So Wurster hates you now?

I'm not sure. Perhaps we got cut off. Although when I tried re-dialing his number it went to voicemail. I've asked to arrange a candidate interview with Volm as soon as possible.

is this Saltman's seat? are they really trying hard to get me to vote "none of the above?"

The picture is crying out for a caption contest.

Or a photosho-mpetition(TM).

The open seats are Fish's and Saltzman's. She's yet to declare.

So Mary Volm's relationship status on Facebook says she is in a relationship with Jasun Wurster. They're dating? And yes I took a screenshot in case it gets changed.

News-wise, I don't really see how that's in the public interest. Perhaps you can tell me what the public interest angle might be?

I ask, because I've made quite a point lately of asking why a politician's personal life bears public scrutiny. I think there's a respectful cut-off point:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/ha…

Mary Volm is an amazing artist and profound intellect with city issues.

Mary Volm is just the candidate to bring some fresh air of justice into a stagnant toxic pond of city hall.

The media remind me of piranhas when it comes to community organizing. Wurster is a friend of mine and one of the nicest people I know, not sure about the phone call but I am sure its a minor miscommunication, try not to take it personally.

Saltzmans rusty seat is long over due for some Volm charisma. Other than stating that Saltzman is Chris Humphtries, what has he done in three terms in seat 3?

if ABS is indicitive of the quality of the supporters that Volm has, then her campaign is screwed. I think some of those sentences were created using a Madlibs book. They just don't make sense.

Mary's photo is perfect. She's the "Cat woman" that's going to save Gotham City (AKA Portland, OR).

Mary's photo is perfect. She's the "Cat Woman" that's going to save Gotham City (AKA Portland, Oregon).

@mattdavis

I just thought it was interesting, but you're right it isn't really newsworthy. Newsworthy-wise is he running her campaign for the seat?

What's that, Janelle? She's a cat lady?

Hey Mercury, I'm a blonde. Can you delete my double comment? Thanks.

We need more women working for the city--Oregometry. I'm not a literal person.

@Rich Bachelor- There should be a load of pics to sort through for all dynamics of a campaign. If indeed this was a campaign?? I think she should run for mayor, but whats my opinion?
Oliver

@Janelle: Do you even know who Cat Woman is? She's not the savior of "Gotham City" by any means. Selina Kyle is a jewel thief and vamp. Also, you're not a literal person... What exactly are you then? A zeitgeist maybe, or a collective unconsious with an internet connection?

I was just being snarky, Janelle. It's nice to see a woman throw her hat into a race that has a male incumbent and two male declared challengers.

Where are all the 2009 Emerge Oregon program graduates for this council seat? Or are they all in Washington and Clackamas Counties?

You mean wurster wasn't forthcoming with information to which he was entirely privy? How odd.

This is great news. In a city where, if you don't follow super closely, it's hard to distinguish between city council candidates, I now know who not to vote for.

Maybe volm can gather the same high-quality staff, props and volunteers the ant-Adams campaign used: right-wing radio hosts, homophobes, crusty, retired republican business people with nothing better to do, orange floor balloons, anyone else holding grudges against her opponent, mentally unstable people she can manipulate into accusing her opponent of verbal harrassment--you know, the cream of the crop.

@schoolyard journalism

What's up Jasun? I think two squatting women just about covers my feelings on the matter. It's nice you're just using anonymous handles these days.

"no limit to what you will do to attack people you do not agree with"

Did I even attack Volm once? Seriously? If anything I said was an attack in your eyes you have some seriously THIN skin. I asked if Wurster would be running her campaign since it seemed to be something one would want to know. Typically I like to know who my politicians associate themselves with. In this case I would want to know if Volm was having her campaign run by a buddy of Lars Larson. Fair questions are not attacks.

@Graham. You're right Graham cracker. Apparently I wasn't thinking that it was ok to have an imagination. Catwoman is a character from Batman and I was non-literally talking about Mary's picture. In my world, Catwoman will be the new superhero to save Gotham City (AKA Portland, Oregon).

I'm just a 31 year old "dumb blonde," double Scorpio with a moon in Capricorn--nuff said.
(FYI--I have a B.A in which I graduated with a 3.9418 GPA at the top 10% of my class in 2008 from Marylhurst University. Not that it matters, I don’t need people to validate who I am--I know who I am. I’m someone who believes that there needs to be more creative people in politics--someone like Mary.)

My whole point about my Catwoman analogy was that there needs to be more women working for the city of Portland. I'll forgive you Graham; you must've been drinking when you posted your last comment.

