Group Hopes to Rename Street After Douglas Adams 223
interstellar_donkey writes "Despite the recent brouhaha over the renaming of 4th Ave after César Chávez, a Portland group is pushing to rename a local street after the late writer Douglas Adams. The street? Why, 42nd Ave, of course. According to their website, the renaming will reflect Portlanders' commitment to the arts, respect for the environment, desire to provide technological access to all, their passion to further education to all people, and most importantly remind Portlanders DON'T PANIC. This appears to be a serious movement, with preliminary paperwork already in the works."
Holy Crap! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Holy Crap! (Score:5, Funny)
Good thing it's not at the beginning, otherwise it wouldn't have shown up.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Holy Crap! (Score:5, Funny)
Rename the streat to "DON'T PANIC" instead (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Rename the streat to "DON'T PANIC" instead (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Rename the streat to "DON'T PANIC" instead (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
(...and yet my wife still looks at me funny when I say that I really don't feel like going down there for anything... maybe I'll make her drive it next time).
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Of course, there would still be plenty of people crossing in the middle of the block (maybe looking for a telephone to clean...).
A better suggestion (Score:5, Funny)
Why do hippies move to Portland? (Score:5, Interesting)
Question: Why do hippies move to Portland? Answer: Because there are no jobs.
The world's smallest park [roadsideamerica.com] is here, and the world's largest bookstore [powells.com].
The spirit of Douglas Adams lives on in the body of Linus Torvalds [wikipedia.org], who lives in Portland, creating artistic chaos for commercial operating systems. Douglas Adams loved technical gizmos [wikipedia.org]. "Douglas was a keen technologist, writing about such inventions as e-mail and Usenet before they became widely popular, or even widely known." Linus Torvalds makes technical gizmos happen.
Re: (Score:2)
Scared yet? You should be.
Microsoft and Seattle can have their stinkin' Starbucks, Grunge, and Pike Street Market. We got Voodoo Doughnuts [voodoodoughnut.com] and Saturday Market [portlandsa...market.com], bitches... >:)
If only... (Score:2, Redundant)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
And not ... (Score:2)
In my city... (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:In my city... (Score:5, Funny)
In next weeks news... (Score:5, Funny)
Doh! Flanders! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Doh! Flanders! (Score:4, Funny)
As a former resident of Portland, I can confirm this is true.
I was born at 2727 Comic Book Guy Avenue but we moved to 1634 Nahasapeemapetilon Street when I was about 5.
Some characters are even named after the local nicknames for streets.
The area where the down and outs hang out were obviously called Itchy Way and Scratchy Street.
And the nickname for the road with the local gynecological clinic gave us the name for Springfield's mayor.
Yup! (Score:2)
They need something else (Score:2)
We'd need to do this in every civilised city of the Universe.
Re:They need something else (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
We already have earthman. It's just that none of them are on your planet
Good for business (Score:3, Funny)
Restaurants, holistic detective agencies, sandwich stands, towel and fish shops...
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
I've heard about fish'n'chips, but this is something completely different!
Re: (Score:2)
So... (Score:2, Funny)
Spelling differences (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Spelling differences (Score:4, Funny)
I get dibs... (Score:2)
Of course, (Score:5, Funny)
Public acceptance of atheism (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
My judgement (Score:4, Funny)
THE JUDGEMENT OF KING WEN:
28. EXTREME OVERLOAD
The Environment Is Demand Temporarily Load With Many Events, Ideas And Situations, Which Your Consideration. You/They May Fight In Your Attempt, To Solve Problems. If Problems Is Not Bothered From Misunderstanding And Lack At Assessment By Other At Your Attempts, To Solve. If Your Poise Maintain Will Help You, To Follow. Do Not Use Powerful Methods. His Flexible And Prepare You For Fast Passages.
THE COMMENTARY OF THE DUKE OF CHOU:
Line 2: With The Right Companions, You Can Reach Almost Everything
Gladstone Street shirley a better choice? (Score:4, Insightful)
In the spirit of "keep Portland Weird" (Score:4, Interesting)
Towels (Score:2)
42 (Score:2)
I can beat that... (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Well said!
