8.21.2003
The Thursday Afternoon Post
Bizzaro World: Via Rob S. comes the story that provides a nice spin on news lost in the media rinse cycle: Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles are officially living together … in the Queen Mother's old digs. Canada's National Post reports:
The Eleventh Commandment: "Thou shalt spend and co-mingle public funds to exalt the Lord thy God." [Perhaps Moses dropped that tablet?]
The Twelfth Commandment: "Thou shalt exalt the Lord thy God solely in Protestant language." [And this one too, Moses?]
Don't tell Richard Gere: Do Alaskans get bored easily? [Must be something about those long summer nights.]
Finding O'Reilly. A chance encounter in an elevator leads to a tender moment with cable television's "no spin" doctor. A classic, and fair and balanced report, from Neal Pollack's blog last week. [A week old, yes, but too good to pass up.]
You for Governor: Why not? It's a lot easier than you think. [Coming to Oregon soon?]
Sexual flavors: First it was the gays, and then came the metrosexuals. What's next? [And where does one sign up?]
Naked politics: You may never look at "Ahnuld" the same way again. [And if you save the photo by right-clicking on it, you are so gay.]
Knocking on heaven's door: The most anticipated album of the summer, at least in WWP's humble view, will be released in less than a week, from the inimitable Warren Zevon. [Still alive and kickin'!]
Heads up! Blog Junky has a bunch of good stuff lately, including a bizarre and macabre follow-up to a post here Tuesday. [Double yeccch!]
A note: That's all until Monday. Worldwide Pablo is off to the Emerald City for a high-school reunion. [Thirty years, if you must know.] Having starved himself for the last two months in preparation, he looks forward to Sunday morning, when barbecue potato chips and beer are allowed back onto the diet. [What price, vanity?]
Polls do show that Britons are coming around to the idea of Charles and his formerly reviled mistress marrying. And this is seen to be linked to the death of the beloved Queen Mother, who was known to virulently oppose the union. The fact the couple is now sleeping in her bed must have the old girl spinning in her grave.Keep in mind, this is the monarch who one day will preside over the church that meanwhile is tut-tutting over homosexuality, gay clergy and gay marriages. [It is any wonder only one third of Britons go to church?]
The Eleventh Commandment: "Thou shalt spend and co-mingle public funds to exalt the Lord thy God." [Perhaps Moses dropped that tablet?]
The Twelfth Commandment: "Thou shalt exalt the Lord thy God solely in Protestant language." [And this one too, Moses?]
Don't tell Richard Gere: Do Alaskans get bored easily? [Must be something about those long summer nights.]
Finding O'Reilly. A chance encounter in an elevator leads to a tender moment with cable television's "no spin" doctor. A classic, and fair and balanced report, from Neal Pollack's blog last week. [A week old, yes, but too good to pass up.]
You for Governor: Why not? It's a lot easier than you think. [Coming to Oregon soon?]
Sexual flavors: First it was the gays, and then came the metrosexuals. What's next? [And where does one sign up?]
Naked politics: You may never look at "Ahnuld" the same way again. [And if you save the photo by right-clicking on it, you are so gay.]
Knocking on heaven's door: The most anticipated album of the summer, at least in WWP's humble view, will be released in less than a week, from the inimitable Warren Zevon. [Still alive and kickin'!]
Heads up! Blog Junky has a bunch of good stuff lately, including a bizarre and macabre follow-up to a post here Tuesday. [Double yeccch!]
A note: That's all until Monday. Worldwide Pablo is off to the Emerald City for a high-school reunion. [Thirty years, if you must know.] Having starved himself for the last two months in preparation, he looks forward to Sunday morning, when barbecue potato chips and beer are allowed back onto the diet. [What price, vanity?]
Is Lars in orbit yet?
Less than an hour after yesterday's House vote approving an income tax surcharge, thereby setting the stage for a balanced Oregon budget and an exit for the legislature, AM radio's nattering nabobs were in full swing with the predictable rhetoric about "taking Oregon back" and "sending a message to Salem." Somehow, though, the tone seemed changed, tired even, compared to the high dudgeon of earlier and more spirited rhetoric. In fact, on KEX (1190) the hosts tried, unsuccessfully, to goad callers into being angry about the temporary tax surcharge. But in one 15-minute period, caller after caller responded with "I don't care" to "it's worth it."
Has something changed? Worldwide Pablo suspects there's been a change, ever so slight but still evident, and mostly so in the only demographic that still seems to matter these days: the suburban and bedroom-community voters. While the urban/rural [pro-revenue vs. anti-tax] state of mind still prevails, it would seem by yesterday's House vote that the swing suburban and bedroom-community, and their legislators, realize that after 220 days there is no better alternative. To the 22 House Republicans who voted against the revenue plan, we can ask simply: What was your plan? Oh, and not some "pie in the sky" partisan dream, but a real plan, one that would garner the support of a majority of Oregonians and their representatives? If anything, it's here where Lars & Friends fail in their arguments: It's easy to advance budget-balancing ideas, but if the proposals are so outrageous or politically unpopular that they cannot pick up even a smidge of voter support, what's the point of continuing to advocate them? Unless of course, the object was simply to obstruct the process. Check the roll call. You might want to ask them yourself.
