Homeless In Oregon: Cold & Hungry

Where did you sleep last night? When was your last meal?

About a year ago, I wrote a short commentary about my local(Albany OR) government, the city and its police, and their use of barbaric means to eliminate homeless community problems.

This story, will attempt to create dialogue, for the sole purpose of lowering homeless statistics, and their negative impact on society, as well as dialogue and critical thought, in regard to social constructs about homelessness, and that negative impact on resources.

Homeless in Oregon

The group above(Portland), complained that I was making money off of them by taking their photograph. Yeah, I have made lots... Maybe you should get yourself a camera. I have noticed a trend in interviews, as some are willing to place blame solely on society. While some, are fully aware of their actions, and the resulting consequence, which is the street. Later, another faction of angry youth, upset at my photo shooting, attempted first intimidation and then assault and robbery(my Canon XTi & EF 28-135mm IS USM). That element deserves society's scathing scrutiny.

In Albany, problems with the homeless include trash, vandalism, theft, public potty habits, and drugs and alcohol. In the quaint small town atmosphere, that behavior particularly stands out. It is dealt with harshly. In early 2012, the city and Albany Police aggressively removed the homeless from the underpass area, and posted the canal bike-path as a park only. At night the park closes. After dozens of interviews with homeless, and photos, one group was drunk and angry. At the train station, they said they were going to break my camera. I walked fast.

The strategy for the underpass area where many homeless congregate, was to lime the area where the homeless congregate. In my opinion, lime is not the answer, and is possibly a health issue.The underpass lime and patrols forced the large group east, towards Swanson Cool! Park and its adjacent outdoor playground. Numerous encounters in the past year have been met with anti-homeless laws, but little proactive solution.

Lime goes down, but the homeless stay. They just put cardboard down. 



Police and Homeless

One thing you do not see as often is the police bias and the use of unnecessary force. The problems regarding that use of force reached a boiling point a few years back, with protesters and homeless winning in court, winning sleeping rights and man's own breath. The Portland Police Bureau along with the City of Portland have made a concerted effort to create better relationships with homeless and more efficient dialogue on the street.

An officer on patrol late at night, in a rough area of downtown Portland, told me candidly, "I pick my battles out here, I don't see too much of a problem with an old man sleeping on a park bench, but it is illegal. I tend to pursue menacing crime, and a lot of that is just presence." The car, he said, is a deterrent.

He went on to tell me of the area we chatted in, and the problems it faces at night. "Alcohol and heroin," he told me. And the crime of course.

In Albany, much of the approach is to "push" homeless from one area to another without any real solution. And although much money has been spent on the problem, more is needed. The City of Albany spent a good portion of money on the area along the Lyon Street entry into downtown. There is a park and concrete walk/bike path along the canal. The area is landscaped. But huge problems exist. The area is home to a vagrant bunch of disrespectful, drunk, and criminal homeless. They sleep under the bridge and increasing reports of crime and menacing are not encouraging.

In my opinion, two things should happen. One is the city's management of the area, and the trash and crime, should be remedied. Secondly, a community committee would be beneficial in regard to police patrols, community clean-up, and homeless advocates- all coming together with local government to solve the problem.

It is also my opinion that the area needs a porto-potty, a trash receptacle, and an attractive fence along the path. That would separate the Swanson Park and Cool! Pool from the dangers of many of the homeless who act with such disrespect. In essence, "Protect Our Kids!"

These measures, along with better mental health care and better resources, would alleviate stress on local families as well as an overworked and overzealous Albany Police Department. Portland can address these issues, so should Albany. Social awareness and education are crucial to police/homeless relations, and discretion is key. Efficient use of resources(funds) would lessen the impact of "problem" homeless individuals, and would improve the governments credibility in regards to capability.

Volunteerism and Community Resources

The fella above(left), showed up on 4th Street, with a carload of food. Fresh burritos and dessert. He then unloaded an older big-screen television, hooked it up to a DVD player, plugged in a speaker, and before you could blink, it was movie night. Every Wednesday, like clockwork, dinner and a movie is played out on 4th Street, between City Hall and the Justice Center.

This story gets repeated all over the city, as many folks lend a kind hand in the way of food and simple things most take for granted. Like a movie. Like dinner.

The resources in Portland are well known, a fact not lost on many that I interviewed. Food is readily available, from folks who just plain give(like the Movie Night guy), and from the many community centers like Blanchet House and Sisters On The Road.

Volunteer non-profits such as Showers To The People can, and do, make a difference on the street. The benefits to a group like Showers, is enormous, in regards to life in Portland. The most obvious benefit, is in the way of cleanliness, and the spread of disease. But it also makes life more "visible", more normal, if you will. The effects of this are less scrutiny on the homeless, and more opportunity, in the way of jobs and housing.



What you do see out there on the street, more visible than the rain and colder than the Oregon winter, are the mental health problems. It is saddening...



The man on the right, bi-polar as can be, went from singing Beatle's lyrics(perfectly), to seconds later and a raging, ten-minute, undeniable rant. Sadness indeed. Medication would help. The man with the home-made instrument, did not react to being asked to leave. He just did it.

