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Pot Luck

by: JayinPortland

Fri Sep 03, 2010 at 20:42:01 PM PDT


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Pot Luck | 63 comments
Dinner! (4.00 / 2)
Am making enchiladas tonight. I'd like to get some free range chicken to enhance such with, or even pork to make carnitas; but am sticking for now with onions, roasted poblanos, black olives, some chopped toasted pecans, and colby jack, with also x-sharp cheddar on top. I like to make my own salsa roja, and have been experimenting with seasonings over the years. This round has minced onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and a pinch of ground clove. I make a roux with all that and ground red chile and then when that's all done I throw in a can of pureed tomatoes and then blend the finished product after a little simmering.

Italian or portabello mushrooms are good in the filling, too. And sometimes I do a salsa verde with tomatillos, green chile, red onion, garlic, seasonings. That's good too. In some ways works better with this filling.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

Salsa verde... (4.00 / 2)
Say I made, like, half a gallon of roasted tomatillo salsa.  How long would it keep fresh?  Does it freeze well?
[ Parent ]
I have yet to try (4.00 / 2)
roasting the tomatillos first; heard about that here. Good idea.

I've frozen salsa verde, and yes, it does fine, since it's not especially dependent upon texture.

How long things keep depends on things you already know about: how sterile they are at the start and how cold you keep them.

Sometimes I make things in covered stainless steel pans, cooked up to boiling, let them sit for quite some time (covered) to cool, and then refrigerate them, and they keep surprisingly well.

It also probably depends on how much ambient moisture there is around, how clean you keep the environment.

All that stuff.

You could put it in ice cube trays and take out a few cubes at a time. You can do a lot of stuff with ice cube trays. Lemon juice is another good example. You don't have to keep the cubes in the tray; you can take them out and store them in sealed plastic devices.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
Need some ice cube trays... (4.00 / 2)
I currently have this many - (holding up zero fingers...)

Had my eye on some nice stainless steel ones at Mirador, my favorite local hippie kitchen and bath shop, the other day.  $$$, though.  I'll pick some up eventually...

[ Parent ]
I haven't seen a stainless steel ice cube tray (4.00 / 2)
in decades. All I have is plastic ones from the second hand store.

I guess that at least partly explains why they were at the second hand store?

Plastic works okay, until it doesn't. I don't worry about plastic and freezing. It's plastic and heat where you get into trouble.

Now you've gotten me feeling inadequately trayed, though.  

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
are plastic ones (4.00 / 2)
My grammar is deteriorating. I blame America.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi
[ Parent ]
David Foster Wallace... (4.00 / 2)
I never miss an opportunity to link to one of my favorite DFW essays...

Did you know that probing the seamy underbelly of U.S. lexicography reveals ideological strife and controversy and intrigue and nastiness and fervor on a nearly hanging-chad scale? For instance, did you know that some modern dictionaries are notoriously liberal and others notoriously conservative, and that certain conservative dictionaries were actually conceived and designed as corrective responses to the "corruption" and "permissiveness" of certain liberal dictionaries? That the oligarchic device of having a special "Distinguished Usage Panel ... of outstanding professional speakers and writers" is an attempted compromise between the forces of egalitarianism and traditionalism in English, but that most linguistic liberals dismiss the Usage Panel as mere sham-populism? Did you know that U.S. lexicography even had a seamy underbelly?

Damn, next Sunday will be exactly two years since he passed away.

:/

I should find a food link and write something about him here.

[ Parent ]
dictionary publishing has a seamy underbelly? (4.00 / 2)
Not!

I still like my American Heritage. Also I have a 13 volume OED from the 60's or 70's in the other house. (I know that sounds rich but both of these houses are really run down, I assure you).

I used to have one of those big Webster's. Handy for Scrabble. Had lots of old Scottish three letter words.  

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
and, I should (4.00 / 2)
read him some. I tried "Infinite Jest" but it was just too convoluted and I lost interest. I liked pieces of it, but it seemed like an attempt to patch together essays that ultimately was failing (I read maybe half).

I probably would enjoy his essays more. I really do like his writing, he was enormously talented and it saddened me to hear he couldn't hack it any more.


"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
My three favorites... (4.00 / 2)
A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again (7 Night Caribbean Cruise), Ticket to the Fair (1994 trip to the Illinois State Fair), and Big Red Son (coverage of the 1998 Adult Video News Awards and Expo).

The first two are in the 1997 essay collection A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, the other is in his 2005 essay collection Consider the Lobster.  His essay covering John McCain's 2000 Presidential campaign in the latter is fascinating, too.  Amazing to see how much he had to change in just 8 short years to be accepted by the Party of Nutbags.

I've yet to meet a DFW essay I didn't like. :)

[ Parent ]
Thanks, I'd heard of those. (4.00 / 1)
thanks for the reminder, will put on book list.  

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi
[ Parent ]
I saw some... (4.00 / 2)
...in a Goodwill for like $1 each a few months ago, came back the next day to get them (I had zero cash on me the first trip, and I have a rule to never use the bank card on impulse) and they were gone.

So close!

I should check out some garage / yard sales around here one of these days. 'Tis the season, and all that...

[ Parent ]
I understand the feeling (4.00 / 2)
about budgeting thrift shop trips.

It's the inexpensiveness of stuff that gets one. I have no trouble at regular retail outlets. But I almost never visit them, though, other than the grocery stores.

I bought some steel wool on Ebay the other day, to clean up some tools. Only cost me a few bucks; spared me a trip via bike down the highway to Wal-Mart.

There is really cheap stuff on Ebay these days, like buying direct from China and cutting out the Wal-mart middleman.

Stainless steel ice cube trays were going really high, though (I just checked).

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
gosh this sounds wonderful (4.00 / 2)
just that way it is Adding chicken sounds like gilding the lily
[ Parent ]
thanks, it came out very well (4.00 / 1)
Adding some cinnamon and a bit of cloves to the salsa roja really did the trick. I'd been trying to recreate something I used to get at a restaurant in L.A. on their enchiladas.

They did pretty simple filling, though, with the classic more or less raw chopped onion, and cheese, and maybe olives.

