HinesSight

Obama, save us from BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon

The debate over how to fix our country's broken health care system can get pretty darn abstract and complex. But last night my wife and I had a hands-on experience of what's wrong with private medical insurance.

And it made us ever so eager to escape from the clutches of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, which is our increasingly costly insurance provider.

After Regence's 40% premium increase on our individual plan over the past two years, we decided to look for a way to get more health care bang for our bucks.

Laurel has a friend, Christy, who is an insurance agent. She said we should look into changing from Blue Selections Plus to Blue Selections Premier, and consider altering our deductible.

First, though, it was necessary to make a big pot of coffee, pray to the health insurance gods, and hope that a mixture of caffeine and supernatural guidance would enable us to decipher the differences between Plus and Premier.

Remember: we were exploring private sector options, not the Obama "socialized medicine" that right-wingers are claiming will ruin the world's best health care system.

Well, after a few hours of trying to navigate Regence's private sector maze, we were damn ready to embrace anything other than the insurance we have now -- if that turns out to be a public plan such as the one members of Congress have, great.

If someone wants to call it socialized medicine, go right ahead. It can't be worse than the horribly confusing and unfair health insurance system we have now.

I worked for ten years in health services research and planning. Laurel was a psychotherapist in private practice for about the same length of time. We know a lot about health insurance.

And we both were scratching our heads last night, trying to weigh the pros and cons of deductibles, copays, annual limits on coverage for certain services, annual coinsurance maximums, plus other arcane (yet important) factors that must confuse most other people even more than they did us.

I kept thinking...

"Come on! Why can't this country simply have an insurance plan that meets the needs of almost everybody? Like how the postal service operates. It does a fine job delivering our mail. And it's a government program. If I want extra service, I can head to Federal Express. But by and large the USPS provides a great product -- for everybody."

After phoning Christy and getting some advice on the best deductible for us, we decided that it made sense to switch to the Premier $2,500 deductible plan, from our current Plus $1,000 deductible.

OK. Optimistic me actually thought that maybe I could just call Regence, talk to someone, and have our contract easily changed from Plus to Premier.

Yeah, right.

As if anything is easy with health insurance these days. Which reminds me: the Regence web site, for some utterly understandable reason, doesn't include "plethora of inefficient private plans" among its reasons for rising health care costs.

A 2005 Science Daily story says:

Billing and insurance paperwork consume at least one out of every five dollars of private insurance health spending in California, according to a new study by health policy researchers.

I can believe it, given how much time we spent last night filling out an application for a Premier contract. Because even though we've been Regence customers for many years, I was told that switching to a different plan entailed applying for coverage just as someone new would have to.

I didn't think the online form would be fun to complete. However, I had no idea that it would be as time-consuming and frustrating as it was.

Whoever designed this monstrosity of a questionnaire probably never filled it out himself or herself. If he or she had, the ridiculousness of asking the same question over and over in different ways would have been obvious.

Yes, one of us had moderately high cholesterol at one point (me). I dutifully check that health problem as I move down a lengthy list of diagnoses, symptoms, and such we've experienced the past five years that Regence wants to know about.

Then the form demands more details. I explain that I was prescribed a low dose statin and my cholesterol is much lower now. Regence wants to know the name, address, and phone number of the doctor who wrote the prescription. I provide it.

Later, after Laurel and I have been working on completing the application for 90 minutes or so, page 967 (roughly speaking) of the form asks for a list of prescription drugs we're currently taking.

"We already told about those in the problem areas," Laurel said. No matter. The online application must be obeyed. We spend more time re-typing in the same info we'd already provided. Now I understand how staff in doctor's offices and hospital billing must feel:

Wanting to strangle the private health insurance bureaucrats who come between patients and their health care providers.

I can't understand how the conservative blowhards I hear on talk radio/TV manage to say, "Americans don't want the government interfering with their current health insurance coverage."

Yes we do!  Please, please, government! Step in and interfere! 

Just save me from ever having to fill out another private health insurance contract application like the one we worked on last night. It was insane, because the clear purpose behind most of the questions was to learn whether we -- gasp! -- might have some health problems.

Gosh, Regence, you got us.

You're right. Laurel and I want health insurance because we're not always healthy. I know that you and other health insurance providers would prefer that your customers never got any medical care, because then you'd make more money.

And there are plenty of horror stories about people being denied coverage by private insurers because they failed to dot some "i" or cross some "t" on a form. So we did our best to be as complete and accurate as possible in filling out the damnably long and complex Premier contract application.

Throughout the process, though, I was struck by how absurd the whole notion was of grilling us about the health problems we have so some Regence employee can decide whether we have too great a need for health insurance.

Then Regence could deny an application for health insurance, because the applicants need health care. Um, don't people need a way of paying for health care because they have health problems?

There's something desperately screwed-up with American medical care. That came home to us last night, even though we already knew it.

Expecting private health insurance plans to be the centerpiece of reforms, given that they are a huge part of the problem, isn't reasonable. This country needs a public option. Bad!

For all their paeans to the power of private enterprise, we know that private insurers simply can't compete with the government, because they offer an inferior service at higher prices. We know this because of the example of Medicare, which operates more efficiently than private insurance (Medicare spends only around 2 percent of its costs on overhead, a fraction of what private plans do) and gets higher satisfaction ratings.

Oh, I can believe it. After suffering through the Regence Premier application form last night, I can sure believe it.

My new Sony DSC-HX1 captures Salem World Beat Festival

 A great weekend: I've fallen in love with my first high-end point and shoot digital camera, a Sony DSC-HX1 that I got last Friday (a three-month early birthday present from me to me, figuring that if I waited to give myself this gift, I'd miss a lot of summer photo opportunities).

And I got to try out the camera at Salem's 2009 World Beat Festival, where I always have a good time.

I went yesterday with Laurel, and returned today by myself -- wanting to apply some photo lessons that I'd learned my first time out and soak up more of the multi-cultural vibe.

I'll tell you what I like about the DSC-HX1, which has gotten quite a few laudatory Amazon reviews, in the course of showing some of the photos I snapped at the festival and Riverfront Park.

