gdp's Comments

KATU - Portland, OR : 14-year-old Phoenix boy shoots armed intruder | National & World News | KATU.com - Portland News, Sp

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 18:38:12 +0000

Way to go teen !! From not opening the door to protecting your siblings. Know that you did the right thing(s).

KATU - Portland, OR : Boat with Japanese writing washes up at Cape Disappointment | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:12:32 +0000

"Those barnacles have environmental experts worried about possible invasive species." "Invasive species" have had a major impact on the Pacific Northewst. Look at the impact of homo sapiens - the experts say they came from Asia - hopping across the Aleutian islands. They call those native americans. The homo sapiens of europe landing on the east coast. (Thanks Columbus) And let's not forget the rise from the south - the acient Mayas; or the decendants of Cortez.

KATU - Portland, OR : Portland considering hotel tax hike to promote tourism | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:10:21 +0000

Remember that joke we saw some years back? TAX FORM 1040 (SIMPLIFIED) HOW MUCH DID YOU MAKE LAST YEAR? _________ SEND IT IN. . . . . . I hate to say it, but . . . . .

KATU - Portland, OR : Portland considering hotel tax hike to promote tourism | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 01:31:29 +0000

"It would be up to the hotels to decide how the money is spent but the intent is to promote overnight stays in Portland, especially for folks within driving distance of the city." Isn't that included in the definition of a 'hotel' within driving distance of where ever you are -an overnight stay? Would you (driving from California to BC) continue on to Seattle because of a nice tax ad? If it's not a 'destination', or a way stop to a 'destination', then what ?? They just don't 'get it', do they. I just don't have the money to flit away on a whim (sweet tax ad - I am going somewhere to go somewhere).

KATU - Portland, OR : Fed reports how much recession shrank U.S. wealth | Business | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Tra

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 01:43:28 +0000

Yes, we are writting IOU's for inflation. It's not "if and when", it's "when" - - with or without an improvment in the economy. For "us" to grow our economy, "GNP", and climb out of this hole - - we have to actually provide services and products that have 'value added' - and appeal to others - not just another iPod. And it's not good enough - another iPod - cheaper. And those 'others' have to have jobs so they can afford to let us help them. It's not a 'quick fix'. We need some vision and a 'plan' of what the future looks like. Then we need to work to "make it so" . . . We are in a 'war'. Every bit as much of a war as WWI or WWII. We have to stop thinking about a 'skirmish' or 'battle' - but beyond. This is where our leaders are failing us.

KATU - Portland, OR : Bleak U.S. jobs report a danger to global economy | Business | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Tra

Sat, 2 Jun 2012 22:16:19 +0000

Fundamentally, nothing has changed in 'hope and change'. It continues to be pointed out ad-nauseum that "Consumer spending accounts for 70 percent of economic activity." To me, when the pundits, econ writers, and politicians spout that 'quote', they are - in effect - blaming us - the consumers - for not getting the economy going. They 'gloat' over "consumer spending rose at an annual rate of 2.7 percent" in articles like http://www.katu.com/news/business/US-consumer-spe.... Why do they beat the drum for thoughtless statistics? They say "core prices, which exclude energy and food, are up a modest 1.8 percent over the past year." [Inflation] Our population grows at an annual rate of 1.27 percent. http://www.susps.org/overview/numbers.html Just to keep up with the population increase [1.3] and inflation [1.8] you should see an annual rate 3 percent in consumer spending. They drum on like it is victory when it is really an indicator of ill-health. We - consumers - are not even keeping up (not counting energy (gas) and food); people are hurting. And they are tapping savings and going into debt. There is so much dis-information (BS) and ragweed being decorated with daises and petals from the rose garden in an effort to spin the tale 'we are on the mend'. I don't even know if they even know how to be truthful anymore.

