Old news/March 2011

=== Thursday | March 31, 2011 ===
Today Is Portland General Strike Day
From strike page:"Right now across the country there are numerous assistance programs being cut, womens rights are being attacked on all fronts, and were still funding two wars in the middle east. I don't think this reflects the view of the people and certainly not the people or Portland. A nationwide general strike has been called. This event ought to serve as a vehicle to spread the word send it to everyone you know and tell them to do the same."
* Go to story: Portland General Strike
* Go to event & fan pages: Portland General Strike March 31st (event page) | Portland General Strike March 31st (fan page)
* Go to national strike page: A call for a Nationwide General Strike!!
* Go to timeliness: day late, dollar short
=== Wednesday | March 30, 2011 ===
[[File:The-mezz-logo.png|thumb|Portland WikiWednesday happens this evening at The MEZZ inside Whole Foods Market in Portland's Pearl District]]
Come Hang With Portland's Wiki Geeks
Local MediaWiki & Wikipedia Discussion Groups!
Portland is the "birthplace of wiki"...
...and boasts quite a few wiki enthusiasts, many of whom are regular Wikipedia contributors and/or admins.
Because of such heritage, Portland now boasts a local Wikipedia / MediaWiki meetup page:
Wikipedia:Meetup/Portland
Hooray!
Hope to see you this evening!
* What: Portland WikiWednesday
* Where: The MEZZ Espresso Bar
* Address: Portland's Pearl District: NW 12th Avenue & West Burnside Street
* Day: Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
* Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.
:Go to story: Portland WikiWednesday -- Come hang with Portland's wiki geeks.
:Go to Wikipedia meetup page: Wikipedia Meetup, Portland
=== Tuesday | March 29, 2011 ===
Oregon push to legalize selling marijuana to adults over 21 begins
Yesterday, state approval was given to begin collecting signatures to put "OCTA 2012" ("Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012") on the ballot, which would regulate the legal sale of marijuana to adults through state-licensed stores, allow adults to grow their own, license Oregon farmers to grow marijuana for state-licensed stores, and allow unlicensed Oregon farmers to grow cannabis hemp for fuel, fiber and food." Organizers of the campaign started work immediately, canvassing for the 90,000 signatures they will need to put OCTA 2012 on the ballot. According to the organizers, OCTA 2012 would raise $140 million for Oregon a year in taxes from commercial cannabis sales, and save an estimated $61.5 million from law enforcement, corrections, and the justice system. Campaigners hope that Oregon's looming massive budget cuts and economic woes will provide the impetus for Oregon to become the first state to legalize cannabis outside of a medical marijuana context.
* Go to story: Push to sell marijuana in Oregon kicks off
* Go to story: Could Oregon be First to End Cannabis Prohibition? 'OCTA 2012' is Approved for Signatures
* Go to website: Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012
=== Monday | March 28, 2011 ===
thumb|PortlandWiki Monday MeetsTonight at Powell's Books: Building 2
Come Hang With Local Civic Wiki Geeks
Tonight's Discussion: User Interface!
:How can PortlandWiki present a more inviting user interface?
And: Wiki blogs!
* What: PortlandWiki Monday Meets
* Where: Powell's Technical Books
* Address: 40 NW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
: Corner of NW 10th Avenue & NW Couch Street. (This is Powell's Tech's new location.)
: (OpenStreetMap, Google Map)
* Day: This evening! Monday, March 28th, 2011
* Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
:Go to meetup page: Monday Meets
:Go to event calendar: PortlandWiki Monday Meets -- Come Hang With Local CivicWiki Geeks
=== Sunday | March 27, 2011 ===
Stand with Japan Vigil
Nuclear power has not treated the Japanese people kindly. First, the power of exploding nuclear bombs, dropped from U.S. warplanes, killed hundreds of thousands of Japan's people towards the end of World War Two. Then, earlier this month, Japanese people got another bitter taste of nuclear catastrophe as an ongoing series of massive reactor failures began plaguing the Fukushima nuclear power plants in the wake of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. On Monday, March 28th, you have an opportunity to Stand with Japan and show your empathy for and solidarity with the people there.
