One shoe dropping
Nice article on the front page of the O yesterday about how many millions of dollars those public-spirited West Hills face cards will make if they're allowed to put their names on the Texas Pacific Group company that hopes to take over Portland General Electric.
Excuse me, let me set my watch. Now let's see, that means that right about tomorrow we should have an editorial in that paper taking all of the punch out of the story and explaining that, well, see, really, all executives make millions these days. So there's really nothing to be concerned about, just go about your business, it's still a great deal for the people of the Portland area.
It must be frustrating being a reporter over there. As hard-hitting as you try to be, the editorial board neutralizes most of what you were trying to say. It's as if they don't read their own paper. The Great, Schizophrenic Newpaper of the West. Practically incomprehensible.
| Posted at 7:38 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (6)
It’s was to bad that is was lars and not someone on kpoj (someone local) that read your comment
Posted by Art | February 2, 2005 12:43 PM
When do I get to see them (the O) report that the there is a correlation between how the OIC invests money and how the public officials treat the seeming compensability of certain PERS obligations, which led to the bonding that led to the investment in PGE, etc? And then a piece on how the payments on the bonds roughly matches the effective cuts in money that is directly available to current educators?
The shin bone is connected to the knee bone . . .
Tommy's life partner is one of the MC4, and could easily assert that state statutory law prohibits post employment supplementation of the private investment earnings of a subset of Oregonians. Yes, Lisa could tell the PERB to take their demand for higher “employer contributions” and go jump in a lake . . . because. . . Multnomah County has a superior statutory demand to pay for caring for the mentally ill folks within the county, among other things. (What then would happen to the justification of the huge bonding spree to enable the state treasurer to go on a wild investing spree? His life partner also could tell the PERB to jump in a lake . . . so that Portland school kids get an education.)
Go for the gusto man . . . call it like it is. You will sleep better. Blogging is, as is consistent with all free speech, an escape valve that is mostly for the direct personal satisfaction of the writer and only indirectly beneficial to the community. It is just noise. The O's noise is as useful as the traveling 500 watt stereo system of the neighborhood hood.
Come to think of it, Tommy P could smell a rat on the PGE deal and the Portland Police Pension debate. The power elite just want a justification to issue more bonds (1.2 billion to start) to hand to the state treasurer to make more investments that indirectly, indirectly, make their way (in part) to someone in the local, and respected, investment or philanthropic community. It is all for the police and firefighters, and the kids too.
I suppose I'll have to prance back and forth in front of the front doors of the big O, handing out fliers, and have people walk past me (showing me “the hand”) then later twirl their finger about their temple. This is more fun than even the great Spagg could have had.
Did James start to see the light? Finally? Is he willing to risk getting fired? Only time will tell.
Posted by Ron Ledbury | February 2, 2005 2:19 PM
It's a good piece. But "the opposition" includes Erik Sten, sadly not in my opinion a disinterested party or a competent one, and one for whom the same paper has, when the going got rough, provided cover.
Those thoughts also plicken.
"Newspapers should have no friends."
Posted by Sally | February 2, 2005 6:33 PM
No friends? Gee, I'm working my way toward that goal with this blog...
Posted by Jack Bog | February 2, 2005 10:19 PM
Jack, you're right about the reporters at the O. Many of them are frustrated at the editorial board undercutting their reporting. I think the management there has a hard time deciding whether they want a watchdog press or a sleeping dog press.
Posted by Jack Roberts | February 2, 2005 10:20 PM
They want it both ways. The front page for the truth, the editorial page to keep things cordial at the Arlington Club. (I guess the society page isn't enough.)
Posted by Jack Bog | February 2, 2005 11:25 PM