Fresh from the New York Comic Con, MTV’s snagged the teaser for Frank Miller’s cinematic adaptation of The Spirit, Will Eisner’s beloved, revered comic. It feels oddly familiar.

Via AICN.

We had a bunch of slackers this week—myself included. This post went up, backdated, a few days late, and missing quite a few mayoral candidates. They apparently aren’t big fans of bridge debates.

Proponents of reusing the Sauvie Island Bridge to cross I-405 at NW Flanders will gather this evening at 5pm to rally in support of the project and take walking and biking tours along 15th, Glisan, 16th and Everett.

The event will begin at the edge of the freeway with a brief orientation of the bridge relocation proposal. Short tours of the streets surrounding the proposed bridge relocation site will highlight current challenges and opportunities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and everyone using these streets.

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com

Hmm…another BRIDGE question from Amy. My 1966 Random House unaBRIDGED Dictionary recommends the past tense of “shine” as “shone” unless it refers to meaning 9 or 10, which is not the usage here. Maybe her dictionary is different, or Wm. Steve lays down the law on irregular verbs. Whatever.

I have worked this issue heavily on blogmayor.com already, but refuse to cop a Sam and just refer voters to my web site. That said, a SHORT rant here from BLOGMAYOR is overdue!

The idea of Flanders as a bike boulevard is good, but highway bridges are not interchangeable light bulbs. Each is unique, designed for a specific crossing, to carry specific loads, at a specific period of time.

Trying to reuse old Sauvie is a non-starter in every way. A new bridge would use less material, allow old Sauvie to be de-leaded and recycled into lots of reinforcing bar, be cheaper and MUCH more aesthetic from all aspects.

Planning and costing stem from an odd proposal that Sam was against in 2006. No firm figures have been developed since. There never was any reason to try to ram it through as an emergency ordinance. Mayor Tom skunked Commish Sam on this one. BTA’s helmet-heads should cool their clipless pedals and urge the City to hire Gary Rayor, who designed the fabulous trio on Springwater, to promote a great new crossing of I 405 at Flanders.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

The Sauvie/I-405 bridge proposal represents one of the most important chooses our city will make this decade. It is imperative that it passes, and it pains me that there are still people out there who oppose it. Other proponents have already laid out the financial facts of the situation, so please give me a chance now to explain how this bridge fits into our city's future.

All other detail aside, our city has one goal: to drive up property values. It needs to do this so that it can collect property taxes, and use the tax money to help the people who can no longer afford to live in the city.

The only way to raise property values is attract spoiled yuppie types to our city. With the growing divide between the rich and the poor, there are only so many of these people left. We, as a city, must compete to bring them here. How do we do that? By offering something "alternative".

You see, despite their interest in "culture", yuppies kill off anything remotely interesting. It's like they emit a cloud of bleach that just sucks the color out of everything around them. You may remember how interesting NW Portland was back in the day--that's what attracted the yuppies there in the first place--but now, it grows old. The yuppies have sucked anything remotely interesting out of the place, and they're growing bored.

If we want to keep these yuppies in our city--and keep our property values so incredibly high--we need something new. Something "alternative".

That's where the Sauvie/I-405 bridge comes in. Some people have said that the bridge is unnecessary, or that it'll cost to much--but they're missing the point. This bridge will play into buzzwords like "livability" and "sustainability". Yuppies go crazy for that shit, and building this bridge can't help but to bring more of them to our city.
So, as you can see: this bridge must be built. There is no other option.

Patricia Stuart
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/votepatriciastuart
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Financial status: $208,132.51 in contributions, $79,535.44 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Christopher Rich
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/chrisrich4mayor
Financial status: $0 in contributions, $0 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Steven Entwisle
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

David Ackerman
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Bob Leonard Forthan
Position sought: Mayor
Website: rfortha.wordpress.com
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Jeff Taylor
Position sought: Mayor
Website: portland123.com
Financial status: -$31,420.95 currently in the bank, the balance of a loan to himself

Did not respond by deadline.

Sho Dozono
Position sought: Mayor
Website: shoformayor.com
Financial status: $201,021.81 in contributions, $107,929.68 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Beryl McNair
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/301848721
Financial status: $220.00 in contributions, $220.00 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Maybe you know it but it’s not so easy to finance movies in total. And the reason I am able to do these kind of movies is I have a tax shelter fund in Germany, and if you invest in a movie in Germany you get basically 50 percent back from the government.

—Uwe Boll

It is an utterly scientific fact that Uwe Boll is the Worst Film Director on the Planet. Boll’s latest, the clumsily named In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale, came out on DVD last Tuesday. It is, in many, many ways, one of the worst films you will ever see (though, it must be said, it is far, far better than Boll’s previous works, such as Alone in the Dark, House of the Dead, and BloodRayne).

ITNOTK:ADST stars the following people. I can only imagine that all of them are secretly guilty of heinous, unspeakable crimes, and that Uwe Boll somehow found out about these heinous, unspeakable crimes, and then he told them they’d have to be in his shitty, shitty movie or else he’d totally tell everyone they were pederasts or Holocaust revisionists or kitten stranglers or whatever.

• That dude who played Gimli in The Lord of the Rings and Sallah in Indiana Jones
• Jason Statham
• Ron Perlman
• Claire Forlani
• That kid who played Shaggy in Scooby Doo and the son in Serial Mom
• The Terminatrix
• Burt fucking Reynolds

That’s not all: The very first goddamn shot of ITNOTK:ADST is Ray Liotta making out with Leelee Sobieski, which is a scene that will make me never have an erection again, and that scene is followed by—oh, fuck, this goddamn list I’m about to type—the following things: Statham using a boomerang to scare away birds, Liotta cackling maniacally and doing magical majicks, sentient plant life strangling people, rocks that are obviously made of Styrofoam bouncing around, the worst acting you have ever seen (ever, no really, I mean it), editing that makes the aforementioned acting look absolutely masterful, and a script I would giddily criticize if I didn’t feel so bad for making fun of the retarded six-year-old who wrote it. There are also trolls lighting themselves on fire and launching themselves off of catapults, and a bunch of fruity, sanctimonious elf-type people who swing around on those sentient vines I mentioned earlier. And ninjas.

Oh, and there is also some astonishingly ill-advised slapstick comedy—a truly jaw-dropping example of which I will post after the jump, in a YouTube clip that will probably make you claw your own eyes out.

This is your last warning.

Holy fuck.

ANYWAY. The first thing you notice about ITNOTK:ADST is that when you put in the DVD, these are the previews that start up. It’s good to keep in mind that this is what the studio thinks of you: “If these assholes are watching Uwe Boll’s latest movie,” they said, “then they’ll LOVE this shit!” Cue the trailers for Bachelor Party 2: The Last Temptation and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. I dare you to watch those all the way through.

