rant: deceptive packaging

What the heck?!? Food prices are going up and corporations are screwing-over their customers, but really? Shame on you Ernest and Gallo Winery.

Winnebago Man: B

Okay, I didn't actually leave the house to see Winnebago Man last weekend. I lazily watched it On Demand. Like DVDs, it feels like cheating watching movies at home - especially since it was recently at Cinema 21.

I've seen the Winnebago Man YouTube video, but I wouldn't consider it a top viral video. In the Michael-Moore style documentary, the filmmaker, Ben Steinbauer, is frank about his decision to make a documentary about this particular viral video. He acknowledges the problems the subjects of other viral videos have had such as the Star Wars kid. Profiling corporate video spokesman is probably less problematic than exploiting the possible mental issues of those secretly filmed. It was interesting to learn that the Winnebago Man video was viral years before YouTube in bootleg VHS tapes.

When Steinbauer does track down the "Winnebago Man" Jack Rebney, he finds a well-spoken, crotchety old hermit living in a remote cabin. The documentary becomes Steinbauer trying to reach-out and understand the reclusive Rebney. It is entertaining to watch the young-old conflict that isn't exploitive.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1: C

We joined the masses and saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on Friday night. I admit that I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan. I've never read the books and have only reluctantly seen the prior movies (out of sequence). I can see their appeal and have enjoyed some of the movies, but haven't really followed the overall character arcs or story. Besides a vaguely recollection that the headmaster wizard died, I don't remember any specifics of the prior Potter movie.

Deathly Hallows is definitely not a stand alone movie. It reminded me of a TV series grand finale the way it brought back characters from prior movies. For a seventh movie, it's unfair to consider a movie outside of its franchise. But even within the franchise, Deathly Hallows is one of the weaker Potter movies. It's only been two days since seeing it, but I can't recall anything that stands out as particularly interesting -- which is sad impression for a fantasy movie to have.

What I mainly recall was how the magic premise didn't make sense to me and sounded more like Star Trek techno-babble. The magic in this movie is much less awe-inspiring. For example, the magic wands became mere handguns leading to mundane action movie shootouts. I guess for the first part of the finale, they really didn't need to introduce the magic, but it seems this movie was far less magical and more about wrapping-up loose ends and building-up to the series' end.

train disaster move weekend

I ended up watching two train disaster movies this weekend:

I was sick on the couch watching bad daytime weekend television (which is somehow worse than daytime weekday television) and ended-up watching the 1979 TV movie Disaster on the Coastliner. The steady, predictable pacing of a 1970s disaster movie was all I could handle with my head cold. Then today, since I felt better, we went to Unstoppable. Oddly enough, both movies feature former Capt. Kirks heroically saving the day.

Red: B

RED, originally uploaded by dodobear1020.

Last weekend, Scott, ma, and I saw Red. We all left the theater with the same review, "That was cute." It was an enjoyable movie: simple story, good pace, with funny moments and a large all-star cast.

