Posted inCurrent affairs

Obama, save us from BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon

The debate over how to fix our country's broken health care system can get pretty darn abstract and complex. But last night my wife and I had a hands-on experience of what's wrong with private medical insurance. And it made us ever so eager to escape from the clutches of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, which is our increasingly costly insurance provider.After Regence's 40% premium increase on our individual plan over the past two years, we decided to look for a way to get more health care bang for our bucks. Laurel has a friend, Christy, who is an insurance…
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Posted inSalem

My new Sony DSC-HX1 captures Salem World Beat Festival

 A great weekend: I've fallen in love with my first high-end point and shoot digital camera, a Sony DSC-HX1 that I got last Friday (a three-month early birthday present from me to me, figuring that if I waited to give myself this gift, I'd miss a lot of summer photo opportunities).And I got to try out the camera at Salem's 2009 World Beat Festival, where I always have a good time. I went yesterday with Laurel, and returned today by myself -- wanting to apply some photo lessons that I'd learned my first time out and soak up more of…
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Posted inRecreation

Horse riding lessons and the meaning of life

Is it possible to get in touch with life's meaning, or the lack thereof, while getting some riding instruction in an outdoor arena? Absolutely. I've been re-reading Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus." Here's some existential pondering that applies to a couple of hours of horse riding lessons Laurel and I experienced a few days ago.I must say that what counts is not the best living but the most living. It is not up to me to wonder if this is vulgar or revolting, elegant or deplorable. Once and for all, value judgments are discarded here in favor of factual…
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Posted inSustainability

Getting the facts straight on saving the Metolius

I'm thrilled that the state legislature has passed HB 3298, which will stop destination resorts from ruining the mostly unspoiled Metolius River basin in central Oregon -- which my wife and I visit regularly.But it's disturbing that misinformation about the basin being designated an Area of Critical State Concern keeps being thrown out by the Portland Oregonian, Bend Bulletin, and other news sources (both in editorials and supposedly unbiased stories).So I want to get some facts straight.(1) HB 3298 isn't a end run around the state's land use system. Instead, it makes use of the Area of Critical State Concern…
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Posted inRecreation

Vegetarian advice for the Black Butte Ranch Lodge restaurant

[Update: I've gotten a quick, and much appreciated, email response from the President/CEO of Black Butte Ranch, Scott Huntsman. Great name for a guy who runs an outdoorsy outfit, by the way. I shared Scott's vegetarian-friendly message in the comments to the post. It's great to hear about plans to put some veggie options on the dinner menu. It'll be even greater to eat them.]Long-time vegetarian that I am (forty of my sixty years), I clearly recognize the danger signs of ordering in a upper-scale restaurant that, for some inexplicable reason, has precisely zero dinner entrées that haven't walked or…
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Posted inSustainability

House passes Metolius Basin protection bill — great news!

This is a great day for Oregon. The state House of Representatives just changed course and voted 31-28 to approve HB 3298, which prevents destination resorts from being built in the Metolius River Basin.Thanks to the courageous legislators who had the guts to vote "yes" rather than "no" after hearing from so many concerned constituents -- like me. Here's the full Oregonian story:Reversal: House passes Metolius protections billby Michelle Cole, The OregonianMonday June 22, 2009, 10:21 AMSALEM -- In a stunning reversal from last week, the Oregon House on Monday passed a bill declaring the Metolius River basin a Critical…
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Posted inSustainability

From the grave, Tom McCall says “Save the Metolius”

I don't cry easily. But this morning I teared up while reading a moving piece by the son of Tom McCall, who was a Republican governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975.Tom W. L. McCall Jr. writes about his father's love for the Metolius River basin, which currently is threatened by destination resorts that would be allowed in this wild and scenic area by a Jefferson County rezoning. If you aren't familiar with this astoundingly beautiful area of central Oregon, which my wife and I visit frequently, here's some photos that I took recently. Look, and you'll fall in love…
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Posted inSustainability

This isn’t a cooling decade, global warming deniers

I will confess to criticizing a Portland right-wing talk show host, Victoria Taft, without listening to much of what she said.All I needed to hear via my car radio channel surfing were words along the lines of, "The Earth is cooling this decade; so much for global warming."No, Victoria, you're wrong. I realize that facts don't mean much to conservative talk radio, but it's still irresponsible to spout such erroneous B.S.Check out: "Very warm 2008 makes this the hottest decade in recorded history so far."I recall Victoria Taft blabbing on about how 2008 was the coolest year in ages, so…
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Posted inSustainability

