brewhaha

Via the Portland Mercury's blog, I discovered that the Portland Bus Project/Portland Mercury's Debate Club has been renamed Brewhaha in a nod to Eugene's version of the monthly political slam at downtown restaurants and bars.

I mostly need to note this because:

1) I came up with the name Brewhaha when we sat down to plan our own version of Debate Club (yes, my pride is spilling out my sleeve all over the table, knocking over your drinks). Thinking Debate Club was painfully dull (and evoked an image of geeky high schoolers meeting behind the gymnasium bleachers to compare notes), we set out to find a unique moniker (and apparently Portland liked it so much they now use it). Others were considered, including (if I remember correctly): Beer Talk, Foaming at the Mouth, Sexy Time, Talk to the Hand, Hot Seat, Eugene Area Singles Social Club ... but my memory is sorta sketchy.

2) Other than reporting on last month's Brewhaha from the shadows and live-blogging the inaugural slam, I've been pretty much absent from this event. I apologize, Bus Project peeps!!! You work so hard and all the Weekly does is promote with ads/posters and make feeble suggestions. I'll try to get my act together and become more involved as we enter the precarious election months of August, September and October.

3) Speaking of promo, there's another Brewhaha next week and it returns to its original venue: Davis' Restaurant. Here's all the deets:

We're here, we're queer, we drink beer.

The Bus Project’s monthly Brewhaha political debate in cahoots with Eugene Weekly is happening from 6 to 8 pm Wednesday, Nov. 28 at Davis’ Restaurant on Broadway downtown.

Last month we debated the pros and cons of ballot measures, and this month we’re looking at “What the (Bleep) Happens Next with Our Downtown?”

The list of speakers is still being finalized, but regardless it promises to be a lively discussion, looking at both lofty visions and practical possibilities.

Tonight (Tuesday) the City Council is meeting with developers to talk about various options now that the big project is off the table. So Wednesday’s Brewhaha should be a good opportunity to get up to speed on “what the (bleep) happens next.”

So here’s the Weekly’s first attempt at live-blogging. New Media! Wow! Ain’t it super?! Please excuse my scatterbrained manner.

Estimated: 60-80 in attendance at the start. Many people turned away for lack of space (don't worry, we're searching for a larger venue for our next Brewhaha!). UPDATE: The official numbers were 97 people attended (or at least signed-in) with approximately 20 people turned away at the door.
Yummy appetizers in the back.
Water available. Brews in people's hands.
Beautiful.

View the long summary after the jump.

Check back later tonight or tomorrow morning for a recap of all the action. Game on!