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Archive for March, 2008

Special Elections set, grievance dismissed

March 30th, 2008 by Ossie

The ASUO Special Elections will be this Wednesday and Thursday. Voting will take place on Duckweb. Here is Con Court’s per curium opinion on the proposed ballot measure, here is the ballot measure, and here is the OC’s Special Elections Issue, which still has about half of the 1,500 run on stands, damnit.

In other news, Con Court has dismissed without prejudice the grievance against ASUO President Emily McLain and Vice President Chii-San SunOwen. (more…)

New direction for Oregon Republicans?

March 30th, 2008 by Ossie

 

As CJ earlier noted, the state of Oregon’s GOP is not good, to say the least. A new project is trying to form a league of “new blood and new leaders” to move the Oregon Republican Party into a position with respectable political clout.

 

The Conservative Majority Project is headed by Robert Kremer and Jared McKinney. Kremer is a native Oregonian, the founder and president of the Oregon Education Coalition and host of a radio show, “Kremer & Abrams.” The fact that he was a major player in killing the CIM/CAM education reform, a.k.a. the biggest waste of tax dollars EVER, is reason enough to like the guy.

 

McKinney is a younger guy and Native Alaskan who has worked on several political campaigns nationwide. He seems to be a true grassroots activist with a fond eye for the ideals of the Founding Fathers and the original intent of the Constitution.

 

Kremer also runs a blog that focuses on politics in the Portland area. The heading of it reads: (more…)

Sudsy spotted at UC Berkeley

March 29th, 2008 by Sean Jin

Over Spring Break, Sudsy was observed trouncing around the University of California, Berkeley campus.

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Amongst other things, physics students in a particular lecture hall at UC Berkeley will begin their classes Monday morning with a welcoming message:

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Happy Spring Term, everyone!

Activists to hold sit-in to “Save the Cow”

March 28th, 2008 by CJ Ciaramella

On Tuesday, April 1 at noon, supporters of the soon-to-be closed Holy Cow Cafe will hold a sit-in and costume contest in the EMU food court to protest the EMU’s decision not to renew the restaurant’s lease.

According to the poster for the event, everyone should participate because “taking political action is fun and rewarding. Don’t knock it ’till you try it. And, lastly, because this is a fight we can win!”

The poster also included a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. about the effectiveness of sit-ins and non-violent protest. However, the reason the sit-ins of the civil rights movement were effective was because a) the protesters weren’t supposed to be sitting there, b) their presence incited violence against them and c) this attracted media attention, gaining sympathy for their cause. None of these qualities will be met at Tuesday’s sit-in. Last time I checked, the food court was made for sitting in, and no one is likely to get violent unless the protesters block access to Panda Express. (Some people feel very strongly about orange chicken).

And a costume contest? Seriously, this is how you plan on sticking it to the man?

iAsk a Mexican! Columnist Hangs Up Sombrero

March 27th, 2008 by CJ Ciaramella

Gustavo Arellano, author of the nationally syndicated and controversial iAsk a Mexican! column, announced in this week’s edition that he’s calling it quits. From the column:

It’s no longer necessary to explain Mexicans to Americans because Mexicans are Americans. Gracias for all the fights, the propositions of sexy time explosion and the slugged-back tequila shots after book signings, but there’s a little ranchito in Zacatecas waiting for me and a barefoot muchacha ready to cook dinner. Vaya con Dios, America, and always remember: Order the enchilada-and-taco combo TO GO. 

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the column, but I did thoroughly enjoy how much it pissed off Eugene’s progressive crybabies (or, as Arellano would call them, “PC pendejos“). Adios, Mexican. It’s been a fun ride.

The Comedown.

March 25th, 2008 by Vincent

Now that the ecstasy of Barack Obama’s visit to our humble city is beginning to wear off (though one keeps expecting his most ardent disciples to show up on the doorstep one weekend morning wearing “Hope” t-shirts and asking if one has “heard the good news”…), the Democratic primary is once again looking like a political campaign rather than a messianic ascension into the hallowed Oval Office.

(more…)

Spring Break Open Thread

March 25th, 2008 by CJ Ciaramella

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.

