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raymondovich's comments:
on The Biomass Question
One of the components of using a fuel is it's BTU rating, how efficently it burns. How comparable is giant cane to coal. Could it be combined with natural gas as a fuel to make it more efficent or if their is fluctuation in cane supply?
posted 2 years, 3 months ago
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on The Slow Path to Adulthood
Is not the idea of leaving as early as possible a recent development? It seems useful having the chance to watch multiple generations. Does leaving early cause children to become less in touch with family?
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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on Football!
On the subject of Saturday's shooting I find a reassuring tone in the response I see on-line. There is a lot of compassion and concern. This is also another great example of multiple people stepping out of their lives to respond in an heroic manner.
posted 2 years, 5 months ago
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on Religious Literacy
A large part of my seperation from organized religion comes from the idea of a inspired text and a chosen people. The chosen people smacks of elitism and prejudices. Prophecy generatates a lot of suspicsion. I also have troubel turning off my thought process simply because of some supposedly inspired text.
posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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on Religious Literacy
I find that many atheists have given more thorough thought as to the value and validity of religion. A lot of actions, including religion, has to do with social acceptance. This makes atheism a very intense decision. Fundamentalist type thinking relieves you of too much thought. You accept everything without exception so now you can live with all the contradictions and confusing doctrine. I have given a lifetime of thought to the value of religion and arrived at being a deist. I distrust buracracies and porphecy.
posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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on Funding Parks and Candidates
posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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on Funding Parks and Candidates
The issue of seperating candidates from campaign funding is crucial locally and nationally. The Oregon measure has strong suppprt fron the organizations Commmon Cause and the The Coffe party. We could be a great example for finance reform.
posted 2 years, 8 months ago
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on Primary Conversations: Oregon Races
There was a new timeline announced for the closure of the Boardman power plant. Has this become a significant issue in the Governor or Congrssional races?
posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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on Primary Conversations: Oregon Races
David Wu has made some very strong statements about the government of China and US trade policy. Has this done any major damage to him?
posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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on Primary Conversations: Oregon Races
A race that does not get enough attention, considering it's financila impact, is the three county agency Metro. Thius an agency That makes decisions that reverberate over a laorge region. TheWES line is a prime exampe. If all available right of ways are used this line could bde expanded to Forest Grove, Salem, and Astoria.
posted 3 years, 1 month ago
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on Suggest a Show
I find intriguing at times how newspapers prioritize news. On FEB 03 the Oregonian printed a large photo and long caption about a Portland business. It was on the front page of the short business section. The photo showed Paul Burkhart, owner of SEKO Worldwide's Portland operation standing next to their newly installed photovoltaic solar panels. The projection is that it will provide 80 percent of the facility's power needs. It will allow them to sell excess power to PGE. Buried in the caption is the factor that makes this story important. With the federal and state rebates Burkhart estimates he can make a retun on his investment within three years. This has the sound of a important phase in energy independence and power pricing. If SEKO's experience holds consistent we may have a model that could be used to take all our government offices and schools off the grid. Even if the break even time is twice as long this is great news. This also has the sound of a quick start-up green jobs program for this region.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on Kicking the Kicker?
As I understand the "kicker" any money collected above a figure of two percent above the projected budget is refunded to voters and business. In the time the "kicker" has been in effect what percentage above the projections have the collections actually been?
I would recommend having 30% of the "kicker" refunded to the taxpayers and the rest kept by the state with a fixed percentage put in a rainy day fund. Another formula could be designed for business taxes based on size of business of corporate structure.
posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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on What is Informed Consent?
This case raises many issues about responsibility and maturity. I have a real problem even visulizing a 16 year old with enough knowledge and maturity to answer as to whether a medical procedure is appropriate. The child had a very limited view of the world and what knowledge was available and apropriate.
I would have a major problem being a levelheaded juror in this case. These cases and issues are getting international covreage. I am a member of an internet chat room of Deists that have been monitoring this case. We have members throughout the USA, Britian, Australia, some of the former Soviet sattelite states, and Iraq.
posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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on Suggest a Show
November of last year the US Army brought criminal charges against a woman in Georgia refusing deployment to Afghanistan. She has a son and her child care arrangements collapsed. There were new developments in this story this week. Should people with children join the military? Is this a reasonable set of charges?
posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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on Measure 67
Within the dcescription of measure 66 in the voter pamphlet it mentions the elimination of income taxes on the first $2,400 of unemployment beienfits received in 2009. I have not heard this mentioned and do not understand why it is included in this measure.
posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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on Measure 66
There is something conceptuallly wrong about a tax system that guts individual disposable income and yet depends on spending for most of it's income. This tax proposal still puts Oregon behind most states in business taxes. This should be the start of an update of our tax system. Some of the income models are seriously out of date. A prime example is taxes for the highways. It is unfortunate that it is almost impossible to discuss the sales tax in this state. We can issue "Oregon Trail" cards. Why couldn't we have a card that knows how to deduct sales tax on people below targeted incomes.
posted 3 years, 5 months ago
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on The "P" Word and Climate Change
Overpopulation quite often is a reflection of outdated views on family size. It is often found in families coming from countries largely based on agriculture and high infant mortality rates. Even after immigration to a more developed country these attitutdes persist. Fortunately one of the most effective birth control methods completely avoids any discussion of abortion. This technique is known as raising the education level of women . It also helps break down the culture of women as being servile without choice.
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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on Up or Out?
Washington County already has in place a great tool for controled exspansion. That would be the wide network of rail lines built for smaller railroads and the hauling of lumber. A prime example is the area betweeen Forest Grove and North Plains. There are already rail routes leading into North Plains and Banks which are largely cut off from mass transit. The other advantage this region has is parts of this rail network is owned by the very company that owns the track and runs the trains on the new WES commuter line. Forest Grove's mayor has been trying for months to have the line extended to his city. These valuable rght of ways should not be lost to indifference.
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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on Police Matters
It is worth remembering that a large percentage of officers dying standing next to a motor vehicle. The first 30 seconds can be critical to the outcome of a police encounter.
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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on Green Tax Breaks
Is there a sunsetting clause to the tax credit?
posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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