August 01, 2005
Open Thread For August 2005
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
Here we continue our monthly open threads for readers to use to discuss whatever they wish (excluding the usual prohibition against comment spam, of course).
Our occasional open threads don't tend to attract much attention, but every now and then we hear from readers who wish they existed here. So this is something of a compromise position. Every month, at the start of the month, we will open up a thread such as this one.
In order to make sure people can always find the current month's open thread, a link to it will be kept at the top of the right-hand sidebar.
From here on out, any and all clearly off-topic discussion, or simply comments that for whatever reason don't appear to fit within the context of other posts, should be kept in that month's open thread.
Comments (24)
toonprivate on 01 Aug 2005
B!x, what's your read on the Leonard story in the O on Sunday?
ronled on 01 Aug 2005
on Randy, he is not alone . . .
Transparency alone is not enough.
What more does the DA need?
What more does the TSCC need?
The bigger the unsoundness the bigger the bonding opportunity, but only if the Portland stuff is transferred first to PERS.
What more does the OSB need?
Like yeah, The Oregonian splashed some stuff on the front page, so what . . . tha''s the limit of the accountability . . . a little embarrassment and . . . let's move on. The public rebuke is over.
JS on 02 Aug 2005
Any thoughts on Jack Bog's new comment policy?
I think some of these "new rules" are pretty short-sighted and will probably decrease readership and quality comments on his blog. Especially rule #2: "A commenter may comment in no more than one new comment thread per day."
This seems rather antithetical to what a blog is and should be.
Thoughts?
lisa on 02 Aug 2005
I've been asking my 12 year old about Jack Bog's trip; she is our resident computer troubleshooter, web designer and blogger. She says that yes, Jack is definitely well within his rights, and that a blog without comments is NOT like a day without sunshine. I guess she's had creeps comment on her blog before, too.
Strangely, we know quite a few people who've had meltdowns over the past few weeks regarding abusive comments on blogs. Is it something in the water? (And if so, would that make it ALSO ERIK STEN'S FAULT?)
allehseya on 02 Aug 2005
The buzz in the arts and culture community is that there’s an effort to update the Arts Plan 2000 study and the City’s Creative Service Plan. Sam Adams, as the City appointed Liason to RACC has gone on record stating that the documents:
…guide our region’s development of the arts and culture, and creative services. The experience and expertise of you all will be a crucial part of this process. I look forward to engaging our community in this effort.”
I would appreciate any feedback from people reading this site that are working on these and other local Cultural Development issues or have any leads on the process to do so -- as I would very much like to contribute my own citizen involvement energy and time towards these areas.
(Feel free to e-mail me any related information, contacts and/or resources at PDXArts@aol.com)
a nony moose on 03 Aug 2005
But I gotta say it's stupid to put a limit of wording in comments, and expect the public to keep track of the #. Puhlease. Just put a limiter in the comment field for whatever # of words, so nothing more than that posts. Duh.
Ray on 04 Aug 2005
By the way, what are the best places online to find interesting conversations among Portlanders? I suppose the comments here, on pdxmediawatch, and, potentially, on Bog's blog are good starts. The board at pdxradio.com can be ... interesting, if that's a topic you're into. Commissionersam.com can be an interesting blog, but the comments aren't so much. There's got to be more out there, though.
Ray on 04 Aug 2005
Oh, blueoregon.com, too. But I'm also looking for some less political talk. Are there any topic-specific forums, like those at pdxradio.com, that people could recommend? Does a local media outlet have an interesting forum that I haven't discovered? Give me anything.
The One True b!X on 04 Aug 2005
There's often some good development-related discussion over at SkyscraperPage Forum - Northwestern States.
The One True b!X on 09 Aug 2005
The following off-topic comment was flung here from another post where it didn't belong:
Jack Peek on 10 Aug 2005
In a message dated 08/10/2005 5:05:33 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Amandafritz@comcast.net writes:
Thank you for the heads-up, Jack, although of course I'd expect the question from you. As you know from our exchange on the Portland Communique, I'm a psychiatric nurse. So I'm not sure why you're "betting" I "never mention or think about" this issue. Finding safe housing that provides security for both new residents and existing neighbors is a need that must be addressed. And yes, that means the people deemed safe for release from forensics and other psychiatric facilities are going to have to live somewhere.
Tell me, Jack - where do you think these people should live?
You seem to think it's just a NIMBY deal, well that was correct when this all started, but like most who assume the worst about me, I have done the homework and agree, they cannot be turned loose ... PERIOD!
The point is, some of these people are dangerous, FYI, I have a video tape of a meeting were one of the providers of these placement services admitt's,"Yes Jack, the one's you have are dangerous!" That is a quote!