Go Mary! Women unite! I'm a voter for real change--not spare change.

[@ two squatting women, Mary is a Democrat--where does your Republican concept come from, your imagination?]

Sincerely,

Janelle

@two squatting women-taking a crap, you sound more like a right wing wacko from a Lars Larson morning show than anyone I have met around this grassroots campaign or any other. Your short sided and quick to judge mentality leaves you in a fish bowl, where you are well fed from your sources..

Bottom line, you will know information when you are told. A huge chunk of your questioning is really none of your f'ing business.

The insults are expected from such bottom feeders as yourself.

Aqua Blue,

I waited the entire recall campaign for other sources to refute "mine." Guess what? They never did and never will. Your anti-Sam peeps never proffered confirmed facts in response, only baseless denials. Taking a poke at me is part and parcel of your entire approach--all bluster, no substance.
Your pal volm aligned herself with everyone I mentioned above. Eff Ayy Cee Tee. Thoughest will reap what thoughest hath sown. She's sorely, sorely misguided if she thinks she'll win a race as a tried-and-true democrat after being part of a campaign that included the names lars larsen and kevin mannix. In Portland, Oregon? Like fish in a barrel for her opponent...

And by the way, blind support for the way they ran that campaign just cuz your palz, is infantile and honestly, true bottom-feeder behavior.

@Two Women squatting,

The Council race is non-partisan, unless the Mercury changed some guidelines when I wasn't looking.

Just because you brought it up: First, the Recall campaign is a totally different dynamic than bringing a positive solution to City Hall as MAry Volm represents. Second, I read all the crap that the Mercury crew pieced together like Middle School girls passing notes in the hallway about the recall. There was no right wing funder...no conspiracy, non of that BS is true. Larson never sent a dollar. Mannix never sent a dollar. All complete horse manure, just like Fox News "reporters".

Interesting to use the metaphor of "shooting fish out of a barrel". real choice.

You are clueless in what the recall represents, Justice and Integrity in City Hall. Most likely clueless in what a grassroots, community originated, campaign looks like.

I am an activist, community organizer and a free spirit. You are paid to do as you are told by elected officials.

That's a hawk and a bottom feeder.

@ABS & Janelle: If the two of you represent the level of support and intellectual rigor that can be expected from Ms. Volm's supporters... well... I feel sorry for whomever her campaign manager turns out to be. It's tough when the most vocal people on your side come off sounding like insecure defensive wack-jobs.

@schoolyard journalism: One would think that if I was running for a elected position higher than say, neighborhood association board, the person I was dating would know. The fact that that boyfriend is a public figure* who everyone happened to have on speed dial, might mean that if some random rumors showed up, that newspaper reports might ask some questions, you know, in an effort to flesh out the story. The only thing that makes this story school-yard-ee is that after Mr Wurster acted like an ass, Mr Davis decided to report that Mr Wurster was an ass, (while he continued down the list of potential sources trying to get details about the rumor.) A "normal" newspaper wouldn't report that little detail, where as a blog isn't limited by column inches so it can report that. I've got no problem with all of that in theory, but in this case it isn't news: we all already knew that Mr Wurster is an ass.

*Adolf Hitler was a public figure too, so don't take that as a compliment.

@ Graham (blogger profile showing him drinking at the bar) AKA “Graham cracker” and @ two squatting women (AKA oppressive profile name), I’m not sure how you both manage to type on this blog. You both obviously type just to make yourselves feel good and may not be all the way coherent.

You both wouldn’t know diversity if it hit you over the head. When I see political candidates concerned about the marginalized, I listen. I could tell you about what kind I’ve life I came from and what type of family I am related to by their race and sexual orientation—but I don’t have the energy to let you know because you’ve both closed your minds so tightly and have your mind made-up to call anyone who is not voting for your favorite politician a “homophobe,” “wacko,” “right winger” or “Republican.” I am not any of your perceived derogatory labels.

The real issues are what matter to me. From Mary Volm’s FaceBook, I can see she has a genuine interest in helping the homeless/disadvantaged—she certainly is not lazy. I have personally gone to City Hall meetings and other City Hall forum and have seen the same middle class crap over and over again offering solutions only to the business community advantage. I’m not saying that there aren’t good middle class people out there, because there are people like Mary out there who genuinely care about others.

I don’t care who sleeps with whom, but in the state of Oregon, 18 is the age of consent and when I vote, I vote for what actions are being done on the issues that matter to me and who follows the very laws that the people have voted in—government by the people and for the people. Soap opera crap belongs on a soap opera, not at a City Hall. Of course, soap operas are also found in Blogs & newspapers.