* What: Stand with Japan Vigil
* Where: Terry Schrunk Plaza
* Address: Downtown Portland: Between SW 3rd & 4th Avenues and SW Madison & Jefferson Streets | Portland, OR 97204
* Day: Monday, March 28th, 2011
* Time: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
:Go to event RSVP page: Vigil for the people of Japan
=== Saturday | March 26, 2011 ===
Lost Izzy Puts Pet Owners in a Tizzy
Izzy's been mizzin' since March 15! If you happen to spot a black and white tuxedo boy cat, the owner would love to hear back from you. Please find Izzy. It's been 11 days... :'-(
:Go to story: Find Izzy
=== Friday | March 25, 2011 ===
You're Sixteen. You're Beautiful. And You're Ours.You're Sixteen
When the World Wide Web's creator unveiled the world's first Web site on Hiroshima Day (August 6th) 1991, the browser for this marvelous "new Gutenberg" also functioned as a Web editor. Tim Berners-Lee intended that people contribute content to the Web, not merely consume it.Why You Don't Surf The 'Mesh' -- Web's Inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, Is Spilling The Details Of Its Creation But "free market" forces--with its legions of dull, consumption-addled consumer militias functioning as its loyal enforcers--had other plans. They quickly kicked aside the "write" portion of the read-write Web. In the blink of a million glazed-over eyeballs Berners-Lee's invention, running atop the Internet's narrowband pipes, began choking on a wretched bile of pernicious porn, fly-by-night shopping malls, malicious malware, spying webbots, deranged script kiddies and oily cyberhucksters selling Internet bubbles. By March 25, 1995 Portlandian codegeek Ward Cunningham had had enough, and came to the rescue by putting the "write" back into the read-write Web. Cunningham unveiled the world's first wiki.WikiWikiWeb, the first wikiWiki History Today that wiki turns sweet sixteen.Wiki Birthday In these bleak times--as multinational media conglomerates and their corrupt political operatives work feverishly to stuff the Internet and its World Wide Web into a pay-to-surf cesspoolNet Neutrality 101--Wiki's sweet sixteen birthday gives the read-write world something to genuinely celebrate.
:Go to story: Happy Birthday - the Wiki Celebrates its Sweet 16
:Go to rockstar: Wiki, the Continuing & Original Web Rockstar
:Go to history: Wiki History
:Go to birthday: Wiki Birthday
=== Thursday | March 24, 2011 ===
Palomar natural gas pipeline proposal withdrawn
Citing recession-caused lack of demand, NW Natural has withdrawn its controversial proposal for the Palomar pipeline, a natural gas pipeline that would have cut through federally protected and environmentally sensitive Mt. Hood lands and destroyed the livelihoods of farmers and other landowners. However, NW Natural says they plan on resuming their lobbying, with perhaps a different route through the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, when demand increases. Local environmentalist organization Bark has promised to "not stand by... even if they reroute their pipe through the Warm Springs Reservation."
* Go to story: Palomar gas partners pull the plug on controversial pipeline proposal
* Go to story: Sustainable Business Oregon: Palomar natural gas pipeline shelved
=== Wednesday | March 23, 2011 ===
[[File:The-mezz-logo.png|thumb|Portland WikiWednesday happens this evening at The MEZZ inside Whole Foods Market in Portland's Pearl District]]
Come Hang With Portland's Wiki Geeks
Local MediaWiki & Wikipedia Discussion Groups, Anyone?
Portland is the "birthplace of wiki"...
...and boasts quite a few wiki enthusiasts, many of whom are regular Wikipedia contributors and/or admins.
Despite such heritage, Portland has yet to establish a local Wikipedia meetup
About time we do? Hope to see you this evening!
