Friday Links on Tuesday. Because I Can

But first a pic of the cutest puppy ever! For more information click here!

Well folks I've been excited to share these links with y'all so here goes.

• Have a story to tell? DIY Stories happens once a month in various places around Portland. You don't have to be a professional storyteller. In fact sometimes the best stories come from folks who are nervous to share a story in front of a group for the first time. This next DIY Stories happens February 13th at the Urban Grind coffee shop (2214 NE Oregon). It takes place at 8pm.


• Do you have goals? Of course we all do but what a website that can actually help you along with them? 43 Things has become a site I constantly visit. Unlike the sites myspace & even face book, 43 Things has all the e-communal feeling without the need to impress or play any games. Folks share a diverse range of goals from knitting a scarf to not burning themselves or thinking about suicide. And the really fun thing is you can not only share & set goals but cheer other peoples goals. It's a love fest with no pomp. Here's my goals so far on 43 Things.


• So whats the deal with our U.S. economy? Are we heading for or already in a recession? Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickle & Dimed has written a great article called Recession - Who Cares? Here's an excerpt.

"I suspect that America’s fabulous growth in productivity is another illustration of the disconnect between economic measures and human experience. It’s been attributed to better education and technological advances, which would be nice to believe in. But a revealing 2001 study by McKinsey also credited America’s productivity growth to “managerial innovations” and cited Wal-Mart as a model performer, meaning that we are also looking at fiendish schemes to extract more work for less pay. Yes, you can generate more output per apparent hour of work by falsifying time records, speeding up assembly lines, doubling workloads, and cutting back on breaks. Productivity may look good from the top, but at the middle and the bottom it can feel a lot like pain."

Yes Babs it does feel like pain!

• Last link is about tomorrow. The rally to Defend Equality takes place at the Terry Shruck Plaza. Go to SW 3rd and Madison in downtown Portland at 5:30pm. My partner & I will be among many who are standing up to prejudice within the system. Please come Join us! More info at BRO (Basic Rights Oregon).

I'll try to get some pics up from the rally Thursday. Peace!