Read it here.

“Homeless frequent West University area”

The real prize in this ODE article, though, is a quote from a member of Eugene’s thin, blue line, Officer Jennifer Bills:

Bills said many homeless people also have co-occurring disorders: They may suffer from both a mental disorder and a dependency on alcohol or drugs.

“These people are not cool, not a novelty. They are mentally ill,” she said. “You don’t treat people with cancer like they’re a cool novelty.”

What?

1. People dressed in garbage.

I saw the garbage monsters walking down 13th today, beatboxing and telling people to recycle.

An initiative sponsored by Republican Kevin Mannix that would set three-year mandatory minimum prison sentences for first-time drug dealers, burglars and identity thieves will appear on the November ballot in Oregon.

According to the Oregonian, the measure “would increase Oregon’s prison population by an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 inmates and cost $128 million to $200 million a year.” Righto, sounds peachy keen! Sure, we already have a strained budget and strained prison system, but dammit, someone’s got to teach those dopers a lesson.

Of course, if voters disagree with the initiative, they will have another, more sympathetic way to waste vast amounts of money. A second initiative sponsored by the Democrat-controlled legislature, which targets repeat offenders, would only incarcerate a projected 1,600 people and cost roughly $50 million a year. It would also include $20 million a year for drug treatment programs and local jails.

If both initiatives are passed by voters, the one with the most votes will become law. (THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!)

Here it is ladies and gents, your 2008 ASUO Elections Issue. Inside there is:

- A wonderful editorial with a gentle headline

- ASUO Executive candidate interviews

- ASUO candidate questionnaires, that are a bit scrambled due to the late special elections.

- Recaps of Eugene visits by Obama and Clinton.

- An interview with Rockne Roll, Editor of OSU’s The Liberty and Oregon Legislature candidate

- A few choice words about the new online evaluation system by Matt Walsh.

- And more…

Alright, I know this is redundant since most of the comment threads on this blog veer wildly off topic anyways, but seeing as how it’s spring break and and the staff has scattered to the four winds, here’s your open thread. Go for it.

P.S. And as always, drunken belligerence, vitriol and Big Lebowski references are encouraged.

P.P.S. C’mon, all the cool blogs are doing it.

Since Oregon’s own special little guy Peter DeFazio is making headlines by calling people “little pointy-headed neocon[s] with grand ideas about the future of transportation” with “bizarre, neocon view[s] of transportation, ” I thought I’d post up this fairly succinct explanation of basic neoconservative ideas.

It’s not long, it’s not detailed, and it’s not difficult reading. So if you’re one of those people who’s surprised when I tell you that the definition of “neocon” isn’t synonymous with “Nazi”, “Republican”, “imperialist warmonger”, or “someone I disagree with”, then maybe it’s time to take a couple of minutes and read that article. Heck, you might even come away knowing more about “the neocons” than Peter DeFazio who, by any definition, is a bit of a wanker.

I wasn’t planning on covering the Iraq war protest in Eugene yesterday, but I happened to run into it on my way to the office and decided to play “embedded reporter.”

By the time I had arrived at the EMU, there was already a large crowd gathered, hoisting various signs and such. I unfortunately missed Ty Schwoeffermann’s speech and a rap by Ari Lesser, although I imagine both were spectacular. I did, however, make it in time to hear a speech by U of O sociology professor Gregory McLauchlan. The speaker who introduced him noted that McLauchlan “has been a peace and social activist since Berkley.” (And we all know how well that turned out). (more…)

The news has been all over the recent Federal study on STD prevalence in teens. The study of 838 teens showed that 26% were infected with some form of Sexually Transmitted Disease.

Some critics have pointed to abstinence-only education as the culprit, claiming that by only teaching them abstinence, they did not have adequate education on STDs or proper protection. I like to think that these critics are just liberals that are capitalizing on this scapegoat of STDs to try to proliferate promiscuous, irresponsible sex amongst our nation’s youth. The social conservatives are the only thing keeping our children moral and clean, by keeping them in the dark about everything related to their genitalia.

I also like to believe that if I close my eyes, anything I disagree with will stop and disappear.