* What: Portland WikiWednesday
* Where: The MEZZ Espresso Bar
* Address: Portland's Pearl District: NW 12th Avenue & West Burnside Street
* Day: Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
* Time: 6:30-9:00 p.m.
:Go to story: Portland WikiWednesday -- Come hang with Portland's wiki geeks.
:Go to Wikipedia meetup page: Wikipedia Meetup, Portland
=== Tuesday | March 22, 2011 ===
Amtrak lines that serve Portland increasingly offer free wifi
One more advantage to passenger rail service, that oft-overlooked (in the US) dinosaur, is falling into place. Amtrak, the long-ailing, government-supported corporation providing domestic intercity passenger rail service, is rolling out free wifi on most of its lines. Already trips from its Cascades line (serving Vancouver (Canada), Seattle, Portland, and Eugene, with other stops on the way) are fully blanketed from front to back by the soothing, low-level radiation of wireless internet. The Coast Starlight line, which continues south all the way to Los Angeles, is also beginning to offer wifi service, albeit only in its freely available "Parlour Car" for now. For travelers used to paying for wifi on airlines or "lucking out" with a "free" wifi promotion bundled with the Google Chrome browser or other marketing ploy, traveling with free, no-conditions wifi is a distinct advantage. Add that to passenger trains' spacious legroom, cheaper price, better environmental impact, beautiful views, greater actual security without the "airport security" gauntlet (no clothesless, skinless ogling, surly gropefests, public luggage-pawing, or, for those that happen to share a name with someone on the no fly list, being ushered into a room for, if one is lucky, only a strip search and lengthy detainment). The only catch: it's slower. High-speed rail, anyone?
:Go to article: Touching the third rail
=== Monday | March 21, 2011 ===
Come Hang With Local Civic Wiki Geeks
Tonight's Discussion: User Interface!
:How can PortlandWiki present a more inviting user interface?
And: Rehearse sampling of community-approved hijinks and practical jokes in anticipation of upcoming April Fools Day. Come enjoy some friendly discussion! We usually have a good time. Hope to see you this evening!
* What: PortlandWiki Monday Meets
* Where: Powell's Technical Books
* Address: 40 NW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209
: Corner of NW 10th Avenue & NW Couch Street. (This is Powell's Tech's new location.)
: (OpenStreetMap, Google Map)
* Day: This evening! Monday, March 21st, 2011
* Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
:Go to meetup page: Monday Meets
:Go to event calendar: PortlandWiki Monday Meets -- Come Hang With Local CivicWiki Geeks
=== Sunday | March 20, 2011 ===
Bradley Manning Freedom Rally
And direct action event.
Army Private First Class Bradley Manning is a genuine American hero. He is the presumed whistleblower who provided documented evidence of serious war crimes and other abuses perpetrated by U.S. military and non-military forces operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Those crimes and abuses included those documented in a video showing U.S. helicopter gunship troops slaughtering close to a dozen Iraqi civilian non-combatants.Collateral Murder Manning, 23, has endured nearly 300 days of solitary confinement under conditions described as "torture."Why is the United States torturing Private Manning? Tomorrow you are invited to join Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Code Pink Portland, the Surge Protection Brigade and others calling for the government to "Arrest the Real Criminals, Free Bradley Manning!" The rally includes a short march to the site of a direct action to raise awareness and support for Manning.
* What: Bradley Manning Freedom Rally
* Where: Director Park
* Address: Downtown Portland: 815 SW Park Avenue (between SW Yamhill & SW Taylor Streets), Portland, Oregon
* Day: Monday, March 21st, 2011
* Time: 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
:Go to event RSVP page: Bradley Manning Freedom Rally
:Go to story: Private Manning and Abu Ghraib Tactics
:Go to story: Bradley Manning Is Stripped At Night And Made To Stand Naked By His Cell: Tortured For His Own Good
=== Saturday | March 19, 2011 ===
Today's Antiwar Rally: The Egyptian People Set The Example
Cairo's Tahrir Square2011 Egyptian revolution is the current model for pushing back oppressive regimes. Can we make Pioneer Courthouse Square the same?