In my opinion, the task to provide help to the street, does not seem that far fetched. Better mental health services, and a more aggressive government focus on social reform, and a demand upon the rich, to do their part(less entitlements), could help solve the problems that America faces. Instead, our politicians spend months debating Benghazi and discussing lower taxes for the rich. 

In an encouraging interview with Dana Haynes, the Mayor's Media Relations spokesman, Haynes spoke of the Portland Mayor's Office commitment to humane solutions and practices. He mentioned that the city did not appeal the ruling about camping and police excessive force, rather the city has a pro-active goal in regards to these issues. Haynes spoke of The Albina Care group, and their inclusion as "amicus status" in regard to a homeless representative, and that all parties were trying hard to reach solutions. "We want the best for Portland," he said.

On The Street

At a coffeeshop, I asked a Trimet Safety Officer if he saw deadly violence every day at work. "Sometimes." I asked if homeless were ever involved, as a suspect or a victim. He told me that generally the answer is "No, but inevitably at times yes." He added that petty crime is a homeless issue, but not an epidemic.

He also stated it is a "high alert job," and that most of the stress is about violence. "Helping old people is the best part of the job," he told me. I asked...

One fella I talked to, had rode his bike to Portland in December, from up in Bellingham Washington. This 57 year old, tall and lanky, with a tough mind and strong will, told me he went broke in Juneau Alaska. He came here for work and obviously winter conditions are better in Portland. He spoke of the ways to survive:

"You find good people and buddy up. They watch your back, ya know. Like when you go to pee at night. And when the thieves come in the wee hours, 4 and 5 A.M., that's when it counts. Numbers are protection. So they don't steal your stuff from underneath ya. They don't care, they got their own agenda. They use bolt cutters and Freon to steal the bikes. They rob your bags. They got no education and no ambition. A man can eat out here, good food if he's sober and respectful. Places to eat all over all day. I know where to get coffee in the mornin'. I know where to eat in the evenin'. I don't sleep in shelters. Too dirty and too much sickness. I'm safer out here."

I would ask my reader to digest all of that. If you cannot see, and feel, the dangers of the streets of Portland, check your pulse.

There has been some chatter as to the "friendliness" of Portland, to the homeless. The result of that, people argue, is more crime and more sleeping bags on the sidewalks. Those are possible, but in the pro-active agenda of Portland, the argument against current resources as a negative are unfounded arguments. Fallacies. The fact is, innovative approaches to deconstructing social constructs about homeless, will only help to solve homeless problems. Any kind of critical thought will help society solve its problems as well.





The black man(below) is 99. The old and gray white man is Hayseed. I spent a handful of nights with these men, and the humble, peaceful, and engaging conversation was simply chat that I will never forget. The men lent me their stories and gave me coffee. The warmth from both was entirely similar.

Sleeping bags covered with tarps, are people, sleeping under dry awnings, until daybreak. The cycle of free daytime meals and nighttime concrete beds, never ceases. The man in the photo below, locked his bike up there at Union Station, then he sat down next to me.

"That is a nice camera," he said. "It does okay," I followed up. He told me about his days as a frame-maker, and how it gave him an appreciation for good photos. He told me he was headed to the coast. "The beach baby!", he smiled.

He told me how he lives off his Social Security, and that sometimes he sleeps on the street, but "...mostly weekly rate motels."

He told me he had spent a few nights in jail. This part seemed odd, as he did not seem harmful or illegal in any way.

He told me he had gotten a ticket for sleeping on a park bench. Missing court did not help, as not paying the fine led to more fines and warrant fees. The monetary amount is now insurmountable, and is a testament to the oppression imposed by these sorts of arbitrary rules and enforcement.

There is more here than just the arbitrary oppression of the poor, and it is the social constructs that form our stereotyped assessments of these people. The generalizations could not be further off and wrong.

Indeed a certain criminal element inhabits the streets. And that is a problem in any society. The issues that cloud the people who sleep on sidewalks are more than just the criminals who take to the street as an only resort. Alcoholism and mental health are the most visible, and loads of bad-luck stories are on every block. These are easier to treat than the full blown criminals with nothing to lose and a lot to gain, no matter how temporary that gain.

The long-timers, the ones who have lived peacefully outside for eternities, also have little to lose. The difference, is that they have little to gain. The idea of this story is to create more social awareness in regards to managing the homeless, and to alleviate some of the pressures the situation brings to everybody.

Yes, there are some, even many, who are not deserving of humanity's empathy and charity. But the fact is this, many out there are abused by power, and most die out there without ever seeing a helping hand that changes life.

In Albany, the homeless story is similar, with folks needing shelter and winter clothing, medical attention, and food. But a stark difference exists, and that lies in our government. In the coming weeks much will be printed in the press, and it will be about how the city essentially spends money. Where in Albany is there a public bathroom? Or even a porto potty where many of Albany's homeless sleep, under the 9th Avenue/Pacific Overpass. But we have a beautiful Carriage House($9 million) down along the riverfront. Too bad it is empty.

At the Signs Of Victory Mission & Transitional Housing, daily church services and public meals are a constant influence in the community. The house on 7th Avenue & Lyons and its church on Marion Street are open to anyone and everybody. Donations needed include bedbug treatment and mattresses.

