Where’s the Happy Ending?

Jason Prothero leaves a pretty good comment on the Barometer and Blackface post, and I wanted to address it with its own post.
First of all, Jason, thanks for the comment. Let’s see what’s going on:
I guess I’m saying that the normal person who goes to Beaver games doesn’t think of that as a first [...]

Hering, Evidence, and Assertions

I couldn’t resist noting a little problem this Hering editorial: There is zero connection to the problem at hand and Hering’s conception of a solution. In fact, I’d say his characterization of the “problem” is, in fact, a problem itself.
Let’s see exactly what Hering says…
Here is the problem:
An anthropologist at the University of [...]

David Brooks Finally Gets to the Mid-90s

I realized this years and years ago; can I write for the NYT editorial page now?
Until that moment, I had thought that the magic of the information age was that it allowed us to know more, but then I realized the magic of the information age is that it allows us to know less. It [...]

Hey Newsweek, WTF?

Reading a paper copy of Newseek, I came across a section with the title “The Dignity Index.” This purports to rate a particular event of the last week on a scale of 1 to 100, with 1 being “mildly tacky” and 100 being “utterly shameless.”
Setting aside for a minute how judgmental and un-journalistic this [...]

On the Barometer Editorial Regarding Blackface etc.

I have gone back and forth regarding this editorial all weekend.
On the one hand, I’m very glad to see the Baro address the issue at all. This incident involved not a columnist but a staff decision, so I can’t say I’m all that surprised (but yes, still somewhat surprised) at the choice to cover [...]

Another Inconvenient Truth?

Loathe as I am to say it, I think that last comment on this post over at LT’s place has just enough truth to it to make it worth noting:
It is interesting to me that this blog is titled Lebanon for Truth and Reconciliation… and yet no part of this bitter, back bitting, “truthful” blog [...]

Meta – Leaving Links in Comments

I have discovered that links left in comments as text (i.e. not embedded) don’t work for some reason – Blogger cuts them off at the width of the comment section. So if you can, please leave them using HTML tags. Thanks.

There are no words

FEMA conducts fake news conference, uses press officials as reporters.
I can’t get mad over this – it’s far too absurd.

GT Covers the Barometer/Blackface Issue

I will have more to say over the weekend about this – probably lots more – but for now just read the story, and if you’re brave, wade into the comments. It’s ugly.
h/t Roxy.

More On Native American Mascots & Oregon High Schools II

I am beginning to wonder if it’s too late for Susan Castillo to get some buy-in when it comes to the recommendation to eliminate Native mascots and logos:
“We certainly heard from the superintendents loud and clear that they think this needs more discussion and more time,” said Gene Evans, spokesman for the Oregon Department of [...]

Smart Prison Policy

This letter in the DH is spot-on:

More prisons don’t help
About Mannix’s measures: It must be tough being a genius. The answer to Oregon’s problems: more prisons.
Of course. Why am I not surprised? Probably because I’ve been to prison six times. Why? Well, let me give you the very short version: Because prison isn’t what’s going [...]

Lebanon Rumors

Been hearing a few interesting things today….
For example, that the account given by LT as to how the newspaper knew about the complaint filed with the district? I’ve been told that’s false – though since I’ve also been told it’s true, both claims having been made by trustworthy sources, I’m withholding judgment.
Next, I’ve heard [...]

Gulf War Syndrom Hits Lebanon

[Just to be clear, I'm claiming the link between his illness and GWS, not the newspaper or his family.]
From the Lebanon Express:
Andrew Rounds, Iraq vet, passed away Saturday
A Waterloo man who spent the last nine months battling leukemia died at Samaritan Regional Medical Center (SRMC) in Corvallis on Saturday.
…
The cause of his leukemia was unidentified. [...]

Blackface on the Front Page of the Barometer

It looks like the intrepid investigator Eric Stoller found a physical copy of the Barometer’s front page….I hope he doesn’t mind if I steal his image:

More On Native American Mascots & Oregon High Schools

Via Blue Oregon, a story came out in the Oregonian today. It looks like a pretty good overview of what’s going on, but it’s missing on thing that I would really like to see: the content (or at least a summary of it) of the presentation that Che Butler gave in favor of [...]