CHINA BLOG: LiftoffBy Sam Adams
5:54 am, Thursday, September 4, 2008 I watch the sun coming over the Cascades as it reflects off the planes lifting off on the main runway. I am sitting just inside the security checkpoint next to Coffee People near the E Concourse at the Portland International Airport. I am waiting for the 7:39 am departure of my United Flight #372 to San Francisco than on to Beijing. This is a great airport. "For the second straight year, Conde Nast Traveler magazine has named Portland International Airport the best U.S. airport for business travelers." Kudos go to Portland Executive Director Bill Wyatt and his team, along with the Port of Portland Board appointed by Governor Ted Kulongowski. I have learned it is hard work to keep this place moving. About 14,654,222 travelers used Portland International Airport in 2007. In 2006, I spent a day working at the airport at various jobs including information booth agent, departure drop-off traffic control "officer" and jet way gate guide. From my "behind the curtain experience" I learned that Portland International Airport terminal is really more like a big machine than a building. Feed by motor vehicles, light rail and airplanes it is a constant flow of people and parcels on jet ways, moving sidewalks and conveyer belts. As a busy airport, the Portland International Airport has to constantly work to minimize the impacts of its operations on the Portland and Vancouver neighborhoods that surround it. The Portland International Airport is in the midst of a 10-year master planning process called Airport Futures. At the outset of the process, most stakeholders assumed it would be a bloodbath of intractable and competing agendas: airport neighbors that are feed up with noise verses businesses that reply of trade and passenger connections provided by the airport. But led by Bill Sokol Blosser, a diverse citizen steering committee is actually working very smoothly. The airport master plan is schedule to come before the Portland City Council for final consideration in 2010. The Portland area is the third most trade dependent region per capita in the U.S. So the Portland International Airport along with our marine port and truck and rail infrastructure and communications connections will figure prominently into our to-be-developed trade export strategy; a key reason why I am embarked on this trip -- more on that later... A woman in uniform at the next table just recognized me and told me she voted for me and that I had better do a good job. I told I intend to work hard at it. She teases me for wearing my pajamas to the airport (I'm dressed in sweats). She tells me she is a mother of five elementary school age children. She works for a Transportation Security Agency screener. She says she would rather be a full-time mom but she needs the healthcare insurance that come with working for the TSA for her family. Her husband lost his airport ground crew job in another city when his airline employer contracted out his company job. Her husband now does the same work as before but working for an outside contactor in Portland and no family healthcare insurance benefits. Her mother baby-sits the kids for free and that makes the household budget balance but she says, "just barely."Â With a, "good luck sleeping on the plane" she goes back to work. Me, armed with a large Coffee People triple latte and three newspapers, I'm off to find gate E3 to SFA and then on to China... Posted Thu, 09/04/2008 - 9:03am.
[[ Categories: Jobs & Economy ]]
Thanks for comment...Submitted by Sam Adams on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 1:37am.
...initially, I see lots of opportunities but I have much more to learn. Sam » reply
on the public dime?Submitted by Another Round the World trip? on Fri, 09/05/2008 - 4:23pm.
Why is Sam going to China? He's the mayor elect in Portland, not Beijing. He wrote an entire blog post that told us who and where, but not when (how long is the trip), and why he's going there. Is this a personal vacation, or an official City of Portland paid trip. When you offer so little detail you invite speculation. The State Department is still responsible for foreign relations, the Commerce Department is responsible for foreign trade. I imagine the State of Oregon even has an international trade liasion and/or representative. If this is an official trip, what does he hope to accomplish, who is he meeting with, and how can we measure his success? Just because we call it the People's Republic of Portland doesn't Sam's engaging in person to person diplomatic relations with the Communist Government, right? » reply
Keeping Potter's tradition aliveSubmitted by Steve on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 7:55am.
Sam feels safer overseas than here since we have impassable roads with potholes and the Sellwood is about to collapse. Besides he might spend another 2 weeks on the taxpayer dime to discover, gee, you can rent bikes. Moreover, once he can find something to distract your average Portland voter with, they won't see the stuff that counts like bad roads and high water/sewer fees and lousy schools. Make sense now? » reply
A boondoggle you can believe in!Submitted by Mister Tee on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 8:22am.