* What: Antiwar Rally & March
* Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square
* Address: Downtown Portland: 715 SW Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97205
* Day: TODAY! Saturday, March 19th, 2011
* Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
:Go to story: Rally For Peace
=== Friday | March 18, 2011 ===
thumb|The food coloring gives it an extra kick, you say? How about a head-on collision? Photo by Jonathunder.
St Patrick's Portland legacy: 16 drunk driving arrests
Sixteen drunk celebrators were arrested for driving last night, according to Oregon State Police. While the arrests were three fewer than last year, any of the sixteen could have found their green beer-lubricated partying suddenly cut short by a fatal accident. Designating a driver, taking a bus or the MAX, or calling a taxi are options that still remain ignored by some reckless individuals that would rather risk taking the lives of innocent bystanders than shell out a few bucks or endure the inconvenience of waiting a few minutes for a bus or taxi. Fortunately, there were no fatal accidents last night, but next year the "Luck of the Irish" may run out.
:Go to story: On St. Patrick's Day, 16 drink, drive and get arrested
=== Thursday | March 17, 2011 ===
Small Potatoes
Ah, the luck of the Irish!6 Reasons the Irish Aren't So Lucky Whether it's boatloads of unruly Vikings storming the Celtic Isle to enslave its "blooming, lively women" and carry them off to parts unknown "over the broad green sea,"Ancient Celtic Warriors: Vikings and Irish at War or planeloads of rapacious neoliberal plunderers swarming in to loot the entire economy,Ireland: Neoliberalism a total failure it's the Irish people who're always caught one leaf short of a four leaf clover. But today is Saint Patty's Day! It's OK to drown your sorrows in ale and dance and cheer. And thank ol' St. Patty that you're (for now) spared the luck of the Japanese.
:Go to story: St. Patrick Catholic Church.
=== Wednesday | March 16, 2011 ===
Bleached Bones And Jumbled Residues
The nature of the most dangerous cults is that "they are led by unstable, power-wielding authoritarians who believe they alone know the true answers and can change the fate of the world."The power of persuasion: 900 deaths left an unforgettable legacy Shortly after the Dear Leader Dear Leader's Faith In Deceit steps into the "emotional abyss," the people follow. Whether the cult leader is a charlatan preacher promising a "socialist paradise,"Jim Jones: Jonestown's formation and operation or a b-grade movie actor cum U.S. PresidentRonald Reagan: From Actor to President announcing "morning in America,"Morning in America the delusional fantasy always ends badly. The people become upset, and the poison Kool-Aid is dispensed.Drinking the Kool-Aid Absurd economic dogmasIn The Land Of The Magic Asterisk, crafted by the most mendacious and powermad among us, are enforced. Wars without end are launched. A torture regime is set in motion.Private Manning and Abu Ghraib Tactics Economic war is declared on working people.The real Republican strategy: The anti-union push in Wisconsin is part of a broader national effort by the GOP Fortunately you're invited to cheer up and bring all that gloomy madness to a screeching halt with a lazy Saturday afternoon march and rally this weekend!
* What: Antiwar Rally & March
* Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square
* Address: Downtown Portland: 715 SW Morrison Street, Portland, OR 97205-3103
* Day: Saturday, March 19th, 2011
* Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
:Go to story: Rally For Peace
=== Tuesday | March 15, 2011 ===
April Fools: Metro invites the public to climate summit on April 1, but makes attendance inconvenient
Metro, the Oregon agency that supports the Oregon parts of the Portland Metro Area, is hosting a climate summit on April 1 that is free and open to the public. The event is intended to bring together local planners, elected officials, and the public to discuss climate strategies. However, scheduled at 8am-12pm on a Friday, and with an unnecessary but required registration, very few interested citizens will likely be able to peek their heads inside. The stated goal to "Learn about public attitudes about climate change" seems insincere when, as usual, convenience for public attendance is either ignored or intentionally discouraged.
