I Love Steve Duin

I want to make this a weekly post, because I probably could. But it would be me just linking to Duin articles and gushing over them (which I would love to do, but I also love you, dear reader). Steve Duin is a columnist at the Oregonian and he's one of the few reasons I flirt with actually buying a subscription and thus supporting that downward spiral that is the Oregonian. Duin is a freaking great writer, but more than that, he's one of those journalists with the solid Finley Peter Dunne philosophy - that the job of the journalist is to "comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable." Duin just finds the best stories and writes the heck out of them. To me, there are few like him. He's not a talking head with opinion after opinion, he keeps a steady hand on investigative journalism and yet still keeps his recognizable voice. Plainly, he's on my top five, right next to Dan Barry.

Two of his most recent columns were so extraordinary, I feel as though my blog readers (which is a diverse bunch, I've noticed...and I like it) would benefit from such writing.

This is a link to his story about the Palau Organization's effort to help homeless teens in the Beaverton School Disctrict. A choice quote from the article:

"Mentesana, who coordinates homeless and social support services for the district, assures me that the Palau ministry is offering students a hand, not demanding they take a knee:

"They're not preaching to our community."

Oh, yes, they are. They're preaching about the fundamental mission of the church, which is to love thy neighbors and ease their suffering.

Without saying a word."

CHOICE.

Here's a link to his two part story on the crazy journey of a well-meaning adoption family and a crazy place called Milo Adventist Academy.

Duin is of course a Christian, but he is so well positioned. His stories are not lambastings of people who don't believe what he believes or ridiculous rhetorical tricks that excite just his fan base. Rather, he writes the truth. Gasp. He does what a good journalist does, he reveals truth. And through reading Duin over the years, I've understood good journalism to be one of the most powerful forces in our society. Duin ran stories last year about Roosevelt high school, which have caused the school district to change tons of policies. The ability that the press has to reveal and broadcast the truth of a circumstance is a powerful thing, and I thank Steve Duin for using his abilities to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict me.

Also, the dude rocks the mustache like nobody's business.

Galluping Away From Religion

I knew there would be something for me to write about instead of my paper; I just had to look hard enough.

Today, it came in the form of this Gallup poll showing that US Citizens are becoming less and less identified by a religion.

"The number of Americans with no formal religious identity began to increase in the 1970s, reaching 11% by 1990. After some fluctuations over the last two decades, 16% of Americans now say they have no religious identity or have an otherwise undesignated response."

One of my growing interests is in the global concept of identity. What defines us? Certainly there are many things, but are there any commonalities that all humans everywhere use to define themselves as human? Identity is the search of the adolescent and this Gallup poll sheds light on to the change in United States citizens' take on what makes them who they are.
The other item of the study showed the relationship between whether religion is old/outdated or if it really can solve problems. There is a slow but steady climb is realizing that religion is out of date, but a very dramatic decline in believing that it can solve problems. Of course, the most dramatic dips in the latter comes through the Vietnam era and then again in 2001.

Check Out THIS Scene

Here's just a teaser of what I got at the Curious Comedy Club for the Saltzman, Cogen, Collymore party. Lots of happiness and cheers. But I have to say the greatest thing was hearing an old black woman shout "amen" after every Dan Saltzman sentence. If I learned only one thing tonight, it was how awkward that man is. I went to a number of other parties tonight and am now working on some articles...if I can stay alive.

A Lot of Free Food in a Small Amount of Time

Tonight, I'll be covering as many primary election parties as I possibly can between the hours of 6pm and 9pm (which means 10) and then hunkering down somewhere to write it all out and grab quotes. Whatever I come up with will, of course, be published in the June 1st Rearguard, but I also have some possibilities with other news outlets. Depends on if I duff it or not.

Regardless, I have absolutely no idea what I am doing. I'll have everything I need, and other than that I'll just be talking with everybody I can. My schedule is like this: Nick Fish's party at p:ear, Ted Wheeler's party at Daily Cafe, the Saltzman/Cogen party at Curious Comedy Theater, and ending my night at the Afrique Bistro for Loretta Smith's party....if I'm still alive. Ending the night at a southern comfort restaurant sounds just about right to me, even if nobody's there.


VOTE!

Andy Rooney is the Most Prototypical Old Man

AHAHAHAHAH LISTEN TO HOW THIS MAN SAYS, "Lady Gaga."

Watch CBS News Videos Online
I'm laughing AND crying. I'm laughing because Andy Rooney is still given close to 3 minutes to blab about whatever on one of the most popular television news magazines and I'm crying because Andy Rooney is still given close to 3 minutes to blab about whatever on one of the most popular television news magazines.

I mean, wow. Did he used to be smart and witty? Because that is certainly gone. He sounds like the overheard voice 0f a man talking to himself in a Denny's off one of the I-5 Kelso exits.