Yesterday I got some blurry shots of the Salem Carousel using the camera's Intelligent Auto Adjustment feature (point and shoot mode). Guess it's not intelligent enough to know that something is in motion.

Today I used the "S" mode (Shutter Speed Priority Shooting) to get a faster shutter speed and sharper photo.

Pretty cool -- you can set the shutter speed and aperture manually, either singly or together. Mostly I found that the point and shoot setting worked fine, but it's nice to be able to play around with some manual settings.

Some dancers, using a mild zoom.

The camera has a 20x optical zoom, which was one of the key features I wanted in a new camera. My old Olympus Stylus just had a 3x zoom. More examples of the marvelous 20x zoom later (which can extend to 34x and more, if you shoot at a 4x6 or 5x7 resolution quality, or less).

I lucked out today, getting to the main stage while a Taiko group was still playing. So much energy, so much power. I felt it even through the camera's viewfinder as I played around with various settings.

I sat close to the stage. Still, without the powerful zoom I wouldn't have been able to capture the shots that I did.

Quite a few acrobatic and athletic moves in Taiko.

I got chills up my spine from the emotion of the drumming. The rhythms are addictive. I wanted more, as soon as the group stopped.

Then I headed to a demonstration of Indian dancing. Beautiful colors on the beautiful women.

Again, my new camera's zoom came in handy. I couldn't get super close to the stage, but with a 20x telephoto, that doesn't matter (the DSC-HX1 has image stabilization that works great on high power zooms with shaky hands).

No way am I getting this shot with my dinky 3x Olympus zoom, unless I clamber up on stage and shove a camera in this woman's face. With the Sony, no problem.

Even closer.

I loved the shapes of the dancers -- meaning, how they used their female contours to form such interesting vignettes.

Nice colors. And mood.

Speaking of colors, wow!

This guy was another kind of Indian. He had a large crowd around him. The Sony has a swiveling view finder, so I could turn it almost upside down, raise the camera over my head a bit , and get an unobstructed shot while still using the view finder.

Returning to the main stage area, Darryl Thomas (who I believe is a dance instructor at Western Oregon University) had gotten the audience to do some hip-hop steps in unison (more or less). I demurred, being more interested in getting additional Sony shots.

Here's some first-day World Beat Festival photos. This guy was standing in deep shadow under an awning. I figured the point and shoot setting wouldn't handle that very well. Actually, it did fine.

A girl grooving to some bluegrass music.

This sort of situation is where the tilting view finder comes in handy. I don't like to look obtrusive when I'm taking a photo of regular (meaning non-performing) people. With the tilting view finder, I could sit on the grass, put the camera on my lap, and glance down to take a photo in a casual fashion.

Here's my best "maxi-zoom is great" example. Standing on the riverfront, this is how a boat appeared without any zoom.

And this is how it looked at the camera's maximum zoom, with the image stabilization at work. Taking the shot hand held, I could see the image trembling at the high zoom (probably about 34x). But the photo turned out pretty darn sharp.

Lastly, here's an example of the panorama feature, taken on our deck.

I selected the panorama mode, held down the shutter release, and panned the camera from left to right. Somehow the Sony stiched everything together nicely (have no idea how I'd print this out, though).

Horse riding lessons and the meaning of life

Is it possible to get in touch with life's meaning, or the lack thereof, while getting some riding instruction in an outdoor arena? Absolutely.

I've been re-reading Albert Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus." Here's some existential pondering that applies to a couple of hours of horse riding lessons Laurel and I experienced a few days ago.

I must say that what counts is not the best living but the most living. It is not up to me to wonder if this is vulgar or revolting, elegant or deplorable. Once and for all, value judgments are discarded here in favor of factual judgments. I have merely to draw the conclusions from what I can see and to risk nothing that is hypothetical.

...A subclerk in the post office is the equal of a conqueror if consciousness is common to them. All experiences are indifferent in this regard. There are some that do either a service or a disservice to man. They do him a service if he is conscious.

Well, heck, actually those quotes apply to everything. But as Camus implies, some experiences lead us to be more conscious of existence. Such as...getting on a horse and trying to make it do what you intend.

Laurel has done a lot more riding that I have. She's had both English and Western lessons. I've had a few Western lessons, and done considerable trail riding. Not much in an arena, though.

So I didn't know what to expect when we headed off to the Emerald Ranch outside of Sisters (in central Oregon) and joined up with Jessica for some instruction in horse handling. It turned out that my scootering/motorcycling and Tai Chi experience fit right in with Jessica's main message.

Which was: feel what's going on. Stay balanced and centered on the horse (Laurel had to break some forward-leaning English habits). Use your whole body to control movement, not just your arms.

For example, on the first day Jessica had us focus on getting our horse going by raising our hips up and forward, lightening our seat. To stop or slow down, she had us settling back onto the saddle, loosening up "like spaghetti."

After a while, and once in a while, I could get a glimpse of what Jessica was leading us towards -- controlling the horse more with whole-bodied intention and less with pulling on the reins or nudging with our legs/feet (which had been my emphasis before).

She kept reminding us to be conscious of what we were feeling. How is the horse moving? When the horse steps in this fashion, what happens to our hips? How are we connected with the horse, and the horse connected with us?

I realized early on that there is a whole lot more to riding a horse than I thought. Jessica saw things, and could do things, that I'd been completely clueless about.

On the second day she had us pulling the reins in a certain way, the goal being to get our horse's head down and the rear settled, producing an arched posture that would make riding more comfortable and satisfying for both horse and rider.

All new to me and Laurel. Once in a while I'd manage to get Danny, my horse, into a semi-correct position and Jessica would yell, "Yes, yes, yes! That's it! Great, Brian!"

Then the moment would pass.

Danny and I would be back to our not-so-great walking, trotting, and cantering around the arena. But what I enjoyed throughout the lessons was the feeling of being present in the moment of whatever I was doing.

Nothing like driving a car.

No daydreaming. No listening to the radio. No going on automatic pilot. Laurel and I had to remain aware of a lot of nuances -- what our horse was doing, what we were doing, where we were in the arena, what Jessica was telling us to do.

So often, there's a screen between me and reality. Not so much physical (though that's what TV produces), but psychological.