Sincerely,


Janelle

@Janelle: Are you really using people's profiles from Facebook to tell that people really have a "genuine interest in helping the homeless/disadvantaged"? I'll give you a hint: On Facebook it is very easy to fake "genuine" interests. It is even easier than editing Wikipedia to suit your needs.

P.S. The rest of your comment reads kind of like a Palin speech. Not that I'm judging* you or anything, but it seems to be a random collection of soundbites strung together without any thought as to if they make sense together or not. Your last paragraph is probably worst in that regard: Are you talking about Mary and Jasun in the beginning, and are they underage, or what exactly do you mean? Then you go on to talk about how you aren't going to vote for convicts, which as far as I know, there aren't any on the ballot in the first place. And then you talk about soap operas in city hall, which are quite a bit different than the legal system. (Although I do agree that soap operas don't belong at city hall, which is why I'm not going to vote for anyone that is dating Jasun. (Unlike you, I do care who sleeps with who: I think your personal life says a lot about you. More than say, your Facebook page.))

*I'm lying: People judge each other all the time, and I am judging you there, and every time you (or anyone else) does anything. But I also judge myself every time I do anything, so don't worry, you aren't special.

@Graham-I got your "intellectual rigor" right here, douche bag. You attack, you create rumors, and then insult me because I challenge your BS. I have nothing to do with the campaign except cheerleader and motivator, out of the gate.
You and crime fighter partner Matt Davis pulled a FB page posted at midnight, and post your story or assumed story-blog, inaccurate. Without a single thread or source to back it up except disturbing Wurster at home. How would you like calls asking stupid questions on your cell phone? think about that.
Your whole mission was to make Wurster an ass. And you call him one now. Thats called reporting? Send a resume over to Fox News and get the hell outta Portland.

@ Matthew D.--get a clue. Matthew, I never made any comments to you and you are extremely disrespectful as is all the morons voting for any white, middle-class male idiot. I will not vote for whoever is a white, male, middle-class person who does the same stupid politics over and over again. As long as there are options, I prefer anyone but a white male; I will vote for someone who cares about the marginalized.

This US society is historically extremely oppressive due to a lot of white males’ middle-class ideologies. I'm for new people, with new ideas and I don't have the energy to explain who I am to you Matthew, because yet again, saying my comment "reads like a Palin speech" is BS. Matthew, you sound like a "right winger, closeted Republican" as far as I'm considered with your inaccurate judgments. Go back to school.

@ Rich--ha ha ha ha--very funny. Once again, a white-middle class male shenanigan. All you white-middle class males can not hide your oppressiveness, women-hating ideology.

The first rule about running for political office: Be smart enough not to post stupid photos on your Facebook page. The second, LOCK YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

@Janelle: "get a clue", "you sound like a 'right winger, closeted Republican'", "your inaccurate judgments", "Go back to school"

Who exactly is "extremely disrespectful" here?

Aqua Blue,

So you're saying no right wing funding? Ron Tonkin and the property managment company where you were headquartered give to which party again? Mannix's signature gathering involvement in the anti-Sam's second thrust (How's that going, by the way? Got some falsified numbers you'd like to share? 90, 100 thousand signatures, I'm sure)? Did the entire campaign kick off at a hot dog place on Hawthorne where some right-wing radio twat held a broadcast? Wasn't Lars there, too? ALL facts say yes.

Your posts here are a microcosm of all that's fucked up about the anti-Sam campaign. Tons of denial, no factual support. Lots of pretense about acting on some higher plane when really you're all just a bunch of dupliciious, self-absorbed, self-congratulatory boobs ("I'm an activist! I'm a community organizer!").

It's not a pissing contest over who cares more about the city and who's more personally involved in the process. You have no idea what anyone here who takes exception to the anti-Sam campaign does for their community. Yet it doesn't stop you from making silly assumptions about individuals to suit your empty arguments and name-call.

Face it, toots: you and your ilk totally BLEW a chance to gather sympathy and bring people into your fold (I was certainly willing and waiting with an open mind) by denying all that was fucked up and off-putting about your campaign.

As for volm, again, you are DREAMING and frankly, bat-shit crazy if you think she's going to win a race connected, even indirectly, to the people I've mentioned above.

So essentially Janelle is a defensive bigot and ABS is a deranged schizo.

