Notes

  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : Function ereg() is deprecated in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/file.inc on line 646.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.
  • : preg_replace(): The /e modifier is deprecated, use preg_replace_callback instead in /home2/melancon/public_html/includes/unicode.inc on line 311.

Drupal community philosophies and the revolution

[Originally to Andrea]

Here's a good article about the Drupal developer community, hints at why this life of web development is about more than just code and cash:

http://www.lullabot.com/articles/drupal-community-philosophies

I would add that making open source free software is a truly radical act economically. While ideas are not property (whatever capitalist governments may try to enforce) ideas do work as capital in the economic sense. Intellectual efforts embedded in things, including software, are an increasing proportion of total assets.

How to make your speech better than the previous speaker's

I want to follow someone's speech by saying "I agree with everything she said. Now let's eat."

Preferably at an event where I'm the keynote.

Or, more nerdly, put a graphic up and explain that it provides a diff of where I agree and disagree with the previous speaker.

Know what friends and guests can eat

track dietary restrictions and share with friends
share safe ingredients

feedafriend.com already registered

feedafriend.net available!
feedafriend.info available!

Alternative Suggestions [too funny!]

eatacompanion.com available!
eatacompanion.net available!
eatacompanion.org available!
eatacompanion.info available!
eatafriend.com available!
eatafriend.net available!
eatafriend.org available!
eatafriend.info available!

Wait, what?

drewish_: seen webchick
[12:28am] Druplicon: webchick was last seen in #drupal 6 hours 2 min ago saying 'not here.'.

A better way to promote awesome work

Kara
I need to start making calls to convince people to do an email blast for one of our stories

Benjamin Melançon
oof

People Who Give a Damn / VisionsUnite will provide a better way to do that sort of promotion... not a replacement for working the phones though

Kara
hmmm
such as...

Benjamin Melançon
well by having e-mail blast lists that aren't controlled by an individual or group

Kara
hmm

Benjamin Melançon

Vafa's jambalaya recipe

Slightly spicy as prepared and very good.

2 bay leaves
2 roma tomatoes
an 8 ounce package of
an entire yellow onion
a zucchini
celery
kidney beans
basmanti rice
soy chorizo

And throw in your selection of spices:
parsley
red pepper
jamaican spice
turmeric
thyme

On being able to get what you want

Manda: You can get whatever you want, you just have to set out to do it and start taking the small steps.

Rich: Some things are realistically out of reach. (Being a race car driver; drive in video games instead.)

Manda: You could still go work in a garage [etc.]
May find on the path another path that is what you really want.

Me: There should be more basic societal supports for everyone – raising children and making a living should not be completely all-consuming.

Kathleen's Excellent Eggplant Pasta Sauce

First, make the garlic oil a few days in advance. Halve cloves of a head of garlic and put in a 25 or so fluid ounce bottle of olive oil.

One 28 oz can of tomato crushed (or diced or puree), one whole tomato, three tomato sauces. (All 28 ounce cans.)

Spices first. Oregano, basil, paprika. And I also threw in a bay leaf. Use sugar like a spice.

Cut up green peppers in about quarter to half-inch, put directly in.

You have to sauté the mushrooms first.

the mushrooms shrink, get brown

eggplant breaks down and it becomes a tomato eggplant sauce.

You use a ton of oil.

Falafel recipe, baked

Falafel recipe, baked. From a 1994 e-mail posted to fatfree.com and introduced as

Here is the recipe, adapted from Moosewood Cookbook (sans the oil and frying).

I know I made this before, way back. I think this was the recipe I used. Anyway, I definitely did falafel without having to submerge them entirely in oil and it came out quite good. This is being posted again in anticipation of maybe making falafel tomorrow (er, today).

4 cups cooked chick peas (Garbanzo Beans) Canned okay (2 cans)
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsm turmeric

Collaboration and No Ownership without a Free-for-all

Hi Megan, hi Anjali,

> letting it go into a free for all will hinder the ability to really
> search for what you're looking for and to keep the information readable
> and accessible.

Which is why the main technical innovation I see for the project is democratically moderated communication - a process where discussions can be filtered for relevance without appointed moderators.

People Who Give a Damn, purpose restated:
http://mlncn.com/node/744

Everyone's Voices Nobody's Noise proposal:

Broccoli and potatoes so what shall we do? Basil sun-dried tomato walnut pesto!

Pasta with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
potatoes and pasta vegan recipe

See also:
http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/the-gluten-free-vegan-roasted-rosemary-swe...

Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes and Broccoli
This recipe serves: 4
Ingredients
2-3 bunches of small basil leaves, about 2 cups tightly packed
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup pecorino cheese or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1/4 cup fruity, extra virgin olive oil or as needed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Names I've Been Called

We'll go with alphabetical order:
[Assorted expletives.]
Ben
Benjamin Gi
Benjamin Melangon
Benjamin x [from domain hoarders that snagged pwgd]
Ben(ny)jamin
Benny Mo
Bon
Jamin
Carbone
Getaway, Getaway Driver [yes, ironically]
Melançon
Melankon
Mother Sparrow

Taxes on wealth for all, not just the middle class

my submission to http://change.gov open for questions (their round 2 which seems in part an attempt to keep questions about ending marijuana and other drug prohibition out of the top 5).

US-funded joint police-military ops attack Mexican students

Abuse of poor rural students advocating for better funding of teaching schools and widespread human rights violations in marginalized but organized neighborhoods mark Mexican government's so-called anti-drug operations. Meanwhile, violence associated with the illegalized drug trade also increases.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/kristin-bricker/2008/12/michoa...

PWGD needs

To be posted as some kind of sub-project element on PWGD.org, which will launch initially with one project: itself.

lowest cost fiscal sponsorship possible

  • assuming it has to fit in our mission? although it does say,

VisionsUnite functionality: I might go to X event ... anyone else?

PWGD / VisionsUnite feature idea: ability to post things to your calendar, shared with your friends (or specific friends) as "I'm interested in maybe going to this, especially if other people are also"

For example, I would post this in that way:

Struggle in Lavender and Red!
Harvey Milk, the Coors Boycott, and the Stonewall Rebellion
QUEERS FIGHTING BACK AGAINST THE RIGHT WING - 1969 to the present
an LGBT history slideshow/video documentary

Saturday, Jan. 3rd - 7:00 pm
The Action Center
284 Amory St. (The Brewery), Jamaica Plain

VisionsUnite

Visions Unite... with People Who Give a Damn?

on having an office manager / personal assistant

Eliana urges that it is necessary to have:

limited responsibilities
*3 month plan, action plan, maybe 6 months*

Running a nonprofit project right- Spot.us transparency

Model for PWGD both in transparency and in running a website and software development project.

http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2008/12/end-of-the-year-radical-transp.html

Zachariah, super dog

Zack was found in the garbage piles in Franklin Park– under four months old.

So a half-year older than me.

That was my dog, or much more to the point, I was his human, the closest one to his age in the family he took care of. Lived to 16 years old.