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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on January 22, 2004 9:43 PM. The previous post in this blog was "I'm in trial". The next post in this blog is Tax a Roni, the Portland treat. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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Thursday, January 22, 2004

The thanks you get

Once upon a time, my spouse made the mistake of joining OSPIRG, the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group, in response to a door-to-door solicitation.

Now, years after she's stopped giving them money, they're calling our house at 9:25 p.m. with some urgent message or another, including, no doubt, to ask for more money. What is worse, they are bypassing a message that we pay good money to the phone company for. When you call our home, before our phone rings, you are first warned that we do not accept solicitations, and instructed to push "1" to get through only if you are not a solicitor.

Apparently, OSPIRG telemarketer Audrey Albrecht doesn't understand English. She went ahead and interrupted our night by pushing "1." At 9:25 p.m. Which is why I told her director, Jonathan Jelen, that OSPIRG should never, never, never call our home again.

Before putting yourself on OSPIRG's phone list by giving them money, you may wish to consider this story.

Comments (8)

That group operates all sorts of funny schemes all around, doesn't it? I always got weirded out at the U of O, because they would always get five minutes in front of the class to spout off. Odd.

(Oh, and their signs were atrocious.)

"Spout off"? While I agree that calling someone that late and pushing through the solicitor shield is rude, I was of the mind the org. does do some good work.

I give the PIRG money each and every month. I also don't give out my phone number to any organizations.
See? It's easy--all the gratification, none of the bother.

But Jack, would you have gotten riled about this before your girls were born and your household acquired a real bedtime?

WWP bailed on OSPIRG the day George W. Bush was installed as president. The connection between the PIRGS and Ralph Nader, whom we have to thank for the Republican "victory" in 2000, goes back years. Nader has his tentacles in each and every one of the PIRGS across the country, and his organization benefits financially from the transfer of funds directly from the PIRGS (which he helped to found, incidentally). It's not a pretty picture. Read for yourself: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,80925,00.html


Yeah, OSPIRG was a pretty popular group at the U of O (the most well funded, as I recall.) They would ask for five minutes or so for a recruiting pitch before just about every non-science class. It got pretty irritating after a while, especially when you knew that they were a prime funding mechanism for the USPIRG.

Um. Ralph Nader has his "tentacles" in all of the PIRG's (OSPIRG being Oregon State Public Interest Research Group), because he STARTED the it in 1971. Would you like to take a guess where? That's right, at the University of Oregon.

The PIRGs freak me out because they almost always wangle themselves a special funding mechanism on the campuses where the operate, so that there are basically no controls on what they spend at all. I was on the Student Finance Committee at my undergrad school, and everybody else submitted budgets and competed for funds, but OPIRG had gotten the student body to vote at some point on a thing where they got a chunk of everyone's activity fee automatically. I thought it was absurd and unfair, and very, very bad policy. Anyone who's afraid of budget oversight is, in my opinion, not to be trusted.

I went to school with an audrey albrecht, who went on to work for OSPIRG...and if it is the same person...she always was pushy!

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In Vino Veritas

Robert Mondavi Solaire, Cabernet 2005
Castello Monaci, Liante, Salice Salentino 2006
Ricardo Santos, Malbec 2006
Quinta da Espiga, Tinto 2006
Charles Smith, Holy Cow Merlot 2006
Charles Smith, Boom Boom Syrah 2006
Charles Smith, The Honorable Pinot Gris 2007
Santa Rita, Cabernet Reserva 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2007
Gloria, Douro, Tinto 2002
Bogle, Petite Sirah Port, Clarksburg 2005
Cardwell Hill, Pinot Noir 2004
Silkwood, Red Duet Cabernet-Syrah 2004
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006, 2007
Osborne, Solaz 2004
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Reserva 2005
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill, Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2004
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Hannah Nicole, Red 2004
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2005
Protocolo, Red 2005
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2006
Portuga, Vinho Branco 2006
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1996
Kirkland, Roogle Shiraz 2004
Garda, Classico Chiaretto
A to Z, Oregon Pinot Gris 2005
I Giusti & Zanza, Nemorino 2006
Treana, Marsanne-Viognier, Central Coast 2005
Fife, Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2005
Marques de Casa Concha, Cabernet 2005
Santi, Sortesele Pinot Grigio 2006
Al Muvedre, Tinto Joven 2006
Layer Cake, Shiraz 2006
Gritti, Ca' Andrea, Umbria red 2005
Altos de Luzon, Jumilla 2004
Thomas Leithner, Zweigelt 2004
Cain Cuvee NV 3
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot 2003
Meridian, Sauvignon Blanc 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Paringa, Shiraz 2005
King Estate, Pinot Gris 2005
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2003
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2005
Kris, Pinot Grigio 2006
Silvan Ridge, Pinot Gris 2006
Fife, Mendocino Syrah, "Stanford" 2000
Castle Rock, Cabernet, Paso Robles 2005
Willakenzie, Pinot Gris 2006
The Show, Cabernet 2005
Essencia Valdemar, Rioja Rose 2006
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills 2004
Beaulieu Vineyard. Napa Valley Cabernet 2004
Irony, Cabernet, Napa Valley 2003
Rosenblum, Petite Sirah, Heritage Clones 2005
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Barefoot Chardonnay
Kana, Syrah 2004
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Gold Note, Fair Play Zinfandel 2005
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Red Diamond, Merlot 2003
Mateus, Rose
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Penya Cadiella Vins de Comtat 2003
Kamiak, Cellar Select Red 2003
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Le Grand Noir (Black Sheep) Cabernet-Shiraz
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Jackaroo, Shiraz 2003
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Rolf Binder, Barossa Valley Shiraz 2003
Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Woodbridge Chardonnay 2005
Barnard & Griffin, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2004
Quinto do Carmo, Alentejano Red 2000
Forefathers, Alexander Valley Cabernet 2001

The Occasional Book

Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 28
At this date last year: 102
Total run in 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
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