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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2011)
slant NEWS BRIEFS • The Food Justice gathering at the UO Feb. 19-21 was the hottest conference to come to Eugene in a long time. Imagine filling the EMU Ballroom for a panel discussion on a sunny holiday morning (Presidents Day), not to mention the full house for Vandana Shiva closing the conference. Sponsored by the interesting collaboration of the Morse Center for Law and Politics and King Estate winery, the conference was convened by Margaret Hallock, Morse Center director, and Allison Carruth, assistant UO English professor and core faculty member in environmental studies. Lindsay Naylor, a doctoral student in geography, coordinated it. In Eugene and this great growing region, we constantly wrestle with economically, equitably and sustainably supplying healthy food to our community. Only 5 percent of the food consumed here is grown locally. About 3 percent of produce in our grocery stores comes from local growers. But great energy, on display at this conference, is fueling the steady search for solutions. Remember that the Lane County Farmer’s Market opens March 5 at 8th and Oak. • Lane County’s Asian Festival at the Fairgrounds has grown in popularity, and last weekend drew more than 20,000 people over two days. The aisles were so tightly packed in places that strollers got stuck in gridlock. The popularity of this lively and inclusive celebration shows just how connected we all are, and how Asian cultures have permeated and enriched our valley. The Asian-American connection is all about discovering the ways we are different and alike. Some of us like eggs with brown shells; some of us like preserved eggs sealed in foil that are brown all the way through. We all enjoy laughter, smiles, good music and dance. The old barriers of geography, ideology and language are breaking down, thanks to education, travel, business, technology, romance — and various com- binations thereof. Happy Year of the Rabbit. May we all live long and prosper. • If you have not yet caught an episode of Portlandia, get on Hulu or turn on your TV (yeah, we know, television is bad for you, but you can make an exception) because it might be more aptly called Eugenia. From skits mocking diners who ask “is it local” to spoofing feminist bookstores, the show nails the Northwest. But a discussion before the Portland City Council last week made us wonder if Portlandia is really a reality show. As we go to press, the council is once again debating whether to “establish a city policy discouraging employee use of personal scented products in the workplace.” Yup, no perfumes, strong deodorants or colognes. Will Portland go fragrance-free? It’s a big issue for those who are allergic or sensitive. Will Eugene follow in Portland’s footsteps? Will the issue make it on Portlandia? Well, we hear IFC renewed it for another season. • Our Loving Your Body issue Feb. 10 with its “Chemical Love” cover has become a collector’s item. Nearly all the 40,200 papers we printed were picked up, though some stacks might have disappeared directly into recycle bins, thanks to those in our com- munity who are too easily offended. Didn’t get your copy? We have a small stash of leftover papers at the EW offices, 1251 Lincoln St. The content is highly educational, and the cover makes excellent gift wrap. • Who are the sexiest bartenders in Eugene? Check our website this week for online nominations. March 7 is the deadline for voting and results will be in our Swizzle issue March 17. • Few Americans have died in Iraq recently but it still costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $6 million a day to maintain our occupation there. An American teacher makes about $100 a day, so hey kids, how many teacher jobs is Iraq costing us? Iraq costs are expected to go up as we replace our military people with much more highly paid civil- ian contractors, aka mercenaries. Meanwhile in Afghanistan, 43 Americans were seri- ously wounded in action last week; many will be on VA disability for the rest of their lives. Taxpayers are being charged about $28 million a day to keep the Afghanistan war going, much of it deficit spending. Big civilian contracts there as well. We fill both coffins and corporate coffers. SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com regulatory burdens” posed by the ruling, according to the Federal Register, and to discuss HR 6273, a bill that would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to exempt the application of pesticides from certain permit requirements under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The meeting was made up of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture, of the Committee on Agriculture; and the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. No witnesses against the legislation were slated to participate. Rep. Peter DeFazio, who serves on the Transportation Committee but not on the Water Resources Subcommittee said: “The Republicans are in the majority and are in control of the witness lists. I have always attempted to place knowledgeable experts to testify on issues before the subcommittees on which I serve. When Democrats were in the majority, we attempted to balance witness lists and apparently the Republicans do not intend to follow this precedent.” At the hearing, Congressman Timothy H. Bishop, ranking member of the water subcommittee said, “The lack of opposing views on the witness panel hinders our ability to even discuss the very issue that members are struggling to understand.” After concerns of the lack of minority (Democrat) input were voiced, Tebbutt was given five days to submit a written statement for the record, and the committee was asked to make the U.S. Geological Survey circular on “Pesticides in the Nation’s Streams and Ground Water” part of the formal hearing record. An earlier and longer version of this story appeared on blogs.eugeneweekly.com — Camilla Mortensen POWERED UP FOR LOGGING Attention fans of Ax Men, the Oregon Logging Conference is coming to town Feb. 24 and it has three days of non-stop logging action for those of you with an inner urge to fire up a chainsaw and make chips fly. For those inclined to leave trees vertical, the UO’s Public Interest Environmental Law Conference starts March 3. Chainsaw carving, very large equipment and a “log loader competition” — this last is just what it sounds like: people on big machines, loading logs — are among the activities available for viewing at the Lane Events Center. Family Day, Saturday, Feb. 26, is free and open to the public from 9 am to 2 pm and kids can check out “educational activities” such as simulated firefighting and building birdhouses. There will also be, as always, “millions of dollars in logging equipment to explore.” The theme this year is “Powered Up and Ready,” and those who pay the $90 registration fee to attend the seminars at the conference can listen to an update on OSU’s College of Forestry by its dean, Hal Salwasser, as well as talks on stewardship contracting, herbicide application, water and roads and logging near high-voltage power lines. Todd Payne, vice president of Seneca Jones Timber Company, will lead a seminar on “Business Opportunities in Biomass Production,” a subject of interest to many Eugeneans. — Camilla Mortensen ACTIVIST ALERT • Activist, attorney and author Randy Shaw will speak about “Winning Social Change in Tough Times” Thursday, Feb. 24. He will speak first at 1 pm in Building 17, Room 309 at LCC, and again at 7 pm the UO Law School, Room 175. Donations are welcome. For more info, call Progressive Voices at 484-9167. • Fashion Resistance to Militarism, the second annual fashion show focused on militarism, war and peace will be at 7 pm Friday, Feb. 25, at Agate Hall, 18th and Agate, on the UO campus. Free, open to the public. Produced by ASUO Women’s Center and Oregon WAND, the show features original fashion designs as a way to explore the high cost of militarism in our society. Margo Schaefer will be the emcee. • A symposium on “Women’s Activism, Women’s Rights” will be from 3 to 5 pm Monday, Feb. 28, at the EMU Fir Room at UO. Vandana Shiva will serve as moderator and speakers will include Michele Gamburd, Eileen Otis, Guadalupe Quinn and Abby Solomon. CORRECTIONS In the first letter to the editor last week (“A Human Wall of Support,” 2/17) Connor Ausland’s name was misspelled. Choose a path for Eugene’s future… Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan OPEN HOUSE Thursday, March 3rd 4–7 p.m. St. Mary’s Catholic Church (Charnelton & 11th) The Master Plan will set goals and priorities for the future of Eugene’s pedestrian and bicycle system. Master Plan components include options for connecting, improving and expanding the system, project costs and funding, and potential facility designs. www.eugenepedbikeplan.org 8 FEBRUARY 24, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
