DO NOT VOTE FOR TED WHEELER
In 2003, Multnomah County made national news for including the fictional Star Trek language Klingon on a list of 55 tongues the county was prepared to translate for mental-health patients.
And that provides fodder for the latest “Ted Wheeler for County Commissioner” ad. “Common Sense for —-” has to be the most common, tedious and vague campaign slogan — and goshdarnedit if Ted Wheeler isn’t going to battle away the Uncommon Sense and tear of his opponent — the “Klingon Translator” miscue being overshadowed in Linn’s tenure by the more hard-to-get-into-the-picture “Hey! Let’s marry some gay people!” tact.
The problem with the “Klingon Translator” story is it’s too damned easy. It’s in the vein of the story of the woman who sued McDonalds for scalding hot coffee. In the popular imagination of the incident, we imagine the litiguous society out of control. Nevermind the details.
79 year old Stella Liebeck suffered third degree burns on her groin and inner thighs while trying to add sugar to her coffee at a McDonalds drive through. Third degree burns are the most serious kind of burn. McDonalds knew it had a problem. There were at least 700 previous cases of scalding coffee incidents at McDonalds before Liebeck’s case. McDonalds had settled many claim before but refused Liebeck’s request for $20,000 compensation, forcing the case into court. Lawyers found that McDonalds makes its coffee 30-50 degrees hotter than other restaurants, about 190 degrees. Doctors testified that it only takes 2-7 seconds to cause a third degree burn at 190 degrees. McDonalds knew its coffee was exceptionally hot but testified that they had never consulted with burn specialist. The Shriner Burn Institute had previously warned McDonalds not to serve coffee above 130 degrees. And so the jury came back with a decision- $160,000 for compensatory damages. But because McDonalds was guilty of “willful, reckless, malicious or wanton conduct” punitive damages were also applied. The jury set the award at $2.7 million. The judge then reduced the fine to less than half a million. Ms. Liebeck then settled with McDonalds for a sum reported to be much less than a half million dollars. McDonald’s coffee is now sold at the same temperature as most other restaurants.
The Klingon Translator story has a similar effect. It’s a little too easily sensationalized for its own good. In the end, our would-be-hired Klingon Translator, a man who regularly sang at “Klingon Karaoke ” at Bodacious Classics, would have tossed out his irregular, rarely needed service for free. For Mental Patients, mind you. Give me enough time and I will find you a case where a mentally deeply troubled individual refuses to speak, and internalized, any other language except that stupid science fiction language made real — Klingon.
So Ted Wheeler is a demagogue. Screw him. Re-elect Dianne Linn. If nothing else, she stuck her neck out for Gay marriage.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
I’m proud to support gay rights but that isn’t enough for me to support a Chair who has done such a poor job managing the county. She takes credit for things she is required to do as if they are some great feat (like balancing the budget — every other Chair has done that too, it’s required). She takes credit for things the county employees (some of whom are my friends) claim she was an impediment to. She makes poor business decisions and can’t get along with other commissioners or her own staff.
To not vote for someone because of a stupid ad is assinine and speaks volumes for your lack of intelligence. Especially given the kinds of drivel that Linn is focusing on in her campaign (I mean, who really gives a flying fuck what neighborhood she grew up in?).
March 10th, 2006 at 8:33 am
To not vote for someone because of a stupid ad is assinine and speaks volumes for your lack of intelligence.
And yet… And yet… And yet… a candidate who creates an ad is expecting me to vote for him/her because of the ad’s message.