I'm thinking about what I'm doing rather than simply doing it. My attention is divided between activities past, present, and future rather than zeroed in on what's happening right now.

For our final exercise, Jessica set up three barrels in the arena. "We're going to do some barrel racing," she told us. Well, not exactly racing, because we weren't competing with anyone but ourselves.

Still, it was cool. Growing up in California, I'd watched a lot of barrel racing at the annual Three Rivers rodeo. Those girls could fly on their horses.

Laurel and I didn't exactly fly.

But after a few practice runs we got some pretty good turns in around the first two barrels, and a satisfying quick canter back to what I imagined was the finish line -- where, in my own mind at least, I won the World Championship Barrel Racing trophy on Danny.

As Camus says, every experience contains all of existence within it. Riding a horse, doing the dishes, whatever. We just need to be aware.

Thinking is not unifying or making the appearance familiar under the guise of a great principle. Thinking is learning all over again how to see, directing one's consciousness, making of every image a privileged place.

In other words, phenomenology declines to explain the world, it wants to be merely a description of actual experience. It confirms absurd thought in its initial assertion that there is no truth, but merely truths.

From the evening breeze to this hand on my shoulder, everything has its truth. Consciousness illuminates it by paying attention to it.

Getting the facts straight on saving the Metolius

I'm thrilled that the state legislature has passed HB 3298, which will stop destination resorts from ruining the mostly unspoiled Metolius River basin in central Oregon -- which my wife and I visit regularly.

But it's disturbing that misinformation about the basin being designated an Area of Critical State Concern keeps being thrown out by the Portland Oregonian, Bend Bulletin, and other news sources (both in editorials and supposedly unbiased stories).

So I want to get some facts straight.

(1) HB 3298 isn't a end run around the state's land use system. Instead, it makes use of the Area of Critical State Concern designation process that has been part of Oregon law since 1973, when the legislation that enacted statewide land use planning (SB 100) was enacted.

The Oregon legislature first authorized the designation of an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC) as part of the legislation creating the statewide land use program (Senate Bill 100) in 1973.
 
At that time, several areas were identified as possibly warranting state protection in the face of uncontrolled development, including the Columbia River Gorge, areas of the Oregon Coast, and portions of the Metolius basin. Several of these areas were later protected through federal action, or through special state land use goals.
 
While the Metolius area was not immediately protected, Jefferson County did plan most of the basin as forest lands – limiting further development to forest-related uses.

(2) The "Jefferson County approvals" that are being overturned are the work of only three people. A recent editorial in the Oregonian makes it sound as if the citizens of Jefferson County were behind the push to rezone forest lands so destination resorts could grow there instead of trees.

Actually, the rezoning was initiated by three county commissioners. Repeat, three.

That's all it takes to change long-standing land use policies on private land in the Metolius basin: three people (actually, just two, since they constitute a majority on the board of commissioners).

Yes, public hearings were held on the proposed rezoning. But the commissioners don't have to follow what the public wants, only hear what citizens have to say.

So even though residents of the Metolius basin spoke overwhelmingly against the destination resorts when a hearing was held in Camp Sherman, that didn't matter to the three commissioners. They approved the rezoning anyway, against the wishes of locals.

(3) Those seeking to build the destination resorts haven't gotten final land use approvals. Reporting and editorials on this issue often make it sound like the resort developers were all ready to start construction before the nasty legislature put a road block in their way with HB 3298.

Not true.

No rezoning has occurred, because an appeal of the Jefferson County action is still before the state Supreme Court (see Carla Axtman's excellent summary of the destination resort timeline here).

Now, there's a close connection between the legal notion of "vesting" and the attempt to paint Metolian developers Shane Lundgren and Jim Kean as unfairly treated by HB 3298. (Vesting refers to when construction is far enough along to be "grandfathered in" when a land use law is passed that would prohibit the development.)

This year the Oregon Court of Appeals issued a ruling in the Cyrus case. Here's an excerpt from a concurring opinion in the ruling by Judge Sercombe.

I am not aware of any Oregon cases in which a property owner has acquired "vested rights" where construction was undertaken and partially completed while the right to begin construction was itself at issue in pending litigation. 

Meaning, if a property owner moves ahead while appeals of the decision that approved the development are being considered, that's "bad faith" -- because it reflects a disregard of our legal system. More from Judge Sercombe:

The general common-law rule is that "[a] landowner lacks the requisite good faith when he proceeds with construction before an appeal period has expired."

In the case of the destination resorts, no on-the-ground construction has occurred. However, editorials have said that Kean spent big money (millions, if I recall correctly) on his plans, believing that he had a go-ahead for development.

If this is true, he's a poor businessman, because Kean and Lundgren don't have any final land use approval yet. And it is bad form (plus bad faith, legally) to press ahead with development when appeals haven't been exhausted.

Well, this doesn't get me to the bottom of the barrel of inaccuracies that have been spewed about the Metolius-saving legislation. But at least I've corrected some of the most egregious untruths that have been spread about.

I'll end with a You Tube video that I took today as I walked with my wife (Laurel) and dog (Serena) on a hike along the Metolius River -- downstream from the Camp Sherman store.

As I stroll along I talk about how great it is that the Metolius has been protected from the destination resorts, and mention reasons why HB 3298 needed to pass.

The best part of the video, of course, is the Metolius -- one of the nation's most beautiful rivers.

Vegetarian advice for the Black Butte Ranch Lodge restaurant

[Update: I've gotten a quick, and much appreciated, email response from the President/CEO of Black Butte Ranch, Scott Huntsman. Great name for a guy who runs an outdoorsy outfit, by the way. I shared Scott's vegetarian-friendly message in the comments to the post. It's great to hear about plans to put some veggie options on the dinner menu. It'll be even greater to eat them.]

Long-time vegetarian that I am (forty of my sixty years), I clearly recognize the danger signs of ordering in a upper-scale restaurant that, for some inexplicable reason, has precisely zero dinner entrées that haven't walked or swum before appearing on a patron's plate.

This, sadly, describes the menu at central Oregon's Black Butte Ranch restaurant, a.k.a. The Lodge Restaurant.
Download Black Butte Lodge dinner menu

My wife and I eat there regularly, since we are part owners of a forest service cabin in nearby Camp Sherman and visit the area monthly when the weather is nice (meaning, we skip late fall and winter).

