Opinion

I think that the Bend City Council is against a Bend mayoral election. I think that if the Bend City Council wanted a Bend mayoral election then they would put it on the ballot and let the people of Bend decide if they want a Bend mayoral election.

After two weeks living in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement, I have set up camp in the Occupy Bend Village. While the larger cities of our bioregion appear to have more steam out of the gate, I was pleased to see the numbers present in Bend, considering the per capita involvement. Occupy Bend is off to a good start, but many people have confusion, judgments and expectations of what these occupations are about. Occupy Bend needs more inquiries and more participation.
We are people from all walks of life. People of all ages, races, religions, political thoughts, backgrounds and experiences and we are coming together and learning a new language. This new language is one that embraces disagreement and encourages discussion about very serious issues that plague our neighborhoods, our towns, our counties, our states, our nation and our global community. In a globalized world, we must recognize each of these communities in the decisions that we make. At the end of the day, we must not only reach consensus about our smaller issues, but someday about the larger issues of society. This movement is the beginning of the consensus process and interpersonal growth that very well may achieve that.

Bend Oregon was recently named the top mountain bike city in the U.S.

The current atmosphere of the Republican Party presents incredible challenges for traditional Republicans. So difficult are the choices of real and sincere conservatives given the litmus tests now employed by those who drank the tea (cut services, allow the government to collapse and refuse any revenue considerations) and the other extreme faction bathed in the purity of family values. (read: intense and renewed attacks on women’s right to choose.)

Yesterday morning's Los Angeles Times reported that health insurer Blue Cross will have to return $283 million in credit to its customers, this on top of the $167 million in credit to customers that was returned this month. This means two million policyholders will see their bills reduced an average $420 dollars for a family of four. All of this because of Obama's much-maligned healthcare overhaul.

So many people in our community are passionate about their workout. I understand. I am a certified personal trainer and there is nothing I enjoy more than individuals 'fired up' about their fitness. So, let's talk about the CrossFit debate which began with James Williams' [CrossFit piece from] “Best of Bend 2011.”
There is no doubt that CrossFit serves a purpose in our community, indeed, across the nation. As a professional in the fitness industry since 1989, it behooves me to pay attention to why CrossFit is growing in popularity. I have participated in CrossFit workouts, here and most recently in Okinawa, Japan at the Kadena Air Force Base. What I have witnessed in these workouts is a sense of camaraderie with equal measures of competitive fun thrown in. Who wouldn't want to be a part of something that makes you feel good and sends you down a path of greater fitness, as well as boosting one's self esteem, as KC Caldwell states in her letter (9.28.11)?