But the sauces was something special and I think I just about got it.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
Shocked! Again! (4.00 / 2)
Organic Practices Beat Out Genetic Engineering in Drought Tolerance

Change.org / Sustainable Food

Sept 3

by Kristen Ridley

It seems that genetically modified (GM) crops consistently fail to deliver, no matter what perspective you examine them from. DuPont called GM drought resistance the next "big thing," and last year, Monsanto began hyping drought-resistant GM corn. Monsanto may feel it's entitled to a little crowing after reporting yield increases between 6.7 and 13.4 percent over conventionally-grown corn varieties in drought conditions. But there's one, little problem: Plain, old organic agriculture does a far superior job.

The Rodale Institute's  Farming Systems Trial has been studying the performance of conventional-versus-organic agriculture in various conditions for more than 30 years, slowly dismantling the myth that organic farms produce less food with more resources. Want to guess how much of an increase in yields during drought conditions the Institute observed with organic corn compared to non-GM, conventionally grown corn? Try a whopping average of 31 percent higher! That's the same kind of corn Monsanto used in its control group, proving that organic ag offers higher yields than GM plants. Looks like Monsanto shouldn't have been so quick to toot its own horn.

Building up soil with organic material - which organic agriculture does fantastically - greatly increases the soil's capacity to retain water. By contrast, conventional agriculture, with it's over-reliance on chemicals, frequently depletes topsoil and organic matter. Comparing the Rodale Institute numbers with Monsanto's results, it's clear that improving the soil returns much greater results than engineering the genes of the plant itself. And unlike buying GM seeds, an investment in soil only increases in value, paying dividends year after year in the form of healthier, better-fed plants more resistant to drought and disease, which of course translates to increased yields.

More at the original, including links in the text.

In other breaking news; humus holds water more effectively than plastic!

Remember, you heard it here first.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

Engineer *that,* Monsanto (4.00 / 2)


"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi
[ Parent ]
left out the money quote! (4.00 / 2)
Sure, science is sexy, but at a certain point we need think seriously about where this relationship is heading.

Brilliant. I must pay more attention to this author.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
Mini Sampler Platter... (4.00 / 2)
  • OPB asks -

    What would you do if you got a call from the mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, asking you to make his city green?

    Me?  I'd say no thank you, I love Portland and it would take an army to drag me out of Oregon.  Heh.  Of course, outgoing Metro (Portland-area regional government, the only such elected body in the nation) President David Bragdon felt differently.  Interesting listen, which hints that the long-rumored Sheridan Expressway teardown in The Bronx will happen soon.

  • Here's a piece on NJTransit's plans to provide WiFi on its trains, which ends with an odd quote -

    "I think it would be great because I think it would cut down on the amount of chitchat that people take part in," Mr. Hayter said. "It's pretty pleasant when you're on a train car that's full of people quietly surfing the web on their phones rather than having loud conversations."

    "Hey you kids, get off my train!" - the hilariously aptly named Mr. Hayter, who provides an interesting window into where America has gone wrong recently.

    A nation of people with their noses buried in computers or texting on cell phones, only recognizing their neighbors as annoying people who 'chitchat' and make too much noise?  I'd like to think Mr. Hayter's view is the minority one (especially when it comes to public transit, but he's probably one of those who just moved to Montclair from the suburbs and thinks he's being "green" while telling his neighbors to shut the hell up and stop being humans), but I really don't know these days.

  • This story from here in Portland has been drawing a lot of attention from those of us in the transit community lately.  Regardless of who was ultimately at fault (now it does look like the bus driver was more to blame),  buses should not be turning left on the Transit Mall!  Especially on the narrow streets downtown (which were platted in the late 19th-century before motor vehicles existed), and especially when their sheer size dictates they must make left turns from the middle lane.  Thank you...

    Which gives me a chance to expound upon my ideas for improving safety downtown - ban private vehicles from 5th and 6th (the Transit Mall) Avenues altogether, make the left lane on each a protected contraflow bike lane, and revert all one-ways on the West Side east of NW 23rd / SW Vista and north of I-405 back to one lane in each direction 20 MPH two-way streets.

  • Madison, Wisconsin's latest Open Streets event brought out 50,000 people!  Here in Portland, our fifth and final Sunday Parkways event of 2010 happens September 26 in NW Portland, and I'll be out there somewhere along the route as an Intersection Superhero as always!

  • Brooklyn's Trolley Guy Bob Diamond has given up on bringing streetcars back to Brooklyn.  Now that most of the tracks have been ripped up by the "Green" Bloomberg Administration, the final vestiges of Brooklyn's vast, historic streetcar heritage may very well just remain in the form of the name of Los Angeles' National League baseball team, originally known as the Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers.

Re: TriMet item 3... (4.00 / 1)
Sloppy wording on my part.

It appears as of now that the bus driver was 100% to blame.

Just wanted to correct my original wording, and also note this part -

TriMet's media statement on August 31st also claimed that Krebs was given a citation in the crash. However, as of today (9/2) there is no record of a citation ever being written to Krebs. When asked to verify the information, TriMet said "Based on what's written in the police report, it's our understanding that he will be cited... they [the police] must still be in process." The police report TriMet refers to was written on August 13th and Police Bureau Traffic Division Sergeant Todd Davis says the citation should have been processed by now. In a subsequent follow-up with TriMet Operations spokesperson Josh Collins informing him that the citation had not yet been issued, he said, "We should have called and verified they'd written and given it to him. It's our understanding they still will be citing him."

This is an unfortunate oversight on TriMet's part because several local media outlets, including us, KGW and The Oregonian all reported that Krebs has been given a citation when in fact he hasn't.

And -

Krebs says that when he asked TriMet to see the video (at the urging of his insurance company) a representative for TriMet told him the video is "damaging to their case". "They said the bus operator improperly executed the left turn and the video showed he turned right in front of me." Krebs' insurance agent has now requested the video.

The "jug handle turn" (as opposed to the "button hook turn") made by the bus in this case is illegal in Oregon.