Here is the problem, The ADA, and the Federal Fair Housing Act, are so abused in this issue, it's a crime by itself, the gross allowance of total protection of the really dangerous criminally insane....is insane.
OK..the law needs to be changed to recognize the truth, that it should not be blanket coverage for those who are judged "guilty but insane!"
It is politcal suicide to look this in the face, and do what needs to be done, I'll give you that, because I' ve been told so by elected officials in DC.
So, it becomes a local issue, then you need to see to it that four murders, and one residential arsonist are not placed 400 ft from a grade school. You control the contracts, or can pressure those that do as this is a county deal as you know.
Then you see that GPS tracking is used, as they are in our case allowed 90 minutes of unsupervised walks in the neighborhood, without any means at all to find them if they stray,or hurt somebody...all of this shutdown by the provider many times.
Then you must apply pressure for review by neighbors and police for problems every 6 months, more if the cops are called, again, all shot down in the past.
There is more, but I ask you, did I say ever, that they could not live in a neighborhood?
There must be strict oversight...if you don't, I can promise you, I can document places that wish they had.
Well, that is pretty much it.....one more thing, I'm good friends with two Portland cops, at one time, I, as neighborhood association president, had an agreement with the service provider to have the cops notified as too new residents, some background as too what they may deal with if called to the house or stopping them in the neighborhood...all taken away after time. In other words, if they go to the house, and a client has "HEP 3," and is prone too bite, they cannot protect themselves, that is wrong!
NOTIFICATION.....NOTIFICATION....NOTIFICATION...otherwise...stay in Salem.
Thank you for writing. Jack Peek
allehseya on 11 Aug 2005
Over on the Charter Review site -- it appears that comments are disabled unless you sign in? Memory may be failing me -- but I seem to recall commenting there before (but I could be wrong). In any event -- (and do forgive me if I've missed it being explained somewhere) -- what is the process for signing in? I didnt see a sign-in link or such.
The One True b!X on 11 Aug 2005
There's a bit read reads "You are not signed in. You need to be registered to comment on this site. (Sign In)" -- or at least there is when I look at the site in a browser from which I am not already logged in.
Jack Peek on 13 Aug 2005
Well damn, B!X drops to third place on the "blog best of PDX list", the mayor walks the safe streets of Portland, but he didn't walk the Club zone at 1AM,nor did he walk anywhere near a gang neighborhood.
My friend Mr.Brown, (WHO SHOULD BE MAYOR) qouted in Metro today, said it correctly, about what is fact, and what is fiction.
Me, I just remember what my Mom said, "what goes around, comes around. The racial tension is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.
And Randy leonard is "kicking people's butts", the mayor is playing it safe with a stupid "photo op!" Its going to catch then both pretty soon if they don't stop pandering to people with donations, instead of votes.
The ones that voted before, may not equal the apatheic ones who didn't vote lastime. Take that too the bank!
Jack Peek on 13 Aug 2005
Subject: Fw: Redneck Special Forces
The Pentagon announced today the formation of a new 500 man elite fighting unit
called the US REDNECK SPECIAL FORCES (USRSF).
These North and South Carolina, Kentucky, West [by God] Virginia, Mississippi,
Missouri, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, TEXAS, Oklahoma and Tennessee boys will be
dropped into Iraq and have been given the following facts about Terrorists:
1. The season opened today.
2. There is no limit.
3. They taste just like chicken.
4. They don't like beer, pickups, country music or Jesus.
5. They are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for the death of Dale Earnhardt.
This mess in Iraq should be over IN A WEEK
damnedcomputers on 15 Aug 2005
Hey, you - Have gone from social activist to social deviant. Drop by for a chat when you get the chance.
I will, as usual, be at the Bijou.
Jack Peek on 17 Aug 2005
The AM paper tells a story of a man "guilty but insane" of murder!
The PSRB...will make the decision if he should ever be released. You people wanna trust them with you life's??? I can show you evidence, data from their peers, that these decisions, are at best, A CRAP SHOOT!
100 rolls of the dice by people who will not have a criminally insane group home in their back yrd, more criminally insane too be released....where will they go?
Ask Amanda Fritz, she is running for office.
Jack Peek on 18 Aug 2005
OK...THIS IS OFF TOPIC: I'm asking this forum to look at the placement of the criminally insane in neighborhoods as a public safety issue, it's another lib FEEL GOOD DEAL, and is going too bite us soon, as the numbers of these people to be realeased is in the 100's.
In a message dated 08/17/2005 10:17:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Dat5 Racer writes:
In a message dated 08/17/2005 8:55:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, chuck.currie@gmail.com writes:
Jack,
You have never show respect for anyone you disagreed with and are not
likely to begin doing so anytime soon.
First, I'm off at seminary right now and will not be returning full
time to Portland for a few months. Second, your past history with me
and others who disagree with you leads me to believe any further
discussion would be pointless. So I must decline your invitation.