Once ITNOTK:ADST proper starts up, the first depressing thing you’ll realize is "Wow, there's Ray Liotta, really going to town on eating Leelee Sobieski’s face," and the second depressing thing you'll realize is that ITNOTK:ADST isn’t only a poor man’s version of Lord of the Rings, it’s the Lord of the Rings that they’d only give to a poor man who was also blind and deaf, and only then if the blind/deaf/poor man was also a pederast or a holocaust revisionist or a kitten strangler. From its music cues to its dynamic CG establishing shots to anything else Boll can think to rip off, ITNOTK:ADST is like if you made Lord of the Rings but took out everything that was ever cool about it and replaced it with the Transporter throwing a boomerang at birds and Claire Forlani demonstrating to everyone that she has aged 95 years since anyone last saw her in Mystery Men, but that, sadly, she has not used those 95 years to become any better of an actress.

But Forlani’s not alone: Everyone looks crappy and is terrible in this movie, mostly because you can tell they don’t give a shit and they probably can’t understand a word Uwe Boll is saying, and who can blame them, between the dude’s crazy accent and nonsensical speech patterns and incredibly stupid ideas. Granted, I don’t expect thespian poetry when I see that Matthew Lillard is playing an eeeevil prince, but for fuck’s sake, Burt Reynolds looks confused and like he’s going to fall asleep at any moment, Leelee Sobieski looks like she goes back to her trailer and cries and cries and cries and tells her stuffed animals how she used to be a big movie star and was in that one boring comet movie with Frodo that one time and NO SHE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HELEN HUNT, and even Gimli--who was in this, for fuck’s sake--looks like he’d rather be somewhere, ANYWHERE other than where he is. And then you have Ray Liotta. Granted, the dialogue in this is embarrassing throughout, but he actually has to say the following line, and he somehow makes it worse than you could ever imagine.

In my kingdom, there shall be no word for madness. We shall simply call it… POWER.

It is hilarious and terrible and interminable, and whether it’s the film’s ripoff plot or bored actors or terrible special effects or bewildering editing or awkward exposition or awkwarder foreshadowing or just sheer laziness (it bears repeating from Andy Wright's review that Statham’s character, a farmer, is named “Farmer”), it’s just… well, okay. The word I am looking for is "awesome,” in that it literally inspires awe: It is astonishing and incredible and incomprehensible that Boll somehow keeps making movies, and all I know is that he’s somehow bending some serious laws or rules of physics or universal constants or whatever to do so, and I’ll be damned if that doesn’t deserve some kind of recognition by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “Kudos, Dr. Boll,” I want them to declare at next year’s Oscars. “You have somehow managed to make a series of incredibly unprofitable and insulting movies that everyone hates, and yet you’ve also figured out how to continue making them, perhaps using an obscure loophole in German tax law. You have made a laughingstock of yourself, and also anyone even barely related to you, and by association--however distant!--you have ruined Hollywood and moviemaking in general, forever, and you have made everyone wish that film, as an art form, had never been invented. We know when we’re beat, Uwe. Here. Take this Oscar. Why the fuck not.”

It seems perversely appropriate that the DVD of ITNOTK:ADST is super lazy and boring, boasting a 10-minute-long “Behind the Scenes” featurette that features no interviews and no insight whatsoever--as far as I can tell, it's (sort of) edited together from camcorder footage that some tourist who accidentally stumbled onto the set shot from a distance of 60 or 70 yards. (If you squint, you can kind of see Claire Forlani trying to act, or Uwe Boll sitting in a director’s chair--a sight that should offend anyone who’s ever seen a movie ever, especially if said movie was ITNOTK:ADST.) There are also three deleted and/or extended scenes that I couldn’t bring myself to watch, and the film’s theatrical trailer, and... WAIT! WHAT?! No director commentary?! Boll might be the most inept director of all time, but he is AWESOME at director’s commentaries. The House of the Dead commentary is amazing at two points: First, when he admits that instead of using special effects to make a Matrix-y bullet time effect, he just had the actors hold perfectly still and then ran around them in a circle with the camera, and second, when his cell phone goes off and he answers it, not even bothering to pause recording his commentary, and then goes on to have an agonizingly long conversation with none other than Christian Slater, which the listener is privileged to only hear only Uwe's mostly incomprehensible half of. And the Alone in the Dark commentary features him talking mad shit about Tara Reid based solely on the fact that she wouldn’t take her top off for him. I mean, son of a bitch... I waded all the way through ITNOTK:ADST just so I could listen to selected moments of Uwe’s commentary, and then there isn't any? This is either a tragic oversight by whoever put this DVD together or it’s Uwe’s way of calling out directly to me, somehow saying "Fuck you" to the one person who, for whatever latently masochistic reasons, still watches his bullshit. Well, fuck you too, Uwe. For all sorts of reasons.

Also, I can’t wait to see your next movie.

After review and comparing campaign manager Phil Busse’s salary to other campaign managers’, the city auditor has determined that—while high—the $20,000 Busse has received to date do not violate city code, which stipulates that services must be paid at “fair market value.” However, if Branam were to pay Busse the additional $5,000 to complete his $25,000 contract, he would violate that section of code, the auditor says.

Download the auditor’s memo here.

It’s not an infraction—hell, it’s hardly a slap on the wrist—but it does call Branam’s political savvy into question. More on this once I’ve talked to Branam.

Andrew R. Tonry delivers a brand new episode of Easier Than Reading, the musical podcast that gives you a sneak peak at the live music happening around town this week. Hear tunes from the Sword, Fleet Foxes (pictured), Josh Martinez, Caribou, Excepter, and MORE. Listen here.

Before there was Sub Pop, the revolving lineup of drummers, The Body, The Blood, The Machine, and, of course, The Thermals, there was Hutch and Kathy. Previous to downing those pixie sticks and plugging in, Hutch (Harris) and Kathy (Foster) were an adorable acoustic duo best remembered by their 2000 self-titled full-length on the local Jealous Butcher label.

The two had played together for years, in both Urban Legends and the lowercase-preferring haelah, but it was project number three that paved the way for the carefree melodies and hook-heavy songwriting that later became a staple of The Thermals.

Digging out this CD this morning was a sad affair once I noticed the “fine institutions” thanked on the liner notes: Meow Meow, The Blackbird, Red and Black, Robot Steakhouse. Ouch.

MP3:
Hutch and Kathy - A Minutes Decision

In Thermals news, you can get your hands on a great live version of “A Pillar Of Salt” by clicking right here.

Hutch and Kathy perform at The Modern Age at PSU (1825 SW Broadway) as part of the KPSU pledge drive.

End Hits: A walk down (twee) memory lane.

It’s Friday, aka CAT FRIDAY! The day I wait for all week long so I can watch YouTubes about cats all day long, like a drooling, glazed-over idiot. If you have your priorities similarly arranged, then when I ask if you have seven minutes in your day to watch this charming cat video, the only answer can be an emphatic “YES!”

If you loved the first episode of “Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis,” then you will equally love (and be disturbed by) this edition, in which Zach really freaks the ever loving holy hell out of Jimmy Kimmel.

A consultant employed by the police union presented his analysis of traffic stop data to the mayor’s racial profiling committee yesterday afternoon, saying it doesn’t prove the cops are engaging in racial profiling.

DR.BRIAN WITHROW: Tells Oregon Action’s Jo Ann Bowman there is “no proof” of profiling…

“We have to start with the bad news,” said Withrow. “Which is that in my professional opinion the stops data do not support an allegation of racial profiling, and there is some evidence that in fact, the opposite may be true.”

