Clear the desk! Cacophony of crazy crap, edition
Carla Axtman
Each week I've been attempting to put together snippets of stuff that hit my radar. Most of the things are little tidbits of stories that don't land in other pieces I'm working on. Or they might be flotsam and jetsam that's simply entered into my consciousness. Either way, this week I seem to have collected quite the cacophony of crazy crap.
So strap in....
Our old friend (lying scumbag) Tim Trickey is back. As if he ever left. Trickey is apparently done with the signature forgery gig for the moment and has moved on to the dubiously named "Lights On Oregon" group, aka Freedomworks. Trickey and his merry band of global warming naysayers are holding an "Educational Town Hall" at the Molalla Grange on October 28. Trickey sent an invitation (warning: PDF) to at least a few Democratic candidates, inviting them to show up. As I understand it, the invitations were sent via certified mail. Kind of like a summons--only the event is in Molalla where they're hoping its so far away that nobody will show up..?
A new website has emerged which highlights the achievements (read: shenanigans) of another old friend: Tony Marino. At the risk of beating a dead horse (or dog, as it were--see the website), Marino's various foibles and other goofiness are on display, complete with canine theme. In other Marino news, I came across another of Marino's interesting web pages. This one asks for "love offerings". Apparently its not enough to lay down the scratch cuz Tony needs the cash, you do it cuz you "love" him and his "godly" works. Slimy.
In December of 2007, righty political consultant Greg Clapper lost his appeal on a marijuana rap. On September 23 (last week), Clapper was on Lars Larson's radio show to discuss Measure 61 and Measure 57, competing mandatory minimum measures. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get the audio to work for Lars interview with Clapper...but I'm wondering if he was on to talk up 61--the one which zaps first-time offenders. Would 61 have caused Clapper to get the hammer on the pot bust? Inquiring minds.....
The Mercury and Willamette Week banded together yesterday to fight a court challenge. A guy who has been commenting under the name "Roland" has been rocking a few boats, apparently. The subject of Roland's ire got pissed off and dragged the whole thing in front of the judge, who roundly smacked the litigious subject's case down. It would seem blog commenting is protected under Oregon's Media Shield Law (Amy Ruiz says its true..and I read it on their blog so it MUST BE)
So um...where the hell is Loren Parks, anyway?
YouTube, is one answer:
The first one is creepy weird--about "women's sex problems"...don't watch it at work unless you have headphones. The other two are harmless--but bizarre:
And finally, this guy likes Merkley and meatloaf (yeah..not the singer). As it happens, I like both of those things too. It just never occurred to me to write about them in the same article.
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Oct 2, '08
Karla,
re: Our old friend (lying scumbag) Tim Trickey is back.
For your information - and I also sent Kari a copy yesterday.
Regards,
John Bartels 503 653 9443
PRESS RELEASE SEPTEMBER 29, 2008
Today, John Bartels, proprietor of Keep The Lights On Oregon (keepthelightsonoregon.org), said, “FreedomWorks, a Washington D.C. political attack group, has counterfeited our website as part of a million dollar internet and radio disinformation campaign that slanders Oregonians and our efforts to implement Oregon Constitution Article XI-D (State Power Development) to develop renewable energy and manage our growing energy and financial crisis.”
“Article XI-D, added to the Oregon Constitution by a 1932 Oregon Grange and Oregon labor initiative, in the trough of the Great Depression, calls for a statewide nonpartisan Oregon Energy Development Commission, directly elected and responsible to the Oregon voters and not controlled by the Governor and private monopoly utility corporations.”
“By using part of our name, “Keep The Lights On Oregon” and nothing else, FreedomWorks has created our evil twin “lightsonoregon.org.”
“Keepthelightsonoregon.org” was registered January 24, 2008 as a nonpartisan committee working with the Oregon Grange promoting and building support for a new locally owned and democratically controlled political economic framework to develop renewable energy and keep the benefits in Oregon,” Bartels said.
“In contrast, the counterfeit website, “lightsonoregon.com,” registered five months later on June 26, 2008, features name calling and trumped up charges, spreading lies, confusion and slanders against Oregonians.”
“The big boys behind this are Dick Armey and his former boss, Newt Gingrich. The local guys are Kevin Mannix of “FreedomWorks Oregon” and Tim Trickey, who ran Bill Sizemore’s signature gathering operation.”
“The reason for FreedomWorks’ attack on Oregonians and the Oregon Constitution is not clear,” Bartels said, “Our response, though, is clear. Invent your own name. Produce, not copy, your own website and leave the Oregon Constitution and “Keep The Lights On Oregon” alone.”
John Bartels coordinates “Keep the lights on Oregon.” Please direct questions about the campaign for Article XI-D of the Oregon Constitution to John Bartels. Please direct questions about the Grange to Phyllis Wilson, Oregon state Grange Master.
John Bartels Keep The Lights On Oregon Post Office Box 12496
Portland, Oregon 97212 503-459-6489
Oct 2, '08
Carla, I realize you are simply an amateur journalist (non-professional), but you should still make an attempt to get your facts straight. Unless of course, facts are not important to you.
You loosely use the terms "foibles" and "goofiness" to exude your opinions. I'll bet there are many that may see you as a "sniper" and "spin-master." These key words would be nothing more than opinions, too.
You are clearly a democrat, but even as a democrat, do you not wish the best for all Oregonians. Is is really that black and white (blue and red)? I mean if every phrase you write slanders and defames every republican, then where is your fair and balanced approach.
What if be strange chance a republican candidate or an elected official could help to bolster the right change for Oregon. What if?
Any one can blog and take cheap shots. Any one can point fingers and lay blame. But, which citizen journalist can direct voters in the right direction to greater solutions.
