Get The Vote In (Cut & Paste)

Those of us in the state of Oregon are so very fortunate that we no longer have to stand in long lines to cast our ballots on election day (& during early voting). This is because our state passed an initiative in 1998 that required all election procedures to be conducted by the vote-by-mail system. This allows the voter to either mail-in or drop off ballots at official drop sites. Because of this, Oregon has both reduced the cost of elections and increased participation.

This is a reminder for those of you who have not yet sent in your Oregon ballot.

ONLY Ballots that are received at a County Elections Office ANYTIME BEFORE 8:00pm THIS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4th will be counted.

POSTMARKS DO NOT COUNT!

REMEMBER you can also drop ballots at ANY designated drop site BY 8:00pm TUESDAY.

Instead of sending all those "political forwards", how about sending an encouraging message to all your e-mail contacts to GET THE VOTE IN.

For those of you who live in states that still vote at polling stations:

PLEASE DON'T LET YOU VOTE GO IDLE, USE IT!

GET TO YOUR VOTING SITE EARLY, THIS TUESDAY NOVEMBER 4th!

Any questions?

• Oregon Election Information
• Steal Back Your Vote
  

What Did You Miss?

Haha, this is great! I found this video over at the Democracy In America blog run by The Economist. Enjoy.

Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com.

Beat LA & Everyone Else

bill_walton, originally uploaded by Mauricas.

 Tue. October 28

Portland @ LA Lakers

7:30pm TV: TNT

Tonight marks the start of a very anticipated Portland Trailblazers season. Although the Blazers will be one of the youngest teams in the NBA (again), fans of the Red & Black see this team as one who has potential to take a giant leap in the league standings.

Last season after gaining the #1 overall selection in the draft, the club picked college superstar Greg Oden from Ohio State. Unfortunately his first professional season was delayed due to injury, but now Oden is back and ready to establish himself in the league.


Even without the potential NBA Rookie of the Year and a future NBA Superstar the team finished in it's best position in many years, (no longer the Jail Blazers, thank you!) instead of being dead last the team finished dead even in the win, loss category a year ago.

More is expected this season with the addition of Spanish superstar Rudy Fernandez and the surprising 19 year old kid from France, Nicolas Batum. This team is young and damb good.

RIP CITY

• Channing Frye Blog
  

More Endorsements

 As the audio in "Paper Backs" points out, "For the first time in its 161 year history, The Chicago Tribune endorsed the democratic party's nominee for president this week."



A super cool map of Newspaper Endorsments

Say Goodnight George Bush

Rick Emerson’s Political Party

Tuesday, November 4th

7pm-10pm

Grand Central Bowl

(8th and Morrison in beautiful Southeast Portland.)

You may have already made your Halloween plans for this year but have you made your election night party plans yet? I was passed this information in an e-mail from my brother who is a big Rick Emerson fan. This looks fun, I will have to make this one of my stops on November 4th. The event is being sponsored by the local rag, Willamette Week and the super cool Oregon Bus Project.

"Real-time election results, reactions, and a live, on-site broadcast by News Director Tim Riley. From the very first ballot to the very last concession, join us as we conclude the most unbelievable election in U.S. history. "

R (for) A, D

So in case you missed it, last Sunday on "Meet the Press" Republican Colin Powell endorsed Democrat Barack Obama. That endorsement from Powell brought this reaction from Rush Limbaugh.

With that in mind I went through several web sites and came up with this list. By no means is this a complete and/or official list, it's just what I have found. If you see any corrections or anyone missing, let me know. This also begs the question, does Rush and the other "right-wingers" think these Republicans "crossed party lines" only because of race?

• Obama endorsements.
• Republicans who have endorsed Obama.
• Obamacons: Conservatives That Support Obama.

Republicans, former Republicans and People with Republican ties who have endorsed Obama.

Ken Adelman, current member of the Pentagon's Defense Policy Board; former advisor to President Ronald Reagan; former Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; former deputy U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
Wick Allison Former publisher of National Review
Jack Antaramian, Florida real estate developer and Bush fundraiser
Carolyn Abshire, the wife of former NATO Ambassador under George H.W. Bush

Christopher Buckley, author, son of legendary conservative William F. Buckley, Jr.