More after the jump.

Withrow, who analyzed 68,107 traffic stops from 2006, argued that the police bureau needs to collect more information before it can prove racial profiling is happening. He said asking an officer to rate the seriousness of an alleged infraction before making a stop is one way to do this—that way one can ask "did African American drivers get stopped for relatively minor things but get tickets?"

Withrow's manner was that of a laid-back mid-Westerner—he was mayor of Bel Aire, Kansas, from 2005-7. "I'm not in Kansas any more," he joked. But his presentation raised the hackles of some on the racial profiling group. Jo Ann Bowman of Oregon Action said she feels like the current data gives a "snapshot of what is happening at a given time," and argued that since African Americans are statistically 3.4 times more likely to be stopped in Portland than whites, it's all very well for a consultant to argue that the numbers don't prove anything. She asked:"As the community, if you see these numbers, how could you not come to the conclusion that something is going on?"

Withrow effectively argued that the Bureau may need to drill down to individual officer level in order to prove an officer's intent. The committee has to make recommendations to council in August, but yesterday's entire meeting was taken up by Withrow's report. Dan Handelman of Portland Copwatch pointed out that Withrow's research only relied on traffic stop data. 28% of pedestrian stops are made on African Americans, and 41% of juvenile pedestrian stops, and search data is even more skewed. Officer Deanna Wesson asked: "But what are they doing? What neighborhood are they in?"

"My perception is that his charge was to disprove racial profiling by the police association," says Handelman. "Even though the substance of his report says there isn't enough information to prove or disprove what's happening, his presentation said there is no racial profiling."

We'll have more in next week's paper.

The Governor Hotel ballroom is packed this afternoon, with people here to check out Sam Adams and Sho Dozono, as they duke it out in one of the biggest mayoral debates to date. KGW’s Russ Lewis is moderating.

City council candidate John Branam is working the crowd, as people polish off their chicken lunch entrees.

There will be questions for the candidates, and each candidate gets to ask the other three questions.

Highlights are after the cut (the wi-fi connection is too spotty to liveblog, sorry), and if all goes well, I’ll post audio later today. You can also catch the rebroadcast on OPB radio tonight at 7 pm.

(P.S. - We’re having these two in this afternoon for an endorsement interview. Any suggestions of things to grill them on?)

Dozono's opener highlighted his disagreement with the city council's spending of budget surpluses, and says "we need public leaders with perspective, with diverse life experiences." He adds that Portland "needs an advocate in the region, in the nation, in Washington D.C." His intro went long—Lewis called time, rang a bell, and finally cut off Dozono's microphone.

Adams kicks off with a joke—Lewis had earlier said he asked past mayoral candidates their preference: Ginger or Mary Ann? Adams: "I would prefer the Professor," Adams says.

"Only the mayor can set the direction for the city," Adams says. "And that's why I'm running, to get Portland moving forward again." He highlights his three main agenda items: Education, jobs, and planning for growth.

First question, and the candidate gets 60 seconds to respond, with the opponent getting 45 seconds to rebut.

To Dozono: He's made much of his endorsement from Mayor Tom Potter, saying a vote for him is a vote to continue Potter's reign. How will he distinguish himself from Potter? Their life experience is "quite different," Dozono says. "I have been a leader in this community in a different capacity than when Mayor Potter was chief of police. I will bring different life experiences, different kind of leadership, and that is why I am running for mayor of this city."

Adams' rebuttal: "Mayor Potter has not endorsed me." And that's all he had to say.

To Adams: He's got a reputation for having a temper and being demanding on his staff. How does he respond? He's been in politics since he was 26, and he's 44 now. "I'm not the same person today that I was at 26, and I had some rough edges and made some mistakes along the way and learned from those. I get up every day smart enough to realize I don't know all the answers, and I spend time seeking out diverse input."

Dozono's response: "Perhaps for me is the advantage of age... bringing people of diverse background solving issues... collaboration is so important in this community."

Dozono: The city's about to finalize it's first satellite urban renewal area—does he support the concept? Does he support the plan to siphon money from the River District for the David Douglas School District? He supports the theory, but "I question the wisdom of putting city dollars directly into another government... I do not think it is necessarily wisdom for the city government to put money into another government... in the future what other school district might come and ask for the city to build another school system?"

Adams responds: "There's no maybe button." You've got to vote yes or no.

Adams: Marquee projects like the tram get a lot of attention, while things like potholes languish. Adams has proposed a street fee, and also moving the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders. Can we have our cake and eat it too? "I don't agree with the premise of the questions... no one has worked harder to get funds to basic services like I have, really boring basic stuff." He says 81 percent of transportation funding under his leadership have gone to basics. "I've been criticized for advocacy efforts around arts and culture, but I'm the arts and culture commissioner. If I don't advocate for it, who will?"

Dozono replies: "I wonder what part of the city of Portland this commissioner has been talking to," he says. When he's out, he doesn't hear people thinking we need a bridge to go over 405. "It's a misspent priority."

To Dozono—what will he do to bring our needs and revenues in line together? Dozono takes aim at budget surpluses: "100 million dollars in the last three fiscal cycles. I wonder how that money could have been spent for core services... citizens of our city would like to see better accountability... and put money into basic services before pet projects." Lewis repeats the questions, since Dozono didn't answer it. What is his program to bring needs and revenues in line, as in, we don't have enough funds to meet all of our needs. Dozono says he's put those budget surpluses towards those needs.

Adams responds: "The bulk of the money went to public safety, affordable housing, and transportation."

To Adams: Will Portland become a playground for "affluent empty nesters" and college graduate young creatives? What will he do to retain families with children? The "single best opportunity" is the upcoming Portland Plan, which he wants to use to "make Portland the most family friendly city we can possibly be," by working with other jurisdictions to make it happen.

Dozono replies: "We should be building the city for all ages... we need to be building affordable, walkable neighborhoods... I would recommend PDC and city council to take focus to build family affordable housing for first time homeowners."

To Dozono: What will you do as mayor to support high quality education? "If you look into my background," he's been an education advocate. (As an aside, I'm coming up with a mayoral campaign drinking game with another reporter here covering the debate, who shall remain unnamed; Whenever Dozono says "collaboration" or "my background," or when Adams says "proposal" we drink, if we had drinks near us...)

Adams responds: "Most Portlanders share the value of education... that's why focusing on the dropouts [one of his platform items] is so important."

I missed the question, but Adams is talking about how he took the job "knowing it came with the tram assignment. And knowing my name rhymes with tram."

Dozono says for him it was about taking risks during his retirement, but his choice was clear—"I feel I have much more to give back to this community. My next ten years will be my best ten years." He wants to bring all of his experience to the table to bring Portland "to new heights."

To Dozono: If we add government services to respond to changing needs, perhaps we should cut services to respond to changing needs—what should we cut? "That's what I mentioned about in the last three cycles over $100 million in budget surpluses... so I don't believe we need to cut... I've been part of a business community that's recruited businesses from all over the world," and he's use that experience to invigorate the economy.

Adams responds: When he worked for Mayor Vera Katz, they looked for bureau savings, "to put those savings back on the streets." There's more to do, like civilianizing five police officers who currently do background checks, and using those officers to shore up gang enforcement. As mayor, he'd go to a two year budget to use the off year to look for cost savings.

