I sort of like the idea of using something like Kickstarter for the city budget. Say 20% of the city of Portland's portion of the property taxes goes into a fund where by the individuals are able to direct it to the projects that they are interested in. (The other 80% goes to basic services.) If everybody wants MLR then they can fund it, otherwise tough luck. If a project doesn't get enough funding, the funds are returned to the accounts for the individuals to direct to a different project.

Jeffer-Sam's button "I'm on the Bus" should be "I'm on the Bus to Burning Man".

Hope he's not driving. Paid the bus insurance. Took his pills. Has a working speedometer. And remembers where he is.

Oh, and he needs to search the bus for grass before the cops do, like they did when his bus was heading for the Horning Hideway rock concert recently.

Actually, Jack, copying Burning Man has merit in one respect. Namely, the playa gets flooded with try-hards all trying to convince everyone else that they're cooler than the rest of the population, but then they go back home. (Of course, if the serious burnouts and attention-craving geeks want to stay, they're welcome to do so...if they like standing in about four feet of water all winter long.)

Portlandia moment of the weekend: overheard extended debate on the relative merits of Country Fair and Burning Man, from which one could tell that this was a critical life issue for the two young men involved.

Sam-Rand would put the first "Burner" Eco-District in a neighborhood that hadn't asked for it, "give the lead to the private sector" so that it was overwhelmed with commercial beer, logos, and marketing trash. Kids from the suburbs would mob the place in holographic reflective speedos and roller skates. The many booths for cell phone companies wouldn't sell much, but the strolling vitamin X salesmen would do a huge business.

I just hope that the next mayor revives the Mayor's Ball at the Coliseum with a blizzard of local bands and a charity beneficiary like the Food Bank.

This town is starting to seem like a mash-up of Disneyland and Burning man. And not the good parts.

"Crowdsource the budget"
"Build your own bank"
"Hitch, surf, and crash"

These ideas are already in full effect in Portland. No reinvention necessary, except the big ritualistic bonfire. That's next, I'm sure.

Could anything be more narcissistic and vapid? after Occupy, I have to admit, probably yes. Enjoy it, taxpayers... er, budget-sources.