I say enough of the bashing and dividing and more about how we can all (D's & R's) come together for the greater good of Oregon and its' people. After all, the independent voters will ultimately decide!
2:21 p.m.
Oct 2, '08
Lawrence:
Please cite which of the facts I've posted here are incorrect. Don't forget to include links, please.
Thanks much, Carla
11:56 a.m.
Oct 3, '08
John Bartels, thanks for posting that clarification.
Such misleading name games are part and parcel of national right-wing corporate-driven media tactics.
I'd encourage you to think about writing up an article that isn't a press release about your initiative and submitting it here. It is interesting that in 1932 the Grange and organized labor could work on such an issue together (at the time I'm betting it was focused a good deal on the issue of public power supply ownership), and one wonders about the prospects of an alliance for our own day around renewable, sustainable energy.
Oct 3, '08
Chris Lowe wrote:
...one wonders about the prospects of an alliance for our own day around renewable, sustainable energy.
Indeed, but realize that PGE, PacifiCorp [Berkshire Hathaway], and the other regulated monopoly utilities will spend millions of our money to prevent any publicly controlled effort.
Oct 3, '08
Speaking of the monopoly utilities and crazy crap, the Oregon Public Utility Commission, industry captured regulatory body that it is, has defied both the voters and the Oregon Supreme Court in allowing PGE to keep most of the illegal profits on the defunct Trojan nuclear power plant:
October 1, 2008 Press Release from Utility Reform Project
OREGON PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION SEEKS TO COUNTERMAND OREGON SUPREME COURT AND LET PGE KEEP OVER $200 MILLION IN UNLAWFUL PROFITS ON DEAD TROJAN NUCLEAR PLANT
Yesterday the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) issued an order in three combined rate cases that refuses to return to ratepayers more than a small fraction of the money they have paid Portland General Electric Co. (PGE) to enable the company to earn huge profits on the Trojan nuclear power plant for more than a decade after it permanently closed in 1992. Such profits are banned by ORS 757.355, enacted by voters as Measure 9 of 1978. This ban was reaffirmed by voters in 2000, who by referendum rejected the Legislature’s attempt to repeal this statute by a vote of over 88% on Measure 90. The cases were back before the OPUC because of numerous successful appeals of OPUC rate orders since 1995 to the courts by the Utility Reform Project and Class Action Plaintiffs.
"The $33.1 million refund ordered by the Commission is only a small fraction of what ratepayers are owed by PGE for its unlawful charges for Trojan profits after the plant broke down and permanently ceased to function," said Dan Meek, co-counsel for the ratepayer-plaintiffs in numerous cases involving the Trojan profits.
"The Commission's order is based on legal theories that were never presented or advocated by any party in the proceeding, including PGE, and are contrary to Oregon statutes," added ratepayer-plaintiffs' co-counsel Linda Williams. "The Order consumes many pages stating the Commission's disagreement on legal issues with the Oregon Supreme Court, which has acknowledged ratepayers' rights to class action remedies. The Commission appears not to understand that rulings of the Oregon Supreme Court are binding on the Commission."
Attorneys for the ratepayer-plaintiffs said they fully expect to appeal this decision to the courts, where they have succeeded in overturning the Commission's earlier decisions involving the Trojan profits. Those decisions were issued in 1995 and 2002.
The Commission's press release misstates the history of the cases in several ways. It fails to note that the Commission expressly allowed PGE to charge ratepayers over $33 million per year in profit on Trojan during a 5.5-year period starting in 1995, more than 2 years after the plant permanently closed. The press release incorrectly characterizes a "settlement" among only some of the parties to the case in 2000 as "entirely removing the Trojan investment from rates," which the Commission's approval of the rump settlement most certainly did not do.
Utility Reform Project www.utilityreform.org
Daniel Meek, Attorney 503-293-9021 [email protected]
Linda Williams, Attorney 503-293-9099 [email protected]
From the Oregonian: Oregon orders PGE to reimburse ratepayers $33 million
Oct 3, '08
Carla! Where's yer manners, woman? Tell the man THANK YOU! He has elevated you to "sniper", which, I must tell you, is an incredibly skilled job requiring unbelievable levels of mental, emotional and physical discipline, focus, utter integrity to the mission. The sort of dedication which precludes ego-strokes or warm, fuzzy goodness if you must do what nobody else dares to get done.
Personal aside on this: I know a Dutch fellow who blew a camp into frantic disorder when he picked off the commander chatting in the midst of his men, after four and a half days and nights of lying in snow and mud. It was the Bosnian war. This platoon had raped and assaulted a little girl (and many others) as part of the now-well-known strategy of eye to eye abominations. He "met" the little girl. She is forever catatonic. She will never know he balanced it out with the ones who murdered her and left her alive. By taking out the man who ordered it.
You may not want to be a sniper, but if you are, kudos to your power and judo. Better than a life driven by "foible", really!
And then about that "spin-master" thing. Carla, I'm obviously misplaced up here, WISHING I had an ounce of twirl to my jellied brain cells next to you-all. Larry is a gentleman for recognizing in you the adroit worddancer you most certainly can be as you wish and as you will -- not just "goofy" like Elmer Fudd, but smart like a fox - in control of all that you survey from the Tower of your Pen.
Yours, Bec :)....
Oct 3, '08
Maybe two years ago or so I posted a question that never received an answer, and I've not been able to find it. Enron used to own [?] our power company. They sure had to pay California money for ripping them off. I would like to know if Oregonians are next in line (nearly a decade later and still waiting?) to at least have a court decision to make their day, if not some dough?
Anyone got an answer to that, since we are now back to discussing this topic?
3:50 p.m.
Oct 3, '08
Bex:
You humble me.
--C
Oct 3, '08
C -
Not sure wotcha mean?
B-
Oct 15, '08