To Adams: City Club has suggested a number of reforms for PDC; Describe the ideal structural relationship between the city and PDC. "I believe PDC has been turned around, it's got good people and good leadership... I'm for growing Portland's sustainable and green industries... we've lost a lot of our leadership position that we own in reality and we own in perception. PDC exists to implement the council's vision—we do the policy, they implement it."

Dozono: "I was opposed to the city council meddling in PDC affairs. I've appreciated the fact that the PDC has been independent autonomous for the last 50 years... how you can impact PDC is by appointment of PDC commissioners... after that I think it ought to be left to the [PDC] commissioners and the outstanding staff they have."

Time for the candidates to quiz each other.

Adams asks Dozono: "You have criticized my position on Wal-Mart [keeping it out of Ardenwald]. Would you vote yes or no to approve the application for Wal-Mart in Ardenwald. "My position is against your sign in your city hall window against Wal-Mart, I have not taken a position on Wal-Mart... that is not the kind of message you want to send to the business community... suggesting the largest retailer in the word is not welcome in Portland." Adams responds—"Actually, it says no Wal-Mart in Sellwood. When you're a city commissioner, you have to say yes or no, you don't get to say maybe."

Dozono asks Adams to defend his approach to spending taxpayer money on 'pet projects' while there's a transportation maintenance backlog. "We've managed to double the general fund investment in transportation," Adams says. "I've shown a willingness to take the heat as city commissioner and to focus on basic services." Funds used for things like the streetcar "are not resources that can be used on basic maintenance... I try to do the best with what we've got."

Adams to Dozono—he was against the streetcar, and now he's for it. "How do you square your position that you want Portland to be sustainable," but you change your position on streetcars as we have a $75 million request in front of the Feds? Dozono: "I have not opposed streetcar everywhere, my position has been we don't need streetcars in every corner of the city. I oppose a streetcar on the Burnside-Couch couplet... I do not oppose the concept of streetcar being in the city of Portland." Adams rebuts: "I have never proposed streetcars on every corner of Portland... we have a 25 year plan to address problems like peak oil... we're making an industry around cheap alternatives to the car. Your inconsistency doesn't make sense to me."

Dozono is asking about how Adams reinvents himself, like on the street fee, which was going to be implemented and now is heading to the ballot—but he'd earlier pledged not to raise taxes. Adams says pledged not to raise taxes until a schools levy passed, and he didn't. Since then, he's lobbied for more funding for transporation, and says that "humbly, I think I've been the most active advocate for transportation since Charlie Hales."

Adams to Dozono: Who paid for your poll? He's told Willamette Week he won't reveal it, but transparency is important. Dozono says Len Bergstein commissioned the poll, but he's not sure if he's actually paid for it. Adams rebuts: Who paid for the poll?

Dozono asks Adams—how do you explain to Portlanders the plan to spend millions of dollars to put the Sauvie Island Bridge on NW Flanders when "so many streets remain unpaid." Adams says the bulk of $11 million in transportation improvements went to East Portland. The bike bridge is "cost effective." People used to say "throwing away garbage is the cheapest way" to deal with trash, but we have "a new definition of cost-benefit" ratios—his analysis of sustainability is different from Dozono's.

Now we're on to closing statements.

Adams is up first. "I think it's very dangerous when you have a leadership position to try to pit one part of the city against the other," he says in response to Dozono's position on the Sauvie Island Bridge. "I could have had a life that led to very different outcomes than standing before you today as one of the leading candidates for mayor. Along the way people have had faith in me... and I'm very grateful. When you distill down my vision for Portland if I'm elected mayor, is that Portland is not just a city that we belong to, but a city that we believe in..."

Dozono: "Portland is at a crossroads... but we face three fundamental challenges that cannot be ignored. People are hurting in the pocketbooks... Portland is too expensive... parents fear their children cannot remain in Portland.... Our manufacturers needs skilled workers... we have a good start on green commerce. My opponent and I have very different backgrounds, and that's reflected in the second challenge—how do you handle taxpayers' money in good times and bad? We all like grand plans, but they have to fit our budget... I never lose sight of the fact that we must focus on the bottom line... we must focus on the basics. We need priorities to stick to budgets and avoid cost overruns... the public does not accept project after project that has cost overruns. Just imagine how safe and green our infrastructure could be if we spent taxpayers money wisely. As mayor I want to give back to Portland, I want to rebuild confidence in our government... we can rebuild schools, we can and will make our city safer... we can and will building a sustainable economy... I've created jobs in the past... I will bring focus and accountability to our spending priorities." (If Dozono's elected, don't expect a lot of liveblogging if he reads statements—the man reads too fast!)

Listen to the whole thing here.

I had originally intended to do a totally unnecessary blog post today reminding everyone that a new episode of Battlestar Galactica is on tonight (ha! Like I need to tell you that), as a poorly disguised excuse for posting this picture. But then something happened.

Now, first of all, I would like to note that I only own one stuffed animal, and it has a ton of sentimental value. (I am self-conscious about this since one of the items on a Radar Magazine list called “100 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Laid” was “You own more than zero stuffed animals.”)

I also own a neutered boy cat who really likes to hump my one stuffed animal when he thinks no one is watching. He used to go at it constantly, but I instilled a sense of shame—I’m not proud of this—by gently tipping him over every time I caught him. Now he only does it when no one’s around, and the only reason I know it’s still happening is because I find telltale tufts of pink teddy bear fur around my bedroom. I once tried hiding the bear, but when I did Queequeq got crazyeyes and spent all night pacing the perimeter of my room and yowling, whereas after a few minutes with the bear he’s generally quite relaxed and pleasant to be around. So I’d more or less come to terms with his habit.

Then, the other day I got home and the bear was on my bed. “Weird,” I thought. “I’m pretty sure Queequeg’s sex bear was lying in all flat and violated-looking in the corner of my room when I left. Hm, that’s strange. I’ll just put it back on the floor where it belongs.”

When I arrived home last night, jittery after an evening spent sucking down coffee at the Side Street and compulsively re-writing an upcoming feature about Portland Comics Month, this is what I found on my bed:

I am not comfortable with this. How can I tell my cat I don’t want his furry trysts taking place on my comforter? If only there were a Savage Love for pet owners…

In a surprising move the OLCC has unanimously voted to amend 845-006-0340 Minor Postings!

Basically, this means that certain Oregon venues which sell alcohol can submit (and comply by) specific control plans which enable them to host minors without eliminating their bar. This is great news for Portland’s music and arts community.

Amy will chime in with all the details later today, I just wanted to share the good news.

Now, let’s get some teenagers drunk!!!

Just kidding.

We don’t usually cover the Salem Film Festival because… well, it’s in Salem. Tomorrow, though, there’s a pretty cool-sounding event at the fest, and it’s one that might even justify the drive: A screening of Raging Bull that’ll be introduced by the film’s screenwriter, Mardik Martin.

More info about the event can be found here. And if you don’t feel like driving out to Salem and you don’t care about seeing Martin, cool your heels—Raging Bull starts a week-long run at the Laurelhurst on Friday, April 25.

