In the beginning smokers lit up everywhere and filled the air that other people had to breathe with smoke, and that was bad.
And it came to pass that anti-tobacco organizations began pushing for bans on smoking in enclosed public spaces like offices and stores and restaurants, and such bans were enacted, and that was good.
And then the anti-tobacco crusaders looked about them for new worlds to conquer, and they began clamoring to get the filthy weed banned in outdoor public spaces as well, such as streets and parks. And that was just plain silly.
The Park Tobacco Ban
Saddle Up, Bend
Saddle Up, Bend
Recently an article about how to save money in Bend during the summer months caught my eye. Another bike rider was hit pretty hard by the craigslist rants and raves, as is typical from those overly large humans out there who drive their SUVs. All the person was saying to those people who live close to work, burn some calories, get the heart racing, make less visits to the overpaid doctors, etc. I run into so many overweight women who complain that gym rates are too high. They have no time to work out but they have time to go to their favorite bar and eat. OK, let's work out the math people. The average car holds roughly 16 gallons of gasoline and medium unleaded costs $3.33 and this equates to $53.28 per fill. Now if you were to use a tank of gas per week this will run you $213.12 per month now multiply this by 12 and it will be in the ballpark of $2,557. This kind of extra income could be used for a vacation for your family, schooling, bills, food etc.
Out in the Cold
I just wanted to respond to your "WTF" article in your most recent (edition). Northwest and Pine Marten will be closing on the 20th. However the important part that you left out of your story is that the mountain will remain open until its "traditional closure" operating out of Sunrise Lodge and running the Sunrise and Summit lifts.
The Spandex Menace
I'm so tired of road bikers. They holler "Share the road," but when they ride in their little packs the last thing they care about is sharing.
You bikers ride six or seven deep across the middle of the road, completely blocking traffic. We are forced to swerve into on coming traffic to avoid you. If we honk, you laugh. Some of us have things to do and places to be. Sorry if that interferes with your leisure time, but please shows some consideration to what the roads are primarily for: cars.
Senate Shocker: Novick Leads by 12
KATU-TV in Portland is reporting a stunning development in the Oregon Democratic Senate race: Outsider Steve Novick is leading insider Jeff Merkley by double digits in a recently completed poll.
The Media Circus Comes to Town
Under the headline "You Knew It Had to Happen," Jake at the Utterly Boring blog reports that T-shirts commemorating Bend's Famous Pregnant Man will go on sale soon.
Telling Tall Tales on the Campaign Trail
At his campaign appearance at Bend High last week, Bill Clinton told a hair-raising horror story to illustrate how screwed up America's health care system is. An uninsured pregnant woman in Ohio couldn't afford prenatal care and was turned away by a hospital because she couldn't pay $100 up front, Clinton said. Later, she died after delivering a stillborn child.
Sneaking Jesus Into the Classroom
When The EYE spotted an "In My View" column by somebody named Stephen Williams in this morning's Bulletin, bells went off.
Racism Is Real
The next time the Source asks people on the street about racism, you might want to ask one or two members of a racial minority who might have experienced racism and pure hatred first-hand. You might get some more informed opinions.
I am an Asian-American. For those new to the lingo, that means I was born in the US and my parents are from China. I have experienced racial prejudice and racism as long as I can remember.
On Saturday, March 29, I was exiting my vehicle on Bend's oh-so-trendy and affluent Westside. A man I have never seen before in my life, who was stopped at a gas station, said something about shooting "commies," pointed at me with an imaginary rifle and pretended to shoot me. I almost called the police. He was dead serious. THAT is what racism is.
Hype and Hysteria at Trader Joe’s
Are people in Bend crazy? It's hard to draw any other conclusion from the spectacle of more than 100 of them standing outside in the cold and rain last week waiting for the grand opening of Trader Joe's.