Most recently -- yesterday -- our waitress (should I say "server" to be politically correct? nah) got a deer in the headlights look when she walked over to our table and I told her, "We're vegetarian and your menu isn't. But don't worry, we'll work something out with the chef, like we always do."

In 2006 I blogged about the same lack of vegetarian respect in "Black Butte Ranch Restaurant: We love you, but..." The love and the but were summarized in my first two paragraphs:

Sometimes tough love is needed. Straight talk. Telling it like it is. Black Butte Ranch Restaurant, my friend, you’ve got to get your serving-time act together. Plus, what you serve has got to include a decent vegetarian entrée.

Two “got to’s.” Not much to ask. You can handle it. Then we’ll keep coming back. We love looking out your floor to ceiling windows at snow-capped mountains, a meadow, grazing horses, geese on the pond. The atmosphere can’t be beat.

All still true: the view is wonderful; the vegetarian fare is sorely lacking. Come on, I realize that the Black Butte Ranch destination resort wants to convey a Western cowboy vibe.

But these days even cowboys (some of them at least) want a different dinner choice than "Grilled Cowboy Ribeye," "Herb Crusted Loin of Elk," "Smoked Pork Tenderloin," "Roasted Rack of Lamb," "Prime Rib of Beef," and the other choices that we skimmed over quickly before realizing that the menu looked to be as vegetarian-dismal as it was last time we ate there.

In the good old Black Butte Ranch restaurant days, circa 2003, I extolled the virtues of the Garden Plate:

Fresh off my palate, I can accurately describe the marvelous Garden Plate: soft tofu with a crisply breaded covering, nicely fried; a grilled portabello mushroom; asparagus; sweet tomato relish; yellow squash; zucchini—all immersed in a subtle sauce, accompanied by a just-right dipping sauce. As full as I am, it makes my mouth water to remember our meal of an hour ago.

The Garden Plate chef must be long gone. Because when the words "We're vegetarians" were uttered now in The Lodge Restaurant, the waitress responded with a blank stare.

Now, we have eaten in some pretty nice restaurants, a few of which have lacked a vegetarian entrée. Almost invariably the server tells us, "No problem. I'll ask the chef to make you something special."

Which, he or she usually does. Creatively. Deliciously.

In the West, as of 2000, about 4% of people are strict vegetarians. Not a lot. But not nothing. Does a restaurant want to eliminate 4% of the population from its potential clientele?

(In Oregon I bet the percentage of vegetarians is higher; it surely is in southern California, where my daughter lives, and where we've never gone out to eat without encountering a wonderful healthy veggie dish on the menu.)

I find it difficult to believe that The Lodge Restaurant never gets a request for a vegetarian dinner entrée. The servers and kitchen should be prepared to reply with the "No problem" that we've gotten at other high quality restaurants.

However, after we told the waitress that we didn't want to go the pasta and vegetables route that left us underwhelmed before, she left us to puzzle out our own dinner order by teasing out options from the side dishes on the menu.

We ended up with some polenta, plain white rice, and grilled vegetables. Not bad, but definitely nowhere near great. I also got a baked potato and a salad. Whoopee.

On the positive side, we were charged $25 for our two "entrées" -- definitely the cheapest thing on the menu, if what we got had been on the menu.

I'll email a link to this blog post to the Black Butte Ranch manager, just as I've done with previous please, please, please entreaties to have at least one vegetarian option available at the restaurant.

I've never gotten a reply. Maybe this time will be different.

Mr. or Ms. Manager, as noted above our criticisms flow from love...of your entire destination resort, and of The Lodge Restaurant in particular.

We always enjoy visiting Black Butte Ranch. Along with other vegetarians, we'd just enjoy the resort more if you had a meatless entrée at the restaurant (how about bringing back the Garden Plate?).

After all, this is a destination resort.

It's seven miles to Camp Sherman, which has one restaurant (Kokanee Cafe) that also lacks a vegetarian dinner option. It's ten miles to Sisters, which has quite a few eating choices, but Black Butte Ranch is supposed to be a destination, not a place vegetarians have to flee from to eat dinner.

Have I convinced you to become more vegetarian friendly in The Lodge Restaurant, Mr. or Ms. Manager? I sure hope so.

House passes Metolius Basin protection bill -- great news!

This is a great day for Oregon.

The state House of Representatives just changed course and voted 31-28 to approve HB 3298, which prevents destination resorts from being built in the Metolius River Basin.

Thanks to the courageous legislators who had the guts to vote "yes" rather than "no" after hearing from so many concerned constituents -- like me.

Here's the full Oregonian story:

Reversal: House passes Metolius protections bill
by Michelle Cole, The Oregonian
Monday June 22, 2009, 10:21 AM

SALEM -- In a stunning reversal from last week, the Oregon House on Monday passed a bill declaring the Metolius River basin a Critical Area of Statewide Concern.

The 31-28 vote sends House Bill 3298 on to Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who has fought to get it passed.

In brief and a fairly unemotional 10-minute debate, Rep. Larry Galizio, D-Tigard, said he had changed his mind and supported the bill. Galizio said he was convinced following a "convincing" phone call from the governor and "an outpouring" of letters and other contacts from the public.

Kulongoski had moved to create the new protections after developers launched plans for two new destination resorts near the river.

 --Michelle Cole; michellecole@news.oregonian.com

From the grave, Tom McCall says "Save the Metolius"

I don't cry easily. But this morning I teared up while reading a moving piece by the son of Tom McCall, who was a Republican governor of Oregon from 1967 to 1975.

Tom W. L. McCall Jr. writes about his father's love for the Metolius River basin, which currently is threatened by destination resorts that would be allowed in this wild and scenic area by a Jefferson County rezoning.

If you aren't familiar with this astoundingly beautiful area of central Oregon, which my wife and I visit frequently, here's some photos that I took recently. Look, and you'll fall in love with the Metolius from afar.

Unfortunately, a bill that would stop the destination resorts -- which could markedly reduce the flow of springs and creeks that are the sole source of the Metolius River -- has been derailed by a single vote in the Oregon House of Representatives (the bill passed the Senate).