The Albany Helping Hands Shelter provides housing for up to 100 homeless, while providing meals and showers to the public. The shelter has a used goods store and a wood lot that employs dozens of homeless and volunteers. The shelter provides nightly warming comfort and food. Donations needed are a new washer/dryer set-up, women's clothes, laundry soap, food, and hygiene supplies.

Between meetings with the City of Albany(where I live) and meetings in Portland, interviews with police and homeless, and research on mental health on the street, one thing is clear:
Everybody needs to be on board, with the commitment to solve these issues in the best interest of everyone involved.

In the meantime, I think it is relevant to ask whether or not, society owes the homeless. And if yes, what is owed?

Albany's Soup Kitchen

At the 3-days-a-week Soup Kitchen, poor and old alike, along with the city's homeless, come at 5 P.M. to get dinner. The tri-nightly dinner has been run there at St. Mary's Church(Albany) for 31 years, and on volunteers and donations.

On the night I was there, it was full. "End of the month," 15 year volunteer Bill Root told me, "No money." The end of the month shows that people have no money for food. No food stamps neither, he said.

The Soup Kitchen staff has volunteers who have been there 15-30 years, and has recovering addicts, who are clean and sober, and re-entering society. One recovering volunteer said, "This gives me something to do that helps people, and gets me ready for a real job."

Many of the older folks that eat at the St. Mary's Kitchen for this dinner-time feed, are here for the food and the social aspect. One couple, in their 80's, walk the few blocks to the Soup Kitchen, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night. They both smiled when I asked why they started coming to the dinner. They did not hear me, and I just returned the smile.

The Soup Kitchen staff, 30 years of big hearts and big smiles. Pat runs the kitchen and mixes bread mix here.

What is the city doing when the homeless are not eating at community kitchens? Is this why trash problems in that neighborhood, between St. Mary's and Helping Hand Homeless Shelter, are horrible at times?

As the first week of March came to end, the area along the canal, under the overpass(9th Ave) where many homeless congregate, the path was clean. And empty. But by the 11th, the place was full of trash and beer cans.

The area towards the Swanson Park, however, is not clean. Ever. This area, where many sleep under that bridge, needs regular cleaning, a garbage can, and possible a porto-potty. Write your city council, and ask for at least discussion on solutions.

Retrospect

The idea behind an article like this is to not only create better awareness, but the core idea is to discuss possible solutions to the problems of homeless and more importantly, solve society's biggest problems. It is impressive to see things like jobs and showers, available to people on the streets of Portland, and that sort of empathetic approach to treating the homeless issue within society, is crucial to its solution.

In both Albany and Portland, as well as any area with these problems, potential for solutions do exist. Community togetherness, in the form of watchful eyes and volunteer hands, can alleviate some of the impact of homelessness. Better and more efficient government can also pick up the solution pace. And police departments can have better judgement when it comes to "which" homeless to restrain from negatively impacting society.

The responsibility for solving the homeless problems in America depend on the good will of its citizens, its leaders, and the homeless themselves.

Donate

To donate supplies or funds:

Albany Helping Hands Shelter: 541 926 4036
                                               www.albanyhh.org
                                               boone@albanyhh.org

Signs Of Victory: 541 967 8545

Portland Gospel Mission: Donate
                                       503 274 4483
                                       3 NW 3rd (downtown) Portland Oregon
                                       info@ugmportland.org

Showers To The People: http://showertothepeople.org/

Blanchet House: 310 NW Glisan Portland Oregon


 
                                     

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Steelhead Tips (Part 3)

All the preparation in the world will not help you catch fish. It will help you catch more fish.

But when the sun is disappearing behind conifer covered canyon walls, and your monofilament line is abuzz with the tension of a pulsing, darting, exploding airborn steelhead, preparation is out the window.

Hang on, it is gonna be one heck of a ride.

These are the moments that bring hoods off heads in pouring rains. Nine foot pole bent in half, beating as fast as the heart. The super-find, super-bargain, clearance and I got a coupon too, Diawa baitcaster. Spooled with ten pound monofilament that at this very second, is screaming off the spool.

Salmon fishing on the Alsea,with the standard Oregon Rain.



These fish will test line, reel, drag, and skill. Not to mention your knot tying savvy and hook sharpening attention. For today's tips, we are going to focus on how to handle fish on a line. In my opinion, this category falls into two really: One, fish. And two, really big fish! I will address the "cookie cutter" steelhead, and then(when I think you are ready), big steelhead.

Most of the steelhead we are going to catch will be between 6 and 12 pounds. These almost 3 year old fish have been at sea for 2 years, and are returning to spawn in the inland freshwater streams of the Pacific Northwest's coastal mountains. They are smart and acrobatic, demanding honest tactics and respect. There is a lot to be said of the virtues of "clean" fishing. Respect yourself, and do not litter. If you do smoke, putt butts in a zip-lock bag.

Tip #1: Do Not Be Fooled By The Relative "Small" Size

These fish will snap your line before you can say "Fish on!", so don't be afraid to set your drag on the easier side of tension. Setting drag for these fish means you should be able to pull line off the reel with relative ease.

The pole you fish with determines much in the way of  drag, as a lighter and more limber pole will absorb more- meaning a slightly higher drag strength. But not much, and as I said: Best to go less in the way of drag.

