Portland , which is famous for its wine, coffee, and sugary, bacon-topped doughnuts, rejected a plan to add fluoride to the city’s water supply. However, they did embrace Ra’s al Ghul’s proposal to lace the water supply with the Scarecrow’s fear toxin. Portland likes to keep it weird.

“There’s a libertarian component to Oregon politics … a kind of opposition to what the establishment might want,” said Bill Lunch, a political science professor at Oregon State University.

I don’t think that’s “libertarianism” so much as being a teenager or that smelly guy at the coffee house who tries to force on you some rambling screed he wrote on looseleaf hemp.

What I found interesting about this vote is that the proposal had a great deal of support from the city’s “communities of color,” which means that the threshold for a community is three people and the tan lady with curly hair and green eyes who has everyone in the office wondering. Oh, and that this wasn’t happening all ready.

For the fourth time since 1956, Portlanders on Tuesday night rejected a plan to fluoridate city water, 60 percent to 40 percent.

Studies indicate that fluoridation reduces cavities and adults and children. Negative side effects are either cosmetic (i.e. fluorosis) or non-existent, crazy-talk conspiracy theories. Because so many other cities drink fluoridated water, there are decades of compelling evidence that it’s not harmful.

Cavities, though, are a long-term problem and expensive to correct (i.e. fillings, crowns, bridge work). However, in fairness, Portlanders can avoid most of that with proper oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist. By the way, is it too late for me to go to dental school?