Not Just Black Oregonians, yo

On Oregonian's Front page: If you are a _____-american and live here, it is highly likely you will be either unemployed or underemployed, period. Having a college degree does not necessarily help; having a graduate degree can sometimes hurt (as I and many friends have found) as both perception of education outside the state is negative and being a a woman and/ orperson of color with an education is seen as a threat.

Think about the types of major businesses that are located here: timber, farming, back office services, marketing arms of factories, retail and call centers. At first glance, this does seem diverse. But it really isn't. Much of the marketing arms have to do with just Nike, Columbia Sporting,or Addidas. The back office work here has o do with inusrance- Standard, Aetna, Farmers- all companies that are in not so great straits do to poor wall street investments and are needing new customers to replensih reserves. These companies, with headquarters back east, have no problem cutting staff here or closing offices altogether. Timber limps alongs, dependent of housing starts and federal welfare- and both are slow in coming. Retail assumes money already made, and does not pay well. Call center jobs of any sort don't last beyond a year- and if you do, or try to improve your skills, you are forced out.


All together, this is an economic climate that rewards people that don't have a lot of education or overall career ambition. And there is defacto discrimination- against women of all colors, against 'out' gay people and against many people of color here. If you consider hat the majority of people of color who willingly move to Oregon have college degrees, then must compete with white people who move here who also have college degrees, both must contend with a climate that does not welcome so called outsiders, inferior complexes from people who have degrees from OSU, cheapness and greed, then Oregon is not a place where a talented person should stay.

Oregon is a great place for people in their 20s I think, but if you have talent, not a good place to stay for long.

Healthcare Blip

Apparently, Ron Wyden and five other Senators want more time to consider the health care reform bill. Read the story here According to the writer, this is a 'devastating blow' to health care reform bill being passed.

The thing is, this is not a 'major' blow to anything. Let's assume all the Republican will vote no- that's forty, of which three- Lieberman(despite what he claims), Snow and Collins. There's Ron Wyden, whose plan was rejected, and two others. That leaves a majority vote of 57-43, and the rest of the Democrats could use reconcilation to let the matter come to a head.

We went into war with a horrifying price tag of lives, destroyed property and huge debts, with no consideration at all and plenty of fear. Yet to do something for our country that cold make life better for businesses and citizens requires more time, more study, more belly button gazing?

Sorry, that's not even a roadblock; it is bump, nothing more.

Resignation Song