Off the top of my head, let's say $1x10^9?

That's the savings in not doing the water "upgrades".

That, I fear, would only serve to add to the Texas sized swirling trash island in the Pacific. As one who is concerned about our sick oceans, I cannot fathom that level of pure fertilizer being dumped. Think of the poor fish! (And not Nick Fish.)

Randy's ego is bigger than his......How can his claim that the Canzano/Adams interview reflects on him. I didn't even think of it that way, but now I will.

We each have our moments to treasure as this long process has unfolded. It's hard to remember exactly when some of them occurred, but I picture Merritt speaking to the city council and saying that he was "out over his skis" financially on this project and couldn't chip in any more.

The expression seemed to capture the essence of helping the Paulson family during these times. That other Timbers owner, Henry Paulson, has reportedly made 7 or 8 hundred million dollars helping drive America into the ground as CEO of Goldman Sachs. Clearly, Merritt didn't want to ask for more from Daddy, so it was time to plea poverty to the city council.
And all he could say was that he was "out over his skis." Loved it.

Maybe the homeless from the Great Economic Meltdown of 2008, could gain comfort from that expression. Don't despair if you're hungry or forced out of your home. Remember: Merritt is also suffering - he's out over his skis - which is why our city government can only spend a certain number of millions of dollars helping him and his Bush Cabinet Daddy out with an exclusive soccer stadium!

My favorite Randy moment was just before one of the big votes on the deal. As you know, the city council sets aside long stretches of time to congratulate each other before a vote, and Commissioner Nick Fish was gushing about how tough a negotiator Randy had been with the Paulsons. Nick said that Randy was so good at negotiating that we should send him to the Middle East to settle that, too. Randy glowed but allowed that he could start a war - that's just how tough he was.

Flash-forward to now. The giveaway to the Paulsons is starting to get results. Randy's buddy, Mayor Sam, is getting kicked around on the radio by a sports guy. John Canzano did everything but rip the microphone out of the console and beat the Mayor over the head with it.

But there's more: We've lost our baseball team, and our baseball stadium, and the Portland State Vikings are playing this season in Hillsboro. Heck of a job, Randy.

Meanwhile, Merritt sounds like he's about to turn the Beavers back into 20 million and Henry Paulson now has his tentacles firmly into the City of Portland.

Oh, and that recession that Henry helped cause? That economic disaster that has cost America - at one time - 13.2 trillion dollars in guarantees and debt according to Bloomberg News? That disaster is about to get worse.

Wait, I forgot to use the expression:

Don't say America is facing economic collapse. We're just out over our skis.

Randy the super candy..... what a whining little putz..... I wonder if he knows how "disrespectful" the commentary on this blog is?

Fireman Randy a great negotiator?

Oh, pleeeeze.

Here's a negotiating tactic Randy missed -

"Exclusive soccerr stadium at PGE Park? I don't think so. IF MLS doesn't like it, let them find some other fool to give them $ 25 Million for a franchise in another City Juipor.

"Say though, I will offer you a sweetner for MLS.

"When the NYC and Seattle MLS franchises build exclusive soccer stadia, the City of PDX will help you with 25% of the cost of one.

"Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. I don't want the door damaged."

Randy doesn't knowe how to play wiffleball, much less hard ball.

What a maroon.

"Even more importantly, your vitriolic attack on the Mayor has galvanized those that oppose any public financing of a baseball stadium in Portland now and into the foreseeable future."

Cool! Thank you John, if that is the outcome.

I can understand Randy being concerned over a lack of respect for the mayor. After all, Randy is SO respectful of everyone ... unless of course they disagree with him. Then they are misinformed, ignorant of the facts, etc.
This is the same Randy who, when the citizen task force was meeting early in this process and expressed concern about a site for baseball, quickly steered them away from that question, assuring them that the latest PGE Park remodel would not go forward if it meant the Beavers leaving town.
Now, as history is quickly being rewritten by The Oregonian, Randy is bravely standing alone, searching for a baseball site (i.e., carrying out Paulson's bidding).
My favorite Randy moment during the stadium fiasco ... just prior to one of the final votes for this fiasco, when he was absolutely gushing like a schoolgirl over his trip to NY with Paulson. He was obviously completely won over just by being within hand-kissing distance of power.

I think Leonards even more scary at city hall tham Adams.....

Concerning respect, the office commands respect, the holder earns it.

Basic respect for human dignity is a given, but if it is lost by the holder of an office, it is lost and using the office as the basis for continued respect when it is no longer warranted shows an even greater disrespect to the office itself.

The holder of any elected office has to rise to the level of that office, and go beyond as necessary to protect it's dignity and moral imperative. To do otherwise is to tarnish it greatly, to the extent that future, imminently qualified individuals would shrink from the notion of running for that position.

Unfortunately, the damage is already extensive. Witness the expressions describing the current state of City Council.

Sewer hole is one of them.

All of this reminds me of some film noir/gangster caper movie, where all of the con men are now turning on each other.

Eventually, the mainstream media outside of Portland will cover this story, and Portland will turn into the laughingstock of the country.

In the meantime, I want to thank "Al in SE" for reminding everyone that the soccer task force was a complete fraud.

Do people in Oregon realize just how weak Oregon's laws are, in terms of setting standards for the review of public projects, as compared to the review process for projects on the federal level, or in other states? It's an open invitation to corruption.

Yes, an open invitation, Peter, but one that, in terms Starbuck presented, must be resisted.

Just because you can dos not mean you should.

Jack: . .How much would it be worth to put all three of these guys in a tub and push it far, far out to sea?

It would be worth a lot to bring back some dignity and respect for the citizens and the rule of law.

Leonard’s comments:I just passed Mayor Sam Adams in the hall and, with a wry smile, he asked me if I was having fun. I asked him what was up and he said he had been on your radio show last night…and nothing more.

This exchange in itself sounds juvenile and like two characters that I don't want making decisions about our well being.

Correction - Just because you can does not mean you should.

Add Lars to the tub and it would be worth a lot, a hell of a lot.

oh.... Liars, the Firevarmit, the tramwhore, and Lord Meritless in a tub out to sea surrounded by sharks.... that would be a lovely sight.

"How much would it be worth to put all three of these guys in a tub and push it far, far out to sea?"

What did the tub do to make you hate it so much?