As mentioned previously here, Foundation Garments is having a spring preview party this evening (5-8 pm), and their colleagues on the Alberta strip have decided to join them IDOM, Digs, Frock, Garnish, Donna & Toots, and Mabel and Zora are jumping into the fray too, with treats and deals all around. Sounds like a nice, shoppy way to kick off the weekend…

(IDOM outfits photographed by the rad-tastical Minh Tran!

More fashion to-dos here.

So, this past week, Hillary and Obama debated for the 21st time. It was a doozy. Here’s the fallout…

*Many viewers are still pretty upset at ABC, particularly George Stephanopolos, the former Clinton aide and current chief Washington correspondent for ABC.

*On the other hand, David Brooks of the NYT gave ABC’s questions an “A” and then wrote a column titled Obama’s Fall.

*Most importantly, here’s Colbert’s take on it…

* Which was followed by Hillary coming by and fixing Colbert’s “technical difficulties”…

*Which was then followed by Barack calling grizzly bears the number one threat in America…

In other news,

*A seattle cop gets busted for registering the highest blood alcohol level in state history - .47, six times the legal limit! Bad cop!

*Recession watch: Another massive bank loses a lot of money and cuts a bunch of jobs!

*The Supreme Court ruled that lethal injection isn’t cruel and unusual punishment, saying a little pain is expected in all executions. Duhhh!

*And finally, the Pope talked about how badly the Clergy handled the sex abuse scandals. He also met with some of the victims. Good for the Pope.

Ok have a good weekend guys!

A redshirt is a stock character, used frequently in science fiction but also in other genres, whose purpose is to die soon after being introduced, thus indicating the dangerous circumstances faced by the main characters. The term comes from the science fiction television series Star Trek, in which security officers wear red shirts and are often killed on missions under the aforementioned circumstances.

Star Trek has taken a turn for the morbid the past few weeks. Okay, maybe not in general, but for me it has, anyway: Last weekend I saw this episode, in which no fewer than four redshirts are killed off, which was just… impressive. Even by Star Trek’s standards of killing anyone who even gets close to wearing the color red, it was just like… whoa. Four poor bastards unceremoniously knocked off in just under an hour? That’s dedication! Either that, or Gene Roddenberry just fucking hated the color red SO MUCH.

Then I found out about “Analytics According to Captain Kirk,” an article that’s way too smart for me, but which I pretended to understand while I read it. Basically, Matt Bailey examines the whole redshirt phenomenon using “math” and “science” and “episode data” and “numbers” and a bunch of other things beyond my comprehension to come up with charts like this:

And then there’s this.

Wow. Nothing like some ’60s sci-fi to remind you of the soul-crushing inevitability of death. Thanks to Dane for the heads up about the whole analytical graph thing, and also thanks to Dr. Leonard McCoy for being a total badass.

While I normally don’t have nightmares—I will surely succumb to one tonight after seeing the video below. Oscar is a featherless cockatoo (due to a lifelong disease), but has lived a long full life entertaining the folks at his pet shelter, and freaking the fuck out of people like me!! AHHHHH!!! AHHHHHHH!!!

AHHHHHHHHH!!!! (Please do NOT turn away before the 1:20 mark!)

And finally—as you gear up to head to that rally in NW Portland this evening at 5pm—here’s your third dose of candidate responses about whether we should relocate the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders.

The city council’s recent vote on whether to fund moving the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders has gathered a lot of attention. Beyond the actual proposal, there are larger issues at play about how we prioritize city spending and investment. On another level, it’s shined a light on the political relationships on the current council. What are your thoughts on the proposal, and what it says about our city’s priorities? What do you make of the way the current council has handled this issue?

Before we dive into the answers, take note of the amount of cash the publicly financed candidates still have on hand. Amanda Fritz and Chris Smith dropped $44K and $32K, respectively, since we checked in on ORESTAR financial records last week, meaning they’ve got about as much cash on hand as John Branam. Smith spend nearly $19K on a mailing, and Fritz put almost $40K toward broadcast advertising (she also gave herself a $4,000 in-kind contribution of “Preparation and Production of Advertising”). Charles Lewis and Jeff Bissonnette are still holding onto more than $100K, but I’m sure we’ll see spending shortly.

Onward!

Chris Smith
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: citizensmith.us
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $87,695.07 currently in the bank

I’m an enthusiastic supporter of relocating the bridge. As I testified at Council this is a defining choice and statement about our environmental values and represents a relatively inexpensive opportunity to upgrade an adequate bike/ped facility to a great facility. When we have built great bike facilities, we’ve been rewarded by large numbers of cyclists using them, taking pressure off our congested roads.

The funding process is not unlike the funding for most of our transportation projects – a collection of sources. While some of these sources might be conceivably used in other parts of the City, that is an unlikely scenario. And some of the funds are absolutely locked to this district.

While I respect Commissioner Saltzman’s concerns about the no-bid contract (and hope we will successfully address them), Mayor Potter’s comments about sidewalks in outer East Portland are simply misplaced.

Charles Lewis
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: charleslewis.com
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $114,253.56 currently in the bank

We need a bike/pedestrian crossing over I-405. Anyone who has tried to bike across I-405 on Glisan or Everett would be able to tell you the need for a safer, alternative route. However, this particular proposal is another example of City Hall failing to use the resources at our disposal in a fiscally and socially responsible manner. As Commissioner Saltzman pointed out, at $5.5 million this would have been the most expensive sole-source contract in the city's history. If moving the bridge is the best option available, the city should have purchased the bridge and put it out to bid.

That being said, the City could have constructed a new, safer bridge at a significantly lower cost. In his memo to the rest of the City Council, Mayor Potter notes that building a new, 15-foot wide bridge as opposed to moving the 30-foot wide Sauvie Bridge, would have cost $1.5 million less. Cycling advocates are concerned that a 15-foot wide bridge wouldn't be wide enough. I would like to explore the possibility of constructing a new 30-foot wide bridge that would be safer and more cost effective than moving the Suavie Island Bridge to NW Flanders.

The main argument in favor of moving the Suavie Island Bridge seems to be that it's "iconic." I agree that the idea of recycling an old bridge is pretty cool. However, I don't feel that it is responsible for the City Council to continue to throw money at projects that are "pretty cool" while alternatives are available that are more cost effective and would better serve the people of Portland. This proposal is reflective of the attitude in City Hall that has brought us expensive pet projects like the Tram. We need change in City Hall. Please find out more online at www.CharlesLewis.com.

Jeff Bissonnette
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: portlandersforjeff.com
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $113,739.31 currently in the bank

I support the re-use of the Sauvie Island Bridge. It offers an opportunity to add a key piece to our infrastructure by reconnecting street currently broken by a freeway. It will provide a bike boulevard and all but remove bikes from Everett and Glisan, thus making both biking and driving safer and more convenient for all. Pedestrians will also get a safer, more pleasant way to get across the I-405 freeway.