The candidate is dating someone who failed to show any leadership skills on the highest profile political campaign in PDX during the last year. The copy on her website is in desperate need of a copy editor and she has posted no positions or platforms. So all we have to go off of for her judging her worthiness as a candidate are her Facebook page (I refuse to use Facebook, so I've got no idea what it says) and her vocal supporters. Still not looking good for Ms. Volm.

@rich bachelor: Thanks for the laugh.

@Janelle: Okay, you are a hypocrite, so I'm gonna make a list of what is wrong with you:
1) You have a criminal conviction, yet you don't want to vote for convicts because we voted on these laws, (although see below.) (Did you know it is possible to get most convictions sealed after a few years. Unless it wasn't something something "minor," but actually something serious like murder, you can get it removed from your record. Wait, I'm mad at you, why am I trying to help you out? What is wrong with ME?)
2) You don't have the energy to explain why my judgments are wrong, but you do have the energy to insult me for them.
3) You complain about people being disrespectful by calling them names.
4) You tried to recall someone even though you couldn't be bothered to vote in the election in the first place.
5) You admit that you'll vote for/against someone because of their race or sex, (Hint: Just cause you are a different type of bigot than most bigots, doesn't mean you aren't one,) but still claim to be open minded.
6) You can't be bothered to do the simplest of things to actually help the situations you complain about, specifically, to vote.
7) We didn't actually vote on [most] laws, we elected people, specifically, [mostly] white-UPPER class males who did. On one hand you like those laws yet you blame those same people for causing all the problems in the first place.

In the non-hypocritical, just stupid, category goes:
A) You don't understand that someone who calls himself "rich" isn't middle class.
B) You got in trouble for being disrespectful at a meeting, (not for your viewpoint, I happen to know that the city is very patent with dealing with opposing viewpoints, but for being disrespectful,) and you didn't understand that.

What did I miss? (I can't believe I pulled that entire list out of 8 comments. Sheesh.)

@ Graham, two squatting women, rich bachelor, never mind that shit, and Matthew D.: I compiled a list of your comments which the majority of them are sexist against women and labeling others as “schizos”, “schizophrenics,” and “batshit crazy.”

All of you (the people I just listed) must’ve voted for Commissioner Dan Saltzman in the past. Some people who are really diagnosed as “schizophrenic” get killed by the police here in Portland, Oregon. The people who’ve made those quotes are listed below (Graham, rich bachelor, and never mind that shit were the ones making derogatory comments about schizophrenics and the mentally ill.) Now that is purely distasteful. I would never change who I would vote for from the likes of all of you.

As long as there are people working in the city of Portland and those who vote for them are disrespectful to the homeless, the marginalized and the mentally ill (or so called mentally people by people who aren’t qualified to diagnosis others) your own bigotry needs to be pointed out.

I believe in setting the facts straight and I’m not a bigot. I give respect where respect is due. Calling you guys oppressive middle-class white males who hate women, is much nicer than calling people “wack-jobs.”

Graham: “if ABS is indicitive [sic] of the quality of the supporters that Volm has, then her campaign is screwed. I think some of those sentences were created using a Madlibs book. They just don't make sense.”

Graham: “@ABS & Janelle: If the two of you represent the level of support and intellectual rigor that can be expected from Ms. Volm's supporters... well... I feel sorry for whomever [sic] her campaign manager turns out to be. It's tough when the most vocal people on your side come off sounding like insecure defensive wack-jobs. . . . So essentially Janelle is a defensive bigot and ABS is a deranged schizo.”
Graham @ Janelle: “What exactly are you then? A zeitgeist maybe, or a collective unconsious [sic] with an internet connection?”

two squatting women: “Maybe volm can gather the same high-quality staff, props and volunteers the ant-Adams campaign used: right-wing radio hosts, homophobes, crusty, retired republican business people with nothing better to do, orange floor balloons, anyone else holding grudges against her opponent, mentally unstable people she can manipulate into accusing her opponent of verbal harrassment [sic]--you know, the cream of the crop.”

rich bachelor: “And her supporters are incoherent, to put it politely as possible. . . . And I probably shouldn't even open this can of shit, but: remember the "Year of the Woman", 1994? We were briefly proud of ourselves for electing more women to congress than any previous year...This pride quickly faded as we realized that almost all of them were reactionary shills whom the GOP had thrown up to make themselves look less...Y'know...Sexist. My point? Sometimes white ladies will..."do the same stupid politics over and over again," to borrow a phrase. . . . And speaking of ha ha ha ha: everybody who needs a cheap laugh should go check out the only other comment that Janelle has written on this blog. It's impolite to laugh at schizophrenics, but c'mon...”