What was the question? (Score:2)
Which Portland? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
There is more than one San Francisco, and nobody ever seems to get that wrong.
Re: (Score:2)
Portland, Or. OTOH, isn't.
Unless you count whiny bicyclists, one of the largest areas for pseudo science, and people who think it's alright to trample on people's freedoms in the names of some hippie ideal as an cultural plus.
Re: (Score:2)
so are we talking about NE/SE 42nd, or NW/SW 42nd, or both, or maybe just 1/2 of one of those Avenues?
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
It's too bad there aren't any numbered avenues in N Portland, the fifth of Portland's increasingly inaccurately named quadrants...
Re: (Score:2)
And yes, NoPo does belie the idea that it's a quadrant city, but it's kind of a wedge. I think of it as the 5th quadrant, kind of like the 5th Beatle. It's a defining feature of the city, but most people just know about the other four.
If only this were truly funny (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Portland Blvd. and Interstate Avenue were considered for "renaming" because they aren't named for a "person".
Portland Blvd. was confusing, in the sense that it is a secondary street that isn't very commercially significant (and before you say anything, I LIVE one block from Portland Blvd/Rosa Parks). It was named before Arbor Lodge and Piedmont were part of Portland. Most of the reason why you didn
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
4th wasn't the original problem. (Score:2)
Fourth was brought up as a last-minute compromise that nobody was happy with.
Those interested might want to read the St. Johns Sentinel, the community newspaper up here in North Portland
Re:Respect for the environment? (Score:5, Interesting)
Adams was pretty famous for his environmental activism, in particular campaigning on behalf of endangered species. There's more info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Adams#Environmental_activism [wikipedia.org]
The point they're trying to make is that by renaming the street in his honour, they are both showing respect to the man and what he stood for.
Re:Respect for the environment? (Score:5, Informative)
For those who are interested, Douglas gave a lecture just a few weeks before his tragic demise. You can watch it here:
http://webcast.ucsd.edu:8080/ramgen/UCSD_TV/5779UniCalSanBar.rm [ucsd.edu]
I've been a fan of douglas adams ever since I caught the very first broadcast of episode one of Hitch-hikers on the radio by pure, joyous chance.
I was somewhat surprised in later years to realise that it was actually his factual work 'Last Chance to See' that was my favorite of all his works (thought the Dirk Gebtly books are a close second). I never much liked the h2G2 books, I prefer the radio play.
Re:Respect for the environment? (Score:4, Insightful)
It was his favourite, too.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Having read most of his books, I wish he was still around
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
good bye, and thanks for the fish (Score:2)
Bad link (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
NOT WORK SAFE (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
The link makes my Firefox crash in Linux. However Opera did open the link (with javascript/java and images disables) and it is a GNAA last measure web page with grotuesque pictures.
You can get an index of the available pictures (a la "index of/") here [nimp.org]. But BEWARE: THEY ARE VERY GROTESQUE AND NOT SAFE FOR WORK, they include goatse man, tubgirl and other wonders of the GNAA.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:I Am Against This... (Score:5, Interesting)
The metropolis of London has no numbered streets, no grid system and numerous name conflicts - the number of 'High Streets' is - if I remember correctly - in excess of 50 and we Brits manage fine. And how can you live in a town which hasn't, at some point in its history, featured a 'Gropecunt Lane'.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Is that near Shepherd's Bush?
Shepherd's Bush is in west London.
'Gropecunt Lane', now Threadneedle Street, is in the City of London (the area of the ancient city of London). The Bank of England is on Threadneedle Street.
About 20 minutes on the Central Line (London Underground, i.e. subway train) will get you from one to the other.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
"Manage fine"? When the tube got bombed in 2005, the bookstores quickly ran out of A-Z books (detailed city map books) 'cause commuters couldn't find their way home without them.
In a rational sort of city, the natives don't walk around with maps.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Naming a street after someone is a great tribute to that person, and in my book Douglas Adams deserves to have more than 1 street named after him. 42 of them in fact!