The Oregon Commentator presents its second issue of 2008, “Special Elections.” There is too much good stuff in it to mention - Billy Squire lyrics for instance - so just click on the cover already. Enjoy

Communism might not be over, but the man who has been in power for as long as most of our parents can remember said early this morning, “I will not aspire nor accept - I repeat I will not aspire or accept - the post of President of the Council of State and Commander in Chief.” That was, obviously, Fidel Castro.

The newly elected Cuban Parliament will meet this Sunday and will choose the new council of state, including the president. Since he grasped power in 1959, his brother Raul, who is years his junior, has been positioned to take over the presidency.

So what new foreign policy cackles has Castro — a rather irrelevant dictator by modern standards, frankly — raised in his last few months as el Presidente? Surprisingly, he’s raised a few.

Fidel and U.S.presidential hopeful John McCain have been in a back-and-forth verbal battle over Cuba’s involvement in the torture of U.S. POWs during the Vietnam War. Earlier this month Fidel wrote an article in the Granma, the newspaper of the Central Committe of the Cuban Communist Party, that denied McCain’s accusations, calling them unethical. Fidel attacked him further saying: “The commandments of the religion you practice prohibit lying.” McCain responded with the whole “to respond is to dignify, and I will not dignify” bit. He says this is a matter of record which is not up for debate. It seems odd that Fidel would choose to comment on these allegations now, but I wouldn’t put it past Hillary’s strategists, if she has anymore left that is.

I’ll be updating this thread with primary results and other information as it comes in over my teletype.

• First results of the day: West Virginia goes to … Mike Huckabee? That’s 18 delegates for the Huckster. UPDATE: Reason is reporting that the Huckabee and Paul camps cut a deal to keep Romney from winning the state.
• Rush Limbaugh weighs in (and he has a lot to throw around) against McCain.
• What’s left of the Grateful Dead endorse Obama, giving him an edge in the critical “50 year-old burnouts who will probably forget to vote” demographic. The Dead also gave Obama some campaign trail advice, saying he’d better “watch his speed” and “sometimes the cards ain’t worth a dime if you don’t you lay ‘em down.”
• Political markets show Clinton and Obama in a statistical dead heat.
• From Politico.com: Clinton is the projected winner in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Obama takes Georgia and Illinois. Romney wins Massachusetts and … nothing else so far. Huckabee projected winner in three states. McCain currently leading the Republicans with four. I’m going to the bar. Full write up tomorrow.

The Oregon Commentator presents its first issue of 2008. Read on for excerpts, or click on the cover at the top right to view the PDF. (more…)

Today from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Focus the Nation, a “national teach-in on climate change,” was held on the UO campus, mainly focused in and around the EMU. There were a multitude of panels, lectures and booths to help assuage your horrible, consumer guilt … I mean, uh, ecological footprint. Lectures were held every hour on the hour by university professors, and a sustainability fair was set up on the first floor of the EMU.

Here’s ten ways you can fight climate change, according to a poster board at the sustainability fair (and some helpful additions from me):

1. Recycle (or let hobos recycle for you)
2. Reduce, re-use
3. Buy green energy
4. Replace your bulbs
5. Ride bikes and buses (I would have suggested something classier, like “Save the earth. Ride me.”)
6. Go vegetarian
7. Turn things off (including other people’s computers and televisions)
8. Use less heat (the earth’s warming up anyways, right?)
9. Don’t use plastic (which is why I only use condoms made from sheep intestine)
10. Shop eco-friendly (as opposed to eco-ambivalent)

More of my experiences in sustainability land after the jump.

(more…)

From the oppressive DC-8 piloting forces of Xenu the evil, ancient space emperor who is the cause of all of the world’s problems. Gawker has the full scoop.

Other than being a completely hilarious belief system, Scientology—the made-up religion of pulp writer/hack L. Ron Hubbard—is dangerously litigious and secretive organization. Known for creating “dead agent packs” to intimidate and silence their critics. The video of Cruise linked above is a fairly frightening window into the mindset of the organization through one of its most fervent supporters.

Yahoo’s coverage here.
Previous OC coverage of Scientology here.
Another trip down the rabbit hole here.