:Go to story: Metro hosts Climate Summit
:Calendar page with details and registration (required, though free): Calendar
=== Monday | March 14, 2011 ===
More LogosDefend the (American) Dream logos.: Desperately Clinging To The "American Dream"
These days lots of hands are wrung over the notion of the demise of the American "middle class" and accompanying disappearance of the fabled "American Dream."The crisis of middle-class America Fretting gets evermore earnest as the Great Recession continues to plague most Americans, even as rapacious profiteering by Wall Street's casino operators and corporate chieftains becomes evermore blatant and obscene. But dreams of maintaining lifestyles propped up by massive energy consumption,Interactive United States Energy Use ComparisonsEnergy use per capita: Primary energy use (before transformation to other end-use fuels) in kilograms of oil equivalent, per capita. corporate owned media-induced hallucinations and vacuous consumerism have profound consequences. Among them: endless resource wars, catastrophic ecological collapse, nuclear reactor meltdowns, and widespread ignorance of how and why such havoc persists. If we hope to continue living on this planet, has the time come for an alternate American Dream to emerge? One that doesn't require industrial war mongers and criminal casino operators? One that the whole world can admire? One that is more fulfilling and results in happier people?
Still wanna try and salvage the "American Dream"? Go at it:
: Save the American Dream!Defend the Dream Action
* Tuesday, March 15, 2011 - 5:30 p.m.
* Terry Schrunk Plaza, SW 3rd & Madison
* 1200 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204
:Go to rally page: Defend the Dream Action
:Go to story: American Dream
=== Sunday | March 13, 2011 ===
"A Swirl Of Agencies" Manage To Cooperate
Despite a "hardware glitch" preventing Curry County from using its reverse 9-1-1 system to notify residents, and sirens in Tillamook County that didn't activate, "a swirl of agencies" managed to cooperate anyhow, "ensuring that thousands were evacuated to higher ground." There were no major accidents and no visible panic as improvised warnings were sent out by email, text and Twitter messages. Gov. John Kitzhaber thought "the response of the local folks was really quite remarkable." On the flip side, no massive quake had just severely damaged or completely destroyed emergency response infrastructure, as had just happened in Japan.
:Go to story: Tsunami triggered by Japan quake tests Oregon's emergency relief, showing need for education, communication
=== Saturday | March 12, 2011 ===
Cascadia Rising! Or Maybe Sliding, Shaking Or Falling...
Japan's unfolding tragedy of a massive earthquake, immediately followed by a devastating tsunami, catastrophic nuclear power plant breakdown, and the quake's major aftershocks is a wake-up call for the Pacific Northwest. Does "the big one" lurk just around Cascadia's corner?
:Go to story: Japan tsunami a wake-up call for US west coast: Japan’s earthquake and tsunami is alerting the US west coast that the same kind of thing could happen there. Experts who study the earth’s shifting crust say the “big one” may be past due.
=== Friday | March 11, 2011 ===
Big In Japan; Small In Oregon; Minuscule Along The Willamette
An "extraordinary powerful earthquake" struck a wide area of northeastern and eastern Japan including Tokyo on Friday at 2:46 p.m. local (Japan) time. At an estimated magnitude of 8.8 to 8.9, the massive quake "the biggest quake to hit Japan since officials began keeping records in the late 1800s."Situation Report: Disaster in Japan The quake triggered "dozens of fires and a massive tsunami that swept away houses and cars...."At least 59 dead, numerous others missing, injured after quake Estimates of the number of people killed during the quake and subsequent tsunami had already reached 1000 as PortlandWikiNews went to "press".At least 1,000 dead in Japan The first waves from the subsequent tsunami caused by earthquake reached the Oregon coast at Port Orford, Oregon "around 7:30 a.m. PST Friday" according to Geophysicist Gerard Fryer at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu.First U.S. Mainland Tsunami Waves Hit Oregon Coast Gov. John Kitzhaber issued a statement urging "all Oregonians along the coast to heed tsunami alarms and follow instructions from public safety officials about heading to higher ground."Tsunami warnings on US west coast has Oregon residents moving inland Waves the size of a small ripple are expected to reach the banks of the Willamette River in Central Portland.
