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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 8, 2004)
TIME TO FLUSH OUT THE ADMINISTRATION Three weeks ago David Oaks, executive director of the international human rights sup- port coalition MindFreedom (www.mindfree- dom.org), found the electronic mailing lists the organization uses to communicate with members were not functioning. “We have a lot of lists,” says Oaks, “including the Human Rights Alert, which connects more than 13,000 people around the world by e-mail.” The problem was with a hard drive crash at Eugene Free Network, MindFreedom’s ISP. This crash affected not only MindFreedom, but other nonprofit organizations in Eugene. Oaks was concerned about the crash, but even more troubled that EFN had “no backup, no redundancy, whatsoever.” “Those lists,” says Oaks, “represent hun- dreds of hours of work.” Oaks was told by EFN Technical Manager Mike Jackson that nothing could be done to retrieve the informa- tion short of compiling what Oaks calls “Frankenstein-ed lists” from recent mailings. Jackson says the crash occurred because of a “hardware failure.” On top of this, he ex- plains, EFN is still working to change over to a new Internet access company from their for- mer provider, Rio, whose failed services for EFN resulted in problems with e-mail and Internet access. EFN is mired in a game of catch-up, where, says Jackson, “We’re strug- gling now just to meet the needs of our paid services — dial-up, DSL and e-mail.” Paul Harrison of EFN’s board of directors says EFN is “in a tight financial situation,” and that the organization is “looking at all pos- sibilities.” He had no comment on whether those possibilities included selling the organi- zation, saying only, “We’re going to be sure to protect the interest of our customers to the best extent we can.” For Oaks, further discussion with EFN staff revealed that the mailing lists could be accessed from the crashed hard drive through a data retrieval process. Problem, says Jackson, is the costs start at about $600 climb- ing to as much as $2,000. Says Oaks, “I’m sure that if we got a cou- ple of nonprofits together, people would be willing to pitch in to help with the cost.” Oaks feels like this may be part of the problem: EFN is not tapping into community feedback and support in this time of struggle. “How about some face to face meetings, getting commu- nity people together to talk?” asks Oaks. “I am concerned about what’s going on at EFN/OPN. I respect this difficult time. … Maybe it’s time to turn to the community.” Oaks was able to speak one-on-one with Harrison, and was assured that EFN was “not kaput.” They also discussed pulling to- gether community nonprofits inter- ested and able to help defray costs of the data retrieval process. In an OPN meeting Friday, April 9, EFN will continue to discuss how to remain viable as Eugene’s only local ISP. Says Harrison, “Members of the community who would like to help may do so through purchase of services through EFN or [monetary] contributions to Oregon Free Network.” — Bobbie Willis Patrice Dotson, 72, is a great-grand- mother living on a fixed income, and she’s scared. “Many of us are wondering what is going to happen to us in this economy,” she says. “We watch our rents go up and our Medicare benefits go down. We watch our medical expenses rise and our medical insur- ance benefits lower.” Dotson, a former corporate salesperson, massage therapist, marketing director and medical technologist, wonders if anyone in the current presidential administration even cares about senior citizens. “Who in the decision-making depart- ments are on our side? Who cares?” she asks. To make a statement, Dotson has turned an inspirational flash into a work of art she’s selling. She’s created T-shirts and buttons with the phrase: “Pull Cheney, Flush Bush. It’s a healthy movement for America.” The words and a commode comprise the logo. “It’s what I feel I can do,” says Dotson, adding, “It’s miniscule but it’s something.” INDEPENDENT ART Dotson sells the T-shirts for $10 and the CELEBRATED AT DIVA buttons for $2. She sells out of her house and An entire weekend celebrating inde- at Saturday Market, as a strolling pendent art and film begins this vendor. Friday at DIVA, 110 West “People also get a Broadway. The weekend kicks chance to laugh a little off Friday with a screening of because of my message Michael Dean’s film, DIY or … and Lord knows, we DIE: How to Survive as an all can use a good laugh Independent Artist, from 8 to these days,” she says. 10 pm. While sales con- The film celebrates indepen- tribute to her income, dent artists of many kinds — mu- Dotson is also planning on sicians, performance artists and donating a portion of the pro- MICHAEL computer savvy folk, and the do-it-your- ceeds to the Democratic presiden- DEAN self ethic. Los Angeles-based Dean will be tial front-runner. on hand to answer questions and sing a few “Perhaps if enough people pull and songs. enough people flush, we can get things mov- Dean will stick around Saturday and ing in a more healthy direction in the upcom- Sunday for workshops tailored to indepen- ing election,” she says. dent artists, musicians and filmmakers from To purchase the T-shirts and buttons, call the community. They will be held from noon 344-4871 or find her at Saturday Market. to 4 pm each day. — AS On Saturday, Dean will explore “How to Produce Your Own Independent Film,” and teach basic and intermediate video filmmak- O BY OT PH HELLE ABILD EFN SCRAMBLING TO MEET CHALLENGES ing techniques. On Sunday, Dean will share his strategies, tips and tricks on getting worldwide exposure without a budget for music, art and film pro- jects in the workshop, “How to Promote Independent Film, Music and Art.” “Dean is irreverent and entertaining, and his approach promises to be fun and informa- tive for those involved,” says DIVA program coordinator Carolezoom Patterson. The cost for the weekend is $40 with pre- registration or $20-25 per session. Call 954- 8373, or email carolezoom@mac.com. Friday night’s film is $3-5, ss. ACTIVIST ALERT • David Cobb, front-running candidate for the Green Party’s 2004 presidential nomi- nation is expected to attend the Pacific Green Party of Oregon’s upcoming Eugene event from 5 to 7 pm Thursday, April 15 at the Strand, 8th and Charnelton. The event is billed as “an evening jam-packed with local and national activists and candidates in a friendly and informal setting.” Participants will have the opportunity to meet candidates and also meet organizers working on cam- BY PAUL NEEVEL PATRICE DOTSON LISA RIGNELL AND SHEA HARDY When Shea Hardy first met Lisa Rignell at a meeting of the Birth Companions Network last September, she learned that Rignell was coaching pregnant teens as a volunteer in Willamette High’s teen par- ent program. An Elmira native and a 20-year employee at PSC, Rignell had experience helping with a dozen births in her own family. “I also wanted to do service work with kids,” says Hardy. A South Eugene grad, she had recently returned after seven years of travel as a nanny. “We met and it just clicked,” says Rignell. “I was the only one doing this work. Shea got the bright idea to expand it to other places.” At the next BCN meeting, the pair recruited six more doulas (birth helpers) as volunteers. Their new project, Doulas Supporting Teens, has become an element of teen parent programs at Springfield High, Looking Glass, and the Opportunity Center, as well as Willamette. “We educate them on the birth process, nutrition, and breast feeding,” says Rignell. “A big thing is birth control afterwards. None of our girls has gotten pregnant again.” DST volunteers are cur- rently coaching 14 pregnant teens. Five others gave birth last month. APRIL 8, 2004 7
