We'll Be Running Around Seattle

• Saturday May 10th
• Tickets $30 Not including match ticket
• Bus leaves PGE Park at 1:00pm
• Returns to Portland directly after match
• E-mail or Paypal Finnegan | finnegantimber@gmail.com

He Came Here From Japan

Japanese World Cup Star Shines In The Rose City

Takayuki Suzuki is already a legend here in the Rose City and he has only played three matches with the Portland Timbers thus far. His strike this past Saturday against the much hated Seattle Sounders was a thing of beauty, as he singlehandedly broke down the Sounders defense. The PTFC (Portland Timbers Football Club) is once again off to a flying start as they have three wins in the first three matches.

Next home match is May 8
vs. Rochester
On Thirsty Thursday (cheap beer night at PGE Park)
Kickoff is at 7:05 | GA tickets are $12

SCUSA Message Board
Timbers Army

Enjoy The Great Outdoors Today

On this date in 1785 naturalist, painter and ornithologist John James Audubon was born. Audubon is know for his paintings and descriptions of North American birds. He was born in Saint Domingue, now known as Haiti. He died in Manhattan, NY on January 27, 1851 at the age of 65.

The National Audubon Society was named in his honor in 1905. Its mission "is to converse and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity".

Sludge: Keep Off The Lawn

All I can say is, unreal and more than disturbing.

"Lawmakers and the NAACP are calling for an investigation into reports that federally funded scientific experiments in 2000 spread sewage sludge on yards in poor black neighborhoods to test if it could fight lead poisoning in children. The Associated Press reported Sunday that researchers spread a mix of human and industrial wastes from sewage treatment plants on the lawns of nine low-income families in Baltimore and a vacant lot next to an elementary school in East St. Louis, Illinois."
-Democracy Now!

• NAACP Wants Investigation
• Sludge Tested As Lead-Poisoning Fix
• Senate Plans Hearing On Sludge

Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day has always held a special place in my life, as my father, now a retired Biologist was involved in the very first Earthday events, thirty eight years ago. As the story goes my father was sent back to Washington D.C. earlier in the year to be educated on the message of Earth Day and its hopeful future. For the actual events of the day my father gave various lectures at High Schools around the Portland, metro area. But on this particular day my father had more than just a clean earth on his mind.

During each break and after each lecture my father would call my mother, because she was about to give birth to, well me. As my mother recalls she said that day was a bit crazy as my dad was zooming around Portland giving talks on the Earth and she was at home wondering just when that decisive moment would be. Luckily I was born four days later on the 26th. (when things were not so busy for the two of them. hehe)

Looking back now it is amazing how Earth Day has become a great worldwide event that brings awareness and real environmental issues into a mainstream consciousness. Even looking back just twenty years ago environmental issues were not something that people tended to talk about in great detail. I think Earth Day, both its hype and its events has become a catalyst for the environmental movement....So Happy Earth Day everyone!

FACT: My mother sometimes makes a cake that looks like an earth on Earth Day.

• Earth Day
• Portland, OR Recycling Services
• Recycling Database (Clothes)
• Clean Water Action
• Portland Biking

Reading Is Cool

Like normal I find myself reading more than one book at a time. Right now I'm bouncing back and forth between "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future" by Bill McKibben and "A Gradual Awakening" by Stephen Levine.

Both books have been inspiring in very different ways as "Deep Economy" is a reality check on the past, present and future in regards to peek oil, global warming and global interdependences and "A Gradual Awakening" is a book of meditation and Buddhism.

I would highly recommend both books, but maybe not read at the same time like I have done. (ha!) Here are some other book and spoken word things that I suggest you check out:

• The Nerd Is The Word (Blog)
• Wordsy (Blog & Podcast)
• Fiction Lounge (Blog & Podcast)
• The Short Story

What should I read next?

Futbol, Rose City Style

Thursday the 17th of April
Kickoff is at 7:00PM
@ PGE Park
Portland Timbers v Puerto Rico

It’s not only the opening night for the Timbers, but also a Thirsty Thursday (cheap beer in the stadium), and Timber Jim’s last night as the best working mascot ever! Let’s make this night for him one to remember.

Pre-match as always is at the Bitter End Pub (happy hour starts @ 4:20pm) or the Bullpen Tavern, post match is at the Bullpen Tavern.

As always, check Talk Timbers for up to the minute information on the team and other activities that may happen.

There are some folks selling bus tickets for the Seattle Trip, (May 10th) so jump on and get your tickets to head to Shittle! (always good fun)

Olympic Torch(er)

As we approach the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China has been thrust into the global spotlight. Their iron-fisted policy's in regards to Tibet and the manner in which the recent protests and the riots that followed have drawn much criticism world-wide. Many politicians are calling for a boycott of the Olympic Games opening ceremony's, in hopes that it will achieve a resolution to the current situation.

I have to agree that something needs to happen to change the situation in Tibet and China in general. So what would a boycott of the opening ceremony's really accomplish?

My thoughts on this are that right now world governments, human rights groups and activists must seize (and have) the moment to send a message to the Chinese government. Currently all eyes and cameras are on China and to me it looks as if the Chinese government is uncomfortable with that. For so long the power brokers of the world have looked away as China has gone on to crackdown on it's own citizens by limiting freedom of the press and outlawing democratic movements. Because we have looked away for so long they are now finally being exposed for the things that they have always done but now are uneasy about the exposure and criticism that they are being subject to.

