Last Tuesday evening, state representative Mary Nolan (D-Portland) put forward HB 3508, a legislative bill to legalize civil unions for gays and lesbians. On the surface, it’s admirable; a shout out for equality for gays and lesbians. But, in the context of the current legislative session, which is quickly winding down, it is an odd, […]
Phil Busse
Posted inNews
War of the Uterus
More Restrictions for Reproductive Rights
The woman is married and already has two children. She’s also had problems with miscarriages in the past, so when her doctor recommended to keep emergency contraception on hand–the so-called “morning after pills”–the woman agreed it was a good idea. Certainly, the last thing on her mind was a moral objection from her pharmacist. After […]
Posted inMovies & TV
Hell on Wheels
A Bunch of Cripples in the Best Sports Movie Ever
Murderball dirs. Rubin, Shapiro Opens Fri July 29 Fox Tower Forget Christopher Reeve. And forget all your preconceptions about what “quadriplegic” means. The men in Murderball are hardly self-pitying and helpless–instead, they’re fiercely competitive, mean, and downright horny. Screened at Sundance–and gathering steam ever since–Murderball documents the unlikely sport of “quad rugby,” or, as it […]
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Let The Shows Go On!
County Officials Kill Summer Concerts at Horning’s Hideout
HORNING’S HIDEOUT is only a 20-minute drive from Portland, but it’s a world away from our city’s dark and smoky clubs. From Hwy 26, a dusty gravel road wanders through farmland before reaching the 20-plus acre spread. There’s a pond and paddle boats for rent; peacocks wander the grounds oblivious to concert goers. There’s a […]
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Get Back To Work!
Republicans Avoid Controversy by Vacationing
Although there is a crushing backlog of work in the state legislature, the Republican leadership has already slumped into summer-vacation mode. Last Monday, July 11–for a second time in two weeks–Republican leaders of Oregon’s House of Representatives took off early, declaring a “three-day recess.” That decision brought the state capital to a grinding halt from […]
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Wi Fi’s Cloud of Questions
Will City Sponsored Wireless Actually Be Better for Portland?
Free, unfettered public access: Sounds like the Portland ideal, right? Years ago, there were the free-use yellow bikes. Anyone could pick up one of 500 canary-colored bicycles and “borrow” it for a while–to go shopping, to pedal off to a local coffee shop, to commute to work. But that idea fell flat when people started […]
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Too Little, Too Late
Lawmakers Screw Up Civil Unions
Last Friday, the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 1000, a sweet piece of legislation that would both legalize civil unions and ban discrimination against gays and lesbians. While supporters of the bill have been busy patting themselves on the back, it remains doubtful that the bill will advance any further and actually become law. It […]
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A Death To Remember
Kendra James’ Shooting Causes Police Bureau Shake-Up
There was the impassioned plea for justice from Kendra James’ father. Then there were the jury instructions, which reminded the eight jurors that it is unlawful for an officer to shoot at someone suspected of a misdemeanor–such as running a stop sign. But even then the jurors agreed that Officer Scott McCollister had done nothing […]
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Look Who’s Talking
Backroom Deals See the Light of Day
City commissioner Sam Adams wants you to know who’s been talking to him. It’s hardly a radical idea–to make lobbyists publicly register any attempt to persuade city policies. But even so, Adams’ proposal to regulate lobbying entities has been meeting resistance from unions, the Portland Business Alliance, and even some city officials. Since entering office, […]
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On My Soapbox
It Takes a City
No, the resolution has nothing to do with Sir Bob Geldof’s Live 8 concerts. But last Wednesday, Portland City Council passed a resolution declaring July measles and malaria awareness month. The point of the resolution–and a month-long fundraiser by the local Red Cross chapter–is to raise awareness and funds to inoculate children in Africa; in […]
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Another “Innocent” Cop
Jury Okays Kendra James Killing
On Tuesday afternoon, after deliberating for a brief four hours, an eight-person jury returned a verdict that is likely to sting the city’s black community: Officer Scott McCollister was justified in shooting Kendra James. The facts are well known: On May 5, 2003, James, a 21-year-old black woman, was partying late at night with two […]
Posted inUncategorized
Portland Grows Up
Savoy Masters Comfort Food
Savoy 2500 SE Clinton 808-9999 La Cruda, the now defunct hipster burrito shop on Southeast Clinton, was one of the first restaurants that I visited when I arrived in town seven years ago. “It’s soooo Portland,” my friends told me. The interior looked decorated from a rummage sale, there was a giant tub full of […]