User:Peteforsyth

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	Pete works on WikiProject Oregon talk | recent changes |stubs
current collaborations: Oregon Historic Trails Advisory Council & Terry Porter WikiProject Oregon blog

This user is a member of the Wikipedia 1.0 Editorial Team.

  OREGON
  OPEN CONTENT
  INITIATIVE

Wikipedia barnstars and awards

Hi, I'm Pete Forsyth. (My mom and some others call me Peter.)

I edit Wikipedia on a regular basis, and not just for fun. I believe that Wikipedia is changing the way we find information, the way we share information with others, and the way we think about collaborating for the collective good. Decidedly for the better.

I live in Portland, Oregon. I do some volunteer work with various organizations. I'm working on a project, The Open Lobby, that would draw on what I've learned from Wikipedia to develop policy proposals. I have a blog, Our New Mind, that explores related ideas.

I have a computer consulting business – I can fix your computer, build you a network, or design a web site. For a price.

[edit] What I've done on Wikipedia

Pete is a Veteran Editor II. (Overview of edits to Wikipedia.)

I award this Barnstar to Pete for his great efforts improving WP Oregon. Aboutmovies 18:47, 26 February 2007 (UTC)

Most of my Wikipedia work is related to Oregon, with an emphasis on policy, history, and politics. I am particularly interested in the ballot initiative system. I also focus heavily on strengthening citations, which enables readers to verify claims and explore issues in greater depth. Here are some of the pages I've put the most work into:

List of Oregon ballot measures

Keeping track of ballot measures in our state, and nationwide, is pretty damn important. Heavily-financed special interests are nationally coordinated; regular folk oughtta be too. Wikipedia is a great place to keep factual information about ballot measures and the strategies that have been used on both sides.

Neil Goldschmidt, Gordon Smith, Vicki Walker, and other Oregon political figures

Wikipedia is a resource for getting to know our government officials. I've worked on many Oregon politicians' Wikipedia entries.

Columbia River

The history of this river, and its role in Oregon's history, is rich and fascinating. I've made a number of contributions to this article. Nominated for Good Article status in fall '07; it came up short, but there are many good suggestions on the article's talk page to get it approved.

Barlow Road and other aspects of Oregon history.

I'm particularly interested in the development of hydropower on Oregon's rivers, and the story of George W. Joseph.

Oregon statewide elections, 2006

My first major project on Wikipedia. This was meant to provide a central place for information about elections; the Secretary of State's site and others have a good deal of information, but not in a format that makes it easy to absorb or navigate. This page needs more work, especially citations and formatting. If I take this on for a future election, I'll probably do it very differently.

I helped get the following articles (and portal) to Featured article status

Hanford Site, Oregon State Capitol, and 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack, Johnson Creek (Willamette River), and the Oregon portal.

I now nominate my new articles, and others I find, for the Did you know feature.

There's a full list of Oregon-related DYKs.

I also built the following two navigational templates, and worked on nearly all of the articles covered in them:

v • d • e Columbia River Provinces and states traversed British Columbia · Washington · Oregon Lists Cities · Crossings · Dams · Tributaries Geology and Geography Geology of the Pacific Northwest · Columbia River Basalt Group · Columbia River Gorge · Missoula Floods · Bonneville Slide/Bridge of the Gods land bridge · 1700 Cascadia earthquake · 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens · Columbia Mountains · History Celilo Falls · Kettle Falls · Dalles des Morts · Robert Gray exploration · Lewis and Clark Expedition · David Thompson · Astor Expedition · Fort Vancouver · Steamboats of the Columbia River · Big Bend Gold Rush · Steamboats of the Arrow Lakes · Steamboats of the upper Columbia and Kootenay Rivers · Columbia River Treaty · Historic Columbia River Highway · Columbia Basin Project · Bonneville Power Administration · Hanford Site · Sohappy v. Smith · Boldt Decision · Vanport flood of 1948 Ecology and culture Pacific salmon · Woody Guthrie · Confluence Project

v • d • e Topics in Oregon legislation Crime and sentencing Capital punishment · Measure 11 (1994) (mandatory minimum sentencing) · Measure 40 (1996) etc. (victims' rights) Abigail Scott Duniway was instrumental in establishing women's right to vote in Oregon. Elections and voting Direct Legislation League · Vote-by-mail · Term limits Gay rights Same-sex marriage · Oregon Citizens Alliance · Measure 9 (1992) (homosexuality and education) Environment Bottle bill · Nuclear power · Wind power Land use Beach Bill (1967) · Senate Bill 100 (1973) · Measure 37 (2004) & 49 (2008) Health care Death with Dignity Act · Oregon Health Plan Minimum wage Measures 36 (1996), 25 (2002) Taxation Tax revolt · Bill Sizemore · Measure 5 (1990) (landmark tax law) · Measures 47 (1996) and 50 (1997) (adjusted Measure 5) · Kicker (tax rebate) Miscellaneous Adoption rights · Alcohol in Oregon · Cannabis in Oregon Background, further reading Oregon legislature · Direct democracy in Oregon · Oregon government · Oregon history · Oregon ballot measures

