MURMURS

[April 20th, 2005] * Last week's Murmur reporting that Jefferson Smith was engaged in a "stealth exploratory campaign" for governor prompted his fellow activists at the Oregon Bus Project to jump into the blogosphere, specifically Blueoregon.com, to say it wasn't so. Well, some people had been left with that "I'm running" feeling after talking to him (and Smith didn't deny it in his own blog response last week). In any case, Smith says he's not entertaining the idea now. Nor, says Smith, can he recall ever doing anything to make people think otherwise, calling the idea "ridiculous." He thinks the buzz originated from a fervent supporter who wants him to run.

* Smith isn't the only one wading in political waters. A dozen or so insiders have been called together for a lunch May 9 to plot strategy for Portland Development Commission chairman Matt Hennessee. "Matt's thinking he might want to run for public office..." began the email sent to a crew that actually included Smith. Politicos have encouraged Hennessee, the CEO of the Lake Oswego logistics firm Quiktrak, to consider challenging Congressman David Wu or County Chair Diane Linn, but his only decision so far: He won't run against City Commissioner Dan Saltzman.

* A new plot twist in the Burnside Bridgehead development. In the wrangling over who should build the five-block, quarter-billion-dollar project, African-American community leaders took the mic recently at the PDC to oppose Beam Development 's plan, which enjoys support from Central Eastside neighbors and artsy lefties. But Beam would require more public money than rival Opus Northwest , which got a rhetorical boost from Skanner publisher Bernie Foster and three other prominent black Northeast Portlanders. "Where is the outrage when public subsidies are being considered for rich, largely white, developers?" demanded Chad Debnam . PDC will announce the winning developer on April 27.

* Stuck in a job you hate? Well, there's a Portland business for you-and, now it's going to have its own show! Brian Kurth set up Vocation Vacations about a year ago to offer work sabbaticals, and the idea has taken off. Basically, you pay people in your dream career-a country-music star, a doggie-daycare owner-to let you shadow them, like your own mini-reality TV show. Now it will be a reality TV show: Kurth and his company refused to comment, but little birds say they have a deal with Discovery Communications Inc., owner of the Travel, Discovery and Learning channels. They're already working on a pilot, and a series could appear in a year. For now, check out www.vocationvacations.com.

* Portland lefties love to hate Lars Larson-and the latest rumor to hit the de facto Larsonwatch grapevine is that he hasn't been paying his taxes. Is it true? Well, he has been paying-just not on time. Multnomah County property records show late payments-with penalties-in 1998, 2001 and 2003 on a since-sold custom-built houseboat. "I don't mind making late payments," Larson told WW, saying critics should use "legitimate" issues to take him on. "It's nobody's business but my own."

* Parlez-vous podcasting? Yet another way to express one's innermost thoughts with the Internet's help, a podcast is essentially a radio show (usually homemade) designed for download to an iPod or other portable MP3 player. The phenom should get a prominent local showcase this summer. The Podcast Hotel and Videoblog Festival looks to turn East Burnside hipster vortex the Jupiter Hotel into a studio/workshop/convention for new online media, July 15-17, with an aim to attract between 100 and 300 local and out-of-town podlings.