[ Parent ]
Re re re... (4.00 / 1)
Final point - ultimately, in this case (the route being run by this bus on this day was a shuttle bus due to MAX being shut down that afternoon by a suicide jumper off the Vista Bridge) the bus driver should have realized the turn he was told to make was dangerous (the Heart of Downtown Portland at PM Week Day Rush Hour!), and should have requested a reroute.
[ Parent ]
I agree with you on the car thing on 5th and 6th (4.00 / 2)
I, for the life of me, could never fingure out why they had auto lanes on those two streets on the bus mall. I do not agree with you on the bike lane thing though. Considering the quality of bike riders in Portland, that'd be a disaster waiting to happen. How many bike riders would you like to cull from the current herd? Bike riders in DT Portland are insane. I don't know how many I've followed who just blow through red lights. Some don't even slow down much. I followed one gal for close to a mile between the Hawthorn and Ross Island bridges. There were 6 or so signals at the cross streets. She never stopped for a single one.

It's one reason I won't go downtown in Portland unless it's an emergency. Y'all can have all of that. When I was contracting, I wouldn't even work in that part of town unless the client could provide parking, etc. The logistics were too much of a pain in the ass. When I did all the repair work at the Hatfield Federal Courthouse (8 months of patching cracks in the terrazzo floors) in 2001, I told them that they'd have to give me a security pass to park in the building's parking garage or they could find someone else to fix their floors.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

[ Parent ]
Some points... (4.00 / 1)
One, I also have no clue whatsoever as to why, after over three decades, private automobiles were allowed back onto 5th and 6th Avenues for more than a block or two, with the new design (and added light rail tracks).

Where I will return your disagree (we're quite used to this by now, aren't we? :)) is your point re: bike lanes.

Banning left turns by buses, and banning private automobiles altogether, leaves the left lane (of three) wide open.  What problems can ever possibly come from protected contraflow bike lanes in that situation?

I don't know of any bicyclist who's ever killed anyone from blowing riding through a red light, but I sure know of thousands of motorists who have.

Can you provide any proof whatsoever as to where cyclists "running a red light" (which btw, said lights were only introduced specifically due to the deadliness of motor vehicles) are anywhere near as much of a deadly problem as motorists (who are on average, about 15 times heavier than a cyclist and travel at at least twice their speed) doing same?

Bike riders in DT Portland are insane.

Assuming we grant your point (which I don't, but still), how many people are killed by bikes as opposed to cars each year?

..................

As far as "security passes" go, I know you.  You and I both know you can take care of yourself.  And let's not forget that Downtown Portland is one of the safest such areas of any large city in America...

So what's with this?

When I did all the repair work at the Hatfield Federal Courthouse (8 months of patching cracks in the terrazzo floors) in 2001, I told them that they'd have to give me a security pass to park in the building's parking garage or they could find someone else to fix their floors

On the way back from work two years ago when the Transit Mall was under reconstruction and the buses ran down 3rd and 4th, I used to transfer downtown from the 4 bus to the 9 bus, right in front of the Hatfield Courthouse, every single day after midnight.

I think this here is some of that ole' Portland Myopia, which goes both ways.  Never once, at any time, was I ever threatened there.  And lest you forget, I was there after midnight, on foot, 5 days a week, and without any building to duck into.

I reject your contention that Downtown Portland is dangerous, or anything at all to worry about.

(Note: I'll be gone most of today, and I know you'll hit back at me soon... that's why I love you!  I'll be back around 7 tonight, I think)

[ Parent ]
I was going to be walking several blocks (4.00 / 1)
unarmed and unescorted at 2:00am in downtown Portland with several thousand dollars worth of equipment and supplies. I'm pretty self confident, but I'm not stupid.

As far as bikes on the bus mall, I think those two streets should be dedicated to buses and lightrail only. It's only two streets, the bikes can move to the streets allowing passenger vehicles, and for those who are going to establishments on those two streets, they can get off and walk their bike to their destination. It'd only be a couple of blocks anyway if that, the biker can use a cross street to get as close as possible to their destination. Auto drivers have to walk at least that far and pedestrians who take the bus or Max down there have to walk at least that far. The whole point of the mall is to facilitate bus and Max traffic. I say dedicate it to those two.

Bicycles can and do cause accidents (remember when the bicyclist got killed by the cement truck a couple years ago? 100% the bike rider's fault). This happens when bike riders don't obey the traffic laws. The reason why there are stop signs and signals at intersections is so that the flow of traffic is orderly and people can anticipate a clear intersection when one crosses it on the green (in a personal vehichle, bus, Max train, on foot or on a bicycle). It helps people keep from getting killed, injured and/or causing property damage. It's why proceding through a red light at a signalized intersection is illegal for pedestrian and motorist both. It's why emergency vehicles are equiped with devices that turn a red light on their path of travel green while turning the cross traffic signal red. So that they have a clear path of travel. When bicyles travel through a red light or stop sign, they put everyone at risk of an accident just as if I did that in my pickup. It's not the size of the vehicle, it's doing something that they shouldn't be doing.

Just as the bicyclist who got killed when the cement truck ran over him. The truck was in the right hand lane, with his turn signal on. The biker pulled up inbetween him and the curb in the truck's blind spot, and when the traffic signal turned green, and the driver began his turn, he ran over the bike. Trucker was in the right, but because the biker ignored every single traffic law that existed in that particular situation, he got killed.  

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

[ Parent ]
Awwww, crap... (4.00 / 1)
I just went all the hell the way over to the West Side, and the thing I needed to come through won't this weekend.  "Maybe" next weekend.

I have a feeling this is gonna be a very bad month $$$-wise...

Oh well.  At least I'll get to watch the college football games today, I guess...

Anyways.

First point - that building has 24-hour security, and SW 3rd is a three lane street out front with no traffic at 2 AM, and loading zones are also on the Salmon and Main sides of the building.  I can't imagine why contractors need parking garages there.  Not blaming you, I'm blaming the building managers for a massive failure of imagination.

That being said, Downtown Portland is still one of the safest urban areas in America, 24-7.  Take it from someone from Newark, NJ...

