Author: EW Staff

Slant 8-15-2013

Slant

• Phil Knight and Nike are hot topics following revelations about the absurd opulence of the new football facilities at UO. Letters are pouring in to local papers, but we don’t hear much about where Knight’s billions came from. Nike’s business model is quite simple, and Uncle Phil has been brilliant at monetizing it: Contract with factories in the poorest parts of Southeast Asia to manufacture high-end shoes and other apparel and threaten or cajole governments to allow those factories to pay workers less than minimum wages. Continue reading →

War Dead 8-8-2013

War Dead

In Afghanistan • 2,254 U.S. troops killed (2,251 last week) • 19,080 U.S. troops wounded in action (19,032) • 1,389 U.S. contractors killed (1,389) • 16,179 civilians killed (updates NA) • $647.9 billion cost of war ($646.1 billion) • $194.4 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($193.8 million)   In Iraq • 4,422 U.S. troops killed, 31,928 wounded • 1,599 U.S. contractors killed (1,599) • 124,640 to 1.2 million civilians killed* (124,217) Continue reading →

Slant 8-8-2013

Slant

•  About the UO’s new football temple: To quote a young woman who worked with the serving crew for the celebratory dinners opening, “It’s disgusting.” We have neither space nor time to properly expand on her observation, but here are a couple of important questions for our public university: Continue reading →

Activist Alert 8-8-2013

Activist Alert

• Sen. Jeff Merkley will be the speaker at a special free meeting of the City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Aug. 9, at the UO Law School, Room 110 on campus. The event is co-sponsored by the Wayne Morse Center, Oregon College Democrats and the League of Women Voters. The deadline for ordering lunch has passed. Metered parking is available on Agate Street and 15th Avenue. See cityclubofeugene.org. Continue reading →

Biz Beat 8-8-2013

Biz Beat

Noted herbalist Rosemary Gladstar will be offering a free lecture at 7 pm Friday, Aug. 9, at Mount Pisgah Arboretum, following a free educational plant walk at 5 pm. Mountain Rose Herbs is hosting the event and will provide organic tea. Profits from the sale of event merchandise, DVDs, books and other products will be donated to United Plant Savers, a nonprofit that protects native medicinal plants in the U.S. and Canada. This is the first in a series of events as part of the Free Herbalism Project. See freeherbalismproject.com or mountainroseherbs.com. Continue reading →

Eugene-Springfield LGBT Pride Festival

Culture

For the 32nd year in a row, Lane County is gearing up to gay it up at Alton Baker Park with the annual Eugene-Springfield LGBT Pride Festival. The all-day affair starts at noon and features a good gaggle of local acts, including Coyote Grace, Lauren Joiner and Spin Cycle, and the whole thing is hosted by downtown celebs Daphne Storm and Trai La Trash (who have hosted events of many different varieties all over town). Continue reading →

Biz Beat 8-1-2013

Biz Beat

A tour of Eugene bicycle industries is being planned as part of this weekend’s Blackberry bRamble celebration. The tour begins from 9 am to noon Friday, Aug. 2, at Rolf Prima, 150 Shelton McMurphy Blvd., followed by noon to 2 pm at Bike Friday, 3364 W. 11th Ave., followed by 2 to 4 pm at Co-Motion, 4765 Pacific Ave. Rides and celebration events continue all weekend. Email hughes97405@gmail.com or see eugenegears.org/bramble. Continue reading →

War Dead 8-1-2013

War Dead

In Afghanistan • 2,251 U.S. troops killed (2,246 last week) • 19,032 U.S. troops wounded in action (19,005) • 1,389 U.S. contractors killed (1,389) • 16,179 civilians killed (updates NA) • $646.1 billion cost of war ($644.4 billion) • $193.8 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($193.3 million)   In Iraq • 4,422 U.S. troops killed, 31,927 wounded • 1,599 U.S. contractors killed (1,599) • 124,217 to 1.2 million civilians killed* (124,049) Continue reading →

Slant 8-1-2013

Slant

• Police Chief Pete Kerns has likely sprouted a few new gray hairs from the recent sexual harassment and abuse conviction of officer Stefan Zeltvay and, not long ago, a scandal involving gross mismanagement of EPD’s evidence lockers. Kerns has been proactive in damage control in both cases, much more so than any of his predecessors in the chief job. But we are left wondering what other bad behavior has been going on for years in the cop shop? Continue reading →