Kirbyjon Caldwell, President George W. Bush's spiritual advisor.
Arne Carlson Former Minnesota Governor
Lincoln Chafee (I-RI), (R-RI while in office) Fmr. Sen.
Dr. Louise White Cashin, former director, National Teacher Corps, Dept. of Education in the Nixon Administration

Eileen Doherty, a former Reagan White House Communications office staffer;
David Durenberger Former Minnesota Senator

Julie Nixon Eisenhower, daughter of former President Richard Nixon, granddaughter-in law of Dwight D. Eisenhower
Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower and president of the Eisenhower Institute.

Francis Fukuyama, author, key figure in the rise of neoconservatism.
Antoinette Ford, former Presidential Appointee in the Nixon, Reagan and Bush Administrations

Terry Golden, the former Assistant Secretary of Treasury and Administrator of the General Services Administration under former President Ronald Reagan
CC Goldwater, granddaughter of former Republican senator and presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.

Lilibet Hagel, wife of Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Rita E. Hauser, Former White House intelligence advisor for George W. Bush
Mrs Richard Helms, the wife of Richard Helms, Richard Nixon's CIA chief
Christopher Hitchens, author and essayist loosely affiliated with neo-conservative foreign policy.
Linwood Holton (R-VA) Fmr. Governor Linwood Holton (R-VA),
Dennis Hopper Actor and former Bush supporter
Larry Hunter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Policy Innovation and Chief Economist for the Free Enterprise Fund, former Reagan policy advisor
John Hutson, USN (ret.) Rear Admiral , former Judge Advocate General of the Navy and the current dean and president of Franklin Pierce Law Center.

Noel Koch, former Special Assistant to President Nixon; former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs
Douglas Kmiec, legal counsel to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, and co-chairman of Romney's Committee for the Courts and the Constitution

Mandy Locke, a veteran of Bob Dole's Presidential Campaign and press aide to Elizabeth Dole;
Jim Leach (R-IA) Fmr. Congressman

Stephanie E. Myers, the former Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at Health and Human Services under Reagan
Sarah Mathias, the daughter in law of former Senator Charles Mathias (R);
Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary under George W. Bush from 2003-2006.
Tricia Mosley, former staffer to Senator Strom Thurmond

Georgia Nassikas, the sister of former Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI).

Paul O'Neill, United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2001-02 under George W. Bush

Kathleen Hensley Portalski, half-sister of John McCain's wife, Cindy Hensley McCain
Nathan Portalski, nephew of John McCain's wife, Cindy Hensley McCain
Dorothy Peterson, wife of Former New Hampshire Governor and Republican Walter Peterson
Colin Powell, former Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Alma Rangel, wife of Rep. Charles B. Rangel
David Ruder, Chairman of the Securities & Exchange Commission under President Ronald Reagan
Richard Riordan (R-CA) Fmr. Mayor of Los Angeles

Willa Hall Smith, the former Associate Director of Public Liaison to President George H.W. Bush;
Beverley Stanley, the widow of Ralph Stanley, Chair of UMPTA under Reagan,
Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Michael Smerconish Radio Host
Frank Schaeffer, pro-life advocate and the son of evangelist Francis Schaeffer.

Rabbi Ethan Tucker, stepson of Sen. Joe Lieberman who spoke at the Republican convention.
Lou Thieblemont Mayor of Camp Hill, Penn. Thieblemont switched his party registration from Republican to Democrat so that he could vote for Obama in the Pennsylvania primary.

Lowell P. Weicker Jr. (I-CT), (R-CT, while in office) Fmr. Governor and Senator
Ken Wilson, a former DC Republican Committeeman and a "Bush 41 Eagle Fundraiser;"
Jim Whitaker Fairbanks North Star Borough mayor endorsed Obama and delivered a speech on the second day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

Cali Crazy

This election cycle has brought out the nuts. Case in point, California. Below are two political ads running in California. The first ad equates same sex marriage with polygamy, incest and being a pedophile. WTF? The second, well, for one it makes no distinction between legal and illegal immigrants, it lumps ALL immigrants together. Besides, America is a nation built on immigrants. This has to be one of the worst arguments ever in regards to both global warming and immigration policy. Have a look.       

California Proposition 8

CAPS

Any thoughts?

XO

August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003

Five years ago today Elliott Smith, my favorite Portland musician, took his own life, having stabbed himself in the chest with a kitchen knife. A sad and tragic end to a very talented individual.

On that day five years ago I remember being at work and hearing a rumor that Elliott Smith was found dead. Later that night I found out more details from someone who knew Elliott. He like others was in shock.

In the days and weeks following his death an impromptu memorial had been established on 12th & SE Elliott, about twenty feet from Division Street, just outside of Ladd's Edition, the neighborhood Elliott had once lived. It was an emotional place to pass everyday on my way to work.

Lincoln High School Elliott Smith Memorial

MLS, Paulson & The Joe's

The big news last week in the Rose City, was the official bid Merritt Paulson (son of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson) delivered to Major League Soccer headquarters to elevate the Portland Timbers into Americas top division by 2011.

MLS to PDX

Unfortunately to the disappointment of the Timbers Army faithful just after this announcement took place the message board over at Soccer City USA went down. This left the soccer nerds of Portland in a deep depression for nearly a week. Now it looks like everything is back to buisness as usual on that very active site.

How did you cope?

In other news, Joe Six-Pack is mad at Joe The Plumber.

Joe the "Plumber" please fix my pipes.

She's From Minnesota

Rep. Michelle Bachmann, (R) Minnesota on MSNBC

I find it interesting how the GOP keeps up the good work of making fools of themselves. Do these people think, really think Obama and the liberals are truly "anti-American"? My opinion is the GOP has read the writing on the wall and they are trying to stir up Nationalism. Message to GOP, it's not gonna work, Americans are tired of it.

Wonder what Bachmann thinks about "Little Beirut" other wise know as Portland, OR?

Can You Name....

The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press made this little survey to see how (un)informed Americans really are. So the question begs, can you get all three correct?

1. Name the controlling party of the U.S. House of Representatives.
2. Name the U.S. secretary of state.
3. Name Great Britain's prime minister.

Read about the survey results in the Denver Post.

Note: I did get 3 of 3

Portland Love.

 

My weekend includes biking, apples, pears, music, fresh hops and sporting a scarf of green. 

Dave Knows: Portland

Vote.

What a time to live. Even with much uncertainty in the air I would not wish to live in another time or place. Internet, airlines, podcasts, film, e-mail, portable music, photography and the list goes on. The unknown is thrilling.

Dear Joe Six Pack,

I have never paled around with terrorists, but I do have a pet pig that I fix up with lipstick from time to time. And yes it's true, Alaska shares a maritime border with Russia, but the great people of Alaska speak English and race snow machines down main street. Bet you did not know that smarty pants!

Love reading your Blog, keep up the great work.

Sincerely
Joe Plummer
Bridge To Nowhere, AK

Super Human Times Ten

Last night I attended the Portland edition of Henry Rollins' latest roadshow. According to his website  21361 he states, that this tour is to celebrate the end of the Bush era. If this night is my final memory of the Bush era I will be one happy camper thanks to Henry.

On this night Rollins was in prime form, weaving in and out of stories that only he can deliver. The show lasted over an hour and by the end I felt like I knew both Henry and myself a little better. He is like an eccentric relative that you only see once a year, but when in-town you connect with them even though much of the year they are a big mystery.

He packed his show full of current project updates, psychotic stories, poems and many off the cuff conversations with himself. He noted many times throughout his show his deep fondness for the city of Portland, even stating he was jealous because we can go to Powell's Books any day of the year.

Henry Rollins is a lengend, his presence is something to behold, intense, intelligent, angry, compassionate you name it, he is it, times ten.   

Mountain Monday

 Back Again, Yes I'm Back Again!

So summer is over and the rain is now falling but never fear I'm alive and well. Summer was a grand 'ol time with much hiking, mountain biking, hitchiking and bonfires to fill my wakening hours.

I know it's not "officially" Monday but here is a quick visual overview of the snow pack melt on Mt. Hood for the summer months of 2008.