Democrats lose me on their Metolius vote

I registered as a Democrat to be able to vote for Obama in the 2008 presidential primary. Now it looks like I'll be joining the non-affiliated ranks again.Because I'm super-ticked off at the Oregon Democratic Party after five Dems, including the House Speaker (Dave Hunt) voted against saving the Metolius Basin from destination resorts.Hence, as Blue Oregon reported via a live blog, HB 3298 failed by one vote.What's the point of working hard to get Democrats elected, plus donating a bunch of money to the party, when they cave on one of the most important bills of the 2009 legislative…
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Posted inSalem

2009 Salem Tour of Homes photos — million dollar house & condos

Yesterday Laurel and I took a look at three of the 24 properties featured in the 2009 Salem Tour of Homes -- the two most expensive homes, and The Meridian condos. First stop was the $1,065,000 house built by Kaufman Homes at Sahelee Court, SE. (3,849 sq. ft.). Now, a million dollar home is no big deal in southern California. At least, it wasn't before the housing boom went bust down there.But up here in sleepy Salem, a million bucks should buy you some pretty damn impressive lodging. And from what we saw, it does. The kitchen was impressive. We…
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Posted inScootering

After three days on my Suzuki Burgman 650, I’m smiling

Defying those who told me, when I mentioned my upcoming maxi-scooter purchase, "But motorcycles are so dangerous!," I am still alive -- and indeed thriving -- after three days of riding my Suzuki Burgman 650 (Executive version).Credit goes to me, some great Team Oregon safety/skills training, and a terrific scooter. Which I've managed to cram into our carport along with two cars, some garbage cans, and a bunch of firewood (one pile had to be moved to accommodate the Burgman).As shown, the mirrors can be folded in with a touch of a button. Handy for darting between lanes of stopped…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Rising health insurance premiums are a “tax boost” also

Go figure -- not that this is easy to do when what I'm trying to figure out is right-wing platitudes.Like, tax increases always are bad.Which makes sense. Except when it doesn't. Like when a tax increase is needed to provide essential services for the least fortunate and most vulnerable in Oregon -- the elderly, sick, poor, unemployed, children.Yet reflexive anti-tax types like Russ Walker already are threatening to put a couple of tax increases on the ballot, if, as expected, they get through both houses of the state legislature.Download Oregon tax boostWhat ever happened to compassionate conservatism? Republicans talk a…
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Posted inScootering

Team Oregon motorcycling class has me ready to ride

I just spent fifteen hours learning how to operate a motorcycle safely and skillfully. And enjoying the company of these soon-to-be biker babes, four women who comprised the more attractive side of the ten person class.The three day Team Oregon Basic Rider Training is terrific -- highly recommended for both new riders and those, like me, who are getting back into motorcycling/scootering after a long absence.Here's some advice if you think your motorcycle skills will revive instantly if you hop back on your Harley, or whatever, after several years (in my case, it was about fifteen years).You're wrong. I'd taken…
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Posted inSustainability

Oregon land use news: Metolius and Measure 49

A thumbs-up and a thumbs-down on the land use front this blogging day...On the positive side, we just got the Spring 2009 "View from the Summit" Crag Law Center newsletter. Our neighborhood has gotten terrific legal support from Ralph Bloemers and other Crag staff in our fight against a Measure 37 subdivision that threatened to dry up wells and a community lake in this groundwater limited area.Ralph and fellow attorney Courtney Johnson wrote an excellent piece, "Learning Lessons from Oregon's Experiment with Measure 37." It focuses on how Measure 49, which restored much-needed fairness and balance to the state's land…
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Posted inSalem

2009 Salem Dog Days — a downtown canine carnival

Yesterday Salem engaged in a search for the area's cutest dog. June's First Wednesday downtown event featured canines of all shapes, sizes, and breeds, wandering the sidewalks, owners in tow.Download Salem Dog Days articleNaturally Serena and I took part, though as I say on my You Tube video of the event, we declined to enter the most adorable dog contest.Not that I doubted Serena's chances in a fair cuteness fight. Obviously she is the most beautiful dog in the world. I just figured that the little white fuzzy dog lobby would have biased the judges against 65 pound Shepherd/Lab mixes.Here's…
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Posted inRecreation

Metolius River photos, iPhone style

Here's some photos that I took during a recent visit to our cabin on the beautiful Metolius River in Camp Sherman (central Oregon). I usually use an Olympus Stylus, which can do all kinds of stuff: zoom, adjust for different photographic conditions, and whatnot. All of these shots were taken with my iPhone's camera, which can do exactly one thing: take a photo. When I first got my iPhone, I was frustrated with the lack of photo options. Now, I'm appreciating the Zen'ish simplicity of pulling it out, choosing the camera icon, pressing the "take photo" button, and seeing what…
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