KATU - Portland, OR : Court documents: \'I just let him lie there and die\' | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News,

Fri, 1 Jun 2012 04:10:32 +0000

" but if you yourself haven't been there, well it's just second hand" . . . You just don't know what being abused every day for a long time can do to you. Oh yes . . . I know . . . For the last decade of 'our marriage' of over 30 years ,I slept 'defensively' . . trying to posture myself against another knife attack. I was constantly belittled . . . didn't make enough, didn't do enough, "I was a horrible father", . . . She saw greener pastures . .. Several of them . .. I thought about suicide. Even planned how . . . I thought about all kinds of things . . . But I couldn't do any of them . . . I've been there, and I've had all of those things in front of me. But this is just cold . . .I feared she could have done it to me, but I couldn't have done it to her. You mention "kids". Unforntunately, I see one of my boys expericencing a like situation. Hope and fear . .. I'm so mixed . . . Domestic violence knows not gender or strength. And the children only see discord - and learn.

KATU - Portland, OR : Sales contracts for U.S. homes dropped in April | Business | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traff

Wed, 30 May 2012 17:26:07 +0000

"While the nation's weaker cities pushed the overall price index down to its lowest level since the housing bubble . . ." "Modest sales and rising prices add to other encouraging signs for the housing market . . ." Say What !! Martin speaks with forked tongue (as usual).

KATU - Portland, OR : Ferrari driver killed in crash | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traffic Weathe

Fri, 25 May 2012 03:48:47 +0000

There are a couple of comments in here that should be mentioned. Colorblindness: Yes, males get it from their moms, and red-green-brown is the most common and it runs in the family. And of course, we have traffic lights. Red and green. Amber - we can see. Cars: I have owned a couple of "supercars". I could make the coast in nearly 3/4-to-half the time most others could make it. I loved driving with 'glove response'. 'You 'think it' - it did it. Way - way beyond fast and a 'Vet'. Then, one day, I had my younger son riding with me, I realized I was out-driving the braking distance - I couldn't stop (rounding a corner) if something was blocking the road . . . I changed - that day - right then. And - ever since. Yes, I still love the machines; but I don't push it like that any more. . . Life is too precious.

KATU - Portland, OR : DNA, name on envelope lead police to white powder suspect | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland N

Fri, 25 May 2012 03:12:03 +0000

"or any substance that can be turned into powder." Hummm . .. How about wall board or "other walls" (plaster or cement content) of his cell ???

KATU - Portland, OR : Ore. budget proposal would eliminate 188 state jobs | Politics | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, T

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:13:34 +0000

That's why I quoted my source - the state government . . . Oregon Employment Department But let's take your number. That is still less than 0.6 percent. It doesn't change the message. The state is still talking less than 10 times the unemployment rate of those that are paying for the government. The state hasn't scalled back relative to the loss of 'income' and they are complaining about it.

KATU - Portland, OR : Ore. budget proposal would eliminate 188 state jobs | Politics | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, T

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:47:35 +0000

First, the state is limited by law to employee no more than XXX. (See ORS 240.185 (Maximum number of state employees)). Of course it is not followed; the state has about 6 times that number. As of last May the state had 297,700 employees. http://www.qualityinfo.org/olmisj/ArticleReader?i... So, a reduction of 188 jobs out of 297,700 is less than 0.1 percent of government workers. What's the unemployment rate for the rest of us? 8% ?? So we, the workers, have an unemployment rate about 80 times higher !

KATU - Portland, OR : Gangs and crime ride into town on MAX, survey finds | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, S

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:27:02 +0000

Look at the many works studying animal societies; wolf, coyotes, bees, ants, snapping shrimp, elk, whales, . . . The coloney, pack, hive, pods, . . (collective group) do not tolerate deviant behavior. Those that do become outcasts and are shunned by the group. They usually do not survice. "Man" considers himself 'special'. We have declared ourselves a higher order. But we have lost our civility. In nature, no plant or animal can survive in its own waste. And here we are.

KATU - Portland, OR : Is GOP trying to sabotage economy to hurt Obama? | Business | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Traf

Sun, 20 May 2012 15:23:54 +0000

What a ludicrous article !! Are we shooting ourselves in the foot ?? "Some top Democrats say yes, pointing to GOP stances on the debt limit and other issues that they claim are causing unnecessary economic anxiety and ******ing growth. " It's time that all of these clowns understood we don't have more money to give !! I don't know about you, but I sure don't. They point to resistance to raising the debt limit again. Well, Guess What Guys ?? You haven't followed any "promise" that you made from the last "deal" to raise the limit. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said his Republican counterpart was not cooperating on that legislation "in hopes that he can get my job, perhaps."" If you can't work to solve the problem, then both of you should be replaced. It may not be 'solved' in even a decade. But Damn it - show me a viable plan !! A fair plan, we need to re-write the tax code - maybe a flat stepped tax - over - say - 2 X the poverty level. Consider a VAT. There is no free lunch !! Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me !! WOW !! The pucking PC police censored a direct quote form the AP article!