;)

As for the Transit Mall, there are 3 lanes on both 5th and 6th.  MAX needs one, and buses need one.  That leaves one.  Bikes!

The point of the Transit Mall has always been to encourage alternative / mass transportation, not just buses and rail (and as you know, MAX traffic didn't run on the Mall until 2009, so original intent is flexible there - the original original intent of the Downtown Transit Mall was a street for buses which forced private automobiles off every two blocks) and bicycles fit right into that.

Are you sure you want to get into who causes more accidents, bikes or motor vehicles?  Because 34,000 people died in motor vehicle accidents in the US last year.  And that's only a fraction of total accidents.  Again, I never ever ever claimed cyclists don't sometimes cause accidents.  Indeed, I'm a pedestrian who gets buzzed on sidewalks by bikes about once a week on average.

My point though, which you didn't address, was how many bikes kill people each year?  And what reason would you ever have for banning bicycles from the Transit Mall?

As for stop signs and red lights, they're there for and because of cars.  I obviously agree that cyclists should not brazenly ignore traffic control devices, but the fact of the matter is that a cyclist is not two tons of steel, and a cyclist is no more than a few inches from their front tire at any given time, and can therefore see what's coming at it much clearer than a motorist can.

Idaho, certainly no bastion of car-hating liberalism, even recognizes this fact with their "rolling stop" bike laws.  That should be the law everywhere, imo.

It's not the size of the vehicle, it's doing something that they shouldn't be doing.

It absolutely is the size of the vehicle that matters, as spelled out above.  The State of Idaho even backs cyclists up there...

And as for the killing you're talking about (the one on W. 14th & Burnside in 2007, Tracey Sparling?), no the cyclist (she) was absolutely not at fault.  I don't know where you got that information from...

Sparling was stopped at a red light while on her bike at Northwest 14th and Burnside Street. A fully loaded Rinker cement truck was in the traffic lane to Sparling's left. When the light turned green, the truck and cyclist started to move, and the truck ran over Sparling and her bike. Witnesses said Sparling was in the truck driver's blind spot when she was instantly killed.

That killing was what brought the green Bike Boxes to Portland.  "Blind spots", and "Gee, I didn't see them!" are not an excuse for killing cyclists with right hooks.

[ Parent ]
College football? (4.00 / 1)
Jets are on in a bit . . .   :D
[ Parent ]
The Jets... (4.00 / 1)
...are gonna be fun to watch this year.

I'm a Giants fan myself, but I doubt we're even gonna make the playoffs.

The Jets, on the other hand, have massive expectations.  That's their problem, anything less than a Super Bowl this year will be a disappointment.

I love Rex Ryan, he's my kind of guy.  I love the Jets defense.  I love their offensive philosophy (we're gonna punch you in the mouth, I dare you to stop us!)...

However, I don't think Mark Sanchez can take a team to the Super Bowl.  He's the glaring weak link, and a very big one.  I hope I'm wrong.  Giants fan though I am, I'll root for the Jets if they're in it.  I did last year!

I'll pencil in the Jets as AFC East champs, but I really don't see them getting over the hump (Indy, Pitt, Houston* or Tennessee) into the Super Bowl.

*My sleeper Super Bowl pick this year

[ Parent ]
Jets? (4.00 / 1)
Whatever happened to Joe Namath?
[ Parent ]
Broadway Joe... (4.00 / 1)
Oh man, I remember watching live his "I just wanna kiss you" interview with Suzy Kolber.

I cringed for Joe.  I know well the feeling of doing / saying stupid things while drunk...

As a kid, I had autographs from Ken O'Brien and The New York Sack Exchange (Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Abdul Salaam).

Just like as in baseball (mom's a Yankee fan, the rest of the family roots for the Mets), we were a mixed family in football (mom Giants, the rest Jets).

I guess you could say I split things out fairly picking teams growing up.

;)

[ Parent ]
Looks like Revis is back! (4.00 / 1)
I love Ryan also. Can't believe I moved right when they really seem to be getting it together! It will be interesting to see how Sanchez does this year. He's got some skills and a good head on his shoulders. Apparently he held his own camp with the offense in Ca this past off season. brought out the guys so they could work together . . .  
[ Parent ]
The info I got listening to the news reporting (4.00 / 1)
on the cyclist was that she (correction noted), pulled in between the truck and the curb after the truck had gotten there. I don't know what part of "I have my right turn signal on, and that means I'm going to turn right when the light changes" she didn't understand. But the fact is that if the driver can't see a person, and that person pulls into the driver's blind spot, then it's not the driver's fault if the person gets run over. A driver can't refrain from running over someone they don't know is there.

This from another Oregonian article on the accident -

Kurronen said it's unlikely Wiles will face criminal charges because there was no negligence or recklessness, and he was not impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Kurronen was the lead investigator. Had the driver been negligent or impared he would have been at fault. The fact is that there is, or was at the time, a bike lane at that location, and according to that article at the time it was illegal for a vehicle making a right hand turn, to move into the bike lane in preperation for making that turn. Had the truck been allowed to pull into the bike lane, the cyclist probably would have stopped behind the truck instead of pulling into the blind spot, and not have been hit. Had the cyclist paid attention to the turn signal on the truck and not stopped adjacent to the truck, she wouldn't have been hit. It was the cyclist's neglegence that caused her to die.


Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

[ Parent ]
No, it's our... (4.00 / 1)
...national love affair with giant motor vehicles, and our absolute general refusal as a society to hold people accountable for killing others with same, that was most at play there.  The City of Portland admitted as much by instituting the green bike boxes as a direct result of this killing.  Again, "I didn't see her" is not an acceptable 'excuse' for killing someone.  If you can't see, you shouldn't be operating a potentially deadly machine.

The driver was negligent, and he was at fault.  Just because we didn't / don't have a specific traffic law spelling that out (again, because we're a nation of motorheads for whom personal accountability apparently doesn't extend to our actions behind the wheel of a motor vehicle) doesn't change that.  It's common sense.

I don't know what part of "I have my right turn signal on, and that means I'm going to turn right when the light changes" she didn't understand.

