How a city works...

[Lamplighter]

It takes a lot of beer to get make up $400,000


Portland Tribune
8/30/13
Bar fined $400K for keeping transgenders away

A north Portland bar owner will have to pay a big fine,
after the state finds he tried to keep some cross-dressing transgender customers away.

Chris Penner is owner of the Twilight Room Annex, formally known as the “P Club.”
Bureau of Labor and Industries investigators found Penner left voice mails
asking the customers to not come to his bar, fearing people would think it’s a gay bar.

BOLI has now ruled that Penner pay $400,000 to the group of people he banned.
He’ll also has been ordered to pay a $5,000 penalty for violating the “Oregon Equality Act.”

The Oregon Equality Act is...

In 2007, the State of Oregon enacted the Oregon Equality Act (also known as SB2),
the landmark law to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people
from discrimination. <snip>

Q What does this anti-discrimination law cover?
A The Oregon Equality Act forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation
or gender identity or expression in several critical areas

► Employment in all state, municipal and private workplaces
► Public accommodations, meaning places open to the public such as businesses that
sell goods or services, recreational facilities and providers of medical services
► Housing and financial transactions such as real estate rental and sales, as well as
applications for credit and insurance
► Jury service
► State institutions such as prisons, jails or any facility operated by the Department of
Corrections
► Foster parenting and the provision of adult foster care
► Public school education, including public charter schools

But Oregon does not yet allow same sex marriage.
The issue will likely be on the 2014 ballot.

[xoxoxoBruce]

So because he tried to keep them away by being civil, rather than a confrontation, he hung himself. Guess that'll send a message to other business owners.

[Happy Monkey]

"Don't try to keep them away".

[xoxoxoBruce]

Or have the thugs make them feel unwelcome. I can see all kinds of unintended consequences, non of them good.

[Lamplighter]

THEY're BACK....

The Vaux Swifts have returned to Chapman Elementary School in PDX.
It's part of their annual migration, as they provide a moving buffet for the hawks.



This is an 2010 video, but it's short and shows the event crowds form to see.
It takes more than 5 minutes of real time to get everybody into the chimney.

[Lamplighter]

Reviving an old thread ... in anger

Oregon Live
Brad Schmidt
1/3/14

Portland Building: Four commissioners, four approaches for dealing with Portland's $95 million 'white elephant'

The Portland Building, the city's administrative headquarters, needs $95 million
to fix structural and water problems, officials say.
The City Council, however, isn't unified about whether such an overhaul makes sense.
(The Oregonian)

This is what you get when you hire an architect to design an "award-winning" public building.
It was home to two of my IT clients when it first opened.
Politicians were jubilant, but the minions who had to work there hated it.
No real windows so every floor seemed to be down in a basement

Now, none of the current Council members wants to set aside $
for maintenance on this building or any other city-owned structure.

WHY ?
Well, when you build a new public building, you get your name of a brass plaque in the lobby.
After all, that's what every politician wants.

ETA: The building cost $41million in 1983
Original design by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry.
It won an AIA award and also is on lists of "The Uguliest Buildings"
Local architects campaigned against it being built.
It costs 20% more to heat/operate than engineering analysis predicted.