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ARTS BE GONE Eugene may be the "World's Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors," but it looks increasingly like it's about to become an Auschwitz for Artists. City management appears anxious to do the bidding of stone-hearted developers by unleashing a squadron of bulldozers to execute the Blitzkrieg of Broadway. Hungry for advertising revenues from big corporate outfits — such as The Gap, Hooters and Chili's — the Ministry of Propaganda (aka The Register- Guard) goose-steps right along. Do any of our leaders who promote this assault on cultural diversity realize that the homegrown downtown businesses they propose to wipe out are among the very ones providing employment and expressionistic venues for a bevy of local artists? Apparently, the big vision calls for a hotel to be constructed on the current site of Jameson's pub (formerly Café Paradiso). A better location for this hotel would be in the dilapidated space at the southwest corner of Broadway and Willamette. Tourists could stroll right out the lobby doors and have themselves photographed standing in front of downtown's most vivid landmark — the half-baked mural fronting the excavated pit that was once occupied by Woolworth's. This location would also move the tourists closer to the Bus Rapid Transit, should they care to cross the border into America and pay a visit to Springfield. Don't forget your passport. Tom Tracey, Eugene
NO-GROW CITY Alan Pittman's news brief "Questionable City Survey" once again presents the typical ignorant, one-sided and paradoxical demands of government. I'd like to pose some counterpoints to his questions. Should Eugene spend $150 million on a new City Hall? Good question. Do you want the Police Department, currently a large tenant of City Hall, to be crushed by the seismically inadequate structure in the case of a major earthquake? Has Pittman built a commercial building recently? Forty percent of the respondents think the city is growing too fast. How many of those 40 percent have moved here in the last five years? How many of the 41 percent who think that the city is doing a below-average job managing growth have anything to compare it to? Obviously, Pittman agrees with them. Does he understand that if you create a city that is nice, looks good and has jobs, you can't really stop people from moving here? Does he want Eugene to be a great place to live but horrible place to move to? People are going to move here whether we like it or not. And, when people move into Eugene, they pay 4J or Bethel taxes which go to schools, whether they have kids in tow or not! Is there waste in the city government? There probably is. Here's the catch: Is this "independent city auditor" going to save more than this position would cost? In addition, has Pittman considered that the city spends a lot of money on salary and benefits to run the programs his elected officials vote for? Does he understand that the "total compensation package" is actually below market? This means that some employees could get an equivalent job that pays, in some cases, 20 to 30 thousand dollars more. People want to work in a place that values them, and the city, with its compensation package, does a fantastic job of that. It's a hard job balancing Pittman's concern about waste with the opposite issue of attracting and retaining the best (and most efficient) employees. Pittman's quandaries are as old as civilization and his solutions are unachievable ideals based in euphoric recall. There are lots of people asking these questions already. How about Pittman offering some tangible solutions rather than "make Eugene a great city that doesn't grow"? Jeff Ozvold, Eugene
APOLLO GREENWASH The article about energy independence by political strategist Dan Carol (1/26) refers to a nice concept, but how we go about achieving it deserves much more attention than "some no-brainer steps." From the Oregon Apollo website: "Take action now to ensure that Oregon stays ahead in the economic race to create clean energy jobs from Portland to Pendleton." This 200-mile stretch of high-speed freeway leaves most of us excluded from this race, but it does describe what Oregon Apollo is about. I don't want to "imagine a world where SUVs emit harmless water vapor instead of dangerous toxins." I want to imagine a world without SUVs. Nowhere does Oregon Apollo talk about lessening our need for more cars, roads and parking lots. Nowhere is there a mention about conserving or reducing our energy use. Resource depletion is cited, but only in reference to fossil fuels. We should "reduce our dependence on foreign oil by investing in biofuel production." What about the drawbacks to biofuels and ethanol production (www.freewebz.com/centralcoast/biodiesel.htm)?Oregon Apollo sounds to me like a greenwash campaign sponsored by the Oregon Chamber of Commerce. It's certainly not "down the right path we need to go." Robert Simms, Waldport
