Dear Sam Adams:

Really?

There are people saying that you should resign (The Oregonian and the Tribune) because of the stupid set of lies you put out about your relationship with Mr. B.
I don't think you should resign. You have worked for 10 years to get to this point. You have served the City of Portland with energy, enthuisam and creativity. You lived in a working class neighborhood; you addressed the concerns of working class and middle class residents.

But really, Sam? There wasn't someone, anyone, in the City of Portland and environs wasn't at least 21 and over? Or closer to your age (43?) Did you not observe what happened with Neil Goldschmidt, and how his lack of control destroyed any federal aspirations, and cut down the statewide good he could have for Oregonians? Did you not see that the working class Portlanders who love you and supported you - white, black and Asian- would easily and completely brushed off the relationship- had you just told the damn truth

Because, really that is what this is really what it about. If it is true that you did not fool about until Mr. B was 18, then no worries. But now, by lying, people are truly worried that you may prosecuted by Randy for statutory rape. And boy, is that needed in the Gay/Lesbian of Oregon, who already got their butt kicked after repeal of marriage rights! Wonderful!

Damn and blast. Damn!

I think you can do wonderful things for Portland. But by god, you just shot yourself in the foot with this.

Damn!

The Inauguration

So, like most others yesterday, I got up early, opened a bottle a Cremant and switched on the telly to watch The Inauguration in DC. I was going to go, but KLM/NWA overbooked their flights, and so I missed my chance to mill about with the other 2 million people who crammed into DC to usher in a new era.

And it does feel like a new era- honestly, it does. It feels like the 21st century just got started!

It was heartening to see all those people braving the cold. Michelle Obama looked lovely, in a gold dress and matching coat hat accentuated her clear dark skin, and Barack looked serious and elegant in a dark navy overcoat and a red tie. There was the tank like Caddy limosuine, and all the hubby-hub of the milling celebrities (including John Cusack and Jay-Z! ) and all the cameras and gushing newspeople. But really touched my heart was seeing the closeup of people's faces. The tears, the yearning, the happiness, the joy.

Aretha Franklin rocked.

Reverend Lowery was wonderful.

Then in walked Barack unto the viewing platform- silent, serene, centered. The very picture of what it means to be Zen

It was hilarious that Barack and the Justice flubbed their lines. So much for perfection!

And after, I got dressed, and slight drunk, went out to walk in the cold January air. There are so many challenges ahead- our state unemployment rate went to 9% ( which means it is probably at 10-12%)our national economy is a mess, we are in two stupid and badly run wars. Yet, I really do feel hopeful and optimistic for the future. I really do.

Israel v Palesine

Um, could you guys stop? Because really, you guys will destroy each other. No, really, you will.

Just stop. Stop.

Ann Coulter, please go back to being a lawyer

So, when I was watching the morning news shows, and here's Ann Coulter, blabbing and hawking her newest book, "Guilty"- another spew about how liberals are yet again ruining the country.Who is Ann Coulter? She has a law degree, and did do some research and counsel for the Heritage Foundation, but her main gig is writing.

She's seriously weird. For the last 16 years, she has been part of the conservative machine who blames everything wrong by the ominous, overwhelming left wing media who is out to destroy America. You may think of her as the Rush Limbaugh of print- except that Rush can be genuinely funny and can also be rather understanding, when he is not carrying water for The Republicans. Also, Rush Limbaugh has a better command of English and grammatical structure than Miss Coulter. Her books are torturous to read, the jokes in poor taste or belabored, her research skills and bibliographies shocking poor- as if this woman did not have a JD.

Look at the covers of her books. They are ridiculous. She is always in a cocktail dress, with heavy base and straightened hair- as if she was stuck in the early 1990s Robert Palmer video? Her latest one shows her in a black satin gown, her facial skin too tight for her head,her large, empty eyes and strange baby-eating grin frozen on her face, her small breasts sagging in the tight material of her gown, and her too thin frame accentuated by the heavy black material. It's creepy. She and her dressers thinks she looks sexy. She looks like a figure of death.

I watched her on Harry Smith, who looked like he was being asked to drink a bottle of castor oil, and watched this ridiculous waste of a woman carry on about conservatives being the TRUE victims. Of course, she had nothing to say about their policies, or how those policies have hurt and crippled their base, or why part of the national discourse does not swing her way any more.

Sigh. She sells a lot of books- but then again, her books are often on remainder.

Ann, go back to being a lawyer- or if your research skills are that poor, maybe a librarian?

Happy (Belated) New Year!

So, happy New Year to all of you! I have been snowbound, then done under by a nasty cold that turn into bronchitis, so I have done much blogging about being in the rainy city lately.

So, what's new?

Ah, yes, the world biggest Ponzi scam, headed by Bernie (to his friends) Madoff. Much has been spewed about this fellow, who basically cheated some incredibly rich people out of their largesse. I would enjoy this immensely- okay, I'll be real, I have been enjoying this immensely- but there is the matter of many Jewish non-profits and NGOs who work for peace, alleviating suffering and doing good works for culture have been hurt, sometimes fatally so. A French aristocrat offed himself. European banks have suffered seriously ad must know answer questions from seriously pissed off shareholders. And the SEC, who was warned about Madoff's fund by quite a few economists, has revealed themselves to be protectors of scammers from investors ( that would be you and me and our 401k/IRAs).

This, along with the recession, the slow but steady collapse of our banking system, the outright stealing of our taxes by businesses who did not know f**k all what they were doing (otherwise know as a government rescue)- ah, but 2008 was so very instructive, was it not? It was if we were all asleep, lulled by lies and illusions of consequence free wealth, of cheap money lent to us at low interest so some of us can live it up, and why, the dream was yours if you just worked harder....took more sacrifices....went without healthcare or guarantee of anything...

2009 can only better and brighter.


Seriously.

Right?