Maybe the part where a vehicle turning across another lane of traffic must always yield to those going straight, as in a bike lane?  Vehicles turning right across bike lanes do not ever have the right of way.

And what good would a truck being in the bike lane be to make a right turn, anyways?  You realize that's logistically impossible at that intersection, right?  The turning radii of a cement truck necessitates cutting across lanes by its very nature.  It would be impossible to make that turn for a truck from the right lane, which is one of many reasons why large trucks should be severely restricted in dense urban areas.  So what would allowing trucks to sit in the bike lane at a traffic light (as horrible an idea as I've ever heard) have accomplished anyways?

[ Parent ]
It's all about responsibility and negligence (0.00 / 0)
The truck driver did his due dilligence the bike rider did not. She was responsible for her own death, not the truck driver.

Had the truck been able to take the bike lane in preperation to the right turn, the bike rider would have had to stop behind the truck, therefore keeping her out of the truck's blind spot. I could see it if the bike rider had been in position first, the truck had pulled up even with her in the motor vehicle lane, and then turned into her. Then it would have been the truck driver who caused the accident.

I see this on occasion with large trucks and cars. That's why there are signs on a lot of trucks and trailers that have a graphic showing what will happen to you if you pull into that vehicle's blind spot when it's signaling for a right hand turn. Large vehicles have to swing wide, or they do things like climb the curb and/or take out signs, power poles, etc. when making right hand turns.

In a situation like this, the vehicle that gets pinned by the truck is cited for negligence, as long as the truck's signals are working properly and the signal was being used.

Bikes are subject to the same traffic law in this situation.

While the truck driver has legal responsibility to operate correctly, so does the bike.  

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

[ Parent ]
Now, regarding the courthouse work (4.00 / 1)
GSA (General Services Administration) had to give me a security pass (and a hellacious long background check) in order to work on the building. I really don't care how safe you feel in downtown Portland, or what the stats say about safety and crime in Portland, I have been robbed in Portland on 3 different occassions. All before the courthouse job, all in broad daylight, and after one robbery, when some of my equipment was stolen, when I called the Portland PD I was asked by a very snotty person "Well, what do you want us to do about it? Would you like us to send you a crime report to fill out for our statistics?", those were her exact words, I will never in my life forget them or the way she said them to me. So perhaps you can understand why I might be a bit leary of hauling equipment to and from a building in downtown Portland at 2 in the morning. In the end, GSA gave me a key card to the building that was coded to let me into the parking garage as well as the building itself, I parked in their garage under the building, which was competely empty during the hours I was working, and did the job they wanted me to do. No having to pay daily parking fees (which I would have charged them for, I don't pay for that out of my own pocket), I was able to move moisture sensitive materials and equipment to and from my vehicle without having to put a raincoat on it (most of the work was done fall/winter/early spring), and instead of walking back and forth from a parking lot, I was able to walk a very short distance from my truck to the freight elevator (which they also gave me a key to).

The issue of access to the parking garage was more of a protocol thing for them, than security or anything else. For me it was a safety and a logistical issue.

I see things like this as no different that getting paid what I bid the job at. You want me to do a job for you, you pay me what I feel I'm worth, and if there are issues like parking or other logistical issues, you give me what I require as far as that goes too. Otherwise you find someone else to do your job for you. It's a free country, they didn't have to hire me, there were people they could have brought in from out of state (there were only 3 people in the state I knew of at the time who were qualified to do that particular type of repair and I was the only one willing to take on the job or even bid on it), and I wasn't depending on that particular job.

Just like getting money up front to cover materials. I don't bankroll jobs for other people, at least not as far as materials are concerned. You don't want to give me a down payment or 'start up' money? Go find someone esle, no hard feelings. Don't want to give me some money up front but you're willing to go out and buy all the materials I spec for the job? Works for me.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.

[ Parent ]
I never said I didn't understand... (4.00 / 1)
...your apprehension there.

That was my point in pointing out that the building has 24-hour security and loading zones.  My issue is with you insinuating that Portland is particularly "dangerous", when you can just as easily (and more likely) be robbed (or beaten with a baseball bat) in Gresham or Beaverton or Clackamas or Bridgewater, NJ as in Portland.

I don't think they should have their own garage, and the fact that they do only encourages unnecessary motor vehicle usage (yours is necessary, along with other contractors... 9-5 desk clerks, however, should not be encouraged to drive downtown with enticements like free secured parking).

[ Parent ]
Jay, (0.00 / 0)
I wasn't working in any of those other cities or areas. I was working in DT Portland. You feel safe in DT Portland, I'm happy for ya. I don't. I've been robbed in Portland and have had the PD throw that in my face. Perhaps you haven't. When I lived with my parents, our neighbors were robbed and got the same response. When one someone tried to break into the home of one nextdoor neighbor, wound up cutting his hand up on the glass screen door and left a blood trail all the way up Bidwell and down 17th street to his grandparent's house, and the DA's office says, sorry, we know who did it, but it's not cost effective to prosecute, well, all of those things lead me to have little if any confidence or sense of security in Portland, anywhere, and especially not in Portland, DT or any other part, day or night.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.
[ Parent ]
rule #1 of bicycling (4.00 / 2)
Don't get in front of moving vehicles. If you obey rule #1, the importance of obeying the official rules becomes much less.

This does imply being aware of everything going on around you, though.

I run stop signs all the time and even occasionally red lights. I don't, however, do it when there is traffic around. And I always slow down and check out the situation before doing so.

Where I bicycle, it's quite easy to find routes that have little traffic.

I also don't get in front of moving vehicles when I have the right of way, or even stopped ones unless I'm positive they've seen me. I'll wait until they wave me past, at times. I NEVER assume any of them are going to stop, and I'm never entirely convinced any of the stopped ones won't start up and aim right at me.

Rule #2 is: bicycle like you're invisible.

City traffic is a lot harder, and when the traffic is going at a pretty brisk pace, and the bicyclist is going more slowly, the bicyclist really cannot bike in the traffic, which unfortunately makes one less visible, and adds to the need for separate routes. There is bound to be conflict. But any bicyclist who assumes moving vehicles will stop for him or her is, IMHO, a fool.