Obama Speech Roundup (kind of)

March 22nd, 2008 by Jake

So when I first heard that Barack Obama was coming to town I creamed my pants, not because I wanted to, put simply because Obama seems to have that effect on people. I don’t know what it is about the guy, but he makes more people swoon than Frank Sinatra. He’s a rock star and a politician rolled into one fat joint that the country still hasn’t come down from.

As evidence of this, more than 8,000 people showed up to see him last night at McArthur Court. One line stretched all the way from Mac Court to 18th St., where it continued down 18th street and wrapped around all the way to Hayward field. It took a solid hour and a half to get everyone in the building.

(more…)

Countdown to Obama

March 21st, 2008 by CJ Ciaramella

People are already lining up in droves for the Obama rally tonight at Mac Court. Lawn chairs and blankets are set up all along the lawn in front of Esslinger. A guy is selling Obama “hope” t-shirts and probably making a killing.

I went down to the ASUO controller’s office and asked if the student government was shelling out any money for the event. It was hard to get a definitive answer, but I was told that no incidental fee money was spent that the controller knew of. We might request the purchase orders to verify all of this.

I also finagled my way onto the press list, so expect a write-up of the rally.

Here’s the Register-Guard write-up of the pre-Obama ballyhoo, complete with a lede about ASUO Senator Nate Gulley crying when he found out he was going to miss the rally. Wow, it must be real tough for Gulley, being stuck over in Hawaii on the student body’s dime to discuss “environmental racism” and all. My heart goes out to him.

Finally, here’s an article on Obama from The Onion.

Just Wondering…

March 20th, 2008 by Niedermeyer

Does anybody else think this should be required viewing for the ASUO?

Not trying to get the bobby-soxers in a tizzy or anything, I just think it’s a pretty significant speech. It also offers a fantastic contrast to the tone of so-called “race relations” on this campus.

ASUO sponsoring Obama rally

March 20th, 2008 by Ossie

The Commentator received a letter to the editor today from University student Aaron Polk. It’ll be in the next issue, but I thought it would be timely to post it on the blog:

Dear Editor,

When I opened up my Facebook today, the first thing I noticed was an event invitation to an Obama rally this Friday. An even bigger surprise was that Obama himself was coming. To be honest, I was glad to see that he was coming because I saw it as an opportunity to protest and show him that not all young students are naive enough to fall for his charismatic speeches. But that enthusiasm didn’t last for too long when I found out that the ASUO was sponsoring this event. (more…)

It’s March Madness, Baby!

March 19th, 2008 by Ossie

The Oregon Commentator brings you its eighth issue of the year, The Sports Issue. Inside you will find:vol25_issue08.jpg

  • A somewhat interesting editorial
  • “Rifle and Pistol Sports” by Publisher Guy Simmons
  • “Sonic Doom” about the sketchy sale of the Seattle Supersonics by Managing Editor Jake Speicher
  • The only NCAA bracket in the country with Sudsy on it
  • “Rugby: Best Sport Ever” by Associate Editor CJ Ciaramella
  • “Ray Schafer: A Model American” by Sarah Cate
  • “Budget Golf” by newby Matt Tham
  • “Hypocrisy of MCC affiliates disrespectful of campus culture” by Sean Jin
  • “How the homeless will save the economy” by Another Perspective columnist Austin Himes
  • A stellar representation of the ASUO by Bryanna Torgeson
  • And much, much more!

Account of Sen. Nate Gulley’s harassment of Derek Nix

March 18th, 2008 by Ossie

The following is the document sent to Sen. Lauren Zavrel, chair of the Personnel Committee, by Derek Nix about the confrontations between Nix and Sen. Nate Gulley, which led to Nix resigning from his post as Senate Administrative Assistant. (more…)

Chuck Hunt says OC sent in rogue evaluators

March 18th, 2008 by Ossie

Everyone’s favorite rambling sociology professor, Chuck Hunt, seems to have a little vendetta with the Oregon Commentator. A contact with the OC informed me that during a recent discussion about the new online evaluations, Hunt told his class that, in the past, members of the Oregon Commentator have gone into his class during evaluation day to write negative and accusatory things about the 1960s political activist.

Any of the alumni want to fess up to this?

He followed this comment by telling his class that, other than Iran, the United States is the only country in the world attempting to clamp down on liberal academia.

Just for the Record

March 18th, 2008 by Vincent

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.