I love your insight, Jack, but this one hit me with a thud. Here’s what I think it says: “Pete didn’t show us bloggers enough respect. Pete lost his job in mainstream media. Maybe he’ll rethink bloggers now.” I just don’t see the connection here, although I did see it with Dan Rather and the bloggers. This read more like mild gloating. Having been canned by the Trib myself, I always pull for the individual to bounce back, as I have with Northwest Meridian. It’s not a good season to be out of work. Heck, I was really hoping Powell’s would hire the One True b!X when he used his prominent blog to ask them for a job. Pete took a knock and he continued on. That’s what life is all about.

Let's fully "monetize" parks.

It is similar to taking meter money, calculating anticipated revenue then issuing a bond and pledging the future take to cover the bond.

If I were a happy bond counsel how might I plan to leverage the greenness of the politicians, perhaps inclusive of Pete, to drum up some business? Public pools and gyms can be built, and they are, and fees from the users can cover the bond payments. Never mind that the fees and such convert what was once public into private.

One guy from Gresham seems OK with the notion of converting Main City Park (or part of it) into a new development for rental of both commercial and residential space. The revenue (profits, whatever) you see, would support parks.

Cheers to the new Munchkin in the Land of Oz.

So that's two former Tribune people in essence working for Saltzman, presuming Promise King is still doing something for him.

Ah, the moronic revolving door between politics/government and journalism/media.

Pick a side, guys.

Pick a side? It's all the same side in Portland. That's what made the Communique important. It's what makes Jack important. The only real reporter left in Portland is Jaquiss, and it would seem only a matter of time before he cashes in somewhere else. Everyone else just wants to make sure they get an occassional phone call from the mayor's office to let them know they're still important.

Schulberg's piece about bloggers was offensive, but I guess I should rise above that.

I can't believe the parks bureau needs someone at this level of experience to put out press releases to try to salvage Big Pipe's council position. The whole thing's rather odd.

Think of it rather as another instance of Portland being such an attractive place to live that people of greater experience/expertise are willing to take lower paying/prestige jobs to live here....

Another possibility: Once you reach a certain age, you ain't moving, so you take what you can get where you are.

Probably a combination of the two...

Gee. Sounds totally familiar - and totally plausible.

And believe it or not, you're actually happier that way. At least from my own personal experience, anyway...

"""""The whole thing's rather odd.""""""""""

Keep Portland Odd

Jack wrote:
>

You might want to check your info. I seem to recall that the "Big Pipe" is part of Sam Adams' responsibilities with the Bureau of Environmental Services (not Saltzman's).

Hi Jack,

I was suprised to hear Pete Schulberg on KXL this morning (Friday December 9th) between 6:15 & 6:30 being billed still as KXL's Media Expert on the 8's. No mention that he was currently the Parks PR person.

He spoke in an interactive interview about the V chip, Cable a la carte, and the news directors of the major stations in town playing musical chairs, speculating that it was because of money pressure that the local stations faced increasing costs of syndicated shows and predicted a local station or two would drop the news as there was two much competition.

My questions on this would be.

1. How did he get the Parks Job, was it advertised as a civil service position or is he under contract.

2. How much is he being paid by Parks and where is his office located. What is his job classification.

3. Is being a local station's media expert a conflict of interest or time committment with his job as PR person for parks.

4. If Pete is under contract, was that contract advertised, how much is it for and was it subject to public or well talked about in this blog "PDC" process.

I look at the City job postings every week and never saw this one. And believe me, I would have noticed. Not sure if it was originally posted as more general communications or if it was only posted for a day or two or if it wasn't posted at all, but it sure seems fishy to me.