PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
RE: "A Question of Dignity" [Feature, Jan 13], Yume Delegato's recounting of how his family's history was affected by Oregon's shameful treatment of Japanese Americans in WWII.
Our country's history is chock-full of people and accomplishments to be proud of and plenty to be ashamed of. The treatment of your grandparents and family was despicable. The land and property grab by our good ol' patriotic home guard that never even got a whiff of enemy bombs or gunfire is so typical. Wave that flag and you can falsely justify thievery, intimidation, and cruelty. We were and still are very adept at this.
posted by Medicated Marine
PORTLAND STUDS
RE: Hall Monitor [News, Jan 13], which examined Commissioner Steve Novick's proposal to collect a sales tax on studded tires, which "impose inordinate wear and tear on the roads."
If they do cause an "inordinate" amount of wear then yes, they should be taxed their fair share; and the money collected should go to nothing else but road repair.
posted by FYI
If this goes through, who can guarantee studded dildos aren't next?
posted by Todd Mecklem
CARROT CRISIS
RE: "Everything the Oregonian Thought They Knew About What You Thought You Knew About Baby Carrots Being Wrong Is Wrong" [Blogtown, Jan 15], in which Bobby Roberts discussed the Oregonian's article "Everything You Thought You Knew About Baby Carrots Is Wrong," which, he noted, ripped "the lid off conventional wisdom surrounding carrots and their strange, inscrutable life cycle."
I remember reading a long-form piece at least a few years ago about the origins of the marketing of baby carrots. Where the fuck has the Oregonian been?
posted by Drunk & White
I enjoyed the 26-slide photo essay on precious little carrot babies.
posted by brad_paisley
R.I.P.
RE: "Alan Rickman Is Dead and My Inner 12-Year-Old Is Devastated" [Blogtown, Jan 14], Megan Burbank's eulogy to the late actor.
I just re-watched Die Hard the other day and, as always, marveled at his fucking amazing, fully formed, grounded, terrifying, and real performance. There hasn't been a better action movie villain since.
But one of the things I'm most thankful for witnessing was him as Hamlet in London in the early '90s when I was in school there. On my very short list of priceless moments of live art (coincidentally enough, seeing Bowie at Neil Young's Bridge Show in 1996 is also on that list).
posted by TSW
LIKE A KISS FROM A ROSE
RE: "The Bachelor Recap: Yes, We're Doing This. It's Time," in which Bachelor correspondent Campy Draper recapped the season premiere of The Bachelor, which featured Mandi, a 28-year-old contestant from Portland. "She 'embraces the weird' and she's a dentist," Campy wrote. "Her segment features the Unipiper and my disdain for her is total." Campy also alleged Mandi was "a disgrace to our city. And America. And our species." Not giving it a rest for one goddamn minute, Campy later insisted that "Mandi the PDXer" is "rude and makes us all look bad, fam."
Get over yourself. It's reality TV. It's supposed to make you think, "What the f#ck." Clearly Mandi's humor has gone completely over your head, bless your heart. A subpar article written by a bitter, sad contributor insulting my sister is just what I needed to finally write off the Mercury for good. Put a fork in yourself, Portland Mercury—you're done.
posted by Amber Michelle
this @portlandmercury writer takes himself, and #TheBachelor way too seriously. Bless his poor little angry hipster heart. 😂
tweeted by Mandi Kremer (@MandiKremer)
Mandi, your characterization of Campy is DEAD ON (sorry, Campy!), and we feel TERRIBLE you were eliminated from The Bachelor shortly after your tweet. However! While it's no rose, your tweet has earned you the Mercury's prized letter of the week—which entitles you to two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, the perfect place to take a new and improved bachelor of your choosing! Or maybe take your sister? She seems nice!