"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
Take the lane... (4.00 / 1)
Actually, in Downtown Portland the best and safest thing a cyclist can do is take the entire lane.  In fact, the law encourages it, especially downtown in the zone where riding on sidewalks is illegal.  As far as city traffic, are you referring to suburbs?  That's not city traffic.  Cars shouldn't be traveling at a rate much higher than the average bicyclist in dense urban areas.  That's why some of us are advocating for UK-style 20 MPH speed limits.  Suburbs need different rules, but I'll leave that argument to people who are familiar with same.

Bike lanes have many inherent dangers themselves of course, from enforcing second-class street citizenship for bicycles, risks of dooring and right hooks, etc...

As for moving vehicles, a bike is a moving vehicle as well, and in Oregon has every right to the street as cars and trucks do.

I understand the thing about taking precautions and being extra safe while actually out riding.  My points here are about law and theory, and doing my part to bust the unfortunately prevalent myths that "streets are for cars", and etc etc...

Indeed, paved streets in the US first came about in the late 1800s as a result of lobbying by bicyclists. :)

But any bicyclist who assumes moving vehicles will stop for him or her is, IMHO, a fool.

Again, this doesn't change the fact that we seriously need to reexamine our current traffic laws (the reason that negligent yet sober drivers who kill cyclists and pedestrians generally aren't charged with anything is because DAs and juries consider their crimes to be less than manslaughter, and prosecutors currently have no other lesser-charged charges or statutes to work with - we need a specific 'killed by careless driving' statute in the US), and hold those who kill accountable for their actions.

We can debate the wisdom of certain cyclists and their actions, but what we should no longer tolerate is blaming the victim in cases of traffic violence.  Imo, that's no different than the "she was asking for it, look at her skirt!" defense.

[ Parent ]
asdf (4.00 / 1)
Actually, in Downtown Portland the best and safest thing a cyclist can do is take the entire lane.

Only problem is that if they drive into you, you aren't surrounded by a lot of steel. Only takes once.

I've heard this argument a lot, and in my experience, what it leads to is angry motorists. Speed differentials do matter, though.

In fact, the law encourages it, especially downtown in the zone where riding on sidewalks is illegal.  As far as city traffic, are you referring to suburbs?
 

I was thinking more like Lincoln Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

That's not city traffic.  Cars shouldn't be traveling at a rate much higher than the average bicyclist in dense urban areas.  That's why some of us are advocating for UK-style 20 MPH speed limits.

That makes a great deal of sense. Still, nfw I'm gonna bicycle in city traffic at 20 mph. Too much happening too fast and I'm not wearing armor.

Suburbs need different rules, but I'll leave that argument to people who are familiar with same.

Suburbs need bike routes.

Bike lanes have many inherent dangers themselves of course, from enforcing second-class street citizenship for bicycles, risks of dooring and right hooks, etc...

SEPARATE bike routes is what we need. I don't know what a right hook is, but there's that thing with diagonal parking where they back out into you and you can't get out of the line of fire fast enough if you're going slowly. I like to bicycle slowly. I like to look at things, and it's safer to go more slowly. Thus I am not at all compatible with any kind of serious traffic at all, and I stay out of it best I can, which isn't hard where I live. Now Lincoln Boulevard was another story; I'm lucky I didn't get in any accidents, very lucky.

Oh, a right hook is when people pull right turns and cut you off, I bet. Another wonderful urban phenomenon.

As for moving vehicles, a bike is a moving vehicle as well, and in Oregon has every right to the street as cars and trucks do.

True in other places too. There are lots of things people have the right to do, that can turn out poorly for them if they run into better armed people who don't approve of such rights, and a steel vehicle is a weapon.

I understand the thing about taking precautions and being extra safe while actually out riding.

Yes, of course you do. I got into this discussion on DK some time back, and one of my favorite comments, though, was that one should deal with oncoming traffic the same way as one might a herd of crazed water buffalo.

Pure pragmatism.

My points here are about law and theory, and doing my part to bust the unfortunately prevalent myths that "streets are for cars", and etc etc...

Absolutely. That's why they should be closed to cars, more of them all the time. And spiff them up with nice landscaping, have the bike lane in the middle and pedestrian areas on the sides.

Indeed, paved streets in the US first came about in the late 1800s as a result of lobbying by bicyclists. :)

Really? Never heard that before; interesting.

Again, this doesn't change the fact that we seriously need to reexamine our current traffic laws (the reason that negligent yet sober drivers who kill cyclists and pedestrians generally aren't charged with anything is because DAs and juries consider their crimes to be less than manslaughter, and prosecutors currently have no other lesser-charged charges or statutes to work with - we need a specific 'killed by careless driving' statute in the US), and hold those who kill accountable for their actions.

You may be falling into a fallacy there, similar to saying the death penalty will deter murder. The problem here is a design problem; the problem with murder and the death penalty is a social one. Stiffer penalties won't necessarily help in either case.

Do negligent drivers who kill other drivers get charged with anything more than manslaughter? If there are more vehicular homicide charges with driver upon driver than there are driver upon bicyclist, then you have more of a point.

I do agree, though, that there is a bias against bicyclists in that they are seen as agreeing to be more vulnerable and that's their problem, which pisses me off no end.

We can debate the wisdom of certain cyclists and their actions, but what we should no longer tolerate is blaming the victim in cases of traffic violence.  Imo, that's no different than the "she was asking for it, look at her skirt!" defense.

Another comparison here to look at would be between what happens with pedestrians and with bicyclists...is there bias against bicyclists compared to pedestrians?

I could go on and on, but the best solution is separate routes for all types of transportation. Even if you have separate non-car routes for bicyclists and pedestrians both, with lanes, conflict tends to arise.

One can argue it endlessly, but you won't stop the conflicts that way.

Just people being in a hurry is a societal problem that is very ingrained and helps to drive a lot of this, too.

Thanks for your thoughts.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
zxcv... (4.00 / 1)
;)

Only problem is that if they drive into you, you aren't surrounded by a lot of steel. Only takes once.

