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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2012)
slant • We’re still puzzling over why the city overreacted to unsubstantiated rumors of disruptions and even violence planned for Mayor Kitty Piercy’s State of the City Address Jan. 5. Occupy Eugene’s General Assembly wasn’t planning anything, nor were any individuals on the fringes of the group. We don’t know who originated a warning to city officials, but we’ve never seen any violence, or threat of violence directed at the city from anyone at Occupy Eugene. Despite this week’s public criticism of Councilor George Poling at Monday’s council meeting, the most strident anti-council rhetoric we’ve heard has come from people opposed to Occupy Eugene. Poling is certainly responsible for some of the paranoia, calling peaceful Occupiers on his front lawn “terrorists.” Now that’s a personal attack. Poling could have taken the high road in dealing with the protesters on his front lawn at Christmas, maybe offering them hot chocolate and figgy pudding and listening to their concerns as a responsive elected official. • Remember all those moderate Republican leaders we used to have in this state? Maybe a recent endorsement signals a return of some. Former UO president David Frohnmayer, with his long history of Republican politics, hosted a fundraiser at his house and endorsed Suzanne Bonamici, a Democrat, for the seat lost by David Wu in the First Congressional District. She’s a strong favorite to win the special election Jan. 31 against Republican Rob Cornilles. Ballots go out next week for this first 2012 congressional election in the country. • What are the gayest cities in the U.S.? Well, according to the third annual tally by The Advocate magazine Jan. 9, Eugene ranks 22nd in the nation, right behind those gay Badgers in Madison, Wisc. Portland comes in 12th and Seattle fifth. Defying stereotypes, Salt Lake City is ranked first and San Francisco is 18th. Corvallis is probably too small to make the survey. Rankings are based on openly gay elected officials, LGBT bookstores, transgender protections by city government, availability of nude yoga, gigs by gay bands, gay softball teams and a few other rather subjective criteria. Find the list and read the comments at http://wkly.ws/15o Nude yoga is an eyebrow raiser in the comments. We are certain it happens in Eugene (not at the Y, last time we checked), but is it a gay-friendly, organized activity here or just something to do at a nudist gathering? Flexible minds want to know. • Good news that Bill Moyers will be back on public TV starting at 5 pm Sunday, Jan. 15, with his wisdom so rare out there. We like it that his first segments will be based on “Winner-Take-All Politics” and a four-hour chat on the subject that Moyers had with authors Paul Pierson and Jacob Hacker, both political scientists who grew up in Eugene and went to South Eugene High School. Moyers calls their book “the most important book I’ve read” since ending the old show. Pierson and Hacker will be speaking in Eugene in March through the Morse Center for Law and Politics in the UO. Good timing, Moyers and Morse, for all of us deeply concerned about profound inequality in the U.S. today. • “Taking Mom Home” was the powerful, award-winning cover story we ran Aug. 5, 2010 about Death with Dignity in Oregon. Ben Fogelson wrote about his difficult role in the death of his mother, Susanne Schumann, a well-known local psychologist. The story has been picked up by Utne Reader and ran Jan. 4. Find it online at utne.com under the headline “When the Last Guest Leaves.” ICON CONCERTS PRESENTS Gabriel Iglesias: The Standup Revolution Tour Thursday, January 12 at 8:00 PM —SILVA— Tix: $40 This high-octane show is a sure-fi re hit—a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring his personal experiences to life. • We heard a sad story over the holidays from a local woman on Social Security disability for multiple sclerosis and registered as an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patient. It seems her grower had all of his equipment stolen and is no longer able to supply her needs. She filed paperwork with the state to switch growers and got a bill for $100, saying new rules implemented in 2011 require a fee for changes. She barely gets by and doesn’t have the money. The folks administering OMMP are sympathetic and working with her, but these are the kinds of issues that plague the lives of many people who are already suffering from misfortune. Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it. If enough states either legalize pot, ease restrictions or just stop enforcing outdated prohibition, the federal government will be forced to go along. OREGON MUSIC EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PRESENTS OMEA All-State Gala Concerts OMEA features performances by Honor Ensembles of Oregon for music students of all ages. • M IDDLE S CHOOL G ALA C ONCERT Friday, January 13 at 5:00 PM —SILVA— Tix: $10; Youth discount available • J AZZ P ERFORMANCE Saturday, January 14 at 5:00 PM —SORENG— Tix: Free, no ticket required • H IGH S CHOOL G ALA C ONCERT 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 Sunday, January 15 at 1:00 PM —SILVA— Tix: $15; Youth discount available EUGENE SYMPHONY PRESENTS Piazzolla’s Four Seasons Thursday, January 19 at 8:00 PM —SILVA— Tix: $15 & up ACTIVIST ALERT • A free panel discussion on “Revisiting The Stranger Next Door: Reflections on Sexual Politics and Human Dignity in the New Millennium” will be at 7 pm Thursday, Jan. 12, at the UO Knight Law Center, Room 110, at 15th and Agate. Panelists include Arlene Stein of Rutgers, Kelly Weigel of the Western States Center and Marcy Westerling of the Rural Organizing Project. • “Occupying the Heart and Mind,” a silent meditation/ prayer circle, will gather again at noon Friday, Jan. 13, at Occupy V headquarters, 7th and Polk. Another such gathering will be at 2:30 pm Saturday, Jan. 14. Each session will last one hour. • EW Editor Ted Taylor will be the keynote speaker on “Media Bias and the Struggle for Justice” at the free 10th annual MLK celebration Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Siuslaw Public Library in Florence. A march for civil and human rights will begin at noon, Taylor will speak at 1 pm followed by a discussion of “how language can change the laws that govern shifting of lines of tolerance in society.” Sponsored by Citizens Democracy watch. Call 997- 7573 or email jenvel@oregonfast.net • A musical benefit for Occupy Eugene will begin at 8 pm Saturday, Jan. 14, at Cozmic Pizza, 8th and Charnelton. Sliding scale $5-$20 at the door. Emceed by Paul Simon and Alley Valkyrie with musical guests Jillian, Kokobola, Jonezer and Psychonauts. • A free forum on foreclosures is planned from 1 to 3 pm Sunday, Jan. 15, at Reality Kitchen, 245 Van Buren St. RSVP to Nancie and Mark of Good Grief America, 664-8332 or visit www. goodgriefamerica.org • Springfield’s MLK march and celebration is Monday, Jan. 16, with a march beginning at the Springfield Justice Center at 1:30 pm, followed by a celebration from 2 to 4 pm at Springfield High School. Opening remarks by Mayor Christine Lundberg and Police Chief Jerry Smith; speeches by the student contest winners, music by Rockin’ Amigos, Springfield High Choir, Mariachi del Sol, Hamlin Middle School Choir and Eric Richardson’s Invisible Arts Project. • Eugene’s MLK Day celebration will begin at 5:30 pm Monday, Jan. 16, at the Hult Center for Performing Arts. That same day Dr. Joseph White, educator and “god father of black psychology,” will speak at 6 pm in the EMU Ballroom at UO. • State Rep. Phil Barnhart will be available to meet with community members at 7:15 am Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Studio One Café, 1473 E. 19th Ave. in Eugene. RSVP if you can to rep. philbarnhart@state.or.us or call 607-9207. • Local state lawmakers will discuss the February special session of the Legislature and other topics at a public meeting at 7 pm Tuesday, Jan. 17, at Lawrence Hall, Room 115, on the UO campus. • Energy Village is presenting a “Think Tank” and film on the work of Gregory Bateson and how Bateson’s work applies to our education system, with panelists Nora Bateson, Chet Bowers and Art Paz, from 7 to 9 pm Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Davis Restaurant, 94 W. Broadway. The film screening of An Ecology of Mind will be at 7:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 19, at the Bijou, followed by a Q&A with Nora Bateson. WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM Student & youth discounts available Bold color and atmosphere infuse the seasons of Buenos Aires in a symphonic program featuring the fi ery fl air of Latin culture. EUGENE SYMPHONY PRESENTS Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies Sunday, January 22 at 2:30 PM —SILVA— Tix: $15 & up Disney in Concert debuts with the Eugene Symphony and brings timeless music to Disney fans of all ages. Images and fi lm clips from the Disney vault and singalongs offer an afternoon of family-friendly fun! THE EDGE & DANCE FOR A REASON PRESENT 18th Annual Dance for a Reason Friday, January 27 at 7:30 PM —SILVA— Tix: $15 From ballet to hip-hop, free-form to hula, acrobatics to salsa and African to modern, this annual performance and benefi t showcases talented dancers, cho- reographers and movement specialists. This year’s benefi ciary is DanceAbility. Gabriel Iglesias TICKET OFFICE INFORMATION BUY TICKETS ONLINE: HultCenter.org OR CALL: 541 .682. 5000 HULT CENTER TICKET OFFICE HOURS: Tue-Fri, 12-5 PM ; Sat, 11 AM –3 PM ONE HOUR BEFORE PERFORMANCE MON-SAT, TWO HOURS BEFORE ON SUN. UO TICKET OUTLET IN THE EMU: Mon-Fri, 9 AM –5 PM EUGENE WEEKLY JANUARY 12, 2012 9