Do the 22 House members and 11 senators who opposed the revenue measure – and radio airheads who goaded them on – actually have anything to say to regular Oregonians any more? WWP thinks not, at least not to the middle turf, the Land O Soccer Moms, where increasingly all things electoral are decided these days. Compromise and common ground are what they want. In today's New York Times (and oh, might this be the end to Oregon as a poster child for bad-budget states?), Rep. Deborah Kafoury makes this point:
Meanwhile, a hunch: The push to refer the matter to the voters will succeed (odds: 5-to-4 in favor). But something tells WWP, the voters, at least this time, won't take the bait. Does anyone think it's worth the spectacle of seeing the legislature in session again?
Next up: The baseball stadium financing deal. WWP told you there was a deal. Let's see if it actually comes to pass.
Juvenile behavior alert: Another reason to get out of town today.
Has something changed? Worldwide Pablo suspects there's been a change, ever so slight but still evident, and mostly so in the only demographic that still seems to matter these days: the suburban and bedroom-community voters. While the urban/rural [pro-revenue vs. anti-tax] state of mind still prevails, it would seem by yesterday's House vote that the swing suburban and bedroom-community, and their legislators, realize that after 220 days there is no better alternative. To the 22 House Republicans who voted against the revenue plan, we can ask simply: What was your plan? Oh, and not some "pie in the sky" partisan dream, but a real plan, one that would garner the support of a majority of Oregonians and their representatives? If anything, it's here where Lars & Friends fail in their arguments: It's easy to advance budget-balancing ideas, but if the proposals are so outrageous or politically unpopular that they cannot pick up even a smidge of voter support, what's the point of continuing to advocate them? Unless of course, the object was simply to obstruct the process. Check the roll call. You might want to ask them yourself.
Do the 22 House members and 11 senators who opposed the revenue measure – and radio airheads who goaded them on – actually have anything to say to regular Oregonians any more? WWP thinks not, at least not to the middle turf, the Land O Soccer Moms, where increasingly all things electoral are decided these days. Compromise and common ground are what they want. In today's New York Times (and oh, might this be the end to Oregon as a poster child for bad-budget states?), Rep. Deborah Kafoury makes this point:
"While I don't think it was the perfect answer to our problem here in Oregon. don't think we had any other choice. This is in the truest sense a barebones bipartisan compromise."Exactly. May Lars choke on the meaning that word, compromise, for a day or two. Don't forget your blood-pressure pills, Lars.
Meanwhile, a hunch: The push to refer the matter to the voters will succeed (odds: 5-to-4 in favor). But something tells WWP, the voters, at least this time, won't take the bait. Does anyone think it's worth the spectacle of seeing the legislature in session again?
Next up: The baseball stadium financing deal. WWP told you there was a deal. Let's see if it actually comes to pass.
Juvenile behavior alert: Another reason to get out of town today.
8.20.2003
The "go home" deal
Newsflash: The Oregon House of Representatives has just approved the income tax surcharge proposal, setting the stage at last for a balanced budget that preserves what can only be described as very basic-level state services. It isn't a perfect deal – who likes tax increases? But for the price of about two lattes a month, it will be worth if it it gets Oregon out of the category of "When Good States Go Bad" and off the pages of the New York Times (to nothing about Doonesbury).
It's also a chance to send the "90 Bozos in Salem" home. [As noted yesterday, Google doesn't know who they are, but somehow happens to know where they are.].
Now we can expect the professional whiners to get into high gear. Oh, Worldwide Pablo can just hear Lars now. WWP thinks the Daily O had it it right this morning:
It's also a chance to send the "90 Bozos in Salem" home. [As noted yesterday, Google doesn't know who they are, but somehow happens to know where they are.].
Now we can expect the professional whiners to get into high gear. Oh, Worldwide Pablo can just hear Lars now. WWP thinks the Daily O had it it right this morning:
A "yes" vote will not only bring an end to this record-long session but will also show that elected leaders still can come together in the political center and agree on a responsible plan to pay for schools and services. Oregonians have waited a long, long time to see that....220 days to be exact.
8.19.2003
Scoundrels? In Salem?
In what may prove to be a "light at the end of the tunnel" moment, the Oregon Senate this afternoon approved the income tax surcharge proposal advanced only yesterday in committee. The measure, approved with just one vote to spare, now goes to the House, where conventional wisdom holds that tax-resistant Republicans (who control the chamber over the Dems, 34 to 25) will shoot the proposal down and stay in session.
Or will they?
The Statesman Journal reports that there may be just enough GOP votes in the weary House to join forces with Dems to seal the deal, even though it will take 36 votes to pass there. The Statesman reports:
Meanwhile, the cost of the current capitol caper (now at numbing Day 219): $4,750,523.97.