Of course, too little drag and your hookset will suffer. So find that "perfect" balance.

Which brings us to the moment. This fish is ripping line, and the tension is, let's just say, alarming. I mean, WE HAVE TEN POUND TEST!

Do not be shy if you think lessening the drag may avoid line test failure and/or just plain old steelhead aggression. The key here is to adjust and balance this monster.

Tip #2: Don't panic on a "longish" run.

On occasion, fish will also panic or use the waterflow, and dart down river. Or even upriver. You just never know, but staying calm is paramount to success. Following the fish is, of course, the best strategy, but when you can't, turning the pole left or right can help. A bit more than normal tactics are employed in this spot, as the "pump and reel" is fairly constant, once you get the fish turned back to you...Remember. DON"T PANIC!

Sometimes, whether on the riverbank or in a boat, obstacles may be in the path of your pursuit of a fish. Take safety as the utmost precaution, maintain a tightline, and have good luck!

Tip #3: What To Do When Steelhead Leap:

This is entirely the best. The twisting, torso-bending, air-defying, leap towards the sky. It brings an unexpository definition. I cannot describe it. It is truly beautiful.

It can also be a line snapping, fish losing, ordeal. As the force of the steelhead's raw power collides with the oxygen air, and at that fish-head-shaking-violently moment, rising to the pinnacle of the leap from water, the tensile strength just gives away. You know it before the straightness returns to the fishing pole. It is not a good feeling. The only advice I have here is this:

Keep a tight line but give a little, and trying to feel the action will help. And remember this part, when the fish is headed back into the stream, dip the pole as the fish hits the water. This will lessen the impact.

Tip #4: How To Land A Fish:

There are always going to be varying conditions in this or even, these scenarios. So, for landing a fish, let's look at different situations.

I will never forget this, for a number of reasons. Watching that huge fish roll away upstream, just feet from my eyes. was not the result I had imagined, or even been used to. As the big buck darted out of sight, I glanced back at my father, who had the fairly large 1/0 hook buried in his palm, and was presently digging afore-mentioned hook from said palm, and as my dad turned around, his back to me, he mumbled..."I haven't lost a fish in years."

But this fiasco was his fault. He panicked, and when this huge fish ran underneath the 30 year old, aluminum driftboat, the old man wanted to change positions in the boat. This meant landing this fish from the upstream side, which is hardly correct. I never miss with the net, but this huge fish did some crazy, acrobatic turn and bounced that hook from his jaw, and into my father's waiting hand. The tension on the pole, helped to bury it deep in human flesh.

LAND FISH FROM THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE. ENOUGH SAID.

But what about when you are in a boat by yourself. Oh yeah, now the fun begins...

Generally, my leader is of the 8 pound variety.

So here we are, mid-stream with the anchor out. Suspended in the breeze, water rustling the tips of the wooden oars. And a once cartwheeling steelhead is now just ten yards from the boat. In the clear surface water, you see the absence of the Adipose Fin, a tell-tale mark of the keeper steelie. The net is ready on the front seat, and you glance at it to just make sure.

At this point, you want to be sure to not make sudden or loud movements, and be extra careful not to rush things along.

To land this fish, when the chrome sides steelhead is at boatside, loosen your drag slightly, to avoid any mishaps, and then use thumb-force as your drag. Gently reaching the water with the net in your "off" hand, lead the fish to it, and in one motion lift the net around your fish and into the boat. Do this by lifting straight up with the net, as the weight of the fish will fill the net. Use the boat as leverage, to angle the net at an angle that is comfortable.

On the bank, the only difference is that when landing a fish without a net, try to identify your fish before attempting to drag onto a sandy or gravelly riverbank. In general, take your time, as a tired fish is easier to land.

As a final note, bear in mind how important it is to be able to release any fish at any time. Do not over-fight or tire a native fish, and do everything to remove hooks safely and efficiently. Always have pliers handy(back pocket or lanyard), and get fish back to water promptly. To help the fish, gently cradle and sway body in current, letting the water flow through the gills.

Tip #5: Do not litter. And don't argue with me that your cigarette butts are biodegradable paper.

Thanks...




BIG FISH.

I have been steelhead fishing the streams in my Pacific Northwest rainforests for 35 years. In all those years, some where I landed 200 steelhead in a year...5 of those were over 20 pounds. Five...

A few others were close calls. The one at Buck Creek. He just seemed to "spit" my lure into the crisp mountain air. I gasped as I saw the pinkness of the yarn flutter into the gray sky. It seemed in slow motion, and it seemed wrong. There was too much contrast between the pink and that winter gray. After an eternity, I jolted back to a pulse, and reeled in the fishless hook.

The best advice I can give for humongous, line-stripping, steelhead is Tip # 6:

Take it easy. Honestly, just do things slower.

Tip #7: This tip is a reminder of the virtues of skills such as knot tying. Strong knots are essential to steelhead success, and that statement is magnified exponentially in the wake of a big steelhead. Learn many knots and learn them well. A super helpful site is Grog's Knots, and a smart newcomer to fishing will bookmark a site like Grog's.

