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News

Friday | March 25, 2011

You're Sixteen. You're Beautiful. And You're Ours.^[1]
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.^[2] 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.^[3]^[4] Today that wiki turns sweet sixteen.^[5] In these bleak times--as multinational media conglomerates, their corrupt political operatives, and a shadowy netherworld loyal only to the Dark Lord work feverishly to stuff the Internet and its World Wide Web into a pay-to-surf cesspool^[6]--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Palomar natural gas pipeline proposal withdrawn
Citing recession-caused lack of demand, NW Natural has withdrawn its controversial proposal for the Palomar pipeline, a natural gas pipeline that would have cut through federally protected and environmentally sensitive Mt.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

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.^[7] Manning, 23, has endured nearly 300 days of solitary confinement under conditions described as "torture."^[8] 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 Square^[9] 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

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References

[1] You're Sixteen

[2] Why You Don't Surf The 'Mesh' -- Web's Inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, Is Spilling The Details Of Its Creation

[3] WikiWikiWeb, the first wiki

[4] Wiki History

[5] Wiki Birthday

[6] Net Neutrality 101

[7] Collateral Murder

[8] Why is the United States torturing Private Manning?

[9] 2011 Egyptian revolution

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