I reject the premise that we should debate our rights from a point of weakness.

I've heard this argument a lot, and in my experience, what it leads to is angry motorists. Speed differentials do matter, though.

It's not just an 'argument', it's a legal right granted to cyclists by Oregon law.  Frankly, I couldn't give a squat about "angry motorists".  I don't like funding foreign wars, but I pay my taxes.  And if motorists decide they're above the law, they should be treated just like any other criminal.

Still, nfw I'm gonna bicycle in city traffic at 20 mph. Too much happening too fast and I'm not wearing armor.

The average cyclist travels at about 15 MPH, give or take 2 or 3, so a reasonable motor vehicle speed limit equalizes things greatly.

I'll grant that city riding isn't for everybody, but just because some won't doesn't mean laws shouldn't be made to assure those who want to / must can.

A right hook is where a driver runs into / over a cyclist from the left, while making a right turn and not checking for bikes to their side.  All too common, and one of the leading causes (see Tracey Sparling above) of traffic deaths amongst cyclists.

True in other places too. There are lots of things people have the right to do, that can turn out poorly for them if they run into better armed people who don't approve of such rights, and a steel vehicle is a weapon.

Again, I refuse to debate our rights from a point of weakness.

You may be falling into a fallacy there, similar to saying the death penalty will deter murder. The problem here is a design problem; the problem with murder and the death penalty is a social one. Stiffer penalties won't necessarily help in either case.

I fail to see how that's true?  I pointed out the (well documented) tendency of DAs and juries in the US to charge / convict negligent drivers of serious crimes (although killing somebody through negligence is certainly a serious crime!).  I didn't provide any specific sentencing guidelines, I just mentioned that we need a law which DAs can work with to get deadly drivers off the road, and yes cool their heels in jail for a bit.  Taking another human's life should cost you your freedom for a while, imo.

I said nothing about death penalties, and I am a vehement opponent of same in all cases.  That analogy doesn't work here.

Do negligent drivers who kill other drivers get charged with anything more than manslaughter? If there are more vehicular homicide charges with driver upon driver than there are driver upon bicyclist, then you have more of a point.

Vehicular homicide charges tend to be almost exclusively pressed in drunk driving cases, most of which are motorist on motorist.  I don't have numbers offhand, but I'll try to see if I can find them.

But again, this goes back to my point that when sober drivers kill through negligence, it's extremely rare that they face any consequences.  That needs to change.

[ Parent ]
To NOT... (0.00 / 0)
This should read -

I pointed out the (well documented) tendency of DAs and juries in the US to NOT charge / convict negligent drivers of serious crimes (although killing somebody through negligence is certainly a serious crime!).

[ Parent ]
great comment (4.00 / 1)
You're entirely right, of course, but how to level the playing field so I don't get driven into by the crazy, angry, and/or mindless, meanwhile?

I used to know a guy who wore steel toed boots while bicycling, expressly so that he could kick cars (on Lincoln Boulevard) driven by people who behaved poorly.

I respected the hell out of that guy. Real out gay guy named Lyle. Kept ferrets. Worked in the health food business. Smart as all hell, funny, quirky, odd like really smart people so frequently are. I liked him a great deal. I wonder what happened to him?

I remember him telling me once how he bought a homeless beggar $100 worth of clothes, to try to help the person out into a better place, and how depressing it was to see the guy back out there on the street corner the next day.

Back to bicycles; I personally think we should be allowed to carry harpoons, but I didn't really want to let this conversation go that far.

Thanks for tipping my comments where you did, this evening. I really do like the idea of built-in automatic sterilization of any human who commits ecocide. We must become more clever; there is no other way.

mro

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
I'm sure this has been brought up before (4.00 / 1)
and done to some extent; but a city could have every other street car-free. The alternate streets would have the backs of the businesses facing them, so deliveries could be made, and public transport have access. No need for much in the way of longer-term parking, just delivery zones. And really good public transportation that would accommodate moving around a lot of stuff, and also your dog.

Then the car-free streets would have the businesses facing on both sides, with sidewalks and then a curbed bike route in the middle (keeping the curbs would help keep the pedestrians out of the way of the bicyclists).

And all landscaped, with statues, and people drawing on the sidewalks, and music.

This doesn't address what would happen at intersections, but still; it would be a great start.

"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
The problem there... (4.00 / 1)
The alternate streets would have the backs of the businesses facing them, so deliveries could be made, and public transport have access

The problem there is that you're taking eyes off the street (h/t Jane Jacobs), presenting unattractive blank walls to users of same (who will avoid these streets like the plague), and providing attractive opportunities to criminals.  Those streets would essentially become dangerous slums, and bring down whole neighborhoods and cities.

I see the pattern you're getting at, I just don't think business districts should ever have long strips of blank walls anywhere.  A return of service alleys could serve the delivery purpose (unfortunately these tend to be vehemently opposed by fire departments and city planners today for "safety" reasons), however.

keeping the curbs would help keep the pedestrians out of the way of the bicyclists

Bollards, too... to keep SUVs from successfully driving onto Greenways.

;)

[ Parent ]
okay, so you're 30 years old (4.00 / 1)
fucked up six ways from sunday with physical ailments that may well be related to your environmental cleanup work, and you know about all of this, and nobody has hired you to be a city planner with good pay and health care?

That Is Wrong.

Okay, far as the crime angle goes; the stores backing into the streets would be more vulnerable at night, unless the traffic of deliveries was also running into the night, unless there were always people coming in to do maintenance, deliver stuff, whatever. And it all would have to be well lighted.

Good point about eyes on the street. I hadn't thought that through. But eyes on the street and cars, clash.

I don't think the streets would become slums.. I'm talking about interspersing garden routes and back streets fairly closely. And I'm not talking about residential areas. I should have made that more clear; residential areas need to be worked very differently. I'm talking about how you work blocks of shops.

You may well be right though; maybe a quartite design would be better (no, that's not a word). One street with shop fronts and the bike path and the whole pretty outdoor art thing, and then a street that would have one side backing up sides of the shops on that street..and the other side would lead into a park.

