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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2005)
■ Restaurant review Tim Bobosky | Photographer The Oregon Electric Station is located on the corner of East 5th Avenue and Willamette Street. Historic Oregon Electric Station is on right track as a classy restaurant The building endured a long history of varied uses before pulling into the station with incredible food BY AMY LICHTY SENIOR PULSE REPORTER Eating in the dining car of an old train does not typically create a ro mantic atmosphere, but the Oregon Electric Station is not a typical restaurant. Built in 1912, the Oregon Electric Station began as a train depot designed to serve the Great North ern and Northern Pacific Willamette Valley electric train systems. The de pot saw its peak in 1920, when earn ings totaled close to $900,000. By 1932, earnings had shrunkto less than $18,000 as automobiles caused the train stations to lose business. By 1933, the Oregon Electric Railway had become a piece of history. Since the railway's demise, the Oregon Electric Station has been used for a variety of spaces, includ ing offices, storage space and even as the Southwest Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Overthe years and through various owners, many surface changes were made to the building, but the owners of the present restaurant have gone to OREGON, page 11 Nyburg: Directors dumb down culture Continued from page 5 digital projection long before digital quality has caughtup with good old celluloid. Yetthis man has somehow gained the status of a directional shaman or grand old wizard of film. What bullcrap. Outside of the origi nal "Star Wars" and "THX1138," what else has he done that's worth while? That pile of nostalgic "Happy Days" baby-boomer, feel-good, clap-trap, "American Graffiti?" Speaking of hack work, let's take a look at Michael Bay's films for an ex ample of how to single-handedly dumb down an entire culture. Not only has this man cut the average at tention span of his viewers in half through his relentless editing, which leaves no time for character devel opment or actual human emotion, but he has spent the lastfewyears taking a big ol' shat on horror cine ma history by producing blankly sty listic remakes of classic horror films. Next on his list is "The Hitcher," as if his complete misreading and ham fisted handling of "The Texas Chain saw Massacre" weren't enough (he's planning a prequel to that as well, that son of a bitch. There is also a rumor involving a remake of "The Birds." Godammit, this demon must be stopped). Do you realize that "Armageddon" has an average shot length (the av erage time between cuts) of only 2.3 seconds? This is about half of what most films average. Now if only he would make his f**kin' movies short er, we would all be better off. Moving on, all of the "Left Behind" books really suck, and so did "Pas sion of the Christ" for that matter. Dull, self-righteous religious polemics that indulge in the worst aspects of Christianity. Honestly, why should anyone give a crap? The "Left Behind" series is especially atrocious, not only for its boiling down of religion to action-adventure cliches, but also for its black-and white view of salvation, bereft of any sense of complexity or intelligence. Anyone who pays money for these books will only be dumber for it. Now I know that a lot of people love these books and will accuse me of "religious bigotry" or some such crap, but let me just preempt that and ask them all to grow up and join the adult world. Religion does not excuse art from being viewed with a critical eye, and sometimes that eye will look upon it unfavorably. The "Left Behind" series belongs on a Jesus fan fiction Web site, not on book shelves. And speaking of Je sus, if I wanted to join a religion that worshipped a smelly hippy with bad hair, I'm sure I could find a few more accepting ones right here in Eugene. (Just kidding, Mom. I'm in church every Sunday. I swear.) While we're on the subject of liter ature, all of the following authors are not worth the trees destroyed to cre ate their books: John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Mitch Albom, Michael Crich ton, Dan Brown and Nicholas Sparks. I think that's about all of the vitriol I can manage forthis week. Sorry I didn't get a chance to touch on some of my other pet peeves, such as droning, pedantic jam bands or celebrity Kabbalism. Butmaybe an other column. Right now I'm going to lay down and drink some tea. ryannyburg@daiiyemerald.com 012836 vUZa use msely® Every Watt Counts! o° SHUT OFF <^e''ie Classroom Lights Sponsored by the UQ Campus Environmental Issues Committee Holocaust Awareness Week Today 3PM GER 246 Today is Yom Ha’Shoah, the day of remembrance of the Holocaust. In honor of this day, Professor Monique Balbuena will read selections from Sephardic Jewish poets about their experience of the Holocaust. Presented by: Jewish Student Union, Cdtarai Forum, Oregon Hid Co Sponsors: Greek life, Women's law Form, Student Iniutivej Committee of iSBel: Hk foundation tor Jewish Campos Life EacovageaeW Prtveobon Skttk, Residence Hi Assoculion, ASUO. Miicuhral Center, Bbdt Student Union, A sun Picfic American Student Union. Women's Center mm v Executive H* m innn 11111 y Position: 3 open seats on the ASUO Constitution Court Justices serve 2 office hours per week and deliberate cases when necessary. $125 monthly stipend beginning 05-06 academic year. Position: Health and Women's Advocate To advocate for and develop programs addressing the concerns of self-identified women and areas of student health, and to be the liaison between Women's groups, the Student Health Center and the ASUO. Position: Environmental Coordinator To advocate for environmental policies and programs on and off campus and to serve as a resource for programs and administrators in adhering to such policies. Position: Multicultural Advocate (2) Advocate for and develop programs addressing concerns of students of color, gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer students and other under-represented groups, and to be a liaison between these groups and the ASUO. An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act employer (AA/EOE/ADA) Applications available in ASUO Suite 4 Applications due by 5 pm, May 1 Oth Contact ASUO at 346-3724