Steelhead Fishing Tip #8: Sharp hooks might be the most important aspect of successful steelhead fishing. Sharp hooks are sticky, and penetrate deep into the dense, bony jaw of a fish. The key here is two-fold. One, learn and practice the subtle angles of sharpening a hook. And two, use those skills in the field to maintain hook sharpness. Drift fishing sinkers is bound to scuff up hooks, so be prepared to sharpen hooks often.

Tip #9: Drop the pole tip-top, but just slightly. When a fish is transmitting every second-stopping burst, sometimes, after years of experience, a fisherman can "feel" the fish almost telegraph its next move. When these changes in direction and speed occur, the stress on fishing line can be unbearable. That translates into lost fish, and long days...

A way to offset the powerful fish, is to "give a little", and drop the rod just enough to lessen the burst's effect on tensile strength. Raise the pole top back into the air when the powerful burst is over.

We have reached the homestretch, and your steelhead has made the trip home. A few things to consider at this point:

1) Fillet knife is razor sharp.
2) Seasonings are plentiful at home.
3) Zip-lock fish heads for crab bait.

Tip # 10: Enjoy these moments with your kids. Fillet the fish on cardboard in the garage, pointing out organs and such. Show the kids these steelhead traits, and their virtues. The scales that camouflage, the gills that breathe, etc... ENJOY!

        Pointing out hatchery fin clips, learning is cool! Just ask the kids, they like it as much as the river.

What Steven Pinker Can Teach Us About Violence

What Steven Pinker Can Teach Us About Violence

An essay by Ronald Borst

A renowned writer, scholar, and educator- Steven Pinker writes in his book The Better Angels Of Our Nature , Why Violence Has Declined, that “…did you know there were five wars and four atrocities before World War I that killed more people than that war?”(pg. 194)  The statement points to perceptions of violent death, that are inconsistent with reality. Is the reality too brutal? Too vicious to acknowledge? Or are humans comfortable with the reality that violence is an inherent part of us, is it “in our blood”, as the saying goes?

Pinker from the get-go, engages the reader in statistics and shows the perceptions of increasing violence to be somewhat wrong, if not indeed entirely wrong. But Pinker points to something else, a diagram called the "Violence Triangle", and it involves three players. Bystander, aggressor, and victim- entangled in conflict. Unlike the old system of a two-party game(monarchy), we now have leviathan/government mediator. And hence, a controlling sort of entity, that relies on its credibility to keep order.

In this book, Pinker seems to point towards a belief that violence is declining, and that generally will continue to do so. Pinker displays pessimistic and optimistic reviews of futures involving violence, specifically violent death. But what can a super-educated(Pulitzer Prize winning Harvard Professor) guy like Pinker tell the everyday man? How can Pinker continue this message, not to college kids and Kindle freaks, but rather to our children? When does Pinker’s enlightenment explanations become virtues that resonate deep in American fabric?

The idea is to combine the leadership qualities of the charismatic and wise, with the values of enlightenment theory. To adorn government not with power and control, instead set in motion a government keen on robust and healthy citizens as a whole. What Pinker asks the reader to digest, is that the leviathan in general, has to be studied as a random anomaly that produces common conflicts. The question then, is to ask:

What can this book, and the Enlightenment, teach us about conflict. Better yet, what can be done to encourage the theory of less violence, at a younger age? And how can the processes of Pinker’s “decline” in violence, the mechanics of respect and empathy, be a creed of leviathan(government). And be a desire of the people.

On page 207 Pinker talks about the Nazi tactics of militant nationalism, and I find the passage to be a mirror image of America at this moment. Polarized and ready to kill for their beliefs. Pinker goes on to discuss The Great War(I), and its effect on the future. On pages 207-8, the text portrays a world scene where World War II would not have happened. But let’s examine the psychology of the statement “…nobody except Hitler wanted war…”, a summarized quote from historian F. H. Hinsley. Why would so many people follow a man like Hitler? Why would so many follow anyone who preached oppression?

Which leads to questions of the longevity of say women's suffrage or civil rights. Why has it taken so long and not be entirely done progressing to a simple nirvana of understanding? Hitler's theories of elite and race, permeated the American 1960's, and fifty years later, we see racism widespread via social media. Pinker so far has not addressed this(I am not there yet...), but in discussing Hitler, Pinker pointed to critical thinkers as responsible for the world we live in today. I agree.

Rather than discuss statistics like poverty and unemployment, let’s examine the social constructs of the powerful bully. The playground bully, can manipulate friendships, much like, say pro-slavery in 1860. The playground bully can dictate social atmosphere and manipulate advantageously. An older brother or a racist father, could teach a little brother or neighbor to be racist. Or intimidate him into racism. Same with the southerner's neighbor, as the peer pressure of the time could get one killed. This is in essence what society has done to Norbert Elias’(The Civilizing Process) fascinating writings on manners and self control. The commoner has gradually accepted leviathan pressure, and the elite has exploited leviathan by way of force. At a cost to manners.

Pinker stresses that the "Civilizing Process" is generally part of the equation, and that even in times of strife and unbalance(Gold Rush, California), statistics show a dramatic drop in homicide after an initial spike. And that may be the government's ability to govern out west as time went on, so to speak.

