We accept advertising through Blogads. If you're interested, click the "Advertise here" link above, or go here to place your ad through Blogads. For assistance, e-mail me here; I'd be glad to help. Reach lots of viewers -- we're up to about 2,900 unique visits a day, and more than 53,000 page views a week (as of October 4). Our rates are dirt cheap for the exposure you'll get!
Falset, Garnacha Rose, Montsant 2006
Castello di Bossi, Chianti Classico 2004
Domaine Chandon, Pinot Noir, La Riviere Sonoma 2006
Brazin, Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi 2006
B.R. Cohn, Silver Label Cabernet 2006
Casillero del Diablo, Cabernet 2007
Gentil Hugel, Alsace 2006
Mesoneros de Castilla, Ribero del Duero, Rosado 2008
Cor, Momentum 2007
Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio 2006
Rubico, Lacrima di Morro d'Alba 2007
Gilstrap Brothers, Reserve Merlot 2003
Conundrum 2007
Chandler Reach, 36 Red
Santa Rita, Reserve Cabernet 2005
Marietta, Old Vine Red Lot 47
L'Ecole No. 41, Recess Red 2006
Dom Martinho, Red 2004
Beaulieu, Georges Latour 1994
Caymus, Cabernet 1995
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2005
Bergevin Lane, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2005
Savigny-les-Beaune, Les Lavieres 2003
David Hill, Reserve Merlot, Rogue Valley 2006
Educated Guess, Cabernet 2006
Maquis Lien, Red 2005
Charles Smith, Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2007
David Hill, Farmhouse White
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
Fra Guerau, Montsant 2002
Barefoot Chardonnay
Kana, Syrah 2004
Castell Salegg, Chardonnay, Alto Adige 2004
Fetish, The Watcher Shiraz 2004
Gold Note, Fair Play Zinfandel 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet 2003
Ponzi, Pinot Noir 2004
Red Diamond, Merlot 2003
Mateus, Rose
Benton Lane Pinot Noir 2004
Penya Cadiella Vins de Comtat 2003
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
Miles run year to date: 26
At this date last year: 13
Total run in 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (10)
"We're now borrowing tens of millions on a routine basis for "urban renewal" at an interest rate of 6 percent."
You know those checks from your VISA that you can use to pay your other VISA? That's all this is. So slowly we dig a deeper and deeper hole.
With financial geniuses like Randy ( give me 31 yrs of prop tax increases and I'll fix PFDR), Sam (I gotta have it no matter what it costs), Saltzman (how can I get my eng buddies a contract to build reservoir lids) we are doomed.
I don't think Fish or Amanda will be any different either, so we just keep on going until the city hits a wall.
Can't we get anybody with some experience or even a college degree in any kind of finance to make decisions on CoP $2.4B budget? Probably never.
Posted by Steve | July 3, 2008 8:30 AM
"Given that the city hasn't identified all of the projects that the money's going to be spent on"
That's a real crime. Not a dime of urban renewal money should be borrowed unless for specific identified projects which have been vetted thoroughly by the Commission. Now they're just borrowing for the heck of it.
Jack, do you get the sense that the "debt manager" you speak to at the city is concerned about debt levels, or does he remain agnostic?
Posted by Deeds | July 3, 2008 9:34 AM
Given the hundreds of billions spent to further destabilize the Middle East and send our boys to their doom, money like this, $4 billion for CRC, $1.4 billion for light rail, etc etc - all of it is chump change by comparison!
Posted by Unit | July 3, 2008 2:03 PM
Given the hundreds of billions spent to further destabilize the Middle East
Bush can just print more money. Portland has to collect it, from you and me.
Posted by Jack Bog | July 3, 2008 3:06 PM
do you get the sense that the "debt manager" you speak to at the city is concerned about debt levels, or does he remain agnostic?
Eric Johansen is quite helpful and responsive on the facts about the various borrowings. I have never asked him to comment on the prudence of the city's debt levels and plans, but I suspect he would not comment if I did.
The policy decisions here are being made by a retired cop; a retired fire union guy; a couple of lifetime City Hall employees (one an engineer, the other barely finished college); and a new guy, a lawyer, who just replaced another fellow who also never had a real job. None of them has any background in finance.
Scary.
Posted by Jack Bog | July 3, 2008 3:47 PM
None of them has any background in fiduciary responsibility either.
Which leaves the hopelessly lacking in integrity as well.
Scary and insulting.
Posted by Hal | July 3, 2008 7:44 PM
"Given the hundreds of billions spent to further destabilize the Middle East and send our boys to their doom"
Love the reasoning - one dumb idea desrves another.
I understand how we keep electing the same chumps in this town now.
Posted by Steve | July 4, 2008 7:38 AM
An old song comes back: "...Another day older and deeper in debt..."
Posted by Don | July 4, 2008 8:43 AM
$32.02 million in Series B bonds!
Is our credit rating that bad or have we always been municipal junk?
Posted by David Smoot | July 8, 2008 5:26 PM
The bonds are not rated B -- that's just a label on one of the two series of bonds issued at the same time. The bonds were rated Aa3, I believe.
Posted by Jack Bog | July 8, 2008 5:48 PM