Winners & Losers

[September 24th, 2003] WINNERS

Starting Jan. 1, the unheralded Proletariat --your hostesses, cashiers, ice-cream scoopers--will make an extra 15 cents an hour, thanks to a cost-of-living increase to the minimum wage. That extra six-pack in the fridge and being able to shop at Zupan's for once will be nice.

We can't resist: Hail to the Victors! The Oregon Ducks turned mighty Michigan's famous fight song on its head, laying a world of hurt on the visiting Wolverines at Autzen Stadium. The Pac-10 quivers in fear.

Portland's Northwest Environmental Advocates scored a victory for Oregon's irradiated fish population. The group forced the state to revoke a slew of permits allowing for the dumping of wastewater nastiness. Breathe easy, little fishies--all you have to worry about now is dams.

Who gains more from the fabulous success of the just-completed Time Based Art Festival: organizers at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art or the whole city ? The two-week performance fest beat expectations, with many full houses and excitement in the street. As the fest's media sponsor, WW can say we told you so.

LOSERS

In a move simultaneously unpatriotic and culturally braindead, KATU-TV opted to show a frickin' gardening show instead of the U.S. women's soccer team's first World Cup game Sunday morning. No word on station managers' feelings about Mom and apple pie.

The Portland Police Bureau cringed last week at the not-so-great news that misconduct complaints filed by citizens against officers are up a whopping 48 percent.

Affirming the national notion that Portland is run by a bunch of idiots, our fine county commissioners publicly embarrassed Multnomah by slashing new library director Molly Raphael's promised salary after she agreed to take the job. Listen closely: You can actually hear other top-flight candidates for county jobs tearing up their applications.