Never mind that shit: “Mary Volm is batshit crazy. I mean top five of the people I've ever met who don't have some kind of legally recognized diagnosis. She was legendary at the city for being totally self-absorbed, unproductive, and loony as a fruitcake.”
Matthew D.: “P.S. The rest of your comment reads kind of like a Palin speech. Not that I'm judging* you or anything, but it seems to be a random collection of soundbites strung together without any thought as to if they make sense together or not. . . . *I'm lying: People judge each other all the time, and I am judging you there, and every time you (or anyone else) does [sic] anything. But I also judge myself every time I do anything, so don't worry, you aren't special.”

Sincerely,

Janelle

@rich bachelor: You know, I'm sorry you can't read very well. Try Hooked on Phonics.

Here's taking some of my energy to tell you who I am: I come from a single-parent family raised by a mother and two other siblings. I have two-African American half-sisters (we have the same white mother, different father's)and my uncle is a homosexual in a longterm relationship. I'm a Libertarian and I'm not voting for whoever you vote for. Voting for members in the city of Portland is nonpartisan, anyways.

@ rich bachelor: Where are these facts that you are making up from comments? I never got in trouble at any meeting and I never said I have a criminal conviction.

Rich bachelor: Are you Mayor Adams? I think so.

Who are you Matthew D.--(that last comment was intended for you, however I still wouldn't be suprised if rich bachelor is Mayor Adams)? Is that just the same as Matt Davis? People who are afraid to identify themselves have things to hide. I'm not afraid to identify myself--I use my real name.

@Two woman squatting, The first grassroots attempt at a recall is what we were talking about. This was a progressive movement with no rascist, bigot, homophobic campaign as you wrote over and over again and parrot in your blogs here now. All total complete horse manure. In this second attempt under Avel Gordly, it has generated some huge chunks of money and I havent read where its coming from.....Im not working on the recall. Tonkin said publicly that he was to run for Mayor if Adams is recalled, that is his motivation, not to support grassroots movement for justice. Mannix has never been around the first recall, thats delusional. If I had a mental disorder you would be infringing on my ADA rights. I thank you for that disrespect.

Your tired out BS machine, on the Admas recall being Right-Winger conspiracy, has lost its momentum. Do yourself a favor, and the city a favor and stop puking up blog nonsense and rumor and report some news.

Janelle: Do you consider yourself a bigot? Because you have repeatedly made bigoted statements. Is there a reason why you jumped straight in to ad hominem attacks against people who dared to criticize your chosen candidate? Why are you so quick to tell us your GPA and educational background(protip: no one cares)? Your ability to carry yourself and to promote the message of the candidate you're supporting are sadly lacking. I would recomend that you take a step back and examine your writing style and motivations. Are you supporting Ms. Volm simply because you identify with a single mother? Or do you agree with her platform (protip: please say what her platform is so that we can debate things that actually matter)?

@ABS: Do you understand what the Americans With Disabilities Act is and what it does? There is absolutely no way that Two Squatting Women could possibly be violating your rights.

Aqua Blue,

Wow. You are really a kook. Progressive movement? What radio show host showed up for the kick-off on Hawthorne?

As for Tonkin, he gave to the second campaign. He lives in California part-time so I highly, highly doubt he'd waste his time and run for mayor.

Mannix is "around" the second recall.

Now, let's try again. Can you factually refute any of these?

If you can't, don't waste any more time replying. Your reading comprehension is poor, your logic is absent but your general kookiness is on full display, so you've got that going for you.

Janelle,
Um, unthinking, hair-trigger accusations of "misogynist!" are so very old and pointless. What are you, a first year Women's Studies major?

I'm not sure if your "[sic]" is correct, although I don't know for sure. I mean, "does" is the correct word if I'm referring to the plural, which I am, although with the parentheses in there, I don't know if the sentence should be constructed based on the parenthetical statement being there, or if the sentence should be constructed without it. I know if I was using brackets, that I should put the does inside the brackets, but using brackets on your own writing requires more of an ego than I have.

As for the actual meat of your latest comment, I only have one question: Do you automatically assume that any time anyone complains about someone who happens to be female, even though they don't complain about that specifically, nor even use terms that would imply that the are blaming the gender at all, (terms like "blond," for instance,) that they are being sexist?