And after the park, a mirror reversal of all of that.

Regarding keeping pedestrians out of the bike paths, I must strongly disagree. People often get vague when they walk. So many are not used to doing so. They are used to curbs, though.

The point of the curbs would be to remind those not used to walking, those who were experimenting with using this new lovely place we've invented and then created, that it wasn't all just free roam.

Including the elderly, and the other fragmented.

Culturally, we're used to curbs.

There are worse things.

You're right about curbs being helpful for auto-herd regarding crazed drivers, though.



"If God were to appear to starving people, he would not dare to appear in any other form than food." - Mahatma Gandhi

[ Parent ]
I cracked the better part of a case of garlic yesterday (4.00 / 3)
Did it all by hand and I now have almost a full 5 gallon bucket of cloves to plant. I still have 40-50 heads to crack. I understand that there are machines that do this kind of thing. I can understand why. My hands hurt, especially the big joint on my thumb.

Normal people scare me.... But not as much as I scare them.
Oregon 35, New Mexico 0... (0.00 / 0)
A few minutes into the second quarter.

Wow, somebody needs to stop this game.  We need a Mercy Rule in college football, I think.

This is brutal, like a fighter getting knocked down five times by the second round...

And Oregon makes the stop... (0.00 / 0)
We're about 5 plays away from 42-0...
[ Parent ]
Omfsm, it was just one play! (0.00 / 0)
60 yard touchdown pass.

Oregon 42, New Mexico 0.

[ Parent ]
49-0, Oregon... (0.00 / 0)
Holy fsm, a punt return for a TD!
49-0 Oregon, halfway through the 2nd quarter.

Please, somebody stop this!  Im an Oregon fan, and I'm hurting for New Mexico right now!!!

Oregon is right now on pace to top 1000 total yards, and 100 points...

[ Parent ]
52-0, not quite halftime... (0.00 / 0)
...and Nate Costa, Oregon's backup QB, is already in the game.

Ouch.

[ Parent ]
Make that 59-0... (0.00 / 0)
Punt return, touchdown.

Awww geez, really.  Somebody stop this already...

[ Parent ]
If the Beavers have half as a good a game (4.00 / 1)
as the Ducks today I will be a very happy football fan. Something tells me that TCU will be a more formidable opponent than New Mexico, though.
[ Parent ]
Notre Dame leading Purdue 20-3 with about (4.00 / 1)
one minute left in the 3rd quarter. The Irish have a new coach in Brian Kelly, whom you may remember from his very winning ways as the head coach at U of Cincinnati.  Lots of new players, including rookie QB Dane Crist. Charlie Weiss was such a disaster as head coach that things surely must improve under Kelly, no?

I know the Irish are like the Yankees in that people love to hate them, but I learned college football by watching Notre Dame games on TV when I was a kid. So, I remain a loyal fan.

So, GOOOO IRISH!

[ Parent ]
My upset pick... (0.00 / 0)
...didn't come through.  I had UConn beating the crap out of Michigan, but right now Michigan's beating the crap out of UConn.

My radar was off there.  But a good thing, since UConn will obviously be a much easier game for Rutgers in a few weeks now!!!

I dislike Notre Dame.  To say the least...

;)

[ Parent ]
Irish win 23-12. (4.00 / 1)
Always nice to start the season with a win.
[ Parent ]
Heh... (0.00 / 0)
Yeah, TCU's a bit better than New Mexico.

;)

72-0 Oregon, 5 minutes to go.  They pretty much let up at halftime, otherwise it'd be like 120-0...

[ Parent ]
Let's hope the Ducks see this win (4.00 / 1)
as the gift from the football gods that it is. Please don' let 'em get cocky.  
[ Parent ]
Kelly won't let 'em... (0.00 / 0)
Our Coach Kelly.

;)

I like him, he's a throwback kind of guy.

[ Parent ]
Oregon 72-0, final... (0.00 / 0)
And they take a knee at the New Mexico 4-yard line to close out the game.

Damn, I can honestly say I've never seen a more one-sided game in my life.  I've seen Oregon up 28-0 in games before (against Cal and Wazzu), but even then it never seemed like things were that out of hand.

The Ducks could have easily hung 120 on New Mexico today.  Wow...

The odd thing is I can't tell if Oregon is really really good, or if New Mexico is just really really bad?

I lean towards the former.

Looking forward to checking out Oregon State.  The PAC-10's gonna come down to the Civil War, again, imo...

Arizona is the wild card.

[ Parent ]
Wazzu... (0.00 / 0)
Coming off a 1-11 year in which Washington State averaged losing each game by 4 touchdowns (their sole win was over Southern Methodist, by a field goal in overtime), today they lost to Oklahoma State by 7 touchdowns.  65-17.

I feel horrible for their fans and the kids on the team, just a brutal three years.

The good news is that they play FCS Montana State next week.  So that should be their win for this year.  At least, one would hope.  And at least they get Oregon, USC and Arizona at home this year...

Burning Man... (4.00 / 1)
Building a City at Burning Man, interesting read -

Black Rock City offers much of interest to urban planners, designers, and observers of city life in any given year, but 2010 is exceptional. The theme this year is "Metropolis," specifically foregrounding the urban aspect of the Burning Man community. Burning Man's founder, Larry Harvey, who first burned the effigy of a man on a beach in San Francisco with some friends in 1986 before moving the annual ritual to the playa in 1990, suggested in a speech on this year's theme that "Burning Man project is a kind of portable Zócalo - adapted to produce culture in the 21st century."

The organization also frames the theme as you pass through the gates. The entry road is festooned with quotations about cities from Theodore Parker, Jean de la Bruyere, Mignon Parker, James Agee, Richard Hoagland, Walter Benjamin, and a heavy dose of Jane Jacobs. They reflect on the variety and diversity of cities and speak up for the rich theater and spectacle of urban life.


"Hey dad, wanna have a catch?" (4.00 / 1)
Just watched Field of Dreams...

Ray Kinsella:  Hey... Dad?  You wanna have a catch?"

Gets me every time.

(the room becomes misty...)

Pot Luck | 63 comments
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