links for 2009-01-09

“What is the most important thing that you have ever learned, and how has it changed your life?” one question reads. “What is something that you do on a regular basis to make the world a better place?” And, “What is one thing that you think would make Portland a better city?”

Some of the compressor stations needed to get Gazprom's deliveries to Europe are on Ukrainian soil, and the company has accused the locals of siphoning off gas that's bound for Europe. (The same pipeline is used to carry gas for both Ukrainian and European customers.) Gazprom further claims that these Ukrainian compressor stations had already been shut off before Wednesday—which would have kept any European-bound gas in Ukraine—and that's what led Russia to stop its supply.