If that is what this is about then there is no point in discussing this (or any) issue with you. If I say something you don't like, you are immediately going to take it as an insult on your gender, not as a comment on your position on an issue, and as such it doesn't matter if I'm correct, (or not,) if the argument is good, (or not,) there is simply no way that we can ever have a productive discussion.

That is similar to the problem with Potter actually. He took everything very personally. If someone voted against him, (and guess what, if you are going to vote on things, there is a very good chance that people will vote for the other side of the issue,) he'd get upset personally, and stay upset for months. The time he walked out of city council meeting when he wasn't getting his way was the most obvious instance of that, but it was far from the only time...

@Janelle: You said you got in trouble at a meeting and have a criminal conviction here:
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…
Given that it is the same username, GPA, and writing style, I'm guessing that was you.

I'm not Matt Davis, nor am I Sam Adams. My name is Matthew. Matt Davis has my address, Sarah Mirk and I have talked on the phone about city politics that she knew I was involved in from another angle unrelated to this blog. And another 10 or so Mercury employees have met me in person. All of those things happened long before this discussion started.

Speaking of which: Graham, do you have that photo of me arm wrestling the editor? I thought it was on your flicker account, but I can't find it. I want to replace my profile picture...

Matthew D. (Matt Davis?)--you were not the person making the sexist comments (that would be Graham, rich bachelor, two squatting women, and never mind that shit), but you did make rude comments, inaccurate comments and made up comments I didn't even make.

Interesting Matthew D. You are off topic by bringing up a September 1, 2009 blog of mine here since this blog is about Mary Volm.

Once again, though, you distorted my comments as I never "got in trouble" at that meeting. In fact, Mayor Adams shook my hand after that meeting and then again at the Ground Breaking ceremony for the new Day Access Center.

Janelle: Please point out the sexist comments that I've made. I can't seem to find any.

@Graham--scroll up, I compiled a list.

@Janelle: In that case, please retract all of your statements saying that I've made sexist remarks as I have made none.

Fine. I'll admit that item B was a mistake, that I messed up on that.

Does that mean that #1-7 and item A still stand?

@Janelle

Graham is right. There was nothing sexist about what he said. If you actually think that what he wrote was sexist you're just daft.

Alrighty boys (Graham, Matthew D., two-squatting women,Blackouted, and rich bachelor) rather than repeat myself over and over again. Just reread my comments and think about how you are turning off people from wanting to vote for whatever candidate you will vote for. Also, reread your own comments, do you feel good calling people: "schizos", "schizophrenics,” "bat shit crazy, "wack-jobs" or distorting comments/posting inaccurate statements calling people "right wing” etc.? Is that going to win over the public who are reading this blog to want to vote for whomever you are voting for? Think about it. Reflect--maybe stare at a wall and Zen out.

What kind of tactic can you do to save your face? Is it possible for you to maybe post comments that would try to persuade why people should vote for other candidates, for example? Or are you all just interested in childish games?

@Janelle

Seriously...what are you even talking about? Please tell me you're going to be Volm's campaign spokesman. It would be an unintentional comedy level of 9 at least.

Please--where do you get your imagination BlackedOuted? Does the distortion of people's comments ever stop?

@Janelle: As near as I can tell, you are the only person making sexist comments. I would kindly ask you to stop doing so. Your misandry is not appreciated at all.

Oh my "misandry" is not appreciated by Graham, huh. Respect given is respect due. Either is your attacks on labeling women as a "schizo" etc. That is sexist. Women are also the gender that is normally diagnosed with a mental illness. I find it amusing that you're trying to cover up your sexist remarks--trying to turn the tables on me. You are sexist Graham as long as you call a women a schizo in one breath.

Getting in on (what I hope is) the tail end of this tome, what I have gleaned is:

- picking on the mentally ill isn't nice
- people who don't like mayors who lied to get elected aren't nice
- rich bachelors probably aren't
- and they're not Dean Martin either
- squatting women can make sexist comments and not be called out because...well..they're women. Squatting.
- facebook is the only place to reliable info on anyone and needs to be taken seriously
- a politician's personal life bears public scrutiny. Sam?
- a politician's personal life does not bear public scrutiny. Sam?
- Saltzman has a rusty seat
- you can edit Wikipedia to suit your needs
- the class of '92 was unceremoniously dumped in '94 and the bad guys retained control until 2006
- daft is a funny word
- Adams' ideas are expensive and unworkable
- Hitler was a public figure
- Nick Fish has a 5-yr old daughter
- only zealots have gender problems

Did I leave anything out?

