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Monday | December 13, 2010

Green Consumerism: Let Us Count The Logic Flaws
It's no secret that ever since we humans domesticated ourselves (organizing ourselves into "civilizations," for instance), we've embarked on a one-way trip to self-extinction. This is made most obvious, perhaps, by the clever little gadgets we invent: nuclear weapons, automobiles, robotic warfare, "free market" economics, frankenfoods,^[1] Nazi gas chambers and many, many others. But sometimes it's the mundane "little things" like "green consumerism," as TreeHugger.com points out, that makes our sad fate most obvious. Happy holidays.

Go to story: 5 Green Things We Really Need More Of

Sunday | December 12, 2010

More Wall Street Bonus Equivalents Diverted To Oregon Mortgage Payment Assistance Program
As reported by PortlandWikiNewsLeaks last Friday, the Oregon Mortgage Payment Assistance Program has cleverly found a way to divert cash payout equivalents normally reserved for the filthy rich to aid struggling Oregon mortgage defraudees. According to Jolynne Ash at www.portlandmyway.com, "Oregon has $220 million dollars to assist homeowners facing foreclosure with making their monthly payments. Qualifying applicants will be chosen at random and may receive mortgage payment assistance of up to $20,000. Applications will only be accepted between December 10 and January 14, 2011 so act now and spread the word." If the figure of $220 million in available assistance is accurate (up from $100 million, as reported on Friday), the number of Wall Street Bonus Equivalents (WSBE) available to assist struggling victims of Wall Street's mortgage fraud has risen from 1 to 2 & 1/5 (assuming an average $100 million bonus for each Wall Street derivatives trader).

Go to stories:

Go to help page: Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative

Saturday | December 11, 2010

Imagine A Whole Lot More
Portland City Commissioner, Nick Fish muses that "you may have noticed an undeveloped wedge of land between I-84 and I-205. Instead, imagine an oasis of greenery, trails, and recreation activities." But why stop imagining there? After all, didn't Barney the Purple Dinosaur urge folks to "use your imaginations"? Imagine replacing the ugly and dangerous I-84 and I-205 highways with delightful light rail trains and bike paths filled with joyous bicyclists. Imagine all that yukky edge city, suburban and exurban sprawl morphing into healthy, sustainable ecovillages. Imagine there's no hell below us; above us only sky. And can you imagine all the people sharing all the world? Or "someday" when the world will "live as one"?

Go to story: Gateway Green milestone

Go to purple dinosaur: Barney & Friends

Go to lyrics: Imagine's Lyrics written by John Lennon

Friday | December 10, 2010

TOTAL SHOCKER!! One Wall Street Bonus Check Diverted To Bail Out 5000 Delinquent Oregon Mortgage Defraudees!
What will that unfortunate derivatives trader tell his or her family? What if your $100 million bonus check was suddenly snatched away from you just before Christmas and you were forced to make ends meet on nothing but your utterly inadequate seven figure salary!?! Can't those shiftless Oregon deadbeats just cower graciously in a tent city, abandoned sports stadium or squalid homeless shelter and stop grasping so greedily for the hard-earned gratuities that Wall Street traders, corporate executives and other captains of "free enterprise" so richly deserve?

Go to story: Oregon to Launch $100 Million Mortgage Assistance Initiative

Go to help page: Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative

Go to homeless shelter: Oregon Homeless Shelters: "With the recession in Oregon, many of these shelters now have waiting lists. Many waiting lists are very long."

Thursday | December 9, 2010

Interview: Public Servant & Bike Pusher
Elizabeth Trinh first became a part of the Holiday Bike Drive when she began signing up participants at the Housing Authority of Portland. Now she volunteers for the Community Cycling Center's Holiday Bike Drive, and translates bicycle safety materials into Vietnamese. Her efforts "have greatly enhanced" the organization's "ability to reach more families more effectively."

Go to story: Holiday Bike Drive Stories: Elizabeth Trinh, Community Partner and Volunteer Translator

Wednesday | December 8, 2010

Carefully Crafted Jobs Program For Imprisoned Spies Squashed By Authorities
Nathan Nicholson, the son of the highest ranking CIA officer ever to be sentenced for espionage, just wanted to help his imprisoned father reestablish his spying career. "Daddy spy"--Harold James "Jim" Nicholson--is currently serving a 283-month (23-year) sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Sheridan, Oregon after pleading guilty in 1997 to spying for Russia. The younger Nicholson--who pleaded guilty last year to helping his father restart his spying career--was sentenced Tuesday to probation and community service "for continuing his jailed father's espionage activities."
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Tuesday | December 7, 2010

Brain meltdowns. Courtesy the cell tower near you?

Will Cell Phone Microwaves Really Fry Your Brain?
Find out for yourself. You can participate in a cell tower follow-up meeting today:

Tuesday, December 7th from 7 to 8 at SE Uplift.

Location: 3534 SE Main St. (SE Main Street, between SE 35th Avenue & SE 36th Avenue), Portland, OR 97214.

This meeting will focus on getting organized and creating working groups around the many issues facing us when cell towers are placed in neighborhoods.