It is interesting because the Olympics traditionally has been a time when humanity can at least for a moment put politics aside and celebrate different cultures through the commonality of athletics. Well now we have all seen in the media that the host country, the very country that was chosen to be the platform for this celebration goes against the very principals of the Olympics, by cracking down in Tibet. Right now China is threatening Tibetan culture.

At the end of March Buddhist monks took to the streets of Lhasa to mark the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against Chinese rule. When they did this the Chinese government sent in soldiers and an outbreak of violence occurred. At first the government denied this but later it was reveled that the Chinese soldiers killed eighty to one hundred Tibetan marchers.

All of this should not be surprising as many voices around the world questioned the original idea of awarding China the Olympics in the first place. Now we hear that athletes, journalists and attendees have all be warned not to make any sort of political statement(s) during the games.

To me, if this is the case I say boycott the opening ceremony's, it will be one more message that the world can send to the Chinese government and one more reason for them to be uncomfortable.

About time I say.

Pleased to Meet Me

As many of you know I'm currently a student at a local college here in Portland. My major is Digital Photography and the actual program of study is called Integrated Media. This term in addition to my photography classes I have Web Design II and ART279 (this class revolves around a group of three people working on a as of yet to be named digital media project).

All of this leads me up to some interesting things that have been going on in these classes that I would like to share. In Web Design our class is being taught by one of the founders of Sparkplug. They are a web design company that uses "behavioral science" to find out just what sort of web site would be best for both the company and the potential web surfer / consumer.

Well so far in this class I have confirmed what I already knew about myself but I find it interesting none-the-less.

• I'm right brained.
• I'm a ISFP

(Introverted Feeling with Extraverted Sensing)

The most important thing to ISFPs is feeling peaceful and harmonious with the people and places that matter most to them. (YEP)

Ok, so now your wondering or just want to confirm what "personality type" you are?

Well go take this quick five question test and get your own results. Let me know how it turns out for yourself, the analysis is surprisingly accurate.

TEST

WTSS RadioMux #1 (April 2008)

Muxtape.com is a new site (started by a Portlander who now lives in NYC). The site hosts up to 12 songs from your computer to create a "mix" tape to share with others.

I have made a Muxtape for this blog.

You can find it at:

http://wtss.muxtape.com/

Once on the site you can add the link to your RSS feeds by clicking the RSS logo at the top right corner of the screen.

At the beginning of each month I will be releasing a new WTSS RadioMux with 11 songs that I have been digging. I will also put links to the MP3 downloads if I can recall where they are located.

WTSS RadioMux #1 (37:58) Set List

1. Intro
2. Deer Tick - "Art Isn't Real (City Of Sin)"
3. Too $hort & MC Zumbi of Zion-I - "Nudez"
4. Let's Wrestle - "I Won't Lie To You"
5. Queers - "Houston We Have A Problem"
6. A.M. Architect - "Unspoken"
7. Dax Riggs - "Radiation Blues"
8. Cloud Control - "Into The Line"
9. Johnny Foreigner - "Champagne Girls I Have Known"
10. Jah Sun - "Right To Live"
11. Alex & Sam - "By Your Side"
12. Tristan Prettyman - "Guest Check"

Portland Mercury: "Our Town Could Be Your Life" Muxtape

Self-Peace

The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.

(Atisha - 11th century Tibetan Buddhist master)

Music, Music, Music (MP3)

One of the things that I pride myself on is keeping a diverse and more or less obscure music library (that rocks!). I have always done this through the years staring with my record collection and recently advancing into the MP3 digital realm.

I often hear people say that music recorded and released these days sucks and so do all the bands. Well in my mind these so called critics just don't know where to look, because nearly everyday I come across a band or song that sticks in my head.

The songs, bands & styles of music that I enjoy vary depending on a whole list of things (weather, mood, seasons, relationships, you name it). Below is a small list of some tunes that I have been digging on lately.

• Nick Andre & E Da Boss "Left Side of the Brain"
• Alex & Sam "Buy Your Side"
• Farryl Purkiss "Times Like These"
• Jah Sun "Right to Live"
• Amplive's Radiohead In Rainbows remix project

If you look at the WTSS sidebar and locate the "Music" section you will find some of my favorite MP3 sites as well as some worth while music Podcasts that I subscribe to and you may want to also check out.

Enjoy & if you know of any other useful MP3 blogs or music related sites let me know. Thanks!

Road Trippin'

So, spring break has just ended and the puddles of winter are starting to dry up, now what? Summer Road Trips! This time of the year is great for reflecting back, but also it causes me to think about the upcoming summer months. No summer is complete IMO without a few road trips, on top of many camping and hiking adventures that the warm weather always inspires me to take.

Thinking about road trips makes me reminisce about my adventures on the would famous Green Tortoise. Several years back on three separate occasions I took the Green Tortoise from Portland, OR to San Francisco, CA. These trips were always super fun for me, as I would go solo and just take in all the craziness that a ride on "The Tortoise" has to offer.

Things that make for a great Green Tortoise ride:

• Drivers that will go to out of the way places to pickup & drop off passengers.
• Everyone helping out with cooking (dinners/breakfast).
• Hot springs at Cow Creek!
• All the funny, strange & cool people at the back of the bus.
  
• Safety breaks every two hours at some remote rest stop.
  
• The bus seats turn into bunk beds!
• Wondering if the Green Tortoise is actually going to make it without breaking down!

It's also fun to note that a former house mate of mine went on the Baja Beach Daze Trip and ended up being voted "Miss. Margarita" by her fellow adventurers. (hehe)

Any cool plans for the summer?

ALSO: Two of my photos are featured right now on the MHCC Integrated Media website. Check it out!