2010 Election Endorsements

	ME ↓	WILLA- METTE WEEK ↓	OREGON- IAN ↓	PTLD MERC ↓	BASIC RIGHTS OR ↓	NARAL ↓	SIERRA CLUB ↓	OLCV ↓
CANDIDATES
US SENATOR	WYDEN	WYDEN	WYDEN	WYDEN		WYDEN
US REP OR 3RD	BLUMEN- EAUR	BLUMEN- EAUR	BLUMEN- EAUR	BLUMEN- EAUR		BLUMEN- EAUR	BLUMEN- EAUR
OR GOV	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER	KITZ- HABER
OR TREAS	WHEEL- ER	WHEEL- ER	WHEEL- ER	WHEEL- ER	WHEEL- ER	WHEEL- ER		WHEEL- ER
OR ST REP 42ND	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY	BAILEY
METRO PREZ	STACEY	HUGHES	HUGHES	STACEY			STACEY	STACEY
EMSWCD DIR 2	KUEHLER							KUEHLER
	EAST MULTNOMAH SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT DIRECTOR AT LARGE 2: Through my work, I know a little bit about this obscure agency; however, I was surprised to see four candidates on the ballot for this unpaid position. Only three candidates managed to get statements in the official voters' guide. And only two candidates responded to the League of Women Voters (PDF). Decidedly, Kuehler is the only candidate with endorsements and a related resumé.
	ME ↓	WILLA- METTE WEEK ↓	OREGON- IAN ↓	PTLD MERC ↓	BASIC RIGHTS OR ↓	NARAL ↓	SIERRA CLUB ↓	OLCV ↓
STATE MEASURES
OR MEAS 70	YES	YES	YES		E.M.O.: YES
	EXPANDS WAR VETERANS HOMEOWNERSHIP LOANS: Updates program to include recent vets.
OR MEAS 71	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	LWV: YES
	REQUIRES LEGISLATURE TO MEET ANNUALLY: The legislature already meets annually, but has to pretend there is an emergency.
OR MEAS 72	YES	YES	YES
	AUTHORIZES EXCEPTION TO $50K BORROWING LIMIT: I'm still pondering this one. Although Republican legislators voted against this measure, no arguments against this measure were filed and I haven't found anyone recommending a no vote. Apparently this measure changes an 1859 law by allowing the state to obtain slightly lower interest rates by issuing general obligation bonds instead of certificates of participation. Recently, governments have defaulted on certificate of participation, therefore they are riskier and have higher interest rates. General obligation bonds are fully secured by the 'full faith and credit' of the government and are therefore less risky and have lower interest. It seems to make sense. Our state should use all available resources (i.e. taxes, general revenue, etc.) to repay its loans. (djcoregon.com)
OR MEAS 73	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	E.M.O., L.W.V.: NO
	INCREASES MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCE FOR REPEATED SEX CRIMES AND REPEATED DUI: This seems like a good idea on the surface, but it's unclear what the unintended consequences will be. The state already spends more on prisons than universities. This measure would increase spending $29 MILLION, but doesn't specify where the funds will come from. There has to be a more effective and less costly alternative to warehousing criminals for longer periods.
OR MEAS 74	YES	YES	NO	NO
	ESTABLISHES MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUPPLY SYSTEM: The state should control marijuana distribution like it does liquor. This measure is a good start, but it unfortunately doesn't replace the current problematic grow-your-own or find-a-'dealer' system.
OR MEAS 75	NO	NO	NO	NO	E.M.O.: NO
	ALLOWS MULTNOMAH COUNTY CASINO: There is no reason Multnomah County should be exempt from the non-tribal casino ban. Worse, the state government (not our county) receives a portion of revenue.
OR MEAS 76	YES	NO	YES	YES	E.M.O./LWV YES		YES	YES
	CONTINUES TO DEDICATE 15% OF LOTTERY PROCEEDS TO PARKS, BEACHES, WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND WATERSHED PROTECTION: Yes, it seems appropriate to me to lock-up funds from an essentially recreational activity for the benefit of the environment.
	ME ↓	WILLA- METTE WEEK ↓	OREGON- IAN ↓	PTLD MERC ↓	OTHERS ↓
LOCAL MEASURES
MULTCO 26-109	YES	YES	YES	NO	BOJACK: NO
	REPEAL TERM LIMITS: Term limits don't work (see: state legislature). Also, county commissioner is such an unknown office that it is unlikely an incumbent would become politically unbeatable.
MULTCO 26-110	NO	NO	YES	YES	BOJACK: NO
	ALLOW COUNTY COMMISSION TO RUN FOR ANOTHER OFFICE: The county's critical problems are too important to have part-time commissioners campaigning for other offices.
MULTCO 26-111	YES	YES	YES	YES
	SALARY COMMISSION TO SET SHERIFF'S AND D.A.'S SALARIES: Shifts salary-setting from county board to a salary commission appointed by the county auditor.
MULTCO 26-112	YES	YES	YES	YES	BOJACK: YES
	RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR COMMISSIONERS: Fixes current loophole that allows commissioners to move out of county.
MULTCO 26-113	YES	YES	YES	YES	BOJACK: NO
	LIMIT COUNTY ELECTIONS TO FILL VACANCY TO MAY AND NOVEMBER: Fixes the current law that would potentially force the county to hold a costly ($400k) and rare March or September election (wweek.com).
MULTCO 26-114	YES	YES	YES	YES	TRIB: YES BOJACK: NO
	ALLOW FORMATION OF A LIBRARY DISTRICT: Seems like a routine change. It makes sense for the library system to eventually become separate from the county.
MULTCO 26-118	YES	YES	YES	YES	TRIB: YES BOJACK: NO
	FIVE-YEAR 0.005% TAX FOR OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Certainly a worthy cause, but it is unfair that county residents should subsidize a state non-profit. I changed my mind after reading the measure will provide FREE ADMISSION to Multnomah County residents. That seems like a reasonable offer (the "Oregon" Zoo and other locally-subsidized attractions should consider rewarding local residents).
PTLD 26-108	NO	YES	NO	YES	E.M.O.: YES BOJACK: NO
	PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCING: A nice idea, but the City's inept plan has turned into an embarrassing cash give-away. In five years and $1.7 MILLION, the plan has only produced one elected official (not counting the plan's brazen designer). I would support a public campaign financing plan that had more effective safeguards to the public's cash (i.e. limit funds, adhere to City's purchasing rules, etc.). Unbelievably, instead of fixing and fine-tuning the current experiment for the greater public financing movement, proponents instead defend the fraud and waste as well worth the enormous cost.
PTLD 26-117	NO	NO	NO	YES	BOJACK/TRIB: NO
	0.009-0.014%* TAX FOR FIRE TRUCK & RADIO UPGRADES: Certainly a worthy cause, but the City should have budgeted for these normal upgrades. This is merely a City scare tactic of putting vital items to a vote while quietly approving discretionary items like the new, unneeded fire yacht, consultants, etc., etc. *(wweek.com)
TRIMET 26-119	NO	YES	NO	YES	TRIB: YES BOJACK: NO
	21-YEAR 0.008%* TAX FOR SENIOR/DISABLED BUS UPGRADES: I changed my mind and decided to vote against this tax. It's a worthy cause, but TriMet should be able to cover this cost in its normal budget. TriMet has put rail expansion before the needs of the disabled and elderly. *(lwvpdx.org)