I've uploaded several of my own photos, and created several maps and charts. I also try to improve image quality whenever possible, adjusting color levels, cropping out unnecessary text from maps and diagrams, etc. A few of my own images below:

Pete French Round Barn	Alvord Desert sunset	Little Blitzen Gorge on Steens Mountain	Oregon State Senate districts
OSS districts in Portland metro area	OSS districts in the Willamette Valley	Timbers Army	Railings of the trail up Beacon Rock

This tool shows all the images I've uploaded or edited here on Wikipedia, or at Wikimedia Commons. New articles I've started in the last month. (/New article archive)

[edit] some wikitricks

<div style="background-color: #ECE5B6; padding: 0.5em; border: solid 1px black; -moz-border-radius: 8px;">

makes a background color, when put at the top of a page. Looks really cool on a talk page. No closing /div tag needed? Grabbed this from User:Valentinian.

User:Martha_Forsyth (Pete's Mom) experimented with this, and learned the following:

• You can change the background color (see tags at Web-safe colors#X11 color names).
• Adding a </div> tag at the end will give you a box with the background color specified (you can specify text color too. E.g., color:white (or other color).
• No closing /div tag applies the background to the whole page (section??).

Example

—05:08, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

[[w:User:Peteforsyth]]

links from other Wikimedia projects to this page

InterWikiLinky

how to link to other projects

{{WikiProjectBanners|1={{template1}}|2={{template2}}|3={{template3}}|4={{template4}}}}

collapsible WikiProject banners

Use external editor for images, etc.

Note: Page has been moved to mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:External editors - Martha (talk) 22:27, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

easy columns

{{Col-begin}} {{Col-1-of-2}} {{Col-2-of-2}} {{Col-end}}

list style

• This is a long list item text in order to show the text wrapping long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to
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• This is a long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to long list item text in order to show the text wrapping

1. List Item
2. List Item
3. List Item
4. List Item
5. List Item

1. List Item
   
   
2. List Item
3. List Item

http://www.htmlgoodies.com/beyond/css/article.php/3470331

[edit] resources

Proper citations are a crucial element of a good Wikipedia article. I use <ref> tags and templates like {{cite news}} to create well-formatted citations, wherever possible. A good source for Oregon-related citations is the Multnomah County Library's NewsBank-based system. My card number: 211680283880xx

Favorite sources:

• Columbia River History by John Harrison. (Northwest Council.)
• Columbia River History (Center for Columbia River History.)
• The Columbia - River in Crisis (Columbia River Keeper.)

[edit] stuff to do

• Lower Snake River Project Robinson, Erik (April 15, 2007), "Pressure builds on Snake River dams", The Columbian, http://www.bluefish.org/pressure.htm  (incl. links to past Columbian articles) Army Corps page on sediment management Northwest power generation map bluefish.org overview of issue history of dams, from USACE; citation for article title NWCouncil on Navigation from American Rivers overview from American Rivers Milstein, Michael (2007-12-11), "Judge rips latest plan to help salmon", The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197345328250200.xml&coll=7, retrieved on 3 January 2008 ; A Tug Boat Ride Down the Snake River from OPB. Healy, Melissa (March 31, 1994), "Are West's Dams Set in Stone? Bruce Babbitt dreams of razing some of them to transform rivers and the Interior Department. But businesses dependent on cheap water and power fear the added expense and predict job losses.", Los Angeles Times, http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/59340985.html?dids=59340985:59340985&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+31%2C+1994&author=MELISSA+HEALY&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=COLUMN+ONE+Are+West's+Dams+Set+in+Stone%3F+Bruce+Babbitt+dreams+of+razing+some+of+them+to+transform+rivers+and+the+Interior+Department.+But+businesses+dependent+on+cheap+water+and+power+fear+the+added+expense+and+predict+job+losses.&pqatl=google , Cecil D. Andrus
• Missions in Oregon Country
  • Methodist: Oregon Mission, Oregon missionaries, Methodist Mission, Jason Lee (missionary), Henry A. G. Lee, Mission Mill Museum
  • Presbytarian: Whitman Mission, Whitman Massacre, Marcus Whitman, Narcissa Whitman, Cayuse War
  • Catholic: St. Paul's Mission, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, François Norbert Blanchet, Modeste Demers, resolution to expel
• Fish Passage Center Rusch, Elizabeth (September 2007), "Swimming upstream", Portland Monthly magazine  Press releases from CRITFC: [1] [2]
• Northwest Power Planning Council (probably more important than FPC)
• Columbia Gorge casino
• Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest, covering economy and culture, various treaties, reservations, other history. Pieces at Columbia River, History of British Columbia, History of Washington, History of Oregon, Kennewick Man, Paisley Caves, Marmes Rockshelter, Fort Rock Cave, Bridge of the Gods (geologic event), Chief Joseph, Sarah Winnemucca, ...
• Columbia River Crossing, Oregon Business Plan, Oregon Innovation Council - McCall, William (2007-12-04), "Ore.: Governor urges new bridge", Houston Chronicle (Associated Press), http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5350302.html  http://www.oregonbusinessplan.org/plan_effort.html
• Lobbying in Oregon: Oregon Restaurant Association, Oregon Student Association
• Beacon Rock: Biddle bio, Beacon Rock history, 1916 Oregonian article. Alexander Ross (fur trader) of the Astor Expedition. extensive history.
• Harvey W. Scott, president of OHS. Oregon Historical Society quarterly from 1925. Charles E. Ladd (genealogy, fragment of bio) was first OHS treasurer. Also discusses the Oregon Treaty.
• George W. Joseph
• Columbia River /CRnavbox
• Land use planning in Oregon (draft: Wikipedia:WikiProject Oregon/Land use planning in Oregon)
• History of Oregon (draft: Wikipedia:WikiProject Oregon/History of Oregon)
• /Columbia Gorge casino in progress
• /Failing in progress
• /Oregon Progress Board