:Go to story: Tsunami Swamps Hawaii Beaches, Brushes West Coast
=== Thursday | March 10, 2011 ===
National & international media continues breathless praise/stereotyping of Portland
While satirical TV show Portlandia still loudly echoes through the streets of Portland, national (and international) media attention to Portland's "quirky" culture continues to grow. Nearly all coverage of PDX praises and/or ridicules Portland as a haven for progressives, artists, foodies, hipsters, hippies, punks, and sex workers. Today's scrap of moderately accurate out-of-towner commentary comes from the UK's The Guardian, praising Portland's food scene.
:Go to story: Top 10 places to eat in Portland, Oregon.
=== Wednesday | March 9, 2011 ===
Walls Of Pride
After gentrification managed to dislodge residents from whole Portland neighborhoods largely to make way for affluent newcomers, the city launched a "Restorative Listening Project" it said was "based on the principles of Restorative Justice which says that only when those most impacted are heard, acknowledged and efforts have been made to repair the harm can the community be made whole again."Restorative Listening Project - Gentrification Some of the gentrified folks, like Norma Trimble, weren't terribly impressed. "That's been our history. They take all you've got. They take your land. Now they want your stories," she observed.Tensions of gentrification lead a U.S. city to dialogue Now Portlandians can "celebrate" some of that lost history with the release of Walls of Pride: A Tour of African American Public Art. "Walls of Pride provides a self-guided tour to 20 of the city's African American public artworks through color photos, a detailed map, mural descriptions and artist bios." The event includes brief talks and two short movies: a 16mm documentary on the Albina Mural Project and a piece on the history of In Other Words Bookstore. Refreshments will be provided by E’Njoni Ethiopian Cafe.
* What: Walls Of Pride Book Release
* Where: In Other Words | Portland's Feminist Bookstore and Resource Center
* Address: 14 Northeast Killingsworth Street, Portland, OR 97211-2624, (503) 232-6003
* Bus: N Killingsworth & Williams
* Day: Sunday, March 13th 2011
* Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm
:Go to story: Walls of Pride Book Release
=== Tuesday | March 8, 2011 ===
Trimet ticket dispensers treated as ashtrays
Beginning in January, dozens of Trimet's transit ticket vending machines have been taken offline due to a vandal or vandals stuffing the bill intake slot with cigarette butts. Trimet officials have yet to identify the culprit(s), despite heavy video surveillance.
:Go to article: Cigarette-butt bandit crashing TriMet fare machines, officials say
=== Tuesday | March 8 & 1/2, 2011 ===
thumb|Young women choreographers (and one boy) gather to anxiously anticipate International Women's Day on a makeshift dance floor at the Multnomah Athletic Club at the conclusion of this year's [http://www.themac.com/default.aspx?p=.net_calendar&view=l1&qfilter=,&day=3/6/2011 Young Choreographers Competition].
Young Choreographers Compete In Lead-Up To International Women's Day 2011
On Sunday March 6th, dance students were invited to participate in a "unique opportunity to showcase their own choreography in a safe and supportive environment" in the lead-up to International Women's Day (internationally celebrated today, Tuesday March 8 & 1/2).Celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day Each student's work was "adjudicated by dance professionals." Before sentencing was announced "choreographers receive(d) personal feedback from the judges." Exactly one third of the three judges were woman, in deference to International Women's Day. The private club with a dysfunctional web siteYou Must Login to View this Page. charged each young choreographer "only $25.00 to enter," warning that "space is limited." Performers from Groove Nation, Northwest Academy, Studio One Dance Academy, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Columbia Dance and Multnomah Athletic Club competed choreographically with one another. Parents, even International Women parents, were charged $4 to observe the choreographical competition, although grudging allowances were made for cashless parents. Even cashless Domesticated Men parents.