While it admittedly costs more to re-use the Sauvie Island bridge than it would to construct a new concrete bridge over I-405, there is willingness by area businesses to privately raise a portion of the extra funds needed and the project would also tap funds that could not be used for any other infrastructure need. This is a case where "good enough" does not accomplish the needed job. I fear that if we took the "less expensive" option of a concrete bridge, we would need to expand it in the future to accommodate burgeoning use and that expansion would cost more at that point. Spending a bit more money now will, I believe, insulate us from more expense in the future. In the end, we get a wider passageway for bikes and pedestrians, offering infrastructure better able to manage alternate forms of transportation.

Aside from the specific facets of the issue, the debate also exposes continuing tension on the city council. People on both sides of the issue have noted that debate seems to be centered not on the pros and cons or the merits of the proposal but rather an ongoing game of "gotcha," primarily dominated by mayoral election politics. While a certain amount of that is expected in an election year, there is also still an expectation for the city council to operate effectively overall, deliberating in good faith about issues and proposals.

John Branam
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: john4pdx.org
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $69,112.93 currently in the bank

Our city has been defined by making bold decisions and supporting efforts that define Portland as the leader in sustainability, and as America's most bike-friendly city. The idea of reusing the Sauvie Island Bridge as a pedestrian and bicycle bridge to improve safety and connectivity is one that would continue to bolster this reputation. Further, our doing so would be smart because by promoting biking and walking we'll further reduce our city's carbon footprint and save ourselves money by getting more cars off of our roads (thus saving repair and congestion costs.) Funding this proposal would affirm our commitments to the aforementioned principals. As such, I firmly support the idea of funding the bridge's move.

In terms of the political relationships on the current city council and the way it handled the this issue, there did indeed seem to have been a communication breakdown on the specifics of the proposal which led to its not passing. Clearly this was/ is unfortunate since it's left this project in a state of limbo. There also seems not to have been sufficient deliberation on this issue before it was brought to council, nor does it appear all commissioners' questions were answered before hand to ensure a well-informed vote was cast by all. When elected I look forward to providing the collaborative leadership that ensures key conversations are had before important votes like this are cast so that opportunities like this, those that would move Portland forward by building on Portland's strengths, are not lost. Ultimately I am hopeful this project will eventually be funded.

Amanda Fritz
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: amandafritzforcitycouncil.com
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $70,554.28 currently in the bank

Portlanders care about livable neighborhoods, walking and biking, and recycling. I support those good values. I also care about spending taxpayers money wisely, and fairness in prioritizing that spending, and I believe Portlanders share those priorities, too.

The first core question I've heard from neighbors all over Portland, including some in NW, is whether spending an extra $1.5 million to reuse an old steel bridge is good use of public funds, compared with the cost of building a new concrete bridge half as wide. Mayor Potter noted the cost of the project can rise an additional $1.3 million before being re-approved by Council. If elected, I will work to change the City Code that currently allows overruns of 25% in City contracts. I will always ask the questions, "What is the true cost? Who pays, who benefits, and is that fair?"

I appreciate Commissioner Saltzman's insistence on putting the project out for bids. Given that the idea of reusing the bridge was posted on CommissionerSam.com in March 2006, the fact that the ordinance was filed as an "emergency" is ridiculous. I believe emergency ordinances are sometimes used to pressure compliance on votes. To facilitate better public process, I will ask other members of the Council to use the "emergency" designation only for true emergencies.

The Mercury, Oregonian, Tribune, BikePortland.com, and CommissionerSam.com have all covered the issue. These sources state that funding for the $5.5 million relocation would come from $2 million in River District Urban Renewal Area funds, $2 million in transportation Systems Development Charges, $1 million in federal funds, and $500,000 from either private donations or from all Portlanders as part of the Safe, Sound and Green streets proposal heading for the November ballot. What would those pots of money be spent on, if not this project?

* Which projects will drop off the list for funding in the River District, if this bridge project is done? Is it really the highest priority for pedestrian/bicycle facilities in the plan area?

* Is the $2 million from the River District existing funds, or part of the proposed $311 million extension of the Urban Renewal Area?

* Which neighborhoods will have to wait longer for their Systems Development Charge projects to be completed?

* Why is this bridge in this location more deserving of additional public funds, faster, than planned pedestrian/bike projects in other areas of the city, such as the promised bridge over I-5 in the neighborhood formerly known as Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill, now South Portland?

How many jobs would be created in renovating and moving the old bridge versus building a new one and recycling the old steel? With the economy weakening, supporting more good jobs with benefits should be considered in every decision.

Global warming, pollution, and building green should also be part of the equation. What are the carbon impacts of the two methods of providing this bridge?

This ordinance asked for a vote on "Is this a good use of public money?", when the real question is, "Is this the best use of public money when compared with other ways it might be spent?"

Since the Council's vote on this matter, I have heard from neighbors in all parts of the city, even NW Portland, opposed to spending an additional $1.5 million to renovate and reuse the Sauvie Island bridge on NW Flanders. While those testifying at the hearing were predominantly in favor, most Portlanders are not able to take time off work to ask the Council to prioritize funding of basic services throughout the city. I will provide multiple ways for Portlanders in every neighborhood to give input, to facilitate engagement in our government.

More information is needed before deciding whether the bridge relocation proposal is the best use of transportation and urban renewal taxes, or not. If you elect me to the Portland City Council, I will make sure that important questions are asked and answered clearly, soon after a project is initiated.

Mike Fahey
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: friendsofmikefahey.com
Financial status: $14,630.00 in contributions to date, $10,523.99 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Do not be fooled by the Oregonian’s Living Section today! Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation is NOT screening tonight—it starts tomorrow (Fri 7 pm & Sat at 3:30 & 7 pm).

Read Erik Henriksen’s awesome interview with the wunderkind filmmakers of the shot-by-shot re-creation of the face-melting classic.

Get your tickets here. It’s bound to sell out.

Here’s your second dose of candidate responses about whether we should relocate the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Portland.

The city council’s recent vote on whether to fund moving the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders has gathered a lot of attention. Beyond the actual proposal, there are larger issues at play about how we prioritize city spending and investment. On another level, it’s shined a light on the political relationships on the current council. What are your thoughts on the proposal, and what it says about our city’s priorities? What do you make of the way the current council has handled this issue?

Ed Garren
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: edforportland.com
Financial status: $2,545.00 in contributions, $917.18 currently in the bank

The idea is a great one in theory, reuse a beautiful old steel span, create noteworthy architecture in the middle of the city.

Then reality sets in. It costs more money, has initial repair issues, and will require painting for the rest of it’s life over the freeway.

Then there is the money, the sausage making as it were. My first thought is, instead of buying the bridge with a contractor included, at a “no bid” price, why not instead buy the bridge for it’s scrap value, and then put the cost of moving it, renovating it and placing it in it’s new location out for bids?

This is an example of “money will fix everything” and NOT being innovative and trying to make a deal for the city.

Garren’s response continues after the cut, followed by his competitors.

When I was a boy, we had some property on the central west coast of Florida, and my father wanted to have a structure on the property. Instead of building one, he bought one, used, from a local renovation project. The 14 X 25 foot structure was purchased for $300, and moved 55 miles for another $300, far less than pouring a foundation.

After the Northridge earthquake, a friend had numerous contractors out to offer estimates on fixing her "tweaked" house. All of them wanted to demolish and re-build, but less square feet for the insurance money. Then she found a contractor who specialized in moving houses. He jacked up the house, fixed the tweaks, and basically re-assembled the home for about 30% of the other estimates.

