Brain Rattlers From Deep WIthin

Ever wonder what to write on the old bloggerama? Me too. I had some inspiration, though, after watching Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in "Road to Bali" last night. Just kind of go for it, have some fun, and throw up everything rattling in your brain to see what sticks.

On the Troutdale City Council front, we were blessed by a visit from the good folks at Verizon this week. Their Governmental Affairs, Marketing, and Project Manager types showed up to give us the dog and pony show about "fiber to the house", or FTTP as they called it.

Verizon wants to run fiber connections to each customer's location in Troutdale, provided the customer wants it. Think of it. 10, 20 30, or even 100mb worth of Niagara Falls bandwidth. Niagara Falls was part of the marketing guy's pitch. You know- dial up is a straw. DSL is a fire hose. Fiber is Niagara Falls. Love those marketing guys!

Here's the catch: Troutdale's city code requires new facilities to be buried underground, and Verizon wants to wrap the new fiber optic cable around the aerial copper wires that exist in about 30% of Verizon's total outside facilities. The other 70% of Verizon's outside facilities are already undergrounded.

So we're going to attempt some Let's Make A Deal with Verizon to see if they'll pony up some $$ towards undergrounding of these new fiberoptic lines. After all, the wind does tend to blow a bit in Troutdale. A buried cable is a happy cable.

Hmm let's see what else is going on? Oh yeah, We approved a new option for Troutdale customers when it comes to recycling containers. Now Troutdalians will have the option of 35 or 60 gallon recycling bins with lids instead of the little curby without a lid.

It's a little more each month, but it's optional. It's worth a try to keep the recyclables from blowing away before the waste haulers pick your stuff up.

Oh yes, we're going to look at a proposed ordinance pertaining to payday loan stores in Troutdale in an upcoming meeting. Sorry, Karen Minnis. Love ya lots and I support you 100%. But you dropped the ball on the payday loan issue at the last legislative session. International banking outfits doing business as loan sharks (not that there's anything WRONG with that) need more regulation than is currently on the books.

Stay tuned for more thoughts on the upcoming urban renewal election in Troutdale.
I'm still organizing my thoughts and doing my best to put things in the proper perspective.

Here's some downtown Troutdale news: Vicky's wine shop did close for business. And Rob Brading's campaign office has moved in at the old Chamber of Commerce Office. He joins Karen Minnis who already has an office in Troutdale.

Tomorrow, March 3 is Troutdale's First Friday Artwalk from 5-9pm. So get off your butts and get on down to some fun music, merchants, artists and food. You can catch my wife and I at either Cafe Bono or the Troutdale General Store, or maybe Taste of Village. We haven't decided where to eat dinner yet. But come on down. See some great art and food. Buy a nice gift for yourself.

Here's something I never thought I'd write-- I have paid virtually no attention to the upcoming Oregon Governor's elections. Here's what I know so far. I can't support Kevin Mannix. Unless he wins. I don't know enough about Jason Atkinson to have a decent opinion yet. Ron Saxton? I thought he was a Democrat. He sure acts like one.

On the Democratic Side. Kulongoski? He lost me after promising to cut taxes and then raising them, what, less than three months after he was first elected? In addition, he has been the invisible man regarding any leadership on the state budget, or school funding, or especially illegal immigrant issues (It IS ILLEGAL, not undocumented.) I do admire his support of Oregon's soldiers. Semper Fi, Ted.

Jim Hill? No way! He thinks PERS and more government spending are the true way to enlightenment. I just don't read the same message when gazing at my conservative navel. That Sorenson guy? Who? Did I miss anyone on the Democratic side? Probably. See you in November, guys. I did LOVE the fact that the Multnomah County Dems turned their backs on their own incumbent Governor Ted. You guys crack me up.

Finally, a plug for my good and most excellent friend Mike Goss, who is a marketing genius. Visit his web site, Breaking Through Walls. Are you stuck or in a rut with your business? Check out Breaking Through Walls.

That's all for now, folks.