I am writing this note out of courtesy but have no intention of
responding to further e-mail messages you might send. Chuck Currie....homeless advocate, lib feel good kind of guy.
Dear Chuck.
So typical....100 criminally insane men coming to neighborhoods, and you "THINK" you know what I am, or what I think, or what could do.
The people I hold grudges for...still THINK wrong my true intentions.
Guess GOD will judge our hearts after all!
My job as a husband and father is to safe guard my family from people that could hurt them....The criminally insane that may be placed next to them by do-gooders like you, who need to examine the exact potential price of their own actions, but do not look at the possible results of those actions...only that they FEEEEEL SO GOOD ABOUT IT.
The possible chance to help all those who may be impacted by this issue has been tossed. I stand my ground, you stand yours...it will not be my family who goes down.
I have researched this issue, that facts say the idea is wrong, the lack over notification about this issue to a neighborhood is wrong, and people like you are responsible.
When the first person is hurt...l think you know where I will be....FOX NEWS, then maybe a street corner with a sign addressing the fact people like you were told not once, but hundreds of times, and did nothing. Then God, will take it from there.
I asked this meeting to find a new direction to benefit all, as these people will be placed in numbers that will not be safe or managed. You are not worthy of trust in your position.
Jack Peek
PS..I ask those CC'ed or BCC'ed Why is it OK with Chuck Currie and those who support the placement of the criminally insane in neighborhoods for his or their family to not be placed in harms way, but it's OK if mine or yours gets shafted? JP
6:19 AM
Jack Peek on 18 Aug 2005
I asked just about any named elected offical..Kate Brown for one, and she pretty much singlehandily killed my SB1040 as she did the sex offendor bill talked about on Bill O tonight...she is a piece of work.
News flash KXL NEWS 750 5:OO PM story..PSRB CLIENT WALKS AWAY FROM GROUP HOME (a lie, the place isn't locked down) She is considered dangerous (GEE, why is that? GLAD YOU ASKED, She killed her daughter ... shot her, according to the news. How can a person walk away from a group home? GLAD YOU ASKED, If they are really "nice," they are given 90 minutes of UNSUPERVISED time to roam, oh say next too a grade school, where this group home happens to be. NO KIDDING, NO, I'm sorry too say I'm not kidding.
UPDATE: SHE ONLY SHOT HER SON....so its OK
The cops say she is dangerous, PSRB, not too happy, as she needs medicine to keep her from killing another kid! Damn you people...DAMN YOU! Jack Peek
BACKGROUND: Amanda is running or is thinking about running for office..she wants these places in neighborhoods. JPEEK
Jack Peek on 19 Aug 2005
Amanda Fritz is running for city council, she and I differ on an issue:
Here are her thoughts, and my response.
In a message dated 08/19/2005 12:11:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, amandafritz@comcast.net writes:
Yes, I am willing to work and vote on the Council to put teeth into Good Neighbor Agreements of all kinds.
No, I'm not willing to help advocate for a change in the federal laws. I've pretty much lost faith and hope in our federal government under the current administration. I'm running for Council to affect the things I can change, rather than those I don't believe I can.
I would be very willing to participate in discussions at the state level about funding and staffing housing for mentally ill people, both criminal and not. There is a lack of understanding by elected officials about the level of support, for their lifetimes, some people will need. Mental illness is generally not curable, only controlled to a greater or lesser extent. Some people need a much higher level of supervision and support than is currently available outside of the State Hospital. And it would be cheaper both in dollars and in community safety for society to provide secure housing and staffing.
I disagree with you that the housing should be away from schools and parks. Children in our society today are not safe, for a variety of reasons including but not limited to threats from criminally insane people. Only some of the dangerous people are identified as such - far more are the so-called friends of the family, or even within the family itself. Enacting regulations to put group homes further from schools, even if legal, would be feel-good legislation that wouldn't actually increase safety. It would provide a false sense of security. and Good Neighbor Agreements with teeth. And through community education about self-defence, supervision of children, reporting child abuse, and good neighbor relationships between neighbors as well as with institutions.
Amanda
I promised Amanda to forward this to those I copied,BUT.....her position in not defined as it should be. Example: GOOD NEIGHBOR AGREEMENTS (not even close to good toilet paper), there is no good neighbor agreement needed period! You define via the contracts to the providers of services for the care of the criminally, strict guidelines about client care...number one!
You outline in the strictest terms available, that any incident outside of the house area resulting in damage to neighborhood property. or injury or death by a client to a victim in the area will result in loss of contract and compensation at respectful levels to any victim or family.