I'm deeply irritated by the legislators who failed to understand that this is our only chance to preserve the Metolius Basin from developments desired by county politicians because they wrongly believe this would increase property tax revenues.

But all will be forgiven if one of the five Dem "No's" on the bill changes his mind and HB 3298 comes back to life.

I hope they'll read Tom McCall Jr's marvelously written essay (see below). The next to last paragraph is the one that caused tears to flow in me.

If you're moved to help save the Metolius -- doesn't matter where in the world you live -- click here, scroll to the June 18 entry, and email the state representatives who are listed. Tell them you feel just like Tom McCall: preserving the Metolius Basin is worth whatever sacrifice it takes.

Read and (maybe) weep:

Reflections on this day flow over me in words and images as clear and pristine as the waters of the Metolius.   The Metolius flows through the ages of time strong and pure, carving its valley, and nurturing all around it. The Metolius lives today with civilization, in a mutually supportive, accommodating, and sustaining relationship.  We must not deceive ourselves by thinking—for one moment—that a massive injection of suburbia into the quiet woodlands and meadows nurtured by the river will not plunder and massively disfigure this natural treasure.

 This is a moment in time when Oregonians have the chance to protect a wonder of nature that my father cherished.  My father considered the Metolius River Basin to be in the same extraordinary natural Endowment that includes the Oregon Beaches, the Columbia River Gorge, and Crater Lake -- all legacy public resources that deserved special and everlasting protection.  Sadly, my father's life was cut short before he could ensure the permanent protection of the Metolius.  This left a gaping hole in his conservation hopes for Oregon.

 Nevertheless, Tom McCall did set up a process that lives beyond his life to afford Oregonians a method by which to ensure protection of a landmark treasure like the Metolius.  This process is the designation of the LCDC and Area of Critical Concern, all contained within SB100, which is the original land use law.  It is a fitting and profound continuation of Tom McCall's legacy to see Oregonians today invoke the protection of the LCDC and the designation of an Area of Critical Concern for the clear purpose he envisioned.

 I wish to recount a story from my father's final days, which Oregonians who enjoy the fruits of my father's passionate commitment to Nature and conservation will appreciate:  During his campaign against Measure 6, Tom McCall said, "You all know I have terminal cancer—and I have a lot of it.  But what you may not know is that stress induces its spread and induces its activity.  Stress may even bring it on.  Yet stress is the fuel of the activist.  This activist loves Oregon more than he loves life.  I know I can't have both very long.  The trade-offs are all right with me.  But if the legacy we helped give Oregon and which made it twinkle from afar—if it goes, then I guess I wouldn't want to live in Oregon anyhow."

 There is only one choice—only one issue—facing us at this moment:  preserve the Metolius, or destroy it.  Take your choice.  And may that choice be to preserve this pristine river as I and millions of others have for decades. You, the public, can be part of the legacy my father helped give Oregon by being one of those who rises in passion to Save the Metolius.  My father's spirit is “twinkling from afar,” relishing in Oregon's passion for conservation.

(A recent Salem Statesman Journal editorial calling for the passage of HB 3298 provides another perspective on saving the Metolius.)

This isn't a cooling decade, global warming deniers

I will confess to criticizing a Portland right-wing talk show host, Victoria Taft, without listening to much of what she said.

All I needed to hear via my car radio channel surfing were words along the lines of, "The Earth is cooling this decade; so much for global warming."

No, Victoria, you're wrong. I realize that facts don't mean much to conservative talk radio, but it's still irresponsible to spout such erroneous B.S.

Check out: "Very warm 2008 makes this the hottest decade in recorded history so far."

I recall Victoria Taft blabbing on about how 2008 was the coolest year in ages, so in her science-challenged brain this fit right in with the delusional belief that global warming is a fantasy cooked up by Al Gore and other liberals who are trying to use a fictional environmental crisis as an excuse to embrace the Green Savior of socialist big government.

Actually, this graph from the "Very warm" article speaks the truth.

"Climate is about long-term trends. Perhaps the most interesting fact is that 2008 is on track to be almost 0.1°C warmer than the decade of the 1990s as a whole – and warmer than any year of last century beside (the El-Niño-enhanced) 1998.

The decade of the 2000s — 2000 to 2009 — will almost certainly be the hottest decade in at least 2000 years (see “Sorry deniers, hockey stick gets longer, stronger: Earth hotter now than in past 2,000 years“).

So once again, right-wing talk radio gets it wrong ("it" encompassing just about every subject).

I love to blog about these blunders. I'd put up more posts on this subject, but the blunder-picking is so easy, I could devote my full blogging-time to exposing the inanities of Victoria Taft and her comrades in lies.

Democrats lose me on their Metolius vote

I registered as a Democrat to be able to vote for Obama in the 2008 presidential primary. Now it looks like I'll be joining the non-affiliated ranks again.

Because I'm super-ticked off at the Oregon Democratic Party after five Dems, including the House Speaker (Dave Hunt) voted against saving the Metolius Basin from destination resorts.

Hence, as Blue Oregon reported via a live blog, HB 3298 failed by one vote.

What's the point of working hard to get Democrats elected, plus donating a bunch of money to the party, when they cave on one of the most important bills of the 2009 legislative session?

This is the first time since last November that I've seriously -- way seriously -- regretting signing on as a Democrat. I've always been cynical about political parties, figuring that it was better to remain unaffiliated to keep the Democrat/Republican B.S. from sticking to me.

Suddenly I feel very sticky.

I felt a little better after dashing off the following email to Rep. Hunt. If Oregon Democrats won't stand up for one of the most special places in Oregon, I'll make my Metolius statement by walking away from the Democratic party

Rep. Hunt, I note that you voted against the bill to protect the Metolius Basin. Shameful. This was the most important bill this session for my wife and me, who are frequent visitors to the Metolius and are familiar with the property-tax desiring machinations of the Jefferson County commissioners. We've also been big contributors to the Democratic Party.

Last year I changed my voter registration from a long-standing "unaffiliated" to become a member of the Democratic Party. I'll be changing back to an Independent again after seeing that gaining a Democratic majority doesn't make any difference on crucial environmental issues. If you're out to bring Democrats down to earth after successes in 2006 and 2008, you're off to a great start with this vote.