Here are the endorsements I've found so far. I was a little surprised and disappointed that Just Out did not issue any endorsements due to lack of staffing. Also, I can't find Portland Mercury's list either.

UPDATE: I'm surprised the alternative alternative-weekly, The Merc, opposes Measure 74 (marijuana dispensaries) supposedly because the quality safeguards and criminal background requirements may not be strict enough. Their fuzzy headed reasoning doesn't make sense. The current grow-your-own or get-a-'dealer' system certainly lacks any sufficient rules and regulations. Measure 74 would at least give patients an alternative to becoming pot farmers or finding a suspicious unpaid grower. I cynically suspect The Merc really fears this law will eventually lead to the demise of the current murky grow-your-own/black-market system which benefits recreational users' access.

Montreal (part II) and Quebec churches

(More vacation pics. Fantastic photos are of Scott's Flickr collection. The shaking videos are from my iPhone (YouTube).)

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Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal
(aka Saint Joseph's Oratory)

This was my first time seeing this amazing hill top basilica. It was a great place to explore. We quietly watched a service held in the 1917 Crypt Church at the base of the building. The adjacent 1948 Votive Chapel and tomb of Brother André contained candles and crutches of those healed by Brother André. Our occupational therapist friend observed that apparently all the people healed seemed to have used the same size crutch. Coincidentally, Brother André was canonized as Saint Brother André just after our trip.

The 1967 Basilica is huge. Apparently, the dome is the third largest in the world and the church is the largest in Canada. We were warned by a native Montrealer that while the view and the church's exterior were beautiful, the interior was not so much. In contrast to the exterior, the interior is modernist/minimalist 60s. The interior style conflicts with the exterior.

The view from the hill top at sunset was terrific. It was a dark and a little windy so we didn't walk through the garden or the small chapel built by Brother André.

One of the strangest sights was seeing pilgrims climb 99 steps on their knees to the basilica. I don't mean disrespect, but it's sort of like riding an escalator next to someone struggling to climb stairs. It felt like we were cheating merely walking up the steps. (Although as an out-of-shape fatty, the stairs were plenty hard.)

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Université du Québec à Montréal's Judith-Jasmin Pavilion
(formerly Saint Jacques )

For a city that probably wouldn't miss losing a church building, it's great that this university kept this church's bell tower and ornate entrances.