Re: (Score:2)
I live in Europe, and we have had names for our streets since... Well, since the streets were placed there. And I can tell you that we're not hopelessly getting lost all the time. The human brain is quite capable of linking names to places...
The human brain is, however the grid system is rather handy. For example "4242 Don't Panic St. South". Odds are it's 42 blocks south of city center, with the nearest cross street being 42nd. No grid system is perfect, there are almost always hills, ravines, rivers, lakes, junk in the way.
One can learn the streets of a city, but an intelligent syntax and order are there to help out those who are not so intimately familiar with your city. A good layout a person without a map can establish direction of tr
Re: (Score:2)
Well, I AM from Portland, and it's in my hood (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm also an atheist and an environmentalist, as are most of the people here. Well, there are a lot of lesbians, too, at least according to the Census Bureau factfinder website (I have no idea how they found that out, but it's true, for I bought my house from a couple).
It actually came up because the Hispanic community wanted to rename Interstate Ave after Cesar Chavez (since Union was renamed MLK), which the people on Interstate thought was dumb, so it met with heavy public protest. The Mayor and Council were all for it, and then the public found out.
Since 42nd is a kind of major street, it would be very cool to have it renamed after Douglas Adams! We could open a Don't Panic Coffee Shop (or electronic gadget store).
I think the only major complaint would come from "42nd Street Station", a little mini-mall just off Sandy Blvd that would probably have to change their name!
It just needs some money to pay for paperwork, so please, donate!
MLK (Score:2)
In a programming context, when we forget the difference between the pointer and the object, ++ungood things often follow.
Re: (Score:2)
This experience helped me to understand that education is something you pursue on your own.
Really can't rely on the state to do more than provide a few basics.
Re: (Score:2)
By the same token, there is massive irony in the notion that the "Bible Belt" portion of the US has shown some massive evidence of racism, for all that racism and the New Testament are antithetical.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Hmm. Does that make your local MLK Blvd a handle to Jesus? It might be handy if you expect Jesus' address to change.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm also an atheist and an environmentalist, as are most of the people here. Well, there are a lot of lesbians, too, at least according to the Census Bureau factfinder website (I have no idea how they found that out, but it's true, for I bought my house from a couple).
OK, for those of us trying to follow along at home, WTF does any of that have to do with the subject at hand? I'm a straight Christian evil conservative and I also like DNA and would vote to name a street after him.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
As for "42nd Street Station"? Why would they have to change their name? It's already inaccurate as
Street numbers maybe boring but... (Score:2)
If I'm visiting a city using a street numbering system that is consistent, I find it is easier to get around. That is, let's say I'm going up 22ND AVE, and I just passed 45TH ST, there is a damn good chance that the next street is 46TH ST (or 44TH depending on the direction of the numbers) without having to constantly look at a map to know which street is next.
And yes, if
Re: (Score:2)
I don't even live in Portland and I am against this kind of tomfoolery. I can imagine that Portland is like my city, which is not unlike any American city in this regard...
Trust me... Portland is like no other American city [keepportlandweird.org] (or any other human settlement for that matter) on the planet.
It's kinda charming that way :)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Portland, OREGON (Score:2)
Bunch of goddamn stoners.
"Portland", as far as I'm concerned, is in Maine... Nice of Oregon to name their city after it, though.
Re: (Score:2)
Portland, Oregon: population 537,081, with a metro population exceeding 2 million. Third largest city in the Pacific Northwest. Significant shipping port for grain and lumber. Home of the NBA's "Trailblazers" professional basketball club. Considered a pioneer in aggressive urban planning and transit-friendly development.
We might have been named for Portland, Maine.. but we've g
Re: (Score:2)
Portland, Oregon: population 537,081
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
As a resident of the Portland area, I have to say all this street renaming non-sense is really getting on my nerves. It's well known that the only reason it's happening is that some local knotheads (AKA the mayor) wants to score some points with some special interest and/or ethnic groups...meanwhile totally pissing off everybody else in the general vicinity who rely on street names for basic things like oh say getting your mail and navigation. Literally millions in tax dollars and everyone's time is being