I'll be happy if he can recruit one decent Chinese restaurant to open in Portland: it's been tough sledding since Uncle Chen's closed down (shot by a jealous husband, sadly). I don't know what else he hopes to accomplish. Or maybe he's trying to convince them to start buying Portland's bonds? Lord knows there's going to be a lot of those in Sam's future. » reply
Portlander Hater AlertSubmitted by Ted J. on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 4:23pm.
Steve, You always try and pass yourself off as this average small business voter type when in reality you are from the right wing of the non-Portland Republican party who has opposed almost everything that Portland is now lauded for. Your auto-oriented, pro-sprawl at all-cost approach is bankrupt. You are quick to blog these kind of rhetorical snide warped personal attacks on Democrats and Portlanders. Sam is out trying to promote Portland and Portland businesses (paid for by NLC as I understand it) in China and all you can do is throw juvenile spitballs. Yes, you have made yourself clear. TJ » reply
RE: Keeping Potter's tradition aliveSubmitted by nico on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 1:18pm.
Maybe Steve should get out of North America/Europe and see that almost every other country in the world has much more deplorable roads than we do. When i was in China i saw, on more than one occasion, cars stuck in potholes bigger than the car. Never saw that on the streets of Portland... » reply
Good to knowSubmitted by Steve on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 8:25pm.
Maybe we can change our slogan to "At least were not China" I am waiting with bated breath on what specific things will arise that will foster exports since I believe that is important, if not beyond the scope of a city commissioner, though. » reply
Maybe you should pick up a newspaper...Submitted by Ted J. on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 4:26pm.
...or read further down the page of this website. » reply
Sam's China TripSubmitted by Shannon Thompson on Tue, 09/09/2008 - 10:12am.
Kudos to Sam this trip is being paid by the NLC so those who are worried about it don't. The way we learn to improve our own communities is to listen, and to look at things that have made other communities better, no better place at this time to go then to China their growth has been extraordinary and they have had some great successes. Sam will bring back with him all the ideas and thoughts needed to help build even a better Portland. It is when we close our eye to other we do not see what we need for ourselves. Be very careful when you wear a blindfold you tend to fall down. » reply
EncouragementSubmitted by Sam Adams on Wed, 09/10/2008 - 1:39am.
Shannon, thanks for the encouragement. Sam » reply
Numara taşınabilirliği,Submitted by Numara taşınabilirliği on Mon, 09/29/2008 - 12:52am.
Numara taşınabilirliÄŸi, cep telefonu kullanıcılarının mevcut numaralarını aynen koruyarak hizmet aldıkları operatörü özgürce deÄŸiÅŸtirebilmeleridir. Bu ÅŸekilde kullanıcılar operatörünü deÄŸiÅŸtirdiklerinde kullandıkları numara 11 hane olarak bütünüyle aynı kalacağından, o döneme kadar kendilerine mevcut numaralarından ulaÅŸmış olan kiÅŸiler aynı ÅŸekilde ulaÅŸmaya devam edebileceklerdir.Numara taşıma Böylece kullanıcılar operatörlerini deÄŸiÅŸtirdiklerinde kendilerine ulaÅŸmalarını istedikleri kiÅŸilere yeni bir numaralarını bildirmek durumunda kalmayacaklardır. » reply
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China and Portland
Commissioner Adams,
In the 1980's Portland built a strong relationship with Japan. That effort, including school language programs, business exchanges, tourism and strong cultural ties on an individual level has served the City well, continues and will continue to do so.
We can do the same with China. A city-community partnership must include all of the above, as well as business investment from China in Portland.
I look forward to a mayor's China cabinet, results driven and sustainable for a many year effort, bearing great benefits for Portland families, their children and grandchildren.
From a state funding perspective, Portland should be the China focus, including for important agricultural export activities statewide. Portland State and our private universities can cooperate with our K-12 schools too. Students statewide can participate over our telecommunication networks. At the federal level, we need to engage our delegation on results oriented projects connecting Portland and China.
Thanks!