FUTURE FORESTRY I wanted to write in response to David Walp's letter, "OPB Support" (1/19). The main argument I want to take issue with is the unsettling idea that many of these not-for-profit organizations he deems as "bourgeois immigrants to Oregon" are in some way blindly pushing an agenda of sustainability built purely upon a hatred for Oregonian jobs. This could not be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that through selective harvesting and non-toxic forestry practices more jobs can not only be supplied in the near future, but we can ensure that there will still be enough forest land to harvest to meet the needs of future generations. No one is arguing that "making a living off the forest is somehow evil," as Mr. Walp stated; it is simply the manner in which these forests are continually being destroyed that is inherently wrong. Currently, there are many timber companies throughout Oregon that are using alternatives to clear-cutting and chemical pesticides to manage their forests. These companies yield above average amounts of timber while preserving healthy and thriving ecosystems. Why is this not the standard for all of Oregon? Perhaps it is time to change. Blake Hopkins, Eugene
BIN LADEN'S BUSH Bin Laden may be crazy, but he's not stupid. Even in the remote areas of Pakistan and Iraq, where he is presumably hiding, he is still able to keep up with the fading fortunes of George Bush & Company. So he declares on his newly released tape that he's going to strike at us in our own backyard, thus once again scaring most of the populace here in the forlorn belief or hope of boosting Bush's ratings. Let's face it folks, bin Laden doesn't want the Republicans pushed out of office! The war in Iraq and all the other erroneous and egregious programs of this administration have been a godsend to him. Most of the military brass and many intelligent sources outside the administration have come to the conclusion that the Iraq mess has made us less safe here, not more. So the upshot of all this is simply that we're going to see more of our Constitution abrogated in the name of Homeland Security. And for what? How do you stop a few determined people from blowing themselves up? Smaller countries with better security such as Israel can't do it, so how does a much larger country with more porous borders manage it? One more time: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." — Ben Franklin. John DeLeau, Springfield
WAKE UP EW It has been well over a month since the multiple arrests of people suspected of participating in various eco-sabotage actions. Yet EW has not provided any news stories, save for the uninformative bits in "Slant" that have appeared. This is a huge story, involving grand juries, environmental destruction, informants, and how the government is carrying out the "war on terror" at home. There are dozens of implications in these cases, but the questions need to be asked by citizens and the media. I urge everyone to find out about the people arrested, what the government is saying and doing, and possibly lend your support in defense. Don't let the support come — as it did for Jeff Luers — after these people are railroaded into ridiculously long prison terms. Check out www.supportkevintubbs.org, www.supportchelsea.org, Daniel McGowan's Myspace account and www.freedarren.org. Portland Indymedia has regular updates. Websites are great, but we need the print media to focus on the story. Ryan Foote, Eugene EDITOR'S NOTE: We're working on it, though it should be noted that EW has been writing about grand jury abuses and politically motivated selective prosecution for many years, while these issues have been greatly ignored in the mainstream press.
LEASH DEM DOGS I recently came to visit Meadowlark Prairie in West Eugene to enjoy this wonderful gift the city of Eugene has generously provided. After a few minutes, I quickly noticed that the majority of dog owners who visit the preserve allow their dogs to roam freely without a leash. Despite the numerous signs that inform visitors that this is against park rules and is therefore illegal, it may be possible that they don't understand the reason behind the rules. Since the preserve is a sensitive wildlife-nesting habitat, any disturbance could easily be fatal to the nesting young. The unleashed dog could smash an egg, take a shit in a prime nesting location, chase off a defending parent, or outright kill a defenseless nestling. If a new visitor sees another dog owner disregarding the rule, then it provides implicit permission for him to do the same. Despite what they may think, Fluffy is not a wild animal, and the park is not meant for the dog's enjoyment. Screw the $85 fine; people who understand these rules and violate them anyway should not even be allowed to visit the park. Scott Peterson, Eugene
GREAT DINING I was glad to see a review of Bai Khao Thai Cuisine in EW (1/12). During the holidays, my mother and brother were visiting. Based on two recommendations, we decided to take them to the restaurant for a farewell dinner. Our party of seven had an outstanding dining experience in every sense of the word — excellent food and friendly, courteous service. The reviewer focuses on peripheral issues regarding the setting. Having spent many years in Philadelphia I can attest that even big cities have lots of restaurants in strip malls. And at Sam Wu's, a famous eatery in San Francisco's Chinatown, one must walk through the kitchen to enter the restaurant. The reviewer provides a generally positive review of the restaurant's offerings, but then finishes the review on a down note, once again returning to the issue of location — this time referring to the nearby thrift store. Bai Khao Thai Cuisine deserves better. Please consider including one of their recipes with a picture in an upcoming Chow! John Ballantine, Eugene