2009 Salem Tour of Homes photos -- million dollar house & condos

Yesterday Laurel and I took a look at three of the 24 properties featured in the 2009 Salem Tour of Homes -- the two most expensive homes, and The Meridian condos.

First stop was the $1,065,000 house built by Kaufman Homes at Sahelee Court, SE. (3,849 sq. ft.). Now, a million dollar home is no big deal in southern California. At least, it wasn't before the housing boom went bust down there.

But up here in sleepy Salem, a million bucks should buy you some pretty damn impressive lodging. And from what we saw, it does.

The kitchen was impressive. We weren't wild about the overly ornate woodwork, though. Mostly the house had a clean Oriental look. But the kitchen cabinets and island were much busier.

This is a covered patio, off the kitchen and dining area. Pretty sweet. A whole lot fancier than our basic grill and patio furniture.

Laurel is pointing out large hanging heaters that keep you warm on cold Oregon nights (and days). Nice outdoor fireplace.

Our house is so limited in storage, being of early 1970s vintage, Laurel drooled over the giant walk-in pantries and closets in the million dollar home.

Any resemblance to our laundry room is purely coincidental.

The master bedroom was nice, but not spectacularly impressive. I liked the connection to the outside, though. A water feature is just beyond the bedroom's patio.

Master bedroom bathroom, simple Japanese'y look. Understated, compared to other bathrooms in expensive homes we've seen at other Tour of Homes events.

Next stop was a $650,000 R² Properties house on Muirfield Avenue (5,387 sq. ft., wow!). 

This out-of-focus iPhone photo is included to show one of our Tour of Homes question marks: what's up with putting a television over the fireplace? Both expensive homes had this. Seems like you'd get a neck ache from craning your head to look up.

The defining feature of this house was its way steep lot. Which made for a three level design. Laurel is looking over the edge of the top level deck.

Which leads a long way down. Good idea, to have a curved top railing. You don't want your cat to jump on it and make a misstep.

Great location for a soaking tub. No prying eyes this high up, with a forest outside.

We get walk-in shower envy every time we visit the Tour of Homes.

The second level featured an impressive rec room: wet bar, pool table, strong colors (albeit rather bar-like).

These days every fairly expensive new home has a media room, it seems. Our TV is in an utterly un-dark area. I could get into cocooning in this room on a soft couch with a big screen to keep me entertained.

The eventual owners of this house are going to need a baseball bat to fight off all the neighborhood kids who will want to hang out in the lower level. Given how steep the lot is, the builder was able to include a basketball hoop and climbing wall (there's a lot more air room above the top of this photo).

Our last stop was the The Meridian Luxury Residence Condominiums. This is the first major condo development close to downtown Salem, which hasn't been a condo town.

We were curious to see what the units looked like, since we know some people who are moving into the Meridian and missed out on the development's open house a few months ago.

This is the back of the building, facing the Willamette River, where residents park and enter.

First impression: it feels like a fancy hotel. Way different than the country life we're used to. I immediately thought, "We're not condo people."

  Inside the doors, the Meridian looked even more like a hotel. We were greeted by a staffer who pointed us to the elevator. The Tour of Homes units were on the third floor.

  First condo we saw didn't impress us at all. Too brown, too small, too few windows.

There sure is a different pricing structure with condos. $232,000 for 926 square feet. Plus $170 a month dues. If someone doesn't want the trouble of taking care of a house, why not buy a small home for $232,000 and then use the $170 to help pay for a gardener and cleaning person?

The next furnished condo looked a lot more appealing. Wood floors made a big difference.

But here's the view from the dining area. I just couldn't get excited about the idea of looking at a gas station and convenience store.

And what's the point of a balcony less than a foot wide? Makes window washing easier I suppose. Otherwise, useless.

Typical condo bedroom. Small. No windows. Claustrophobic, compared to what we're used to.

The views on the river side were pleasant. However, I'd expected that the windows would be larger, to take even more advantage of the view.

Our overall impression of The Meridian: some of the units were attractive and will appeal to a certain clientele. Just not us. 

After three days on my Suzuki Burgman 650, I'm smiling

Defying those who told me, when I mentioned my upcoming maxi-scooter purchase, "But motorcycles are so dangerous!," I am still alive -- and indeed thriving -- after three days of riding my Suzuki Burgman 650 (Executive version).

Credit goes to me, some great Team Oregon safety/skills training, and a terrific scooter.

Which I've managed to cram into our carport along with two cars, some garbage cans, and a bunch of firewood (one pile had to be moved to accommodate the Burgman).

As shown, the mirrors can be folded in with a touch of a button. Handy for darting between lanes of stopped traffic and squeezing into other tight spaces. Like our carport, when both cars are parked there.

Every time I ride the scooter I learn something. It's a lot heavier than the Yamaha Seca II I had about fifteen years ago. You need to plan ahead when you park a Burgman 650, because you're not going to be pushing it uphill (unless you have some friends with you).

Doing errands is an adventure on a scooter, not a chore. Sure, the thrill will lessen over time, but it's unarguable that getting around is lots more fun on two wheels, especially if they're motorized.

Today I mailed a package at the post office, exercised at our athletic club, and bought some oh-so-delicious Oregon strawberries from an outdoor stand.

Scootering slows you down, pleasantly.

I'm usually in a mild rush as I check off errands on my to-do list. On my Burgman, as with any scooter or motorcycle, there's a rhythm to starting and stopping that has to be followed.

I arrive at the post office. Turn off the scooter. Lower the side stand. Get off the bike. Open the compartment under the seat. Take off my gloves and dark glasses. Remove my helmet. Put gloves and helmet in the compartment. Take jacket off and store it under the seat also. Do my mailing business. Come back to the scooter and reverse the process to "gear up."

It's much different from opening a car door, sitting down, and driving off (in our Prius, it isn't even necessary to get a key out).

This may sound strange, but the lengthier steps needed to get on or off the Burgman feel like a kind of foreplay to me. It's so much fun to ride, I don't mind putting on pants, jacket, boots, helmet, gloves, and dark glasses before I start the engine.