:Go to story: Young Choreographers Competition
=== Monday | March 7, 2011 ===
Carefully Crafted Wealthfare For The FewNancy Price: End ‘wealthfare' system by asking more of rich; Totally Botched "Health Care" For All
It's not entirely unreasonable to suspect that the primary purpose of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)H.R.3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more widely known by its "Obamacare" pejorative Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was to construct a piece of legislation designed to fail on every legitimate front. This same legislative travesty, however, succeeded brilliantly in key areas--providing opportunities for increased profiteering by private "health care providers," pharmaceutical companies, insurance corporations and so on. It also handed an even bigger gift to the multinational corporations not able to cash in as a direct result of its passage (major resource extractors, Wall Street casino operators, etc.) by giving them all the ammunition they could hope for to further befuddle an already terribly confused and horrifyingly ignorant public. Thus a Tea Party is born. Wall Street's major criminals get off scot-free for their part in unleashing a catastrophic global financial meltdown. Ultra-right Republicans take over Congress, despite having so totally disgraced themselves a short while earlier. And this list can just go on and on.
But not everyone stands idly, merely wringing helpless hands. The Oregon Single Payer Campaign is sponsoring a Legislative Action Day "to support HB 3510 & SB 888, Oregon's Single Payer Health Care Bills." Here's the lowdown:
: Legislative Action Day
* Friday, March 11, 2011
* To support HB 3510 & SB 888, Oregon’s Single Payer Health Care Bills
* State Capitol, Salem
:Go to info page: Oregon Single Payer Campaign
:Go to resource page: Oregon Single Payer Campaign Resources
:Go to story: Progressive Models For Health Care Exchanges Emerge
=== Sunday | March 6, 2011 ===
Barnraising Party: No Instant Barns, But Lots Of Interesting Discussion, Ideas, Fun!
Sudden illness forced our keynote speaker to drop out at the last moment. Several core PortlandWiki contributors also couldn't make it for similar reasons. And we didn't exactly "raise barns" (make a bunch of immediate improvements to PortlandWiki)...yet. Despite the hiccups, PortlandWiki's Barnraising party was a success. Among many highlights, a few truly stand out: wiki cupcakes!, Street Roots contributing vendor, Sam Al-Jondi (lots of great insights, enthusiasm and a firm grasp of PortlandWiki's potential), out-of-towner Brian Kerr's presentation on what makes ArborWiki so successful. And most of all, the generosity of PortlandWiki volunteers for making getting this party started, and for the wonderful folks who came and celebrated with us. Thank you! Also a special shout out to Schmizza Pub & Grub on 21st Avenue for generously providing pizza to hungry Barnraisers. Show some appreciation and go hit the "like" button on their Facebook page.
:Go to story: PortlandWiki Barnraising / Post Event
=== Saturday | March 5, 2011 ===
Today Is PortlandWiki's Barnraising Party Day!
Today we celebrate PortlandWiki's first ever Barnraising Party! What's a Barnraising party? It's where neighbors come together to build something that benefits the entire community. For PortlandWiki, that means building a more useful, informative and fun city wiki for Portland!
Here's the details:
PortlandWiki Barnraising Event
PortlandWiki's Barnraising event is where you help decide which improvements to PortlandWiki are most important, and then help make them.
Participants will enjoy an afternoon of vibrant, real-time collaboration. Share your Portland knowledge and help make PortlandWiki a world-class city wiki. Why would we expect anything less than a world-class wiki from the "birthplace of wikis"?
PortlandWiki's Barnraising event is FREE and open to the entire Portland community. Refreshments and "unique" swag will be happily provided at no cost.
* Where: Portland Central Library at 801 S.W. 10th Avenue, downtown Portland.