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Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral
(aka Our Lady of Quebec City)

During our one full day in Quebec City, we made sure to visit the Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral in Old Quebec City. Yet another beautiful basilica.

I was a surprised to see large flat screen monitors lining some of the columns like a sports bar (or a tacky megachurch). Tammam pointed out that they were probably to allow those seated in the side aisles to see around the columns.

Montreal churches (part I)

[Photos by Scott (see blog)]

...This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window... - often cited Mark Twain In Montreal

Ironically, a native Montrealer we met proudly touted that Montreal was one of the most non-religious cities in North America. Scott and I politely countered that Portland also known for being non-religious. I haven't been able to find comparable statistics. In 2009 Oregon was rank #1 US state in residents with no religious affiliation. Another study somewhere mentioned that Quebec was ranked the worst in Canada for church attendance. It is surprising considering the importance of Catholicism in Quebec's history and the overwhelming number of beautiful church architecture.

As someone who was raised in a fundamentalist (and very anti-Catholic) church that met in a rented gymnasium, the huge ornate churches in Montreal and Quebec are ostentatious and impressive. After first seeing these churches in 2000, I really wanted to attend high church services; however, no church building in Portland can really compare.

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Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal
(aka Notre-Dame Basilica)

Probably the most ornate sanctuary I've visited, it was the only church that charged a modest $5 tourist admission (no charge for pilgrims) -- which is well worth it. Tammam mentioned that Celine Dion had a wedding and baptism in this church.

Scott was upset that the square in front of the church was under construction.

The "chapel" behind the sanctuary is just as amazing. Apparently it was quickly rebuilt after a 1978 fire.

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Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde
(aka Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral)

In any other city, this cathedral would be amazing. However, its architectural style pales compared to the other Montreal churches. It's scaled-down version of St. Peter's in Rome reminds me of a Las Vegas tourist attraction. It doesn't help that the building is dwarfed by the surrounding office towers.

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Christ Church Cathedral
(montrealcathedral.ca)

The only non-Catholic church we visited, Scott and I preferred this Anglican church's style and scale. It seemed much more approachable and friendly than the massive catholic churches. The rainbow flag in the sanctuary was a nice touch too.

Also, we learned that an underground mall was built under the cathedral which caused the cathedral to be nicknamed the Cathedral-on-stilts during construction.

Old Montréal

On October 4, Scott and I figured out how to take the Metro from Tammam's apartment to Old Montréal. We used an handy iPhone app from ArchiGuides.com to take a walking tour of 25 buildings.

We tried to cross the Champ-de-Mars (a.k.a. lawn), but like many places, it was under construction as more of the 1717 fortifications were uncovered. As we recorded below, we admired the beautiful 1856 Old Courthouse and 1878 City Hall (now under construction), but horrified how the 1971 "Palace" of Justice office tower was dropped next to the Old Courthouse. Even the guide books admitted the tower was an architectural mistake.

We walked through an upscale tourist trap, Bonsecours Market, and met a very friendly gallery owner. Although we were very careful not to touch any of the paintings, the gallery owner had Scott touch one of the more colorful souvenir paintings.

Jardin botanique de Montréal

We returned from our one-week visit with Tammam in Montreal and Quebec last night. The week seems like a blur. We are still sorting through our pictures and recalling our great trip.

Last Sunday was our first full day in Montreal. It was Scott's first time in Montreal and my second. Although I wanted to revisit some of the places I saw in 2000, I also wanted to see some new places like the Olympic Stadium area. So, I chose Jardin botanique de Montréal (a.k.a. Montreal Botanical Garden) as our first outing.

IMG_0029, originally uploaded by sweber4507.

IMG_9610, originally uploaded by sweber4507.

Like other former Olympic and world fair sites, I wrongly assumed the botanical garden was merely salvaged land re-purposed by the city after the 1976 Summer Olympics. However, I was surprised to learn that the botanical garden was started in 1931.

The gardens were beautiful. Even though Tammam and I are not gardening, we enjoyed the different gardens and arrangements. One hundred year-old bonsai plants in the Japanese garden were impressive, but the most eye-catching garden was the lantern display in the Chinese garden -- apparently an annual tradition.

For better or worse, it is nearly impossible to visit or photograph the Jardin botanique de Montréal without the alien Olympic Stadium tower.