Once I turn the throttle and the scooter starts moving, Burgman and me are in the moment together. If it takes a few minutes to get the passion underway, no problem.

Especially when the goal is safe scootering, the two-wheeling analogy to safe sex.

In the athletic club locker room I was wearing my Olympia Airglide 2 pants. Sitting on a bench to get changed, a guy asked me what I was riding.

"A Suzuki Burgman..."
"650," he said, finishing the sentence for me. "Great bike."

We had a nice conversation. The guy obviously was a knowledgeable motorcyclist. He said he'd just gotten back from a business trip to Utah, which doesn't have a helmet law. He was appalled at how casually some riders were dressed.

"I wear full gear all the time," he said. "Even when it's 100 degrees."
"Excellent," I told him. "I'm planning to do the same."

Yes, putting on a motorcycle jacket, pants, and boots isn't as easy as just jumping on a bike in shorts, t-shirt, and athletic shoes (which is how I was dressed most of the time when I rode a Honda 55 in high school and college).

But healing from preventable injuries if you have an accident is much more of a pain. Literally.

Anyway, scootering and motorcycling is so much fun, it doesn't matter what you're wearing. You'll have a smile on your face (most of the time, at least) regardless of how you are clothed, so it might as well be safely.

Ah, almost forgot about the strawberries. The roadside stand didn't have any bags, so I walked away with an open quart container filled to the brim.

I put them in the underseat compartment. Drove the eight miles home. Found that precisely one strawberry had rolled out of the container. Try doing that on a Harley. Scooters rule!

Rising health insurance premiums are a "tax boost" also

Go figure -- not that this is easy to do when what I'm trying to figure out is right-wing platitudes.

Like, tax increases always are bad.

Which makes sense. Except when it doesn't. Like when a tax increase is needed to provide essential services for the least fortunate and most vulnerable in Oregon -- the elderly, sick, poor, unemployed, children.

Yet reflexive anti-tax types like Russ Walker already are threatening to put a couple of tax increases on the ballot, if, as expected, they get through both houses of the state legislature.
Download Oregon tax boost

What ever happened to compassionate conservatism?

Republicans talk a good game about valuing charity and respecting life, but when it comes time to make a charitable contribution via taxes that will help deserving people live a lot better, all we hear is no, no, no!

Here's another bit of right-wing illogic: We just got a letter from Blue Cross of Oregon informing us that our health insurance premium would go up about 30% on July 1.

Thirty freaking percent! In one year!

Half of that, best I can figure, is due to me being sixty years old for the first time in a policy period. Of course, my health status is just the same and I'm taking care of myself just as marvelously as ever.

But the Blue Cross actuaries assume that once I crossed the 60 line, my wife and I should pay about 15% more for our health insurance. The other 15% is a regular annual premium increase for Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield.

To be distinguished from the regular annual 26% rate increase Blue Cross got last year. That's over 40% in two years, nasty.

So here's a question for Russ Walker and the rest of the anti-tax crowd: where's your outrage about the health insurance premium increases? We really don't have a choice about changing insurance companies, given the pre-existing condition clause that screws you over if you have a health problem that you need insurance for and want to sign up for a different policy.

Thus Blue Cross has taken a whole lot of money from us with its rate increases. And we can't do anything about it.

How is this different from a tax increase? Aren't Republicans in favor of letting people keep their own money, rather than shipping it off to faceless bureaucrats -- which perfectly describes large health insurance companies like Blue Cross.

It frosts me that so much Republican resistance is being expressed to a public option in Obama's health care reform proposal. Let's have some competition. Maybe that would make private health insurers more efficient and responsive to their customers.

The post office, a government operation basically, delivers our mail just fine. Ditto on the "just fine" with government firefighters. And government police. Not to mention the government's armed forces.

I don't understand the objection to having government operate a health insurance plan. Just as the postal service is in competition with UPS and Federal Express, so can a public health care option compete with private insurers.

I'm tired of having our premium go up double digits every year, when inflation is so low. To me, that's a tax increase. I can't wait for Congress to do something about it.

Team Oregon motorcycling class has me ready to ride

I just spent fifteen hours learning how to operate a motorcycle safely and skillfully. And enjoying the company of these soon-to-be biker babes, four women who comprised the more attractive side of the ten person class.

The three day Team Oregon Basic Rider Training is terrific -- highly recommended for both new riders and those, like me, who are getting back into motorcycling/scootering after a long absence.

Here's some advice if you think your motorcycle skills will revive instantly if you hop back on your Harley, or whatever, after several years (in my case, it was about fifteen years).

You're wrong.

I'd taken the same Team Oregon class before buying a Yamaha Seca II in the 1990s. I rode that bike for almost a year before selling it. So I wasn't a neophyte to motorcycling.

Yet the first half hour or so of the on-bike skills and safety training had me feeling pretty darn shaky. Even going at slow speeds on a wide open Chemeketa Community College parking lot, which had been roped off for the occasion.

I'm really glad I took the course over again before picking up my Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive maxi-scooter.

It isn't good to make basic motorcycling mistakes in traffic, which would be easy to do if someone is getting reacquainted with the tricky controls most bikes have. (Scooters shift automatically, which makes driving them quite a bit simpler.)

Much better to make those mistakes on a parking lot under a skilled instructor's watchful eye.

I had the most trouble with the quick stop maneuver, which entailed accelerating in second gear, and then stopping as quickly as possible, while downshifting, when the front wheel passed an orange traffic cone.

Roll off the throttle with right hand. Squeeze front brake lever with four right fingers smoothly and progressively harder. Press on rear brake with right foot, progressively softer. Pull in clutch with left hand. Press down on shifter with left foot.

At first, all that is like rubbing your head with one hand and patting your stomach with the other hand -- except you're doing it while traveling 15-20 mph and aware that the instructor and your class mates are watching to see how you do.

OK, in my case. Not great, though I had my quick-stop moments.

I was given a "dual sport" (dirt/street) bike to use that was pretty rough, and wouldn't shift into neutral when stopped. So I developed a lot of left hand strength from having to hold in the clutch while I was waiting in line with the engine on to do the next exercise.

My strong point was turning. I loved the turn exercises -- finding the right speed and the right line in a lane through a turn (usually outside, then inside to the apex, and outside again).