MAGIC MIXER As for the Tricksters in Eugene (cover story, 1/19), I understand that you did interview Craig Keith from DISH/Downtown Lounge. What I do not understand is why you failed to recognize him as: 1) an outstanding bartender, and 2) an incredible magician. No, I did not ask him to make my husband disappear, but the man can do incredible card tricks, has lived around the world and is very entertaining. Plus the food is good, too! Hey there, Eugeneans — don't pass this one up! Apparently they also have Jazz and Bones (ribs) on Thursdays too. Kelly Pisarzewski, Eugene
SUSTAINABLE CITY Of the ideas presented by the several contributors on the State of the City (1/12) an important concept that bears elaboration is suggested by Kate Perle's surmise that "we will ultimately fall short of the goal of sustainability." Though I am confident that this was not her intention, it might be possible to read into her comment the implication that sustainability is a matter of choice, and that we will be able to sustain indefinitely the unsustainable. This is a dangerous thought. That human culture will eventually become sustainable is inevitable. As when you lose your balance — either you stumble and regain your balance or you stumble and fall. Either way, balance is regained. If we don't create a sustainable culture it will happen to us consequentially. Either way, sustainability will be the outcome. What remains for us to choose is whether we responsibly build a sustainable future or whether we irresponsibly suffer that eventuality as a fate of consequence. Along with the fiction that sustainability itself is a choice is another fiction that we need to recognize — the romance of smooth transition. While Jan Spencer approached this topic in his remarks about the "psychology of previous investment," I most appreciated Mark Robinowitz's letter (1/12) for plainly stating that "we must be honest about the vast gulf between our addiction to destructive behaviors and what sustainability would require to implement." Bulls-eye. We are not going to be able to tweak industrialism and come up with something sustainable. No laptop utopia is in the offing. Our history of meeting our metabolic needs, most simply viewed, has included the practices of scavenging, hunting, agrarianism and industrialism. All but industrialism proved sustainable. All but industrialism persisted as local food cultures. Returning to sustainability is going to be a major transition in human history. Getting there is going to be rough. Getting there begins by responsibly building a local food culture here. Thomas Krieb, Eugene
COASTAL CHARADES The game "Charades," where one person acts out different situations and the audience guesses what the actor is simulating, was popular in the 1970s. Many Florence residents hope that the Glenada Dunes public hearing, tentatively scheduled for Feb. 7 in Florence, is not just a game of Charades. From all indications there appears to be a majority of the county commissioners that are convinced that the Glenada property should be split into two separate parcels and sold individually. The Dunes portion of the Glenada property represents about 62 acres, and by all reasonable estimates, has little intrinsic development potential. The remaining 22-acre interior parcel represents property that could possibly be urbanized. Recently Mayor Phil Brubaker euphemistically referenced the need for additional "workforce affordable housing," while, at the same time, trying to convince the audience that there is no need to panic because the 62-acre dunes will not be sold off for development — wink, wink; nod, nod. It also appears that Commissioners Morrison, Stewart and Green are all anxious to play the affordable housing card and jump on the bandwagon to sell the 22-acre Dunes parcel for private development. From all accounts, by the time any development is completed within the 22 acres, the only affordable housing will be for millionaires' trophy houses. There appears to be little interest from these three commissioners in allowing the State Department of Parks and Recreation to purchase all 84.5 acres for the combined $817,000 appraised value. This would net the county the maximum proceeds, while still maintaining the entire property as open space for future generations to love and enjoy. I suggest that to save the taxpayer's time, money and frustration, the three county commissioners should go ahead and skip the sham public hearing and do what they are going to do anyway. We can then commence drafting and circulating a measure to reverse their decision. Jay Goodwin, Florence
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