The Portland Tribune has a couple extensive overviews of Southeast Portland: http://www.portlandtribune.com/neighborhoods/story.php?story_id=116172415370358000 and http://www.portlandtribune.com/features/story.php?story_id=30283 and overview of Portland neighborhoods: http://www.portlandtribune.com/neighborhoods/

I want to do some photography on Mount Tabor, and other places in the area.

When I've got a spare $17: this 1931 article discusses public vs. private hydropower in the west.

• A weird episode to work in somewhere - 1991 legislature "on the lam" due to kerfuffle over redistricting: Lednicer, Lisa Grace (June 29, 2001), "Democrats will return Saturday", The Oregonian, http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:ORGB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0ECF8EAAE5372842&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=8CE642B8CA5C4083BE84A2539D6E1A73 

[edit] legislation advocacy

Make works of the State of Oregon public domain

Works of the United States government are in the public domain, and I believe works of the Oregon government should be as well. Wikipedia would be able to do much more if it could use resources developed by the state gov't. I'm drafting a letter to send to Oregon legislators to that effect. Please help me improve it, or comment on its talk page!

E-waste legislation

Various states, including Washington and California, regulate the disposal of e-waste to some degree. Oregon is likely to join them this legislative session. I've drafted a news release (linked above) on behalf of Free Geek, urging the legislature to prioritize reuse over recycling, and to ensure that waste processors adhere to responsible practices.

[edit] my work elsewhere

I write for other outlets besides Wikipedia. There are samples of my writing on my personal website.

[edit] sub-pages

automatic list

• /To do
• /Scratch1 - nothing here right now.
• letter to advocate putting works of the Oregon gov't in the public domain
• /O-vanish - The Oregonian's mysterious vanishing stories
• /measurechart - I should delete this one.
• /measuretemplate
• /wikicop
• /accomplishments
• /soapbox
• /ifoundit

[edit] Signpost

i g n p o s t

From the editor: Getting back on track ArbCom elections: 10 arbitrators appointed Virgin Killer page blocked, unblocked in UK Editing statistics show decline in participation Wikipedia drug coverage compared to Medscape, found wanting News and notes: Fundraising success and other developments Dispatches: Featured list writers Wikipedia in the news WikiProject Report: WikiProject Ice Hockey Features and admins The Report on Lengthy Litigation

[edit] My Christmas present to Wikipedia and the world

Multi-licensed with Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike License version 2.0

I agree to multi-license my text contributions to Wikipedia articles (i.e., edits to article space), unless otherwise stated, under the GFDL and the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike license version 2.0. Please be aware that other contributors might not do the same, so if you want to use my contributions under the Creative Commons terms, please check the CC dual-license and Multi-licensing guides. This does not apply to anything I contribute on talk pages, discussion pages, in project space, or elsewhere. I retain ownership over that text to the greatest extent permitted by the law and by Wikipedia policy.

Licensing rights granted to Wikimedia Foundation I grant non-exclusive permission for the Wikimedia Foundation Inc. to relicense my text contributions to Wikipedia articles (i.e., in article space) under any copyleft license that it chooses, provided it maintains the free and open spirit of the GFDL. This permission acknowledges that future licensing needs of the Wikimedia projects may need adapting in unforeseen fashions to facilitate other uses, formats, and locations. It is given for as long as this banner remains. This does not apply to anything I contribute on talk pages, discussion pages, in project space, or elsewhere. I retain ownership over that text to the greatest extent permitted by the law and by Wikipedia policy.