[freegeek-e-newsletter] Free Geek E-Newsletter: Quarter 2, 2007

[e-newsletter at lists.freegeek.org]

Free Geek's email newsletter has come your way yet again!  Free Geek's 
Outreach Committee brings you the news-around-Geek once every quarter.
Special thanks to Ali Briggs, RevPhil Sano, and Aaron Burt for much of the 
content of this edition.

If you'd like to stop receiving this newsletter, please scroll down to the
very bottom of this email and follow the instructions.

Contents:

I. Volunteers of the Months
II. Staff Comings and Goings
III. Plug in at Free Geek
IV. Geek Prom, We Hardly Knew Ye
V. This Month in A/V
VI. Advanced Linux Classes are Back
VII. Spam Wrap-Up (would that be a Pig in a Blanket?)
VIII. Happenings Around Town
IX. Wishlist

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VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH(S)

If you've been to Free Geek lately, you know that we now have a nice, 
relatively large work space dedicated to refurbishing Macintosh computers.
Loren Martin, Jason Sikes, and Tony Rick work in the area daily, tinkering 
with the systems and loading them with Ubuntu Linux to prepare them to sell
in the Thrift Store and give away as hardware grants.  These three volunteers
also train other volunteers in the wild ways of Macintosh systems, and ensure
a steady supply of these candy-colored systems, which sell amazingly well in
the Store.  Loren, Tony, and Jason thus provide a valuable source of revenue
for Free Geek while empowering others to conquer the mysteries of the
Macintosh.

Thanks so much for your valuable work, Loren, Tony, and Jason!

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STAFF COMINGS AND GOINGS

Who are these people milling around, talking on the phones and hanging out in
the Thrift Store?  Free Geek has seen quite a change in staffing over the
last few months.  Nathan Bennett, Entropy Coordinator, left Free Geek in late
March to join up with (Free Geek founder) Oso Martin's business, Bear
E-cycling.  Steve Stafford, Store Co-Coordinator, also left in late March
with dreams of living with alpine purity and rejuvenation.  Both Nathan and
Steve have been spotted around the Geek since their departures, setting up a
Recycled Art Show and teaching Build classes, respectively.

Free Geek also welcomed two new folks.  Yerusalem "Salem" Feseha joined us as
a job-experience intern at the Front Desk.  Luiz Sudbrack brings his
experience as a Free Geek volunteer and keyboard enthusiast to rocking the
full-time Store Co-Coordinator position.  So the next time you're hanging
around Free Geek, be sure to introduce yourself to Salem and Luiz and make 
them feel welcome!

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PLUG IN AT FREE GEEK

PLUG (the Portland Linux/Unix Group) hosts a Linux Clinic at Free Geek the
third Sunday of each month, from 1PM - 5PM.  If you're having trouble running
Linux on your computer, bring it on down and we'll try to help you.
Heck--you might end up helping someone else with their computer, too!  It's a
neighborly kind of thing.

Linux's online support network is legendary, and PLUG has a mailing-list that
helps folks with many Linux issues.  The Linux Clinic takes this further by
helping with the sort of problems that require a "laying on of hands".

Keith Lofstrom, Aaron Burt and John Jason Jordan have been running the clinic
at Free Geek since February 2006, when they took over after the demise of the
PLUG Linux Clinic at Riverdale School.

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GEEK PROM, WE HARDLY KNEW YE

Due to a series of miscommunications with our friends at the Someday Lounge,
Geek Prom has been cancelled for 2007.  No James Bond theme, no Golden Greats
rocking the house, no silly system of Experience Point gathering to entice
strangers into playing Street Fighter II, no romancing the dork with
horn-rimed glasses, ugh! However are we to freak out with our geek out?!?

Take heart friendly newsreader, this is not the end of fun events from your
favorite geeky nonprofit. We are taking this setback as an opportunity to
make our next event even better, and you are encouraged to help! Geek Fair
needs donations of super-cool prizes for our silent auction, volunteers to
help prepare food and fresh ideas for entertainment.  Send an email to
<events at freegeek.org> if you're interested in helping out.

And be sure to mark your calendars!  Geek Fair, Free Geek's annual street
fair, is scheduled for July 21st!  Even if you don't have time to volunteer
for the event, be sure to come out for fun, music, food, and Geeks, and look
for a special newsletter announcing all the planned happenenings.

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THIS MONTH IN A/V

Free Geek takes more than just computer donations.  What do we do with all the 
other stuff?

One of the most successful non-computer reuse programs we have is run entirely 
by a volunteer: Audio/Video Testing.

Dirk Morgan is the cheeky volunteer responsible for dealing with all of the
DVD players, VCRs, equalizers, speakers, etc.  Good thing he knows about old
Hi-Fi equipment.  He's the person making these goods available at the Free
Geek Thrift Store at a variety of costs, from $50 Jensen tape decks to $5 jam
boxes.

Just like in the rest of Free Geek, A/V testing diverts hardware from
landfills, and provides quality audio and video equipment to those that
otherwise might not be able to afford it.