The balance of power is essentially what can create the egalitarian ends we seek. Leviathan is needed, of course, but social growth is just as important.

To assault the social pressures of leviathan, Pinker assesses that we do not have enough information(pg. 216), and that is correct, but we do know the power/law distributions are striking in the statistics of violence. And because we know that fact, we can assault the idea of power as a tool of violence, in the world and here in this room.

On page 19, Pinker talks about “loss aversion”, and the relevance to discussions of violence is obvious. Fallacy in America is front page news. It is more than arbitrary rules, the fallacies have become part of our breath. We wake up with it and go to bed with it. In love with a fallacy that gays are contagious, blacks are criminals, global warming is not real, etc…

Pinker mentions the social defense of toughness and “not backing down”, as leading to this sense of purpose or duty. This very fact is what we are here for, this essay, can provide methods and tactics for changing social perceptions about empathy and mutual, unbridled respect.

What Pinker suggests is that we deconstruct our perceptions, and focus on the causes of conflict. Pinker asks a phenomenal question, “What destroys more lives, the large number of small wars, or the small number of large wars?”(pg. 220)  And good points are made, the most discussion-worthy is the influence of power in war and in violence.

What I am getting at here is the propensity for power to be violent in the face of using that power to achieve certain independent goals. The lobby is a good example. In a look at the Grand Old Party’s(GOP) manipulation of public opinion, the show Frontline ran an in-depth look at global warming and the power of money persuasion. The October broadcast is archived at pbs.org, and is eye-opening. And it is another example of "created perceptions" and "bought science", typical of the leviathan in today's America. The show was titled, 'Climate Of Doubt.'

The question we are still asking, whether we can overcome this kind of bought government. And can we do it through education? And can it lead to social constructs being crushed? Which, in my opinion, is what the book is saying to me. Depend on educated and enlightened men to continue to carry that torch, so to speak. Education at the entry level, teaching enlightenment theory, is the key.

The violence that Pinker equates with power, I tend to not ignore here, but rather look at the bully, and the focus is more on the oppressive nature of power. My question, in that respect, is this: Where the current status of our world stands(?), and since violence has come down over long periods of time, but the current conditions we face do not present challenges in a micro sense, even though it would seem so, with all the attention in America about guns, why such violence in the absence of guns? The playground bully used to steal your lunch money, but now kids who have no idea how to take another's lunch money, simply steal guns and kill. The leviathan (bully) has not made it cool to be the bully. No, the bully instead, has made it necessary to use deadly force. And that idea alone has empowered bullies who otherwise would not be so. In that arena, as Pinker has suggested, power has the largest hand in the violence and subsequential death or deaths.

That power and violence, in my opinion, does the bulk of its damage not in deaths such as wars and school shootings. No, it does its most damage to society while socially accepted or misunderstood. Social media has exposed this, in the form of racism, ignorance, and medieval ideals. In the wake of such Twittering nonsense, I would suggest that Pinker take aim on the social non-boundaries of limited critical thought. My reasoning here is this: If society condemns, for example, the atrocities in Syria or police brutality in America, and yet does nothing and acts as if the burden of change falls upon someone else, then somebody like Tim McVeigh has little choice but to act on his convictions. Of course we know that McVeigh's actions are hideous, what I ask is that society understand and accept why he did what he did in Oklahoma City. Empathy, and acknowledging the leviathan "monopoly on death", might be the keys to further advancing The Enlightenment.

Pinker suggests that this fact has always existed, obviously, and that it always will. That a struggle between "interests" will always exist, as will temptations to exploit one's power. And that is also true. Critical thought has escaped far too many, and what education can do, is simply put: enlighten minds. The best way to encourage Pinker's progressive and ambitious predictions, is to educate youth early on. And to hammer those values into the ideology of America.

On page 245, Pinker suggests that certain writers, educators, philanthropists, and business leaders, all had a hand in balancing the attacks on humanity in the early 20^th century, which is exactly my point:

If those educated social leaders, can change the onslaught of Nazi-ish ideology, then so be it that our educated, both elite and common, can instill values in education, that create social change that continues the enlightenment process.

The book by Pinker, is only half read, and that is suspect. I will have to go back and re-read some stuff for clarity. But the idea is to acknowledge the reduction, over long periods of time, of deadly violence. The book so far, tends to focus on death as a result and consequence of violence, and the powerful reasons of violent death, but up to now, has not considered a broader, more open-sourced method to less violence. That may be in part to the focus on death.

My point is education. Social awareness can help, as in the civil rights movement, or gay rights, but until our education process condemns organizations such as the KKK, the future is at risk. Until our educators lead the masses to critical thought, men may have to toil in mediocrity for centuries…

The reasons for this are some that Pinker discusses. In describing the events leading up to World War I, Pinker misses a key point, and that is this: Critical thought happens when men are inspired to improve their surroundings, and most importantly, the surroundings of their fellow men. Rosa Parks knew this, and she felt it. It is easy for us all to talk about justice in men, it is another to practice it. But practice it we must.

The way to enlighten the masses further, and to continue the historical trend of less violence, is to change the way we think and to alter the social environments we teach.

In the end, only education, can change perceptions, and only the educated can change reality.

