Not afraid of a handoutA small, stoic and stupid number of Republican Governors are saying they won't accept funds from the newly passed economic stimulus bill. Seriously, the residents of Idaho, Alaska, Texas, Louisiana and South Carolina won't receive a cut of President Obama's $800 billion plan, if their elected leaders have their way. Why? Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is questioning $1 billion funding for the national census and $50 million for the arts, saying it's "not apparent to me why they had to be in the stimulus package." Maybe so — Perhaps to accurately count the number of people in Louisiana and New Orleans (which each of us now own at least nine square/sinking inches of, after evacuating and rebuilding post-Hurricane Katrina). Republicans hate accurate tallies, and the arts - we all know that - and it must be added that South Carolina is already a welfare state, receiving around $1.30 for every $1 it sends to Washington.
We’re Not Gonna Take It!: Handouts, handups, and ham handedness
How Green Was My Golf Course
"Drop in groundwater perplexes scientists," reads the headline on the top story in today's edition of Bend's Only Daily Newspaper.
Division Street Skate Park
On Friday night The Poet House hosted an art auction to raise money for the construction of the Division Street Skate Park.
The donation only event was a silent auction for skate decks painted, heat transferred, screen-printed, photo emulsified and developed, and a myriad of other mixed media art.
Studio Tested, Mother Approved: The real Tyler Fortier stands up, and for a good cause
Thinking of his next album…alreadyPam Fortier didn't have to search too extensively to find musical
talent for the benefit she was putting together for her non-profit
organization that provides advocates for abused and neglected children.
In fact, she didn't have to look past her own family tree to book her
son, Tyler Fortier, a Eugene-based singer songwriter who at 23 has
already solidified a reputation as a tenacious recording studio hound.
"He'd
actually mentioned that [CASA] should do a music event and that's kind
of what planted the seed in my mind," Pam says. She adds that it wasn't
hard to convince Tyler to fill a spot on a bill that also includes
local musicians Doug Michaels (who helped arrange the show) and Bo
Reynolds. The show is a benefit for CASA (Court Appointed Special
Advocate) of Central Oregon, the non-profit organization of which Pam
is the executive director.
WEEKEND WARRIOR 2/20-2/22
The weekend warrior is back and here again on Friday afternoon to give some helpful pointers for the weekend. Without further adieu:
FRIDAY NIGHT - 2/20
Cicada Omega, Larry and His Flask at the Silver Moon Brewing Co.
The Money Trail Leads to Some Strange Places
The Juniper Ridge Info blog did a fine job of getting the skinny on who got how much from whom in the last Bend City Council campaign, and the results are intriguing - and in one respect rather surprising.
How the Web Was Captured by Sauron
In a post delightfully headlined "Death by Moron," blogger Mark Morford of the San Francisco Chronicle rips into the trolls, orcs, goblins and other repugnant Tolkienesque life forms that infest Internet forums.
Alley’s First Out of the Gate in Governor Race
Allen Alley, the Republican who lost to Democrat Ben Westlund in the battle for the secretary of state's office last year, is taking a shot at the governorship.
The Other Side?
Why are there no arguments in favor of measure 9-70 in the voters' pamphlet? It seems like a responsible action to require homes to be connected to a sanitary sewer system or to upgrade existing septic systems. Long-term protection of the quality of our groundwater is essential, and unless we take action, the quality of water available for our children and grandchildren will be affected.
Obama Should Remember His Allies
This week's letter comes from Edward Schmidt who urges President Obama (wow, it still feels good to write that) to stick to his policy guns and avoid pandering to the middle. Thanks for the letter, Edward.