The camaraderie between my fellow students also was enjoyable.

Motorcycling attracts disparate people who are bound together by a passion for motorized two-wheeling. We ranged from a black clad bearded Harley type to a mother who brought her Vespa (she zipped along damn speedily, I was pleased to see, being a scooter'er myself).

Our lead instructor, David, was a sixty-one year old psychotherapist. His gray hair and beard made me like him right away -- plus think, for a fairly obvious reason, "Man, that is a good looking guy."

Proving that he was an Oregon motorcycling instructor, David threw in some New Age'y observations during the classroom portion of the training.

I like to ride with a sense of chi, with energy, to make me more visible to other drivers.

I think motorcycling attracts people because it activates the lower chakras, which don't get much work in our culture.

Cool. I don't know how this stuff went over with the Harley types, but this vegetarian Tai Chi scooter guy liked it.

Tomorrow I pick up my Burgman. I'll try to make sure that my chi is energized. A Starbucks latte should do the trick.

Oregon land use news: Metolius and Measure 49

A thumbs-up and a thumbs-down on the land use front this blogging day...

On the positive side, we just got the Spring 2009 "View from the Summit" Crag Law Center newsletter.

Our neighborhood has gotten terrific legal support from Ralph Bloemers and other Crag staff in our fight against a Measure 37 subdivision that threatened to dry up wells and a community lake in this groundwater limited area.

Ralph and fellow attorney Courtney Johnson wrote an excellent piece, "Learning Lessons from Oregon's Experiment with Measure 37." It focuses on how Measure 49, which restored much-needed fairness and balance to the state's land use system, is being implemented.
Download Crag Measure 37 article

Note the photograph in the top right. I took it.

Now, the thumbs down.

Usually I agree with Steve Duin. He's a columnist for the Portland Oregonian who frequently writes about environmental issues and rips on DEQ when it deserves ripping.

But his "Once More Into the Metolius" didn't accurately describe the effort to save central Oregon's fragile Metolius River Basin from two large destination resorts.

Duin makes it sound like this is a personal crusade by two Democratic state senators, Betsy Johnson and Ginny Burdick -- who own property along the Metolius.

That isn't true.

Central Oregon Landwatch, Friends of the Metolius, 1000 Friends of Oregon, and many others -- including the vast majority of those who live full-time in Camp Sherman and the surrounding area -- are supporting legislation that would designate the Metolius Basin an "area of critical state concern."

As permitted under state law, as I explained in this post, which gave another thumbs-down to an Oregonian editorial about the Metolius that also got its facts wrong.

So the effort to save the Metolius from destination resorts isn't an end-run around Oregon's land use laws. It is making use of them to preserve one of the state's natural treasures. Which is what countless Oregonians want, not just a few legislators.

2009 Salem Dog Days -- a downtown canine carnival

Yesterday Salem engaged in a search for the area's cutest dog. June's First Wednesday downtown event featured canines of all shapes, sizes, and breeds, wandering the sidewalks, owners in tow.
Download Salem Dog Days article

Naturally Serena and I took part, though as I say on my You Tube video of the event, we declined to enter the most adorable dog contest.

Not that I doubted Serena's chances in a fair cuteness fight.

Obviously she is the most beautiful dog in the world. I just figured that the little white fuzzy dog lobby would have biased the judges against 65 pound Shepherd/Lab mixes.

Here's my video. You can judge relative dog cutenesses for yourself.

Metolius River photos, iPhone style

Here's some photos that I took during a recent visit to our cabin on the beautiful Metolius River in Camp Sherman (central Oregon).

I usually use an Olympus Stylus, which can do all kinds of stuff: zoom, adjust for different photographic conditions, and whatnot.

All of these shots were taken with my iPhone's camera, which can do exactly one thing: take a photo.

When I first got my iPhone, I was frustrated with the lack of photo options. Now, I'm appreciating the Zen'ish simplicity of pulling it out, choosing the camera icon, pressing the "take photo" button, and seeing what happens.

What you get is what you get. No fretting about not choosing the right camera setting, because there aren't any to choose from.

If I want to "zoom," I walk closer. To get more stuff showing in the picture, I back up.

With these shots, mostly the iPhone underexposed. As taken, they were too dark. But my MacBook's iPhoto software did a pretty good job when I pushed the "enhance" button. Here's the results.

 One morning, taking the dog out, I strolled to the edge of the Metolius -- a short distance from the cabin. Fog was starting to dissipate, but still producing a peaceful mystic stillness.

Black Butte rising over the Metolius. Spring-fed headwaters of the river are just a short ways upstream.

I have to remember to look up once in a while when walking along the Metolius. The branches of the large Ponderosa pines look like they have a lot of stories to tell.

Here I am, arriving at the charming Camp Sherman store after a bike ride. The woman in teal offered to take a photo of both of us after Laurel snapped this shot. Don't think she realized how much she was in this photo. I put my bike in this position to avoid a bunch of people sitting by the store front door. As often happens, my plan went awry.

On a walk this afternoon, I tied the dog to a tree and calmly walked up to the fence surrounding the Johnson meadow, doing my best to look horse friendly. Must have worked. This guy came walking up after a minute or two, probably figuring I might have some food.

Laurel by a creek that flows through the Metolius Meadows development. We laid our bikes down and took a walk along a nature trail, coming to this pleasant cool spot on a hot summer day.

Every morning I ride my bike a mile to the Camp Sherman store to get a newspaper. Leaving the store parking area, the view is terrific.

I don't fish. But I love the fisherpeople perching spots that have been built along the river.

Some of the first upstream Metolius white water. The river gets larger and considerably more rapid'y downstream.

Love the bark of the large Ponderosas. When they're young, the bark is grayish. Older trees get colorful.

Hot dog. Cold river. Perfect match.

This is one of my favorite stretches of the river. I never get tired of seeing it. Either directly, or via a photo.

Returning to the cabin, which we co-own with three other couples, Serena always is excited to start stalking the chipmunks which live under a deck. Never catches any, but the chase is the thing. When we leave, we put nuts by their holes as a non-verbal, "Sorry for the stress our dog caused you. It's all clear now."