So, my solution would be to buy the bridge for it's scrap value, and then put out bids for the repair and placement of it. We might be able to bring it in for about the same cost as the plain concrete bridge.

My biggest question is, why am I the only one in the city who has thought of doing it this way?

This is but one small example of the innovation that I would bring to City Hall. Seat #2 is the "Public Works" seat, yet none of the other candidates has (to my knowledge) ever worked for a public utility, in construction, or has any sense of how things are put together, how utility distribution systems work, or how to use innovation and new technology to save tax payers money.

So let's do this bridge thing, but let's find a way to do it cheap, so other projects in the city don't suffer because of it.

Thanks, Ed Garren
Portland City Council candidate, seat #2
www.edforportland.com

Jim Middaugh
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: jimforportland.com
Financial status: $150,000 in public funding, $130,324.67 currently in the bank

I think the bridge proposal is quintessentially Portland. It's creative reuse. It's part of the long-term plan for the area. It will make cycling and driving safer and easier. Overall it will use fewer resources. Given that we have a budget surplus, a commitment to cycling and driving safety, and to reuse of materials, I'm comfortable with the proposal. I believe it is consistent with our priorities. As to Council's handling of the matter, the project could have been included sooner in budget discussions to avoid some of the last minute wrangling over it. Procedurally, there could have been a clearer path to approval. Mayor Potter certainly could have avoided spreading misinformation about the project. But, it is political season so I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised to see Council members using their power to benefit the candidates they have endorsed.

Harold C. Williams Two
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: none
Financial status: $1,932.00 in contributions, $1,932.00 currently in the bank

I must applaud all past and present members of City Council, for their hard work and dedication in their efforts to maintain Portland’s livability. Our bridges are very important and need to be maintained and protected. I have not read this proposal as of yet, so I’m not able to speak on the details, and form an opinion one way or another as it pertains to this issues with Sauvie Island Bridge. My only question is “what was the level of citizen involvement?”

Priorities seem to be on a project to project bases, meaning it seem as if there is a to-do list in particular order, and they are just going through the list as the opportunity to deal with these issues (projects, developments, etc.) show themselves. Personal I think they are dealing with it the best way they know how.

My question to Portland is how much Access, Accountability, Communication, Education, and Relationship building with the citizen of Portland have you seen throughout this process?

-Harold C. Williams Two
Candidate for Portland City Commissioner position (2)

Nick Fish
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: nickfish2008.com
Financial status: $80,170.69 in contributions, $59,017.88 currently in the bank

I support targeted investments in alternative transportation including the plan to create a bike boulevard on Northwest Flanders Street. Based on my discussion with a diverse range of stakeholders, I support a bike/walk bridge as an essential component in this plan.

As an advocate for social justice and civic activist, I know the best policy is made in public, not behind closed doors. Openness in government is a value Portlanders demand and deserve. With transparency and public participation, the spending and investment priorities will reflect what is important to Portlanders.

As a new voice at City Hill, I will make sure that citizens have a say in defining the problems and designing the solutions. When city government is well managed and respectful of the needs and wishes of citizens, it can be a powerful force to create opportunity in people’s lives. I will provide the leadership on City Council to bring people together and build trust in Portland city government.

Fred Stewart
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: fredforportland.com
Financial status: $1,175.00 in contributions, $1045.00 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Tonight at the Waypost, join host Julie Sabatier for another DIY Portland listening party. The monthly audio documentary series—broadcast on KBOO and available as a podcast through the site—highlights “revolutionary do-it-yourself projects;” the theme of tonight’s RACC-supported episode is “Art in Strange Places,” which promises to explore the line between public art and vandalism. Featured guests include Scott Wayne Indiana (AKA the horse guy), as well as a peek inside the smallest gallery in town, Anna Todaro’s three-and-a-half feet tall Core gallery (pictured above). Support your local artists, drink drinks, practice your quiet listening skills.

Waypost Coffeeshop, 3120 N Williams, 7 pm, FREE. Bring your knitting.

I’m a bad, bad reporter. We’ve been so buried under endorsement interviews this week, that I’ve gotten behind on posting the candidate Q&A.

HOWEVER! I have a genius rationalization for posting them late this week, as putting up a triple shot of candidate responses today serves a dual purpose. A) You get to read lots of candidates’ views on whether or not to move the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders, which will B) Get you all geared up to hit the rally at NW Flanders tonight. Via the Bicycle Transportation Alliance:

Proponents of reusing the Sauvie Island Bridge to cross I-405 at NW Flanders will gather this evening at 5pm to rally in support of the project and take walking and biking tours along 15th, Glisan, 16th and Everett.

The event will begin at the edge of the freeway with a brief orientation of the bridge relocation proposal. Short tours of the streets surrounding the proposed bridge relocation site will highlight current challenges and opportunities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and everyone using these streets.

Okay—back to our regularly scheduled question.

The city council’s recent vote on whether to fund moving the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders has gathered a lot of attention. Beyond the actual proposal, there are larger issues at play about how we prioritize city spending and investment. On another level, it’s shined a light on the political relationships on the current council. What are your thoughts on the proposal, and what it says about our city’s priorities? What do you make of the way the current council has handled this issue?

Randy Leonard
Position sought: Commissioner #4
Website: randyforportland.com
Financial status: $56,895.85 in contributions to date, $42,211.91 currently in the bank

I voted for the proposal to move the Sauvie Island Bridge to NW Flanders because of my belief that where our city can improve our community’s livability and safety while simultaneously preserving our history, it is well worth the extra cost and effort.

Constructing a functional concrete bike/pedestrian bridge would undoubtedly be cheaper than the cost of moving the Sauvie Island Bridge over I-405. However, wherever and whenever possible, I believe our city should do more than just what is minimally required in constructing our civic infrastructure. Relocating the Sauvie Island Bridge over the I-405 freeway not only gives new life to a historically significant structure, it also provides color, life -and just a little soul- to an otherwise lifeless pockmark running through the heart of downtown Portland.

Unfortunately, some of the reasoning I heard during the debate for not supporting the proposal was based on faulty information. The fact is that very little of the approximately $5 million required to re-locate the bridge over I-405 at NW Flanders could be used for paving unimproved streets or constructing sidewalks in neighborhoods that are without.

However, I do not believe that this worthy idea is dead. It is my opinion that Commissioner Saltzman’s No vote was based on legitimate concerns that both Commissioner Adams and I can positively address soon.

Martha Perez
Position sought: Commissioner #4
Website: none (contact: moperez73@aol.com)
Financial status: Plans to spend less than $300

If we can adequately fund this endeavor, that would be great. We have to try to balance the needs of all constituents and not just cater to a select few, however. I've learned that there is not one single issue that Portlanders are talking about, but that the needs and desires of our city are diverse and multi-faceted. I've generally agreed with how the current council has handled this (& other issues) but there remain a number of issues that need better guidance and hence, part of the reason why I am choosing to run for office this year.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read this statement. Best wishes.