* When: TODAY! Saturday March 5, 2pm - 5pm.
* Room: Central's U.S. Bank Room, near main entrance on right as you enter the building.
:Go to press release: PortlandWiki:Barnraising/PR
:Go to event page: PortlandWiki:Barnraising
=== Friday | March 4, 2011 ===
Friends & Neighbors
Good news! You have an opportunity to attend a workshop that promises to show you how to "make friends of your neighbor." At the workshop, you can "learn tools and strategies for building positive relationships with your neighbors and community."
* When: Wednesday, March 23rd
* Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
* Where: Friendly House, 1737 NW 26th Avenue, Portland, OR 97210
:Go to story: Great Community Building Free Workshop!
=== Thursday | March 3, 2011 ===
From The "Whole Animal Experts"
Did you know that "Porchetta, the unofficial darling of the Portland foodie crowd, is a traditional Italian preparation"? Or that "you can find porchetta sandwich interpretations at food carts (Lardo, The People’s Pig), or you can learn to prepare it on your own"? Or that porchetta is "the entire body of a pig, deboned, carefully taken apart and stuffed (herbs, meat, fat, vegetables), then put back together in its original shape and roasted on a spit"? Well, neither did PortlandWikiNews, until just now! Whew. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.
:Go to story: Mindful Meat: How to Use Every Juicy Morsel, From Nose-to-Tail
=== Wednesday | March 2, 2011 ===
You're Invited To PortlandWiki's Barnraising Party This Saturday!
"The wiki has left the barn!" Rather, PortlandWiki has no barn. But that's all gonna change this Saturday at PortlandWiki's first ever Barnraising Party! What's a Barnraising party? It's where neighbors come together to build something that benefits the entire community. In our case, that something is a better, usefuller and funner city wiki for Portland! (And maybe some remedial English tutorials aimed at preventing PortlandWikiNews contributors from using words like "usefuller" and "funner.")
Here's the lowdown:
PortlandWiki Barnraising Event
PortlandWiki's Barnraising event is where you help decide which improvements to PortlandWiki are most important, and then help make them.
Attendees will enjoy an afternoon of vibrant, real-time collaboration. Share your Portland knowledge and help make PortlandWiki a world-class city wiki. Why would we expect anything less than a world-class wiki from the "birthplace of wikis"?
PortlandWiki's Barnraising event is FREE and open to the entire Portland community. Refreshments and "unique" swag will be happily provided at no cost.
* Where: Portland Central Library at 801 S.W. 10th Avenue, downtown Portland.
* When: Saturday March 5, 2pm - 5pm.
* Room: Central's U.S. Bank Room, near main entrance on right as you enter the building.
:Go to press release: PortlandWiki:Barnraising/PR
:Go to event page: PortlandWiki:Barnraising
=== Tuesday | March 1, 2011 ===
Reed College tries to shut down copycat scam website
Reed College, the prestigious liberal arts college in inner Southeast, is attempting to battle a scam website that duplicated theirs in its entire look and content, other than the name: "University of Redwood". The clone site's game seems to be to scam prospective students in China out of application fees. Reed discovered the site in October, but is still trying to put it out of business. Reed was able to temporarily get the site shut down, but its host, GoDaddy, let it back up after an inquiry. In the meantime, Reed has been forced to quickly redesign their own online portal.
Reed College: "Reed College was founded in 1908, and its first classes were held in 1911. Reed is named for Oregon pioneers Simeon and Amanda Reed. Simeon Reed had been an entrepreneur..."
"Redwood College": "University of Redwood was founded in 1908 and was operational in 1911. Redwood is named after the Oregon pioneers Simeon and Amanda Redwood. Simon Redwood had been an entrepreneur."
:Go to story: Scammers 'steal' university website
:Go to story: Reed College website cloned by scammers in China
:Go to story: Reed College Targeted by Clone Website Scam
== References ==
Category:Old news