Sometimes it pays to take the stairs: Anyone else as creeped out over this as WWP is? The horror ...
In the bloghood: WWP takes note of the following local bloggers (who have so kind to link to their readers to WWP). At anti:freeze, local writer Karrie Higgins serves up musings on art, photography and current events, and a lot of very creative prose. And another local blogger, Alexander B. Craghead, another young Portland writer, holds forth at An Artist's Life on all the blogotopics (politics, local news, the blogosphere) that intrigue WWP. Nice work. Check 'em out.
Just how stupid is Fox News? The "Faux" News network still insists that comic/writer Al Franken desist from using the words "fair and balanced" on the cover of his new book. But the greater Fox's temper tantrum grows, the more books Franken sells. Meanwhile, the original "Hud" himself wants in on the action. That's right … Paul Newman.
Who told Google? This is interesting. Go to Google, type in "90 Bozos in Salem" (complete with the quotemarks), and then hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. Amazing. Google was off by only a hundred feet or so.
We live in strange times…
Or will they?
The Statesman Journal reports that there may be just enough GOP votes in the weary House to join forces with Dems to seal the deal, even though it will take 36 votes to pass there. The Statesman reports:
“There are 14 Republican scoundrels over there,” [Sen. John] Minnis said. “I think the Democratic strategy to wait us out worked. It’ll pass the House.”A vote is expected tomorrow, meaning legislators could be home by the weekend. There has been some buzz [Update: Broken link fixed; sorry about that, Emma] that a trade was in the works: Dems would support the baseball stadium financing bill in exchange for the GOP's vote for the surtax proposal (or perhaps instead for eliminating the wrong-headed, short-sighted "kicker" law). Today's action suggests the surtax may fly or fail a straight "up or down" vote, leaving one to wonder if the baseball stadium bill, and the pork-barrelling "Christmas tree" bills that proliferate at session's end, are still in play. And nevermind the political fallout from approving a tax that looks suspiciously like last winter's failed Measure 28, as Jack Bogdanski suggests. [Jack also thinks the House will vote down the surtax idea. WWP thinks the odds are exactly even. Either way, we'll find out very soon.]
Meanwhile, the cost of the current capitol caper (now at numbing Day 219): $4,750,523.97.
Sometimes it pays to take the stairs: Anyone else as creeped out over this as WWP is? The horror ...
In the bloghood: WWP takes note of the following local bloggers (who have so kind to link to their readers to WWP). At anti:freeze, local writer Karrie Higgins serves up musings on art, photography and current events, and a lot of very creative prose. And another local blogger, Alexander B. Craghead, another young Portland writer, holds forth at An Artist's Life on all the blogotopics (politics, local news, the blogosphere) that intrigue WWP. Nice work. Check 'em out.
Just how stupid is Fox News? The "Faux" News network still insists that comic/writer Al Franken desist from using the words "fair and balanced" on the cover of his new book. But the greater Fox's temper tantrum grows, the more books Franken sells. Meanwhile, the original "Hud" himself wants in on the action. That's right … Paul Newman.
Who told Google? This is interesting. Go to Google, type in "90 Bozos in Salem" (complete with the quotemarks), and then hit the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. Amazing. Google was off by only a hundred feet or so.
We live in strange times…
8.18.2003
Sure-fire way to send Lars into orbit
Word this afternoon is that an Oregon Senate panel is considering a temporary income surtax in an effort to end the record-setting 218-day face-off in Salem over revenues and budget balancing. Could this be the silver bullet to end the stultifying standoff in Salem? Don't count on it, according to Worldwide Pablo's sources. The idea is definitely DOA in the House, where the mantra is "no new taxes" (or revenues, for that matter). The idea is meant only to distract the public and possibly embarrass the GOP, which controls the House, to say nothing about providing fodder for AM radio's chattering class.
Latest count on the cost of the 2003 Train Wreck?: $4,728,212.30.
A milestone of sorts. Worldwide Pablo, up and running since July 1, is just about to record its 1,000th visitor. Not shabby, but WWP is envious of those 10,000-, 20,000- and 100,000-hit wonders found in Orblogs. WWP calculates that at this rate, it will be January 6, 2005 before he records his first 20,000 visitors. Will his typing fingers hold out? Keep clicking here to find out! [Either that, or he'll have to resort to Google bait ... but that would be tacky, right?]
Latest count on the cost of the 2003 Train Wreck?: $4,728,212.30.
A milestone of sorts. Worldwide Pablo, up and running since July 1, is just about to record its 1,000th visitor. Not shabby, but WWP is envious of those 10,000-, 20,000- and 100,000-hit wonders found in Orblogs. WWP calculates that at this rate, it will be January 6, 2005 before he records his first 20,000 visitors. Will his typing fingers hold out? Keep clicking here to find out! [Either that, or he'll have to resort to Google bait ... but that would be tacky, right?]