Sincerely,
Martha Perez
Candidate, City Commissioner, Position No. 4 (Public Safety) currently seated by Randy Leonard

Ed Kill
Position sought: Commissioner #4
Website: none
Financial status: Plans to spend less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Emily S. Ryan
Position sought: Commissioner #4
Website: emilysryan.com
Financial status: $185 in contributions to date, $185 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Wild Abandon is turning thirteen years old next Monday! I hope this cozy southeast eatery doesn’t start getting surly, having illicit sex and taking drugs like I did when I turned thirteen. But I’m sure they’ll keep their heads about them, because after all, the folks who are running Wild Abandon are good people.

Case in point: They are using their birthday celebration to raise money for Our House of Portland, a live in care facility for people with AIDS. Fifty percent of all the days’ proceeds will be donated to Our House, which means that they need hungry people to help them out. If you’ve never been to Wild, this is a great opportunity to get to know their delectable, locally sourced menu.

Drink, eat, and let your stomach do a good deed for once. More information here.

Need another reason to move to Hollywood? On Tuesday night, L.A.’s Roxy Theater was the host for a full-orchestra concert conducted by Bear McCreary, the composer for Battlestar Galactica! Unsurprisingly, it was an overflow crowd and completely sold out. From Reuters…

McCreary’s score is fully deserving of the fame, with its intense percussive mix of taiko drums and ethereal woodwinds. He also has one of the best blogs in the business. It’s a fascinating look at the process of making music for film and television and the care he takes with aligning the score with the twists and turns of each character’s plot lines.

The crowd at the Roxy on Tuesday was appreciative of the complexities of McCreary’s work and how it ties into the characters, going wild after each number and cheering in recognition when particular movements started.

Man, if this concert came to Portland, I would be all over it. (However, I doubt I would wear my Cylon toaster uniform.)

You have to admit, hearing THIS played live by a full orchestra would be pretty awe-inspiring.

The State of Oregon has sent a “cease and desist” notice to a website for posting Oregon’s laws online, claiming the laws of the state are protected by copyright. State attorney Dexter Johnson sent the cease and desist notice to the Justia website on April 7:
LETTER: “Our laws are copyright…stop publishing them on your website…”

You can read more about the fight at BoingBoing. In the meantime: Sites like Justia make the law widely available for people to read and interpret. I don’t see how shutting them down is in the public interest, or a sensible use of the state’s time.

Another Mercury music section to read after you view the world’s greatest nerdiest personal ad.

The New Bloods are the polite punks. They’re down to smash the state, but just as long as they clean up the mess when they’re done.
MP3:
The New Bloods - Oh, Deadly Nightshade!

Fleet Foxes, Sub Pop’s latest buzz band with an animal name. They join the band zoo alongside: Wolf Eyes, Wolf Parade, Band of Horses, Pigeonhed, Tiny Vipers, Fruit Bats, The Monkeywrench, Zen Guerilla, Radio Birdman, Handsome Furs (this is a stretch), and Holopaw (this is really a stretch).
MP3:
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal

I didn’t need Why? to tell me that gypsies (with “kniiiiiiiiiiiiiiives”) are dangerous, I read Stephen King’s Thinner in the 5th grade. Plot synopsis: An obese lawyer named William “Billy” Halleck, who has recently fought an agonizing court case in which he was charged with vehicular manslaughter after receiving a handjob from his wife Heidi while driving, causing him to run over an old woman who was part of a group of traveling Gypsies. I can’t believe I wasted so many years reading King’s books. Christ, that is depressing.
MP3:
Why? - The Hollows

Recently relocating to Portland from Canada, Josh Martinez rhymes about the hiphop holy trinity of weed, women, and beer. Wait until he finds out that our weed is illegal, our women have no health care, and our beer isn’t Molson.
MP3:
Josh Martinez - Just A Dood

End Hits: We will never stop using the word “awesome.”

This month’s “Thursday Nightie” at Oh Baby (722 NW 23rd) explores “the misconception that black lingerie is indicative of deviant and aggressive sexuality while white lingerie signifies sexual purity.” Attendees are encouraged to dress according to their own black/white/virgin/whore dynamic, and models will be on hand (wearing masks!) to demonstrate the naughty niceness of all lingerie.

Mind you, this is not tonight! This should be your fashion outing this evening. But with Portland’s crowded fashion calendar, I thought you all could use a heads up for next Thursday, the 24th, 7-9 pm. Plug it into ye olde iCal.

Follow all the fashion haps on M.O.D.

George Bush told the Pope he gave an “awesome speech” yesterday.

Fortunately I’m not alone in pondering whether Bush might actually have been using “the lazy word” correctly:

See, the Vicar of Christ’s business is awe. He claims to speak for God on earth; he wants to literally be awesome. Awe is, after all, a “feeling of reverential respect, mixed with fear or wonder.” Reverence. Respect. Wonder. That’s the pope’s stock in trade…

• In last night’s Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton reversed previous statements, admitting that she believes Barack Obama can be elected President in the fall (wait… did she also mutter “over my dead body”?)

• After learning of Bush’s plan to curtail greenhouse gas emissions in 2025, the German Environment Minister called him a “Neanderthal.” That’s gonna get those Geico cavemen angry.

• New abuse charges have been leveled at a California cattle slaughterhouse. Read the Abu Ghraib-ish details here.

• Today, the Pope told a crowd of 45,000 that the U.S. pedophile priest scandal has caused “indescribable pain and harm” to victims, but asked parishioners to “love their pastors… I mean… umm… not in that way, of course! Ha! Poor choice of words. Ahem. Well… Anybody watch American Idol last night?”

• Oregonian Kristy Lee Cook (also an admirer of the homophobic Rev. John Hagee, who once said Hurricane Katrina was God’s revenge on New Orleans) was voted off American Idol last night. YES! There is a god!

• Don’t forget! Hillary Clinton will pay a visit to tonight’s The Colbert Report. And if you missed it on Monday, check out this legitimately stirring rendition of the National Anthem sung by John Legend and Stephen Colbert.

I’ve just come back from a long, pleasant chat with May Tee, a locally based apparel designer about to launch her first collection, Soft Sculptures, for Fall, this Saturday with a trunk show at Mario’s downtown from 10 am-5 pm. There you can view the 10-piece collection (two blouses in silk crepe; two jackets, one pair of pants, two skirts, and three dresses in silk lined wool jersey), get sized, and pre-order, with shipments expected to arrive in late summer, with plenty of time left to anticipate the weather getting cold enough to debut them in your wardrobe (is there any other reason than fall fashion to anticipate cold weather?).

Check beyond the jump for more on May Tee, or just head here.

The pieces, in a word, are impeccable, despite that this is really career #2 for the designer, whose background is in computer science and engineering (though that includes a stint as a system analyst for Prada). Nonetheless, she went back to school for design, and has been a student at both Parson's and Central St Martins. She's worked both as an intern for Missoni and at Intel in Hillsboro, but these days you'll find her as a sales associate at Mario's, a perfect incubating environment for a designer in the process of refining her look and taste.

The emphasis in the pieces is clearly simplicity, and ease of wear. Being able to dress efficiently, with strong pieces that quickly ready you to walk out the door, are a clear priority. They can be effortlessly dressed up or down, are almost entirely ageless (take this gray dress: