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I wish the RACC hadn't gotten a chunk of the arts tax money, not because I dislike the RACC but because most of us were far more concerned about the schools than unidentifiable chunks of metal being placed around town.
Posted by Aestro]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 09:29:42 -0700 Portland Mercury
I find it ironic that a city and state that claims to be helping children by shielding them from so-called harmful chemicals like flouride and vaccines, has the highest rates of autism in the nation. Not to mention the worst teeth outside of the deep south.
Posted by Gza1340]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 09:23:57 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Gza1340]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 09:07:53 -0700 Portland Mercury
This town will never understand what truly great pizza is. Apizza Scholls is the only place that comes close. Thank god, I'll be back in Milwaukee next month where I can enjoy a decent pie. The new Pizza Man should be open by then. Might trek down to Chicago for a proper deep dish too.
Posted by Gza1340]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:59:05 -0700 Portland Mercury
Bravo! Some award-worthy alt-journalism happening here.
Posted by Chunty McHutchence]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:58:24 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Soggy]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:57:42 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Gza1340]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:47:24 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Graham]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:45:57 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Media watch]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:46 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Hank_Cavill]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 08:36:44 -0700 Portland Mercury
You are making egregious errors in your misunderstanding, mischaracterization, and dismissal of other lefties.

The way that you have tried to paint us as idiots and/or lunatics and/or conservative sheep is not a responsible tactic; certainly not one employed by “true Liberals.” Lefties have an advantage over right-wingers in that we actually listen and give consideration to other perspectives. On this, you have failed. While it may be true that the anti-fluoridation camp may be diverse (respect diversity?) and also consist of some narrow-mindedness, there are a substantial number of us who are very well educated and understand the complexities of the situation well. We are not “global-warming-denying-flat-earth-all-government-is-bad” people. Your attempt to paint us this way is, well, a familiar tactic of people who can’t really defend their position (often employed by right-wingers, who also often have a difficult time with reason).

Your “fellow lefties” have presented a number of arguments that suggest the course that you propose is not wise, and your response has been akin to “Why do you hate poor people?!” and “Well, the doctors and the government say it’s okay” and “Hey, everybody’s doin’ it.” Not exactly convincing.

And so you resort to name-calling and the erroneous and onerous assertion that we are blindly following a misinformation conspiracy-theory campaign. This reveals that you clearly have not been listening. And, indeed, such an approach suggests that, conversely, it is you who have been doing so! (As you put your metaphorical fingers in your ears and yell louder than we with your fallacious arguments.)

What happened to people who used to question when corporate polluters and their lobbyists pushed legislation that makes it possible to do their worst to the environment? What happened to those of you who understood that the Western (and Global North) approach to treating the medical (societal) symptoms rather than the disease model is unsustainable? What happened to the inquisitive minds that put claims of authority to the test (e.g. those Harvard economists whose “research” advanced global austerity measures, which was published without peer review and whose conclusions were debunked when flaws in their methodology were exposed)? Do you not wash your veggies to clean off chemicals that we are told are “safe?”

There is so much you do not accept at face value. But this?! Please, try again.

“The disappointed one speaks. I searched for great human beings; I always found only the apes of their ideals.” #39 Maxims & Arrows
Posted by Maxims&Arrows]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 07:49:47 -0700 Portland Mercury
Or, you know, maybe we can all actually pull together and do something much more meaningful for health care. But my hopes are not very high, judging by the debate over flouride.
Posted by pdxMB]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 06:58:59 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by pdxMB]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 06:56:00 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Commenty Colin]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 06:48:20 -0700 Portland Mercury
Who could possibly think you're all batshit dum dums now?
Posted by Commenty Colin]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 06:45:21 -0700 Portland Mercury
http://sqlservermasters.com/
Posted by Sqlservermasters Hyderabad]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 04:53:18 -0700 Portland Mercury
Thanks for your reporting on this clusterfuck. It's respectable that the Mercury took the stand it did on this issue; you all were right, and when you have a far better job and look back on this and laugh, I hope you pat yourself on the back for having the stones to take a stand on an issue sure to upset many of yr paper's target audience.
Posted by jake]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 04:35:20 -0700 Portland Mercury
Fluoridation is statistically proven (and admitted in a HKHP debate too btw) to not reduce tooth decay.
There is not and never was a "dental crisis" in Portland. The 2012 SMILE survey that HKHP tried to suppress shows that. Portland's decay rate is better than areas that fluoridate!
The "fluoride" in fluoridation comes from the industrial toxic waste of fertilizer production. It is not any sort of natural "mineral", nor is it the same kind of fluoride used in toothpaste. If it weren't sold to cities for fluoridation it would have to be disposed of as toxic waste!
Fluoride is not required by the body for any reason. It is a cumulative toxin that causes numerous problems with the body. Pro-fluoridationists admit that fluorosis is a disease caused by excessive consumption of fluoride. It causes a disruption in the bone matrix which is visible on the teeth but affects all bones in the body. It disrupts the thyroid, calcifies the pineal gland and is a neurotoxin.

Even if you think it is safe and effective as a dental treatment. Ingesting it is not a proper way to use it! Fluoride is already available as toothpaste and it's used *topically* outside the teeth. You don't eat your toothpaste.
The public water is not an appropriate way to medically treat the entire city without their consent, without a diagnosis, without a means to regulate the "medicine".
And then there's the matter of efficiency. Only about 1% of the water is ingested the rest is used to flush toilets, hose of driveways, showers, etc.

For fuck's sake any way you cut it there's about a 100 reason why fluoridation is totally FUCKED. Yet the Merc did it's best to demonize, discredit and mock people who are trying to stop this insane policy?

People have been duped, or are in the pocket of the extensive forces shoving fluoride on us. I hope everyone will figure it out, not just the 60% majority that voted against it. I think people will more and more.

Rather than have "sour grapes" that you lost what was a little game, be happy that you won't be living in yet another city with toxic waste added to the water. If you really really love fluoride that much you can still get it at the store in a tube of toothpaste. That's your choice. Let people have a choice in the toxic-waste/medicine they ingest.
Posted by Jay Sun]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 01:05:28 -0700 Portland Mercury And you still don't get it. The arrogance to say "don't fuck this up Portland". It was the Portland Mercury that fucked up.

Look into the facts and use common sense. I don't see how adding industrial toxic waste to the water is a good idea. Or even if you think it's an effective dental treatment, the public water isn't there to mass medicate people.
It was really low to jump on the ad hominem bandwagon that the corporate snakes use to justify their dumping of toxic waste in the water.

"It's never a good idea to take health advice from the same publications that exhort you to make your own porno... " @MediaMonarchy on twitter

Posted by Jay Sun]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 00:12:48 -0700 Portland Mercury
And by that I mean the talking points that a lobbyist got paid to dumb down for me.
Posted by Chunty McHutchence]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:49:26 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by eldepeche]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:41:52 -0700 Portland Mercury
Now don't get me wrong; the tinfoil hat bad science crowd loved the other side, and maybe that's "wingnut" Portland liberal, sure. But it's not "lives-in-a-$600k-Alameda-home" Portland liberal. (So many different varieties!) We could split hairs further and say that the Hot Yoga Moms would be voting GOP anywhere else, but hey, this is Portland! We're all liberals and we're all really excited about eco-equality and outdoor activities and whatnot. Common ground. At least most of the time.

Somehow the wingnuts found themselves in bed with the curmudgeonly libertarians this time around, adding to the confusion. So yeah. But the "save the children" appeals weren't aimed at them; they were aimed at anyone who's decided that they exist on some sort of figurative perch, high above the unfortunate. This crowd might drive redevelopment, food culture, etc but they're not the majority. They're not really hippies, just like they're not really progressive or really into yoga. They're just good at throwing money and time at pretentious self-serving causes.
Posted by Chunty McHutchence]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:41:11 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Tommy]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:34:32 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by Abusive]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:31:04 -0700 Portland Mercury Posted by The Showstopper]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 22:29:14 -0700 Portland Mercury