Dirk asked me to tell you that if there is something specific you want, "the
Thrift Store Wish List is available for those looking for a particular brand,
or type of equipment that may come available some day.  We also encourage A\V
grants for fellow non-profits."  Just visit http://freegeek.org/wishlist to
make a wishlist request.

So let all your friends know that Free Geek wants all your audio and video
equipment, and be sure to thank Dirk for making it run so smoothly!

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ADVANCED LINUX CLASSES ARE BACK

Our pleasant system administrator Martin has recruited a new teacher.  Rob
Love teaches our regularly-offered Command Line class and is helping students
learn more about FOSS and GNU-Linux.

Those of you who want more than just the basic command line class might
enjoy "Where Stuff Goes", "The Linux Process Model", "Debain Package
Management" or any number of classes Rob daydreams of teaching.

These advanced classes are every Saturday at 1pm. Sign up at the front desk
and be sure to give Rob some gratitude.

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SPAM WRAP-UP

Thanks for bearing with us through our minor spam attack.  We apologize for
any inconvenience it may have caused.  We think we've fixed the problem, and
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If you have any comments or concerns, please feel free to send an email to
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HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN

Sunday Brunch at the Hawthorne Hostel and
Eye Candy Sundae
Every Sunday!
FREE

* Sunday Brunch:
WHAT TIME: 11am to 1-ish. Prep begins at 11am, eating around noon.
WHAT TO BRING: a dish to share, raw ingredients to make stuff, or a modest
monetary donation to pay for supplies.
WHERE: HI-Portland, Hawthorne Hostel
3031 SE Hawthorne Blvd
HOW: by bike! by foot! by bus: #14/Hawthorne
WHY: because we all love to eat!

* Eye Candy Sundae:
WHEN: Every Sunday 10 PM ? CLOSE
WHERE: Beulahland 118 NE 28th Ave. 97232
WHAT: Comfy booths, good company, full bar, dazzling visuals hosted by VJ
Norto, AKA DJ Norto (http://homepage.mac.com/elfrenetico/FileSharing23.html)

***********************************
Sew Crafty
Mondays, May 7 and 21
6-10pm
Free Geek
FREE

Show up to Sew Crafty with your sewing project and sewing machine, and have
fun while schmoozing with fellow crafters.  Ask advice of our resident expert
Debra Hubbard, or just show up and hang out.

*************************************
The First Quarterly Moon Castle Ballyhoo
Thursday, May 31 - Sunday, June 3
Throughout Portland
FREE

The First Quarterly Moon Castle Ballyhoo (A Modern Day Hullabaloo) is a
four-day free fun festival dedicated to celebrating being a silly human and
fostering community through totally absurd and absolutely hilarious
activities that only require you to show up and participate. Through
participation we can build community! Through community we can build
things! So lets get to it!

Schedule:
http://ballyhoo-pdx.blogspot.com/2007/04/tentative-schedule-as-of-today.html

*************************************
Pedalpalooza Bike Festival
Thursday, June 7 - Saturday, June 23

2.5 weeks, over 100 bicycle-centric, fun, friendly events.  It's hard to sum
up Pedalpalooza, because such a variety of people organize the events.  And
you can, too!  Go to http://www.shift2bikes.org/pedalpalooza/pp2007.php to
see what's on the (growing) schedule.

Included as part of this year's Pedalpalooza is...
The Ewaste Recycle Ride!

This ride is organized by Free Geek's own Joe Rowe, and will lead bicyclists
(hauling their e-waste) to Free Geek to check out the place and donate their
stuff.  Starts at Jefferson High School at 10am.  See
http://www.shift2bikes.org/pedalpalooza/pp2007.php#34
for more info.  Thanks, Joe!

**************************************
GEEK FAIR
Saturday, July 21
Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Ave.
1pm-7pm

Come out for some geeky fun.  Music, food, drink, LAN party, geeky games,
bicycles, awesome.  More info soon!

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WISHLIST

You might not know it, but many of our basic supplies (like printer paper and
TP) are donated to us by individuals with big hearts and a few extra dollars
in their wallets (or good scavenging skills!).  We'd very much appreciate
donations of any of the below:

- Band-aids, band-aids, band-aids
- TP
- Dishwashing fluid
- Simple Green general spray cleaner
- Bleach
- Rubber gloves
- Cream and sugar for coffee
- Dry Erase Markers
- Hand towels and rags
- Wire and cable cutters
- 8.5" x 11" single-sheet white printer paper (100% post-consumer recycled,
 if possible)
- Food and drink for volunteers (especially chocolate)
- Locking cabinets (with keys, please!)
- Big hugs!

As a quick and easy alternative, we welcome your online monetary donations.
Just go to our website (http://freegeek.org), and click on the PayPal link on
the right-hand side of the page to donate to Free Geek online.

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Thanks so much for reading this newsletter, and for supporting Free Geek and
all its people, dogs, computer stuff, random electronic doo-dads, implements
of computer destruction, and good times.

See you next time!


Shawn Furst
Volunteer Program Coordinator
Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
(503)232-9350
http://freegeek.org


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