Regardless, ANY new blood on this City Council would be welcome. The 3 Musketeers of Sam, Saltzman, and Leonard have run this city into the ground. The empty storefronts downtown are multiplying. Only daily divine intervention will tell you which streets are open or which ones allow legal right or left turns. Bike lanes are becoming the bane of everyone's existence.

The middle aged white men have done enough damage. Volm may have enough knowledge about the inner workings at City Hall that she'll know how to avoid the pitfalls of timidity that currently hobble Amanda. After all, our illustrious Mayor saw fit to downsize her one month before her 20-year mark (according to today's Oregonian). That certainly doesn't sound vindictive, does it? Or was he that threatened?

And from what I hear, Volm's probably got more balls than the rest of the Council combined. I say give her a chance. She can't do any worse than Danny boy.

"The empty storefronts downtown are multiplying."

And how much of that has to do with the city council rather than the overall economy? Speaking of storefronts, outside of Portland, the company which owns Clackamas Town Center has filed for bankruptcy. Is that the fault of the Clackamas County Commissioners?

"Only daily divine intervention will tell you which streets are open"

Try www.keepportlandmoving.org for construction info.

"or which ones allow legal right or left turns."

Care to elaborate on that one?

"Bike lanes are becoming the bane of everyone's existence."

On this point we totally agree. Our bike network isn't in the greatest shape, despite Portland's reputation. We need better-maintained, wider bike lanes, and a lot more of them. They are remarkably cost-effective yet paradoxically underfunded.

Very refreshing, funny, and to the point WomenVote.

Lol--please @ show me. I vote. I'm a registered/practicing voter for over 13 years. I can't help it if you're not literate. I didn't vote for the current Portland city officials. What that means, is who I voted for didn't get elected. Apparently, comprehension was never your strong suit, hopefully you can get help.

posted by Janelle:
"Also, reread your own comments, do you feel good calling people: "schizos", "schizophrenics,” "bat shit crazy, "wack-jobs" or distorting comments/posting inaccurate statements calling people "right wing” etc.?"


Janelle, do you feel good about calling people "not literate"?

@How very questionable--huh? Wow, lol. Ok--I'll help you with the math. I'm 31. 18 + 13 = 31. I'm a little over 31 + one month + some days--which means I've been voting for over 18 + years.

@ blownspeakers--I mentioned to @ show me that I hope he/she can get some help. What is wrong with that? Saying someone is "not literate" was stating a fact. That person was saying that I didn't vote for any city of Portland official and that was never stated.

Chill--please. If you scroll up and read the whole blog, you will see who the mean people are. I've been defending the verbal assaults at me.

Whoops--missed my typo. I've been voting for 13+ years.

BTW--If anyone believes in the US criminal justice system, you're a criminal in my book. I don't care what middle-class closed minded people think--that's why this country is bankrupt. The worst criminals out there are the corporations running the government.

Listen, I am not WomenVote. Also, rich bachelor--I am actually a college student who finished my finals recently. Likewise, you can't even type very well at all. The trick is to type in a Word document, and then paste it into your post.

In addition, this is a public Blog--no one asks for anyone's information, people provide it--duh. Anyways, if your profile name indicates that you are in fact a "rich bachelor," I feel sorry for you. I mean that sincerely. I'd rather be poor/young then rich/old/and alone. I also don't need to try to explain myself to anyone, nor the injustices that have occurred in my life. But I do because I'm interested in helping to create a better system where people like you don't degrade people and write them off as mentally ill. I hope you can realize the harm you are doing by continuing to publically stigmatize and insult women as well as mentally ill or perceived mentally ill people.

@ This keeps getting better: Please, start eating your hat--I'm 31. While you're at it, remember the poor and share your food.

I am acting my age--that is so rude. BTW--I've asked the Portland Mercury to delete my profile and all my comments as I revealed too much about who I am and people continue to verbally assualt me like you--This keeps getting better. So go have a party. I am not a robot without feelings. If anyone would read this whole blog, you'll see that there have been a lot of meanness directed at me.

I don't know, Janelle Zzzzzzz, are you young and poor or are you 31? Are you a college student or did you graduate in 2008? Are you a woman who makes stupid little blonde jokes about herself, or are you a person who has a mind so finely tuned toward misogyny that she rails against people who criticize any woman for any reason--even valid ones?