KATU - Portland, OR : Bicyclist suffers life threatening injuries after hit by semi | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portla

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:43:15 +0000

You are assuming a 'fact' not presented (that I happen to agree with): The sun had already set. That assumption acknowledges factors the sun was playing. How much direct light the sky had from the sun, how much direct light light the road surface had from the sun. How much scattered light. So, next turn to photograph #2 and notice the truck mirrors relative to the sky and where the bike and truck met. Notice the angles. In photos 3 & 5 notice the transit (for survey measurements.) They are gathering evidence. The exposure range in photo #2 illustrates the second reason the sun position is important. Your eye does not process light the way the exposure depicts - it does not selectively de-select bright in favor of shadows. Your eye intergrates light so it sees both bright and dark in a compromise. It is that compromise that is in play here. I beg to differ with you. The suns' position is important; legally and physiologically.

KATU - Portland, OR : Bicyclist suffers life threatening injuries after hit by semi | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portla

Fri, 18 May 2012 01:24:41 +0000

We don't have all the information, we can only hope it gets sorted out correctly. I wish to point out some observations to think about. They were headed east. The sun was setting in the west. She was possibly backlit by the sun. Sunset was at 8:35 PM. The accident was said to have happened at about 8:30 PM. Lights are required - white 500' to the front, Red 600' to the rear. I don't know if the law is different for bikes, but 'vehicles' - lights are required "At any time from sunset to sunrise or any other time when, due to insufficient light . ." Did she have lights? Right click on the 2 photos of her bike and paste them to your desktop. Then blow them up. I see no broken lights or brackets. The area where the lights should be are quite intact. It may be the truck driver couldn't have seen her; sun behind her, possibly no lights.

KATU - Portland, OR : U.S. unemployment aid applications stay at 370,000 | Business | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports, Tr

Thu, 17 May 2012 16:02:47 +0000

Here's next months installment - Today !! By-Line AP - Another Press - [Tongue-in-cheek.] The change suggests hiring could pick up in June after slumping in the previous two months. When applications drop below 375,000 a week, it generally suggests hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate. "Although another decline would have been preferred, the results weren't that bad," said Barrock O'Clueless, an economist at TWH Capital Window, in a note to clients. "It does raise the possibility that we may see a pickup in hiring in June."

KATU - Portland, OR : Obama assets valued between $2.6M and $8.3M | National & World News | KATU.com - Portland News, Spor

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:48:54 +0000

If "disclosure" can be within - say 10 times of a number - and they are OK with that . . . . what does that say to their attention to detail? . . And that's with their money! . . No wonder we don't trust them with our money! Ah, sir? How much was that doggie in the window? 1 billion? 10 billion? . . Right, put it on the tab . . .

KATU - Portland, OR : PDX frequent fliers can skip through security | Local & Regional | KATU.com - Portland News, Sports,

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:37:33 +0000

As much as I would love the ability to skate through onto a plane, and I would love to save the $$, it does come at a potential price. The terrorist of 9-11 demonstrated they were willing to spend time (several years) and money (hundreds of thousands of dollars) to gain control of aircraft to carry forward their cause. Getting frequent flyer status by flying around for a year or so is certainly within their reach. We can’t just issue a “get thru TSA Security” card to someone who travel between Seattle and New York every week. What are the other criteria?

KATU - Portland, OR : Oregon considers mileage tracking system for road tax | Transportation | KATU.com - Portland News, S

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:03:43 +0000

"One cellphone application shows only in-state mileage so motorists using it would not be charged for travel elsewhere." How is this different from GPS which they say the are not using? They just track you by which cell tower you ping off of: A physical location. Plus they require you take your cell with you. Maybe have 2 cells . . . What if a family has multiple cells and you're riding with someone else? Or one goes to FL to visit mom . . . This means you have to have a cell phoe to drive?