The Better Angels Of Our Nature by Steven Pinker

Cold

Burr, I thought, wrapping my 30 year old herringbone scarf around the inside of my collar. It was cold out. Downtown Albany was gray, and shivering.

I stopped on the corner of 2^nd & Lyons, reached into my jean pocket, and pulled out a folded in half, five dollar bill. The day was damp, foggy, and below freezing as I approached.

I didn’t read her cardboard hand-scribbled sign. Her blue eyes met mine. They were oddly deep blue, full of life, and below them the weathered, rosy red nosed, chilled face of a woman who looked far too cold and entirely hungry.

I had the five in my hand as I asked, “You eat today?”

“No.”

“You spend this on booze and I’ll never give you money again.”

“I know,” she said.

She was looking right at me, staring into my bearded face, looking for trust. Looking for empathy. 
I handed her the money.

It was cold.

Winter At Downtown Albany

Movie Review: Alfred Hitchcock's "The 39 Steps"

On a below-freezing, misty gray and foggy, Sunday afternoon, I headed out, braving the freezing fog and biting chill. The Pix Theater in downtown Albany Oregon, was featuring "The 39 Steps", an Alfred Hitchcock spy suspense thriller, starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll.

The Pix, often shows vintage films, and the Hitchcock spy flick continues that tradition. Parallel to the Albany Civic Theater's run of the stage production of "The 39 Steps", the film version was the Sunday Matinee.

A few things come to mind in the opening moments of the 1935 film, and it is all Hitchcock. From the angles of the film, to the humor and wit, the realness of the scenes are captivating to the eye. There seems to never be wasted space or dialogue.

As the film begins, the lead, Richard Hannay(Donat) is attending a "spectacle", a live show of the phenomenal Mr. Memory, a man who remembers "...50 facts a day!", and never forgets a single one. Hitchcock's savvy understanding of snappy wit and human preoccupance of tabloid drama, translates into a hilarious scene that goes from the spectacle of phenomenon, into banter of memory questions for Mr. Memory, before ending with arguing, and then fighting, chaos and gunfire.

In the ensuing rush and commotion, Hannay meets the beautiful Annabelle Smith, played coyly by Lucie Mannheim. Annabelle is a spy, and she tells a tale of espionage, deceit, and a pending global secret. In the ensuing scenes she draws Hannay into the fray, by staying in Hannay's apartment, being found, and subsequently murdered.

In his getaway(of course he was the murder suspect), Hannay meets the gorgeous Pamela(Madeleine Carroll) and the course of the motion picture is set: A handsome innocent, a stunning leading lady, spies, and murder...classic film.

But Hitchcock does something more. He moves right along, leaving nothing out, but plenty to decipher and ponder. The scenes are alive and filled with drama, suspense, and laugh-out-loud wit. The theater crowd was in stitches at times.

The effect from how scenes are framed, is intriguing. The perfectly cropped film, and the subtle and often silent picturesque hints of the total scene, bring remarkable clarity to the movie's happenings. In a chase scene, the last thing Hitchcock shows, is the running feet and swaying slacks of the unknown spies that are slowing and then stopping. The chase is over, and the viewer is seeing this in its core essence. Not just bad guys chasing good guys, but the running is over, simplified in the empathy of the scene.

The suspense is constant, as Hannay ducks and dodges trouble, and the surroundings compliment the characters. In a footchase scene aboard a train, humor and suspense are intertwined but not distracting. One never loses the feeling of trying to get away, albeit with funny obstacles that are life-like and relatable. Hitchcock never loses that balance in the film.

The movie progresses freely throughout, moving through a few nicely placed supporting cast, and some wild and gripping suspense. More gunfire, funny speeches, handcuffs, a helpful innkeeper, and Mr. Memory(Wylie Watson) bring this movie to a dangerous, climactic end.

The script is well written and executed. The viewer feels every moment. It is not the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of suspense, instead a humorous and captivating hope, for both leading characters to overcome the spies and the set-up.

The beautiful scenes reach a cinema pinnacle in one of the chase scenes through mountainous terrain. Even in black & white, the vividness of the landscape, stands out and impresses the viewer. A beautiful use of a wide angle, and a mark of Hitchcock's vision in regard to cinema.

Hitchcock, the cinematography, the acting, and the plot- all make for an enjoyable and entertaining film. I would recommend "The 39 Steps" to all. The film is well worth seeing, and if the Pix Theater is showing it, you cannot beat the ambient, vintage atmosphere. It makes one feel as if they are in the era.

 The Pix Theater

The 39 Steps, a film by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the book by John Buchan, and starring Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll. Co-starring Lucie Mannheim, Wylie Watson, John Laurie, Peggy Ashcroft, and Godfrey Tearle. Released in 1935 and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 4 out of 5 stars.

Ten More Tips For A Winter Steelheader (Part 2)

Drift fishing.

Drifting lures. Most steelheaders assume the term "drift fishing" means bouncing a sinker and leader along the river bottom in tune with the river flow. Not so.

Bobber and jig fishing is also drift fishing. albeit on top of the stream. The two methods are similar in the way they are rigged and in the way that they are fished. Let's go see...

Classic drift fishing is what the old timers all did. Cast to "10 o'clock and fish 'til 2." Or from 2 until 10 if the river runs right to left, of course.