As far as asking people if it's "possible for [them] to maybe post comments that would try to persuade why people should vote for other candidates," I would like to point out that the people on this post that you seem to dislike so much are not trying, at this point, to indicate support of any political candidates; they just don't seem to like you very much. And I'm with them. If I might make a suggestion, I am thinking that perhaps this is not the blog for you. Also this: please don't pretend to be a feminist anymore. I fear it will give feminists a bad name.

@Janelle

You're priceless. The unintentional comedy level from you has easily eclipsed 9. You're at a full bore 10 right now. You may be able to ramp it up to 11 if you really start trying...or not trying...since it's unintentional on your part and all.

BlackedOut, are you laughing at her because she's a girl?

@blownspeakers

Yes. That's exactly it. It has absolutely nothing to do with the mindless commentary, slandering anyone that disagrees with her and then saying they're slandering her. It's right out of the Sarah Palin playbook. Palin has also reached the unintentional comedy level of 10. Her twitter feed is comedy gold. If Sarah Palin were a man her mindless commentary and absolute ignorance would be completely acceptable.

Check it out. I never started any venom. I wasn't the person who starting hurling insults. You see when people don't read the whole story; they don't get the whole story. All my quotes you've quoted were counterattacks to verbal assaults not started by me. Scroll all the way to the top--work your way down. I've never claimed to be a feminist, misogynist, Liberal, Democrat, etc.. No, I seriously asked the Portland Mercury to delete my profile/comments. I'll even call them tomorrow to follow-up with that. I don't want any piece of me to be in a blog bowl of venom here, purely hateful. I, mean, what point do you have to continue to tear me down, for those who've tried to do that? I'm so not into politics--I'm into social justice and I vote (just the basics). Again, I counterattacked insults directed at me. I love freedom of speech, not the kind in this blog.

Please--I'm not a Republican, not a right winger, and not a Sarah Palin fan. Yet again-lame comments, distorted comments and old comments.

So nobody actually wants to talk about bike lanes and where to find construction info, and which streets are legal for left turns? I thought for a moment, based on what I had read here, that it was very, very, very important. I'm disappointed.

Maybe a change of topic is what is required to make everyone love and hug each other: Which sugar-free chewing gum goes best with a nice bottle of Cabernet?

@Janelle: You talk about "reading the whole story"... Yet you don't do that yourself. Check the comments. You started insulting me because I corrected you on Catwoman. This is an argument that you are not going to win. You just keep digging yourself into deeper and deeper holes.

Protip: The Mercury won't delete your account or your comments. Believe me when I say that people have tried and failed. Also, the internet doesn't forget; ever: http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfxd9b6v_1f…

@Bob R.

It's a flavor of sugarless gum I call Makers Mark. It goes great with misogyny and cabernet.

@Jenelle

Actually Graham corrected your use of Catwoman as Mary Volm as a modern day Catwoman. Then you started hurling insults and telling everyone about your GPA. Thanks for that.

Thanks for the tip, BlackedOut. I googled it and apparently Makers Mark sugar-free gum only comes in bottle form. That's a bit unconventional but I'm willing to give it a try. In lieu of a standard unit of gum measurement (sticks and chicklets -- no misogyny intended, really), how much Makers Mark should one chew before taking a sip of Cabernet?

Perhaps more importantly, how many sips of Makers Mark does it take before discerning legal left turns isn't a problem anymore? (Please note that this is structurally similar to how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, but I'm not going there because that one clearly is misogynist and I've never licked a tootsie in my adult life.)

Personally I don't think the Palin analogy fits, that's going a bit too far.

But I'd like to hear from the commenters if anyone thinks there's more of a Harriet Christian vibe going on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KACQuZVAE3s

Some people mistake that for Palinesque, but it has its own distinct flavor -- it's a cocktail with an extra splash of bitters.

Not that I'm ascribing such a thing to anyone here (heaven forbid, it's Christmas), but I'm curious to know what others think.

@zzzzzzz: "No, I seriously asked the Portland Mercury to delete my profile/comments. I'll even call them tomorrow to follow-up with that."

And they will seriously post about you on page 1 of blogtown tomorrow(today) if you do that. The best way to make this go away is to be a big person and walk away. Can you do that? I don't think you can, I think you'll have to post a follow up to my comments, and that you won't be happy unless you get the last word in. Of course, on the odd chance that I'm wrong about you, I'll go ahead and post this in this comment:

Last! I win!

@ Matthew D.--look at your childish reaction "Last! I win!" I'm glad that this is all public record, can be printed and taken to the proper place.

People who make remarks against mentally ill/perceived mentally ill people towards women, need to be held accountable.

@Janelle C Jeffries: Nicely played! You really showed him.