It is unfortunate that Ernesto Gamboa let himself be co-opted by thugs engaged in an immoral government activity but that is no excuse to provide him official asylum.

On the other hand the government has no legitimate authority to make him go anywhere. If he can find private employment, can sustain himself, then he should not be interfered with.

Of course, all the people Gamboa lied to over the years may have some interest in claiming compensation for his involvement in their kidnapping and imprisonment.

The headline in the Eugene Register-Guard* print edition on March 5 reads:

Bullying persists despite state laws

The article opens with:

Despite Oregon’s eight-year-old anti-bullying law, about one-third of Oregon teens report having been harassed according to a review released Wednesday by a coalition pushing to strengthen the law.

Did the writer really expect that a piece of legislation would eliminate bullying?

Glancing around I notice theft, fraud, murder, speeding, and so on, are still pretty rampant despite endless rounds of legislation.

Some in the Oregon legislature (see HB 2599) seem to think that since the current law hasn’t worked they should expand the definition of bullying, harrassment and intimidation to include, amongst other things:

…interfering with the psychological well-being of a student.

Teachers better be careful to not call on students who are not prepared, Sally better not turn down Billy when he asks for a date and that coach had better start everyone on the team.

Perhaps if we did not force our children into holding pens for so much of their early lives there would not be as much bullying.

*Sorry, no link to an online version of the article. Such links are very hard, if not impossible, to come by at the Register-Guard. Especially when looking for something in an older than 7 days edition. If any of you know a good way around this problem please let me know.

Today marks the end of the Seattle PI’s print edition:

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the region’s pioneer newspaper and the city’s oldest continually operating business, a newspaper that both shaped and was shaped by the community it covered, prints its last edition Tuesday — nearly a century and a half after its forebear first rolled off a hand-cranked Ramage press promising to be “the best and cheapest promulgator of all sorts of useful information.”

The above linkis to the PI’s new online offering.

Here is a message from the PI staff and some readers:

We switched from the Seattle Times to the PI some months ago and have been very happy. Now we are sad and disappointed.

Best wishes to all the PI staff and to those continuing on with the online version…best of luck!

vickie walker introduced legislation to allow dogs in the state capital (as if there aren’t enough already) and, surprisingly, not everyone agrees with her:

One lawmaker who told her he wouldn’t support it was Rep. Wayne Krieger, R-Gold Beach.

“I have three dogs and I love them, but I don’t want dogs under my seat, peeing on the wall or leaving mangy hair everywhere,” he said. “This is the Capitol. It’s not a doghouse.”

Ya know, if this is krieger’s understanding of dogs I certainly feel sorry for the three he owns. Perhaps he needs a visit from pet protective services and the good folks of Gold Beach might reconsider sending him to the Salem doghouse in the future.

The Lane Transit Authority thinks it has a problem with riders who do not pay full fare:

Drivers have estimated that 2 percent to 5 percent of riders get away with an invalid fare, although one said recently that the number can be 15 percent to 20 percent on a busy day.

Really, though, even 20% greatly understates the problem:

After a recent review of operations, Lane Transit District has decided it will look into the problem of “fare evasion” — riders who don’t pay enough in fare, unknowingly or on purpose.
…..
A payroll tax on local businesses provides most of the district’s operating revenue, but fares account for 15 percent to 23 percent.

It turns out that all of Lane Transit’s riders are paying less than they should…by 77-85%.

There are two sets of thieves in action here: first, LTD which steals from local businesses to fund LTD operations and second, the riders all of whom indirectly steal from the local businesses and some of whom underpay on even the inadequate fares charged by LTD.

So, yes, Eugene is full of thieves.

Washington’s new cell phone law makes it illegal to use a hand-held phone.

Right-Mind says:

Yesterday, #1 son was hit on his bicycle in Moscow by a driver who was talking on his cell phone (#1 son is fine; but the bike needed to go into the shop).

Personally, I think this is great news. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had a near-accident because of people talking-and-driving.

Unfortunately, the new law does nothing to stop people from talking-and-driving.

It will, though, make it harder for you to determine whether someone’s poor driving is due to talking on a cell phone or some other behavior that fouls judgment, attention and reaction time.

From Eye On Boise:

If legislators need a reason to start wrapping up their session, now that it’s moved into its 64th day, here’s one: Today is the opening of the filing period for the May primary election, and every seat in the Legislature is up for a vote.

Here is a better one: If they end the session there will be no more misguided legislation passed.

With respect to the May primary election: apply term limits. Send all the incumbents home.

The Oregon legislature is going to have an off year special session.

No good can come of this unless they do the unexpected and ban such sessions or spend significant time revoking previously passed legislation.

Legislatures tend to spend their time passing legislation, you know, they think they know best how the rest of us should live our lives and spend our money. Unfortunately, most of this legislation consists of patchwork fixes to previously passed legislation.

One thing we know is that they will not be doing is the people’s business. The people do their own business, voluntarily, with each other. Legislatures do the business of government, bureaucracies and the corporate welfare system.

A so-called rainy day fund might be a good idea. However, governor gregoire should not be pretending that she does not have a role in overspending:

“We’re got to have a savings account,” shielded from easy spending by lawmakers or vulnerable to the initiative process, the governor said at a news conference last week.

The democratic team of gregoire and legislature seemed perfectly comfortable dramatically raising state spending levels during the last legislative session.

If she were serious about “enforcing discipline” and smoothing out peaks and valleys she would have worked with the legislature to minimize increases in spending, if not reducing them. If needed to enforce fiscal discipline she certainly could have wielded her veto authority.

Steve Kelley is back to wanting to subsidize the Sonic’s owners and players. OK, I understand. He has never been opposed to using tax payer money to line Clay Bennett’s pockets; to help pay the dramatically excessive player salaries.

Some comments on a few of Steve’s thoughts:

These robber barons want to move the team, period.

Nothing new here. The rest of us knew this from the day the sale was announced.

And this detailed relocation plan is a sobering call to arms for Seattle’s mayor and city council, for the governor and the state Legislature. And a call for help from this city to Stern.

Call to arms? Why? There is nothing that the mayor, city council, governor or the state legislature should be doing about this.

This situation has gotten so ugly and so contentious, Stern almost has to get involved.

Do you expect Stern to fund the stadium?

And, I believe, if this area can finalize a viable arena deal that already is in discussion, he will find a way to keep the team in Greater Seattle.

The only VIABLE arena solution is one that is privately funded. If it can not be made to work without public funds it is clearly a money losing proposition.

The problem with “The Montreal Expos/’Major League’ Exit Strategy,” is that Seattle isn’t Montreal. And the only way the league is going to allow Bennett to move is if the city or the state does nothing.

Then let’m move to Oklahoma City. There are apparently a bunch of suckers living there.

There are very wealthy people in this area who also are passionate about the NBA and the Sonics. And it is absolutely essential that they get together with Mayor Greg Nickels and Gov. Christine Gregoire and put together a plan that keeps the team here.

Then let these wealthy people build a stadium with their money. There is certainly no reason to involve politicians.

Unless you are proposing propping up the robber barons with public funds.

I think the only folks who might find this to be essential are potentially unemployed sports writers and talk jocks.

Just upgraded the site to Wordpress 2.2.1

Fairly painless but who knows what might end up broken….

Let me know is something does not seem quite right.