In otherwards...run the place as life's depend on it...real or business life. Jack Peek
No, I'm not willing to help advocate for a change in the federal laws. I've pretty much lost faith and hope in our federal government under the current administration. I'm running for Council to affect the things I can change, rather than those I don't believe I can. - Amanda
Until there is a change in the federal laws that identifies the difference between a violent past offender and your poor uncle who was born without the capacity to take care of himself, there will be problems placing people in neighborhoods. I think there is more political will under the current administration than there was under Clinton to solve this problem.
I disagree with you that the housing should be away from schools and parks. Children in our society today are not safe, for a variety of reasons including but not limited to threats from criminally insane people. Only some of the dangerous people are identified as such. Said Amanda.
Once again, I disagree, If these people have killed, raped, or burned....THEY ARE DANGEROUS. We cannot continue to allow the mental health community or people running for office to not separate them for other mentally ill people. We are allowing here in Oregon, thanks to idiots like Kate Brown...true predatory child molesters more time to rape by the refusal to pass real laws, with real teeth, now...not in 2007, Or later then that.
Amanda said: We need actual safety through secure facilities and adequate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
staffing/supervision,
The group home I have is not "secure," neither was the one the client in the news yesterday walked away from. If your client/patient is allowed 90 minutes of "UNSUPERVISED" walks out of the group home...It is not secure! The patient who left yesterday was on an unsupervised walk. Check Channel 8's coverage of the story: http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_081805_news_missing_woman_.8833b298.html and Channel 2's coverage: http://www.katu.com/stories/79139.html This one talks about her being on an unsupervised walk.
Most of you just delete my "serial emails" ...those of you who do not, know I have been telling you that there is a real bad profile showing in the issue of placement of the criminally insane. This walkaway is a real signal, that the care is not secure, and the idea that people that have been judged a danger to themselves and the community should either not be there, or never allowed out alone.
If there is to be a defining answer to this issue...It's honest (Has not been in the past) NOTIFICATION as to the nature of the client and the limits the neighbors must abide by, and the punishment of the providers of the services, if there is a 6 PM "breaking news story."
Am I a NIMBY??? yes, that is honest,that is much less the honesty shown to my family, my neighbors, and other neighborhoods in the past.
I can live with these places if, Amanda, or Randy Leonard has the next one placed with in 400 ft of their house or kids school, after that is done...all is well.
Jack Peek
Jack Peek on 27 Aug 2005
Dat5 Racer writes:
"The Oregon State Bar board has voted to ban the Oregon National Guard from advertising in the bar magazine because of the military's controversial policy on homosexuals."
Just one of the many hypocritical items all to easy to locate in this sick city, yet the raging lobbying that the Air Guard must not be moved from the skies to protect us from terror attacks that Randy Leonard says can't happen because the FBI hasn't checked it out with him, and the city council is OK with hiring some of these terror types for employment in the mayors office (SAM ADAMS) would be the guy on that subject.
The real security issues maybe the Oregon DMV, but Teddy K doesn't think so, so what the hell, lets just not think that the upcoming date on the calendar will mirror the same date it did before...9-11, and if we are lucky, we will get pass it. No thanks to those who bit---- about the noise from the F15's at the airport, that a bunch of left wing idiots wanted moved.
Jack Peek
carla on 28 Aug 2005
So Lars Larson is a humorless, ego-centric showboater?
Who'd have thunk it? :)
I wonder if he and David Reinhard are twins separated at birth.
M on 30 Aug 2005
I don't think TriMet is being honest about needing to increase its fares because of the price of diesel. I suspect that when you take bus fare paid over gallons used, a $0.10 fare increase far exceeds the increase in diesel prices in the last four months, the last time fares increased. But I'm having a very hard time contacting someone at TriMet who has information like fare paid, gallons used, and TriMet's diesel costs per gallon. But consider: if diesel prices increased $0.40 like gas prices did, and buses get 13mpg, then TriMet's paying an additional 3.077 cents per mile, meaning TriMet would need an additional $0.10 per fare only if fare is paid once every 3.25 miles, which I highly doubt. I know this is too simplistic, with passes, student/honored discounts, etc. needing to be factored in, but it provides enough of a ballpark to be suspicious.
allehseya on 30 Aug 2005
(date: August 30th)
b!X,
You’re killing me over here. First you went on a Hiatus – which, as you know, I completely support as it’s critical that we all balance mind, body and spirit – less we become something too akin to work-o-holics. However, having said that – you then became ill – which rendered us much concerned until you appeared to have recovered something of your usually bloggy parlor with the Oregonian / Tribune online issue…….only to become again sluggish and then distracted by Lars and company….and it’s been four whole days man! What is going on??? Are you ill? Are you in Venice? Find a new day job? I am becoming pouty and shant forgive you – unless of course – you have off and fallen – in love. (in which case -- dismiss this comment and ...er... have fun!)