listen.”

If they did listen, they heard the same thing as at the earlier hearing:

1) No one believes that curtailing Fareless Square will do anything for public safety, as Hansen is pitching the idea
2) People want data and statistics from TriMet showing them otherwise, if it’s true
3) Portlanders love Fareless Square
4) Why the hell was no one from TriMet at the front of the room?

Little old ladies who live downtown argued that Fareless Square is their lifeline for getting around. The Downtown Neighborhood Association showed their support for Hansen's other public safety proposals, but decried anything that limits Fareless Square. Daniel Freedman of the DNA said: "TriMet seems to think that having North America's largest farefree zone is an anachronism and an embarrassment rather than a source of civic pride."

Tonight, however, John Charles, head of the libertarian Cascade Policy Institute, got up to blast Fareless Square. "I think we should get rid of the whole thing," he said, making the case that people—himself included—use the fareless area to hop on the bus for just a few stops, which then slows down the bus and other downtown traffic (because the bus keeps pulling over, I guess... though it's TriMet policy to stop at all downtown stops), which makes the whole system less efficient, which costs TriMet all kinds of money in employee wages, their largest budget item. Whew!

Again, a city council candidate spoke near the end, and did a marvelous job. Tonight, it was Chris Smith. First he spoke in his more official capacity—I believe as a member of the Metro Policy Advisory Committee Portland Streetcar Citizen Advisory Committee—noting that "there are valid reasons to reevaluate Fareless Square." But that's a big job, and shouldn't be done without consulting all of the stakeholders.

Putting on his candidate hat, he had more pointed words.

The current process is "creating the impression that they are taking the media hype around some very high publicized incidents and trying to drive policy" with that hype," he said, adding, "I'm embarrassed that there are no members of TriMet's governing body here listening to citizens."

Old Town neighbors have turned on Erik Sten’s proposal made last week, to give the district $400m in urban renewal money if they’ll agree to move forward with an access center for the homeless on block 25, between 3rd and 4th at Flanders and Glisan in Northwest Portland.

The neighbors now say they want the cente