I want the extra $38.00 I paid to license my car back. I would let the county keep it however if I could slap Sam Adams just once.

May Creepy does not ride his bike over the Sellwood Bridge. Fortunately he doesn't drive his pickup in our neighborhood either.

Creepy becomes a bridge troll.

No wonder his compass is spinning...

If this is really about the city now not being able to come up with the money it promised earlier, Sam should just say so instead of doing this little tinhorn dictator act. I can't believe he's actually willing to play chicken with Clackamas County, Mulnomah County, and state legislators, all who have committed substantial funds to replace a bridge in Portland that's used primarily by Portlanders.

And did you see the line in the article about Randy complaining that the city's share would be locked up in the bridge and not be available for filling potholes and paving sidewalks? I fell out of my chair laughing on that one; strange, he didn't mention that when he was lining up public money to benefit a private businessman and soccer team owner.

Hi Jack:
Perhaps you would like to add the phrase "Sam the Sham" to your lexicon. I know the phrase dates me, but the heck, Lately, I've been labeled "Geezer" and "Old Curmudgeon" among others.
VTY,
Mike

“The way I see it, Adams is in a room pointing a gun at his head and saying, ‘Give me your money or I’ll shoot myself!’ ”

I vote for "no money".

Actually, if this is true, he's risking the lives of local residents to get his way.

This isn't just about the inconvenience of traffic congestion. If something happens, Federal safety regulatory agencies will get involved which I believe trumps all party politics.

I continuously read well founded remarks and questions on this blog directed to politicians of this region. I sure hope that many of you have or will start pointedly making the same directly to their faces. And if they cut you off, continue. It is time.

Eric:If this is really about the city now not being able to come up with the money it promised earlier, Sam should just say so instead of doing this little tinhorn dictator act. . . . And did you see the line in the article about Randy complaining that the city's share would be locked up in the bridge and not be available for filling potholes and paving sidewalks? . . .

Remember, Randy used an emergency ordinance in city council to spend $135 million for the Powell Butte Storage Tank, in case Senator Merkley and our community could not get a Waiver from that EPA LT2 Rule. . . and Randy may be concerned about his share in moving towards a billion dollars with debt for those water bureau projects, unless that flawed matter can be stopped.

I am sure there are others here who are watchdogs who can comment on what Sam and Randy have been spending the money on and let us not forget for the most part the other three go along.

Sam and Randy may very well have run out of money here.

Reading other comments here recently, Sam needs more money for Milwaukee Light Rail now too!

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=128579286960578000
. . Adams says he is only trying to strike the best deal for Portlanders. .

For which Portlanders?

. . Adams and Cogen are scheduled to meet to discuss the issue on Friday, Oct. 1. Several project supporters — including Congressman Earl Blumenauer, the Portland Democrat working to secure $40 million in federal funds for it — believe the two men will quickly resolve their differences.
“The two entities have common interests, and I do not believe this impasse will last for long,” says Blumenauer, who represents Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District and has been working to secure $40 million in federal funds for the bridge. .

Will Blumenauer twists arms to get whatever the streetcar folks want? These insiders won't have an impasse now, will they?

It is now looking that since we in Portland have no say over the agenda despite pleadings from citizens, perhaps in this case those from outside Portland can come in to clean up our "mess"! We do need help!

We should add the mayor to the SERT hostage negotiation team: then wait for the first wild-eyed schizo with a gun, and politely ask him if he would prefer to get tear gassed, or should we send in the Mayor to negotiate.

I would pay a $100/hour to watch McCreepy put himself in harms way and keep up the "shouldn't happen in my city" charade.

Then we can use less than lethal force on the schizo with Mayor standing right next to him: might even make it onto Guess What Happens NEXT?

Cogen 134 Adams 0

He's gotta be running for mayor.

In Adam's case, it seems obvious that his incompetence and petulance are very much intertwined. He is surrounded every day by people with plenty of education, while having almost none himself. Every time he is called out on one of the facets of his incompetence, he gets a little more riled up (remember that sordid little Canzano recording -- the mean-spirited little man you heard there was the real Adams, totally incapable of intellectual debate of any kind).

His final meltdown will occur long before the 2012 primaries.

"His final meltdown will occur long before the 2012 primaries."
---

Hmmm, it'll will be interesting to see exactly what his "final meltdown" will be...

Obviously, he needs to top "sex with a young man he is busy mentoring" and "caught crashing his truck into parked cars with his pants unzipped".

Regardless of what his "final meltdown" is (until the next, more spectacular "final meltdown" comes along), the Portland voters will continue to re-elect him.

If Portland voters realize just how much the Tram Whores actions screwed them, he'd be on the streets tomorrow. The key words here are voter education but since the press in this city sucks.... How to do it?

Outside the box:

Perhaps the County could have the Sellwood added to the list of the World's Scariest Bridges:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-35868704

Then a fee could be charged to cross the bridge. (An adrenaline high is a powerful motivation.)

When it becomes impossible for engineers to permit continued use of the bridge, perhaps it could be auctioned to a film production company for one-take cinematic destruction.

I was wondering aloud as to what the heck Adams will do when he loses the election in 2012. People like this always find a place to land. It reminds me of that Rolling Stones song...

Sympathy For The Devil
- Jagger/Richards

Please allow me to introduce myself
Why I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and fate

I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Well I hope you guess my name, ah...
But what's been puzzling you
Is just the nature of my game, oh yeah

I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain

I rode a tank
Held a general's rank
When the Blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank, oh yeah

Cause I'm pleased to meet you
And I hope you guess my name, oh baby
What's been puzzling you
Is just the nature of my game (oh baby)

I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the Gods they made

I shouted out
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all, after all
It was you and me

Well let me please introduce myself
Why I'm a man of wealth and taste
Yes, and I laid tracks for troubadors
Who get killed before they reached Bombay

And I'm pleased to meet you baby
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is just the nature of my game, oh wooo

(Ad lib)

Tell me baby
What's my name
Tell me sweetie
What's my name

Just sayin'

Kevin - As Lucifer's Advocate I must advise you to stop conflating Lucifer with that squirmy wormy mayor of the city of Portland. Leige Lucifer has power and can lay your soul to waste. Sam the Sham can only lay the tax base to waste. And even that he serves his masters (Lord Paulson, et al). No one serves Sam the Sham.