Isn't it funny how our government so famously "works" now?
Sewer bureau: "Don't have your gutters connected to the sewers."
Water bureau: "Don't use so much water."
Transportation bureau: "Don't drive."
Sanitation bureau: "Don't throw stuff out."
I wish they would adopt this approach over at the Department of Revenue.
Granted, all these messages are earth-friendly, and I try not to do most of what they're discouraging. But listening to these lines constantly from the bureaucrats and politicians who are supposed to be making their living providing services -- well, it's enough to make a person very weary.
Comments (10)
There was a time whem bureaucats would proudly tell us what we could do.
It's all in the phrasing, and in glass half full-glass half empty philosophy. Your examples could be written as: "We used to make you connect your gutters, now you can keep the rain water on your property if you want to"; "You can let your grass go brown in the summer and take a break from mowing it, if you like"; "Do walk and bike safely"; "Do recycle and compost". And not only that, but all these things will save you money! Yay for saving money!
OK, OK, it's Monday morning and that's way too much enthusiasm for a Monday morning. But it's a beautiful day in Portland, Oregon, and we do some good things here.
Saturday was Earth Day and the celebration was in Woodlawn Park. It was a horrible, cold, rainy day. In spite of that many of the sturdy citizens of Portland showed up to celebrate Mother Earth and the grassroot efforts to strengthen sustainability.
It was wonderful to see people who are dedicated to earth friendliness in action. They Mayor showed up to canvas but I did not see any of the commissioners from the bureaus there. They've told us what to do so I guess they didn't need to show their support. Maybe they had something better to do.
As I quoted before from "Cool Hand Luke," "Boss I wish you wouldn't be so good to me." Sewer mandates come along without financing, and we are penalized, Water improvements come along without financing, and we are penalized. Like his predecessor, Sten, Smell Bad Randy stamps approved on the mandates, with a declaration of " It's not my Fault".
Amanda: .... since voters thought Survivor champ Dan Saltzman is a better cheerleader than I
Dan Survived four successive votes that (on paper) eliminated the worst members of the city council. How do you twist this into meaning he is better than you?
Oh, the voters I was referencing were those on May 16 of last year, when Dan Saltzman was re-elected in the primary. I don't think that necessarily makes him "better" than me, but it certainly means more voters (the ones in the real election) wanted him in office than wanted me.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
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: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (10)
There was a time whem bureaucats would proudly tell us what we could do.
Posted by David E Gilmore | April 23, 2007 7:01 AM
It's all in the phrasing, and in glass half full-glass half empty philosophy. Your examples could be written as: "We used to make you connect your gutters, now you can keep the rain water on your property if you want to"; "You can let your grass go brown in the summer and take a break from mowing it, if you like"; "Do walk and bike safely"; "Do recycle and compost". And not only that, but all these things will save you money! Yay for saving money!
OK, OK, it's Monday morning and that's way too much enthusiasm for a Monday morning. But it's a beautiful day in Portland, Oregon, and we do some good things here.
Posted by Amanda Fritz | April 23, 2007 8:49 AM
You're perfect for this City Council.
Posted by Jack Bog | April 23, 2007 10:12 AM
Saturday was Earth Day and the celebration was in Woodlawn Park. It was a horrible, cold, rainy day. In spite of that many of the sturdy citizens of Portland showed up to celebrate Mother Earth and the grassroot efforts to strengthen sustainability.
It was wonderful to see people who are dedicated to earth friendliness in action. They Mayor showed up to canvas but I did not see any of the commissioners from the bureaus there. They've told us what to do so I guess they didn't need to show their support. Maybe they had something better to do.
Posted by Tracy Weber | April 23, 2007 10:16 AM
As I quoted before from "Cool Hand Luke," "Boss I wish you wouldn't be so good to me." Sewer mandates come along without financing, and we are penalized, Water improvements come along without financing, and we are penalized. Like his predecessor, Sten, Smell Bad Randy stamps approved on the mandates, with a declaration of " It's not my Fault".
Posted by KISS | April 23, 2007 10:17 AM
You're perfect for this City Council.
Something tells me that isn't a compliment :) Anyway, apparently not, since voters thought Survivor champ Dan Saltzman is a better cheerleader than I.
I think there are bigger issues to be outraged about, that truly deserve to be highlighted and panned.
Posted by Amanda Fritz | April 23, 2007 10:47 AM
Amanda: .... since voters thought Survivor champ Dan Saltzman is a better cheerleader than I
Dan Survived four successive votes that (on paper) eliminated the worst members of the city council. How do you twist this into meaning he is better than you?
Posted by John Rettig | April 23, 2007 12:04 PM
Oh, the voters I was referencing were those on May 16 of last year, when Dan Saltzman was re-elected in the primary. I don't think that necessarily makes him "better" than me, but it certainly means more voters (the ones in the real election) wanted him in office than wanted me.
Posted by Amanda Fritz | April 23, 2007 2:44 PM
Don't even get me started on the 15% cut in the new Multnomah County budget. Look for more thieves and methheads to be on the loose SOON!
Posted by Dave A. | April 23, 2007 3:22 PM
KISS - You must have missed this in past Oregonian and Tribune articles - Randy is suing the EPA in order to save us 1 or 2 $hundred million.
Posted by Frank | April 23, 2007 5:26 PM