Tip # 1:
Monitor line not so much frequently. Constantly. Nicks & Cuts in mainline or leader is simply unacceptable. If your mainline gets scuffed, nicked, cut, or any other imperfection-- retie immediately. Same goes for your leader, and this illustrates the virtues of pre-tying leaders.

 1a. Snell Knot. Thread line through eye of hook.

2a. Loop line and hold. Note both grasps.

3a. Now wrap the Snell 5 or 6 times and cinch tight.

#2:
Leader Keeper, a homemade, handy, super-thrifty, fishing application. And you need leaders, that is definite. I store mine on a homemade 1/2 paper towel roller. I stuffed newspaper inside and used packing taped to seal it. Easily punctured by the hook and stored efficiently.

Homemade Leader Storage

#3:

Sharp Hooks. Sharpening your own hooks is an art. And no matter how time-consuming or difficult and frustrating, hook sharpening has to be learned.  A variety of stones and files are available. Use soft angles and practice until your hook sharpening produces "tack" sharp hooks. A sharp hook, in my opinion, is the most important aspect of catching steelhead. Make them sticky. And keep them sharp on the water. Sharp hooks catch fish, it's that simple.

#4:

Less weight. The most common mistake for most steelheaders, even experienced ones, is bouncing a too heavy sinker along the river bottom. Sinker and leader drift fishing summarized is a "walking speed" drift through the "10 to 2 zone. Keep that drift sinker moving at walking speed or current speed. Less chance to hang it on a rock, and because of the more natural drift, more hook-ups will happen.

Sinker & Leader. The hook is a #2 Gamakatsu Octopus. Bead & Lil' Corky. Notice the smallish size lead.

 The Bobber Stop Knot. The weighted jig gets tied below, and one can always add a split-shot.

The bobber outfit is predetermined to run a particular weight, as is the jig. Learn what and how much weight loads the float correctly. But bobber and bait is similar as well, and rigged exactly like the bottom bouncer, except with a bobber on the mainline w/ a stopper.

#5:

Tight Lines. When casting the sinker, as it hits the water...let it sink for a couple seconds before you engage the bail. Then reel up just enough to tighten the line. Keep that tightness through the drift. When bobber fishing, as soon as the rig hits water, engage the retrieve(bail). keeping the rod tip up high, reel the slack off of the water. Keep the line tight as the jig drifts with the river current. As a note, the bobber should be running vertical, with good structure.

#6:

Crisp & Clean. Keep gear clean and organized. Clean gear has a truckload of good qualities, from catching fish to gear lasting lifetimes. Organize gear into sections. Salmon, Steelhead, Day Gear, Survival/First Aid, etc...I usually load a backpack for a single day of fishing, and I keep the gear organized and clean. The backpack will carry all I need for a whole day, and is easily accessed, and because it is organized- I can find stuff quickly. Always have a towel in your tackle.

#7:

Rig Backward. Huh? When drifting a sinker along the bottom, the common sinker and leader(Corkie), will drift naturally and prevent mainline twist.

Drift-Rig Mainline is tied to the inside barrel end, preventing line twist. (Leader goes on other end of barrel.)

#8:

Set The Hook. Fish ready to set the hook. Pole-tip at 11 o'clock(120 deg. angle), and be prepared. About 15 years ago I purchased a 9 foot very light steelhead pole. One day, on the lower Alsea, after a short 1/2 mile hike, I sat on the grassy, sloping bank, and told my friend Cary where to cast. He had never caught one. After 10 minutes, I made my first cast. Fish On! I set the hook, and as the mint bright hen turned away, I thought...maybe this really light rod didn't bury the hook...I set it again. POW! I snapped her off, and watched as she cart-wheeled down river. The key here is: Set that hook hard, the second a fish is felt. Set it just once.

#9:

Drag. I keep my drag very loose. I use my thumb often, for casting and fighting fish. The most important thing to remember is: Do not put the brakes on. Steelhead will snap line, plain and simple. Rely on the parabolic bend of the pole and the drag system to handle the tension. And to keep the internal washers fresh, back the drag way off during storage. This will help keep the elasticity and friction in the washers, meaning better action throughout the life of the reel. Use your thumb at full power when setting the hook.

#10:

Colors. Sure, some are more desirable. Light pearl pink resembles shrimp and such, and prompts a strike. But generally, if you put the lure between the eyes, the fish will hammer it. Learn the pockets, seams, pools, eddies, tailouts, and runs. Learn habits of fish, where they like to stop and rest, and where they like to move upriver. Color, in my opinion, is more about visibility than what color a fish "likes", and sometimes I fool myself. I fish metallics on sunny days. Bright colors in turbulent and colored water. Dark colors on cloudy days with good streamflow visibility. Etc., etc....

 Me, with a dandy Winter Steelhead. Released.

In the pristine, and drenched winters of Oregon's coastal mountain, me and my dogs hike the meandering, cascading, runoff waters- in search of steelhead. We take pride in our preparation, and in our stamina, as we traverse the mossy, overflowing banks of waters. We also take pride in the beauty. We do not litter.

 Moose & Elka

Please do the same and help us keep Oregon green. THANK YOU FOR NOT LITTERING.